Fall Live

          MMJ

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For my inaugural post, I thought I'd make a list of some NYC shows to look forward to this fall, excluding all of the awesome 18+ shows in the city.  And if you're 18, check out the Webster Hall schedule... you won't be disappointed.

Stars w/ Bell X1- Terminal 5, Sat September 20 

Worth mentioning even though it was last Saturday, because the show was as epic as a large club show can get.  Montreal's Stars ("beautiful, eloquent indie pop") creates sonic constellations that include raging guitars, an array of different synths and moog sounds, trumpets, blow keyboards (the keytar's cousin: a keyboard that functions like a wind instrument), and more.  

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Beck w/ MGMT - United Palace Theater, Wed-Fri Oct 8-10

Singer-guitarist-rapper-("in the time of chimpanzees I was a monkey")-psycho Beck is back with a killer new album, Modern Guilt, and of course a tour with 3 NY dates.  His new songs aren't as big stage productions as older stuff ("the new stuff is easier to play"), but Modern Guilt's mix of alternative rock, electronic sounds, and a soul/R&B touch hits the spot.  And what could be better: they brought along the most blogged and talked about indie act since the Strokes.

Ra Ra Riot w/ Walter Meego & the Morning Benders - Bowery Ballroom, Thu Oct 16 (16+)

Ra Ra Riot is fun and  easy to listen to (that's not always bad!) alternative indie with a cello and violin, Walter Meego calls his music Pop/Experimental, and the Morning Benders are Kooks wannabes (whether that's a good thing or not) --they opened for them earlier this year--and they're starting to pull it off.

Deerhoof w/ Experimental Dental School & Flying - Irving Plaza, Wed Oct 22

The Killers - Hammerstein Ballroom, Fri Oct 24

They're back with a new album in November, and in the style of Lenny Kravitz's show at Hammerstein in February, they're using the venue as a pre-release in-concert test of the new material.  However, they'll obviously be playing all the songs that you really liked dancing to in 2005 ("Mr. Brightside," "Somebody Told Me"), and all the underrated synth-laden tracks from Sam's Town  ("Bones," "Read My Mind").

The Black Crowes w/ Patti Smith and her Band - Hammerstein Ballroom, Halloween

The two acts played Halloween in NYC last year at the United Palace, and there going at it again, with a GA floor replacing orchestra seats.  The Crowes' blues-rock brings you back and rocks hard, and Smith's anti-rock star persona and music (and awesome cover choices--I hear she's playing "Smells Like Teen Spirit" these days) is legendary. You'll have to weigh it out though--Halloween party or getting spooked out by the Robinson bros?

Smashing Pumpkins - United Palace Theater, Thu/Fri November 6/7

Billy Corgan and co. (original drummer Jimmy Chamberlain and newbies Jeff Schroeder and Ginger Reyes), since their reunion last year, never really came to New York, but in November they're here.  As opposed to the arenas they used to rock, you can pump your fist to their influential grunge in a theater setting.

Drive-By Truckers & The Hold Steady - Terminal 5, Thu/Fri November 6/7

Sounding almost as good as just hanging out with Craig Finn (tHS), the pairing of DBT's southern rock and the Hold Steady's regular guy indie rock (does that exist? they created it.) will make for a great double-headlining show.  

Girl Talk w/ various openers - Terminal 5, Sat/Sun/Tues November 15/16/18

Mashup DJ mixes and weird variations of electronica, mixed with weird-cool-fun stage pranks like crowd surfing on a mattress will make this night awesome.

Tina Turner - Madison Square Garden, Mon December 1

Anyone with any musical sense would 1) be happy TT is finally back and 2) not make fun of two guys going to a Tina Turner show and singing "What's Love Got to Do with It" (not that I'm doing that or anything...) because she is arguably the greatest female performer in the last 50 years (Aretha Franklin's ego has to calm down--Beyoncé calling Turner "the queen" bruised it for some reason).  She looks and sings like she's half her age.

Neil Young w/ Wilco & Everest - Madison Square Garden, Mon/Tues December 15/16

Toronto's finest brings Chicago's finest and newcomers Everest in for the 2-night stand finale of his Chrome Dreams II tour.  You'll get a mix of "Rock/Americana/Indie", wilco music (and that's "wilco" being used as an adjective), and classic rock, folk beauty, and rocking new Neil tunes.

My Morning Jacket - Madison Square Garden, NEW YEAR'S EVE

Get down on your knees, right now, and pray that your parents aren't taking you to some stupid location for a "family vacation" to celebrate the coming of 2009.  As I am already subject to that (what the hell do you do in Phoenix, Arizona in December?!), I hope as many people as possible can experience the thing that is My Morning Jacket.  The most anticipated concert of the rest of 2008, MMJ will be jamming for at least 3 hours, and you will be dancing like you've never danced before to "Highly Suspicious" (which for some reason Evan has mistaken as "bad".) Do yourself a favor and listen to some real good new rock music, and appreciate the genius in our favorite Louisvillians (?): Jim James, "Two-Tone" Tommy Blankenship, Carl Broemel, Bo Koster, and Patrick Hallahan.