Monthly Archives: September 2010

It’s ridiculous — and it’s moving to New York!

Posted on September 27, 2010 | Leave a comment

The Most Ridiculous Thing You Ever Hoid, a delightfully zany Marx Brothers-themed musical by our friend Jim Beckerman (book, lyrics, music) and his collaborators Andy Seiler (book, lyrics) and Fred Wemyss (book), is making a big move to New York City this week when it opens at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 30, at Urban Stages as part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival.

We wrote about this show last year, when it had its premiere production with the Bergen County Players in Oradell, N.J. It’s great entertainment, with wonderful songs and pitch-perfect dialogue.

Here’s a preview of the New York production from northjersey.com.

Don’t wait to buy tickets. Many performances are already sold out and no additional shows will be added. If you miss out now, you’ll have to wait for its next big move. With just a little luck, another production should happen soon.

The Most Ridiculous Thing You Ever Hoid, starting Thursday, Sept. 30 through Wednesday, Oct. 13. Check schedule for showtime. Urban Stages, 259 W. 30th St., Manhattan. (212) 352-3101. Click here for tickets, $20.

Leave a comment

Posted in Music, Theater

Tagged , , , ,

New Music Bake Sale: Music, Conversation, Beer and, yes, actual baked goods!

Posted on September 27, 2010 | 1 comment

Arturo en el Barco's Bake Sale table featured cupcakes and particularly tasty flan de queso. (Photos copyright 2010, Steven P. Marsh)

The 2nd Annual New Music Bake Sale took over the decrepitly beautiful Irondale Center’s space in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, on Saturday, Sept. 25 for more than six hours.

The concept was pretty simple: Bring together a bunch of people who make new music — performers, producers, record companies and the like — in a place where they can make music, talk about music, drink beer and sell sweet and savory baked goods to raise money for their efforts.

Kathleen Supové at her Bake Sale table.

We don’t know how successful the financial part of the evening was, but the place was constantly full of people and activity throughout the event. We sampled the food, beer and music and found it excellent — especially the Sixpoint Sweet Action!

Many of our favorite New Music folks were there throughout the evening, including, but hardly limited to, Todd Reynolds, Matt Marks, Mellissa Hughes, Courtney Orlando, Ken Thomson, Jessica Schmitz, Ted Hearne, David T. Little, Steven Swartz, Glenn Cornett, Franz Nicolay, Caleb Burhans, Kathleen Supové and Oscar Bettison.

Todd Reynolds and Ken Thomson perform Ken's "Storm Drain."

We can hardly wait for next year’s event.

But enough words. Let’s get to the images. Click through to the jump for more photos. Continue reading →

1 Comment

Posted in Classical, Concerts, Contemporary, Contemporary Classical, Folk, Free, History, Humor, Movies, Music, Opera, Readings, Recordings, Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Legendary Ronee Blakley to play her first New York City gig in 20 years

Posted on September 26, 2010 | Leave a comment

 

Ronee Blakley in Ropbert Altman's "Nashville."

 

TICKET UPDATE: $25, CLICK HERE

Showtime update: Starts at 7:30, Marie Gabrielle opens

We just got some amazing news in our inbox. It was in the form of a note from the great singer/actress Ronee Blakely. She’s returning to New York City to perform next month — for the first time in two decades.

She writes:

I’m coming in to NYC to play the Bitter End Oct 13 … I hope you’ll come to the show.
Thanks.
Ronee

How awesome is that?

For those you don’t remember, Ronee produced two amazing albums, Ronee Blakley and Welcome, for Elektra in the 1970s. They were rereleased by Collector’s Choice in 2006. She’s also revered for her acting — particularly her portrayal of Loretta Lynn-esque country singer Barbara Jean in Robert Altman’s 1975 film Nashville. She also recorded the duet “Hurricane” with Bob Dylan for his 1975 album Desire, and was part of Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue, which also had its genesis in 1975.

Her October show will celebrate the release of two new albums, The River Nile, a pop record, and Grief Holes, an experimental collection in tribute to her mother, who died last year. Both are available from CD Baby.

This show is not to be missed. It’s a one-time-only event that’s slated to happen at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 13 at The Bitter End, 147 Bleecker Street (between Thompson and LaGuardia), New York City. No ticket price has been announced, but call the club at (212) 673-7030 or email info@bitterend.com for more information.

Leave a comment

Posted in Concerts, Country, Folk, Jazz, Music, News, Recordings

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Lucinda Black Bear gearing up for new album release

Posted on September 22, 2010 | 3 comments
Lucinda Black Bear (Chad Hammer, Christian Gibbs, Kristin Mueller, Mike Cohen) onstage at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn in February. (Photos copyright 2010, Steven P. Marsh)

Read on to download a free track

It’s good to see Lucinda Black Bear gearing up for a new album. And the first track, “Percival,” is out and it’s great. It’s also a song that conveniently references bears — in this case dancing bears, a subject that might get PETA interested!

Lucinda Black Bear is an energetic country-folk-rock band fronted by one of Will You Miss Me’s favorite musicians, Christian Gibbs. We discovered him when he joined the band for Passing Strange on Broadway, and quickly revealed himself as a fantastic guitarist and an all-around charismatic presence.

Continue reading →

3 Comments

Posted in Concerts, Music, News, Pop and Rock, Recordings

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Get ready for Belle & Sebastian’s take on love

Posted on September 22, 2010 | Leave a comment

New Belle & Sebastian music is long overdue

Tickets still available for Sept. 30 Williamsburg Waterfront show

Scottish twee band Belle & Sebastian are well overdue for a new album. Fans have really missed them and have been hoping for great things from Belle and Sebastian Write about Love, due out on Oct. 12 on Matador.

Will You Miss Me When I’m Gone? has long been a big supporter of B&S. We’ve been listening to some of the tracks from Belle and Sebastian Write about Love that have been leaking on the internet.

But do they deliver what fans hunger for? Read on to find out.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Posted in Concerts, Music, News, Pop and Rock, Recordings

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Pianist Isabelle O’Connell plays the Baryshnikov Arts Center

Posted on September 17, 2010 | Leave a comment

Isabelle O'Connell

Don’t be fooled by Isabelle O’Connell‘s quiet demeanor and casual look. This young Irish pianist is a powerhouse at the keyboard. I first saw and heard her play at the Bang on a Can Summer Music Festival at MASS MoCA in 2006.  Her work there with Meredith Monk and the Bang on a Can All-Stars was remarkable. I’ve heard her play a number of times since then, including her appearance earlier this year with Irish new music group Crash Ensemble. Her playing is controlled but powerful and her concentration intense.

She’s a well-trained player, holding a Master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music and a Bachelor’s degree from the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

On Sunday, Sept. 19, O’Connell is celebrating the release of her new CD, Reservoir, with a concert at the Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York City.  She’s sharing the bill with MIVOS string quartet (performing without Ned Rothenberg, who is unable to play as scheduled) and guitarist Simon Jermyn.

O’Connell’s solo album is a great collection of new music that showcases her keyboard talents. Crash Ensemble founder Donnacha Dennehy composed the title piece, inspired by a video of a man gradually being submerged in water.

Another standout on the disc is Jennifer Walshe’s “becher,” a fantastic montage of “micro-quotations” from familiar piano works of all sorts, from Mozart to the Beatles. You’ll have a great time trying to identify them all.

7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19. The Baryshnikov Arts Center, 450 West 37th Street, between Ninth and Tenth Avenues, Manhattan.  http://www.bacnyc.org. $10.

Leave a comment

Posted in Concerts, Music

Tagged , , , , , ,

Kristin Hersh reads and sings

Posted on September 3, 2010 | Leave a comment

Journalist Katherine Lanpher interviews Kristin Hersh. (Photos copyright 2010, Steven P. Marsh)

Kristin Hersh, founder of the legendary band Throwing Muses, who’s now performing solo when she’s not fronting her new band 50FOOTWAVE, is on the road talking about her amazing new memoir, Rat Girl. It’s based on her teenage diaries and gives a look into her beautifully messy mind and crazy life.

She visited Barnes & Noble on Union Square in New York City on Tuesday, where she spent an hour chatting with journalist Katherine Lanpher, reading excerpts from her gripping memoir and playing some songs.

Kristin Hersh sings

Kristin has had quite a life, and deals with much of it in the memoir. She nearly died when she was hit by a car while riding her bicycle in Providence, R.I., when she was 16 — her face, reflected in the mirrored sunglasses of a Good Samaritan at the scene, was “hamburger with hair,” she recounts. She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She started college at age 15, younger than everyone else and out of place, and bonded with another out-of-place student, the much older actress Betty Hutton. Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Posted in Art, Books, Concerts, Free, Music, News, Pop and Rock, Readings, RIP

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,