Modest Mouse added to Summerfest lineup

According to the Summerfest official website, Veritas Lux Mea favorite Modest Mouse has been added to Milwaukee's Summerfest lineup on Saturday, July 3rd - and of course we'll have to attend that. We saw them last year in Chicago at the Aragon Ballroom and it was a stellar show.

Tickets aren't on sale yet (I'm assuming they'll headline at the Amphitheater, which requires a separate ticket), but keep an eye on the Summerfest listing at Ticketmaster to make sure you don't miss the show.

I've seen a bunch of great acts at the Marcus Amphitheater (Black Francis and Stone Temple Pilots, to name a few) and even more at Summerfest, and I'm sure Modest Mouse will be just as great.

Free SXSW artist downloads

Heading to SXSW this year? No? Yeah me either.

Well, you can at least take solace in 21 free tunes from some SXSW artists, which are up for download over at Amie Street.

You have to register, but hey, it's free, and you get free music from great artists. I particularly recommend the tracks from Surfer Blood, Born Ruffians, and Middle Distance runner, but they're all worth a listen (or 12).

Sign up and download now

Weezer and Cold War Kids to play Milwaukee's Verge Music Festival

She & Him; photo by Taea Thale

One of the nice things about living in Wisconsin is the proximity to some pretty great music festivals like Milwaukee's Summerfest and Chicago's Lollapalooza and Pitchfork Music Festival.

You can now add Milwaukee's Verge Music Festival to that list.

Debuting at the Summerfest grounds this year on Friday June 4 and Saturday June 5, the Verge Music Festival is bringing Weezer, Cold War Kids, She & Him, The Raveonettes, Rogue Wave, Eagles of Death Metal, Crash Kings, and more. Two of the bigger headliners (AFI and Three Days Grace) aren't really my thing, but they provide a little more edge to an already good lineup. There's still some more acts to be announced, but for a $40 2-day pass(or $25 per day, no tax or other fees even), that's a steal. I'd probably have paid that just to see Cold War Kids again, after they put on a stellar show in Madison at the Annex.

Seeing Weezer again will be interesting. I've really had some negative things to say about their recent records, but chances are they will play a good mix of old favorites at the show. I've seen them twice in the past and both times were very good. I'm also looking forward to catching She & Him and the Eagles of Death Metal, both of whom I think could put on an amazing (albeit much different) show.

This is a great value, and the Summerfest grounds are a great place for this type of event. Grab your tickets now before they're gone at the Verge Music Festival website.

free new track from Dr. Dog

Philadelphia's Dr. Dog is back with a brand new album, Shame Shame, due out April 6th.

I really enjoyed a few tracks off their last album, 2008's Fate, notably the tracks "100 Years" and "Hang On." Outside of that, I haven't had a lot of listening experience with the band, but that may change with the release of their new album if the rest of the tracks are as good as the free track that band released to wet our appetites before April. The track, "Stranger," is available for download below:

Dr. Dog - "Stranger"

The band will be on Jimmy Fallon April 6th to promote the launch of their new album, and on tour at a club near you soon:

April 14 Lee’s Place Toronto, ON
April 15 Blind Pig Ann Arbor, MI
April 16 Metro Chicago, IL
April 17 Fine Line Minneapolis, MN
April 19 Belly Up Aspen, CO
April 20 Gothic Theatre Denver, CO
April 22 Neuolux Boise, ID
April 23 Wonder Ballroom Portland, OR
April 24 Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA
April 25 Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA **
April 27 Henry Fonda Los Angeles, CA **
April 29 Santa Fe Brewing Company Santa Fe, NM **
April 30 The Loft Dallas, TX **
May 1 Emo’s Outside Austin, TX **
May 2 Warehouse Live Studio Houston, TX **
May 3 Majestic Fayetteville, AR **
May 5 Workplay Birmingham, AL **
May 6 Cannery Ballroom Nashville, TN **
May 7 Headliners Louisville, KY **
May 11 Paradise Boston, MA **
May 12 Paradise Boston, MA **
May 13 Electric Factory Philadelphia, PA **
May 14 9:30 Club Washington, DC **
May 15 Terminal 5 New York, NY **
* With The Growlers
** With Deertick:

Dr. Dog was in Milwaukee back in February, and Ryan was there to catch the show. Snag some video of the band playing a new track, "Mirror, Mirror" at Muzzle of Bees.

Ted Leo - Since U Been Gone / Maps video

One of my favorite artists (Ted Leo) covering one of my least (Kelly Clarkson), with some Yeah Yeah Yeahs thrown in for good measure.

Ted Leo will be stopping by Wisconsin on Sunday, March 14 for a show at one of my favorite Madison venues, the High Noon Saloon.

I won't be able to make the show (I live a few hours north), but hopefully Ryan attends.

Tickets are only $13 ($15 at the door) and are still available for sale at the High Noon Saloon website.

For more on Ted Leo, visit his website.

Take action against climate change, score free tunes

Missed out on Bonnarroo last year? You can prep for this year's fest by downloading the Best of Bonnaroo MP3 album for FREE at musicforaction.com.

Music for Action is a joint initiative by HeadCount and the NRDC Action Fund that encourages action on climate change by giving away a free "Best of Bonnaroo" download compilation. It marks the first time ever that free music has been used to prompt Americans to contact their elected officials.

The album features 17 signature performances from Wilco ("Bull Black Nova"), Pearl Jam ("Animal"), O.A.R. ("Delicate Few"), and many more.

To get the free album, all you need to do is take action against climate change. You can do this by emailing your senator, emailing the president, or by writing your local paper - all thanks for the convenient links on the musicforaction.com site.

Of course, you can also download the album without taking action against climate change, but what kind of person would you be then?