What: In the music video for “Glitters Like Gold”, The Cribs recreate the wonder of Vh-1′s Pop-Up Video, adding links to accompanying clips for each factoid. It’s just as wholesome and informative as it was back in the day.

The band’s latest album, In The Belly of the Brazen Bull, is out now on Wichita Recordings.

Directed by: Andy Knowles and Stephen Agnew

The album’s first half is a random concoction of garage and punk themes that, while not overly profound, at least entertains. “Come On, Be A No One” is prototypical Cribs, a sloppy anthem for losers everywhere built on the back of a polite English snarl and the concussion of an oversized guitar-bass combo. “Chi-Town” is equally anthemic, only more complex, with the instrumentation swirling and shifting into early, less artsy post-punk fury. Coupled with “fun times” lyricism, it’ll kick-start the dancing regardless of your intellectual pursuits.

“Anna” deserves attention for its low-key romanticism and its belying depth. Musically, there are two competing components: the energy facilitated by the jangly beat and an undercurrent of more sinister intentions and noises. The band rides the line brilliantly, reflecting the chaos in so many young men’s hearts, which reaches a desperate apex by the line, “I’m not yet who I wanna be/So help me to change.”

While the first half lacks long-lasting influence, it effectively buffers the second half’s movements of operatic proportions. Movement #1 features the one-two punch of “Back to the Bolthole”/”I Should Have Helped”. Where “Anna” held back in intensity, “Bolthole” tears off the chains, trudging forward like a haze-metal colossus, each strum of the psych-rock guitar a massive footstep. Hanging in the air, balancing the harsh vibe, is a vintage synth line that lends an air of forlorn. Dichotomy thus set, the track/giant continues its great roar, each element intensifying into a truly disorientating cry.

Following the devastation, “I Should Have Helped” enters like a lonely minstrel recalling the havoc. Backed by a folk-y strum and bittersweet harmonies, the band achieves the most simple and profound lyricism of the record (“When a loved one dies, you look at the sky in a different way/But that’s OK/Cause perfect things can still break your heart”). Alone, it’s touching and sweet; as a follow-up to “Bolthole”, it generates the kind of heartache that can be nauseating. The key is how interconnected the sentiments of both songs are, linked together with the subtlety of a great author.

Less emotionally impactful, the second movement focuses on sonic intricacy. The uber psych-y “Stalagmites”‘s precise beam of militaristic drumming reins in a guitar akin to a rebellious teen. Toward the end, the whole relationship breaks down, but from that chaos emerges the Zen-like “Like a Gift Giver”. Structurally similar, it eschews the sense of order for a swelling sense of freedom by unifying the instrumentation under a banner of groovy peace. Once the world around it has leveled out, it splits the difference completely and transforms suddenly into “Butterflies”. The act of balancing both dichotomies seems fairly easy, resulting in saccharine vocals with New Wave guitars and drums marching together in righteous glory toward arena rock bliss.

What’s so vital about this particular movement is that it demonstrates the band’s ability as pure sound-crafters. Much of their back catalog focuses on forging lyrical displays of immaturity and sweet garage rock grooves. With this three-headed animal, they’ve cut out the former for pristine musicianship that presents feelings and situations with as much clarity and insight as any clever line.

Despite varying approaches, both movements unite in the album closer/piece de resistance “Arena Rock Encore with Full Cast”. An air of theatricality, complete with Broadway-esque choral vocals, is just as prominent as the arena rock-ready guitar solos and random strands of noise and feedback. Unceasing joyous-ness aside, its core message makes it the perfect closer.

Several times, the band proclaims, “Sorry that it’s taken years/We were victims of our own ideas”, as if to say they’ve at last arrived at something they’re proud of. After years of fun yet under-constructed output (represented by the first half) they’re now onto a sound (the second half) that has overcome its self-created weaknesses to achieve something that exemplifies who they are as a band and their future aspirations. Along the way, in gaining that maturity, they’ve never lost the brashness or spontaneity. With that kind of well-rounded pedigree, you don’t ever need to be the Stones or the Beatles. You can be just as proud being The Cribs.

Essential Tracks: “Come On, Be A No One”, “Anna”, and tracks #9-14

UK garage rock trio The Cribs will return to North America this June in support of their upcoming fifth album, In the Belly of the Brazen Bull. The 10-date tour kicks of June 5th in Philadelphia, PA and includes shows in Atlanta, Houston, and Los Angeles before wrapping up on June 18th in Vancouver, BC. Peep the full itinerary below.

In the Belly of the Brazen Bull hits stores on May 8th via Wichita Recordings. Just after the docket is the band’s music video for “Come On, Be a No-One” .

The Cribs 2012 Tour Dates:
04/27 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
04/28 – Brussels, BE @ De Botanique
04/30 – Paris, FR @ Point Ephemere
05/02 – Hamburg, DE @ Uebel & Gefahrlich
05/03 – Berlin, DE @ Festaal Kreuzberg
05/05-06 – London, UK @ Camden Crawl 2012
05/07 – Nottingham, UK @ Rock City
05/08 – London, UK @ Troxy
05/09 – Bristol, UK @ O2 Academy
05/11 – Glasgow, UK @ Barrowland Ballroom
05/12 – Manchester, UK @ Manchester Academy
05/13 – Eastbourne UK @ Winter Garden
05/16 – Wakefield, UK @ Theatre Royal and Opera House
06/05 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brendas
06/06 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
06/07 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
06/08 – Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall
06/09 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade: Hell Stage
06/11 – Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s: Upstairs
06/12 – Austin, TX @ The Parish
06/15 – Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theater
06/16 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
06/18 – Vancouver, BC @ Venue
08/16-18 – St. Polten, AU @ Frequency Festival
08/24-26 – Reading and Leeds, UK @ Reading and Leeds Fests

“I’m looking for something that’ll… break through. You know?” James Woods’ Max Renn yearns in David Cronenberg’s 1983 cult classic Videodrome. Oh, how things have changed. In today’s day and age, we’ve already drowned in media. It’s swallowed us. We’re nothing but a bubble amidst one infinite, engulfing abyss. Intimidated? You should be. With each passing second, you’re losing opportunities to take advantage of a culture that’s moving ahead and at an exhausting rate. You could very well be alone… left behind… abandoned. Terrified yet? Yes? Well, that’s more like it.

-Michael Roffman
President/Editor-in-Chief

Ceremony – “Adult”

Judging from this 1950′s-inspired video, it’s probably safe to say the dudes from Ceremony are pretty excited for the return of Mad Men this weekend.

The Cribs – “Come On, Be a No-One”

Probably the most interesting thing about this new clip from UK punk-poppers The Cribs is frontman Ryan Jarman’s haircut. It’s not often that someone walks into a barbershop and says, “Give me the Johnny Ramone circa 1977.”

Earl Sweatshirt’s Live Debut

Just when we think we might be growing tired of Odd Future’s antics, they give us another reason to pay attention again. At long last, the collective welcomed back their (arguably) most talented member, Earl Sweatshirt. Watching Tyler & Co. so genuinely happy to have their friend back is almost enough to get you all choked up – that is until you realize the name of the song they’re performing is charmingly titled “AssMilk”.

Janelle Monáe – “Little Wing” (Jimi Hendrix Cover)

There are few songs sexier than Jimi Hendrix’s “Little Wing”. Yet retro-soul vixen Janelle Monáe somehow manages to add a little bit more steamy sensuality to her cover of the track. Her crazy vocal range is a nice substitute for Jimi’s famous baritone.

Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s – “Shannon”

If there’s one thing that funerals today lack, it’s definitely ritual pagan practices. Thankfully, Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s remedy this problem in their new video.

Modeselektor feat. Miss Platinum – “Berlin”

With its cute animation that looks lifted from an Adult Swim show, Modeselektor manage to make a giant gorilla terrorizing an entire city seem not so bad at all.

Odd Future feat. Earl Sweatshirt – “Oldie”

And you thought Wu-Tang Clan had a lot of members.

The Shoes – “Time to Dance”

Director Daniel Wolfe manages to make Jake Gyllenhaal inordinately creepy in this deluxe eight minute clip for The Shoes’ delectable single. Things get sexy, things get dancey, and plenty gets bloody. This will be one of your favorite videos of the year.

Spiritualized – “Hey Jane”

Ever wonder what a day in the life of a transvestite prostitute is like? Well, Spiritualized have got you covered. Shocker, this one is very NSFW.

Tanlines – “All of Me”

Back during the Cold War, there apparently wasn’t much to smile about. This latest video from Tanlines, which looks like it was made sometime during the Carter Administration, goes to show that even when you’re preparing for nuclear holocaust, you still should set aside some time to bust a move every once in a while.

The Cribs keep it simple in the music video for “Come On, Be A No-One”, interspersing behind-the-scenes shots between rowdy performance footage. It may be a simple concept, but this effort will undoubtedly turn a plethora of desks into personalized mini-mosh pits. Watch it below.

The band’s latest album, In the Belly of the Brazen Bull, hits stores on May 8th via Wichita Recordings.

After singing the praises of the Second City, UK outfit The Cribs now turn their sights on the losers of Planet Earth with “Come On, Be A No-One”, the latest track to emerge from their upcoming Steve Albini-fueled In the Belly of the Brazen Bull. Letting forth a gnarly cannon shot of angsty guitar and jagged-sounding bass, the song’s the perfect call to arms for hopeless slackers looking for a little community. Stream it below.

[soundcloud width="500"]http://soundcloud.com/the-cribs/the-cribs-come-on-be-a-no-one[/soundcloud]

In the Belly of the Brazen Bull hits stores on May 8th via Wichita Recordings.

In the Belly of the Brazen Bull Tracklist:
01. Glitters Like Gold
02. Come On Be A No-One
03. Jaded Youth
04. Anna
05. Confident Men
06. Uptight
07. Chi-Town
08. Pure O
09. Back To The Bolthole
10. I Should Have Helped
11. Stalagmites
12. Like A Gift Giver
13. Butterflies
14. Arena Rock Encore With Full Cast

Congratulations, both romantically-inclined and the perpetually alone: you’ve made it through Valentine’s Day intact (perhaps with a few more pounds of chocolate weight?) This week, we’ve got lovely new tracks from Lady Lamb, Diplo, Burial, the Mars Volta, and many more. Now, only 362 days till the next V-Day…

-Chris Coplan
News Editor

Burial – “Loner”

On “Loner”, the desolate first track off of his latest EP Kindred, South London post-rave wunderkind Burial displays a previously unheard kinetic edge, juxtaposing the atmospheric doom and gloom of his past work against a shockingly straightforward four-on-the-floor beat. Cause for alarm? Not in the least; this just might be his best track to date. Kindred is out now digitally on Hyperdub. -Möhammad Choudhery

The Cribs – “Chi-Town”

England’s own The Cribs show their love for drunken punk rock singalongs and the Second City in the first track from their upcoming Steve Albini-fueled LP, In the Belly of the Brazen Bull. Listen to this one while you wander around Logan Square after a Bulls win. In the Belly of the Brazen Bull hits stores on May 8th via Wichita Recordings. -Chris Coplan

The Cribs – “Chi-Town”

The Hounds Below – “For You And I”

Since the Von Bondies disbanded last year, Jason Stollsteimer has founded a new group, The Hounds Below. The group’s debut single, off their yet-to-be-titled debut LP, makes for an auspicious first chapter in their career, bursting at the seams with angular guitars and a couple of catchy-as-hell choruses. Stay tuned for more details on the future release. -Möhammad Choudhery

The Hounds Below – “For You and I”

JJ DOOM – “Banished”

Sans Dave Sitek this time around, rapper/producer Jneiro Jarel and rapper/supervillian DOOM released “Banished”, the first track from their upcoming joint LP Keys to the Kuffs. A beast of crazy, bass-heavy synth, the real star of the show is DOOM’s maniacal flow of unending pop culture references. Keys to the Kuffs hits stores this May via Lex Records. -Chris Coplan

Lady Lamb the Beekeeper – “Arms”

Brooklyn singer-songwriter Aly Spaltro still hasn’t unveiled the details for her forthcoming LP. But if the demo entitled “Arms”, with its adorable lyrics and jarring acoustic instrumentation, are any indication, it should be absolutely buzz-worthy. Bee ready, y’all. -Chris Coplan

Light Asylum – “Shallow Tears”

With this glorious blast of moody, electro post-punk, NYC-based duo Light Asylum announce the release of their self-titled debut. A rework of the same “Shallow Tears” that’s been floating ’round the Internet since last year as a bootlegged mp3, it’s a stunning first single that sets the bar pretty high for Light Asylum, due out May 1st on Mexican Summer. -Möhammad Choudhery

The Mars Volta – “The Malkin Jewel”

Just weeks after announcing a reunion tour with their 10-years-defunct band At the Drive-In, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Cedric Bixler-Zavala and co. announced the eminent release of The Mars Volta’s sixth record, Noctrourniquet. The leadoff single “the Malkin Jewel” is a blistering beast of a track built around a tripped-out, dubby backbeat and oodles of heavy psychedelia. It’s an awesomely deranged jam that’s pretty far from the (relatively) tame Octahedron, the band’s last effort. No complaints here, though. Noctourniquet is out March 27th on Warner Bros. -Möhammad Choudhery

Stream it at the band’s website.

Mouse on Mars – “Polaroyced”

To kick off promotion of their first new album in some six years, German electro duo Mouse on Mars premiered “Polaroyced”, which the band claimed no speakers in the world could adequately handle. Maybe we’ve got malfunctioning equipment, but the groovy cascade of synth bleeps sounded fleshed out enough. Test the band’s theory in-full when the Parastrophics drops on February 28th via Monkeytown Records. -Chris Coplan

Simian Mobile Disco – “Fourteenth Principles”

This past Monday, British electro-producer duo Simian Mobile Disco updated their website to feature the above photo against a black backdrop. We’ll take it to mean that their follow-up to 2009′s Temporary Pleasure is due out on May 14th and is to be titled Unpatterns. At the page’s bottom was a SoundCloud link to this, an ominous two-minute song that sounds an awful lot like the introduction to something really, really awesome. Unpatterns is out May 14th. -Möhammad Choudhery

Stream here.

Usher – “Climax” (prod. by Diplo)

Diplo himself said he’s “pretty sure in 9 months there are gonna be a lot of new babies that this song is responsible for.” And whether it’s Mr. Raymond’s crooning or the smooth electro-soul production, this track has us thinking we wanna procreate, too. -Chris Coplan

The Cribs have written you a new anthem, Chicago. (Random side note: Best Chicago song ever?) As Listen Before You Buy points out, the UK outfit has just debuted “Chi-Town”, the first offering from their Steve Albini-fueled new LP. It’s pretty punk rock, seems like a great singalong for when in a drunken stooper (can’t wait to try this out tonight Friday), and name checks Logan Square more than once. Check it out at SoundCloud. Update: Download the mp3 below (via SPIN).

The Cribs – “Chi-Town”

Update: According to an issued press release, The Cribs new LP, entitled In the Belly of the Brazen Bull, is out May 8th via Wichita Recordings. Along with Albini, the band recorded with MGMT/Flaming Lips producer David Fridmann in New York. The band plans to tour in support with dates in the U.S. set for April.

In the Belly of the Brazen Bull Tracklist:
01. Glitters Like Gold
02. Come On Be A No-One
03. Jaded Youth
04. Anna
05. Confident Men
06. Uptight
07. Chi-Town
08. Pure O
09. Back To The Bolthole
10. I Should Have Helped
11. Stalagmites
12. Like A Gift Giver
13. Butterflies
14. Arena Rock Encore With Full Cast

The Cribs 2012 Tour Dates:
04/03 – Portland, OR @ Holocene
04/04 – Crocodile Café, Seattle, WA
04/07- Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
04/09 – Chicago, IL @ Schuba’s
04/10 – Pontiac, MI @ The Pike Room
04/11 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
04/13 – Brooklyn, NY @Music Hall of Williamsburg
04/14 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
05/07 – Nottingham, UK @ Rock City
05/08 – London, UK @ The Troxy
05/09 – Bristol, UK @ O2 Academy
05/11 – Glasgow, UK @ Barrowlands
05/12 – Manchester, UK @ Academy
05/13 – Eastbourne, UK @ Winter Gardens

Steve Albini is grinding. The Shellac frontman and rock producer extraordinaire has helped Cloud Nothings flip the script on 2012 with their forthcoming album, is working with the equally volatile Screaming Females on their next effort, and for the trifecta Albini will also have his signature on British garage revivalists The Cribs‘ forthcoming album (via NME). Tentatively titled In The Belly Of The Brazen Bull, the album also features production from Mercury Rev/Flaming Lips mainstay Dave Fridmann and a little bit of self-production from the band itself.

The album will not feature Johnny Marr, the former Smiths guitarist who left the band after their previous album Ignore the Ignorant. “Working with Johnny was something I really enjoyed, but what it’s made me realise is that this is the way it’s meant to be,” guitarist Ryan Jarman told NME. “I liked the last record and it was a progression, but there was something lost in translation. It was something indefinable – but it’s back.”

Below, watch The Cribs’ video for “Men’s Need”.

Nardwuar the Human Serviette — the eccentrically-dressed, insanely chipper Canuck whose interview with Lil B (see below) rivals only 90 Corgis In Costumes as the best thing to hit the web in 2011 — has put together a compilation album. Because… why not? According to Exclaim!, the collection is titled Busy Doing Nothing and features new music from Franz Ferdinand, The Cribs, Andrew W.K., and Kate Nash, as well as Nardwuar’s own band, Canadian punk rockers The Evaporators.

The compilation hits stores on March 6th via Mint Records. In addition to the music, the set also includes a 40-page punk rock calendar featuring images from Vancouver punk photographer Bev Davies.

Marr – whose work on the Inception soundtrack landed him a Golden Globe nomination – also said that he plans on doing more soundtrack work and that there were no ill feelings towards The Cribs’ other members (who all happen to be brothers) at all. “Touring and recording with Ryan, Gary, and Ross has been fantastic, and Ignore the Ignorant is something I’m really proud of,” he said. “We ended up doing more than we originally set out to, and I’ve made three good friends.”

The Jarman brothers have also commented on their split with Marr, as NME has pointed out that the boys took to their official website to explain why “The Cribs are gonna be a three-piece again.” Their statement echoes Marr’s sentiment about the band accomplishing more than they originally set out to do, adding that they were also extremely proud of the work they accomplished with Marr, who they “very much” considered a full-time member of the band. They confirmed that the foursome had went into the studio with Edwyn Collins – who produced and played keyboards on The Cribs’ 2005 release, New Fellas – but that sessions didn’t really work out.

In the meantime, the Jarmans have expressed excitement about the new phase of their careers and have revealed that the band is actually putting new, lo-fi embracing, songs together. “Right now we are in Portland demoing in Gary’s basement, and it feels so liberating,” they said. “We are back in our usual environment and feeling good about it – we’ve got everything we need.”

Fans can check out the Cribs’ new lineup on one of their European festival dates listed below. Ticketing information is available here.

The Cribs 2011 Tour Dates:
05/21 – Cheshire, UK @ Friends of Mine Festival
06/11 – Scotland, UK @ Rockness Festival
06/12 – London, UK @ Get Loaded In The Park
07/30 – Carnforth, UK @ Kendall Calling Festival

At a pre-Oscar soiree of sorts, Marr told Billboard, “With the Cribs not working I’ve been writing a lot on my own.” The publication goes on to report that the former Smiths axeman plans to release two albums within the next 18 months. These releases would be his first since 2003′s Boomslang.

No more further details are available on the releases; what’s more, Billboard hints that Marr neglected to mention any future collaborations with The Cribs. However, in news that will make this writer dream splendidly, Marr seemed positive in staying close with Zimmer, stating, “We will work together again.”

We’ll take more of this, please…

The weekend’s good fortune prevailed. The sun returned, and so did the fans. Immediately, people of all sorts scuttled into the park. Excitement flavored the air. Two more headliners. The long-awaited return of 90′s grunge rock legends, Soundgarden, and the uber-hyped Arcade Fire set, which fans have been salivating about since The Suburbs hit the net. All in all, not too shabby of a way to pull down the curtain, blow out the candle, have the fat lady sing, etc.

It’s sort of interesting how Sunday panned out, actually. Whoever scheduled the day divided it in such a way that those who favored more mainstream, aggressive acts were cattled into the south end of the park. Whereas the folks who preferred more indie-centric material had to hike it up north. In a way, it was sort of like a high school cafeteria, where particular groups flock to different tables, sneering at one another and butting heads in the lunch line.

For the most part, there was no ill will. With the exception of a roughneck crowd at MGMT (Care to explain that, anyone?), things remained civil. People danced, people headbanged, and others carried on their own business. Maybe it was because everyone has work tomorrow, but there was a lack of drunken tomfoolery usually seen at Lollapalooza. Very refreshing.

All in all, this year’s Lollapalooza concluded just fine, successfully bookmarking what may be one of the best weekends in the festival’s history. Wait, wait, don’t go down and comment just yet. Mull it over. Ask these questions: Where else would you see The Strokes? How often do you see not one, but two rare international sensations? (e.g. Empire of the Sun, X Japan) What other festival offers you the choice between Soundgarden and Arcade Fire? When was the last time you yelled out, “Holy shit, Green Day was awesome!”, without acting like a sarcastic ass in the comments below?

Rhetorical, rhetorical, rhetorical, and… rhetorical, of course. But, these are all good angles to observe. Without getting ahead of ourselves – after all, you’ve still yet to read our final report – we’re just going to say this: Lollapalooza kicked our asses this year. With smart planning (e.g. opening up Columbus Drive and expanding), great food (Damn you addicting Strawberry Lemonade!), and a handful of timeless performances, Lollapalooza reinvented itself once again. Chicago should only be so proud. Now, how about we write to City Hall and demand an extension on that irritating curfew? Huh?

Well, maybe you should read this first…

Sunday, August 8th

HEALTH
adidas MEGA, 11:30 a.m.

Photo by Lauren Guagno

Chicago may have given us rain, but HEALTH gave the Windy City thunder and lightening. With a really, really rough set time, – 11:30 in the morning on a Sunday – exhausted attendees were even more…exhausted. To add more detriment, it’s the third and final day of the festival, when everyone’s soothing sore legs and counting down the hours. Okay, so not a good slot. Add in the rain and ensuing mud fields, it’s just a downright shitty situation. Nevertheless, dedicated fans who would sit through anything, whether it be some rain or a wave of lava, stuck true to their guns and arrived onsite. What they heard, however, was something marvelous. When “Die Slow” erupted from the set, mud flew and fans drooled all the way until “We Are Water”, where the combination of what seemed like a tornado and waterfall made the setting all worthwhile. Save for a later set time, this couldn’t have been any better, weather conditions included. How’s that for looking on the bright side? -Phillip Roffman

Switchfoot
adidas MEGA, 1:00 p.m.

“It’s been a dream of ours to play Lollapalooza for a long time.” – Jon Foreman

Sometimes, you just gotta roll with the punches. Switchfoot was a huge, multi-platinum selling band just a few short years ago. Back then, they could have easily commanded a time slot much later in the day. But things happen, and now they’re a 1:00 side stage band at a festival like Lollapalooza. And while they’ve faded from the public spotlight, they’re still around and kicking. Their booking at this particular festival may have drawn some confusion, but they drew a decent sized crowd for an early afternoon set. Their days of playing to huge audiences helped their stage presence greatly – they were all over the stage and the crowd during their set. They played mostly the hits – something that cannot usually be said for an early afternoon band. Crowd pleasers like “Stars”, “Dare You To Move” and obvious set closer “Meant to Live”. They even threw in an unexpected Beastie Boys cover – “Sabotage”. My Switchfoot phase came and went a long time ago – but I can’t help but think my ninth grade self would have been pleased with this show. -Carson O’Shoney

The Cribs
Parkways, 2:00 p.m.

Bad news for Cribs fans: you made up half the audience that saw Blues Traveler the day before on the same stage at the same time. Good news: Johnny Marr is still a Crib. To say it begins and ends with Marr is unfair, The Cribs have been around for nearly a decade. They’ve enjoyed a lot of success overseas in their native country of England, but haven’t quite clicked in the States. As they arrived onstage to the opening theme for Twin Peaks, any evidence of bad weather disappeared (“This is the only time we’ve brought good weather to a festival,” said singer/guitarist Ryan Jarman). They played for a full hour, opening with the fierce “We Were Aborted” from Marr’s debut with the band, Ignore the Ignorant, whose title track was also performed. Other songs included the wild “Hari Kari”, “Cheat on Me”, and the highlight of the set, “Be Safe”, which was accompanied by a pre-recorded video/vocal by Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth). Were The Cribs able to hold the attention of the audience for a full hour? No, but there was good to be had, so ignore the ignorant. – Justin Gerber

Photo by Heather Kaplan

Blitzen Trapper
Budweiser, 2:00 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

With a band like Blitzen Trapper and their classic rock meets country sound, you can tell the use of cowbell is sincere. However, as soon as it made an appearance, a bunch of people just started shouting “More!” (It’s been ten years people! Seriously, look it up!). But, those interested in the music took to singing along to their 2008 title track, “Furr”, howling out chorus lines like “I’m a rattlesnake, Babe, I’m like fuel on fire” as if they were in a Western flick. -Adam Kivel

Mumford & Sons
Playstation, 3:00 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

“This is an amazing festival… it’s a good day,” said Marcus Mumford, his thick English accent charming the crowd. That is, a vast crowd extending far away from the stage under a sweltering, rejuvenated sun. Mumford & Sons‘ set opened with a raspy voiced “Sigh No More”, sending waves of claps throughout the crowd, followed by “Awake My Soul” and “Roll Away Your Stone”, where the sound of banjos filled everybody’s ears. The true crowd pleaser seemed to be, “Little Lion Man”, as the crowd vibrantly chanted in unison. Even more intriguing, the band had people jumping up and down easily, as if they weren’t watching a folk band, but were at a club, instead. -Lauren Guagno

X Japan
Parkways, 4:00 p.m.

For months, X Japan had been touted as one of the specialty adds for Lollapalooza. A rare event not to be missed, they said. Some even compared the group, which came together in 1982, to Guns N’ Roses, touting them as Japan’s greatest rock ‘n’ roll band. With that much hype, who wouldn’t skip Yeasayer for them? After a tedious soundcheck, which went five minutes over, the P.A. charged the really, really, really devoted crowd (some even braving the heat in black kimonos, others crying their eyes out in wonder) with epic instrumentals. Finally, members here and there littered the stage, as those aforementioned fans wailed on and on, and a full on metal show ensued. Given the band’s tunes average seven or eight minutes, the setlist lacked some depth, but that didn’t stop them from treating the gig as if it were a two-hour show.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

All the makings of an arena rock event were present. Pyro accented heavy drum fills, solos dug deeper and deeper, all the while frontman Toshi Deyama tugged harder and harder at the crowd. Christ can he wail, too. On opener “Rusty Nail”, Deyama’s vocals rivaled those of Steve Perry, while on newer material like “Jade”, he scowled and gnarled better than Axl Rose could ever dream to anymore. To borrow from Ghostbusters, they came, they saw, they kicked our ass. Sure, the set had its fair share of window shoppers (about 20% of the crowd left after the first song); however, X Japan retained a stable and dedicated enough audience that further ventures into America shouldn’t seem unreasonable. At all. Call it a tad idealistic, but perhaps they’ll finally break through here. Better late than never, right? -Michael Roffman

Yeasayer
Budweiser, 4:00 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

File this in the “Woah, I didn’t realize they were that popular” folder: I saw a girl start sobbing because Yeasayer played “O.N.E.”, apparently her favorite song (to be fair, Anand Wilder’s lead performance on the track was powerful). Looking back at the huge crowd bobbing along to early stuff like “Sunrise” and new hit “Ambling Alp” in turn, I started to wonder if a good portion of the people there weren’t just waiting for MGMT as I had earlier expected. Added bonus: apparently, Yeasayer controls the weather. “We thought it was going to rain,” vocalist Chris Keating announced, “But it does not rain on this band, ever.” -Adam Kivel

Frightened Rabbit
Sony bloggie, 5:00 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

Much like Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros set the day before, a great turnout was present for Scotland’s Frightened Rabbit. The crowd had to suffer through the unrelenting sun that refused to set behind one of Chicago’s many skyscrapers, but once the band came out, the sweat and heat were forgotten. First up was the exploding chorus by way of mournful ballad of “The Modern Leper”. Lead singer Scott Hutchison bounded and thrashed his way throughout the set with his guitar in tow, especially through the rousing, anthemic “Nothing Like You”. Having seen Yeasayer earlier, an argument could be made that Frightened Rabbit’s audience was much more receptive. Perhaps next year they’ll find themselves playing the Budweiser stage after The Magnetic Zeros perform at PlayStation (BONUS FACT: Waldo was spotted here in the crowd). – Justin Gerber

Erykah Badu
adidas MEGA, 5:00 p.m.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

“I’m gonna get a little funky now if ya’ll don’t mind.”

Erykah Badu’s debut Lollapalooza performance was a slow starter – but those who waited it out were treated to a wonderful show. For the first 15 minutes of her scheduled set, her DJ simply spun some classic hip-hop records. The crowd was with him for a few minutes, thinking Badu was sure to come out any minute, but after a while the crowd started to fade. Just then, Badu’s band came on to keep entertaining for another five minutes, and Fat Belly Bella (aka Badula Oblongata aka Analogue Girl in a Digital World aka about three other names) finally came out around 5:20 p.m., sporting a wild new hairdo. Her first few songs were fantastic jazzy numbers, starting with opener “20 Feet Tall”. Her voice was spot on and the band was tight – but the slower numbers were all but lost on the crowd. It wasn’t until the third song – “On and On” – that the audience really got into the set. From then on, she got funky – and the crowd loved it. -Carson O’Shoney

Wolfmother
Parkways, 6:00 p.m.

It hasn’t been easy for Wolfmother. In other words, it hasn’t been easy for vocalist and guitarist Andrew Stockdale. Replacements galore, the Australian rocker’s yet to really have a consistent working band, but what he does have (and when he has it) works well. Really well. Surging through a powerful set Sunday evening, Stockdale unzipped classics like the always-perfect opener “Dimension”, the ever bouncy “White Unicorn”, and the made-to-be-a-closer “Joker and the Thief”. Some changes were noticeable, however.

Back in 2006, “Woman” was the bee’s knees. Nowadays, it’s sort of a bridge to better songs, like “Vagabond” or “Mind’s Eye”, which really sold this set. New tunes off of last year’s Cosmic Egg were fun, though they’re not as quick and concise as past material (though “California Queen” comes close).

Aside from some microphone issues, Wolfmother’s hour fit in comfortably with the win some, lose some entries available at the south end. It really was a shining example of a perfect evening set. Oh yeah, according to Stockdale’s insider information, a reincarnated Jimi Hendrix flew over Grant Park as a dragonfly, not to rock though, but to “bless the festival.” Hey, you gotta love a dreamer. -Michael Roffman

Photo by Heather Kaplan

MGMT
Budweiser, 6:00 p.m.

Ah, the curious case of Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser. Together they make MGMT, whose latest album Congratulations has polarized fans and critics alike. Their set at Lolla was very indicitive of this predicament the young men find themselves in. Choosing to open with the acoustic “Piece of What” from Oracular Spectacular was probably not the best decision for a crowd eager to dance about in the setting sun. Following up with the goodish “Brian Eno” was also questionable. As the songs went on, Lollapaloozans by the dozens were leaving for either The National or Soundgarden, and MGMT were losing their crowd. Despite playing “Electric Feel” earlier in the set, the song was besieged by a serious lack of punch via the bass that makes the track on the album. VanWyngarden’s vocals were often lost in the mix, as well, either due to technical problems from the equipment or the man singing.

Photo by Cap Blackard

It took about 45 minutes before a pulse finally quickened in the crowd, thanks to the response given to “Time to Pretend”. From there on out, everything sounded better. Perhaps the energy of the crowd really made a difference, or perhaps sound issues were worked out. “Destrokk” from the Time to Pretend EP received a warm welcome, as did “The Handshake”, and, of course, “Kids”. Crowd surfing could be seen throughout the set’s conclusion, culminating with “Congratualtions”, which still sounds exactly like The Band’s “The Weight”. Ultimately, we were faced with a maddening, inconsistent set that lasted an hour and 15 minutes. Fortunately, the bands following were raring to go… – Justin Gerber

Flosstradamus
Perry’s, 6:30 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

I will be the first to admit that I’m no electronic music connoisseur. I can appreciate it, and it’s a lot of fun to dance to, but there are times when a lot of it runs together in my mind. There are only so many different ways you can use “Satisfaction” in a dance song – but of course it still always gets the biggest reaction. Maybe it was because I wasn’t on drugs, but Flosstradamus’ set came across as just another electro set. The constant quick repeating clips on the video screens did provide plenty of entertainment while adding a certain feeling to the music though. But after a crowd-pleasing performance by last minute Dirty South replacement, JFK (of MSTRKRFT), the Chicago duo tried and failed to get the small crowd into the set. They eventually won them over, and the further into the set, the more their fans got into it. Mixing in everything from Lion King music to Barbra Streisand, Flosstradamus was never short on ideas but they didn’t pay off for me. In the end though, it was still Perry’s. There was dancing. There were drugs. And plenty of people had a great time at their show – and there’s nothing wrong with that. -Carson O’Shoney

The National
Playstation, 7:15 p.m.

Sure, Soundgarden may have been making their 13-year return and The Strokes were out to prove they’re still worth your time, but no Lollapalooza act was faced with a more daunting challenge than that of The National. After all, though the Brooklyn indie rockers were playing in support of one of the year’s best albums, they were doing so some 60 minutes before an even bigger band with an even better album was set to cap off this year’s festival in style.

Good thing The National have constructed a pretty solid blueprint over the last two years. When it comes to live performances, the formula is quite simple: play a set heavy in material from the last three albums and make sure it sounds incredibly tight. It helps to include a horn section. Then, add in a few quips from Matt Berninger – “Richie from Soundgarden,” The National frontman proclaimed when introducing Arcade Fire’s Richard Perry guest appearance on “Anyone’s Ghost”. Finally, be sure Berninger has plenty of white wine (how else do you expect him to scream during “Abel”?) and finish up with “Mr. November” into “Terrible Love”.

Of course, anyone who has seen The National over the last six months can attest that said formula is quite successful. It is also becoming somewhat predicate. Both these realities again proved true for their Lollapalooza 2010 set. If it was your first time seeing them, you were likely blown away. If it was your second, or third, you might have been a bit bored… or just waiting for Arcade Fire. -Alex Young

Photo by Heather Kaplan

Soundgarden
Parkways, 8:00 p.m.

“This is our millionth time we’ve played Lollapalooza,” frontman Chris Cornell screamed at a humble crowd, before diving head first (somewhat literally) into “Outshined”. With menacing eyes, cutthroat teeth, and from underneath a mop of messy, black hair, Cornell shook the crowd up for a solid two-hour set. But it wasn’t all on his shoulders.

Behind him, his original brethren – guitarist Kim Thayil, bassist Ben Shepherd, and drummer Matt Cameron – delivered the best gift Cornell’s unwrapped in years: Soundgarden’s long gestating, and highly overdue, reunion. Before you read on, try and forget Audioslave, or his troubled recent solo outings. Instead, shake out your memory banks and brush aside the dust. Can you remember the last time you thought Chris Cornell was foreboding?

Photo by Michael Roffman

Probably not. It’s been a long time. Thirteen years, actually. In that time, most have forgotten about the weight and pull the former Seattle quartet carried. It’s not like Cornell’s made it hard to… really, have you heard Scream? Tonight, however, all was forgotten, and all that’s remembered now is how much of a performer the far reaching vocalist can be.

From the two-hit punch of set opener “Searching With My Good Eye Closed” and “Spoonman” to the three-layered kick of “Burden in my Hand”, “Superunknown”, and “Black Hole Sun”, the set achieved exactly what it should have: polished off rockers that breathed and stretched and bled. Prior to witnessing them annihilate “Jesus Christ Pose”, it never registered that these guys hadn’t jammed together in over a decade, but they haven’t. As cliche as it sounds, they really did pick up where they left off, and without a trip in their stride, either. In all honesty, they packed their bags well for their trip down memory lane. That’s why it’s sort of funny when Cornell casually remarked, “We took a short break, but now we’re back.”

Photo by Michael Roffman

As the band grinded out one grunge anthem after another, more and more fans found themselves revisiting their glory days, too. Thirtysomethings skinned their vocal chords raw, teens poured water in their long hair before headbanging violently, and girls clamored over one another when Cornell decided to sing “Outshined” with his many loyal (some not so loyal) fans. And while a great portion of the crowd jumped ship once “Black Hole Sun” came and went, those who stayed, which were still in the tens of thousands, witnessed a pretty loud and vibrant finale: “Face Pollution” into “Like Suicide” and finally peaking at “Slaves and Bulldozers”. It’s hard to tell if this gig is permanent, but if it’s up to Cornell, he’d be wise to stick to his current deck. No gambling this time around, pal. -Michael Roffman

Arcade Fire
Budweiser, 8:30 p.m.

I had always counted Arcade Fire‘s 2005 Lollapalooza performance one of, if not the single greatest sets I’d ever seen. Now, five years later, they topped it. They had every ounce of bombast that a seasoned, headlining band should, but they also had every bit of emotional weight, unique musical sensibility, and humble interaction as any indie band. Whether it was applauding the host city (“Don’t ever let New York tell you they have a better city”), or cracking wise (“Thank you. Our band is called Soundgarden. This next song is off our album and is called ‘Black Hole Sun’.”), vocalist/guitarist/mandolinist/keyboardist Win Butler dominated the stage. That is, except for the few songs when his wife, drummer/keyboardist/accordionist/hurdy-gurdyist Regine Chassagne was. Chassagne, whose family hails from Haiti, crooned the same-named amazing tribute to her family’s homeland and its many troubles.

Everything from their first EP (“No Cars Go”), to their first album Funeral (highlights included the anthemic “Wake Up” as an encore and the rarely played “Crown of Love”, which was dedicated to The National), to 2007′s Neon Bible (“Intervention” and its massive organ), to the week-old The Suburbs (the title track and “Ready to Start”, particularly) got the full sing-along treatment from the thousands of people in the park. The visual accompaniment added a lot, as well; the anxious, Lost Highway-esque crawl of streets for the punky “Month of May”, the kids misbehaving and eventually carrying guns for “The Suburbs”, the frantic, creeping red and white lights for “Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)”, everything came together to enhance the epic music the band exhumed from their every pore.

The performance was, flatly put, ecstatic. The camaraderie and power that the band radiates is truly infectious, whipping the humongous audience up into a frenzy that led to chants of the wordless chorus of “Wake Up” ringing up and down the streets of Chicago as Lollapalooza attendees left for their homes, carrying that emotion back with them. -Adam Kivel

Photo by Heather Kaplan
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Gallery by Heather Kaplan

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Gallery by Cap Blackard

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Marr plays guitar on a soundtrack written by legendary film composer Hans Zimmer, who you may remember from his work on every movie ever made. “I enjoyed working on Inception and it’s a great soundtrack,” Marr said. “Hans invited me and he’s someone I’ve wanted to work with for a long time. We really got into it, it’s a really good movie.”

“My goal for the score was to create a complete sonic world to immerse the audience—big waves of sound that connect the different layers of dreaming but really focus on a simple emotional thread,” Zimmer said in a recent interview.

If you’ve been to the theaters recently, you’ve probably caught the bizarre trailer (embedded below). DiCaprio’s character creates dreams, puts people in them, and then steals their secrets. Pretty soon the dreams start to fall apart, because this is the only logical conclusion to such a logical premise. This all culminates in dramatically yelling, “The dream’s collapsing!” which, it’s worth noting, sounds like the title of a Smiths song.

Inception hits theaters July 16th. The soundtrack drops on CD and digital three days earlier and on vinyl August 3rd (via AntiMusic).

Inception: Music from the Motion Picture Tracklist:
01. Half Remembered Dream
02. We Built Our Own World
03. Dream Is Collapsing
04. Radical Notion
05. Old Souls
06. 528491
07. Mombassa
08. One Simple Idea
09. Dream Within A Dream
10. Waiting for a Train
11. Paradox
12. Time
13. Projections (bonus track)
14. Don’t Think About Elephants (bonus track)

After suffering a double brain hemorrhage in 2005, Collins would need to make significant recoveries until he possessed the skills to write new material and perform live. Defying doctors’ expectations, Collins has regained the ability to write, walk, and sing. And is doing so with some amazing friends.

After spending two years in his own West Heath Studios with long-time collaborator Sebastian Lewsley, Collins and Heavenly Recordings will release Losing Sleep on September 13th. The 12 track album features The Cribs’ Ryan Jarman and Johnny Marr (“What is My Role”), Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos and Nick McCarthy (“Do it Again”), and The Drums with Aztec Camera singer Roddy Frame (“Losing Sleep”). Several other long-time friends will join Collins across the rest of the tracks; a complete track listing follows.

Collins also announced three live European events during the next couple months where he will be debuting the material. To those across the pond, definitely a a tinge of jealousy coming your way — check out the dates below.

Losing Sleep track listing:
01. Losing Sleep
02. What Is My Role?
03. Do It Again
04. Humble
05. Bored
06. In Your Eyes
07. I Still Believe In You
08. Come Tomorrow, Come Today
09. It Dawns On Me
10. Over The Hill
11. All My Days
12. Searching For The Truth

Edwyn Collins tour dates:
08/15 – Inverness Shire, UK @ Inversness Book Festival
09/10 – Larmer Tree Gardens, North Dorset, UK @ End of the Road Festival
09/23 – London, UK @ Queen Elizabeth Hall

For an English seaside resort, though, Brighton is a surprisingly hip place. There is a vibrancy and creativity about the town, which comes in part from it being something of a centre for arts and culture. It’s especially cosmopolitan, seemingly packed with foreign language students on every corner and boasting a large gay and lesbian community. The residents have just voted in the country’s first Green MP. It’s diverse and rich in both heritage, especially with its marvelous Regency buildings, and quirkiness, as evidenced by the maze of independent antique, fashion and jewelery shops, and collective new ageism, known as The Lanes.

All in all, Brighton is a pretty good place to stick your pin if you started out with a map of Britain and the words ‘music festival’ scrawled on a pad. Now in its fifth year, The Great Escape has chosen the historic Brighton Dome as its hub. Built for the then Prince of Wales and completed in 1805, the Dome houses the Concert Hall, Corn Exchange and the Pavilion Theatre, all within the grand Pavilion Estate. It’s an apt choice for a base because it’s so central and already hosts live music, dance, theatre, comedy and all manner of events all year round. For three days in May, the music biz takes over and this is where you register and find most of the networking opportunities, conventions and seminars.

The Great Escape wears two hats. Firstly it is a convention for the great and good of the UK music industry, with more than a smattering of representation from Europe, America, The Far East and Australia. Secondly as a place for music fans to catch mostly new bands with some breakthrough and a few established acts. It boasts over 300 bands in 30 venues over 3 days. Delegate fees range from £80 for very early bookings through to £200 closer to the date. That gets you into all the networking and convention events plus priority entry to all the gigs. For the punter, tickets are a steal, costing from £35 to £55, a fraction of the price of the big name festivals. For that you get to go to as many gigs in 3 days as the laws of physics will allow.

There is an important rider to all that: ‘subject to the venue’s capacity.’ And therein lies a tale we will unfold shortly. It is both a blessing and a burden that the vast majority of gig venues at TGE are very small and generally rammed. That’s if you can get close to the actual door. But let’s rewind a bit first. This article has 24 hours in the title and that needs a brief explanation. Of course, I had planned to get down to Brighton early Thursday morning but the day job held me back til late afternoon. I already had commitments that prevented me staying on beyond Friday evening. The journey down was fine but after finding the hotel, a pleasantly quirky and comfy townhouse aptly called “Snooze”, there was the diversion of walking back into central Brighton to register at the Dome and get that all-important priority wristband. That bit also went pretty smoothly, although the disturbingly elongated mug shot produced on my pass made me look like an extra from Dawn of the Dead. It didn’t do much for the girls, either.

Another brisk walk down to the seafront found me at the second intended stop of my meticulously worked out schedule, the Queen’s Hotel.  I say second because the first was going to be Jam to catch Aussie indie-popsters, Hungry Kids of Hungary, not least because of their absurdly silly name, followed by Scots next best new thing, Pearl and The Puppets . No, that’s not a very clever name either and not to be confused with Pearl of the Muppets. Sadly without the benefit of time travel, neither band was a reality for me, so I cut my losses and headed for the Queen’s, pausing for a brief moment to contemplate Digital, across the road where edgy popette Daisy Dares You was playing. I was keen to know where she gets her eye shadow.

So to the Queen’s where I met up at last with two fellow Escapers. It’s an imposing white washed traditional seafront hotel with a surprisingly light and airy room downstairs, where the audience could gather along two sides of a corner stage. It was clean, carpeted and had a civilized bar. Surely not a rock venue? The entire line-up of Gabby Young & Other Animals might have struggled to fit on this stage as there are eight of them, so the upcoming flame-haired songstress was accompanied by just one Other Animal, singer-guitarist Stephen Ellis, who also doubles as the front man with label defying London band, Revere. Gabby Young enchanted a decent-sized crowd with acoustic renditions of songs mainly from her acclaimed latest album, We’re All In This Together. It was an intimate set that grew stronger towards the climax and showcased Young’s wonderful vocal range and writing skills that mark her above most of her over-hyped female contemporaries. The full band will be playing a stack of UK festivals over the summer, including Glastonbury, and will surely garner a new army of fans all the way.

With an eye on the clock and a gig list already littered with smudged circles and question marks, we hung around at the Queen’s for Dan Smith’s set. On first hearing, Smith comes across as accomplished and pleasant. His songs have substance and can pack a nice turn of phrase. There are strong hints of Regina Spektor in there, mixed with a dash of British folk and percussive beats. Maybe Smith suffered from playing in a hotel room, though as the music tended to drift a little into aural wallpaper. But then again that could be unfamiliarity on this listener’s part.

It was maybe getting a bit too cozy at the Queen’s so next stop was a reasonably short diagonal hop to a small nightclub venue, even closer to the seawater, affectedly called Life. The hop was bracing; for that, read bloody cold, and how far away is Austin. Life had a more standard rock venue feel, though if you want good acoustics, bare brick isn’t the greatest option. It was busy, though not rammed, and only moderately sweaty. We were hear to see Best Coast , the lo-fi Californians behind that inescapably brilliant single, “When I’m With You” and a host of top tunes which threaten to form a seriously good debut album. I’d come to love Best Coast, and pretty much loved them by the end but had some doubts along the way.

The trio is fronted by singer-guitarist Bethany Cosentino, (ex-Pocahaunted) and features Bobb Bruno on bass and guitar, plus a seemingly unbilled drummer. Their recorded stuff led me to expect more light and shade but here they were over-grungy, OD-ing on reverb. Cosentino’s vocal had its off-key moments during the opening numbers and the often deft bursts of lead were a bit lost in the mix. The room is shaped like a tunnel and at times it felt like you were watching a band in a wind tunnel, without the wind. The sound was bouncing off the hard surfaces and creating a general muddiness. Four songs in though and the sound guy seemed to find a better balance and things improved from there.

The band breezed through a dozen tunes with stand-outs being the dreamy “Sun Was High (So Was I)”, a bitter-sweet “Wish He Was You” and naturally “When I’m With You” in which Cosentino really found her vocal range even if drowned by sound towards the end. Best Coast has a whole lot going for them and their songs are catchy enough to grab some limelight. They also have the divine Ms. Cosentino who would be an asset to a great many bands.

We were beginning to feel at home in Brighton and ready to continue rocking intro the night, so it was a bit off that the venue staff summarily chucked everyone out while Best Coast were still packing gear away, so they could turn Life back into a nightclub (yawn). Hopefully only two people showed up later. A quick glance at the gig list told me it was time to head north towards a large traditional looking pub called Hectors House. This was more than a brisk walk but we still seemed in good time to catch The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster , an admirably named combo if I ever heard one.

Unfortunately those smart priority wristbands and horror movie lanyard badges were of no use when you arrive to see forty or so people queuing outside already bulging doors. That rider, ‘subject to the venue’s capacity’ hits home for the first time tonight. Despite a hiatus in recent years, these local psycho-rockers obviously have a strong following and a great reputation as a live act. The band have a new album “Blood and Fire” out now and were featuring much of that material in their set. The odd glimpse through the window confirmed that front man, Guy McKnight, was giving it all he got. It was a frustrating experience. Sure we could listen to the band outside but a combination of an immovable queue and the night temperature eventually made us seek a final musical fix or two elsewhere.

Pouring over the programme once more, The Slits at the Pavilion Theatre (hurrah, a larger venue) looked promising but then we ran into someone who’d given up trying to get in to see The Invisible at the same venue. Still it was worth a try but, yes, the queue was in no-hope territory. Shame, as the reformed girl punks would have been interesting  30 years on from when the original trio appeared on their album cover, dressed largely in mud, even if the divine Viv Albertine is missing from the expanded line up.

Although TGE mostly champions new music, arguably the biggest established band on the bill today was The Cribs . Now joined by ex-Smith legend, Johnny Marr, on guitar, and offering a set of classic tunes, The Cribs were headlining at The Corn Exchange with support from promising ex-Cajun Dance Party people, Yuck , and the much-vaunted Florida four-piece, Surfer Blood . The Cribs were bound to be a popular act in a restricted space so you have a much better chance of seeing them at either Glastonbury or Lollapalooza this summer, than in the Brighton crush.  Again this was a show that you had to decide was going to be your entertainment for the evening and just go for it. Late comers were always going to struggle.

By now there was very little on apart from DJ sets. For the past three and a half hours, a large number of bands had been shoe-horned into 24 competing venues and most had little room at the inn. A tad frustrated and tired by the fruitless walking between queues, we retired to a quiet drink at a seafront hotel and contemplated the day ahead. Aware that my 24 hours were due to expire early Friday evening, a lot needed to be fitted in. As a delegate, daytime is dominated by the conventions and networking sessions with just a few live bands on at seven venues plus the odd impromptu seafront outdoor set.

Resolving to focus on the industry side of the event for the morning, I check the schedule again. Once more choices are necessary as there are competing events at the Dome and Pavilion Theatre and nothing is underway till 10.30 a.m.. Delegates obviously need time to recover from not seeing bands the night before. I decide to focus on the Founders Room in the Dome and the adjacent networking areas. First up is a discussion about synch deals with input from specialists from both sides of the Atlantic, followed by a session on collaboration between the music industry and government. Both had their points of interest but I broke off the latter to observe a speed networking session on the mezzanine floor above. This seemed to deliver immediate results as music managers made contacts with a clutch of movers and shakers from the Americas, Europe and the Far East. This kind of session epitomized the more practical side of conventions at TGE. Rather than talking about the business, you were there doing the business.

I had also marked down the lunchtime session at the Pavilion on music and brands, being an area of particular interest to me, but the lure of live music won out, so it was off to see General Fiasco, a Northern Irish three-piece, playing at another of the pub venues, the Prince Albert. This was a haul up a long hill towards the railway station. The name of the band should have been a warning. Described as offering “loud melodic guitars and thumping drumbeats”, that’s pretty much all we heard through the open upstairs window. The venue was again full to the rafters with a queue snaking out of the doors, consisting of people who were there to see the next act. Many were unaware that the billed artiste, Villagers, had called in sick to be replaced by fellow Irishman, Fionn Regan. Others, in the know, were there to see Regan and the Fiasco crowd weren’t going anywhere in the main.

Losses were again cut and it was back to the Dome to catch the tail end  of a networking event hosted by the Music Manager Forum, an organisation which is highly recommended to anyone in the UK music management community, and is especially supportive of those starting out. There’s an international version here too. Two more activities followed. The Fly’s Niall Doherty was in conversation with Nick Littlemore, Pnau frontman and one half of Empire of the Sun . The Aussie was a bit less than forthcoming in that oblique rock star manner and the audience seemed to be nodding off. The final one was more engaging as a clutch of workers at the digital coalface – artistes, marketing and management – explored ways of selling your music independently and how to engage and develop a fan base. This was highly useful stuff for any aspiring artiste or manager.

The 24 hours were nearly up and there was no live music billed till after Cinderella hour. I decided to take my chance and stroll around town and along the front, looking for impromptu live stuff. Other than the odd busker, nothing. As a final irony, having collected the car from the other end of town, who should we spot on our way out than north east England’s finest rock band, The Futureheads , playing a surprise Levis gig by the sea in the early evening sun. They were all in black, of course.

Stay tuned throughout the weekend for any additional Coachella updates, aka possible replacement acts. Complete coverage comes on Monday.

Image via Coachella message board…

As the Washington Post reports, volcanic ash clouds from recent eruptions in Iceland drifted to parts of Europe earlier this morning, forcing authorities to shut down airspace in Britain, Ireland, and Scandinavia. How does this relate to Coachella? Well, presently, thousands of passengers destined for the United States are stranded, including a number of UK based bands scheduled to perform at this weekend’s festival.

According to Gigwise.com, Bad Lieutenant, The Cribs, and Frightened Rabbit are among the bands currently stuck in London after having their respective flights canceled. Update: Delphic and Gary Numan are also stuck in the UK. Echo and the Bunnymen, Fever Ray, and Hot Chip are safe. Update #2: The Cribs have canceled… for now. Per Contact Music, they make take a ferry to Amsterdam and fly from there. Update #3: Gary Numan now appears unlikely. Update: #4: The Cribs are officially out.

It is unclear when flights will resume, however, the Wall Street Journal notes that most flights will be canceled until at least tomorrow morning. The Washington Post predicts hundreds of thousand of trans-Atlantic passengers are going to see their flights canceled, delayed or diverted. “The short-term impact will be the greatest we have seen since Sept. 11, 2001,” explained Brent Bowen, the head of Purdue University’s aviation technology department.

We should note that a number of the festival’s larger U.K. bands, including Muse, Gorillaz, Public Image, LTD, The Specials, and Florence & the Machine are already in the U.S. We’ll of course keep you update on any lineup changes and/or cancellations.

Image via Icelandic Coastguard/AP Photo…

Topping the bill will be the previously announced likes of U2, Muse, Stevie Wonder, and Jack Johnson, as well as Vampire Weekend, Orbital, Pet Shop Boys, LCD Soundsystem, The Flaming Lips, Phoenix, Ray Davies, Faithless, Snoop Dogg, Fatboy Slim, and Willie Nelson.

Other acts set to perform at the festival, which takes place from June 24-27, include Norah Jones, Slash, Femi Kuti, Hot Chip, The National, MGMT, Grizzly Bear, Groove Armada, Coheed and Cambria, Broken Social Scene, The Gaslight Anthem, The Magic Numbers, The Black Keys, Broken Bells, The xx, Julian Casablancas, Mumford & Sons, The Hold Steady, Mos Def (w/ full live band), Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Dirty Projectors, Simian Mobile Disco, Os Mutantes, and George Clinton with Parliament / Funkadelic.

But wait, there’s even more! Also expect to see Ash, Dizzee Rascal, Florence and the Machine, La Roux, Kate Nash, We Are Scientists, The Temper Trap,  Holy Fuck, Frightened Rabbit, Foals, Delphic, Tegan & Sara, Imogen Heap, Devendra Banhart, Empire Of The Sun, Midlake, The Big Pink, Local Natives, Beach House, Crystal Castles, Gomez, Fake Blood, and Here We Go Magic. Plus, there are many more “special guests” still yet to be announced.

You can find the full lineup here or at our Festival Outlook. Sadly, Vanilla Ice didn’t make the cut.

And yes, tickets are currently soldout. So, if you want in, well, perhaps you should sell your kidneys…

Afters months of guesses and leaks and a week-long word puzzle, we finally know who will be playing the 2010 edition of Lollapalooza.

This year’s festival, set to take place from August 6-8 at Chicago’s Grant Park, will be headed by what is currently the first scheduled performance for the recently reunited, iconic grunge outfit Soundgarden. Legendary punk rockers Green Day, pop superstar Lady Gaga, influential indie outfits The Strokes and Arcade Fire, and French sensations Phoenix are all set to top the lineup.

Other notables acts include Erykah Badu, Social Distortion, MGMT, Devo, Cypress Hill, Spoon, The National, The New Pornographers, Wolfmother, Gogol Bordello, Grizzly Bear, Yeasayer, Hot Chip, Drive-By Truckers, Dirty Projectors, Metric, Cut Copy, AFI, and the legendary Jimmy Cliff.

As we scroll further down, names such as Mavis Staples, Minus the Bear, Frightened Rabbit, The xx, Blitzen Trapper, Fuck Buttons, Switchfoot, The Temper Trap, The Dodos, Jamie Lidell, The Cribs, and Raphael Saadiq can also be found.

The bottom tier of the lineup features up-and-comers like Mumford & Sons, Cymbals Eat Guitars, The Soft Pack, The Morning Benders, Warpaint, The Antlers, Freelance Whales, Jukebox the Ghost, and These United States.

Finally, this year’s bill will once again feature Perry’s, a dance-oriented stage. Among those scheduled to appear include 2ManyDJs, Empire of the Sun, Digitalism, Tiga, Felix da Housecat, Rusko, Flosstradamus, Wolfgang Gartner, Joachim Garraud, Peanut Butter Wolf, and a DJ set from Cut Copy.

As it stands now, the current 2010 bill looks like this:

Soundgarden, Green Day, Lady Gaga, Arcade Fire, The Strokes, Phoenix, Social Distortion, MGMT, Jimmy Cliff, Hot Chip, The Black Keys, The National, Spoon, Devo, Cypress Hill, Cut Copy, The New Pornographers, Erykah Badu, Slightly Stoopid, Grizzly Bear, Gogol Bordello, Chromeo, Wolfmother, Yeasayer, X Japan, Mutemath, Metric, Dirty Projectors, AFI, Mavis Staples, Matt & Kim, The xx, Drive-By Truckers, Blues Traveler

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Temper Trap, Jamie Lidell, Frightened Rabbit, Fuck Buttons, Deer Tick, Blitzen Trapper, Stars, Raphael Saadiq, The Cribs, Minus the Bear, Switchfoot, The Walkmen, Mumford & Sons, Wild Beasts, Rogue Wave, Los Amigos Invisibles, The Big Pink, The Dodos, Hockey, Cymbals Eat Guitars, B.o.B, Dawes, Warpaint, The Antlers, The Soft Pack, Rebelution, Balkan Beat Box

Wavves, American Bang, The Ike Reilly Assassination, Company of Thieves, Nneka, Harlem, The Constellations, Miniature Tigers, Mimicking Birds, The Kissaway Trail, HEALTH, Javelin, The Morning Benders, Foxy Shazam, Violent Soho, Royal Bangs, Neon Trees, Freelance Whales, Semi Precious Weapons, Dan Black, The Band of Heathens, Dragonette, My Dear Disco, Shawn Fisher, Neon Hitch, Skybox, The Ettes, Jukebox the Ghost, These United States, MyNameIsJohnMichael

Perry’s DJ stage lineup:

2ManyDJs, Empire of the Sun, Digitalism, Perry Farrell, Tiga, Felix da Housecat, Rusko, Erol Alkan, Kaskade, Flosstradamus, Wolfgang Gartner, Joachim Garraud, Mexican Institute of Sound, Caspa, Peanut Butter Wolf, Dirty South, NERVO, Cut Copy (DJ Set), Beats Antique, Steve Porter, Didi Gutman of Brazilian Girls, Ancient Astronauts, Ana Sia, Team Bayside High, Dani Deahl, FreeSol, DJ Mel, BBU Vonnegutt, Only Children, Lance Herbstrong

Additional acts, including the lineup for this year’s Kidzapalooza stage will be announced in the weeks ahead. The day-by-day schedule will likely be revealed in June.

Three-day passes are currently priced at $190 and can obtained here. Once that allotment sells out, the price will raise to $215. VIP passes and travel packages are also available.

Update: For those looking looking to get their scheduling freak on, it appears that Lady Gaga and The Strokes will be playing Friday, Green Day and Phoenix on Saturday, and Soundgarden and Arcade Fire on Sunday. Here is the day-by-day breakdown, which is TOTALLY UNCONFIRMED, per the Lollapalooza message board:

Friday, August 6th:
Lady Gaga
The Strokes
Jimmy Cliff
Hot Chip
The Black Keys
Devo
New Pornographers
Chromeo
Dirty Projectors
Mavis Staples
Matt & Kim
Drive-By Truckers
Jamie Lidell
Fuck Buttons
Raphael Saadiq
The Walkmen
Los Amigos Invisbles
The Big Pink
Cymabalks Eat Guitars
B.o.B
Balkan Beat BOx
Wavves
American Bang
The Constellations
Javelin
Foxy Shazam
Semi Precious Weapons
My Dear Disco
The Ettes
Jukebox The Ghost
These United States
2ManyDJs
Tiga
Erol Alkan
Caspa
Peanut Butter Wolf
Cut Copy (DJ)
Ana Sia
FreeSol
BBU Vonnegutt

Saturday, August 7th:
Green Day
Phoenix
Social Distortion
Spoon
Cut Copy
Erykah Badu
Slightly Stoopid
Grizzly Bear
Gogol Bordello
Metric
AFI
The xx
Blues Traveler
Edward Sharpe
Deer Tick
Stars
Wild Beasts
Rogue Wave
Dawes
Warpaint
The Soft Pack
Rebelution
Harlem
Mimicking Birds
Kissaway Trail
Morning Benders
Royal Bangs
Dan Black
Dragonette
Skybox
Mynameisjohnmichael
Empire of the Sun
Perry Farrell
Rusko
Kaskade
Wolfgang Gartner
Joachim Garraud
Beats Antique
Steve Porter
Ancient Astronauts
DJ Mel
BBU Vonnegutt
Only Children
Lance Herbstrong

Sunday, August 8th:
Soundgarden
Arcade Fire
MGMT
The National
Cypress Hill
Wolfmother
Yeasayer
X Japan
MUTEMATH
The Temper Trap
Frightened Rabbit
Blitzen Trapper
The Cribs
Minus THe Bear
Switchfoot
Mumford & Sons
The Dodos
Hockey
The Antlers
Ike Reilly
Company of Thieves
Nneka
Miniature Tigers
HEALTH
Violent Soho
Freelance Whales
Band of Heathens
Shawn Fisher
Neon Hitch
Digitalism
Felix da Housecat
Flosstradamus
Mexican Institute of Sound
Dirty South
Nervo
Didi Gutman (Brazilian Girls)
Team Bayside High
Dani Deahl

Yes, Guns N’ Roses and Arcade Fire head the top of Reading and Leed’s 2010 bill. Also scheduled to take part in the festivities are Blink-182, Queens of the Stone Age, LCD Soundsystem, Phoenix, Limp Bizkit, Weezer, The Gaslight Anthem, Lostprophets, Biffy Clyro, Modest Mouse, Pendulum, NOFX, The Cribs, Paramore, and Dizzee Rascal.

Other confirmees include Klaxons, Cypress Hill, Gogol Bordello, The Maccabees, Yeasyaer, We Are Scientists, Foals, Mumford & Sons, Delphic, Crystal Castles, The Big Pink, Band of Horses, The Drums, Enter Shikari, and Two Door Cinema Club.

Tickets, priced £180 for a weekend pass and £75 for single day, are now on sale. Grab Reading here and Leeds here.

The reissue will include a bonus disc of early demos, specifically the ones that were impressive enough to get them a deal. Something about that idea feels a little like seeing a clip of an NBA player dunking on someone in high school. Not bad for a bonus.

In fact, this won’t be the only goodie The Cribs will offer this year  — the day after the band shows up to Coachella, it will release a split vinyl single with The Thermals for Record Store Day on April 17th. The Cribs’ contribution to the record will be 2009 B-side “So Hot Now”, while The Thermals contribute their track “Separate”.

For all the festival lineup announcements made every year, no one is more exciting than that of Coachella‘s. This time tomorrow, we’ll know who will be alive and kicking this Summer, which acts from our wishlists earned themselves a trip to Indio this April 16-18, and which acts were nothing more than unfulfilled hopes and dreams. It’s a day of anticipation, joy, disappointment, and, most of all, a lack of sleep. Yep, a festival fan’s Christmas is here — it’s Coachella announcement day!

In mere hours, the lineup for the 2010 edition of the Coachella Music Festival will be unveiled for all to see. As we mentioned on Friday, the lineup will be released on KROQ radio tomorrow morning, but, based on the past history, expect a leak sometime after Midnight PST. We’ll of course have it for you as soon as it shows itself.

As for the latest pre-announcement buzz, according to several sources with knowledge of the festival’s plans, Muse will kick things off on Friday, Jay-Z will indeed be Saturday’s headliner, and Gorillaz will close out the festival on Sunday. Faith No More, Vampire Weekend, and Wilco are likely to be the major highlights, while Pavement and Soundgarden remain distinct possibilities to serve as this year’s reunited acts.

As for the some other names we expect to appear, these include:

Aeroplane, As Tall As Lions, Beach House, The Big Pink, Camera Obscura, Caravan Palace, Corinne Bailey Rae, Craze & Klever, Deerhunter, Devo, El Gran Silencio, Hockey, Hot Chip, Iglu & Hartly, Kevin Devine, LCD Soundsystem, Mayer Hawthrone, Miike Snow, Passion Pit, Phoenix, Porcupine Tree, The Raveonettes, Spoon, The xx, Yeasayer, Zoe

On the rumor front, Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and the electro outfit Orbital are two biggest names that could end up finding spots on the bill. The rest of the current rumors include:

The Avett Brothers, Bassnectar, Beastie Boys, Cornelius, The Cribs, The Dead Weather, Dirty Projectors, Echo & the Bunnymen, Imogen Heap, Major Lazer, Mew, Pretty Lights, RX Bandits, She & Him, Tiesto, Treasure Fingers, Underworld

We’ll provide updates on this post throughout the evening if and when any information becomes available. Also please feel free to use it to post any hopes, dreams, gripes, wishlists, and predictions. Buckle up, it’s going to be a wild night!

Anyhow, we can now tell you that the album, titled Minor Love, sports a February 16th U.S. release date (via Fat Possum Records) and 14 tracks. It will also be supported by a lengthy world tour, one which kicks off in the U.S. supporting The Cribs next January and continues on to the U.K. and Europe in the weeks that follow. Find all the crucial information below.

Adam Green 2010 Tour Dates:
01/13 – Chicago, IL @ Tomorrow Never Knows
01/14 – Ferndale, MI @ Magic Bag #@
01/15 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Theatre #@
01/16 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza@
01/17 – Boston, MA @ Paradise #@
01/19 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club #@
01/20 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl #@
01/22 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theatre #@
01/23 – Austin, TX @ The Parish #@
01/26 – Dublin, IE @ Academy
01/27 – Belfast, UK @ Speakeasy
01/29 – Glasgow, UK @ Stereo
01/30 – Newcastle, UK @ Academy 2
01/31 – Leeds, UK @ Cockpit
02/01 – Manchester, UK @ Club Academy
02/03 – Cambridge, UK @ Junction
02/04 – London, UK @ Electric Ballroom
02/05 – Birmingham, UK @ Academy 2
02/06 – Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2
02/08 – Lille, FR @ Aeronef
02/09 – Brussels, BE @ AB Box
02/10 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
02/11 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
02/13 – Stockholm, SE @ Strand
02/14 – Oslo, NO @ Parkeatreat
02/15 – Gothenberg, SE @ Parken
02/16 – Copenhagen, DK @ Loppen
02/18 – Hamburg, DE @ Uebel & Gefanrlich
02/19 – Cologne, DE @ Gloria
02/20 – Berline, DE @ Postbanhof
02/22 – Vienna, AT @ Arena
02/23 – Munich, DE @ Freiheiz
02/24 – Zurich, CH @ Mascotte
02/25 – Lausanne, CH @ Docks
02/27 – Bologna, IT @ Covo
02/28 – Milan, IT @ Magnolia
03/02 – Barcelona, ES @ Razzmatazz
03/03 – Madrid, ES @ TBA
03/04 – Lisbon, PT @ Santiago Alqumista
03/06 – Marseille, FR @ Le Poste a Galene
03/08 – Paris, FR @ L’Alhambra

# = w/ The Cribs
@ = w/ The Dead Trees

Tickets for the newly announced dates go on sale beginning Wednesday, November 18th via Ticketmaster.com.

The Cribs 2009/2010 Tour Dates:
11/20 – Hamburg, DE @ Sportshalle *
11/21 – Antwerp, BE @ Lotto Arena *
11/22 – Amsterdam, NL @ Heineken Music Hall *
11/24 – Berlin, DE @ Arena *
11/25 – Dusseldorf, DE @ Phillipshalle *
11/26 – Paris, FR @ Le Zenith *
11/28 – Rennes, FR @ Le Liberte *
11/30 – Bordeaux, FR @ Medoquine *
12/02 – Birmingham, UK @ Academy
12/03 – London, UK @ Brixton Academy
12/05 – Doncaster, UK @ Dome
12/06 – Edinburgh, UK @ Corn Exchange
01/13 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall #@
01/04 – Ferndale, MI @ Magic Bag #@
01/15 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Theatre #@
01/16 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza@
01/17 – Boston, MA @ Paradise #@
01/19 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club #@
01/20 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl #@
01/22 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theatre #@
01/23 – Austin, TX @ Parish #
01/26 – Pomona, CA @ Glass House ^
01/27 – San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo’s ^
01/29 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom ^
01/30 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox Theatre ^
01/31 – Vancouver, BC @ Venue ^

* = w/ Franz Ferdinand
# = w/ Adam Green
@ = w/ The Dead Trees
^ = w/ Jemina Pearl

Anyhow, for its 2010 edition, Schubas, now with their new venue, Lincoln Hall, available to provide some extra space, has taken TNK up a notch. After all, include to take part in this year’s festivities, which takes place from January 13-17 at both Schubas and Lincoln Hall, are The Cribs, Voxtrot, Final Fantasy, Bowerbirds, The Rural Alberta Advantage, Adam Green, Clues, and Pomegranates among others. Not a bad way to stay warm this January, eh?

Single show and five-day passes will go on sale beginning today, Friday, November 13 at 12:00 pm CST. Hit up schubas.com or lincolnhall.com for more information.

The effort is described as a more tender affair, promising to showcase a more emotional side from the “often arrogant and emotionally unavailable bully/singer” — those are the press releases words, not mine! Apparently, as the issued press release goes on to explain, this can all be traced to the Green’s “incurable social phobias” and Leonard Cohen, who told the former Moldy Peaches cohort that there is nothing to look forward to… and that “we are all living in a butcher shop.” Damn you, “Hallelujah”!

Musically, Green plays a majority of the instruments, but did enlist the help of his brother Joel and Little Joy’s Rodrigo Amarante.

So, at this point, you probably can’t wait for a preview? Well, we got one for you, in the form of a track titled “What Makes Him Act So Bad”, below. It is also available as a free download via the musician’s website.

Green is currently touring in the U.K. with The Cribs. No word on when he plans to hit the U.S.

Check Out:

In a new interview with Norwich Evening News (via Prefix), Johnny Marr (formerly of The Smiths, currently of The Cribs) revealed that despite a falling out with former bandmate Morrissey, there is currently no feud.

“It’s not necessarily the case that we’re not talking,” he said. “We have email. We worked on that ‘Sound Of The Smiths’ [2008 compilation album] together. Who’s got time for a feud? Right now I have got screwdrivers inside guitars, my car broke down yesterday… I’ve got no time for a feud.”

So, could this mean a reunion is possible? “I like The Smiths’ songs, but I like playing with two guitars and writing new songs. Unfortunately a reunion would go against both those things,” Marr added.

Alas, more waiting. At least we have tour dates from both gentlemen to look forward to.

Morrissey 2009 Tour Dates:
10/23 – Birmingham, UK @ Symphony Hall
10/24 – Swindon, UK @ Oasis
10/26 – Bournemouth, UK @ Opera House
10/27 – London, UK @ Royal Albert Hall
10/29 – Leeds, UK @ Academy
10/30 – Sheffield, UK @ City Hall
11/02 – Salisbury, UK @ City Hall
11/03 – Brentwood, UK @ Leisure Centre
11/05 – London, UK @ Alexandra Place
11/07 – Liverpool, UK @ Echo Arena
11/09 – Nijmegen, NL @ Vereeniging
11/10 – Lille, FR @ Aeronef
11/12 – Paris, FR @ Le Zenith
11/14 – Brussels, BE @ Forest Club
11/16 – Berlin, DE @ Tempodrom
11/17 – Hamburg, DE @ CCH
11/19 – Dusseldorf, DE @ Philipshalle
11/20 – Munich, DE @ Tonhalle
11/23 – Dublin, IE @ National Stadium
11/29 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theater
11/30 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
12/02 – Oakland, CA @ Paramount Theatre
12/04 – Indio, CA @ Fantasy Springs
12/05 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Joint
12/10 – Los Angeles, CA @ Gibson Amphitheatre
12/11 – Ventura, CA @ Ventura Theatre

The Cribs 2009 Tour Dates:
09/24 – Norwich, UK @ UEA
09/25 – Cambridge, UK @ Junction
09/26 – Liverpool, UK @ Academy
09/28 – Hull, UK @ University
09/29 – Glasgow, UK @ Barrowlands
09/30 – Newcastle, UK @ University
10/02 – Manchester, UK @ Apollo
10/03 – Lincoln, UK @ Engine Shed
10/04 – Leeds, UK @ Academy
10/06 – Exeter, UK @ Lemon Grove
10/07 – Southampton, UK @ Guildhall
10/08 – Leamington Spa, UK @ Assembly Room
10/10 – Bristol, UK @ Anson Room
10/15 – London, UK @ The Forum
11/09 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy
11/12 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
11/13 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
11/20 – Hamburg, DE @ Sportshalle *
11/21 – Antwerp, BE @ Lotto Arena *
11/22 – Amsterdam, NL @ Heineken Music Hall *
11/24 – Berlin, DE @ Arena *
11/25 – Dusseldorf, DE @ Phillipshalle *
11/26 – Paris, FR @ Le Zenith *
11/28 – Rennes, FR @ Le Liberte *
11/30 – Bordeaux, FR @ Medoquine *
12/02 – Birmingham, UK @ Academy #
12/03 – London, UK @ Brixton Academy #
12/05 – Doncaster, UK @ Dome #
12/06 – Edinburgh, UK @ Corn Exchange #

* = w/ Franz Ferdinand
# = w/ Los Campesinos!

Yesterday, the Welsh outfit took the most important step in preparation for the release and the massive publicity blitz that will surely follow by announcing the replacement for founding member/vocalist Alexs Campesinos!. We’ll let the band take it from here…

“It is our utmost pleasure to officially announce on this beautiful Monday, the joining of Kim Campesinos! as our new vocalist and keyboard player (and a whole lot more). As I’m sure most of you are aware, Kim joins the band following Aleks’ departure to return to her studies. In Kim we have a more than worthy successor. We are friends from way, way back, and I hope you’ll make her feel very welcome.”

Oh, and how about a video announcement, live from a packed LC! stadium, for good measures…

Speaking of massive publicity blitz, Los Campesinos! has announced that a song titled “These Are Listed Buildings” will be the first single off the band’s yet-to-be-titled third album. It will be available for purchase at their October U.K. tour dates, and in a limited amount in stores after the tour finishes.

Los Campesinos! 2009 Tour Dates:
10/21 – Coventry, UK @ Kasbah
10/22 – Southampton, UK @ Joiners
10/23 – Exeter, UK @ The Phoenix
10/24 – Cardiff, UK @ Swn Festival
10/26 – Manchester, UK @ Deaf Institute
10/27 – Newcastle, UK @ University
10/28 – London, UK @ Garage
10/29 – Oxford, UK @ Zodiac
10/30 – Leeds, UK @ Cockpit
10/31 – Glasgow, UK @ King Tuts
12/02 – Birmingham, UK @ O2 Academy *
12/03 – London, UK @ Brixton Academy *
12/05 – Doncaster, UK @ Doncaster Dome *
12/06 – Edinburgh, UK @ Corn Exchange *

* = w/ The Cribs

The Cribs 2009 Tour Dates:

The Cribs (now w/ Johnny Marr) have a new album due out on September 8th. The Cribs (now w/ Johnny Marr) will support this new album in the U.S. with a special three-date coastal swing that will take the Yorkshire rockers to Los Angeles and New York in November. If you don’t live in either of these cities (or in any of the European locations the band will hit proceeding and following its quick trip to the U.S., which includes dates with Franz Ferdinand), don’t fret. A full U.S. tour will be announced in the weeks ahead.

09/15 – Paris, FR @ Le Nouveau Casino
09/17 – Brighton, UK @ White Air Festival
09/21 – Dublin, IE @ Academy
09/22 – Belfast, IE @ Mandela Hall
09/24 – Norwich, UK @ UEA
09/25 – Cambridge, UK @ Junction
09/26 – Liverpool, UK @ Academy
09/28 – Hull, UK @ University
09/29 – Glasgow, UK @ Barrowlands
09/30 – Newcastle, UK @ University
10/02 – Manchester, UK @ Apollo
10/03 – Lincoln, UK @ Engine Shed
10/04 – Leeds, UK @ Academy
10/06 – Exeter, UK @ Lemon Grove
10/07 – Southampton, UK @ Guildhall
10/08 – Leamington Spa, UK @ Assembly Room
10/10 – Bristol, UK @ Anson Room
10/15 – London, UK @ The Forum
11/09 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy
11/12 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
11/13 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
11/20 – Hamburg, DE @ Sportshalle *
11/21 – Antwerp, BE @ Lotto Arena *
11/22 – Amsterdam, NL @ Heineken Music Hall *
11/24 – Berlin, DE @ Arena *
11/25 – Dusseldorf, DE @ Phillipshalle *
11/26 – Paris, FR @ Le Zenith *
11/28 – Rennes, FR @ Le Liberte *
11/30 – Bordeaux, FR @ Medoquine *
12/02 – Birmingham, UK @ Academy
12/03 – London, UK @ Brixton Academy
12/05 – Doncaster, UK @ Dome
12/06 – Edinburgh, UK @ Corn Exchange

* = w/ Franz Ferdinand

Passion Pit 2009 U.S. Tour Dates:

If you checked out our recent interview with Passion Pit‘s Michael Angelakos, you’d probably know that the Cambridge frontman isn’t the biggest fan of touring. However, that doesn’t mean he won’t tour. After all, Passion Pit has unveiled another round of U.S. tour dates, these centered around upcoming appearances at Austin City Limits and Treasure Island and an opening spot for Phoenix in New York. Tickets to select dates are available via Ticketmaster.com.

09/25 – New York, NY @ Summerstage *
09/26 – New York, NY @ Summerstage *
09/27 – Providence, RI @ Black Repertory Theater
09/29 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Musichall
10/02 – Lawrence, KS @ The Yard At Beaumont
10/04 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
10/07 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
10/09 – Eugene, OR @ University of Oregon
10/10 – Vancouver, BC @ Richard’s on Richards
10/11 – Seattle, WA @ Shwbox
10/14 – Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda Theater
10/15 – San Diego, CA @ SOMA
10/17 – San Francisco, CA @ Treasure Island Festival

* = w/ Phoenix

Billy Corgan w/ Spirits in the Sky 2009 Tour Dates:

As previously reported, Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan will close out the month of August by embarking on a west coast swing with special guests Spirits in the Sky, the tribute band dedicated to the late Seeds’ founder and vocalist, Sky Saxon. The six-date trek will kick off next week in Visalia, California in will see Corgan and Co. make their way across The Golden State in the days that follow. Tickets to select dates are available via Ticketmaster.com.

08/26 – Visalia, CA @ Tazzaria
08/27 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Muddy Waters
08/28 – Long Beach, CA @ Open
08/29 – Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy & Harriet’s Palace
08/30 – San Diego, CA @ Che Cafe
08/31 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hotel Cafe