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Singer/songwriter Beth Orton will hit the road in support of her next album, “Comfort of Strangers,” beginning in March in the United Kingdom, to be followed by a North American visit in April and May. As previously reported, “Comfort” is due Feb. 6 via Astralwerks and was produced by Jim O’Rourke (Wilco, Sonic Youth).

And though there has been some speculation that O’Rourke might hit the road with Orton and “Comfort” drummer Tim Barnes, Orton tells Billboard.com, “Jim can’t tour and Tim can’t either, because they’re doing the producing thing. But they’re helping me get [the touring band] together.”

Also in the works for Orton is a possible project with fellow singer/songwriter M. Ward, who co-wrote the new album’s title track with her. Ward won Orton over after she saw him performing live, and the pair shared two dates together this summer.

“I was completely mesmerized watching him,” she says. “We hope to be doing some writing together soon.”

Source billboard.com.

The Benevento/Russo Duo featuring Mike Gordon will hit the road again to close out 2005 with a 5-date late December run kicking off in Atlantic City and dipping into 2006 with a set of dates in Florida, including a New Year’s Eve show in sunny Ft. Lauderdale.

A limited ticket pre-sale is available through Mike Gordon’s secure online ticketing system NOW before they go on sale to the public. The Mike Gordon ticket site can be found at mikegordontickets.rlc.net .

Additional tickets will go on sale to the public beginning Friday, November 26.

BENEVENTO/RUSSO DUO FEATURING MIKE GORDON DECEMBER TOUR

12/26 The Music Box at The Borgata, Atlantic City, NJ (All Ages)
12/27 State Theatre, Falls Church, VA (18+)
12/29 Freebird Live, Jacksonville, FL (18+)
12/30 Jannus Landing, Tampa, FL (All Ages)
12/31 Culture Room, Ft. Lauderdale, FL (All Ages)

ure plans to hit the studio in January to record its next album, according to a post from frontman Robert Smith on the group’s Web site. “We are still on course for a summer release, as it’s all in the preparation,” he said.

The-as-yet-untitled effort will be the Cure’s first since keyboardist Roger O’Donnell and guitarist Perry Bamonte left the band earlier this year (former guitarist Porl Thompson has since rejoined). It will be the follow-up to 2004’s “The Cure,” which has sold 317,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Smith also said that he is close to completing the next phase of the band’s expanded reissue series, which will include 1984’s “The Top,” 1985’s “The Head on the Door” and 1987’s “Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me, as well as “The Blue Sunshine,” a 1983 album Smith and Siouxsie and the Banshees bassist Steve Severin created under the name the Glove. The sets should be out by next spring.

In addition, Smith is assembling a live DVD from the Cure’s summer performances and “writing some film music,” according to his message.

Source billboard.com.

Kaiser Chiefs have been forced to cancel their appearances at Spain’s Wintercase Tour this week due to a “highly contagious and rare virus”.

The band were due to kick off their stint on the travelling festival in Valencia tomorrow night (November 17) with The Tears and Clovis, before heading to Barcelona (18), Madrid (19) and Bilbao (20).

A statement from the band on their official website, kaiserchiefs.co.uk, said: “It’s with deep regret we have to cancel our planned gigs on the Wintercase Tour in Spain this week. These are the first shows in Kaiser Chiefs history we have cancelled.”

“The cancellation is caused by an outbreak a highly contagious and rare virus in our travel party. Unfortunately this has lead to enforced cancellation of all Kaiser Chiefs gigs this week until each of the band has the all-clear following medical tests.”

They added: “We apologise for any disappointment this may cause and hope you understand the strange circumstances that have lead to this. We hope it’s not too long before we have the chance to visit Spain again. We apologise for any disappointed Spanish fans and those of you that were travelling from anywhere else. We hope you still enjoy The Tears at these gigs.”

Source NME.com.

REM guitarist Peter Buck joined Patti Smith onstage in Seattle last weekend.

The union came at Smith’s sold-out performance at the Crocodile Club in Seattle (November 11), owned by Buck’s wife.

After an acoustic set by Smith and her guitarist Lenny Kaye, Buck, along with other members of his Minus 5 collective Bill Rieflin, John Ramberg and Scott McCaughey, came on for an eight-song set of Patti classics and a few covers, including Bob Dylan’s ‘Like A Rolling Stone’ and garage rock classic ‘Pushin’ Too Hard’ by The Seeds.

For the encore The Minus 5 came back on for a version of Smith’s ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Nigger’ to close the evening’s proceedings.

Smith has long been a pal of REM – she guested on the band’s 1996 Top Five UK hit ‘E-Bow The Letter’, and joined the band in London’s Hyde Park for a version of the song this summer.

Source nme.com.

Musicians from across the country are teaming up on a new album. The CD project is dedicated to assisting hurricane disaster efforts.

Muse have confirmed the details of their forthcoming ‘Absolution Tour’ DVD.

Shot during their 2004 jaunt, the film features re-edited and re-mastered footage from the band’s headlining Glastonbury performance.

Additionally there is new, previously unseen footage from the London’s Earls Court, Wembley Arena and the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles.

The ‘Absolution Tour’ DVD is released on December 12.

Source NME.com.

Capitol recording group Supergrass has unveiled plans for their next North American tour. The much-beloved Britpop pioneers – whose acclaimed fifth album, “ROAD TO ROUEN,” arrived in September – are set to land on these shores early next year for a 15-date trek, kicking off on February 6th in Toronto.

While Supergrass recently heralded the release of the surprising and subtle “ROAD TO ROUEN” with an international acoustic tour, the upcoming itinerary will see the band performing in all their electric splendor. The recent series of low-key dates drew high praise for their inventiveness and stagecraft. “Wherever they go, Supergrass bring a little sunshine with them,” raved Mojo’s Pat Gilbert of the band’s performance at New York’s Bowery Ballroom. “(Supergrass is) one of the glorious little pop bands on this planet, whichever city their sun is shining on.”

For full dates see: supergrass.com

After finishing up a lengthy European tour, the creatures of Animal Collective are marching out of the forest and into the big cities of North America. They will play a few U.S. shows later this month, before spending December and January in hibernation. Hopefully re-establishing Groundhog Day, the collective will emerge from its lair in February for several scattered performances, many more of which are to be announced soon.

11-10 Berlin, Germany – Volksbuhne *
11-12 Utrecht, Netherlands – SJU Jazz Podium *
11-13 Arhus, Denmark – Voxhall *
11-14 Goteberg, Sweden – Nefertiti *
11-15 Stockholm, Sweden – Sodra Teatern *
11-16 Malmo, Sweden – Chokladfabriken *
11-20 New York, NY – Webster Hall $
11-21 San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall %
11-22 Los Angeles, CA – El Rey Theatre @
02-21 Boston, MA – Paradise
02-22 Montreal, Quebec – La Sala Rossa
02-23 Toronto, Ontario – Lee’s Place
02-24 Lansing, MI – Temple Club
02-25 Chicago, IL – Logan Square Auditorium
03-01 Seattle, WA – Neumo’s
03-02 Vancouver, British Columbia – Richard’s on Richards
03-20 Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel

Source pitchforkmedia.com.

Singer/songwriter Ryan Adams is following through on his pledge to release three separate albums this year. On the heels of May’s “Cold Roses” and September’s “Jacksonville City Nights,” the series will conclude with “29,” due Dec. 20 via Lost Highway.

While the first two projects were credited to Adams and his new band, the Cardinals, “29” is billed as a solo album. The set was produced by longtime collaborator Ethan Johns and features contributions from the Cardinals’ J.P. Bowersock as well as bassist Jennifer Condos, who previously played on Adams’ “Gold.”

The ambitious 2005 release slate has generated significant sales for the artist. “Cold Roses” has moved more than 123,000 units, while “Jacksonville City Nights” has shifted more than 57,000. Adams’ best-selling release to date is 2001’s “Gold,” which has moved nearly 350,000 copies.

Adams will play a two-night stand beginning tomorrow (Nov. 16) with Willie Nelson at New York’s Beacon Theatre, and will then headline his own gig Friday at the city’s new Tribeca Performing Arts Center as part of the Wall Street Rising concert series.

Here is the track list for “29”:

“29”
“Strawberry Wine”
“Night Birds”
“Blue Sky Blues”
“Carolina Rain”
“Starlite Diner”
“The Sadness”
“Elizabeth, You Were Born To Play That Part”
“Voices”

Source .