Rockers protest immigration law with silent stages

June 13, 2010

Rockers Protest Immigration Law with Silent Stages
Several rock acts have formed a new protest group that’s opposing the new SB 1070 immigration law that was recently implemented in Arizona. The law allows police in the state to challenge anybody that they even merely suspect of being an illegal immigrant (failure to provide confirmation will result in arrest.) The musicians - who include Massive Attack, Sonic Youth, Rage Against the Machine, The GoGos, Street Sweeper Social Club, and Tenacious D, are pledging to not play any concerts in Arizona until the bill is amended; some bands are even forbidding their tour buses to drive through the state...
More updates on the Bono/U2 situation this week - Bono’s emergency back surgery in Munich, Germany was a success (the U2 frontman injured himself during rehearsals for U2’s next touring leg), but he’s still under doctor’s orders to recuperate for a minimum of eight weeks and to go through a rehabilitation program. In a video statement on U2’s website, U2 guitarist The Edge said that Bono’s injury could’ve resulted in permanent damage if it hadn’t been treated when it was. At the time of Bono’s surgery, only a few dates on U2’s tour were moved; but the band has now postponed their entire roster of 2010 North American tour dates, pushing them to 2011. As mentioned earlier, U2 also had to pull out of their headlining spot at the famed UK Glastonbury Festival (Bono saying that he was heartbroken, as U2 had even written a song especially for the event), and will be replaced by new headliners Gorillaz...
Dance-popster Christina Aguilera has postponed her North American tour until 2011. The 20-date schedule was set to kick off on July 15, but the singer, citing prior commitments to the promotion of her new album, Bionic, as well as a movie project, has said it’s just not going to work within the current time frame. Bionic is in-stores now (just out last week), and new dates for Aguilera’s U.S. shows will be announced later this year, with refunds for already-purchased tix available at point of purchase...
Michael Franti and Spearhead are full of news lately, namely a new label deal, a new album, and a couple of new singles, all as the band treks onward with its tour of North America. Now on a major label (EMI), Franti and the band are set to release The Sound of Summer later this summer, with the album already being prefaced to radio by single “Shake It.” Their latest sound features more acoustic guitar than prior releases, danceable songs, and a positive attitude in part inspired by Franti’s recent medical difficulties. The band will continue their touring into September...

MODERN ROCK LINK OF THE WEEK:
Discouraged by high concert ticket prices and service fees? Well, Live Nation is offering a little relief (if temporary) so that you can plan at least part of your summer in rockin’ style. They’re eliminating service fees on over 700 shows for the entire month of June, so hop online for the creatively-named “No Service Fee June” at www.livenation.com...

MINI BUZZ:
This isn’t a Rickroll - Rick Astley is returning this week with his first mainstream single in 17 years - the track, “Lights Out,” sounds more like something from The Fray than “Never Gonna Give You Up”...
Devo’s first new studio album in 20 years has been named - the band’s Something for Everybody is set to hit stores on Tuesday, June 15 in the U.S....
L.A.-based post-metal rockers Isis has announced that they’ll be breaking up after their upcoming tour, after 13 years as a band...
The 2010 S.C.E.N.E. Festival will take place next week in the Greater Toronto/Niagara regions, with a plethora of performers including Crush Luther, Rebel Emergency, and Magneta Lane playing at venues around the area...
Brit musician Frank Turner has been tapped to open up for Green Day at a couple of UK shows this month; he’ll also serve as opener for Gaslight Anthem at their hometown New Jersey show...
And that song you’ve been hearing on the new iPad advert? It’s the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s “Gold Lion” from their 2006 album...
ON CD: Rooney’s Eureka... Devo’s Something for Everyone... We Are Scientists’ latest... Foals’ Total Life Forever... and Cowboy Junkies’ Renmin Park... and that’s the buzz for this week’s Modern Rock.
Questions, comments, rants, raves, suggestions on this column or your favorite musicians? Send ‘em to Kristi at modernrocker@gmail.com