The Billboard charts are no go area right?
Well apart from American Idol winners and hip hop superstars. The upper echelons of the countdown have been denied to American underground acts since the grunge boom choked over and died. However recently something remarkable has happened. First The Shins broke into the charts, then the group were followed by a number of alternative acts. In June fans were left shocked when Grizzly Bear’s superb album ‘Veckatimest’ scales the Top Ten on its release. As we enter a new decade it seems that the mainstream and the underground have come closer together than ever.
A highlight of the British festival season, Glastonbury is more than a mere weekend’s worth of music. A living testament to life on the margins it gathers together more than 100,000 people who want to experience something unique, something different. This summer a sold out event saw the likes of Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, Franz Ferdinand, Doves and more keep the crowds entertained. Entering its 40th year Worthy Farm has rarely been stronger.
Set in one of the most beautiful parts of Europe, RockNess has grown to become Scotland’s second festival. Expanding year on year with near boundless ambition RockNess returned in 2009 with a star studded bill which included Dizzee Rascal, Basement Jaxx and an unforgettable set from The Flaming Lips.
El Paso freak out merchants At The Drive In scorched the minds of a generation. Exploding into smithereens on the verge of mainstream acceptance, the band split into Sparta and The Mars Volta. Rumours still abound of a possible re-union, with June being dominated by speculation that At The Drive In could be set to reform. Of course, nothing came of it but a fan can dream…
Michael Jackson’s final months are already the stuff of tabloid myth. A lonely and reclusive star driven to the brink of bankruptcy, the King Of Pop retrieved his possessions from hock after announcing an ambitious residency at the O2 Arena. Beginning with just ten dates the star was then driven to add more and more shows, eventually facing a mountain of 50 performances. Driving himself past the point of physical endurance, Michael Jackson collapsed in June this year. To the astonishment of the press, fans, his family and countless admirers the iconic star perished leaving a stunning legacy.
