Sonic Reducers. One topic. Two music nerds. Five minutes. Everything you need to know.
Punch play to watch us run down new albums by Animal Collective, Black Country, New Road, A Place To Bury Strangers, Cassels, Hollis Brown, Jazz Butcher and more.
Mariposa Folk Festival Announces First Wave Lineup For 2022
The Mariposa Folk Festival is set to return to Tudhope Park in Orillia this year, with a lineup that includes Mavis Staples, Serena Ryder, Lennon Stella, JP Saxe, Allison Russell, Kathleen Edwards, Blackie & the Rodeo Kings, and more.
Forty acts were revealed today for the 2022 edition of the iconic folk music festival that will take place July 8 to 10. More names will be announced later this spring. Tickets for Mariposa are on sale via the festival website.
The Mariposa Folk Festival was founded in Orillia, Ontario in 1961. Through the decades it has found a way to remain Canada’s most relevant and not-to-be-missed musical gathering. The festival was cancelled in both 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19.
The 2022 lineup will include: Mavis Staples, Serena Ryder, Lennon Stella, JP Saxe, Allison Russell, Kathleen Edwards, Blackie & the Rodeo Kings. Also appearing: Andrew Waite, Aysanabee, Celeigh Cardinal, Charlie Cunningham, Dala, Dwayne Gretzky, Harrow Fair, Ian Sherwood, Irish Mythen, James Keelaghan, Jane’s Party, John Craigie, Kellie Loder, Le Ren, Leyla McCalla, Lido Pimienta, Logan Staats, Marla & David Celia, Moscow Apartment, Reuben & the Dark, Ruby Waters, Rup Loops, Sarah Hagen, Stephen Lewis & the Big Band of Fun, Tami Neilson, The Arrogant Worms, The Fretless, The Pairs, The Small Glories, The Weather Station, Vinta, Youngtree & the Blooms, and Zaki Ibrahim.
The three-day Mariposa Folk Festival features more than ten stages of top folk-roots music, along with presentations of story, dance, and craft. All ticket categories are on sale. Kids 12 & under are admitted free. The festival has special pricing for youth and young adults. Onsite RV and tent camping is available. https://mariposafolk.com/
Benee Returns With New Single “Beach Boy”
Today, BENEE returns with her first new music of 2022, a single entitled “Beach Boy”, produced by Greg Kurstin (Adele, Sia, Beck) and arrives alongside the announcement of her forthcoming EP LYCHEE out March 4th.
“Beach Boy” sets BENEE in her breeziest form to date. A sweetly toned vocal and dreamy guitars evoke sixties beach movies, sun kissed summer days, and perfect beach dates.
BENEE says, “‘Beach Boy’ is pure fantasy, set in LA. It’s about being happy alone, but still wanting some love; wanting the thrill without the pain. It was the first time I’d worked with Greg Kurstin, and it was so sick…we got on super well, and I love this track…I think it is perfect for cruising down the freeway with the top down :)”
BENEE headed out of lockdown in her New Zealand home to work on sessions in LA, which formed the basis of a new set of music she says is coming from a “great creative space” despite the pressures of what has been “the craziest time in all our lives.”
The LYCHEE EP features tracks penned with Greg Kurstin, Kenny Beats, and Rostam in LA. Back in New Zealand, she finished up three tracks with her regular collaborator Josh Fountain, including the already-released “Doesn’t Matter,” which has gathered over 5 million Spotify streams and 300K YouTube views on the music video (co-directed by BENEE).
Billboard raved, “Benee’s talents as a vocalist and lyricist shine through.” Meanwhile, Stereogum noted, “the song isn’t about feeling mellow, instead it’s all about attempting to cope with mental health issues.” PAPER described it as “more emotive and pensive.” V Magazine also claimed, “She uses her best asset, her extremely evocative and ethereal vocals, to great effect here over a steady drum-and-guitar melody.” OnesToWatch praised it as “an unfiltered, heartfelt look at ‘invisible’ mental health disorders.”
BENEE is also looking forward to a 2022 headline world tour. The North American leg kicks off on May 31st in Montreal and makes stops in Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and more. BENEE was also recently announced on the 2022 Gov Ball lineup on Saturday, June 11th. See the full list of dates below and at beneemusic.com.
The 22-year-old broke through with “Supalonely,” her global hit with 4 billion streams, and like many artists has had to wait for a chance to tour outside of her home country again. This year’s tour will be BENEE’s first return to the international stage and finds her playing her first-ever US festival with Bonnaroo on her summer schedule.
BENEE’s dreamy alt-pop mixes her deeply heartfelt reflections on life in suburban Auckland, New Zealand with offbeat and often whimsical lyrical twists, all produced with a technicolor ear for cooked beats and unpredictable hooks. 2020’s debut album Hey u x was a vibrant musical world with guests ranging from Grimes and Lily Allen to Gus Dapperton and Muroki (another New Zealand teen BENEE has since signed to her own label, Olive). It was listed as one of Billboard’s “25 Best Pop Albums of 2020,” noting that BENEE “contemplates the woes of Gen Z with a keen ear for choruses and arrangements that oscillate between indie rock and hyperpop.” Stereogum praised its “quirky but impeccably produced pop music” and Vogue called it “13 tracks of heavenly indie-alt-pop.”
LYCHEE EP TRACKLIST
1. “Beach Boy”
2. “Soft Side”
3. “Hurt You Gus”
4. “Never Ending”
5. “Marry Myself”
6. “Doesn’t Matter”
7. “Make You Sick”
BENEE 2022 WORLD TOUR
NORTH AMERICA – with special guest Dreamer Boy
May 31 Montreal, QC Corona Theatre
June 1 Toronto, ON Phoenix Concert Theatre
June 3 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
June 4 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
June 6 Detroit, MI St. Andrew’s Hall
June 7 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
June 8 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
June 11 New York, NY The Governors Ball
June 14 Boston, MA House of Blues
June 15 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts
June 17 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
June 18 Manchester, TN Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
June 21 Englewood, CO Gothic Theatre
June 22 Salt Lake City, UT The Depot
June 24 Seattle, WA The Showbox
June 25 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom
June 26 Vancouver, BC Vogue Theatre
June 28 San Francisco, CA The Warfield Theatre
June 30 Los Angeles, CA The Novo
Needtobreathe Announce ‘Into The Mystery’ Acoustic Tour Of North America
GRAMMY Award-nominated rock band NEEDTOBREATHE have announced an intimate acoustic tour of North America in support of their latest critically acclaimed studio album Into The Mystery. The 26-city Into The Mystery Acoustic Tour will kick off on April 18 in Winnipeg, MB, and wrap on May 22 with two back-to-back shows in Knoxville, TN. Patrick Droney will provide support on all dates.
“The success of the acoustic tours over the years has been one of the biggest surprises of our career,” shared NEEDTOBREATHE frontman Bear Rinehart. “The intimacy and conversation that takes place in these beautiful theaters has been a pretty magical experience for us as a band. So much of our music was written and recorded acoustically in a living room, and with two new albums to pull from, we want to bring that experience to you again.”
NEEDTOBREATHE’s latest studio album Into The Mystery is available now via Elektra Records. The album debuted in the Top 10 across three Billboard charts and received praise from Rolling Stone, Billboard, People, American Songwriter, and more. Leading into release, the band performed Into The Mystery’s lead single “I Wanna Remember” alongside Carrie Underwood at the 2021 CMT Music Awards. NEEDTOBREATHE also delivered unforgettable performances on CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Late Late Show with James Corden, and ABC’s The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration.
Following the album’s release, the band unveiled the accompanying documentary “NEEDTOBREATHE: Into The Mystery”. The film intimately chronicles the group recording the album, while quarantined in a historic house-turned-recording studio in remote Tennessee in fall of 2020. “NEEDTOBREATHE: Into The Mystery” is available on demand (including iTunes / Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video) now via Greenwich Entertainment.
NEEDTOBREATHE celebrated the album’s release with their massive Into The Mystery Tour. The 38 city trek included their fifth consecutive sold out show at Denver, CO’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre and first-ever headline performance at Nashville, TN’s Bridgestone Arena. Returning to the road with a purpose, the band donated $1 from each ticket sold to For Others. In total, over $1.1 million was generated in support for the organization, which endeavors to address the country’s foster care crisis. NEEDTOBREATHE will once again be partnering with For Others on their upcoming Into The Mystery Acoustic Tour. Additionally, the band closed out 2021 by hosting NEEDTOBREATHE & Friends One Night Only Supporting OneWorld Health. The event raised over $1.4 million for OneWorld Health, which will provide sustainable, affordable, and accessible healthcare in East Africa and Central America.
NEEDTOBREATHE INTO THE MYSTERY ACOUSTIC TOUR DATES
April 18, 2022 – Winnipeg, MB – Burton Cummings Theatre
April 20, 2022 – Edmonton, AB – Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
April 21, 2022 – Calgary, AB – Southern Jubilee Auditorium
April 22, 2022 – Vancouver, BC – Queen Elizabeth Theatre
April 24, 2022 – Spokane, WA – First Interstate Center for the Arts
April 25, 2022 – Boise, ID – Boise State University – Morrison Center
April 26, 2022 – Eugene, OR – Hult Center for the Performing Arts – Silva Concert Hall
April 28, 2022 – Paso Robles, CA – Vina Robles Amphitheatre
April 29, 2022 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Theatre
May 01, 2022 – Midland, TX – Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center
May 02, 2022 – San Antonio, TX – Majestic Theatre
May 04, 2022 – New Orleans, LA – Saenger Theatre
May 05, 2022 – Mobile, AL – Saenger Theatre
May 06, 2022 – North Little Rock, AR – Simmons Bank Arena
May 07, 2022 – Springfield, MO – Gillioz Theatre
May 09, 2022 – Wichita, KS – Orpheum Theatre
May 10, 2022 – Ames, IA – Stephens Auditorium – Iowa State Center
May 12, 2022 – Fort Wayne, IN – Sweetwater Pavilion
May 13, 2022 – Milwaukee, WI – Riverside Theater
May 14, 2022 – Peoria, IL – Peoria Civic Theater
May 15, 2022 – Evansville, IN – Victory Theatre
May 17, 2022 – Grand Rapids, MI – Fountain Street Church
May 18, 2022 – Lewiston, NY – Artpark Mainstage Theater
May 20, 2022 – Richmond, VA – Altria Theater
May 21, 2022 – Charleston, WV – Clay Center for Arts & Sciences
May 22, 2022 – Knoxville, TN – The Tennessee Theatre
Sonic Reducers: The Day The Music Died
Sonic Reducers. One topic. Two music nerds. Five minutes. Everything you need to know.
Push play to watch us talk about the day the music died, celebrate the monumental impacts Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens made on music in their too-brief careers, and ponder what might have become of them had they not taken that fatal plane trip.
King Crimson Release Trailer for “In the Court of the Crimson King” Documentary
Official Trailer for the long awaited documentary “In The Court of the Crimson King” by Toby Amies. An official selection for the 2022 SXSW film festival, with a world premiere in Austin in March.
What began as a traditional documentary about the legendary band King Crimson as it turned 50, mutated into an exploration of time, death, family, and the transcendent power of music to change lives; but with jokes.
In the Court of the Crimson King is a dark, comic film for anyone who wonders whether it is worth sacrificing everything for just a single moment of transcendence. It explores the unique creative environment of King Crimson, one in which freedom and responsibility conspire to place extraordinary demands on the band’s members – only alleviated by the applause of an audience whose adoration threatens to make their lives even harder. It’s a rewarding and perilous space in which the extraordinary is possible, nothing is certain, and not everyone survives intact.
Sonic Reducers: The 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nominees Announced!
Sonic Reducers. 1 Topic. 2 music nerds. 5 minutes.
We run down the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame’s long list of new nominees, predict the winners, and tell you which artists don’t stand a snowball’s chance. Hint: Eric thinks everyone should get in.
Guy Recreated The Intro To ‘Baba O’Riley’ By The Who Using The Same Organ
Bill Blake tracks down the fun-sounding Lowrey TBO-1 organ and recreated the classic introduction of The Who’s legendary song Baba O’Riley.
Tanya Tucker Announces 2022 Hard Luck Tour
The wait is finally over as two-time GRAMMY® winner Tanya Tucker reveals upcoming dates for her 2022 Hard Luck Tour as the original female country outlaw gets back in the saddle during her first stop at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. Additional shows will be added in the coming weeks.
“So excited to get back out on the road! I’ve had a little bit of Hard Luck lately, but my luck’s changing and I can’t wait to see y’all on our new Hard Luck Tour real soon! I love my fans and hope to see y’all this year!” Tanya shared.
2022 HARD LUCK TOUR
Feb. 13 San Antonio Rodeo – San Antonio, Texas
June 3-5 Riverbend – Chattanooga, Tenn.
June 4 Harrah’s Cherokee Event Center – Cherokee, N.C.
July 8 River Spirit Casino – Tulsa, Okla.
July 9 Sugar Creek Casino – Hinton, Okla.
July 14 River Cree Resort & Casino – Enoch, Alb.
July 14-17 Country Thunder Saskatchewan – Craven, Sask.
Aug. 4 Blue Gate Performing Arts Center – Shipshewana, Ind.
Aug. 4-6 WE Fest – Detroit Lakes, Minn.
Aug. 5 Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua – Bayfiedl, Wis.
Recently, Tanya collaborated with several guest artists and friends on their recent releases, including “Higher” with Eddie Montgomery, “This Is Our Country” with RuPaul and “Never Again, Every Time” with Leigh Nash.
Edgy. Classic. Country. A defining voice of music and a modern-day legend, two-time 2020 GRAMMY® winner Tanya Tucker continues to inspire artists today. Born in Seminole, Texas, Tanya had her first country hit, the classic “Delta Dawn,” at the age of 13 in 1972. Since that auspicious beginning, she has become one of the most admired and influential artists in country music history, amassing 23 Top 40 albums and a stellar string of 56 Top 40 singles, ten of which reached the No. 1 spot on the Billboard country charts. Tanya’s indelible songs include some of country music’s biggest hits such as the aforementioned “Delta Dawn,” “Soon,” “Two Sparrows in a Hurricane,” “It’s a Little Too Late,” “Trouble,” “Texas (When I Die),” “If It Don’t Come Easy” and “Strong Enough To Bend.” Tanya is also the recipient of numerous awards, including two CMAs, two ACMs and three CMT awards. In 2020, Tanya received two GRAMMY® Awards for Best Country Album: While I’m Livin’ and Best Country Song: “Bring My Flowers Now.” In the fall of 2020, Fantasy Records released Tanya Tucker – Live From The Troubadour on October 16, the one-year anniversary of Tanya’s historic, standing-room only set from which it originates. Tanya was in the midst of resurgent visibility and acclaim generated by her Brandi Carlile and Shooter Jennings produced While I’m Livin’ album released two months earlier – so the brief stand in front of the West Hollywood tastemaker crowd took on a palpable air of significance. As someone who’s been center stage for more than 50 years, Tanya is donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the album directly to The Troubadour. The country icon’s signature tequila, Tanya Tucker’s Cosa Salvaje Tequila, is now available in 14 U.S. states and Canada, with additional stores carrying the spirit every day. To order Tanya Tucker’s Cosa Salvaje Tequila, visit CosaSalvajeTequila.com. For more information on Tanya, merchandise and more, go to TanyaTucker.com.
“Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliché” Doc Is A Must Watch
Poly Styrene was the first woman of colour in the UK to front a successful rock band. She introduced the world to a new sound of rebellion, using her unconventional voice to sing about identity, consumerism, postmodernism, and everything she saw unfolding in late 1970s Britain, with a rare prescience. As the frontwoman of X-Ray Spex, the Anglo-Somali punk musician was also a key inspiration for the riot grrrl and Afropunk movements.
The death of Poly sends her daughter, co-director and writer Celeste Bell, on a journey across the world and through her mother’s archives to reconcile their fraught relationship in this new documentary feature.
Featuring unseen archive material and rare diary entries narrated by Oscar-nominee Ruth Negga, “Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliché” follows Celeste as she examines her mother’s unopened artistic archive and traverses three continents to better understand Poly the icon and Poly the mother.