Bono and The Edge reveal first track from their Spiderman musical

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U2 legends Bono and The Edge unveiled the new song from their musical about Spiderman which will jump into Broadway next June 14.

The pair who wrote the score for “Spiderman Turn Off The Dark” performed the song Rise Above 1 at the over-the-top “American Idol” finale on Wednesday night, which was seen by over 20 million people.

Actor Reeve Carney who will incarnate Spiderman joined the U2 guys onstage featuring a high-flying stuntperson in a Spiderman costume.

The album includes 14 tracks recorded and performed by the original cast from the musical and has been produced by Steve Lillywhite who previously worked with the Irish band.

Rise Above 1 is now available from Itunes.

You can listen to the audio below.

Lenny Kravitz announces European Tour to coincide with album launch

Tattooed-rock legend Lenny Kravitz has confirmed he will be touring Europe tour to present his upcoming album “Black and White America” at the end of 2011.

The four time Grammy award winning artist will feature brand new staging production and include all of his biggest hits as well as showcase the new album, which is set to debut on August 22 ExNorth America and August 30 in the US.

Marking his first release of new material in three years, the record is a rich rock and funk-infused collection filled with Lenny’s signature guitar riffs, compelling melodies and the undeniable anthemic lyricism that has been his trademark over the course of his 20-year career.

The debut single Stand from his highly-anticipated ninth studio album is set to impact Radio on June 6.

“Black and White America” launched under Atlantic and Roadrunner Records- Kravitz’s first release on the new label following over 35 millions units sold from his previous records- was recorded in the Bahamas and Paris and includes 16 tracks produced, written and arranged by the artist.

Kravitz who most recently appeared in the Oscar nominated film “Precious” has revealed he has been cast in the role if Cinna in the movie adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ worldwide smash hit novel, “The Hunger Games”.

Tickets go on sale 9am on Friday 3 June priced at £34.50.

“Black and White” Europe Tour 2011

October

15  Amiens, France - Zenith
17   Rotterdam, Holland - Ahoy
18   Strasbourg, France - Zenith
20   Montpellier, France - Arena
21   Toulouse, France - Zenith
23   Nantes, France - Zenith
24   Lille, France - Zenith
27   London, UK - Hammersmith Apollo
30   Antwerp, Belgium - Sportpalais

November

1    Luxembourg City, Luxembourg - Rockhal
2    Dusseldorf, Germany - Mitsubishi Electric Halle
4    Hamburg, Germany - O2 Arena
5    Mannheim, Germany - SAP Arena
7    Berlin, Germany - Columbiahalle
9    Warsaw, Poland - Torwar
11   Riga, Latvia - Arena
12   Kaunas, Lithuania - Zalgiris Arena
15   Prague, Czech Republic - 02 Arena
17   Zagreb, Croatia - Arena
18   Vienna, Austria - Stadhalle
20   Treviso, Italy - Palaverde
21   Milan, Italy - Mediolanum Forum
23   Munich, Germany - Olympiahalle
24   Geneva, Switzerland - Arena
26   Zurich, Switzerland - Hallenstandion
28   Lyon, France - Halle Tony Garnier
29   Paris, France - Bercy

Avril Lavigne to tour the UK in September

Pop-punk princess Avril Lavigne announced this week two UK shows in Manchester and London, her first in the country since 2008.

The Canadian-born artist is back in the British isles to wow her fans with a couple of brand news gigs where she will perform songs from her fourth studio album “Goodbye Lullaby”, released earlier this year.

Lavigne who sold more than 30 million albums over the past eight years will be jamming at the HMV Hammersmith Appollo in London on Wednesday 21 September and the O2 Manchester Apollo two days later.

Tickets go on sale 9am on Friday 27 May priced at £32.50 adv London / £29.50 adv Manchester and are available from www.livenation.co.uk.

Colin Firth and Cameron Diaz shooting “Gambit” in London

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Academy Award winner Colin Firth and Cameron Diaz were spotted filming the remake of 60s British crime caper “Gambit” in London's Heathrow Airport this week.

Coen Brothers scripted flick that started filming in London on May 5 centers on the story of a British art curator who devises a finely-crafted scheme to con England’s richest man and avid art collector into purchasing a fake Monet painting. In order to bait his buyer, he recruits a Texas rodeo queen  to cross the pond and pose as a woman whose grandfather liberated the painting at the end of WWII. 

Alan Rickman, Stanley Tucci, Sir Tom Courtenay and Cloris Leachman joined the cast of the film under the direction of Michael Hoffman.

“Gambit” is due for release on 2012.

Lemmy Kilmister's side project The Head Cat to release new album this summer

Motörhead’s frontman Lemmy Kilmister has announced he will release a new record with his side band The Head Cat on July 4. 

The three-piece, which also includes drummer Slim Jim Phantom and rockability legend Danny B. Harvey, teamed up once again at the Sage & Sound Studios in Hollywood under the supervision of producer Cameron Webb to record the 12 track album “Walk The Walk, Talk The Talk”. 

The album is the follow-up to their 2006 debut “Fool’s Paradise” (Rock-A-Billy 1642) and features covers like Chuck Berry’s Like it Rock, Elvis Presley’s Trying To Get To You, and Something Else, a classic by Eddie Cochran which Lemmy came on stage with the Stray Cats and jammed on it at a show in the 90's at Hammersmith Odeon.

The first single American Beat, which was written in the studio, is ready to conquer the radio stations. You can hear it clicking here.

The track-listing of “Walk The Walk, Talk The Talk” is:

1. American Beat (Head Cat)         

2. Say Mama (Gene Vincent)                  

3. I Ain’t Never (Webb Pierce)              

4. Bad Boy (Larry Williams)                   

5. Shaking All Over (Johnny Kidd)       

6. Let It Rock (Chuck Berry)

7. Something Else (Eddie Cochran)   

8. The Eagle Flies On Friday (Head Cat)

9. Trying To Get To You (Elvis Presley)

10. You Can’t Do That (Lennon/McCartney)

11. It’ll Be Me (Jerry Lee Lewis)

12. Crossroads (Robert Johnson)

“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” dropped anchor at Cannes

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The swinest pirate from the Seven Seas, Jack Sparrow, and his crew disembarked last Friday at Cannes Film Festival for the worldwide premiere of Pirates of The Caribbean’s fourth film.

Chameleon-like actor Jonny Depp and Penélope Cruz walked the red carpet to supervise the showing from the last chapter of the pirate series and to win reviewers approval, the actor confessed.

Depp, hiding from behind  his sunglasses, chuckled when asked about the possible harsh critics of the blockbuster: “I've always feared the critics. They really scare me.”

Spanish actress Cruz, who appears for the first time in the Pirates saga, talked about how she showed her most swindler side when performing for her role of Angelica: “I discovered it was this manipulative pirate and a character so full of colors and contrasts and contradictions. I was very happy with the material when I read it. I thought there were a lot of possibilities. It's so much fun to play a liar, because I'm not a good liar in life.”

On this film Captain Sparrow crosses paths with a woman from his past named Angelica  who's trying to use him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. After Angelica forces Jack to board Blackbeard's ship, the Queen Anne's Revenge, he finds himself on a new adventure. 

Geoffrey Rush and Kevin R. McNally join once again the adventures of Jack Sparrow. The new faces include British actor Sam Clafin and Astrid Bergès-Frisbey as a mysterious mermaid.

“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” (Disney) lands in theaters this Friday May 20.

Cannes Film Festival: Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman and Jack Black talk about “Kung Fu Panda 2”

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Cannes has seen the presentation of another animated film today. Megastar Angelina Jolie turn up the glamour at the Carlton Hotel in the festival accompanied by co-stars Jack Black and Dusting Hoffman at the “Kung Fu Panda 2” (Dreamworks) photocall.

The film director Jennifer Yuh and producer Jeffrey Katzenberg were seen as well as a life sized puppet of a Panda, with which Black was happy to recreate some martial arts movements, while press cameras trained upon him.

Jolie, who gives her voice to a tiger helping the protagonist Panda to find his parents, said:  “I don't see this as a film that's too violent because even in the final battle, it's the inner peace and the way of kind of sending back negative energy that is actually what wins against aggression and violence and war weapons.”

Two women kicked off the festival’s official competition, British director Lynne Ramsay with her film “We Need to Talk About Kevin” (BBC Films) and the Australian writer Julia Leigh who’s makes her film debut with “Sleeping Beauty” (Screen Australia).

Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek open Cannes with “Puss in Boots”

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Latin actors Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas kicked off the Cannes Film Festival today with an event promoting the animated 3D film “Puss in Boots”.

Banderas and Hayek captured photographers attention when they walked their way though the red carpet surrounded by a group of flamenco dancers and climbed into a giant pair of boots waving to the crowds.

Málaga actor Banderas who already was the cat’s voice in the animated feature film “Shrek” started dancing with Pitbull’s I know you want me miaowing some notes to promote Chris Miller’s spin-off.

Hayek, who gives her voice to the character Kitty Softpaws, radiated in a Gucci dress saying after escalating the huge pair of boots: “It was a little strange, but I'm just happy I don't have vertigo.”

“Puss in Boots” (Dreamworks) will be released on 4 November in the USA.

Banderas stars in Pedro Almodóvar film “The skin I live in” (“La Piel que habito”), which competes for the Palme d'Or and will be projected on 19 May.

Motörhead to tour the UK in November

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Metal legends Motörhead have announced today that they will be returning this November to the British islands as part of their annual tour. 

Lemmy and his troop will be supported on their 11 date by British punk bands Anti Nowhere League and UK Subs. 

The tour kicks off in Wolverhampton on November 2 and will stop at 11 cities across the UK, winding up on the 18 in Manchester.

Speaking on touring with Motörhead, Animal from Anti Nowhere League said: “For years we have been asked by our fans ‘When are you going to play with Motörhead?’. So this is it, it will be a great ending to a fantastic year. 

“Motörhead have always been a big influence on the ANWL and for me it is a personal honour to take to the same stage as these men. We are committed to making this tour something everyone will be talking about forever, the coming together of different styles of hard, in-your-face rock.”

The UK Subs added: “The UK Subs have been huge fans of Motörhead for years, so to be invited to be part of this exciting tour in November is a massive honour!”

Lemmy, who celebrated the band’s 35th Anniversary tour in 2010 and the release of his critically acclaimed rockumentary “Lemmy”, will be releasing his brand new album, “Walk The Walk, Talk The Talk” in July and a Live DVD later in the year with his side project HeadCat.

Tickets go on sale 9am this Friday priced £32.50 (London show)/ £26.00 (regionally).

Motörhead UK Tour:

 
Wednesday 2 -  Wolverhampton Civic Hall
Thursday 3 - Newcastle City Hall
Saturday 5 - O2 Academy Glasgow
Sunday 6 - Liverpool University - Mountford Hall
Tuesday 8 - Bristol Colston Hall
Friday 11 - Norwhich UEA
Saturday 12 - London HMV Hammersmith Apollo
Monday 14 - Plymouth Pavilions
Tuesday 15 - Southampton Guildhall
Thursday 17 - Nottingham Royal Centre
Friday 18 - O2 Apollo Manchester

Tate Liverpool to exhibit “René Magritte: The Pleasure Principle” collection

Liverpool’s Tate gallery will display from next summer a rich selection of Belgian surrealist René Magritte’s paintings and some of his little-known commercial art.

Opening on 24 June, “The Pleasure Principle” exhibition will bring together over 100 paintings, some never before seen in the UK, of the 20th century artist and a collection of his unknown photographs and home movies.

The collection, supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and with additional support from the American Patrons of Tate, courtesy of Mr and Mrs Wilbur Ross, examines the artist’s oeuvre from a thematic perspective, displaying works in different media and from throughout his career. 

The exhibition will explore in-depth compositional and conceptual devices which are present in his work from the mid-1920s to his death in 1967.  

Presented will be classic surrealist images painted in Magritte’s characteristically graphic style, such as word-image paintings and his anonymous men in bowler hats with which the artist has become synonymous.  

It will feature iconic paintings, including “The Threatened Assassin” (1927), “The Human Condition” (1933), “Time Transfixed” (1938), “The Dominion of Light” (1950), “Golconda” (1953), and “The Listening Room” (1958), which have become part of the popular imagination.  

The gallery will include paintings from his lesser known ‘Vache’ period, erotic works and examples of his commercial designs. Rare photographs and home movie footage will illuminate the life and work of the artist further, providing insights into his relationship with his wife and muse Georgette and his collaborations within the Belgian Surrealist group.  

“René Magritte: The Pleasure Principle” is curated by Christoph Grunenberg, director, and Darren Pih, Exhibitions & Displays curator.

The exhibition will open its doors on Friday 24 June until 16 October.

The admission fee will be £11.00 ( £9.00 concessions).

For more information visit http://www.tate.org.uk/

Slash to tour the UK in July

 

Guitar legend Slash has announced he is coming back to the UK to play four headline gigs based around his forthcoming summer festival appearances.

The former Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver guitarist will perform in Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and his hometown of Stoke-on-Trent in July.

Other concerts kick off at the Oxegen in Ireland on July 7, and include venues in T in The Park and High Voltage in London.

Slash released his self-titled debut solo album on Roadrunner Records on May 2010 which featured all-star roster of guest musicians including Ian Astbury, Chris Cornell, Rocco DeLuca, Fergie, Dave Grohl, Myles Kennedy, Kid Rock, Lemmy Kilmister, Adam Levine of Maroon 5, Duff McKagan, M. Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold, Ozzy Osbourne, Iggy Pop, and Andrew Stockdale of Wolfmother.

Roadrunner are set to release Starlight as a single on July 25. The track features a vocal performance from Alter Bridge frontman Myles Kennedy, who will join the guitarist in his live performances.

Headline shows tickets go on sale tomorrow at 9am and are priced at £28.50.

Slash UK July Tour:

7- 10 (Day tba) - Oxegen festival, Ireland
8 -10 (Day tba) - T In The Park festival, Scotland
Wednesday 20 - O2 Academy Birmingham, UK headline
Thursday 21 - O2 Apollo Manchester, UK headline
Saturday 23 - High Voltage festival, London  
Sunday 24 - Victoria Hall Stoke, UK headline
Monday 25 - O2 Academy Leeds, UK headline

Kasabian Announce Intimate Warm Up Shows

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Multi-platinum award winners Kasabian have announced they are back on the road with an intimate UK tour in June.

The Leicester quartet will play four shows including concerts in Sheffield, Leeds, Wolverhampton and Manchester to present their yet untitled new record, which will be released later this year.

Their last acclaimed No.1 album “West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum” (RCA/Columbia, 2009) has already sold over one million records worldwide.

Tickets go on sale 9am this Friday 6 May priced at £30 available from Live Nation's website.

For more information visit the band’s site www.kasabian.co.uk

Tour dates are:

Saturday 4 - O2 Academy Sheffield

Sunday 5 -  O2 Academy Leeds

Tuesday 7 - Wolverhampton Civic Hall

Wednesday 8 - O2 Apollo Manchester