The Rolling Stones 2015 U.S. Tour news

Ladies and gentlemen…the Rolling Stones are back! The band has announced that they will kick off their new 15-city North American stadium, ZIP CODE tour, in San Diego on May 24 at Petco Park.

 

The tour will make stops in Columbus, Minneapolis, Dallas, Atlanta, Orlando, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Raleigh, Indianapolis, Detroit and Buffalo before wrapping in Quebec on July 15 at Le Festival D’Été de Québec.

Tickets for these dates will go on sale Monday, April 13. For ticketing information please visit rollingstones.com/tickets/. American Express Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public, beginning Wednesday, April 8.

“We are excited to be back in North America playing stadiums this summer! We are looking forward to being back on stage and playing your favorite songs.” – Mick Jagger

“We love being out on the road and it is great to come back to North America! I can’t wait to get back on the stage!” – Keith Richards

The Rolling Stones ZIP CODE tour will see Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood head back out on the road after their critically-acclaimed 14 ON FIRE tour in Asia, Europe, Australia and New Zealand in 2014. The iconic band will treat their generations of fans to special one night only shows, with a set packed full of classic Stones hits such as ‘Gimme Shelter’, ‘Paint It Black’, ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash’, ‘Tumbling Dice’ and ‘It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll’, as well as special gems from their extraordinary catalogue.

The Rolling Stones ZIP CODE tour will be the first time the rock legends have played North American stadiums since 2005-2007’s A Bigger Bang Tour.

The stage design for the stadium shows includes a thrust that extends deep into the audience allowing the Stones to interact directly with their fans. Known for their ground-breaking sets and use of cutting-edge technology, the Stones’ set design will feature video screens and special effects that will enhance the high-octane experience of attending a live Stones’ show.

AEG Live’s Concerts West is the promoter of The Rolling Stones ZIP CODE tour.

The tour will also coincide with the Rolling Stones re-release of Sticky Fingers on May 26 in North America, and May 25 in the rest of the world, by Universal Music. Sticky Fingers, one of the most revered albums from the Rolling Stones, is set to enthrall a new generation of fans in 2015. The 1971 classic features timeless tracks such as ‘Brown Sugar,’ ‘Wild Horses,’ ‘Bitch’ and ‘Dead Flowers’. Sticky Fingers 2015, with its iconic zip cover, will be unveiled in a variety of formats.

 

Deluxe editions include a generous selection of previously unreleased Stones studio outtakes from the Sticky Fingers sessions and stunning live performances from that time. These sought after tracks have never been available until this release.

Recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama and Olympic Studios in London, and produced by regular confidant Jimmy Miller, Sticky Fingers was released just before the Stones became tax exiles in the south of France, leaving Britain after a sensational farewell tour. It also featured some of the most ground breaking design in rock history, with its famous working zip on the front cover and artwork by Andy Warhol.

THE ROLLING STONES – ZIP CODE TOUR

May 24, 2015 San Diego, CA Petco Park
May 30, 2015 Columbus, OH Ohio Stadium
June 3, 2015 Minneapolis, MN TCF Bank Stadium
June 6, 2015 Dallas, TX AT&T Stadium
June 9, 2015 Atlanta, GA Bobby Dodd Stadium
June 12, 2015 Orlando, FL Orlando Citrus Bowl
June 17, 2015 Nashville, TN LP Field
June 20, 2015 Pittsburgh, PA Heinz Field
June 23, 2015 Milwaukee, WI Summerfest / Marcus Amphitheater
June 27, 2015 Kansas City, MO Arrowhead Stadium
July 1, 2015 Raleigh, NC Carter-Finley Stadium
July 4, 2015 Indianapolis, IN Indianapolis Motor Speedway
July 8, 2015 Detroit, MI Comerica Park
July 11, 2015 Buffalo, NY Ralph Wilson Stadium
July 15, 2015 Quebec, QC Le Festival D’Été de Québec*
 

*wristbands will go on sale at 12pm local on Saturday, April 11

Matt Pond PA first release on relaunched Doghouse Records

Matt Pond PA's new album, The State Of Gold, is due out June 30 on the newly relaunched Doghouse Records (the label known for introducing such artists as The Get Up Kids, Hot Water Music, The All-American Rejects and Say Anything).

Doghouse label owner Dirk Hemsath had been preparing to return from a three year hiatus and the time came to choose the first new release.

"To me, it's about finding artists I love again." Hemsath says. "At the time, The Working Group had just started managing Matt Pond and were looking for a label for his new album. I couldn't believe there wasn't already a label on board to release Matt's new album. I really loved what I had heard and to me it was a natural fit. Matt is an amazing artist and wrote and recorded an unbelievable album. It was the perfect partnership. I can't think of a better artist, having such a respected career and body of work, to relaunch the label."

"We'd been working on our album for over a year when I first met Dirk Hemsath." Matt Pond says. "He was unpretentious, straightforward and thorough. In our conversation about relaunching Doghouse, we had a surprisingly honest conversation about music and hard work."

"I want to release albums with people who love our music." Pond adds. "I might be a few steps shy of all those Maybach's and Grammy's -- but that's OK. For me, it's just about giving a shit. All I want is to write, play songs and dance. It's as simple as Adam Goldberg's sentiments in Dazed and Confused: 'I want to dance!'"

In April, Matt Pond PA will kick of a 10 Year Anniversary tour in support of one of the band's album, Several Arrows Later. The tour kicks off on April 7 in Boston, MA and will head across the US to play the album in its entirety for the first time.

A limited edition, Opaque Orange version of Several Arrows Later, will be exclusively offered on this special tour. Each night, not only will Matt Pond and crew play the beloved album in full, but also a sampling of songs from their upcoming album The State of Gold.

In the 10 years since Several Arrows Later, Matt Pond has released three albums and six EPs.

Tour dates:

4.07 - Boston, MA @ The Sinclair
4.08 - Hamden, CT @ The Ballroom at The Outer Space
4.09 - Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
4.10 - Raleigh, NC @ Kings Barcade
4.11 - Atlanta, GA @ Vinyl
4.13 - Orlando, FL @ The Social
4.14 - Tampa, FL @ Local 662
4.15 - Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder
4.17 - Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
4.18 - San Antonio, TX @ Korova
4.19 - Austin, TX @ Stubb's Jr.
4.21 - Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
4.22 - Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
4.23 - Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
4.24 - San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
4.26 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
4.30 - Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern
5.01 - Vancouver, BC @ Venue
5.02 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
5.04 - Provo, UT @ Velour
5.05 - Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater
5.07 - Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge
5.08 - St. Louis, MO @ The Duck Room @ Blueberry Hill
5.09 - Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
5.11 - Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace
5.12 - Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
5.13 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Café
5.14 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
5.15 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom

mattpondpa.com

Darius Rucker's media appearances in support of 'Southern Style'

photo by Jim Wright

With 20 years of hits in his discography, you’d think three-time Grammy winner Darius Rucker would get used to them.

 

As “Homegrown Honey,” the first single from his new Capitol Nashville album Southern Style, hits No. 1 on the Mediabase Country songs chart this week, however, the rocker-turned-country star admits he still gets the same feeling: “Wow!”

"A lot of people may not realize this, but even with all the success we had with Hootie & The Blowfish, we never had a single go to No. 1,” Rucker said. “I had never experienced that feeling until 'Don't Think I Don't Think About It,' when it peaked at the top of the Country charts in 2008 when we were releasing 'Learn To Live.' So to be here again - four albums and seven years later - about to celebrate the release of 'Southern Style' and get the news that we just hit our seventh No. 1 single on Country radio charts is just insane. I say 'we' as this is a feat I have learned only comes from a community really embracing the music and wanting to play it for fans that want to hear it, and that just makes it all the more special to me."

Rucker will celebrate his new hit and Tuesday’s release of Southern Style all over the map in the coming weeks. He kicks off release week Tuesday, March 31 with a visit to NBC’s “TODAY Show," then hits “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (April 7) and ABC’s “The Chew” (April 16) later this month.

The Country genre has become home for the South Carolina singer. His previous three releases debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart, he scored a Grammy  Award for his 2013 mega-hit “Wagon Wheel” and is headed back out on the road again this summer on the Southern Style Tour, beginning May 14 in Holmdel, N.J., with Brett Eldredge, the Brothers Osborne and A Thousand Horses.

 

He’s deeply embedded in the Music Row community. Rucker wrote “Homegrown Honey” with a couple of fellow Grammy winners, Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley and producer Nathan Chapman.
 

"Thinking back to the day Charles and I were on the golf course and he said, 'Man, we should write together -we never have,' and I couldn't believe we had known each other so long and never sat down to really just write,” Rucker said. “A few weeks later we made it happen, and I remember walking out of that room and calling my management saying we had the single for my new record."
 

Turns out it was a No. 1 single.
 

Visit www.DariusRucker.com to learn more about the Southern Style Tour or to buy tickets. Follow Rucker on Twitter at @dariusrucker.

Pat McGee taps impressive vets for new album

photo by David Bergman

Looking forward to hearing this. Read more from the press release below...

“I never expected any of these legends to say yes, but I figured it was worth a shot,” says Pat McGee about his star-studded new self-titled album.

“If nothing else, I wanted them to know that I felt they would have been the perfect band for these songs. I have never been a guy that asked for favors or perks in this business, but on this project I definitely swung for the fences and thought to myself, ‘Why not? The worst they can say is ‘no’.” Fortunately, the iconic players he had hoped to work with gave him a resounding, “Yes!”

The dream team McGee assembled includes musical legends Russ Kunkel, Leland Sklar, Waddy Wachtel, Danny Kortchmar, and Jeff Pevar (nicknamed “The Section”). Other notable musicians such as Little Feat’s Paul Barrere, Blues Traveler’s John Popper, Train’s Pat Monahan, Punchbrother’s Gabe Witcher as well as Pat McGee’s own band contributed to the album’s sound.

Recorded in Los Angeles in 2014, Pat McGee was influenced by the classic albums of the 1970s that were spun in his childhood home. “I was inspired to write a record that was not based on a ‘single’ but on the wholeness of the complete album,” Pat explains. “I was at a friend’s house, listening to what I thought was someone’s playlist on an iPod. When I realized they were spinning full albums on vinyl, I was blown away. The very next day, I decided to buy a record player and picked up the ten records that lit the fire in me to start playing music, including seminal records by James Taylor, Jackson Browne, and Crosby, Stills, and Nash.”

Channeling the vintage warmth of those recordings, he began writing an album that would have the same timeless quality of singer/songwriter rock from the Laurel Canyon scene of the early 70s.

Once McGee had written enough material for an album, he began to wonder what would happen if he reached out to the musicians who helped to shape his ear. An impossible task, he thought, but he decided to throw caution to the wind and go for it. One by one, the pieces started to fit together and each of them accepted his offer. As though the universe had always intended for this record to be made.

“You could tell when we got to the studio that all these guys just loved playing with each other,” McGee recalls. “From the moment that we played the opening warm-up casual jam, I knew that this was going to blow away anything that I could have ever dreamed.”

From the guitar intro of opening track “Bad Idea,” the natural connection between the players was obvious, sounding much more like a band who had been playing together for decades instead of being assembled for just one record. In lieu of the modern process of painstakingly tracking each individual instrument, the band jammed.

“I would show them my song idea and they would ask to hear the meaning of the lyric, and 10 minutes later, we had a take on tape,” he says, still in awe of that process. “We never tracked more than two or three takes before moving onto the next song. In all of these moments, I felt like I was witnessing the creation of an iconic classic rock guitar moment, drum part or bass line– it was happening right before my very eyes. And the fact that these guys were making it happen on songs that I wrote is just still so unbelievable to me.”

The song “Overboard” features a guest vocal from Train’s Pat Monahan, and is a perfect example of how things just fell into place for this album, Pat’s fourth solo effort and tenth album overall. “I’ve known Pat since 1996 when Train toured with my band and we’ve kept in touch ever since. Pat knew how important this album was to me, so he offered to sing on the record.” Written for his wife, the song relays the idea of how he tends to go overboard with his feelings for her and his family, at times leading to vulnerable moments. “I was so inspired by listening to those old vinyl records that everything truly just flowed out of me.

Extremely proud of this record, McGee is hard-pressed to choose a favorite track. “I’m sure any artist is going to say this but it’s hard to pick a favorite,” he says. “Certainly there are musical moments that really put a smile on my face, like the mood of ‘Caroline’, the vibe of ‘Four-Door Dynamo’, the funk chops of ‘Kite String’ and the harmonies throughout the entire album from Patrick McAloon and Jonathan Williams…”

McGee started his professional music career in 1995 as leader of Pat McGee Band, touring relentlessly for over ten years all over the United States, including one stretch doing 98 shows in 103 days. The band, dubbed PMB by legions of adoring fans, sold out venues all over the US and shared stages with The Who, Allman Brothers, Fleetwood Mac, James Taylor, Counting Crows, Rat Dog, Levon Helm & more. Pat McGee Band even performed for President Clinton.

A big supporter of the US military and all that they do, McGee performed for the USO in Greenland as well as in The Middle East and Africa with Navy Entertainment. McGee and his band were also granted the opportunity to land on The USS Eisenhower to play for 5000 brave men and women serving on the Arabian Sea, certainly a career highlight.

“My support of the Navy Entertainment and the USO feels, to me, something that every musician or artist or entertainer should be embracing,” McGee says. “I did not grow up in a military family, although my father did serve in Vietnam and to know the years he spent away from my sister while she was young is something I can relate to when meeting the troops overseas. These experiences have really shed some light on how incredibly difficult their jobs are. The men and women I’ve met while doing these tours really inspire you to go home and strive to be a better person.”

Reflecting back on this opus he’s created with these iconic performers, Pat McGee is proud of what he’s accomplished. “It sure feels good to have a record out right now that I want to share with everyone, and not just because they are songs that I wrote,” he explains.

“I truly believe that all of the musicians that played on this album need to be credited for what they do. That seems to be lost in the modern music listening atmosphere.”

“It’s not just that these guys are masters on their instruments, because they certainly are that, it’s that their natural instinct is to put the perfect part down to whatever song they’re working on. That is why they have lasted over 50 years in this business. It’s just remarkable that they’re such a cornerstone of the sound of the American songwriter,” McGee says humbly. These new recordings are an indication that McGee has gained the acceptance and approval of his heroes, an enviable feat in modern music.

Coachella Festival partners with DUBS earplugs

Following the overwhelming success of the launch of DUBS Acoustic Filters™, Doppler Labs, the New York City-based technology company, and Goldenvoice have partnered to make advanced hearing protection available to all attendees of the 2015 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Together, they will launch DUBS™ Earplugs, the second hearing protection product from Doppler Labs. DUBS Earplugs are stylish concert earplugs created specifically for music listening.

A pair of DUBS Earplugs will be distributed in all Coachella welcome boxes giving Coachella attendees the first opportunity to experience the newest DUBS product. The DUBS Earplugs are optimized for music and use a simplified version of the advanced acoustical physics found in DUBS Acoustic Filters. DUBS Earplugs are soft molded for ultimate comfort and designed for a fashionable aesthetic. They offer a 17 NRR rating to reduce volume to comfortable levels.

“We simply could not ask for a better platform than Coachella to launch DUBS Earplugs,” said Noah Kraft, CEO and Co-Founder, Doppler Labs. “Coachella has set the standard for live music and curation. We are proud to be a partner and provide hearing protection that allows all attendees to be immersed in the festival and optimize their music listening experience.”

In addition to launching DUBS Earplugs, DUBS Acoustic Filters - Doppler Labs’ inaugural product released in September 2014 - will be available for sale on site at Coachella. These highly acclaimed, advanced tech earplugs use a proprietary mechanical process to optimize the listening experience, lowering sound by an average of 12 dB while preserving audio clarity.

Doppler Labs is driven by the understanding that aesthetics and technological innovation are both critical to creating great products. As such, The DUBS products are tuned, sleek and stylish unlike most earplugs that are straightforward foam inserts, available at drug stores and in airports.

Both DUBS Earplugs and DUBS Acoustic Filters were designed for discerning, style-conscious consumers. Musicians and concertgoers in particular have embraced DUBS Acoustic Filters leading to rave reviews and several design awards.

DUBS Acoustic Filters are currently available at Best Buy, Guitar Center, Amazon, select boutique retailers nationwide and at www.getdubs.com. DUBS Earplugs launch exclusively at Coachella and will be available for sale later this year.

About Doppler Labs

Doppler Labs is a technology company with a primary focus on "hearables": wearable technology for the ears. Founded in 2013 by industry leaders in the creative, tech and business worlds, Doppler Labs' mission is to optimize the way you hear the world.

Jeff Beck's 'Live At Ronnie Scott's 2007' gets expanded release

On June 2, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release Jeff Beck’s Performing This Week…Live At Ronnie Scott’s – Special Edition on 2CD and Digital Audio. A 3LP Edition will be released shortly thereafter.

With the full audio tracks from these shows making their debut, Performing This Week… features classic tracks from across Jeff Beck’s career and his version of The Beatles' “A Day In The Life.”

 

This show includes guest appearances by Joss Stone, Eric Clapton and Imogen Heap, in addition to a 7-track set with the Big Town Playboys.
 

The 2007 series of concerts were filmed at the renowned Ronnie Scott’s club in London. Both CD and DVD releases of these shows were released via Eagle Rock Entertainment in 2008+2009. Now for the first time on LP and CD, all of the live tracks are available for longtime fans (including those with special guests plus the Big Town Playboys set, which has previously only been on the Blu-ray release).

Track listing:

Disc One:
 

Beck’s Bolero
Eternity’s Breath
Stratus
Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers
Behind The Veil
You Never Know
Nadia
Blast From The East
Led Boots
Angels (Footsteps)
Scatterbrain
Medley: Goodbye Pork Pie Hat / Brush With The Blues
Space Boogie
Big Block
Day In The Life
Where Were You

Disc Two:
 

People Get Ready (w/ Joss Stone)
Blanket (w/ Imogen Heap)
Little Brown Bird (w/ Eric Clapton)
You Need Love (w/ Eric Clapton)
Rollin’ And Tumblin’ (w/ Imogen Heap)

Jeff Beck & The Big Town Playboys Set:
6) Race With The Devil
7) Crazy Legs
8) Train Kept A Rollin’
9) My Baby Left Me
10) Matchbox
11) Baby Blue
12) Honky Tonk

Tour Dates:

The Jeff Beck Band-

 

April 13 - Port Chester, NY - The Capitol Theater
April 15 - Huntington, NY - The Paramount
April 16 - Huntington, NY - The Paramount
April 17 - Huntington, NY - The Paramount
April 18 - Port Chester, NY - The Capitol Theater
April 19 - Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre
April 21 - Kingston, NY - Ulster Performing Arts Center
April 22 - Englewood, NJ - Bergen Performing Arts Center
April 24 - Red Bank, NJ - Count Basie Theatre
April 25 - York, PA - The Strand - Capital Performing Arts Center
April 26 - Greensburg, PA - The Palace Theatre

with ZZ Top-

April 30 - Cedar Park, TX - Cedar Park Center
May 1 - Thackerville, OK - Winstar Casino
May 2 - The Woodlands, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
May 3 - Corpus Christi, TX - Concrete Street
May 7 - Tampa, FL - MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater
May 8 - West Palm Beach, FL - Cruzan Amphitheater
May 9 - St. Augustine, FL - St. Augustine Amphitheatre
May 10 - Alpharetta, GA - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

Tour update: Rob Thomas, Neon Trees, Don Williams

Emblem/Atlantic recording artist Rob Thomas has announced plans for a North American tour with special guests, Plain White T’s.

 

Dates for “The Great Unknown 2015” – which herald the multiple-Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter’s upcoming new album – get underway in June and continue through August (see below).

 

Pre-sale tickets will be available beginning on Wednesday, April 1; on sale to the general public begins April 3-4 for most shows. VIP Packages, including photo opportunities with Rob Thomas and exclusive merchandise, will be available.

 

For complete details and ticket information, visit robthomasmusic.com Fan Club membership packages will soon be available at fanclub.robthomasmusic.com. Check out this video of Rob here: https://youtu.be/khsqNfsdzj8

Thomas, the frontman for Matchbox Twenty, is currently in the studio finishing his third solo album, the first in more than six years. The new album – which follows 2009’s acclaimed Cradlesong – is slated for release in late summer.

Tour dates:

June
11 Orillia, ON Casino Rama Resort
12 Windsor, ON The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor
13 Akron, OH Akron Civic Theatre
15 Columbus, OH Palace Theatre
16 Indianapolis, IN Murat Theatre at Old National Centre
18 Milwaukee, WI Riverside Theater
19 Minneapolis, MN Northrop Auditorium
22 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
24 Denver, CO Paramount Theatre
27 Boise, ID Boise Music Festival
29 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre
30 Portland, OR The Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

July
2 Saratoga, CA The Mountain Winery
3 Modesto, CA Gallo Center for the Arts
5 Paso Robles, CA Vina Robles Amphitheater
7 Riverside, CA Fox Performing Arts Center
9 Phoenix, AZ Comerica Theatre
11 San Antonio, TX Majestic Theatre
12 Austin, TX ACL Live at The Moody Theater
13 Tulsa, OK Brady Theater
15 St. Louis, MO Peabody Opera House
18 Highland Park, IL Ravinia Festival
21 Atlanta, GA Delta Classic Chastain Park Amphitheater
22 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium
24 Clearwater, FL Ruth Eckerd Hall
25 St. Augustine, FL St. Augustine Amphitheatre
26 N. Charleston, SC North Charleston Performing Arts Center
28 Charlotte, NC Uptown Amphitheatre at NC Music Factory
29 Portsmouth, VA nTelos Wireless Pavilion
31 Red Bank, NJ Count Basie Theatre

August
1 Red Bank, NJ Count Basie Theatre
2 Atlantic City, NJ Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa
4 Bethlehem, PA Sands Bethlehem Event Center
5 Boston, MA Blue Hills Bank Pavilion
6 New York, NY Beacon Theatre
9 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena
10 Morristown, NJ Mayo Performing Arts Center

Neon Trees' summer tour will run from June-July. A full list of tour dates can be found below.

"At the end of last year we had made plans to take this year off, but honestly, we got bored at home. We just love touring that much," said singer Tyler Glenn. "We're going to play songs from all three albums and it will be an entirely new show. We chose smaller clubs and theaters to make it a communal, fan driven experience for us and the audience."

Neon Trees - comprising Tyler Glenn (lead vocals, keys), Chris Allen (guitars), Branden Campbell (bass), and Elaine Bradley (drums, vocals) - released their third album Pop Psychology last April.

 

The album, recorded with longtime collaborator Tim Pagnotta spawned the RIAA Gold-certified single "Sleeping With A Friend," which won an award for BMI Publishing Award in 2014 and charted in the Top 15 of the Billboard Hot 100. It is available HERE.

Pop Psychology is the follow up to Picture Show, which featured the RIAA double platinum single "Everybody Talks," which charted in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. Neon Trees' debut album, Habits, was released in 2010 and featured the double platinum smash single "Animal." The band has toured with Taylor Swift, The Killers, Maroon 5, Duran Duran, Flaming Lips, My Chemical Romance, and more.

Tour dates: 

JUNE
6 Seattle Showbox
7 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
9 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
11 Los Angeles, CA The Fonda Theatre
12 Las Vegas, NV The Pool - The Cosmopolitan
15 Englewood, CO Gothic Theatre
17 Austin, TX Emo's Alternative Lounge - Inside
18 Dallas, TX Granada Theater
19 Houston, TX House of Blues
20 Baton Rouge, LA Dixie Landin' Theme Park
22 St. Louis, MO The Ready Room
24 Grand Rapids, MI Intersection
25 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theatre
26 Council Bluff, IA Stir Cove at Harrah's Casino

JULY
9 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Revolution
10 Orlando, FL Beacham Theatre
11 St. Petersburg, FL State Theatre
13 Atlanta, GA Center State Theatre
14 Nashville, TN The Cannery
16 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
17 Cleveland, OH House of Blues
18 Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live
20 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
21 Philadelphia, PA TLA
22 New York, NY Irving Plaza
26 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club

Country music veteran Don Williams will hit the road again soon. 

 

“Mercy, the fans have kept us going for years, and I am glad to share the music with them once again,” says Williams.

First coming to prominence in the 1960s, he is best known for the hits “Atta Way To Go,” “Come Early Morning,” “We Should Be Together,” “Rake and Ramblin’ Man,” “Tulsa Time,” and “Nobody But You” in the 1970s and '80s. He won Male Vocalist of the Year from the Country Music Association in 1978, and notched his biggest hit in 1981 with “I Believe In You,” which also crossed over to the top-30 on the Hot 100.

Williams’ most recent album was 2014’s Reflections, which earned the singer his highest peak on the Country Album chart in three decades. Known as “The Gentle Giant,” Williams was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2010.

Tour Dates:

April 16 - Effingham, Illinois - Effingham Performance Center
April 17 - Peshawbestown, Michigan - Leelanau Sands Casino Showroom
April 18 - Shipshewana, Indiana - Blue Gate Theater
April 19 - Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin - Crystal Grand Music Theatre
April 21 - St. Charles, Illinois - The Arcada Theatre
April 23 - North Canton, Ohio - Canton Palace Theatre
April 24 - Hopewell, Virginia - The Beacon Theatre
April 25 - Franklin, North Carolina - Smoky Mountain Center
May 14 - Eau Claire, Wisconsin - State Theatre
May 15 - Saint Michael, North Dakota - Spirit Lake Casino
May 16 - Fort Yates, North Dakota - Pavilion at Prairie Knights Casino
May 17 - Onamia, Minnesota - Grand Casino Mille Lacs
May 20 - Omaha, Nebraska - Kiewit Convert Hall at The Holland
May 21 - Salina, Kansas - The Stiefel Theatre
May 22 - Bartlesville, Oklahoma - Bartlesville Community Center
May 23 - Lula, Mississippi - Isle of Capri Casino
Sept. 9 - Dodge City, Kansas - United Wireless Arena
Sept. 10 - Colorado Springs, Colorado - Pikes Peak Center
Sept. 11 - Deadwood, South Dakota - Deadwood Mountain Grand Hotel
Sept. 14 - Winnipeg, Manitoba - Pantages Playhouse Theatre
Sept. 15 - Regina, Saskatchewan - Conexus Centre of the Arts
Sept. 16 - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - TCU Place
Sept. 17 - Edmonton, Alberta - Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
Sept. 19 - Calgary, Alberta - Jack Singer Hall Epcor Centre
Sept. 20 - Kelowna, British Columbia - Kelowna Community Theatre
Sept. 24 - Pocatello, Idaho - Stephens Performing Arts Center
Sept. 25-26 - Wendover, Nevada - Peppermill Concert Hall
Oct. 14 - Clearwater, Florida - The Capitol Theatre
Oct. 15 - Bremen, Georgia - Mill Town Music Hall
Oct. 16 - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee - Country Tonight Theatre
Oct. 17 - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee - Country Tonight Theatre
Oct. 18 - Newberry, South Carolina - Newberry Opera House
Oct. 20 - Durham, North Carolina - Carolina Theatre of Durham
Oct. 22 - Huntsville, Alabama - Von Braun Center Concert Hall
Oct. 23 - Paducah, Kentucky - The Carson Center
Oct. 24 - Branson, Missouri - Oakridge Boys Theatre
Nov. 12 - Kansas City, Missouri - Ameristar Casino and Hotel
Nov. 13 - Norman, Oklahoma - Riverwind Casino
Nov. 14 - Bossier City, Louisiana - Riverdome Horseshoe Hotel
Nov. 15 - San Antonio, Texas - The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts
Nov. 18 - Stafford, Texas - Stafford Centre
Nov. 19 - Midland, Texas - Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center
Nov. 20 - Austin, Texas - Paramount Theatre

Don-Williams.com

Tower Records documentary 'All Things Must Pass' screens at LA's Grammy Museum

photo courtesy The Grammy Museum/Russ Solomon

The Grammy Museum at LA Live hosted another fine music film last week as part of its Reel To Reel series.

All Things Must Pass details the rise and fall of Tower Records. The documentary title was inspired by a phrase displayed on the marquee sign of one store that had closed in 2006 (and not, as some might assume, George Harrison’s hit 1970 album with the same moniker).

Having made countless trips to the Tower Sunset Strip location whenever I attended concerts in Hollywood (not to mention such memorable in-store signings and performances as Rod Stewart, Duran Duran and Dramarama), All Things Must Pass was a must-see for me. I was not disappointed.

Director Colin Hanks (known for acting roles in “Orange County,” “Roswell,” “Dexter”) spent seven years making All Things Must Pass; the film was funded by a Kickstarter campaign that raised $92,000 from nearly 1700 backers. Hanks and producer Sean Stuart are currently seeking distribution.

Earlier this month, the absorbing documentary premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin to a rapturous reception. It will screen during opening night of the Sacramento International Film Festival on April 25 at the Tower Theater – the same location where Tower first began.

Due to overwhelming demand, the Grammy Museum has also added a rare encore showing next month (see details below).

The sold out Grammy Museum event on Thursday served as a reunion for several old Tower employees from SoCal. Hanks, Stuart, company founder Russ Solomon and Rolling Stone Contributing Editor Steve Knopper all participated in a panel discussion moderated by the museum’s Scott Goldman (who admitted that he once worked at a Tower location in San Francisco).

A lingering shot of a shuttered Tower store, with empty racks and shelving once teeming with music product, serves as the highly effective opening image. Through multiple interview subjects and archival photos, we see how Tower emerged from its humble drugstore beginnings selling 78 rpm vinyl singles to the first standalone store in Sacramento in 1960.

The Tower head and former members of his executive team provide insight on how the company was run during its heyday (an early motto was “stack ‘em high, sell ‘em low”). Colorful anecdotes from two of them - Heidi Cotler and Jim Viducich – prompted much laughter among the screening audience.

Solomon notes that the music industry was primarily singles driven until The Beach Boys issued their 1962 debut “Surfin’ Safari” and sales of the LP really started to pick up. Record company money helped open the San Francisco store in 1968. Solomon attributes part of their early success to the fact that “we had no dress code.”

Elton John, Bruce Springsteen and Dave Grohl all describe how Tower affected them, while David Geffen gives the music biz perspective.

One especially poignant moment in the film comes when ex-Universal Music Group head Jim Urie shares how Solomon changed his life. There’s some old footage of John shopping on new release day and he admits, “I spent more money in Tower than any other human being on the planet.”

Springsteen recalls, “when we first came to LA and went to Tower, we all shocked by the size of it” and “you aspired to have your album cover on one of the murals [outside].”

Grohl worked at a Tower location because it was the only place he could get hired with long hair.

Eventually Tower expanded internationally and started up its own in-house magazine Pulse! By 1999, Tower Records made $1 billion, but due to the rise of Napster and file sharing, the industry’s mandate for high CD prices, sales wars with big box retailers and other factors, the company filed for bankruptcy and closed for good in 2006.

Overall, Hanks and his crew do a good job and hitting all the key points in Tower’s history with the interviews and conveying the sense of family atmosphere.

After All Things Must Pass (and the massive end credits of Kickstarter supporters) concluded, the panel discussion was enlightening.

photo courtesy: The Grammy Museum

Hanks (pictured left center) talked about how he first got the idea to tell the Tower story after having dinner with some people and someone commented on Tower stores closing and how it was hard to believe how it all began.

He didn’t want to use a serious voiceover to tell the story, but “wanted the narrative to be about Russ and what he built.” He also admitted the difficulty of getting song clearances and how he approached Grohl about being a part of the film at a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame event. The rocker was game and they did the interview right there.

Solomon, now 89, was apparently seeing the finished cut for the first time at the Grammy Museum. He felt Hanks and Company did a good job with it, but thought they were crazy at first. “I’m proud of what we did. The record business was a lot more fun back then.” On Tower’s international presence, he said going to South America was a big mistake.

Tower was one of the first chains to install listening stations for consumers to hear a CD before buying it - something Knopper said in the panel discussion was a precursor to today’s curated playlists on streaming services.

Archival photos used in the film were from Solomon’s personal collection and Stuart said they will become part of a Sacramento Preservation Project.

After the Grammy program ended, a couple people in attendance could be heard saying there should’ve been some mention of the countless artist in-store signings and performances at Tower stores over the years. Maybe Hanks couldn’t find any decent footage or simply didn’t have room to fit it in. He did say they had to leave a lot of stuff out of the finished film.

Stuart, Solomon, Hanks photo courtesy: The Grammy Museum

  

ALL THINGS MUST PASS: ENCORE SCREENING
Doors open at 7 p.m. April 16. Tickets are $15 and available at www.axs.com
www.grammymuseum.org

Music video update: Caleb Johnson, The Verve Pipe

Season 13 American Idol Winner Caleb Johnson just unveiled his new music video “Fighting Gravity,” which can be viewed here: http://bitly.co/FightingGravityYahooPremiere. 

 

It was inspired by a real life experience and conceptualized by Caleb, along with Mark Staubach (American Authors, Travie McCoy, Dirty Heads) who also directed the video.

 

Caleb explains: “The video was inspired by a personal experience I had this past year while visiting a family whose son had a rare but terminal form of pediatric cancer. Using “Fighting Gravity” as the musical backdrop, I wanted to create an emotional connection and raise awareness of a disease that tragically affects so many families. I hope people will be inspired to lend support to people they know that are going through similar experiences.”

 

"Fighting Gravity,” co-written by Caleb, Brian Howes & Lenny Skolnik, is the first official video release from his Testify album. The album features 10 tracks produced by Howard Benson (Bon Jovi, My Chemical Romance, Gavin DeGraw) with Caleb backed by Jane’s Addiction bassist Chris Chaney, former Nine Inch Nails/Guns N’ Roses drummer Josh Freese, and guitarist Phil X (Rob Zombie and Tommy Lee).

 

In addition, Caleb is joining forces with the organization, DoSomething.org for its “Patient Playbooks” campaign in conjunction with the release of “Fighting Gravity.” “Patient Playbooks encourages young people to make activity books for children in hospitals to brighten their stay. To sign up and download a playbook template, visit DoSomething.org/FightingGravity

 

The singer will perform “Fighting Gravity” at the Cherry Blossom Parade in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, April 11 as well as at the 2015 National Memorial Day Parade in DC on Monday, May 25. Johnson will also perform a hometown show on Saturday, May 2 at Harrah’s Casino in Cherokee, North Carolina. Caleb is planning a string of tour dates throughout the Southeast during the month of May.

 

A full list of tour dates to be announced soon at CalebJohnsonOfficial.com.

Testify is now available on iTunes: http://bit.ly/TestifyAlbumiTunes

 

The Verve Pipe -- best known for their 1997 #1 hit "The Freshmen" -- have released a new video for the title cut of their current album Overboard. The song was co-written by frontman Brian Vander Ark and actor/musician Jeff Daniels, and the music video was directed by world-renowned artist Lawrence Carroll.

Watch it now here: http://www.interviewmagazine.com/music/exclusive-video-premiere-overboard-the-verve-pipe.

“For me, ‘Overboard’ works as a song, but it really could be anything--a movie, a novel, the first season of a TV series,” Jeff Daniels expressed to Interview. “It’s that kind of story.” The song unravels a tale of a mysterious beautiful young woman and her inexplicable fate.

Lawrence Carroll served as art director for the famed Nirvana music video for "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and went on to direct The Verve Pipe's first music video for "Photograph" as well as videos for Jewel, Counting Crows and Collective Soul, among others.

 

Since that time, Lawrence has gone on to become a revered painter and sculptor, best known for his table paintings made from everyday scrap materials. Carroll’s work has been exhibited at the Vatican, the Hotel des Arts in Toulon, France, the Museo Correr in Venice, and documenta IX in Kassel, Germany, among other institutions. His work is held by several public collections, including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.

Lawrence had been on a 15-year hiatus from directing music videos before agreeing to create “Overboard.” The video was shot over three days in the frigid cold on the shore of the upper peninsula of Lake Michigan and the lead actress is Lawrence’s daughter Rory.

“I reached out to Lawrence last year, right after the song was recorded,” Vander Ark shares. “I knew that he would feel what I felt about the song--that it was a cold world, figuratively and literally. I see Northern Michigan in his paintings. The ice and snow, the rocks and water, the autumnal and winter skies are all there on the ‘canvas.' The bitter cold that a naked body would feel as it hit the ice water. The loneliness, the stories on the faces.”

Lawrence was immediately interested in the project upon hearing the song and agreed that Michigan’s Upper Peninsula was the ideal location to capture the emotion of “Overboard.” “It is devastatingly beautiful in winter and I have always been attracted to this light,” he says. “The landscape is shrouded in an infinite haze of white light, a frozen land that is unforgiving and formidable.”

Translator rarities album, LA gig on the way

Translator burst onto the music scene in 1982 with its Modern Rock radio/MTV hit “Everywhere That I’m Not.” Success continued to grow through the band’s four major label-distributed releases.

 

Twenty-five years later, the band regrouped, played the SXSW festival, and made another stellar record, once again selling out shows. But, how did it all come to be? The group formed in 1979 with singer/guitarist Steve Barton, bassist Larry Dekker and Dave Scheff on drums. 

 

The core trio was soon joined by Robert Darlington and Translator was signed to Howie Klein’s Sony Music-distributed 415 Records imprint (also home to Romeo Void, Red Rockers, and Wire Train) on the strength of its demo tape.

 

Their first two releases were produced by David Kahne (Paul McCartney, Bangles, Tony Bennett, Sublime), while Ed Stasium (Ramones, Living Colour and The Smithereens) helmed the next pair. The recordings made a big splash on college radio and MTV, but the band called it quits in 1986.

On March 31, Omnivore Recordings will proudly translate this story with Sometimes People Forget, a collection of Translator demos that span from 1979 through 1985. The package contains 22 tracks from the band’s critically lauded canon and beyond, only two of which have only previously been available on a rare compilation.

Aside from early versions of hits like “Everywhere That I’m Not,” Sometimes People Forget depicts the group at its creative best — with sessions produced by not only the band, but by David Kahne, Phil De Lancie and Elliot Mazer — crafting the material that would make up Translator’s revered catalog.

Produced in conjunction with the band, Sometimes People Forget tells the Translator story — not only through music, but also via photos, ephemera and liners from the group’s Steve Barton (the set’s co-producer) and notes from producers David Kahne and Ed Stasium, as well as Steve Berlin (Los Lobos).
 

This is the final piece of the puzzle that Translator fans have been waiting for, an essential document of a time and place that needs to be (re)discovered and (re)assessed. And (re)treasured.

According to Barton, “We are so thrilled about this album. It is a collection of 22 demos, all handpicked from the band's personal archives, including tracks from when we were a trio in L.A. in 1979. Listening to the record in sequence, I really get the scope and diversity of Translator. What an amazing little band. The four of us make a pretty glorious noise together."

In addition, the band performs May 3 at Molly Malone’s in LA. Tickets are $14 and available here:
http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=5688685

Track Listing:
 

1. Translator *
2. Lost
3. Everywhere That I’m Not
4. Fiendish Thingy *
5. Optimism
6. Necessary Spinning
7. Eraser
8. Get Out
9. Everything Is Falling
10. Gravity
11. We Fell Away
12. Winter Crying
13. Inside My Mind
14. Is There a Heaven Singing
15. My Restless Heart (French Version)
16. These Old Days
17. Friends of the Future
18. Fall Forever
19. Breathless Agony
20. Brouhaha
21. Standing in Line
22. I’ll Be Your Summer
all selections previously unissued except * 

 

See a trailer here:
http://youtu.be/hTh0_huojJk

Incubus EP out now

Earlier this week, alt-rock band Incubus released “Trust Fall (Side A),” a new 4-song EP via Island Records. The first single, “Absolution Calling,” is currently top 20 on Billboard's Modern Rock chart.

After nearly two years conceptualizing and recording new material, Incubus, under the management of Johnny Wright at Wright Entertainment Group, has its sights set on a “non-traditional” album in 2015. Founding member Mike Einziger told Billboard.com that although the band didn’t have “any plans of making this record” the new music is “pretty indicative of where we are now. This is what the band sounds like in 2015.”

On March 10, the second instant grat track from the EP “Trust Fall” came out. It was first introduced at KROQ’s 25th Annual Almost Acoustic Xmas concert last December.

The new EP by Incubus on Island Records in 2015, marks 20 years since the release of their indie debut album in 1995, Fungus Amongus. Incubus went on to release six studio albums on the Epic/Immortal label (the last three produced by Brendan O’Brien), achieving RIAA gold, platinum and multi-platinum success; as well as five live albums. Four of their songs have hit #1 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart, including “Drive” (2000, also Top 10 Pop), “Megalo­maniac” (2003), “Anna-Molly” (2006), and “Love Hurts” (2008).