indiePulse

Chicago-based bands to watch in 2011

I recently came across the loudlooppress website and their 11 Chicago Bands to watch in 2011 List. I think Richard and his staff are doing a great job covering the indie scene from Chicago's perspective and I think its a much needed resource. If you're interested in what's going on Chicago's scene check it out.

In addition to the list.. they put together this awesome compilation so we can all hear these bands.

11 Chicago Bands to Watch in 2011 Compilation by LoudLoopPress

Song of the Day: Washington "Sunday Best"

z

Washington is an artist from Australia.

More from the recent announcement:

Australia's finest, Washington, has taken home the prestigious title of Breakthrough Songwriter Of The Year at the 2011 APRA (Australasian Performing Right Association) Awards. The APRA award comes hot off the heels of her 2010 ARIA Awards wins for Breakthough Artist andBest Female Artist as well as three nominations for Album of the Year, Best Adult Alternative Album for I Believe You Liar and Single of the Year (How to Tame Lions).

Currently making waves in America with her debut How To Tame Lions EP, the up and coming singer is already being deemed "Australia's best kept secret" by NYLON Magazine and is a featured artist on Yahoo!'s "New Now Next" program. Featuring the title track to the EP, How To Tame Lions as well as the upbeat smash Sunday Best, these tunes are just a taste of what's to come on her debut album, I Believe You Liar, out October 11th, 2011. 

Casiokids nominated for major grant

Norwegian band, Casiokids have been nominated for a grant funded by pop-band a-ha. You can help the Polyvinyl Records artists win by voting via one of the methods listed in the announcement.  There are also a series of tour dates listed below. The band will be in Chicago on 8/25.

From the recent announcement:

Legendary Norwegian pop band a-ha has announced their decision to personally award 1,000,000 NOK (or $154,662 USD) to 4 up-and-coming Norwegian acts to help their careers along the way. Fresh off the release of their Polyvinyl US debut Topp stemning på lokal bar, Casiokids has been lucky enough to be nominated for this grant, which will be determined by online voting.

This is an amazing opportunity for Casiokids and will make it possible for them to tour the world and record a new album! To help spread word about the contest, Casiokids went about it the only way they know: by throwing on a couple of monkey suits and filming an adorable video (available on YouTube).

Please help them by following one of these voting alternatives. Your contribution only requires 2 clicks, and it will be very much appreciated!

Voting Option 1:

Click here: http://bit.ly/c4BHSd

Select "Casiokids" and press the button "Stem".

In the next frame, enter an(y) e-mail address for the vote to count, and then press "Registrer" and that's it!

Voting Option 2:

Should the link above not work for some reason you can also go to http://www.vg.no/musikk/vg-lista-topp-20/artikkel.php?artid=10003454

Scroll down to where it says STEM PÅ DIN FAVORITT HER, choose Casiokids and then enter an e-mail address.

Casiokids headquarters thank you so much for voting!

Casiokids On Tour:
Wed 8/18 - San Francisco, CA - Cafe Du Nord
Thu 8/19 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios
Fri 8/20 - Seattle, WA - The Vera Project
Sat 8/21 - Vancouver, BC - Media Club
Tue 8/24 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry
Wed 8/25 - Chicago, IL - Schubas Tavern
Thu 8/26 - Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
Fri 8/27 - Toronto, ON - Supermarket
Sat 8/28 - Brooklyn, NY - Glasslands
Sun 8/29 - Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie
Mon 8/30 - Washington, DC - DC9
Fri 10/8 - Los Angeles, CA - Spaceland

For more info, please visit:
http://www.polyvinylrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/casiokids

Steve Earle nominated for Emmy

Congrats to Steve Earle for being nominated for an Emmy for his song "This City" from the HBO series Treme. He also announced a bunch of tour dates.

From a recent announcement:

July 8^th, 2010 -- New York, NY -- Steve Earle was honored this morning by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with an Emmy Award Nomination for his song, “This City” in the Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics Category.  The new song closed the season finale of HBO’s critically acclaimed series Treme.  Produced by T Bone Burnett and featuring arrangements by Allen Toussaint, “This City” was written specifically for the series.  From David Simon (creator of The Wire) and Eric Overmyer (writer/producer of Law & Order), Treme begins in the fall of 2005, three months after Hurricane Katrina’s devastation on the city of New Orleans.  The series title refers to one of New Orleans’ oldest neighborhoods and a historically important source of music and culture.  The 62^nd Primetime Emmy Awards telecast, which will be hosted by Jimmy Fallon, will air on August 29^th on NBC.  This is Steve Earle’s first Emmy Award Nomination. 

As he appeared in the critically acclaimed David Simon series, The Wire, Steve Earle played a recurring character, Harley, a street musician, in three episodes of Treme.  When speaking about the brand new song, Steve Earle stated, “David Simon came on the set one day and asked me to write a song that my character would have written in ‘05.  The next morning I woke up and wrote it.”

 Steve Earle has also announced summer tour dates with Electric Hot Tuna in addition to multiple nights, which begin this evening, in his adoptive hometown of New York City at the City Winery.  Each night will feature his wife, critically acclaimed singer songwriter Allison Moorer and special guests.  Among those announced are Roseanne Cash, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Greg Trooper, and Steve Earle’s son, the critically acclaimed singer songwriter, Justin Townes Earle.

Steve Earle Summer Tour Dates:

July 8^th - New York, NY City Winery (Steve Earle, Allison Moorer and Roseanne Cash)

July 15^th - New York, NY City Winery (Steve Earle, Allison Moorer and Justin Earle)

July 17^th - Westbury, NY North Fork Theatre w/ Electric Hot Tuna

July 18^th - Asbury Park, NJ Stone Pony Summerstage w/ Electric Hot Tuna

July 20^th - Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live w/ Electric Hot Tuna

July 21^st - York, PA The Strand Capital Performing Arts Center w/ Electric Hot Tuna

July 23^rd - New Haven, CT Shubert Performing Arts Center w/ Electric Hot Tuna

July 24^th - Purchase, NY SUNY Purchase Performing Arts Center w/ Electric Hot Tuna

July 25^th - Portsmouth, NH New Hampshire Prescott Art Festival

July 28^th - Rochester, NY Water Street Music Hall w/ Electric Hot Tuna

July 29^th - New York, NY The City Winery (Steve Earle, Allison Moorer and Preservation Hall Jazz Band)

July 30^th - Albany, NY The Egg with Electric Hot Tuna

July 31^st - Boston, MA House of Blues with Electric Hot Tuna

August 5^th - New York, NY The City Winery (Steve Earle, Allison Moorer, Greg Trooper)

August 7^th - Oneonta, NY Oneonta Theatre 

August 15^th - Los Angeles, CA The Greek Theatre w/ Levon Helm

September 4^th - Stradbally, Ireland Electric Picnic Festival

September 5^th - Cambridge, UK Cambridge Corn Exchange

September 7^th - Cardiff, UK Saint David’s Hall

September 8^th - Dunfermline, UK Alhambra Theatre

September 9^th - Shetland Islands, Clickmin Leisure Centre

For More Information, please visit: www.steveearle.com

For photos and bio visit: http://press.newwestrecords.com/SteveEarle/index.html

Dead Confederate continues to blow folks away

I was blown away the first time I heard "Wrecking Ball" and it looks like I'm not alone..
Check out the Q&A with Dead Confederate from September..
http://www.indiepulse.net/2008/09/qa-with-dead-confederate.html

From the press release:
It's been quite the year for Athens, GA five-piece Dead Confederate. After bursting on the scene with their critically-acclaimed full-length debut, Wrecking Ball, the band has been touring across the country, currently on the last leg home with fellow Georgians Manchester Orchestra.

In the wake of their television debut on Late Night With Conan O'Brien, as well as being one of Rolling Stone's "Six Artists To Watch," Dead Confederate has been chosen as a nominee for Yahoo! Music's "Who's Next" User's Choice competition. The video for their single, "The Rat," will be featured for a month on Yahoo! Music. The artist with the most votes at the end of the voting period wins and gets the opportunity to perform live at the Yahoo! Music studio to tape a performance and interview. The winner's in-studio performance will then be promoted for the following month as the feature artist on the Who's Next? page and the Yahoo! Music homepage. The video for "The Rat" will also be featured on MTV2 "Subterranean" and MTVU, and will be part of FUSE TV's "Free Music" and "The Worm" programs. Dead Confederate's brand new video for "Start Me Laughing" was also recently added into rotation at Pitchfork TV.

"The Rat" has been added by major rock stations across the country this week including KNDD/Seattle, KBZT/San Diego, WEQX/Albany, KWOD/Sacramento, WARQ/Columbia and KNRK Portland. The album has reached #34 on the Top 200 CMJ Charts with big support from KEXP. Dead Confederate also did a recent live performance and interview at WOXY.

Dead Confederate is the first artist Gary Gersh, A&R legend and founder of The Artist's Organization, signed to his new imprint. The band released a self-titled EP in late 2007. The EP garnered immediate attention and the band found themselves opening for R.E.M. at SXSW, as well as sharing the stage with Dinosaur Jr., Yeasayer, the Black Angels, Deerhunter and Black Lips among others. Their 2008 full length follow-up release, Wrecking Ball, was produced by Mike McCarthy (Spoon, Trail of Dead) and has received rave reviews.

The Walkmen Make NPR World Café’s Top 10 Album Of The Year

Congrats to The Walkmen for making the World Cafe Top 10. I'm a big fan of David Dye's Philly-based show.

Click Here to View NPR World Café Top 10 List

West Coast Dates
w/ Beach House supporting

1/19: Belly up,  San Diego
1/20: Henry Fonda Theater, Los Angeles
1/21: Fillmore, San Francisco
1/23: Wonder Ballroom, Portland
1/24: Neumos, Seattle


From the press release:
The music that inspired The Walkmen to compose You and Me follows in a tradition of song writing that goes back to early rock 'n' roll: the intimacy and energy of Elvis Presley's and Buddy Holly's early recordings, and the massive voice and orchestration of Roy Orbison.   And it carries on through people like Bob Marley and Randy Newman and on to bands like The Pogues and The Modern Lovers - the sort of songs that are very much a product of their time and place while firmly rooted in tradition.  The vocals were performed live right in the room with the full band, and sometimes a horn section too.  

THERE FOR TOMORROW wins "Woodie" from mtvU

Congrats to Hopeless Records band There for Tomorrow for taking home an award for best emerging artist.

From the official release:

THERE FOR TOMORROW
Gets a "Woodie" from mtvU!!
Wins "Breaking Woodie" Award for Best Emerging Artist!

It's been a stellar year for Hopeless recording artists THERE FOR TOMORROW and Wednesday night's win for the "Breaking Woodie Award" for Best Emerging Artist at the 2008 mtvU Woodie Awards is the perfect way to cap it all off. Voted on and chosen by fans, the impressive distinction was given to the Orlando, FL-based band for their video to "No More Room To Breathe" over other nominees including All Time Low ("Poppin'"), We the Kings ("Check Yes Juliet"), Lykke Li ("Little Bit"), and Tyga ("Aim").

Still hanging tough in the Top Five Most Streamed Videos on mtvU.com (it's #2 this week!), "No More Room To Breathe" is just a taste for the what the band has in store in their seven song EP. Already with sales of 10k and still selling strong, the EP has generated tons of positive press for its perfect blend of rock, pop and punk that's drenched with a massive dose of melodic hooks. Among the many believers have been AbsolutePunk ("... a skilled band with mountains of potential"), AMP ("... as huge as you'd expect"), and Billboard ("... a perfect mix of neo-rock, indie pop, and punk, the group demands attention").

There For Tomorrow just wrapped up their Fall tour with Anberlin just last week and are catching their breath at home in Florida before jetting off for a swing of the East Coast in December (dates below). They will begin recording the follow-up to their self-titled EP in early 2009 with James Paul Wisner (Dashboard Confessional, Underoath, Paramore) returning to producer's chair. It is slated for release on Hopeless Records in late Spring 2009.

Tour Dates

Nov 15 Sarasota, FL – Best Buy ** In-Store Acoustic Performance 
Dec 07 Gainesville, FL – Common Grounds w/ Mayday Parade
Dec 16 Virginia Beach, VA – Peppermint Beach Club 
Dec 17 Baltimore, MD – The Ottobar
Dec 18 Vineland, NJ – Hangar 84 w/ The Color Fred, Just Surrender, Every Avenue
Dec 19 Poughkeepsie, NY – The Chance w/ A Rocket To The Moon and more
Dec 20 South Hackensack, NJ – School of Rock w/ Every Avenue, The White Tie Affair, and more
Dec 21 Torrington, CT – Warner Theatre w/ Valencia, Ace Enders, The Color Fred, and more 
Dec 23 Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
Dec 26 Tampa, FL – Orpheum w/ Hey Monday, The Bigger Lights
Dec 27 Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Culture Room w/ Hey Monday, The Bigger Lights
Dec 28 Orlando, FL – The Backbooth w/ Hey Monday, The Bigger Lights
Dec 29 Jacksonville, FL – venue TBA w/ Hey Monday, The Bigger Lights, My Getaway
Dec 30 Panama City, FL – Beamers w/ Hey Monday, The Bigger Lights

BONNAROO GIVEN "OUTSTANDING GREENER FESTIVAL" AWARD

Only Six Of 31 Festivals Throughout the World Receive This Top Award

A.C. Entertainment and Superfly Presents are very proud to announce that the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival for 2008 has been given the "Outstanding Greener Festival" award by the esteemed Awards Committee at agreenerfestival.com, the arbiter of all things green in the live music industry around the world. The "Outstanding Greener Festival" is the highest accolade one can receive, and was awarded to Bonnaroo this year along with only six other festivals globally. Thirty-one festivals are considered for the award. "We couldn't be more pleased to receive this award," said Bonnaroo's sustainability coordinator Laura Sohn. "We put a lot of work into reducing the impact the festival has on the environment and it's nice to be recognized." Since its inception, the Bonnaroo organizers have put into place large-scale greening initiatives and continue to take aggressive steps toward mitigating the event's environmental impact and raising awareness about green issues. By focusing on drastic carbon reduction at the festival and in the lives of its patrons, Bonnaroo continues its long time commitment to providing a first-rate entertainment experience while creating a community that cares for our planet. Clean energy initiatives, responsible product consumption, superior waste management, local sourcing and education programs are all part of the festival's aggressive environmental plan. Recognizing that green issues are of paramount importance to the organization, its patrons, and the world at large, Bonnaroo is proud to present an event that is not only a good time, but also an example of an environmentally sound gathering that helps our planet remain hospitable to life.