On April 16, Merce Cunningham -- the influential dance choreographer who has worked with everyone from John Cage and Robert Rauschenberg to Radiohead and Sigur Rós -- is celebrating his 90th birthday with a BAM. Along with former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, mixed-media composer Takehisa Kosugi, and the lovable humans in Sonic Youth providing the soundtrack, the Merce Cunningham Dance Company will perform a new piece, to be held April 16-19 at BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music).

AND THERE IS MORE. In addition to some Steve Shelley shows in February, Lee Ranaldo's traveling group exhibition "Bad Moon Rising 3," and a Sonic Youth multimedia museum exhibit titled "Sensational Fix," Sonic Youth are also putting the finishing touches on their Matador Records debut (TMT News). According to a recent Uncut interview, Thurston Moore said they're making a record "replete with juicy supersonic songs!" Whoa, how newsworthy of him to say!!

And, finally, look for Sonic Youth at No Fun Fest 2009, May 15-17 at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, NY (TMT News). Their performance is on the 16th, and they say it'll be a "noise set." Gotta please the fans.

Meanwhile:
04.22.08 - Krems, Austria - Donau Festival
04.23.08 - Munich, Germany - Haus der Kunst
04.24.08 - Dusseldorf, Germany - 3001
05.16.08 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg