Info and samples from two new Momento Materia releases:
Backlash - Heliotrope
Run Level Zero - Walk the psycho[path]
Both records hit streets on March 29.
Laakso will be curating a record release party for the "Aussie girl" EP at Indigo in Stockholm tomorrow. They won't actually be playing, but I hear rumors about a "special guest"...
The Moonbabies are getting ready to take off on tour in Germany. Keep in touch with them on their message board for any last minute changes and the latest news. In other news, they posted the first of what they promise will be many demos from "The Orange Billboard". If you've read my interview with Ola Frick, you'd already know that they have tons of material waiting to be heard. Check it out: http://www.moonbabies.nu/orange/main.htm#demos
JR Ewing will be heading into Duper Studios in Bergen, Norway later this month with Jørgen Træen to record some songs for a new single. They'll be debuting a bunch of the new material at a one-off show up there on March 27 at Hulen with Crash.
Arve and Ståle of Supersilent will tour the UK with Norwegian drummer Audun Kleive as the group Generator X:
03/18 - The Wardrobe, Leeds
03/19 - The Shedmalton
03/20 - The Spitz, London
03/21 - Custard Factory, Birmingham
The first confirmations for Denmark's Spot10 Festival on June 4-5 in Aarhus: Tim Christensen, Thomas Dybdahl, Mum, José González, Kira & The Kindred Spirits, David & The Citizens, Hush, Mugison, Laakso, Larsen & Furious Jane, Powersolo, Martin Ryum and Sepiamusic. More info: http://www.spot10.dk/
Winners of the Danish music awards in Denmark-specific categories:
Best album: Tim Christensen "Honeyburst"
Best group: Kashmir
Best vocalist (female): Julie
Best vocalist (male): Tim Christensen
Best new act: Julie
Best hit/The Voice prize: Outlandish "Aicha"
Best rock record: Kashmir "Zitilites"
Best pop record: Julie "Home"
Best rap/hip hop record: Jokeren "Alpha Han"
Best dance record: Rune "Calabria"
Best songwriter: Tina Dickow
Best producer: Tim Christensen & Rune Nissen-Petersen for Tim Christensen "Honeyburst"
Best video/3-Prisen: Anders Morgenthaler for Kashmir "Rocket Brothers"
Best coverart: Kasper Eistrup, Mads Tunebjerg, Nanna Bentel & Morten Bjarnhof for Kashmir "Zitilites"
Various new (International) Noise Conspiracy dates:
03/19 - Sin 13, San Antonio, TX
04/05 - Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
04/11 - The Premier, Seattle, WA
04/13 - Roseland, Portland, OR
04/15 - Warfield, San Francisco, CA
Huzzah! Randy is making good on their word and returning to the US yet again in April. Unfortunately, it's another big punkrock package show with Avail, The Bouncing Souls, The Unseen and Let It Burn, but I'll take what I can get. Dates so far (subject to change, confirmation):
04/18 - Skate & Surf Fest, Convention Hall Complex, Ashbury Park, NJ
04/21 - Pops, Suget, IL
04/22 - Granada, Lawrence, KS
04/23 - First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
04/24 - The Metro , Chicago, IL
04/25 - Bogart, Cincinatti, OH
04/27 - Magestic Theater, Detroit, MI
04/28 - The World, Pittsburgh, PA
04/29 - The Nation, Washington DC
05/02 - State Theater, Portland, ME
05/04 - Phoenix, Toronto, Ont
05/05 - Sphere, Buffalo, NY
05/06 - BB Kings, NYC
There might be dates with Bad Religion in Europe coming soon, but I don't have any official word yet.
Music Export Finland profiles their showcases performers appearing at SXSW this year, Erja Lyytinen and The Latebirds: http://www.musexfinland.fi/index.php?page=events&type=musex&id=18
Online label Sutemos has released a new mp3 compilation entitled "Intelligent Toys" featuring an eclectic international conglomerate of electronic artists including Lackluster from Finland, Bauri from Sweden and tons more: http://www.sutemos.net/
Download the new On a Solid Rock song "Masks": http://www.fireinsidemusic.com/solidrock/masks.mp3
The track comes from the new album "Steal It Back", out in mid-May on Combat Rock Industry.
Nicolai Dunger played live on "TV-Huset" in Sweden yesterday, but you can still check out his performance in case you missed it: http://svt.se/content/1/c6/18/06/22/nicolaidunger_hi.ram
He played the single "Hunger" as well as a cover of "The man with the child in his eyes" by Kate Bush.
Marit Bergman has a new website to go along with her forthcoming new album: http://maritbergman.bmg.se/
Check out the video for the new single "Adios Amigos": low / high