Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 2162
January 13, 2016
Kim & the Created Announces Dates With The Kills / Collaboration With Saint Laurent
KIM AND THE CREATED ANNOUNCES DATES WITH THE KILLS AND A COLLABORATION WITH HEDI SLIMANE & SAINT LAURENT
"Kim and the Created's live performance is nothing short of a full-blown exorcism." - Noisey Kim and the Created have announced a handful of dates supporting The Kills in April including two sold out nights at The Warsaw in New York. These shows follow a massive European tour which found the band literally collapsing venue ceilings and leaving with swollen faces and black eyes. Honestly, this will be one of the most memorable shows of the year full of glitter, cat suits, glam and a whole lot of punk music.
Speaking of catsuits and glitter, Kim and the Created (along with Ariel Pink and No Parents) are featured in a series of "Portrait Videos" created by legendary photographer Hedi Slimane and luxury fashion house Saint Laurent.
V Magazine reports, "Hedi Slimane now introduces a progression of his diary into a motion portraiture format. The 'Portrait Video' is a short-form video portraying a musician or an artist with a fast and energetic edit, almost chrono-photographic." The videos released so far hint at a mysterious Los Angeles event taking place February 10 which will be presented by Slimane and Saint Laurent.
Though full details on the event are still to be announced, check out Kim's Portrait Video below.
Check out the music video for Kim's single "Dead to Me" here. Kim and the Created Tour Dates 1/29/16: Long Beach, CA Alex's Bar #
1/30/16: Los Angeles, CA Girlschool Music Festival
4/11/16: Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer *
4/12/16: Brooklyn, NY Warsaw (SOLD OUT) *
4/13/16: Brooklyn, NY Warsaw (SOLD OUT) *
# w/ OFF!
* w/ The Kills
More TBA
José González On Tour With yMusic In March, Shares Live Video
JOSÉ GONZÁLEZ
US TOUR WITH CHAMBER ENSEMBLE YMUSIC THIS SPRING
WATCH JOSÉ AND YMUSIC PERFORM
“INK OF A GHOST”
Photo Credit: Chad KamenshineIn advance of his tour with acclaimed NYC-based chamber sextet yMusic, José González releases a stunning live video for “Ink of a Ghost,” from his latest album Vestiges & Claws out now via Mute. José performed with yMusic to a standing-room only crowd at New York’s Lincoln Center’s Out of Doors festival in Summer 2014. Now they are taking this very special live show across the US. Watch + share José’s performance of “Ink of a Ghost” with yMusic at Lincoln Center here.
yMusic will join José on tour beginning in Seattle on March 6th with performances throughout the month including stops at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and Beacon Theatre in New York (see below for a full list of tour dates). José says, “I’m very excited to go on tour with yMusic! I love their setup and taste in arrangements, being six super talented musicians playing strings, flute, clarinet and trumpet, it feels like it opens us up from sounding energetic and avant-garde to classic and delicate.”
yMusic works in close quarters with contemporary composers and songwriters, developing ideas into vivid, communicative performances. Virtuosos, the six classically-trained instrumentalists are equally comfortable in the classical and pop worlds, collaborating with artists from Ben Folds to Dirty Projectors. “yMusic is thrilled to be joining José, says Rob Moose of yMusic, “and to bring our musicianship and unique color to José’s gorgeous, moody songwriting.”
José’s collaboration with the classical genius of yMusic is a rare, special event ensuring a uniquely memorable, once-in-a lifetime live experience. José says, “apart from performing each on our own we will play songs from my three albums in arrangements by Rob Moose. We’ve only played them once before, so I look forward to hear them live again!”
Tickets and album are available at http://jose-gonzalez.com/tour-dates/ (check your local listings for more info.)
Photo Credit: Chad Kamenshine Tour Dates
6 March - Seattle, WA - Moore Theatre
7 March - Portland, OR - Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
8 March - Ashland, OR - Southern Oregon University @ Music Recital Hall
9 March - Arcata, CA - Humboldt State University @ Van Duzer Theatre
10 March - Santa Barbara, CA - University of California @ Campbell Hall
11 March - Los Angeles, CA - Walt Disney Concert Hall
13 March - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
15 March - Escondido, CA - California Center for the Arts
17 March - Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre
19 March - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theatre
20 March - Minneapolis, MN - Pantages Theatre
21 March - Chicago, IL - Rockefeller Chapel
23 March - Philadelphia, PA - Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
24 March - New York, NY - Beacon Theatre
25 March - Boston, MA - Berklee Performance Hall
26 March - Washington, DC - George Washington University @ Lisner Auditorium
Watch the video for “Open Book” here.
Watch the video for “Leaf Off / The Cave” here.
Listen to “Leaf Off / The Cave” here.
Watch the video for “Every Age” here.
Listen to “Every Age “ here.
Watch the album trailer here.
WATCH JOSÉ AND YMUSIC PERFORM
“INK OF A GHOST”
Photo Credit: Chad KamenshineIn advance of his tour with acclaimed NYC-based chamber sextet yMusic, José González releases a stunning live video for “Ink of a Ghost,” from his latest album Vestiges & Claws out now via Mute. José performed with yMusic to a standing-room only crowd at New York’s Lincoln Center’s Out of Doors festival in Summer 2014. Now they are taking this very special live show across the US. Watch + share José’s performance of “Ink of a Ghost” with yMusic at Lincoln Center here.
yMusic will join José on tour beginning in Seattle on March 6th with performances throughout the month including stops at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and Beacon Theatre in New York (see below for a full list of tour dates). José says, “I’m very excited to go on tour with yMusic! I love their setup and taste in arrangements, being six super talented musicians playing strings, flute, clarinet and trumpet, it feels like it opens us up from sounding energetic and avant-garde to classic and delicate.”
yMusic works in close quarters with contemporary composers and songwriters, developing ideas into vivid, communicative performances. Virtuosos, the six classically-trained instrumentalists are equally comfortable in the classical and pop worlds, collaborating with artists from Ben Folds to Dirty Projectors. “yMusic is thrilled to be joining José, says Rob Moose of yMusic, “and to bring our musicianship and unique color to José’s gorgeous, moody songwriting.”
José’s collaboration with the classical genius of yMusic is a rare, special event ensuring a uniquely memorable, once-in-a lifetime live experience. José says, “apart from performing each on our own we will play songs from my three albums in arrangements by Rob Moose. We’ve only played them once before, so I look forward to hear them live again!”
Tickets and album are available at http://jose-gonzalez.com/tour-dates/ (check your local listings for more info.)
Photo Credit: Chad Kamenshine Tour Dates
6 March - Seattle, WA - Moore Theatre
7 March - Portland, OR - Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
8 March - Ashland, OR - Southern Oregon University @ Music Recital Hall
9 March - Arcata, CA - Humboldt State University @ Van Duzer Theatre
10 March - Santa Barbara, CA - University of California @ Campbell Hall
11 March - Los Angeles, CA - Walt Disney Concert Hall
13 March - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
15 March - Escondido, CA - California Center for the Arts
17 March - Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre
19 March - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theatre
20 March - Minneapolis, MN - Pantages Theatre
21 March - Chicago, IL - Rockefeller Chapel
23 March - Philadelphia, PA - Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
24 March - New York, NY - Beacon Theatre
25 March - Boston, MA - Berklee Performance Hall
26 March - Washington, DC - George Washington University @ Lisner Auditorium
Watch the video for “Open Book” here.
Watch the video for “Leaf Off / The Cave” here.
Listen to “Leaf Off / The Cave” here.
Watch the video for “Every Age” here.
Listen to “Every Age “ here.
Watch the album trailer here.
CHAIRLIFT DEBUTS FOURTH TRACK “MOTH TO THE FLAME” FROM FORTHCOMING ALBUM
CHAIRLIFT DEBUTS FOURTH TRACK “MOTH TO THE FLAME”FROM FORTHCOMING ALBUM MOTH ON
BEATS 1 WITH ZANE LOWE
ALBUM PRE-ORDER AVAILABLE NOW
MOTH TO RELEASE VIA COLUMBIA RECORDS ON
JANUARY 22nd
MOTH
NAMED ONE OF BILLBOARD’S
‘10 ROCK/ALTERNATIVE ALBUMS TO GET YOU AMPED FOR 2016’Today, Chairlift shares their new song “Moth to the Flame.” Serving as the fourth offering from their forthcoming album Moth, which is now available for pre-order on all digital sales providers (see below), "Moth to the Flame" debuted on Beats 1 with Zane Lowe as a World Record. The track will be available for purchase on all digital sales providers at midnight on January 14th (iTunes, Amazon and Google Play). Fans can stream "Moth To The Flame" on Apple Music now and Spotify beginning Friday, January 15th.
iTunes: http://smarturl.it/MothAlbum
Amazon: http://smarturl.it/MothAmazon
Google Play: http://smarturl.it/MothGP
Apple Music: http://smarturl.it/MothAudio
Spotify: http://smarturl.it/ChairliftSpotify
Track list for Moth:
Look Up
Polymorphing
Romeo
Ch-Ching
Crying In Public
Ottawa to Osaka
Moth To The Flame
Show U Off
Unfinished Business
No Such Thing As Illusion
In support of Moth, Chairlift will perform two special concerts during release week. Chairlift will perform in Los Angeles at the Teragram Ballroom on January 23rd and in New York City at the National Sawdust on January 26th. Additionally, Chairlift has added two shows in the Northeast: fans can now see Chairlift perform in Boston, MA on January 20th and in Hamden, CT on January 21st.
An evolution from their last album, 2012’s Something, Moth proves to be an emotionally uninhibited and markedly stronger, more pop inspired body of work. A very New York City inspired album, listeners can expect to be led through an aural mix of big, rich pop inspired hooks, vibrating bass, lively brass and sensuous R&B inspired vocals, all anchored in the duo’s meticulously crafted instrumentation.
Visit http://chairlifted.com for additional album and show information.
Credit: Tim Barber
BEATS 1 WITH ZANE LOWE
ALBUM PRE-ORDER AVAILABLE NOW
MOTH TO RELEASE VIA COLUMBIA RECORDS ON
JANUARY 22nd
MOTH
NAMED ONE OF BILLBOARD’S ‘10 ROCK/ALTERNATIVE ALBUMS TO GET YOU AMPED FOR 2016’Today, Chairlift shares their new song “Moth to the Flame.” Serving as the fourth offering from their forthcoming album Moth, which is now available for pre-order on all digital sales providers (see below), "Moth to the Flame" debuted on Beats 1 with Zane Lowe as a World Record. The track will be available for purchase on all digital sales providers at midnight on January 14th (iTunes, Amazon and Google Play). Fans can stream "Moth To The Flame" on Apple Music now and Spotify beginning Friday, January 15th.
iTunes: http://smarturl.it/MothAlbum
Amazon: http://smarturl.it/MothAmazon
Google Play: http://smarturl.it/MothGP
Apple Music: http://smarturl.it/MothAudio
Spotify: http://smarturl.it/ChairliftSpotify
Track list for Moth:
Look Up
Polymorphing
Romeo
Ch-Ching
Crying In Public
Ottawa to Osaka
Moth To The Flame
Show U Off
Unfinished Business
No Such Thing As Illusion
In support of Moth, Chairlift will perform two special concerts during release week. Chairlift will perform in Los Angeles at the Teragram Ballroom on January 23rd and in New York City at the National Sawdust on January 26th. Additionally, Chairlift has added two shows in the Northeast: fans can now see Chairlift perform in Boston, MA on January 20th and in Hamden, CT on January 21st.
An evolution from their last album, 2012’s Something, Moth proves to be an emotionally uninhibited and markedly stronger, more pop inspired body of work. A very New York City inspired album, listeners can expect to be led through an aural mix of big, rich pop inspired hooks, vibrating bass, lively brass and sensuous R&B inspired vocals, all anchored in the duo’s meticulously crafted instrumentation.
Visit http://chairlifted.com for additional album and show information.
Credit: Tim Barber
Joan Baez confirms 2016 tour dates and Paul Simon, Mavis Staples & Richard Thompson added to 75th Birthday Celebration in NYC
JOAN BAEZ CONFIRMS 2016 TOUR DATES
LEGENDARY ARTIST AND ACTIVIST TEAMS WITH AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA TO FOCUS ON MASS INCARCERATION
PAUL SIMON, MAVIS STAPLES & RICHARD THOMPSON ADDED TO 75TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION IN NYC JANUARY 27
On February 27, Joan Baez will embark on an 18-city North American tour, drawing upon repertoire spanning her historic career. Baez is teaming with longtime partner Amnesty International to bring attention to the human rights crisis of mass incarceration of disenfranchised minorities in the US. She will provide her audience with an opportunity to take immediate action on behalf of a select group of prisoners whose cases Amnesty is championing. Amnesty International representatives will be present at each show to engage with concertgoers and solicit their support. As a veteran of the 1960s civil rights movement, Baez is saddened by the civil rights crisis that once again confronts the US and states: “I am pleased once again to be joining forces with Amnesty International, this time on the critical and urgent issue of racial and ethnic disparities of incarceration, right here in the United States.”
Of the partnership, Margaret Huang, interim executive director for Amnesty International USA, remarks: “We are excited to continue our longstanding collaboration with Joan and look forward to welcoming her fans to join Amnesty International and take action on human rights issues here in the United States. The United States is the leading jailer in the world. Together, we can change that.”
Baez’s relationship with Amnesty began in the early 1970s when she met Ginetta Sagan, a torture survivor and Bay Area activist, who was seeking to further establish Amnesty’s reputation in the US In 1986, Baez was a featured performer on the Conspiracy of Hope tour and appeared as a special guest on 1988’s Human Rights Now! Tour. On May 21, 2015, Baez, along with world-renowned artist Ai Weiwei, received Amnesty International’s “Ambassador of Conscience Award,” the organization’s top honor which recognizes those who have shown exceptional leadership in the fight for human rights through their life and work. In addition, Baez will celebrate her 75th birthday on Wednesday, January 27 at the Beacon Theatre. The special event will honor her legendary 50-plus years in music in an intimate, career-spanning live performance. Baez will perform alongside fellow artists and friends, including: David Bromberg, Jackson Browne, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Judy Collins, Emmylou Harris, Indigo Girls, Damien Rice, Paul Simon, Mavis Staples, Richard Thompson and Nano Stern. The concert will be recorded and produced for television by Thirteen Productions LLC for WNET New York as part of the Great Performances series on PBS.
JOAN BAEZ CONFIRMED TOUR DATESJanuary 27 New York, NY Beacon Theatre January 30 Ann Arbor, MI Hill AuditoriumFebruary 27 Toronto, ON Koerner HallFebruary 28 Ithaca, NY State TheaterMarch 1 Concord, NH Capitol Center for the ArtsMarch 3 New Haven, CT Shubert TheatreMarch 5 Burlington, VT Flynn CenterMarch 6 Englewood, NJ Bergen PACMarch 8 Red Bank, NJ Count Basie TheatreMarch 9 Frederick, MD Weinberg Center for the ArtsMarch 12 Lexington, KY Lexington Opera HouseMarch 16 Charleston, SC Charleston Music HallMarch 17 Atlanta, GA Atlanta Symphony HallMarch 19 Birmingham, AL Alys Stephens Performing Arts CenterMarch 20 Durham, NC Page Auditorium at Duke UniversityMarch 23 Wilmington, DE The GrandMarch 25 Albany, NY The EggMarch 26 Buffalo, NY Asbury Hall
LEGENDARY ARTIST AND ACTIVIST TEAMS WITH AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA TO FOCUS ON MASS INCARCERATION
PAUL SIMON, MAVIS STAPLES & RICHARD THOMPSON ADDED TO 75TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION IN NYC JANUARY 27
On February 27, Joan Baez will embark on an 18-city North American tour, drawing upon repertoire spanning her historic career. Baez is teaming with longtime partner Amnesty International to bring attention to the human rights crisis of mass incarceration of disenfranchised minorities in the US. She will provide her audience with an opportunity to take immediate action on behalf of a select group of prisoners whose cases Amnesty is championing. Amnesty International representatives will be present at each show to engage with concertgoers and solicit their support. As a veteran of the 1960s civil rights movement, Baez is saddened by the civil rights crisis that once again confronts the US and states: “I am pleased once again to be joining forces with Amnesty International, this time on the critical and urgent issue of racial and ethnic disparities of incarceration, right here in the United States.”
Of the partnership, Margaret Huang, interim executive director for Amnesty International USA, remarks: “We are excited to continue our longstanding collaboration with Joan and look forward to welcoming her fans to join Amnesty International and take action on human rights issues here in the United States. The United States is the leading jailer in the world. Together, we can change that.”
Baez’s relationship with Amnesty began in the early 1970s when she met Ginetta Sagan, a torture survivor and Bay Area activist, who was seeking to further establish Amnesty’s reputation in the US In 1986, Baez was a featured performer on the Conspiracy of Hope tour and appeared as a special guest on 1988’s Human Rights Now! Tour. On May 21, 2015, Baez, along with world-renowned artist Ai Weiwei, received Amnesty International’s “Ambassador of Conscience Award,” the organization’s top honor which recognizes those who have shown exceptional leadership in the fight for human rights through their life and work. In addition, Baez will celebrate her 75th birthday on Wednesday, January 27 at the Beacon Theatre. The special event will honor her legendary 50-plus years in music in an intimate, career-spanning live performance. Baez will perform alongside fellow artists and friends, including: David Bromberg, Jackson Browne, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Judy Collins, Emmylou Harris, Indigo Girls, Damien Rice, Paul Simon, Mavis Staples, Richard Thompson and Nano Stern. The concert will be recorded and produced for television by Thirteen Productions LLC for WNET New York as part of the Great Performances series on PBS.
JOAN BAEZ CONFIRMED TOUR DATESJanuary 27 New York, NY Beacon Theatre January 30 Ann Arbor, MI Hill AuditoriumFebruary 27 Toronto, ON Koerner HallFebruary 28 Ithaca, NY State TheaterMarch 1 Concord, NH Capitol Center for the ArtsMarch 3 New Haven, CT Shubert TheatreMarch 5 Burlington, VT Flynn CenterMarch 6 Englewood, NJ Bergen PACMarch 8 Red Bank, NJ Count Basie TheatreMarch 9 Frederick, MD Weinberg Center for the ArtsMarch 12 Lexington, KY Lexington Opera HouseMarch 16 Charleston, SC Charleston Music HallMarch 17 Atlanta, GA Atlanta Symphony HallMarch 19 Birmingham, AL Alys Stephens Performing Arts CenterMarch 20 Durham, NC Page Auditorium at Duke UniversityMarch 23 Wilmington, DE The GrandMarch 25 Albany, NY The EggMarch 26 Buffalo, NY Asbury Hall
Shannon and the Clams share tour dates, "The Bog" music video
SHANNON AND THE CLAMS UNVEIL NEW MUSIC VIDEO FOR "THE BOG" U.S. TOUR DATES
VIDEO - "The Bog" [dir. Dan Shaw]
VIDEO - "It's Too Late" [dir. Dan Shaw and Ryan Browne]
VIDEO - "The Making of Gone by the Dawn"
VIDEO - "Point of Being Right" [dir. Cody Blanchard]
VIDEO - "Corvette" [dir. Loren Risker]
This morning, Brooklyn Vegan premiered "The Bog," the latest (and maybe strangest to date) music video from Shannon and the Clams' acclaimed 2015 album Gone by the Dawn. In addition, the Clams have a whole slew of tour dates to announce, including an appearance at the Sasquatch! Music Festival. Watch "The Bog" via the link or .gif above, and see below for a full list of upcoming performances.
Tour dates:
01.21.16 - Tallahassee, FL - Club Downunder ^
01.22.16 - Jacksonville, FL - Burro Bar ^
01.23.16 - Orlando, FL - Backbooth ^
01.25.16 - Tampa, FL - New World Brewery ^
01.26.16 - Miami, FL - Churchill's ^
01.29.16 - San Juan, PR - Club 77
02.13.16 - Palm Desert, CA - The Hood Bar Pizza
03.08.16 - Pioneertown, CA - Pappy Harriet's
03.09.16 - Phoenix, AZ - Valley Bar
03.10.16 - El Paso, TX - Lowbrow Palace
03.11.16 - Laredo, TX - Siete Banderas
03.13.16 - Houston, TX - Walter’s %
03.14.16 - New Orleans, LA - Siberia
03.19.16 - 03.20.16 Dallas, TX - Spillover Festival
03.22.16 - Nashville, TN - Exit/In
03.23.16 - Bloomington, IN - The Bishop
03.24.16 - Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups
03.25.16 - Lombard, IL - Brauerhouse
03.26.16 - St. Louis, MO - Off Broadway
03.28.16 - Kansas City, MO - Riot Room
03.29.16 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
03.30.16 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
03.31.16 - Reno, NV - Holland Project
03.27.16 - 03.30.16 - George, WA - Sasquatch Music Festival
^ - w/ Golden Pelicans
% - w/ Downtown Boys
VIDEO - "The Bog" [dir. Dan Shaw]
VIDEO - "It's Too Late" [dir. Dan Shaw and Ryan Browne]
VIDEO - "The Making of Gone by the Dawn"
VIDEO - "Point of Being Right" [dir. Cody Blanchard]
VIDEO - "Corvette" [dir. Loren Risker]
This morning, Brooklyn Vegan premiered "The Bog," the latest (and maybe strangest to date) music video from Shannon and the Clams' acclaimed 2015 album Gone by the Dawn. In addition, the Clams have a whole slew of tour dates to announce, including an appearance at the Sasquatch! Music Festival. Watch "The Bog" via the link or .gif above, and see below for a full list of upcoming performances.
Tour dates:
01.21.16 - Tallahassee, FL - Club Downunder ^
01.22.16 - Jacksonville, FL - Burro Bar ^
01.23.16 - Orlando, FL - Backbooth ^
01.25.16 - Tampa, FL - New World Brewery ^
01.26.16 - Miami, FL - Churchill's ^
01.29.16 - San Juan, PR - Club 77
02.13.16 - Palm Desert, CA - The Hood Bar Pizza
03.08.16 - Pioneertown, CA - Pappy Harriet's
03.09.16 - Phoenix, AZ - Valley Bar
03.10.16 - El Paso, TX - Lowbrow Palace
03.11.16 - Laredo, TX - Siete Banderas
03.13.16 - Houston, TX - Walter’s %
03.14.16 - New Orleans, LA - Siberia
03.19.16 - 03.20.16 Dallas, TX - Spillover Festival
03.22.16 - Nashville, TN - Exit/In
03.23.16 - Bloomington, IN - The Bishop
03.24.16 - Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups
03.25.16 - Lombard, IL - Brauerhouse
03.26.16 - St. Louis, MO - Off Broadway
03.28.16 - Kansas City, MO - Riot Room
03.29.16 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
03.30.16 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
03.31.16 - Reno, NV - Holland Project
03.27.16 - 03.30.16 - George, WA - Sasquatch Music Festival
^ - w/ Golden Pelicans
% - w/ Downtown Boys
M. Ward Shares New Music Video + U.S. Tour Dates
M. WARDUNVEILS MUSIC VIDEO FOR "GIRL FROM CONEJO VALLEY" -
PRESS HERE
TO WATCH
ANNOUNCES SPRING TOUR DATES
EIGHTH SOLO ALBUM MORE RAIN TO BE RELEASED MARCH 4 VIA MERGE RECORDS
M. Ward returns with his eighth solo album, More Rain, which will be released onMarch 4 via Merge Records. Today, he unveiled the music video for this new single "Girl From Conejo Valley." Directed by Ward and Carlos Forster, the track is anostalgic trot through people he used to know and a place he used to be. PRESS HERE to watch "Girl From Conejo Valley." M. Ward has also announced several Spring tour dates including Washington D.C.,New York City, Boston and more. All dates listed below. Having spent the last decade-and-a-half based in the perennially damp Portland, Oregon, the singer-songwriter and producer has learned how to shine through the soggy gloom by simply embracing its inevitability. With his new album More Rain, Ward has made a true gotta-stay-indoors, rainy-season record that looks upwards through the weather while reflecting on his past. This album finds Ward picking up the tempo and volume a bit from his previous release, 2012's A Wasteland Companion. Where that record introspectively looked in from the outside, More Rain finds Ward on the inside, gazing out. Begun four years ago and imagined initially as a DIY doo-wop album that would feature Ward experimenting with layering his own voice, it soon branched out in different directions, a move that he credits largely to his collaborators here who include R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, Neko Case, k.d. lang, The Secret Sisters, and Joey Spampinato of NRBQ. The result is a collection of upbeat, sonically ambitious yet canonically familiar songs that both propel Ward's reach and satisfy longtime fans. Ward has released a string of acclaimed solo albums over the past several years, along with five LPs with Zooey Deschanel as She & Him and a 2009 collaborative album with My Morning Jacket's Jim James and Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis under the moniker Monsters of Folk. In addition to his celebrated work as a musician, Ward is an accomplished producer, handling those duties for such luminaries as Mavis Staples, Jenny Lewis, and Carlos Forster as well as his own musical projects. 2016 TOUR DATESJanuary 29 Los Angeles, CA @ The Cathedral Sanctuary at Immanuel Presbyterian*
January 30 Los Angeles, CA @ The Cathedral Sanctuary at Immanuel Presbyterian*
February 3 New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre*
February 4 New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre*
February 6 Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium*
April 29 Saxapahaw, NC @ Haw River
April 30 Charlottesville, VA @ Jefferson Theatre
May 1 Washington D.C. @ 930 Club
May 2 Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
May 4 New York, NY @ Webster Hall
May 6 Portland, ME @ Port City Music Hall
May 7 Boston, MA @ The Royale
May 27 - 30 Quincy, WA @ Sasquatch! *with Jenny Lewis
ANNOUNCES SPRING TOUR DATES
EIGHTH SOLO ALBUM MORE RAIN TO BE RELEASED MARCH 4 VIA MERGE RECORDS
M. Ward returns with his eighth solo album, More Rain, which will be released onMarch 4 via Merge Records. Today, he unveiled the music video for this new single "Girl From Conejo Valley." Directed by Ward and Carlos Forster, the track is anostalgic trot through people he used to know and a place he used to be. PRESS HERE to watch "Girl From Conejo Valley." M. Ward has also announced several Spring tour dates including Washington D.C.,New York City, Boston and more. All dates listed below. Having spent the last decade-and-a-half based in the perennially damp Portland, Oregon, the singer-songwriter and producer has learned how to shine through the soggy gloom by simply embracing its inevitability. With his new album More Rain, Ward has made a true gotta-stay-indoors, rainy-season record that looks upwards through the weather while reflecting on his past. This album finds Ward picking up the tempo and volume a bit from his previous release, 2012's A Wasteland Companion. Where that record introspectively looked in from the outside, More Rain finds Ward on the inside, gazing out. Begun four years ago and imagined initially as a DIY doo-wop album that would feature Ward experimenting with layering his own voice, it soon branched out in different directions, a move that he credits largely to his collaborators here who include R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, Neko Case, k.d. lang, The Secret Sisters, and Joey Spampinato of NRBQ. The result is a collection of upbeat, sonically ambitious yet canonically familiar songs that both propel Ward's reach and satisfy longtime fans. Ward has released a string of acclaimed solo albums over the past several years, along with five LPs with Zooey Deschanel as She & Him and a 2009 collaborative album with My Morning Jacket's Jim James and Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis under the moniker Monsters of Folk. In addition to his celebrated work as a musician, Ward is an accomplished producer, handling those duties for such luminaries as Mavis Staples, Jenny Lewis, and Carlos Forster as well as his own musical projects. 2016 TOUR DATESJanuary 29 Los Angeles, CA @ The Cathedral Sanctuary at Immanuel Presbyterian*January 30 Los Angeles, CA @ The Cathedral Sanctuary at Immanuel Presbyterian*
February 3 New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre*
February 4 New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre*
February 6 Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium*
April 29 Saxapahaw, NC @ Haw River
April 30 Charlottesville, VA @ Jefferson Theatre
May 1 Washington D.C. @ 930 Club
May 2 Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
May 4 New York, NY @ Webster Hall
May 6 Portland, ME @ Port City Music Hall
May 7 Boston, MA @ The Royale
May 27 - 30 Quincy, WA @ Sasquatch! *with Jenny Lewis
Emmy The Great Shares New Track 'Algorithm'
Emmy The Great Shares New Track 'Algorithm'
Announces Winter Tour Dates
Second Love Out March 11th On Bella Union
"Moss' latest single, 'Dance w Me', revels in the pensiveness that birthed the album. Muted synthesizer twinkles bounce beneath subtle guitar chords and Moss' soft vocals. It's only when the song hits the chorus that the song breaks out into epic strides of vocals samples and louder drums. It's a major contrast to the subtlety of the verses, create a sense of forward movement that's been apparent in her own life over the past few years." -Consequence Of Sound US Tour DatesFeb 23 - Boston, MA - Cafe 939Feb 24 - Brooklyn, NY - Baby's All RightFeb 26 - Philadelphia, PA - Boot and SaddleFeb 27 - Washington, DC - DC9Mar 1 - Portland, OR - Bunk BarMar 2 - Seattle, WA - BarbosaMar 4 - San Francisco, CA - The ChapelMar 5 - Los Angeles, CA - Bootleg Bar
Announces Winter Tour Dates
Second Love Out March 11th On Bella Union
"Moss' latest single, 'Dance w Me', revels in the pensiveness that birthed the album. Muted synthesizer twinkles bounce beneath subtle guitar chords and Moss' soft vocals. It's only when the song hits the chorus that the song breaks out into epic strides of vocals samples and louder drums. It's a major contrast to the subtlety of the verses, create a sense of forward movement that's been apparent in her own life over the past few years." -Consequence Of Sound US Tour DatesFeb 23 - Boston, MA - Cafe 939Feb 24 - Brooklyn, NY - Baby's All RightFeb 26 - Philadelphia, PA - Boot and SaddleFeb 27 - Washington, DC - DC9Mar 1 - Portland, OR - Bunk BarMar 2 - Seattle, WA - BarbosaMar 4 - San Francisco, CA - The ChapelMar 5 - Los Angeles, CA - Bootleg Bar
Noise Pop Festival Expands Music Lineup
NOISE POP FESTIVAL ADDS DIIV, SANGO, ANTWON AND MORE TO MUSIC LINEUP
ALSO ANNOUNCING INITIAL FILM SCREENING LINEUP IN COLLABORATION WITH SF INDIEFEST
The Noise Pop Podcast Relaunches This Week
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (January 13, 2016) – Noise Pop Festival, the Bay Area’s premiere indie music and arts festival, is announcing additions to their music lineup for the festival taking place February 19–28 at multiple venues around the city. Noise Pop is also proud to announce today the initial lineup of independent film screenings, in collaboration with SF IndieFest, to precede the music portion of the festival, kicking off on February 19th. Film Series badges are on sale now, as are Music + Film Series badges. General Music badges as well as Super Fan badges are also available, and all can be purchased at http://noisepop.com/2016/buy-badges/.
Noise Pop Festival is excited to welcome the music of DIIV for two performances over the 10-day festival, including a special closing night performance at The Independent. The Brooklyn-based indie rock outfit is gearing up to release their second studio album, Is the Is Are, in early February prior to the festival. Sango, a rapidly rising producer based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has also just been added to the lineup, along with Bay area hip-hop artist Antwon, Belgian DJ and producer The Magician, and others. These new acts join Metric, American Football, Drive Like Jehu, Carly Rae Jepsen, The Mountain Goats, Neon Indian, Vince Staples, Kamasi Washington, Parquet Courts, Gardens & Villa, The Cave Singers, and more. For an updated listing of 2016 Noise Pop performers, representing a wide variety of music from indie pop and post-hardcore to jazz and hip-hop, visit www.noisepop.com/2016. Additional acts are still to be announced in the upcoming weeks.
Noise Pop is very excited to have this first round of films presented in collaboration with SF IndieFest to bring a lineup of visually and aurally stunning presentations spotlighting music in film. The following screenings will take place at the Roxie Theater with many of the filmmakers in attendance throughout the series for Q&As following their films.
Rain the Color of Blue with a Little Red in It is a remake of Purple Rain set in the Saharan Desert, which also happens to be the first feature film in the Tamashek language (which has no word for the color purple). Not your typical music doc, Dead Hands Dig Deep features the ruminations of Kettle Cadaver frontman Edwin Borsheim on a life of violence, mayhem, and personal destruction. Hustlers Convention is a hip-hop history lesson with interviews with George Clinton, Fab 5 Freddy, Ice-T, Chuck D in search of the artist behind 1973’s Hustler’s Convention, Lightnin’ Rod.
The Journey Within follows musicians in post-9/11 Pakistan as they search for self-identity and start a music show to try to help reclaim the rich and vast musical heritage of the region. Syl Johnson: Any Way the Wind Blows centers on the velvet-voiced soul singer as he struggles through the music business and leaves to open a fried-fish chain, only to emerge years later with new opportunities brought on by the dawn of hip-hop. Steven “Billy Bones” Fortuna, lead singer of L.A. punk rock band The Skulls, is the subject raucous documentary Who is Billy Bones. For more information on the films, check out the program at http://film.noisepop.com/.
NOISE POP FESTIVAL 2016 FILM SCREENING LINEUP
Hustlers ConventionFebruary 19 at 7 p.m. PST at Roxie TheaterDirector: Mike Todd. USA/UK, 2015. 92 min. *West Coast premiere; Post-screening Q&A with filmmaker
Rain The Color of Blue with a Little Red in ItFebruary 19 at 9:15 p.m. PST at Roxie TheaterDirector: Christopher Kirkley. Niger, 2015. 75 min.*California premiere; Post-screening Q&A with filmmaker
The Journey WithinFebruary 20 at 4:30 p.m. PST at Roxie TheaterDirector: Mian Adnan Ahmad. Pakistan 2015. 78 min. *California premiere
Syl Johnson: Any Way the Wind BlowsFebruary 20 at 7:00 p.m. PST at Roxie TheaterDirector: Rob Hatch-Miller. USA 2015. 85 min.*West Coast premiere; Post-screening Q&A with filmmaker
Dead Hands Dig DeepFebruary 21 at 7 p.m. PST at Roxie TheaterDirector: Jai Love. Australia/USA, 2016. 74 min.*West Coast premiere
Who Is Billy Bones? February 21 at 9:15 p.m. PST at Roxie TheaterDirector Kathy Kolla. USA 2015. 77 min. *Bay Area premiere; Post-screening Q&A with filmmaker and Billy Bones
The Noise Pop podcast launches its reboot this week with new a host, journalist Adrian Spinelli (Paste, SF Chronicle, Fest300), and producer Ashleyanne Krigbaum (KALW). It’s a bi-monthly series showcasing noteworthy new releases from the independent and underground music scene, along with interviews, discussion on larger topics on the state of independent music, and more. This first episode will highlight imminent 2016 releases from Anderson .Paak, Junior Boys, School of Seven Bells, And Thao and The Get Down Stay Down. You can check out the podcast online at http://www.noisepop.com/podcast/
Noise Pop Festival General Music badges ($175), Film Series badges ($55), Music + Film Series badges ($215), and Super Fan badges ($375) are all on sale now, as are individual show tickets to all currently announced festival performances. An upgrade is also available via a promo code for those who have already purchased a Music badge and would like to change to a Music + Film Series badge.
If you are interested in catching a particular performance but the show is sold out, you can still purchase one of the festival badges, which grant access to all shows, space permitting. The General Music badge does not grant access to the film screenings and events, and the Film Series badge does not grant you access to music shows. Music + Film Series badges, on the other hand, grant you access to both music and film events. While Super Fan Badges guarantee access to all music shows and film screenings with red carpet treatment for the duration of the festival.
All badge options and individual tickets can be purchased at http://noisepop.com/2016/buy-badges/. Stay tuned for further lineup announcements and news regarding the 2016 Noise Pop Festival.
Noise Pop Festival’s 2016 artwork was created by artist Kii Arens.
# # #
Follow Noise Pop on Facebook at www.facebook.com/noisepop.com and on Twitter @noisepop.
[image error]
ALSO ANNOUNCING INITIAL FILM SCREENING LINEUP IN COLLABORATION WITH SF INDIEFEST
The Noise Pop Podcast Relaunches This Week
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (January 13, 2016) – Noise Pop Festival, the Bay Area’s premiere indie music and arts festival, is announcing additions to their music lineup for the festival taking place February 19–28 at multiple venues around the city. Noise Pop is also proud to announce today the initial lineup of independent film screenings, in collaboration with SF IndieFest, to precede the music portion of the festival, kicking off on February 19th. Film Series badges are on sale now, as are Music + Film Series badges. General Music badges as well as Super Fan badges are also available, and all can be purchased at http://noisepop.com/2016/buy-badges/.
Noise Pop Festival is excited to welcome the music of DIIV for two performances over the 10-day festival, including a special closing night performance at The Independent. The Brooklyn-based indie rock outfit is gearing up to release their second studio album, Is the Is Are, in early February prior to the festival. Sango, a rapidly rising producer based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has also just been added to the lineup, along with Bay area hip-hop artist Antwon, Belgian DJ and producer The Magician, and others. These new acts join Metric, American Football, Drive Like Jehu, Carly Rae Jepsen, The Mountain Goats, Neon Indian, Vince Staples, Kamasi Washington, Parquet Courts, Gardens & Villa, The Cave Singers, and more. For an updated listing of 2016 Noise Pop performers, representing a wide variety of music from indie pop and post-hardcore to jazz and hip-hop, visit www.noisepop.com/2016. Additional acts are still to be announced in the upcoming weeks.
Noise Pop is very excited to have this first round of films presented in collaboration with SF IndieFest to bring a lineup of visually and aurally stunning presentations spotlighting music in film. The following screenings will take place at the Roxie Theater with many of the filmmakers in attendance throughout the series for Q&As following their films.
Rain the Color of Blue with a Little Red in It is a remake of Purple Rain set in the Saharan Desert, which also happens to be the first feature film in the Tamashek language (which has no word for the color purple). Not your typical music doc, Dead Hands Dig Deep features the ruminations of Kettle Cadaver frontman Edwin Borsheim on a life of violence, mayhem, and personal destruction. Hustlers Convention is a hip-hop history lesson with interviews with George Clinton, Fab 5 Freddy, Ice-T, Chuck D in search of the artist behind 1973’s Hustler’s Convention, Lightnin’ Rod.
The Journey Within follows musicians in post-9/11 Pakistan as they search for self-identity and start a music show to try to help reclaim the rich and vast musical heritage of the region. Syl Johnson: Any Way the Wind Blows centers on the velvet-voiced soul singer as he struggles through the music business and leaves to open a fried-fish chain, only to emerge years later with new opportunities brought on by the dawn of hip-hop. Steven “Billy Bones” Fortuna, lead singer of L.A. punk rock band The Skulls, is the subject raucous documentary Who is Billy Bones. For more information on the films, check out the program at http://film.noisepop.com/.
NOISE POP FESTIVAL 2016 FILM SCREENING LINEUP
Hustlers ConventionFebruary 19 at 7 p.m. PST at Roxie TheaterDirector: Mike Todd. USA/UK, 2015. 92 min. *West Coast premiere; Post-screening Q&A with filmmaker
Rain The Color of Blue with a Little Red in ItFebruary 19 at 9:15 p.m. PST at Roxie TheaterDirector: Christopher Kirkley. Niger, 2015. 75 min.*California premiere; Post-screening Q&A with filmmaker
The Journey WithinFebruary 20 at 4:30 p.m. PST at Roxie TheaterDirector: Mian Adnan Ahmad. Pakistan 2015. 78 min. *California premiere
Syl Johnson: Any Way the Wind BlowsFebruary 20 at 7:00 p.m. PST at Roxie TheaterDirector: Rob Hatch-Miller. USA 2015. 85 min.*West Coast premiere; Post-screening Q&A with filmmaker
Dead Hands Dig DeepFebruary 21 at 7 p.m. PST at Roxie TheaterDirector: Jai Love. Australia/USA, 2016. 74 min.*West Coast premiere
Who Is Billy Bones? February 21 at 9:15 p.m. PST at Roxie TheaterDirector Kathy Kolla. USA 2015. 77 min. *Bay Area premiere; Post-screening Q&A with filmmaker and Billy Bones
The Noise Pop podcast launches its reboot this week with new a host, journalist Adrian Spinelli (Paste, SF Chronicle, Fest300), and producer Ashleyanne Krigbaum (KALW). It’s a bi-monthly series showcasing noteworthy new releases from the independent and underground music scene, along with interviews, discussion on larger topics on the state of independent music, and more. This first episode will highlight imminent 2016 releases from Anderson .Paak, Junior Boys, School of Seven Bells, And Thao and The Get Down Stay Down. You can check out the podcast online at http://www.noisepop.com/podcast/
Noise Pop Festival General Music badges ($175), Film Series badges ($55), Music + Film Series badges ($215), and Super Fan badges ($375) are all on sale now, as are individual show tickets to all currently announced festival performances. An upgrade is also available via a promo code for those who have already purchased a Music badge and would like to change to a Music + Film Series badge.
If you are interested in catching a particular performance but the show is sold out, you can still purchase one of the festival badges, which grant access to all shows, space permitting. The General Music badge does not grant access to the film screenings and events, and the Film Series badge does not grant you access to music shows. Music + Film Series badges, on the other hand, grant you access to both music and film events. While Super Fan Badges guarantee access to all music shows and film screenings with red carpet treatment for the duration of the festival.
All badge options and individual tickets can be purchased at http://noisepop.com/2016/buy-badges/. Stay tuned for further lineup announcements and news regarding the 2016 Noise Pop Festival.
Noise Pop Festival’s 2016 artwork was created by artist Kii Arens.
# # #
Follow Noise Pop on Facebook at www.facebook.com/noisepop.com and on Twitter @noisepop.
[image error]
Violent Femmes premiere new song
VIOLENT FEMMES OFFER GLOBAL PREMIERE
OF NEW LP'S FIRST TRACK, "MEMORY," VIA NPR
WE CAN DO ANYTHING
FIRST NEW ALBUM IN MORE THAN 15 YEARS OUT MARCH 4 FANS CAN PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM NOW 
(New York, NY) - Legendary American band Violent Femmes premiered the first song, "Memory," from their long-awaited and highly anticipated new record We Can Do Anything, due out March 4 on [PIAS]. The irresistible track stands out as vintage Violent Femmes, and is one of the many newsongs featured on We Can Do Anything that were chosen from singer/songwriter/guitarist Gordon Gano's voluminous archives of ancient cassette demos and old journals. NPR premiered "Memory" earlier today, and fans can pre-order the album now.
DIGITAL CD LP
"There was a massive amount of material to draw from," Gano says. "I had so many cassette tapes, with songs and musical ideas recorded over 20 years or more. First we had to bring them into the digital world as to be able to access them and then it was just an incredible amount of listening. We did a whole lot of compiling and discovering forgotten songs." LISTEN TO "MEMORY" HERE Violent Femmes' ninth studio album and first full-length collection in more than 15 years, We Can Do Anything is among the most provocative and playful in the legendary band's remarkable canon. As the title makes plain, founding Femmes Gano and Brian Ritchie (acoustic bass guitar, vocals) remain intrepid as ever before, traversing infinite genre and emotion via their immediately identifiable mash of rambunctious folk, minimalist punk, cubist blues, cosmic jazz, and back porch rock 'n' roll. "What the Femmes are," says Ritchie, "and I think we always have been, is a repository for American roots music. Most people think of us as a kind of rock band but we're a lot more than that and I think this album represents all that in a really natural, cohesive way. It just flows smoothly between all these ideas." Violent Femmes came together in 1981 and were quickly applauded as one of the most inventive and original bands of the era, constantly pushing forward with their singular blend of folk and punk, sarcasm and spirituality. The Milwaukee-based band first attracted attention while busking in front of their hometown's Oriental Theatre. The performance caught the ears of that night's headliners, Pretenders Chrissie Hynde and the late James Honeyman-Scott, who invited the young group to open the sold out concert with a brief acoustic set. From there Violent Femmes released eight studio albums and more than a dozen iconic singles, among them such classics as "American Music," "Gone Daddy Gone," "Nightmares, "Add It Up," and of course, "Blister In The Sun." Violent Femmes' remarkable three-decade-plus career has earned them cumulative worldwide sales in excess of 10 million, with 1983's VIOLENT FEMMES awarded with RIAA platinum certification eight years after its initial release. The turn of the millennium saw Violent Femmes begin a long hiatus from the studio, only coming together to record a 2009 cover of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" - returning the favor after Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse's psychedelic soul version of "Gone Daddy Gone" proved a worldwide smash. Violent Femmes officially returned to full time action in 2013 with an acclaimed performance at Coachella before embarking on a wide-ranging tour that included headline dates and ecstatically received festival sets around the world. "We went a few years without playing together," Gano says, "but when we did it was just instant. There it is. There's the sound we make when we play music together. When we get together to do this thing called Violent Femmes, there's an energy between us that's just very intuitive. That was right from the very start and it hasn't changed." Violent Femmes captured their fresh momentum on the 2015 EP, Happy New Year. Recorded in Hobart between sold out shows at the world famous Sydney Opera House and Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art, the EP was cut live in the studio - no baffling, no isolation booth, "the right production approach for the music that we make," says Ritchie. "It had the feeling people are looking for from us," he says. "A feeling that I think exemplifies the rawness of our approach." The aesthetic success of Happy New Year led Violent Femmes to consider a proper new full length LP, though of course a conventional record was never in the cards. Rather, the band was determined to keep on the way they always have, driving in their own idiosyncratic lane. "One of the things about the band getting back together again," says Ritchie, "was can we make some sort of a valid artistic statement? A lot of bands of our vintage return and then try to do what other people are doing nowadays. We were always outside of the times - even at our most popular we were considered outsiders - so we had no obligation to try to be current. Because we never were current. Ever." We Can Do Anything was recorded as Violent Femmes traveled North America on a hugely successful tour alongside Barenaked Ladies. At seven weeks, the "Last Summer On Earth 2015 Tour" was the longest live trek for the Femmes in over a decade and its effect was to sharpen the already integrated unit even further. The trek saw Gano and Ritchie fronting a seven piece combo featuring versatile drummer Brian Viglione (Dresden Dolls, Nine Inch Nails) as well as the one and only Horns of Dilemma, Violent Femmes' ever-evolving cabal of multi-instrumentalist backing musicians. Veteran Horn of Dilemma Jeff Hamilton took on the producer role, overseeing the recording by virtue of expertise, expediency, and his long creative relationship with Violent Femmes. Initial tracks were recorded in Brooklyn followed by a few additional stops at studios across the country. The Nashville sessions saw Violent Femmes and the Horns of Dilemma blowing at full gale live in the studio, busting out explosive arrangements that veer on a dime from hard charging stomp to intimate melancholy. The sessions showcase the indispensible contributions of such longtime Horns as percussionist John Sparrow and saxophonist Blaise Garza - a Horn of Dilemma since he was 14 years old. Additional fuel came from Barenaked Ladies' Kevin Hearn, who stepped off his own tour bus to lend accordion, guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals. Violent Femmes intend to celebrate the new album by spending significant time on the road, lighting it up for a fervent following that now encompasses multiple generations of fans. Though it will come as no surprise to the band's legion of loyal supporters, We Can Do Anything affirms Violent Femmes as a vital and contemporary musical force, its joyous sound and ageless energy suggesting the universe will be graced with more music before the passing of another decade.
# # #
(New York, NY) - Legendary American band Violent Femmes premiered the first song, "Memory," from their long-awaited and highly anticipated new record We Can Do Anything, due out March 4 on [PIAS]. The irresistible track stands out as vintage Violent Femmes, and is one of the many newsongs featured on We Can Do Anything that were chosen from singer/songwriter/guitarist Gordon Gano's voluminous archives of ancient cassette demos and old journals. NPR premiered "Memory" earlier today, and fans can pre-order the album now.DIGITAL CD LP
"There was a massive amount of material to draw from," Gano says. "I had so many cassette tapes, with songs and musical ideas recorded over 20 years or more. First we had to bring them into the digital world as to be able to access them and then it was just an incredible amount of listening. We did a whole lot of compiling and discovering forgotten songs." LISTEN TO "MEMORY" HERE Violent Femmes' ninth studio album and first full-length collection in more than 15 years, We Can Do Anything is among the most provocative and playful in the legendary band's remarkable canon. As the title makes plain, founding Femmes Gano and Brian Ritchie (acoustic bass guitar, vocals) remain intrepid as ever before, traversing infinite genre and emotion via their immediately identifiable mash of rambunctious folk, minimalist punk, cubist blues, cosmic jazz, and back porch rock 'n' roll. "What the Femmes are," says Ritchie, "and I think we always have been, is a repository for American roots music. Most people think of us as a kind of rock band but we're a lot more than that and I think this album represents all that in a really natural, cohesive way. It just flows smoothly between all these ideas." Violent Femmes came together in 1981 and were quickly applauded as one of the most inventive and original bands of the era, constantly pushing forward with their singular blend of folk and punk, sarcasm and spirituality. The Milwaukee-based band first attracted attention while busking in front of their hometown's Oriental Theatre. The performance caught the ears of that night's headliners, Pretenders Chrissie Hynde and the late James Honeyman-Scott, who invited the young group to open the sold out concert with a brief acoustic set. From there Violent Femmes released eight studio albums and more than a dozen iconic singles, among them such classics as "American Music," "Gone Daddy Gone," "Nightmares, "Add It Up," and of course, "Blister In The Sun." Violent Femmes' remarkable three-decade-plus career has earned them cumulative worldwide sales in excess of 10 million, with 1983's VIOLENT FEMMES awarded with RIAA platinum certification eight years after its initial release. The turn of the millennium saw Violent Femmes begin a long hiatus from the studio, only coming together to record a 2009 cover of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" - returning the favor after Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse's psychedelic soul version of "Gone Daddy Gone" proved a worldwide smash. Violent Femmes officially returned to full time action in 2013 with an acclaimed performance at Coachella before embarking on a wide-ranging tour that included headline dates and ecstatically received festival sets around the world. "We went a few years without playing together," Gano says, "but when we did it was just instant. There it is. There's the sound we make when we play music together. When we get together to do this thing called Violent Femmes, there's an energy between us that's just very intuitive. That was right from the very start and it hasn't changed." Violent Femmes captured their fresh momentum on the 2015 EP, Happy New Year. Recorded in Hobart between sold out shows at the world famous Sydney Opera House and Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art, the EP was cut live in the studio - no baffling, no isolation booth, "the right production approach for the music that we make," says Ritchie. "It had the feeling people are looking for from us," he says. "A feeling that I think exemplifies the rawness of our approach." The aesthetic success of Happy New Year led Violent Femmes to consider a proper new full length LP, though of course a conventional record was never in the cards. Rather, the band was determined to keep on the way they always have, driving in their own idiosyncratic lane. "One of the things about the band getting back together again," says Ritchie, "was can we make some sort of a valid artistic statement? A lot of bands of our vintage return and then try to do what other people are doing nowadays. We were always outside of the times - even at our most popular we were considered outsiders - so we had no obligation to try to be current. Because we never were current. Ever." We Can Do Anything was recorded as Violent Femmes traveled North America on a hugely successful tour alongside Barenaked Ladies. At seven weeks, the "Last Summer On Earth 2015 Tour" was the longest live trek for the Femmes in over a decade and its effect was to sharpen the already integrated unit even further. The trek saw Gano and Ritchie fronting a seven piece combo featuring versatile drummer Brian Viglione (Dresden Dolls, Nine Inch Nails) as well as the one and only Horns of Dilemma, Violent Femmes' ever-evolving cabal of multi-instrumentalist backing musicians. Veteran Horn of Dilemma Jeff Hamilton took on the producer role, overseeing the recording by virtue of expertise, expediency, and his long creative relationship with Violent Femmes. Initial tracks were recorded in Brooklyn followed by a few additional stops at studios across the country. The Nashville sessions saw Violent Femmes and the Horns of Dilemma blowing at full gale live in the studio, busting out explosive arrangements that veer on a dime from hard charging stomp to intimate melancholy. The sessions showcase the indispensible contributions of such longtime Horns as percussionist John Sparrow and saxophonist Blaise Garza - a Horn of Dilemma since he was 14 years old. Additional fuel came from Barenaked Ladies' Kevin Hearn, who stepped off his own tour bus to lend accordion, guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals. Violent Femmes intend to celebrate the new album by spending significant time on the road, lighting it up for a fervent following that now encompasses multiple generations of fans. Though it will come as no surprise to the band's legion of loyal supporters, We Can Do Anything affirms Violent Femmes as a vital and contemporary musical force, its joyous sound and ageless energy suggesting the universe will be graced with more music before the passing of another decade.
# # #
January 12, 2016
Beach House extends 2016 tour + Watch Pitchfork Music Festival Paris
Beach House extends 2016 headlining tour in support of Depression Cherry
and Thank Your Lucky Stars
Watch: Live at Pitchfork Music
Festival Paris
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B107Qpi7IVs
Beach House have extended their 2016 tour schedule in support of Depression Cherry and Thank Your Lucky Stars.
The trek begins January 30th in Singapore at the Laneway Festival and now runs through June 17th in Hilvarenbeek, NL at Best Kept Secret Festival. More dates to follow.
New US shows include: Bomb Factory in Dallas, April 9th; ACL Live at Moody Theatre in Austin, April 11th; Tricky Falls in El Paso, April 13th; Marquee Theatre in Tempe, April 14th; Crystal Ballroom in Portland, April 28th; The Vogue in Vancouver, April 30th; And The Paramount Theatre in Seattle, May 4th. Tickets for these shows go on sale Friday, January 15th.
Beach House will also perform at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, CA on Sunday April 17th and Sunday April 24th. Please find a full, current itinerary below.
You can now watch Beach House’s full set from Pitchfork Music Festival Paris (See Pitchfork News Story January 12th).
Depression Cherry and Thank Your Lucky Stars have earned placement on over 50 year-end lists including:
Depression Cherry
Blare (CA)
Boston Globe (US)
Brooklyn Magazine (US)
Complex (US)
Crack Magazine (UK)
Diffuser (US)
Drowned in Sound (UK)
FasterLouder (AU)
Gigwise (UK)
Gorilla vs. Bear (US)
musicOMH (UK)
No Ripcord (UK)
NPR Music “Readers Poll” (US)
Paste (US)
Pitchfork (US)
Pitchfork “Readers Poll” (US)
PopMatters (US)
Pretty Much Amazing (US)
Rolling Stone (US)
Rough Trade (UK)
The Skinny (UK)
SPIN (US)
Sputnikmusic (UK)
Stereogum (US)
The Telegraph (UK)
Under the Radar (US)
Variance (US)
Village Voice "Pazz & Jop"
The Vinyl Factory (US)
Thank Your Lucky Stars
Blare (CA)
Boston Globe (US)
Diffuser (US)
Drowned in Sound (UK)
Gorilla vs. Bear (US)
No Ripcord (UK)
NPR Music “Readers Poll” (US)
Pitchfork “Readers Poll” (US)
Pretty Much Amazing (US)
Under the Radar (US)
Depression Cherry (released Aug. 28, 2015) is the second consecutive top 10 album for Beach House, coming in at #8 on theBillboard Top 200 chart, and spent 5 weeks at #1 on the CMJ Top 200.
Thank Your Lucky Stars (released October 16th, 2015) entered at #38 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and peaked at #5 on the CMJTop 200 chart.
Beach House’s Thank Your Lucky Stars and Depression Cherrywere recorded during the same two-month span, and produced by the band and Chris Coady at Studio in the Country in Bogalusa, Louisiana. Both albums are available now in North America from Sub Pop, in Europe from Bella Union and in Australia from Mistletone.
2016 Tour Dates
Jan. 30 - Singapore, SP - Laneway Festival @ The Meadow, Gardens By The Bay
Feb. 01 - Auckland, NZ - Laneway Festival @ Silo Park
Feb. 05 - Adelaide, AU - Laneway Festival @ Harts Mill
Feb. 06 - Bowen Hills, AU - Laneway Festival @ Brisbane Showgrounds
Feb. 07 - Sydney, AU - Laneway Festival @ Sydney College Of The Arts
Feb. 13 - Melbourne, AU - Laneway Festival @ Footscray Community Arts Centre
Feb. 14 - Fremantle, AU - Laneway Festival @ Esplanade Reserve and West End
Feb. 29 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
Mar. 01 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre [Sold Out]
Mar. 05 - Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall [Sold Out]
Mar. 06 - Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall [Sold Out]
Mar. 09 - Montreal, QC - Rialto Theatre [Sold Out]
Mar. 11 - Boston, MA - House of Blues [Sold Out]
Mar. 14 - New York, NY - Webster Hall [Sold Out]
Mar. 15 - New York, NY - Webster Hall [Sold Out]
Mar. 16 - New York, NY - Webster Hall [Sold Out]
Mar. 18 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer [Sold Out]
Mar. 19 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer [Sold Out]
Apr. 09 - Dallas, TX - Bomb Factory
Apr. 11 - Austin, TX - ACL Live at Moody Theatre
Apr. 13 - El Paso, TX - Tricky Falls
Apr. 14 - Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre
Apr. 17 - Indio, CA - Coachella
Apr. 24 - Indio, CA - Coachella
Apr. 28 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
Apr. 30 - Vancouver, BC - The Vogue
May. 04 - Seattle, WA - The Paramount
Jun. 01 - Bordeaux, FR - Theatre Barbey
Jun. 06 - Nantes, FR - Stereolux
Jun. 07 - Toulouse, FR - Bikini
Jun. 12 - London, UK - Field Day
Jun. 14 - Paris, FR - Casino de Paris
Jun. 16 - Aarhus, DK - NorthsideJun. 17 - Hilvarenbeek, NL - Best Kept Secret
For ticket info please visithttp://www.beachhousebaltimore.com/tour.
and Thank Your Lucky Stars
Watch: Live at Pitchfork Music
Festival Paris
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B107Qpi7IVs
Beach House have extended their 2016 tour schedule in support of Depression Cherry and Thank Your Lucky Stars. The trek begins January 30th in Singapore at the Laneway Festival and now runs through June 17th in Hilvarenbeek, NL at Best Kept Secret Festival. More dates to follow.
New US shows include: Bomb Factory in Dallas, April 9th; ACL Live at Moody Theatre in Austin, April 11th; Tricky Falls in El Paso, April 13th; Marquee Theatre in Tempe, April 14th; Crystal Ballroom in Portland, April 28th; The Vogue in Vancouver, April 30th; And The Paramount Theatre in Seattle, May 4th. Tickets for these shows go on sale Friday, January 15th.
Beach House will also perform at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, CA on Sunday April 17th and Sunday April 24th. Please find a full, current itinerary below.
You can now watch Beach House’s full set from Pitchfork Music Festival Paris (See Pitchfork News Story January 12th).
Depression Cherry and Thank Your Lucky Stars have earned placement on over 50 year-end lists including:
Depression Cherry
Blare (CA)
Boston Globe (US)
Brooklyn Magazine (US)
Complex (US)
Crack Magazine (UK)
Diffuser (US)
Drowned in Sound (UK)
FasterLouder (AU)
Gigwise (UK)
Gorilla vs. Bear (US)
musicOMH (UK)
No Ripcord (UK)
NPR Music “Readers Poll” (US)
Paste (US)
Pitchfork (US)
Pitchfork “Readers Poll” (US)
PopMatters (US)
Pretty Much Amazing (US)
Rolling Stone (US)
Rough Trade (UK)
The Skinny (UK)
SPIN (US)
Sputnikmusic (UK)
Stereogum (US)
The Telegraph (UK)
Under the Radar (US)
Variance (US)
Village Voice "Pazz & Jop"
The Vinyl Factory (US)
Thank Your Lucky Stars
Blare (CA)
Boston Globe (US)
Diffuser (US)
Drowned in Sound (UK)
Gorilla vs. Bear (US)
No Ripcord (UK)
NPR Music “Readers Poll” (US)
Pitchfork “Readers Poll” (US)
Pretty Much Amazing (US)
Under the Radar (US)
Depression Cherry (released Aug. 28, 2015) is the second consecutive top 10 album for Beach House, coming in at #8 on theBillboard Top 200 chart, and spent 5 weeks at #1 on the CMJ Top 200.
Thank Your Lucky Stars (released October 16th, 2015) entered at #38 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and peaked at #5 on the CMJTop 200 chart.
Beach House’s Thank Your Lucky Stars and Depression Cherrywere recorded during the same two-month span, and produced by the band and Chris Coady at Studio in the Country in Bogalusa, Louisiana. Both albums are available now in North America from Sub Pop, in Europe from Bella Union and in Australia from Mistletone.
2016 Tour Dates
Jan. 30 - Singapore, SP - Laneway Festival @ The Meadow, Gardens By The Bay
Feb. 01 - Auckland, NZ - Laneway Festival @ Silo Park
Feb. 05 - Adelaide, AU - Laneway Festival @ Harts Mill
Feb. 06 - Bowen Hills, AU - Laneway Festival @ Brisbane Showgrounds
Feb. 07 - Sydney, AU - Laneway Festival @ Sydney College Of The Arts
Feb. 13 - Melbourne, AU - Laneway Festival @ Footscray Community Arts Centre
Feb. 14 - Fremantle, AU - Laneway Festival @ Esplanade Reserve and West End
Feb. 29 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
Mar. 01 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre [Sold Out]
Mar. 05 - Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall [Sold Out]
Mar. 06 - Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall [Sold Out]
Mar. 09 - Montreal, QC - Rialto Theatre [Sold Out]
Mar. 11 - Boston, MA - House of Blues [Sold Out]
Mar. 14 - New York, NY - Webster Hall [Sold Out]
Mar. 15 - New York, NY - Webster Hall [Sold Out]
Mar. 16 - New York, NY - Webster Hall [Sold Out]
Mar. 18 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer [Sold Out]
Mar. 19 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer [Sold Out]
Apr. 09 - Dallas, TX - Bomb Factory
Apr. 11 - Austin, TX - ACL Live at Moody Theatre
Apr. 13 - El Paso, TX - Tricky Falls
Apr. 14 - Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre
Apr. 17 - Indio, CA - Coachella
Apr. 24 - Indio, CA - Coachella
Apr. 28 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
Apr. 30 - Vancouver, BC - The Vogue
May. 04 - Seattle, WA - The Paramount
Jun. 01 - Bordeaux, FR - Theatre Barbey
Jun. 06 - Nantes, FR - Stereolux
Jun. 07 - Toulouse, FR - Bikini
Jun. 12 - London, UK - Field Day
Jun. 14 - Paris, FR - Casino de Paris
Jun. 16 - Aarhus, DK - NorthsideJun. 17 - Hilvarenbeek, NL - Best Kept Secret
For ticket info please visithttp://www.beachhousebaltimore.com/tour.
