Cat Power headlined the Modern Sky Festival NYC in Central Park on Sunday.  The festival in Central Park was the first American version of China’s Modern Sky Festival.  Also featured were The Both composed of Aimee Mann and Ted Leo as well as Stars.  Sets were short as it was an all-day hootenanny and it got chilly when the sun went down but it was a good take.  I chatted with Stars last year and spoke with The Both (between songs of their set at The Rockwood) earlier this year.

Diamond Rugs hung out in NYC a bit recently for a David Letterman appearance and a gig opening last Sunday June 24th for Alabama Shakes at Central Park on Summerstage. On Tuesday, I met the Rugs at WFUV where they performed five tracks from the album and chatted with me for a spell.

These guys are way long on talent with John McCauley (who is truly a madman – that’s him and me in the pic below) of Deer Tick and Middle Brother not to mention Deervana and Steve Berlin of Los Lobos leading the charge.

Link to the WFUV interview HERE.

The following evening Aimee Mann played a tasty little session for FUV at Electric Lady Studios. She featured tracks from her forthcoming Charmer album due in September. Aimee’s singing and songwriting talent are not news. What struck me most was her sense of humor. The intimate audience in attendance was treated to bits of the Barney Miller and Rockford Files themes as well as Save Me and Little Bombs.  Listen to Aimee’s show at Electric Lady and her chat with Claudia Marshall HERE.

On Friday night I hit Hammerstein Ballroom for Tenacious D. From the the moment they walked out on stage to Ennio Morricone music to the moment the last ticker tape semen shot from the enormous penis on stage, it was entertaining.  Jack Black and Kyle Glass first hatched the D in 94 and now have three albums of material to pick and choose from on stage.  A medley of songs from The Who’s Tommy and a well-placed appropriation of the rap from Van Halen’s Everybody Wants Some supplemented tracks from the fine new Rize of the Fenix disc and old faves like Friendship, Tribute and Wonderboy. As you no doubt know, with Jack and KG – you’re talking double team supreme.