New Wave pioneers Pet Shop Boys today announced and put on sale dates for the U.S. leg of their upcoming world tour – their first appearance here in more than four years. Also today they have released a music video for “Axis”, off their upcoming album, Electric, due July 15th. [Read more…]
Just when you think you know what to expect from a Crystal Castles concert, a naked man casually walks on stage to tend to his drum kit (not a euphemism), part of the second of two supporting bands. But of course the real show starts with the main set… and with Crystal Castles, it’s as much about the experience surrounding the music as it is the music itself. While Alice Glass and Ethan Kath don’t really have anything to say in-between songs during their thumping (with many thumps courtesy of touring drummer Christopher Chartrand) high energy shows, they certainly know how to entertain and excite once they take the stage. With their unconventional sound, seizure-inducing lighting effects, and interactivity (by way of Alice diving into the audience), a Crystal Castles show overloads the senses… so much unfamiliar and unexpected for your eyes, ears, and brain to process. Whatever your take on their brand of experimental electronic/synthpop/synthpunk music, you certainly can’t consider their live shows to be boring or uneventful. A band born to perform live, for sure. Their studio recordings are fantastic (and their third studio album, (III) is excellent), but you really need to see them live to understand their music, and get the full Crystal Castles experience.
“I ain’t gonna waste a lot of time talking. All I’m gonna tell you is this… For the next two and a half hours, I promise to take you on a roller coaster ride you will never forget…” A pledge from the Bon Jovi front man, Jon Bon Jovi, about 15 minutes into their supporting act-free “An Evening With…” concert for their “Because We Can Tour” at the massive HP Pavilion in San Jose last night, which appeared near filled to its 17,496 capacity. Admittedly, I am not a dedicated Bon Jovi follower – I am a big fan of a handful of hits – so I don’t feel as though I was the intended audience. Having said that, I tried to imagine how I would take it all in if I were a fan, and I still find the roller coaster metaphor challenging to wrap my head around, as I found the show to be, for lack of a better description… ill-suited, and frankly boring… for such a large venue. While Richie Sambora did not make it through the tour to appear at this last date on the U.S. leg of their journey in support of the new What About Now album, I can’t imagine his being part of last night’s show would have been enough to overcome the shortcomings (and fill-in Phil X was fine). Bon Jovi seems like a genuine, appreciative, kind guy, but at least from my perspective, maybe he arrived last night and forgot to load that six string on his back.
One of the most eagerly awaited tours in years, Depeche Mode have finally announced the North American dates for this world tour, supporting their upcoming new studio album, Delta Machine, due March 22nd. Depeche Mode are kicking off the tour with dates in Europe and the UK, which were announced some time ago. The U.S. ticket sales will begin in early April, and there is a multitude of options to a variety of pre-sales as well. [Read more…]
After a string of health-related challenges over the past 30 days, Morrissey appears to be back in the swing of things with a bit of ethics-related controversy with a Jimmy Kimmel Live! booking this week and since having played a successful show last night with an excellent set list in San Diego… with two more shows in Los Angeles in coming days, and then up to Northern California for a Mondavi Center show in Davis (rescheduled from last year), which I’ll be attending and reviewing. Additionally, tomorrow a number of new dates will go on sale, and some missed dates have been rescheduled, so this will serve as somewhat of a housekeeping announcement. [Read more…]
Last night Thunder Valley Resort & Casino played host to one of a short run of shows by music legend Crystal Gayle. The award-winning singer, best known for her 1977 hit, “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue”., put on an amazing show of her own songs as well as tributes to the works of others, with her own signature style. It was incredible to have an opportunity to enjoy the show put on by her along with her sister Peggy Sue and the five-piece band led by Jay Patten.
Electronic Beats will be presenting a special Depeche Mode concert in Vienna next month, which will be free (via contest to fans) and streamed online worldwide. The Delta Machine launch party concert is slated for March 24th at MuseumsQuartier in Vienna, Austria. “Reporter Fans” are encouraged to submit their own case for why they should get an invite to the exclusive concert event via the Electronic Beats Facebook page (due by March 7th). [Read more…]
P!nk’s “The Truth About Love” tour is part pop/rock concert, part carnival, part dance revue, part live movie, and part acrobatics. It’s such a tight and interactive event, most of it happens faster than you can really process it. P!nk is like part rock star, part Olympian, and it’s amazing how much energy she can put into the “show” part of the show and still manage to catch a breath to sing in addition to everything else. But somehow she pulls it off, and of all of the artists touring today, makes use of a massive indoor arena to create both spectacle and up close and personal opportunities between her and her fans (no matter where they might be sitting or standing). A really fantastic event, and pioneering way of building on great music with really unique and innovative performances.
Going to a Marilyn Manson concert is quite an experience, and probably not understood except by those who have done the same. To draw a comparison with the art world, it is akin to going to art museums in London and stopping in at the Tate. Except not to confuse matters… not in the past two weeks during Kraftwerk’s residency. That’s something else entirely. In any event, he puts on quite the impressive show, and is maybe the modern day rock concert equivalent of circus freak sideshows, only with Manson, though his band is supporting, it is decidedly a one man attraction. Most striking is how interactive it is – not just the literal interactions with the audience (and there are many), but his ability to lock onto members of the audience with his eyes, in a kind of staring match version of “chicken”, to see if he can make it striking enough to have you look away first (benefits of being right up close). He’s a natural performer, though interestingly comes across quite different off stage (more on that later). Really an exhilarating evening and hosted courtesy of Marilyn Manson’s unique and stylish version of reality.
As reported in recent months, with 2013 Fleetwood Mac is touring together with their first concert performances since 2009. The band today announced their first set of dates outside of North America, with concerts now scheduled for Europe and the UK in the Fall, beginning in September, following the 47 shows already on sale in the U.S. Additionally, last week Rhino Records released several different versions of Rumors, one of the all-time classic albums produced in all of rock and popular music. Celebrating 35 years since its release, a number of deluxe versions of the album will be available with incredible extras. [Read more…]