Tour Tracker: Spiritualized, Stereolab and My Brightest Diamond

Three bands, three new albums to promote: Spiritualized take Songs in A&E on the road, Stereolab return with Chemical Chords and My Brightest Diamond ready their second set A Thousand Shark’s Teeth. Full tour dates for the trio of treks, after the jump. Spiritualized July 20 - Chicago, IL @ Union Park July 21 - Nashville, TN @ City Hall July 22 - Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse July 25 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club August 1 - Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues August 2 - Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom August 3 - Montreal, QC @ Parc Jean Drapeau September 6 - Toronto, ON @ Toronto Islands Park September 17 - Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl September 27 - Austin, TX @ Zilker Park (Austin City Limits) Stereolab September 20 - Costa Mesa, CA @ Detroit Bar September 21 - Pomona, CA @ Glass House September 24 - Austin, TX @ La Zona Rosa September 26 - Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse September 27 - Athens, GA @ 40 Watt Club September 29 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle September 30 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club October 1 - Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero October 2 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza October 3 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza October 4 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza October 6 - Boston, MA @ Paradise October 7 - Montreal, QU @ Club Soda October 8 - Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre October 9 - Detroit, MI @ The Crofoot October 10 - Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre October 12 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue October 14 - Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre October 17 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox October 18 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom October 19 - Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom October 21 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore October 22 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore October 23 - Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda Theatre October 24 - Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern My Brightest Diamond May 20 - Los Angeles, CA @ Hotel Café May 21 - Los Angeles, CA @ Hotel Café May 23 - Saratoga, CA @ Monalva Arts Center May 24 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent June 9 - New York, NY @

Published: 2008-05-09 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, On Tour

On the Scene With Steven Tyler, Carmen Electra, Elijah Wood and Others at the Coachella Parties

Thanks to its proximity to L.A., Coachella is known not only for top-notch headliners and broiling temperatures, but for its celeb-packed VIP area and plentiful parties. Junkie XL got the ball rolling early on Thursday by performing an hour-long set on the Coachella Express, the Amtrak train that took concert goers from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles to Indio. “It was a great experience,” he said. “I’m from Holland and it reminded me of how they do things there. Public transportation is big and they always try to make it comfy and fun. So, I thought of that and how they do it when I decided to do this. And, it’s very green and a great initiative that Coachella took.” Junkie XL’s train set included some of his remixes and original material done in what he said was “super amateurish but really fun. People were dancing the aisles.” We didn’t mean to be rude, but we just had to ask how (er, why) he was wearing a brown leather jacket in the midday desert sun. “Leather is a statement,” he laughed. “If I don’t wear it, I burn like a lobster.” Fair enough. Meanwhile, Rock Daily bumped into Steven Tyler (with two beefy bodyguards) in the VIP area and spotted Sean Penn camping out with the civilians, demonstrating his commitment to green living. We also caught up with Elijah Wood at the Viceroy Hotel in Palm Springs midday on Saturday where the big talk was that night’s Prince show. “It’s going to be great,” Wood said. “He’s smart. He’ll play the hits. I saw Aphex Twin, the Breeders, and Datarock [Friday] and they were extraordinary. Coachella is great because anytime you can be in a massive field with any number of bands that are amazing, it’s a good thing.” Over at the BPM Hpnotiq Smurf House, at a private residence in Rancho Mirage on Saturday, Good Charlotte’s Joel Madden spun records in the afternoon while his girl

Published: 2008-04-27 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, Coachella

Zanessa Sighting: Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens Attend Hairspray Premiere

Who cares that John Travolta is playing a woman in the new movie version of Hairspray?The real news at Tuesday night’s premiere in L.A. was that Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens were seen cuddling in public. There’s little doubt this is the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie of the teen set.People magazine was on the scene as Efron - who plays hunky Link Larkin in the film - and his High School Musical co-star arrived separately to the Mann Village Theater in Westwood, but reunited once inside and cozied up to watch the movie with the rest of the Hairspray cast, including Travolta and Michelle Pfeiffer.Afterwards, the couple with the best nickname in Hollywood (sorry, Gyllenhaarsgaard) held hands as they navigated their way through the afterparty at the Ackerman Union on the UCLA campus.Each Hairspray star had his or her own table. At Efron’s, he and Hudgens were joined by their fellow High School Musical alum, Ashley Tisdale. But Zac barely had time to socialize as he was bombarded by fans requesting photos and autographs.The life of a teenage hunk is far from easy. It’s something Jayden James Federline has time to prepare for, at least.Meanwhile, Hudgens and Tisdale chatted up Hairspray star Amanda Bynes, grabbed some grub and danced to the live band’s rendition of “Proud Mary.” Once in a while they’d check back in at Efron’s table, where his mother, Starla, and Tisdale’s mother, Lisa, were also seated.Tisdale was awfully impressed by her pal’s performance in the movie.“He’s hot!” she told People. “I remember when he got this role, I was like, ‘That’s so cool.’ He reminds me of a young John Travolta.”Uh-oh. Might Ashley be making a move on Zac? Keep an eye out, Vanessa Hudgens.

Published: 2007-09-27 Provider: Celebrity News Spot