Jukebox the Ghost – Summer News Edition

Summer may have been unbearably hot for us, but it is heating up in a good way for Jukebox the Ghost. The band has a new album that will be released September 7th on Yep Roc Records. It’s called “Everything Under the Sun” and you can snag a free download of “Empire” from their new website (which is currently under construction but has a link to the download in the bottom corner). The band will be appearing in NYC on July 13th for an intimate show at 92Y to preview the new album. If you’re not in the NY area (or just feel like traveling) they will be playing a few festivals – Lollapalooza in Chicago, Forecastle in Louisville, and FLO Fest in Leesburg, VA. And finally, there will be a full album release tour in the fall, so look for more news on that. Not excited yet? Maybe this will help:

Jukebox the Ghost – Everything Under the Sun from Eyestar Pictures on Vimeo.

Why I Love Technology – Starring Jukebox the Ghost

I have already mentioned how much I love Twitter and all the reason why. Let me add to that how much I love technology in general. First there was the post on Twitter this morning that said:

Good mornin’ tweeters. We’re playing 5 shows in NYC today (one in every borough) ! Come find us.

I then followed a link to this note on Facebook that gave locations and times for each spot they were going to hit. Then I used my cellphone to call a couple friends to make plans to meet up (and postpone plans with two others for tomorrow afternoon). So yeah, I love technology. Without it I would never have been able to have one of the most epic adventures ever. In case you missed it, I got plenty of pics and video footage of the event. I’ll update this post as soon as I finish editing everything (which should be no later than this weekend). Until then, this is News on Shuffle signing off.

Jukebox the Ghost Album Announcement

If you haven’t noticed it yet, this blog really likes the band Jukebox the Ghost. We mentioned in our live review that the album would be out come early September. Now there is a video announcement with an official date and title, as well as a preview of one of the songs. The album, titled Everything Under the Sun, will be released September 7th. You can be sure there will be a review up here the day after it is made available to listen.

Jukebox the Ghost – Everything Under the Sun from Eyestar Pictures on Vimeo.

Jukebox the Ghost is currently on tour with Free Energy. Their New York date was last week, but they will be back in NYC on July 13th for a show at 92Y. Stay tuned for more news on this awesome band, plus all the other upcoming summer shows that might be worth checking out.

Jukebox the Ghost Light Themselves On Fire At Bowery Ballroom

Last night Miniature Tigers, Jukebox the Ghost, and Free Energy played to an incredibly packed Bowery Ballroom. Miniature Tigers were the opener, and they succeeded in warming up the crowd for the main event with their unique beats. Next was Jukebox the Ghost, who played the best set I have ever seen from them since my first performance of theirs at Knitting Factory (back when it was still on Leonard St). They played a good mix of old and new tunes, with a cover thrown in the middle. They began with Static and ended with Good Day (which seems to be their classic final piece). The cover I mentioned was Donna Lewis “I Love You Always Forever”, which they gave a fresh feeling to that made the song their own. They also played the classics “Hold It In” and “Victoria” (among others) and some new stuff as well. It was announced that the band has signed with Yep Rock Records and the new album will be released early September. For all the latest news be sure to follow the band on their Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter. I also recently discovered their last.fm page, which elicited possibly a little too much excitement. For me, it showed how big these guys are getting and the bright future they have ahead. After the show, I told Ben about that possibly being the best set ever and how I wasn’t just saying that because of a bias I have for the band. One of the other things I love about them (besides their music) is ever since that day we talked after the Union Square show I have been able to talk to some of the members (and those surrounding them) at every show I have been to. (Note: I have been to almost every show they have played in NYC since that first time I heard them). This isn’t about being crowned #1 Fan though. This is to try to share something special I found out there in the music world. Don’t want to take my word for it? Then find out for yourself. The next date in the area is July 13th at 92Y (which would make it a smaller show than the Bowery one). Although this date has not been posted on the website, it was announced at the show last night. (Anyone affiliated with the band can feel free to correct me if I heard this wrong).

Going back to last night’s show, the final act for the night was Free Energy. This was the only band I had never heard before, but they definitely lived up to their name. There was plenty of energy from both the stage and the audience. It was a great end to what I would describe as a lively and energetic night. I’ve never walked away from a show feeling both energized and exhausted before, but that was what happened last night. I wonder if that’s how the bands who perform feel as well? Anyone who wants to provide an answer to that one can either leave a comment or email me at munchkin275@hotmail.com.

Lollapalooza Lineup Announced

It was fun playing guessing games, but now the truth is out there. The lineup for this year’s Lollapalooza has been confirmed, as well as days for each band set to perform. So, are you ready?


You sure?

Alright then. Here it is:

Friday, August 6th:
Lady Gaga
The Strokes
Jimmy Cliff
Hot Chip
The Black Keys
Devo
New Pornographers
Chromeo
Dirty Projectors
Mavis Staples
Matt & Kim
Drive-By Truckers
Jamie Lidell
Fuck Buttons
Raphael Saadiq
The Walkmen
Los Amigos Invisbles
The Big Pink
Cymabalks Eat Guitars
B.o.B
Balkan Beat BOx
Wavves
American Bang
The Constellations
Javelin
Foxy Shazam
Semi Precious Weapons
My Dear Disco
The Ettes
Jukebox The Ghost
These United States
2ManyDJs
Tiga
Erol Alkan
Caspa
Peanut Butter Wolf
Cut Copy (DJ)
Ana Sia
FreeSol
BBU Vonnegutt

Saturday, August 7th:
Green Day
Phoenix
Social Distortion
Spoon
Cut Copy
Erykah Badu
Slightly Stoopid
Grizzly Bear
Gogol Bordello
Metric
AFI
The xx
Blues Traveler
Edward Sharpe
Deer Tick
Stars
Wild Beasts
Rogue Wave
Dawes
Warpaint
The Soft Pack
Rebelution
Harlem
Mimicking Birds
Kissaway Trail
Morning Benders
Royal Bangs
Dan Black
Dragonette
Skybox
Mynameisjohnmichael
Empire of the Sun
Perry Farrell
Rusko
Kaskade
Wolfgang Gartner
Joachim Garraud
Beats Antique
Steve Porter
Ancient Astronauts
DJ Mel
BBU Vonnegutt
Only Children
Lance Herbstrong

Sunday, August 8th:
Soundgarden
Arcade Fire
MGMT
The National
Cypress Hill
Wolfmother
Yeasayer
X Japan
MUTEMATH
The Temper Trap
Frightened Rabbit
Blitzen Trapper
The Cribs
Minus THe Bear
Switchfoot
Mumford & Sons
The Dodos
Hockey
The Antlers
Ike Reilly
Company of Thieves
Nneka
Miniature Tigers
HEALTH
Violent Soho
Freelance Whales
Band of Heathens
Shawn Fisher
Neon Hitch
Digitalism
Felix da Housecat
Flosstradamus
Mexican Institute of Sound
Dirty South
Nervo
Didi Gutman (Brazilian Girls)
Team Bayside High
Dani Deahl

I love all the headliners, especially Green Day, Arcade Fire, and MGMT. My biggest and best surprise though was Jukebox the Ghost being included. This band seems to be having quite a good year. They already have been on one tour and have plans for another this summer. Oh, and don’t forget the trip they took to SXSW, I’m sure they won’t. Jukebox have a couple New York dates coming up, including: May 29th at Bowery Ballroom and June 12th at Music Hall of Williamsburg.



Jukebox the Ghost @ Bowery Ballroom

I’m not sure whether it was here or Twitter that I mentioned having a surprise in regards to my trip to see Jukebox the Ghost at Bowery Ballroom earlier this month. It took longer than expected, but my surprise is finally ready for the masses. See, I was asked to write a review for Beyond Race Magazine, and I thought it was only fair to wait until it was posted on their website before I did the same here. So here is my part of the review. The other section on the headliner (Tally Hall) was written by my friend who works at the magazine. (He also edited some of my bits, because I am, to be perfectly honest, not that good a writer). The complete review has been linked to above, in case you want to take a look. So, without further ado, I present: Jukebox the Ghost.

The following is my review as written by your humble blogger. There are a few edits on the BRM post, but that was probably for the best. Consider this the “deleted scenes” at the end of the movie, if it so pleases you.

Fresh from a month in Europe, Jukebox the Ghost played to a packed house at Bowery Ballroom. The band always has something special to offer their audience, and this was no exception. Whether it be ghosts for Halloween or Christmas lights strung everywhere, the stage is always an element of the experience. The staging this time was set with bubbles blown from members in the audience, turning the room almost into a playground. The comparison seems appropriate, for if Jukebox could be described with one word it would be “fun.” Not only does it fit the audience’s experience, but what the band seems to feel as they perform. Ben (their keyboardist) tells stories of their tour or some other tale as if he’s sharing this with a group of friends who have stopped by for a friendly visit. Two other members (Tommy and Jessie) shared that they caught a bug while in Europe. “Jessie is actually too sick to do this next song – but he’s going to play it anyway,” Tommy comments before starting his favorite dance tune from their new album (release of which is unknown at this point). This shows a dedication to their music (and their fans) that is remarkable. You can tell they enjoy performing just as much as the audience enjoys watching them. The crowd dances and sings along throughout the set. There is even participation during a few of the songs. This is especially evident with the fan-favorite “Hold It In”, which they concluded their set with. Not only does the audience sing along, but there is also clapping which not only adds to the rhythm of the song, but also brings a wave of joy as the song progresses. It’s as if you have become part of the experience, part of the fun. And that is just one more way Jukebox the Ghost becomes not just another band, but something truly special.

Jukebox the Ghost Make Plans to Haunt the U.S.

Jukebox the Ghost, who have been working on a second record, are now planning a U.S. tour to share all their new tunes with us. Exciting news for fans everywhere. The list of dates is as follows:

March
03 – Boston, MA – Great Scott #
04 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom #
05 – Ithaca, NY – The Haunt #
06 – Westport, CT – Toquet Hall #
07 – Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Smalls Theater #
09 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Blind Pig #
10 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Intersection #
11 – Madison, WI – The Frequency #
12 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall #
13 – St Louis, MO – Firebird #
15 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues #
16 – Houston, TX – House of Blues #
17 – Austin, TX – SXSW
18 – Austin, TX – SXSW
19 – Austin, TX – SXSW
20 – Austin, TX – SXSW
22 – Nashville, TN – Rocketown #
23 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl #
24 – Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506 #
25 – Washington, DC – The Black Cat #
26 – Baltimore, MD – Sonar #
27 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s #

# = w/ Tally Hall, Skybox

A short documentary about the new album is also available.

Bands Just Wanna Have Fun

I follow a very select few bands on Twitter, but when I do it usually is because they have that extra special something that makes them worth following. I like to call it The Fun Factor. This brings us to the reason we are here tonight. We’re here to have fun. It’s why we follow you all over the state (or country) and it’s why we buy more of your merch than anyone elses and it’s why we give you more of ourselves than other bands. All of this because you are a band that knows how to have fun.

One band that I fell in love with from the first song because of this “Fun Factor” is Jukebox the Ghost. They recently released a cover of the song ‘Temptation” and this video I found of them performing it live reminded me of how fun their music is and how much fun it is watching them perform.

CMJ 2009 Day 1 – Jukebox the Ghost + more

While others bounced from one venue to the next (see title link for example) I spent opening night of CMJ at Bowery Ballroom. Due to time issues I missed the first band, Care Bears On Fire, but the rest of the night was full of great music with lots of energy. We had a surprise visit from Lights Resolve, who were added to the bill last minute.



Next was Zach Williams accompanied by his band. I have seen him solo acoustic before, so I was not ready for the huge amount of energy that they brought to the table. It was quite a pleasant surprise.



Following Zach were co-headliner Stand, an Irish band with another enjoyable set.



Finally was the moment I had been waiting for, Jukebox the Ghost. They played mostly new songs, but there were also the fan favorites “Hold It In” and “Good Day”. I met a couple other enthusiastic fans who enjoyed the set just as much as I did (if not more).





*all photos by Christine Wagenheim