Coachella - Day Two

Its day two of the Coachella music festival in Indio, California. Again we were not able to catch a flight out west to see some of the amazing acts that were scheduled to hit the stage today to entertain the thousands of fans (and potential fan). We can only wish that we were there experience everything that the music and arts festival has to offer, but it will not stop us from taking a step back and forward to see what some of these great artists that are making the Coachella festival a stop on their current schedule. Yeah Yeah Yeahs :: Karen O. will really get the crowd going when they show themselves on stage with songs such as Gold Lion off their latest CD Show Your Bones which was released late last month. After the show they will be heading home to New York City to tone up for their big trip in Europe. No worries Yeah fans, they will be back on home soil by mid-June for another run around the states. The Magic Numbers :: We were really looking forward to seeing these guys play, but I guess it will have to be another time and another space. Hey Sweden, you have your chance in August to see The Magic Numbers at the Emmaboda Festival, try not to miss this chance. The United Kingdom will also host the band for a number of stops include T in the Park on July 9th. We will just have to keep our eyes and ears wide open to future days in our neck of the woods. Mogwai :: The Glasgow, Scotland band will surely get the crowd going with their guitar-laced tracks and their experimental sounds. Look out for the odd snake getting out during Glasgow Mega Snake. These guys have been around the block a few time already so its good to see that they still have the energy to kick up the odd festival date. After the show its back on the tour bus for a trip around North America... there are too many to mention so check out their latest tour schedule for locations and dates near you. Bloc Party :: We really enjoyed their last album, but ended up playing it out and had to shelf it for the time being. Nevertheless, I am sure the energy that the band will bring to Coachella will be a level all its own... just hope the kids don't wear themselves out during this set before Tool gets on stage at the end of the night. It looks like Bloc Party will be taking a pretty relaxing summer from touring, but we have the honour having the band visit us in Toronto on June 6th. Chicago, Chelmsford and Stafford will also be festival stops for the guys this hot season. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists :: To think that something with a voice to be heard coming out of Washington D.C. which is good is hard to rap your head around. Well cult followers, Ted Leo will provide references of political content in their songs but at least these guys sound good. Anyway, it seems that the Pharmacists will be taking a easy summer too... they have a show scheduled in Chicago, IL on July 29 - Pitchfork Music Festival and a little something in New York at the end of August. Mates of State :: Ah, husband and wife combo Jason Hammel and Kori Gardner, we don't know how you do it but it looks and sounds greate. They are truely pleasing to the ears and will be a great pick-me-up at Coachella. UK fans can expect to see the couple in Mid-May before they are back in North America. We hope to catch up with them in Chicago, IL on August 4th at Lollapalooza in Grant Park. Giant Drag :: Apparently Kevin is Gay and they have High Friends in Places, we wouldn't call it snarky grunge but it sure is indie... and it wouldn't be enjoyed any other way. This California based band has been big favourite of ours lately so lets hope that other feel the same way at Coachella. It looks like the tour bus is only filling up in California because there is a long road ahead for Annie Hardy and Micah Calabrese with a heavy tour schedule on the horizon. Check out their tour schedule around the US of A for details and catch them if you can. Wolf Parade :: These guys are near the top of our play list at the moment will great songs such as I am My Father's Sun and You Are a Runner. The Montreal, QC based band is highly recommend for Coachella goers today. We aren't too sure what the guys are up to after the festival in California but whatever it is we will keep our eye open for new and report in as soon as possible. Metric :: I know Emily Haines said that Metric is number one on her list, but will a solo album on the horizon you just never know how many more Metric shows we will have the opportunity to see/hear. They are off to Germany and the United Kingdom after the festival so lets hope they come back to Toronto, Canada as a band for future dates on this side of the pond. So that is another year of the Coachella music festival in California, USA.

Coachella - Day One

Its Coachella weekend in Indio, California and there is a lot of great talent hitting the stages all day today and tomorrow. We can only wish that we were there experience everything that the music and arts festival has to offer, but it will not stop us from taking a step back and forward to see what some of these great artists that are making the Coachella festival a stop on their current schedule. Franz Ferdinand The Glasgow, Scotland band is fresh off a recent tour across Canada with Death Cab for Cutie. In fact, the played last night in Vancouver, British Columbia at the Pacific Coliseum, PNE grounds. As a headliner of the festival, you can expect a big crowd looking for a big show at Coachella. The New Amsterdams With a recent release of a new album entitled "story Like A Scar" on March 21st in their back pocket The New Amsterdams will be showing off their skills on the Coachella stage today. Following the show they will be taking a quick break before another tour around the United States and a trip to Vancouver, Canada start on May 19th. Watch for the Kansas City based indie rock band to spot in a neighborhood near you. Sigur Ros Iceland should be very proud of what Sugar Ros is doing around the world and how they are representing their great nation. Another trip to Coachella is in store for Jon Por Birgisson, Kjaran Sveinsson, Orri pall Dyrason and Georg Holm. Switzerland Canadian fans can now get excited because the band has confirmed that they will be playing at the Montreux Jass Festival on July 3rd. Eagles of Death Metal Primary players Jesse "the devil" Hughes and Josh "baby duck" Homme started out as high school friend now they are out to rock the crowd at Coachella. They will continue their ways on The Late Show with David Letterman on May 18th which will be followed by a quick tour in parts of the United States starting on May 27th in Houston, Texas. The Zutons The Liverpool, UK based band consisting of singer Dave McCabe, guitar Boyan Chowdhury, sax Abi Harding, bass Russ Pritchard and drums Sean Payne have a new album out in stores, their second, entitled Tired Of Hanging Around recently entered the UK album charts at number two. The guys have a tour planned starting in May in the United Kingdom. Sheffield this their first stop on May 4th, also known as 04-05-06. Cat Power The American singer/songwriter Charlyn Marie Marshall hit the Mojave Tent at the Coachella festival and should be packed with fans. If you're not able to catch her at the California music festival she has plans to travel to a number of limited cities in the United States following her set at Coachella, starting in Seattle, Washington on May 1st. Check out her MySpace site for other locations and dates. Ladytron We missed the Liverpool, UK based group when making a stop in Toronto last week and yet again we will miss them at Coachella. They have recently released a new EP in North America which features new mixes and b-side tracks, plus a film entitled Once Upon a Time in the East: Ladytron in China. If you would prefer to see them live they will have a couple of shows in California after the Coachella festival before head over to Europe for a number of stops. Check their tour schedule on their website for details.

Cruiserweight TOUR and MSTRKRFT Remix it up

Notable cruiserweight champions include Evander Holyfield and James Toney, but we just might have found the next great champ from Austin, Texas and they are now ready to defend their title. The pop/indie-rock band Cruiserweight have a debut album out in stores now entitled "Sweet Weaponry" and a debut tour to go along with it. The tour known as the TOUR of the YEAR will also include touring guests Feable Weiner who hail from Tennessee. The tour kicks off tonight in Nashville, Tennessee and will continue along the southern US before heading to the Mid-west to close things out by May 27th. Cruiserweight - Goodbye Daily Sadness Check out their MySpace site for tour details and sample tracks from their debut album.

It's time for a little Bumper Stumpers and your first (and only) puzzle is MSTRKRFT. To help you along here it would be good to know that this Toronto, Canada based due act are known for their electronic remixing of other indie/alternative songs and putting a big twist on them. You may know member Jesse Keeler since he is half of the group Death From Above 1979. The second half of the due who likes to be called Al-P is formly of the group Girls Are Short. The guys released their first single Easy Love back in January of this year and have plans to release their first album in May entitled The Look. Aside from the releases on the horizon, MSTRKRFT have plans to show off their skill on the road with a little tour here and there. Check out their MySpace page for additional tour information and for more samples of their music. If you haven't figured out the Bumper Stumper yet, MSTRKRFT is pronounced MasterKraft and I don't think you can purchase any of their material from your local Canadian Tire (Canada only) A special thanks to The Prettiest Pony for MP3 links. MSTRKRFT - Easy Love Metric - Monster Hospital (MSTRKRFT Remix) Catch them here: :: Apr 28 - CALGARY, AB :: Apr 29 - VANCOUVER, BC :: May 5 - TORONTO, ON :: May 12 - MONTREAL, QC :: May 19 - TORONTO, ON :: May 24 - MANCHESTER, UK :: May 25 - BOURNEMOUTH, UK :: May 26 - BRIGHTON, UK :: May 27 - LONDON, UK :: May 28 - NOTTINGHAM, UK :: May 30 - ABERDEEN, UK :: May 31 - EDINBURGH, UK

Bands are starting to drop out of the Coachella festival in California list its in style. Recent news has Hard-Fi announcing that they will not be making the trip to the sunny state to do their thing because frontman Richard Archer has come down with a throat infection. Just days ago we announced that The Subways also pulled out because of a similiar issue with their lead singer. :: more ::

Film School Hit the Road with New Gear

Even after having all their gear stolen from their 2003 Ford Econoline van in Philadelphia, PA last month the guys from Film School have not let that slow them down from hitting the road again. Now the Film School crew have setup two benefit concerts in their home town of San Francisco, CA to raise enough money to replace the equipment, the first show is tonight. If all goes well by the time May 9th comes around the guys will be in Portland, OR for the start of yet another tour around North America with new gear in the back of the van. If you want to read all about their crazy adventure while in Philadelphia, PA last month or if you want to help the guys out with a little donation you can do so on their website. An even better way to support the band is to get out and enjoy what they can do on the stage. Check out their tour schedule for dates and locations. :: tour :: Here are some MP3 files that we found from the Film School website all for promotion. Film School - Pitfalls Film School - Like You Know Film School - Activated Film School - P.S. Check out their MySpace page for additional songs (streamed) and a complete list of tour dates.

As mentioned above, the guys from Film School are planning to hit the road (again) to promote their 2006 self titled album. Marc Hogan of Pitchfork has his view on the album. :: more ::

Love Music Like Belle & Sebastian, The Subways And Emily Haines

If you're in the London, UK area on April 29th you might be interested to hear that you have to opportunity to hear some great music and it's all free. If your timing is right, between 2-7pm on Saturday you may catch the likes of artists such as Belle & Sebastian, Roll Deep, Boy Kill Boy, Kray Twinz, The Paddingtons, Heartless Crew, Metro Riots or a number of other acts who have dedicated themselves to the Love Music Hate Racism rally & music. Even if you are not into the music, which brings us to think you should check to see if you have a pulse, then maybe you would be more interested in hearing that the concert is to help discourage support for the British National Party during the election there. :: more :: Belle & Sebastian Another Sunny Day

The Subways have announced via their website that their North American tour this spring has been cancelled due to frontman Billy Lunn having nodules on his vocal chords. He is currently getting treatment from his doctor and expects to be fully recovered in approximately six weeks. We were looking forward to seeing the guys on stage here in Toronto, Canada in May but they 'promise' to return again to those cities missed sometime this summer. We will keep our fingers crossed. According to Chart Attack magazine, Yellowcard is also being forced to cancel some shows in North America do to there lead vocalist Ryan Key's continuing problems with chords, vocal chords that is. :: more :: Metric lead singer Emily Haines has been venturing out into a small solo career lately and has even been sighted playing a number of shows opening for Amy Millan. Recently Emily has announced to the world that she will be releasing a solo ablum which will be available by September 26th. The disc will be called Knives Don't Have Your Back and will be released on Last Gang Records. The album is described as a collection of piano-driven songs backed with soft strings and horns. Don't worry Metric fans, Emily has been stated that Metric is number one on her list and has no plans to split.

Rachael Cantu, Starlight Mints and Camera Obscura

Rachael Cantu's "guitar rambles like Jack Elliott and Woody Guthrie, her lyrics haunt like Dylan and Elliott Smith, and her voice is sweet and torn like Bjork and Patty Griffin". At least that is how her bio tries to describe her and she is now on the road. Tonight is the beginning of her very selective city run around the United States and Irving Plaza in New York city is where the ball starts rolling for the Massachsetts resident. No selective dates are scheduled in Canada, but if you live in New York, Boston, Anaheim, Los Angeles, Annapolis, Atlantic City, Seattle or Portland then you are in luck. Check out her MySpace page or her website for dates and venues. MP3: Rachael Cantu - Saturday MP3: Rachael Cantu - Hear My Laughter

Oklahoma's Starlight Mints consists of five nonconformist individuals who all just happen to love to make out of the ordinary music. Much of their bizarre sound comes from the generous strings and sampling, all of which can be heard from their new album entitled Drowaton. Hitting store shelves tomorrow (April 25, 2006) on Barsuk Records you can expect to here plenty of bells, horns, strings, piano and synthesizer noises and effects. The band is in Oklahoma City, OK at the Bricktown Ballroom on April 27th for a CD release party for Drowaton. :: Brian Heater, Aversion :: Dan Groth, The Wake MP3: Starlight Mints - Inside of Me Glasgow, Scotland's indie band Camera Obscura first emerged onto the music scene in 1996 but took five years to get out their debut album Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi, for UK residence only. By the time 2004 rolled around those in North America got the chance to get a taste of what Camera Obscura sounded like when Merge Records stepped into their lives to help release Under Achiever Please Try Harder. Those who were hooked on that album can now look forward to more enchanting melodies from the six piece band with the release of Let's Get Out Of This Country on June 6th. However, according to Merge Records they are now accepting preorders and shipments will arrive sometime around May 9th. MP3: Camera Obscura - Lloyd Im Ready To Be Heartbroken (via You Aint No Picasso)/em>

Regina Spektor Begin To Hope in Toronto

The veteran anti-folk singer/songwriter Regina Spektor has a new album on the horizon entitled "Begin To Hope" and should be available to everyone in North America on June 13th. Learning to play piano at a young age and experiencing a life changing move from Russia to the Bronx, New York when she was nine, Spektor has a lot of material run with. With classical piano training and early exposure to blue and jazz artists she used these influences to release her 2001 debut album entitled 11:11. With this release under her belt she would play gigs wherever she could get onto a stage and thus beginning the promotional journey. With time she started to get recognition that she deserved and was picked up by Sire Records to begin work on additional albums. The benefit of this moves allowed her to tour with artists such as The Strokes, Mates of State and Kings of Leon which only increased her exposure and enhanced her profile. Currently Regina Spektor is on the road celebrating and promoting her upcoming release of Begin To Hope and this includes a stop in Toronto, Ontario on Monday evening. The Mod Club in Toronto should expect to hear great new material from the Russian born singer/songwriter. Following the show in Toronto you can find her in the following locations: :: Apr 24 - Toronto, ON :: Apr 26 - Chicago, IL :: Apr 29 - Minneapolis, MN :: May 02 - Boulder, CO :: May 07 - Seattle, WA :: May 10 - Portland, OR :: May 13 - San Francisco, CA :: May 16 - Los Angeles, CA :: Jun 28 - London, England :: Jul 09 - T in the Park (Scotland) If you visit her MySpace page you will have the opportunity to hear some of the tracks off the new album "Begin To Hope". Last time we visited her MySpace page they had the following tracks: :: Fidelity (track 1) :: Better (track 2) News from Regina Spektor's website says that two songs from the new album "Begin To Hope" will be featured on two primetime television programs. :: "Samson" will be on a CSI New York show this Wednesday (April 26th). :: "On the Radio" will be featured on Grey's Anatomy on May 7th.

Editors have announced that they will be playing the Jersey Live Festival this September. The festival is an indie/dance festival which takes place on September 2nd at The Royal Jersey Showgrounds, Jersey, Channel Islands, UK. The Editors are the latest to join a lineup that includes Snow Patrol, The Zutons, Milburn, The On Offs, and Filthy Dukes. :: more :: Vancouver, British Columbia's indie-acoustic resident Rose Melberg has a new album on the shelves come April 25th entitled "Cast Away the Clouds" (Double Agent Records). You can listen to one of the tracks off the new album, Take Some Time, via her MySpace page. She is in Seattle, Washington tonight at Velouria. :: more ::

John Vanderslice Is a Big Slice of Life in Toronto

Last night the San Francisco based indie pop source John Vanderslice rolled into Toronto and in particular the El Mocambo for a show that most won't forget. On his current tour of North America in promotion of his latest album "Pixel Revolt" we had last nights date circled for some time now. However what we were expecting to hear at the show was far from what was delivered. This of course was all to our surprise as we had the feeling that John was going to be a little softer and tamer then what was shown on stage. What actually transpired was a night full of head boppin' from tracks that were full of hard bass drums (Dave Douglas), guitar (J.V.), bass (David Broecker) and triptych keyboards (Ian Bjonstand), all of which produced for an amazing night from the guys up front. After a dedicating "My Old Flame" to a superfan in the crowd name Philip, John expresses to the faithful in attendance that he doesn't believe in encores. "we are just going to play everything" at which point fans started listing off songs they had not played that this point "yep, we will play that"... and they didn't disappoint. The song "Radiant" even gave David Broecker and Ian Bjonstand time to head out the back down for a quick smoke before returning to the stage for a crowd favourite "424". We might have been showing our age but we had no idea what a 424 was or stood for but John made everything make sense after the song. Apparently 424 is reference to a "Tascam 424 MKII Portastudio" and is a 4-track "Multitrack Master" cassette tape recorder. From the way things are going in John's life people email him on at least once a month asking about repair tips for the old equipment. John wants you all to please stop emailing him with this request... now back to the music. As the band was about to play the last song of the night "Angela" the guys expressed that the night isn't over after the set ends and would like to see everyone enjoy the hip-hop dance party afterwards. They even brought their own tones! Thanks to entire band, John Vanderslice, Dave Douglas, Ian Bjornstad, and David Broecker for an incredible set. We look forward to you next visit to Toronto. The set list for the evening: :: Underneath :: Cool Purple :: Up Above :: Fiji :: Plymouth :: Exodous :: Mansion :: Dream Alive :: They Won't :: White Plains :: Do You Remember :: From Out Here :: Amitriptyline :: Pale Horse :: My Old Flame :: Trance :: Radiant :: 424 :: Time Travel :: Angela MP3: John Vanderslice - "Trance Manual"

The Fever are ready to Tour in Cities of Sleep

The indie rock band The Fever have announced a tour in North America to elebrate and promote the release of their sophmore record "In the City of Sleep" which is out in stores on April 25th under Kemado Records. Here is a list of scheduled dates: :: May 12 - Pomona, CA* :: May 13 - West Hollywood, CA* :: May 14 - Solana Beach, CA* :: May 16 - San Francisco, CA :: May 19 - Seattle, WA** :: May 20 - Vancouver, BC** :: May 22 - Calgary, AB** :: May 23 - Edmonton, AB** :: May 24 - Regina, SK** :: May 25 - Winnepeg, MB** :: May 26 - Minneapolis, MN** :: May 27 - Chicago, IL** :: May 29 - London, ON** :: May 30 - Toronto, ON** :: May 31 - Ottawa, ON** :: June 01 - Quebec City, QC** :: June 02 - Montreal, QC** :: June 03 - Boston, MA** :: June 04 - Philadelphia, PA** *w/ Nine Black Alps **w/ International Noise Conspiracy Check out their MySpace site to hear two songs from the new album "In the City of Sleep": :: Redhead :: Waiting for the Centipede The album cover for "In the City of Sleep" is an amazing collage of instruments and circus freaks. In LP form, it is true something you could look that while listening to the album over and over again. As a CD cover, you'll miss a lot, but it's still good fun. The Denver Post has an article on album covers and The Fever's new album is a positive example. :: more ::