2006

WIth the release of ‘Okonokos,’ My Morning Jacket’s live DVD/CD set to hit stores Oct 31st, The band has announced a full Fall tour beginning in Charleston, SC and moving through most of the US before ending in Boston. Longtime fans will notice that the venue sizes have grown since the band last hit towns, but Jim James and Co should settle in nicely into the historic theatre level.

Pre-sale has already begun for select dates.

NOVEMBER 2006
09 Thu Charleston, SC Music Farm
10 Fri Knoxville, TN Tennessee Theater
12 Sun Atlanta, GA The Tabernacle
13 Mon Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium
15 Wed New Orleans, LA House Of Blues
16 Thu Dallas, TX Gypsy Theater
17 Fri Dallas, TX Gypsy Theater
18 Sat Austin, TX Stubb’s
20 Mon St. Louis, MO The Pageant
21 Tue Milwaukee, WI The Riverside
22 Wed Louisville, KY Louisville Gardens
24 Fri Chicago, IL Riviera Theater
25 Sat Indianapolis, IN Clowes Hall
27 Mon Washington, DC 9:30 Club
28 Tue Washington, DC 9:30 Club
30 Thu New York, NY Roseland Ballroom

DECEMBER
01 Fri Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
02 Sat Boston, MA Avalon Ballroom

see: mymorningjacket.com for more info

Apple Computer Inc. said on Sept. 12 that its iTunes online music store would begin selling movies from Disney, Pixar, and Touchstone as the company makes its most aggressive move yet into the digital home.

Chief Executive Steve Jobs said newly released movies would initially cost $12.99 if pre-ordered or bought during the first week available. Library titles would cost $9.99, Jobs said at an event in San Francisco where the company also introduced new versions of its iPod digital music devices.

He said there are about 75 films now available for purchase on iTunes and that they would take about 30 minutes to download for those using a high-speed Internet connection.

The new iPods include one with the most capacity to date and sport video games such as Pac-Man and Tetris. Jobs said the new 80 gigabyte iPod would cost $349. The company also introduced a new, thinner iPod Nano available in five colors with 24 hours of battery life.

Source billboard.com.

The Flaming Lips’ latest album, “At War With the Mystics,” has been expanded into a two-disc set due Oct. 24 via Warner Bros. The original album will be augmented with the outtakes “Why Does It End?,” “You’ve Got To Hold On,” “Your Face Can Tell the Future,” “The Gold in the Mountain of Our Madness,” “Time Travel?? Yes!!” and a cover of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

Also featured are eight tracks from various live radio sessions, one of which is a blend of Sonic Youth’s “Unmade Bed” and Led Zeppelin’s “No Quarter.”

The DVD disc of the new “Mystics” rounds up videos for “Mr. Ambulance Driver,” “The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song” and “The W.A.N.D.,” plus frontman Wayne Coyne’s videotaped 2006 commencement address for his high school alma mater in Oklahoma City.

Source billboard.com.

25 years ago, in October of 1981, the Grateful Dead played at the Melkweg in Amsterdam, home of Jam in the ‘Dam, for the first and only time. It’s an event that venue owner Cor Schlosser remembers with fondness to this day. Cor still owns the venue, and is as much an Amsterdam musical fixture as his legendary venue, which has hosted a who’s who of rock n

As the sail date for Jam Cruise 5 nears, final bookings are being confirmed to this year’s artist lineup. The Disco Biscuits, the Stanton Moore Trio featuring Will Bernard and Robert Walter, and DJ Logic have been added to the bill. Also newly confirmed to be on board: Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars), JJ Grey (MOFRO), George Porter Jr. (The Meters), Patterson Hood (Drive By Truckers), Jeff Austin (Yonder Mountain String Band), Oteil Burbridge (The Allman Brothers), and Eric Krasno (Soulive). In the spontaneous spirit of Jam Cruise, cruisers can look forward to plenty of surprise collaborations and rare pairings, including a special set with JJ Grey and Luther Dickinson, and with Jeff Austin and Brendan Bayliss (Umphrey’s McGee).

These musicians join the already stellar lineup of bands: The Derek Trucks Band, Umphrey’s McGee, The Greyboy Allstars, Galactic, Burning Spear, Garage a Benevento, Zero (featuring Steve Kimock, Donna Godchaux, Jerry Joseph, Greg Anton, Liam Hanraham, Martin Fierro, John Morgan Kimock, and Melvin Seals), Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Railroad Earth, Deep Banana Blackout, Perpetual Groove, Tea Leaf Green, Los Amigos Invisibles, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, ALO, Hot Buttered Rum, New Mastersounds, Yonrico Scott Band, Scrapomatic, DJ Logic, DJ Le Spam, DJ Afro, and the lucky Sonicbids contest winners.

It’s not too late to turn in submissions for the Sonicbids contest. In their search to keep Jam Cruise loaded with hot new musical acts, Jam Cruise and Sonicbids have invited up-and-coming artists to submit their music for booking consideration. Six cabin slots have been reserved for contest artists, meaning the winners can be a full band up to 6 members or a band of 4 and a duo, or any other combination of six. Bands can enter now through November 7, 2006 at www.sonicbids.com/jamcruise . Jam Cruise judges will review applicants and narrow the pool down to a small number of finalists. The final voting will be open to the Jam Cruise passengers, on a date to be determined.

See jamcruise.com for more info.