Single Of The Week - Charlie Faye and Calexico "Broken Heart Maker"

Our second single of the week this week is from, Austin-based singer-songwriter, Charlie Faye. Faye is currently touring around the country as part of her 'Travels With Charley' experiment, taking up residency in a different city for a month at a time. This track, with Calexico, is from her time spent in Tucson earlier this year. If the rest sound this good, the end result should be fantastic.

You can get to the Single Of The Week by subscribing to our podcast in iTunes or Zune, or using our podcast feed in any other podcast program.

Indie Music Watch

Want to know what we think of the latest from John Butler Trio, Kate Nash, The Mynabird, fun., The Bird & The Bee, and Cloud Cult? Well then click here.

Spoiler alert - we like them.

Ours' Jimmy Gnecco To Release Solo Debut, Tour Dates

Ours frontman, Jimmy Gnecco is set to release his solo debut, The Heart, on July 20th on Bright Antenna Records. Gnecco is prepping for the release with a string of May and June tour dates with California singer-songwriter Greg Laswell. You can get a listen yourself at Empty Bottle on May 15th.

The Heart Track List:
Rest Your Soul
Light on the Grave
Mystery
The Heart
Bring You Home
These Are My Hands
Gravity
I Heard Your Singing
Take a Chance
Darling
Patiently Waiting
It’s Only Love
Talk to Me

May
6 Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios
7 Eugene, OR - WOW Hall
8 Seattle, WA - The Tractor
11 Denver, CO - Walnut Room
12 McPherson, KS - McPherson Opera House
14 Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry
15 Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
17 Toronto, ONT - The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
19 Ann Arbor, MI - Blind Pig
20 Cleveland, OH - Cambridge Room at House of Blues
21 Columbus, OH - Rumba Café
22 Philadelphia, PA - Tin Angel
24 Washington, DC - The Rock and Roll Hotel
25 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
26 Philadelphia, PA - Tin Angel
27 Boston, MA- Paradise Rock Club
30 Charlotte, NC - The Evening Muse
June
1 Atlanta, GA - Vinyl
2 Birmingham, AL - Work Play Theatre
4 Dallas, TX - The Prophet Bar
5 Austin, TX - Stubb’s Bar-B-Q (Indoors)
8 Phoenix, AZ - Rhythm Room
9 San Diego, CA - Anthology
10 San Francisco, CA - Cafe Du Nord

Brandi Carlile Announces Summer Tour - No Chicago Dates

One of the most amazing voices in music, Brandi Carlile has announced her summer tour dates in support of last fall's Give Up The Ghost. Sadly, there is no Chicago to be found, but there are two tempting Indianapolis dates listed below. We thought about skipping this story, but then we would not have the chance to whine about how much it sucks.

June 3 Atlantic City, NJ House of Blues
June 4 Charlottesville, VA Jefferson Theatre
June 5 Norfolk, VA The Norva
June 6 Richmond, VA The National
June 8 Jacksonville, FL Florida Theatre
June 9 Charleston, SC Music Farm
June 11 Greenville, SC The Handlebar
June 12 Manchester, TN Bonnaroo Festival
June 13 Memphis, TN Minglewood Hall
June 15 Lexington, KY Kentucky Theatre
June 16 Nashville, TN Music City Roots at Loveless Barn
June 20 Telluride, CO Telluride Bluegrass Festival
June 21 Boise, ID Botanical Garden (Co-Headline with Jewel)
June 24 Petaluma, CA Mystic Theatre
June 25 Petaluma, CA Mystic Theatre
June 26 Saratoga, CA The Mountain Winery
June 27 Jacksonville, OR Britt Pavilion
July 7 Chula Vista, CA Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre (Lilith Fair)
July 8 Phoenix, AZ Cricket Pavilion (Lilith Fair)
July 10 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre (Lilith Fair)
July 11 Salt Lake City, UT Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre
July 15 Fairbanks, AK Blue Loon
July 16 Anchorage, AK Discovery Theatre
July 23 Fishers, IN Connor Prairie (w/Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra)
July 24 Fishers, IN Connor Prairie (w/ Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra)
July 25 Kent, OH Kent Stage
July 28 Rutland, VT Paramount Theatre
July 29 Morristown, NJ Mayo Center for the Performing Arts
July 30 Hampton Beach, NH Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
July 31 Newport, RI Newport Folk Festival
Aug 1 Westhampton Bch, NY Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center
Aug 5 Missoula, MT Wilma Theatre
Aug 6 Sandpoint, ID The Festival at Sandpoint
Aug 12 Pelham, AL Verizon Wireless Music Center (Lilith Fair)
Aug 16 Dallas, TX Superpages.com Center (Lilith Fair)
Aug 21 Bayfield, WI Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua
Aug 22 Fish Creek, WI Door Community Auditorium
Aug 24 Interlochen, MI Corson Auditorium
Aug 25 Grand Rapids, MI Meijer Gardens
Aug 29 St. Paul, MN Minnesota State Fair – Main Grandstand

The Mynabirds Hit The Road

Former Georgie James member, Laura Burhenn's new project, The Mynabirds is set to take their dusty country-fried soul on the road this summer. The new album, What We Lose In The Fire We Gain In The Flood, just hit store shelves this week (and should already be in heavy rotation on your iPod), sounding like the best classic pop album you never heard. Luckily, they will be here in Chicago for the Do Division Festival on June 6th, with a second show the next night at Empty Bottle. We are a bit jealous of those who get the pairing of The Myanbirds and Josh Ritter, though.

4/30: Des Moines, IA, Vaudeville Mews
5/1: Omaha, NE, Slowdown
5/7: Minneapolis, MN, Cedar Cultural Center
6/1: Cleveland, OH, Beachland Tavern
6/2: Washington, DC, Black Cat
6/3: Brooklyn, NY, The Bell House
6/6: Chicago, IL, Do Division Festival
6/7: Chicago, IL, Empty Bottle
6/8: Iowa City, IA, The Mill
6/11: Birmingham, AL, WorkPlay Theatre *
6/12: Baton Rouge, LA, Manship Theatre *
6/14: Austin, TX, Antone's *
6/15: Dallas, TX, Granada *

* = with Josh Ritter

The Whigs - April 23, 2010

The Whigs dipped into local waters for opening acts. Old Fake took the stage first, with a hard-charging sound that perfectly balanced punk and blues that made them an ideal opener for the Athens trio. The trio's sound had a lot in common with The Whigs, if you stripped away the southern influences. Keep an eye for them on upcoming shows in the area, and get there early because they are definitely worth your attention. More established Chicago act, Empires followed with a solid opening set. Their sound was a bit hard to peg, for better or worse, pulling at the corners of classic rock, alternative, adult contemporary, and even metal at times. Their intriguing blend of influences was not enough to stop from wishing Old Fake and Empires were reversed on the set.

The Athens, Georgia rockers took the stage to the Braves’ “Tomahawk Chop”, with the crowd happily joining in on the arm-swinging action. The trio took on light-hearted, keyboard-laced “Nothing Is Easy” first, giving long-time fans something to swoon over before hitting the new material hard. The set was dominated by the band’s two most recent efforts, with the easier-going material from their debut feeling a bit out of place at this point compared to the grittier sounds that followed.

The loose, jangling riffs and thumping bass line of “I Am For Real” served well as a bridge to the edgier rock that would follow. The trio jumped back to Mission Control for the hard-charging “Hot Bed”, showing off the tight sound of the trio and, front man, Parker Gispert’s energetic performance as he strutted across the stage to the beat. This is a band much larger than the stage they were playing. The set dove head-first into a handful off their fantastic third album, In The Dark, only slowing down for the clunky psychedelic clutter of “Dying”. The Tim Deaux’s rolling bass line and the frantic beat of Julian Dorio showed the band to truly be a three-man show.
Gispert’s grizzled vocals on “So Lonely” colored the song wonderfully before they busted out the album’s lead single, “Kill Me Carolyn”. The fluttering rumble of “Black Lotus” closed the pack of new material well, with wiry guitar blaring through. Gispert praised the enthusiastic crowd at the end, calling Chicago “the liveliest big city – New York and LA are a bunch of stiffies”. It felt a bit ironic, given the city’s reputation for standing motionless, but the band’s raucous rockers and no-nonsense attitude brought out the best in the crowd. The rippling beat of “Like A Vibration” led off a string of fan-favorites, leading into the stomping rhythm of “Production City” and explosive, anthem-ready “Right Hand On My Heart”.

Gispert’s move the keyboard took some air out of the set for “Half The World Away”, but the move served the band well; giving Deaux, now on guitar, and Dorio a chance to rock out a bit, and providing the calm before the storm. Shout-a-long epic, “Naked” served as the highlight of the night, where the slow-burn mystery of the verses played great against the snarling, empowering hook. The swaggering “Already Young” closed the regular set, and the band returned to the stage again to the “Tomahawk Chop” for the encore. The easy-going “Say Hello” from their debut kicked things off slowly, but the trio finished strong with southern-tinged, conscious-conflicted “Someone’s Daughter” and thrashing “Need You Need You”. Having seen them previously at Lollapalooza, we confidently say that they have never sounded better, and are a must-see band at this point. Consider yourself lucky if they are coming through your town and there are tickets still available.

Single Of The Week - Pearly Gate Music "Big Escape"

Since the flu seems have derailed the podcast for this week, we will probably double-up on Single Of The Week this week instead - and return with Podcast 14 next Monday.

First up is a ragged, lo-fi folk toe-tapper from Pearly Gate Music. Their self-titled debut, full of carefully constructed gems that seem to fall in line with the recent resurgence in timeless pop, releases May 18th on Barsuk Records.

You can get the Single Of The Week by subscribing to the podcast on iTunes or Zune, or using the feed in any podcast provider.

Portugal. The Man Announce West Coast Dates, About To Record

Alaska's Portugal. The Man has announced a handful of June tour dates with two Portland Bands, The Builders & The Butchers and Morning Teleportation, to lend support. Though there is nothing on the surface here for Chicago fans, they brought Port O'Brien and up-and-coming The Dig last time through, so their ability to pick solid openers should at least send you seeking music from the bands. More dates are set to follow, so keep an eye here for any Chicago date annoucements from this must-see band.

The better news is that the prolific band is already wrapping up writing sessions for the follow-up to this year's American Ghetto, and will be heading into the studio in a few weeks. If you are lucky enough to be in southern Cali, there is a special free acoustic performance from the band this Saturday in support of an art exhibit featuring work from the band's own John Gourley and Austin Sellers. If you are lucky enough to own the acoustic edition of Satanic Satanist, you already know how great this should be.

May 1st Los Angeles - free acoustic performance and art show at Space 15

June 17th Sacremento
June 18th San Francisco
June 19th Anaheim
June 20th Tucson
June 23rd Salt Lake City
June 25th Seattle
June 26th Portland

Findlay Brown Tours With Shelby Lynne, Adds Solo Dates

UK soul singer, Findlay Brown has kicked off his Spring tour dates in support of Shelby Lynne. On the heels of his recently released Love Will Find You, sounding as if pulled out of a time capsule from the late sixties, Brown has announced a couple of solo dates at the end of the tour. If he wants to tour here beyond that, we think The Mynabirds would be an excellent fit for tourmates.

Those hoping to catch him here in Chicago will want to note the new venue - since the show was originally slated to hit Lincoln Hall, and has since moved to Martyrs. Sadly, the show will not feature the opening set from, former Project Rockstar contestant, Ryan Star, as it was originally set up at Lincoln Hall.

4/27 @ The Triple Door, Seattle, WA
4/29 @ Myrna Loy Center, Helena, MT
5/1 @ Dakota, Minneapolis, MN
5/2 @ Turner Hall, Milwaukee, WI
5/3 @ The Ark, Ann Arbor, MI
5/4 @ Martyrs’, Chicago, IL
5/5 @ Beechland Tavern, Cleveland, OH
5/7 @ Iron Horse Music Hall, Northampton, MA
5/8 @ Johnny D’s, Somerville, MA
5/9 @ World Café Live, Philadelphia, PA
5/10 @ The Concert Hall, New York, NY
5/11 @ The Birchmere, Alexandria, VA
5/13 @ The Belcourt Theater, Nashville, TN
5/14 @ WorkPlay Theater, Birmingham, AL
5/15 @ Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA
5/17 @ Granada Theater, Dallas, TX
5/18 @ Warehouse Live, Houston, TX
5/19 @ St. David’s Episcopal Church, Austin, TX
5/23 @ McCabe’s Guitar Shop, Santa Monica, CA*
5/25 @ Belly Up Tavern, Solana Beach, CA*
*Findlay Solo Dates

Phantogram - April 22, 2010

here is a reason we like to see a band twice before we like to crown them must-see. In the case of, electro-pop duo, Phantogram, seeing them a second time is essential to find out just how fresh the experience is each time out. With a video-screen display to give the set a more dynamic visual appearance, and a duo made up of a dj and a guitarist, you wonder just how unique the set can really be from one to the next. As the New York duo demonstrated Thursday night at Lincoln Hall, they keep things plenty fresh each outing.

The duo were an energetic, engaging success at Schubas a few months back, but they seem to have evolved even further as a live act since then. A larger screen and new videos to accompany the songs were fantastic, but the biggest changes were in regards to the sound. The duo, Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter, incorporated looping vocals into the songs, allowing them to remix their songs on the fly. It gave the mysterious thump and flickering guitar of "Running From The Cops" a more playful twist. Between the aquatic imagery and thick on-stage fog, the tranquil, Roxy Music-esque "You Are The Ocean" was a definite highlight of the set, showcasing both Carter's unique charm as a vocalist and the duo's great harmonies as Barthel twisted and danced to the beat.

Barthel sang "This Is The Future", heavy on her looping, sampled vocals, over a twitchy beat and thick bass line. The new track feels like it could use a little work, especially to iron out the cluttered prog-rock feeling moments that feel out of place. Barthel seemed a little more involved in the vocals of the bass-heavy "Turn It Off", making it feel more like a duet than the Carter-led version on the album. The set ended with the hauntingly sexy "When I'm Small", with Barthel belting out vocals with a brasher, more passionate edge that displayed just how great her voice is, and left you wishing she used that side of her voice a little more often. They actually got a decent amount of the sold-out crowd dancing for the club-ready jam; a massive accomplishment in Chicago. Phantogram's willingness to tinker with their already infectious songs makes them a band not to miss.

The party unfortunately stopped when The Antlers hit the stage. The Brooklyn-based trio opened with the slow burning falsetto of "Kettering". It showed off the pipes of front-man Peter Silberman, and the gradual climb to the song's eventual fiery explosion was great. The dramatically sparse verses and overwhelming, epic flush of sound of the chorus on "Sylvia" again showed off Silberman's fantastic vocal range. If it were only the near theatrical vocals or their knack for stretching out the last moments of a song for several minutes each, they may have been more effective. Instead, it made everything feel heavy and overly self-important; which is quite the opposite of the feeling you get from them on album. The intense drama of every song made The Antlers a bit of an exhausting downer following on the heels of the energetic duo that opened. In the end, it felt like the sets should have been flipped. Half an hour of the somber, dramatic rock from The Antlers is plenty, but you can always go for more Phantogram.

Single Of The Week - The Mynabirds "Numbers Don't Lie"

Full of smoky, jazz-laced pop that sounds as if just unearthed from a fifty year-old time capsule, The Mynabirds' debut, What We Lose In The Fire We Gain In The Flood, is one of the best debut albums we have come across this year. Full of sultry, cooing vocals and classic soul-dripping pop songs, it is the kind of album you just leave on from start to finish and back again. Enjoy this early listen to "Numbers Don't Lie", and be sure to pick up the album when it hits store shelves next Tuesday, April 27th.

You can get to the Single Of The Week by subscribing to our podcast feed in iTunes or Zune, or by using our feed in any podcast provider.

We Are Wolves At Subterranean Thursday, April 22nd

Like Antti Niemi, sometimes we let a quality chance slip by us. In all the Blackhawk playoff and Chicago baseball excitement, we failed to notice that, Montreal-based electro-punk trio, We Are Wolves are headlining at Subterranean tomorrow night. Their unique, heart-pounding rock is definitely worthy of your attention, so we beg your forgiveness. For the record, we still think we are doing better than Niemi at this point.

Thursday, April 22nd - Subterranean - 9pm - $12

Headliner: We Are Wolves

Openers: El Ten Eleven, Parlovr

Canasta's Latest Streaming In Full

Chicago's orchestral pop geniuses, Canasta are nearly ready to finally release their sophomore album, The Fakeout, The Tease And The Breather. The album, releasing May 18th, is the first on new label RWIM Chicago. To celebrate, the band has announced two album-release shows at Schubas on May 8th - where your $14 nets you entrance and a copy of the new album.

The band also has the album streaming in its entirety on their site, and a quick trip to their Audio page can get you downloads of three of the album's best - the infectious "Mexico City", the haunting "I Don't Know Where I Was Going With This", and the soulful "Reading The Map Upside Down". We could sit here all day and gush over what a fantastic success their sophomore effort is, but we are sure you would rather just be listening to it yourself, or buying tickets to the Schubas shows, or both.

Saturday, May 8th - Schubas - 7pm w/ Gregory And The Hawk opening (18+)

Saturday, May 8th - Schubas - 10:30pm w/ Brighton, MA opening (21+)

Sia's New Album Out June 22

Australian singer-songwriter extordinare, Sia is set to release her latest album, We Are Born, on June 22nd. The first single, "Clap Your Hands" is not even out for another month (May 25th), but you can get an early listen to six tracks off the new album at her site. There are a handful of US tour dates in the near future, including one in Chicago on Sunday night at The Vic.

Track Listing
1. The Fight
2. Clap Your Hands
3. Stop Trying
4. You’ve Changed
5. Be Good To Me
6. Bring Night
7. Hurting Me Now
8. Never Gonna Leave Me
9. Cloud
10. I’m In Here
11. The Co-Dependent
12. Big Girl, Little Girl
13. Oh Father

US Tour Dates
04/19: San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
04/20: Phoenix, AZ @ The Marquee
04/22: Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre
04/24: Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line
04/25: Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
04/26: Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews
04/28: Toronto, ON @ Phoenix
04/30: Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
05/01: Boston, MA @ House of Blues
05/02: Philadelphia, PA @ TLA
05/04: Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
05/06: New York, NY @ Terminal 5
05/08: Annapolis, MD @ Rams Head

Mates Of State Announce Crushes Tour

On the heels of the album announcement, Mates Of State have announced The Summer Crushes Tour. In addition to their unique take on a covers album, the duo are bringing a refreshingly different set of opening acts on tour with them. The duo's own Jason Hammel will serve as the tour's resident DJ, and the openers will include party-rock band Free Energy and a couple of stand-up comedians. In Chicago, we get the aforementioned Free Energy and stand-up comedian Todd Barry on June 22nd at Lincoln Hall. See the full listing below:

6/15 Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse * #
6/16 Rochester, NY @ Water Street * #
6/17 Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church % #
6/18 Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Small's * #
6/19 Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop * #
6/21 Cincinnati, OH @ 20th Century * #
6/22 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall * #
6/23 Minneapolis, MN @ 400 Bar *
6/24 Minneapolis, MN @ 400 Bar *
6/25 Omaha, NE @ Slowdown *
6/26 Denver, CO @ Bluebird *
6/28 Salt Lake City, UT @ In the Venue *
6/30 San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall * ^
7/1 San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall * ^
7/2 Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo * ^
7/3 Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo * ^
7/4 Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress *
7/6 Lubbock, TX @ Jake's *
7/7 Dallas, TX @ Granada Theatre *
7/8 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live *
7/9 Baton Rouge @ Spanish Moon *
7/10 Birmingham @ Workplay *
7/12 Athens, GA @ 40 Watt * ^
7/13 Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel * ^
7/14 Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar * ^
7/15 Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall ^
7/16 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom ^
=====================================
* w/ Free Energy
# w/ Todd Barry
^ w/ Nick Thune
% w/ Suckers

Stream Minus The Bear's New Album Now

Those who cannot wait to hear Minus The Bear's Dangerbird Records debut, OMNI, can stream the album now at KCRW's site. Anyone holding off on the temptation can always head over to the band's site to pre-order the album (due out May 4th) and give a listen to "OMNI Says The Game".

There are a boatload of tour dates for the band, but you will have to wait till Lollapalooza to catch them in Chicago.

April
19 Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory
20 Billings, MT - The Rainyard
22 Omaha, NE - Slowdown
23 Bonner Springs, KS - Sandstone Amphitheatre
25 Detroit, MI - St. Andrew's Hall
26 Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
28 Covington, KY - Madison Theater
29 Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom
30 Hartford, CT - Webster Theater

May
2 East Rutherford, NJ - Bamboozle Festival
5 Boston, MA - Wilbur Theater
6 Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero
7 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
8 Richmond, VA - The National
9 Charlotte, NC - The Fillmore
10 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
11 Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Revolution
12 Tampa, FL - The Ritz
14 Houston, TX - House of Blues
15 Dallas, TX - Granada
16 Austin, TX - La Zona Rosa
18 Albuquerque, MN - Sunshine Theatre
19 Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
20 Los Angeles, CA - Mayan Theatre
21 Pomona, CA - Glass House
22 San Diego, CA - SOMA
23 Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theater
26 San Francisco, CA - Regency Ballroom
27 Reno, NV - Knitting Factory
28 Portland, OR - Roseland Theatre
29 George, WA - Sasquatch Music Festival

Rogue Wave - Saturday, April 17th

Things have not been easy for Oakland's Rogue Wave over the last couple of years, but you would not have known it from their energetic performance at the first of two sold-out shows at, new Chicago hot-spot, Lincoln Hall. Zach Rogue may have spent a good portion of last year paralyzed and in pain from to slipped discs, but the brighter outlook found on the latest album came through just as well live.

The band dove into the set with half-a-dozen tracks off their latest release, Permalight. Opener, "Stars And Stripes" felt like it was all vocals and beat, with the two guitars barely audible. Things got a little better with the thumping rhythm and flickering disco ball of the danceable "Good Morning", but the energetic, synth-fuelled party track was still largely lacking guitar to balance out the sound. A quick switch of guitars on "Per Anger" for Rogue helped add a little oomph missing from the first couple of songs. It helped that Rogue's voice began to warm up some, to reveal the same compelling frayed tenor found on the albums.

The acoustic-based "Sleepwalker" and "Solitary Gun" served as definite highlights out of the batch of new material, but even they seemed to lack the same spark found on the album versions. It was clear at the show just how much care went into fine tuning the songs in the studio, which failed to translate in a live setting. The crowd roared enthusiastically when Rogue asked if they wanted to hear some older material, and a few moments into fan-favorite "Publish My Love" revealed why. The older material has a much heavier, more guitar-driven thrust to them. It would serve the new songs well if the band roughed them up a bit live, similar to the more aggressive turn they gave "Permalight" at the end of the encore.

Without exception, the older material trumped the new songs on-stage; despite how great the new material plays on album. Nothing off Permalight came close to matching the feel-good rock-stomp of "Harmonium" or the drum-happy euphoria of "Lake Michigan". It felt a bit like the band has a little work to do with the new material live, but the songs, and the band, are certainly good enough for them to tweak them into crowd-pleasers quickly.

Stars And Stripes
Good Morning
Per Anger
Sleepwalker
Solitary Gun
I'll Never Leave You
Publish My Love
Every Moment
Bird On A Wire
Eyes
Lake Michigan
Harmonium

Kicking The Heart Out
Permalight

Upcoming Shows - Week ending April 25th

Thursday, April 22nd - Lincoln Hall - 9pm - $13

Headliner: The Antlers

Opener: Phantogram

We begged you to catch, electro-pop duo, Phantogram when they played Schubas a few months ago, warning you that it would be a rare chance to catch the rising stars at a smallish venue. Now they are at the larger Lincoln Hall opening for, fellow buzz-band, The Antlers. It will not be long before venues this size will be a memory for them too.

Thursday, April 22nd - Congress Theater - 7pm - $25

Headliner: Passion Pit

Openers: Mayer Hawthorne & The Country

Having sold out Congress Theater earlier this month, Passion Pit return for what should be another sold out performance. Get your tickets while you can, as word of just how great their dance-happy, synth-fuelled rock is spreads.

Friday, April 23rd - Bottom Lounge - 8pm - $15

Headliner: The Whigs

Openers: Empires, Old Fake

You have a choice tonight, but one listen to the latest album from, Athens-based grunge rockers, The Whigs and the decision becomes clear. Blending blues and classic rock with their affinity for nineties grunge this time around works wonders for their already great sound. Get an early listen to a band you should not miss at Lollapalooza this year.

Friday, April 23rd - Park West - 8pm - $27

Headliner: Martin Sexton

Singer-songwriter Martin Sexton provides a great back-up plan for those who will get shut out of the sure-to-sell-out Whigs show. His amazing vocal range, heartfelt songwriting, and music that blends soul, blues, and roots rock is sure to please.

Sunday, April 25th - The Vic - 7pm - $21.50
Headliner: Sia

Sunday is a tough decision, sure to spread concert-loving Chicagoans across a few venues. There is no wrong choice here, and Australia's Sia certainly is a very good one. Her sound is pop, but is as unique, varied, and refreshing as her collaborations – which recently have included appearances on The Flight Of The Conchords' sophomore album, writing songs for Christina Aguilera's upcoming album, and laid down guest vocals on the David Byrne and Fatboy Slim album.

Sunday, April 25th - Lincoln Hall - 9pm - $14
Headliner: The Album Leaf
Opener: Sea Wolf

We do not normally recommend heading out to shows to see an opening act, but Sea Wolf is not normally an opening act. We love the gypsy-flavored acoustic rock of Sea Wolf more than we can possibly explain here. There is nothing quite like them in music today, and Alex Church Brown's knack for storytelling in the lyrics is just as gorgeous as the music. On album, Sea Wolf are a tranquil beauty. Live, they are an indie rock party. If you have never seen them live, you need to be at Lincoln Hall on Sunday night.
Sunday, April 25th - Metro - 9pm - $13
Headliner: White Rabbits
Openers: Here We Go Magic, Pet Lions

All you really need to know about White Rabbits can be seen in the clip of them playing "Percussion Gun" on Letterman last year. Soulful vocals, two drummers, and a ragged, heart-pounding indie rock sound make them a must-see band. Add in Chicago's own up-and-coming indie pop sensations Pet Lions, and we are not quite sure how there can possibly still be tickets available.

Podcast 13 - Is This Thing On?

This week, we discuss the recent Rogue Wave show at Lincoln Hall, drool over upcoming albums from AM Taxi, The Mynabirds, and The Dig. We also recommend a handful of great upcoming shows - including The Whigs this

You can get the podcast by subscribing by iTunes or Zune, or by using the podcast feed in any podcast provider, or just listen to it using the streaming widget on the right side of the page.

**Small programming note - Tonight's Bad Lieutenant show has been canceled due to the volcanic ash cloud travel restrictions.

Upcoming Shows - Week ending April 18th

Thursday, April 15th – Lincoln Hall – 9pm - $14
Headliner: Cloud Cult
Opener: Roma di Luna
We have ourselves an early copy of Cloud Cult's upcoming EP, Running With The Wolves. Every so often you run across a show you know you will regret missing for years to come. This is that kind of show. The EP is comprised of only one track from their upcoming new album, but just that little taste is so amazingly rich and euphoric that it makes this chance to catch a bigger glimpse into the new album a must-see show.

Thursday, April 15th – Schubas – 9pm - $15
Headliner: Adam Green
Opener: The Dead Trees

We saw this tour as the opening act to The Cribs a few months back, and were amazed at the excellence of The Dead Trees and the strangely compelling nature of Adam Green. The punk-lounge singer-songwriter is not everyone's cup-of-tea, but it is hard to take your eyes off his unique, clever act.

Saturday, April 17th – Lincoln Hall – 7pm and 10:30pm - $15/SOLD OUT
Headliner: Rogue Wave
Opener: Man/Miracle (early), JBM (late)

With a Lollapalooza announcement and a great new release, Permalight, on their side, it is no surprise that one of two of Rogue Wave's shows on Saturday night has sold-out. The surprise is that the other one has not… yet. Get your tickets now, because their grungy acoustic pop tunes are an excellent fit for Lincoln Hall.

Podcast 12 - Gutter

This week the guys examine the Lollapalooza lineup, review As Tall As Lions w/ Bad Veins and Kinch. They also recommend some excellent upcoming shows, including Adam Green, Rogue Wave, and Bad Lieutenant just this week.

You can grab our podcast by subscribing in iTunes or Zune, or using our feed in any podcast provider.

Menomena Plant 'Mines' July 27th

Site favorite, Barsuk Records announced a July 27th release date for Menomena's latest album, Mines. The album follows 2007's excellent Friend And Foe from the band, and a 2008 release from, bassist, Danny Seim's side project Lackthereof and last year's gem from, guitarist, Brent Knopf-led Ramona Falls. Without a track listing, all we really know is that it will be equal parts strange and awesome. Stay tuned for more news as we get it, hopefully including some tour dates.

Mates Of State To Reveal Their 'Crushes' This Summer

Husband and wife electronic duo, Mates Of State have announced plans to release Crushes this summer. The album marks the first time the pair has recorded and produced an album themselves. Though the album is a covers album, the band's intention was to "play that song as if we had written it". We would expect nothing less from the inventive, unique duo, who put together a refreshingly varied list of songs for the album.

The full track-listing is below, and the album is set for a mysterious 'Summer 2010' release, but you can get an early listen (and download) of their take on Girls' "Laura" at their site. We will keep you posted on any tour announcements.

1. Laura (Girls)
2. Son et Lumiere (The Mars Volta)
3. Sleep the Clock Around (Belle & Sebastian)
4. Technicolor Girls (Death Cab for Cutie)
5. Long Way Home (Tom Waits)
6. Love Letter (Nick Cave)
7. Second Hand News (Fleetwood Mac)
8. 17 Pink Sugar Elephants (Vashti Bunyan)
9. Roller Coaster Ride (Dear Nora)
10. True Love Will Find You in the End (Daniel Johnston)

6th Shred For Your Life Set To Melt Faces On April 17th

The sixth-annual Shred For Your Life guitar competition is set to take place at Webster Hall on Saturday, April 17th. Webster Hall marks the biggest venue for the competition, which has steadily increased its size each year. The competition pits guitarists, ranging in age from 13 - 54, against each other in the hopes of impressing the judges for a trophy including a three-foot guitar pick by artist Neck Face and a guitar crown. The judges this year include Andrew W.K., Jaleel Bunton (TV On The Radio), and actor/writer Justin Theroux.

Previous winners include, first-year champ, Chris Maxwell (Skeleton Key/Elegant Too), Alex Nemiz (Mod Rocket), who was the first female and teenage winner, and Blake Mills, who went on to work with Band Of Horses, Julian Casablancas, and Jacob Dylan.

Single Of The Week - The Morning Pages "Telephone"

Brooklyn might not scream 'roots-rock', but then again, Lady GaGa's dace-pop hit "Telephone" doesn't exactly seem ripe for a country-fried retelling. Yet, that is exactly what this up-and-coming band does with it, and damn if it is not infectious. Keep an eye out for their debut, Rising Rain, in May.

You can get the single of the week by subscribing to our podcast, either in iTunes, Zune, or in any other podcast provider by using the feed.

As Tall As Lions and Bad Veins - February 6, 2010

It is becoming too rare a feat to find tours with openers and are worthy of your attention. The one-two punch of this spring's As Tall As Lions tour is such a line-up.

Cincinnati's Bad Veins warmed the crowd with a powerhouse half-hour set. The two-man-and-a-reel-to-reel band kicked off their set with the sparse rat-a-tat beat marching in the hazy, horn-laced "Found". The reel-to-reel, affectionately known as Irene, handled the portions of the wonderfully crafted songs , front man, Benjamin Davis and, drummer, Sebastien Schultz could not recreate on their own. With Schultz emphatically tumbling his way through the beats and Davis belting out the vocals and dividing his time between the guitar and keys, 'Irene' colored in the horns and strings. The lethargic, sloshed vocals of "Gold And Warm" contrasted the frantic beat. It was a risk that made the fantastic love song sound fresh and dramatic.

The duo continued down the set list, matching the order of the album, with the passionate "Crosseyed" before breaking order into "Afraid", where they provided enough energy and personality for a band double their size. Davis used the phone attached to 'Irene' to add a layer of distortion to his vocals on "Falling Tide", where the rumbling bass and killer beat turned it into the danciest of their set. The only slight issue with the duo is that Irene leaves them no room to do anything outside of the planned setlist. Thankfully, they are good enough performers on stage to make it feel fresh every time out, but it would be nice to suddenly hear them blast out something new that they are working on. Until they shed Irene, or expand the band a bit to a three or four member experience, that is unlikely to happen. As lush and gorgeous as the songs sound, they are good enough to stand on their own in a live setting without the orchestral bits. Regardless, by the end of the too-short set, it was clear they had converted more than a few fans asking 'Who is this?' at the start.

As Tall As Lions seemed to squander the energy provided by Bad Veins' lead-in, with a forty-minute set change that dragged on and finally taking the stage after a minute of Oukast's funky "Spottieottiedogaliscious". The muddled sound of "In Case Of Rapture" left you wondering what all that time tuning instruments and running through sound checks was for. The poor sound mix buried Dan Nigro's vocals beneath a clumsily tangled web of guitars and percussion, turning what should have been one of the most enthralling songs of the night into a cluttered mess. Thankfully, Nigro's move to keyboard for "Go Easy" found a better mic and allowed the soundboard operator to fix the balance, allowing his amazing vocals to shine. The band's use of an extra percussionist on tour paid off, turning the song into a more beat-driven affair that almost sounded like the Latin remix.

Nigro's to-the-rafters vocals on "Circles" showed that you really need to try to bury his voice, as the band continued the string of energetic rockers. There is a dreamy element to much of As Tall As Lions' material on album, but they are definitely a rock band live. Pulling material exclusively from their two most recent full-lengths, the set list was a fantastic showcase of what an excellent live band they are. Even awkward album tracks like the staggering piano-led "We's Been Waitin'" sounded great live. If you went in unsure about You Can't Take It With You, you came out of it with a new appreciation for it. Sounding like a Timbaland collaboration on-disc, "The Narrows" was one of the stand outs of the set; culminating in a killer drum-off between, drummer, Cliff Sarcona and, touring percussionist, 'Scotty'.

Nigro introduced "Song For Luna" claiming, "This is about singing to a girl, who is also the moon", adding, "It's so deep, I don't even understand it". Meaning aside, the fan favorite was one of many dazzling songs off their lush self-titled effort. The spangled guitar and great vocals of "Ghost Of York" proved Nigro's voice the kind you need to hear to believe. Bassist, Julio Tavarez's falsetto showed that Nigro is not the only one in the band with talented pipes, delivering a 'post-sex cigarette' version of the jazzy ballad "Duermete". The band capped off the regular hour-long set with a solid three-song encore, starting with the trippy, Tavarez-sung "You Can't Take It With You". Long before the end of, soaring love song, "Milk And Honey" it was clear As Tall As Lions are a must-see live band. Do not miss your chance when this line-up rolls through your town.

In Case Of Rapture
Go Easy
Circles
Song For Luna
A Soft Hum
The Narrows
Duermete
Stab City
Where Do I Stand
Ghost Of York
We's Been Waitin'

You Can't Take It With You
Maybe I'm Just Tired
Milk And Honey

Lollapalooza Announces Lineup

Vana White has turned over all the letter tiles over at Lollapalooza's site, revealing the full list of bands for this year's festival. The weekend-long event, August 6th - 8th, will again be held in Grant Park, and features a fantastic, diverse line-up that offers something for everyone.

Head over to the official site for the full list, but the headliners are Soundgarden, Green Day, Lady GaGa, Arcade Fire, The Strokes, and Phoenix. Arcade Fire gets our vote here as the one you skip any of the others for. In terms of the non-evening sets, we think you should check the, yet unreleased, schedule and pray that the following bands are not playing against each other (in the order listed on the site - trust us, we'd have Company Of Thieves and Frightened Rabbit listed one-two):

MGMT
The Black Keys
Spoon
Grizzly Bear
Wolfmother
MUTEMATH
Metric
Frightened Rabbit
Stars
The Cribs
Minus The Bear
Rogue Wave
The Antlers
The Soft Pack
Company Of Thieves
Miniature Tigers
The Morning Benders
Royal Bangs
These United States

Upcoming Shows - Week ending April 11th

Baseball is here, and so is the spring surge of concerts! It is a very busy week!

Monday, April 5th - Schubas – 8pm - FREE
Headliner: Kerretta
Openers: An Aesthetic Anesthetic, Shooter Grey Suede, The Young Jesus Band

Things do not get much better than a free show, with a new up-and-coming import band headlining. Add three local bands to a line-up top-lined by, sensational New Zealand instrumental hard rock trio, Kerretta, and you have yourself a can't-miss show. One listen to last week's Single Of The Week will make it hard to resist.



Tuesday, April 6th - Bottom Lounge - 8pm - $13
Headliner: As Tall As Lions
Opener: Bad Veins

As Tall As Lions are plenty to get you interested in this show. Their self-titled sophomore album is dream-pop perfection, and their third album saw the Long Island band spread their wings to more experimental territory. They are a fantastic live band, thanks in large part to, front man, Dan Nigro's soaring vocals. Bad Veins are the best orchestral pop band you have never heard of, and the duo will blow your mind live. Do not make the mistake of getting to this show late!



Tuesday, April 6th – House Of Blues – 6pm - $24
Headliner: Dashboard Confessional
Openers: Corey Chisel & The Wandering Sons

Following a stint opening for Bon Jovi's Circle tour, Dashboard Confessional bring their songbook of heartfelt anthems to the cozy confines of House Of Blues. This is not our first choice on Tuesday night, but we can certainly see it as a viable alternative to As Tall As Lions and Bad Veins.

Wednesday, April 7th – House Of Blues– 5:30pm - $20.50
Headliner: Motion City Soundtrack
Openers: fun., A Rocket To The Moon, Sing It Loud

We have been in love with My Dinosaur Life since its release earlier this year, and the only potential negative to this show is the unfortunately early start time combined with the start of 'road construction season' on 290. The 5:30 start will make it difficult for anyone with a job in the suburbs to see the opening bands; which is a shame, given how damn fantastic fun. is. The new project from Nate Reuss (The Format) is exudes the same gorgeous melodies of his former band, now with an arrangement that recalls classic Beatles. Even if you do not make it for fun., Motion City Soundtrack will prove worth the price of admission on their own.

Friday, April 9th – Shark City (Glendale Heights) – 9pm - $15
Headliner: Local H
Opener: Kinch, Love Blast

We would not normally recommend a suburban show, since most venues in the suburbs are full of tribute and cover bands. Local H has been a Chicagoland staple for years. Their concept of playing this show as one album, start-to-finish, based on a fan picking an album out of a hat, is great. Still, we are headed to the Glendale Heights pool hall to get an earful of Kinch. There is a bunch of great indie bands making noise out of Arizona lately, but Kinch is among the best of them. Give a listen to this week's podcast for a clip of the infectious "Carolina Cannonball", and just try not to go. We dare you.

Saturday and Sunday, April 10th and 11th – Aragon Ballroom – 7pm - $50
Headliner: Atoms For Peace
Opener: Flying Lotus

Thom Yorke, Flea, and Nigel Godrich = Atoms For Peace. Seriously, what else do you need to know?

Monday, April 12th – Schubas – 8pm - $12
Headliner: The Morning Benders
Opener: Miniature Tigers

This is somewhat of a 'bonus' show, but we want to make sure you do not miss the chance to catch these two great indie rock bands next Monday. Speaking of great Arizona indie bands, Miniature Tigers make an appearance opening for The Morning Benders at Schubas on Monday night. One great band is usually enough to make a show worth going to, with tantalizing unknown opening bands. Two great bands makes for a must-go show.

Podcast 11 - North Side vs. South Side

This week, the guys discuss The Gaslight Anthem's upcoming album, talk about Them Crooked Vultures coming to town, and recommend shows like Kerretta, As Tall As Lions and Bad Veins, Motion City Soundtrack, and an opening suburban show for, killer indie pop band, Kinch.

You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or Zune, or by using our feed in any podcast provider.

Band Of Horses List 'Infinite Arms'

Alt-country rockers, Band Of Horses has revealed the tracklisting for their upcoming third album, Infinite Arms. The album is out May 18th on Brown/Fat Possum/Columbia Records, but you can get an early listen at the band's site by watching the video for "Compliments".

1) Factory
2) Compliments
3) Laredo
4) Blue Beard
5) On My Way Back Home
6) Infinite Arms
7) Dilly
8) Evening Kitchen
9) Older
10) For Annabelle
11) NW Apt.
12) Neighbor

The band also has a handful of confirmed tour dates, but Chicago is conspiculously absent here. Unless we are blind, we are not finding them on the Lollapalooza 'Wheel Of Fortune' style list either. We will keep you posted when/if a Chicago date gets added to the mix, since they are said to be announcing 'many more' soon.

April 8th - Paris, France - La Fleche D'or
April 9th - Brussels, Belgium - Orangerie
April 10th - Rotterdam, Netherlands- Motel Mozaique, Schouwburg
April 12th - London, UK - Koko
April 14th - Koln, Germany - Kulturkirche
April 16th - Oslo, Norway - Rockefeller
April 17th - Gothenburg, Sweden - Tradgarn
April 18th - Copenhagen, Denmark - Vega
April 23rd - Raleigh, NC - Walnut Creek Amphitheater (with Widespread Panic)
April 24th - Raleigh, NC - Walnut Creek Amphitheater (with Widespread Panic)
April 26th - Athens, GA - 40 Watt
April 28th - Miami, FL - Fillmore
April 29th - Orlando, FL - House of Blues
May 1st - New Orleans, LA - Jazzfest
May 2nd - Memphis, TN - Beale St. Music Festival
May 3rd - Kansas City, MO -Sprint Center (with Pearl Jam)
May 4th - St. Louis, MO - Scottrade Center (with Pearl Jam)
May 6th - Columbus, OH - Nationwide Arena (with Pearl Jam)
May 7th - Noblesville, IN - Verizon Wireless Center (with Pearl Jam)
May 9th - Cleveland, OH - Quicken Loans Arena (with Pearl Jam)
May 10th - Buffalo, NY - HSBC Arena (with Pearl Jam)
May 13th - Washington, DC - Verizon Center (with Pearl Jam)
May 15th - Hartford, CT - XL Center (with Pearl Jam)
May 17th - Boston, MA - TD Garden (with Pearl Jam)
May 21st - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden (with Pearl Jam)
May 27th - Davis, CA - UC Davis Freeborn Hall
May 30th - Bend, OR - Les Schwab Amphitheater (with She & Him)
May 31st - George, WA - Sasquatch Festival
June 4th - Dublin, IE - Academy
June 5th - Bangor, IE - Ward Park (with Snow Patrol)
June 7th - Cambridge, UK - Junction
June 8th - Manchester, UK - Ritz
June 9th - London, UK - Roundhouse
June 11th - Oxford, UK - Academy
June 12th - Glasgow, Scotland - Bellahouston Park (with Snow Patrol)
June 19th - Toronto, ONT - Olympic Island Concert (with Pavement and Broken Social Scene)
September 25th - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theater

The Black Keys Announce Tour Dates

Ohio's The Black Keys are gearing up for a spring/summer tour in support of the May 18th release of Brothers. Every ticket you purchase on the band's site includes a copy of the album, and gives you early access to download two new songs, "Next Girl" and the Danger Mouse produced "Tighten Up".

There are no Chicago dates yet, which could indicate a Lollapalooza appearance in August - check the last name on the right, second line for a possible 'hit'.

April 8 University of Iowa Memorial Iowa City, IA*
April 10 Yuri’s Night Bay Area 2010 San Francisco, CA
April 17 Wanee Music Festival Live Oak, FL
April 18 The Fillmore Miami Beach at The Jackie Gleason Theater Miami, FL†
April 19 The House of Blues Orlando, FL†
May 20 Madison Square Garden New York, NY
May 25 "Late Show with David Letterman" New York, NY
May 26 "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" New York, NY
June 2 The Depot Salt Lake City, UT†
June 3 The Fillmore Denver, CO†
June 4 The Crossroads Kansas City, MO†
June 8 First Ave Minneapolis, MN†
June 9 First Ave Minneapolis, MN†
June 10 The Pagaent St. Louis, MO†
June 11 Bonnaroo Manchester, TN
July 27 Central Park SummerStage New York, NY§
July 28 Central Park SummerStage New York, NY§

*with Mondo Drag

†with Brian Olive

§with The Morning Benders

Tokyo Police Club Set Release Date For 'Champ'

Ontario's punk heroes, Tokyo Police Club are set to release their sophomore album, Champ, on June 8th. Those looking for an early listen should head over to the band's site to check out "Breakneck Speed" - which confirms the growing list of excellent music coming out this June. The band has a handful of tour dates confirmed, but sadly nothing for Chicago yet. We will certainly let you know if that changes.

April 6, 2010 Starlight - Waterloo, ON
Apr 7, 2010 Isaacs Bar and Grill - St. Catharines, ON
Apr 8, 2010 Rokbar - Hamilton, ON
Apr 9, 2010 The Red Dog - Peterborough, ON
Apr 17, 2010 Coachella Music Festival 2010 - Indio, CA
Apr 27, 2010 Mr. Small's Theater - Millvale, PA
May 29, 2010 Immergut Festival - Neustrelitz, Germany
May 30, 2010 Uebel und Gefaehrlich - Hamburg, Germany
May 31, 2010 Lido - Berlin, Germany
Jun 1, 2010 Luxor - Koln, Germany
Jun 2, 2010 59:1 - Munich, Germany
Jun 4, 2010 Paradiso - Amsterdam, Holland
Jun 5, 2010 Botanique/Witloof Bar - Brussels, Belgium
Jun 7, 2010 The Ruby Lounge - Manchester, UK
Jun 8, 2010 Scala - London, UK
Jun 9, 2010 The Tabernacle (with Passion Pit) - Atlanta, GA
Jun 11, 2010 Bonnaroo - Manchester, TN
Jun 12, 2010 Club at Firestone (with Passion Pit) - Orlando, FL
Jun 13, 2010 The FIllmore (with Passion Pit) - Miami Beach, FL
Jun 14, 2010 The Ritz Ybor (with Passion Pit) - Tampa, FL
Jun 16, 2010 House of Blues (with Passion Pit) - New Orleans, LA
Jun 17, 2010 Warehouse Live (with Passion Pit) - Houston, TX
Jun 18, 2010 Stubb's (with Passion Pit) - Austin, TX
Jun 19, 2010 Stubb's (with Passion Pit) - Austin, TX
Jun 21, 2010 Palladium Ballroom (with Passion Pit) - Dallas, TX
Jun 23, 2010 The Pageant (with Passion Pit) - St. Louis, MO
Jun 25, 2010 Royal Oak Music Theater (with Passion PIt) - Royal Oak, MI
Jun 27, 2010 Mann Center (with Passion Pit) - Philadelphia, PA
Jun 29, 2010 Prospect Park Bandshell (with Passion Pit) - Brooklyn, NY
Jun 30, 2010 Governor's Island (with Passion Pit) - New York, NY

Ray LaMontagne & David Gray Announce Co-Headlining Tour

Two of the biggest singer-songwriters going have teamed up for a huge summer tour, where they will share the stage as co-headliners. The pair will hit, massive downtown venue, Millenium Park on August 25th . Gray is touring behind last year's Draw The Line, which has both "Fugitive" and "Stella The Artist" getting airplay on XRT.

LaMongtagne, who is currently working on his fourth album to be released later this year, is one of the reasons we started the podcast and this site. We got to see him, and a killer opening set from then-unknown Missy Higgins, years back at Metro. Who knows what artist we are telling you to check out now will be gracing large stages like this in a few years.

August 15 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion
August 17 Boston, MA Bank of America Pavilion
August 19 Wantagh, NY Nikon @ Jones Beach
August 20 Camden, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center
August 22 Nashville, TN Grand Ole Opry
August 25 Chicago, IL Millennium Park
August 26 Rochester, MI Meadow Brook Theatre
August 29 Council Bluffs, IA Stir Cover @ Harrah’s Council Bluffs
August 30 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre
August 31 Santa Fe, NM Santa Fe Opera House
September 1 Phoenix, AZ Dodge Theatre
September 3 Los Vegas, NV The Pearl @ The Palms
September 4 Valley Center, CA Harrahs Rincon
September 5 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl
September 8 Los Angeles, CA The Greek Theatre
September 10 San Francisco, CA The Greek Theatre

AM To Tour With Charlotte Gainsbourg

LA-based AM will lend support for Charlotte Gainsbourg's first North American tour this spring, supporting her Beck-produced third album, IRM. Fans would be wise to get to shows early to catch AM's brand of psychedelic-tinged indie-pop displayed so wonderfully on his latest, Future Sons & Daughters. You can get your ears on his soulful grooves on April 21st at Park West.

April
11- Vancouver, B.C.- Vogue Theatre
12- Victoria, B.C.- Alix Goolden Hall
14- Seattle, WA- Crocodile Café
15- Los Angeles, CA- Greek Theatre w/ Caetano Veloso **
17- San Francisco, CA- Palace of Fine Arts
21- Chicago, IL- Park West
23- Montreal, QC- Olympia
24- Montreal, QC- Olympia
25- New York, NY- Webster Hall
** Without Charlotte Gainsbourg