July 2006

The FloydFest family grew a little larger this weekend, welcoming a number of new musical members into the fold. With seven stages, there was plenty of opportunity for collaboration, and many of FloydFest

harlotte Martin is announcing the release of her new album, ‘Stromata.’ The follow-up to 2004’s ‘On Your Shore’, which Paper Magazine called “a little bit opera and a little bit goth ‘n’ roll” will be released on her own Dinosaur Fight Records on September 12th.

This is the second full-length from the classically trained singer, songwriter and pianist, who has toured with Damien Rice, The Cardigans, Liz Phair and others. Over the last year, Charlotte has developed a strong do-it-yourself aesthetic, self-releasing an EP and a live DVD,touring on several largely sold-out headlining runs, and starting Dinosaur Fight records with producer and former Failure front man Ken Andrews. To preview the album, Dinosaur Fight is releasing three exclusively digital EPs leading up to the release of ‘Stromata.’ The first two EPs include the single “Stromata” and two non-LP tracks. The final EP, slated for release on August 22, will include “Stromata,” the “Stromata” music video, and one non-LP track.

To support the album, Charlotte will embark on a nationwide headlining tour. Confirmed dates are below:

September 12 – Denver, CO – The Walnut Room
September 14 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theatre
September 16 – Urbana, IL – The Canopy Club
September 17 – Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern
September 19 – Boston, MA – The Paradise Lounge
September 21 – Washington, DC – Jammin Java
September 22 – Hoboken, NJ – Maxwell’s
September 23 – Philadelphia, PA – World Caf

The Decemberists will kick off a North American tour with an Oct. 17-18 stand in the band’s native Portland, Ore. The month-long trek will wrap up on Nov. 18 in Vancouver and will feature support from Lavender Diamond and former Appendix Out member Alasdair Roberts.

One dollar from each ticket purchased via presales or the Decemberists’ Web site will be donated to Ethos, which aims to spread music education to children of all backgrounds.

As previously reported, the Decemberists recently left their indie home at Kill Rock Stars and moved to Capitol Records, which will release the band’s new album, “The Crane Wife,” on Oct. 3.

“We felt that in some ways, if we continued putting out records on [Kill Rock Stars], we’d totally be fine. But we also felt like we needed to kind of up the ante a little bit,” frontman Colin Meloy recently told Billboard.com. “One should only move to a major label when one can pretty much call the shots. Luckily for us, we have an audience which is amazing and extremely loyal. When you show that to a major label, you’re showing them you’re doing fine on your own.”

Here are the Decemberists’ tour dates:

Oct. 17-18: Portland, Ore. (Crystal Ballroom)
Oct. 19: San Francisco (Warfield Theater)
Oct. 21: Los Angeles (the Wiltern)
Oct. 22: Tucson, Ariz. (Rialto Theater)
Oct. 24: Austin, Texas (Stubb’s)
Oct. 25: Dallas (Gypsy Ballroom)
Oct. 26: New Orleans (House of Blues)
Oct. 27: Atlanta (Tabernacle)
Oct. 29-30: Washington (9:30 Club)
Oct. 31: Northampton, Mass. (Calvin Theater)
Nov. 1: Philadelphia (Electric Factory)
Nov. 3: New York (Hammerstein Ballroom)
Nov. 4: Boston (Orpheum Theater)
Nov. 5: Montreal (Metropolis)
Nov. 6: Toronto (Kool Haus)
Nov. 7: Pontiac, Mich. (Clutch Cargo)
Nov. 9: Cleveland (Agora Theater)
Nov. 10: Columbus, Ohio (Lifestyle Communities Pavilion)
Nov. 11: Chicago (Riviera Theater)
Nov. 12: Minneapolis (First Avenue)
Nov. 14: Denver (Paramount Theater)
Nov. 16: Missoula, Mont. (Wilma Theater)
Nov. 17: Seattle (Paramount Theater)
Nov. 18: Vancouver (Commodore Ballroom)

Souce billboard.com.

Beck, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Muse, the Shins and Rogue Wave lead the lineup for the California edition of the Download Festival, to be held Sept. 30 at Shoreline Amphitheatre outside San Francisco.

Wolfmother, Coheed & Cambria, Kinky and the Mutaytor will also perform at the event, tickets for which go on sale Sunday (July 30).

As previously reported, 311, Jurassic 5, the Wailers, G. Love & Special Sauce and the Dropkick Murphys will perform at the East Coast version of Download, set for Aug. 20 at the Tweeter Center outside Boston.

Download inaugurated its American edition last fall at Shoreline Amphitheatre with a bill featuring the Killers, Modest Mouse, the Arcade Fire, Doves and H.I.M., among others.

Source billboard.com.

Indie rock buzz band Tapes ‘N Tapes will begin a fresh round of U.S. touring Oct. 19 in Columbia, Mo. The trek will come on the heels of a late August/early September U.K. run that includes appearances at the Reading and Leeds festivals. The group’s debut album, “The Loon,” was initially self-released but was reissued Tuesday by XL Recordings.

Tapes ‘N Tapes’ tour dates:

Oct. 19: Columbia, Mo. (Mojo’s)
Oct. 21: Louisville (Phoenix Hill Tavern)
Oct. 22: Birmingham, Ala. (Bottletree)
Oct. 24: Tallahassee, Fla. (Club Downunder)
Oct. 25: Gainesville, Fla. (Common Grounds)
Oct. 26: Orlando, Fla. (the Social)
Oct. 27: St. Augustine, Fla. (Cafe 11)
Oct. 28: Athens, Ga. (Tasty World)
Oct. 29: Atlanta (the Loft)
Oct. 30: Chapel Hill, N.C. (Local 506)
Oct. 31: Washington, D.C. (Black Cat)

Source billboard.com.