Pylon Reunite!
Yo La Tengo surely elated

Cherished jangle-pop band Pylon, a staple of the Athens music scene throughout the 80s, have reformed. According to an announcement on The Day Jobs, an Athens community blog site, the band performed a "surprise" reunion gig last week, and due to the overwhelmingly positive response, are expected to be hitting the stage again soon. Luckily (but probably not coincidentally), this reunion coincides with the reissue of some old, out-of-print Pylon material in the form of a two-disc set featuring live material, rarities, and various other goodies, due out in early 2005.

Pylon released three albums between 1983 and 1990, all of which are now out-of-print. A greatest hits compilation, aptly titled Hits, remains available, and features selections from the group's first two albums and numerous singles. Although they never quite achieved the same level of success as some of their Athens cohorts, their influence rippled throughout the indie-pop community and left an indelible mark on the Athens music landscape.

Polyphonic Spree Drummer Brian Teasley Makes the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List
Godspeed You Black Emperor laugh it up from underground shoebomb facility

Brian Teasley, percussionist for Texas-based indie-pop outfit The Polyphonic Spree, caused a major ruckus at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport last Thursday, and in the process managed to weasel his way onto the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list-- for about an hour and a half. The offense? Concealing a microphone in his baggage-- a Placid Audio Copperphone, to be exact-- that was subsequently mistaken by airport security for a bomb.

No word of the scare had reached the Birmingham Airport Thursday evening when Teasley arrived in Alabama, where he currently resides, though he was disappointed to discover his luggage hadn't arrived. So he filed a complaint with American Airlines, then proceeded to do what anyone else in this situation would do: He went to Taco Bell.

It was upon arriving back at home that Teasley was approached by an FBI agent. Appearing seemingly out of nowhere, the agent asked, "Are you Brian Teasley?" When Teasley replied in the affirmative, the agent stated calmly into his lapel, "We got him." As Teasley tells it, cars immediately came from every direction at once, blocking off the driveway and thoroughly congesting the street. It turns out that after the airport security discovered the device in one of Teasley's bags, five gates were shut down in the C terminal, the bomb disposal robot was called out, and the FBI was contacted.

"If you're looking for a solid alibi, being on a national TV show is a good one," Teasley joked in a telephone interview with Pitchfork, referring to the fact that The Polyphonic Spree had recently performed on Late Night with Craig Kilborn. Once Teasley realized the source of the misunderstanding, he told the agent that he had the performance on TiVo, and could easily show them the microphone in question. After viewing the performance, the FBI were able to confirm with Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport that the item in question was, in fact, just a microphone. However, why the agents were unable to just disassemble the damn thing and figure out that it wasn't a bomb is a question you might not want to ask yourself, if you'd like to feel good about the state of national security.

"I don't want to over-dramatize the situation," Teasley stated, "but there were two or three minutes when I thought I was going to be in Guantanamo Bay with the Abu Ghraib people holding a thumbs up while pointing to my penis. I wasn't really scared about Guantanamo, I just didn't want people to see my penis. I'm a very private person." As for the Spree, you can catch the terrorists, er, band on tour throughout the rest of August at the following dates:

08-13 Chicago, IL - Park West
08-14 Chicago, IL - Park West
08-16 Washington, D.C. - 9:30 Club
08-18 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
08-19 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
08-21 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church
08-22 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church
08-24 New York, NY - Irving Plaza
08-25 New York, NY - Irving Plaza

Ramones Documentary to Premiere in New York
Joey Ramone Place sadly populated mostly by stockbrokers

The long brutal history of punk pioneers the Ramones has recently been given the celluloid treatment with End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones. Set for an August 20th release in New York, the feature-length documentary chronicles the Ramones' 1974 birth in the dank depths of the New York Bowery and follows their tumultuous 22-year career up trough the obligatory farewell concert in 1996. Highlights of the film include the internal struggles that marred the three-chord godfathers throughout their punk odyssey-- namely fame, drugs, alcohol, stolen girlfriends, differences in musical direction, constantly elusive chart success, and a gonzo-crazy Phil Spector producing the band at gunpoint.

Of the original members, only two-- guitarist Johnny and drummer Tommy-- are still with us; vocalist Joey succumbed to lymphatic cancer in 2000, while bassist Dee Dee died of a drug overdose in 2002. Of the remaining Ramones, Johnny is presently suffering from prostate cancer, which had him hospitalized in June from complications. According to Rolling Stone, the ailing guitarist has seen the film and says of the results: "It's a very dark movie. It's accurate. It left me disturbed as I was watching it. I'm basically portrayed as a tyrannical monster, Dee Dee is on drugs, and Joey is an alcoholic and a drug addict at various times." Fuck Shrek, this'll give the schoolkids something to talk about in September.

End of the Century release dates/theaters:
08-20 Manhattan, NY - Angelika Film Center
08-27 Cinemas Berkeley, CA - Landmark Act 1&2
08-27 San Francisco, CA - Landmark Lumiere 3
09-03 Cambridge, MA - Landmark Kendall Square
09-10 Los Angeles, CA - Landmark Nuart Theater
09-17 Washington, DC - Landmark E-Street Cinema
10-08 Denver, CO - Starz Film Center
10-29 Seattle, WA - Landmark Varsity Theater

In other Ramones news, British label Captain Oi! Records has reissued the band's last four studio albums, Brain Drain, Mondo Bizarro, Acid Eaters, and Adios Amigos!. Each disc comes in a slipcase and features liner notes by former road manager Monte Melnick, as well as a bonus track taken from the same era.

Pixies Talk of Recording New Album in 2005
Ink distro deal with J.Lo for new clothing line; Vaughn Oliver's initial mock-ups distinctive yet ugly as fuck

James Gregory & Ryan Schreiber report:
Reports are beginning to circulate that the recently reunited Pixies may be planning to record a new full-length in the near future, with a release possibly coming as soon as 2005. It would be the first studio album by the band since their 1991 swan-song, Trompe le Monde. In an article published by The New York Times on Sunday, the band's longtime agent, Marc Geiger of the William Morris Agency, said he hopes the band will begin work on the record early next year. When asked for comment, Pixies commander-in-chief Frank Black confirmed, "I have thought of that concept, yes. I wouldn't mind asking Tom Waits to produce us. Why not? I like the way his records sound."

Black talked at length with the Times about the reunion and the band's approach to making music: "I got exposed to some Surrealist films of the 1920's and 30's and 40's or whatever in college, read a couple of articles, attended a couple of lectures. And I applied all of that in a really fumbly kind of way to having a rock band. It was going to be quirky but in a really simple, brief, swift fashion. It was like, 'Oh yeah, I'm going to add something or I'm going to take something away so that it's a little bit lopsided or whatever.' Because when it's just a foursquare thing, it at least stands a 50-50 chance of being boring, cliché-ridden, heard-it-before. When you lop off one corner of it, well, I don't know if it's boring or not. But it's definitely something that you've not heard before."

He went on to state a dissatisfaction with much of today's current music: "Now people pursue rock music, and they go, 'I have something important to say, and here's what it is, and ooh, I'm singing it from my heart, too.' And it's all too serious. And people totally miss out. They totally miss the fun, Jabberwocky, fun-with-language, fun-with-poetry." Which is all very interesting coming from a man whose past few solo albums have consisted largely of straightforward, traditional roots-rock. Still, it does lend reassurance that an upcoming Pixies album will remain true to their original style.

No firm recording schedule, release date or possible tracklist have yet been confirmed-- which isn't all that surprising, considering that the band still has their hands full with an incredibly busy year of touring. Since closing out their first U.S. tour at Coachella back on May 1st, the band has been carousing in Europe on an itinerary that saw them through the first half of July. And though they've been resting up since Glasgow's T in the Park Festival on July 11th (save one July 30th appearance at Japan's Fujirock Festival), they're now gearing up to get back into it once again.

Their next show will be an intimate performance at the London forum on August 20th, which will serve as a warm-up for their appearance at Staffordshire's V Festival. (Sorry, Brits, the show sold out in 10 minutes.) Then, it's another two weeks off, before the Pixies make a triumphant return to North America on September 4th, with a show at Bend, Oregon's Les Schwab Amphitheater. In all, 48 dates are planned for the upcoming fall/winter jaunt, with lucky Chicago scoring no less than four shows in November. The tour will wind down as the calendar ticks over to December, and come to an official close with a two-night stint at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom on December 12th and 13th. What happens after that is anyone's guess. Dates:

09-04 Bend, OR - Les Schwab Amphitheater
09-06 Seattle, WA - Seattle Center (Bumbershoot Festival)
09-07 Vancouver, BC - Plaza Of Nations
09-18 Austin, TX - Zilker Park (Austin City Limits Festival)
09-20 Mesa, AZ - Mesa Amphitheater
09-21 La Jolla, CA - RIMAC Arena
09-22 Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre
09-23 Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre
09-24 Berkeley, CA - Greek Theatre
09-25 Berkeley, CA - Greek Theatre
09-26 Berkeley, CA - Greek Theatre
09-28 Las Vegas, NV - Aladdin Hotel & Casino
09-30 Denver, CO - Magness Arena
10-01 Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theatre
10-02 Lincoln, NE - Pershing Auditorium
10-05 Columbia, MO - Hearnes Center
10-06 Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
10-08 Tampa, FL - USF Sun Dome
10-09 Boca Raton, FL - Mizner Park Amphitheater
10-10 Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live
10-12 Birmingham, AL - Boutwell Auditorium
10-13 Atlanta, GA - Fox Theatre
10-14 Atlanta, GA - Fox Theatre
10-16 New Orleans, LA - New Orleans City Park (Voodoo Music Experience)
10-17 Houston, TX - Reliant Arena @ Reliant Park
10-19 Grand Prairie, TX - Nokia Live
10-22 Mexico City, MEX - Sports Palace
11-09 Milwaukee, WI - Milwaukee Theatre
11-10 Saint Paul, MN - Roy Wilkins Auditorium
11-11 Saint Paul, MN - Roy Wilkins Auditorium
11-13 Chicago, IL - Aragon Ballroom
11-14 Chicago, IL - Aragon Ballroom
11-15 Chicago, IL - Aragon Ballroom
11-16 Chicago, IL - Aragon Ballroom
11-18 Detroit, MI - State Theatre
11-20 Detroit, MI - Fox Theatre
11-21 Akron, OH - Rhodes Arena
11-24 Toronto, ON - Arrow Hall
11-25 Mississauga, ON - Arrow Hall
11-26 Montreal, QC - CESPSUM @ University Of Montreal
11-27 Montreal, QC - CESPSUM @ University Of Montreal
11-28 Hull, QC - Robert Guertin Arena
12-01 Amherst, MA - Mullins Center
12-02 Pittsburgh, PA - A.J. Palumbo Center
12-04 Camden, NJ - Tweeter Center At The Waterfront
12-05 Camden, NJ - Tweeter Center At The Waterfront
12-12 New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom
12-13 New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom

Also, as previously reported, the Pixies' first new song in over 13 years was released in June on Apple's iTunes. The Kim Deal composition "Bam Thwok" reflects the band's more playful side, but still maintains the patented Joey Santiago guitar crunch that launched an army of imitators.

TV on the Radio Ready New EP, Launch Tour
Intercept shortwave transmissions on HGTV, world thinks they're crazy, and then they have to kill the aliens alone

Brooklyn art-rockers TV on the Radio have a busy fall planned, and whether you're aware or not, it involves you directly. As a fan of their gritty guitar jams, scary vocal harmonies and dim-lit sludge-pop, your purchase of their forthcoming new EP will be mandatory. Indeed, trailing just behind their "Staring at the Sun" single-- which featured two tracks from their early 18-song demo album OK Calculator-- comes "New Health Rock". Due out October 12th via Touch & Go, "New Health Rock" is headed up by a song of the same name, which, according to label publicist Miranda Lange, "is not necessarily going to add years to your life, but goddammit if you won't lose 6-7 lbs when you start moving uncontrollably to it." Jesus, is that safe?

The band will also be further cementing their union with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Liars as the Holy Trinity of Post-Millennial Brooklyn Punk by covering the YYYs' "Modern Romance" on the EP. As you may be aware, these kids love to cover and/or reference each other: Yeah Yeah Yeahs laid down Liars' "Mr. You're on Fire Mr." on their "Pin" EP, and released a split EP with Liars last year, while TVOTR's debut EP, which featured guest spots from members of both Liars and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, was curiously titled Young Liars.

Now that everyone's head's spinning like Great Tiger, we'll deliver the Little Mac uppercut: The tour! Pow! The boys wrapped up a massive North American jaunt back in mid-May, but now they've got 27 more dates to drag across the continent like a cat with ass disease. After kicking off with a series of TBA dates at illustrious TBA venues late this month, the tour seems to get officially underfoot in early October, when the band heads out on tour opening for The Faint. Chicago's Metro gets stormed on October 7th, before the two bands stomp all over a number of other cities which, as the dates can be found below, would be too redundant to list. And then finally, in December, at the end of this exhaustive run, TV on the Radio will achieve true greatness by becoming the 82nd band in the union to open for the Pixies. The Happening:

08-26 TBA - TBA
08-28 TBA - TBA
08-29 TBA - TBA
10-07 Chicago, IL - Metro *
10-09 Detroit, MI - Majestic Theatre *
10-10 Toronto, Canada - Lee's Palace *
10-12 Boston, MA - - The Roxy *
10-14 Philadelphia, PA - Starlight Ballroom *
10-15 New York, NY Irving Plaza *
10-16 New York, NY - Webster Hall *
10-17 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club *
10-18 Raleigh, NC - Disco Rodeo *
10-19 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse *
10-25 Nashville, TN - Exit In *
10-26 Columbia, MO - Blue Note *
11-02 Denver, CO - - Ogden Theatre *
11-05 Vancouver, Canada - Richard's on Richards *
11-06 Seattle, WA - Showbox *
11-09 San Francisco, CA - Grand Ballroom *
11-12 Pomona, CA - - Glass House *
11-13 San Diego, CA - Soma *
11-16 Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues *
11-17 Phoenix, AZ - Marquee Theatre *
11-20 Austin, TX - - La Zona Rosa *
11-21 Houston, TX - Numbers *
12-08 Washington, DC - Constitution Hall +
12-11 New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom +

* with The Faint
+ with the Pixies

R.E.M. Tour North America, Reveal Album Details
"It's going to be bald as shit"

America's favorite vegans/political activists/"Simpsons" guest stars and occasionally... um... rock band, R.E.M., will be heading out on a furious two-month theater tour beginning in October, according to the band's official website. The North American trip should be a welcome change of pace following R.E.M.'s stint on board the politically charged Vote for Change tour, where they'll share the stage (and a righteous sense of indignation) with Bruce Springsteen and Bright Eyes from October 1st through October 8th.

The tour will conveniently coincide with the release of R.E.M.'s forthcoming album, the just-titled Around the Sun, which will mark the group's first studio effort since 2001's effects-crazy Reveal, and is slated for an October 5th release. Stipe and friends have already confirmed that the first single off the LP will be "Leaving New York"-- no reaction as of yet from MSG brass. You may have already caught them from last week, but just in case, here are the Vote for Change dates featuring R.E.M.:

10-01 Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Center
10-02 Cleveland, OH - Gund Arena
10-03 Ann Arbor, MI - Crisler Arena
10-05 St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center
10-08 Orlando, FL - TD Waterhouse

And the headlining North American tour:

10-13 Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre
10-14 Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl
10-15 San Francisco, CA - Greek Amphitheatre
10-16 Irvine, CA - Verizon Amphitheatre
10-19 Saint Louis, MO - Fox Theatre
10-20 Indianapolis, IN - Murat Theatre
10-22 Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
10-23 Atlanta, GA - Gwinnett Arena
10-25 Chicago, IL - Auditorium Theatre
10-26 Chicago, IL - Auditorium Theatre
10-27 Akron, OH - Thomas Performing Arts Hall
10-29 Boston - Fleet Center
10-30 Atlantic City, NJ - Borgata
11-01 Washington DC - DAR Constitution Hall
11-04 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
11-05 Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
11-07 Pittsburgh, PA - Palumbo Center
11-09 Toronto, Ontario - Hummingbird Center
11-10 Toronto, Ontario - Hummingbird Center
11-11 Ottawa, Quebec - Ottawa Civic Centre
11-12 Montreal, Quebec - Bell Centre
11-14 Thunder Bay, Ontario - Fort Williams Gardens
11-15 Winnipeg, Manitoba - Centennial Concert Hall
11-17 Calgary, Alberta - Saddledome
11-19 Seattle, WA - McCaw Hall
11-20 Seattle, WA - McCaw Hall
11-21 Vancouver, British Columbia
11-26 Salt Lake City, UT - E Center
11-27 Denver, CO - Fillmore

Devendra Banhart Tours Crazy Hippie Places!
Temple of Artesan Mimicry now just a fucking tourist trap

Rejoice, Copenhagen! Devendra Banhart is coming! According to Young God Records' official website, the neo-hippie and former "homeless guy" will be setting off on a month-long tour of Europe beginning on October 1st. Banhart, who was touring Europe as recently as this past May, will wow audiences with his acoustic finger-pickin' in mainly theatre and club venues, riding the wave of his highly acclaimed 2004 release Rejoicing in the Hands, as well as supporting his forthcoming second full-length this year, Nino Rojo due out September 13th.

Accompanying Banhart on these European performances will be a selection of likeminded experimental artists collectively known as the Queens of Sheba Rhythm Section. This pack of vagabond musicians consists of Kyle Field of Little Wings on guitar, Adam Forkner of Yume Bitsu and Surface of Eceyon on bass and guitar, and electronic artist/web designer Jona Bechtolt on drums. This is the way:

10-01 Madrid, Spain - Moby Dick Club
10-02 Sta Maria da Feira (Porto), Portugal - Anfi Theater
10-03 Bilbao, Spain - Bilborock Theater
10-04 Barcelona, Spain - Sala Apolo Theater
10-06 Milan, Italy - Rainbow
10-07 Ferrara, Italy - Sala Estense
10-08 Rome, Italy - Circolo delgi Artisti
10-09 Verona, Italy - Interzona
10-10 Turin, Italy - Hiroshima
10-12 Munich, Germany - Registratur
10-13 Berlin, Germany - Magnet Club
10-14 Arhuis, Denmark - Voxhall
10-15 Copenhagen, Denmark - Vega
10-16 Hasselt, Belgium - Kunstcentrum Belgie
10-18 Paris, France - Le Café de la Danse
10-19 Rennes, France - Ubu Club
10-20 Tourcoing (Lille), France - Le Grand Mix
10-21 London, UK - Shepherds Bush Empire

VHS or Beta Sign to Astralwerks, Prep New Album
Still no love for the Laserdisc

Remember those elysian nights sitting in a cafe by the Seine, nodding your head to the Parisian take on America's bygone disco era? Sure you do. And VHS or Beta remember it, too, except for the fact that when they immortalized that airy, romantic chapter of their lives, they were actually living in Louisville, only a few years removed from an obsession with guitar noise-rock, and they may or may not have ever actually been to France.

Still, that album-- 2002's Le Funk-- had both novelty (live band plays French house tracks!) and ahead-of-the-curve fashionability (everybody dance now!) going for it. But times have changed, my young cub: They've now signed to Astralwerks, and, on September 21st, will be parachuting into a different world, where rock kids wanting to shake a little ass are nothing new and everyone loves The Cure (again). Still, VHS or Beta have integrated their own 80s favorites in their music, and the results have a little something for everyone, with rockin' vocal-centered songs alongside instrumental disco workouts. And if nothing else, they'll sell a few copies to people who've been stranded on desert islands and need a quick summary of 2004's collective vibe. Tracklist:

01 Night On Fire
02 You Got Me
03 Nightwaves
04 The Melting Moon
05 No Cabaret!
06 Forever
07 Alive
08 Dynamize
09 The Ocean
10 Irreversible

Preceding the album's release, selected heartland cities will host VHS or Beta's ineluctably sweaty live show. Voila:

08-11 Chicago, IL - The Double Door
08-13 Indianapolis, IN - The Patio Party at Midwest Music Fest
08-20 Nashville, TN - Exit In
08-27 Lexington, KY - The Dame
08-28 Cincinnati, OH - Neon's

Rick James: 1948-2004

The Associated Press has just reported that Rick James is dead, ending a 40-year career in which the singer, producer and instrumentalist spent his share of time on the charts and in the headlines. James died at 9:45 am this morning in a Los Angeles home. An LAPD spokesperson, Officer Esther Reyes, said, "He died apparently of natural causes. We learned of his death after responding to a radio call."

Rick James started his career in the mid-60s as part of Motown's The Mynah Birds (briefly sharing stage space with Neil Young!) but didn't quite hit it big until 1981's Street Songs, the source of his immortal "Super Freak". After "Super Freak"'s success, James became a substantial part of the Motown machine, releasing several more solo albums throughout the 80s and producing a Temptations reunion.

As the decade ended, James entered a bad patch; he later told Bankrate.com that he'd spent $7,000 per week on cocaine for five years running. He also found himself in court for two drug-related assaults on women, which resulted in a $2 million civil judgment against him, and time in Folsom State Prison. In 1997, he released his final album, Urban Rhapsody, but was plagued on tour by a stroke and hip problems.

James's status as pop culture icon was recently validated by the success of a skit about him on Dave Chappelle's Chappelle's Show, which means this whole generation of teens may not have known who Rick James was-- they may not even know his music, except via MC Hammer's sampling of "Super Freak" on "U Can't Touch This"-- but they know that he liked saying "I'm Rick James, bitch!" Rest in peace, dude.

Franz Ferdinand Tour Expanded to 43 Dates
But they still won't take off the fucking hats

Franz Ferdinand are back on top of the newswire! As you may well know, the band has been doing a just ridiculous amount of touring over the spring and summer, and as the following expanded itinerary will show, they apparently don't know when or how to stop. Which should work out wonderfully for fans all over North America, who prior to this announcement, were only being treated to six shows. But look: they'll now be playing 14, nailing both coasts and even a few places in between. Indeed: When your super-coifed sexfaces are livin' large on the cover of pretty much every issue of NME, you gotta tour while the touring's good. We typed this out because we love you:

08-08 Benecim, Spain - Heinekin Festival
08-20 Cologne, Germany - Monsters of Spex Festival
08-24 Prague, Czech Republic - The Roxy
08-27 Biddinghuizen, Netherlands - Lowlands Festival
08-28 Reading, UK - Reading Festival
08-29 Leeds, England - Leeds Festival
09-04 Bologna, Italy - Independent Days Festival
09-09 New York, NY - Roseland Ballroom
09-10 Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory
09-11 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
09-14 Dallas, TX - Gypsy Tea Room
09-15 Houston, TX - Verizon Wireless Theater
09-17 Austin, TX - Austin City Limits Festival
09-22 San Francisco, CA - Concourse
09-24 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
09-25 Auburn, WA - White River Amphitheatre
09-26 Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
09-29 Minneapolis, MN - The Quest
09-30 Chicago, IL - Riviera Theatre
10-01 Toronto, Ontario - The Docks
10-02 Montreal, Quebec - Metropolis
10-11 Belfast, Ireland - Ulster Hall
10-12 Dublin, Ireland - Olympia
10-13 Dublin, Ireland - Olympia
10-15 Glasgow, Scotland - Barrowlands
10-16 Glasgow, Scotland - Barrowlands
10-17 Wolverhampton, England - Wolverhampton Civic Hall
10-19 Newcastle, England - Northumbria University
10-20 Exeter, England - Exeter University
10-21 Bradford, England - St. George's Hall
10-23 Portsmouth, England - Portsmouth Guildhall
10-24 Leicester, England - DeMontfort Hall
10-25 Manchester, England - Apollo
10-28 London, England - Brixton Academy
10-29 London, England - Brixton Academy
11-01 Lille, France - Aeronef
11-02 Nantes, France - Trocadeiere
11-03 Clermont, France - La Cooperative
11-04 Paris, France - Zenith
11-10 Berlin, Germany - Columbiahalle
11-11 Dresden, Germany - Schlachtof
11-12 Munich, Germany - Townhalle
11-14 Hamburg, Germany - Dock

Wilco, The Five-Headed Beast of Touring
Patron saint Tourista very pleased, but still waiting for roadside assistance

You know, when I was hired in the Pitchfork mailroom back in the summer of '01, I dreamt of the day I would work my way up to news writer status. When someone was needed for a coffee run, I was always first to volunteer, hoping that my undying devotion to pleasing the higher-ups would pay off. Every morning I would scan the headlines, hoping to find a hot lead that would turn into a "scoop." That time Ryan received an envelope full of a suspicious white powder, who do you think volunteered to taste it to make sure it wasn't anthrax? And when it turned out to be Ajax, who was back at work the day after having his stomach pumped? I think you know.

So you can imagine my excitement when, after years of grueling hard work sorting mail, I was finally asked to join the news team. But the thing is, I just scanned over my contract, and nowhere in that sucker does it mention that I'd be required to write about Wilco tour dates once-a-fucking-week. But here it is August 2004, and what do I find myself doing? It's almost enough to make me fill an envelope with white powder and mail it to myself.

Fine. So, uh, Wilco have added more dates to their current North American tour. The band have filled a few of the gaps found in the last set of dates we reported, adding shows in Nashville, Atlanta, Asheville, Raleigh, Norfolk, and Ann Arbor. If your town still isn't listed (for example, if you live west of Texas), give it a few days. If the current trend continues, there will be like five more announced next week. Until then:

08-06 Portland, ME - State Theatre
08-08 Newport, RI - Newport Folk Festival
09-14 Columbia, MO - The Blue Note (w/ Calexico)
09-15 St. Louis, MO - The Fox Theatre (w/ Calexico)
09-17 Dallas, TX - The Granada (w/ Calexico)
09-19 Austin, TX - Zilker Park (Austin City Limits Music Festival)
09-22 Nashville, TN - The Uptown Mix
09-23 Atlanta, GA - The Fox Theatre
09-24 Asheville, NC - Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
09-25 Raleigh, NC - Raleigh Memorial Auditorium
09-27 Norfolk, VA - The Norva
10-01 Boston, MA - The Wang Center
10-05 New York, NY - Radio City Music Hall
10-10 Ann Arbor, MI - Hill Auditorium

Death Cab Offer iTunes EP, Vote for Change, Tour
Studio X actually just an upscale hair salon

Let's cut right to the chase here: Death Cab for Cutie have just made a four-song EP available exclusively via the iTunes Music Store. Entitled Studio X Sessions, the assorted MP3s were compiled from songs recorded at the end of this year's spring tour in Seattle. According to Barsuk's website, "The session's unique arrangements put a twist on Death Cab's usual guitar/guitar/bass/drums lineup and feature guitarist/producer Chris Walla and frontman Benjamin Gibbard swapping turns on Studio X's grand piano, backed by the ever-thorough rhythm section of Nicholas Harmer (bass) and Jason McGerr (drums)." Those not yet exhausted by America's recent Death Cabificiation can purchase the digital EP for a scant $3.96. Songs:

01 The New Year
02 Blacking Out the Friction
03 Bend to Squares
04 Army Corps of Architects

In related news, with the 2004 presidential election only three months away, the gloves have begun to come off for that most dedicated group of political activists: rock stars. Hoping to draw fans/voters to the polls in support of Democratic nominee John Kerry, a collection of major and indie label artists-- Death Cab among them-- have recently joined forces for an upcoming tour bearing the name Vote for Change.

Alongside such parental favorites as Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, R.E.M., John Fogerty, Dave Matthews Band, Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Keb' Mo', John Mellencamp, Dixie Chicks, and Babyface, the MoveOn-presented tour also includes some wacky pair-ups of indie rockers/rappers like Bright Eyes, My Morning Jacket, Jurassic 5, and yes, Death Cab for Cutie, who'll be sharing a stage with Pearl Jam.

Kicking off roughly a month before election day, this diverse crew of rabble-rousers will split into six separate groups for a series of mini-festival dates that will be stopping in major battleground states from sea to shining sea. Possibly shooting for the record books, the tour will see 20 artists performing at 34 shows, in 9 states, in only one week. The bands are reportedly donating their time and effort to the event, with proceeds going to Democratic organization America Coming Together.

Speaking to Ted Koppel in a rare television interview on ABC's Nightline, Bruce Springsteen explained the motivation behind the tour: "Artists write, and sing and think, and this is how we get to put our two cents in, and we do it right in front of people, not in secret meetings behind closed doors. We let people know what we think. I don't know if people go to musicians for their politics. I doubt that they do, you know, but you can rally people to think on serious issues together, and that's what we're trying to do. I think it's one of the most critical elections of my adult life, certainly. Very basic questions of American identity are at issue: who we are, what do we stand for, when do we fight." Dates:

Pearl Jam Death Cab for Cutie 10-01 Reading, PA - Sovereign Center 10-02 Toledo, OH - Sports Arena 10-03 Grand Rapids, MI - Delta Plex 10-05 St. Louis, MO - Fox Theater 10-06 Asheville, NC - Civic Center 10-08 Kissimmee, FL - Silver Spur Arena Bruce Springsteen R.E.M. John Fogerty Bright Eyes 10-01 Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Center 10-02 Cleveland, OH - Gund Arena 10-03 Ann Arbor, MI - Crisler Arena 10-05 St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center 10-08 Orlando, FL - TD Waterhouse Dave Matthews Band Jurassic 5 My Morning Jacket 10-01 University Park, PA - Bryce Jordan Center 10-02 Dayton, OH - Wright State University 10-03 Auburn Hills, MI - Palace of Auburn Hills 10-06 Ames, IA - Iowa State University 10-08 Gainesville, FL - University of Florida

Dixie Chicks James Taylor 10-01 Pittsburgh, PA - TBA 10-02 Cleveland, OH - TBA 10-03 Detroit, MI - TBA 10-05 Iowa City, IA - TBA 10-06 St. Louis, MO - TBA 10-08 Tampa Bay, FL - TBA Jackson Browne Bonnie Raitt Keb' Mo' 10-01 Williamsport, PA - TBA 10-02 TBA 10-03 Grand Rapid, MI - TBA 10-05 Kansas City, MS - TBA 10-06 Des Moines, IA - TBA 10-08 Jacksonville, FL - TBA John Mellencamp Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds 10-01 Wilkes-Barre, PA - TBA 10-02 Cincinati, OH - TBA 10-03 Kalamazoo, MI - TBA 10-05 Milwaukee, WI - TBA 10-08 Miami, FL - TBA

Oh but the story ain't over yet, kids. Those Death Cab dates above are but six brief stops in an overarching 17-date jaunt that will take the band all across the United States and England. Along the way, they'll be pairing up with a number of other bands, including Modest Mouse and The Walkmen at Q101's Block Party in Chicago, the Pixies in Bend, Oregon, and finally-- the shokka-- Blink182 in the UK. Take off your pants and jacket:

08-13 Portland, OR - Bite of Oregon Festival
08-14 Chicago, IL - Q101's Block Party (w/Modest Mouse, The Walkmen)
09-03 Seattle, WA - Bumbershoot Festival
09-04 Bend, OR - Les Schwab Amphitheater (w/Pixies)
10-01 Reading, PA - Sovereign Center *
10-02 Toledo, OH - Sports Arena *
10-03 Grand Rapids, MI - Delta Plex *
10-05 St. Louis, MO - Fox Theater *
10-06 Asheville, NC - Civic Center *
10-08 Kissimmee, FL - Silver Spur Arena *
11-30 Birmingham, England - Birmingham NEC %
12-02 Newcastle , England - Newcastle Arena %
12-03 Manchester, England - Manchester MEN Arena %
12-05 London, England - London Wembley Arena %
12-06 London, England - London Wembley Arena %
12-07 Cardiff, Wales - Cardiff Arena %
12-08 Nottingham, England - Nottingham Arena %

* with Pearl Jam on the Vote for Change tour
% with Blink 182

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