Photos: The Mountain Goats / Rock Plaza Central at AIDS Walk Benefit [Brooklyn, NY; 05/16/08]

Photos by Jason Bergman

Feeling-- and, dare we say, looking-- "about one million times better" than he was when we last checked in, a reinvigorated John Darnielle brought his Mountain Goats to the Brooklyn Masonic Temple over the weekend for the benefit of AIDS Walk New York. The event also featured performances from comedian and "Daily Show" regular John Oliver, with whom Darnielle bro'd down backstage, and Canadian Americana-mongers Rock Plaza Central.

In other news, the Mountain Goats hit up the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County for a performance on June 6. Other diversions that evening include a set by Annuals, DJs spinning records, and an intriguing lecture entitled "Beautiful Minds: The Parallel Evolution of Apes and Dolphins, and What It Means for Human Origins". Dolphins and apes and Goats, oh my!

And speaking of June 6, that date also sees the arrival of Cavalcade, the new album from cathartic Chapel Hill rockers Bellafea. John Darnielle lends some vocals to a tune off that Southern Records release called "Depart (I Never Knew You)".

The Mountain Goats