Josh Ritter Runs NYC Marathon
Folk-pop maestro Josh Ritter will join the New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 5 to benefit public radio station WFUV at Fordham University. After running the 26-mile trek, Ritter will play an exclusive set for pledging members of the station. To contribute, WFUV will be on air taking contributions throughout the week. Ritter is expected to pass through at the Delimart at No 7th St. & Bedford Ave. in Williamsburg (Brooklyn) between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m (there will be a WFUV banner on the building). Ritter’s latest studio album, The Animal Years, was released this year on V2.... read more
Jeremy Enigk Joins Cursive For Fall Tour
Former Sunny Day Real Estate frontman Jeremy Enigk will join Cursive for a fall tour, as well as headlining a tour in support of his newly released album, World Waits. Enigk co-produced the album with Josh Myers, who has arranged strings for artists ranging from indie songwriter Rosie Thomas to pop singer Mandy Moore. Tour dates: November 1 - Rialto Theatre, Tucson, AZ 3 - The Black Sheep, Colorado Springs, CO 4 - Larimer Lounge, Denver, CO ** 7 - Vaudeville Mews, Des Moines, IA ** 9 - Sokol Auditorium, Omaha, NE 11 - The Blue Note, Columbia, MO 12... read more
The Impenetrable Beck Hansen
Four mysterious figures in identical black shirts stand behind a draped box as the house lights at the Shepherds Bush Empire in West London go down. When the spotlights flash on, Beck Hansen—dressed in a waistcoat, with a farmer’s hat over his lank hair—storms out from stage right as the instantly recognizable opening chords of his mid-’90s breakthrough hit “Loser” ring out. The curtain over the aforementioned box is suddenly lifted, revealing a miniature theatre. Turns out the four unknowns aren’t covert agents, backup singers or even stagehands—they’re puppeteers. On the tiny stage beneath them, six-inch-tall marionette replicas of the... read more
Merlefest Announces 2007 Lineup
Merlefest, the annual bluegrass/Americana music festival honoring finger-picking prodigy Eddie Merle Watson, has announced a 2007 lineup including Elvis Costello, Donna The Buffalo, The Duhks, Bela Fleck and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band among many others. In addition, Merle’s father and acclaimed folk/country musician Doc Watson will play with his grandson Richard. The event, which is now in its 20th year, will take place at Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, NC on April 26-29, 2007. Named the best finger-picking guitarist in folk, blues or country music in 1985 by Frets magazine, Merle Watson is remembered for his monumental... read more
Concert.TV Celebrates Singer/Songwriters
Remember that one time where you saw Bob Dylan back in ’66? Well, some of you may have, but there are many people who missed out. But hey, there’s always next time — if you have Concert.TV on OnDemand digital cable. The independent network, which dedicates to live music performances and documentaries, announced its star-laden lineup for the channel. Highlights: Bob Dylan 1966 World Tour: Home Movies Through the Camera of Drummer Mickey Jones Musician turned actor Mickey Jones chronicles the 1966 Bob Dylan World Tour through recently discovered home movies. Joni Mitchell Painting With Words And Music: "Big Yellow... read more
Beck makes surprise appearance at Paste Party
Thanks to everyone who joined Paste in New York and Atlanta last night to celebrate the release of issue #26, featuring Beck. The New York party featured performances by Hem and Hymns, and a 50-minute, full-band surprise performance by Beck himself. ?uestlove of The Roots served as DJ for the night. The party turned into a gathering of musicians by the end of the evening, with James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins), Adam Schlessinger (Fountains of Wayne), Ben Kweller, the Benevento Russo Duo, Sam Cohen (Apollo Sunshine), Willie Nile, Matt Mays & El Torpedo and Matisyahu all in attendence. The Atlanta party... read more
UMe To Release CDs With All Recyclable Packaging
Finally, people are warming up to the idea of fighting global warming and the depletion of our planet’s forests. Universal Music Enterprises, a unit of Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music company, will release its next wave of The Millennium Collection CDs in completely paper-recyclable packaging. One small step for a record company, but one giant leap towards helping our struggling environment. The traditional jewel case is replaced with recycled paperboard sleeves and the plastic tray with trays from PaperFoam®, a new packaging technology from Shorewood Packaging. The materials are paper-recyclable and biodegradable. Among the artists whose Millennium Collection... read more
Ben Kweller - Ben Kweller
Disarmingly modest outing from former wunderkind... read more
Snowden - Anti-Anti
Snowden saves its insubstantial ideas from ignominy with heavy dose of style... read more
Vegoose 2006 Proves Halloween Still Rocks
This weekend (October 28 and 29), a pulsing mass of costume-clad music lovers will once again engulf the Nevada desert when Las Vegas’ Sam Boyd Stadium plays host to the second annual Vegoose Music Festival. Sporting a killer lineup and complete with all the festive diversions you’d expect from the Halloween-themed, wild west cousin of Manchester, Tenn.’s Bonnaroo, Vegoose aims to combine the spooky kitsch of Hallowens past with the communal vibe of a music festival. The festival will feature, amongst other diversions, an on-site costume shop and hair salon (rendering void any excuses made for not arriving in costume).... read more
Bloc Party's Second Full-Length Set For Release
Bloc Party’s second full-length album, A Weekend in the City , is set for release on Vice Records February 6 of next year. The band’s debut, Silent Alarm , was critically hailed, putting the band into the global spotlight. Afterwards, it went on to play hundreds of sold-out shows in support of the record. Weekend in the City addresses the postmodern angst that accompanies life in a booming metropolis – the currents of traffic, lines of people, quiet moments of peace, and everything in between. Produced by Jackknife Lee (U2, Snow Patrol), and recorded in Dublin, Ireland, the album is... read more
Ted Leo opens for Death Cab, talks to Paste
The hardest working man in indie rock, Ted Leo, kicks off a slew of dates opening for Death Cab for Cutie tonight (see dates below) in Upper Darby, Pa. Recently, the head Pharmacist himself took a few moments out of his busy schedule to speak with Paste while he was in Washington D.C. putting the finishing touches on his new, as-yet-untitled album, which is tentatively slated for a March release. “We’re not really reinventing the wheel or anything,” Leo says of the upcoming release. “For me, the record is varied enough that it’s actually kind of exciting to hear. Some... read more
Blind Melon To Record Album With New Singer
Shannon Hoon and his band Blind Melon put their mark on alternative rock in the ’90s, their self-titled debut going platinum four times over. Hoon’s heartrending and often morose lyrics were reflected in the desperation of his vocals in hits such as “No Rain” and “Change.” But the band was always fraught with the tragedy of Hoon’s heroin addiction, which led him to his untimely death while on tour for the band’s second and most expressive album, Soup. Blind Melon tried to continue the band but fans were so devastated by Hoon’s death that no one really took to the... read more
Billy Joe Shaver Marries, Vegas Style
Country music legend Billy Joe Shaver, who was married to his late wife Brenda no less than three times, married Wanda Lynn Canady for the second time on Friday, October 13, 2006. The ceremony, which took place in Las Vegas, was presided over by ZZ Top frontman Billy Gibbons. In a strange twist, the groom apparently cracked a vertabra while “Indian Wrestling” a friend not long after the wedding. He is expected to make a complete recovery. ... read more
Sean Lennon Fall/Winter Tour Announced
Sean Lennon will tour the US this fall/winter in support of his sophomore album, Friendly Fire, released October 3rd on Capitol Records. After kicking off the tour on October 29th at New York City’s Living Room, Lennon will make thirteen more stops, including: November: 18 - Los Angeles, CA, El Rey Theatre 19 - San Francisco, CA, Great American Music Hall 21 - Vancouver, BC, Richard’s on Richard 22 - Seattle, WA, Neumo’s December 11 - Minneapolis, MN, First Avenue 12 - Chicago, IL, Park West 13 - Toronto, ONT, Opera House 15 - Philadelphia, PA, Theater of Living... read more
Bowie, Green Day And More Go Under Review
MVD Visual has announced the upcoming release of five new titles in their “under review” collection, a DVD series that gathers critics, scholars, musicians, and other experts to critique and praise some of rock’s most definitive artists. On DVDs to be released in November 2006 and January 2007, David Bowie, Tom Waits, Nirvana, and Green Day will get the same treatment as previously “review-ed” subjects Syd Barrett and Radiohead. MVD Visual will also release a Guns ‘n Roses Collector’s Edition DVD box set featuring two discs full of behind-the-scenes and never-before-seen interview and performance footage, along with a number of... read more
New York Bands Honor Gram Parsons
Celebrated roots-rock and country icon Gram Parsons will celebrate his 60th birthday with a lineup of artists including The New Heathens, Matt Mays and The Demolition String Band. "Gram Parsons 60th Birthday Tribute: A Night of Cosmic American Music" will honor the former Byrd with 12 tribute artists at Galapagos in Williamsburg, Brooklyn Wednesday on November 15. Video footage from the movie "Grand Theft Parsons," starring Johnny Knoxville, and other Parsons-related cinema will be shown in between the performances, which will include covers as well as original music. For the show’s climax, all of the artists involved will take the... read more
Paste Presents Singer/Songwriter Tour
Paste presents a brand new Singer/Songwriter tour featuring the amazing lineup of Sandra McCracken, Matthew Perryman Jones, Katie Herzig and Jeremy Lister. This tour showcases the very best new talent in Nashville Folk, Bluegrass and Rock. Check out all five of these amazing musicians play across The South and Midwest in this exclusive, specially-priced tour. See you there! -Your friends at Paste OCTOBER 24 - Charlotte, NC, The Evening Muse 25 - Charleston, SC, The VIllage Tavern 26 - Columbia, SC, Jammin Java 27 - Knoxville, TN, New City Cafe 28 - Bowling Green, KY, Spencer's Coffee House NOVEMBER... read more
Rest In Peace: Sandy West, July 10, 1959 - October 21, 2006
According to Pitchforkmedia.com, drummer Sandy West of The Runaways passed away Saturday, October 21 after a long fight with cancer. The 47-year-old musician, who also formed The Sandy West Band during the 80s, was diagnosed with lung and brain cancer in 2005. Along with Joan Jett and Kari Krome, West’s work in The Runaways during the 70s pioneered the path for all-female bands in the following decades. The group’s raw sound was instrumental in the formation of American punk and led to performances with such bands as The Ramones and The Sex Pistols. A tribute to Sandy West is currently... read more
Matisyahu To Headline Festival Of Light
Get out yer yarmulkes, it’s time for Hannukah…except with Hasidic reggae artist Matisyahu and not Adam Sandler. Those wanting to see Matisyahu and his band Roots Tonic perform on Dec. 16-19 can roll right over to Hammerstein Ballroom in New York to witness the first Festival of Light concert series, with the treat of a different special opening act each night. Fan members can buy tickets now through www.matisyahuworld.com; fans can join “The Bridge,” the official fan club, and get exclusive access to tickets before public sale. ... read more
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