valentine's day FREE download: Nine Inch Nails Tour EP

valentine's day Rejoice! Nine Inch Nails is giving away more free music. This time the offering is a free EP featuring songs from the four excellent bands who will be supporting NIN on the Lights in the Sky tour this summer. The bands: A Place To Bury Strangers, Does it Offend You, Yeah?, Crystal Castles, and Deerhunter. To download the EP go HERE, for tour dates go HERE.

In addition, Trent Reznor just announced the final personnel lineup of NIN for the "foreseeable future." He calls it "unquestionably the strongest lineup I've EVER had" and I'm inclined to agree. Joining him onstage will be one of the best guitarists I've seen in person, Robin Finck, keyboardist Alessandro Cortini, current DEVO drummer Josh Freese, and Beck's favorite bassist Justin Meldal-Johnsen. Apparently they've "been working on something really special for these shows" - grab a sneak peek by checking out pictures from NIN tour rehearsal HERE.

Listen:
"Echoplex" by Nine Inch Nails
"To Fix The Gash In Your Head" by A Place To Bury Strangers

Visit Nine Inch Nails on Myspace.

valentine's day A Place To Bury Strangers @ The Wave - 14 March 2008 (SXSW Day 3)

valentine's day Here's how I managed my SXSW concert going: I made lists of all of the shows I wanted to see for each day, made separate lists for the priority concerts each day, highlighted my few *must see* shows that there's no way I'd miss, and did my best to see as many bands from these lists as I possibly could. Lists, lists, lists, I love lists. One of my absolute must-see bands was the metal band Torche (sadly I missed them for CMJ); so, I left the O'Death show mid-set to make sure I had enough time to get into the venue and find a spot for Torche. After walking a few short blocks down 6th Street I heard a familiar sound coming from the upstairs patio at The Wave - A Place To Bury Strangers!!! - and I mindlessly stopped dead in my tracks and headed inside.

Unlike last year (five audience members, max), this year's SXSW found A Place To Bury Strangers surrounded by maxed-out venue full of adoring fans. The band responded accordingly and delivered one of the best shows I've ever seen them play, even if I was (sadly) stuck in the very back the entire time. NME was there, and agreed. APTBS is one of those bands I'd see anytime, anywhere. Amazing.

Listen:
"To Fix The Gash In Your Head" by A Place To Bury Strangers

Visit A Place To Bury Strangers on MySpace.