From New York to Japan to London and back, here’s a Rock & Roll update of what I’ve seen and heard this summer, Jesse Malin, Lily Allen, Billie Joe Armstrong, and many more!
April 6 – NYC – Curator Dave Brolan introducing Danny Fields and Gillian McCain at the release event for “My Ramones: Photographs by Danny Fields” at Rizzoli book store.
April 11 – NYC – Tammy Faye Starlite performing on stage during her solo show at Joe’s Pub, NYC.
April 23 – Brooklyn – Lily Allen was amazing again on stage at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn.
April 26 – NYC – Jesse Malin opened a new bar, Coney Island Baby on Ave A and he joined Jimmy Gestapo of Murphy’s Law on stage during the opening show.
April 29 – NYC – Bebe Buell brought her Rock & Roll show to New York again on stage at Joe’s Pub, NYC.
April 30 – NYC – Verve recording artist and star of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Jon Batiste plays for the Verve party at Le Poisson Rouge, NYC.
May 4 – Jersey City – My son Kris Gruen backstage at the White Eagle Hall getting ready to open the show for Alejandro Escovedo.
May 9 – NYC – Electric Circus founder and agent extraordinaire Jerry Brandt celebrates his 80th birthday outside at the Bowery Electric.
May 9 – NYC – Alejandro Escovedo and Lenny Kaye on stage at Berlin, during Alejandro’s month long series of New York shows.
May 9 – NYC – Handsome Dick Manitoba showing off his tattoo on the street in front of Bowery Electric.
May 17 – NYC – Debbie Harry and Chris Stein of Blondie arrive at the CBGB exhibit at Morrison Hotel Gallery.
May 17 – NYC – Syl Sylvain and Alejandro Escovedo backstage at their show together at Bowery Electric.
May 31 – NYC – Fun Lovin’ Criminals played New York for the first time in many years on stage at the Highline Ballroom, and they were great!
June 1 – Brooklyn – Billy Joe Armstrong’s new side project, Longshot, before their show at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn.
June 13 – NYC – Chris Franz, Tina Weymouth of the Talking Heads, Seymour Stein and Vice President of the Grammy Foundation, Scott Goldman during a talk about Seymour’s new book “Siren Song: My Life in Music:” at the Spy Museum, NYC.
June 13 – NYC – Lucinda Williams sings the blues better than anyone on stage at the Beacon Theatre.
July 2 – NYC – My son Kris Gruen on stage at the Rockwood Music Hall during the party for his new CD ‘Coast & Refuge’. He’s been getting great reviews for this, his 4th CD.
July 23 – NYC – Chris Janson taped a TV show with a sold out show at the new Opry City Stage in Times Square for the PBS ‘Front and Center’ series.
July 26 – Naeba, Japan- Fuji Rock Festival founder and producer Masa Hidaka and Shigemi with Nana, their cute Shiba Inu dog, welcomed us to the 21st festival. Although they are the top people producing a festival of over 15o,ooo people with hundreds of acts and artists spread out over two miles along the bottom of a mountain in the north west of Japan they are amazingly gracious hosts to all the fans who come.
July 26 – Naeba, Japan – Me and my wife Elizabeth with our friend Yuki Taira Burns at the beginning of the Fuji Rock Festival. I gave a live talk/interview to promote the Japanese edition of my book “Rock Seen”.
July 27 – Naeba, Japan – Hiroto Komoto performing with the Route 17 Rock and Roll Orchestra on stage during Fuji Rock Festival. He’s known as the ‘Iggy Pop of Japan’ and he was as wild as always.
July 28 – Naeba, Japan – The amazing R&B legend Carla Thomas performed on stage during Fuji Rock Festival.
July 29 – Naeba, Japan – New York country band Western Caravan played at the Fuji Rock Festival on the Cafe Don stage.
July 29 – Naeba, Japan – Festival Producer Masa Hidaka said hello to headliner Jack Johnson backstage during Fuji Rock Festival.
July 29 – Naeba, Japan – Jack Johnson and Merlo Podlewski on the big stage during Fuji Rock Festival.
July 29 – Naeba, Japan – Hothouse Flowers played a secret acoustic show at Cafe Don during the Fuji Rock Festival.
July 29 – Naeba, Japan – Sandii Kawauchi and Dennis Bovell played selections from their new album during Fuji Rock Festival.
July 29 – Naeba, Japan – The most anticipated act of the weekend was Bob Dylan on Sunday night. For Japanese fans who hadn’t seen him before it was a dream come true.
Aug 1 – Tokyo – On the way home I had time to visit with Makoto Ayukawa of Sheena and The Rokkets in Tokyo, Japan.
Elizabeth, Yuki, me and Yutaka, known as ‘Diamond Yuki’ after dinner in Tokyo, Japan.
Aug 6 – NYC – The Alarm performing on the Live Nation office roof to announce a reunion tour.
Aug 9 – Brooklyn – Amy Helm and Producer Joe Henry during Amy’s listening party at Oswalds Mill Audio in Brooklyn for her new album, “This Too Shall Light”
Aug 22 – London – The Japanese fashion company Hysteric Glamour hired me to photograph their new fall line in London, England. They asked if I knew a young band he liked so I suggested the Strypes and they looked great!
Aug 22 – London – Me and Hysteric Glamour founder Nobu Kitamura after the photo shoot at the legendary Troubadour Club in London, England.
Aug 25 – NYC – Uni was the opening act for the Joe Strummer tribute ‘Summer StrummerJam’ at Bowery Ballroom, NYC.
Aug 25 – NYC – Uni was the opening act for the Joe Strummer tribute ‘Summer StrummerJam’ at Bowery Ballroom, NYC.
Aug 25 – NYC – Jesse Malin and my son Kris Gruen on stage during the “Summer StrummerJam” at Bowery Ballroom, NYC.
Jesse Malin and Kris Gruen on stage during the “Summer StrummerJam” at Bowery Ballroom, NYC.
Jesse Malin and Uni on stage during the “Summer StrummerJam” at Bowery Ballroom, NYC.
Aug 25 – NYC – Jesse Malin and HR of Bad Brains on stage during the “Summer StrummerJam” at Bowery Ballroom, NYC.
Aug 25 – NYC – Jesse Malin and Willie Nile on stage during the “Summer StrummerJam” at Bowery Ballroom, NYC. Willie really rocked the house!
Sept 6 – NYC – Mike Myers surprised Alice Cooper on stage at Beacon Theatre during the encore by doing his ‘We’re not worthy’ bow to Alice.
Sept 7 – NYC – Dennis Elsas, Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan, Sean Lennon, Yoko Ono and me during the John Lennon stamp unveiling event at the Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park, NYC. Check out the video of the ceremony at USPS.
Sept 7 – NYC – I gave a short speech and joined Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon during the John Lennon stamp unveiling event at the Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park, NYC.
Sept 13 – NYC – Mayor Bill de Blasio, Yoko Ono, Ringo Starr and Jeff Bridges during the “Come Together NYC” event at City Hall, NYC to welcome the John Lennon Educational Bus.