UPDATE: It's true, and it's called Orion Music & More

Metallica @ Yankee Stadium in 2011 (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

Metallica sent out a "Save the Date" on Friday. Along with the below video, it included this message:

WHO: Metallica
WHAT: Save The Date
WHEN: Tuesday, February 7th at 11:00 AM PST
WHERE: www.metallica.com

We'll know what that's all about at 2:00 PM EST, but if the Daily Swarm is to be believed (and I think they are):

METALLICA IS THROWING A TWO-DAY FESTIVAL IN ATLANTIC CITY THIS SUMMER...

What we do know: a two-day Metallica festival is set for June 22 & 23 in Atlantic City, and due to be announced this afternoon. Many bands are playing.

What we don't know: everything else. We will update as soon as we find out more information. An announcement is set for 2PM EST, today.

Stay tuned for more.

UPDATE: It's true, and it's called Orion Music & More

Look for clues in the "Save The Date" video below...

Continue reading "Metallica announcing a two-day NJ festival today?"

The Sasquatch! Music Festival is proud to announce that the event has completely sold out of all 100,000 tickets (25,000 per day over 4 days) in record time exactly one week from the lineup announcement.

All festival attendees are encouraged to carpool to the event and register their mileage savings at www.esurance.com/carpool to win prizes and track the positive environmental impact. People who shared rides to Sasquatch in 2010 (and registered with Zimride), saved 326,920 driving miles--the equivalent of 1.37 trips to the moon.

This year's Coachella sold out slightly quicker. This year's Bonnaroo goes on sale Saturday, February 19th at noon Eastern. The lineup was announced today.

The Walkmen are playing Bonnaroo, and their frontman is playing in Brooklyn this weekend.

The Strokes are playing Coachella and Bonnaroo and probably SXSW and Madison Square Garden on April 1st.

Sharon Van Etten is playing Bonnaroo and Sasquatch and the official BrooklynVegan SXSW showcase this year.

The Black Keys are playing Bonnaroo and Coachella and were on Conan O'Brien last night. Video below...

Continue reading "Sasquatch sold out, Bonnaroo on sale soon"

Lollapalooza 2009 (more by Paul Birman)

"The office of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan is investigating Lollapalooza sponsors C3 Presents and their partners for anti-trust issues stemming from the radius clauses that the Austin, Texas-based concert promoters impose on all of the artists who play the giant, three-day concert in Grant Park, according to numerous sources familiar with the investigation." [Jim Derogatis]

Basically, bands aren't allowed to play in the same general area, for a certain amount of time, before or after another show they have scheduled. This ensures that one show doesn't compete with the other. The article says that club owners in Chicago say that this especially sucks for them, because so many bands play Lollapalooza and the length of time Lollapalooza says the bands can't play is unfair. Lollapalooza (C3) says that's just how it is, and people who agree with them would say that bands have the choice to play Lollapalooza or not, and then can come back and tour through Chicago later in the year. The above-linked article by Jim is an interesting read.

"The decision on the part of Coachella organizers to no longer sell single day tickets for the three-day 2010 event has provoked the ire of many a fan. "Make it fair for all us people who obviously want to attend but cannot afford $269," reads a note on the Facebook group created by 22-year-old San Diego resident Brian Lozano." [LA Times]

"We are having record sales to the tune of 27% higher than previous years and are fast approaching sell out on all 3 days. That said, tickets are absolutely still available for the time being, and I encourage those hoping to attend to make their purchases NOW!" [The Stranger]

Public Enemy are playing the Washington fest this year. "Harder Than You Think" below...

Continue reading "Sasquatch Festival on way to selling out quickly"

All Points West 2009 (more by Tim Griffin)

Executives at AEG Live, the promoter of All Points West, say they have not yet decided whether it will return for a third year.

"There is no question that our biggest challenge is finding suitable headliners, and it has been more challenging this year than in the past," said Mark Shulman, a veteran talent buyer for AEG. "No final determination of any kind has been made for 2010."

But many in the music industry doubt whether All Points West, which has been held in August, will return this summer. A number of prominent booking agents and other executives, most of whom requested anonymity because they did not want to jeopardize business with AEG, said that nothing had been booked and that it would be very difficult for AEG to put a lineup together this late in the year, since most artists' plans for the summer were already set.
[NY Times] (thx Hiro)

Rothbury 2009 (more by Graeme Flegenheimer)

Today, festival organizers for the ROTHBURY music festival announced that they will not host a 2010 event.

According to event producers Madison House Presents and AEG Live, a contributing factor in the decision is that, due to various artists' recording and touring schedules, timing will not allow them to assemble the cutting edge roster that has been associated with ROTHBURY. Madison House Presents' Jeremy Stein explains, "The result for this year is that we are not able to move forward with the integrity and high standards that we demand from ourselves and for the festival."

Despite the 2010 postponement, organizers intend to move toward continuing ROTHBURY in 2011. According to Stein, "This event is something very special, and we are unwilling to potentially tarnish what ROTHBURY is, and can become, by working under conditions that will produce anything less than a magical experience. Our efforts are certainly not coming to an end."

For ongoing information regarding ROTHBURY, please monitor www.rothburyfestival.com.

The lineup is coming together for Pop Montreal 2009 (September 30th to October 4th). Confirmed acts include Butthole Surfers, Fever Ray, Dinosaur Jr., Lou Barlow + The Missingmen, Loudon Wainwright III, Teenage Jesus & the Jerks, Thee Oh Sees, tUnE-YaRdS, to name a few.

Those interesting choices (like Lou Barlow with some configuration of Mike Watt's band?) are just part of the fest's usually-strong lineup. Full lineup so far, below...

Continue reading "Pop Montreal 2009 - initial lineup (Fever Ray, Os Mutantes, Butthole Surfers, Lou Barlow + the Missingmen...)"

Trail of Dead @ SXSW 2009 (more by Black Bubblegum)

Although no formal announcement has been made, careful scientific analysis of the originally announced 2009 All Points West lineup, vs what is being advertised now, reveals some changes. First of all, Yelle, who not even one person guessed would be appearing at this year's festival anyway, is now actually not appearing at the festival. Five new artists are though. And they are:

• ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead (Saturday)
• La Roux (Sunday)
• Rye Rye (Friday)
• The Honey Brothers (Saturday)
• Xavier Rudd (Friday)

Everyone else (like Beastie Boys, My Bloody Valentine, Tool, Vampire Weekend, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, etc) is still the same. Tickets are still on sale. The festival takes place July 31-Aug 2, 2009 in Jersey City, NJ.

Related videos and tour dates below...

Continue reading "All Points West silently added artists - 2009 lineup additions (Trail of Dead, etc) and deletions (Yelle) "

by Andrew Frisicano

The line to Bonnaroo, with a rumored wait of up to 5 hours (Cody Gray)

Concertgoers are filing in to the eighth annual Bonnaroo Festival in Manchester, TN, which kicks off tonight (June 11th) and runs till Sunday, June 14th. Doors opened at 7am, and currently, most sources report a bit of a delay getting in. Of course, it wouldn't be a festival if a local law enforcement agency failed to make a well-publicized seizure of drugs allegedly en route.

Highlights tonight include Janelle Monae and Passion Pit. The fest's first full day, Friday, will feature performances by Beastie Boys, Phish and David Byrne with his "Songs of David Byrne and Brian Eno" tour. Earlier that day, a Byrne-curated stage will host Santigold, St. Vincent, Dirty Projectors and Katzenjammer.

For those not at the fest, ATT will be streaming a webcast of select sets from the festival starting Friday (some live, some delayed). Those include Animal Collective, St. Vincent and Passion Pit on Friday, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals and The Decemberists on Saturday, and Andrew Bird, Of Montreal and Booker T with the Drive By Truckers on Sunday. Full schedule below.

Brooklyn's Lady Circus are at the festival as part of the Bonnaroo Buskers. Look for them around the grounds each night. NYC comedian Dave Hill's band Valley Lodge are playing as the Comedy Stage's 'house band'. Other Comedy acts at the fest include the Daily Show Stars, with John Oliver, Rob Riggle, Rory Albanese, Wyatt Cenac, Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler, as well as Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter doing their new show Michael and Michael Have Issues with guests Aziz Ansari and Nick Kroll.

The full Bonnaroo Festival lineup, with the webcast schedule, is posted below...

Continue reading "Bonnaroo 2009 starts - be there or stream it (full schedule)"

Mutek banner in Montreal - May 27, 2009 (bneely)

Mutek, the electronic music festival celebrating its tenth year, is currently underway in Montreal. The five-day fest runs to Sunday, May 31st, and it's streaming online. Moderat, the Modeselektor & Apparat supergroup, performed at Mutek on Thursday, May 28th; the group plays NYC's Music Hall of Williamsburg on Saturday, May 30th (the show was originally planned for Webster Hall). Tickets are still on sale.

Speaking of parties up North this summer... three other biggies are Ottawa Bluesfest (July 8th-19th), Vancouver Folk Music Festival (July 17-19th) and Calgary Folk Music Festival (July 23rd-26th). Each of those suitably transcend the "blues" and "folk" labels, hosting bands like The Dead Weather and Yeah Yeah Yeahs (in Ottawa), The Weakerthans and Rock Plaza Central (in Vancouver), and The Decemberists, Apostle of Hustle, Kid Koala and Akron/Family (in Calgary). Full lineup for the Calgary Fest (Ottawa in particular is much too massive to post) and ticket info below.

And don't forget about the previously reported Breeders-headlined Sled Island Fest in Calgary on June 24th-27th, Montreal's Osheaga, NXNE, and Toronto's Olympic Island Fest on July 11th, which will host Broken Social Scene and its Arts & Crafts cohorts.

Across the pond, UK's Glastonbury Festival, which runs from June 24th to 28th, has been sold out since February even though the full lineup wasn't announced until this week. Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, and Blur will be joined by The Specials, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Spinal Tap, Jarvis Cocker, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Madness, Tom Jones, Animal Collective and many others.

And finally in the States, Monolith Festival, which runs from September 12th to 13th at Red Rocks Ampitheatre in Colorado, has announced its intial lineup, Girl Talk, Passion Pit, and The Walkmen included. The whole thing is posted below.

The weekend before Monolith, Bumbershoot will take place in Seattle (September 5th-7th). That fest's lineup has been updated too. New additions include Vivian Girls, Akron/Family, and Elvis Perkins. All new additions, with previously announced acts, are below. Tickets are still on sale.

In Michigan, the Rothbury Festival over July 4th weekend will feature the only summer fest performance by The Dead, as well as sets by Bob Dylan, String Cheese Incident, Broken Social Scene and more. A few more jam-friendly acts were also just added to the bill. Full lineup below. Tickets are on sale.

Info on all the above fests, with ticket info, below...

Continue reading "Mutek underway, Monolith & Glastonbury lineups, Rothbury, Bumbershoot, Calgary Folk & other festival updates"

by Andrew Frisicano

M83 @ Webster Hall (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

M83 has been added to Pitchfork Festival, which is taking place from July 17th - Sunday, July 19th in Chicago. Other bands added to the bill include Black Lips, Fucked Up, Wavves, the Dutchess and the Duke, and Matt and Kim. The whole, updated lineup is below. Tickets for the fest are still on sale.

Five days before he performs in Chicago, M83's Anthony Gonzalez will perform a free show at NYC's World Finanial Center Winter Garden (July 14th). For that NYC gig:

Anthony Gonzalez, M83's chief stargazer, performs a special one-off ambient performance. New York-based artist Janet Biggs begins the night with a screening of her short film, Vanishing Point.

The NYC show announcement is one of the first for the mostly unannounced 2009 River to River Festival (a series of free shows at various venues all over NYC all summer). More WFC show updates on the way.

More Pitchfork Fest info below...

Continue reading "P4k Fest updates lineup, M83 (solo) playing a free NYC show"

by Andrew Frisicano

Outdoor music fest fun...Woodstock '94

Tickets for the Austin City Limits festival - happening this year on October 2nd-4th in Austin's Zilker Park - go on sale today (Tuesday, April 7th) at 11am EST. That sale happens in advance of the fest's official lineup announcement, scheduled for April 28th.

Calgary festival Sled Island hasn't announced its lineup either. But Sled Island does have a pre-fest fundraiser planned for Saturday April 11th (tickets on sale). Headlining that show at Calgary's Royal Canadian Legion will be 2008 fest performer Fucked Up (video below). Sled Island itself takes place June 25th-28th. Curating this year's festivities will be Colin Newman from Wire (who also played Sled Island '08).

Camp Bisco, a three-night fest headlined by The Disco Biscuits, is happening on July 16th-18th in Mariaville, NY. The artists playing include Nas, Chromeo, The Orb, Dr. Dog and more (full lineup below). Tickets are on sale now.

Monolith Festival is happening again this year in September at Red Rocks Ampitheatre in Colorodo. No acts or dates have been announced yet - but last year's lineup was pretty stellar with TV on the Radio, Justice, Band of Horses, and more playing.

Merge Records is running its own 20th-anniversary festival, XX Merge, on July 22nd-26th in North Carolina. The lineup has been partially announced - with acts like Superchunk, Spoon, Conor Oberst, and M. Ward confirmed. Five-day passes go on sale Wednesday, April 8th at 10am.

Glastonbury sold out its last batch of tickets this week. The UK festival, happening June 26th-28th, has confirmed acts that include Lily Allen, Fleet Foxes, Neil Young, Blur, Bruce Springsteen, Emiliana Torrini, Doves, Franz Ferdinand, The Ting Tings, and Echo And The Bunnymen.

Other previously reported summer fests include:

Coachella in Indio, CA, on April 17th-19th. Tickets on sale.

Sasquatch in Quincy, WA on May 23rd-25th. Tickets on sale.

Northside Festival in Brooklyn (June 11th-14th). Badges are on sale.

Bonnaroo is happening too, from June 11th-14th in Manchester, TN.

Pitchfork Festival is taking place July 17th-19th in Chicago's Union Park. The fest recently added The Flaming Lips to its already announced lineup. Tickets are on sale now.

The Flaming Lips will also be co-curating and headlining one night of ATP NY, September 11th-13th in NY's Catskills. Tickets for that are still on sale.

All Points West July 31-Aug 2nd in Jersey City. Tickets on sale

Lollapalooza on August 7th-9th in Chicago, IL. Tickets (and VIP passes) are on sale now. There have been some rumored bands, but the official lineup comes out April 21st.

Bumbershoot in Seattle on September 5th-7th. Three-day passes are on sale now.

There are more confirmed festivals, but I think that's enough for this post. In the unconfirmed department, Woodstock '09 is currently shoping for a venue.

Camp Bisco's lineup, video of Fucked Up at last year's Sled Island Fest and Green Day at Woodstock '94 below...

Continue reading "ACL tix, Sled Island's 2009 curator, Camp Bisco lineup, Monolith, Glastonbury & other music festival news"

Following last year's inaugural event, festival producers began work immediately on resolving concerns expressed by fans in attendance. They have worked closely with their partners at NJ Transit to improve light-rail service and capacity. As an added value for 2009, festival goers who choose to travel to the site utilizing the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail line can ride for free throughout the weekend with their ALL POINTS WEST festival ticket. Additionally, based on the popularity of the ferry as a mode of transportation from lower Manhattan to Liberty State Park, the frequency and size of the ferryboats will increase at a reduced price for festival attendees.... The producers have also worked with their partners at Liberty State Park to improve the fan experience in the beer gardens. This year's areas will be larger, have shorter lines, and feature shade tents, views of the stages and food concessions...

The second annual ALL POINTS WEST MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL returns to Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey Friday, July 31, Saturday, August 1 and Sunday, August 2. Like last year, bands will play on three stages, except "the Queen of the Valley stage has been changed to a Coachella-like tent creating an environment that will showcase comedy, DJs, electronic acts and bands."

More details on the items above will be posted at the apwfestival.com. The entire lineup (it's good!) and ticket info, below...

Continue reading "All Point West - 2009 festival dates & lineup (Tool, My Bloody Valentine, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Beastie Boys, Coldplay)"

Superfly Productions and A.C. Entertainment are proud to announce the dates for the eighth annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. Confirmed to take place June 11 - 14, 2009, the four-day festival will once again be held on the same beautiful, 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, 60 miles southeast of Nashville. Ticket pre-sales for the festival will begin on December 4, 2008 and go through December 31st. These tickets will be specially priced ticket levels available exclusively for early purchase. VIP tickets will also be available during this time. In an unprecedented move, during our holiday pre-sale, general admission tickets will be available as well for five (5) payments of $50.00 plus applicable fees through our payment plan. To promote the pre-sale, Bonnaroo and comedian Lewis Black worked together to create a hilariously manic Crazy-Eddie inspired video.

AUSTIN, TX - Transmission Entertainment is proud to announce this year's Fun Fun Fun Festival line-up. In the tradition of years past, FFF08 once again teams punk rock legends with the hottest indie buzz bands, crowd-pleasing dance and hip-hop acts, and cutting-edge comedians. Fun Fun Fun Fest will be held November 8 and 9 at Waterloo Park in downtown Austin, TX. A two-day pass will be $59.99, available through FrontgateTickets.com. Children under 10 get in free and discounts will be made available to all students.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, The National, Magnetic Morning, Clipse, Walter Schreifels, Flipper, Bad Brains, ALL, Dead Milkmen, St Vincent, Deerhoof, Trail of Dead, and Dan Deacon are just some of the many bands on the four stage bill....

Continue reading "Fun Fun Fun Fest 2008 lineup - Nov 8-9 in Austin, Texas "

The above pictures of Liberty State Park come from CW11 who also preview this weekend's All Points West Festival in the below video...

Continue reading "Behind the Scenes of All Points West - pics & video "

Texas-based C3 Presents is enjoying a run of success in Chicago. But it found the going tougher when it tried to expand its festival empire to the East Coast.

Late last year, C3 announced they were going to stage a three-day music festival on a 550-acre farm in Vineland, N.J., on Aug. 8-10. A few months later, the festival was postponed till 2009. Now, C3 co-owner Charlie Jones says, Vineland is "dead."

"That particular part of the country got too popular too fast; there are too many festivals in close proximity," he says, citing the emergence of the All Points West festival in northern New Jersey, which will be headlined Aug. 8-10 by Radiohead and Jack Johnson. All Points West is being staged by Goldenvoice, which also promotes the Coachella festival in California. [Chicago Tribune] (via)

people @ the 2008 Rothbury Festival in Michigan (cred)

Yoga @ the 2008 Rothbury Festival in Michigan (cred)

ROTHBURY -- A man and a woman who attended the Rothbury Music Festival in Oceana County over the weekend died from separate medical issues Sunday.

A 33-year-old woman from New York and a 28-year-old man from Ohio suffered medical emergencies hours apart at the Rothbury festival Sunday and later died at Lakeshore Hospital in Shelby, Michigan State Police Lt. Dave Roesler said Tuesday.

The two deaths were separate incidents. Roesler said there is no reason to suspect foul play or anything unusual about the deaths. However, authorities are waiting for toxicology reports from the autopsies, which should be available in about four weeks.

Festival organizers said the woman was accompanied by a service animal and had a previous medical condition. [freep]

It is not clear whether the deaths happened before, during, or after the mini Phish reunion (no disrespect to the dead) (no pun intended).

RELATED: Rolling Stone asks: Is Rothbury the new Bonnaroo? (aka the place for the hippes to go without being subjected to Kanye West)

Continue reading "2 die & some of Phish reunite @ the 2008 Rothbury Festival"

photos by Ailecia Ruscin

The Flaming Lips are hitting at least 17 music festivals this summer. Of that 17, four have already happened. There was Summer Camp, Jam on the River and Sasquatch. And then there was last weekend at Wakarusa in Lawrence, Kansas (home of Williams S Burroughs from 1981-1997). Like Jam on the River, Wakarusa was heavy on the jam bands. STS9, Lotus, Galactic, Tea Leaf Green, and Keller Williams were all on the bill. So were Mates of State, Dr. Dog, Cake, Tilly and the Wall, Bettye Lavette, Old 97's, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, Arrested Development, Built to Spill and many more. And like a lot of summer festivals, Wakarusa was forced to deal with rain delays and related artist cancellations. And there was camping....

People of all ages find elaborate ways to set up their campsites, entertain themselves, sleep comfortably, at least as well as you can in 85 degrees, and grill up some grub. Since it's equal parts music and camping at Wakarusa, having the right supplies improves the experience. T.J. Baker, 23, Lawrence, said sleeping comfortably is key. Hammocks are the best, he said.

"I'm envious I don't have one with me, especially for napping," he said, looking at a yellow hammock his friend was sound alseep in. Eric Blakie, 22, and Jake Via, 23, both from Buffalo, N.Y., made the 16-hour road trip for the festival, so there was no going back for that forgotten toothbrush or towel... [Lawrence Journal]

No, there was no going back.

As you know by now, Flaming Lips have integrated nudity into their already-over-the-top stage show. That stayed true at Wakarusa and one of the girls even seemed to be sending NYC a message. We read you loud and clear...

Continue reading "Wakarusa 2008 pics, sticks, Flaming Lips, more nude women"

The Sasquatch Music (and comedy) Festival happens in Gorge, Washington over this three-day weekend. Photographer Chris Graham is there representing BrooklynVegan.com. Jerry Yeti took the year off.

Bonnaroo, which starts June 12th in Tennessee, just posted their schedule.

Those Peltor Kid Eardefenders were bigger than Matt & Kim in Norway. More photos from my summer trip to Oslo, below....

Continue reading "photos of kids @ Øyafestivalen (pun intended) (Summer 2007)"

Lollapalooza promoters to stage 3-day New Jersey festival next summer

The promoters of Lollapalooza are going into competition with themselves by staging a three-day music festival in New Jersey next summer the weekend after Lollapalooza plays Grant Park.

C3 Presents, the Texas-based company that brought Lollapalooza to the Chicago lakefront in 2005, announced Tuesday that it would partner with Festival Republic, the company behind several huge European festivals, to stage the Vineland Music Festival in Vineland, N.J., on Aug. 8-10, 2008. The festival will be held on a 550-acre private farm within an hour’s driving distance of New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

Lollapalooza is scheduled to return for its fourth year at Grant Park on Aug. 1-3.....C3 now annually books three major summer festivals: Lollapalooza, Vineland and the Austin City Limits Festival in Texas. Jones said he had no additional festival plans in the works for 2008. [Chicago Tribune] (via)