Megan Reilly & band to play benefit for Sandy victims Thursday.

Manhattan's cool Rodeo Bar will host the plucky Megan Reilly and her intrepid band of aces–all of them affected to varying degrees by Sandy–for a benefit show this Thursday night. Admission is free and donations will be gratefully accepted to help those still suffering from this tragedy.

Megan Reilly and band at Lakeside Lounge (RIP) photo by pmonaghan

Megan's New Jersey home is still without power. James Mastro's Hoboken studio where Megan recorded her powerful new album, "The Well," is a total loss. But all four musicians express gratitude that they and their families are safe and sound and making do with help from friends and family.

Please head over to Rodeo Bar on Thursday night, have a beer, hear some great tunes, and drop a $20 in the jar for somebody else who needs it more.

Handsome Family & Megan Reilly in Chicago

Carrot Top Records is ramping up for this upcoming weekend in Chicago! The Handsome Family are coming through town, and the second they hit the road back to Albuquerque, Megan Reilly stops by with guitarist James Mastro (Ian Hunter, Bongos). Here's the schedule:




Thu, September 13 | The Handsome Family w/ Daniel Knox | saki | FREE in-store | 6:30pm
Fri, September 14 | The Handsome Family w/ Jon Langford | Mayne Stage | Show: 9pm
Sun, September 16 | Megan Reilly w/ Joan Osborne | City Winery Chicago | Show: 8pm
Mon, September 17 | Megan Reilly w/ Joan Osborne | City Winery Chicago | Show: 8pm
Tues, September 18 | Megan Reilly | Frequency | Madison, WI

Come support some of our favorite music and say hello to us!

Big Week for Megan Reilly

First, the cool people of Pittsburgh's AltarTV created a crazy cool ass set at some point, plopped Megan down in the middle of it, did a nice little interview, and, without too much coaxing, got her to sing like a bird on a stripped down, solo version of "To Seal My Love." Then they wrote really nice things about her, too, saying she's “simply a special talent” and that the album is a “showcase for her tremendous voice.”

Friday, National Geographic Music premiered the haunting new video for "The Lady of Leitrim," a "slow burning Celtic lament" wherein Megan tries to make sense of the tragic story of her Irish immigrant great aunt, Bridie.

Monday, David Dye and World Cafe posted their interview with Megan along with exclusive recordings of four songs that she and her ace band laid own in the World Cafe studios. We think Megan's band (Steve Goulding-d, Tony Maimone-b, and James Mastro-g) is the best around, and David Dye agrees! Be sure to check out the exclusive Web Extra song, "Under the Waves," that you won't hear on the broadcast.

Ignore at your own peril, indeed!

Today, the fine people at Epitonic posted their Epitonic saki Session MP3s and accompanying videos--all recorded right here at saki. The punchy five song session also includes a short, exclusive interview with Megan by Rachel Angres. For the visually inclined, you can also watch the whole show on Megan's Epitonic saki Session Vimeo channel.

Go Megan!

Whew.

(and special thanks to the Great State of Pennsylvania!)

Megan Reilly Video on NPR Music

Sometime tomorrow morning (now Wed. See below), at a time and place of their choosing, the mysterious but benevolent NPR Music elves will post the debut for Megan Reilly's incredible "Throw It Out" video, directed by Antoine Wagner. The video stars the talented and lovely Megan, of course, but the show is clearly stolen by her husband, the equally talented and almost equally lovely actor Daniel London.

While you wait, you can still check out, or recheck as the case may be, Megan's other two videos for songs from her new album, The Well:

• This cute as kittens video of Megan with pal John Wesley Harding doing the duet "Old Man and The Bird" from AOL/Spinner...
• and the more ripping performance video for "Sew the Threads into Your Heart" shot at guitar god James Mastro's Hoboken shop, Guitar Bar, that was featured along with her cool recent interview in Guitar World.

After you've had time to digest the video, we'll share some of the story behind making it, but in the meantime, here's a still to whet your appetite.

UPDATE: The NPRMusic elves had some technical issues today to which we are not privy, nor should we be. We really don't want to see how the NPR sausage is made. They promise a Wednesday morning debut for Megan's video. We'll try to get some sleep tonight while thinking about it. Thanks, elves! We're all pulling for you!

Guitar World: Guitar Girl'd-Interview with Megan Reilly on Her New Album, 'The Well'

Nice interview with Megan in Guitar World touches on guitars, songwriting, and painful events in her family's past. Exclusive video of Megan and band performing "Sew the Threads" in James Mastro's Hoboken guitar shop, Guitar Bar. Gorgeous photos, too!

It was well worth the wait. Songs like “Sew the Threads Into Your Heart” and
“To Seal My Love” center around flowing melodies, insightful lyrics and Reilly’s winnowy vocals. This is a musician after my own bare-your-soul-loving heart.
The production is appropriately straightforward with Reilly’s longtime band joining her, including Steve Goulding (The Mekons, The Rumour) on drums, Tony Maimone (Pere Ubu, They Might Be Giants) on bass and James Mastro (Ian Hunter, Garland Jeffreys) on lead guitar. 

With The Well, Reilly has plumbed deep into the depths of her being, extracting gorgeously crafted songs that are served up with a refreshingly honest bearing. Here Reilly talks about what it takes to make her musical magic.

Read the full interview, and see the video and pics here.

(Awesome photo by Jason Creps)

Megan Reilly, Lakeside Lounge, January 7, 2012

Megan Reilly, Lakeside Lounge, Jan 8 2012, a set on Flickr.

Megan Reilly at Lakeside Lounge, NYC, Saturday January 7, 2012. Band: Steven Goulding (d), Tony Maimone (b), James Mastro (g). Beautiful new songs were played. Whiskey was consumed.