3 Round Burst

1.
The new Yeah Yeah Yeahs EP Is Is is full of old songs that never made it to albums for whatever reason. And it's excellent. I still haven't tracked down their performance from Letterman, but I heard they played "Down Boy". Pitchfork has a great review of Is Is and a continuing onslaught of videos from the EP.

2.
Sebastien Grainger continues to work on his solo album which appears to be slated for 2008. Everything I am hearing from his MySpace page rocks. Life after Death From Above 1979 isn't perfect, but solo work is better than nothing.

3.
The new Ataxia album is suberb. John Frusciante continues to blow my mind. Another solo slbum of his (dubbed Solo X by fans) is slated for release towards the end of this year. Production quality is expected to lean towards the polished, synthed-out stylings of Shadows Collide With People. We can also expect a sequel to A Sphere In the Heart of Silence.

 
MP3: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Down Boy"

 
MP3: Ataxia - "Hands"

 
MP3: John Frusciante - "Penetrate Time (Lou Bergs)"

 
MP3: Sebastien Grainger & Les Montagnes - "Are There Ways to Come Home?"

Lefsetz on Festivals

All things considered, Lefsetz has a very neutral stance. Not that one takes a "stance" in regards to festivals, but if you've read this guy before you know that he can be very opinionated. Turning his focus on festivals, he makes the point that the promoters are the new sheriffs in town. Taking the vacancy left by the "the label guys". Interesting read:

"So, if you flew all the way to Palm Springs are you a he-man of the universe or a laughable loser? If you went to have a good time, and did, more power to you. But your attendance at Coachella is no longer a badge of honor. Because there no longer are any badges of honor. The scene’s been democratized, it’s positively niche. If you expect those new acts that played at Coachella to break out, I’m laughing. But that’s not what it’s about. It’s just one person’s vision/scene, Paul Tollett’s. Nothing more, nothing less. Despite the hype in the major media, Coachella is not representative of the country at large, never mind the world, it’s not where you break acts, it’s just a scene."
[Lefsetz Letter]

Virgin Festival: Two Days, Lineup

Looks a little better than last year.

Ben Harper News

CLAREMONT FOLK FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND

This Saturday, May 5th enjoy two stages of music, workshops, children's entertainment, food, crafts and more at the Sycamore Elementary School in Claremont, CA from 9am-5pm. Da Lion (led by Innocent Criminal Leon Mobley), Bill Tapia and many more will perform! Festival tickets on sale now at the Folk Music Center, (909) 624-1232.

PLEASE NOTE: BHIC's FRIDAY NIGHT SHOW IS SOLD OUT. THEY ARE NOT SCHEDULED TO PERFORM ON SATURDAY.

VIRGIN FESTIVAL CONFIRMED ON AUGUST 4TH

Watch as Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals join The Police, The Smashing Pumpkins, Beastie Boys, Wu Tang Clan and countless others at this year's Virgin Festival on Saturday, August 4th at Baltimore, MD's Pimlico Race Course!

Two-day passes go on sale May 5th at the Virgin Festival website. Single day tickets will be sold starting May 19th, if available.

LOLLAPALOOZA 2007

Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals will headline this year's Lollapalooza Festival on Friday, August 3rd in Chicago's Grant Park. The festival spans the entire weekend, and will feature performances from Pearl Jam, Daft Punk, Iggy and the Stooges, The Roots, Interpol and tons of others.

Tickets are on sale now thru the Lollapalooza website. Get 'em while they last!

JAZZ ASPEN SNOWMASS

Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals will play the first night of Jazz Aspen Snowmass in Colorado this summer on Friday, August 31st. They'll kick off the Labor Day Weekend and lead the way for the Allman Brothers Band, Gov't Mule and many more!

Tickets are available through Ben Harper Ticketing. Lodging packages and tickets are also available at 800-SNOWMASS and Snowmass Village.

Morrissey Coming to Wolf Trap?

From the DCist:

"Also announced, but not yet confirmed, is a July 2nd date for Morrissey at Wolf Trap in Vienna. I spoke with someone from the venue today and they informed me that 'no specific event information is available at this time,' but that Wolf Trap's 2007 event schedule would be unveiled next Monday and more information might be available then. Tickets for most of the other confirmed Morrissey dates go on sale March 31st, so stay tuned."

They also have more details about V Fest.

VFest: Pimlico, the Police & the Pumpkins

From Pollstar:

"Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson has announced the U.S. Virgin Festival By Virgin Mobile will be held August 4-5, 2007 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., adding a second day of music in its second year. The Police and Beastie Boys play August 4, and The Smashing Pumpkins headline the second day.

"On-sale dates for tickets, the rest of the line-up and additional info will be announced in the coming weeks.

"The first U.S. Virgin Festival By Virgin Mobile was held September 23, 2006, and featured 20 bands performing for more than 45,000 people across two stages and a giant dance tent.

"This year, the site will again provide a variety of entertainment and activity, concessions, a diverse array of vendors and non-profit organizations, art installations, performance art and more."

Let's just hope they don't run out of bottled water at 8:00 PM. Again.