Underground Hum: UK musicians band together for their rights

Sun, 10/12/2008 9:50 AM  |  Entertainment

Welcome back to Underground Hum. It is time to lock yourself in the closet with a flashlight and start reading up on the latest music buzz and other goodies. Thank you again for the lovely emails. Keep them coming. Let's get started with this week's Reverb.

International

Them indie kids sure are liberal! Three more musical fundraisers for Barack Obama and the Democratic Party have been announced. The shindigs are being held in Kentucky, Ohio and New York on Oct. 16 and 17. The first gig has My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James act as acoustic troubadour for the Obama Victory Fund at a benefit on Oct. 16. James will perform at the Water Tower in Louisville, Kentucky, just eight days after playing a similar benefit in Chicago.

The other two benefits take place the very next day, Oct. 17. One is a show 80s geek kings Devo are playing at the Civic Theatre in their hometown of Akron, Ohio, to benefit the Summit County Democratic Party. The other Oct. 17 benefit features Anti-Pop Consortium, Takka Takka and Dragons of Zynth, plus DJ sets by French Kicks and Cassettes Won't Listen. The event, called "Obamarama", will go down at Brooklyn's Bell House. In addition to music, there will also be a silent auction featuring items from various artists, including Radiohead collaborator Stanley Donwood. All proceeds from the night will benefit the Obama campaign.

What do a fresh-faced Canadian power-pop foursome and the dastardly delicious divas of Wisteria Lane want with each other? Oct. 6 and 7 you'll get the answer to that rather surreal question as the boys of Tokyo Police Club are hitting the set of ABC's popular suburban dramedy Desperate Housewives to tape a performance for a forthcoming episode. Apparently, the men of Desperate Housewives -- played by James Denton, Doug Savant, Kyle MacLachlan, Ricardo Antonio Chavira and Neal McDonough -- have formed a musical act. In an episode set to air sometime in November, their musical act will take all comers in a battle of the bands at a local club. Tokyo Police Club is indeed one of those bands that will be battling. Get this: Not only will Tokyo Police Club perform in the episode, but its members will also take on speaking roles.

Last weekend in Manchester, England, a group of UK artists of note banded together and formed the Featured Artists Coalition, a new artist's advocacy group that "campaigns for the protection of performers' and musicians' rights". The group's mission statement says: "We want all artists to have more control of their music and a much fairer share of the profits it generates in the digital age. We speak with one voice to help artists strike a new bargain with record companies, digital distributors and others, and are campaigning for specific changes."

More than 60 acts have already signed on, including Radiohead, David Gilmour of Pink Floyd Gang of Four, Klaxons, the Verve and frontman Richard Ashcroft, Chrissie Hynde, Kaiser Chiefs, Travis, the Cribs, Billy Bragg and Kate Nash. Wait, isn't Chrissie Hynde a Yank? Oh well. The Coalition will soon begin lobbying for changes in the laws that affect the British music industry. Their six-point plan can be found at www.featuredartistscoalition.com/our_campaign.html

National

Terusik Traxkustik Jazz Nite Out Genre: Various types of Jazz Date: Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008 Time: 6:00pm - 11:00pm Venue: Hard Rock Cafe Jakarta, Jl. MH Thamrin Line up: TIKA, Maliq and D'essentials,

Warriors Weekenders Genre: Ska, and Various Loud forms of shake-inducing fun Date: Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008 Time: 6pm- end Venue: Cikago Cafi, Jl. Cikini Raya no 63, Central Jakarta Line up: Skankin A Go Go, Rolling Door, Ultraska, Monkey Boots For tickets and more info call The Warriors Shop at (021) 92284897 or go to www.myspace.com/thewarriorsrecords

Hardcore for All Ages! Genre: Hardcore Date: Sunday, October 26, 2008 Time: 1:00pm - end Venue: Marotti Cafi, Rukan Grand Panglima Polim Kav.51, Jl. Panglima Polim Raya South Jakarta Line up: Tolerance, Robomurphy, Altruistic, Uno Paso Delante, Human Hunt, Dance Floor Justice, and many many more Tickets: Rp. 13.000,-

That about does it for this week's Underground Hum! If you have any questions, suggestions, praises, and curses just send us a note at undergroundhum@yahoo.com

Catch you all later!

For all of you indie bands or artists out there, let us know if you have a gig coming up so we can include it in future editions of reverb. Be sure to include the name of the event you're playing, what other acts are billed, time, place, date and entry fee if any.

 

--Paul F. Agusta

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