The Bell House in Brooklyn will host Freaks Ball XX on Saturday, February 15. New York City’s Freaks, hosts and internet jam band group, have brought together another all star lineup of supergroups and rising stars in the New York City jam scene.
Artists include The Showdown Kids (Scott Metzger, Katie Jacoby, Simon Kafka), Garcia Peoples, The National Reserve, Karina Rykman/Adam November Duo, and headlining is the live debut of Hawaiii, a new group consisting of Joe Russo, John Shaw and Erik Deutsch. Throughout the night, a light show will be provided by Macrodose.
Proceeds from the event will go towards the Freaks Action Network, which harnesses the “strengths and love of music to make a positive difference in people’s lives.” Tickets for Freaks Ball XX are now on sale.
Per a report in the Wall Street Journal this past week, the U.S. Department of Justice is preparing to take legal action against Live Nation Entertainment. The allegations include the concert promoter seeking to strong-arm concert venues into using its dominant Ticketmaster subsidiary.
The department believes the concert promoter is in violation of the merger settlement Live Nation and Ticketmaster reached with the government in 2010. It was originally the DoJ antitrust unit that allowed the companies to merge, on the condition they abide by a range of conditions to keep ticket prices in check, including agreeing to be barred from retaliating against venue owners who use a competing ticket service.
The government plans to file a decree enforcement action, per a source. As ticket prices rise and the settlement is set to expire next year, the DoJ now plans to extend the restrictions by several years and prohibit coercive conduct by Live Nation, the report added.
When the two companies merged in 2010, Live Nation became an entertainment giant that does everything from managing musicians, operating venues, promoting concerts and selling tickets.
In a filing to the U.S. government, Live Nation said it had worked on 35,000 events with more than 4,500 artists in 2018. It also said that Live Nation owns, operates, has exclusive booking rights for or an equity interest in 237 venues, including the House of Blues.
Brooklyn group Cousin Earth will hold their 9th annual Wintercourse on Saturday, January 4 at Knitting Factory. Joining the show will be The Breakfast, Of Clocks and Clouds and Medusa’s Disco. Check out last year’s Wintercourse event and NYS’ coverage here, and check out footage below.
A one-night-only “music and comedy festival,” was created nine years ago by Corey J. Feldman of Cousin Earth. It has since evolved to focus mainly on the music, though comedy is always present. This year’s festivities will be hosted by stand-up comedian and SiriusXM radio personality, Brett Siddell; and feature performances by Medusa’s Disco, Of Clocks And Clouds, The Breakfast (featuring members of Kung Fu,) and of course, Brooklyn’s own Cousin Earth.
The evening of music kicks off on Saturday, January 4 at The Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Ave.) Doors are at 7:30pm and the music kicks off at 8pm. The show is 21+ and ID will be required. Tickets are $15 in advance or $18 at the door and can be purchased online.
“I’m proud that we’ve kept this party going for nine years. It feels like a real tradition,” says Corey J.Feldman, ukulele bassist for Cousin Earth. “It keeps getting better and better every year. The band and I are really looking forward to this one.”
Over the past nine years, Wintercourse has gravitated towards focusing more on music and has featured performances by acts such as Bella’s Bartok, Funky Dawgz Brass Band, The Reformed Whores, Space Bacon, Chromatropic, Teddy Midnight, The Matty Carl Project, Mercury Landing, Stevie and The Lion and many others.
Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Matisyahu has announced his annual Festival of Lights show for 2019, scheduled for December 29 at Brooklyn Steel. The special evening falls on the last night of Chanukah and will feature performances from Matisyahu, Bedouin Soundclash and Your Old Droog, as well as other special guests to be announced.
Founded in 2006, Matisyahu‘s Festival of Light is a concert celebration occurring during or throughout the Chanukah season. It presents a community of like-minded musicians to celebrate the season’s spirit of unity and to transcend barriers. The show kicks off at 6:30pm
The Festival of Light show wraps a string of tour dates across North America, with Matisyahu playing the likes of Salt Lake City, Aspen, Tulsa, St. Louis, Montreal and Buffalo alongside reggae/rock band Bedouin Soundclash.
Perhaps one of the most eclectic talents in popular music today, singer-songwriter Matisyahu has been captivating audiences since he burst onto the scene in late 2005. His infectious mix of reggae, hip hop and soul has attracted the praise of a multitude of fans and critics alike, with his performances showcasing a raw expression of his spirituality to thousands of people across the world.
Matisyahu Tour Dates
Dec. 5 – Belly Up Aspen – Aspen, CO
Dec. 6 – Center for the Arts – Crested Butte, CO
Dec. 7 – Gothic Theatre – Englewood, CO
Dec. 8 – Aggie Theatre – Fort Collins, CO
Dec. 11 – Cannery Ballroom – Nashville, TN
Dec. 12 – Cain’s Ballroom – Tulsa, OK
Dec. 13 – Delmar Hall – St. Louis, MO
Dec. 20 – Town Ballroom – Buffalo, NY
Dec. 21 – Corona Theatre – Montreal, QC
Dec. 22 – Higher Ground Ballroom – South Burlington, VT
Dec. 26 – Ridgefield Playhouse – Ridgefield, CT
Dec. 27 – Greenwich Odeum – East Greenwich, RI
Dec. 28 – Tupelo Music Hall – Derry, NJ
Dec. 29 – Festival of Light – Brooklyn Steel – Brooklyn, NY
For someone shuffling between cities like Brooklyn and Toronto, the term ‘intercity’ is best to define their mild case of vagabondary. For solo rock n roller Justin “Diamond” Jones, who has been on the inside of the scene for the past 18 years, it aptly describes his constant travel between London, Los Angeles, Toronto and Brooklyn.
Having just released his debut single, “Ashes and Diamonds,” Jones also is releasing a short film based around the track, as well as a music video. Having played on stage with John “Twink” Alder from Santa Barbara Machine Head, in groups such as Tomorrow, The Pretty Things and The Pink Fairies, and recorded in The Clash’s studio, Jones is a rare remnant of artistic integrity with a story to be told.
“Ashes and Diamonds” is Diamond Jones’ return to the rock n’ roll and film scene after a period of solitude and devise. Jones solely shines this feat himself: all instruments are played, recorded and produced on his own. Likewise, the film is written, directed, and stars Jones.
Born in Toronto, Ontario, Justin “Diamond” Jones as a young adult was involved with a group of semi-professional skateboarders during a time that rock n’ roll was seeing a revival, stemming from the skateboarding community. At that time he stumbled upon Bob Dylan’s Bringing It All Back Home and shortly after disappeared off the grid to develop his craft as an artist.
Years later, Jones found himself in London, and quickly began performing around the city on guitar and piano. Jones has spent the past three years in Canada, isolating himself to refine his skills and prepare for his prolific return to the music & film scene.
The songbook of Jerry Garcia will once again fill the halls of The Capitol Theatre, with ‘Home for the Holidays,’ on December 13 and 14.
The two nights will feature Melvin Seals, Oteil Burbridge, Tom Hamilton, Duane Trucks, Jacklyn LaBranch, and Lady Chi joining together on stage and bringing the community together as they celebrate what would have been Garcia’s 77th year. Spread a little holiday cheer with the Garcia Family at a special party in Garcia’s featuring DJ Jerrbrother of the Garcia’s Forest at LOCKN’. More info can be found here.
In celebration of what would have been John’s Lennon’s 79th birthday, grassroots non-profit Theatre Within has announced artists for the 39th Annual John Lennon Tribute on Friday, December 6, including Natalie Merchant. The event will be held at Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space on Broadway and 95th street.
In addition to artist-activist Natalie Merchant, who will be honored as the sixth recipient of the “John Lennon Real Love Award,” the Tribute will feature performances by Joan Osborne, Rachael Yamagata, Sam Amidon, Willie Nile and Raye Zaragoza, backed by a band led by drummer Rich Pagano, one of the founding members of the Fab Faux.
Merchant, who will be appearing in the long-running charity concert for first time, said in a statement:
“John and Yoko’s activism had a profound impact upon me as a child. Through their ingenious war protests they challenged the entire world to reflect upon itself. In my estimation, ‘Imagine’ remains the most powerful three minutes and eight seconds of music ever recorded. It contains a vision of our highest aspirations in the most concise language and simple melody. John and Yoko realized that popular art and celebrity could be used to push society closer toward equity and compassion. I’ve tried to follow their example throughout my life, as an artist and citizen. It’s such an honor to be recognized for my work with the John Lennon Real Love award this year.”
“With her beautiful songs, social activism,
and support of charitable causes, Natalie Merchant has truly brightened our
world and our hearts,” said Yoko Ono. “Natalie’s outspokenness on the environment, domestic violence,
and special-needs children shines light on these vitally important issues. I am so happy that Theatre Within is
honoring her with this year’s John Lennon Real Love Award.”
Theatre Within Artistic Director and longtime Tribute producer/host, Joe Raiola says of Merchant, “John Lennon combined music and social activism in a unique and remarkably positive way. Natalie Merchant is a great artist blazing a similar path with heart, caring and compassion, and she is very deserving of this honor.”
Proceeds from the Tribute will support Theatre Within’s ongoing free workshops – in songwriting, art, meditation and more – at Gilda’s Club NYC for those whose lives have been impacted by cancer. Workshops include the John Lennon Real Love Project, a visionary songwriting program for children, which will be made available to public schools and libraries in the NY tri-state area starting in the spring of 2020.
Tickets for Theatre Within’s 39th Annual John Lennon Tribute are currently sold out. However, additional seats may be released for sale. For seat availability, visit LennonTribute.org.A limited number of VIP packages with up-close center orchestra seats are available at LennonTribute.org/join-friends.
Theatre Within’s Annual John Lennon Tribute is produced in association with Music Without Borders. It is the only ongoing John Lennon Tribute concert in the world sanctioned by Yoko Ono.
December is here, and that means Phish’s annual four night run at Madison Square Garden is right around the corner. And with those four nights of Phish come… Phish after-parties! CEG Presents has put together an incredible slate of post-shows that you’ll be looking to check out after emptying out on 7th and 8th Avenues following Phish. See below for details on all the great shows you’ll find starting late, December 28-30, plus a special NYE show from The New Mastersounds!
John Medeski and Billy Martin (Medeski Martin and Wood) will come together with Scott Metzger (JRAD) and Nels Cline (Wilco) for the first time, one night only, for an evening of improvisational music after Phish performs at Madison Square Garden on December 28.
An eclectic jam/funk band, infusing deep psychedelic grooves with improvisational techniques. The ambitiously crafted keyboard mastery, expressive saxophone and immaculate guitar shredding meld into a dynamic fusion. Lean more about The New Motif.
Pink Talking Fish provides their own original musical concept by combining the songbooks of Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish to create a unique experience for live music fans. The band has added to this concept over the years by adding a 4th Act such as David Bowie, Grateful Dead, Michael Jackson and more. They have also performed complete albums while intertwining songs from the other 2 Acts into the mix. On December 29 at Gramercy Theatre, PTF will unleash one of the most exciting concepts to date: Pink Talking Fish Are Beastie Boys! This will be a fusion of Pink Floyd, Talking Heads, Phish AND Beastie Boys.
Joining the band will be DJ Logic, who will be assuming the duties of Mix Master Mike and also adding his flavor to songs from the other 3 Acts. PTF will also be performing ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’ for a NYC Phish After-Party on December 28th, also at Gramercy Theatre. This will be a full rendition of the Pink Floyd album with Phish and Talking Heads songs intertwined through the album cuts.
Anybody who’s seen Marco Benevento perform will attest, with eyes closed, smile wide across his face and fingers free-flowing across the keys, he’s a satellite to the muse. With a devout and growing fan-base, Benevento is an artist whose story is only beginning to unfold..
– Sunday December 29 – Hill Country
The music of The Grateful Dead transcends time, age and space. Their high energy, soul-touching jams, and family-like environment were central to the counter-culture experience. Over the past 19 years Dead Sessions has grown to become one of the favorite Grateful Dead experiences in the Northeast. Playing since 1998, the collective is known for their authentic but unique renditions of Grateful Dead classics, thick with spiritual connectivity and heartfelt jams that make the most jaded Deadhead rejoice. Dead Sessions is composed of a rotating cast of musicians throughout the country, but the roots of origin are easily traced to the Green Mountain State. With an unmasked joy that pours off the stage and blurs any boundaries with their audience, the Sessions are beloved by all from the casual fan to the dedicated Terrapin warrior.
Monday December 30 – (le) poisson rouge
On December 30, Greenwich Village venue (le) poisson rouge will host Electric In The Village: Ryley Walker, Chris Forsyth, and Garcia Peoples. Guitarist/songwriter Chris Forsyth got his start in Brooklyn’s experimental circles in the early 2000’s, and as the bandleader of Chris Forsyth & the Solar Motel Band, channeled both the psychedelic jamming of the Grateful Dead and the precision of art-punk guitar acts like Television. Illinois-based fingerstyle guitarist and singer-songwriter Ryley Walker adds new flavor to the series; his music has been described as fingerstyle ballads, psychedelic waltzes, and raga-inspired blues. Garcia Peoples is the Brooklyn Sextet blasting through residencies and new songs and sessions and collaborations, leaving a trail of live tapes in their wake, and scaling ever upwards.
– Tuesday December 31, 2018 – Gramercy Theatre
The New Mastersounds have been delighting audiences with their infectious brand of funky soul-jazz since they formed in Leeds in 1999. For the first five years of the band’s career they were regulars at the Jazz Café in London, before they began to turn heads on the funk scene in the US, where guitarist/producer/bandleader Eddie Roberts now lives. For over a decade they have been a staple act of the late-night scene during New Orleans’ annual Jazz Fest.
Though they have collaborated over the years with such musical luminaries as Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley, Corinne Bailey Rae, Art Neville, Bernard Purdie and Lou Donaldson, they are at their best on stage as a tightly-packed quartet – bass, drums, guitar and keyboards – firing scorching grooves off each other and feeding on the energy of the dancers in the front row.
A documentary capturing the final years of Blind Melon frontman Shannon Hoon is slated to be released in 2020, per Variety. Both Double E Pictures and Live Nation Productions were recently added as executive producers for the film, which was created using more than 200 hours of the late singer-songwriter’s home videos from Grammy-winning videographer and acclaimed photographer Danny Clinch. Hoon and Clinch were close friends, and Clinch co-directed the documentary alongside Taryn Gould and Colleen Hennessy. Find out more info here.
“We realized that we basically had all these videos of a guy who was videotaping himself obsessively for five years from before he was famous up until really the day of his death,” Clinch told Variety. “It was the dawn of technology where people started to film each other, and he was way ahead of the curve in a way. It’s kind of one of the earliest moments of someone who was self-archiving his own life.”
Hoon died from an overdose at age 28, following the monumental success of Blind Melon’s 1992 eponymous debut.
“He was really an endearing character,” Clinch told Rolling Stone in 2015. “He could just become your best friend right away. His energy was great. He was really creative and super friendly. He definitely liked to have a good time and he enjoyed the rock and roll lifestyle for sure.”
A Kickstarter was launched in 2015 for the documentary, which has been in the works since then, and has been screen at Tribeca Film Festival and the International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam.
A first of its kind show, Jam Just Happened will bring together the intimacy of a podcast and the uniqueness of a live music experience. The first live performance is set for Friday, December 6, at Nublu NYC. The show will feature guitarist Scott Metzger, drummer Adam Chase, keyboard player Aron Magner, and bass player Jay White.
The musicians will bring each of their individual styles together to create something entirely unique for a small audience. A podcast companion will be released after the show. This event is presented by Osiris Media and nugs.net, and will be emceed by Tom Marshall.
