Take a hint of Interpol, throw in some Cuban salsa, and add, not a hint, but a fair amount of those old German polka records that show up at flea markets the world over, and you’ve got Devotchka’s stunning release, How It Ends.
Lenny Kravitz will begin a North American theater tour April 5 at the Nokia Live Theater in Dallas. Shows for the 27-date “Electric Church: One Night Only!” outing will go on sale Feb. 19. The tour wraps May 22 at the Wiltern in Los Angeles.
Kravitz, who cancelled a tour last year, has not toured North America since 2002. The new outing will support his seventh release, “Baptism” (Virgin).
“When I was planning my American tour, I decided that I wanted to get back to my roots, strip down the production and do something different,” Kravitz says. “I haven’t played theaters in years, and don’t know when I’ll be able to do it again, so this tour is going to be a great way to get out there and really connect with my fans.”
The run will follow Kravitz’s first tour of Latin America, which begins March 4 in Mexico City. Following the North American dates, he is scheduled to tour Europe.
Here are Kravitz’s tour dates:
April 5: Dallas (Nokia Live)
April 7: Houston (Verizon Theater)
April 9: Atlanta (Tabernacle)
April 10: Charlotte, N.C. (Owens Auditorium)
April 13: Miami (Jackie Gleason Theater)
April 16: Philadelphia (Electric Factory)
April 17: Atlantic City, N.J. (Borgata)
April 20: Washington, D.C. (D.A.R. Constitution Hall)
April 21: New York (Beacon Theater)
April 23: Hartford, Conn. (Oakdale)
April 24: Boston (Orpheum)
April 26: Cleveland (Music Hall)
April 27: Toronto (Massey)
April 29: Detroit (State Theater)
May 1: Chicago (Congress Theater)
May 4: Minneapolis (State Theater)
May 6: Milwaukee (Rave)
May 7: St. Louis (Pageant)
May 9: Kansas City, Mo. (Memorial Hall)
May 11: Denver (Fillmore)
May 13: Portland, Ore. (Schnitzer Hall)
May 14: Vancouver (Orpheum Theatre)
May 16: Seattle (Paramount Theatre)
May 18: San Francisco (Bill Graham Civic Center)
May 19: San Diego (Copley Symphony)
May 21: Las Vegas (the Joint)
May 22: Los Angeles (Wiltern Theatre)
Source billboard.com.
On March 8, 2005 New Hampshire
Us3, the brainchild of London-based Geoff Wilkinson is gearing up to release
its first US album in 7 years, Questions. Us3’s 2001 title An Ordinary Day
In An Unusual Place was only available as an import stateside.
The group first made its way into mainstream consciousness with its clever
sampling of Herbie Hancock’s “Cantaloupe Island” track. The infectious
rhythm and club meets caf
Due to an overwhelming demand for a five night sell-out at the Hammerstein Theater on the dates of March 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, The Black Crowes have added two additional dates to their NYC run. The two added shows will take place on March 29th and March 30th. Tickets for the shows go on sale Saturday, February 12th at 9:00 a.m.
With their Island debut, “Hot Fuss,” having recently passed the 1 million mark in U.S. sales, the Killers plan to keep touring throughout the spring. The Las Vegas-based rock act will begin a fresh round of North American dates April 11 in Phoenix and will remain on the road through May 3 in Denver.
Frontman Brandon Flowers told Billboard.com in December that fans can expect to hear a handful of new songs on the spring dates, including “I Won’t Let You Down,” “Daddy’s Eyes” and “It’s Only Natural.”
The band is in the midst of an international run that encompasses dates in the United Kingdom, Europe and Japan through March 10 in Tokyo. Afterward, it is expected to hunker down for a month of demoing new material with several producers, including Flood (U2, Smashing Pumpkins) and Alan Moulder (My Bloody Valentine, Swervedriver).
“We actually worked with Alan on our record, so we’re familiar with him,” Flowers said. Added drummer Ronnie Vannucci, “That time will be used to get some ideas on tape and tie up the loose ends of the songs that have been written on the road.”
“Hot Fuss” has spawned two No. 3 hits on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart, “Mr. Brightside” and “Somebody Told Me.” The latter track is up for best rock song and best rock performance by a duo or group with vocal Grammys, while “Hot Fuss” is nominated for best rock album.
Here are the Killers’ North American tour dates:
April 11: Phoenix (Marquee Theater)
April 12: La Jolla, Calif. (RIMAC Arena)
April 13: Long Beach, Calif. (Vault 350)
April 16-17: Los Angeles (Wiltern Theatre)
April 19: San Francisco (Fillmore)
April 21: Portland, Ore. (Roseland Theatre)
April 22: Vancouver (Vogue Theatre)
April 26: Edmonton, Alberta (Red’s)
April 27: Calgary, Alberta (MacEwan Hall)
April 29: Boise, Idaho (Big Easy Concert House)
May 2: Salt Lake City (Kingsbury Hall)
May 3: Denver (Paramount Theatre)
Source billboard.com.
Jazz organist Jimmy Smith passed away Tuesday at the age of 76, apparently having died in his sleep during an afternoon nap.
The legendary musician was a hugely influential figure in music, whose style of play affected not only his own genre but others, including hip-hop. DJs and producers often sample his soulful riffs; among the songs on which Smith’s music appears are the Beastie Boys’ “Root Down” and A Tribe Called Quest’s “Push It Along.”
Smith played piano before switching to the organ in the early 1950s, and his innovative style of playing the Hammond B-3 organ helped revolutionize the sound of jazz while he was recording for influential record labels like Blue Note and Verve.
Smith’s manager, Bob Clayton, discovered the musician’s body at around 1:30 p.m. at his Phoenix-area home, where he had taken a nap while watching television. He said Smith had been in generally good health and that the night before he seemed in positive spirits.
The body is being flown to Philadelphia, where the musician was born and raised. Details on services will be announced by the family shortly.
Source mtv.com.
Jay Peak lies way out in the middle of Vermont nowhere, in between the
The Soul Brains (formerly the Bad Brains) have completed basic tracks for their first all-new studio album since 1995’s “God of Love.” Produced by longtime admirer Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys, the as-yet-untitled set recalls the hardcore/reggae style of such classics as “Bad Brains” and “Rock for Light.”
“This is one of the first times that we intended to do stuff,” bassist Darryl Jenifer tells Billboard.com. “We never really intend to do anything. But I said, ‘I want this record to sound like the old Bad Brains — I want it to be straight-up hardcore. No tricks, no bells, no whistles. And I want the reggae to be straight rub-a-dub, no little riffs and stuff. The rock — straight-up speedcore, the way we were known for doing it.’ It doesn’t have an ‘I Against I’ appeal to it; it’s more like ‘Rock For Light.’ It’s like the cousins of those riffs.”
The Soul Brains/Beastie Boys union goes back to the early ’80s, when both bands played the same New York hardcore hotspots. Their paths crossed throughout the years, including arena dates in 1995, but never in the studio. “About a year-and-a-half ago, I was trying to instigate a record. I called up Yauch and said, ‘Yo, we’re going to do a record on Lakeshore,'” he says, referring to a label deal that never materialized.
“I think they got scared — there was no manager at one point and we were just trying to get this record done,” he continues. “So I called up Yauch, he gave us a little bit of money, and we went up to his studio.”
Once the group’s instrumentalists — Jenifer, guitarist Dr. Know and drummer Earl Hudson — laid down their parts, enigmatic singer H.R. was brought into the mix. “We recorded all new rhythm tracks — six or seven reggae, six or seven rock. We went out to L.A. and got H.R. to sing on them. He kind of did his ‘new’ H.R. stylings; it wasn’t reminiscent of the ‘old’ H.R., which I can respect. So we’ve been waiting for Doc to do some solos, and then mix that.”
Confirmed song titles for the record (“I just call it ‘The Yauch Recordings,'” says Jenifer) include the rockers “Expand Your Soul” and “Universal Peace,” as well as such reggae compositions as “Peace Be Unto Thee.” Jenifer wouldn’t disclose who will release the set, but confirms it will be a major label. “I don’t want to mention their name, but they’ve got first refusal on it,” he says.
As for the possibility of touring in support of the album, Jenifer says the group will proceed with caution.
“It’s hard for us to do shows,” he admits. “That’s mainly on H.R., with his mental and emotional state. He’s my man. He’s a weird dude and I love it — there’s freedom right there. I’ve really come to that conclusion, that the dude is the [most free] person you’ll ever meet.”
Source billboard.com.
This March, as winter begins to release its grasp on the nation, a tour of dreamlike proportions will make way for the emergence of Spring. Pioneering English fusion/rock band Ozric Tentacles will make a rare journey to the U.S., bringing their overwhelming light show and barrage of psychedelic trance sounds along for the trip. Providing support for these shows will be Philadelphia’s finest dance-trance outfit, Lotus.
Lotus’ warm instrumental vibes and pleasant improvisations are sure to win new fans from the dedicated Ozric followers, while Ozric’s decades of influence will certainly not be lost on Lotus’ devoted fanbase. The combination of bands on this tour is undoubtedly an exciting proposition, and the atmospheres at the shows will certainly be legendary. Past, present, and future will coexist via the transcendental music of these outstanding innovators, as both continue to break new ground while standing firm on each other’s influence.
03-17 Middle East – Downstairs, Cambridge, MA
03-18 Higher Ground, Burlington, VT
03-19 Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
03-20 State Theatre, Falls Church, VA
03-23 Canal Club, Richmond, VA
03-24 The Funk Box, Baltimore, MD
03-25 Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland, OH
03-26 The Abbey, Chicago, IL
03-27 Shank Hall, Milwaukee, WI
