Rick Springfield storyteller show to hit LA, other U.S. cities

Grammy award-winning musician, actor and New York Times bestselling author Rick Springfield has hit the road for his first ever solo tour.

The Stripped Down Tour, includes storytelling, a few of Springfield’s many hits, songs from his latest CD, Songs for the End of the World, old favorites that the singer has never played live, and a question and answer session with the audience.

 

Now, Rick Springfield will bring The Stripped Down Tour to LA for a performance at The Broad Stage on Sunday, May 11. Tickets are on sale now through ticketmaster.com and livenation.com   

 

The tour has added dates throughout North America in 2014. Springfield felt the time was right for a change. Wanting to bring a more intimate and different show to his audience, the veteran pop/rocker is excited to bring this change to his fans.

“There are some old favorite songs that I’ve written that I have never had the chance to perform live mainly because they have never fit into our sets. I think my fans will be as excited to hear these songs live as I am to play them live. I’ve also added a Q&A section with this tour as a way to connect with my audience.”

 

Early last year, Springfield collaborated with The Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl on the song, "The Man That Never Was," for the Sound City soundtrack, Sound City: Real to Reel. At the 2014 Grammys, the album was awarded the Grammy for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media. 

In May 2014 Springfield’s first novel, Magnificent Vibration will be released and in addition he will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. For more information on the tour and Rick Springfield, visit http://rickspringfield.com/rick-springfield-stripped-down/

 

The Broad Stage at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center opened its doors in Santa Monica in October 2008. Inspired by Italian "horseshoe" theaters, yet conceived in an absolutely contemporary vernacular, The Broad Stage is unlike any performance space in the country. It is intimate with 499 seats – allowing eye contact with artists from the boxes to the back row – forging a new kind of artist and audience experience in Los Angeles.

The Old 97's return with new music this spring

The Old 97's have confirmed the April 29 release of their new album and ATO debut, Most Messed Up.

Recorded in Austin and produced by Salim Nourallah, it features guest appearances by Tommy Stinson (The Replacements, Guns N' Roses) and Jon Rauhouse (Neko Case) on lap-steel.

Titles like "Wasted," "Intervention," "Wheels Off," "Let's Get Drunk & Get It On," and "Most Messed Up" hint at the kind of narrators frontman Rhett Miller likes to inhabit - men who possess an appetite for indulgence and won't let a few bad decisions get in the way of a good story. The magic in Miller's songwriting lies in the depth that he lends his characters. Upon closer inspection, the hard partying and endless pursuit of a good time often reveals itself to be a Band-Aid covering up deeper wounds and emotional scars.

"There's a lot of darkness hidden in this record," Miller explains.

The Old 97's emerged from Dallas twenty years ago at the forefront of a musical movement blending rootsy, country-influenced songwriting with punk rock energy. Most Messed Up follows their recent two-volume set, The Grand Theatre.

2014 tour dates to come. 

Track List:

1. Longer Than You've Been Alive
2. Give It Time
3. Let's Get Drunk & Get It On
4. This Is The Ballad
5. Wheels Off
6. Nashville
7. Wasted
8. Guadalajara
9. The Disconnect
10. The Ex Of All You See
11. Intervention
12. Most Messed Up

old97s.com

'Endless Love' soundtrack available now

Today, Warner Bros. Records releases the original motion picture soundtrack to Universal Pictures' Endless Love. The romantic drama hits theaters nationwide this Friday, Valentine's Day.

The digital-only soundtrack features "Pumpin Blood" by NONONO, as well as The Bird and The Bee featuring Matt Berninger, Echosmith, Franz Ferdinand, Tanlines, Guards, and Tegan and Sara, who perform the track "Don't Find Another Love," which was written specifically for the movie. See below for the full track-listing.

Endless Love stars Alex Pettyfer (Magic Mike) and Gabriella Wilde (The Three Musketeers) in the story of a privileged girl and a charismatic boy whose instant desire sparks a love affair made only more reckless by parents trying to keep them apart.

Directed by Shana Feste (Country Strong), the romantic drama co-stars Bruce Greenwood, Joely Richardson, Robert Patrick and Rhys Wakefield. Scott Stuber (Ted) of Bluegrass Films and Pamela Abdy (Identity Thief) are joined by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage (Gossip Girl) of Fake Empire to produce the film from writers Feste and Joshua Safran (Gossip Girl).

Track-listing for Original Motion Picture Soundtrack  - Endless Love:

1 Pumpin Blood - NONONO

2 Don't Find Another Love - Tegan And Sara

3 All Our Endless Love - The Bird and The Bee featuring Matt Berninger

4 I Know It's You - Guards

5 All Of Me - Tanlines

6 Go Outside - Cults

7 Right Action - Franz Ferdinand

8 Crickets - Drop City Yacht Club

9 Peaches - In The Valley Below

10 Leading Me Now - The Tallest Man On Earth

11 Surround You - Echosmith

12 Ends of the Earth - Lord Huron

13 Endless Love Suite - Christophe Beck

14 Pumpin Blood (The Jane Doze Remix) (Bonus Track) - NONONO 

For more about Endless Love visit:

endlesslovemovie.com

The band ASIA has new album on tap

ASIA, the veteran British band, moves into the next phase of its career with Gravitas, a new album that explores different musical landscapes while embracing its familiar musical past. 

Produced and written by founding band members John Wetton and Geoff Downes, Gravitas introduces new guitarist, Sam Coulson, who came at the recommendation of Mr Big’s Paul Gilbert.

It is scheduled for release on Frontiers Records on March 5 (Japan); March 21 (Europe); and March 25 (North America).

The album will be available in two configurations: a standard CD and a Deluxe Edition, that will include two bonus tracks and a DVD containing the “Valkyrie” music video, a promotional film, and footage of classic live ASIA tracks such as “Heat of the Moment,” recorded with the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra in Bulgaria.

Title track, "Gravitas" chronicles a man's struggle in the battlefield of life, while "The Closer I Get To You" is a tale of unrequited love. 

“Pure, unadulterated and stereotypical ASIA, with raw energy, enthusiasm and free from impurities,” describes John Wetton. “It conveys the spectrum of emotion and colour from real life agonies to ecstatic fantasy of escapism. Great songs, fabulous performance. 'Gravitas' is ASIA by ASIA. At last.”

"With the addition of Sam, it allowed us to take the band in a slightly different, and perhaps tougher, direction,” says Carl Palmer. “As a band we have been able to grow, while at the same time, remain true to the classic ASIA sound that our fans know and love."

Asia’s debut album arrived in 1982, and was among the best selling albums in the world of that year. Featuring Geoff Downes on keyboards; Steve Howe on guitar; Carl Palmer on drums; and John Wetton on lead vocal and bass; Asia was the logical successor to their collective bands of the 70s - Yes, ELP, King Crimson, UK, and The Buggles. The original ASIA reformed in 2006 for the first time in 23 years.

“It always was a great live band, but this time the dragon has awakened with fresh energy, direction and purpose,” says Wetton. "As with any new Asia album, putting it all together presents something of a challenge,” says Geoff Downes. “ Everyone involved rose way above and beyond this challenge. There is a renewed energy when we step on stage now; we can feel it and I know the fans can feel it.”
 
For ASIA's long-devoted fans, the band’s return to the concert stage can not come soon enough. As Palmer says: "Performing on stage is where this band truly comes into its element. Seeing the fans reacting to our music is what makes it all worthwhile. It is the fuel that drives this train we call ASIA."

Track listing:
 
Valkyrie
Gravitas
The Closer I Get To You
Nyctophobia
Russian Dolls
Heaven Help Me Now
I Would Die For You: Joe Di Maggio’s Glove
Till We Meet Again
The Closer I Get To You (Acoustic)*
Joe Di Maggio’s Glove (Acoustic)*
 
DVD (*)
Valkyrie (videoclip)
“EPK” 
“Heat of the Moment” (Live in Plovdiv with Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra)
*Available only on the Deluxe Edition

Civil Wars covers EP out tomorrow

A recording of The Civil Wars performing Elliot Smith’s “Between the Bars” recently premiered at NPR Music. The song is the title track from the duo’s digital EP, released tomorrow on Sensibility Music/Columbia Records.

 

Also featured on the EP are versions of Portishead’s “Sour Times,” Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” and The Romantics’ “Talking In Your Sleep.” The EP was previously released physically last November as a limited edition 10” as part of Record Store Day’s Back to Black Friday. 

The EP follows a successful year for the duo, who recently won “Best Country/Duo Performance” at the 56th annual Grammy Awards for their song “From This Valley.” The duo previously won a 2013 Grammy for “Best Song Written For Visual Media” and pair of 2012 Grammys for “Best Folk Album” and “Best Country Duo/Group Performance.”

Between The Bars Track Listing:

 

1. Sour Times

2. Between the Bars

3. Billie Jean

4. Talking In Your Sleep

Added OneRepublic concert dates on sale this week

OneRepublic has announced a new batch of dates for their 2014 Native Summer Tour. Dublin pop/rock band The Script will be the special guest on select dates. A full list of Native Summer Tour dates is below. Tickets for the new dates will go on sale starting Friday, Feb. 14 through the Live Nation mobile app and at livenation.com.

Fans can visit http://bit.ly/OneRepublicRSVP to RSVP for early access to presale tickets available at 10:00 a.m. local time on Thursday, Feb. 13. Live Nation mobile app users will also have access to presale tickets beginning Feb. 13 at 10:00 a.m. local time. Mobile users can text “LNAPP” to 404040 to download the Live Nation mobile app (available for iOS and Android).
 
OneRepublic released their third studio album, Native, in March 2013 where it debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. The set includes hits “If I Lose Myself,” “Feel Again” and “Counting Stars,” which reached #1 at Top 40 radio and was recently featured in a Bud Light commercial that aired during the Super Bowl. Watch the commercial here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKKVQLDYYcy#action=share.

2014 Native Summer Tour Dates

May 28*
Denver, CO
Red Rocks Amphitheatre (on sale now)

May 29*
Denver, CO
Red Rocks Amphitheatre (on sale now)

May 31*
Albuquerque, NM (new date)
Isleta Amphitheatre (on sale February 14)

June 1*
Phoenix, AZ
Ak-Chin Pavilion (on sale now)

June 2*
San Diego, CA
Sleep Train Amphitheatre (on sale now)

June 3*
Irvine, CA (new date)
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre (on sale February 14)

June 5*
Los Angeles, CA
Hollywood Bowl (on sale now)

June 6*
Mountain View, CA (new date)
Shoreline Amphitheatre (on sale February 14)

June 7*
Concord, CA
Concord Pavilion (on sale now)

June 8*
Sacramento, CA
Sleep Train Amphitheatre (on sale now)

June 10*
Portland, OR
Sleep Country Amphitheater (on sale now)

June 12*
Seattle, WA
Comcast Arena (on sale now)

June 13*
Boise, ID
Taco Bell Arena (on sale now)

June 14*
Salt Lake City, UT
USANA Amphitheatre (on sale now)

June 17*
Minneapolis, MN
Target Center (on sale now)

June 18*
Chicago, IL
Ravinia Festival (on sale TBA)

June 19*
Chicago, IL
Ravinia Festival (on sale TBA)

June 21*
Detroit, MI
DTE Energy Music Theatre (on sale now)

June 22*
Toronto, ON (new date)
Molson Canadian Amphitheatre (on sale February 14)

June 24*
Boston, MA (new date)
Blue Hills Bank Pavilion (on sale February 14)

June 25*
Boston, MA
Blue Hills Bank Pavilion (on sale now)

June 27*
Bristow, VA (new date)
Jiffy Lube Live (on sale February 14)

June 28*
Camden, NJ
Susquehanna Bank Center (on sale now)

June 29*
Wantagh, NY
Nikon at Jones Beach Theater (on sale now)

July 30
Omaha, NE (new date)
CenturyLink Center (on sale February 14)

August 1
Kansas City, MO (new date)
Starlight Theatre (on sale February 14)

August 2
St. Louis, MO (new date)
Verizon Wireless Amphitheater (on sale February 14)

August 3
Indianapolis, IN (new date)
Klipsch Music Center (on sale February 14)

August 5
Cincinnati, OH (new date)
Riverbend Music Center (on sale February 14)

August 6
Cleveland, OH (new date)
Blossom Music Center (on sale February 14)

August 8
Pittsburgh, PA (new date)
First Niagara Pavilion (on sale February 15)

August 9
Darien Lake, NY (new date)
Darien Lake Performing Arts Center (on sale February 14)

August 10
Holmdel, NJ (new date)
PNC Bank Arts Center (on sale February 14)

August 12
Virginia Beach, VA (new date)
Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach (on sale February 15)

August 13
Raleigh, NC (new date)
Walnut Creek Amphitheatre (on sale February 15)

August 14
Charlotte, NC (new date)
PNC Music Pavilion (on sale February 15)

August 16
Tampa Bay, FL (new date)
MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre (on sale February 21)

August 17
West Palm Beach, FL (new date)
Cruzan Amphitheatre (on sale February 21)

August 19
Atlanta, GA (new date)
Chastain Park Amphitheatre (on sale February 14)

August 21
New Orleans, LA (new date)
UNO Lakefront Arena (on sale February 14)

August 22
Houston, TX (new date)
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion (on sale February 14)

August 23
Austin, TX (new date)
Austin360 Amphitheater (on sale February 15)

August 25
San Antonio, TX (new date)
Freeman Coliseum (on sale February 14)

August 26
Dallas, TX (new date)
Gexa Energy Pavilion (on sale February 14)

August 28
Tulsa, OK (new date)
BOK Center (on sale February 14)

Ex-R.E.M. members, Steve Wynn, others, suit up again for Baseball Project album

The Baseball Project's new album 3rd will be released March 25 on Yep Roc Records.

It features 17 swings at the national pastime with subjects including Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and some of the true characters of the game such as once-beloved fallen star of the Mets and Phillies Lenny Dykstra, and acid-tripping pitcher Dock Ellis (this time recounting his attempt to bean every player in the Reds lineup). Accompanying the album is a new bio written by award-winning journalist Dan Epstein.

Formed in 2007 by Scott McCaughey (Young Fresh Fellows, The Minus 5, R.E.M.) and Steve Wynn (The Dream Syndicate, Steve Wynn and the Miracle 3), the collaborative effort began as a way for a couple of fans with a shared musical vision to pay tribute to our national pastime. 

Since then, it has become a full-fledged band with Zuzu's Petals/Steve Wynn drummer Linda Pitmon and R.E.M.'s Peter Buck and Mike Mills filling out the official roster of The Baseball Project, an all-star squad whose following and creativity has grown steadily with each release and tour.

The Baseball Project will be on tour this summer, performing at rock clubs and baseball parks alike. Tour dates will be announced soon at thebaseballproject.net.

Track list:

Stats

From Nails To Thumbtacks

¡Hola America!

13

The Day Dock Went Hunting Heads

To The Veteran Committee

Monument Park

Box Scores

They Don't Know Henry

The Babe

They Are The Oakland A's

Pascual On The Perimeter

The Baseball Card Song

Extra Inning of Love

Larry Yount

A Boy Named Cy

The Played Baseball

Take Me Out To The Ballgame