Hump Day Happenings

I am currently sitting in my hotel room in Rochester, NY just about to hit the road for Raleigh, NC. Both of the Phish shows I have seen so far have been very very good, but MPP night two, set two has been the best set so far. I am really pumped for the final four shows of the tour. Here is some news and a video of Phish covering Neutral Milk Hotel's "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea"

• The folks at Pitchfork are prepping new music site dubbed Altered Zones
• Guided By Voices will reunite for Matador Records' 21 birthday bash
  
• T in the Park Festival bans those damn Vuvuzelas
• Led Zeppelin is being sued by English folk singer over Dazed and Confused"
• Nationwide Gulf Coast benefit shows set for July 1
• Check out Greg Kot's piece on Lollapalooza's exclusivity clause

Phish - In the Aeorplane Over the Sea

Phish @ CMAC Performing Arts Center, Canandaigua, NY 6/29/10

Phish
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
CMAC Performing Arts Center, Canandaigua, NY

Set I: The Connection, Down with Disease, Sample in a Jar, Ocelot, Reba, Horn, Funky Bitch, Undermind, Ballad of Curtis Loew, David Bowie

Set II: Possum, Mike’s Song > Simple > I Am The Walrus^ > Weekapaug Groove, Limb by Limb, Joy, Harry Hood, Golgi Apparatus

Encore: First Tube

Notes: ^ The Beatles cover (First time played)

Reviews:

• Mr. Miner's Phish Thoughts
• Hidden Track

Download the show:

• LivePhish.com
  

Programming Note For Scents & Subtle Sounds

In just a few hours, I will be hitting the road for my Phish road trip. I probably won't be getting to my normal posts, but I am going to try. I promise I will be back, so don't forget about me! I will be seeing the next six shows and you can follow my thoughts on Twitter. I am also on Facebook. I will resume my regular posts when I return to Chicago.

Phish @ Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, NJ 6/25/10

Phish
Friday, June 25, 2010
Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, NJ

Set I: Alumni Blues > Letter to Jimmy Page > Alumni Blues, Big Black Furry Creature from Mars, Runaway Jim, Army of One, Free Man in Paris*, Summer of ’89, Split Open and Melt, The Sloth, Time Turns Elastic, Golgi Apparatus

Set II: Chalkdust Torture > Prince Caspian > Heavy Things > Alaska > 2001^ > Light > Possum > Character Zero

Encore: Shine a Light

Notes: * Joni Mitchell cover, ^ Michael Jackson teases all over the place here

Reviews:

• Mr. Miner's Phish Thoughts

Download the show:

• Bittorrent
• LivePhish.com
  

Phish @ Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, NJ 6-24-10

Phish
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, NJ

Set I: David Bowie, Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan, Water in the Sky, Ocelot, Uncle Pen, Boogie On Reggae Woman, Gumbo, Timber (Jerry), I Didn’t Know, Birds of a Feather, Bouncing Around the Room, Reba, The Rover^

Set II: Down with Disease > Crosseyed and Painless > Nothing > 20 Years Later > Harry Hood > Fluffhead > Julius > You Enjoy Myself

Encore: Bug

Notes: ^ Led Zeppelin cover (First time played)

Reviews:

• Mr. Miner's Phish Thoughts
• Hidden Track

Download the show:

• Bittorrent
• LivePhish.com
  

Video: Phish - The Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)

Phish - The Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo) 12-28-98

moe. Announces Halloween Show

moe. will celebrate Halloween on October 30 with "Mischief Night" in Albany, NY at the Washington Avenue Armory. A limited pre-sale with a special ticket price of $21 begins at 10am on June 26th, exclusively through moe.ticketing.

Lollapalooza Aftershows Announced

The music in Grant Park may end at 10PM, but that won't stop it from filtering into various venues throughout Chicago. The organizers of Lollapalooza unveiled their aftershows, and boy are they impressive. The list of bands pulling double duty includes, MGMT, Devo, The New Pornographers, Cut Copy, The Black Keys, Blitzen Trapper, and The National, which is my must see show. For a full list and ticket information, click here.

Phish 2010 Summer Tour Prints

Justin, over at Live Music Blog has put together a post about the Phish prints from their current summer tour. My favorite would have to be Dan Grzeca's print for the tour opener at Toyota Park. Drop me a line with your favorite Phish print of the summer.

Hump Day Happenings

It was one hell of a day here in Chicago. The storms that passed through this evening were unlike anything I have ever seen. It took me a while, but I finally found a way home. Only a few more days and I will be on my way to Columbia, MD for Sunday's Phish show! And how can you forget Landon Donovan's stoppage time goal that put the US in the round of 16!!! USA USA

• Chris Kuroda, Phish's lighting guru is pretty bad ass
• Ron Artest should stick to basketball
• Eels' Mark Oliver mistaken for a terrorist in London
• Explosions in the Sky announce new dates, working on new album
• Weezer fans won't have to wait long for new music
• Fans are beginning to fill up Worthy Farm for Glastonbury

For Squirrels - The Mighty K.C.

Phish @ Great Woods Comcast Center, Mansfield, MA 6-22-10

Phish
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Great Woods
Mansfield, MA

Set I: Lit O Bit^, Camel Walk, Possum, The Divided Sky, Dirt, Sample in a Jar, Kill Devil Falls, Dr Gabel%, Run Like An Antelope

Set II: Mike’s Song > I am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove, Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley > Light > 46 Days, Limb by Limb, Golgi Apparatus, Slave to the Traffic Light, Loving Cup

Encore: First Tube

Notes:- ^ Rita Clarke and The Naturals cover(first time played), % First time played

Reviews:

• Mr. Miner's Phish Thoughts
• Boston Hearld
  

Download the show:

• Bittorrent
• LivePhish.com
  

Video: Black Mountain - Old Fangs

Black Mountain - Old Fangs

Pitchfork Releases Schedule, Adds Comedy Stage, SaturdayTickets Sold Out

With a little less than a month left, Pitchfork Music Festival is just about completely sold out. The three-day passes were scooped up in record time, and all that remain are single-day passes for Friday, which can be bought here. I actually just sold my three-day pass as I have decided that I don't want to deal with the crowd this year. I have elected to catch Pavement at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park in September.

You can check out the schedule here.

Lollapalooza Announces Food Lineup

Lollapalooza already boasts an impressive music lineup, but the organizers just made it a little more tastier! Check out the impressive list of restaurants including Charlie Trotter putting his signature stamp on the festival.

Lollapalooza Food Lineup:
Big Star
Bleeding Heart
Blue 13
Burrito Beach
Elate at The Hotel Felix
Franks 'N' Dawgs
Graham Elliot
Hoosier Mama Pie Company
Kuma's Corner
The Metropolis Café
more cupcakes
Rockit Bar and Grill
Seedling
Sunda
The Smoke Daddy Rhythm and Bar B Que
The Southern
Trotter's to Go

[via Chicago Tribune]

Monday Morning Coffee Break

I had a pretty chill weekend, but managed to catch MGMT at The Riv this weekend. I enjoyed the show, but the owners of the Riv need to find a way to cool that place down. It was hot as shit! I must say that the crowd was really annoying. They stood for the older stuff and sat for the new material for the most part. I love it that they played "Siberian Breaks", the 12 minute opus from Congratulations. You can check out the reviews from the Chicago Tribune & Sun Times. Anyways.... less than one week until I hit the road for my Phish road trip! First stop, Merriweather Post Pavilion on Sunday! Here's some news and a video to get your Monday moving.

• Green Day played a massive show at London's Wembley Stadium
• Canadian legend Leonard Cohen will release a new album
• Local Natives announce North American fall tour
• My Morning Jacket to headline Voodoo Experience
• We might get a new Radiohead album "sometime this year"
• Jambase recalls Bonnaroo with Words & Photos

Primus - Wynona's Big Brown Beaver

Phish @ SPAC, Saratoga Springs, NY 6-20-10

Phish
Sunday, June 20, 2010
SPAC
Saratoga Springs, NY

Set I: Brother^, AC/DC Bag, Back on the Train, Undermind, Cities, Gotta Jibboo*, Roggae, Sleep Again, Lawn Boy, Run Like An Antelope

Set II: Carini, The Mango Song, Wilson, Drowned > Swept Away > Steep, Makisupa Policeman, Piper > 2001 > You Enjoy Myself

Encore: Frankenstein

Notes: * w/Mike on guitar & Tony Markellis on bass, ^ Band members’ children in a tub on stage. Happy Father’s Day!

Reviews:

• Mr. Miner's Phish Thoughts
• Hidden Track
  

Download the show:

• Bittorrent
• LivePhish.com
  

Phish @ SPAC, Saratoga Springs, NY 6-19-10

Phish
Saturday, June 19, 2010
SPAC
Saratoga Springs, NY

Set I: Tweezer Reprise^, Chalkdust Torture, Funky Bitch, Runaway Jim, Ya Mar, Sample in a Jar, Axilla I, Fluffhead, Bathtub Gin, Suzy Greenberg

Set II: Rock and Roll > Free, Backwards Down the Number Line, Halfway to the Moon*, Prince Caspian, Joy, David Bowie, Show of LIfe

Encore: The Squirming Coil, Character Zero, Tweezer Reprise

Notes: * First time played, ^First Tweezer Reprise opener since 11-9-95 (482 shows)

Reviews:

• Mr. Miner's Phish Thoughts
• Hidden Track
• The Saratogian
  

Download the show:

• Bittorrent
• LivePhish.com
  

Phish @ Comcast Theatre, Hartford, CT 6-18-10

Phish
Friday, June 18, 2010
Comcast Theatre
Hartford, CT

Set I: Fee > Rift, Wolfman’s Brother, Summer of ‘89#, Foam, Possum > The Moma Dance > Julius, Reba, Cavern

Set II: Halley’s Comet > Light > Billy Breathes, Tweezer > Theme From the Bottom > Harry Hood > Wading in the Velvet Sea, Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan

Encore: Sleeping Monkey > Tweezer Reprise, Tweezer Reprise%

Notes: # First time played, % Played a second time, for Hershey, PA.

Reviews:

• Mr. Miner's Phish Thoughts
• Hidden Track
  

Download the show:

• Bittorrent
• LivePhish.com
  

Beer Hoptacular! Beer Of The Year

The first ever Beer Hoptacular! was a resounding success. Each attendee was given a tasting glass with a ballot inside to vote for their favorite beer of the event. You can check out my top five beers.

The votes have been counted and the Dirty Summer Blonde Chocolate from Roundhouse in Aurora, IL took the prize. New Holland Breweries Dragon's Milk Ale took second place.

Thanks to all the breweries that made Beer Hoptacular! a great time!

Thank Boosh It's Friday!

This has been an absolutely crazy week for me! I really didn't have much time to post anything aside for some Phish setlists. Tonight, I am going to see MGMT, and other than that, I don't have anything planned for the weekend. I might head up to Ravinia with some peeps tomorrow and check out Buddy Guy and JJ Grey & Mofro, but am undecided. I hope everyone has a great weekend! In case you missed it, the US got screwed out of the game winning goal against Slovenia!

• Aaron & Bryce Dessner of The National turn multimedia project into album
• Deer Tick paid David Letterman a visit on Wednesday
• Simon & Garfunkel cancel their summer tour
• Elton John played to 50,000 strong in Israel
• Going to see Phish at SPAC? BE VERY SMART!!!!
• 2010 Polaris Prize nominees announced

Weezer - Represent

Arcade Fire Unveil Tracklist For 'The Suburbs'

The Suburbs Tracklist:
1. The Suburbs
2. Ready to Start
3. Modern Man
4. Rococo
5. Empty Room
6. City With No Children
7. Half Light 1
8. Half Light II (No Celebration)
9. Suburban War
10. Month of May
11. Wasted Hours
12. Deep Blue
13. We Used to Wait
14. Sprawl I (Flatland)
15. Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
16 . The Suburbs (Continued)

[via Consequence of Sound]

Phish @ Comcast Theatre, Hartford, CT 6-17-10

Phish
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Comcast Theatre
Hartford, CT

Set I: Punch You in the Eye, Ocelot, Dinner and a Movie, Stash, Esther, Walk Away, The Divided Sky, When the Circus Comes, Sugar Shack, Alaska, Golgi Apparatus

Set II: Party Time, Down with Disease > Sand > The Horse > Silent in the Morning, Guyute, Farmhouse, Mike’s Song > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove

Encore: Shine a Light

[Setlist via Live Music Blog]

Reviews:

• Mr. Miner's Phish Thoughts
• Hartford Courant
  

Download the show:

• Bittorrent
• LivePhish.com
  

Phish Releases Backwards Down The Number Line From Cuyahoga Falls

Phish is simply on fire. Not only have the jams been great, but the band is doing a great job of crafting magnificent sets. We are only four shows into the tour and they have debuted covers by The Band, John Lennon & Tom Waits. We also have heard a new Mike song called "Idea" and the debut of "Show of Life". I will also add that I love Mike's bass playing so far. I am pumped for my first show, which will be the second night at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Phish - 6/12/10 "Backwards Down The Number Line" from Phish on Vimeo.

Phish @ nTelos Pavilion - Portsmouth, VA 6-15-10

Phish
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
nTelos Pavilion
Portsmouth, VA

Set I: Tube, Kill Devil Falls, Slave to the Traffic Light, Lawn Boy, Poor Heart, AC/DC Bag, The Moma Dance > My Friend, My Friend, Cold Water#, Bathtub Gin, Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan

Set II: Wilson > Seven Below > 46 Days > Idea%, Also Sprach Zarathustra > Simple > Joy, Taste, Theme From the Bottom, A Day in the Life

Encore: Heavy Things, First Tube

Notes: # Tom Waits cover (first time played), % New Mike tune (first time played)

[Setlist via Hidden Track]

Reviews:

• Mr. Miner's Phish Thoughts

Download the show:

• Bittorrent
• LivePhish.com
  

Video: MGMT - It's Working

Live Phish Via Your iPhone & iPad

As if I didn't have enough Phish shows on my computer already! In about a weeks time, Phish has launched a new website, blown peoples minds in Bridgeview, IL, Cuyahoga Falls, OH, Hershey, PA, and now have their own app.

The app, which is available for the iPad & iPhone will set you back $3.99, but it's a steal when you think of the possibilities (live simulcasts!!!!). I just downloaded the app, but haven't had a chance to check it out. If you have used it, drop a comment and let us know your thoughts.

The app is currently available on iTunes.

Stream everything you've ever purchased from LivePhish.com. Access your entire Live Phish Stash of shows and albums, enjoy free streams From The Archives, read and post reviews of each show, and browse photos and notes. You can also tune in to Live Phish Radio via the app and enjoy a 24x7 stream from the Live Phish Archives.

For a limited time, every first time user of the Live Phish App will get a download code redeemable at LivePhish.com for ONE FREE MP3 SHOW of your choice. To purchase the App, click here.

Didn't Get To Bonnaroo..... NPR Has You Covered

You have to love internet and NPR for that matter. For those of us who didn't make it to Manchester, TN this past weekend and sweat it out for Bonnaroo, fear not. NPR has posted a boat load of sets from the festival that includes, Dan Deacon, John Prine, Regina Spektor, Jimmy Cliff, The National, Isis & The Avett Brothers to name a few.

Check out NPR's Bonnaroo menu here.

Phish @ Hersheypark Stadium - Hershey, PA 6-13-10

Phish
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Hersheypark Stadium
Hershey, PA

Set I: Gotta Jibboo, Chalk Dust Torture, Fluffhead, Funky Bitch, Runaway Jim, NICU, Horn, It’s Ice, Bouncing Around the Room, Sparkle, Split Open and Melt

Set II: Drowned > Tweezer > Twist, Piper > Free, Wading in the Velvet Sea, You Enjoy Myself

Encore: Bold As Love

[Setlist via Hidden Track]

Reviews:

• Mr. Miner's Phish Thoughts
• The Weekender
  

Download the show:

• Bittorrent
• LivePhish.com
  

Setlist: Phish @ Blossom Music Center Cuyahoga Falls, OH - 6/12/10

Phish
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Blossom Music Center
Cuyahoga Falls, OH

Set I: Look Out Cleveland#, Ocelot, Water in the Sky, Stash, The Ballad of Curtis Loew, Sample in a Jar, Time Turns Elastic, Mike’s Song > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove

Set II: Rock and Roll > Harry Hood > Backwards Down the Number Line, Twenty Years Later, Instant Karma$, The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony > Suzy Greenberg > Waste, Character Zero

Encore: The Squirming Coil

Notes: #The Band cover (First time played), $ John Lennon cover (First time played)

[Setlist via Hidden Track]

Reviews

• Mr. Miner's Phish Thoughts
• Cleveland Plain Dealer
  

Download the show

• Bittorrent
• LivePhish.com
  

Setlist: Phish @ Toyota Park 6/11/10

Phish
Friday, June 11, 2010
Toyota Park
Bridgeview, IL

Set I: Down with Disease, Wolfman’s Brother, Possum, Boogie On Reggae Woman, Reba, Jesus Just Left Chicago, The Divided Sky, Golgi Apparatus, David Bowie

Set II: Light > Maze, Ghost > Limb By Limb, Prince Caspian, The Horse > Silent in the Morning, Run Like an Antelope, Show of Life

Encore: Cavern > Julius

Notes: After Possum, Trey congratulated the hometown Chicago Blackhawks’ victory over his beloved Philadelphia Flyers in the Stanley Cup Finals that ended two days before this show. This gig featured the Phish debut of Show of Life.

[Setlist via Hidden Track]

Reviews:

• Mr. Miner's Phish Thoughts
• Chicago Tribune
• Hidden Track
  

Download the show:

• LivePhish.com
• Bittorrent
  

Weezer Get World Cup Fever

It's no secret the Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo is an avid soccer player and fan. Weezer took to the studio and recorded an unofficial U.S. National Team song called "Represent".

You can listen to "Represent" here.

[via Rock it Out! Blog]

Thank Boosh It's Friday!

Today is a really big day! Not only are the Blackhawks having their Stanley Cup celebration (sorry Trey), the World Cup has started, and Phish starts their summer tour! I won't be at the show tonight, but I will see ten shows, so I am not that upset. Bonnaroo kicked off last night and don't forget to check out their webcast schedule. I am working on a new template for the site, so look for some changes.

• Mumford & Sons shelf bluegrass EP, prep Indian release
• Venison aka The Strokes hit the stage for the first time in four years
• Conan O'Brien and Jack White jammed in Nashville last night
• Guitar God Jimmy Page was inducted into the Mojo hall of fame
• Pavement reunites with original drummer Gary Young for hometown gig
• Band of Horses, The National lead Austin City Limits episodes

Medeski Martin & Wood - Bubblehouse

Mt. Desolation Makes Live Debut, Releases Studio Track

Mt. Desolation is truly an interesting hodgepodge of musicians. The band is comprised of members of The Killers, Keane, The Long Winters, Mumford & Sons & Noah and the Whale. I am very excited to hear what the sum of this experiment sounds like. The band has released their first studio recording called "State of Our Affairs". You can download it here, but it will cost you your email address.

The band recently made their live debut in London, and you can find footage of two songs here.

[via Consequence of Sound]

My Morning Jacket Announce Epic Run Of NYC Shows

Epic.Confirmed.

New York City's Terminal 5 will be presenting a historic five night run of shows in which My Morning Jacket will perform one of their full-length albums in its entirety each night, along with additional songs and covers from each album's time period. The stint will kick off on Monday, October 18th, with a performance of the 1999 debut The Tennessee Fire, and will be followed chronologically by their next four full length albums, ending with 2008's Evil Urges. on Saturday, October 23rd.

Tickets for the shows go on pre-sale on June 14th, with 5-show ticket packages available to fans. The individual shows will go on sale to the public on Friday, June 18th. For ticket and show information, click here.

My Morning Jacket NYC Run
10/18 @ Terminal 5 - New York City, NY
10/19 @ Terminal 5 - New York City, NY
10/21 @ Terminal 5 - New York City, NY
10/22 @ Terminal 5 - New York City, NY
10/23 @ Terminal 5 - New York City, NY

Rose Hill Drive Is Back!

It's been a while, but Rose Hill Drive has announced a new member and two shows in their home state of Colorado. I can't wait to not only hear their new material, but see them live again. Guitarist Daniel Sproul can absolutely shred it on the guitar! If you haven't check them out, please do because these guys fucking rock!

After 17 months of downtime, except for one gig opening for Jane’s Addiction on New Year’s Eve 2009, Rose Hill Drive is coming out of hibernation to debut the addition of a new member, bass player Jimmy Stofer, and rehearse brand-new new material. The band will play a free show at the Sundown Saloon in Boulder on Wednesday, June 9th, and another show at the Belly Up in Aspen on Saturday, June 26th.

Rose Hill Drive Tour Dates
June 9, 2010
Sundown Saloon
Boulder, CO
Free Show, First Come First Serve. Ages 21+

June 26, 2010
Belly Up Aspen
Aspen, CO
Tickets $22 adv/ $25 day of. With Houses. Ages 16+ w/ valid ID, unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Hump Day Happenings

It's all about game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final tonight in Philly! I will be heading to Goose Island to watch the game and enjoy some good beer. Phish launched a new website a few days ahead of their summer tour kickoff in lovely Bridgeview, IL. I won't be at Toyota Park, but my summer tour will kick off at CMAC in Canandaigua, NY on June 29. Here is some news and a video to get you over the hump day known as Wednesday.

• Hidden Track chats with Mumford & Sons
• Rock the Bells adds Snoop Dogg, A Tribe Called Quest & Lauryn Hill
• Ryan Adams was inspired by the late Ronnie James Dio
• Thom Yorke has a very grim forecast for the music business
• Meet Chicago Blackhawks' national anthem singer Jim Cornelison
• Mr. Miner poses 20 questions for June

Ween - Even If You Don't

Lollapalooza Schedule Posted, Single Day Passes Available

Lollapalooza has posted their daily schedule. You can check it out here. Single day passes are available as well, and can be bought here.

The National At World Cafe Live

Tuesday Morning Coffee Break

Since I didn't get to my regular Monday post, I figured I would get it in this morning. I had a good weekend and played my first round of golf in almost 13 years! Last night, I tried BYFUGLIEN & Rotweizen at Goose Island and they both were excellent. It's a crappy morning here in Chicago, but have a cup of coffee, catch your breath. Phish summer tour begins this Friday!!!!

• Gorillaz, Pixies and others cancel Israeli shows
• Hidden Track unveils their 5 must see Bonnaroo sets
• Arcade Fire played their first "official" gig in three years
• Looks like a new RATM record is a possibility
• Someone stole Kanye West's Porsche and totaled it
• R.I.P. Marvin Isley

The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You

Top 5 Beers At Beer Hoptacular!

I had a great time at the first annual Beer Hoptacular! There was a lot of beer, but these were my top five. Cheers!

1. Wild Onion Brewing Company - Paddy Pale Ale
2. Destihl - Rasberry Wheat
3. Magic Hat - Odd Notion
4. Mickey Finn's Brewery - R.K.'s IPA
5. Stevens Point Brewery - Nude Beach
   

Thank Boosh It's Friday!

It's going to be a great weekend! I am psyched about Beer Hoptacular! tonight. If you haven't got your tickets yet, there is still time. Tomorrow, I have a bachelor party for one of my best friends. No plans for Sunday, but it will probably be a rest day. I hope everyone has a great weekend!

• Snoop Dogg to join Gorillaz at Glastonbury?
• NPR pays tribute to The Mighty Uke
• Just how bad are record sales? Check it out
• MGMT unveils their open taping policy
• Aerosmith's Joe Perry has high hopes for their next record
• Check out the Band of Horses video for "For Annabelle"

Phish - Waste

Wilco Sponsors Little League Teams

The members of Wilco are not known for their athletic prowess, although drummer Glenn Kotche and guitar wiz Nels Cline each get substantial workouts during Wilco shows. The band is sponsoring little league teams in their hometown of Chicago and in Northampton, MA. Check out the info below.

Wilco: The Baseball Team
Wilco's Jeffy Tweedy has referenced his physicality before in self-deprecating fashion (saying in “Kicking Television” that he’s “working on his abs”), but a news update on the group’s website indicates that the band is more likely to hitting groundballs than doing sit-ups. That’s because Wilco is sponsoring not one, but two little league baseball teams in Chicago and Northampton, Mass., respectively. The Chicago team, the Royals, plays in the Warren Park Youth Baseball League, while the Mass. team is in the Northampton Little League, Junior Division. This seems like a natural place to make a joke about whether the teams will shift lineups as much as Wilco has, but who would do such a thing?

Chicagoist presents Wilco: The Product Guide

[Via Chicagoist]

Listen to Two New Rush Songs

Rush has just released two new songs from their forthcoming release Clockwork Angels, which will be released later this year. Rush will hit the road this summer in which they will play Moving Pictures in it's entirety along with songs from their storied career. Check out their official website for the 411.

Rush - Brought Up To Believe

Rush - Caravan

[Via Consequence of Sound]

Great Lake Swimmers Give 'Lost Channels' Vinyl Deluxe Treatment

On June 22, Great Lake Swimmers will release Lost Channels on vinyl, but with a few extra bells and whistles. Check out the release info below.

The vinyl package will include:

• Deluxe 180-gram vinyl
• A live bonus 7" with 2 songs from the Trinity St. Paul's show in Toronto
• Album download card with 3 additional songs
  

The 7" will be packaged inside of the the vinyl cover with it's own unique sleeve. 7" tracks, "Put There By The Land" & "Concrete Heart," will also be available as digital downloads through the download card along with extra track, "It's Too Late." Preorder details and unboxing video to come.

Lost Channels Vinyl Track Listing :
Palmistry
Everything Is Moving So Fast
Pulling On A Line
Concrete Heart
She Comes to Me In Dreams
The Chorus In The Underground
Singer Castle Bells
Stealing Tomorrow
Still
New Light
River's Edge
Unison Falling Into Harmony

Download Card Track Listing :
Palmistry
Everything Is Moving So Fast
Pulling On A Line
Concrete Heart
She Comes to Me In Dreams
The Chorus In The Underground
Singer Castle Bells
Stealing Tomorrow
Still
New Light
River's Edge
Unison Falling Into Harmony
Put There By The Land (Live)
Concrete Heart (Live)
*Bonus - It's Too Late

Hump Day Happenings

It's been a pretty crazy day for me, but I am looking forward to having a beer and watching the Hawks game tonight. Not much else is going on so with that, I present some news and a video to get you over your Wednesday afternoon hump.

• Chicago gets a new music festival for Labor Day Weekend
• Seattle's Capitol Hill Block Party announces lineup
• Conan sat in with Vampire Weekend at his NYC tour stop
• Keith Richards autobiography is due to hit stores this fall
• iClips reveals their Mountain Jam webcast schedule
• Maybe Live Nation has a heart after all

Gov't Mule - Soulshine

The National Announce Fall Tour

I will admit at first listen, I wasn't sold on The National's High Violet, but then again it took me a few listens on both Alligator & Boxer. After I played the album the second and third time through, the light bulb went off. High Violet is a stunning masterpiece and if you don't own it you should pick it up ASAP! Today, the band announced their Fall US tour. I am excited that the band is playing Lollapalooza, but this band is clearly made for theaters and smaller venues. I am hoping that they announce a Lolla aftershow. These shows are bound to sell out so make sure you computer clock is set!

Check the bands official website for the ticketing links and on-sale times.

The National Fall Tour Dates
Sept. 12 @ Music Fest Northwest, Portland, OR
Sept. 24 @ Wellmont Theater, Montclair, NJ
Sept. 25 @ Carnegie Library Homestead, Pittsburgh, PA
Sept. 27 @ Brown Theater, Louisville, KY
Sept. 29 @ Uptown Theater, Kansas City, MO
Sept. 30 @ The Pageant, St. Louis, MO
Oct. 2 @ Murat Egyptian, Indianapolis, IN
Oct. 3 @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
Oct. 4 @ Memorial Hall, Raleigh, NC
Oct. 5 @ Fox Theater, Atlanta, GA
Oct. 6 @ House of Blues, Orlando, FL
Oct. 8 @ House of Blues, Houston, TX
Oct. 9 @ House of Blues, Dallas, TX
Oct. 10 @ Austin City Limits Festival, Austin, TX
Oct. 13 @ Rialto Theater, Tucson, AZ
Oct. 14 @ Marquee Theater, Tempe, AZ
Oct. 16 @ Fox Theater, Pomona, CA
Oct. 18 @ Fillmore Auditorium, Denver, CO