...hang the dj is a music blog. Old school, shoegaze, psych, and darkwave are featured genres.
Legal disclaimer: This blog is my personal, independent website. It is not affiliated with Bell Media, nor does it represents the thoughts, opinions, or desires of Bell Media
...hang the dj
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Contact info
Send music submissions, press releases, or questions/concerns to: cristina [at] 89xradio.com or: hangthedjmag[at] gmail.com
...hang the dj is a music blog. Old school, shoegaze, psych, and darkwave are featured genres.
Legal disclaimer: This blog is my personal, independent website. It is not affiliated with Bell Media, nor does it represents the thoughts, opinions, desires, etc of Bell Media
For music submissions, press releases, or questions/concerns:
Listen to Time Warp on 89X - the long running classic alternative show airs Sunday mornings from 8am - 12pm ET. Listen on the radio (88.7) in Detroit, or stream it worldwide on the net. The Time Warp playlist archive is posted here.
Violent Femmes announced new dates for a West Coast headline tour. No word yet if a more extensive tour will be announced. View the full itinerary below.
Last year Violent Femmes released a collection of recordings taken from their live radio sessions titled 2 Mics & The Truth: Unplugged and Unhinged In America. Head to Spotify to stream the album in full or purchase it here.
Violent Femmes - North American tour
Jun 11 -- Denver, CO @ Botanic Gardens
Jun 13 -- Salt Lake City, UT @ Red Butte Garden
Jun 14 -- Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory
Jun 16 -- Portland, OR @ Portland Zoo Amphitheatre
Jun 17 -- Seattle, WA @ Woodland Park Zoo
Jun 20 -- Reno, NV @ Cargo
Jun 21 -- Saratoga, CA @ The Mountain Winery
Jun 22 -- Berkeley, CA @ UC Theatre
Jun 24 -- Pasadena, CA @ Arroyo Seco Weekend 2018
Jun 25 -- San Diego, CA @ Humphrey's
David Byrne released his new solo album American Utopia earlier this month. This week he premiered the first official video from the album, "Everybody's Coming To My House." Byrne teamed up with some talented local students from The Detroit School of Arts for the video - he enlisted the school's vocal jazz ensemble to sing the song plus the video was filmed in part by the school's radio and television department. Byrne paid the students for their contributions and he plans on donating all the streaming royalties from the video to the school.
Check out "Everybody's Coming To My House" below. A longer version of the video featuring interviews with the students and teachers from the Detroit School of Arts is available to view here.
Byrne will be on the road in support of American Utopia for most of the year. The tour brings him to the Fox Theatre in Detroit on August 10th.
David Byrne - North American tour
Mar 03 -- Red Bank, NJ @ Count Basie Theatre
Mar 04 -- Wilkes-Barre, PA @ FM Kirby Center
Mar 06 -- Buffalo, NY @ Center For The Arts
Mar 07 -- Hershey, PA @ Hershey Theatre
Mar 09 -- Waterbury, CT @ Palace Theater
Mar 10 -- Kingston, NY @ Ulster Performing Arts Center
Apr 03 -- Mexico City, MX @ Metropolitan Theater
Apr 05 -- Monterrey, MX @ Auditorio Pabellon
Apr 07 -- Guadalajara, MX @ Corona Capital
Apr 14 -- Indio, CA @ Coachella
Apr 15 -- Tuscon, AZ @ Centennial Hall
Apr 17 -- San Diego, CA @ San Diego Civic Theater
Apr 18 -- Las Vegas, NV @ Smith Center For The Arts
Apr 19 -- Mesa, AZ @ Mesa Arts Center - Ikeda Theater
Apr 21 -- Indio, CA @ Coachella
Apr 24 -- Dallas, TX @ Winspear Opera House
Apr 25 -- Oklahoma City, OK @ The Criterion
Apr 27 -- San Antonio, TX @ Tobin Center For The Performing Arts
Apr 28 -- Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall - Outside Lawn
May 04 -- Atlanta, GA @ Shaky Knees Festival
May 06 -- Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
May 08 -- Asheville, NC @ Thomas Wolfe Civic Auditorium
May 09 -- Charlotte, NC @ Ovens Auditorium
May 10 -- Durham, NC @ Durham Pac
May 12 -- Washington, DC @ The Anthem
May 13 -- Pittsburgh, PA @ Benedum Center For The Arts
May 15 -- Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theater
May 16 -- Madison, WI @ Orpheum Theater
May 17 -- Minneapolis, MN @ Orpheum Theater
May 19 -- Saskatoon, SK @ TCU Place
May 20 -- Edmonton, AB @ Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
May 21 -- Calgary, AB @ Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
May 23 -- Vancouver, BC @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
May 24 -- Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theater
May 27 -- Portland, OR @ Keller Auditorium
May 28 -- Eugene, OR @ Hult Center
May 30 -- Salt Lake City, UT @ Capitol Theater
Jun 02 -- Chicago, IL @ Auditorium Theater/Roosevelt University
Jun 05 -- Des Moines, IA @ Des Moines Civic Center
Jun 07 -- Kansas City, MO @ Kauffman Center For The Arts
Jun 08 -- St. Louis, MO @ Peabody Opera House
Jun 09 -- Indianapolis, IN @ Farmers Bureau Lawn
Jul 27 -- Camden, NJ @ Xponential Music Festival
Jul 31 -- Boston, MA @ Blue Hills Bank Pavillion
Aug 01 -- Shelburne, VT @ Shelburne Museum - The Green
Aug 03 -- Toronto, ON @ Sony Centre For The Performing Arts
Aug 05 -- Canandaigua, NY @ Constellation/Marvin Sands Performing Arts
Aug 08 -- Grand Rapids, MI @ Devos Performance Hall
Aug 10 -- Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre
Aug 11 -- Huber Heights, OH @ Rose Music Center at The Heights
Aug 12 -- Cincinnati, OH @ PNC Pavillion at Riverbend
Aug 16 -- Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
Aug 18 -- San Jose, CA @ City National Civic Auditorium
Aug 21 -- Sacramento, CA @ Community Theater
Aug 24 -- Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara County Bowl
Aug 28 -- Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Pearl Jam have returned with a fiery new song titled "Can't Deny Me." The band recorded the single in Seattle last month with Brendan O'Brien and surprised Ten Club members with the free download last week. This week Pearl Jam officially released the track as a digital single and has also made available to streaming services (other than You Tube).
"Can't Deny Me" is the first single from the band's forthcoming new album. No further details regarding the album have officially been announced yet but will likely be released prior to their upcoming baseball stadium tour.
Stream "Can't Deny Me" below:
Pearl Jam - Stadium Tour
Aug 08 -- Seattle, WA @ Safeco Field
Aug 10 -- Seattle, WA @ Safeco Field
Aug 13 -- Missoula, MT @ Washington-Grizzly Stadium
Aug 18 -- Chicago, IL @ Wrigley Field
Aug 20 -- Chicago, IL @ Wrigley Field
Sep 02 -- Boston, MA @ Fenway Park
Sep 04 -- Boston, MA @ Fenway Park
Brian Eno announced details for a new boxset titled Music For Installations. The extensive set arrives on May 4th and features new, rare, and previously unreleased recordings from audio-visual installations from 1986 to present. Three versions of the boxset will be released: standard 6CD set, 9 piece LP set pressed on 180 gram vinyl, and limited edition super-deluxe 6CD set. Each edition includes an original Eno essay and for the deluxe CD, a unique, individually numbered Plexiglass cover book. View the tracklisting below and pre-order now through Amazon.
Meanwhile Eno's recent collaboration with Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine will be released as a 12" single on April 21st for Record Store Day. The release features two songs: "The Weight Of History" and "Only Once Away My Son," the latter of which premiered last October as part of Adult Swim's singles series.
1: I Dormienti (39:42)
2: Kites I (8:07)
3: Kites II (14:29)
4: Kites III (7:34)
Disc: 5
1: Needle Click (4:09)
2: Light Legs (3:38)
3: Flora and Fauna / Gleise 581d (3:56)
4: New Moons (4:03)
5: Vanadium (1:56)
6: All The Stars Were Out (3:53)
7: Hopeful Timean Intersect (5:13)
8: World Without Wind (5:24)
9: Delightful Universe (seen from above) (7:33)
Seattle radio station KEXP is celebrating Sub Pop's upcoming 30th anniversary by playing EVERY Sub Pop release on the air. The independent station plans on playing a few releases every day leading up to Sub Pop's anniversary which takes place in August.
Sub Pop famously championed Seattle bands and the "Seattle sound," and over the years as the grunge scene faded the label managed to stay relevant by adjusting their musical focus. Sub Pop continues to successfully release records from a host of diverse and artistically credible cutting edge bands, but the label has a less "definitive" sound. Meaning: in the late 80s/early 90s if a release was on Sub Pop you had a pretty good idea of what it might sound like; today when Sub Pop announces a new release you may not know what it'll sound like, other than it'll be something cool. Current bands on the roster include Moaning, Metz, Goat, Kyle Craft, Father John Misty, Beach House, Low, and Bully, alongside heritage acts such as Afghan Whigs, Mudhoney, Sleater-Kinney, and J Mascis.
Today KEXP kicked off their Sub Pop celebration and so far they've played music off the first 12 Sub Pop releases, including selections off of Soundgarden's Screaming Life/Fopp, Green River's Dry As A Bone EP, and an EP from the shortlived Blood Circus (Nirvana and Mudhoney both opened for them back in the day).
As this is a pretty large listening draw, KEXP have tied their Sub Pop celebration to their 2018 fundraising campaign. KEXP is a commercial-free public radio station and is entirely listener funded. The station is entirely independent with an excellent and varied playlist, plus they host many exclusive live sessions. A key factor in KEXP's success is their passionate and knowledgeable DJs who not only live, breathe, and respect the music, but they curate their own shows and champion true alternative artists both new and old. This is way radio SHOULD be done.
Read more about KEXP's Sub Pop celebration here and stream KEXP here.
Johnny Marr unveiled the title to his forthcoming album which is expected out later this year. The guitar legend's third solo album is called Call The Comet and Marr promises more news is "coming soon." Fans are encouraged to sign up to his mailing list for official updates.
Marr previously described the album as "emotional," "out there," and "dramatic," with "deeper" lyrics, revealing to NME that most of the songs are concerned with external things, though he's also included a few personal songs.
Book Of Loveannounced a special show to mark the 30th anniversary of Lullaby, which was originally released June 21st, 1988. The Brooklyn synthpop band will play a ‘Lullaby Redux’ enhanced set along with other hits and fan favorites from their catalog 30 years to the day of Lullaby's release at the Gramercy Theater in New York. So far no other Lullaby anniversary shows have been announced.
In January, Book Of Love released a new anthology Book Of Love - The Sire Years: 1985 - 1993 featuring 20 songs from the Sire era along with an 8 page booklet with rare photos and memorabilia. So far they've announced a handful of dates in support of the release. They plan on touring throughout the year in celebration of the record and more dates are expected to be announced.
Book Of Love - North American tour
Mar 24 -- New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks
Apr 07 -- Atlanta, GA @ Aisle 5
Apr 20 -- Salt Lake City, UT @ The State Room
Apr 21 -- Denver, CO @ Herman's Hideaway
May 11 -- Las Vegas, NV @ House Of Blues (w/ Human League)
May 13 -- San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom (w/ Human League)
Jun 21 -- New York, NY @ Gramercy Theater (Lullaby Redux show)
Jul 27 -- Oklahoma City, OK @ Tower Theatre
Sep 08 -- Las Vegas, NV @ Lost 80s Live/downtown Las Vegas
Sep 20 -- San Antonio, TX @ Tobin Center/Carlos Alvarez Theater
Sep 21 -- San Antonio, TX @ Tobin Center/Carlos Alvarez Theater
Arctic Monkeys are preparing to release their sixth studio album later this year. Though they haven't announced details or release info for the album yet, today they announced a short run of North America. The tour brings them to Masonic Temple in Detroit on August 1st. Pre-sales kick off tomorrow (March 13th) and the general onsale is Friday, March 16th at 10am.
View the full tour itinerary below.
Arctic Monkeys - North American tour
Jun 05 -- Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Jun 16 -- Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater
Jun 18 -- Nashville, TN @ Ascend Amphitheater
Jun 19 -- Atlanta, GA @ Coca Cola Roxy Theatre
Jul 24 -- Queens, NY @ Forest Hills Stadium
Jul 27 -- Boston, MA @ TD Garden
Jul 28 -- Washington, DC @ Anthem
Jul 31 -- Pittsburgh, PA @ Petersen Centre
Aug 01 -- Detroit, MI @ Masonic Temple
Aug 05 -- Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
A new documentary about Depeche Mode premiered this weekend on German TV.
Depeche Mode und die DDR: Just Can't Get Enough is an hour and a half documentary marking the 30th anniversary of Depeche Mode's historical concert in East Berlin. Depeche Mode played Werner Seelenbinder Hall on March 7th, 1988 as part of the Music For The Masses tour and was one of few concerts that would take place in communist East Germany/DDR (Deutsche Demokratische Republik) aka GDR, (German Democratic Republic). This film examines Depeche Mode's history, the organization of this historic concert, and how Depeche Mode's enchanting music knew no boundaries - Depeche Mode were universally loved and considered a symbol of freedom on both sides of the Berlin wall.
Now for the bad news: Though the film is entirely free to watch, it is in German and there are no English subtitles. The good news: admittedly the lack of translation curtails the documentary's impact and message, however despite the language barrier the film is worth watching for the rare archival footage and previously unseen photos from the 80s. Watch Depeche Mode un die DDR: Just Can't Get Enough in full here.
Check out the trailer for the film along with full audio from the historic concert below.
Presenting Classic Alternative - Episode #46: Daggers (And Grimy Hands)
Rock it old school with a brand new episode of Time Warp. This week's show includes music from Radiohead, Ultravox, Tones On Tail, The Cure, MC5, The Church, The The, Social Distortion, New Order, and more.
Stream below or here and check out the full archive of Time Warp episodes here or here.
Morrissey wrapped up his UK/Ireland tour in support of Low In High School last night at the Palladium in London. During his 11 date tour, Mozzer was in fine form and dusted off a few songs he hadn't played in years - including "The Last of the Famous International Playboys" and "November Spawned A Monster." Check out some video from the tour and head here for a collection of photos from the tour courtesy of Int'l Playboy.
Buffalo Tom returned this month with a new album, Quiet And Peace, their first new record since 2011's Skins and ninth studio album overall. The trio regrouped last year to celebrate and tour the 25th anniversary of Let Me Come Over, then when their schedules allowed, they returned to the studio to record a new set of guitar-based rock much to the delight of fans and critics. The album was released last week and is available through Amazon and Pledge Music or stream on Spotify.
One of the songs on the album is a cover of the Simon and Garfunkel song "The Only Living Boy In New York," which has been in the works for many years according to Belly's Tom Gorman. Gorman revealed on Facebook that he joined Buffalo Tom for a short period after Belly broke up in the 90s and had suggested recording the cover:
"At some point in the week it was suggested that we all come up with a cover song to record. There are very few cover songs that stick in my head... they're there, then they disappear. But for whatever reason, I had Only Living Boy in NY in my brain- probably the only cover song I had in my brain at the time. So that was my suggestion, and we recorded a version of it. I'm pretty sure I didn't have the arrangement or the lyrics right- no iPhones/google to immediately check such things back then... but I think we did a decent version of it. Since then, the tune has always been near the top of my list of cover-songs-to-record. Alas, BT beat me to it (and my own fault for bringing it in on the demo session with them so many years ago..!)! And it's a truly fantastic version- beautifully done!"
[These days Gorman is once again busy with Belly - the band reunited last year and will be releasing Dove, their first new album in over 20 years, on May 4th. Stream their new single "Shiny One" here.]
Buffalo Tom will be releasing a 7" version of "The Only Living Boy In New York" backed with a cover of The Who's "The Seeker" for Record Store Day, plus they're releasing a special edition of Big Red Letter Day on red vinyl.
Stream Buffalo Tom's "The Only Living Boy In New York" below and catch up with the band here.
An updated list of upcoming shows coming through the Detroit area (a few Chicago festivals are also included).
MARCH
Mar 11 -- Howard Jones (solo) @ Saint Andrew's Hall
Mar 14 -- Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark @ Majestic Theatre
Mar 14 -- Titus Andronicus @ El Club
Mar 18 -- Clan Of Xymox @ El Club
Mar 21 -- Electric Six (unplugged) @ Smalls
Mar 23 -- Electric Six @ Blind Pig
Mar 23 -- The Foreign Resort @ Phog Lounge (Windsor)
Mar 24 -- Adult. @ El Club
Mar 24 -- Detroit Anarchy Punk Rock Festival @ PJs Lagerhouse
Mar 29 -- Shopping w/ Tyvek @ Marble Bar
Mar 31 -- The Black Angels + Black Lips @ Majestic
Mar 31 -- Wolf Alice @ The Shelter
Mar 31 -- of Montreal @ Crofoot
Mar 31 -- Datsik @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
APRIL
Apr 03 -- The English Beat @ The Ark
Apr 03 -- Cut Copy @ Majestic Theatre
Apr 04 -- S. Carey @ Marble Bar
Apr 05 -- Jeff Tweedy @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
Apr 05 -- Albert Hammond Jr @ Magic Bag
Apr 05 -- Dashboard Confessional @ Saint Andrew's Hall
Apr 06 -- Neon Indian (DJ set) @ Marble Bar
Apr 10 -- Ty Segall @ Majestic Theatre
Apr 11 -- Cigarettes After Sex @ Majestic Theatre
Apr 13 -- Guided By Voices @ Blind Pig
Apr 18 -- Matt & Kim @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
Apr 18 -- U.S. Girls @ Marble Bar
Apr 19 -- Jack White @ Little Caesars Arena
Apr 21 -- John Waters/L7 @ El Club
Apr 27 -- Lord Huron @ Royal Oak Music Theatre MAY
May 02 -- Modest Mouse @ Fillmore Detroit
May 03 -- Modest Mouse @ Fillmore Detroit
May 03 -- Peter Hook @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
May 04 -- Messthetics @ Planet Ant
May 05 -- Tricky @ Magic Stick
May 06 -- Dead Kennedys + TSOL @ Small's
May 09 -- Sunflower Bean @ Pike Room
May 09 -- Lydia Lunch @ El Club
May 10 -- Brian Jonestown Massacre @ Majestic Theatre
May 14 -- The Fratellis @ Majestic Theatre
May 19 -- Helmet w/ Prong @ St. Andrew's Hall
May 20 -- Daryl Hall + John Oates @ Little Caesars Arena
May 25 -- The Decemberists @ Hill Auditorium
May 26 -- Movement @ Hart Plaza
May 27 -- Movement @ Hart Plaza
May 28 -- Movement @ Hart Plaza
May 28 -- Parquet Courts @ El Club
May 29 -- Suuns @ El Club
JUNE
Jun 05 -- Trashcan Sinatras @ Magic Bag
Jun 08 -- Stephen Malkmus @ The Jicks @ Magic Stick
Jun 12 -- GBH @ The Loving Touch
Jun 14 -- Paul Young + Midge Ure @ Magic Bag
Jun 14 -- The Toasters @ Blind Pig
Jun 20 -- Sloan @ St. Andrew's Hall
Jun 22 -- The Posies @ Magic Bag
Jun 22 -- Chromeo @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
Jun 22 -- Iceage @ El Club
Jun 22 -- Ry Cooder @ Michigan Theater
Jun 30 -- Dead Boys @ Small's
Jun 30 -- Yes @ Fox Theatre
JULY
Jul 05 -- The War On Drugs @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
Jul 06 -- Beck @ Fox Theatre
Jul 07 -- Arcade Fire @ DTE
Jul 11 -- Rob Zombie/Marilyn Manson @ DTE
Jul 13 -- Pixies w/Weezer @ DTE
Jul 20 -- Pitchfork Music Festival @ Union Park, Chicago
Jul 21 -- Pitchfork Music Festival @ Union Park, Chicago
Jul 22 -- Pitchfork Music Festival @ Union Park, Chicago
Jul 22 -- Radiohead @ Little Caesars Arena
Jul 27 -- Coheed & Cambria @ Freedom Hill
Jul 28 -- Mo Pop Festival @ West Riverfront Park
Jul 29 -- Mo Pop Festival @ West Riverfront Park
AUGUST
Aug 01 -- Arctic Monkeys @ Masonic Temple
Aug 02 -- Lollapalooza @ Grant Park, Chicago
Aug 03 -- Lollapalooza @ Grant Park, Chicago
Aug 03 -- The Melvins @ El Club
Aug 04 -- Lollapalooza @ Grant Park, Chicago
Aug 05 -- Lollapalooza @ Grant Park, Chicago
Aug 05 -- The Smashing Pumpkins @ Little Caesars Arena
Aug 07 -- Pedro The Lion @ The Loving Touch
Aug 10 -- David Byrne @ Fox Theatre
Aug 13 -- Dick Dale @ Magic Bag
Aug 19 -- Beach House @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
Aug 30 -- Boy George/Culture Club w/ B52's + Tom Bailey @ DTE
SEPTEMBER
Sep 05 -- Mark Kozelek @ Magic Bag
Sep 14 -- Riot Fest @ Douglas Park, Chicago
Sep 15 -- Riot Fest @ Douglas Park, Chicago
Sep 16 -- Riot Fest @ Douglas Park, Chicago
Sep 20 -- Cold Waves @ Chicago
Sep 21 -- Cold Waves @ Chicago
Sep 22 -- Cold Waves @ Chicago
Sep 23 -- Cold Waves @ Chicago
The Damned return with their eleventh studio album Evil Spirits on April 13th. The legends debuted the album's first single "Standing On The Edge Of Tomorrow" back in January, and today they've premiered two more tracks from the album "Devil In Disguise," and "Look Left." Stream all three tracks below or on Spotify.
Evil Spirits was produced by Tony Visconti, and according to Captain Sensible Visconti had the band record the album in a similar manner to their first record Damned Damned Damned. He told NME:
"There’s something wonderful about the seventies sounds; glam, rock and punk records, they all sound so great and Tony specialises in beautifully crafted old school production. He had us all playing live, bashing it out in the same room with a focus on getting the initial band version of each song as close as possible to the finished thing."
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds appeared on Jimmy Kimmel last night and performed "Holy Mountain." Check out the performance below.
Meanwhile Gallagher was interviewed by The Daily Star and revealed he'd love to collaborate with Morrissey someday:
“If I could write a song for Morrissey that would be great because he was a big part of my teenage years. “I’d like to write a song with Shaun Ryder as well, that would be great fun. I would work with anyone and everyone.”
The Smashing Pumpkins original lineup (minus D'Arcy Wretzky) have been in the studio working on brand new material. Billy Corgan updated fans on their progress in the studio with a posting today on Instagram. Corgan reveals they've recorded eight songs and hope to release the material via two four-song EPs later this year, with the first song likely coming in May. He also told fans to keep an eye out for an feature/interview that will be published shortly in the New York Times.
Read Corgan's full update below or over on Instagram.
The Smashing Pumpkins hit the road for the Shiny and Oh So Bright tour this summer. Tickets for the August 5th stop at Little Caesars Arena are available to purchase here.
"So almost all the musical side is done with 2 days to go, leaving background vocals and last minute touches/flourishes/drang. For those who missed it, the 8 songs are as titled: Solara, Marchin' On, Travels, Seek and You Shall Destroy, With Sympathy, Knights of Malta, Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts), and Alienation. The intended plan being to release the songs over two, four song E.P.'s, with a first song most likely due out in May. Also, we just did a long-ranging interview for the New York Times, which given the questions asked will address many of the things we get asked about here on IG. So look out for that soon..Tra la...."
The Smashing Pumpkins - The Shiny And So Bright Tour
Jul 12 -- Glendale, AZ @ Gila River Arena
Jul 14 -- Oklahoma City, OK @ Chesapeake Energy Arena
Jul 16 -- Austin, TX @ Frank Erwin Center
Jul 17 -- Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
Jul 18 -- Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
Jul 20 -- Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
Jul 21 -- Louisville, KY @ KFC Yum! Centre
Jul 22 -- Atlanta, GA @ Infinite Energy Arena
Jul 24 -- Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena
Jul 25 -- Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena
Jul 27 -- Baltimore, MD @ Royal Farms Arena
Jul 28 -- Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
Jul 29 -- Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
Jul 31 -- Boston, MA @ TD Garden
Aug 01 -- New York City, NY @ Madison Square Garden Arena
Aug 04 -- Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena
Aug 05 -- Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
Aug 07 -- Montreal, QC @ Centre Bell
Aug 08 -- Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
Aug 11 -- Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center
Aug 13 -- Chicago, IL @ United Center
Aug 14 -- Chicago, IL @ United Center
Aug 16 -- Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center
Aug 17 -- Indianapolis, IN @ Bankers Life Fieldhouse
Aug 19 -- St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
Aug 20 -- Omaha, NE @ Centurylink Center
Aug 21 -- Sioux Falls, SD @ Denny Sanford Premier Center
Aug 24 -- Seattle, WA @ Key Arena
Aug 25 -- Portland, OR @ Moda Center
Aug 27 -- Oakland, CA @ Oracle Arena
Aug 28 -- Sacramento, CA Golden 1 Center
Aug 30 -- Los Angeles, CA @ Forum
Aug 31 -- Los Angeles, CA @ Forum
Sep 01 -- San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena
Sep 02 -- Las Vegas, NV @ T-Mobile Arena
Sep 04 -- Salt Lake City, UT @ Vivint Smart Home Arena
Sep 05 -- Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center Arena
Sep 07 -- Boise, ID @ Ford Idaho Center
Midge Ure is teaming up with Paul Young for a co-headline tour titled The Soundtrack Of Your Life Tour. The co-headline tour kicks off in June and plays dates on the East coast. A west coast leg is slated to take place in August/September (those dates are TBA).
The tour rolls through the Detroit area June 14th at the Magic Bag in Ferndale. Tickets are available here.
Prior to the tour kickoff Ure is hitting the road for a handful of solo acoustic shows. View the full tour itinerary below.
In December, Ure released Orchestrated, which features magnificent orchestral reinterpretations of songs from Ultravox and Ure's distinguished solo career.
Midge Ure (solo acoustic shows)
May 29 -- Austin, TX @ Ten
May 30 -- Denton, TX @ Dans Silverleaf
May 31 -- New Orleans, LA @ The Parish @ The House of Blues
Jun 01 -- Atlanta, GA @ City Winery
Jun 02 -- Bordentown, NJ @ Randy Now's Man Cave
Paul Young + Midge Ure - Soundtrack Of Your Life Tour
Jun 05 -- Bethesda, MD @ Bethesda Blues & Jazz
Jun 06 -- Sellersville, PA @ Sellersville Theatre
Jun 07 -- Huntington, NY @ The Paramount
Jun 08 -- New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom
Jun 12 -- Toronto, ON @ TBA
Jun 14 -- Ferndale, MI @ Magic Bag
The Breeders released their excellent new album All Nerve last week. The album features the band's classic Last Splash lineup and is the Breeders' first set of songs in 10 years.
All four members of The Breeders did an AMA (ask me anything) on Reddit this afternoon. They answered questions about Pod, Nirvana, the new album All Nerve; plus the mighty Kim Deal was asked several times for advice on how to sing and play bass at the same time ("practice practice practice"). Read some highlights from the AMA with The Breeders and view video of a recent live performance that aired on the French Canal+ program Album de la Semaine below:
Title TK and Mountain Battles have been repressed and will be available at live shows. As for unearthing additional material from their archives, Kim Deal said she has no idea where the demos from Fort Apache (Pod demos) are.
Deal also revealed she used Protools to mix All Nerve:
"Most of the recording was recorded on analog tape. However, this album was mixed in ProTools. I drove the reels up to NYC and Matt Boynton transferred them to protools and mixed it. This is the first record I've ever done where the album is mixed on protools"
A fan brought up the Breeders' unconventional sound and described Pod as having eerie sound. Kim Deal's commented on Pod:
"I think the mood on Pod had a lot to do with Steve Albini and the decisions he made. Brit's drums had an earthy, soily type of sound and there was a lot of space for the tones to resonate. I think it's very atmospheric."
The TV show Kim Deal would like to appear on:
"Albini knows someone who produces a lot of the ID channel re-enactment shows. A lot are shot in Tennessee and they told us we could plays cops or the corpse if we wanted to. I think it was Murder By Numbers. That's what we're trying to do next. I definitely want to be the cop--I could have been a cop. "Sir, can you please calm down. Sir. (As I unsnap my gun belt)"
In response to a question about touring with Nirvana, Jim Macpherson told a story:
"Actually, there's one from our first show with nirvana in Dublin in '92. We met them after soundcheck and I asked Dave Grohl what he put in those big speakers by his drum set and he laughed and said the band. And couldn't stop laughing. I was so green... When we were playing I looked over to my left where Kurt was watching us play from the sidestage without his lamanent on. Security thought he was a punter and beat him up! So Kurt said he wasn't going to play the show unless they fired the security team and brought in a new one. Which they did."
Each band member named (or tried to name) their favorite album of all time:
Kelley: That's too hard!
Kim: Bo-Diddley's Beach Party 1963
Josephine: Joy DivisionUnknown Pleasures; The CureFaith; Gang of 4Entertainment; RadioheadHail to the Thief; Massive AttackMezzanine
Jim: Rush Permanent Wave; The Cure Standing on the Beach compilation
Each member revealed the most "annoying" or "needy" band member while on tour:
Kelley: Kim
Jo: Kim
Jim: Kim
Kim: Kelley
Scroll through the archive of the AMA with The Breeders here.
Don't miss The Breeders on tour in North America in support of All Nerve.
The Breeders - North American tour
Apr 05 -- Los Angeles, CA @ Theatre at Ace Hotel
Apr 06 -- Los Angeles, CA @ Theatre at Ace Hotel
Apr 07 -- Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
Apr 08 -- San Francisco, CA @ The Masonic
Apr 10 -- Portland, OR @ McMenamins Crystal Ballroom
Apr 11 -- Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
Apr 13 -- Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo
Apr 15 -- Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory
Apr 16 -- Salt Lake City, UT @ The Grand at The Complex
Apr 18 -- Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
Apr 19 -- Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theatre
Apr 21 -- Austin, TX @ Emo's
Apr 22 -- Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
Apr 23 -- Houston, TX @ House of Blues
Apr 25 -- Birmingham, AL @ Iron City
Apr 26 -- Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom
Apr 30 -- Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
May 01 -- New York, NY @ Terminal 5
May 02 -- Port Chester, NY @ Capitol Theatre
May 04 -- Boston, MA @ House of Blues
May 05 -- Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre
May 06 -- Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
May 08 -- Chicago, IL @ Vic Theater
May 09 -- Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
May 11 -- Kansas City, MO @ The Truman
May 13 -- Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
Trashcan Sinatras announced they'll hit the road in North America for a new tour One Night, Two Albums. Drawing on the success of last year's 30th anniversary tour, the acoustic trio of Frank Reader, Paul Livingston and John Douglas are poised to return to the road to perform songs from their exceptional and timeless first two albums. Each night the band will perform two sets - Cake and I've Seen Everything in full, along with a career-spanning selection of other songs.
The 30 date tour includes a Detroit area stop June 5th at the Magic Bag in Ferndale. Tickets for the show are on sale now here.
Read what Trashcan Sinatras had to say about One Night, Two Albums and view the full tour itinerary below:
Frank Reader: "We resisted playing many of our older songs on tour as they were from a different time in our lives...but as we prepared for the ‘All Night’ tour and really got into it, we realized the songs are like long lost friends or family. In many cases, you can welcome them back into your life.”
Paul Livingston: "In making the unique decision to play both records in their entirety, Livingston adds that it simply “made sense to play both. For many of our fans, Cake was the record that lured them into our world, but for just as many others, I’ve Seen Everything is the beloved one."
John Douglas: "We all have our favorites but after touring last year, we’ve really come to embrace many of our older songs. Our fans often ask for more of the classic songs and we’re excited to finally bring these albums to them."
Trashcan Sinatras - One Night, Two Albums
May 16 - San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
May 17 - Tucson, AZ @ Hotel Congress
May 19 - Dallas, TX @ TBA
May 20 - Austin, TX @ 3Ten ACL Live
May 23 - Atlanta, GA @ Smith’s Olde Bar
May 25 - Charlotte, NC @ Evening Muse
May 26 - Vienna, VA @ Jammin Java
May 27 - Sellersville, PA @ Sellersville Theater
May 29 - Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
May 30 - New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom
May 31 - Asbury Park, NJ @ The Saint
Jun 01 - Boston, MA @ ONCE Ballroom
Jun 03 - Ottawa, ON @ Mavericks
Jun 04 - Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
Jun 05 - Ferndale, MI @ Magic Bag
Jun 06 - Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
Jun 08 - Dayton, OH @ Encore Studios
Jun 10 - Evanston, IL @ SPACE
Jun 12 - St. Paul, MN @ Amsterdam Bar & Hall
Jun 13 - St. Louis, MO @ Blueberry Hill
Jun 14 - Kansas City, MO @ Gospel Lounge
Jun 16 - Denver, CO @ Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox
Jun 17 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall
Jun 19 - Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret
Jun 20 - Seattle, WA @ Fremont Abbey
Jun 21 - Portland, OR @ Alberta Rose Theatre
Jun 22 - Sacramento, CA @ Harlow’s
Jun 24 - Mill Valley, CA @ Sweetwater Music Hall
Jun 27 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent Theater
Jun 28 - Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy and Harriet’s
The Cure are releasing two limited edition albums on April 21st for Record Store Day: A vinyl edition of The Cure's Mixed Up, plus a brand new remix album titled Torn Down (Mixed Up Extra).
The Cure originally released the nine track remix album Mixed Up in 1990, however it was never released on vinyl. The limited edition double LP picture disc arrives on Record Store Day and features the original material newly remastered by Robert Smith. The release is limited to 7750 copies worldwide. See the listing here.
The Cure will also release a brand new remix album titled Torn Down (Mixed Up Extra) featuring Robert Smith's brand new Cure remixes of classic tracks including "Three Imaginary Boys," "Just One Kiss," and "Never Enough." This release will also be limited to 7750 copies worldwide. See the listing here.
Keep in mind that not every record store will be stocking these special Record Store Day releases, so it's best to contact your favorite store well ahead of time in order to prevent disappointment on the big day. For more on Record Store Day, visit the official site here.
Meanwhile, as previously reported Robert Smith is curating this year's Meltdown festival. Today the partial lineup for the festival was announced and (as expected) it's pretty fantastic. The lineup includes Nine Inch Nails, My Bloody Valentine, Mogwai, Alcest, Manic Street Preachers, The Psychedelic Furs, Kristin Hersh, The Libertines, and Placebo, plus more bands are still to be announced. Meltdown takes place June 15th through June 24th at Southbank Center in London. For more info visit the official site here.
The legendary Wayne Kramer announced he'll hit the road later this year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the MC5's Kick Out The Jams. Kramer will play the seminal album in full along with other songs from MC5's catalog. Kramer's all star band will include Kim Thayil of Soundgarden, Brendan Canty of Fugazi, Dug Pinnick from King’s X, and Zen Guerrilla's Marcus Durant. Kramer explained in a press statement why he's decided to tour:
"The message of the MC5 has always been the sense of possibilities: a new music, a new politics, a new lifestyle...Today, there is a corrupt regime in power, an endless war thousands of miles away, and uncontrollable violence wracking our country. It’s becoming less and less clear if we’re talking about 1968 or 2018. I’m now compelled to share this music I created with my brothers 50 years ago. My goal is that the audience leaves these concerts fueled by the positive and unifying power of rock music."
The tour wraps up with an October 27th stop at the Fillmore Detroit - the show is almost 50 years to the day Kick Out The Jams was recorded in 1968 (Kick Out The Jams was recorded live at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit on October 30th + October 31st). Pre-sales for the Detroit show kick off Thursday, March 8th and the general onsale is Friday, March 9th.
Meanwhile Kramer also announced he's releasing a memoir titled The Hard Stuff - Dope, Crime, the MC5, and My Life of Impossibilities. The 288 page book will be published August 14th and is available to pre-order here.
Felt's first five albums were reissued last month by Cherry Red Records. The magazine Outsideleft caught up with co-founder/guitarist Maurice Deebank to talk about the band's early days (Deebank left the band in 1985). In the rare interview the classically trained guitarist and mastermind behind Felt's brilliant and ornately textured compositions detailed his frustration with being largely ignored as the visionary behind Felt. Deebank called himself "almost the sole creator" of the music and went so far as to claim he had to teach the other early members of Felt how to play.
Deebank also discussed Felt's critically acclaimed and most popular song "Primitive Painters" and explained how he was hoping to move the band further along that sonic direction:
"Minus the vocals I single-handed created "Primitive Painters" with its epic over-arching structure and its cathedralesque soundscape. This is the direction I wanted Felt to go in; powerful grandiose tapestries of epic heroism. I also wanted to change the way the music was arranged. As far as both the band and music in general are concerned, there had never been anything like it. It was truly unique in its sound and had the benefit of being both acceptable to the wider public and to the more elitist music listener. It truly was seminal and marked a new age of enlightenment where music composition was concerned."
Deebank said his hopes of expanding the "Primitive Painters" sound were dashed by the rest of the band and claimed the "abusive" atmosphere within Felt along with his mounting frustration and lack of creative fulfillment were the key reasons he knew he had to leave.
The interview also touched on some of Deebank's influences, his incredible 1984 solo album Inner Thought Zone, and more. Read the full engaging interview with Deebank here.
For more on Felt's vinyl reissues and expanded CD sets, visit Cherry Red.
New Order announced the release of an exclusive print created from the audio recording of their iconic song "True Faith." The limited edition fine art canvas artwork was created by Tim Wakefield who digitally manipulates, shapes and colors sound waves generated by the audio recording. Each print has been signed by current New Order members: Bernard Sumner, Stephen Morris, Gillian Gilbert, Tom Chapman, and Phil Cunningham.
Only 100 copies were created and cost ~ 500 dollars U.S., not counting shipping, with proceeds going to benefit War Child. The prints ship in April and are available to pre-order here.
Wakefield has previously created soundwave prints of iconic songs from Joy Division, Happy Mondays, The Cure, Depeche Mode, The Clash, R.E.M., Kate Bush, Blur, The Stranglers, and many more. Check out the full array of artwork on the official site here.
An early recording from The Waterfront - the band that would later become The Stone Roses - will be released next month. In 1983 John Squire, Andy Couzens, and Gary (Mani) Mounfield, vocalist David "Kaiser" Carty and bassist Chris Goodwin recorded a two song cassette demo.
As the story goes, though The Waterfront never ended up playing any gigs, the band gave copies of the cassette to friends and potential fans in Manchester and tried to use the recording to lure Ian Brown into joining the band. As fate would have it, Brown eventually joined The Waterfront but after a few life events and personnel changes, Squire, Couzens, Mani, and Brown formed a completely new band: The Stone Roses.
Bootleg recordings of the original demo tape circulated on the net for years, but The Waterfront have decided to release the recordings officially on April 21st for Record Store Day in the U.K. In a press release Carty reveals that the lo-fi demos have been remastered with all proceeds to benefit The Christie in Manchester (an extension of Europe's comprehensive cancer treatment center):
"It was a bit of a shock to be asked if I minded the songs being released after all this time. When I found out we don't get anything and the money goes to The Christie cancer charity, I was over the moon. What a fantastic cause having lost both my parents and numerous friends to cancer. It was only right we said yes, go ahead."
The 12 inch vinyl includes the two songs "Normandy (On A Beach)" and "Where The Wind Blows," along with cover art created by Factory Records/Hacienda designer Trevor Johnson.
This release will likely be restricted to Record Store Day in the U.K. (not Record Store Day in the U.S.), but we'll find out tomorrow when the full list of offerings for Record Store Day will be announced. In past years, some releases are globally available; others are restricted to certain countries.
UPDATE: The release will only be available for Record Store Day in the U.K.
Denise Johnson, the incredible singer who has worked with Primal Scream, A Certain Ratio, New Order, Electronic, and ex-Verve members among others is set to release an acoustic collection of covers this spring. The album includes covers of iconic tracks from The Smiths, New Order, 10cc and more. So far Johnson has premiered "I'm Not In Love" by 10cc and last week released "True Faith," her New Order cover that she's previously performed live.
Tackling a collection of iconic songs is super risky, however Johnson has the cred and chops to pull this off. She has a fantastic voice and has given the songs a totally different vibe and presentation with her lovely soulful vocals and acoustic arrangement. And it should go without saying that she's got the full support and love from the artists she's covered, many of these artists she has worked with and been friends with for years.
Stream Johnson's beautiful cover of "True Faith" below or over on Spotify.
Johnson will be performing live shows in support of the album (date for the album release is still to be announced) and she's also a member of the new supergroup Shadowparty, which was announced last week. Read more about Johnson's distinguished career here.
I've had the honour of working with & love New Order, so a big thank you to them for giving our acoustic version of their incredible song THEIR blessing, it means the world.#TrueFaith
Presenting Classic Alternative - Episode #45: Hiss and Overdrive
Rock it old school with a brand new episode of Time Warp. This week's show includes music from Iggy Pop, OMD, Front 242, Dinosaur Jr, The Specials, Ramones, Alphaville, Suede, and more.
Stream below or here and check out the full archive of Time Warp episodes here or here.
The deluxe edition of Noel Gallagher's new album Who Built The Moon? features an incredible acoustic song "Dead In The Water." The track has quickly become a fan favorite due to Gallagher's intimate and emotional performance and lyrics.
Gallagher recently spoke with Virgin Radio Italia and revealed that it took him less than an hour to write the magical song, and shockingly enough he wrote "Dead In The Water" while he was zoning out to the television with the sound down. Only days after he wrote the song he played a live session in Dublin for RTE 2FM. While there was a bit of downtime Gallagher played the song, mostly to entertain himself, and didn't realize tape was rolling. He learned of the recording last year while putting together Who Built The Moon? and decided to include it as bonus material.
Gallagher says he has no intention of recording a studio version of "Dead In The Water" and called the captured acoustic performance "a real special moment in time."
Watch Gallagher talk about "Dead In The Water" Virgin Radio Italia below plus check out video of him performing the beloved track at his Who Built The Moon? tour kickoff in Detroit:
A new Lou Reed collection is set for release in April. Do Angels Need Haircuts? compiles Reed's writings that he created in 1970 after leaving The Velvet Underground. The book includes poems (many of these unpublished) along with short stories, photos, and previously unreleased audio of Reed captured during his 1971 reading at St. Mark's Church.
Stream two audio recordings from Do Angels Need Haircuts? below via NME and view the listing for the book here. Pre-order info has not been announced, but a listing on Amazon indicates the release is expected April 23rd.
Brett Anderson of Suede has written a memoir titled Coal Black Mornings. The 224 page hardcover book chronicles Anderson's childhood and formative years through early adulthood and beginnings of Suede. Anderson told The Guardian that he initially intended to write the book for his son, and his memoir stops at 1992 (prior to Suede blowing up) because the book isn't about success; it's about failure:
"I think the book is about failure, that sense of struggle, and as soon as you drift into the success years, you lose that."
Along with Anderson's struggles, he details his relationships along the way, including his relationship with his father, the death of his mother, and his intense relationship with ex-girlfriend Justine Frischmann of Elastica, who he says he is still "very fond" of.
Anderson and Frischmann were romantically linked and co-founded Suede in the late 80s. After the pair broke up, Frischmann went on to date Damon Albarn, but remained a member of Suede for a brief time. Anderson reveals things were a bit uncomfortable in the short term, but once Frischmann left to form Elastica it paved the way for Suede to make the magic happen. He told The Guardian:
"We had a fantastic time together, and young love is amazing. But it’s not conducive to creating interesting, tormented, passionate music, you know? I needed some sort of motor to get myself off my arse and have something to write about. The time between us splitting up and her leaving the band was a really odd, sticky, strange thing. Because she was asking lots of questions about the band, and there was a kind of disunity because of that. She wanted Suede to be a different kind of band. And as soon as she left, it suddenly just… it’s like magnets. It wasn’t the missing piece, it was the removal of the piece. Suddenly we just linked, and all four of us, it became a little bit telepathic."
Anderson also revealed Suede didn't attain success at the beginning because they were "terrible" aside from guitarist Bernard Butler, and even after they improved musically it took some time for labels to warm to their sound.
Heads up on a forthcoming musical project called Shadowparty. The group features New Order members Tom Chapman and Philip Cunningham, and Devo's Josh Hager and Jeff Friedl; Denise Johnson and Verve guitarist Nick McCabe. Shadowparty haven't premiered any music yet, but Tom Chapman revealed on Twitter that they intend on releasing an album this summer, plus they're booked to play the Dot To Dot festival in the U.K. this May.
Shadowparty launched a Twitter account today which you can follow here.
...hang the dj is the headquarters for my old radio show Time Warp, which aired on 89X until March 2017.
Headquarters for all the content from the previous site cristinarocks.com
I currently host an independent, internet-based/streaming Classic Alternative show. Episodes debut Sunday mornings around 9am ET. Stream the archives here or here.
...hang the dj is a music blog serving as a complement to my streaming program and features old school and classic alternative bands. Occasionally new music from shoegaze, dream pop, psych, post-punk, and darkwave genres will be featured. If you have a project that fits one of these genres, feel free to submit music via email.
