Danny Elfman to sing 'Nightmare Before Christmas' classics on Halloween

I hope everybody has a great weekend. Here is some pretty exciting news to send you on your way. I was at the fabled final performance from Oingo Boingo on October 31, 1995 and it was one of the concert events of a lifetime...

Danny Elfman's music from the films of director Tim Burton to be featured at Nokia Live in Los Angeles on October 31, 2013 Danny Elfman to perform for first time since Halloween night, October 31, 1995  Celebrate Halloween 2013 with Danny Elfman’s Music from the Films of Tim Burton, a unique concert with the Hollywood Studio Symphony and the Page LA Choir conducted by John Mauceri, for one night only at the Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE on Thursday, October 31 at 8:15 pm. The program includes newly created suites from all fifteen film collaborations of the legendary composer Danny Elfman and visionary director Tim Burton.  Elfman himself will perform his songs from “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”  He was the singing voice of Jack Skellington in the 1993 classic film.  The concert will be accompanied with large screen film clips, and the artwork of Tim Burton. This will be Elfman’s first live U.S. performance since his Farewell: Live from the Universal Amphitheatre concert with Oingo Boingo on Halloween, 1995, and the West Coast debut of this concert.  The Nokia concert will follow the world premiere of this concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall, which has already completely sold out. Danny Elfman's Music From The Films Of Tim Burton is produced by Columbia Artists Management Inc & Kraft- Engel Management.   Dates for a national tour of this concert are to be announced. Tickets priced from $45.00 go on sale Friday, September 13 at 10am through AXS.com, and by phone at (888) 929-7849.  Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE is located at 777 Chick Hearn Ct., Los Angeles, CA 90015.   There will be music from Batman, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Beetlejuice, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Alice In Wonderland and others on the program.   Among the most popular films of our times, the films featured in this concert have grossed over $3.5 billion dollars worldwide. The concert is conducted by John Mauceri featuring the 87-piece Hollywood Symphony Orchestra and 45-member Page LA Choir.  Mr. Mauceri, regarded as one of the world’s leading conductors of live film music, was Director of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra for 15 years.  For his farewell concert in 2006 Mauceri commissioned Danny Elfman to compose The Overeager Overture.  Mauceri also conducted the recording of Elfman's classical work, Serenada Schizophrana. Danny Elfman and Tim Burton's collaboration has spanned 27 years from Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) through Frankenweenie (2012).  They are currently working together on Big Eyes starring Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz about painter Margaret Keane for 2014. Elfman won the Grammy Award for Batman.  He has been nominated four times for the Academy Award for Best Score for Milk, Good Will Hunting, Men In Black and Tim Burton's Big Fish and nominated for three Golden Globes for Alice In Wonderland, Big Fish and The Nightmare Before Christmas.   The retrospective box set Danny Elfman & Tim Burton's 25th Anniversary Music Boxfrom Warner Bros. Records was nominated for a Grammy.  Elfman’s recent scores include Silver Linings Playbook and Oz: The Great And Powerful. About Danny Elfman and John Mauceri Over the last 30 years, four-time Oscar nominee Danny Elfman has established himself as one of the most versatile and accomplished film composers in the industry. He has collaborated with such directors as Tim Burton, Gus Van Sant, Sam Raimi, Paul Haggis, Ang Lee, Rob Marshall, Guillermo del Toro, Brian De Palma, and Peter Jackson. Beginning with his first score on Tim Burton’s Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Elfman has scored a broad range of films, including: Milk (Oscar nominated), Good Will Hunting (Oscar nominated), Big Fish (Oscar nominated), Men in Black (Oscar nominated), Edward Scissorhands, Wanted, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Mission: Impossible, Planet of the Apes, A Simple Plan, To Die For, Spider-Man (1 & 2), Batman, Dolores Claiborne, Sommersby, Chicago, Dick Tracy, The Nightmare Before Christmas and Alice in Wonderland. Elfman's most recent projects include Silver Linings Playbook, Oz: The Great And Powerful, Hitchcock, Epic, and the Errol Morris Documentary The Unknown Known: The Life And Times Of Donald Rumsfeld. A native of Los Angeles, Elfman grew up loving film music. He travelled the world as a young man, absorbing its musical diversity. He helped found the band Oingo Boingo, and came to the attention of a young Tim Burton, who asked him to write the score for Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. (28 years later, the two have forged one of the most fruitful composer-director collaborations in film history.) In addition to his film work, Elfman wrote the iconic theme music for The Simpsons and Desperate Housewives. He also composed a ballet, Rabbit and Rogue, choreographed by Twyla Tharp, a symphony Serenada Schizophrana for Carnegie Hall, an overture The Overeager Overture for the Hollywood Bowl, and, most recently, Iris—a Cirque du Soleil show at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre. Danny Elfman’s music from the films of Tim Burton will be having its concert premiere at London’s Royal Albert Hall. “Having a particular style is not bad,” says Elfman, “but I prefer to push myself in the direction of being a composer who you never know what he’s doing next.” John Mauceri’s distinguished and extraordinary career has brought him not only to the world’s greatest opera companies and symphony orchestras, but also to the musical stages of Broadway and Hollywood, as well as the most prestigious halls of academia. Regarded as the world’s leading performer of the music of Hollywood’s émigré composers, he has taken the lead in the preservation and performance of many kinds of music and has supervised/conducted premieres by composers as diverse as Debussy, Stockhausen, Korngold, Bernstein, Hindemith, Elfman, Ives, and Shore. As an accomplished recording artist, John Mauceri has over 70 albums to his name, and is the recipient of Grammy, Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk, Edison, Cannes Classique, Billboard, two Diapasons d’Or, two Emmys, and four Deutsche Schallplatten Awards.

Danny Elfman

Bright Blue Gorilla to perform, screen latest film 'Go with Le Flo' in San Juan Capistrano on Saturday, Aug. 31

Saturday night, Aug. 31, 2013 marks the California premiere of the latest full-length movie from the creative talents of Bright Blue Gorilla. The amazing duo featuring Michael Glover and Robyn Rosenkrantz have long since extended their reach from genre-defying music making to film making. 

Following a live concert from Bright Blue Gorilla at 7 p.m., the new film Go with Le Flo will be screened. The event will be held at San Juan Capistrano Regency Theatre, 26762 Verdugo Street, in San Juan Capistrano. The phone number of the theater is (949) 661-3435.

Tickets to the concert and film showing are only $10. 

For those who haven't ever heard the music of Bright Blue Gorilla (Mantra for the American Jungle is a masterpiece) or seen any of their wonderful movies (Sister Sarah's Sky, The Mind of Henry Lime, etc.) visit www.brightbluegorilla.com to learn more, see more, hear more.

Below are all the essential details about tomorrow's event:

Photo credit: Rick Mendoza

Go with Le Flo California Premiere &

Bright Blue Gorilla concert

West Coast Film Festival

Saturday, August 31, at 7 p.m.  Tickets $10

 

Bright Blue Gorilla Concert at 7 p.m.

Go with Le Flo Film at 7:30 p.m.

 

San Juan Capistrano Regency Theatre

26762 Verdugo Street

San Juan Capistrano, CA  92672

Regency (949)661-3435  

West Coast Film Festival (949)489-7771

http://www.gowithleflo.com/ 

https://www.facebook.com/westcoastfilmfestival

http://westcoastfilmfest.com/

Online tickets: http://67017.formovietickets.com:2235/Tickets.ASP?WCI=buyticket&Page=PickTickets&SHOWID=10488

 

Please arrive early for parking structure next to the train station

tickets available at box office and online 

 

Aptly-titled 'New' track released by Paul McCartney; Sir Paul to release 'New' album in October 2013

Photo: Mary McCartney

I just finished listening to Sir Paul's melodic Beatles-styled (think Magical Mystery Tour era) "New,"a fantastic song which is likely a featured track off his forthcoming full-length studio album set for release this fall. The Mark Ronson-produced track showcases McCartney's enduring and unique gift for melodic songcraft; the song's choruses have a bit of the classic Beach Boys' vocal sound mixed into the winning sonic brew.

You can listen to the track here via Soundcloud here.

You can also hear "New" via YouTube here.

New, which is set for release in the UK on Oct. 14 and here in the U.S. on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013 will be McCartney's first album of all new material since 2007's wonderful Memory Almost Full. For all things Paul McCartney, visit his official Web site at www.PaulMcCartney.com.

Tedeschi Trucks Band 'Made Up Mind' debuts at #11 on Billboard Chart

Several of the strongest performances I've caught at Doheny Blues Festival in Dana Point over the years have come courtesy of the Tedeschi Trucks Band. Here is the latest news from the fantastic troupe...

Tedeschi Trucks Band at 2013 Doheny Blues Festival in Dana Point. Photo: Bob Steshetz

TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND MADE UP MIND DEBUTS AT #11 ON BILLBOARD CHART FOLLOW UP TO GRAMMY WINNING REVELATOR EARNS RAVE REVIEWS TOUR DATES INCLUDE THREE NIGHTS AT NEW YORK'S BEACON THEATER

(New York, NY) -- Tedeschi Trucks Band's new album, Made Up Mind - released by Sony Masterworks on August 20 - has debuted #11 on Billboard's Top 200 chart, #1 on the Blues chart, #2 on the Rock chart, #2 on the FMQB AAA non-comm chart, # 5 on the BDS AAA Indicator chart, # 4 on the Americana chart and #1 on the Roots Music Blues Chart  with 26,466 units sold - Tedeschi Trucks Band's highest unit debut to date.    Made Up Mind is nothing less than a quantum leap forwardfor TTB. If Revelator and Everybody's Talkin' were all about finding their way, this new effort is where they emerge as a fully formed band for the ages. Made Up Mind is available through the bands website, here:http://www.tedeschitrucksband.com. Rolling Stone magazine raves: "The album combines funk, greasy blues and Memphis soul; beefier horn lines, snappier interplay between two drummers, and Tedeschi's rugged vocals." Throughout the course of the album it becomes increasingly apparent that Susan Tedeschi has evolved into one of the most dauntingly commanding vocalists in contemporary music, her serious lung power exploding on standout tracks such as the über-funky "Misunderstood" and just as convincingly digging into the core of poignant, tender acoustic ballads like "Calling Out to You" and "Idle Wind".   Derek Trucks has indisputably matured into one of the monster guitarists of our time, tearing up barn burners like the title track "Made Up Mind" with his masterful slide and lead licks while showcasing his easier, more subtle touch on the bluesy "Do I Look Worried". Premier Guitar Magazine praises: "When Trucks cuts loose, the gloves come off. And that's what makes this album essential listening for anyone who plays slide guitar." Tedeschi Trucks Band's fall tour kicks off at Lockn' Festival and includes a residency at the legendary Beacon Theater in New York City. For a full itinerary, please see tour dates listed below.Tickets can be purchased,  here: http://www.tedeschitrucksband.com/events   08-Sep    Arrington, VA            Lockn' Festival 13-Sep    Cleveland, OH           Jacobs Pavilion 14-Sep   Cincinnati, OH            PNC Pavilion 16-Sep  Las Vegas, NV             Sin City Soul & Blues Revival 19-Sep  Allentown, PA             Miller Symphony Hall 20-Sep  New York, NY             Beacon Theatre 21-Sep  New York, NY             Beacon Theatre 26-Sep  Richmond, VA             Carpenter Theatre 27-Sep  New York, NY             Beacon Theatre 28-Sep  Wilmington, NC          Greenfield Lake Amphitheater 15-Oct  Madison, WI               Overture Center for the Arts 16-Oct  Milwaukee, WI            Riverside Theater 18-Oct  Ozark, AR                   Harvest Music Festival 19-Oct  New Orleans, LA        Joy Center 23-Oct  Charleston, WV          Clay Center 24-Oct  Columbia, MO            Jesse Auditorium 25-Oct  Bowling Green, KY    Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center 29-Oct  London, ENG             Royal Albert Hall 01-Nov  Boone, NC                Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts 28-Apr  Paris, FR                    L'Olympia

Eagle Rock Entertainment to release 'Caro Emerald In Concert' on Sept. 30

EAGLE ROCK ENTERTAINMENT TO RELEASE

CARO EMERALD

IN CONCERT

~ON DVD, BLU-RAY, AND DIGITAL VIDEO 9/30~

Eagle Rock Entertainment is proud to announce the release on September 30, 2013 of In Concert on DVD, Blu-ray and Digital Formats from Caro Emerald. 

A classically trained and multi-faceted vocalist, Dutch singer Caro Emerald, backed by a full brass band and a DJ, channels big band, pop, jazz, and mambo, influences into a smooth, classy flavor. Drawing inspiration from the 20s through the 60s, Emerald recalls the sultry sirens and pin-ups of yesteryear viewed through a contemporary prism, musically and stylistically. Her retro-yet-modern aesthetic, which has garnered comparisons to Amy Winehouse and Adele, has hit a note with fans, as evidenced on songs like “Stuck,” “Back It Up,” and “A Night Like This.”

Emerald burst into the limelight in 2010 when her debut album Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor skyrocketed straight to the No.1 spot in her native Holland. Later in the year it was released across Europe to universal acclaim and huge commercial success. Her second album The Shocking Miss Emerald, released in the spring of 2013, was a No.1 album in the UK and Holland and continues to be a top chart title in many territories.

This performance was filmed at the BBC Radio Theatre for BBC’s “In Concert” series earlier this year, with a 60-minute version being broadcast on BBC Radio 2 and on digital TV. Emerald, with intoxicating whimsy and glowing stage presence, performs a mix of tracks from both her studio albums, including all her hits (“Back It Up,” “That Man,” “Liquid Lunch,” “Stuck,” “Tangled Up,” “A Night Like This,” “Riviera Life,” and many more), and a cover version of the Noel Coward song “Mad About The Boy.” Bonus Features include an interview with Emerald and rehearsal performances of “Tangled Up” and “That Man.”

Experience Caro Emerald’s voice, flair, and personality on In Concert. 

Eagle Rock Entertainment is the largest producer and distributor of music programming for DVD, Blu-Ray, TV, Audio and Digital Media in the world.  Eagle works directly alongside talent to produce top quality, High Definition and 3D programs, both concerts and documentaries, including The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Who, Queen, The Doors, Jeff Beck, U2, Peter Gabriel, Paul McCartney and Ozzy Osbourne. Eagle is a Grammy Award winning company and has received over 30 multi-platinum, over 50 platinum and over 90 gold discs, worldwide.  Eagle Rock Entertainment has offices in London, New York, Toronto, Paris and Hamburg.

Follow Eagle Rock Entertainment at:

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/EagleRockEnt

Twitter: www.twitter.com/EagleRockNews

YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/eaglerocktv

TRACK LISTING

1) Just One Dance  

2) You Don’t Love Me  

3) Riviera Life  

4) Pack Up The Louie  

5) Black Valentine  

6) Back It Up  

7) Liquid Lunch  

8) Completely  

9) Paris  

10) Dr Wanna Do  

11) I Belong To You  

12) That Man  

13) The Other Woman  

14) Mad About The Boy  

15) My Two Cents  

16) Tangled Up  

17) A Night Like This  

18) Stuck

Inbox Update: Kitchens Of Distinction, The Casket Girls, Megadeth

Hope everybody is having a great week. Here is a collection of a number of releases that have landed in my inbox this morning... 

Kitchens Of Distinction return with a brand new  studio album, Folly, their first in 19 years   to be released on CD, Vinyl, and Digital Formats on November 5, 2013   check out "Japan to Jupiter" on STEREOGUM

In Summer 2011, Patrick Fitzgerald asked Julian Swales whether he would like to work on some new songs together. Dan Goodwin was invited to join in the fun and eventually ten songs loomed out of the mist. Ten new songs that sound not as a pastiche of a band 20 years on but, as Julian puts it, are "like a new version sucked through time and space."  Fitzgerald elaborates:  "Jules thinks it sounds nothing like old Kitchens, but like a new version sucked through time and space. Dan said he thought it would fit neatly between Death of Cool and Cowboys. Me? Well it certainly sounds like nothing I've recorded these past stephenhero years, so I'm glad as I wanted a change. It's definitely a hark back to the sonic noise of KOD, but the lyrics are wiser, and the songs less fraught. But don't get me wrong, they are no less intense."   Folly is KOD 's fifth overall and first since 1994's Cowboys and Aliens. Fitzgerald, Swales and drummer Dan Goodwin formed KOD in South London in 1985 and released their first single, "The Last Gasp Death Shuffle," in 1987. Between 1989 and 1994, the trio released four studio albums before disbanding in 1996 following the release of final single "Feel My Genie." Fitzgerald rules out touring, at least with all three band members, stating "No live shows featuring all 3 of us. Do you hear? That's a NO to those sitting in the back."  Pre-order: http://www.seeofsound.com/p.php?s=3RANGE11 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kitchens-of-Distinction/36301200732 The Fader Premieres The Casket Girls' "Holding You Back" MP3 Limited Edition Tape Out On September 7 / Cassette Store Day  "The Casket Girls' brand of goth pop is definitely dark, but it's a perfect mixture of doom and optimism that keeps you hanging on every word." - Bust "The Casket Girls sound like homespun electronic kindred spirits to School of Seven Bells,  A Sunny Day in Glasgow, Au Revoir Simone, and other dream-pop groups  centered around swirling sisterly vocals." - Spin Listen: "Holding You Back" via The Fader or SoundCloud The Casket Girls, comprised of Ryan Graveface (Black Moth Super Rainbow, The Marshmallow Ghosts, Dreamend)  and newcomers, Elsa and Phaedra Greene, are back with two new songs for the first ever Cassette Store Day. The limited edition tape will be released on September 7 onGraveface Records & Curiosities and features "Holding You Back" & "Suddenly." The Faderpremiered "Holding You Back" and said "it's got a subtle creepiness to it, seemingly tied to the ethereal, double-female vocals, like an extremely happy song that you might hear over the closing credits of a horror movie." Holding You Back" is also available to post and share via SoundCloud. The cassingle follows up The Casket Girls debut album Sleepwalking which was released late last year on Graveface and a limited edition Record Store Day EP. Those releases were praised by publications such as Bust, NPR, Paste, PopMatters, Spin, The Washington Post and more. The band toured in support of those albums with The Faint, Trust and Black Moth Super Rainbowamong others. The forthcoming cassingle will also act as a competition between the two new songs. Check back onThe Casket Girls Facebook page in the coming weeks as there will be a poll, and the song that wins will go on their next full length due in early 2014. For more info, please visit: http://www.casketgirls.org/ http://www.graveface.com/ MEGADETH - PHOTO CREDIT: Myriam Santos MEGADETH 'COUNTDOWN TO EXTINCTION: LIVE' TO BE RELEASED ON SEPT.  24, 2013 IN MULTIPLE VIDEO AND AUDIO CONFIGURATIONS  Definitive Document of Megadeth’s Acclaimed 2012 "Countdown to Extinction 20th Anniversary Tour" "(Countdown to Extinction) may just be the finest thrash-metal album ever made" – SPIN   Los Angeles, Ca. (August 28, 2013) – Last November and December, Megadeth blazed hot on the band’s “Countdown to Extinction 20th Anniversary Tour,” ripping through their entire double platinum 1992 album from start to finish before performing other classics from their recorded catalog.  On September 24 (September 23 outside of North America), Tradecraft/UMe will releaseCountdown to Extinction: Live, a definitive document of the acclaimed, sold-out tour.  Recorded and filmed at Los Angeles’ Fox Theatre last December,Countdown to Extinction: Live will be available in several video and audio configurations, including deluxe Blu-ray/CD, DVD, CD, Digital Album, Mastered for iTunes Album, and Longform Digital Video.   In addition to Megadeth’s blistering performance of the entire Countdown to Extinction album, including the essential “Symphony Of Destruction,” “Foreclosure Of A Dream,” “Sweating Bullets,” and “Skin O’ My Teeth,”Countdown to Extinction: Live features all of the other Megadeth classics the band performed at the epic concert, including “Holy Wars” and “Hangar 18” from 1990’s Rust in Peace, “Peace Sells” from the band’s influential, platinum certified 1986 album, Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?, and “Trust” from 1997’s platinum certified Cryptic Writings.   Megadeth’s fifth studio album, Countdown to Extinction was recorded in Los Angeles in 1992.  American tensions weren’t limited to LA, as the Gulf War was still fresh in people’s minds, the state of the environment was becoming headline news, and out of this turmoil, Megadeth was inspired to create Countdown to Extinction, considered by many to be the band’s best and most accessible album. None of their previous records were as polemical as the sonic missiles launched by ‘Countdown.’  Megadeth laced the songs with acid-tongued commentary about subjects ranging from the futility of war (“Architecture of Aggression”) to the senseless brutality of caged hunting (“Countdown to Extinction”).  “Foreclosure of a Dream” sampled George Bush’s infamous “Read my lips” speech, making a statement about taxation endangering the American Dream.   Thanks to a perfect balance of hard-rock song structures, epic choruses, and fleet-fingered guitar work, Countdown to Extinction became an instant classic, benefiting from copious MTV and radio play. SPIN magazine raved that ‘Countdown’ “may just be the finest thrash-metal album ever made.”  The album shot to No. 2 on the Billboard chart (it may have hit No. 1, if not for Billy Ray Cyrus’ long chart-topping reign with Some Gave All), and it was certified double platinum in the U.S. within two years.   Megadeth was in top form, with Dave Mustaine, the band’s then 31-year-old singer and guitarist leading the album’s assault with lyrics like “You know your worth when your enemies praise your architecture of aggression,” not to mention his venomous rhythm guitar attack with his longtime bandmate completed the picture, as bassist David Ellefson jammed dizzying arrays of low-end thunder. Megadeth sounded hungry, and the band was rewarded when the album earned a GRAMMY Award nomination (Best Metal Performance) and when its title cut garnered a Genesis Award from the Humane Society for raising awareness for animal rights issues.   In November 2012, Capitol released an expanded and remastered 20th Anniversary Edition of Countdown to Extinction, personally overseen by Mustaine.  The 2 CD lift-top box and digital release pairs the remastered original album with an exclusive, previously unreleased 1992 concert, recorded live at San Francisco’s Cow Palace. In a career nearing 30 years, Megadeth has sold more than 38 million albums worldwide, earning five consecutive platinum albums and numerous accolades along the way, including 11 GRAMMY® nominations.  The band’s latest studio album, Super Collider, reunites Mustaine once again with guitarist Chris Broderick, bassist David Ellefson, and drummer Shawn Drover.  Released in June, Super Collider debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200, Megadeth’s highest chart debut since 1994’s Youthanasia.  Megadeth: Countdown to Extinction: Live Intro Trust Hangar 18 Public Enemy Skin O’ My Teeth Symphony of Destruction Architecture of Aggression Foreclosure of a Dream Sweating Bullets This Was My Life Countdown To Extinction High Speed Dirt Psychotron Captive Honour Ashes In Your Mouth She Wolf Peace Sells Holy Wars...The Punishment Due Outro MEGADETH ON TOUR: 09/03 Raleigh, NC / Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek 09/05 Nashville, TN / Bridgestone Arena * 09/07 Kansas City, MO / Sprint Center * 09/08 Maryland Heights, MO / Verizon Wireless Amphitheater * 09/10 Austin, TX / Tower Amphitheater * 09/12 Las Vegas, NV / Mandalay Bay Events Center * 09/13 San Bernardino, CA / San Manuel Amphitheater * "Battle of San Bernardino" 09/14 Sacramento, CA / Discovery Park "Monster Energy Aftershock Festival" 10/04 Santiago, Chile / Estadio Monumental ** 10/06 Buenos Aires, Argentina / Estadio Unico de la Plata ** 10/09 Proto Alegre, Brazil / Fiergs ** 10/11 Sao Paulo, Brazil / Pama (Campo de marte) ** 10/13 Rio De Janeiro, Brazil / Apoteose ** 10/15 Belo Horizonte, Brazil / Esplanada Do Mineirao ** 10/19 Bogota, Colombia / Parque Simon Bolivar ** 10/22 San Jose, Costa Rica / National Stadium ** 10/26 Mexico City, Mexico / Foro Sol ** 10/30 Phoenix, AZ / Veteran's Memorial Coliseum "Arizona State Fair" * Appearing with Iron Maiden ** Appearing with Black Sabbath www.megadeth.com www.twitter.com/megadeth

Austin City Limits to Live Stream The Black Angels Debut tonight (Aug. 28, 2013)

This just in...

Austin City Limits to Live Stream The Black Angels Debut

Tonight August 28th @ 9pm ET/8pm CT

Austin, TX—August 28, 2013—Austin City Limits (ACL) will live stream the debut taping of Austin's own Black Angels worldwide tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern Time/ 8pm Central Time. Fans can log on to ACL's YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/AustinCityLimitsTV to watch the Texas psych-rockers entire ACL taping as it happens live from The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. The broadcast episode will air as part of ACL's upcoming Season 39, which premieres in October on PBS.

Named in tribute to the Velvet Underground number “The Black Angel’s Death Song,” the
Black Angels found themselves the spearhead of a new psychedelic revival soon after their formation in 2004. The band’s carefully crafted blend of melody and noise won over fans of both modern indie rock and old-school acid rock, and its LPs Passover and Directions to See a Ghost on the Light in the Attic label established it as a major force in underground rock & roll. 2008 found the band not only backing Roky Erickson for a pair of gigs, but also starting its own festival, the Austin Psych Fest. Signing to the revived legendary label Blue Horizon, the Black Angels signaled a poppier direction with Phosphene Dream and its latest Indigo Meadow. NPR recently said of the band, “The music slunk through the crowd like an iridescent snake wrapping itself around each and every fan in the crowd, rattling its tail and hissing a slew of bittersweet, psychedelic nothings in the process.”

About Austin City Limits

Austin City Limits (ACL) is a television series on PBS that records and broadcasts original musical performances from exciting new talent and legendary artists of all genres.



Austin City Limits is the longest-running music series in American television history and remains the only TV series to ever be awarded the National Medal of Arts. ACL has been designated an official Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Landmark. In 2012, ACL received a rare institutional Peabody Award for excellence and outstanding achievement. In 2011, ACL moved to the new venue ACL Live at The Moody Theater in downtown Austin.


ACL is produced by KLRU-TV and funding is provided in part by AMD, Budweiser, the Austin Convention Center Department and Dell. Additional funding is provided by the Friends of Austin City Limits. Learn more about Austin City Limits, programming and history at acltv.com.

Toad the Wet Sprocket impresses in full-scale return

Glen Phillips at the Observatory on Aug. 25, 2013. 

Toad the Wet Sprocket is back.
Although the band has performed a few shows here and there since returning from its 1998 hiatus in 2006, the band has completed work on its sensational forthcoming studio effort New Constellation (I'll have plenty more to say about the disc around the time of its release on Oct. 15) and performed a stellar headlining concert at the aptly-titled Observatory in Santa Ana last night, Sunday, Aug. 25. Lead singer Glen Phillips took the stage just after 9:35 p.m., pleased by the strong welcome: "Hi, I remember you."

Performing a marathon-length set of 22 songs spanning old and new material, the Santa Barbara-spawned quartet opened with "The Moment," a driving and evocative song off New Constellation that blended Phillips' emotive vocals, textured guitars (Todd Nichols' work was superb throughout the night) and an artful mix of sections that flowed magically together. 
Other new songs were also performed during the set. The fiery "California Wasted," Americana-tinged "The Eye" and infectious title track also struck home, rivaling the band's masterworks that graced 1994's Dulcinea and 1997's Coil.

The audience was entirely tuned in throughout the 100-minute performance, greeting well-known hits and favorite album tracks with big cheers but then quieting to listen to the nuanced performance of each song. I've seen the band a number of times stretching back to the mid-1990s and can't recall a concert as rewarding as their focused performance at the Observatory last night. The guest work of Jonathan Kingham on mandolin, keyboards and lap steel added to the richness of the songs.

From the breezy country feel of "Good Intentions" to the haunting "Fly From Heaven" and weighty "Something's Always Wrong," the strong material was delivered with a renewed fire that extended beyond the artful arrangements, interesting solos and wonderful harmonies. 
The encore was spiced up during a faithful visit to David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust," where Phillips shared lead vocals with Lee-Phillips moved into the night-ending "Walk on the Ocean." A magic night to be sure.

Opening the night was the trio Grant Lee Buffalo, who I hadn't seen before. I was very impressed by the threesome's hour-long set of original roots-meets-alt rock approach. In particular, I was impressed by Grant Lee-Phillips' ability to power his 12-string acoustic guitar as if it was an electric instrument - blazing lead solos and all. My favorite song, "Jupiter and Teardrop," showcased an expansive and artful reading. I hope to get to see the trio (which also includes bassist Paul Kimble and drummer Joey Peters) again soon.

Read writer George A. Paul's comprehensive review of the show on his Music Minded blog here.

Set list: Toad the Wet Sprocket at the Observatory

Main set: The Moment / Woodburning / Good Intentions / Crowing / Windmills / New Constellation / Fly from Heaven / All I Want / Whatever I Fear / Come Back Down / Nightingale Song / Something's Always Wrong / The Eye / Crazy Life / Jam / California Wasted / Brother / Fall Down

Encore: Come Down / I'll Bet on You / Ziggy Stardust (David Bowie cover) / Walk on the Ocean