One of the greatest bands in the world and one that’s without a doubt earned its place in music history, fucking Radiohead, there’s seriously nothing else we really need to say about them. This is the ticket of the year and we can even say that completely objectively since tickets are on sale and will sell out a full seven months before the show date. It’s not a rubbish venue either, it’s Kindl Bühne, when they could have easily put themselves on at O2 World and done a boring stadium show they’ve instead gone somewhere nice and a bit green and with a bit of character and remember that it’ll be a Summer evening, they’re obviously keeping the quality of the evening in mind. It’s not just that they’re an amazing band, but they’re obviously nice blokes too.

Tickets on sale 26th November 2011. 

Pearl Jam are an awesome band!

After their critically acclaimed debut Little Death Pete & the Pirates resurface four years later to tour their second album One thousand pictures. The album shows that it has been four years in the making and is all in all more solemn and slow than their retro-poppy debut. But it’s probably a good thing for a band to evolve. Their latest album shows that there is more depth to this band than their hit single Mr Understanding would suggest.

Pete & the Pirates will be in Berlin tonight to present to you the best of both albums. Bring your dancing shoes!

Gig Details

• Artist: Pete & The Pirates
• Date: Tuesday, October 25th 2011
• Time: 9:00pm
• Venue: Comet Club
• Address: Falckensteinstr. 47, 10997
• Admission: from 16.10 EUR
• Notes: /w Empire Escape (former Ikaria)
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Bell X1 have nothing to do with airplanes but their name derives from one. The band initially went under the name Juniper but they changed it (not for the better if you ask me) to Bell X1 after singer Damien Rice quit the band to embark on a successful solo career. But who needs Damien Rice if you have one of the most beautiful pop ballads in your repertoire? This is Eve, the Apple of My Eye (remember The O.C., anyone?). Only the Irish can come up with such a beauty.

The new album Bloodless Coup can be streamed on Facebook.

Bell X1 will be supported by Irish newcomers Planet Parade.

Gig Details

• Artist: Bell X1
• Date: Monday, May 23rd 2011
• Time: 9:00pm
• Venue: Privat Club
• Address: Pücklerstraße 34, 10997
• Admission: 17,20
• Notes: Support: Planet Parade
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Ok, now, I guess this is one of those once in a lifetime changes to see two amazing bands play at a ridiculous price! Johnny Foreigner and Young Legionnaire will play at the Rosi’s tonight and I am definitely excited.

I am surprised that Johnny Foreigner, who are a band and not a person as the name might suggest, are still somewhat of an insider’s tip. The trio from Birmingham have been around for five years and have released three full length albums and a bunch of EPs and singles. Judging from their indie-electro sound you could be thinking they are a Bloc Party follow-up band, but they’re not.

Here’s a slideshow of pictures taken during their gig in Prague earlier this week. Looks like a lot of fun!

Young Legionnaire are in way. Young Legionnaire are a sort of super group consisting of Gordon Moakes (Bloc Party), Paul Mullen (The Automatic) and William Bowerman (La Roux). Don’t expect them to sound like any of those though, their music is best described as post-hardcore (no shouts or growls). You can get a free song on their website in an exchange for your email address.

Here’s the video to their new single Numbers.

Gig Details

• Artist: Johnny Foreigner
• Date: Friday, May 13th 2011
• Time: 11:00pm
• Venue: Rosi’s
• Address: Revalerstr. 29 10245
• Admission: 6
• Age restrictions: 18+
• Notes: /w Young Legionnaire
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To be brutally honest with you, 99% of hip hop I fucking hate. But when it’s not got it’s own head up it’s own arse trying to be tough or revelling in some pathetic stereotype, then I can get into it. The poetry and art from the majority of hip hip was lost to thuggery and cashola, is the biggest problem, but that’s completely not the case with California trio Ugly Duckling, longtime devotees to the classic two-turntables-and-a-microphone method and style. The tracks themselves characteristically come replete with equal measures of both humour and finesse, harking back to old Beastie Boys with a splash of Frank Zappa or Weird Al for completeness. Funky arse hip hop with dumb jokes and solid rhymes, all together in one tasty package.

Supporting are Maxwell Smart and, since it’s their birthday being celebrated on the night, The Truebeatz Crew. All at Bohannon, here in Berlin.

Gig Details

• Artist: Ugly Duckling
• Date: Friday, September 10th 2010
• Time: 10:00pm
• Venue: Bohannon
• Address: Dircksenstraße 40, 10178
• Admission: 12.50+
• Notes: CREAM OF BEATS pres. UGLY DUCKLING **LIVE** Support: MAXWELL SMART TRUEBEATZ CREW B-BOY SHOW by the TRUEBEATZ ALLSTARS & FREE B-DAY MIX CD
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Tickets to be refunded at point of purchase.

Forming from the ashes of the Sex Pistols, John Lydon‘s Public Image Ltd are regarded by some as the world’s first post-rock group. But you knew all that. And they, in their current incarnation, are coming here to Berlin for a one night only gig. Which you probably also knew. You’re smart like that.

Yeah, the reformation might be a shameless cash in, what with many questioning the value of a reformation in the first place, but Lydon has repeatedly insisted that PiL was always his first love. He was in 2009 quoted in an interview as saying

“The Sex Pistols were too rigid. PiL allowed me to express proper emotions. So I really wanted to get out and do [Death Disco] properly live again.”

…which seems fair enough.

There is talk about a new album being produced with the new lineup of original members, Lu Edmonds on guitar  and Bruce Smith on drums, with the addition of new-comer  Scott Firth on bass. The new work relies solely on the success of the European tour and shows last year to raise the cash, that or some level of interest from record companies, but given the speed in which  Lydon is famed for producing his work, how much money can the guy really need? Any which way you look at it, if you’re hoping for new stuff from PiL, then support the gig and you’re a part of it, no matter how indirect.

The hiatus extended for seventeen years, with very sporadic appearances and even vehement opposition to the idea that PiL would ever reform from Lydon himself. That being the case, we should both snap up this opportunity to catch the show, it might be the only time we can, but then again, maybe not.

Recent live review here: http://reviews.wikinut.com/John-Lydon-and-PiL-does-not-leave-this-fan-Disappointed/luw9a8bq/

Gig Details

• Artist: Public Image Ltd. ‘PiL’
• Date: Monday, August 16th 2010
• Time: 8:00pm
• Venue: Huxleys Neue Welt
• Address: Hasenheide 107 – 113 10967
• Admission: 38,50
• Cancelled
• Notes: Google Translate from German: In August 2010, the band comes to frontman John Lydon to Berlin. Since it in December 2009 for seven monumental concerts came back to England, by the way the first shows in 17 years, PiL appear again in 2010 with a series of performances at the Summer Festival in Europe. After being lead singer for the Sex Pistols, John Lydon formed Public Image Ltd. in 1978 with their well known sound of rock, dance, folk, ballet, pop and dub. PiL have clearly influenced by their distinctive music of the punk era and are studied as the most innovative and influential band in music history. The music and visions have evolved constantly as with any other band out to an incredible live experience. With a diverse program of three decades shows Public Image Ltd., their distinctive sound with songs like “Public Image”, “This Is Not A Love Song,” “Rise” and Disappointed “and has even more surprises in stock.
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The Flaming Lips

We’re a bit starved for really awesome festivals here in Berlin, so the likes of you and I are going to have to travel a little bit. Since you’re probably working for €6 an hour in a backpacker hostel or sumfink, money is important to you (although in today’s wintery economice climate, who is that not true for, I ask), so cheap is best.

With one of the strongest lineups of the european festival calendar and held in one of the cheaper of the states local to us, OFF FESTIVAL in Katovice, Poland is perfect for you. I don’t really know you, but I stand behind my wild allegations. €30 for a three day pass is absurdly thrifty, and check out the lineup:

THE FLAMING LIPS (USA)
DINOSAUR JR. (USA)
TINDERSTICKS (UK)
THE FALL (UK)
LENNY VALENTINO (PL)
19 WIOSEN (PL)
A HAWK AND A HACKSAW (USA)
A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS (USA)
ANTI-POP CONSORTIUM (USA)
APTEKA (PL)
ARCHIE BRONSON OUTFIT (UK)
ART BRUT (UK)
ATLAS SOUND (USA)
BEAR IN HEAVEN (USA)
CASIOKIDS (NO)
CIEŚLAK I KSIĘŻNICZKI (PL)
DAMON AND NAOMI (USA)
DARKSTAR (UK)
DIGITAL MYSTIKZ (UK)
DUM DUM GIRLS (USA)
EFTERKLANG (DK)
ECSTATIC SUNSHINE (USA)
FENNESZ (AUT)
FM BELFAST (IS)
HAPPY PILLS (PL)
HEY (PL)
INDIGO TREE (PL)
JOKER feat. NOMAD (UK)
KIM NOWAK (PL)
KRYZYS (PL)
KUCZ/KULKA (PL)
LACHOWICZ (PL)
LALI PUNA (DE)
LAO CHE (PL)
MATMOS (USA)
MEMORY TAPES (USA)
MEW (DK)
MITCH AND MITCH WITH THEIR INCREDIBLE COMBO (PL)
MUCHY (PL)
NATHALIE AND THE LONERS (PL)
NIWEA (PL)
NO AGE (USA)
O.S.T.R (PL)
PABLOPAVO I LUDZIKI (PL)
PHILIP JECK (UK)
PINK FREUD feat. JERZY MILIAN (PL)
PLUM (PL)
PRAWATT & MIRNA RAY (PL)
PULLED APART BY HORSES (UK)
PUSTKI (PL)
RADIO DEPT. (SE)
RAEKWON (USA)
SHEARWATER (USA)
SHINING (UK)
SOMETHING LIKE ELVIS (PL)
SZELEST SPADAJĄCYCH PAPIERKÓW (PL)
TAKEN BY TREES (SE)
THE HORRORS (UK)
THE PSYCHIC PARAMOUNT (USA)
THE RAVEONETTES (DK)
THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH (SE)
THE VERY BEST (MW/UK)
THESE ARE POWERS (USA)
TIDES FROM NEBULA (PL)
TORO Y MOI (USA)
TRANS AM (USA)
TUNE-YARDS (USA)
TUNNG (UK)
VOO VOO plays “SNO-POWIĄZAŁKA” (PL)
WILLIAM BASIŃSKI (USA)
ZS (USA)
ZU (ITA)

…I’d pay thirty quid alone to see Trans Am, but headlined by Flaming Lips with The Raveonettes and The Fall, holy shit.

You can grab tickets from the website here: http://2010.off-festival.pl/?dz=13

…with all the infos that you could ever eat here: http://2010.off-festival.pl/?

Down by the River festival is back for another year, featuring yet again a great little lineup of local and international acts.

Word around the campfire is that Bar 25 is soon going to be moving to Treptower Park (the abandoned amusement park, no less!), so if you haven’t checked out Bar25 yet, and you should have since it’s quite nice there, then now is the perfect time.

UPDATE: Here’s the full program:

CIRCUS (big stage)

14:00 – 14:30 Susie Asado
14:45 – 15:15 Sarsaparilla
15:30 – 16:00 Vladimirska
16:15 – 16:45 Martha Rose
17:00 – 17:30 Chuckamuck
17:45 – 18:15 Collapsing Opposites
18:30 – 19:15 Men Diamler
19:30 – 20:00 Freschard
20:15 – 21:00 Coming Soon
21:15 – 22:00 Frànçois & the Atlas Mountains
22:15 – 23:00 Masha Qrella
23:15 – 24:00 Stanley Brinks

FOURTRACK AM FLUSS (small stage)

13:30 – 14:00 Miles Joseph
14:30 – 14:45 Boo Hoo
15:15 – 15:30 Kid Ikarus
16:00 – 16:15 Case van Duzer
16:45 – 17:00 Oriol Stardust
17:30 – 17:45 Reimar
18:15 – 18:30 The Missing Leech
19:15 – 19:30 Past + Future
20:00 – 20:15 Teenagesongs Forever
21:00 – 21:15 Donna Stolz
22:00 – 22:15 MoreEats
23:00 – 23:15 Noel

DJs in the bar from 2pm:

14:00 – 15:00 John Donald (aka human elephant)
15:00 – 16:00 Tine Crunk
16:00 – 17:00 Melody Burn (Schokoladen)
17:00 – 18:00 Emil Delikolder
18:00 – 19:00 Wald & Wiese
19:00 – 21:00 David Hull
21:00 – 22:00 Golden Diskó Ship (LIVE!)
22:00 – 23:00 Krach(derroboter)

…and even more acts in the Antje Øklesund-Wohnzimmer-Box!

Mehr Infos:
http://www.myspace.com/downbytheriverfestival
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=127662807248340&ref=ts
http://www.berlinonline.de/berliner-zeitung/berlin/303634/303635.php
http://www.stadtraumnutzung.de/projekte/wohnzimmer/