scribex6

Both are apparently astro-turf groups with the Fans First Coalition funded by Live Nation and Fan Freedom by StubHub. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/21/business/media/scalping-battle-putting-fans-in-the-middle.html?pagewanted=1&_r=3&ref=bensisario

I went to the Saturday show and they put on a great performance. Played a lot from Mighty Joe Moon, which is my favorite album of theirs. Unfortunately, I don't have a recording but maybe you can find one somewhere on the internet.

Chicago's rock 'n' roll shape-shifters Wilco have formed their own label, dBpm Records, whose releases will be distributed and marketed by eclectic Silver Lake independent Anti- Records. A full announcement is expected soon. "This is an idea we've discussed for years,” Wilco's Jeff Tweedy said via his publicist. “We really like doing things ourselves, so having our own label feels pretty natural to me. And, to be working with Anti- -- a label that was started by a punk rock guy to sell his own records -- seems like a perfect fit for us.” http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2

The line-up looks pretty good to me. No huge surprises or amazing reunions but very solid each day. Lot of great bands at the top of the bill like Arcade Fire, the National, PJ Harvey, the Black Keys and the Strokes. I'm also thrilled with some of the bands lower on the bill like the London Suede, Mew, Tallest Man on Earth, Elbow and Robyn. This will be my 10th year going to Coachella and it's always a great experience.

I agree also, nodep5. I always get annoyed when I read criticism that suggests Ryan Adams should put out less music. I think we'd have missed out on some great music if he followed that advice. Let him follow his muse. Some times he may hit the mark, sometimes not but either way it's made for a fascinating journey.

This past Sept/Oct. was probably one of my busiest concert-going marathons. I saw Phoenix 9/18, the Dirty Projectors 9/23, Pavement 9/30, Avett Bros. 10/1, Tom Petty and the Hearbreakers 10/2, Belle and Sebastian 10/3, Arcade Fire, two nights, 10/7 and 10/8, The National 10/16, Jonsi 10/17, Interpol 10/19 and Sufijan Stevens 10/23. I am giving my wallet a break and don't have tickets for any shows until late January when I see Iron and Wine.

I enjoyed them at Coachella. I read an interview with the lead singer where he mentioned that he plans to also continue with Ima Robot.

http://www.pauseandplay.com/cdfront.htm Good for future releases.

Some cool stuff coming out that day. I know I'm going to be looking for a copy of that Chronic Town vinyl. http://recordstoreday.com/Page/836 U.S. Record Store Day releases include: Beastie Boys, White Label 12-inch (1,000 copies) Bon Iver/Peter Gabriel, “Come Talk to Me”/”Flume” 7-inch (2,000 copies) Devo, Duty Now for the Future CD and vinyl reissue (3,000 and 2,500 copies) Devo, “Fresh”/”What We Do” 12-inch, 45 rpm single (2,500 copies) Elvis Costello, Live at Hollywood High 7-inch EP reissue (unknown copies) Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros, Global A Go-Go first-ever vinyl release (

From my point of view, they delieved that risk-taking album with No Line On the Horizon. Not many bands their size would include songs like "FEZ," the atmospheric title track or the nine-minute "Moment of Surrender" if they just wanted to rest on their laurels. On tour, they could easily just play the hits but instead they played most of the new album and along with rarely played older songs like "Ultraviolight (Light My Way)" and "The Unforgettable Fire." The "corporate machine" criticism is kind of tired at this point in their career. It seems to come up every time they put out a new album o

I still don't get why anyone would get upset over something if they have no interest in it. If you don't want to join the fan club or listen to the remix CD that's cool. Don't pay for it.

I guess it's always fashionable to bash U2 but I'm actually pretty pleased with the fan club on this tour especially after the problems with pre-sales on the last tour, and I've been a member since the 90s during the Propoganda days. I was able to get a pair of general admission tickets to two shows last fall and again this summer, the main reason I joined the club. It's almost impossible to get those GA tix in the general sale so for me it was worth it. The two-disc rarities album they gave out last year was a nice bonus as it had a bunch of songs I was missing. I just got the remix CD so I

I enjoyed U2 by U2 as well but my favorite book about the band is "U2: At the End of the World," by Bill Flanagan. The writer follows the band for a couple years through the Zoo TV Tour. It's a very revealing look at the band at a very signficant time in their career and it doesn't hurt that Flanagan is a funny writer who doesn't take his subjects too seriously.

Looking forward to this. In response to the earlier comment about wanting more "him," my understanding is that the collaboration was always intended to be a showcase for Zooey Deschanel's singing and songwriting with M. Ward providing support. We can get plenty of him on his solo albums fortunately.

I'd agree that the their first two albums are the best but I'm also fond of This Desert Life which is a more eclectic, atmospheric album for them. I really like Mrs. Potters Lullaby, a nine-minute track that's kind of Dylan-esque in it's sprawling feel. They're also quite good live. I just saw them back in July.

Sounds like a great double bill! Any idea on who's opening June 20 in Pomona?

I bought a ticket for the Wiltern show through Live Nation and one for the Berkeley show through the Frontgate pre-sale and they both came down to about $50 each with the fees and shipping charges so it doesn't seem like there was a big difference in price.

Actually, general admission is the best for the Wiltern because you're on the floor. All the reserved seats are on the balcony further away. I couldn't get through at all during the pre-sale. I don't know if I like this new Front Gate company.

I can top that. I just recently started get Us Weekly in the mail and had to call them to ask them to stop sending the magazine. I haven't read Martha Stewart's Living but I imagine it's got to be better than Us Weekly. On the plus side, I've been getting Spin, Blender and Rolling Stone for free for a while now and as much as people put down those magazines I usually find something worth reading in them in between all the fluff.

I'd say the majority of the shows I go to, I go to alone. I probably go to 2 or 3 shows a month, more than most of my friends. I'd rather do that than try and talk them into seeing a band they might not like. I've even gone to the Coachella festival by myself. It's not too hard to strike up a conversation with folks because you know you all have at least one common interest. I even go to movies alone sometimes, if I want to catch a matinee early in the day. I guess I don't have a problem with going solo because I like to immerse myself in the experience of seeing a band or watching a movie in

To be fair, The Edge has also cited the Fleet Foxes, The Arcade Fire, The Secret Machines, School of Seven Bells and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs as bands who he's been listening to. In the latest Rolling Stone, he specifically cites the Fleet Foxes as an influence on "White as Snow." I think Bono cites the Killer and Coldplay because they're among the few rock acts with the same kind of ambition as U2.

It's nice to see they're keeping prices pretty affordable for this tour. According to an article in Billboard today, 85 percent of the tickets are below $100, plus the field tickets for $55 and another 10,000 tix at the $30 rate. In today's market that's a bargain. On their last two tours, I scored $50 floor tickets for the shows I went to and was able to get pretty close to the band. On the Elevation tour, I was able to get into the separate heart area and stood right next to the walkway where the Edge came out and played only a few feet away from me. Definitely a concert highlight.

Can't wait to see them. It's been a long wait since they last toured over here. As much as I wish them success in the U.S., I' m glad I can still see them in relatively small venues.

I love both bands but Wayne Coyne strikes me as the kind of guy who likes to stir up shit for its own sake. He admitted in interviews that he made the comments about Beck so he could create a mock feud in the press. There seems to be a little bit of ego from him too, trying to prove how he's some kind of "man of the people." If anything, it's not a very classy thing to make generalizations about somebody based on one brief meeting and then talk shit about them.

Well, I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree then. (Especially, since, as I've mentioned before, I quite like Atomic Bomb). We can debate all we want about their motives for why they continue to make music but at the end of the day it's just guesses based on our own biases and presumptions. Too bad you didn't see them on either tour. I've seen them on every tour since The Joshua Tree and I'd say they're just as good live as they've ever been and Bono's voice is as strong as ever. The Zoo TV tour is still probably them at their best but the Elevation and Vertigo tours came pretty close