Hard Rock International and Live Nation are pleased to announce today that PAUL MCCARTNEY will be headlining Sunday 27 June at HARD ROCK CALLING 2010 in Hyde Park, London. From the days of The Beatles to the present this will be McCartney’s first-ever full-blown headlining gig in Hyde Park. Tickets go on presale for Sunday 27 June at 9am on 4 March.


Paul’s live shows have reached a new legendary status in recent years garnering unprecedented reviews from fans and critics alike wherever he goes. He’s pushed boundaries, performed to millions and made global news with monumental shows including performances in Red Square, Russia, outside the Coliseum in Rome, performing live into a NASA space station, the largest outdoor show ever in the Ukraine, his first visit to Tel Aviv. Last year, his ‘Summer 09’ tour began in earnest with an already legendary inaugural run of shows at New York’s Citi Field Stadium, the site of the former Shea Stadium where The Beatles played the 1965 concert that set the precedent for the modern day stadium rock show. Critics hailed the Citi Field performances, seen by over 100,000 people, as the concert experience of a lifetime. The UK got a recent taste for Paul’s live show last Christmas when he brought his 2009 ‘Good Evening Europe’ tour to a climactic and memorable finale at London’s O2 Arena, his only UK show of 2009. ... << MORE >>

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS will roll out the third song, “A Stitch In Time,” from their in-progress 44-song project TEARGARDEN BY KALEIDYSCOPE, Tuesday, March 2 via the online audio platform SoundCloud (http://soundcloud.com/smashingpumpkins).
 
Melding acoustic guitars with cascading electronics and sitar work, “A Stitch In Time” will also be available for free download at www.smashingpumpkins.com and the site also offers a widget enabling fans to host the song anywhere on the web.
PUMPKINS leader BILLY CORGAN is releasing the 44 songs of TEARGARDEN BY KALEIDYSCOPE one at a time, completely for free. “A Stitch In Time” will be included—along with the recently released tracks “A Song For A Son” and “Widow Make My Mind” plus one more song TBA—on a forthcoming four-song EP as a limited edition collectible.

photo courtesy of Erik Thureson / LB57.com


As CORGAN has said, “We will sell highly limited edition EPs (of 4 songs each times 11), and details of how those EPs will be made available are still being worked out. Because the songs themselves will be free, the EPs will be more like collector’s items for the discerning fan who will want the art itself, along with the highest possible audio quality available. The EPs will be more like mini-box sets rather than your normal CD single. We may ... << MORE >>

British post-punk legends Echo & The Bunnymen are launching their first US tour in support of their acclaimed new album, The Fountain. The shows are hot on the heels of the band’s recent tour celebrating their landmark album Ocean Rain that included orchestral performances at New York’s Radio City Music Hall and the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.Their highly anticipated appearance at the Coachella Festival will kick off the tour.



 The Fountain started to come together in 2007 when frontman Ian McCulloch and guitarist Will Sergeant started working on new songs. For the next year, the group brought the album together in Liverpool’s Parr Street Recording Studios. McCulloch calls The Fountain “the best thing we’ve done since Ocean Rain.”  The press has been raving about the record with Alternative Press praising its “brisk, vibrant pop songs” and Filter calling it “ replete with shimmering, flaw-repellant pop, all glorious melodies and gorgeous atmospherics”

 Don’t miss the chance to see these legends and stay tuned for contests to win tickets and exclusive Bunnymen merchandise!

www.bunnymen.com
www.facebook.com/thebunnymen
www.myspace.com/thebunnymen
www.twitter.com/officialeatb

Echo & The Bunnymen 2010 US Tour Dates:

4/16: Indio, CA @ Empire Polo Grounds (Coachella Festival)
4/18: Sparks, NV @ John Ascuaga’s Nugget
4/19: San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
4/21: Chicago, IL @ Metro
4/23: Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
4/25: Glenside (Philadelphia), PA @ Keswick Theatre
4/26: Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
4/27: Fairfield, CT @ Fairfield Theatre Company
4/28: State College, PA @ State Theatre
4/30: Washington, DC @ Black Cat
5/1: New York, NY @ Irving Plaza

post - Erik Thureson
source - Girlie Action Media

        

The dates that have been announced and confirmed with the Flying Lotus opening are

04/05 - New York, New York (Roseland Ballroom)
04/06 - New York, New York (Roseland Ballroom)
04/08 - Boston, Massachusets (Citi Wang Theatre)
04/10 - Chicago, Illinois (Aragon Ballroom)
04/11 - Chicago, Illinois (Aragon Ballroom)
04/14 - Oakland, California (Fox Theatre)
04/15 - Oakland, California (Fox Theatre)
04/17 - Santa Barbara, California (Santa Barbara Bowl)

and the concluding show will be 4/18 at Coachella Arts and Music Festival

by Erik Thureson
sources - Radiohead.com, Reuters, Lightbox57.com, and Wikipedia

        

Los Angeles, CA - EMI had plans to sell the building in an effort to cut loses and reduce their debts.  This sparked frenzied fans to tweet and post FB status updates to persuade the saving of the historic building.  English Heritage stepped in and announce earlier this morning that the building that houses the famous studios is now declared an historic monument.  Their Chief Exec Simon Thurley mentioned that "the building is a historical monument to recorded music". 



English Heritage is the Government's statutory adviser on the historic environment. Officially known as the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England, English Heritage is an Executive Non-departmental Public Body sponsored by the Department for Culture,Media and Sport (DCMS). Our powers and responsibilities are set out in the National Heritage Act (1983) and today we report to Parliament through the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.



Abbey Road Studios have recorded artists such as the Beatles, Cliff Richard and the Drifters, Pink Floyd, Stevie Wonder, Radiohead, and U2.  Originally a nine-bedroom Georgian townhouse built in the 1830s on the footpath leading to Kilburn Abbey, the building was later converted to apartments.  The premises were acquired by the Gramophone Company in 1931 and converted into studios. Pathe filmed the opening of the studios, when Sir Edward Elgar conducted the London Symphony Orchestra in recording sessions of his music.The neighboring house is also owned by the studio and used to house musicians. During the mid-1900s the studio was extensively used by leading British conductor Sir Malcom Sargent, whose house was just around the corner from the studio building.  The Gramophone Company later amalgamated with Columbia Gramophone Company to form EMI, which took over the studios. The studios were then known as EMI Studios until EMI formally changed their name to Abbey Road Studios in 1970.

Thurley later went on to say "Some of the most defining sounds of the 20th century were created within the walls of the Abbey Road Studios.  It contains, quite simply, the most famous recording studios in the world."  From all the fans, musicians, and historians we thank you English Heritage and EMI for preserving a vital piece of musical inspiration and history.




by Erik Thureson
sources - http://www.english-heritage.org.uk, AP, and Wikipedia

        

We are delighted to announce that Sting, accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, will embark on a world tour, presented by Xerox, this Summer. The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra will be conducted by Maestro Steven Mercurio (Pavarotti, Bocelli).

The tour will find Sting performing his most celebrated songs re-imagined for symphonic arrangement. Selections will include fan-favorites such as "Roxanne," "Next To You," "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" and "Every Breath You Take," to notable songs from Sting's enduring solo career - "Englishman in New York," "Fragile," "Russians," "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You," "Fields of Gold," and "Desert Rose."

Sting will also be joined by a quartet comprised of Dominic Miller (Sting's longtime guitarist), David Cossin (a multi-percussion specialist in new and experimental music and featured member of the Bang on a Can All-Stars), Jo Lawry (vocalist) and Ira Coleman (bassist).

Presented in a variety of settings, the tour begins June 2 in Vancouver and then travels to numerous cities across North America. Dates announced today include: June 9 at Red Rocks in Denver; June 15 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles; and July 17 and 18 at Chicago's renowned Ravinia Festival. Sting will also perform in New York, Boston, Dallas, ... << MORE >>

Pryor, OK – Today, festival organizers announced the much anticipated return of ROCKLAHOMA, set for Memorial Day Weekend, May 28, 29, 30, 2010 in Pryor, OK.  The new, captivating line-up for ROCKLAHOMA highlights some of the biggest rock bands in the United States from the ‘80s, ‘90s & today!

 Established in 2007 as a Classic Rock destination festival, ROCKLAHOMA organizers focused on revamping the 2010 event to encompass a much broader mix of classic, current and up-and-coming rock artists.  Mission Accomplished!
The ROCKLAHOMA 2010 line-up includes:  ZZ Top, Godsmack, Tesla, Buckcherry, Cinderella, Chevelle, Stone Sour, Theory of a Deadman, Saliva, Saving Abel, Adelitas Way, Janus, Aranda, Burn Halo, Richy Nix, Shaman’s Harvest, Taddy Porter, Like A Storm, Taking Dawn, New Medicine, Year Long Disaster, Brookroyal, Within Reason, Wildstreet, Firstryke, Krank, The Glitter Boys and more very special guests to be announced!

ZZ Top’s Billy F Gibbons commented, “As life-long residents of ‘Baja, Oklahoma,’ Dusty, Frank and I are looking forward to making the northward trek to Pryor in May.  The idea of sharing the stage with so many great, cutting-edge bands out there today is most appealing.  It’s like rock ‘n’ roll summer camp; does that make us campers or counselors?”

“The new vision for ROCKLAHOMA is to draw a much wider rock audience by exploring more sides of the genre,” commented Joe Litvag, Senior Vice-President of AEG Live and Executive Consultant to the ROCKLAHOMA organizers.  “This is such an amazing location for a multi-day camping festival, and I’m proud of the fact that we’ve been able to bring together some true icons of rock to perform alongside many of the hottest news and established rock acts in the country!  It is definitely going to be a holiday weekend to remember,” Litvag concluded.

Three-day passes start at only $95 and will go on-sale on Saturday, February 27th at 10am CST, exclusively at www.rocklahoma.com.  Camping add-ons, VIP packages, and seat upgrades will also be offered at the time of purchase.  For a full list of amenities, including VIP camping spots, reserved concert seating, and unlimited, all-inclusive food and drink, please visit www.rocklahoma.com.  

Festival president Mark Nuessle explains the value and experience that Rocklahoma offers by adding, “It has always been a top priority for Rocklahoma to be an affordable experience for all.  Where else can the ultimate rock fan see this many artists for under $100?  And for our VIP’s to be able to eat and drink for free, at their leisure, as part of the inclusive VIP experience?  These are the elements that really make Rocklahoma a one-of-a-kind rock experience!”

ROCKLAHOMA is located just 45 minutes northeast of Tulsa, in Pryor, OK.  The “Catch the Fever” Festival Grounds is a premiere destination for a multi-day festival, and includes on-site camping with access to restrooms and shower house, a general store for campers, VIP reserved seating, hospitality areas & much more.
 
For additional information, please visit www.rocklahoma.com.  


source - Ashton-Magnuson Media, Rocklahoma.com

        

Orianthi Panagaris, native born in Adelaide, Australia, who started playing guitar at the age of six will be sharing the stage with John Mayer on seven dates in New Zealand and Australia. This is sure to be a great set of shows. The hopes of some great guitar duels and duets will be epic considering they are both genius level guitar players. The "prodigy" Orianthi who has been playing since she was six vs The "virtuoso" Mayer - who has no doubt proven that and been recognized among the greats. Consider this like a new school version of Clapton vs Steve Vai. If you are lucky enough to live there and/or have the resources to make it happen, do it as this one you won't want to miss. Here are the dates . . . cheers mate!

4/27/2010 Wellington, NZ - TSB Arena
4/28/2010 Auckland, NZ - Vector Arena
4/30/2010 Brisbane, QLD - Brisbane Entertainment Centre
5/3/2010 Melbourne, VIC - Rod Laver Arena
5/5/2010 Wollongong, NSW - WIN Entertainment Centre
5/7/2010 Newcastle, NSW - Newcastle Entertainment Centre
5/8/2010 Sydney, NSW - Sydney Entertainment Centre

sources - JM.com, orianthi.com, Erik Thureson
... << MORE >>

TOGETHER&APART: The Beck-Clapton collaboration will undoubtedly be one of the must see shows of this decade, where the artists will perform together and apart. The duo have shared the stage at Festivals and benefits previously, but the Japan shows at the Saitama Super Arena marked the first time they had shared the bill at a major arena. Both artists admitted to having a fantastic time on stage together and press gave rave reviews. The concerts were so spectacular for the musicians and fans alike, that the two decided to team up again at London's prestigious 02 Arena and have quickly followed suit with the U.S. and Canadian dates.


Tomorrow and Friday night shows in New York as well as the shows in Montreal and Toronto are sure to be the epitome of Rock and Roll of Historical proportions.  No doubt there will not be another show like this one.  Bonnaroo Music&Arts Festival have announced Jeff Beck will be playing on the 12th June if you aren't lucky enough to be going to the MSG New York shows.  Of course, Clapton most likely wont be there, but hey, it's Jeff Beck!

ALBUM: JEFF BECK STIRS EMOTION&COMMOTION

Guitar Legend’s First Studio Album In Seven Years Offers Eclectic Mix Including Two Songs With Grammy®-Winner Joss Stone And Several Tracks With Orchestral Accompaniment

For his first studio album in seven years, Grammy-winning guitarist Jeff Beck returns with an eclectic mix of tracks that find the guitar virtuoso accompanied by a handpicked cast of talented musicians, as well as several songs accompanied by a 64-piece orchestra. Rhino unleashes the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s restless genius with EMOTION&COMMOTION. The album will be available on Atco Records, an imprint of Rhino Entertainment, on April 13 at all retail outlets, including www.rhino.com, for a suggested list price of $18.98(CD) and $9.99 (digital).



Beck recorded EMOTION&COMMOTION late last year at Sarm Studios in London with award-winning producers Steve Lipson and Trevor Horn. To create the album’s diverse sound, Beck used a number of musicians,including appearances by frequent collaborators Vinnie Colaiuta(drums), Jason Rebello (keyboards), and Tal Wilkenfeld (bass). The album also includes contributions from a trio of singers: Imelda May(“Lilac Wine”), Olivia Safe (“Elegy For Dunkirk”), and Grammy-winner Joss Stone (“I Put A Spell On You” and “There’s No Other Me”).

To complement the innovative tones he coaxes from his guitar, Beck recorded with a 64-piece orchestra on songs that range from Puccini’s immortal aria “Nessun Dorma” and “Elegy For Dunkirk” from the film Atonement to “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” from The Wizard Of Oz and Jeff Buckley’s interpretation of “Corpus Christi Carol.”

Beck says the idea of pairing his guitar with an orchestra evolved from the version of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 he recorded a few years ago. “It turned out amazingly well, but I didn’t want to commit to an entire album of classical music. What appealed to me instead was the idea of bringing together these seemingly contradictory sounds on different kinds of non-classical music.”

In addition to the orchestral pieces, EMOTION&COMMOTION showcases a number of original compositions. For “Hammerhead,” Beck fires the rocker’s opening salvo through his wah-wah pedal before falling into a deep groove carved out by the rhythm section and horn arrangement. At the opposite end of the sonic spectrum, the airy arrangement that elevates “Never Alone” provides a wide-angle sound scape for Beck’s imagination to freely explore the high-flying melody.

After the shows with Clapton, Beck will play South Korea, Hong Kong,Australia, and Japan before returning to America for the U.S. leg of the tour starting mid-April and including an appearance at the New Orleans Jazz Festival on May 1.

For Beck, the new album and tour follows in the wake of a triumphant2009—his most successful year ever. Among the many highlights were a sold-out world tour; his second induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; the release of the platinum-selling Performing This Week… Live At Ronnie Scott’s, which earned a Grammy nomination for “A Day In The Life”; and magnificent performances with his band at the 25thAnniversary Concert of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at Madison Square Garden.


EMOTION&COMMOTION
Track Listing

1.“Corpus Christi Carol”
2.“Hammerhead”
3.“Never Alone”
4.“Somewhere Over The Rainbow”
5.“I Put A Spell On You”
featuring Joss Stone
6.“Serene”
7.“Lilac Wine” featuring Imelda May
8.“Nessun Dorma”
9.“There’s No Other Me”
featuring Joss Stone
10.“Elegy For Dunkirk”
featuring Olivia Safe

TOUR: The first leg of the U.S. tour will begin on April 16th in SanFrancisco and wrap up at the world famous New Orleans Jazz Festival onMay 1st, with more dates for the second U.S. leg to be announced soon.

Accompanying Beck at these special engagements, as well as the World Tour, will be a brand new touring band, including the Grammy award winning producer and songwriter, Narada Michael Walden on drums, Rhonda Smith on bass and Jason Rebello on keyboards. Narada Michael Smith has collaborated with Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and Tom Jones. Naradawas also featured on and composed four tracks for Beck’s classic 1976album Wired. The compelling Rhonda Smith has played bass for Beyonce,Justin Timberlake and Prince, while keyboardist Jason Rebello has performed previously with Beck, as well as Sting and Chaka Khan.



“I’m thrilled to be working with Narada Michael Walden, he’s an inspiration to me,” Beck said. “When we last worked together we won aGrammy. I’ve been lucky enough to have been working with Jason since2006 and Rhonda came highly recommended by Narada; I was blown awaywhen I heard her play.”

For Beck, the new album and tour follow in the wake of a triumphant2009 - his most successful year ever. Among the many highlights were a sold-out world tour; his second induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; the release of the platinum-selling Performing This Week… Live At Ronnie Scott’s, which earned a Grammy nomination for his breath-taking live performance of “A Day In The Life”; and magnificent performances with his band at the 25th Anniversary Concert of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at Madison Square Garden.

Jeff Beck’s Emotion&Commotion Tour (First Leg of U.S. Tour):

April

16 San Francisco Nob Hill Masonic Centre

17 Los Angeles Nokia Theatre LA Live

18 Temecula Pechanga Resort&Casino

19 San Diego 4th&B

24 Houston Verizon Wireless Theatre

25 Dallas Nokia Theatre at Grand Prairie

27 Tulsa Brady Theatre

28 Kansas City Starlight Theatre

29 St. Louis Fox Theatre

30 Memphis Beale Street Music Festival

May

1 New Orleans Jazz Festival (Gentilly Stage)

More Dates TBA

sources - JeffBeck.com, Billboard, & Erik Thureson

        

'Scratch My Back' is the first album we have seen from Peter Gabriel in 8 years.  It is completely with out guitars, or drums and the tour will consist of a full orchestra backing him up.  'Scratch My Back' and 'I'll Scratch Yours' is a group of artist covering each others music for profit and fun.  The soon-to-be 60 Gabriel has covered songs from some of his favorites like David Bowie's Heros, Lou Reed's The Power of the Heart, Neil Young's Philadelphia, and Radiohead's Street Spirit.  A sneak preview listen can be had at the guardian.co.uk.  The use of piano, woodwinds, strings and orchestra adds a whole different dimension of feeling and emotion.  Peter's heart and vocal passion really shines though and is wonderfully showcased in these recordings.  This new album is a brilliant, genius work.  A refreshing break from the normal and mundane formats that has become such a staple part of our melodic diet.  A sort of 5 course feast of mastery vs the drive-though convenience of musical mediocrity.

There are a handful of European dates and 3 dates in the US listed so far:

March 22, 2010 in Paris, FR Tickets
March 24&25, 2010 in Berlin, GR Tickets
March 27&28, 2010 at the O2 Arena London, UK Tickets
April 28, 2010 at Bell Center in Montreal, CA Tickets

May 2&3, 2010 at Radio City Music Hall, NYC, NY Tickets
May 7, 2010 at Hollywood Bowl, LA, CA Tickets for this show on sale 2/15/10

Special packages are available at http://womadshop.com/detail/573

According to sources, Gabriel will not be attending the Rock Hall Induction ceremony of former band mates of Genesis in New York on March 15th. Peter says, “I learned at our last reunion [in 1982] that you can’t just get upthere. You have to rehearse,” Gabriel said, noting that he is also inthe midst of rehearsing for his own European tour.  “I’m trying to find a way to do it. It’s not easy. If I can work it out, I’ll go.” 



Joel Peresman, Rock Hall President, confirmed yesterday that he will NOT be attending the event.  Which makes sense considering the dates of his upcoming tour and not having time to rehearse with them if a performance were to happen.  Either way, we have a new album and tour to look forward to!  Rock On!

sources - AP, Rolling Stone, PeterGabriel.com, & Erik Thureson