Gorillaz Tour to Hit Toronto and Chicago

Modern Rock

By Kristi Kates | July 21, 2018

Gorillaz’ much-anticipated brand new album, The Now Now, just hit stores a couple of weeks ago, and the band is already racking up the tickets sales from fans clamoring to hear tracks both old and new. Led by frontman Damon Albarn (also singer of Brit rock band Blur) and animated “bandmates” 2-D, Murdoc, Noodle, and Russel, the outfit is currently supporting the new set with a short tour of North America before hopping back overseas to play festival dates in Europe. Gorillaz will be stateside in October for a series of arena dates, including stops in Toronto (Oct. 8 at the Air Canada Center) and Chicago (Oct. 16 at the United Center) before wrapping the trek at the second annual Demon Dayz Festival in Los Angeles on Oct. 20 …
 
Sigrid has a brand new record out, too, although it’s just a single, not a full album. The singer chosen as MTV’s Push: Artist to Watch last month has released her latest track, “Focus,” a piano-heavy ballad that’s a vulnerable ode to a failing relationship. Sigrid chose the tune — recorded as a demo and finessed only slightly for the single release — for its raw vocals and emotional feel. It prefaces the singer’s upcoming EP, Raw, and joins the first single from that album, “High Five.” No release date has been announced for the EP …
 
Chicago is just a short drive from northern Michigan, a major boon for alternative and indie rock fans looking forward to the 2018 edition of the Windy City’s Riot Fest. Taking place Sept. 14–16 in Chicago’s Douglas Park, this year’s show is set to welcome Beck, Blondie, Interpol, Elvis Costello, Young the Giant, Alkaline Trio, Father John Misty, Dropkick Murphys, Bleachers, Flogging Molly, Bad Religion, and — as if all of those weren’t more than enough — a “surprise headliner” that will be announced once the festival date gets a little closer …

Nashville/Detroiter Jack White (The White Stripes/Raconteurs) is releasing a vinyl-only live album documenting the tour for his album Boarding House Reach, but you have to subscribe to his Vault music subscription to get it. The album, which includes recordings from two shows — one in Nashville during March, and the other in Detroit last April — is titled Live at Third Man Records///Nashville and Case Corridor, and is pressed on blue and white vinyl with special artwork. The album also includes White’s newest single, “Over and Over and Over,” and a version of The White Stripes’ “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground” …

LINK OF THE WEEK
James Bay is causing a buzz with his recent musical tribute to his former tourmate, Taylor Swift. Bay went into the BBC Live Lounge to record a cover of Swift’s current single, “Delicate,” with a few chunks of Drake’s “One Dance” thrown in. Check it out at tinyurl.com/bay-swift …

THE BUZZ
Christmas in July? Sure, if you’re planning a trip downstate; you can get tickets now for the upcoming seasonal concert by Mannheim Steamroller (“A Mannheim Steamroller Christmas”) at East Lansing’s Wharton Center on Dec. 21…
It’s Mo Pop time already! The massive indie/alternative/hip-hop festival is returning to Detroit July 28–29 in the city’s West Riverfront Park, with performances from Bon Iver, Portugal.The Man, Vince Staples, The National, and more …
’90s alternative rockers Everclear and Local H rocked the house at The Intersection in Grand Rapids last week, as part of Everclear’s current national tour …
And also out of Grand Rapids, local band The Zannies won Alaska, Michigan’s, Pathway to the Pasture band battle, snagging it the final open performance slot at the upcoming Cowpie Music Festival in Kent County … and that’s the buzz for this week’s Modern Rock.

Comments, questions, rants, raves, suggestions on this column? Send ’em to Kristi at modernrocker@gmail.com.