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Wednesday, May 31, 2017

All-star Don Williams tribute album available now

Slate Creek Records just released Gentle Giants: The Songs of Don Williams. It is available HERE.

A tribute
to the Country Music Hall of Famer, it features Dierks Bentley, Garth Brooks, Brandy Clark, Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires, Keb’ Mo’, Alison Krauss, Lady Antebellum, John Prine feat. Roger Cook, Pistol Annies, Chris Stapleton and Trisha Yearwood.

“I’m so honored to be part of Gentle Giants a tribute to Don Williams. He is such a great person, such a huge influence on so many people, and an icon in country music,” said Bentley, who contributed “Some Broken Hearts Never Mend” to the album.

To celebrate the release and Williams’ extraordinary career, the Grand Ole Opry honored the music of the legend yesterday. 


This collection of country classics not only honors Williams’ numerous artistic contributions, but it also supports a great cause. All guest artist performances on the album were generously donated in support of MusiCares, the charitable foundation created by The Recording Academy, which provides a safety net of critical assistance for those in the music field in times of need. The services cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies. The foundation will receive a majority of the proceeds from the sale of the album.

Williams, who earned his popular nickname from his 6-foot 1-inch frame and his smooth baritone, announced his retirement from performing last year, concluding an impressive five-decade career that includes two CMA Awards, two ACM Awards, and the industry’s highest honor induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2010.

Track listing:


1. "Tulsa Time" - Pistol Annies
2. "I Believe in You" - Brandy Clark
3. "We've Got a Good Fire Goin'" - Lady Antebellum
4. "Some Broken Hearts Never Mend" - Dierks Bentley
5. "Amanda" - Chris Stapleton feat. Morgane Stapleton
6. "Till The Rivers All Run Dry" - Alison Krauss
7. "Love Is On A Roll" - John Prine feat. Roger Cook
8. "If I Needed You" - Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires
9. "Maggie's Dream" - Trisha Yearwood
10. "Lord I Hope This Day is Good" - Keb' Mo'
11. "Good Ole Boys Like Me" - Garth Brooks

Roy Orbison news

On Nov. 3, A Love So Beautiful: Roy Orbison with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will be released via Sony Music/Legacy Recordings/Roy’s Boys.

Available on CD, LP and digital formats, this brand new album infuses Orbison’s best original vocal performances, consisting of hits and fan favorites such as “Oh, Pretty Woman,” “Crying” and “Only the Lonely,” with the emotion and world class musicianship of the Royal Philharmonic, London’s most notable orchestra.

In addition, Roy’s sons Wesley (guitar), Roy Jr. (guitar) and Alex (drums) provided instrumental backing on selected tracks.

A Love So Beautiful: Roy Orbison with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is available to pre-order: https://orbison.lnk.to/ALSB

Alex Orbison, President of Roy’s Boys and the youngest of Roy Orbison’s sons, stated, “If ever there were a singer whose body of work benefits from a collaboration with the Royal Philharmonic it would be Roy Orbison.


During the course of his career and after his passing it was constantly noted that his transcendent vocal ability made him something of an anomaly in the world of pop and rock and that, in another life, he would have taken the classical music/opera world by storm. Soon, we’ll all be able to experience that ‘life’ with the release of this project. It’s more than an album release, it’s the fulfillment of a prophecy in a very tangible way.”

The material covered on A Love So Beautiful is vast, ranging from his early-mid 60s material on the Monument label where he hit his first commercial peak up to his comeback in the late 80s before his untimely passing (“You Got It,” “I Drove All Night,” “A Love So Beautiful”).

A Love So Beautiful was produced by Don Reedman and Nick Patrick, who were also at the helm for the hugely successful albums If I Can Dream: Elvis Presley with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and The Wonder of You: Elvis Presley with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The orchestral component was recorded at Abbey Road Studios, Studio 2, in London (every Beatles album from 1964 on), while Roy’s sons recorded their parts in Nashville at Black River Studios that was previously owned by their father.

Also out this fall is the first ever estate sanctioned Roy Orbison book, The Authorized Roy Orbison. Filled with hundreds of photographs, many never before seen, gathered from across the globe and uncovered from deep within the Orbison Vault, The Authorized Roy Orbison shows Roy as a young child and follows him all the way through to the peak of his stardom and up to his tragic end.


Written by Wesley, Roy Jr. and Alex Orbison - Roy's Boys - with the help of Jeff Slate, no stone has been left unturned in order to illustrate the people, places, things and events that forged their father, the man behind those famous sunglasses.
 

Track listing:

1) In Dreams
2) Crying
3) I’m Hurtin’
4) Oh, Pretty Woman*
5) It’s Over
6) Dream Baby +
7) Blue Angel
8) Love Hurts
9) Uptown**
10) Mean Woman Blues+
11) Only the Lonely
12) Running Scared
13) I Drove All Night**
14) You Got It
15) A Love So Beautiful**

*featuring Alex Orbison- drums; Wesley & Roy Jr.- guitars; Roy III- guitar, tambourine
+featuring Alex Orbison- drums; Roy Orbison Jr. – guitar
**featuring Alex Orbison- drums

A Thousand Horses unveil 'Bridges' on Friday

photo: Ford Fairchild
BMLG Records band A Thousand Horses' new album Bridges arrived Friday. The digital-only release features six new tracks and seven acoustic live renditions – including their breakout hit, “Smoke.”

Lead single “Preachin’ to the Choir” is already climbing at Country radio and earning rave critical reviews. Bridges was co-produced by Corey Crowder and Dann Huff, with the band handling the live tracks. On the new tunes, the four band members were joined by several prominent co-writers.

A Thousand Horses’ 2015 breakout album, Southernality was a Top 5 hit that features the gold-certified #1 debut, “Smoke.”

Track listing:


1. “Blaze Of Somethin’” - Michael Hobby, Bill Satcher, Aaron Eshuis, Ryan Hurd*
2. “Burn Like Willie” - Zach Brown, Graham DeLoach, Michael Hobby, Bill Satcher, Corey Crowder*
3. “Preachin’ to the Choir” - Heather Morgan, Morgan Wallen, Brad Warren, Brett Warren**
4. “One Man Army” - Michael Hobby, Ross Copperman, Josh Osborne**
5. “Bridges” - Zach Brown, Graham DeLoach, Michael Hobby, Bill Satcher, Corey Crowder*
6. “Weekends In a Small Town” - Michael Hobby, Jaren Johnston, Neil Mason*
7. “Travelin’ Man” (Live from Metropolis Studios, London) - Michael Hobby, Bill Satcher, Jaren Johnston***
8. “Preachin’ to the Choir” (Live from Metropolis Studios, London) - Heather Morgan, Morgan Wallen, Brad Warren, Brett Warren***
9. “Sunday Morning” (Live from Metropolis Studios, London) - Zach Brown, Graham DeLoach, Michael Hobby, Bill Satcher, Rich Robinson***
10. “One Man Army” (Live from Metropolis Studios, London) - Michael Hobby, Ross Copperman, Josh Osborne***
11. “Bridges” (Live from Metropolis Studios, London) - Zach Brown, Graham DeLoach, Michael Hobby, Bill Satcher, Corey Crowder***
12. “First Time” (Live from Metropolis Studios, London) - Michael Hobby, Bill Satcher, Patrick Davis***
13. “Smoke” (Live from Printer’s Alley, Nashville) - Michael Hobby, Jon Nite, Ross Copperman***

*Produced by Corey Crowder
**Produced by Dann Huff
***Produced by A Thousand Horses

Tour dates:

June 03 - Forney, TX @ Forney BBQ Cook-Off & Festival
June 08 - Elko, NV @ Country Under the Stars
June 10 - Nashville, TN @ CMA Music Festival
June 11 - Temecula, CA @ Wilson Creek Winery
June 15 - Bakersfield, CA @ Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace
June 16 - San Diego, CA @ Moonshine Beach
June 17 - Santa Rosa, CA @ Country Summer
June 23 - Manhattan, KS @ Country Stampede
June 24 - Joliet, IL @ Taste of Joliet
June 29 - Detroit, MI @ Campus Martius
July 08 - Varysburg, NY @ Jam in the Valley
July 09 - Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun
July 14 - Salinas, CA @ California Rodeo
July 15 - Reno, NV @ Cargo Concert Hall at Whitney Peak Hotel
July 22 - Glencoe, MN @ Heat in the Street Music Festival
July 28 - Dubuque, IA @ Dubuque County Fair
July 29 - Grover Hill, OH @ Wetzelland
August 04 - Cherokee, IA @ Mill Creek Festival
August 05 - Saint Joseph, MI @ WYTZ Summer Jam Fan Appreciation Show
August 12 - Minong, WI @ Northwoods Country Music Festival
October 20 - Baton Rouge, LA @ Texas Club

AThousandHorses.com.

The long-awaited return of Goldfinger

LA ska/punk band Goldfinger is back, with the announcement of The Knife, to be released July 21 through Rise Records. After nine years of producing and writing music for other bands, leader John Feldmann has returned with his own new music for the first time since the release of 2008's Hello Destiny.

Pre-orders are available here: https://RiseRecords.lnk.to/TheKnife

The album features guest vocal appearances by Blink-182's Mark Hoppus, 311 lead singer Nick Hexum; Mighty Mighty Bosstones' Nate Albert ("Get What I Need") on guitar, Twenty One Pilots' Josh Dun on drums ("Orthodontist Girl"), and others. Fans can now hear first single, “Put The Knife Away”.

The Knife is not a nostalgia play; it is an evolution of the band and a reflection of the musical and life experience that singer-songwriter/producer John Feldmann who explains, "I took my time making this record...Nine years to be exact! I feel like I've made the most concise Goldfinger record in my career. We have all Goldfinger styles together as one, with Zakk Cervini, who mixed the Blink-182 record, and Travis Barker on drums, I couldn't be more proud of an album."

With 13 tracks, The Knife surges with the energy, personality, and charm that has made Goldfinger one of the most memorable acts from 1990s/2000s punk. From the blaring opener “A Million Miles”, the easy-going, self-deprecating ska-influenced “Get What I Need”, the swaying struggle of “Don’t Let Me Go”, and the brassy, reggae feel of “Liftoff”, the record spans a vast spectrum of sound and tone.


This variety is the result of deliberate reflection of Feldmann’s life experiences and extensive production (Blink-182, Panic! At The Disco, 5 Seconds of Summer) career over the years. With tongue-in-cheek scene commentary on “Am I Deaf?”, the interpersonal conflict of “Put the Knife Away”, or the heartwarming ode to his daughter “Milla”, Feldmann uses The Knife as a decidedly unguarded sonic update and re-introduction of himself and his thoughts.

Sporting a revamped lineup, Goldfinger features MXPX’s Mike Herrera on bass and Story of the Year’s Phil Sneed on guitar (both doing backup vocals as well). Blink-182’s Travis Barker plays drums on the album, making the album a fitting collection from different corners of the punk world and further showcasing Feldmann’s ability to draw from and synthesize influences into a cohesive, character-infused collection of talent and art.

Goldfinger continues to build on a highly regarded legacy, where they have been considered one of the forerunners and most well-known bands of the third-wave ska/punk movement of the late 90s. Their 1996 self-titled debut Goldfinger went gold. 1997’s Hang-Ups reached the top half of the Billboard 200, and the single “Superman” was prominently featured on the soundtrack for the generation-defining Tony Hawk Pro Skater video game.


Over six full-length albums and over a decade of touring, Goldfinger amassed an international fan base drawn to the band’s penchant for big choruses, attitude, and creativity of seamlessly fusing punk rock, ska, skate punk, and various other genres throughout their discography.

The band is playing select dates on Warped Tour this summer, along with dates in Europe and Canada. All dates posted below. Purchase The Knife on iTunes.


Goldfinger is John Feldmann (vocals/guitar), Mike Herrera (bass/harmonies), and Phil Sneed (guitar/harmonies).

Tour Dates:
 

June 1 - LaSbielleta - Lecco, Italy
June 16 - Warped Tour - Centurylink Field North Lot, Seattle, WA
June 17 - Warped Tour - Oregon State Fairgrounds, Salem, OR
June 23 - Montebello Rockfest - Montebello, QC
August 4 - Warped Tour - Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA
August 5 - Warped Tour - Qualcomm Stadium at Jack Murphy, San Diego, CA
August 6 - Warped Tour - Fairplex, Pomona, CA
September 9 - The Rave - Milwaukee, WI
September 10 - Wayback Pointfest - St. Louis, MO
September 11 - Concord Music Hall - Chicago, IL

Track listing:

1. A Million Miles
2. Get What I Need
3. AM I Deaf
4. Tijuana Sunrise
5. Put The Knife Away
6. Don't Let Me Go
7. Beacon
8. Who's Laughing Now
9. Say It Out Loud
10. Orthodontist Girl
11. See You Around
12. Liftoff
13. Milla

Siblings Shelby Lynne + Allison Moorer record album together for the first time

Critically acclaimed artists and sisters Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer will release Not Dark Yet on Aug. 18 via Silver Cross Records/Thirty Tigers. Produced by Teddy Thompson, it is their first album together.

Recorded in Los Angeles last summer, the album looks at the sisters’ individual and collective artistry through eclectic cover song choices. They co-wrote “Is It Too Much.”

Raised in Alabama, the sisters sang as kids. Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer have pursued separate musical paths, garnering a Grammy, an Oscar nod, and many other awards and nominations along the way. They have collectively released 24 albums, but never one together until now.

Not Dark Yet is not a duet record. It is no ordinary collaboration.

Track Listing (w/original artist):

My List – The Killers
Every Time You Leave – The Louvin Brothers
Not Dark Yet – Bob Dylan
I'm Looking For Blue Eyes – Jessi Colter
Lungs – Townes Van Zandt
The Color of a Cloudy Day – Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires
Silver Wings – Merle Haggard
Into My Arms – Nick Cave
Lithium – Kurt Cobain
Is It Too Much – Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer

Big Star retrospective due out soon

Stax Records, an imprint of Concord Music Group and its Catalog Division,Craft Recordings, will release a new compilation celebrating Big Star. The 16-track collection spans all three of the influential band’s LPs (1972’s #1 Record, 1974’s Radio City and Third, released after the group disbanded, in the late ’70s), and features rare edits of some of their most popular songs.

Liner notes from Grammy Award-winning writer and director Robert Gordon, plus an introduction by the sole surviving Big Star member, drummer Jody Stephens, round out the package. In stores June 16, Best of Big Star will be available as a 2-LP, 45 rpm album housed in a gatefold jacket, with lacquers cut at Ardent Studios and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Memphis Record Pressing. The title will also be available digitally and on CD.

Much like Nick Drake, the Velvet Underground, and other critically esteemed artists whose work only gained commercial traction long after its initial release, Big Star let loose their trademark mix — shimmering jangle pop with a side of elliptical melancholia — into a world that just wasn’t ready for it.


In his liner notes, Robert Gordon muses that the band “fizzled before most anyone heard them, then when they seemed totally forgotten they began to exert more musical influence than most bands ever dream of — an unusual story … Big Star reminds us that great art lives, that immediate audience appreciation can’t be counted on and that it’s not about the brightness of the light but its beauty.”

Formed in 1971 by singer/songwriters Alex Chilton (1950-2010) and Chris Bell (1951-1978), drummer Jody Stephens (b. 1952) and bassist Andy Hummel (1951-2010), the Memphis-based group is considered to be one of the most influential bands in modern music, having inspired some of the biggest alt-rock artists of the ’80s, ’90s and beyond. An underground core of fanatical enthusiasts kept the fire burning. The Replacements famously released “Alex Chilton,” a song that paid tribute to Big Star’s songwriting genius. R.E.M.’s Peter Buck said, “Big Star served as a Rosetta Stone for a whole generation of musicians.”

Over the course of their time together, Big Star recorded three LPs with producer John Fry at his Ardent Studios. 1972’s #1 Record included the power-pop anthem “When My Baby’s Beside Me,” dreamy “Thirteen,” and “In the Street” (famously covered by Cheap Trick for the theme of That’70s Show). Radio City (1974), recorded after the departure of Chris Bell, featured “September Gurls” (covered by likes of the Bangles and Superdrag).


In the fall of 1974, not long after the release of Radio City and the departure of bassist Andy Hummel, Chilton and Stephens recorded a new album, which was shelved until 1978, after the group had disbanded. That mythic album was released as Third (later reissued under the name Sister Lovers as well), and has long been revered by artists and critics as one of the most influential albums ever produced. #1 Record,Radio City and Third are now considered to be milestones in the history of rock by critics and musicians alike. The three LPs made it onto Rolling Stone’s 2012 “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” list, while tracks from the first two (“Thirteen” and “September Gurls”) are also among the magazine’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”

Track Listing:


1. In the Street (single mix)
2. Don’t Lie to Me (single version)
3. September Gurls (single version)
4. Thirteen
5. Jesus Christ (single edit)
6. I’m in Love With a Girl
7. O My Soul (single edit)
8. Feel
9. When My Baby’s Beside Me
10. Take Care
11. Life Is White
12. Watch the Sunrise (single version)
13. The Ballad of El Goodo
14. Nightime
15. Back of a Car
16. Thank You Friends

Preorder Best of Big Star on CD or Vinyl: http://smarturl.it/BestofBigStar

Monday, May 22, 2017

U2 concert review: Pasadena, Calif. #1


Seattle photo: Kevin Mazur/2017 U2 Ltd.
U2 returned to the Rose Bowl on Saturday for the first of two sold out shows. The veteran rock band last played the stadium (among the biggest in Southern California) 7 ½ years ago during the 360 World Tour for its underrated album “No Line on the Horizon.” U2 performed in-the-round under a gargantuan “claw” set.

The current tour launched earlier this month and finds the Irish musicians celebrating the 30th Anniversary of “The Joshua Tree.” That landmark album won multiple Grammys, spawned three top 20 singles - two were No. 1 - and was certified 10x platinum. A lavish deluxe box set reissue is due out June 2 (read more in my previous blog post here: https://newwavegeo.blogspot.com/2017/03/deluxe-reissue-of-u2s-joshua-tree.html) via Universal Music Enterprises.

After the Pogues’ “Rainy Night in Soho” played on the Rose Bowl sound system, drummer Larry Mullen Jr. suddenly appeared at his drum kit on the small B-stage next to the general admission crowd and launched the nearly two-hour set with martial rhythms of early college/rock radio hit “Sunday Bloody Sunday.” The other three members slowly strode down the catwalk and joined in. “New Year’s Day,” also from 1983’s “War,” was equally powerful.

“We have always felt at home in Los Angeles,” affirmed Bono, before the captivating “A Sort of Homecoming” (KROQ/106.7 FM was one of the first stations to champion a young U2). The charismatic singer dedicated a driving, inspirational “Pride (in the Name of Love)” to “those holding onto the American dream and those who belong to the party of Lincoln and Kennedy: you’re welcome here.” At one point, the famed "I Have a Dream" speech by the song's lyrical focal point Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., scrolled on the backdrop. Key words broke apart for emphasis. Bono yelled, “maybe the dream is telling us to wake up America!” 

Once the band returned to the main stage to perform “The Joshua Tree” in its entirety, awesome LED imagery (highway, desert, country) from longtime visual collaborator Anton Corbijyn was projected on the backdrop.

Each helped illustrate the songs in excellent fashion. “Where the Streets Have No Name” was transcendent as always, while the quiet grandeur of “With or Without You” sounded gorgeous, even in the cavernous stadium. While listening to The Edge’s sharp-as-glass guitarwork on “Bullet the Blue Sky,” you could easily hear how it was an influence on Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello and other young alt-rockers during the 1990s.

A calm, hymn-like “Running to Stand Still” was dedicated to the late Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Audioslave,” who Bono described as “a sweet beautiful soul.” The U2 front man’s harmonica work and Edge’s piano added a sense of levity. The revamped arrangement of “Red Hill Mining Town,” with an old school military brass band playing along on the screens, worked well. Afterward, Bono wondered why they’d never played it live until 2017. 

Edge’s guitar shards were particularly cutting on “In God’s Country,” where Bono sardonically said, “thanks for letting us Irish into the country,” was a standout. The singer donned a hat and gave a manic delivery on the harrowing “Exit” (complete with jarring, blurred images to match). 

For the encores, U2 played the life affirming “Beautiful Day,” which boasted a new slightly EDM-influenced undercurrent that was a pleasant surprise, and Bono quipped, “it’s a beautiful day when human rights drown out human wrongs.” They followed it with a vigorous “Elevation.” Watching thousands yell right along was quite a sight.

“Ultraviolet (Light My Way),” off “Achtung Baby,” was visually devoted to female pioneers around the world. With Bono in a tender vocal mode on the B-stage, various pictures flashed on the screens: Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Patti Smith and Pussy Riot got some of the loudest cheers.

An introduction about the ONE campaign to help end world poverty and disease by co-founder Bono included a thank you to Americans who have donated to the cause over the past 13 years. He noted they were de facto AIDS activists because more people than ever with the disease can lead productive lives thanks in part to the efforts of ONE.

Then U2 did the moving song of the same name as well as “Miss Sarajevo,” “Bad” and finally closed the encore with “I Will Follow.” All told, U2 showed why it is still one of the best rock bands around, easily made the Rose Bowl feel intimate and left fans with plenty of food for thought about the current state of America.

To see a full list of tour dates and more info, go to www.u2.com   
All photos copyright 2017 U2 Limited, courtesy of Universal Music Enterprises  

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Linkin Park album 'One More Light' available Friday; Snoop Dogg to join selected tour dates

Snoop Dogg will join Linkin Park on their One More Light World Tour as a special guest on six west coast dates:

Oct 14 Seattle, WA @ KeyArena
Oct 15 Vancouver, BC @ Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena
Oct 17 Fresno, CA @ Save Mart Center at Fresno State
Oct 18 San Jose, CA @ SAP Center at San Jose
Oct 20 San Diego, CA @ Mattress Firm Amphitheatre
Oct 22 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl


The jaunt officially kicks off July 27 in Boston with opener Machine Gun Kelly. Tickets are on sale now. 

Linkin Park's anticipated seventh studio album, One More Light, is in stores Friday through Warner Bros. Records. The tour set list will combine the biggest hits of Linkin's Park career, as well as material from the new album.

"Our fans know how much love we put into our live show," says guitarist, Brad Delson. "They know how much we enjoy the connection when we play a fan favorite on stage. The emotional and sonic content of this new batch of songs is going to bring a whole new dimension to the show."

Every full-priced ticket purchased for the tour includes a choice of a standard CD or standard digital copy of the One More Light album.
 

EST 19XX/Bad Boy/Interscope recording artist, Machine Gun Kelly just put out his third studio album, bloom. Debut single, "At My Best" featuring Hailee Steinfeld, was the #1 most added song at Rhythmic radio, and has received 20.3+ Spotify streams to date. His "Bad Things" single earned Machine Gun Kelly his first #1 song on Pop Radio, peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The One More Light World Tour won't be the first time Linkin Park and Machine Gun Kelly shared the stage. In 2014, Machine Gun Kelly joined LP for a rendition of "Bleed It Out" on the band's surprise appearance at the Van's Warped Tour.

Also joining the tour in Boston, Philadelphia and Uncasville, is one of Japan's most popular and electrifying live rock bands, ONE OK ROCK.

$1.00 from every full-priced ticket sold on the tour will benefit Music For Relief, the charity foundation Linkin Park founded in 2005 to aid survivors of natural disasters and environmental protection. For further info go to www.musicforrelief.org.


Full tour dates:

July 27 Boston, MA @ Xfinity Center
Aug 1 Philadelphia, PA @ BB&T Pavilion
Aug 2 Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live
Aug 5 Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
Aug 7 Detroit, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
Aug 8 Toronto, ONT @ Budweiser Stage
Aug 10 Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
Aug 12 Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
Aug 14 Chicago, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Aug 15 St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
Aug 17 Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion
Aug 19 Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Ampitheatre
Aug 20 West Palm Beach, FL @ Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre
Aug 22 Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
Aug 23 San Antonio, TX @ AT&T Center
Aug 25 Dallas, TX @ Starplex Pavilion
Aug 26 Oklahoma City, OK @ Chesapeake Energy Arena
Aug 28 Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center Arena
Aug 30 Phoenix, AZ @ Talking Stick Resort Arena
Sept 1 Lake Tahoe, NV @ Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys
Sept 2 Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena
Oct 14 Seattle, WA @ KeyArena
Oct 15 Vancouver, BC Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena
Oct 17 Fresno, CA @ Save Mart Center at Fresno State
Oct 18 San Jose, CA @ SAP Center at San Jose
Oct 20 San Diego, CA @Mattress Firm Amphitheatre
Oct 22 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl

The long wait for new Fastball music is over

Fastball's new album, Step Into Light, arrives Friday via 33 1/3 and is the first one to get a vinyl LP release.

The band recently visited SiriusXM Studios for an interview and performance on the Howard Stern Wrap Up Show where they discussed the unexpected reincarnation of their 1990s hit “Out of My Head” on Machine Gun Kelly & Camila Cabello’s #1 smash Hit “Bad Things.” The band also performed one of Howard’s favorite Beatles songs “The Two Of Us.” Highlights can be found here

Step Into Light was recorded in the trio's hometown of Austin, Texas and they co-produced with longtime friend Chris "Frenchie" Smith.

It follows such acclaimed albums as 1996 debut Make Your Mama Proud, 1998 platinum breakthrough All the Pain Money Can Buy (which spawned the Grammy-nominated Top Five hit "The Way"), 2000's The Harsh Light of Day, 2004's Keep Your Wig On and 2009's Little White Lies.

Now on a North American tour with fellow 1990s hitmakers Vertical Horizon and Everclear, all three groups will be donating $1 per ticket sold at each show to Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, an organization that provides financial assistance to career musicians, venue workers, production staff, crew members, and their families suffering from injury, illness or disability.

View “I Will Never Let You Down" here.
View “We’re on Our Way” here.
Stream album on Billboard.com


Tour dates:

5/19 – Deadwood, SD @ Deadwood Mountain Grand Event Center
5/20 – Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall
5/21– Grand Junction, CO @ Two Rivers Convention Center
5/23 – The Colony, TX @ Lava Cantina
5/25 – Des Moines, IA @ Brenton Skating Plaza
5/26 – Welch, MN @ Treasure Island Resort & Casino
5/27 - Lincoln, NE @ Vega - ** (Fastball only)
5/28 – Kansas City, MO @ CrossroadsKC
5/30 – Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre and Ballroom
6/1 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
6/2 – Arlington Heights, IL @ HOME Bar
6/3 – South Bend, IN @ Four Winds Field
6/4 – Columbus, OH @ Express Live (Fastball only)
6/6 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
6/7 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues
6/8 – Portland, ME @ Aura
6/9 – Hampton Beach, NH @ Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
6/10 – Fairfax, VA @ Celebrate Fairfax! Festival
6/11 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
6/13 – Thunder Bay, ON @ Rockhouse
6/15 – Winnipeg, MB @ Club Regent Event Centre
6/16 – Duluth, MN @ Grandma’s Marathon, Canal Park
6/18 – Wichita, KS @ The Cotillion
6/22 – West Siloam Springs, OK @ Cherokee Casino West Siloam Springs
6/23 – New Braunfels, TX @ River Road Ice House
6/24 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues
6/25 – Midland, TX @ Wagner Noel PAC
6/27 – Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee
6/28 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco Theatre
6/29 – Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
7/20 – Atlanta, GA @ City Winery**
7/22 – Lexington, KY @ Willie’s Locally Known**
7/28 – Marietta, OH @ The Adelphia Music Hall At The Gallery**
7/30 – Pawling, NY @ Daryl’s House

**Fastball only 

fastballtheband.com

Friday, May 12, 2017

Goo Goo Dolls news



Goo Goo Dolls has released their new five-song EP, You Should Be Happy, via Warner Bros. Records.

The EP was produced by Drew Pearson (OneRepublic, Katy Perry) who first collaborated with the band on their previous release, Boxes. The first single, Use Me was written by John Rzeznik and Drew Pearson. The EP is available at all digital retailers HERE, and will also be released on CD June 9. Listen to the album in full HERE.

This summer, the band will hit the road for their Long Way Home tour with Phillip Phillips. The tour kicks off July 14 in Mountain, CA and will run through mid-September, culminating at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on Sept. 13. Tickets, tour dates and more at googoodolls.com/tour and livenation.com. 

Track listing:

1. Tattered Edge - You Should Be Happy
2. Use Me
3. 30k Feet
4. Walk Away
5. Boxes (Alex Aldi Mix)

Tour dates:

Fri- Jul-14-17 Mountain, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
Sat-Jul-15-16 Las Vegas, NV Downtown Las Vegas Event Center
Sun-Jul-16-17 Phoenix, AZ Comerica Theatre
Tue-Jul-18-17 Greenwood Village, CO Fiddler's Green Amphitheater
Thu-Jul-20-17 South Fargo, ND Scheels Arena
Fri-Jul-21-17 Council Bluffs, IA Harrah's Hotel & Casino- Stir Cove
Mon-Jul-24-17 Chicago, IL Huntington Bank
Tue-Jul-25-17 Indianapolis, IN Indianapolis Farm Bureau
Thu-Jul-27-17 Peoria, IL Peoria Riverfront
Fri-Jul-28-17 Appleton, WI Fox Cities Stadium
Sat-Jul-29-17 Plymouth, MN Hilde Performance Center
Mon-Jul-31-17 Nashville, TN Ascend Amphitheater
Wed-Aug-02-17 Huber Heights, OH Rose Music Center at The Heights
Thu-Aug-03-17 Rochester Hills, MI Meadowbrook
Sat-Aug-05-17 Cleveland, OH Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica
Sun-Aug-06-17 Philadelphia, PA Festival Pier
Tue-Aug-08-17 Vienna, VA Wolf Trap
Wed-Aug-09-17 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun
Fri-Aug-11-17 Syracuse, NY Lakeview Amphitheater
Sat-Aug-12-17 Darien Lakes, NY Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
Sun-Aug-13-17 Wantagh, NY Northwell Health at Jones Beach Center
Tue-Aug-15-17 Boston, MA Blue Hills Bank Pavilion
Wed-Aug-16-17 Portland, ME Maine State Pier
Fri-Aug-18-17 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
Sat-Aug-19-17 Bethel, NY Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
Sun-Aug-20-17 Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Tue-Aug-22-17 Baltimore, MD Pier Six Pavilion
Wed-Aug-23-17 Raleigh, NC Red Hat Amphitheater
Fri-Aug-25-17 Virginia Beach, VA Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheatre
Sat-Aug-26-17 Asheville, NC Biltmore Estate - South Terrace
Sun-Aug-27-17 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre
Wed-Aug-30-17 Orlando, FL Hard Rock Live
Fri-Sep-01-17 Miami, FL Klipsch Amphitheater at Bayfront
Sat-Sep-02-17 Jacksonville, FL Daily's Place
Mon-Sep-04-17 Atlanta, GA Chastain Park Amphitheatre
Thu-Sep-07-17 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Sun-Sep-10-17 Albuquerque, NM Sandia Resort Casino
Tue-Sep-12-17 San Diego, CA Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
Wed-Sep-13-17 Los Angeles, CA The Greek Theatre

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Lady Antebellum sing about 'Heartbreak'

photo: Eric Ray Davidson
Lady Antebellum's sixth studio album Heartbreak is due out June 9 via Capitol Records Nashville.

It found Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott with a new mission — setting aside time to put themselves in new surroundings, and concentrate on writing and exploring musical endeavors with no distractions. 

They rented a house in Florida, living and working under the same roof, and when the creative process proved successful, the trio set up a second retreat in southern California.

“When we started working on this record, the goal was to give ourselves some space from the day to day,” said Scott. “Surrounding ourselves in a new environment with sunny beaches and warm weather really helped free our minds to focus solely on our art. We took some of our favorite writers and other writers we hadn’t worked with before to a new inspiring backdrop, where we were able to just write and soak up the journey. And it was on our first trip in Florida when we wrote ‘Heart Break’ that we felt it all click.”

Alongside producer busbee, their desire to shake things was made evident by their current Top 15 single “You Look Good,” complete with a horn arrangement. 


“Being together every day, living in a house together, that was the special ingredient this time,” continued Haywood, “And then in the studio, busbee added a whole new layer. He’s such an integral part of this new chapter for us.”

The trio had a hand in writing 11 songs on Heartbreak. As Lady A gears up to get back on the road, the group is excited to add this new range of sounds and colors into a set already packed with a familiar arsenal of hits.

“This record is really our story,” adds Kelley. “They have a universal feel to them, but there’s a lot of our personal stories here.” 


Lady A will hit more than 65 shows in six countries including South Africa for the first time, on their You Look Good World Tour, launching May 26 with special guests Kelsea Ballerini and Brett Young. For more information about new music and upcoming tour dates, visit www.ladyantebellum.com. 

Track listing: 

1. Heart Break
(Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, Jesse Frasure, Nicolle Galyon)

2. You Look Good
(busbee, Ryan Hurd, Hillary Lindsey)

3. Somebody Else's Heart
(Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, busbee, Shane McAnally)

4. This City
(Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, Sara Haze, Will Weatherly)

5. Hurt
(Jon Green, Melissa Peirce, Ben West)

6. Army
(Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, busbee, Nicolle Galyon)

7. Think About You
(Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, Sara Haze, Will Weatherly)

8. Good Time To Be Alive
(Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, busbee, Will Weatherly, Emily Weisband)

9. Big Love in a Small Town
(Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, Nicolle Galyon, Jordan Reynolds)

10. Stars
(Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, busbee)

11. Teenage Heart
(Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, Jon Green)

12. Home
(Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, busbee)

13. Famous
(Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, Eric Paslay)