She & Him at Sasquatch 2010

Photo: Shawn Anderson (more)

Music Geeks Presales (Password: MusicGeeks)
06/07 – Official Governors Ball After Party with Dinosaur Jr. @ Irving Plaza *Presale runs from 10am to 10pm on 5/9*
08/03 – The Psychedelic Furs @ Irving Plaza *Presale runs from 10am on 5/8 to 10pm on 5/9*
08/15 – The All Stars Tour w/ Every Time I Die, Chelsea Grin & More @ Irving Plaza *Presale runs from 10am to 10pm on 5/9*

Brooklyn Youth Chorus Gala (May 7, 2013)

Heads up folks, the Brooklyn Youth Chorus is putting on its annual gala tonight (Tuesday, May 7) at Roulette. The BYC will be performing with the renowned Kronos Quartet and presenting commissioned works by such indie darlings as: Richard Reed Parry (Arcade Fire), Bryce Dessner (The National) and Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond), just to name a few. Read the full press release below.

BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS (BYC) JOINED BY THE KRONOS QUARTET IN CONCERT FEATURING BYC-COMMISSIONED WORKS, MAY 7 AT ROULETTE

Including a Composition for BYC and Kronos by Julia Wolfe (World Premiere), and BYC Commissions by Aleksandra Vrebalov (New York Premiere), Richard Reed Parry (New York Premiere), Bryce Dessner and Shara Worden

Two pioneering, GRAMMY-winning new music organizations will unite when the Kronos Quartet performs with the Brooklyn Youth Chorus’ (BYC) Concert Chorus and Young Men’s Ensemble, May 7 at Roulette in Brooklyn. The program will feature music the Chorus commissioned from a range of celebrated composers: the world premiere of a piece Julia Wolfe wrote for BYC and Kronos; the New York premieres of BYC / BAM co-commissions by Aleksandra Vrebalov, Richard Reed Parry (Arcade Fire) and Bryce Dessner (The National, Clogs); and music for the Chorus by Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond). The concert illustrates the Chorus’ growing role as a collaborative commissioner, producer and presenter of music showcasing its singers’ range, versatility and unique sound.

The concert at Roulette (509 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn) begins at 8:00 P.M. Tickets for the concert only are $45 and can be purchased at www.brooklynyouthchorus.org. Tickets for the gala, which includes cocktails and dinner at the Green Building (452 Union Street, Brooklyn) at 5:30 P.M., begin at $375. All tickets can be purchased at www.brooklynyouthchorus.org or call 718-243-9447 x226. All proceeds will benefit the Chorus’ programming.

Press release continued after the jump.

“Brooklyn Youth Chorus Gala Tonight at Roulette w/ Kronos Quartet | Performing Works by Richard Reed Parry, Bryce Dessner, Shara Worden and More” continued after the jump

A couple of musical luminaries (Burt Bacharach, Lou Gramm), a Nobel Peace Prize nominee (Dr. Paul Farmer), and David Sedaris make the book tour rounds this month. Here’s a few May 2013 events that I found interesting for one reason or another.

Barnes & Noble NYC
05/06 Granta: Best Young British Novelists (USQ)
05/06 Anyone Who Had a Heart: Burt Bacharach (86th & Lex)
05/06 Life After Death: Damien Echols (Tri)
05/07 Top of the Morning: Brian Stelter (86th & Lex)
05/08 VJ: Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, Martha Quinn (Tri)
05/09 Juke Box Hero: Lou Gramm, Scott Pitoniak (86th & Lex)
05/09 From Iowa to Broadway: My Billy Elliot Story: Alex Ko (82nd & Bway)
05/14 That’s That: Colin Broderick, Josh Brolin (Tri)
05/14 The Outsider A Memoir: Jimmy Connors (Citi at 12:30 PM)
05/14 Cronkite’s War: Walter Cronkite IV and Maurice Isserman (82nd & Bway)
05/15 The Central Park Five: Ken and Sarah Burns (Tri)
05/15 To Repair the World: Paul Farmer (USQ)
05/16 The Cool Impossible: Eric Orton (82nd & Bway)
05/16 Dad Is Fat: Jim Gaffigan (Tri)
05/21 And the Mountains Echoed: Khaled Hosseini (USQ)
05/21 Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success: Phil Jackson (5th Ave at 12:30 PM)
05/21 The DiMaggios: Tom Clavin (82nd & Bway)
05/22 The Unwinding: George Packer w/ Brooke Gladstone (USQ)
05/28 Philipp Meyer, Tift Merritt (Upstairs at the Square)
05/31 Kinky Boots (86th and Lex)

Powerhouse Arena (Dumbo)
05/06 Who Owns The Future: Jaron Lanier
05/07 VJ: Gavin Edwards, features Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, and Martha Quinn.
05/09 Make Your Own Soda: Anton Nocito
05/11 Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls: David Sedaris ($35 ticket includes signed book)
05/13 Louder Than Hell: Jon Wiederhorn & Katherine Turman
05/21 Golden Boy: Abigail Tarttelin
05/22 L Magazine: Literary Upstart (Round 3)

Housing Works
05/09 Tumblr presents Adulting: Kelly Williams Brown
05/16 Laugh Track: Unconventional Comedy Careers in the Internet Age w/ Chris Gethard, Dave Hill, Julie Klausner
05/17 The Moth StorySLAM: Envy
05/22 Some Questionable Shapes: Bennett Sims, Fiona Maazel, and Benjamin Hale
05/23 The Moth StorySLAM: Technology

Vampire Weekend at Barclays Center

Intrepid readers of this week’s presales column might have noticed that Vampire Weekend are playing a big show at the Barclays Center on September 20. Tickets for that show go on Amex presale on Wednesday, May 1 at 10AM.

Vampire Weekend’s new album, Modern Vampires of The City, will be released on May 14 via XL. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the album is being released a week late.

VAMPIRE WEEKEND’S UPCOMING ALBUM MODERN VAMPIRES OF THE CITY WILL BE RELEASED ON MAY 13, ONE WEEK LATER THAN ORIGINALLY ANNOUNCED DUE TO UNANTICIPATED DELAYS IN THE PRODUCTION OF PHYSICAL COPIES OF THE RECORD. THE NEW DATE ENSURES THAT CD’S AND VINYL WILL BE IN STORES ON RELEASE DAY.

WE ALL WORKED VERY HARD ON THIS RECORD AND PROMISE IT WILL BE WORTH THE WAIT. [VampireWeekend.com]

Videos for the new singles “Diane Young” and “Step” and more Vampire Weekend tour dates after the jump.

Last but not least, you can now relive Vampire Weekend’s live Amex Unstaged show from the Roseland Ballroom on YouTube.

“Vampire Weekend Playing Barclays Center, Presale Starts Tomorrow, New Album Being Released A Week Late” continued after the jump

Summerstage 2013

I know I’m a day late and a dollar short on this, but I can’t not post about this year’s Summerstage lineup. Check out the widget below for the full 2013 CPF Summerstage schedule.

You can also click here to see the acts that are just playing at The Rumsey Playfield in Central Park (including rental shows).

You can download a PDF version of the full 2013 Summerstage schedule over here. View a plain text version of the 2013 Summerstage schedule after the jump.

“Full 2013 SummerStage Schedule Released” continued after the jump

Maron on IFC (05/03/13)

Marc Maron’s new eponymous series, Maron, premieres this Friday (May 3) on IFC. If you’d like a little sneak peek of the show, you can stream Episode 102, “Dead Possum”, on YouTube or at IFC’s Stream Room right now. Marc’s new book, Attempting Normal, also comes out today (April 30) via Spiegel & Grau.

Watch the full “Dead Possum” episode of Maron after the jump.

“New “Maron” Episode Streaming on YouTube, Book Out Today, New Series Debuts on Friday on IFC” continued after the jump

Shugo Tokumaru at Loews Jersey Theatre (10/23/08)

Photo: Tim Griffin (more)

The National at The Artists Den (05/07/13)

Live from the Artists Den presents

The National
Tuesday, May 7th
New York, NY

7pm Doors
8pm Music

To enter the ticket lottery, visit
www.artistsden.com/thenationalAD

*must be 18 or over
If selected to attend, you will be emailed venue details.

Trombone Shorty at Virgin Free Fest (09/15/10)

Photo: Jon Klemm (more)

Today’s Presales: Wednesday, April 24

Music Geeks Presales (Password: MusicGeeks)
05/20 – Portugal. the Man @ Irving Plaza w/ Royal Bangs *Presale runs from 10am to 10pm on 4/25*
06/07 – Governors Ball After Party with Death From Above 1979 plus Fucked Up @ Irving Plaza *Presale runs from 10am to 10pm on 4/25*
06/08 – Governors Ball After Party with GRiZ @ The Gramercy Theatre w/ Cherub *Presale runs from 10am to 10pm on 4/25*
06/27 – Darren Criss @ Roseland Ballroom *Presale runs from 10am to 10pm on 4/26*

Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters

Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters will be playing the bandshell at Prospect Park on July 27, 2013. Tickets go on sale this Friday at noon. Go here to see what else is happening this summer at Celebrate Brooklyn!.

Before his recent projects in Nashville with Alison Krauss and Band of Joy, Plant worked alongside the very interesting force, “Strange Sensation”, recording the critically acclaimed, multi-Grammy nominated albums – Dreamland and Mighty Rearranger. From this platform, Sensational Space Shifters has developed. Now together these confederates and conspirators dig deeper and more intensely, always twisting and turning, bringing the past into a brilliant technicolour present.

The band is:
Justin Adams – guitar, bendir, vocals
John Baggott – keyboards
Juldeh Camara – ritti (one stringed African violin), kologo (African Banjo), talking drum, vocals
Billy Fuller – bass guitar, vocals
Dave Smith – drums and percussion
Liam “Skin” Tyson – guitar, vocals [RobertPlant.com]

More Robert Plant tour dates after the jump.

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