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Friday, July 01, 2005
  • live aid artwork

    The Lowdown on Live 8

    In 1985, Irish rocker Bob Geldof organized what was then the biggest charity concert series in history: Live Aid, which raised $200 million for African famine relief. Now, two decades later, Geldof has organized a sequel, Saturday's Live 8 concert series. In advance of the nine worldwide shows, we get a Live 8 primer with Blender magazine senior editor Ann Powers. Also: Through his band the Eels, singer/songwriter Mark Oliver Everett has drawn on the turmoil and tragedy in his life to create ambitious music that, according to Rolling Stone, "demonstrates disarming wit, tear-stained awareness and heavenly loser love." His recently released CD, Blinking Lights and other Revelations, has been called "some of the best-written songs of this new century" by the magazine Under the Radar, and on today's show, Uncle E himself comes by guitar-in-hand for a performance and a chat. Finally, Noche Flamenca has developed into one of Spain's most successful flamenco companies. They join us in the studio to talk about flamenco and their recently extended run at Theatre 80.

Best Live Performances of 2008

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We revisit memorable in-studio performances from Toumani Diabaté, Cat Power, Regina Spektor, and others.

The Year in Music and Branding

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Pop music and advertising go together like peanut butter and jelly. Grey Group music director Josh Rabinowitz shares his picks for the best song picks and ad campaigns of 2008.

Critics Week

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Music writers look back at the year's best pop, rock, hip hop, classical, jazz, Latin and world albums. Plus: the worst music of the year and the best online music. Read our critics' lists here. And don't forget to cast your vote in our best-albums poll.

Noteworthy New York

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We have invited musicians and artists to help us select their favorite cultural destination in the neighborhood where they live. From parks and coffee shops to bowling alleys and museums, the options are as diverse as our group of contributors.