Archive: 2009

Neil Young is set to release a new album called ‘Fork In The Road’ in the spring. The star, who is currently on tour in Australia and New Zealand, has uploaded the title track on his website, Neilyoung.com. The news of the album’s imminent release means that the long-awaited ‘Archives Vol 1’ project, which was reportedly […]

The Decemberists have revealed details of their brand new album ‘The Hazards Of Love’, set to be released on March 24. The 17-track album is the follow up to 2006’s ‘The Crane Wife’ and was produced by the band’s longtime collaborator Tucker Martine. The band have also made new track ‘The Rake’s Song’ from the […]

2008 has been a standout year for me catching live shows across the country. I made it to 77 concerts this year and most of them were terrific. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten more selective in what I see and I can’t think of one show I saw that was terrible. Actually, Widespread Panic at Irving was a terrible experience but the music was actually awesome. So, without further ado here’s my list of the 50 best shows I saw in 2008…

10. Elvis Costello / The Police – Jones Beach – 8/5: Both acts put on their best show in years on the final date of their joint tour. The Police threw in the first cover of their reunion tour – Purple Haze – and crashed Costello’s opening set.

9. The Raconteurs – Terminal 5 – 5/31: Even though I could barely see them thanks to the lack of sightlines at Terminal 5, The Raconteurs crushed every song they played at Terminal 5 on May 31. The group played a nice mix of songs from their first and second albums with Nick Zinner of The Yeah Yeah Yeahs joining the fun for the first song of a quadruple encore.

8. The Fab Faux – Terminal 5 – 12/26: Despite my disgust for this venue I sure saw some killer shows there. A few weeks back the Fab Faux showed off just how incredible The Beatles’ Abbey Road and Let It Be sound live. Both albums were performed perfectly with a few jams thrown in for good measure. READ ON for more of Scotty’s list…

Buried deep within Bill Husted’s Thursday column in the Denver Post is word that Athens, GA’s Widespread Panic won’t be bringing their New Year’s Run back to Georgia anytime soon… Widespread Panic had such a great time at the Pepsi Center on Dec. 30 and 31, they’re coming back. Often. Insiders say the band will […]

The surviving members of the Grateful Dead reunited last year to help Barack Obama get elected. Now that our new President’s ready to take office, The Dead will be there to help celebrate President Obama’s inauguration in style. Relix reports that The Dead will perform at the Mid-Atlantic Inaugural Ball in Washington D.C. on Tuesday. […]

The second season of HBO’s comedy series Flight Of The Conchords premieres this Sunday at 10 PM. If the new season is anything like season one it will be filled with Bret and Jemaine’s hilarious struggles in the big city as they try to make it as a band. For those of you who found that they couldn’t get their songs out of their heads, you’re in luck as you’ll now be able to download a new song each week via iTunes the day after the show airs.

The comedic duo will also release their yet untitled sophomore album on Sub Pop on April 14 consisting of ten songs from the show and five brand new ones. As an added bonus, you can currently watch the season two premiere for free, click through and enjoy…

• List Time: Nine Great Songs About Roads
• WNEW’s Forgotten Favorites features Stephen Stills’ Manassas
• Cover Alert: The Avett Brothers tackle Aretha Franklin
• Lost In The 70s takes a look at The Sugar Bears
• Grateful Breed kicks down one of Janis Joplin’s last shows
• Hard Rock Park has filed for bankruptcy after just one year

Finally, iconic pop-rockers Cheap Trick are close to finalizing a deal that would give them their own headlining show in Las Vegas and would feature the band performing The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album in its entirety backed by a full orchestra. The exclusive deal with the Las Vegas Hilton is said to start this Spring and run through 2009.

Earlier today, MSGE announced that legendary singer/songwriter Paul Simon will open the newly renovated Beacon Theatre on February 13 and 14. Simon, who grew up in New York City, first performed at the Beacon in 1990 and also played a spectacular three night run at the venue in 2000. Tickets for February 13 and 14 […]

NYCTaper.com, a fantastic website that helped start the genre of Taper Blogs, continues to find innovative ways to share music. Up next is an internet radio show. NYCTaper Live will broadcast via Radio23.org every Sunday afternoon from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The “listen” link is [HERE], and includes the ability to access the podcast […]

Head to Rolling Stone’s Rock Daily for the full scoop on Capitol/EMI’s reissues of the first three Radiohead albums including 1997’s OK Computer.

Just yesterday I was having a conversation with someone about how long into January it’s acceptable to continue saying “Happy New Year.” Well, inasmuch as it is time to bed the phrase conversationally, in the musical landscape, the New Years shows are still ruling the digital turf.

It’s taken a little time to weed though the myriad of shows and select the true gems amidst the widespread bomb dropping that occurred just a couple short weeks ago, but it’s time to finally highlight the most spectacular celebrations to ring in 2009 — a year that will undoubtedly prove to be one of the most historically significant in all of our lives.

Umphrey’s McGee, Auditorium Theater, Chicago, IL, 12/31/2008 – Amazing Grace -> Glory -> Amazing Grace -> Glory

The hyperbole surrounding Umphrey’s McGee on New Years Eve is grand indeed; “best show ever by any band ever.” While you hear people throw these terms around lightly these days, there is no argument that this show is at least one of the best shows in the band’s long career and certainly a New Year’s show that can be measured with the best of them.

READ ON for more spectacular New Year’s Eve Bust Outs from the likes of Gov’t Mule, Lotus, the Disco Biscuits and My Morning Jacket…