Live Nation's Ticketmaster CEO Writes Open Letter Commending Ticket Resale (Feature)

As a website that provides a price comparison service for event tickets to our customers, Stereoboard has long campaigned for the secondary sale market to be understood, embraced and also to warn ticket buyers against the various scam websites which appear every time a major UK tour goes on sale (see our Ticket Scam List).

Written by: Dave Ball | Date: Monday, 05 September 2011

Independently Alternative (Banquet Records Feature)

“More than just your local record store - Independently run Banquet Records is thriving at the heart of the music scene in southwest London”

Written by: Mark Molloy | Date: Friday, 02 September 2011

The Return Of The Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award (Feature)

On August 28, 2011, at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, the words Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award were once again heard at MTV's highest rated Video Music Awards (VMA's) show. Awarded to Britney Spears in recognition of her long and at times distressed tenure in the music industry, in her acceptance speech Spears immediately said that the award meant so much to her because it was, "the night before Michael Jackson's birthday." It was a short but sweet speech.

Written by: Deborah Ffrench | Date: Friday, 02 September 2011

Stereoboard’s Top 10 Live Events in September

With less than a handful of festivals left to go before the summer officially draws to a close, it’s time to start heading indoors to find the best live entertainment that the world of rock and pop has to offer. But there’s no need to fret – those summer nights may be nearing their end and the late-night open-air festivities may be going out with them, but there’s plenty of rock and roll-type fun still to be had. Just look at this small selection we’ve picked out for you from the coming month…

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Wednesday, 31 August 2011

Stereoboard Tour of the Week – Kaiser Chiefs - Tickets On Sale Friday 9am

Having successfully predicted the recent spate of riots, Leeds rockers The Kaiser Chiefs will follow-up their winning insightfulness with an extensive tour, featuring no less than 20 whole dates around the country, in early 2012. After the innovative release of their fourth album ‘The Future is Medieval’ earlier this year and next month’s homecoming shows in Leeds, the five-piece will hit the road in January and spend an entire month trekking up and down the UK.

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Thursday, 25 August 2011

Michael Forever Tribute Concert: Will Tickets Go On Sale? Will the Gig Go Ahead?

The situation with the Michael Jackson tribute concert ‘Michael Forever’ has finally reached a boiling point with fans, and many are now calling for the gig, set to take place on October 8th at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, to be cancelled.

Written by: Elliott Batte | Date: Friday, 19 August 2011

Bedouin Soundclash Chat to Stereoboard About New Album and Reading & Leeds

Earlier this year, Canadian ska/reggae trio Bedouin Soundclash released ‘Light the Horizon’ – the band’s fourth album to date and their first through their own label Pirates Blend Records following the debut solo release from lead singer Jay Malinowski, ‘Bright Lights & Bruises’. After a successful UK tour back in May, the group will be returning next weekend for an appearance on the Lock Up Stage at the Reading and Leeds festivals. Jay recently explained to Stereoboard that, after a memorable performance at Leeds five years ago, the band are looking forward to heading back…

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Monday, 15 August 2011

Michael Jackson Forever Tribute Concert: A Fitting Tribute or a Money Spinner? (Feature)

The 'Michael Forever' tribute concert that is set to take place at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on October 8th, which Stereoboard has been closely following, has outraged fans of the late King of Pop. Some Michael Jackson fans believe their loyalty and love for their idol has made them easy targets for the money-hungry organisers of the gig, and the Jackson family members openly supporting the concert.

Written by: Elliott Batte | Date: Monday, 15 August 2011

Stereoboard Tour of the Week – Ash - Tickets Onsale 9am

Fifteen years ago, Northern Ireland-based rock trio Ash released their debut full-length ‘1977’. Amidst the overhyped and somewhat tedious phenomenon that was Britpop, the album provided a lively breath of fresh air to the crowds of young indie fans that were looking for something with a bit more energy. From its outset, with the sound of a TIE fighter screaming through space – a reference to the album’s title, which was named after the year that the original Star Wars film was released – ‘1977’ gave people exactly what they had wanted from a UK rock band for a long time. With tracks like opener ‘Lose Control’ and lead single ‘Kung Fu’, Ash’s mixture of rock, punk and indie, blended with the band’s own youthful energy, seemed like the ideal way to give Britpop a run for its money – for a short time anyway.

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Friday, 12 August 2011

Stereoboard Tour of the Week – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds - Tickets Onsale Friday 9am

Well, it’s been six months since the release of Beady Eye’s debut album ‘Different Gear, Still Speeding’ and it’s fair to say that, somewhat unsurprisingly, they haven’t exactly taken over the world. While many people held high expectations for the three ex-Oasis boys – most notably, younger Gallagher brother Liam – many others had little hope for what this latest incarnation of the band could offer without Noel. After all, he was of course the guy that wrote ‘Definitely Maybe’ and ‘Morning Glory’ in their entirety – who else in Oasis could claim such a feat?

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Thursday, 04 August 2011

Stereoboard To Launch Great New Daily Social Media Content

Stereoboard fans are in for a treat at the start of next week – as we launch our own brand new feature for Twitter.com/Stereoboard and Facebook.com/Stereoboard, making Stereoboard that little bit better for all of our social-networking users.

Written by: Elliott Batte | Date: Wednesday, 03 August 2011

Stereoboard’s Top 10 Live Events in August

With the summer festival season now well and truly underway, it’s already that time of the year when the UK’s two biggest twin events – V Festival and Reading & Leeds – each return to spoil us with another weekend of action-packed musical extravagance. In addition to the usual festival-type madness, August has brought us another month of rock and pop overindulgence to keep us happy until those late summer nights start closing in. So, for the more indecisive amongst us, here are Stereoboard’s 10 top tips to help you take your pick for the month of August…

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Sunday, 31 July 2011

Are Ticket ID Restrictions Good Or Bad For Music Fans? (Paperless Ticketing Feature)

Red Hot Chili Peppers promoters AEG and its subsidiary Kilimanjaro Live announced this week that tickets for RHCP's hotly anticipated UK tour would have very strict restrictions on entry.

Written by: Dave Ball | Date: Saturday, 30 July 2011

Stereoboard Tour of the Week – Red Hot Chili Peppers - Tickets Onsale 9am Today!

Few people will argue when we say that this is the one we’ve all been waiting for. After a short hiatus, during which time guitarist John Frusciante left the band for the second time, LA rock gods The Red Hot Chili Peppers have just announced their first UK dates in four years – their last appearances here included their Reading and Leeds headlining sets in 2007. One member down but still going strong, the Chilis will return to our shores in November for a generous nine dates, following the release of their tenth album ‘I’m With You’, which succeeds 2006’s ‘Stadium Arcadium’.

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Friday, 29 July 2011

London-based Blues-Rock Quartet Scoundrels Speak to Stereoboard About Their Debut Album

Last year, Sire Records founders Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehrer, who were responsible for originally signing the likes of Madonna and The Ramones over 25 years ago, announced that they would be relaunching the British record label Blue Horizon. The label was launched in 1966 by producer Mike Vernon, who has worked with the likes of John Mayall, David Bowie and Eric Clapton during his long career. Throughout its brief existence during the late ‘60s, Blue Horizon helped to establish a number of well-known British blues artists, most notable of which was Fleetwood Mac, who released their first two albums through the label. Last month, London’s Scoundrels released their eponymous debut album – the first to be released through a revived Blue Horizon, 45 years after the label’s inception. The album, which the band recorded in the US with legendary producer Steve Albini, is a blues-inspired indie-rock treat that will undoubtedly prove to be a popular choice for fans of bands like Gomez and The Black Keys. Stereoboard recently caught up with Scoundrels’ frontman Ned Wyndham to find out more about the band and their music.

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Wednesday, 27 July 2011

You’re Fired! A Few Of Music’s Most Memorable Sackings (Feature)

Well, The Apprentice is over for another year and, once again, Lord Sugar is done giving the boot to another group of hopeless, young wannabe execs in spectacular fashion. As this year’s winner Tom Pellereau looks ahead to make the most of his new break into the business world, we take a look back at some of history’s most widely-publicised sackings – in the music world. Over the years, fans of rock and pop have been witness to a number of high-profile elbowings in the public eye – ouch! Some, shocking… Others, less so. Here is a list of a few such occasions, where band members on the road to fame and glory have had to make an early stop thanks to those two fateful words – “You’re fired!”

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Wednesday, 20 July 2011

'With Thanks To Harry Chapin For A Better Place To Be' - A Feature By David Evans

Now that all the fuss and palaver has died down, it would be interesting to know how many readers have yet to hear about Rebecca Black … and in case you happen to be one of the few, she’s the teenage chirper whose bile-inducing ditty was an internet hit for all the wrong reasons.

Written by: David Evans | Date: Saturday, 16 July 2011

Stereoboard Tour of the Week – Snoop Dogg - Tickets Onsale Now

Hip-hop legends don’t come much bigger than Snoop Dogg these days, so it’s always a particular pleasure when a rap star of his magnitude chooses to grace the stage at any one of our great British venues. Yes, that’s right – the Doggfather is back, with a full headlining arena tour set for October. Just a couple of months since his last batch of UK dates, it seems that Snoop couldn’t wait to get back to playing for his hordes of British followers. If that’s not enough, the rap superstar will be back again this weekend for a headlining performance at London’s Lovebox festival, where he’ll be performing his classic 1993 debut album ‘Doggystyle’ in its entirety.

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Thursday, 14 July 2011

Singer-Songwriter Nerina Pallot Chats to Stereoboard About Her New Album and Forthcoming Tour

It’s been quite a year for Nerina Pallot, as I’m sure you’ll agree. After co-writing a couple of songs for Kylie Minogue’s album ‘Aphrodite’, the London-based singer-songwriter concluded 2010 by giving birth to her first child in September. Her young son Wolfie then went on to become the inspiration behind the title of Nerina’s fourth album ‘Year of the Wolf’, which was released last month. The album also marked Nerina’s return to a major label after the 10 years since her debut ‘Dear Frustrated Superstar’. In August, she will be releasing ‘Turn Me On Again’, the latest single from the album following May’s ‘Put Your Hand Up’, before heading out on tour around the country in October. Stereoboard recently caught up with Nerina to find out more about ‘Year of the Wolf’, her opinion on TV talent shows and what it was like to work with Kylie.

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Wednesday, 13 July 2011

Stereoboard Speaks to Drum and Bass Prodigy Icicle Before His Performance At Clwb Ifor Bach

Dutch producer Icicle is one of the hottest drum and bass DJs around at the moment, and with a brand new LP recently released and a whole new approach to his live performance, things can get only get hotter – unless, of course, Icicle melts.

Written by: Elliott Batte | Date: Sunday, 10 July 2011