Music News Net

OK Go Announce Autumn Tour and "White Knuckles" Contest

MUSIC NEWS -  OK Go, the most downloaded band ever, will launch an extensive North American
tour with a performance in California at the Los Angeles County Fair on October 3rd.  Tickets are on sale now. In addition to their headlining shows, the band will perform at the Discover Louisville Festival (10/12) and the PopTech Conference (10/21, Camden, ME).  PopTech is an annual event that convenes a network of visionary individuals in science, technology, design, the corporate and social sectors, entrepreneurship, education and the arts to explore the nature of creative change.

OK Go have partnered with Indaba Music and the Rock Band Network to launch a remix contest for their new single, "White Knuckles."  OK Go encourages fans to get as creative as possible, to not feel afraid to redefine the song in both genre and feeling. The contest runs from September 7th through October 14th, details soon @  okgo.net.    Each week starting on September 21, Dave Fridmann, producer of "White Knuckles" and the album Of the Blue Colour of the Sky, chooses his favorite remixes to feature across all OK Go web properties.

MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD New "The Sound of Sunshine" Video

MUSIC NEWS - We just got in Michael Franti & Spearhead's first music video (watch it below) off their upcoming album, The Sound of Sunshine!  Shot in Venice Beach by veteran music video director Frank Borin, the new video is for the title track of the album which will be releasing on September 21 via Capitol Records/Boo Boo Wax.

Michael Franti & Spearhead are currently on tour through the fall in support of the new album and will be headlining the upcoming Power to the Peaceful Festival in San Francisco, CA from September 10-12.

SWITCHFOOT Announces Autumn Tour Plans

MUSIC NEWS - SWITCHFOOT released their autumn tour plans this week, with news that The Almost will join them.  The run starts up on October 1st in Lynchberg, VA with pre-sale tickets available through Friends of the Foot beginning Wednesday, September 1st. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Thursday, September 2nd.  More @ switchfoot.com.   

The band, which just wrapped up a summer outing with Goo Goo Dolls, will also perform at Celebrate
Freedom Atlanta, the largest free one-day concert in Atlanta, on September 4th, and the Austin City Limits Festival on October 10th. (See below for itinerary.)

Jackson Browne Takes a "Sick Day", Cancels in Buffalo

MUSIC NEWS - Due to an unspecified illness and under doctor's orders, Jackson Browne has announced that he is unable to perform his show in Buffalo, NY at the Shea Performing Arts Center on August 30, 2010.  His management and promoter are working on re-scheduling, new date currently tbd.

For now his tour (with David Lindley) resumes on September 1, 2010 in Scranton, PA at the Toyota Pavillion.  Refunds for the Shea show are available at point of purchase.

biffy clyro Announces US Tour and "Only Revolutions" Release

MUSIC NEWS - UK band biffy clyro today announced plans to make their first USA headlining tour, kicking off in Allston, MA on September 13.  Their latest album, Only Revolutions, has been nominated for the 2010 Mercury Prize.  In good company, past shortlist nominees for the prestigious UK award include Florence and the Machine, Radiohead, and Franz Ferdinand.   Only Revolutions is releasing in the USA on September 21 and will be available at select indie record stores through Junketboy Distribution. More at thinkindie.com (click on ThinkIndie Physical) .

GOOD CHARLOTTE's "Like It's Her Birthday" MP3 and Video

MUSIC NEWS- MD pop punkers, Good Charlotte's new single, "Like It's Her Birthday," is available now (buy it here), and the guys took some time to record a video message (see below) for you to announce the release and share how excited they are that the song is out.

"Like It's Her Birthday" will appear on Good Charlotte's fifth studio album, Cardiology, which releases October 26th on Capitol Records.

Guns N' Roses Performance Cut Short at UK's Reading Festival

MUSIC NEWS  - Rockers, Guns N' Roses had their Reading Festival (UK) headlining performance cut off after they showed up nearly an hour late to the event.  The band, led by singer Axl Rose, started their sete at 10:30pm local time on Friday night, August 27.

Festival organisers say they were given an extra half hour to play and released the following statement;  "Guns N' Roses wanted to 'extend' the new agreed curfew but were prevented from doing so in order to comply with the entertainment licence issued by Reading Council."

SPRINGSTEEN's "Darkness on the Edge of Town" Re-Issue Announced

MUSIC NEWS- Columbia Records has announced plans to re-issue Bruce Springsteen’s fourth album with previously-unreleased audio and video footage on November16, 2010.   Called, The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story, the audio portion will include his Darkness On The Edge Of Town remastered for the first time and some 21 previously-unheard tracks from the Darkness... recording sessions.  The video, available on dvd or blu ray, portion will feature a new 90 minute documentary film called,  The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town, with more than four hours of live concert footage from 1976 thru 1978 and a 2009 performance of Darkness… in its entirety.

And, the set will also include an 80-page notebook with of reproductions of The Boss’s original notebooks from the recording sessions, never-before-seen photographs and a new Springsteen-penned essay.

SPRINGSTEEN's "Darkness on the Edge of Town" Re-Issue Announced

MUSIC NEWS- Columbia Records has announced plans to re-issue Bruce Springsteen’s fourth album with previously-unreleased audio and video footage on November16, 2010.   Called, The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story, the audio portion will include his Darkness On The Edge Of Town remastered for the first time and some 21 previously-unheard tracks from the Darkness... recording sessions.  The video, available on dvd or blu ray, portion will feature a new 90 minute documentary film called,  The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town, with more than four hours of live concert footage from 1976 thru 1978 and a 2009 performance of Darkness… in its entirety.

And, the set will also include an 80-page notebook with of reproductions of The Boss’s original notebooks from the recording sessions, never-before-seen photographs and a new Springsteen-penned essay.

PHISH Concert "Jumper" Pleads Not Guilty to Charges

MUSIC NEWS- The Maine guy who injured himself after police say he jumped from the upper deck at the Nokia Theatre at Jones Beach concert venue on Long Island, NY at the recent PHISH concert has pled not guilty to reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct charges.   Luke Duplessis was released without bail following his arraignment on Friday in a Hempstead, N.Y. court.   Dan Russo, a Long Island-based attorney for the 30-year-old Old Town, ME, resident, disputed allegations that his client jumped, saying instead that his client accidentally fell.

Duplessis landed in a seating area about 25 feet below during intermission of the band's August 18 concert.  He was treated at a local hospital for head injuries, but Russo said he is recovering. One concert goer below reported a minor injury. 

WAAVES Add Tour Dates, Phoenix Opener !!!

MUSIC NEWS - Wavves recently announced their opening slot for Phoenix and Dirty Projectors at Madison
Square Garden, NYC on October 20. Since then, the band has also added seven more shows with Phoenix
extending all the way down the East Coast (see full itinerary below).

The band's also released the new music video for their Green Label Sound single "Post Acid" this week (view it below). The "Post Acid" video was shot in the Echo Park area of Los Angeles. Acclaimed DIY photographer/filmmaker Patrick O'Dell directed. Patrick O'Dell, who is best known for his short-form documentary series Epicly Later'd, has also directed music videos for Morrissey and Panda Bear. O'Dell's "Post Acid" video features friend and professional skateboarder Kevin "Spanky" Long as the alien who befriends the band and embarks on a raucous, fun-filled day of skateboarding, hanging out, and playing a party gig.

John Legend and The Roots in Three Part American Airlines Concert Promotion

MUSIC NEWS - John Legend and The Roots will appear at a three-part private concert series this fall it was announced today.  "The American Airlines John Legend and The Roots Concert Series" will be held in New York City and will feature three exclusive performances at the Bowery Ballroom and Music Hall of Williamsburg. Legend's new album, WAKE UP, releases September 21, 2010 on Columbia Records.

The airline will launch a variety of promotions to highlight each concert and will give you an opportunity to attend the great events, the first of which will be on August 30 thru a ticket sweepstakes at their blackatlas.com site.

GOO GOO DOLLS at the Coffee House Live on Sirius

MUSIC NEWS - GOO GOO DOLLS will celebrate the release of their new studio album, SOMETHING FOR THE REST OF US (out via Warner Bros Records), by performing a special show for as part of the Coffee House Live series for SIRIUS XM listeners. The show can be heard on August 31, at 3:00 PM PT on The Coffee House, SIRIUS channel 30 and XM channel 51.

The Coffee House Live special will feature the band performint songs from their newest album as well as their past hits. The special show will be broadcast live from The Troubadour, in Los Angeles, CA in front of a live audience of lucky SIRIUS XM listeners.

NASA Needs Your Votes to Space Shuttle "Wake Up" Songs

MUSIC NEWS - NASA has launched a contest for you to pick two songs which the space agency will  use to wake up astronauts on an upcoming space shuttle Discovery mission, #STS-133, which is due to start on November 1, 2010.

On the short list of 40 tunes for to pick from are songs by Jimmy Buffett, the Foo Fighters, Audrey Hepburn, the Clash, REO Speedwagon, and The Beatles, which were selected from a collection of previously used tracks.

More information and vote @ SongContest.NASA.Gov.

Human Rights Activists Detained at Moscow U2 Concert

MUSIC NEWS - Human rights activists from Amnesty International were arrested prior to U2's concert last night, August 25, in Moscow, one day after Bono met for tea with the rock-music-loving president of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev at the president's residence near the Black Sea resort of Sochi.  Members of the  organization were held after they distributed leaflets outside the venue, despite the organization and the band's management under the impression that they had the necessary permits.

"Our activities were agreed with U2's management, so we are very much surprised," Amnesty International director Ivan Blokov told the BBC News.   During the concert, U2's first in Russia, the band was joined onstage by Russian rocker turned politician Yuri Shevchuk, who sang Bob Dylan's classic 'Knockin' On Heaven's Door' with Bono & company.  Of Mr Shevchuk, Bono said he is "a great man".  On Sunday, Shevchuk appeared at a banned concert in central Moscow to protest against plans to build a motorway through a forest.