2005

Queens Of The Stone Age will tour Europe and North America this spring in support of their upcoming album, “Lullabies To Paralyze.” The trek will get underway Feb. 21 in Paris and has dates on tap through April 18 in Los Angeles, while the new album will be released March 22 via Interscope.

“We have been rehearsing for about six weeks,” QOTSA leader Josh Homme tells Billboard.com. “All 14 tracks [from the new album] are fair game, and [as for] ones from the other records, the soil has been re-tilled and everyone is real bright-eyed. It feels really good around here.”

Although longtime collaborator Alain Johannes plays bass on “Lullabies To Paralyze,” he will not be joining Homme, drummer Joey Castillo and multi-instrumentalist Troy Van Leeuwen on the road this spring. Homme declines to reveal who will be playing bass, saying, “It’s great to keep people on the edge of their seats as long as possible, without anyone falling down.”

“It’s not Alain because he has this f***ed up thing called a life, the bastard, which I have to look into, apparently,” the workaholic Homme adds with a chuckle.

After the spring dates, which may feature support from Homme’s side band the Eagles Of Death Metal, QOTSA will be “looking for something to do that’s not any of the festivals this summer. We’d almost like to make our own mini, midget festival. I want there to be general admission. I don’t want there to be 15 bands in a day. People can’t receive that. I’d rather have five and have it start after work. Stand and sit wherever the hell you want to.”

The new album’s first single, “Little Sister,” debuts this week at No. 29 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart.

Here are Queens Of The Stone Age’s tour dates:

Feb. 21: Paris (Trabendo)
Feb. 24: Koln, Germany (Kantine)
Feb. 26: Berlin (Postbahnhof)
March 3: London (venue TBA)
March 15: Austin, Texas (Stubbs’ BBQ)
March 16: Dallas (Gypsy Tea Room)
March 19: Atlanta (Earthlink Live)
March 20: Norfolk, Va. (NorVa)
March 24: New York (Webster Hall)
March 26: Hartford, Conn. (Webster Theatre)
March 27: Washington, D.C. (9:30 Club)
March 28: Boston (Roxy)
March 30: Toronto (Kool Haus)
March 31: Montreal (Metropolis)
April 2: Cleveland (House of Blues)
April 3: Detroit (St. Andrews Hall)
April 5: Chicago (Vic Theatre)
April 6: Minneapolis (Quest)
April 8: Winnipeg, Manitoba (Burton Cummings Theatre)
April 10: Calgary, Alberta (MacEwan Hall)
April 11: Edmonton, Alberta (Red’s)
April 13: Vancouver (Queen Elizabeth Theatre)
April 14: Seattle or Tacoma, Wash. (venue TBA)
April 16: San Francisco (Fillmore)
April 18: Los Angeles (Henry Fonda Theatre)

Source billboard.com.

moe. will host a charity concert to benefit Tsunami survivors. The concert will be held at New York’s Roseland Ballroom, Thursday, February 10 at 8PM. moe. will be joined by various artists throughout the evening, including guitarist Trey Anastasio, MMW keyboardist John Medeski, mandolin virtuoso Sam Bush and Vorcza keyboardist Ray Paczkowski.

Tickets are $40.00 in advance. A limited number of tickets will be available, Friday, January 21 at 12:00PM EST at moe.org. The remaining tickets will be available at the Roseland Ballroom box office and all Ticketmaster locations, Saturday, January 22 at 10:00AM EST. All proceeds from this event will be matched by Dave Matthews Band and will go to the Bama Works Village Recovery Fund.

“The scope & breadth of this disaster are beyond comprehension,” says moe. guitarist Al Schnier. “As musicians on the other side of the world, we can’t help feeling a bit helpless. Our hope is to contribute in some small way to help reestablish the communities damaged in the wake of these recent storms.”
Adds bassist Rob Derhak, “We in the music community can get aid to families that need it. The concert profits will go to relief for Tsunami survivors, but it doesn’t have to stop there. We need to continue to help those in need; it is everyone’s responsibility.”

Source moe.org.

U2 will kick off its 2005 world tour March 28 at the San Diego Sports Arena, Billboard has exclusively revealed. Kings Of Leon will open the first leg of the trek, tickets for which will begin going on sale Jan. 29. The tour, named Vertigo after the first single from U2’s new Interscope album, “How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb,” will be officially announced Monday (Jan. 24).

“One of the great privileges of working with U2 is you get to go on the road with them,” longtime manager Paul McGuinness tells Billboard. “We are, I suppose, that rarest of things: a major touring attraction that is still having number one records all over the world after 25 years.”

Even though its kick-off is still two months away, Vertigo will likely be the top-grossing trek of 2005. Conservative estimates put the tour’s gross potential at $225-$250 million from as many as 110 shows.

The first North American leg will run for two months and wrap in Boston in late May. Afterward, the tour will hit some 30 European stadiums, beginning June 10 in Brussels. The band will stay in Europe through mid-August, then return to North America for another run of 30 arena dates.

Ticket prices will average $90, including $49.50 on the low end and $165 on the high end. On the 2001 Elevation tour in support of the album “All That You Can’t Leave Behind,” the range was $45-$135.

As on that trek, the arena floor will be general admission for about 1,700-1,800 seats, depending on the building. And, like Elevation, the tour will feature unique production elements.

Source billboard.com.

RAQ, the electrifying rock quartet from Burlington, VT, will embark on their fourth national tour in just two years this spring. Formed in just 2001, RAQ is doing what most young bands only dream about and have announced the first twenty-eight dates of a national tour that takes them from the Stone Church in New Hampshire to the famous Whiskey A-Go-Go in West Hollywood with all major cities in-between and back to New England with a two night stand at the Higher Ground in Burlington, VT on April 8th & 9th.

Self-described as “aggressive improvisational rock” RAQ’s music is full of precise hooks and floating improvisation. Relix Magazine says, “RAQ has the ability to captivate an audience, dropping jaws with hyperkinetic improvisational splendor.”

They have already been invited to perform at many of North America’s highest profile events including Tennessee’s Bonnaroo Music Festival, California’s High Sierra Music Festival, Florida’s Langerado Music Festival, New York’s moe-down, Massachusetts’s Berkshire Mountain Music Festival, and Vermont’s Garden of Eden festival. The band has appeared at the most prestigious venues along the way such as the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco
and the famed Knitting Factory in New York City. Highlights of this tour include headlining shows in NYC, Chicago, Boulder, Los Angeles, and a support slot in Atlanta with MOE at The Tabernacle on March 4th.

This is only the first leg of the spring tour and additional dates are expected to be added to this leg too. Please go to www.raqmusic.com for updates.

January 26 – Stone Church – Newmarket, NH
January 27- Big Easy – Portland, ME
January 28 – Main Pub – Manchester, CT
January 29 – Middle East – Cambridge, MA *
February 2 – Water Street Music Hall – Rochester, NY
February 3 – Iron Horse Music Hall – Northampton, MA
February 4 – Lions Den – NY, NY
February 5 – Stone Pony – Asbury Park, NJ
February 8 – Crowbar – State College, PA
February 9 – Wilberts – Cleveland, OH
February 10 – Mad Frog – Cincinnati, OH
February 11 – Subterranean – Chicago, IL
February 12 – University of Wisconsin – Madison, WI
February 15 – 8150 – Vail, CO
February 16 – Fox Theater – Boulder, CO
February 17 – Sherpa & Yeti’s – Breckenridge, CO
February 18 – Cervante’s – Denver, CO
February 19 – Starlight – Ft. Collins, CO
February 22 – Tractor Tavern – Seattle, WA
February 23 – Goodfoot Lounge – Portland, OR
February 25 – 12 Galaxies – San Francisco
February 27 – Whiskey A-Go-Go – West Hollywood, CA
March 2 – Sticky Fingerz – Little Rock , AR
March 3 – Zydeco’s – Birmingham, AL
March 4 – Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA **
March 5 – Visulite Theatre- Charlotte, NC
March 17 – Harpers Ferry – Allston, MA
April 8 & 9 – Higher Ground – Burlington, VT

All shows headlining except:
* Supporting Steve Kimock Band
** Supporting moe

This spring, The String Cheese Incident and their fans will take advantage of this season’s record snowfall along the continent’s western slopes. SCI’s upcoming tour, being dubbedSpring Ski Incidents, will bring traveling fans and locals into ski towns across America’s west, to enjoy majestic mountains and music, including outdoor afternoon shows at the base of the slopes in Park City, Utah and Whistler B.C!

The spring tour will begin with three nights at Denver’s Fillmore Auditorium and, in the tradition of SCI’s Winter Carnival, will feature very special guests – this year, New Orleans legend Dr. John, innovative rocker Perry Ferrell (aka DJ Peretz), Jason Carter and Ronnie and Rob McCoury, plus after-show parties each night! After a day of rest the band will head west, armed with boards and instruments, to play on some of their favorite ski mountains. Highlights of the run include a two day stop in Park City, Utah where, after a full day tackling Utah’s powder, SCI will play one long afternoon set at The Canyons at the base of the mountain each day. Fans won’t need a ticket to enjoy the show- but can buy discounted ski lift tickets at

www.SCITicketing.com.

Discounted lift tickets go on sale February 1st while supplies last. After hitting Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Bozeman, Montana and Spokane, Washington, the tour will wrap up in beautiful British Columbia, including another afternoon show, this time at the base of Whistler &; Blackcomb Mountain to kick off the 10th anniversary of the annual TELUS World Ski &; Snowboarding Festival – North America’s largest snowsport and music event.

The complete list of tour dates are as follows:

Thu Mar 24 Denver, CO The Fillmore Auditorium w/ Dr. John
Fri Mar 25 Denver, CO The Fillmore Auditorium w/ Perry Ferrell aka DJ Peretz
Sat Mar 26 Denver, CO The Fillmore Auditorium w/ Ronnie &; Rob McCoury and Jason Carter
Tue Mar 29 Lake Tahoe, NV Circus Maximus Showroom @ Caesars Tahoe
Wed Mar 30 Lake Tahoe, NV Circus Maximus Showroom @ Caesars Tahoe
Fri Apr 01 Boise, ID Big Easy Concert House
Sat Apr 02 Park City, UT The Canyons (apres ski)
Sun Apr 03 Park City, UT The Canyons (apres ski)
Tue Apr 05 Jackson Hole, WY Snow King Center
Wed Apr 06 Bozeman, MT Valley Ice Garden Arena
Thu Apr 07 Spokane, WA The Big Easy Concert House
Fri Apr 08 Whistler, BC The Base of Whistler &; Blackcomb Mountain (apres ski)
Sat Apr 09 Vancouver, BC The Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts

Veteran indie rockers Sleater-Kinney will release their seventhalbum, The Woods, on May 24th. The follow-up to 2002’s One Beat was produced by David Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Weezer) and will be the band’s first on Seattle’s Sub Pop Records.

The Olympia, Washington, trio — vocalist/guitarist Corin Tucker, guitarist Carrie Brownstein and drummer Janet Weiss — has scheduled a string of live dates prior to the record’s release, including a performance at this year’s South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, Texas.

A complete tour in support of the release is expected in June.

Current Sleater-Kinney tour dates:

2/14: Bellingham, WA, Western Washington University
2/25: Bellingham, WA, Night Light Lounge
2/26: Vancouver, the Commodore Ballroom
3/2-3: New York, Mercury Lounge
3/16: Austin, South by Southwest Music Festival, Venue TBA

Source rollingstone.com.

Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry,” the Rolling Stones’ “Let It Bleed” album and Ray Charles’ rendition of “America the Beautiful” are among the latest additions to the Recording Academy’s Grammy Hall of Fame. The Hall, which was founded in 1973, now hosts 659 titles.

This year’s crop focuses mainly on the pre-rock era, beginning with Arthur Collins and Byron Harlan’s 1911 single “Alexander’s Ragtime Band.” Other vintage titles to be inducted include “California Here I Come” by Al Jolson with the Isham Jones Orchestra (1924), Gene Austin’s “Bye Bye Blackbird” (1926), Bing Crosby’s “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” (1932) and Bob Hope and Shirley Ross’ “Thanks for the Memories” (1938).

More modern fare is represented by Les Paul and Mary Ford’s “Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You)” (1953), Frank Sinatra’s “One for My Baby” (1958) and Henry Mancini’s theme “Peter Gunn” (1959).

Grammy Hall of Fame selections must be at least 25 years old, and are selected by a special Academy member committee.

Source billboard.com.

Fox Sports’ coverage of the Super Bowl on Feb. 6 will be able to include pictures from miniature cameras embedded in the field, network and NFL officials said Tuesday.

This is the first time such images will be available during an NFL telecast.

Fox unveiled the devices, which have a lens the size of a pencil eraser, during last summer’s Major League Baseball All-Star Game and used them during the playoffs and World Series (news – web sites). Three of the cameras – dubbed “diamond cams” – were implanted in the grass in front of the home-plate area. Another was buried in the grass just in front of the pitcher’s mound. They had no impact on play.

For the Super Bowl, Fox will deploy at least 12 “turf cams” in various positions on the playing field, all within the hash marks, Fox executive vice president of production Bill Brown said.

Brown said each embedded camera would be attached by cable to a small electric box buried in the field. The only thing protruding above the surface will be the camera lens. The cameras will be placed at a slight angle so they can bounce back up if a player falls on them.

“A normal game has 150-160 plays. We’re hoping to get five plays within the view of these cameras,” Brown said. “If the camera is at the line of scrimmage, after the ball is snapped you can see what it’s like to be there when NFL linemen collide at the snap of the ball.”

Fox personnel implanted the cables for the cameras when the turf at Alltel Stadium was replaced Jan. 3-4 after the Jacksonville Jaguars (news)’ last home game. Brown said up to four more turf cams might be added Super Bowl week.

“The technology has become so good there’s no reason not to approve it,” NFL public relations vice president Greg Aiello said. “The players are not going to notice it. It’s another technical innovation that has our support.”

Aiello said league officials would use the week before the game to make sure the cameras won’t interfere with place kicks.

Fox’s turf cams will become part of the NFL’s video review system of calls on the field if images from one of the cameras can aid in the decision. “If Fox puts it on the air, then it’s fair game for instant replay,” Aiello said. “But it has to be put on the air for viewers to see.”

Source yahoo.com.

With an eye towards a summer double-disc release that will feature packaging in the vein of OutKast’s “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below,” the Fiery Furnaces’ prolific sibling team of Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger is currently working at a rate that is nothing short of frenetic.

“Maybe [it is] just because I felt like we had a late start to all of this,” Eleanor tells Billboard.com. “I wish that I was 23 and Matt was 27, [but] instead I’m 28 and Matt’s 32. So, I think it’s something we finally got going and we want to do as much as we can, as quickly as we can.”

Beginning with last summer’s critically acclaimed sophomore Rough Trade album, “Blueberry Boat,” and leading up to the duo’s new 10-track, 41-minute B-side set “EP,” the Friedbergers have been writing at a feverish pace. As for the hopeful double release, the first album is already finished and is truly a family affair, with the siblings’ 82-year-old grandmother, Olga Sarantos, providing narrative vocal support in what Eleanor characterizes as “almost a radio play” delivered with a pop aesthetic.

“She’s a great character and she’s always been a musician,” Eleanor says of her Chicago native grandmother. “She’s been the choir director of her church since the ’50s. And if anyone in our family was supposed to make records, it was probably her. She has a real diva personality and is always telling lots of funny stories. And she has a great voice and has a great presence.”

Tentatively titled “Garfield L,” the project includes the title track and “Zapped by the Zombie,” which Eleanor says is about her grandmother getting drunk the night she was supposed to meet her father-in-law for the first time.

As for the accompanying disc, the Friedbergers are currently working on “short, poppy songs” in a Benton Harbor, Mich., studio. While Matt has tentatively titled the album “Singing to Speak Chinese,” which includes new tracks “Teach Me Sweetheart” and “Nevers,” Eleanor says a decision on the final title hasn’t been made.

Leading up to an appearance at California’s Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival (April 30-May 1), the Fiery Furnaces will head to Australia and Japan in March and return for a month’s worth of U.S. college dates in April. The twosome expects to be back on the road in the fall in support of “Garfield L,” which hasn’t received official label approval.

“Who knows if [Rough Trade] will do that,” says Eleanor. “I’m optimistic, especially if we keep talking about it in the press. Then they have to do it. That’s what happened with the grandmother thing. We talked about it for about a year or so and they couldn’t really say no.”

Source billboard.com.