Blues Funeral, the new Mark Lanegan Band record, is officially out now, and the band is touring Europe as well as the U.S. in celebration. The first record since 2004's Bubblegum, Blues Funeral was recorded in Hollywood, California by Alain Johannes at his 11ad studio, and features appearances from Greg Dulli, Josh Homme et al. Mark Lanegan has sung with Screaming Trees, Queens Of the Stone Age, The Twilight Singers, The Gutter Twins, Soulsavers and Isobel Campbell, as well as released several solo albums on 4AD. The latest album has already received high praise from publications around the globe, with Mojo saying ““No other singer of his generation plumbs the depths so credibly, or does mournful with such grace” and Dail Telegraph remarking “His own career-best collection, Lanegan’s time has come.” See for yourself at Metro!

One has to admire the dedication and passion that Chicago natives Amrita embody and demonstrate through their musical career. The band has had some tough times and a recent lineup change that involved a new keyboardist and a new singer to the group. It is clear to see that Amrita will stop at nothing to do what they love and satisfy fans with music representing many genres. They have labeled themselves as progressive-ambient rock but also find ways to include elements of styles such as blues and latin jazz in their sound. Amrita pulls inspiration from Mars Volta to Incubus to Led Zeppelin to Yes, and everything in between. Their goal is to give their audience a taste of various styles and they definitely show their range of talent in the process. The band’s first EP Innertides was a concept album written, recorded, and produced completely by the band members. Their record release party was held at Metro to a packed room. Their second EP Outside the Paradigm was produced by Chicago producer Manny Sanchez (Patrick Stump). This album pushed the band to try new things including using unique items in their recordings such as paper bags and trash cans. Over the years and hurdles that Amrita has been through together, they are striving to perfect their sound and live performances. The name Amrita is derived from a sacred ancient beverage which grants immortality. Perhaps this suggests that band members Patrick Riley, Mike Del Principe, Matt Robinson, Aaron Graunke, and Jason Kearney hope their music will last forever and spread to a vast audience. Amrita makes their second appearance at Metro this Spring, don’t miss out on seeing this incredibly unique and talented band!

The non-profit arts organization portoluz has produced a once-in-a-lifetime concert honoring the legendary American Folk hero Woody Guthrie. On Saturday May 19, 2012 portoluz will present: This Land Is Our Land, a centennial concert celebration of the legendary Woody Guthrie at Metro.

Featured on this extraordinary program are a roster of nationally renowned and stylistically diverse artists who will pay homage to the godfather of folk music in this three hour songfest, including Tom Morello, The Klezmatics, Holly Near, Toshi Reagon, Son del Viento, Jon Langford, Bucky Halker, Kevin Coval, The B.S. Brass Band and additional surprise guests. Headlining the all-star cast is Tom Morello, one of the nation‘s most vaunted guitar players and among the prestigious coterie of contemporary folk heroes. From the Eastern European influenced renditions of Woody Guthrie classics as voiced by the Klezmatics to the gut-bucket blues of Toshi Reagon, to the Spanish language versions of Deportee as played by Chicago‘s own Son del Viento, to the 1970‘s era anthems of Holly Near and the indie-rock phrasings of Jon Langford and friends, this evening promises to celebrate the wide range of influences and enduring legacy of our national troubadour, Woody Guthrie. The artists will perform their own material and selections from the Guthrie cannon and perform as their individual ensembles as well as in combinations unique to this concert.

This Land Is Our Land, a centennial concert celebration of the legendary Woody Guthrie, is part of the year-long series WPA 2.0, a brand new deal - a festival about art and work organized by portoluz. portoluz organized this event to take place during the planned G8/NATO summit in order to celebrate the joyful expression of protest as voiced through the power of participatory culture.

Shante Scott Franklin, better know as “Curren$y da Hot Spitta”, has been in the hip hop scene for over a decade with countless mixtapes and studio albums under his belt. This spring, Curren$y embarks on a US tour, stopping at Metro! Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, Curren$y sprang into the scene in 2002 when he was a member of the hip hop group 504 Boyz. Since then, he has released over 15 mixtapes and collaborated with acclaimed artists such as Lil Wayne, Mos Def and Wiz Khalifa. In 2009, Curren$y made his official debut with his first studio album This Ain’t No Mixtape released under Amalgam Digital. In the same year, he already released his second album Jet Flies. The following year, Curren$y was quick to put out another two albums under BluRoc Records- Pilot Talk and Pilot Talk II. By 2011, a deal was made with Warner Bros. Records for his imprint Jet Life Recordings. From there, Curren$y released Covert Coup, Weekend at Burnie’s, and Verde Terrace, all of which were adored by critics such as Pitchfork. In February 2012, Curren$y’s seventh studio album Muscle Car Chronicles was released under DD172. He has also announced that more projects are soon to be released in the coming year. With Curren$y’s rapid release of material in the last ten years and outstanding list of collaborations, he is sure to put on a phenomenal show.

The Clockwork Orange droog image comes to life with The Adicts. Kicking urgent, uptempo music and light-hearted lyrics since the 70s, The Adicts have been delighting music fans for three decades. One of the more popular punk rock bands in the U.K. in the 1980s, they were often in the indie charts with songs like "Viva La Revolution," and become well known for not only their music but also their whimsical style and engaging live show. With the Adicts, you can not only expect great music, but also a great party, and with confetti, streamers, bubbles and glitters a moment away at any time, you're guaranteed to have a wonderful time!

Blood Red Boots describe themselves as "that sexy, filthy, kinda southern band with really catchy songs." Their energetic, punk-esque live stage performance brings a continual flow from start to finish, and with most songs clocking in at just three minutes each, the band hits one after another to keep you on your toes. A group that should be experienced live!

Blowoff featuring the DJ sounds of Richard Morel and Bob Mould returns to Metro! We're thrilled to welcome back Blowoff, a musical journey hosted and DJed by rockers Bob Mould and Richard Morel. Bob Mould, formerly of Husker Du and Sugar, has also had a successful solo career, with a recent album, District Line, released in 2010. Richard Morel, who recently produced four songs on the new Cyndi Lauper album, is also an electronic artist and released the latest Morel album, Death of the Paper Boy, in 2010. Featuring their signature mix of indie rock, electro and house, Blowoff parties and their great music, visuals, signature flyer artwork and a devoted fanbase have spread beyond their original DC stomping grounds to around the country!

At a backyard party not too long ago, DJ Dave Nada of Nadastrom codified a beguiling blend of reggaeton and house and he called Moombahton. Spilling outwards from the parties held Washington, D.C.’s U Street Music Hall, Nada has sent the sound global.  Recently, the burgeoning “Moombahton Massive” came together for an exclusive Scion A/V release. Along with pals Steve Starks, Sabo, Melo, and Matt Nordstrom (Nada’s partner in Nadastrom), Nada is taking the sound on tour this summer. Massive!

On hiatus since 2007, The Early November are back, touring this Spring and working on a new album, due out this summer on Rise Records! The Early November incorporated sensitive emo, pop, and punk revivalist amalgams with a bit of post-hardcore grit on their first album with Drive-Thru Records, For All of This. A full length, Room’s Too Cold, followed in 2003. While the band’s been on a break since 2007, fans have been eagerly awaiting their return – and now, the wait is over!

They’re coming back! The Scooty & JoJo Show returns to Metro on June 1st with the epic benefit concert for the GoGo Legit Campaign: SPACE INVASION! Expanding the very best of last year’s Alien-meets-Queen-meets-Battlestar Fantastica spectacles with a thirty-member rock choir and inter-species dance party, SPACE INVASION is a full-tilt celebration of sci-fi cinema and space rock.

Thrice has been a staple in the alternative-modern-rock world for nearly ten years now, known for effortlessly and continuously releasing groundbreaking records. Now, as they go on their “Farewell Tour” before a hiatus, the band returns to Metro for one more show in Chicago. The Orange County, California quartet recorded their eighth album “Major/Minor,” which possesses an analog warmth and organic landscape reminiscent of grunge, with guitar driven rock songs paying tribute to the bands we all knew and loved growing up and Dustin Kensrue’s thought provoking words spread over the sonic terrain of each song. The album was released in September, and this is your final chance to see Thrice live for the foreseeable future, so don’t miss it!

Fans of Alkaline Trio will immediately recognize the dark pop sensibilities of frontman's solo-ish outing. A trooper, a vagabond, a minstrel and an artist - over the course of fifteen years and eight full-length albums as the lead singer/songwriter for Chicago’s Alkaline Trio, Matt Skiba has been all of these things. Touring the world, heart on sleeve, Skiba has consistently penned some of the great dark pop anthems of the past decade. For both major labels and indies, whether it be acoustic ballads or antagonistic anthems, Skiba is an icon of the outsider and he has remained a singular voice of a sub-genre he helped to create. Now, after so many years as part of the band that has come to define him, Skiba has stepped out from the Trio to create Babylon, the debut album from Matt Skiba and the Sekrets. Teaming up with AFI’s Hunter Burgan on bass and My Chemical Romance’s Jarrod Alexander on drums, Babylon remains the creation of Skiba himself. Not merely a studio experiment, Matt Skiba and the Sekrets will be touring extensively behind Babylon. The shows are sure to be equal parts intimate and explosive, with Skiba performing the entire album along with a few unexpected surprises.

Their fourth album came out in October, and Deer Tick is spending this spring and summer bringing the music around North America! Known for their folk/alt-country sounds on albums, the band prides itself on it’s diverse repitoire spanning many different types of music and genre. They’re also known for their notorious live set: raw, loud, heartfelt, and completely their own. The new album, Divine Providence, reflects this live music sensibility more accurately than anything the band has done before, and the band says “you can practically smell the sweat and the beer!” Come see the live experience itself at Metro!

On April 24th, The Dandy Warhols will release their ninth studio album This Machine on The End Records, and they'll stop at Metro on their Spring tour across America! Formed in Portland, Oregon in 1994, The Dandy Warhols have solidified their name in the alternative rock world. With eight studio albums, and a ninth on the way, the quartet are proving that they’ll stick around and keep making music. From the beginning, The Dandy Warhols were successful but their popularity reached a new level in 1997 with the release of their hit song ‘Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth’ which gained them international success. From there, they continued to expand their fan base with their unique sound which adds elements of shoegaze and garage rock. Besides receiving critical acclaim and love from their fans, The Dandy Warhols are also adored by their fellow musicians. They have an impressive list of collaborators including supporting David Bowie on his 2003 tour, working with Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran) on their fourth studio album Welcome to the Monkey House, and featuring Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) on their eighth album Earth to The Dandy Warhols. The list goes on to include The Kooks, Spoon, and The Bravery. This summer, don’t miss Courtney Taylor-Taylor, Brent DeBoer, Peter Holstrom, and Zia McCabe on the Metro stage. The Dandy Warhols are guaranteed to deliver an outstanding live show to support their solid musical career of the last 18 years.

Music and baseball are set to collide at Wrigleyville’s Metro on June 14 as Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein, Hall of Fame baseball writer Peter Gammons, and Cubs broadcasters Len Kasper and Bob Brenlyjoin an all-star music line-up for the inaugural Hot Stove Cool MusicChicago charity concert presented by Greenberg Traurig, Key Bank and Chicago Trading Company.

Benefiting Chicago Cubs Charities and Epstein’s Foundation To Be Named Later, the fundraiser will feature an ensemble of comedy and a variety of acts with performances by The Smashing Pumpkins, The Figgs, Jenny Dee and the Deelinquents, members of Buffalo Tom, and the Hot Stove All-Stars with actors and comedians Mike O’Malley, JeffGarlin and Joel Murray serving as the evening’s emcees. The concert takes place the night before the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox kick off their three-game weekend series at Wrigley Field.


“Hot Stove Cool Music blends two of my passions, music and baseball, while benefiting a very worthy cause, and I couldn’t be more excited to bring this music fundraiser to Chicago,” said Gammons. “I’m humbled to see so many talented musicians join in on the cause for our inaugural concert, and I’m looking forward to welcoming old friends and new faces to the Windy City as we raise money to support needy youth.”

In addition to the all-star music line-up, the evening will feature a number of special guestsand a live and silent auction featuring signed sports memorabilia and priceless entertainment experiences.

Hot Stove Cool Music was founded in 2000 by Gammons and former Boston Herald sports writer Jeff Horrigan. The biannual event has since raised more than $5 million for Theo and Paul Epstein’s Foundation To Be Named Later and the Jimmy Fund. Foundation To Be Named Later was founded in 2005 by Epstein and his brother Paul as a means to create positive opportunities for disadvantaged children and families.

The Smashing Pumpkins’ performance will be a special one-off appearance for the band, who will be launching a worldwide full headline tour in Australia July 26th in support of the release their seventh studio album, Oceania, on June 19.

About The Smashing Pumpkins:
THE SMASHING PUMPKINShave created one of the most acclaimed bodies of work in musical history having sold more than 30 million albums, and won multiple Grammy awards in the process. Formed in Chicago in 1988, they released Gish, their influential and platinum debut in 1991, which was followed by albums including the nine-time platinum Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness and the four-time platinum Siamese Dream, as well as the platinum certified 1998 album Adore. The pivotal group’s many hits defined the alternative music era and continue to resonate on modern rock radio, influencing a whole new generation. The PUMPKINS returned in 2007 with their acclaimed sixth album Zeitgeist and have since remained on the cutting edge of music and technology with various online releases. They will release their seventh album OCEANIA June 19 viaMartha’s Music/EMI Label Services/Caroline Distribution and tour globally in 2012.

TheFiggs’ Mike Gent, Pete Donnelly and Pete Hayes have been playing together since the trio was in high school in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and have spent the better part of the past 20-plus years touring, recording and working on a variety of acclaimed side projects since the rock outfit’s inception in 1987. The tried and true band, which has a world-wide fan base, a hearty discography, and has toured and recorded several times with the legendary Graham Parker, recentlyreleased one of its greatest achievements to date, a brand-new and 12th studio album titled “The Day Gravity Stopped”. The album features 20 glorious tracks, rich with Kinks-inspired power and melodies, vibrant harmonies and sonic experimentation ala The Beatles and the best ofThe Band, a touch of NRBQ’s stoner groovinessand a grit and youthfulness akin to the best rock bands from The Who to theRamones. Recorded over several years, when the band mates and long-time friends had time to get together in the studio, the highly anticipated new album delivers one of 2012’s most accomplished and eclectic set of tunes.

Most music fans will recognize Jen D’Angora (aka Jenny Dee) as the singer/guitarist in garage stalwarts The Downbeat 5 as well as punk/pop darlings The Dents. When The Dents split up three years ago and The Downbeat 5 started playing out less frequently, D’Angora started working on a new batch of songs that were slightly different from the material she’d written for her other bands and decided to indulge in her love of the girl group sounds of the 60′s. The Deelinquents formed soon thereafter, with Tony Goddess from Papas Fritas/The Rudds, Eric Salt, Phil Aiken, Ed Valauskas from The Gravel Pit/The Gentlemen and Eric Anderson. In addition to the core band, Jen added her sister Beka Dangora and Samantha Goddess. Jenny Dee & The Deelinquents’ full-length debut – Keeping Time, came out March 2 on Q-Dee Records. It features 10 D’Angora penned originals and a cover of The Flamin’ Groovies “Shake Some Action” which was originally released as a 7” on the Spanish Label Lovemonk, which lead to a headlining club tour in Spain and an appearance at the Azkena Rock Festival opening for The Breeders.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Mead Composer-in-Residence Mason
Bates (also known as DJ Masonic) joins forces with members of the CSO, conductor
Benjamin Shwartz and director / designer Anne Patterson for MusicNOW Presents
Mercury Soul. Using the innovations of both modern stagecraft and club production,
Mercury Soul re-imagines the classical music experience for a broad audience in
extraordinary spaces, from clubs to warehouses to concert halls.

This fluid evening of electronica and classical music features performances by members
of the CSO, interspersed with diverse musicians from the Chicago electronica scene: DJ
Justin Reed of illmeasures with trumpeter Thomas Madeja; live electronics by Searchl1ite
with Dominic Johnson on electric viola; a DJ set from Striz of illmeasures; and featuring a
live AV / electronics PA set by Kate Simko. Bringing CSO musicians to new spaces
around Chicago is in keeping with Maestro Riccardo Muti’s vision to take classical music
into the community.

At Mercury Soul, the audience is given the same freedom to roam as at a rock show. In
between DJ sets, classical performers appear scattered around the space, performing
music from a variety of contemporary composers. Along with slowly shifting lighting,
electro-acoustic interludes fusing classical ensembles and DJing guide the crowd from
one musical space to another.

First performed in the Roter Salon at Berlin’s famed Volksbühne, Mercury Soul has
brought crowds of more than 1,000 people to experience this unique, hybrid musical
event in cities ranging from Miami (with the New World Symphony) to San Francisco (with
the San Francisco Symphony). Each show is completely redesigned for the space and
the ensemble.

This June, Cobalt and the Hired Guns will be playing at Metro again to promote their new album’s release. Chicago locals Cobalt and the Hired Guns are unlike any other punk/pop-rock band around. Formed in 2003, the band released their first full length album Jump the Fence in 2008. This album showed Cobalt and the Hired Guns’ love for art as well as the environment- it was released as a carbon neutral project. Since then, the band has been playing in venues all over Chicago including Double Door, Subterranean, Schuba’s, Lincoln Hall, and Metro. They work closely with other acts such as I Fight Dragons, State Radio, and Dashboard Confessional. Don’t miss another great Chicago band!

Future is set to take the nation by storm delivering an out-of-this-world experience on his 45 city “Pluto” Tour. The tour kicks off May and travels across North America. Serving as captain, Future’s headlining tour follows the release of his debut album “Pluto” which was released on April 17th and debuted at #2 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop chart.

“I’m excited to have the honor of giving my fans the true Pluto live show experience. Turn-up never turn-down”, notes Future who has been described by the New York Times as “a rising titan”- headliner of the upcoming tour, with special guest artist Pusha T.

With his newly signed record deal courtesy of Epic Records and his connection to Atlanta's famed Dungeon Family, Future's career is finally off the launching pad. His first single's bubbling success comes from a mixture of the hypnotic track, Future's signature melodic flow, unforgettable chorus, and features international superstar Drake.

The term Mogwai may hold several different meanings. Mogwai means “ghost” in Chinese and is also the creature in the movie Gremlins. But most importantly, Mogwai is the five piece post rock band hailing from Glasgow, Scotland composed of Stuart Braithwaite, John Cummings, Barry Burns, Dominic Aitchison, and Martin Bulloch. Influenced by the likes of Sonic Youth, Slint, and My Bloody Valentine, Mogwai has established their own sound and place in the post rock genre. After the unfortunate cancellation of a handful of US tour dates last year, Mogwai is heading back to the U.S. to tour their latest album Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will and the EP Earth Division which was recently released. Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will is Mogwai’s seventh studio album and the first to be released on Sub Pop Records in February 2011. It was a success upon release receiving impressive reviews from NME, SPIN, and Rolling Stone. The closing track on the album, You’re Lionel Richie, was taken from the moment band member Stuart Braithwaite ran into Lionel Richie in the airport. Braithwaite’s reaction to seeing Lionel Richie was “You’re Lionel Richie”- giving life to the name of the track. Without many vocals in their music, Mogwai can still deliver strong, shrieking, and striking post rock medleys on each of their tracks translating to a one of kind experience during a live show. The band claims that this could be their last long tour for awhile, so don’t miss your chance to see them on the Metro stage this summer!

Born in a military hospital in South America, Immortal Technique was brought to the United States in the early 80's while a civil war was breaking out in his native Peru. Although he had escaped the belligerent poverty and social turmoil of life in the 3rd world, he was now residing in Harlem which had its own share of drama. After some violent altercations and a prison sentence, he turned to music to express himself. Immortal Technique quickly became known throughout the underground. His brutally disrespectful style was trademark, and it was not long until he had won countless battles not just on stage and in clubs, but on the streets whenever a random cipher would pop up. From Rocksteady Anniversary, to Braggin Rites, SLAM DVD's and hookt.com's infamous battles, he established himself as someone who could captivate a crowd and who people looked forward to seeing. Immortal Technique left the battle circuit and released his critically acclaimed Revolutionary Vol.1. On Viper Records, where he is the Executive VP, he sold 29,000 copies of Revolutionary Vol.2 to date and has appeared on soundtracks for new movies including the new Mario Van Peebles film "BAADASSSSS". His single "Industrial Revolution" released in conjunction with Uncle Howie Records hit #1 on CMJ and #50 on the Billboard charts.

Felipe Andres Coronel a.ka. Immortal Technique blends elements of his past to create passionate and controversial hip hop. Born in Lima, Peru and raised in Harlem, New York, Immortal Technique has experienced the crime and hardships that he incorporates in his lyrics. Some of the topics he touches on include: racism, class struggles, poverty, and government issues. Not only is Immortal Technique creating music surrounding these issues, but he is also taking action on them. He puts money towards children’s hospitals overseas, high school writing grant programs, and works with immigrants rights activists as well as talks to youth in prisons. Immortal Technique is striving to make a difference with his career and educate others. After establishing himself in the underground hip hop scene, Immortal Technique signed with Viper Records. He has three studio albums under his belt- Revolutionary Vol. 1 (2001), Revolutionary Vol. 2 (2003), and The 3rd World (2008). There is a fourth album on the way, due to be released later this year. Immortal Technique has also collaborated with fellow remarkable hip hop artists such as Mos Def, DJ Green Lantern, and Chuck D of Public Enemy. On June 22nd, Immortal Technique will make his debut performance at Metro.

Over the years, Dan Bejar has proved himself to be a versatile, ambitious, and successful singer-songwriter. As the frontman to the ever-changing ensemble of Destroyer, Bejar has cranked out nine studio albums. Since the start of the band in 1995, a lot has changed with Destroyer but one thing remains- the talent and consistent growth of the band. Bejar’s first album We’ll Build Them a Golden Bridge was self produced. Eventually, Bejar expanded the lineup of his act with members such as John Collins and Destroyer was officially formed. With each album, something new was created and both audiences and critics jumped on the genius lyrics and music of Destroyer. In 2001, Streethawk: A Seduction (Misra) spoke out against pop culture and became a highly acclaimed album. At this point, Destroyer really began to stand out and gain a strong following. With the release of Destroyer’s Rubies (Merge) in 2006, the band reached commercial success. This did not change Bejar’s attitude of producing unique and enticing albums. The newest album Kaputt (Merge) came out in 2011 and was a shortlisted nominee for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize. Besides being heavily involved with Destroyer, Bejar has also been a part of many other collaborations. Among them are working with The New Pornographers and joining with members of Frog Eyes and Wolf Parade in Swan Lake. This summer, Destroyer hits the road to tour the United States and play from their vast catalogue.

Ten years of hard rocking, face melting and ass kicking in the name of world peace (if you are holding an air guitar, you cannot hold a gun) culminates in what most pundits on our blog predict will be the most over-the-top season in our country's decade-long history of competitive air guitar. From lawyers and school teachers to federal agents and most of all the unemployed, hundreds of professional air guitarists compete again for the ultimate prize: to represent their city in the National Championships, and then earn a shot at the World Title.

This year's host and "Master of Airemonies" will be author, actor and air guitar wunderkind BJÖRN TÜROQUE, who will guide a revolving door of A-minus-list celebrity judges from film, television, media and music. Protecting the judging panel from the audience's jeers and flying beers will be 2008 World Champion HOT LIXX HULAHAN (RET).

If any band can win the prize for the most experimental shift in sound from album to album, it’s Liars. On June 5th, Liars will be releasing their sixth studio album WIXIW on Mute Records. The trio will hit the road this summer to tour their new “heavily electronic” album. They’ll make their way to Chicago at Metro in July! Based in Brooklyn, Liars was quickly classified as post-punk revival in the New York scene after the release of their first album They Threw Us All In A Trench And Stuck A Monument On Top in 2001. Resistant to labels, Liars decided to strive for a new sound on each of their following releases. In February 2004, the group worked with producer Andrew Sitek (TV On the Radio) in a cabin in the woods of New Jersey. The product of this collaboration was They Were Wrong, So We Drowned, a “story album” based on witch trials and folklore. Two years later, Drum’s Not Dead dropped and featured a heavy focus on drums and atmospheric guitars- further proving Liars’ ability to branch out. In 2007, Liars toured with various bands around the world including Radiohead, No Age, and Interpol. For the last 12 years, Liars have certainly expanded their horizons and tackled multiple genres and experimental sounds. Don’t miss Angus Andrew, Aaron Hemphill, and Julian Gross display their wide array of musical talents at Metro this July!

In support of his new album, Aesop Rock hits the road this summer alongside Rob Sonic and DJ Big Wiz. Due out July 10th, Skelethon is his first solo release in five years, and from his new label Rhymesayers, a Minneapolis hip-hop institution. After forming a band with Rob Sonic and DJ Big Wiz called Hail Mary Mallon and releasing a debut album last year, titled Are You Gonna Eat That?, Rock returns to his solo material as a master of hip hop. The first single “Zero Dark Thirty” combines his characteristically intricate lyrics with classic synth beats, and will entice fans hungry for more of Rock’s distinctive creations. Sharing the stage on the tour is hip-hop artist Rob Sonic and mixmaster DJ Big Wiz with their unique blend of talents. The combined performance stands to showcase Rock’s innovative techniques and stream-of-thought storytelling.

You can count the number of bands who've stayed together for 20 years on two hands, and you can use just one to count those who've consistently released quality material for two decades. This year, The Bouncing Souls enter that esteemed category, and in keeping with their D.I.Y. roots, they've done it without major labels, corporate radio, MTV, or teen magazine pinups. t The Bouncing Souls’ new album entitled COMET will be hitting the virtual and actual stores worldwide on June 12, 2012! Not only that, but they are co-releasing this much-anticipated album with RISE RECORDS and their very own CHUNKSAAH RECORDS. Comet marks the Souls' ninth proper full-length offering. This new 10-song recording is everything you’d expect and want from the band and more. Comet was produced by the legendary Bill Stevenson at the Blasting Room (Rise Against, Hot Water Music, Descendents) in Ft. Collins, CO, and is another solid milestone in the band's celebrated career.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre has gone through many changes over the years, but their popularity has stayed constant. Original founding member Anton Newcombe along with others started BJM in the early ‘90s in San Francisco, and he works onstage with numerous short and long-term collaborators. Their eclectic mix of sounds ranging from psychedelia, electronica, folk, and blues characterizes the band. Eleven studio albums, several EPs, and three live albums later Brian Jonestown Massacre has a huge following. Another claim to fame is from the documentary “Dig!” that details the developing careers and love-hate relationship between BJM front man Newcombe and Courtney Taylor-Taylor of The Dandy Warhols. While they bring plenty of their own brand of weird, Brian Jonestown Massacre actually has a mellow psychedelic flavor that won’t give parents nightmares. Over the past 20 years, the band has tried many different sounds (shoegaze, experimental, folk-rock) and members (in the high 20s) on for size, and while they bring plenty of their own brand of weird, Brian Jonestown Massacre actually has a mellow psychedelic flavor that won’t give you nightmares!

Dragonette have had quite a few busy years, with the release of their second album “Fixin To Thrill,” a successful collaboration with house kingpin Kaskade and a Gaultier commission with Martina Solveig that landed on the charts across Europe, Top 10 in Canada, Itunes “Single of the Week” in the USA and Australia, and tours in USA and the Americas, as well a China, the Philippines and Paraguay. Just as they were about to jump in the studio to start work on their 3rd album (due Summer 2012), their second collaboration with Martin Solveig, “Hello,” was launched into the world. It quickly became a hit in Europe, going #1 in Holland and Belgium, top 5 in France and Italy, and scraping the Top 10 in the UK. 2011 saw the record expand, selling over a million copies in the USA, becoming the most-played Canadian record in Canada, and becoming a hit on every continent. It has been synched over 100 times in the process, and the band have done a number of major TV appearances across the globe as a result. The band is now putting the final touches on their 3rd album, and getting ready for more touring, which started with an appearance at California’s influential Coachella Festival!