Lou Reed News

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark, the Broadway spectacular that defied odds and expectations to conquer New York, is moving to Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world. After more than three historic years on Broadway, the show play its final performance at the Foxwoods Theatre on January 4, 2014. In a recent interview with Billboard, producer Michael Cohl chatted about the big transfer.

While Asaf Avidan has drawn comparisons to both Jeff Buckley and Nina Simone, he possesses a voice that is utterly singular. As London's The Independent recently put it, “If you haven't heard Avidan's music, prepare to be astounded.” North American audiences will experience his unique artistry when he tours here for the first time as a solo artist, February 19 – March 8, 2014. Please see below for an itinerary of shows.

Joe's Pub at The Public (Dec. 9-15), will feature performances from JOSEPH STIGLITZ, THE MEN IN BLAZERS, THE LONG CHRISTMAS DINNER, JARELL PERRY WITH SPECIAL GUEST LOCKSMITH AND HOST KID FURY, MISS TESS & THE TALKBACKS / KRISTIN ANDREASSEN + MICHAELA ANNE, BRIDGET EVERETT & THE TENDER MOMENTS, THE LOSERS LOUNGE 20TH ANNIVERSARY, REVEREND BILLY & THE STOP SHOPPING CHOIR, JOHN ROBERTS, and TAMMY FAYE STARLIGHT IS NICO: UNDERGROUND.

The five-time Grammy-winning San Francisco Girls Chorus-Lisa Bielawa, Artistic Director, and Valerie Sainte-Agathe, Music Director and Principal Conductor-- will present two holiday concerts, today, December 6 and the 22nd at First Congregational Church in Berkeley and Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco, respectively.

Orion will publish a biography of the late singer-songwriter Lou Reed by rock writer Mick Wall.

The Velvet Underground's White Light/White Heat is one of the most confrontational and inspirational second albums ever made by a rock band.

Toronto – Alexander Neef, General Director of the Canadian Opera Company, today released details of the company's new opera commission, Hadrian, composed by internationally acclaimed Canadian-American singer, songwriter and composer Rufus Wainwright with libretto by award-winning Canadian actor, director and playwright Daniel MacIvor. Inspired by the Roman Emperor Hadrian and his love for Antinous, Hadrian is currently in development and is scheduled to open the COC's 2018/2019 mainstage season.

This week (Nov. 27 - Dec.1), Joe's Pub wil feature INNA BARMASH, MICHAEL CERVERIS, CARL HANCOCK RUX, MIKE VIOLA, PIERCE TURNER, OUR LADY J, REVEREND BILLY & THE STOP SHOPPING CHOIR, KENNY ENDO AND KAORU WATANABE'S CONVERGENCE, and JOEY ARIAS.

Lester Bangs, the rock critic who reached iconic status in the 1970s with his passionate, intellectually honest writing, is the subject of "How to be a Rock Critic," presented in a staged reading as part of DouglasPlus at Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre, Sunday, December 15 at 1 p.m. The reading will take place in the Douglas' rehearsal space, Upstairs@KDT.

Paris celebrates Robert Wilson. In November, he will be directing famed dancer and actor Mikhail Baryshnikov and world-renowned actor Willem Dafoe in The Old Woman, an adaptation of the work by Russian author Daniil Kharms, at Theatre de la Ville and Christopher Knowles in The Sundance Kid is Beautiful at The Louvre. Mr. Wilson will be the Louvre's artist in residence from mid-November 2013 to mid-February 2014 with exhibitions of Living Rooms and his voom portraits of Lady Gaga. In December, his Peter Pan with the Berliner Ensemble will be at Theatre de la Ville, and in January, his iconic opera with Philip Glass, Einstein on the Beach, will return to Paris at the Theatre du Chatelet. In February, his Madama Butterfly will be at the Paris Opera Bastille. Honored in France as Commandeur de la Legion d'Honneur, he is a member of the Arts Arena Advisory Council and will receive an Honorary Doctorate from the Sorbonne University in November.

We are now well into the second wave of Vaclav Havel productions, where his work is being re-examined from a variety of perspectives-experiments which, in and of themselves, are a testament to his staying power. Ambassador Theater's current production of 'Protest' at the Mead Theater Lab marks the culmination of a year-long celebration here in Washington, D.C. of the playwright-President's legacy. Under the direction of Gail Humphries-Mardirosian audiences can now witness a fascinating re-interpretation of what is perhaps Havel's deepest, most confessional work on life under an oppressive regime.

Local performer Jerick Hoffer, winner of the hit reality TV show "RuPaul's Drag Race" as drag alter ego Jinkx Monsoon and co-star of the critically acclaimed off-Broadway sleeper hit The Vaudevillians, returns to Seattle December 17-22 for an encore performance ofHedwig and the Angry Inch at the historic Moore Theatre, a co-production of Balagan Theatre and Seattle Theatre Group. Tickets are on sale now at www.stgpresents.org or (877) 784-4849.

In the New York Philharmonic's concerts this week celebrating the centennial of English composer, conductor, and pianist Benjamin Britten, conducted by Music Director Alan Gilbert, tenors Dominic Armstrong, Anthony Dean Griffey, and Michael Slattery will replace Paul Appleby, who has withdrawn due to illness. On November 21-22, 2013, Michael Slattery will make his Philharmonic debut in Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings, and tenor Dominic Armstrong will make his Philharmonic debut in Britten's Spring Symphony. The concert on November 23 will feature tenor Anthony Dean Griffey in both works, and he will sing the Serenade on November 26 on a program that also includes Mozart's Symphonies Nos. 39 and 41, Jupiter.

Music Director Alan Gilbert will lead the New York Philharmonic in a celebration of the centennial of English composer, conductor, and pianist Benjamin Britten. The program will include Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings, featuring tenor Paul Appleby and Philharmonic Principal Horn Philip Myers, and Britten's Spring Symphony, with soprano Kate Royal (in her Philharmonic debut), mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke (Philharmonic subscription debut), tenor Paul Appleby, New York Choral Artists directed by Joseph Flummerfelt, and Brooklyn Youth Chorus directed by Dianne Berkun-Menaker. The concerts, which include a performance on the composer's 100th birthday, November 22, will take place tonight, November 21, 2013, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, November 22 at 8:00 p.m.; and Saturday, November 23 at 8:00 p.m.

In yesterday's New York Post, Michael Cohl, the producer of Broadway's SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK opened up to Michael Riedel about the recent news that the show will be closing down in January.

SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark, the Broadway spectacular that defied odds and expectations to conquer New York, is moving to Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world. After more than three historic years on Broadway, the show play its final performance at the Foxwoods Theatre on January 4, 2014. Additional information on the upcoming Las Vegas production will be announced in the weeks to come. SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark is currently the 16th highest grossing Broadway production of all time, having taken in more than $200 million at the box office. The show has been seen by approximately two million fans, and will have played 1,268 performances by the time it takes its final bow at the Foxwoods Theatre.

The self-titled debut from The Knells (a new ensemble formed by composer/guitarist Andrew McKenna Lee) features Mivos String Quartet and more.

A biography of music legend Lou Reed has been announced by Little, Brown and Co. publishers, according to Billboard.com.

On last night's THE X FACTOR on FOX, the Top 12 performed a tribute to Lou Reed with the late rocker's hit, 'Perfect Day.' Check out their incredible performance!

Toronto-based pop artist CLARA VENICE will release her debut EP Love Riddle with a party on October 3 at Adelaide Hall in Toronto. Love Riddle is co-produced by Kevin Hearn (Barenaked Ladies, Rheostatics, Lou Reed) and mixed by Dave Ogilvie (Nine Inch Nails, Skinny Puppy, Carly Rae Jepsen).