Switchfoot 'Fading West' details

Grammy-award winning alt-rock band Switchfoot announce the release of their ninth studio album as well as the details behind their new feature film, both titled Fading West.

The new studio effort will be released in January 2014 on Atlantic Records/Word, a new EP is out now and the 80-minute film will serve as the opening act on the band's storyteller-style tour beginning in September. A full tour routing is below.

Inspired by such films as Rattle and Hum and Endless Summer, the Fading West feature film follows Switchfoot as they travel the globe in search of new musical inspiration and perfect waves.

Directed by Matt Katsolis and filmed during Switchfoot's 2012 World Tour, the film charts the creation of the San Diego-based fivesome's upcoming album in its earliest and most unpredictable stages.

Part rock documentary, part surf film, and part travelogue, Fading West offers rare glimpses of the longtime surfers on their boards and in the waves, captures the frenetic energy of their live shows, and in the end portrays a journey both epic and intimate.

The 9th Annual Switchfoot Bro-Am surf contest and concert returns to North County San Diego July 12-13, 2013. The festivities kick off July 12 with the Switchfoot Bro-Am Auction Night Soiree at the Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa, followed by the daylong event at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas on July 13, featuring a variety of activities including a charity surf contest, a nerf surf jousting exposition between surf contest heats, The Rob Machado Bro Junior, and a live concert with Switchfoot on the beach along with special guests.

A Belly Up Tavern After-Party hosted by Switchfoot and features performances by Jon Foreman's side project Fiction Family. New this year, the Bro-Am is working with Action Sports Productions to add a live Web cast, which will stream the surf contest/concert at Moonlight Beach, allowing supporters from around the US and world to tune in and catch the Bro-Am action live. Information about the Web cast will be posted on the Bro-Am Web site: http://www.switchfoot.com/bro-am.

  

TOUR DATES

Sep 20            St. Louis, MO                          Missouri Baptist University

Sep 21            Kansas City, MO                     Midland Theater

Sep 22            Minneapolis, MN                    Northwestern College 

Sep 23            Minot, ND                               Minot State University

Sep 25            Chicago, IL                             Copernicus Theatre 

Sep 26            Des Moines, IA                       Hoyt Sherman

Sep 27            Mt. Olive, NC                         Mt. Olive College

Sep 28            Grand Rapids, MI                   Calvin College

Oct 1              Nashville, TN                          Franklin Theatre 

Oct 2              Ft. Wayne, IN                          Indiana University of Ft. Wayne

Oct 3              Cincinnati, OH                        The Underground

Oct 4              Detroit, MI                              Royal Oak

Oct 5              York, PA                                  Penn State

Oct 6              Glenside, PA                           Keswick Theatre 

Oct 8              Boston, MA                            Wilbur Theatre

Oct 9              New York, NY                        The Gramercy Theatre

Oct 10            New York, NY                        The Gramercy Theatre

Oct 16            Charlottesville, VA                 Paramount Theatre

Oct 17            Washington DC                      Sixth And I Synagogue

Oct 18             Elizabeth City, NC                 Mid Atlantic Christian University

Oct 19            Elkins, WV                             Davis Elkins University 

Oct 20            Atlanta, GA                            Center Stage

Oct 23            Vero Beach, FL                      Vero Beach PAC

Oct 24            Jacksonville, FL                     Florida Theater

Oct 26            Houston, TX                           Reliant Arena 

Oct 27            San Antonio, TX                    Trinity University - Laurie Auditorium 

Oct 28            Waco, TX                               Baylor University

Oct 29            Lubbock, TX                          City Bank Auditorium

Oct 31            Denver, CO                            Colorado Christian University

Nov 1             Aspen, CO                             Belly Up  

Nov 2             Albuquerque, NM                 Lobo Theater

Nov 3             Phoenix, AZ                          Grand Canyon University

Nov 5             San Diego, CA                      Balboa Theatre

Nov 6             Los Angeles, CA                   The Fonda 

Nov 7             Santa Cruz, CA                      Rio Theater

Nov 8             Santa Barbara, CA                 The Luke Theater

Nov 9             Chico, CA                              El Rey Theatre

Nov 13           Eugene, OR                            McDonald Theatre

Nov 15           Seattle, WA                            Moore Theatre

Nov 16           Newberg, OR                         George Fox University 

Nov 17           Yakima, WA                           Capitol Theatre

Nov 18           Missoula, MT                         University Theatre (UMT) 

Nov 23           Longview, TX                        Le Tourneau University
Nov 24           Abilene, TX                           Abilene Christian University

Glasvegas news

I interviewed the band a few years ago (see elsewhere on this blog) and am looking forward to this one...

Glasvegas is back with Later...When The TV Turns To Static, due out in the U.S. on Sept. 3 via their own Go Wow Records/BMG. The third studio album was written and self-produced by lead vocalist/songwriter James Allan. 

First single "If" will be released digitally in the U.S. on July 9. 

The Scottish band's self-titled '08 debut went platinum in the UK and was nominated for a Mercury Music Prize. 

Allan states "My idea for the song came about during a phone call a while back with my good friend Alan McGee. He was talking to me about something quite difficult that was going on at the time and I said to him, 'Alan, if we didn't go through the bad stuff, we wouldn't recognize the good stuff; it would be invisible to you.'"

Glasvegas is: James Allan (Vocals, Guitar), Rab Allan (Guitar), Paul Donoghue (Bass), Jonna Löffgren (Drums)

U.S. touring info TBA.

glasvegas.net

Fleetwood Mac's early albums reissued

Fleetwood Mac invites you to revisit its early years with two special releases from Reprise Records.

The first is an expanded and remastered edition of Then Play On, Fleetwood Mac’s 1969 debut.

This CD reissue features the original U.K running order and track segues, with “One Sunny Day” and “Without You” making their first appearance on a CD issue of the album, as well as new liner notes by veteran rock journalist David Fricke and four bonus tracks, including the popular single “Oh Well – Pt. 1.”

Fleetwood Mac: 1969-1972 is the second release, A vinyl boxed set, it collects four of the band’s classic albums, each reproduced on 140-gram vinyl. As a bonus, the set comes with an exclusive replica of the original 1969 7-inch single of “Oh Well – Pt. 1” b/w “Oh Well – Pt. 2.”

The band was already a popular blues entity in 1969 when they released third studio album Then Play On. It was the first with guitarist-songwriter Danny Kirwan and last with founding member Peter Green. The album’s mix of blues and rock includes tracks like “Rattlesnake Shake,” “Searching For Madge” and “Coming Your Way.”

Rhino’s newly re-mastered and expanded edition includes four bonus tracks originally released as singles: parts one and two of “Oh Well,” “The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown)” and “World In Harmony,” which is available on CD for the first time.

1969-1972 features four complete albums – Then Play On (1969), Kiln House (1970), Future Games (1971) and Bare Trees (1972) – housed in a striking black slipcase. To ensure superb sound quality, Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering cut the lacquers for all four albums. The records look as good as they sound thanks to authentically reproduced packages, including gatefolds for Then Play On and Kiln House and single sleeves for Future Games and Bare Trees.

THEN PLAY ON: EXPANDED EDITION
Track Listing

1. “Coming Your Way”
2. “Closing My Eyes”
3. “Fighting For Madge”
4. “When You Say”
5. “Show Biz Blues”
6. “Underway”
7. “One Sunny Day”
8. “Although The Sun Is Shining”
9. “Rattlesnake Shake”
10. “Without You”
11. “Searching For Madge”
12. “My Dream”
13. “Like Crying”
14. “Before The Beginning”

Bonus Tracks

15. “Oh Well - Pt. 1”
16. “Oh Well - Pt. 2”
17. “The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown)”
18. “World In Harmony”

FLEETWOOD MAC: 1969-1972

Track Listing 
Then Play On (1969)

Side 1
1. “Coming Your Way”
2. “Closing My Eyes”
3. “Fighting For Madge”
4. “When You Say”
5. “Show Biz Blues”
6. “Underway”
7. “One Sunny Day”

Side 2
1. “Although The Sun Is Shining”
2. “Rattlesnake Shake”
3. “Without You”
4. “Searching For Madge”
5. “My Dream”
6. “Like Crying”
7. “Before The Beginning”

Kiln House (1970)

Side 1
1. “This Is The Rock”
2. “Station Man”
3. “Blood On The Floor”
4. “Hi Ho Silver”
5. “Jewel Eyed Judy”

Side 2
1. “Buddy’s Song”
2. “Earl Gray”
3. “One Together”
4. “Tell Me All The Things You Do”
5. “Mission Bell”

Future Games (1971)

Side 1
1. “Woman Of 1000 Years”
2. “Morning Rain”
3. “What A Shame”
4. “Future Games”

Side 2
1. “Sands Of Time”
2. “Sometimes”
3. “Lay It All Down”
4. “Show Me A Smile”

Bare Trees (1972)

Side 1
1. “Child Of Mine”
2. “The Ghost”
3. “Homeward Bound”
4. “Sunny Side Of Heaven”

Side 2
1. “Bare Trees”
2. “Sentimental Lady”
3. “Danny’s Chant”
4. “Spare Me A Little Of Your Love”
5. “Dust”
6. “Thoughts On A Grey Day”

Bonus 7” Single

Side 1
“Oh Well - Pt. 1”

Side 2
“Oh Well - Pt. 2”

Neil Diamond helps support Boston victims

Neil Diamond has confirmed plans to release a newly penned song inspired by the recent Boston Marathon bombings. “Freedom Song (They’ll Never Take Us Down),” will be released on July 2, with 100% of the purchase price equally benefiting One Fund Boston and the Wounded Warrior Project.

Written, recorded and produced by Diamond, the original song will be released on Columbia Records and available on iTunes (iTunes.com/NeilDiamond) and Amazon MP3. 

 

“I, like so many other Americans, felt helpless during the recent attacks in Boston and wanted so much to reach out and not only help those people affected in a direct way but to lift their spirits as well and let them know they were not alone; that the entire  American community felt a close kinship with them,” said Diamond.

I was inspired enough to devote myself to the creation of a new song which expressed my love for this country and its two greatest assets: the spirit of its people and the freedoms it has afforded us all by law.” 

 

Diamond will perform as a special guest at the 33rd annual broadcast of A Capitol Fourth, America’s National Independence Day celebration, which airs on PBS Thursday, July 4 from 8–9:30PM ET. 

The event is broadcast live from the West Lawn of the US Capitol before a live concert audience of hundreds of thousands, millions more at home, as well as to all our troops serving around the world on American Forces Network. The program can also be heard live in stereo over NPR member stations nationwide. Diamond will perform a selection of his hits, as well as the new single.

 

In addition, Diamond will debut his live performance of the new song during the Nationals-Brewers game on July 4 at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. 

The unique performance will take place during the Nationals In-Game Military Salute, a team tradition that occurs amid every home game. It will mark the first time Diamond performs this song live.

'The Sapphires' hits home video in August

This is one of my favorite movies of the year so far...

Anchor Bay Entertainment and The Weinstein Company announce the Blu-ray and DVD release of THE SAPPHIRES, inspired by a true story and starring Chris O’Dowd (Bridesmaids and HBO’s “Girls”).

Four smart, gutsy young women from Australia become unlikely stars in the most unlikely of places, with the most unlikely of allies, in THE SAPPHIRES.

Set in 1968, the film follows Gail (Deborah Mailman), Cynthia (Miranda Tapsell), Julie (Jessica Mauboy), and Kay (Shari Sebbens) as they seize a risky, but irresistible, chance to launch a professional career singing for U.S. troops in Vietnam.

Under the guidance of an R&B-loving Irish musician, Dave Lovelace (Chris O’Dowd), the girls transform themselves into a sizzling soul act and set out to make a name for themselves hundreds of miles from home. Inspired by a true story, THE SAPPHIRES is a celebration of music, family and self-discovery.

THE SAPPHIRES arrives at retail on Aug. 6 in Blu-ray/DVD combo pack and standard DVD.

Special Features:
· The Making of The Sapphires
· Interview with The Original Sapphires
· The Music of The Sapphires with Jessica Mauboy

Learn more: www.thesapphires-movie.com

MGMT album, tour news

MGMT are back with their self-titled third studio album - MGMT - set to be released on Sept. 17. The successor to 2010’s Congratulations, MGMT finds Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser returning to work with longtime collaborator Dave Fridmann. 

Among the collection of 10 songs is a cover of "Introspection" by 1960’s psych band Faine Jade. Back in April, for Record Store Day, a limited edition cassette single of album opener "Alien Days" was unveiled. 

In preparation for the release of MGMT, the band have begun assembling a variety of unique visual elements to accompany and illuminate the new music via "the Optimizer."

Produced by MGMT, the live show video instrumentalist Alejandro Crawford, "the Optimizer" provides listeners of the album with a simultaneously aural and optical listening experience featuring video and CGI work. "The Optimizer" is part of an enhanced album package available on all commercial formats.

 

“Your Life Is A Lie” will be the first music video released and finds MGMT again working with Tom Kuntz, director of the band's 2010 mini-epic “Congratulations.” Indie director Sam Fleischner will be creating a clip for "Alien Days," and a video for "Cool Song No. 2" is also in the works, both to be shot this summer.

MGMT are currently on tour, recently performing to their largest headline audience in the U.S. with over 10,000 people in attendance at Artpark in Lewiston, NY.

Track listing for MGMT:

Alien Days                           

Cool Song No. 2                                   

Mystery Disease                               

Introspection                                      

Your Life Is a Lie                 

A Good Sadness                                 

Astro-Mancy                       

I Love You Too, Death                          

Plenty Of Girls In the Sea                                 

An Orphan Of Fortune

North American Tour Dates

July 3              Milwaukee, WI           Summerfest/BMO Harris Bank

July 5-7           Kelowna, CA              Keloha Music & Arts Festival

July 9              Quebec, ON               Festival D’Ete International De Quebec       

July 12            Lansing, MI                Common Ground Music Festival

July 13            Cincinnati, OH            Bunbury Music Festival

August 24       Monterey, CA             Monterey County Fairgrounds

August 25       Los Angeles, CA        FYF Festival

August 26       Las Vegas, NV           The Pool at The Cosmopolitan

August 29       Davis, CA                   Mondavi Center

August 31       Bend, OR                    Les Schwab Amphitheatre

September 1   Troutdale, OR             Edgefield Amphitheatre

September 2    Seattle, WA                Bumbershoot Festival

September 4    Boise, ID                     Knitting Factory

September 5    Salt Lake City, UT     Twilight Concert Series                     

September 6    Denver, CO                 Fillmore Auditorium

European Tour Dates

September 26  Cologne, Germany          Live Music Hall

September 27 Brussels, Belgium            AB
September 29 Stockholm, Sweden         Cirku
September 30 Oslo, Norway                   SentrumScene                       

October 1        Copenhagen, Denmark   Vega Main Hall

October 3        Berlin, Germany              Astra Kulturhaus

October 4        Vienna, Austria                Gasometer

October 5        Munich, Germany            Kesselhaus

October 6        Zurich, Switzerland          Komplex 457

October 8        Paris, France                   Olympia

October 9        Hamburg, Germany         Docks

October 10      Utrecht, Netherlands       Vredenburg Leidsche

October 12      Glasgow, UK                    02 ABC

October 13      Wolverhampton, UK         Civic Hall

October 14      Manchester, UK               O2 Apollo Manchester

October 16      London, UK                      Forum

October 19      Dublin, Ireland                  Olympia Theatre

www.whoismgmt.com

www.columbiarecords.com

Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert gets spruced up DVD treatment

I can't wait to see this new release, especially since I only taped it myself upon initial airing and never purchased it on VHS or DVD...

On Sept. 3, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert on a triple DVD set and as an SD Blu-ray – with upscaled standard definition original material with uncompressed stereo and DTS-HD surround sound - and digital formats.

This release boasts newly remastered sound across both sections of the concert and represents the first time the opening acts' performances have been made available on DVD or Blu-Ray. 

 

On April 20, 1992, Roger Taylor, Brian May and John Deacon, the surviving members of Queen, took to the stage at Wembley Stadium for the start of one of the biggest events in rock history, which the band had organized to pay tribute to their former colleague – the incomparable Freddie Mercury.

 

Queen were joined by some of the greatest musical talent in the world to celebrate Freddie’s life and work and to increase public awareness of AIDS, the disease that had prematurely ended his life the previous year.

 

The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert features many Queen classics in unique performances including: “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Hammer To Fall”, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”, “Radio Ga Ga”, “I Want To Break Free”, “Under Pressure”, “Somebody To Love”, “We Will Rock You”, “We Are The Champions” and many more.

 

Special guests include David Bowie, Gary Cherone, Roger Daltrey, Def Leppard, Joe Elliott, Extreme, Bob Geldof, Guns ‘n’ Roses, James Hetfield, Ian Hunter, Tony Iommi, Elton John, Annie Lennox, Metallica, George Michael, Liza Minnelli, Robert Plant, Mick Ronson, Axl Rose, Seal, Slash, Lisa Stansfield, Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Young & Zucchero.

 

The concert raised a huge and still growing sum of money for the Mercury Phoenix Trust, a charity formed at the time by Roger Taylor, Brian May and Queen’s longtime manager Jim Beach, whose charter is the relief of suffering from AIDS throughout the world.

 

Profits from this release will be donated by the Mercury Phoenix Trust to AIDS charities around the globe.

 

OPENING ACTS*

 

1) Intro   2) Brian May / Roger Taylor / John Deacon Introduction   3) Metallica – Enter Sandman   4) Metallica – Sad But True   5) Metallica – Nothing Else Matters   6) Freddie Montage (Insert)   7) Extreme – Queen Medley including: Mustapha / Bohemian Rhapsody / Keep Yourself Alive / I Want To Break Free / Fat Bottomed Girls / Bicycle Race / Another One Bites The Dust / Stone Cold Crazy / Radio Ga Ga

 8) Freddie Montage (Insert)   9) Def Leppard & Brian May – Now I’m Here   10) Queen – I’m Going Slightly Mad video (Insert)   11) Bob Geldof – Too Late God   12) Guns ‘n’ Roses – Paradise City   13) Guns ‘n’ Roses – Knocking On Heavens Door   14) Elizabeth Taylor Speech

 

MAIN QUEEN + SET

 

1) Joe Elliott, Slash & Queen – Tie Your Mother Down 

2) Roger Daltrey, Tony Iommi & Queen – I Want It All 

3) Zucchero & Queen – Las Palabras De Amor

4) Gary Cherone, Tony Iommi & Queen – Hammer To Fall

5) James Hetfield, Tony Iommi & Queen – Stone Cold Crazy

6) Robert Plant & Queen – Crazy Little Thing Called Love

7) Brian May – Too Much Love Will Kill You

8) Paul Young & Queen – Radio Ga Ga

9) Seal & Queen – Who Wants To Live Forever

10) Lisa Stansfield & Queen – I Want To Break Free

11) David Bowie, Annie Lennox & Queen – Under Pressure

12) Ian Hunter, David Bowie, Mick Ronson & Queen – All The Young Dudes

13) David Bowie, Mick Ronson & Queen – Heroes

14) George Michael & Queen –’39

15) George Michael, Lisa Stansfield & Queen – These Are The Days Of Our Lives      

16) George Michael, London Gospel Choir & Queen – Somebody To Love   

17) Elton John, Axl Rose & Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody   

18) Elton John, Tony Iommi & Queen – The Show Must Go On   

19) Axl Rose & Queen – We Will Rock You   

20) Liza Minnelli & Ensemble – We Are The Champions

 

BONUS MATERIAL

 

1) Rehearsal performances of Queen +: 

David Bowie and Annie Lennox ‘Under Pressure’

George Michael and Lisa Stansfield ‘These Are The Days Of Our Lives

George Michael ‘Somebody To Love’

2) 10th Anniversary Documentary

3) Photo Galleries  

4) Mercury Phoenix Trust Facts

* Each section features on one DVD disc, all sections feature on the single Blu-ray discs