Fortress Fest announces 2017 lineup.

Fort Worth, Texas’ Fortress Festival has announced its lineup for 2017.  Run the Jewels seem to be everywhere right now, and Slowdive are touring to support their first album in more than twenty years.  Peter Hook and the Light would be well worth seeing, and I can tell you from personal experience that Golden Dawn Arkestra are fantastic live.  I’d also like to see Survive and Dengue Fever.

Get your tickets soon.  A two-day pass is only $105.00.

Keep your mind open.

Slowdive announces North American tour for May 2017.

(above image by Ingrid Pop)

“Listening to Slowdive is like watching the sunrise and sunset at once — an awe-inspiring chorus of the galaxy.” — NPR Music on “Star Roving”

“The mix is even denser and more diffuse than Slowdive’s albums from the 1990s, reveling in the analog blur and sounding glad to be back.” – The New York Times on “Star Roving”
Slowdive recently made their return with new single, “Star Roving,” their first new material in 22 years. It was released to a flurry of excitement, even taking the band to No. 1 on the Billboard + Twitter Trending 140. Comprised of Neil Halstead (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Christian Savill (guitar), Nick Chaplin (bass), Rachel Goswell (vocals) and Simon Scott (drums, electronics), Slowdive is now announcing a North American tour, their first since fall 2014. They’ll play select cities throughout the Midwest and East Coast. Japanese Breakfast will support on all dates. Tickets will be on sale on Jan. 27th.

Slowdive Tour Dates:
Tue. May 2 – St. Paul, MN @ Palace Theatre # [TIX]
Wed. May 3 – Chicago, IL @ Vic Theater # [TIX]
Fri. May 5 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall # [TIX]
Sun. May 7 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club # [TIX]
Mon. May 8 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel # [TIX]

# = with Japanese Breakfast

Listen to Slowdive’s “Star Roving” –
https://youtu.be/ogCih4OavoY

Purchase “Star Roving” –
https://slowdive.lnk.to/star-roving

Ty Segall releases new single from upcoming album due tomorrow.

TY SEGALL PRESENTS NEW SINGLE, “BREAK A GUITAR”

https://soundcloud.com/drag-city/ty-segall-break-a-guitar/s-Xh94k

SELF-TITLED ALBUM OUT JANUARY 27 ON DRAG CITY

(above image by Denée Petracek)

Ty Segall‘s swiftly oncoming (Jan 27th via Drag City!) self-titled album is his ninth solo release since 2008, a span of records that have embodied an arcing swath of up-and-upper rock and roll music for the people. What people? They know who they are. They’re finding out all the time. They like candy-striped and scorched-earth sounds alike, and Ty keeps throwing down both and more in spades! “Break A Guitar” is the second drop from his new album, a 180-degree spin from the acoustic pastoral of the previously-leaked “Orange Color Queen,” and a reminder that beyond all the tender beauty that he’s capable of, the rifftasm of Ty’s music vision is what drives him ever forward in shows everywhere and in the minds of listeners who dig the sounds. With a week to go before the album hits, “Break A Guitar” aims to shatter the fugue-state you’re been wandering through and invite you back into the real life that’s coming! You are needed here, and with as few illusions as possible. Ty Segall will make that happen!Ty (guitar, vocals) and his magick band comprised of Emmett Kelly (guitar, vocals), Mikal Cronin (bass, vocals), Charles Moothart (drums) and Ben Boye (keyboards) will tour throughout the year, playing multiple nights in various towns and one-offs in others. All dates are listed below.

Early feedback for Ty Segall:
“a perfect introduction to those who have yet to dive into his vast discography.”
– Vulture (Most Anticipated of 2017)”With Segall’s magic touch shining brightly throughout, ‘Ty Segall’ once again demonstrates his effortless, and seemingly innate ability to make the familiar feel fresh and enticing” – MOJO“a taut exercise in ‘f**k-you’ brilliance that deftly explores the fugitive nature of truth” – Shindig“‘Ty Segall’ feels at times like a greatest-hit collection that just happens to comprise entirely new songs…one of the most cohesive sets Segall has released to date” – American Songwriter

Listen To Ty Segall’s “Break A Guitar” – 
https://soundcloud.com/drag-city/ty-segall-break-a-guitar/s-Xh94k

Listen To Ty Segall’s “Orange Color Queen” — 
https://soundcloud.com/drag-city/ty-segall-orange-color-queen

Ty Segall Tour Dates:
Fri. Jan. 27 – San Diego, CA @ Belly Up Tavern
Thu. Feb. 2 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
Fri. Feb. 3 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
Sat. Feb. 4 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
Mon. Feb. 27 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
Wed. March 1 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
Thu. March 2 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos
Fri. March 3 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos
Mon. May 8 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sister Bar
Wed. May 10 – Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom
Thu. May 11 – Indianapolis, IN @ Irving Theater
Sat. May 13 – Chicago, IL @ Metro
Sun. May 14 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
Wed. May 17 – Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw
Thu. May 18 – Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw
Sat. May 20 – Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero Theater
Sun. May 21 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Small’s Theater
Mon. May 22 – Louisville, KY @ Headliner’s Music Hall
Thu. May 25 – Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge
Fri. May 26 – New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s
Sat. May 27 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheatre
Mon. May 29 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
Thu. Aug. 3 – Sun. Aug. 6 – Happy Valley, OR @ Pickathon
Fri. Aug. 18 – Biddinghuizen, NE @ Lowlands Festival
Thu. Aug. 24 – Berlin, DE @ Astra
Thu. Aug. 31 – Miranda De Ebro, ES @ Ebrovisión Festival

Ty Segall Pre-order:
Via iTunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/ty-segall/id1175186018?app=itunes&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
Via Drag City – http://www.dragcity.com/products/ty-segall

Radiohead announce U.S., UK, and European tour dates for spring and summer.

Living legends Radiohead have announced a spring and summer tour that starts in the U.S. and ends in England.  It takes them to Poland, Ireland, Italy, and even two dates at the Coachella Music Festival.  Their U.S. dates are in the west and south, so catch them if you can.

03-30 Miami, FL – American Airlines Arena

04-01 Atlanta, GA – Philips Arena
04-03 New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center
04-05 Kansas City, MO – Sprint Center
04-08 Seattle, WA – Key Arena
04-09 Portland, OR – Moda Center
04-11 Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl
o4-14 Indio, CA – Coachella
04-17-18 Berkely, CA – Greek Theatre
04-21 Indio, CA – Coachella
06-06-07 Oslo, Norway – Spektrum
06-09 Stockholm, Sweden – Ericsson Globe
06-11 Aarhus, Denmark – Northside Festival
06-14 Florence, Italy – Visarno Arena @ Parco Delle Cascine
06-16 Milan, Italy – I-Days @ Parco di Monza
06-18 Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands – Best Kept Secret Festival
06-20 Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena
06-23 Pilton, England – Glastonbury Festival
06-28 Gdynia, Poland – Open’er Festival
06-30 Werchter, Belgium – Rock Werchter
07-02 Arras, France – Main Square Festival
07-04-05 Manchester, England – Manchester Arena

Keep your mind open.

Slowdive release first single in more than two decades.

SLOWDIVE RETURN WITH FIRST NEW SONG IN 22 YEARS

LISTEN TO “STAR ROVING” HERE
https://youtu.be/ogCih4OavoY

(above image by Ingrid Pop)

After 22 years, Slowdive return with “Star Roving, their first new material since 1995’s Pygmalion. Featuring Neil Halstead (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Christian Savill (guitar), Nick Chaplin (bass), Rachel Goswell (vocals) and Simon Scott (drums, electronics), “Star Roving” embodies the effortlessness for which Slowdive is known — as the song progresses, it expands and contracts in ways that feel infinite.
Slowdive released their debut album, Just For A Day, in 1991 via Creation Records. The highly revered Souvlaki followed in 1993 and Pygmalion in 1995, and then the band disbanded. In the 22 years of their virtual disappearance, compilation albums have been released and the core members of the group have gone on to join other musical endeavors. In 2014, Slowdive announced that they had reunited and more new music would follow. Upon today’s release of new single, “Star Roving,” the band has also announced signing to Dead Oceans.

Halstead says, When the band decided to get back together in 2014, we really wanted to make new music. It’s taken us a whole load of shows and a few false starts to get to that point, but it’s with pride and a certain trepidation we unleash ‘Star Roving.’ It’s part of a bunch of new tracks we’ve been working on and it feels as fun, and as relevant playing together now as it did when we first started. We hope folks enjoy it.”

Dead Oceans’s Phil Waldorf comments on the signing, “We are elated to work with Slowdive on their new album. I saw Slowdive for the first time, as a teenager, in 1991 at the 9:30 Club in Washington DC. I remember it being a revelation – the way the band used texture and tone was something I’d never heard before, and it stuck with me for a long time. It was one of those gigs that was a gateway drug of sorts — not only was it amazing to see Slowdive, but it was the first taste of a whole sound that made me go exploring into all kinds of music. More than two decades later, their music sounds just as relevant and vital, and we cannot wait for old fans and new listeners to hear the band’s new recordings.”
Listen to Slowdive’s “Star Roving” –
https://youtu.be/ogCih4OavoY

Purchase “Star Roving” –
https://slowdive.lnk.to/star-roving

VIVA PHX 2017 festival announces initial lineup.

Good grief! Check out this first round lineup announcement from the VIVA PHX festival on March 11th.  It’s one night in downtown Phoenix with 75 bands playing in 18 venues.

At first glance, my must-see bands are (reading from top to bottom on the list above) Girl Talk, Temples, the Reverend Horton Heat, X, Invisibl Skratch Piklz, Yacht, Blackalicious, Deap Vally, Night Beats, Froth, and Death Valley Girls.

There will be many local area bands there I’m sure I’ll want to see by then.  I already have my airfare and will be getting my tickets soon.  Don’t wait too long.  Tickets are only $25 bucks right now and will go up as the date gets closer.

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t wait too long to subscribe to us either.]

Elephant Stone announce Canada and U.K. tour dates.

Psych-rockers Elephant Stone have released a big batch of tour dates across their home country and in the United Kingdom.  Catch them if you can.  You won’t regret it.

Feb. 08 – Grad Club – Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Feb. 09 – Starlight – Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Feb. 10 – Adelaide Hall – Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Feb. 14 – Casbah – Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Feb. 15 – E-Bar – Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Feb. 16 – Red Dog – Peterborough, Ontario, Canada

Feb. 17 – Zaphods – Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Feb. 18 – Theatre Fairmount – Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Mar. 24 – Trou de Diables – Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada

Mar. 31 – Petite Boite Noire – Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada

Apr. 01 –  La Sainte Paix – Drummondville, Quebec, Canada

May 26 – The Moth Club – London, UK

May 27 – The Moon Club – Cardiff, UK

May 28 – Eiger Studios – Leeds, UK

May 29 – Mono – Glasgow, UK

May 30 – Picture House Social – Sheffield, UK

May 31 – Hope & Ruin – Brighton, UK
BTW check out this live in-studio performance they did of Ship of Fools sitar track “Silence Can Say So Much”. Listen to Ship of Fools HERE.

Keep your mind open.

[Your subscription to us would say so much.]

 

U2 announces 30th anniversary tour of “The Joshua Tree.”

I guess it was thirty years ago when I saw U2 on their Joshua Tree tour in Indianapolis at Market Square Arena (which no longer exists).  The band recently announced they will be playing the album in full during an upcoming anniversary tour that will stretch from Vancouver to Brussels.  There are plenty of U.S. dates, but you’ll have to get your tickets from the resale market if you missed the sale.  The tour sold out in minutes.

Keep your mind open.

 

A Perfect Circle to tour North America this year.

A Perfect Circle had announced earlier this year that they’d perform four tour days, but lo and behold they confirmed everyone’s hopes by announcing a full North American tour for 2017.  Catch them if you can if you’re in the west or south (or Missouri).  They don’t tour often.

April 7 – Las Vegas, Nevada @ The Pearl
April 8 – Las Vegas, Nevada @ The Pearl
April 10 – Phoenix, Arizona @ Comerica Theatre
April 11 – San Diego, California @ Open Air Theatre
April 13 – San Francisco, California @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
April 14 – Reno, Nevada @ Reno Event Center
April 15 – Sal Lake City, Utah @ Maverik Center
April 17 – Denver, Colorado @ 1st Bank Center
April 19 – Kansas City, Missouri @ Starlight Amphitheatre
April 20 – St. Louis, Missouri @ Chafietz Arena
April 22 – Tusla, Oklahoma @ BOK Center
April 23 – Grand Prairie, Texas @ Verizon Theatre
April 25 – Austin, Texas @ HEB Center at Cedar Park
April 26 – San Antonio, Texas @ Freeman Coliseum
April 27 – Houston, Texas @ Smart Financial Center
April 29 – Jacksonville, Florida @ Welcome to Rockville
April 30 – Fort Meyers, Florida @ Fort Rock Festival
May 2 – Atlanta, Georgia @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
May 3 – Nashville, Tennessee @ Bridgestone Arena
May 5 – Concord, North Carolina @ Carolina Rebellion
May 7 – Los Angeles, California @ Hollywood Bowl

Keep your mind open.

Turn to Crime announces new album – “Secondary.”

TURN TO CRIME ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM, SECONDARY
OUT FEBRUARY 3RD ON MUGG & BOPP RECORDSLISTEN TO FIRST SINGLE, “CHASING”
https://soundcloud.com/turntocrime/chasing 

U.S. TOUR BEGINS NEXT MONTH

Turn To Crime has announced their new album, Secondary, out February 3rd on front man Derek Stanton’s own Mugg & Bopp RecordsSecondary is Turn To Crime’s fourth album in as many years – Phantom Buzz (2016), Actions (2015) and Can’t Love (2014). Like Actions and Can’t Love, it was recorded in Stanton’s basement studio in Detroit’s Southwest, Molten Sound. The album was mixed by Jonathan Schenke of Doctor Wu’s Studio in Brooklyn and mastered by Sarah Register, who has mastered all previous Turn To Crime albums.

The writing and recording of Secondary coincided with the release of Actions. Around this time, Stanton noticed something was off. “I started to lose hearing in my left ear,” he explains. That prompted him to obtain a hearing test. A subsequent MRI uncovered a brain tumor. “It was about a millimeter from being too big to remove and I had about a 50/50 chance of losing hearing and the movement on the left side of my face.” The band canceled their tour in support of Actions and Stanton underwent surgery only a week after that album’s release.

“I didn’t want to write a downer album about the fragility of life or anything too personal or autobiographical,” a now healthy Stanton remarks. “What came out is an important (to me) oddball pop album with a sense of urgency. I think it’s Turn To Crime’s best album to date. It’s also part of a ton of songs I wrote at the time. So, we have a few more albums just hanging out. We’re trying to figure out what to do with everything, as I keep writing like crazy, but we’re still doing the DIY thing.”

Stanton’s sense of humor and resolve is apparent on lead single, “Chasing,” premiering via Noisey today. “I love the guitar riff in this song. It’s super fun to play. When you get to the chorus you don’t want it to end,” exclaims Stanton. Stream it below.

Turn To Crime will tour in support of Secondary starting next month. A full list of dates is below.

LISTEN TO TURN TO CRIME’S “CHASING”:
https://soundcloud.com/turntocrime/chasing TURN TO CRIME TOUR DATES:
Fr. Feb. 17 – Cleveland, OH @ Euclid Tavern
Sat. Feb.18 – Brooklyn, NY @ Sunnyvale
Sun. Feb. 19 – Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter
Tue. Feb. 21 – Winston-Salem, NC @ The Garage
Wed. Feb. 22 – Athens, GA @ The World Famous
Thu. Feb. 23 – Nashville, TN @ DRKMTTR
Fri. Feb. 24 – Indianapolis, IN @ Musical Family Tree
Sat. Feb. 25 – Chicago, IL @ The Hideout

SECONDARY TRACKLIST:
1. Dead Man
2. Chasing
3. Get Your Pills From Tony
4. Fall Down
5. Secondary
6. Her Love
7. Don’t Let Go
8. Mary Jean’s Chocolate Pie