Maïa Vidal: Upcoming Release and Tour dates
We are pleased to announce the addition of Maïa Vidal to our roster, her upcoming debut "God Is My Bike" and associated tour.This young artist has charmed us with her songs and will surely charm you as well.
Her debut recording "God Is My Bike" Is an intimate look into the creative world of Ms Vidal. Composed and played mostly by her on instruments as diverse as the violin, accordion, guitar and toy piano, she has two notable guests, Giuliano Gius Cobelli on trumpet, and the guitarist that needs no introduction, Marc Ribot.
Please take the time to enter into this compelling musical world by attending one of these upcoming concerts:
July 24 - Felicia’s Atomic Lounge, Ithaca, New York , US
July 30 - Pianos, New York, New York, US
Aug 20 - Living Room, New York, New York, US
Sept 01 - Le Silo, Verneuil sur Avre (France)
Sept 14 - La Boule Noire, Paris (France)
Sept 24 - BAM Festival, Barcelona (Spain)
Oct 05 - Botanique, Brussels (Belgium)
Oct 07 - Festival Nördik Impakt, Caen (France)
Oct 08 - Teatro Municipal São Luiz, Lisbon (Portugal)
Nov 11 - Festival Rendez-vous Sonique, St Lo (France)
Dec 16 - La Gare, Maubec (France)
More info about Maia Vidal and her album "God is my Bike" here
Congotronics vs Rockers Tour = 30 day discount at 30%
30% discount on selected Congotronics CDs & LPs ! Only until July 30th!We here at Crammed Discs have gone completely crazy about Congotronics vs Rockers! This amazing project bringing together members from Konono No1, Kasai Allstars, Deerhoof, Juana Molina, Wildbirds & Peacedrums, Skeletons and Hoquets (for four of the concerts), is how we choose to celebrate our 30th anniversary.
We are so absorbed in the tantalising sounds coming out of the rehearsals and concerts that we think it is a good idea to share the "roots" of this project, by offering a special discount during the Congotronics vs Rockers tour.
30/06/2011 NL Utrecht Le Guess Who
02/07/2011 DK Roskilde Roskilde Festival
03/07/2011 DE Berlin HKW (Haus der Kulturen der Welt)
06/07/2011 FR Metz Place de la Republique
09/07/2011 FR Paris Cafe de la Danse
12/07/2011 GB London The Barbican
14/07/2011 ES Benicassim Fib
17/07/2011 FR Carhaix Les Vieilles Charrues
21/07/2011 CH Nyon Paleo Festival
23/07/2011 PT Sines Festival Musicas do Mundo
30/07/2011 JP Yuzawa-machi Fuji Rock Festival
So from the 30th of June to the 30th of July, we are offering a 30% discount on the following releases from our Congotronics Series:
Konono N°1 - Congotronics - The disc that started it all!
Konono N°1 - Live at Couleur Café
Konono N°1 - Assume Crash Position
Kasai Allstars - In The In The 7th Moon...
Congotronics 2 - Buzz'nRumble in the Urb'n'Jungle
Tradi-mods vs Rockers - Alternative takes on Congotronics
& last but not at all least The Congotronics Vinyl Box Set
And to make the cake even sweeter, we will trow in a free Congotronics vs Rockers pin if you order 3 or more discs!
Our present to you!
Hope to see you at one of the concerts and happy listening!
MEGAFAUN: Free single off the forthcoming album!
MEGAFAUN is back and better than ever ! New Album, New Tour.This September, Crammed Discs will release 'Megafaun,' the self-titled follow-up to MEGAFAUN's critically acclaimed, 'Gather, Form & Fly,' which Pitchfork called "ingeniously ramshackle" in a rave review.
MEGAFAUN's first single off the album is entitled "These Words". It was premiered on Pitchfork on July 7, and is available for download below. This song encapsulates the Megafaun we know and the Megafaun we’ve yet to hear... with its indelible piano melody, hypnotic beats and gorgeous vocals, underpinned by loops of field recordings made by Joe Westerlund during his travels in Bali and rural North Carolina: a round-robin of gamelan, ambient sounds, frogs, and cicadas...
MEGAFAUN will be on tour this fall in a select number of cities:
And if you were wondering what to expect, here is a video teaser for the new disc!
Exciting debut shows for Congotronics vs Rockers
The first 2 concerts (in Brussels and Madrid) have been amazing!Enthusiastic audiences... great reviews (see below)... and 22 ecstatic band members*, who can't wait to get together again for the tour, which starts on June 26.
Watch the first live excerpts from the premiere at Cirque Royal.
(Konono No.1, Deerhoof, Juana Molina, Kasai Allstars, Skeletons' Matt Mehlan and Wildbirds & Peacedrums).
All dates and more info here
review + plenty picture here:
http://blog.lesoir.be/frontstage/2011/05/13/congotronics-twelve-points/
and here:
http://www.gonzocircus.com/12895/fotoverslag-congotronics-vs-rockers-les-nuits-botanique-12052011
And here's an excellent live review in the NME:
Follow the writing sessions for Congotronics vs Rockers !...
10 Congolese and 10 indie artists in 6 countries are currently swapping files to prepare this incredible project.Follow this (almost) in real time, by visiting the blog which documents the rehearsals for the show. At this very moment, members of Kasai Allstars & Konono No.1 (in Kinshasa, Congo), Deerhoof (in New Mexico and elsewhere), Skeletons (in NY), WIldbirds & Peacedrums (in Sweden), Girls in Hawaii (in Belgium) and Juana Molina (in Argentina) are recording sketches, emailing them back and forth, and adding ideas onto each other's contribution.
Everyone will then get together in Brussels for rehearsals, prior to the world premiere of the Congotronics vs Rockers project, on May 12 at the Cirque Royal in Brussels, on the opening night of the Nuits Botanique Festival.
Band of Gypsies is on the move!
Supporting the release of "Band of Gypsies 2", the Balkan Gypsy supergroup hits the road!The much anticipated release "Band of Gypsies 2", featuring Taraf de Haïdouks & Koçani Orkestar is out now! So is the group! They will play a number of high profile concerts and festivals.
The first dates have been announced:
With more to come !
Lonely Drifter Karen heard throughout Europe
Lately many people have noticed the catchy compositions of Lonely Drifter Karen coming out of their radios and televisions.Spanish ears are tickling with the appearance of "This World Is Crazy" in a whimsical ad for El Corte Inglés, whereas in Sweden people are being encouraged to "Show Your Colours" in outdoor health activities & sport.
"This World Is Crazy" is from Lonely Drifter Karen's first recording "Grass Is Singing". "Show Your Colours" is from last year's pivotal collection "Fall of Spring".
But thankfully it doesn't stop here! This international pop group swirling around the captivating voice of Tanja Frinta and keyboard magic of Marc Meliá Sobrevias are bringing their melodies to at least two of the four corners of the globe.
The group will play a series of concerts in Spain, including one in support of the Congotronics vs Rockers project on 14 May in Madrid. From there, they will be taking off for distant shores with a 12-day tour of China (dates to be released soon) , then return back to Europe for a series of concerts in July & August. But that's not all ! We hear they are working on some new recordings so look forward to more news on that soon !
Staff Benda Billi are back & stronger than ever before!
Coming back "very strong" with a gala premier in London! Video!Staff Benda Bilili started their European tour with a screening of "Benda Bilili" & concert at the Union Chapel. A short video of this special event can be seen above.
Photo (c) Belle Kinoise.
Congotronics vs Rockers: first tour dates announced
The exceptional tour by the collaborative ensemble featuring Konono N°1, Deerhoof, Juana Molina, Kasai Allstars, Wildbirds & Peacedrums and Skeletons is taking shape!A first string of dates have now officially been announced:
May 12: premiere at Cirque Royal, Brussels (BE), for the opening night of the Nuits Botanique festival
May 14: Madrid (ES)
June 26: Couleur Café, Brussels (BE)
June 30: Le Guess Who, Utrecht (NL)
July 2: Roskilde (DK)
July 3: HKW, Berlin (DE)
July 6: Metz (F)
July 9: Bataclan, Paris (F)
July 12: The Barbican, London (UK)
July 14: Benicassim (ES)
July 17: Vieilles Charrues Festival, Carhaix (F)
July 21: Paleo, Nyon (CH)
July 23: FMM Sines (PT)
July 30: Fuji Rock (JP)
More dates TBA soon
More info here
Konono No.1 win Grammy, tour Europe
The award for "Best Pop Collaboration" went to 'Imagine' by Herbie Hancock, Pink, India.Arie, Konono No.1, Seal, Jeff Beck & Oumou SangareAfter being nominated for a Grammy with the "Live at Couleur Café" album (2007), Konono No.1 have just won an award with this track excerpted from Herbie Hancock's latest album, "The Imagine Project", on which the jazz luminary invited artists from various parts of the world to collaborate. See the video here.
The other contenders in the "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals" (category 8) included tracks featuring Eminem, Elton John & Leon Russel, Lady Gaga & Beyoncé, Katy Perry & Snoop Dogg.
Totally surreal, isn't it ?....
Konono No.1 are now embarking upon a European tour which starts on Feb.23 in Prague and ends on March 25 in Bergen (NO), after visiting Germany, France, Finland, Estonia, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Austria and the Netherlands. See the dates here.
Konono will then be working on the "Congotronics vs Rockers" live project, the superband also featuring Deerhoof, Kasai Allstars, Juana Molina, Wildbirds & Peacedrums and Skeletons, which will perform at major festivals and venues around Europe and Japan in May, June & July 2011.
