Just mere months after the Flaming Lips finally revealed their seven year opus Christmas on Mars to select festival goers Memorial Day weekend at the Sasquatch Music Festival in Washington, they are bequeathing it to you, dear Lips fanatic, for use however you please. A DVD version of the sensory experience dubbed Christmas on Mars will be [...]

It’s hard to believe its been almost 12 years since Canada’s Cowboy Junkies last visited Ithaca. Well the long wait is over as they return for one night only on Thursday, February 5th at the State Theatre.
Reserved seating tickets will be $28.00 plus theatre restoration fee. A limited number of gold circle seating will [...]

 
AS SEEN IN THE ITHACA JOURNAL, 10/22/08 by Luke Z. Fenchel
In what might be described as a gentle and sober musical flashback, David Crosby and Graham Nash treated a sold-out Monday night crowd at the State Theatre to a touching show that drew from their 40-year collaboration.
Over the course of two sets and almost three [...]

Its been a few weeks so there’s probably a new Ryan Adams record out.  Let’s review it.  Why do I choose to finally review a Ryan record?  Well his band has grown up here – on Cardinology that is..  The lead track “Born Into A Light” shows a new level of restraint and the soft [...]

Denied a record deal for years because she didn’t have the right look (“too heavy, too dark, too short”), Sharon Jones worked as a Riker’s Island prison guard, an armored truck guard for Wells Fargo, and countless other day jobs. Now at 52 years old, Jones is being heralded as the new “Queen [...]

One of my favorite and somewhat under-appreciated bands was Catherine Wheel. I was working at the Haunt back in 1992 when we’d get these weekly packages of advance music from Capitol Records. One week, tucked in between Radiohead and The Beastie Boys remix of “So Whatcha Want” (by Cypress Hill mind you)  was [...]

It’s a good thing the Avett Brothers are musicians. Otherwise we’re pretty sure they’d be locked up somewhere…energy like that can’t be put to any other use. It’s guerilla old-time, with punk rock rhythms, harrowing lyrics and and gratifying caustic three-part harmonies. They cut you the bone and heal you to the core, and we [...]

Really?  A white guy?  Funky and Fresh?  I don’t believe it.  
Well doubters, get ready to feel the funk from your ears to your soul.  Edan – The Humble Magnificent is a hip-hop artists and turbtablist with a extensive discography that you’ve probably never heard of, but you should really really want to.  He’s like [...]

I can think of no better word to descibe Jeff Mangum’s slowly accelerating return to the public eye. After years of rumors following the mythical, reclusive singer of the legendary Neutral Milk Hotel, he is here. And he is looming.
Mangum made his first public appearance on October 11th in New York City as a part [...]

It’s rare that I call a concert the best show of my life. Real rare. But last Sunday it happened.  Close your eyes and imagine this: A completely dark stage except for a strange huge circular cut out in the middle of an empty stage. Behind this strange circle is a giant orange light so [...]

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Hank III sounds today like what his grandaddy did 60 years ago.  The epitome of no holds barred, contrary to the mainstream beliefs and no fear of repercussions for saying exactly what he feels.  I’ve been enjoying his continued success and his latest, Damn Right Rebel Proud is no disappointment.  
He’s always hit you hard right out of [...]

Man, I am still buzzing for the killer Billy Bragg (See my interview here) show at the State Theatre in Ithaca, NY this past Saturday. It was with out a doubt one of my top shows. It was Billy playing his guitar—mostly electric, but some acoustic as well—on a simple black stage. And I want [...]

DSP kicked off its assault of the Ithaca club scene with a perfect night of sugary pop, country-tinged sadness and a healthy dose of pure songwriting talent last evening at Castaways with the appearance of Mirah, No Kids and Jennie Stearns.

Listen to the show
The show began with Jennie playing solo and she was the [...]

Last Friday I saw Jenny Lewis spill her bluesy splendor all over London at Koko. Adorning her best “western chic” outfit, the gingered Rilo Kiley singer came out with a full band, including her beau Jonathan Rice to a sold out audience. Starting with the gospel fused “Jack Killed Mom” I knew it would be [...]

Last night we chalked another one up in the WOW! column.  It was a rare treat to spend the night with Britain’s version of our 1960’s era Bob Dylan.  Billy Bragg treated the crowd to almost two hours of songs and banter about his two favorite topics – politics and love.  He’s got the best [...]

The Watson twins just finished up their on-air set on WICB and it was quite a treat! The lovely Twins treated us to renditions of “How am I to Be”(with an extra verse of Ain’t No Sunshine at the end), “Just like Heaven” (the Cure), and “Bar Woman Blues” from their debut album Fire Songs.  [...]

There are still good seats left for Billy Bragg and the Watson Twins tonight at the State Theatre… They’ll be available all day and at the door tonight.  Don’t miss this chance to see a true legend up close and personal with one of Americana’s fastest rising groups…
 
 
 
 
 
DSP kicks off its foray into club world [...]

We all know and love our iTunes playslists, and while we’re aware that there’s a infinite amount of music out there (read: on the internet), both good and bad, we find it hard to break from the old and embrace the new.  Well you lazy bastards, now you don’t have to troll myspace and hypem [...]

There’s only one name that comes to mind when you think of glam indie rock…Of Montreal of course. With their recent promise “We will only propagate exceptional objects” in mind, their current tour proved to be nothing short of one gigantic exceptional object. Preceding the concert, I couldn’t help but wonder to myself if it [...]