Donnas get Bitchin'; kick off tour mid-September
four new songs on myspacey, record officially drops September 18, 2007
kenyon attempts to write typical headline and sub-headline

the donnas are like the Sloan of girl hard rock. it's like, they just *had a record out. so prolific, how can you not be jealous. this party hard rockin hard rock phase of theirs isn't even funny. look at that album cover for Bitchin'. i mean COME ON. motley crue and dokken all the way. this is the first time, however, that the members are not pictured on the cover. that's cool cause otherwise it can get absurdly self-significant. the guitar riffs on the four songs up are extra metal thick and the members look the part. you have to admire their ability to plow through all these styles of rock n roll even if they've all been done before to death. they've parted ways with that major label Atlantic and started their own label. werd, major labels. who needs them!? yea. them and plastic bags and most of the current sitcoms on television.
=====================================

The Chemical Brothers. block rockin beats baby.

Sept 21 New York, NY Hammerstein Ballroom
Sept 22 Brooklyn, NY McCarren Pool
Sept 24 Chicago, IL Riviera
Sept 26 Denver, CO The Fillmore
Sept 28 San Francisco, CA The Concourse
Sept 29 Los Angeles, CA Nocturnal

Longwave. at the Crazy Donkey, Farmingdale, Long Island. September 12. with Dearly Departed. $10 advance, all ages.

Rilo Kiley . entire new record is on their myspacey. i've got nothing to say about them otherwise.

stellastarr. two new unreleased demos at their myspacey this week only. "warchild" is hot hot hot. playing new york this thursday at highline ballroom.

classic vintage video. Menudo- "Hold Me" (1984?) an instant extremely guilty pleasure, regardless of ricky martin.

the VERVE

Friday 2nd Nov: Glasgow Academy (SOLD OUT)
Saturday 3rd Nov: Glasgow Academy (SOLD OUT)
Monday 5th Nov: Blackpool Empress Ballroom (SOLD OUT)
Tuesday 6th Nov: Blackpool Empress Ballroom (SOLD OUT)
Thursday 8th Nov: London Roundhouse (SOLD OUT)
Friday 9th Nov: London Roundhouse (SOLD OUT)

The Newspapers. portland, OR. their t-shirt makes no sense. they're called newspapers and yet on the t-shirt is a motorcycle. gentle fragile sometimes, rocking out other times, always loaded with harmonies. sorta weird looking dudes. sweet name for a band. a bunch of stars or something for the rating. yea i'd play on radio show.
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v/a: SXSW Live 2007 DVD (Shout Factory)
release: August 21, 2007
interviews and live clips from The Bravery, Polyphonic Spree, etc! check it and see what you missed and be jealous. examples---! The Bravery - Peter Bjorn & John - Ozomatli - Polyphonic Spree
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i hate the fray but i love clicking on the wires under the table
---------------------------------

The Last Town Chorus. brooklyn. opening for Camera Obscura. lap steel meets Cat Power. splendid. melting cover of "Modern Love" doesn't hurt.
---------------------------------------------
girl you know it's new VID-E-O via linkies.
Ben Jelen- "Pulse". fabulous epic anthemic song with a video raising awareness + raising hell. warning: scenes of graphic environmental disaster. that's what happens, man. that's what happens.

Quicktime-
http://interface.audiovideoweb.com/lnk/va92quick35089/pulse_final_DVNTSC_high.mov/play.qtl (high)
http://interface.audiovideoweb.com/lnk/va92quick35089/pulse_final_DVNTSC_med.mov/play.qtl (medium)
Windows Media-
http://interface.audiovideoweb.com/lnk/il83win10117/pulse_final_Sorenson_768K_Stream.wmv/p lay.asx (high)
http://interface.audiovideoweb.com/lnk/il83win10117/pulse_final_Sorenson_512K_Stream.wmv/p lay.asx (medium)

Oreskaband: Oreskaband (Terry Dollar)
release: August 7, 2007
style: bursting with joy ska-rock
similar: Aquabats, Reel Big Fish, Mighty Mighty Bosstones
rating: ***1/2
They're playing Warped tour, signed to Sony Music Japan and if you didn't already figure out by the band name, this young six-piece all-girl band is mother-f-ing-SKA-pumped high energy rock. I don't know what the deal is with ska in Japan right now but if you try real hard to forget that ska hasn't been popular in the states for like 10 years now, Oreskaband is hella fun. On the record you can hear they are having outrageous fun so one can only imagine what they are like live. I'm going to youtube now to find out. -Kenyon

Benzos: Branches (Stinky)
release: August 7, 2007
style: serious rock with some programming, synth
similar: Muse, Deas Vail
rating: ***
Branches is a perplexing record. (yes! i always wanted to say a record was perplexing! YES! that was better than Hank Aaron's words of congratulations to Barry Bonds). The debut from Benzos (short for benzodiazepines, a class of anti-anxiety medications) was more or less a spawn of Radiohead and Travis due to the lilting vocals, etc. This album, for a while at least, seems to be headed in the same, emotional semi-epic rock direction. Until the midway point. The second half is more interesting and consuming. Aside from the last track, this is apparently where the band is now channeling their early influences from rave culture, hip hop and drum n bass. Nonetheless, on both halves the band's heart is in these songs. Dude, i told you this sh*t was perplexing. What they gotta do is bring it to the next level. So bring it! -Kenyon

wowzer, lollapaschmooza has come a long way. it's loaded up the gazoo with like every hip band of the moment. and pearl jam. oh snap! no i didn't! i'm just joking with you, pearl jam is still cool. seriously though look at the schedule, it's off the hook. of course interpol, my morning jacket and yeah yeah yeahs are playing. of course!
------------------------------------------

and who could forget this spectacular show/fiasco in 2003 that went down the tubes. we long islanders shall never forget.>>>>

classic vintage video.
the Go-Go's: "Get Up and Go" (1982)
the little clay versions of them are like the weemees of 1982. fun fun fun.

Mick Harvey: Two of Diamonds (Mute)
release: July 31, 2007
style: haunting folk singing songwriting
similar: Nick Cave, the Animals' "House of the Rising Sun" . rating: ****
Although it wouldn't be as effective as Johnny Cash, the co-founder of the Birthday Party and the Bad Seeds could have easily thrown in a version of NIN's "Hurt" on Two of Diamonds. It really would make sense since there are several covers here. With reserved instrumentation (acoustic guitar, brush-stick drums, blah blah), Harvey's country-folk-blues is appropriate for a Tarantino or Lynch film. Like Johnny Cash, Harvey is impressively still doing something that's sincere and moving (even when it's a cover), three decades into his career. And that's rare in a time where Bon Jovi has lost its heart writing a song like "Have a Nice Day". -Kenyon

65daysofstatic: The Destruction of Small Ideas (Monotreme)
release: May 1, 2007
style: post-rock experimental instrumental
rating: ***1/2
65daysofstatic --the name comes from an unreleased John Carpenter film--is opening for the Cure. Holy gee! How in the world did that happen. The last time i saw the Cure they didn't even HAVE an opener. Although this British band's complex instrumental rock is on the dark side, i'm skeptical how it's going to go over with most of the Cure fans. Because it's instrumental. and experimental. Like, i bet a lot of them will just be talking, finding their seats and not appreciating the intricate interplay of 65days' guitar, drums, bass, piano and electronics. If the stage lighting can somehow coincide with the music, then there's a good chance that enough people will be staring at the stage thinking, oh man this band is amazing, too bad this jerk is drinking a beer and looking at his cell phone. Count your blessings and be thankful you're seeing this band. -Kenyon
--------------------------------

The Boggs: Forts (Gigantic)
release: May 8, 2007
style: Boggy bogg rock
similar: Art Brut, Metric
rating: ***
Somewhere along the way from the Boggs' first album (which wasn't the easiest listen) to Forts, they made a huge transition, letting go of the street-folk and blues and instead writing songs that could be considered indie pop! "Little Windows", with its deep male voice and girl voice is, unbelievably, reminiscent of Beat Happening or the Vaselines. Elsewhere, Forts still has smatterings of the Pogues and some just-drank-four-beers vocals. The difference is that this is something you can really party to. A pleasant surprise indeed. I'm totally wasted right now. -Kenyon

Deas Vail at a church in Port Jefferson Station last nite.


check out that bass guitar action.

girl you know it's new.

Suzanne Vega- "Frank and Ava." yea, Suzanne "Luka" Vega. or should i say Suzanne "SHERYL CROW" Vega. incidentally, Sheryl Crow's middle name is Suzanne. and here's what i title the song- "Frank and Ava (it's not enough to be in love)". cause that's what she says a lot in the song. it's not enough to be in love. from seventh album out July 17, 2007. lots of guests on album, including Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth (!).

interpol at msg. wow. that's kinda wacked. obviously plenty of seats still available. file this next to morrissey and muse.

They Might Be Giants: The Else (Idlewild/Rounder)
release: July 10, 2007 (today!)
style: they might be giants
similar: Factory Showroom, John Henry, Mink Car
rating: **
It's incredible that the two Johns have already written hundreds of songs and still more incred that they have another album 22 years after the debut. They are indeed writing decent songs here, but The Else is nothing more than safe pop-rock with a very very slight piece of quirk from TMBG. It's probably the band maturing. After all, they've been doing this for a long time now and have played countless shows. Most of the songs themselves (aside from a couple like "Feign Amnesia") are sleepy and the shared vocals on The Else are calm calm calm ("Upside Down Frown" is pretty darn cute though). Most of the time it sounds like they are holding back big time- especially John Linell. Although "With the Dark" is quite unusual, the excitement and curiosity of the first few albums are a different era. -Kenyon

its 7.7.07 baby! time to party! oh i mean, it's time for awareness about our effed up planet. look at live earth. i call it "earth aid". segments are on several regular tv channels too. this will keep you busy the entire day. i'm super duper serial.

classic vintage video. the Cars- "Since You're Gone" (1982). this is what happens when you miss someone. hallucinations. ps> *benjamin orr forever*.


and because benjamin orr is barely in that video and because we got the earth aid this weekend>>> "Just What I Needed" at Live Aid 1985. "the new cars" can kiss my *ss.

big benefit show with Kenyon DJing 8.23.07
Thursday, August 23, 2007 at Mulcahy's. Wantagh, Long Island
benefit for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
with: Autumn Thieves (NYC) + Black Hole/White Hole (Charlotte, NC) + James Kiwi (LI, NY) + Long Island Drone Orchestra (LI, NY) + Reality Serum (LI, NY) + Sisters Free From Bondage + (LI, NY) + Soundpool (NYC) + Kenyon DJing.
=================================

oh wow wow wow.
WHITE LION + guests at the Crazy Donkey, Farmingdale, LI. July 25, 2007. expect photos for serious.

update>>> sh*t sh*t sh*t. mike tramp is the only original member doing this. fudge this.
==============================

they might be giants. doing stuff in nyc and long island. record out next week.

7/03: San Jose, CA @ Discovery Meadow Park
7/18: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
7/19: Dewey Beach, DE @ Bottle & Cork
7/20: Lancaster, PA @ Chameleon
7/21: Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
7/22: Detroit, MI @ Max Fischer Music Center (Concert of Colors) FREE
7/25: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
7/26: Seaside Park, NJ @ The Green Room
7/27: Wellfleet, MA @ Beachcomber
7/28: Uncasville, CT @ Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun Casino FREE
8/01: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
8/03: Amagansett, NY @ Stephen Talkhouse
8/04: Oyster Bay, NY @ Planting Fields Arboretum FOTA Pavilion FAMILY SHOW
8/04: Oyster Bay, NY @ Planting Fields Arboretum FOTA Pavilion
8/08: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
===================================
Daft Punk is playing at Keyspan Park, Brooklyn. make this cool by singing it like "daft punk is playing at my house" by lcd soundsystem. Thursday August 9, 2007
========================
Smashing Pumpkins touring in the fall. incomplete line-up. eh who cares. add to the list of incompletes. yea. put them next to White Lion.

clara clara--from france!--at ryan's house thursday nite. fun times.

Maps: We Can Create (Mute)
release: June 19, 2007
style: lovely electronic with vocals
similar: M83, Luke Slater
rating: ****
This is what i'm talking about. Maps (James Chapman) is many good things: psychedelic, soothing, cosmic. We Can Create is neck deep in synth strings, Chapman's whispery, layered vocals and percolated percussion. All done on a 16-track without computer. Spectacular. -Kenyon

Fairmont: Wait & Hope (Go For Broke)
release: June 12, 2007
style: raw indie rock
similar: the Hold Steady
rating: *1/2
These guys are pissed off. They went through some hell with previous record labels, so you can't blame them. The lyrics are emo-like but who knows, this venting might be directed at business associates rather than girls. Check it out- "you ruined everything/you're the reason why i sing" and then the very next song the guy is like, "i'd do anything to ruin you." jeez. Okay that's all fine and good and depressing music is great but then in "At the End of the Movie" it's "let's quit our jobs, kill our pets, bury them in our backyard." jesus, enough. Add to that the throaty/whiney/annoying vocals and Wait & Hope, with the exception of "Today i was Thinking About You," is a big bummer. -Kenyon

Chris Benoit. wow. this is wacked.

whoa . whoa. whoa. the Cure.
65daysofstatic opening all dates.

Thu-Sep-13 Tampa - St Pete Times Forum
Sat-Sep-15 Atlanta - Gwinnett Center
Mon-Sep-17 Charlotte - Charlotte Bobcats Arena
Wed-Sep-19 Washington DC - Patriot Center
Fri-Sep-21 Philadelphia - Wachovia Spectrum
Sun-Sep-23 New York City - Madison Square Garden
Tue-Sep-25 Boston - Agganis Arena
Wed-Sep-26 Montreal - Bell Centre
Thu-Sep-27 Toronto - Air Canada Centre
Sat-Sep-29 Chicago - Allstate Arena
Tue-Oct-02 Denver - Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Thu-Oct-04 Salt Lake City - E Center
Sat-Oct-06 San Francisco - Shoreline Amphitheatre - Download Festival
Mon-Oct-08 Seattle - Key Arena
Tue-Oct-09 Vancouver - General Motors Place
Thu-Oct-11 Santa Barbara - Santa Barbara Bowl
Sat-Oct-13 San Diego - Cox Arena
Sun-Oct-14 Los Angeles - Hollywood Bowl
Tue-Oct-16 Houston - Toyota Center
Wed-Oct-17 Dallas - American Airlines Center

Vince McMahon- fake dead. Chris Benoit - dead for real?

July 10, 2007.

first single at the myspace and interpolnyc.com.

The Polyphonic Spree
The Fragile Army (TVT/Good)
release: June 19, 2007
style: huge symphonic pop
similar: no one!
rating: ****
Dizzying yet blissful, the third work from the 20+ member Polyphonic Spree (now with matching black military outfits with peace symbols patched on) opens with a jolt of energy which contains so much instrumentation and vocal parts it will make you spin. So several more listens will be required till the spinning stops. One of the fullest sounding records in memory, the Fragile Army is also more musically powerful and less (for them at least) sunshiney than their two other albums. There's a few spots that even have a dark undertone. "Watch Us Explode (Justify)", "The Championship" and other "sections" can be applied like instructions for celebrating and overcoming any obstacle. This is what heaven sounds like. Did someone say that already? Darn. Well if they didn't I'm saying it now. And if they did....this is what *love* sounds like. -Kenyon

The Loose Salute: Tuned to Love (Graveface)
release: June 5, 2007
styles: gentle Americana indie pop
similar: Call and Response, latter day Mojave 3, Oh Laura
rating: ***1/2
Ex-drummer of Mojave 3 and (near the end of its existence) Slowdive. I'm so in. Like Mojave 3, the Loose Salute goes the way of soft and sunny country-leaning pop (and Mojave 3 also has a record with "tune" in the title). Pedal steel, bells, Farfisa (?) and xylophone all surface here, while the quintet is just as strong with the somber, quieter efforts as they are with lively pop numbers. Although drummer McCutcheon does sing, he teases us with some vocals on the opening of Tuned to Love, then sits back and lets Lisa Billson handle the majority. He returns for lead vox a few times, where his singing could be the result of listening to lots of Ian Brown and Nick Drake. Good times. -Kenyon

i feel like i've just seen the entire film...

look at Bonnaroo LIVE RIGHT NOW (friday, saturday, sunday). wow, i love it.

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girl you know it's NEW. mp3s from bands we've never heard of!

J. Forté and the Secret Pop Band- "Come Back Now Baby (Your Data Is Good)" + "Analyze". data so good there's two MP3s posted. lo-fi upbeat pop.
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Spiritual Mansions- "The Tumbler" strangely psychedelic soft rock meets rolling stones. out june 19 on Afternoon records.
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Moonbabies: At the Ballroom (Hidden Agenda)
release: May 29, 2007
styles: atmospheric indie pop with electronics
rating: ***1/2
The Moonbabies are travellers in outerspace. I know this because they are dressed in astronaut gear in their press photo and video for "War on Sound." At the Ballroom isn't completely drugged-out space rock though. The Swedish duo's fourth album (oh wow, i remember getting an early recording on cassette!) is equal parts indie pop, space rock and electronic. The trippy "Cocobelle," featuring old-sounding orchestra strings, is something else altogether, comparable to the Flaming Lips' otherworldlyness. And check "Shout it Out"- got some Magnetic Fields in there. No i mean seriously. It's the melody from "Saddest Story Ever Told." Moonbabies are go! -Kenyon

girl you know it's new.
They Might Be Giants- "With the Dark".
from the next record, out July 17, 2007.
Lovable video, confusing and complex song. worlds away from "Don't Let's Start." cool!

Underworld. Under f-ing World. tour dates.

SEPTEMBER 9- HOLLYWOOD BOWL, LOS ANGELES, CA
SEPTEMBER 11- RED ROCKS , MORRISON, CO
SEPTEMBER 14: CENTRAL PARK SUMMERSTAGE, NEW YORK, NY

kenyon DJing at Galapagos Art Space in Brooklyn friday june 8!

classic vintage video.
Adam & the Ants: "Stand and Deliver" (1981) There's no reason to make fun of this video. It exists in its own realm. As you can see, Adam Ant was a revolutionary. And it appears he does his own stunts too! Spectacular!

VHS or Beta in the hooouusssseeee! third record slated for late August. SLATED.

they used to sound like Daft Punk but with live instruments. werd, that was cool.

as a band:
7/12 Murfreesboro, TN Sweetwater
7/13 Nashville, TN Mercy Lounge
7/14 Knoxville, TN Blue Cat's
7/15 Memphis, TN Hi-Tone
7/16 St. Louis, MO Blueberry Hill
7/17 Columbia, MO Mojo's
7/18 Champaign, IL The Canopy - Void Room
7/19 Indianapolis, IN Birdy's
7/20 Lexington, KY The Dame
8/02 San Francisco,CA Popscene
8/03 Los Angeles, CA Troubador

as DJs:
6/06 New York, NY Don Hill's
6/07 New York, NY Hiro
6/15 Columbia, SC Club Fusion
6/16 Washington DC Rock n Roll Hotel
6/29 Jacksonville, FL The Pearl

no one ever told me the Rentals did a cover of Gary Numan's "We Have a Technical".

YACHT: I Believe in You. Your Magic is Real
release: May 8, 2007 (Marriage records)
styles: laptop indie electronic experimental
similar: Capital K, Cornelius, Emperor X, Mixel Pixel
rating: ***1/2

Hey YACHT, *your* magic is real. This cd came with a magic wand so i can be just like YACHT (who of course is from Portland, OR). That is super rad. I Believe in You is what Beck would have been doing if he was starting out in 2007 with laptops. Primary person Jona Bechtolt (with guests, mostly people singing) is also now a member of cutie indie electronic act the Blow. With YACHT he's slightly more experimental. Only slightly. He's able to make simple statements about working the job and consumerism without being preachy in "We're Always Waiting" and says other profound yet simple things such as "if you say it outloud you can make it happen" and "love what you do, do what you love." It's bouncy and laptop-beat-driven and sometimes danceable! YACHT has stepped up his game. Which is good because he's got dates with LCD Soundsystem and Architecture in Helsinki. He's gotta take it to the next level and be grand master wizard. -Kenyon

Dog Day: Night Group (Tomlab)
release: June 12, 2007
similar: Versus, the Vaselines. rating: **

If Mute and Astralwerks can branch out and sign rock bands then so can Tomlab. Tomlab rules. I can't say the same for the music on Night Group. The boy singer's voice (the girl is underused) is so close to Built to Spill's Doug Marsch. That's fine. Lo-fi noise indie pop is super duper but the vocals here are sleepy and saggy and the songs are lacking excitement, which results in losing interest in lyrics that may contain something intelligent. There is some decent energy once in a while ("Sleeping, Waiting" is perky) with a nod to traditional classic indie rock from the early 90s. Along with wondering how Kevin Costner keeps getting work, it's also a mystery why Tomlab jumped on this. -Kenyon

you just never know what

will happen at metasin.

i guess that's why i've always got the blues. or...rock 'n' roll hates me.
the Jesus and Mary Chain at Webster Hall, NYC. May 22, 2007.
with a place to bury strangers and the comas.

set included: never understand, blues from a gun, happy when it rains, just like honey, some candy talking, head on, you trip me up, sidewalking, far gone and out, reverence, catch fire, snakedriver, between planets.

song they should have opened with: i hate rock 'n' roll. songs i was most happy to hear: blues from a gun, between planets, you trip me up. other songs they should have played: kill surf city, upside down, the living end, just out of reach.

i know this is new york. i know the jesus and mary chain haven't played shows in like 10 years. but come on, $50? they better be damn good. and they were not! they only played an hour and 10 minutes under lights that were truly mediocre. when you're real close to the stage, the sound isn't too great and you can't hear the vocals, but i was about 7 or 8 people from the stage and it still sounded muddy. i was at webster hall a year ago for elefant and they sounded fantastic. i f-ing love the jesus and mary chain, but they don't make sense. jim reid is so damn indifferent on stage and william reid is all the way way over on the side the whole time. that's they're style, i know, they've been like that from the get go. but if i was singing i'd be so into it. these are great songs. and they have so many of them! jesus. positivity: i had a good spot in the crowd, jamc had the bassist from lush and the drummer from ride, they played "you trip me up." opening band a place to bury strangers have the spirit of the jamc but not the songs. the comas were boring. the end. -Kenyon

a place to bury strangers, yo.

girl you know it's new. the Bravery.

i'm hearing the Verve's "Lucky Man" in there. how about you?

Happy Mondays in New York at Nokia Theatre June 13, 14. recent concert footage HERE.

2007 SKINNY PUPPY tour dates

2007 SKINNY f-ing PUPPY tour dates.

Thu 5/24 Santa Cruz, CA The Catalyst
Fri 5/25 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom (Convergence 13 Fest)
Sun 5/27 Boise, ID The Big Easy
Tue 5/29 Salt Lake City, UT The Depot
Wed 5/30 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
Fri 6/1 Chicago, IL House of Blues
Sat 6/2 Detroit, MI St. Andrew’s Hall
Sun 6/3 Cleveland, OH Agora Theatre
Tue 6/5 Toronto, ON Kool Haus
Wed 6/6 Montreal, QUE Le Spectrum
Thu 6/7 Boston, MA Avalon Ballroom
Fri 6/8 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Sat 6/9 New York, NY Nokia TheatreMon 6/11 Washington, DC 9:30 club
Tue 6/12 Baltimore, MD Sonar
Thu 6/14 Atlanta, GA Center Stage
Fri 6/15 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
Sat 6/16 Houston, TX Warehouse Live
Sun 6/17 Dallas, TX House of Blues
Tue 6/19 Tempe, AZ Marquee Theatre
Thu 6/21 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
Fri 6/22 Los Angeles, CA Henry Fonda Theatre
Sat 6/23 Los Angeles, CA Henry Fonda Theatre
Sun 6/24 Anaheim, CA House of Blues

kenyon DJing at Galapagos in Brooklyn friday june 8!

on the might of princes reunion show a few hours ago.

line-up for 2007 Village Voice Siren fest. am i going? no way!

The Icicles: Arrivals & Departures (Microindie)
release: April 9, 2007
styles: tweeeeeee, indie pop
similar: All-Girl Summer Fun Band, Heavenly, Dressy Bessy, Camera Obscura
rating: ***1/2
More twee please. What rules about the Icicles is that, well, they're not young. At least most of them do not look younger than 25. Sorry! This gives me faith that although i'm getting older maybe i can still be in a twee/indie pop band one day that is as sunny and carefree as the songs on Arrivals & Departures. I don't think i can identify with "Snowbird" though. It's about yearning for the summer. Fudge that, give me winter! More songs about the goodness of winter! "Gedge's Song" is an adorable few minutes about a cat that wants to go outside. And you know how i hate when songs are about cats. i don't even hate this! It's the girl-group style harmonies and easygoing breezy melodies that make me love this to pieces. -Kenyon
myspacey. stream.

and now for the complete opposite of Joy Electric.

Nine Inch Nails: Year Zero (Nothing)
release: April 17, 2007
style: NIN
rating: **1/2
Oh yes, cause i'm hardcore NIN since 1992. when you were in elementary school. werd. you can't touch this. the future-themed Year Zero was kicking ass for the first 25 minutes. After that, all the clanky noises and typical Reznor lyrics/vocals were resembling "Terrible Lie" mashed up in various ways. A lot of people are saying it's the best NIN album since Downward Spiral. Perhaps i need to listen to this 30 more times to agree. The best thing about Year Zero is that it still sounds like NIN. i think that's what i said about With Teeth. wow, i'm a snob! -Kenyon

girl you know it's NEW. while we're on the innocence of the Polyphonic Spree and Jumpman Junior, here's more.

Joy Electric: The Otherly Opus (released March 27 on Tooth and Nail) The fifth and final installment in Joy Electric’s "Legacy" series of concept albums. JE lost me after those two fantastic albums Robot Rock and Christian songs. Finally i'm hearing something i can "heart" again. It's once again entirely analogued synth but this time the mood is darker and there's more vocal tracks. 4 songs from record at the myspace. Synthesize me. -Kenyon

girl you know it's NEW.
Polyphonic Spreeee!!!! i'm bursting with joy.
The Fragile Army out June 19.
myspace songage HERE.
sample the whole album HERE.

The we're not really dark electro, we're symphonic sunshine pop Polyphonic Spree.

tour dates
May 7 - Nashville TN - City Hall
May 8 - Asheville NC - The Orange Peel
May 11 - New York NY - Manhattan Center Grand Ballroom
May 12 - Norfolk VA - The NorVa
May 13 - Carrboro NC - Cat's Cradle
May 14 - Athens GA - 40 Watt Club

The Go Find: Stars on the Wall (Morr)
release: April 24, 2007
style: indie electronic
rating: ***
Ever since the Postal Service's essential indie electronic pop record Give Up, it's been terribly difficult not to compare subsequent artists that bypass the rock for soft vocals, twinkly synth and sputtering beats. While discovering the entire album, you won't have to. A good portion of Stars on the Wall is guitar based and acoustic, treading into Elliott Smith territory. Plus, the Go Find is more reserved and gentle than the Postal Service anyway. By the last track "Kid OK" (i smell Radiohead), acoustic and electronic are brought together like two tribes merging in Survivor. And neither the acoustic nor the electronic should be voted out. -Kenyon

FOX 11 Investigates "emo scene kids".

Morrissey, the White Stripes and Muse are each playing at Madison Square Garden. what's up with that? bad ideas. Albert Hammond Jr of the Strokes is playing FREE at the launch party for going.com at the Hiro Ballroom, May 10. good idea. you gotta go to going.com and register for that.

girl you know it's NEW.
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club suckerrrss! 4 tracks from Baby 81 (released yesterday) at the myspace. 4 tracks that are kicking rock n roll ass. US tour May/June with the Horrors. yeeooww! oh wait. Horrors cancelled. darn.

Assemblage 23: Meta (Metropolis)
release: April 24, 2007
styles: EBM, dark synth, post industrial dance
similar: And One, VNV Nation, Apoptygma Berzerk
rating: ***
On Meta, Tom Shear seems to have moved on a little bit (relatively) from his own personal pain and emotional suffering. He still reflects on when he was down in a hole or sometimes still in one ("I can reach for the surface and try to pull myself free/but the last thing I want is to drag you down with me" in "Damaged"). On "Sorry," one of the best tracks that should be yet another dark dance club anthem, the lyrics are directed towards someone else down in a hole with whom he can't share the misery ("I'm sorry I cant grovel in emotions I outgrew"). He also worries about forgetting everything years from now ("Old"), which is one of the most sincere tracks on the album. "Madman's Dream" is oddly uncharacteristic, as it's apparently a reaction to the devastation in New Orleans, though musically the song stays true to the A23 dark synth dance form. And that's just fine because we need more depressing music for an already depressing world. -Kenyon

JESUS AND F-ING MARY CHAIN

May 21-22 Webster Hall, New York. only $45 plus fee. they better be damn good.

breaking news for Coachella- dancer Bez couldn't get visa to play with Happy Mondays. amongst some other re-unions at Coachy, Happy Mondays will be playing--supposedly drug-free--its first US show in 15 years (i saw them open for Jane's Addiction at Madison Square Garden, thank you very much) and then they'll leave the US and tour the UK. surprise. the band doesnt include all original members. gee wiz.
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girl you know it's NEW
People Noise- "The Killing Fields". Featuring Ex-VHS or Beta guitarist Zeke Buck and member of Boom Bip Matt Johnson (not of The The). debut album out in June. on tour right now this minute.
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kenyon is DJing HERE this saturday
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The Blow: Poor Aim- Love Songs (K)
release: April 24, 2007
styles: innocent indie electronic
rating: ***1/2
Although i have so far missed out on the Blow's proper record from last year, i knew Poor Aim- Love Songs (a previously limited-release EP, here with 7 remixes) would for now do the trick. Main girl Khaela is always lovable, layering her vocals over bouncy synth and drum machine beats and claps. On this collaboration with officially added member Jona (aka YACHT), they open with Khaela wonding why a boy didnt call her (maybe she came on too strong? maybe he's gay?). Later on, she shows she knows more about getting boys than she lets on in "Let's Play Boys Chase Girls". On "Come on Petunia" the Blow takes lyrics from "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic," which is tons better than Chris Sligh's version. Tracks 8-14 are remixes that play more as electro and experimental dance tracks, adding beats and additional vocals. I'm trying to keep the blog free of images of cats. I'll make an exception cause that cat appears to have one eye and these songs are mad cute. -Kenyon

ok. blog was having problems loading. seems to be fixed now.

girl you know it's NEW
White Shoes & the Couples Company --"Tentang Cita"

the band has signed with Minty Fresh and Rolling Stone has named them one of the "Top 25 Bands on MySpace". I don't know how they managed to figure that out considering there's like 1.5 million bands on MySpace. Therefore, advance copy is calling them one of the top indie pop bands from Indonesia.

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Erasure - "I Could Fall in Love With You ’’ from Light at the End of the World, out May 22 on Mute. at this point anything is better than that covers record they did a few years ago. For a duo that still sounds very 1980s (this could have been on a few of their old albums, though it's a little slicker), "I Could Fall" has a warm fresh feeling.

dates:
Fri 6/8 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena
Sat 6/9 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre
Sun 6/10 Denver, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Tues 6/12 Chicago, IL Auditorium Theatre
Fri 6/15 Atlantic City, NJ Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa
Sat 6/16 Boston, MA Bank of America Pavilion
Sun 6/17 Washington, DC Merriweather Post Pavilion
Mon 6/18 New York, NY Radio City Music Hall
Tues 6/19 Toronto, ON Molson Amphitheatre
Thur 6/21 Atlanta, GA Chastain Park Amphitheatre
Sat 6/23 Dallas, TX Smirnoff Music Center
Sun 6/24 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Wed 6/27 San Diego, CA SDSU Open Air Theatre
Fri 6/29 San Francisco, CA Greek Theatre
Sat 6/30 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre

this blog has been taking a minute to fully load. i'm working on it.

Klaxons: Myths of the Near Future (Rinse/DGC)
released: March 27, 2007
style: adventurous spellbinding rock
similar: early Liars, Pop Will Eat Itself, Test Icicles, Secret Machines
rating: ****
Given the dozens and dozens of newer dance-rock bands that have been buzzed about in the UK and US, Klaxons could have been easy to dismiss as more of the same. Merging punk, Britpop, noises and relentless psychedelic harmonies with lyrics that usually won't be comprehended, Klaxons' debut is unpredictably pleasing. There are at least a few tracks here for dancing, though Myths of the Near Future doesn't exactly earn the "new rave" tag they've given themselves. This is mainly a record to get crazy with, while taking in the band's non-stop, whirling sonics. -Kenyon

VNV Nation: Judgement (Metropolis)
release: April 10, 2007
style: EBM, dark dance, trance, post-industrial, future pop
similar: most artists on Metropolis
rating: **1/2
No matter what, VNV Nation is always totally sincere (particularly in a live setting), even if the songwriting and melodies aren't as memorable as the best tracks from 2000's Empires. Their emotion and energy is that convinving. Futureperfect and Matter + Form, the two follow-ups since Empires, have rarely been able to sustain the powerful arrangements and emotion within the songs themselves. At best, Judgement is only a slight improvement from Matter + Form, streamlining the electronics and featuring the usual lyrics about hope, loss, battles, things getting torn down, rebuilding, the past and the future. This may indeed be some of VNV's darkest work, but I'm still waiting for another passionate, memorable track that will get me on the dancefloor. The breakdown:

prelude- great intro.
the farthest star- ok, lyrics are optimistic. i think.
testament- harder, more aggressive. "it's just you and me now against the world"...i know i've heard that phrase before.
descent- dark, gloomy. spoken lyrics.
momentum- dizzying dark trance, brooding, instrumental on first half.
nemesis- heart-pounding with the bold statement "judgement day's not coming soon enough".
secluded spaces- ambient instrumental.
illusion- piano, slow, sad, powerful, a highlight.
carry you- straightforward futurepop.
as it fades- the closing outro music

-kenyon

classic vintage video. Kiss- "Tears are Falling" (1985)

depending on how you view it, this video is either a low or high point for Kiss in the 80s. no make-up. no Peter Criss or Ace Frehley. Paul Stanley's neon green gloves. the completely tacky outfits. the stage that has a vine to swing on. and an addictive pop-metal song. as for Gene Simmons, who cares, he gets enough attention already.

The Walkmen touring with Kaiser "I Predict a Riot" Chiefs; Walkmen to be on very hip Spiderman 3 soundtrack.

4.06.07 Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory *
4.07.07 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club *
4.09.07 Boston, MA - Avalon *
4.12.07 New York, NY - Roseland Ballroom *
4.17.07 Montreal, Quebec - Spectrum *
4.18.07 Toronto, Ontario - Kool Haus *
4.20.07 Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre #
4.21.07 Minneapolis, MN - Trocaderos #
4.24.07 Vancouver, British Columbia - Commodore Ballroom #
4.25.07 Seattle, WA - Showbox Theatre #
4.26.07 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom #
4.27.07 San Francisco, CA - Warfield #
w/ Annuals # with the Little Ones

The Walkmen's label, Record Collection, will release the Spiderman 3 soundtrack May 1. Includes the Walkmen, Flaming Lips, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Rogue Wave. Are they serial?
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Sunday nite at Masonic Temple, Smithtown.

the Mint Chicks. from freakin New Zealand!


the Prayers. from freakin San Diego!


did i mention they're from San Diego!?

Encrypt Manuscript. from somewhere around these parts.

Palomar: All Things, Forests (Misra)
released: March 20, 2007
style: indie poppy rock!
rating: ****
Since their formation in 1998, Palomar have traipsed the indie easy streets of Brooklyn, humbly perfecting pop. Despite risky line-up changes, their fourth album, All Things, Forests maintains all the cutsey power pop hooks and effortlessly pretty harmonies you’ve come to expect of these gals (and guy!, Dale Miller, who is endearingly shunned in nearly every recent photo of the group). The record lives up to its sort of somber cover art, showing off the band’s mature, more serious side. Life’s no bowl of cherries, but Palomar makes even the darkest parts sound awfully sweet with catchy tracks like, "You're Keeping Us Up" and "Woah!!". -Shannon

Adult. - "I Feel Worse When I'm With You"

this is what happens when you get married. from Adult.'s latest record, released March 20 on Thrill Jockey.

new Art Brut + tour dates.

"Nag Nag Nag Nag" - first single from next record at myspacey. record out June 26.

Apr 17 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
Apr 18 - Brooklyn, NY @ Studio B
Apr 19 - Toronto, ONT @ The Mod Club
Apr 20 - Chicago, IL @ Subterranean
Apr 21 - Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour

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it looks good on paper.

a bunch of shows "curated" by David Bowie. curated. Air, Arcade Fire, Poly Spree +
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Green Apple Music & Arts Festival April 20-22....with a zero waste goal! earth day. now more than ever. even though we're already screwed.

the wierd, eclectic line-ups include, among many others:

Central Park in New York - Taylor Hicks, Brand New, Slick Rick
Lincoln Park in Chicago- The Decemberists, Kaiser Chiefs, The Smithereens, The Walkmen, Andrew Bird
Golden Gate Park in San Francisco- Bob Weir and Ratdog, Trans Am, The English Beat, Smoosh

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doesn't look as good on paper.

Smashing Pumpkins playing big festivals in Europe. U.S. dates tba, includes August 5 in D.C.
new record, Zeitgeist, out July 7, 2007. the line-up? don't ask. let's just say we can add it to the list of incomplete reunions.

The Dollyrots: Because I'm Awesome (Blackheart)
release: March 13, 2007
style: punk pop rock
rating: **
Kicking things off with a title track that's wrapped with Blur's "Song 2", a streamlined Sleater-Kinney and Veruca Salt, the Dollyrots' cheery songs remind me of any random rock band from 1996 who were riding the post-grunge age. Or Blink-182 with a girl singing. I'm hardly the target audience for this, but 15-year old girls looking for an alternative to Avril Lavigne will love it. -Kenyon

classic vintage video.
New Edition- "Mr. Telephone Man" (1984)

man, life was rough back in the day before cell phones.

Erasure. yea! Debbie Harry. yea! the Gossip. yea! Margaret Cho. >>crickets chirping<< June 18 at Radio City Music Hall. more dates here.

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the Stooges. no kidding.

Apr 7 - Orpheum Boston, MA
Apr 9 - United Palace New York, NY
Apr 13 - Fox Theatre DETROIT, MI
Apr 17 - Filmore Auditorium Denver, CO
Apr 19 - The Warfield San Francisco, CA
Apr 27 - WaMu Theater at Qwest Field Events Seattle, WA
Jul 21 - Tromso Open Air Festival Bukta

other bands re-united so far this year: police, van halen (sorta), genesis

and finally, Roger Waters is re-uniting with...HIMSELF!

4hero: Play With the Changes (Milan)
release: February 27, 2007
style: electronic progressive soul
rating: ***
Artists who are mainly the producers while using various guest voices is usually an interesting concept leading to a diverse album. UNKLE and Massive Attack are a couple that have been successful with the formula (minus that last MA record!) and 4hero (not to be confused with rock band 764-Hero) can be added to the short list. Known in the London area for their jungle/drum 'n' bass, 4hero has adapted proficiently to modern soul with drum 'n' bass-type beats (aka the latest style, "broken beat"). If the soul singers on American Idol want to sound 2007, they might want to consider pursuing this path instead of singing an Aretha Franklin song for for the millionth time. -Kenyon

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Prosser: s/t (Clickpop/SpinART)
release: March 13, 2007
style: soft country folk rock
rating: **1/2
This project from ex-Delay member Eric Woodruff doesn't do enough to stand out from any other drifty country-indie rock hybrid. Here and there, he does find his way on this mostly slower-paced album that nestles in a wilderness with bears so friendly he can ride them. -Kenyon

breathe in the French band AIR.

4/21 Vancouver, BC Richards On Richards
4/22 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom
4/23 Tacoma, WA Pantages Theatre
4/25 San Francisco, CA Nob Hill Masonic Center
4/26 Las Vegas, NV The Joint
4/27 Phoenix, AZ The Marquee
4/29 Indio, CA Coachella Festival
5/02 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
5/04 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre
5/05 Toronto, ON Kool Haus
5/06 Montreal, PQ Metropolis
5/08 Philadelphia, PA Theatre Of Living Arts
5/09 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
5/10 New York, NY Theatre at Madison Square Garden

turn it on, turn it on again. Genesis 2007. only $57-227 at Giants stadium.

Mike Rutherford, Phil Collins and Tony Banks. No Peter Gabriel, but come on, it's no worse than no Michael Anthony for a Van Halen reunion. Live line-up includes long-time Genesis sidemen, Chester Thompson on drums and Daryl Stuermer on guitar.

Sept. 7 - Toronto, Ontario BMO Field
Sept. 11 - Boston, MA TD Banknorth Gardem
Sept. 14 - Montreal, Quebec Olympic Stadium
Sept. 16 - Hartford, CT Hartford Civic Center
Sept. 18 - Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center
Sept. 22 - Columbus, OH Nationwide Center
Sept. 23 - Washington D.C. Verizon Center
Sept. 27 - East Rutherford, NJ Giants Stadium
Sept. 29 - Cleveland, OH Quicken Loans Arena
Oct. 2 - Chicago, IL United Center
Oct. 9 - San Jose, CA HP Pavilion
Oct. 12 - Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl

i should probably be blogging about Arcade Fire this week, right? .....whoops!

girl you know it's new.


The Noisettes- "Mind the Gap" (from upcoming record out April 17 on Universal) I can't say that I've heard a song like this in the past month, possibly in the past six. Not to say that "Mind the Gap" is blowing my mind. But its punk is more arty than the Yeah Yeah Yeahs , as dizzying as Deerhoof and almost as experimental as any big '70s prog rock band. They'll be on tour with TV on the Radio, which makes total sense.
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Mouthful of Bees- "The Now" from the End (out now on Afternoon Records) Mouthful of Bees? what WILL they think of next!? oh those crazy kids. lo-fi rock n roll with a '60s backbone. though halfway into the song i forgot the vocals were even present.

This is Me Smiling: s/t (One Haven/Red Ink/Sony)
release: March 6, 2007
style: Piano-lead rock pop
rating: ***
Oh man I could totally write something witty and forcefully humorous here regarding the band's name. You know like, this is me [fill in the blank]. Ha. Nah, that's dumb, I don't have time for that. Chicago area band This is Me Smiling is going to, without a doubt, be compared to Ben Folds Five. Not just for the piano, but for the vocals as well. It would be like Ben Folds looking into a mirror. But hold up, cause This is Me Smiling rocks harder. They toured with All American Rejects and by the time this debut gets to "Goodbye to Each New Day" and "So Excited to Sleep" it's easy to hear why. -Kenyon
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Oreskaband: s/t teaser EP (Terry Dollar/Sony)
release: ???
style: Ska
rating: **1/2
Oreskaband is puzzling. I'm just not sure what to make of them. On one hand, they're, well, ska. The third wave of which died about 8 years ago and more or less replaced for the suburban kids by emo (especially on long island!) Plus they have the obligatory "ska" in the band name. On the other hand, they're a really cute, young, fun, upbeat all-female Japanese band. Either the Japanese are far behind in trends or these girls will be leading the way for a fourth ska wave. -Kenyon

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Big Business: Here Comes the Waterworks (Hydra Head)
release: March 6
style: big sludge metal stuff
rating: **1/2
The song title "Another Fourth of July...Ruined" is awesome. The old-school metal-rooted noise of Big Business (not to be confused with the Business) is so bass-end sludgey and heavy we need some construction vehicles to move it. -Kenyon

Tiger Saw- "Under the Samba Moon" from Tigers on Fire (Tract, April 3).
sounds like Lambchop + Devandra Banhart with a global influence

Leonard Cohen- "Suzanne" from Songs of Leonard Cohen (originally released 1967) timeless forever!
first three albums reissued with extras on April 24 (Columbia/Legacy) to honor 40th annivers of first album.
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totally old school-

-all of pioneering experimental band Can's records getting digitally released March 13
-Megaforce Records will release Bad Brains record late spring, produced by MCA of Beastie Boys.

Dirty on Purpose (for those in the know it's DoP):

March 2 - Relative Theory Records (Norfolk, VA) +
March 3 - Local 506 (Chapel Hill, NC) %
March 5 - Earl (Atlanta, GA) #
March 7 - Social (Orlando, FL) @
March 8 - Respectable Street / The Honeycomb (Palm Beach, FL)
March 11 - Cafe Eleven (St. Augustine, FL) $
March 12 - Beta Bar (Tallahassee, FL) #
March 14 - Gen Art SXSW Party (Austin, TX)
March 15 - Spaceland & LiveDaily SXSW Party (Austin, TX)
March 16 - Official SXSW Showcase (Austin, TX)
March 19 - The Paper Heart (Phoenix, AZ) *
March 20 - Echo (Los Angeles, CA) **
March 22 - Detroit Bar (Costa Mesa, CA) **
March 23 - Rickshaw Shop (San Francisco, CA) **
March 25 - Kilby Court (Salt Lake City, UT) *
March 26 - Hi-Dive (Denver, CO) *
March 27 - Jackpot (Lawrence, KS) *
March 28 - The Waiting Room (Omaha, NE) *
March 29 - Schubas Tavern (Chicago, IL) *

+ = w/ Lymbyc System & Relay
% = w/ Grizzly Bear, Papercuts
# = w/ Apollo Sunshine, Earl Greyhound
$ = w/ The Thermals, The Big Sleep
@ = w/ Maria Taylor
* = w/ Besnard Lakes
** = w/ Helio Sequence, Besnard Lakes
!"&***<> = ??????

their latest ingenius, unique constructive video for "Car No Driver".

Panda Bear: Person Pitch (Paw Tracks)
release: March 20, 2007
style: contemporary psychedelia
rating: ****

Animal Collective's Panda Bear (Noah Lennox) may have just won the honor of best replicating Brian Wilson's vocals. What makes it more admirable is that the tracks on Person Pitch are far from the symphonic rock of Pet Sounds, from which a million other artists get inspiration. Panda Bear's methods are soothingly experimental and feature all kinds of wonderous sounds, unusual percussion and vocal manipulation. Heavenly. I guess this is what happens when you move to Portugal. -Kenyon

PLACEBO

Apr 6 Roxy Boston, MA
Apr 7 Metropolis Montreal, QC
Apr 9 Guvernment Toronto, ON
Apr 10 Theater of Living Arts Philadelphia, PA
Apr 11 Roseland New York, NY
Apr 13 House of Blues Chicago, IL
Apr 14 Beaumont Club Kansas City, MO
Apr 15 Pizza Hut Park Frisco, TX
Apr 18 Fillmore Denver, CO
Apr 21 The Fenix Seattle, WA
Apr 22 Roseland Portland, OR
Apr 23 Fillmore San Francisco, CA
Apr 26 House of Blues Las Vegas, NV
Apr 27 Marquee Theater Tempe, AZ
Apr 29 Empire Polo Field Indio, CA