Weekly Round-Up: Friday 8th March

It's been another busy week of gigs with The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Dinosaur Jr, Gold Panda and Bloc Party taking place midweek (check out our photos over here) and, as you'll see below, more great gigs are happening over the weekend.  This week we've also had a bunch of May tour announcements including Swedish fuzz-masters Truckfighters,  indie-pop duo They Might Be Giants and pioneering producer Afrika Bambaataa all playing Auckland and Wellington shows.

On the local front, @Peace announced release shows for their new EP Girl Songs; So So Modern have released their new EP Transpacific Express (see below for release shows); the mighty Beastwars announced the release of their forthcoming sophomore album - Blood Becomes Fire - which has already proved popular with a special vinyl release of the album limited to 100 copies selling out within hours of being offered for pre-order;  and we premiered a new video from Badd Energy who release their new album next Friday via Flying Nun and which we'll be streaming from Monday. 

In other release news: The Flaming Lips released a new track from their forthcoming album The Terror;  Iggy and The Stooges released the first single from their new record Ready To Die; Thee Oh Sees dropped a second killer track from their forthcoming album Floating Coffin; taking supergroup to the next level, Dave Grohl's original soundtrack for his doco Sound City has been streaming all week and features the likes of  Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, Josh Homme and Trent Reznor (who's new How To Destroy Angels record is streaming over here) and it looks like Franz Ferdinand will be back with a new release soon, caught live this week performing two new songs.

If you haven't already, do check out the awesome new clip from Beach House directed by comedian Eric Wareheim (aka Tim and Eric, Eric) and the new UMO clip is also really good but careful watching it at work.

Have a great weekend - we definitely recommend you check out the fireworks display at the Domain if in Auckland Friday or Saturday....

WEEKEND GIG PICKS

Friday 8th March

AUCKLAND: So So Modern, Kings Arms Tavern
AUCKLAND: The Breath of The Volcano (fireworks display), Auckland Doman
WELLINGTON: Family Cactus, Minderbender and Joe Blossom, Puppies
WELLINGTON: Tragedy, Medusa
CHRISTCHURCH: The Eastern and Lindon Puffin, Wunderbar
DUNEDIN: David Kilgour and The Heavy Eights, Chicks Hotel

Saturday 9th March

AUCKLAND: The Breath of The Volcano (fireworks display), Auckland Domain
AUCKLAND: Tragedy, Whammy Bar
WELLINGTON: So So Modern,  SFBH
WELLINGTON: Badd Energy Album Release, Puppies
DUNEDIN: David Kilgour and the Heavy Eights, Chicks Hotel

NEW TRACKS