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Our friend Danfun wants to school you on some cool shit…I’d let him.

You’ll usually catch nothing but blank stares if you mention Roky Erickson‘s name. But the Texan’s story, his music and his behavior are the stuff that legends, and they’ve transformed him into a rock ‘n roll cult icon with an outlaw persona.

So I wasn’t going to miss the chance to see Roky’s first ever New York City appearance, and especially not one on a Friday the 13th. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Roky’s show, since I had heard rumors that he still suffered from mental health issues (read on for more about that).

But the concert delivered way more than I ever could have expected. Roky and his band, The Explosives, just flat-out destroyed Southpaw. The band was tight, Roky’s vocals were awesome and the crowd loved every minute…

Read on for more of Roky Erickson’s story and Danfun‘s photos from the show

HT Contributor Eliot Glazer has tremendously terrible taste in music. But he’s an adroit wordsmith, and he’s gonna try to convince us that the bad is really good.

Even if you’re rooting for Sanjaya Malakar to throw the media mammoth that is American Idol, not everyone involved with the gargantuan show should be equally condemned. Sure, Idol has become an honest-to-god factory in mainstream music, churning out vocalists like Britney Spears does fully developed fetuses.

But aside from salvaging what is left of an industry that possesses a shriveling set of balls resting lightly below the digital-downloading guillotine, there have been a couple of considerable Idol offspring in its seven seasons. Kelly Clarkson’s Since U Been Gone is a certifiable pop classic, Jennifer Hudson gave life to an otherwise mediocre movie, and the adorable Jordin Sparks is poised to be both a tween sensation and perhaps this season’s sleeper.

Make no mistake, the judges’ favorite winner throughout the show’s history is Fantasia Barrino, a powerhouse saaanger whose emotional aptitude and tragic backstory (“Illiterate single mom chases dreams, ends on ‘high note!'”) have earned her adoring fans and critics alike. No, her music isn’t particularly stellar, but her most recent self-titled sophomore attempt was well-received for its march into a less-tread territory in the field of contemporary R&B.

Read on for more of Eliot’s claim that what’s perceived as bad is really good…

Summer tour dates are flooding the Hidden Track Headquarters at a furious pace. Blues Traveler started adding dates after a long layoff. Squeeze returns to the road following a longer layoff, touring the first time in nine years for a string of 11 U.S. dates. George Clinton and P-Funk will play a number of festivals this summer, including a spot at Gathering of the Vibes. And, finally, the Drive-By Truckers aren’t letting Jason Isbell’s departure stop them from adding more shows. But there’s plenty of other linkage to peruse, so let’s do it to it:

• The NY Times covers the unfortunate Closing of Tonic (Damn, how bad-ass is Marc Ribot, getting arrested?)
• Justin Kreutzmann recounts the meeting of Lennon and Garcia
• Every awesome hair-metal band ever is playing at the Rock Fever festie in Pryor, Oklahoma — er, Rocklahoma (via Terry)
• The real reason Gore invented the Internets: Smack My Hippie Up
• Yonder Mountain changes it up
• Nashville Musicians play tribute to great classic rock albums
• IGN lists the 25 best live albums
• New podcasts from Umphrey’s McGee and Everyday Companion
• Ernest goes to court
• Jefitoblog shares a classic Sinatra concert
• IckMusic kicks down a heady Springsteen show from ’73
• Neddy fills us in on the shows of the week
• Dark Star Orchestra will recreate the Grateful Dead’s legendary 5/8/77 show in Ithaca on the 30th anniversary of the show
• Page McConnell sits for an interview with NPR

And make sure to read on after the jump for a sampling of setlists from this weekend, including the Wanee Festival down in Florida…

If you’re among the luxurious Americans taking advantage of cheap, imported, enormous flat-screen televisions, turn on InHD right now for a showing of Sam Jones’ wonderful documentary about Wilco’s road

I’m all jacked up on mimosa, frittata and lox, and to paraphrase John Lennon, I’m just sittin’ here watchin’ the rain come down and down. Who knew this would be

Our friend Frances Greene had a unique experience this week. Now, show ‘n tell…

I had the honor of joining my friend as one of the privileged hundred (give or take a few hipsters) on Monday night to see Andrew Bird in an intimate venue, Union Hall in Park Slope. I’m not sure of the exact details, but after failing to procure a ticket the normal way, there was a charity auction, and my friend, from what I’ve been told, grew really competitive, and he won said charity auction.

Somehow, and I’m still not exactly sure about this part either, but maybe cause I know him for more than 20 years (oh no, am I old enough to know people that aren’t my relatives for two decades?), I became the recipient of my friend’s charitable-yet-selfish competitiveness. Either way, we both won.

For those of you who don’t know Andrew Bird, allmusic.com describes him thusly: “Chicago singer/songwriter/violinist Andrew Bird updates the traditions of small-group swing, German lieder, and New Orleans jazz, mixing gypsy, folk, and rock elements into his distinctive style.” But, as is often the case with small blurbs, that doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of this prolific and original musician.

Read on for more of Frances’ review of Monday’s incredible performance…

Can you still have fun, Trey? Well, probably not that type of fun any more.

The population of Washington County, New York is about to increase by one: Former frontman for the popular rock band Phish, Trey Anastasio, will be required to move to the area as part of the guilty plea he just accepted.

And if all goes well for Big Red in the county’s drug treatment court, Trey could then cop to a reduced charge and remain out of jail on a long probation:

If [Trey] does complete the 12-month program, McKeighan will sentence him to 5 years of probation and would entertain a request by Anastasio’s lawyer to withdraw his guilty plead to a felony charge of attempted fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Instead, he would be allowed to enter a subsequent plea to a misdemeanor charge.

It’s a good thing Trey didn’t have all that much in the car with him at the time:

Anastasio spoke softly as he answered McKeighan’s questions. He admitted illegally possessing more than a half-ounce of the prescription painkillers Vicodin and Percocet, the anti-anxiety drug Xanax and heroin when he was pulled over by Whitehall Police the morning of Dec. 15. He was driving through the village on his way to Vermont when he was seen swerving.

Is it me, or is that a lotta gum? That’s a lot of gum! We’re thinking this arrest was the best thing that ever happened to him, in the grand scheme. And he may have “spoke softly,” but at least he spoke at all — we figured the lack of stage banter post-hiatus would carry over into the courtroom. Eh, I say we all just mainline some smack and put this whole strange episode behind us.

Previously on HT: Now Trey’s a Real Rock Star; Full Timeline of Trey’s Ordeal
And read on for a couple of pics of Crimson Dego’s Courthouse Experience…

Mike Gordon has yet to be found. Ever since his buddy Trey informed us of Gordo’s supposed one-year hiatus from playing during his interview at the Y, Cactus has been

I like to kick cute puppies and punch little kids. But I’m a sucker for old people. So obviously I perked up when The Zimmers, the so-called oldest rock band in