Rise Against

The organisers of Europe’s biggest rock and metal festival, Download, have earned a reputation for booking seemingly impossible bands in the past. After bringing Guns n Roses back from the dead, getting the ominous and elusive Tool to headline on two separate occasions and catching Dillinger Escape Plan on their farewell tour, Download has built a solid reputation in its near 20 year lifespan. But, the organisers are finding themselves under mounting pressure with every passing year due to a seeming rinse and repeat attitude towards the main headliners. 

Download Festival - Photo credit, Myung Jung Kim, PA Images.

Download Festival is now a global franchise which has extended its influence to France, Spain, Australia and several other nations, but the sacred ground of Donnington remains its spiritual home. Given the setting and size of this event, Download should have the power to attract almost any rock band in the world. Yet, they repeatedly fall back on the same old bands such as Kiss, System of a Down, Slipknot, Rammstein, Def Leppard, Ozzy Osborne and Iron maiden to fill their headliner slots, while simultaneously blocking newer acts from proving to the world that rock isn’t dead. 

Continue reading: Download Festival: 10 Bands That Are Ready To Headline

Weird Al Yankovic’s latest parody album Mandatory Fun took Number 1 on the Billboard album chart this week, proving that a devoted fanbase still counts for something. With sharp parodies of hits from the past year – most notably, Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines and Pharrell Williams’ Happy – the album was released July 15 through Way Moby and RCA Records, and sold 104,000 copies in the week ending July 20, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Weird Al is coming for your album sales.

Weird Al’s win marks a record of sorts – the first comedy album to hit Number 1 since Allan Sherman topped the bill in 1964 with My Son, The Nut. It’s also Weird Al’s first Billboard Number 1. Ever.

Continue reading: Accordion-wielding Grammar Geek, Weird Al, Tops Billboard 200. Best Chart Week Ever?

Budweiser Made in America

We explore the diverse Denver music scene as Budweiser unveil the latest in their series of documentaries ahead of the fast-approaching Budweiser Made in America festival.

When Jay-Z embarked on his Budweiser Made in America project, the ethos he wanted to represent was simple; bringing together bands and artists of all genres to celebrate the rich variation that has become the US musical community. And where better to enjoy this multi-genre theme than Denver, Colorado, home to the likes of everyone from gentle folk rock crooners The Lumineers to industrial Goth collective Velvet Acid Christ?

Continue reading: Dancing In Denver! Budweiser Made In America Explore Colorado's Exciting Music Scene

Metallica have revealed the line-up for their second annual Orion Music + More Festival, and as you’d expect from the ageing veterans of heavy metal, it’s one that bristles with more noise and riffs than you can shake a Flying V guitar at.

Over 30 acts have been announced so far for the five stages, with Metallica being joined by the likes of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rise Against, Deftones and Bassnectar for the two day event that takes place in Detroit on June 8^th and 9^th. “Last year’s Orion Music + More Festival was hands down the highlight of the Metallica calendar. A great time was had by all, especially the band members,” Lars Ulrich said in a press release reported by Classic Rock “The fact that it also resonated with enough of our fans and friends that it warrants another go-around in ’13 is beyond exciting. I can think of no better place than the Motor City, with its rich and diverse history of music, for the second ride on our Orion festival train. Bring it the f— on!”

With the Chilis joining Metallica as headliners, it marks a potentially busy time for their bassist Flea, who has also been involved in Thom Yorke’s Atoms For Peace project. They released their album AMOK today (February 25, 2013) and he’ll be likely joining them on some live dates as well.

Continue reading: Metallica's Orion Festival Reveals 2013 Line-Up, Including Red Hot Chili Peppers