On Sunday June 8 The Weakerthans will debut at Batofar in Paris. It’s hard to believe that the band has been going strong for over a decade and not yet made it to the City of Light! Batofar is a really cool-looking boat permanently moored on the Seine River which has been turned into a club and is one of the city’s hotspots. If you’re in Paris on June 8, come on out and help channel the spirits of Johnny Hallyday and Serge Gainsbourg (with a good dose of les Berurier Noir and Louise Attaque mixed in!).
A bunch of us from the office are going to ride with the Midnight Ridazz tonight, which is about the most grown-up fun one can have that doesn’t involve hard drugs or multiple partners. If you’re not familiar with a MR ride, its kinda like Critical Mass, only drunker. This month’s theme? STAR WARS! Best.Ride.Ever. I’ll be the one with Princess Leia cinnamon rolls under my helmet. Details here.
Relatedly, next week the 14th annual Bike to Work week culminates in Bike to Work Day on Thursday the 15th. All the information riders in LA could possibly need (for example, the time and location of the Blessing of the Bikes ceremony) can be found here.
Paste magazine recently caught up with Joe Henry to talk about his recent work with Allen Toussaint specifically and his crazy/busy schedule in general. An excerpt:
“‘I had a journalist ask me recently if I was the only person, if I imagined that I was the only person, who’d worked with both Ornette Coleman and Madonna, and I said, “Well, if you add Ramblin’ Jack Elliot to that and make a trifecta out of it, I certainly am the only person who’s worked with all three.” But it makes perfect sense to me that I would work with all three, and that I hope to continue to in some way or another.’”
As you all know, Tom Waits is going on tour from Phoenix to Hotlanta this summer. Aside from the guiding forces from above, Tom further explained the routing choice by saying: “We’re going to the deep south where they still love a man who wears red pants and they make him feel welcome.”
Waits will be touring with longtime musical ally Larry Taylor (bass), Omar Torrez (guitar), Patrick Warren (keyboards), Casey Waits (drums and percussion) and as yet named reed player; performing hollers, mambos and rhumbas.
As on his last tour, Waits’ U.S. booking agent and longtime tour director, Stuart Ross, has spent a great deal of effort to fight ticket scalpers. Along with Ticketmaster, he has worked out a plan he believes will make sure every fan pays face value (plus normal service and handling fees) for the tickets purchased for the “Glitter and Doom” tour, outlined thusly:
“In keeping with Waits’ longtime desire to allow fans the best possible access to his shows, the Waits’ organization is again implementing an anti-scalping program to assure patrons that their tickets can only be purchased at face value (plus normal surcharges and handling fees). At the majority of shows on this tour, Ticketmaster is introducing their Paperless Ticket™ system. Prior to entering the venue, fans must simply provide their credit card which was used to purchase the tickets, along with a government issued ID. The fan’s accompanying guest must be present at that time. An attendant will swipe the credit card and provide a receipt for the transaction. The entire process is quick, secure and simple. Tickets will only be sold via the internet and by phone and are limited to two per person.”
Tickets for all markets are due to go on sale Friday, May 16th. Check local venues and Ticketmaster for specific start times. Tickets will be available via the internet and by phone.
US tour dates are as follows:
DATE - CITY - VENUE - ON-SALE TIME
6/17 Phoenix, AZ — Orpheum — NOON Pacific - Click here for tickets
6/18 Phoenix, AZ — Orpheum — NOON Pacific - Click here for tickets
6/20 El Paso, TX — Plaza Theatre — 1pm Mountain - Click here for tickets
6/22 Houston, TX — Jones Hall — 10am Central - Click here for tickets
6/23 Dallas, TX — Palladium — 11am Central - Click here for tickets
6/25 Tulsa, OK — Brady Theatre — Noon Central - Click here for tickets
6/26 St. Louis, MO — Fox Theatre — 10amCentral - Click here for tickets
6/28 Columbus, OH — Ohio Theatre — 10am Eastern - Click here for tickets
6/29 Knoxville, TN — Civic Auditorium — 9am Eastern - Click here for tickets
7/1 Jacksonville, FL — Times Union Center — 10am Eastern - Click here for tickets
7/2 Mobile, AL — Saenger Theatre — 10am Central - Click here for tickets
7/3 Birmingham, AL — Alabama Theatre — 11am Central - Click here for tickets
7/5 Atlanta, GA — Fox Theatre — 10am Eastern - Click here for tickets
Islands gorgeous new album Arm’s Way comes out May 20th, and the band leaves on an extensive U.S and Canadian tour two days later. See show details after the break…
Exclaim magazine and Myspace Canada are running a contest, giving away a pair of tickets, a copy of Arm’s Way and an Islands t shirt to the lucky winner. Click here for more information.
Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! has been honored with two nominations by Mojo magazine for best album and best song. While this might not mean much here in the States, it is a BFD in England, so help a fella out and vote for Nick and crew here.
Our friends at Prefix Mag were kind enough to post a new interview video with Tim Fite today. The video is part of a series Tim Fite created himself with directer Ryan Foregger for his new album Fair Ain’t Fair which is in stores today.
Check out the video above or on the Prefix Mag page here.
Busdriver is taking a break from recording his new record to go on tour with Dizzee Rascal and El-P, and to celebrate, he has posted a cool new song “Ellen Disingenuous.” Its up on Urb, check it here
Dizzee Rascal/El-P/Busdriver dates:
Thu 05/08/08 9:30 Club Washington DC
Fri 05/09/08 First Unitarian Church Philadelphia PA
Sat 05/10/08 Webster Hall New York NY
Sun 05/11/08 Middle East Downstairs Cambridge MA
Wed 05/14/08 Crofoot Ballroom Pontiac MI
Thu 05/15/08 The Abbey Pub Chicago IL
Fri 05/16/08 Triple Rock Social Club Minneapolis MN
Wed 05/21/08 1015 San Francisco CA
Thu 05/22/08 El Rey Theatre Los Angeles CA
New Orleans funkateers Galactic will be performing on Late Night with Conan O’Brien tonight. The show airs on both coasts at 12:30. Galactic will be joined by Chali 2na and one of the other guests is seriously the coolest Scientologist ever, Jason Lee, so set your Tivo..
Tim Fite is a busy man. His new record comes out today and he leaves on tour with Adam Green on Saturday. And he’s making appearances, getting reviews and all sorts of stuff:
“It’s bluesy, it’s folksy and it’s funky at times, but it’s a record that just makes you want to smile,” says Esquire magazine music critic Andy Langer on NPR’s Bryant Park Project. Click here to listen to the rest of the review.
After a lifetime of experiences that have ranged from recording a hit song with El Chicano to driving a Fed Ex truck, Ersi Arvizu has a lot to talk about on her debut solo record. Producer Ry Cooder enthused to Harp Magazine “this strong woman has had nine lives! It really comes through in the music as well, a chronicle of her experiences. I love the romantic sounds of Friend For Life which, to me, conjure warm summer nights in east LA.”
The LA Weekly also did a piece. John Payne writes “There is a kind of sound that delivers you back to a place and time that you loved — or that you imagine you would have loved if given the opportunity. Ersi Arvizu’s new Friend for Life is just such an experience.” Read the rest here.
