Nashville Star 6: Pop Goes Country?

This week on Nashville Star 6, get ready as the 10 remaining contestants perform songs by such artists as Madonna, Michael Jackson and Cyndi Lauper...

POP GOES COUNTRY AS THE SEARCH FOR THE NEXT "NASHVILLE STAR" CONTINUES WITH A TWO-HOUR EPISODE FEATURING APPEARANCES BY SALT N PEPA, DANITY KANE AND AN ALL SING BACKED BY A 50 PERSON CHOIR -- BILLY RAY CYRUS HOSTS -- Ten acts remain all competing be named the next "Nashville Star." Special guests Salt n Pepa add a little spice in week three of the competition and the sexy girl group Danity Kane heats things up when pop goes country. Hear cross-over versions of your favorite top 20 hits interpreted by the competing artists topped off with an all sing featuring a 50 person choir. This is the biggest episode yet! Host Billy Ray Cyrus ("Hannah Montana") joins celebrity judges/mentors, singer-songwriter and acclaimed producer John Rich, multi-platinum singer-songwriter and three-time Grammy nominee Jewel and acclaimed industry heavy weight and BMI Songwriter of the Year (2006) Jeffery Steele in the search for a true artist.

And here's some exclusive rehearsal video of last weeks eliminated contestants, Third Town, performing Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody - the song they were talked out of performing live on the show by mentor Jeffrey Steele during rehearsals the previous week.



Tune in Monday on NBC, 9/8c.

MySpace | Official Site

Cruefest 2008, The Loudest Show On Earth

Eighties' hair rockers, Motley Crue are back with a vengeance. Not only are they releasing a new album, Saints of Los Angeles, on June 17th, but yesterday at 4 PM PST, Motley Crue announced their summer touring plans to bring rock back! That's right, starting July 1st Motley Crue will embark on their 41 date summer festival, Crue Fest, commencing in West Palm Beach, FL. Joining headliners Motley Crue will be rockers Buckcherry, Papa Roach, Sixx: AM, and Trapt. Check out some photos we took at the press conference yesterday, ROCK IS BACK!




UPCOMING DATES
JULY
07.01.08 - West Palm Beach, FL - Cruzan Amphitheatre
07.03.08 - Tampa, FL - Ford Amphitheatre
07.05.08 - Charlotte, NC - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Charlotte
07.06.08 - Virginia Beach, VA - Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach
Amphitheater
07.08.08 - Wantagh, NY - Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
07.09.08 - Buffalo, NY - Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
07.10.08 - Sarnia, ONT - Bayfest
07.12.08 - Philadelphia, PA- Susquehanna Bank Center
07.13.08 - Washington, DC - Nissan Pavilion
07.15.08 - Detroit, MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre
07.16.08 - Chicago, IL - First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
07.18.08 - Indianapolis, IN- Verizon Wireless Music Center Indianapolis
07.19.08 - Milwaukee, WI - Marcus Amphitheater
07.20.08 - St. Louis, MO - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater St. Louis
07.22.08 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center
07.23.08 - San Antonio, TX - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
07.24.08 - Dallas, TX - Superpages.com Center
07.26.08 - Albuquerque, NM - Journal Pavilion
07.27.08 - Denver, CO - Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre
07.29.08 - Salt Lake City, UT - USANA Amphitheatre
07.31.08 - Phoenix, AZ - Cricket Wireless Pavilion

AUGUST
08.01.08 - Las Vegas, NV - Mandalay Bay Events Center
08.02.08 - Los Angeles, CA - Glen Helen Pavilion
08.05.08 - Sacramento, CA - Sleep Train Pavilion
08.06.08 - Mountain View, CA- Shoreline Amphitheatre at Mountain View
08.08.08 - Seattle, WA - White River Amphitheatre
08.09.08 - Portland, OR - Rose Garden
08.11.08 - Vancouver, BC - General Motors Place
08.13.08 - Edmonton, AB - Rexall Place
08.14.08 - Calgary, AB - Pengrowth Saddledome
08.15.08 - Saskatoon, SK - Credit Union Centre
08.17.08 - Winnipeg, MB - MTS Centre
08.19.08 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Amphitheatre
08.20.08 - Cleveland, OH - Blossom Music Center
08.22.08 - Boston, MA - Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts
08.23.08 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
08.24.08 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
08.28.08 - Toronto, ONT - Molson Amphitheatre
08.29.08 - Albany, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center
08.30.08 - Scranton, PA - Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain
08.31.08 - Pittsburgh, PA - Post-Gazette Pavilion

MySpace | Official Site

SXSW 2008

Every single year I look forward to one week in March where I get to revisit my old stomping grounds of Austin, TX and enjoy one of the biggest & best music festivals/conferences in the world, South by Southwest (better known as SXSW to us veterans). And well yet another amazing year at SXSW has come and gone.

SXSW 2008 was definitely bigger and better than before as I discovered that SXSW has officially busted out of the confines of 6th Street and taken over all of downtown Austin. This year bands such as Lightspeed Champion, Kate Nash, REM, My Morning Jacket, Heloise & Savoir Faire, Kim Richey, The Duke Spirit, and many many more graced the venues of Austin, TX.

Now every year I try to figure out the best way to document all the happenings of SXSW and every year I seem to not satisfy myself with the results. So I tried something new this year... below is my video recap of my favorite sets from SXSW 2008. Included in this recap are Hymns, Steel Train, Hanson, Neimo and more. Enjoy!



Stay tuned for Mai's photo montage from SXSW 2008.

Tonight in LA!

This week is a huge week musically in Los Angeles. Tonight alone has some great choices and you should all head down to The Troubadour to see Stellastarr*! And then afterwards head to Canter's Kibitz Room to see The Naked & Fat City Reprise.

Oh and a big THANK YOU to everyone who came out on Monday to the High Voltage night at Safari Sam's. We had a lot of fun.

London, err, PBS Calling

This March, PBS stations nationwide will premiere The Clash Live:
Revolution Rock, a new documentary film chronicling live performances from the iconic punk pioneers at the peak of their powers. This performance will be a preview of the April 15th DVD release.

The Clash Live: Revolution Rock DVD follows the live transformation of the band, incorporating footage from all phases of The Clash's meteoric career, beginning with live-in-the-studio clips from 1979, through triumphant concerts from clubland (London's The Music Machine, 1978) and theatres (The Lyceum, 1978, 1980), climaxing with a transcendent blow-out performance at New York's Shea Stadium in 1982. The DVD also includes rare footage of the band’s performance on The Tom Snyder Show and on ABC’s Fridays.

Mark your calendars as this is something you won't want to miss!

Visit the Official Site for air dates in your city.

Attn LA Vacation Lovers!

Los Angeles' favorite dirty rock n rollers, The Vacation, are storming LA this month with their recently redone myspace layout, a residency at The Viper Room, new tunes (off their upcoming album), and a plenty of other goodies to be announced shortly!

For starters, tune into KROQ tonight at 9PM for the radio premiere of "I Can't Dance With You" on Locals Only. It's my newest addiction and soon to be yours too!

MySpace

Ludo - Love Me Dead

Recently the world of music videos has seen tons of artists turning their song into a short movie. Think of Panic! At The Disco and The Killers latest videos. However, when was the last time you watched a lead singer perform in his own video like he's in Broadway musical? Singer, Andrew Volpe, of the band Ludo definitely hits that note in their one-shot video for "Love Me Dead" that features several fascinating escapades in the background. It could be the best music video I've seen since OK Go hit those treadmills. Check it out!



Myspace | Official Page

Just Sayin' Please

Who do I have to talk to to make this happen? Seriously. Need contact information. My little music crush, Operator Please, have yet to lilly dally their way through the US of A. They've played shows in NY and LA but not enough times. Is there a petition that needs signing? What's the deal?!

In case you're still in the dark, here's some visual knowledge.


New Video: "Get What You Want"


What more can be done to get them over here besides physically kidnapping them? Last I checked that was still illegal. Any suggestions?!

For the rest of you on this planet, if you're lucky enough to be within driving distance from any of their gigs, please go out and support.

UPCOMING SHOWS
Jan 28 @ Big Day Out Melbourne Flemington Racecourse --- Melbourne
Feb 1 @ Big Day Out Adelaide Showground --- Adelaide
Feb 3 @ Big Day Out Perth Claremont Showground --- Perth
Feb 6 @ Karova Lounge --- Ballarat, Victoria
Feb 7 @ The Pub --- Bendigo, Victoria
Feb 8 @ Albury City Convention & Performing Arts Centre --- Albury, New South Wales
Feb 9 @ Peninsula Lounge --- Moorooduc, Victoria
Feb 10 @ St. Kilda Beach --- St. Kilda, Victoria
Feb 14 @ New Slang At The Works --- Kingston, London
Feb 15 @ Pure Groove Records Instore --- London
Feb 17 @ The Watershed, Wimbledon --- Wimbledon, London
Feb 18 @ The Bodega Social Club --- Nottingham, Midlands
Feb 20 @ L’Ubu - Les Inrocks Indie Club Tour --- Rennes
Feb 21 @ La Maroquinerie - Les Inrocks Indie Club Tour --- Paris, France
Feb 22 @ La Cartonnerie - Les Inrocks Indie Club Tour --- Reims
Feb 23 @ Le Grand Mix - Les Inrocks Indie Club Tour --- Tourcoing
Feb 25 @ Pressure Point --- Brighton, London and South East
Feb 27 @ The Faversham --- Leeds, Northwest
Feb 28 @ The Barfly --- Glasgow, Scotland

If you ever get this, dear members of Operator Please, please consider playing one of our High Voltage Nights! We'd looove to have you. Like a lot.

Please and Thank You...

MySpace | Official Site

Coachella Line-Up

For those of you who find spending days hours on end with thousands of your closest sweaty friends listening to music, you're probably grinning. The line up for this year's Coachella has been announced.

FRIDAY, APRIL 25: Jack Johnson, The Verve, Raconteurs, The Breeders, Fatboy Slim, Tegan and Sara, Madness, The Swell Season, The National, Animal Collective, Slightly Stoopid, Mum, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Stars, Battles, Aesop Rock, Midnight Juggernauts, Does it Offend you, Yeah?, Minus the Bear, Spank Rock, dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip, Diplo, Adam Freeland, Santo Gold, Jens Lekman, John Butler Trio, Vampire Weekend, Dan Deacon, Architecture in Helsinki, Sandra Collins, Busy P, Cut Copy, Black Lips, Datarock, Professor Murder, Reverend and the Makers, The Bees, Porter, Rogue Wave, Modeselektor, American Bang, Lucky I Am.

SATURDAY, APRIL 26: Portishead, Kraftwerk, Death Cab for Cutie, Cafe Tacuba, Sasha & Digweed, Rilo Kiley, Dwight Yoakam, M.I.A., Hot Chip, Cold War Kids, Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, DeVotchKa, Flogging Molly, Mark Ronson, Turbonegro, Scars on Broadway, Islands, Enter Shikari, Calvin Harris, Boyz Noize, Junkie XL, Cinematic Orchestra, Jamie T, The Teenagers, VHS or Beta, Carbon/silicon, Erol Alkan, Yo Majesty!, Little Brother, Bonde Do Role, St. Vincent, Akron Family, MGMT, Institubes DJs (Surkin, Para One and Orgasmic), James Zabiela, Sebastian, Kavinsky, Dredg, The Bird and the Bee, Grand Ole Party, New Young Pony Club, 120 Days, Yoav, Electric Touch, Uffie

SUNDAY, APRIL 27: Roger Waters (“Dark Side of the Moon”), Love & Rockets, My Morning Jacket, Spiritualized, Justice, Gogol Bordello, Chromeo, The Streets, Metric, Danny Tenaglia, Simian Mobile Disco, Booka Shade, Murs, Dmitri from Paris, Autolux, The Field, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Les Savy Fav, The Cool Kids, Sons & Daughters, Sia, Holy Fuck, Black Kids, Black Mountain, The Annuals, Kid Sister w/A-Trak, Man Man, Duffy, I'm from Barcelona, Manchester Orchestra, Deadmau5, The Horrors, Austin TV, Shout Out Louds, Plastiscines, Brett Dennen

Coachella.com

SXSW... shhh!!!

Any music fan's wet dream, a week full of music, rubbing elbows with some of your favorite artists and SOON to be favorites, noon parties with a full bar, and everything else that falls under the category of rock 'n' roll debauchery -- some folk have coined this event as SXSW (that's South By Southwest for those who just crawled out of a cave). It is QUICKLY approaching! Although the official list of artists performing in Austin, TX this year has yet to be released, a list has been compiling of rumored artists who could attend.

If you don't mind speculation and just want a list of Maybe's to drool over, feast your eyes on the "might be showing up" list drawn up by the Austinist.

[ Image from SXSW Official Site ]

Gangsta Rap Rock

Say whaa?

What happens when you listen to Tupac and Eminem (to name a few) but have an inner rockstar fighting to get out? You get the start of something good. Meet Hyro Da Hero, only 20 years old, from Houston, TX. Hyro’s sound is straight gangsta flow over rock and roll beats, guaranteed to get you to bob your head and take notice. His lyrics aren't thrown together just because they rhyme or sound good. They have a message behind them, something hip-hop seems to have lost in recent years. In a groundbreaking maneuver, Hyro Da Hero has made his own mixtape, a collection of his own material available online for free download via his iLike page. Just a taste of what is yet to come!

Download:
"Tainted Love" [mp3]
"Enter the Dragon" [mp3]

You like? Download the rest of his mixtape over on iLike.

MySpace | iLike

Happy Birthday David Johansen!

I'd like to send massive Happy Birthday love to "my father" of proto-punk David Johansen (New York Dolls). David is turning 58 on this fine day, some 37 years after the formation of the New York Dolls. The dolls being one of my personal all-time favorite bands. SO...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVID FROM ALL OF US AT HIGH VOLTAGE!

Leave David some birthday love in the comments section. Which reminds me, the New York Dolls will be touring the USA in February & March. Make sure you catch one of these shows:

Feb 12 2008 Ram’s Head Live @ Baltimore, Maryland
Feb 14 2008 New Alhambra Arena @ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Feb 15 2008 Stone Pony @ Asbury Park, New Jersey
Feb 16 2008 Paradise @ Boston, Massachusetts
Feb 18 2008 Phoenix Concert Theatre @ Toronto, Ontario
Feb 19 2008 Tralf Music Hall @ Buffalo, New York
Feb 20 2008 Beachland Ballroom @ Cleveland, Ohio
Feb 22 2008 The Majestic Theatre @ Detroit, Michigan
Feb 23 2008 Double Door @ Chicago, Illinois
Feb 24 2008 Fine Line @ Minneapolis, Minnesota
Feb 26 2008 Gothic Theatre @ Denver, Colorado
Feb 28 2008 Big Easy @ Boise, Idaho
Feb 29 2008 Berbatis Pan @ Portland, Oregon
Mar 1 2008 Plaza Club @ Vancouver, CANADA
Mar 2 2008 El Corazon @ Seattle, Washington
Mar 5 2008 Fillmore @ San Francisco, California
Mar 7 2008 Henry Fonda Theatre @ Los Angeles, California
Mar 8 2008 Jillians @ Las Vegas, Nevada
Mar 9 2008 House of Blues @ Anaheim, California
Mar 10 2008 Belly Up Tavern @ Solana Beach, California

Justice & Chromeo on Spring Myspace Tour!

I just received word that Justice will be headlining the upcoming spring Myspace music tour! Justice is an amazing electro rock band that I've been in love with since I first saw this video in July:



Also on the tour are High Voltage favorites Chromeo (which we have been spinning on our DJ nights since May) amongst other great acts such as Fancy & Busy P!

The following is the schedule for the Spring 2008 MySpace Music Tour:

3/3 Austin, TX Stubbs
3/4 Dallas, TX Palladium Ballroom
3/6 Orlando, FL The Club at Firestone
3/9 Baltimore, MD Sonar
3/10 Philadelphia, PA The Electric Factory
3/11 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
3/12 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
3/15 Boston, MA Paradise
3/16 Montreal, PQ Cepsum
3/17 Toronto, ON The Docks
3/19 Detroit, MI Royal Oak Music Hall
3/20 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre
3/22 Denver, CO Ogden Theater
3/24 Seattle, WA Showbox SoDo
3/25 Vancouver, BC Commodore
3/26 Portland, OR Roseland Theater
3/27 San Francisco, CA Concourse Design Center
3/31 Los Angeles, CA Mayan Theatre

Raveonettes US Tour Dates

Wonder what they're looking at... probably the vast space known as the US of A! Supporting the upcoming release of Lust Lust Lust (in stores February 19), the Raveonettes are spreading their haunting awesomeness with the kind US folk. They will also be all over SXSW this year, so if you're lucky enough to attend make sure to check them out with the rest of the cool kids in Austin.

US DATES
02-29 San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
03-01 Pomona, CA @ Glasshouse
03-02 Costa Mesa, CA @ Detroit Bar
03-04 LA, CA @ El Rey Theatre
03-05 San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
03-07 Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
03-08 Vancouver, BC, CAN @ The Plaza Niteclub
03-09 Seattle, WA @ Neumos
03-17 Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
03-18 Chicago, IL @ Double Door
03-19 Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick
03-21 Toroto, ON, CAN @ Opera House
03-22 Montreal, QC, CAN @ Les Saint
03-23 Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell’s
03-24 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
03-27 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
03-28 Baltimore, MD @ The Ottobar
03-29 Washington, DC @ Black Cat

VIDEO "Dead Sound" from Lust Lust Lust


Visit their MySpace page for more dates. Rave on, folk. Rave on.

MySpace | Official Site | Vice Records

Reflections of '07

This ain't like one of those "let's exhaust every possibility of being entertaining list and blast you with as many facts and statistics as humanly possible, numbing your cerebral cortex into a coma" list.

Nuh uh. I don't do statistics or numbers so well, so here's my "What You Should've Been Listening To In '07 But You Didn't So Let Me Repeat Myself" List. Kinda.

Best Band On The Planet In '07

The Killers This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who knows me. They can do no wrong in my eyes so they continue to carry the flag of best band (there's a flag, didn't you notice it hanging over Ronnie's drum set?) for yet another year. Arguing with me would be pointless. Each their own, right? Expect more weird things to come out of Brandon's mouth and even greater music in '08! [MySpace | Official Site]

Band You Hopefully Cranked Up in '07

CSS Apparently they're doing well. They're all over that iPod Touch commercial with "Music is My Hot, Hot Sex." So I guess some of you listened. [MySpace | Official Site]


But for some unknown reason Gossip aren't blowing up over here, well at least I haven't noticed much of an impact. They should be on countless playlists and touring the country like crazy! So please please continue to support or Beth Ditto will come over to your place and slap you around for a while. [MySpace | Official Site]

Band You Should Listen To In '08

Operator Please We've featured them before in HV. Kids shouldn't be allowed to be so good. It's just not... natural. Sure they won't write deep meaningful songs like John Lennon or heal the world with their ditty about ping pong, but dammit it's catchy and fun, and sometimes that's just good enough! [MySpace | Official Site]

Needs To Get Slapped Silly in '08

Amy Winehouse was probably my favorite Never-Heard-Of-Before-'07 artist. Back to Black is an amazingly well produced and well written album. I was expecting great things and much success for her when the album landed in our HV mailbox earlier this year. With one listen I was hooked, instantly became a favorite! Unfortunately she got kinda lost along the way, her private life drama took focus and her live performances suffered (not to mention her health, but that's another blog). Luckily her album is doing well (I don't do numbers, just take my word for it), so she's got it and if you've listened to Back to Black then you've heard it. On record, she's amazing. Hate to see talent go to waste. I pray to the music gods that she's able to get her shit together, focus back on the music, and be clear headed enough to perform the way she is capable of doing. Best wishes in '08 for her! For real, yo. [MySpace | Official Site]

And to any band or artist that I left off the list, try harder next year. Just kidding. With lists aside, just continue to listen to good music and hope '08 is filled with a whole lot of it! CHEERS!

Chelsea's Mix - Goodbye 2007

2007, so much music - so little time. Below are the songs I was absolutely addicted to at various points this year. Check it out, maybe you'll discover something new!

January:
Van Gunn - Pull The Trigger

February:
The Colour – Our Children Were The Stars
MIKA – Love Today

March:
Amy Winehouse - Rehab

April:
Kings of Leon – Knocked Up
KT Tunstall – Suddenly I See

May:
Chromeo – Tenderoni
BRMC - Berlin

June:
Sara Bareilles – Love Song
The Format - Oceans

July:
Snow Patrol – Chasing Cars
Ryan Adams - Two

August:
Hanson – Great Divide

September:
Steel Train – A Magazine

October:
Jim Sturgess – All My Loving (Across The Universe Soundtrack)

November:
Jonas Brothers – Hold On
Miley Cyrus – See You Again

December:
Jim Sturgess – Revolution (Across The Universe Deluxe Soundtrack)
The Naked – Vampire Girls

Can't wait to see what 2008 brings. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

"Don't Shoot Me Santa"

For a band that kills for a living, they sure have a lot of holiday cheer. "Don't Shoot Me Santa" is The Killers' second holiday single and now available for your downloading pleasure on iTunes. All proceeds from the song benefit the (RED) Campaign. So ... it's a good thing. Download that sucker! Help make the world a better place. And please enjoy the video.

Official Site | MySpace | (RED)

The Killers - Sawdust

With just two full lengths tucked under their shiny belts, The Killers still manage to release new material. Their latest, Sawdust, consists of previously unreleased session tracks, B-sides and rarities. Sawdust was completed by the band at a recording studio in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen, where they worked with Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer Lou Reed.

In addition to “Shadowplay” and “Tranquilize,” the Killers will be all over the radio and Internet this season with “Don’t Shoot Me Santa,” their second Christmas single. And like last year's “A Great Big Sled”, the single will turn (RED), with 100% of the proceeds going to the Global Fund to invest in African AIDS programs. “Don’t Shoot Me Santa” will be available for your requesting radio listening pleasures on Monday, November 26, and released for digital download the next day. On December 1st (Saturday) the single and video will debut as part of RED’s World Aids Day activities. The following Tuesday, December 4th, the “Don’t Shoot Me Santa” single package will be available in stores.

The 17-track Sawdust includes “Under the Gun” (the B-side of 2004’s “Somebody Told Me”); “Move Away” (from the Spiderman 3 soundtrack); and “Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll” (from their Hot Fuss debut album). Two notable cover versions are: Kenny Rogers & the First Edition’s “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town” (B-side of 2005’s “Smile Like You Mean It”) and Dire Straits’ “Romeo and Juliet” (B-side of 2007’s “For Reasons Unknown” from their second album Sam’s Town, released a little over a year ago. And previously unreleased tracks including: “Leave the Bourbon On the Shelf” (from the Hot Fuss sessions) and “Sweet Talk” (from the Sam’s Town sessions). The perfect stocking stuffer for the Killers fan in your family!

VIDEO: "Tranquilize" f/ Lou Reed


These boys sure stay busy.

MySpace | Official Site | (RED)

HYMNS - "I Can’t Be What U Want"

HYMNS
Rock / Indie / Folk Rock

After a year of relentless touring with Ben Kweller & Sam Roberts Band; 4 SXSW parties; DFest with The Flaming Lips; a change in band members and countless shows with other talented musicians, HYMNS finally entered the studio again. A month later they emerged with new music showcasing their talents as musicians. The band HYMNS have been featured in High Voltage before but another shout out to them seems appropriate. They just released their new single, "I Can’t Be What U Want" from their forthcoming album, Travel in Herds. The album is slated for release March 2008 on Blackland Records. While most bands suffer a sophomore slump, HYMNS have truly outdone themselves with their soon-to-be sophomore release. "I Can’t Be What U Want" is catchy and robust new single and is one of the strongest songs I’ve heard come out of HYMNS. The trumpet and banjo add an extra layer, setting the song at a faster pace than most fans are used to hearing from the band. This song takes you on a journey through heartbreak. Musically, there is a beginning, a climax, and an end that leaves the listener wanting more. The guitar solo by Jason Roberts near the end of the song truly showcases his skill and talent as a guitar player. I hope there will be many more of these on the forthcoming album. &mdash Mai Huynh

Listen to "I Can’t Be What U Want" on their MySpace page: MySpace.com/hymnsband

Photo credit: etwphoto.carbonmade.com

MySpace | Official Site | Blackland Records

I Took The Walk

We posted previously about Hanson taking one mile walks in every city of their tour (their taking action and raising awareness about the kids in Africa), but this time we're here to tell you about The Walk. That's right, I took the walk today here in Los Angeles - barefoot on the streets of Hollywood. The turn out was great and we gained more people along the way. You see the idea is to take a walk in someone elses shoes; someone who doesn't have shoes.

Here's a little photo/video blog...











Visit Hanson.net for more information on future walks or ways you can help. Also, make sure to buy a pair of Toms Shoes. For every pair of shoes bought from Tom Shoes they will donate one pair to someone whose currently without shoes.

Hanson Walk to Spread Awareness

WEST HOLLYWOOD — The City of West Hollywood, recording artists Hanson and TOMS Shoes will join together to help fight poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa. The partnership is a component of the City’s “Global AIDS Initiative” which was created with the goal of advocating for and supporting education, outreach and funding efforts to combat the AIDS pandemic in Africa.  The goal is to raise awareness about the correlation between poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa and to inspire people to look for simple ways to make a difference in their community and the world.

On Tuesday, October 30, 2007, joined by West Hollywood City Officials, a special one mile walk will be staged through the streets of Los Angeles culminating with a performance by Hanson in the old Tower Records parking lot on the famed Sunset Strip. All fans in the area are encouraged to join the walk.

As part of the Walk tour, a one mile walk is staged in each tour market inviting the fans and local artists to join the band  and walk barefoot, encouraging those participating to take action by purchasing a pair of TOMS Shoes as part of these one mile Walks. For every pair of TOMS Shoes purchased, a second pair of shoes is donated to a child in poverty.

Visit Hanson.net for more details!

UPCOMING DATES
Oct 27 @ La Zona Rosa --- Austin, TX
Nov 2 @ House of Blues --- Anaheim, CA
Nov 3 @ House of Blues --- San Diego, CA
Nov 5 @ The Fillmore --- San Francisco, CA
Nov 6 @ Avalon --- Los Angeles, CA
Nov 8 @ House of Blues --- Las Vegas, NV
Nov 11 @ Cain's Ballroom --- Tulsa, OK
Nov 12 @ Beaumont Club --- Kansas City, MO
Nov 13 @ The Pageant --- St Louis, MO
Dec 2 @ The Phoenix --- Toronto, Ontario
Dec 3 @ Studio Theatre --- Hamilton, Ontario
Dec 5 @ Bronson Centre --- Ottawa, Ontario
Dec 6 @ Cowboy Ranch --- London, Ontario

MySpace | Official Site | TOMS Shoes

Miley Cyrus is Hannah Montana

I'm sure most of you have heard of the Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana craze that's sweeping the nation by now, but did you know that High Voltage has a staff member on the entire tour? Well you do now! Me! And I'm here to let all you Miley fans know about the ultimate Miley party that will coming to each of your towns.

The ultimate Miley party is brought to you by MileyWorld.com and will start about two hours before doors at every stop on the tour. There you will have a chance to win cool prizes (like meet & greet passes to meet Miley herself), take your picture on the red carpet, and so much more. So whether you have concert tickets or not - come join the fun! Just look for the pink bus outside the venue and we'll be waiting to rock with you. And make sure you join MileyWorld.com to some extra goodies!

Isaac Hanson Hospitalized

Guitarist Isaac Hanson of the rock group Hanson has been hospitalized at Baylor University Hospital in Dallas, TX. After last night's performance in Dallas, Isaac was complaining of severe pain in his shoulders and chest. He underwent several tests throughout the night and has been diagnosed with pulmonary embolism.

Hanson's show tonight at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa, OK has been cancelled. Isaac is currently undergoing treatment and will be re-evaluated shortly by doctors. Further information about the tour will be made available at that time.

EDIT: Just read that Kansas City and the rest of the tour dates have been postponed indefinitely. The band will continue their hiatus until Isaac is able to tour with them again.

-------------

Isaac is only 26. I, for one, will be keeping my thoughts and prayer on Isaac today.

OTM: Steel Train

Biography
Much like Southern rock revivalists My Morning Jacket and Kings of Leon, Steel Train essay a post-punk take on the hoary sounds of '70s album-oriented rock; it's classic rock radio sent through a few hipster fuzz pedals. Singer Scott Irby-Ranniar and guitarist Jack Antonoff formed Steel Train (taking their name from the Bob Marley song of the same title) as a busking duo in New York City in 1999. Adding second guitarist Matthew Goldman, bassist Evan Winiker, and drummer Matthias Gruber, the nascent five-piece signed to the successful emo label Drive Thru Records in 2002, releasing the debut EP For You My Dear early the next year. This was followed in 2004 by 1969, a concept EP of six songs from the titular year by the Jackson 5, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Bob Marley, David Bowie, the Beatles, and Creedence Clearwater Revival. Steel Train's debut full-length, Twilight Tales from the Prairies of the Sun, was released in 2005, featuring several songs about the breakup of Antonoff's relationship with actress Scarlett Johansson. After touring for the album was completed, Goldman and Gruber left Steel Train, replaced by guitarist Daniel Silbert and drummer Jon Shiffman. — Stewart Mason, All Music Guide

Video: Making of Trampoline
What happens when you take five boys from the east coast, cram them in a house in southern California, and let them do what they do best? Not sure, but we're pretty confident it sounds amazing.


Album: Trampoline (Drive-Thru Records)
1. I Feel Weird
2. Black Eye
3. Firecracker
4. Alone On The Sea
5. Dakota
6. Kill Monsters In The Rain
7. A Magazine
8. Diamonds In The Sky
9. Women I Belong To
10. I've Let You Go
11. School Is For Losers
12. Leave You Traveling

Release date: October 16, 2007

Upcoming Dates
Oct 4 @ School of Rock --- Hackensack, NJ
Oct 5 @ Toquet Hall Student Coffeehouse --- Wesport, CT
Oct 6 @ Higher Ground --- South Burlington, VT
Oct 8 @ The Agora Theatre --- Cleveland, OH
Oct 9 @ The Basement --- Columbus, OH
Oct 10 @ Subterranean --- Chicago, IL
Oct 11 @ Creepy Crawl --- St. Louis, MO
Oct 12 @ The Picador --- Iowa City, IA
Oct 13 @ The Jackpot --- Lawrence, KS
Oct 15 @ Marquis Theater --- Denver, CO
Oct 16 @ Kilby Court --- Salt Lake City, UT
Oct 18 @ Bottom of The Hill --- San Francisco, CA
Oct 19 @ Black Box @ CSU-Monterey Bay --- Seaside, CA
Oct 20 @ The Roxy --- Los Angeles, CA
Oct 21 @ Chain Reaction --- Anaheim, CA
Oct 22 @ Modified Arts --- Pheonix, AZ
Oct 23 @ Club Congress --- Tuscon, AZ
Oct 25 @ House of Blues-Dallas --- Dallas, TX
Oct 26 @ Emo's --- Austin, TX
Oct 27 @ The White Rabbit --- San Antonio, TX
Oct 28 @ The Blue Dome --- Tulsa, OK
Oct 29 @ Meacham Auditorium @ Univ. of Oklahoma --- Norman, OK
Oct 30 @ Dregs --- Memphis, TN
Oct 31 @ Rocketown --- Nashville, TN
Nov 1 @ The Masquerade --- Atlanta, GA
Nov 2 @ The Orpheum --- Tampa, FL
Nov 3 @ Studio A --- Miami, FL
Nov 4 @ The Social --- Orlando, FL
Nov 6 @ Ottobar --- Baltimore, MD
Nov 7 @ Black Cat --- Washington DC
Nov 8 @ The Bowery Ballroom --- New York, NY
Nov 9 @ Water Street Music Hall --- Rochester, NY
Nov 10 @ TT The Bears Place --- Cambridge, MA

MySpace | Drive-Thru Records

The Walk

There's a little known fact about High Voltage and that's our love for Hanson. We've all been fans since 1997 (that's a decade of fandom) and got a catch to see them up close and personal a few days ago in Los Angeles. They played a show at Viper Room and didn't cease to amaze us. Playing songs from all of their albums up until this point and even a couple covers.

Their newest studio release, The Walk, came out on July 24th. If you haven't picked it up already - whatcha waitin' for? Highlights include "Blue Sky", "Tearing It Down", "Been There Before", and "Watch Over Me." And of course, their singles too... but those speak for themselves.

Here's a 15 second video clip from Viper Room, courtesy of my digital camera before the always pleasant Viper Room staff asked me (the rest of the room) to stop or they'd throw us out. Gotta love the Viper Room!



Hanson.net

All my friends, sha la la...

Hey!

Once again, thanks to everyone that made our High Voltage night such a huge success. Last Drag were a killer warm-up for the night with their blend of rock n roll that's comparable to The Doors & The White Stripes. The Naked had the audience captivated and you can't go wrong with handmade t-shirts! The Afterhours brought some Silverlake charm to the evening. Eastern Conference Champions blew it out of the ballpark. And Van Gunn closed the night with high-energy rock n roll. We're planning even more extraordinary activity for our next one, so make sure you mark August 20th in your calendars.

Currently I'm approaching the end of a week of dates with The Format, Steel Train, Limbeck, Reuben's Accomplice and The Honorary Title. I'm in Portland, OR right now at the Hawthorne Theatre. It's quite a charming venue, I'm really digging the vibe. The Format are currently soundchecking as doors won't be opening for another two hours. Last nights show in San Francisco was so much fun and the audience was really to thank. It was the best crowd I've seen of this tour so far; they were way into it, dancing and singing along with each and every tune. Steel Train just keeps getting better every night and the last song they are playing, Firecracker (which will be on the new album due out in October), features three drummers! Incredible.

Here's a couple photos:


Steel Train (w/ Patrick from Limbeck), Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA 08/03/2007


The Format (w/ Patrick & Robb from Limbeck), Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA 08/03/2007

The best tour since 2004!

Alright, so I already posted once about this one upcoming summer tour that was just gonna OWN! And now I'm here just to remind you that it's started and it DOES own! I spent last week in Phoenix, AZ catching the first two nights of the tour and have spent every moment since wishing I was in whatever town they are currently (that would be Houston, TX this evening folks).

What tour am I talking about?! The Format's summer tour with Limbeck, Steel Train, and various other guests (including Honorary Title, Piebald, etc), silly! Look up the tour dates on TheFormat.com and while you're here watch Limbeck's music video for "Big Drag." It's cheesy in the good way.

The Kings Need YOUR Help!!!

Here is your chance to design the next tour t-shirt for the Kings of Leon, and win some cool prizes at the same time. Yes, Kings of Leon, Barking Irons t-shirts, and Epiphone, are giving you, the fans, a chance to design a t-shirt that will be sold on the next tour. All you have to do is submit your design through Contest Page on the Kings of Leon Official Web Site and the band will pick the winner. Enter as many times as you wish, but only one winner will be chosen. The Grand Prize winner will receive an Epiphone Guitar singed by the Kings of Leon, plus a Kings of Leon prize-pack consisting of various Kings of Leon merchandise and apparel incorporating the winning design.

THE Summer Tour

Alright, everyone knows that summer equals ridiculous amounts of good shows all the time and everywhere across the country. Well THE summer tour of 2007 has been announced. That's right, The Format are hitting the road with Limbeck, Steel Train and then various alternating other acts (The Honorary Title, Piebald, Reuben's Accomplice, etc).

We're also happy to announce that The Format will also grace the cover of the next issue of High Voltage. More details on that soon.

In the meantime, start making your travel plans to attend as many shows as possible. And don't worry about going broke, this tour will be worth every cent.

July
13th Orpheum Theatre Phoenix, AZ
14th Orpheum Theatre Phoenix, AZ
16th House of Blues Dallas, TX
17th Antone’s Austin, TX
18th Meridian Houston, TX
20th The Club at Firestone Orlando, FL
21st Fuel Coffeehouse Jacksonville, FL
22nd Jannus Landing St. Petersburg, FL
24th Culture Room Ft. Lauderdale, FL
25th The Masquerade Atlanta, GA
26th House of Blues New Orleans, LA
27th New Daisy Theatre Memphis, TN
28th D-Fest Tulsa, OK
29th Sunshine Theatre Albuquerque, NM
31st Soma San Diego, CA

August
1st Avalon Hollywood, CA
2nd House of Blues Anaheim, CA
3rd Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA
4th Hawthorne Theatre Portland, OR
5th Neumo’s Seattle, WA
7th Croatian Culture Center Vancouver, BC
9th The Warehouse Calgary, AB
10th Dinwoodie Lounge Edmonton, AB
11th Louis Pub Saskatoon, SK
12th Ramada Theatre Winnipeg, MB
16th The Opera House Toronto, ON
18th Higher Ground South Burlington, VT
19th Avalon Ballroom Boston, MA
21st Webster Hall New York, NY
22nd Starland Ballroom Sayreville, NJ
23rd The Trocadero Theatre Philadelphia, PA
24th The Norva Norfolk, VA
25th 9:30 Club Washington, DC
26th Cat’s Cradle Carrboro, NC
28th Bogart’s Cincinnati, OH
29th The Agora Theatre Cleveland, OH
30th Intersection Grand Rapids, MI
31st St. Andrew Hall Detroit, MI

September
1st The Vic Chicago, IL
2nd Station 4 St. Paul, MN
4th The Picador Iowa City, IA
5th Pop’s Sauget, IL
6th The Granada Lawrence, KS
7th Gothic Theatre Englewood, CO

House of Fools

One of our most recent favorite discoveries, House of Fools, is hitting the road this summer with He Is Legend, Maylene, & The Sons of Disaster. Check out the tour dates:

Thur/Jun-14 Charlotte, NC Tremont
Fri/Jun-15 Atlanta, GA Masquerade
Sat/Jun-16 Jacksonville, FL Jack Rabbits
Sun/Jun-17 Jacksonville, FL Jack Rabbits
Tues/Jun-19 Orlando, FL The Social
Wed/Jun-20 Tampa, FL State Theater
Thur/Jun-21 New Orleans, LA High Ground
Fri/Jun-22 Houston, TX Meridian
Sat/Jun-23 Dallas, TX The Door
Sun/Jun-24 San Antonio, TX White Rabbit
Mon/Jun-25 El Paso, TX Chics
Tues/Jun-26 Tucson, AZ Rock
Wed/Jun-27 Phoenix, AZ Clubhouse
Thur/Jun-28 LA, CA Knitting Factory
Fri/Jun-29 San Diego, CA Soma
Sat/Jun-30 Pomona, CA Glasshouse
Sun/Jul-1 Sacramento, CA Boardwalk
Mon/Jul-2 Portland, OR Satyricon
Tues/Jul-3 Seattle, WA El Corazon
Thur/Jul-5 Boise, ID The Venue
Fri/Jul-6 SLC, UT Avalon

This is a live show you don't want to miss this summer!

LINKAGE:
myspace.com/houseoffools