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Radiohead, Kings Of Leon Among Reading And Leeds Performers

Eva Lam — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 02:06:50 +0000

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Radiohead, Kings of Leon and Arctic Monkeys have been tapped to headline this summer’s Reading and Leeds Festivals in the U.K.

The festivals are among the country’s largest annual music showcases and will be held in two different parts of England over the Bank Holiday weekend from Aug. 28 to 30. Most of the performers will play both events.

Among the other confirmed bands: Fall Out Boy, Bloc Party, Kaiser Chiefs, the Prodigy, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Vampire Weekend, Placebo, Deftones, Funeral for a Friend, Maximo Park, White Lies and Glasvegas.

Tickets went on sale Monday; more information can be found at the festivals’ websites here and here.

Radiohead will be making their debut headline performances at the festivals, though the Oxford-based group previously played Reading in 1994. The band picked up two wins at this year’s Grammy Awards, including best alternative music album for “In Rainbows.”

Arctic Monkeys Win Big At NME Awards

Eva Lam — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 11:24:01 +0000

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Arctic Monkeys landed themselves a hat-trick on Thursday, winning three trophies at Britain’s NME Awards.

The garage rock band from Sheffield, England took the prizes for best British band, best track for “Fluorescent Adolescent” and best video for “Teddy Picker.”

The quartet had seven nominations going into the NME ceremony in Greenwich, London, and were called “the biggest band of a generation” by the U.K.-based music magazine.

It’s been a bit of a winning streak for the group, who won best band and best album at the BRIT Awards on Feb. 20.

The BRITs are voted on by members of Britain’s music industry, while the NME awards are chosen by readers of the magazine.

Other NME winners on Thursday included the Klaxons, who won best album for “Myths of the Near Future,” and Kate Nash, who edged out Amy Winehouse to take best solo artist.

Muse won for best live band, and best new band went to The Enemy.

Welsh band Manic Street Preachers were honoured with NME’s Godlike Genius Award, and played three of their songs at the ceremony.

A few of the other prizes handed out included:
- Best International Artist: The Killers
- Best Live Event: a tie between the Reading and Leeds music festivals
- Best Radio Show: Zane Lowe on BBC Radio
- Hero of the Year: Pete Doherty
- Villain of the Year: U.S. President George W. Bush
- Worst Album: “Blackout” by Britney Spears

Review: Toronto’s Virgin Festival, Day One

andPOP Staff — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:57:41 +0000

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With a weaker line-up than on Sunday, the advantage for Virgin Festival Day One was in a sunny, blue sky and a light, cool breeze. With only a few bands that I really wanted to catch, the day was spent mostly walking between the stages, enjoying the atmosphere of another concert festival on the beautiful Toronto Islands (versus the sparse fields and dusty bowl of Barrie’s Molson Park, the only comparably-sized/suited venue in the Greater Toronto Area).

I started off at one of two side-stages, catching the latter half of a set from local Arts & Crafts-ters The Most Serene Republic. Lead singer Adrian Jewett was clearly having fun, rolling around on the huge and bouncing around like a sugared-up kid. Their new album, Population (due out October 2 on A&C), was featured prominently, and it sounds great, with Jewett having toned down some of the nasally vocals that grated slightly on their first LP.

After an extended stop at the autograph tent for a significantly delayed appearance from Interpol’s Paul Banks and Sam Fogarino (they arrived an hour and a half late, cruising in on a golf cart), I trekked over to the main stage as Arctic Monkeys finished up their set. The band is certainly proof of the power of the Internet in creating rock stars, garnering huge cheers and massive sing-alongs. But they also prove that this phenomenon of Myspace-sparked overnight success strips away the traditional approach of attracting fans through an incredible live show; the Monkeys are damn boring. They delivered hits like “Fake Tales of San Francisco” and “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor,” but simply mirror the recorded versions and didn’t even take a stab at audience interaction. Yawn.

Following their set was Interpol, another band short on banter. It didn’t help that the sun was still in the sky when they hit the stage, killing the dark mystique that so wonderfully complements their live show. Kicking off with “Pioneer to the Falls” from their new album, Our Love to Admire, the band put out a solid set of tracks mixed between all three of their records. One uncharacteristically light moment came with a mis-start on “No I in Threesome,” when Banks bemusedly announced, “I don’t know where I am,” and brought the rest of the band to a halt before they tried again.

Yet the real treat of the day (and the weekend, as it later proved) was Bjork, in her return to the Islands following a gig there on her own in 2003. Supporting her latest effort, Volta, Bjork also brought with her an apparent love of flags, as the stage was draped in brightly coloured, mediaeval-style banners featuring various animals. Even her horn section/backup singers (one in the same, incredibly), dressed in solid-coloured jumpsuits, had flags protruding above their heads.

The singer herself bounded onto the stage with the explosion of confetti cannons, dancing emphatically in a frilly, multi-layered frock. Aside from the horn section, all musical support came from just three black-clad fellows, who moved between various electronic gadgets and other percussion instruments. Two big-screen TVs set up on the stage (and also projected on the larger, side-stage screens) gave close-up views of the electronic noodling.

The light show was also incredible, with huge bursts of red flames lighting up the stage during the very tribal “Earth Intruders.” During “Joga,” those who looked toward the back of the field were rewarded by the very neat effect of a green laser light sketching out random shapes and squiggles on the tree canopy.

Bjork herself is an amazing performer, engaging through the songs with endless energy and somewhat interpretive (without being silly) dancing, contrasted her cute, French thank-yous. With a set that also included “Army of Me,” “Hunter,” “Unravel,” “All is Full of Love,” and encore-closer “Declare Independence” (with its loudening cries of “Raise your flag! Higher, higher!”), it was certainly the highlight performance of the festival. Should Bjork return to Canada on her Volta tour, the show is not to be missed.

Still to come: our coverage of Virgin Festival Day Two, featuring Editors, The Killers, and Smashing Pumpkins.

Arctic Monkeys’ Bassist Sacked For Being Homesick

andPOP Staff — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 15:55:28 +0000

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British rockers ARCTIC MONKEYS fired bass player ANDY NICHOLSON last year because he refused to go on tour, fearing he would suffer from homesickness.

The 21-year-old mysteriously left the band days before last summer’s American tour – and only now have the band revealed why.

Frontman ALEX TURNER says, “I think Andy missed his girlfriend. I remember him saying to me, ‘I just wanna go to the park and take me dog for a walk.’”

Nicholson was replaced by NICK O’MALLEY.

Arctic Monkeys’ Toilet Stolen During Photo Shoot

andPOP Staff — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 17:14:33 +0000

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British rockers ARCTIC MONKEYS kept their cool when a toilet was stolen from a house they hired for a photo shoot.

The I BET YOU LOOK GOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR band set up an arty backdrop for their new album cover in three unoccupied houses in Liverpool, England, but their creative plans were scuppered when local kids ran away with a toilet from one of the houses.

However, the band refused to get angry and even managed to bond with the cheeky children.

A spokesman says, “The band hung out with the kids, signing guitars and stuff and having cups of tea with the neighbours.”

Arctic Monkey Turner Splits With Girlfriend

andPOP Staff — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 00:12:45 +0000

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ARCTIC MONKEY star ALEX TURNER has split up with his long-term girlfriend JOHANNA BENNETT.

The I BET YOU LOOK GOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR hitmaker has parted ways with the 22-year-old student after two years together because of the singer’s busy schedule.

Bennett says, “There’s no end to the love Alex and I share, we’ll always be best friends whatever the circumstances.”

Last year Bennett told reporters, “I hardly see him (Turner). It can be three to four weeks. Our relationship is one long text message.”

The Arctic Monkeys song DESPAIR IN THE DEPARTURE LOUNGE – written by Turner last year – tells of the troubles maintaining a relationship while out on the road.

Thom Yorke, Arctic Monkeys Make Mercury Shortlist

andPOP Staff — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 17:21:16 +0000

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The U.K.’s prestigious Mercury Prize has announced its shortlist of 12 nominees for the 2006 award.

The list includes Radiohead front-man Thom Yorke’s “The Eraser,” Muse’s “Black Holes & Revelations,” and Arctic Monkeys’ “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not” — the fastest-selling debut album ever in Britain.

The award has been given out annually since 1992, and is presented by a committee of industry representatives. The winner of this year’s prize will be announced at a gala on September 5.

“Above all, this year’s shortlist is about the art of the songwriter,” said Simon Frith, panel chairman for Mercury. “If you want to know what life is like in Britain today, listen to the country’s musicians.”

Previous winners of the prize include “Different Class” by Pulp, “The Hour of Bewilderbeast” by Badly Drawn Boy” and last year’s recipient, “I am a Bird Now” by Antony and the Johnsons.

Here’s the full shortlist for the 2006 Mercury Prize, according to Reuters:

Arctic Monkeys — “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not”
Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan — “Ballad of the Broken Seas”
Editors — “The Back Room”
Guillemots — “Through the Windowpane”
Richard Hawley — “Coles Corner”
Hot Chip — “The Warning”
Muse — “Black Holes & Revelations”
Zoe Rahman — “Melting Pot”
Lou Rhodes — “Beloved One”
Scritti Politti — “White Bread Black Beer”
Sway — “This is My Demo”
Thom Yorke — “The Eraser”