New York trio BLONDE REDHEAD have announced their return to the UK for a string of live shows in August.

Not many bands can handle very long careers and never stop evolving and actually, keep on exploring, from record to record. Blonde Redhead deserves a place in this category. In nearly 25 years, the acclaimed New York based trio went from the noise rock of the early years to the refined dream pop of “Misery Is A Butterfly”, before reaching the sensual electronic textures of the studio album, “Barragán” which was released in 2014. Now it’s time to make a step forward once again, or perhaps I should say a step to the side, because, despite the variety of styles, the band has always been able to keep a personality and a unique identity easily recognizable. Fresh from the box set “Masculin Féminin” (September 2016) and the remix “Freedom of Expression on Barragan Hard” (March 2016) releases, Japanese Kazu Makino and twin Italian-Americans Amedeo and Simone Pace returned with new ‘EP “3 O’Clock”, on Asa Wa Kuru Records under license to Italian label Ponderosa Music & Art. Four songs, two of them sung by charming Kazu while the other two by guitarist and second voice of the band, Amedeo, which still mark once again the willingness to broaden their musical horizons.

It is no by chance that this melancholic Ep with a romantic graft comes out a few months after the tour that in 2016 saw the Blonde Redhead resubmit their cult album “Misery Is A Butterfly” with a string quartet: the 2004 record’s atmospheres emerge occasionally in these new pieces as they push even more in the direction of a massive presence of strings and wind instruments such as the viola, cello, violin, clarinet, oboe, flute and trumpet. The Ep was, in fact, made with the help, among others, of American ensemble ACME, and Eyvind Kang, American composer and violinist who has already collaborated with Blonde Redhead in the past on “Misery Is A Butterfly” and in the latest tour.

The first two tracks, “3 O’Clock” and “Golden Light”, are sung and written by Kazu Makino who speaking of the title track for the Ep launch, explains: “At three in the afternoon, a lot of things happen, how many times we schedule appointments at that time? In Japan, then, it is a holy hour, it’s ‘tea time’. Obviously you might even think about the three in the morning, but I wrote the song starting from this suggestion, thinking about what is a significant time to me on a daily basis, a kind of turning point, metaphorically the beginning of a new chapter for Blonde Redhead “.

Amedeo who authored the other two tracks, says, “‘Give Give’ is a piece that I have kept in the drawer, since the “Penny Sparkle” era, back in 2010. We added a line of flutes and strings plus percussions composed along with Mauro Refosco (who is a Brazilian percussionist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Atoms for Peace) to give more life to the song, which I cared about as it’s a song that I feel very close now, than at the time I wrote it.” He added, ” “Where Your Mind Wants To Go” we first recorded guitar, drums and percussion, and then develop arrangements with horns and trumpets in the studio with Michael Leonhart. ”

The orchestral touch is something that has always fascinated Blonde Redhead. “Speaking of this EP, I believe that the winds and arches addition in the songs can give the music a plus, it is what happens in the soundtracks, of which I am a big fan,” says Amedeo. “Furthermore, surely the last tour with a string session on stage has inspired the arrangement. During those dates we have played two of these new songs, “3 O’Clock” and “Golden Light”, and performing them live, we were feeling of adding small arrangements: that’s where it all started with the extra instruments. From there, and from a home away from the bustle of the big city: some months ago we spent a week in a country house in upstate New York,” says Amedeo. “We holed up, and we wrote every day for hours, laying the foundations for this Ep, but knocking out many other ideas that seem good to work soon on.”

UK Tour dates:

SAT 25TH AUG – LEEDS BRUDENELL
SUN 26TH AUG – MANCHESTER GORILLA
MON 27TH AUG – LONDON ISLINGTON ASSEMBLY HALL

FOR MORE INFORMATION
https://blonde-redhead.eventbrite.co.uk

Following their spring 2018 tour that saw their first performance in the UK since Glastonbury 2014, their winter run will take them around Europe and the UK in celebration of their recently released, acclaimed fourth album, Little Dark Age, for further information visit http://whoismgmt.com/.

MGMT European Winter Tour

27th November – Estragon, Bologna, Italy
29th November – X-TRA, Zurich, Switzerland
3rd December – Docks, Hamburg, Germany
4th December – VEGA, Copenhagen, Denmark
6th December – Nobelberget, Stockholm, Sweden
7th December – Sentrum Scene, Oslo, Norway
9th December – Astra, Berlin, Germany
10th December – TivoliVredenburg Ronda, Utrecht, Netherlands
13th December – Eventim Apollo, London, UK
15th December – SWG3 TV Studio, Glasgow, UK
16th December – O2 Academy, Leeds, UK
17th December – Albert Hall, Manchester, UK

IDLES have announced a run of live in-store dates to celebrate the release of their second album, “Joy As An Act Of Resistance” (order here).

30 Aug UK London, Banquet Records, 9pm https://IDLES.lnk.to/banquet
31 Aug UK Bristol, Rough Trade, 3pm – https://IDLES.lnk.to/RTbristol-3pm
31 Aug UK Bristol, Rough Trade, 7.30pm – https://IDLES.lnk.to/RTbristol-730pm
03 Sep UK Portsmouth, Pie and Vinyl, 1pm – https://IDLES.lnk.to/pieandvinyl
03 Sep UK Brighton, Resident, 6.30pm – : https://IDLES.lnk.to/resident
04 Sep UK London, Rough Trade East, 7pm – https://IDLES.lnk.to/RTeast
05 Sep UK Sheffield, Record Junkee, 1pm – https://IDLES.lnk.to/recordjunkee
05 Sep UK Nottingham, Rough Trade, 7.30pm – : https://IDLES.lnk.to/RTnottingham
06 Sep UK Leeds, Crash Records, 1pm – https://IDLES.lnk.to/crash
06 Sep UK Manchester, FOPP, 5.30pm
07 Sep UK Cardiff, Spiller Records, 7pm – https://IDLES.lnk.to/spillers

The band have announced an art exhibition to celebrate the release of their second album.

Open for two days, between 12pm and 8pm, and curated by the band, the exhibition will take place at:

HM Electrics Gallery
65 Nile St.
London N1 7RD

The gallery will contain 18 pieces of work across several mediums, with contributions from:

Orlando Weeks
Nigel Talbot
Tao Lapsley
Russell Oliver
Robin Stewart
Tom Ham
Dapper Signs
Chris Nicholls
Ed Barrett
Beth Cater

The gallery will be free entry and artwork on display available to buy, with all proceeds going to the Samaritans charity.

“Samaritans”. A live favourite for sometime, the Theo Watkins directed music video compiles archival clips displaying traditional masculine imagery. The FADER writes: “”The mask of masculinity is a mask that’s wearing me,” sings front man Joe Talbot over the top of a tight and anxiety-laced guitar riff. It’s the third single… and one of their most confrontational songs to date.”

Speaking of the song’s message, front man Joe Talbot says:

“There’s been a long line of bullshit that has pushed men into a corner, where simple masking becomes a trope of masculinity and a catalyst for insanity. What we wear, what we eat, what razor we use, high performance chewing gum, go faster shampoo, how we treat women, how we treat ourselves, how we die. I truly believe that masculinity has gone from an evolution of cultural praxis to a disease. I wanted to encourage a conversation about gender roles by writing this song.”

“Samaritans” is the third song to be released from IDLES’s much-anticipated upcoming album “Joy As An Act Of Resistance.” Produced by Space and mixed by Adam Greenspan & Nick Launay (Arcade Fire, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Kate Bush), The album takes aim at everything from nationalism and immigration to class inequality – all while maintaining a visceral, infectious positivity. Singer Joe Talbot summarises: “This album is an attempt to be vulnerable to our audience and to encourage vulnerability; a brave naked smile in this shitty new world. We have stripped back the songs and lyrics to our bare flesh to allow each other to breathe, to celebrate our differences, and act as an ode to communities and the individuals that forge them. Because without our community, we’d be nothing.”

This autumn, IDLES will embark on their first ever global tour. Tickets are on sale now HERE

Album tracklist:

1. Colossus
2. Never Fight a Man With a Perm
3. I’m Scum
4. Danny Nedelko
5. Love Song
6. June
7. Samaritans
8. Television
9. Great
10. Gram Rock
11. Cry To Me
12. Rottweiler

‘Tour of Joy’ 2018 dates:

16 Oct – Bristol, UK – SWX
17 Oct – London, UK – Roundhouse *
18 Oct – London, UK – O2 Forum Kentish Town
19 Oct – Manchester, UK – O2 Ritz
20 Oct – Glasgow, UK – O2 ABC
23 Oct – Newcastle, UK – Riverside
24 Oct – Leeds, UK – Leeds University Stylus
25 Oct – Nottingham, UK – Rock City
26 Oct – Birmingham, UK – Institute
27 Oct – Brighton, UK – Concorde 2
29 Oct – Oxford, UK – O2 Academy

* Q Awards show with Wolf Alice

FOR MORE INFORMATION

http://www.idlesband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/idlesband/
https://www.instagram.com/idlesband/

Earlier this year Albert Hammond Jr released his fourth studio album Francis Trouble. Today, Albert shared the live video for ‘DvsL’. Shot in Santa Ana CA the video was directed by Kevin Slack.

Stream ‘DvsL’
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2kzfUSH
Apple: https://apple.co/2IWJW1u

Francis Trouble explores a deeply personal topic – the stillborn death of his twin brother, Francis, and the lingering effects that event has had in his life and music. In November of 1979, Hammond Jr’s mother, Claudia, miscarried. Although they rushed to the hospital, Claudia and Albert Hammond Sr. were told that the baby was far too premature to live. Albert continued to grow inside of his mother undetected until she was nearly six months pregnant.

Taking a page from Bowie, Hammond Jr says: “What the music says may be serious, but as a medium it should not be questioned, analyzed or taken too seriously. I think it should be tarted up, made into a character, a parody of itself. The music is the mask the message wears and I, the performer, am the message.”

Working within this mentality, Hammond Jr created Francis Trouble, an homage to both the death of his twin and his own birth, as well as the complexities of identity that arise because of their intermingling. The number 36 became especially relevant, as he had learned more of Francis’s story at that age, and because he was born on the 9th day of the 4th month of the year. Significantly, the album is exactly 36 minutes long.

In celebration of Francis Trouble Albert will be coming to UK in September. Tickets available on Friday June 1st.

Full dates below:

September 2018
Mon 10 – Leeds @Brudenell Social Club
Tue 11 – Manchester @Club Academy
Wed 12 – Glasgow @SWG3
Fri 14 – London @Electric Ballroom
Sat 15 – Bristol @Thekla
Sun 16 – Brighton @Concorde 2

Twenty acts will perform across three stages in one weekend of discovery for fans of live music and the spoken word alike in a festival that will be the first of its kind for the venue.

Friday 28 September…

Shed Seven founding members Rick Witter and Paul Banks will headline the Friday night with an acoustic set. The duo come to PAC following on from the band’s triumphant sell-out show to over 8,000 people at Castleford Bowl. Expect all their classic anthems such as ‘Going for Gold’, ‘Chasing Rainbows’ and ‘Getting Better’ plus songs from their acclaimed new album Instant Pleasures.

York-based four-piece band The Howl & The Hum embarked on their first headline tour in England in the spring, following this up with appearances at Latitude, Live at Leeds and the BBC Biggest Weekend. The band combine dark hypnotic pop with post-punk influences, pierced with lyrics that make you call your mum the next morning.

Kicking things off on Friday will be Leeds singer-songwriter and YouTube sensation Jade Helliwell, with her distinctive sound of British Americana and country.

Saturday 29 September…

The furiously individual singer-songwriter, and former Brit Award nominee, Thea Gilmore headlines the Saturday night. Gilmore has attracted critical acclaim and admiration from her peers including Bruce Springsteen, Joan Baez, and Martha Wainwright.

Saturday’s line-up also features Bridlington boys Seafret, who went down a storm at PAC’s 2016 Platform Festival. The duo has supported the likes of Hozier, Kodaline and James Bay, and has amassed a huge fan base with over 10 million Spotify streams to their name.

PAC is excited to welcome The Eskies and their unique brand of folk noir/gypsy jazz/sea shanty and swaggering stage spectacle to Handpick’d following notable performances at Glastonbury, Cambridge and Camp Bestival.

The colourful, energetic and crowd-stamping, CoCo and the Butterfields will add the intimate vibrance of a village folk fair combined with powerful vocal melodies and an undercurrent of driving beatbox, delivering catchy songs resonating in a stadium-filling urban pop vibe.

If live poetry is your thing, then Matt Abbott will not disappoint. A rising star of the spoken word, Abbott has shared a stage with the likes of Jeremy Corbyn, Paul Weller, and Sara Pascoe and is rapidly establishing himself as one of the leading political poets of his generation.

Leeds based anthemic rock-pop brothers The Dunwells have also been ‘handpick’d’.
The band have built up a large US fan base after appearing on American talk show ‘Late Night with Jay Leno’ and performances at Lollapalooza, SXSW and the Bonnaroo Festival, plus sold out shows across the UK.

There will be a touch of 60’s rock folk and blues thanks to Buffalo Skinners, who BBC2’s Bob Harris, has described as simply “fantastic”; and maverick of the folk world, and York based singer-songwriter, Dan Webster will open the main stage with his band on the Saturday.

The full line up is:

Friday 28 September – Rick Whitter & Paul Banks Shed Seven Acoustic; The Howl & The Hum; Jade Helliwell

Saturday 29 September – Thea Gilmore; The Eskies; Seafret; Coco & The Butterfields; Matt Abbott; The Dunwells; Buffalo Skinners; Dan Webster Band; Bella Gaffney & Polly Bolton; Rachel Croft; Amy May Ellis; Me, Thee and E.

Weekend tickets cost £61, or £57 (under 18s). Friday only tickets cost £27.50, or £25 (under 18s); Saturday only tickets are £36.50 or £30 (under 18s).

For tickets call the Box Office on 01759 301547 or visit www.pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk where you can find further festival information, stage times and full listings.

DAN OWEN has announced a string of live dates for October and November, following the release of his forthcoming debut album ‘Stay Awake With Me’ on August 17th.

Regarding the record Dan says, “This is my first album. I like to think of it as a collection of personal stories and experiences. I feel like this is what I have been working for since I first picked up a guitar at 8 years old. A lot has happened since then and these songs cover some of the high and low points for me and some of those closest to me. I am really grateful to everyone who has been a part of the process and I couldn’t be more proud of the result.”

The announcement comes as Dan’s latest single ‘Icarus’ is added to the Radio 2 playlist with rave support for the Shrewsbury singer coming from across the station.

The song features soaring guitars and expansive orchestral strings while Dan’s jaw-dropping vocal abilities deliver a dark and hard-hitting story about drug abuse. It’s the latest song to be taken from the forthcoming album, which also features the previously released and highly acclaimed singles ‘Made To Love You’, ‘Hideaway’ and ‘What is a Man’.

‘Made To Love You’ has amassed over 12 million streams on Spotify, while his last single ‘Hideaway’ proved a highly praised radio hit. It was featured as ‘Record Of The Week’ at both Radio 1 and Virgin Radio, while it also received strong support across the board of tastemakers at Radio 2.

Beloved by critics and DJs alike, Dan Owen is also a sought-after live draw and has sold-out a number of headline tours across the UK and Europe including his biggest London headline show to date at The Jazz Café on May 29th.

Dan has recently been touring Europe with Alice Merton and Isaac Gracie, and will hit the road in Europe again in September for his album tour. He has also been announced to play the main stage at Wilderness Festival on August 3rd.

LIVE DATES

October:

4th – Liverpool, Leaf
5th – Kendal, Kendal Library
6th – Newcastle, The Cluny
8th – Edinburgh, The Mash House
9th – Glasgow, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut
10th – Manchester, Deaf Institute
12th – Leeds, The Wardrobe
13th – Birmingham, Castle & Falcon
14th – Brighton, The Hope & Ruin
15th – Bristol, The Louisiana
24th – London, 100 Club

November:

16th – Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury