Montreal’s Osheaga Music Festival has added some big names to its already phenomenal lineup. Nineteen artists, including Beck, Frank Ocean, and The Breeders, will be joining the bill which already featured The Cure and Mumford & Sons. Read more…
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Beck has announced a series of solo acoustic tour dates for this summer. Read More for locations and full information. Read more…
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Walter Becker and Donald Fagen are taking Steely Dan back out on the road this summer. The two, who need no introduction at this point in their career, will be hitting the road on July 19th and will not finish until September 28th. In between that time they will be visiting over four dozen different cities and towns. Rounding out the band will be drummer Keith Carlock, keyboardist Jim Beard, guitarist Jon Herington, bassist Freddie Washington, a trio of back up vocalists and a four piece horn section. Steely Dan and company make their to Philadelphia towards the end of their tour as they visit the Mann Center on September 21st. With over 30 million albums sold and over 45 years of experience, it’s clear why Steely Dan was voted into the Rock n Roll hall of fame. Be sure not to miss them as they hit the road this summer!
Saturday September 21st
The Mann Center
Doors 6PM | Show 7:30PM
Tickets $ 30-$110 (adv/dos)
Get Tickets Here!
Posted in Philadelphia
Rjyan Kidwell—an electronic composer, sometimes rapper and oftentimes provocateur—returns here with an album in full ambient mode. Often working interchangeably under the alias, Cex, Kidwell has had a colorful career to date, but as one would guess, working under a likely self-imposed sense of restriction robs his work of what has made him unique in the first place: his personality. Read more…
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The yearly Vans Warped Tour has unveiled their lineup and full summer tour dates. Read More for full information. Read more…
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With shouts out to the hills of the San Fernando Valley, Bleached, the effervescent, beach bummed duo from SoCal, are rearing their heads, with Dead In Your Head. The second single to spring from their upcoming LP Ride Your Heart, Dead In Your Head follows the protocol in getting fans pumped and ready for an amazing album debut, set to land in stores April 2nd. Read more…
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Stripmall Architecture is taking their electronic musical taste out of the Bay Area and sharing it with the rest of the industry on June 18th with their new LP, Suburban Reverb. Read on for more details.
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In 1985, when Bob Geldof organized Live Aid, the historic duel-venue charity event held at John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia and Wembly Stadium in London, his intentions were simple: to put on a talent-packed, 16-hour rock concert aimed to benefit the debt-ridden nations of Africa, as well as—maybe, possibly—pat himself on the back at the same time. (He wasn’t the only one patting for long, however. A 34-year-old Geldof was knighted for his efforts shortly thereafter.)
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God love ya, television. Of the many things filmed this SXSW, there was nothing quite as flashy as the mtvU Woodies. What started as a sunny day festival that included Woodies nominees and artists on the rise soon transitioned into a rigidly planned spectacle of quick performances and promo spots. The many lighting trusses of the main stage looked like a pyramid of luminescence as LA quartet Haim finished up their set. “I want to fuck MTV!” yelled one of the Haims as the band quickly cleared the stage and the real show began.
Hosts Tegan and Sara were visibly uncomfortable with their duties and – alongside Woodie of the year winner Machine Gun Kelly – made for an odd team when faced with teleprompters and production assistants. The sisters quickly found their footing, however. Tegan and Sara breezed through a quick four song set evenly split between old hits and new tracks off their latest LP Heartthrob. The performance was a decently energetic warm-up to what was to come, breaking up the monotony of essentially silent spots staged for the sole purpose of their appearance on television.
Though not every award was “given out” in front of the tightly packed audience, a majority of Woodies were handed out in some capacity. Aforementioned winner Machine Gun Kelly awarded Earl Sweatshirt with the Breaking Woodie. A particular highlight of Earl Sweatshirt’s acceptance speech was the sheer fact that he didn’t really say much of anything; rather, he asked for a member of his crew to translate his sentiments to the audience. Machine Gun Kelly also had the proud honor of awarding a Woodie to someone far more disheveled than even him: the completely vagabond-esque Danny Brown, who won Best Video for “Grown Up”.
Though the next musical guest, twenty one pilots, were adamant about being unknown and constantly announcing themselves, nobody legitimately knew of The Lonely Biscuits as they accepted their Chevrolet Sonic College Artist Woodie. You can’t fault MTV for no longer breaking music, I guess; twenty one pilots included. The idiosyncratic duo provided the most surprising set of the evening, kicking things off with full skeleton costumes that included luchador masks. From backflips to lead singer Tyler Joseph climbing a lighting truss and the grand finale of Joseph and drummer Josh Dun engaging in a drum battle downstage, the gimmicks were turned up and the results were electric.
A few backstage interviews took place care of grandaddy (hell, it’s mtvU; anyone above 25 is ancient) VJ Sway, who presented Macklemore and Ryan Lewis with the Breaking Woodie. “We don’t even know what this is but it’s heavy!” squealed the indie rap superstar before rapper and beat man took the stage. Clearly the most anticipated set of the evening, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis were relegated to playing just four songs as well. Megahits “Thrift Shop” and “Same Love” got the all-star treatment from an insanely hyped audience. People were clapping, rapping, and most definitely capturing their experience via smartphone and iPad.
Something mtvU didn’t bank on was hotshot dubstepper Zedd to have a far sparser audience, however. As soon as Macklemore beckoned all who attended to his newly purchased 1990 Cadillac limousine, (which was older than many in the audience, the Seattle rapper noted) a flood of folks fled the Woodies in favor of something, anything but Zedd. Many in attendance were disenchanted despite the impressive, succinct performances. According to some, last year’s Woodies actually felt like a seamless award show – something to be a part of – while this year it seemed that the only important thing was what happened between “action” and “cut.”
Posted in Reviews
VEVO’s TV Control Room has housed several promising musicians this year. Friday night’s concert presented yet another talented artist – Fallulah. She kicked off her showcase with “Deserted Homes.” Her ethereal voice beckoned people inside. Tambourine, soft snare, and light claps built a smooth, darker sound reminiscent of KT Tunstall. Even though she found the sweetest sounding way to say something rather depressing in “He’ll Break Up With You When Summer Comes,” she still kept the mood breezy and upbeat. Hearing her play all her new songs including “Thirteenth Cigarette” all while flipping her hair and gyrating around the tiny stage was exciting. The modest crowd was ultimately pleased when she ended the night with her first ever US single and fan favorite “Outlet.” With such a charming demeanor, Fallulah delivers a vibrant, endearing set that’s worth catching.
Posted in Reviews