Late Night Pick: Will Butler

Will Butler, keyboardist of Arcade Fire, has released his first solo album (he's still in Arcade Fire, though) and he'll be on Late Show with David Letterman tonight at 11:35 PM (CBS). The solo album is called Policy and it just came out today. Will recently did a week with The Guardian web site/newspaper doing a song a day based on current events. Here's the final song he wrote called "By The Waters of Babylon" inspired by the ransacking of the museum in Mosul by ISIS. You can here the other four songs HERE.




Here's Alabama Shakes on last night's Late Show with David Letterman:

Late Night Pick: Alabama Shakes

It struck me as a began to write this that David Letterman only has two months left until retirement. Enjoy him while you can! On tonight's Late Show (CBS, 11:35 PM), you can also enjoy Alabama Shakes. Tickets went on sale last Friday for their show at Charlottesville Pavilion on June 9. Tickets are still available but I wouldn't sleep on it, because they've been selling out at other venues on this tour. Here they are performing their big hit, "Hold On", from their last album live at Konk Studios:



Here's two songs that Caribou did on last Thursday's Last Call with Carson Daly:

Late Night Pick: My Morning Jacket featuring Brittany Howard and Merrill Garbus

Yes, you read the title right. Tonight on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (NBC, 12:35 AM), you've got the combo of My Morning Jacket, Brittany Howard (vocalist from Alabama Shakes) and Merrill Garbus (from tUnE-yArDs). They'll be performing the Fela Kuti song "Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am" which they recorded for the new "Red Hot + Fela" collection which comes out next week. Album sales benefit the Red Hot Organization which works on AIDS awareness. Other artists on the album include ?uestlove, Kronos Quartet, Angelique Kidjo, Rubblebucket, and a number of African musicians.

Late Night Pick: Alabama Shakes

We've got an all-new Jimmy Kimmel tonight with Alabama Shakes appearing. Jimmy Kimmel is on ABC at 12:35 AM. In case, you missed it, here is Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes doing a powerful version of The Band's "It Makes No Difference" with My Morning Jacket at the Newport Folk Festival last month. The video below is the second half of MMJ's set so you can skip to approximately 12:21 if you just want to see "It Makes No Difference" :

Late Night Pick: Alabama Shakes

No, this isn't a repost but it is a repeat. All the late night shows are in repeats this week because of Independence Day and this one is a repeat of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon from last Monday. Alabama Shakes will be on along with Charlie Sheen. Alabama Shakes will play "Be Mine". If you don't feel like watching the whole Late Night show, you can just watch the clip on the Shakes' web site. Late Night is on NBC at 12:35 AM. The Shakes are playing the Montreaux Jazz Fest tonight in Switzerland and doing another three weeks in Europe after that. They'll head back to the States to tour in late July  - August, then back to Europe for a few dates in September and then more dates in Europe in November. They are touring HARD behind this album.

Late Night Pick: Alabama Shakes

Fresh off a great (though short) show at Friday Cheers last Friday, Alabama Shakes will be on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon tonight on NBC at 12:35 AM. Also on the show is the always crazy Charlie Sheen. You can get some free music featuring Alabama Shakes, Alberta Cross, Lucero, Caitlin Rose, SOJA, Mariachi El Bronx, My Morning Jacket, Umphrey's McGee, Primus and others by downloading the FREE ATO Records Spring Sampler.

Alabama Shakes, Hot Tuna, Three Sheets to the Wind, Southern Belles, Orion Music Fest webcast

Tonight, provided the thunderstorms hold off, Alabama Shakes will be at Friday Cheers. Show starts at 6:30 with opener Robert Ellis and it's only $5 to get in. Way back when the Cheers lineup was announced, this was the one I circled on my virtual calendar as the one to see. This band is up and rising, which is always the best time to see a band, with stories in the media and a huge buzz around them. Their contemporary, hard, Southern blues (think Allman Brothers, Drive-By Truckers, Janis Joplin, Gov't Mule) seems to be striking a chord. Here they are performing "Be Mine" at Bonnaroo a couple weeks ago. Don't miss this one.


Saturday and Sunday, there will be a webcast from Metallica's Orion Festival in Atlantic City. You will find it HERE.  It will start at 5:30 PM on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday, Metallica will perform "The Black Album" (the one with Enter Sandman) in it's entireity. Sunday, they'll do the album"Ride the Lightning" all the way through. Also on the webcast, Modest Mouse, The Gaslight Anthem, Best Coast, Eric Church, Arctic Monkeys and more. They don't have an official schedule up yet, so tune in tomorrow and they'll probably have one posted by then.

A bunch of old SF hippies bring their brand of psychedelic electric (yes, they are playing electric) blues to The National on Monday night. Hot Tuna (featuring Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Cassidy of Jefferson Airplane) will perform. Tix are $25 for reserved in the balcony and $20 for general admission on the floor. Doors open at 7, and the show starts at 8 with jam band guitar virtuoso, Steve Kimock (Other Ones, Phil Lesh and Friends), who will surely join the Tuna later. Hot Tuna's latest album "Steady As She Goes" was named to Jamband News' "Top 10 albums of 2011". Here's Hot Tuna back in 1970 doing "Hesitation Blues" acoustic:



Wednesday night, it's 80's for the Ladies night at Innsbrook with Yacht Rock cover bands Three Sheets to the Wind and Love Canon. Gates open at 6. Ladies and children 10 and under will get in free to general admission. For the guys, it's $5 for GA in advance, $10 at the gate. You can also get Platinum Seating for $25 that gets you Gold Circle seating and admission to the VIP tent for complimentary beverages and hors d'oeuvres.

Also on Wednesday, jam-groove band, Southern Belles will be at Cary St. Cafe starting at 10. It's FREE!

Have a great weekend! Pray to the weather gods to hold off on the thunderstorms until after Cheers tonight. See you down at Brown's Island!

Tony Jordan

Late Night Pick of the Night: Alabama Shakes

Critically lauded (at least so far) neo-Southern soul band, Alabama Shakes, making their national TV debut on Conan tonight on TBS at 11 PM.  The band is being compared to Drive-By Truckers (who will be coming to C'ville and Norfolk in April, but apparently skipping Richmond. Boo!), Black Keys, and Sharon Jones, all some of my faves.