This generation’s most successful jazz and soul singer-songwriter, the man in the hat, Gregory Porter, makes chart history today with his newly-released album 'Take Me To The Alley', which becomes the first jazz record to break into the Top 5 for over ten years.
Released last Friday, the critically-acclaimed 'Take Me To The Alley', was met by 4 and 5 star album reviews across the board in the national press, and becomes Porter's highest chart position yet.
This extreme lift in popularity puts Gregory safely above current pop albums from the likes of Justin Bieber, Jess Glynne and Adele and just behind Drake, Beyonce, Skepta and Radiohead. It is the first time a jazz album has been in the Top 5 of the charts since Jamie Cullum with 'Catching Tales' in 2005.
Commenting on this impressive achievement, Porter stated: "I'm very grateful for the success of Take Me To The Alley. The chart position it's reached around the world is very exciting, and its success is an example of the acceptance of my music. I am very thankful."
This level of public affection has seen Porter become an adopted national treasure in this country, having performed for the Queen multiple times, and graced the stages of the UK's best venues and summer festivals. The singer recently featured as the only musical performance on BBC1's 'Attenborough at 90' and joined the country's best performers on BBC2's 'Shakespeare Live!'. He also led a chorus of music stars, including Mumford and Sons, in a moving version of Prince's 'Purple Rain' on BBC2's 'Later with Jools'.
Last month saw Porter complete an extensive sold-out UK Headline Tour, opening and closing at prestigious London venues The Royal Albert Hall and Hammersmith Apollo. And after a show-stopping performance at Glastonbury last year, Gregory returns to the UK's biggest music festival next month to perform on the Pyramid Stage, on Sunday 26th June at 1pm, on the bill with such artists as Muse, Adele, Coldplay and Beck who also perform headline slots at this year's festival.
Porter stated: "Glastonbury has a tradition of being open to all types of music but it's really exciting to be performing on the main stage. The audience response to my performance last year really blew me away - the incredible musical atmosphere - I'm really looking forward to performing again and bringing my music back to Glastonbury this summer."
VOLBEAT reveal the details for their anxiously awaited sixth full-length album, Seal the Deal & Let’s Boogie available June 3rd. Multi-platinum selling Danish hard rock outfit uncork the first single The Devil’s Bleeding Crown and announce the pre-order for the album today. Fans who pre-order the album will receive an instant download of the first single. Pre-order the album and check out the single’s lyric video HERE.
The Devil’s Bleeding Crown pairs a galloping guitar riff with propulsive thrashed-out grooves. The band performed it only once in entirety last summer in Odense, Denmark and had fans waiting for more. The track quickly builds into an anthemic refrain meant to be chanted at festivals worldwide. It’s classic VOLBEAT through and through.
Earlier this week the band teased album details to their dedicated fans by creating an online treasure hunt. Clues for the album title were left in streaming playlists, listed on their social media channels, and in the Rebels & Angels community forum. Once fans uncovered the words from the album title, they entered those words on the Volbeat website to reveal the characters from the album cover art which also unlocked the album pre-order. They also unveiled a video teaser for the album. Check out the teaser here:
Produced by longtime collaborator Jacob Hansen and co-produced by frontman Michael Poulsen and lead guitarist Rob Caggiano, the record includes a total of 13 new tracks, reflecting their signature hybrid of rock prowess, metal power, blues soul, and rockabilly swing. The full tracklisting is below.
On the new album, “After months writing and recording, we’re thrilled to finally be able to unleash Seal the Deal & Let’s Boogie into the world,” says lead singer Michael Poulsen. "Play it loud!”
TRACKLISTING:
1. The Devil’s Bleeding Crown
2. Marie Laveau
3. For Evigt
4. The Gates of Babylon
5. Let It Burn
6. Black Rose
7. Rebound
8. Mary Jane Kelly
9. Goodbye Forever
10. Seal The Deal
11. Battleship Chains
12. You Will Know
13. The Loa’s Crossroad
VOLBEAT emerged from Copenhagen in 2001. Since then, they’ve tirelessly clawed their way to hard rock’s upper echelon with endless touring and a string of five beloved full-length albums. Recently, their 2010 album Beyond Hell/Above Heaven has sold more than 1.5 million and featured hit single “A Warrior’s Call” and adds the band’s 8 Top 5 singles at Active Rock with 5 number ones! 2013’s Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies bowed at #9 on the Billboard Top 200 upon release and it spawned the GRAMMY Award nominated “Room 24” [featuring King Diamond]. It received Platinum Certifications in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Gold in Canada, Finland, Switzerland and USA. Volbeat has announced their summer 2016 tour which includes headlining Rock Am Ring. The band has sold in excess 3.5 million records worldwide.
Danish Bass Player Kaspar Boye To Join The Wildly Successful Rock Band VOLBEAT
”We are happy to announce that Kaspar Boye Larsen is officially now the new bass player in VOLBEAT. We just got back from a great US tour and Kaspar showed as we expected that he's the real deal. The fans love him and we can't wait for the rest of you to hook up with us as a full band again on our coming shows.”
Kaspar Larsen has previously been part of punk rock outfit The Hitchcocks and alt metal The Kandidate, and even went on a tour with Volbeat as a support act in 2010. Kaspar Boye Larsen will have his European debut on Rock am Ring June 3rd, same day as the album is released worldwide. Kaspar elaborates:
"10 years ago I returned from VOLBEAT’s very first European tour that I joined as a tour session bass player. I was so proud of playing with one of my favorite bands and loaded with great memories of good times but also sad that it was over. A lot of things have happened in the meantime but the songs are as great as ever and I’m super stoked to be joining one of my favorite bands on stage, only this time on a permanent basis! I’m very grateful that the guys thought of me after all these years and I can’t wait to see you all out there!"
You will also see Kaspar Boye Larsen featured in the brand new music video to The Devil’s Bleeding Crown.
2016 TOUR DATES
13 April US Los Angeles, CA The Roxy
14 April US Las Vegas, NV The Joint*
15 April US Indio, CA Coachella
18 April US Modesto, CA Modesto Center Plaza*
20 April US Chico, CA Silver Dollar Fairgrounds*
21 April US Fresno, CA Rotary Amphitheater†
22 April US Indio, CA Coachella
24 April US Phoenix, AZ Mesa Amphitheatre*
25 April US El Paso, TX A. Chavez Theater*
26 April US Lubbock, TX Lonestar Amphitheater*
03-05 June GER Vulkaneifel/Flugpl.Mending Rock am Ring Festival
03-05 June GER Nürnberg / Zeppelinfeld Rock Im Park Festival
05 June NL Nijmegen FortaRock
06 June US Bangor, ME Rise Above Festival
07 June GER Berlin Zitadelle
09-11 June AT Vienna Novarock
10-12 June FR Paris Download
17-19 June BE Dessel Graspop
17-19 June FR Clisson Hellfest
22 June NO Bergen Bergenhus Festning
24 June DK Odense Tinderbox
25 June FR Strasbourg Artefacts Festival
29 June DK Nibe Nibe Festival
30 June-02 July SE Norrköping Bravalla Festival
07-09 July ES Viveiro Resurrection Fest
09 July SE Stockholm Monsters Of Rock
17 July FI Joensuu Ilosaarirock
06 August US Bangor, ME Rise Above
07 August CA Montreal, QC Heavy Montreal
20 August US Minneapolis, MN U.S. Bank Stadium^
* With guests Black Stone Cherry and Monster Truck
† With guests Black Stone Cherry, Red Sun Rising and Monster Truck
^ With Metallica and Avenged Sevenfold
Multi-national newcomer sensation BLUES PILLS have revealed the cover artwork for their eagerly awaited second album. 'Lady In Gold' will be released on August 5, 2016 and will contain 10 brand new tracks (see full tracklisting below).
Bassist, founding member and main songwriter Zach Anderson comments: "The design comes from the dutch artist Marijke Koger-Dunham who already worked with us for the first album cover. We are super proud to have the opportunity to work again with such a legendary artist who has even worked with THE BEATLES, CREAM and many more. The original design was made by her 50 years ago. We worked together to adapt the colors to fit the mood of the album. Hopefully our fans will like it as much as we do."
Commented singer Elin Larsson on the choice of the album's title: "Lady gold is a character who symbolizes death. We wanted a twist on the typical stereotype of death being the grim reaper. So instead we made her a lady in gold."
Lady In Gold tracklisting:
01. Lady In Gold
02. Little Boy Preacher
03. Burned Out
04. I Felt A Change
05. Gone So Long
06. Bad Talkers
07. You Gotta Try
08. Won't Go Back
09. Rejection
10. Elements And Things
Just like it's highly successful predecessor 'Lady In Gold' was once again produced by Don Alsterberg (GRAVEYARD, DIVISION OF LAURA LEE, JOSÉ GONZÁLEZ, JERRY WILLIAMS).
Blues Pills have just announced a UK Tour for later this year. Tickets on sale now, available from the links below:
1st November – Wolverhampton – Slade Rooms
2nd November – Classic Grand – Glasgow
4th November – Voodoo Lounge – Dublin
5th November – Club Academy – Manchester
6th November – London – Koko
8th November – Bristol – Marble Factory
Welsh fans need not dismay as Blues Pills will be playing Steelhouse Festival in Gwent on 23rd July.
Brighton rockers CITY OF ASHES are pleased to reveal the details of their new single 'Vipers Nest', taken from the bands brand new album ‘Rise’. Some bands like to write music about their life experiences but CITY OF ASHES like to capture their fans imagination and run.
Check out the lyric video for 'Vipers Nest' here:
"Vipers Nest is something a little different for us. It's far more aggressive than I've been as a writer in the past and far less forgiving thematically and stylistically." explains front man Orion Powell, "It's a song about not tolerating what you see as unjust. We felt it was the right time to show people that side of our sound."
The new album saw the band sell out their album release show in London, after hitting the road with Scottish quintet Yashin last month. Their last single 'Battles Of My Youth' received continued support from Kerrang Radio's Alex Baker, with the video accumulating over 20,000 views in just a few weeks.
Live dates:
May
14th - Upload Festival, Warehouse 23, Wakefield
June
15th - Southampton Joiners
16th - London Black Heart
17th - Swansea Scene Club
18th - TBC
19th - Norwich B2
20th - Guildford Boileroom
Following the success of their recent single / video for “So Fine”, Canadian hard-rock three piece, DOUBLE EXPERIENCE have finally released the highly anticipated follow up video " THE GLIMMER SHOT", which you can view here:
With the success of the bands previous UK and Ireland tour back in 2014, Double Experience will be returning to our shores for another display of unbridled high-energy, hard rock, with an extensive list of dates across Ireland and the UK in May (see dates below). The bands latest album, “Unsaved Progress”, sees them indulge in what can be described as a “Fall Out Boy meets Danko Jones” formula, with a heavy dose of Queens of the Stone Age thrown in for good measure!
Having recorded the album with the help of Al Jacob and Kit Walters (letlive) and mastered by Jamie King (Between The Buried And ME, Devin Townsend) and produced by Jayson DeZuzio (COHEED AND CAMBRIA) in North Carolina, the first single from the album “So Fine” was released last month to critical acclaim. Watch it here:
As announced earlier this month, Double Experience will be taking to the stage in Dublin's Sin É venue on Friday May 13th, for a very special free event alongside Lionize - who will be taking time off from their UK tour with Less Than Jake, they will also be joined by Megacone as support.
This will be a "first come, first served" event, so arrive early to avoid disappointment. Details on this show can be found HERE.
CATCH DOUBLE EXPERIENCE ON TOUR THIS MAY!
May 03 Lady Luck, Canterbury
May 04 The Victoria, Swindon
May 05 Dog & Whistle, HETFORD
May 06 Club 85, Hitchin
May 07 The Scene, Swansea
May 08 YARP Festival, FOLKESTONE
May 10 Talking Heads, Southampton
May 11 The Arches, Coventry
May 12 Rewind (FOCUS Wales), Wrexham
May 13 Sin E, Dublin (Ireland)
May 14 The Pavilion, Belfast, (Ireland)
May 16 The Skerries, Bangor
May 17 Zombie Shack, Manchester
May 18 O'Rileys, Hull
May 19 Actress & Bishop, Birmingham
May 20 PI BAR, Leicester
May 21 The Scene, Swansea
May 22 Crofters, Bristol
May 25 Krazyhouse, Liverpool
May 26 Flat 0/1, Glasgow
May 27 Derby Hotel, Barrow infurness
May 28 Kiko Rocks, Bolton
May 29 SCORPFEST, NOTTINGHAM
Warner Bros Records/Warner Music Nashville’s Frankie Ballard returns to UK this autumn for another highly anticipated tour. His recent sold out tour and upcoming shows are another sign of the rockin’ Michigan native’s growing popularity as he prepares to release his new album, El Rio, later this year in the UK.
"Our first trip was such a great time, we decided to come back for more,” says Ballard. “I'm anxious to see how the new album reacts overseas...it'll have its sea-legs by October!"
Ballard’s first foray overseas included sold-out shows at London’s Hoxton Bar and Brooklyn Bowl. The new tour is much more ambitious with 10 dates, beginning Oct. 3 in Amsterdam. He then travels to Hamburg and Munich, Germany, before hitting Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds, Birmingham, Brighton, London and Dublin. Each has a rich pageantry of rock ‘n’ roll history, something Ballard taps into when he write and records his music.
UK TOUR - OCTOBER
7th – Manchester, Academy 3
8th - Glasgow, Oran Mor
9th - Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
11th - Birmingham, O2 Academy 2
12th - Brighton, Concorde 2
13th - London, Bush Hall
U.S. fans can catch Ballard on the road all summer.
ANTI-FLAG ANNOUNCE HEADLINE UK SHOW IN PORTSMOUTH
FOLLOWING APPEARANCE AT DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL ON JUNE 11th
Anti-Flag, Pittsburgh's incendiary punk rock iconoclasts, have added a one-off UK headliner at the Wedgewood Rooms in Portsmouth in the wake of their appearance at this year’s prestigious Download event, where they play on Saturday, June 11th.
Details of the headline show are as follows:-
Sunday, June 12th – Portsmouth, Wedgewood Rooms
The band, whose latest studio album ‘American Spring’ was released via Spinefarm in May 2015, recently issued a limited edition clear vinyl LP in support of Record Store Day 2016; titled ‘Live Acoustic At 11th Street Records’, this is a nine-track outing featuring songs such as ‘Fabled World’ & ‘Brandenburg Gate’.
