April 7th, 2010

This Spring MGMT will set out on a tour of North America in support of their sophomore release Congratulations, in stores April 13, 2010. U.S. tour dates kick off with a pair of back to back, sold-out shows at San Francisco’s legendary Fillmore on April 12 and 13. The band returns to Indio, CA on April 17 to deliver another memorable performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Following their first festival debut of the year, the band will continue touring through out the summer, also performing at Bamboozle on May 2nd and Lollapalooza on August 8th (see below for full itinerary).

Biffy Clyro consider the X Factor just another entertainment show and not a threat to “real” music

Singer Simon Neil explained to NME: ” “It’s always just been Saturday night light entertainment,” said singer Simon Neil. “It’s for the kind of people who buy Robbie Williams calendars.” - Ouch

Artists including rapper Mos Def, Specials legend Jerry Dammers and Devendra Banhart are to head up a new stage at this year’s Glastonbury Festival, it’s organiser Michael Eavis announced today.

Manchester band Doves have told BBC 6Music that they fear for the future of today’s upcoming bands as the costs of touring and promotion continues to rise.

In any doubt as to what kind of world you are entering when you arrive at the SXSW? Well, it’s safe to say you’d be left in no doubt if, one Saturday morning, you awoke to find your host’s well kept tennis court had been transformed into a stage ready for a rock gig, and that your small area of calm away from the storm of the festival is about to be invaded by 400 revellers and over 20 kegs of beer. It happened to our second featured Irish band of the festival, Dirty Epics, a four-piece who now have the perfect anecdote to sum up the spirit of SXSW.