Lambchop – Live at XX Merge (Cover photo by PJ Sykes)

As Merge fans know, Lambchop has been on the label since 1993, releasing a string of widely varied but consistently brilliant records. But the live Lambchop experience has been somewhat elusive in the U.S. While the band has toured the gilded theaters of Europe and elsewhere for nearly two decades, the Nashville group has seldom toured their home country. Kurt Wagner has performed solo on a recent Yo La Tengo tour, and Lambchop supported their recent album, (OH) Ohio, as an intimately stripped-down quintet in a couple of short bursts over the last year. To help celebrate Merge’s 20th Anniversary the band showed up in one of their largest lineups in recent memory — 11-strong, including multiple guitars, keyboards, piano, and a horn section. Lambchop performing live is always a powerful proposition, but on this night they started quietly with “I Will Drive Slowly” from their first album (I Hope You’re Sitting Down) and accelerated from there, each song seemingly faster and more intensely played than the last, building to a furious finale of “Up With People” and an epic “Give It.” By the end of their set, everyone in the packed Cats Cradle – band and audience both – was levitating a few inches off the ground…

Lambchop’s set at XX Merge was professionally recorded and filmed, and is available now for those who missed it, or for those who want to go back again.

If you’d like to see some more live video from XX Merge, you can check out the treasure trove of exclusive footage from the festival (including The Magnetic Fields, Superchunk, Conor Oberst, Polvo, Spoon, M. Ward, Destroyer, Wye Oak, and She & Him) over at www.babelgum.com/merge.

In honor of this new release, I’m giving away an XX Merge T-shirt, an XX Merge button, and a couple of limited edition XX Merge postcards by PJ Sykes. To enter this contest, fill out the entry form after the jump. US entrants only, one entry per household, contest ends on November 24, 2009.

Pictures of the prize pack goodies, Lambchop Live at XX Merge track listing and a video for Lambchop’s “Give It” after the jump.

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Ltd Edition XX Merge Postcards by PJ Sykes

Pictured: Superchunk (as seen in Spin Magazine) and Lambchop (album cover photo)

XX Merge T-Shirt and Button

Lambchop – “Give It” (Once In A Lifetime)

Lambchop – Live at XX Merge Track Listing
1. Jon Wurster: Introduction 00:51
2. I Will Drive Slowly 05:37
3. The New Cobweb Summer 06:32
4. Grumpus 04:14
5. Sharing a Gibson with Martin Luther King Jr. 04:01
6. What Else Could It Be? 03:15
7. Tony Crow: Joke 01:48
8. National Talk Like a Pirate Day 05:03
9. Hey, Where’s Your Girl? 02:12
10. Your Fucking Sunny Day 03:23
11. Up With People 03:57
12. Give It (Once In a Lifetime) 06:33

Today (Nov 17) marks the release of Good Evening New York City the new live CD/DVD set by Paul McCartney documenting his stadium inaugurating three night stand at New York’s CitiField in July of 2009. Here’s a little press blurbage about the latest release from The Beatles former bass player:

Paul McCartney’s historic three-night musical christening of New York’s Citi Field, witnessed by 120,000-plus attendees and universally hailed as a concert experience for the ages, will be immortalized November 17 when Hear Music/Concord Music Group releases “Good Evening New York City”.

This momentous musical experience will be available in two formats: a 3-disc (2 CD + 1 DVD) standard edition and a 4-disc (2 CD + 2 DVD) deluxe version featuring expanded packaging and a bonus DVD including McCartney’s traffic-stopping, headline-making July 15 performance on the Ed Sullivan Theater marquee (including bonus numbers not aired on the Late Show with David Letterman broadcast).

Apparently wowing North American audiences wasn’t enough, because before the year is out, Sir Paul will embark on his first European tour in five years entitled “Good Evening Europe”. The 8 night trek will commence in historic Hamburg (where The Beatles cut their cut their teeth as a young band) and finish off before his hometown crowd in London, England.

This is my chance to bring our current show home to where it all began. Starting in Hamburg, ending in London and rocking everywhere in between. I’m very much looking forward to ending the year on a high. [TheTelegraph.co.uk]

Paul McCartney 2009 European Tour Dates
12/02/2009 Hamburg, Germany
12/03/2009 Berlin, Germany
12/09/2009 Arnhem, Netherlands
12/10/2009 Paris, France
12/16/2009 Cologne, Germany
12/17/2009 Cologne, Germany Lanxess Arena
12/20/2009 Dublin, Ireland
12/22/2009 London, United Kingdom

If you’d like to win a copy of Good Evening New York City standard edition (2 CD+ 1 DVD), you can fill out the entry form after the jump or follow me on Twitter and Tweet the following:

RT this for a chance to win a copy of Paul McCartney’s “Good Evening New York City” from @bumpershine http://bit.ly/2lVkHh

US entrants only please, contest ends on November 23, 2009. One entry per household please (IP checking enforced).

Check out the full album press release and official track listing after the jump.

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“It was three great nights for the band and for me personally it was very exciting to be back opening a new stadium on the site of the old Shea Stadium where we had played 44 years previously. Even more exciting because this time round you could hear us!”

Paul McCartney’s historic three-night musical christening of New York’s Citi Field, witnessed by 120,000-plus attendees and universally hailed as a concert experience for the ages, will be immortalized November 17 when Hear Music/Concord Music Group releases Good Evening New York City. This momentous musical experience will be available in two formats: a 3-disc (2 CD + 1 DVD) standard edition and a 4-disc (2 CD + 2 DVD) deluxe version featuring expanded packaging and a bonus DVD including McCartney’s traffic-stopping, headline-making July 15 performance on the Ed Sullivan Theater marquee (including bonus numbers not aired on the Late Show with David Letterman broadcast). The set will also be made available in high quality vinyl. In any configuration, the 30+ songs and nearly 3 hours of music comprising Good Evening New York City are a must-have for attendees wishing to relive the July 17, 18 & 21 shows, those who couldn’t get tickets and/or anyone interested in an audiovisual document of a living legend. Good Evening New York City marks McCartney’s 2nd release for Hear Music. The first was 2007’s highly acclaimed Memory Almost Full. The standard version of Good Evening New York City will be available at participating Starbucks company-operated locations in the U.S. and Canada and wherever music is sold.

As the inaugural musical event at Citi Field, the site of the former Shea Stadium, the July 2009 shows held special significance not only for McCartney but for generations of his fans. The shows were performed on the same hallowed ground that The Beatles, in 1965, played the 34-minute show that would set the precedent for the modern day stadium rock show–and where in 2008 McCartney joined Billy Joel for the final rock show before the original stadium’s demolition. As documented on Good Evening New York City, “I’m Down” from the 1965 set list was revived for the Citi Field shows, albeit this time played through a PA that was not overpowered by screaming fans (though there were still several thousand who tried). Other highlights of Good Evening New York City include faithful takes on Beatles classics “Drive My Car,” “Got To Get You Into My Life,” “The Long And Winding Road,” “Blackbird,” “Eleanor Rigby,” “Back In The USSR,” “Paperback Writer,” “Let It Be,” “Hey Jude,” “Helter Skelter” and more, plus “Something” rendered on ukulele gifted to Paul by George Harrison, and a tribute to John Lennon in the form of a medley of “A Day In The Life” and “Give Peace A Chance.” Wings era chestnuts include “Band On The Run,” “My Love,” “Let Me Roll It” and the pyrotechnic tour de force of “Live And Let Die,” while timeless McCartney solo material ranges from “Here Today” to the upbeat “Flaming Pie” and “Dance Tonight” to a pair of numbers from Electric Arguments, the 2008 album released under the alias of The Fireman.

The concert footage featured on Good Evening New York City standard edition features concert footage directed by Paul Becher, who has overseen live visuals for McCartney for some 200 performances and counting. The 33-song 2 hour 40 minute performances were shot in High Definition using 15 cameras and digital footage incorporated from 75 Flipcams handed out to fans over the course of the three night stand. The audio mix, in both stereo and 5.1, was handled by longtime McCartney engineer Paul Hicks, whose credits include the recent Beatles remasters, The Beatles Anthology, Let It Be… Naked and two Grammy awards for his mixing work on the Beatles’ Love album.

The deluxe edition bonus DVD will feature footage of McCartney’s July 15 performance on the outdoor marquee of the Ed Sullivan Theater, previously available only as a webcast on the Late Show with David Letterman website. The marquee set, which marked McCartney’s return to the site of The Beatles U.S. television debut, generated front page headlines and literally stopped traffic as word of mouth generated a crowd that packed Broadway from Columbus Circle to Times Square.

Paul McCartney’s July 17-21 Citi Field stand has already been unanimously hailed by critics and audiences alike as the concert experience of a lifetime. On November 17, Good Evening New York City will document it for the ages.

Good Evening New York City Track Listing:
DISC 1 (Audio CD)
1. Drive My Car
2. Jet
3. Only Mama Knows
4. Flaming Pie
5. Got To Get You Into My Life
6. Let Me Roll It
7. Highway
8. The Long And Winding Road
9. My Love
10. Blackbird
11. Here Today
12. Dance Tonight
13. Calico Skies
14. Mrs Vandebilt
15. Eleanor Rigby
16. Sing The Changes
17. Band On The Run

DISC 2 (Audio CD)
1. Back In The USSR
2. I’m Down
3. Something
4. I’ve Got A Feeling
5. Paperback Writer
6. A Day In The Life / Give Peace A Chance
7. Let It Be
8. Live And Let Die
9. Hey Jude
10. Day Tripper
11. Lady Madonna
12. I Saw Her Standing There
13. Yesterday
14. Helter Skelter
15. Get Back
16. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band / The End

DISC 3 (DVD)
1. Drive My Car
2. Jet
3. Only Mama Knows
4. Flaming Pie
5. Got To Get You Into My Life
6. Let Me Roll It
7. Highway
8. The Long And Winding Road
9. My Love
10. Blackbird
11. Here Today
12. Dance Tonight
13. Calico Skies
14. Mrs Vandebilt
15. Eleanor Rigby
16. Sing The Changes
17. Band On The Run
18. Back In The USSR
19. I’m Down
20. Something
21. I’ve Got A Feeling
22. Paperback Writer
23. A Day In The Life / Give Peace A Chance
24. Let It Be
25. Live And Let Die
26. Hey Jude
27. Day Tripper
28. Lady Madonna
29. I Saw Her Standing There
30. Yesterday
31. Helter Skelter
32. Get Back
33. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band / The End

To cap off contest week, I’ve got a little something for the kids today. One lucky winner will receive the following Yo Gabba Gabba! prize pack:

1. Yo Gabba Gabba! Music Is Awesome! on CD,
2. Yo Gabba Gabba! “Welcome To Gabba Land” book, and
3. An awesome DJ Lance Rock T-shirt!

Contest ends on November 21, 2009 at 11:59 PM EST, 1 entry per household, US residents only. To enter the contest, fill out the entry form after the jump.

YGG videos, YGG tour dates and Music Is Awesome! track listing after the jump.

Yo Gabba Gabba! Live: “There’s A Party In My City” Tour Dates (Buy Tickets)
11/14 Los Angeles, CA – Shrine Expo – 11AM and 3PM
11/15 Los Angeles, CA- Shrine Expo – 11AM and 3PM
11/21 New York, NY- Beacon Theatre – 11AM, 2PM and 5PM
11/28 Dallas, TX- Dr. Pepper Arena – 11 AM and 3PM
12/05 Chicago, IL- Rosemont Theatre – 11AM and 3PM

Yo Gabba Gabba – “Name Song” on The Bonnie Hunt Show

Of Montreal – “Brush Brush Brush” on Yo Gabba Gabba

Find more Yo Gabba Gabba videos on YGG’s YouTube Channel.

Yo Gabba Gabba!: Music Is Awesome! Track listing:
1. YO GABBA GABBA! Theme
2. YO GABBA GABBA! – Party In My Tummy
3. THE SHINS – It’s Okay, Try Again
4. YO GABBA GABBA! – I Like To Dance
5. MONEY MARK – Robo Dancing
6. YO GABBA GABBA! – Get The Sillies Out
7. BIZ MARKIE – Biz’s Beat Of The Day #1
8. CHROMEO – Nice ‘N’ Clean
9. YO GABBA GABBA! – Try It, You’ll Like It
10. THE ROOTS – Lovely, Love My Family
11. YO GABBA GABBA! – Don’t Be Afraid
12. I’M FROM BARCELONA – Just Because It’s Different Doesn’t Mean Scary
13. YO GABBA GABBA! – Bubbles
14. OF MONTREAL – Brush Brush Brush
15. YO GABBA GABBA! – Nice & Easy
16. THE LITTLE ONES – Hey, Won’t Somebody Come And Play
17. WEIRD SCIENCE – Go Crazy Remix
18. YO DAZZLERS – You Can’t Always Get What You Want
19. MARK KOZELEK – Bedtime Lullaby
20. YO GABBA GABBA! – Goodbye Song
21. YO GABBA GABBA! Closing THEME

Speaking of new releases, on Tuesday Snow Patrol released a 2 CD compilation of singles, covers, rarities and album tracks in celebration of their 15 year anniversary. Here’s a little press blurbage about Up To Now, their new career spanning retrospective:

Up To Now includes three previously unreleased songs, “Just Say Yes” “Dark Roman Wine” and “Give Me Strength”, as well songs from the two albums Snow Patrol released on UK indie label Jeepster Records: 1998’s Songs For Polarbears and 2001’s When It’s All Over We Still Have To Clear Up. The album also includes two songs by The Reindeer Section — an indie supergroup featuring members of Belle and Sebastian, Idlewild, Mogwai and Teenage Fanclub, among many others — from their 2002 album for Bright Star Recordings, Son of Evil Reindeer.

Other highlights include a cover of Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love” that was recorded as a live track for BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe’s evening session at Maida Vale in London (with a rap performed by Lowe). Up To Now also features live versions of Snow Patrol’s hit singles “Run” (from their 2003 album Final Straw) and the double-platinum “Chasing Cars” (from 2006’s Eyes Open) that were recorded at London’s Union Chapel as part of an exclusive one-off show put on by Radio 1 presenter Jo Whiley to raise money for the charity MENCAP.

In more Snow Patrol news, last week saw the release of Late Night Tales, an exclusive late night DJ mix CD compiled by SP’s Gary Lightbody and Tom Simpson. In addition to containing tracks culled from deep within their personal record collections, the album includes a new Snow Patrol cover of “New Sensation” by INXS.

Finally, because it’s still contest week, I’m giving away a Snow Patrol themed prize pack which includes the following items:

1 Snow Patrol Umbrella,
1 Snow Patrol Tumbler,
1 Snow Patrol Lollipop, and
1 copy of Up To Now (2 CD compilation out 11/10)

Contest ends on November 19, 2009 at 11:59 PM. One entry per household, US residents only. To enter the contest, fill out the entry form after the jump.

UK tour dates, Up To Now and Late Night Tales track listings and a video for “Just Say Yes” after the jump.

Snow Patrol 2009 UK Tour Dates
18 Nov 2009 Brighton, UK Brighton Centre
20 Nov 2009 Bristol, UK Colston Hall
21 Nov 2009 Newcastle, UK City Hall
23 Nov 2009 London, UK Royal Albert Hall
24 Nov 2009 London, UK Royal Albert Hall
25 Nov 2009 London, UK Royal Albert Hall
27 Nov 2009 Manchester, UK Palace Theatre
29 Nov 2009 Manchester, UK Palace Theatre
30 Nov 2009 Glasgow, UK Clyde Auditorium
02 Dec 2009 Dublin, IE Olympia
03 Dec 2009 Dublin, IE Olympia
04 Dec 2009 Killarney, IE INEC
06 Dec 2009 Castlebar, IE Theatre Royal
07 Dec 2009 Belfast, UK Waterfront
08 Dec 2009 Belfast, UK Waterfront
09 Dec 2009 Belfast, UK Waterfront
12 Dec 2009 Manchester, UK MEN Arena

Up To Now Track Listing:
CD1
Chocolate
Chasing Cars
Crack The Shutters
Set The Fire To The Third Bar
Crazy In Love
Just Say Yes
Batten Down The Hatch
You’re All I Have
Hands Open
Cartwheels
The Planets Bend Between Us (2009 Version)
Ask Me How I Am
On-Off
Making Enemies
Run (Live at the Union Chapel)

CD2
Take Back the City
Shut Your Eyes
An Olive Grove Facing the Sea (2009 Version)
Run
Give Me Strength
Signal Fire
Spitting Games
Open Your Eyes
Dark Roman Wine
Fifteen Minutes Old
You Are My Joy
Golden Floor
Starfighter Pilot
PPP
Chasing Cars (Live at the Union Chapel)

Late Night Tales Track Listing:
1. “Observatory Crest” Captain Beefheart
2. “Midnight” A Tribe Called Quest
3. “Dark Lady” DJ Food
4. “I Walk the Earth” King Biscuit Time
5. “Canal Song” Iain Archer
6. “Ordinary Joe” Terry Callier
7. “It’s All Gone Quiet” The Week That Was and Field Music
8. “Last Train” Allen Toussaint
9. “Fancy” Bobby Gentry
10. “That’s Us/Wild Combination” Arthur Russell
11. “Eanie Meany” Jim Noir
12. “Half Asleep” School of Seven Bells
13. “Family Tree” TV on the Radio
14. “Hold On” Holy Ghost!
15. “Download” Super Furry Animals
16. “New Sensation” (INXS cover) Snow Patrol
17. “Next Train” Miracle Fortress
18. “Sweet Little Mystery” John Martyn
19. “The Happy Detective (Part 2)” Will Self

Diana Mini from Lomography

What is the Diana Mini you ask? Well, it’s the little sister of the Diana F+, but more specifically, it’s an analog camera that shoots a retro square format with an amazing half-frame feature that allows you to pack 72 shots onto one roll of 35mm film! Check out some more detailed specs on the Diana Mini below:

DIANA MINI FEATURES
• Square and rectangular half-frame formats at the flick of a switch
• Takes all types of 35mm film
• Shoots up to 72 shots per film on half-frame mode
• Shoots up to 36 shots per film on square mode
• Requires standard 35mm film development
• Ultra-compact and pocket-sized
• Multiple exposure functionality
• ‘B’ mode for long exposures
• Cable release attachment – a Diana first!
• Sunny and cloudy exposure settings
• Tripod mount
• Diana Flash Plug (Diana Flash available separately)
• Overlap frames across photos for endless abstract panoramas
• Compatible with the stunning Diana Flash

Full Square Frame

Half Frame

View everything else you need to know about the Diana Mini over here.

Fill out this entry form after the jump for a chance to win your very Diana Mini. Contest ends November 22, 2009 at 11:59 PM EST. A random winner will be notified and selected on November 23, 2009. Contest is only available to US residents, 1 entry per household, multiple entries will be disqualified.

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Without a word of a lie, one of my biggest concert going regrets is not ever having seen R.E.M. play live. Granted, when I seriously into this band (from about the time of Life’s Rich Pageant up to Automatic For The People), they either: a) weren’t playing anywhere near where I lived, or b) had stopped touring completely (1989-1995). But now of course, all of that has changed, I live in the live music capital of the world and R.E.M. has gone on to tour again, but alas, I still haven’t seen them in concert. What I have done though, is moved ever so closer to an actual live concert experience by listening to their brand new live 2 CD set entitled Live At The Olympia. Here’s a little more about what that record is like:

The two-CD set, produced by Jacknife Lee, features 39 songs that capture the best moments from the band’s 2007 “working rehearsals” at Dublin’s fabled Olympia club where Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, and Mike Mills tested out new songs for R.E.M.’s 2008 studio album Accelerate.

If you too would like to hear R.E.M.’s Live At The Olympia, but would rather win it, than buy it, then fill out this entry form after the jump for a chance at your very own copy. A random winner will be notified and selected on November 17, 2009. Contest is only available to US residents.

Live at The Olympia track listing and concert videos after the jump.

Live At The Olympia (2 CD) Track Listing:

Disc 1:
Living Well Is The Best Revenge / Second Guessing / Letter Never Sent / Staring Down The Barrel of the Middle Distance / Disturbance At The Heron House / Mr. Richards / New Test Leper / Cuyahoga / Electrolite / Man-Sized Wreath / So. Central Rain / On The Fly / Maps And Legends / Sitting Still / Driver 8 / Horse To Water / I’m Gonna DJ / Circus Envy / These Days

Disc 2:
Drive / Feeling Gravity’s Pull / Until The Day Is Done / Accelerate / Auctioneer / Little America / 1,000 / Disguised / Worst Joke Ever / Welcome To the Occupation / Carnival of Sorts / Harbor Coat / Wolves Lower / I’ve Been High / Kohoutek / West of the Fields / Pretty Persuasion / Romance / Gardening At Night

With its breathtaking setting and it’s eclectic choices in artists, the American Songbook at The Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center is one of New York’s best annual concert series. This year, the American Songbook series is digging deep into the indie canon once again with shows by the likes of: Nellie Mackay, Dirty Projectors, St. Vincent, Gabriel Kahane and a Hal Willner curated evening featuring Rufus Wainwright (ahem, he’s Canadian), Bill Frisell, and Van Dyke Parks. Sure, you can see some of these acts at other venues in city, but once you’ve experienced a show at the Allen Room, you’ll realize why you wouldn’t want to go anywhere else.

In keeping with my Jazz at Lincoln Center theme, I’m giving a special prize pack which includes the following items:

One “first place” winner will receive:
1. Wynton Marsalis & Willie Nelson Play The Music of Ray Charles Blu-Ray Disc (Signed by Wynton Marsalis)
2. A pair of tickets to an upcoming Maceo Parker concert (Nov 13-14) at The Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center

One “second place” winner will receive:
1. Wynton Marsalis & Willie Nelson Play The Music of Ray Charles Blu-Ray Disc

To enter the contest, fill out the entry form after the jump. A random winner will be notified and selected on November 12, 2009 at noon. Contest is only available to US residents.

View more details on the Willie Nelson/Wynton Marsalis Ray Charles DVD and the full American Songbook schedule after the jump.

WILLIE NELSON & WYNTON MARSALIS PLAY THE MUSIC OF RAY CHARLES, SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCE BY NORAH JONES

Recorded Live at Jazz at Lincoln Center s Frederick P. Rose Hall on February 10, 2009

Once in a while the stars align and something magical happens…as on the night Jazz at Lincoln Center presented a salute to the late, great bluesman, Ray Charles. Two musical iconoclasts, Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis, along with the stunning songstress Norah Jones, collectively brought their unique musical perspective to the legendary artist s hits such as Hallelujah I Love Her So, Hit the Road Jack, and Unchain My Heart. The evening s musicians are supported by insightful and vibrant performances from saxaphonist Walter Blanding, pianist Dan Nimmer, bassist Carlos Henriquez, drummer Ali Jackson, and harmonica great Mickey Raphael.

WILLIE NELSON AND WYNTON MARSALIS PLAY THE MUSIC OF RAY CHARLES gives music lovers a front-row seat to the sold-out concert in New York City at Rose Theater, including rehearsal footage, exclusive interviews and photos.

BONUS FEATURES: All Access Behind-the-Scenes Documentary; Photo Gallery

2010 American Songbook Series at Lincoln Center
Wed, Jan 13, 2010
8:30 PM
Marianne Faithfull
The Allen Room

Thu, Jan 14, 2010
8:30 PM
Rebecca Luker
The Allen Room

Fri, Jan 15, 2010
8:30 PM
David Hidalgo & Louie Perez of Los Lobos: An Evening of Storytelling and Songs
The Allen Room

Sat, Jan 16, 2010
8:30 PM
Martha Plimpton: A Woman of Color
The Allen Room

Sat, Jan 16, 2010
10:30 PM
Martha Plimpton: A Woman of Color
The Allen Room

Wed, Jan 27, 2010
8:30 PM
Hal Willner’s I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues? Music and Readings from A Fine Romance: Jewish Songwriters, American Songs, featuring Rufus Wainwright, Bill Frisell, Van Dyke Parks, and more
The Allen Room
Limited Availability

Thu, Jan 28, 2010
8:30 PM
Suzanne Vega
The Allen Room

Fri, Jan 29, 2010
8:30 PM
St. Vincent
The Allen Room

Sat, Jan 30, 2010
8:30 PM
Michael Friedman: Adventures in Reality
featuring Norm Lewis, Michael Esper, and de’Adre Aziza
The Allen Room

Wed, Feb 17, 2010
8:30 PM
Dee Dee Bridgewater: To Billie with Love-A Celebration of Lady Day
The Allen Room

Thu, Feb 18, 2010
8:30 PM
Nellie McKay: Normal as Blueberry Pie-A Tribute to Doris Day
The Allen Room
Limited Availability

Fri, Feb 19, 2010
8:30 PM
Dirty Projectors
The Allen Room

Sat, Feb 20, 2010
8:30 PM
Leslie Uggams
The Allen Room

Sat, Feb 20, 2010
10:30 PM
Leslie Uggams
The Allen Room

Wed, Mar 3, 2010
8:30 PM
Gabriel Kahane
The Allen Room

Thu, Mar 4, 2010
8:30 PM
Todd Snider
The Allen Room

Fri, Mar 5, 2010
8:30 PM
Jeanine Tesori
The Allen Room

Sat, Mar 6, 2010
8:30 PM
Chita Rivera
The Allen Room
Limited Availability

Sat, Mar 6, 2010
10:30 PM
Chita Rivera
The Allen Room

One of the striking things about the shows is that most scenes were filmed once without the opportunity to reshoot if things weren’t quite right. On the new set of remastered DVDs, Cleese provides a commentary that reveals him as a frustrated perfectionist. He chuckles along at classic moments — “excuse me laughing at my own jokes, but I think that was Connie’s” — but is also hypercritical. He points out where moments of slapstick weren’t spot-on, analyses how lines could have been tweaked and picks over minute editing decisions: “Could have taken the first three seconds off that shot.”

But what is striking is how quick the show still seems. “It hasn’t lost pace, that’s the great thing about it,” says Scales. “And that’s because of the talent of Connie and John and the rigour of John; how fast he played. If you couldn’t keep up with him you had to really get in there. That’s what its enduring quality is, the pace.”

The reaction of the audiences when they recorded the shows was positive, but she had no inkling that she was involved in something that would go on to top polls of the greatest British television programmes. [Times Online]

This set is truly a gem and something every comedy fan should own, that’s why I’m pleased to offer 3 copies of Fawlty Towers: The Complete Series Remastered DVD box set to three lucky readers of this site. To enter the contest, just fill out the entry form after the jump (just don’t mention the war!). Winners will be notified and selected on November 11, 2009. Contest is available to US and Canadian residents.

But wait, that’s not all, in addition to my contest, there is a “Fawlty Towers Lookalike Contest” going on right now on Facebook where you can win even bigger prizes including a signed John Cleese Photo, a John Cleese signed Fawlty Towers DVD and a bunch of other FT related items. John Cleese himself will be picking the winners of this contest!

Bumpershine contest entry form, more info about the DVD box set and the Fawlty Towers Lookalike Contest after the jump.

Fawlty Towers: The Complete Collection Remastered

Actors: John Cleese, Andrew Sachs, Connie Booth, Prunella Scales
Format: Box set, DVD, Full Screen, Original recording remastered, Special Edition, Subtitled, NTSC
Language: English (Dolby Digital 1.0)
Subtitles: English
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number of discs: 3
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: BBC Warner
DVD Release Date: October 20, 2009
Run Time: 374 minutes

Product Description
Coming to Special Edition DVD for the first time, it’s the complete Fawlty Towers collection with all-new commentary from John Cleese! Hot off the runaway success of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, John Cleese embarked on his now-legendary sitcom, Fawlty Towers, creating one of the most memorable and best loved characters in all of British comedy, Basil Fawlty. Basil Fawlty is a much put-upon, hard-working hotel manager whose life is plagued by dead guests, hotel inspectors, and riff-raff. Of course his biggest headache is his “little nest of vipers,” his nagging wife Sibyl. Together they run their hotel, Fawlty Towers, with a little help from the unflappable Polly and the trainee waiter from Barcelona with marginally more intelligence than a monkey, Manuel.

-Exclusive commentary by John Cleese
-2009 extended interviews, including exclusive interview with Connie Booth
-Accompanying booklet
-Interviews with John Cleese, Prunella Scales, and Andrew Sachs
-Series 1 director’s commentary by John Howard Davies
-Series 2 director’s commentary by Bob Spiers
-Artist profiles
-Outtakes
-Torquay Tourist Guide (short documentary film)
-Cheap Tatty Review

Episodes

Series 1
A Touch of Class – Basil Fawlty is in a campaign to improve the class of his clientele at Fawlty Towers. His efforts have spectacular results – in the short term.

The Builders – Sybil has picked a professional firm for the alterations to the hotel. But Basil makes an executive decision that his friend can do a better job.

The Wedding – Basil occupies himself in a losing battle against moral turpitude. His predicament is exacerbated by Manuel’s birthday celebrations.

Hotel Inspectors – One of the dreaded events in a hotel manager’s life is the inspector’s visit. One calls, and Basil has to decide which of the guests he is.

Gourmet Night – It is Gourmet Night at Fawlty Towers, and it seems that Basil’s long cherished dream will be realized. But the chef lies drunk on the floor.

The Germans – A moose head falls on Basil during a fire drill, giving him a concussion. But he must leave hospital to deal tactfully with a group of German tourists.

Series 2
Communications Problems – A nearly deaf and very difficult Mrs. Richards arrives at the hotel. When she loses a large sum of money, she demands that the police be called.

The Psychiatrist – Basil is certain one of the guests has smuggled a girl into his room and sets out to investigate. Unfortunately, he is caught in a compromising situation by Sybil.

Waldorf Salad – An American guest tips Basil to keep the kitchen open late, but chef has left for the day. Basil steps in, but he meets his Waterloo when the guest requests a Waldorf Salad.

The Kipper and the Corpse – What should a hotelier do when he serves a guest breakfast in bed and finds that guest dead? Whatever that something may be, Basil does not do it.

Anniversary – It is Basil and Sibyl’s anniversary, and Basil has actually remembered. In true Basil fashion, however, he has not told Sybil he has remembered and she is hugely upset.

Basil the Rat – Manuel has been ordered to get rid of his pet rat before the health inspector pays a visit. But the pet breaks away, leading the Major to trying to shoot the rodent in the bar.

Fawlty Towers Lookalike Contest (http://tr.im/fawltycontest)

Grand Prize
One (1) grand prize winner receives a prize pack that includes:
*Signed John Cleese Photo
*Signed Fawlty Towers DVD
*Fawlty Towers embroidered white terry-cloth bathrobe
*Fawlty Towers story of Britain’s Favorite Sitcom book
*Fawlty Towers corgi toy car

2nd Prize
One (1) second prize winner will receive:
A signed Fawlty Towers DVD and a Fawlty Towers corgi toy car.

3rd Prize
One (1) third prize winner will receive: A signed Fawlty Towers DVD.
Prize Eligibility

This contest is open to people at least 18 years old that reside in United States.

Contest Starts
October 21, 2009 @ 12:00 pm (PDT)

Contest Ends
November 15, 2009 @ 08:59 pm (PST)

Need more Details?
Read the Official Rules

Sure, this stuff would have probably gone great with your kid’s Halloween costume, but I guess I’m a day late and a dollar short for that. (I’d imagine it could still be part of a pretty good Chanukah present, but I digress.) In any event, if we went to Walmart today*, some of this Where The Wild Things Are merch might be 50% off, but I’ll one up the evil empire of everyday low prices and give it all away to you, my loyal readers (and random people trolling the Internet for free stuff), for free. OK, enough suspense, here’s what’s up for grabs:

1 Copy of the Where The Wilds Things Are Original Soundtrack on Vinyl;
1 Carol Mask;
1 Carol Tote Bag, and
1 Where The Wilds Things Are Crown.

To enter the contest, fill out the entry form after the jump. A random winner will be notified and selected on November 9, 2009. Contest is only available to US residents.

Where The Wild Things Are is in theatres now, the original motion picture soundtrack featuring Karen O and the Kids is available now on Interscope Records, and you can still purchase the award winning Maurice Sendak book that started it all in fine bookstores everywhere.

* Who’s kidding who, you can’t get quality schwag like this at Walmart.

Montreal’s Islands released a new record last month entitled Vapours, and in case you forgot, here’s what bumpershine critic-in-residence Drake had to say about it when it came out:

For those that found Islands‘ sophomore release Arm’s Way a bit too prog-y, I’ve got good news for you, Vapours is a return to the kitchen sink-pop that Nick Thorburn joyously captured on their debut, Return to the Sea. At times Vapours is a bit all over the map, and there a couple of tracks (including “Shining” and “The Drums”) that slip into Arm’s Way-like tendencies, but on the whole, the album sounds like the quirky pop-driven Islands you’ve come to know and love. Highlights include the title track, the soulful (and auto-tune utilized) “Heartbeat,” and the bright pop of “Tender Torture.”

Islands are on the road right now promoting Vapours and I’ve got a pair of tickets to give away to their show at the Bowery Ballroom on November 5 with Jemina Pearl (Buy Tickets). To enter, send an email to contests@bumpershine.com and tell me who Islands last opened for last time they played NYC (best guesses will be accepted to). One random winner will be chosen and notified on Monday, November 2.

More Islands tour dates after the jump.

Islands – Vapours

Islands 2009 Tour Dates
Oct 29 2009 Hi Tone Cafe Memphis, Tennessee
Oct 30 2009 Bottletree Cafe Birmingham, Alabama
Oct 31 2009 Lenny’s Bar Atlanta, Georgia
Nov 01 2009 Duke Coffee House Durham, North Carolina
Nov 02 2009 G-Spot Baltimore, Maryland
Nov 03 2009 First Unitarian Church Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Nov 04 2009 Middle East Cambridge, Massachusetts
Nov 05 2009 Bowery Ballroom New York, New York
Nov 06 2009 Théâtre Plaza Montreal, Quebec
Nov 07 2009 Mod Club Toronto, Ontario

From now until midnight on October 31, Canada’s Taylor Kirk aka, Timber Timbre will be giving away his entire self titled Arts & Crafts debut record for FREE at www.timbertimbre.com. I’ve actually listened to the Timber Timbre album quite a few times now and while I can’t really place it in any kind of box, the adjectives “haunting” and “eerie” always come to mind whenever I hear it. Since it’s perfect mood music for a haunted house, it’s no surprise then that this treat of a record is being offered just in time for Halloween.

For those of you that missed his recent performances at CMJ, Timber Timbre is coming back to town on November 20 to play Joe’s Pub. For those of you that haven’t heard this Polaris Prize nominated record yet, download it while you still can! More Timber Timbre tour dates after the jump.

Timber Timbre

Timber Timbre 2009 Tour Dates
10/28/09 – Los Angeles, CA – KCRW 11am PST
10/28/09 – Los Angeles, CA – Origami Vinyl (7 pm live in-store performance)
10/29/09 – Los Angeles, CA – Bootleg Theatre (with the Antlers)
11/07/09 – Toronto, ON – North York Library
11/17/09 – Albany, NY – Valentines
11/19/09 – Arlington, VA – IOTA Club
11/20/09 – New York, NY – Joe’s Pub
11/25/09 – Montreal, QC – Casa Del Popolo
11/26/09 – Wakefield, QC – Black Sheep Inn
11/27/09 – Kingston, ON – Grad Club

The Hebrew Hammer (Adam Goldberg) is back on the big screen this weekend and this time he’s not playing an Orthodox private dick, but rather a composer of “unlistenable” music who becomes romantically involved with an art gallery owner (Marley Shelton). His new film has the Google friendly title of (Untitled) and it opens in New York and other selected cities today (Oct 23). I haven’t seen it yet, but the trailer looks pretty funny, and Marshall Fine of the Huffington Post seemed to be pretty jazzed about it:

A laugh-out-loud satire with a dry-martini wit, (Untitled) manages the neat trick of poking wicked fun at the worlds of experimental music and art — from all angles — even as it gives a humorously sympathetic look at the plight of the serious artist working far outside the commercial mainstream. [HuffingtonPost.com]

Last but not least, because I haven’t done this in a day or two, I’m giving away a couple of movie related items to one lucky reader who emails me at contests@bumpershine.com and tells me the name of their favorite Adam Goldberg movie. You could win the following:

1) A copy of the official movie soundtrack by David Lang, and
2) A full size movie poster.

US residents only please, a winner will be chosen on Friday, October 30. Please include your name and address if you want to have a chance at winning.

Check out the (Untitled) movie poster and trailer after the jump (keep your eyes peeled for Dean & Britta’s Dean Wareham).

Delta Airlines has signed a “new and exciting” sponsorship agreement with Madison Square Garden and according the @MSGnyc Twitter Feed, they are giving out free Metallica tickets today at Grand Central. Upon further investigation, it seems like it is more like “a chance to win tickets”, rather than a guarantee.

Brand ambassadors will be around New York City and at Delta’s local terminals through Saturday, October 24th handing out scratch and win boarding passes.

Check out the list of dates and times for all the giveaways below.

Delta is now the Official Airline of Madison Square Garden.

To celebrate the partnership, Delta and MSG are offering fans exciting discounts and the opportunity to win flights on Delta and tickets for upcoming sporting events and concerts at The Garden.

Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009
TIME LOCATION
8-11 AM LaGuardia Airport Terminal
8 AM-2 PM Columbus Circle
8 AM-2 PM Grand Central
11 AM-2 PM Madison Square Garden North Mall
5:30-10 PM Madison Square Garden North Mall

Friday, Oct. 23, 2009
TIME LOCATION
8-11 AM LaGuardia Airport Terminal
8 AM-2 PM Bryant Park
8 AM-2 PM Times Square
11 AM-2 PM Madison Square Garden North Mall
6:30-10:30 PM Madison Square Garden North Mall

Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009
TIME LOCATION
8 AM-2 PM SoHo
8 AM-2 PM Washington Square Park
11 AM-2 PM Madison Square Garden North Mall

Two weeks ago, the master restorers and ultimate crate diggers over at Light In The Attic Records put out two fantastic new reissues from the “Queen of Sexified Funk”, otherwise known as Betty Davis. Like all of their releases, these two new albums are both meticulous and beautiful creations; each one includes a deluxe 32 page booklet featuring the original album artwork, new liner notes, unseen photos, and full song lyrics.

The hard to find Nasty Gal, Betty Davis’ third album and her first on a major label (Island) appeared briefly on the shelves in 1975 and is finally getting its first official CD release some 35 years later. Though a falling out with the label would cause Nasty Gal be her last record released on Island, she recorded a final album originally entitled Crashin’ From Passion in 1976 in Bogalusa, Louisiana at the famed Studio In The Country. Up until now, a one-of-a kind acetate pressing of this album had quietly circulated in private hands, while the original master tapes sat forgotten in vaults in New York and Louisiana. Bouyed by the success of their 2007 reissues (They Say I’m Different and Betty Davis), the folks at LITA were able to recover that lost Betty Davis album and officially release it for the first time ever under the name of Is It Love Or Is It Desire. Because I haven’t given anything since last week, I’m giving away copies of both Nasty Gal and Is It Love or Desire to one lucky winner who emails me at contests@bumpershine.com and tells me who was Betty Davis’ famous musician ex-husband? A random winner will be chosen and notified on October 26, 2009. (Contest open to US entrants only, please include your name and address in the email.)

Rosanne Cash’s new album The List comes out this Tuesday (October 6) and it features versions of 12 classic songs selected from a list of essential country tunes given to her by her father, Johnny Cash, in 1973.

On Tuesday, you’re releasing your 14th album, “The List,” a stirring leap into the past whose title refers to an actual list of 100 mostly country songs compiled by your father, Johnny Cash, in 1973 in an effort to expand your teenage taste in music beyond the Beatles.
He realized that I lacked something essential about my own musical genealogy, and he made this list for me. He said, “This is a template for excellence.” He would play the songs for me on his guitar, and I sought out the records in the years afterward.

Did you have a good relationship with him?
It’s hard to be close to a drug addict when they’re active. He was erratic and withdrawn. But when I was 17, he said, Come with me, and I left the day after I graduated high school, went on the road with him. It was wonderful. He was clean and sober by that time. That’s when he wrote the list for me, on the bus.
…
My favorite song on the album is “Heartaches by the Number,” which you perform with Elvis Costello. You also sing duets with Bruce Springsteen, Jeff Tweedy and Rufus Wainwright. Don’t you know any female performers?
I did ask Neko Case, and she sang with me on a song that’s just on iTunes. We have “Satisfied Mind.” [NYTimes.com]

The List is currently streaming in its entirety on NPR music (for one more day at least), and you can listen to it over here. If you like what you hear, then send an email with your name and address (US residents only please) to contests@bumpershine.com for a chance to win a copy of The List on vinyl. A random winner will be selected and notified on October 12, 2009. But wait, there’s one more thing… New Yorkers get to watch Rosanne perform The List at the opening of the 30th Anniversary Season of St. Ann’s Warehouse by on October 9th and 10th. Tickets are currently on sale, visit stannswarehouse.org for more information.

Video for “I’m Movin’ On”, The List track list and some more Rosanne Cash tour dates after the jump.

Upcoming Rosanne Cash Appearances
10/05/09 Fresh Air with Terry Gross
10/06/09 The Today Show
10/07/09 Late Night with David Letterman
10/09/09 St Ann’s Warehouse (World Premiere of The List)
10/10/09 St Ann’s Warehouse (World Premiere of The List)
10/21/09 Boston, MA Cahners Theater, Museum of Science
10/30/09 New York, NY, Barnes & Noble (Lincoln Triangle)
02/10/10 Iowa City, IA The Englert Theatre, University of Iowa
04/15/10 Durham, NC Page Auditorium, Duke University

Rosanne Cash – The List Track List
1. Miss The Mississippi And You 3:12
2. Motherless Children 3:06
3. Sea Of Heartbreak (Feat. Bruce Springsteen) 3:06
4. Take These Chains From My Heart 3:31
5. I’m Movin’ On 3:44
6. Heartaches By The Number (Feat. Elvis Costello) 3:19
7. 500 Miles 3:04
8. Long Black Veil (Feat. Jeff Tweedy) Rosanne Cash Featuring Jeff Tweedy 3:10
9. She’s Got You 3:06
10. Girl From The North Country 3:33
11. Silver Wings (Feat. Rufus Wainwright) 3:42
12. Bury Me Under The Weeping Willow 3:34