The folks at Broken Bells’ label have given us exclusive access to Broken Bells new video for new single the Ghost Inside. A retro-futuristic space adventure starring Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks as a Martini-drinking android, what more could you want.
And we’ve also exclusive video from a band practice session working on the song.
Broken Bells play their first European date since the release of their debut album at Royal Festival Hall as part of Richard Thompson’s Meltdown Festival on 21st June.
A few tickets still remain for this very special show, grab yours here.
Chrome Hoof aren’t a band to be pigeonholed. They take genre-trashing to a whole new level, thrillingly taking apart and reconstructing everything from prog to disco. Lola Olafisoye, their bewitching frontwoman, delves into a magical world of cosmic rock while the band charge through their hyperactive sonic exercises and visually-spectacular theatrics.
Gil Scott-Heron’s I’m New Here represents one of the most talked-about and most welcome artistic comebacks of recent years. Stark, tough, modern, wise and utterly uncompromising Scott-Heron’s new record has had praise lavished on it from all corners of the music press, The Observer declaring:
‘This is as striking a return as we’re likely to hear all year’
with Pitchfork giving the album it’s ‘Best New Music’ accolade and noting:
‘We could be looking at one of the most memorably resurrected careers of our time – a man renewed’
Me and The Devil
Produced by Head of XL Recordings Richard Russell, who provides dark flickering almost industrial arrangements lending rhythmic structure to Scott-Heron’s rich broken baritone. Exchanging production nods with Kanye West who sampled Scott-Heron on Late Registration, I’m New Here opens with a sample of West’s ‘Flashing Lights’, whilst Scott-Heron speaks of the broken home of his childhood it’s clear his eyes and ears are still trained on contemporary America. Almost 30 years since he laid the blueprint for modern rap with ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’ Scott-Heron’s music remains as compelling and important as it has ever been.
Download ‘Where Did The Night Go’
Thanks to XL we can offer a free download of ‘Where Did The Night Go’ from I’m New Here
See Gil Scott-Heron Live at Royal Festival Hall as part of Ether Festival 2010
Gil Scott-Heron will play two shows as part of Southbank Centre’s Ether Festival this April, a few tickets are still available for the 24th April date, but will not be around for long – to book visit: http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/ether
Win a copy of his new album I’m New Here
Just tell us what your favourite Gil Scott-Heron track is in the comments box below and we’ll pick a winner at random. There’s a wealth of brilliant music to pick from before you even reach his incredible new album…
In association with Red Bull Music Academy Southbank Centre presents a very special night of electronic music at Royal Festival Hall. Bringing together a host of pioneers from the world of experimental electronics and avant-garde music.
‘The revolution will not be televised. The revolution will be live’ – Gil Scott-Heron
Ether, Southbank Centre’s annual music festival of innovation, art, technology and cross-arts experimentation, returns from 16 – 24 April this year with a mix of rock iconoclasts, rap pioneers, audiovisual experimenters and contemporary-classical innovators.
This year’s festival features a very special show from Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Trio based on Reed’s radical and controversial 1975 album Metal Machine Music and a rare Gil Scott-Heron London gig in which he’ll be showcasing material from his brilliant new album I’m New Here (released on XL Recordings), alongside support from 2009 Mercury Prize Winner Speech Debelle. Kicking off Ether is a one-off collaboration between Stereo MCs and The Bays, plus The Herbaliser opening the gig, while on Friday 23 April film director and video artist Chris Cunningham performs a live show of original and remixed music and film, with support from BEAK>, the new project of Portishead’s Geoff Barrow.
Also playing at this year’s festival are one of the greats from the Warp roster, Broadcast, who are joined on the bill by Micachu and The Shapes and young cellist Oliver Coates. Meanwhile, LA art-noise band HEALTH team up with the genre-trashing, visually-spectacular Chrome Hoof for a mouth-watering double-bill, and Will Dutta plays with special guests Plaid, Max de Wardener and John Richards.
Always a platform for showcasing new work, Ether in 2010 features an evening of premieres of music by Mark-Anthony Turnage (UK premiere) and Philip Glass (European premiere) plus Henryk Gorecki’s Symphony No. 3 played by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition, the festival features Varèse 360° – the complete works of musique concrète pioneer and formative influence on Frank Zappa, Edgard Varèse.
There’s more to be announced including a series of talks and discussions so keep look out for further updates here and at:
Here’s the trailer we’ve just finished for Shlomo and Anna Meredith’s Concerto for Beatboxer and Orchestra.
For this project Southbank Centre Artist in Residence and beatboxer Shlomo is working with one of the UK’s hottest composing talents Anna Meredith and a specially created orchestra made up of players from Southbank Centre’s four Resident Orchestras – London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Philharmonia Orchestra – to perform the world premiere of the bold and exciting new work.
Even in our post-Christmas January detox we’re also looking forward to indulging in as many new records as possible. 2010 warms up with Vampire Weekend’s Contra, which follows their widely acclaimed eponymous debut, before the arrival of albums from the likes of Sigur Rós’ Jónsi, Hot Chip and Interpol later in the year.
It’s been an incredible year for gigs here at Southbank Centre. We’ve seen Brian Eno join David Byrne onstage at Ether, Ornette Coleman reuniting with Charlie Haden, Spiritualized performing Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space, Yo La Tengo covering Bob Dylan and The Velvet Underground and taking questions from the audience, Laura Marling playing with Andrew Bird, and much, much more.
Photos, reviews and tweets from the closing show of the 2009 London Jazz Festival featuring a unique on stage collaboration between elder statesmen of German electronica, Cluster, and Chicago jazzy post-rock pioneers Tortoise. Continue reading →
Next Monday Lisa Hannigan plays a much anticipated Royal Festival Hall show – check out our preview post for more info.
To get you in the mood for the show we are pleased to be able to offer you a free MP3 download of new track ‘Sea Song’ from her new record released this summer Sea Sew.
Full details of the collaboration have not yet been revealed but we’ve been told that more than just providing a supporting set for Tortoise at their gig this Sunday, Krautrock legends Cluster will perform together with the Chicago jazz-rockers in a unique on stage collaboration.
For more info about the Tortoise + Cluster show and a free Tortoise download check out our preview post from earlier in the month.
Gigs Community | Southbank Centre 