SATURDAY NIGHT: NON-STOP BHANGRA (San Francisco)

If you live in the Bay Area and actually dance, then Saturday night you must get down to the Rickshaw Stop for NON-STOP BHANGRA. If you've never heard of Bhangra, shame on ya, but you actually have: think of the beat in Missy Elliot's 'Get Yer Freak On', that's bhangra. If you hear bhangra and you don't automatically move, then you are missing the dance gene in your body.

NONSTOP BHANGRA: Voted Top 5 Global Nights, SF Bay Guardian 2005

NonStop Bhangra(9)
Saturday, Jan. 28th
Rickshaw Stop
155 Fell Street (between Van Ness & Franklin)
San Francisco

Time: 8:00pm-2:00am
Bhangra Lesson w/Vicki Virk: 9:00pm
Cover: $10/advance; $15/door

Check out pics from NonStop Bhangra Nights.

Featuring: DJ's Jimmy Love,(NSB Resident), Earflaps(Katfive), JT(Explizit Dholies)...
Live: Dholrhythms Dance Troupe, Ferhan Qureshi(Tabla), Explizit Dholies(Dhol), Christo(Visuals, Future Primitive);
Also Featuring: Marcus Murray(Live Painting)

*Voted Top 5 Global Nights,SF Bay Guardian, 2005
Check it out.

*Also Featured in SF Chronicle, SF Weekly, Nitevibe, Flavorpill.

NON-STOP BHANGRA - http://www.nonstopbhangra.com/

FRIDAY NIGHT: Nickel Bag Of Funk (San Francisco)

It should be like old times, with the Itchy & Scratchy behind the decks at our old weekly Mission joint - MAKE OUT ROOM.

TONIGHT: FILM SCHOOL CD RELEASE PARTY IN SAN FRANCISCO

Last night the FILM SCHOOL crew played a stunning set at THE TROUBADOUR in Los Angeles and today will be driving up to San Francisco for two special appearances:

6PM AMOEBA RECORDS In-store performance
1855 Haight Street

TONIGHT: FILM SCHOOL + SOUND TEAM + CITIZENS HERE & ABROAD @ Bottom Of The Hill
This show will be their CD Release Party in a venue that's dear to us all. 3 great bands (SOUND Team has been great 2 straight nights)on one bill!

Reviews are pouring in on the new album....here are a few sent my way this morning:
http://www.aversion.com/bands/reviews.cfm?f_id=2425
http://www.giantmag.com/issue_09/reviews_music.aspx
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/A8633432

CINESPACE TONIGHT: FILM SCHOOL & SOUND TEAM

If you got turned away last week for that EDITORS show at Steve Aoki's Tuesday night at CINESPACE, there's good news for you: This week you can enjoy yourself more with a better band: FILM SCHOOL. Not to take anything away from Editors, but here you'll find something interesting, plus you get SOUND TEAM.

SOUND TEAM
"Don't Turn Away" (mp3)
"It's So Obvious What's Happening Here" (mp3)

FILM SCHOOL's self-titled record was released TODAY!

CINESPACE
6356 HOLLYWOOD BLVD.
2ND LEVEL - HOLLYWOOD

TV TONIGHT! CONSTANTINES on Carson Daly

One of the best live bands going, CONSTANTINES, will be on your tv sets tonight, as they appear to play on the CARSON DALY SHOW. The band will be playing the track, "Love in Fear" from their Sub Pop Records release, Tournament of Hearts.

Set your Tivo:
NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly program, airing Tuesday Jan. 24th at 1:35 am.

CONTANTINES - http://www.constantines.ca/

Also on your TV tonight: SHE WANTS REVENGE on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

FUTURE SOUNDS PODCAST #2 - AVAILABLE ON ITUNES- ON THE PULSE

This episode highlights 3 San Francisco bands: Film School, Birdmonster, and Street To Nowhere.

Here's what to do:

1. Open ITUNES
2. Go to PODCASTS,
3. Search for 'On The Pulse'
4. Subscribe to their Podcast, and you'll see
"On The Pulse with Futuresounds"
5. Play "On The Pulse with Futuresounds" through your
Itunes.

FILM SCHOOL - SPIN.COM BAND OF THE DAY

Band of the Day
Film School



By: Katy Lindenmuth

January 23, 2006

To be blatantly stereotypical, up-and-coming rockers Film School easily could've been actual film school students in their pre-music days. You know the type: constant wide-eyed expression, habitually disheveled hair, overall artsy-fartsy demeanor. Out-there ideas. Rebellious name spellings: The band's lead singer, for example, is Krayg -- not Craig -- Burton; lead guitarist is Nyles -- not Niles -- Lannon. But the real artiness that emanates from this San Francisco-based quintet (which is rounded out by bassist Justin LaBo, drummer Donny Newenhouse, and keyboardist Jason Ruck) is in their dreamy music.

Quiet but intense, subtle but unrestrained, the songs of Film School possess, musically speaking, more balls than Sigur Ros and less eccentricity than Moby. It's like a seamless score to your dreams, hallucinations, or Vanilla Sky, minus creepy, disfigured Tom Cruise. But, unlike those ephemeral experiences, you'll remember this stuff when you wake up. Now that's psychedelic, man.

After some breakout moments at the 2005 South by Southwest festival, Film School headed back out on tour and are currently promoting their self-titled album (out tomorrow on Beggar's Banquet) on the West Coast. They're also headed back to Austin for SXSW 2006.

Film School tour dates:

1/25, Hollywood, CA (Troubadour)
1/26, San Francisco, CA (Amoeba Records in-store)
1/26, San Francisco, CA (Bottom of the Hill)
2/10, Portland, OR (Doug Fir)
2/11, Seattle, WA (KEXP in-studio)
2/11, Seattle, WA (Chop Suey)
2/12, Seattle, WA (Sonic Boom in-store)

Film School official site

WHILE YOU ARE ON THE SPIN SITE, VOTE FOR FILM SCHOOL AS WELL - IT'S JUST TO THE RIGHT OF THE STORY. Based on reader voting, Spin will award Band of the Month, and ultimately a SPIN.com Band of the Year.

--------------------

Those 'indier-than-thou' folks at PITCHFORK gave us a so-so review today as well. I still challenge them to put this record up against their latest 'insider club only' bands, track for track, and tell me theirs is a stronger record. The rating might not be great, but the review isn't that bad. Click HERE.

SF CHRONICLE: FILM SCHOOL MAKES THE GLOBAL GRADE

Story in Sunday's Pink Pages of the San Francisco Chronicle

FILM SCHOOL MAKES THE GLOBAL GRADE

By Reyhan Harmanci

Sunday, January 22, 2006

Film School is about to go from being one of the most talked-about Bay Area bands to emerging as an international player. Signed in the fall to Beggars Banquet, a well-respected indie label, the band just finished a European tour with label mates the National. After its self-titled, full-length album comes out Tuesday, the group plans to tour the United States and Europe this year.

The band members stand firmly behind their bid for a wider audience. All five of them have quit their day jobs.

"It's been an unspoken thing since I joined -- the feeling that we don't want to be a local band, don't want to just play shows at the Rickshaw Stop or Bottom of the Hill for our friends," says bassist Justin LaBo, sitting in a Mission District living room. "We always wanted to be on tour, have some sort of, I don't know ..." He pauses, smiling, looking at his bandmates. "Career."

"Well, we never wanted to be working in an office," he finishes. Everyone nods.

"Not that there's anything wrong with being a local band," puts in drummer Donny Newenhouse. "I don't want to put, say, playing at the Rickshaw Stop in a negative light. I just think that all of us, individually, would prefer just to play music. All the time, if we could."

"The catch-22," says guitarist Nyles Lannon, "is that we want to be able to support ourselves, not just do this for art's sake, but we're not making sell-out pop either. We're in the middle, which is why Beggars Banquet is perfect for us, as a major indie label."

Lead singer and guitarist Krayg Burton put Film School together in 1998, with a rotating cast of guest musicians. Keyboardist Jason Ruck and Lannon, who was working at local music Web site Epitonic.com with LaBo, joined Burton on the 2001 release "My Brilliant Career." A number of other musicians joined Film School at various times -- including Scott Kannberg (Pavement, Preston School of Industry), Mauri Skinfill (Elephone) and Tim Mitchell (the Decoration) -- but the current lineup was solidified in 2003 with the addition of Newenhouse on drums.

The Film School sound is, well, cinematic, with sweeping melodies, earnest lyrics, intricately plotted song structures and a tendency to veer from a three-minute pop song into psychedelia.

An early and enthusiastic fan was Live 105's DJ Aaron Axelsen.

"I have such a personal affinity for their kind of music," says Axelsen, a local kingmaker who also hosts the popular Popscene club night at 330 Ritch Street. "I love bands like Mogwai, Slowdive, Ride. What's great about Film School is their accessibility -- they are musically pushing the envelope but not getting too esoteric for the masses. They make very palliative, dreamy, atmospheric music. And then, damn, when you see them live, it takes it to a new level."

Good buzz at Austin's influential South by Southwest conference, the music industry's coming-out party for young bands, got them the attention of the labels and the press After a 2004 British tour with the popular band TV on the Radio, another good showing at South by Southwest last spring sealed the deal with Beggars Banquet.

All of the bandmates have been players on the local scene, going in and out of other projects while still in Film School. And Lannon has found success as a solo artist, recording and performing under the name n.lannon; his impressive album "Chemical Friends," released by Badman Recording Co., earned him the "Best Folktronica Artist" title from SF Weekly last year.

Though Burton seems to be the quiet center of the band, all insist that power and influence is shared equally.

"We usually spend time spontaneously playing and recording, and when we get something that's good, we make it into songs," Lannon says, deadpanning. "Some people call it 'jamming.' "

While Film School's ambitions seem about to move them out of the local league, they say they don't plan to relocate to, for instance, New York or Los Angeles. Each member of the band sings praises about the current Bay Area music scene: "Really, really great now," "I'm so glad we didn't move," "I found myself talking up San Francisco when we were in Europe."

"There are enough vital clubs and studios to create just enough of an industry that's not completely insular," Burton says of the hometown scene. "But it's also not so obsessed with itself that you can't stand it."



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FILM SCHOOL performs at 6 p.m. Thurs. at Amoeba Records, 1855 Haight St., San Francisco. Free. (415) 831-1200, www.amoebamusic.com. The band plays at 9 p.m. Thurs. at the Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St., San Francisco. $10. (415) 621-4455, www.bottomofthehill.com, www.filmschoolmusic.com

E-mail Reyhan Harmanci at rharmanci@sfchronicle.com.

FILM SCHOOL ON LIVE105 SOUNDCHECK TONIGHT

TONIGHT on KITS - LIVE105 in San Francisco:

"Soundcheck" Live In Studio Session with:

FILM SCHOOL

Sundays from 7:00pm - 10:00pm

with LIVE 105 Music Director Aaron Axelsen

The boys will be playing two songs from their Beggars Banquet release, Film School.



The LA TIMES said some nice things about the boys, previewing their TROUBADOUR show later this week. Read it HERE. (Film School forgoes popcorn for dreamy pop-rock)

Read the TRANSFORM ONLINE review of Film School - HERE. - "As epic as Explosions In The Sky humping Robert Smith."

NEW FIND: SYLOFONE

Speaking of PITCHFORK, damn them for trumping me on this band, STYLOFONE. Serves me right for taking forever to get the new FUTURE SOUNDS out, and the new FS Podcast shows uploaded to Itunes. But since they reviewed a track off of their ‘Kings & Queens EP' (4 out of 5 pitchforks), it won't take long for everyone to be onto this awesome Brooklyn band. Here's what they had to say about the track, 'Hotstepper' - Click here.

Download 'HOTSTEPPER' (mp3)
Listen to more tracks on myspace > http://myspace.com/stylofone

The entire EP, ‘Kings & Queens’, feels like one, continuous rumbling vibe. STYLOFONE are like your favorite THIN LIZZY cut meets ‘Fast Times At Ridgemont High’.

STYLOFONE - http://www.stylofonerock.com/

THE GREENHORNES TOUR THE WEST COAST

Thanks to Pitchfork for posting the latest GREENHORNES tour dates! This Cincinnati band is hell on wheels, and if you don't own their 2001 record, The Greenhornes (Telstar), then your collection is greatly lacking.

01-20 Auckland, New Zealand - Ericsson Stadium (Big Day Out Festival )*
01-22 Gold Coast, Australia - Parklands (Big Day Out Festival) *
01-26 Sydney, Australia - Sydney Showground (Big Day Out Festival) *
01-29 Melbourne, Australia - Princes Park (Big Day Out Festival) *
02-03 Adelaide, Australia - Royal Adelaide Showground (Big Day Out Festival) *
02-05 Perth, Australia - Claremont Showgrounds (Big Day Out Festival) *
03-24 Seattle, WA - Neumo's #
03-25 Vancouver, British Columbia - Richard's on Richard
03-26 Portland, OR - Berbati's Pan #
03-28 San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill #
03-31 Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour #
04-01 San Diego, CA - The Casbah #

* with Iggy & the Stooges, the White Stripes, Franz Ferdinand, Sleater-Kinney, the Go! Theam, the Mars Volta, Kings of Leon, the Magic Numbers, the Subways, Henry Rollins, the Living End, Soulwax / 2ManyDJs, DJ James Murphy, Shihad, Mudvayne, Mikey Dread, Wolfmother, End of Fashion, Gerling, Dei Hamo, Kid Kenobi plus MC Sureshock # with the Willowz

The Greenhornes - http://www.greenhornes.com/

FILM SCHOOL CD LISTENING PARTY @ CRASHIN' IN (Brooklyn) TONIGHT

To my New York friends - get out of the house tonight and hear the new FILM SCHOOL record before it's released at the CRASHIN' IN PARTY. Giveaways will be provided by Beggars Banquet.

Here are the details:
Friday January 20th 10pm-4am
No Cover

Crashin'In Dj's Oil, Toby Rascal and Gerald spinning
the best of Brit/Indie/Post-Punk/Grime/Nu-wave Dance remixes.

Serena Maneesh afterparty for their show at North Six

Hosted By Marc, Lio and Jessica

Location: SUPREME TRADING

213 N. 8th Street
Between Driggs and Roebling
Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

CRASHIN' IN - http://www.crashinin.com
FILM SCHOOL - http://filmschoolmusic.com

Double dose of ORANGER tonight in LA

You've got two chances to catch the ORANGER crew today in Los Angeles, as they are making that drive down the Grapevine as we speak to Socal. Here's where you'll find them:

jan.2006

* Fri, 1/20/06 - Amoeba Records In Store - Los Angeles, CA - 7:00 p.m.
* Fri, 1/20/06 - The Echo, Los Angeles, CA w/ The Warlocks

ORANGER - http://www.oranger.net/

WILSON PICKETT - R.I.P.

03/18/1941 - 01/19/2006

His love has come tumbling down. Rest in Peace!!
CLICK HERE for story on BILLBOARD.

Soul/R&B legend Wilson Pickett died of a heart attack today (Jan.
19) at a hospital near his Virginia home, according to a spokesperson.
He was 64.

Born in Pratville, Ala., Pickett moved to Detroit as a teen and joined
the Falcons, singing on their 1962 hit "I Found a Love." By 1965, he
had signed a solo deal with Atlantic, scoring a No. 21 pop hit with "In
the Midnight Hour," which he co-wrote with legendary sessions musician
Steve Cropper.

A slew of late '60s R&B/soul hits followed, including "Land of 1,000
Dances," "Funky Broadway," "634-5789," "She's Lookin' Good" and "Mustang
Sally." As the '70s dawned, Pickett scored three consecutive top 20 pop
singles with "Engine Number 9," "Don't Let the Green Grass Fool You"
and "Don't Knock My Love Pt. 1."

In all, five of his singles reached No. 1 on the Billboard R&B charts.
Pickett associated himself with some of the top sessions musicians of
the time, and was a frequent visitor to Stax and Muscle Shoals Studios.
He even hired the late Duane Allman to play guitar on his 1969 cover of
the Beatles' "Hey Jude."

Pickett recorded regularly into the mid 1980s and was a 1991 inductee
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That year, his career was revived
thanks to the film "The Commitments," which followed an unknown Irish
soul band of the same name pursuing its dream of performing with Pickett.
The artist also joined the band for performances at the Los Angeles and
New York film premieres.

The artist's last studio album, 1999's "It's Harder Now," won WC Handy
Awards for soul/blues album of the year and comeback album of the year,
while Pickett was named soul/blues male artist of the year.

Pickett is survived by his fiance and four children. He will be buried
beside his mother Lena in Louisville, Ky.

More TV tonight: ROGUE WAVE ON THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG FERGUSON

ROGUE WAVE will be appearing on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson tonight on CBS! Playing "Publish My Love", here's your chance to see Zach, Gram ,Evan, and Pat make their major network debut.

GOLDSPOT featured on THE O.C. tonight!

It's been taking me too damn long to finish up the latest FUTURE SOUNDS 23, but it's close, and here is a band that will be on the new edition: GOLDSPOT, from Los Angeles. Their song, "Time Bomb", will be featured on tonight's episode of 'THE O.C.' on Fox.


Their Union Records CD, ‘Tally Of Yes Men’ (above)was named by NPR as on of the "The Best CD's You Didn't Hear This Year”. For fans of COLDPLAY, ELBOW, STEREOPHONICS, DOVES and KEANE, these guys have the likes of KEXP and KCRW in their corner. I downloaded tracks off Itunes and was crushed by 'Rewind'.

Download 'REWIND' - HERE. (mp3)
or 'FRIDAY' (mp3)

The facts:
Booking: Melissa Aubert, WMA
Legal: John Freund

GOLDSPOT - http://www.goldspot.net/goldspotnew/index.php

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVID HOPKINS

Oh to be 23 again.......HAPPY BIRTHDAY anyways HOPPER! Here's to you!

SAN FRANCISCO BAY GUARDIAN FEATURE: FILM SCHOOL

http://www.sfbg.com/40/16/art_music_class.html

Class act

SF band Film School reaches for the next level

By Kimberly Chun

kimberly@sfbg.com

With a new full-length on storied UK label Beggars Banquet in their present and a European tour with the National in their recent past, Bay Area band Film School might be assumed to have the world on a guitar string. But think again.

When I last spoke to them two years ago, founder-vocalist-guitarist Krayg Burton was bemoaning his broke state to guitarist-vocalist Nyles Lannon, beneath the posters of Malcolm "By Any Means Necessary" X and the other righteous underdogs at Café Macondo. Film School's last recording, the EP Alwaysnever (Amazing Grease) had just come out, the tech bubble had burst, and the world was wide open, leaving Burton and Lannon to hawk their Web-related skills on their own.

Now here we are, in early January, tucked into the lamp-lit control room of drummer Donny Newenhouse's Middle of the Mile basement studio in San Francisco's Mission District, where Film School recorded about half of the new self-titled second album. The band has been awarded the gift-of-gab buzz at recent SXSWs, praised by NME, and described by BBC 6 host Steve Lemaq as his favorite new band. Next-level stuff. Now if only they can decide how best to approach a set list.

"We fight about the set list every night, every show," the laid-back Newenhouse says from behind the mixing board. He's the A/V guy of Film School, according to his bandmates. "It's like the A team – we're pretty cool, unified, but ..."

"We write the set list five minutes before we go on," interjects keyboardist Jason Ruck, Film School's class clown. So there's no room for dissention? "But then there is dissention, and we're discussing it onstage when we're supposed to be playing. That actually happened once in front of our label head." He looks pleased.

"It kind of ties into going to the next level," bassist Justin LaBo says, curled catlike in an easy chair in the corner. He's the guy most likely to be expelled from Film School. "Not being, like, I don't want to say, amateurs or rookies, but having your shit together, being confident and walking onstage knowing what you're going to play, and not arguing onstage."

You'd be more pro and more polished, but perhaps less ... interesting, I offer from the center of the Middle of the Mile booth. "That's been the argument the whole time," Newenhouse exclaims, miming an irate bandmate. "<\!q>'I don't want to be one of those fucking bands that has the same set every night and knows what they're doing when they get onstage!'<\!q>"

"I kind of like winging it a bit," Burton mutters, the "tenured teacher with the vodka in the coffee cup" at this Film School.

"I want to have a rotating set list, written in stone," Newenhouse continues, half-self-mockingly pretending to carry stone tablets engraved with songs to a stage. "<\!q>'Here's the 10 commandments' – straight down from the dressing room every night. It'll be like Spinal Tap's Stonehenge – we can have midgets dance around them."

Spitballs aside, it's comforting to know that some things never quite change – be it Film School's collective, self-deprecating sense of humor or their honest, exploratory doubts – even as one chapter ends and the band appears to be on the brink of graduating into some sort of big time.

GENUINELY GORGEOUS

At first listen, the new Film School is almost off-puttingly polished: It's one of the best-sounding self-produced, headphones-only albums by a local band I've heard of late, blending the poppier hook-and-groove singles-craft of "On and On" and the elastic, massive, 4AD-ish groove of "Pitfalls" with gorgeous wall-of-psych longer pieces such as the airy, multitextured, Floyd-drenched "He's a Deep Deep Lake," and "11:11," which moves from an almost early U2-like twitch into glitched-up drone before finally ascending into a dervish of guitar noise.

The mixture of tones was deliberate. "We actually value a record that comes from different directions and has a different sound here and there, as long as it's cohesive, and we spent a lot of time trying to make it cohesive," wise man on campus Lannon says, sprawled in a lounger. "The record actually has, I think, a unique flow to it. It kind of takes you on this ride."

Just don't call them "shoegazer." "We just like [My Bloody Valentine's Loveless] because it's really textured and spacey, not because it's guys in bowl cuts staring at their shoes," LaBo gripes.

LONG TIME COMING

Much like their six-minute singles, it took a while to get to Film School. The band that began in 2001 as a live ensemble charged with playing ex-Pinq member Burton's first Film School self-released album, Brilliant Career, has since become a full-fledged collaborative entity, with plenty of production experience courtesy of Lannon, LaBo, and longtime Bottom of the Hill soundperson Newenhouse (who replaced Ben Montesano in Film School when the latter got married about a year ago). Lannon has worked as Azusa Plane and N.Lannon, LaBo has recorded as Technicolor, and Newenhouse has drummed with Holly Golightly and Hammerdown Turpentine.

They started working on Film School in 2004, turning to three different producers before finally deciding to do it themselves in Newenhouse's studio, where they cut five newer songs and mixed in older dreamier material recorded in Lannon's bedroom.

"We actually wasted six month's worth of time on one song," Newenhouse says. "That was a real drag. Technically, it was difficult. I think [the producer's] idea of what he wanted it to sound like didn't really mesh with ours. That's when we realized we should just do this ourselves."

"I haven't been back here since we recorded," Burton marvels from the corner, a stocking cap pulled over his ears. "I'm starting to remember those eight-hour days, looking round here – it's like, oh god."

Since the album spans such a long period, one wouldn't expect the songs to have much in common with each other, though Burton swears they do: "Maybe there's a little bit of a theme about trying to move forward and feeling a little stuck." And perhaps that has something to do with the long, drawn-out making of Film School? "Maybe!" he says. "I think it might be just getting older and trying to make those next steps in life."

Beggars Banquet first made contact with Film School's manager two years ago when the band played with TV on the Radio in the UK. It took about a year of e-mails and talk before a deal was struck, around the time when the album was completed. "It took basically all of last year until the dust settled," Lannon says. "Is it even settled yet? I don't even know. On this last tour we were like OK, it's official, right? We're spending money, this advance. I think once the money is in your account, the thing is really happening."

"It's weird to be working with a label that isn't worried about going out of business. Not having this dark cloud over you the whole time," Lannon continues, mimicking an imaginary imprint. "<\!q>'Urrrrr, rock music. Records just don't sell like they used to.' That's every other label we talked to. It's just a recurring theme that you hear as a person in the indie rock world. Every label you talk to has that, starts with that 'Feel sorry for me, I'm a label' sob story. But Beggars has figured it out; they've been around for a while – it's a nice situation."

"We can exhale a little," Burton adds gently.

"Now we just have to play well every night!" Ruck cracks.

FILM SCHOOL Jan. 26, 6 p.m. Amoeba Music 1855 Haight, SF Free (415) 831-1200 With Sound Team and Citizens Here and Abroad Jan. 26, 9 p.m. Bottom of the Hill 1233 17th St., SF $10 (415) 474-0365

HOLLYWOOD RECORDS BEEFS UP ROCK: SIGN SPARTA

HOLLYWOOD RECORDS is building their rock stable these days - this time adding SPARTA to the list with BREAKING BENJAMIN, ELEFANT, ATREYU and another dark band that you know very well from FUTURE SOUNDS past.

You should know the tale behind SPARTA by now - former members of AT THE DRIVE IN - split off from the MARS VOLTA camp. I featured the track, 'Breaking The Broken' on FUTURE SOUNDS 15 awhile back, when they were on Geffen. According to their website, they are currently in pre-production and will begin recording in Los Angeles in March. They have also added a new guitarist, Keeley Davis, and are "working on a short film, which will likely be packaged with their Hollywood debut. The movie will be based on drummer Hajjar's traumatic childhood, growing up with an ailing mother amidst a civil war in Beirut, Lebanon. The band will provide the film's score."

SPARTA - http://hollywoodrecords.go.com/sparta/

See you tonight at Spaceland for EDITORS

I'm sure you, me and everyone else in LA will be down at Spaceland tonight for EDITORS. They've come a long way since that early 'Bullets' demo posted on FUTURE SOUNDS 18 - see for yourself, tonight!

Club Spaceland - 9PM
1717 Silver Lake Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026

The facts:
From: Birmingham, West Midlands

* Tom Smith – vocals, guitar
* Chris Urbanowicz – guitar
* Russell Leetch – bass, guitar
* Ed Lay – drums

Management: Zoot Music
US Agent: Kirk Sommer @ William Morris
UK Agent: Steve Zapp @ ITB
US Press: +1 Public Relations
UK label: Kitchenware
Euro label: PIAS
Australian label: SpeaknSpell

EDITORS - http://www.editorsofficial.com/

ROGUE WAVE ANNOUNCE 2006 TOURS

One of my favorite bands out there, ROGUE WAVE, sent out the confirmed tour dates to those on their email list, so I thought I'd share them with you (in the event that you aren't on the list-duh):



Rogue Wave US/Euro Tour Dates

DATE LOCATION VENUE DETAILS
01/14/06 san francisco, CA, eureka theater, tinkle (hosted by david cross, todd barry, jon benjamin)
01/21/06 san francisco, CA - amoeba records (instore)
01/26/06 london, UK, barfly
01/27/06 antwerp, belgium - de nachten festival
01/28/06 leipzig, germany, werk 2
01/29/06 augsburg, germany, musikkantine, w/ tomte
01/30/06 heidelberg, germany, karlsorbahnhof, w/ tomte
01/31/06 dusseldorf, germany, zakk, w/ tomte
02/01/06 munster, germany, gleis 22, w/ tomte
02/03/06 koln, germany, prime club
02/04/06 hamburg, germany, molotow
02/05/05 berlin, germany, tacheles
02/07/06 amsterdam, netherlands, paradiso
02/08/06 federal hill, md , 8X10 club, w/ nada surf, king of france
02/09/06 charlottesville, va, starr hill music hall, w/ nada surf, king of france
02/10/06 chapel hill, NC, cat's cradle w/ nada surf, king of france
02/11/06 atlanta, GA, the loft w/ nada surf, king of france
02/12/06 nashville, TN, exit/in, w/ nada surf, king of france
02/14/06 columbia, MO, blue note, w/ nada surf, king of france
02/15/06 lawrence, KS, grenada theatre, w/ nada surf, king of france
02/17/06 dallas, TX, tree's, w/ nada surf, king of france
02/18/06 austin. TX, emo's, w/ nada surf, king of france
02/20/06 tempe, AZ, clubhouse music venue, w/ nada surf, king of france
02/21/06 san diego, CA, house of blues, w/ nada surf, king of france
02/22/06 los angeles, CA, henry fonda theatre, w/ nada surf, king of france
02/23/06 san francisco, CA, the fillmore, w/ nada surf, inara george
02/24/06 portland, OR, aladdin theatre, w/ nada surf, inara george
02/25/06 vancouver, BC, richards on richards, w/ nada surf, inara george
02/26/06 seattle, WA, the showbox, w/ nada surf, inara george
03/01/06 denver, CO, bluebird theatre, w/ nada surf, inara george
03/02/06 omaha, NE, sokol underground, w/ nada surf, inara george
03/03/06 minneapolis, MN, fine line music cafe, w/ nada surf, inara george
03/04/06 madison, WI, the annex, w/ nada surf, inara george
03/05/06 chicago, IL, the metro, w/ nada surf, inara george
03/06/06 detroit, MI, the magic stick, w/ nada surf, inara george
03/08/06 new york, NY, webster hall, w/ nada surf, inara george
03/09/06 boston, MA, paradise rock club, w/ nada surf, inara george
03/10/06 montreal, QC, cabaret music hall, w/ nada surf, inara george
03/11/06 toronto, ON, lee's palace, w/ nada surf, inara george

ROGUE WAVE - http://www.roguewavemusic.com/

SPINTO BAND SIGN TO V2 RECORDS IN UK

THE SPINTO BAND looks to have a HUGE year in 2006, riding in tons of attention from last year's 'Oh Mandy' (FUTURE SOUNDS 21). They've just signed with V2 RECORDS in the UK and landed one of the hottest tours going, THE ARCTIC MONKEYS US tour. Congratulations!

THE SPINTO BAND - http://www.spintoband.com/

TONIGHT: The Burnside Project in Brooklyn

For those of you on the east side - if you are looking for something to do, check out this band I've supported on Future Sounds forever - THE BURNSIDE PROJECT. They've just released a gorgeous record on Bar None Records called 'The Finest Example Is You'- which was produced and mixed by Paul Mahjan of YEAH YEAH YEAHS/TV ON THE RADIO/THE NATIONAL fame. You may also remember this band from the Rolling Stone "Hot List" or for the theme song to Queer As Folk. Like an american NEW ORDER but with indie rock sensibilities. Fans of POSTAL SERVICE will love this cd.



Download ''And So It Goes'' (mp3)

Listen to more music on their myspace page - www.myspace.com/burnsideproject




Back to the point of all this - they are playing tonight, here are the details:
when: Friday, January 13
where: Northsix (66 N. 6th Williamsburg, Brooklyn)

THE BURNSIDE PROJECT
w i t h:
eiffel tower
the diggs
the debutants

$10 - doors at 8 p.m.
plus $3 Brooklyn Lager pints from 8 - 10!!

THE BURNSIDE PROJECT - http://www.burnsidemusic.com/

Early FILM SCHOOL CD reviews

Crashin' In Release of the Week
CRASHIN' IN - http://www.crashinin.com/

Film School "Film School"
Beggars Banquet

San Francisco never sounded so good until I heard Film School's dreamy music. I've been buzzing about this band for almost 3 years now. Soon we will be lucky enough to have their debut album in our hands. Their lush and soaring guitars will lead you into a trance like state of euphoria. Check out the single "Harmed" first as it packs a punch. Fans of Interpol, Ride, Calla and Yo La Tengo will adore this band for the quality of music that they are producing. (release date Jan. 24, 2006) review by Lio

-------------------------------------------------

THE TRIPWIRE - NEWLY DISCOVERED
http://www.thetripwire.com/newly_discovered_story.php?id=1063

Film School
Film School

Each week over at the Tripwire offices, we receive a
ton of records for consideration. Let's face it; a lot
of them are crap. So it is awesome when you pop a CD
in to check out, that you have no expectations on, and
find out that it is great. Just that scenario happened
to me when I got the new debut record from San
Francisco's Film School. On first listen of the album
you can totally tell that this is one of those bands
that needs to be seen live to fully experience and
appreciate. They sound full, lush and big; all the
while also sounding like something that would be the
perfect backdrop to a quiet night at home. "Intro",
the first track blends seamlessly into "On & On",
which is a full throttle psychedelic noise-pop
explosion with hypnotic lyrics. Two other dreamy
songs, "He's A Deep Deep Lake" and "Sick Of The Shame"
sound like they were scrapped off the cutting room
floor from a long-forgotten My Bloody Valentine
session. "Garrison" is an interesting tune because it
is just a hair over two minutes and the whole thing is
backwards. Finally there is "Breet", where jangley
guitars are mixed with fuzzed out ones and the vocals
are reminiscent of Robert Smith. Arguably the best
tracks on the album are the ones that clock in over
five minutes. These songs are the seeds that had a
chance to grow and blossom into beautiful flowers,
just like the ones depicted on the album artwork. One
thing is for sure though. Just pick up this stellar
debut on January 24, as it is chock full of monster
jams.
-Reviewed by Erin Chandler

Label: Beggars Banquet Contact: Fred Navarrete

TONIGHT @ SPACELAND: LEMON SUN

January, 12 2006 at @ SPACELAND LEMON SUN with MELLOWDRONE
1717 Silver Lake Blvd. , Los Angeles (Silverlake), CA 90039
Cost: $5

LEMON SUN - http://www.lemonsun.org/
Listen at http://www.myspace.com/lemonsun

NEW FIND: YURA YURA TEIKOKU

Thanks to ONELOUNDERNYC for this amazing display of psychedelic freak out from Japan. According to their website, they think of themselves as "A uniquely Japanese hybrid of Jimi Hendrix, Les Rallizes DesNudes, the Velvet Underground, 60's Japanese pop and the 13th Floor Elevators." Sounds like good company to me. Check out this track by YURA YURA TEIKOKU called 'Evil Car'.
Download mp3 - HERE.

YURA YURA TEIKOKU - http://mesh-key.com/yura.html

Here's a review of their new release on OTHER MUSIC:

YURA YURA TEIKOKU
Sweet Spot
(Sony Japan)


The phenomenon of Yura Yura Teikoku may not have swept the entire nation; however, for the few hundred audience members lucky enough to witness one of their shows last October, YYT's brilliance has not been forgotten. The trio, whose impact since the '90s in Japanese psych/pop/rock culture is immeasurable, finally made their way over to New York, gracing us with two shows worthy of Koenji's UFO Club. Around the same time Mesh-Key began domestically releasing their records, first Na.ma.shi.bi.re.Na.ma.me.ma.i, and then Sweet Spot. The latter of the two proves to be a great follow-up to the trio's live performance, during which the echoplex hums and loops, jutting in and out of the melody until finally engulfing the sound fully.

Although there are some moments of overwhelming droned-out guitar riffs and echoplex magic, the songs on Sweet Spot mostly just hint at psychedelic consciousness while keeping their pop sensibilities intact. These 10 tracks are never more than seven-minutes long, and guarantee to get stuck in your head even if you do not speak Japanese. For those who have heard Na.ma.shi.bi.re.Na.ma.me.ma.i or one of the colorful imported vinyl pieces, expect a different experience: a little lighter, a little more melodious, and arguably more memorable. [Amanda Colbenson]

WE ARE SCIENTISTS release "With Love and Squalor" today!

We Are Scientists (FS19) new release, 'With Love And Squalor' on Virgin Records, hits stores today after putting in the ever important set-up time. If you happen to live in Los Angeles, you can see them tonight at the Virgin Megastore on Hollywood & Highland at 8:30PM, where they will play a number of tunes and sign CD's.

Here's a track off the record for download - INACTION

The plans for touring in support of 'With Love And Squalor' begin with January dates in the US and Canada, headlining dates in the UK in February (with Maximo Park, Arctic Monkeys and Mystery Jets on the Shockwaves NME Awards tour), and more of Europe with the Kaiser Chiefs in March.

Here's the NA tour dates:
01.12.06 - New York, NY (Bowery Ballroom)
01.13.06 - Buffalo, NY (Icon)
01.14.06 - Toronto, ON (Horseshoe)
01.15.06 - Detroit, MI (Magic Bag)
01.16.06 - Chicago, IL (Subterranean)
01.17.06 - Cleveland, OH (Grog Shop)
01.18.06 - Baltimore, MD (Ottobar)
01.19.06 - Philadelphia, PA (Northstar)
01.20.06 - Hoboken, NJ (Maxwell's)

WE ARE SCIENTISTS - http://www.wearescientists.com/

Imogen Heap to perform on David Letterman TONIGHT

Haven't caught her live act yet, here's your chance: TONIGHT on David Letterman IMOGEN HEAP will perform. I had announced tour dates previously and already Imogen's shows in Toronto, Chicago, London and Los Angeles have now completely sold out.

IMOGEN HEAP - http://www.imogenheap.co.uk/

SCISSORS 4 LEFTY - VIVA K tonight at Spaceland

Free is such a great price. Tonight, for FREE, go see some great live music in Silverlake at SPACELAND....

You know I love SCISSORS FOR LEFTY, but they are also playing with VIVA K (Stinky Records) as well as Rocket and Le Meu Le Purr.
21+
FREE!
SPACELAND - http://www.clubspaceland.com/

SCISSORS FOR LEFTY - http://www.scissorsforlefty.com/
VIVA K - http://www.vivak.net/

2006 POSIES TOUR, BIG STAR, STRINGFELLOW SOLO tours announced

All things POSIES will be continuing their never ending tour schedule in 2006 - here's an early look at what's shakin':

THE POSIES European Tour (3rd leg)

DATE LOCATION VENUE
01.14.06 Innsbruck, Austria Weekender
01.15.06 Schorndorf, Germany Manufaktur
01.16.06 Regensburg, Germany Alte Malzerei
01.17.06 Saarbrücken, Germany Garage Club
01.18.06 Frankfurt, Germany Nachtleben
01.19.06 Köln, Germany Prime Club
01.21.06 Amsterdam, The Netherlands Melkweg
01.22.06 Berlin, Germany Magnet
01.23.06 Hamburg, Germany Molotow
01.24.06 Münster, Germany Gleis 22
01.25.06 Brussels, Belgium Botanique
01.26.06 London, England The Garage
01.27.06 Zwolle, The Netherlands Hedon
01.28.06 Eindhoven, The Netherlands Effenaar
01.29.06 Rotterdam, The Netherlands Waterfront

THE POSIES - http://www.theposies.net


KEN STRINGFELLOW

DATE LOCATION VENUE
02.02.06 Kongsberg, Norway Energimolla supporting Briskeby
02.03.06 Oslo, Norway Rockefeller supporting Briskeby

KEN STRINGFELLOW - http://www.kenstringfellow.com/

BIG STAR

DATE LOCATION VENUE
02.19.06 Stockholm, Sweden Berns
02.21.06 Utrecht, The Netherlands Tivoli
02.22.06 Gent, Belgium De Handelsbeurs


WHITE FLAG (with KS on guitar)
DATE LOCATION VENUE WITH DETAILS
02.05.06 Roma, Ital Circolo Degli Artisti Road to Ruins Punk Festival
White Flag - http://www.chaser.net/whiteflag/main.html

Let's not forget the mighty, ORANGER either (Matt Harris on bass)
1/20/06 - Amoeba Records In Store - Los Angeles, CA - 7:00 p.m.
1/20/06 - The Echo, Los Angeles, CA w/ The Warlocks
ORANGER - http://oranger.net/

BOY KILL BOY plan next single

If you loved "SUZIE" by BOY KILL BOY on FUTURE SOUNDS 22, then like me you'll be ready to go when the new material by the London act drops on February 13th. The track is called "Back Again", and it will also feature the tracks "Cheaper" on the CD version and "Number One" on the 7". This will set up the band's debut full length on Vertigo Records with producer John Cornfield, who in the last few years has been responsible for albums by Muse, Razorlight, Dogs, and Supergrass.

Find out more on SUBCULTURE MAGAZINE http://www.subculturemagazine.com/

BOY KILL BOY - http://www.boykillboy.com

FILM SCHOOL - PITFALLS REVIEW ON PITCHFORK

PITCHFORK

Fri: 01-06-06

Film School: "Pitfalls"
genre: rock

Download

Maybe it was 1989 when British indie bands really figured out how "mood" worked. Suddenly the shoe-staring mopes were coasting along on splashy drums and repetitive bass grooves, filling the air with lazy guitar swells, whispering along, hesitant to break the spell with anything so active as an actual big chord change. Kind of the perfect trick, if you happen to like things that are pretty and grey and continual. Like, maybe: rain.

Which is what this San Francisco band (now on authentic arty English label!) channels here-- stylish open-air mumble and sigh, with the bass and drums doing the pulsing and gliding and the guitars just painting clouds around them. Yeah, it's all leading to some sloppy-slacker flare-ups (didn't Spiral Stairs used to play with these guys?), but the stick-in-your-head bit is just a drizzly four-note guitar fill. Too bad we can't get more out of Krayg Burton's voice, because this stuff is warm, stylish, and surprisingly good at insinuating itself-- not bad at all, for what's basically cut-rate Kitchens of Distinction, elegant mopes staring through bus windows at rain. [Nitsuh Abebe]

3 STARS

FRIDAY NIGHT: HABITFORMING & THE AUDRYE SESSIONS

Get a FUTURE SOUNDS double-dose tomorrow night if you live in San Francisco, when HABITFORMING plays alongside THE AUDRYE SESSIONS at Thee Parkside.

Line Up: Minmae / The Audrye Sessions / Cubby Creatures / HabitForming
Date/Time: Friday January 6, 2006
Time: 9:00pm - 2:00am
Thee Parkside: 1600 17th Street @ Wisconsin · San Francisco, CA · 415.503.0393

Listen to music by these bands at:
HabitForming > http://myspace.com/habitforming
The Audrye Sessions > http://myspace.com/audryesessions

GET HIM EAT HIM TOUR ANNOUNCED

Rhode Island's GET HIM EAT HIM, a band you may remember from FUTURE SOUNDS 22 (Song: Mumble Mumble)has announced tour dates beginning this Friday in Philly. Here's a look at the dates so you can see them as they pass through your town:

Tour Dates:
01/06 - Philadelphia, PA - Khyber
01/07 - Charlottesville, VA - Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar
01/08 - Washington, DC - Warehouse Next Door
01/09 - Mt. Pleasant, SC - Village Tavern
01/10 - Athens, GA - Caledonia Lounge
01/11 - Orlando, FL - The Social
01/12 - Jacksonville, FL - Pop Thursdays at Eclipse
01/13 - Lafayette, LA - Cafe Cottage
01/14 - Austin, TX - Beerland
01/15 - Dallas, TX - The Cavern
01/16 - Oklahoma City, OK - Conservatory
01/17 - Omaha, NE - O'Leavers
01/18 - Chicago, IL - Schuba's
01/19 - Dayton, OH - Elbo's
01/20 - Columbus, OH - Andyman's Treehouse
01/21 - Pittsburgh, PA - Wizard Hollow
01/22 - New York, NY - TBA

In case you forgot the song, here's 'Mumble Mumble' again for download - Click Here.


GET HIM EAT HIM - http://www.gethimeathim.com/