Ross Finney

FKA twigs + Boots: Nov 10 at WarsawWhen considering London singer-songwriter FKA twigs (real name: Tahlia Barnett), one word immediately comes to mind: spellbinding. Whether it’s her creeping, sensual songs, the subtly discomfiting visuals accompanying them, or her languid, undulating motion onstage, the alt-R&B songstress is difficult to ignore. Witness her magic for yourself next month. Tickets are on sale Friday, Oct 17 at noon through Ticketweb. Nick Lowe: Dec 14 at Bowery Ballroom; Dec 20 at Music Hall of WilliamsburgDedicated Nick Lowe fans may recall that last year, the cult icon released a holiday-themed record, Quality Street—a seemingly odd choice for the Stiff Records vet. Well, it turns out that Lowe is once again feeling the spirit of the season and returning to treat NYC audiences to his smart, timeless brand of songcraft in the context of a Holiday Revue. Tickets are on sale Friday, Oct 17 at noon through Ticketmaster. Future Islands + Operators + Wing Dam: Jan 9 at Terminal 5This past March, Future Islands ascended from best-kept-secret status to near-viral ubiquitousness with a stunning Letterman performance of new single "Seasons." Fortunately, the eccentric Baltimore synth-pop crew—whose athletic, disarmingly emotive vocalist, Samuel T. Herring, is one of the most transfixing performers on the planet—was well prepared for the spotlight. Tickets go on sale Friday, Oct 17 at noon through Ticketmaster. They Might Be Giants: Jan 25 at Music Hall of Williamsburg

It's almost Halloween, and in New York that means costume parades, spooky parties, horror film screenings and a full bill of concerts. From haunted mansions at our favorite DIY venues to Willy Wonk tributes, musicians around town are getting into the spirit of the season. One time-honored Halloween tradition that we love is the covers gig, where for one night local bands perform as other (usually well-loved, classic) bands. In celebration of that All Hallow's Eve musical institution, we bring you five of this weekend's best covers shows. RECOMMENDED: Full coverage of concerts in NYC 1. Halloween at the Cake Shop; Oct 31Everybody's favorite bake shop–basement venue hosts a killer lineup playing an eclectic mix of classic punk, indie and alt-rock favorites. Clean Girls plays blink-182; Vomitface plays Nirvana; 999999999 plays Television; Alien Trilogy plays Devo; Tape Deck Mountain plays Daniel Johnston; Death to Slater plays the Beach Boys, and Schmear plays the Meat Puppets. 2. Halloween Forever at the Silent Barn; Oct 31The DIY mainstay gets in on the covers-show action with a ‘90s-heavy set: Dear Leader plays the Neptunes; Delicate Steve plays the Red Hot Chili Peppers; Heeney plays Weezer; Banned Books plays the Pixies; Max Almario (Celestial Shore) + Jordyn Blakely + Kegan Zema (Journalism) play blink-182; Advaeta and Dara Hirsch (Journalism) play Hole, and Sam Miller plays music from The Nightmare Before Christmas.  3. Halloween Party at Glasslands; Oct 31This is the l

We love CMJ, but it can definitely exhaust even the most die-hard live-music fan. Bouncing around from venue to venue, taking a chance on that obscure Czech band your roommate loves and trying to see every last group to justify that badge takes planning, stamina and vigilance. If you like your concerts a little more relaxed and immersive, maybe even consciousness-expanding, there's an alternate option we think you'll enjoy.  RECOMMENDED: Full coverage of concerts in NYC Starting this Thursday, the Joshua Light Show takes over NYU's Skirball Center. Based around Joshua White, the lighting wiz behind the Fillmore East's hippie-rock freak outs, the group puts on the mesmerizing liquid light shows you've seen in all those ’60s movies (like Midnight Cowboy's famously trippy party scene, in which White had a hand). The light-show outfit accompanies six artists over three days for a dreamy, psychedelic concert experience—and there's something for everyone music-wise: Thursday, Oct 23 at 7:30pm, jazz trio The Bad Plus takes on Ornette Coleman's legendary, experimental 1971 album Science Fiction in its entirety. Later at 10pm, L.A.'s Glasser performs her brand of Joni Mitchell –infused synth-pop. Friday, Oct 24 is indie-rock night: Baltimore crew Wye Oak supports its recent Shriek in the 7:30pm slot, and Brooklynite psych-folkies Woods—coming off the aptly titled With Light and with Love—play the 10pm show. Saturday, Oct 25 wraps up the Joshua Light Show residency, with art-punk heroe

Audiophiles know Record Store Day happens every April, celebrating and bolstering the local brick-and-mortar record shop with exclusive limited-edition pressings, colored vinyl, picture-discs and all kinds of other goodies only available in the store. For five years now, the RSD masterminds have also organized some special Black Friday releases, helping music stores capitalize on the consumptive impulse of the day and kicking off the holiday shopping season with a reminder that music is a great gift. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to Record Store Day The RSD folks always manage to put together an impressive slate of releases: This year is no exception. We're looking forward to releases like the reissue of Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force's "Planet Rock," new St. Vincent single "Pieta," a Morrissey-curated Ramones LP and the rare Decemberists B-side "Make You Better." For a full list of releases with track info, vinyl color and more, visit the Record Store Day website. If you're curious about where to find RSD's Black Friday offerings, we recommend visiting any of the Academy Records branches, Other Music (for Manhattanites) and Permanent Records (for Brooklynites), all of which are RSD participants that have pledged not to withhold or up-charge any of the special merch. You can also check the RSD website for more affiliated vendors and see which have made the pledge.

Whether you've spent too much time with the fam and need a break or you're just looking for something to do, we've rounded up the best live music happening in the city this Thanksgiving weekend: RECOMMENDED: A full guide to Thanksgiving in NYC If you want something... Essential: Run the Jewels; Nov 29, 30 at Stage 48Killer Mike and El-P's second album together as RTJ was released to much fanfare—and with good cause too. The disc highlights the pair's verbal dexterity and El's production while seamlessly blending their penchant for raunchy humor and razor-sharp political commentary. The latter takes on special importance given Killer Mike's vocal support for justice for Mike Brown, which culminated in a heartfelt reaction to this week's grand-jury news before RTJ's show in St. Louis. Expect to laugh and think at this pair of NYC shows. Rocking: Death From Above 1979; Nov 28 at Terminal 5. Quintron and Miss Pussycat; Nov 29 at Baby's All Right. Sleaford Mods; Nov 29 at the WickThis weekend has plenty of rock shows: These picks fall on the weirder end of the spectrum and are definitely worth checking out. For those who wanna rock out and dance, Canadian group Death from Above 1979 plays Friday on the heels of its latest groove-laden album The Physical World. On Saturday, New Orleans' Quintron plays some blown-out, punky organ with help of his puppet-wielding muse Miss Pussycat. Also that night, England's Sleaford Mods make their US debut, putting poet Jason Williamson's dryly wi

CMJ is nearly upon us. If the idea of five days/nights of nonstop music-packed craziness has you feeling overwhelmed, don't panic—we've got you covered. First, check out our handy CMJ Guide to get a sense of just what kind monster of a fest you're dealing with. Next, check out these ten bands, handpicked out of the hundreds performing this year, that we think you oughta see.   RECOMMENDED: Our full guide to the CMJ Music Marathon   Paws Brooklyn Night Bazaar; Oct 21; 9:30pm | Pianos; Oct 22; 4:00pm | Cake Shop; Oct 22; 11:05pm | Knitting Factory; Oct 25; 11:00pm These Scottish rockers traffic in the sort of fuzzy, ’90s-inspired noisiness that's made a strong comeback in recent years. What sets Paws apart is a gift for hooky, sing-along melodies, and singer Philip Taylor's sharp observations on the ups and downs of growing up. The group comes off this summer's Youth Culture Forever, a stellar second album, to play a host of CMJ shows.      King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Baby's All Right; Oct 22 | Knitting Factory; Oct 22; 10:55pm | Baby's All Right; Oct 24 | Pianos; Oct 25; 6:00pm | Rough Trade NYC; Oct 25; 10:30pm  It's too easy to call this Aussie group "psychedelic." Yes, the band deals in heady, lysergic soundscapes, but the tag doesn't quite capture the precision of its collage-like songwriting, or the broad range of retro styles referenced on the group's latest LP, Oddments. Catch any of the Lizard Wizard's whopping five CMJ shows, as the prolific group previews

On Saturday, 25 musicians will gather at Baby's All Right for the annual Brooklyn Rock Lottery. For those unfamiliar, the musicians assemble in the morning, are split semi-randomly into five bands, and have 12 hours to come up with at least three songs, only one of which can be a cover. That evening the newly formed groups treat the audience to singular, one-off performances to raise money for the Harmony Program, which helps bring school music programs to communities in need. As of today, 23 of the 25 musicians have been announced, so we've taken the liberty of breaking down the roster, and engaging in some wild speculation about what may happen: GuitaristsBrandon Welchez (Crocodiles)Drew Citron (Beverly)Rick Froberg (Obits / Drive Like Jehu)Travis Morrison (Dismemberment Plan)Ross Clark (St. Lucia)Teeny Lieberson (TEEN) The guitarists are a unique category, because with the exception of Clark, they're all also the frontpeople for their respective bands. It'll be fun to see how much, or even if, these band leaders end up carrying over their own distinct sensibilities into their new groups, and with six guitarists, we might end up with two alpha personalities in one band. Keyboards/SynthsAnnie Hart (Au Revoir Simon)Noah Stitelman (Neighbors) Both of these musicians are versatile players who could step up to fill many roles in a band. Stitelman's Neighbors project is a one-man show, but you'd never know it to hear it, while Hart can also play a lead or backup vocal role with e

Don Giovanni Showcase: Feb 6, 7, 28 at the Knitting Factory New Brunswick label Don Giovanni is a purveyor of good, old-fashioned punk rock. Every year the label showcases its impressive roster of bands, and for the first time, all three nights will be held at the Knitting Factory. TONY faves Nude Beach headline the first night and Amherst punks California X the second. The third and final night of the showcase happens a few weeks later this year, and doubles as the album release show for Screaming Females' latest LP, Rose Mountain. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketweb. Deerhoof: Mar 27 at Webster Hall The irrepressible Deerhoof—the world's premier art-pop band, and one of its top pop bands, period—returns to town in support of its latest opus La Isla Bonita. The new disc is full of delightful weirdness, and the band's shows always draw heavily on its sizable backlog of jagged yet whimsical roof-raisers, so this gig promises to be a lot of fun. Tickets are on sale now Ticketweb. Twin Shadow: Mar 31 at the Music Hall of Williamsburg Since George Lewis Jr. introduced himself to the public as one-man Brooklyn laptop act Twin Shadow, he's added a live band to the fray and morphed into a kind of indie Prince. He's got a new full-length in the works, so be on the lookout for fresh jams. Tickets are on sale Friday, Dec 5 at noon through Ticketmaster. Bleachers + Joywave + Night Terrors of 1927: Apr 9 at Terminal 5 The new project of fun. guitarist Jack Antonoff, Bleachers, released

We already told you about the Foo Fighters' Citi Field gig this summer, but before their big stadium tour gets under way, the band will play an intimate, "secret" show at Irving Plaza this Friday. The gig coincides with the premiere of the final, NYC-centered episode of Dave Grohl's Sonic Highways series on HBO, so you can bet on hearing "I Am a River" and other cuts from the new album, as well as numerous Foo classics.   If you recall the routine to get presale tickets for the Citi Field concert, Friday's show works similarly. Tickets can only be bought in person at the box office for $20 each. Queueing begins at 3pm and the sale officially starts at 5. There's a limit of two tickets per person, and you'll need your ID to make your purchase and enter the venue, presumably to prevent opportunists from flipping the tix. Doors are at 7pm and the show kicks off at 9. It begins with a viewing of the Sonic Highways episode, and then the Foos go on at 10pm. For those who can't make the gig, or can't spend their entire afternoon/evening hanging around Union Square, it'll be broadcast live on SiriusXM's Alt Nation channel. In related special-show news, Real Estate is playing a free gig at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on December 18. While you don't need to shell out any dough, you do need to reserve "tickets," available now through ticketmaster.com.

Remember yesterday when we told you about the free World AIDS Day concert in Times Square? Well, it happened and it was glorious. As expected, U2 minus Bono played with Chris Martin and Bruce Springsteen filling in. Carrie Underwood delivered a solid set, and Kanye forged through technical problems and stole the show, as Kanye is wont to do. The best part? There's video for those of us that didn't want to brave the rain or the the tourist-packed plaza. Check out some clips below: "Where the Streets Have No Name" U2 with Bruce Springsteen "Power" "Jesus Walks" "Black Skinhead" "Stronger" "Touch the Sky" MedleyKanye West "Change" and "Something in the Water" Carrie Underwood "Beautiful Day" U2 w/ Chris Martin Watch the Full Concert

As we've previously mentioned, local institution Death By Audio closed its doors for good this past Saturday. (Well, actually Sunday morning, if you want to get technical about it.) DBA's shuttering follows that of neighbor venue 285 Kent and precedes Glasslands' closing later this year—all three shutdowns reportedly a result of Vice Media taking over the building. DBA's closing is a major loss to the Brooklyn music community, but operators Edan Wilber and Matt Conboy made the most of the space's last days, hosting a schedule packed with bands who came up there—many of whom have long since outgrown a room of this DBA's modest size. Here are a few highlights from the final few weeks at DBA, during which awesome surprise guests turned up pretty much nightly: Lightning Bolt:Guerilla-style noise-punks Lightning Bolt closed out DBA's final night with a blistering set. The crowd, a veritable torrent of moshers and crowd-surfers, perpetuated the frenzy. Watch around the 8:40 mark, as drummer-vocalist Brian Chippendale offers a heartfelt tribute to DBA and speaks the immortal phrase "Fuck Vice," a 20-minute loop of which closes out this clip. JEFF the Brotherhood: Also appearing the final night was Nashville's JEFF the Brotherhood. The garagey duo were frequent guests at DBA and reliably played some of the venue's wildest, most fun sets. JEFF's last DBA hurrah was no exception. Check out this clip, in which the pair alternates between groovy psych-rock and explosive freak-outs. Futur

Rufus and Martha Wainright’s Noel Nights: Emmylou Harris + Loudon Wainwright III + Justin Vivian Bond + Cibo Matto and more: Dec 17, 18 at The Town HallRufus and Martha Wainwright are both stylish singer-songwriters in their own right, but they've never forgotten their roots—nor, more importantly, their family, as seen in this holiday tribute, which raises money for the Kate McGarrigle Foundation, named in honor of their late, folk-luminary mother and benefiting the McGill University Health Center. They're joined by many members of the Wainright clan, including aunt Sloan, dad Loudon and half-sis Lucy Wainwright Roche as well as high-profile pals including Emmylou Harris, Justin Vivian Bond and Cibo Matto. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster. NYC Winter Jazzfest 2015: Jan 8–10 at various venuesIn recent years, the annual Winter Jazzfest has become a major highlight of the NYC jazz calendar. The event is both a bustling forum of discovery and a guaranteed blast— consider springing for the two-night pass. This year's installment features big names like Robert Glasper, Ron Carter, Renee Rosnes, Brad Mehldau, George Coleman, Benny Golson, Peter Bernstein and more. Tickets go on sale Friday, Nov 21 at winterjazzfest.com. Hozier: Mar 22 at the Hammerstein BallroomDublin singer-songwriter Hozier, real name Andrew Hozier-Byrne, has been making music for a number of years, but it was his gripping, blues-brushed 2013 "Take Me to Church," that ignited the internet. Things are happen