Thursday, July 29, 2010

Nils Lofgren: Cry Tough DVD coming August 10



Eagle Rock reveals more Rockpalast
Nils Lofgren: Cry Tough offers three separate performances in one set


New York, NY (July 29, 2010)—Eagle Rock Entertainment is building a mighty library of Rockpalast performances on DVD. On August 10, 2010, Eagle Rock will release the 2-DVD set Cry Tough from guitarist/singer-songwriter Nils Lofgren. [MSRP $19.98]

A kaleidoscopic view of his success as a solo artist, this DVD captures three performances from different stages in Lofgren’s career. With more than four hours of footage and 35 tracks deep, it showcases Nils stepping out into the spotlight on his own. Lofgren, formerly of the E Street Band and Neil Young’s Crazy Horse, wowed this crowd with his unfettered six-string talent, charismatic stage presence, moving songs, and impressive showmanship.

Disc 1 features his 1991 performance, when Lofgren returned from a stint with the E Street Band with his 1991 album Silver Lining (Ryco). Disc 2 backtracks to his earlier days playing solo, with sets from 1976, just after the release of his critically-acclaimed solo debut, and 1979.

In addition to this latest release, Eagle Rock has recently released Rockpalast titles from Joan Armatrading, Thin Lizzy, Meat Loaf, and UB40.

Eagle Rock Entertainment is an international media production and distribution company operating across audiovisual entertainment programming. Eagle Rock Entertainment works directly alongside talent to produce the highest quality programming output covering film, general entertainment and musical performance. Eagle Rock Entertainment has offices based in London, New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Hamburg, & Paris.

Track Listing:
Disc 1- 1991:
1.) Sticks And Stones
2.) Keith Don’t Go
3.) Rock ‘N’ Roll Crook
4.) Cry Tough
5.) Trouble’s Back
6.) Delivery Night
7.) Bein’ Angry
8.) Moon Tears
9.) Girl In Motion
10.) Valentine
11.) The Sun Hasn’t Set
12.) Across The Tracks
13.) Silver Lining
14.) Walkin’ Nerve
15.) Gun And Run
16.) No Mercy
17.) Back It Up
18.) Shine Silently
19.) See What Our Love Can Do
20.) I Came To Dance

Disc 2 – 1976/1979
1976:
1.) Cry Tough
2.) It’s Not A Crime
3.) Keith Don’t Go
4.) Going Back
5.) Share A Little
6.) Jailbait
7.) Like Rain
8.) Rock ‘N’ Roll Crook
9.) Back It Up

1979:
1.) Keith Don’t Go
2.) A Fool Like Me
3.) Beggar’s Day
4.) No Mercy
5.) It’s Not A Crime
6.) Like Rain
7.) Heart of Fire
8.) Cry Tough
9.) Going Back
10.) You’re So Easy
11.) I Came To Dance
12.) (Incidentally) It’s Over
13.) Back It Up
14.) Moon Tears
15.) Soft Fun

Sigur Rós’ Jónsi announces final American tour for 'Go'



Photo credit: Eva Vermandel

Following his incredible North American spring tour for his album, Go, Sigur Rós front man Jónsi has announced his second and final set of U.S. dates for this album. With an exclusive pre-sale on jonsi.com from now to Friday, July 30, this is the last chance for American fans to see what the Boston Globe has described as "nothing short of a revelation from start to stop."



Jónsi’s recent North American tour was met with an outpouring of enthusiastic praise from media and fans alike. He played material from his gorgeous recent release, Go (out now on XL Recordings), which received glowing reviews upon its release earlier this year. Jónsi’s collaboration with 59 Productions, a London-based design team known for their incredible stage shows for theatre and opera, has created a live experience that is truly like no other, complementing the album’s innate beauty and complexity. The combination of lighting, animation and set elements transform Jónsi’s music, making the live experience truly unique for the audience. The show is full of nature motifs, ranging from animals and insects to fire and rain, all of which serve to intensify the show’s emotional resonance.



Check out the list of dates below to see what everyone is talking about. Presale is going on now!



Praise for Jónsi’s live show:



"This Icelandic singer-songwriter’s solo album go is already one of my favorites this year, and the chance to see him showcase cuts off the newly-released nine-song disc drew me to the Outdoor Theatre early on Sunday. My expectations were high, yet the Sigur Rós frontman’s potent set exceeded them handily. When Jónsi (above) closed with an extended and emotive “Grow Till Tall,” it was as if the desert sky had been shattered by his tenor voice soaring high into falsetto amidst the layered backdrop of percussion, keyboards and other instruments.

One of the most original artists of the modern rock era, his blend of world music, rock, classical and experimentation continues to challenge, thrill and touch listeners on levels that defy most writers (this one included) to adequately convey it in words. If you haven’t seen Sigur Rós or Jónsi, please do — it’s a must." — my review of Jonsi's performance at Coachella 2010 published in the Orange County Register on April 20, 2010.


“Jonsi’s high, clear voice was not only the carrier of insistent pop hooks, but also a messenger of ecstatic hope.” – New York Times



“Jónsi played a lot of the real thing — a pop music of naked restraint and delighted release...” – David Fricke, RollingStone.com



“That voice…It was surely the evening’s main attraction, the most hypnotic sound you could ever want to experience in a concert hall with good acoustics.” – Boston Globe



“Sigur Ros is a beautiful thing, but when he goes solo, Jonsi does something amazing – he lets his freak flag fly.” – Spin.com



“The audience bursts into cheer, some with tears running down their cheeks, others embracing their lovers, and many still staring in wide-eyed, jaw-dropped amazement at the five musicians while they clasp hands and take a bow.” – KEXP



“The hour-and-a-half flew by in five minutes but I would've stayed for years…Jonsi seamlessly performed the most emotionally arresting night of music I've seen in as long as I can remember, both in its effervescent, life-affirming orgasmic joy and when it choked me up.” - Portland Mercury



“A performance so transcendent that many audience members seemed rooted in place"…”– UndertheRadar.com





“Jonsi’s gorgeous, angelic voice placed within inventive settings – remained a hallmark of the night.” - Kansas City Star





Tour Dates:



10/15/10 San Diego , CA @ 4th and b

10/17/10 Los Angeles , CA @ The Wiltern

10/19/10 Oakland , CA @ Fox Theater

10/21/10 Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues

10/22/10 Salt Lake City , UT @ The Complex

10/23/10 Tempe , AZ @ The Marquee

10/25/10 Grand Prairie , TX @ Verizon Theatre

10/26/10 Austin , TX @ Austin Music Hall

10/27/10 Houston , TX @ Verizon Music Theater

10/29/10 New Orleans , LA @ The Voodoo Festival

10/30/10 Asheville , North Carolina @ Moogfest

10/31/10 Atlanta , GA @ The Tabernacle

11/2/10 St. Louis , MO @ The Pageant

11/3/10 Chicago , IL @ the Vic Theatre

11/4/10 Detroit , MI @ The Fillmore

11/6/10 Columbus , OH @ Newport Music Hall

11/8/10 Washington , D.C. @ 9:30 Club

11/10/10 New York City , NY @ Hammerstein Ballroom





www.jonsi.com // www.twitter.com/iamJonsi

Thursday, July 22, 2010

FRAN HEALY OF TRAVIS TO RELEASE DEBUT SOLO ALBUM



Last night, I caught Fran Healy (of Travis fame) open for Keane at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. He performed several Travis songs (including a great version of "Driftwood"), but also played several wonderful new songs that are headed for a solo debut scheduled to be released in the fall. Here is the media release on that album. Based on the strength of the outstanding new songs he played last night (notably "As It Comes"), I can't wait to hear Wreckorder when it comes out Oct. 5, 2010.

FRAN HEALY OF TRAVIS TO RELEASE DEBUT SOLO ALBUM

WRECKORDER OUT OCTOBER 5th ON RYKO RECORDS
CURRENTLY ON NORTH AMERICAN TOUR WITH KEANE


Fran Healy, lead singer and main songwriter of acclaimed Scottish rock band Travis, is excited to announce the release of his debut solo album WRECKORDER. Set for an October 5, 2010 release on Ryko, Healy’s first release on the label, WRECKORDER is the work of a quintessential pop songwriter. Known for songs such as “Sing” and “Why Does It Always Rain On Me,” among other hugely successful tracks, Healy has been recognized by Q Magazine, Rolling Stone, and NME, amongst others, for what Entertainment Weekly calls “a gorgeous mosaic of shimmering guitar pop.” Artists such as Coldplay, Noel Gallagher, The Doves and Gomez have cited Healy’s sophisticated and atmospheric arrangements as a major influence on their own sound.


Recorded in Berlin , New York and Vermont, the 10 tracks that make up WRECKORDER are as exceptionally literate as they are emotionally challenging. The collection of songs includes the Neko Case duet “Sing Me To Sleep” which bounces over warm melodies and a syncopated drum loop, the soaring “In The Morning,” the playful but serious “Moonshine,” and the dramatic waltz of “As It Comes” which features Paul McCartney on bass. The end result is the sound of a songwriter who embodied the spirit of Britpop and continues to artistically evolve.

Healy began his North American tour with Keane Tuesday, July 20th, in Oakland , CA. The dates will see Healy performing this new material, as well as classic Travis songs, in a solo acoustic setting. In addition, Healy will play solo acoustic shows along the West Coast. Tour dates below.

TOUR DATES:

* Indicates show with Keane

July 20 Fox Theatre Oakland , CA *

July 21 Greek Theatre Los Angeles , CA *

July 23 House of Blues Las Vegas , NV *

July 25 Warehouse Live Houston , TX *

July 26 House of Blues Dallas , TX *

July 28 Vic Theatre Chicago , IL *

July 30 Molson Amphitheatre Toronto , ON

July 31 Parc Jean Drapeau Montreal , QB

August 3 BOA Pavilion Boston , MA *

August 5 Merriweather Pavilion Columbia , MD *

August 6 Williamsburg Waterfront Brooklyn , NY *

August 7 Mann Music Center Philadelphia , PA *

August 10 Riverside Theatre Milwaukee , WI *

August 11 First Avenue Minneapolis , MN *

August 12 West End Cultural Ctr Winnipeg , MB

August 14 Grand Theatre Calgary , AB

August 15 Starlite Room Edmonton , AB

August 17 Vogue Theatre Vancouver , BC

August 18 Triple Door Seattle , WA

August 20 Aladdin Theatre Portland , OR

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

GRAMMY Museum to feature special events in August

Great Guitars: Lee Ritenour

Tuesday, August 3, 2010; 8 p.m.

Join as The GRAMMY Museum welcomes prolific jazz guitarist Lee Ritenour to the Clive Davis Theater. Before an intimate audience of 200, hear Ritenour in conversation about his diverse musical influences, impressive collaborations, and astounding guitar techniques. Afterwards, Ritenour will take questions from the audience and sign copies of his newest album, 6 String Theory. GRAMMY Foundation and MusiCares Vice President Scott Goldman, a great guitarist himself, will conduct the interview. Doors open at 7:30pm. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased in-person at the Museum Box Office, through Ticketmaster.com, or by calling 1.800.745.3000. On July 21, 2010, Ritenour and Dave Grusin will headline the Hollywood Bowl with special guests Taj Mahal, Keb Mo , and John Scofield. For more information, please visit www.hollywoodbowl.com.



American Express Presents An Evening With John Mellencamp

Tuesday, August 17, 2010; 8 p.m.

Join Executive Director Robert Santelli as he interviews legendary heartland singer-songwriter John Mellencamp the same day his hotly-anticipated new T-Bone Burnett-produced album, No Better Than This, is released. Before an intimate audience of 200, hear Mellencamp in conversation about his remarkable career, inspiring social activism, and the unique circumstances and locations that provided context for the new album. After the interview, Mellencamp will take questions from the audience and perform a few of his songs in a truly unique setting. Doors open at 7:30pm. American Express presale tickets are $40 and can be purchased on Ticketmaster.com starting Thursday, July 15, 2010. Ticket purchase also includes a copy of the new album. American Express is the exclusive payment method for presale tickets. All proceeds benefit The GRAMMY Museum.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Pearl Jam's 'Amongst the Waves" Music Video Premieres as part of Web site launch



PEARL JAM’S “AMONGST THE WAVES” MUSIC VIDEO PREMIERES IN CONJUNCTION WITH LAUNCH OF IMPORTANT WEB SITE

Photo credit: Danny Clinch


Available Now on iTunes with Proceeds to Conservation International



New Video and Web Site to Raise Awareness on Ocean Conservation



SEATTLE — Pearl Jam rolled out their new music video “Amongst the Waves” June 30, 2010 in conjunction with the launch of Pearl Jam’s new web page www.pearljam.com/oceans. The third single from Backspacer, the “Amongst the Waves” video launch is part of Pearl Jam’s larger effort to highlight www.pearljam.com/oceans and raise awareness on the efforts of various organizations working diligently on ocean preservation.



“If we don’t consider the fragility and finite capacity of our planets oceans, we may destroy our most precious resource,” said Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard. “Our ocean will only survive if the world agrees to sustain her.”



Since the release, the video has been viewed by hundreds of thousands of fans and has been picked up and shared broadly with over 100 websites embedding it directly including National Geographic, Greenpeace, Oceana, Treehugger, VOLCOM and PlanetGreen.Discovery.



Available now on iTunes, proceeds from the US sale of “Amongst the Waves” benefits Pearljam.com/Oceans partner organization Conservation International's Marine Programs. Internationally, Universal Music/Island Records has also agreed to donate proceeds from the International sale of the video in participating territories for the next six months.



Created by Pearl Jam’s partners at VOLCOM and Trixie Films, “Amongst the Waves” continues to stream for free at www.pearljam.com/oceans and www.worldmusic.nationalgeographic.com.



For more information on Pearl Jam’s Ocean campaign and a complete list of Pearl Jam’s environmental partners, please visit www.pearljam.com/oceans. For more information on Conservation International’s ongoing efforts, please visit www.conservation.org/marine.



Pearl Jam’s Backspacer is available for purchase now at www.pearljam.com, Target, iTunes, or your favorite independent record store

U2 reschedules American concert dates for 2011

U2's postponed North American 360° dates have now been rescheduled for Spring/Summer 2011. Check out all the dates and cities.

With Bono's recovery from back surgery, the band are getting ready to open up the European leg of the tour in Turin next month.

On the eve of their return to the stage, they've filmed a message for everyone at U2.com: 'Thanks for standing by us'.

More news as we get it.

Best wishes
The U2.com Team

Just a quick note that the U2 dates originally scheduled to play out in Anaheim, California on June 6 and 7, 2010 have been set for Friday, June 17 and Saturday, June 18 in 2011. Hope to see many of you at Angels Stadium next year!

Friday, July 09, 2010

'Live from the Artists Den' features rocking Ringo Starr & Ben Harper



The upcoming episode of 'Live from the Artists Den' on PBS-TV features a performance by Ringo Starr with Ben Harper and Relentless7, as well as special guest Joan Osborne.

With Ringo Starr having just celebrated his 70th birthday on July 7, what better way to celebrate the legendary drummer-singer-songwriter than by tuning into watch him headline on the season premiere of “Live from the Artists Den” on public television this weekend.
Los Angeles’ KLCS-TV will air the episode, which kicks off the second season of “Live from the Artists Den.” In addition to Starr performing with Ben Harper and his band Relentless7, Joan Osborne provides additional backing vocals. If you live in Southern California, you can catch that episode at 10 p.m. on Sunday night, July 11.

I recently was able to view the show, taped at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in January 2010, and the concert finds the former Beatle in a decidedly-introspective mood. The loose and rollicking concert selections are the main draw, but the interviews with Starr (and those where he and Harper discuss their concert collaboration together) are equally illuminating.

“We’re still being fulfilled as musicians,” Starr says. “The beat goes on.”

The set starts with the troupe performing Starr’s hit “Photograph.” But with Harper and Relentless7, the band’s blues-folk-funk brew gives that song and those that follow a bit of an energetic twist to the set. In particular, Ann-Marie Calhoun’s fiddle provides sonic prose and layers around Starr’s distinctive vocals. And Harper’s fiery guitar playing does the same, notably when Starr celebrates the early days of the Fab Four with a raucous “I Wanna Be Your Man.”
Harper also gets to showcase his own material on the music special, particularly with the one-two punch of the beautiful “Faithfully Remain” and art house rocker “Up To You Now.”

While the episode definitely celebrates the enduring legacy of the Beatles, discerning music fans will also find plenty to admire in how the performers find plenty of new emotional territory to explore in Starr’s solo material, particularly the Americana-tinged “Walk With You” and power pop gem “It Don’t Come Easy.”
If you are a fan of Ringo Starr, or Ben Harper, tune in and turn the volume up.

Thursday, July 08, 2010

John Németh to appear, perform on 'Memphis Beat'



Photo credit: Pat Johnson

Singer and harmonica player John Németh has been turning lots of heads lately in the music world, and now he's been discovered by Hollywood. He will sing and appear in an upcoming episode of "Memphis Beat," a new television series on the TNT network.

Evyen Klean, music supervisor for the program, was looking for someone to sing a Howlin' Wolf song. After hearing Nemeth's recording of "Daughter of the Devil," John's original Wolf-like song, he knew he had his man. Originally, John was just supposed to record the vocal for the track, and an actor would later lip-synch to his recording for the cameras. But after witnessing John perform at the Los Angeles recording session, Klean lobbied the producers of the show to hire John for the onscreen role as well. So Németh headed off to New Orleans to face the cameras.

Says Klean, "As soon as I heard John I knew he would kill 'Who's Been Talking.' His voice and harp playing just resonated the blues and of course he nailed it at the recording session. It was then it hit me, Geez John you should be in the show, and asked him if he wanted to be on camera...The whole scenario from start to finish was organic and honest, John's a true artist."

On the show, Jason Lee plays a quirky Memphis police detective with a passion for blues. Music plays a vital role in the show. In the words of co-creator Liz W. Garcia, "Music is a huge part of this show. It has to be. You can't live in Memphis and not have your life steeped in music."
Németh appears in Episode 6 of the series, entitled "Suspicious Minds," which will be broadcast on July 27, 2010. The TV appearance is the latest media coup for the singer since the May release of his CD, Name The Day! He was just featured on National Public Radio's "Weekend Edition," recorded an interview for the nationally-syndicated "House of Blues Hour" radio program, and is scheduled to sing the National Anthem in front of a sellout crowd in San Francisco prior to a Giants-Dodgers game later this month.

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Happy Birthday Ringo!

Today is Ringo Starr's 70th birthday. So if you are looking for a way to help celebrate his birthday, read on...

Ringo Starr celebrates his 70th birthday on Wednesday, July 7, and WFUV 90.7 FM (wfuv.org), will join the celebration by featuring the legendary drummer’s music all day.

WFUV’s midday man, nationally-renowned Beatlemaniac Darren DeVivo, also promises to “sprinkle in a little something extra” -- whatever that means!

DeVivo is consulted widely by the media for his knowledge of the Beatles and their music. On Wednesday evening, he will attend the All Starr Band’s sold-out show at Radio City Music Hall.

WFUV 90.7 FM (wfuv.org), New York’s Rock and Roots public radio station, is a non-commercial, member-supported radio station, licensed to Fordham University for more than 60 years, serving approximately 250,000 weekly listeners throughout the New York metropolitan area and tens of thousands more worldwide on the Web.

Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to approximately 14,700 students in its four undergraduate colleges and its six graduate and professional schools. It has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in Westchester, the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y., and the London Centre at Heythrop College in the United Kingdom.

Thursday, July 01, 2010

Ringo Starr kicks off new season of 'Live From The Artists Den'



RINGO STARR KICKS OFF NEW SEASON OF 'LIVE FROM THE ARTISTS DEN'

ONE-HOUR PUBLIC TELEVISION MUSIC SERIES AIRS NATIONWIDE AS RINGO CELEBRATES HIS 70TH BIRTHDAY


New York, NY —The acclaimed, innovative music series "Live from the Artists Den" launches its second season with a once-in-a-lifetime performance by the legendary Ringo Starr, backed by folk-funk star Ben Harper and his band, Relentless7, plus special guest Joan Osborne at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Ringo Starr’s episode will air nationwide on public television beginning July 5, 2010—the same week Ringo celebrates his 70th birthday (7/7/40)
Live From The Artists Den airs nationally on public television stations including:

New York: WNET Fridays at 9:30 pm (beginning July 9)
New York: WLIW. Saturdays at 10pm (beginning July 10)
Los Angeles: KLCS Sundays at 10 pm (beginning July 11)
Chicago: WTTW Sundays at 12 am (beginning July 11)
Philadelphia: WHYY Thursdays at 10 pm also Saturdays at 11:30 pm (beginning July 8th)
Philadelphia: WYBE Wednesdays and Saturdays at 8pm
Dallas: KERA Thursdays at 10pm (beginning July 8)
San Francisco: KCSM Fridays at 9:30 (beginning July 9)
San Jose: KTEH Thursdays at 11 pm (beginning July 8)
Boston:WGBX Saturdays at 11 pm (beginning July 10)
Atlanta: WGTV July 28th, David Gray at 7pm
Washington DC: WETA Sundays at 12 am (beginning July 11)
Houston: KUHT Saturdays at 8pm (beginning July 10th)

Checking out the official Web site for "Live From The Artists Den," it looks like a few of my other favorite artists are scheduled for season 2. Can't wait to see Ringo, as well as The Black Crowes, and Booker T. and the Drive-By Truckers in other episodes. For more information, visit www.theartistsden.com.