Veteren joke-punks Me First And The Gimme Gimmes are at it again. And by that I mean doing the same thing they always do: ironic punk covers of semi-forgotten songs your parents like. This time they’re releasing a five song EP titled Go Down Under. The record coincides with, you guessed it, an Australian tour. Continue reading for the full tracklist and tour info.
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In an effort to prove that it’s never too soon to make year end lists, Exclaim! Magazine has just published their top 10 lists in the pop/rock, punk, metal, hip-hop, folk, electronic, soul, and avant-garde genres respectively. Some are expected, as in they will also be found on my year end list, and others somewhat surprising.
Head on over to Exclaim! and find out if you agree with one of Canada’s most widely distributed independent music newspapers.
Direct Hit!, the Wisconsin based pop-punk band wants to put out a full length record. As if a pop-punk band putting out material on the vinyl medium in 2010 wasn’t backwards enough, they want you to pay for it. The band has launched a Kickstarter project to fund the recording, and they’re willing to make it up to you. They’ve announced a staggered level of donations, from as low as $1 (in which you’ll receive a sticker), to $30 (a t-shirt, MP3s, among others).
If you’re not familiar with Kickstarter, you can donate as much or as little as you want to a cause, and only once the goal set by the project manager is reached does anyone get charged.
To see the full plea and donation levels, head over to Direct Hit!’s Kickstarter page.
Anti Records have put a number of their releases on significant discount via Amazon. With the purchase of any sale title, you will also receive a free fall sampler showcasing the labels roster.
So for under $10, you can receive a new album by one of our acclaimed artists and an additional album featuring a mix of songs by a storied roster that includes the legendary Mavis Staples, Nick Cave’s raucous outfit Grinderman, adventuresome French composure Yann Tiersen, iconic jazz artist Mose Allison and more. This offer will only be available at participating independent record stores while supplies last.
Sale items:
Mavis Staples – You Are Not Alone
Grinderman – Grinderman II
Dr. Dog – Shame, Shame
Sage Francis – Li(f)e
Lost in The Trees – All Alone In An Empty House
The frames – The Cost
Yann Tiersen – Dust Lane
Bettye LaVette – Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook
Most Allison – The Way of The World
Sampler track listing:
1. Mavis Staples “I Belong To The Band”
2. Devotchka “Contrabanda”
3. Bettye LaVette “Salt Of The Earth”
4. Dr. Dog “Mirror, Mirror”
5. Sean Rowe “The Walker”
6. Grinderman “Heathen Child”
7. Lost In The Trees “Walk Around The Lake”
8. Yann Tiersen “Ashes”
9. The Frames “Falling Slowly”
10. Sage Francis “The Best Of Times”
11. Mose Allison “Modest Proposal”
When No Trigger come back from the dead, they really come back from the dead. The band recently hyped (and eventually announced) that they will be releasing their first recorded material since 2007‘s Cayoneer on a 7″ for Mightier Than Sword Records. The band has plans to release another full length in 2011, and have just announced that they will only play two shows in America until that full length is released.
December 4th in Brooklynn w/ Captain, We’re Sinking, Man The Chance, Banquets, and Up For Nothing
December 26th in Worcester, MA w/ Four Year Strong, Trapped Under Ice, and Fireworks
Continue reading for the full fliers of both American shows, and the upcoming Australian tour.
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The Chicago based act Into It. Over It. (aka Evan Thomas Weiss) stopped by If You Make It not too long ago to record the song Ravenswood acoustically. Check out the video performance below.
Into It. Over It. – Ravenswood from If You Make It on Vimeo.
The Hold Steady have launched a couple eBay auctions of some autographed rarities, with all proceeds going to the American Tinnitus Association. The auctions include a record store day 2010 version of their newest record Heaven Is Whenever, limited to 700 copies, a limited concert poster, and a Gibson Melody Maker. All items are autographed by the current line up of the band, including a certificate of authenticity from the ATA.
In addition to The Hold Steady rarities, the ATA is also auctioning off autographed goods from The National, Steve Martin, Paul Oakenfold, Maroon 5, and The Melvins.
Check out all the charity auctions here.
Pearl Jam‘s Eddie Vedder will head down under for a solo tour in Australia. The tour is set to kick off on March 10th, 2011 in Brisbane, QLD. Evil J and Saint Cecilia will be along as openers.
10 March QPAC Concert Hall Brisbane, QLD
12 March QPAC Concert Hall Brisbane, QLD
15 March Royal Theatre Canberra, ACT
16 March Civic Theatre Newcastle, NSW
18 March State Theatre Sydney, NSW
19 March State Theatre Sydney, NSW
24 March Palais Theatre Melbourne, VIC
25 March Palais Theatre Melbourne, VIC
27 March Thebarton Theatre Adelaide, SA
Ten Club Pre-sale tickets will be sold online only at https://www.pearljam.com/max with a Visa or Mastercard only. Two (2) tickets per show. No single tickets. The pre-sale will begin Thursday, December 2nd at 9am Australia NSW time (that’s Wednesday, December 1st at 2pm PST in the US). The pre-sale will end on Saturday, December 4th at 9am for Australia NSW (that’s Friday, December 3rd at 2pm PST in the US) or until tickets are gone.
General Public Tickets: Go on sale at 9:00am local time on Friday, December 10th at the following sites:
Brisbane: QPAC Concert Hall: www.qtix.com.au
Canberra: Royal Theatre: www.ticketek.com.au
Newcastle: Civic Theatre: www.ticketek.com.au
Sydney: State Theatre: www.ticketmaster.com.au
Melbourne: Palais Theatre www.ticketmaster.com.au
Adelaide: Thebarton Theatre www.venuetix.com.au
Nathan Gray has a new band. In addition to reuniting with .boysetsfire. (who played a not so secret secret show on saturday night in Newark, Delaware), Gray has joined with Robert Ehrenbrand, Chrissi Bischoff, Flo Kämmerling, and Flo Gudzent to form The New Recruits. Their facebook page is still fairly new, but from what little they have posted, we know that they’re currently in the studio recording. No demos, no label…just a two teaser pictures and a couple of postings to let us know that they’re busy behind the scenes.
The tagline of sorts on their facebook page says, “It´s who we are, not who we were!”, so take it for what it’s worth. Looking at the line up, I can, hopefully safely, assume that this is going to be amazing.
The line-up is: Nathan Gray (.boysetsfire., The casting Out), Robert Ehrenbrand (also of .boysetsfire.), Chrissi Bischoff, Flo Kämmerling (flyswatter, My Early Mustang), Flo Gudzent (My Hero Died Today)
Keep up with them via Facebook
Director Irvin Kershner, best know for the darkest and best Star Wars film Empire Strikes Back, has passed away at the age of 87. Empire Online, no joke intended, has a lovely tribute to Kershner’s career posted that is well worth reading for the trivia alone.
For instance we never knew he also directed RoboCop 2, another classic of sci-fi. Seriously, if the combination of gore and foul mouthed murderous pre-teens fighting a half man/half machine cop doesn’t get you ready for movie night you’re crazy. RIP Irvin Kershner.
