Concert Dates, Concert Tour News, Artist Information

American Idol Goes Indie

How’s that for a headline you never thought you’d read?  Taylor Hicks, winner of season five of the popular television show American Idol, has announced that he’ll release his next album on the indie label Artist to Market, with some assistance from his own Modern Whomp Records, after being dropped from J Records earlier this year.  Hicks hopes that the record, scheduled for a February 2009 release, will give him a chance to “connect more directly with audiences.”  Hicks beat the odds when he won the talent search show, as his appearance was initially considered a hindrance.

“I’m very much enjoying being in the studio with Simon and working on the new album and look forward to releasing it,” Hicks said.  His self-titled debut went platinum, no surprise thanks to the fan base the singer had already gained with his performances on the show.  Plus, being the underdog never hurts.    His debut rose to the number two spot on Billboard 200 and Top Internet Albums charts, propelled by the success of such singles as “Takin’ It To The Streets” and “Just To Feel That Way.”  It’s apparent that Hicks is eyeing a long-term career that was sparked by his appearance on the show, and not just a flash in the pan that mainly was the show.

Get your Taylor Hicks tickets at Stubhub.com.

My Morning Jacket Frontman Injured

Jim James, My Morning Jacket’s singer/guitarist, was injured in a fall during a concert at the University of Iowa on Tuesday. According to the Cedar Rapids newspaper The Gazette, James slipped and fell about 30 minutes into the show (in between songs) and hit his head. Consequently, the remainder of My Morning Jacket’s show was canceled. James, whose real name in James Olliges Junior, has been treated and released, according to spokesman Tom Moore of University Hospitals on Wednesday.

The Southern rock band will wrap up its North American leg of its current tour in Chicago this month before travelling to Europe for performances in Dublin, Brussels, Amsterdam, Copenhagen and more. James is expected to be ready to perform the band’s scheduled concerts.
Get your My Morning Jacket tickets at Stubhub.com.

The Kills find their tour bus

You may not be familiar with the mysterious incident surrounding the Kills tour bus. While performing at a gig last week in Austin, the bluesy-punky duo were expecting the tour bus they had rented (along with its driver) to meet them there in Texas. The bus never showed up, naturally, and at the time, the Kills’ Alison Mosshart said the FBI had gotten involved and the driver was suspected of committing grand theft auto and of being in trouble with the law.

Well, they found the bus. The NME reports it was found by police abandoned in a Los Angeles parking lot with all the band’s gear and personal belongings apparently untouched. The last location that could be confirmed for the bus before this was the Prevost dealership in L.A. that it departed from. Where’s the driver? We may never know.

But in any case, try to keep ahold of your own transportation and get your butt in line for an upcoming show. Concert tickets for your favorite bands can be found at Stubhub.com.

Capitol Records gives vinyl lovers a treat

Though they’re growing fewer and fewer with number with each passing year, there’s still plenty of hardcore music junkies around that not only remember what vinyl records are, but appreciate the way an album sounds in that format. Sadly, vinyl releases tend to be very limited, and are much harder to get in this age of the almighty download.

But Capitol Records is giving vinyl lovers some hope. The infamous label has recently embarked on a project to reissue some of their finest releases on vinyl, so those classic records you’ve always wanted to hear on wax will be available. After reissuing most of Coldplay and Radiohead’s discography (barring their most recent releases), R.E.M.’s Document and Steve Miller Band’s Greatest Hits (1974-78), the label has offered up John Lennon’s Imagine and Rock ’N’ Roll, Jimi Hendrix’ Band of Gypsies, and the Beach Boys albums Pet Sounds and Endless Summer.

Beach Boys fans should love that. Of course, if you’re still jonesing to see the band live, you can get concert tickets and do so. Beach Boys tickets are at Stubhub.com.