September 2004

Rhino will on Oct. 26 release a three-DVD set spotlighting the on- and off-stage activities of Crosby, Stills & Nash. In addition to the recently released concert DVDs “Acoustic” and “Daylight Again,” the set includes the DVD debut of the 1990 documentary “Long Time Comin’,” featuring interviews, TV performances and live clips.

“Acoustic” was taped at San Francisco’s Warfield Theater in 1991 and boasts 16 performances, including “Deja Vu,” “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” “Our House,” “Teach Your Children” and Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth.”

Recorded in 1983 at Los Angeles’ Universal Amphitheatre, “Daylight Again” finds CSN touring in support of the album of the same name, released that year. Although David Crosby’s substance abuse problems are apparent in his physical appearance and demeanor, the trio still pulls together strong performances of such tracks as “Wasted on the Way” and “Southern Cross.”

“Long Time Comin'” presents a narration-free look into the band’s history, including 11 full song performances and snippets of nine others. Among the highlights are an acoustic version of “Marrakesh Express” from the 1969 Woodstock festival and several live tracks from the group’s 1977 tour, such as “Dark Star” and “Wooden Ships.”

Clips of CSN members playing in other bands are also featured, including Crosby with the Byrds on “Hollywood A-Go-Go” in 1966, plus separate clips of Nash with the Hollies and Stills with Buffalo Springfield on “The Smothers Brothers Show” in 1967.

CSN will wrap a run of tour dates with performances tomorrow (Sept. 21) in Bend, Ore., Wednesday in Woodlinville, Wash., and Sept. 29 as part of the Vote for Change tour in Phoenix.

Source billboard.com.

Albums by Wilco, Air, the Killers and Franz Ferdinand are among the 10 finalists for the 2004 Shortlist Prize, which honors critically acclaimed albums that have not yet been certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for U.S. shipments of 500,000 copies. The winner will be crowned Nov. 10 at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles during a concert featuring nominees.

The 10 finalists are Air’s “Talkie Walkie” (Astralwerks), Dizzee Rascal’s “Boy in Da Corner” (Matador/XL), Franz Ferdinand’s self-titled Domino/Epic debut, Ghostface Killah’s “The Pretty Toney Album” (Def Jam), the Killers’ “Hot Fuss” (Island), Loretta Lynn’s “Van Lear Rose” (Interscope), Nellie McKay’s “Get Away From Me” (Columbia), the Streets’ “A Grand Don’t Come for Free” (Vice), TV On The Radio’s “Desparate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes” (Touch & Go) and Wilco’s “A Ghost Is Born” (Nonesuch).

Nominees and winners are chosen by a panel of Listmakers which this year includes Norah Jones, the Dixie Chicks, John Mayer, Jack Black, Jim Jarmusch, the Cure’s Robert Smith, System Of A Down’s Serj Tankian and the Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am.

To be eligible, an artist’s latest album must have been released between July 1, 2003, and June 30, 2004.

Source billboard.com.

Fresh off a slot on The Cure’s Curiosa tour, Interpol is embarking on a 24-date North American trek in support of its upcoming second album, Antics.

The group is currently finishing up a European leg, where they’ve been showing off their new songs in the U.K., Germany, France and the Netherlands. Upon their return to the States, they’ll pick up two support acts – Secret Machines and On! Air! Library! – and start a month-long tour in Boston October 11.

The itinerary includes a two-night stand at Los Angeles’ Wiltern and another at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Interpol’s hometown of New York City, where they’ll close out the tour November 11-12.

Two weeks later, they’ll head back to Europe for another month of dates in at least 10 countries.

The group’s much-anticipated sophomore effort drops September 28.

Source pollstar.com.

Move over Woodstock — Field Day is on the way. New York’s mid-Hudson Valley, home to the original Woodstock Music Festival and Woodstock ’94, is drumming up another two-day music gathering. This time it will be on the east side of the Hudson River.

New York promoter Andrew Dreskin got the go-ahead last week from the town board in Red Hook to put together the Field Day music and arts festival on Greig Farm, about 45 miles south of Albany in Dutchess County. Dreskin agreed to give the town a dollar for each ticket sold.

Dreskin said there would be 50 to 60 acts, performing either July 16 and 17 or July 23 and 24, 2005, depending on who is signed. He said possibilities include Radiohead, the Beastie Boys and Norah Jones. The show is expected to draw about 35,000 people a day, with three nights of camping.

The promoter staged his first Field Day concert in June 2003 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., after plans to hold the event in Riverhead, N.Y., collapsed at the last minute. The show featured performances by Radiohead, the Beastie Boys, Spiritualized and Blur.

Source billboard.com.

Acclaimed reggae act John Brown’s Body has signed to Easy Star Records, which will release the band’s fifth album in March 2005. The Boston-based band was previously signed to I-Town/Shanachie, which also released lead singer Elliott Martin’s debut solo album, 2003’s Black Castle.

Songs slated to appear on the new JBB set include a few that have become concert favorites as of late, such as “Bread,” “Shadow” and “Full Control.” The album will be the follow-up to 2002’s Spirits All Around Us.

Source Billboard.

Nikulydin and DJ Tym Ryan will team up tomorrow evening, Sept 21, at the Phoenix Landing in Central Square, Cambridge MA. The free show starts at 9:30pm and in addition to their own sets, both the DJ and band intend to interlock sets in seamless fashion.

Nikulydin channels the energy & vibe of a Rave into a dynamic live sound and light performance using traditional instrumentation & cutting edge technology. Appropriating the styles of transcendental musical forms from shamanic ritual drumming and Indian Raga to the modern-day likes of psy-trance, jungle and house; the musical message is one of hope and unification directed to an increasingly global, yet spiritually fragmented world.

Spontaneous, organic, and underground, the improvisational processes of Nikulydin distill the essences of Trance, House, and Jungle to their pure and rudimentary forms, utilizing the structures for their vehicular capacity to shake the rump and move the soul. Always in real-time, by real people, melodic loops, sonic tapestries, deep grooves, & hip-shakin’ dance beats create Nikulydin.
Nikulydin is a process: an experiment in sound, light, rhythm and melody. The process creates an improvisational musical and visual experience for those who want to move the body and ease the mind.

See nikulydin.com for more info.

Technicians at Sweden’s public television have unearthed an unexpected delight for music lovers