Toad’s Place Ordered To Close For Three Months
Legendary New Haven, Conn., club will close for three months beginning May 6th next year, following charges stemming from a November 2005 raid by police and liquor inspectors. Toad’s Place, a bar and venue that has featured performances from the likes of The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, U2, and R.E.M., settled negotiations with the Connecticut […]
Blur Unveils New Album Details
Blur have unveiled plans to start working on a new album next year. The band have said that no tour plans are likely but a date has already been set to start working on the follow up to 2003’s Think Tank. Guitarist Graham Coxon left the band in 2002 and Damon Albarn has been pre-occupied […]
RHCP, Secret Machines & QOTSA Amongst Six Free Zune Launch Shows
Zune has just announced 6 FREE secret launch party shows across the country in six different markets (NY, LA, Seattle, Miami, Chicago and Atlanta). Performances include high level acts such as Queens of the Stone Age, Red Hot Chili Peppers, T.I. Lupe Fiasco, The Secret Machines and Morgan Heritage Band & Richie Spice. Check out […]
Guitar Hero 2: Now Even Awesomer
Like most music fans, we love to indulge our inner geek. HT reporter Kristian Telschow takes you to the frontlines for a better look at how to feed that beast…
It’s a quarter before midnight on an early November Monday as I pull into the 24-hour Wal-Mart in Amherst, New Hampshire. I’m strolling through the aisles toward the electronics department, and I begin to notice a scary sight: the late night Wal-Mart shoppers are out in full force.
I spy a horde of stoned college kids chuckling at some corny T-shirts, a couple who looked like zombies doing some late-night grocery shopping and a strange Indian fellow staring at a can of Pam cooking spray for a solid five minutes. It was a wild scene in the House That Sam Built.
So why, you might ask, am I hanging at the local Wal-Mart shortly before midnight on a Monday amongst the Wal-Mart dregs, instead of on my couch watching the Seahawks beat up on the Raiders? Because Guitar Hero II goes on sale at midnight, and the Veruca Salt inside me says I have to own it now.

For the uninitiated, the original Guitar Hero’s the critically acclaimed PlayStation 2 game — nay, experience — where players can jam out a variety of tunes spanning classic rock anthems to modern-day metal thrashers. As it turns out, with an updated songbook and more fan-friendly features, Guitar Hero II’s a great improvement on what was already the genuine article, and it’s everything I wanted it to be and more. It’ll challenge everyone from the jaded GH vets to the custie n00bz that are just discovering the game now. Allow me to explain…
Langerado Leak: Panic! At the Festival
Attention people of Sunrise, Florida: Schools is now in session. Well, not yet — but the six-time winner of Entertainment Weekly‘s Most Likely To Be Horatio Sanz’s Biological Brother award will be rockin’ Sunrise come March. Love ’em or hate ’em, Widespread Panic will be your Langerado headliner this year. We’re pleased to announce that […]
Bob Dylan Tribute: Great Tunes, Less Mumbling
One of the more eclectic collection of musicians since the early days of Lollapalooza gathered last night inside Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall to pay tribute to a living legend: the lucious Bobby Dylan.
Friend of HT Jeremy Welsh was on hand to report from the frontlines, and he’s done a great job of cobbling together a setlist from this once-in-a-lifetime event. And, yes, that’s actually Sandra “World’s Craziest Lesbian” Bernhard who played Like A Rolling Stone last night — now that’s a one-timer!

We at the Hidden Track home office rejoiced when we saw that Phil Lesh fulfilled his contractual and emotional obligation and played the gig. We can only hope his appearance means he’s well on the path to recovery.
Hopefully a recording surfaces soon, and when it does you can be sure we’ll post it here. I can’t even imagine how some of these songs sound. So without any more set-up, here’s a couple of words from Jeremy before we head into the specifics:
“Pretty amazing show last night at Avery Fisher Hall. The highlight of the night was most definitely The Roots’ cover of Masters of War (the first few verses were sung to the melody of the Star Spangled Banner). That was followed by Isis > Lovesick > Isis by Ryan Adams. Almost every other performance was top notch, except for Cat Power’s flake-out (House of the Rising Sun? wtf?) and the anti-climactic Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door, despite the effort that Patti put in.”
Here’s an official review from the good people at Billboard. But read on for the setlist, more eyewitness commentary, a Ryan Adams video and a first-hand account of the event from The Roots’ ?uestlove…
Friday Leftovers
I’d like to personally raise my middle finger to those of you that have off for Veteran’s Day. Ace and I are slaving away at work, waiting for five o’clock like the dude in Loverboy’s “Everybody’s Working For The Weekend.” Anyway, let’s dig into the Leftovers mom threw in the fridge for us… Jambands.com features […]
Get Yer Mikes Here: 1 for $3, 2 for $5
Umphrey’s McGee, known for its innovation in spreading the music and the gospel, has a new one for you. If you’re a taper and you circulate the show, they’ll let you in for free. You think I’m fucking with you? I am not fucking with you. UM today issued its new taping and photography policy, […]
Medeski, Scofield, Martin & Wood: Out Louder
Eight years following A Go Go, Out Louder pairs the groove kings together once again. Melding the sonic style of John Scofield with the groove heavy sound of MMW, these musicians easily found common ground. In fact, they sound as if they have played together for years.
Gov’t Mule & Dave Matthews To Headline Warren Haynes Christmas Jam
Named one of the 10 Best Concerts by The London Times, Warren Haynes Presents: The Christmas Jam will take place for the 18th consecutive year at The Asheville Civic Center in Haynes’ hometown of Asheville, NC on Saturday December 16th at 7PM. Eager fans can tune-in to Asheville’s WNCW on Friday, December 15 at 6PM […]
The Decemberists: Orpheum Theatre, Boston MA 11.4.06
Seeing as the venue was right across the street from the place where Paul Revere got the memo before taking his famous ride, the sextet’s front-man, Colin Meloy, even made a point to comment on the fact that their pre-civil war surroundings were probably built by “enslaved Nubian units.”
Kangfirmed: X-Mas Jam Announced
Once again, Hidden Track can be your personal prognosticator: Warren Haynes today officially announced the details of his 18th Annual Christmas Jam, as we hinted at earlier this week. Better act quick — tickets go on sale this Saturday. Word to the wise, if you have any interest in attending this event, book a room […]
The B List: A Change Will Do You Good
Sometimes a band needs to shake things up before it can make it to the top. Today, I take a look at the significant changes in personnel that actually have benefited the bands. I don’t usually explain my choices, but this week I’m saying, “Why not?” You’ve all been good to me, it’s the least I […]
11/9/98: An Anniversary Anecdote
It’s been exactly eight years since the last time I ate the fungus, the magic mushrooms. Now, I know this space’s supposedly a music blog and not a debauched forum for drug-induced narration and hippie Bacchanalia, but if there’s anything I’ve learned along the way, it’s that the two often go hand-in-hand.
The popular rock band Phish swung through Chicago (aka the Windy Apple or the City of Broad Hips) during Parents’ Weekend of my sophomore year in college. I missed the first night of the three-night stand in order to dine in style with the folks, but they departed Sunday morning and I enjoyed that night’s show thoroughly. I couldn’t wait for the Monday concert, and my over-anxiousness hurt me.
That last UIC show did not disappoint. From start to finish, Phish put on a stellar performance — one of the more underrated concerts I caught from the band. It was an all-good affair, except of course for the 45 minutes when I just completely freaked the fuck out, peaking hard in a fully enclosed arena with no air and no music to distract me, as the band was taking a break in between sets…
I Beg My Mirror Image
Most Internet banter places Trey Anastasio’s appearance somewhere between Eric Clapton and Chuck Norris. But we ran a cadre of musical portraits through the new Hidden Track Facial Recognito 3000, and as it turns out, Bob Weir looks more like the redheaded ass-kicker/name-taker than Big Red. Trey? It seems that he’s more a cross between Jane Fonda, Ellen DeGeneres and Dolph Lundgren. Seriously.
Myheritage.com is a new social networking sites for families. The site is largely negligible, except for a cool feature that let’s you upload a picture of someone so it can find celebrity lookalikes. We gave the service a spin using some of our favorite musicians, and the results may surprise you…

You’ve gotta love a piece of software that says Bob Weir looks like both a crazed murderer and the kid that fucked a pastry in American Pie. Let’s see some more…
The Capitol Years: Dance Away the Terror
Reverb-laden vocals on the austere title track set a tone to match the doom and gloom associated with The Stills’ debut, but just when you think The Capitol Years has gone all Interpol, the band rips down the shroud to show you their shrine.
Monday NYC In Store Signing With Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney ill be at the Virgin Megastore Times Square in New York City from noon – 1:30 p.m. on November 13 to sign his new DVD, "Paul McCartney: The Space Within Us" and his CD Ecce Cor Meum. Those planning to be on hand for Sir Paul are advised he is only signing the […]
Robbers On High Street To Release Digital EP 11/14
Following up 2005’s debut album Tree City, New York’s Robbers On High Street are pre-empting the release of their next full-length with this digital-only release of The Fatalist And Friends EP on November 14, 2006. The EP features one unreleased track, two new songs from the upcoming full-length, Grand Animals (to be released Spring 2007) and the Paul McCartney-penned "Monkberry Moon […]
Langerado Announcement Coming Soon
The kind folks that produce what I consider the nation’s best music festival are promising the Langerado lineup will be announced one week from today. That’s November 15th for those of youse without wall calendars or pocketwatches or cellular telephones or any discernable people skills. So bookmark the Langerado page to see which bands will be playing […]
Grousing the Aisles, Vol. III

It’s time for our regular Hump Day Grousing Spectacular, and today we’ve got an impressive collection of audio torrents for you to hop on and download. We’ll start with two severely underrated shows from the 1980s, move into two ’90s bands that’re still rocking shit today, head into hippie-friendly territory and finish it all off with some Jay Leno favorites. Trust me, your slut of an iPod will thank me…
Talking Heads – 08/20/83 SBD
http://www.shnflac.net/details.php?id=1c619889db6041ca47525061c8c368bd3c8eef67

Stop Making Sense is one of the best, if not the best, rock films ever made. The band hit the road in August 1983 with their concept and filmed a few shows in December for the movie. Featured here is one of the first shows from the tour, and the band stretches out a bit more than they did when it was time to film. Bernie Worrell owns faces on this great sounding recording.