It's been a few weeks since I last blogged, so I want to give y'all an idea of what's going on over here.
Firstly, Depeche Mode is a good month into their Delta Machine World Tour, and they appear to be in great shape. European audiences are leaving arenas triumphantly teary-eyed, and the photos I've seen of these performances look delightful. I'm really digging the stage design by Anton Corbijn (as usual). Their setlist had found a comfortable, unchanging rhythm over the last couple weeks, but I predicted they would be pulling out some surprises for the two London shows this week. Sho nuf, they did. Check out the May 29 setlist here, which includes the long-beloved "Behind the Wheel" and "World In My Eyes," among others. This pleases me. I'm confident that by the time they get to me in September the setlist will be as titillatingly unpredictable as Martin Gore's preferred gender for the night.
In other news, Trent Reznor has been a busy beaver this year, not only releasing an album with his new band How to Destroy Angels, but he's also been recording a new Nine Inch Nails album, the first since '08, which he's kept under wraps but says is now complete. Looks like he'll be combining HTDA and NIN tours this year, which as of yet includes only five US dates. But wouldn't ya know it, Asheville is one of them! The first ever Mountain Oasis Electronic Music Summit this October, which will boot Moogfest to next spring, is being headlined by Nine Inch Nails (along with Bassnectar and Pretty Lights); How to Destroy Angels are also in the lineup. This is a major pull for the newborn festival. After their appearances in AVL, the Reznor machine heads to New Orleans to throw down at Voodoo Fest.
Since their album release in March, Thom Yorke's new band Atoms for Peace has tinkered with a few shows and DJ sets on both sides of the Atlantic, but this July they'll embark on a proper little 24-date tour. They've got just six US dates on tap between a heavy European and Japanese rotation. The closest show to me will be a seven hour drive to Fairfax, VA (random?), but I might just go if they don't add anything closer. I've never seen Radiohead or any Thom Yorke incarnations live, and I simply don't want to wait much longer.
Nothing new on the Radiohead front. Word is still that they'll be heading into the studio this fall (there is a break between AFP shows from the end of July to the end of September) to begin work on their ninth album. Seriously can't wait for more news on that.
As for a personal report, I haven't been to many shows lately, but I did see Bob Dylan last month here in Asheville! I never properly reviewed it, but I will tell you I was pleasantly surprised. Everyone was saying he's so old and not giving any fucks and all that, but he put on a good show. I drifted in and out of engagement because I didn't recognize the majority of his setlist (and I was a bit wobbly from whiskey), but he did play a few classics, and he did rock it and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. The man's a legend, you ungrateful little shits.
K LOVE YOU BYE!
Next time: Reflections on Slash's autobiography, groupiedom, and I sit down to consciously listen to the Rolling Stones for the first time in my life. No, really.
