Listen: Lana Del Rey releases ten-minute tune ‘Venice Bitch’

A week after treating fans to her first new song in over a year, Lana Del Rey has given her followers more good news than they can handle. On Tuesday (Sept. 18), the New York-born songstress not only premiered another new song, but she also formally announced the release of sixth studio album. Titled Norman Fucking Rockwell, the new record is produced by Bleachers head honcho/super producer Jack Antonoff.

Though no official release date has been given for the upcoming record, Del Rey did confirm that it will see a release time frame of 2019. Norman Fucking Rockwell will be the follow-up to 2017’s Lust for Life.

As previously promised, Del Rey also unleashed her second single from the impending album; a track titled “Venice Bitch.” Heading over to Zane Lowe’s Beats 1 show, Del Rey debuted the almost ten-minute tune. While speaking to the host about the lengthy track, the musician revealed that her managers were a little apprehensive when she decided on this song as one of her singles.

“I played it for my managers and I was like, ‘Yeah, I think this is the single I want to put out.’ [And] They were like, ‘It’s ten minutes long. Are you kidding me? It’s called Venice Bitch. Like why do you do this to us? Can you make a three-minute normal pop song?’ I was like, ‘Well, end of summer, some people just wanna drive around for ten minutes, get lost in some electric guitar.'”

Listen to the ten-minute track above and maybe do like Del Rey suggests and put it on in your car and just drive.

“Venice Bitch” will join previously release single “Mariners Apartment Complex” on Norman Fucking Rockwell.

Shadow of the City music festival announces 2016 lineup

The 2nd annual Shadow of the City Music Festival has officially announced its lineup for the 2016 incarnation of the festival. On Monday (March 14), the Jack Antonoff-launched music festival announced its genre-varied lineup. The 1975, Carly Rae Jepsen, FrnkIero andthe Cellabration, and others will make the trip to New Jersey in June.

The music festival which launched in 2015 is the brain child of the Bleachers frontman who explains he wanted to bring something back to his home state of New Jersey. “I always wanted to have a festival in New Jersey, so last year was amazing,” Antonoff tells Entertainment Weekly. “The whole thing is exactly what I hoped it would be, which is just like, if I was 15 and could throw a party and invite 10,000 people, that’s what it would look like.”

But while Bleachers were one of the many headliners for the inaugural event, the “Rollercoaster” group will not be appearing this year. Instead, another Antonoff band will perform; Steel Train.  “I was just thinking about it, and I was like, okay, I want this [festival] to exist beyond me, but I need to be part of this thing,” Antonoff explains. “I see Shadow of the City as, once a year, I can do something very bizarre, whether it’s get Steel Train back together, or talk to my friends about coming and doing a show with me. I want it to exist as a place where people can expect that I’m going to do something totally out-there.”

Check out the lineup for the music festival which is scheduled to take place at Seaside Heights, NJ on June 18.

Second Leg of Bleachers/Charli XCX Tour Cancelled

Guess Jack Antonoff and Charli XCX won’t be “doing America” after all. In a surprising reveal, the duo who had previously tour the United States this past summer, have announced that the second leg of the tour would no longer be happening. In separate statements, the Bleachers frontman and the “Doin’ It” singer revealed that the tour had been cancelled.

Antonoff was the first to go onto Facebook to the break the news. He unveiled that as they were heading off to begin the second leg, he received a call from Charli XCX’s camp, which told him she couldn’t continue with the tour. He writes that she’s “a close friend” and “respects her as an artist,” so he respects her decision to leave the tour. He follow it up by revealing that he, and his team, had attempted to rework the show, but it was not working out. But with all the bad news, Antonoff did give fans a silver-lining; the cancellation meant that he and the rest of the guys of Bleachers would be able to return to the studio quicker.

Guess there really is always a silver-lining? Check out Antonoff’s Facebook post.

hi guys! as you might have JUST found out – unfortunately the second leg of “jack and charli do america” has been…

Posted by Bleachers on Friday, 21 August 2015

Almost immediately after Antonoff took to Facebook to post his lengthy explanation about the cancellation, Charli XCX took to her own Facebook page to post her own statement about the cancelled tour. In her statement, she explains that due to the “personal reason” (she needed to be creative), she decided to bow out of the co-headlining tour. She explains to her Facebook followers that she didn’t want to be “going through the motions” during a show and needed to “feel alive and like I [she] want to be there.” Her complete Facebook post can be seen below.

Dear angels, friends and fans. I have some bad news. Regrettably I will not be continuing my spot on the “Charli and…

Posted by Charli XCX on Friday, 21 August 2015

While the complete tour is now cancelled, both will join up once again on Sept. 19 for Antonoff’s Shadow Of The City Festival in New Jersey.

2015 MTVU Woodie Awards Announce a “fun.” Host

It looks like fun. guitarist Jack Antonoff can added another job to his long list of gigs; award show host.

Yesterday afternoon, MTV announced that the Bleachers frontman would be hosting this year’s mtvU Woodie Awards set to take place later this month.

The awards show, which primarily focuses on artists making an impact on college radio, is set to take place during this year’s South By Southwest (like every other year).

“It means a great deal to be hosting the Woodies because fun. played the Woodies before we had any success and the same for Bleachers last year,” Antonoff responded after the gig was announced.

“It’s been a platform for the two bands I’ve most recently been a part of to really go somewhere. I couldn’t be more excited to come back and host the show.”

Unlike the past years, the awards show will not only air live during a prime time spot on the network’s main channel, but will also be one hour-long, as opposed to the past when it not only pre-recorded,but also half an hour-long.

Nominees this year include Drake, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith , Childish Gambino and many more. For those wanting to vote on their favorite artists, the voting polls will close on Tuesday, March 10. The full list of nominees this year can be seen here.

The mtvU Woodie Awards will air live from SXSW on MTV on Friday, March 20 at 9 p.m. EST.

Bleachers to Hit the Road Again in Spring 2015

For Bleachers only being around for less than a year, we will be the first to admit that their 2014 has been one for the books.

And now the group, led by fun. guitarist Jack Antonoff, will be extending their good year into 2015.

Today, the band announced plans to go on tour in the Spring of 2015, but with one major difference; the group will be hitting up larger venues than earlier this year.

The tour which has been named the “Bleachers Come Alive!” Tour will begin on Mar. 4 at Vancouver’s The Rio theater and wrap up on Apr. 9 at New York City’s Terminal 5.

Check out the flyer for the band’s upcoming tour which will also feature Joywave and Night Terrors of 1927. We’ve also included a plain version of the tour dates if you can’t exactly see them on the poster.

BLEACHERS COME ALIVE! TOUR DATES:

March 4, 2015 – Vancouver, BC – The Rio Theatre
March 7, 2015 – Boulder, CO – Fox Theatre
March 11, 2015 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
March 12, 2015 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
March 13, 2015 – Tempe AZ, – Tempe Beach Park
March 14, 2015 – Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory
March 22, 2015 – Jacksonville Beach, FL – Freebird Live
March 24, 2015 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Culture Room
March 29, 2015 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
March 31, 2015 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theatre
April 1, 2015 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre
April 4, 2015 – Buffalo, NY – The Town Ballroom
April 7, 2015 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
April 9, 2015 – New York, NY – Terminal 5

Antonoff announced the creation of Bleachers at the beginning of the year which led to fans of fun. assuming he had left the band (of the band had broken up) that helped launch him to mainstream status. After reassuring them that both fun. and Bleachers were his “children,” they warmed up to the idea.

Bleachers then went on to release their debut record  Strange Desire, this past Summer.

Jack Antonoff Helps Taylor Swift “Out of the Woods”

While we are not exactly fans of Taylor Swift here, but we have to give her credit for finally figuring out that her days of being “country music’s sweetheart” are over and done and it’s time to embrace her pop star side.

With the release of “Shake it Off,” it became apparent that she finally did so and her “surprise” new album might be heading int hat direction.

Over the past few days, Swift has been making her rounds and revealing that she had a new single coming out titled “Out of the Woods” which was co-written by Jack Antonoff from fun. and Bleachers. The pop star released the track earlier than her anticipated midnight reveal, which of course made fans happy.

Check out the song below which has been uploaded and taken down so many times since its release that it’s becoming a game between the uploaders and the “copyright police” on YouTube. (Be aware, there’s a chance it might be down right now.)

“Out of the Woods” will join first single, “Shake it Off” on Swift’s new album 1989 which is set to hit stores on Oct. 27. 1989 will mark the pop star’s fifth studio album; her first official pop record.

Get a ‘Strange Desire’ with Bleachers

Bleachers, Jack Antonoff’s projects has release their debut album, Strange Desire. Like many artists have been doing lately, the guitarist is currently streaming the group’s album on Spotify for fans and others to listen to completely.

Three tracks from the album had previously been released including “Shadow” and “I Wanna Get Better.” The third track, “Like a River Runs” made its debut back at the end of June, a few days after fun. debuted a new song of their own, “Harsh Light” while performing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

If you’re feeling Antonoff’s new music, then don’t forget to check Bleachers out if they perform somewhere near you. The newly created act has already performed at Milwaukee’s Summerfest back in June and performed at the UK’s Wireless Festival at the beginning of the month. More dates are to come including stops at the Outside Land Music Festival in San Francisco, Boston Calling in (where else?) Boston and the ACL Music Festival in Austin.

Jack Antonoff NOT Leaving fun.

Fans of fun. have nothing to worry about because Jack Antonoff is not leaving the band. Ever since it was revealed that Antonoff had started another side band named Bleachers, speculations have begun online that the drummer/vocalist would be leaving the band to pursue Bleachers full-time.

After sensing the confusion among fans, Antonoff has taken to his blog to explain that he is not leaving the band even though he does explain that neither fun. nor Bleachers are a side project, because he frankly hates using the term. Antonoff’s full post can be read below and don’t forget, he’s been in this position before; remember his other group Steel Train?

“hi everyone!

it’s jack. i’ve been getting a lot of questions about Bleachers and felt like all of you deserves to hear about it directly from me. first off, i can’t thank you all enough for the amazing support. you’re my fucking favorite.

there is no world in which I’ve ever thought about leaving fun. my new project is not about one thing taking over another, its about adding something new to the equation. sometimes you go months without any good ideas, and then sometimes you are flooded with things you need to create. i’m sure a lot of you can relate to that in the work that you do. while on tour the past 2 years with fun. i started recording an album. i didn’t know what it was at the beginning. it was just happening. i’d go to the studio on off days, work all night in my hotel room, create time where there wasn’t any etc etc etc. i felt compelled to make bleachers exist during a time when it wasn’t necessarily ideal to do so. that’s something that’s special about the work you love – you don’t always get to chose when you need to do it.

neither bleachers or fun. are side projects. to be honest, i truly dislike the term ‘side project’ and I’ve been hearing it a lot lately. its a simple way of categorizing something that maybe isn’t simple or maybe shouldn’t be categorized at all. i’ve never been able to categorize or fully wrap my head around my love for fun., and now i feel the same way about bleachers as well. i don’t have kids, but it feels similar to the way people react when you ask them what its like to have a second kid. bleacher + fun. == my children. i’m so cheesy i hate myself!

i’ll put it this way – i plan on making the work i feel compelled to make for as long as I’m alive. i don’t think you would want it any other way even if it’s occasionally non traditional. but i do think you all deserve to know where my head is at for as long you as you all are being so supportive of me and my bands.

can’t wait for the months to come. gonna make a new fun. album, tour with bleachers and release the full album —- AND just new things all around. talk soon!

love,
jack”

Fun. Guitarist Writing Songs for Children’s Show

Fun. guitarist, Jack Antonoff, has something else to add to his resume right next to Grammy award winner, songwriter for children’s show. The guitarist will be lending his skill to the PBS children’s show Super WHY!  by writing an album’s worth of new material based on the theme, ‘you’ve got the power.’ The music will also appear on the program’s live tour this Spring.

“I produced and recorded the whole thing, and I must have written at least 15 songs,” Antonoff told Billboard, recently.

While this might come as a surprise to some, this isn’t his first time writing songs for a child’s program. He wrote a song titled, “It’s Fun to Dance” for Nick Jr.’s hit television show, Yo Gabba Gabba! For those not familiar with the show, a long list of musicians have appeared on the program, performing original songs aimed for children, but it doesn’t stop adults from watching the program for their favorite bands.

Antonoff’s former band, Steel Train, even performed the song live when the show went on its live tour. “We played it on tour every night for thousands of little kids and it was a wonderful experience to do that,” he said about his experience on the Yo Gabba Gabba! Live tour.

Fun. is currently in the middle of their Some Nights tour all the way through October with opening act, Tegan and Sara. The Super Why! tour will begin its run on April 2 and visit 27 cities.