Photos: Dan Dealy

Before Bowery Ballroom was filled with smoke—and the smooth sounds of the G-Funk era that were part of the liquor-sipping set from Warren G (check out our preview here)—the stage was rocked with some of hip-hop’s new high-energy crews. Chi-Town’s rambunctious Kidz in the Hall kicked things off—you may remember that the duo made our couch their stage when they played a Live at TONY session. Last night, Double-O and Naledge paid no regards to the “cooler than you” New York crowd and were determined to have as much fun as possible, even dragging a couple fans on stage for their latest, “Jukebox.” Keeping the energy up was the West Coast team U-N-I, bringing along friends Curtains and their DJ for the night, Theo Martins; the crowd may have started the show unfamiliar, but they embraced the duo by the time they were through. Finally, Warren G made his entrance, smooth-rolling through most of his performance with a drink in hand. The audience erupted into a frenzy when G announced he was there to celebrate his birthday, launching into a medley of West Coast classics from his group 213 (with Nate Dogg and step-brother Dr. Dre). The night hit its climax when the song that everyone came to hear, “Regulate,” blared through toward the end of G’s set. Before calling it a night, the birthday boy passed the mike on to a few MCs in the building—including a second appearance from Curtains and a freestyle from New York’s own Donny Goines.

1. Maxwell and Common at Madison Square Garden
Neosoul star Maxwell just released his first album since 2001, the delicious BLACKsummer’s Night, which forms the first installment of a trilogy; tonight he raises the temperature at the Garden. Impressive support comes from hip-hop vet Common (who provides the boomy narration on Kid Cudi’s new album).

2. Great Lake Swimmers, Nina Nastasia and Sharon Van Etten at Music Hall of Williamsburg
Toronto songman Tony Dekker headlines as Great Lake Swimmers, and we’re stoked about tonight’s openers: Singular singer-songwriter Nina Nastasia has a new album in the offing and always electrifies live, and you can check out local songsmith Sharon Van Etten performing live for TONY here.

3. Main Squeeze Orchestra at (Le) Poisson Rouge
This 18-piece all-gal orchestra is conducted by Walter Kuhr, who runs the accordion shop Main Squeeze. Tonight it celebrates the music of Kurt Weill…on accordion.

4. Mono and Maserati at the Bowery Ballroom
Avant metalers Mono share a bill with the krautrockin’ Maserati. Heads will nod.

5. Jo Lawry at the Bar Next Door
Sweet-voiced jazz singer Jo Lawry plays with her band. Sneak a preview of the combo playing Live at TONY here.

You probably know by now that we’re fans of Larkin Grimm (above), the Young God signee who so impressed with her spindly, enchanting debut album, Parplar (interview here)—and whose live shows in NYC have blown us away. At her Union Pool show, the earthy singer spoke of sorcery and asked the crowd if they were familiar with the cosmic orgasm—so we were not surprised to learn that Grimm is now curating Musicka Mystica Maxima, a two-night event starting tonight at Santos, where all of the participating artists are practicing magicians or those whose work “celebrates the magical lifestyle.” She’s joined tonight by the mighty Genesis P-Orridge (Throbbing Gristle cofounder) and Arrington de Dionyso, among others. Even if you’re not like, mystical, you’re sure to have a pretty out-there time.

More unhinged goings-on take place at the Bowery Ballroom: fast-rising Brit band Fanfarlo is joined by Swedish husband-and-wife duo, Wildbirds & Peacedrums, whose album we reviewed here. For a taste of their stripped-down soul, watch them performing in our office, here.

Moby’s new album, Wait for Me, may be his best yet, a melancholy and intimate listen—and his two NYC shows see America’s most famous vegan backed by a live band. Should be good. Tonight, Moby plays the Fillmore, tomorrow, Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Signed to Damon Albarn’s eclectic Honest Jon’s imprint, Simone White sings in a sweet, pure voice ideally suited to Mark Nevers’s (Lambchop, Will Oldham) production on her new Yakiimo album. She plays Rockwood Music Hall; check out exclusive MP3s here.

And Kyp Malone’s other band, Rain Machine, plays The Bell House, in celebration of its new, self-titled album. Stereogum has the band’s excellent new single, “Smiling Black Faces,” here.

If the recent review of Wildbirds & Peacedrums in TONY had you intrigued, you’re in luck. The enchanting Swedish percussion-and-voice duo plays a whole bunch of local shows in the coming days, including gigs tonight (September 15) at (Le) Poisson Rouge, tomorrow (September 16) at Cake Shop, Friday (September 18) at Bruar Falls, next Monday (September 21) at Bowery Ballroom and next Tuesday (September 22) at the Bell House. On the eve of all that madness, W&P was kind enough to stop by the TONY offices for an unplugged performance.

Yesterday, we advised you to go see John Fogerty, and today we’re championing an event celebrating Tom Petty.… Have we gone all geezerish on you? Nah, Petty Fest 2009, going down tonight at Bowery Ballroom, features an impressive cast of hot, young indie types, including lovable Stroke Fab Moretti, offbeat crooner Adam Green, atmospheric neo–torch singer Nicole Atkins and more. Get warmed up with this vintage clip from one of the ugliest-yet-coolest men in rock:

Those looking for something a little more adventurous, get thee to Glasslands. The Billyburg space hosts a stellar quartet of local avant-rock acts—Liturgy, Zs, Extra Life and TONY fave Larkin Grimm—all of whom are remarkably adept at combining the brainy with the visceral.

Jauntier tunes prevail at Music Hall of Williamsburg, where lush, classy pop outfit Elizabeth and the Catapult continues to support its recent Verve Forecast debut, Taller Children. For a much scrappier brand of popcraft, try punk veteran Kevin Seconds at Union Hall or the great pairing of The Octagon and Graham Smith’s Kleenex Girl Wonder at Bruar Falls.

At the jazz clubs, your best bet is probably Iridium, which hosts James Moody, the sentimental sax man whose solo was the basis for the famed slow jam “Moody’s Mood for Love.” A few avenues over, you can catch saxist John Surman at Birdland, or you can head downtown to hear pianist Kenny Werner at Blue Note, or the venerable Frisell/Motian/Lovano trio at Village Vanguard.

There are a lot of cool shows going down tonight, but John Fogerty’s gig at South Street Seaport stands out for a number of reasons, the main one being that it’s absolutely, positively free. If you’re not already psyched by the prospect, let us remind you that Fogerty once fronted one of the most badass roots-rock outfits the world has ever known, not to mention one of Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski’s favorite bands. Check it:

If you’re into that down-home vibe and have some dough to burn, we’d definitely recommend heading over to Rumsey Playfield, where The Black Crowes—supporting a compellingly groovy new album, Before the Frost… Until the Freeze—share a bill with justly legendary ex–Band member Levon Helm, playing behind his recent Electric Dirt effort.

Those with broader musical horizons and a somewhat lighter cash flow can check out recently reunited glam-prog champions Shudder to Think at Bowery Ballroom, rousing postpunkers Titus Andronicus at Monster Island or neo–No Wave duo Talk Normal at Market Hotel.

Out in jazz land, there are few excellent events going down. First and foremost, don’t miss a rare chance to hear downtown firebrand John Zorn flaunt his sensitive side, as a piano trio helmed by Rob Burger performs the composer’s touchingly breezy Alhambra Love Songs at the Stone. Beyond that, you can catch British sax powerhouse John Surman and his all-star band at Birdland (read the TONY preview here); avant-jazz percussionist extraordinaire Tom Rainey helming a trio at Barbès; the magisterial team of drummer Paul Motian, saxist Joe Lovano and guitarist Bill Frisell at Village Vanguard; and former Lounge Lizard Michael Blake joining forces with the Dred Scott Trio at 55 Bar.

If none of those choices strikes your fancy, why not check out a one-of-kind veteran act, namely shrewd pop duo Pet Shop Boys (read the TONY feature here) at Hammerstein Ballroom or esteemed reggae crew Toots and the Maytals at Brooklyn Bowl?

Assuming you’re not holding a ticket to tonight’s sold-out Nine Inch Nails show at Terminal 5—purportedly the band’s last ever performance in our fair city—you’ve got a few options: You can brave the scalpers, either on the sidewalk or online; you can experience NIN’s incendiary power vicariously via Lizz Kuehl’s Volume slide show (reposted below) from the band’s Bowery Ballroom show this past Saturday; or you can read on for some other worthy live-music options.

If you’re in the mood for something a whole heck of a lot mellower, try The Low Anthem, a subtle Rhode Island folk outfit, which plays tonight at the Bell House. Get a preview via an exclusive live performance the band filmed for the Volume back in June. More fine alt-roots sounds can be heard at Bruar Falls, where the twangy coed outfit Georgiana Starlington holds court.

It’s a busy night at the city’s experimental-music haunts. At Barbès, catch a rare glimpse of Tartar Lamb, a spin-off of the ever-visionary metallic art-pop ensemble Kayo Dot. Over at Roulette, Sparks—the free-improv duo of trumpeter Peter Evans and bassist Tom Blancarte—ropes in pals such as Nate Wooley, Okkyung Lee and Brandon Seabrook for some top-notch impromptu madness. And at the Stone, recent TONY star Tyshawn Sorey presents the next two chapters in his multinight work Wu-Wei.

If it’s inspired irreverence you seek, look no further than the left-field pop revue Our Hit Parade at Joe’s Pub, with Bridget Everett, Neal Medlyn and others. Afrobeat fans can catch the funky Nigerian artist Michael Olatuja earlier at the same venue.

Lastly, jazz heads have a variety of strong shows to choose from, including bassist Drew Gress’s 7 Black Butterflies project, playing for free at Bruno Walter Auditorium; pianist George Colligan’s band, featuring saxist Donny McCaslin and drummer E.J. Strickland, at Smoke; and the outstanding (and longstanding) trio of horn man Joe Lovano, guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Paul Motian at Village Vanguard.

As you’ve seen seen in this week’s magazine, Nine Inch Nails is in town kicking off its farewell tour—and last night, Trent & Co. delivered a mighty 27-song set at the Bowery. TONY snapper Lizz Kuehl was there to capture the action (and the chaos). The band plays Webster Hall tonight, then two nights at Terminal 5. Click past the jump to see that set list in full.

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The hype has died down considerably, but when the dust settles, “Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell” just might go down as the viral single of 2009. The track comes courtesy of Das Racist, an irreverent (duh) Brooklyn hip-hop duo that performs tonight at the Bell House along with the pleasingly eccentric Montreal indie-pop outfit Islands. As you might recall, we recently posted an exclusive impromptu Das Racist performance (along with an interview) on the Volume—here it is again for your viewing pleasure:

Not feeling the conceptual hip-hop high jinks? Read on.

Brainy prog-jazz supergroup Fieldwork, featuring recent TONY star Tyshawn Sorey behind the kit, stops by the Stone for a pair of sets.

Detroit turbo-rock oddballs Electric Six (“Gay Bar”, anyone?) hit Maxwell’s in the company of faux-French mainstays Les Sans Culottes and former Be Your Own Pet belter Jemina Pearl.

The extraordinary throat singer Tanya Tagaq, who has worked with the likes of Björk and the Kronos Quartet, plays a free show at Lincoln Center’s Damrosch Park.

Famed party-rap outfit Naughty by Nature plays its own gratis outdoor show in Staten Island’s Mahoney Park.

Jazz drum great Roy Haynes, still sounding amazing as of April, brings his aptly named Fountain of Youth ensemble to Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola.

Moody indie veteran Chris Brokaw, of Come and Codeine fame, performs his challenging instrumental work—featured on 2008’s outstanding Canaris—at Issue Project Room.

Elsewhere: The Breeders continue a sold-out stand at Bowery Ballroom, Works Progress Administration (Nickel Creek folk plus Toad the Wet Sprocket singer Glen Phillips) graces Joe’s Pub, and probing pianist Richie Beirach begins a Birdland run.

By now you’ve heard that Pixies are coming back to town in November to play their entire Doolittle album start to finish. But if you need a fix before then, you’re in luck: Our favorite Pixie, Kim Deal, hits town tonight with her other band, The Breeders, playing shows tonight and tomorrow at the Bowery Ballroom. Yes, they’re officially sold out…but we know good and well how crafty you are. (You can read our official TONY preview here, and a Hot Seat Q&A with Deal here.)

Catch an intimate glimpse of a singer-songwriter on the rise at (Le) Poisson Rouge, where Diane Birch—previewed in TONY and photographed in action here on the Volume—will be serving up soulful originals from her debut disc, Bible Belt.

Ready for some fun in the sun? Party where it used to be out of bounds with The B-52s, who play the Beach at Governors Island this evening.

Or tune your head to the opposite end of the musical spectrum, when veteran keyboardist and violinist Eddie Jobson—known for his exploits in English art-rock bands Curved Air, Roxy Music and U.K.—arrives at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill for a stop on his first-ever solo headlining tour in America. Last seen back in January with the then-new group UKZ (covered here), Jobson brings a band of heavy-hitting musos, including guest Warr Guitarist Trey Gunn and the insane drum-porn tandem of Simon Phillips and Marco Minnemann.

Elsewhere: Amy Speace and Mitch Easter share a bill at Southpaw; Regina Spektor chats and sings during a free in-store at the Barnes & Noble above Union Square; and progressive-jazz pianist Jason Moran steers his long-running trio, Bandwagon, into the Village Vanguard.

Like most of us, Natasha Khan, a.k.a. Bat for Lashes—playing to a sold-out crowd tonight at Webster Hall—longs for the NYC of old. As she recently told Time Out Hong Kong:

I think the most fascinating aspects of [NYC] were the grittier and darker ones, which have now been homogenized. Obviously, it’s good that people don’t live in fear there anymore, but by scrubbing the subways clean of graffiti, they definitely lost a huge part of New York’s heritage and what made it interesting artistically.

Whether or not you concur with Khan’s assessment, we think you’ll agree that there are few hotter shows going down tonight. If you’re not up to braving the crowd, read on for some other solid options.

Wu-Tanger Raekwon, who recently blew the Volume’s mind at Peter Rosenberg’s Noisemakers series, plays a free show in Staten Island’s Mahoney Park. Hip-hop fans unwilling to make that trek but interested in a cool outdoor show can check out Black Moon and Smif N Wessun at Crown Heights’ Brower Park.

Steely Dan closes out its marathon Beacon Theatre run with a survey of its underrated 1980 classic, Gaucho.

Experimental violist Jessica Pavone, an innovative and highly versatile performer-composer, presents her work at Barbès’ Stochastic Brooklyn series.

Saxist JD Allen continues his run at Village Vanguard, where he’ll pilot a vibrant trio. Read David R. Adler’s TONY preview here.

Starlight Mints bring their imaginative, Beatlesque pop to Bowery Ballroom.

Downtown legends James Chance and Elliott Sharp stop by the Freestyle Music Music series at Local 269.

A trio of local mainstays ply their trades: funky West African unit Mandingo Ambassadors at Barbès, soulful bluesman Bill Sims Jr. at Banjo Jim’s and talking-drum specialist Baye Kouyate at Joe’s Pub.

Photo: Sophie Harris

Just hours ago, Jack White’s Dead Weather band played a teeny tiny show in a basement on Chrystie Street, and TONY was there. The show marks the release of the Dead Weather’s Horehound album and the band’s two nights at Terminal 5, starting tonight—and also the opening of a pop-up shop for Jack White’s Third Man label. Fulfilling pretty much all your White Stripes/Raconteurs/Dead Weather needs, the store stocks a ton of merch, so if you’re feeling a sudden urge to buy a “Meg” Lomo camera, a rare 12-inch or a button badge, get down there.

But fans started lining up outside the store starting at 6am today, to get into the show—a handful of folks even camped out last night to guarantee entrance. And what a show it was. After the jump, more photos of the band’s performance and of the Third Man store, a full recap, and a video of TV presenter Matt Pinfield—who was personally invited by Jack White to be a guest clerk at the store.

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Photographs by Laal Shams and Hank Shteamer

Anyone who came to the Wavves show at Bowery Ballroom tonight expecting a meltdown would have been sorely disappointed. Nathan Williams, the San Diego no-fi songsmith who leads the band, has enjoyed a surreal sort of online notoriety ever since he turned in a surly and incoherent performance at Barcelona’s Primavera Sound Festival back in late May. Having been deified overnight by the blogs—as well as presciently tipped by TONY’s own Colin St. John—Williams became an object of schadenfreude and perverse fascination. But nothing even remotely controversial occurred at tonight’s show, unless you count a hat thrown onstage or some rowdy crowd-surfing.

Click ahead for more text and pics.

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We’re proud to say that we were relatively early to jump on the bandwagon of Asher Roth, who headlines the Great Hangover Tour at Nokia Theatre Times Square tonight. After extending the impish Pennsylvania MC a shout-out during his mixtape days, we featured him on the eve of his breakthrough release, Asleep in the Bread Aisle. Additionally, we shot some live video at Roth’s last area appearance in April. Check out that footage below and get psyched for this evening’s festivities, at which Roth will be joined by fellow It rapper Kid Cudi.

If you’re not in the hip-hop mood, check out another deafeningly hyped young artist: Nathan “Wavves” Williams—playing at Bowery Ballroom tonight—who has recently seen his life turned into a perverse sort of reality show by the music blogosphere. Drama aside, Williams’s fuzzed-out, hook-filled punk tunes are among the catchiest on the current indie landscape. Opening is psych-folk-ish Volume fave Woods. (Check out our recent Woods Q&A here.)

And if you’re at all attuned to the jazz world, you’ve no doubt read tons of breathless press concerning Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, hitting (Le) Poisson Rouge tonight. Check out TONY’s take on the self-proclaimed steampunk big band here.

Elsewhere in the city, it’s all about the free, outdoor shows, and there’s something for every taste. Left-field guitar virtuoso Kaki King hits Stuyvesant Town Oval, eccentric jazz nostalgist Don Byron salutes Motown sax powerhouse Junior Walker at Madison Square Park, freestyle mainstays George Lamond and Judy Torres stop by the Bronx’s Crotona Park, and Count Basie associate Frank Foster helms his eponymous big band up at Grant’s Tomb.

At the clubs tonight, women rule. The raging female-fronted metal unit Jucifer takes no prisoners at Cake Shop. Nashville songsmith Sarah Siskind (who recently taped an exclusive outdoor a cappella performance for the Volume) brings her Bon Iver–approved tunes to Joe’s Pub. And thoughtful pop storyteller Aimee Mann takes the stage at City Winery.

It’s also a strong night for Latin-music fans, as Jamaican reggae crooner Beres Hammond performs at BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, and the charismatic Sergent Garcia makes his U.S. debut at S.O.B.’s. Last but not even remotely least, the Jonas Brothers—a little up-and-coming band you may have read about in the pages of TONY—faces the adoring throngs at Izod Center.

School of Seven Bells brought their dreamy sounds to Bowery Ballroom Friday and our photographer Heami Lee was there. Check out more pics after the jump.

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The great Nashville troubadour Todd Snider headlined Bowery Ballroom Thursday night, a rare semiseated show at the venue. He performed solo and, as is his wont, shoeless. I find staring at a man’s bare feet to be repugnant, but otherwise was enthralled with the performance. This is nothing new: Snider has been on a serious roll since 2004’s East Nashville Skyline, and it extends through his new The Excitement Plan. (Click here for Snider’s TONY rendition of the album’s leadoff track, “Slim Chance,” performed at Shake Shack.) He’s even better onstage, where his songs bleed into patter and vice versa—a working man’s Jonathan Richman.

Snider’s crowd was appreciative and rowdy, a strange amalgamation of the kind of folks one usually doesn’t encounter at Bowery Ballroom. Read more »

Toronto’s Holy Fuck wound up its monthlong tour of Europe—and kicked off its U.S. tour—at the Bowery Ballroom Saturday night in typically rabble-rousing style, with ace support from Crocodiles and A Place to Bury Strangers. TONY photographer Zandy Mangold captured the event for the Volume—click past the jump to see why we think Crocodiles singer Brandon Welchez should win every young-Dylan look-alike competition going.

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Photo: David Rosenzweig

Fans of brooding New York rock & roll would be wise to open their ears to White Rabbits. The band played Bowery Ballroom last night—photographer David Rosenzweig captured it for TONY. More photographs after the jump. Read more »

Photo: Caroline Voagen Nelson

On Saturday, Dan Deacon brought his bananas interactive dance-party to Bowery Ballroom. Photographer Caroline Voagen Nelson captured the event. More photos after the jump. Read more »

We know that the Mercury Lounge has weathered a lot over the years, but we’re not altogether convinced that the intimate space will be able to contain the explosive psych-punk outbursts of Long Beach, CA’s amazing Crystal Antlers. The band plays tonight in support of a newly issued full-length debut album, Tentacles, on Touch & Go. (If you’re on the fence, hit the label website for gobs of live audio and video.)

Feeling more sedate? The Pains of Being Pure at Heart bring their dreamy pop to Bowery Ballroom tonight; the show is technically sold out, but if you’re really determined to get in, we’ll keep our fingers crossed for you.

Eclectic guitar visionary Bill Frisell marks a whole bunch of new releases—a Nonesuch anthology, two live DVDs and his evocative soundtrack for the 2007 film All Hat—with a run at the Village Vanguard, opening tonight.

Veteran tenor man Frank Wess, best known for his years fronting the Count Basie Orchestra during the 1950s and ’60s, brings an outstanding new band, the Frank Wess Celebration Nonet, into Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola for a weeklong engagement.

And torched-roots legend Ramblin’ Jack Elliott rambles into Highline Ballroom for an evening of rough-hewn songs from his latest Anti- release, A Stranger Here.