Tour News: Russian Circles, J Mascis, Mono, Black Dice & Jello Biafra

We’re on Tuesday and these are the bands that have announced tours this week already:

J Mascis and Uknown Mortal Orchestra has been added to the Falls Festival lineup.

The Melbourne Festival in October will see some pretty amazing acts too:
Aesop Rock and Kimya Dawson,
Jello Biafra of Dead Kennedys,
Okkervil River,
Mono,
Black Dice;
and Lucky Dragons to name but a few. Continue reading »

New Mogwai EP coming in September

Now this is good news to wake up to.

Lovable Scottish noise dudes are releasing Earth Division in September (out on the 12th on Rock Action, September 13th on Sub Pop).

According to the press release it’s a ‘creative departure from the band’s trademark cinematic mantra of pulverizing, scorched guitar riffage, into a more recontextualised domain of hazy electronic distortion, accompanied by spiky wafts of violins, violas, cellos and double bass and jagged keys.’

This is very exciting.

And this is the cover:
The tracklisting is:

1. Get To France.
2. Hound Of Winter.
3. Drunk And Crazy.
4. Does This Always Happen?

And to top off this little bout of cheeriness I’ll be seeing them in just over 2 weeks when they play Splendour in the Grass. The rumour mill is still predicting that they’re returining in November for the heavily-rumoured-but-not-yet-confirmed Harvest Festival.

So there.

Weekly News Breakdown: 6 April 2011

Unfortunate news, one of Sydney’s few likeable bands that came out of THAT scene (you know, Oxford Street circa 2003 with big hair) Red Riders have thrown in the towel.
Grigg & Co. feel the band has run its course. There will be a few farewell shows in the coming months so I’ll keep y’all posted. Fret not, you can still touch Alex’s hair as he bounces along in The Straight Arrows and Brad’s other band The Vines (who you may have heard of) have a new album dropping soon.
Not sure what the other dudes are doing. Baristas?

Everyone’s favourite new hype band Odd Future are heading to Australia to play some shows at Vivid. Problem is both shows sold out in a few minutes and inflated tickets are already on eBay for up to $200 a pop. What would Tyler do?

Follow his tweets and as sure as someone informs him he’ll have an opinion. A third show is on sale now and will probably follow the same path.

Speaking of Vivid we already know that Modular head-honcho Stephen Pavlovic is curating. Everyone expected a few Modular bands to be on the bill, but TEN?
Apparently Pav thought it was important to have Modular bands in there. Of course Pav, you gotta make up the benjamins from your 5.9 million loss from a few years ago. Oh also, if anyone wants prime seating for Spiritualized send me an email. I’ll sort you out.

Spotted online: Fleet Foxes and TV On The Radio

In by-now-common fashion Soundwave are dropping more bands for their ‘what could it be?’ Soundwave Revolution Fest that’s coming this winter (we think). There’s been a bunch of shitty scene bands announced as well as ex-Pantera clowns HELLYEAH. Rumour has it that Alice Cooper will headline. Let’s see what transpires.

Dennis from Refused‘s other band AC4 are playing this Friday with Stza from Leftover Crack‘s other band Star Fucking Hipsters. Put your punk pants on.

The new (and final) album by Snowman is dropping soon. If the new single Hyena is anything to go by it’s gonna be a great way to go out.

Weekly News Breakdown: 23 March 2011

Today was the day. The day that I’ve been waiting years for. Daniel Dumile was to play a show in Sydney. AT LAST. I wore my Madvillain shirt to work and was cranking that Mm..Food shit all morning long. Then I saw the tweet ‘DOOM is stuck in Auckland with illness and will not perform in Sydney tonight‘. Pleased I was not. Apparently it’s been rescheduled for next Tuesday. Let’s hope it goes ahead. Hip hop guys touring Australia don’t have a very good track record. I’m watching you DOOM.

Also, if DOOM hits town before the weekend and he’s feeling better it might be worth going to the Peanut Butter Wolf / James Pants show. Because as you know, PBW did start Stones Throw Records and signed him. Just throwing it out there… Get tickets here.

This is what Ruby Rose looks like these days. Ewww.

The lineup for the Come Together festival has been announced and it’s a big ol’ WHAT THE FUCK to previous years. It started as an indie festival that had the likes of You Am I and The Mint Chicks play, then it went punk for a while and for this years lineup it’s gone Aussie hip hop. I know where I won’t be on the 11th June.

I must be losing it in my old age because I never knew that Australia had honest to goodness juggalos. Well we do and he goes by the name of Kidcrusher… And he’s playing this weekend! How exciting! Even better is that it’s 2 sleeps away and one suburb over. Fuck yeah! Party on DOWN. Here’s a game, watch the video below and see how long you can hold out.

RIP Knut and Nate Dogg. See you in the big petting zoo in the sky.

Party guy and all round rad dude Spod went to SXSW. Read the interview soon on these here pages.

Weekly News Breakdown – 11 March 2011

Yeah guys, full time work. SHIT. Especially the first few weeks where you don’t even have the arduous task of remembering the day-to-day goings on but you also have to remember peoples’ names. And I’m shithouse at that as it is. But now – brain fills up at 3pm.

So in light after that brief explanation let me wrap up some things that happened a few weeks ago that I’m sure you caught.

Soundwave was EXCELLENT. Good work on the promoters for changing the venue to Olympic Park. You made a lot of people happy. Highlights were Queens of the Stone Age and Fucked Up who ripped shit up. Lowlights were Slayer cancelling and having to endure Murderdolls just before High on Fire. Murderdolls now hold 2 distinct titles: worst band ever and worst band name ever. Fuck off and leave my ears alone.

Looking at the Shephard Fairy-inspired poster for Soundwave Revolution it’s fair to expect that there will be another metal/punk fest in winter. BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Please can everybody shut the fuck up about Charlie Sheen already. SHUT THE FUCK UP. I’m talking to you too Charlie.

Stone Temple Pilots have announced an intimate show at the Metro in Sydney. Which is great coz we weren’t planning on catching them at the Hordern with Grinspoon anyway. But now we’re psyched. And looking at recent setlists there’s a lot of old shit being played. We’ll be up the front yo. Tickets aren’t cheap at $90 standard and $200 VIP (you get one of Scott’s discarded needles) but it’ll be worth it.

This is what they played in Las Vegas last month.

Not so good news for Grace Jones who had to move her intimate show at the Entertainment Centre (12 000 capacity) to the Enmore Theatre (2500 capacity). Don’t feel bad Grace, I’m sure there will still be some gay dudes who you can defile at the Enmore show. And besides, most gigs these days don’t sell out. Does it have to do with the $120 cost of a ticket? What do you think?

Two of our favourite (but very different) bands have released new videos. Conversation 16 by The National sees Roger Stirling and Mel from Flight of the Conchords get freaky and Rich Bitch by Die Antwoord sees Yolandi Vi$$er on the toilet. WATCH:

Who are we kidding? Tyler, The Creator and OFWGKTA are already huge. Hanging for the new album.

How shitty is it that The Forum is about to shut? We have such good memories of that place seeing Trail of Dead, Supergrass, MSTRKRFT and Lupe Fiasco and bad memories of seeing Ghostface Killah. So long Forum, we’ll miss you.

Golden Plains is happening in about 4 hours and we’re pretty jealous that we aren’t there. By all report The Hold Steady have brought their a-game and who can turn down the brown water when Hawkwind takes to the stage. Oh well, next time.

Meh.