The now annual "Fun Fun Fun Fest" in Austin, Texas is taking place on November 3rd and 4th. A stellar lineup has been announced that includes Cat Power and the Dirty Delta Blues, Of Montreal, New Pornographers, Ted Leo, Riverboat Gamblers and many more. Two day passes and other info can be found on the festival's website.

PJ Harvey will play at least two U.S. dates this fall. Harvey will play the Beacon Theatre in New York City on October 10th and The Orpheum in Los Angeles on October 15th, with tickets for both shows going on sale September 7th. Harvey's new record, White Chalk, hits stores September 25th on Island Records. With a new record in the works one would expect more shows to be announced. But, they may not be until 2008 so these dates might turn out to be the only U.S. gigs this fall.

It'll be Little Pink Houses for you and me this fall when John Mellencamp kicks off a fall tour. Mellencamp is also busy at work working on a new record that is being produced by T Bone Burnett. He'll take a break this week though to NBC’s NFL kickoff on Thursday, September 6th before the Indiana Colts vs. New Orleans Saints’ season opener. Mellencamp, of course, also be at New York’s Randall’s Island on Sunday, September 9th, to play Farm Aid 2007: A Home Grown Festival. He'll be joined by his Farm Aid co-founders Willie Nelson and Neil Young. Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds, The Allman Brothers Band, Counting Crows, Matisyahu, the Derek Trucks Band, Warren Haynes and others are also on the bill. Details for John's tour can be found here.


Mp3 Offerings:
Midtown Dickens ("Sit around and play 'em in my underwear and socks"): Tetris
Apples in Stereo (on tour with with Aqueduct ): Same Old Drag
Sleeping In the Aviary (Wisconsin tango pop): Pop Song
The Go Station (produced by Phil Racine (Flaming Lips)): All Together Now
Cake (Black Sabbath cover via WXPN, via Spinner): War Pigs
The Sharp Things (we spotted them back in '05!): Cruel Thing
Randy Newman (Fats Domino cover; see below): Blue Monday

Sigur Ros is treating their fans to tons of new stuff this fall. They will release both a double disc, Hvarf / Heim, and a DVD, Heima, on Novemeber 6th. And, for those trying to figure out how to spend all that money left over from your summer job, there is an exclusive advance screening of the DVD on September 14th in Akureyri, Iceland. If you go, send pics!

Fats Domino is one of those great music legends that seems to sadly be mostly celebrated in Happy Days reruns. But, now the big man is getting more of a proper celebration with a tribute record, Goin' Home, that has an all star lineup contributing tracks. The acts interpreting classic Domino songs include: Sir Elton John (Blueberry Hill), Sir Paul McCartney (I Want To Walk You Home), Tom Petty (I’m Walkin’), Robert Plant (It Keeps Rainin’), Willie Nelson (I Hear You Knockin’), B.B. King (Goin’ Home) and Neil Young (Walkin’ To New Orleans). This should be much better than Ritchie and Potsie's work. The two disc set hits stores September 25th.

Labels: Cat Power, Farm Aid, Mp3s, Of Montreal, Ted Leo