At last year’s True Colors gig, I was mesmerized by nearly every act on the bill (including but not limited to The Gossip, Dresden Dolls & Erasure). This time around, the brightest moments of the evening undoubtedly emanated from the two legendary headliners.

Cyndi Lauper’s 75 minute set featured everything you’d hope to hear (‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’, ‘Time After Time’, ‘She Bop’, ‘When You Were Mine’, ‘Money Changes Everything’) alongside a handful of tracks from her new LP, Bring Ya To The Brink. The latter tunes transport Cyndi back to her early dance roots. Each and every Brink ditty sounded tremendous and defiant in the 6000 capacity auditorium. Perhaps my personal highlight of the evening would be the encore opening collaboration on Hedwig & The Angry Inch‘s ‘Midnight Radio’ with John Cameron Mitchell. JCM very rarely performs the cult classic’s selections anymore and to hear the anthem sung so passionately was an immense treat. Visit Cyndi at her MySpace page. Enjoy a duo of up close & personal photos below.

MP3: Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

While I’ve been a long time fan of The B-52′s, last night was my first time seeing the Athens based quartet in a live setting. With their fifty minutes, they bounced back & forth between their trademark cuts (‘Roam’, ‘Mesopotamia’, ‘Private Idaho’) and picks from Funplex – most notably the leisurely title track. While ‘World’s Greatest Party Band’ is a tough term to live up to, The B-52′s did not disappoint. In fact, they far exceeded my expectations. As could be predicted, the final two songs (‘Rock Lobster’ & ‘Love Shack’) were the most well received. Watch a clip of the band performing ‘Juliet…’ on R&K here.

MP3: The B-52′s – Hot Corner

At last year’s True Colors gig, I was mesmerized by nearly every act on the bill (including but not limited to The Gossip, Dresden Dolls & Erasure). This time around, the brightest moments of the evening undoubtedly emanated from the two legendary headliners.

Cyndi Lauper’s 75 minute set featured everything you’d hope to hear (‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’, ‘Time After Time’, ‘She Bop’, ‘When You Were Mine’, ‘Money Changes Everything’) alongside a handful of tracks from her new LP, Bring Ya To The Brink. The latter tunes transport Cyndi back to her early dance roots. Each and every Brink ditty sounded tremendous and defiant in the 6000 capacity auditorium. Perhaps my personal highlight of the evening would be the encore opening collaboration on Hedwig & The Angry Inch‘s ‘Midnight Radio’ with John Cameron Mitchell. JCM very rarely performs the cult classic’s selections anymore and to hear the anthem sung so passionately was an immense treat. Visit Cyndi at her MySpace page. Enjoy a duo of up close & personal photos below.

MP3: Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

While I’ve been a long time fan of The B-52′s, last night was my first time seeing the Athens based quartet in a live setting. With their fifty minutes, they bounced back & forth between their trademark cuts (‘Roam’, ‘Mesopotamia’, ‘Private Idaho’) and picks from Funplex – most notably the leisurely title track. While ‘World’s Greatest Party Band’ is a tough term to live up to, The B-52′s did not disappoint. In fact, they far exceeded my expectations. As could be predicted, the final two songs (‘Rock Lobster’ & ‘Love Shack’) were the most well received. Watch a clip of the band performing ‘Juliet…’ on R&K here.

MP3: The B-52′s – Hot Corner

At last year’s True Colors gig, I was mesmerized by nearly every act on the bill (including but not limited to The Gossip, Dresden Dolls & Erasure). This time around, the brightest moments of the evening undoubtedly emanated from the two legendary headliners.

Cyndi Lauper’s 75 minute set featured everything you’d hope to hear (‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’, ‘Time After Time’, ‘She Bop’, ‘When You Were Mine’, ‘Money Changes Everything’) alongside a handful of tracks from her new LP, Bring Ya To The Brink. The latter tunes transport Cyndi back to her early dance roots. Each and every Brink ditty sounded tremendous and defiant in the 6000 capacity auditorium. Perhaps my personal highlight of the evening would be the encore opening collaboration on Hedwig & The Angry Inch‘s ‘Midnight Radio’ with John Cameron Mitchell. JCM very rarely performs the cult classic’s selections anymore and to hear the anthem sung so passionately was an immense treat. Visit Cyndi at her MySpace page. Enjoy a duo of up close & personal photos below.

MP3: Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

While I’ve been a long time fan of The B-52′s, last night was my first time seeing the Athens based quartet in a live setting. With their fifty minutes, they bounced back & forth between their trademark cuts (‘Roam’, ‘Mesopotamia’, ‘Private Idaho’) and picks from Funplex – most notably the leisurely title track. While ‘World’s Greatest Party Band’ is a tough term to live up to, The B-52′s did not disappoint. In fact, they far exceeded my expectations. As could be predicted, the final two songs (‘Rock Lobster’ & ‘Love Shack’) were the most well received. Watch a clip of the band performing ‘Juliet…’ on R&K here.

MP3: The B-52′s – Hot Corner

Hallelujah! Royal Albert Hall in September. Radio City Music Hall in October. Spinner reports: *Modern rock innovators Echo & The Bunnymen will make a triumphant live return to New York’s Radio City Music Hall on October 1, where the band will be performing their landmark 1984 album, Ocean Rain, with an orchestra as part of its 30th anniversary.*

Visit Echo & The Bunnymen on MySpace.

MP3: Echo & The Bunnymen – Siberia

Hallelujah! Royal Albert Hall in September. Radio City Music Hall in October. Spinner reports: *Modern rock innovators Echo & The Bunnymen will make a triumphant live return to New York’s Radio City Music Hall on October 1, where the band will be performing their landmark 1984 album, Ocean Rain, with an orchestra as part of its 30th anniversary.*

Visit Echo & The Bunnymen on MySpace.

MP3: Echo & The Bunnymen – Siberia

Hallelujah! Royal Albert Hall in September. Radio City Music Hall in October. Spinner reports: *Modern rock innovators Echo & The Bunnymen will make a triumphant live return to New York’s Radio City Music Hall on October 1, where the band will be performing their landmark 1984 album, Ocean Rain, with an orchestra as part of its 30th anniversary.*

Visit Echo & The Bunnymen on MySpace.

MP3: Echo & The Bunnymen – Siberia

The gig will take place on June 21st.

It’ll be held at New York’s Radio City Music Hall.

The legendary band plays MSG the night before.

Tickets are on sale this Saturday via Ticketmaster.

MP3: The Cure – A Letter To Elise

The full show was close to five (!) hours in length… However, rather than reliving the entire journey step by step by step, here’s my review in *under 100 words*.

The Gossip: Absolutely incredible. Highlight of the evening. The trio even busted out Aaliyah’s ‘R U That Somebody?’. Beth had on a fabulous purple shimmery dress.

Dresden Dolls: Impressive. Won over a reluctant crowd. ‘Coin-Operated Boy’ was met with huge applause, as was the Jacque Brel cover. Class act, as per usual. Ace.

Debbie Harry: Disappointing, disappointing, disappointing. Vocals were off, not one single Blondie track performed and Debbie now goes by Deborah. Sigh. And Deb, you know we love you, but the silver mini-skirt was easily the fashion faux pas of the year.

Erasure: Electro-pop gods prove why they got the title in the first place. ‘A Little Respect’, ‘Chains Of Love’ + ‘Oh L’Amour’ met with rapturous approval. Biggest cheers of the night.

Cyndi Lauper: God love her. Wig, unmatching high heels, Karen O-esque gown and all. ‘True Colors’ choir to close the show = perfection. Accent was flaring out of control!

(photos via Faded Youth Blog + Satan Polaroid)

MP3s: The Gossip – Your Mangled Heart + Dresden Dolls – Backstabber (live)

More deets to come. In the meantime, check out some photos, the setlists and other randomness:

Celebs (and pseudo celebs) in attendance: Tim DeLaughter from The Polyphonic Spree, Michael Ian Black, Aziz Ansari, David Bowie (who am I missing?)

No Bowie collaboration (sigh), but the show was still absolutely incredible.

Arcade Fire setlist:
“Keep The Car Running”
“No Cars Go”
“Haiti”
“Black Mirror”
“Neighborhood #2 (Laika)”
“In The Back Seat”
“My Body Is A Cage”
“The Well And The Lighthouse”
“Ocean Of Noise”
“Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)”
“(Antichrist Television Blues)”
“Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)”
“Rebellion (Lies)”
—–
“Intervention”
“Wake Up”

MP3: The Arcade Fire – The Well & The Lighthouse

The National played a solid 45-minute set highlighting tunes from both Alligator and their new LP, Boxer. It was rather bizarre to see The National in such a massive space but they did a superb job warming up the already overzealous crowd.

The National setlist:
“Secret Meeting”
“Mistaken For Strangers”
“Slow Show”
“Abel”
“Start A War”
“Squalor Victoria”
“Apartment Story”
“Fake Empire”
“Mr. November”
“About Today”

MP3: The National – Secret Meeting