Category: Alternative (Page 134 of 155)

Road Warriors 3

February 23, 2007 /

A really cool lineup is shaping up for England’s Isle of Wight Festival from June 8-19. Among the partial confirmations are Snow Patrol, Keane, Paolo Nutini, James Morrison, and The Feeling.

And speaking of cool overseas festival lineups, the Oxegen music festival will take place July 7 and 8 at Punchestown Racecourse in Ireland and confirmed acts include Muse, Snow Patrol, My Chemical Romance, Arcade Fire, Scissor Sisters and Razorlight.

Aerosmith is working on yet another album, and between their days in the studio in June they will take a month-long “break” and head to Europe for a month of shows. This marks the first time Steven Tyler and the boys will have toured in Europe since 1999.

Is anyone surprised that The Police shows that have been announced are selling out in mere minutes? Sold out shows are Boston, New York, and some of the Canadian dates. Additional tickets will be going on sale this Monday for Giants Stadium in New Jersey, as sell as Seattle, Denver and Phoenix. As if this whole idea of a revival tour isn’t enough, the band is planning to write and record again soon. Hey fellas, let’s see how you all play together in the sandbox first.

The Fray continues to tour in support of their 2005 major label debut, How To Save a Life, and the band’s summer tour with Ok Go is already taking shape, kicking off June 11 in Minneapolis and running through August 5. Aside from Ok Go, other acts supporting the tour include Mae, Gomez, Eisley and Meese.

Pop mega-stars Maroon 5 are releasing the extremely anticipated follow up to their quadruple-platinum selling Songs About Jane this May. The new album will be called It Won’t Be Soon Before Long, and the band will then launch a full-scale tour in September.

Cobra Music recording artists and Chicago rock band Suffrajett has been described as raw, low-fi Afro-punk, garage glam, art punk, mental rock, garage rock and grunge hair metal. Man, that’s a mouthful. Anyway, the band and its label have announced two showcases at South By Southwest in Austin next month:

March 14: Austin, TX @ Gen Art Party at Beauty Bar
March 17: Austin, TX @ Cobra Music Showcase at The Jackalope

The Van Halen tour with David Lee Roth as the reinstated lead vocalist has been postponed indefinitely. Come on Mister Roth and Misters Van Halen, can’t you take a cue from the Police and put those gargantuan egos aside for one stinking tour?

Canadian electronic duo Junior Boys will be touring the US and Canada in support of their new Dead Horse EP. Dates are as follows:

3/22/07 Tallahassee, FL FSU – Club Downunder
3/23/07 Orlando, FL The Social
3/24/07 Miami Fl Post (Winter Music Conference)
3/25/07 Tampa, FL Crowbar
3/27/07 Monterey, Mexico McMullen’s
3/28/07 Napoles, Mexico Polyforum Siqueiros
4/6/07 Toronto, ON The Mod Club
4/7/07 Montreal, QC La Sala Rossa
4/8/07 Burlington VT Higher Ground
4/10/07 Cambridge, MA Middle East Underground
4/11/07 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
4/12/07 Philadelphia, PA First Unitarian Church
4/13/07 Washington DC Black Cat
4/14/07 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
4/15/07 Atlanta, GA The EARL
4/16/07 Nashville, TN Exit/In
4/17/07 Kansas City, MO Record Bar
4/19/07 PARK CITY UT TBC
4/21/07 Seattle, WA Chop Suey
4/24/07 Portland, OR Doug Fur
4/25/07 San Francisco, CA Mezzanine
4/29/07 Indio CA Coachella
5/1/07 DENVER TBC
5/2/07 Omaha, NE The Waiting Room
5/3/07 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle

This Sunday’s 79th Academy Awards show will feature performances from Oscar nominated artists including Beyonce, Jennifer Hudson, Melissa Etheridge, Randy Newman, Keith Robinson, Anika Noni Rose and James Taylor. The show airs at 8pm ET.

Remember when Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera ruled the pop airwaves and tabloids together? Now they are both generating publicity for different reasons. While Britney is having her head shaved and enters drug rehab facilities weekly, Christina keeps on looking hot and making music. After her GRAMMY performance a few weeks ago, Christina landed on the cover of Maxim and kicked off her North American tour this past week in Dallas, supporting her new album, Back to Basics. Support acts on the tour include Danity Kane and Pussycat Dolls.

Ultra Music Festival 9 in Miami is set for March 23 and 24 as the official closing event to the Winter Music Conference. 60,000 fans are expected to see headliners The Cure and Paul Van Dyk, along with 150 of the world’s top electronic bands and DJs. The lineup so far is as follows:

March 23:
ULTRA LIVE! MAIN STAGE: The Cure, Tiësto, Miss Kittin, Shiny Toy Guns, Junkie XL, Brazilian Girls and Fedde Le Grand.

ONBEAT.COM ARENA: Deep Dish, Sander Kleinenberg (DVDJ set), Kruder & Dorfmeister, Digitalism and Boys Noize.

March 24:
ULTRA MAIN STAGE: Paul van Dyk, Erick Morillo, Sasha & John Digweed, Ferry Corsten, Rabbit In The Moon, Christopher Lawrence and Sander Van Doorn.

CARL COX & FRIENDS: Fat Boy Slim, Carl Cox, Danny Tenaglia, Josh Wink and Yousef.

AMNESIA IBIZA ELECTRO-TECHNO STAGE: Richie Hawtin, Mauro Picotto, Timo Maas, Tiga, DJ Hell, Tiefschwartz, Loco Dice, M.A.N.D.Y., Damian Lazarus, Marco Bailey, Mar T, Les Schmitz and Nate Campbell & Franco Munoz.

ULTRA RECORDS HOUSE ARENA: Roger Sanchez, Benny Benassi, David Guetta, DJ Dan, Bad Boy Bill, Seb Fontaine, Donald Glaude, Starkillers and King Britt.

GLOBAL VIZION BREAK BEAT hosted by MC FLIPSIDE: Hybrid (live), BT (live), Stanton Warriors, Uberzone (live), DJ Icey, Krafty Kuts, Meat Katie, Baby Anne, Storm, Johnny Dangerously, GITM (live), Rick West, Keith Mackenzie and Mark Sanchez.

CONTAGIOUS MUSIQ DRUM & BASS: Goldie, Andy C, Grooverider, Planet of the Drums (Dieselboy / Dara / AK 1200), Fabio, Ed Rush & Optical, DJ Craze, Photek, Shy FX, Bailey, SS, Teebee, Subfocus, Reid Speed, DB, Empress, The Engineer and Bass Nacho.

MC’s: Damian Pinto, GQ, Skibadee, Tali, Armanni, Sharpness, J-Messinian, Question Mark and Dre.

Singer/songwriter and media wiseass John Mayer has just announced his summer tour in support of the Continuum album. The tour kicks off June 1 and Ridgefield, Washington and runs through August 8 in West Palm Beach, Florida. No word on whether Mayer will be swapping spit with Jessica Simpson on this tour or at any time in the near future. Tour dates are:

June 1 – Ridgefield, Washington
June 2 – George, Washington
June 5 – San Jose, California
June 6 – Fresno, California
June 8 – Las Vegas, Nevada
June 9 – Los Angeles, California
June 12 – Chula Vista, California
June 13 – Glendale, Arizona
June 15 – Salt Lake City, Utah
June 16 – Denver, Colorado
June 17 – Denver, Colorado
June 19 – Bonner Springs, Kansas
June 20 – Maryland Heights, Missouri
June 22 – Dallas, Texas
June 23 – Houston, Texas
June 24 – San Antonio, Texas
June 26 – Indianapolis, Indiana
June 28 – Chicago, Illinois
June 30 – Cincinnati, Ohio
July 1 – Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
July 5 – Auburn Hills, Michigan
July 14 – Hartford, Connecticut
July 15 – Saratoga Springs, New York
July 17 – Boston, Massachusetts
July 20 – Camden, New Jersey
July 21 – Hershey, Pennsylvania
July 24 – Holmdel, New Jersey
July 25 – Washington, D.C.
July 26 – Uniondale, New York
July 30 – Virginia Beach, Virginia
July 31 – Raleigh, North Carolina
August 1 – Charlotte, North Carolina
August 3 – Nashville, Tennessee
August 4 – Pelham, Alabama
August 5 – Atlanta, Georgia
August 7 – Tampa, Florida
August 8 – West Palm Beach, Florida

Boston based four-piece melodic punk/hardcore band Smoke or Fire is hitting the road in support of their new album, This Sinking Ship. Here are the confirmed dates:

March 8 Southgate, MI The Modern Exchange w/ Love Me Destroyer
March 9 Chicago, IL Ronny’s w/ Love Me Destroyer
March 10 Minneapolis, MN Triple Rock w/ Love Me Destroyer
March 11 Papillon, NE The Rock w/ Love Me Destroyer
March 13 Denver, CO Marquis Theater w/ Love Me Destroyer
March 14 Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge w/ Love Me Destroyer
March 17 Tacoma, WA Hells Kitchen (early show, doors at 6pm) w/ Love Equals Death, Shook Ones & Love Me Destroyer
March 18 Portland, OR Hawthorne Theater w/ Love Equals Death, Love Me Destroyer & Shook Ones
March 19 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill w/ Love Equals Death, Love Me Destroyer & Shook Ones
March 22 Hollywood, CA Knitting Factory (front) w/ Love Me Destroyer & Love Equals Death
March 23 Fullerton, CA The Alley w/ Love Equals Death & Love Me Destroyer
March 24 Tempe, AZ Mad House w/ Love Equals Death & Love Me Destroyer
March 25 El Paso, TX House of Rock and Roll
March 26 San Antonio, TX The Sanctuary
March 27 Houston, TX Walter’s On Washington
March 29 Birmingham, AL Cave 9 w/ The Draft & Tim Barry
March 30 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade w/ The Draft & Tim Barry
March 31 Gainesville, FL Common Grounds w/ The Draft & Tim Barry
April 1 Jacksonville, FL Jackrabbits w/ Tim Barry & Fifth Hour Hero
April 3 Charlotte, NC The Casbah w/ Tim Barry & Fifth Hour Hero
April 4 Baltimore, MD Ottobar w/ Tim Barry & Fifth Hour Hero
April 5 Richmond, VA Alley Katz w/ Tim Barry & Fifth Hour Hero
April 6 New York, NY Rebel w/ Tim Barry & Fifth Hour Hero
April 7 Cambridge, MA The Middle East w/ Tim Barry & Fifth Hour Hero
April 14 Philadelphia, PA Circle of Hope w/ Tim Barry & Fifth Hour Hero

Alternative, Concerts, Electronica, Indie Labels, News, Pop, Rock

Come Dancing! (Seona Dancing, that is…)

February 18, 2007 /

Fans of “The Office” will no doubt recall David Brent’s settlement-financed single – a cover of “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” – but were you aware that Ricky Gervais himself was actually a member of synth-pop duo in the ’80s? True story…and God only knows how it’s taken this long to appear on my radar, given that I’m such a massive fan of ’80s synth-pop to begin with.

The band was called Seona Dancing…that’s pronounced Shawna Dancing, ta very much…and since you’re probably still wondering, no, this isn’t a joke. You can go to Gemm.com and find the band’s two singles available from several different vendors…or check out this photo here, from their unofficial MySpace page:


(That’s Ricky on the right.)

And even more oddly, the songs – which can all be downloaded at no charge here – are rather good. Personally, they remind me a bit of B-Movie. But for a few twist of fates here and there, we might well be listening to “More to Lose” or “Bitter Heart” on Flashback Lunches today.

Don’t hold your breath for a reunion tour, though. It’s clear from that this clip that Gervais can’t look back on these days without cringing.

Alternative, Artists, Downloads, External Music, Lost Bands, News, Pop, Songs, Videos

Road Warriors Take 2

February 16, 2007 /

Continuing to age gracefully, rocker Pat Benatar and husband/guitarist Neil Giraldo will be touring next month for the final leg of their Polyamnesia-Off the Rock Tour. In addition, the duo announced that they will tour the US again this summer beginning on July 2 at the Marin County Fair in San Rafael, California. Here are the current dates:

March 15: Torrington, CT @ Warner Theatre
March 16: Atlantic City, NJ @ House of Blues
March 17: Niagra Falls, NY @ Seneca Niagara Casino
March 19: Indiana, PA @ Indiana University
March 21: Morristown, NJ @ Community Theater
March 22/23: New York, NY @ BB Kings
March 24: Englewood, NJ @ Bergen PAC
March 26: Flint, MI @ The Whiting
March 27: Green Bay, WI @ Oneida Casino
March 28: Milwaukee, WI @ Potawatomi Casino
March 30: Tulsa, OK @ Osage Million Dollar Elm Casino
March 31: Thackerville, OK @ Winstar Casino

The Police have officially announced that they are indeed touring to commemorate the band’s 30-year anniversary. The tour will commence Mary 28 in Vancouver, BC and run through the US, UK, Europe, Mexico, Australia, South America and Japan. US stops include Boston’s Fenway Park and a headlining slot at the Bonnaroo Festival in Manchester, Tennesee on June 16. Tickets are on sale now for some shows, with more to be made available on Tuesday.

Scottish band The View has been forced to cancel its US tour next month including a stop at the SXSW Music Festival in Austin. The band’s album, Hats Off To the Buskers, debuted at #1 in the UK recently and the US release is set for May 8, after which a rescheduled tour will take place.

Corinne Bailey Rae and John Legend will be touring together beginning April 3 in Irvine, California and wrapping up May 4 in Atlanta.

College rock heroes O.A.R. will hit the road again on March 1 in Syracuse and the tour will run through May 5 in Charlottesville. Not surprisingly, those are two college towns. For full dates, check out www.ofarevolution.com.

Metal band Iron Maiden will be the first-ever major (okay, calling this band major is somewhat of a stretch) rock or metal show in India on March 17, when they play on the grounds of a palace in Bangalore. No one has confirmed that tandoori chicken will be on the band’s rider.

The Rockstar Energy Drink Taste of Chaos tour kicked off yesterday in Seattle and will run through April 6. The lineup includes The Used, 30 Seconds to Mars, Senses Fail, Saosin, Chiodos, Aiden, Evaline and more. The tour, which is sort of the little brother of the Vans Warped Tour, is trying to give fans of this kiddie music more bang for their buck, according to director Kevin Lyman. “We have succeeded in giving a world audience an action packed lineup for an inexpensive price,” he said. Dates are below:

February 15: Seattle, WA Everett Events Center
February 17: San Francisco, CA Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
February 18: Reno, NV Lawlor Events Center
February 20: Fresno, CA Selland Arena
February 21: San Diego, CA San Diego Sports Arena
February 22: Los Angeles, CA Long Beach Sports Arena
February 23: Sacramento, CA Arco
February 25: Phoenix, AZ Glendale Arena
February 26: Salt Lake City, UT E Center (New Date)
February 27: Denver, CO Magness Arena
March 1: El Paso, TX County Coliseum
March 2: Dallas, TX Nokia
March 3: Corpus Christi, TX Concrete Street Amphitheatre
March 4: San Antonio, TX AT&T Center
March 5: Houston, TX Verizon Wireless
March 7: Pensacola, FL Pensacola Civic Center
March 8: Jacksonville, FL Morrocco Shrine Auditorium
March 9: Miami, FL Bank United Center at U of Miami
March 10: Orlando, FL Edge Concert Pavilion
March 11: Tampa, FL Sun Dome
March 13: Atlanta, GA Gwinett Arena
March 15: Champaign, IL Assembly Hall
March 16: Chicago, IL Aragon Ballroom
March 17: Milwaukee, WI Eagles Ballroom (Rave)
March 18: Dayton, OH Hara Arena
March 20: Philadelphia, PA Tweeter Center
March 22: Boston, MA Tsongas
March 23: Long Island, NY Nassau Coliseum
March 24: Asbury Park, NJ Convention Hall
March 25: Portland, ME Cumberland County Civic Center
March 27: Montreal, QC Stade Uniprix
March 28: Ottawa, ON Corel Center
March 29: Kitchener, ON The Auditorium
March 30: Toronto, ON Arrow Hall
March 31: Detroit, MI Cobo Arena
April 3: Winnipeg, MB Convention Centre
April 4: Saskatoon, SK Credit Union Center
April 5: Edmonton, AB Shaw Conference Hall
April 6: Calgary, AB Stampede Corral

Grammy-award nominated rock band Skillet will be touring with Octone hard rock act Flyleaf beginning March 25 in Memphis. Dropping Daylight and Resident Hero are also supporting the tour. Dates are below…

March 25: Memphis, TN @ Newby’s
March 27: Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live Studio
March 28: Beaumont, TX @ Antones
March 30: San Antonio, TX @ White Rabbit
April 1: New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues
April 2: Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
April 4: Columbia, SC @ Headliners Live
April 5: Jacksonville, NC @ Hooligans
April 6: Charlotte, NC @ Tremont Music Hall
April 7: Richmond, VA @ The Canal Club
April 10: Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre
April 11: Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
April 14: Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s
April15: Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
April 17: Madison, WI @ Barrymore Theatre
April 20: Minneapolis, MN @ Trocaderos
April 23: Sauget, IL @ Pop’s
April 24: Nashville, TN @ Ransburg Auditorium
April 25: Knoxville, TN @ Blue Cats

Described as “vituosic, heavy and experimental,” Wax on Radio will be the support band for The Ataris’ tour which kicks off next week in Philly. Here are the dates:

02/20 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of the Living Arts
02/21 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
02/23 – Albany, NY – Northern Lights
02/25 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground
02/27 – Portland, ME – The Station
02/28 – Cambridge, MA – The Middle East
03/01 – Providence, RI – Living Room
03/02 – Hartford, CT – Webster Theater
03/03 – Washington, DC – Black Cat
03/04 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom
03/06 – Pittsburgh, PA – Rex Theatre
03/07 – Buffalo, NY – The Icon
03/08 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
03/09 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogart’s
03/10 – Detroit, MI – St. Andrew’s Hall
03/12 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
03/13 – Chicago, IL – Vic Theatre
03/14 – Minneapolis, MN – Trocaderos
03/15 – Papillion, NE – The Rock
03/16 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
03/17 – Salt Lake City, UT – In The Venue
03/18 – Boise, ID – Big Easy
03/21 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon
03/22 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
03/23 – Sparks, NV – The New Oasis
03/25 – Santa Cruz, CA – Catalyst
03/26 – San Francisco, CA – Slim’s
03/27 – Orangevale, CA – The Boardwalk
03/28 – Los Angeles, CA – House of Blues
03/30 – Ventura, CA – Majestic Ventura Theatre
03/31 – Las Vegas, NV – Desert Breeze Skate Park
04/01 – Anaheim, CA – House Blues
04/02 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues

NYC-based rockers Foreign Islands will be hitting the road next month including several performances at the South By Southwest festival in Austin. Tour dates are as follows:

March 1 – Philadelphia, PA – North Star Bar (w/ The Young Knives)
March 2 – New York, NY – Mercury Lounge (w/ The Young Knives)
March 3 – Brooklyn, NY – Luna Lounge (w/ The Young Knives)
March 4- Allston, MA – Great Scott (w/ The Young Knives)
March 5 – Washington, DC – Black Cat (w/ The Young Knives)
March 13 – Houston, TX – The Mink (w/ 120 Days & Shout Out Out Out)
March 14 – Austin, TX – SXSW
March 15 – Austin, TX – SXSW Fader Lounge Party
March 15 – Austin, TX – SXSW iheartcomix / Am Only Party
March 16 – Austin, TX – SXSW Vice Saves Texas Party
March 16 – Austin, TX – SXSW Ruta Maya w/ Goes Cube & Takka Takka
March 16 – Austin, TX – SXSW Purevolume Loft
March 17– Austin, TX – SXSW Boys & Girls Club w/ Shitdisco- Whiskey Bar
March 19 – Las Vegas, NV – Art Bar (w/ Shout Out Out Out)
March 20 – Hollywood, CA – Safari Sams (w/ Boys Noize)
March 21 – San Diego, CA – Beauty Bar
March 22 – West Hollywood, CA – The Viper Room
March 24 – San Francisco, CA – Brain Wash (w/ Goes Cube)
March 27 – Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge (w/ Goes Cube)
March 30 – Champaign, IL – The Iron Post (w/ Goes Cube)

Fujiya & Miyagi is not a Japanese duo, or something on a sushi menu. Rather, this is a British electronic trio, and they just released their debut on Deaf Dumb & Blind Records, Transparent Things, on February 6. The group will also be at SXSW, bookending their US dates with shows in Seattle on March 10 and New York’s Mercy Lounge on March 20. Dates are…

Mar 10 Seattle WA @ Chop Suey
Mar 11 Portland OR @ Doug Fir
Mar 13 San Franciscio CA @ Mint
Mar 14 Los Angeles CA @ Spaceland
Mar 15 Austin TX @ SXSW Clash magazine party at Karma Lounge, SXSW,
Mar 16 Austin TX @ SXSW – Emos- Windish Party/Pitchfork Party
March 17th Austin TX @ SXSW Day Stage Cafe @ 1:30pm
Mar 18 New York NY @ Mercury Lounge
Mar 19th New York, NY @ Barnard’s College, Columbia University.
Mar 20 New York NY @ Mercury Lounge

Al Gore has been spreading the word about global warming a little bit over the past few decades. Now he will have some help from pop icons who will be touring as part of the Live Earth Concerts in order to raise awareness about global warming. Some of the confirmed acts are Snoop Dogg, Pharrell, Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Black Eyed Peas, Fall Out Boy, Akon, John Legend, Kelly Clarkson, John Mayer, Foo Fighters, Lenny Kravitz, Bon Jovi, Paolo Nutini, Melissa Etheridge, Damien Rice, Corinne Bailey Rae, Duran Duran, Snow Patrol, Enrique Iglesias, Maná, Keane, Korn, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Bloc Party, AFI and Sheryl Crow. Wow, talk about an all-star lineup, though they won’t all be in one place. The shows will take place on July 7 in seven different cities: London, Shanghai, Sydney, Johannesburg, and cities to be determined in the US, Brazil and Japan.

The Coachella Festival, in Indio, California has already sold out. The distant relative of Lollapalooza takes place April 27-29, and includes performances by Rage Against the Machine, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bjork and Interpol.

Scottish singer/songwriter and Atlantic recording artist Paolo Nutini has been selling out shows on his North American tour, enough so to move the shows to larger venues. The New York Times likens Nutini to “the edge of David Gray, the quavers of Jeff Buckley, and a streak of the blues.” So you can see right there what the fuss is all about. If you want to see for yourself, get your tickets fast to these dates:

March 3 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre *
March 6 Ferndale, MI Magic Bag
March 7 Toronto, ONT The Mod Club Theatre
March 8 Montreal, QUE La Tulipe
March 11 Nashville, TN 3rd & Lindley
March 14 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse *
March 15 Mobile, AL Soul Kitchen
March 17 Austin, TX Esquire SXSW07 Showcase – Stubbs’ BBQ
March 20 Tucson, AZ Club Congress
March 23 Los Angeles, CA Avalon *
March 24 San Francisco, CA Palace of Fine Arts Theatre *
March 27 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge
March 28 Seattle, WA The Triple Door
March 29 Vancouver, BC Richards on Richards

Alternative, Concerts, Pop, Rock

Mix Disc Monday: When the postman don’t call on Valentine’s Day

February 12, 2007 /

Quick show of hands: does anyone really like Valentine’s Day? For single people, it’s an unpleasant reminder that you’re single (and therefore, in the eyes of the good people at Hallmark Cards, a loser). For couples, it’s yet another obligation to go out and do something special for your sweetie, despite the fact that you’ve already done that at Christmas, your anniversary, Mother’s/Father’s Day, his or her birthday and, if you really go overboard, your date-iversary as well. Enough already.

While everyone at Bullz-Eye is either happily married or happily involved (except for our fearless leader, who is happily neither), we see both sides of this dilemma, and have assembled a mix disc for the lovers and another for the fighters. There’s plenty of joy and pain (but not sunshine and rain) to go around. Dig in.

Mix One: Ain’t Love Grand

Ah, love. Love rules. It’s a scientific fact that when you’re in love, the sun shines a little bit brighter, people are nicer, and your car gets better gas mileage. People in love, according to a song by the Feeling, get special treatment. They know of what they speak. And yet, so few truly great songs have been written about the subject. For every “We’ve Only Just Begun,” there are ten songs like “Everything I Do (I Do It for You).” Because of that, this is officially declared a Bryan Adams-free zone. Feel better already, don’t you?

“You’re the Best Thing,” The Style Council (My Ever Changing Moods)
Shameless homer pick, this one. My wife and I danced to this at our wedding.

“La La Love You,” The Pixies (Doolittle)
Because there aren’t enough love songs with monster drum tracks that have someone shouting “Shake your butt!” in the background.

“(They Long to Be) Close to You,” The Carpenters (Close to You)
Okay, so the bit about sprinkling moon dust is pretty silly. But this is one of the greatest melodies in the history of pop. Period.

“Here, There and Everywhere,” The Beatles (Revolver)
Picking one Beatles love song is like choosing to keep only three toes on each foot. My apologies to “Michelle,” “Something” and “And I Love Her,” among others.

To see the rest of Mix One, click here.

Mix Two: Love Bites

If love is supposedly the most wonderful thing in the world, then why the hell does it hurt so much? There’s an old saying that it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Try telling that to someone who has just loved and lost. From invincible to unlovable in seconds flat, nothing will make you feel as unworthy as a failed relationship, especially when it’s capped with a crushing one-liner like “I like everything about my life except my relationship with you.” My college girlfriend actually said that to me, no joke. And in return, I sang a number of these songs to her.

“House of Love,” Squeeze (Play)
I nearly put “Wicked and Cruel” in here instead – indeed, Play is pretty much one giant Dear Jane letter – but this song wins out for a laundry list of one-liners. “She was full of lies and boredom, it came as no surprise that she would cheat,” “I wasn’t Shakespeare, it’s simple / Did she expect me to kiss her feet,” and then the chorus hits: “We seemed the best of friends, life had just begun / But on the roof, a tile began to slip / The house of love caved in, and that was it.”

“I Believe She’s Lying,” Jon Brion (Meaningless)
Like Play, Meaningless has several candidates for this list, but I’m choosing “I Believe She’s Lying” for delivering the killer lyric with an even more killer drum track. “As soon as we’re committing, we’re admitting our mistake / So of course it’s only fitting, that the course we’re going to take is drawn / And whereupon, I’m slamming on the brakes.” You’ve all done it, and you can’t undo it. It’s the only way you learn.

“Say Anything,” Aimee Mann (Whatever)
It makes sense to put Brion and Mann back to back, since they used to date and he produced her first three solo records (plus she co-wrote the lyrics to “I Believe She’s Lying”). Was she talking about him when she said, “If you were everything you say, things would be different today / I would be happy to believe / But I’d have to be much more naive”?

“Good Luck,” Basement Jaxx w/ Lisa Kekaula (Kish Kash)
The flip side to “Ice Cream.” It’s angry, defiant, and there isn’t a woman alive who doesn’t love this song. “Good luck in your new bed / Enjoy your nightmares, honey, while you’re resting your head.” And hot DAMN, can Kekaula sing.

To see the rest of Mix Two, click here.

Alternative, Lists, Mix Disc Monday, Playlists, Pop, Rock, Songs

Road Warriors

February 9, 2007 /

Road Warriors

Welcome to a new weekly column where you can track some of your favorite artists’ tour announcements, as well as artists you want to avoid like the plague…..

It appears all the rumors are true. The Police will reunite for a 30th Anniversary Tour, and their performance at the Grammy Awards on Sunday will be their first gig since their 2003 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Speaking of reuniting, Van Halen has brought back original lead vocalist David Lee Roth for a 40-date North American tour this summer. Roth will join Eddie and Alex Van Halen, as well as new bassist Wolfgang Van Halen (Eddie’s son), marking Roth’s first shows with the band since 1984. “I am very excited to get back to the core of what made Van Halen,” beamed Eddie.

There is a huge buzz here in the States about British songstress Amy Winehouse, who will be performing here to coincide with the US street date of her new album. Confirmed dates are in New York, Los Angeles and at the South by Southwest Music Conference in Austin, Texas. And no, admission is not free if you buy this sekf-proclaimed lush a drink or five.

3/13 Bowery Ballroom, NY (and 3/13 performance on Letterman)
3/15 – 3/17 – South by Southwest, Austin TX
She is confirmed to play the Universal Republic Showcase on 3/15 and the Island UK BBQ on 3/16. Other performances may come up, but not confirmed yet.
3/19:Los Angeles, CA Roxy
3/20: Los Angeles, CA Spaceland

Ozzfest will be Freefest this summer. This is no joke – Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne have decided that the 12th annual metal band festival, which kicks off 25 dates with a show in San Bernardino on July 7, will be free as their way of giving back to the fans. “Ozzy’s been touring for over 30 years, he’s done well by his audience and now it’s time to give something back,” Sharon said at a press conference.

The Mooney Suzuki has just announced tour dates that kick off on February 15 in New York City. Nine of the March dates will be with the Strokes’ Albert Hammond, Jr.

2/14 Washington, DC, 9:30 Club
2/15 New York, NY, Rebel
2/16 Albany, NY, Valentines
2/19 Philadelphia, PA, North Star Bar
2/21 Asbury Park, NJ, The Saint
2/22 Cambridge, MA, TT the Bears
2/23 Providence, RI, Century Lounge
3/2 Seattle, WA, Crocodile Cafe *
3/3 Portland, OR, Roseland Grill *
3/5 Solana Beach, CA, The Belly Up *
3/6 Los Angeles, CA, El Rey Theatre *
3/10 Denver, CO, Marquis Theatre *
3/13 Dallas, TX, Gypsy Tea Room *
3/14 Houston, TX, Meridian *
3/17 Atlanta, GA, Roxy Theatre *
3/18 Nashville, TN, Exit/In *
(* – supporting Albert Hammond, Jr.)

Is it just me, or does the whole concept of a Honda Civic Tour featuring Fall Out Boy smack of emo smugness? Naturally, this is big business and a lengthy tour that stretches from April into June. Other bands on the tour include +44, Cobra Starship, The Academy Is…, and rapper Paul Wall. Rumors are unconfirmed that special headsets will be given to fans entering each venue so that they can decipher Fall Out Boy’s lyrics.

4/18- Charlotte, NC
4/19- Atlanta, GA
4/20-Tampa, FL
4/21- West Palm Beach, FL
4/23- Houston, TX
4/24- Dallas, TX
4/25- San Antonio, TX
4/27- Phoenix, AZ
4/28- Las Vegas, NV
4/29- San Diego, CA
5/1- Sacramento, CA
5/2- Los Angeles, CA
5/3- Anaheim, CA
5/4- Concord, CA
5/6- Vancouver, BC
5/7- Tacoma, WA
5/8- Portland, WA
5/10- Salt Lake City, UT
5/11- Denver, CO
5/12- Kansas City, MO
5/13- Council Bluffs, IA
5/15- Moline, IL
5/16- Minneapolis, MN
5/17- Milwaukee, WI
5/18- St. Louis, MO
5/20- Cleveland, OH
5/21- Cincinnati, OH
5/22- Pittsburgh, PA
5/23- Virginia Beach, VA
5/25- Montreal, QC
5/26- Toronto, ON
5/27- Detroit, MI
5/28- Buffalo, NY
5/30- Saratoga, NY
5/31- Boston, MA
6/1- Philadelphia, PA
6/2- Hartford, CT
6/4- Columbia, MD
6/5- Wantaugh, NY
6/6- Holmdel, NJ
6/8- Indianapolis, IN
6/10- Chicago, IL
6/11- Chicago, IL

Los Angeles-based four-piece band Minibar are touring in support of their new album, Desert Rain, supporting Columbia recording artist Pete Yorn.

2/6 Boise, ID The Big Easy
2/8 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
2/9 Portland, OR Roseland Ballroom
2/10 Seattle, WA Showbox
2/12 Sacramento, CA Empire
2/13 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
2/15 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues
2/16 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
2/17 Anaheim, CA House of Blues
2/19 San Diego, CA House of Blues
2/20 Tempe, AZ Marquee Theater
2/22 Park City, UT Suede
2/23 Denver, CO Ogden Theater
2/24 Lincoln, NE Rococo Theater
2/26 Lawrence, KS Granada
2/27 St. Louis, MO Pageant Theater
2/28 Indianapolis, IN Music Mill
3/2 Minneapolis, MN First Ave
3/3 Chicago, IL Riviera
3/4 Madison, WI Barrymore Theater
3/6 Covington, KY Madison Theater
3/7 Columbus, OH The LC Pavillion
3/9 Cleveland, OH House of Blues
3/10 Grand Rapids, MI Intersection
3/11 Toronto, ON Phoenix Concert Theater
3/13 Albany, NY The Egg
3/16 New York, NY The Roseland Ballroom
3/17 Philadelphia, PA The Electric Factory
3/19 Boston, MA Avalon
3/20 Washington, D.C. 9:30 Club
3/24 Atlanta, GA Earthlink Live
3/25 Charlotte, NC Amos’ Southend
3/27 Raleigh, NC Lincoln Theater
3/ 29 Nashville, TN City Hall
3/30 Birmingham, AL WorkPlay Theater
3/31 New Orleans, LA House of Blues

Blue October is rescheduling some US and UK tour dates, citing “reasons beyond our control.” Could those reasons be that people are catching on to the fact that they suck?

Octone Records’ hard rock darlings Flyleaf are supporting Three Days Grace on a tour that kicked off this week. Then in March, Flyleaf will celebrate the gold status of their self-titled debut with a headlining tour that begins March 25 in Memphis.

Flyleaf with 3 Days Grace
2/07 Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theater (Headline date)
2/08 Tuscon, AZ @ The Rock (Headline Show)
2/09 Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues
2/10 Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre (Headline Show)
2/12 Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
2/13 Los Angeles, CA @ House of Blues
2/15 Chico, CA @ Senator Theatre
2/16 Reno, NV @ The New Oasis
2/17 Boise, ID @ Big Easy Concert House
2/18 Spokane, WA @ The Big Easy Concert Hall

Flyleaf Headline Tour Dates

3/25 Mmephis, TN Newby’s
3/27 Houston, TX Warehouse Live Studio
3/28 Beaumont, TX Antones
3/30 San Antonio, TX White Rabbit
4/01 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
4/02 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade
4/04 Columbia, SC Headliners Live
4/05 Jacksonville, NC Hooligans
4/06 Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall
4/10 Pittsburgh, PA Mr. Smalls Theatre
4/11 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
4/14 Cincinnati, OH Bogart’s
4/15 Chicago, IL House of Blues
4/17 Madison, WI Barrymore Theatre
4/19 Omaha, NE The Rock
4/20 Minneapolis, MN Trocaderos
4/23 Sauget, IL Pop’s
4/25 Knoxville, TN Blue Cats
4/30 Port St. Lucie, FL Mojo Room

VH1 Classic is presenting the Shaw/Blades tour, which follows the release of the band’s new album, Influence, on March 6. Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades have paid their musical dues as members of Styx, Night Ranger and Damn Yankees.

3/16 Dewey Beach, DE The Rusty Rudder
3/17 Atlantic City, NJ House of Blues
3/18 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of the Living Arts
3/21 New York, NY B.B. King’s Blues Club
3/22 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club
3/23 Allentown, PA Crocodile Rock
3/24 Buffalo, NY Tralf Theatre
3/26 Alexandria, VA The Birchmere
3/29 Annapolis, MD Rams Head Tavern
3/30 Pittsburgh, PA Rex Theatre
3/31 Columbus, OH PromoWest Pavilion
4/1 Akron, OH Tangiers
4/4 Indianapolis, IN Music Mill
4/5 Chicago, IL Joe’s
4/6 Milwaukee, WI Pabst Theater
4/7 West Des Moines, IA Val Air Ballroom
4/11 San Jacinto, CA AC’s Lounge
4/12 West Hollywood, CA Key Club
4/13 San Juan Capistrano, CA Coach House
4/14 Agoura Hills, CA Canyon Club

Country music legend George Strait began a month-long tour in Phoenix last week. Strait has been nominated for two 2007 CMT Music Awards in the categories of Video of the Year and Male Video of the Year for “The Seashores of Old Mexico.”

2/2 Phoenix, AZ America West Arena
2/3 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena
2/15 Hoffman Estates, IL Sears Center Arena
2/16 Pittsburgh, PA Mellon Arena
2/17 Columbustionwide Arena
2/22 Indianapolis, IN Conseco Fieldhouse
2/23 Knoxville, TN Thompson Boling Arena
2/24 N. Charleston, SC North Charleston Coliseum
3/2 Kansas City, MO George Strait Kemper Arena
3/3 Denver, CO Pepsi Arena
3/9 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena
3/10 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena

Scottish rockers the View are gearing up for their first US headlining tour next month, including stops at South By Southwest and an appearance on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien.”

03/03 New York, NY – Luna Lounge
03/05 Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
03/07 Chicago, IL – Schuba’s Tavern
03/09 Seattle, WA – Crocodile Café
03/11 San Francisco, CA – Slim’s
03/13 Hollywood, CA – Troubadour
03/15 Austin, TX – SXSW-details TBA
03/16 Austin, TX – SXSW-details TBA
03/17 Austin, TX – SXSW-details TBA
03/20 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
03/22 Cambridge, MA – T.T. The Bears

The Good, the Bad & the Queen, the newest creation of Blur/Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn, has just announced North American tour dates beginning March 11 in Toronto.

3/11 – Toronto, ON Kool Haus
3/12 – New York, NY Webster Hall
3/14 – Washington, DC – 930 Club
3/16 – Austin, TX – Stubbs (South by Southwest)
3/18 – New Orleans, LA – Republic

Alternative, Concerts, Country, Pop, Rock

« Older posts Newer posts »

© 2026 Eat Sleep Drink Music

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑