RADIO CITY, TOWER THEATER AND MORE ON SALE THIS WEEKEND

“Mesmerizing…The records are great, but watching him do it live is something every music fan ought to check out.”–SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

“We’ve been to a lot of concerts in our lifetime and there have been some pretty epic shows for sure, but it’s not often that we’re completely blown away by a single performer. Well, Andrew Bird’s performance Monday night at the Moore Theatre left us completely in awe. It’s that simple really. We literally found our mouths hanging open after nearly every song.”–SEATTLEST

“At one point he had his guitar slung behind his back, his violin and bow in one hand and a glockenspiel mallet in the other as he whistled into a microphone. He has a sweet, warbling, perfectly in-tune whistle – like a Walt Disney bluebird – that he floats through the rest of his musical constructions, sometimes in unison with the glockenspiel for an otherworldly effect.”–NEW YORK TIMES

In a profile of Andrew Bird coinciding with last month’s release of Noble Beast, VANITY FAIR remarked that his sold out Carnegie Hall show would likely be the “last chance to catch this Bird up close.”

VF has already been proven correct: Having sold nearly every ticket on his current spring tour, Bird has announced the first of a series of summer dates in the U.S. in which popular demand will see him stepping up to headline the likes of Radio City Music Hall, the Tower Theater in Philadelphia, Boston’s Bank of America Pavilion and Atlanta’s Cobb Energy Center. General on sale is March 7 for Atlanta, Philadelphia and Boston, and March 6 for New York. See below for the full list of dates.

Confirmed dates prior to the headline engagements include a one-off with the Decemberists June 8 at Washington DC’s Merriweather Post Pavilion and an appearance at this year’s Bonnaroo festival. General on sale for the DC show is March 6. Bird’s current U.S. tour concludes April 11 at Minneapolis’ State Theater, preceded by a two-night stand at Chicago’s Civic Opera House April 9 and 10.

Further dates will be announced as they are confirmed.

Released January 20 on Fat Possum Records, Noble Beast debuted at #12 on the U.S. album chart, selling over 25,000 units in its opening week. The debut was the highest of the week for an independent label release and second overall. Noble Beast was also that week’s highest selling record in Bird’s hometown of Chicago.

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

ANDREW BIRD SUMMER 2009

06/08/09- Washington DC – Merriweather Post Pavilion * Supporting Decemberists

06/11-14/09 – TBD – Manchester TN – Bonnaroo

06/15/09 – Atlanta, GA – Cobb Energy Center

06/17/09 – Philadephia, PA – Tower Theatre

06/18/09 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall

06/19/09 – Boston, MA – Bank of America Pavilion

NEW ALBUM NEARING COMPLETION, OUT LATER THIS YEAR
First AFI Live Show of 2009 Confirmed

Davey Havok, Jade Puget, Hunter Burgan and Adam Carson, collectively known as AFI, will be releasing their eight studio album, CRASH LOVE, later this year on Interscope Records.

The band and producer Joe McGrath were recently joined at Los Angeles’ Conway Studios by the winners of the recent Begin Transmission contest, in which the band members personally went through thousands of fan-made video submissions and chose a handful of entrants to contribute backing vocals to the new album.

The members of AFI also chose Honorable Mentions from the Begin Transmission contestants, each of whom received a handmade Valentine’s Day card by the member of AFI who chose him or her.

AFI will play its first live show of 2009 June 20 at Edgefest in Toronto. Tickets go on sale Saturday, February 28.

CRASH LOVE follows up two consecutive platinum AFI albums, 2006’s DECEMBERUNDERGROUND and 2003’s SING THE SORROW. AFI’s discography also
includes the full lengths THE ART OF DROWNING (2000), BLACK SAILS IN THE SUNSET (1999), SHUT YOUR MOUTH & OPEN YOUR EYES (1997), VERY PROUD OF YA (1996) and ANSWER THAT AND STAY FASHIONABLE (1995).

3-PACK FEATURING CLARITY’S “LUCKY DENVER MINT” ADDED TO ROCK BAND MUSIC STORE

Jimmy Eat World’s Clarity x 10 tour- a series of 10 one-time-only shows during which the band will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its Clarity album by playing the record in its entirety- has completely sold out in advance. The ten shows begin February 23–the 10th anniversary of Clarity’s original release date–at Terminal 5 in New York and conclude with a March 7 homecoming at the Marquee Theater in Tempe AZ.

The kick-off of the Clarity x 10 tour will coincide with Jimmy Eat World’s second appearance in the Rock Band music store: a 3-pack including “Lucky Denver Mint” from Clarity, as well as the title track from 2004’s Futures and “Sweetness” from the 2001’s Bleed American. Previously, Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle” was featured on the Rock Band 2 soundtrack. For more information on the Rock Band Music Store and Rock Band 2, please visit www.rockband.com.

Virtually ignored upon its 1999 release, Clarity has since amassed cult status as an overlooked masterpiece. The media ultimately came around to the record when it was reissued last year, with a 4.5 star BLENDER review hailing it as “masterful” and ALTERNATIVE PRESS calling it “one of the most beloved albums of the ’90s.” Ironically, it was Clarity’s initial failure that put Jimmy Eat World on the path to their eventual success: Left to its own devices after being dropped by Capitol, the band built up a base via relentless touring which funded the recording of their platinum-plus 2001 breakthrough Bleed American.

For further information, contact Steve Martin or Amy Grote at nasty little man 212-343-0740/amy@nastylittleman.com

SOLO ALBUM TO BE RELEASED IN ELEVEN CONFIGURATIONS PRICED FROM $7 TO $75,000
PHYSICAL RELEASE APRIL 14
Digital Pre-Release Exclusively at joshfreese.com Beginning March 24

Known the world over for his work with a multitude of artists including Nine Inch Nails, Devo, A Perfect Circle, Sting and the Vandals, journeyman drummer Josh Freese now unveils his latest full length solo effort Since 1972, in stores April 14 and available digitally at joshfreese.com from March 24.

Josh Freese has been playing drums professionally since his debut with a Disneyland Top 40 band at the age of 12. His recording and touring credits include work with the Vandals, Devo, A Perfect Circle, Guns N’ Roses, Sting, the Replacements and a host of others. Most recently, he left Nine Inch Nails following the completion of the band’s Lights In The Sky Over North America tour.

Since 1972, like his 2000 album The Notorious One Man Orgy, features Freese singing and playing more or less everything: vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass and of course drums.

Unlike previous solo Freese records, Since 1972 is available in a total of eleven configurations, ranging from a basic $7 digital download that also includes three videos to a $75,000 limited edition of 1 that includes one of Freese’s drum kits, a flying trapeze lesson and Freese either joining the purchaser’s band or becoming his or her personal assistant for one month.

A full list of configurations is detailed below. For further information, contact Steve Martin or Amy Grote at nasty little man t 212 343 0740 e amy@nastylittleman.com

JOSH FREESE: SINCE 1972
$7
-Digital Download of “Since 1972″ (including 3 videos)

$15
-CD/DVD Double Disc Set
-Digital Download

$50
-CD/DVD Double Disc Set
-T-shirt
-”Thank You” phone call from Josh for buying Since 1972. You can tell him what you like about the record that you purchased, or what you thought sucked. Ask whatever you want, like “Is Maynard really THAT weird?” or “Which on of Sting’s mansions has the comfiest beds?” or “Are Devo really Suburban Robots that monitor reality or just a bunch of Dads from Ohio?” or “Why don’t the Vandals play more stuff off the first record?” It’s your 5 minutes to yack it up. Talk about whatever you want.

$250 (limited edition of 25)
-Signed CD/DVD and digital download.
-T-shirt
-Signed Drum Head and Drumsticks.
-Go on a lunch date with Josh to PF Changs or The Cheesecake Factory (whatever you’re into.)

$500 (limited edition of 15)
-Signed CD/DVD and digital download
-T-shirt
-Signed Cymbal and sticks
-Meet Josh in Venice, CA and go floating together in a Sensory deprivation tank (filmed and posted on youtube)
-Dinner at Sizzler (get your $8.99 Steak and “all you can eat” Shrimp on)

$1,000 (limited edition of 10)
-Signed CD/DVD and digital download.
-T-shirt
-Signed Cymbal, Drum head and Drumsticks.
-Josh washes your car OR does your laundry….or you can wash his car.
-Have dinner with Josh aboard the “Queen Mary” in Long Beach, CA
-Get drunk and cut each other’s hair in the parking lot of the Long Beach courthouse (filmed and posted on youtube of course)

$2,500 (limited edition of 5)
-Signed CD/DVD and digital download.
-Get a private drum lesson with Josh or for all you non-drummers have him give you a back and foot massage (couples welcome)
-Pick any 1 member of the Vandals or DEVO (subject to availability) to accompany you and Josh to either the Hollywood Wax Museum or the lunch buffet at the “Spearmint Rhino”
-Signed DW snare drum.
-Take 3 items of your choice out of his closet (first come, first serve)
-Change diapers and make bottles with him for an afternoon (after hitting the strip club)

$5,000 (limited edition of 3)
-Signed CD/DVD and digital download.
-T-shirt
-Josh writes about a song about you and make available on iTunes.
-Co-direct a video with him for the song about you and throw it up on the youtubes.
-Josh gives you and a friend a private tour of Disneyland
-Get drunk together. If you don’t drink we can go to my Dads place and hang out under the “Tuba tree”
-Stone from Pearl Jam will send you a letter telling you about his favorite song on “Since 1972″

$10,000 (limited edition of 1)
-Signed CD/DVD and digital download
-T-shirt
-Signed DW snare drum from A Perfect Circle’s 2003 tour.
-Josh gives you a private drum lesson OR his and hers foot/back massage (couples welcome, discreet parking)
-Twiggy from Manson’s band and Josh take you and a guest to Roscoe’s Chicken n’ Waffle in Long Beach for dinner.
-Josh takes you and guest to “Club 33″ (the super-duper exclusive and private restaurant at Disneyland located above the Pirates Of The Caribbean) and then hit a couple rides afterwards (preferably the Tiki Room, Haunted Mansion and The Tower Of Terror)
-At the end of the day at Disneyland drive away in Josh’s Volvo station wagon. It’s all yours….take it. Just drop him off on your way home though please.

$20,000 (limited edition of 1)
-Signed CD/DVD and digital download.
-T-shirt
-A signed drum from the 2008 Nine Inch Nails tour.
-Maynard James Keenan, Mark from Devo and Josh take you miniature golfing and then drop you off on the side of the freeway (all filmed and posted on youtube)
-Josh gives you a tour of Long Beach. See his first apartment, the coffee shop on 2nd St where his buddy paid Dave Grohl $40 to rip up tile just weeks before joining “Nirvana.” See the old Vandals rehearsal spot, the liquor store he got busted using a Fake I.D. at when he was 17 (it was Dave from the Vandals old ID). Go check out Snoop Dogg’s high- school. For an extra 50 bucks see where Tom and Adrian from No Doubt live. For another $25 he’ll show ya where Eric from NOFX and Brooks from Bad Religion get their hair cut.
-Spend the night aboard the Queen Mary and take the “Ghosts And Legends” tour. (separate rooms…no spooning.)
-Josh writes 2 songs about you and it’s made available on iTUnes and appears on his next record (you can sing back up on em, clap, play the drums, triangle, whatever….)
-Drum lesson OR foot and back massage (once again…couples welcome and discreet parking available)
-Pick any 3 items out of Josh’s closet.

$75,000 (limited edition of 1)
-Signed CD/DVD and digital download
-T-shirt
-Go on tour with Josh for a few days.
-Have Josh write, record and release a 5 song EP about you and your life story.
-Take home any of his drumsets (only one but you can choose which one.)
-Take shrooms and cruise Hollywood in Danny from TOOL’s Lamborgini OR play quarters and then hop on the Ouija board for a while.
-Josh will join your band for a month…play shows, record, party with groupies, etc….
-If you don’t have a band he’ll be your personal assistant for a month (4 day work weeks, 10 am to 4 pm)
-Take a limo down to Tijuana and he’ll show you how it’s done (what that means exactly we can’t legally get into here)
-If you don’t live in Southern California (but are a US resident) he’ll come to you and be your personal assistant/cabana boy for 2 weeks.
-Take a flying trapeze lesson with Josh and Robin from NIN, go back to Robins place afterwards and his wife will make you raw lasagna.

Awards Presented Feb. 11 in NYC For Best Producers Of Short Content On Twitter

AFI bass player Hunter Burgan swept the vote in the music category of the 2008 Shorty Awards, an awards ceremony held last night in New York City honoring the best producers of content of 140 characters or less on Twitter.

The 2008 Shorty Awards were streamed 7:30 p.m. EST on Feb. 11 at http://shortyawards.com/ and were hosted by CNN anchor Rick Sanchez with special appearances from Shaquille O’Neal and MC Hammer.

Upon receiving his award, Hunter offered the following 140-character-or-less acceptance speech:
“Thanks 2 everyone who nominated/voted for me; my friends, fans & followers; readers of tranquilmammoth.com ; & especially all the @AFI fans.”

Adam Varga, COO of Shorty Awards creators Sawhorse Media, commented, “Hunter’s Twitter feed is filled with updates about his life and his band–it’s an open dialog with his fans and followers. Hunter is a perfect example of what The Shorty Awards highlight: people who use Twitter create engaging micro-content.”

AFI is presently in the final stages of completing its eighth studio album with producer Joe McGrath in Los Angeles, expected out later this year. AFI recently held a contest at http://begintransmission.afireinside.net that drew 850 fans to audition for the opportunity to perform on the forthcoming record. The resultant fan video submissions earned over 100,000 votes and over thousands of comments, with all tweets being displayed at http://begintransmission.afireinside.net/transmitter.

REMASTERED AL GREEN CLASSICS GREATEST HITS, I”M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU AND LET”S STAY TOGETHER TO BE FIRST THREE RELEASES UNDER HI/FAT POSSUM BANNER

“Some of the most visionary soul music of the Seventies”–Rolling Stone

Oxford, Mississippi based Fat Possum Records (Andrew Bird, Heartless Bastards, Wavves) has confirmed an exclusive license on the Hi Records catalogue. The first three releases under the Hi/Fat Possum deal, remastered versions of Al Green”s timeless Greatest Hits, I”m Still In Love With You and Let”s Stay Together, will be in stores March 31.

Al Green has long been hailed as the first great soul singer of the 1970s. Green”s Hi Records output in the early “70s melded his singing, often considered the last nbso online casino reviews great Southern soul voice, with immaculate productions crafted by Green and producer Willie Mitchell. This distinctive sound not only propelled Al Green to his status as the most popular and influential soul vocalist of the period, it helped make “Let”s Stay Together,” “Take Me To The River,” “Love and Happiness” and numerous other tracks from Green”s Hi catalogue classics for decades and generations to come.

Other Hi releases soon to be reissued under the Hi/Fat Possum exclusive license will include additional early “70s Green classics Gets Next To You, The Belle Album and Livin” For You, as well as albums by Ann Peebles, Otis Clay, Syl Johnson, Willie Mitchell and O.V. Wright.

Seven-Song $3.98 EP To Include Previously Unreleased “Hey There, Mrs. Lovely”

Four-time Grammy Award nominee Ryan Adams will release the digital-only EP Extra Cheese (Lost Highway/UMe), exclusively via iTunes on February 10, 2009. Extra Cheese features six previously issued tracks plus the previously unreleased “Hey There, Mrs. Lovely,” for the recession-friendly price of $3.98.

Adams has been performing “Hey There, Mrs. Lovely” live since 1999 but has never song committed the fan favorite to a studio record until now. The other six tracks on the EP are a sampling of love songs culled from Adams’ impressive oeuvre: “Answering Bell” from 2001’s Gold, “Desire” from 2002’s Demolition, “Blossom” from 2005’s Cold Roses, “Two” from 2007’s Easy Tiger, “My Love For You Is Real” from the same year’s Follow The Lights EP, and “Evergreen” from Ryan & the Cardinals’ most recent album, Cardinology, released last fall.

Ryan Adams & The Cardinals are on tour for a month beginning February 20. The subject-to-change schedule is:

February
20 Shubert Theater New Haven, CT
21 Orpheum Theater Boston, MA
22 Wellmont Theater Montclair, NJ
26 Missouri Theater Columbia, MO
27 Uptown Theater Kansas City, KS
28 Brady Theater Tulsa, OK

March
2 Abraham Chavez Theate El Paso, TX
4 Majestic Theatre San Antonio, TX
5 River City Performing Arts Theater Baton Rouge, LA
6 Alabama Theatre Birmingham, AL
9 Florida Theatre Jacksonville, FL
11 North Charleston Performing Arts Center Charleston, SC
12 Township Auditorium Columbia, SC
14-15 War Memorial Nashville, TN
16 Palace Theatre Louisville, KY
18 Minglewood Hall Memphis, TN
19 Saenger Theatre Mobile, AL
20 Fox Theatre Atlanta, GA

LIMITED EDITION CLARITY VINYL REISSUE WITH BONUS TRACKS AVAILABLE ONLY AT SHOWS AND JIMMYEATWORLD.COM

Jimmy Eat World’s Clarity x 10 tour–a series of 10 one-time-only shows during which the band will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its Clarity album by playing the record in its entirety–has all but completely sold out in advance. Of the ten shows, which begin February 23 in New York, only the March 2 show at Denver’s Ogden Theater still has a handful of tickets available.

Virtually ignored upon its 1999 release, Clarity has since amassed cult status as an overlooked masterpiece. The media ultimately came around to the record when it was reissued last year, with a 4.5 star BLENDER review hailing it as “masterful” and ALTERNATIVE PRESS calling it “one of the most beloved albums of the ’90s.” Ironically, it was Clarity’s initial failure that put Jimmy Eat World on the path to their eventual success: Left to its own devices after being dropped by Capitol, the band built up a base via relentless touring which funded the recording of their platinum-plus 2001 breakthrough Bleed American.

The Clarity x 10 tour will also see a limited edition vinyl re-release of Clarity to coincide with the beginning of the tour. The vinyl, which contains the bonus tracks “Christmas Card” and “Sweetness (demo),” will be available exclusively through Jimmyeatworld.com and at these ten shows.

For further information, see the full itinerary below or contact Steve Martin or Amy Grote at nasty little man t 212 343 0740 e amy@nastylittleman.com

PHYSICAL RELEASE FEBRUARY 10
BEASTIE BOYS CONFIRMED TO APPEAR AT 2009 BONNAROO MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL

The first and most probably only hip hop record ever to be likened to Abbey Road, Dark Side Of The Moon and Pet Sounds, Beastie Boys’ groundbreaking Paul’s Boutique will celebrate its 20th birthday with a digitally remastered, visually expanded version. The 20th anniversary edition will finally see the landmark album released as its creators originally intended.

The Paul’s Boutique 20th anniversary re-release will be available in a multitude of formats, the first being a digital download available exclusively as of today at http://www.beastieboys.com (which has been completely overhauled and re-designed to commemorate the re-release). The basic 320kbps digital download with 3D interactive digital artwork will be available immediately upon order.

Pre-Orders also open today at beastieboys.com for the February 10 release of the following configurations:

Deluxe Digital Download
Digital album download in choice of format (320kbps MP3, FLAC, Apple Lossless), 5 Beasties music videos, video commentary, 3D interactive digital album art

CD + Digital Download
8 panel ecopack CD + Digital Download

Vinyl + Digital Download
8 panel, 180g vinyl + Digital Download

T-Shirt Combos
Limited edition Paul’s Boutique t-shirt with wraparound album art. Available with Deluxe Digital, CD, or Vinyl combo.

20th Anniversary Commemorative Pack
Includes Digital Deluxe, CD, Vinyl, T-shirt, and an 8 foot wide poster of the album art as it was originally intended to be enjoyed.

The Paul’s Boutique reissue features no additional music, though a track-by-track audio commentary by the band detailing the making of the record will be available with every configuration.

Released in July 1989 to critical raves and commercial indifference, Paul’s Boutique quietly spent a decade amassing sales in proportion to its reviews, ultimately selling over two million copies. More recently, Paul’s Boutique’s unprecedented multi-sampled musical density and brain-teasing lyrical complexity have earned the record all-time greatest accolades from the likes of TIME, THE SOURCE, ROLLING STONE, Q, PITCHFORK and many more, while classic tracks “Shake Your Rump,” “Egg Man” and “Hello Brooklyn” continue to keep the crowd moving at Beastie Boys live shows.

Finally, Beastie Boys have signed on as a headliner for the 2009 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, TN. It will be the band’s first ever appearance at Bonnaroo.

April 17 Headline Set To Mark Live Debut Of Fireman Material

Paul McCartney has been confirmed to headline the Friday April 17 opening night of the 2009 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. McCartney’s set, his first ever at Coachella, will feature the live debut of material from Electric Arguments, the new album released under the Fireman alias he shares with producer/musician Youth.

Prior to Coachella, McCartney will be joined by special guest drummer Dave Grohl for a performance at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, which will be broadcast live Sunday, Feb. 8 from the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles on CBS from 8-11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). McCartney has two nominations for GRAMMYs this year: Best Male Pop Vocal Performance (”That Was Me”) and Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance (”I Saw Her Standing There”).