Backstage Pass

The “Escape 2 New York” organizers are back as promised this summer, but their plans aren't quite as grand this time around.

Unlike last year's massive affair on the Shinnecock Reservation in Southampton, organizers announced today plans for a much-smaller “Escape to Montauk.” The three-day festival is set for Aug. 3-5 at the Sole East Resort in Montauk, featuring a scaled-down version of...

Well, here's a surprise! The Rascals' “Good Lovin'” beat out Billy Joel's “The Ballad of Billy the Kid” in the readers’ vote for last week’s installment of “100 Songs Every Long Islander Should Know.”

The overall Top 5 unchanged, though Harry Chapin, The Good Rats and Mountain are closing in on the Top 5. For those keeping track at home, the current standings among readers are: 1. Straylight...

Hey baby, hey baby, hey! No Doubt is back with “Settle Down,” the first single from “Push and Shove,” the band's first album in 11 years.

“Settle,” which debuted online and went on sale at iTunes on Monday, nicely balances the band’s ska roots with Gwen Stefani’s poppier persona to create a sweet summer jam that still pushes the envelope oh-so-slightly. (The album version, extended to a hefty...

If it wasn’t so disgustingly hot and sticky outside, I’d swear it was Christmas today, thanks to another amazing free download from the newly re-formed Afghan Whigs.

This time out, they tackle Frank Ocean’s epic R&B ballad “Lovecrimes” from his mixtape “Nostalgia Ultra,” which was a standout at the band’s stunning Bowery Ballroom in May. Greg Dulli gives it an even more sinister twist...

Welcome to Warped Tour Week! Taking Back Sunday return to Nassau Coliseum Saturday for the big tour, along with Bayside, New Found Glory and so many more.

Intro brings you the week’s hottest videos and shows every Monday. To catch up on all the Intros and watch classic Long Island music scene videos, check out Newsday Music’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/newsdaymusic.

THE...

Iron Butterfly's “In-a-Gadda-da-Vida” beat out Little Anthony and The Imperials' “Tears on My Pillow” in a surprisingly light readers’ vote in last week’s installment of “100 Songs Every Long Islander Should Know.”

The holiday week must have kept fans from the polls, leaving the overall Top 5 unchanged. For those keeping track at home, the current standings among readers are: 1. Straylight...

Jay-Z expects Brooklyn to go hard.

The Bed-Stuy native is planning three concerts to christen the new, 19,000-seat Barclays Center in Brooklyn, also the home of the Brooklyn Nets, the NBA team he co-owns.

Tickets for the shows on Sept. 28, 29 and 30 -- ranging from $29.50-$254.50 -- go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. Friday.

A pre-sale for American Express cardholders will run...

Aeroplane Pageant make their Great South Bay Music Festival debut at Shorefront Park in Patchogue Sunday.

Intro brings you the week’s hottest videos and shows every Monday. To catch up on all the Intros and watch classic Long Island music scene videos, check out Newsday Music’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/newsdaymusic.

THE LIST

AEROPLANE PAGEANT, “Stars Still Pretty.”...

Superchunk's impressive show Saturday afternoon crystallized everything great the CBGB Festival could be.

In its inaugural year, the festival, which ends Sunday night, had setbacks that were mostly out of its control -- an attack by the Cro-Mags ex-bassist that led to two stabbings and the shutdown of the show and a high-profile cancellation by Richard Lloyd of Television, the first band to...

Simon and Garfunkel's “Mrs. Robinson” outpaced Eddie Money's “Take Me Home Tonight” in the readers’ vote for last week’s installment of “100 Songs Every Long Islander Should Know.”

But light voting last week wasn’t enough to push Paul & Artie into the overall Top 5. For those keeping track at home, the current standings among readers are: 1. Straylight Run, “Your Name Here (Sunrise Highway)”...