Around New York ... July 6 - July 12, 2009

Upcoming shows in the New York area ...

July 6 -- The Wallflowers at Irving Plaza
www.irvingplaza.com
July 6 -- Darian Cunning / Dexter Scott at Pianos
pianosnyc.com
July 6 -- Your Vegas / U.S. Royalty at Webster Hall
www.websterhall.com
July 8 -- London Souls / Rawson at Public Assembly
publicassemblynyc.com
July 8 -- Handsome Furs at Music Hall of Williamsburg
www.musichallofwilliamsburg.com

July 8 -- Def Leppard / Poison / Cheap Trick at Jones Beach
jonesbeach.com
July 8 -- Jet at at Blender Theatre At Gramercy
www.blendertheater.com
July 9 -- Those Darlins (pictured) / Heavy Trash at Mercury Lounge
www.mercuryloungenyc.com
July 9 -- Matisyahu / Umphrey's McGee at Central Park SummerStage
www.summerstage.org
July 10 -- The Brunettes / Sharon Van Etten at The Bell House
www.thebellhouseny.com
July 11 -- Blood Street / Reckless Sons at The Annex
www.theannexnyc.com
July 11 -- The Friggs / Jesse Bates & His Flying Guitars at Union Hall
www.unionhallny.com
July 11 -- Wakey!Wakey at Blender Theatre At Gramercy
www.blendertheater.com
July 11 - The Dreamscapes Project at Arlene's Grocery
www.arlenesgrocery.net
July 11 -- Dave Alvin & The Guilty Women (pictured) at Highline Ballroom
www.highlineballroom.com
July 12 -- Judas Priest / Whitesnake at Jones Beach
jonesbeach.com

The Dreamscapes Project To Play NYC!

DC band The Dreamscapes Project are coming to NYC. They're set to take the stage down on the LES at Arlene's Grocery next weekend, Saturday, July 11.

For those who aren't familiar with The Dreamscapes Project, think The Decemberist or The Dave Matthews Band if you need something to compare. They're a dynamic acoustic based rock band featuring a 12-string acoustic guitar and a cello. When's the last time you popped into a rock club and saw a band break out a cello? Yeah, that doesn't happen often, does it? Of course, you can listen to them for yourselves and see what they're about. Nice guys that they are, The Dreamscapes Project have decided to hook folks up with an MP3. They've sent over the song "Excess" from their album Pity In A Heartbeat which you can download HERE (right click, save as) for free.

Swing by Arlene's next week and check them out if you're looking for a show to go to and or just happen to be hanging about the LES. They're on the road venturing to other places besides NYC too. Check out their website to find out what other stages they'll be rocking in the coming weeks.

www.theScapes.com
www.arlenesgrocery.net

The Woodstock Experience

If you remember it, you weren't there. That's the line that has rolled out of many mouths in regards to Woodstock, the historic music festival that took place in the summer of 1969. Three days (August 15 - 17, though it carried over into the 18th) of peace and music took place at Max Yasgur's farm in Bethel, NY.

In celebration of Woodstock's 40th Anniversary, a new website has been rolled out as well as five classic 1969 albums recorded by festival headliners. These 2-CD packages known as The Woodstock Experience were released yesterday, June 30, via both retail and digital outlets. These albums couple the classic albums recorded in 1969 with the artists performances at Woodstock.

The Woodstock Experience titles are:

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE - THE WOODSTOCK EXPERIENCE

(Volunteers, RCA/Legacy 88697 48240 2, originally issued April 1969, as RCA Victor 4238) Disc One – Selections: 1. We Can Be Together • 2. Good Shepherd • 3. The Farm • 4. Hey Frederick • 5. Turn My Life Down • 6. Wooden Ships • 7. Eskimo Blue Day • 8. A Song For All Seasons • 9. Meadowlands • 10. Volunteers • (Recorded Live at the Woodstock Music & Art Fair, Sunday, August 17, 1969: PART ONE) 11. Introduction (previously unissued) • 12. The Other Side of This Life (previously unissued) • 13. Somebody To Love • 14. 3/15 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds (previously unissued) • 15. Won’t You Try / Saturday Afternoon • 16. Eskimo Blue Day.

Disc Two (Recorded live at the Woodstock Music & Art Fair, Sunday, August 17, 1969: PART TWO) – Selections: 1. Plastic Fantastic Lover • 2. Wooden Ships (previously unissued) • 3. Uncle Sam Blues • 4. Volunteers • 5. The Ballad of You & Me & Pooneil (previously unissued) • 6. Come Back Baby (previously unissued) • 7. White Rabbit • 8. The House At Pooneil Corners (previously unissued).

JANIS JOPLIN - THE WOODSTOCK EXPERIENCE

(I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama!, Columbia/Legacy 88697 48243 2, originally issued October 1969, as Columbia 9913) Disc One – Selections: 1. Try (Just A Little Bit Harder) • 2. Maybe • 3. One Good Man • 4. As Good As You’ve Been To This World • 5. To Love Somebody • 6. Kozmic Blues • 7. Little Girl Blue • 8. Work Me, Lord.

Disc Two (Recorded live at the Woodstock Music & Art Fair, Saturday, August 16, 1969) – Selections: 1. Raise Your Hand (previously unissued) • 2. As Good As You’ve Been To This World (previously unissued) • 3. To Love Somebody • 4. Summertime • 5. Try (Just A Little Bit Harder) • 6. Kozmic Blues • 7. Can’t Turn You Loose (previously unissued) • 8. Work Me, Lord • 9. Piece Of My Heart • 10. Ball & Chain.

SANTANA - THE WOODSTOCK EXPERIENCE

(Santana, Columbia/Legacy 88697 48242 2, originally issued August 1969, as Columbia 9781) Disc One – Selections: 1. Waiting • 2. Evil Ways • 3. Shades Of Time • 4. Savor • 5. Jingo • 6. Persuasion • 7. Treat • 8. You Just Don’t Care • 9. Soul Sacrifice.

Disc Two (Recorded live at the Woodstock Music & Art Fair, Saturday, August 16, 1969) – Selections: 1. Waiting • 2. Evil Ways (previously unissued) • 3. You Just Don’t Care • 4. Savor • 5. Jingo • 6. Persuasion • 7. Soul Sacrifice • 8. Fried Neckbones.

SLY & THE FAMILY STONE - THE WOODSTOCK EXPERIENCE

(Stand!, Epic/Legacy 88697 48241 2, originally issued April 1969, as Epic 26456) Disc One – Selections: 1. Stand! • 2. Don’t Call Me Nigger, Whitey • 3. I Want To Take You Higher • 4. Somebody’s Watching You • 5. Sing A Simple Song • 6. Everyday People • 7. Sex Machine • 8. You Can Make It If You Try.

Disc Two (Recorded live at the Woodstock Music & Art Fair, Sunday, August 17, 1969) – Selections: 1. M’Lady (previously unissued) • 2. Sing A Simple Song (previously unissued) • 3. You Can Make It If You Try (previously unissued) • 4. Everyday People (previously unissued) • 5. Dance To The Music • 6. MEDLEY: Music Lover / Higher • 7. I Want To Take You Higher (previously unreleased) • 8. Love City • 9. Stand! (previously unissued)

JOHNNY WINTER - THE WOODSTOCK EXPERIENCE

(Johnny Winter, Columbia/Legacy 88697 48244 2, originally issued May 1969, as Columbia 9826) Disc One – Selections: 1. I’m Yours And I’m Hers • 2. Be Careful With A Fool • 3. Dallas • 4. Mean Mistreater • 5. Leland Mississippi Blues • 6. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl • 7. When You Got A Good Friend • 8. I’ll Drown In My Own Tears • 9. Back Door Friend.

Disc Two (Recorded live at the Woodstock Music & Art Fair, Sunday, August 17-Monday, August 18, 1969) – Selections: 1. Mama, Talk To Your Daughter (previously unissued) • 2. Leland Mississippi Blues • 3. Mean Town Blues • 4. You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now (previously unissued) • 5. I Can’t Stand It (with Edgar Winter) (previously unissued) • 6. Tobacco Road (with Edgar Winter) (previously unissued) • 7. Tell The Truth (with Edgar Winter) (previously unissued) • 8. Johnny B. Goode (previously unissued).

It looks like I'll be adding more Janis and Sly to my collection!

www.woodstock.com

Middle Distance Runner @ Mercury Lounge This Friday!

DC band Middle Distance Runner will be in the city this weekend. They'll be over at Mercury Lounge on Friday, July 3. You can kick off your holiday celebrations early ... go check them out if you're hanging about the LES.

www.middledistancerunner.com

Anna Ternheim Announces Tour & Set To Release New Album

Sweden's Anna Ternheim has announced a fall tour. She'll be making a stop in New York at The Bowery Ballroom on Friday, October 16. Check out her website for dates in other parts. Terheim also has a new record, Leaving On A Mayday, which is scheduled to drop on August 11. In the mean time, check out the video for an acoustic version of "What Have I Done."

www.annaternheim.com
www.myspace.com/annaternheim

Video: Ash - "Return Of White Rabbit"

Ash has put out a video for their song "Return of White Rabbit" which was directed by Nico Jones. Check it out. If you haven't already grabbed it, you can still download the song for free from Ash's website.

www.ash-official.com

Around New York ... June 29 - July 5, 2009

Upcoming shows in the New York area ...

June 30 - July 5 -- Anat Cohen at The Village Vanguard
www.villagevanguard.com
June 30 - July 5 -- Hiromi (pictured) at Blue Note
www.bluenote.net
July 1 -- Harlem Shakes at Bowery Ballroom
www.boweryballroom.com
July 1 -- Scorpio Rising at Cake Shop
cake-shop.com


July 1 -- Gabrielle Wortman / Myra Flynn / Anna Rose at Pianos
pianosnyc.com
July 2 -- Maria Taylor at Union Hall
www.unionhallny.com
July 2 -- Jay Reatard at Music Hall of Williamsburg
www.musichallofwilliamsburg.com
July 2 -- The Germs (pictured) at Mercury Lounge
www.mercuryloungenyc.com
July 3 -- Sonic Youth at United Palace
July 3 -- Dionne Farris at Joe's Pub
www.joespub.com

New Song From Brendan Benson

A few days ago, I mentioned that Brendan Benson has a new record coming out. The record, My Old, Familiar Friend is due to drop August 18. Now, you can check out "Feel Like Taking You Home," HERE, from the upcoming effort.

www.myspace.com/brendanbenson

8 Questions With Dala

Canadian duo Dala, Amanda Walther and Sheila Carabine, released their fourth album Everyone Is Someone a couple of weeks ago. The album offers up a bevy of pristine harmonies. The lead single "Levi Blues" is one of those run barefoot in the grass, catchy songs that makes you smile when you listen to it. Curious to find out more about Dala, I sent over some questions and they were kind enough to answer.

Quirky NY Chick (QNYC): I know some basic facts about Dala. For instance, I know you met in high school, that your name comes from combining your names Amanda (da) and Sheila (la) and that you have a big buzz in your native Canada. For those of us here in the US, who may not be as familiar as our friends up North, how would you describe your music?

Dala: We like to describe our music as harmony-based acoustic pop. Think Joni Mitchell meets The Everly Brothers. We write all our own songs, and the writing is very personal. Our live show consists of two voices, two guitars and a piano. We like to travel as light as possible!

The Phenomenal Handclap Band's Debut Release Out Now!

A few weeks ago, I wrote about New York's The Phenomenal Handclap Band. Their debut album The Phenomenal Handclap Band was officially unleashed upon the world today. For those who go the digital route you can find it HERE. For those who what a nice shiny CD to hold in their happy little hands, you can get one from HERE.

If you haven't had a chance to check out The Phenomenal Handclap Band yet, what are you waiting for? Anyway, this is a great summertime record. Actually, it's a great anytime record but it just happens to be perfectly timed for summer groovin'. This is one of the albums you'll hear pumping from all of the good rooftop parties and backyard bbq's.

This record has an old school vibe to it. You almost feel as if you've been transported back in time while at the same time it feels and sounds fresh. It's a great mix of spaced out disco, electro, trance, psychedelia and rock.

The highlights for me, "Give It A Rest," which features lead vocals from Jon Spencer. Whenever I hear this song, I think old school Deep Purple. Y'all should know by now that I'm always coming up with some oft times questionable comparisons! And, the other highlight is "15 to 20," which features vocals from Lady Tigra. I've already declared this song my summer jam. This song beckons me to pull out my jump rope.

Overall, The Phenomenal Handclap Band is a good record. This is another one of those records that you don't have the urge to hit the skip button on any songs while listening. But, having just seen the band live, the record seems a bit confined in comparison. Of course, why compare a record to a live show? At any rate, check out the record and if they're playing near you, go see them. They're all kinds of bad ass live. Speaking of live, if you're in the New York area, The Phenomenal Handclap Band are throwing a record release party this Thursday, June 25 at Santos Party House.

Check out their video for "You'll Disappear" from the just released The Phenomenal Handclap Band.

Track Listing

• The Journey to Serra da Estrela
• All of the Above
• Testimony
• Give It a Rest
• You'll Disappear
• 15 to 20
• Dim the Lights
• I Been Born Again
• The Martyr
• Tears
• Baby
• The Circle is Broken

www.phenomenalhandclapband.com