Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 1759

The National Release Video for "I'll Still Destroy You" + Announce new tour dates

THE NATIONAL RELEASE RAGNAR KJARTANSSON DIRECTED VIDEO FOR "I'LL STILL DESTROY YOU"
THE NATIONAL TO PLAY INAUGURAL ALL POINTS EAST FESTIVALAT LONDON'S VICTORIA PARK, SATURDAY, JUNE 2nd, 2018
Members of The National Announce December 11th, 2017 Buffalo Town Ballroom  to Benefit String Works
Directed by Allan Sigurðsson and Ragnar KjartanssonProduced by Lilja Gunnarsdóttir, Ingibjörg Sigurjónsdóttir and Haven FestivalSet design: Anda Skrejane, Christoph Fischer, Camilla Hägebarth, Julia Krawczynski.
Today, October 23rd, The National released the video for "I'll Still Destroy You" off their most recent album Sleep Well Beast (4AD). The band also announced a headlining slot during the second weekend of the inaugural All Points East festival on Saturday, June 2nd at London's Victoria Park. Members of the National will also perform in Buffalo. NY on December 11th to benefit the Buffalo String Works, a not-for-profit that provides high-quality music instruction on stringed instruments to children of low-income, refugee and immigrant parents. Tickets for this show are available at TOWNBALLROOM.COM on Friday, October 27th at 12 pm ET.
In addition, The National recently announced a November 1st performance alongside Chance the Rapper and Gloria Estefan for the closing event for the Obama Foundation Summit: a community event that will bring together thousands to celebrate civic leaders making a difference around the world and inspire those in attendance and watching live to make a positive impact in their own communities. Chance the Rapper is working with the Foundation on the creative design of the event. Additional artists will be announced at a later date. The community event will be November 1 at 8:30 PM CT and live streamed at Obama.org. To sign up to receive emails from the Obama Foundation, sign HERE.
"I'll Still Destroy You" was directed by Allan Sigurðsson and Icelandic performance and installation artist Ragnar Kjartansson. Ragnar, who also appears in the video, collaborated with The National for "A Lot Of Sorrow" which saw the band play their song "Sorrow" for six hours in front of a live audience at MOMA's PS1.  "I'll Still Destroy You" was filmed in Copenhagen, Denmark during the Aaron and Bryce Dessner created HAVEN Festival.  It was shot in one hour at Dope & Korruption, a pop-up bar created by Ragnar offering arancini, chocolate truffles, prosecco, classical music and a sailor striptease. During the video shoot the bar was shut down by Danish security officials and destroyed the day after. Watch "I'll Still Destroy You" HERE. 
Presented by renowned promoter Goldenvoice, All Points East is a brand new ten day event taking place from May 25 to June 3, 2018 in East London's beautiful Victoria Park. On June 2, 2018 The National play their largest headline show to date as the first of the three APE Presents... stand alone shows.  Alongside The National will be special guests The War On Drugs, Future Islands, The Districts, Warpaint and more to be announced.
The NationalWith the release of Sleep Well Beast, The National achieved their highest chart position in the US to date, coming in at #2 on the Billboard Top 200. In addition they scored #1's in the UK, Ireland, Portugal and Canada. The band received their highest chart position ever in a total of eleven countries. The National also claimed their first #1 at commercial radio on the Triple-A radio chart with "The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness."Sleep Well Beast is the band's seventh studio album and the follow up to their GRAMMY nominated albumTrouble Will Find Me. Over their 16-year career the band has sold more than 1.7 million albums in the U.S. alone.
Photos, album art and bio available here.For additional information and pre-sale registration visit www.americanmary.com
Photo Credit: Graham MacIndoe
WORLD TOUR:10/24/17 - Tempodrom - Berlin, GERMANY (SOLD OUT)10/25/17 - AFAS Live - Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDS (SOLD OUT)10/26/17 - AFAS Live - Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDS (SOLD OUT)10/28/17 - Coliseum - Lisbon, PORTUGAL (SOLD OUT)11/02/17 - Pitchfork Paris, Paris FRANCE (SOLD OUT)11/04/17 - Annexet - Stockholm, SWEDEN (SOLD OUT)11/05/17 - Annexet - Stockholm, SWEDEN (SOLD OUT)11/06/17 - Sentrum Scene - Oslo, NORWAY (SOLD OUT)11/07/17 - Sentrum Scene - Oslo, NORWAY (SOLD OUT)11/09/17 - Forest National - Brussels, BELGIUM11/27/17 - Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall - Portland, OR  (SOLD OUT)11/28/17 - Paramount Theatre - Seattle, WA (SOLD OUT)11/29/17 - Paramount Theatre - Seattle, WA (SOLD OUT)12/01/17 - Queen Elizabeth Theatre - Vancouver BC, CANADA (SOLD OUT)12/02/17 - Queen Elizabeth Theatre - Vancouver BC, CANADA (SOLD OUT)12/04/17 - Verizon Hall - Philadelphia, PA (SOLD OUT)12/05/17 - The Anthem - Washington,DC (SOLD OUT)12/07/17 - Metropolis - Montreal QC, CANADA (SOLD OUT)12/08/17 - Metropolis - Montreal QC, CANADA (SOLD OUT)12/09/17 - Sony Centre - Toronto ON, CANADA (SOLD OUT)12/10/17 - Hamilton Place Theatre - Hamilton ON, CANADA (SOLD OUT)12/11/17 - Buffalo Town Ballroom - Buffalo, NY  NOTE: Members of The National12/12/17 - Civic Opera House - Chicago, IL (SOLD OUT)12/13/17 - Civic Opera House - Chicago, IL (SOLD OUT)01/19/18 - The Forum - Los Angeles, California01/20/18 - The Joint - Las Vegas, Nevada01/19/18 - The Forum - Los Angeles, California01/23/18 - CDMX Pepsi Center - Mexico City, Mexico02/21/18 - Sydney Opera House Forecourt - Sydney, Australia02/22/18 - Sydney Opera House Forecourt - Sydney, Australia02/25/18 - Villa Maria Winery - Auckland, New Zealand02/27/18 - Riverstage - Brisbane, Australia03/16-03/18/18 - Lollapalooza Argentina - Buenos Aires, Argentina03/16-03/18/18 - Lollapalooza Chile - Santiago, Chile03/23-03/25/18 - Festival Estereo Picnic - Bogota, Colombia03/24/18 - Lollapalooza Brazil - Sao Paulo, Brazil06/02/18 - ALL Points East Festival - Victoria Park - London, England06/07/18 - NorthSide Festival - Aarhus, Denmark06/15/18 - Donnybrook Stadium - Dublin, Ireland06/16/18 - Donnybrook Stadium - Dublin, Ireland
 For more information visit here

FOO FIGHTERS CONCRETE AND GOLD NORTH AMERICAN TOUR 2018

FOO FIGHTERSCONCRETE AND GOLD NORTH AMERICAN TOUR 2018NEW DATES INCLUDING RETURNS TO WRIGLEY, FENWAY, MADISON SQUARE GARDEN & MORETICKETS ON SALE TO THE PUBLIC NOVEMBER 3 AT 10am LOCAL TIME *Visit www.foofighters.com For Information On Pre-Sale AccessPHOTO: Brantley GutierrezWith newly minted memories of their CalJam 17 triumph still fresh in the eyes and ears of 30,000+ true rock believers, and with Concrete and Gold (Roswell Records/RCA Records) still riding high in the charts worldwide since its international #1 debut, Foo Fighters have announced the next phase of the Concrete and Gold global domination initiative:The first 2018 North American dates of the Concrete and Gold world tour have been confirmed: The new shows will kick off April 18 in Austin, Texas and will run through the band’s July 29 return to Chicago’s Wrigley Field. Included on the newly announced itinerary are a July 16-17 two-night stand at New York’s Madison Square Garden, a July 21-22 encore doubleheader at Boston’s Fenway Park, and so much more.Tickets for these shows will be on sale to the general public Friday, November 3 at 10am local time (*with the exception of the public on sale for Chicago, which will begin November 10).Capital One cardholders will have access to an exclusive cardholder pre-sale for Foo Fighters Concrete and Gold Tour. The Capital One cardholder pre-sale starts Thursday, October 26 at 10 a.m.local venue time and ends Saturday, October 28 at 10 a.m. local venue time, or until pre-sale tickets run out. Capital One cardholder pre-sale for the Chicago date will begin Monday, November 6 at 10 a.m.Visit www.foofighters.com/capitalone for more details and information.Foo Fighters kicked off the first U.S. leg of the Concrete and Gold Tour October 12 with an intimate show by FF standards—the grand opening of The Anthem in Washington DC—a performance that USA Today noted “transformed the venue into a raucous rock cathedral.” In the days since, Foo Fighters have continued to storm through sold out arenas in Richmond VA, Greensboro SC, Cincinnati and more. The first Foo Fighters global trek since the 20th Anniversary trek that placed #5 in 2015’s top grossing world tours, the Concrete and Gold Tour has seen the Foos reaching new peaks of their estimable powers. “Foo Fighters keep going and going and going in epic Greensboro show,” wrote the Charlotte Observer, “If there’s one thing you can count on lately when you walk into a Foo Fighters concert, it’s that you probably won’t get home until tomorrow.” The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported, “Having played and sung all night with a seemingly endless store of energy, Grohl noted as midnightapproached, ‘I’m going to feel like I was run over by a truck tomorrow.’” And the Washington Post called the Anthem opener “a rock-and-roll clinic from Foo Fighters,” adding “when it was time to officially open the venue… the Anthem called in the only band with the local roots and international fame that could pull it off: Foo Fighters… That’s exactly what Grohl and friends did, treating the Anthem like a new leather jacket: turning something that glimmers with newness and making it feel as cozy as a childhood home.”For further updates on the 2017-2018 Concrete and Gold World Tour, continue to check www.foofighters.com.Foo Fighters are Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear and Rami Jaffee.FOO FIGHTERS
CONCRETE AND GOLD
North American Tour 20184/18 – Austin, TX — Austin360 Amphitheater
4/19 – The Woodlands, TX (Houston) – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
4/21 – Dallas, TX – Starplex Pavilion
4/22 – Bossier City, LA – CenturyLink Center
4/25 – Tampa, FL — MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
4/26 – West Palm Beach, FL– Coral Sky Amphitheatre
4/28 –  Atlanta, GA — Georgia State Stadium
4/29 – Jacksonville, FL – Welcome to Rockville
5/1 — Lexington, KY —Rupp Arena
5/3 — Memphis, TN — Fed Ex Forum
7/7 — Philadelphia, PA — BB&T Pavilion
7/12 — Toronto, ON — Rogers Centre
7/14 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
7/16 & 17 – New York, NY — Madison Square Garden
7/19 – Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena
7/21 & 22 — Boston, MA – Fenway Park
7/25 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH (Cleveland) – Blossom Music Center
7/26  – Noblesville, IN (Indianapolis) – Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
7/29 — Chicago, IL  — Wrigley Field

Eyes of the World: Grateful Dead Photography 1965 – 1995

Eyes of the World: Grateful Dead Photography 1965 – 1995 The Definitive Collection of Photographs Documentingthe Band Over Their Entire Career Book to be released October 23, 2017 SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Eyes of the World: Grateful Dead Photography 1965 – 1995 is a fine art, hardcover coffee table photography book that brings together, for the first time, a comprehensive collection of photographs from a wide range of photographers whose work has captured the Grateful Dead at different times throughout their career. Co-Edited by former Relix editor-in-chief Josh Baron and famed rock photographer Jay Blakesberg, Eyes of the World will be released October 23, 2017 via Rock Out Books and is available for pre-order now at www.eyesoftheworldbook.com and at most other book retailers. Shocking as it may seem—particularly given the unparalleled job the band’s shepherds did in documenting its history—until now there has been no definitive visual reference encompassing the 30 year career of the Grateful Dead. “What we also realized in assessing this book project,” explains Baron, “is that even for those images that fans had seen before, the vast majority had only seen them on a computer screen. Most people—including Jay and I —had never seen the majority of these images printed in large format.” Over the course of six months of research, Baron and Blakesberg reached out to more than 100 individual photographers (or in some cases, their representatives) to see if they’d be willing to submit their images for review.  After much deliberation, countless conversations and 32 versions of the eventual layout, they landed on 220 images captured by 61 photographers across 272 pages that would become Eyes of the World, the book. Photographers featured in Eyes of the World include such legendary names as Annie Leibovitz, Jim Marshall, David Gahr, Mark Seliger, Herb Greene, William Coupon, Michael O’Neill, Adrian Boot, Michael Putland, Peter Simon, Baron Wolman and, of course, Jay Blakesberg. Included in the collection are iconic images, lesser known photos, and never-seen before seen images – each of them a singular perspective of a poignant moment that togetherhelp tell the Grateful Dead’s epic tale through large, bold imagery. “There were quite a few of us photographers fortunate to have had the opportunity to help document the Grateful Dead,” Blakesberg says. “But no single photographic perspective can tell this band’s full story. For many years, I have thought a book that considered the archives of numerous photographers - Jim Marshall, Herb Greene, myself, and others - would be the ultimate photography book on this band. It was Josh who went above and beyond, seeking out the rare and unseen archives that truly makes this a unique collection.  I’m very happy to see this book come to life.” Each of the images included on the pages of Eyes of the World were originally shot on film. Many of them have been reproduced for the first time via high-resolution scan, allowing them to be viewed anew. Unfettered in presentation, each photograph holds relevance and weight, many of them taking up a full page or more. As renowned musician and photographer Graham Nash writes in the book’s forward, “It’s obvious that the authors of these photographs were great fans and also that they had a unique perspective. They were ‘trusted.’ Trusted so much that it’s certain that the band were completely comfortable in revealing the many faces of themselves.”  Graham continues, “It’s moments like these that photographers live for: the ability to be invisible so that no one knows you’re there. That’s when the good shots happen and that’s when I realize how lucky the band was to have such talented witnesses to their journey.” As the band’s own Phil Lesh notes, “These photographs really capture the spirit of the Grateful Dead’s 30-year adventure.” Whether a Grateful Dead veteran who caught them in the heady days of the late-‘60s in San Francisco, or a millennial who made it to Chicago for Fare The Well in 2015, Eyes of the World:Grateful Dead Photography 1965 – 1995 provides fans of all ages and stages the opportunity to see this band in a way they never have before. Upcoming book signings, with more to be announced soon: New York: Morrison Hotel Gallery, Saturday, 10/28, 1-5pmBay Area: Terrapin Crossroads, Thursday, 11/30, night time

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS announce new hyper-melodic album 'I Like Fun'

GRAMMY® AWARD-WINNING BAND THEY MIGHT BE GIANTSANNOUNCE A NEW ALBUM OF ORIGINAL ROCK MUSIC
I LIKE FUN OUT 19th JANUARY 2018
FEATURING “ I LEFT MY BODY ” – LISTEN NOW
TMBG’s DIAL-A-SONG RETURNS FOR ALL OF 2018

Stream “I Left My Body”:  Spotify  |  Apple Music  |  YouTube Pre-Order I Like Fun:  iTunes  |  Amazon  |  Lojinx
“Oh my god, They Might Be Giants is underrated. That’s the best band of all time. Better than the Stones, better than the Beatles, better than Oasis, and better than Crosby, Stills and Nash.” – Open Mike Eagle, Pitchfork “Over/Under”
Why is the world in love again? They Might Be Giants has announced the release of I Like Fun, a remarkable 15-track album to be available physically and digitally on 19th January 2018.
I Like Fun jumps with surprises, vitality, and the startling point of view of these Brooklyn originals. Over a year in the making, songwriters and band founders John Linnell and John Flansburgh draw on themes of dread, death, and disappointment and set them to their driving, hyper-melodic music. The results will leave even the most heavy-hearted among us with a renewed sense of wonder. Fresh and sonically adventurous, the band’s command of the studio and the song is in rare form from beginning to end.
On I Like Fun, the spotlight is also on the band’s formidable long-standing live lineup; drummer Marty Beller, bassist Danny Weinkauf and lead guitarist Dan Miller. While the group enjoys a reputation for delivering one of the liveliest shows around, the album accomplishes the rare feat of capturing that ecstatic intensity on disc. Co-produced with and mixed by Patrick Dillett (St. Vincent, Donald Fagen, The National, Mary J. Blige), the album was tracked and mixed at the brand-new Reservoir Studios—site of the legendary Skyline Studios where TMBG recorded their platinum-selling album Flood.
2018 will also see the return of TMBG's Dial-A-Song service, with weekly instalments toll free at www.dialasong.com, and on streaming sites everywhere, featuring new music all year long!
THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS’ I LIKE FUN AVAILABLEFOR PRE-ORDER  PHYSICALLY  &  DIGITALLY  TODAY
DIGITAL PRE-ORDERS  RECEIVE AN INSTANT DOWNLOADOF “I LEFT MY BODY” BEGINNING MONDAY, OCTOBER 23
theymightbegiants.com | dialasong.com | fb.com/theymightbegiants | twitter.com/tmbg | lojinx.com

Goon share acoustic tinged second single off new EP called "She"

GOON SHARE NEW SINGLE "SHE"
NEW EP HAPPY OMEN OUT OCTOBER 30TH STREAM // EMBED "SHE" HERE
HAPPY OMEN EP DOWNLOAD HAPPY OMEN EP - WAV DOWNLOAD HAPPY OMEN EP - MP3  STREAM HAPPY OMEN EP "Rising grunge-gaze heroes Goon have been bringing the scuzz back to LA guitar music for a good year now...the band and its sludgy, sprawling sound has been a relentless presence on stage and playlists alike." - Noisey
RIYL: LVL UP, DEERHUNTER, OVLOVExperimental fringe rockers Goon have shared another track off of their new EP Happy Omen.
"She" finds the band taking a step back from their lo-fi guitar rock and instead experimenting with acoustic guitars, drum machines, synths and samples.
Singer-songwriter / guitarist Kenny Becker explains:I wrote this song in 2012 following a breakup and a realization that I had already begun to lose my faith. The song got shelved but in 2016 when we began recording new tunes it reemerged and we tracked it. Upon completing the song, I was actually in the midst of another breakup, and was kinda losing my mind with sad and lonely energy. The lyrics took on a renewed meaning. I also had the idea for the song's ending then, with the weird voices and sorta upbeat-melancholy jam. That ending became a kind of wordless meditation on all the feelings I was having at the time.
First track "Chaka" premiered last week via  Noisey.
Stream "Chaka"  here.
On first listen,  Happy Omen  is a decidedly darker and experimental release compared to the band's first EP Dusk of Punk.
Becker explains:
In June of 2016 we began recording a new batch of songs, with the intent of creating an LP. Which we did, but when reflecting on what we had created there was this feeling that it wasn't quite fleshed out enough. So that prompted a second phase of recording where we re-recorded some songs from those first sessions and continued down the rabbit hole of experimentation for a little while. At a certain point we realized some of the results from this experimentation actually worked really well together which resulted in this EP. 
To me, these songs share less of a proper "common theme" and more of a common feeling. That being said, four out of the six songs were written in the wake of a breakup, so if there's a lyrical theme, it could maybe be that. But this is definitely not a "breakup record." A lot of the lyrics are also about similar subjects as on our previous EP. Things like God, doubt, and my childhood. What I like most about this collection of songs is the shared melancholy, longing, introspective vibe. 
Additionally, the band has announced a FREE Halloween EP release show at The Echo in Los Angeles with support from friends Alyeska, HOTT MT and Gypsum.
Costumes encouraged.
is the follow up to the band's first EP Dusk of Punk which 
The band has supported Grandaddy, Lucy Dacus, the Lemon Twigs and Starcrawler this past year.

POPTONE @ Globe Theater (Cloak and Dagger)

Moon Duo @ Globe Theater (Cloak and Dagger)

The Soft Moon @ Globe Theater (Cloak and Dagger)

 

Drab Majesty @ Tower Theater (Cloak and Dagger)

Allah-Las @ Regent Theater 10/21