Album Review: Mike D - Thank You

Hey all, got a review up @glidemag which you can read Right C'here.

It is of Mike D's debut solo release, Thank You. 

Happy 30th Anniversary to The Beastie Boys Ill Communication

Happy 30th Anniversary to The Beastie Boys Ill Communication, released this day in 1994. 

The Beasties were hugely influential on RtBE from everything to music to fashion and Ill Communication was a big one, hitting when we were in high school. 

Beastie Boys Square to be Unveiled on LES in NYC on Saturday

The renaming of of the southwest corner of Ludlow and Rivington on the Lower East Side in NYC to 'Beastie Boys Square' is happening this weekend.

The dedication is this Saturday (9/9), from 12 PM-2 PM, with Mike D and Ad-Rock both in attendance. Jon Bless will do a DJ set, and there will be pop-up activations, live screen printing, and more. 

As we have written on this site, the Beastie Boys meant the world to us growing up and still hold proper sway. This will be a cool event and to get in the mood here is some Beastie Boys to get you pumped.

Full Show Friday: Beastie Boys - Bonnaroo 2009

We search the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and post them to the site weekly, come back every seven days to help us celebrate Full Show Friday's. These shows are of varying quality and may not be here for long so enjoy them while you can...As always, please support the artist every which way, but especially by seeing them live (if they are still playing)...This week...Beastie Boys!

The last show the legendary NYC based outfit ever played. Bonnaroo 2009.  

Pro shot, pro sound, set list below. Enjoy!

One more for the ride home, lads... Credit goes to @kash12 for most of this setlist stuff. 

Morning clip ft. Triumph: 0:00 Mix Master Mike intro: 1:03 Time For Livin': 3:43 Super Disco Breakin' 5:32 Sure Shot: 7:23 No Sleep Til' Brooklyn: 10:51 Shake Your Rump: 13:55 Gratitude: 17:41 Sabrosa: 21:21 Egg Raid On Mojo: 25:19 Body Movin': 26:41 Pass The Mic: 28:56 Root Down: 32:33 Too Many Rappers w/ Nasty Nas: 36:52 Paul Revere: 41:39 Ricky's Theme: 45:05 Something's Got To Give: 49:01 Tough Guy: 53:32 Remote Control: 55:21 So What'cha Want: 58:10 ENCORE Intergalactic: 1:05:13 Three MC's and One DJ (Opening Act): 1:08:58 thumbnail shot: 1:09:12 Three MC's and One DJ: 1:09:23 Heart Attack Man (Unplugged): 1:12:48 Heart Attack Man: 1:13:33 ENCORE Sabotage (false start): 1:16:46 Sabotage: 1:17:42 the end: 1:20:59

Beastie Boy Book Release and Mini Speaking Tour Starting Next Month

Mike D and Adrock are set to release Beastie Boys Book and to celebrate they will promote the release with a Live & Direct mini speaking tour. 

Each night of Beastie Boys Book: Live & Direct will feature readings, conversations between Mike D, Adrock and a special guest moderator, Q&A sessions–all with a live score provided by Mix Master Mike and a brand new Beastie Boys exhibit, curated by Beastie Boys & Beyond the Streets in partnership with adidas Skateboarding. Sonos will provide the sound experience at each exhibit, playing a mixtape curated by Adrock and Mike D.

The run kicks off with two nights in NYC which will be sure to sell out as each ticket also gets a copy of the book. Tickets go on-sale Friday at noon for the Town Hall evening. To get in the mood, how about some tunes from Beasties... 

Full Show Friday: Beastie Boys Nassau Coliseum 5-11-95

We search the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and post them to the site weekly, come back every seven days to help us celebrate Full Show Friday's. These shows are of varying quality and may not be here for long so enjoy them while you can...As always, please support the artist every which way, but especially by seeing them live (if they are still playing)...This week...Beastie Boys!

For December RtBE is having a special focus with our Full Show Friday's. This month we will showcase live shows, that we were at and also were huge influences on our musical tastes. We will also be trying to get some outside perspectives when we can. This will be a fun and personal month for us, hope you enjoy.   

So it is only the second week of this series and we are already cheating technically. We were not at this nights show in Long Island, we were at the show a few weeks later at Madison Square Garden on the same tour. In doing this month's focus on shows that personally meant something to us, this had to be included because our Beastie Boy experience at the Garden was our first introduction of our next life phase, New York City. 

We were just recently enrolled in NYU and were finishing up our senior year of high school about to enter the city full time when we came down with some friends and attended the concert. This was a preview, and it was a rollicking joy to behold. The Beasties themselves were a huge influence on our fashion, musical tastes and overall style. The Garden show was a trip and our trip was just beginning...  

So while we are cheating a bit, you can and still should, enjoy:

Setlist:

1. Stand Together  2. Sure Shot  3. Time to Get Ill  4. Shake Your Rump  5. Pass the Mic  6. Alright Hear This  7. The New Style  8. The Maestro  9. Tough Guy  10. Beastie Boys  11. Sabrosa  12. In 3's  13. Bobo on the Corner  14. The Biz vs. the Nuge  15. Time for Livin'  16. Flute Loop  17. Car Thief  18. The Sounds of Science  19. Posse in Effect  20. Do It  21. Hold It Now, Hit It!  22. Skills to Pay the Bills  23. Root Down  24. Rhymin' and Stealin'  25. Gratitude  26. Lighten Up  27. Son of Neckbone  28. What's Really Going On  29. Egg Raid on Mojo  30. Heart Attack Man  31. 5-Piece Chicken Dinner  32. So What'cha Want  33. Slow and Low  34. Sabotage

NYC Summerstage Announces Lineup for 2015

Even though it is just about freezing in the Big Apple today a major sign that summer will soon be upon us arrived. SummerStage announced their full schedule:

There are one or two shows we always hit at this venue each year and expect this year will be no different with tasty treats on this list (full list for all NYC venues also below) and have seen everyone from the Beastie Boys to Phil Lesh (and Crew)to Manu Chao at the Rumsey Playfield in Central Park.



We are looking at some shows that can hopefully match those gems. Click on the Read More Tab for the full list sorted by genre.

Album Review: Karl Denson's Tiny Universe- New Ammo

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe

New Ammo

***and1/2 out of *****

Jambands bane of existence is a studio recording; the genre lives for the live show. Fans, promoters and artists alike all get rich in different ways off of those peaking communal moments late at night and when it is time to hit the studio that recording is mostly just fodder for better versions on the next tour.  New Ammo is more then that, sure it is new ammunition for Karl Denson's Tiny Universe to crisscross the country with, shooting the sounds into its fans ear holes but the band expanded its scope and sound. Having not recorded since 2009 KDTU has crafted an engaging mix of original funky workouts and unexpected covers that fans will want to hear as production and playing are top notch.

Denson and an expanded horn lineup are most successful when slapping their funky craft onto a wide array of covers. The groups unexpected outings into indie rock with the Cold War Kids "Hang Me Out To Dry" turns the Californian's storytelling original on it's ear, but it is the unique use of flute and Robert Walters key work that amplifies The White Stripes "Seven Nation Army" into a must hear. Jack White would have to admire the direction and it would be a treat to hear him contribute a jamming guitar to that track live but as is Denson and crew are having a blast, you can even hear Denson yelling into his flute towards the end of things. A tribute to the Beastie Boys via "Sure Shot" finds Denson's flute fronting a jazzy instrumental take on one of the legends best tunes, tastefully done.

Two covers the band kick major ass on are songs people probably never experienced before. "The Duel" is head banging, fist pumping and hip-shakingly fantastic all at once.  The original by Lenny Stack was for a soundtrack to 70's B-Movie CC and Company (starring Joe Namath!) sounds gloriously filthy here while (speaking of filthy) the slinky opener "Grenadiers" is the theme to Russ Meyer's Cherry, Harry& Raquel, va-va-voom indeed. Both are fantastic instrumentals that are the true highlights of Denson and crew; performers who can find the rarest of tune and make it their own.

Of course in Shane Handler's interview with Denson he stated "the band has finally figured out how to capture in the studio what the Tiny Universe does live" and he is certainly on the right path a bit more tightening could only improve things. For instance "My Baby" was Denson's first duet (with Nicki Bluhm) and it is a solid vocal take but trimming it from its 6:12 run time would yield better results.  "Odeyssus" brings things back to Denson's easy grooving roots but after all the new directions previous it feels just an average way to end things.

Really though it matters little for the groove hounds this disk is targeted for, when they can't make a live gig here's their New Ammo for staying in, turning it on and getting down
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We like Denson, seen him a bunch back in the day and loved his Stones tour with Anders, this surprised us a bit, not what we were expecting, in a good way. We hold Jack White, The Beasties and even that first Cold War Kids album in very high regard. While those covers were cool (especially the Stripes) it is the 70's b-movie tracks that are the real stars.

Support the Artist here, but the disk here, make sure to catch him live here, and peep some video below: