by Bill Pearis

Helmet at Irving Plaza, March 2012 (more by BBG)

'90s alt-rockers The Toadies and Helmet are hitting the road this summer for a co-headlining tour, stopping in NYC on August 2 for a show at Webster Hall. Tickets to that show go on sale TODAY (5/18) at noon.

While the good times vibes of The Toadies and the math-rock blast of Helmet probably didn't cross paths a lot back in the day, it makes a little sense through the haze of '90s nostalgia. Hair-flying Austin trio Ume open on all dates and are absolutely worth showing up early to see.

The Toadies have a new album, Play.Rock.Music, that will be out July 31. Helmet most recent album is 2010's Seeing Eye Dog. As for openers Ume, the band (who played Hotel Vegan during SXSW) will go on a co-headlining tour with The Life and Times before hooking up with the Toadies and Helmet.

All Toadies/Helmet and Ume dates are listed below...

Continue reading "The Toadies, Helmet and Ume touring together this summer, playing Webster Hall (dates)"

!!! is playing ACL 2009 (more by Chris Graham)

"The 2009 Austin City Limits Music Festival will showcase a diverse blend of acts both fresh and familiar at the eighth edition of the event in Zilker Park October 2-4. Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band, and Beastie Boys are performing for the first time at the Festival, with Kings of Leon, Ben Harper and Relentless7, and Thievery Corporation returning to Zilker Park once again. John Legend, The Dead Weather, and The Levon Helm Band will also make their ACL Festival debut, while Austin's own Ghostland Observatory will no doubt deliver another memorable set for festival goers.

With over 130 artists on this year's bill, the list of acts awes at each note with the likes of Sonic Youth, Mos Def, Toadies, Flogging Molly, The B-52s, Lily Allen, Citizen Cope, Arctic Monkeys, The Decemberists, Coheed and Cambria, Andrew Bird, Girl Talk, and many more.

In the tradition of the TV show from which it was born, the Festival has always aimed to offer musical discovery for the fans. The 2009 lineup is rich with pop, country, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, indie rock, hip-hop, and gospel, to name a few, spanning cultures and countries from New Orleans to Venezuela to France."

Continue reading "ACL (Austin City Limits) - 2009 festival lineup announcement"