Likely Looks: The Verve - Love Is Noise

Now I'm not going to lie...The Verve can do no wrong in my book. The video is quite simple...just close ups of Richard (who minds THAT though) and some nice pretty scenes of people making out and in l-o-v-e.

Quite sweet, yea?

The Verve Changes Album Release Date

Us Verve fans are going to have to now wait a week longer for the new record, "Forth" to come out.

Its been announced today that the new release date with be August 26th in the US and Canada and August 25th in the UK.

Bummer...

Coachella 2008 Wrap Up

It had its moments but to be honest, Coachella 2008 was a major let down. The bands booked seem to come to New York or LA every couple of weeks so it was nothing I hadn't seen before. Even so, I managed to make the most of it and there were some great highlights.

The show of the weekend of course was none other than The Verve. Opening with "This Is Music" and moving on to play a set filled with new tracks and fan favorites; Ashcroft and co. were the only thing that make the entire festival really worthwhile. It was so good that I couldn't feel my legs. Yep...it was THAT good.

Kraftwerk were absolutely brilliant as well. I have never seen a group be able to stand there in black and be so entertaining. Kudos to their visual guy...the graphics on the screen were the most fabulous thing I have seen in quite some time.

Portishead were amazing but not for everyone. They aren't performers...its just the sound and if you don't like the sound then you are royally fucked. Beth Gibbons sounded perfect...her voice is as haunting live as on CD and in a huge field it was absolutely brilliant. The new stuff isn't as good as the old stuff but it could just end up growing on you...

Justice was wicked but the one problem was people squeezing up to the front to "see" the show. They are fucking DJs...just enjoy.

Black Mountain was one of the last bands to play the festival but it was well worth the wait. The tent was empty as everyone wanted to finish watching Roger Waters or get a good spot for Justice. It was perfect; no crowd and good music...what more can you ask for?

The surprise of the weekend was Roger Waters. I missed the whole "Dark Side of the Moon" bit that he played during the second half of his set, but from what I did see, I realized why Pink Floyd has such a lasting presence on pop culture. The visuals and the work that was put into this show were amazing. Complete with a flying pig that had "Obama" written under it, it was a killer show to catch and an unexpected enjoyment.

Other honorable mentions were Love and Rockets who KILLED it on Sunday, Hot Chip who somehow managed to perfectly tie in all of their hits into one 60 minute set and got the crowd incredibly hyped and Mark Ronson who made my night bringing Candie Payne on stage.

I could write about Coachella for hours and hours but these were the highlights. I couldn't see a damn thing during Prince but he played "Controversy" which made my night.

Also, does anyone think they should move Coachella back to 2 days? My feet hurt, I felt gross and after day 2 I was ready for the thing to be over.

Prince



The Verve



Portishead

The Verve Announce More U.S. Dates

Now this is the kind of news I like to wake up hearing.

This needs no introduction

Apr 25 - Coachella Festival Indio, California
Apr 26 - The Pearl Concert Theater at Palms, Las Vegas
Apr 28 - WaMu Theater at MSG, NYC (On Sale Saturday, March 1 at 11am)
Apr 29 - WaMu Theater at MSG, NYC (On Sale Saturday, March 1 at 11am)
May 31 - Pinkpop Festival, Landgraaf, NET, Megaland
Jun 29 - Glastonbury Festival Glastonbury
Jul 11 - T In The Park Balado, Kinross
Jul 12 or 13 - Oxegen Festival, Ireland

...And Now for the Verve Reunion Footage!

God bless YouTube...and whoever uploaded clips from the Verve's first reunion show at the Carling Academy in Glasgow.

The gig seemed like they never broke up...they sound perfect.

History:



On Your Own:



Bittersweet Symphony (not the full song...but you'll get the idea):



Thanks to scottgh1979 for the clips!

Now if only this tour would come to the U.S...

The Verve Play Their First Reunion Gig

Last night in Glasgow, The Verve played their first gig since May 1998 with their original line up. I would have given my right arm to be in attendance but unfortunately I can only read reviews of the gig.

The set list was absolutely incredible with a set of old classics and even a new track included in the mix.

Here is the set list courtesy of NME.com:

'This is Music'
'Sonnet'
'All In The Mind'
'Weeping Willow'
'Life's An Ocean'
'Space And Time'
'Sit And Wonder' (New Song)
'Velvet Morning'
'Already There'
'Let The Damage Begin'
'A Northern Soul'
'The Drugs Don't Work'
'The Rolling People'
'Bitter Sweet Symphony'
'Man Called Sun'
'Lucky Man'
'Come On'


Photo Credit: vickitequila

The Verve New Music Countdown Is Over

The Verve are giving away their first new music in 10 years for FREE! Its amazing...very A Storm In Heaven.

Download it HERE in glorious 320 kbps :)

I literally have been waiting 10 years for this...

The Verve Reveal New Song Titles

Its bad enough that us Americans don't have any Verve reunion shows to go to (yet!) but the good news is new Verve song titles have been revelaed for (possibly) an album to be released early next year.

Simon Jones posted on his MySpace the following:

Yo! Been pretty effin busy over last couple of months - September was spent in Terry Britten's amazing studio in Richmond. It's brimming with vintage gear, an old E.M.I desk(Pink Floyd-Dark side of moon era) and billions of guitars,old analog gear, a treasure trove of effects pedals(nick, like a kid in a toy shop!). The Sessions have been pretty amazing, we certainly have an embarrassment of riches where material is concerned! We will need to do a lot of listening over the next few months before we reconvene in the New Year to pull it all together! Plenty of hour long jams! and killer choons! we just need to get the balance right.

Last week kicked off with the Q awards-fckin weird dipping your toes into such showbiz events-think that will be my last venture to such affairs-I had to leave before the dinner was served-who wants to eat that shit when you can eat pies! What the fck am I on about-just had to leave and get the fck outta that place! Maaaaaan!

Anyway, the remainder of the week was spent rehearsing"up north" (what a freakin luxury to make music away from that big London place!) with Nick and Pete. Richard will be joining us later when we've gotten the music together. Gotta say - twas the greatest few days playin' old tunes! Started with Life's an Ocean and gotta say it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up! So far we got a short list of about 20 odd tunes to pool from for these first gigs, in no particular order we played-Make it till Monday, Virtual world,She's a Superstar, Gravity Grave,This is Music, A New Decade, On your Own, History, Stormy Clouds,Life's an Ocean, A Northern Soul, All in the Mind!(Sounded Amazing), B.S.S.,Drugs don't Work, Sonnet, Lucky Man, Come on, Weeping Willow, Rolling people, Velvet morning, Space and time,Man Called sun, Starsail and new ones,should I give titles away yet?fck it-Sit and Wonder,Judas,Appalachian Springs. Other new ones we are planning to do - maybe-Mona Lisa and Rather Be. I don't want to give the game away(already have) but I would like some feedback on all this-Now's the time to speak up! What have we missed that u wanna hear? Is it too early to play new stuff? do we skip the obvious? do we do the obscure? Let me know! Later.....Si Jones.


Yes, yes and more YES! Now for the US tour announcement?????

The Verve Reunite!!!!!!

Does this really need any form of an introduction?

Here are the dates:
Glasgow Academy (November 2,3)
Blackpool Empress Ballroom (5,6)
London Roundhouse (8,9)

YES Nick McCabe will be there.

NY Broad x