A Midnight Apparition

A wealth of excited conversation may be fueled by what appears on the 90.5 The Night webpage at midnight...

Shows That Matter For New Year's Eve

Thursday, December 31, 2009

• Davy Knowles & Back Door Slam at World Cafe Live, Philly
• Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes at Count Basie Theatre
• Gov't Mule at Beacon Theatre
• Clutch at Starland Ballroom
• Roky Erickson at Maxwells
• The Word (John Medeski, Robert Randolph, North Mississippi Allstars) at Terminal 5
• Gaelic Storm, Spring Standards and DJ at Gramercy Theatre
• Soulive at Music Hall Of Williamsburg, Bklyn
• Patti Smith & Her Band at Bowery Ballroom
• Fischerspooner at Irving Plaza
• Detroit Cobras at Mercury Lounge
• Chuck Berry's New Year's Rockin' Eve at BB King's
• Jugglling Suns, Matt O'Ree Band, Lemon Juice and "Little Jimmy" Lawroski acoustic duo with Mark Diomede at Stone Pony
• Rebirth Brass Band at Sullivan Hall
• Eli "Paperboy" Reed & The True Lovers at Bell House, Bklyn
• Jon Caspi at Brewster's, Bradley Beach

Our listings are updated every day (regardless of whether we do an update here on the main page.) For more on the next four weeks of shows:

• Click here for the list of shows
• or here for the artists that are playing
• or here for all the venues that are doing shows.

There's Such A Thing As A Television Tradition

Growing up in the late sixties and early seventies as I did, there's actually some gratification to knowing that the occasional bits of pop culture persist. For instance, on Labor Day weekend, I can't help but tune in to the MDA Telethon...

...and that's why I'm watching The Yule Log on WPIX, at least 'til it ends at 1PM. It's even got a newly chosen hour full of not-very-new-but-unheard-for-decades Christmas tracks in its last hour at noon. (Of course, we've still got A Very Inappropriate Christmas running all day at the AltrokRadio.com web radio station and its low-bandwidth mono counterpart...though it's up to you to decide how inappropriate it is. Anything with Blondie, Albert Brooks, The Smithereens, The Beatles, Julian Casablancas, Frank Sinatra and Cyndi Lauper, Maps, New Muzik, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Bad Manners in among it's eleven-hour running time can't be all bad...)

Merry Christmas, folks!

AltrokRadio.com Presents "A Very Inappropriate Christmas"

Hey, kids! It's time once again to gather 'round the CPU and enjoy Altrok Radio's ninth attempt at "A Very Inappropriate Christmas".

It'll start up on our CD-quality stereo and slow-connection-friendly mono stations at 1:30pm Eastern on Christmas Eve (that's today, as of this writing), and last all the way through to 6:00am Eastern on December 26 (that way, Alaska and Hawaii can join in the fun.) We'll be featuring classic Christmas tracks that are alternately reverent, irreverent and vaguely disconcerting - a little something to get the arguments started early at the dysfunctional family gathering of your choice. There's new Julian Casablancas and Blondie (!) holiday tunes mixed in there, plus lots of old faves.

And tune in at 90.5 The Night in central Jersey, and 90.5thenight.org online, at 11:00pm Eastern Christmas Day for the two-hour Altrok Radio FM Showcase...this week featuring a new Altrok Christmas Mix for the first hour, and - in the second hour - new tracks from New Young Pony Club, Deastro and The Futureheads alongside classics from The Cure and The Bangles and a deep cut from The Higsons.

On Boxing Day (that's the day after Christmas, you visigoths) come and see me at The Court Tavern in New Brunswick, NJ, spinning deep alt tracks for your dancing pleasure from 9PM.

12/26: It Ain't the Melody Reunion, But It'll Be Fun.

I'm packing up the ol' records again for a shindig at The Court Tavern coming up on Saturday, 12/26. Wanna dance to deep alternative classics? You wanna go there.

This Weekend's Shows That Matter

Friday, December 18, 2009

• The Juan MacLean at Music Hall Of Williamsburg, Bklyn
• Weston at Mercury Lounge
• From Good Homes (reunion show) at Wellmont Theatre
• Fanfarlo at Webster Hall
• Honey Brothers (feat Adrian Grenier) at Brooklyn Bowl
• Bardo Pond, White Out (w and Thurston Moore) at Le Poisson Rouge
• Losers' Lounge Tribute To The Jackson 5 at Joe's Pub
• Scrapomatic at Living Room
• Grant Hart (x-Husker Du) at Brighton Bar
• Cavalier Rose at Studio @ Webster Hall

Saturday, December 19, 2009

• Glen Burtnik's Xmas Xtravaganza at Count Basie Theatre
• Garage a Trois (Mike Dillon, Skerik, Stanton Moore & Marco Benevento) at Bowery Ballroom
• From Good Homes (reunion show) at Wellmont Theatre
• Matisyahu's Festival Of Light at Music Hall Of Williamsburg, Bklyn
• Weston at Maxwells
• Greyboy Allstars at Irving Plaza
• Christmas with Aaron Neville feat Charles Neville at Highline Ballroom
• Eric Bachmann (of Crooked Fingers & Archers Of Loaf) at Mercury Lounge
• Jesse Harris at Nublu
• Infinite Detour, Chilling Details (reunion show & Frank's farewell to NJ show), Anthony Fiumano & the Medicine Chest, Bloodsugars and Chemtrail at The Saint
• Losers' Lounge Tribute To The Jackson 5 at Joe's Pub
• Glen Burtnik's Xmas Xtravaganza at Count Basie Theatre

Sunday, December 20, 2009

• Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at Highline Ballroom
• Matisyahu's Festival Of Light at Music Hall Of Williamsburg, Bklyn
• Rustic Overtones at Brooklyn Bowl
• James Maddock at Langosta Lounge
• Mos Def at Highline Ballroom

Our listings are updated every day (regardless of whether we do an update here on the main page.) For more on the next four weeks of shows:

• Click here for the list of shows
• or here for the artists that are playing
• or here for all the venues that are doing shows.

Merry Christmas From Blondie

You can head over to blondie.net and get it for free.



Plus a new album in 2010...

Nickelback Is The Group Of The Decade.

This article's title echoes a pronouncement by Billboard Magazine (reported here in The Toronto Star) and it's one that I can't help but agree with.

You'll notice the absence of any declaration that it is a good thing...but, sadly, it is the truth.

Wait 'till next decade...

Court Tavern Update: Everybody Breathe

Eileen at The Court (via Laura S.) passes along the following:

In the true spirit of the season people all over the country have been burning up my phone ready to help. Thanks to a very generous soul (thank you Michael) who came in with a certified check for $20,000 so that nothing went wrong I am going to go and pay the taxes now. I will set up a paypal acct. either tonight or tomorrow and people can donate at their leisure over the next week or so.

So they're not out of the woods, but the immediate danger has passed. Stay tuned for more on how to set their PayPal on fire with donations. If there's a future for live music in New Brunswick (and everywhere else) it'll be up to you to help keep it happening.

Action Needed NOW: Save The Court Tavern!

The long and the short of it is that $20k isn't a lot of money if enough people get together to do the heavy lifting. Here's what's being passed around Facebook:

If you know anyone in a financial position to save the Court, PLEASE pass this along to them!

-------
Once again I am in the position of writing an extremely difficult letter. We have 24 hours to raise $20,000 or we may be forced to close. I know that times are tough and it is the holiday season but it's not impossible, 4 people to lend us $5,000 ea. - 10 people/$2000 ea. - 20 people/$1,000ea - 40 people/$500 ... See Moreea. and so forth. Here's why: We owe @ $26,000 in back property tax and water and sewer to the city of New Brunswick. A friend of ours knew we needed help and offered it based on the fact that he was selling his house and asked how much we needed. Bobby told him $20,000 or so. He said he could help us out provided his closing went through on Friday, which it did. Today he came in with $5,000, apparently all he could do. Bobby was under the impression that he could lend us the bulk of it. Now we are really screwed. We must pay the entire amount by 4:00 tomorrow ( [actually, TODAY - Ed.] Tues. 12/15 ) or it will go to tax sale. If it goes to tax sale the mortgage company will start foreclosure proceedings. Commercial mortgages are different that residential and the only way to stop it would be to file bankruptcy. The bankruptcy court will take over the business and liquidate it. The end of the Court Tavern. Bobby and I and Cassius have sacrificed so much of our family time and money over the years just trying to stay afloat. Everytime we are ready to throw in the towel , someone will come along and tell them how much the Court means to them so we keep on going. Tony Shanahan is in the process of organizing a benefit concert for us at the state theater in March. We thought we had it covered, borrow the money from our friend, pay the taxes, in March pay him back and have some extra cash to get caught up on some other stuff. Not going to happen. If you can help at all please call my cell phone at 732-887-1612 ASAP. All loans will be repaid in March with interest. We only have 24 hours. You can also text me if it's late tonight although I don't know how I'll sleep.
Sincerely,...
Eileen Albert"

A friend, Brian Demarest, added the comments below.

Below is the letter from Eileen. If you know the Court you know how horrible this is. Hallowed grounds featuring bands over the years such as: The Gaslight Anthem, The Melvins, Pavement, The Replacements, WEEN, Mars Needs Women, Buzzkill, The Boss Jim Getty's, The Cramped Styles, Ff, Aviso Hara, Psycult, The Blisters, The Flaming Lips,Circle Jerks, Henry Rollins, Jonathan Richman, Real McKensies, Urge Overkill, Jesus Lizard, Nashville Pussy The Butthole Surfers, X, The Smithereens, ? and the mysterians, The Dictators, The Upper Crust, The Parlor Mob, The Bouncing Souls, World Inferno Friendship Society, Vision, The Woggles, The Fleshtones, The Moony Suzuki, Los Straightjackets, Shades Apart, Lifetime and many many other talented artists...

Here's the Court's Facebook wall:


http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Brunswick-NJ/The-Court-Tavern/95906964037?v=wall&ref=ts

We'll post an update as soon as we know where the money can get sent so quickly.

Altrok Radio Music Update #248

Firstly, the important stuff:

Altrok Radio is at http://www.altrokradio.com

Please remember to tune in whenever you can - every hour you listen turns into more visibility for the station; we show up higher in search listings, and such like that. And if you'd like to help us keep the stream running, check out the advertisers if they appeal to you; your interest actually helps fund us.

And in the interest of keeping you interested...well, you *do* know about our daily retro feature, right? No? Well...

ALTROK'S DAILY RETRO

WEEKDAYS, 11:30a-1:30p EASTERN

Now then, we've got songs to let you know about.

This week, our Grinders (the stuff we play heavily) include music from:

- Esben And The Witch
- Animal Kingdom
- Field Music
- Reni Lane
- Animal Collective
- The Cribs

Plus we've got newly-added music:

- Alberta Cross - Taking Control
- The Answering Machine - It's Over! It's Over! It's Over!
- Arctic Monkeys - Sketchead
- The Drums - I Felt Stupid
- Gordon Gano & The Ryans - Man In The Sand
- Holloways - Jukebox Sunshine
- Hot Chip - Take It In
- Cosmo Jarvis - She's Got You
- Ladyhawke - Magic
- Little Comets - Adultery
- Shy Child - Criss Cross
- The Twang - Encouraging Sign
- Two Door Cinema Club - I Can Talk

Our Featured Classics:

- Cake - Never There
- Julian Cope - Planet Ride
- Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Two Tribes (Annihilation)
- Joy Division - Warsaw
- Killing Joke - Birds Of A Feather
- Love & Rockets - Lucifer Sam
- Metronomy - My Heart Rate Rapid
- Soft Cell - What
- Visage - The Damned Dont Cry

And don't forget the R/SYN Underground night, every Saturday at the Corner Tavern in New Brunswick, where Drew and IronMike keep you dancing with the most advanced playlist this side of the Atlantic (and where, occasionally, yours truly might show up and spin a coupla tracks...ya never know.)

'Twas The Night After Christmas: The Court Tavern, December 26. Lotsa good DJs including Drew and IronMike, plus your Altrok proprietor. Classic deep alternative and new music, too. Creatures will be stirring.

About the Classic Era Melody Bar Reunion: Oh yeah, it's happening, February 27, 2010. If you're turning 38 sometime in 2010, you're in (even younger if you can vouch for being there, but you'll have to stand out from all the other folks who'll say they were there.) If it gets tight, bring a Melody Bar card (free drink card, VIP, whatever) to speed you past the velvet rope; last year was crazy, and this one will be too.

- Sean Carolan
Altrok Radio
On your computer now at http://www.altrokradio.com
On the radio Fridays at 10pm, at 90.5 The Night

Sure, Gollum And King Kong Were Difficult, But Ian Dury?

File this under "really? A movie?"...

The Times Of London reports that Andy Serkis will be playing the obvious lead role in the new movie Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, a biography of Ian Dury. This after being the motion-captured basis for Gollum in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy and the eponymous character in King Kong. Apparently, his roles weren't already weird enough.

One must remember that Serkis isn't a stranger to rock bios; his performance as Joy Division's multiply-addicted producer Martin Hannett was a stand-out feature of the movie 24 Hour Party People (which, for my money, is an outstanding movie all its own.) In that case, Tony Wilson (in the DVD's commentary track...which is, by the way, as big an attraction of the 24 Hour Party People disc as the feature itself) suggested that Serkis' role as Hannett might have topped Gollum for weirdness.

At any rate, since Dury was survived not only by his family but also by the remaining Blockheads, it is in fact The Blockheads backing up Serkis on the soundtrack...and they're all pretty excited by Serkis' mimicry of Dury...all of which adds up to me being pretty excited about the film. It opens January 8 in the UK; no word yet on a US release (and for reference, we had to wait about six months to get Pirate Radio...)

Altrok Radio Music Update #247

Firstly, the important stuff:

Altrok Radio is at http://www.altrokradio.com

Please remember to tune in whenever you can - every hour you listen turns into more visibility for the station; we show up higher in search listings, and such like that. And if you'd like to help us keep the stream running, check out the advertisers if they appeal to you; your interest actually helps fund us.

And in the interest of keeping you interested...well, you *do* know about our daily retro feature, right? No? Well...

ALTROK'S DAILY RETRO

WEEKDAYS, 11:30a-1:30p EASTERN

Now then, we've got songs to let you know about.

This week, our Grinders (the stuff we play heavily) include music from:

- Middle Distance Runner
- The Twang
- Screaming Lights
- Jenny Dee & The Deelinquents
- LoveLikeFire
- The Soft Pack

Plus we've got newly-added music:

- Animal Kingdom - Signs And Wonders
- Brendan Benson - Garbage Day
- The Bravery - The Spectator
- The Cribs - We Share The Same Skies
- Dinosaur Jr. - The Backyard
- The Features - Lions
- Flamboyant Bella - Get A Reaction
- Ladyhawke - Magic
- Local Natives - Camera Talk
- Mando Diao - Dance With Somebody
- Raveonettes - Bang!
- The Rifles - Science Is Violence
- Stricken City - Five Metres Apart
- Frank Turner - Poetry Of The Deed

Our Featured Classics:

- The Adult Net - Incense And Peppermints
- Big Dipper - Homosapien
- The dB's - Lonely Is As Lonely Does
- The Fall - Proteinprotection
- Haircut 100 - Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl) [Extended Version]
- Hunters And Collectors - Talking To A Stranger
- Magazine - Shot By Both Sides
- The Vapors - Jimmie Jones
- XTC - Life Begins At The Hop

And don't forget the R/SYN Underground night, every Saturday at the Corner Tavern in New Brunswick, where Drew and IronMike keep you dancing with the most advanced playlist this side of the Atlantic (and where, occasionally, yours truly might show up and spin a coupla tracks...ya never know.)

Plus, a new item on the horizon - a rather nice shindig is coming up on Boxing Day, at the Court Tavern's roomy new upstairs hoedown space. Things have been broadened to accommodate the sorts of hijinks you'd expect from the caliber of DJs like Drew and Iron Mike...and yours truly, in fact, among others. That's December 26 at the Court Tavern, with a complete absence of holiday revelry (but an abundance of the garden-variety kind.)

And, of course: The Pinfield-Era Melody Bar Reunion will be its usual boisterous self on Saturday, February 27. Owing to capacity issues, preference will be toward those who were likely to have actually been at the Melody Bar from 1982-1992. (It might be helpful if you still have a Melody Free Drink or VIP card.)

- Sean Carolan
Altrok Radio
On your computer now at http://www.altrokradio.com
On the radio Fridays at 11pm, at 90.5 The Night

Wednesday's Shows That Matter

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

• Mountain Goats and Final Fantasy at Bell House, Bklyn
• Over the Rhine and Vienna Teng at Tarrytown Music Hall, Tarrytown NY
• Cross Canadian Ragweed at Bowery Ballroom
• Josh Ritter at Theater Of The Living Arts, Philly
• Phish at Madison Square Garden
• Jimmy Gnecco (of Ours) at World Cafe Live, Philly
• Bustle In Your Hedgerow at Hhighline Ballroom
• Phoenix, Passion Pit, Jack's Mannequin and Manchester Orchestra at Hammerstein Ballroom
• Imogen Heap at Webster Hall
• Holly Cole at World Cafe Live, Philly
• Hurricane Bells and Scout at Living Room
• Orion Experience at Pianos

Our listings are updated every day (regardless of whether we do an update here on the main page.) For more on the next four weeks of shows:

• Click here for the list of shows
• or here for the artists that are playing
• or here for all the venues that are doing shows.

Tuesday's Shows That Matter

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

• Mountain Goats and Final Fantasy at Webster Hall
• Cross Canadian Ragweed at Music Hall Of Williamsburg, Bklyn
• Rob Zombie, Captain Clegg and Nekromantix at Hammerstein Ballroom
• Over The Rhine and Lucy Wainwright Roche at Highline Ballroom
• Jerzy Jung at Bitter End

Our listings are updated every day (regardless of whether we do an update here on the main page.) For more on the next four weeks of shows:

• Click here for the list of shows
• or here for the artists that are playing
• or here for all the venues that are doing shows.