Thursday, April 26, 2012

26th April

1996: Mogwai play their first show outside Scotland

1997: UK tour promoting the '4 Satin' ep imminent. Mogwai have recently played their first shows outside the UK, in Norway and France.

1998: Mogwai coming to the end of the lengthy 'Young Team' European tour

1999: 'Come On Die Young' was released a month earlier. Having just performed at the Bowlie Weekender, Mogwai are about to set off on a European tour.

2000: Mogwai off the road, working towards 'Rock Action'

2001: Mogwai play Club Quattro in Nagoya as part of a short Japanese tour. The release of 'Rock Action' is days away, and Mogwai are shortly to set off on...yes, you guessed it...a European tour. 'Sinewave (demo)' and Sinewave (dub version)' downloads available via nme.com for two days only.

2002: Stuart plays solo in Aberdeen before Mogwai set off on their first visit to South America.

2003: In the early stages of European dates supporting 'Happy Songs For Happy People'

2004: One-off dates at the end of the 'Happy Songs For Happy People' tour

2005: Mogwai off the road, working towards 'Mr. Beast' and the Zidane OST

2006: A brief return to the UK between lengthy European and North American tours

2007: Dominic playing European and UK shows with Crippled Black Phoenix

2008: 'The Hawk Is Howling' makes its first live appearance at Glasgow Tramway

2009: In the midst of a North American tour, Mogwai prepare for the three shows at Music Hall Of Williamsburg which will be recorded and filmed for 'Special Moves/Burning'

2010: Mogwai off the road, working towards 'Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will' and promoting the release of 'Special Moves/Burning'

2011: Mogwai play in Toronto, having been forced to cancel the first five dates of a North American tour due to visa processing issues. Martin is on paternity leave and is replaced by James Hamilton from Errors.

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This might be a one-off, or it might turn into an occasional series.

Rock Altitude - 18th August

Mogwai

Rock Altitude Festival 2012
Le Locle
Switzerland

18th August 2012

http://www.rockaltitude.ch/

Thanks Julien

Monday, April 23, 2012

Zurich - 25th August

Mogwai have been confirmed amongst the line-up for Zurich Openair, which takes place from 23rd - 26th August 2012.

The design-heavy website appears to suggest that Mogwai play on 25th August alongside Bloc Party, Orbital and Tindersticks.

This is Mogwai's first summer 2012 European festival confirmation - the first of several?

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Please tell me this is true

I wouldn't normally publish tour dates without going to some considerable lengths to check they're accurate, but this posting on last.fm is too good to miss:

Roxette and Mogwai
Friday 11 May 2012

Star Hall
Vitória - Es
Brazil

Update: http://starhallshow.blogspot.de/p/agenda.html

Thanks Markus

Update 2: "Sorry to disappoint you, but we're not supporting Roxette" - thanks Stuart!

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

New Mogwai track 'Earth Division' on 'Occupy This Album'



Mogwai's contribution to 'Occupy This Album' is the previously-unreleased 'Earth Division'.

Full tracklist can be found on Pitchfork:
http://pitchfork.com/news/46204-mogwai-yoko-ono-patti-smith-yo-la-tengo-thee-oh-sees-ladytron-on-occupy-wall-street-comp/

The album is released on 15th May 2012

Sasquatch schedule published

Mogwai's appearance at Sasquatch Festival in George, WA, USA takes place on Monday 28th May. Mogwai close the Bigfoot stage (9.30pm - 10.30pm), playing immediately after Spiritualized.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Mogwai in the studio again

As you'll be aware if you read https://twitter.com/#!/plasmatron or https://twitter.com/#!/PiousBionicus, Mogwai are in the studio for a week, starting today.

Update, Sunday 22nd April:

plasmatron: Last day in the studio today until after the tour. Massive amount of music recorded. I hope it's not all pish. A few wee belters in there.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Scottish Album Of The Year longlist



The Scottish Album Of The Year award longlist, announced last night, includes Mogwai's 'Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will' amongst many other great records.

Further info: http://sayaward.com/

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Occupy This Album - 15th May



'Occupy This Album', curated by Music For Occupy to benefit the Occupy movement, is due for release on 15th May 2012. The compilation has grown to four CDs and can be pre-ordered for $19.47 with free shipping from Amazon in North America:
http://www.amazon.com/Occupy-This-Album-4-CD/

It's £14.54 with free shipping in the UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Occupy-This-Album/

Mogwai have announced that they have contributed a new track to the album. Further info as we get it - has anyone seen a tracklist for the compilation?

Pre-order details for other retailers, and for countries outside the UK and North America, would be useful.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Hudson River Project - Crook/Bowthorpe/Mogwai

From mogwai.co.uk:

Hudson River Project

An Epic Recycled Kayak Ride Down New York's Great Waterway Soundtracked by Mogwai

Round-the-world cycling champion and adventure junky James Bowthorpe reunites with filmmaker Antony Crook to launch their latest audacious endeavor: rowing a boat constructed from New York’s refuse down the 315-mile length of the Hudson River. Today’s trailer was filmed over the course of several scouting missions to chart a route from the waterway’s highest source at Lake Tear of the Clouds in the Adirondack Mountains, down through the Hudson River Valley and into Manhattan. “We see cities as something separate from the wilderness, but the former evolved from the latter. I’m interested in the idea of how we set up these diametrically opposed state of minds,” Bowthorpe explains. “The Hudson River Project plays to this cyclic idea, charting the path that helped to build the megalopolis.” The full-length feature, which will be set to an original soundtrack by Scottish rock maestros Mogwai and starts filming this fall, will follow Bowthorpe collecting discarded materials and assembling his vessel before hauling the boat to the journey’s starting point on his bike. Having completed a similar journey along the Thames in London, the Hudson River’s long stretches of treacherous white water will pose new challenges for Bowthorpe, who has enlisted survival expert and outdoorsman Phil Wrigley to ghost him on the trip.

Watch the trailer here: http://www.nowness.com/day/2012/4/10/2037/hudson-river-project

Visit the Facebook page for an exclusive album of photos by Antony Crook taken during the scouting missions.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150716569277454.425225.200226622453&type=3

The Kickstarter page for the project is here:
http://www.kickstarter.com/profile/hrp

So this one will feature new Mogwai music.

Even for me, $75 for a Mogwai 12" seems a bit steep? Hopefully the music will be made available to buy at a more reasonable price at some point.

Update: the soundtrack will also be available through Rock Action after the project is completed.

Autism Awareness - Ben & Finlay

We've run several stories previously on Ben and Finlay, the autistic twins Mogwai have supported with items for auction in the last couple of years.

World Autism Day was on 2nd April, and Autism Awareness continues throughout April.

An update from Mike Stevens:

Ben and Finlay invite you all to join them in celebrating World Autism Day on 02 April 2012 and Light It Up Blue to help to shine a light on autism! Whether it be big or small, the whole world is going blue to increase awareness!

Light It Up Blue, in its third year, is a unique global initiative to help raise awareness about the growing public health concern that is autism. Iconic landmarks around the world will Light It Up Blue to show their support.

Join us now and help shine a light on autism.

Why should we care?

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with and relates to other people. It also affects how they make sense of the world around them. Currently, one in 100 people are affected by this condition. The needs of those with an autistic spectrum condition still remain largely misunderstood. Many suppose that an approach that works well with one group of individuals with additional support needs will work well for all.

Who are we targeting?

Autism affects both children and adults alike. Raising awareness of autism will make it easier for families affected by this condition. The difficulties that many people with autism experience within services are often due to a lack of a clear and consistent understanding of their needs and wants over multiple environments.

We have already told you about our good friends, Patty and Bill Peek from St Ignace in Michigan, who have bought a blue bulb in Ben and Finlay’s honour to form part of the lighting up of the Mackinac Bridge. This is the third longest suspension bridge in the world and joins the upper and lower peninsulas of the state of Michigan. The bridge will be lit for the whole month of April.

Across the globe in New Zealand, we are delighted that Kyla and Callum Brown, twins to good friend Terry, have taken Ben and Finlay’s story to an autism fundraising event at Otatara School down under. They have made up a story board about the boys with text and pictures taken from their blog and shared it with their classmates. Thanks so much guys for thinking of us all those miles away!

The future?

Our aim is to look to a future where the unique differences of individuals with Autism Spectrum Condition are recognised and respected and there is meaningful participation and choice in all aspects of life for them, their families and their carers.

PLEASE spread the word…….support us all to a brighter and better future!

http://benandfinlay.blogspot.com

Mexico City - 5th June

The mysterious five-day gap in Mogwai's May/June 2012 North American tour schedule is explained:

Mogwai

El Plaza Condesa
Mexico City
Mexico

5th June 2012

Poster here:
http://www.lifeboxset.com/noticias/mogwai-en-mexico/

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Knock For Knock - Crook/Bowthorpe/Mogwai

The (full?) version of Antony Crook's 'Knock For Knock' film, featuring Mogwai's 'Drunk And Crazy', can be found here:

http://www.rapha.cc/knock-for-knock

Shot in Tokyo by Antony Crook, and featuring a soundtrack from Mogwai, Rapha and RSA Films present Knock for Knock. With a script written by long distance cyclist James Bowthorpe, Knock for Knock is a human interest story that depicts a sportsman’s fight against his inner demons.

James Bowthorpe cycled around the globe in 176 days in 2009, a feat which challenged him both mentally and physically. A chance meeting between Crook and Bowthorpe’s girlfriend lead to their first collaboration, the film 30 Century Man. The evolution to Knock For Knock was quite natural:

“From my initial inspiration for the central character to Antony’s casting masterstroke… Rapha and Mogwai’s involvement clinched it. We wanted to make a kind of sequel to 30 Century Man, but something that turns away from the infinite horizon and looks inwards, towards fear and fighting it. There is a bike in it, but it’s not about that.”

Since 2011 Antony Crook has worked extensively with the Glaswegian band Mogwai, shooting the cover artwork and photography for their album Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will. The band have amassed a cult following and the whispering brutality of their song ‘Drunk and Crazy’, taken from the EP Earth Division, lends itself beautifully to the film.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Mogwai ATP 2000 - free download



Mogwai headline curate ATP's I'll Be Your Mirror London at Alexandra Palace this May 26th - also playing that day are Dirty Three, Mudhoney, Chavez, Codeine, Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat, Harvey Milk, Floor, The Soft Moon, Balam Acab and Antoni Maiovvi with more to be added.
Further info:
http://www.atpfestival.com/events/ibymlondon2012.php

On the 9th April 2000, Mogwai headlined and curated the first All Tomorrow's Parties festival. Today with the blessing of the band we are very excited to be able to put selected highlights from their set at that event up as a free download for ATP/Mogwai fans. Stream/download here:
http://soundcloud.com/alltomorrowsparties/sets/mogwai-live-at-all-tomorrows/

There's a brief interview about ATP with Stuart here:
http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/2012/04/mogwai-stream-download-ill-be-your-mirror/

The tracklist for the free Mogwai - ATP 2000 download tallies exactly with the BBC broadcast of set highlights which took place on 10th April 2000. It's not known whether ATP have gone back to the BBC master tapes for this free download.

FLAC files of the same set (and numerous other Mogwai live performances, many of excellent quality) can be found here:
http://archive.org/details/mogwai2000-04-10.flac