April 2007: Return of the Concert Calendar

After many months of financial woes (which are still far from over) and an overwhelming sense of the cozy warmth of home with wine and film, it's time to come out of hibernation with a new and improved Concert Calendar. Less shtick, more info.

April Highlights:

-The Stooges are back and while I can't say I like the new record, you know the live show is going to be insane. They are playing the recently opened United Palace Theater in Washington Heights tomorrow night, one of a crop of new larger venues that are replacing a lot of the old smaller haunts.

-If you're not over some of the trendy hipster bands, you could see the Kaiser Chiefs and the Walkmen on Thursday.

-Detroit favorites the Hard Lessons are playing Pianos on the 12th and fellow Detroiters the Gore Gore Girls are playing there on the 18th.

-The Gossip are playing a sold out show at the Knitting Factory on Saturday the 14th so unless you have tickets, go to the Les Sans Culottes record release gig at Southpaw.

-Art Brut is back playing the Bowery B on the 17th and Studio B on the 18th.

-Patti Smith is playing the Hiro Ballroom on the 18th and the Bowery Ballroom on the 24th.

-New York's best punk rock n roll band, the Bamboo Kids are at Magnetic Field on the 20th.

-It's Hipster Cred City at the NYU Kimmel Center on the 26th when the Hold Steady and the Thermals play together. But unlike a lot of other trendy acts, these two bands are actually GOOD. I dare anyone to listen to the Hold Steady's "Hot Soft Light" and not smile.

-The last weekend of the month is the highlight of the month as well. The Knitters are playing the revamped Luna Lounge in Williamsburg on Saturday night the 28th. That's right - John and Exene and DJ - as well as Mr. Dave Alvin and Johnny Ray Bartel - in an intimate setting off the beaten path in Brooklyn. It doesn't get any better than that.

-And the next night, my friends The Yarrows are playing the Mercury Lounge. One of the few times the band has played up here was at the old Luna Lounge on the Lower East Side. So a full circle weekend going on.

-And on the 30th, some guy named Lou Reed inaugurates yet another new venue, the Highline Ballroom.

Stay tuned for May when other hipster trendy bands get paired up, New York rock legends return for more, and ELVIS COSTELLO plays the Nokia (AND I'm GOING!!!!).