this week in music

SEATTLE ROCK ICONS FOUNDERS AWARD: ALICE IN CHAINS

Who: Korn, Billy Corgan, Metallica, Dave Navarro, Mastodon, Krist Novoselic, Taylor Hawkins, Mike McCready, Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Chris Chaney, Corey Taylor, Dallas Green, Duff McKagan, Chris DeGarmo, Fishbone, Liv Warfield, Shooter Jennings, Kim Thayil, Mark Lanegan, Tad Doyle, Ayron Jones, Maggie Björklund, Bill Herzog, Martin Feveyear, Bubba Dupree, Jennifer Johnson, Jillian Raye, Nathan Yaccino, Shaina Shepherd, Taylor Hawkins, Les Claypool, Jeff Ament, Mike McCready, Eddie Vedder, Sammy Hagar, Vernon Reid, Tom Morello, Robert Downey Jr., Lily Cornell Silver, more
What: Museum of Pop Culture Founders Award presentation to Alice in Chains and fundraiser
Where: MoPOP Facebook, Amazon Music Twitch
When: Tuesday, December 1, free with RSVP (donations accepted), 9:00
Why: Formed in 1987 in Seattle, Alice in Chains has released a mere six studio albums in its history, from 1990’s Facelift to 2018’s Rainier Fog, spreading its unique brand of heavy metal grunge in its own way, primarily live. On December 1, the band, consisting of lead guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist Jerry Cantrell, drummer Sean Kinney, bassist Mike Inez, and rhythm guitarist William DuVall, will be honored with the Museum of Pop Culture’s Founders Award in an online presentation that features performances and tributes from such famous fans as Korn, Billy Corgan, Metallica, Dave Navarro, Krist Novoselic, Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Duff McKagan, Fishbone, Shooter Jennings, Kim Thayil, Mark Lanegan, Les Claypool, Jeff Ament, Mike McCready, Eddie Vedder, Sammy Hagar, Vernon Reid, Tom Morello, and Robert Downey Jr. in addition to the debut of Lily Cornell Silver, the daughter of Chris Cornell and Susan Silver. AIC will take the virtual stage as well; the evening will also include songs from Sound Off! artists Katy Rose, Human Missile Crisis, David’s Van, and Talaya.

“It feels truly special to receive the MoPOP Founders Award in our home town of Seattle. It’s also humbling to be joined by so many of our friends, peers and heroes to rock some AIC tunes,” Cantrell said in a statement. “I hope people watching enjoy the show as much as we did putting it together. A big hearty thanks to everyone who participated in making this virtual thing happen during these strange times. Music has the power to unite, heal and inspire. It is all of ours. Let’s continue to create and celebrate that which feeds the soul. Rawk on!” Cofounder Kinney added, “When we got to make our first record, I thought, great, we will be able to make one record, do our thing, and hope for the best. Now, thirty years later, to get this award and still be touring and making music is the most amazing feeling. We are brothers with all of the craziness that goes with it. This is for Layne [Staley], Mike [Starr], and for all of us now. We can’t wait to get back out on the road once this hellish pandemic is behind us.” The event will be streamed live on Facebook and Twitch; admission is free but donations will be accepted for the museum, which is based in Seattle.

L’DOR V’DOR: GENERATION TO GENERATION

“Generation to Generation” benefit features Michael Zegen, Golem, and the Butnick family

Who: Michael Zegen, Stephanie Butnick, Golem, Howard and Elyse Butnick and Family
What: Virtual program with music and discussion
Where: Museum of Jewish Heritage, Facebook, YouTube
When: Wednesday, December 2, free (donations accepted), 7:00
Why: The Museum of Jewish Heritage’s annual “L’dor V’dor: Generation to Generation” goes virtual this year, streaming live on Facebook, YouTube, and mjhnyc.org The event, which raises funds and awareness to fight bigotry and anti-Semitism, will feature an interview between third-generation Holocaust survivor and Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star Michael Zegen with Tablet deputy editor and Unorthodox podcast cohost Stephanie Butnick, live music by Klezmer faves Golem, and a tribute to museum trustee and son of Holocaust survivors Howard Butnick and his family. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. As the museum notes, “History is now.”

NATKINS FUNHOUSE PRESENTS: THE LAST WALTZ AT HOME

Who: Nicole Atkins, Ray Jacildo, Ancient Cities, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Binky Griptite, Buffalo Hunt, Courtney Marie Andrews, Caleb Elliott, Dancey Jenkins, Davey Horne, Eric D. Johnson, Erin Rae, Hiss Golden Messenger, Jaime Wyatt, John Gallahger Jr., John McCauley, John Paul White, Justin & the Cosmics, Kashena Sampson, Langhorne Slim, Lilly Hiatt, Lola Kirke, the Lone Bellow, Midlake, Oliver Wood, Patrick Sweany, Phil Cook, the Pollies, Raul Malo, Shakey Graves, the Smoking Flowers, Suzanne Santo, the War and Treaty, Van Darien, more
What: Livestream concert re-creating The Last Waltz
Where: Natkins Funhouse online
When: Friday, November 27, $12, 8:00
Why: On Thanksgiving night, November 25, 1976, the Band played its farewell concert, The Last Waltz, at the Winterland in Sand Francisco, joined by an all-star lineup of luminaries that included Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Neil Diamond, Muddy Waters, Van Morrison, and others. Recently, a wide range of musicians have been gathering every other year or so at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester to re-create the show; last November, Warren Haynes, Jamey Johnson, Lukas Nelson, Don Was, Cyril Neville, and John Medeski, among others, joined in the fun. With the pandemic lockdown closing all music venues, singer-songwriter Nicole Atkins has taken the reins and turned it into a virtual event. “I called a bunch of my musician buddies who are all homebound themselves and love the music of The Last Waltz and miss all being together to perform it in a theater, club, or dive bar for sweaty, singing, smiling humans and this, ‘The Last Waltz from Home,’ became our solution,” she posted on Facebook.

On November 27 at 8:00, Atkins and jazz pianist Ray Jacildo will be hosting “The Last Waltz at Home,” an online concert featuring more than two dozen performers going song by song through the remarkable Last Waltz setlist, from Ancient Cities, Binky Griptite, Courtney Marie Andrews, Eric D. Johnson, and Jaime Wyatt to John McCauley, Justin & the Cosmics, Langhorne Slim, Lilly Hiatt, Lola Kirke, Raul Malo, and more. Atkins and Jacildo will share stories and give out prizes, and everyone can take part in the live chat as the bands make their way from “Up on Cripple Creek” and “The Shape I’m In” to “I Shall Be Released” and “Baby Don’t You Do It.” Virtual admission is $12; Atkins also noted on Facebook, “All of the money raised from tickets, tipping, and poster sales will go directly to the artists performing. Our industry has taken quite the beating in this pandemic and many of our tours and work has been cancelled. The silver lining in all this has been you, our fans, and your support throughout this time is beyond appreciated.” Last Waltz devotees will also want to check out the online photography exhibit “The Last Waltz: A Commemorative Retrospective” at the Morrison Hotel Gallery here.

BRICKMAN FOR BROADWAY CHRISTMAS CONCERT

Who: Jim Brickman, Kelli O’Hara, Matt Doyle, Sierra Boggess, Megan Hilty, Wayne Brady, Shoshana Bean, Santino Fontana, Adrienne Warren, Norm Lewis, Max Von Essen, Jane Lynch
What: Holiday concert benefiting the Actors Fund
Where: Zoom
When: Saturday, November 28, $20-$200, 8:00
Why: Solo pianist, songwriter, and author Jim Brickman is celebrating the holidays this year with a new album and virtual tour. The just-released Brickman for Broadway Christmas features an all-star lineup singing seasonal favorites, including Santino Fontana’s “Coming Home for Christmas,” Adrienne Warren’s “Hear Me,” Megan Hilty’s “Merry Christmas Darling,” Norm Lewis’s “’Twas The Night Before Christmas,” Shoshana Bean’s “Sending You a Little Christmas,” Sierra Boggess’s “Fa La La,” Max Von Essen’s “Christmas Is,” and Kelli O’Hara’s “O Holy Night.” On November 28 at 8:00, all of those Broadway performers will join Brickman and special guests Wayne Brady and Jane Lynch for a livestreamed interactive concert benefiting the Actors Fund.

“Recording duets with Broadway stars has always been on my career bucket list,” Brickman said in a statement. “The Brickman for Broadway Christmas project to benefit the Actors Fund was a perfect opportunity to record my songs with theater’s best and to raise money for such a worthy cause during this challenging time in the world. And to hear such phenomenal singers bring these songs to life was a thrill.” Admission to the show itself is $20; for the $75 Gold Package you can hang out with Brickman and others in a Zoom room and get a stocking of Christmas presents (CD, autographed photo, program, more) delivered to your door; and the $200 Diamond Package adds all of the above along with access to a preshow party. Brickman will also be hosting “Comfort & Joy at Home” concerts with special guests November 29 through January 2, each concert benefiting a different organization and/or theater.

STARS IN THE HOUSE: CATS AND DOGS HUMANE SOCIETY BENEFIT

Sierra Boggess and her cat are among the performers joining Stars in the House benefit for the Humane Society of New York

Who: Sierra Boggess, Lilli Cooper, Darius de Haas, Andy Karl, Jose Llana, Jesse Mueller, Orfeh, Paige Price, Kate Rockwell, Doug Sills, Will Swenson, Seth Rudetsky, James Wesley
What: Livestreamed benefit show for the Humane Society of New York
Where: Stars in the House YouTube channel
When: Friday, November 27, pay-what-you-can, 8:00
Why: Dogs and cats and other household pets are scratching their pretty little heads trying to figure out why we’re home with them all day every day since mid-March, never giving them an ounce of freedom. Yes, animals have been impacted by the Covid-19 crisis, in different ways than their people are. On November 27 at 8:00, Stars in the House, the tireless charity site hosted by Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley that features live play readings and cast reunions, will recognize our furry four-legged friends with a benefit event for the Humane Society of New York, which, during the coronavirus pandemic, has been “doing the daily work of helping those that need help; those owners who may need financial support. More and more we are seeing people from all walks of life that have just lost their jobs and their income, and don’t know when they will be employed again. They know that they can turn to us when their pets need medical attention.” The society’s annual Best in Shows gala fundraiser was canceled, so Stars in the House has stepped in to fill part of the void. Rudetsky and Wesley will be joined by an all-star lineup of Broadway actors and their animals, performing together, featuring Sierra Boggess, Lilli Cooper, Darius de Haas, Andy Karl, Jose Llana, Jesse Mueller, Orfeh, Paige Price, Kate Rockwell, Doug Sills, and Will Swenson.

TETHERED X

Who: Antonio Brown, Rakeem Hardy, Mario Bermudez Gil and Catherine Coury of Marcat Dance, China Central Song and Dance Ensemble, Johnnie Cruise Mercer, Justin Shoulder, Tyler Ashley (the Dauphine of Bushwick), OHMME
What: Tenth edition of digital music and dance series
Where: Public Records TV
When: Wednesday, November 18, streaming free, watch party $10, 6:00 – 10:00
Why: Since May, four/four has been commissioning and presenting Tethered, a collection of works that bring together musicians and dancers from around the world to create virtual collaborations. On November 18 at 6:00, Tethered X will make its debut, featuring movement by Spanish choreographers Mario Bermudez Gil and Catherine Coury of Marcat Dance, Toronto-based dancer Rakeem Hardy, and Cleveland-based dancer-choreographer Antonio Brown, set to an original score by Chicago-based experimental indie-pop duo OHMME. There will also be archival works by Justin Shoulder, Johnnie Cruise Mercer, Tyler Ashley (the Dauphine of Bushwick), and China Central Song and Dance Ensemble, curated by Benjamim Akio Kimitch. In addition to streaming for free online, there is an in-person garden watch party at Public Records in Brooklyn; tickets are $10. You can check out previous Tethered programs, with such guests as Jon Batiste, Madison McFerrin, Lloyd Knight, Charlotte Dos Santos, Gus Solomons, and Princess Lockerooo, here.

PERFORMA TELETHON

Laurie Anderson will revisit Nam June Paik’s 1984 Good Morning, Mr. Orwell for Performa telethon (photo courtesy Electronic Arts Intermix (EAI), New York)

Who: Jason Moran, Ragnar Kjartansson, Lang Lang, Yvonne Rainer, Jennifer Rubell, Laurie Anderson, Omer Fast, Maria Hassabi, Jesper Just, William Kentridge, Liz Magic Laser, Rashid Johnson, Shirin Neshat, more
What: Virtual benefit gala for Performa
Where: Pace Gallery
When: Wednesday, November 18, free with RSVP, 2:00 to 10:00 pm
Why: Performa is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary with an eight-hour gala fundraiser featuring live performances, specially commissioned artist editions, and testimonials, an online mashup of Nam June Paik’s 1984 Good Morning, Mr. Orwell and Barbara Kruger’s 1989 critique of Jerry Lewis and his annual MDA Labor Day Telethon, aired live from the seventh floor of Pace Gallery in Chelsea. “Nam June Paik’s innovations in broadcast and large-scale architectural installations of television monitors changed the way we think about the screen as an art form,” Performa founder and director RoseLee Goldberg said in a statement. “Half a century after Paik’s legendary interventions in television, we find ourselves in a unique situation: We must now rely on the screen in new ways in the midst of a pandemic that has cost over one million lives. Like Paik, we approach the screen as an exciting platform for artists to communicate their work and ideas.”

Produced in collaboration with E.S.P. TV, the fundraiser honors founding patron Toby Devan Lewis and will include a giant tally board, confetti, giant checks, balloons, a bank of people on telephones, and other telethon staples while acknowledging the Covid-19 crisis, election unrest, the BLM movement, and other critical contemporary social issues. The show will be highlighted by performances from Derrick Adams & Dave Guy, Jérôme Bel, Torkwase Dyson (reading an excerpt from Myself a Distance), David Hallberg, Glenn Kaino, Ragnar Kjartansson, Lang Lang, Marching Cobras, Jason Moran, Oyinda, Yvonne Rainer, Jennifer Rubell, Jacolby Satterwhite, Rufus Wainwright, Hank Willis Thomas & Ebony Brown, Samson Young, and Laurie Anderson, who will pay tribute to Paik; there will also be screenings of Lynda Benglis’s On Screen, The Grunions Are Running, and Document and testimonials from Tamy Ben-Tor, Elmgreen & Dragset, Omer Fast, Maria Hassabi, Jesper Just, William Kentridge, Liz Magic Laser, Kelly Nipper, Rashid Johnson, Shirin Neshat, and others, along with archival footage and never-before-seen behind-the-scenes outtakes. Six artist editions will make their debut and will be available only during the broadcast, by Korakrit Arunanondchai, Barbara Kruger, Kia LaBeija, Michèle Lamy, Cindy Sherman, and Laurie Simmons. The twentieth Performa Biennial, curated by David Breslin and Adrienne Edwards, is scheduled for 2021, but it might look very different from previous ones depending on the state of the pandemic.