Friday 24 February 2017

METAL CHURCH Announce UK/IRE tour dates for June



Heavy metal titans Metal Church are very pleased to announce that they will be returning to our UK shores in June, for a five date long run. They will be touring in celebration of latest studio album ‘XI’, which was released last year via Nuclear Blast.

The tour kicks off at legendary London venue the Camden Underworld on 20th June, taking the five piece to Glasgow, Belfast, Dublin, before finishing at Thekla, Bristol on 24th June. Supports to be announced in due course.

Masterful Metal Church guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof said of the announcement:

"The Metal Church fans over there have always welcomed us with open arms and their passion and love for Heavy Metal music is second to none!"

Metal Church tour dates are as follows: 20th June – London, Underworld 21st June – Glasgow, Audio 22nd June – Belfast, Limelight 2 23rd June – Dublin, Voodoo Lounge 24th June – Bristol, Thekla

Metal Church’s latest album and 11th studio release ‘XI’ was released in March 2016, and it marked the return of legendary vocalist and front man Mike Howe! ‘XI’ was produced by Kurdt Vanderhoof and co-produced by Chris ‘The Wizard’ Collier.

The reunion between Mike Howe and Metal Church started in July of 2014 when Mike started working with Kurdt Vanderhoof on a side project he was forming with Nigel Glockler from Saxon. Through these initial conversations, Kurdt convinced Mike to ultimately return to Metal Church. The idea was to see if they could recapture some of the magic from the three albums they released in the late 80’s: ‘The Human Factor’, ‘Blessing In Disguise’ and ‘Hanging In The Balance’. Out of those sessions, ‘XI’ was born and captures the sound that made the band fan favourites in the 80‘s and mixes it with a new, invigorated sound for 2016.

Thursday 23 February 2017

The Maine debut new video for "Bad Behavior" | "Lovely Little Lonely" due 4/7



Phoenix act, The Maine arrive today with the video for their new single, "Bad Behavior". Filmed at the bands' 10 Year Anniversary festival "8123 Fest", the video features live festival footage and a behind the scenes look into the world that the band has created over the last decade.

"Bad Behavior" is the first single from the new album and sixth studio release, Lovely Little Lonely. Available April 7, this is the first record the band are releasing entirely independently. Garnering half a million Spotify streams since it's release in January, "Bad Behavior" is currently creeping up the alternative radio charts and has been added to KXNA, KPOI, KYRK, KNOB, KUCD, KRAB and KDKB with additional spins across the country. "Bad Behavior" is a taste into how the band has evolved - blending infectious guitar with wistful melodies and an energy that is impossible to ignore.

The Maine are hitting the road this April for a massive world headlining tour with support from The Mowglis and Beach Weather, which will bring them all over the States as well as to Singapore, Brazil and the Philippines. Check out the dates below.

US TOUR DATES: 3/30 - Denver, CO - Summit Music Hall 4/1 - Salt Lake City, UT - Club Sound 4/2 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory Concert House 4/7 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall 4/8 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues 4/9 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues 4/11 - Tucson, AZ - 191 Toole 4/13 - Dallas, TX - Gas Monkey Bar N Grill 4/14 - Austin, TX - Emo's 4/15 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live 4/18 - St. Petersburg, FL - State Theatre 4/21 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade 4/22 - Birmingham, AL - WorkPlayTheatre 4/24 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE 4/25 - Toronto, CAN - Phoenix Concert Theatre 4/27 - New York, NY - Webster Hall 4/28 - Boston, MA - Royale Boston 4/29 - Montville, CT - Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun Resort 4/30 - Asbury Park, NJ - The Stone Pony 5/2 - Philadelphia, PA - The TLA 5/3 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club 5/5 - Pontiac, MI - Crofoot Ballroom 5/6 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues 5/7 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave 5/8 - Minneapolis, MN - Skyway Theatre

ALTER BRIDGE ANNOUNCE EUROPEAN SUMMER SHOWS & FESTIVAL DATES



It has been three years since Alter Bridge's last studio album Fortress was released, it's been clear their fans have been eagerly waiting for them to return and return they did! With their fifth studio album The Last Hero, released in October 2016 on Napalm Records, Alter Bridge stormed the worldwide charts and returned with a masterpiece that builds upon the sound that Alter Bridge has become known for with their uncompromised vocal melodies, untouchable dueling guitar work and pounding rhythm section.

In support of The Last Hero and after recent headlining tours all over Europe, the UK and the States, the rock juggernaut comprised of Myles Kennedy on vocals/guitars, Mark Tremonti on guitars/vocals, Brian Marshall on bass and Scott Phillips on drums, will return for an extensive summer run and have now announced exciting European summer dates and festival appearances!

But before pleasing their European fans with their unique live perfomance, Alter Bridge will kick off for a long awaited AU / NZ tour this Spring:

01.04.17 NZ - Auckland / Powerstation 03.04.17 AU - Brisbane / Easton Hills 04.04.17 AU - Sydney / Enmore Theatre 06.04.17 AU - Melbourne / Festival Hall 08.04.17 AU - Fremantle / Metropolis

ALTER BRIDGE European Summer Shows: 06.06.17 NL - Tilburg / 013 14.06.17 CZ - Prague / Forum Karlin 20.06.17 IR - Dublin / Olympia 21.06.17 IR - Belfast / Ulster Hall 24.06.17 DE - Leipzig / Haus Auensee 29.06.17 ES - Madrid / Auditorio M. Rios 30.06.17 Es - Bilbao / Miribilla

Festival Shows: 29.-30.04.17 US - Fort Myers, FL / Fort Rock 05.-07.05.17 US - Charlotte, NC / Carolina Rebellion 03.06.17 DE - Bavaria / Rock im Park 04.06.17 DE - Nurburgring / Rock am Ring 08.06.17 SE - Solvesborg / Sweden Rock 10.06.17 FR - Paris / Download 11.06.17 UK - Donington / Download 15.06.17 AT - Nickelsdorf / Novarock 17.06.17 BE - Dessel / Graspop 18.06.17 FR - Clisson / Hellfest 23.06.17 DK - Copenhagen / Copenhell 26.06.17 LU - Luxembourg City / LuxExpo 02.07.17 ES - Barcelona / Rock Fest 05.07.17 IT - Rome / Rock in Rome 06.07.17 IT - Milan / Market Sound

Wednesday 22 February 2017

Strawberry Girls Make Second Appearance on 'Last Call With Carson Daly'



Back in the late 90's/early 2000's, MTV's TRL (Total Request Live) was the popular way to find out about the latest music. Fans gathered around the tv to see what song would be voted number one, and Strawberry Girls guitarist Zac Garren was no exception. Zac shared, "I would rush home by 3:30 to watch religiously after my elementary school got out at 3. That's how I discovered heavier bands like Limp Bizkit and KoRn, as well as developed a diverse taste in rap, pop, and rock."

When the TRL era came to an end, host Carson Daly would still be a staple for music discovery with his new show on NBC "Last Call with Carson Daly". Garren was an avid follower and learned of many new bands which would later be influences, as he started his musical career. Honored to be on the show, he said" It's an amazing experience to get to be a part of a show I watched with a person who helped influence my musical upbringing."

One of the songs featured on the episode is "Black Night, Golden Circus", which is the first song that Garren and Drummer Ben Rosett ever wrote together. The track was re-recorded for their latest album, "Italian Ghosts", which was just released on February 17th. Garren explains, "When Ben and I started jamming in his parents garage 6 years ago, I don't think either of us ever expected to get on tv with our music. Now, here we are 6yrs later, about to play the first song we ever wrote on Last Call With Carson Daly."

Strawberry Girls are extremely excited to be back on the show, as Garren explained, "We are forever grateful for the opportunity to expose our music to more people. We love what we do and hope others enjoy it as much as we do. We just released the re-recordings of Italian Ghosts [their 3rd release on the Warner/ADA distributed Tragic Hero Records] and It feels really cool to see everything coming full circle in so many ways. This is only the beginning."

The appearance will also feature "Simon Vandetta" of their 2015 release, 'American Graffiti'. The show aired last night/this morning at 1:35am on NBC.

About Strawberry Girls: When an eclectic group of individuals comes together with an idea to create something fresh, the results can often be outstanding. Such is the case with the experimental rock trio Strawberry Girls. These guys from California were founded by ex-Dance Gavin Dance guitarist Zachary Garren after he crossed paths with drummer Ben Rosett and bassist Ian Jennings. Although the band has worked with guest vocalists, they have remained an instrumental three piece. The album French Ghetto includes vocal appearances by Kurt Travis (A Lot Like Birds, ex Dance Gavin Dance), Nic Newsham (Gatsby’s American Dream), Shane Smit, Kathleen Mae, and Gavin Mulkey. “Our sound was originally built from a desire to practice and play as much as possible, without being restricted by the schedules of many different band members,” says Garren. However, what originally began as an invention out of necessity, became much more than that. Strawberry Girls take a simplistic, yet sometimes technical approach to songwriting by mending parts together that get stuck in your head and compel you to listen to them over and over again. Strawberry Girls have gone back into the studio to record their new album “American Graffiti” and are excited for fans to hear the new songs. “We can't wait for everyone to hear American Graffiti, an album we've been writing for over two years. We put a ton of work into making this our best album so far, not just musically, but sonically, too. It's a bit different than our previous releases and we explore a lot more musical territory with this album. We care about every single note we chose to play on American Graffiti and know it shows.” Garren explained. "American Graffiti" was released on November 13, 2015 and hit #22 on the Billboard New Artist Chart. The band has been consistently playing shows since the release including the 10 year anniversary Dance Gavin Dance run and the sold out Chon tour. In 2016, Strawberry Girls made their national television debut when they appeared on Last Call With Carson Daly. The feature included live footage from one of their LA shows and they will be appearing on the show again in 2017. The band also went back into the studio to work on their upcoming album. The Strawberry Girls released "Italian Ghosts" (previously released in 2011) on February 17, 2017. The band re-recorded the original album and will also include four brand new tracks. The record features guest vocals from Nic Newsham, Kathleen Delano, B Rolla, Joey Lancaster, Mark Banks, Sarah Glass and Jenna Fournier.

Tuesday 21 February 2017

Maggie McClure - "Be Right Here For You"



Singer/songwriter Maggie McClure has just released a new song. Check it out below.


The Norman, Okla-bred, Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter/pianist Maggie McClure has spent a good amount of her career placing her songs on TV shows such as Dr. Phil, Cougar Town, The Real World, The Vineyard, and The Hills, as well as in feature films like Cowgirls N’ Angels. Her smooth, confessional songwriting has made her a natural for these formats. Maggie has performed more than 1000 shows throughout her career in over 40+ states in the U.S. at iconic venues such as The Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles to Rockwood Music Hall in NYC, and everywhere in between. Her original piano-driven songs empower and inspire listeners with a positive message of hope, love, and faith.

Maggie’s third and newest album, Time Moves On -- produced by Justin Glasco, whose work includes Dan Wilson (songwriter of Adele’s hit “Someone Like You”), Gary Jules, Tyler Hilton, and Cary Brothers – chronicles her move from Oklahoma to L.A. and centers on the mental and physical bravery it takes to push yourself in an unknown city and make people pay attention and convince them to be part of your dream.

Maggie has recently opened for Sara Bareilles, Alicia Witt, Walk Off The Earth, Tony Lucca, and others. Additionally, you can hear her singing on ABC Family/Freeform's "The Mistle-Tones", as well as Disney's "Violetta", where she sang the English role of Violetta for Season 1 now airing worldwide on Disney Channel. Maggie also had the privilege of singing the National Anthem at the very first NBA playoff game in Oklahoma history with more than 18,000 people in attendance, as well as recently performing the official holiday halftime show at Madison Square Garden for the NY Knicks in along with singer/songwriter Shane Henry.

Monday 20 February 2017

THIEVERY CORPORATION Unveil video for ‘Letter To The Editor’



The video for THIEVERY CORPORATION’s track, "Letter To The Editor" featuring Racquel Jones and directed by Richard Elgood, premieres on Afropunk today. Eric Hilton explains, "When we met first met Racquel Jones in Jamaica, she was shy, sweet Kingston girl. Then she dropped lyrical fire that burnt down the whole studio. This little video was shot indy-style on location in Kingston to give a small taste of the new Thievery Corporation LP, The Temple of I & I."

Infused with the culture and rhythm of Jamaica, The Temple of I & I is an extension of the dub ethos and aesthetic that they’ve harbored since their debut EP Sounds from Thievery Hi-Fi, except this time, they dove headfirst into the rich and warm musical environs of Port Antonio, Jamaica and surrounded themselves with the island’s magic. Kicking off in February 2015, Hilton, Rob Garza and their DC-based live rhythm section settled into the deep part of Jamaica – Port Antonio – and began recording in Geejam Studios.

"The Temple of I & I is a place of worship that exists only in our imagination; a place where all people are chosen people and the unity of living things is possible,” explains Hilton about the album’s title. “So much of the world is divided into tribes and belief systems that have imprisoned people's consciousness and allowed a few to control the many. Culture can be a blessing and a curse. Humanity transcends tribe and culture. This has been a constant theme in Thievery Corporation's message since day one"

Thievery Corporation is Eric Hilton and Rob Garza. The Temple of I & I is out now via ESL Records.

TOUR DATES Europe: Feb 20 Kaserne Basel - Basel, Switzerland Feb 22 L'Alhambra, Paris, France Feb 24 Astra - Berlin, Germany Feb 25 Roxy - Prague, Czech Republic Feb 26 Konzerthaus - Vienna, Austria Feb 28 Batschkapp - Frankfurt, Germany Mar 01 Paradiso - Amsterdam, Netherlands Mar 02 Den Atelier - Luxembourg, Luxembourg Mar 04 Ancienne Belgique - Brussels, Belgium Mar 05 The Roundhouse - London, United Kingdom

ICE-T'S BODY COUNT RELEASE IMPACTFUL MUSIC VIDEO FOR “NO LIVES MATTER”



The wait is finally over, as ICE-T’s BODY COUNT is back and more vicious than ever. Their highly-anticipated new, full-length album “Bloodlust” is set for a March 31st release via Century Media Records and the impactful music video for the scathing new track, “No Lives Matter,” can be viewed below.


BODY COUNT, the gangster-metal collective that made music fearsome to mainstream America, their renegade track “Cop Killer” sending politicians, parents and law enforcement officials into a proverbial tailspin when it was released unto the world a quarter-century ago. That’s not to say Ice-T and BODY COUNT have been silent over the past 25 years, but as Ice is quick to point out, you can’t start a movement if people aren’t willing to move.

“Music happens in climates,” the BODY COUNT front man says when asked about his expectations for the band’s new opus, the aptly titled “Bloodlust”, a razor-sharp collection of social right hooks and body blows that paint a picture of an America in utter and complete shambles. “Groups like Rage Against The Machine and Korn were born when the world was in turmoil, then music went into this delusional period where hip-hop became about nothing more than poppin’ bottles. Now we have impending doom again, racism is at an all-time high and it’s our season again. This is the optimal time for a BODY COUNT record.”

BODY COUNT line-up: Ice-T – vocals Ernie C – guitars Juan Garcia – guitars Vincent Price – bass Ill Will – drums