Laurie Anderson's new film, Heart of a Dog, which is currently showing at select theaters in NY and LA, was shown at the New York Film Festival last month. Following the screening, Anderson sat down with New York Film Festival director Kent Jones for a brief discussion of the film. You can now watch their conversation here. Heart of a Dog will open in additional theaters this coming weekend in California, Chicago, Maine, Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas, and still more in the weeks that follow. 

Today marks the release of Natalie Merchant's Paradise Is There: The New Tigerlily Recordings on Nonesuch Records. This collection of all-new recordings revisits Merchant's multi-platinum solo debut, Tigerlily, originally released in 1995 following her departure from 10,000 Maniacs. The new release is accompanied by a documentary DVD. The memoir-style film, which is currently screening at theaters in North America, contains live performances, archival footage, and interviews with musicians, friends, and fans about the influence the songs of Tigerlily have had over the past 20 years. MOJO, in a four-star review, says: "Time has only amplified the power of Merchant’s music." Merchant is participating in Q&As at select film screenings this fall and will tour in the spring.

The Arcs tour Europe, perform on Jools Holland … Sam Amidon, Nels Cline tour Midwest … Laurie Anderson is in LA for Heart of a Dog opening … Timo Andres joins violinist Tim Fain in NYC … Tyondai Braxton gives solo set at Boston Hassle Fest … Rhiannon Giddens resumes tour … Richard Goode plays Glasgow … Tigran Hamasyan tours Europe … James Farm is in the Netherlands … Lake Street Dive concludes California tour … Audra McDonald closes out Sydney Opera House residency … Brad Mehldau Trio tours California … Randy Newman plays Basel … Youssou N’Dour visits West Coast … Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club plays Puerto Rico … Chris Thile heads West ... and more ...

The Arcs—Dan Auerbach, Leon Michels, Richard Swift, Homer Steinweiss, Nick Movshon and special guests Mariachi Flor de Toloache—kick off their Yours, Dreamily, tour with a performance at Kantine in Cologne, Germany, tonight, followed by stops in Berlin, Zurich, Brussels, London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Milan. The North American leg of the tour begins at First Ave in Minneapolis on December 1. The band was on BBC Two's Later… With Jools Holland live show on Tuesday and will be on this Friday night's episode performing "Outta My Mind," "Pistol Made of Bones," and "Put a Flower in Your Pocket." The Arcs talk about that last song on the Song Exploder podcast, which you can hear here.

Laurie Anderson's film Heart of a Dog, which began its theatrical run at the Film Forum in NYC last month, has extended its run there, and opens at the Nuart in LA, where Anderson will participate in Q&A sessions this weekend. It also opens in additional theaters in New York and New Jersey and will been shown at the Virginia Film Festival in Charlottesville on Friday. The Los Angeles Times calls it "transfixing," saying it's Anderson's spirit, "beautifully inquisitive, witty, open, lyrical and generous—that makes Heart of a Dog so dreamily memorable." The film will open in more theaters across the country in the coming weeks. The soundtrack is available everywhere now on Nonesuch Records.

Sam Amidon was the guest on WBEZ's Morning Shift in Chicago this morning. He discussed and performed songs from his album Lily-O, and more. "When it comes to his interpretations of classic American music," says host Tony Sarabia, "Amidon has walked that tightrope between admiration and exploration—and he hasn’t fallen off yet." Hear the set here. Amidon kicked off a four-night run of shows with Wilco guitarist Nels Cline in Des Moines last night. The tour continues at SPACE in Evanston tonight, followed by shows in Milwaukee and Minneapolis this weekend. In December, Amidon will supporting the band San Fermin on several shows in North America.

Rhiannon Giddens kicks off the next leg of her tour at the Silver Creek Event Center in New Buffalo, Michigan, this Friday, followed by stops in Canada and throughout the US Northeast in the weeks ahead. Before hitting the road, she sat down with Kyle Meredith of WFPK radio in Louisville, Kentucky. The two discussed her solo debut album, Tomorrow Is My Turn, her work as a founding member of Carolina Chocolate Drops, and more. You can watch the interview here.

Lake Street Dive has just announced "The Memory Lane Tour," a series of intimate performances on the US East Coast, starting with two nights at Rockwood Music Hall in NYC, next Wednesday and Thursday, followed by a show at The Parlor Room in Northampton, MA, and three shows in Cambridge: two nights at Club Passim and one at The Lizard Lounge. Tickets go on sale this Friday. "We're coming back to some of our fave small venues on the East Coast so we can play for you right in your face, up close and personal," says the band. From each ticket purchased, three dollars will be donated to support Oxfam's Syria program, helping Syrian families get the essential supplies they need. 

The Arcs will perform on BBC Two's Later… With Jools Holland live show tonight at 10 PM. Fans in the UK can tune in then to see the band perform "Outta My Mind" from Yours, Dreamily, their recently released debut album. Then, tune in to BBC Two again this Friday night for the full, one-hour episode of Later to see that and "Pistol Made of Bones" and "Put a Flower in Your Pocket." The Arcs kick off their first tour in Cologne, Germany, this Thursday, followed by stops in Berlin, Zurich, Brussels, London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Milan. The North American leg of the tour begins December 1.

The Brad Mehldau Trio kicks off a 10-day tour of North America with a free show at the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center in New Orleans tonight, followed by stops in San Antonio, Mexico City, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland. From there, the Trio heads to Europe for a three-week tour, stopping in several cities in the Netherlands—Groningen, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Tilburg, Maastricht, and Utrecht—and in Germany, France, Hungary, Romania, and Italy.

Lianne La Havas, who recently closed out a month-long North American tour with a performance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, has just unveiled the official music video for the song she played for the show: "Green & Gold," from her new album, Blood. Watch the video here. La Havas is back in the UK, where she is up for two of the major awards at this week’s MOBO Awards. It was just announced that she will play an Albert Sessions show at London’s Royal Albert Hall on March 14.

John Adams, Jeremy Denk take part in the Barbican's Classical Weekender in London … Laurie Anderson leads Q&A at NYC Heart of a Dog screening ... Tigran Hamasyan Trio tours Germany … Kronos Quartet, Philip Glass perform Dracula in LA … Lake Street Dive tours West Coast … Audra McDonald makes Australian debut … Brad Mehldau plays in upstate New York … Youssou N'Dour kicks off two-week North American tour in NYC … Randy Newman continues European tour in UK, Germany … Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club takes "Adios" tour to East Coast … Chris Thile takes solo tour to Midwest ... and more ...