Rock The Vote Presents the “Hey, America Feels Kinda’ Cool Again” Inaugural Gala Featuring BEASTIE BOYS, SHERYL CROW, CITIZEN COPE and Friends
Monday, January 19 at the 9:30 Club in Washington DC

Fresh off their combined efforts on the Get Out and Vote ‘08 voter awareness tour, Beastie Boys and Sheryl Crow will play full sets at a very special all ages Inaugural Gala presented by Rock The Vote. Citizen Cope and Justin Jones will round out the bill.

The all ages show will take place Monday, January 19 at the 9:30 Club in Washington DC. Doors will be at 8 p.m. and the show will begin at 9 p.m.
Tickets will be on sale 10 a.m. Saturday, January 10 at http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase?orgid=3595&pid=6424993 or 800.955.5566.

All tickets will be will call only. Valid photo ID must be presented to claim tickets. There is a 4 ticket limit per customer. Net proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Rock The Vote.

MERGE RECORDS 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION CONTINUES:
XX MERGE FIVE-DAY MUSIC FESTIVAL CONFIRMED FOR JULY 22-26
THE SHINS JOIN MERGE COVERS ALBUM LINE-UP
SCORE! Merge Records: The First 20 Years Subscription FINAL DEADLINE JAN. 11
http://www.mergerecords.com/score/

Merge Records’ 20th Anniversary festivities continue with this week’s announcement of XX MERGE, five days of live music from Merge artists past and present taking place in the label’s native North Carolina July 22-26. Lineup and ticket information will be announced shortly.

XX Merge will be commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Merge label, which began in 1989 in Chapel Hill NC, with a handful of 4-track recordings, a couple of cassette tapes, and some hand-stuffed 7″ vinyl. Literally hundreds of singles, albums, and late nights later, Merge will be celebrating its past, present and future throughout 2009. XX Merge will be the label’s party to mark this anniversary: five days of music by Merge artists past and present in the summer heat of sunny North Carolina.

In other Merge 20th news, The Shins are the latest contributors to hand in their track for the Merge covers album featured in the SCORE! Merge Records: The First 20 years subscription-only box set, joining a line-up featuring Ryan Adams, Bright Eyes, Broken Social Scene, Death Cab For Cutie, The National, the New Pornographers and many others. SCORE! subscribers will receive the covers collection a month ahead of its April retail release.

It was also announced this morning that the subscription deadline for SCORE! has been extended to January 11. SCORE! is a year’s worth of music and exclusive artwork and bonus material available exclusively via subscription at http://www.mergerecords.com/score. Subscribers will receive 14 Merge compilations curated by the likes of Peter Buck, Amy Poehler, David Byrne, Miranda July and Jonathan Lethem, the SCORE! Covers album of non-Merge artists playing their favorite tracks from the Merge catalogue, a remix collection featuring reinterpretations of Merge classics, the MRG discography cover art book, and bonuses including a full-length Scharpling & Wurster CD, Superchunk’s digital-only live bootleg The Clambakes Vol 4.: Sur La Bouche–Live in Montreal 1993, and many more.

All proceeds from SCORE! Merge Records: The First 20 Years project will benefit specific charitable causes handpicked by the curators.

LIVE CHAT SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY

Andrew Bird’s Noble Beast can be heard in advance of its January 20th release date thanks to NPR’s Exclusive First Listen series. Joining such esteemed company as Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney and Youth’s The Fireman, and Neil Young, Andrew’s Noble Beast is the fourth installment of NPR’s Exclusive First Listen and is currently streaming in its entirety:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98679384

As an added bonus, Andrew will be taking questions from fans as well as NPR’s Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton in a LIVE WEBCHAT this Thursday afternoon at 1pm EST at www.NPR.org/music

Early reaction to Noble Beast has already taken Bird’s press profile to a new level, with a four-page feature in THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/magazine/04bird-t.html) and a piece atop this month’s Cultural Divide in VANITY FAIR.

Release date is still set for January 20th on Fat Possum records and more tour dates have just been announced:

01/25/09 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of the Living Arts
01/28/09 – New York, NY – Carnegie Hall
01/30/09 – Boston, MA – Orpheum Theatre
02/03/09 – Washington, DC – 930 Club
02/04/09 – Atlanta, GA – The Variety Playhouse
02/06/09 – Orlando, FL – The Plaza Theatre
02/07/09 – New Orleans, LA – House of Blues
02/12/09 – Austin, TX – The Paramount Theatre – Solo Show
02/13/09 – Albuquerque, NM – The El Rey Theater
02/14/09 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theater
02/15/09 – San Diego, CA – SOMA
02/18/09 – Los Angeles, CA – The Orpheum Theatre
02/19/09 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
02/20/09 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
02/21/09 – Portland, OR – The Roseland Theater
02/23/09 – Seattle, WA – The Moore Theater
02/24/09 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory
02/25/09 – Murray, UT – The Murray Theater
02/26/09 – Denver, CO – The Ogden Theater
02/27/09 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown
03/15/09 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant
03/17/09 – Tulsa, OK – Cain’s Ballroom
03/21/09 – Houston, TX – House of Blues
03/22/09 – Dallas, TX – Granada Theater
03/23/09 – Oxford, MS – The Lyric Oxford
04/03/09 – Toronto, ON – Queen Elizabeth Theatre
04/04/09 – Montreal, QC – Le National
04/05/09 – South Burlington, VT – Higher Ground
04/07/09 – Pittsburgh, PA – Carnegie Music Hall
04/10/09 – Chicago, IL – The Civic Opera House
04/11/09 – Minneapolis, MN – The State Theater

SUBMISSIONS ACCEPTED AT Begintransmission.afireinside.net BEGINNING SAT. DEC. 20
FOLLOW-UP TO 1,000,000+ SELLING DECEMBERUNDERGROUND DUE IN 2009

AFI is inviting its fans, as vocalist Davey Havok puts it, “to be a part of the record, very literally. We’d like to invite you to come and sing on this new record that we’re making.”

Havok, guitarist Jade Puget, bassist Hunter and drummer Adam Carson are asking fans to submit videos (maximum two minutes in length), providing personal background, interests, etc. ultimately proving why he or she should be chosen to be a part of the new AFI album.

Submissions will be accepted at Begintransmission.afireinside.net from Saturday, December 20th through Sunday, January 4th. The band will watch each and every entry and will choose five winners to sing on a track on the new record. One additional winner will be chosen by AFI fans who will be able to vote on submissions posted at the AFI site.

AFI’s as yet untitled eighth record follows up DECEMBERUNDERGROUND, which was released on 6/6/06, debuted at #1 on the U.S. album chart, and went on to sell over a million copies. By January 2007, AFI had taken home an MTV Video Music Award (Best Rock Video for “Miss Murder”), scaled the year end best lists of ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, ROLLING STONE, BLENDER, ALTERNATIVE PRESS, SPIN and REVOLVER, and made a debut appearance on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.

“A rare non-terrible pop-classical crossover”–NEW YORK

“Breathtaking… effortless integration of different traditions”–TIME

“A triumph of creativity”–THE HUFFINGTON POST

January 13 will see the U.S. digital release of two distinctive remixes–one by Diplo and one by Kwes–of “Monkey Bee,” a track from MONKEY: JOURNEY TO THE WEST (XL Recordings), the acclaimed album based on the Mandarin Opera reinterpreted by GORILLAZ creators Damon Albarn (music) and Jamie Hewlett (visuals).

Additionally MONKEY: JOURNEY TO THE WEST was recently given an ultra deluxe treatment by UK-based Vinyl Factory. Limited to 2000 copies worldwide, each signed and numbered package comes in a hand-made, black cloth-bound gold-foiled box containing four exclusive Jamie Hewlett giclee art prints on Somerset archival paper, each stamped and numbered, one signed and dated. Housed in a red, gold-foiled folio; a cloth-bound hardback 84-page art book; two super-heavyweight 200-gram vinyl LPs featuring six bonus tracks not on the commercial release, and more. Additionally every purchase of the Box Set includes a digital version of the album. Further information can be found at http://www.vinylfactory.co.uk/shop/monkey_le/index.php.

MONKEY: JOURNEY TO THE WEST was first staged June 28, 2007 in the UK at the inaugural Manchester International Festival, when world-renowned theatre, opera and film director Chen Shi-Zheng enlisted Albarn and Hewlett to provide unique, modern musical and visual interpretations of the themes and characters of this most beloved work of Chinese folklore. The result was a new stage show for the 21st century that recast an ancient Chinese legend as a dazzling spectacle involving nearly 40 Chinese circus acrobats, martial artists and singers, and an orchestra of both Western and traditional Chinese instruments. MONKEY has since played to sold-out houses across Europe, made its U.S. debut at the 2008 Spoleto Festival USA, played at London’s famed Royal Opera House, and is in the midst of an extended London run in a specially built tented theater adjacent to the O2 Arena.

The Rhumb Line Makes ROLLING STONE Best of 2008, NPR Listeners’ Best Lists

“Gorgeous orchestral rock anthems that find sorrow and loss are inextricable from understanding joy”–ROLLING STONE Best Albums of 2008

With a still growing number of Best of 2008 lists under their collective belt, the young men and women of RA RA RIOT have confirmed a next round of touring, kicking off January 30, 2009 and including a UK run, a Paris one-off, appearances at the Langerado and Noise Pop festivals, and headline gigs including the El Rey in Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, RA RA RIOT’s debut full length The Rhumb Line (Barsuk) has begun surfacing on multiple Best of 2008 lists, including NPR’s Listeners’ Poll, ROLLING STONE’s Best Albums (”Dying Is Fine” also placed on RS’ Best Songs of 2008), as well as STEREOGUM, FILTER and more to come.

For a full list of next year’s confirmed RA RA RIOT dates, see below.

1/22 – Bowery Ballroom (New York NY) Planned Parenthood Benefit with Regina Spektor (SOLD OUT)
1/30 – Colgate University (Hamilton, NY)
1/31 – Smith Opera House (Geneva, NY)
2/11 – Barfly (Birmingham)
2/12 – King Tuts (Glasgow)
2/14 – Academy 2 (Newcastle)
2/15- Night and Day (Manchester)
2/16 – Bodega (Nottingham)
2/17 – Borderline (London)
2/18 – La Fleche D’or (Paris)
2/21 – Richard’s on Richards (Vancouver, BC)!@
2/24 – Doug Fir Lounge (Portland, OR)!@
2/25 – Neumos (Seattle, WA)!@
2/27 – The Independent (San Francisco, CA) (Noise Pop)!@
2/28 – El Rey Theatre (Los Angeles, CA)!@
3/1 – The Loft (San Diego, CA)!@
3/2 – Detroit Bar (Costa Mesa, CA) !@
3/8 – Langerado Music Festival (Miami, FL)
3/10 – The Parish @ HOB (New Orleans, LA)#
3/11 – Walter’s on Washington (Houston, TX)#
3/12 – Cine El Rey (McAllen, TX)#
3/13 – The White Rabbit (San Antonio, TX)#
3/14 – Granada Theatre (Dallas, TX)#
3/16 – The Slowdown (Omaha, NE)#
3/18 – The Conservatory (Oklahoma City, OK)$
3/24 – The Cinemat (Bloomington, IN)$
3/26 – The Blind Pig (Ann Arbor, MI)$

! w/ Cut Off Your Hands
@ w/ Telekinesis
# w/ Tokyo Police Club
$ w/ Passion Pit

Available Digitally Monday December 15th at www.Miroir-Noir.com
DVD Formats Available for 2009 Delivery
Arcade Fire will release the documentary film Miroir Noir online this Monday, December 15th.

The film follows Arcade Fire through the making and touring of their 2007 album Neon Bible, documenting the band at their Montreal studio, the making of promotional films and videos, along with live footage and a few short films made on the road.

Miroir Noir is directed by Arcade Fire friend and collaborator Vincent Morisset. Vincent was responsible for the interactive video for the song “Neon Bible” and for the Arcade Fire web design. The film was shot by Vincent Moon.

The digital download and standard edition DVD feature the 70 minute film Miroir Noir. The deluxe edition DVD contains bonus material including Arcade Fire’s live performances on Jonathon Ross, Saturday Night Live and at Maida Vale.
The 70 minute film will be available globally at www.Miroir-Noir.com on December 15th as a one-off download in two sizes to suit preferred players. The physical standard and deluxe DVDs are planned for 2009 delivery (with digital versions delivered instantly).

Opening Reception Thursday, January 8, 2009 7-10 p.m.

Beginning with a January 8 opening reception and running through January 29, Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles will present UNDER THE INFLUENCE: An Official Tribute To BEASTIE BOYS.
UNDER THE INFLUENCE is an all-original collection or works inspired by the music of Beastie Boys, with participating artists from all over the country, including Alex Pardee (SF), Axis (L.A.), Dave Flores (Santa Barbara), Jason D’Aquino (NY), Plush artist Jen Rarey (KC), Le Merde (Portland), Mark Brown (Idaho), Matt Dangler (NJ), Mear One (L.A.), Scott Schiedly (FL), Tristan Eaton (NY) and literally dozens more. A complete listing of participating artists can be found at www.88Beasties.Blogspot.com.
A portion of this show’s proceeds will benefit Gramercy Housing Group (www.gramercyhousinggroup.org)

Gallery 1988 is located at 7020 Melrose Ave Los Angeles CA 90038
http://www.nineteeneightyeight.com/entry/future.html

For further information re: Gallery 1988 contact Jensen gallery1988@aol.com 323 937 7088
For further information re: Beastie Boys contact Steve Martin or Laura Eldeiry at nasty little man 212 343 0740 or laura@nastylittleman.com

Three-time Grammy winner Beck stands to add two more awards to his career tally at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards on February 8.

Beck’s Modern Guilt, released earlier this year to universal rave reviews, has now received a nomination for Best Alternative Music Album as well as a citation in co-producer Danger Mouse’s nomination in the Producer of the Year, Non-Classical category.

Beck has three previous Grammy wins to his credit: Two Best Alternative Music Performance award for the albums Mutations and Odelay and one Best Male Rock Vocal Performance award for the song “Where It’s At.”

Nods In Six Other Categories

Radiohead’s In Rainbows has been nominated for the highest honor at the 51st annual Grammy Awards: The Album of the Year category.

Additionally, In Rainbows has been nominated for Best Alternative Music Album and Best Boxed or special Limited Edition Package , the track “House Of Cards” has received nods in the Best Rock Song, Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals and Best Short Form Music Video divisions, while producer Nigel Godrich is up for for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical for his work on the album, bringing the tally to a total of seven nominations.

Additionally, Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood’s There Will Be Blood has been nominated for Best Score Soundtrack Album.

For further information, contact Steve Martin or Laura Eldeiry at nasty little man. 212-343-0740 / laura@nastylittleman.com