Nico Vega - Beast (Acoustic)

I fell in love with this song when I saw Nico Vega live back in January as part of the Hell On Heels tour. Several times I've put this song on repeat on my music player. Well, the band uploaded a video of an acoustic version to their Myspace page. The song is every bit as mesmerizing acoustic as it is live and electric. The studio version of "Beast" is great also and can be found on their self-titled album Nico Vega.

Beast (acoustic)

www.myspace.com/nicovega

Mötley Crüe To Perform Dr. Feelgood Album Live

It has been announced that Mötley Crüe will perform their classic album, Dr. Feelgood, live in it's entirety! That's right, from beginning to end, Mötley Crüe will perform Dr. Feelgood at every performance on this summer's Crüe Fest 2 tour.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the release of Dr. Feelgood. 20 years, wow, it seems like yesterday that I was eagerly awaiting it's release! The album went on to be the Crüe's first #1 record on the Billboard charts and will be re-released this spring.

Pre-sale tickets for Crüe Fest 2 are available to the public today. Click image for details ...

Listen to Dr. Feelgood ...

Dr. Feelgood

www.motley.com
www.myspace.com/motleycrue

Labelle Brought Down The House

Labelle: February 26 @ The Beacon Theatre, New York, NY

Music Maven Barbara Harris caught the legendary Labelle (Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx & Sarah Dash) this past Thursday and was kind enough to share her thoughts on the show with me.

* * *

The Labelle concert was a sold out New York extravaganza happening at The Beacon Theatre on February 26th.

The group has made so many people happy with their reunion tour, and all their dedicated fans were there in the audience with bells on. They are the only African-American female rock group in existence, now and before. The group broke up 33 years ago, but hearing them today only proves things get better with time and age! They did a lot of their songs from the new CD Back to Now, but the old great songs brought everyone to their feet. And “Lady Marmalade” just blew the roof off the theatre!

Above: Music Maven Barbara Harris (r) with Labelle's Sarah Dash

Above: Labelle - Nona Hendryx, Patti LaBelle & Sarah Dash

Above: Patti LaBelle

Above: Sarah Dash

My thanks to Ms. Harris and to Ronald Colez for the use of his photos.

Around New York ... March 2 - March 8, 2009

Upcoming shows in the New York area ...

March 2 -- Dan Auerbach at Music Hall Of Williamsburg
www.musichallofwilliamsburg.com
March 2 -- Limbs / The Interiors / Susu at Cake Shop
www.cake-shop.com
March 2 -- Imani Uzuri at The Blue Note
www.bluenote.net
March 3 -- Dan Auerbach at Bowery Ballroom
www.boweryballroom.com
March 3 - 8 -- Roy Hargrove Quintet at The Village Vanguard
www.villagevanguard.com
March 4 -- Marissa Nadler at Joe's Pub
www.joespub.com
March 4 -- Rufus Wainwright 2nd Annual "Blackoutsabbath" Concert at City Winery
www.citywinery.com
March 5 -- Shemekia Copeland (pictured) at Highline Ballroom
www.highlineballroom.com
March 5 -- The Antlers / The Physics of Meaning / The Brilliant Mistakes at Union Hall
www.unionhallny.com
March 5 -- Avenue B at Café Vivaldi
www.cafevivaldi.com
March 5 - 6 -- Levon Helm Band at The Beacon Theatre
www.beacontheatre.com
March 6 -- The Bird and the Bee at The Bell House
www.thebellhouseny.com
March 6 -- Nickelback at IZOD Center
www.izodcenter.com
March 6 -- Edgar Winter & Johnny Winter at The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza
www.irvingplaza.com
March 6 - 7 -- Dropkick Murphys at Roseland Ballroom
www.roselandballroom.com
March 7 -- Sophia Ramos at BAMcafé Live
www.bam.org
March 7 -- The Bird and the Bee at Zankel Hall
www.carnegiehall.org
March 7 -- Talking To Walls (pictured) at Desmond's Tavern
www.desmondstavern.com
March 7 -- Lucinda Williams at Wellmont Theatre
www.wellmonttheatre.com
March 7 -- The Tossers / The Mighty Stef at Mercury Lounge
www.mercuryloungenyc.com
March 8 -- Bettye LaVette at Joe's Pub
www.joespub.com

Duke Ellington Appears On U.S. Coin

The latest in the line of commemorative state quarters, features jazz legend Duke Ellington. Ellington who was a native son of the District of Columbia appears on the quarter representing DC. The legendary composer and musician is the first African-American to appear on a U.S. coin.

www.usmint.gov

Tickets Go On Sale This Week For Upcoming Shows In The New York Area

On Sale Thursday, February 26

March 15 -- Heavy Trash feat. Jon Spencer & Matt Verta-Ray at Mercury Lounge
www.mercuryloungenyc.com

On Sale Friday, February 27

April 27 - 29 -- Mogwai at Music Hall of Williamsburg
www.musichallofwilliamsburg.com
May 8 - 9 -- The Thermals at Bowery Ballroom
www.boweryballroom.com
June 2 -- Three Girls and Their Buddy feat. Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin & Buddy Miller at Wellmont Theatre
www.wellmonttheatre.com
June 5 -- TV On The Radio at Central Park SummerStage
www.summerstage.org
June 11 -- Band Of Horses (acoustic performance) at Carnegie Hall
www.carnegiehall.org
June 12 -- School of Seven Bells (pictured) at Bowery Ballroom
www.boweryballroom.com

On Sale Saturday, February 28, 2009

April 19 -- Dredg / Torche / From Monuments To Masses at Highline Ballroom
www.highlineballroom.com
April 23 -- George Benson at Wellmont Theatre
www.wellmonttheatre.com
June 11 -- Gipsy Kings at Wellmont Theatre
www.wellmonttheatre.com

Marissa Nadler To Do Free Acoustic Show In Brooklyn

Marissa Nadler is doing a FREE acoustic show at Sound Fix Lounge this Saturday. This is to be Sound Fix's last in-store.

The Details ...

Saturday, February 28
8:00 - 8:30pm
Sound Fix Records
110 Bedford Avenue (at Bedford Ave & N 11th St)
(Williamsburg) Brooklyn, NY

She's also playing at Greenpoint Lutheran Church of the Messiah on February 27 and Joe's Pub on March 4.

Nadler's Little Hells will be released on March 3 ... click the image for pre-order details.

www.myspace.com/songsoftheend
www.soundfixrecords.com
www.lutheransonline.com/messiahbklyn
www.joespub.com

Around New York ... February 23 - March 1, 2009

Upcoming shows in the New York area ...

February 24 -- The Mystic Underground at Fontana's
www.fontanasnyc.com
February 24 -- Serena Ryder / Matt Duke (pictured/download "Rabbit" from his album Kingdom Underground) at Joe's Pub
www.joespub.com
February 24 - 25 -- McCoy Tyner Trio at Blue Note
www.bluenote.net
February 25 -- Ben Kweller at Town Hall
www.the-townhall-nyc.org
February 25 -- Tapes 'n Tapes at Bowery Ballroom
www.boweryballroom.com
February 25 -- Semi Precious Weapons at Santos Party House
www.santospartyhouse.com
February 25 - 26 -- Thievery Corporation at Terminal 5
www.terminal5nyc.com
February 26 -- George Clinton & The P-Funk All-Stars at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill
www.bbkingblues.com
February 26 -- Labelle at Beacon Theatre
www.beacontheatre.com
February 26 -- The Whitest Kids U'Know at The Bell House
www.thebellhouseny.com
February 26 -- Gene Ween Band at Highline Ballroom
www.highlineballroom.com
February 26 -- Tapes 'n Tapes at Music Hall of Williamsburg
www.musichallofwilliamsburg.com
February 26 -- Toad The Wet Sprocket at Webster Hall
www.websterhall.com
February 26 -- Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit at Bowery Ballroom
www.boweryballroom.com
February 26 -- April Smith & The Great Picture Show (pictured) at Mercury Lounge
www.mercuryloungenyc.com
February 27 -- The Robert Cray Band at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill
www.bbkingblues.com
February 27 -- Eddie Money / Lou Gramm at Wellmont Theatre
www.wellmonttheatre.com
February 27 -28 -- David Byrne at Radio City Music Hall
www.radiocity.com
February 27 -28 -- Van Morrison at WaMu Theater
www.wamuatmsg.com
February 28 -- Robert Earl Keen at Terminal 5
www.terminal5nyc.com
February 28 -- Monet at BAMcafé
www.bam.org

An Horse's Postcards

Australian indie duo An Horse is releasing their debut full-length album Rearrange Beds on March 17. For those who can't wait that long, it's available now on iTunes. Download the song "Postcards" from the album ... I can't seem to get the song out of my head now.

Sara Quin (of Tegan and Sara), a fan of the duo made the record with An Horse and interviewed them. Click the image to watch...

www.myspace.com/anhorse

Officer Roseland Pays You To Download Their New Album

Philadelphia indie rock band Officer Roseland released their new 11 song digital album Stimulus Package yesterday. They're paying their fans $1.00 to download it! However, if you choose the "give" option, they'll donate the $1.00 to Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation. Whether you take the dollar or give it, you get a free album.

www.officerroseland.com
www.myspace.com/officerroseland
www.mystimuluspackage.org