Help for Heroes, star-studded concert to support the injured

Robbie Williams, newly married and recently rekindled with Take That, is the major star performing at Help For Heroes, a fundraising concert for servicemen and women at Twickenham Stadium. James Blunt, Tom Jones, Gary Barlow and Alexandra Burke are also performing, along comedy talents John Bishop and Michael McIntyre.

The concert takes place on 12 September and will be shown on BBC One, with some 150 personnel injured in combat and 60,000 fans expected to attend the event and Princes Harry and William likely to be the Royal guests. All proceeds will go to the Help For Heroes charity in support of wounded service personnel and their families. Regardless the rights and wrongs of recent wars, it will be a great concert for a grand cause.

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MGMT’s UK gigs are a matter of trust

The Summer of 2008 began precisely when we started listening to Oracular Spectacular, the first album of Brooklyn band MGMT. The song Time to Pretend was the soundtrack of many sunny afternoons, played in every trendy party and was soon in everyone’s iPod. So when their follow up album, Congratulations, came out earlier this year, the psych-pop duo was expected once more to have the warm season started.

But Congratulations was a little disappointing for those expecting a follow-up as such. Apparently MGMT didn’t like themselves a much as we did, moving away from the electro beats and the epic feeling of Oracular Spectacular. Congratulations has also possibly the weirdest cover since Santogold’s eponymous album. Despite these flaws, Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden’s latest work brims with playful exuberance, is captivating and grows on you as you listen.

Interestingly, MGMT performances are now more captivating than ever as they seem more comfortable and self assured playing songs from Congratulations than they ever were with Oracular. The energy is contagious; sometimes you just have to trust the pilots.

MGMT UK dates: Glasgow (Sep 20, 21), Birmingham (Sep 23), Bournemouth (Sep 24), Manchester (Sep 26), Leeds (Sep 27), London (Sep 29, 30, Oct 01).

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Clear sky for Jonsi’s UK dates

When Sigur Ros, one of the leading bands of  Post Rock phenomena and famous for putting Iceland in the cultural map alongside Björk, announced their indefinite hiatus, it wasn’t exactly a revelation. Although a great frustration for fans, cold reviews of their 2008 album, Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust, suggested that perhaps time has come for those side projects to flourish in order to keep ideas flowing. The group’s combination of apocalyptic and ethereal music and the monumentality of their live performances became somehow overused in a number of nature TV documentaries like those involving the ashes of a certain volcano.

Released this year, Go is Sigur Ros’ frontman Jonsi Birgisson first solo work and the second post-hiatus – a collaboration with artist Alex Somers resulted in the album Riceboy Sleeps. Initially conceived as an intimate acoustic project, Go carried on from where the group left and simply “exploded”, in Jonsi’s own terms. In a natural evolution of their epic and plush productions, Jonsi has created a work that balances elements of accessible pop with the familiar theatricality and a certain amount of chaos that were Sigur Ros’ trademark, to the delight of the group’s followers.

Jonsi plays the following UK gigs: Manchester (Sep 06), Leeds (Sep 08), Birmingham (Sep 09), Bestival (Sep 11), Bournemouth (Sep 13), Brighton (Sep 14).

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Jakob Dylan to showcase new album in UK dates

Jakob Dylan brings to the Barbican in July a taste of the long running conversation between pop music and folk traditions. He will be showcasing his second solo work since leading The Wallflowers. Woman + Country was released earlier this year and brings references from folk lyricism to the mythic America and has been received with warm reviews. Jakob Dylan is accompanied both in the album and live by the band Three Legs, with singer- songwriters Neko Case and Kelly Hogan in most of the background vocals and an acclaimed group of musicians playing from bass and drums to mandolin, trumpet and horns. The album was produced by the prolific T Bone Burnett, who worked on The Wallflowers’ most successful record to date, Bringing Down the Horse, resulting in Grammy awards and selling millions of copies.

Jakob Dylan, now in his 40s and with a lengthy history in music recordings since the late 80s, bares the inescapable tag of “Bob Dylan’s son”, which puts him in the shadow of one of the greatest songwriters of all times. What might be seen as a mixed blessing when comparisons and similarities are concerned, doesn’t seem to pose as a challenge for Jakob’s heartfelt songs. His gentle vocal and the grown-up big label production of the album are confident enough, often playing in a relaxed safety zone. In songs such as Everybody’s Hurting, a more political agenda is in tune with today’s America search for a soul, but even this engagement is done in a humble, more tactful fashion. Which is pretty much Jakob Dylan’s trademark and also his secret to be out there for some time now. No pressure.

Jakob Dylan & Three Legs play London Barbican on July 23, Gateshead on July 25 and Glasgow on July 26.

Bestival Tickets The Year of the Fantastic is fantastic indeed

If when you think music festivals the image that comes to mind is that of flooding loos, corporate banners, dodgy burgers, hot beers and elbow exercising, think again. Bestival and other so-called boutique festivals are on a mission to change the face of festival culture. Organized by BBC Radio 1 DJ Rob that Bank and his wife Josie, Bestival is held in the beautiful Robin Hill country park in the Isle of Wight since 2004, when it was attended by 10,000 people – a figure which has since increased to around 40,000.

Besides being more intimate and to its non-corporate feel, Bestival is also known for piloting odd and innovative ideas, such as offering yoga, massage and therapies, sumptuous cocktails bar with chandelier set all, burlesque-themed afternoon tea, a Pamper Lounge offering hair styling, manicures and make up, organic breakfasts and handmade piesto mention only a few indulgences.

The line-up is even more amusing than the chandeliers: Dizzee Rascal, the amazing Flaming Lips, Prodigy, Hot Chip, Simian Mobile Disco, Roxy Music, Mumford & Sons, Jonsi (Sigur Ros frontman), The XX and Cornershop, to mention only a few.
You don’t need any more convincing, do you?

When: 9 -12th September 2010
Where: Robin Hill Countryside Adventure park, Isle of Wight
2010 fancy dress theme: Fantasy

Check also its baby sister Camp Bestival

When: July 30, 31st & August 1stWhere: Lulworth Castle, Dorset

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Paramore announce UK Tour Dates & Tickets in week of turmoil over Hayley’s topless picture

Soon after the tweet, came the excuse. That picture wasn’t meant to be there, my account was hacked, said an apologetic Hayley Williams, lead singer of teen cult band Paramore. Apparently it was in fact a mistake – the pic of Hayley topless should have gone to her boyfriend instead of her 695,000 tweeter followers. It was an interesting week in Paramore world for one more reason – the band announced a number of dates in the UK, at the end of their gigantic tour, for their legion of fans in British soil delight.

The Tennessee-based emo-punk-pop band third and latest album, Brand New Eyes, was released on September 2009 and reached the charts in a number of countries, from Brazil to Japan, Australia to Canada. Certainly contributing with two songs for the first movie in the Twilight series has helped propel Paramore from an already meteoric career to world stardom. But many argue that the band`s strength can be seen at its best live, when they deliver astonishing stage performances and boost charisma and energy.

Paramore will play Leeds and Reading festivals and return in November to seven dates around Britain – Echo Arena Liverpool on Nov 10, Sheffield Arena on Nov 11, O2 Arena on Nov 13 and 15, LG Arena Birmingham on Nov 16, Metro Radio Arena Newcastle on Nov 18 and AECC, Aberdeen on Nov 20.

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Ellie Goulding Tickets – UK Tour Dates Announced

Ah, the pain of being a hyped newcomer. You are tipped as a promise, you are loved and hanging out with your idols, you win a critics choice award, and then suddenly you are not as sensational as they expected, your debut album is disappointing, the interviews start to focus on how you didn’t like fame anyway, and the full spectrum media approval turns into merely acknowledging your existence.

The problem, when the newcomer in question is Ellie Goulding, is that although there isn’t a high concept or a big personality for her to be a pop phenomena, she is at the same time too talented and young to be a yesterday promise. Yes, she doesn’t ride any particular fashion wave, her music is not revolutionary, her clothes cover most of her body and so the hipsters started to feel bored. When they want dramatic production, there are trainers. When they want spectacular behavior, there is sweet naivety. When they want scandal, there is a family girl who loves sports and runs whenever possible.

For those looking for exuberance, try next years’ promise. But there is more to Ellie Goulding than the false expectations and the unfulfilled stardom: beautiful pop songs in a folk-disco wrap and lyrics that remind us of another time, when we were innocent and music was more important than marketing agendas.

Ellie Goulding debut album, Lights, is out now. She has announced her first headline tour with many UK dates. Ellie is also playing in a number of festivals such as Great Escape, T in the Park and Lovebox.

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In the midst of a soap opera and an opera, there goes a flourishing Rufus Wainwright

Lust, love, death, family rivalry, tortured relationships, deception, violence, drug abuse…
For almost every human drama, there is an episode in Rufus Wainwright life. And for every episode, there is a song. Lauded by his peers as the most extraordinary songwriter of his generation, Rufus sings of imaginary love, absent fathers, narcotic romance and foolish aspirations in a operatic way, with violins swirling as he unpacks his heart in self-revelatory songs.
All Days are Nights: Songs for Lulu, his latest work, was acclaimed by critics and loved by fans and it’s his most intimate and moving work to date and a welcome shift from the increasingly extravagant previous albums. With no full band to hide behind, the Canadian-American artist mourns the passing of his mother in an intense performance of piano and voice. Its this less exuberant albeit more complex side that Rufus Wainwright will be showing in his many UK concerts.
A much more lavish Rufus was available to UK audiences recently as his debut opera, Prima Donna, showed in the Sadler’s Wells. If his songs are like his life and his life is like an soap opera, it seemed a natural move when the musician announced he was composing an actual opera. But the ambitious project received mixed reviews and failed to impress the traditionally conservative opera-goers and critics. Nevertheless, Rufus deserves respect for challenging himself recklessly while he could have stayed in the comfort zone of his acclaimed performances. But then, there would be no drama – and that’s a no no.

Rufus Wainwright is currently on tour with many dates scheduled for the UK. He plays Gateshead on April 19, Birmingham on April 20, Manchester on April 22, Bristol on April 23, Nottingham on April 25, Oxford on April 26, Dublin on April 28, Ipswich on April 29, London on July 03, Brighton on July 04, and a Royal Albert Hall gig on November 22.

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Green Day and the strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

“Summer has come and passed/The innocent can never last/wake me up when September ends/like my father’s come to pass/twenty years has gone so fast/ wake me up when September ends.”
Yes, 20 years have indeed gone fast and the boys of Green Day are adults now, although you could be forgiven for not noticing it when they played drunk as a skunk a small gig last November in London under their alter ego band Foxboro Hot Tubs for an equally intoxicated audience of teenagers. It was a gig full of energy and immensely chaotic, just the type to make your inner punk pogo dance happily.
But Green Day is an altogether different story. Green Day is serious business and when playing this role Billie Joe Armstrong and co are pop punk professionals, never too loud, never too drunk but also never too behaved. They walk the safe line and that’s probably why, two decades on, they are still playing concerts to huge audiences, making records and turning themselves and their music into a game and a musical. More than a case of split personality, it is perhaps a story about survival of anarchy within the industry. Most people would agree that enjoying punkish music without someone pouring beer in your head is a bliss. To those, Green Day is playing two stadium shows at London and Manchester in Summer 2010.

Green Day will perform Manchester Lancashire County Cricket Ground on June 16 and Wembley Stadium on June 19.

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Goldfrapp’s UK dates and a certain fuchsia elephant

What will she wear? How will she look? Who will she impersonate? Differently from Beyoncé or Britney, Alison Goldfrapp’s been managing to dress up, dress down, and dress not much at all without the holophotes focusing strictly in looks. Although very important, and despite the legs always bare, her image plays a part that goes beyond that of femme fatale or sex symbol. Goldfrapp’s image is fantasy, performance and characterization.

Each record demands and receives from Alison Goldfrapp a new persona. She’s been Marlene Dietrich, a clown, a folkie, even a horse. The latest incarnation, that accompanies the fifth album, Head First, and that will be on tour with the electro duo, is glam disco diva. Fuchsia spandex is the new dress code, and 1980s-influenced synthpop is the soundtrack.

Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory treat their music as form, content, spectacle, message and presentation. Watching them live is like watching an impeccable marketing presentation on how to sell your product. They could even sell fuchsia spandex elephants following this formula, so it’s good news that they sell great quality electro pop instead.

Goldfrapp UK tour dates: Norwich (Nov 08), Bristol (Nov 09), London (Nov 11), Brighton (Nov 13), Birmingham (Nov 14), Leeds (Nov 16), Manchester (Nov 17), Glasgow (Nov 19) and Newcastle (Nov 20).

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