Welcome back to The Weekly Rewind, our regular rundown of the biggest music news stories out there. Here’s what caught our ear this week.
Rilo Kiley is back! (Maybe? Probably? We hope?)
Though the lineup for Pasadena’s Just Like Heaven festival has not formally been announced, pictures of a Los Angeles billboard circulating on Blue Sky feature a leaked lineup, with indie icons Rilo Kiley included in the mix alongside Vampire Weekend, Bloc Party and others. Viral photos on social media? This must be the truth! The band, led by singer-songwriters Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennett, have not played live together since 2008 and the tour behind their swan song Under The Black Light. But as Brooklyn Vegan points out, the band’s online presence has gotten a refresh – new photos, new merch – so something is in the works, anyway. Book your tickets to LA for the week of May 10th and get ready to sing along to “Portions For Foxes,” “Silver Lining” and more. (Read more via Brooklyn Vegan)
Waxy + Wilco and other tour news
Speaking of live music, Wilco is going on a North American tour this spring, and Waxahatchee is joining them as direct support. Two XPN faves, one ticket, no Philly date though! But should you be up for a trip to the south or southwest (but not SXSW), this is the show for you. Closer to home, Beth Gibbons of Portishead has announced her first-ever solo North American concerts, including a March 29th date at The Met Philly. And the Gov Ball lineup is here: Mannequin Pussy, Mt. Joy, and Orion Sun are repping Philly alongside headliners Tyler, The Creator, Olivia Rodrigo, and Hozier. And if you too have been immersed in Bad Bunny’s fantastic new DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, you’ll be happy to hear he’s launching a 30-concert residency at San Juan’s Coliseo de Puerto Rico that extends into September. The first nine shows exclusive to local residents. (Read more via Pitchfork here, here, here, and here.)
Celebrate Op Ivy and help LA with Laura Jane Grace and Catbite
Last year, punk veteran Laura Jane Grace of Against Me! and Philly ska faves Catbite teamed up on a tour celebrating Operation Ivy’s music; now, recordings from that tour are available on Bandcamp to support those impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires via the nonprofits Sweet Relief and Best Friends. (Read more via Bandcamp)
Beyoncé donates $2.5 million to wildfire relief
Supporting those in Los Angeles on a pop star scale is Beyoncé, whose BeyGood foundation has pledged $2.5 million to a LA Fire Relief Fund that “is earmarked to aid families in the Altadena/Pasadena area who lost their homes, and to churches and community centers to address the immediate needs of those affected by the wildfires.” (Read more via Pitchfork)
A biopic on Sister Rosetta Tharpe is on the way, starring Beverley Knight
Singer-songwriter and actress Beverley Knight will portray foundational rock and roll figure Sister Rosetta Tharpe in a new biopic called Marie and Rosetta, a film adaptation of a stage play by George Brant that follows the collaboration between the “godmother of rock and roll” and her tourmate and Marie Knight. (Read more via The Guardian)
New Neil? Nice.
Rock icon Neil Young has a new band called The Chrome Hearts, and their music is described by producer John Hanlon as an “in your face loud irreverent rock’n’roll paint splatter on the canvas in the vein of a Jackson Pollack painting.” Listen to their first single, “Big Change,” now. (Read more via Rolling Stone)
