Music News That Matters

Music News That Matters: It All Started With A Big Bang...BANG!

2011-07-15T10:30:00.000-07:00

Music News That Matters: It All Started With A Big Bang...BANG!: "BURBANK, Calif. (July 15, 2011) — TV’s #1 comedy — and newly minted Emmy® nominee for Outstanding Comedy Series — The Big Bang Theory (Th..."

It All Started With A Big Bang...BANG!

2011-07-15T10:06:00.000-07:00

BURBANK, Calif. (July 15, 2011) — TV’s #1 comedy — and newly minted Emmy® nominee for Outstanding Comedy Series — The Big Bang Theory (Thursdays 8/7c on CBS, premiering September 22) and multi-platinum pop rock group the BARENAKED LADIES have teamed up on a special music video for the band’s full-length version of the hit series’ theme song. The video was shot on The Big Bang Theory set and gives fans an exclusive insider’s look at the hit sitcom, via never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage of the show’s table read, rehearsals and episode taping in front of a live studio audience. The band was joined in the video by the stars of the award-winning show: Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar.

Beginning today, the video can be seen at the following link: www.thewb.com/shows/thebigbangtheory

The collaboration on the music video continues the longstanding relationship between the band and the series that was established in 2007 when The Big Bang Theory creators Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady — who are fans of the band — asked Barenaked Ladies’ singer/guitarist Ed Robertson to pen a theme song for the series as a “sort of history of everything … in about 32 seconds.”

The band later made a surprise appearance at The Big Bang Theory’s panel session at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2010, performing the song, complete with an audience sing-along.

Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution will feature the video in its campaign to support the off-network launch of The Big Bang Theory in syndication this fall. The Big Bang Theory debuts in syndication September 18, simultaneously on TBS, the Fox Television Stations and broadcast stations across the country, and will air five nights a week.

The music video and a special featurette, complete with interviews with the band, will be available on The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Fourth Season Blu-ray™ and DVD release on September 13

The audio recording will also be featured on the band’s upcoming greatest hits package STOP US IF YOU'VE HEARD THIS ONE BEFORE. The release of the two-CD package will feature never-before-heard rarities as well as some of the band’s best-known songs and will be followed by a U.S. tour this summer (see tour dates below).

The announcement of the music video follows the announcement yesterday that The Big Bang Theory was nominated for five Primetime Emmy® Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for stars Johnny Galecki and Jim Parsons.

To connect with The Big Bang Theory online, become a fan of the show on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TheBigBangTheory or follow on Twitter @BigBang_CBS. Become a fan of the Barenaked Ladies on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/barenakedladies or follow them on Twiter @barenakedladies.

Tour dates for Barenaked Ladies are as follows:

Date City Venue

July 16^thChicago St Pat’s Block Party

July 23^rdSt Louis Celebrate St Louis

July 29^th Oswego, NY Oswego Harborfest

July 30^thReadington, NJ Festival of Ballooning

July 31^stSaratoga Springs, NY Saratoga PAC

Aug 13^thHampton Beach, NH Hampton Beach Casino

Aug 14^thLong Island, NY West Hampton Beach PAC

Aug 17^thRochester, NY Finger Lakes Casino

Aug 18^thGlen Allen, VA Innsbrook After Hours

Aug 19^th Fredricksburg, VA Celebrate Virginia Live

Aug 20^th Webster, MA Indian Ranch

Sept 16^th Thousand Oaks, CA Fred Kavli Theater

Sept 17^th Newport Beach, CA Taste Of Newport

Sept 18^thSan Bernardino, CA California Theater PAC

Sept. 19^thSaratoga, CA Mountain Winery

About The Big Bang Theory

From Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in associations with Warner Bros. Television, The Big Bang Theory stars Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar. Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady created the series and serve as executive producers with Steven Molaro.

About Barenaked Ladies

Over the course of the past twenty-one years, the Barenaked Ladies have racked up eight Juno Awards and multiple Grammy nominations, sold more than 14 million albums worldwide, written a plethora of hit singles (including “One Week,” “Pinch Me” and “If I Had $1000000”) and amassed an international fanbase whose members number in the millions. They recently performed at both the Glastonbury Festival &; Hard Rock Calling in the UK. They’re currently planning a brand-new studio album for release in 2012. www.barenakedladies.com

Mono Release of Roy Orbison Monument Singles Coming April 5 from Legacy

2011-02-09T12:06:00.000-08:00

Legacy Recordings, is celebrating the 75th birthday (April 23, 1936) of Roy Orbison with the release of Roy Orbison: The Monument Singles Collection, a 2 CD/1 DVD set, available April 5.
The anthology includes all the A&B sides recorded by Orbison for the groundbreaking Monument label during a creative burst spanning 1960-1964. The mono mixes have been restored for the first time since their original 7-inc vinyl releases. Roy Orbison - The Monument A-Sides will also be available on a single CD.
A small independent record label enjoying modest successes in the late 1950s, Monument Records grew to become a major force in American rock and roll, country, jazz and rhythm & blues, thanks greatly to its biggest star, Roy Orbison. Other artists on the label have included Kris Kristofferson, Boots Randolph, Dolly Parton, Ray Stevens, Tony Joe White, Charlie McCoy, Willie Nelson and others.
The 75th birthday commemorative release of also includes the first-ever DVD release of Orbison performing nine songs from "The Monument Concert 1965," including the official video for "Oh Pretty Woman," digitally restored. The set also includes liner notes by Roy Orbison Jr. featuring new interviews with Fred Foster, Joe Melson, Bob Moore and others.
The songs on the collection are true classics and include Top Ten and #1 hits - "Uptown," "Only The Lonely (Know How I Feel)," "Running Scared'," "Crying," "Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)," ""In Dreams," "It's Over" and of course "Oh, Pretty Woman," plus many more.

Roy Orbison: The Monument Singles Collection

Disc One: The A-Sides

1.      Uptown
2.      Only The Lonely
3.      Blue Angel
4.      I'm Hurtin'
5.      Running Scared
6.      Lana
7.      Crying
8.      Let The Good Times Roll
9.      Blue Bayou
10. Dream Baby
11. The Crowd
12. Working For The Man
13. In Dreams
14. Falling
15. It's Over
16. Oh, Pretty Woman
17. Goodnight

Bonus Tracks:

18. Pretty Paper
19. (Say) You're My Girl
20. Paper Boy

Disc Two: The B-Sides

1.      Pretty One
2.      Here Comes That Song Again
3.      Today's Teardrops
4.      I Can't Stop Loving You
5.      Love Hurts
6.      Summer Song
7.      Candy Man
8.      Mean Woman Blues
9.      The Actress
10. Mama
11. Leah
12. Shahdaroba
13. Distant Drums
14. Indian Wedding
15. Yo Te Amo Maria
16. Only With You

Bonus Tracks:

17. Beautiful Dreamer
18. Sleepy Hollow
19. With The Bug

The Monument Concert - DVD

1. Only the Lonely
2. Running Scared
3. Crying
4. What'd I Say
5. Dream Baby
6. Mean Woman Blues
7. It's Over
8. Oh, Pretty Woman
9. Goodnight

Bad Religion, Rise Against Team for Tour in April and May

2011-02-09T11:46:00.000-08:00

Two generations of political punk rockers, Bad Religion and Rise Against, will join together for tours dates in April and May.
Bad Religion has been celebrating three decades of distinctive, scorching sounds and last fall, released its critically acclaimed latest album The Dissent of Man featuring radio hits "The Devil In Stitches" and "Cyanide."
Rise Against will release its new album, Endgame, in March. The pairing is an excellent one, both band's fueled by anger and dissent, but tempering songs with surging melodies and racing tempos.

Bad Religion (W/ Rise Against) Tour Dates:
Apr. 05 - The Joint - Las Vegas, NV 
Apr. 07 - Long Beach Arena - Long Beach, CA 
Apr. 08 - RIMAC Arena - La Jolla, CA 
Apr. 09 - Bill Graham Civic Auditorium - San Francisco, CA 
Apr. 11 - Rose Garden Arena - Portland, OR 
Apr. 12 - WaMu Theater - Seattle, WA 
Apr. 14 - The Great Saltair - Magna, UT 
Apr. 15 - Fillmore Auditorium - Denver, CO 
Apr. 19 - Stubb's - Austin, TX 
Apr. 20 - Concrete Street Amphitheater - Corpus Christi, TX 
Apr. 22 - St. Augustine Amphitheatre - St. Augustine, FL
 Apr. 23 - Sunset Cove Amphitheater - Boca Raton, FL 
Apr. 25 - House of Blues - Myrtle Beach, SC
 Apr. 26 - 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C. 
Apr. 27 - Rams Head Live - Baltimore, MD 
Apr. 29 - House of Blues - Boston, MA 
May 02 - Electric Factory - Philadelphia, PA 
May 03 - Electric Factory - Philadelphia, PA 
May 05 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY 
May 06 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY
 May 07 - Nautica Pavilion - Cleveland, OH  
May 08 - Assembly Hall - Champaign, IL
 May 10 - Pops - Sauget, IL 
May 11 - Midland Theatre - Kansas City, MO 
May 13 - Aragon Ballroom - Chicago, IL  

www.badreligion.com  
www.epitaph.com

Klaxons Announce U.S. Tour Dates

2011-02-01T13:07:00.000-08:00

The Klaxons, who raised a fine ruckus with their 2007 Mercury award-winning album Myths of the Near Future, recently released the follow up, Surfing the Void, and have announced a Spring U.S. tour that will include appearances at the Ultra Music Festival and Coachella 2011.
The London band features Jamie Reynolds on bass and vocals,
James Righton keyboards and vocals, Simon Taylor-Davies - on guitars and Steffan Halperin on drums.

Klaxons Tour Dates:

Mar 25 - Orlando, FL - The Social
Mar 26 - Miami, FL - Ultra Music Festival
Mar 28 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
Mar 29 - New York, NY - Webster Hall
Mar 30 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
Apr 1 - Columbus, OH - The Basement
Apr 2 - Chicago, IL - Metro
Apr 3 - Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon
Apr 5 - Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge
Apr 6 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
Apr 8 - Vancouver, BC - Venue
Apr 9 - Seattle, WA - Chop Suey
Apr 10 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge
Apr 12 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
Apr 15 - Indio, CA - Coachella Festival

Concord Jazz Classics from Ella/Oscar, Monk, Tjader/Getz and Blakey Coming March 15

2011-01-31T13:49:00.000-08:00

Concord Music Group continues its Original Jazz Classics Remasters series with the reissue of four new titles on March 15, 2011: Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers - Ugetsu; Ella Fitzgerald and Oscar Peterson - Ella and Oscar; Thelonious Monk - Monk’s Music;

and Cal Tjader / Stan Getz - Sextet.

Originally launched in March 2010, and enhanced by 24-bit remastering by Joe Tarantino, the series showcases some of the most pivotal recordings of the past several decades the most influential and creative artists in jazz history

Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers' Ugetsu was recorded live at Birdland in New York City in June 1963 for Riverside. The set features trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, trombonist Curtis Fuller, pianist Cedar Walton and bassist Reggie Workman. The CD ends with four bonus tracks, including a previously unreleased cover of George Shearing’s 1949 bop classic, "Conception."
The delightful Ella Fitzgerald and Oscar Peterson collaboration, Ella and Oscar was recorded in May 1975 for Pablo and produced by jazz impresario Norman Granz, who’d founded the label just a couple years earlier. The album is a series of duets that also features bassist Ray Brown on four of the original nine tracks. Brown also appears on two of the four previously unreleased bonus tracks included in the reissue.
Thelonious Monk's Monk’s Music was recorded in New York in June 1957 for Riverside, with musicians that include trumpeter Ray Copeland, alto saxophonist Gigi Gryce, tenor saxophonists John Coltrane and Coleman Hawkins, bassist Wilbur Ware, and drummer Art Blakey. Downbeat named the record one of the top five albums of 1958.
Cal Tjader/ Stan Getz Sextet was recorded for Fantasy at the Marines Memorial Auditorium in San Francisco in February 1958. Bandleaders Tjader and Getz are backed by pianist Vince Guaraldi, guitarist Eddie Duran, bassist Scott LaFaro, and drummer Billy Higgins. There no bonus tracks because no alternate takes or outtakes have been found in the Fantasy/Concord vaults.

X Japan Signs with EMI in North America, Album due in Summer

2011-01-28T10:11:00.000-08:00

X Japan, considered the most the most successful rock band in Japanese history, has signed an exclusive three-year manufacturing and distribution agreement with EMI Label Services to handle the band's releases in North America.

The first release will be the track "Jade" on March 15, followed by the band's as yet untitled American debut set for a late Summer 2011 release.
X Japan is band leader/producer/songwriter/drums and pianist Yoshiki, vocalist Toshi, guitarist Pata, Sugizo on guitar and violin, and bassist Heath. The group is in the studio finishing up the album, the band's first new studio album since 1996 and fifth overall. Half of the songs will be drawn from some of the band's Gold and Platinum Japanese singles; the other half are brand-new songs, and an estimated 95% of the lyrics are being sung in English.

"Some of the songs on this new album were originally written with Japanese lyrics," Yoshiki said. "So translating them into English has been challenging. For some reason, English needs more words, so I ended up re-writing many of the lyrics but kept the same message."
Most of the album has been recorded in Los Angeles at Yoshiki's own studio. It's the same studio where Metallica recorded its classic "Black" album, and artists from Van Halen to Michael Jackson to KISS also recorded in the facility before Yoshiki bought it and turned it into a private studio. Yoshiki, who lives in Los Angeles, traveled to Japan a handful of times to record with the rest of the band there. In addition, some of the album has been recorded live over the Internet, with Yoshiki in L.A. and the band's other members at their studio in Japan.
"X Japan's music is everything from fast, super-heavy rock to ballads with classical piano - all of those elements are what makes X Japan's music," he said. "We don't play just one kind of music - we want to take people on a journey."
The X Japan-EMI agreement follows the band's U.S. concert debut last August at Lollapalooza, and first-ever North American tour that wrapped up on October 10 with a sold out show at New York's Roseland Ballroom. Many of the new album's tracks were introduced to western fans when they were performed on the tour, including "Rusty Nail," "Kurenai," "I.V.," "Born To Be Free," "Endless Rain," and the album's first single, "Jade."
In Japan, X Japan has sold more than 30-million units and filled the 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome a record-setting 18 times.
Check out song teasers from the new album at www.xjapanmusic.com.

Drive-By Truckers Return Feb. 15 with new album, 'Go-Go Boots' and Documentary on DVD

2011-01-27T11:17:00.000-08:00

One of America's best band, Drive-By Truckers will release their elventh record, Go-Go Boots, February 15 on ATO Records. The album was produced by their longtime producer, David Barbe (Deerhunter, Bettye LaVette, Sugar). The band will also release their documentary The Secret to a Happy Ending on DVD.

Go-Go Boots will be issued on CD, in a Deluxe Edition and and viny as well as digital availability. The albu draws on the the band's country and soul roots and is a contrast to their more boisterous previous release.
"We recorded nearly 40 songs last year and into this year and fairly early on divided it into two separate albums," said DBT co-founder Patterson Hood. "The Big To-Do, released first, was the more straight forward 'Rock' album. Go-Go Boots is what I sometimes - semi-jokingly - refer to as our country, soul, and murder ballad album. Those elements definitely play into it, but it's a little more open ended than that."
The Secret to a Happy Ending is a chronicle of the band, which grew up with Southern Rock and also the soul music made in Muscle Shoals, Alabama by black and white musicians while the civil rights movement was in full throttle. It’s also about leaving home. taking a punk tact to making a new kind of Southern rock, literate and meaningful, while also embracing musicianship and songcraft. FilmBuff will be releasing the movie on iTunes and across other digital platforms.

Drive-By Truckers; Photo by Danny Clinch

Additionally, DBT will show their appreciation for vinyl and independent record stores by releasing a special 10” 45 with “Thanksgiving Filter” and “Used To Be A Cop” on Record Store Day, November 26th. Both songs will be on Go-Go Boots and the release will be a limited pressing of only 2,500 copies and will feature a special sleeve designed by Wes Freed as well as a download card.
The band also will be releasing a series of Go-Go Boots "episodes" directed by Patterson Hood and Jason Thrasher. As a preview, “Used To Be a Cop” can be viewed here,
The Drive-By Truckers are Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley, Shonna Tucker, Brad Morgan, John Neff and Jay Gonzalez.

Go-Go Boots track listing:

1. I Do Believe
2. Go-Go Boots
3. Dancin’ Ricky
4. Cartoon Gold
5. Ray’s Automatic Weapon
6. Everybody Needs Love
7. Assholes
8. The Weakest Man
9. Used To Be A Cop
10. The Fireplace Poker
11. Where’s Eddie
12. The Thanksgiving Filter
13. Pulaski
14. Mercy Buckets

For the band's upcoming tour dates, visit the DBT shows page.

http://www.drivebytruckers.com/

Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit Announce Spring Tour; Album 'Here We Rest' Due April 12

2011-01-26T09:24:00.000-08:00

Singer-guitarist Jason Isbell and his band 400 Unit have announced dates for their 2011 Spring Tour in support of their upcoming new album Here We Rest, set for release on April 12 on Lightning Rod Records. The U.S. trek will run March 12 through April 23 including a performance at South By Southwest in Austin, TX on March 17th.

Here We Rest is the second studio album from the band and Isbell’s third. The group's 2009 self-titled debut received much acclaim. The band also released Live at Twist and Shout in 2008.
An Alabama native Isbell previously played with the Drive-By Truckers. 400 Unit features keyboardist Derry deBorja, guitarist Browan Lollar, drummer Chad Gamble and bassist Jimbo Hart.

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit 2011 Spring Tour Dates

March 12 – Destin, FL – Harbor Docks
March 15 – Baton Rouge, LA – Manship Theater Studio
March 17 – Austin, TX - SXSW
March 18 – San Antonio, TX – Sam’s Burger Joint
March 19 – Alexandria, LA – Spirits Food & Friends
April 8 – Florence, AL – Shoals Theater
April 9 – Birmingham, AL – Zydeco
*April 13 – Greeneville, SC – The Handlebar
April 14 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl
*April 15 – Louisville, KY – Headliners
*April 19 – Raleigh, NC – Lincoln Theater
*April 20 – Charlottesville, VA – Jefferson Theater
*April 21 – Philadelphia, PA – World Café Live
*April 22 – New York City, NY – Bowery Ballroom
*April 23 – Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall

* Co-headlining bill with Hayes Carll

http://www.jasonisbell.com

Band of Heathens Return with New Album 'Top Hat Crown & the Clapmaster’s Son' March 29.

2011-01-25T12:19:00.000-08:00

Austin's fine Band of Heathens return March 29 with its third studio album and fifth release overall, Top Hat Crown & the Clapmaster’s Son, Produced by George Reiff (Chris Robinson, Courtyard Hounds, Ray Wylie Hubbard), the new release follows an Austin City Limits (PBS) appearance, festival performances and #1 Americana record, The band returns to the road in March through April.

Heathens Ed Jurdi, Gordy Quist and Colin Brooks formed the band in 2006 after each songwriter had established residency gigs on the same night of the week at Momo’s, a club on Austin’s famous Sixth Street. Bassist Seth Whitney came on board immediately, followed drummer John Chipman in 2007 as the band began to spend more time on the road.
The group's debut Band of Heathens was release in 2008, followed by One Foot in the Ether toward the end of 2009. Both hit the top of the Americana chart and stayed there for months. The Heathens were honored as Best New Band at the Austin Music Awards and nominated as Best Duo or Group by the Americana Music Awards. The band also issued the great concert set Live at Antone's in 2008 as a CD/DVD.

Band of Heathens Tour Dates:

Thurs., March 3 ANN ARBOR, MI
Fri., March 4 CHAMPAIGN, IL
Sat., March 5 ST LOUIS, MO
Fri., March 11 SAN ANTONIO, TX
Sat., March 12 DALLAS, TX
Tues., March 15 AUSTIN, TX (SXSW)
Sat., March 19 HOUSTON, TX
Tues., March 29 DENVER, CO
Wed., March 30 ASPEN, CO
Thurs., March 31 PARK CITY, UT
Fri., April 1 BOISE, ID
Sat., April 9 SANTA CRUZ, CA
Sun., April 10 SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Mon., April 11 FOLSOM, CA
Tues., April 12 BAKERSFIELD, CA
Wed., April 13 LOS ANGELES, CA
Thurs., April 14 PHOENIX, AZ
Sun., April 17 DRIFTWOOD, TX

Strokes New Album 'Angles' Due March 22

2011-01-25T12:03:00.000-08:00

The Strokes will release date their fourth album, Angles, March 22 on RCA records in the US, and March 21 in the UK on Rough Trade Records. A new single, "Under Cover of Darkness," will hit radio in February. The band will soon announce a U.S. tour and is already set to play Coachella 2011, second-billed after Kayne West on Sunday night.

Angles is the band's first new release since 2006's First Impressions of Earth, which followed 2003's Room on Fire and the band's 2001 debut Is This It.
In 2010, Strokes returned to the road, playing major festivals in the United States and UK, including the Isle of Wight Festival, Lollapalooza, Hurricane Festival, Splendour In The Grass, Rockness, Outside Lands, and Austin City Limits.

Angles track listing:
1. Machu Picchu 
2. Under Cover of Darkness 
3. Two Kinds of Happiness 
4. You're So Right
5. Taken For A Fool 
6. Games
7. Call Me Back
8. Gratisfaction  
9. Metabolism
10. Life Is Simple In The Moonlight

Billy Joel Live At Shea Stadium Due on CD/DVD/Blu-ray March 8

2011-01-24T15:20:00.000-08:00

Legacy Recordings will release Billy Joel - Live at Shea Stadium, Tuesday, March 8, a full-length music film of Joel's historic shows in July 2008 which were the last-ever concerts at the venue.

Billy Joel - Live At Shea Stadium will be available in a 2- CD/DVD set as well as a stand-alone DVD and stand-alone Blu-ray Disc. A full-concert companion to the acclaimed Lionsgate documentary The Last Play At Shea, Live At Shea features more than two hours of Joel and his band playing a set not just loaded with hits, but rarities, deep catalog, personal favorites and crowd-pleasing surprises including duets with guest artists Paul McCartney ("I Saw Her Standing There," "Let It Be"), Tony Bennett ("New York State of Mind"), Garth Brooks ("Shameless") and John Mayer ("This Is The Time") along with exclusive DVD/Blu-ray bonus performances with Steven Tyler ("Walk This Way"), Roger Daltrey ("My Generation") and John Mellencamp ("Pink Houses").
Built in 1964, Shea Stadium was the home of the New York Mets for 45 years. Designed as a multi-purpose stadium, Shea became the birthplace of stadium rock when the Beatles appeared there August 15, 1965, as the ballpark also became a venue for rock's biggest names, including The Who, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, The Police and many more.
Joel staged his "Last Play At Shea" concerts on July 16 and July 18, 2008, playing for a combined audience of 110,000 fans. After 45 years, two New York Mets World Series victories, the arena debut of The Beatles and finally, Billy Joel's "The Last Play At Shea," the last section of Shea Stadium was torn down in 2009.
A broadcast edition of Billy Joel - Live At Shea Stadium will premiere on PBS Great Performances in March. Check your local listings.

Billy Joel - Live At Shea Stadium:

1. Prelude/Angry Young Man
2. My Life
3. Summer, Highland Falls
4. Everybody Loves You Now
5. Zanzibar
6. New York State Of Mind (with Tony Bennett)
7. Allentown
8. The Ballad Of Billy The Kid
9. She's Always A Woman
10. Goodnight Saigon
11. Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)
12. Shameless (with Garth Brooks)
13. This Is The Time (with John Mayer)
14. Keeping The Faith
15. Captain Jack
16. Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)
17. The River Of Dreams/A Hard Day's Night
18. We Didn't Start The Fire
19. You May Be Right
20. Scenes From An Italian Restaurant
21. Only The Good Die Young
22. I Saw Her Standing There (with Paul McCartney)
23. Take Me Out To The Ballgame
24. Piano Man
25. Let It Be (with Paul McCartney)

DVD/Blu-ray Bonus Peformances:

Walk This Way (with Steven Tyler)
My Generation (with Roger Daltrey)
Pink Houses (with John Mellencamp)

Eight Track Museum in Dallas Opening Valentine's Day

2011-01-24T11:32:00.000-08:00

The Eight Track Museum in Dallas has announced Valentine's Day as its grand opening, with a reception feeaturing The O's and the Tom Tom Club.

Created by “formatician” Bucks Burnett, the museum will be open for visitors on a regular basis starting Wednesday February 16, including the Cloud 8 Gift Shop offering Eight Track Museum shirts, vintage LPs, 8 tracks and CDs for sale. Burnett’s Earotica Music record store located on Haskell Avenue within the Dolly Python complex at 1916 N. Haskell Avenue has been renamed Cloud 8 as part of the Museum’s retail division.
The grand opening February 14, will beging at 7 p.m. and include an in-Museum performance by Dallas’s The O’s whose new album, Between The Two on the Idol, will be released in a limited 8 Track edition on that day. The band will sign copies while they last. Also on hand will be Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz, one half of the Talking Heads and leaderrs of Tom Tom Club. The just-out Tom Tom Club album, Genius of Live is being released on 8 track through Cloud 8, Burnett's "dead format" label by arrangement with Frantz and Weymouth's Tip Top label and Nacional Records which has released it in other (non-dead) formats through a licensing agreement with Tip Top. Frantz and Weymouth will also sign copies of their band’s 8 Track purchased at the event numbered and limited to just 30 copies, a reflection of the 30th anniversary of the band’s founding.
The Eight Track Museum’s inaugural exhibition "Conceived In Cars / Birth Of The Eight Track 1965" looks at the mobility the format decades the era of the iPod. Hundreds of 8 track cartridges including all Beatles albums released in the format will be displayed as works of art as well as the super-rare and folding 8 track.
From Thomas Edison's wax cylinders of the 1800's, to Steve Jobs' iPod in the 2000's, all formats are represented in a permanent museum setting. The Eight Track Museum collection is centered around a display of over 2,000 8 track tapes, assembled by Museum founder Burnett. Other obscure tape formats are included, such as the 4-track tape, the 2 track Playtape, and a sampling of quadraphonic formats including LPs, 8 Tracks, Reel-to-Reels, and even quadraphonic 45's.' The Museum's motto: No Track Left Behind.

Location: 2630 E. Commerce Street, Dallas, TX 75226 in the heart of the Deep Ellum Community Arts Building, just west of downtown.
Phone: 469.867.4074
Shop online at The Eight Track Museum's Cloud 8 Gift Shop:
Hours: Wednesdays 2 - 6 PM; Sundays 2 - 6 PM (8 hours per week) and by appointment
Admission price: $10 / Valentine’s Day reception: $20.00

'Very Best of Rat Pack' Out January 26

2011-01-21T12:00:00.000-08:00

Reprise Records will release The Very Best Of The Rat Pack (Reprise) January 26, available at all retail outlets (CD and digital), including www.sinatra.com.
The set features   18 Vegas-era favorites from   Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr., There are two duets that feature Sinatra and Davis (“Me And My Shadow”) and Davis and Martin (“Sam’s Song”). The collection also includes a previously unreleased alternate version of Sinatra’s “I’m Gonna Live Until I Die.” 
The Chairman of the Board opens the album with one of his signature songs “Come Fly With Me” and also contributes “I Get A Kick Out Of You” and “Witchcraft.” The collection also includes “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” and “Luck Be A Lady,” from the musical Guys And Dolls.   
Dino’s croons “Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu),” the Italian ballad “Who’s Got The Action?” from the 1962 film of the same name starring Martin and Lana Turner, and “Ain’t That A Kick In The Head,” a tune he sang in the Rat Pack’s classic 1960 heist film Ocean’s 11.   
Davis delivers “Eee-O Eleven” from the Ocean’s 11 soundtrack, “A Lot Of Livin’ To Do,” a song originally written for the 1960 musical Bye Bye Birdie, and “Too Close For Comfort,” from the 1956 Broadway play Mr. Wonderful in which Davis played the starring role.     

The Very Best of the Rat Pack  Track Listing :
1. Come Fly With Me – Frank Sinatra
2. Ain’t That A Kick In The Head – Dean Martin 
3. Too Close For Comfort – Sammy Davis Jr.
4. I’ve Got You Under My Skin – Frank Sinatra 
5. Who’s Got The Action? – Dean Martin 
6. A Lot Of Livin’ To Do – Sammy Davis Jr. 
7. Ring-A-Ding Ding – Frank Sinatra
8. Eee-O Eleven – Sammy Davis Jr.
9. Luck Be A Lady – Frank Sinatra 
10. Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu) – Dean Martin
11. Birth Of The Blues – Sammy Davis Jr.  
12. Witchcraft – Frank Sinatra  
13. You’re Nobody ’Til Somebody Loves You – Dean Martin  
14. I Get A Kick Out Of You – Frank Sinatra
15. Sam’s Song – Dean Martin & Sammy Davis Jr.
16. I’m Gonna Live Until I Die – Frank Sinatra (Alternate Version)
17. Everybody Loves Somebody – Dean Martin
18. Me And My Shadow – Frank Sinatra & Sammy Davis Jr.

Dropkick Murphys Release 'Going Out in Style' March 1; New Tour Kicks off in Feb.

2011-01-20T13:56:00.000-08:00

Celtic-punk rabble rousers Dropkick Murphys will release their seventh full-length studio album, Going Out In Style, March 1, on the band's own Born & Bred Records (ILG). Produced by Ted Hutt, is true to the band's style of explosive punk and rock'n'roll with plenty of Irish ospirit and American rock 'n roll. New tracks include the title song, "Memorial Day," "The Hardest Mile," "Cruel," "Climbing A Chair To Bed," and a version of of the traditional "Peg O' My Heart" with guest vocals by a longtime fan of the band Bruce Springsteen.
The band, which features Ken Casey (lead vocals, bass guitar), Al Barr (lead vocals), Matt Kelly (drums, vocals), James Lynch (guitar, vocals), Tim Brennan (guitars, accordion, whistle, vocals), Jeff DaRosa (banjo, bouzouki, mandolin, harmonica, vocals) and Scruffy Wallace (bagpipes), hits the road February 23 for its annual St. Patrick's Day U.S. tour. with Against Me! as support on most dates. The tour will wrap up in Boston for the band's run of St. Patty's Day week hometown gigs. Also look for the Murphys (Let's go!) to tour Europe in April and August, with additional U.S. dates planned for May and June.
The album's title track features guest vocals by NOFX's Fat Mike, The Living End's Chris Cheney and Rescue Me actor/comedian Lenny Clarke. Springsteen swaps verses with Casey on the old standard "Peg O' My Heart." "It has a classic old fifties rock and roll feel," Casey said. "Both of my grandmothers are named Peg. One grandmother, Peg Casey, is always saying, 'When are you going to do that song? Your grandfather always sang it to me!' The time signature changed, so hopefully they still appreciate it when they hear it."

Going Out In Style tracklist:
1. Hang 'Em High
2. Going Out In Style
3. The Hardest Mile
4. Cruel
5. Memorial Day
6. Climbing A Chair To Bed
7. Broken Hymns
8. Deeds Not Words
9. Take 'Em Down
10. Sunday Hardcore Matinee
11. 1953
12. Peg O' My Heart
13. The Irish Rover

Dropkick Murphys Initial tour dates:

With Against Me!:
Wednesday, February 23 Niagara Falls, NY The Rapids Theatre
Thursday, February 24 Detroit, MI The Fillmore
Only DKM on this show:
Friday, February 25 Milwaukee, WI Bradley Center
(Admirals Hockey Game)
With Naked Raygun:
Saturday, February 26 Chicago, IL Congress Theater
With Against Me!:
Sunday, February 27 Chicago, IL Congress Theater
Tuesday, March 1 Denver, CO The Fillmore
Wednesday, March 2 Kansas City, MO The Beaumont Club
Thursday, March 3 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Friday, March 4 Des Moines, IA Val Air Ballroom
Saturday, March 5 St. Louis, MO The Pageant
Sunday, March 6 Cleveland, OH House Of Blues
Tuesday, March 8 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Wednesday, March 9 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Thursday, March 10 New York, NY Roseland Ballroom
Friday, March 11 New York, NY Roseland Ballroom
Festival Show (no Against Me!):
Saturday, March 12 Washington, DC Shamrock Fest at RFK Stadium
With Against Me!:
Sunday, March 13 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena
Wednesday, March 16 Boston, MA House Of Blues
Thursday, March 17 Boston, MA House Of Blues
Friday, March 18 Boston, MA House Of Blues
Saturday, March 19 Lowell, MA Tsongas Arena

www.dropkickmurphys.com

Coachella 2011: Digging into the Line-Up

2011-01-20T11:28:00.000-08:00

Goldenvoice has announced the line-up for 2011's 12th Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival set for Friday, April 15, Saturday, April 16 and Sunday, April 17 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA. Most news just focuses on the headliners - Arcade Fire, Kanye West and Kings of Leon. Plus some of the reunions and next tier performers, such as Duran Duran, Big Audio Dynamite, The Black Keys, Interpol, The National, The Strokes, Cee Lo Green, Brandon Flowers of the Killers and so on.

But while the "big-name" headliners surely bring in thousands, many others come for performers lower on the bill, just as and in some cases even more vital. And this year is fully loaded: Music News That Matters picks would include the return of Bright Eyes, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, Delta Spirit, Flogging Molly, (always great live), Gogol Bordello (ever the whirlwind of gypsy punk on stage), Klaxons, Mumford & Sons, The New Pornographers, another reunion in The London Suede,
And let's not forget its not just a music, but an arts festival every year. In 2011, Coachella will partner with The Creators Project, which supports leading and emerging artists across the globe who use technology to turn their artistic visions into reality. By incorporating technology and visual art, the partnership adds another layer of creative expression to the festival. Additional information is available at www.thecreatorsproject.com.
There's also the online and physical Coachella community from message boards to the friendships formed annually at the onsite campgrounds. This year's onsite camping will include a Farmer’s Market, a 24-hour general store, a roller skating rink and free shuttle service to a local grocery store.
Three-day weekend passes, along with camping passes for Coachella go on sale Friday, January 21 at 10:00 AM (PT) through Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000 and at www.coachella.com. Three-day weekend passes are $269.00, plus surcharges and camping passes are $75.00. More details on layaway, camping options and up-to-the minute information, can be found at www.coachella.com.

Coachella 2011 artist line-up:

12th Planet, Afrojack, Alf Alpha, Andy C, Angus and Julia Stone, Animal Collective, Arcade Fire, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, A-Trak, Axwell, Beardyman, Best Coast, Big Audio Dynamite, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, Bloody Beetroots Death Crew 77, Bomba Estereo, Boys Noize, Brandon Flowers, Brandt Brauer Frick, Breakage, Bright Eyes, Broken Social Scene, Cage the Elephant, Caifanes, Caspa, Cee Lo Green, Chromeo, Chuckie, City and Colour, Clare Maguire, Cold Cave, Cold War Kids, Crystal Castles, CSS, Cults, Cut Copy, Daedelus, Death From Above 1979, Delorean, Delta Sprirt, DJ Hype, DJ Kentaro, DJ Marky, DJ Zinc, Duck Sauce, Duran Duran, EE, Elbow, Electric Touch, Eliza Doolittle, Ellie Goulding, Emicida, Empire of the Sun, Erick Morillo, Erykah Badu, Excision, , Fat Freddy's Drop, Fedde Le Grand, Fistful of Mercy, Flogging Molly, Foals, Foster the People, Francis and the Lights, Freelance Whales, fun., G.Q., Gayngs, Glasser, Gogol Bordello, Good Old War, Gord Downie, Goth Trad, Green Velvet, Gypsy and the Cat, HEALTH, Here We Go Magic, High Contrast, Hurts, Interpol, Jack Beats, Jack's Mannequin, Jakes, Jenny and Johnny, Jimmy Eat World, Joachim Garraud, Joy Orbison, Kanye West, Kele, Kings of Leon, Klaxons, Kode9, Kyle Hall, Laidback Luke, Leftfield, Lightning Bolt, Lil' B, Lorn, Los Bunkers, Magnetic Man, , Mariachi El Bronx, Marina and the Diamonds, Mary Anne Hobbs, MEN, Menomena, Monarchy, Mount Kimbie, Moving Units, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Mumford & Sons, Nas & Damian Marley, Neon Trees, New Pants, Nosaj Thing, OFF!, OFWGKTA, Omar Rodriguez Lopez, One Day as a Lion, Ozomatli, Paul van Dyk, Phantogram, Phosphorescent, PJ Harvey, Plan B, Ramadanman, Raphael Saadiq, Ras G, Ratatat, Riva Starr, Robyn, Roska, Rye Rye, Sander Kleinenberg, Sasha, SBTRKT, Scala & Kolacny Bros., Scissor Sisters, She Wants Revenge, Shpongle, Skrillex, Sleigh Bells, Steve Angello, Sven Vath, Take, Tame Impala, Terror Danjah, Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, The Aquabats, The Black Keys, The Chemical Brothers, The Drums, The Felice Brothers, The Henry Clay People, The Joy Formidable, The Kills, The London Suede, The Love Language, The Morning Benders, The National, The New Pornographers, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Presets, The Radio Dept., The Rural Alberta Advantage, The Strokes, The Swell Season, The Tallest Man on Earth, The Twelves, Thunderball, Tinie Tempah, Titus Andronicus, Tokimonsta, Trampled by Turtles, Trentemoller, Twin Shadow, Two Door Cinema Club, Warpaint, Wire, Wiz Khalifa, Yacht, Yelle and Zed Bias.

The Kills Announce Spring North American Tour

2011-01-18T12:52:00.000-08:00

The Kills – Jamie Hince and Alison Mosshart – have announced headlining Spring tour dates in North America and Europe as well, kicking off in March in Austin, TX for SXSW and continuing through the middle of May.

The duo will release its fourth studio album, Blood Pressures, on Domino Records on April 5, the follow-up to Midnight Boom. The pre-sale link for tickets opens today. Buyers of a pre-sale ticket will receive a free signed art print from the band as well. Tickets for all dates go on sale to the general public on either Friday January 21 or Saturday January 22.

The Kills Spring 2011 North American Tour Dates:

* w/ Cold Cave & The Entrance Band

March16 - 20      Austin, TX @ SXSW
March 29              Antwerp @ Trix
March 30             Holland @ Melkweg
March 31              London @ Heaven
April 2                  Milan @ Tunnel
April 6                  Paris @ Le Bataclan
April 8                  Berlin @ Huxley’s
April 15                 San Diego, CA @ House of Blues W/ Foals
April 19                 Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater*
April 20                Austin, TX @ La Zona Rosa *
April 22                Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom *
April 23                Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade *
April 24                Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club *
April 26                Boston, MA @ Royale Boston *
April 27                Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of the Living Arts *
April 29                New York, NY @ Terminal 5 *
April 30                Montreal, QUE @ Olympia *
May 1                    Toronto, ONT @ Sound Academy *
May 3                    Detroit, MI @The Majestic Theatre *
May 4                    Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre *
May 5                    Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue *
May 8                    Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom *
May 9                    Seattle, WA @ Showbox at the Market*
May 10                  Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom *
May 11                  San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore *

Twilight Singers Announce Euro Dates, plus Appearances at Amoeba Music L.A. and S.F.

2011-01-18T11:22:00.000-08:00

The Twilight Singers have announced their first European tour in five years, kicking off March 18 in London at the Electric Ballroom. Tickets for most shows go on sale on this week.
The band will celebrate the release of its upcoming album Dynamite Steps (Out in the US February 15 and worldwide February 14) by performing two special shows at Amoeba Music in Los Angeles (Feb. 15) and the San Francisco Amoeba Music store (Feb. 17) the week of release. These will be the first ever in store performances for the group.
Dynamite Steps is available for pre-order at www.subpop.com, and with every purchase an automatic stream of the album becomes available. As an added bonus, band has recorded versions of “Don’t Call” (Desire) and “Ballad of Pure Thought” (Millionaire) for a limited edition CDR to be shipped to fans that participate in the pre-order. Various guests contribute to the new album include Ani DiFranco, Joseph Arthur, Petra Haden, Carina Round, Nick McCabe (The Verve) and Mark Lanegan.
After leading the Afghan Whigs during the '80s and '90s, singer-musician Greg Dulli formed The Twilight Singers, who released their first album, Twilight As Played By The Twilight Singers, in 2000. The group followed with Blackberry Belle in 2003, a covers album She Loves You in 2004 and 2006’s Powder Burns. In 2008 he teamed up with long time friend Mark Lanegan to form The Gutter Twins, releasing Saturnalia.

The Twilight Singers 2011 European Tour Dates (so far)
3/18/11 London - Electric Ballroom
3/19/11 Glasgow - Arches
3/20/11 Manchester - Moho Live
3/21/11 Brighton - Komedia Theatre
3/23/11 Cologne - Luxor
3/25/11 Oslo - Parkteatret
3/26/11 Stockholm - Debaser
3/27/11 Copenhagen - Vega Jr
3/28/11 Berlin - Festsaal Kreuzberg
3/30/11 Brussels - Ancienne Belgique
3/31/11 Paris - La Fleche D'Or
4/01/11 Amsterdam - Paradiso
4/02/11 Lucerne – Schuur
4/09/11 Vienna – Meet Factory
4/10/11 Warsaw - Stodola
4/12/11 Helsinki - Tavastia
4/14/11 Thessaloniki - Principal Theater
4/15/11 Athens - Gagarin Club
4/16/11 Tel Aviv - Reading3
4/17/11 Tel Aviv - Reading3

www.thetwilightsingers.com

Eagle Rock Releasing Jeff Beck Les Paul Tribute Show on Blu-ray, DVD, Feb. 22

2011-01-18T11:00:00.000-08:00

Eagle Rock Entertainment will release Jeff Beck: Rock ‘N’ Roll Party Honoring Les Paul on DVD and Blu-ray February 22, 2011.
Filmed in HD at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York City this past spring, this musical celebration of the great Les Paul features selections of his songs and other great rock 'n' roll tracks.  On June 9, 2010, which would have been Les Paul’s 95th birthday, Jeff Beck and special guests paid homage to the musical icon at the very club where he performed every Monday night. Rockabilly songstress Imelda May and her band, led by Darrel Higham, as well as Gary US Bonds, Brian Setzer and Trombone Shorty, join Beck on many of the tracks. Attendees included David Bowie, Meat Loaf, Steven Van Zandt, Paul Shaffer, Kirk Hammett, and Nils Lofgren.    
Among the many performances, which includes numbers that were hits for Les Paul, rock'n'roll classics and enduring instrumentals are "Baby Let's Play House," "Train Kept a Rollin," "How High the Moon," "Vaya Con Dioes," "Peter Gunn," "Sleepwalk," "Girl Can't Help It," and more.
In addition to the music, bonus features include: An interview with Jeff Beck; Behind The Scenes; "At home with Jeff Beck & his guitars"; "Jeff Beck & Les Paul – Rock ‘n’ Roll Tonite" and "Les Paul & his little black box.
A five-time Grammy-Award winner, with five more nominations for 2011, Beck will take his Les Paul party on the road with Imelda May and her band for a spring tour. The upcoming release follows the hugely successful release of Jeff Beck’s Performing This Week…Live at Ronnie Scotts.  Selections from from Rock'n'Roll Party will also be released on CD Feb. 22.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Party (Honoring Les Paul) Tour Dates:

March
24    9:30 Club Washington, D.C.
25     Keswick Theater                                                    Philadelphia, PA
26     The Wang Centre Boston, MA
28     Beacon Theatre                                                     New York, NY
29     State Theatre New Brunswick, NJ
31     Michigan Theatre                                                  Ann Arbor, MI

April
1       Cadillac Palace Theatre Chicago, IL
4 Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie Grand Prairie, TX
5 Austin City Limits Live at Moody Theatre Austin, TX
8       Fox Theater Pomona, CA
9       The Fillmore San Francisco, CA

Dears Announce Some North American dates and SXSW; New Album 'Degeneration Street' Due Feb. 15

2011-01-15T15:59:00.000-08:00

Montreal's The Dears will play a run of West Coast North American dates in support of their upcoming album, Degeneration Street, out February 15 on Dangerbird Records. The tour kicks off March 4 in Victoria, British Columbia, and the band will also perform several times at this year's SXSW Music Festival in Austin, TX. Los Angeles indie rock band Eulogies will head out as main support.
The track "Omega Dog" is now available on iTunes. Degeneration Street was produced by Tony Hoffer (Phoenix, Belle and Sebastian).

The Dears tour dates (more to be announced):
With Eulogies

March 4th Sugar Victoria, BC
March 5th The Venue Vancouver, BC
March 7th Crocodile Café Seattle, WA
March 9th Slim's San Francisco, CA
March 10th The Troubadour Los Angeles, CA
March 17th SXSW Austin, TX
March 18th Dangerbird Records Showcase Austin, TX
March 19th SXSW Austin, TX
March 20th SXSW Austin, TX

www.thedears.org
www.facebook.com/TheDears
www.myspace.com/thedears
http://twitter.com/thedears

Sinatra 'Best of Vegas' Due February 15 from Concord Records.

2011-01-12T15:21:00.000-08:00

Concord Records will release Frank Sinatra: Best of Vegas, collecting some of his legendary live performances on the Strip, February 15.
The 14-song set, under license from Frank Sinatra Enterprises (FSE), captures Sinatra in concert at the Sands, Caesars Palace and the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas between 1961 and 1987. The collection is a distillation of highlights from Sinatra: Vegas, the five-disc boxed set (4 CD/1 DVD) of live recordings released by Reprise Records in 2006.
"From his debut at the Desert Inn in September 1951, no entertainer was ever more synonymous with the city of Las Vegas than Frank Sinatra," said Charles Pignone, author of The Sinatra Treasures, in his comprehensive liner notes to the Best of Vegas CD. "It has been said that next to legalized gambling, nothing has been more beneficial and profitable to Las Vegas than Frank Sinatra."
The disc is loaded with Sinatra classic, performed live and some the most famous venues in the history of Vegas: "The Lady Is a Tramp" (The Sands, 1961); "I’ve Got You Under My Skin" (The Sands, 1966); "All or Nothing at All" (Caesars Palace, 1982); "Pennies From Heaven" (The Golden Nugget, 1987); and of course, the "Theme From New York, New York" (Caesars Palace, 1982).
"If you were in Las Vegas at the same time as Sinatra, there was nothing else that could compare,” says Pignone. “Even when the entertainment in town was changing from headliners to magic and production shows, Sinatra was still the 'main event.'"

Sinatra: Best of Vegas Track List:
Introduction
The One I Love Belongs to Somebody Else
Moonlight in Vermont
The Lady Is a Tramp
I’ve Got You Under My Skin
Street Of Dreams
Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words)
Monologue
Luck Be a Lady
I Can’t Get Started
Without a Song
All or Nothing at All
Witchcraft
Pennies From Heaven
Angel Eyes
Theme From New York, New York
Bows

Bobby Long Sets 2011 Tour Dates

2011-01-10T10:52:00.000-08:00

British singer-songwriter Bobby Long has announced 2011 tour dates from January through April with ATO Records releasing his official label debut A Winter Tale.
Recorded in London, the eleven-song album was produced by Grammy-awardwinner Liam Watson (The White Stripes) and features backing vocals from Nona Hendryx (LaBelle) and Icelandic singer Lay Low as well as pedal steel by B.J. Cole (Elton John, Sting). Long's stops will include Sundance Film Festival and SXSW in Austin.

Bobby Long Tour Dates:

January 9 - Brooklyn, NY - Public Assembly
January 24 - Park City, UT - House of Blues Park City
January 25 - Park City, UT - Sundance ASCAP Music Café
January 28 - Vancouver, BC - Media Club
January 29 - Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern
January 31 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir
February 2 - San Francisco, CA - Café du Nord
February 3 - Los Angeles, CA - The Troubadour
February 4 - San Diego, CA - Anthology
February 5 - Tucson, AZ - Club Congress
February 8 - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court
February 10 - Denver, CO - Bluebird
February 11 - Lawrence, KS - Bottleneck
February 12 - St. Louis, MO - Old Rock House
February 14 - Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon
February 15 - Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater
February 16 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Ballroom
February 17 - Indianapolis, IN - Radio Radio
February 18 - Chicago, IL - Schuba’s
February 19 - Columbus, OH - Basement
February 21 - Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark
February 22 - Toronto, ON - Revival
February 23 - Montreal, QC - Divan
February 24 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
February 25 - Portland, ME - Port City Music Hall
February 26 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall
February 28 - Northampton, MA - Iron Horse
March 1 - Baltimore, MD - Otto Bar
March 3 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
March 4 - Philadelphia, PA - World Café
March 5 - Vienna, VA - Jammin Java
March 22 - Charlottesville, VA - The Southern
March 23 - Pittsburgh, PA - Rex Theatre
March 24 - Cincinnati, OH - 20th Century Theatre
March 25 - Knoxville, TN - Barley’s Tap Room
March 26 - Louisville, KY - Headliners Music Hall
March 27 - Nashville, TN - 3rd & Lindsley
March 29 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
March 31 - Greenville, SC - The Handlebar
April 1 - Atlanta, GA - Vinyl
April 2 - Orlando, FL - The Social
April 3 - Jacksonville, FL - Jack Rabbits
April 5 - Birmingham, AL - Workplay
April 6 - Memphis, TN - Hi-Tone
April 8 - Dallas, TX - Poor David’s Pub
April 9 - Austin, TX - Stubbs Jr.
April 10 - Houston, TX - Fitzgerald’s

Stax Records' Al Bell to Receive Recording Academy Trustees Award

2011-01-06T14:54:00.000-08:00

The Memphis Music Foundation and the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, located at the original site of Stax Records, congratulates Al Bell on receiving one of the highest music industry honors, the Trustees Award, given by the Board of Trustees of the Recording Academy. Bell joins the pantheon of musical icons that include the Beatles, Walt Disney, George and Ira Gershwin, Berry Gordy, Duke Ellington, and Stax Records’ co-owner Estelle Axton.
The honor will be presented at an invitation-only ceremony during Grammy Week on Saturday, Feb. 12, 2011, and a formal acknowledgment will be made during the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards telecast.

"The phone call I received from Neil Portnow, president of NARAS’ Grammy Foundation, letting me know that I was going to be a recipient of the Trustees Lifetime Achievement Award, was both humbling and honoring," said Bell in a statement."This is the most meaningful recognition I could have ever hoped to achieve from my industry. I sincerely thank NARAS and the Grammy Foundation for honoring me with their highest award.”
It was back in 1965 that a young radio disc jockey from Brinkley, Arkansas named Alvertis Isbell joined a fledging record company in Memphis, Tennessee to help promote the Southern soul music it was creating out in an old converted movie theater. That small label was Stax Records and Al Bell became known to be one of the driving forces who helped change music history. Decades later, in 2009, he became the chairman of the board of directors of the Memphis Music Foundation (MMF), the main organization charged with promoting the city’s musical legacy, current artists, and future plans.
From 1965 until the company was forced into involuntary bankruptcy in 1975, Bell helped build Stax Records into one of the most influential labels in the world, working with artists such as Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, the Staple Singers, Johnnie Taylor, Sam & Dave, Booker T. & the MGs, the Bar Kays, Richard Pryor, and many others.
Bell also produced and wrote such hits as the Staple Singers’ “I’ll Take You There.” When he owned Stax in the 1970s, it was the second-largest African-American owned business in the United States. After the company’s demise, he went on to serve as president of Motown Records Group, and later started his own Bellmark Records label, releasing Prince’s top-selling song ever, “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World,” and Tag Team’s multi-platinum hit “Whoomp! (There It is),” one of the best-selling rap singles in history. Bell now operates his own web-based music channel, AlBellPresents.com.
Given the name Al Bell in 1957 as radio announcer in Little Rock, Arkansas, whose famous radio sign-on was “This is your 6-feet-4 bundle of joy, 212 pounds of Mrs. Bell’s baby boy, soft as medicated cotton, rich as double-X cream, the women’s pet, the men’s threat, the play boys pride and joy, the baby boy Al Bell,” — the Grammy Award not only marks his lifetime of work in the music industry, but also gives more fuel to what he plans to do now and in the future.
“When Mr. Portnow said ‘Lifetime Achievement Award,” Bell said, "I didn’t think about my past. It sounded prophetic. Because what has happened to me is that I’ve begun to pursue that which I have learned in life and I’m about the business of achieving it. It’s a beginning for me. With this award and through my role with the Memphis Music Foundation, I am beginning my lifetime evolvement and development in the recorded music industry."

Bright Eyes Announces Additional 2011 Tour Dates

2010-12-14T10:06:00.000-08:00

With a new album, The People's Key, due February 15 on Saddle Creek), Bright Eyes has announced additional tour dates for 2011, the band's first string of U.S. shows in more than three years.
Since 2006 the core of Bright Eyes has been permanent members Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis and Nathaniel Walcott, joined by various musicians in the studio and on tour. The seven-piece band will be kick off the 2011 tour in Miami in March. Following a sell-out in New York, Due to overwhelming demand an additional Radio City Music Hall show has been added in New York.
The People's Key is the first Bright Eyes album since 2007's Cassadaga.

Pre-sales for some shows begin Wednesday, December 14, with public on-sales beginning on Friday, December 17. Visit www.conoroberst.com for more details

Bright Eyes 2011 Tour Dates:

3/2 The Fillmore Miami Beach @ The Jackie Gleason Miami, FL
3/3 House of Blues Lake Buena Vista, FL
3/4 Tabernacle Atlanta, GA
3/5 Thomas Wolf Auditorium Asheville, NC
3/6 The National Richmond, VA
3/8 Radio City Music Hall *** New York, NY
3/9 Radio City Music Hall *** (SOLD OUT) New York, NY
3/10 House Of Blues Boston, MA
3/11 State Theatre Portland, ME
3/13 Sound Academy Toronto, ON
3/14 Royal Oak Royal Oak, MI
3/15 Vic Theatre Chicago, IL
3/17 Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN

*** Superchunk and Wild Flag support both Radio City shows

twitter.com/brighteyesband

Bright Eyes on Facebook

Lucinda Williams is 'Blessed' - New Album Due March 1, 2011

2010-12-09T10:20:00.000-08:00

Three-time Grammy Award-winner Lucinda Williams will release a new album, Blessed, March 1, 2011 on Lost Highway.

The new studio set from the acclaimed singer-songwriter features 12 tracks, which include the opening "Buttercup" followed by the bluesy“Born To Be Loved”. On "Seeing Black," Elvis Costello provides some guitar and among the other numbers are the title track and "Soldier’s Song." The song "Kiss Like Your Kiss." first appeared in a version on the album True Blood: Music From The HBO Original Series - Volume 2 and was just nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or other Visual Media.
Blessed was produced by Don Was and co-produced by Eric Liljestrand and Tom Overby, who co-produced Williams 2008 release, Little Honey. The new album features special guests Rami Jaffe on keyboards, Matthew Sweet on vocals, and Greg Leisz and Costello on guitar.
A Deluxe Edition of Blessed will include bonus material titled "The Kitchen Tapes." The tracks are the demos Williams recorded of the songs that became the album, actually worked on at the kitchen table in her home, where she does much of her writing.