TimmyB

It will be interesting to see if this is the new lineup for the Trey Anastasio Band or not?

Whatever band Trey takes on the road I'm looking forward to the new album, bonnaroo and summer tour!

I just listened to "Lower 48" the opening track on their newest album "Blood of the Ram" on their official website and I am blown away!

I've listened to the song six or seven times in a row. And I very rarely do something like that!

The song reminds me of one of my favorite Los Lobos songs "One Time One Night." If this song is any indication of how good this band is, than they will soon become one of my favorite bands as well.

I can't wait to go and pick up the Gourds on CD.

I have never listened to the Gourds before, but as of late I've seen that a lot of people talk about this band.

Esau, after seeing people like you talk about them so much and the fact that they are going to be at bonnaroo this year, so I decided to look more into this band.

So I checked out their official website www.thegourds.com only to find out that Max Johnston is in the band! Max Johnston is a great multi-intrumentalist who plays dobro, fiddle, mandolin and banjo and he was in both Uncle Tupelo Wilco.

I saw Wilco for the first time in 1997 but at that point Max had left the band and Bob Egan (who is now in Blue Rodeo) took his place.

I have never seen Max perform live and now I think I'll be putting more of an effort to go and see the Gourds at bonnaroo since I've found out that Max is in the band.

Thanks Esau.

No offense taken StoneMtn.

The funny thing is I have been absolutely blown away everytime I've seen Beck.

The first time I saw Beck I too was seeing Neil Young headline the show. It was at SPAC in Sartatoga apart of H.O.R.D.E. 1997. I had 'Mellow Gold' and 'Odelay' and enjoyed them but I had no idea what to expect from Mr. Hanson. He blew my socks off that day and I have been a huge fan ever since.

During the SPAC show Beck went from the solo acoustic folk of "Pay No Mind (Snoozer)," to the solo with only a harmonica blues of "One Foot in the Grave," to back with the band of the country rock of "Jack-ass" to his brand of of hip hop with "Where Its At." All four songs were performed with taste and nothing came off as kitchy. How many other artists can perform four different genres in succession and pull it off?

I saw Beck again in 2000 for his tour in support of 'Midnite Vultures' at MLG in Toronto and then twice more performing an acoustic set solo and with his band at Neil Young's Bridge School Concerts. From the Toronto show to the Mountain View concerts, Beck flipped 180% and I loved it all. From "Mixed Bizness," "Milk & Honey," "Peaches & Cream" and "Devils Haircut" to "Bottle of Blues" and "Nobody's Fault But Mine" it was all amazing.

The last time I saw Beck in support of my favorite album of his "Sea Change" was at Massey Hall with the Flaming Lips opening for him and supporting him. Beck started out solo acoustic and on his last solo number Beck even took my request for his song "Rowboat" the song I love so much because of Johnny Cash's cover of it on Cash's "American II: Unchained." Then Beck performed an amazing set covering most of his career with the Lips.

As you said StoneMtn, I'm patiently waiting to hear when and where I'll be seeing Beck again.

And unlike you I recomend anyone who likes Becks more rocking stuff to see his upcoming tourl as it shall most likely have more edge than "Sea Change." If you just like Beck I'm sure you will enjoy him as well.

from www.billboard.com

Edited By Jonathan Cohen. February 03, 2005, 4:10 PM ET

Beck Seeing Triple On 'Guero'

In the wake of an unfinished copy of his new album leaking onto the Internet last month, Beck will offer fans a bounty of reasons to purchase the real deal. Due March 29 via Interscope, "Guero" will be released as a standard CD, a double-disc package with two videos and a 5.1 audio mix and a third edition featuring four remixes.

Videos for "E-Pro" and "Black Tambourine" will be included on the double-disc set, while Boards Of Canada, Octet, Dizzee Rascal and, as first reported here, Royksopp, contribute the remixes on the third package.

On Tuesday (Feb. 1), Beck quietly unveiled the "Hell Yes" EP on Apple's iTunes Music Store, featuring remixes of the title track and "Que Onda Guero" by 8-bit and remixes of "E-Pro" and "Girl" by Paza. A video for "Hell Yes" directed by Mumbleboy is also available on iTunes.

Beck has yet to confirm tour dates in support of "Guero," but he played his second surprise show in recent weeks last Friday at Echo in Los Angeles, which featured a number of tracks from the new album.

-- Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

Larry Mullen Jr. is the drummer in U2.

Here's another post on U2.COM about scalpers.

from www.U2.com

01.02.2005

Scalpers Be Warned

Our thanks to many U2.Com subscribers who have sent us details of scalpers selling 'Vertigo' tour tickets - we are pursuing the leads you have mailed us.

Last week many U2 fans got in touch with us to complain about ticket touts offering tickets for the 'Vertigo 2005 Tour' at extortionate prices.

You have sent us in many useful online links and other information and a whole raft of ticket offers have already been taken down from online auction sites.

More action will follow.

Some of these touts have posed as genuine U2 fans, taken out a subscription and bought tickets in the presale only to readvertise them for huge sums.

Please be aware that anyone advertising tickets online does not have them in their possession yet - technology is helping us connect scalpers' offers with the original purchase of tickets.

When we identify rogue U2.Com subscribers as the source of sold-on tickets we are taking action to cancel the sale of those tickets and to redistribute those tickets to subscribers who have yet to get tickets.

Please also note the following clause in our terms of subscription to U2.Com.

"We reserve the right to block access to or cancel a ticket order of any user that we believe, in our sole and absolute discretion: (i) is or is associated with any ticket broker or scalper, (ii) is utilizing automated means to process or place ticket orders, or (iii) whose ticket order exceeds the stated limit."

If you have further information on scalpers and touts exploiting the tour,please let us know.

Due to the difficulties of the past two weeks, U2 will be offereing membership refunds to those who want it.

Also U2 are working to correct the problems that occured.

Personally I'll be holding on to my membership, in the hopes of getting Presale tickets for the inevitable Toronto show(s).

from www.U2.com

02.02.2005

An open letter from Larry Mullen

This is not something that I would normally do, but I feel that I have to do something to redress this situation.

There was a mess up in the way the tickets were distributed through U2.com for the Vertigo pre-sale. Some of it was beyond our control, but some of it wasn't.

I am now in the process of figuring out a way of distributing the tickets for our intended return to North America in the fall. The only fair way of doing this, is to give U2 Propaganda members, who are now U2.com members, priority in the queue.

After that, people will be given priority in the order in which they joined. Many people who joined U2.com and didn't get tickets are understandably angry. They now have the option to get a full refund of their subscription fee.

The idea that our long-time U2 fans and scalpers competed for U2 tickets through our own web site is appalling to me. I want to apologise to you who have suffered that.

If your U2.com pre-sale experience has left you disappointed, I hope this will go some way towards reassuring you of our total commitment to our audience.

Slainte

Larry.

By the way, a note to those so-called U2 fans who are quick to accuse

U2 of unseemly behaviour, I've only got two words for you...

Click here for information on a refund.

I've seen Steve Earle four times in concert (once with the Dukes, twice with the Del McCoury Band and once with Emmylou Harris, Bruce Cockburn, John Prine, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Nanci Griffith) and have attended a screening of Earle's film "Just An American Boy" and he was in attendance to introduce it.

I can say this I have only regrets that I have not seen Earle more than I have.

I feel that Earle's post prison output ranks as some of the best and most eclectic body of work of any artist on the planet since the early nineties.

There are not too many singer/songwriters that are as compelling as Steve Earle.

To me Steve Earle is well worth the $50 ticket and much much more.

once again timmy seems to bring logic to a almost meaninigless issue that i oops started...

I apologize Marky,

It was not my intention to rain on your parade, I have a problem with that on these messageboards.

I sometimes think I have vulcan blood.

Why are a lot of you surprised that this band Maroon 5 are doing so well?

I couldn't even name one of their songs, but I've heard their name mentioned more times than I can recall. So if someone who doesn't watch any MuchMusic or MTV with any regularity or listen to any radio stations knows the name of a band, then they are obviously doing quite well and it should be no surprise to any that they can ask for $55 (plus service charges I'm assuming) at the Air Canada Centre.

I personally don't care what it's called. It's a terrible place to see a baseball game and a worse place to see a concert.

That being said I'm a Jays fan so I go to baseball games there and if the artist that performs at the Skydome, I mean the Rogers Centre, is important to me I'll still go to the gig.

I've been waiting for this live album since it was first scheduled for release in the fall.

from www.rollingstone.com

Lucinda Comes Alive

Williams to release first live CD this spring

Three-time Grammy winner Lucinda Williams will release Live at the Fillmore, her first-ever live album, on May 10th.

The two-disc set, recorded at San Francisco's legendary Fillmore Auditorium last year during her World Without Tears tour, features twenty-two tracks from Williams' twenty-five-plus-year career. Included in the set list are "Change the Locks," from 1988's Lucinda Williams and later recorded by Tom Petty; "Pineola," a poignant song about a family friend's suicide from 1992's Sweet Old World; and "Those Three Days," from Williams' most recent studio album World Without Tears.

The Live at the Fillmore track listing:

Disc One:

Ventura

Reason to Cry

Fruits of My Labor

Out of Touch

Sweet Side

Lonely Girls

Overtime

Blue

Change the Locks

Atonement

Disc Two:

I Lost It

Pineola

Righteously

Joy

Essence

Real Live Bleeding Fingers and Broken Guitar Strings

Are You Down

Those Three Days

American Dream

World Without Tears

Bus to Baton Rouge

Words Fell

JESSICA ROBERTSON

(Posted Feb 02, 2005)

Can't argue with that lineup, to be sure it would be a great festival to see.

Specifically I have always wanted to see Randy Newman. Who doesn't perform all too often (minus the Oscars).

I've only seen Paul McCartney once live (his "Back in the U.S. tour in 2002 at the ACC) and it was one of the greatest concerts I have seen ever.

And since that show I have only had regrets not going to the Concert for New York City in 2001, and I also regret not making greater efforts to see the Concert for George in London in 2002 or the Bridge School Concerts near San Francisco in 2004.

Whether it is in Toronto or Ottawa or New York City I will be making sure I pay whatever it takes to see Sir Paul McCartney again this fall.

Minus certain reunion concerts, Paul McCartney is one of the only artists on the planet that I would miss Neil Young and/or Bob Dylan for if they were performing on the same night. And for those who know me, know I don't miss either of those two very often (I've seen Young 33 times and Dylan 22 times).

I'm just having fun with you Steve.

Also maybe one of the reasons why 1999 is better for you than 2000 was because it was your first time. The first time is always special, at least that's what I have heard.

The G.I. JOE toys look a lot more realistic than the G.I. Joe vs Cobra circa 1980s toys I used to have.

Del, each to his own...but longer doesn't mean better...

although 2000 holds it own, especially with the long first set, and the nice Yem and HUGE moma, the 99 show contained SO much goods...

The beauty Divided, the powerful Sloth, the gorgeous YEM outro....

As good as 2000 is, your definately the first person i've talked to that preferred 2000...not to mention figures it "kicks its arse"...but i'm glad your enjoyed 2000, it was Theresa's first show, and she had a blast...

We were front row with Tooly for the whole show....Toolys got the best trey w/ stupid dumbfuck fan story, lol...

Either way, i wish they would just say fu©k it, and come up here to play one show, just to piss off all the Americans, lol.

I too preferred the 2000 Toronto Phish show to the 1999 Toronto show.

Also Steve why do you want "piss off all the Americans?"

Phish are Americans, do you want to piss of them too?

You're right MarcO, Gov't Mule will be on Carson Daly tonight on NBC after Conan O'Brien at around 1:35AM.

why do I care about an engine again?

You should care about an engine, because I'm going to get in my car which has an engine, so I can drive to your place of work and put my boot in your ass so you need depends.

why should I care about packages again?

You should care about packages, because you never know if you're going to get one with a bomb in it. BTW I have something I have to give you, a PACKAGE!

why should I care about care again?

You should care about care, with all of those care packages you will be getting in hospital because of the need you will have for depends because of the boot that I put up your ass!

why should I care about depends again?

You are going to need to care about depends, because you will need depends after my boot goes up your ass!!!

why should I care about a boot again?

It all depends MarcO, on whether you need a boot or boots. I do know this, you do need a boot in the ass!

My personal favorites are Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris (came to the songwriting part late, but better late than...), Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow and Lucinda Williams.

It seems that on Wednesday U2.COM members will have the opportunity for a refund. I guess the moral of the story is that, complaining works.

In regard to the problems associated with the U2 fan club pre-sale, disappointed members who were unable to utilize their unique passwords to purchase seats will be accommodated when the bands revisits North America later this year. Members with unused passwords can also receive a full refund of the $40 buy-in fee, with further details to be announced Wednesday.

from www.billboard.com

Edited By Jonathan Cohen. January 31, 2005, 4:00 PM ET

U2 Tickets Flying Fast, Edge Heads To Court

The frenzy surrounding the U2 Vertigo tour continued over the weekend with more quick sellouts, including all U.K. shows at more than 260,000 tickets, and 55,000 sold for the June 10 European opener in Brussels.

Multiple sellouts in the U.S. include four at Chicago's United Center, three at Boston's FleetCenter, two at the San Diego Sports Arena (the tour opener on March 28), two at the Compaq Center in San Jose, Calif., two at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, two at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, Calif., two at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, and one at the Pepsi Center in Denver, with another to go up Saturday (Feb. 5).

This morning, two shows at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, N.J., and one at New York's Madison Square Garden also immediately sold out. The band is expected to return to MSG for at least one show on the fall leg of the tour.

In regard to the problems associated with the U2 fan club pre-sale, disappointed members who were unable to utilize their unique passwords to purchase seats will be accommodated when the bands revisits North America later this year. Members with unused passwords can also receive a full refund of the $40 buy-in fee, with further details to be announced Wednesday.

"As is now obvious from the number of tickets being re-sold at vastly inflated prices on sites such as eBay, we are currently suffering the same 'scalping' problem that accompanies every successful tour," the site said today. "U2.com in combination with the relevant authorities is doing all that it can to identify where these tickets have originated and, where it is possible, to have these sales canceled."

"Although we realized that some subscribers might be scalpers using multiple

e-mail addresses and reserved the right to cancel any ticket order, we underestimated the potential numbers of such scalpers/subscribers," the message continued.

In related news, U2 guitarist the Edge is fighting an Irish newspaper in court over its report into a relative's serious illness that it says forced changes in the Vertigo tour routing.

A High Court judge in Dublin agreed today to a two-week delay to the hearing of rival lawsuits between The Edge and the Sunday World newspaper. The Dublin-based tabloid identified the relative and condition the person was suffering in a front-page story Jan. 8, but withdrew the report from later editions when The Edge's lawyers immediately obtained a temporary injunction.

This barred the Sunday World from repeating its story and warned other Irish newspapers not to pick it up, claiming it amounted to an unwarranted invasion of privacy. The Edge wants the injunction to be strengthened into a permanent injunction against publication.

The Sunday World wants the injunction overturned. Its lawyers are arguing that the details of the relative's illness are newsworthy because they are cited as the reason why the start of the tour was moved from March 1 in Miami to March 28 in San Diego.

-- Ray Waddell, Nashville & AP