No Flight Delay for the Holidays...

Just sharing a live performance clip from Flight of the Conchords from earlier this year. Have a good laugh & burn off some of the turkey you ate on Thanksgiving.

Going Once, Going Twice, Sold...

Rock For Kids is a non-profit organization that provides support, hope, inspiration and assistance to underserved children and teens. Realizing that music can be a positive motivator in a young person's life, Rock For Kids provides free year-round music education for children in need. Rock For Kids positively impacts and celebrates young lives by offering access to safe and constructive learning experiences through which children may challenge themselves, build self-esteem and explore their own creative potential.

The 20th Annual Rock for Kids Charity Auction will take place on December 5th at Park West in Chicago. Signed items from numerous bands including Wilco, Beck, M. Ward, R.E.M., Foo Fighters and many more will be available for bid.

Click here to see all of the items on flickr.

Antony & the Johnsons to Play Columbus...

Antony and the Johnsons are scheduled to perform at the Southern Theatre in Columbus on February 4th. This concert is part of the Next @ Wex series which features breakout bands in larger theatres. Here is what the Wexner Center for the Arts website has to say about the band.

The ethereal beauty of Antony Hegarty's voice and his haunting songs of obsessive love and longing grab listeners in a way few other singers can. Whether he's addressing the trials of discovering romance or coming to terms with transgender identity, his evocatively melancholy lyrics are exquisitely framed by the chamber rock setting of his supremely talented band and lent extra power by his own otherworldly androgynous aura.

Antony clearly feels a deep empathy with the tragic figures who strutted their stuff at Warhol's famed Factory (a photo of transvestite Warhol superstar Candy Darling is featured on the cover of one of his earliest albums and his cover of the Velvets' "Candy Says" is a concert highlight). This linkage makes him an ideal candidate for a return visit in time for our Warhol exhibition. When Antony and the Johnsons first appeared in the Wexner Center's Performance Space early in 2002, their underground reputation had yet to penetrate widely in Columbus. This time we expect that their growing fame will be more than enough to fill the Southern Theatre, where they'll feature new material drawn from The Crying Light, their soon-to-be-released (January 20, 2009) album.

Antony on NPR

Adele on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic...

Beck on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic...

Femi Kuti Confirms U.S. Tour Dates...

On the eve the release of his first studio album in seven years, Femi Kuti has confirmed a U.S. tour that will see the Afrobeat legend play venues from coast to coast in January 2009.

Femi’s forthcoming album, Day By Day, is set for release November 18 and will be the first release from the new Downtown Records imprint Mercer Street Records. Femi launched back onto the public stage this fall when he was featured on emerging artist and label mate, Brett Dennen’s hit, “Make You Crazy.”

Not content to merely follow in the footsteps of his famous father, Fela Kuti, Femi continues to expand his musical palette with his latest studio release, Day By Day, a hybrid of Afro-pop, jazz and urban influences. Femi is world renowned as a gifted songwriter and performer who continues to push the boundaries of Afrobeat rather than resting on his legacy. He has toured America with alt-rock band Jane’s Addiction, sang on Rachid Taha’s Made In Medina album and reached out to the American hip-hop community connecting with artists such as Mos Def, D’Angelo, Nile Rodgers, Erykah Badu and the Roots.

January 2009
7 - Boston, MA @ Paradise
8 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall
9 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
10 - Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live
11 - New York, NY @ GlobalFest (Webster Hall)
14 - Montreal, Quebec @ Club Soda
15 - Toronto, Ontario @ Opera House
16 - Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre
17 - Chicago, IL @ Metro
19 - Boulder, CO @ Boulder Theater
22 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
23 - West Hollywood, CA @ House of Blues
24 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues

Mic Test #61: Passion Pit...

Passion Pit:
Big Beat/Soul/Pop
*Note: The music featured in the Mic Test is typically new to me, too. Just throwing out some info. about bands that seem to be offering something exciting. Enjoy.

Letterman Pays Tribute to Tributes...

Just a quick note to let you know that tribute bands have hit the "big time" on the Late Show with David Letterman. All this week, Dave will feature some well-known tribute bands as his musical guests. So tune in & see what you think.

Monday 11/17: Purple Reign - Prince
Tuesday 11/18: The Cold Hard Cash - Johnny Cash
Wednesday 11/19: Mr. Brownstone - Guns N' Roses
Thursday 11/20: Super Diamond - Neil Diamond
Friday 11/21: The Allstarz - James Brown

Dan Auerbach Sings "Off-Key"...

Looks like one of the "Keys" has decided to open some new doors...

Nonesuch Records has announced that singer/songwriter/guitarist Dan Auerbach, best known as half of The Black Keys, will release his solo debut, Keep It Hid, on February 10, 2009. Dan will begin a national tour with performances in New York City, Boston, and Washington, DC, with opening acts Those Darlins and Hacienda, the latter also lending support as Auerbach’s backing band.

While working on and touring in support of The Black Keys’ most recent album, Attack & Release, Dan also was writing songs that would become Keep It Hid. "This record is a mixture of things I like to listen to, psychedelia, soul music, country harmonies," he says.

Keep It Hid was produced and engineered by Auerbach at his studio, Akron Analog, and features him playing a variety of instruments, including drums, guitar, percussion, and keyboards. Many of Dan's friends and family play on the album, including his uncle James Quine, who contributes vocal harmony and electric guitar on the track “Street Walkin.” Other musicians include fellow Ohioans Jessica Lea Mayfield, who sings on the track “When the Night Comes,” and Bob Cesare, who plays drums on “Whispered Words,” a song originally written by Auerbach’s father. Of the recording process Auerbach states, “I wanted a live, organic sound. Nothing was too plotted or planned, just a lot of spontaneity.” The record was mixed by Auerbach’s good friend Mark Neill at Neill’s Soil of the South studio.

2/28 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
3/01 Boston, MA @ Paradise Club
3/02 Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
3/03 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
3/05 Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
3/06 Chicago, IL @ Metro
3/07 Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
3/10 Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
3/11 Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
3/13 San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo's 365 Club
3/14 Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre

Gatherers for a Hunter in Ann Arbor...

James Hunter is a British throwback with a refreshing take on the music world. He will make his way to The Ark in Ann Arbor on Sunday, November 30th. So many musical influences show their face in this feel-good Soul, R&B, Blues music that just makes you want to move...think Sam Cooke & Ben E. King & Smokey Robinson. Check out this concert of him live at The Paradiso.

New Bon Iver EP Due on 1/20/09...

From Jagjaguwar

About Blood Bank...

While still tied to the identity of the place where it was born, Bon Iver is no longer an unplanned entity synonymous with Justin Vernon. It is an idea, a place and sentiment that has now become as international as it is timeless. From the title track's remembrance of the winter warmth we seek, to the summer love tribute of b-side gem "Babys," Bon Iver's snow-blanketed harmonies live across the seasons. Still, there is a reverence for sabbatical, solitude and the winding down of time. As much as Emma is about the cold, the Blood Bank collection is about the warmth that gets you through it. You can feel the air move. Like a fire you've been stoking for hours and finally got to sustain itself, the heat blisters your face while your back is frozen solid.

Bon Iver has grown to include more than what was available at the much-fabled Wisconsin cabin, such as piano, slide guitar, and vocoder. As Justin layers on harmonies in the meditative R&B a capella "Woods", he declares "I'm building a still to slow down the time." It is as poetic as it is necessary. Both expansive and intimate, these four songs explore the darker and lighter natures of the seasons and what they signify, and offer a dynamic glimpse into the natural energy and refined craftsmanship that characterize Justin Vernon's music.

Mic Test #60: Ben Sollee...

Ben Solee:
Acoustic/Alternative/Folk
*Note: The music featured in the Mic Test is typically new to me, too. Just throwing out some info. about bands that seem to be offering something exciting. Enjoy.

Classic Clips: R.E.M...

For the Common Good...

Check out OkayplayerTV: Episode 7

Common takes a moment to discuss his new album, Universal Mind Control, what it means to represent Chicago, and being a part of the Soulquarian, okayplayer, and G.O.O.D. Music families. In the second clip,Common expresses his opinions on politics and why he endorses Barack Obama.


Common Interview w/ OkayplayerTV from Okayplayer on Vimeo.


Common Discusses Politics w/ okayplayerTV from Okayplayer on Vimeo.

Follow Your Q to Cleveland...

Q-Tip, The Cool Kids & The Knux will be in Cleveland on December 4th at the House of Blues for the 2K Sports Bounce Tour 2008.

Rockin' Philly, Right On Q...

Q-Tip Myspace Release Show: Philadelphia, PA 11/11/08

Video: R.E.M. Sings I Believe for Obama...

Election night in Santiago


From Michael Stipe:

It's incredible. I am still really in disbelief. I think the 21stC finally arrived, this time joyously

Sea change. I tripped all over my words last night. Couldnt be more in the moment than to be literally speechless.

The Black Keys All the Way Live..

TBK - Live @ The Crystal Ballroom - out 11/18/08!


The Black Keys Live at the Crystal Ballroom DVD will be released via Nonesuch Records on November 18, 2008. Produced and directed by Lance Bangs (R.E.M.'s Road Movie), the disc will include 17 live songs; original music videos for "Your Touch," "Just Got To Be," and Strange Times;" and behind-the-scenes footage of the making of Attack & Release. The live performance was recorded on April 4, 2008 @ a sold-out show at The Crystal Ballroom in Portland, OR. Click here for The Black Key's website.

THE BLACK KEYS LIVE AT THE CRYSTAL BALLROOM

1. Same Old Thing
2. Girl Is On My Mind
3. Set You Free
4. ThickFreakness
5. Stack Shot Billy
6. Busted
7. You're The One
8. Remember When (Side B)
9. Your Touch
10. Oceans and Streams
11. Strange Times
12. Psychotic Girl
13. 10 am Automatic
14. No Trust
15. I Got Mine
16. All You Ever Wanted
17. Till I Get My Way

The Black Keys will be out on tour in early 2009. They will be playing at the Fillmore Detroit on January 29th with the Black Girls & The Buffalo Killers.

Nirvana Baby Thru the Ages...

Excerpt from MTV Story:

More than 17 years ago, when he was still an infant, Spencer Elden's parents dropped him into a swimming pool in California, where underwater photographer Kirk Weddle was waiting to snap an entire roll of film of the naked, buoyant baby. The picture was later used as the cover image for Nevermind, the second studio LP from a little rock band out of Seattle called Nirvana.

Now, 17-year-old Elden is a high school student, who told MTV News last year that "it's kind of creepy [to think] that that many people have seen me naked — I feel like I'm the world's biggest porn star."

Elden recently re-created the iconic album's cover in the same pool at the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center in Pasadena, California, where it was originally shot — only this time, he was wearing shorts. It remains unclear as to why Elden decided to shoot this new photo.

Elden's parents were paid just $200 for allowing him to be photographed back in 1991. But last year, Elden told us that being the Nirvana baby has its perks. He references it when trying to pick up ladies, he said: "I have to use stupid pickup lines like, 'You want to see my p---s ... again?'

That is wild & wacky stuff. I did not know that.

Order Up Peter Bradley Adams in Ann Arbor...

Peter Bradley Adams (formerly one half of eastmountainsouth) will make a stop in Ann Arbor to promote his latest release called Leavetaking. He will be bringing his mellow acoustic style to Zingerman's Roadhouse on Thursday, November 13th. The show is FREE.

Click here for Always, a FREE download from the new album.

Horse Feathers Trot/Float into Ann Arbor...

Justin Ringle moved to Portland, Oregon in 2004, and began to play open mics regularly under the moniker Horse Feathers. In 2005 Peter Broderick heard two songs that Justin had recorded in a friend's basement, and proceeded to track Justin down via the internet. Shortly after that, the two started playing music together. For the most part, Justin writes the songs initially, and then Peter helps to arrange them with varying instrumentation. In the later half of 2006 more people began to join the live show.

Horse Feathers will be playing the Half Ass in Ann Arbor on Friday, November 14th (presented by the East Quad Music Co-op at University of Michigan). The Halfass entrance is on Church St. between Hill and Willard...right next to the East Quad loading dock (entering 730 Church St. Ann Arbor into Mapquest will get you there). Doors for all shows are at 9:30 with music starting around 10 and ending at 12:30. Shows are always $5.

Horse Feathers ~ Curs in the Woods


Live at KUT


Interview

Sing Out Loud...

Q-Tip on VH1 SoulStage...

• VH1 TV Shows
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• VH1 TV Shows
• Music Videos
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• News & Gossip

• VH1 TV Shows
• Music Videos
• Celebrity Photos
• News & Gossip

There's a Light, One Light...

Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, John Stirrat & Pat Sansone play What Light at an Obama rally last week in Madison, Wisconsin.

Relax, It's Just Bloom...

Bloom, is an iPhone/iPod Touch Application that may bring peace and harmony to the world...well, OK, an exaggeration, but for lovers of ambient sound, this may be just what you are looking for. Or you can just consider this your Geek of the Week Tech Tip.

Developed by ambient pioneer Brian Eno and musician/software designer Peter Chilvers, Bloom explores uncharted territory in the realm of applications for the iPhone and iPod touch. Part instrument, part composition and part artwork, Bloom’s innovative controls allow anyone to create elaborate patterns and unique melodies by simply tapping the screen. A generative music player takes over when Bloom is left idle, creating an infinite selection of compositions and their accompanying visualisations.

That Voodoo That You Do So Well...

The Voodoo Fest took place in New Orleans last week. Visit their site for a recap of the experience. Here are a few clips featuring R.E.M. & Lupe Fiasco.

Calexico Hails a Black Cab Session...

If you enjoyed the vibe of this video, you should know that Calexico will be playing the Crofoot Ballroom on November 20th.

Calexico on iLike - Get updates inside iTunes

Taken from their Myspace page:
Calexico has returned and is offering up "Carried To Dust", the new full-length record released this past September. This new record is a shining example of Calexico's commitment to constantly molting and redefining who they are. A continued examination of their sources of inspiration, "Carried To Dust" is the next step in Calexico's ongoing quest of moving forward while never turning its back on the past. Along with extending the collaborative bridges with other artists, "Carried To Dust" also reflects Calexico's amazing live shows, as well as underscoring the band's restraint and beauty. A remarkably well-rounded album, "Carried To Dust" showcases every aspect of Calexico's exceptional talents.