The 2013 ACL Festival happens in Austin, TX on two consecutive weekends: October 4 - 6 and October 11 - 13. Weekend passes are on sale now and the full line-up is below...

Continue reading "2013 ACL Music Fest lineup announced (Depeche Mode, The Cure, Atoms for Peace, The National, Vampire Weekend + more)"

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Michael Bolton, who seems to have a good sense of humor about his crappy music, will star as himself in new sitcom Michael Bolton's Daughter Is Destroying My Life according to Deadline. Look for the new sitcom on ABC next year.

Black Sabbath (sans Bill Ward) are finally going to do that album with producer Rick Rubin.

Gothamist wonders aloud if Barclays Center might have a racist metal detector policy (via an article in the NY Post).

I swear the BrooklynVegan not-CMJ day party lineups are coming very soon, though we've already revealed that we've got METZ, Deap Vally and Murals.

The 2012 edition of Austin City Limits, which is switching to two weeks next year, went down over the weekend (sans The Weeknd). Check out our photos from Day Two and Day One. Day Three on the way.

Speaking of the trend of having your festival two weekends in a row now, Ultra Music Festival announced they're doing it too.

Jon Carmanica at the NY Times talks about dance stars evolving to pop fame.

The same issue of the NY Times profiles Ellie Goulding who is dating pop fame dance star Skrillex (who she was hanging out with at Pianos the other night).

Adele's "Someone Like You" has topped another chart: most popular songs at funerals.

The Nick Waterhouse and Allah-Las tour hit Chicago last week. We got pictures.

Speaking of pictures, in NY we recently captured the butt shaking going on at Bowery for Nicky Da B, Flying Lotus and then SBTRKT at Terminal 5, Public Image LTD at both MHOW and Hammerstein, Menomena at Bowery (MHOW on the way), Revelation Records Anniversary Night Two (three and four on the way), and Morrissey not once, not twice, but thrice.

And oh yeah, don't forget the New York Comic Con shots.

Stream Divine Fits' appearance on NPR's World Cafe from earlier today.

Xbox's iTunes-esque new music service debuts tomorrow. Surprise: you're going to have to update your firmware to use it.

Kitty Pride, who plays CMJ this week, hates fellow redhead Tori Amos. For weird reasons.

More stuff below...

Continue reading "ALSO: Michael Bolton's sitcom; Adele tops new chart; ACL, Black Sabbath, PS 22 does Tame Impala, Madonna stripped ++ more"

Austin City Limits 2012 is happening as we speak in Zilker Park in Austin, Texas. If you're not there, you can always livestream it (Saturday's sets include Rufus Wainwright, Metric, Big K.R.I.T., The Shins, Black Lips and Andrew Bird). Our pictures from Friday, like the two above, are exclusively over at BV Austin (where you'll also find pictures from last night's Shins show).

UPDATE: Neil Young and Crazy Horse co-headlined Saturday night with a 2 hour set. Check out what they played.

UPDATE 2: check out a few pics and the setlist from Jack White's set.

A selection of videos from Friday, and some setlists, below...

Continue reading "Austin City Limits 2012 underway -- Day 1 pics & video, Day 2 stream, Black Keys setlist, more"

Alabama Shakes @ Outside Lands 2012 (more by Amoreena Lucero)

As previously mentioned, YouTube will be streaming this weekend's Austin City Limits festival live from Zilker Park. Today/Friday's stream schedule looks like this:

FRIDAY - Oct 12, 2012 - ACL stream schedule
1:30 PM First Aid Kit
1:30 PM He's My Brother, She's My Sister
2:15 PM Asleep at the Wheel
2:30 PM The War on Drugs
3:00 PM Los Campesinos!
3:30 PM Delta Spirit
4:00 PM Patrick Watson
4:30 PM Tegan and Sara
5:15 PM A-Trak
5:30 PM Alabama Shakes
6:15 PM Ben Howard
7:30 PM Florence + The Machine
7:30 PM Thievery Corporation
8:30 PM The Black Keys

Meanwhile, Alabama Shakes (who play ACL today) played an intimate AmFam presented Dream Show in Chicago recently, and some pro-shot video, as seen on BV Chicago, has emerged. Watch that with the rest of the ACL stream schedule, below...

Continue reading "Stream ACL live; Watch Alabama Shakes clips from Chicago "

Screaming Females at La Zona Rosa, 10/10/2012 (more by Tim Griffin)

Screaming Females had to cancel tour dates because Marisa has been sick, but she toughed it out and managed to finish off their TX run with Garbage last night in Austin.

Our pals at Mercy, who are sponsoring the BrooklynVegan CMJ parties this year, are giving away two CMJ badges, exclusive access to CMJ shows, a week's worth of Mercy hangover prevention beverage and a chance to be Mercy's CMJ Reporter. To enter, visit their Facebook.

Off!, who are heading out on tour with the Spits soon, have a new video for "Wrong" featuring Jack Black. Check out the clip below... sweet Sonny Chiba reference in there guys.

UPDATE: Did you watch the debate tonight? Marlarkey!

Listen to Jarvis Cocker rate new records by Adele, Flying Lotus and more on BBC 6Music's "Roundtable" which is live from the man's hometown of Sheffield, England.

Godspeed! You Black Emperor, who are still streaming their new album, and who just played two shows in Austin, gave a rare, long, email interview to the Guardian.

Cops in TX found a loaded gun on Nelly's tour bus at the same location that Fiona Apple, who played Port Chester last night, was arrested.

Austin chef Paul Qui of Top Chef fame had a food truck painted by Peelander-Z whose BrooklynVegan-presented Knitting Factory show goes on sale Friday.

Miguel, whose new album is out on iTunes (as you may have noticed via an ad on this site), played Letterman and announced a tour.

Coliseum (with new bassist) have entered the studio with J. Robbins to begin tracking. They are keeping detailed reports of their progress on Facebook.

Freed Pussy Riot member Yekaterina Samutsevich talked to CNN.

Swedes Peter Bjorn and John wrote a song, "I Wish I Was a Spy," for Yo Gabba Gabba! that you can check out over at NPR. It's on the new volume of the Music Is Awesome! series which also features tracks from Metric, Belle & Sebastian, CSS, Cut Copy, The Roots, The Bird And The Bee and more.

Lots more stuff below...

Continue reading "ALSO: Jarvis Cocker, Bobby Brown, Kool Keith, Tegan & Sara, Screaming Females, Peter Bjorn & John, OFF! & more"

Radiohead kicked off season 38 of Austin City Limits last night on PBS. If you missed it, check your local listings for the repeat, or just watch the whole thing below....

Continue reading "Watch the new Radiohead episode of Austin City Limits (stay tuned for Bon Iver, Bonnie Raitt, Shins, Dr. Dog & more)"

wet fans watching the Shins (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

The sold out 2012 ACL Festival happens October 12-14 in Austin and on YouTube (where you'll find the stream schedule if you scroll down - Jack White, Delta Spirit, A-Trak, Alabama Shakes, The Black Keys, Metric, Rufus Wainwright, Alt-J, Garcy Clark Jr., Polica, Kimbra, Steve Earle, The Weekend, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and the The Shins included).

If you actually will be there in person, you can also catch many of the bands at one of the many official late night shows (including the Shins)

And, speaking of the Shins, they played Conan O'Brien last night. Watch both songs below...

Continue reading "Austin City Limits 2012 livestream schedule posted; The Shins played Conan (videos)"

via @roboppy

Tickets to Aimee Mann and Ted Leo's shows at Bowery Ballroom and Music Hall of Williamsburg go on AmEx presale today at noon.

Tickets to see Silversun Pickups & Cloud Nothings at Terminal 5 go on AmEx presale today at noon

Tickets to The Faint's Danse Macabre show at Terminal 5 go on AmEx presale today at noon today.

Tickets to former Pedro the Lion singer David Bazan 'Control' show at Music Music Hall of Williamsburg go on AmEx presale at noon today.

Dub icon Lee "Scratch" Perry is headlining Music Hall of Williamsburg on September 23. More details about this show TBA, but meanwhile tickets go on AmEx presale at noon today.

Tickets to the 2012 Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival are on sale now... act quick, some shows are already sold out (more specifically, the one with Sarah Silverman is already sold out).

Mika (remember "Grace Kelly") is playing Webster Hall on October 15. Tickets go on AmEx presale at noon today.

And if you're heading to Austin for the 2012 ACL Fest, their late night aftershows were announced and tickets are on presale now.

ACL Fest 2011 (more by Tim Griffin)

Following in Coachella's footsteps...

The Austin City Council just voted unanimously to allow C3 Presents [who also own Lollapalooza] to expand the Austin City Limits Music Festival at Zilker Park to two weekends next year.

The resolution states that City Manager Marc Ott is encouraged "to negotiate and execute an agreement with C3 Presents to include an additional weekend event for the Austin City Limits Music Festival," beginning next year. - [KUT News]

The Weeknd at MHOW in April (more by Bao Nguyen)

Canadian R&B singer/Drake affiliate The Weeknd went on his first headlining tour earlier this year surrounding his appearance at Coachella which brought him to NYC for sold out shows at Music Hall of Williamsburg and Bowery Ballroom. Now he's begun revealing more dates for what looks like iwill end up being a full tour surrounding ACL Festival. Two of those dates happen in NYC on October 26 at Terminal 5 and October 27 at Paradise Theater in the Bronx. Tickets for both shows go on sale Friday (8/17) at noon.

Meanwhile, you can also catch The Weeknd in the NYC area when his tour supporting Florence & the Machine with The Maccabees hits Camden, NJ on September 18 at Susquehanna Bank Center. Florence also hits Jones Beach on September 15 without The Weeknd, but with The Maccabees. Tickets for those shows are still available.

The Weeknd's mixtape trilogy is still available for free download on his website. A stream of "High For This" from his House of Balloons tape and a list of all currently known dates are below.

Continue reading "The Weeknd touring, playing Terminal 5 and Paradise Theater"

After teasing us with lineup addictions day by day over the past few days, the full lineup of Austin City Limits 2012 is finally here. Check it out below....

Continue reading "Austin City Limits Festival -- 2012 lineup "

a Sasquatch 2011 patron (more by Josh Darr)

The new year is approaching, and while you're making last minute plans and thinking up your resolutions, you can also start thinking about what festivals to attend in 2012. Here are some updates on next year's US festivals (not in any particular order).

SXSW, which is taking place from March 9-18 in Austin, with the music portion form March 13-18, has already announced a bunch of bands. If you register before January 13, you'll be able to save a bit.

New Orleans Jazz Fest is taking place from April 27 - May 6. The lineup includes The Beach Boys 50th Anniversary Reunion, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Foo Fighters, Bon IverMy Morning Jacket, Feist, Janelle Monae, and others. The full lineup is below. Tickets are on sale now.

Sasquatch is taking place this year from May 25-28 in Gorge, Washington. 4-Day passes will be on presale through New Year's Eve, and general sale starts February 11. New for 2012, "Patrons who purchase a 4-day festival ticket will be allowed re-entry from the Festival grounds! This will not apply to any other ticket, only the 4-day pass."

Bonnaroo will be taking place from June 7-10 this year in Manchester, TN. Presale tickets have sold out but tickets will go on sale to the general public in the coming months. Also check out a Spotify playlist of the Bonnaroo staff's favorite songs of 2011.

Coachella, will take place over the course of two weekends this year (April 13-15 and 20-22). Other than a fake lineup poster that has been floating around, no artists have been officially announced yet.

Noise Pop will be celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2012 from February 21-26 in San Francisco. So far the lineup includes Archers of Loaf, Built to Spill, Big Freedia, Surfer Blood, Grimes, Bleached, John Vanderslice, Ume, and others. Check out the full list below.

Austin City Limits is taking place from October 12-14 in Zilker Park in Austin. Souvenir 3-day passes and early bird 3-day passes have sold out but regular 3-day passes are on sale now.

Lollapalooza will take place in 2012 from August 3-5 in Grant Park in Chicago. Tickets will go on sale this spring. As BVChicago mentioned, Lollapalooza is also taking place in Chile and Brazil this year.

Bamboozle, now in a new location, is taking place from May 18-20 in Asbury Park in New Jersey this year. So far the scary lineup includes Bon Jovi, Foo Fighters, Skrillex, Blink 182, Incubus, and Mac Miller. 3-Day wristbands are on sale now.

Bumbershoot is taking place from September 1-3 at Seattle Center in Seattle, WA. Tickets are available and Bumbershoot are currently having a holiday sale where single day tickets are half off (originally $150, now $75).

NYC's own Governors Ball, which took place at Governors Island in 2011, has been moved to the bigger Randall's Island and will take place over the course of two days, June 23 and 24. Like last year, there will be no overlapping sets. Compared to the others listed here, this is not quite a big "festival", but unlike anything else listed above, it does happen in NYC. Artist announcements and tickets are coming soon.

Current NoisePop and Jazz Fest lineups below...

Continue reading "2012 Music Festival Roundup (Jazz Fest, Sasquatch, Bonnaroo, Noise Pop, ACL, Coachella, Bamboozle, SXSW, Bumbershoot & more)"

photos by Tim Griffin

Jeff Tweedy of Wilco @ The Moody Theater in Austin 11/30/2011

Wilco taped an episode of the TV show Austin City Limits last night (11/30). They were probably playing around the time the Grammys announced that their new album The Whole Love is nominated for the "Best Rock Album". Pictures from that TV show taping, including one of the setlist, are in this post. Look for the show to air sometime next year.

Who picked up a copy of the limited edition "Speak Into the Rose" 10" that the band released for Record Store Day on Black Friday?

Wilco play the same Austin venue, but to the public and not for TV and with an opening set by Nick Lowe (he did make a special appearance at the TV taping), tonight, before continuing on a tour that includes five Chicago shows later this month. All dates and more ACL pictures below...

Continue reading "Wilco taped an Austin City Limits episode (pics), now on tour "

photos by Tim Griffin

Fleet Foxes visited the Austin City Limits studio at Moody Theater in Austin on Friday (10/7) to tape an episode of the ACL TV show. We now have tthat look forward to in the near future. Meanwhile here are some pictures from the show, including one of the setlist. More below...

Continue reading "Fleet Foxes taped an Austin City Limits episode (pics, setlist)"

photos by Tim Griffin

Arcade Fire / The Walkmen

The 10th annual Austin City Limits festival came to a close on Sunday with a headlining set by Arcade Fire (who also taped an edition of Austin City Limits the TV show one day earlier). It was a rough year for some attendees. I'm talking about smokers. Austin Statesman posted the following before the weekend:

We welcome all the people and music artists attending this year's Austin City Limits Music Festival. It's a special year for the music festival, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The talent this year is incredible, with headliners Kanye West, Stevie Wonder and Arcade Fire, as well as local favorites such as Asleep at the Wheel.

Before we get this party started, we must advise attendees that the Austin Parks Department has banned smoking at all Austin parks, greenbelts, trails and golf courses. That includes Zilker Park, site of the festival.

We realize that a smoking ban might be an inconvenience for some. But it is necessary to keep everyone safe. So please have fun at the events, which run today through Sunday, but leave the cigarettes, cigars, pipes -- or whatever else one might be smoking -- behind. (The ban also prohibits wood or charcoal grilling in Zilker and other parks.)

Smoking was allowed at previous ACL festivals, but this year is different. This year, Central Texas is dealing with wildfires that have killed two people, destroyed about 1,500 homes and burned tens of thousands of acres in Bastrop County, Steiner Ranch, Pflugerville and other Central Texas communities. In Austin, city firefighters responded to 469 brush fires from January through July. Cigarettes caused about a fourth of those fires, officials said. [Austin Statesman]

Continue reading "Austin City Limits 2011 -- Day 3 in pics (Arcade Fire, Walkmen, DFA1979, Manu Chao & more)"

photos by Tim Griffin

Arcade Fire / The Antlers

Rain showers fired up crowds for the second day of the Austin City Limits Music Festival, even as much of the excitement Saturday was for headliner Stevie Wonder, who had fans claiming spots by the main stage throughout the afternoon.

Out-of-towners might not have understood the joyful reaction -- which included singing and dancing -- that rain got throughout Zilker Park. "I say, 'God bless the rain,' and we need it," said Austin photographer Greg Davis, who for the fifth year was selling his photos in the fest's art market. "It's bad for business but great for the community."

Some people used shelters put up for extra protection from the sun to escape the intermittent showers, while others didn't let a little water keep them from staking out spots early around the stage where Motown legend Wonder was to perform. The periphery filled so quickly that by the time R&B singer Cee Lo Green took the stage at 6 p.m., several hundred fans had planted chairs in nondesignated areas, causing security to ask them to move so the expected throng of people would have space to approach the stage.

"Our whole plan today has been to scope out a spot so that we don't have to fight the crowds," said Joelle Barnes of Austin, who along with her husband, James, were among the people asked to move their chairs. Although Barnes and her husband had enjoyed Alison Krauss and Union Station, Cee Lo and other performers they had seen on Saturday, the day was all about Wonder. "He's a legend -- you can't argue with that," James Barnes said. "This is such a rare opportunity"... [Austin360]

Pics from Day One HERE. Day Three streaming online today (9/18). More Day Two pictures below...

Continue reading "ACL 2011 -- Day 2 in pics (Antlers, Phosphorescent, Aloe Blacc, Twin Shadow, Arcade Fire TV taping & more)"

photos by Tim Griffin

James Blake / Kanye West

"Light sprinkles ushered in the first day of the tenth annual Austin City Limits Music (ACL) Festival, but it was a welcome reprieve from the humid heat that has been plaguing the area and the state. Music and festival fans came in droves to see their favorite ACL artists, and rumors swirled throughout the day as to who the main headliner of the evening, Kanye West, would share the stage with..." [Pegasus News]

Austin City Limits continues today, Saturday (9/17). You can stream it online. More pictures from Friday below...

Continue reading "ACL 2011 -- Day 1 in pics (Kanye West, Bright Eyes, Big Boi, Cults, Wild Beasts, James Blake, Kurt Vile & more)"

The 2011 edition of Austin City Limits begins today (9/16) at Zilker Park in Austin. YouTube has the live stream on two channels. Full stream schedule below.

Continue reading "ACL 2011 begins -- stream it on YouTube"

photos by Tim Griffin

DOWNLOAD: Twin Sister - "Bad Street" (MP3)

Twin Sister @ ACL Live

Twin Sister have a new album in the works, and like Real Estate's new one, it will be coming out on Domino Records. They'll release their debut full length In Heaven via Domino on September 27. Download the track "Bad Street" above. Stream it and check out the full tracklist, below.

Twin Sister kicked off a tour at ACL Live's Moody Theater in Austin last night (6/8). Pictures from that show, where they opened for Beirut (pictures HERE), are in this post.

Their trek continues in Houston tonight and eventually reaches Music Hall of Williamsburg on 6/18 with Allo Darlin', Ava Luna, and Gabriel and the Hounds. The previously mentioned Brooklyn show is part of the Northside Festival and still on sale for those without badges. Twin Sister played the same venue during the Northside Fest last year.

All Twin Sister tour dates, more pictures from Austin, and the new album stuff, below...

Continue reading "Twin Sister releasing LP on Domino (new MP3), played ACL Live (pics), on tour now (dates)"

photos by Tim Griffin

Beirut @ ACL Live

Beirut are releasing their long-awaited third LP The Rip Tide on August 30 on Zach Condon's own Pompeii Records internationally and on Revolver in the US. New tracks "East Harlem" and "Goshen" both also appear on a limited edition single which is out now, and you can listen to both of those songs streaming below.

Beirut's recent live shows have included a sold out show at the Wellmont Theater in NJ, a small, private show in Stratosphere Sound Recording Studio, a small, private show in a Brooklyn loft, and a big show at ACL Live's Moody Theater in Austin last night (6/8) with Twin Sister. Pictures of Beirut from the Texas show are in this post (the Twin Sister pics are HERE).

Beirut's upcoming shows include Bonnaroo this weekend, Lollapalooza, Outside Lands, and a big Northside Festival show in McCarren Park with Sharon Van Etten which is now SOLD OUT (though they have to let some Northside Badgeholders in).

All tour dates, new song streams, new album tracklist, and more pictures from Austin, below...

Continue reading "Beirut revealed new album details (with 2 streaming songs), played ACL Live (pics), sold out McCarren Park"

The 10th Anniversary ACL Festival line-up is on the books. Stevie Wonder, Arcade Fire, Kanye West, Coldplay, My Morning Jacket, Fleet Foxes, Alison Krauss and Union Station, Nas & Damian "Jr Gong" Marley and Cee Lo top the bill of the over 130 bands. Bright Eyes, Social Distortion, Empire of the Sun, Santigold, Pretty Lights, TV On The Radio, Skrillex, Big Boi and Randy Newman are also on tap to rock September 16-18.

Continue reading "Austin City Limits 2011 festival lineup is here, tickets on sale"

photos by Tim Griffin

Femi Kuti & The Positive Force @ The Moody Theater

The Femi Kuti & The Positive Force 2011 North American tour is still underway and is now on the West Coast until the tour's final show in Seattle on May 15th. Along the way they hit Highline Ballroom & Music Hall of Wiliamsburg in April and the new ACL Moody Theater in Austin on May 6th...

"Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater is a state-of-the-art, 2,700 + person capacity live music venue that will also serve as the new home of the KLRU-TV produced PBS program Austin City Limits, the longest running music series in American television history. The venue will host 60-100 concerts a year, in addition to the nights the Austin City Limits show will tape. Commitment to green building standards qualify us to apply for LEED® certification, the highest standard for sustainable development."

Fela's two most successful Afrobeat-playing sons are Femi and Seun. Seun even now leads Fela's old band Egypt 80. As you might have noticed in this summer's Celebrate Brooklyn lineup, Seun has a show (shows) coming up too. The free Brooklyn one happening at the Prospect Park Bandshell is listed like this:

FRIDAY, JULY 22, 7:00 P.M.
SEUN KUTI & EGYPT 80 | FAAJI AGBA

The yearlong celebration of Nigeria's 50th anniversary of independence that began last October continues here with a generation-bridging concert. Fronting his father Fela's legendary band, Seun Kuti is the living embodiment of afro-pop. Faaji Agba's lineup of Afrobeat pioneers--including Fatai Rolling Dollar, Chief Seni Tejuoso and Prince 'Eji' Oyewole of the Afro-Skittles Band--makes them Nigeria's answer to the Buena Vista Social Club: a supergroup of veteran musicians who are re-popularizing faaji grooves, agidigbo blues, juju and other styles of Nigerian roots. Travel support provided by Arik Air.

A full Seun North American tour will be announced soon, but in the meantime, all known Seun & Femi dates, and more Femi pics, below...

Continue reading "Femi Kuti tour continues (Austin pics), Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 playing shows this summer (Prospect Park & other dates)"

photos by Tim Griffin

"An estimated 200,000 people journeyed the grounds of Zilker Park this weekend for the Austin City Limits Music Festival.

The descent of the iconic guitar sign Monday signified the end of an incredibly successful ACL Music Festival, and with eight stages and 130 bands, clean up is expected to take the rest of the week.

"This year's ACL was one of the best. The weather was incredible," City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department spokesperson Victor Ovalle said.

The show's producer, C3 Presents, takes care of cleaning up Zilker Park, and the city sends crews into the surrounding neighborhoods to remove any trace of music fans who know how to have a good time.

After C3 Presents leaves the park later this week, fertilizing and watering the grass will city's number one priority." [News 8 Austin]

Continue reading "ACL 2010 Day 3 in pics (Foals, Eagles, Yeasayer, Norah Jones, Ted Leo, Devendra Banhart, Morning Benders & more)"

photos by Tim Griffin

"Watching Deer Tick at One Eyed Jacks in
the French quarter..." - Wayne Coyne, one day after ACL

"Burbank, CA - What would Halloween be without THE FLAMING LIPS? Certainly nothing as magical and incendiary as their annual Ghouls Gone Wild event held in their hometown of Oklahoma City, that's what. As we fall into the crisp Autumnal night air of the season's darkest yet sweetest holiday, THE FLAMING LIPS ask the question: Want to Participate in This Year's MARCH OF 1000 FLAMING SKELETONS?

This October 23rd, The LIPS will once again host their annual MARCH OF 1000 FLAMING SKELETONS Parade in downtown Oklahoma City's Bricktown district, just a stones throw away from FLAMING LIPS ALLEY.

Last year's third annual Ghouls Gone Wild event was a huge success that drew LIPS fans from around the globe. Naturally, this year's Supernatural procession will be even more elaborate as festive floats, (in)appropriately adorned cars, walking groups and plenty of surprises along with 1000 strong undead snaking through the streets of Oklahoma City.

Order your costume bundle for this year's parade now in the official Flaming Lips store: www.flaminglips.com/store

Continue reading "the Flaming Lips played ACL (pics, setlist), made a poster w/ Wayne's blood (video), announce Skeleton Parade, other dates"

photos by Tim Griffin

Night fell down on Austin Town and it figured it'd be a busy night. And with The xx and Temper Trap setting the table for LCD Soundsystem, Gogol Bordello, Monsters of Folk, Deadmau5, Matt & Kim, MIA and Muse, Saturday did indeed set it self up to be remembered as ACL 2010's strongest.

Except for the part where MIA screwed things up during her set...

...M.I.A.'s set saw plenty of anticipation on the west end of the fairgrounds, but little payoff: The first song saw didn't even see Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam on stage, and, though she came out for the second, that first song worked as a fitting metaphor for her entire mumbled performance.

Here's the thing about performing in festivals, especially on a main stage: Very few people actually see the performers; they rely on the accompanying video screens to share the visual side of the performance. But rather than the performer (or any of her five packing dancers or DJ) , M.I.A.'s screen showed illustrations. M.I.A., meanwhile, spent minimal time in her set's early going on stage, instead opting to interact o the grass in front of her closest fans. An admirable offering, perhaps, but it left the rest of her crowd in the dark, straining their necks to see her dancers or maybe just the neon "Maya" sign that served as her backdrop.

Her vocals weren't helping matters, either. They were already mixed too low, and Maya, for the most part, mumbled her way through the proceedings. Audiences thinned out--only to be pulled back in once the video screens finally--mercifully--showed the performer stalking the stage, and performing her biggest hit, "Paper Planes." [Dallas Observer]

Continue reading "ACL 2010 Day 2 in pics (Monsters of Folk, M.I.A., LCD Soundsystem, Broken Bells, deadmau5, Muse & more)"