The above pictures is a screen shot from the Virgin Freefest lineup announcement video that they posted to YouTube. The girl behind the words exclaims, "James Murphy solo!" as she reads her piece of the September 10th free MD festival lineup. The full lineup, video, poster and press release is below...

Continue reading "Virgin FreeFest announces 2011 lineup (includes "James Murphy solo" and many more)"

photos by Greg Cristman

Pavement @ Summerstage Friday

After six nights in gotham that included one show in a bonafide downpour, two TV appearances (Colbert and Fallon), and thousands of tickets sold to five live shows, Pavement moved on to Marland Saturday to play the free Virgin Mobile FreeFest that went down at Merriweather Post Pavilion...

"False starts, aimless guitar-noodling, and Stephen Malkmus' sloppy 'do: Yup, it was a perfect Pavement set. Now several months into its reunion, the legendary indie-rock quintet cycled through every song but "Box Elder" that's essential to a Pavement show, often with heavy audience accompaniment. Some of the crowd's favorite singalong lines: "No big hair!" in "Cut Your Hair"; "Not here, babe!" in "Summer Babe"; "Don't worry, we're in no hurry!" in "Range Life." It was uncharacteristically unslackerish, which is to say Bob Nastanovich wasn't the only member rocking out. Malkmus was in particularly good spirits. After the band ended "Spit On a Stranger," he joked that he'd auditioned with the song for American Idol. "I couldn't hit the high notes," he said." [Spin]

On Sunday Pavement played Atlanta, and the band has five more dates to go before they hang it up again (or will they?) (should they?). Those dates include Hollywood Bowl in LA with Sonic Youth and No Age, and the Matador 21 Festival.

Setlists from Maryland and Georgia, along with the rest of the pictures from Summerstage Friday, below...

Continue reading "Pavement played Virgin FreeFest (setlist) after completing their run of 5 NYC shows (one more set of Summerstage pics) "

photos by Chris Graham

Pavement @ Sasquatch Fest 2010

The above-pictured Pavement show took place in May 2010 (and wasn't free). In September, Pavement will play Virgin Mobile FreeFest (and it is free)....

"Breaking from traditional festivals, the Virgin Mobile FreeFest presented by Kyocera unveiled its lineup for the award-winning festival, selecting relevant, important, and eclectic headliners to represent this year's free show. This morning, Chairman of the Virgin Group Sir Richard Branson announced the lineup on Virgin Mobile Live, the company's new Internet music stream available on Virgin Mobile websites.

The lineup will include:

M.I.A., LCD SOUNDSYSTEM, PAVEMENT, T.I., LUDACRIS, JOAN JETT, THIEVERY CORPORATION, MATT & KIM, JIMMY EAT WORLD, THE TEMPER TRAP, EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS, AND YEASAYER;

DANCE FOREST: CHROMEO, SLEIGH BELLS, DIE ANTWOORD, MODESELEKTOR, AND NEON INDIAN

Not bad for a free show (and yet another Pavement show!). More details, with the full set of pictures of Pavement playing this year's Sasquatch Fest, below...

Continue reading "Virgin Mobile FreeFest lineup +++ Pavement Sasquatch pics "

Franz Ferdinand @ the Virgin Fest in Canada - Aug 29, 2009 (Chromewaves)

"Somehow, in its fourth year on Hogtown soil, the Virgin Festival has pulled off the impossible: Amalgamating endlessly changing variables into a cohesive, enjoyable affair. It pleases with just the right ratio of talent to timing and music to distractions. Packed with everything from singer-songwriters and hip-hop to indie gods and blues freaks, the 2009 edition of Virgin Festival was an endless onslaught of sensory overload. Yet despite a stream of diversions such as Thai massage, autograph tents and burlesque pole dancing, music was still the focus.

Starting off modestly, the first day was a slow burner. Not until early-evening did the ample audience show enthusiasm as Scottish outfit Franz Ferdinand revved 'em up. Garnering the most praise, no doubt due to their influencing virtually every other band on the bill, The Pixies nailed a set full of favourites...

...it was the double finale of 25-year-old electronic duo Pet Shop Boys and sinister cult hero(es) Nine Inch Nails that ensured the festival was a raucous success. With PSB boasting the only full-fledged multimedia extravaganza via video, lights, iconic '80s imagery and, er, shoulder pads, their spirited commingling of past and present was as engaging as it was fun.

As for Nine Inch Nails' reportedly final Canadian show, it was a shocking shot of stellar rage delivered with professionalism and gusto, especially when main man Trent Reznor started smashing instruments a mere three songs into the set. While Reznor shows no signs of slowing down, it was still sad to think that such a spotless gig could be the last time we catch him." [Metro Toronto]

For Nine Inch Nails, the Virgin Fest was the seventh, and only Canadian, stop on this final leg of their "Wave Goodbye" tour. Peter Murphy did not join the band in Canada, but he was at both Chicago shows at Aragon Ballroom the two nights prior. After a night off, NIN will play their first LA show at the Hollywood Palladium on 9/2. The setlist for the first Chicago show is HERE. The setlists for Chicago Night Two and Virgin, are below...

Continue reading "Pixies, Pet Shop Boys (in NYC Tuesday) & Nine Inch Nails (only LA shows left) played the Virgin Festival in Toronto"

DOWNLOAD: Jarvis Cocker - Angela (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Jarvis Cocker - You're In My Eyes (Discosong - Pilooski mix) (MP3)

Jarvis Cocker kicked off a very short North American tour at V Fest in Vancouver last night (7/26).

British singer Jarvis Cocker is a funny dude. The former frontman of Pulp, he's as witty as they come. He questioned whether the audience had been struck by lightning last night, then quipped, "You look remarkably well."

Musically, too, he and his band were solid. (Rumour has it a conversation Richard Branson had with Cocker back in the '90s was the impetus behind the original V-Fest in 1996.)

Although, I have to say, I'm enjoying Cocker's banter with the audience (a bit one-sided, however) more. "Did anyone go swimming in the lake?" he asked. "Good, it's forbidden."
[The Vancouver Sun]

And speaking of giveaways, Cocker is currently giving away a remix of a song off his new album, Further Complications, which came out in May on Rough Trade. The remix in question, "You're In My Eyes (Discosong)," done by French DJ Pilooski, is available at jarviscocker.net and above. "Angela," off the new record, is also above.

Contest details and all tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Jarvis Cocker time - win tickets to MHOW, get a free remix"

Alt-rock kingpins the Pixies will make their live return to the U.S. this fall!

Frontman Frank Black tells SPIN.com that the Boston-born quartet will celebrate the 20th anniversary of their groundbreaking release, Doolittle, by playing the album in its entirety in Oakland, Los Angeles, Seattle, Denver, Chicago, Boston, Washington DC, New York City, and "maybe Montreal" this fall.

"I believe we're doing the Wang Center in Boston," he says of his hometown gig at the 3,600-capacity venue.

Exact dates have yet to be confirmed. The U.S. tour is expected to follow a run of Doolittle shows in Europe scheduled for October.

The gigs will coincide with the release of the Pixies' ambitious Minotaur box set, which will arrive in October on 4AD Records (order yours now via Artist in Residence).

It was also just announced that the Pixies will play the Ontario Virgin Festival on August 29th. The full lineup of that two day festival also includes Grizzly Bear, Sloan, The Rural Alberta Advantage, Pet Shop Boys, Plants and Animals, and one of Nine Inch Nails' final performances. All European Pixes dates below...

Continue reading "Pixies planning US/NYC Doolittle shows - current dates include Europe & Virgin Festival Ontario (full lineup)"

Public Enemy @ Roots Picnic (more by Tim Griffin)

WARREN, NJ, June 24, 2009 Speculation and predictions that have filled blogs and discussion boards can be put to rest. The Virgin Mobile Festival is returning, but with a catch. It'll be free.

Virgin Mobile USA, creator of one of the largest and most critically acclaimed music festivals in the U.S., announced today that it would host the 2009 Virgin Mobile Festival on Sunday, August 30, at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Md., free of charge. All tickets will be given away, and previous Virgin Mobile Festival ticket buyers and Virgin Mobile customers will have the first crack at securing the 35,000 tickets.

The move celebrates both a giveback to music fans in a bad economy as well as an effort to solicit donations to homeless youth agencies in need around the country via The RE*Generation, Virgin Mobiles charitable arm. Most sponsors, including premier sponsor Kyocera Communications, will be building awareness for the cause in their marketing efforts around the festival.

"Instead of focusing on layoffs or the state of the economy, we want to focus on concrete ways to provide assistance to those in need", said Dan Schulman, CEO, Virgin Mobile USA. "People need outlets to both lend a helping hand and to escape and relax, for free, even if just for one day. We want to throw some good news in the mix".

The 2009 Virgin Mobile FreeFest will be hosted on the beautiful, 40 wooded acres of Merriweather Post Pavilion. The grounds and facilities of Merriweather will be expanded to accommodate the multiple stage and dance tent set-up from prior Virgin Mobile Festivals. Those scheduled to appear at this years FreeFest include Weezer, Blink-182, Franz Ferdinand, and Public Enemy, Jet, The National, Girl Talk, The Bravery, The Hold Steady, St. Vincent, Wale, and Taking Back Sunday, as well as dance tent favorites that include HOLY F*CK, Pete Tong, Danny Howells and Lee Burridge.

Continue reading "MD Virgin Mobile Fest returns in 2009 as a free event (lineup)"

photos by Bao Nguyen

Tickets are on sale for Chromeo shows in Philly, Boston and NYC. The NY show is at Webster Hall on October 2nd. Peanut Butter Wolf is opening. All dates and more pictures from their recent performance at the Baltimore Virgin Festival, below...

Continue reading "Chromeo - 2008 Tour Dates (Webster Hall), Virgin pics"

photos by Bao Nguyen

DOWNLOAD: Sharon Jones - 100 days, 100 nights (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Menahan Street Band - Make the Road by Walking (MP3)

"Hey, Duffy: This is what soul sounds like: Tribal, earthy, hip-shakin', swerve-throwin' Sharon Jones." [Time Out Chicago]

Naomi Shelton first lifted her soulful voice into the Daptone family back in the Desco days of the late 1990s. Under her maiden name, Naomi Davis, she gave us "Forty First Street Breakdown," which has become a secret weapon for funk DJs....Naomi has a regular Friday-night residency at the West Village's Fat Cat, during which she and her band regularly blow away the audience with her powerful vocals, popping basslines, and spot-on harmonies (andfor only $3, it's probably one of the cheaper ways to change your life)...

...Menahan Street Band is one of the many projects of Thomas Brenneck, best known, perhaps, as the guitarist for the Dap-Kings, the Budos Band, and Amy Winehouse. Recorded entirely in analog in his Brooklyn home, Menahan Street Band's debut LP, Make the Road by Walking, out October 14, redefines the idea of bedroom project.

The pictures in this post are from the Virgin Festival. More of those, and some videos from Lollapalooza, below...

Continue reading "Sharon Jones played Summerstage, Lollapalooza, Osheaga & the Virgin Festival (pics, video, tour dates)"

photos by Bao Nguyen, words by Showtrotta

The only bands I (Showtrotta) wanted to see at All Points West in Jersey City on Friday (8/8) were Underworld and Radiohead. I entered the festival a bit earlier than that though - just in time to get poured on, but luckily it let up pretty quickly. I had some time to grab something to eat, drink one of my five beers in the designated drinking area (seriously Jersey...wtf?), and stake out a good spot for Underworld. I wound up around 15 feet back from the stage after stepping over and around throngs of people who had already claimed their spots with blankets. When Underworld came on it became apparent that 90% of the people were just there for Radiohead. It was frustrating, but I wasn't about to let it ruin anything. There was a little group of people nearby who were also there to see Underworld and we all happily got down for the hour and 15 minutes Underworld were on.

I was upset when I later read criticisms of Underworld's set as "cheesy and dated". Underworld played such an important role shaping electronic music and I really enjoyed their set. The older tracks they played at the festival are classics which paved the way for a lot of the electronic music that became popular thereafter. Underworld's music is, and their stage presence was, strong. I was able to experience a sense of nostalgia for a time that I wasn't around for firsthand.

Unfortunately the daytime APW set meant there was no great Underworld light show...and the huge light balloons just weren't the same without actual lights in them. Luckily the visuals were still good - a mix of old school video games and a live video feed from cameras on the stage which often pointed at Karl Hyde who barely stopped bouncing for a second through the entire length of the show.

The night ended perfectly hours later at the end of Radiohead's set with their dedication of "Everything In Its Right Place" to Underworld, which as a fan of both bands I found to be a beautiful moment in its own right. However, I also appreciated it even more after dancing amidst a crowd of motionless, disinterested Radiohead fans during Underworld's set.

The next day in Baltimore Underworld got a two hour set in the dance tent where they were competing a little with the noise coming from the Foo Fighters on the main stage. There were no huge Underworld light balloons at all - possibly due to the ceiling height, but it was nighttime. Both festival setlists, and more pics from Baltimore, below...

Continue reading "Underworld - an APW review, Baltimore pics & both setlists"

photos by Bao Nguyen

"Got there early&saw a bit of Andrew Bird and checked out Shudder to Think because we were interested..then went off to get a good spot for She&Him..ahhhhh Zooey Deschanel&M. Ward were great&one of her backup singers sang a song of her own for a bit,apparently people thought lil wayne was in the audience(ummm it wasn't him)&yelled "we want weezy" during the performance. A lot of people were throwing the beach balls around&I really wanted to punch someone because it kept landing on my head(Kate counted 11 times that it hit her in the head)...I really wanted to deflate it&rip it to shreds...as soon as everyone walked off stage people began to push because they wanted to be up front for Lil Wayne"
[High-Low Twist]

You can read about their last (unofficial) reunion shows that took place earlier this year. And you can check them out for yourself later this year. Tickets are still on sale for a show at Webster Hall. All tour dates HERE. More Baltimore pics below...

Continue reading "Shudder to Think @ the Baltimore Virgin Festival - pics"

photos by Bao Nguyen

"Andrew Bird -- Wow, was this guy awful. I wanted to get close to the stage for She & Him so I had to tolerate Bird's performance. It was horrendous. He played a violin like a guitar. Not cool. But what was perplexing was that everyone else LOVED this guy. It was like I was taking crazy pills. He had more people than either The Go! Team and She & Him (who sandwiched him on the south stage). When his set was over everyone cleared out. What were these people thinking?!? She & Him were next! It's times like this that I lose faith in humanity." [Yeah Right]

Continue reading "She & Him @ the 2008 Baltimore Virgin Fest - pics"

photos by Bao Nguyen

"In the three-year history of this festival, no act has ever been late - not even by a few minutes. It always impressed me that the artists maintained enough professionalism to be on time and the organizers insisted on a tight schedule.

So who does Lil Wayne think he is?

His scheduled start time was 3:50 p.m. Around that time, a roadie came out to test a guitar. Not a good sign....

...So, finally, just past 4:30, His Highness appeared, walking onto the stage in a tight white T-shirt, black jeans, shades and a University of Texas baseball cap as if he had all the time in the world. Without anything resembling an apology, Wayne started rapping along to the pre-recorded version of "Full Clip," his jeans already halfway down his thighs....

...With that, he announced he was going to "blow ya alls minds," the radio friendly hook of "Lollipop" began and Kanye West - on deck for tonight's closing slot - raced out to rap a few verses....

...I did make it down to the other stage in time to see Iggy Pop, plastered in sweat from head to toe and, as usual, displaying his unbelievably ripped torso (dude is 61!!)." [MyTimesDispatch.com]

Continue reading "Iggy Pop vs Lil' Wayne @ 2008 Baltimore Virgin Fest - pics"

Jef Aérosol Dylan stencil, 76th & Columbus, NYC

Bob Dylan's Brooklyn show happens at the Prospect Park bandshell tonight (Aug 12). The Asbury Park show is on Wednesday. Over the weekend Bob played a festival-short set at the Baltimore Virgin Festival and not long before that he played 17 songs at the Electric Factory in Philly. Those setlists are below...

Continue reading "Bob Dylan - Virgin & Philly setlists, Brooklyn show tonight"

photos by Bao Nguyen

Kanye West took a bit of a jab at the festival's schedule, specifically the choice concertgoers had to make between his performance and one from Nine Inch Nails happening at the same time at the other end of the park (a dilemma faced by fans at Chicago's Lollapalooza a week earlier). "It's not a black-or-white thing, it's not a rap-or-rock-and-roll thing," he exclaimed. "It's a good-music thing. We jam about good things from the heart. How can you pick between me and Trent Reznor?" [MTV]

Continue reading "NIN @ the 2008 Baltimore Virgin Festival - pics"

Interpol @ the 2007 Virgin Festival (more by Bao Nguyen)

The Virgin Mobile Festival in Baltimore is giving All Points West a run for its money this weekend. It's also making me question when the next time I'll get a good night's sleep. In addition to all the All Points West coverage we'll (attempt to) have here over the weekend, Bao Nguyen will be on the ground in Baltimore (again).

To compare: All Points West is three days. Virgin is just two. Both fests have three stages. Both fests have Jack Johnson as a headliner. Both fests have Chromeo, Duffy, Andrew Bird, Cat Power, Rodrigo y Gabriela and Underworld. All Points West has Radiohead - twice. Virgin has Wilco, Sharon Jones, The Swell Season, Foo Fighters, Iggy Pop, Kanye West, STP, NIN, Bob Dylan, CHUCK BERRY, and everyone listed in the schedule below...

Continue reading "Baltimore Virgin Festival this weekend too -- the schedule"

Most of Shudder to Think got back together to play an Obama benefit at Bowery Ballroom in February (and another show not long before that). At the time, Craig said, "...we want to continue in that spirit and see where it takes us." Well, so far it looks like it's taking them to the Baltimore Virgin Festival in August (where they'll play along with Bob Dylan, Kanye West, .Sharon Jones, The Black Keys, and many others).

"People have eagerly awaited our lineup, and now everyone can see that we've achieved the 'Whoa!' factor," said Virgin Mobile Festival concert producer and I.M.P. Chairman Seth Hurwitz. "Our job is that of a curator, finding only the absolute best acts for the most discerning of audiences. We want people to count on us every year for an amazing lineup from start to finish. When fans buy their tickets to the Virgin Mobile Festival, they know they are going to have a great time, be well-treated, and see the best acts in the world, which is why they come back."

"This is an incredible event for music fans, our partners and customers, as well as a tremendous introduction to our brand," said Bob Stohrer, Chief Marketing Officer, Virgin Mobile USA. "The lineup once again is awesome and, like most things 'Virgin,' it's more than just a concert, but two days full of unexpected and interactive happenings. This year, we have also added the creation of a special edition Virgin Mobile Festival Wild Card handset from Kyocera Wireless, the premier handset sponsor of the event for the past three years."

Hurwitz noted that more artists will be added. "Our bill is really strong now," he said, "but in the last two years, acts came along at the last minute that I had to pass on as the lineup was set in stone. This year I'm adding a new element of keeping a couple of choice slots open so I can take advantage of new opportunities over the next few months."

Continue reading "Baltimore Virgin Festival - the complete 2008 lineup (Iggy Pop, Bob Dylan, Wilco, Underworld, Chuck Berry...)"

Gogol Bordello @ The Leeds Festival 2006 (Guy Eppel)

Continue reading "Gogol Bordello - 2008 Tour Dates (McCarren/ACL/Osheaga / Virgin/Coachella/Bonnaroo/Rothbury/Popped)"

August 9 & 10 in Baltimore. Same weekend as All Points West in New Jersey.

Oasis is playing the Toronto Virgin Festival in September (tix) and a few other places with Ryan Adams (tix). The presale password is OASISINET. All dates and Virgin festival info below.....

Continue reading "Oasis & Ryan Adams - mostly-Canadian Tour Dates, presale"

Virgin Mobile Festival, the largest music and art event on the East Coast, will return for the third year to Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore on Aug. 9 and 10, 2008. The full concert line-up, general admission and VIP ticket sale information will be announced in the coming weeks. Fans can sign up for updates at www.virginmobilefestival.com. Tickets will be available at ticketmaster.com.

Britt Daniel & Spoon @ Virgin Fest 2007 (MORE)

The above three mentioned chaps will be participating in some capacity (supergroups possibly) in the upcoming show now too.

DOWNLOAD: Strokes - Modern Girls & Old Fashioned Men (f Regina Spektor) (MP3)

Regina Spektor @ the 2007 Virgin Festival (MORE)

Part of me is "YAY REGINA!", and part of me is "WHY, REGINA?!" $35.00 tickets go on sale Friday for an October 16th Regina Spektor show at the large-and-not-intimate Hammerstein Ballroom. Don't forget, Ryan Adams at-the-same-venue goes on sale Friday too.

Check out Bao's review & pics of Regina @ Virgin, and some pics of Regina playing Lollapalooza the same weekend, and more tour dates below....

Continue reading "Regina Spektor - 2007 Tour Dates (Hammerstein)"

words & photos by Bao Nguyen

Girl Talk

So this was a very last minute idea, meaning I left New York for Baltimore at 12 PM on Saturday when gates had already opened at 10 AM. Not knowing at the time whether I had a pass waiting for me at the festival, I made the 4 hour drive, hindered by the beach bound crowd on the NJ Turnpike, armed with a Polaroid, 4 hours of sleep, and a sense of regret for missing the previous night's CSS show. I arrived at Pimilico Field at exactly 4 PM and after nearly being run over by Richard Branson on a golf cart, I made it just in time to catch the start of Peter Bjorn and John's set. I think their music plays better in a small club than a large festival type atmosphere especially when the entire crowd seems to be waiting for only one particular song that everyone can whistle to. Following Peter Bjorn and John was an high energy set from LCD Soundsystem that included a very unusual mosh pit where three people were doing their best Thom Yorke seizure dance....

Continue reading "The 2007 Virgin Festival in Baltimore - review & pics"