2004

British rock quintet GOMEZ have confirmed a five-city, ten-date tour of the western U.S. in January 2005. The run will feature three performances in San Francisco; two each in the San Diego area, San Francisco and Boulder, CO; and one concluding show in Colorado Springs, CO. See below for a complete list of tour dates.

Gomez, whose 1998 debut BRING IT ON won the U.K.’s prestigious Mercury Music Prize, released their fourth LP SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE through Virgin Records in May. (The band and label have since parted ways.) The group enjoyed a breakthrough year in the U.S. on the strength of the album, which was produced by Tchad Blake (Neil Finn, Soul Coughing, Phish). Gomez performed at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in June and headlined a successful five-week summer tour in July and August. They also appeared on CBS’s The Late Late Show and NBC’s Last Call with Carson Daly.

Rolling Stone said of SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE, “Gomez pour on the punch that makes their live shows such a gas. The fuzz ‘n’ swing in ‘Do One’ proves that Gomez are a better rock band than they’ve been willing to admit.” The New York Times raved, “‘We Don’t Know Where We’re Going’ illustrates its title with a Ping-Pong stereo introduction, amazing on headphones, played on acoustic guitars so rhythmically perfect some listeners will have seizures… If only all stupid rock music could be this intelligent.”

GOMEZ 2005 U.S. TOUR DATES

January
14 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up Tavern
15 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up Tavern
17 – West Hollywood, CA – House Of Blues
18 – West Hollywood, CA – House Of Blues
20 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
21 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
22 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
24 – Boulder, CO – Fox Theatre
25 – Boulder, CO – Fox Theatre
26 – Colorado Springs, CO – 32 Bleu

For some Southern rockers

The String Cheese Incident will ring in this New Year in the Big Apple. The band is confirmed to perform December 28 and 29 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden and December 31 at Radio City Music Hall. Radio City Music Hall is sold out but a few tickets still remain for December 28 and 29.

In year’s past The String Cheese Incident have announced a NYE theme and audience participatory opportunities. This year the band is forgoing the hoopla, instead opting for a good ‘ole rock &; roll concert. What better place than New York City’s historic Radio City Music Hall for a straight up, no chaser rock show? This SCI New York New Year’s run marks the band’s first NYE on the east coast!

Throughout the year, The String Cheese Incident and their community continued to nurture Gouda Causes, the band’s philanthropic arm. Activities during 2004 included local cleanups close to home in Telluride, Colorado, and as far as Byron Bay Australia. In addition, Conscious Alliance has been on the road with SCI for every show this year. So far this year Conscious Alliance and Gouda Causes have collected over 16 tons of food donations to help feed America’s hungry. Gouda Causes and Conscious Alliance will be hosting yet another food drive along this New Year’s Eve run. Concert attendees are encouraged to bring 10 non-perishable food items to the shows in exchange for an exclusive food drive poster. All donations will go to local affiliates of America’s Second Harvest Food Share and to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

During the beginning of 2005, The String Cheese Incident will be wrapping-up studio time with producer Malcom Burns (Bob Dylan, Chris Whitley, Emmylou Harris, Daniel Lanois). Malcom and the band are to begin recording SCI’s fifth studio album this December, at a private studio in the hills of their hometown, Boulder, Colorado.

GorillaPop launches the first social networking service bringing
people together based on their favorite music. GorillaPop’s new service makes it easy, and fun, for people who love the same kind of music to connect from anywhere around the world.

Monitoring songs someone plays on their computer, GorillaPop builds a real time profile of a person’s musical preferences. This data along with other search criteria (sex, age, location, etc…), provide an ever changing landscape of possibilities for people to meet, discover new music, and maybe even find their funk/soul mate.

For more information see – gorillapop.com

Rock ‘n’ roll fans with deep pockets can buy a Beatles guitar or a mugshot of the pop star formerly known as Cat Stevens at what Christie’s calls its biggest auction of show business memorabilia.

The Gibson SG electric guitar, played by George Harrison from 1966-1969, is the star attraction among over 400 lots, ranging from Britney Spears’ book report to a handwritten 1991 letter from the late Kurt Cobain to Courtney Love.

The guitar, expected to fetch around $500,000, was used while recording the Beatles’ “Revolver” album and in two Beatles films “Paperback Writer” and “Rain.”

John Lennon also played it on what is commonly known as “The White Album.”

Another big draw at the December 17 sale is a Keith Richards guitar from around 1964-1965, which he played when the Rolling Stones appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show.

Singer Mick Jagger also played the guitar during the “Beggar’s Banquet” recording sessions. It is estimated to sell for about $400,000.

The Beatles guitar was recently rediscovered and has been on loan to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 2002.

Source: cnn.com

Ratdog has added a number of east coast shows to it’s previously announced pring tour. These show will take place April 7-8 at Turning Stone Casino in Verona NY, April 9 at Foxwoods Resort & Casino in Mashantucket CT, April 11 at Weinberg Center for the Arts in Frederick MD, April 17 at, Westbury Music Fair in Westbury NY, April 22 at Hampton Beach Casino, Ballroom in Hampton Beach NH, April 23 at Orpheum Theatre in Boston, MA, and April 25 at Ridgefield Playhouse in Ridgefield CT.

For more information and full list of dates visit ratdog.com.

Designed specifically for women and girls so their first day on a snowboard turns into a lifetime of riding fun, Women’s Learn To Ride (LTR) provides first-time riders with learning-specific equipment, smaller classes, personal attention and knowledgeable instructors that cater to the way girls learn. The goal of Women’s LTR is to make learning fun so girls return to the mountain and join the snowboarding lifestyle.

“The Women’s LTR Program is a perfect opportunity for women to add the fun of snowboarding to their lives in a comfortable, safe environment,” says Burton Global Team rider Victoria Jealouse. “For me, I need things explained and I want to fully understand something before I try it, and I think this might be a common thing for us girls. So, smaller instructor groups and more attention make a big difference. The chances are very, very high that after a day with Women’s LTR, women will be linking turns and laughing.”

Burton LTR products and programs have brought new riders to the sport since 1998, but have never catered specifically to women until now. To create this groundbreaking new program, Burton gathered a group of experienced women riders and girls who had never snowboarded before to help design and develop Women’s LTR. This season, Women’s LTR is offered at three resorts that will work with Burton to make sure girls and women have the best experience from day one.

Each of the three participating resorts will offer various promotions and special programs that will encourage women to get involved with the new Women’s LTR program. Every participant in women’s LTR will receive a journal, stickers and an issue of SG magazine to take home after her first day on the hill.

More specifics to come on each resort’s special offerings and launch plans surrounding this breakthrough new program for women.