Radiohead In-Studio Performance Headed to VH1

Couldn't tell you the last time I visited VH1.com, but nestled somewhere amid the T&A that's blowing up all over their homepage right now is one pretty exciting morsel of news: on May 3, VH1 will broadcast "Radiohead_In Rainbows_From the Basement".

The title tells it like it is: Radiohead will perform selections from In Rainbows on the program, direct from the confines of Nigel Godrich's famed basement studio. According to an At Ease report, we can look forward to "Bodysnatchers", "Nude", "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi", "15 Step", "House of Cards", and "Reckoner", plus non-Rainbows cuts "Optimistic", "Myxomatosis (Judge, Jury & Executioner)", and "Where I End and You Begin (The Sky Is Falling In)".

VH1 even has a clip of "Reckoner" up right now, and gosh does it sounds awful purty. Just the thing to get you even more stoked for that Radiohead tour, which finally kicks off early next week in Florida.

And hmm, live in-studio Radiohead performance, now why does that sound familiar...? [MORE...]

Radiohead to Go "Green" on "Conan O'Brien"

T-minus two weeks remain before Radiohead finally launch their 2008 tour in support of In Rainbows, a tour oh-so-many Pitchfork news stories in the making. Now for some folks out there, two weeks may feel like two eternities when it comes to Radiohead. These folks would be delighted to learn, then, that they actually need wait a mere two-sevenths of an eternity for Radiohead to grace their very living rooms in live form! Yay!

Yes, Radiohead will be the musical "guest" on NBC's "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" this Wednesday, April 23. We qualify guest with quotation marks because, well, Radiohead will not be physically present in Conan's NYC studios. Rather, they've taped an exclusive live performance of Rainbows cut "House of Cards" to air on the program.

The reason? NBC is celebrating Earth Day (April 22, yo) with a whole week of eco-friendly "green" go-getting. Given Thom Yorke and Co.'s well-documented passion for the subject, the band has decided to spare Mother Earth the carbon footprint of a couple needless transatlantic flights and do their "House of Cards" thing from the comfort of their home country. Well played, gentlemen!

In other news, all that Best Of action hits in early June, and residents of West Palm Beach, Florida have until May 5 to find a bicycle. [MORE...]

Flight of the Conchords Deliver Debut LP, Hit the Road

Photo by Akmal Naim

Flight of the Conchords begins with Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement exhausting every French phrase between them over some breezy bossa nova. Then, it gets really weird.

The Kiwi cut-ups-- and stars of the self-styled HBO comedy program you've probably been told to watch a time or two-- have lined up 15 "fully fleshed-out and professionally recorded versions of Flight of the Conchords concert and television favorites" for their eponymous debut LP.

Produced by Mickey Petralia (Beck's Midnite Vultures, Ladytron's Light & Magic), the disc features guest appearances from the Conchords' "manager" Rhys Darby and, um, Rhymenocerous and Hiphopapoatumus. It arrives April 22 thanks to Sub Pop, though I know at least one gal who's already got the leak.

Jemaine and Bret will take to the road in the States for a mess of dates, including a stop up there at the Sasquatch! Festival. And the second season of "Flight of the Conchords" is apparently set to hit your television circa January of next year. [MORE...]

MMJ Sign to Rough Trade for European Urges Release
Band lines up summer dates, plays "Saturday Night Live"

Summer's not generally optimal jacket weather, but for the sizzlin', sun-baked riffs of My Morning Jacket, exceptions can and should be made. So, then, we'll be lending out our beloved, well-worn Jacket to Canada, the UK, and mainland Europe this summer on a string of recently-revealed tour stops. The new gigs find the lads crisscrossing borders and jumping ponds in June and July, with a mess of club dates and festival sets in the mix.

Before all that goes down, there's Coachella, a May 10 appearance on "Saturday Night Live", the June 10 North American release of new LP Evil Urges from ATO, and a slot at Bonnaroo. And then, after a pair of Canadian gigs, there's "An Evening With My Morning Jacket" at Radio City Music Hall-- which, of course, begs the question: What in the hell do you call all them other gigs ya'll do?

Whatever the answer, My Morning Jacket have yet another special "Evening" plotted in Louisville way the heck off in August. Let's hope this guy isn't there.

Last but not least, MMJ fans in the UK and mainland Europe, you now have cause to rejoice. The band has signed to Rough Trade in your part of the world, and will send Evil Urges your way on June 9. [MORE...]

The Roots Plan Tons More Dates, "Colbert" Appearance

Photo by Natalie Kardos

With a spring full of college shows and festival appearances, including one at their very own Picnic, the Roots seemed in store for a fairly laid back season surrounding the release of new album Rising Down.

But we should have known better, because the tireless hip-hop troupe has announced another couple months' worth of dates to carry them into the summer. The Roots will open for Erykah Badu on most of the May and June dates, and they also have a trio of television appearances scheduled for April.

On April 13, they'll play at NYC's Beacon Theatre as part of the Jon Stewart-hosted "Night of Too Many Stars" on Comedy Central. Then on April 15, another Comedy Central appearance, this one on "The Colbert Report" as the show broadcasts from the Roots' hometown of Philadelphia as part of the show's Pennsylvania primary coverage. Finally, the Roots will play "The Late Show With David Letterman" on April 28.

Rising Down comes out the next day, April 29, via Def Jam. [MORE...]

Thurston Moore to Narrate Straight Edge Documentary

"Youth can be a minefield," the description for the documentary Inside Straight Edge reads, what with "drugs, sex, violence and peer pressure." Not to mention those unsightly pimples! Still, "one group has an extreme way of dealing with it." Nah, not goths: "they call themselves Straight Edge."

Ah, yes, straight edgers! The cult of MacKaye. Those teetotalin' perpetual naysayers to all things mind altering and socially lubricating. "Here, it's no drugs, no drinking, no smoking. They're rebels against society where everything goes."

We bring this up not so much to proselytize-- do your thing, people, just don't hurt anybody-- but to inform: Inside Straight Edge, which premieres tonight (April 9) on the National Geographic Channel, is narrated by none other than Sonic Youth frontguy Thurston Moore.

Though Thurston's personal xedgex status is unclear-- I hear he's done with all the stuff he used to dabble in way back when, though I could have sworn I saw him with a beer in the front row for Clipse at last year's Pitchfork Music Festival-- he's as good an example of how to live your life awesomely as anybody else I can think of in any field.

When not reminding us that crack is, in fact, whack, Thurston plays shows with Sonic Youth, including one upcoming gig too wacky not to highlight anew. The crew also has a trio of European festival appearances way the hell off in August.

SY, as we've mentioned, have just reissued 1987's Master-Dik EP, while the seventh installment of their SYR series will be available April 22. Plus, Kim Gordon and her long-dormant Free Kitten project are back in full force this year, with a new album due May 20 and talk of a tour.

As for Thurston himself, he'll open for Lou Reed on 4/20 (ha), help provide a live soundtrack to Amos Poe's new flick Empire II at New York's Gershwin hotel on the 29th, join Nancy Garcia at No Fun Fest in May (at which Lee Ranaldo will also appear), and perform along with Bill Nace as Northampton Wools in September. Plus, he's got a tune (as does Ranaldo) on the Table of the Elements singles series. Boy, sober folks are productive, huh? [MORE...]

Elvis Costello to Host TV Show, Put Momofuku on CD

Elvis Costello seems like a good-natured, chatty fella with a deep love for artists and artistry. So who better to host a television program in which good-natured chats are the order of the day? Yeah, Henry Rollins, but he's already got a show. Your number's up, Elvis!

Costello will soon be all up in your telly, hosting the interview-centric "Spectacle: Elvis Costello With...", according to a CTV press release. The Sundance Channel will provide the "Spectacle" in the States, while CTV handles things in Canada and Channel 4 plays host in the UK. Sir Elton John will executive produce the program.

As Costello himself says, "I'm not interested in extracting some dark secret. I'd rather hear about a bright secret, a deep love or a curiosity that might be otherwise obscured by fame. This is a wonderful opportunity to talk in complete thoughts about music, movies, art, or even vaudeville, then frame it with unique and illustrative performances." So, then, we'll get a little rock interjected into the talk? Excellent. And a portion of the show's income will be passed along to The Global Fund's AIDS relief work in Africa, so double excellent, then.

And, for fans of the compact disc, triple excellent. Costello's forthcoming Momofuku, scheduled to arrive on vinyl April 22 on Lost Highway, will not, as previously reported, be vinyl-only. According to a Billboard.com report, Lost Highway will issue Momofuku on CD May 6. Check out the tracklist below.

Finally, while we're on the Elvis Costello beat, note that his tour with the Police kicks off May 1 after a few headlining gigs with the Imposters. [MORE...]

Subtle Serve Up Comic, Laser Light Show, TV Series?

Known for their intricate beat-driven soundscapes and dizzying displays of lyrical prowess, Subtle have really upped the geekiness with a few promotions for their new album, ExitingARM.

First, on April 4, the group will unveil a comic/graphic novel tying into the album, continuing the narrative of Subtle protagonist "Hour Hero Yes" and featuring original sounds from the Subtle-verse. The graphic novel will exist online at the Paul Riley-designed website ExitingARM.com, and Subtle will also produce a print edition entitled The OughtAlmanac of AmassedFact Vol. I.

That OughtAlmanac, available exclusively at shows, is limited to 100 copies and includes an MP3 CD containing "all 2.8 hours of the Almanac read over Subtle improv exerpts and record crackle." Oh my. It's actually the second Subtle "artifact as art", following the limited edition handmade board game released in conjunction with for hero: for fool.

Second, the lone city where people who don't know how to find album leaks will have a chance to hear ExitingARM before Lex releases it on May 13? Why, that would be Seattle, Washington. On April 11, the Emerald City's Pacific Science Center Laser Dome will host a listening party for the record complete with synchronized laser light show and Subtle ringleader Doseone's artwork. Imagine those lasers to the tune of an MP3 for ExitingARM's "The Crow", linked below.

Third, Doseone has teamed with illustrator/animator Ghostshrimp to develop a TV series (not related to Subtle) he plans to pitch to Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. Doseone and Adult Swim-- suddenly it all makes sense! And speaking of cartoons, Doseone and Subtle-mate Jel have a totally fucked up one on YouTube right now called "NOTgarfield". Check it out, if you dare, here.

And finally, of course, there are the video games. Get outside much, guys? [MORE...]

Jeff Tweedy, Colin Meloy, Iggy Pop on "Lil' Bush" DVD
Kevin Federline set to join their illustrious ranks

Remember "Lil' Bush", the Comedy Central cartoon show starring a tiny, boxy, juvenile version of our President? You might recall that said show featured a cavalcade of rock star voices during its first season: Jeff Tweedy (as God), Colin Meloy (as the smart version of Lil' Bush's brother Lil' Jeb), Iggy Pop (as Lil' Donald Rumsfeld), Frank Black (as Satan), Henry Rollins (as a veteran), and Dave Grohl and the Red Hot Chili Peppers as themselves.

Well, now you can enjoy these vocal performances accompanied by funny drawings in the comfort of your own home. Today, Comedy Central releases the DVD Lil Bush: Resident of the United States: Uncensored: Season One: The Invasion Begins. (If there were any more colons in that, it would be a Coheed and Cambria album title.) The DVD extras include deleted scenes, interviews, a "tour of the White House", and segments from "The Colbert Report", "South Park", and "The Sarah Silverman Program".

The second season of "Lil' Bush" starts on Thursday, March 13. Iggy returns as Lil' Rummy, and OMIGOD Kevin Federline cameos as Karl Rove, as well as his dreaded rap alias, MC Rove.

Here's a picture of Iggy on set, getting into character. Fun fact: Donald Rumsfeld is known to only wear shirts when cameras are around.

Vampire Weekend Cancel Shows to Play "SNL"

Vampire Weekend drummer Christopher Tomson has returned from the hospital to deliver some VW news via MySpace blog. It's not purely positive news, but it's certainly good for the band: They accepted an invitation to play live on the March 8 episode of "Saturday Night Live". To do so, however, they were forced to cancel a quartet of sets in Florida, including a couple of shows opening for the Walkmen, and their appearance at Langerado on March 7.

(Hey, this sounds familiar...)

On the plus side, VW have already rescheduled their Orlando and St. Augustine shows for early June, and the Walkmen will still play the original dates this week. So really, it's just a single festival appearance and an in-store that are lost to the sands of time. And since we'll all get to see the band on "SNL" this weekend, we can handle that, right?

After they play "SNL", Vampire Weekend will scurry to meet up with the Walkmen and kick off their tour in Atlanta on March 9. [MORE...]

Wilco Postpone Show to Play “Saturday Night Live”

Photo by Kathryn Yu

Giving last year's Seth Rogen / Spoon episode a run for its money as most indie "Saturday Night Live" ever, this week's edition of "SNL" will feature host Ellen Page with musical guest Wilco.

Maybe Jeff Tweedy can play Ellen Page's dad in a sketch in which she tells her parents a big, big secret that she just can't hold in any longer: She's running away to Hollywood to pursue her dreams of becoming a stripper/screenwriter!

Unfortunately, due to the scheduling of the "SNL" appearance, Wilco have postponed their February 29 show in Charleston, South Carolina until August. But hey, maybe that means there's a Wilco summer tour in the works?

Thanks to Tony Wagner for the tip.

Like Super Furry Animals, Wilco are taking requests for their current tour. Fans are encouraged to submit their favorite song, along with a reason for picking it, here. [MORE...]

Klaxons, Rihanna to Duet "Umbrella" at BRIT Awards

Rihanna did say we're always welcome under her "Umbrella", but what a big umbrella that's turned out to be. A weekend ago it took in defunct Minneapolis funksters the Time at the Grammys, and this Wednesday it will apparently extend across the Atlantic to cover the wily wags of Klaxons.

Wait, strike that, reverse it. Klaxons will in fact cover "Umbrella"-- not the other way around-- at the February 20, 2008 BRIT Awards ceremony, according to a Guardian report. That's cool enough in itself, but here's where it gets fun: Rihanna, up for a International Female Solo Artist award that night, will join them.

"We've made our own slant on a contemporary version of ['Umbrella']," Klaxons revealed in a BBC Radio 1 interview quoted in the Guardian report. "It's an electronic version with guitars on it."

Klaxons and Rihanna's camp have been ironing out the details leading up to Wednesday night's duet performance. According to Klaxons, "They've got this funny idea of what our band sounds like and we've done three or four different versions. Her people kept sending versions back, going, 'No, this sounds more like you.'"

Even if Klaxons don't take home the Breakthrough Act and Best Live Act awards for which they're nominated, freaking Rihanna, dudes! Congratulations! In fairness, this isn't so far-fetched, as both Klaxons and Rihanna technically fall under the same major label, er, umbrella: Universal Music Group.

Catch the BRIT awards-- also featuring performances by Kaiser Chiefs, Kylie Minogue, and Sir Paul McCartney-- February 20 at 8 p.m. UK time. Then catch Klaxons live at London's O2 Arena February 28, and Rihanna on tour with Kanye West this spring.

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.)