I mean seriously though, get off the BS about not selling out when you play on prime time television and are distributed by the company who owns the rights to Twilight.

After 20 years as a band Silver Jews, led by front man David Berman, are calling it quits. This news is rather surprising since the band recently began a taste for touring. On the Drag City website (the bands long time record label) Berman stated, “”I guess I am moving over to another category. Screenwriting or Muckraking. I’ve got to move on.”

Read the full announcement: http://dragcity.com/dcforums/viewtopic.php?p=2298#2298

Their last show will be on January 31st in McMinnville, TN (in a cave!). The show is part of the Bluegrass Underground series which is performed in the Cumberland Caverns. The show has been sold out for nearly a month.

Portland based Experimental Pop-Folk band, Au, will be playing the Pilot Light on January 30th.

They are in the middle of a two month tour across, primarily, the southeast region of the States. Last time I checked their myspace (http://www.myspace.com/peaofthesea) they were still looking for a few dates to book down the road and are also in need of places to crash.

The lineup is currently a duo consisting of Luke Wyland (founder of Au) and Dana Valatka (Jackie-O-Motherfucker).

On February 28th many a Pantera shirt will be found in Atlanta, GA. Metal heads from across the south will flock to the Masquerade for the Scion Rock Fest. Yes, a festival is being sponsored by a company that makes rather boxy (ugly) vehicles. The most surprising thing (besides the fairly solid lineup) is that it is FREE.

At the forefront of the lineup are the indie friendly metal acts Mastodon and the Japanese, genre defying Boris. Other notable bands include Neurosis, Wolves In The Throne Room (!!!), Baroness, Harvey Milk, Converge, Cryptopsy, and High on Fire.

Sidenote: While the show is free a ticket will be required to gain entry. I guess you better start calling Atlanta record shops to get a ticket before they are gone.

January 22: Asheville’s recess-time electro children EAR PWR will perform live at Knoxville, TN’s Pilot Light. If you prefer the megaphone to the mic than this one is definitely for you.

Also, “Sophie is my kitty, and I think she’s pretty. Sophie loves me. Sophie loves trees. Sophie loves fruit. But Sophie fucking hates you.”

Those are EAR PWR lyrics.

They’ll start playing sometime after the 11-o’clock miracle with Thrust Lab and Teenage Souls.

http://www.myspace.com/earpwr

The Library-OXFORD, MS

Art-pop savants Animal Collective recently announced an elephantine tour: http://www.livedaily.com/news/15532.html

The one date in the American South (Texas and Florida don’t count) is scheduled at "The Library," a sports bar in Oxford, the home town of the University of Mississippi. When I called the venue and asked about the show they answered "Animal Planet?"

Best news is the show is cheap, 15 dollars, and from the vibe I got talking to Rhett at The Library it probably won’t sell out either.

The show is scheduled for Saturday, June 6, 2009