Wednesday, December 1st: Ozzy Osbourne at Madison Square Garden. There’s no better way to kick off the month (and Hanukkah) than with the Prince of f*cking Darkness himself. With Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford opening, this is a classic metal show and sure to be a great night. Plenty of great tickets are still available from both Ticketmaster as well as brokers at very reasonable prices, and Ozzy’s new guitarist Gus G. is an absolute phenomenon to behold, so this is a definite not-to-miss event. Read my review of Ozzy and Halford at Ozzfest 2010 here for an idea of what to expect from the metal legends.
Thursday, December 2nd: Watain & Goatwhore at Santo’s Party House. Santo’s has rapidly become the newest venue for extreme metal bands, and this Thursday’s show will be no exception. Support from Black Anvil and Hamsoken should ensure hours of brutal mosh music in the intimate club.
Friday, December 3rd: Ozzy Osbourne at Izod Center. New Jerseyians get another crack at the one and only Ozzy in the Meadowlands. While Izod can be a hassle to get to from the city, those on the west side of the Hudson should find it easier to park at than MSG, and even city-dwellers can hop a bus from Port Authority right to the show.
Friday, December 3rd: Nonpoint at Santo’s Party House. Santo’s practically owns December’s NYC metal shows, and Nonpoint, along with the female-fronted In This Moment, are probably the best-selling artists to play there so far. Check out my review of Nonpoint playing the Crazy Donkey earlier this year here, and be sure to grab tickets to these popular bands before they sell out.
Friday, December 3rd: Killing Joke at Irving Plaza. This British punk-metal act has been cited as inspiration for bands as monumental as Nirvana and Opeth, and even the mighty Metallica covered The Wait on their Garage Inc, album. See these legends in person at the small Irving Plaza if you’re not already going to Ozzy that night.
Saturday, December 4th: The Sword at Webster Hall. The Texas stoner-metal act is playing a rescheduled date after losing their drummer right before their originally scheduled performance. Check out the new guy as the band debuts songs from their newest record, featuring the same groove-intensive rock style that made none other than Lars Ulrich himself handpick The Sword as an opening act.
Sunday, December 5th: Crowbar at Santo’s Party House: Fans of the sludge metal genre are sure to flock to this show as the newly rehabbed Kirk Windstein and his New Orleans band make a triumphant return to touring. The group even recently released a brand new track, Cemetery Angels, which can be heard here. This show is guaranteed to be heavy as all f*ck. Check back with the Hard Rock Examiner for a preshow interview and show review as well.
Monday, December 6th: Murderdolls at Gramercy Theater. CANCELLED. “Due to an unforeseeable family emergency Murderdolls have been forced to cancel the upcoming Violent Night, Deadly Night tour. These decisions are never easy to make and we did everything we could to keep from having to cancel, but this was unavoidable. We’ll do our best to make up the dates in 2011. For those who bought tickets, refunds are available from point of purchase.”
Wednesday, December 8th: Soulfly at Gramercy Theater. Original Sepultura frontman Max Cavalera has now recorded seven albums with Soulfly, and while distinctly different from his original Brazilian metal, the group still knows how to rip through a metal setlist. The Gramercy is a great venue for moshers and more demure fans alike, with open pits available on the floor with seats an option in the back. Tickets are still available, but the tiny venue is prone to last minute sell-outs so don’t delay if you plan on catching this show.
Saturday, December 11th: Rammstein at Madison Square Garden. In an unexpected show of loyalty, the German metal band’s first US concert in a decade sold out in minutes, and the few dozen tickets available via ticket brokers are still costing well over $100 each. As the show date gets closer, the prices may rise or fall, but no matter what, be prepared to shell out some serious cash if you want to catch Rammstein’s famously explosive show.
Saturday, December 11th: The Fab Faux at Terminal 5. This much-regaled Beatles tribute act will be performing at the tri-level Terminal 5 for the first time, and playing the White Album in its entirety. A sure-to-be epic show, but older fans used to watching this act in seated theaters should be warned that the standing-only Terminal 5 can get very hot and crowded. Still, die-hard Beatles fans will be hard-pressed to miss this show. Unless, of course, they scored tickets to Rammstein...
Monday - Tuesday December 13th - 14th: Joe Satriani at Best Buy Theater. The guitar legend will be playing a two night stand at the underground Best Buy, by far New York City’s nicest and cleanest concert venue. Expect a dazzling display of guitar pyrotechnics from one of the true masters. Tickets are still available for both shows, which will be fully seated in contrast to Best Buy’s usual general admittance policy.
Tuesday - Wednesday & Friday, December 14th - 15 & 17th: Prince at Izod Center. As previously reported here at the Hard Rock Examiner, the reclusive artist once again known as Prince will be playing five local shows, with two at MSG complementing the trio at Izod. While the Tuesday night show is sold out, tickets are still available for both the Wednesday and Friday shows in a variety of prices. The center stage setup allows for every seat in the arena to have a view of the stage, so no seat is a bad seat to watch the master of guitar work his magic.
Thursday, December 16th: Biohazard & Life of Agony at Best Buy Theater. Best Buy continues its recent streak as host to the biggest metal shows around by hosting two of New York’s best homebred acts. The Brooklyn bands may have gotten their start at the famed L’amour, but are sure to fill Times Square with devoted fans even on a Thursday night.
Thursday, December 16: Job For A Cowboy at Santo’s Party House. The Arizona death metal band has been earnestly working their way up, paying dues by opening on a wide range of tours, and is now headlining at the small but intense Santo’s. Added support comes from fellow death metallers Skeletonwitch and Misery Index.
Friday, December 17th: Trans-Siberian Orchestra at Nassau Coliseum. The heavy metal symphony’s annual Christmas shows are a true marvel to behold, using lights, lasers, and explosions to complement their overdriven take on Christmas and classical songs. Read my review of their special April Beethoven show here, and their actual Christmas performance here, and my interview with guitarist Al Pitrelli here.
Friday - Saturday, December 17-18th - 18th: Weezer at Roseland Ballroom. The New York Hard Rock Examiner does not like Weezer. Never has, never will. But recognizing that many fans find nerd-rock appealing, it’s my duty to inform you that both shows, each of which will feature an album played in its entirety in addition to a greatest hits selection, are sold out and available only through brokers and Craigslist at exorbitant prices. For tips and advice on getting into the show, check out my Guide to Scalpers, Brokers, and Craigslist here.
Saturday - Sunday, December 18-19th: Prince at Madison Square Garden. New Yorkers will be packing the Garden to see Prince play his heart out, and even though both shows are technically sold out, plenty of tickets are to be had on Craigslist at not-completely-unreasonable prices for an artist of this magnitude. Alternatively, grab tickets to one of the Izod shows, which scalpers may be dumping for under face value by the day of the show itself.
Saturday, December 18th: Trans-Siberian Orchestra at Prudential Center. New Jersey fans get two chances in one day to witness the marvel that is TSO, in the gleaming new Prudential Center in Newark. An early show and late show give maximum flexibility for those with children or other scheduling difficulties.
Saturday, December 18th: Shadows Fall at Santo’s Party House. Metal fans should be on a first name basis with the people at Santo’s by this point, as Massachusetts metal veterans Shadows Fall cap an intensive month of metal at the tiny downtown venue. Die hard fans rarely get an opportunity to be this close up to the band, and the small confines should ensure some brutal mosh pits.
Saturday, December 18th: Tribute Wars XXXVII. With the odds of Tool, Alice in Chains, Rage Against the Machine, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden all touring together very, very slim, catch these great tribute acts playing the music you love all in one place as Schism, Facelift, Battle of Los Angeles, No Code, and Jesus Christ Pose rock out on a Saturday night. Check out my review of Schism and Battle of Los Angles here for an idea of what to expect from these great cover acts.
Sunday, December 19th: Shadows Fall at Starland Ballroom. Seton Hall radio station WSOU, the only true source of metal radio in the region, will be hosting Shadows Fall, A Life Once Lost, With Daggers Drawn, and Ashes of Your Enemy for their Not So Silent Night party. While not as intimate as Santos, Starland is still a fairly small venue, and a great place for New Jersey residents to catch these bands.
Sunday, December 26th: GWAR at Best Buy Theater. What better way to end a spiritual holiday weekend than by getting covered in blood, semen, and other various bodily fluids to a raging soundtrack played by space monsters? The almighty GWAR returns to New York, this time to the usually classy Best Buy Theater, which may regret letting Oderus Urungus and the rest of the band destroy the place. Fans who have never seen GWAR before owe it to themselves to check out the spectacle, where they can observe from the rear seats if they want, and those who have seen GWAR before already know why they’ll be returning. Check out my last review of GWAR's brutality here.
Sunday, December 26th: School of Rock at B.B. Kings. The Hard Rock Examiner has thoroughly covered Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters as he announced a tour celebrating The Wall album in its entirety, as well as several of the seven local performances the frontman put on (reviews here, here, and here). For those who could use a few more bricks in their wall, check out the New York City School of Rock (yes, like the movie) as they perform the masterpiece in the intimate Times Square blueshouse.
Monday-Wednesday, December 27-29th: The Disco Biscuits at Terminal 5. The last week of December is virtually a candyland for stoners and even sober fans of electronica and jam music. The Disco Biscuits, which effortlessly fuse the two genres, put on a spectacular light show to go along with their beat-infused melodies, and the enormous Terminal 5 venue, complete with couches and a roof deck, will provide plenty of space for revellers to party. Check out my review of last year’s December show here.
Wednesday - Thursday, December 29-30th: The Machine at B.B. Kings. New York’s own tribute to Pink Floyd picks up just where the School of Rock kids will leave off, playing their hearts out on dead-on covers of Floyd’s greatest hits and deeper classics. A dedicated fan base and obvious love for the music makes The Machine one of the finest tribute acts to any band, and their annual New Years shows at B.B. Kings are often packed to capacity. Check out my review of their recent performance at the Brooklyn Bowl here.
Thursday - Saturday, December 30th - January 1st: Phish at Madison Square Garden. Kids might as well flock from the Disco Biscuits straight to the Garden, because the right drugs will keep you up for a week straight anyhow. And drugs will be a-plenty as Phish returns to the World’s Most Famous Arena for a three night stand covering not only New Years Eve, but the next night as well for their famously loyal fans. Anyone within blocks of 34th & 7th can probably get a contact high just by standing outside, and with all three shows sold out, that may be the best option for fans who can’t pony up enough dough for the triple digit prices scalpers want for the much-coveted tickets.
Friday, December 31st: Infected Mushroom at Hammerstein Ballroom. Already bought some E or ‘shrooms but got sold out at Phish? Israeli electro-ravers Infected Mushroom are sure to put on a spectacular New Year’s show at Hammerstein, buoyed by openers Shpongle and their unique audio-visual spectacle. Both bands cater heavily towards psychedelically-altered states of consciousness as well as sets that can stretch until dawn, so be prepared for a long and mind-opening experience if you’re going to venture into the warping beats of this show.
Notable Mention:
Saturday - Sunday December 4-5th: Matisyahu at Music Hall of Williamsburg. The Hasidic rapper used to celebrate Hannuka by putting on eight nights of shows at the peak of his popularity, but will only be doing four locally this year, the last two of which will be in his native Brooklyn. Matisyahu shows are always an enjoyable amalgam of yeshiva youth and hardcore reggae fanatics, so fans of the rapper should catch at least one of the performances and his famous disco ball dreidel. Read my review of Matisyahu’s summer performance at Jones Beach here.
Wednesday, December 29th: Wu-Tang Clan at Best Buy Theater. You already know that they ain’t nuthin’ to f*ck with, so enjoy one of rap’s finest groups at the luxurious Best Buy in Times Square. While individual members make appearances here and there, the entire group (minus the late ODB) rarely plays as a whole so New Yorkers will be treated to a fairly special performance.
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