Dirty Three: Showdown in Shanghai!
Trio's performance incites riot; "The audience was going crazy." -- Warren Ellis

Dirty Three's previously reported tour of Asia is over now, but it was an eventful one for the instrumental chamber rock trio. As originally reported in Shanghaiist, the band's very first date-- at Shanghai's Yun Feng Theatre on October 26-- erupted into chaos.

Before they even got to China, the country's government "decided to cancel our performance permit because they thought we were a pornographic act due to our name. They asked that we change it to Dirt Three," wrote violinist Warren Ellis to Pitchfork in a detailed e-mail account of the event.

With the help of Australian trade organization Austrade and tour manager James Chen, the band were able to "seal the green light three days before the show, on the grounds that we were an important Australian cultural act and that we had no lyrics, so we couldn't be corruptive."

So far so good, but here's where things get crazy. Yun Feng Theatre, which is owned by the People's Liberation Army, "decided to move the show forward an hour" in order to accommodate an acrobatic performance "for local dignities and officials. James was told to take the offer or cancel the show," Ellis continued.

"The government has been closing down lots of venues and making it difficult for bands to play, and this decision to change the show was seen by the audience as another attempt by the government to curb their self-expression." [MORE...]

Photos: Secret Machines [Atlanta, GA; 10/31/06]

What began feeling like an off night for New York's Secret Machines-- with Beck performing a secret gig elsewhere in the very same building, no less-- wound up an electric showcase of what the trio does best. Atlanta's Center Stage proved an ideal venue for this Halloween stop on the Machines' in-the-round tour, a heavily-reverbed affair that included highlights "Alone, Jealous and Stoned", "Better Bring Your Friends", "The Road Leads Where It's Led", and intense finale, "First Wave Intact". Best of all, with the unique setup, everyone in the house had an excellent seat for a powerful and driven set.

Secret Machines wrap up their in-the-round jaunt this weekend, including two CMJ gigs, then hit up Argentina and Mexico later this month. Dates and more photos ahead. [MORE...]

Sunn 0))), Fehlmann, Jelinek on Buddha Machine Comp
Sun City Girls, Blixa Bargeld also put a quarter in the Buddha Jukebox

Since its release, FM3's portable plastic loop player the Buddha Machine has been enshrined by the likes of Brian Eno, Alan Bishop (Sun City Girls), Thomas Fehlmann (the Orb), plus thousands of drone-friendly fans worldwide. Indeed, this very publication gave the device a respectable 8.2. So it's no surprise that the simple soundbox has launched an album, Jukebox Buddha, containing 15 tracks based on the Machine's nine loops.

Due out on November 7 on Staubgold, this ambient offering features contributions from Sun City Girls, Sunn 0))), Fehlmann, Jan Jelinek with Andrew Pekler and Hanno Leichtmann, Einstürzende Neubauten's Blixa Bargeld, Monolake's Robert Henke, Alog, Mapstation, and many other Buddha buddies.

According to a press release, the artists "stretch, compress, reconfigure, rub and dust, and generally fuck around with the nine floating loops clipped out from FM3's confrontational world of quiet." Sounds like a fifteenfold path to awesome. [MORE...]

CMJ Report: Tuesday [Marc Hogan]

The Rapture [Bowery Ballroom; 11 p.m.]


Photo by Brendan Reid.

Season's greetings from the Rapture's singer/bassist, Mattie Safer: "What's up, Halloweiners?" Other than statuesque rockstar frontman Luke Jenner's too-short skeleton costume pantlegs, he must've meant. Jenner's exposed ankles and the band's cute, playfully choreographed "Monster Mash" entrance added welcome unpretentiousness to a night of taut dance-rock, lofty vocal yowls, and costume-wearing indie kids who apparently still remembered learning how to dance. Newer songs like "The Devil" reached the spooks up in the rafters, but older favorites like "House of Jealous Lovers" and "Sister Savior" provoked the most frenzied funky-getting. Out of the races, and on till All Saints' Day.

Frida Hyvonen Tours U.S., Scores Dancing Poodles
They may take our lives, but they'll never take... our Frida!

You never got Frida Hyvönen right, but she's not mad about it. Indeed, she's out to give you another chance, playing her lively piano-pop tunes to you-- hot off the just-U.S.-released Until Death Comes (Secretly Canadian)-- on a series of dates in the States. The festivities commence tonight in Brooklyn as part of that CMJ shebang you've probably been hearing about. Sweden-bred Hyvönen then jets off to Europe in December for a few more gigs.

While you're hanging at the merch booth after the show, why not ask Frida what it was like to write and record a musical score for a bunch of poodles to dance to? She's just wrapped up Püdel (translation: poodle), meant to accompany a piece by choreographer Dorte Olesen that will play throughout Sweden in January and February of next year-- and featuring, yes, about 20 dancing poodles. A recording of Frida's score should see release early next year, so start teaching your pampered canine pal some ace moves now. [MORE...]

The Cure Ready Live DVD Shot by Fans

Check your clocks and calendars, because Festival 2005 is set to land in, yes, 2006. Your favorite mascara'd mopers the Cure have unveiled the release of a new live DVD by that bland-ass name, due December 5 on Suretone/Geffen Records.

The folks behind the film culled footage from the band's nine-date series of European festival appearances last year. At these events, band members, crew, and a few very lucky fans received video cameras to document the Cure's wily onstage exploits. At the time, the band was celebrating the return of guitarist Porl Thompson.

This material-- in addition to video taken with professional cameras-- was mixed together to form the 30-track DVD that is Festival 2005. Daren Butler handled editing duties, while Keith Uddin mixed in collaboration with Robert Smith. Sounds like it will be the perfect remedy for all those A Christmas Story marathons. [MORE...]

The Azusa Plane's Jason DiEmilio Passes Away

Our hearts sank this afternoon upon reading an item posted on Philebrity.com today, which reports that Philadelphia psych icon Jason DiEmilio has passed away. Born in 1970, DiEmilio was an integral figure in Philly's celebrated Psychedelphia scene, releasing countless albums, singles, and cassettes under the Azusa Plane moniker on his own Doorstep Vinyl and Colorful Clouds for Acoustics labels. The Azusa Plane live band also included Mazarin's Quentin Stoltzfus on drums, and DiEmilio sometimes performed solo under the name the Spires of Oxford.

DiEmilio excelled at conjuring sprawling, hypnotic sounds from his guitar, drawing inspiration from Spacemen 3 and other propagators of psych, drone, and noise. He found a devout audience among fans of spiritual cousins like Bardo Pond, Windy & Carl, and Flying Saucer Attack. Beyond his music, DiEmilio was admired for his strong DIY ethic. No additional details of DiEmilio's passing are known at this time. He will be missed.

Snow Patrol Release Avalanche of Material

Between releasing their fourth full-length, Eyes Open, and having to cancel tour dates twice this year due to injuries and ailments, Snow Patrol have had an up-and-down year. Gary Lightbody and Co. are making up for it by foisting plenty of new material on us: an EP, a charity record, a single, a bunch of UK tour dates, and even a little bit of non-fiction writing.

The EP is the band's own AOL Sessions, a digital release featuring live versions of four Snow Patrol songs and a cover of one Bright Eyes song ("You Will. You? Will. You? Will. You? Will.") that you may purchase from iTunes right now.

For the charity record, Lightbody teamed up with Lisa Hannigan-- a vocalist in Damien Rice's band-- to sing a song written by Bell X1's Paul Noonan called "Some Surprise". The track will appear on The Cake Sale, a nine-song album by a collective of musicians of the same name. Other contributors to the record include Rice, the Cardigans' Nina Persson, the Thrills, Josh Ritter, the Divine Comedy, and Gemma Hayes. Oxfam Records will release The Cake Sale in Ireland on November 3, and proceeds will go toward Oxfam's Make Trade Fair campaign and overseas program work. [MORE...]

Josephine Foster Sings Across America

Consummate vocalist and songwriter Josephine Foster actually studied voice formally at university before abandoning all that academic muckery to blaze her own artistic trail. We're pleased as punch she did, because instead of languishing in some lavish, centuries-old opera house, those spine-tingling cords of hers can now resonate freely through the hallowed halls of some of the dingiest dive bars in America. Call it irony. Call it indie.

Whatever you decide to call it, it's a wonder to behold live, and you're all hereby cordially invited to join Josephine as she inaugurates a tour of these United States tonight in Detroit. While you're at it, scoop up a copy of this year's A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, and the recently-released, Foster-curated anti-military-recruiting benefit compilation So Much Fire to Roast Human Flesh. Issued by Arthur magazine's Bastet imprint, the collection boasts contributions from Devendra Banhart, Pajo, the Angels of Light, Kath Bloom, Diane Cluck, and Foster herself. [MORE...]

Sufjan Stevens Launches Euro Invasion

Batten the hatches, hide the kids and pets, and sound the sirens, because Sufjan Stevens is coming back to Europe tonight-- back for revenge!! Okay, not really, but we've got Halloween on the brain, and it's funny to think of sparkly-eyed Sufjan enacting revenge on anyone-- especially since he's been reviewing horror films these days. And prepping five-disc sets of Christmas songs. And making America's children smoke weed.

Sufjan's not-really-revenge tour campaign charges across the old countries, beginning in Dublin tonight and culminating with two engagements at Reykjavik's Frikirkjan Church, which we'd like to think only added the -jan suffix in tribute to the master. St. Vincent, the whimsical project of Polyphonic Spree guitarist Annie Clark, opens all dates. [MORE...]

Stream: The Shins: “Phantom Limb”

Count your arms and legs (especially the bones toward the front of your calves), and slip on those big ol' Natalie Portman headphones, because the Shins have sent some ghost appendage love by way of the Internet.

Fans can now stream new track "Phantom Limb" from the Portlanders' official website and MySpace page. The number isn't as light (read: catchy) as some of the band's better tunes, but it surely suffices as, at the very least, background music. If you can make it roughly two minutes and twenty-five seconds in, there are some halfway decent "ooh ee ooh ee ooh"s, but even those lose their charm a few runs through. Of course, not everybody thinks so, so get streaming!

As previously reported, "Phantom Limb" is slated for release on the Shins' third LP, Wincing the Night Away, which is due January 23 via Sub Pop. First, however, the song will be released as a single in three different formats: iTunes digital on November 14, CD on November 21, and seven-inch on December 12. It will feature two non-album B-sides: "Nothing at All" and an alternate version of Wincing cut "Split Needles".

Tomorrow night (November 2), the Shins will headline Sub Pop's CMJ showcase at New York's Bowery Ballroom. Supporting acts include the Thermals, CSS, the Album Leaf, Oxford Collapse, the Elected, and Loney, Dear. More dates are in store following Wincing's release.

Zak Sally Talks Tool, La Mano, Low
Ex-Low bassist's publishing company signs distro deal with Sub Pop, puts out Mark Kozelek book

When we last checked in with graphic artist/musician Zak Sally, he was on ABC News talking about his love for the band Tool. We were confused--but not as confused as Sally himself. In a recent interview, the former Low bassist described the incident to Pitchfork as "just another case of someone asking me to do something bizarre out of the blue."

It all started when Sally-- who dabbles in freelance writing when he isn't too busy creating graphic novels or running his publishing imprint, La Mano 21-- pitched a piece about one of his favorite bands to his local alt-weekly, Minneapolis' City Pages. "I pitched them because it was something I've been thinking about and wanted to write about at some point," Sally explained. "But...I really wanted to get into the show for free. And then I couldn't! I couldn't go see them! Which I'm still kind of fuming about."

The City Pages piece was picked up by the Village Voice, one thing lead to another, and the next thing he knew, Sally was on "World News Tonight". "The whole thing was a surprise to me," he said. "It was absurd in a good way." [MORE...]

Do you have a news tip for us? Anything crazy happen at a show you attended recently? Do you have inside info on the bands we cover? Is one of your favorite artists (that's not somebody you know personally) releasing a new record you'd like to see covered? You will remain completely anonymous, unless we are given your express permission to reveal your identity. (Please note that publicists, managers, booking agents, and other artist representatives are generally exempt from this rule, but will also be granted anonymity if requested.)