- Mat Riviere, Napoleon IIIrd and Stairs To Korea join official Airwaves lineup
– Brainlove to host Off-Venue Airwaves Party with Æla and Kippi Kaninus
– Improv projects Braindead Collective and Thee Oracle join the party

Brainlove Records is über-excited to announce a pair of shows in Reykjavik this October as part of the 2009 Iceland Airwaves festival.

Firstly, we’re taking over our favourite new bar Karamba, to be found at Laugavegur 22, for a mini Brainlove Festival / Airwaves Off-Venue party. From 2pm-8pm on Friday 16th October, 2009, there’ll be live shows from UK-based Brainlove acts Mat Riviere, Napoleon IIIrd and Stairs To Korea, Iceland-based Brainlove acts Kippi Kaninus and Æla, and improvised, participatory performances from Thee Oracle and Braindead Collective, with DJ sets from John Brainlove and Oli Dreamtrak.

Then on Saturday 17th, Mat Riviere, Napoleon IIIrd and Stairs To Korea will play slots at Hresso as part of the official Airwaves lineup, with a complete bill of Icelandic and international artists to be announced soon.

You can hear all of the BRNLV bands mentioned at Brainlove Records MySpace and you can click through our top friends to find out more on each artist.

Further details we’ll post at the Facebook event

Iceland Airwaves Official Website

Lightning Seeds have released their cloud busting new single “Don’t Walk On By” – the second single from their melody soaked album ‘Four Winds’.

Written and produced by Ian Broudie, “Don’t Walk On By” is full of the timeless emotional depth we’ve come to expect from him, flavoured with his inimitable pop swagger. The track is featured on the Radio Two playlist.

‘Four Winds’ as an album mashes up all that music and experience into an epic autobiography. “What I want to do is take everything that has made me who I am, imbibing the sixties, seventies, punk, bands, Britpop, hip hop, this quite unique musical journey that sometimes feels like its been back to front, being a producer then a pop star. I feel like whatever it is I am supposed to be doing, I haven’t done it yet. I feel like I am just getting started.”

“The melodies fall over one another, one gem ambushing your head and heart before the next arrives to claim squatters’ rights.” * * * * Sunday Times Culture

“Broudie’s magically winning way with melody and his secretly despairing lyrics take hold on his most rounded work.” Q

Lightning Seeds have set themselves up for an extremely busy summer, they have played three UK festivals this summer with more to play, including two performances at V.

Buy Music:

Lightning Seeds on amazon.co.uk

Lightning Seeds on amazon.com

Lightning Seeds UK tour dates:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

August 2009

Fri 21st BRIGHTON, Arundel Castle
Sat 22nd STAFFORDSHIRE, V Festival

P.T.O. For Lightning Seeds UK Festival Dates

August 2009

Sat 22nd NOTTINGHAM, Clumber Park
Sun 23rd CHELMSFORD, V Festival
Tue 25th EDINBURGH, Cabaret Voltaire (T on the Fringe)
Wed 26th EDINBURGH, Cabaret Voltaire (T on the Fringe)

September 2009

Sat 12th CLEETHORPES, Cleethorpes Rocks
Sat 19th SCOTLAND, Loopallu Festival

Lightning Seeds Official Website

Pre-Order underway for CD, Vinyl and Deluxe Joy Box Editions

Phish follows Sold-Out Summer Tour with Festival 8, to be held October 30th, 31st and November 1st at The Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA

‘Joy’, Phish’s first studio album in five years, will be released on September 8th.

‘Joy’ will be available in three configurations: CD, vinyl (two 180 gram discs in a striking double gatefold sleeve) and as part of the Joy Box, a limited edition deluxe box set. In addition to the new CD, the Joy Box will contain 10 individual drawers, which hold limited edition posters designed for each of the album’s 10 songs, plus Party Time, a second complete album, a hardbound book with lyrics, artwork and more and a DVD capturing live performances from the first half of Phish’s sold-out summer 2009 tour.

The DVD features the band performing each song from ‘Joy’, with footage from the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, the tour’s opening dates at Fenway Park in Boston and many other stops. The Joy Box will ship in early October 2009.

Fans can now pre-order any version of Joy at the band’s online store, Phish Dry Goods (http://drygoods.phish.com/). Those who pre-order the vinyl or the Joy Box will receive a free MP3 download of Joy on September 8th. And fans pre-ordering any configuration at Phish Dry Goods will automatically be entered to win a travel package for two (including air fare, hotel and tickets) to Phish Festival 8, which will take place October 30th, 31st and November 1st at The Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA.

Phish will play eight sets – including a Halloween performance wherein the band dons a “musical costume,” performing an album by another band – during the three-day celebration, which, as its name implies, is the band’s eighth festival. As with previous Phish festivals, fans will enjoy on-site camping, numerous attractions and art installations. For ticket information and additional details about Festival 8, visit Festival 8 Official Website.

Working with Steve Lillywhite, who produced Phish’s 1996 ‘Billy Breathes’ and albums by U2, Dave Matthews Band and the Rolling Stones, the band recorded ‘Joy’ in April and May of 2009 at Chung King Studio in New York City.

A loose yet focused vibe is apparent from the first notes of the album’s opening track and lead single, “Backwards Down The Number Line,” which was cut live in the studio – solos and all – and left entirely intact. In contrast, the epic 13-minute, 29-second “Time Turns Elastic” was recorded section-by-section, in more than 260 takes.

Throughout, Phish strikes a remarkable balance, keeping a strong sense of songwriting while allowing its trademark improvisations room to stretch out. In fact, ‘Joy’ includes more improvisations than most of the band’s previous albums. For that reason, says bassist Mike Gordon, “in some ways, I think this one is more for our fans than any of our other albums.”

‘Joy’ marks the first-ever non-archival release on JEMP Records, an independent record label created in 2005 by the members of Phish. The label’s initial function was to release live concerts in CD, DVD and digital formats from the band’s extensive archives, which are located in Burlington, VT.

In a recent interview with Billboard for the cover story of “The Indie Issue,” keyboardist Page McConnell noted: “We’re still outside the mainstream of the business and happy to be existing there.” You can check out the band’s Q&A’s at: Phish – Billboard

Phish – comprising lead guitarist/vocalist Trey Anastasio, drummer Jon Fishman, bassist Mike Gordon and keyboardist Page McConnell – has released 10 studio albums as well as a series of 44 complete live concert CDs. Its series of 91 full concert downloads is currently available on livephish.com. The band will wrap up its summer tour on August 16th in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Buy Music:

Phish on amazon.com

Phish amazon.co.uk

The track listing for Joy is as follows:

1. Backwards Down The Number Line
2. Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan
3. Joy
4. Sugar Shack
5. Ocelot
6. Kill Devil Falls
7. Light
8. I Been Around
9. Time Turns Elastic
10. Twenty Years Later

Phish Official Website

The self-proclaimed “Greatest Band in the World,” Tenacious D, is joining the world’s greatest lineup of artists for the 2nd annual Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival 2009, taking place August 28 – 30 in historic Golden Gate Park.

The closing act on Sunday night, Tenacious D will share the day’s bill with remarkable artists such as MIA, Ween, Modest Mouse and Band of Horses amongst others. This will mark the legendary band’s first appearance in the Bay Area in three years and their United States Festival debut.

The D promises to “unleash an earthquake of rock on the Bay Area!”

Tenacious D’s unforgettable performances, groundbreaking videos and sheer charisma, energy and general all around rawkness will make this one of Outside Land’s most memorable performances.

With five outdoor stages, two indoor venues, 94 diverse artists including Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band, Black Eyed Peas, Incubus, Thievery Corporation, Jason Mraz, The Mars Volta and Tom Jones along with food, wine, and on-site activities that honor the local culture, the three-day festival is expected to draw a broad range of music fans and certainly be one for the story books.

Buy Music:

Tenacious D on amazon.com

Further details on Outside Lands can be accessed on:

Outside Lands Official Website

Tenacious D Official Website

Swansea and Ipswich bands to open the V Festival

Virgin Media has today announced the winners of the Road To V unsigned band competition.

The Last Republic

Underline The Sky

With over 2,600 bands applying for this year’s Road to V, the competition was fierce, but now the much anticipated winners have been revealed:

Welsh rock quintet The Last Republic and pop punk band Underline The Sky, from Ipswich!

This year’s mentors, Just Jack and The Charlatans, whittled the ten semi-finalists down to the final six, but this year it was the public who decided that The Last Republic and Underline The Sky should be the lucky unsigned acts to open the V Festival in Stafford and Chelmsford on 22nd and 23rd August and appear on the same line up as Oasis, The Killers and Snow Patrol.

Read The Charlatans interview on Band Weblogs!

The Last Republic lead singer, Jonnie Owen, commented, “We have been following the Road to V competition for years and it was a dream to enter but to get this far and to know we are going to perform at probably the coolest festival of the summer is untrue. We can’t believe our luck and we just can’t wait to get on stage now and give it our best”

Underline the Sky lead singer, Bronwyn Cooper commented, “We got into this competition through our fans. We have worked so hard to keep their support and attract new fans along the way, and you have no idea how very grateful we are for them. The competition was immense, but the hard work had paid off now and our dream has come true. Bring on V Festival!”

Both bands were recognised for their mesmerising performances at Brighton’s The Great Escape festival where they opened for the Road to V mentors, The Charlatans and Just Jack.

Ashley Stockwell, executive director of brand and marketing at Virgin Media commented: “This year’s Road to V competition was of an incredibly high standard and we were delighted by the sheer number and variety of bands who entered. Our finalists ‘wowed’ our mentors with their performances at The Great Escape and then finally won over the hearts – and ears – of their fans in the public vote. Congratulations to The Last Republic and Underline The Sky – we can’t wait to see their performances at the V Festival.”

Since 2004, Road to V has nurtured great new talent with bands such as quirky post-punk trio The Young Knives, who opened V Festival and went on to attract a Mercury Award nomination in 2007 for their second album ‘Voices of Animals and Men’. Other successful Road to V winners include the critically acclaimed Bombay Bicycle Club, The Rebs and The Brightlights.

To find out more about Road to V, fans can visit www.roadtov.com, where they can watch exclusive interviews, extended shows and performances. Customers on all mobile networks can also keep up-to-date and get access to exclusive video clips on their mobile by texting R2V to 801591.

The Road to V winners will be showcased on Friday 7th August, 2009 at 6:55 pm on Virgin1. As well as being broadcast on Virgin1, the full Road to V shows are available on Virgin Media’s Music On Demand.

A show documenting Underline the Sky and The Last Republic’s experience at V Festival will air on Friday 4th September at 6.55pm.

The Last Republic MySpace

Underline The Sky MySpace

For more information on Virgin Media products and services visit:

Virgin Media

Road to V Official Website

This year’s lineup promises to ensure a continuation of the legendary festival’s cutting edge acts with Kings of Leon, Jane’s Addiction, Rise Against, Depeche Mode, the Killers, Tool + MANY more scheduled to perform.

Can’t make it to Chicago for Lolla ‘09? That’s ok because Fuse is bringing it straight to your TV on Saturday, August 15th with “Fuse Fest: The Best of Lollapalooza!”

Additionally, Fuse is helping music fans stay connected to all of this year’s Lollapalooza ‘09 artists with Twt-a-palooza, a centralized online hub that lets you find, filter, and interact with thousands of tweets from the musical acts playing this year’s fest!

Log in with you Facebook or Twitter account to ensure that you don’t miss a beat from one of this summer’s hottest musical gatherings: http://fusefest.fuse.tv/a/home

Lollapalooza ‘09 on Fuse TV video trailer:

Wait, it gets even better… like free music? Well, Fuse has over 50 Lollapalooza ‘09 artist tracks up for FREE download now on their site!

Free tracks from Animal Collective, Alberta Cross, Neko Case, Band of Horses, Deerhunter, No Age, Santigold and MUCH more can be found right here:

Fuse – downloads

Enjoy, and be sure to tune-in to Fuse on August 15th @ 9pm/8c for Fuse Fest: The Best of Lollapalooza ‘09.

For more information on Fuse’s Lollapalooza ‘09 concert special, head here:

Fuse – Lollapalooza Official Website

Twtapalooza

Find Fuse in your area

Win a trip to BIG DAY OUT festival in Australia!

In the summer of 2004, Matt Allen was behind the wheel of a 1969 Chevrolet Step Van, roaming the streets of Ashland, Oregon in search of adventure. Armed with an endless supply of frozen treats, he was determined to become the most famous ice cream man in the world.

As that summer came to a close, Allen’s mission of entertainment evolved into a greater calling. He began giving away his ice cream for free, beginning with an ice cream social for the residents of Ashland and quickly moving to his hometown of Long Beach, California to expand the simple idea of free ice cream into the phenomenon it is today.

Three years, two national tours, and over 125,000 free ice creams later, Ice Cream Man has come to represent the power of a dream. “This is about getting people to think about things a bit differently, proving that you can do anything with your life,” says Allen, a veteran adventurer whose feats have included hiking from Canada to Mexico and biking across the country to raise money for breast cancer groups. “I want to give away ice cream. It’s that simple. I can’t be the only one who thinks this is a good idea. Why not bring all of these like-minded people together to do great things?”

Throughout the tours, music became a main focus as Ice Cream Man and his dedicated team of over 100 volunteers called at concerts and festivals far and wide; providing frozen treats to artists and audiences, alike.

The crew began reviewing shows along the way, allowing a growing army of followers to join the ride. His growing reputation soon caught the attention of established and emerging artists; all keen to be part of the journey.

Inspired by his operation, ethos and seeing the potential in an increasingly iconic figure; Babelgum teamed up with original content producers, Dig For Fire, to document Ice Cream Man’s 2009 summer tour and thus the weekly documentary: ‘Road Trippin’ with Ice Cream Man’ was born.

Currently powering his way through the States, this years’ tour has seen Ice Cream Man call at and chime his way through SXSW, Pitchfork fest, Rothbury, All Points West, Bonnaroo and 10KLS amongst many other esteemed events and venues where he has been joined by likes of MGMT, Delta Spirit, Cold War Kids, Broken Social Scene, White Rabbits, Chairlift, Manchester Orchestra and many, many more who have stopped by to play music, have a chat or even serve ice-creams – step forward, Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips!

The expedition continues next weekend at Lollapalooza where Ice Cream Man will be joined by the legendary, Ben Harper and Band of Horses; however, with a bill including TV on the Radio, Passion Pit, Perry Farrell, Bon Iver and The Killers, you never know who might stop by for a 99.

The fun doesn’t end there, following Lollapalooza, the van powers on to San Diego and San Francisco for Street Scene and Outside Lands and then tours its way into 2010 with Ice Cream Man’s constant motivation forever at heart: “Why wait to fulfill your dreams?”

Catch up with past episodes of Road Trippin with Ice Cream Man

For further information, head over to:

Ice Cream Man Official Website

If you want to make like Ice Cream Man, Babelgum are offering you the chance to fulfill your dreams with a competition that will send two lucky winners to the Big Day Out festival in Australia, next January 2010.

For terms and to enter, go to:

Ice Cream Man on Babelgum

NPR Music to live webcast & broadcast Newport Folk Festival performance;

World Cafe performance airs

The Decemberists have announced Fall dates for their “A Short Fazed Hovel” 2009 tour.

The tour, which features a full performance of their acclaimed new album ‘The Hazards of Love’, has been earning rave reviews as it crosses the United States from coast to coast, including sold-out performances at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, the Edgefield Winery in their hometown of Portland, Oregon, and stand-out performances at major summer festivals including Sasquatch and Bonnaroo.

The band will also be performing this year at the Newport Folk Festival, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits Music Festival and Treasure Island Music Festival.

A limited number of pre-sale tickets for the Fall tour, which launches September 20, 2009 in Burlington, Vermont, went on sale July 27th to the public on a first-come, first-served basis at Decemberists on Music Today website. Full venue and ticketing information is available at The Decemberists’ newly redesigned website. See full list of upcoming tour dates below.

NPR Music will be live webcasting and broadcasting The Decemberists’ performance at the Newport Folk Festival on August 1, 2009, which will not be The Hazards of Love, but instead a special set for the festival.

The band’s performance and interview on World Cafe aired on July 24th, and is now featured on the NPR Music website.

Buy Music:

The Decemberists on amazon.com

The Decemberists on amazon.co.uk

Check out what the critics have been saying about The Decemberists’ live performance of The Hazards of Love featuring special guests Becky Stark (Lavender Diamond) and Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond):

“Indie Rock Show of the Year? Last night’s riveting, and indeed, bombastic re-creation of the disc at Radio City Music Hall proved Meloy inflates his music, and not himself. He affably ceded the best songs to the guest singers, who made them so: Lavender Diamond’s Becky Stark and My Brightest Diamond’s Shara Worden. The diamond twins, they dazzled.” – New York Magazine

“In a short-attention-span world, the Decemberists dared to release a complicated, dark concept album, The Hazards of Love. Using a prog-rock template, singer/songwriter/guitarist Colin Meloy and his four mates channeled their inner Pink Floyd while spinning fatalistic strong-songs in the Fairport Convention tradition. During a two-hour show Tuesday, the Decemberists made Hazards their entire first set. And they pulled it off with panache.” – Boston Herald

“Colin Meloy of the Decemberists understands that when you make a concept album, you go big or go home. With the release of the ambitious story-cycle The Hazards of Love, Meloy and his cohorts in the literate indie-rock quintet are clearly all in. That conviction was evident as the band and a few special guests flooded the Bank of America Pavilion Tuesday night with images of a fair maiden, her rakish beau, shape-shifting woodland creatures, and an evil forest queen.” – Boston Globe

“At Merriweather last night, Decemberist-in-Chief Colin Meloy led his Beowulf-pack through The Hazards of Love in its sequential entirety, an unbroken hour-long narrative suite. Gutsy, that, but the crowd was with him. As in all rock operas, the dynamic shifts and crunchy power chords count for more than the Tolkeinesque storyline here, and those big, bombastic changes kept the show accessible. After all, Meloy designed these pieces to lodge in your mind after a single exposure, like the songs for a stage musical. And key motifs recur several times.” – Washington Post

“The Hazards of Love is more rock opera than folk record, complete with linear storyline and tooth-rattling guitar riffs. Performing the thing in its entirety seemed not only natural, then, but essential to the piece’s integrity. If I liked The Hazards of Love before, experiencing those big, bombastic metal moments live was a revelation.” – Seattle Weekly

“From the moment Jenny Conlee stepped on stage and took her seat at the organ until the final, ringing note of Colin Meloy’s acoustic guitar, to every Chris Funk instrument change in between (a rough count has him playing acoustic guitar, electric guitar, pedal steel, mandolin, a few other odd-shaped string instruments and drums), Hazards is … astounding.” – The Oregonian

“The Hazards of Love is an all-or-nothing proposition… Yet the large form found coherence; melodies gained strength and resonance each time they returned to underline a plot parallel, as Mr. Meloy’s libretto traced arcs from desire and love to destruction and oblivion.” – The New York Times

“The Decemberists played from start to end their album The Hazards of Love. It’s quite an impressive work—a big rock opera/musical with a weaving fantasy storyline and a sound that incorporates heavy metal and gentle, intricate ’60s British folk. The band was in absolute control of the new material and with a powerful presence, singer-composer Colin Meloy spun the tale… a remarkable experience.” – The Wall Street Journal

“The Decemberists came armed to the teeth for their album’s live premiere… The Hazards of Love is unashamedly over the top in its dreams and execution. And at the Decemberists nailed it that way. Their opera is ready for the road.” – Rolling Stone

“Last night, the Decemberists played The Hazards of Love in its entirety, for the first time ever… it was a triumph…Colin Meloy’s latest sprawling rock opera grew on me, the raw emotion cutting through the frilly window-dressing and the metal (yes, metal) parts feeling more and more assured. The album’s few repeating musical themes lodged in my brainstem and refused to leave, and I realized: this band has pulled it off yet again.” – Pitchfork

“Meloy’s prog-folk hard rock opera translates to the stage in furious, high-volume fashion, with the sashaying, white-clad, sweet-voiced Stark as the romantic heroine Margaret, and the sinister and slinky, black-clad Worden as the Forest Queen.” – AOL Spinner

The Decemberists confirmed 2009 tour dates are as follows:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

Aug. 1 Newport, RI Newport Folk Festival
Aug. 2 Montreal, QUE Osheaga Music & Arts Festival
Aug. 3 Toronto, ONT Kool Haus (w/ Heartless Bastards)
Aug. 5 Madison, WI Orpheum Theater (w/ Heartless Bastards)
Aug. 6 Chicago, IL Metro (w/ Heartless Bastards)
Aug. 7 Chicago, IL Lollapalooza
Aug. 8 Indianapolis, IN Murat Egyptian Room (w/ Heartless Bastards)
Aug. 10 Louisville, KY W.L. Lyons Brown Theater (w/ Blind Pilot)
Aug. 11 Detroit, MI Royal Oak Theater (w/ Heartless Bastards)
Aug. 13 Buffalo, NY UB Center for the Arts (w/ Heartless Bastards)
Aug. 14 Pittsburgh, PA Byham Theater (w/ Heartless Bastards)
Aug. 15 Schwenksville, PA Philadelphia Folk Festival
Aug. 16 Holyoke, MA Mountain Park (w/ Heartless Bastards)
Sept. 20 Burlington, VT Flynn Theater (w/ Laura Veirs & the Hall of Flames)
Sept. 21 Montclair, NJ Wellmont Theater (w/ Laura Veirs & the Hall of Flames)
Sept. 23 Norfolk, VA The Norva (w/ Laura Veirs & the Hall of Flames)
Sept. 24 Charlottesville, VA Charlottesville Pavilion (w/ Laura Veirs & the Hall of Flames)
Sept. 25 Asheville, NC Thomas Wolfe Auditorium (w/ Laura Veirs & the Hall of Flames)
Sept. 27 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium (w/ Laura Veirs & the Hall of Flames)
Sept. 29 St. Augustine,FL St. Augustine Amphitheater (w/ Laura Veirs & the Hall of Flames)
Sept. 30 Orlando, FL Hard Rock Live (w/ Laura Veirs & the Hall of Flames)
Oct. 2 Houston, TX House of Blues (w/ Laura Veirs & the Hall of Flames)
Oct. 3 Austin, TX Austin City Limits Music Festival
Oct. 4 Tulsa, OK Cain’s Ballroom (w/ Laura Veirs & the Hall of Flames)
Oct. 6 Lexington, KY University of Kentucky, Lexington (w/ Laura Veirs & the Hall of Flames)
Oct. 7 Columbia, MO Ninth St. Fall Fest (w/ Laura Veirs & the Hall of Flames)
Oct. 18 San Francisco, CA Treasure Island Music Festival
Nov. 18 London, UK Forum
Nov. 19 London, UK Coronet

The Decemberists MySpace
The Decemberists Official Website

Patrick Wolf’s triumphant year continues with the announcement of a command performance at the London Palladium on November 15, 2009 where he will perform the songs from his latest album, ‘The Bachelor’, and songs from his catalogue as they were originally intended to be heard with a live string section, and gospel choir.

There will also be some very special guests to be announced over the forthcoming weeks.

An unusual but fateful choice of venue, as Patrick explains: “I was in New York at a photo shoot, still undecided about which venue to play my ultimate fantasy show for this album. It was between The London Palladium and The Theatre Royal, so I sit down for a burrito in the studio cafe and from behind me in walks Whoopi Goldberg and gives me a hug! Seeing as the Palladium was the chosen venue for her latest ‘Sister Act’, I thought it pretty obvious what the stars were telling me. The Palladium is the perfect venue to debut “The Bachelor” with string section and gospel choir, to hear the songs in their original arrangements live. This will also be a moment for me to document my work from the last three albums and bring a third dimension to “The Bachelor” live, sonically and visually. So, be prepared for a dark, magic trooper show with special guests and duettists, costume changes and all for one night only.”

The Palladium date will act as the perfect celebration for Patrick and the fans that have helped support the campaign.

Tickets will go on exclusive 48 hour pre-sale via patrickwolf.com from Wednesday, July 29, 2009 where purchasers will have the option of buying a special ltd edition T-shirt designed by Patrick. Tickets go on general sale via Live Nation and See Tickets on Friday, July 31st.

Tickets can be purchased from:

Pre-sale tickets

www.livenation.co.uk 0844 576 5483
www.seetickets.co.uk 0844 412 4657

Patrick plays the following festivals:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

Sun 02-Aug Underage Festival, London
Thurs 3-Aug Opernterrassen – Co-pop festival, Cologne Germany
Fri 14-Aug Dockville Festival, Hamburg, Germany
Sat 15-Aug Way Out West Festival, Gothenberg, Sweden
Fri 21-Aug Lowlands Festival, Biddinghuizen, Holland
Sat 22-Aug Pukkelpop Festival, Hesselt, Belgium
Sun 23-Aug Highfield Festival, Erfurt, Germany
Friday 28-Aug Leeds Festival, UK
Sat 29-Aug Reading Festival, UK
Sun 30-Aug Rock en Seine Festival, Paris, France

Buy Music:

Patrick Wolf on amazon.co.uk

Patrick Wolf on amazon.com

“A whispered breath away from sheer perfection.” 9/10 – Clash Magazine

“It’s a ravishing production, and feels like a fresh start for a brilliant career” – Uncut

“Supple and articulate… you honestly won’t hear a better album this year.” – Dazed & Confused

“an album that rushes over you like a waterfall, demanding awe.” – NME

MySpace
Patrick Wolf Official Website

Tickets Go On Sale Monday, July 27th, 10 A.M. PDT

Band Plans Special Three-Set Show For Halloween, Featuring Its First “Musical Costume” Since 1998

For the first time ever, Phish will combine two of its most cherished traditions – the Phish festival and the band’s Halloween event – in a massive three-day celebration.

Christened Festival 8, it will take place October 30th, 31st and November 1st at The Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA. Festival 8 marks several additional firsts: it is Phish’s first three-day festival, its first held on the West Coast and it will be the first time that a single band has played consecutive dates at the venue.

Tickets, priced at $199.00 plus applicable service charges for the three-day event, will go on sale next Monday, July 27th, at 10 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time at http://places.musictoday.com/festival8

Daily parking is free, but additional fees of $15 per car and $125 per RV will be charged for those wishing to camp onsite. In addition to eight sets from Phish over the course of the event, fans will enjoy numerous attractions and art installations. Additional details are available at http://www.phish.com/festival8.

“We are pleased to support this event,” said Glenn Southard, Indio City Manager. “It will bring thousands of visitors to the City of Indio and to the Coachella Valley and will provide a much-needed boost to our local economy. We look forward to a great event!”

Festival 8 is, as its name suggests, Phish’s eighth festival. Its first, The Clifford Ball, was held at a decommissioned Air Force base in Plattsburgh, NY in August of 1996 and was documented in a seven-DVD box set released earlier this year. Calling it an “all-you-can-eat smorgasbord of Phish,” Rolling Stone noted: “it was definitely groundbreaking there was a real story; that in an age of corporate sponsorship, this completely home-grown thing happened that was different from any other concert.”

Two years and two festivals later, Rolling Stone called 1998’s Lemonwheel “the summer’s most ambitious concert,” adding “given their sense of community, their ambition and their challenging, generous performance, Phish have become the most important band of the nineties.” Big Cypress, held in the final hours of 1999, was the largest paid concert in the world on the eve of the millennium, drawing 80,000 Phish fans to the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation in the Florida Everglades. Festival 8 will be the band’s first festival since Coventry, which came at the conclusion of its 2004 summer tour.

The group is also renowned for its Halloween performances, wherein its members don a musical costume, covering an album by another band. It began on Halloween 1994 with Phish performing The Beatles‘ self-titled album (known as ‘The White Album’). In subsequent years, they covered The Who’s Quadrophenia, Talking Heads’ Remain in Light and the Velvet Underground’s Loaded. For the first time since 1998, Phish will resume this tradition: Over the course of the three days of Festival 8, the band will perform eight sets including the Halloween album.

Phish – comprising lead guitarist/vocalist Trey Anastasio, drummer Jon Fishman, bassist Mike Gordon and keyboardist Page McConnell – has released 11 studio albums, six concert videos and a series of 44 complete live concert CDs, including 13 on JEMP Records. Its series of full concert downloads on livephish.com currently totals 91.

Prior to launching its sold-out 2009 summer tour, the band recorded a new studio album with producer Steve Lillywhite (U2, Rolling Stones, Dave Matthews Band). Details regarding the album will follow shortly.

Buy Music:

Phish on amazon.com

Phish on amazon.co.uk

Phish Festival 8 Official Website

Phish tour dates

Phish Official Website

The Horrors will play an epic DJ set this Friday July 24, 2009 at the LA ROUTE DU ROCK FESTIVAL UK Party, in conjunction with BRAINLOVE RECORDS.

Faris Rotter aka Faris Badwan is a famed DJ in his own right, and can regularly be seen filling the dancefloor at WHITE HEAT and DURRR.

After this week’s Mercury Prize nomination, expect something extra special!

Live, we have the wonderful ANTICON artist SJ ESAU, and blogger’s favourite new überkool East London trio INTERNET FOREVER.

Fuzzy U.S. alt-pop pioneer CARIBOU and JOHN BRAINLOVE will also DJ.

The Luminaire, 311 Kilburn High Road, London, NW6 7JR
From 7.30pm; £8 advance
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/53901

The Horrors Official Website

La Route Du Rock Official Website
Brainlove Records
Luminaire

The 2009 festival, which takes place July 24 and 25, is comprised of a wide variety of music spanning across 20 different genres.

Now in its 8th year, Dfest will feature 164 bands that will play on 13 stages spread throughout downtown Tulsa’s historic Blue Dome District.

This year’s headliners include The Black Crowes, Cake and Ra Ra Riot.

The two-day multi-genre music festival merged with a music industry conference was established in 2002 to help emerging artists gain exposure and connect with the music industry.

The conference consists of music panels, a tradeshow, music clinics and artist mentoring. Each night, national recording artists perform on large outdoor festival stages while top local, regional and national emerging artists perform on a multitude of outdoor stages, indoor venues and club stages.

Dfest has rapidly developed into one of the premier music conferences in the nation as well as the one of the largest festivals in the Midwest.

The festival and conference have fused to create a hot bed for showcasing new music talent across various genres.

For more information go to:

Dfest Official Website

NPR MUSIC AND STATIONS TO EXCLUSIVELY WEBCAST AND BROADCAST PERFORMANCES FROM GEORGE WEIN’S FOLK FESTIVAL 50 AND CAREFUSION JAZZ FESTIVAL 55 IN NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND AUGUST 1 and 2 AND 8 and 9, 2009

TWO 12-SONG “NPR MUSIC AT NEWPORT” SAMPLERS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

NPR Music, together with five partner radio stations, is exclusively live webcasting and broadcasting dozens of performances from George Wein’s Folk Festival 50 and CareFusion Jazz Festival 55 next month in Newport, RI, offering four days of music by some of the country’s most acclaimed artists.

NPR Music and WFUV New York, FolkAlley.com (WKSU) Kent, Ohio, and mvyradio on Martha’s Vineyard and in Newport are covering all acts from the Folk Festival on August 1 and 2 – which celebrates its 50th anniversary with performances by trailblazers Pete Seeger and Joan Baez, and current favorites The Decemberists and Neko Case.

At the Jazz Festival on August 8 and 9, NPR Music with WBGO Newark and WGBH Boston are broadcasting and webcasting four complete line-ups from three stages, headlined by Tony Bennett, Mos Def, Miguel Zenon Quartet and The Bad Plus with Wendy Lewis.

For the second straight year, festival concerts will be accessible through free, live audio webcasts at NPR Music, and live station broadcasts.

NPR Music’s folk and jazz festival coverage will be available at npr.org/folkfestival50 and npr.org/jazzfestival55, where there will be artist interviews and festival news from the All Songs Considered blog and A Blog Supreme. In addition, NPR Music will archive all content and provide podcasts of the performances.

Music from this year’s festivals can be previewed by downloading two free 12-song “NPR Music at Newport” Samplers (one folk, one jazz), featuring many of the acts NPR Music will webcast and broadcast from both festivals.

Songs on the folk sampler include the Avett Brother’s single off their forthcoming record I and Love and You, Pete Seeger’s “Shenandoah” and “Mykonos” from the Fleet Foxes. The jazz sampler offers “Summer Song” by David Brubeck, “Precious” from Esperanza Spalding and Miguel Zenon’s “Penta.” Both samplers are currently redeemable at iTunes.

NPR Music, together with WFUV, Folk Alley and mvyradio, will webcast and broadcast two days of performances from the Folk Festival on August 1 and 2 from noon to 6:00PM (ET). The following week, performances from the festival will be available to stream at NPR Music and the station Web sites, and download through NPR Music’s “Live in Concert” podcast.

The festival will celebrate 50 years of music history in Newport, with Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie and Judy Collins performing alongside The Decemberists, Neko Case, Iron & Wine, The Avett Brothers, Gillian Welch, Fleet Foxes, Mavis Staples, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot and many others.

The next weekend, August 8 and 9 from noon to 6:00PM (ET), NPR Music teams with WBGO and WBGH to live webcast and broadcast four stages from the Jazz Festival.

Saturday’s bill includes performances by Mos Def, Esperanza Spalding, the Joshua Redman Double Trio and Miguel Zenon Quartet.

On Sunday, hear from the likes of Tony Bennett, The Bad Plus with Wendy Lewis, Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band and the Dave Brubeck Quartet.

Hosting NPR Music’s coverage of the Folk Festival are Bob Boilen, host and creator of the popular show All Songs Considered and its “Live in Concert” series, and WFUV host and music director Rita Houston. Josh Jackson, WBGO special projects producer and host of The Checkout, will anchor all Jazz Festival coverage. Updated artist lists and performance schedules are at NPR Music, where there is also an archive of last year’s performances from Newport.

Buy Music, Gifts, more:

NPR on amazon.com

For music and more information, go to:

Folk at Newport

Jazz at Newport

NPR Music Official Website

MOE. HOSTS THE TENTH ANNUAL MOE.DOWN SEPTEMBER 4-6

MOE. FINALIZES LINE-UP INCLUDING CAKE, UMPHREY’S MCGEE, METHOD MAN AND REDMAN, ANI DIFRANCO, MATTHEW SWEET, AND MORE

The Tenth Annual moe.down 2009 will be held September 4, 5 and 6 at the Snow Ridge Ski area in Turin, NY. moe.down has become known as Upstate NY’s most musically diverse festival.

moe. will perform a total of six sets throughout the weekend.

A limited number of tickets are available at $105 until they are sold out or until July 17, 2009.

Please visit www.moedown.com for up-to-the-minute information and to purchase tickets.

moe. has finalized this year’s line-up: moe., CAKE, Umphrey’s McGee, Method Man and Redman, Ani DiFranco, Matthew Sweet, Sam Bush, The New Mastersounds, Ominous Seapods, The Heavy Pets, Okemah, Nate Wilson Group, Family Groove Company, Lynch, My Dear Disco and The London Souls.

Over the past nine years, more than one hundred bands have performed at moe.down, including The Flaming Lips, Perry Farrell’s Satellite Party, The Roots, The Levon Helm Band, They Might Be Giants, Meat Puppets, Medeski Martin & Wood, Matisyahu, Blues Traveler, The Presidents of the United States of America, Fishbone, Leo Kottke, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Nellie McKay, Cracker Van Beethoven, David Grisman, and Les Claypool.

The moe.down festival promises three days of music, camping and fun at the Snow Ridge Ski Area in Turin, NY.

The site is about an hour northeast of Syracuse, at the edge of the beautiful Adirondack Mountains. Ski lifts will be open, so bring your mountain bikes!

For the last eight years, members of the band have hit the greens with friends and fans for the annual moe.down Charity Golf Outing. The event takes place at the Turin Highlands golf course and has raised almost $25,000 for various charities.

moe.down will also feature a Kids’ Tent on Saturday and Sunday from 12 – 4 that promises to entertain even the toughest critics! This year’s Kids’ tent theme is “Mexico” in honor of the moe. song. There will be parades, crafts and activities for the youngest moe.rons and their caregivers.

Buy Music:

moe. on amazon.com

About moe.

Formed in Buffalo, New York in 1991, moe. is one of the finest groups in the jamband movement today. Their tours have taken them from Woodstock ‘99 to New York’s Central Park, as well as to Japan and Europe. moe. has toured with legendary acts such as The Dead, The Allman Brothers Band, Robert Plant, and most recently, The Who.

The band is also critically acclaimed for its songwriting and studio work; the group’s 2001 studio album, DITHER, was awarded four stars by Rolling Stone. 2003’s WORMWOOD received four stars by Blender Magazine. THE CONCH received rave reviews including Rolling Stone, Paste, Blender and many more. moe. is currently on tour supporting its latest studio effort, STICKS & STONES, again a highly admired album. In addition to moe.down, moe. also hosts Summer Camp each Memorial Day Weekend in Chillicothe, IL.

moe. is also becoming recognized for its charitable work: the band hosted a Tsunami Benefit concert at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City on February 10, 2005 and raised $150,000 for Tsunami survivors. The concert earned moe. its second Live Performance of the Year Jammy Award. moe. also raised over $100,000 for various charities, including the Red Cross for Hurricane Katrina survivors and for the music department at Bradley Elementary in Utica, NY, to help keep music in children’s lives.

Photo Left to Right: Chuck Garvey, Vinnie Amico, Al Schnier, Jim Loughlin, Rob Derhak. Photo credit: Danny Clinch. Photo courtesy of moe.org.

For the latest information, music and more, go to:

moe. Official Website

To celebrate their 50th Anniversary, Island Records is teaming up with Band Weblogs to give you a chance to win a pair of tickets to the annual Lollapalooza festival, 2009 in Grant Park, Chicago and a $100 gas card to help get you there!

Enter to win tickets: Lollapalooza Giveaway!

If a weekend full of live music with mega-stars The Killers, Beasties Boys and Tool (to name a few) wasn’t quite enough then you’re in luck because Island Records is also hooking up the Grand Prize winner with the entire Killers’ catalog, as well as albums from Noisettes, Airborne Toxic Event, and Ida Maria.

The prizing isn’t over yet… Island Records is also giving away custom Zippo lighters and music download cards with the top 50 Island songs from the past 50 years to 25 runners up!

Don’t pass up your chance to get in on the action!

Lollapalooza festival – August 7 – 9, 2009

For more information on the festival lineup and stage locations visit the Official Lollapalooza Website.

Island Records Official Website

To sign-up, for contest rules and terms, go to:

Lollapalooza Giveaway!