If you’re still hyperventilating over Fall Out Boy‘s recent reunion announcement you’d better sit down for this next one. Last night, the band played their sold out hometown show in Chicago, and it seems there was no shortage of fan screams, squeals, and swaying arms, crammed inside this 375 capacity venue.

Speaking to the crowd, bassist Pete Wentz said, “There’s lots of stuff about [our reunion, our show, our album] that will be written on the Internet. Don’t let them tell you how it was. Take a snapshot of this moment and remember how this was for you.”

For those that weren’t able to snag tickets, you can take a look at the set list, and a few fan shot videos from the show after the jump.

Continue reading ‘Fall Out Boy Chicago Set List And Live Video’

It’s that time of the year again: gearing up for the inevitable onslaught that is the South by Southwest schedule. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. To make it a little easier to pick through the massive amount of events going on, we’ve highlighted the five best music-related films for you to check out, along with a handy “when to watch” guide to enhance your viewing experience.

Broadway Idiot & ¡Cuatro!

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It’s a two-for-one deal for Green Day this year, so we’re grouping the dual documentaries on the band into a single punktastic category. Broadway Idiot focuses on Billie Joe Armstrong’s transition to the Broadway stage for the theatrical rendition of the band’s 2004 rock opus American Idiot, while ¡Cuatro! focuses on the making of the band’s recent trilogy of albums.

Watch it after: Missing your favorite punk band’s set in favor of that “awesome new shoegaze, EDM meets post-punk” act that your friend misguidedly recommended. Continue reading ’5 Most Anticipated Music Films Of SXSW’

In 1991 the Gulf War was raging, the youth of America were draped in flannel, and Irish indie rockers My Bloody Valentine had just released their second studio album Loveless, setting the bar almost impossibly high for future shoegaze records. Now, more than 20 years later, the band has finally released a new studio album entitled mbv, only their third in nearly three decades of existence.

Of course, the musical landscape has changed dramatically since the band was last in the studio. In keeping with modern times, My Bloody Valentine have embraced the multiplicity of formats currently available, albeit with somewhat head-scratching results. Even though My Bloody Valentine have posted all of their new songs on YouTube, they have also released the album with a tiered pay structure that may seem strange to many listeners. For $30, fans can grab the vinyl, CD, and digital download of the album. The band is also offering the CD and download for $22, and the download by itself for $16. While these high prices may seem strange for an indie band that has already put all of the songs on YouTube and is promoting the album with no label backing, the digital downloads are all available at exceptionally high quality as 24 bit, 96kHz WAV files, which is certainly not the norm for digital releases. Not sure if you want to drop the cash on the new release just yet? Check out the new tunes on the band’s YouTube channel first.

Check out OurStage members Foxtailsomersault if you’re into My Bloody Valentine.

More like this:

• 88 MPH: Foxtail Somersault Take A Ride On Slowdive
• My Sunny Valentine

With their latest release Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones, Black Veil Brides take on the toughest of all rock challenges: the concept album. Sweeping in scope, the band’s new album tells the story of a despotic government that aims to destroy science and creativity while turning the youth into drones. Concept albums are notoriously hard to pull off, but the band’s already epic sound seems tailor-made for such an endeavor. We caught up with frontman Andy Biersack to chat about the process of making the album, the accompanying film Legion of the Black, and whether a stage version of the record may be in the future.

OS: The story behind the album is really compelling. Does it also reflect your view of the current state of the world as well as the story of the band?

Andy Biersack: I don’t necessarily think that the current state of the world is indicative of the story that I wrote, but it’s obvious that it wouldn’t be that hard to make the leap. It’s not a politically-charged record – it’s not meant to be a parallel for exactly what’s going on in politics or religion or anything else. It’s more meant to be a parable for our own lives and taking the characters that have been negative forces in your life and applying more power to them i.e. making them into these political/religious forces. But it wasn’t written as any kind of social commentary, really. Continue reading ‘Exclusive Q and A: Black Veil Brides Talk Composing, Collaborating, And Classical Music’

If only American Idol would take a cue from their own background music… Recent seasons of the hit game show and now cultural institution have THRICE featured our friends Bronze Radio Return, most recently on last week’s episode. The band have been a song placement machine lately, providing the soundtrack for a recent PGA ad on ESPN, in addition to spots for Nissan, on HBO, and on several prime-time network shows.

But their broadcast near-ubiquity is not the reason we love them so. It is of course because of the music – a positively ideal blend of classic roots music and modern rock. The key to making this formula work, as Bronze Radio Return does, is authenticity. Their sound and songs possess the burned-in feel of music unburdened by time. As individual musicians and as a functioning unit, they are apparent naturals. All reasons why we have selected them as this week’s OurStage Pro Artist of the Week.

We’ve been fans of the band for a long time, and are lucky to have caught them live several times, including a performance at last year’s South by Southwest festival. And we’ll be there when they rock the Rock Boat cruise at the end of this month. The band expects to release their new LP sometime this year, but meanwhile they have a new single called “Further On,” available on iTunes. See the video for their song “Shake, Shake, Shake” after the jump, and click here to listen to some more Bronze Radio Return on OurStage.

Continue reading ‘Bronze Radio Return: Pro Artist Of The Week’

Warped Tour has added seven bands to this year’s lineup, including Sleeping With Sirens and The Wonder Years. Both will play  the main stage alongside Memphis May Fire. Also announced was Forever Came Calling, whose 2010 journey following Warped Tour was captured in the documentary, No Room For Rockstars.

You can find the full list of recently added bands after the jump and keep checking back for more Warped Tour announcements!  Continue reading ‘Warped Tour Announces Next Seven Bands; Sleeping With Sirens, The Wonder Years’

Rise Records has carved a unique niche in the modern alternative world as the go-to label for all things heavy. Their entire roster reads like a who’s who of breakdown bands, and we could not be most excited to present an exclusive Q&A with one of their biggest acts, The Plot In You.

Having just released a new album in January of this year, we had plenty to talk about with the members of The Plot In You. Click below to find out the story behind their album titles, their plans for 2013, and much more. Continue reading ‘Exclusive Q&A: The Plot In You’

The take over, the break’s over.

After a week and a half of speculation, Fall Out Boy have revealed they are in fact planning to make a comeback in 2013. What no one saw coming, however, was just how prepared they were to take on the world of rock once more. Not only did the boys from Chicago announce their return this morning, but they also released a new single and revealed plans for a new album and North American tour later this year.

“My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)” marks the official return of Fall Out Boy with a bigger-than-ever sound that picks up right where Folie A Deux left off. The song will be featured on Save Rock And Roll, which is due in stores May 7 through Decaydance Records. You can stream the single below. Continue reading ‘Fall Out Boy Release New Single; Reveal Album and Tour Plans’

Y La Bamba

Smash crossover folk-pop chart-toppers The Lumineers have taken the music world by surprise, and have been traversing the globe to capitalize on their recent radio successes, with venues in several cities being upgraded to meet the demand. The most recent leg of their tour created some additional buzz with the addition of Portland Oregon’s Y La Bamba as a support act. Unsuspecting audiences have been mesmerized by the six piece band’s blend of atmospheric indie folk and traditional Latin sounds, featuring lyrics in both English and Spanish. Singer-songwriter Luzelena Mendoza slowly pieced her band together while evolving her sound from home recordings to bigger productions, collaborating with The Decemberists’ Chris Funk and Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin.

Catch the band at Boston’s House of Blues tonight, February 4, and later on March 1 at Seattle’s Showbox at the Market. We’ll keep you updated as dates are added. If you’re not near one of those cities, tide yourself over with this performance from NPR, and stay tuned for an exclusive OurStage session with the band, coming soon. Check out the official video for “Michoacán” after the jump.

Continue reading ‘Y La Bamba’

If you’re among the many who cringe at the thought of partaking in any Super Bowl Sunday festivities, fear not. Just because you don’t want to paint your face the color of your favorite team, wear your favorite player’s jersey, or spend the day jumping up and down screaming in joy (or anguish) doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time this weekend. In fact, with most people preoccupied by the game, there’s a lot to do with no crowds to deal with, and since you probably have no obligations, might as well take advantage. We’ve put together a list of five entertainment alternatives for those wishing to sit out the “big day” this Sunday. Check them out after the jump. Continue reading ‘Five Entertainment Alternatives For Super Bowl Sunday’