The ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL (UMF) - the world's leading two-day electronic music experience - has announced the dates for its 11th consecutive year: Friday March 27 and Saturday March 28, 2009. South Florida's favorite music festival, internationally renowned for its memorable live performances and DJ sets from the world's top electronic and alternative rock artists, will take place during the 24th annual Winter Music Conference at the beautiful waterfront location of Bicentennial Park in downtown Miami (the same grounds it has occupied since 2006).

The initial line-up for the first night of the festival includes Miami exclusive performances from: Tiësto, Bloc Party, The Ting Tings, Santogold and - making their first US appearance as a full band in seven years - drum and bass legends Roni Size Reprazent. Miami exclusive artists confirmed for the second night of the festival include Cut Copy, Deadmau5, Crystal Castles, The Presets, Hercules and Love Affair, Simian Mobile Disco and Busy P.  Carl Cox will also return to perform on both Friday and Saturday and will host the legendary Carl Cox and Friends arena with a full complement of special guests TBA.  Many additional artists will be announced in the coming weeks.

Tickets are currently available via www.ultramusicfestival.com.  Limited 2-day passes are currently available for $99.95.  Tickets will go up to $129.95 and then $149.95 as the event approaches.  Two-day VIP passes are available for $350.00.

Last year over 55,000 dance music enthusiasts coming from the entire United States and over 50 countries around the world were in attendance, marking it as the largest ever UMF event and ranking at #14 on Pollstar's 2008 Mid Year Top 100 Concert Grosses. "The Ultra Music Festival, which started as an afterthought at the Winter Music Conference a decade ago but has now become its biggest event, more than lived up to expectations this weekend at downtown Miami's Bicentennial Park," wrote Miami Herald pop music critic Mike Hamersly in his review of last year's festival (March 30, 2008).  Added the Los Angeles Times (via their blog) of the Winter Music Conference April 2, "…the highlight of the week of DJ-centric festivities was surely the massive Ultra Music Festival. Taking place…over two days at downtown Miami's Bicentennial Park, Ultra did not disappoint."

In addition to the annual Miami festival, UMF has expanded internationally to include events in Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte, San Juan, Madrid and Ibiza. UMF recently added a January 2 festival in Cambriou exclusively featuring Tiësto's only 2009 Brazilian performance.

The ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL (UMF) - the world's leading two-day electronic and alternative music experience set for Friday March 27 and Saturday March 28, 2009 during the Winter Music Conference in Miami - has announced more exciting additions to its lineup.  Promoters for the festival have revealed that The Prodigy (who will release their new album Invaders Must Die on March 2) and Pendulum, two of the most anticipated live acts for 2009, have been confirmed along with DJ titans Paul Van Dyk and Armin Van Buuren.  Moby has also tapped UMF for his exclusive Winter Music Conference appearance. 

Other acts that are newly confirmed for UMF include: David Guetta, Above and Beyond, Erick Morillo, Booka Shade, the Swedish House Mafia featuring (Steve Angello, Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso), Benny Benassi, Rabbit In The Moon, Infected Mushroom, Fedde Le Grand, Richie Hawtin, Luciano, Tiga, Perry Farrell, ATB, M.A.N.D.Y. v. Tiefschwarz, Kraak & Smaak, Dirty South, Pete Tong, Loco Dice, Steve Lawler, Boys Noize, Markus Schulz, Kaskade, Late of the Pier, Planet of the Drums, Andy C + MC GQ and The Whip. The complete listing of participating artists to date is:

FRIDAY, MARCH 27

Main Stage: Tiësto, Bloc Party, David Guetta, The Ting Tings, Deadmau5, Santogold, Steve Lawler, Perry Farrell, Late of the Pier. Bayfront Stage: Pendulum Live, Roni Size Reprazent, Rabbit In The Moon, Craze & Klever, Kevens.  Carl Cox & Friends Stage: Carl Cox, Richie Hawtin, Luciano, Loco Dice.  Mid Park Stage: Swedish House Mafia, Benny Benassi, Tiga, Dirty South, Busy P, Chris Lake.

SATURDAY, MARCH 28

Main Stage: The Prodigy, Paul Van Dyk, Armin Van Buuren, Eric Prydz, Above and Beyond, Fedde Le Grand, Infected Mushroom, ATB, Kaskade, Markus Schulz.  Bayfront Stage: Deadmau5, Bookashade, Cut Copy, Simian Moblie Disco, Crystal Castles, M.A.N.D.Y. vs. Tiefschwartz, Boys Noize, Hercules and Love Affair, The Presets, Kraak & Smaak, The Whip.  Carl Cox & Friends Stage: Carl Cox, Moby, Erick Morillo, Pete Tong, Elio Riso.  The Mid-Park Stage: Roni Size DJ Set, Planet of the Drums (featuring AK1200, Dara, Diesel Boy, J. Messinian), Goldie, Andy C and MC GQ, Hybrid DJ Set, Ed Rush and Optical, Bassbin Twins, Soul of Man, DJ Icey, Evol Intent Live, Chase and Status, Drumattic Twins, Baby Anne.

The ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL is South Florida's favorite music festival, internationally renowned for its memorable live performances and DJ sets from the world's top electronic and alternative rock artists.  It will take place during the 24th annual Winter Music Conference on Friday, March 27 and Saturday, March 28 at the beautiful waterfront location of Bicentennial Park in downtown Miami (the same grounds it has occupied since 2006). Tickets are currently available via www.ultramusicfestival.com for $129.95 and then $149.95 as the event approaches.  Two-day VIP passes are available for $350.00

The Chemical Brothers (DJ Set), Devendra Banhart, Etienne De Crecy, The Orb, Murder City Devils, Busy P, and Plump DJs have joined the line-up for the tenth COACHELLA VALLEY MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL.  The full updated list of acts for this year’s festival--set for Friday, April 17, Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19--is as follows:

FRIDAY, APRIL 17:  Paul McCartney, Morrissey, Franz Ferdinand, Leonard Cohen, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, Beirut, The Black Keys, Girl Talk, Silversun Pickups, The Ting Tings, The Crystal Method, Ghostland Observatory, Crystal Castles, The Airborne Toxic Event, We Are Scientists, N.A.S.A., Patton & Rahzel, M. Ward, The Presets, The Hold Steady, A Place to Bury Strangers, Felix da Housecat, Buraka Som Sistema, Ryan Bingham, Bajofondo, Peanut Butter Wolf, Noah & the Whale, White Lies, The Bug, Alberta Cross, Los Campesinos!, Craze & Klever, Molotov, Switch, Gui Boratto, Steve Aoki, The Aggrolites, People Under the Stairs, The Courteeners, Cage the Elephant, Dear and the Headlights. 

SATURDAY, APRIL 18:  The Killers, Thievery Corporation, The Chemical Brothers, TV on the Radio, Band of Horses, Fleet Foxes, MSTRKRFT, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Atmosphere, Mastodon, TRAV$DJ-AM, Henry Rollins, Crookers, Turbonegro, Hercules and Love Affair, Superchunk, Glasvegas, Dr. Dog, Drive-By Truckers, Booker T & the DBT’s, Amanda Palmer, The Bloody Beetroots, Surkin, Para One (Live), Calexico, Liars, Bob Mould Band, Zane Lowe, Electric Touch, Blitzen Trapper, James Morrison, Drop the Lime, Glass Candy, Thenewno2, Gang Gang Dance, Billy Talent, Ida Maria, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, Zizek, Cloud Cult, Tinariwen.

SUNDAY, APRIL 19:  The Cure, My Bloody Valentine, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Throbbing Gristle, Lupe Fiasco, Paul Weller, Peter Bjorn and John, X, The Orb Antony & the Johnsons, Roni Size, Public Enemy, Jenny Lewis, Groove Armada, Etienne De Crecy, Devendra Banhart, Murder City Devils, Paolo Nutini, Christopher Lawrence, Lykke Li, The Kills, Okkervil River, M.A.N.D.Y., Clipse, Plump DJs, Busy P, Sebastien Tellier, Fucked Up, Perry Farrell, The Horrors, Late of the Pier, K’naan, Junior Boys, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Supermayer, No Age, Vivian Girls, Shepard Fairey, Themselves, Gaslight Anthem, The Knux, Mexican Institute of Sound, The Night Marchers, Marshall Barnes.

At the same time, this month marks the debut of Coachella Digital, a 40-page interactive digital magazine profiling a few artists performing at this year’s festival.  Coachella Digitalalso offers insight into festival culture around the globe; music reviews; festival rumors and how quickly they spread; a photo montage featuring images submitted by COACHELLA attendees; and a multitude of interactive elements. The inaugural issue is available online at WWW.COACHELLADIGITAL.COM.

Tickets for COACHELLA--which will will once again take place at the beautiful Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA, the same grounds where the festival debuted in 1999--are on sale now at all Ticketmaster locations.  Three-day weekend passes are $269.00 +$3 charity + $9 facility fee ($1 charity/$3 facility fee per day) and single day tickets are $99.00 +$1 charity + $3 facility fee. 

For up-to-the-minute information on COACHELLA, please visit www.coachella.com.  COACHELLA sponsors include AT&T, Heineken and PlayStation.

September on the West Coast not only marks the time of year University of California, Santa Barbara rolls back into session, it also heralds the return of the WEST BEACH MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL.  Event producers Twiin Productions have announced that one of America’s only beach festivals will return for its third year Friday, September 18, Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2009.

The three-day gathering for music fans, families and beachgoers alike will feature non-stop performances by rock, reggae and jam bands G. LOVE & SPECIAL SAUCE, STEEL PULSE, PEPPER, REBELUTION, IRATION, OZOMATLI, SOJA, SHWAYZE, THE AGGROLITES, STILL TIME, TOMORROWS BAD SEEDS, SASHAMON, DIRTY HEADS, THE KICKS, SUNSHINE BROS., PACIFIC DUB, THROUGH THE ROOTS, and ONE DROP.  More musical talent will be unveiled at a later date leading up to the festival.

Located seaside just west of Santa Barbara’s renowned Stearn's Wharf, the all-ages festival will also feature arts and crafts vendors, activities oriented toward children plus The OASIS, a lush tropical inspired-area surrounded by palm trees located in the heart of the festival. 

“It’s amazing how much growth the festival experienced this past year from 1,500 attendees in its first year to more than 20,000 attendees in its second year, but it’s not stopping there,” states Twiin Production’s Jeremy Pemberton.  “This year the collaborations we have made with other organizations within the community have really set us up for an even stronger festival.”

“We are being strategic in our promotions and partnerships to allow maximum benefits for our community,” adds Twiin Productions partner Joshua Pemberton.  “It’s our goal to drive tourism and consumer spending throughout our local businesses and hotels.  We are very excited that this is only the beginning of our announcements.  We have many more surprises to share in the near future!”

Last year’s WEST BEACH MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL drew over 20,000 attendees and featured stellar performances from Ziggy Marley, Jason Mraz, Natasha Bedingfield, George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Jackie Greene, The Expendables and more.  Wrote Josef Woodard of the Santa Barbara News-Press (9/16/08) in his review, “…the festival experience is all about balancing well-coordinated planning and moments that verge on blissful chaos and cultural overload. By that classic standard, the West Beach Music and Arts Festival did its job nicely and has whetted the appetite for more of the same next year.”

Tickets for the WEST BEACH FESTIVAL go on sale May 23 via the festival’s website www.westbeachfestival.com.  A limited amount of early bird three-day passes will be available for $75.00.  Single day tickets will be made available for purchase at a later date. The festival guarantees that this price will not last long and encourages purchasing early in order to save money. 

Twiin Productions--the event producers of the WEST BEACH MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL, one of America’s only beach festivals--has confirmed several additions to its music line-up. BEN HARPER AND RELENTLESS7, SLIGHTLY STOOPID, DONAVON FRANKENREITER, THE BRAVERY and BASSNECTAR are the new additions to the three-day event--Friday, September 18, Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2009 in Santa Barbara, CA.

Rock band BEN HARPER AND RELENTLESS7 will appear at WEST BEACH FESTIVAL in support of their current album White Lies For Dark Times, a head-on collision between soul and rock. The Ocean Beach, CA reggae, hip-hop and punk alchemists SLIGHTLY STOOPID, now on their “Blazed and Confused” tour with Snoop Dogg, will bring their massive radio hit “2 AM” and many more of their great jams to the beach.  DONAVON FRANKENREITER, American songwriter and surfer, will showcase material from his repertoire of songs including material from his current release Pass It Around. New York City band THE BRAVERY will perform modern rock cuts from their offering The Sun And The Moon and BASSNECTAR, the drum n’ bass party extravaganza, will add a DJ edge to the festival.

These artists at the beachside gathering for music fans, families and beachgoers alike join the stellar line-up of previously announced musical acts: G. LOVE & SPECIAL SAUCE, STEEL PULSE, PEPPER, REBELUTION, IRATION, OZOMATLI, SHWAYZE, SOJA, THE AGGROLITES, STILL TIME, REY FRESCO, TOMORROWS BAD SEEDS, SASHAMON, DIRTY HEADS, LOOMIS & THE LUST, PAT SWAYZAK, MATTY MATT, SUNSHINE BROS., PACIFIC DUB, THROUGH THE ROOTS, RICO DE LARGO, SABATAGE, THE KICKS, ONE DROP, I&I SOUNDSYSTEMS, QUASAR, ERIK LOHR, JUPITER RISING, MACKLE, J$, BONES, CALVIN RILEY, [email protected], SPARX and SHYBOY.

With breathtaking views of the harbor, ocean and mountains, the WEST BEACH FESTIVAL also offers VIP cabanas accommodations and personal service to those who like to take their entertainment experience to the next level of indulgence. It's no wonder the VIP Cabanas have sold out every year. Cabana Row provides private food and beverage service, private security and premium viewing of Bob's stage (main stage). Cabanas are furnished with plush couches and tables, as well as a private beach front with umbrella, table and chairs. More VIP information can be found online.

Single-day and 3-day tickets for the WEST BEACH FESTIVAL are available now via the festival’s website www.westbeachfestival.com. 

The 11^th COACHELLA VALLEY MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL will feature a mix of artists ranging from Pavement, Thom Yorke????, Vampire Weekend, Them Crooked Vultures, LCD Soundsystem, Phoenix, Tiësto, Faith No More, Deadmau5, David Guetta, MGMT and Public Image Limited.  Set for Friday, April 16, Saturday, April 17 and Sunday, April 18 at the beautiful Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA--the same grounds where COACHELLA debuted in 1999--the COACHELLA 2010 line-up will feature more than 130 acts.

This year’s COACHELLA will feature a variety of options to make the concert experience an enjoyable one.  In addition to expanded camping options--including car, RV and traditional tent camping-- COACHELLA will allow, for the first time, in-and-out privileges for all attendees.   Festival goers will once again have the ability to purchase 3-day festival tickets and various onsite camping options via an easy layaway payment plan.

For those looking to streamline the weekend’s experience, COACHELLA has teamed with Valley Music Travel to provide exclusive travel packages, local hotel shuttle transportation and private home rentals with VIP COACHELLA access.  For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit here.

FRIDAY APRIL 16:  Jay-Z, LCD Soundsystem, Them Crooked Vultures, Vampire Weekend, Deadmau5, Public Image Limited, The Specials, Grizzly Bear, Passion Pit, Echo and the Bunnymen, Benny Benassi, Fever Ray, Grace Jones, She & Him, Erol Alkan, The Avett Brothers, Calle 13, The Whitest Boy Alive, The Cribs, La Roux, Yeasayer, Lucero, DJ Lance Rock, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Proxy, Ra Ra Riot, Deer Tick, Wolfgang Gartner, Aeroplane, Iglu & Hartly, Sleigh Bells, P.O.S., Baroness, Hockey, Little Dragon, White Rabbits, Wale, Kate Miller-Heidke, As Tall as Lions, Jets Overhead, Alana Grace, Pablo Hassan.

SATURDAY, APRIL 17:  Muse, Faith No More, Tiësto, MGMT, David Guetta, The Dead Weather, Hot Chip, Devo, Coheed and Cambria, Kaskade, 2Many DJ's, Major Lazer, Dirty Projectors, Gossip, Z-Trip, The xx, John Waters, Les Claypool, The Raveonettes, Mew, Sia, Camera Obscura, Tokyo Police Club, Porcupine Tree, Old Crow Medicine Show, Aterciopalados, Bassnectar, Frightened Rabbit, Dirty South, Flying Lotus, Corinne Bailey Rae, Pretty Lights, Shooter Jennings, RX Bandits, The Almighty Defenders, Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros, Craze & Klever, Zoe, The Temper Trap, Portugal. The Man, Band of Skulls, Girls, Beach House, Steel Train, Frank Turner.

SUNDAY, APRIL 18:  Gorillaz, Pavement, Thom Yorke????, Phoenix, Orbital, Spoon, Sly and the Family Stone, De La Soul, Julian Casablancas, Plastikman, Gary Numan, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Sunny Day Real Estate, Yo La Tengo, MUTEMATH, Deerhunter, Infected Mushroom, Club 75, Matt & Kim, The Big Pink, Gil Scott-Heron, King Khan and the Shrines, Florence and the Machine, Yann Tiersen, Little Boots, Miike Snow, Talvin Singh, Ceu, B.o.B., Babasonicos, Owen Pallett, The Glitch Mob, Mayer Hawthorne, Local Natives, Rusko, The Middle East, Hadouken!, The Soft Pack, Kevin Devine, Paparazzi, Delphic, One EskimO.

Tickets for COACHELLA go on sale Friday, January 22 at 10:00 AM at all Ticketmaster locations and www.coachella.com. Three-day weekend passes are $269.00, plus surcharges.  More details on layaway, camping options and up-to-the minute information, can be found at www.coachella.com.  COACHELLA 2010 sponsors include Heineken and PlayStation.

The first major U.S. music festival of 2011--ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL (UMF)--which takes place March 25, 26 & 27 at Bicentennial Park in Miami, FL--has announced the second phase of its line-up.  Joining headliners Tiësto, deadmau5,  The Chemical Brothers, David Guetta, Carl Cox and Empire of the Sun are exclusive performers Duran Duran, Underworld, Armin van Buuren, Moby, Kaskade, Erick Morillo (live), will.i.am, Sasha (V_rtek live), The Disco Biscuits, Avicii, Fedde Le Grand, ATB, Scream! & Benga, The Glitch Mob, Fake Blood and more.

Appearing for the first time ever at the ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL are Duran Duran in support of their Mark Ronson-produced 13th studio album ALL YOU NEED IS NOW (which will be out March 22 on S-Curve Records).  Like UMF alumni performers The Cure, The Killers and Black Eyed Peas, Duran Duran have long been trailblazers in crossover dance and pop.

Also new to the festival as it expands for the first time as a three-day event this year is the addition of Armin Van Buuren’s A State Of Trance 500 area on Sunday, March 27.  Named after his extremely popular internationally syndicated radio show, van Buuren will be joined by titans of the trance genre Ferry Corsten, ATB, Gareth Emrey, Sander Van Doorn and more.  In addition, this year’s UMF marks the debut of live shows by Erick Morillo and Sasha (V_rtek).

The complete line-up for ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL by day and per stage to date is:

Friday, March 25: Main Stage: Tiësto, Duran Duran, Pendulum (live), Erasure, Benny Benassi, Fedde Le Grand, Tinie Tempah, Dada Life, Dimitri Kneppers, Cato K. Live Stage: Röyksopp, Trentemøller, STS9, Carte Blanche, Designer Drugs, Mustard Pimp Carl Cox & Friends: Carl Cox, Laurent Garnier, Loco Dice. Mid Park Tower: Avicii, Martin Solveig, Roger Sanchez, Chris Lake, Sidney Samson, Cedric Gervais, Funkagenda, Rodrigo Viera. Root Society Dome: Joachim Garraud, Jefr Tale, LA Riots, Harvard Bass, Stripe, Elite Force, Jelo, Rob G, Electric Soulside.

Saturday, March 26: Main Stage: deadmau5, Underworld, Armin Van Buuren, Kaskade, Afrojack, Avicii, Sander Klienenberg (live), Hernan Cattaneo, Sunnery James/Ryan Marciano, Jerome Isma AE, Riotgear.  Live Stage: Empire of the Sun, Cut Copy, Sasha (V_rtek live), Boys Noize, Steve Aoki, Simian Mobile Disco (live), The Klaxons, Mr. Oizo, Bag Raiders, Conspirator. Carl Cox & Friends: Carl Cox, Moby, Fedde Le Grand, Jors Voorn, Yousef. Mid Park Tower: Rusko, Scream + Benga, Andy C & MC Q, NERO, Excision & Datsik, Feed Me, Goldie, Fresh, Netsky, Toddla T & Red Light. Roots Society Dome (Dirtybird Records Showcase): Claude Vonstroke, Justin Martin, J. Philip, Christian Martin, Worthy / Mowgli, Detroit Grand Pubahs, Elio Riso, Remo, Donald Glaude, Filthy Rich.

Sunday, March 27: Main Stage: The Chemical Brothers (live), David Guetta, Erick Morillo (live), will.i.am, Laidback Luke, Wolfgang Gartner, Gui Boratto. Live Stage: Crystal Castles, The Disco Biscuits, MSTRKRFT, Chromeo, CSS, Fake Blood, Hybrid (live), Subfocus (live), !!!, Afrobeta.  A State of Trance 500: Armin van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, ATB, Gareth Emery, Sander Van Doorn,  Alex M.O.R.P.H., Cosmic Gate, Marcus Schossow. Mid Park Tower: The Glitch Mob, Skrillex, The Gaslamp Killer, 12th Planet, Dieselboy, Super Mash Bros., Daedelus, Ed Rush & Optical, Drop The Lime/AC Slater, Kill The Noise, Plastician.  Root Society Dome: Dada Life, Congorock, Alex Guadino, John Dahlback, Pleasurekraft, Steve Porter, Remady, Will Bailey, Hatiras, Lazy Rich.

Three-day combo tickets are now available for *$219.95 with VIP three day tickets for *499.95 for a limited time via www.ultramusicfestival.com.

With his upcoming album SEVEN, the critically acclaimed electronic artist DJ CAM serves up his most personal work since 2001’s acclaimed Soulshine. Inspired as ever by the original jazz and hip-hop influences that helped him become one of the founders of the trip-hop/electro scene back in 1995, SEVEN—due out October 24 on his Inflamable Records—is also full of exciting new music. 

Following the album’s release in late October into early November, DJ CAM will set off on a DJ tour with Blockhead, appearing at boutique clubs in such cities as Denver, Houston, New Orleans, Austin, Dallas, Chicago, Seattle, Portland and San Francisco. He is also confirmed for two Southern California appearances: the major electronic music festival Nocturnal Wonderland on September 24 and the Ooh La La Festival, celebrating French music with Birdy Nam Nam, on October 1 (see dates, cities and venues below).

Written in Paris and Los Angeles, SEVEN is an album that possesses an enveloping, melancholic tone and wide-open soundscapes designed to help make minds wander: “Swim” feat Chris James, frontman for British electronic alternative rock band Stateless, is a taste of this adventure and is the first single from the new album. With the album version and a radio edit, the EP of “Swim”—now available via all digital outlets—also features remixes by Parisian alternative act Blackjoy, U.K. newcomer Cuttooth and multimedia artist Conforce. Its stunning melancholic music video was directed by highly acclaimed French fashion photographer Sonia Sieff.  Jason Bentley of KCRW calls "Swim,” “… pure bliss…A summer anthem," while Dimitri From Paris adds "Excellence and lush sophistication as always from DJ Cam," and Bob Sinclair simply states, “Beautiful.”

Chris James is also present on tracks “Ghost” and “Uncomfortable” and there are hints of old school electronica (“Dreamcatcher”) as well as cinematic ambient tracks that invite you to dream (“Seven,” “California Dreaming”). For a feminine touch, DJ CAM adds the vocals of Inlove, a new signing on his Inflamable label, and Nicolette, long-time collaborator with Massive Attack, the legendary group that DJ CAM feels closer to now than ever before and to whom he dedicates the album.

As a mainstay of the French Touch (he started his career in the 1990’s together with Daft Punk, Air, Cassius and Bob Sinclar), DJ CAM has released six albums, helmed a number of side projects and given countless performances all around the world, helping him to acquire global notoriety. His 2002 single “Summer in Paris” with Anggun sold over 1,000,000 copies and remains an emblematic tune of the Parisian belle vie.

The track list for DJ CAM’s SEVEN is as follows:

1.        California Dreamin

2.        Swim (feat. Chris James)

3.        Dreamcatcher

4.        Love (feat. Nicolette)

5.        Seven

6.        1988 (feat. Inlove)

7.        Ghost (feat. Chris James)

8.        Fontainebleau

9.        Uncomfotable (feat. Chris James)

10.     CD Bonus Track A Loop

DJ CAM’s current North American tour dates are as follows:

2011 was an incredible year for festivals and electronic music.  With the New Year rapidly approaching, all eyes are focused on what’s to come next with the leader being ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL (ULTRA), the world’s premiere electronic music event.  Tickets are moving at lightning speed, only a limited amount remain (with early bird and advance on-sale tickets selling out in record time), so the promoters are highly encouraging fans not to miss out by unveiling the majority of the ULTRA line-up on the Phase 1 announcement. ULTRA is also returning to downtown Miami with Bayfront Park as its new location in order to accommodate a larger footprint for increased capacity. Over the last few years, the festival took place at Bicentennial Park, but after reaching a record-breaking 150,000 in attendance this year, and becoming the first ever, and only 3-day music festival of its kind to completely sell out 150,000 tickets six weeks in advance, ULTRA is moving next door to the tropical, waterfront park nestled between Biscayne Bay and Biscayne Boulevard. The ULTRA team is taking it back to Bayfront, where it last took place in 2005, transforming and customizing the park in a way never seen before. Each day will be helmed by world-class headliners: TIËSTO and KRAFTWERK Friday, March 23; JUSTICE (Live) and AVICII Saturday, March 24; and DAVID GUETTA and ARMIN VAN BUUREN Sunday, March 25.  Other confirmed talent, in every genre of electronic music imaginable, includes: a wide array of international leading electronic music performers including SKRILLEX, KASKADE, AFROJACK, PRETTY LIGHTS, DUCK SAUCE, THE BLOODY BEETROOTS (DJ Set), 2MANYDJS (Live), BASSNECTAR, CHASE & STATUS (Live), FEDDE LE GRAND, KNIFE PARTY and LAIDBACK LUKE; pioneering acts such as NEW ORDER, FATBOY SLIM, and SVEN VÄTH; cutting-edge bands like M83, MIIKE SNOW, LITTLE DRAGON, NEON INDIAN and METRONOMY; and up-and-coming DJs such as SETH TROXLER and JAMIE JONES.Confirmed talent for each day of ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL is:FRIDAY, MARCH 23Tiësto, Kraftwerk, Carl Cox, Skrillex, Afrojack, Miike Snow, Pretty Lights, New Order, Groove Armada (DJ Set), Dirty South, Loco Dice, A-Trak, Dada Life, Porter Robinson, Neon Indian, Jack Beats, Chris Lake, Michael Woods, Nicky Romero, Tommy Trash, Katy B, DJ Icey, The Knocks, Afrobeta, Jon RundellSATURDAY, MARCH 24Justice (Live), Avicii, Fatboy Slim, Duck Sauce, M83, Sven Väth, Carl Cox, Laidback Luke, 2manydjs (Live), Flux Pavilion, Borgore, Doctor P, Metronomy, Little Dragon, Hardwell, Datsik, Andy C, Zeds Dead, 12th Planet, Magda, Skream + Benga, Zedd, Mord Fustang, Cedric Gervais, Netsky, High Contrast, Mt. Eden, Camo & Krooked, Big Chocolate, Carbon Airways, YousefSUNDAY, MARCH 25David Guetta, Armin Van Buuren, Kaskade, Bassnectar, Chase and Status (Live), The Bloody Beetroots (DJ Set), Fedde Le Grand, Knife Party, Magnetic Man, John Digweed, Steve Aoki, Ferry Corsten, Gareth Emery, Sander van Doorn, Flying Lotus, SBTRKT (live), Adam Beyer, Steve Lawler, Joris Voorn, Jamie, Jones, Seth Troxler, Damian Lazarus, Nic Fanciulli, Layo & Bushwacka!, Marcus Schössow, Popof, Art Department, Big Gigantic, Savoy (Live), Tritonal, Jochen Miller, Keys N Krates, Elio Riso, Remo, Eco, RioTGeaRAlso returning is the Ultra Mega Structure, which will feature specialty areas each day.  One of the few artists to appear at ULTRA almost every year, staple CARL COX returns with the CARL COX & FRIENDS arena Friday and CARL COX PRESENTS COCOON featuring SVEN VÄTH Saturday.  ARMIN VAN BUUREN’s A STATE OF TRANCE 550 will take over Sunday.With all this and much more, ULTRA has cemented itself as the premium festival for fans of club culture and the electronic genre and artists influenced by the music on a massive scale. More acts will be announced in the coming weeks leading up to the festival.

JANE’S ADDICTION--frontman Perry Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro and drummer Stephen Perkins, along with Chris Chaney on bass--will ring in 2012 with a special New Year’s Eve show at the Belly Up in Aspen, Colorado (their third annual New Year's Eve show at this intimate venue).  The alt-rock pioneers’ intimate Rocky Mountain spectacular will be shared with music fans via a live broadcast on Sirius XM’s Lithium Channel 34, starting tomorrow night (Saturday, December 31) at 11:15 pm MT sharp.2011 was a milestone year for JANE’S ADDICTION, marking the release of their first studio album in eight years, THE GREAT ESCAPE ARTIST (Capitol Records). Rolling Stone described the Rich Costey-produced album as “classic Jane's--all yowling vocals and sensual waves of music cascading and peaking (10/27/11),” while USA Today said the album finds “…core members Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro and drummer Stephen Perkins conjuring the feral drive and mystical haze of those early works with a fresh kick to the band's electro-rock meld (10/17/11).”  The album features “Irresistible Force,” the transfixing Top Ten alternative rock hit they performed on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”  Currently, the new “Underground” is buzzing in clubs and on radio with its video set to be made available in the coming weeks.  The band debuted “Underground” on “The Late Show with David Letterman” this past fall.Also in 2011, JANE’S ADDICTION headlined numerous major events such as the launch of Lollapalooza Chile, Gathering of the Vibes, the iHeart Radio Festival in Las Vegas and the DeLuna Festival. In June, they were inducted into Guitar Center’s RockWalk by Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello who said:“Nirvana often gets credit for being the first ‘alternative’ band to break through, the band that changed music and led rock out of the hair metal wilderness of the ‘80’s. That’s just not true. It was Jane’s Addiction. Inspiring, intelligent, furiously rocking and artistically deep as f**k.”  Read the entire text of Morello’s induction speech here: http://www.msopr.com/press-releases/tom-morello%E2%80%99s-induction-of-jane%E2%80%99s-addiction-at-guitar-center%E2%80%99s-rockwalk/In 2012, look for JANE’S ADDICTION to take their musical celebration on a world tour including a headlining slot at the debut of Lollapalooza Brazil in Sao Paulo April 7-8. Additional dates to be announced.

From the beginning, JANE’S ADDICTION has thrown the most unique parties in rock, mixing a fierce musicality with theatrical flair onstage.  2012 sees the band--who’ve always outrageously combined electricity, sex and danger--return in support of their acclaimed album THE GREAT ESCAPE ARTIST (Capitol Records), which features the now-buzzing-at-radio track “Underground.” Starting February 22, this special run of North American shows—called “Theatre of the Escapists”--will bring the band to intimate venues, most of which are classic theatres. The alternative rock pioneers--frontman Perry Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro and drummer Stephen Perkins, along with Chris Chaney on bass—are poised to deliver an immersive theatrical experience as only they can. Tickets go on sale January 14, with a pre-sale set for 10:00 EST this Wednesday, January 11. There will be a special package on JanesAddiction.com where fans can pair up their presale ticket with a high-quality lithograph. The lithograph will be signed by the band and sold only at the JanesAddiction.com presale.

“We chose to play as many of the great theatres that we could find because we wanted to immerse the audience in a unique experience unlike any they have ever seen at a rock show,” says FARRELL.   “Expect an orgy of musical and visual delights.  We like orgies, and hope you do too.”

2011 was a milestone year for JANE’S ADDICTION, marking the release of their first studio album in eight years, the Rich Costey-produced album, THE GREAT ESCAPE ARTIST. Spin, writing about one of the album’s tracks, noted that “frontman Perry Farrell and guitarist Dave Navarro both put in stunning performances...it sounds like a band re-vitalized” (August 3, 2011), while USA Today said the album finds “…core members Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro and drummer Stephen Perkins conjuring the feral drive and mystical haze of those early works with a fresh kick to the band's electro-rock meld (10/17/11).”  The album features “Irresistible Force,” the transfixing Top Ten alternative rock hit that Rolling Stone called “an art metal freak show set on some distant planet” (August 3, 2011). Their new single, “Underground” is currently climbing the alternative and rock radio charts.  It features some of NAVARRO’s best guitar work, according to the Wall Street Journal, which took note of the way he ”excels with terse fills long before he solos at the song's fade.”  The publication added: “As always, Stephen Perkins proves to be one of rock's great drummers, and his interplay with Mr. Navarro, his high-school marching-band buddy, is one of the disc's savory treats” (October 11, 2011).

Also in 2011, JANE’S ADDICTION headlined major events such as the Splendor in the Grass in Australia, the launch of Lollapalooza Chile, Gathering of the Vibes, and the iHeart Radio Festival in Las Vegas.

In June, JANE’S were inducted into Guitar Center’s RockWalk by Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello. Morello made it clear that the alt-rock pioneers led the way: ” Nirvana often gets credit for being the first ‘alternative’ band to break through, the band that changed music and led rock out of the hair metal wilderness of the ‘80’s. That’s just not true. It was Jane’s Addiction.”

In August, at Lollapalooza’s 20^th Anniversary in Chicago, in front of 80,000 fans, Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters recounted the first time he saw JANE’S ADDICTION in 1991 in Los Angeles:  “…that day me and Kurt went down and we sat at the audience and we thought: ‘Oh my god, music is f%%%kin changing.’ There’s 20,000 people here. To see bands that are actually f%%%kin cool. WTF. How did that happen! So I’d like to thank Perry for changing music–thank you Perry…Well this one goes out to you Perry, cause if it weren’t for you, I swear to god, we wouldn’t f%%%kin be here right now. And when I say: ‘We.’ I mean: ‘F%%%kin We.’ Am I right! Am I Right!”

Onstage, JANE’S ADDICTION hold nothing back. They “…reminded everyone there were rock gods to be prayed to, and then defied them with feverish grace,” noted Billboard (August 13, 2011—check date) of their NYC show at Terminal 5. Writing about their Los Angeles performance at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, ArtistDirect.com (October 5, 2011) said:  “Jane's Addiction stood triumphant for the entire show. It was one of those magical gigs where every element simply worked. On stage, Jane's Addiction display the kind of mystique that's belonged to the likes of Led Zeppelin and few others. However, they're one of a kind.”

The cities for JANE’S ADDICTION’s “Theatre of the Escapists” tour, with support act Black Box Revelation (www.blackboxrevelation.com), are as follows:

Saint Louis, MO
Detroit, MI
Columbus, OH
Toronto, ON
Rochester, NY
Albany, NY
Portland, ME
Long Island, NY
Wellmont, NJ
Waterbury, CT
Richmond, VA
Myrtle Beach, SC
Atlanta, GA
Tulsa, OK
Kansas City, MO
Minneapolis, MN
Grand Rapids, MI
Milwaukee, WI

The Recording Academy has announced today electronic music producer deadmau5 (pronounced ‘dead mouse’) will perform on the 54th Annual GRAMMY® Awards telecast this Sunday, February 12 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.   He will join Foo Fighters, David Guetta, Chris Brown and Lil Wayne for a special performance, marking the first-time ever electronic music will be spotlighted on the show.  The producer and performer is nominated for three GRAMMY Awards including Best Dance/Electronica Album for his critically acclaimed LP 4x4=12 (Ultra Music), Best Dance Recording for “Raise Your Weapon” with Greta Svabo Bech and Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical for his stellar remix of the Foo Fighters’ “Rope.”In addition, deadmau5’s MEOWINGTONS HAX 2K11 TORONTO DVD is released today, February 7 on Ultra Music. FUSE, the national music television network of The Madison Square Garden Company, will air the world premiere of MEOWINGTONS HAX 2K11 TORONTO, the same day as the DVD release.  deadmau5 fans can tune-in tonight, Tuesday, February 7 at 8:30pm ET to see the show air exclusively on FUSE. The Canadian, platinum-selling, independent artist made history on November 5, 2011, when he became the first Canadian artist as well as the first electronic artist to have a headlining concert at Toronto’s Rogers Centre, marking the last stop of his record-breaking Meowingtons Hax North American tour.  The amazing state-of-the-art live Rogers Centre show captured for MEOWINGTONS HAX 2K11 TORONTO brings the viewer mind-blowing visuals and live performance of some of his biggest hits and previously unreleased tracks. A sample can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOEsIBMw7iE.Following his GRAMMY performance the night of Sunday, February 12, deadmau5 will join Rihanna, Calvin Harris and Sebastian Ingrosso of Swedish House Mafia at the House Of Blues in Los Angeles for the Three Six Zero Group and Roc Nation charity concert. All proceeds from this once-in-a-lifetime event will benefit the Children’s Orthopaedic Center and The Mark Taper–Johnny Mercer Artists Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Tickets, priced at $250 and $1,000, may be purchased onlineor at the House Of Blues box office located at 8430 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA.   More information is available here.

As he puts the finishing touches on his as-yet-untitled second solo album due out May 22, SLASH--the iconic, Grammy-winning rock guitarist and songwriter--has announced that his headlining U.S. tour will begin May 3 in Baltimore. A fan pre-sale begins this Wednesday, February 15, with the regular on-sale starting Friday, February 17. Tickets will be available at: http://www.slashonline.com/.  The itinerary (see below) encompasses three festival appearances: Saturday, May 5 at Carolina Rebellion, Saturday, May 19 at Rock On The Range and  Friday, May 25 at Rocklahoma.

Meanwhile, this Saturday, February 18, SLASH will join Stevie Wonder, Sean Combs, Chris Cornell, Lenny Kravitz, LL Cool J, Common, Snoop Dogg, former President Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, actors Anthony Hopkins, James Gandolfini and more at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas for a 70^th birthday celebration to honor boxing legend Muhammad Ali. “Muhammad Ali is & always has been a role model & a hero to me,” says SLASH. “It's a huge privilege to be able to perform in his honor. He is one of the great icons of American culture and history." The 16^th annual “Power of Love Gala” celebrates the life and legacy of Muhammad Ali and his contribution to the world and raises awareness for Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, ALS, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s, the disease “The Champ” has been battling since 1984.  Proceeds from the event will benefit the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health’s work toward enhanced treatments and research of neurocognitive disorders and the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Ky. The show will also feature appearances from boxing legends such as Sugar Ray Leonard, Ken Norton, Tommy “Hitman” Hearns, and more. Tickets for this once-in-a-lifetime event are on sale now. ABC will also televise the show nationally on Saturday, Feb. 25, at 7 p.m. EST/ 4 p.m. PST. For tickets and more information, visit: keepmemoryalive.org.

SLASH is currently in a Los Angeles studio working on his new album with Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators. It will be released SLASH’s own label Dik Hayd International distributed through EMI and will follow his 2010 debut album Slash and his November 2011 first-ever live  solo album, the two-CD/DVD set Made In Stoke 24/7/11. Notably, the Slash album debuted on the Billboard Top 200 chart at #3 (#1 on the Rock chart, #1 on the Independent chart, and #1 on the Hard Music chart). Digitally, the album also became the #1 overall digital album and hit #1 on iTunes in 13 countries. Internationally, the disc achieved Top 5 chart positions in over a dozen major territories, hitting #1 in both Japan and New Zealand.

For the new album, SLASH--along with and his bandmates Myles Kennedy (vocals), Brent Fitz (drums) and Todd Kerns (bass)--have teamed with producer Eric Valentine, who also produced the Slash disc. All the songs were written together by SLASH and Kennedy, and cameras have been rolling throughout the entire making of the album. Check out this exclusive behind-the-scenes footage.

SLASH’s 2012 headlining U.S. tour dates are as follows:

Electronic music producer deadmau5 has made his brand new single “maths” (Ultra Music/mau5trap) available worldwide today (February 17) via Beatport, iTunes, Spotify and ZUNE.  Like his last single release “aural psynapse,” released in November 2011, the pulsating “maths” was part of his live repertoire from his Meowingtons Hax North American tour and is featured in his current live DVD offering Meowingtons Hax 2k11 TORONTO.  Hear the song—which will be featured during Swedish House Mafia’s take-over on Pete Tong’s BBC Radio 1 show tonight at 9 p.m. GST—at http://smarturl.it/maths.  The Canadian, platinum-selling, independent artist made history on November 5, 2011, when he became the first Canadian artist as well as the first electronic artist to have a headlining concert at Toronto’s Rogers Centre, marking the last stop of his record-breaking Meowingtons Hax North American tour.  The amazing, state-of-the-art live Rogers Centre show captured for Meowingtons Hax 2k11 TORONTO brings the viewer mind-blowing visuals and live performance of some of his biggest hits and previously unreleased tracks which includes “maths.”In other news, deadmau5 joined the Foo Fighters, David Guetta, Chris Brown and Lil Wayne for a special performance during the 54th Annual GRAMMY® Awards telecast on CBS this past Sunday, February 12, marking the first-time ever electronic music was spotlighted on the show.  His contribution, which featured his Grammy-nominated remix of the Foo Fighters’ “Rope” and “Raise Your Weapon,” sparked attention around the globe.  Wrote August Brown and Margaret Wappler of the Los Angeles Times (2/13/12), “…the Toronto producer Joel Zimmerman, was up for dance awards as well as best remixed recording, non-classical for his edit of Foo Fighters' ‘Rope,’ under his alias deadmau5. He closed out the performance Sunday night with plenty of Ibiza-worthy bass drops.  Zimmerman, whose own shows are an audio-visual melange of original music and live editing, viewed his turn on the Grammy stage as less an acknowledgement from the music establishment that he's joined their club, and more as a platform to further explore and popularize his longstanding goals of inventive, provocative electronica. ‘I've never been on a crusade to get respect for dance music, and for a long time I felt like I was the only guy who wasn't,’ Zimmerman said. But at the same time, he did want to take the Grammy occasion to expose the craft to more people. There's not a single dude out there who doesn't want to be heard. This was a genre that was cultivated by weirdos, and (the Grammy nod) is certainly good for our careers.’”deadmau5 was nominated for three GRAMMY Awards including Best Dance/Electronica Album for his critically acclaimed LP 4x4=12 (Ultra Music), Best Dance Recording for “Raise Your Weapon” with Greta Svabo Bech and Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical for his stellar remix of the Foo Fighters’ “Rope.”

As the dance music movement continues to explode at a pace nobody could have predicted, UMF Films in association with Final Kid will release ‘CAN U FEEL IT’—THE UMF EXPERIENCE in over 400 theatres nationwide on March 22.  Tickets for the nationwide theatrical event can be purchased via www.fathomevents.com this Friday, February 24 – click here for more details.

Shot in FULL HD and told by those integral and responsible for its evolution, ‘CAN U FEEL IT’ depicts the massive 2011 UMF MIAMI, making it the most explicit guide to what is now a global phenomenon.  It takes you inside the DJ booth and onto the dance floor on the world’s greatest stage. This is the definitive film documenting the rise and success of dance music around the globe alongside its most successful pioneers including Tiësto, David Guetta, Carl Cox, Afrojack, Fedde Le Grand, Boys Noize and more.  

7,500 fans will join the cast and crew of ‘CAN U FEEL IT’, including surprise guest DJ sets in support of the event premiere, happening at the Bayfront Park Amphitheatre, downtown Miami Wednesday, March 21. UMF MIAMI festival ticket holders will be given priority access to reserve a pair of free tickets.

On March 22, ‘CAN U FEEL IT’—complete with an additional 45 minutes of exclusive red carpet footage from the stars themselves—will be screened for ONLY ONE NIGHT in over 400 theatres across North America. Its release leads into the 14th Annual UMF MIAMI, which takes place Friday, March 23, Saturday, March 24 and Sunday, March 25 at Bayfront Park.  

DATES FOR THE DIARY

February 22, 2012 – Official release of ‘CAN U FEEL IT’—THE UMF EXPERIENCE Full Trailer

February 24, 2012 – Tickets go on sale for ‘CAN U FEEL IT’ nationwide theatrical event at www.fathomevents.com

March 21, 2012 – ‘CAN U FEEL IT’—THE UMF EXPERIENCE—Exclusive World Premiere Event at Bayfront Park Amphitheatre, Miami

March 22, 2012 – ‘CAN U FEEL IT’—THE UMF EXPERIENCE—hits more than 400 theatres across North America

March 23, 2012 – UMF MIAMI takes place at Bayfront Park, downtown Miami

March 25, 2012       

CAN U FEEL IT – The UMF Experience

Created and directed by the man behind ‘Final Kid,’ Charly Friedrichs, ‘CAN U FEEL IT’ powerfully documents the truly global explosion of dance music that’s unfolding before our eyes and immerses the audience headfirst in the full “UMF Experience.” The title says it all. Both the experience and the story are told through the detailed, honest and first-hand insight of five of the finest, longest-standing and knowledgeable DJs in the industry. From Tiësto and David Guetta to Carl Cox, Afrojack, Fedde le Grand and Boys Noize, each star gives their own unique perspective on the reasons behind this unprecedented phenomenon in the most prominent and fitting location imaginable—UMF Miami.

Charly’s trademark style is visible throughout the film, with jaw-dropping scenic shots, mind-blowing effects and THE playlist to end all others—this film does not mess about. Having crafted some of the finest tour documentaries on the planet with Fedde Le Grand over the past few years, Final Kid and Charly have been immersed in the EDM scene like no other, setting the team up perfectly to deliver a film of show-stopping proportions.

About UMF MIAMI & UMF WORLDWIDE

As the world’s most famous outdoor electronic music event, UMF MIAMI has won “Best Music Event” by the International Dance Music Awards (IDMA) in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and “Best International Dance Music Festival” by the Ibiza DJ Awards in 2008. In 2012, tickets for UMF MIAMI sold out months in advance of the event with hundreds of thousands attendees coming from 72 countries & territories and all 50 U.S. states.  It was the first ever three-day music festival of its kind to completely sell out more than 165,000 tickets 80 days before the event. The 2012 edition features more than 300 artists performing on 24 stages over a three-day period. Originally created as a pure EDM (electronic dance music) festival in 1999, UMF MIAMI has grown through the years to present not only the genre’s hottest, biggest and best headline artists (The Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy, Tiësto, deadmau5, David Guetta, Armin Van Buuren, Underworld, Carl Cox, Fatboy Slim, Kraftwerk, Justice and Moby, to name a few), but also crossover headline bands that incorporate EDM elements in their music and have a history or new beginning in the EDM community and culture (The Cure, The Killers, The Black Eyed Peas, Santogold, New Order, The Ting Tings, Duran Duran, M83, Empire Of The Sun, Bloc Party).

In addition to the annual Miami festival, the organizers have created the separate UMF WORLDWIDE brand, which continues expanding internationally being represented in six countries and four continents with sold out festivals and events in Sao Paulo (UMF Brasil) and Ibiza (UMF Ibiza), and introducing new territories including Argentina (UMF Buenos Aires), Warsaw (UMF Poland) and Seoul (UMF Korea).

www.umffilms.com

In 2011, after more than 20 years of intense gigging and recording, CHRIS ROBINSON set off to shape something new, a fresh rock mythology, a breathing kaleidoscopic thing stuffed with chooglin’ soul, bedrock boogie and shuffling wisdom birthed in intimate clubs and amongst the tall trees of the Golden State and eventually taken nationwide as the CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD evolved. What began as an experiment without expectations turned into a 118-show journey for Robinson (lead vocals, guitar), Neal Casal (guitar, vocals), Adam MacDougall (keys, vocals), George Sluppick (drums) and Mark Dutton (bass, vocals) that surprised these seasoned pros as music of unshakeable solidity and exuberant reach poured out of them, a New Cosmic California sound with tendrils reaching to the original Fillmore West, Topanga Canyon and outwards towards far horizons.

The music of the CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD finds its fruition on their studio debut album BIG MOON RITUAL, due out June 5 via Silver Arrow/Megaforce Records, to be followed by companion album THE MAGIC DOOR in September.  A CRB tour will be announced shortly.

“Thom and I have wanted to work together for a long time,” says Robinson about the album’s producer Thom Monahan (Vetiver, Devendra Banhart, Papercuts). “We talked about it at a show in Los Angeles and I told him as we stood behind George’s drums, ‘This is it (gesturing at stage gear).  We’re not bringing anything else with us into the studio.  This is what brought us here this year, so this is exactly what this is gonna be.  We didn’t even change strings from the last Cali run [laughs].”

“This music is unashamedly what we’re into,” says ROBINSON, who cites Neu!, Melanie, Flatt & Scruggs, Mel Tillis and Morton Subotnick as regulars in their van listening.  “It’s not a psych band because you have a Prince Valiant haircut and wear Beatle boots.  It’s psych because that’s where our heads are.  We want to make music that blossoms.  We want to make music that sounds cosmic.”

For a full year, the CRB road tested their ideas, and in the process turned into an empathetic, limber congregation of talents, something different than any of their previous work with the likes of Phil Lesh & Friends, Ryan Adams & The Cardinals and JJ Grey & Mofro.  By the time of their sold-out four-night run at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall last December, the BROTHERHOOD were fully switched-on.  This is the band that entered Sunset Sound in Los Angeles in January 2012, setting up shop in Studio B and coming out the other side of a six-day session with 27 different songs with 97 takes, most of it captured straight off-the-floor with only minor enhancements after the fact.

“Part of the master plan was not to do anything besides touring the wheels off the thing for the first go-around, and it worked for us and allowed us to figure out who we were,” says ROBINSON.  “One of the best things about the lack of a proper music business is if you have an idea, you can do something.  If everybody is on the same page, and it’s not about the dough on the table, and it’s really about something you believe in, then you can get there.

“It’s about being boutique,” continues ROBINSON. “If before you wanted to have a million people hear what you do, now we’re making music the right way for the right people. When we got to these cool sonic spaces we took advantage of them.  It was totally the most radical recording session I’ve ever done, especially in terms of aesthetics.”

The complete track listing for BIG MOON RITUAL is:

Tulsa Yesterday*
Rosalee
Star Or Stone
Tomorrow Blues
Reflections On A Broken Mirror
Beware, Oh Take Care*
One Hundred Days Of Rain*

If Memorial Day Weekend represents the unofficial start to summer, then this summer will be kicking off in California in a BIG way as  I LOVE THIS CITY—a new electronic music festival event produced by Live Nation Entertainment—will make its debut as a two-day festival in both San Francisco and San Diego. The I LOVE THIS CITY festival in San Francisco will take place Friday, May 25 and Saturday, May 26 at The Lot at AT&T Park set on the historic San Francisco waterfront. This event will be for patrons 18 and over.The I LOVE THIS CITY festival in San Diego will take place Saturday, May 26 and Sunday, May 27 at PETCO Park. This event will be all ages.Over 40 of electronic music’s top artists are confirmed for I LOVE THIS CITY, including TIËSTO and SKRILLEX as well as THREE SPECIAL GUEST HEADLINERS (to be announced 4/23), along with Laidback Luke, Steve Aoki, Chuckie, Excision, A-Trak, Crystal Method (DJ Set), R3HAB, Kill The Noise, Brodinski, 12th Planet, MiMOSA, Felix Cartal, Dirtyphonics, Jaguar Skills, Adventure Club, Holy Ghost!, Holy Fuck, Cut Chemist, The M Machine, Helicopter Showdown, NiT GriT, Harvard Bass, Shit Robot, FareOh, Picture Plane, AC Slater, Oliver, SOFI and TJR on numerous stages.Multiple special guests including THREE major headliners will be announced on April 23.  Visit www.ilovethiscityfestival.com to see if you can guess the special guests.The San Diego event will be co-produced by Live Nation and LED Presents.Individual city lineups, additional artists, ticket and on sale information will be posted on Friday, March 16th at www.ilovethiscityfestival.com.Stay tuned to www.ilovethiscityfestival.com for all the latest details on the festival including ticket prices, artist announcements, on sale information, contests and much more.Keep up to date with I LOVE THIS CITY information on Facebook or on Twitter @ILTCFestival.

ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL (UMF) fans are among the most active internet users on the planet and so UMF is proud to work with Google to bring the festival to the next level with the free livestream of this year’s sold-out event taking place March 23-25 at Bayfront Park in Miami. Google Play will livestream the festival in HD on YouTube at www.youtube.com/umftvFollowing the only one night showing in over 500 theatres of ‘CAN U FEEL IT,’ the UMF Experience movie on March 22, UMF now launches UMF TV—the 365 UMF Experience.  UMF TV is a YouTube channel dedicated to bringing you the best online video experience from the world’s premiere electronic music festival.  It’s a 365 UMF experience with livestreams, post event movies, artist specials, documentaries and more. Tickets for this year’s festival, where over 165,000 fans are expected, are sold out, but now together with Google Play, UMF TV will bring the massive music event to a global audience through the free livestream on YouTube.  The three-day livestream will cover multiple stages of the festival, from opening till closing with more than 24 cameras offering live performances, interviews and backstage features. This unique production is all offered in HD and high quality audio.After ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL wraps, UMF TV will launch 10 exclusive webisodes in the coming weeks of never-before-seen footage so that ULTRA in Miami can be experienced again.

Last night, Saturday, March 24, Miami’s ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL (ULTRA), the world’s premier electronic music event, took the genre to the next level.  For the first time ever at ULTRA, global pop icon MADONNA appeared as a special surprise guest—the festival’s gift to their fans—to introduce the main stage final headlining artist AVICII.  After her introduction, she joined the Swedish producer and DJ behind the decks and together they premiered his remix of her new single “Girl Gone Wild” from her upcoming album MDNA. “I’ve been here in spirit for many years, but it’s good to finally be standing on the stage, looking at all you people who have come here from all around the world,” said MADONNA as she took ULTRA’s Main Stage. “In my world the words ‘music’ and ‘dance’ are not separated.  Electronic music has been a part of my life since the beginning of my career.  I can honestly say that a DJ saved my life.”Beyond the weekend’s 165,000 fans in attendance of the sold-out festival in downtown Miami’s Bayfront Park, the event was captured on a world-wide scale over UMF TV’s free HD live stream, happening now via Google Play on YouTube at www.youtube.com/umtv

Renowned for bringing skate/punk/action sports and youth culture to the forefront on a global scale, the Vans Warped Tour^® is calling and summer is here…

The full VANS WARPED TOUR 2012 multi-stage line-up has now been revealed including Rise Against, who will join other previously announced main stage artists All Time Low, Taking Back Sunday, Anti-Flag, Yellowcard, The Used, Four Year Strong, New Found Glory, Pierce The Veil, Falling In Reverse, Breathe Carolina and more. The VANS WARPED TOUR--a mix of hotly-tipped and established artists--continues to be the most eclectic traveling festival tour on the planet featuring rock, punk, pop, hip-hop and rap, metal, indie rock, electronic, alt-country, folk-punk, dubstep, reggae and rockabilly. See all 2012 acts and listen to music in the grid below. For the full list of confirmed artists, visit: www.vanswarpedtour.com/bands.

Last night (Thursday, March 29), the VANS WARPED TOUR kick-off party and press conference was held at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles. VANS WARPED TOUR artists and friends joined tour founder Kevin Lyman and Steve Van Doren of Vans to celebrate. Fans were treated to a screening of the new tour documentary film No Room For Rockstars (from Stacy Peralta and the producers of Dogtown & Z-boys, www.noroomforrockstars.com) and enjoyed live performances from Forever Came Calling (the group featured in the film), Falling In Reverse, Matt Toka, Dead Sara as well as special performances from tour veterans Yellowcard (acoustic) and The Used. "The energy at the 18th annual Vans Warped Tour Kick-Off Party was amazing," said founder Kevin Lyman. "All signs point to a great summer to come in 2012."

Beginning today, Friday, March 30 (10:00am PT) festival goers can purchase tickets via the exclusive, lower-priced pre-sale: http://media.musictoday.com/ticketing/WarpedTour/splash.html. To keep the festival at a great value, pre-sale package prices are $21.99 and include commemorative 3D ticket--which also serves as a jump-the-line early entry pass--a Vans Warped Tour 2012 compilation CD and a 25-cent donation to the Unite the United charity and all service fees. Only a limited number of pre-sale tickets are available per city and once they sell-out, they’re gone. The general on-sale will begin April 7. Go to www.vanswarpedtour.com.

The 41-date VANS WARPED TOUR 2012 commences June 16 in Salt Lake City, UT and finishes August 5 in Portland, OR.  The tour will hit a handful of new venues this year. See the full itinerary with dates and venues announced now, listed below.

VANS WARPED TOUR 2012 full itinerary:

Electronic music producer deadmau5 premiered his brand new single “The Veldt” featuring Chris James (Ultra Music) on SiriusXM 51/BPM's Pre Party with Kramer at 9PM EST tonight, Friday, April 20 on broadcast and at http://www.siriusxm.com/bpm. The single will be available May 6, with THE VELDT EP releasing June 25.The Canadian, platinum-selling, independent artist has proven that social networks can provide the necessary tools for bringing a track from concept to completion. During a 22-hour live-streaming session in March, deadmau5 created a new track titled “The Veldt” inspired by a short sci-fi story written by Ray Bradbury. deadmau5 subsequently uploaded the song to his FML SoundCloud page for his fans and the magic of the world wide web took hold overnight. The following day, he found numerous tweets about one vocal version a fan posted to SoundCloud. All airing on his live stream, deadmau5 listened to the version vocalist Chris James created, contacted Chris live to work on the track, and rang his manager immediately to set up an official collaboration.“He righteously did his homework, and came up with just a few bang on verses that completely compliment the story and the mood, which is all I ever want from a song that contained lyrical content,” says deadmau5 of Chris James.  “Can’t give him props enough.”THE VELDT EP releasing June 25 will contain the lead single “The Veldt” featuring Chris James, as well as the new track “Failbait”featuring hip-hop icons Cypress Hill.  This is the first in a series of EPs from deadmau5 to be released over the coming months.

Those are the two words HARD Events, the producers of HARD SUMMER, have been sharing since announcing the major music festival was returning to Los Angeles State Historic Park August 3-4, 2012, as a two-day event for the first time in its 5-year history. Now, HARD Events has made good on those two words with the just-revealed line-up for this year’s event that is helmed by Skrillex, Bloc Party, Miike Snow (Live), Boys Noize, Bloody Beetroots (DJ set), NERO (Live), Magnetic Man, Squarepusher, James Murphy, Little Dragon and many more. Check out the HARD SUMMER 2012 official teaser video—directed by Jared Leto—here. Pre-sale two-day passes recently sold out in record time. Two-day passes for HARD SUMMER are available at www.hardfest.com.Over 50 bands and DJ artists are set to perform on four stages encompassing an eclectic round-up of bass, electro, house, techno, disco/funk and hip-hop music, right in the middle of downtown Los Angeles.In 2011, HARD SUMMER—the largest ticketed music festival in the city of Los Angeles—took on a larger-than-life identity that culminated with 30,000 fans descending upon the Los Angeles State Historic Park to experience performances from an elite group of progressive electronic music artists, including Ratatat, Duck Sauce, Digitalism, Odd Future and more. “This is the best welcome home party I've ever had,” said Skrillex in a piece at LAWeekly.com.HARD maintains a strong bond with its audience: “For our loyal L.A. fans, I think most of them already know why the success has grown with us,” says Gary Richards, founder of HARD, who is also performing at HARD SUMMER under his alias DESTRUCTO. “HARD's total ticket price is less than a fraction of other festival tickets, but you're getting to see 50 amazing artists that I've hand-picked for you. You can get to and from the park quickly and safely on the MTA for free for all ticket holders.  The park itself is beautiful, and I'm glad we've been able to bring it so much attention (and I can't wait to surprise you all with some of the improvements we're making).”Adds Richards:  “It's important to me that we as a city and as a company look at this as a destination festival and welcome the people who are going to travel here to our hometown to be a part of this experience. I'll be happiest to see the boost to the local economy because this isn't a car-camping festival; this is right in the middle of gorgeous downtown LA. You've got Chinatown, Little Tokyo and all these wonderful places to visit here.”The complete line up for HARD SUMMER is:SKRILLEX / BLOC PARTY / MIIKE SNOW (Live) / BOYS NOIZEBLOODY BEETROOTS (DJ Set) / NERO (Live) / SQUAREPUSHER / A-TRAKCHROMEO (DJ Set) / MAGNETIC MAN / JAMES MURPHY / LITTLE DRAGONEROL ALKAN /DATSIK / BOOTSY COLLINS & THE FUNK UNITY BANDFAKE BLOOD / 12TH PLANET / DILLON FRANCIS / ZEDDGESAFFELSTEIN (Live) / BRODINSKI / CLAUDE VONSTROKE / BURAKA SOM SISTEMA / BREAKBOTARAABMUZIK / JUSTIN MARTIN / JOEY BELTRAM / CRAZE/GASLAMP KILLER / DESTRUCTOTROLLEY SNATCHA / SURKIN / ALEX METRIC / JOHN TALABOT / BIRDY NAM NAM / DANNY BROWN / ACTION BRONSON / RITON / OLIVERZOMBIE DISCO SQUAD / ALVIN RISK / DJ ANTENTION / JOKERS OF THE SCENELIGHT YEAR / KILL FRENZY / SMIMS & BELLE / JASON BENTLEY / NICK CATCHDUBS / JIM E STACKMR. MUTHAFUCKIN’ EXQUIRE / BRENMAR / LUNICE / BAIO /NICK THAYER / SOUND PELLEGRINO THERMAL TEAM + MUCH MORE

fter taking little time off after a 118-show tour, the CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD are heading out for another lengthy run of performances.  The trek kicks off May 3 in New Orleans and includes a stop at Memphis’ Beale Street Festival May 6, with dates booked into October.  The group’s debut album BIG MOON RITUAL will be released via Silver Arrow/Megaforce Records on June 5, the same day the band is confirmed to  perform the album’s “Rosalee” on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”  BIG MOON RITUAL will be followed by companion album THE MAGIC DOOR in September.  Both albums were produced by Thom Monahan (Vetiver, Devendra Banhart, Papercuts).

 In 2011, after more than 20 years of intense gigging and recording, CHRIS ROBINSON set off to shape something new, a fresh rock mythology, a breathing kaleidoscopic thing stuffed with chooglin’ soul, bedrock boogie and shuffling wisdom birthed in intimate clubs and amongst the tall trees of the Golden State and eventually taken nationwide as the CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD evolved. What began as an experiment without expectations turned into a 118-show journey for Robinson (lead vocals, guitar), Neal Casal (guitar, vocals), Adam MacDougall (keys, vocals), George Sluppick (drums) and Mark Dutton (bass, vocals) that surprised these seasoned pros as music of unshakeable solidity and exuberant reach poured out of them, a New Cosmic California sound with tendrils reaching to the original Fillmore West, Topanga Canyon and outwards towards far horizons.

“This music is unashamedly what we’re into,” says ROBINSON, who cites Neu!, Melanie, Flatt & Scruggs, Mel Tillis and Morton Subotnick as regulars in their van listening.  “It’s not a psych band because you have a Prince Valiant haircut and wear Beatle boots.  It’s psych because that’s where our heads are.  We want to make music that blossoms.  We want to make music that sounds cosmic.”

Boulder, CO-based electronic act BIG GIGANTIC will spend the upcoming summer making the rounds on the U.S. festival circuit in continued support of their latest album NOCTURNAL. Beginning May 17 when they headline the Hangout Music Festival’s official kick-off party, the duo will then travel around the country performing at top festivals such as Wakarusa, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and Outside Lands, among many others. (See below for full itinerary).

Following the festival run, BIG GIGANTIC will return to their home state to headline the famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre for the first time ever Saturday, September 29. BIG GIGANTIC will transform the iconic venue into Rowdytown for their biggest show to date featuring special guests to be announced and a spectacular lighting rig. Tickets will go on sale this Saturday, May 12 at 10am MST. This comes after a very successful winter tour in which 90% of the shows were sold out, including a four-night run in Colorado. BIG GIGANTIC is currently planning a fall headlining tour (with dates to be announced later this summer) and is also set to return to Jam Cruise in the Caribbean Sea January 7-12, 2013.

Available as a free download via their website www.biggigantic.net, NOCTURNAL, released in January via their own label Big Gigantic Records, has already received over 120,000 downloads. With a provocative sound that’s as thoughtful as it is danceable, BIG GIGANTIC’s new songs like “Nocturnal” and “Hopscotch” weave whirling melodies into addictive beats and samples that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Kanye West or LCD Soundsystem single.

The duo will release an official remix this Friday, May 11 of “Do I See Color” by Adventure Club, their recent tour mates, which will premier on top electronic blog ThisSongIsSick.com as well as iTunes.

BIG GIGANTIC--saxophonist/producer Dominic Lalli and drummer Jeremy Salken--leave no genre off-limits as they channel everything from funk and dubstep to house and hip-hop with their breakthrough sound. Formed in 2008, the classically trained Lalli (who received a master’s degree in jazz at the Manhattan School of Music) and Salken interpret traditional DJ-based music with live instruments and have successfully created an innovative, distinct sound that’s all their own. Their transcendent live shows are a showcase of brilliant improvisation and a tightly-knit bond between Salken and Lalli, who breathlessly alternates between keys, sax and laptop, building a futuristic wall of sound that keeps the crowd on its feet.

BIG GIGANTIC’s current tour dates are as follows:

JANE’S ADDICTION turn up the heat for the third leg of their North American “Theatre of the Escapists” tour.  Joining them on their new summer dates--which go on sale this week—will be various support acts on select shows including Mutemath, Band of Skulls and Die Antword. 

The immersive theatrical experience of the “Theatre of the Escapists” carnival--described by the Dallas Morning News as “a sanctuary for freaks and fetishes” (5/11/12)--is captured in this short film now posted at ArtistDirect, with stellar sets that highlight material from their acclaimed album THE GREAT ESCAPE ARTIST (Capitol Records) plus classic songs that have not been played in more than twenty years, such as “Classic Girl” and “I Would for You.”

Citi® cardmembers will have access to presale tickets for these shows starting Wednesday, May 16 at 10 AM through 10 PM on Thursday, May 17 (or until the show sells out) through Citi's Private Pass® Program. For complete presale details, visit http://www.citiprivatepass.com/. JANE’S ADDICTION’s presale at will also occur on the same dates and purchasers will have the option of bundling their ticket with an unsigned special edition tour lithograph and a 20% discount at the JANE'S ADDICTION online store (excluding media and bundles). Regular on sales are set for Friday, May 18 and Saturday, May 19.

Frontman Perry Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro and drummer Stephen Perkins, along with Chris Chaney on bass, just embarked on the second leg of the tour last week in the Southwest and continue to garner critical acclaim.  "Once considered a high priest of rock decadence, Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell may well be the best preserved of the post-punk, grunge and alternative rock survivors,” wrote Hector Saldaña, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS (5/7/12) of their show at the Lila Cockrell Theatre.  “The wiry frame and wide-eyed, diabolical onstage persona propels this act as much as guitarist Dave Navarro’s high-on-the-neck dive bombs, Chris Chaney’s rattling bass or Stephen Perkins relentless onslaught on the drums. Farrell created bedlam with his dance moves and slinky, sexual presence on ‘Just Because’ and the classic ‘Been Caught Stealing.’”  See more critical soundbites below.

Catch the continued “THEATRE OF THE ESCAPISTS” tour in these cities and venues this summer:

After a landmark year in 2011, the eighth annual RIOT FEST--the music festival which celebrates rock, indie, punk and underground artists from every era--is expanding for the first-time ever into an outdoor music event and carnival in 2012. The RIOT FEST & CARNIVAL will feature a wide mix of artists ranging from Gaslight Anthem, NOFX, Alkaline Trio, Built To Spill, AWOLNATION, Gogol Bordello, Frank Turner, Coheed and Cambria, Less Than Jake and many more. It’s set for Friday, September 14, Saturday, September 15 and Sunday, September 16 in Chicago on the beautiful grounds of Humboldt Park which boasts rolling fields, pavilions, tall trees, picturesque gardens a lake and lagoons with a majestic view of the Chicago skyline.

Promoters are encouraging fans not to miss out by unveiling the majority of the diverse line-up for 2012 and offering an early-bird 2-Day pass for $36.00, plus surcharges for a limited time. 3-day passes begin at $90.00 and include all shows at Humboldt Park, Congress Theater and after-parties. VIP passes are available for $155.00 and include private stage-viewing areas, a sectioned off VIP area in the park with a private bar and drink tickets. Tickets are available at www.riotfest.org.

RIOT FEST & CARNIVAL is expanding to its new location Humboldt Park--which is flanked by a handful of hip neighborhoods including Wicker Park and the Division Street corridor--in order to accommodate a large carnival atmosphere featuring three main music stages, thrilling rides, games, vendors and gourmet food trucks thoughtfully arranged on the gorgeous park grounds with stunning views of downtown Chicago for an enjoyable experience. With temperatures averaging around a perfect 75°F/24°C, September is one of Chicago’s most popular months for travelers from all over the world.

A wide array of confirmed talent is on tap for RIOT FEST & CARNIVAL, including RISE AGAINST, IGGY & THE STOOGES, ELVIS COSTELLO, THE OFFSPRING, A DAY TO REMEMBER, COHEED AND CAMBRIA, DESCENDENTS, GOGOL BORDELLO, THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN, DROPKICK MURPHYS, NOFX, THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM, ALKALINE TRIO, AWOLNATION, THE PROMISE RING, GWAR, AUGUST BURNS RED, FRANK TURNER, BUILT TO SPILL, LESS THAN JAKE, REVEREND HORTON HEAT, FISHBONE, NOBUNNY, A WILHELM SCREAM, SCREAMING FEMALES, TEENAGE BOTTLEROCKET, OFF WITH THEIR HEADS, DEALS GONE BAD, WHITE MYSTERY, LARRY AND HIS FLASK, THE STORY SO FAR, JAPANTHER; and the first show for a reunited CHIODOS (original line-up) as well as a reunion for SLAPSTICK.

More acts and events will be announced in the coming weeks leading up to the festival.

As previously announced, RIOT FEST enjoyed a successful east coast expansion to Philadelphia in 2011 and on Thursday, July 19, the music fest will return to the Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing with REFUSED, THE PROMISE RING, AUGUST BURNS RED, OFF!, GAMEFACE, BOY SETS FIRE, HIRS and more. Although initially planned as a three-day event in Philly this year, RIOT FEST promoters have come across a exciting new opportunity for the East Coast and have decided to focus their efforts on making this a special late-summer event. Expect a full announcement soon. For all questions regarding tickets, click here.

Step into an apocalyptic underworld where firebreathers, nightmarish creatures on stilts, fire and percussive light, and stunning visuals set the stage for an intoxicating and unforgettably sinister concert experience. The first-ever KNOTFEST--an extraordinary two-day metal and hard rock destination festival--will feature performances from SLIPKNOT, DEFTONES, LAMB OF GOD, DETHKLOK, SERJ TANKIAN, CANNIBAL CORPSE, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, THE URGE, PRONG, GOJIRA and more. KNOTFEST will debut in the heart of America on Friday, August 17 in Council Bluffs, IA at Mid America Motorplex and Saturday, August 18 in Somerset, WI/Minneapolis, MN at Somerset Amphitheater. A list of artists performing at each date is available online at: www.knotfest.com.“KNOTFEST is a chance for us to bring the sensory-overload of a wild European carnival fest to the heart of America,” explains Slipknot’s M. Shawn Crahan (Clown). “We’re thrilled to delve deep into our catalogue and play a long set for fans. This festival is meant to be touched, felt, smelled and experienced by everyone on top of seeing an amazing day of rock and metal.”Featuring two heavy-hitting stages of hard music, KNOTFEST will create an intoxicating spectacle, as fans descend into a decadent apocalyptic underworld featuring circus big-top tents, pillars of fire, and amusement park rides--including the legendary Ring of Fire carnival ride (Saturday only)--while masked performers, firebreathers and nightmarish stilt-walkers roam the festival grounds. Interactive graffiti walls and a drum circle made of junkyard cars will entertain fans and artists alike in the immersive, dark apocalyptic atmosphere. Upon entering the gates, sinister surprises including a Slipknot museum and powerful, vibrant art installations await around every corner for fans to discover and explore.Tickets for KNOTFEST go on-sale Friday, June 8 at 10:00 AM EDT at the festival’s website, Ticketmaster and the box office. GA tickets and a limited number of VIP packages will be available with amenities ranging from early entrance, a shaded VIP bar and lounge with a main stage viewing area (21+ only), VIP catered meals, preferred parking and a meet and greet with Slipknot. To view all ticket and VIP options for both dates, visit: www.knotfest.com.Visit www.knotfest.com, www.facebook.com/KNOTFEST and www.twitter.com/KNOTFEST for the most-up-to-date information.

OCEANIA is the forthcoming album by THE SMASHING PUMPKINS.  Intended to recapture the album experience, all 13 songs on OCEANIA will be premiered simultaneously to fans, radio, press and the online world. Forgoing the standard industry launch, the group purposely planned no single or video to be released prior to the full album.Starting now, Monday, June 11, OCEANIA will be streamed for free in its entirety for one week exclusively on the iTunes Store (http://www.itunes.com/). Fans will be able to pre-order the album all week leading up to the June 19 in-store date. OCEANIA was specially mastered to optimize digital sound quality for iTunes Store customers. The release comes via the band’s own Martha’s Music/EMI Label Services/Caroline Distribution. Listen to OCEANIA here: www.iTunes.com/SmashingPumpkins Having his own label through EMI afforded PUMPKINS leader BILLY CORGAN the opportunity to try something different. It is a launch scenario that goes against industry standards by allowing the album to be heard as it was meant to be. The group’s release plan was in no way intended to slight radio stations, video channels, press or online outlets. Instead, it represents the artistic vision of a band who, says CORGAN, “was dead set on making an album where every song was just as valuable as any other, ignoring the typical claptrap you hear about needing a single.  The only way to make the case that every song on Oceania is worth hearing is to put your heart into the sequence as a cohesive whole.”OCEANIA was recorded at the group’s studio in Chicago with CORGAN’s bandmates: guitarist JEFF SCHROEDER, drummer MIKE BYRNE and bassist/vocalist NICOLE FIORENTINO.  The powerful 13-song collection (see track listing below) was produced by Corgan and Bjorn Thorsrud and mixed by David Bottrill (Muse, Tool, King Crimson, etc).  Marking THE SMASHING PUMPKINS’ 7th studio record, it is “an album within an album,” part of their 44-song work-in-progress TEARGARDEN BY KALEIDYSCOPE. “I've been adamant in stressing that as a group, first and foremost, we are here to make new music together,” says CORGAN. “I'm proud to say that on Oceania I feel we've cut our own path forward. Jeff, Mike, and Nicole have all made significant contributions to the tone and texture of Oceania, which is an album that is unlike any I've ever made. Yet at the same time I believe it upholds the same musical values I've always pushed for with The Pumpkins, be they progressive, emotional, epic, or restless.”Here’s the OCEANIA track listing:Quasar PanopticonThe CelestialsViolet RaysMy Love is WinterOne Diamond, One HeartPinwheelsOceaniaPale HorseThe ChimeraGlissandraInklessWildflower

SUNSET STRIP MUSIC FESTIVAL (SSMF) organizers today announced that the fifth annual three-day music festival--taking place on THE SUNSET STRIPThursday, August 16 through Saturday, August 18--will celebrate the music and legacy of THE DOORS.The festival will kick off with an exclusive VIP event honoring the iconic Sunset Strip band on August 16, which will feature an all-star band celebrating THE DOORS, and will conclude with an all-day street fest on Saturday, August 18. MARILYN MANSON will headline the outdoor street fest, which will also feature performances by THE OFFSPRING, STEVE AOKI, BAD RELIGION, very special guest BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, FAR EAST MOVEMENT, DE LA SOUL, DEAD SARA, DAS RACIST, THE MOWGLI’S and more. Many of the artists will celebrate THE DOORS by performing their take on some of THE DOORS’ legendary songs.The venues within the street festival closure--The Roxy Theatre, Whisky A Go-Go and Key Club--will also host full lineups from more than 50 bands throughout the day.Look for further lineup announcements to be revealed in the coming weeks. Tickets are on sale today (6/13) via TicketWeb.com/SSMF (various pricing options below). A portion of ticket proceeds will benefit IMPACT DRUG AND ALCOHOL TREATMENT CENTER in Pasadena, CA., which has been treating individuals struggling with the powerful force of addiction since 1969. Impact is a residential treatment community for men and women from all walks of life and has outpatient clinics, transitional housing and in-custody programs throughout L.A. County. Impact offers programs to everyone from the roadie to the rock star, with their simple and effective no-nonsense approach to substance abuse treatment.  For more information, go to http://www.impacthouse.com.As in years past, Sunset Boulevard will be closed to traffic between Doheny Drive and San Vicente Boulevardand transformed into a premier concert destination with two outdoor stages, beer gardens, an artist autograph tent, an outdoor VIP rooftop lounge, silent disco, VIP Lounge at On The Rox, food trucks and interactive experiences.“We are happy to bring another amazing and diverse lineup to the boulevard as we celebrate the music and legacy of one of The Sunset Strip’s most influential artists, The Doors,” noted SSMF executive director Todd Steadman. “We’re also excited to mark the fifth year of the music festival. SSMF is a homegrown, not-for-profit festival that continues to grow each year. It is shaped by a team of venue owners who partner each year to create a unifying event that celebrates The Sunset Strip and the community of musicians and music fans it has fostered. We look forward to seeing past attendees and welcoming new fans to this year’s event.”THE DOORS--organist RAY MANZAREK, guitarist ROBBY KRIEGER, drummer JOHN DENSMORE and late singer JIM MORRISON--have earned worldwide notoriety for being one of the most influential rock groups of all time. With an intoxicating, genre-blending sound, provocative and uncompromising songs, and the mesmerizing power of singer Jim Morrison's poetry and presence, THE DOORS had a transformative impact not only on popular music but on popular culture. The band was formed in Venice, Calif., and remains a vital piece to the legacy and history of The Sunset Strip. It was on The Strip that THE DOORS got their start at the London Fog before moving down the street to perform as the house band at the Whisky A Go-Go. A show at the Whisky in August 1966 helped them land a deal with Elektra Records, which would propel the band into international music icons."The Doors are honored to be celebrated by the magical, legendary Strip,” says RAY MANZAREK.  “A great leap forward from the Summer Of Love to today. What a great time we're going to have! The Sunset Strip. Live bands, loud music, Rock and Roll. It's the ‘60s all over again, and everyone is welcome. Dancing in the streets. Joy, Love, Peace.  And we want to get it all together just One - More - TIME! Could this be the beginning of the new Golden Age? Let it be so."  ROBBY KRIEGER says, "It's a thrill to be honored by The Sunset Strip Music Festival this year. Venice was our home, but The Doors lived and came of age on the Sunset Strip. It's exciting to see that the legacy we helped create is still alive and thriving today!"  JOHN DENSMORE adds, "The Sunset Strip in the ‘60s was the incubation canal for an entire renaissance in music, and its impact is still with us.  The Doors are proud to be honored this year at the 5th annual SSMF celebration."Tickets for SSMF 2012 are on sale beginning today at TicketWeb and are free of additional ticketing fees. Ticket options include general admission August 18 street festival ticket for $75 and VIP options for $135, which includes access to the rooftop VIP area with views of the West stage, VIP areas in the beer garden and venues, access to VIP lounge On The Rox, a separate entrance and additional perks. A very limited number of three-day VIP passes will also be available for $250. These special passes include access to THE DOORS celebration on Thursday, August 16, VIP access to the August 18 street festival and entrance to all of the Sunset Strip Venues on August 16, 17 and 18--House of Blues, The Roxy Theatre, Viper Room, Whisky A Go-Go and Key Club--pending capacity.Previous SSMF performers have included Ozzy Osbourne, Motley Crue, The Smashing Pumpkins, Slash featuring Fergie, Public Enemy, Common, Bush, LMFAO, Kid Cudi, Neon Trees, Matt & Kim, Cobra Starship and She Wants Revenge, among others.  Highlights from SSMF 2011--which drew a festival record of 15,000 music fans from Southern California and beyond--can be seen here: http://bit.ly/SSMF11vid.Attendees traveling to SSMF can also enjoy a special offer on Virgin America flights to Los Angeles between August 13 and 21, when they book online at: http://www.virginamerica.com/vx/booking/ssmf.html?cid=PRO_338. SSMF2012’s proud supporting sponsors include Virgin America, Jack Daniel’s, Gibson Guitar, Bud Light, Monster Energy Drink, Los Angeles Hornburg Range Rover and Land Rover on The Sunset Strip, Glaceau Vitaminwater, Mondrian, 98.7fm, TicketWeb, City of West Hollywood, West Hollywood Marketing & Visitors Bureau and Clear Channel Outdoor. Street fest/event production provided by Swing House Hollywood. Festival creative provided by Signature Creative.For the latest SUNSET STRIP MUSIC FESTIVAL news, visit www.sunsetstripmusicfestival.com, like www.facebook.com/sunsetstripmusicfestival and follow https://twitter.com/#!/SSMF.

Jack White--one of the most prolific and renowned artists of the past fifteen years--has been confirmed as the final headliner for THE VOODOO MUSIC AND ARTS EXPERIENCE PRESENTED BY STEPHEN REHAGE.  Touring in support of his critically acclaimed debut solo album Blunderbuss, White joins previously announced headliners Grammy Award-winning trio Green Day and the legendary Neil Young & Crazy Horse.  The Avett Brothers; Kaskade; Justice; Silversun Pickups; JFK of MSTRKRFT; AWOLNATION; Étienne De Crécy; K’Nann; Dave Stewart; The Gaslamp Killer; Thomas Dolby; Borgore; Nervo; and Supagroup round out the developing 2012 VOODOO line-up that features artists from a variety of musical genres, while also reflecting the cultural gumbo that defines this historic and beloved American city (full talent list is below).

Celebrated as one of America’s most eclectic festivals and the final musical event of the annual U.S. music festival season, this year’s VOODOO--Friday, October 26, Saturday, October 27 and Sunday, October 28--will mark its 14th consecutive year. In addition, for the first time, this year’s VOODOO will offer on site camping.  The inaugural camping experience will offer festival goers the chance to sleep under the stars amidst two hundred year old oak trees, picturesque lagoons and waterways of New Orleans’ historic City Park and located just steps away from the entrance to the annual Halloween weekend music celebration.

The VOODOO 2012 line-up (as of June 23) is as follows:

Green Day; Neil Young & Crazy Horse; Jack White; Skrillex; The Avett Brothers; Kaskade; Justice; Silversun Pickups; AWOLNATION; Dave Stewart; Gary Clark Jr.; Bootsy Collins; Étienne de Crécy; K'Naan; JFK of MSTRKRFT; Tomahawk; Thomas Dolby; Say Anything; Die Antwoord; Modestep; Toots and The Maytals; Preservation Hall Jazz Band; The Gaslamp Killer; Borgore; Nervo; The New Orleans Bingo! Show; The Features; Dev; Delta Rae; Soul Rebels; George Porter Jr. and the Runnin' Pardners; DJ QBert & D-Styles of the Invisibl Skratch Piklz; DallasK; Jim-E Stack; Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds; Infantree; Treme Brass Band; Lil Band O' Gold; CC Adcock and The Lafayette Marquis; The Revivalists; Johnny Vidacovich and James Singleton doing James Booker; Ingrid Lucia presents New Orleans Nightengales; Force Feed Radio; Marcia Ball; Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires; Paul Sanchez; Dirty Dozen Brass Band; Andy Suzuki and The Method; Dirty Dozen Brass Band; 101 Runners feat Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Beverly Skillz; Pimps of Joytime; Star and Dagger; TBC Brass Band; Tribute to Jimmy's Music Club Models, Dash Rip Rock, Sexdog & Stephie and The Whitesox; Supagroup; Noisician Coalition;Lost Bayou Ramblers with Preservation Hall Horns; Luke Winslow King; Leo Jackson and The Melody Clouds; Royal Teeth; Carmine P. Filthy; Unicorn Fukr; Rekanize; Big History; Christopher Joseph; Christoph Andersson; Fleur de Tease with Special Guests; Debauche; Chicano Batman; St. Cecilia's Asylum Chorus; Mainline; and Money Mitch.

Tickets and camping passes for the 2012 VOODOO are available now via www.thevoodooexperience.com utilizing Elevate’s easy online shopping experience--with helpful customer service--that allows buyers to print their own tickets.  Ticket prices (as of June 23) are as follows:  three-day weekend GA tickets are $175; LOA Lounge VIP three-day pass are $500 and LOA Lounge VIP three-day pass with parking are $550.  More information about this year’s VOODOO including information and pricing of camping options can also be found at www.thevoodooexperience.com. 2012 VOODOO partners include Bud Light, Toyota, Garnier Fructis, Red Bull, American Spirits and Fuse TV.

SLASH Featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators--Myles Kennedy (vocals), Brent Fitz (drums), Todd Kerns (bass) and Frank Sidoris (guitar)--have announced a fall headlining tour starting September 4 in San Diego, CA and wrapping October 3 in Los Angeles, CA. The exclusive presale for Citi card members starts Tuesday, July 3. Citi card members will also have special access to tickets as well as VIP experiences at http://www.citiprivatepass.com/. A limited amount of VIP packages--including a chance to meet SLASH and get an autographed guitar--will also be available for fans during the pre sale which begins Tuesday, July 10th.  General public on sales will begin Friday, July 13th.  Ticket info will be available at http://slashonline.com/tour/. See the tour dates below.

This news comes as the band, coming off a successful European trek, gets ready to launch a summer headlining tour of the U.S. and Canada July 12 in Portland, OR, right after the iconic Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee will be honored with his own star on the Hollywood Blvd Walk of Fame on July 10.

The tour is in connection with the success of SLASH’s second solo studio album APOCALYPTIC LOVE which stormed onto the BillboardTop 200 Albums Chart at #4, marking the top rock debut that week.  SLASH has achieved his first-ever #1 hit at rock radio as the explosive first single “You’re A Lie” vaults to the #1 spot this week at Active Rock. Watch the video for “You’re A Lie” here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SZrJLMTO-8. The album also entered the Top 5 in seven countries outside the U.S.: Canada (#2), Australia (#2), New Zealand (#1), Germany (#5), France (#7), Japan (#2), Sweden (#4) and Switzerland (#3). All the songs on APOCALYPTIC LOVE (Dik Hayd International, distributed through EMI Label Services) were written together by SLASH and Myles Kennedy.

For the tour, SLASH teamed with Guitar Center–the world’s largest music retailer-–to offer a one-of-a-kind opportunity to twenty unsigned American bands. Twenty bands will be hand-selected to be SLASH’s opening acts and will perform on the fall tourin the cities closest to their hometown. At the end of the fall run, one of the opening bands will be named by SLASH as the grand prize winner of Guitar Center On-Stage. Not only will the bands be opening for one of the world’s greatest guitarists, but they will also receive a tour support prize pack that includes gear from Ernie Ball, Zoom, Dunlop, Monster Cable, Pro-Mark, and Converse. The top performing band on the tour, as selected by SLASH, will be named the grand prize winner and take home $10,000 in guitars from Gibson and Epiphone, plus a $5,000 shopping spree at Guitar Center and more. The twenty bands will be announced in August. 

“I’m a strong believer that the best way to get your music heard is to get out there and play shows,” said SLASH. “There are tons of talented bands that simply don’t have the resources to go on tour, so I’m glad to be able to host them on my tour and at the same time introduce my fans to great, undiscovered artists."

SLASH and his band are riding a wave of critical acclaim with a four-star review in Revolver magazine  noting: “Apocalyptic Love is at heart a collection of lean, high-octane rock-and-roll tunes built to be blasted out of open-top sports cars or, more suitably, open-air stadiums” (July 2012).  Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Times said: “Fans of his work in GNR and Velvet Revolver will find much to embrace in the album's 13 tracks, ranging from the sneering rock hooks of ‘You're a Lie’ and the heavy metal grind of ‘Halo’ to the extended instrumental passages on ‘Anastasia’” (May 24, 2012).

SLASH: featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators tour dates:

*Slash only

SUNSET STRIP MUSIC FESTIVAL (SSMF) organizers have announced the full lineup for the annual three-day event kicking off Thursday, August 16 and culminating on Saturday, August 18 with an all-day street festival. THE DOORS will be the 2012 festival honorees.

Among those just announced to perform at the House of Blues Sunset Strip, The Roxy Theatre, Viper Room, Key Club and Whisky A Go-Go during SSMF 2012 are RZA, Hank III, Peter Murphy, Matt Skiba, Mickey Avalon, James Ingram and many more (see below). These acts join the previously-announced August 18 street festival artists including headliner Marilyn Manson as well as The Offspring, Steve Aoki, Bad Religion, very special guest Black Label Society, Far East Movement, De La Soul, Dead Sara and The Mowgli’s. Tickets are on sale now via TicketWeb (TicketWeb.com/SSMF). A portion of the proceeds will benefit IMPACT DRUG AND ALCOHOL TREATMENT CENTER, which has been treating individuals struggling with the powerful force of addiction since 1969.

As in years past, Sunset Boulevard will be closed to traffic Saturday, August 18 between Doheny Drive and San Vicente Boulevard and transformed into a premier concert destination with two outdoor stages, beer gardens, an artist autograph tent, an outdoor VIP rooftop lounge, Silent Frisco’s silent disco, VIP Lounge at On The Rox, food trucks and interactive experiences. The venues within the street festival closure--The Roxy Theatre, Whisky A Go-Go and Key Club--will also host full lineups from more than 50 bands throughout the day.

Tickets for SSMF 2012 are on sale now via TicketWeb and are free of additional ticketing fees. Ticket options include general admission August 18 street festival ticket for $75 and VIP options for $135, which includes access to the rooftop VIP area with views of the West stage, VIP areas in the beer garden and venues, access to VIP lounge On The Rox, a separate entrance and additional perks. A very limited number of three-day VIP passes will also be available for $250. These special passes include access to THE DOORS celebration on Thursday, August 16, VIP access to the August 18 street festival and entrance to all of the Sunset Strip Venues on August 16, 17 and 18--House of Blues, The Roxy Theatre, Viper Room, Whisky A Go-Go and Key Club--pending capacity. Tickets for individual venue shows on August 16 and 17 and select August 18 shows are also available. Please visit www.ssmf.com for full details.

Here’s the full lineup for SSMF 2012:

Thursday, August 16
SSMF Celebrates The Doors at House of Blues Sunset Strip

Viper Room
Future Villains
Lady Sinatra
The Black Marquee
Gunpowder Secrets
Diamonds Under Fire

The Roxy Theatre
Peter Murphy
Ours

Whisky A Go-Go
Jack Russell’s Great White
Faster Pussycat
Bulletboys
Pretty Boy Floyd
The Hard Way
Wizeguy Theory
Madysin Hatter
Everyday Feels Like Sunday

Key Club
Quiet Riot

Friday, August 17

House of Blues
Hank III + special guests

Key Club
RZA with full band

Viper Room (early show)
Unwritten Law
London Cries

Viper Room (late show)
Mickey Avalon
Little Miss Nasty

Whisky A Go-Go
James Ingram
Teddy Campbell Band

Saturday, August 18

Outdoor street festival stages
Marilyn Manson
The Offspring
Steve Aoki
Bad Religion
Black Label Society
Far East Movement
De La Soul
Dead Sara
The Mowgli’s

The Roxy Theatre
Das Racist
Matt Skiba
Street Drum Corps
Burning Of Rome
Caught A Ghost
Filligar
Love And A .38
The Stone Foxes
The Knife Outline
Dim Mak after party with surprise performances

Whisky A Go-Go
Tempting Fate
The Untouchables
Hardly Dangerous
Dynazty
The Rocketz
Cold Blue Rebels
Leif Garrett
Hurricane
Hotel Diablo
Beowulf
Bitch
45 Grave

Key Club
V Sevani
Venrez
Suedehead
Moses Stone
Nylon Pink
California Windfall
Vicci Martinez
True Press
Patience Prince
Brandon and Leah
After party

98-7fm's "Close to Home" Roxy Lot Stage
JJamz
Family Of The Year
Terraplane Sun
Midnight Hour
The Vim Dicta
Jared James Nichols
Cherri Bomb
Silent Frisco

Grammy-winning, iconic guitarist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee SLASH marked a career milestone today, Tuesday, July 10, as he was honored with his own Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. SLASH’s star is located directly in front of the Hard Rock Café on Hollywood Blvd (6801 Hollywood Blvd, #105 Los Angeles, CA 90028). SLASH’s friends--celebrated film producer Robert Evans, actor Charlie Sheen and beloved radio host Jim Ladd--were guest speakers at the fan-packed ceremony. Afterwards, SLASH and bandmate Myles Kennedy treated fans to a private acoustic performance and exclusive Q&A at the Hard Rock Café Hollywood Blvd.

As a musician, artist, philanthropist, and iconic rock figure, SLASH has amassed album sales nearing an astounding 100 million copies along with a Grammy Award and seven Grammy nominations, plus countless other accolades, accomplishments and acknowledgements, Time magazine named Slash #2, behind Jimi Hendrix, on its “The Ten Best Electric Guitar Players of All-Time.” Slash’s self-titled biography critically well-received, climbed the bestseller list in both the U.S. and U.K. hitting #8 on the NY Times Bestsellers list. Guitar Hero used SLASH’s image and music, producing an installment that shattered previous gaming records while opening the floodgates to a whole new generation of fans.

SLASH Featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators--Myles Kennedy (vocals), Brent Fitz (drums) and Todd Kerns (bass)--recently released their new album APOCALYPTIC LOVE (May 22, 2012). APOCALYPTIC LOVE stormed onto the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart at #4, marking the top rock debut for that week. The disc also hit #1 Independent Albums Chart and #1 Hard Music Albums Chart. “You’re A Lie” the hard-driving first single off the new album is now #1 Active Rock, marking SLASH’s first ever solo #1 hit at radio. All songs on APOCALYPTIC LOVE released on SLASH’s own Dik Hayd International, and distributed through EMI Label Services were written together by SLASH and Myles Kennedy as they spent the last two years on tour all over the world. Critical acclaim is pouring in for the album. Revolver magazine declared “Apocalyptic Love is at heart a collection of lean, high-octane rock-and-roll tunes built to be blasted out of open-top sports cars or, more suitably, open-air stadiums” (July 2012). The  Los Angeles Times added, “Fans of his work in GNR and Velvet Revolver will find much to embrace in the album’s 13 tracks, ranging from the sneering rock hooks of ‘You’re a Lie’ and the heavy metal grind of ‘Halo’ to the extended instrumental passages on ‘Anastasia.’” Elsewhere, Rolling Stone.com hailed “the album is filled with head bangers and plenty of fancy fretwork, most notably on standout tracks like ‘Hard and Fast’ and ‘Standing in the Sun’” (May 20, 2012). SLASH and his band, including touring guitarist Frank Sidoris, will launch a summer headlining tour of the U.S. and Canada on July 12 in Portland, OR. They’ll follow that up with a full U.S. headlining tour starting September 4 in San Diego, CA and wrapping October 3 in Los Angeles, CA Ticket info is available at http://slashonline.com/tour. See the tour dates below.

SLASH: featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators tour dates:

*Slash only

The Peach Music Festival announces that sales of single-day tickets will begin this Friday, July 13 at 10am. Tickets for the Friday, August 10 show will be $60* and tickets for Saturday, August 11 (which include a free Sunday, August 12 ticket) are $80*.  Also, just announced: Rebelution, JD & The Straight Shot and 61 North have been added to the already stellar line-up, which follows below.This will be the first-ever ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND-inspired festival in the Northeast Pennsylvania (NEPA) region, which will take place on multiple stages over the course of three days at Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain and Sno Mountain Ski Area & Water Park in Scranton, PA Friday, August 10 through Sunday, August 12th. Previously-announced artists include Zac Brown Band, Warren Haynes Band, Tedeschi Trucks Band, O.A.R., Railroad Earth, The Wailers, Dark Star Orchestra, Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band, Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Blackberry Smoke and more.  Tickets are on sale now and available at LiveNation.com, Toyota Pavilion Box Office (on sale and day-of-show only) or by-phone at 800-745-3000. (*additional fees may apply)FRIDAY, AUGUST 10: Zac Brown Band, The Allman Brothers Band, Warren Haynes Band, Dark Star Orchestra, Blackberry Smoke, Trigger Hippy, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Cabinet and 61 NorthSATURDAY, AUGUST 11: The Allman Brothers Band, Tedeschi Trucks Band, O.A.R., The Wailers, Rebelution, Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band, Railroad Earth, Toubab Krewe, Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, JD & The Straight Shot, Grimace Federation, Tauk and MizSUNDAY, AUGUST 12: Wake Up With Warren (Warren Haynes acoustic solo), Robert Randolph & The Family Band and Blind Boys of Alabama

Just a few months after the June 5 release of their acclaimed debut BIG MOON RITUAL album, the CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD--Chris Robinson (lead vocals, guitar), Neal Casal (guitar, vocals), Adam MacDougall (keys, vocals), George Sluppick (drums) and Mark Dutton (bass, vocals)--is set to release the companion album THE MAGIC DOOR September 11 via Silver Arrow/Megaforce. Both albums were recorded in two marathon sessions earlier this year at  Sunset Sound in Los Angeles with producer Thom Monahan (Vetiver, Devendra Banhart, Papercuts) after the band wrapped up a 118-show 2011 tour during which the band road-tested all the material.“I would say very early on in the recording--within the first two days,” says ROBINSON when asked about the moment he realized two albums would emerge.   “Thom had encouraged us to remain true to the arrangements we had been playing all year on the road.  We inevitably had some longer pieces and felt that the performances were strong enough that we didn't want to edit them for any extraneous reasons.”The Magic Door contains seven songs: six originals--“Someday Past The Sunset,” “Vibration & Light Suite,” “Appaloosa,” “Little Lizzie Mae,” “Sorrows Of A Blue Eyed Liar” and “Wheel Don't Roll”--plus a cover of Hank Ballard’s “Let’s Go, Let’s Go, Let’s Go,” a CRB set list staple. The songs (written by ROBINSON, with Neal Casal on “Wheel Don’t Roll” and Casal and Adam MacDougal on “Sorrows Of A Blue Eyed Liar”) are all free flowing and some lengthy, with “Vibration & Light Suite” clocking in at 13:56. This is music that is in no hurry to reach its destination but firmly knows where it is going and the speed at which it is traveling.On the album as on the road, ROBINSON continues to grow as a guitarist alongside guitarist Neal Casal. “I look at music as a conversation and Neal's a very eloquent speaker on guitar and I'm just trying to keep the conversation interesting.”Here are the in-progress tour dates for the CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD:Wed    7/18                  Crystal Bay, NV                       Crystal Bay ClubThu      7/19                 Chico, CA                                Sierra Nevada Brewing CoFri        7/20                 Santa Barbara, CA                  Lobero TheatreSat       7/21                 Pioneertown, CA                      Pappy & HarrietsSat       8/11                 Tulsa, OK                                Cain’sSun      8/12                 Wichita, KS                              Cotillion BallroomTue      8/14                 Little Rock, AR                        Revolution Music RoomThu      8/16                 Chattanooga, TN                     Track 29Fri        8/17                 Memphis, TN                           New Daisy TheaterSat       8/18                 St. Louis, MO                          The PageantSun      8/19                 Cincinnati, OH                         20th Century TheatreTue      8/21                 Buffalo, NY                              The Town BallroomThu      8/23                 Ridgefield, CT                         Ridgefield PlayhouseFri        8/24                 Bearsville, NY                          Bearsville TheatreSat       8/25                 Amagansett, NY                      Stephen TalkhouseSun      8/26                 Amagansett, NY                      Stephen TalkhouseThu      10/18               Live Oak, FL                           Magnolia Festival

We’ve moved into the digital music era, but multimedia albums have neglected to make the transition into this new era as easily as singles. Technology has evolved to create opportunities never before possible, such as interacting with artists in a live setting. Ideas move fast, and it makes sense an artist would be at the heart of new, innovative and forward-thinking ideas that resonate. Grammy-winning, iconic guitarist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee SLASH has introduced two new music apps which celebrate a return to the full-length album, allowing fans to access his signature sound and push the boundaries of how music is released.

SLASH’s new album APOCALYPTIC LOVE moves into the interactive age and is now available as a multimedia app for users of Apple’s iPhone, iPad and iPod devices. SLASH has partnered with MATIvision to bring fans the SLASH360 app. The SLASH360 brings you into the studio with SLASH and his bandmates Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators Brent Fitz (drums) and Todd Kerns (bass). “We recorded this album live, as we played it,” explains SLASH. “The app captures the energy of the band in the best way and MATIvision allows fans to experience the album just as if they were in the room with us.” MATIvision is the world’s first multi-camera 360-degree interactive music application. The SLASH360 app allows fans to follow every moment of the band performing APOCALYPTIC LOVE in its entirety through the eyes of six 360-degree spherical, panoramic cameras. SLASH360 is a music first. Never before have fans been able to control their experience while listening to the album at the same time. SLASH and MATIvision have taken the information that used to be limited to a CD booklet and turned it into a unique fan experience.

There are two versions of the SLASH360 app. The introductory version includes the #1 Active Rock hit “You’re A Lie” with lyrics and extras ($.99). Click here to experience: http://itunes.apple.com/app/slash-360-lt-apocalyptic-love/id524517739?mt=8 A second, full version includes the entire album performance of APOCALYPTIC LOVE, photos, lyrics and other extras ($4.99). Experience the full version here: http://itunes.apple.com/app/slash-360-apocalyptic-love/id524544296?mt=8.

For the more musically inclined fan, SLASH partnered with IK Multimedia to develop AmpliTube Slash edition which allows fans to play, practice and record with SLASH’s signature pedals and amplifiers on the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Mac/PC. Users can rock in a fully integrated multi-track recording studio with SLASH’s legendary Marshall amplifiers and his signature guitar pedals as well as a comprehensive collection of SLASH’s guitar tone settings. “Myles and I wrote APOCALYPTIC LOVE entirely on tour,” explains SLASH. “When we weren’t performing we were traveling so by using my iPhone with AmpliTube and iRig I was able to capture the ideas swimming in my head at 4AM.” “I’ll do some tweaks on the Marshall’s, but there are different effects available including distortion, chorus, auto wah and more.” SLASH worked closely with IK Multimedia to make sure AmpliTube Slash faithfully reproduced his unmistakable sounds and tones. The apps are now available for iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad ($9.99) and inside the new AmpliTube 2.5 for iOS with the inclusion of SLASH’s full deck of signature gear in the cutting edge AmpliTube Custom Shop desktop/laptop app and plug-in for Mac/PC ($79.99). For all possible options, visit: www.amplitube.com/slash.

2012 has been a big year so far for SLASH.  On July 10^th, he was honored with his own Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located directly in front of the Hard Rock Café on Hollywood Blvd (6801 Hollywood Blvd). As a musician, artist, philanthropist, and iconic rock figure, SLASH has amassed album sales nearing an astounding 100 million copies along with a Grammy Award and seven Grammy nominations, plus countless other accolades, and acknowledgements, Time magazine named SLASH #2, behind Jimi Hendrix, on its “The Ten Best Electric Guitar Players of All-Time.” SLASH’s self-titled biography critically well-received, climbed the bestseller list in both the U.S. and U.K. hitting #8 on the NY Times Bestsellers list.

SLASH Featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators recently released their new album APOCALYPTIC LOVE (May 22, 2012). APOCALYPTIC LOVE stormed onto the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart at #4, marking the top rock debut for that week. The disc hit #1 Independent Albums Chart and #1 Hard Music Albums Chart. “You’re A Lie” the hard-driving first single off the new album is now #1 Active Rock, marking SLASH’s first ever solo #1 hit at radio. All songs on APOCALYPTIC LOVE (released on SLASH’s own Dik Hayd International, and distributed through EMI Label Services) were written together by SLASH and Myles Kennedy as they spent the last two years on tour all over the world. SLASH and his band, including touring guitarist Frank Sidoris, launched a summer headlining tour of the U.S. and Canada on July 12 in Portland, OR. They’ll follow that up with another U.S. headlining tour starting September 4 in San Diego, CA and wrapping October 3 in Los Angeles, CA.

Ticket info is available at http://slashonline.com/tour/. See the tour dates below.

SLASH: featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators tour dates:

*Slash only

Dynamic. Electrifying. Compelling. These are just a few of the words that have been used to describe BIG GIGANTIC and their powerful live sets at some of the top U.S. festivals this summer.And now the Boulder, CO-based electronic act---saxophonist/producer Dominic Lalli and drummer Jeremy Salken--is set to bring their breakthrough sound of DJ-based music with live instruments to over 45 cities throughout North America this fall. Kicking off September 15 in Port Chester, NY during the reopening of The Capitol Theatre and featuring a stop at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, CA on October 5, the “Uprising Tour” will hit such cities as Tempe, San Diego, Reno, Seattle, Portland, Boise, Tulsa, Little Rock, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Toronto, Baltimore, Richmond, Raleigh, New Orleans and Nashville among many others before wrapping December 1 in Athens, GA. Supporting BIG GIGANTIC will be GRiZ from October 3-November 4 with Adventure Club on select dates, Crizzly from November 5-17 and Ana Sia from November 21-December 1 unless otherwise noted. See below for full list of tour dates with more to be announced soon. “We are SO STOKED to rage with you on our upcoming fall tour—The UPRISING TOUR!!” says Lalli and Salken. “This time, we’re reaching far and wide, hitting a ton of dates all over the West Coast, Midwest, Northeast and the South. We’ll be hitting some new cities we’ve never been to, as well as some of our favorite stops along the way. Make sure to get the crew together and get your tickets cause we’re bringing the heat with new music, old music, crazy production and a raging dance party every night. We also have our good friends GRiZ, Crizzly and Ana Sia coming out supporting us. Check out this sick video of what we’ll be gettin’ into this fall: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu90rz4M93M&feature=plcp. It’s gonna be an exciting fall season!!!”Chosen by Rolling Stone as one of the “10 Must-See Acts at Bonnaroo 2012,” BIG GIGANTIC has been making the rounds this summer on the U.S. festival circuit to rave reviews (see critical quotes below). Having already taken Bonnaroo, Wakarusa, Hangout, Electric Forest, Camp Bisco, Governor’s Ball and All Good Music Festival by storm, the duo just performed twice this past weekend at Lollapalooza: Saturday night at a sold-out official aftershow at the Congress Theatre and Sunday night on Perry’s Stage at the festival, where they announced their headlining New Year’s Eve show taking place at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago. Other festival appearances still to come include Outside Lands this Sunday, August 12 (set time: 2:05-2:50pm on Twin Peaks stage), Austin City Limits, Summer Set and CounterPoint along with performances in early 2013 on both Holy Ship! and Jam Cruise, marking the first band to play both cruises.One of their biggest shows to come this year though will be taking place in their home state of Colorado when BIG GIGANTIC headline the famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre for the first time ever Saturday, September 29 and transform the iconic venue into “Rowdytown.” The support acts for the show have finally been announced. Joining BIG GIGANTIC and over 9,000 fans will be Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Dillon Francis, GRiZ and Raw Russ. Special VIP and travel packages are currently available including an exclusive VIP viewing area, a limited edition signed poster and shuttles. For more information, go to www.biggigantic.net.Formed in 2008, the classically trained Lalli (who received a master’s degree in jazz at the Manhattan School of Music) and Salken interpret traditional DJ-based music with live instruments and have successfully created an innovative, distinct sound that’s all their own. Their transcendent live shows are a showcase of brilliant improvisation and a tightly-knit bond between Salken and Lalli, who breathlessly alternates between keys, sax and laptop. The duo leaves no genre off-limits as they channel everything from funk and dubstep to house and hip-hop. Their latest album, NOCTURNAL, released earlier this year via their own label Big Gigantic Records, is currently available as a free download on their website www.biggigantic.net. Featuring new original songs like “Nocturnal” and “Hopscotch,” the album has received over 175,000 downloads to date. BIG GIGANTIC has also recently released new free remixes of Savoy’s “We Are The Sun” and Adventure Club’s “Do I See Color.”

The world of deadmau5—the world-renowned electronic artist—is always fast and furious. He recently overhauled his studio in hisTorontohometown and following his full-scaleEuropean tour this past spring, he locked himself in and went on a creative spree to finish > album title goes here <, his new album due out September 25 (Ultra Music).Following his performance with the Foo Fighters at the Grammy Awards earlier this year showcasing his stellar remix of the group’s “Rope,” deadmau5 continues his collaborations in the rock world by enlisting the vocal talents of Gerard Way, lead singer of My Chemical Romance for his new single “Professional Griefers.” Out on August 14 on Ultra Music in North America, the single sits on the tougher end of deadmau5’s productions and already leading rock stations such as Los Angeles’ KROQ, Live 105 in San Francisco, KNDD in Seattle and SiriusXM’s Alt Nation have been lending early support.Fans first got to experience “Professional Griefers” as an unreleased instrumental track during deadmau5’s North American Meowingtons Hax tour last year, premiering the track at his critically acclaimed headlining performance at Lollapalooza.  Now “Professional Griefers”--which kicks off with stomping beats and heavily distorted guitar stabs, then builds tension with discordant synth strikes leading into the chorus--features vocals from one of the most distinctive voices in rock.  Look for its accompanying video, featuring both deadmau5 and Gerard Way and created by Dave Stewart’s Weapons of Mass Entertainment production company, to emerge this month (exact date TBA).All the tracks on > album title goes here < are deadmau5 original productions.  They include collaborations with “Animal Rights” co-producer Wolfgang Gartner (“Channel 42”); vocalists Imogen Heap (“Telemiscommunications”) and Chris James (“The Veldt,” the critically acclaimed track inspired by the Ray Bradbury short story); and legendary hip-hop outfit Cypress Hill (“Failbait”).   There are also new pieces like the Close Encounters of the Third Kind classic film-inspired “Closer,” the dance floor burner “There might be coffee” and electronica piece “Sleepless.”  Like “Fn Pig” and “October,” many of these tracks have been available on deadmau5’sSoundCloud as rough edits. For > album title goes here < they come together as finished songs in the format the way he intends them to be heardby his fans.The complete track listing for deadmau5’s > album title goes here < is:deadmau5 just headlined the VELD Music Festival in Toronto this past weekend.  His next North American major performance is confirmed for Saturday, September 22 in Las Vegas for the iHeartRadio Music Festival.

1. Superliminal
2. deadmau5 & Wolfgang Gartner - Channel 42
3. The Veldt (featuring Chris James)
4. Fn Pig 
5. Professional Griefers (featuring Gerard Way)
6. maths
7. There might be coffee
8. Take care of the proper paperwork
9. Closer
10. October
11. Sleepless
12. Failbait (featuring Cypress Hill)
13. Telemiscommunications (featuring Imogen Heap)

RIOT FEST–the music festival which celebrates rock, indie, punk and underground artists from every era--has announced the line-ups and venues for the after-parties for the Chicago festival (see full line-ups below). The official on-sale begins today, August 21 with a limited number of single-day tickets available. All after-parties are open to 3-day pass holders (subject to capacity). Go to: www.riotfest.org.This year’s after-parties continue a long-standing tradition unique to RIOT FEST.  "Our after-parties during Riot Fest are solely designed for fans,” explains Riot Fest founder Michael Petryshyn. “Whether it's NOFX bringing down the Congress Theater like they did a few years ago or Alkaline Trio playing a small room for their hometown Chicago fans, these afters are a big thank you to everyone who's been there since we started."2012 is a big year for the festival, which continues to grow and marks the eighth installment of RIOT FEST’s flagship event in Chicago, as well as new stops in Brooklyn, NY (Saturday, September 8 at Williamsburg Park) Toronto, ON (Sunday, September 9, Fort York at Garrison Common) and Dallas, TX (Saturday, September 22 at Gexa Energy Pavilion).  Also new for 2012: the music festival is expanding to a three-day event in Chicago and launching the festival outdoors in beautiful Humboldt Park on September 15-16. Michael Petryshyn explains the diversity and wide-appeal of RIOT FEST artists: “We handpick all of the artists from openers to headliners. Iggy and The Stooges, Elvis Costello, Rise Against, Descendents--each bill represents who we are.  Every band on here from Dropkick Murphys to A Day to Remember, all the way to The Jesus and Mary Chain and Gogol Bordello, represents a unique aspect of what Riot Fest was, is and will continue to be in the future.  It’s a key goal for us to attract fans of every generation, otherwise you risk being stagnant.” The three-day festival features artists well-known for their powerful live performances including: Rise Against, Iggy and the Stooges, Elvis Costello, Descendents, Dropkick Murphys, Coheed and Cambria, Alkaline Trio, The Jesus and Mary Chain The Gaslight Anthem, Andrew W.K. (full band), Minus The Bear, Frank Turner, A Day To Remember, Gogol Bordello, NOFX, Neon Trees, Dead Sara, Imagine Dragons, as well as new additions Cursive and Of Mice And Men, plus many more (see full lineups below).  Flanked by a handful of hip neighborhoods including Wicker Park and the Division Street corridor, Humboldt Park will feature three main music stages, thrilling rides, games, vendors and gourmet food trucks on the park grounds with stunning views of downtown Chicago.

The popular and critically acclaimed concert JASON BONHAM’s LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE (JBLZE)--which celebrates the life and music of JASON’s father, the legendary Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham--will return to the west coast starting October 5 in Napa Valley, CA and concluding October 16 in Sacramento, CA. In November, JBLZE will head to the east coast and select dates in Canada. Tickets for the JBLZE shows are now on sale; see www.jblze.com for ticket links and more information.

"This is a personal trip through my life with the music of Led Zeppelin,” explains JASON, "and how the music influenced me."  

JASON played with Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones at Led Zeppelin's "final" show at London's O2 Arena in 2007. The O2 Arena show was heralded as the most powerful Led Zeppelin performance since the group’s original disbandment. The band received uniformly rave reviews the epic night will finally see a worldwide theatrical release titled Celebration Day in 1,500 screens in 40 territories beginning October 17. Tickets will be available starting September 13 via www.ledzeppelin.com.

“Performing my father’s songs at the Led Zeppelin 02 reunion concert in 2007 was an honor that I will forever remember as one of the most bittersweet, yet greatest nights of my life,” says JASON BONHAM. “I’m over the moon that the 02 concert will finally be available for all Zeppelin fans to enjoy. That special night was the original spark that ignited JBLZE.” 

BONHAM partnered with Annerin Productions--the critically acclaimed theatrical producers of "PFX-The Pink Floyd Experience" and "Rain, A Tribute to the Beatles"--to create a once-in-a-lifetime concert experience. JASON BONHAM’s LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE is a spectacular rock concert with the iconic blues-infused rock ‘n’ roll of Led Zeppelin, stunning atmospheric video and lighting effects, which highlight the unique history that JASON BONHAM shares–in commemoration of his father John Bonham–with the legendary rock n’ roll group Led Zeppelin. JASON and his band’s powerful live performance of over 20 iconic Led Zeppelin classics takes concert-goers through a mesmerizing visual and aural journey as giant backdrops display iconic art, and BONHAM’s own historical footage, photos and stories are set to stunning atmospheric effects.

The powerful JBLZE line-up--JASON BONHAM (drums), TONY CATANIA (guitar/theremin), STEPHEN LEBLANC (keyboards/lapsteel guitar) DORIAN HEARTSONG (bass) and JAMES DYLAN (vocals)--will make stops at such venues as San Francisco’s The Warfield (October 14), Sacramento’s Crest Theatre (October 16) and Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre (October 11), among others. For the new line-up, see dates listed below with more coming soon.

JASON BONHAM’s LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE dates are as follows with more to be announced soon.

deadmau5's fourth studio album, > album title goes here < (Ultra Music), made a stellar debut yesterday (October 3) on Billboard charts across the board coming in at #6 on the Top 200,  #1 on the Dance/Electronic Album chart, #2 on the Independent album chart and #5 on the Digital Albums chart.  This marks his highest charting album ever, topping the debut of his 2010 album 4x4=12 which entered the Top 200 at #47.The album, released September 25, also made its debut at #1 on iTunes’ Dance chart and at #4 on iTunes’ Overall Album chart.  It features singles “Professional Griefers” with Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance and “The Veldt,” a hypnotic homage to Ray Bradbury featuring vocalist Chris James.  There’s also “Take care of the proper paperwork,” a gritty guitar track into a haunting dance movement, and “Failbait,” which yields cybernetic rap with Cypress Hill terminating their verses on sight. Everything culminates on the ethereal bliss of “Telecommunications,” a collaboration with one of the world's most intriguing voices Imogen Heap.The top selling individual track from > album title goes here < is deadmau5 and Wolfgang Gartner’s “Channel 42,” which Billboard’s Digital Songs chart lists at #117 in the Top 200 with over 14,500 units sold.  The Hot Digital Tracks chart also lists three tracks—“Channel 42,” “Superliminal” and “There might be coffee”--from the album.Critical accolades have greeted the album release. “Outspoken EDM iconoclast continues to march to his own pulsing beat. He builds bridges to rock and rap with name guests,” wrote Brian Mansfield of USA Today (9/25/12), “while drawing from science-fiction past with tracks inspired by Ray Bradbury and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” Adds Lauren Lipsay of Elektrodaily (9/25/12), “The tracks are impeccably produced and detailed, the kind of music that always leaves something to discover on future listens. What’s more, > album title goes here < offers the experience every deadmau5 fan craves: a guided tour through his complex, brilliant mind.”  Says Megan Farokhmanesh, Paste Magazine (9/26/12) “> album title goes here < is nothing short of infectious. With one taste you’ll crave more, until every song is frantically thumping through your head at all hours of the night. Armed with a collection of adrenaline-pumping beats and diverse vocal appearances, it’s a musical force that continues to establish Zimmerman’s place among the house music greats.”Meanwhile, as something extra special for his fans, deadmau5 created a limited run of a lenticular album cover for > album title goes here <.   Only 150,000 pieces, featuring the face of deadmau5’s famed cat Professor Meowingtons PhD in a 3D placement inside his trademark mau5head, have been made.  The lenticular technology used mostly with novelty items is created by lenticular lenses producing a printed image with an illusion of depth, or the ability to change or move as the image is viewed from different angles.The track listing for deadmau5’s > album title goes here < is:01. Superliminal02. Channel 42 (deadmau5 + Wolfgang Gartner)03. The Veldt (feat. Chris James) [8 minute edit]04. Fn Pig05. Professional Griefers (feat. Gerard Way)06. Maths07. There might be coffee08. Take care of the proper paperwork09. Closer10. October11. Sleepless12. Failbait (feat. Cypress Hill)13. Telemiscommunications (deadmau5 + Imogen Heap)

Beginning with two sold-out shows in Newfoundland on September 7 & 8th to the closing night in Victoria, BC on September 29th, JOHN FOGERTY rocked his way through Canada night after night, solidifying his stature as a rock and roll icon and songwriter extraordinaire.  Over the course of 16 sold-out shows, Canadian fans were treated to unforgettable nights of music as the groundbreaking singer, songwriter and guitarist performed to capacity crowds with his “phenomenal vocals and killer guitar riffs” (Edmonton Journal) plus a special production created just for these shows. See more critical quotes below.FOGERTY, one of rock’s most important artists and a national treasure who’s sold over 100 million records, is now back in the studio finishing his much-anticipated album  Wrote a Song for Everyone. It’s a celebration of his revered songbook (classics and deep tracks) and some brand new songs to be released on Vanguard Records, his first for the label, in early 2013. It will feature collaborations with Foo Fighters, Bob Seger, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, My Morning Jacket, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Dawes and more.  Visit www.johnfogerty.com for updates.

ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL has now confirmed it will hold the 15th annual edition of its gargantuan event over two three-day weekends March 15, 16 & 17 and March 22, 23 and 24, 2013 in Miami, FL.   This marks the first time ever for a major electronic dance music (EDM) festival to do so anywhere.

Having teased the world with a provocative countdown clock on its YouTube channel just days ago, ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL has today, October 15, shocked fans by revealing this extraordinary news right at the end of an exclusive video on UMF TV, titled “RELIVE THE ULTRA 2012 EXPERIENCE.” 

The video, created and directed by Final Kid’s Charly Friedrichs–director of the ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL experience film “CAN U FEEL IT”–“RELIVE THE ULTRA 2012 EXPERIENCE”--showcases 14 minutes of the very finest moments from this past year’s event and exclusively previews the double-delight that’s in store for March 2013.  View it at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUSRh3xltHM&feature=player_embedded.

Following a long weekend of speculation after the world’s premier electronic music festival launched a LIVE countdown movie on its UMFTV channel on Friday, October 12, fans can now plan ahead for what will be two truly historic weekends in the festival’s history.

Shrouded in secrecy for months, the team behind ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL--which last year drew over 165,000 fans—is excited to unveil this news.  Russell Faibisch, Co-Founder, President and CEO of the 15-year-old event says, "After an extremely successful 2012 edition of ULTRA in Miami, and the continuous overwhelming demand by disappointed fans that were unable to attend because of the early sell-out, we've decided to do what ULTRA has always consistently done throughout the years--pioneer and push the EDM movement forward.  So we are adding a second weekend of ULTRA. This is a unique concept from anything ever done before in our space, as it will be two weekends...two unique experiences. There are A LOT of incredible plans and surprises lined up for everyone attending our 15th Year Anniversary!"

Adam Russakoff, Executive Producer, Talent Buyer and Director of Business Affairs, adds,   "Being the first-ever EDM leaning festival to go two weekends just supports our position as being the preeminent forward-thinking brand in electronica.  Although we are already known as having the best and most relevant talent at our events, two weekends allows us to present even more and create two separate and distinct highly unique experiences for our attendees, let alone the impact this will have on the economy in terms of jobs and other ancillary industries like hotels and transportation."

Following a recent study commissioned by ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL and carried out by the Washington Economics Group, which revealed the extent to which the festival boosts the city’s yearly economy, news of the double header weekend won’t solely be music to the ears of electronica fans. In fact, in 2012 alone, the three-day event injected upward of $40 million directly into the Miami-Dale economy ($79 million if factoring in indirect and induced spending). With over 60% of visitors hailing from outside Miami-Dade, the local fiscal benefits that this news brings will be unprecedented.

Tickets for both weekends go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, October 17, exclusively from www.ULTRAmusicfestival.com.

The ZAPPA FAMILY TRUST is excited to announce a new 2-CD set released via iTunes and UNIVERSAL MUSIC ENTERPRISES Tuesday, October 30.  UNDERSTANDING AMERICA is one of only three compilation albums produced and titled by FZ himself.  (Ironically, MOTHERMANIA is another and is also on schedule for October 30.)  The project comprises by less than a quarter titles available in current release, other prior versions and many items including the title, “Porn Wars Deluxe,” a 25-minute work, unique to this Release.

A message from the Utility Muffin Research Kitchen (Frank Zappa’s proximate Laurel Canyon studio) proclaims:  “This work is about love, peace, justice and the American way. It’s about compassion and responsibility. It’s about ethics and honor. It’s about time and it is about money. And bogus pomp and circumstance. Predictions and politics. It is the low-down on high altitudes. Check out the menu for yourself and you will see that the main ingredients, each in their own persuasion and marinating well into the next century, have been carefully skewered and roasted to the peak of perfection by the Master chef, author of one of the all time great cook books, Understanding America. Oh, and finally, it is about Music. Put some in your cauldron and please, don’t forget to vote!”

“From the uniquely specialized repertoire of an artist who never failed to understand that he was working for a highly specialized audience, this is for you.” 

The track listing for UNDERSTANDING AMERICA is:

DISC 1

1.         Hungry Freaks, Daddy           
2.         Plastic People                           
3.         Mom & Dad                               
4.         It Can't Happen Here                             
5.         Who Are The Brain Police?                  
6.         Who Needs The Peace Corps?                          
7.         Brown Shoes Don't Make It                
8.         Concentration Moon                             
9.         Trouble Every Day                  
10.       You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here
11.       We're Turning Again                              
12.       Road Ladies                                
13.       What Kind Of Girl Do You Think We Are        
14.       Camarillo Brillo                         
15.       Find Her Finer                           
16.       Dinah-Moe Humm                 
17.       Disco Boy                    
18.       200 Years Old              

 DISC 2

1.         I'm The Slime            
2.         Be In My Video                        
3.         I Don't Even Care    
4.         Can't Afford No Shoes          
5.         Heavenly Bank Account       
6.         Cocaine Decisions   
7.         Dumb All Over          
8.         Promiscuous              
9.         Thing-Fish Intro       
10.       The Central Scrutinizer         
11.       Porn Wars Deluxe   
12.       Tinseltown Rebellion             
13.       Jesus Thinks You're A Jerk

Michael Pietsch, publisher of Little, Brown and Company, announced today that Little, Brown has acquired rock and roll legend John Fogerty’s memoir for publication in 2014.In his long-awaited memoir, John Fogerty—one of rock’s most important artists and a national treasure who’s sold over 100 million albums—will recount his remarkable life. Fogerty’s private and professional journey is one of the great sagas in American music, and his book will interweave the facts of his life with the music that emerged from his personal joys and battles. This includes his time as the lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist for one of the most beloved and successful rock bands of all time, Creedence Clearwater Revival. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Fogerty wrote hit after hit, including “Proud Mary,” ”Have You Ever Seen the Rain,” “Bad Moon Rising,” “Down on the Corner,” ”Who’ll Stop the Rain,” “Fortunate Son,” “Up Around the Bend,” “Run Through the Jungle,” “Long as I Can See the Light,” “Born on the Bayou,” and so on—distinctly American songs that coalesced the strong emotions running through a nation at war in Vietnam. His solo career includes the album Centerfield, as well as Grammy Award–winning records and award-winning tours. John Fogerty sits beside a handful of musical songwriting legends. He was a hit maker, and he is one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time.Fogerty will write about the pressures of sudden fame, his tumultuous relationships with his bandmates—including his brother, Tom—and his long and costly battle for creative freedom from his record label, a battle that was taken all the way to the Supreme Court. Crushed by how the record label victimized him, he was forced to walk away from it all while they were the number one band in the world. “I want to tell the story of how I fought—hard—to maintain my artistic integrity in the face of opposing forces.” He will also discuss his inspirations, including meeting his wife, Julie, and eventually building a family with her, which brought him back to music. He will also look forward to where his journey will take him next, including his forthcoming album Wrote a Song for Everyone, due in 2013, and upcoming collaborations with the Foo Fighters, My Morning Jacket, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Kid Rock, and Dawes.John Fogerty said, “The kid from El Cerrito wanted to be the best musician in the world—my promise to myself. I accomplished that goal against all odds, only to have it fall apart on top of me. The songs and the music stopped; you didn’t hear from John Fogerty for years. All of this took its toll on me. I couldn’t write a song, sing a song. And it was so hard on me, all of the lawsuits and betrayals. I was personally fading away. My story will share the ups and downs and how it all affected me. The road back was a bumpy one, and I knew that it would take years to come out of it, but I did. Happily, I did, with my dear wife, Julie, by my side.“I have come to a place where I can look back and reflect on those stories and share what really happened. I am the guy who lived it, and you will hear me tell the story for the first time.”Michael Pietsch said, “John Fogerty’s musical originality and determination have nourished us all for years. It is an honor to work with him to bring the full story of his music and his life to his millions of admirers at last. I can’t wait.”Little, Brown acquired world rights from Laura Nolan at Paradigm Agency. The audiobook will be read by John Fogerty and published simultaneously by Hachette Audio. The book will be edited by Little, Brown executive editor John Parsley.

For the international juggernaut known as SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA, it will end where it all began.  The trio will wrap their final One Last Tour at both weekends of the 15th annual ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL, set for March 15, 16 and 17 and March 22, 23 and 24, 2013 at Bayfront Park in Miami, FL.  They will bookend the festival with sets on the opening and closing nights on Friday, March 15 and Sunday, March 24, respectively.  This marks a significant milestone in their incredible career together as ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL was where Axwell, Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso made their SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA North American debut in March 2010.''Ultra was the first place we really built a show for a main stage,” says SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA.   “We filmed the whole thing and we played ‘ONE’ for the first time on that stage.  It was a moment we would never forget and became the closing scene in our film, ‘Take One.’  The energy of the crowd was unbelievable and the fact that it's part of Miami Music Week where so much new music is born made it even more special.  It just felt right that we finished where so much was started and we're honored to open and close the festival.''This final stop of SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA’s One Last Tour will be highly emotional as the group bids farewell to their followers across the world and promises to create unrivalled memories for fans and them alike.  After exploding on to the North American scene in 2010 at ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL with a main stage performance, the Swedes followed up their huge genre-defining club track “One” with the worldwide platinum-selling single “Miami 2 Ibiza” featuring Tinie Tempah, their first single to hit #1 on the Billboard club chart. Both tracks appeared on their 2010 compilation album Until One, which is still in the U.K. top 50 chart nearly two years after its release.  The boys followed this with their second Billboard club chart topper and Grammy-nominated “Save The World” last summer, also a huge hit around the globe. They ended 2011 playing to 20,000 people at New York’s Madison Square Garden which sold out in a staggering nine minutes. This year has seen the release of the incendiary “Greyhound” and “Antidote” (a collaboration with Knife Party that reached #3 on the Billboard club chart) and in October SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA released their latest compilation album Until Now on Astralwerks.  It rose to #4 on the iTunes album chart and debuted at #14 on the Billboard 200, marking the highest chart position and highest first week sales for a DJ-mixed album ever. The album debuted at #1 in the U.K. and top 10 in seven other countries.  Until Now features the Swede’s third #1 Billboard club chart topper “Don’t You Worry Child” featuring John Martin, which is currently storming up the Top 40 charts.  It recently hit #1 in the U.K., beating Adele’s “Skyfall.” Limited tickets still remain for both weekends of ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL, exclusively at www.ULTRAmusicfestival.com.About ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL: As the world’s most famous outdoor electronic music festival, ULTRA has won “Best Music Event” by the International Dance Music Awards (IDMA) six consecutive years, from 2005 to 2011, “Best International Dance Music Festival” by the Ibiza DJ Awards in 2008 and “Best Festival” by the Village Voice Media New Times consecutively five years running from 2005 through 2009.  Originally created as a pure EDM (electronic dance music) festival in 1999, ULTRA has grown through the years to present not only the genre’s hottest, biggest and best headline artists (The Prodigy, Swedish House Mafia, The Chemical Brothers, Tiësto, David Guetta, deadmau5, Underworld, Kraftwerk, Armin van Buuren, Moby, Fatboy Slim, Justice, Carl Cox and Avicii to name a few), but also crossover headline bands that incorporate EDM elements in their music and have a history or new beginning in the EDM community and culture (The Cure, The Killers, New Order, Duran Duran, The Black Eyed Peas, Erasure, M83, Santigold, The Ting Tings, Cut Copy, Empire of the Sun and Bloc Party). In 2012, global pop icon Madonna appeared as a special surprise guest—the festival’s gift to their fans—to introduce the main stage final headlining artist AVICII, joining him behind the decks to premiere his UMF remix of her new single “Girl Gone Wild.”  The year also was the subject of CAN U FEEL IT, a major documentary feature about the festival which was shown in over 500 theatres nation-wide.  Together with its signature, cutting-edge productions, ULTRA is unrivalled by consistently presenting the world’s greatest, most diverse EDM line-ups year after year. In 2013, as it enters its 15th year in existence, it will become the first major EDM festival in the world to expand to two weekends with dates set for March 15, 16 and 17 and March 22, 23 and 24.A global brand, ULTRA takes place in Miami, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Ibiza and Korea.

BIG GIGANTIC shows no signs of slowing down in 2013.  As the electronic duo wrap their current “Uprising Tour” this weekend with a sold-out show in Athens, GA, saxophonist/producer DOMINIC LALLI and drummer JEREMY SALKEN have just announced the dates for their 2013 headlining winter tour. The 24-date outing kicks off January 29 in Birmingham, AL and will take them throughout the south and east coast to such cities as Atlanta, Louisville, Columbus, Albany and Boston before playing New York City on February 16 at Terminal 5. Next, they’ll stop in New Haven, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Memphis, Austin, Houston and Dallas before concluding March 3 in Oklahoma City. Tickets go on sale today Friday, November 30. See below for full tour dates.

The Boulder, CO-based electronic act had quite a year in 2012. Their latest album NOCTURNAL was released in January via their own label Big Gigantic Records as a free download on their website and has already received over 250,000 downloads to date. LALLI and SALKEN then took on the U.S. festival circuit performing to rave reviews at such top festivals like Lollapalooza, Outside Lands, Ultra Music Festival, Wakarusa, Hangout, Electric Forest, Camp Bisco, Governor’s Ball, Austin City Limits and Bonnaroo, where they were chosen as one of the “10 Must-See Acts” by Rolling Stone. As SPIN noted in their July/August issue, BIG GIGANTIC ranked among the Top 20 artists with the most festival appearances during the summer season. Their current “Uprising Tour” kicked off with a sold-out show dubbed “Rowdytown” at Red Rocks Amphitheatre September 29, marking their first headlining spot at their famed hometown venue. Justin Olsen from NITEGUIDE MAGAZINE best described their October 5 show at the House of Blues West Hollywood noting, “If there’s one word to describe a Big Gigantic show, it’s ‘Rowdy.’ Multi-tasking between playing drums, saxophone and DJing samples, Dominic Lalli and Jeremy Salken provide an EDM experience that’s unique and trendsetting in current times” (November). The 45-date tour has featured over 2/3 of sold-out shows and continues to receive critical acclaim with the press (see below).  Following the tour, BIG GIGANTIC will end the year with a handful of big shows including performances at “BassLights” with Bassnectar and Pretty Lights December 28 in Hampton, VA and the SnowGlobe Music Festival in Lake Tahoe on December 29. They’ll then ring in 2013 for the second year in a row in Chicago performing at the Aragon Ballroom on New Year’s Eve with support from GRiZ and Manic Focus, followed by performances in early January on both HOLY SHIP!! and Jam Cruise, marking the first band to ever play both cruises.

BIG GIGANTIC’s current tour dates are as follows: