Idan Zriker & other: June 2008

Thursday, 26 June 2008

Coldplay debuts songs at free U.K. show

Performs at Brixton Academy, heads to Barcelona

LONDON -- There were some miscues and cobwebs, but Coldplay confidently returned to the live stage Monday night at the U.K.'s Brixton Academy, unveiling a host of songs from its chart-topping new album, "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends."
"Viva La Vida" sold more than 300,000 copies in only three days in the U.K., and the band certainly didn't wilt under the expectation, playing to a capacity crowd of 4,900 at one of three free shows scheduled for this month.
After opening with the new album's instrumental "Life in Technicolor," the group launched into a string of instantly recognizable numbers, including "Violet Hill," "Clocks" and "In My Place." The four band members stayed in theme with the "Viva La Vida" art scheme, wearing their souped-up French Revolution-style jackets, which have appeared in recent photo shoots.
In between tracks, frontman Chris Martin defied his stereotype as a grouch when he cracked a joke apparently told to him by a gloating German interviewer. "What do British people do when they have finished winning the World Cup and the European championships (of soccer)," he said, before finishing, "they turn off the PlayStation."
Throughout the night, Martin switched between keyboards and guitar, or throwing himself about in front of the mic stand. He even appeared at the venue's balcony, where he delivered a stripped-down version of "Yellow."
As the band prepped for "God Put a Smile Upon Your Face," Martin joked, "Even when we're not trying, we still manage to plagiarize Radiohead." Moments later, he retracted his comment, noting that it might not go down so well with the BBC Radio 1 audience who were tuning in to the live broadcast.
The set list included a crowd-pleasing encore of "Fix You," and at one point the band took a brief stab at Girls Aloud's hit single "Call the Shots."
Coldplay moves on to Barcelona for a free concert Tuesday at the Espacio Movistar venue, and will follow up with another at New York's Madison Square Garden on June 23. "Viva La Vida" is released Tuesday in the U.S.
Here is Coldplay's Brixton Academy set list:
"Life in Technicolor""Violet Hill""Clocks""In My Place""Viva La Vida""Chinese Sleep Chant""God Put a Smile Upon Your Face""42""Square One""Trouble""Lost!""Strawberry Swing""Yellow""Death Will Never Conquer""Fix You""Lovers in Japan"

Wednesday, 18 June 2008

Xingu Hill

Artist: Xingu Hill

   Genre(s):
Techno

Discography:

Alterity

Year: 1999
Tracks: 8

Tuesday, 17 June 2008

The Maccabees added to Standon Calling festival

Fast-rising Hertfordshire festival Standon Calling has announced its full-line up.

The event, taking place on the grounds of a 16th century manor house from August 1 to 3, offers a line-up of hotly tipped acts and fully-fledged bands with Super Furry Animals, Mystery Jets and The Maccabees as headliners over the three-day event.

They'll be joined by acts including Glasvegas, Friendly Fires, Metronomy, Florence & The Machine and .

As well as usual camping spots available - those who prefer to do festivals in style can hire out huts in the form of fully fitted ship cabins, tipis or beach huts.

This year's theme for the festival will be Japan and the festival promises harajuku girls, manga characters, geishas and samurai in the oriental themed Love Hotel.

For more information go to Standoncalling.com.

Gary Fleder aboard 'Good-by'

First title in John MacDonald's Travis McGee series

NEW YORK -- Gary Fleder soon could be saying hello to "The Deep Blue Good-by."

The director of "Runaway Jury" and "Kiss the Girls" is in talks to direct the Fox project, based on the first title in crime novelist John MacDonald's prolific Travis McGee series.

The 21 McGee novels, most of which were written in the 1960s and '70s and all of which feature a color in their title, could be turned into a franchise by Fox. They feature McGee, a free-living bachelor and reluctant hero who lives on a houseboat in Florida and works as a "salvage consultant," recovering property and money for clients and taking half the fee in return.

"Good-by" centers on McGee's efforts to track down a treasure that a solider escaped with and hid after World War II.

Fleder, who made his mark with the 1995 cult classic "Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead," is known for directing crime thrillers. The Morgan Freeman starrer "Kiss the Girls" earned $60 million domestically for Paramount in 1997, while the John Grisham property "Runaway Jury" grossed $50 million in the U.S. for Fox in 2003.

Fleder's "The Express," about early 1960s Syracuse University football hero Ernie Davis, is set to be released in the fall by Universal.

MacDonald, who wrote the novel on which both "Cape Fear" movies are based, is seen as a predecessor to Carl Hiaasen and other darkly comic crime novelists.

See Also

Edward Norton Denies Problems With Movie Company

Reports that ‘Incredible Hulk’ star Edward Norton has had a falling out with Universal Pictures and Marvel and has refused to promote the movie are false, his representative stated on Wednesday (June 11).

Numerous stories of a fued between the actor and his employers have been circulating, however, his spokesperson told Rush & Molloy from the New York Daily News that, "Edward never does that kind of thing - that’s not him.
The rep adds that Norton is doing promotion for the flick saying, "He’s done an amazing skit for [Jimmy] Kimmel for tomorrow night (Thursday) in which he makes fun of himself."
Norton co-wrote part of the script for the new movie that comes out this week.
NEXT: Lily Allen: Perez Hilton Is A Bully
Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures.

Bud Bundy: Identity Theft Victim?

David Faustino said it wasn't him selling a blow-up doll on eBay but we're calling BS -- unless he has an identical twin nobody knows about, we're pretty sure Davey's the vendor known as davidfaustinodirect.
David Faustino: Click to watch

See Also

Coldplay continue to climb US chart

Coldplay have reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The UK indie stars climbed one place with the title track from their fourth studio album Viva La Vida.

New Orleans-born rapper Lil Wayne retained the top spot with 'Lollipop', while Kate Perry moved up one to number four.

Elsewhere, Natasha Bedingfield returned to the top ten with 'Pocketful of Sunshine'.

The top ten singles in full (click for our reviews):

1. (1) Lil Wayne ft. Static Major: 'Lollipop'
2. (3) Coldplay: 'Viva La Vida'
3. (2) Leona Lewis: 'Bleeding Love'
4. (5) Katy Perry: 'I Kissed A Girl'
5. (4) Rihanna: 'Take A Bow'
6. (6) Usher ft. Young Jeezy: 'Love In This Club'
7. (7) Jordin Sparks & Chris Brown: 'No Air'
8. (8) Ray J & Yung Berg: 'Sexy Can I'
9. (11) Natasha Bedingfield: Pocketful Of Sunshine
10. (10) Madonna ft. Justin Timberlake: '4 Minutes'

See Also

ER boss to get a new police series

With the next series of 'ER' set to be the last, the show's executive producer, John Wells, is looking to the future with a new series.
Variety reports that NBC in the US has commissioned a series of Wells' 'LAPD', which will focus on police officers in Los Angeles.
Wells will work as executive producer on the series while 'ER' director Chris Chulack will direct.