Music News Net

M Ward Readies "A Wasteland Companion" Album and Tour

2012-01-23T21:47:00-05:00

MUSIC NEWS - It's been three years since Portland, OR-based troubadour M Ward released his last solo album, the much lauded Hold Time , and druing that time he’s toured the globe, released two albums as one half of Grammy-nominated duo She & Him as well as one with the talented group of friends collectively know as Monsters Of Folk.

Now, Merge Records will release Ward’s anticipated sixth solo album, A Wasteland Companion, on April 10, 2012. Inspired by his increasingly itinerant lifestyle Ward set forth to create something of a musical travelogue. He recently explained, “Between now and when I made Hold Time there has been a lot of traveling which requires a lot of reckoning with what to leave behind and what to carry – material and otherwise – and thinking about what I want versus what I need, creatively and otherwise. I wanted to get a reflection of that on the album. It was a process of stripping away my security blanket, which is the same four walls I always record in.”

The album consists of 12 tracks and was made with 18 musicians and recorded in eight different studios in Portland, Omaha, New York City, Los Angeles, Austin and Bristol (UK).

A Wasteland Companion features the talents of M Ward (piano, guitars, voice, production), Mike Coykendall (percussion, bass), Giant Sand’s Howe Gelb (piano), John Parish (percussion, marimba), Bright Eyes’ Mike Mogis (organ), Susan Sanchez (vocals), She & Him’s Zooey Deschanel (vocals), Jordan Hudson (percussion), Adam Selzer (bass), Nathan “JR” Andersen (piano), Scott McPherson (percussion), Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley (percussion), Dr Dog’s Tobey Leaman (bass), Devotchka’s Tom Hagerman (strings), Oakely Hall’s Rachel Cox (vocals), Amanda Lawrence (violin), John Graboff (pedal steel) and Tyler Tornfelt (bass). The recording utilized eight engineers, including Tom Schick (Rufus Wainwright) and John Parish (PJ Harvey).

M Ward 2012 Tour Dates:

February 2 Los Angeles, CA @ Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetery

April 11 San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore

April 12 Santa Cruz, CA @ The Cocoanut Grove Ballroom

April 13 Indio, CA @ Coachella **SOLD OUT**

April 14 Santa Barbara, CA @ SoHO

April 16 San Diego, CA @ Belly Up

April 17 Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom

April 18 Flagstaff, AZ @ The Orpheum

April 20 Indio, CA @ Coachella **SOLD OUT**

May 5 Portland, ME @ State Theatre

May 6 Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground

May 7 New Haven, CT @ Toads Place

May 8 Boston, MA @ House of Blues

May 11 New York, NY @ Webster Hall

May 12 Philadelphia, PA @Union Transfer

May 13 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club

May 15 Durham, NC @ Duke Performances at Page Auditorium

May 16 Athens, GA @ Georgia Theatre

May 17 Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre

May 22 Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre

May 24 Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue

Jonathan Richman supports 4/11 - fIREHOSE supports 4/12, 4/16-4/18 - Lee Ranaldo Band supports 5/5-5/22

Florence + the Machine Announces Spring USA Tour

2012-01-23T20:00:40-05:00

MUSIC NEWS - Florence + the Machine will be back on the road in the USA to promote the 2011 release of Ceremonials. The tour kicks off on April 14 in Santa Barbara, CA at the Santa Barbara Bowl, the day before the band is on tap to play Coachella.

This USA run has them on stage at the New Orleans Jazz Fest on May 3, before heading up north for NYC and Connecticut before wraping up in Atlantic City, NJ on May 12.

Florence + the Machine Spring 2012 USA Tour-

April
14 - Santa Barbara, Calif. @ Santa Barbara Bowl
15 - Indio, Calif. @ Coachella Music Festival
17 - Reno, Nev. @ Grand Sierra Resort
18 - Davis, Calif. @ Mondavi Center
20 - Phoenix, Ariz. @ Comerica Theatre
21 - Las Vegas, Nev. @ The Cosmopolitan
22 - Indio, Calif. @ Coachella Music Festival
27 - Minneapolis, Minn. @ Hennepin Theatre
28 - Milwaukee, Wis. @ Eagles Ballroom
29 - St. Louis, Mo. @ Peabody Opera House

May
1 - Dallas, Texas @ Palladium Ballroom
2 - Houston, Texas @ Verizon Wireless Theatre
3 - New Orleans, La. @ New Orleans Jazz Fest
8 - New York, N.Y. @ Radio City Music Hall
11 - Uncasville, Ct. @ Mohegan Sun Arena
12 - Atlantic City, N.J. @ Borgata Events Center

Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers Back on the Trail

2012-01-23T19:47:12-05:00

MUSIC NEWS - Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers have announced news on their 2012 tour as they continue to promote their Grammy nominated, chart-topping bluegrass album, Rare Bird Alert (out via Rounder Records). The set features guest vocals by Paul McCartney and the Dixie Chicks, and a Martin standard, a live rendition of “King Tut.”

Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers 2012 Tour Itinerary-

February 10, 2012 Reno, NV Grand Sierra Resort & Casino-Grand Theatre
February 11, 2012 Porterville, CA Eagle Mountain Casino
April 28, 2012 Indio, CA Stagecoach Festival
April 29, 2012 Santa Barbara, CA The Granada
May 29 & 30, 2012 Boston, MA Symphony Hall
June 21, 2012 Kansas City, MO Midland Theatre

KORN Adds Tour Dates

2012-01-22T13:22:00-05:00

MUSIC NEWS - With the hugely successful first leg of concert dates to promote their recently released album The Path of Totality, Korn will be back on the road for a second leg of the Path of Totality Tour. The new round of shows for the Bakersfield, CA rockers will kick off on February 23 in Detroit, running through the Midwest before heading back West and wrapping up on March 4 in San Francisco. Kill the Noise will be on the bill at certain dates, while Korn's own Jonathan Davis will also debut his brand new DJ set as his J Devil alter ego.

The Path of Totality is another experimental chapter in Korn's rich history. The album has the band changing gears, taking a bit of a creative left turn to explore new territory with some of the hottest emerging producers and talent in the electronic scene. With it they remain fresh and relevant while collaborating with electronic producers Skrillex, 12^th Planet, Kill the Noise, Excision, Flinch, Noisia, Datsik, Downlink, Feed Me and more.

KORN 2012 Tour Itinerary-

Feb. 23 – Detroit, MI – Fillmore*

Feb. 24 – Chicago, IL – Congress Theater

Feb. 25 – Milwaukee, WI – Eagles Ballroom

Feb. 27 – Denver, CO – First Bank Center*

Feb. 28 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex *

March 1 – Phoenix, AZ – Comerica Theatre

March 2 –Las Vegas, NV– Pearl Concert Theatre @ Palms Casino

March 4 – San Francisco, CA – Warfield Theater

*Kill The Noise Supports

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS 2012 Tour Update

2012-01-22T09:15:22-05:00

MUSIC NEWS- With shows already sold out, the Red Hot Chili Peppers have announced a series of North American shows in April and May have been added to their upcoming I'm With You World Tour. Due to multiple foot injuries sustained by lead singer Anthony Kiedis, and subsequent surgery, the tour will now kick off on March 29 in St. Petersburg, FL, and crisscross the continent throughout 2012. Check out the full tour itinerary below for all confirmed dates (more shows are expected to be announced in the coming weeks).

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS NEWLY ANNOUNCED 2012 TOUR DATES:

04/27 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre (on sale 1/27)

04/30 Ottawa, ON Scotiabank Place (on sale 1/27)

05/02 Montreal, QC Bell Centre (on sale 1/28)

05/04 Newark, NJ Prudential Center (on sale 1/28)

05/07 Boston, MA TD Garden (on sale 1/27)

05/10 Washington, DC Verizon Center (on sale 1/27)

05/11 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center (on sale 1/27)

05/25 St. Louis, MO Scottrade Center (on sale 1/28)

05/26 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena (on sale 1/27)

05/28 Chicago, IL Allstate Arena (on sale 1/28)

05/30 Pittsburgh, PA Consol Energy Center (on sale 1/27)

06/01 Detroit, MI Joe Louis Arena (on sale 1/27)

06/02 Cleveland, OH Quicken Loans Arena (on sale 1/27)

06/04 Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center (on sale 1/27)

06/06 Cincinnati, OH U.S. Bank Arena (on sale 1/27)

06/07 Louisville, KY KFC Yum Center (on sale 1/28)

PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED CONCERT DATES-

03/29 Tampa, FL Tampa Bay Times Forum

03/31 Orlando, FL Amway Arena*

04/02 Sunrise, FL Bank Atlantic Center*

04/04 Raleigh, NC RBC Center*

04/06 Charlotte, NC Time Warner Cable Arena

04/07 Columbia, SC Colonial Life Arena*

04/09 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum

04/10 Duluth, GA Gwinnett Center*

04/12 Memphis, TN FedEx Forum*

08/11 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center*

08/12 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center*

08/14 Oakland, CA Oakland Arena*

08/15 Oakland, CA Oakland Arena*

09/23 San Diego, CA Valley View Casino Center*

09/25 Phoenix, AZ Jobring Arena

09/27 Denver, CO Pepsi Center*

09/29 San Antonio, TX AT&T Center*

10/02 Dallas, TX American Airlines Arena*

10/04 New Orleans, LA New Orleans Arena*

10/20 Houston, TX Toyota Center*

10/22 Oklahoma City, OK Chesapeake Arena

10/24 Tulsa, OK BOK Arena

10/25 Little Rock, AR Verizon Arena

* denotes the show is sold-out

HEARTLESS BASTARDS on the Road for "ARROW" Release

2012-01-17T21:12:30-05:00

MUSIC NEWS - Heartless Bastards have let us know that they'll be back on the road, confirming a second leg of their North American tour. The band is touring in support of their new album, Arrow, releasing February 14.

The tour begins at Club Congress in Tucson on March 30and culminates on April 20 at La Zona Rosa in the band's hometown of Austin, TX. The tour will stop in major cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver, and Seattle on this twelve date run.

Starting January 17, and through January 20, tickets will be sold exclusively at theheartlessbastards.com, with a public on-sale date of January 20. Expect more news, and summer tour dates announcing shortly.

Arrow will be released by the popular top-notch Brooklyn-based indie Partisan Records; the album was produced by Spoon drummer/co-producer Jim Eno at his Public Hi-Fi home studio in Austin. Arrow follows upon the difficult introspection of 2009's acclaimed third album, The Mountain, as a new beginning for the Heartless Bastards.

HEARTLESS BASTARDS Tour Itinerary-

2/7 - Little Rock, AR - Juanitas

2/8 - St. Louis, MO - Firebird

2/9 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall

2/10 - Minneapolis, MN - 7^th Street Entry

2/11 - Madison, WI - High Noon

2/13 - Louisville, KY - Headliner's

2/14 - Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall

2/16 - Columbus, OH - The Basement

2/17 - Covington, KY - Madison Theatre

2/18 - Indianapolis, IN - Radio Radio

2/19 - Pittsburgh, PA - Club Café

2/20 - Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern

2/22 - Albany, NY - Valentine's

2/23 - Boston, MA - Middle East Downstairs

2/24 - New York, NY - Webster Hall

2/25 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer

2/27 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar

2/29 - Charlottesville, VA - The Southern

3/1 - Chapel Hill, NC - Cat's Cradle

3/2 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl

3/3 - Nashville, TN - Mercy Lounge

3/5 - Knoxville, TN - Square Room

3/6 - Birmingham, AL - Bottletree

3/7 - Memphis, TN - Hi-Tone Cafe

3/8 - Fayetteville, AR - George's Majestic

3/9 - Fort Worth, TX - Lola's

3/10 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live

Second Run of Tour Dates:

3/30 - Tucson, AZ - Club Congress

3/31 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom

4/2 - San Diego, CA - The Belly Up

4/3 - Los Angeles, CA - Echoplex

4/5 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore

4/6 - Eugene, OR - W.O.W. Hall

4/7 - Vancouver, BC - Media Club

4/8 - Portland, OR - Aladdin Theatre

4/9 - Seattle, WA - Crocodile

4/11 - Boise, ID - Neorolux

4/14 - Denver, CO - Belly Up

4/20 - Austin, TX - La Zona Rosa

Esperanza Spalding Announces Initial Round of "World Tour" Dates

2012-01-17T20:29:36-05:00

MUSIC NEWS - Esperanza Spalding has announced plans for a world tour and released the initial batch of dates that start up on April 18, 2012, as the bassist, vocalist and composer unveils her new release, Radio Music Society into a dynamic "big band" format.

Spalding's latest release, Radio Music Society, will be out on March 20, 2012, and is said to be her most diverse, ambitious and masterful recital yet. Each of the 12 songs are accompanied by conceptual music videos, which further express her inspiration and story behind each track. Shot in various locations including New York City, Barcelona and Portland, all videos will be available to purchasers of Radio Music Society as a digital download or a DVD on the deluxe version.

When you purchase tickets thru Ticketmaster you'll receive a free song download of "City of Roses" from Radio Music Society, and in celebration of Black History Month, can purchase the e-single "Black Gold" (which includes a music video) on iTunes beginning February 7.

Esperanza Spalding Spring 2012 Tour Itinerary-

April 18 - Buffalo, NY - Center for the Arts - tickets onsale January 20

April 19 - Cleveland, OH - Metro Campus Auditorium - tickets onsale January 20

April 21 - New York, NY - Webster Hall - tickets onsale January 20

April 22 - Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre - tickets onsale January 17

April 24 - Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre - tickets onsale January 27

April 25 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom - tickets onsale January 27

April 27 - Hollywood, CA - The Music Box - tickets onsale January 21

April 28 - Phoenix, AZ - JW Desert Ridge Jazz Festival - tickets onsale January 16

May 1 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues - tickets onsale January 16

May 2 - Houston, TX - House of Blues - tickets onsale January 16

May 3 - New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival - tickets on sale now

May 5 - Austin, TX - Paramount Theatre - tickets onsale January 20

May 23 - Paris, France - La Cigale - tickets onsale TBD

May 28 - London, UK - KoKo - tickets onsale TBD

June 27 - Ottawa, ON - Ottawa Jazz Festival - tickets onsale TBD

June 29 - Montreal, QC - Metropolis Theatre - tickets onsale now

June 30 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center - tickets onsale TBD

More dates will be announced in the coming weeks. More at: www.esperanzaspalding.com

WANEE 2012 Fest Announced with ALLMAN BROS and FURTHER Headlining

2012-01-16T21:16:17-05:00

MUSIC NEWS - The Allman Brothers Band are back for Wanee 2012 as they headlines a great line-up of outstanding performers for what is becoming one of the most popular music festivals in the country. This year's Wanee Music Festival will run Thursday April 19through Saturday April 21 at the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL. Tickets for the Festival go on sale Friday, January 20 at 10AM EST at www.waneefestival.com and www.livenation.com.

The Allman Brothers Band and Furthur featuring Phil Lesh and Bob Weir, will both perform two nights, Friday and Saturday April 20 & 21. The remaider of the 2012 line-up includes: Bruce Hornsby, Mickey Hart Band, Gov’t Mule, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Jaimoe's Jasssz Band, Buddy Guy, Electric Hot Tuna , Ray Manzarek & Roy Rogers Band, Leftover Salmon, North Mississippi Allstars, Trigger Hippy (featuring: Joan Osborne, Jackie Greene, Steve Gorman, Audley Freed & Nick Govrik), Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk, Devon Allman's Honeytribe, Bobby Lee Rodgers Trio, Soja, Conspirator, Eoto, Particle, Zach Deputy, Matt Schofield , Big Sams Funky Nation, Charles Bradley, Bonerama, The Yeti Trio, Jacob Jeffries Band and Bonnie Blue.

Three day general admission tix are $189.50 (plus applicable fees) if you get them from January 20 thru February 19(after February 19 the price will increase). Price includes (1) pass to the Festival (Thurs.,Fri. & Sat.) with music beginning at 2:30PM on Thursday and 3 nights of primitive camping (Thurs., Fri. & Sat.).

Stay tuned for more info, as announced.

THOMAS DOLBY and His "Time Capsule" to Tour the USA and Canada

2012-01-11T08:25:54-05:00

MUSIC NEWS - With his critically acclaimed album A Map of the Floating City released, and the groundbreaking FloatingCity.com transmedia game he co-designed up and running, Thomas Dolby will embark on a 26-date North American tour this March, with a rather unusual vehicle in tow (picture below right).

The Time Capsule is a chrome and brass plated road trailer that seats three. With handcrafted leather and wood fittings, and complex electrical wiring that could have been designed by Nikola Tesla, it resembles a Jules Verne/HG Wells-inspired time-travel machine. Inside, it's actually a high-tech video recording suite that allows a you or guest artist to upload a personal video message to the Future. The Time Capsule will be parked in the street outside each venue on Dolby’s month-long North American tour, and in front of select local radio and TV stations around the USA / Canada. It will capture hundreds of 30-second clips over the course of the tour, assembling them into an online video montage.

(photo Paul Sizer)

Fans will be able to walk up and step into the Time Capsule to make their own fully produced and effected digital 30-second video clip. The clips will then be automatically uploaded and viewable on a brand-new YouTube channel <time-capsule.tv> along with the individual user’s own Facebook and Twitter pages. The most viewed clips will win prizes (tbd) as Dolby’s label Lost Toy People Records is in discussion with several possible sponsors for the project.

“If you had 30 seconds to explain to an alien visitor what went wrong with our civilization, what would you say?” said Thomas Dolby recvently. “Our species may not be around on this planet much longer, so you might as well leave a welcome message for the next guys!”

The Time Capsule Tour kicks off at SXSW in Austin, TX March 12 thru 17, and will take in 24 U.S. cities and two in Canada. A full list is at http://www.thomasdolby.com/tour.

Thomas Dolby North American Tour Itinerary-

Fri., March 16 AUSTIN, TX SXSW

Sat., March 17 NEW ORLEANS, LA Tipitinas

Sun., March 18 ORLANDO, FL Social

Mon., March 19 BIRMINGHAM, AL Workplay (Seated)

Tues., March 20 ATLANTA, GA The Loft

Wed., March 21 GREENVILLE, SC Handlebar

Fri., March 23 ANNAPOLIS, MD Ram’s Head

Sat., March 24 PHILADELPHIA, PA World Café

Sun., March 25 ALEXANDRIA, VA Birchmere

Wed., March 28 SELLERSVILLE, PA Sellersville Theater

Thurs., March 29 NEW YORK CITY, NY Canal Room

Fri., March 30 NORTHAMPTON, MA Iron Horse

Sat., March 31 RIDGEFIELD, CT Ridgefield Playhouse

Sun., April 1 MONTREAL, QC L’Astral

Mon., April 2 TORONTO, ON Mod Club

Wed., April 4 DETROIT, MI Royal Oak

Thurs., April 5 CHICAGO, IL Park West

Fri., April 6 MINNEAPOLIS, MN Cedar Cultural Center

Tues., April 10 VANCOUVER, BC Rio Theatre

Wed., April 11 SEATTLE, WA Showbox at the Market

Fri., April 13 SAN FRANCISCO, CA Red Devil Lounge

Sat., April 14 SACRAMENTO, CA Harlows

Mon., April 16 SAN DIEGO, CA Anthology

Tues., April 17 LOS ANGELES, CA Largo

The Joy Formidable Back for North American Tour Dates

2012-01-10T21:18:08-05:00

MUSIC NEWS- The Welsh trio The Joy Formidable have told MNN that they'll kick off a headlining North American tour in March, beginning on March 12 in San Francisco and wrapping up on April 2 in Toronto. On the run, the group will play major markets as Los Angeles at The Music Box on March 14 and New York's Terminal 5 on March 28. The band will be supported on all dates by A Place To Bury Strangers, and Exitmusic will open for both bands beginning in Minneapolis on March 19. Full tour itinerary is below.

The tour is the band's first news in the US and Canada following a breakout 2011 year, when the band released their debut full-length The Big Roar to considerable acclaim. The band ended 2011 with a bang, supporting the Foo Fighters for multiple dates along their east coast tour. The band performed on CBS' The Late Show With David Letterman, NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly, and Conan. 2011 also found the band appearing with their new song "Endtapes" as the opening track on The Twilight Saga: Breaking Down Part 1 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.

The Joy Formidable Tour Dates-

Mar 12 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent *

Mar 13 - San Francisico, CA @ The Independent *

Mar 14 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Music Box *

Mar 17 - Denver, CO @ The Bluebird Theatre *

Mar 19 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Café *^

Mar 20 - Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre *^

Mar 22 - Bloomington, IN @ The Bluebird *^

Mar 23 - Cincinnati, OH @ 20^th Century Theatre *^

Mar 24 - Atlanta, GA @ Masqureade *^

Mar 25 - Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel *^

Mar 26 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club *^

Mar 28 - New York City, NY @ Terminal 5 *

Mar 29 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer *^

Mar 31 - Montreal, QC @ Cabaret Mile-End *^

Apr 02 - Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace *^

* with A Place To Bury Strangers ^ with Exitmusic

Rodrigo y Gabriela Announce Spring 2012 Tour

2012-01-10T21:06:09-05:00

MUSIC NEWS - Rodrigo y Gabriela's label, ATO Records have announced a spring 2012 concert tour dates to support their soon to be released album Area 52 album ( out January 24). Area 52 contains nine of Rod and Gab's favorite songs from their own catalogue re-arranged and recorded in Havana with legendary producer Peter Asher and a 13-piece Cuban orchestra comprised of some of the country's finest young players.

This spring, Rodrigo y Gabriela will be bringing the band C.U.B.A. on the road to better showcase the thrilling and dynamic hybrid of metal, latin and jazz featured on the album in a live setting. It will be the first time in their careers that Rodrigo y Gabriela have toured and performed with a backing band. In addition to the coming tour, Rodrigo y Gabriela were recently confirmed to perform on the upcoming 38th season of the long running tv series Austin City Limits.

Rodrigo Y Gabriela - 2012 North America Tour Itinerary-

Ticket pre-sales start Friday, January 13, 2012 @ 10am venue time with public on-sales starting on Friday, January 20, 2012.

APRIL

03 - Seattle, WA - The Paramount Theatre

04 - Portland, OR - Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

05 - Oakland, CA - The Fox Theatre

07 - Hollywood, CA - Hollywood Palladium

10 - Broomfield, CO - 1STBANK Center

12 - Chicago, IL - The Chicago Theatre

13 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater

14 - Detroit, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre

16 - Toronto, CA - Massey Hall

20 - New York City, NY - Radio City Music Hall

21 - Upper Darby, PA - Tower Theatre

23 - Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre

25 - Washington, DC - Warner Theatre

26 - Charlottesville, VA - Charlottesville Pavilion

28 - Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle

MAY

01 - Miami, FL - The Fillmore

04 - New Orleans, LA - Jazz Fest

05 - Austin, TX - Stubb's

Andrew Bird Readies "Break It Yourself" Release and Tour

2012-01-10T06:42:00-05:00

MUSIC NEWS - Andrew Bird’s much-anticipated twelfth album, Break It Yourself, is confirmed for a March 6 release on Mom + Pop Records; (track listing below). Produced by the Chicago-based film score composer, multi-instrumentalist and lyricist Bird, the album was recorded at his barn in Western IL, near the banks of the Mississippi River. Break It Yourself follows Bird’s 2009 full length release Noble Beast, which was hailed as his “most instantly inviting album by far” by the Los Angeles Times.

Bird will celebrate the release of Break It Yourself with a North American tour that will kick off in Texas in mid-March (full itinerary below). Concert tickets are now available via major ticket outlets. All concert tickets are bundled with a unique musical package including a redemption code to download Break It Yourself upon release date. Ticket purchasers will also receive a download of Fake Conversations, a live EP culled from Bird’s fall 2011 tour, and a second souvenir live EP from the 2012 tour this coming spring.

ANDREW BIRD, BREAK IT YOURSELF Track List-

1. Desperation Breeds…

2. Polynation

3. Danse Caribe

4. Give it Away

5. Eyeoneye

6. Lazy Projector

7. Near Death Experience Experience

8. Behind the Barn

9. Lusitania

10. Orpheo Looks Back

11. Sifters

12. Fatal Shore

13. Hole in the Ocean Floor

14. Belles

ANDREW BIRD Winter 2012 Tour Itinerary-

January 12 Hawaii Theatre Honolulu, HI

March 15 Majestic Theatre Dallas, TX*

March 16 The Howlin’ Wolf New Orleans, LA*

March 17 Tabernacle Atlanta, GA*

March 19 Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN*

March 20 Southern Theatre Columbus, OH*

March 22 The Pageant St. Louis, MO*

March 23 The Uptown Theater Kansas City, MO*

March 24 Riverside Theater Milwaukee, WI*

April 9 Paramount Theatre Seattle, WA†

April 10 The Vogue Vancouver, BC†

April 11 Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Portland, OR†

April 13 Fox Theater Oakland, CA†

April 18 Ikeda Theater at Mesa Arts Center Mesa, AZ†

April 19 Lensic Performing Arts Center Santa Fe, NM†

April 20 Rialto Theater Tucson, AZ†

May 3 Union Transfer Philadelphia, PA‡

May 4 Beacon Theatre New York City, NY ‡

May 5 Beacon Theatre New York City , NY §

May 6 House of Blues Boston, MA‡

May 8 9:30 Club Washington, DC‡

May 9 Ramshead Live Baltimore, MD‡

May 10 The Fillmore Detroit Detroit, MI**

May 12 Auditorium Theatre Chicago, IL**

* with Eugene Mirman † with Laura Marling ‡ with Patrick Watson § with Tift Merritt

** with Mucca Pazza

VAN HALEN Confirms New Album and Tour

2012-01-10T00:30:00-05:00

MUSIC NEWS - Van Halen, Rock And Roll Hall of Fame inductees announced their return to the live concert stage with news of a 2012 North American tour. The legendary rock band will begin their tour on February 18 with Kool & The Gang joining VH on select tour dates.

Tickets for the Live Nation-promoted Van Halen tour go on sale beginning January 14 at Ticketmaster.com and LiveNation.com. Also, Van Halen confirmed their new album, A Different Kind Of Truth, will be released in the USA by Interscope Records on February 7. The first single from the album, "Tattoo", and its accompanying video will be debut simultaneously on Tuesday, January 10th, with album pre-orders starting that day. A Different Kind Of Truth is Van Halen's first original studio album with singer David Lee Roth since the band’s classic multi-platinum album 1984.

VAN HALEN 2012 North American Tour Itinerary-

Date City Venue On Sale Date

2/18/12 Louisville, KY KFC Yum! Center January 16

2/20/12 Detroit, MI The Palace of Auburn Hills January 14

2/22/12 Indianapolis, IN Bankers Life Fieldhouse January 14

2/24/12 Chicago, IL United Center January 14

2/28 & 3/1/12 12 New York City, NY Madison Square Garden January 14

3/3/12 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena January 14

3/5/12 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center January 14

3/9/12 Buffalo, NY First Niagara Center January 14

3/11/12 Boston, MA TD Garden January 14

3/15/12 Montreal, QC Bell Centre January 14

3/17/12 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre January 14

3/21/12 Ottawa, ON Scotiabank Place January 14

3/24/12 Atlantic City, NJ Boardwalk Hall TBA

3/28/12 Washington, DC Verizon Center January 14

3/30/12 Pittsburgh, PA Consol Energy Center January 14

4/1/12 Rosemont, IL Allstate Arena January 14

4/10/12 Fort Lauderdale, FL BankAtlantic Center TBA

4/12/12 Tampa, FL St. Pete Times Forum TBA

4/14/12 Orlando, FL Amway Arena TBA

4/16/12 Jacksonville, FL Jacksonville Arena TBA

4/19/12 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena TBA

4/21/12 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum TBA

4/25/12 Charlotte, NC Time Warner Cable Arena TBA

4/27/12 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena TBA

5/1/12 Tulsa, OK BOK Center TBA

5/5/12 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome TBA

5/7/12 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena TBA

5/9/12 Calgary, AB Scotiabank Saddledome TBA

5/11/12 Edmonton, AB Rexall Place TBA

5/17/12 Winnipeg, MB MTS Centre TBA

5/19/12 St. Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center TBA

5/22/12 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center TBA

5/24/12 Denver, CO Pepsi Center TBA

5/27/12 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena TBA

6/1/12 Los Angeles, CA STAPLES Center TBA

6/3/12 Oakland, CA Oracle Arena TBA

6/5/12 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion TBA

6/12/12 Anaheim, CA Honda Center TBA

6/14/12 San Diego, CA Viejas Arena TBA

6/16/12 Phoenix, AZ US Airways Center TBA

6/20/12 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center TBA

6/22/12 San Antonio, TX AT&T Center TBA

6/24/12 Houston, TX Toyota Center TBA

6/26/12 New Orleans, LA New Orleans Arena TBA

Sinead O’Connor To Make NYC and L.A. Concert Stops

2012-01-09T23:34:00-05:00

MUSIC NEWS - Irish singer-songwriter and performer Sinead O’Connor will bein the states this February for four select performances in Los Angeles and New York City with her brand new five piece band. She'll be here to promote her new studio album How About I Be Me (And You Be You)? which is releasing on February 21 2012 via One Little Indian/MRI. Tickets for all dates go on sale Friday, January 13. Full tour itinerary is below.

Her ninth studio album, and the latest release in a career spanning 25 years and millions of record sales worldwide, How About I Be Me (And You Be You)? was produced by long-term collaborator John Reynolds, its ten tracks play like an encyclopedic definition of O’Connor’s oeuvre: songs about love and loss, hope and regret, pain and redemption, anger and justice. This is an album of consistently moving, exciting, brilliant and beautiful songs built around Sinead’s voice at its very best – raw and passionate.

Sinead O’Connor February 2012 USA Tour Dates:

February 20 & 21 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Cemetery

February 23 & 24 New York City, NY @ Highline Ballroom