SOTD: "Camp Out" -An Horse

Hope everyone has a great NYE with friends and family!

2009 Favorites

I thought I'd throw a list together of some favorites from this past year. We had some great new music released and even though I wasn't able to get out and see as much as I'd normally like, there were most certainly some highlights. Here's a list of some of those that stick out in my mind from 2009.....

10 Favorite Albums

1. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - "Summer of Fear"
2. Matthew Good - "Vancouver"
3. Phoenix - "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix"
4. We Were Promised Jetpacks - "These Four Walls"
5. Pearl Jam - "Backspacer"
6. Dawes - "North Hills"
7. Avett Brothers - "I and Love and You"
8. Deer Tick - "Born on Flag Day"
9. Dan Auerbach - "Keep It Hid"
10. Drummer - "Feel Good Together"


5 Favorite Concert Experiences

1. Dark Was The Night at Radio City Music Hall
2. A Birthday Party at the Music Hall Of Williamsburg
3. Frightened Rabbit at Le Poisson Rouge
4. Beirut at BAM
5. Pearl Jam at The Spectrum: Special note about these shows...... they'd probably be higher on my list but I was sick as a dog for both of these and barely made it through. Two excellent shows over Halloween weekend to close down the Spectrum in Philadelphia. Awesome setlists both nights, great shows for hardcore fans.


Favorite Project: 30 In 60 Mix


Favorite Concert Road Trip: Stone Temple Pilots @ Mohegan Sun


AND.....


Favorite Musician Introduction: Eugene Hutz from Gogol Bordello

Here's to an even better year in 2010!

Bono, Glen Hansard & Damien Rice: Holiday Busking

Looks like Bono, Glen Hansard and Damien Rice got together over the holiday weekend for some busking in the streets. If you haven't seen these videos, this is some cool stuff.......

ONE




"STAND BY ME"

SOTD: "Eden Was A Garden" - Roman Candle

Kennedy Center Honors: Bruce Springsteen

This evening CBS will be broadcasting the Kennedy Center Honors at 9pm (EST) and one of the recipients will be Bruce Springsteen. Ben Harper will perform a duet of "I'm On Fire" with Sugarland's Jennifer Nettlesh. Eddie Vedder is also listed as one of the presenters/performers and supposedly sang "My City Of Ruins", hopefully we'll get to see that. Additional information is available HERE.

SOTD: "She's Got You High" - Mumm-Ra

NYC Area Concerts week of 12/28

12/28 Gogol Bordello @ Webster Hall
12/31 Antibalas @ Knitting Factory Brooklyn
12/31 Detroit Cobras @ Mercury Lounge
12/31 Lettuce @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
12/31 Obits @ The Bell House
12/31 Surfer Blood, We Are Country Mice, Beach Fossils @ Cameo

JANUARY
1/1 Titus Andronicus @ Mercury Lounge
1/2 Ninjasonik @ Mercury Lounge

25 Songs From 2009 (Part V)

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Here's the final 5 songs, completing the list of 25 great songs from 2009.

"My Night With A Prostitute From Marseille" - Beirut (from the album "March of the Zapotec)




"Fly One Time" - Ben Harper & The Relentless 7 (from the album "White Lies For Dark Times"




"Sometime Around Midnight" - The Airborne Toxic Event (from the album "The Airborne Toxic Event")




"Ain't Nothing Like You (Hoochie-Coo)" - Blakroc (from the album "Blakroc")




"Paradise Cove" - Pete Yorn (from the album "Back & Forth")

25 Songs From 2009 (Part IV)

Just in time so you can listen to some great songs while you do some last minute wrapping. Here's the fourth installment, five more great songs from 2009.....


"Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise" - The Avett Brothers (from the album "I and Love and You")

Decide what to be and go be it.......




"Brother's Blood" - Kevin Devine (from the album "Brother's Blood")




"3 Rounds and a Sound" - Blind Pilot (from the album "3 Rounds and a Sound")




"The Ocean" - Tegan & Sara (from the album "Sainthood")




"Rosyln" - Bon Iver & St Vincent (from the "Twilight: New Moon" Soundtrack)

25 Songs From 2009 (Part III)

Half way through the week and about half way through the list, here's the next five....

"When The Night Comes" - Dan Auerbach (from the album "Keep It Hid")

When the night comes
And you lay your weary head to rest
No more trials no tests




"Unthought Known" - Pearl Jam (from the album "Backspacer")

Dream the dreams of other men,... You’ll be no ones rival,...
Dream the dreams of others then,... You will be no ones rival,...
You will be no ones rival,...




"Turn Them" - Sean Bones (from the album "Rings")

You should be safe.....
Just let it be good for you.




"Love Again for the First Time" - Julian Velard (from the album "The Planeteer")

Walking out on the street there was someone that i meet,
just another end in the road.
Back and fourth.




"Death By Dust" - Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson (from the album "Summer of Fear")

Joe Strummer 1952-2002

Yesterday was the 7 year anniversary of Joe Strummer's passing and I found this article that Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine) wrote in 2002. I thought it was both well written and very interesting, something he certainly wrote from the heart. If it's been awhile since you threw on some music from The Clash, today might be a good day to dust some off. I'd also recommend an album called "Streetcore" by Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros. It was released in 2003 a bit after Joe had passed but it's an album I listened to a lot after college, probably one of my favorites over the last 10 years. Love the song "Coma Girl" (below).

Here's the article: Tom Morello on Joe Strummer

COMA GIRL

25 Songs From 2009 (Part II)

Here's part two of my favorite songs from 2009, five more:

"Silvia" - Miike Snow (from the album "Miike Snow")

And you tell yourself you wont let them touch
Did I say too much did I say enough




"When My Time Comes" - Dawes (from the album "North Hills")

Oh you can judge all the world on the sparkle that you think it lacks.
Yes you can stare into the abyss, but it's staring right back.




"Moving Clocks Run Slow" - We Were Promised Jetpacks (from the album "These Four Walls")

So, you know, you take a little me
And I take a little you
We're all part of the century




"Midnight at the Movies" - Justin Townes Earle (from the album "Midnight at the Movies")

she just sits down beside me
and puts her hand in mine
she's got a gentle way
that keeps me from feelin' so lonely




"Sleepyhead" - Passion Pit (from the album "Manners")

They crowd your bedroom like some thoughts wearing thin
Against the walls against your rules against your skin

Howie Day Tour Dates

Howie Day has released some tour dates for early 2010, see below. Additional information is available at his site HERE.

1/11 Club Congress - Tucson, Arizona
1/12 Roxy Theatre - West Hollywood, California
1/14 Great American Music Hall - San Francisco, California
1/15 WOW Hall - Eugene, Oregon
1/16 Aladdin Theatre - Portland, Oregon
1/17 Crocodile Cafe - Seattle, Washington
1/20 Knitting Factory - Boise, Idaho
1/21 The State Room - Salt Lake City, Utah
1/22 Bluebird Theater - Denver, Colorado
1/23 Fox Theatre - Boulder, Colorado
1/26 The Waiting Room - Omaha, Nebraska
1/27 The Maintenance Shop - Ames, Iowa
1/28 Shank Hall - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1/29 Fine Line Music Cafe - Minneapolis, Minnesota
1/30 House of Blues - Chicago, Illinois
2/10 Pontiac Garage @ HOB - Dallas, Texas
2/11 Antone's - Austin, Texas
2/13 WorkPlay Theatre - Birmingham, Alabama
2/14 Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, Georgia
2/17 The Social - Orlando, Florida
2/19 The Music Farm - Charleston, South Carolina
2/20 Visulite Theatre - Charlotte, North Carolina
2/21 Third and Lindsley - Nashville, Tennessee
2/23 Rams Head On Stage - Annapolis, Maryland
2/24 Birchmere Music Hall - Alexandria, Virginia
2/25 City Winery - New York, New York
2/27 World Cafe Live - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2/28 Paradise Rock Club - Boston, Massachusetts
3/02 Higher Ground Showcase Lounge - Burlington, Vermont
3/03 The Club @ Water Street Music Hall - Rochester, New York
3/04 Cambridge Room @ HOB - Cleveland, Ohio
3/05 The Ark - Ann Arbor, Michigan
3/06 The Basement - Columbus, Ohio

25 Songs From 2009 (Part I)

Instead of putting up a SOTD (Song Of The Day) this week, I thought I'd list some of my favorite songs from this past year. I've put together a list of 25 songs from 2009 that I've really liked, it's been a good year for music. Some of these have been previous SOTDs and some of them you probably haven't heard, but hopefully you'll enjoy the mix. Okay, let's kick this off....

"May You Never" - Land of Talk (from the album "Fun and Laughter")




"A Silent Army in the Trees" - Matthew Good (from the album "Vancouver")

Well this ain't the woods behind the house
There ain't nobody screaming out
For you to come inside and eat
You're just holding your friends and watching them bleed




"Easy" - Deer Tick (from the album "Born On Flag Day")

And you don't know
How easy it is
No, you don't know how easy it is
You were never there
No, never there




"Feel Good Together" - Drummer (from the album "Feel Good Together")

I tried, and fell
Only time will tell




"Lasso" - Phoenix (from the album "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix")

Forever is a long long time
When you lost your way

NYC Area Concerts week of 12/21

12/22 Drink Up Buttercup @ Glasslands
12/22 Danielson @ The Stone
12/23 Secret Machines @ Knitting Factory Brooklyn
12/23 Talib Kweli, Jean Grae @ Highline Ballroom
12/27 Gogol Bordello @ Webster Hall

SOTD: "Graffiti Eyes" - Stellastarr*

The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights Trailer

Check out this new trailer for the upcoming White Stripes movie "Under Great White Northern Lights"..... good stuff!

SOTD: "Fake Gold" - Tigercity

SOTD: "Finish Line" - Fanfarlo

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2010

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival dates for 2010 have been released and it looks like it will take place over two weekends: April 23-25 & April 29 - May 2. A bunch of good bands have been announced including Van Morrison, Band of Horses, My Morning Jacket, The Black Crowes, and weekend 2 headliner, Pearl Jam. The complete lineup and additional info can be found HERE.

SOTD: "Baby It's Cold Outside" - Willie Nelson & Norah Jones

Phoenix Unplugged @ SPIN Studios

Here are some cool videos of Phoenix performing unplugged at the SPIN Studios. Videos include "Lisztomania", "One Too Many", "1901", and "Playground Love".

Phoenix Unplugged @ SPIN Studios

Coachella Festival 2010

Coachella 2010 Dates have been confirmed for April 16, 17 & 18 2010. Ticket & camping information has been released and you can read all the details HERE.

Subway Shuffle: 12/14/09

SUBWAY SHUFFLE 12/14/09

Track #1: Dave Matthews Band: "Grey Street"
Track #2: Ryan Adams: "Born Into A Light"
Track #3: Paul Westerberg: "Lookin' Up In Heaven"
Track #4: The Avett Brothers: "Ten Thousand Words"
Track #5: Smashing Pumpkins: "1979"

The Tremagazine on blip.fm

SOTD: "You & Me" - Dave Matthews Band

This song is from the most recent DMB album but I actually hadn't heard it until this past weekend, really like this one.

NYC Area Concerts week of 12/14

12/14 A.A. Bondy @ The Bell House
12/14 Lissy Trullie @ Bowery Ballroom
12/15 The Antlers, Uninhabitable Mansions @ Bowery Ballroom
12/15 Neon Indian @ Mercury Lounge
12/15 Wild Yaks, Nightmare Air, Ladycop @ Piano's
12/16 Stellastarr* @ Bowery Ballroom
12/16 Neon Indian, Tiger City @ Brooklyn Bowl
12/17 Lake Trout @ Mercury Lounge
12/17, 19-20 Matisyahu @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
12/19 The Constellations @ The Fillmore at Irving Plaza

SOTD: "Let You Down" - Tin Star Orphans

My buddy Chris told me about these guys a couple weeks ago. I've been listening to some of their stuff and really dig this song.

SOTD: "Ain't Nothing Like You" (Hoochie Coo) -Blackroc

Here's an awesome performance from the Blackroc project. This track features the Black Keys with Mos Def & Jim Jones. LOVE this.

Larger In Life.... In 3D: DMB, Ben Harper, Gogol Bordello

Received this email last night, sounds interesting......

Beginning Friday December 11th and screening in theatres nationwide through Thursday, December 17th only, check out Ben Harper and Relentless7 in "LARGER THAN LIFE...IN 3D". The movie features songs from R7's set at Mile High Music Festival before Dave Matthews Band's set at ACL Festival closes the film. Gogol Bordello (with Innocent Criminal Oliver Charles on drums) also perform.

Shot in Digital 3D by inconcert3d, the format brings viewers onstage, giving them a stunning 360° view of each live performance. Larger than Life...in 3D is a limited one week engagement and will not be released on DVD. Visit the film's official site HERE for screening locations and advance ticket sales.

SOTD: "Arms" - Seabear

Matthew Good 2010 US Tour

Exciting news out of Matthew Good's camp..... he'll be returning to the US for a tour in 2010. My first time seeing Matt was at the Bowery Ballroom years ago, definitely excited for this one. All dates below, more information available at his site HERE.


2010 U.S. Tour

Mar 8th - Mar 9th Seattle, WA The Triple Door

Mar 10th Portland, OR Berbati’s Pan

Mar 12th San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall

Mar 13th Hollywood, CA The Troubadour

Mar 15th San Diego, CA The Casbah

Mar 16th Phoenix, AZ Rhythm Room

Mar 21st Dallas, TX Granada Theatre

Mar 22nd Memphis, TN Hi Tone Café

Mar 24th Chicago, IL Double Door

Mar 25th Detroit, MI St. Andrew’s Hall

Mar 26th Cleveland, OH The Cambridge Room @ House of Blues

Mar 27th Buffalo, NY The Town Ballroom

Mar 29th Pittsburgh, PA Mr Small’s

Mar 30th Arlington, VA IOTA Café

Mar 31st Philadelphia, PA World Café Live

Apr 2nd New York, NY Bowery Ballroom

Apr 3rd Cambridge, MA Middle East Club – Downstairs

Apr 4th Rochester, NY The Club at Water Street Music Hall

SOTD: "Do You Have A Strategy" - Uninhabitable Mansions

Pearl Jam: European Tour Dates

Pearl Jam has announced some much anticipated European tour dates starting in June. Some venue information is still to be released but here's the initial tour info (additional info can be found HERE):

PEARL JAM EUROPE 2010

DATE CITY VENUE
22-June * Dublin, Ireland 02 Arena
23-June * Belfast, Ireland Odyssey Arena
25-June London, England Hard Rock Calling Hyde Park
27-June ** TBD TBD
30-June * Berlin, Germany Wuhlheide
1-July ** TBD TBD
3-July Arras, France Main Square Festival
4-July Werchter, Belgium Rock Werchter Festival
6-July ** TBD TBD
9-July ** TBD TBD
10-July Oeiras, Portugal Optimus Alive Festival

* Pearl Jam headlining dates. Opening acts TBA.
** Potential additional dates and corresponding on-sale information may be announced.

SOTD: "Ready For The Floor" - Lissy Trullie

NYC Area Concerts week of 12/7

12/7 Split Lip @ Bowery Ballroom
12/8 Jeffree Star @ Blender Theatre at Gramercy
12/8-9 Sting @ Cathedral of St. John the Divine
12/9 A.A. Bondy @ Bowery Ballroom
12/10 Matisyahu @ Webster Hall
12/10-11 Artic Monkeys @ Terminal 5
12/11 Dr. Dog @ Brooklyn Bowl
12/11 Norma Jean @ Blender Theatre at Gramercy
12/11 Rooney, Crash Kings @ Webster Hall
12/11 The Whigs @ Filmore at Irving Plaza
12/12-13 Matisyahu @ Webster Hall

SOTD: "Shampoo" - Elvis Perkins In Dearland

SOTD: "I've Got Friends" - Manchester Orchestra

The Word Reunion Shows

Received this email yesterday.....

THE WORD REUNITE FOR THREE SHOWS: PHILADELPHIA, NEW YORK, and FT. LAUDERDALE

(New York, NY) -- Longtime friends and collaborators Chris Chew, Cody Dickinson & Luther Dickinson (of North Mississippi Allstars), John Medeski (of Medeski Martin & Wood), and Robert Randolph (of Robert Randolph & the Family Band) will be reforming THE WORD for three very special shows this December/January. Tickets are on sale now.

Dec 30 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre for the Living Arts
Dec 31 - New York, NY - Terminal 5
Jan 1 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room

SOTD: "Kylie" - Bear vs Shark

The Whigs: Tour Dates, New Album, Free Downloads

The Whigs will be releasing a new album, "In The Dark", on March 2, 2010. You can preview and download two songs, "In The Dark" and "Hundred/Million" HERE.

The band is currently touring, dates below:

TOUR DATES:

With The Features (December 1st - December 15th)
With Mean Creek (December 5th - 15th)

December 1st Emo's Austin, Texas
December 2nd The Loft Dallas, Texas
December 4th The Variety Playhouse Atlanta, Georgia
December 5th Rhythm & Brews Chattanooga, Tennessee
December 8th Visulite Charlotte, North Carolina
December 10th Black Cat Washington, DC
December 11th The Fillmore @ Irving Plaza New York, New York
December 12th North Star Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
December 14th Local 506 Chapel Hill, North Carolina
December 15th Pour House Charleston, South Carolina

Norah Jones Tour Dates

Norah Jones released her upcoming tour dates which you can see below. Additional information is available at her website HERE.

March 5 - Tulsa, OK - Brady Theater
March 6 - Kansas City, MO - The Midland
March 7 - Omaha, NE - Orpheum
March 9 - Des Moines, IA - Civic Center
March 11 - Akron, OH - E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall
March 12 - Louisville, KY - Whitney Hall
March 13 - Indianapolis, IN - Murat Theatre
March 15 - Madison, WI - Overture Hall
March 17 - St. Paul, MN - The O'Shaughnessy
March 19 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theatre
March 20 - Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre
March 25 - Boston, MA - Wang Theatre
March 26 - Mashantucket, CT - MGM Foxwoods
March 27 - New York, NY - WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden
March 30 - Baltimore, MD - Lyric Opera House
April 1 - Charlottesville, VA - The Paramount Theater
April 2 - Washington, DC - Warner Theatre
April 3 - Philadelphia, PA - Tower Theatre
April 18 - Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre
April 19 - Portland, OR - Arlene Schnitzer Hall
April 21 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
April 23 - Los Angeles, CA - Orpheum Theater
April 24 - San Diego, CA - Spreckels Theatre
April 25 - Phoenix, AZ - Dodge Theater
April 28 - Albuquerque, NM - Kiva Auditorium
April 29 - El Paso, TX - Plaza Theatre
May 1 - Austin, TX - Stubb’s Bar-B-Q
May 4 - Dallas, TX - Majestic Theatre
May 5 - Houston, TX - Verizon Wireless Theater
May 6 - Mobile, AL - Saenger Theatre
May 8 - Memphis, TN - Orpheum Theatre
May 9 - Birmingham, AL - Alabama Theatre
May 11 - Asheville, NC - Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
May 12 - Charlotte, NC - Ovens Auditorium
May 14 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
May 15 - Atlanta, GA - Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre

Subway Shuffle: 12/1/09

For those of you that follow me on Twitter, you're probably familiar with my "Subway Shuffle". For those of you that don't, here's the deal..... Basically on my commute home from work, I put my ipod on shuffle and see what comes up. I take 5 songs and post them in a row on twitter with links via blip.fm. Hopefully you find something new or maybe something old that you haven't heard in awhile. Hopefully you find something that hits the spot for that night. I only post these occasionally but I'm going to try to do it more often if possible.

Some people don't like to use twitter so I figured I'd start posting the shuffles here also. I'll post the songs and a link to my Blip.fm page where you can listen for yourself. Enjoy.

SUBWAY SHUFFLE 12/1/09

Track #1: Tegan & Sara: "Dark Come Soon"
Track #2: Tool: "Swamp Song"
Track #3: Radiohead: "Idioteque"
Track #4: Arcade Fire: "Rebellion (Lies)"
Track #5: Modest Mouse: "Dashboard"

TREMAGAZINE on Blip.fm

SOTD: "One Hundred and Four" - Big Tree

Big Tree - One Hundred and Four from VanLou Media on Vimeo.

Hullabalou Festival

A new festival has been announced for July 23-25, 2010 in Louisville, Kentucky..... The Hullabalou Festival. There's definitely an eclectic mix of bands playing over the three days, the headliners include DMB, Bon Jovi & Kenny Chesney. The festival will take place at Churchill Downs (home of the Kentucky Derby) and you can find out more info HERE.

SOTD: "Not Nineteen Forever" - The Courteeners

NYC Area Concerts week of 11/30

12/1 Russian Circles @ Bowery Ballroom
12/1 Rob Zombie @ Hammerstein Ballroom
12/2 Phoenix, Passion Pit @ Hammerstein Ballroom
12/2 Imogen Heap @ Filmore At Irving Plaza
12/2 Emilie Autumn @ @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
12/2-4 Phish @ Madison Square Garden
12/3 The Big Pink, Crystal Antlers @ Bowery Ballroom
12/3 The Big Pink, Crystal Antlers @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
12/4 Brendan Benson @ (le) poisson rouge
12/4 Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Bowerbirds @ Bowery Ballroom
12/4 Mew @ Webster Hall
12/5 Brendan Benson @ Maxwell's
12/5 Elvis Perkins in Dearland @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
12/5 Ghostland Observatory @ Terminal 5
12/5 Friendly Fires, The xx @ Webster Hall
12/5 Westbound Train @ Highline Ballroom
12/6 Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, Stupid Party @ Bowery Ballroom
12/6 Pete Yorn @ Hammerstein Ballroom

SOTD: "Cleo's Song" - JBM

SOTD: "Check Your Time" - Westbound Train

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you get to enjoy the holiday with your family and friends.

SOTD: "Brother's Blood" - Kevin Devine

For the last couple of months I've been working up in Albany, NY and even though I'm really missing the NYC music scene, I was able to find a good radio station that I've been listening to recently.....90.9FM WCDB.

I discovered the station about a week ago when I was driving around looking for somewhere new to grab dinner and they had a great playlist including The National and the Royal Alberta Advantage, along with some other good tunes. Last night the DJ ( I think her name is Nicole) played some Matt & Kim, Tom Waits and also a song called "Brother's Blood" by Kevin Devine that I really liked. When I got back to the hotel I looked it up and thought I'd post it today. Hope you like this one.......

SOTD: "Dominos" - The Big Pink

The Bridge School Collection: Volume 4

Itunes will release "The Bridge School Collection:Volume 4" today. Included on this album are tracks by Trent Reznor, Death Cab For Cutie, Band of Horses, Norah Jones & more. I was lucky enough to be at the show in 2007 and saw the performances by Regina Spektor, My Morning Jacket, Tegan & Sara, Tom Waits & John Mayer...... it was a really good show. The full tracklist is below and you can find out more information HERE.

The Bridge School Collection, Vol. 4
1) Ministry – Here They Come – 11/2/94
2) Ministry – Paisley – 11/2/94
3) John Mellencamp – Jackie Brown – 10/29/05
4) Jerry Lee Lewis – Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On -10/30/05
5) Trent Reznor – Fragile – 10/22/06
6) Trent Reznor – Hurt – 10/22/06
7) John Mayer – Heart Of Life – 10/27/07
8) John Mayer - Waiting On The World – 10/27/07
9) Regina Spektor – Ain’t No Cover – 10/27/07
10) My Morning Jacket – Gideon – 10/28/07
11) My Morning Jacket – Just One Thing – 10/28/07
12) Tegan & Sara – Dark Come Soon – 10/28/07
13) Tegan & Sara – Like Oh, Like H – 10/28/07
14) Tom Waits & Kronos Quartet – What Keeps Mankind Alive – 10/28/07
15) Tom Waits & Kronos Quartet – The Part You Throw Away – 10/28/07
16) Band of Horses – Marry Song - 10/25/08
17) Band of Horses – The General Specific – 10/25/08
18) Norah Jones – Jesus Don’t Cry – 10/25/08
19) Death Cab For Cutie – Cath – 10/26/08
20) Death Cab For Cutie – I Will Possess Your Heart – 10/26/08
21) Josh Groban – Changing Colors – 10/26/08
22) Josh Groban With Neil Young – Harvest Moon – 10/26/08

SOTD: "Malko" - Russian Circles

NYC Area Concerts week of 11/23

11/23 Devendra Banhart @ the Music Hall of Williamsburg
11/23-25 Pixies @ Hammerstein Ballroom
11/23-24 Royksopp @ Webster Hall
11/24 Saosin @ Filmore New York At Irving Plaza
11/24 Boys Like Girls @ Nokia Theatre Times Square
11/25 Meat Puppets @ Bowery Ballroom
11/27 Zero 7 @ Terminal 5
11/27 311 @ Hammerstein Ballroom
11/27 Guster @ The Beacon Theatre
11/27-28 Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers @ Bowery Ballroom
11/28 Lotus @ Terminal 5
11/28 Do Make Say Think @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
11/29 Do Make Say Think @ Bowery Ballroom

SOTD: "This Year" - Hurricane Bells

This is a really cool song, reminds me a bit of the National.

Alice In Chains Tour Dates

Alice In Chains has announced a new North American tour for 2010 starting in February. Dates are listed below and you can find out more info at their site HERE.

2/2 - Vancouver - Orpheum Theatre
2/4 - Seattle - Paramount Theatre
2/6 - Salem - Salem Armory
2/11 - Oakland - Fox Theatre
2/17 - Phoenix - Dodge Theatre
2/19 - Denver - Fillmore
2/21 - Kansas City - Midland Theatre
2/22 - St. Louis - Pageant
2/23 - Louisville - Louisville Palace
2/25 - Atlanta - Tabernacle
2/27 - Myrtle Beach - House Of Blues
3/1 - Nashville - Municipal Auditorium
3/2 - Charlotte - Fillmore
3/3 - Washington DC - DAR Constitution Hall
3/5 - Richmond - The National
3/6 - Mashantucket, CT - Foxwoods
3/8 - New York, NY - Terminal 5
3/12 - Atlantic City - Borgata
3/13 - Philadelphia - Tower Theatre
3/14 - Boston - Orpheum Theatre
3/16 - Montreal - Metropolis
3/17 - Toronto - Sound Academy
3/19 - Detroit - Fillmore
3/20 - Chicago - Aragon Ballroom
3/21 - Minneapolis - Roy Wilkens Auditorium

SOTD: "Swing" - Zero 7

The Hood Internet: Mixtape Volume 4

If you haven't listened to the Hood Internet's latest mixtape, you have to download it ASAP. The tracklisting is below, I think my favorites are 21. Bon Iver vs Friendly Fires vs Aeroplane - Lump Sum Of Paris and 31. Ghostface Killah vs Beirut - Save Me Concubine. I've been listening to it over the last week or so and there are some great tracks on here. Download the whole mix at their site HERE.

The Mixtape Volume Four:
1. Intro
2. David Banner vs Fujiya & Miyagi - Get Like Pterodactyls
3. The Beastie Boys vs Matt And Kim - Good Ol' Fashion Rump Shaker
4. Kanye West vs Cage & Aviary - Touch The Television
5. Lil Wayne (feat. Babyface) vs Royksopp - Comfortable Up Here
6. Passion Pit vs Juvenile - Back That Sleepyhead Up
7. DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince vs Daft Punk - Summer Circuit
8. Public Enemy vs HEALTH vs Nosaj Thing - Bring The Tabloid Sores
9. AZ (feat. Ghostface) vs The Golden Filter - Solid Gold From New York
10. Modest Mouse vs Kanye West - Floating Paranoia
11. Clipse vs Yuksek - Kinda Like A Big Break
12. Weezer vs Glass Candy - Buddy Holly's Imagination
13. Bangers & Cash vs Bag Raiders - Bang Raiders
14. Amanda Blank vs VEGA - No Reasons To Like You Better
15. Michael Jackson vs Ratatat - Billie "Wildcat" Jean
16. Kid Sister (feat. Pitbull) vs Phonat - Free Control Ocho
17. Twista (feat. Erika Shevon) vs Boys Noize - Wetter And Jeffer
18. Flo Rida (feat. Ke$ha) vs MSTRKRFT - 1000 Times Right Round
19. R. Kelly (feat. Keri Hilson) vs Sally Shapiro - Number One Christmas
20. Drake vs The Rapture - Best Jealous Lover I Ever Had
21. Bon Iver vs Friendly Fires vs Aeroplane - Lump Sum Of Paris
22. Jeremih vs Handsome Furs - Birthday Furs
23. Yung LA vs Solid Gold - Who Ain't I Gonna Run To?
24. Major Lazer (feat. Santigold) vs Dirty Projectors - Hold The Stillness
25. Dead Prez vs Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks Of Hip Hop
26. Soulja Boy vs Joe Jackson - Swaggin' Out
27. OJ Da Juiceman (feat. Gucci Mane) vs Discovery - Make The Loop Aye
28. Glasses Malone vs Chromatics - A Moment To Remember Haterz
29. Paper Route Gangstaz vs Animal Collective - Animals Collecting Money
30. B-Hamp vs Little Boots - Ricky Bobby Boots
31. Ghostface Killah vs Beirut - Save Me Concubine
32. Keri Hilson vs The Glitch Mob/TVOTR - Red Dress Turnin Me On
33. Dorrough vs Bibio - Fire Ant Paint Job
34. Outro

SOTD: "Sewn Together" - Meat Puppets

Coldplay: Stripped Acoustic Session

For the Coldplay fans, here's a stripped down acoustic session with the band from the Capitol Record's Building. Watch it HERE.

SOTD: "16th & Valencia" - Devendra Banhart

Justin Townes Earle Tour Dates

Justin Townes Earle has announced some new tour dates for the winter & spring (see below). More information available at his myspace page HERE.

Jan 13 2010 8:00P
Messiah College Grantham, Pennsylvania

Jan 14 2010 8:00P
The Cafe Sate College, Pennsylvania

Jan 23 2010 8:00P
Landmark on Main Street Port Washington, New York

Jan 26 2010 8:00P
Radio Radio Indianapolis, Indiana

Jan 28 2010 8:00P
Barley’s Knoxville, Tennessee

Feb 4 2010 8:00P
Stubs BBQ Austin, Texas

Feb 5 2010 8:00P
The Mucky Duck Houston, Texas

Feb 6 2010 8:00P
The Granada Theatre Dallas, Texas

Feb 9 2010 8:00P
The Loft at UCSD San Diego, California

Feb 11 2010 8:00P
The Echo Los Angeles, California

Feb 12 2010 8:00P
Crepe Place Santa Cruz, California

Feb 13 2010 8:00P
Great American Music Hall San Francisco, California

Feb 14 2010 8:00P
Doug Fir Portland, Oregon

Feb 15 2010 8:00P
The Tractor Tavern Seattle, Washington

Feb 16 2010 8:00P
The Biltmore Vancouver

Feb 18 2010 8:00P
The State Room Salt Lake City, Utah

Feb 19 2010 8:00P
The Bluebird Denver, Colorado

Feb 20 2010 8:00P
Sheridan Opera House Telluride, Colorado

Feb 23 2010 8:00P
The Mill Iowa City, Iowa

Feb 25 2010 8:00P
Turf Club St. Paul, Minnesota

Feb 26 2010 8:00P
High Noon Salon Madison, Wisconsin

Feb 27 2010 8:00P
Lincoln Hall Chicago, Illinois

Feb 28 2010 8:00P
The Magic Stick Detroit, Michigan

Mar 1 2010 8:00P
Horseshoe Tavern Toronto, ONT

Mar 2 2010 8:00P
The Mohawk Buffalo, New York

Mar 4 2010 8:00P
Great Scott Boston, Massachusetts

Mar 5 2010 8:00P
Bowery Ballroom New York, New York

Mar 6 2010 8:00P
Johnny Brendas Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Mar 7 2010 8:00P
The Birchmere Alexandria, Virginia

Apr 1 2010 8:00P
21st Annual Byron Bay Bluesfest Byron Bay

SOTD: "Born in the Spring" - Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers

NYC Area Concerts week of 11/16

11/16 Neko Case @ Beacon Theatre
11/16 William Elliot Whitmore @ Mercury Lounge
11/16 John Mayer @ Music Hall Of Williamsburg
11/17 Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros @ Bowery Ballroom
11/17 John Mayer @ Beacon Theatre
11/18 Julie Peel, Joe Purdy @ The Bell House
11/18 Dirty Projectors @ Bowery Ballroom
11/19 Dirty Projectors @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
11/19 Blind Pilot @ Bowery Ballroom
11/20 David Ryan Harris @ Rockwood Music Hall
11/20 Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson @ Mercury Lounge
11/20 Brett Dennen & Sean Bones @ Terminal 5
11/20 Times New Viking @ Maxwell's
11/20 Baroness @ Bowery Ballroom
11/20 The Honorary Title @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
11/20-21 Devo @ Filmore New York At Irving Plaza
11/21 Dawes @ Le Poisson Rouge
11/21 Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr. @ Terminal 5
11/21 Bad Lieutenant @ Webster Hall
11/21 Land of Talk @ Mercury Lounge
11/22 Camera Obscura @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
11/22 Dirty Projectors @ Bowery Ballroom
11/22 Echo and the Bunnymen @ Hammerstein Ballroom

SOTD: "May You Never" - Land of Talk

Rolling Stone Breaking: Dawes

Rolling Stone online has posted a pretty cool Dawes video with live footage, interviews, etc. Take a look HERE.

SOTD: "No Time, No Hope" - Times New Viking

Pablove Foundation Benefit Concert - 11/21

This benefit show will have a bunch of great performers: Band of Horses, Tom Gabel, Tom Morello, Shirley Manson, etc. Tickets are $35 (general) & $65 (vip)......more information available HERE.

SOTD: "Innocence" - Julie Peel

David Ryan Harris Tour Dates

David Ryan Harris has announced some new tour dates for November & December, listed below:

ROCKWOOD MUSIC HALL
New York, New York
November 20

THE SUPERMARKET
Toronto, Canada (lets play hockey!)
November 23

MOLLY MALONES
Hollywood, CA
December 21

SMITHS OLDE BAR
Atlanta, GA
December 23

SOTD: "Miss Me" - Joe Purdy

"Well the last time I saw you were waving goodbye, from the back of the train with a tear in your eye"

Against Me!: California Tour Dates

Against Me! has announced some California tour dates for December. See below and more details are available at their website HERE.


Dec 17, 2009
08:30 PM Los Angeles, CA Spaceland
1717 Silver lake Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90027 w/ Roll The Tanks and O Pioneers!!! $10 adv/ $12 day of


Dec 18, 2009
9:00pm Santa Barbara, CA Velvet Jones
423 State St. Santa Barbara, CA 93101 w/ Roll The Tanks, O Pioneers $15 adv/ $15 day of


Dec 19, 2009
08:00 PM Los Angeles, CA The Troubadour
9081 Santa Monica Blvd w/ Roll The Tanks and O Pioneers!!! $10 adv/ $12 day of

SOTD: "There's An Arc" - Hey Rosetta!

My buddy Chris sent me this song over the weekend, good stuff.

NYC Area Concerts week of 11/9

If you're in town this week, I'd definitely check out that show on Wednesday night with Dan Auerbach and Justin Townes Earle....what a great bill.

11/10 Warren G @ Bowery Ballroom
11/10 Peter Bjorn & John @ Terminal 5
11/11 Dan Auerbach, Jessica Lea Mayfield, Justin Townes Earle @ Webster Hall
11/11 Deastro @ Mercury Lounge
11/11 The xx @ Bowery Ballroom
11/12 Drink Up Buttercup @ Union Hall
11/12 White Denim @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
11/13 A.F.I. @ Roseland Ballroom
11/13 Mute Math @ Nokia Theatre Times Square
11/14-15 Metallica @ Madison Square Garden
11/14 Blue Rodeo @ Mercury Lounge
11/14 Longwave, The Grates @ Bowery Ballroom
11/15 Art Brut @ Bowery Ballroom
11/15 Band of Skulls @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

SOTD: "Tall Buildings" - Jones Street Station

"I'm off to the subway, I mustn't be late..........I'm going to work in tall buildings".....

Julian Velard Tour Dates

Singer-songwriter Julian Velard will be going on an east coast tour during December. All dates are below (including a great bill with Ryan Montbleau in NYC). I saw Julian at the Rockwood Music Hall about a year ago and he really impressed me, very talented guy. Additional info available HERE.

Tour Dates

December 8 @ Funk N Waffles, Syracuse, NY with Tim Blane


December 9 @ Cafe 939, Boston, MA with Tim Blane


December 10 @ Bowery Ballroom, NYC, NY with Ryan Montbleau Band


December 11 @ Bearsville Theater, Woodstock, NY with Ryan Montbleau Band


December 12 @ World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA with Ryan Montbleau Band


December 16 @ Club Cafe, Pittsburgh, PA with Jonah Smith


December 17 @ DC9, Washington, DC with Jonah Smith


December 18 at House Concert, Gambrillis, MD with Jonah Smith & Bob Sima


December 19 @ Nightcat, Easton, MD with Jonah Smith

SOTD: "Sirens in the Deep Sea" - Longwave

DMB to play SNL - 11/21

From the DMB Newsletter.......

DAVE MATTHEWS BAND TO PERFORM ON SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE NOV. 21ST

Mark your calendars for DMB's Saturday Night Live performance on November 21st! Dave Matthews Band will perform as SNL's musical guest and Joseph Gordon-Levitt will host the show. Check local listings for airtimes on NBC.

SOTD: "Lovers Play Dead" - Drink Up Buttercup

Bruce Springsteen - Full Albums @ MSG

Big news from Bruce Springsteen for the upcoming shows at MSG this weekend.......

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND TO PERFORM FULL ALBUM SEQUENCES AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN IN NEW YORK CITY

Special programs announced for this weekend's Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band shows at Madison Square Garden

On Saturday, November 7, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will perform The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle in its entirety for the first time.

On Sunday, November 8, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will perform The River in its entirety for the first time.

That means he'll be playing "New York City Serenade" on Saturday, one of my favorite songs. Should be a couple great shows, all the details at Bruce's site HERE.

SOTD: "Islands" - The XX

Matthew Good: Vancouver Rehearsals

Matthew Good has posted some video of rehearsal footage for his upcoming tour in support of his new release, "Vancouver". This is some cool stuff, you can watch the video HERE.

SOTD: "Toxic Crusaders" - Deastro

NYC Area Concerts week of 11/2

NOVEMBER
11/2 Girls, Real Estate @ Maxwell's
11/2-4 Noah and the Whale, Robert Francis @ Mercury Lounge
11/3 Justin Nosuka @ Webster Hall
11/4 Fiery Furnaces, Cryptacize @ Maxwell's
11/5 Islands @ Bowery Ballroom
11/6 Alberta Cross @ Mercury Lounge
11/6 Girls, Real Estate @ Bowery Ballroom
11/6 Monsters of Folk (Conor Oberst, Jim James, M. Ward, Mike Mogis) @ United Palace Theatre
11/7 Basement Jaxx @ Santos Party House
11/7-8 Bruce Springstein & the E Street Band @ Madison Square Garden
11/8 Monsters of Folk (Conor Oberst, Jim James, M. Ward, Mike Mogis) @ Beacon Theatre
11/8 Wolfmother @ Terminal 5

SOTD: "Chasing Pirates" - Norah Jones

Here's the new single from Norah Jones. She's got a bunch of upcoming TV appearances in November too:

November 11 - Late Night With David Letterman
November 16 - Good Morning America
November 18 - The Colbert Report
November 23 - The View

SOTD: "Yomp" - Thenewno2

Here's a song from Dhani Harrison (son of George) and his band. They'll be opening for Wolfmother on an upcoming tour.

Matt Kearney: Daytrotter Session 10/24/09

Daytrotter has posted another great session to their website, this time with singer/songwriter Matt Kearney. Included in this session is "Nothing Left" and an unreleased song called "Chicago". Take a listen HERE.

David Ryan Harris in NYC!

David Ryan Harris announced on his Twitter page last night that he'll be playing a show at the Rockwood Music Hall in NYC on November 20th at 9pm. This venue is TINY, probably one of the smallest places I've been in NYC. Should be a great show!

SOTD: "Centrifugal Motion" - Pete & J

SPIN Magazine: Q&A with Tom Gabel (Against Me!)

SPIN Magazine has an interesting Q&A with Tom Gabel of Against Me! Check that out HERE.

SOTD: "Death By Numbers" - Noah & The Whale

U2 2010 North American Tour Dates

U2 has announced some new tour dates for 2010. See below for those and more info can be found at their site HERE.

U2 360° TOUR 2010 North American Dates

6-June Anaheim, CA
On sale soon

12-June Denver, CO
On sale Nov. 6

16-June Oakland, CA
Presale opens Oct. 27th
On sale Nov. 2

20-June Seattle, WA
On sale soon

23-June Edmonton, AB
Presale opens Oct. 27th
On sale Nov. 2

30-June East Lansing, MI
On sale soon

03-July Toronto, ON
Presale opens Oct 27th
On sale Nov. 2

06-July Chicago, IL
On sale soon

09-July Miami, FL
On sale soon

12-July Philadelphia, PA
On sale soon

16-July Montreal, QC
On sale soon

19-July New York
On sale soon

City & Colour US Tour

City & Colour has announced a US tour for early next year. Dates are below and you can get more information HERE. I saw Dallas last year at Bowery Ballroom and thought the show was great, he's excellent live.

City and Colour tour:
Thu. Jan 07 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club (GA)
Fri. Jan 08 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall (GA)
Sun. Jan 10 - Somerville, MA @ Somerville Theatre (reserved seating)
Mon. Jan 11 - Orlando, FL @ The Plaza Theatre (reserved seating)
Fri. Jan 15 - Chicago, IL @ Metro (GA)
Sat. Jan 16 - Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore (reserved seating)
Thu. Jan 21 - Austin, TX @ Central Church (GA)
Fri. Jan 22 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore (GA)
Sat. Jan 23 - Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda (GA)

SOTD: "Beach Comber" - Real Estate

NYC Area Concerts week of 10/26

10/26 Surfer Blood @ Death By Audio
10/27 Florence & The Machine @ Bowery Ballroom
10/28 Jay Farrar & Ben Gibbard @ Webster Hall
10/28, 30, 31 Bryce & Aaron Dessner (of The National), Shara Worden @ Brooklyn Academy of Music
10/29 A Place to Bury Strangers, Dead Confederate, All The Saints@ Bowery Ballroom
10/29 Justice (DJ Set) @ Webster Hall
10/30 King Kahn & BBQ Show @ Bowery Ballroom
10/30 Pinback, Obits @ The Fillmore
10/30 Yeasayer @ Guggenheim Museum
10/30-31 Tegan and Sara @ Town Hall
10/31 Junior Boys @ The Bell House
10/31 Thievery Corporation @ Terminal 5
NOVEMBER
11/1 The Get Up Kids @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

SOTD: "Something New" - Chris Batten & The Woods

I've known Chris Batten for several years now, we first met back when he was a solo artist. Most recently, I caught his band's set almost exactly a year ago at the CMJ Festival in NYC which I wrote about HERE. Unfortunately, news broke this week that tonight will be the band's last performance together. They'll be playing the CMJ Festival at Maxwell's in Hoboken at 10pm and there are still a few tickets left if you want to check the show out.

Chris is a real good guy and I wish him a lot of luck. Just below this entry you'll find an interview with Chris on some plans for the future. The Woods put out some great songs so I figured we'd send them out with a bang today as the SOTD. Enjoy!

The End of the Woods: An Interview with Chris Batten

HERE's a good interview by Gary Wien with singer/songwriter Chris Batten about his show tonight, his band "the Woods" and what's in store for the future.

On Friday, October 23rd, Chris Batten and The Woods will play their final gig at Maxwell's in Hoboken. The band has been one of my favorite local acts over the past five years, so I was glad to get the chance to talk with Chris about the situation and what's in store for the future. The show, which also includes Tris McCall and Val Emmich, takes place during the CMJ Music Festival.

Sorry to hear that the band is going on indefinite hiatus. What was the reasoning behind the decision? Did someone have to move on, career stuff, or was there a general feeling that the band had gone as far as it could go?

I don't know if I will ever feel that this band went as far as it could go...but yeah, a couple of the guys had to pack it in and we decided that instead of dedicating our energy to find new members, we would take a step back and focus on something fresh. I mean, the original core members of the band are still together and have been for like 6 years, so it will be cool to see where we go with this limited structure.

How long have you all been playing together as a band? Did you play any shows in 2003 or start in 2004?

Man...we always try and pinpoint this, but for some reason it's become like this big tall tale or something...haha. Dustin and I met in Fall of 2003 and started getting together to work on some songs that I had written. I had been playing solo shows for about 3 years before that, but I never really meant to be a solo artist. I was playing solo simply because I was living in NYC and believe it or not, I was having trouble getting a band together that I felt comfortable with.

When Dustin and I started playing we immediately connected, so we started putting out the call for band members. Al came on board almost immediately and then we found our first drummer Rich in December. That year was the first Christmas show at the Court Tavern in New Brunswick and I was scheduled to play a solo set, but I ended up bringing Dustin up to close out the show and it was just great to take what we were working on and release it to a crowd. After that, we moved pretty fast, played the first full band show a month later, recorded the first EP over a weekend in Feb. 2004 and started playing any show that would have us. I think it was that Spring when you did an introductory piece on us for Upstage.

I don't know why but it just seemed like your band never got the respect or fans that it probably should have. The band always put on a solid show, had good tunes, and worked their asses off. Did it bother the band that they never quite made it to the next level?

Haha...yeah, we always appreciated you saying that. It's weird cause whenever we would play out of state, people would think we were much bigger then we were, but it was cool because they felt that way because they really liked what we were doing and didn't know why it wasn't bigger. We seemed to be tapping into something that they felt was missing in modern music.

People always seemed shocked that we weren't signed...in fact, we just got an email from a fan asking what our label is going to do now that we're stopping, but we never crossed that line. Sure, it bothers me that we never made it to the next level because I really wanted to bring these songs and this live show to the masses BUT, we worked our asses off, we never phoned anything in and we did everything we could possibly do to take this thing as far as it could go and I'm very proud of that and in a way I think it makes it even more special, not only to us, but to the people that supported us as well, cause we were all in on it together.

I love how you're going out with another big show (Maxwell's for CMJ after playing several big opening spots in 2009) What were some of your favorite moments/shows during the band's run?

I always felt like we were a band built for big things, ya know?. We never seemed to be put off by playing small stages, big stages or festivals (even if some of the situations turned out to be a little awkward). We just seemed to treat anything we played like a club and it was our mission to get every single person standing within earshot to forget about the bullshit and have fun, even if it was only for the hour we were playing.

We definitely got to do some great things. Playing with the New York Dolls earlier this year was a definite highlight. Boston always gave us great turn-outs. The Court Tavern Christmas shows were always killer. Maxwell's and The Bitter End (NYC) inspired some epic sets and amazing crowds. Rutgers always put us on great bills...hell, Rutgersfest got us in front of about 8,000 people...that was awesome!

I think one of my favorite moments was about a year and a half ago. We were doing a run of shows down south and we had just been featured on the television show Fearless Music a week prior. We were in our hotel room getting ready to go to soundcheck for a gig in West Virginia and I got an email that, due to an overwhelming amount of viewer requests, Fearless was going to feature another live performance of ours that night,. It was cool to not only go into a gig with such great news, but also to know that something else was working for us, not just the gig we were about to play...there were other wheels in motion. The gig turned out to be awesome (people from the previous night's show even traveled to see us again) and then after our set, the club put Fearless Music on the TV and had an impromptu party. Kinda cool to be in a strange place with new friends celebrating our success. It was a night that Dustin, Al, Mike and I could just let loose, stop and celebrate a victory, instead of planning what was next.

What are your immediate plans for the future? Are you going to do a lot of solo gigs or try setting up a new band?

I think solo gigs will happen, I mean, that's how I started this whole thing in the first place, so it's only natural to return to that. I just played a one-off solo show in NYC a few weeks back and it was cool to get up there in that setting. I've grown so used to having the power of The Woods behind me that it was nice to just rely on the songs and let them breath a little. Dustin, Al and I have also talked about possibly playing a few shows as a trio down the line, but that's just a thought for now.

Your email message mentioned that the three of you intend on creating and recording music in the future. Any plans for that? Or is it a wait and see thing based on scheduling and careers?

Yeah, that is definitely the plan. Dustin, Al and I fully intend to begin working on new music soon after our last Woods show. We're really excited about it, cause for once THAT will be the focus. We can sit down and flesh out ideas without having any shows planned that we need to prepare for. It's gonna be cool to have a blank slate, cause we can fill it however we want and I have a bunch of songs that I am dying to get them on.

Do you know if anybody from the band will be setting up or playing with another band?

I'm not sure to be quite honest. I do know that Dustin, Al and I will be continuing on together in some form and I don't really see any of the three of us playing music without each other. As far as I know, Mike and Gavin are taking a step back to focus on things outside of music.

Five or six years is a long time for any band. What's the most difficult thing that has to be overcome to have a band stick around that long? What brings you the best feeling of accomplishment? What have you learned from your experiences with The Woods?

The one thing I am truly proud of is the fact that I was able to maintain a band with such a consistent, solid line-up of players for so long. We were all in it because we believed in what we were doing and because of that we were able to deliver great sets at every show we played. I think the most difficult thing about staying together for so long was the struggle. It ain't easy and everyone in music knows that, so sometimes it's hard to suck it up and gut it out, but you do it because you love it and you believe in it, so as hard as it was, it was pretty great that the guys and me were willing to fight for it for so long.


We've seen so many bands form and break-up over the course of our time together and it always served as a reminder that we were doing something right, cause 6 years is a long time to keep a band together, especially when you're doing it all yourself. I think it was a true testament to the music we were playing and how much we believed (and still believe) in it.

Finally, anything you'd like to say as a farewell to the fans that have been supporting you all these years?

We would have never been able to keep this band going for so long without you!! The support this band received was amazing, it made our shows better and it just fueled the desire in us to take this thing as far as we could. I remember playing these punk shows in New Brunswick when we were first starting out and yeah, we kept the energy high on stage, but pulling out a harmonica and playing a song like Driver in a crowded basement with kids looking to jump around...that can go one of two ways...they dig it or they don't and we were always lucky that people seemed to get behind us and really feel what we were doing.

Yeah, I'm gonna miss playing with the band and spreading the music of The Woods, but I'm really gonna miss seeing all the friends we have made over the past 6 years. Playing shows for me was my favorite part of this band cause we got to go out and see them all.

But if I have one thing to say to everyone after all of this, it's that...The Woods may be going away for a little bit, but it ain't over and we'll see you soon.