Rock legend Dave Grohl of Nirvana and Foo Fighters has directed a feature length documentary, Sound City, about the historic Sound City Studios in Los Angeles. The film is having its premiere screening at Sundance Film Festival, and is today available for pre-order for a limited time for only $10. It will be available as a DRM-free download and streaming video on February 1, 2013. [Read more…]
As noted yesterday, Not So Silent Night (NSSN) is Live 105’s “Annual Holiday Rock Show”, with 2012 being the first year it spans two consecutive nights. This second night featured headliner The Killers, along with M83, Passion Pit, Tegan and Sara, GROUPLOVE, and Imagine Dragons. Again, I was very, very impressed at how extremely well managed this multi-artist event was on both nights. Oracle Arena again served as host to six amazing acts in about seven hours time, with very brief breaks in-between. I found the two night show to be such a great event to attend, to have an opportunity to see so many great bands back to back, with a stellar closing set by The Killers.
Not So Silent Night (NSSN) is Live 105’s “Annual Holiday Rock Show”, with 2012 being the first year it spans two consecutive nights. This first night featured headliner Jack White, along with The Shins, Metric, Of Monsters and Men, The Gaslight Anthem, Two Door Cinema Club, and Our Vinyl Vows. I’ve never been a fan of traditional, outdoor festivals (for a variety of reasons), but this was an extremely well organized multi-artist event that can serve as a model for how to do them right, and comprised an excellent line-up of artists. The packed Oracle Arena was treated to seven great acts in under seven hours. It was a really fantastic evening celebrating the work of some really great bands, with Jack White closing things out with a really amazing performance.
“You’re singing the words to the new songs… I can’t express… how happy I am that it touched you and connected to you… thank you for that… it’s the greatest feeling ever.” Gwen Stefani taking a moment (one of many) to chat with her fans at the sold out show at the 6,200 capacity Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City – the sixth of their “Seven Night Stand” special residency shows running late November through tomorrow. Having recently released their first new album in 11 years, Push and Shove, the audience of mostly dedicated fans flocked from all over the U.S. and beyond to see this amazing band perform live truly better than ever. In addition to putting on a phenomenal show, front woman Stefani took many moments to reach out to fans – sometimes literally – and all the members of the Anaheim band (Tony Kanal, Tom Dumont, Adrian Young, Stephen Bradley, and Gabriel McNair) seemed to be having the time of their lives on stage. Hopefully this will serve as a prelude to a full tour next year, given the reception of these shows and the strength of the new album, which is fantastic. Truly an epic night that will not be forgotten by those lucky enough to have attended this show or one of the others.
Launching in April in Ohio, Fleetwood Mac has announced their 2013 world tour, the first since 2009. The tour will begin with 34 dates in the U.S., with tickets going on sale December 14th. Co-founders Mick Fleetwood and John McVie will join Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham (Christine McVie is no longer performing with the band). [Read more…]
As reported in my review of the Jane’s Addiction concert in Davis, California last month, Maestro Dobel Tequila has partnered with Perry Farrell to give away the latest Jane’s Addiction album, The Great Escape, via download from their official site. In addition, they have produced a new video featuring Perry Farrell talking about the end of their latest tour, and are sponsoring the give-away of some free swag, including the new book from photographer Danny Clinch. Follow the jump for details on all of the above, including a chance to win the exclusive book (not on sale anywhere) with photos of Perry Farrell. [Read more…]
Tickets for an Alicia Keys 2013 Summer tour of Europe and England have gone on pre-sale this week, all in support of her latest and fifth studio album, Girl On Fire, which went on sale this week. The Grammy Award-winning artist will play more than 20 arenas during this 2013 European tour, which will launch on May 18 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. [Read more…]
Bon Jovi will be touring North America starting in February, March, and April 2013. Tickets officially go on sale tomorrow, November 30, though there is a special pre-sale from promoter AEG that starts today, and special VIP packages are also on sale. This will be the first tour showcasing songs from the upcoming album, What About Now, due in the spring. The concerts are comprised of special, multi-tiered pricing, including some tickets offered for under $20, with frontman Jon Bon Jovi wanting to make sure that everyone who wants to see them has an opportunity to buy tickets. [Read more…]
“We’d like for you guys to participate in this, because otherwise it just sits on its ass”. Music legend Juice Newton’s typically blunt and modest preface to the tremendous 80s country/pop crossover hits “Queen of Hearts” mixed with “Love’s Been a Little Bit Hard on Me”, as performed flawlessly (with audience providing the “clap-clap, clap” beat) at Yoshi’s in San Francisco in probably the most intimate show I’ve been to all year. The Juice Newton Trio, which was all acoustic strings with Jay Cawley and Danny Dugan both on guitars and providing backing vocals, Juice Newton stressed that this was a different sort of challenge and endeavor for her… a live concert sans the full band, which required the selection from of incredible songs from her catalog to be rearranged for a completely different result. And that result – simply amazing songs with the most artful delivery by one of the best vocalists in the business – was very moving and definitely sets the bar for soulful live music performances in small, intimate venues.
“Thank you, Eugene, Oregon, for making my life so fucking great!” That’s Billy Idol for you. Billy Idol connects with people, and appreciates his fans. He connects with people via his music, of course, but in a live performance, he does more than that… and just as his language is uncensored, so are his connections with people. As soon as he comes out onto the stage, his eyes dart about the audience, and you see him make these connections. He seems to have an innate ability to connect with fans, and give them something back that suits them – a grin, a smile, a point with his finger and nod, a wry look, wide open eyes, the famous lip curl… [Read more…]