World's Fair

BSP throw in Shostakovich, CCR, Sigur Ros and a Pedro Almadovar soundtrack into a Rhapsody mixtape for NylonMag [READ MORE]

Catch up with all the recent interviews below..!

QRO: Right before SXSW, you played Late Night with David Letterman. What was that like?
Yan: It was quite relaxed, really. It was quite weird: we flew out to South-by-Southwest that day, and we were on the telly on the plane, and we watched it on there. A quite weird but funny thing to do. It’s just, you know, you do your song… You don’t really think about it too much. You maybe dress up – Martin was trying to get some jokes in there. You know how people walk out of the restroom, and they’ve got like toilet roll going off their foot? He did that one, and left his fly down. He was very disappointed, ‘cause they never showed it on the edits. - Yan @ QRO Mag [READ MORE]

“We had a bit of spring cleaning,” Wilkinson says. “We kind of got associated with having trees and plastic animals onstage, and lots of natural, symbolic things, and just having lots of funny props around, but we decided that four years of that is enough. We don’t need that anymore. So, we took that all down and slowly developed new things. We’ve been using nautical flags, which are actually quite pretty. You can spell out funny words, or send different messages like, ‘My engine has failed.’ We’ve also been using pictures of animals on bed sheets. Stages aren’t really attractive places. Without the lights, they’re quite ugly. A lot of it is just trying to make it more interesting for the audience.” - Yan interviewed @ Jambase [READ MORE]

“It’s the sort of anarcho-noise ending to a show every rock band wishes they could pull off. Few do it like British Sea Power does tonight. Either you put everything you have into — there’s no half measures on this sort of freak-out — or you look like a total jerk. Nobody who left the club will remember British Sea Power as a gang of visiting jerkbags… “You’ve got to risk looking like a jerk!” Yan chuckles. “Really! I don’t think there’s anything wrong with looking like a jerk if you mean it, if you’re genuinely just having a laugh. Sometimes the best thing you can do is the stupidest thing you can think of.” - Yan @ Aversion [READ MORE]

CONNECT: Website | World’s Fair | Myspace

“Ruling airwaves (in a just world)… The title’s question may be cheeky, but the answer in this case is: Definitely.” - U.S.A. Today [READ MORE]

“This is an incredibly good album that should cement the band’s place as one of the best the UK currently has to offer.” - Exclaim

“I’m sure that I wasn’t alone in the critical world when I originally found myself wanting to write a one-word review that simply stated `yes,’ as a response to the album’s query. I’m equally as sure that after hearing the record, that single word would have to be followed by several exclamation marks…” - Treblezine [READ MORE]

“Even the more meandering pieces like “Atom” and the instrumental “Great Skua” feel like steampunk soundtracks for polar exploration, a notion that looks weird in print but makes a whole lot of sense through a pair of headphones, a set of vintage basement speakers, or the inside of a freighter as it disappears into the bowels of the Arctic Ocean…” - AllMusic, 4.5 Stars [READ MORE]

“Do You Like Rock Music? is a highly memorable, deeply appealing album that will satisfy not only the most discerning intellectual alt-rock fan, but will also draw in all lovers of atmospheric and experimental music…” - Soundcheck Magazine [READ MORE]

“Do You Like Rock Music? is a large, unabashed attempt at greatness, and where other bands might diffuse into a chaotic mess in the process (ahem, Broken Social Scene), British Sea Power remain, skillfully intact. That’s something impressive from a compositional standpoint - regardless of whether or not they’ve rewritten the template for rock music…” - Lost At Sea [READ MORE]

“Do You Like Rock Music? gives you exactly what you might expect from British Sea Power: a lot of rock, some surprising turns of events, and the desire to hear more from the band… unlike a lot of the bands spawned from the turn of the century, British Sea Power does not seem like a one-trick pony, which is what most music fans want to find in a band in the first place…” - Three Imaginary Girls [READ MORE]

“Still, the success of the record on some level depends on irony and detachment. Any band that sets out to make an over-the-top rock record like this needs to either have their tongues in cheek or end up in a wash of sincerity and schmaltz (the Arcade Fire, U2, and Bruce Springsteen immediately come to mind). It’s not so much the heavy guitars or huge drums that makes tracks like “Atom” and “No Lucifer” so strong. It’s that Yan and Hamilton manage to capture old clichés in new ways and that, filtered through their weirdness and idiosyncrasies, the sentiments seem new (or at least more original). Doing that in the midst record that gently tweaks the musical clichés of rock music is a neat little accomplishment. Managing to make the whole thing enjoyable and more than a bit compelling is a feat…” - Coke Machine Glow [READ MORE]

… and last for now, definitely not the least, and definitely not the last, the glorious Moleskin review for Do You Like Rock Music? c/o Tha Bomb Shelter

… Moleskin review continues on several sheets of moleskin here - click

The rock still don’t stop!

Mar 26 Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop (1900’s support)
Mar 27 Columbus, OH @ The Basement (1900’s support)
Mar 28 Louisville, KY @ Phoenix Hill Tavern (1900’s support)
Mar 29 St. Louis, MO @ Billiken Club (1900’s support)

Apr 11 Dallas, TX @ The Loft (Coulourmusic & Film School support)
Apr 12 Austin, TX @ Club Deville (Colourmusic & Film School support)
Apr 13 Houston, TX @ Numbers (Colourmusic & Film School support)
Apr 15 Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon (Film School support)
Apr 16 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks (Film School support)
Apr 17 Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder - Florida State University (Film School support)
Apr 18 Orlando, FL @ The Social (Film School support)
Apr 19 Jacksonville, FL @ Jack Rabbits (Film School support)
Apr 20 Mount Pleasant, SC @ CANCELLED
Apr 21 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl (Film School support)
Apr 22 Birmingham, AB @ Bottletree (Film School support)
Apr 23 Memphis, TN @ Hi Tone (Film School support)
Apr 26 Norman, OK @ Norman Music Festival w/The Polyphonic Spree

May 1 Columbia, MO @ Mojo’s (Rosebuds support)
May 2 Oxford, MS @ Proud Larry’s (Rosebuds support)
May 3 Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge (Rosebuds support)
May 4 Asheville, NC @ Grey Eagle (Rosebuds support)
May 6 Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle (Rosebuds support)
May 7 Charlottesville, VA @ Satelite Ballroom (Rosebuds support)
May 8 Washington, DC @ Black Cat (Rosebuds support)
May 9 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s (Rosebuds support)
May 10 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom (Rosebuds support)
May 11 Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (Rosebuds support)
May 13 Boston, MA @ Paradise (Rosebuds support)
May 15 Montreal, QUE @ La Sala Rossa (Rosebuds support)
May 16 Toronto, ONT @ Lee’s Palace (Rosebuds support)
May 17 Buffalo, NY @ The Tralf (Rosebuds support)
May 18 Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre (Rosebuds support)
May 19 Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell’s

Artist: British Sea Power
Album: Do You Like Rock Music?
Label: Rough Trade / World’s Fair
Street Date: Feb. 12th, 2008
CD: Amazon | Newbury Comics | Insound
MP3: iTunes | eMusic | Amazon
2xLP: Insound

British Sea Power - “Waving Flags” [DOWNLOAD]

British Sea Power - “Atom” edit [DOWNLOAD]

CONNECT: Website | World’s Fair | Myspace

“Funky as ever, the Homosapien manages to evolve yet again, this time by embracing sounds of the past…” - Entertainment Weekly [READ MORE]

“Del sounds confident and contented, and not overly concerned as to whether you take him seriously or not.” - Spin.com [READ MORE]

“Everything you want out of Del: adventurous off-kilter production and smart rhymes.” - PLAYBOY

pLUS, Del was on one of WNYC Soundcheck yesterday with John Schafer & New Yorker critic Kelefa Sanneh. You can check a summary of the show, comments, and download the mp3 - Listen!

Double mega-plus, Del just confirmed a handful more dates to keep Workin’ It!
April 10 - SOLANA BEACH, CA BELLY UP TAVERN
April 12 - LOS ANGELES, CA USC April 25 - Berekely CA, Red Bull Music Academy, workshop and show
April 26 - Reno, NV

Artist: Del The Funky Homosapien
Album:Eleventh Hour
Label: Definitive Jux
Street Date: March 11th, 2008
Formats: CD, vinyl, mp3 [PRE-ORDER @ DEFINITIVE JUX]

Del The Funky Homosapien - “Bubble Pop (Promo)” [DOWNLOAD]

Mr. Dibbs Presents “Del The Funky Megamix” [LISTEN]

CONNECT: Delspace | Definitive Jux | World’s Fair

Photos c/o How Was The Show & More Cowbell:

Up,…

Up,…

& Away!

“During the last 15 minutes, the show entered onto the list of the best shows I have ever seen… As British Sea Power started into their final song, the train came off the rails. Rolls of crepe paper came flying into the crowd and just kept coming (there were easily 50 of them, probably more), courtesy of Colourmusic. All of the band members commandeered instruments and started playing, bashing and assaulting them… This was what all rock shows could be, but luckily they don’t all unfold like this way—when things like this happen you feel lucky to have been there. Maybe this happens at every stop along the way for the bands, but one thing was certain: British Sea Power left everyone present feeling like the slump was over and that they are in it for the long haul…” - How Was The Show [READ MORE]

The crew found some time to stop by MPR / The Current for an in-studio performance:

British Sea Power - Live @ The Current [LISTEN]

Then again in Urbana, IL, Music For Kids Who Can’t Read Good witnessed the marvel and proclaimed, “I’m of the opinion that British Sea Power’s recent album Do You Like Rock Music? is the best rock album of the year and I’ve only heard good things about the band’s live show, so you can imagine how excited I was going into Saturday’s Canopy Club show… The audience was clearly in shock after they left the stage at what we just witnessed. So in summation, go see British Sea Power and stay for the encore. They will rock your face off…” - Music For Kids Who Can’t Read Good [READ MORE]

Another voice in Urbana spoke up… “Staying in the same place for the majority of the performance and looking extremely unassuming in his black pants with matching red piping to the spandex-y shirt he had on and a lack of facial expressions, out of nowhere, this guitarist began playing with his face. Then…He crowdsurfed the Void room… He proceeded to mount a pole upside down, and was so close to falling that people in the audience had to help him to ensure that he wouldn’t bust his head open. He seemed possessed, which left me wondering if he was wasted, tripping on drugs or just downright crazy…” - The 217 / Awkward City [READ MORE]

photos c/o The 217 / Awkward City

British Sea Power continues American tour - don’t miss your chance to rock!

More live photos from across the web - click on for credit

British Sea Power - “Waving Flags” [DOWNLOAD]

British Sea Power - “Atom” edit [DOWNLOAD]

Artist: British Sea Power
Album: Do You Like Rock Music?
Label: Rough Trade / World’s Fair
Street Date: Feb. 12th, 2008
CD: Amazon | Newbury Comics | Insound
MP3: iTunes | eMusic | Amazon
2xLP: Insound

CONNECT: Website | World’s Fair | Myspace

So five British guys decided to come to Austin and play a little prank on us Yanks.

“Let’s wear all white jumpsuits,” one of them said.

“And we’ll say we’re from Kansas!” said another one.

“No, Oklahoma!” chimed in another. “Just like the Flaming Lips.”

“Awesome. They will never know. We will play our brit rock. We will get them all sexed up. We will swirl our guitars, and make the pit pogo. It will be grand.”

“And we’ll call ourselves Colourmusic,” said the last one. Ah, the spelling almost gave them away.

“But we’re not shaving our beards, right?” said the first one.

“Hell, no,” they said in unison.

And there they were on Maggie Mae’s rooftop on the last night of SXSW, pretending to be a handful of bearded guys from Oklahoma…. “Fucking bullshit artist,” I think. “Go back to Glasgow or Manchester or wherever the hell it is you’re from.” Then I wonder if they have a cool T-shirt. - Village Voice / Sound of the City [READ MORE]

… meanwhile, on the other side of the continent, the Tucson Scene is also seeing thru colored music lenses… even Superfan Beatle Bob, who has gone to over 10,000 shows in the last 40 years, is shouting “Yes!” repeatedly @ TSXSW showcase c/o Tucson Scene

In further live reviews, post-SXSW… “Colourmusic is known for its wild stage antics: costumes, painting each other, getting hair cuts while playing. When I walked into the Hi-Dive, they were playing my favorite song, “You Can Call Me By My Name,” simply wearing matching white jumpsuits. It was almost a rebellious move for a band like Colourmusic, and I appreciated it. They don’t need those crazy antics anyhow; their music is good enough as is…” - Denver Post / Reverb [READ MORE]

Let the anticipation build for Stillwater, OK’s Colourmusic’s debut release coming out on Great Society later this year! In the meantime, enjoy these demo’s from their 2 roadworthy EP’s available now

Colourmusic - “Yes!” [DOWNLOAD]

Colourmusic - “Circles” [DOWNLOAD]

Colourmusic - “You Can Call My By Name” [DOWNLOAD]

CONNECT: Website | Myspace | World’s Fair

“… There was a lineup outside of Maggie Mae’s Patio to see British Sea Power… and there was manic energy both on stage and in the crowd right from the beginning. They’re a much better live band now than when I first saw them after their The Decline Of British Sea Power debut came out in 2003, and their new Do You Like Rock Music? album is exemplary… The audience repeatedly chanted “Easy” to introduce “No Lucifer,” while “Canvey Island” and “Lights Out For Darker Skies” were both striking… It turned into a free-for-all at the end, with friends of the band jumping on stage and people riding on each other’s shoulders, play-wrestling and falling over. It definitely made the fourth night of SXSW end on a high note…” - Chart Attack [READ MORE]

Enjoy the chaotic climax (almost like you were really there!)

Photos @ Maggie Mae’s c/o UGO

“I really like BSP’s new album, so this made a pretty good finish to the fest…Things got terribly and perhaps dangerously uncomfortable on the rooftop venue, though, which was way overpacked. The third-story floor was shaking harder with each of the band’s bursting songs. We had to get outta there.” - Pop Life / Minneapolis Star Tribune [READ MORE]

“..YES. Amid band upon band of yanks who don’t know a good rock performance from a beard trimmer, Brighton, England, band British Sea Power, shooting sparks behind its latest, Do You Like Rock Music, delivered the guitar-oriented goods Saturday night at 1 a.m.” - Kansas City pitch / Wayward Blog [READ MORE]

Artist: British Sea Power
Album: Do You Like Rock Music?
Label: Rough Trade / World’s Fair
Street Date: Feb. 12th, 2008
CD: Amazon | Newbury Comics | Insound
MP3: iTunes | eMusic | Amazon
2xLP: Insound

British Sea Power - “Waving Flags” [DOWNLOAD]

British Sea Power - “Atom” edit [DOWNLOAD]

British Sea Power continues American tour!

CONNECT: Website | World’s Fair | Myspace

As you may recall, Pela is recovering from a recent near-tragedy. We’re so happy to announce the cancelled dates have been re-scheduled (see below!) with more TBA!

May 19 Washington DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel
May 20 Cleveland, OH @ Beachland
May 21 Chicago, IL @ Schubas
May 26 George, WA @ Sasquatch Music Fest
May 27 Portland, OR @ Doug Fir
May 28 San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of The Hill
May 29 Los Angeles, CA @ Spaceland

More dates TBA!!!

Pela’s recent addition to the core foursome, Chris Herb, celebrates with a video collage:

CONNECT: Website | World’s Fair News | Myspace

Let’s give it a shot! Start off with the Free Yr Radio early afternoon gig out in the sunshine…

Dizzee Rascal Live @ MPR The Current / Free Yr Radio [LISTEN]
Songs performed: “Where’s Da G’s,” “Sirens,” and “Fix Up, Look Sharp.” Peep the bird’s eye view:

Gorilla Vs. Bear was around snapping pola’s…

Later, Dizzee controlled the main stage at the Austin Convention Centre. Watch him blow through hits from the forthcoming Def Jux release including:

Dizzee Rascal - “Where’s Da G’s” Live @ Crackle.com

Dizzee Rascal - “Sirens” Live @ Crackle.com

Synthesis was there to snap pics:

“Dizzee Rascal delivered forty minutes of blistering, grimy hip-hop, flanked by the roster of his Dirtee Stank label. The set drew heavily from his latest, Maths + English (finally seeing a physical U.S. release April 29 after being out in the U.K. for nearly a year), including “Flex,” “Sirens,” and the new America-only track “G.H.E.T.T.O.” He dug back in the catalog for “Stand Up Tall,” “I Luv U” and “Fix Up, Look Sharp,” making sure to reinforce along with the Billy Squier sample that, yes, he’s got the big beat. GZA and Ice Cube need to step up their game Saturday if they hope to take the week’s hip-hop crown (which is currently Dizzee’s white L.A. Dodgers cap) away…” - RollingStone.com Rock Daily [READ MORE]

“Wandering into the Convention Center mid-afternoon and catching a sweet set from Dizzee Rascal and Footsie. Killer accent, bass to rattle you down to the marrow, and raps about the “G.H.E.T.T.O” for a buncha white folks with badges and baseball caps. Hey, it all worked. Can’t wait for Dizzee to tour the states again…” - SF Weekly / All Shook Down [READ MORE]

“… It was strange to watch Dizzee Rascal play such a traditional SXSW rap show. Instead of the eccentric cowering on the cover of Boy in Da Corner, fans were treated to a talented MC with a crew who likes shout-outs and shoes. His set drew as much from excellent early material as it did from Maths + English, and the high-BPM beats kept the show flowing and energetic. Dizzee looked older than he does in pictures, which was cool to see: a prodigy aging well. He made sure to plug the April 29 U.S. release of Maths + English, which comes courtesy of showcase sponsor Def Jux…” - Pitchfork [READ MORE]

… when out of the b-blue, b-boys showed up to throw down!

Dizzee Rascal / El-P tour all lined up - get yr tickets now yo!
May 8- 9:30 Club, D.C.
May 9 - First Unitarian Church, Philly
May 10 - Webster Hall, NYC
May 11- Middles East, Boston
May 12 - New Capital Music Hall, Ottawa
May 13 - Crofoot Ballroom, Detroit
May 14 - The Abbey Pub, Chicago
May 16 - Triple Rock Club, Minneapolis
May 19 - Neumos, Seattle
May 20 - Berbatis Pan, Portland
May 21 - 1015, San Francisco
May 22 - El Rey, Los Angeles

Artist: Dizzee Rascal
Album: Maths + English (U.S. Edition)
Label: Definitive Jux / World’s Fair
Street Date: April 29th, 2008
Formats: CD, mp3

Dizzee Rascal feat. U.G.K. - “Where’s Da G’s?” [DOWNLOAD]

Dizzee Rascal - MegaMaster 1.0 (Mixed by El-P) [DOWNLOAD]

CONNECT: Definitive Jux | Dizzee Rascal | Myspace

@ Rhapsody day party @ Mohawk - photos c/o Prefix Mag

Rhapsody folks pulled Yan aside for a quick audio interview recalling his last “Drunk Dialing” experience [LISTEN]

BSP then trooped over for a video interview with Phil Gallo of Variety.com [WATCH]

@ Hot Freaks day party @ Mohawk - photos c/o You Aint No Picasso

Live reviews:

“British Sea Power played a rousing afternoon set in the Texas sun this afternoon… A good crowd had turned out to see the Brighton band perform, many tackling the heat by chomping on ice lollies which were handed out to the audience free…” - NME [READ MORE]

“Most of the crowd’s reactions–and mine, too–were positive. British Sea Power has an interesting sound; it’s very influenced across the board, but at it’s core,it’s tought not to hear a hint of the ’90s American alternative rock scene. Somehow that’s not a bad thing, though; the crowd of people watching through the slits off the fence surrounding the Mohawk’s outdoor stage was proof of this…” - DC9 At Night / Dallas Observer [READ MORE]

“Dropping in old fan favorites like “Carrion” got the audience pumped, and towards the end of the set I had ceased taking notes in favor of furiously drumming my pen against my notebook….” - NY Press [READ MORE]

Artist: British Sea Power
Album: Do You Like Rock Music?
Label: Rough Trade / World’s Fair
Street Date: Feb. 12th, 2008
CD: Amazon | Newbury Comics | Insound
MP3: iTunes | eMusic | Amazon
2xLP: Insound

British Sea Power - “Waving Flags” [DOWNLOAD]

British Sea Power - “Atom” edit [DOWNLOAD]

British Sea Power continues American tour!

CONNECT: Website | World’s Fair | Myspace

Dizzee Rascal - “Where’s Da G’s” Feat. Bun B [WATCH]

“This is a lot different than what you expect to see from Dizzee Rascal. We’re premiering it today as part of MTV2’s Spankin’ New week. The vid was shot in Houston (looks like the 5th Ward but that’s unconfirmed) by director Tom Campbell. It’s as far away from “Fix Up, Look Sharp” as you can get in some ways but at the end of the day they’re both ultimately songs about getting money…” - MTV Subterraneanblog [MORE]

Dizzee Rascal / El-P tour all lined up - get yr tickets now yo!
May 8- 9:30 Club, D.C.
May 9 - First Unitarian Church, Philly
May 10 - Webster Hall, NYC
May 11- Middles East, Boston
May 12 - New Capital Music Hall, Ottawa
May 13 - Crofoot Ballroom, Detroit
May 14 - The Abbey Pub, Chicago
May 16 - Triple Rock Club, Minneapolis
May 19 - Neumos, Seattle
May 20 - Berbatis Pan, Portland
May 21 - 1015, San Francisco
May 22 - El Rey, Los Angeles

Artist: Dizzee Rascal
Album: Maths + English (U.S. Edition)
Label: Definitive Jux / World’s Fair
Street Date: April 29th, 2008
Formats: CD, mp3

Dizzee Rascal feat. U.G.K. - “Where’s Da G’s?” [DOWNLOAD]

Dizzee Rascal - MegaMaster 1.0 (Mixed by El-P) [DOWNLOAD]

CONNECT: Definitive Jux | Dizzee Rascal | Myspace