When the Allman Brothers Band kicked off their first multi-night run of shows at the Beacon Theatre, the Berlin Wall was still standing, The Simpsons had yet to debut, and Taylor Swift was happily gestating in the womb. It was 1989, and since then, the group's March residency has become an annual tradition their fans around the globe have flocked to, with more than 200 sold-out shows over the years and dozens of big-name surprise guests who've turned up to jam with Gregg and the fellas, including Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Billy Gibbons, Sheryl Crow, and, ahem, Kid Rock and Bruce Willis, too.

See also: Live: Snoopy Dancing to the Allman Brothers at the Beacon

More »

Tomahawk

Nearly six years after their last album, 2007's Anonymous, Tomahawk return this week with fourth offering Oddfellows: more phantasmagoric rock to weird you out and rev you up all at once. Tomahawk's cast of music luminaries--singer Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle), guitarist Duane Denison (The Jesus Lizard, Th' Legendary Shack Shakers) and John Stanier (Helmet, Battles) --were joined by equally adroit bassist Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle, Fantomas) for this 13-song LP, which was recorded at the Black Keys' Easy Eye studio in Nashville, Denison's long-time home city. We caught up with the über-friendly guitarist (and Tomahawk's prime mover) to chat about the odd fellows that made Oddfellows.

See also: Q & A: Scratch Acid's David Yow On Reunions, Nirvana And Book, The Jesus Lizard Coffee Table Book

More »

"I know it makes no sense, but I know it's going to work out, that I shouldn't give up," says Kristeen Young, punctuating the serious thought with a bright, loud laugh, as she does often in conversation. "There's no logic to it, but I know the best is still to come."

Kristeen Young performs with Morrissey tonight at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

See also:
- KISS and Morrissey: Together At Last
- A Look Inside Morrissey's Mind

More »

"Nah, we're not going anywhere," says Ben Gibbard over the phone in his most reassuring voice, responding to concern from his loyal flock that with the release of his first proper solo album, Former Lives, a few weeks ago, he's walking away from Death Cab for Cutie. Well, whew! After 15 years together -- and following more than a year of touring behind 2011's Codes and Keys -- the band is merely taking an extended breather. Gibbard, meanwhile, found a home for a batch of songs he's been sitting on for a while, some that go back as far as eight years.

See Also:
- Ben Gibbard's Haircut Photoshopped Onto the Heads of Other CMJ Musicians
- Live: Death Cab For Cutie Expand Their Sound At The Beacon Theater

More »

The good thing about this weekend is that your Twitter feeds won't be cluttered with SXSW tweets. Unfortunately, they'll likely be replaced by DJs tweeting about being on the beach in Miami for WMC. (Whatever. It's almost Spring here too.)

Thankfully, at least a handful dance acts decided to stick around town this weekend. Tonight we're most excited about Juan Maclean, who will be holding down this month's edition of Kush Sessions at the Lower East Side's Kush Lounge. Expect an extended DJ set of disco, New Wave, post-punk, house, and indie dance jams (we'll make a bet that remixes by his label-mates at DFA will figure heavily into the night's soundtrack too). DJ Mus and BlaqJeff of the House Spinners and cohort Beymouth open and close the night's festivities. No cover before midnight, $10 after. On the other side of town Nouveau York hosts another set of DFA artists, this time at the Standard's rooftop lounge Le Bain. Still Going's Live Spencer and Eric Duncan headline the soiree with a set that's bound to be heavy on disco, deep house, and plenty of their own dance floor bangers. No cover but we'll suggest that you get there early, look sharp, and drop the promoter's name at the door. And if dubstep amid a mix of stoned-out hippies and teenage ravers is more your steez, head to Webster Hall for Caspa. Rod Azlan, Hellfire Machina, and Proper Villains hold down opening and closing sets. Tickets are $15.

For feel good vibes, head to Tony Touch's NYC Loves Japan benefit at Santos. The $20 required donation includes a massive dance party where Touch's weekly throwdown Toca Tuesdays meets the crews from Funkbox and Rock Steady. Expect a mix of house, dancehall, and reggaeton, and funk courtesy of the battling crews. The night also features a soulful house set by Louie Vega and a heavy dose of hip-hop at the hands of the god Stretch Armstrong.

If you're staying in Brooklyn for the night, head over to Trophy Bar for this month's Close Encounters. Resident DJ Pumpkin Patch and guest Benny B hold down the small dive with a set of hip-hop, soul, funk, disco, and party classics. This party is easy breezy and perfect for those of you who want a quick drink out, an intimate dance floor, or an outdoor patio to get your night started. The open bar at midnight doesn't hurt either. Or try the new South Brooklyn hang Sweet Revenge for sweaty grooves at That's My Jam's latest edition of Ms. Thang. If the name wasn't enough to convince you to pop in, local scene queen DJ Tikka Masala holds down the party with hip-hop, soul, r&b, and reggae all night. The dance party is queer-friendly, but definitely not queer exclusive. Free with RSVP, $5 cover otherwise.

More »

Curren$y (left) and K.R.I.T., models of menace and/or nonchalance. Photos by Nick, more below.

Curren$y/Big K.R.I.T./Smoke DZA/Mac Miller/Boaz/Etc.
Santos Party House
Tuesday, October 5

Better Than: Stealing your roommate's weed and watching Stella on DVD all night. Again.

The weather in New York has stayed fairly dreary for the past week or so, and last night even the air inside Santos Party House was, in the words of Curren$y, "partly cloudy." The self-proclaimed hot spitta headlined a bill of seven rappers -- most notably Big K.R.I.T. and Smoke DZA -- as part of a tour sponsored in part by High Times. Hence the haze.

More »

Andrew W.K.'s ventures in record production, crackpot philosophy, and bazooka-packed children's television are all a front for the simple, resoundingly true greeting on his voicemail: "The point of your day today is to do what you want to do, and do it all the way. That's the way I play, and that's all I have to say." Hear for yourself at 212-714-4646, or get privy at Santos' Party House tonight.

Richard Cheese has made serious inroads into a market once exclusively held by Weird Al Yankovic. But unlike the master parodist, Cheese gets off on one shtick--rap and hard rock hits performed in the style of Tony Bennett lounge music, which is funny only if you believe that modern pop is degenerate, or that oldies are benign. He plays the Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Scanner's murky electronica isn't too far removed from the sounds of your daily commute--but hey, didn't John Adams get a Pulitzer for that? The band riffs on the cityscape at the World Financial Center Winter Garden.

Steve Kuhn, Coltrane's first pianist, and Joe Lovano, Coltrane's fiercest disciple, carry the fire at Birdland.

David Wentworth

"Kay-ate! Kay-ate! Kay-ate!" chanted the mob of eager, over-caffeinated shoppers waiting for Kate Moss to arrive this morning for the opening of the Topshop flagship store in New York. It's no overstatement to say that New York fashionistas have long prayed for the day the London-based clothing retailer would bring its cheap, trendy threads and exclusive line designed by Moss to our side of the pond. And after a disappointing seven-month delay--reportedly due to setbacks during construction--the four-level, $20 million store is finally here.

More »