Hello people, and thanks as always for visiting. We've got some cool stuff coming up, and rather than just surprise you with it, I thought I'd put it in one handy Newswire. You're very welcome.
This Thursday we'll launch the third season of Pop Pilgrims, our web-video travel show. It'll run every Thursday for 19 weeks, and I'm excited about some of the places we visited this time around, many of which we've been considering since season one. Here are some hints: "Oh, hi Marc!" and "Gunga Galunga." We landed some extra-special guests as well.
On July 9, we'll press pause on A.V. Undercover for five weeks to bring you ten episodes of Undercover Summer Break, in which bands choose what song they'll perform as long as a) it's a cover and b) it has something to do with summer. Those will run every Tuesday and Thursday. Last year's summer series included one of my all-time Undercover faves (see below), and this year is looking excellent so far.
Also July 9, we'll be debuting a new series from Jason Heller called "Fear Of A Punk Decade," which will cover the music of the '90s that started out a bit outside the alt-nation radar. (We expect it'll be a nice companion to Steven Hyden's Whatever Happened To Alternative Nation series.)
We're still getting the Parameter short-film competition sorted out, but dammit, we'll have more info soon.
Last but not least (and probably not last, I'm sure I'm forgetting something): A.V. Fest is happening September 6-7, just outside The Hideout. (And once again in partnership with The Hideout Block Party.) It's going to be damn fine time again, with performances by Young The Giant, Neko Case, Mavis Staples, Superchunk, Trampled By Turtles, The Walkmen, and lots more. Tickets and info can be had right here.
Glen Hansard, Lisa Hannigan & John Smith cover The Band