Two years ago, The Gaslight Anthem were an up and coming New Jersey band combining the hero of their home state (Springsteen) with the late-nineties beard-punk (really!) of Hot Water Music and Against Me. My band played with them about a year-and-a-half ago to a 3/4 full Knitting Factory in Hollywood and they tore the roof off the place; it was clear they'd go far, and quickly.

One year later, they're at Glastonbury playing "The '59 Sound" with Springsteen as a guest. If anyone deserves to be passed the NJ rock and roll torch, it's these guys. Enjoy.

Every Monday night, C&L's Late Nite Music Club showcases an act from every state, alphabetically by state, as part of LNMC's 50 State Strategy. Know a band or artist that you think is the best in their state? Email suggestions to latenitemusicclub [at] gmail.com. Next week: New Mexico.

The second generation of great rockers is now officially in its golden years today, as Bruce Springsteen celebrates his 60th birthday. He's been an old soul since releasing his first album over 36 years ago, and is pretty much at the top of his game now, with the consistent sold out shows, command performance at the inauguration, worldwide respect and adulation and whatnot.

On a more personal note, at the young age of four I saw the video for "Born in the USA" on MTV and told my Dad I wanted to play guitar, which resulted in a half size nylon string acoustic guitar and some lessons from a patient teacher willing to deal with a precocious kindergartener, and all the trappings great and bad that follow on that path in the subsequent 25 years. I'm sure there are thousands of others with the same story, and on behalf of us all I say Happy Birthday, Boss. Don't ever stop playing.

It goes without saying, but he certainly deserves the honor:

President Barack Obama will be on hand to celebrate the career of Bruce Springsteen at this year’s Kennedy Center Honors Gala on December 6th. Springsteen will be joined by fellow honorees actor Robert DeNiro, director Mel Brooks, jazz great Dave Brubeck and opera singer Grace Bumbry at the ceremony, which will air December 29th on CBS. “With his gritty and honest songs that speak to the everyman, Bruce Springsteen has always had his finger on the pulse of America,” the Kennedy Center wrote today in a statement.

Whoever wrote the aforementioned condescending statement about Springsteen's ability to relate to Hoi and Polloi despite being the toast of le elite will not be receiving any awards other than continuing to work for the Kennedy center, however.

The Boss is adding more American dates to his tour, and NOT COMING TO CALIFORNIA!!??!

Damn you, Springsteen. Damn you.

08/18 - Hartford, CT @ Comcast Theater

08/22 - Mansfield, MA @ Comcast Center

08/23 - Mansfield, MA @ Comcast Center

08/25 - Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center

09/10 - Nashville, tn @ Sommet Center

09/12 - Tampa FL @ Sommett Center

09/13 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Bank Atlantic Center

09/16 - Greenville, SC @ Bi-Lo Center

09/20 - Chicago, IL @ United Center

09/30 - E. Rutherford, NJ @ Giants Stadium

10/02 - E. Rutherford, NJ @ Giants Stadium

10/03 - E. Rutherford, NJ @ Giants Stadium

10/08 - E. Rutherford, NJ @ Giants Stadium

10/09 - E. Rutherford, NJ @ Giants Stadium

10/13 - Philadelphia, PA @ Spectrum

10/14 - Philadelphia, PA @ Spectrum

10/25 - St. Louis, MO @ Scottrade Center

10/26 - Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center

11/02 - Washington, DC @ Verizon Center

11/03 - Charlotte, NC @ Time Warner Cable Arena

11/07 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden

11/08 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden

11/10 - Cleveland, OH @ Quicken Loans Arena

11/13 - Auburn Hills, MI @ Palace at Auburn Hills

11/15 - Milwaukee, WI @ Bradley Center

Let's hear it for the cultural heroes who always speak the truth as they know it, no matter what the cost to themselves:

NEW YORK — Three months after Bruce Springsteen persuaded Pete Seeger to sing This Land Is Your Land with him at President Obama's inaugural concert, they'll be back together on stage Sunday — on Seeger's 90th birthday.

A sold-out benefit concert at Madison Square Garden will celebrate Seeger, the folk singer/songwriter who was banished from commercial TV for 17 years.

Seeger says a party for 15,000 isn't his idea of a birthday celebration, even with more than 40 musicians, including Dave Matthews, Eddie Vedder and Arlo Guthrie, whose dad, Woody, taught Seeger how to jump freight trains 60 years ago.

Continue reading »

It's gonna be a Merry Christmas, Baby. The Boss says so. Jus' sayin'.

C&L's Late Night Music Club with R.E.M.

(guest blogged by Howie Klein)

Tonight we have an awesome 2004 live performance in D.C. of R.E.M. doing "Man on the Moon" with special guest-- The Boss.

And here's a somewhat related song for you to puzzle over-- but to puzzle over with a purpose. Listen and figure it out.
Download | play -MP3

What song is it? Who wrote it? Who performed it originally? And who's performing it here as a CROOKS AND LIARS LATE NITE MUSIC CLUB exclusive? That's right, no one has ever heard this before. But the person who can best figure it out in the comments section is going to win a super-duper REM prize. And when John and I say "super-duper," we mean you win something you can't just waltz into K-Mart and buy. I'd rather keep it a surprise but John's making me spit it out. The winner gets a library of R.E.M. CDs that we picked out for you including some special collectible treats courtesy of our pals at R.E.M.'s record label. John will announce the winner tomorrow night.

Greatest hits: In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003

The Wild, the Innocent, And The E Street Shuffle

Stay safe out there people.

Someone recently unearthed this original treatment of the Boss' 'Dancing In The Dark' video, and I must say that it is more entertaining to me than the official video that featured the lady who would go on to become Courteney Cox. The premise is simple: Springsteen dances (and I mean dances) in the dark for a while, and then Clarence Clemons arrives in a red suit to rock the sax. Check it.

DOWNLOADS: (878)

PLAYS: (1621)

Embed

Thoughts go out tonight for longtime E Street saxophonist Clarence Clemons, who suffered a stroke in Florida on Sunday. Get well soon Big Man.

Note from Dave: This news is very sad; I really grew up listening to the E Street Band. Here's hoping The Big Man can make a full recovery.

The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle is one of my first three island-desert albums. For my money, I'll place "Kitty's Back" as some of the finest sax work ever committed to vinyl -- or performed onstage. Here's a live version from 1975:

Continue reading »