A new record from Rodrigo y Gabriela is coming. Area 52, produced by Peter Asher, comes out January 24, 2012. The release consists of nine of the duo’s own songs reconfigured, re-arranged and Cuban-ized. That is to say they are accompanied by a 13 piece Cuban orchestra. The backing musicians are from a Havana-based group called C.U.B.A. This is the first time Rodrigo y Gabriela have recorded with other musicians.

Other folks appearing on the record are notable as well; bassist Carles Benavent (Paco De Lucia, Miles Davis, Chick Corea), drummer Samuel Formell (Los Van Van), sitarist Anoushka Shankar and drummer John Tempesta (The Cult, White Zombie).

And there shall be touring in 2012.

Psychostick have a new video about boobs. Because Boobs is the single from their latest full-length, Space Vampires Vs. Zombie Dinosaurs In 3D. As you may have guessed, this is not a band given to taking themselves seriously.

They are sort of goofy. But in a good way.

The band is out on the road at the moment (they always seem to be). Find out more at www.psychostick.com.

Avenged Sevenfold  are the headliner for this year’s X103.9 Very Merry Xmas Party. The show is on December 17th at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, CA. Support acts include; Hollywood Undead, Asking Alexandria and Black Veil Brides.

You can get tickets tomorrow, Saturday, October 20 at the evil empire of Ticketmaster beginning at 10 a.m.

The rest of the nation can see the band as they begin their Buried Alive tour. The same bands from the Xmas bash are in support. Go to www.avengedsevenfold.com for dates.

Summer Camp are having a Halloween Party on Tumblr. Their new video for, Down, was directed by Chris Boyle and employs an infinite loop of 50 gifs. The band is going to let 50 different fans debut one of the gifs on their blog or Tumblr page. Find out more HERE.

Summer Camp are also about to release Welcome To Condale (November 8) and tour Europe. A USA tour is in the works for 2012. If you pre-order Welcome To Condale, by the way, a portion of your money will go to Shelter From The Storm, a homeless shelter in London. This advance order gets you the digital download—and various “album packages” which include a film night with the band, brownies baked by the band etc. YOU HAVE TWO DAYS INCLUDING TODAY TO DO THIS HERE.

Tour

October 29 - Battersea Power Station - Relentless Freeze Festival
November 4 - Rome, Italy - Animal Social Club
5 -Bologna, Italy - Covo
9 - Lancaster, UK - Library
10 - Liverpool, UK - Mojo
11 - Newcastle, UK - Dog & Parrot
12 - Leeds, UK - Constellations Festival
14 - Southampton, UK - Joiners
15 - Oxford, UK - Jericho
17 - London, UK - Efes Pool Hall (Dalston)
18 - Canterbury, UK - Farmhouse
19 - Brighton, UK - Green Door Store
21 - Amsterdam, Holland - Paradiso
23 - Brussels, Belgium - WitloofBar, Botanique
24 - Paris, France - Le Petit Bain
25 - Berlin, Germany - Levee
26 - Utrecht, Holland - Le Guess Who @ Ekko

Architecture in Helsinki have a new Video for their track W.O.W. Apparently their friends in the band Krozm knew a guy with some animatronic dolphins (really who doesn’t?).  They made this video—which they call the soundtrack of a man’s quest to find his place in nature and the universe.

Animatronic dolphins are the real draw.

The band are touring the USA in November and then heading back home to play various summer festivals in Australia and New Zealand. Dates below!

Tour

2 Nov 2011 -  Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre
3 Nov 2011 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
4 Nov 2011 - Cruz, CA @ Rio Theatre
5 Nov 2011 - Mexico City, MX @ El Plaza Condesa
6 Nov 2011 - Austin, TX @ Fun Fun Fun Fest
7 Nov 2011 - Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald's
9 Nov 2011 - Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder
10 Nov 2011 - Tampa, FL @ Crowbar
11 Nov 2011 - Miami, FL @ Grand Central
12 Nov 2011 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
14 Nov 2011 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle
15 Nov 2011 - Washington DC @ 9:30 Club
16 Nov 2011 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
17 Nov 2011 - Boston, MA @ Royale
18 Nov 2011 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
19 Nov 2011 - Alfred, NY @ Alfred University
20 Nov 2011 - Oberlin, OH @ Oberlin College
21 Nov 2011 - Chicago, IL @ Metro
22 Nov 2011 - St. Paul, MN @ Macalester College

Festivals

26 Nov 2011 - Canberra, AU @ Foreshore Festival
3 Dec 2011 - Sydney, AU @ Homebake / The Domain
29 Dec 2011 –Gisborne, NZ – Rhythm & Vines Festival
22 Jan 2012 - Gold Coast, AU @ Big Day Out / Gold Coast Parklands
26 Jan 2012 - Sydney, AU @ Big Day Out / Sydney Showground
29 Jan 2012 - Melbourne, AU @ Big Day Out / Flemington Racecourse
3 Feb 2012 - Adelaide, AU @ Big Day Out / Adelaide Showground
5 Feb 2012 - Perth, AU @ Big Day Out / Claremont Showground

Marianne Faithful released a new record earlier this year. Horses and High Heels appeared on Naïve Records. Now Faithful will appear for three shows at New York’s City Winery,  December 18, 19, and 20.

Years ago I saw Faithful perform in Brooklyn. I was ambivalent about going to see her as I wasn’t a huge fan. But her performance will knock you out. You will leave a fan, I promise. She isn’t just the girl who sang As Tears Go By before most of you were born.  Go see her if you can get tickets.

The new record consists of four original tracks and eight covers. Guests on the record include Lou Reed and Wayne Kramer. Guitarist John Porter (The Smiths, Eric Clapton) also plays.

Nocturna is a long standing  Chicago tradition. It has been going strong for over 20 years. This year their All Hallow's Eve Ball is Saturday October 29 at Bottom Lounge (often their events are at Metro).

Some would call the monthly club night a "goth" event but it is more than a single genre. The music played is not ONLY old goth classics but industrial, EBM, shoegaze and more. The night embrsaces a multitude of genres. DJ Scary Lady Sarah has even played (and I heard this myself), John Hiaitt (...there's a dead girl's body by the railroad tracks...)

I also seem to recall her playing Vampire by Peter Tosh. All kinds are welcome. And even if you are not into dark beautiful music you will still have a blast at the Halloween event.

Girl In A Coma are from San Antonio, Texas and they play pop meets rock n roll music. They have opened for the likes of Morrissey, Tegan and Sara, The Pogues, Amanda Palmer, Sia and others. They are signed to Joan Jett’s label and had music featured in the greatest film ever made, Machete. Their new record is Exits & All The Rest.

They also have a new video you can see below and are heading out on an impressive tour this fall and early winter.  The best thing about them is they are NOT Joan Jett. Some folks I told to listen to the band were surprised they were not a new version of The Runaways. The world had that band. This is a very different one….with, dare I say, a more sophisticated and universal sort of music.  But they still manage to rock too, in an old school 50s sort of way.

You can hear the record streaming at NPR HERE. Not sure for how long.

Tour
 
10/28: Austin, TX @ Mohawk
10/29: San Antonio, TX @ Pearl Park Amphitheater
10/30: Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald's ^
11/4: Dallas, TX @ The Prophet Bar *
11/6: New Orleans, LA @ Siberia Bar *
11/7: Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade *
11/8: Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506 *
11/9: Washington, DC @ DC9 *
11/10: Brooklyn, NY @ Knitting Factory *
11/11: New York, NY @ The Studio at Webster Hall *
11/13: Cambridge, MA @ T/T/ the Bear's *
11/15: Philadelphia, PA @ North Star Bar *
11/16: Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe *
11/17: Indianapolis, IN @ Radio Radio *
11/18: Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick *
11/19: Chicago, IL @ Double Door *
11/20: Madison, WI @ The High Noon Saloon *
11/21: Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry #
11/23: Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre #
11/25: Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court #
11/26: Boise, ID @ Neurolux #
11/27: Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Cafe
11/28: Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge #
11/29: San Francisco, CA @ The Independent #
11/30: Sacramento, CA @ Harlow’s Night Club #
12/02: Los Angeles, CA @ The Echoplex #
12/03: Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room #
12/04: San Diego, CA @ the Casbah #
12/7: El Paso, TX @ House of Rock #
12/9: Corpus Christi, TX @ House of Rock #
12/10: Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live #
12/16: Laredo, TX @ Old No. 2
12/17: Mission, TX @ Smoking Aces

^ = w/Concrete Blonde
* = w/The Coathangers
# = w/Fences

Wale and Diplo have “leaked” a track from the upcoming Wale record, Ambition. The track, Slight Work, features Big Sean and was produced by Diplo. Wale fans can pre-order Ambition HERE.

The first time I heard of Jon DeRosa was when he was a teenager. He sent his brilliant demos into a small indie record label that had the poor sense to employ me. His project, Dead Leaves Rising, was something the label should have latched onto immediately. The only reason I can think of that we didn’t was that we had our heads up our collective asses.

Or perhaps we didn’t know HOW to sign a 14 year old. What do you do? Ask for a note from mom and dad?

Since then DeRosa has worked on a number of  consistently creative and adventuresome projects --Aarktica, Pale Horse And Rider.

This new record might lead some to look for differences with previous work. In fact is likely to look for similarities—and by that I mostly refer to the stellar songwriting. If DeRosa decides to embrace death metal or techno next the songs would be top notch. He is someone you should hear.

The CD release is limited to 500 hand numbered copies. A second record is in the works for next year.