Manic Presents / Premier Concerts Guest Post:
Welcome to our weekly installment of the Blog! This week holds a brief list of some newly announced shows and our stacked schedule for coming weekend through Halloween and beyond.
Just announced at Space Ballroom is critically acclaimed bluegrass group The Gibson Brothers on (11/30) and Brooklyn indie post-punk revival band The Hold Steady on (5/18/19). At Wall Street Theater in Norwalk, we have iconic Southern rock group The Marshall Tucker Band on (3/16/19). Tickets for The Gibson Brothers and The Marshall Tucker Band will be on sale tomorrow (10/26) at 10AM and tickets for The Hold Steady will be on sale next Friday (11/2) at 10AM.
This weekend’s show schedule starts TONIGHT, Saturday (10/27) with a damn good lineup of Wavves & Beach Fossils co-headlining at College Street Music Hall and the long awaited reunion of Connecticut locals Beach Avenue at Space Ballroom. Sunday (10/28) hosts the exciting indie rock groups Hippo Campus and The Districts at College Street Music Hall and comedian and “Trouble with Apu” creator Hari Kondabolu at Space Ballroom. Our weekly Manic Monday at Cafe Nine features Kosha Dillz and others on (10/29). On Halloween AKA Wednesday (10/31), we are refraining from fearing the reaper at Wall Street Theater in Norwalk with classic rock icons Blue Oyster Cult! Be sure to check out any of these great shows!
CONTEST TIME! Enter for a chance to win a pair of tickets to Sean Rowe at Space Ballroom (11/1)and an autographed “New Lore” on vinyl! Enter here: https://goo.gl/forms/
Read below for more upcoming shows announcements!
Upcoming Shows
*Wavves w/ Beach Fossils and Kevin Krauter (of Hoops)
$25 ($22 adv)/All Ages/Doors 7:00PM
College Street Music Hall- New Haven, CT
INFO: The word ‘brat’ has followed Nathan Williams around for almost a decade, but at the age of 30, with a fully-fledged business to his name, as well as the ongoing success of band Wavves, his rebellious streak has proven not just purposeful but pretty damn inspiring. The San Diego native knows how to play the system, so when the major labels came knocking a few years ago looking to turn Wavves into the next so-called saviours of radio rock’n’roll, Williams and bassist Stephen Pope made sure they used it to their advantage.
When Warners came along and offered them a cash advance too good to refuse, they accepted while being shrewdly aware of what they were getting themselves into. “We still owned all of our shit, which was the most important part for us. For them it was a shot in the dark.” The day to day of being signed to a major, however, was unpredictable and beyond their wildest nightmares. “I figured it would run the same as [prior label] Fat Possum, just with more people. I was wrong.” By the time they were readying to release their second Warners album – 2015’s ‘V’ – shots were fired. Williams released single ‘Way Too Much’ on Soundcloud before the label had approved it, the label forgot to sign off on the artwork and, in the end, Wavves felt swept under the rug. Ultimately it felt like a career step backwards.
The results make for one of the most diverse and intricate Wavves records yet. ‘Come To The Valley’ contains a Phil Spector meets Beach Boys ‘60s High School dance vibe, whereas title track ‘You’re Welcome’ riffs on sound effects that could almost originate from Bizarro World, never mind Cambodia. Some of his ideas ran away with themselves a little too much, as Williams reveals one track was a little too close to Drake’s ‘Hotline Bling’ for comfort. ‘Million Enemies’ is right in his comfort zone though. Inspired by New York Dolls, Bowie and Gary Glitter, he calls it “the anthem song.” “It’s a song for the haters,” he says. The lyrics “I got enemies, a million enemies, living in the streets tonight” are a call-to-arms for anyone whose detractors are out to get them. “I don’t have a million enemies,” jokes Williams. “But probably 500,000.”
TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE HERE: https://ticketf.ly/2Bd8f7Z
*Beach Avenue w/ Michael Minelli
$20 ($15 adv)/All Ages/Doors 7:00PM
Space Ballroom- Hamden, CT
INFO: Beach Avenue formed in Summer of 2011 on a whim to enter a regional Battle of the Bands at Mohegan Sun Casino in their home state of Connecticut. Playing their first shows ever the band won the event and earned a cash prize that would fund their debut EP “Something To Believe In”. The band rose to national notoriety then they appeared on Season 9 of America’s Got Talent on NBC in 2014, performing their original songs “Coming Your Way” & “Feel The Beat” on prime network television. Beach Avenue last performed together in Fall of 2014 and are extremely excited to reunite and play their catalog of songs for a special reunion show four years later!
TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE HERE: https://ticketf.ly/2A3zQYj
*Hippo Campus w/ The Districts
$25 ($22 adv)/All Ages/Doors 7:00PM
College Street Music Hall- New Haven, CT
INFO: Hippo Campus is a band from St. Paul, Minnesota. Formed in 2013, prior to graduating
from performing arts high school, the band started on a break out trajectory following a series of talked-about performances at SXSW. This was immediately followed by their network television debut on Conan. They’ve since risen to the forefront of their genre on the backs of relentless touring and the strength of their debut album ‘landmark’.
In October 2017, the band released their self-produced EP ‘warm glow’ as an ode to loyalty and self-preservation. “We had tunes that didn’t fit on ‘landmark’ but took on a life of their own. The project became about the support we couldn’t find as individuals but discovered as an entity.”
TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE HERE: https://ticketf.ly/2sQ62IH
*Hari Kondabolu w/ Carmen Lagala
$25 ($22 adv)/All Ages/Doors 6:00PM
Space Ballroom- Hamden, CT
INFO: Hari Kondabolu is a comedian, writer & podcaster based in Brooklyn, NY. He has been described by The NY Times as “one of the most exciting political comics in stand-up today.” In 2018, his Netflix special “Warn Your Relatives” was released and he was named one of Variety’s Top 10 Comics To Watch.
Hari has released two comedy albums two albums, “Waiting for 2042” & “Mainstream American Comic” with the legendary indie rock label Kill Rock Stars. He has performed on The Late Show with David Letterman, Conan, Jimmy Kimmel Live, John Oliver’s NY Stand-Up Show, @Midnight & has his own half-hour special on Comedy Central. A former writer & correspondent on the Chris Rock produced FX TV show “Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell.” In 2017, he released his critically acclaimed documentary “The Problem with Apu” on truTV.
TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE HERE: https://ticketf.ly/2wZMFOU
Monday, October 29th
*Kosha Dillz w/ DEVMO, Old Self, See All Hues, and Fet/ki
Free with RSVP (or $5 at the door)/21+/Doors 7PM
Cafe Nine – New Haven
INFO: It can be argued that Kosha Dillz could be the world’s most interesting rapper. Self-identified by his Jewish heritage, the freestyle improv champ has one of the best interactive freestyle shows, along with rhyming in Spanish, Hebrew, English, and even Yiddish. He boasts a self released album (What I Do All Day and Pickle) that debuted on 6 different Billboard charts this past summer via his own label OY VEY!, that features everyone from Matisyahu to Flynt Flossy of Turquoise Jeep.
When not on tour with friends like Kool Keith and Rza, he teaches a rap class called “how to be a jewish rapper in 45 minutes” at various synagogues across the country. In addition to that, he is a motivational speaker on the topic of addiction and recovery. The Ex convict and former NCAA Division I wrestler from Rutgers University has applied his hard working effort into the rap music at SXSW, being dubbed by Source Magazine as “the hardest working man in hip hop.” Kosha works so hard that ISIS had hacked him in 2014, and he went viral just before being added to the entire Vans Warped Tour of 2015.
RSVP Here: https://ticketf.ly/2NuGoRQ
*Blue Öyster Cult
$65-$25/All Ages/Doors 7:00 PM
Wall Street Theater- Norwalk, CT
INFO: For over four decades, Blue Öyster Cult has been thrilling fans of intelligent hard rock worldwide with powerful albums loaded with classic songs. Indeed, the Long Island, NY-‐based band is revered within the hard rock and heavy metal scene for its pioneering work. Blue Öyster Cult occupies a unique place in rock history because it’s one of very few hard rock/heavy metal bands to earn both genuine mainstream critical acclaim as well as commercial success.
Upon the release of BÖC’s self-‐titled debut album in 1972, the band was praised for its catchy-‐yet-‐heavy music and lyrics that could be provocative, terrifying, funny or ambiguous, often all in the same song. BÖC’s canon includes three stone-‐cold classic songs that will waft through the cosmos long after the sun has burned out: The truly haunting “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” from 1976’s Agents of Fortune, the pummeling “Godzilla” from 1977’s Spectres and the hypnotically melodic “Burnin’ for You” from 1981’s Fire of Unknown Origin.
The intense creative vision of BÖC’s original core duo of vocalist/lead guitarist Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser, and vocalist/rhythm guitarist Eric Bloom are complemented by Richie Castellano on guitar and keyboards, and the longtime rhythm section of bass guitarist Danny Miranda, and drummer Jules Radino.
BÖC has always maintained a relentless touring schedule that brings new songs and classics to original fans and, as Bloom puts it, “teen-‐agers with green hair.
TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE HERE: https://ticketf.ly/2LXunmG
SHOW ANNOUNCEMENTS
*The Gibson Brothers
$25 ($20 adv)/All Ages/Doors 7:00PM
Space Ballroom- Hamden, CT
INFO: The Gibson Brothers’ brand of bluegrass is a visceral mix of heritage and soaring harmony, making them the premiere brother duet of the genre, following in the footsteps of legendary brother acts such as the Stanley Brothers, Jim & Jesse, and the Osborne Brothers. Their first-ever album of entirely original songs, In the Ground sees the Gibson Brothers taking on their own roots as the sixth generation of Gibsons to grow up on their family farm. The two-time International Bluegrass Music Association Entertainers of the Year follow up their stellar, 5-times nominated tribute to brother harmonies, Brotherhood, with this latest effort, which digs even deeper into their commitment to family and their history. The themes come from the farm, their childhood, and the region in which they were raised. One can hear their dedication to the songs, from the lighthearted to the profound; in the modernity of the lyrics, matched with a virtuosity that feels somehow both traditional and revelatory. Featuring celebrated, award-winning Dobro player Rob Ickes, In the Ground reaches into new territory for the Gibson Brothers as they reflect on their past.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW: https://ticketf.ly/2yDdHNJ
*The Marshall Tucker Band
$45-$75/All Ages/Doors 7:00PM
Wall Street Theater- Norwalk, CT
INFO: The Marshall Tucker Band got its start in Spartanburg, S.C. when Gray teamed up with Tommy Caldwell and Toy Caldwell, Paul T. Riddle, George McCorkle and Jerry Eubanks, borrowing the name “Marshall Tucker” from a piano tuner whose name was found on a key ring in their old rehearsal space. In 1972, they signed with Capricorn Records, the same label that guided The Allman Brothers Band, Wet Willie, and others to national fame. The MTB opened shows for The Allman Brothers in 1973, and the following year, they began to headline their own shows across America due to the platinum-plus sales of their debut album. They toured constantly playing sheds, stadiums, theaters, fairs, and festivals.
More than 40 years after forming, The Marshall Tucker Band continues to tour, performing more than 130 live dates each year.
CMT (Country Music Television) named the MTB’s “Can’t You See” the #4 Greatest Southern Rock Song. The MTB’s debut
album, The Marshall Tucker Band, reigns as Gibson Guitar’s #5 Greatest Southern Rock Album. UltimateClassicRock.com crowned the MTB’s “Can’t You See” as the #1 Southern Rock Song and in 2013, GRAMMY® Magazine named the group’s logo as one of the most distinctive and iconic brands in music.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW: https://ticketf.ly/2ysDRCF
*The Hold Steady
$50 ($45 adv)/All Ages/Doors 7:00PM
Space Ballroom- Hamden, CT
INFO: Resisting the musical trends in New York City, vocalist/guitarist Craig Finn (ex-Lifter Puller) formed the Hold Steady after moving from Minneapolis in 2000. Wanting to capture the sound of bands such as the Replacements and the Grifters, he recruited guitarist Tad Kubler (also ex-Lifter Puller), drummer Judd Counsell, and bassist Galen Polivka. Recording mostly live, the band released its debut, Almost Killed Me, on Frenchkiss Records in March 2004. Dave Gardener (Rocket from the Crypt, Drive Like Jehu) and Dean Botulonis signed on to produce Separation Sunday, which arrived in 2005. The band’s third effort, 2006’s Boys and Girls in America, marked its first release for Vagrant. After writing the majority of their fourth record on the road, the Hold Steady returned to John Agnello’s Water Music studio to record Stay Positive, their most heavily produced effort. In July of 2008, the album was released by both Vagrant and Rough Trade.
In 2010 the band announced the departure of Franz Nicolay. Later that same year they released their fifth album, Heaven Is Whenever. In 2012 the band went on a brief hiatus, with frontman Craig Finn releasing his debut solo album, Clear Heart Full Eyes. Regrouping with new guitarist Steve Selvidge in 2013, the revitalized five-piece reentered the studio to record a track for the Game of Thrones soundtrack — which was also released as a limited-edition single on Record Store Day 2013. Near the beginning of 2014 they announced the release of their sixth album, Teeth Dreams, as well as the covers EP RAGS — all proceeds from the EP went to help the children of longtime Hold Steady fan Mike “Jersey Mike” Van Jura, who sadly passed away in 2012. After the band finished touring for the album, Finn began work on a solo album. The more intimate and personal Faith in the Future was produced by Josh Kaufman and released by Partisan Records in late 2015. He played solo shows throughout the first half of the year, then turned his attention back to Hold Steady business, namely deluxe reissues of Almost Killed Me and Separation Sunday. They arrived at the end of 2016 and to celebrate, the band (which welcomed back Franz Nicolay) played festivals and a series of sold-out shows in Brooklyn.
TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, (11/2) at 10AM: https://ticketf.ly/2yup36g
**Tickets are available for all these shows in the shop (cash only for ticket sales) without the online fees. **