Virgin

In amongst Brit Awards shows with the added vocal spice of Lady GaGa and Brandon Flowers and ballet compositions, it’s a wonder impeccable pop duo Pet Shop Boys find time to squeeze in the odd arena show here and there yet ahead of tomorrow’s sold-out O2 Arena show, a further string of dates have been added to their spurious touring habits this winter. Following on from the resounding success brought about by latest record Yes, Tennant and Lowe strike while the iron’s hot, hauling their live extravaganza into arenas and exhibition halls the length of the UK before a well-earned Christmas break. Known for unique performances and bizarre stage set-ups, the Pandemonium tour looks as though it’ll be no exception. Divided into four distinct acts documenting their magnificent career thus far, choreographers, designers and producers have all been reeled in to create an unforgettable experience.

The tour calls at:

December 17 Glasgow SECC

December 18 Birmingham NIA

December 20 Manchester Evening News Arena

December 21 London O2 Arena

• Tickets are priced at £30 and are available now.
• Pet Shop Boys’ Myspace

With Just Jack and The Charlatans having meticulously cut down hundreds and thousands of entries from prospering British musical hopefuls, the voting has begun for the final six battling it out for an opening slot on the V Festival Stage both in Chelmsford and Staffordshire come August alongside the likes of Oasis, The Killers and Snow Patrol.

To register your vote, just visit the finalists page to make your choice. And remember, you can vote for the two acts you’d hedge your bets on. If it weren’t enough to support your local music scene or get a mate’s band an unrivalled opportunity, voters will be automatically entered into a competition to win a money-can’t-buy VIP trip to Stafford’s V Festival ‘09. One lucky winner will recieve a pair of weekend tickets, luxury Winnebago accomodation and travel to and from the festival. For more info on your chance to land this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity head here.

Voting closes on 19th July so get clicking!

We are kept waiting for just a few minutes for The Killers - but its enough to work the crowd up into a frenzy of hand claps and chants once again. When the lovely chaps from Las Vegas do take to the stage they are wearing matching smart black and gold blazers - true showmen in all their glory.

Pleasing and yet teasing us with Somebody Told Me, front man Mr Brandon Flowers cruises around the stage with his trademark smooth style. Audience participation they have down to a tee and this is not a set for the faint hearted.  As thousands of people jump around to Mr Brightside and a chorus of Smile Like You Mean It echoes around this arena tonight I get that mesmerising feeling that this is one of those once in a lifetime moments. The Killers know what they are doing for sure and their confidence is almost cocky. Flowers jumps around and after a few songs the blazers are off to reveal smart simplistic black shirts. Suave.

An hour and a half later you would think this Aussie crowd would be all tired out.  Not a chance. The jumping and dancing continues. There’s even a couple down the front spinning around and slow dancing. The Killers give something for everyone and keep nothing for themselves. Every ounce of energy from each member of the band seems to be going into giving us the best possible show, and it works.

The encore is stunning. Brandon Flowers is back on stage in all his glory to woo us once more. There is not one person in the whole arena standing still as the electronic and bass infused ditty rings out into the dark night sky.

When You Were Young is the perfect end to the perfect day. Well done V Festival.  I know I’ll be back next year for sure.

Leopard Lady’s first band of Gold Coast V Festival ‘09 was UK based Australian band, Howling Bells. Through a little research and some vague memories, Leopard Lady has discovered that Howling Bells is pretty much the band formerly known as Waikiki.

Beautiful brother and sister Joel and Juanita Stein on guitars and vocals, their drummer Glenn Moule and guitarist Brendan Picchio fled their Aussie homeland when the opportunity arose to work with Coldplay’s producer Ken Nelson.  A certain fresh start from scratch. That was back in 2004 and now they have toured with the likes of Placebo and The Killers (also rocking the V Festival) who are very big fans of Howling Bells. There is a brilliant YouTube interview with the drummer from The Killers, Ronnie Vannucci Jr, and Howling Bells where you can see the impact the Aussies are having… at least on Ronnie.

Seeing Howling Bells live was a bit out of curiosity for Leopard Lady. Not knowing too much about them prior to much googling through the artist line-up of this year’s V Fest, much anticipation built.

Sonically, they create a thick and captivating atmosphere. Tight yet dreamlike. They draw their audience in with lush melodies and then pick them up for a bit of a rush as they get heavy and passionate. Leopard Lady also liked it when Joel picked up a bow on his guitar.

Visually it became all about the gorgeous Steins. Not that they aren’t all a bunch of good looking individuals, there is just something about Joel and particularly Juanita… she oozes a little of that certain sensuality that you want in your pop/rock stars.

Howling Bells have their second album, Radio Wars, out now and to add some big names to their ‘have toured with’ list, how about Coldplay. To check out dates and learn even more about these Aussie expats head to their MySpace… NOW!

• www.myspace.com/howlingbells

Kaiser Chiefs perform Never Miss A Beat at the Sydney V Festival 2009. Give us a shout out if you were there, and if not - well treat yourself to this video clip and spirit yourself there anyway. Along with The Killers, Snow Patrol, Elbow and Razorlight, the Kaisers have just finished their V Festival tour of Australia - taking in Sydney, Gold Coast, Melbourne and Perth. Check back soon for more video clips from V Festival Australia.

Here we have Snow Patrol turning off the lights for Earth Hour at the Sydney V Festival 2009 as they launch in to Run. Give us a shout out if you were there, and if not - well treat yourself to this video clip and spirit yourself there anyway. Snow Patrol, along with The Killers, Kaiser Chiefs, Elbow and Razorlight have just finished their V Festival tour of Australia - taking in Sydney, Gold Coast, Melbourne and Perth. Check back soon for more video clips from V Festival Australia.

So here’s a televisual blast from the past - well just about this time last year when it all kicked off at Centennial Park in Sydney for the 2008 V Festival. This is what this year’s V Festival has to live up to. Will the glamorous and the good of Sydney come out in force again this year for The Killers, Kaiser Chiefs, Razorlight, Elbow, Snow Patrol, The Kills, M83, Tame Impala and Howling Bells? Sure as anything they will - I’m just jealous I’m not there… as I look through my old YouTube clips of my Aussie adventures in 2008, all I have to comfort me and make me feel part of the party this year is our very own Eleanor Conway. Elle won the Global VPass competition last year for her awesome achievements in blogging for this very site. Check out her stuff: Eleanor Conway. And now she has embarked on her 2009 epic odyssey through V Festivals in every country courtesy of Virgin Holidays. So it’s over to a very lucky Eleanor to take us on her V Festival 2009 trip. If you fancy joining our global blogging community and sharing your adventures in music with us then simply sign up here to contribute. And if you’re at this year’s Australian V Festivals - then sign up, log on and tell us how awesome it was!

V Festival has once again almost completely sold out across both sites only hours after tickets went on sale. Tickets to Hylands Park, Chelmsford sold out in under two hours and only coach packages now remain. The last remaining tickets to Weston Park, Staffordshire are going fast from www.vfestival.com. Tickets went on sale at 10am last Friday.

Virgin Media’s V Festival 2009 has two of the biggest and best live acts on the planet headlining in Oasis and The Killers. They will be joined on the 22/23 August by artists such as Razorlight, Fatboy Slim, Keane, The Specials, Elbow, Lily Allen, Pendulum, The Tings Tings, MGMT, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga.

The line up so far:

OASIS  • THE KILLERS • RAZORLIGHT • SNOW PATROL • FATBOY SLIM • KEANE • THE SPECIALS • ELBOW • JAMES • LILY ALLEN • THE ENEMY • PENDULUM •  THE SCRIPT •  BIFFY CLYRO • THE TING TINGS •  PAOLO NUTINI • MGMT • KATY PERRY • THE WOMBATS • JAMES MORRISON • TAYLOR SWIFT • PETER DOHERTY • DIZZEE RASCAL • THE STREETS •  LADY GAGA • HAPPY MONDAYS • SEASICK STEVE • OCEAN COLOUR SCENE • ALESHA DIXON • BRITISH SEA POWER • THE SATURDAYS

Razorlight have been added to the V Festival Australia lineup. Johnny Borrell and the boys will now join The Killers, Snow Patrol, Kaiser Chiefs, Elbow and Duffy on the four dates across Australia: Sydney (28 March), Gold Coast (29 March), Melbourne (4 April) and Perth (5 April).

Razorlight are heading to their first ever shows in Australia next week where their Sydney and Melbourne gigs quickly sold out. But as a treat for Virgin Mobile customers in Oz who didn’t manage to get their hands on the sought after tickets, Virgin Mobile has grabbed the last 40 tickets to each show and is giving them away free!

To get your hands on a double pass, all you have to do is line up @ Virgin Mobile Pitt Street in Sydney tomorrow (Wednesday January 28), or Swanston Street in Melbourne on Thursday (January 29) before 1pm. It’s first in best dressed so get there early…

Razorlight play the Metro in Sydney on Thursday January 29, and The Hi Fi Bar in Melbourne on Saturday January 31.

The last 40 tickets will be given away from 1pm:

SYDNEY - Virgin Mobile Store at Westfield Centrepoint, Pitt St Mall, City on Wednesday Jan 28 (from 1pm).

MELBOURNE - Virgin Mobile Store, 133 Swanston St, City on Thursday Jan 29 (from 1pm).

Tame Impala are one of the awesome acts already confirmed on the V Festival Australia lineup for March & April ‘09. Check out the video for Half Full Glass Of Wine - one of the corking tracks on their brilliant debut EP which will be available to download here in the UK on 1 December. You can preorder the EP from their official website: tameimpala.com

Currently touring Australia, the lads from Perth are set to release their debut album in the UK in Spring ‘09 and are promising a bunch of live dates - so keep your surfing eyes peeled for more info as we get it.

Tame Impala join The Killers, Snow Patrol, Kaiser Chiefs, Duffy, Elbow, Louis XIV, The Do, The Temper Trap and Canyons on the V Festival Australia bill - with more acts to be announced soon. Tickets are now on sale at Tickemaster - so what are you waiting for!?

V Festival Australia is on for 2009 and The Killers, Snow Patrol and the Kaiser Chiefs will be headlining. Virgin Mobile’s third V Festival whirlwind is to hit Sydney on 28 March, Gold Coast on 29 March, Melbourne on 4 April and Perth on 5 April next year. Elbow, Duffy, Louis XIV, The Do, Tame Impala, The Temper Trap and Canyons beef up the already awesome lineup with more acts to be announced soon. Tickets will be on sale Friday 28 November but if you’re a lucky lucky Virgin Mobile Australia customer then you can get your hands on pre-sale tickets from this Wednesday 19 November. Check out vfestival.com.au for more details…

Amongst freshly cut grass, children playing in the snow and the late October appearance of Christmas decorations in my local supermarket here is a list of discernibly nice things that are nice to like ( in no particular order):

Cage The Elephant — My new favourite band. I shall not bore you with blurb, but the boys met via a hippy commune in the deep south of America, stole the show on Never Mind the Buzzcocks a couple weeks back and rocked the chapel at the first gig of the Mencap Little Noise Sessions this week- Think jumping on pews and causing a right ‘ol ruckass. Great gig featuring White Lies, The Killers and Glasvegas — Eleanor Conway Presents: Glasvegas interview — to come shortly.

Stricken City — spangling, jangling pop — perfect for the Crimbo season. You should go see them just on the strength of Rebekah Raa’s (singer) name alone. Quality.

Ladyhawke — She’s a lady, but no hawk—She’s doing wicked things since speaking with us a month ago (check out the interview here) and her new video for Delirium is unleashed on the general public on the 8th of Dec….

Say aha - perhaps in a Alan Partridge or a Morton Harket kind of way but preferably in a Santogold’s latest-single-kind-of way… ‘Aha’ by Santogold. Released soon. The 24th of November to be exact.

Don’t forget to join the Eleanor Conway Presents: facebook page here for your chance to win a signed copy of Goldfrapp’s album ‘Seventh Tree’

And don’t forget to vote for Eleanor Conway to win the the Global VPass competition, closing ends end of November and you could win tickets to your local V Festival as well as a warm fuzzy feeling……… Click here to vote.

Britney Spears won the Act of 2008 and the the Album Of The Year awards at last night’s MTV Europe Awards at the Echo Arena in Liverpool - proudly sponsored by none other than Virgin Trains. Those world conquering MTV types took the train to Liverpool this year as the city celebrates being European Capital Of Culture 2008. And which most famous Scouser took home the Ultimate Legend Award? Why Sir Paul of McCartney of course. How fitting. And God-like person Bono was even on hand to present the award. With such royalty in attendance it seemed a shame that princess of pop Ms Spears wasn’t on hand to receive her two awards - maybe she was a bit busy with other stuff in the US - you know, family commitments and all that…

Luckily the lovely Pink (or is that P!nk?) made an effort to show up, pick up an award for most addictive track (So What?), start a pillow fight with a bunch of audience members and then shower everyone in feathers. Presumably she heeded the good advice to leave the barrel of tar at home.

30 Seconds To Mars also picked up 2 awards (Rock Out and Video Star), Kanye West was crowned Ultimate Urban and Lil Wayne was the Artists Choice. The Killers also treated us to a performance of their very Giorgio Moroder-sounding single - Human, Kid Rock managed to squeeze two numbers in for the price of one with a mash up of new So Hot and old All Summer Long and bootylicious Beyonce belted out her newie If I Were A Boy. Jared Leto had the crowd standing to attention for a certain Barack Obama while Kanye and Estelle performed American Boy to the President-Elect’s giant mugshot on a big screen. Watch Kanye & Estelle’s performance.

Okay, okay, enough already. We know you Americans are now once again officially the greatest people on the planet ever after 8 years of shame - never more delightfully represented by spoon-wielding Katy Perry in a sequined Barack Obama tshirt - and we really, really love you but what about the rest of us!? Yes okay thank you for the nod in the direction of McCartney, but what about some of our slightly more, uh… hip acts? Come on the European voters - spread the love around a bit…

The Ting Tings and Duffy kept it up for the Brits by performing That’s Not My Name and Mercy, Marks & Spencers’ man band Take That debuted their new single Greatest Day while Liverpool locals The Wombats did a brilliant cover of our Olympic Games representative and MTV award loser Leona Lewis’ Bleeding Love. That’s more like it.

So did we win any awards? Err, well - yes. And which esteemed Brit act took the honour of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with McCartney to showcase the best of what this country has to offer right now? Who did legions of ‘the kids’ vote for as Best Act Ever? Rick Astley. Rick bloody-rolling-Astley. I ask you. Did this have something to do with the democratic but slightly cheeky power of the world wide interweb? Unfortunately Rick wasn’t around to collect his gong but MTV pulled a cracker and got the lovely and gorgeous Perez Hilton - star of Virgin Radio 999 in Toronto - to take it in hand and keep warm for him.

MTV Europe Awards - you have been Rick Rolled. It could only happen here. Oh thank heavens for a slice of Perez and Virgin Train back home to the Old Smoke.

Jack White has had to pull out of a performance at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Liverpool in November due to a prolonged neck injury.

Having slipped a disc whilst on tour with the Raconteurs, White had been hoping to recover in time to perform a duet of Bond theme “Another Way to Die” with Alicia Keys for the MTV event but fans and organisers have been left disappointed by Jack’s ongoing problem. Unable to travel and with a neck which is refusing to heal we wish Jack White a speedy recovery.

The MTV EMA’s are being hosted by saucy singer Katy Perry and Kid Rock, Beyonce, Take That, The Killers, Pink and Duffy have been confirmed.

Watch the above footage of Jack announcing his injury before bravely going on to play “Top Yourself” at Austin City Limits 2008.

Ahoy Fellow Festival Goer, last year we had the Foo Fighters, The Killers and Kasabian grace Hylands and Weston Park. And now that the VFestival hype is building up with this years amazing line up confirmed which will see the likes of Muse, The Chemical Brothers and The Verve appear, we can look back at last year and learn from our highlights or our mistakes (probably the 40 year old hippie who fell into the sewage hole in Chelmsford will want to most improve on his luck).

Yes last year was an adventure which saw myself and my companion attending the festival for the first time (Yes a Festival Virgin at the Virgin Festival!). I can remember my experience of viewing Rosalita as my first V band on day 1, and what a band - they fully deserved their Road To V crown. I can remember racing from seeing Rosalita to see The Proclaimers in a crowd which seemed to contain most of Scotland singing their hearts out to ‘500 Miles’ and ‘Letter to America’. Skipping forward to later that night I recall seeing the Foo’s perform and being gutted to hear they performed earlier as 606 right after I saw Rosalita.

Skipping forward to the next day and seeing Rodrigo Y Gabriela who was the first act of a memorable day, (the spoke to us only with their guitars with no lyrics at all!) This would be my highlight as they put into context the varied genre’s of bands V had to offer and also the beauty of the guitar. Jumping forward to later that day when Kasabian had just set up The Killers to end V and leave the crowd signing “I got soul but I’m not a soldier” constantly on the road home.

Moving back to this year, we can see the reunited The Verve perform hits such as ‘Bittersweet Symthony’ and Muse of the back of the amazing Wembley performances play epic space riffs with songs like ‘Plug in Baby’ and promising big things for the event of the year. But also you can catch the Godfathers Of Dance - The Chemical Brothers performing hits like ‘Hey Girl, Hey Boy’. Legends also appearing are Shed Seven, Squeeze, The Prodigy, Ian Brown, ‘Isn’t it Ironic’ Alanis Morissette  and the gummy legends The Pogues.

Hope to see you this year

Richard Chapman

The highlights of this year’s VFestival in Chelmsford all include Sir Iggy of Pop: Iggy dry humps an amp, Iggy gets his bum out, Iggy crowd surfs and then smashes a mic stand into oblivion. What a legend. Why aren’t all great grandads as rocking as this?

The Killers persuaded us to stay out in the rain that had been threatening all weekend (how does Brandon sing that high, have dodgy face furniture and still be so cool for cats?). Top class headline act…

Surprise highlight though goes to Beverley Knight who truly rocked the JJB Arena. Go girl. You were smooth.