With Boxer likely to top be in many peoples favourite albums lists for 2007, it is no surprise that The National have sold out their Melbourne and Brisbane shows. Given this news, the Brooklyn five piece have announced extra shows to accompany their trio of dates at the Sydney Festival.
The full list of dates are:
Wed 16 January - The Zoo, Brisbane QLD - JUST ANNOUNCED
Thur 17 Jnuary - The Zoo, Brisbane QLD - SOLD OUT
Fri 18 January - The Corner Hotel, Melbourne VIC - SOLD OUT
Sat 19 January - The Corner Hotel, Melbourne VIC - SELLING FAST
Mon 21 January - Sydney Festival, City Recital Hall Angel Palace
Tue 22 January - Sydney Festival, City Recital Hall Angel Palace
Wed 23 January - Sydney Festival, City Recital Hall Angel Palace
To coincide with the release of his new album Circular Sounds, American Kelly Stoltz will be touring nationally in February. He will be playing with his regular Australian touring band (this being his third visit) consisting of Mikey Young, Mark Nelson, Kjirsten Robb, and Julian Wu. Dates and Places as follows:
Fri 8 February - Grace Emily Hotel, Adelaide SA
Sat 9 February - Corner Hotel, Melbourne VIC
Fri 15 February - Troubadour, Brisbane QLD
Sat 16 February - Annandale, Sydney NSW
In accompaniment to appearance at the St. Jeromes Laneway Festival, Canadian's Broken Social Scene, Kevin Drew, have announced side shows for their trip down under in the new year. This comes after the release of Spirit If earlier this year (see review here ).
Dates and Places:
Wed 27 February - The Corner Hotel, Melbourne VIC
Thurs 28 February - The Manning Bar, Sydney NSW
Fri 29 Febrruary - The Zoo, Brisbane QLD*
*This show will also feature Stars, bringing a double dose of goodness from that other country in North America.
www.brokensocialscene.net
Following up his debut album, Music For Tourists, Chris Garneau presents the EP, C Sides coming out on Absolutely Kosher this holiday season. Included on the EP is “It's Almost Christmas!” whose sweet piano intro is reminiscent of a classic Christmas carol. The song feels familiar, like Christmas tunes ingrained in our collective memory, while at the same time being a take on the Christmas song that only Chris can bring.
Chris will be popping into a few venues around the states throughout December so don't miss out on sharing the holiday cheer with him.
Dates:
Mon 10 December - The Echo, Los Angeles CA
Fri 14 December- Hemlock Tavern, San Francisco CA
Sun 16 December - Sunset Tavern, Seattle WA
Tues 18 December - Doug Fir, Portland OR
Thurs 20 December- Southpaw, Brooklyn NY w/ Clare & the Reasons
Sydney and Melbourne fans can rest easy now in the knowledge that giants Arcade Fire have announced two very special and debut Australian headline dates in January.
Already topping the line-up for all of the Big Days Out, the Canadian septet will play to packed houses at Sydney's Enmore Theatre and Melbourne's The Forum - venues that will both bring out the majesty and intensity of the band's live show.
Tickets are on sale 12th December - and will not last long.
Dates:
Tues 22 January - Enmore Theatre, Sydney NSW
Tues 29 Jan - Forum Theatre, Melbourne VIC
The Noise Pop Festival returns in 2008 from February 26 to March 2. Over six nights, Noise Pop 16 will take over the best-loved venues in San Francisco, to host unforgettable performances by Magnetic Fields, The Mountain Goats, The Gutter Twins and dozens of other artists, transforming the city into an almost week-long celebration.
Established in San Francisco in 1993, Noise Pop started as a one-night event featuring the best underground rock bands that the Bay Area could dish up. With live music as it’s focal point, Noise Pop has developed into full-scale cultural happening, adding gallery art shows, a music-themed film festival, educational panel discussions with musicians and music industry professions, an indie designer trunk sale and a number of planned as well as spontaneous shin-digs.
Stephin Merritt’s Magnetic Fields will headline two shows at the beautiful Herbst Theatre as part of Noise Pop in support of their long-awaited new album, Distortions.
Lo-fi legends The Mountain Goats will also perform three shows at three different venues during Noise Pop.
Another exciting addition to Noise Pop 2008 is The Gutter Twins, the anticipated collaboration between Afghan Whigs’ Greg Dulli and Mark Lanegan. Dulli and Lanegan have been working together periodically since 2000. The Gutter Twins will perform for Noise Pop in support of their debut album Saturnalia, currently set for an early 2008 release.
Omaha NE's Cursive will also play Noise Pop 2008. The band is currently readying the release of 'Bad Sects' the second single from the band's acclaimed 2006 album, Happy Hollow which includes a user-submitted remix of the song and a string arrangement by Olafur Arnolds.
Other artists confirmed for Noise Pop include Kelly Stoltz, Tilly & The Wall, Capgun Coup, Blitzen Trapper, Fleet Foxes, Fu Manchu and Saviours with more being added to a festival roster that will include over 100 bands. More Noise Pop performers will be announced in the weeks to come. As usual for the festival, nationally-known artists will share the stage with the best new bay area talent from opening night on February 26 through March 2 at legendary San Francisco venues such as Great American Music Hall, Bimbo's, Café Du Nord and The Bottom Of The Hill, The Independent, Mezzanine, Rickshaw Stop, 12 Galaxies and others.
After a couple of years that would stop mere mortals and destroy lesser bands, Rocket Science front man Roman Tucker has fully recovered from his medically induced coma and is better than his terrifying best.
Roman was almost killed when he hit his head on concrete steps moments before a sold out album launch in 2005. Tucker awoke from the coma roughly four days after his accident, and was transferred out of the hospital's intensive care unit to the acute care ward where his condition slowly improved. He was then put in a rehabilitation centre for several weeks suffering Post Traumatic Amnesia. He had no memory.
Each day since then has seen Rocket Science climb a mountain like no other. They are now on top and are ready to play for a Sydney audience.
Currently working on their 4th studio album to be released early next year (expect further announcement soon), Rocket Science are taking time out to share their new found power with a hot and sweaty Annandale audience.
So for one night only, Rocket Science play The Annandale Hotel Christmas Party – Friday December 21st with support from The Devastations and Savoy Kicks.
Soul queen Sharon Jones, and her Dap-Kings hit up the US west coast, kicking off with a free in-store performance at Amoeba Records, Los Angeles.
Dates:
Tues 4 December - El Rey Theater, Los Angeles
Wed 5 December - Bimbo's 365 Club, San Francisco
Fri 7 December - Doug Fir Lounge, Portland
Sat 8 December - Neumo's, Seattle
Sun 9 December - Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver BC
Mon 10 December - The Nightlight, Bellingham, WA
Fri 14 December - Theater of Living Arts, Philadelphia
Fri 4 January - Jamcruise, Fort Lauderdale
Thurs 17 January - Black Cat, Washington DC
From it's success last year, the second running of the V Festival in Australia has been announced for dates in late March and early April of next year. The Pixies headlined last year, and this year sees another recently reformed act headlining, that being the one and only The Smashing Pumpkins. They are joined by a revived Jesus and Mary Chain, as well as: Duran Duran, Queens of the Stone Age, Mika*, The Presets, Air*, The Tough Alliance and Plug in City. As always stay tuned for more. Dates and places as follows:
Sat 29 March - Centennial Park, Sydney NSW
Sat 30 March - Avica Resort, Gold Cost QLD
Sat 5 April - Royal Melbourne Showgrounds, Melbourne VIC
Sun 6 April - The Esplanade (City), Perth WA
*Mika and Air appearing at East Coast Venues only.
After blowing everyone away with their with their fourth full-length release In Our Bedroom After the War (including WB reviewer Steve Scully here), Canadian indie monsters Stars have announced that they will finally venture to Australia's shores for a couple of rare performances.
The tour is presented by Laneway Festival so don't be suprised to see them added to the Festival bill in the near future.
Dates:
Wed 27 February - Spectrum, Sydney NSW
Thurs 28 February - East Brunswick Club, Melbourne VIC
Wilco will be back in Australia in March, less than a year after they last toured. Performing shows at East Coast Venues, fans will be able to enjoy the band without the anticipation of a new album on the way, as was the case last year with Sky Blue Sky. Tickets on sale now.
Tues 18 March - Enmore Theatre, Sydney NSW
Wed 19 March - The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane QLD
Wed 26 March - The Metro, Melbourne VIC
www.wilcoworld.net
With only 20 odd more sleeps to go until the Supernatural Ampitheatre comes alive for the Seventeenth time (well eighteenth if you count this years inaugural Golden Plains), Amanda Palmer (The Dresden Dolls), The Galvatrons, ROOT! and Black Pony Express join the line up. ROOT! is rumored to contain ex-members of balaclava wearing Australian act TISM. Check them out with the My Space link below.
