Sights and Sounds: Paul McCartney, Kennedy Center Honors, Gov't Mule, Jason Falkner

Wow! Lots of big news to share...

Paul McCartney has announced plans to compose his first-ever musical, an adaptation of "It's a Wonderful Life." 


McCartney has partnered with British theatre and film impresario Bill Kenwright who will produce the show. Get all the details about the upcoming musical on Sir Paul's website here.

I have seen McCartney a number of times over the years. You can read my most recent concert review here.

Earth, Wind & Fire performing at the Pacific Amphitheatre in
Costa Mesa, CA, on July 27, 2018.
Photo courtesy of the Orange County Fair.

Linda Ronstadt and Earth, Wind and Fire are among the recipients announced to be honored at the next Kennedy Center Honors. I am especially thrilled to see Earth, Wind & Fire perform. I am a huge fan of the group and have seen them a number of times, including in Costa Mesa a year ago (you can read my review of that show here). The 42nd annual Kennedy Center Honors Gala will be held on Dec. 7, 2019. Get all the details on Billboard:

Gov't Mule have released the video to the title track "Bring On The Music" ahead of tomorrow's release of their new live film and album Bring On The Music - Live at The Capitol Theatre (Provogue / Mascot Label Group), directed by renowned music photographer and director Danny Clinch (Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, Foo Fighters, Phish). PRESS HERE to watch and check out the first look via Guitar Player. The video evolves from an intimateacoustic jam to an electrifying stage performance showcasing Gov't Mule in all their rock glory. 

"'Bring On The Music' is a song about loss and inevitable change, and also about the relationship between the band and our audience which we feel extremely lucky to have," shares Gov't Mule frontman and GRAMMY Award-winning vocalist, songwriter, producer, and revered guitarist Warren Haynes.

PRESS HERE to watch the trailer for the film, and check out previously released video cuts "Mr. Man," "The Man I Want To Be," and "Life Before Insanity."

Check out the band's website for more information.

Finally, last night I was at FivePoint Amphitheatre in Irvine to catch the "Night Running Tour." After catching Spoon's impressive set I ran into Jason Falkner, a long-time member of Beck's touring band and famed artist known for his work with Jellyfish, The Grays, Pugwash and more! A true honor to meet one of the most talented artists on the planet!

Jason Falkner, left, with Robert Kinsler.
Photo: Ron Bronsgeest

If the "Night Running Tour" is coming to your town, make sure to go. Spoon, Cage The Elephant and Beck were all terrific last night. Next stop for the tour is in Las Vegas on Friday night, July 19th...

Information: https://www.cagetheelephant.com/2019/02/11/co-headline-tour-with-beck/


Robert Kinsler

Count Greg Felden, Cage The Elephant, Jenny Lewis albums as 2019 essentials

The forthcoming full-length debut from singer-songwriter Greg Felden, as well as wonderful new albums from Cage The Elephant and Jenny Lewis are among the strongest releases this writer has discovered this year.

Artist: Greg Felden
Title: Made of Strings (New Neighborhood)
You might like if you enjoy: Ted Russell Kamp, The Jayhawks
Tell me more: Greg Felden's Made of Strings is such a deep and poignant album that it astounds that this is the Eugene, Oregon native's first full-length release. The material's soundscape ranges from folk and rock to alt country and roots material, all delivered with a master's touch. There isn't a weak cut on the 10-song album; my favorites include the undeniably-melodic "Every Time," Jayhawks-styled "When the Change Comes" and driving Americana rocker "Tell Me What's Broken." The album was recorded while Felden's girlfriend Samantha Morris was battling cancer (sadly she passed away prior to the release of "Made of Strings"); there is a sense that the power of these songs and the recordings owe much to her enduring spirit. With his stirring vocals and the backing of a fantastic group of musicians, Felden's Made of Strings is an inspired and impressive introduction. Made of Strings is set for release on June 14, 2019. Information: gregfelden.com.

Artist: Cage The Elephant
Title: Social Cues (RCA)
You might like if you enjoy: Beck, Foster the People, A R I Z O N A
Tell me more: The hyper-electronic, post-DEVO flavored "Broken Boy" opens Cage The Elephant's excellent 2019 album Social Cues but the Kentucky-spawned six-man band's artistic reach quickly extends to dance pop (the catchy single "Ready To Let Go" and equally-strong "Black Madonna"), indie rock ("Skin and Bones," "Dance Dance," "The War is Over") and far afield styles (notably the chamber pop foray "House of Glass" and Neo-psychedelia caper "What I'm Becoming"). Another highlight on this welcome return is the swirling indietronica slice "Night Running" featuring Beck. Cage The Elephant will co-headline with Beck this summer on a highly-anticipated tour; the two artists will perform throughout the U.S. in July and August . Information: CageTheElephant.com.

Artist: Jenny Lewis
Title: On The Line (Warner Bros. Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Rilo Kiley, Aimee Mann, Carole King
Tell me more: One of today's most talented and independent voices, Jenny Lewis' fourth solo studio album (On The Line) finds the songstress chronicling loss via an uplifting '70s sheen that is both inspired and authentic. With a cast of true legends contributing to the musical proceedings (including Ringo Starr, Beck, Don Was, Jim Keltner, Jason Falkner and Benmont Tench), Lewis has delivered a flawless and enthralling set of original songcraft-centered tracks that has met with widespread acclaim. The reflective rocker "Wasted Youth," uptempo melodic gem "Red Bull & Hennessy" (featuring the dual drumming of Starr and Keltner), ambitious "Dogwood" and irresistible "Rabbit Hole" are among my favorite songs on a stellar collection. "Little White Dove" is a song that details Lewis' emotions as she spent time with her mother in the hospital prior to her death from liver cancer; that track has a compelling funk-rock vibe that defies cliche and is bolstered by some of Lewis' most striking vocals in memory. Information: JennyLewis.com. 

Robert Kinsler

Sights and Sounds: Cage the Elephant and Beck; Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi; Esperanza Spalding

Lots of news going into the weekend...

CAGE THE ELEPHANT AND BECK SHARE MUSIC VIDEO FOR

“NIGHT RUNNING”

THE NIGHT RUNNING CO-HEADLINING TOUR BEGINS THIS JULY

Photo credit: Citizen Kane Wayne

Last week, Cage The Elephant released their fifth studio album, Social Cues, on RCA Records. Fans can stream/purchase the album HERE. Featured on the record is a song with Beck, entitled “Night Running,” and today they debut its music videodirected by Jennifer Juniper Stratford. “For ‘Night Running,’ I wanted to create a realm where a super computer that hosts a simulation program creates a series artificial worlds,” said Stratford. “While Beck would appear to live within the software as a master control, Matt would be transported to different worlds and new identities leaving him to question what is real.”

You’ll also be able to catch the two artists performing this summer when they co-headline their “The Night Running Tour” in North America. Spoon will open all dates as a special guest with additional support from Starcrawler, Sunflower Bean and Wild Belle in select cities. Full dates below. Tickets are on sale now at LiveNation.com. Beck and Cage The Elephant have partnered up with PLUS1 and $1 from every ticket sold will be donated back into each city they are playing in, supporting local food security initiatives as they work towards ending hunger in their communities. This weekend, Cage The Elephant will headline Shaky Knees Festival in Atlanta.

Cage The Elephant’s single, “Ready To Let Go,” hit #1 at Alternative Radio in both the US and Canada, marking the band’s 8th Alternative #1. The song immediately found its footing, scoring the band its best airplay chart debut in its near-decade career. Cage The Elephant has achieved more #1s at the format than any band this decade.

THERE IS NO OTHER, THE NEW ALBUM BY RHIANNON GIDDENS WITH FRANCESCO TURRISI, OUT TODAY ON NONESUCH

there is no Other, the new album by Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi, is out today on Nonesuch. Tracing the overlooked movement of sounds from Africa and the Arabic world and their influence on European and American music, there is no Other illuminates the universality of music and the commonality of the human experience. The album has received critical praise and later today the New Yorker Radio Hour will air an interview and performance with Rhiannon and Francesco. Over the past week the duo has visited WNYC, WFUV, Sirius, and NPR’s World Café for interviews and performance segments; stay tuned for run dates. 

 

Giddens and Turrisi will perform there is no Other on an extensive fall tour that includes the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC on October 4 and at Pico Union in Los Angeles on October 19. A European tour for November-December was announced this morning. Full itinerary is below.

 

Produced by Joe Henry and tracked over an intensely productive five day period in Dublin, Ireland, there is no Other is at once a condemnation of “othering” and a celebration of the spread of ideas, connectivity, and shared experience. It primarily features only Giddens and Turrisi playing one or two instruments together. The album comprises a mix of original songs penned by Giddens and a diverse set of interpretations ranging from Ola Belle Reed’s “I’m Gonna Write Me a Letter” and Oscar Brown, Jr’s “Brown Baby” to the Italian traditional “Pizzica di San Vito” to the aria “Black Swan” by Gian-Carlo Menotti. 

 

Watch the first in a series of behind-the-scenes interviews filmed during the making of the album with Giddens and Turrisi, producer Joe Henry and engineer Ryan Freeland: https://youtu.be/9NF1ufRGFNw

 

And watch the previously released video for original song “I’m On My Way”:

https://youtu.be/a4Xlyi8Is98

  

there is no Other "(shows) the ease with which the boundaries of genre and nationality can be broken through music." NPR says. "There, this album dwells: in the quiet times where people live fully with each other ... Rhiannon Giddens turns her exquisite voice and sensibility toward this psychic territory on ... her new collaboration with the Italian multi-instrumentalist Francesco Turrisi ... (an) exploration of heartfelt exchange and private longing." – NPR Music

 

In addition to the release of there is no Other, Giddens will be joining the Boston Symphony Orchestra on May 22nd and 23rd for a pair of performances, and on May 24thand 25th she will curate concerts that highlight the great black composers who have been hiding in plain sight, featuring Lara Downes and Darius de Haas. She also appears in Ken Burns' upcoming Country Music series airing in September on PBS, revealing the lesser-known black roots of country music.   The vinyl edition of the album is available for preorder at the Nonesuch store. The two-LP set includes four previously unreleased songs, along with expanded notes about the album written by Rhiannon.

there is no Other Track List 1. Ten Thousand Voices 2. I’m Gonna Write Me a Letter 3. Wayfaring Stranger 4. there is no Other 5. Trees On The Mountain 6. Pizzica di San Vito 7.Brown Baby 8.Briggs’ Forró 9. Little Margaret 10. Black Swan 11. I’m On My Way 12. He Will See You Through Rhiannon Giddens Tour Dates: 5/16 – Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Symphony Orchestra 5/19 – Greensboro, NC – Harrison Auditorium (Q&A with Ani DiFranco) 5/19 – Greensboro, NC – Presbyterian Church of the Covenant (benefit concert for the Experiential School of Greensboro) 5/22 – Boston, MA – Symphony Hall (“Redefining American Music” series) 5/23 – Boston, MA – Symphony Hall (“Redefining American Music” series) 5/24 – Boston, MA – Symphony Hall (“Redefining American Music” series) 5/25 – Boston, MA – Symphony Hall (“Redefining American Music” series) 7/23 – Westport, CT – Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts (Our Native Daughters) 7/24 – Washington, DC – Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (Our Native Daughters) 7/25 – Chautauqua, NY – Chautauqua Institution (Our Native Daughters) 7/26 – Albany, NY – The Egg (Our Native Daughters) 7/27 – Wolfeboro, NH – Great Waters Festival (Our Native Daughters) 7/28 – Newport, RI – Newport Folk Festival (Our Native Daughters)   there is no Other Tour – Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi: 7/11 – Auburn, NY – Auburn Public Theater 7/12-7/13 – Guelph, Ontario – Hilldside Festival 7/14 – Greenfield, MA – Green River Festival 9/6-9/9 – Stanford Hall, Leicestershire, UK – The Long Road Festival 9/19 – Birmingham, AL – Alys Stephens Center 9/20 – Atlanta, GA – City Winery 9/21 – Nashville, TN – City Winery 9/23 – Charlotte, NC – McGlohan Theatre at Spirit Square 9/25 – Raleigh, NC – North Carolina Museum of Art 9/26 – Washington, DC – Kennedy Center Terrace Theater 9/27 – Princeton, NJ – McCarter Theater 9/28 – Wilmington, DE – Grand Opera House 9/29 – Burlington, VT – Flynn Center for the Performing Arts 10/1 – Brownfield, ME – Stone Mountain Arts Center 10/2 – Boothbay Harbor, ME – The Opera House at Boothbay Harbor 10/3 – Cambridge, MA – Sanders Theatre 10/4 – New York, NY – The Metropolitan Museum of Art 10/19 – Los Angeles, CA – Pico Union 10/23 – Kent, OH – The Kent Stage 10/25 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark 10/26 – Chicago, IL – City Winery 10/27 – Chicago, IL – City Winery 10/29 – Bloomington, IN – Buskirk-Chumley Theater 10/30 – Iowa City, IA – The Englert Theatre 10/31 – Minneapolis, MN – The Dakota 11/1 – Minneapolis, MN – The Dakota 11/2 – Stoughton, WI – Stoughton Opera House 11/3 – Stoughton, WI – Stoughton Opera House 11/22 – London, UK – London Jazz Festival 11/23 – Brighton, UK – St. Georges Church  11/24 – Basingstoke, UK – The Anvil  11/26 – Bath, UK – Forum  11/27 – Buxton, UK – Opera House  11/28 – Liverpool, UK – Grand Central  11/29 – Gateshead, UK – The Sage   12/1 – Edinburgh, UK – Usher Hall  12/3 – Utrecht, Netherlands - TivoliVredenburg  12/4 – Hamburg, Germany – Fabrik  12/5 – Darmstadt, Germany – Central Station  12/7 – Cologne, Germany – Kulturkirche  12/8 – Leuven, Belgium – Het Depot  12/9 – Paris, France – Café de la Danse  12/10 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – De Duif Tour dates and ticket links https://events.seated.com/rhiannon-giddens

ESPERANZA SPALDING UNVEILS “HOW TO” FROM 12 LITTLE SPELLS – OUT ON DIGITAL/PHYSICAL FORMATS NEXT FRIDAY MAY 10 (CONCORD)

LISTEN TO “HOW TO” HERE: https://found.ee/Esperanza_HowTo_Sp photo credit: Silva Saponaro Today Esperanza Spalding has released more new music from her 12 Little Spells project in advance of release next week, when the album will be available in physical and download formats for the first time (May 10/Concord Records). Listen to “How To” here: https://found.ee/Esperanza_HowTo_Sp    “How To” is one of the four original bonus songs that Esperanza recently recorded for the expanded release. Each song on 12 Little Spells was written for a different part of the body, and Esperanza unveiled the first 12 songs over 12 days in October 2018, before the album appeared on streaming services. Last week she released “Lest We Forget.” Listen to both songs here: https://found.ee/Esp_12LittleSpells  The 12-song, streaming-only version of the album appeared on a number of Best Of 2018 lists including NY Times, Rolling Stone and Billboard, and received effusive praise. 12 Little Spells was first penned by Spalding while on a writing retreat at a castle in Italy - inspired by the healing properties of art, how music and the body interact, and her interest in Reikki. Spalding recorded the album with her band in just a few days, and then released each spell with it’s own video on her Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pages over the course of 12 days. The videos have garnered a combined 4 million views and counting to date. In November and December she unveiled a completely new live concert - with a customized stage design, gowns designed for her by Diego Montoya, choreography and projected images – limited to just 12 performances.    Order 12 Little Spells, including packages that range from signed test pressings and USB drives, colored vinyl and more: http://esperanzaspalding.limitedrun.com/   Watch Esperanza and her band perform recently on the public radio show Live From Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkzS0qPUJ3Q PRAISE FOR ‘12 LITTLE SPELLS’   “Truly intoxicating” New York Times / Top Albums and Best Jazz Albums of 2018   “[Spalding] is well over a decade into one of the most fruitful and strikingly original careers in contemporary pop…the conceptual hook of 12 Little Spells only hints at the radically inventive nature of the songs themselves” Rolling Stone / Best Albums of 2018   Best Jazz of 2018 - Billboard   “Magic…pure imagination and also incredibly tactile” – NPR Music   “‘12 Little Spells’ joins a long line of her goddess foremothers in their innovation” – Paste “The sound of a woman conjuring the contradictions, beauty, strangeness, and power of her body is deeply moving and very possibly magic” – Boston Globe   “Pure magic” – Mother Jones   “Dazzling” – Essence   “Esperanza’s most appealing album yet” – Brooklyn Vegan   12 Little Spells track list including 4 new bonus spells: 1. 12 Little Spells - Thoracic Spine 2. To Tide Us Over - Mouth 3. Til the Next Full - Eyes 4. Thang - Hips 5. Touch in Mine - Fingers 6. The Longing Deep Down - Abdominal Portal 7. You Have to Dance - Feet 8. Now Know- Solar Portal  9. All Limbs Are - Arms  10. Readying to Rise - Legs 11. Dancing the Animal - Mind/Brain 12. With Others - Ears  13. Lest We Forget - Blood 14. How To - Hair  15. Move Many - Joints 16. Ways Together - Shoulders http://www.esperanzaspalding.com/

Media Update: iHeartRadio ALTer Ego concert

I was unfortunately unable to attend the iHeartRadio ALTer Ego event last Friday, but still thought it was cool to share the official media update...

The First-Ever iHeartRadio ALTer Ego Brings Alternative Rock’s Biggest Superstars Together For Star-Studded Concert At The Forum In Los Angeles

Mumford & Sons, Cage The Elephant, Beck, Spoon, WALK THE MOON, The National, Dashboard Confessional and AJR Perform Live On One Stage in Los Angeles 

Beck performs onstage during iHeartRadio ALTer Ego 2018 at
The Forum on  January 19, 2018 in Inglewood, California.
(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartRadio)

New York, NY – January 22, 2018 – The first ever iHeartRadio ALTer Ego, which featured the biggest names in Alternative Rock concluded Friday evening with unforgettable performances from Mumford & Sons, Cage The Elephant, Beck, Spoon, WALK THE MOON, The National, Dashboard Confessional and AJR at the Forum in Los Angeles, California. The event also included special guest appearances by Sarah Hyland, Bella Thorne, Darren Criss, CHVRCHES, Jana Kramer, Wells Adams, Chris Harrison, Vanessa Grimaldi and Annaliese Puccini and broadcasted live across over 60 Alternative and Rock iHeartRadio stations.

For the first time ever, the music of iHeartRadio’s popular Alternative Rock stations and the iHeartRadio App came to life with an extraordinary lineup that included these special moments:

• Mumford & Sons returned back to the states for the first time since September 2017 to kick off the first-ever iHeartRadio ALTer Ego with a blistering set, opening the show with “Believe” before belting out folk-rock anthems “Little Lion Man,” “I Will Wait” and “Lover Of The Light” before welcoming Maggie Rogers to the stage to contribute her beautiful haunting vocals to “Awake My Soul.”
• Dashboard Confessional returned to music after eight years and performed their latest track from their forthcoming LP, “Heart Beat Here” for the first time – and with a lot of soul during their set. Frontman Chris Carrabba told the crowd, “This song is about trying to get rid of Trump.” The band also performed “Vindicated,” “Hands Down” and politically charged lead single “We Fight.”
• Beck made his triumphant return to Los Angeles, the city that birthed not only the sonic pioneer but his eclectic musical style at iHeartRadio’s ALTer Ego. After kicking off his performance with his 1994 mega hit “Loser," the postmodernist unleashed joyous dance tracks off his thirteenth studio album Colors, a sublime piece of alt-pop that he crafted specifically for his live performances onto the sold-out venue.
• WALK THE MOON officially reestablished themselves as "a band’s band of dudes playing rock music together”. The Cincinnati, Ohio-formed band performed new hits “One Foot,” “Kamikaze,” "Surrender," 2014 smash hit “Shut Up and Dance,” and even 2010 throwback “Anna Sun.”
• Cage the Elephant shut down iHeartRadio’s inaugural ALTer Ego with pyro and high-energy. The pumped-up performance featured performances of “To Late to Say Goodbye,” “Cold Cold Cold,” “It’s Just Forever,” “Come a Little Closer,” “Teeth,” “Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked,” and “Shake Me Down.”
  
• The National performed “Blood Buzz,” “The System,” “Day I Die,” “Guilty Party,” “I Need My Girl,” and “Mr. November.”

iHeartRadio ALTer EGO is the newest in iHeartMedia's incredibly successful roster of major concert events, which includes the iHeartRadio Music Festival, the biggest live concert event in radio history, which features more than 20 A-list artists across every music genre on one stage; the iHeartSummer’17 Weekend by AT&T; the nationwide iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Concert Tour; the iHeartCountry Festival; the iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina; and the iHeartRadio Music Awards, which generated 165 billion social media impressions.

iHeartRadio ALTer EGO is an iHeartMedia Production. Proud partners of this year's event include Jersey Mike's Subs® and SoFi. For more information, visit iHeartRadio.com/alterego. 

Sights and Sounds: Shout! Factory unveils 2017 San Diego Comic-Con International lineup; Cage The Elephant debut live video for “Sweetie Little Jean"

Happy Friday everybody. Here is a round-up of some pretty exciting news that has landed in my inbox over the last day or so...

Shout! Factory Unveils

2017 San Diego Comic-Con International Lineup

Highlights from Pop-Culture Purveyor Include Cast Signings, Convention

Exclusives and Two Highly Anticipated Panels:

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return ... and New Destinations!

                       and

Breaking News from Shout! Factory and Scream Factory

A mainstay at San Diego Comic-Con International, pop-culture purveyor Shout! Factory returns to the convention in 2017 with a dynamic lineup, featuring captivating panel events, a showcase of new and upcoming theatrical and home entertainment releases, new official Mystery Science Theater 3000 merchandise, Comic-Con exclusive items and engaging booth activities, including a signing with the cast of the critically acclaimed Netflix Original Series Mystery Science Theater 3000. Fans and convention attendees are invited to join in on the excitement at the Shout! Factory booth (#4118) on the main convention floor.   

Genre and horror film buffs, collectors and pop culture enthusiasts alike won’t want to miss Breaking News from Shout! Factory and Scream Factory. At 8 p.m. on Friday, July 21 in Room 4, join Jeremy Whitham (Development Director), Brian Ward (Sr. Director of Blu-ray and DVD Production) and Jeff Nelson (Sr. Marketing Director) as they make special announcements and unveil exclusive sneak peeks of upcoming Blu-ray collector’s editions and new movies coming to theaters this fall. A fan-driven insider’s event filled with lively discussion and a few surprises, this panel discussion and Q&A will be moderated by Bill Hunt of The Digital Bits.

Calling all MSTies! In the not too distant future—Saturday, July 22^nd at 3 pm at the Horton Grand Theatre, to be precise—join the cast of MST3K for Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return ... and New Destinations!  Following a record-breaking Kickstarter campaign, the new season of MST3K is now a Netflix Original Series. What was it like to bring the show back and what’s next for MST3K? Join creator Joel Hodgson and cast members Felicia Day, Jonah Ray, Hampton Yount and Rebecca Hanson, along with moderator Erik Adams of The A.V. Club, as they take you behind the scenes!

On Saturday, July 22^nd at 1 pm, join MST3K creator Joel Hodgson and cast members Felicia Day, Jonah Ray, Hampton Yount and Rebecca Hanson for a cast signing at the Shout! Factory booth (4118).

MSTies are also invited to join Joel, Jonah and the bots for Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live! Watch Out For Snakes! Tour on Friday, July 21st and Saturday, July 22 at 7 pm at the Balboa Theatre. Each show will include all the elements expected from a MST3K experience: a cheesy “B” movie, hilarious riffing, wisecracking robots, silly sketches plus – for the first time – audience participation! Show # 1 is the MST3K favorite “Eegah” featuring all new riffs and sketches.  Show # 2 is a “Secret Surprise Film!”-- a fun sci-fi thriller never-before featured on MST3K.  For tickets and more information regarding the two San Diego performances, please visit www.mst3k.com/tour

For continuing updates on Shout! Factory’s Comic-Con activities and news, please follow us on Twitter @ShoutFactory, on Instagram @shoutfactory, and the studio’s official Facebook page www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial.

Shout! Factory Event Highlights at Comic-Con 2017 Include:

Friday, July 21^st

7 pm                Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live! Watch Out For Snakes! Tour

                        Balboa Theatre. Tickets at www.mst3k.com/tour

8 pm                Breaking News from Shout! Factory and Scream Factory 

Join Shout! Factory’s Jeremy Whitham (Development Director) Brian Ward (Sr. Director of Blu-ray and DVD Production) and Jeff Nelson (Sr. Marketing Director) as they make special announcements and unveil exclusive sneak peeks. Moderated by Bill Hunt of The Digital Bits.

*Room 4, Convention Center

Saturday, July 22^nd

1 pm                Mystery Science Theater 3000 cast signing with creator Joel Hodgson and cast

                        members Felicia Day, Jonah Ray, Hampton Yount and Rebecca Hanson  

                        *Shout! Factory Booth #4118

3 pm                Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return ... and New Destinations!  Panel

                        Following a record-breaking Kickstarter campaign, the new season of MST3K is

now a Netflix Original Series. What was it like to bring the show back and what’s next for MST3K? Join creator Joel Hodgson and cast members Felicia Day, Jonah Ray, Hampton Yount and Rebecca Hanson, along with moderator Erik Adams of The A.V. Club, as they take you behind the scenes!

*Horton Grand Theatre. This is a ticketed event.

7 pm                Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live! Watch Out For Snakes! Tour

                        Balboa Theatre. Tickets at www.mst3k.com/tour

Shout! Factory Booth (#4118) Comic-Con Exclusives  

Shout! Factory, Shout! Kids And Scream Factory Home Entertainment

                                                     Highlights For SDCC 2017

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8^th Dimension (Collector’s Edition)

Shout Select’s inaugural release is the Collector’s Edition of the beloved ’80s cult classic! On Blu-ray for the first time, this Collector’s Edition comes loaded with bonus features, including a comprehensive retrospective featuring brand-new interviews with members of the cast and crew, and an additional disc of bonus features. Brilliant brain surgeon Banzai (Peter Weller) just made scientific history. Shifting his Oscillation Overthruster into warp speed, he's the first man ever to travel to the Eighth Dimension and come back sane! But when his sworn enemy, the demented Dr. Lizardo ( John Lithgow), devises a plot to steal the Overthruster and bring an evil army of aliens back to destroy Earth, Buckaroo goes cranium to cranium with the madman in an extra-dimensional battle that could result in total annihilation of the universe!

Army of Darkness (Collector’s Edition)

Bound in human flesh and inked in blood, the ancient "Necronomicon" – the Book of the Dead – unleashes unspeakable evil upon mankind in this outrageously hilarious third chapter of Evil Dead Trilogy from legendary director Sam Raimi (Darkman, Drag Me to Hell) and producer Robert Tapert (Ash vs. Evil Dead).  Army Of Darkness Collector’s Edition, featuring the Theatrical Cut of the film, the Director’s Cut (with 15 minutes of extra footage), the International Cut and the TV version (in standard definition). This definitive collector’s edition is jam-packed with bonus content, including new interviews with star and co-producer Bruce Campbell and the cast, special make-up effect artists Howard Berger, Tony Gardner, Robert Kurtzman, and Greg Nicotero, audio commentary, alternate and deleted scenes and much more – all collected in a special 3-Disc Blu-ray set!

Bill & Ted’s Most Excellent Adventure

History’s favorite time traveling duo land in a deluxe Blu-ray box set from Shout! Factory titled Bill & Ted's Most Excellent Collection. The bodacious set includes Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, the Blu-ray debut of the sequel Bogus Journey, and is fully loaded with an entire disc of bonus features, including new interviews and commentary, deluxe packaging, a “Wyld Stallyns” branded guitar pick, vinyl stickers for both films, and previously released extras including The Original Bill & Ted, The Most Triumphant Making-Of, Air Guitar Tutorial, The Linguistic Stylings of B&T, From Scribble to Script, The Hysterical Personages of B&T, and radio spots. This limited edition set also comes with an exclusive lithograph and exclusive action figure of George Carlin’s character “Rufus,”

Cinematic Titanic: The Complete Collection  

The end of the initial broadcast run of Mystery Science Theater 3000 did not mean the end of world-class movie riffing. In 2007, five of the original cast/writers of MST3K – Joel Hodgson, Trace Beaulieu, J. Elvis Weinstein, Mary Jo Pehl and Frank Conniff –  launched Cinematic Titanic, a leaner, hungrier leap into razor-sharp comedy built on the back of cheesy movies. For the next six years they toured the country with a critically acclaimed live show and left throngs of delighted fans in their wake. Available as a complete collection for the first time on August 8^th, 2017, the DVD release of Cinematic Titanic also includes the featurette Between the Riffs and a brand new interview, A Look Back with J. Elvis Weinstein, as bonus features.  

Digimon Adventure tri.: Determination

The Digimons are back in this world, but that doesn’t mean all is well. Joe has been avoiding battles with the Digimon in order to fit in with the regular world. And infected Digimons are still on the rampage. The friends will have to work together with their Digimons in order to overcome the terrifying infected Digimons

Digimon Adventure  tri.: Reunion  

Produced by Toei Animation, DIGIMON ADVENTURE Tri – REUNION is DIGIMON’s first feature-length movie since 2000 and has already delighted audiences and loyal fans across Japan. This highly sought-after film reunites the characters and original cast from the classic series and picks up where the beloved DIGIMON Adventure 2002 series ended.

Escape From New York (Collector's Edition Steelbook)  

In a world ravaged by crime, the entire island of Manhattan has been converted into a walled prison where brutal prisoners roam. But when the US president (Pleasence) crash-lands inside, only one man can bring him back: notorious outlaw and former Special Forces war hero Snake Plissken (Russell). But time is short. In 24 hours, an explosive device implanted in his neck will end Snake's mission – and his life – unless he succeeds! Shout! Factory’s edition of the 1981 cult classic includes brand new bonus features including a new 2K scan of the inter-positive, struck from the original negative.

Fargo (20th Anniversary Edition Steelbook)  

Limited to 10,000 copies, this collector must-have offers enticing packaging, an audio commentary with director of photography Roger A. Deakins, the “Minnesota Nice” featurette, an interview with the Coen Brothers and Frances McDormand, an American Cinematography article, an original advertising gallery, and a still photo gallery. Available at SDCC ahead of its   August 8, 2017 release date.

The Fog (Collector's Edition Steelbook)  

When the fog rolls in ... the terror begins! Celebrate the 5^th Anniversary of Scream Factory with this moody horror classic from master of terror John Carpenter. The sleepy seaside village of Antonio Bay is about to learn the true meaning of the word "vengeance." This seemingly perfect town masks a guilty secret ... a past steeped in greed and murder. Exactly 100 years ago, a ship was horribly wrecked under mysterious circumstances in a thick, eerie fog. Now, shrouded in darkness, the long-dead mariners have returned from their watery grave to exact a bloody revenge.

Kuu Kuu Harajuku: Music, Baby!

From Superstar Gwen Stefani comes the animated series KUU KUU HARAJUKU, which  follows the fun-filled adventures of the band HJ5 – Love, Angel, Music, Baby and G – through their super cute world of music, fashion and style. The inspiration for this popular animated series came from Grammy® Award-winning musician Stefani who wanted to create an animated series for girls that encourages and celebrates creative self-expression, imagination and individuality.  The show’s setting is inspired by the exuberant street fashion and creative youth culture of the Harajuku district but it takes place in a magical fantasy world like nothing you’ve ever seen before. 

The Lawnmower Man (Collector's Edition)  

Available for the first time on Blu-ray, this definitive collector’s edition release boasts The Director’s Cut, theatrical cut and revealing extras. Dr. Lawrence Angelo (Pierce Brosnan) is a brilliant scientist obsessed with perfecting virtual reality software. When his experiments on animals fail, he finds the ideal substitute – Jobe Smith (Jeff Fahey), a slow-witted gardener. Dr. Angelo's goal is to benefit his human guinea pig and ultimately mankind itself, but evil lurks the guise of "the Shop," a shadowy group that seeks to use the technology to create an invincible war machine. When the experiments change the simple Jobe into a superhuman being, the stage is set for a Jekyll-and-Hyde struggle for the control of Jobe's mind and the future of the world.

Miraculous: Tales Of Ladybug & Cat Noir: It’s Ladybug

The most Miraculous adventures of Ladybug and Cat Noir continue! Paris’ favorite crime-fighting duo return in a new volume of the action-adventure, romantic comedy that will have you on the edge of your seat. This release includes six amazing episodes on DVD and a Ladybug paper doll, while supplies last.

My Little Pony: Equestria Girls: Magical Movie Night

Grab your popcorn, because the Equestria Girls are back for a magic-filled triple feature! There's a reason these seven girls look familiar. . . as they step through a magical mirror, they transport from the world of My Little Pony, transforming into teenage girls at Canterlot High.  Full-time students and part-time magical pony-girls, the Equestria Girls are always ready to save the day with the Magic of Friendship! So, gather round for three mystical adventures when My Little Pony Equestria Girls – Magical Movie Night comes to DVD on August 8, 2017 from Shout! Kids in collaboration with Hasbro Studios.

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XXXVII + Bonus Disc

Volume XXXVII  brings us The Human Duplicators, a 1965  science fiction film about an alien, the cybernetic physicist he controls and the blind girl he falls for;  Escape 2000 (aka Bronx Warriors 2 and Escape from the Bronx), wherein generic and nefarious corporation gentrifies a Bronx neighborhood to death in the service of creating the city of the future. But when they kill the parents of the first movie’s hero, they are in for some action, low-budget 80s style; Teens and monsters have always had a complicated relationship status in the movies, but The Horror of Party Beach kicks it down a notch or eight, as a coastal town grapples with mutated fishmen who crash a beach party in hideous fashion; and Invasion of the Neptune Men, which stars martial arts legend Sonny Chiba as Space Chief, a superhero of sorts, in this 1961 kids movie of sorts about an alien invasion of sorts. The exclusive bonus disc featuresThe MST3K Fancy Hollywood Awards Preview Specials.

Slither (Collector's Edition)

From James Gunn, co-writer and director of Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, comes Slither, the deliciously demented story of an unnamed evil wreaking havoc on a small town. Making its Blu-ray debut as a deluxe Collector’s Edition Blu-ray on  August 1^st, 2017 from Scream Factory, this delightfully disgusting creature feature comes jam-packed with bonus features, including a new audio commentary with director James Gunn, actor Nathan Fillion and actor Michael Rooker, a new interview “The Genesis of Slither” with writer and director James Gunn, a new interview with actor Gregg Henry, audio commentary with James Gunn and Nathan Fillion, deleted and extended scenes with optional commentary by James Gunn, Slithery Set Tour with actor Nathan Fillion, and much, much more!

Species  

Scream Factory  is proud to present SPECIES Collector’s Edition 2-Disc Blu-ray set. This definitive collector’s edition features new 4K scan of the film and contains insightful bonus content.  When a beautiful human-alien hybrid (Henstridge) escapes from observation, scientist Xavier Fitch (Kingsley) dispatches a crew of experts to find her before she is able to fulfill her horrific purpose: to mate with unsuspecting men and produce offspring that could destroy mankind. As her deadly biological clock ticks rapidly, Fitch and his team are hurled into a desperate battle in which the fate of humanity itself hangs in the balance!

Streets Of Fire (Collector’s Edition)

STREETS OF FIRE is a rock & roll shotgun blast to the senses. This definitive collector’s edition features new 2K high-def transfer, cast and crew interviews plus feature-length documentary, vintage featurettes, music videos and more!  Steel), Rick Moranis (Ghostbusters) and Amy Madigan (The Dark Half). Amid a brooding rock & roll landscape, the Bombers motorcycle gang, led by the vicious Raven Shaddock (Willem Dafoe), kidnap diva Ellen Aim (Diane Lane). Her hope for rescue lies with unlikely heroes: soldier of fortune Tom Cody (Michael Paré) and his sidekick, the two-fisted beer-guzzling McCoy (Amy Madigan). Joined by Ellen's manager, Billy Fish (Rick Moranis), the trio plunges headfirst into a world of rain-splattered streets, hot cars, and deadly assassins.

Teen Wolf (Collector's Edition)  and Teen Wolf Too (Collector's Edition)  

Hooooooooooooooowl! Scream Factory will present two classic films from the 1980’s, Teen Wolf (Collector’s Editon), starring Michael J Fox, and Teen Wolf Too (Collector’s Edition), starring Jason Bateman, the latter on Blu-ray™ for the first time.  Special Features on Teen Wolf (Collector’s Editon) include a new 2017 high-definition film transfer taken from the interpositive, a still gallery, the original theatrical trailer, and Never. Say. Die. The Story Of Teen Wolf - an exciting new comprehensive documentary about the making and legacy of the film, including brand-new interviews with writers Jeph Loeb and Matthew Weisman; producers Mark Levinson and Scott Rosenfelt; stars Susan Ursitti-Sheinberg, Jerry Levine, Matt Adler, Jim MacKrell and Troy Evans; basketball double Jeff Glosser; casting director Paul Ventura; production designer Chester Kaczenski; special effects make-up artist Jeff Dawn; and editor Lois Freeman-Fox.  With a runtime of 2 hours and 23 minutes, the documentary also delves into the controversial urban legend regarding the final scenes of the film. Special features on Teen Wolf Too (Collector’s Edition) include Working with the Wolf – an interview with director Christopher Leitch, Otherworldly – an interview with co-star Kim Darby, A Man of Great ‘Stiles’ - an interview with co-star Stuart Fratkin, Nerdy Girl Saves the Day – an interview with co-star Estee Chandler, A Wolf in ‘80s Clothing – a look at the wardrobe of Teen Wolf Too with costume designer Heidi Kaczenski, and a still gallery.

They Live (Collector's Edition Steelbook)  

Celebrate the 5^th Anniversary of Scream Factory with John Carpenter’s politically-charged science fiction thriller They Live. The truth is more than meets the eye. You’ve been listening to their speeches and watching them on TV. They influence our decisions without us knowing it. Think again and the choice is yours! Featuring anamorphic widescreen presentation of this cult classic movie, this special collector’s edition home entertainment release of They Live boasts a bounty of special bonus content, a collectible cover featuring newly rendered retro-style artwork, a reversible wrap with original theatrical key art and much more!

The Thin: (Collector's Edition)

In 1982 legendary genre filmmaker John Carpenter (Halloween, They Live) unleashed THE THING--a chilling sci-fi thriller that raised the bar on shocking special effects and terrified movie audiences worldwide. Scream Factory  is proud to present this landmark horror film in a 2-disc Collector’s Edition Blu-ray release which includes a brand new 2K scan of the film (supervised by Director of Photography Dean Cundey) and over 5 hours of extras.

About Shout! Factory

Shout! Factory, LLC is a diversified multi-platform media company devoted to producing, uncovering, preserving and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their entire careers sharing their music, television and film favorites with discerning consumers the world over. Shout! Factory’s entertainment offerings serve up feature films, classic and contemporary TV series, animation, live music and comedy specials. In addition, Shout! Factory maintains a vast entertainment distribution network which delivers culturally relevant programming, movie and audio content to all the leading digital service providers in North America and across multiple platforms. Shout! Factory owns and operates Shout! Factory Productions, Scream Factory, Shout! Factory Kids, Shout! Factory Films, Mystery Science Theater 3000, Timeless Media Group and Shout! Factory TV. These riches are the result of a creative acquisition mandate that has established the company as a hotbed of cultural preservation and commercial reinvention. Shout! Factory is based in Los Angeles, California. For more on Shout! Factory, visit shoutfactory.com.

CAGE THE ELEPHANT DEBUT LIVE PERFORMANCE VIDEO FOR “SWEETIE LITTLE JEAN”
 
NEW ALBUM UNPEELED OUT JULY 28^TH 
WORLDWIDE VIA RCA RECORDS
 
TELL ME I’M PRETTY WINNER OF 
2017 GRAMMY®  AWARD FOR “BEST ROCK ALBUM”

This morning, GRAMMY® Award winners Cage The Elephant debut the live performance video for their song "Sweetie Little Jean," featured on their forthcoming album Unpeeled. The song was recorded live by the band at their sold-out, hometown show at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and you can watch the video here.

Cage The Elephant will release Unpeeled worldwide on July 28, 2017 via RCA Records. The new album was recorded over a series of intimate shows in cities including Los Angeles, Washington DC, Knoxville, and Nashville where the band performed in a stripped-down arrangement with a string quartet and additional percussion. Unpeeled features twenty-one tracks: eighteen curated songs from their past four albums plus three reimagined versions of existing songs. Said front man Matt Shultz about the inspiration behind the album: “Many times you’re adding sonic layers looking for something to hide behind, and what you don’t realize is that that vulnerability and that nakedness might be the most compelling and interesting thing about the song.” Preorder the album here.

Cage The Elephant have previously premiered their music video for “Whole Wide World,” featured on Unpeeled, on Consequence Of Sound. Recently, Cage The Elephant also appeared on Late Night With Seth Meyers to perform the Unpeeled versions of “Whole Wide World” and “Too Late to Say Goodbye”. Cage The Elephant are currently touring throughout Europe and have confirmed dates at some of the continent’s largest festivals, including Spain’s Mad Cool Festival, and Libson’s Nos Alive. The band will also perform a special show at London’s Union Chapel where UK fans will experience the new versions of their songs as they will appear on Unpeeled, with a string quartet and in a stripped back arrangement. In addition, Cage The Elephant will be state-side starting in July and will play US festivals including Forecastle Festival, Lollapalooza, Osheaga Music & Arts, Mempho Fest and Cal Jam with The Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age. Tickets for these dates are on-sale now and available here. Cage The Elephant received their first GRAMMY® AWARD for Best Rock Album for their fourth studio album, Tell Me I’m Pretty, which was produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. At radio, Cage The Elephant holds the record for the most #1 Alternative songs of any artist this decade. Tell Me I’m Pretty’sfirst two singles “Mess Around” and “Trouble,” both topped the Alternative charts at #1 (“Mess Around” also hit #1 at Triple A). In addition, Trouble maintained its bullet on the Alternative radio chart for an astounding 41 weeks. “Cold Cold Cold,” went top 5 at both Alternative and Triple A. Watch the video for “Cold Cold Cold” and “Trouble,” both directed by singer Matt Shultz.  Cage The Elephant consists of singer Matt Shultz, guitarist Brad Shultz, drummer Jared Champion, bassist Daniel Tichenor, lead guitarist Nick Bockrath and Matthan Minster on keyboard and backing vocals. Long celebrated as one of the most explosive live bands in the world, Cage The Elephant have sold out several headlining runs including a summer 2016 arena tour and recent sold out UK and European tour. Additionally, Cage The Elephant’s self-titled debut album was recently certified RIAA platinum.   Critical Acclaim for Tell Me I’m Pretty:   “It’s a daring, deliberate shift for Cage The Elephant” – The New York Times   “Tell Me I’m Pretty…is their best yet – melodically taut garage rock with psychedelic flourishes and a fighting edge” – Rolling Stone   “[Tell Me I’m Pretty] swaggers with a raw, psychedelic sound” – Billboard   “The record is grimy, gritty, and thick rock ‘n’ roll” – AV Club   Unpeeled Track Listing 01 Cry Baby 02 Whole Wide World 03 Sweetie Little Jean 04 Spiderhead 05 Take It Or Leave It 06 Too Late To Say Goodbye 07 Punchin’ Bag 08 Shake Me Down 09 Telescope  10 Instant Crush 11 Trouble 12 Ain't No Rest For The Wicked 13 Rubber Ball 14 Aberdeen 15 Golden Brown 16 Cold Cold Cold 17 How Are You True 18 Come A Little Closer 19 Back Against The Wall 20 Cigarette Daydreams        21 Right Before My Eyes CAGE THE ELEPHANT UPCOMING TOUR DATES July 7 /// Madrid, Spain /// Mad Cool Festival% July 8 /// Lisbon, Portugal /// Nos Alive% July 10 /// London, UK /// Union Chapel* July 14 /// Louisville, KY /// Forecastle Festival% July 23 /// San Marcos, TX /// Float Fest 2017% July 28 /// Oro-Medonte, ON, Canada /// Wayhome Music & Arts Festival% August 3 /// Chicago, IL /// Lollapalooza% August 5 /// Montreal, QC, Canada /// Osheaga Music & Arts% September 9 /// St Louis, MO /// Loufest% September 23 /// Las Vegas, NV /// Life Is Beautiful Festival% September 30 /// Mobile, AL /// Ten Sixty Five Street Party% October 6 /// Memphis, TN /// Mempho Music Fest October 7 /// San Bernardino, CA /// Cal Jam 17% November 18 /// Mexico City, Mexico /// Corona Capital% *Unpeeled Performance %Festival Date