DUMBO: Art Under the Bridge Festival

There Go My American Babies

Tom Hamilton's American Babies is the band to watch this coming year. I've seen this band take form and become something delectable. The songs themselves are the root of the greatness here - so many great sing-along hooks - but the incarnation of the band itself is gelled and stellar. Individually and in other projects, each member has a solid pedigree. Together, it just works and each time it just gets better and better.

Here's a clip from last night's (grossly underattended but totally awesome) American Babies show at Mexicali Blues in Teaneck, NJ. Any of the songs could be an example of why this band rules but this one, "There Goes My Girl" "Brooklyn Bridge", shows the ever-emphatic Tommy really belting it out, harmonies from each member (this band has FOUR singers!), and of course some great riffs and solos from the mighty Scott Metzger. Metzger, Joe Russo, and the Brothers Hamilton are the American Babies:



The Babies were invited to open up a few dates with the Derek Trucks Band next week in the Southeast. They head west towards the end of October with The Duo including a Halloween show at the Independent in SF (Yeah! I'm lookin' at you, people!!). All the dates are here. It's only the beginning...

Leave Kang Alone

Ok, by now we've all seen the "Leave Britney Alone" video. (Even Colbert!) Here's the response from the jam scene:




Oh, I do love the interweb.

New Rotary Downs Video for "B/W"

Take a trip to the other side:

Rotary Downs Take California

Do I have any perusers from Cali here? If so, then this information is for you. If not, then this is for your friends who are!

Thu 9/20 - Silverlake Lounge, Los Angeles - 10:30 set

Fri 9/21 - Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco
with Eric McFadden Trio! RD at 8:30pm

Sat 9/22 - The Sweetwater, Mill Valley
opening for The Mother Hips!! RD at 9pm

Rotary Downs: www.rotarydowns.com | myspace.com/rotarydowns

A View from Inside a Richard Serra Sculpture

The Last One Ever?

Brooklyn was graced with a performance by Surprise Me Mr. Davis last night at Park Slope's Union Hall. Nathan Moore made a comment towards the end of the night that this could be the last SMMD show ever. Now, some folks got nervous but think about it, anything we ever do could always be the last time we ever do that thing - no matter how much we love it. He's just stating the truth - it could really be the last one ever, he swears it. Treasure the present and hope for the best...


This is more or less the setlist:

Set I: ???, ???, When A Woman, Summer Of My Fall, Poor Boy, Unprotected Sex Song, Everything Must Go

Set II: ???, Ambrosia Drunk, I Wanna Get to Heaven, I Hate Love, Red Sky, Sleepyhead, As Long As There's One Of Us Standing

Encore: Back in 15 Minutes, 19th Nervous Breakdown, Last One Ever

Happy New Year

Remember that "I Gotta Crush on Obama" video?

Here's the Jew-take special for this week's festivities:

Remembering 9/11 and Everything Else

This is undoubtedly a difficult and memorable day for all Americans. Here in New York, the first Tuesday on the 11th of September since that fateful day in 2001, the thunder is booming and the rain is falling sideways. Six years ago, the sky was clear and blue as far as the mind could stretch. Today's gray sky and drenched streets have a Louisiana feel. It could be the fact that I've been repeatedly listening to Anders Osborne's latest album, Coming Down, that was delivered to my door a few days ago. Sadness overcomes as he sings "Oh Katrina" as if he's singing to a woman who broke his heart: "You pushed me and you pulled me and you tore my heart apart. You took me and you shook me and you left me all alone in the dark. Everything I love is almost gone. Since you came along, I can't go home. " (There's a live track of the song on his myspace page.) I'm feeling the strong connection between The Big Easy and The Big Apple today. So much loss, it's hard to comprehend. So, today I listen to the blues to soothe my soul. Mad love...

Bret's Angry Dance Break

I'm experiencing post-holiday weekend busy-ness today but I had to share this scene from this week's Flight of the Conchords. Earlier in the episode, Bret says that he dances at parties and when he's angry. This is when he gets kicked out the band (again) and gets pissed off so we get his wonderful Flashdance/Footloose-esque "angry dance" featuring a cameo appearance by the one and only Eugene Mirman:



That was the last FOTC episode of the season but I'll be watching Season 1 over and over again until they come back!!