August 2007 Archives

It seems every time Patti Smith plays a New York City show, it's for a special occasion. The most recent gigs I can think of by the Rock N' Roll Hall of Famer include record release shows for Twelve at Hiro and Bowery Ballroom (three shows in one night), the final performance at CBGB's, New Years Eve at Bowery Ballroom, performing Horses at B.A.M., and her upcoming sold out opening night show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg.

On September 14th, Patti Smith and Her Band will be performing at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. Tickets are $45-$25 and go on sale Friday, August 3rd, at 9am. To my knowledge, this show does mark any special anniversary or big event for Patti. It's just a normal Patti Smith tour date, which in itself seems special..............

On January 18, 2008, Patti Smith will stage "Poems and Songs for the Young at Heart" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Throughout the evening, Patti Smith and friends will perform works of Hans Christian Andersen, William Blake, Lewis Carroll, A. A. Milne, Rudyard Kipling, and Robert Louis Stevenson. Tickets are $40 and now on sale...............

PATTI SMITH & HER BAND TOUR DATES
Aug 1 2007 8:00P Carnegie Music Hall Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Aug 2 2007 8:00P Michigan Theater Ann Arbor, Michigan
Aug 4 2007 12:00P Lollapalooza Chicago, Illinois
Aug 5 2007 7:30P Barrymore Theatre Madison, Wisconsin
Aug 6 2007 8:00P State Theatre Minapolis, Minnesota
Aug 8 2007 8:00P Boulder Theater Boulder, Colorado
Aug 11 2007 8:00P Showbox Seattle, Washington
Aug 12 2007 8:00P Waterfront Park--Bite of Oregon Portland, Oregon
Aug 14 2007 8:00P The Fillmore San Francisco, California
Aug 15 2007 8:00P Catalyst Santa Cruz, California
Aug 16 2007 8:00P Santa Monica Pier Twilight Dance Series Santa Monica, California
Sep 4 2007 8:00P Music Hall of Williamsburg Brooklyn, New York
Sep 14 2007 8:00P Beacon Theater New York City, New York
Sep 22 2007 8:00P Lycabettus Theatre Athens
Sep 23 2007 8:00P Velidio Hall Thessaloniki
Oct 17 2007 8:00P Palais de Congress Marseille
Oct 18 2007 8:00P Salle Berlioz Opera Montpellier
Oct 19 2007 8:00P St. Luke's Church London
Oct 20 2007 8:00P Sheperds Bush Empire London
Jan 18 2008 7:00P Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, New York

Les Savy Fav have been added to Arcade Fire / LCD Soundsystem show at New York City's Randall's Island on October 6th.

And if you don't think you've seen enough of Les Savy Fav these days, then you'll be thrilled to hear that they're dropping their new album, Let's Stay Friends, this fall and will be doing extensive touring behind it..........

DOWNLOAD: Les Savy Fav - "What Would Wolves Do?"
DOWNLOAD: Les Savy Fav - "The Equestrian"

LES SAVY FAV TOUR DATES
09-21 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg (tix)
09-22 New York, NY - Bower Ballroom (tix)
10-06 New York, NY - Randall's Island (tix)

In addition to playing Studio B on September 15th, Bonde Do Role will be shaking their asses inside that hallow halls of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City on September 14th.

Starting in September, Flavorpill will be hosting a monthly party at the American Museum of Natural History called "One Step Beyond." The first live music guest will be Bonde Do Role, for which tickets are now on sale here.

Other acts will be announced will be announced shortly.......

DOWNLOAD: Bonde Do Role - "Office Boy"
DOWNLOAD: Mika - "Big Girl (Bonde Do Role Remix)"

BONDE DO ROLE TOUR DATES
Sep 11 Black Cat Washington, DC
Sep 12 Sonar Baltimore, MD
Sep 13 Johnny Brenda's Philadelphia, PA
Sep 14 American Museum of Natural History New York, NY
Sep 15 Studio B Brooklyn, NY
Sep 17 Harper's Ferry Boston, MA
Sep 18 QC La Sala Rossa Montreal, QC
Sep 20 Lee's Palace Detroit, MI
Sep 21 Empty Bottle Chicago, IL
Sep 22 Triple Rock Minneapolis, MN
Sep 25 tba Vancouver, BC
Sep 26 Chop Suey Seattle, WA
Sep 27 Holocene Portland, OR
Sep 28 Independent San Francisco, CA
Sep 29 Echo Los Angeles, CA
Oct 1 Casbah San Diego, CA
Oct 2 Plush Tucson, AZ
Oct 4 Emos Austin, TX
Oct 5 Haileys Denton, TX
Oct 6 One Eyed Jacks New Orleans, LA
Oct 8 Beta Bar Tallahassee, FL
Oct 9 Common Grounds Gainesville, FL
Oct 10 The Social Orlando, FL
Oct 11 TSI Jacksonville, FL
Oct 12 Drunken Unicorn Atlanta, GA
Oct 13 2007 8:00P Local Chapel Hill, NC

Tickets are now on sale for the After The Jump Festival's night party at Studio B. The shindig takes place on Saturday, August 25th, and features Riot In Belgium, Soulico, The Virgins and some very special surprise guests. Tickets are $12.

All proceeds from the festival will help fund grants written by New York music teachers for their classroom via the Bloggers Choose chapter of DonorsChoose.org! It's a great cause and a lot of hard work has gone into planning this festival on the part of a lot of people, I urge you to come out and show your support.

Don't forget that there is a free day party in front of Studio B with Ra Ra Riot, Locksley, Apache Beat, Goes Cube, Jukebox The Ghost and Bling Kong.

If you're interested in volunteering at the After the Jump Fest, click here.............

DOWNLOAD: Riot In Belgium - La Musique
DOWNLOAD: The Virgins - "Rich Girls"
DOWNLOAD: Bling Kong - "Be Aggressive"

Watching bureaucrats squirm as they try and cover-up their mishandling of the honorable Army Ranger Pat Tillman's friendly-fire death in Afghanistan is just pathetic. Government officials tried use Tillman's brave story and sad death as war propaganda.

Now that the cover-up has been exposed, giving the Bush administration another anti-soldier scar, all the officials who have been implicated in concocting the fake-Tillman story to the public, and, even more disgusting, to his family, are all trying to pass the blame. At a hearing this morning, ex-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other top former Pentagon brass, including General Richard Myers, denied any cover-up and rejected personal responsibility. Instead, they kept passing the buck onto lower ranking soldiers.

Retired Gen. Richard Myers, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he learned of the likelihood of friendly fire toward the end of April but that it wasn't his responsibility to inform the White House or the Tillman family.

"I don't think there's any regulation that would require me to do anything," said Myers. He blamed the Army. "This is the responsibility of the United States Army, not of the office of the chairman, so I regret that the Army did not do their duty here and follow their own policy," Myers said.

The congressional inquiry comes a day after the Army laid most of the blame for the response to Tillman's death on Philip Kensinger, a retired three-star general who led Army special operations forces after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

The Army censured Kensinger for "a failure of leadership" and accused him of lying to investigators probing the aftermath of Tillman's death. A review panel made up of four-star generals will decide whether Kensinger should have his rank reduced.

The Department of Defense and the Pentagon should be ashamed of themselves.....

DOWNLOAD: Rancid - "International Cover-Up"

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs made an appearance on Late Night with David Letterman the other week. The trio played "Down Boy" and damn did Karen O look fabulous......

DOWNLOAD: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Down Boy"

Following their big Mercury Lounge show with David Vandervelde, Portland's Blitzen Trapper will continue pimping their excellent Wild Mountain Nation this September and October with tour buddies Two Gallants. The tour hits the Gramercy Theatre in New York on October 2nd. They'll be joined by another Portland act, Songs For Mom.

Blitzen recently stopped by the PRI's Fair Game in New York where lead singer Eric Earley performed a few songs solo, and was interviewed by guest host Michael Ian Black. You can stream it below.

DOWNLOAD: Blitzen Trapper - "Summer Town"
STREAM: Blitzen Trapper & Michael Ian Black on PRI's Fair Game
DOWNLOAD: Songs For Mom - "Coney Island"

BLITZEN TRAPPER TOUR DATES
WED 8/01/2007 Salt Lake City UT Kilby Court
FRI 8/03/2007 Seattle WA The Crocodile Cafe ^
SUN 9/05/2007 Portland, OR PDX Pop Now! Festival
MON 9/17/2007 Portland OR Berbati's Pan*
TUE 9/18/2007 Vancouver BC Media Club*
WED 9/19/2007 Seattle WA The Crocodile*
THU 9/20/2007 Boise ID Neurolux*
FRI 9/21/2007 Salt Lake City Kilby Court*
SAT 9/22/2007 Denver CO Hi-Dive*
SUN 9/23/2007 Rapid City SD The Imperial Inn*
MON 9/24/2007 Fargo ND Aquarium*
WED 9/26/2007 Minneapolis MN Turf Club*
THU 9/27/2007 Iowa City IA The Picador*
SAT 9/29/2007 Chicago IL Schubas*
SUN 9/30/2007 Cleveland OH Grog Shop*
TUE 10/2/2007 New York NY Gramercy Theatre*
THU 10/4/2007 Philadelphia PA First Unitarian*
FRI 10/5/2007 Boston MA Middle East Downstairs*
SAT 10/6/2007 Baltimore MD Sonar*
SUN 10/7/2007 Washington DC Rock and Roll Hotel*
MON 10/8/2007 Chapel Hill NC Local 506*
TUE 10/9/2007 Atlanta GA Drunken Unicorn*
FRI 10/12/2007 Baumont TX Votex*
SAT 10/13/2007 Austin TX Mohawk*
MON 10/15/2007 Tucson AZ Solar Culture*
WED 10/17/2007 San Diego CA The Casbah*
THU 10/18/2007 Los Angeles CA El Rey*
^ with Jennifer Gentle
* with Two Gallants & Songs For Mom

Ryan Adams and the Cardinals have finally announced their first proper New York City show in support of Easy Tiger and it's a halloween gig at the Hammerstein Ballroom. The newly sober Ryan should rip this joint.

A pre-sale happens on Thursday, August 2nd, at 10am. The password is "ROSE". General on sale happens on Friday at 10am.

I wonder if he'll play "Halloweenhead"........

If you thought it was cool that Sonic Youth were playing Daydream Nation or dug Paul Weller's Jam / Style Council / Solo theme shows, then you may be the type of person who is stoked to hear that the great Lucinda Williams is about to perform five night residencies in New York and Los Angeles where she'll perform five of her classic albums in their entirety.

She'll perform an album each night, starting with 2003's World Without Tears, segueing through 2001's Essence, 1998's Car Wheels on a Gravel Road and 1990's Sweet Old World, and concluding with her self-titled 1988 album. Afterward, she and her band will play a second set combining songs from 2007 album West and older material.

Tickets for the shows are now on sale.........

LUCINDA WILLIAMS TOUR DATES

DOWNLOAD: Lucinda Williams - "Over Time"
DOWNLOAD: Lucinga Williams - "Drunken Angel"

I know this Timberland & The Hives collaboration is a tad old, but it came up on shuffle today and really hit the stop.

As you may have heard, The Hives are opening up for Maroon 5's arena tour, including an October 10th date at Madison Square Garden. Unfortunately, they are not allowed to do any of their own headlining shows until this tour is over..........

DOWNLOAD: Timbaland & The Hives - "Thrown It On Me"

The Five-Oh's reunion tour finally made its way to Madison Square Garden. Bumpershine was at the show and has a lengthly review, in which he says:

The first three songs were all crowd pleasers, and the mostly over 35 crowd jumped right out of their seats. Songs 4-7 were probably a bit of a mixed bag for some more casual Police fans, with the likes of Voices Inside My Head, Driven To Tears and Bed’s Too Big Without You mixed in with the popular Don’t Stand So Close To Me. While you might say these songs are something for the “real fans”, I think they actually slowed the show down a little and during this sequence and I noticed that some people, (myself included), began to sit. I was a little disappointed with their rendition of Bed’s Too Big Without You, it’s a song that I really love for both it’s great guitar riff and the excellent bass line. But for some reason, the band decided to open the song up a bit (a la Tea In The Sahara), and I think it really suffered for it.

THE POLICE | MADISON SQUARE GARDEN | AUGUST 1, 2007
Message in a Bottle / Synchronicity II / Walking On the Moon / Voices Inside My Head / When the World Is Running Down / Don't Stand So Close To Me / Driven To Tears / Truth Hits / Everybody / The Bed's Too Big Without You / Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic / Wrapped Around Your Finger / De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da / Invisible Sun / Walking in Your Footsteps / Can't Stand Losing You / Roxanne // King of Pain // So Lonely // Every Breath You Take /// Next to You

(photos by Muzikspy, Coffee Is For Closers,

The 2007 New York Comedy Festival takes place at various venues from November 6th - 11th. All shows will include support from two or three other comics.

I never will understand why comedy shows are so expensive. Most comedians don't tour with some big stage show, they don't have a big road crew, and it's not like they're bringing any equipment with them. Anyway, all the tickets to the festival shows are pretty expensive. Here's the line-up and ticket informtion for everything that's currently announced....

2007 NEW YORK COMEDY FESTIVAL
NOV 7 - Sarah Silverman - Carnegie Hall - $67.50-$37-50 (tix)
NOV 8 - Dennis Leary - Beacon Theatre - $84-$39 (tix)
NOV 8 - Louis CK - Town Hall - $35-$30 (tix)
NOV 9 - Damon Wayons - Beacon Theatre - $66.50-$39 (tix)
NOV 9 - Artie Lange - Town Hall - $57.50-$37.50 (tix)
NOV 10 - Bill Maher - Beacon Theatre - $79-$49 (tix)
NOV 10 - Janeane Garofalo - Town Hall - $27.50 (tix)
NOV 11 - Seth MacFarlane - Avery Fisher Hall - $tba - On Sale TBA

From the same band that brought you the instant classic "Dirty Hands," The Black Lips are now offering you "Cold Hands" from their new album Good Bad Not Evil, which comes out on September 11th (they swear it is a coincidence!). The boys from Atlanta will also be headlining Bowery Ballroom on September 18th and Music Hall of Williamsburg on the 19th. No CMJ for them. The last time they were here, they opened for The Ponys at Bowery and almost stole the show.

The Black Lips are taking along The Selmanaires – another Atlanta band – who sound like a funkier version of The Kinks covering !!! with the some rivaling falsettos. Put them on your radar.

DOWNLOAD:
The Black Lips – Cold Hands (MP3)
The Selmanaires – Selmanaire Rock (MP3)

TOUR DATES:
9/12/07 . Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club *
9/13/07 . Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle
9/14/07 . Baltimore, MD - Sonar *
9/15/07 . Washington, DC - Black Cat *
9/16/07 . Philadelphia, PA - The Fillmore *
9/18/07 . New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom *
9/19/07 . Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall Of Williamsburg *
9/20/07 . Worchester, MA - The Grind At Clark University *
9/21/07 . Cambridge, MA - Middle East Upstairs *
9/22/07 . Montreal, QC - La Sala Rossa *
9/23/07 . Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern *
9/25/07 . Detroit, MI - Magic Stick *
9/26/07 . Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom *
9/27/07 . Covington, KY - The Mad Hatter
9/28/07 . Chicago, IL - Logan Square Auditorium *
9/29/07 . Milwaukee, WI - Mad Planet *
9/30/07 . Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock *
10/02/07 . Omaha, NE - The Waiting Room *
10/03/07 . Kansas City, MO - Grand Emporium *
10/04/07 . Dallas, TX - The Loft *
10/05/07 . Austin, TX - Emo’s *
10/06/07 . Houston, TX - The Engine Room *
10/07/07 . New Orleans, LA - One Eyed Jacks *
10/11/07 . Vancouver, BC - Richards On Richards
10/12/07 . Seattle, WA - Crocodile Café
10/13/07 . Portland, OR - Dante’s
10/15/07 . San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
10/17/07 . Pomona, CA - Glasshouse
10/18/07 . San Diego, CA - The Casbah
10/19/07 . Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour
10/20/07 . Los Angeles, CA - Echoplex

* w/ The Selmanaires

White Chalk will surely surprise many long-time PJ Harvey fans. For one thing, Polly plays piano. For another thing, gone are the sexed up stylings. Now, she's gone all soft on us and is dressing like it's 1847. The results are fantastic. Below is the album's first single, the beautifully fucked-up "When Under Ether," as performed solo live from the Copenhagen Opera and a radio rip of the studio version........

DOWNLOAD: PJ Harvey – "When Under Ether (BBC 6 Radio)"
via Deaf Indie Elephants

Who says there is nothing to do in Covington, Kentucky! On August 5th, some neat folks threw together The Sonic Muse Festival at the Madison Theatre. The bill is super sweet. Tickets are only $20........

THE SONIC MUSE FESTIVAL | AUGUST 5, 2007
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists * The Hold Steady * Matt and Kim * Birds Of Avalon * Buffalo Killers * Bad Veins * The Read * The Seedy Seeds * The Great Depression * Angels Of Meth * The Virgins * Viva La Fox * Pearlene

Illinois has big fall plans. Arch and the band are heading out to Lollapalooza this weekend, opening The Hold Steady show at The World Trade Center Memorial, and then traveling as support for Menomena on their upcoming US tour.

But first, their song "Nosebleed" will be featured on the third episode of Weeds Monday night. The torrents are showing Lacy LaPlante stripping dancing on a pool table for pot while Illinois’ telephone-mic vocals, banjo lick, funky-synth bass line, and rattling drums blare in the background. The lyrics and strip scene would be matched almost too perfectly if the show was call Coke. Get the song and the tour dates with Menomena below.

DOWNLOAD: Illinois - Nosebleed (MP3)

ILLINOIS TOUR DATES:
Monday, September 17 – New York, NY – World Trade Center Memorial
with The Hold Steady and Old 97’s
Wednesday, September 19 – Syracuse, NY – Syracuse University
Tuesday, October 30 – St. Louis, MO – Billiken Club*
Wednesday, October 31 – Nashville, TN - Exit/In*
Thursday, November 1 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel*
Friday, November 2 – Tallahassee, FL – Club Downunder*
Saturday, November 3 – Orlando, FL – Social*
Sunday, November 4 – Jacksonville, FL – Jack Rabbits*
Tuesday, November 6 – Washington, DC – Black Cat*
Wednesday, November 7 – Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church*
Thursday, November 8 – Hanover, NH – Dartmouth*
Friday, November 9 – Boston, MA – Paradise*
Saturday, November 10 – New York, NY – Webster Hall*
Monday, November 12 – Montreal, QBC –La Sala Rossa*
Tuesday, November 13 – Toronto, ONT – Mod Club*
Wednesday, November 14 – Ann Arbor, MI – Blind Pig*
Thursday, November 15 – Chicago, IL – Metro*
Friday, November 16 –Grinnell, IA – Grinnell College*
Saturday, November 17 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theatre*

*with Menomena

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs were among the many bands that played both the Virgin Festival in Baltimore and Lollapalooza in Chicago. Did you go? What you think? How about Karen O's hot leg obsession?

The great Lee Hazlewood has passed away. The legendary songwriter of "Some Velvet Morning" and "These Boots Are Made For Walkin" was loved by many more people than Nancy Sinatra. He was respected, and his songs were covered, by a generation of indie rockers from Primal Scream and Nick Cave to Jarvis Cocker and Slowdive, not to mention the likes of Elvis Prelsey. He was never a rich man, but he was an enormous talent. Respect......

The Democrats won control of 2006 with an agenda to end America's involvement in Iraq and control the President's abuse of constitutional powers. Sadly, they have done neither. In fact, the continue to fund the war and they passed a bill expanding Bush's abuse of civil liberties:

The new law for the first time provided a legal framework for much of the surveillance without warrants that was being conducted in secret by the National Security Agency and outside the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, the 1978 law that is supposed to regulate the way the government can listen to the private communications of American citizens.

And in Iraq, 200,000 AK-47's that the U.S. Army provided to Iraqi's have gone missing. Oversight? Shouldn't someone be fired for this? Hello. Is this thing on........

As the second anniversary of the Katrina disaster nears, Time has an extremely depressing article about how bureaucracy and ignorance are leading officials to repeat all the same mistakes they made the first time around.

The most important thing to remember about the drowning of New Orleans is that it wasn't a natural disaster. It was a man-made disaster, created by lousy engineering, misplaced priorities and pork-barrel politics.

Two years after Katrina, the effort to protect coastal Louisiana from storms and restore its vanishing wetlands has become one of the biggest government extravaganzas since the moon mission—and the Army Corps is running the show, with more money and power than ever. Many of the same coastal scientists and engineers who sounded alarms about the vulnerability of New Orleans long before Katrina are warning that the Army Corps is poised to repeat its mistakes—and extend them along the entire Louisiana coast. If you liked Katrina, they say, you'll love what's coming next.

The Black Crowes, one of the seven-zillion bands that will be playing in New York City on August 9th (their Summerstage show is sold out), have announced via their official website that they have completed recording a brand new studio album. According to the announcement the band will begin mixing the CD with an eye towards a release next spring.

Here is what they had to say: Sixteen new tracks were recorded, none of which have yet been played to a live audience. The album was recorded at Allaire Studios in Shokan, New York and was produced by Paul Stacey and The Black Crowes.

Hopefully, the record will be more rock than jam......

We're heard this all before but "sources" have told Billboard magazine that the Van Halen camp is planning a press conference next week to announce the reunion tour which is said to be planned to hit arenas beginning in early Roctober and will run for 50-dates.

The tour will reunite Daimond David Lee Roth with Eddie and Alex Van Halen, but Eddie's son Wolfgang will be handling bass duties instead of Michael Anthony. I wonder if Wolfie will be playing with that Jack Daniels bass.

And don't shed any tears for Sammy Hagar. He just sold 80% interest in his Cabo Wabo Tequila to Gruppo Campari, the world's seventh-largest spirits company, for $80 million..........

It's a bad sign when not even your children support you for President!

There's one vote that Rudy Giuliani definitely can't count on in his 2008 presidential bid: his own daughter's. According to the 17-year-old Caroline Giuliani's Facebook profile, she's supporting Barack Obama.

On her profile, she designates her political views as "liberal" and—until this morning—proclaimed her membership in the Facebook group "Barack Obama (One Million Strong for Barack)." According to her profile, she withdrew from the Obama group at 6 a.m. Monday, after Slate sent her an inquiry about it.

In what may be an effort to avoid public connection to her famous father, the future Harvard freshman and recent graduate of Trinity School in Manhattan uses a slight variation of her name on the Facebook site. But she didn't lock her profile, allowing any Facebook user with access to the Harvard or Trinity School networks (more than 42,000 people) to view her detailed profile. (As a Harvard student, I was able to see it.)

It's not news that Rudy and his two children, Caroline and her 21-year-old brother Andrew, have a rocky relationship. Caroline and Andrew are the children of Donna Hanover, Rudy's second wife. In March, Andrew, who is a junior at Duke, told the New York Times that he and his father had been estranged for some time, and he has spoken candidly about his objections to Giuliani's marriage to Judith Nathan. And after the wedding, the Times reported, Giuliani also stopped attending Caroline's high-school events. Though he went to her high-school graduation, he left without speaking to her and did not join in the post-graduation family celebration, according to the New York Daily News.

Begin To Hope was one of 2006's best albums. We absolutely heart Regina Spektor, but something about her playing the Hammerstein Ballroom is just wrong. It's the totally wrong venue for her. Her two night stint at Town Hall was near perfect and it seems like a venue with seats (United Palace?) would is better suited for her live performance.

Hammerstein tickets go on sale Friday at 10am.........

REGINA SPEKTOR TOUR DATES
Sep 16 - Austin City Limits (Zilker Park) Austin, Texas
Sep 27 - Tower Theatre Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Oct 01 - Agora Theatre & Ballroom, Cleveland, OH
Oct 03 - Bogarts, Cincinnati, OH
Oct 05 - Sokol Auditorium, Omaha, NE
Oct 08 - Eagles Club Parking, Milwaukee, WI
Oct 14 - Orpheum Theatre, Boston, MA
Oct 16 - Hammerstein Ballroom, NYC
Oct 30 - The Wiltern, Los Angeles, CA
Nov 08 - House of Blues, Dallas, TX
Nov 15 - The Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA
Nov 19 - The Norva, Norfolk, VA

The 2007 MTV Video Music Awards go down on September 9th in Las Vegas. The full nominations (including a slew of retarded new awards like "Quadruple Threat of the Year") after the jump. The nominations for Video of the Year, suprisingly, are alright.........

Video of the Year
»Amy Winehouse: "Rehab"

»Beyoncé: "Irreplaceable"

»Justice: "D.A.N.C.E."

»Justin Timberlake: "What Goes Around ... "

»Kanye West: "Stronger"

»Rihanna (featuring Jay-Z): "Umbrella"

How dope would it be to see Justice win.......

Spectrum (Sonic Boom, Spaceman 3) and Teenage Prayers have been added to After the Jump’s FREE day show line-up. They join Goes Cube, Locksley, Ra Ra Riot, Apache Beat, Bling Kong, and Jukebox the Ghost, with still more to be announced.

Tickets are still available for the After the Jump Festival night party featuring The Virgins, Riot in Belgium and Soulico. ......

The New York Daily News seems to think the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are a bunch of talentless "DJ's". Oops..........

The last two times I've seen the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, both of which were at the Bowery Ballroom, I was underwhelmed. Their performances had been extremely lackluster. That was not what the band delivered at Webster Hall last night.

Throughout the hour and half set, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs performed an inspired and energetic set that had the crowd bouncing and singing along. The Show Your Bones tracks were the ones the audience went most bonkers for, while the older tracks like "Our Time" and "Art Star" didn't make the crowd lose their shit they way used to at Brownies.

Regardless, Karen O is an excellent frontwoman. Nick is a wicked guitarist. And Brian is the groups backbone. He was posturing all night like Rikki Rocket. Totally awesome. Fun show. Made me fall back in love with them........

YEAH YEAH YEAHS | WEBSTER HALL | AUGUST 6, 2007
Sealings / New Song / Honeybear / Rockers To Swallow / Phenomena / Rockers To Swallow / Cheated Hearts / Gold Lion / Pin / Kiss Kiss / Down Boy / Art Star / Maps / Turn Into / Date With The Night // Y Control // Black Tongue // Our Time // Tick

The last time the Yankster was in town, he played the Bamboozle Festival and blowed the emo kids heads off. Literally, it was horrific. So much blood. Anyway, "Weird Al" is out of jail for time served and taking his "Straight Outta Lynwood" tour to the Beacon Theatre on September 20th. Tickets go on sale Monday, August 13th, at 10am.

A pre-sale (yes, even "Weird Al" has ticket pre-sales) is now happening.
https://tixx1.artistarena.com/weirdal/
Username: weirdal
Password: tickets

If you weren't able to make the trip to Lollapalooza this past weekend an excellent alternate music festival was taking place just a few short hours away at Baltimore's Pimlico Race Track- the Virgin Music Festival. I arrived on Saturday afternoon in time to catch the last couple of Amy WInehouse tracks. She sounded good, but looked like she wanted to be elsewhere, I just wanted to buy her a crab cake sandwich- she looked like she could use one.

Afterwards made it over to catch Peter, Bjorn and John who's 4 pm time slot seemed to be a perfect fit for them. Songs like "Amsterdam" and "Paris 2004" sounded really strong to me and their set seemed a lot more energetic than their Bowery show a few months ago. Next up was James Murphy and his LCD Soundsystem crew which was strange to see in broad daylight. They delivered pretty much the same set they've been playing all year, but got the crowd of hipsters, frat boys and random locals who just wanted to "check out the scene" all jumping around in a frenzy.

I had to boogie in time to get over to the North Stage in order to catch the Beastie Boys dressed up in suits who proclaimed "It's hot as a motherfucker out here today!" Agreed. I had checked out weather.com several hours before I boarded the bus, but since it was already technically Saturday the site told me that Baltimore was 74 degrees. Excellent. Unfortunately that was what the weather was like in Baltimore at 1 a.m. not the next day which felt like it was closer to 100 degrees. The Beasties were a definite highlight of the weekend. Their set flowed smoothly from old school hip-hop to the Latin-flavored instrumentals to the inevitable "Sabotage" which made the packed crowd go apeshit. I noticed that they changed a lyric in "Sure Shot" from "well you say I'm twenty-something and I should be slacking" to "thirty-something" which ends up being funny considering these boys are now pushing forty.

Anyway Mike D in particular sounded very excited to be seeing the Police who were due up next. I thought they sounded great, some people were more interested in checking out Modest Mouse, but I had to witness this reunion for myself. They basically played a best-of set which was smart and appreciated by the crowd, too bad they changed up the arrangements on a few of the tunes as to rest Sting's voice from all the falsetto that he sings. He could still hit the notes when he wanted to, he just wasn't hitting them for the duration of the songs. The encore of "So Lonely" and "Every Breath You Take" was literally breathtaking. It seemed like the night was over but they came out once again to play "Next to You." An excellent Day One.

DJ Del will be DJ'ing at Nurse Bettie (106 Norfolk St, NYC) on August 8th.

I've never woken up so early for a second day of a fest ever, but I was smart to do so. Caught local Baltimorian Dan Deacon at the ungodly hour of noon. He seemed to be delaying a bit which was potentially frustrating considering he was only given a half hour set. Turns out that he was waiting on a battery pack that he needed for his gear. Ever the showman, Dan called on on of his friends from some local band whose name escapes me right now to do a little call and response with the audience. He got the crowd to do vocal warm-ups with him holding each note for a very long time: "Pimlicoooo ...... Raaaaaaaace ..... Traaaaaaaaaaack ...... Bringgggggggggggg ............Ussss ........... Luckkkkkkk!!!!!!!" Then we would all shout "Horsey Horsey" repeated ad nauseum to a full count of twenty five. It was hilarious. Eventually the battery pack arrived and the crowd went nuts with everyone dancing and jumping around Dan as if their lives depended on it. I was very impressed that a crowd had gathered this early to support their local homeboy. A few songs in Deacon asked the crowd to make a big circle and said that we were starting a dance contest. One person at a time would head to the middle of the crowd and freak the fuck out until he decided to pick someone else would then do the same thing and so on and so on. However, there were a few rules. Rule #1: You must dance sassy as fuck. Rule #2: No cowards. If you were chosen you had to go out there and basically make a fool out of yourself. One girl was chosen and decided not to dance, you best believed that Mr. Deacon stopped the show and called her out on it. "Have you forgotten Rule #2?! AND you are standing right at the edge of the crowd??!!? Get out there now!!" Anyway, I'm glad I finally got to see this guy and can't wait til he comes to town soon.

He was, in fact, the perfect opener for Girl Talk whose insane set worked the now-packed crowd in the dance tent into the sweatiest thing I was a part of all weekend. Dancing and playing name that tune to the multitude of mash-ups that were frantically flying by as were a couple of 250 lb. meatheads who seemed to think it might be a good idea to go crowd surfing while smoking CIGARS! (you know who you are and should be banned for life from attending anymore festivals). Gregg Gillis invited up cute girls in unitards and commenced to rocking out pretty hard, so hard in fact that he accidentally stopped one tune in mid-climax. Without hardly skipping a beat he got on the mic "Hey, I'm human just like you guys." He was easily forgiven, everyone around couldn't remember the last time they had such a good time that early on a Sunday afternoon.

After these sets caught a nice afternoon solo set by Regina Spektor who looked and sounded lovely. She could not have been more accurate and might as well have been describing herself when she sang that summer in the city is all about cleavage, cleavage, cleavage. Also, I noticed in the comments section of Brooklyn Vegan someone so succinctly stated that "Regina has nice tittays!!! True that.

Spoon was up next and despite being exhausted from traveling in from Chicago they played fantastic as usual. A lot of the crowd seemed to know a lot of the words off of newer jams from the recently released Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. Managed to run over and catch a few songs from Explosions in the Sky who had attracted a surprisingly big crowd. Got a drink and ran into Virgin CEO/gazillionaire Richard Branson who was munching on an apple and drinking a Red Bull while stopping to take photos with fans. A random woman came up to him gushing: "I love working for Virgin!" That remark was worth a kiss on the mouth. This guy is allowed to do whatever he wants. My friend asked him about what he thought Saturday's attendance might be. Branson's quick response: "what do you think it was? Was it too many or too little?" Touche. Do not fuck with this guy, he will crush you like a grape.

After drinks caught a bit of Bad Brains who sounded tough and looked even cooler and then wandered over to see the Yeah Yeah Yeahs kill it on the main stage. It was just as exciting to watch this middle-aged woman standing next to me who had "never heard of these guys before" get completely blown away by Karen O's energy and overall stage presence. Karen apologized for being "a bit overindulgent" for playing a slow version of "Maps" directly following the regular version, but it is a great summer love song so who could really complain?

Trekked back across the field to see a reunited Wu Tang Clan who seemed to have forgotten that they were part of Virgin Festival and not still doing one of their Rock the Bells shows. Its hard to blame them really, they do smoke an obscene amount of ganja. The fact that they remembered to turn up at all was huge, I thought. Towards the end of their set, Method Man stood on top of the crowd like he was Jesus to announce a new Wu album dropping on November 13th. At this point my friend yelled out "Don't worry, I'll download it on Halloween!!!!"

After this went back over to the North Stage to catch Interpol before I remember that I find them to be an unbelievably boring live act. It started raining but figured I might as well see a few songs of Velvet Revolver because I'd certainly never pay to see them any time in the future. I ended up getting really close and it was great to see Weiland and Duff and Slash in full rock mode. I hadn't seen any of these guy play in probably over ten years. When they did Stone Temple Pilot's "Vaseline" I was fist-pumping along with thousands of actual Velvet Revolver fans which I found pretty hilarious. They also played GNRs "It's So Easy" which sounded great as well. Who'da thunk it? Caught a few tunes by the Pumpkins who I really wanted to like. "Hummer" and "Zero" sounded great and reminded me why I really used to care about this band, but the newer stuff just sounded so uninspired and I knew I had to end my night with M.I.A. which was a great idea. "Baltimore quieten down now!" She made some great sounds to wrap up and excellent festival. "Paper Planes" with its Clash "Straight To Hell" sample was awesome and ending with "Galang" sent everyone in the dance tent heading to the lots with huge grins on their faces.

DJ Del will be DJ'ing at Nurse Bettie (106 Norfolk St, NYC) on August 8th.

Liars will drop their self-titled follow-up to 2006's near-noise-masterpiece Drums Not Dead on August 20th. You can pre-order the record through Insound.

The band, whom will be opening for Interpol this fall, are doing one of those blog tours and we're one of the sites that will be hosting an exclusive clip. We've got the band performing "Freak Out," which is our favorite track off of Liars. It's almost surf rock. Ha. You can check it out here...

UPDATE: Sorry about the problems with the video. I updated it with the above snippet with a full piece to come later.......

LIARS TOUR DATES (SUPPORTING INTERPOL)
September 10 Albany, NY - Palace Theatre
September 12 Boston, MA - Agganis Arena
September 14 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
September 15 Philadelphia, PA - Tower Theatre
September 16 Raleigh, NC - Disco Rodeo
September 18 Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live
September 19 Miami, FL - BankUnited Center
September 21 Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle
September 22 Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
September 23 New Orleans, LA - Sugar Mill
September 25 Houston, TX - Verizon Wireless Theatre
September 26 Austin, TX - Stubb's Bar-B-Q
September 27 Dallas, TX - Palladium
October 10 Kansas City, KS - Uptown
October 12 Minneapolis, MN - State Theatre
October 14 Denver, CO - Fillmore
October 15 Salt Lake City, UT - McKay Center
October 16 Boise, ID - Big Easy
October 18 Seattle, WA - WaMu Theater
October 19 Portland, OR - Memorial Coliseum
October 20 San Francisco, CA - Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
October 23 Los Angeles, CA - The Forum

So many shows. So many decisions. So many of them are sold out. So which one are you going to see......

AUGUST 9, 2007
Daft Punk + The Rapture + Kavinsky + Sebastian | Keyspan Park
Daft Punk + Rapture afterparty w/ DJ Sets from Ed Banger Crew & The Rapture | Studio B
The Hold Steady + Teenage Prayers + The Big Sleep | Prospect Park | Free
The Beastie Boys | McCarren Pool
The Black Crowes | Central Park Summerstage
Los Campesinos! + Nous Non Plus + Golem | Mercury Lounge
B-52's + Patty Smyth | Asser Levy-Seaside Park | Free
Crowded House + Pete Yorn | Beacon Theatre
The Cribs + White Rabbits + Foreign Islands | Bowery Ballroom
The Cribs afterparty w/ Oppenheimer | Annex
Say Hi To Your Mom + Benzos | Knitting Factory
Elk City + Elizabeth Harper | Sound Fix Records | Free
The Budos Band | Joe's Pub
Dragons of Zynth + Tunnel of Love | The Delancey
The Glorytellers (ex-Karate) + Beat the Devil | Union Hall
Peter Yarrow of Peter Paul & Mary | B&N Lincoln Center | Free

The Chemical Brothers have announced a second New York City. They'll hit Brooklyn's McCarren Pool on Saturday, September 22nd. In extra dopetastic news, Ladytron will open the show. Tickets go on sale Friday, August 10th, at noon.

The Chems will also play the Hammerstein on September 21st......

DOWNLOAD: Chemical Brothers - "All Rights Reserved (featuring The Klaxons)"

We've already known that a couple big acts would be in town for the 2007 CMJ Music Marathon, but they released an extended list today of groups slated to play. So much more coming, including some big news from our camp.........

2007 CMJ MUSIC MARATHON
Spoon * UNKLE * Justice * British Sea Power * Mates Of State * Coheed And Cambria * Rodrido Y Gabriela * Xiu Xiu * Benji Cossa * Del Tha Funkee Homosapien * Dirtbombs * Mute Math * Jesu * Devin the Dude * The Ponys * Islands * Dan Deacon * Tiny Masters of Today * Eisley * Vietnam * Little Brother * Mickey Hart & Zakir Hussein * Brother Ali * Marnie Stern * No Age * Crystal Castles * MSTRKRFT * Chromeo * The Brunettes * 1990s * Ruins * A-Trak * Foreign Islands * Kavinsky * Simian Mobile Disco * Deerhunter

Holy fuckin' wow! Daft Punk was bonkers fantastic. If you haven't experienced them for yourself, you really need to go and see them. That's really all that needs to be said in my opinion. What you think.......

DAFT PUNK | KEYSPAN PARK | AUGUST 9, 2007
Robot Rock / Oh Yeah -> Touch It -> Voyager / Technologic / Television Rules The Nation / Crescendolls -> Steam Machine -> Around the World -> Harder Better Faster Stronger / Burnin' / Too Long / Face to Face / One More Time / Aerodynamic / Forget About the World? / The Brainwasher / Prime Time of Your Life / Rollin' and Scratchin' / The Brainwasher -> Da Funk -> Daftendirekt -> Superheroes // Human After All // Together -> Music Sounds Better With You -> One More Time (reprise)

While I was out in Keyspan Park, The Cribs played a sold out show at the Bowery Ballroom. If you missed, we just heard that they've added a Brooklyn show at Union Pool on August 12th. Tickets are $15.....

Mika's open-to-the-public appearance on Good Morning America’s concert series in Bryant Park was rained out. And while Mika did perform in studio, he wants to make it up to his fans with a free show this afternoon. So today, Friday, August 10th, Mika will play a FREE show at the Highlinge Ballroom (431 W. 16th St). The show starts at 1pm and doors open at noon. Should be fun........

‘dem whacky Danes from Denmark, Junior Senior have added a special in-store performance at Williamsburg’s Sound Fix Records on August 12 at 9:00 PM in celebration of the US release of “Hey Hey My My Yo Yo.” The band performs Highline Ballroom on August 13. Seriously, they are ridiculous amounts of fun live. Go see them.........

DOWNLOAD: Junior Senior - "Can I Get Low"

SOUND FIX RECORDS SCHEDULE
Aug 16 - Jennifer O'Connor
Aug 17 - John Vanderslice
Aug 18 - Okkervil River
Aug 19 - Yatch + Page France
Aug 20 - Luke Temple
Aug 23 - Camera Obscura
Aug 24 - White Rabbits
Aug 25 - The Papercuts

The death of Tony Wilson is one of the most significant passings in modern music. His influence reached far beyond his name recognition. Today, the wind has been kicked out of Manchester, the entire United Kingdom, and every fan of independent music.

As the founder of Factory Records and the Hacienda Club, both based in Manchester, Wilson was responsible for introducing the world to Joy Division, New Order, A Certain Radio, Happy Mondays, James, ESG, Stockholm Monsters, The Wake, Tunnelvision, Robin Williams, Cabaret Voltaire, Karl Denver, Durutti Column, Electronic, I Fagiolini, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Quando Quango, Pleasure Crew, Section 25, Revenge, and so many more acts.

Sub Pop, Matador, DFA, and so many other labels found their blueprint in Factory Records. So many clubs from Studio B to Popscene owe a debt a of gratitude to the Hacienda. So many bands have been influences by Factory label artists, from their aesthetic to their sound. Every club DJ should thank Tony for helping make DJ's into celebrities.

He did so much for music. He did so much and got so little in return. When the cancer that would eventually kill him became to strong, the UK's National Health System failed to pay for the medicine he couldn't afford! Take note Michael Moore:

Doctors had recommended he take the drug Sutent after chemotherapy failed to beat the disease, but the NHS refused to fund the £3,500-a-month treatment.

However, members of the Happy Mondays and other acts he supported over the years stepped in and started a fund to help pay for it.

His legacy may already be documented in the film 24 Hour Party People, but it will surely be carried on in thousands of biographies, numerous liner notes, millions of albums, and in more ways than he probably ever could have imagines when he left broadcast television to the world of music.

Tony Wilson will be missed, but never forgotten.......

DOWNLOAD: A Certain Radio - "Crystal"
DOWNLOAD: Happy Mondays - "24 Hour Party People"
DOWNLOAD: Stockholm Monsters - "National Pastime"
DOWNLOAD: Joy Division - "Transmission"
DOWNLOAD: Cabaret Voltaire - "Yasher"
DOWNLOAD: Tunnelvission - "Glenn Miller"
DOWNLOAD: New Order - "Cries and Whisper"

For those of us that went to Daft Punk show last night, let's keep the robot rock going a little bit longer. The US premiere of Daft Punk's film Electroma will be at the Sunshine Theater next Friday, August 17th at Midnight. There will only be two showings, August 17th and 18th, both at Midnight. You can get tickets here............

I know I should be happier that Karl Rove, easily one of the most disgusting men in American, is resigning from his White House, but it really doesn't surprise me at all. He has more campaigns to help steal for the Republicans in 2008 and his resignation helps take some heat off Attorney General and the President.

And it's not like Karl Rove still won't be a major influence on Bush and his fucked up policies. Harriett Miers role seemed to increase after she resigned from the White House and I'm sure it will be the same for Rove.

The Black Crowes are on a summer tour to build up support for their first album of new material since 2001's Lions. Last Thursday, I missed the Crowes at Summerstage appearance in favor of Daft Punk, but was able to catch them on Sunday at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa.

The first time I saw the Crowes was back on 1992's High As the Moon tour at the Tilles Center on Long Island. It was a wicked show. The Crowes were super-charged and played their asses off. Over the years, I've seen the Crowes play rock n' roll shows, jam shows, high energy shows, low-key shows, private performances, and horrible shows. The Borgata show was an uneven, jam-filled show. It seemed to be played more as an obligation than as an event.

While "Virtue and Vice" is an excellent song, it's not a great set opener and didn't need a ten minute guitar solo ending. It didn't help that every song throughout the show was jammed into the ground, from Money Maker's "Seeing Things" to a cover of Eric Clapton's "Comin' Home." The only extended jam of the evening that worked was when they did "Ballad of Urgency" into "Wiser Time" into "My Morning Song," for which the band was joined by Luther Dickinson. His pressence seemed to spark some life into the Brothers Robinson and the rest of the band.

The set then concluded with an excellent cover of Otis Redding's "Ole Man Trouble," which is the first time the band ever played this song, and then a run through of some of the bands hits that were thrown off without any real spark in an attempt to keep the masses entertained. The band than returned for a cover of The Yardbirds' "Shapes of Things," their third cover of the night and then said their goodbyes. The entire show last less than an hour and half, which is incredibly short for these Atlanta boys.

While I can't say I was impressed with the Crowes, I was totally impressed by the Borgata! The hotel is sweet. Unlike the hotels and casinos on Atlantic City's boardwalk, this place didn't smell of carpet cleaner and old, fat, sweaty people. Seriously, it was a sweet joint to catch a show and win some money at Blackjack.........

BLACK CROWES | BORGATA EVENTS CENTER | 8-12-2007
Virtue And Vice / Seeing Things / She Gave Good Sunflower / Comin' Home / Ballad In Urgency -> Wiser Time -> Jam -> My Morning Song / Ole Man Trouble / By Your Side / Hard To Handle / She Talks To Angels / No Speak No Slave // Shapes Of Things

BLACK CROWES | SUMMERSTAGE | 8-9-2007
No Speak No Slave / Gone / Sting Me / My Morning Song / Sister Luck / Jealous Again / Hotel Illness / Downtown Money Waster -> Jam -> Thorn In My Pride / Soul Singing / Sometimes Salvation / Wiser time / Remedy // Oh Well

As you may have heard, the amazing Wordless Music Series has secured Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood to perform "Popcorn Superhet Receiver" at New York's Church of St. Paul the Apostle on January 16th & 17th, 2008. Tickets are $29.99 and now on sale........

While The Shins have never been a good live band, I truly love Wincing the Night Away. The band continues touring behind the record - they've been on the road for over a year straight now, so hopefully they've improved - with a set of new live dates that includes the first announced shows at Terminal Five, the newest venue owned by the Bowery Presents. Presale tickets are $39.50 and now on sale.......

Terminal Five is located at the old Club Exit / Club Black space on West 56th Street, where I saw Prince play a few years back. The venue holds roughly 2,500 folks and will surely present some booking challenges to the Roseland and Hammerstein...........

THE SHINS TOUR DATES
Aug 17 - Highfield Festival Erfurt
Aug 18 - Pukkelpop Festival Hasselt
Aug 19 - Lowlands Festival Biddinghuizen, Holland
Aug 21 - Olympia Theatre Dublin
Aug 22 - Vital Festival Belfast
Aug 23 - Corn Exchange Edinburgh
Aug 24 - Rock En Seine Paris
Aug 25 - Reading Festival Reading
Aug 26 - Leeds Festival Leeds
Aug 30 - Les Schwab Amphitheater Bend, Oregon
Sep 1 - Bumbershoot festival Seattle, Washington
Sep 2 - Download Festival Chicago, Illinois
Oct 5 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre
Oct 6 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl
Oct 7 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre – LA
Oct 9 – Mesa, AZ @ Mesa Amphitheater
Oct 10 – Albuquerque, NM @ Univ. of New Mexico/Popejoy Hall
Oct 17 – Atlanta, GA @ Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center
Oct 18 – Charleston, SC @ The Plex
Oct 19 – Raleigh, NC @ Progress Energy Center – Raleigh Mem Aud
Oct 20 – Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
Oct 22 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
Oct 23 – New York, NY @ Terminal Five
Oct 24 – New York, NY @ Terminal Five
Oct 27 – Las Vegas, NV @ Sam Boyd Stadium /Vegoose Festival
Oct 28 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel

The Van Halen's tour with David Lee Roth has officially been announced. I'll be surprised if the tour actually happens, but I'll be even more surprised if it actually lasts long enough to reach Madison Square Garden on November 13th. In addition to the below announced tour dates, the reunited band (minus Michael Anthony) have also kept a ton of open dates for additional shows. Rumors have it that Van Halen may play as many as five dates at the Garden.

Tickets start going on sale Saturday, August 18th........

VAN HALEN TOUR DATES
Sept. 27: Charlotte, N.C. (Bobcats Arena)
Sept. 29: Greensboro, N.C. (Coliseum)
Oct. 1: Philadelphia (Wachovia Center)
Oct. 7: Toronto (Air Canada Centre)
Oct. 10: Cleveland (Quicken Loans Arena)
Oct. 14: Indianapolis (Conseco Fieldhouse)
Oct. 16: Chicago (Allstate Arena)
Oct. 18: Chicago (United Center)
Oct. 22: Auburn Hills, Mich. (Palace of Auburn Hills)
Oct. 24: Minneapolis (Target Center)
Oct. 26: Kansas City, Mo. (Sprint Center)
Oct. 28: St. Louis (Scottrade Center)
Oct. 30: Boston (TD Banknorth Garden)
Nov. 3: East Rutherford, N.J. (Continental Airlines Arena)
Nov. 13: New York (Madison Square Garden)
Nov. 20: Los Angeles (Staples Center)
Nov. 23: Glendale, Ariz. (Jobing.com Arena)
Nov. 25: San Diego (Cox Arena)
Nov. 27: Sacramento, Calif. (Arco Arena)
Nov. 29: San Jose, Calif. (HP Pavilion)
Dec. 1: Portland, Ore. (Rose Garden)
Dec. 3: Seattle (Key Arena)
Dec. 5: Vancouver (GM Place)
Dec. 9: Edmonton, Alberta (Rexall Palace)
Dec. 11: Calgary, Alberta (Pengrowth Saddledome)

The soundtrack to Todd Haynes' Bob Dylan-themed film I'm Not There takes its cue from the soundtrack to I Am Sam, in which tons of artists like Nick Cave, Grandaddy, Paul Westerberg, The Black Crowes, Eddie Vedder, Rufus Wainwright, Stereophonics and various other artists covered The Beatles.

For I'm Not There, an impressive array of indie rockers do their best Bob Dylan covers. Among the artists slated for the soundtrack are Sufjan Stevens, Cat Power, Stephen Malkmus, Eddie Vedder, The Hold Steady, Sonic Youth, Karen O, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Calexico, X's John Doe, Iron & Wine and Calexico, Antony & the Johnsons, Mark Lanegan, and Jeff Tweedy, amongst others.

And I love the clip from I'm Not There with David Cross playing Allen Ginsberg...........

I'M NOT THERE SOUNDTRACK
"All Along the Watchtower," Eddie Vedder and the Million Dollar Bashers
"As I Went Out One Morning," Mira Billotte
"Ballad of a Thin Man," Stephen Malkmus and the Million Dollar Bashers
"Billy," Los Lobos
"Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window," the Hold Steady
"Can't Leave Her Behind," Stephen Malkmus and Lee Ranaldo
"Cold Irons Bound," Tom Verlaine and the Million Dollar Bashers
"Dark Eyes," Iron & Wine and Calexico
"Fourth Time Around," Yo La Tengo
"Goin' To Acapulco," Jim James and Calexico
"Highway 61 Revisited," Karen O and the Million Dollar Bashers
"I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine," John Doe
"I Wanna Be Your Lover," Yo La Tengo
"I'm Not There," Bob Dylan
"I'm Not There," Sonic Youth
"Just Like a Woman," Charlotte Gainsbourg and Calexico
"Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues," Ramblin' Jack Elliot
"Knockin' on Heaven's Door," Antony & the Johnsons
"The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll," Mason Jennings
"Maggie's Farm," Stephen Malkmus and the Million Dollar Bashers
"Mama You've Been on My Mind," Jack Johnson
"The Man in the Long Black Coat," Mark Lanegan
"Moonshiner," Bob Forrest
"One More Cup of Coffee," Roger McGuinn and Calexico
"Pressing On," John Doe
"Ring Them Bells," Sufjan Stevens
"Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)," Willie Nelson and Calexico
"Simple Twist of Fate," Jeff Tweedy
"Stuck Inside of Mobile With Memphis Blues Again," Cat Power
"The Times They Are a Changin'," Mason Jennings
"Tombstone Blues," Richie Havens
"When The Ship Comes In," Marcus Carl Franklin
"Wicked Messenger," the Black Keys
"You Ain't Goin 'Nowhere," Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova

Michel Gondry is a fantastic director and I will see anything he releases. His new film, Be Kind, Rewind, starring Jack Black and Mos Def, comes across as more of a straight-ahead comedy, but I have a feeling it's going to be a bit of a darker movies than this trailer depicts it to be........

Feist has posted a hand-written note explaining why she's decided to shut down her listentofiest.com official website. I guess its good that she's redoing her site, but let's hope it's not the start of her pulling some wacky Amy Winehouse shit.

Feist has only a handful of tour dates left in the states supporting The Reminder and her live shows have never been better, so I'm guessing all is right........

FEIST TOUR DATES
Aug 25 Beacon Theatre New York, New York - Reading Only (826NYC Benefit)
Aug 29 McCarren Park Pool Brooklyn, New York
Sep 7 Albright-Knox Art GalleryBuffalo, New York
Sep 8 Montreal-Laval Montreal
Sep 9 Flynn Theatre Burlington
Sep 11 Rams Head Baltimore
Sep 12 Tower Theatre Upper Darby
Sep 13 Carnegie Music Hall Pittsburgh
Sep 14 Messiah College Grantham
Sep 15 Michigan Theatre Anne Arbor

As if the Arcade Fire and LCD Soundsystem joint tour wasn't awesome enough, now comes news that the two indie giants are going to release a split seven-inch single together that will only be available at their co-headlining shows.

The single will feature LCD Soundsystem's cover version of "No Love Lost" by Joy Division and Arcade Fire's half will feature their cover of "Poupee de Cire, Poupee De Son" by Serge Gainsbourg.........

Welcome to the "Douchebag Threate," our newest feature dedicated to the retarded world of music celebrity-pop culture. Here we go:

Amy Winehouse is giving Pete Doherty a run for the money and may even win his "Champion of the Fuck Ups" crown. The little princess' recent overdose, her constant last-minute gig cancellations, and her horrible performance at Lollapalooza have left her handlers thinking that maybe smoking heroin and crack aren't the smartest career decision. So after coming out and admitting she's hooked on dope, it seems that the singer has finally agreed to go to rehab...cue bad headlines. Douchebag Threat: 6.3..........

Britney Spears' assistant, Alli Simshas, has been subpoenaed in Kevin Federline's upcoming custody battle for their two children. It's kind of bad parenting that Kevin waited to move forward with his plan to protect their children until all the divorce papers were settled and he got paid. Wouldn't a truly concerned parent act immediately? Douchebag Threat: 4.8..........

Yesterday, we told you that The Shins were booked into the Bowery Presents new midtown venue, Terminal 5. Today comes the official initial line-up for the space.

THE BOWERY PRESENTS TO OPEN TERMINAL 5 IN EARLY OCTOBER

The Bowery Presents, an independent New York concert-promotion company, today announced Terminal 5 will open in early October and will be the largest midtown venue to open in more than ten years. Terminal 5 will be located at 610 West 56th Street between 11th and 12th Avenues, and will provide a new 3,000-capacity midtown music, art and event venue.

The initial lineup for Terminal 5 is as follows:

OCTOBER
11: The National
19: M.I.A.
20: Justice
23-24: The Shins with Vetiver

NOVEMBER
1-2: The Decemberists
23: State Radio with The Beautiful Girls
30 - 12/1: Ween

Terminal 5 will be the newest venue to be managed and operated by The Bowery Presents, which currently manages and operates the Mercury Lounge and the Bowery Ballroom and will open the Music Hall of Williamsburg on September 4.

All tickets for Terminal 5 go on sale August 17th via ticketmaster. You can visit the Terminal 5 website for more information.....

The Yankee's Phil Rizzuto has passed away. Not only was "The Scooter" a Hall of Fame player for the Yankees throughout the 1940s and '50s, won seven World Series titles, was an AL MVP, played in five All-Star games, but he spent four decades announcing baseball games, one of which was famously sampled in Meatloaf's monster hit, "Paradise By The Dashboard Light"...........

DOWNLOAD: Meatloaf - "Paradise By The Dashboard Light"

Awhile ago we told you that the Download Festival was expanding their brand to include regional festivals around America. The first of four Download Festivals happens on August 18th oustide of Boston. The bill features Modest Mouse, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Neko Case, Band of Horses, and Wolf Parade.

Future shows will feature The Cure, The Thermals, The Shins, Snoop Dogg, Kings of Leon and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.........

2007 DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL IN AMERICA

The Black Crowes, who just disappointed us at the Borgata, have announced a new set of fall tour dates, including two shows at the United Palace Theatre in New York City, one of which is on halloween. Tickets to both their October 30th and 31st show go on sale Friday, August 17th, at 10am......

THE BLACK CROWES TOUR DATES
Fri 09/28/07 Bend, OR Les Schwab Amphitheater
Sat 09/29/07 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom
Sun 09/30/07 Eugene, OR Cuthbert Amphitheater
Tue 10/02/07 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre
Wed 10/03/07 Boise, ID Big Easy Concert House
Fri 10/05/07 Oakland, CA Paramount Theatre
Sat 10/06/07 Reno, NV Grand Sierra Resort & Casino
Sun 10/07/07 Los Angeles, CA Orpheum Theatre
Tue 10/09/07 San Diego, CA 4th & B Concert Theater
Thu 10/11/07 Las Vegas, NV The Pearl Concert Theater At Palms
Fri 10/12/07 Anaheim, CA Grove Of Anaheim
Tue 10/16/07 Minneapolis, MN The State Theatre
Thu 10/18/07 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre
Fri 10/19/07 Saint Louis, MO The Pageant
Sat 10/20/07 Memphis, TN Mud Island Amphitheatre
Mon 10/22/07 Cincinnati, OH Taft Theatre
Tue 10/23/07 Louisville, KY Louisville Palace Theatre
Wed 10/24/07 Asheville, NC Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
Sun 10/28/07 New Orleans, LA New Orleans City Park "Voodoo Music Experience"
Tue 10/30/07 New York, NY United Palace Theatre
Wed 10/31/07 New York, NY United Palace Theatre

According to the Bowery Presents website, Cat Power & The Dirty Delta Blues have been added to the Interpol + Liars show at Madison Square Garden on September 14th. Tickets are $39.50 and I can't imagine the show is anywhere near sold out.....

Our friends at the Music Slut got the scoop on Beirut's The Flying Club Cup's tracklisting and album cover. The LP drops on October 9th.

Beirut also has three New York City gigs confirmed, included two that are part of the Wordless Music Series.....

BEIRUT TOUR DATES
Sep 20 Brooklyn Masonic Temple Brooklyn, New York
Sep 24 Society for Ethical Culture New York, New York
Sep 26 Delacorte Theate New York, New York
Sep 30 La Sala Rossa Montreal, Quebec
Oct 2 Danforth Music Hall Toronto, Ontario
Oct 4 Portage Theater Chicago, Illinois
Oct 8 Herbst Theater San Francisco, California
Oct 9 Herbst Theater San Francisco, California
Oct 10 Avalon Los Angeles, California

BEIRUT'S THE FLYING CLUB CUP
1. A Call To Arms
2. Nantes
3. A Sunday Smile
4. Guyamas Sonora
5. Le Banlieu
6. Cliquot
7. The Penalty
8. Forks and Knives (La Fete)
9. In The Mausoleum
10. Un Dernier Verre (Pour la Route)
11. Cherbourg
12. St. Apollonia
13. The Flying Club Cup

The Black August Hip Hop Project celebrates their 10th Aniversary with a massive show at the Nokia Theatre in Times Square on Sunday, August 26th. Among the acts confirmed are Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Dead Prez, Saigon, Evil D, D Nice, and many others. Tickets are now on sale.......

On Monday, August 20th, the Bouncing Souls will be playing a very special show in Coney Island at The World Famous Cha-Cha's!

What makes the show so special is that the ticket includes a "fun pack" of tickets to all of Coney Island's super funtastic rides. Tickets are $20 and now on sale.....

Senator Clinton released her first official television ad in Iowa. Edwards and Obama have been running their commercials for a couple weeks. Here's a look at them.......

Hillary Clinton

Barack Obama

John Edwards

Brooklyn Vegan directs us to a survey that the NYC Parks Department is conducting on the future of the McCarren Park Pool. If you want to see the space continue to be used for concerts and films, then fill out the form and let them know. Or you can vote to have the space turned into an actual pool.

This is from the August 1st Crain's New York Business:

$1.2 billion devoted to capital improvements in the city’s parks, part of Mr. Bloomberg’s PlaNYC. The plan includes efforts to renovate eight parks in all five boroughs, as well as initiatives to open playgrounds in school yards and plant one million trees throughout the city....a $50 million restoration of the McCarren Park Pool in Brooklyn.

So how would you like to see that $50 million spent.........

Product Shop NYC was able to interview After the Jump Fest's Riot In Belgium. They'll be headlining the night party at Studio B on August 25th, along with Soulico, Free Blood (members of !!!), and The Virgins. Tickets are available here.

How did Riot in Belgium form? Who is in the band? Are you involved in any other bands?
We have been friends for a long time and we djed together quite a bit, then we decided it would be fun to make music together thats when we did the acid never lies, bennie is also in bang gang and joel does more produlction under "comets"

What tools or instruments to do you use to create your music? What does your studio look like?
Synthesisers and computers, coffee and ideas and maybe the odd argument.

Where do the vocals in your tracks come from? What role do lyrics play in your music?
"The acid never lies" is a vocoder we recorded in our bedroom/studio, "la musique" is our friend gini helie she has an amaing voice we recorded it in a couple of hours

You have a song called "The Acid Never Lies." How do drugs relate to the rave / dance / house music today?
All the way back to studio 54!

Who are some of your favorite producers? DJs?
georgio moroder, timbaland, soulwax, the avalanches there are too many too mention!!

How do you approach a remix project? Who have worked with?
sometimes it's really easy and sometimes it's extremely difficult, we've done remixes in a day and some times they take weeks! we approach each one differently mostly we re write all the music, we just finished a chromeo remix it turned out really well

Where is the hottest place for electronic music right now? How is the scene in Australia?
hmm we will tell you in 4 weeks after that we would have visted alot more countries!!

What is the longest party you have ever been to? Who DJed or performed?
i can't remember, it must have been long enough for me to forget

Where else are you going while you are on tour in the US?
la, san fransisco, mexico, vancouver, atlanta, chicago, texas then ny!

What is next for Riot in Belgium? When are you going to release an album?
we just stopped remixing for a while its been getitng a bit silly remixing other people and not working enough on our original music, when we get back from this tour we do a festival tour in australia with justice, digitalism, goose and more then we'll lock ourselves in the syudio for a few weeks.

In addition to their opening act slot for Maroon 5, The Hives will be playing some headlining club shows around America this Fall in support of their upcoming release, The Black & White Album. I though that The First Perfect Record was a better a title.....

THE HIVES TOUR DATES
Sep 30 Metro-Smart Bar Chicago, Illinois (tix)
Oct 3 Phoenix Concert Theatre Toronto, Ontario
Oct 9 Webster Hall New York, New York
Oct 14 Middle East Boston, Massachusetts (tix)
Oct 17 The Black Cat Washington DC, Washington DC (tix)
Oct 25 One Eyed Jacks New Orleans, Louisiana
Nov 1 The Showbox SODO Seattle
Nov 7 Avalon Los Angeles, California

I would love to see the Ace Frehley's outtakes from this Dunkin Donuts commercial. Seriously, watching Ace stumble through his one line, the classic "I'll give you a P & L statement," is the funniest thing I've ever seen. Pure marketing genius. I'm off to buy some coffee.....

Your tax dollars at work:

A small South Carolina [C&D Distributors] parts supplier collected about $20.5 million over six years from the Pentagon for fraudulent shipping costs, including $998,798 for sending two 19-cent washers to an Army base in Texas

The company also billed and was paid $455,009 to ship three machine screws costing $1.31 each to Marines in Habbaniyah, Iraq, and $293,451 to ship an 89-cent split washer to Patrick Air Force Base in Cape Canaveral, Florida

How pathetic is it that our government keeps giving contracts and paying out to companies like C&D Distributors and Haliburton who constantly steal taxpayer money and then are forced to return only the smallest fraction of the stolen money..........

With less than a month to go before the Bush adminstration must report to congress on their Iraq war, the White House is already looking for ways to avoid any checks-and-balances:

the White House has proposed limiting the much-anticipated appearance on Capitol Hill next month of Gen. David H. Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker to a private congressional briefing, suggesting instead that the Bush administration's progress report on the Iraq war should be delivered to Congress by the secretaries of state and defense.

White House officials suggested to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee last week that Petraeus and Crocker would brief lawmakers in a closed session before the release of the report, congressional aides said. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates would provide the only public testimony.

Several Republicans have hinted that their support will depend on a credible presentation by Petraeus, not only of tangible military progress but of evidence that the Iraqi government is taking real steps toward ethnic and religious reconciliation.

This is outrageous. And seriously, the Democrats are such pussies that even if Patraeus looks the Senators in their eyes and says that "Iraq is totally fucked up yo," the Democrats would probably continue to fund Bush's war. Fucking politicians. So pathetic........

PJ Harvey drops her highly anticipated new album, White Chalk, on September 25th. She's confirmed two one-off datesin the UK: September 24th at Bristol's Colston Hall and a long since sold-out show on September 29th at London's Royal Festival Hall.

A Late Show appearance is supposedly happening in early October and I wouldn't be surprised to see her play a show at the Knitting Factory or Pianos. Watch for it........

Our favorite Scientologist, that would be Beck, is back with a digital only single. Here's the word on it:

Beck is back at it. On Tuesday 8/21 he will release a self-produced new track called "Timebomb", which for one week will be available only at iTunes. The following week the track will be available at all other digital music retail.

"Timebomb" is the first new music from Beck since The Information, which was released in October 2006. The lyric of "Timebomb" echoes some of the dark themes from that album but is packaged in digital gris gris thunder as only Beck can do it. The track features Beck on vocals and keyboards, Brian LeBarton on keys and guitar, and a whole gang of studio visitors on back-up vocals. Beck currently has no plans for other releases, full album or otherwise.

I got to see Chicago's Office during last year's CMJ Festival. They played at Club NME's party between labelmates The Sounds and The Horrors. I thought they were pretty stellar.

Tonight and tomorrow, the band returns to New York City to perform songs from their forthcoming album, A Night At The Ritz, which drops on September 25th from Scratchie Records. Definitely worth checking them out.....

DOWNLOAD: Office - "The Ritz"

OFFICE TOUR DATES
Aug 17 - Brooklyn, NY - Studio B w/ Tigercity & Life During Wartime DJs
Aug 18 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge - Friction Party w/ The Teeth, The Capital Years
Aug 25 2007 3:00P The Pulaski Park Field House Chicago, Illinois - Queerfest
Aug 25 2007 8:00P Double Door Chicago, Illinois
Aug 28 2007 9:00P Cinespace Los Angeles, California
Aug 30 the Roxy Los Angeles, California
Sep 27 Doug Fir Lounge Portland, Oregon
Sep 29 Pit Pub Vancouver, British Columbia
Oct 2 TBC Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Oct 4 Grog Shop Cleveland, Ohio
Oct 5 El Mocambo Toronto, Ontario
Oct 6 La Sala Rosa Montreal, Quebec
Oct 7 Harper’s Ferry Boston, Massachusetts
Oct 11 First Unitarian Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Oct 12 Ottobar Baltimore, Maryland
Oct 13 Duke Coffeehouse Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Oct 14 The Earl Atlanta, Georgia
Oct 15 Bottletree Birmingham, Alabama
Oct 16 Minc Houston, Texas
Oct 17 The Mohawk Austin, Texas
Oct 18 Loft Palladium Dallas, Texas
Oct 20 Larimer Lounge Denver, Colorado
Oct 22 Paper Heart Venue Phoenix, Arizona
Oct 23 The Casbah San Diego, California

Album of the Year contenders, The National, will be playing a big FREE show for the River-to-River Festival at South Street Seaport Pier 17 (19 Fulton Street) tonight at 7pm. They'll be joined by The Forms and Takka Takka.

On October 11th, The National play Terminal 5. Those tickets are $20 and now on sale as are tickets for all the Terminal 5 shows (Ween, Justice, MIA, State Radio)...........

The Mercury Lounge in New York City has redesigned their website for the first time since 1993 or something like that. Do people even check these websites? Or is it really only for the club bookers and agents? Hmmm........

Any you thought you hated Coldpay:

A woman attacked a karaoke singer belting out Coldplay on Thursday night, telling him he "sucked" before she pushed and punched him to get him to stop singing, bar staff said. The man was singing "Yellow" when it happened.

"It took three or four of us to hold her down," bartender Robert Willmette said.

When she was escorted outside, the 21-year-old woman "went crazy," Willmette said, throwing punches at him and others, including an off-duty police officer.

Patrol officers and detectives then arrived at the neighborhood bar and blocked off the street, which inflamed the woman's rage even more, a police report said. Before police could handcuff the woman, she headbutted the off-duty officer at least twice.

Superbad was superawesome. And now the mofo's before Freaks & Geeks, Undeclared, Superbad and Knocked Up are spoofing Walk The Line with Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. I'm digging the trailer and hope the film is just as funny as their past work. And ya got to love the Eddie Vedder, Lyle Lovett and Jack White cameos.......

According to Morrissey super-site True-To-You, Moz is coming back to New York City for five big nights at the Hammerstein Ballroom. Considering the rumor that Morrissey was only able to sell seven thousand tickets for his cancelled show at Madison Square Garden, is it a surprise that he's now playing a venue that holds 4,500 folks? And you know his fans are willing to shell out to see him play five nights in a row.

The Ringleader will also residencies booked at San Francisco's Fillmore and Los Angeles' Palladium, as well as one-offs in numerous cities around the country.........

MORRISSEY TOUR DATES
September 20 TIJUANA, MEXICO : El Foro
September 21 LAS VEGAS, NV : The Pearl
September 23 SAN FRANCISCO, CA : Fillmore
September 24 SAN FRANCISCO, CA : Fillmore
September 26 SAN FRANCISCO, CA : Fillmore
September 27 SAN FRANCISCO, CA : Fillmore
September 29 SANTA BARBARA, CA : County Bowl
October 1 LOS ANGELES, CA : Palladium
October 2 LOS ANGELES, CA : Palladium
October 4 LOS ANGELES, CA : Palladium
October 5 LOS ANGELES, CA : Palladium
October 6 LOS ANGELES, CA : Palladium
October 8 LOS ANGELES, CA : Palladium
October 9 LOS ANGELES, CA : Palladium
October 11 LOS ANGELES, CA : Palladium
October 12 LOS ANGELES, CA : Palladium
October 13 LOS ANGELES, CA : Palladium
October 15 SALT LAKE CITY, UT : Thanksgiving Point
October 17 WAUKEGAN, IL : Genesee Theatre
October 19 ROYAL OAK, MI : Royal Oak Music Theatre
October 20 MERRILLVILLE, IN : Star Plaza
October 22 NEW YORK, NY : Hammerstein Ballroom
October 23 NEW YORK, NY : Hammerstein Ballroom
October 26 NEW YORK, NY : Hammerstein Ballroom
October 27 NEW YORK, NY : Hammerstein Ballroom
October 28 NEW YORK, NY : Hammerstein Ballroom
October 30 BOSTON, MA : Orpheum
October 31 BALTIMORE, MD : Rams Head
November 2 WASHINGTON, DC : Constitution Hall

Bush's Brain, Karl Rove, appeared on Meet The Press with guest host David Gregory. It was fascinating. Rove is an evil, sick man. His spin on issues from Iraq, the Republican party, the past four elections, the CIA leak scandal, and just about every other major issue, is so twisted and distorted with lies.

At the same time, as someone who rarely gives interviews, Roves proved why he wields so much power. He is a powerful and smart man, who knows his shit and knows how to control a room. Gregory does a good job of holding him to the flame, but Rove controls the conversation.

What it comes down to is that Rove is extremely intelligent. Everything he says is articulate and well thought out. They may be complete distortions of the truth and sprinkled with lies, but he conveys his message with such authority that he gets his points made. You can literally see how he feeds his words to the President, who tries to regurgitate them, but can't speak as eloquently. It's so interesting....and scary.

Watch the rest of the interview after the jump.......

The first "NME Rock 'N' Roll Riot Tour" featured The Kaiser Chiefs and The Walkmen. The second "NME Rock 'N' Roll Riot Tour " will be headlined by The Hold Steady and Art Brut, a joint tour we first mentioned to you last month! The tour hits New York's Terminal 5 on November 21st.

The presale begins Wednesday August 22nd at 10am local time. Tickets for the public go on sale Saturday, August 25th at Noon local time..........

THE HOLD STEADY & ART BRUT TOUR DATES
Sun. 10/21 - Providence, RI @ Lupo's
Mon. 10/22 - Boston, MA @ Roxy
Tue. 10/23 - Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
Wed. 10/24 - Raleigh, NC @ Disco Rodeo
Thu. 10/25 - Athens, GA @ 40 Watt
Fri. 10/26 - Knoxville, TN @ Bijou Theatre
Sat. 10/27 - Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
Mon. 10/29 - Pontiac, MI @ Crofoot Ballroom
Tue. 10/30 - Chicago, IL @ Metro
Wed. 10/31 - Chicago, IL @ Metro
Thu. 11/1 - Minneapolis, MN @ State Theatre
Sun. 11/4 - Seattle, WA @ HUB Ballroom
Mon. 11/5 - Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
Tue. 11/6 - San Francisco, CA @ Warfield Theater
Wed. 11/7 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
Thu. 11/8 - San Diego, CA @ Cane's
Fri. 11/9 - Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
Sun. 11.11 - Boulder, CO @ Fox Theater
Mon. 11/ 12 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
Tue. 11/ 13 - Lawrence, KS @ Granada
Wed. 11/ 14 - Dallas, TX @ Palladium Ballroom
Thu. 11/15 - Austin, TX @ La Zona Rosa
Sat. 11/17 - Birmingham, AL @ BottleTree Annex
Sun. 11/18 - Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
Mon. 11/19 - Richmond, VA @ Toad's Place Richmond
Tue. 11/20 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
Wed. 11/ 21 - New York, NY @ Terminal 5

The Jesus & Mary Chain have confirmed that they will be recording their first new record since Munki, as well as heading on a fall U.S. tour. The only announced dates are currently on the West Coast, where they'll be doing some recording. No East Coast dates have been announced yet.

The show I saw at Webster Hall sucked, but I still love myself some J&MC......

THE JESUS & MARY CHAIN TOUR DATES
10/20 - Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues
10/22 - Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
10/23 - Los Angeles, CA @ Wiltern Theatre #
10/26 - San Francisco, CA @ the Fillmore #
10/27 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore #
All dates with Evan Dando (solo acoustic)
# - Soulsavers (featuring Mark Lanegan)

That pesky dwarf of a performer, Lily Allen, made quite a spectacle of herself at this year's V Festival. Besides announcing that she was denied a visa back into America (seriously, does anyone consider Lily or M.I.A. or even Pete Doherty a real threat to America's security?) and has been forced to cancel her planned appearance at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards.

She also had this to say on her blog:

hello all

v festival was great, thanks to everybody who came ,

i just want all my fans to know this ,

I have called george bush a c**t at pretty much every show i have played over the past year , that is because I think he is one and i stand by that . You can make up your own mind as to whether you agree with me or not , thats just how i feel . Just because i hate george bush doesnt mean I hate america , quite the opposite , I think the US is a great place and I am really sad that I cant be there for my commitments scheduled for the near future . what i said about George Bush this weekend bears no relation to what happened a couple of weeks ago with my visa , that is an issue with the US immigration service . I just wanted to let you all know that my " foul mouthed tirade " so widely reported over the past couple of days is actually pretty rehearsed and ive beeen saying it long before all this visa issue .

also me raising a drink to Amy , was just that , showing my support for her . I've been around enough substance abuse and alcoholism to know that it's a serious matter , and not to be taken lightly .

im sorry, i wanted to write this because i felt like if i didn't say anything you all might believe the rubbish your being fed .

Lily

How many books do you think Lily Allen has read in her life........

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings' 100 Days, 100 Nights is smoking hot! The album, which drops on October 2nd, should finally place her in the stratosphere of divadom that she deserves to be in. Seriously, go out and pre-order this album. It's amazing and how awesome would it be to see them debut at number. Save Soul Music!!!

Take note Amy Winehouse. If you want to see a real live soul experience, head to the Apollo Theatre on October 6th and get ready to be blown away. It must pain the Dap-Kings to back that hack when she attempts to tour.......

DOWNLOAD: Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - "100 Days"
DOWNLOAD: Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - "Nobody's Baby"

As expected, tickets for the Diamond Dave & Van Halen tour sold out in multiple markets around the country, including Charlotte, Detroit (Palace), 2 shows in Toronto, 2 in Chicago and one in Philadelphia.

The band immediately added additional shows in Philadelphia (Wachovia Center 10/3) and Detroit (Joe Louis Arena 10/20) which will go on sale this Saturday, August 25th. An additional stop was also scheduled for Washington, DC's Verizon Center (11/1). I'm sure this trek will end up being about fifty dates.

Full tour dates after the jump........

This weekend is the After the Jump Fest at Studio B! Two stages, totally free day show, amazing bands, contests for CMJ passes, ipods, sexy djs, rapping school kids, free Colt 45 at night and an amazing Friday night roof-top party!

Also, we've gotten word that the night show is almost sold out. Get your tickets now!

The stage schedule for the After the Jump Fest's August 25th event at Studio B in Brooklyn is after the jump.......

There is more to do at night than just see bands play live. Here are some truly killer events coming to the city that are well worth your time. I highly recommend "Revenge of the Bookeaters", the Brooklyn Book Festival, Steve Martin, and Larry David in Conversation with Susie Essman, among others.........

READINGS & LECTURES IN NYC (ALL EVENTS FREE UNLESS NOTED)

Bad Religion never seem to let ya down, as long as you're not expecting anything radically different than before. They're solid. Like the Bob Seger of punk. They're touring behind New Maps of Hell, their 162nd album. The Briggs and Gallows will support........

BAD RELIGION TOUR DATES
9/29 – Schnepf Farms – Queen Creek, AZ (Edgefest 2007)
9/30 – Club 101 – El Paso, TX (w/The Briggs)
10/01 – House of Blues – Dallas, TX (w/The Briggs)
10/04 – Clutch Cargo’s – Pontiac, MI (w/The Briggs and Gallows)
10/05 – House of Blues – Chicago, IL (w/Gallows and The Briggs)
10/06– First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN (w/The Briggs and Gallows)
10/07 – The Eagles Club – Milwaukee, WI (w/Gallows and The Briggs)
10/09 – Newport Music Hall – Columbus, OH (w/The Briggs and Gallows)
10/10 – Madison Theatre – Covington, KY (w/Gallows and The Briggs)
10/11 – Agora Theatre – Cleveland, OH (w/The Briggs and Gallows)
10/12 – Town Ballroom – Buffalo, NY (w/Gallows and The Briggs)
10/14 – 9:30 Club – Washington, DC (w/The Briggs and Gallows)
10/15 – Nokia Theatre Times Square – New York, NY (w/Gallows and The Briggs)
10/16 – Roxy – Boston, MA (w/The Briggs)
10/17 – Electric Factory Ballroom – Philadelphia, PA (w/The Briggs)
10/19 – Crocodile Rock Café – Allentown, PA (w/The Briggs)
10/20 – Starland Ballroom – Sayreville, NJ (w/The Briggs)

Following dates opening for MUSE (at Madison Square Garden) and The White Stripes, Cold War Kids will embark on a headlining tour that includes two nights at Webster Hall. Tickets go on sale Friday, August 24th, at noon........

COLD WAR KIDS TOUR DATES
11/17/07 - San Francisco, CA @ Warfield Theatre
11/23/07 - Los Angeles, CA @ Wiltern Theatre
11/27/07 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
11/28/07 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
11/29/07 - Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of the Living Arts
11/30/07 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall
12/01/07 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall
12/04/07 - Boston, MA @ The Roxy
12/11/07 - Boulder, CO @ Boulder Theater

As expected, the Winehouse Brewing Company axed their North American tour:

Due to the rigours involved in touring, Amy Winehouse has been advised to postpone her upcoming September US and Canadian tour dates. All ticket holders may obtain refunds at their point of purchase. Amy's European and UK tour dates in October and November remain in place. Plans are being made to reschedule her US tour for early 2008. Until then, Amy has been ordered to rest and is working with medical professionals to address her health.

Do you think the folks who wrote this crap were able to do it with a straight face? Is "rigours involved in touring" another way of saying "paranoid junkie"? What a waster........

I've been surprised at a lot of the bands being booked into Madison Square Garden, but I'm totally not surprised to see that Fall Out Boy are doing an arena tour. The emotards hit Madison Square Garden on November 14th with Gym Class Heroes, Plain White T's, and Cute is What We Aim For.

Tickets go on sale Friday, August 24th, at 9am.

Full tour dates after the jump.........

Senator Barack Obama will be speaking tonight in Brooklyn. Here's the info.

Wednesday, August 22nd
Doors open at 5pm
New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge
333 Adams Street
Brooklyn, NY
Directions

RSVP here........