Indie Music Universe

2010 Music Festival Guide

Hello my festival junkies,I know you are ready to party and can not wait to get away,the winter was long and unforgiving, so I have compiled a list of the 2010 festival lineup for you to map out the madness.Collect your crew and pack your festie necessities.The music is calling and our bands need us. Fill out your time off requests and break your piggy bank.

SXSW   |   Winter Music Conference   |   Ultra Music Festival   |   Coachella   |   Jazzfest   |   Detroit Electronic Music Festival   |   E.T.D. Pop   |   Sasquatch! Music Festival   |   Mutek   |   Bonnaroo   |   Summerfest   |   Electric Daisy Carnival   |   Rothbury   |   Pitchfork Music Festival   |   10,000 Lakes Festival   |   All Points West   |   Lollapalooza   |   Sunset Strip Festival   |   The Virgin Festival   |   Outside Lands   |   Electric Zoo   |   Nocturnal Festival

SXSW

South by Southwest (SXSW) is a set of interactive, film, and music festivals and conferences that take place every spring in Austin, Texas. SXSW first began in 1987 and is centered on the downtown Austin Convention Center. Each of the three parts runs relatively independently, with different start and end dates.

Description: The SXSW Music and Media Conference showcases hundreds of musical acts from around the globe on over eighty stages in downtown Austin

• Location: Austin  
• Dates: March 17th-21st
• Happening Since: 1987
• Headliners: More than we can list here. Check site for details.  
• Official Website: http://sxsw.com

Winter Music Conference

The Winter Music Conference is a weeklong electronic dance music event, held every March since the mid-1980s in South Florida. It is aimed at professionals such as artists, DJs, record label representatives (A&R), producers, promoters, radio and the media.

Description: Electronic dance music in the USA would not be the same with the Winter Music Conference. 2010 is WMC's 25th anniversary and the 4 day festival and conference will once again be bringing in every big name in dance music. Pool parties, huge club events, private soiree's and UMF are just a few reasons to hit south beach in March.

• Location: Miami  
• Dates: March 23rd-27th
• Happening Since: 1984
• Headliners: TBA  
• Official Website: http://www.wmcon.com Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 77% [?]

A big thank you to all those who voted in our first contest ever!  Well, the results are in and the winning design is design #3.

We randomly selected one grand prize winner and two runner ups from the group who voted for the third design.  Congratulations and a big round of applause to Tomika, the first place winner, and Frode and Simon — our two runner ups (go ahead, clap with us — and use your hands only).

Although this was our first contest, we plan on having many more in the future, with great prizes and exiting new music.  We plan on doing another one for Thanksgiving and also a couple of smaller giveaways in between.

So be sure to check out our Twitter site at http://twitter.com/indiemusicu to see the new design in action and to be informed of our upcoming giveaways.  If you missed this one, get yer tails on the next one!  Also, if you haven't already connected with us on Facebook (who's not on that site nowadays??), we'd love you as a fan.

Click here to connect with us on Facebook.

Lastly (then I'll shut up — for now), we are in the process of revamping the site.  We're gonna hit you with a lot of great new content, including exclusive interviews, event listings and guides, great editorials, more reviews, more exciting new music, and hot naked men and women.  Well, maybe not that last part, but you catch my drift.  We're going to be bigger and better (man I hate cliches, but I can't think of anything better this late).

One last thing…I know I know — last little blurb, I promise!  For all you indie musicians, bands, and artists, we have some exciting new opportunities coming up for you to be featured and exposed to a lot of hungry indie music fans (in a good way, of course — c'mon, I was seriously joking about the nudity comment above). 

Take care, and in the meantime, rock those faces off!!!

Popularity: 7% [?]

Swim (To Reach the End),” off their forthcoming debut, Astro Coast, is pure left coast– from the echoing Brian Wilson harmonies to the Weezer-esque power pop chorus.” - Pitchfork

“You’ll be hearing more from this band for sure.” - Spin

“Surfer Blood make accomplished, hook-filled indie rock with clever arrangements and great harmonies, as performed by four guys who can actually, you know, play.” – BrooklynVegan

On January 19, 2010 Surfer Blood will release Astro Coast, their debut album, on Kanine Records. Surfer Blood will be playing a string of shows in NY during CMJ, and is scheduled to tour with Art Brut and Japandroids in November.

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Popularity: 7% [?]

Greetings, my fellow indie music lovers!

We are pleased to announce our very first contest at Indie Music Universe — the Halloween Twitter Background Contest.  We’ve got a great prize to give away, so listen up…

We need your help in choosing the best Holloween themed background design for our Twitter page at http://twitter.com/indiemusicu.  We have four great designs that were created by our talented staff of artists. 

Here’s how the contest will work.  Check out the four links below.  Each link will bring you to a page that displays a model of a Halloween Twittter background.  After you take a look at each one, fill out the form right under the links.  Leave your first name, email address, and write which design you like best in the comments box (i.e. design 1, design 2, design 3 or design 4).  Be sure to choose only one.

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Popularity: 7% [?]

Dirty Projectors are embarking on a North American tour this fall in support of their latest release, Bitte Orca.  The band consists of David Longstreth (lead vocals, guitar), Amber Coffman (vocals, guitar), Angel Deradoorian (vocals, keyboard, guitar, bass), Brian Mcomber (drums), Nat Baldwin (bass) and vocalist Haley Dekle.

Dirty Projectors will be performing on the Late Show with David Letterman next Monday, August 31st.

Praise for Bitte Orca:

“…the most thoroughly engaging entry in the Dirty Projectors catalog and one of the most singularly engrossing albums likely to be released this year, a triumph in sustained creative restlessness.” – Paste

 

“Over nine indispensable tracks, Bitte Orca forges a more perfect union between eccentricity and accessibility.” – The Onion

 

“In an era of scripted and calculated music, the fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants Dirty Projectors thrill at every blind turn they barrel through.” – Under The Radar

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Popularity: 3% [?]

By Kristin Anderson

Festie fans unite.

If you have survived your summer festivals and are up to some fall excitement, I have put together a list of some favorite fall festivals you may want to check out. The fall festival line up includes indoor and outdoor festivals. They're perfect for anyone — whether you wanna party in New York City or get down at the Red Rocks in Colorado. Cooler weather aside, these fall festivals are sure to satisfy, and a long cold festivaless winter is on its way. Who doesn't love hoodie weather anyway?

Break your piggy banks, get your tickets and use up the last of this year's vacation time. The party's not over yet, and festie goers never say die.

Fall Music Festivals Lineup 2009

Bumbershoot 2009

Where: Bumbershoot takes place at the Seattle Center, between Mercer Street, Denny Way, 5th Avenue North and 1st Avenue North, in the lower Queen Anne neighborhood, just north of downtown Seattle Washington.

When: September 5-7th

Bumbershoot®: Seattle's Music & Arts Festival is now in its 39th year. Since 1971, Bumbershoot has drawn artists representing the best in music, film, comedy, spoken word, dance, theatre, performance, and visual arts to the Seattle Center over Labor Day weekend. North America's largest urban arts festival, Bumbershoot takes place in the heart of the city at the 74-acre Seattle Center. Over 150,000 visitors from near and far spend the weekend reveling in the world of Bumbershoot, experiencing everything from regional favorites to international superstars across all arts disciplines.

Get more info at http://www.bumbershoot.org

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Popularity: 17% [?]

BROADCAST STAGES TO BENEFIT INDIE STATIONS IN

ALL POINTS WEST INTERVIEW AND PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE BELOW

In its third year Toyota’s Free Yr Radio brings music to the masses hosting the Free Yr Radio Broadcast Stage benefitting independent stations at All Points West, Outside Lands, Bumbershoot, CMJ and Voodoo Festival.

Launched in 2007 with a mission to support independent radio stations Free Yr Radio has equipped over 20 partner stations with tools to increase exposure and listener support. Those stations have included KEXP (Seattle an NY), The Current (Twin Cities, MN), KUSF (San Francisco) and KXLU (Los Angeles) among others. In previous years the campaign hosted shows featuring top indie talent in Urban Outfitters stores across the U.S. Partner bands have included Sonic Youth, No Age, Mudhoney, Dinosaur Jr., King Khan, !!!, Dan Deacon, Grizzly Bear, Yeasayer and others.   In addition to generating awareness and support through the free station-hosted concerts, participating radio stations were also given the opportunity to award a brand new Toyota Yaris to a listener to help boost fundraising or listener appreciation efforts.

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Popularity: 7% [?]

Portland, OR (June 24, 2009):  Willamette Week’s Musicfest NW announces this year’s festival line-up which will be held at various venues around the Portland, OR metropolitan area on September 16, 17, 18 & 19. Do note all shows are first come first-served. Please visit http://musicfestnw.com/tix for details on performers and where to purchase passes.

MFNW continues its tradition of supporting diverse genres that will appeal to every music fan.  It’s also a great opportunity to visit one of the best cities in America.

On the heels of the most successful MFNW to date, MFNW 2009 launches with nothing but the hope of a bigger and better festival. MFNW’s ultimate aim is to provide Portland with a unique and special musical experience that features all types of acts including nationally renowned artists while still honoring and supporting the special musical scene of the Northwest.

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Popularity: 4% [?]

Online music retailer Tryxo announced its international line-up for the Indie Invasion Tour in Germany next month. The bands include Derek Jordan (LA), The J.U.S. Evolution (NYC) and 9lies (Belfast). A team of experts and students selected the three bands from artists selling their music through Tryxo’s online platform that applied to the Campus Tour by May 1st, 2009.

"The artists are all international newcomers that do not have a major label record contract," noted Tryxo founder Natalie Vandersluis. "Nevertheless, their songs, production and sound quality as well as their talent prove their class and that they deserve to be on this tour!"

Tryxo also announced some initial dates for the German tour this coming June:
17.06.2009 – RWTH Aachen, Karmanhof 7pm – 10pm
18.06.2009 – University Bonn-Rhein-Sieg, Sankt Augustin 8pm – 11pm

The Tryxo Indie Invasion Tour will be held in universities across Germany throughout the month of June 2009. Tryxo’s Indie Invasion Tour is being organized by Fachhochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg, a German University where dedicated 14 students coordinating everything from logistics, to marketing, to communicating with the other participating schools.
http://www.tryxoindieinvasion.com

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Popularity: 4% [?]

Cleveland-bred electro-rockers THIS IS A SHAKEDOWN! are holding it down for their hometown at an upcoming Cleveland Indians game. On Friday, May 29, the Indians will take on the New York Yankees, and TIAS! will be there to root them on with a special performance!

During the 7th inning stretch, the band will lead the Cleveland crowd in a sing-along of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame." THIS IS A SHAKEDOWN! will perform the classic tune from the "party deck" of the arena.

On Thursday, May 28, THIS IS A SHAKEDOWN! will celebrate the release of their debut album Love Kills (May 5 – Reversed Image, Unlimited) at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland, OH. Joining them will be special guests Terry Urban, The Kick Drums, DJ Kosher Kuts, and Chip Tha Ripper. You can view the TV commercial spot on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z8UyG1k_8U

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Popularity: 5% [?]