Afghan Whigs debut new single & video, announce tour

Afghan Whigs premiered a sultry new song titled "Algiers" - the track serves as the first single from Do To The Beast, the band's first new album in 16 years.  Do To The Beast arrives April 15th and is available to pre-order through SubPop, iTunes, and Amazon (bonus: SubPop's store is offering the "Loser Edition" pressed on white vinyl while supplies last).

Watch Greg Dulli wreak havoc in the western themed video for "Algiers" below.  The video was filmed in Agua Dulce, just northeast of Santa Clarita, California.



Afghan Whigs have also announced initial dates for a North American tour. More dates are expected to be announced soon.

4/10 -- Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy & Harriet's
4/11 -- Indio, CA @ Coachella
4/14 -- Portland, OR @ Doug Fir
4/15 -- Seattle, WA @ Showbox Market
4/17 -- San Francisco, CA @ Slim's
4/18 -- Indio, CA @ Coachella
5/15 -- Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Bowl
5/16 -- Boston, MA @ Paradise
5/17 -- Baltimore, MD @ Otto Bar

Published on February 19th, 2014 @ 11:22 AM

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R.I.P. Bob Casale of Devo

Bob "Bob 2" Casale of Devo passed away last night from complications related to heart failure. Casale's brother and founding member of Devo, Gerald Casale broke the news to fans on Facebook in a message:

As an original member of Devo, Bob Casale was there in the trenches with me from the beginning. He was my level-headed brother, a solid performer and talented audio engineer, always giving more than he got. He was excited about the possibility of Mark Mothersbaugh allowing Devo to play shows again. His sudden death from conditions that lead to heart failure came as a total shock to us all.

Casale was 61 years old.







Published on February 18th, 2014 @ 9:17 PM

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The Exploited vocalist suffers heart attack on stage

Wattie Buchan of legendary punk band The Exploited suffered a heart attack on stage at a gig in Portugal on February 13th. According to reports, Buchan dropped to the floor, remained unconscious, and was rushed to the hospital where he is currently undergoing treatment. The Exploited posted a message on Facebook thanking fans for their support. The band has canceled all tour dates through May.

The Exploited had recently signed a recording contract with Nuclear Blast and were planning to release a brand new record before the end of 2014. Three of their previous albums -- Beat The Bastards, Fuck The System, and The Massacre -- will be reissued as expanded sets on March 14th.

Published on February 17th, 2014 @ 5:38 PM

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Wax Trax! film info + music series produced by Dave Grohl/Roswell Films coming soon?

A funding campaign for the highly anticipated Wax Trax! documentary is expected to launch in the coming weeks. Wax Trax! Chicago emphasized in a posting that they're not looking for a free handout, but need some help to pay for logistical and licensing expenses. In exchange for pledging, they're planning to offer some exciting incentive items like limited edition merchandise, rare collectibles, and possibly the opportunity to connect with some of the artists. More info on the campaign is expected to be announced soon.

Meanwhile, the Wax Trax! update also dropped an interesting nugget that should be of interest to music fans: Dave Grohl's production company Roswell Films is working on a new cable series which highlights music scenes in different cities. The full roster of cities hasn't been announced, but Wax Trax! revealed that they were interviewed and featured in the Chicago episode (perhaps yet another reason Grohl was hanging out in Chicago a couple of weeks ago). No details have been announced about the series, so no word on when the series will launch, or where it will ultimately premiere. Stay tuned.

Friend of mine's brother sent him this via text a few minutes ago. Grohl's in Chicago, on the Brown Line. pic.twitter.com/CHhCKj4zSU
— Jim Hanke (@jimhanke) January 21, 2014

Finally, in even more Wax Trax! related news, Chris Connelly's new project Bells Into Machines will be releasing a full album later this year. A few days ago the band debuted a promo video featuring snippets of four new songs ("Your Crime Scene - My Career," "Missions," "Wretched Little Deity," and "Sweet Life In Soaring Light") which you can check out below:



Published on February 15th, 2014 @ 6:24 PM

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Pixies live stream event: February 18th

The Pixies are performing a live session on Tuesday afternoon ahead of that night's concert in Seattle. The performance will stream live from the KEXP studios and is scheduled to start at 12:30 PM ET. The event launches the station's live video stream and will be available to access here on Tuesday.

Prepare for the live event by watching an awesome acoustic session with rehearsal footage filmed in 2005.



Published on February 15th, 2014 @ 5:41 PM

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This is glorious: Marc Almond sings "Tainted Love" backed by floppy disk drives

A few years ago You Tube user Gigawipf came up with the brilliant idea of rigging up floppy disk drives (and in some cases, hard drives) to make music. To date, he's used his contraption to play songs from Rammstein, Marilyn Manson, REO Speedwagon, Gotye, the Batman theme, and my personal favorite -- Deep Purple's "Smoke On The Water." Recently Soft Cell's Marc Almond caught wind that Gigawipf covered "Tainted Love" and was so intrigued that he added his vocals to it and uploaded it to his official You Tube account.  Bask in the glory below courtesy of  PolicyMic (via Salon):

(version without Almond's vocals)



(version with Almond's vocals)



Gloria Jones released the original version of "Tainted Love" (written by Ed Cobb) in 1965 and over the years the track has been covered by tons of artists including Coil, Inspiral Carpets, Marilyn Manson, and Paul Young. Soft Cell's version, released in 1981, has enjoyed the most commercial success.

Published on February 15th, 2014 @ 4:06 PM

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Nine Inch Nails announce ACL broadcast & share performance

Nine Inch Nails announced today that their episode of Austin City Limits premieres on PBS on April 5th. The episode was filmed at the Moody Theater last November on NIN's Tension 2013 tour. Check out the performance of "Came Back Haunted" from the episode below:



Tonight's Austin City Limits program features Arcade Fire.

Published on February 15th, 2014 @ 3:26 PM

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Fishbone ordered to pay 1.4 million for stage-diving incident

Fishbone have been ordered to pay 1.4 million dollars to a woman injured at the band's February 2010 show in Philadelphia. The Huffington Post reports the woman suffered a broken skull and collarbone after being "knocked to the floor" by stage-diving lead singer Angelo Moore. The federal judge in the case ordered Fishbone to pay 1.1 million in compensatory damages and added another 250 thousand dollars for punitive damages. The article notes that the judge wasn't pleased that Fishbone continue to stage-dive at shows since the incident and the band refuses to issue warnings about their live shows because it detracts from the "theatrics" of the act.

Read the full report here.

Published on February 14th, 2014 @ 5:11 AM

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Echo & The Bunnymen: New LP & tour announcement TBA soon

Echo & The Bunnymen are finishing up work on their new Youth-produced studio album.  In a new posting on Facebook today, the band revealed they've come up with a title and artwork for the album and will be announcing the details (and release date) for the record soon.  The posting also confirmed that a U.S. tour will be announced shortly. Read the full posting below:

"Echo & The Bunnymen New Album & Tour Announcement very soon.

We are very excited to announce that the brand new studio album produced by Youth (The Verve, embrace etc) is nearing completion and that a title and artwork are decided plus a full European tour already booked. US dates to follow.

Ian feels it's the bands best work for a very long time.

More details to follow."

Seems like a good excuse to post some awesome live video of Ian McCulloch in action!







Published on February 13th, 2014 @ 9:55 AM

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Morrissey announces U.S. dates

UPDATE (February 13th at 12:00 PM): Morrissey confirmed dates for a full U.S. tour.  Tickets for most of the shows including the Detroit area show on June 14th go on sale Friday, February 21st.  Some of the shows will have pre-sales -- Los Angeles, Denver, Atlanta, Memphis, Atlantic City, and Brooklyn have already announced pre-sales -- possibly more will be announced in the next few days.

UPDATE: (February 20th at 5:30 AM): Pre-sales for Chicago and Detroit/Flint have been added and start February 20th. Flint password: MOZFLINT

5/07 -- San Jose CA City @ National Civic Auditorium
5/10 -- Los Angeles CA @ Los Angeles Sports Arena
5/13 -- El Paso TX @ Plaza Theater
5/14 -- Albuquerque NM @ Sunshine Theater
5/16 -- Salt Lake City UT @ Kingsbury Hall
5/17 -- Denver CO @ Ellie Caulkins Opera House
5/19 -- Lincoln NE @ Rococo Theatre
5/20 -- Lawrence KS @ Liberty Hall
5/22 -- Dallas TX @ Majestic Theatre
5/24 -- Austin TX @ Austin Music Hall
5/25 -- Beaumont TX @ Julie Rogers Theatre
5/27 -- Memphis TN @ Orpheum Theatre
5/28 -- Nashville TN @ Ryman Auditorium
5/30 -- St Petersburg FL @ Mahaffey Theater
5/31 -- Miami FL @ Knight Concert Hall
6/04 -- Atlanta GA @ Cobb Energy Center
6/06 -- Atlantic City NJ @ Revel Ovation Hall
6/07 -- Boston MA @ Boston Opera House
6/10 -- Baltimore MD @ Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
6/13 -- Chicago IL @ Civic Opera House
6/14 -- Flint MI @ James Whiting Auditorium
6/16 -- Lewiston NY @ Artpark Main Stage Theater
6/17 -- Wilmington DE @ Grand Opera House
6/19 -- Hershey PA @ Hershey Theatre
6/21 -- New York NY @ Barclays Center Arena

Morrissey has officially announced a pair of one-off shows later this year: May 10th he'll perform at Los Angeles Sports Arena, and June 21st he plays Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The opening acts for the shows are intriguing: Tom Jones supports Morrissey at the L.A. show and Cliff Richard will open the Brooklyn show. Kristeen Young also is on the bill for both shows. Ticket information is expected to be announced shortly.

Morrissey announced earlier in the year that he's signed a worldwide recording contract and will be releasing a new album later in the year.

Reminder: Two screenings of Morrissey: 25 Live will take place in the Detroit area on February 26th at the Berman Center for the Performing Arts in West Bloomfield.  Purchase tickets for the 2pm screening and the 7:30 screening.

Published on February 13th, 2014 @ 9:16 AM

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Video: Nick Cave's 20,000 Days on Earth

A new film featuring Nick Cave titled 20,000 Days on Earth premiered at Sundance last month. The film was co-written by Cave and though it is a work of fiction (the film has been described as a fictitious day-in-the-life take on a cult hero by Time), there is a ton of performance footage of Cave performing live at the Sydney Opera House: songs "Higgs Boson Blues," "Jubilee Street," and "Stagger Lee" are all included. The Iain Forsyth/Jane Pollard-directed film won best directing and editing at Sundance and is expected to open later this year. For now watch a short clip taken from the film below and read a review here.



Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds return to North America in June to promote 2013's Push Away The Sky. The tour includes a Detroit date at the Masonic Temple on July 29th and tickets are available here.



6/16 - Louisville, Ky @ Louisville Palace Theater
6/18 - Kansas City, MO @ @ Midland Theater
6/20 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Milwaukee Theater
6/21 - Minneapolis, MN @ State Theater
6/24 - Denver, CO @ The Buell Theater
6/27 - Calgary, Alb @ Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
6/28 - Edmonton, Alb @ Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
6/30 - Vancouver, BC @ Orpheum Theater
7/02 - Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theater
7/05 - Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
7/07 - San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield Theater
7/11 - Los Angeles, CA @ Shrine Auditorium
7/19 - Austin, TX @ ACL Live At Moody Theater
7/21 - New Orleans, LA @ Mahalia Jackson Theater
7/23 - Washington D.C. @ Dar Constitution Hall
7/25 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Mann Center
7/26 - New York, NY @ Prospect Park
7/29 - Detroit, MI @ Masonic Temple
7/31 - Toronto, Ont @ Sony Centre

Published on February 10th, 2014 @ 5:49 AM

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Manchester's Factory 251 & Chicago's Concord Music Hall suffer ceiling collapse

The BBC is reporting that a ceiling inside Manchester's Factory 251 nightclub collapsed in the early hours (2:30 AM) of February 7th. According to the report, plasterboard on the second floor ceiling gave way and debris from the collapse injured several patrons at the club. The seven injured clubgoers were taken to a nearby hospital and treated for minor injuries. After the incident the venue was evacuated and shut down for the evening, but reopened for business later in the day after passing inspection.  Factory 251 is the club located inside the old headquarters of the legendary Factory Records and is owned in part by Peter Hook.

A venue in Chicago reported a similar ceiling-collapse over the weekend. A ceiling at Concord Music Hall reportedly caved in and fell on concertgoers during a Datsik show on February 8th. Witnesses claim the bass at the concert was so loud it shook part of the ceiling, which eventually gave way and fell onto four people. The victims were taken to a hospital and were treated for non-life threatening injuries. Concord Music Hall has reportedly shut down pending an investigation. Read more here.

Published on February 9th, 2014 @ 8:09 PM

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Video: The Clash rocking out at Motor City Roller Rink in 1980

Previously unseen video of the Clash performing at the Motor City Roller Rink in Detroit on March 10, 1980 has appeared on You Tube!  Video of  "Safe European Home" was uploaded yesterday by Peace Jam's One Billion Acts of Peace account to help promote the new international global citizen's movement designed to tackle humanitarian issues.  The individual who uploaded this particular video happens to be an ex-Creem magazine writer (pen name Mark Norton) who promises to upload more video (presumably from the same show) once "Safe European Home" gets 100 thousand views! Check it out below and read more over at The Clash Blog. Thanks to mega-Clash fan Nikki for the heads up!



A ton of Clash bootlegs, including the entire March 10th, 1980 show at the Motor City Roller Rink are available here.

FYI: The Motor City Roller Rink was located in Warren at 9 Mile & Van Dyke.  By day it was used as a roller rink, but at night was used as a concert venue.  Legendary acts like Iggy Pop, The Ramones, Devo, The Jam, Pretenders, Heaven 17, and Public Image Limited were among the acts who performed there in the late 70s and early 80s. Check out a website dedicated to the Motor City Roller Rink here and enjoy some video of the rink and patrons skating around below:



Published on February 6th, 2014 @ 5:14 PM

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The Machine Room announce new single & 'Sweden' EP

If all was good and right with the world, Scotland's The Machine Room would be on the tip of every indie music lover's tongue. The band have been releasing amazing music since 2011 -- if you missed out on 2012's Love From a Distance EP, do yourself a favor and remedy that now.  On March 17th, The Machine Room returns with a new EP titled Sweden which is named after (and includes) the band's 2013 single. The EP will be preceded by the new single "Chances" on March 3rd, but the song is available to preview now. Stream "Chances" below along with some of the Machine Room's previously released gems below (plus grab a free download of their cover of New Order's "Bizarre Love Triangle"). Catch up with The Machine Room on Facebook and Twitter.









Published on February 6th, 2014 @ 1:52 PM

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Front Line Assembly remix LP 'Echoes' coming soon

Front Line Assembly announced a remixed version of their 2013 album Echogenetic will be released shortly. The remixed version will be titled Echoes and includes remixes by Comaduster, Sonic Mayhem, Youth Code, Slighter, rhys Fulber, HECq, henrik Backstrom, Blush Response, Daniel Myer, Haujobb, Tweaker, Primitive race, Cyanotic, Necro Facility, Atiq and Enq. More details on Echoes including the official tracklisting and release date will be announced shortly.



Published on February 6th, 2014 @ 5:23 AM

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Depeche Mode reissue entire back catalog on 180 gram vinyl

Depeche Mode have announced that they're reissuing their entire back catalog on 180 gram vinyl. The albums -- complete with inserts, liner notes, and glossy gatefold sleeves -- will be released individually in three installments. The first four reissues, Some Great Reward, Music For The Masses, Songs of Faith & Devotion, and Black Celebration were released today; A Broken Frame, Ultra, Construction Time Again, and Violator are out March 25th, and finally Speak & Spell, Exciter, Playing the Angel, and Sounds of the Universe complete the reissue campaign on May 27th.

All of the vinyl reissues will be available through Amazon and physical record stores.



Published on February 4th, 2014 @ 6:59 PM

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Video: The Pixies' Tiny Desk Concert live session

The Pixies performed a three song set for NPR recently - the band performed an unreleased song titled "Silver Snail" along with the newly released "Greens and Blues" and mega-classic "Monkey Gone To Heaven." Check out the session below or click here.



The Pixies are also playing another live session for Seattle's KEXP on February 18th at 12:30 PM ET. The session is scheduled to stream live via KEXP's newly launched video channel. More info on that is posted here.

The Pixies head to Detroit on Saturday, February 8th for a show at the Fillmore Detroit. Tickets are available here.

2/04 - Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
2/06 - St. Louis, MO @ Peabody Opera House
2/07 - Columbus, OH @ LC Pavilion
2/08 - Detroit, MI @ Fillmore Detroit
2/09 - Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theater
2/11 - Kansas City, MO @ Midland Theater
2/13 - Denver, CO @ Fillmore
2/14 - Aspen, CO @ Belly Up Tavern
2/15 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Great Salt Air
2/17 - Vancouver @ Orpheum Theatre
2/18 - Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
2/19 - Portland, OR @ Schnitzer
2/21 - Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
2/22 - San Jose, CA @ Civic Theater
2/23 - Las Vegas, NV @ The Joint
2/24 - Phoenix, AZ @ Comerica Theatre
2/25 - Albuquerque, NM @ Kiva Auditorium
2/27 - Houston, TX @ Bayou Music Center
2/28 - Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom
3/01 - Austin, TX @ Music Hall

Published on February 4th, 2014 @ 5:44 AM

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The Cure confirm new LP, DVD series & tour plans

Last year Robert Smith revealed that the follow up to the Cure's last album -- 2008's 4:13 Dream -- was finished and sitting in his basement, and today the band announced via a press release that the album is coming out this year. The record is tentatively titled 4:14 Scream and was recorded around the same time as 4:13 Dream (this is not the new material Smith said he was working on last year with the band's latest line-up).  Along with the news of the band's 14th studio album comes word that a series of live concert DVDs will also be released soon. No further info was provided on the DVDs, however Smith mentioned a few times last year that the Cure would be releasing live DVDs in the future.

The Cure also confirmed they're heading back on the road this year to perform more of their classic albums in full. This time around, the Cure are going to play The Top, The Head On The Door, and Robert Smith's fave Cure album, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, in full. Dates for the trilogy tour have not yet been announced, but if 2011's Reflections tour is any indication, these gigs will likely be a string of multiple dates in major cities like New York, Los Angeles, and London, but let's hope the tour is more expansive this time! [Check out video from some Reflections gigs here].

The Cure previously announced they're performing at next month's Teenage Cancer Trust benefit shows in the U.K., though the charity gigs are not being billed as trilogy concerts.

Published on February 3rd, 2014 @ 5:06 PM

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Psychedelic shoegazers Dead Horse One premiere "I Love My Man"

French shoegaze/psychedelic band Dead Horse One emerged on the scene in 2011 and to date have released a split single and 3 song ep titled Heavenly Choir of Jet Engines. In the fall the quintet hooked up with Ride's Mark Gardener, who ended up producing their forthcoming album Without Love We Perish at his studio OX 4 Sound. The album's official release date is still pending, but it'll be out later this year via A Quick Man Records. For now, immerse yourself in the beauty of the album's first single/video "I Love My Man" below.  Also enjoy Dead Horse One's previous material on Bandcamp, and catch up with the band on Facebook and Twitter.



Shoegaze fans - catch up with Mark Gardner's OX 4 Sound on the web and Twitter.

Published on February 1st, 2014 @ 12:31 PM

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Peter Buck preps new LP 'I Am Back To Blow Your Mind Once Again'

Peter Buck is preparing to release his new solo album,  I Am Back To Blow Your Mind Once Again.  According to Buck, the album will be released "any day now" through Little Axe Records along with other record shops.   In a posting on the official R.E.M. website, Buck explained the title of the new album as well as his philosophy on making and releasing music:

"No false modesty, maybe no modesty at all, I once saw an orangutan try to break into a box of live lobsters on Hollywood Blvd. That blew my mind. I am hoping my album does the same for yours"

The last record I put out I gave the working phone number of the record company as a contact point. I got a panicked phone call at 12:30pm the next day from Eric who owns and manages Mississippi Records. He was completely freaked out, their answering machine was full and the phone was ringing every 15 seconds. In an outraged voice he told me, "We had to unplug the phone!"

A sane person might ask, who wants to be on a record label who unplugs their phone on the day of release because of too many orders? That person would be me. I spent over 30 years in what is laughably called the professional music business, and I came to the conclusion that there were 3 things that I loved: writing songs, recording songs, and playing songs. So that is how I run my business in conjunction with Mississippi Records: no interviews, no photos, no videos, no promo copies for radio play or reviews. The record is out there. It can be found. And I am pleasured beyond belief that 6,000 of you managed to find the last one. We have pressed up more this time so they should be easier to get. I am doing exactly what I love in exactly the way I want to do it. 

For more on the new Peter Buck record, visit R.E.M.'s website.

Don't miss Peter Buck on tour this spring.  The Detroit area date is February 21st at the Magic Bag in Ferndale.

Published on January 31st, 2014 @ 6:48 AM

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U2 teases new single "Invisible" & gives away free download

U2 are set to premiere their new song "Invisible" on Sunday. A portion of the song will be included in an ad running during the Superbowl -- the ad includes highlights of U2 performing the new track in Los Angeles. As previously reported, after the commercial airs, the single will be available as a free song download on iTunes for 24 hours after its premiere, courtesy of Bank of America. Bank of America announced that as part of their new partnership with (RED), they'll donate one dollar for each download of "Invisible" (up to 2 million dollars/downloads) to (RED)'s Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.

Today U2 posted a trailer for "Invisible" which can be viewed below:



Published on January 31st, 2014 @ 5:34 AM

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Stream: Aztec Camera's 'High Land, Hard Rain' 30th anniversary reissue

Aztec Camera's debut record High Land, Hard Rain is being reissued as an expanded two-disc set on February 18th. The reissue celebrates the album's 30th anniversary even if a bit late -- HLHR was originally released in 1983 -- though last December Aztec Camera marked the anniversary with a handful of gigs in the U.K. Regardless, the 2014 version of the album boasts remastered original material plus a bonus disc with alternate mixes and live session tracks. Stream the anniversary edition in full ahead of its release now on Pitchfork. Pre-order through Amazon.

The tracklisting for the reissue is posted below some video of Roddy Frame performing "Oblivious" at the Aztec Camera 30th anniversary gig in Glasgow on December 4th, 2013:





Disc 1

01. Oblivious
02. The Boy Wonders
03. Walk Out to Winter
04. The Bugle Sounds Again
05. We Could Send Letters
06. Pillar to Post
07. Release
08. Lost Outside the Tunnel
09. Back On Board
10. Down the Dip

Disc 2

01. Pillar to Post (Single Version)
02. Queen's Tattoos
03. Orchid Girl
04. Haywire
05. Walk Out to Winter (John Brand Version)
06. Walk Out to Winter (Tony Mansfield Version)
07. Oblivious (Colin Fairley Remix)
08. Oblivious (Langer/Winstanley Remix)
09. Oblivious (US Remix)
10. Back on Board (Live on CFNY)
11. Walk out to Winter (Kid Jensen Session)
12. Down The Dip (Kid Jensen Session)
13. Back On Board (Kid Jensen Session)
14. Release (Kid Jensen Session)

Published on January 30th, 2014 @ 9:45 AM

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New Order's 'Technique' turns 25 years old

New Order's classic album Technique was released 25 years ago today. Technique, recorded in Ibiza in 1988 and released in 1989, is a non-stop assault of infectious dance grooves.  The influential dance album sounds just as good in 2014 as it did when it was released.  Enjoy Technique's videos and the full album stream below:









Published on January 30th, 2014 @ 9:07 AM

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Slowdive reveal more about reunion, more tour dates on the way

After announcing their official return yesterday, Slowdive's Nick Chaplin posted a blog on the official Slowdive website detailing the band's decision to return. In the posting he called band rehearsals "challenging, but fun" and said Slowdive will be announcing more shows over the coming weeks, revealing "we are looking forward to returning to some old haunts and especially going to some places we’ve never visited too."

Read the full posting over at the official Slowdive website. 

Another interview with Slowdive is expected to be posted up on The Quietus later today.



Published on January 29th, 2014 @ 5:36 AM

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Afghan Whigs announce first new LP in 16 years

Afghan Whigs announced they've returned to Sub Pop and are set to release their first album in 16 years on April 15th. So far the band has only revealed the album title, Do To The Beast, and cover art (posted above), but promise more info will be announced soon.

Afghan Whigs reunited in 2012 for live shows and released a couple of cover songs (Marie "Queeny" Lyons' "See and Don't See" and Frank Ocean's "Love Crimes") through their official website.





Published on January 28th, 2014 @ 6:57 PM

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Slowdive (officially) returns

Over the last couple of weeks rumors have been swirling about a Slowdive reunion, and today the band made it official. In a message posted on their newly launched site, they annnounced they'll make their grand live return at Primavera Sound 2014 in Barcelona in May. Additionally, in an interview with the Quietus, Neil Halstead revealed that they're considering putting together a new album:

"We had our first rehearsal last week, which was fun. We were surprisingly good. Quite a few of the songs came back quickly"

"The initial impetus was the idea of doing some new music. It seemed easier to do that because it’s not so public. But then we thought it would be good if we could raise a bit of money to make the record, and doing a couple of gigs would enable us to do that. And that’s the way it shaped up – while we’re rehearsing we can see if we’ve got another record in us."

A full interview with Slowdive premieres tomorrow on the Quietus, but for now you can read their preview article here.

UPDATE: A new posting about the band's reunion has been posted on Slowdive's official site. More tour dates will be announced soon!

Follow Slowdive on Twitter and visit their official site here.

Slowdive are back. http://t.co/uiMRU1d3bb
— Slowdive (@slowdiveband) January 28, 2014

Published on January 28th, 2014 @ 3:30 PM

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Dandy Warhols announce first-ever live LP + new tour dates

The Dandy Warhols are releasing their first-ever live album on March 25th. Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia Live was recorded last June in Portland on the 13/13/13 tour (13 date tour marking the 13th anniversary of the 13 track album Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia). The live album will be available on cd, double vinyl, and as a digital download - the vinyl version will include two bonus tracks.

The Dandy Warhols also announced they're hitting the road in 2014 and will (mostly) play some cities they haven't been to in awhile. Dates for the tour and tracklisting for the album are posted below some video filmed on last year's tour:






North American tour

4/23 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
4/24 - Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
4/28 - Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
4/29 - Santa Fe, NM @ Santa Fe Sol Stage
5/01 - Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald's
5/03 - Plano, TX @ Suburbia Music Festival
5/04 - Plano, TX @ Suburbia Music Festival
5/05 - Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge
5/06 - Louisville, TN @ Mercury Ballroom
5/08 - St. Louis, MO @ Ready Room
5/09 - Kansas City, MO @ Riot Room
5/10 - Boulder, CO @ Fox Theater

Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia Live

01. Godless
02. Mohammed
03. Nietzsche
04. Country Leaver
05. Solid
06. Horse Pills
07. Get Off
08. Sleep
09. Cool Scene
10. Bohemian Like You
11. Shakin
12. Big Indian
13. The Gospel
14. Genius (bonus track)
15. Pete International Airport/Boys Better (bonus track)

Published on January 28th, 2014 @ 11:03 AM

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Kraftwerk honored with Lifetime Achievement Grammy

Kraftwerk was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the 56th annual Grammy Awards this weekend. The band was honored at the Special Merit Awards Ceremony & Nominees Reception held January 25th (a day prior to the live televised ceremony) and Kraftwerk's Ralf Hütter was on hand to accept the golden gramophone on behalf of the band. During Hütter's acceptance speech, he reportedly quoted lyrics to "the Robots":

“We’re charging our battery.
And now we’re full of energy.
We’re functioning automatic.
And we are dancing mechanic
We are programmed just to do
Anything you want us to
We are the robots.
Thank you.”

Video of a portion of Hütter's acceptance speech is included in the Special Merit Awards Ceremony highlight reel posted here and check out pictures of Hütter snapped at the ceremony here and here.

No need to watch @TheGRAMMYs, the most important award was presented yesterday: @kraftwerk's Lifetime Achievement pic.twitter.com/30I2LYuLFS
— Grant deBruin (@GrantdeBruin82) January 26, 2014

Published on January 27th, 2014 @ 5:14 AM

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Video: Ex-Verve members form Black Submarine & debut video

Black Submarine, the new band featuring ex-Verve members Nick McCabe and Simon Jones release their debut album, New Shores, on March 9th in the U.K. (Amazon is showing a February 3rd release date for North America). Last year the band debuted the album track "Black Submarine" (written when the band was still calling themselves Black Ships) and is still offering it as a free download.  Black Submarines has now premiered the video for the new song "Here So Rain" which is posted below along with the tracklisting for the album.





New Shores tracklisting

01. Black Submarine
02. Here So Rain
03. Heart First
04. The Love In Me
05. Move Me A Mountain
06. Is This All We Feel
07. Everything That Happened To Me Is You
08. Lover
09. Heavy Day
10. You've Never Been Here

Published on January 25th, 2014 @ 7:05 PM

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Black Francis talks "emotional connection" fans have with Kim Deal

As the Pixies kicked off their North American tour last week, Salon caught up with Black Francis for an interview. The Pixies leader discussed the music industry, social media, technology, and how Kim Shattuck scooped them on announcing her departure from the tour ("we didn't feel it was necessary to say anything...it's not like we had a big fistfight on stage or something like that.") The most interesting part of the interview was when the discussion turned to Kim Deal and the emotional connection fans have with her:

"There’s a lot of emotional attachment. I think when there is a woman involved, there is more emotion involved...people feel emotional about our band and its magical lineup, Kim Deal especially."

"Kim Deal only has to play one fucking note,” he laughs. “She walks out there puffing a cigarette and everyone goes, ‘Yeah! I wanna marry you!’ That’s the reaction, you know? I can scream my brains out, lay out all this pathos, expunge my soul in front of everybody, but they just go, ‘Yeah right, that’s a pretty good trick but where’s Kim Deal?’ I’m just saying."

Read the full interview with Black Francis over at Salon.

The Pixies are on the road playing dates in North America with touring bassist Paz Lenchantin. Check out the dates below the band's video for new single "Blue Eyed Hexe" (from EP 2) and some live footage.





1/24 - Philadelphia @ Electric Factory
1/25 - Pittsburgh @ Carnegie Music Hall
1/26 - Washington DC @ Strathmore
1/29 - Richmond, VA @ National Theatre
1/31 - Durham, NC @ Durham PAC
2/01 - Asheville, NC @ Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
2/02 - Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
2/04 - Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
2/06 - St. Louis, MO @ Peabody Opera House
2/07 - Columbus, OH @ LC Pavilion
2/08 - Detroit, MI @ Fillmore Detroit
2/09 - Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theater
2/11 - Kansas City, MO @ Midland Theater
2/13 - Denver, CO @ Fillmore
2/14 - Aspen, CO @ Belly Up Tavern
2/15 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Great Salt Air
2/17 - Vancouver @ Orpheum Theatre
2/18 - Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
2/19 - Portland, OR @ Schnitzer
2/21 - Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
2/22 - San Jose, CA @ Civic Theater
2/23 - Las Vegas, NV @ The Joint
2/24 - Phoenix, AZ @ Comerica Theatre
2/25 - Albuquerque, NM @ Kiva Auditorium
2/27 - Houston, TX @ Bayou Music Center
2/28 - Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom
3/01 - Austin, TX @ Music Hall

Published on January 23rd, 2014 @ 5:24 AM

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Stream Snowbird's dreamy debut LP 'Moon' in full

The new dreampop Cocteau Twins spinoff band Snowbird releases its debut album Moon in the U.K. on January 28th. The project features Simon Raymonde (Cocteau Twins) and singer Stephanie Dosen, who does her best to channel Elizabeth Fraser's velvety vocals. The album also features Radiohead's Philip Selway and Ed O'Brien. Moon will be released on February 4th (in the U.S.) and the album is streaming in full ahead of its release this week over at Pitchfork. Stream the album here and check out the official video for "Porcelain" as well as some live footage of Snowbird performing after they first formed in 2009.





Published on January 21st, 2014 @ 12:42 PM

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Al Jourgensen checks himself into rehab

Al Jourgensen has announced he's checking himself in for rehab in February for alcohol. Jourgensen quit heroin and crack several years ago on his own, but he's decided rehab is the way to go for help with his drinking issues. He posted the following message on Facebook last night:

"My sobriety will not and I repeat not knock off my sarcasm...if anything....it will intensify....I appreciate the support from my brother and family.....kicked dope and crack by myself...but I need help on this one....so all your thoughts and prayers are more than welcome......thanx !"

Jourgensen has been very candid about his drug and alcohol use (and other debauchery!) in interviews and his recent autobiography Ministry: The Lost Gospels According to Al Jourgensen. 

Published on January 19th, 2014 @ 7:49 AM

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Suede's Bernard Butler running London Marathon for charity

Suede guitarist Bernard Butler is running the London Marathon on April 13th to raise money for children with cerebral palsy. He's set up a fundraising page for the Bobath Centre in London, which provides therapy and support for children with cerebral palsy.

"Running the London Marathon will be a challenge and I am already training to make sure I get round in one piece. However, it will all be over in a few hours, but for children with cerebral palsy the challenges last a lifetime."

Those interested in donating can visit Butler's fundraising page here.



Published on January 15th, 2014 @ 6:45 PM

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Morrissey signs worldwide recording deal; new LP out later this year

After seven years of being without a label deal, Morrissey signed a worldwide record contract and will return with a new album later this year. According to a report in Music Week, Morrissey's new album will be released on Harvest Records/Capitol Records (parent company Universal Records) during the second half of 2014. The report includes a statement from Capitol Records' bigwig Steve Barnett:

"Morrissey is clearly one of music’s most important and influential artists. He is the rare soul who has stayed consistently true to his artistic vision and ethical principles since he first exploded onto the scene in the 1980s. We are so happy that he has chosen Capitol Music Group as his home and that his forthcoming album on Harvest will bring new Morrissey music to the world."

Morrissey is scheduled to record his new album in France on February 1st. 

The above news has also been confirmed by Morrissey's press site True To You:

"Morrissey has signed a two-album deal with Capitol Music in Los Angeles. He is set to record a new album in France starting on February 1st. Producer is Joe Chiccarelli, and musicians are Boz Boorer (guitar), Jesse Tobias (guitar), Gustavo Manzur (piano), Solomon Walker (bass guitar) and Matt Walker (drums). This will be Morrissey's first album since Years Of Refusal, which was recorded in 2008. Morrissey has been signed by Steve Barnett at Capitol Music."

Published on January 15th, 2014 @ 12:04 PM

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Full LP stream: Alcest 'Shelter'

Over the past few weeks French metal-turned-shoegaze duo Alcest debuted a couple of tracks from their fourth full length album Shelter , and now the record is streaming in full ahead of its January 21st release. Envelop yourself in the ethereal, dream-gaze grooves this week over at Pitchfork Advance. Pre-order Shelter from Amazon (there's a standard, deluxe, and colored vinyl version to choose from), and catch up with Alcest on Facebook.



Published on January 14th, 2014 @ 9:20 PM

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Kraftwerk announce North American tour

Kraftwerk are coming to North America for a residency in Los Angeles as well as a handful of dates surrounding the L.A. gigs. Kraftwerk will tackle each of their albums during the residency, and the remainder of the dates will (according to a press release) include "perfectly synchronized audiovisual spectacle complete with pristine digital sound and 3-D projections." Dates for the tour are posted below. For more info on Kraftwerk, visit their official site.



3/13 - Mexico City, Mexico @ El Plaza Condesa
3/14 - Mexico City, Mexico @ El Plaza Condesa
3/15 - Mexico City, Mexico @ El Plaza Condesa
3/18 - Los Angeles, CA @ Walt Disney Concert Hall
3/18 - Los Angeles, CA @ Walt Disney Concert Hall
3/19 - Los Angeles, CA @ Walt Disney Concert Hall
3/19 - Los Angeles, CA @ Walt Disney Concert Hall
3/20 - Los Angeles, CA @ Walt Disney Concert Hall
3/20 - Los Angeles, CA @ Walt Disney Concert Hall
3/21 - Los Angeles, CA @ Walt Disney Concert Hall
3/21 - Los Angeles, CA @ Walt Disney Concert Hall
3/23 - Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
3/24 - Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
3/25 - Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
3/27 - Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
3/29 - Toronto, ON @ Sony Centre
3/30 - Montreal, QB @ Metropolis
4-24 & 25 - Asheville, NC @ Moogfest

Published on January 13th, 2014 @ 9:23 PM

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David Bowie releasing "Rebel Rebel" limited edition 7" picture disc

David Bowie announced today that Parlophone is releasing a limited edition 40th anniversary "Rebel Rebel" 7" picture disc. The A-side features the original single mix of "Rebel Rebel" which has been unavailable on vinyl single since the 80s (never released on cd), and the AA-side is a remixed edit of the US version of the single. The photographs on the disc were taken of Bowie while in Amsterdam promoting the single and recording the "Rebel Rebel" video for Dutch television in February 1974. "Rebel Rebel" originally was released in 1974 on Diamond Dogs.

The "Rebel Rebel" picture disc is the seventh in the limited edition 40th anniversary series and will be released on March 10th.

For more info, click here.



Published on January 12th, 2014 @ 7:05 PM

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New Order's classic anthem "Blue Monday" subject of new documentary

An excellent documentary on New Order's classic anthem "Blue Monday" made the rounds on the 'net this week after debuting on Swedish public broadcasting service (SVT) show Hitlåtens Historia in December. The 30 minute film explores the history and making of "Blue Monday" and includes vintage video as well as new interviews with the band and graphic artist Peter Saville. Check out the documentary here. "Blue Monday" celebrates its 31st anniversary in March.  Here's another look back at "Blue Monday" I posted last year for the 30th anniversary.

New Order is heading back to the U.S. for a performance at the 24th annual Tibet House benefit concert on March 11th at NYC's Carnegie Hall. Other artists scheduled to perform include Patti Smith, Iggy Pop, and the National. Read more about the event here and catch up with New Order here.

In November Peter Hook announced he'll continue to tour New Order albums in 2014. Hooky has announced live dates in the U.K. for his Low Life/Brotherhood tour and is expected to tour the albums eventually in North America. Catch up with Peter Hook here.

Published on January 11th, 2014 @ 11:53 AM

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Noel & Liam to open pub in Manchester?

A report is circulating on the internet that the Brothers Gallagher (Liam Gallagher & Noel Gallagher) have patched things up and are planning to open a pub in Manchester titled Champagne Supernova. The feuding Oasis brothers are alleged to have reunited last month after their mother forced them to attend a family wedding in Ireland ("a few family members are expecting it to be awkward" lol). The well known U.K. tabloid, The Daily Star is reporting the story and is citing an anonymous source and "insider" so take it for what you will.  The Daily Star's report isn't accessible online but a regurgitated version is posted here. [Link via an awesome musician in Manchester named Louis Barabbas. Check out his music here.]



Published on January 8th, 2014 @ 6:29 PM

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Trust preview new LP 'Joyride' & premiere synthy new single

Fans of synthy 80s influenced music take note: Toronto's dark synthwave act Trust (aka Robert Alfons) return with a new album Joyride on March 4th. From the sounds of things, Joyride pretty much picks up where the 2012's full length TRST left off. Stream the new track "Rescue, Mister" and album teaser below, and pre-order Joyride from Arts & Crafts.





Catch up with Trust on Facebook.

Published on January 8th, 2014 @ 4:10 PM

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TOY release 'Join The Dots' LP stateside

Buzz-worthy psychedelic U.K. band TOY released their second album Join The Dots in the U.K. last month and the album was finally released in North America this week. If the album somehow escaped your radar in the busy month of December, be sure to check out the album and TOY now. Order from iTunes, Amazon, or your favorite record store. Don't miss TOY on their short & sweet North American tour which is coming to Detroit on January 15th. Full itinerary is posted below:





TOY North American Tour

1/09 - Brooklyn, NY @ Glasslands Gallery
1/10 - New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
1/14 - Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
1/15 - Detroit, MI @ PJ's Lager House
1/16 - Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen
1/18 - San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel
1/19 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo

Published on January 8th, 2014 @ 3:37 PM

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Alcest premieres beautiful, ethereal new track "Délivrance"

French shoegaze duo Alcest return with their fourth album Shelter on January 21st. The new album is a further departure from the band's metal roots and thrusts them fully into the shoegaze/ethereal genre with the help of producer Birgir Jón Birgisson (Sigur Ros) and Slowdive's Neil Halstead.  Stream the new track "Délivrance" and enjoy the band's brilliant and colorful video for another track titled "Opale" below. Pre-order Shelter from Amazon and catch up with Alcest on Facebook.





Published on January 5th, 2014 @ 3:10 PM

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Morrissey responds to fan questions & reveals he's working on a novel & a new LP

Morrissey's official site True To You posted answers to part six of his ongoing fan Q & A series. Moz discussed several subjects near and dear to him like animal rights and vegetarianism, plus he discussed his influences and his own impact.  He also took a few swipes at the music industry:

"I am not given credit for being a universal voice, yet I see the incredible results all around me. If a record company ever promoted me on a worldwide level it would explode. I have never been with a label that saw me as anything but an oddity. I am not at all odd. I am simply speaking for now.

"The actuality is that radio stations will not play my music, and the majority of people have lost faith in the music industry, and it's generally assumed - quite rightly - that the number one chart positions are "bought" by the major labels, so there really is no passion left in pop or rock music, and I don't think people believe for an instant that the faces we constantly see on television and in magazines are remotely popular. It's all, now, solely a question of marketing. All success stories are safe and dreary, and you will never be taken by surprise by a hit song that sounds out of place."

Morrissey also revealed that he's halfway through writing a novel, plus he's about to go into the studio to record a new album. He didn't go into details about the new material other than to say one of the new songs is titled "Istanbul" which is named for one of his favorite places in the world. Read the full Q & A session with Morrissey here.

Meanwhile, Morrissey's cover of "Satellite Of Love" will be released physically on January 27th. The single will be available as a 12 inch disc as well as a 7 inch picture disc that comes with a b-side exclusive to each format. A digital release will also be available on January 27th.

Published on January 3rd, 2014 @ 9:31 PM

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The Pixies release EP 2 & premiere video for "Blue Eyed Hexe"

The Pixies return with a new EP today - EP 2 features four new songs and is available to purchase on limited edition 10" vinyl and as a digital download here. The Pixies also premiered the video for the new track "Blue Eyed Hexe" which Black Francis describes as "a witch woman kind of song."  Check out the video below the tracklisting for the EP and read more about EP 2 here.

01. Blue Eyed Hexe
02. Magdalena
03. Greens and Blues
04. Snakes



The Pixies kick off their North American tour on January 15th which includes a stop at the Fillmore Detroit on February 8th. As previously announced in December, Paz Lenchantin will serve as the bassist for the North American leg. The Pixies' 2014 tour itinerary is posted below:

1/15 - Toronto @ Massey Hall
1/16 - Montreal @ Metropolis
1/18 - Boston @ Orpheum
1/19 - Port Chester, NY @ Capitol Theater
1/21 - Newark, NJ @ New Jersey Performing Arts Center
1/22 - New Haven, CT @ Shubert Theater
1/24 - Philadelphia @ Electric Factory
1/25 - Pittsburgh @ Carnegie Music Hall
1/26 - Washington DC @ Strathmore
1/29 - Richmond, VA @ National Theatre
1/31 - Durham, NC @ Durham PAC
2/01 - Asheville, NC @ Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
2/02 - Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
2/04 - Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
2/06 - St. Louis, MO @ Peabody Opera House
2/07 - Columbus, OH @ LC Pavilion
2/08 - Detroit, MI @ Fillmore Detroit
2/09 - Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theater
2/11 - Kansas City, MO @ Midland Theater
2/13 - Denver, CO @ Fillmore
2/14 - Aspen, CO @ Belly Up Tavern
2/15 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Great Salt Air
2/17 - Vancouver @ Orpheum Theatre
2/18 - Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
2/19 - Portland, OR @ Schnitzer
2/21 - Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
2/22 - San Jose, CA @ Civic Theater
2/23 - Las Vegas, NV @ The Joint
2/24 - Phoenix, AZ @ Comerica Theatre
2/25 - Albuquerque, NM @ Kiva Auditorium
2/27 - Houston, TX @ Bayou Music Center
2/28 - Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom
3/01 - Austin, TX @ Music Hall
3/29 - 3/30 - Lollapalooza Chile
4/01 - Uruguay - Rock & Fall Festival
4/01 - 4/03 - Lollapalooza Argentina
4/03 - 4/05 - Bogota, Colombia
4/05 - 4/06 - Lollapalooza Brazil
5/29 - 5/31 - Primavera Sound
6/05 - 6/07 - Primavera Sound
6/08 - London @ Field Day
6/15 - Risskov, Arhus - Denmark - Northside
6/20 - Hilvarenbeek @ Best Kept Secret Festival
6/20 - 6/22 Neuhausen auf den Fildern - Southside
6/20 - 6/22 Hurricane Festival
6/22 - 6/22 Southside Festival
6/25 - Croatia
6/29 - Dublin, Ireland
6/30 - Cork, Ireland
7/05 - Rock Werchter Festival
7/06 - Beauregard Festival

Published on January 3rd, 2014 @ 5:44 AM

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