Leonard Cohen kicks off his tour... look.

Man, I dunno if Leonard Cohen had a plan way back, but the fact remains that his delivery of yore could've always been recreated in his vintage. Tim Buckley had to die. So did Lennon. They woulda been an embarrassment if they were still tryin' to sound like they did in their prime. Okay, they were probably quick enough to develop whole new styles that woulda make me cry tears of joy and say lame things like "oh... the innovation kills me" (we keep tellin' ya... us rock scribes are the lamest people you'll ever meet)... but... where was I? Yeah, Lenny Cohen. He's on the road again, and here's a video of him during his latest tour and he sounds pretty good. Even if the crowd insist on drowning out every little biddy thing with whooping.

Live Review: Black Diamond Heavies

The Live Music Review has gotta rank as the lamest, most unaccomplished form of writing in the history of Western literature. I'm more likely to win a Pulitzer writing the blurbs on the back of cereal packets than I am churning out this sorta thing. Seriously. When's the last time you read a live music review that was really worth anything to anybody? D'you even remember ever having standards for this typa thing? D'you ever think, "Gee, I'd really enjoy reading a record of gig attendance which actually stands up as a valuable, entertaining, envelope pushing piece of writing, rather than something that essentially boils down to an advert for some band's myspace, only with the inconvenience of havin' to read 'bout how the chump guy writing the damn thing got drunk or fell over or did something "gonzo" etc before I get to the bit that says "go to yaddayaddayadda/myspace.com" or whatever?

Gig Review - The Junipers/John Stammers, The Deaf Institute, Manchester

Okay. There were more bands on last night... but being the half baked idiot that I am, I completely missed 'em. Thanks to a combination of drinking and fawning. Instead of promoting the 'you really should see every band on a line-up because that's the right thing to do', I simply watched the two acts that demanded that I leave the house for once, and those people were The Junipers and John Stammers.

Leaving the house on a confusingly pleasant evening, I met up with the super cool people also bracing themselves for quite possibly the greatest gig Manchester will see this year, and sat down in the sumptuous surroundings of The Deaf Institute near the BBC in Manchester. Expectations were high as The Junipers' 'Cut Your Key' LP has now become firmly lodged in my psyche as The Best Debut Album Ever Made. Also, I'd seen John Stammers on numerous occasions and he's always cookin' with the good stuff. Metaphorically, my pen hovered for dishing up a kicking...

Possibly the greatest show on earth... The Junipers and John Stammers - Live! Tonight!

If you're in Manchester tonight, better get yourself down to the greatest show on Earth. Seriously. At Lee Gorton's (of Alfie fame) Down At The Redbricks night, tonight, you'll get the incredible sunshine popsike of The Junipers, promoting their new 'Cut Your Key' album (the album of 2008), as well as the pastoral jazz-folk of John Stammers, playing with full band (more here).

It starts at 8pm and Manchester's gorgeous and newest venue, The Deaf Institute on Grosvenor Street. [pic: Bob Stuart]

Ned's Atomic Dustbin to reunite

I've got absolutely no idea what to say about this news story. What I'll do is pad it out with a load of pointless procrastinations, making it look like a thoroughly researched scrawl about an indie band from the early 90s. From a distance at least. Of course, this stalling will only work for so long before you start foaming at the nostril and demanding some news. Well, the news is this: Ned's Atomic Dustbin are set to reform for a Christmas show. That's right, you heard. Ned's Atomic Dustbin have announced that they will reform to play a sole date at the London Astoria on December 6. Now, I can't drag that out any more, so here's a video to bulk up the page with.

Stevie Wonder to tour

Stevie Wonder has announced a short tour of the US and Canada, kicking off June 18 in Wantagh, NY. Wonder, who is backing Barack Obama (and the Choom Gang) in the race for the US President, will play 13 shows which wind up July 12 in Vancouver. Wonder’s most recent album ‘A Time To Love’ was released in 2005 and earned him his 22nd Grammy award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. For US tour dates, read over... if you live in the UK and are sick at the thought of not seeing, watch The Best Stevie Wonder Video Ever (TM ElecRoul) instead.

Stereolab to tour North America in the fall... Europe next?

Stereolab are planning a set of tour dates across the U.S. in support of new long player, Chemical Chords. Interestingly, the support act for these dates is Stereolab singer Laetitia Sadier's other project Monade. Chemical Chords is coming out on August 19th via 4AD. This will be the first Stereolab full length release since 2004's Margerine Eclipse. They'll also play the Synch festival in Athens on June 15th, and the Slottsfjell Festival in Norway this Summer. More dates for Europe are to be announced later. Read over for the dates, or, if you're not interested in American shows, watch this video.

Manchester's finest recreate The Band's Last Waltz

This is a great idea for a gig. Basically, a group of musicians from Manchester (Manchester's finest some might argue) have teamed up to recreate and pay tribute to the legendary gig, The Last Waltz, by The Band (and friends).

In the line-up, we have John Ellis starring as Dr John, Liz Green as Muddy Waters, The Travelling Band starring as The Band, Aidan Smith as Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Ten Bears of The Deadbeats as Bobby Dylan, Isobel Heyworth as Joni Mitchell, Gladeyes as Ronnie Hawkins and Pete Roe as Neil Young.

The event is Sunday 8th June with doors opening at 4.30pm. Where? It's at the Martin Harris Centre (M13 9PL, near the Royal Northern) and is £12.50 advance, £15 on the door. Tickets available from www.quaytickets.com

ATP Explosions in the Sky running times...

A while back, we told you about the ATP 'Explosions in the Sky' shindig. ATP stands for All Tomorrow's Parties, just in case you missed a trick. As with all ATPs, the line-up is varied and, well, good. A bit of a rarity in the current festival climate.

On the bill you've got the mighty De La Soul, as well as appearances from Dinosaur Jr, Raekwon, Four Tet, Iron and Wine, Ghostface Killah and loads more.

Well, just for you, we've got all the times that the artists will be on stage, so feel free to print this article off and start looking at the bands you'll be going to see and when. Explosions in the Sky is the weekend of May 16-18.

Click here to visit the ATP website and click over the jump to see some running times. Also, there will be a little star next to bands we Rouletteers think you should watch.

Tom Waits announces new tour in a YouTube 'press conference'

Read over if you've no sound on your computer...

Dope line-up for Rock The Bells includes Mos Def, De La Soul and more...

Man. I wouldn't wanna live in the US, but I wouldn't mind some of their gigs y'know? Mainly, I really wanna go to the Rock The Bells festival which, this years, is playing host to A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Mos Def, The Pharcyde, Nas, Rakim, Method Man & Redman, Raekwon & Ghostface... and the beat goes on and on!

The series kicks off July 19th in Chicago, IL. In addition to nine North American cities, the tour will this year make four stops in Europe. Tour dates over.

Beck to play UK shows

Beck will play two English shows at the beginning of July in preparation for his appearance at O2 Wireless Festival. So I guess that's three. Well, he's doing two before the festival. He'll appear at Southampton's Guildhall on July 1 and Manchester Apollo on July 2. Now, check him out doing Debra. It's oddly brilliant.

Stevie Winwood to play intimate show in London

Stevie Winwood is stupidly talented. He was the main boy in the Spencer Davis Group, he was in Traffic and Blind Faith and then, he went solo and did some awful 80s records. Anyway, he's announced a one-off club date in London, to take place on May 19th.

The show at the Scala will be a showcase for his forthcoming album 9 Lives, which features friend, drinking buddy and collaborator Eric Clapton on the first single 'Dirty City' out just before on May 5.

Winwood, backed by a full band, is also going to go on a Northern American tour with Tom Petty. Tickets for the one-off London show go onsale Thursday April 24.

More info about the new album and show, check out stevewinwood.com

Primal Scream added to Wax On Live festival bill in Leeds

People think that there's only one big music event in Leeds and it's sponsored by wazz-weak lager. Not true. At the end of May, the exciting looking Wax:On Live is taking place which features a huge variety of acts to tickle your pickle.

Recently added to the bill are Primal Scream, who will join Hercules and Love Affair, Reverend and the Makers, Derrick May, Andrew Weatherall, Friendly Fires, Kila Kella and loads more. The event is taking place at the rather resplendent Lotherton Hall in Leeds.

Mixing up rock, techno and hip hop, this looks like a festival really worth going to. You won't have any of the crowd whinging about the inclusion of rap... unlike some plastic sofa plonked in front of the main stage hummous tossers at one Pilton based fest. Anyway, read over for the line-up for Wax On Live.

Alert! Charity gig that doesn't look awful!

A buncha bands are getting together in an "act of solidarity" to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to raise money for The Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture. Radio presenter, DJ and record label owner Gilles Peterson will introduce a line-up that showcases a series of live performances from some of the best independent artists around.  'Jam for Bread' will see a special live performance from Bonobo, as well as a performance from former Lamb singer, Lou Rhodes. And there's more... 

Massive Attack Meltdown line-up - everything from 60s soul to Japanese electronica

We always knew Massive Attack were an eclectic bunch - but if you were in any doubt, check out the line-up for the band's forthcoming Meltdown.

The band is curating this year's festival - and indeed playing two nights (14th and 22nd June). But like all the best Meltdowns, the supporting bill is every bit as interesting. That includes a Gang Of Four / Tom Tom Club double bill (20th June), hippy gods Gong (14th June), Japanese electronic pioneers Yellow Magic Orchestra (15th June), Grace Jones (19th June) and a George Clinton / Parliament / Funkadelic night (21st June).

Also of note is the Vangelis Blade Runner soundtrack (mixed by Massive Attack), Terry Callier, Stiff Little Fingers, Martina Topley-Bird, Elbow, various club nights and movie screenings. For all the details, ticket prices and availability, check out the Southbank Meltdown site.

Find out more at the Southbank Meltdown website

Eric Burdon is getting it back on with WAR

Eric Burdon and WAR are to play a one-off reunion gig next week in London (that'd be April 21st). Burdon, who you'll know from The Animals, joined US funkers WAR as singer for two LPs in '70. Neatly, this gig coincides with a big reissue campaign by Rhino records. The one-off show will see Burdon play with WAR's Lonnie Jordan for the first time in 37 years. Not only that, but Eric and Lonnie are due to be interviewed on 'Later With Jools Holland' this Friday (April 18th) on BBC Two. Now, it's unlikely you've heard 'em, so here's a video.

Live Review - Pete Molinari, The Deaf Institute, Manchester

So, the greatest living troubadour rolls into Manchester for the first time - flick knife safely tucked in his leather biker jacket and guitar strapped to his back - and how do I repay him? By forgetting to take a camera to the show and generally sending him the wrong way to a hotel.

That's right, Pete Molinari - just about my favourite musician in the world right now - strolled in carry whut he needs and a superfluous amount of star. There's no hiding from it... Molinari has somethin'... somethin' not seen since the days of Hank Williams and Fred Neil. This boy can break your heart, but he's no sissy.

Pete Molinari live in Manchester tomorrow night (15th April)

This is a simple instruction. Tomorrow night, 15th April, there's a gig that you should go to if your ears and heart work. Pete Molinari will be playing a rare live set up North, and also on the bill is John Fairhurst and Island Line. The gig is taking place at what used to be the Deaf Institute and is cheap as you like to get in. Here are the stark facts to get you there. Molinari - LIVE, Tuesday, April 15, 2008 at 8:00pm. Location: The Deaf Institute on Grosvenor St, Manchester. Now here's a video to entice you further. Here's a review of his newest and most brilliant LP.

Harmonia play the Ether Festival

This one has seemingly slipped under the radar... and I've no idea how. Anyway, Friday 18th April (I know, it's not far off is it?) sees the opening of the Ether festival of art and technology. This year's festival features performances by Goldfrapp, Current 93 with Baby Dee... and Harmonia. Yep. Legendary German electronic pioneers back together to bring their weird and wonderful sounds to people with jaws on the floor. There's loads of other things on, but I can't be bothered telling you about them because a) Harmonia is the big news and b) because I can't go, I'm having a sulk. Click here to find it out for yourself. Now, here's some snippets from an gig last year.

Calexico to play End of the Road Festival

Calexico have been announced as the Sunday headliners for the End of the Road festival this summer. It's one of the only shows the Te-Mex-ers will be playing in Europe this year. Now watch this video if you ain't heard 'em.

Now, read over for some more words about Calexico.

Brian Jonestown Massacre to cause havoc around the UK

Jesus wept. Carnage is most certainly coming your way. In what form? Well, if you've seen the brilliantly daft Dig! film, you'll know that the Brian Jonestown Massacre rolling into to town is not something that promises calm and tranquility...

... it's more likely to leave you with a limp and a tooth missing...

...anyway, BJM are to tour the UK and the dates for the chaos can be found if you read over. Be safe out there kiddies... and see you down the front for a fistfight.

Motorhead to tour UK in November

Motorhead have announced a load of UK dates, due to take place in November. The video above is the rockers playing live... and the dates you can catch 'em at can be found overleaf. Tickets are on sale right now.

The Raconteurs to play 2 UK gigs

I'll keep this short and sweet... because I figure you're gittin' tired of my ramble on in all these tour news articles. So here's low-down. The Raconteurs will play two UK shows next month in Liverpool and London.

The Raconteurs will play: London Hammersmith Apollo (May 14) Liverpool Carling Academy (15) Tickets are available from 10am Friday. If you want to buy tickets online, click here.

Blondie to tour 'Parallel Lines'

Blondie have decided that the best way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of 'Parallel Lines' is to tour the LP.

Of course, the long player is the one that propelled the band to proper, real, stardom, on the back of singles like 'Hanging On The Telephone', 'One Way Or Another' and 'Heart Of Glass'.

Dates have been announced from June 5–28, which you can find if you read over.

Sadly, there's no news of UK dates as yet, but it's inevitable that they'll gig the LP over here as it gave the band a number one in the album charts back when it was released. Keep checking back here and we'll keep you informed of what's going on.

Bob Dylan gets an award... and also... set to tour Europe

Bob Dylan has been awarded an honorary Pulitzer Prize as this year's winners were unveiled in New York. The performer was cited for his "profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power". I'm not sure about the poetry bit... he has written some ace lyrics... buy y'know... poet?

Anyway, Dylan is also set to continue on his 'never ending tour', which will see ol' grumpy arse hauling his back catalogue around Europe.

So far, there's no word on any UK dates, which is surprising. However, chances are, if you're going on holiday this summer, Bobby will probably be playing nearby, so maybe it's not that bad. Unless you're not going on holiday this year. Read over for the tour dates.

New Wire LP and tour

To me, a lot of the new bands knocking around at the minute, the ones that ver kidz love anyway, sound more like Wire than Joy Division. Click here. Anyway, New fans and old fans, you'll be glad to note that they're back with a new album which has a typically detached title of 'Object 47'. It'll be their 11th long player. This sees a return to the core writing partnership who brought the world the '77 release, 'Pink Flag'. It should be in the shop at some point this year.

Speaking to Uncut, Wire's Colin Newman said the new LP is "part of an arc of work begun in 2006" and is very different to their previous studio offering. "With Wire people normally expect the unexpected. You can surmise from that information that this is very different to the last album 'Send'. Obviously people will have their own take on 'Object 47' but I'm very excited about how this one will be received. I think it's a very confident statement about where Wire is right now! My gut feeling is that Wire fans are going to like it a lot." Read over for the full 'Object 47' tracklisting and some tour dates.

Echo and the Bunnymen to play special birthday party

Echo & The Bunnymen... my favourite band for winding fans of The Smiths up with ("they're miles better" usually does the trick)... have just announced that they're going to play a special 30th Anniversary show in Liverpool come November time.

The band will play with a full orchestra and reprise the whole of their Ocean Rain LP. They'll play some new songs from their forthcoming album too.

You can catch the gig at Liverpool's Echo Arena on November 27, marking 30 years to the day from when they played their debut gig at the city's Erics venue. Ian McCulloch explains “Because of the overwhelming response to our Royal Albert Hall ‘Ocean Rain’ show in September – which sold out – I decided that we should take it around the world - New York, Los Angeles, Sao Paulo, Moscow amongst other cities. Obviously, my home city, the place I love and live in had to be there.” Tickets on sale this Friday (April 4) at 9am.

Here we go again... Led Zep might play live again...

I'm getting a bit sick of all this coy cryptic nonsense that we're drip-fed from Led Zeppelin. What's the deal now? Well, Robert Plant has said that there is a chance of more one-off live perfomances from the band, if the reasoning was right.

Speaking in the new UNCUT mag', Plant, commenting on the huge success of their O2 Arena show, said: "Hopefully, one day, we could do it again. Our profit is - it's metaphysical."

The group's bassist John Paul Jones added: "We spoke afterwards, and we both thought the same - it felt like the first night of a tour. You think, 'Oh, I could do that a bit better, or change something in that song.' And we didn't get a chance to do any more." I'm not bothered what you do as long as you make yer friggin' minds up.

Oasis announce that they're playing a gig for the first time in ages

This news couldn't mean less to me... but some of youse like Oasis, so with that, I'll quit parpin' on and just give you some facts straight-up (no chaser).

Oasis have announced their first gig of 2008.

It will take place at Canada's Virgin Festival Toronto.

The festival is held on September 6 and 7.

Oasis are currently working on their seventh album in Los Angeles.

It will probably sound a lot like their other albums.

Tickets are on sale this Saturday and available by clicking this link.

The Sonics - Live from London

Okay. I've done a great big long review (click here). If you can't be bothered reading all that, watch this video instead as it serves as a shorter... but just as good... snapshot of The Sonics' first show on European soil. Jeez. It's good.

Live Review - The Sonics, Kentish Town Forum, London, March 21st 2008

If I was a bit smarter, I would have taken a camera to The Sonics' first ever gig on European soil last Friday... but this wasn't ever going to be a night of being clever-clever was it? So I'll just have to give you a picture of The Sonics that you've probably seen a million times.

Another thing I'll say, before I start dissecting the gig is that I've decided to keep this gig as a separate entity
from Le Beat Bespoke 4, of which this was the grand opener of... although I will be mentioning it in passing.

So, for those that don't know (although I'm pretty certain most Electric Roulette readers do), The Sonics were the toughest, weirdest, loudest, screamin'-est band on the planet once. They took icepicks to their amps to make everything louder... and listening to tracks like Psycho and Strychnine, you'd be forgiven if you thought Gerry Roslie, the singer, had taken an icepick to his trachea too. However, that was the 60s and this is some considerable time later... could they match the 40-odd year build up of expectation?

Modhoney do one-off gig and release some new records

If you really really really like Nirvana, then you should make the ghost of Kurt Cobain crack a grin by watching Mudhoney celebrate their 20th anniversary as opposed to sulking around in a Nirvana hooded top and talking about self-harm like 'it's a release'.

The grungeniks will be releasing two LP later this spring, one of which is brand spanking new. Through Sub Pop, the Seattle label who claim to share a birthday with the band, The Lucky Ones was recorded in three and a half days and is the first studio album since Under a Billion Suns was released in March 2006. Superfuzz Bigmuff will also get a reissue (tracklistings can be found overleaf). The band will also play a one-off show at the Forum in London on the 31st of July.

Willard Grant Conspiracy Pilgrim Orchestra tour (with special guest Howe Gelb)

The Willard Grant Conspiracy Pilgrim Orchestra play an exclusive show at The Bloomsbury Theatre on Sunday 18th May with very special guest Howe Gelb.

The Pilgrim Orchestra is an extraordinary collaboration between Willard Grant Conspiracy's guiding force Robert Fisher and a select group of North American and Scottish musicians including composer Malcolm Lindsay (Exodus/Young Adam). The record and this tour will tick all the right boxes for the devoted and will hopefully draw in the uninitiated as Lindsay's evocative arrangements  bring a subtle yet dramatic maturity to the party while the band's soul searching 4am vibe recalls Tom Waits at his Asylum-era best.

Howe Gelb Howe Gelb is a multi instrumental  music genius from Tucson who may recall, was in Giant Sand. He will open the Bloomsbury show playing with many of the musicians who make up The Willard Grant Conspiracy Pilgrim Orchestra and may well sit in with certain songs from the main performance too. Should be crackin'!

Willard Grant Conspiracy Myspace

Silver Jews to tour UK

Silver Jews have announced a month long tour to herald the release of their new album called ‘Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea’ (via Drag City) in June. Who are the Silver Jews? Well, watch this video and if you think 'Hell! I could get into that!', then read over for the tour dates. They're brilliant live too.

A Slippery-Ass Slope Towards Anarchy With A Capital 'A'

You ever been to a ROCK CONCERT? What did you think? I don't mind tellin' ya, on the basis of my first experience they scare the hell outta me, and if you got any sense they should scare the hell outta you too. I mean, I'd seen footage of Rock Concerts on my Beatles Anthology DVD boxset, like Shea Stadium and On Top Of The Apple Building and stuff, and thought they looked pretty good, y'know, with The Beatles and shit, so I decide to give this rock concert thing a chance and go dig the scene at the next gig I see advertised, and I stand there sipping a ginger beer for 4 hours, just waitin' and waitin', just standin' there like some sorta chump listening to this endless succession of pop-punk bands, finally The Facial Ticks finish their set and they ring for last orders, everybody starts leaving and it's really getting sorta late so I ask the kid behind the bar what the deal is, and, get this: it turns out ANY band can put on a Rock Concert - not just The Beatles! And The Beatles definitely WON'T be playing this gig! Yeah! I know, right? It's like: "Hey, let's just, y'know, let ANYBODY form a band and play WHEREVER they want!" Great idea, Einsteins! Shit, might as well let 'em RELEASE ACTUAL RECORDS while you're at it! "Yeah! Come on everybody! Let's all be rock stars and play gigs and release records and shit, y'know, even though we're not The Beatles or whatever!" I'm tellin' you man, we start lettin' all these non-Beatles bands play gigs whenever they like, well, we got ourselves a situation my friend, oh yeah, a sit-u-ation, a situation of non-Beatles bands playing gigs whenever, wherever they like, 24-7, and that, my friend is a slippery-ass slope towards straight-up anarchy with a capital A. (Paul Fuzz)

Kraftwerk to do a mini-tour

Before you get too excited, this news is for our American cousins only (or those willing to travel to the US I guess). Kraftwerk, long confirmed for the Coachella music festival (April 25-27) are to play some more shows in the build up to the shindig. The Moog Beatles will appear at Myth in Minneapolis on April 19, the Eagles Ballroom in Milwaukee, Wis., on April 20 and at the Fillmore in Denver on April 23. If you haven't seen them, this is what you can expect.

The Sonics to play Spain at possibly greatest festival line-up ever

We told you about The Sonics playing London. The we told you an extra date had been added (rumours are that the second date will see The Hives and The Horrors as support *taps nose*)... so if you ain't got a ticket, what's your excuse?

Well, in a last ditch attempt to get you lazy bones to get down to the greatest rock 'n' roll band who ever walked the planet, The Sonics have been added to the bill of Spanish festival, Primavera Sound. Who else is on? What? The Sonics are all you need surely? If not, highlights at the festival are 808 State, Caribou, De La Soul, Devo, Kool Keith, Holly Golightly, Mary Weiss of The Shangri-las, Notwist, Portishead, Public Enemy performing It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back...  do I have to go on? Now, go on, start paying yer dues. Click here for more info.

New Black Angels LP and UK tour!

Like your music with fuzz and hard as nails? Yeah? Still want a bit of psych thrown in? Well, good news, The Black Angels have their second LP coming out and it's called 'Directions to See a Ghost'... creepy.

The record was produced by the band along with 'Passover' producer Erik Wofford and will be released on May 13, 2008. The press release says that the record is "Bathed in haunting psychedelic, opiated chiaroscuro... both hypnotic and driving at the same time.&qu