Nightwatching Over the Revolution From a Small Perch on a Big Stage

Apparently, the revolution begins pretty soon—and is sponsored by Sony Records and Ticketmaster. On Thursday, Rage Against the Machine’s second most perplexing revolutionary/rockstar, guitarist Tom Morello, comes to NYC to preach the good word at the Nokia Theatre in the heart of Times Square (next to the Disney Store). He will be joined by a stunning array of late-80s to mid-90s rockers, including Slash and Perry Farrell.

While the setting is more T.G.I.Friday’s than Tehran 1979, the revolutionary sentiment is strong. Morello has been performing solo under the slightly creepy moniker The Nightwatchman for the past year or so, playing folk-informed guitar and vocal jams about social injustice. The Nightwatchman is touring in support of his 2007 album One Man Revolution, and he is clearly pissed about various issues of indeterminate nature.

The New York leg of The Nightwatchman’s two-week “Justice Tour” also serves as a benefit for non-profit group Road Recovery, an organization “comprised of entertainment industry professionals whose lives have been touched by addiction and other adversities” and who now aim to help young people lead positive lives.

At Thursday’s show, adversity and addiction will be well represented. The Nightwatchman will be joined onstage by former professional addicts Slash, Farrell, Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains), and Wayne Kramer of the legendary MC5. While the press release fails to mention it, it is also rumored that rapper Sen Dog, best known as “that guy from Cyprus Hill who doesn’t have the high-pitched voice,” will also be making an appearance.

Morello, known for his strikingly original electric guitar work with Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, has put aside the amps in the past few months, playing stark and simple acoustic guitar chords and singing self-penned lyrics while dressed in all black. There is no word as to whether the electric guitar will be making an appearance on Thursday.

Tickets for the benefit range from $60 to $500, with a limited number of $25 general admission spots also available.