MUSIC NEWS

Four days shy of two years since their last U.S. show, Coldplay returned to these shores last night, performing at the annual fundraiser for the Grammy Foundation at UCLA. Two of the five new songs the band played from their upcoming fifth album – “Charlie Brown” and “Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall” – were aired on Thursday night’s Jimmy Kimmel Live, so the show included a walk-on by the talk show host to introduce the band during their fourth and fifth songs. For whatever reason, the band performed both numbers again later in the show.

Coldplay took the stage and immediately launched into a new song, “Hurts Like Heaven,” as strings of confetti rained down from above the stage. Different kinds of confetti would be launched from the stage a number of times during the evening and lasers used at other points in the show.

The two other new songs were “Major Minus” and “Us Against the World.” Frontman Chris Martin introduced the latter by saying, “This is a new song. If you don’t like it, it doesn’t matter. If you don’t like it, blog about it or something.”

During the encore, Martin led the band and audience in Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab,” which they fittingly segued into “Fix You.”

Check out the set list

On Wednesday night, Red Hot Chili Peppers debuted new songs to an intimate audience under the stars in Big Sur, California. Their appearance at the Henry Miller Library was announced only three hours before the band took the stage, and it was free for the 300 lucky fans and friends who made it through the worn wooden gate.

Rounded out by guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, who replaced John Frusciante, as well as a percussionist and keyboardist, RHCP performed five songs from their long-awaited, Rick Rubin-produced tenth album I’m With You (due out August 30), interspersed with a handful of crowd-pleasing classics.

“We got new songs, we got old songs in the deadhead redwoods out here,” said Anthony Kiedis cooly, wearing a tuxedo jacket and an OFF! trucker cap. A towering pine behind him was lit by a pink strobe. The air smelled green and felt damp. It was a surreal space for the band’s iconic funk-punk.

But Flea apparently lives nearby and visits the library frequently. According to the show’s presenter, coastal promoter Britt Govea of (((folkYEAH!))), the bassist called him personally to set up the gig about a month ago. The venue’s executive director Magnus Toren said RHCP paid for the entire thing.

To read the complete article visit SPIN

Kings of Leon have cancelled their entire U.S. tour, citing frontman Caleb Followill’s “vocal issues and exhaustion” in a statement. The news follows the Kings’ aborted performance in Dallas, TX, on July 29, during which frontman Followill appeared unfit to perform.

“I’m gonna go backstage and I’m gonna vomit,” he told the crowd. “I’m gonna drink a beer and I’m gonna come back out and play three songs.”

In a statement, the band’s camp said “[they are] devastated, but in order to give their fans the shows they deserve, they need to take a break.” All ticket purchases will be refunded, and the band is planning to resume touring in Vancouver, BC, on September 28.

While the official line cites “vocal issues and exhaustion” as a reason for the cancellation, the band members’ individual accounts have suggested a darker scenario (although in YouTube footage from the show, which is posted below, Caleb repeatedly said, “I’m not drunk, I’m just fuckin’ hot… about the fall down here because I’m so fuckin’ hot).

Following the show cancellation, Jared Followill posted on Twitter: “There are internal sicknesses & problems that have needed to be addressed. No words…There are problems in our band bigger than not drinking enough Gatorade.”

To read the complete article visit SPIN

Dropkick Murphys will perform two landmark hometown shows–September 8 and 9–at Boston’s Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox, pending city approval. A portion of the proceeds from the two Dropkick Murphys at Fenway with Special Guests The Mighty Mighty Bosstones shows will benefit the Massachusetts 9/11 Fund–which helps support families of victims of 9/11 throughout the state–as well as the band’s charity The Claddagh Fund. Special guests The Mighty Mighty Bosstones will perform at both shows, with additional opening acts to be announced in the coming weeks.

Dropkick Murphys bassist/vocalist/founder Ken Casey comments, “We feel honored and privileged to share a connection and friendship with the Boston Red Sox. Our involvement in the 2004 and 2007 championship seasons are some of the greatest highlights of our career and our lives. But to be invited by the Sox to join the select few who have performed full concerts at the park is truly a dream come true!”

“Dropkick Murphys have permeated Boston and New England sports culture, particularly here at Fenway Park where ‘I’m Shipping Up to Boston’ has long signaled [pitcher] Jonathan Papelbon’s trip to the mound,” said Red Sox Executive Vice President/COO Sam Kennedy. “The band has debuted songs here, been part of our rallies and shared in our joy during the 2007 World Series parade. We are thrilled to be hosting them this coming September and look forward to also helping local 9/11 charities through this concert.”

While the critically-acclaimed Dropkick Murphys–known for their complex distillation of classic punk rock, Celtic folk and American rock ‘n’ roll–have performed at Fenway Park in the past, including their debut of “Tessie” in July 2004, these will be their first-ever concerts at the ballpark. Dropkick Murphys join the ranks of musical greats Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Diamond, Jimmy Buffett, Dave Matthews Band, Phish, The Rolling Stones, The Police, J. Geils Band, Aerosmith and NKOTBSB who have all performed at Fenway Park.

Tickets for both shows go on sale Thursday, July 7 at Noon ET and will be available online at redsox.com/dropkicks, by calling (877) RED-SOX9, or at the Fenway Park box office. The shows will feature a “bleacher theater” style set up, with the stage set atop the bullpens in right field, and fans seated in the bleachers and first few Grandstand sections. This intimate setting has been used for other successful shows at Fenway Park, including the 2007 Hot Stove, Cool Music concert series, which included Grammy-winning artist and musician John Legend, and by the Boston Landmark Orchestra in 2010.

Dropkick Murphys are currently touring in support of their Going Out In Style CD (Born & Bred Records/ILG), which debuted at #6 on the Billboard 200–the group’s highest chart debut to date. Their latest trek launched June 19 in Winnipeg, MB and includes a headlining slot at the annual 4^th of July weekend Hootenanny in Irvine, CA, where DKM–Al Barr (lead vocals), Tim Brennan (guitars, accordion, whistle, vocals), Ken Casey (lead vocals, bass guitar), Jeff DaRosa (banjo, bouzouki, mandolin, harmonica, vocals), Matt Kelly (drums, vocals), James Lynch (guitar, vocals), and Scruffy Wallace (bagpipes)–will be joined by such artists as Reverend Horton Heat, Murder City Devils, Supersuckers, Swingin’ Utters, Royal Crown Revue, John Doe and more. The current North American dates will wrap August 6 and the band will head overseas for European festival dates from August 12-21.

In other news, Deering Banjos has teamed with Dropkick Murphys to give away an autographed Dropkick Murphys Goodtime Tenor Banjo, along with other prizes.  The sweepstakes runs through Monday, July 11 and can be entered online at: http://www.deeringbanjos.com/dropkick-murphys-banjo-sweepstakes.

for summer tour dates visit DROPKICK MURPHYS

Slipknot and Stone Sour singer Corey Taylor is set to release his first book, Seven Deadly Sins, on July 12 in the U.S. and on July 14 in the U.K. The book is purported to be both a memoir and, according to Taylor’s website, “a candid, outrageous manifesto on the subject and nature of sin.” Recently, That Metal Show’s Jim Florentine conducted an in-depth interview with Taylor about the book, and about Taylor’s life and his music. The three-part interview will premiere at www.thecoreytaylor.com on July 5.

“I’ve been threatening to write a book for a long time, but since every Tom, Dick and Harry writes an autobiography, I didn’t want to just do that,” Taylor said, in a prepared statement. “My approach to writing is the same as my approach to music: I don’t want to do what everybody else is doing.”

On September 13th, the classic line-up of Anthrax will release ‘Worship Music,’ their long-awaited 10th studio album. As a way of saying thank you to their fans, the band — Charlie Benante [drums], Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano [guitars], Frank Bello [bass], and vocalist Joey Belladonna — decided to make the new track ‘Fight’em ’til You Can’t’ available as a free download.

Visit ANTHRAX for a free download of “Fight ‘em ’til You Can’t”