Event Listings January 2013

Mad Feather Group

January 5th at McDonagh's Pub



Friday January 4th
Thomas Wesley Stern
9:00pm
Dauphin Grille at the Berkeley Hotel
1401 Ocean Avenue
Asbury Park, NJ

Saturday January 5th
Revolution in Just Listening
Habitat for Humanity Benefit
featuring:
Elevator Art
James Arlowe and the Ruffian Circus
The Shady Street Show Band
Julian Fulton and the Zombie Gospel
Midnight Mosaic
Mad Feather Group
Love Assassin
Moon Motel
5:00pm
McDonagh's Pub
2 West Front Street
Keyport, NJ

Saturday January 5th
January First Saturday Arts Show
featuring:
Bog Iron Bloom
7:00pm-11:00pm
Bands on a Budget
630 Mattison Avenue
Asbury Park, NJ

Saturday January 5th
Hello Radio
Crosswick
8:00pm
Brighton Bar
121 Brighton Avenue
Long Branch, NJ

Friday January 11th
Dayna Kurtz
Dan Montgomery
7:30pm
Tin Angel
20 S. 2nd Street
Philadelphia, PA

Friday January 18th
Radical Dads
Backwords
Gringo Star
8:30pm
Glasslands Gallery
289 Kent Avenue
Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

Saturday January 19th
Spook Handy
9:00pm
One World Everybody Eats Annual Summit
19 S. 2nd Avenue
Highland Park, NJ

Saturday January 19th
Thomas Wesley Stern
3:00pm
Laurita Winery
85 Archertown Road
New Egypt, NJ

Sunday January 20th
Benefit for Victims of Hurricane Sandy featuring:
No More Pain
Bog Iron Bloom
10 Paces
Relentless Soul
4:00pm (doors)
Brighton Bar
121 Brighton Avenue
Long Branch, NJ

Friday January 25th
Cliff Eberhardt
Zara Phillips
8:00pm
Outpost in the Burbs
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair
67 Church Street
Montclair, NJ

Wednesday January 30th
The Micks
Sea Flower
Special Guests
8:00pm
Tierney's Tavern
136-138 Valley Road
Montclair, NJ

Wednesday January 30th
Kathleen Edwards
Sera Cahoone
8:00pm
City Winery
155 Varick Street
New York, NY

Thursday January 31st
Shovels & Rope
Andrew Combs
9:00pm
Bowery Ballroom
6 Delancey Street
New York, NY

Purple Alpaca's Top 20 Albums of 2012

The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy by Nada Surf
Tramp by Sharon Van Etten
American Pain by Thomas Wesley Stern
The Baby Album by The Porchistas
O Be Joyful by Shovels & Rope
Third Parties by The Static Sea
Martian Diver by Elevator Art
Letters to Texas by Hello Radio
Torrential Zen by Radical Dads
Give You the Ghost by Policia
Tender New Signs by Tamaryn
Departure Songs by Hammock
True by Violens
The Heist by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Lonesome Dreams by Lord Huron
Blunderbuss by Jack White
The Lion's Roar by First Aid Kit
Hypnotic Nights by JEFF the Brotherhood
Shields by Grizzly Bear
Lonerism by Tame Impala

Event Listings December 2012

Wild Adriatic

December 14th at Bowery Electric

Friday December 7th
Ocean's Harbor House Benefit Show
featuring:
Elevator Art
The Porchistas
No More Pain
Bog Iron Bloom
Accidental Seabirds
also featuring: 7 Exhibiting Artists
7:00pm
Asbury Lanes
209 4th Avenue
Asbury Park, NJ

Thursday December 13th
Asbury Park Music Awards
6:45pm
The Stone Pony
913 Ocean Avenue
Asbury Park, NJ

Friday December 14th
Caravan of Thieves
Spuyten Duyvil
8:00pm
Outpost in the Burbs
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation
67 Church Street
Montclair, NJ

Friday December 14th
Wild Adriatic
Dirty Names
8:00pm
The Bowery Electric
327 Bowery at 2nd Street
New York, NY

Saturday December 15th
From Montclair to the Shore
Music to Benefit Rebuild/Recover
Accidental Seabirds
The Amboys
Bern & the Brights
Bog Iron Bloom
The Micks
The One & Nines
The Porchistas
Thomas Wesley Stern
1:00pm - 8:00pm
Van Vleck House & Gardens
21 Van Vleck Street
Montclair, NJ

Saturday December 15th
Buried Beds
Little Big League
Strand of Oaks
9:15pm
Johnny Brenda's
1201 N. Frankford Avenue
Philadelphia, PA

Sunday December 16th
Hello Radio
8:00pm
Spike Hill
184 & 186 Bedford Avenue
Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

Wednesday December 19th
3rd Annual Winter Solace Party
6:00pm
The Saint
601 Main Street
Asbury Park, NJ

 

Thursday December 20th

Speak Into My Good Eye's Holiday Party
featuring:
The Amboys
No Wine For Kittens
Cold Fronts
Taylor Allen
7:00pm
The Saint

601 Main Street
Asbury Park, NJ

 

Friday December 21st

The Porchistas

Accidental Seabirds

Thomas Wesley Stern

9:00pm

Tierney's Tavern

136-138 Valley Road

Montclair, NJ

 

Thursday December 27th

Spook Handy

2:00pm - 4:00pm

Highland Park Public Library

31 N 5th Avenue

Highland Park, NJ

 

Friday December 28th
The Flemtones
10:00pm

Tierney's Tavern

136-138 Valley Road

Montclair, NJ

KEXP Top Albums of 2012

One of my favorite end of the year music reviews is the KEXP Top Albums list.  The list is put together based solely on listener votes.  The DJ's do get to sway voters by releasing their list of Top 10 albums before the voting closes which influences the tally, but with their incredible DJ's, this is a very good thing.  I will be looking for John Richards, DJ Shannon, Troy Nelson and Cheryl Waters lists in particular. KEXP will be releasing a different DJ's Top 10 albums daily here:

KEXP DJ's Top 10 Albums. 

Based on my unofficial count, the ballot lists 1000 albums from 2012.  As if that is not enough, you can also write in your own favorites.  This reminds me to let all Purple Alpaca readers know about the excellent albums released by some of the great bands followed here in 2012. I know I will be including some of these albums in my submission and I recommend everyone else to consider these as well.

American Pain by Thomas Wesley Stern
The Baby Album by The Porchistas
Letters to Texas by Hello Radio
Martian Diver by Elevator Art
Third Parties by The Static Sea
Torrential Zen by Radical Dads

Almost forgot, in case you don't know, KEXP is a publicly funded radio station based in Seattle. If you're reading this in Seattle, you are able to tune to 90.3 FM and hear the sweet sounds of KEXP. For the rest of us, go to www.KEXP.org. 

Event Listings November 2012

Spook Handy & Pete Seeger

November 30th at William Carlos Williams Center for the Arts

Friday November 9th
Buskin & Batteau
Maggy & Suzzy Roche
8:00pm
Outpost in the Burbs
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation
67 Church Street
Montclair, NJ

Saturday November 10th
Jazz & Colors Festival
30 Bands. 30 Locations. 1 Setlist.
12:00pm - 4:00pm
Central Park
New York, NY

Saturday November 10th
Angel Olsen
Thomas Wesley Stern
7:30pm (Early Show)
Maxwell's
1039 Washington Street
Hoboken, NJ

Saturday November 10th
One & Nines
Cropduster
Fairmont
Les Trois Chaud
9:30pm (Late Show)
Maxwell's
1039 Washington Street
Hoboken, NJ

Wednesday November 14th
The Amboys
Ghost Light
Jason Anderson
8:00pm
Kung Fu Necktie
1248 North Front Street
Philadelphia, PA

Thursday November 15th
Sharon Van Etten
8:00pm
The Town Hall
123 West 43rd Street
New York, NY

Friday November 16th
Radical Dads - Torrential Zen CD Release Party
Also appearing:
Dinosaur Feathers
Laser Background
Dead Stars
9:00pm
Big Snow Buffalo Lodge
89 Varet Street
East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

Saturday November 17th
Hoboken Music Awards Hurricane Relief Fundraiser
Performances by:
Skanatra
Davey & The Trainwreck
The Nico Blues
The Aster Pheonyx Project
The Fave
Hello Radio
Julian Peterson
Chris Batten
Gold & Brown
7:00pm
Maxwell's
1039 Washington Street
Hoboken, NJ

Tuesday November 27th
Streetlight Circus
Supersuckers
8:00pm
The Studio at Webster Hall
125 East 11th Street (Downstairs)
New York, NY

Tuesday November 27th
Jeff the Brotherhood
Fidlar
Delta Spirit
8:00pm
Irving Plaza
17 Irving Place
New York, NY

Friday November 30th
Pete Seeger and Friends
featuring:
Spook Handy
Tony Trischka
RJ Storm and Old School
Loretta Hagen
The Dull Music Band
7:50pm
William Carlos Williams Center for the Arts
1 Williams Plaza
Rutherford, NJ

Central Park's Jazz & Colors Festival 2012

The 1st Annual Jazz & Colors Festival will take place November 10, 2012 from noon to 4pm at Central Park in NYC.  It will consist of 30 different jazz ensembles of different shapes and sizes.  All ensembles will be at landmarks throughout the park.  All groups will be far enough away as to not disturb each other's sphere of sound.  Of course, with 30 very different ensembles playing the same setlist, the interpretations of each song will be hugely different.  Between sets, soloist student musicians will perform.

Part of the fun of this event, besides obviously checking out great music, is how to approach your visit.  The list of 30 venues has been released and you can find the best entrance which is closest to the most venues.  Or, once bands are confirmed at specific venues, you can find ensembles headed by your favorite, maybe a lead tenor sax, a big band, or a trio.  Also keep in mind with 30 bands throughout the park, just showing up would probably work as well. 

See the links below for more info.

Jazz & Colors Website

Jazz & Colors Press Release

‘Jazz & Colors’ to Fill Central Park With Standards - NY Times ArtsBeat

Jersey City Artists' Studio Tour 2012

The 22nd Annual Jersey City Artists' Studio Tour will take place this weekend, Sat Oct 13th and Sun Oct 14th, noon to 6pm both days.  There will be over 85 venues participating.  Most sections of Jersey City will be represented with the Kick Off Celebration taking place Friday Oct 12th, 6pm - 9pm, at the Tenmarc Building at 430 Communipaw Avenue.  Free bus service to this event from Grove Street will be available.
 
If you've never been to the Jersey City Artists' Studio Tour, here is a bit of a summary of what goes on.  Throughout Jersey City, mostly concentrated on the Waterfront back to Monmouth Street, artist studios, churches, restaurants, stores, apartments and other venues real and imagined open their doors to the public. There is no admission and some venues will have wine, soda and other light refreshments.  The type of art along the tour includes sculptures, paintings, visual arts, pottery, greeting cards and many other mediums.
 
I think I've been to five different artist studio tours in other cities and neighborhoods and this one is my favorite.  If you haven't been to the Jersey City Waterfront area and the neighborhood between Grove Street and Monmouth Street, there are some great discoveries to find.  You'll come across parks, brownstones and other neighborhood features and businesses which are unique and worthwhile even outside of the tour itself.  The stops along the tour can also be an adventure. You'll find great art you never imagined liking and some art which may not be your style. There are always great people at every stop.

There are other events also coinciding with the Studio Tour, most notably, the 4th Street Arts and Music Festival.  Further information regarding this festival, the tour itself and other happenings in Jersey City this coming weekend, are in the links below.

Local Artists Banding Together for 22nd Annual Jersey City Artists Studio Tour This Weekend

22nd Annual Jersey City Artists' Studio Tour - digital guide

Digital Map for 2012 Jersey City Artists Studio Tour

4th Street Arts and Music Festival

Event Listings October 2012

 Thomas Wesley Stern

 October 11th at Rockwood Music Hall

Saturday October 6, 2012
Streetlight Circus
9:00pm
Vibe Lounge
60 North Park Avenue
Rockville Centre, NY

Saturday October 6, 2012
The Porchistas
6:00pm
NJIT College of Architecture & Design Gallery
367 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
Newark, NJ

Sunday October 7, 2012
Spook Handy
2:00pm
Paramus Public Library
116 East Century Road
Paramus, NJ

Thursday October 11, 2012
Thomas Wesley Stern
11:00pm
Rockwood Music Hall
196 Allen Street
New York, NY

Saturday October 13, 2012
Hello Radio
Radical Dads
Birthwater
9:30pm
Maxwell's
1039 Washington Street
Hoboken, NJ

Saturday October 20, 2012
Elevator Art - Martian Diver EP Release Show
with Special Guests:
Indiana Bones
Mad Feather Group
The Shady Street Show Band
7:00pm
The Stone Pony
913 Ocean Avenue
Asbury Park, NJ

Thursday October 25, 2012
The Amboys
8:00pm
The Trash Bar
256 Grand Street
Williamsburg, Brooklyn NY

Friday October 26, 2012
The Flemtones
10pm
Tierney's Tavern
136-138 Valley Road
Montclair, NJ

Wednesday October 31, 2012
Halloween Bash featuring:
Mad Feather Group
8:30pm
Cee Gee's Bar and Grill
400 S New Prospect Road
Jackson, NJ

Moby Dick Big Read

The Moby Dick Big Read, which began on September 16, 2012, is basically a free online audio book of Herman Melville's 1851 novel Moby Dick.  Each chapter is read by a different narrator and the entire 135 chapters should be completely released, in daily installments, by late January.

I've never read Moby Dick so I'm participating in the Big Read.  So far, I've made it through the first 10 chapters posted. The times in minutes of the first 10 chapters are: 14-9-34-10-5-6-7-6-26-9.  The time needed to complete each installment, as you can see, is not too long, though the chapters north of 25 minutes are more challenging (and meandering).

Chapter 1 is posted below.  You can find the complete Big Read at:

Moby Dick Big Read

        

Event Listings September 2012

Accidental Seabirds

September 27th at DC's

Thursday September 6th
The George and Katie Show
9:00pm
Winegasm Bar & Eatery
31-86  37 Street
Astoria, NY

Friday September 7th
Winard Harper and Friends (5pm)
Segunda Quimbamba (6pm)
The Ugly Club (7pm)
The Micks (8pm)
The One & Nines (9pm)
5pm - 10pm
Groove On Grove
Grove Street Path Plaza
Jersey City, NJ

Friday September 7th
Strawbs (acoustic)
John Wesley Harding
8:00pm
Outpost in the Burbs
Unitarian Universalist Congregation
67 Church Street
Montclair, NJ

Thursday September 13th
The Amboys
9:00pm
The Lamp Post
382 2nd Street
Jersey City, NJ

Thursday September 13th
Jill Sobule
8:00pm
The Stanhope House
45 Main Street
Stanhope, NJ

Saturday September 22nd
The Spook Handy Trio
2:00pm
Hamilton Public Library
1 Justice Alito Way
Hamilton, NJ

Thursday September 27th
Accidental Seabirds
The Porchistas
8:00pm
DC's Tavern
505 8th Street
Hoboken, NJ

Friday September 28th
The Flemtones
10pm
Tierney's Tavern
136-138 Valley Road
Montclair, NJ

Saturday September 29th
The Porchistas
The Static Sea
Mad Feather Group
9:45pm
Tierney's Tavern
136-138 Valley Road
Montclair, NJ

Saturday September 29th
Thomas Wesley Stern
time: TBA
Doodad Farm
4701 Land Road
Greensboro, NC

Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time

The 2012 edition of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time is here:

Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time

I picked up the collector's edition magazine of this list.  It's in a great format, especially opposed to the website which takes a lot of clicks to get through all 500.  The $12.99 magazine is no longer on newsstands but is still available (as of August 2012) on the web (try EBay). 

The albums were initially ranked by 273 artists, critics and industry figures in 2003.  A 2nd round of balloting took place in 2009 with only 2000's albums being ranked.  Overall, I find the list to be very good.   I think the double voting process skews the results against albums from the last twenty years, as opposed to if there was maybe only one vote, in say, 2011.  As a result, the 1960's and 1970's are very well represented, especially closer to the top of the list.

More background about Rolling Stone's list can be found at the definitive source:

The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time - Wikipedia

When looking at the list, it's very easy to nitpick details of the rankings.  But my favorite aspect of this type of list is discovering albums, usually older albums, where I've heard of the artist or album but have never really listened to much or anything by that artist in particular. 

There is an interesting resource if you do check out this list and find yourself in disagreement with the rankings.  This link, also courtesy of Wikipedia, compiles 14 separate top album lists and ranks the Top 15 albums based on the compilation of the 14 different lists.

Albums Considered the Best Ever - Wikipedia



Not to be outdone, Purple Alpaca plans to put together a list of its own Top Albums of All Time.  Yeah, it won't be 500, but we will be soliciting votes from folks in the Purple Alpaca community.  Stay tuned.

Event Listings August 2012

The Porchistas

August 25th at Pianos

 

Thursday August 9th
Hello Radio
9:30pm
Alphabet Lounge
104 Avenue C
New York, NY

Friday August 10th
The Project Matters Benefit
Cymbals Eat Guitars
Mitchell Gray
Thomas Wesley Stern
Justin & Alina
8:30pm
Maxwell's
1039 Washington Street
Hoboken, NJ

Thursday August 16th
Buried Beds
7:30pm
Music Hall of Williamsburg
66 North 6th Street
Brooklyn, NY

Friday August 17th
90.5 The Night presents Songwriters in the Park
River City Extension
Accidental Seabirds
7:00pm
Riverside Gardens Park
West Front Street
Red Bank, NJ

Thursday August 23rd
Shovels and Rope
Christopher Paul Stelling
6:30pm
Mercury Lounge
217 East Houston Street
New York, NY

Saturday August 25th
The Porchistas
9:00pm
Pianos
158 Ludlow Street
New York, NY

Friday August 31st
The Flemtones
10:00pm
Tierney's Tavern
136-138 Valley Road
Montclair, NJ