No exact date has been scheduled yet for the editorials themselves, but U2’s Bono has been invited to write a column for the esteemed New York Times starting later this year. Bono will reportedly be working on the column during his 2009 tour schedule with U2; he’ll cover a range of subjects, of which it’s likely that his charity work causes will be included. And as far as U2 the band goes, their next much-anticipated album is expected to hit stores in early 2009 on Interscope Records...
Modern prog-rockers Muse are set to release a two-part CD/DVD collection of live recordings from their two-night headlining shows at London’s Wembley Stadium last summer, at which both shows sold out the 90,000 capacity venue. Dubbed The Haarp Tour: Live from Wembley, the set will arrive on February 19, and will be released in three formats - a CD/DVD special edition, a regular CD/DVD, or as a stand alone DVD, which features individual tracks from the performances plus an uncut recording of one entire show, backstage vids, and a documentary. If you’re in a hurry for this one, you can get it as an import from the UK, where it’s already in stores...
Following up their Wreck the Halls radio concert performance recently in Los Angeles, The Pretenders have announced that they’ll be embarking on a full-scale tour in 2009 to promote their new album, Break Up the Concrete. “Sleeping on a tour bus with a bunch of guys is my trade-off for not having to wait tables,” singer Chrissie Hynde laughed in a recent interview. They’ll be adding founding member Martin Chambers back on drums for the tour for his “distinctive sound,” even though Jim Keltner was their drummer of choice for recording the album as the band wanted to try a different audio approach for the drums. Tour dates are expected to be announced later this month...
And revitalized 1980’s dream-synth-pop band Ultravox have reunited their original lineup, including singer Midge Ure, and are set to embark on a 2009 tour, marking the band’s first performances since 1985’s “Live Aid” shows (the band itself broke up in 1987.) For now, the live shows are limited to the UK, beginning with an April 10 show in Edinburgh, Scotland, although more dates in other countries are expected TBA...
MODERN ROCK LINK OF THE WEEK:
Heading to England for the big Glastonbury fest later this year? Then you’d best be planning ahead - rumor has it that a handful of “legendary bands” are slated to play the 2009 fest, and half of all Glastonbury 2009 tickets have already been sold. Get yours now before it’s too late at
www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk...
MINI BUZZ:
Snow Patrol, whose new album A Hundred Million Suns is already garnering both critical and fan kudos, have set up the first leg of their album-promoting tours, this one taking place in the UK in February and March; their stops will include Glasgow (2/24), Birmingham (3/11), and London (3/14)...
Portishead’s Geoff Barrow has just started up a side project, but it’s not a musical one; instead, Barrow and a pal have opened up Friend & Co., which is a tiny but hip art gallery in Bristol England...
In addition to his work with The World/Inferno Friendship Society, The Hold Steady’s Franz Nicolay has also just completed his own debut solo album - he’s dubbed it Major General, and it’ll be in-stores next week...
Animal Collective are kicking off a round of tour dates with several shows in the UK and Europe, to be followed by performances in NYC (1/20), Chicago (1/22), and Los Angeles (1/23)...
‘90s funk-rock band Living Colour have a new DVD in-stores - their Living Colour DVD: The Paris Concert is in-stores now...
Portland lo-fi punkers The Thermals have just signed with record label Kill Rock Stars, and are set to release their fourth album, Now We Can See, in March 2009...
And just a few releases for you to peruse this week as 2009’s musical first quarter slowly begins... ON CD: Glasvegas’ Glasvegas... ON DVD: Stevie Nicks’ Live in Chicago... Paul McCartney - In Performance... and Frost’s Experiments in Mass Appeal... and that’s the buzz for this week’s Modern Rock.
Questions, comments, rants, raves, suggestions on this column or your fave musicians? Send ‘em to Kristi at modernrocker@gmail.com
Modern prog-rockers Muse are set to release a two-part CD/DVD collection of live recordings from their two-night headlining shows at London’s Wembley Stadium last summer, at which both shows sold out the 90,000 capacity venue. Dubbed The Haarp Tour: Live from Wembley, the set will arrive on February 19, and will be released in three formats - a CD/DVD special edition, a regular CD/DVD, or as a stand alone DVD, which features individual tracks from the performances plus an uncut recording of one entire show, backstage vids, and a documentary. If you’re in a hurry for this one, you can get it as an import from the UK, where it’s already in stores...
Following up their Wreck the Halls radio concert performance recently in Los Angeles, The Pretenders have announced that they’ll be embarking on a full-scale tour in 2009 to promote their new album, Break Up the Concrete. “Sleeping on a tour bus with a bunch of guys is my trade-off for not having to wait tables,” singer Chrissie Hynde laughed in a recent interview. They’ll be adding founding member Martin Chambers back on drums for the tour for his “distinctive sound,” even though Jim Keltner was their drummer of choice for recording the album as the band wanted to try a different audio approach for the drums. Tour dates are expected to be announced later this month...
And revitalized 1980’s dream-synth-pop band Ultravox have reunited their original lineup, including singer Midge Ure, and are set to embark on a 2009 tour, marking the band’s first performances since 1985’s “Live Aid” shows (the band itself broke up in 1987.) For now, the live shows are limited to the UK, beginning with an April 10 show in Edinburgh, Scotland, although more dates in other countries are expected TBA...
MODERN ROCK LINK OF THE WEEK:
Heading to England for the big Glastonbury fest later this year? Then you’d best be planning ahead - rumor has it that a handful of “legendary bands” are slated to play the 2009 fest, and half of all Glastonbury 2009 tickets have already been sold. Get yours now before it’s too late at
www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk...
MINI BUZZ:
Snow Patrol, whose new album A Hundred Million Suns is already garnering both critical and fan kudos, have set up the first leg of their album-promoting tours, this one taking place in the UK in February and March; their stops will include Glasgow (2/24), Birmingham (3/11), and London (3/14)...
Portishead’s Geoff Barrow has just started up a side project, but it’s not a musical one; instead, Barrow and a pal have opened up Friend & Co., which is a tiny but hip art gallery in Bristol England...
In addition to his work with The World/Inferno Friendship Society, The Hold Steady’s Franz Nicolay has also just completed his own debut solo album - he’s dubbed it Major General, and it’ll be in-stores next week...
Animal Collective are kicking off a round of tour dates with several shows in the UK and Europe, to be followed by performances in NYC (1/20), Chicago (1/22), and Los Angeles (1/23)...
‘90s funk-rock band Living Colour have a new DVD in-stores - their Living Colour DVD: The Paris Concert is in-stores now...
Portland lo-fi punkers The Thermals have just signed with record label Kill Rock Stars, and are set to release their fourth album, Now We Can See, in March 2009...
And just a few releases for you to peruse this week as 2009’s musical first quarter slowly begins... ON CD: Glasvegas’ Glasvegas... ON DVD: Stevie Nicks’ Live in Chicago... Paul McCartney - In Performance... and Frost’s Experiments in Mass Appeal... and that’s the buzz for this week’s Modern Rock.
Questions, comments, rants, raves, suggestions on this column or your fave musicians? Send ‘em to Kristi at modernrocker@gmail.com