Re-energized STP to play Grand Rapids, Detroit

Aug. 1, 2010

Re-energized STP to play Grand Rapids, Detroit
Stone Temple Pilots are snagging special guests Cage the Elephant and are hitting the road for a big North American tour, which is set to begin August 10 in Denver at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre. The band’s new album, simply dubbed Stone Temple Pilots - their first in over 10 years - is the subject of all this promotion, and will see the majority of its songs performed live in cities like Milwaukee (8/16), Grand Rapids MI (8/19 at the Deltaplex), Chicago (8/20), Detroit (8/26 at the Fox Theater), Pittsburgh PA (8/28), and Toronto (8/29)...
The Rock the Bells Hip-Hop Festival is back this summer, complete with a number of the scheduled acts performing classic albums from start to end. Rakim will be performing Paid In Full and KRS-One will be taking on Criminal Minded, just to name a couple; the Rock the Bells tour will kick off on August 21 in Los Angeles, and will include a number of other surprise performers, one of them rumored to be Lauryn Hill...
Rapper Dizzee Rascal, along with jazz musician Jamie Cullum and Texan singer Sharleen Spiteri, is set to serve as a TV talent judge on the new Brit Sky1 TV series Must Be the Music. Dizzee, who says that he wants to “give musicians a break,” will award the winner around $140,000 to help kick-start their music career. Must Be the Musicwill be available for viewing this August...
Is it or isn’t it? While recent reports assured that the new Strokes album is complete, frontman Julian Casablancas, in another recent interview, indicated otherwise. The oft mysterious singer said that the band’s role lately has been that of procrastinators, during which they’ll plan to get back in the studio... and then “something else gets in the way.” Although the album was slated for release this fall, now it’s looking like it could arrive any time between fall and next March; but never fear, Strokes fans, you can still catch the band live this summer as one of the headlining acts at this year’s Lollapalooza...

MODERN ROCK LINK OF THE WEEK:
Live frontman Ed Kowalczyk, he of the hit singles “I Alone,” “Lightning Crashes,” and “Selling the Drama,” is back with his first solo album, Alive, which was recorded in Austin, Texas with guest appearances from Sixpence None the Richer’s Leigh Nash and Everclear’s Art Alexakis. Get all the info on the new set and a sneak listen at Ed’s new website, www.edkowalczyk.com (Ed will be appearing at Lolla, as well)...

MINI BUZZ:
Canadian singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith, whose last album was 2008’s Exit Strategy of the Soul, has wrapped tracking on his latest studio set, and is hoping to drop it later this year...
Bjork has been named one of the winners of the 2010 Polar Music Prize, and she’ll receive 1 million kronor at a ceremony at Stockholm’s Concert Hall on August 31, in recognition of her unique and exceptional achievements in the creation and advancement of music...
Wild Beasts have announced an upcoming North American tour in August, via which they’ll make stops at Chicago’s Lollapalooza fest (8/7), Toronto’s Mod Club (8/7), and L.A.’s El Rey Theater (8/13)...
Los Lobos are hopping onto the tour bus for some tour dates this summer in support of their new studio album, Tin Can Trust, in-stores this week...
Singer-songwriter Ryan Bingham will release his third album this September; Bingham wrote all twelve songs on the set and performed them with his band The Dead Horses...The V Mobile FreeFest is now set for Saturday, September 25 at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland; last year, they sold 35,000 tix in a mere 20 minutes, so keep an eye on this one if you’re planning to make a road trip...
And on those delivery trucks headed down the road to a CD store near you are this week’s new releases... Killola’s Let’s Get Associated... Red Wanting Blues These Magnificent Miles... and Los Lobos’ Tin Can Trust... 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
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