At the Gates Pictures

The Hazards Of Love by The Decemberists

The Portland, Oregon, indie band's fifth album features guest appearances by Lavender Diamond's Becky Stark, My Brightest Diamond's Shara Worden, My Morning Jacket's Jim James, Robyn Hitchcock, and the Spinanes' Rebecca Gates. [Rock, Indie]

Published: 2009-03-24 Provider: Metacritic

Devo Hint at New Album’s Sound, Debut Songs During SXSW Set

Photograph by Brian Birzer A much-hyped show at Austin Music Hall was the second performance from recently reinvigorated new-wavers Devo since plans to release their first studio album in 19 years. A band that built their career on questioning traditions — musical, social and otherwise — Devo refused to lure in the crowd with familiar fare, instead opening with a slew of brand new songs and lesser-known hits. The three new songs — “Don’t Shoot, I’m A Man,” “Fresh” and “What We Do” — hinted at what the new Devo album might sound like: heavy robo-guitars, very limited modern synths and pulsing beats that are more machine-man than man-machine; especially since drummer Josh Freese gives everything the unique heft he lends to bands like A Perfect Circle and Nine Inch Nails. (For more photos of Devo and other SXSW performers, check out our gallery.) Devo’s stiff movements and matching jumpsuits have always scoffed the idea of “stage presence,” but the visuals for this show mocked it. Using tiny cameras posted everywhere and a giant LCD display the size of a movie screen, Devo rebroadcasted themselves 30 feet high in the most unflattering angles possible. Microphone cameras shot directly up their noses, cameras pointing upwards from the floor made them look chubby and distorted. Thought as one concession to stardom, the band still performed their crossover smash, “Whip It” #8212; albeit buried in the middle of the set. The presence of “Whip It” inspired Mark Mothersbaugh to toss of a few of their trademark red “energy dome” hats into to the crowd — each of which, through some feat of physics involved in their ziggurat shape, flew incredibly far. Set List: “Don’t Shoot, I’m A Man” (new song) “Peek-A-Boo” “What We Do” (new song) “Going Under” “Fresh” (new song) “That’s Good” “Girl U Want” “Whip It” “Secret Agent Man” “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” “Uncontrollable Urge” “Mongoloid” “Smart Patrol”/”Mr. DNA” “Gates Of Steel” Encore: “Devo Corporate Anthem” “Freedom Of Choice”

Published: 2009-03-21 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, SXSW

Reunited Legendary Swedish Metallers At the Gates Open Final Tour in NYC

Wading through a sold out Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza last night, every conversation sounded the same: endless variations on “I can’t believe I’m actually seeing At the Gates.” After twelve years of inactivity, a time during which the band’s stature has soared stratospherically in the metal world, the Swedish melodic death metal pioneers reformed this summer for a tour, supposedly the band’s last. Among metal fans, it is the equivalent of Pavement getting back together. At the Gates went out at the top of its game in 1996, a year after releasing Slaughter of the Soul, an album now seen as one of the best of its kind, and almost single-handedly inspired a modern day melodic metal movement that continues to thrive; any given Ozzfest over the last decade has featured numerous At the Gates knockoffs. When the band came onstage and ripped into the album’s title track, shit predictably went nuts. For 65 furious minutes, the band performed nearly all of its landmark album interspersed with songs from its previous releases. Guitarists Anders Björler and Martin Larsson riffed together on “Suicide Nation” with a sharp fluidity, and vocalist Tomas Lindberg barked through “Blinded by Fear” in a forceful tone he wasn’t quite capable of in the band’s heyday, when he was a mere 23 years old. Despite a suffocating mosh pit, it was a remarkably jubilant show: a sea of pumped fists, sweaty, smiling faces, and an audience screaming along with every word. As far as reunions go, it was damn near flawless — especially for music this intense. The gauntlet has been thrown down for Carcass’ return from hibernation this fall, but that’s a metal history lesson for another time.

Published: 2008-07-10 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, Live Shows

Coachella Day One: The Breeders, Tegan and Sara, Black Kids and More

While most attendees were still smuggling their stashes past security at the front gates on Coachella’s Day One, math-rock outfit Battles had a large, vocal crowd enraptured at the Gobi tent with their pounding single “Atlas.” Battles are more concerned with complex rhythms than melody, and with a pumped festival crowd feeding off their energy, the band effortlessly locked into curious, mind-blowing grooves, turning what can come off on record as slightly joyless exercises in syncopated songwriting into something spectacular and energetic, like a dancey, mutant Rage Against the Machine. A tent away, the Black Kids were proving that they’re rapidly growing into the band their early buzz promised they would become. The Jacksonville, Florida five-piece’s Motown-garage jangle came off as robust and charming in the mid-afternoon heat. The band got the crowd moving to single “I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You,” a bit of poppy disco-rock that brings out the Robert Smith in frontman Reggie Young’s yelpy voice, and hit their peak on “Look at Me When I Rock With You” as Youngblood took a break from ripping out smooth-toned guitar flourishes to sling his instrument off his shoulder and boogie. Back at the Gobi tent, Dan Deacon took the stage — or rather, the floor just in front of it — and smashed away at his keyboard as walls of synth noise kept the kids jumping around to no particular rhythm, while at the Outdoor Theatre, Les Savy Fav frontman Tim Harrington scaled the scaffolding and threatened to jump, to the delight of his fans and dismay of security (he didn’t make the leap). Click here for photos from Day One of Coachella Meanwhile a modest (and slightly older) crowd gathered at the main stage to watch the Breeders play “some songs from Pod, some songs from Last Splash, Title TK and Mountain Battles,” as Kelley Deal put it. “I can feel it,” Kim Deal intoned as the band kicked into “Overglazed,” the triumphantly droning opening

Published: 2008-04-26 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, Coachella

Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007: A Complete Guide

Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival is powering into the southern suburbs of Chicago this Saturday, and the lineup is earthshaking: Clapton, Jeff Beck, Doyle Bramhall II, Robert Cray, Sheryl Crow, Vince Gill, Buddy Guy, BB King, Alison Krauss, Sonny Landreth, Albert Lee, Los Lobos, John Mayer, John McLaughlin, Willie Nelson, Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Robbie Robertson, Hubert Sumlin, The Derek Trucks Band, Jimmie Vaughan, Johnny Winter, and (take a breath) Steve Winwood. Check back with us later this weekend for a complete photo gallery, backstage reports and, on monday, a full review. In the meantime, here’s what you need to know about the festival: This year is the second time Eric Clapton has brought an all-star line-up of guitarists together to benefit his Crossroads Antigua rehabilitation center. The first was held in Dallas in 2004. Bill Murray will be hosting this one. In addition to performances, the Crossroads Festival Village will feature a combination of guitar exhibits, demonstrations and displays - including display cases showcasing Clapton’s famous “Blackie” guitar and Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Lenny” guitar. Both guitars are available for viewing now at the Guitar Center on N. Halsted in Chicago and will move to Toyota Park on Saturday. In honor of Crossroads, Fender guitar is building 100 limited edition Eric Clapton Crossroads Stratocastors and Crossroads ‘57 Twin-Amps, available for purchase now. For those of you going: parking lots open at 8 a.m., gates open to the concourse and festival village at 9:00 a.m., the seating area opens at 9:30 a.m., and festivities kick off at 11:45 a.m. For those of you not going: MSN will be broadcasting the performances starting at 1:30 p.m. EST. In addition to prepping for the show by sneaking “Crossroads” into his headling shows, John Mayer dueted on the song with Eric Clapton on “Good Morning America” last Friday - wat

Published: 2007-07-27 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News

“Oh By The Way”: Pink Floyd Celebrate Belated 40th Anniversary With Mega Box Set

If you thought Pink Floyd had exhausted all their fortieth anniversary surprises after they unleashed their three-disc The Piper at the Gates of Dawn reissue, think again. The band is releasing the massive Oh By The Way, which culls together all of the band’s proper studio albums into one box set. Technically, the band formed around 1965, making them forty-two, but this belated birthday present makes up for the oversight. Each compact disc is repackaged in mini-vinyl reproductions, complete with all the posters and postcards and dust jackets that accompanied the original records, except tiny-sized. They even brought back the original, iconic Dark Side of the Moon album cover for the first time since 1993, which is enough to warrant purchase. While the set includes every studio album from Piper to 1994’s The Division Bell, it curiously lacks the must-have rarities collection Relics. Storm Thorgersen, who is responsible for the majority of PF’s most well known artwork, was even employed to design the new cover. There are additional rumors that there might be an accompanying DVD featuring interviews and live performances. The set is out December 4th, giving people adequate time to wrap this behemoth in time for the holidays. Related Stories: Exclusive: David Gilmour Looks Darkly at the Future of Pink Floyd Pink Floyd Plan Piper Re-Release Pink Floyd Reunites (Almost)

Published: 2007-10-25 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News

Morning Mix: Tom Cruise Making Return Visit to 'Today'

Mel Gibson arrives at the Global Green Sustainable Design awards on Wednesday in New York. (Getty Images) Headlines: Tom Cruise to again sit down with Matt Lauer on Monday's Today Show (last time)... Screen Actors Guild sets strike vote for early January... Nekkid Jennifer Aniston takes her Angelina Jolie comment tour to GQ magazine; Brad Pitt admits he fell in love with Jolie on "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" set... Toni Braxton had benign breast tumor removed last month... Madonna an "offense to god," says Chilean priest... Michael Jackson memorabilia auction includes glittery glove, gates to Neverland... Jerry Lewis to receive humanitarian award at Oscars... Ricky Martin shows off four-month-old twins... Taylor Hanson and wife welcome fourth band member child... Josh Hartnett wins damages from British tabloid. Pix: Nicole Kidman steps out an outfit that would, in fact, accommodate a burgeoning belly (though none is evident here). Crime Watch: Suspect

Published: 2008-12-11 Provider: Washington Post Keywords: Daily Mix

LISTEN UP: Stuff To Listen To If You’re Not Into Britney Spears Or The Eagles

If you missed the lovely Feist absolutely killing it on SNL last weekend, I highly recommend you watch this video, then download"1234" if you don't already have it. I don't care if it WAS in that iPod commercial, it's catchier than Paris Hilton's panties. (Rock Sellout) A new EP from Grizzly Bear came out this week, and it makes me want put them on repeat, and hibernate in my apartment for the winter. (nialler9) Even if American Gangster didn't deliver on its claims to be the second coming of The Godfather, it did give us an album's worth of the first decent work Jay-Z has done since re-inventing himself as the Bill Gates CEO of all black people or whatever. (Ain't Got No Music) Lots of great music came out last month, but my favorite song may just have been "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You" by Black Kids - and that's the name of the band, not a reflection of their race. (The Bathysphere, #7) So after all that speculation, it turns out about 1/3 of the people who downloaded the new Radiohead album were honest/dumb (depending on how you look at it) enough to actually pay for it. So why not download one of their songs for free? Everyone else did. (Glorious Noise)

Published: 2007-11-07 Provider: Best Week Ever Keywords: Entertainment