This Week's Nostalgia (7/25-7/31)

If you haven't realized it yet, it's fucking hot out there. Dragging myself out to the few shows I went to this past week was not an easy task, and I'm still sort of dehydrated from all the walking around and sweating. I made it to Levon Helm/Emmylou Harris on Monday, and though it did rain through most of Levon's set, I still had a good time. I also checked out They Might Be Giants' free show at the Apple store on Wednesday, and you can check out photos over here and some more over at BrooklynVegan. I've also become severely addicted to Spotify, and if you haven't already, subscribe to our This Week's Nostalgia playlist which will be updated to fit this column's picks each week. Let's see what's in store for us this week...

Toots & the Maytals @ Brooklyn Bowl
Monday, July 25

If you're even the slightest fan of reggae, then you're probably a fan of Toots & the Maytals. Without a doubt one of the most important and soulful acts of the early rocksteady movement, the Maytals' music is marked by extremely beautiful vocal harmonies, tight grooves and soulful lyrics. Not to mention that you've probably heard their work covered by dozens of artists, with songs like "Pressure Drop," "Monkey Man" and "54/46 (That's My Number)" being covered by The Clash, The Specials, and Sublime respectively. The last time I saw Toots Hibbert and his band was in Vermont around '04, and though I found it amusing that they felt the need to double-time the end of every song, it was still a good show. Tickets for the Brooklyn Bowl show are sold out, but the venue typically sells a small amount of tickets at the door day of.

Jane's Addiction @ Terminal 5
Monday, July 25

Since the early '90s, Jane's Addiction have been an on-again, off-again act, reuniting intermittently for albums, tours and headlining major festivals like the upcoming Reading Festival and Perry Farrell's own Lollapalooza. Recently, they have recruited TV on the Radio mastermind Dave Sitek to co-produce their latest album The Great Escape Artist in which he also plays bass on. Sitek will not be touring with the band for this tour though, so don't expect to see him at Terminal 5 tomorrow. This show was announced abruptly a couple weeks ago, with fans being able to get free tickets via a Ticketmaster code, which of course led to tickets being sold out almost immediately. Fans who make it in will "experience the world’s first-ever consumer generated 3D concert," ...whatever that means. Sounds awesome if you're going, and let us know what it's like.

Wanda Jackson @ Central Park SummerStage
Wednesday, July 27

The "Queen of Rockabilly" enjoyed a resurgence of popularity earlier this year when Jack White produced The Party Ain't Over, Wanda Jackson's 31st studio album according to her Wikipedia page. Following the record's release, she has made a number of television appearances and played several shows in the New York City area, which she will continue to do as she plays Central Park SummerStage this Wednesday for FREE. No word on whether or not White will make an appearance, but he did play some shows with her earlier this year so you never know. Show starts at 7pm, so you may want to get there early to ensure entry.

They Might Be Giants @ Williamsburg Waterfront (East River State Park)
Friday, July 29

More photos here.

In case you haven't noticed, we're pretty big They Might Be Giants fans here. As previously mentioned, we caught the band play the Apple Store in SoHo on Wednesday and it was pretty great. But while that show was an abridged set in a swanky storefront, this show will take place at the outdoor stage in Williamsburg that has a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline across the river. A bit of trivia: this is the exact location TMBG filmed the video for "Put Your Hand Inside The Puppet Head" 26 years ago, long before Williamsburg was the trendy spot it is now. So if they don't play that song on Friday, I will really be shocked. Comedian Eugene Mirman and his "pretty good friends" including Kristen Schaal (Mel from Flight of the Conchords) will open the show with surprise guests. Doors are at 5pm with the show starting at 7pm. Entry is free. Yeah... this is gonna rock.

Morris Day & The Time @ B.B. King Blues Club
Friday, July 29

Yeah. Tickets.

Notable Mentions:

7/25 - Stone Temple Pilots @ Williamsburg Waterfront (Tickets)
7/27 - George Clinton & the Parliament Funkadelic (Tickets)
7/29 - The Pietasters @ Rocks Off Cruise (Tickets)
7/29 - The Eels @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (Tickets)
7/30 - The Eels @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (Tickets)
7/31 - The Raveonettes @ Beekman Beer Garden (FREE)

It's a pretty busy week, and it's only gonna get busier. We have a ton of photos to post of shows that went down this week, so be on the lookout for that. Again, be sure to subscribe to our weekly Spotify playlist so you can check out all of the artists mentioned in This Week's Nostalgia. Until next time...