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MUSIC FESTIVALS 2006 | Bonnaroo, Coachella, Sasquatch, and more

The Bonnaroo Festival

is officially announcing their line-up on February 1st. Among the acts "supposedly" confirmed are Radiohead, Tom Petty, The Shins, Moe., Trey Anastasio, and the String Cheese Incident, Beck, Bela Fleck & The Flecktones, The Neville Brothers, Steel Pulse, and Shooter Jenning...........

Hip Hop fans should look forward to The Festival of the 36 Chambers, which is being organized by the Wu's RZA. No real details yet on this one.........

Seattle's Sasquatch Festival has supposedly booked Neko Case, The Constantines, The Heavenly States, and The Shins

And what about the champ of American Music Festivals? Well no word on when a line-up for Coachella will be announced, but I would guess mid-February. Looking around for reliable print sources (ie, not passed on rumors, trumors, or made up shit), here's how the line-up for Coachella 2006 is looking:

Coachella Festival - Indio California - April 29-April 30
Depeche Mode * The Strokes * Franz Ferdinand * Death Cab For Cutie * Yeah Yeah Yeahs * Giant Drag * The Walkman * Nada Surf * Blockhead * Coldcut * Mates of State * Amadou & Mariam * Devendra Banhart * TV on the Radio * Ladytron * Paul Oakenfold * Imogen Heap * The Living Things * The Editors * Wolf Parade * Lady Sovereign * The Duke Spirit * She Wants Revenge * Art Brut * Minus The Bear *Underworld * Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

THE JOGGERS | Rising Of The Sap Tour

The Joggers' With A Cape And A Cane was a mighty fine records. The outfit will be making a racket around America this March & April on what they've dubbed The Rising Of The Sap Tour 2006. Along the way they'll be teaming up with Ted Leo, We Are Wolves, and Voxtrot.

Here are the dates:
3/10 UC DAVIS - ASUCD Coffeehouse - Davis CA
3/11 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco CA - w/ Voxtrot 
3/12 - The Echo - Los Angeles CA
3/13 - Casbah - San Diego CA - w/ We Are Wolves 
3/14 - Vaudeville Cabaret - Tucson AZ
3/19 - Walters - Houston TX - w/ Ted Leo/Pharmacists 
3/21 - THE EARL - Atlanta GA
3/23 - Black Cat Backstage - Washington DC
3/25 - Rothko - New York NY
3/26 - Bar Night Club - New Haven  CT
3/31- Schubas Tavern - Chicago IL
4/5 - Kilby Court -Salt Lake City UT

BUY: The Joggers | Saturday, March 25th | Rothko | 8PM Doors | $10 at Ticketweb.

THE PRODIGY | Smack My City Up, Nokia Show

On their way to play Miami's Ultra Music Festival, The Prodigy will perform only their third ever show in New York City on March 22nd at the Nokia Theatre.

Even though The Prodigy's last album, Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned, was a let-down, they are still one of the most energetic and entertaining live shows. The word "intense" is rather appropriate for them. Anyway, they are doing a few East Coast dates in March.....

March 22nd - New York, NY - Nokia Theatre
March 23rd - Washington, DC - Nation
March 25th - Miami, FL - Ultra Music Festival

The Prodigy | March 22nd | Nokia Theatre | $35, onsale friday January 27th

ISOBEL CAMPBELL & MARK LANEGAN | The Ballad Begins With Eugene Kelly

Former Belle and Sebastian cellist and vocalist Isobel Campbell has teamed up with the ever prolific Mark Lanegan for the Ballad of the Broken Seas. Isobel's first solo record was 2002's Amorino, which saw her go in a very Serge Gainsbourg direction. The album, like her post-B&S work with The Gentle Waves, was good but nothing special.

The Ballad of the Broken Seas is a much stronger record. Lanagan's sensibility really brings out Isobel's darker side the sound is pure americana. According Brooklyn Vegan, she's heading out on tour with the great Eugene Kelly (Vaselines, Eugenius, Captain America), Jim McCulloch (The Groovy Little Numbers, Soup Dragons), and Dave McGowan (Teenage Fanclub) and Dave Gormley.

It's interesting how close her tour dates are to Belle & Sebastians. Hmmm......

DOWNLOAD: Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan - "Deus Ibi Est" rightclicksave

Isobel Campbell Tour Date
3/5 Chicago, IL - Schuba’s
3/7 W. Hollywood - The Troubadour
3/8 San Francisco, CA - Café Du Nord
3/9 Seattle, WA - The Triple Door
3/12 Boston, MA - Remis Auditorium
3/13 NY, NY - Joe’s Pub BUY
3/14 Phila, PA - World Café Live
3/15 Brooklyn, NY - Southpaw BUY

Ballad of the Broken Seas Tracklisting
1. Deus Ibi Est
2. Black Mountain
3. The False Husband
4. Ballad Of The Broken Seas
5. Revolver
6. Ramblin' Man
7. (Do You Wanna) Come Walk With Me?
8. Saturday's Gone
9. It's Hard To Kill A Bad Thing
10.Honey Child What Can I Do?
11. Dusty Wreath
12. The Circus Is Leaving Town

BETH ORTON | New Album & Tour

I know some ladies who think Beth Orton is "Sunday music for boys". Well. Maybe it is! What's it to ya? As a stereotypical boy, I must admit I love me some Beth Orton. I am also in absolute love with her new album, The Comfort Of Strangers. It is wonderful sunday listening. The stripped down album was produced by Jim O'rourke and while it may not be as amazing as Trailer Park, I think it holds up to Daybreaker or Central Reservations.

Now I ask you this: How thin is the line that keeps Beth Orton from crossing over into Sarah McLachlan shit folk music? And did you know Beth Orton is six feet tall?

Beth is heading out on tour with young Willy Mason. Here are the dates:
01/24 - New York, NY - Late Night With David Letterman
03/12 - Washington, D.C. - 9:30 Club
03/12 - Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
03/14 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
03/19 -Englewood, CO - Gothic Theatre
03/20 - Salt Lake City, UT - Club Sound
03/23 - San Diego, CA - House Of Blues
03/24 - Los Angeles, CA - Avalon
03/25 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
03/27 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
03/28 - Seattle, WA - The Showbox
03/29 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
04/01 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
04/02 - Madison, WI - Barrymore Theater
04/03 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theater
04/05 - Detroit, MI - Majestic Theater
04/06 - Toronto, ON - Carlu
04/07 - Montreal, QC - Club Soda
04/08 - Boston, MA - Avalon
04/10 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre Of The Living Arts
04/11 - New York, NY - Webster Hall

THE STROKES | US Tour Revealed

Is this it? Here is the leaked itinerary for The Strokes' First Impressions of Earth U.S. Tour. It's interesting that they're back to playing mid-size clubs. Not exactly the career trajectory they were aiming for. It seems that they've scaled back on their expectations for ticket demand. Then again, notice the amount of open tour days being open for multiple night runs at certain venues.

Here are the dates:
March 3 - New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom
March 6 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
March 8 - Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle
March 10 - Kansas, MO - Uptown Theater
March 11 - Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom
March 14 - Austin, TX - Stubbs (SXSW)
March 15 - Houston, TX - Verizon Wireless Theater
March 17 - Grand Praire, TX - Nokia Theater
March 19 - Denver, CO - Filmore Auditorium
March 21 - Mesa, AZ - Mesa Amphitheater
March 24 - San Francisco, CA - Concourse
April 2 - Portland, OR - Roseland Ballroom
April 4 - Seattle, WA - Paramount Theater
April 7 - Chicago, IL - Aragon Ballroom
April 8 - St Louis, MO - The Pageant
April 10 - Milwaukee, WI - Eagles Club
April 11 - Minneapolis, MN - Orpheum Theater

JOAN JETT | Warped Tour & Sirius Show

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts will be kicking out the jams during this summer's Vans Warped Tour. The perenial punk rockers will join the longest running summer package tour that already has confirmed such acts as the Bouncing Souls, Armor For Sleep, Against Me!, Rise Against, Billy Talent, NOFX, Thursday, Motion City Soundtrack, The Casualties, Anti-Flag, Aiden, Everytime I Die, Underoath, and Paramore.

Joan is also rocking the microphone for sirius sattelite radio. She has a weekly show called The Radio Revolution with Joan Jett, on Little Steven's Underground Garage Channel 25. The show airs every Saturday from 3-7PM and Sundsay from 7 -11PM.

In related news, girl still looks hot.....

THE FEVER | In The City & On Tour

After a seven month hiatus, The Fever are set to return this february with a slew of shows to road test songs from their upcoming Kemado album, In The City Of Sleep.

Their live comeback happens on February 10th at Maxwells and then they'll head out with Electric Six for 11 date tour through middle America. No date has been set for New York City just yet......

BUY: The Fever + Arberdeen City | Maxwells | Friday, February 10th | $10

RADIOHEAD | Chicago's Loss, New York's Gain?

Radiohead were looking to book their own two day mini-festival in Chicago on June 19th and 20th, but the city has rejected their bid. Here's the story from the Chicago Sun-Times:

Although Chicago officials said late last year they are eager to present more popular music in the parks this summer -- and to reap the financial benefits these concerts bring for park improvements -- they have rejected a bid by chart-topping British art-rockers Radiohead to perform at Millennium Park in June.

The band, which will release its seventh album later this year, hoped to perform in the new venue at the northern end of Grant Park on June 19 and 20, the tour dates it has earmarked for Chicago performances, according to sources close to the group.

But the Cultural Affairs Department, which is responsible for programming at Millennium Park, rejected the band's bid to perform there -- even though the group would have paid rental fees of $100,000 -- because the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra is scheduled to hold a rehearsal June 20.

That sucks for Chicago, but stayed tuned because I hear Radiohead is booking some other US tour dates for June, inclusing shows in Los Angeles, Seattle, and New Jersey's Liberty State Park.....

YEAH YEAH YEAHS | Club Tour And The Flags

With Show Your Bones set to drop on March 28th, Pitchfork has revealed that the The Yeah Yeah Yeah's have announced a couple of live club dates. Stay tuned for ticket info.

Here are the mini-tour dates:
02-24 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
02-25 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
02-27 Chicago, IL - Logan Square Auditorium
03-01 San Francisco, CA - Bimbo's
03-02 San Francisco, CA - Bimbo's

In related news, here's what the band says about their odd and mysterious flag contest, "Dear flag makers, we have received your submissions(the last minute ones too!) we'd like to thank you for your gesture of creating something for us for a change IT MEANS A LOT. We cannot divulge our plans of how we will utilize your flags, there are about 1,000 of them, but we can say that we love them all, no joke, even the really pornographic one.".....