News - 6th February - 13 NEW ADDITIONS TO THIS YEAR'S FESTIVAL BILL
My Morning Jacket, Blue Öyster Cult, Pentagram and North Mississippi Allstars Duo stand out above the rest of the new names. My Morning Jacket formed at the end of the 90s in Louisville, Kentucky, have dazzled critics and audiences alike, from their very first records. The band’s wisest move was to create a sound with a captivating personality, with sensational reverberations that cloaked music that swigged from the classics with great warmth. With ‘At Dawn’ (2001) they made the leap, ‘It Still Moves’ (2003) and ‘Z’ (2005) consolidated their unique sound and with ‘Evil Urges’ (2008) they left us with our mouths wide open when they went, with class and firmness, for more up to date sounds without losing the slightest bit of their personality. Last year they released their latest piece of work, ‘Circuital’, yet another masterpiece to add to the excellent discography of one of the best bands on the international rock scene.
Blue Öyster Cult started their career in New York at the end of the 60s. Having become one of the reference points of AOR (Adult Oriented Rock) after a career spanning more than three decades and after releasing more than twenty albums, today they can afford to carry off a live show with a repertory of legendary anthems like ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’, ‘Burnin’ For You’ or ‘Godzilla’.
As far as Dropkick Murphys go, it is noteworthy to point out that they are one of the greatest exponents of the sound of Irish roots fused with other harder styles like punk or hardcore. Coming from Boston, they have left us with seven studio albums to date and real gems like ‘I’m Shipping Up To Boston’.
Pentagram are considered to be, along with Black Sabbath, the creators of what would turn out to be known as doom metal. Founded at the start of the 70s in Virginia (United States) by Bobby Liebing, they did not release their first LP until well into the decade of the 80s However, up to then they had caught the attention of both the critics and the general public with the release of several 7-inch singles. Last year they released the live album ‘When The Screams Come’.
North Mississippi Allstars Duo are an American three-piece of Southern rock and blues led by Luther Dickinson (also guitarist in The Black Crowes). Their latest studio album is called ‘Keys To The Kingdom’, which came out just under a year ago and the past month of November the band recorded a live show they gave in Denver.
All styles of music are represented among the new names, but perhaps the most innovative and leading-edge list is the one led by artists such as Ben Kweller, Frank Turner And The Sleeping Souls, Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside or Lüger.
Ben Kweller is a young multi-instrumentalist, composer and vocalist from San Francisco. In his songs we can find folk, ballads on piano, some country, power-pop-punk, but above all, a lot of Rock and Roll. In the United States his latest works have been among the biggest selling records in the country. His latest album will be called ‘Go Fly a Kite’ and is due to be released next week.
Frank Turner comes from Winchester, England. Ex vocalist of the post-hardcore band Million Dead, in 2005 he started a sensational solo career. His music has become defined as folk-punk for its pseudo-acoustic bases accompanied by heart-rending interpretations. His latest work, ‘England Keep My Bones’, has been received with great enthusiasm in his country.
Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside are set to become one of the biggest and most pleasant surprises of the Azkena Rock Festival 2012. From Portland, Oregon, this four-piece, led by the charismatic voice of Sallie Ford, have shattered the preconceptions of American rock with the release of their second reference, ‘Dirty Radio’. In their songs you can find influences of Rockabilly and Soul in equal parts but sung with a great deal of rock spirit.
To close this chapter of more daring styles we have Lüger, a band from Madrid who have triumphed by returning the psychedelia of the 60s and 70s and kraut-rock to the foreground of the current music scene with their album ‘Concrete Light’.
Alongside North Mississippi Allstars, the sound of American roots will be represented by Israel Nash Gripka, one of the best kept secrets of the moment. Native of Missouri (United States), Nash Gripka offers us songs played with intense feeling, which upon understanding it, takes you to some of the unforgettable greats of American musical culture: from Bob Dylan or the Neil Young of ‘Harvest’ to more recent figures like Ryan Adams. Their last album, ‘Barn Doors And Concrete Floors’, co-produced by Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth), gives off the feel of a record made the old way.
Finally, the hardest and wildest selection, apart from Pentagram, is made up of Danko Jones, Graveyard and Lions In The Street. The last time they visited our lands, the Canadians Danko Jones bulldozed through, quickly selling out venues, when they presented ‘All Chewed Up’ (2011). Graveyard is a Swedish four-piece with two records on the market who leave us with a fantastic taste of hard rock with touches of metal, blues and psychedelia. Lastly, Lions In The Street are natives of Vancouver, Canada, and come to Vitoria-Gasteiz with an excellent fistful of songs which ride between the dirtiest blues, touches of country and the wildest rock.
News - 23rd Janaury - BLACK SABBATH & LYNYRD SKYNYRD CONFIRMED AS THE FIRST HEADLINERS
BLACK SABBATH - The beloved British band which will next year record its first studio allbum after 33 years, is going to play again with his original members: Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward.
LYNYRD SKYNYRD - The band that created unforgettable southern rock hits like 'Free Bird’ or ‘Sweet Home Alabama’, was one of the most desired by the staunch supporters of the Azkena Rock.
Both concerts will be the only ones to be given on 2012 in Spain. The festival will take place during the 14th, 15th and 16th of June, and tickets can be purchased since next Thursday, 24th of November.