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RECENT POSTS:
Concerts: John Mayer, Slayer, Magnetic Fields  November 18

Concert presales: U2, Muse, Phoenix, Kid Cudi and more  November 11

Free music: Track from Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones' supergroup  November 9

Videos: Weezer teams up with Kenny G, plus Artic Monkeys' great single  November 6

Concerts: Bon Jovi, All-American Rejects, Julian Casablancas  November 4

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Nation, World Briefs: Michael Jackson’s glove nets $350,000 at auction  November 22
Odds & Ends: Tweens gone wild and "Twilight" opening  November 22
Liner Notes: John Mayer’s best doesn’t come through on CD  November 22
Tweens gone wild: Justin Bieber fans lose control  November 21
Front Porch  November 20
ZZ Top ‘mixin’ things up’ at Comcast Arena  November 20
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Andy Rathbun   E-mail him | Subscribe to this blog
Andy Rathbun, the Herald's weekly music columnist, blogs about national music news and local acts.
 

Concerts: John Mayer, Slayer, Magnetic Fields

Posted at 5:57 pm

I must be slipping, getting out of touch or something.

The other week, I was surprised Bon Jovi was playing a worldwide arena tour. Then he sold something like 500,000 tickets in the matter of a couple hours.

Now, I'm looking at John Mayer's show at KeyArena and scratching my head. I mean, as singer-songwriter's go, he's not awful, but is he really an arean headliner?

Apparently so. He'll headline the venue with Michael Franti & Spearhead in March.

Details on that and more below.

  • John Mayer, March 31, KeyArena, Seattle; $43.14 to $88.87; presale from now until 10 p.m. Friday. Sorry, don't have this password. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Saturday.


  • Slayer and Megadeth, Jan. 18, WaMu Theatre, Seattle; $40; presale from now until 10 p.m. Thursday. Sorry, don't have this password. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Friday.


  • Switchfoot, Jan. 21, Showbox at the Market, Seattle; $23; presale from now until 10 p.m. Friday. Password is “hurricanesea.” Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Saturday.


  • The Cribs, Jan. 30, Showbox at the Market, Seattle; $23; presale from now until 10 p.m. Thursday. Password is “showbox.” Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Friday.


  • Magnetic Fields, Feb. 23, Town Hall, Seattle; $30. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Friday.
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    Concert presales: U2, Muse, Phoenix, Kid Cudi and more

    Posted at 8:36 am

    U2's coming back to Seattle for the first time since 2005.

    The group will bring its 360 Degree Tour to Qwest Field in summer 2010. Tickets go on sale in the coming days.

    So how does this 360-degree tour work? Well, lemme see here, I think I've got a press release kicking around my inbox. Yep:

    “With a cylindrical video system of interlocking LED panels, and a steel structure rising 150 feet from the floor over a massive stage with rotating bridges, the band has truly created an intimate 360º experience for concert goers.

    “In keeping with the concept that this tour is more about a unique staging configuration with excellent sight-lines, tickets for the U2 360° 2010 tour will once again be scaled so that 85 percent of the tickets are priced at less than $95.00, general admission floor tickets at $55.00 and at least 10,000 tickets per venue priced at $30.00.”

    Granted, the best seats in the house will cost $253.50, and characterizing Qwest Field as “intimate” because of some huge TV screens is a bit of a stretch.

    But hey, U2's coming to Seattle for the first time in five years, so that's something. Get all the details below.

  • U2, June 20, Qwest Field, Seattle; $33.50 to $253.50; presale from now until 5 p.m. Thursday. I don't have the presale password – if you do, drop it in the comments section. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Monday.


  • Deck the Hall Ball with Muse, 30 Seconds to Mars, Phoenix, Vampire Weekend, Dec. 19, WaMu Theatre, Seattle; $44.50; presale from 10 a.m. Thursday to 10 p.m. Friday. Password is “theend.” Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Saturday.


  • Kid Cudi, Dec. 8, Showbox at the Market, Seattle; $27.50; presale from 10 a.m. today to 10 p.m. Thursday. Password is “showbox.” Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Friday.


  • Minus the Bear, Dec. 31, Showbox at the Market, Seattle; $28; presale from 10 a.m. Thursday to 10 p.m. Friday. Password is “showbox.” Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Saturday.


  • Winter Warmth with Brett Dennen, Brandi Carlile, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Dec. 6, Moore Theatre, Seattle; $25 to $65; presale on sale now. Password is “mountain.” Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Friday.


  • Medeski, Martin and Wood, Feb. 27, Showbox at the Market, Seattle; $25. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Friday.


  • Jason Webley, Dec. 6, Lincoln Theatre, Mount Vernon; $11; on sale now.
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    Free music: Track from Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones' supergroup

    Posted at 8:58 am

    Them Crooked Vultures is giving away its single “Mind Eraser, No Chaser” on iTunes.

    The riff-heavy track offers another tantalizing taste of the supergroup, which features Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) on drums, John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) on bass and Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) on vocals and guitar.

    The group's self-titled debut comes out on Nov. 17, a few days before the trio arrives in Seattle to play the Paramount Theatre. ...
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    Videos: Weezer teams up with Kenny G, plus Artic Monkeys' great single

    Posted at 5:48 pm

    Rivers Cuomo has always been the geek supreme, but he may have outdone even himself.

    The Weezer frontman, known for his Buddy Holly frames and occasional mustache, called on Kenny G to play some saxophone on the group's poppy new track, “I'm Your Daddy.”

    It might seem like an odd pairing — well, it is an odd pairing — but it does make a certain amount of sense.

    As much as he's a geek, Cuomo's a contrarian, the type of guy who enrolls at Harvard to study poetry instead of recording a new album, or who releases an album of flavorless pop, then follows it up with a solo record of endearing basement tapes.

    This latest collaboration — which, worth noting, comes fast on the heels of Weezer's work with Lil Wayne — is just another reminder that Cuomo's only predictable trait is unpredictability.

    Weezer and Kenny G — “I'm Your Daddy” — Live

    Kenny G strolls out at the 1:52-minute mark to start blowing. Be sure to keep an eye on Cuomo. He's totally feeling it.



    Artic Monkeys — “Cornerstone” — Video

    File this clip under “minimalist.” Frontman Alex Turner, who's slowly led his band to a more buoyant Britpop sound, shows fans that you don't need Kenny G when you've got a genuinely great pop song.



    Antlers —“Two” —Video

    I still haven't picked up the new album by these guys, but really need to. The video for this track finds a cartoon man relentlessly strumming his guitar, an act that fills his room with cartoon bubbles. More instruments — and more bubbles — slowly layer the scene.

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    Concerts: Bon Jovi, All-American Rejects, Julian Casablancas

    Posted at 9:00 am

    Way too often, bands label something a world tour because they bop into Canada for a few days, and maybe play a couple European dates.

    Bon Jovi gives these bands a New Jersey sneer.

    The 1980s rock group will head out for a two-year-long arena tour that will hit 135 cities total in 30 countries. Who knew that Bon Jovi was still a big draw in 29 other countries? Or 30 countries, for that matter? Not me, friend. Not me.

    Tickets for his Seattle show go on sale this weekend, with a goofy presale starting Thursday. Here are the specifics on that, from Ticketmaster:

    "Consumers that preorder Bon Jovi's new album, 'The Circle,' through Ticketmaster can purchase up to eight presale tickets. When viewing tickets during the presale timeframe, if you wish to purchase them, one digital album will be added to your ticket order for a price of $10.84 (includes applicable sales tax). This offer ... does not apply to VIP tickets."

    And hey, whoa, hold up — where'd that Julian Casablancas show come from? Tickets are already on sale for the solo Seattle date from the Strokes frontman, who will be supporting his album “Phrazes for the Young” (don't worry, the songs are better than the title). Crazy.

    Details — along with presale info for A.F.I., Los Lonely Boys and more — are below.

  • Bon Jovi, Feb. 19, KeyArena, Seattle; $45.29 to $145.48; presale from 10 a.m. Thursday to 10 p.m. Sunday. Details above. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Monday.


  • 106.1 KISS FM Jingle Bell Bash with the All-American Rejects, Cobra Starship, and a bunch more, Dec. 19, WaMu Theatre, Seattle; $38; presale from 10 a.m. Thursday to 10 p.m. Sunday. Sorry, don't have the password—will update if I get it. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Saturday.


  • AFI, Jan. 22, Showbox SoDo, Seattle; $23; presale from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday. Password is “love.” Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Saturday.


  • Jack's Mannequin, Feb. 5, Showbox SoDo, Seattle; $24; presale from 10 a.m. Thursday to 10 p.m. Friday. Password is “showbox.” Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Saturday.


  • Los Lonely Boys, Feb. 24, Moore Theatre, Seattle; $28 to $33; presale from 10 a.m. Thursday to 10 p.m. Friday. Password is “texmex.” Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Saturday.


  • The Dandy Warhols, Dec. 11, Neumos, Seattle; $20. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Saturday.


  • Julian Casablancas, Nov. 22, Showbox at the Market, Seattle; $20. Tickets on sale now (crazy!).


  • 99.9 KISW Holiday Hangover Ball with Steel Panther, Dec. 4, Showbox SoDo, Seattle; $30. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Saturday.
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    Weekend reading: Michael Jackson, Spike Jonze, Flaming Lips

    Posted at 5:09 pm

    Is it just me, or have a lot of musicians been popping up in the movies these days?

    There's Kanye West starring in a Spike Jonze short film. Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs recorded the “Where the Wild Things Are” soundtrack. And then of course there's Michael Jackson's new concert movie (which, granted, isn't really a concert movie, so much as it's a rehearsal video, but still.)

    Oh well. I'm not complaining. It makes for good articles and interviews, as you can see:

  • Karen O never bit anyone, but she slapped a lot of butts. (New York)


  • Spike Jonze told Kanye West he needed to be "shameless" and "pathetic." (New York Times)


  • Michael Jackson has a movie coming out, perhaps you've heard. (Associated Press, Time, Roger Ebert)


  • Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne describes the writing process on their new album this way: “We'd just be kind of jamming, thinking, ‘I don't really have an idea.' ” Which explains a lot. (Pitchfork)


  • The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is 25 years old, so it will probably stop listening to new music pretty soon, start thinking about settling down, having a couple of kids. Going out, it's just getting a bit old. I mean, really, who wants to deal with the crowds at shows anymore? And have you seen beer prices? (Los Angeles Times)
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    Videos: Director Spike Jonze “slaps” Kanye West

    Posted at 8:58 am

    So Spike Jonze's follow-up to “Where the Wild Things Are” has already leaked on the Internet and seen release through iTunes, a steal at $2.99.

    The short film, “We Were Once a Fairytale,” stars Kanye West. In theory, it's a video for his 2008 song, “See You in My Nightmares,” but really, that 4-minute track plays just a small role in the 14-minute film, which finds a very drunk West stumbling through a night club, acting obnoxious and looking entirely lost.

    The film has some odd twists. West hooks up with a woman in a side room, vomits rose petals, and watches as a small creature that had been living in his stomach commits seppuku. It's not necessarily appropriate for work-viewing. You can try to find it on YouTube — an abbreviated version was posted here for awhile.

    Some “behind-the-scenes” footage popped up this week that finds Jonze “confronting” the rapper on the set. See it below.

    Spike Jonze and Kanye West — “We Were Once a Fairytale”—Behind the scenes

    OK, so there's no way this wasn't staged, but it's still funny. West focuses on text messaging as Jonze tries to direct him on the set. Watch as tensions escalate between the director and his egotistical star.


    Weezer - "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To" – Video

    Speaking of Jonze, the director has worked with Weezer on several occassions. He made them video stars with his clip for “Buddy Holly.” Weezer's latest video teams the band with another notable director, Marc Webb. The clip for the group's uber-poppy new single splits the difference between "Pleasantville" and "The Twilight Zone," as the four guys live in a 1950s-styled town with no women. Tensions escalate here too.



    Julian Casablancas - "11th Dimension" – Live

    Far as I know, Casablancas has nothing to do with Jonze. The Strokes frontman visited Conan O'Brien to play the first single from his first solo album, which sounds very promising (even if Casablancas' dance moves are a bit less than ideal).

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    Concert presale: Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones bring their supergroup to S...

    Posted at 10:51 am

    Them Crooked Vultures certainly gets to check the boxes on that supergroup application form.

    The three-man band is top-heavy with big names. Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters) and John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) teamed with Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) to put together the band.

    The group's sound is pure rock and roll. Hear the first single, “New Fang,” at their Web site, or listen at the bottom of this post.

    The group will embark on a headlining tour to promote the Nov. 17 release of their self-titled debut, which features the songs "Interlude With Ludes" and "Caligulove." Word play!

    Also, a brief apology: I haven't been updating this blog regularly. That's on me — not you. No, no, really, I won't hear it. It's not your fault. I'll be more vigilant with updates going forward. For any readers I have left — there are what, four, five of you, maybe? — I'll be better in the future.

  • Them Crooked Vultures, Nov. 17, Paramount Theatre, Seattle; $41.50; presale from 10 a.m. Thursday to 10 p.m. Friday. Password is “scumbag,” for serious.


  • Here's that first single:

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    Concerts: Son Volt hits Seattle, plus “Juno” composer plays Ben...  September 30
     

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