Photo: Elbow receiving 2008 Mercury Prize

A new series of monthly live sessions, Barclaycard Mercury Prize Sessions with The Hospital Club, has been announced. The events will feature live performances by both new and more established acts from the UK and overseas.

Ladyhawke and Blood Red Shoes have been confirmed to play the first Session on Friday 29 May, 2009.

The Sessions, which are supported by the Prize’s sponsor, Barclaycard, will be held in The Hospital Club’s TV Studio and will be filmed in front of an audience of around 250 people, with the content initially made available exclusively through MySpace and on XFM.

Tickets to the events will not be going on public sale, but will instead be made available to music fans, competition winners, as well as The Hospital Club members. The live sessions are a new initiative for the Prize, which is best known for recognising the UK Album of the Year, which in 2008 was Elbow’s ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’.

The introduction of these new events reflects the expansion of the Mercury Prize’s recommendation into new areas. It also capitalises on The Hospital Club’s unique position as the club for the creative industries with an extensive network of members, many of who work in music.

Producer for the Mercury Prize, Dan Ford said: “It’s great news that the Barclaycard Mercury Prize is extending its recommendation into live music in this way. These events are going to help produce some truly unique performances that music fans are really going to love.”

Head of Communication for The Hospital Club, Maria Nicholson said: “The best live music has always been at the core of our offering for our members, so we’re delighted to be collaborating with the Prize to showcase some of the industry’s most interesting talent in an intimate and unique way.”

About the Mercury Prize
The Mercury Prize champions all genres of music primarily through its celebration of the UK Albums of the Year. The Sessions are a stand-alone, new initiative and are not linked to the Albums of the Year competition.

The key dates for the 2009 Barclaycard Mercury Prize are:

21 July
Barclaycard Mercury Prize ‘Albums Launch’ to announce the 12 ‘Albums of the Year’

8 September
Barclaycard Mercury Prize ‘Awards Show’, winner announced

Mercury Prize Official Website

About The Hospital Club
The Hospital Club is unique because it’s the only club designed specifically for the creative industries. It caters for a mix of emerging and established talent, providing a place for them to both work and play. It’s also about discovering, producing and celebrating creative work. For more information visit The Hospital Club Official Website

Madonna arrived in London last night when her acclaimed ‘Sticky & Sweet’ tour triumphed at Wembley Stadium. 74,000 thrilled to new hits “Candy Shop”, “4 Minutes” and “Give It 2 Me” while old favourites like “Borderline”, “Like A Prayer” and “La Isla Bonita” were given exciting new twists. Kate Hudson, Penelope Cruz, Fergie and Gwyneth Paltrow were among the worshippers. What a night!!

Sunday night’s 25th annual MTV Video Music Awards went down as one of the best ever, pulling in record ratings and introducing American television audiences to the inimitable Russell Brand – who won plaudits for a risqué, typically rock ‘n’ roll turn as host. According to Google Trends, “vma host” and “russell brand” were two of the top ten most searched-for phrases on the day of the awards.

Christina Aguilera provided the evening’s star turn with her scintillating performance of her spicy new single “Keeps Gettin’ Better” and a revved-up version of the classic “Genie In A Bottle” – both on the forthcoming hits collection “Keeps Gettin’ Better” due out this November.

If anyone finds a vintage Rickenbacker please call Peter Buck immediately!! This electric beauty was stolen after REM’s Helsinki show on Tuesday night. The guitar has been an instrumental part of REM’s arsenal since 1982. Any information that leads to finding the guitar will be generously rewarded – no questions asked. Email information to fanclub@remtour.com.

Will Young returns this weekend with “Changes”, the first single to be taken from his wonderful forthcoming album ‘Let It Go’. Both the Radio Edit and Chris Lake’s thumping remix are available digitally from Sunday 14th, with the physical single to follow on the 22nd. The remix has gone top 5 in the pop club charts.

Stereophonics have had a hectic North American tour so far. Last weekend they supported Oasis at Toronto’s V festival, Tuesday night they sold out Webster Hall in NYC where the cast of trendy hit show Gossip Girl including Chace Crawford were among those in attendance. Next week they conquer LA! Awesome new single “You’re My Star” hits the airwaves next week.

Martha Wainwright supports Goldfrapp at New York’s Radio City Music Hall tonight following in brother Rufus’ footsteps. He headlined the same venue earlier this year on his ‘Release The Stars’ tour. Catch Martha and her ace band on their 14 date UK tour next month.

Now that the VMA’s are over, MTV is readying itself for their European Music Awards which take place in Liverpool November 6th, 2008. Duffy has bagged 4 nominations while Madonna, REM, Christina Aguilera, Stereophonics and James Blunt have all been nominated.

Duffy has also been nominated for a MOBO Award – Best UK Female. What a glittering year she is having.

We can’t wait for the James Blunt tour to start next month with special guest Teddy Thompson.

Dave Edmunds joined the Stray Cats on stage at Brixton Academy Wednesday night for rocking renditions of “The Race Is On” and “Tear It Up”. This followed last week’s truly memorable showcase at the Gibson Guitar Rooms. His hits collection ‘The Many Sides of Dave Edmunds’ is out September 22nd, 2008.

And finally congratulations to Elbow for their Mercury Prize win. Nominated ‘Raising Sand’ duo Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were both on hand for the celebrations.

Some upcoming 2008 releases:

Sept 14th (Digital) / Sept 22nd (Physical)
WILL YOUNG- CHANGES (RCA LABEL GROUP)

September 15th
ROBERT PLANT & ALISON KRAUSS- STICK WITH ME BABY (ROUNDER/UNIVERSAL)

September 22nd
GUILLEMOTS- KRISS KROSS / CLARION (POLYDOR)

October 6th
JOHN MELLENCAMP- MY SWEET LOVE (UNIVERSAL) DIGITAL ONLY

October 13th
PRIMAL SCREAM- UPTOWN (B-UNIQUE)

October 20th
JERSEY BUDD- SHE CAME BACK (THIS FEELING/BANDSTOCKS)

October 27th (Digital) / November 10th (Physical)
STEREOPHONICS- ‘YOU’RE MY STAR’ (V2)
AIMEE MANN- THIRTY ONE TODAY (SUPEREGO/ADA)

November 3rd
CHRISTINA AGUILERA- KEEPS GETTING’ BETTER (RCA LABEL GROUP)
MARTHA WAINWRIGHT- COMIN’ TONIGHT (DROWNED IN SOUND)

ALBUMS

September 22nd
DAVE EDMUNDS- THE MANY SIDES OF DAVE EDMUNDS – THE GREATEST HITS AND MORE – (UNIVERSAL)

September 29th
WILL YOUNG- LET IT GO (RCA LABEL GROUP)

October 13th
JOHN MELLENCAMP- LIFE LOVE DEATH AND FREEDOM (UNIVERSAL)

October (DATE TBC)
THE KINKS- PICTURE BOX (UNIVERSAL)

November 10th
IL DIVO- THE PROMISE (SYCO MUSIC)
CHRISTINA AGUILERA- KEEPS GETTING’ BETTER – A DECADE OF HITS (RCA LABEL GROUP)

November 17th
STEREOPHONICS- DECADE IN THE SUN: THE BEST OF STEREOPHONICS (V2)

I’ve been enjoying their latest single, “Grounds For Divorce”, and the video for the song has been getting airplay on TV. I like the rootsy, bluesy vibe of the song, a different feel for what’s out there at the moment, pleasing new and old Elbow fans as well as catering to other musicians as, what I like to think, “musicians’ musicians”.

Watch the short Elbow video interview with Guy and Pete and the band playing an acoustic version of “Grounds for Divorce” from new album ‘Seldom Seen Kid’.

Watch Elbow – “Grounds For Divorce” Official video:

Elbow Official Website

By: Jenny May – BandWeblogs.com

The band’s fourth album, which was released on 17 March, 2008, has received rave reviews and they are the only band in history to get 9/10 four times in the NME.

And the band intend to give the record a full live outing, as Guy Garvey explained to 6 Music: “I think the way we are gonna do it is we’re gonna tour the UK and the States and Europe.

“And then when we’ve done that, we’re gonna play the whole album as a show. I’m not sure where yet but a couple of mayor cities per country perhaps but eventually we’ll play the whole of the album as a continual show.”

Read the full interview at BBC 6 Music.

‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ is out now. Listen to it here:
www.theseldomseenkid.com

Elbow on Myspace
Elbow Official Website

Only 500 tickets are being put on sale – you can order tickets for Porchester Hall here. UPDATE – TICKETS HAVE NOW SOLD OUT!

They then return to the UK touring circuit in April after that long hiatus, promising something ‘extra special’ for these long awaited dates, which are listed below.

The band has announced the first single from their fourth studio album, ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’, on March 10th, 2008. “Grounds For Divorce” is a welcome return from the band, driven by a thunderous riff courtesy of guitarist Mark Potter that reminds listeners of Elbow’s love of the heavy as well as the delicate. To an extent, this is Mark’s track, the riff having been in his armoury for some years waiting for the right song to let it shine.

The last two years have seen Elbow go through a rollercoaster of emotions. Two new additions to the Elbow family have arrived in the form of children for Mark and his brother Craig whilst contractual issues saw the band studio bound since their last UK tour in 2006 awaiting a now completed change of label. The time was well spent in the recording, mixing and production of ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’, with keyboardist Craig Potter firmly claiming the producer’s chair. As the band members began recording the album, their good friend and respected singer songwriter Bryan Glancy died, leaving a shadow over many in Manchester including the Elbow boys.

“Grounds For Divorce” lyrically is affected and inspired by that loss. Whilst other tracks on ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ are elegies to a lost friend, the single is about the initial aftermath, the desire to flee the situation, find another life and wipe the slate clean of all the emotional entanglements that come with the death of a close friend. It also rocks.

Elbow on amazon.co.uk

Elbow April 2008 tour dates:

Dates could be added or changed! Go to Elbow’s Official Website for the latest tour dates and information.

April 2008

Friday 4 Glasgow ABC, 0844 844 0444
Saturday 5 Newcastle Academy, 0844 477 2000
Sunday 6 Leeds Metropolitan University, 0113 244 4600
Tuesday 8 Oxford Academy, 0844 477 2000
Wednesday 9 Bristol Colston Hall, 0117 922 3686
Thursday 10 Birmingham Academy, 0844 477 2000
Saturday 12 Sheffield Octagon, 0114 222 8777
Sunday 13 Manchester Academy, 0161 832 1111
Monday 14 Nottingham Rock City, 0115 822 1314
Tuesday 15 London Brixton Academy, 0844 477 2000
020 7734 8932

Monday 21 Dublin, Vicar Street, 0870 998 8888
Tuesday 22 Belfast, Mandela Hall 0818 719 390

Tickets 15 GBP (18 GBP London) plus booking fee. 24hr CC hotline: 0871 2200 260.

Elbow on Myspace
Elbow Official Website

Elbow return in March 2008 with their fourth studio album, ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’. Recorded by the band at their own facility within Salford’s Blueprint Studios, The Elbow Room, and produced by keyboard player, Craig Potter, the album is the follow up to 2005’s universally acclaimed ‘Leaders Of The Free World’. The album also sees the band start a new relationship with Fiction Records.

The lyrical core of ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ sees Guy Garvey address the key questions of life. Thus, over the 11 tracks the big themes of love and loss become the central focus of an album that sees Elbow, a band universally recognised for their musical ability and innovation, stretch their sonic template further than ever before. With band members now fathers of young children this is an unashamedly grown up record from a band that can rightfully claim status as elder statesmen of the UK music scene. In a climate where the track could be regarded as king this is also very much an album, designed and envisaged to be listened to as a whole.

“This record is the one of which we are most proud for many reasons but to put it very simply we did it all on our own. Craig has taken the helm and we have recorded produced and mixed the whole thing without any outside help.” – Guy Garvey

Elbow’s progress to this point has been less than smooth, the band being together since 1991 and, as has been documented, suffering a false start to their career before a succession of rapturously received independent EP’s in the form of ‘Noisebox’, ‘Newborn’ and ‘Any Day Now’ led to the release of debut album ‘Asleep In The Back’ (and subsequent Mercury and Brit nominations) in 2001. A band keen to consistently challenge their listeners both lyrically and musically, Elbow’s progress from that point has seen them switch genres and accommodate overtly political and emotionally bare lyricism across their formidable back catalogue.

‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ continues in that tradition. So we move from the sparse electronic of “Starlings” through the flamenco influenced “The Bones Of You” to the Zepellinesque rock of first single “Grounds For Divorce” where Garvey’s gallows humour shines in the opening couplet of “I’ve been working on a cocktail / Called grounds for divorce”.

Album centrepiece, “The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver” melds Elbow’s musical ability to create epic heartfelt soundtracks with Guy’s knack of making the personal universal, telling the story of a boastful tower crane operator revealing the inner misery of his life in a discussion of the hollow centre of many outwardly successful lives. Elbow’s ability to deliver a knock out ballad is, as with previous albums, very much in evidence on the gorgeous “Mirrorball” and the sunny cousin to ‘Asleep In The Back’s’ “Any Day Now” that is “One Day Like This”.

“The Fix” denotes a substantial change of mood, being the first duet on an Elbow album, Richard Hawley joining Guy for a Bacharach like story of two hustlers planning their rosy future.

“Friend Of Ours” closes the album in a tribute to the ‘Seldom Seen Kid’ of the title, Bryan Glancy, Manchester songwriter and sadly missed friend of Elbow who died in 2007 with a delicacy and honesty that is a consistent hallmark of the band.

‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ is released by Fiction Records on 17th March 2008.

‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ track listing:

Starlings
The Bones Of You (audio clip available to stream at www.elbow.co.uk)
Mirrorball
Grounds For Divorce
An Audience With The Pope
Weather To Fly
The Loneliness Of A Towercrane Driver
The Fix
Some Riot
One Day Like This
Friend Of Ours

Elbow April tour dates

Elbow on Myspace
Elbow Official Website

Elbow are back. Following a two year hiatus since their last UK tour in February 2006, the band return to the live circuit with a comprehensive set of dates in April 2008.

The band have been busy recording their 4th studio album, ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’, which is released in March 2008 through Fiction Records. As with predecessor ‘Leaders of the Free World’, they recorded the new album at Manchester’s Blueprint Studios but with keyboardist Craig Potter taking on production and mixing duties.

Elbow are indisputably one of the UK’s most important acts of the last 10 years with Mercury nominations for debut ‘Asleep in The Back’. In addition they have received a Brit Awards nomination for Best New British Act. The band can also number such luminaries as John Cale and Chris Martin as members of their hugely loyal fan base.

These shows will be a first opportunity for fans to hear tracks from the new album in a live context and the band are looking forward to getting back on the road. They are currently in live rehearsals and are promising their most spectacular shows yet.

Tickets are on sale from 9am Tuesday 18th December, 2007 though GigsAndTours.com and usual agents.

Elbow April 2008 tour dates:

Dates could be added or changed! Go to Elbow’s Official Website for the latest tour dates and information.

April 2008:

Friday 4 Glasgow ABC, 0844 844 0444
Saturday 5 Newcastle Academy, 0844 477 2000
Sunday 6 Leeds Metropolitan University, 0113 244 4600
Tuesday 8 Oxford Academy, 0844 477 2000
Wednesday 9 Bristol Colston Hall, 0117 922 3686
Thursday 10 Birmingham Academy, 0844 477 2000
Saturday 12 Sheffield Octagon, 0114 222 8777
Sunday 13 Manchester Academy, 0161 832 1111
Monday 14 Nottingham Rock City, 0115 822 1314
Tuesday 15 London Brixton Academy, 0844 477 2000
020 7734 8932

Tickets 15 GBP (18 GBP London) plus booking fee. 24hr CC hotline: 0871 2200 260.

Elbow on Myspace
Elbow Official Website