Yeasayer remix Florence and the Machine’s ‘Dog Days Are Over’

Florence and the Machine - still flying high on Lungs.

Yeasayer, one of my favourite bands of the past year, have remixed Florence and the Machine’sDog Days Are Over – listen to it here. (via Pitchfork)

In further Florence news, the amazingly successful Lungs (the BBC in particular loooove Florence, using her music on all their promos) will be re-issued on 15th November 2010, with new artwork and sleeve notes, plus a bonus 10-track second disc:

1.Heavy In Your Arms (from Eclipse soundtrack)
2.You’ve Got The Dirtee Love (with Dizzee Rascal)
3.Hurricane Drunk (The Horrors Remix)
4.Strangeness & Charm (Live from Hammersmith Apollo)
5.Swimming (Live From Hammersmith Apollo)
6.Dog Days Are Over (Yeasayer Remix)
7.Drumming Song (acoustic live from The Roundhouse)
8.Girl With One Eye (acoustic live from The Roundhouse)
9.Hurricane Drunk (acoustic live from The Roundhouse)
10.Dog Days Are Over (acoustic live from The Roundhouse)
11.My Boy Builds Coffins (acoustic live from The Roundhouse)
12.Hospital Beds (acoustic live from The Roundhouse)

Florence and the Machine @ Rohstofflager 10.03.10

I’m going to hazard a (totally unsubstantiated) guess here and say that Florence and the Machine’s debut album  Lungs is named so because of Florence’s massive set of lungs – that woman sure can belt out a tune. Delicate but primal, vociferous but eloquent, Florence and her band of merry man and women (The Machine to Florence’s fey Kate Bush-scapades) played a beguiling set of almost-instant favourites. I think half of the English-speaking community of Zurich was there for Florence – all around me I heard English, Irish, and American accents, with only a smattering of German.

Last time I saw Florence at the Mascotte last year, she was an Amazon in skyscraper heels and a batwinged leotard, but tonight she was barefoot and freeflowing, a more relaxed, confident performer, assured and graceful as she banged away stridently on her drum. Modest and sweet, Florence seemed genuinely overwhelmed by the love that was pouring forth for her that night (although I’m sure Zurich is not alone in its passion for her, the woman and her machine are playing almost every festival, on every continent, it seems).

Given the current ubiquity of almost all the songs on Lungs (the BBC in particular loves to use their tracks to soundtrack their ads and moments of sporting glory), Florence et al’s reportoire still sounded fresh and exciting, with the usually staid Zurich crowd up on their feet and jumping. Tom Monger, the Robert Smith-lookalike playing the harp was wonderful, his fragile notes and unassuming gaze capturing the crowd’s attention every time he leaned the massive harp back against his shoulder to play.

It was snowing gently when we came out of the building, tiny soft flakes drifting down through the neon lights, a quietness settling over the streets. Ears ringing, it was the perfect come-down from an energetic, vibrant evening.

Gurten Festival line-up released

Here we go – the major line-up for this year’s Gurten Festival!

A pretty solid-if-safe, line-up, I think. Florence and the Machine, Empire of the Sun, Archive, Gossip and John Butler Trio would be my picks. More acts likely to be announced soon.

Schedule so far:

Thursday 15 July 2010 - Babyshambles, Bad Religion, Empire Of The Sun, An Horse
Friday, 16 July 2010 - Faith No More, Gossip, Charlie Winston, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Skindred
Saturday 17 July 2010 - The Kooks, Archive,  John Butler Trio, Huecco, Chase & Satus (live)
Sunday 18 July 2010 – Amy Macdonald, Skunk Anansie, Florence & The Machine, Xavier Rudd, Milow, The Parlotones

Programme for the Forest Stage and all other Swiss bands announced on Friday 26th March 2010

Zurich live news 24.02.2010

The Yeasayer boys cooking up some experimental noise

Some good stuff coming to Zurich in the near future – go get those tickets!

NEW – Updated Zurich live news here.

On Tour – Florence and The Machine, Yeasayer, The National

  • The National – North America and Europe (Paris show with Pavement) – I got tix to both Berlin and London shows, is that crazy???
  • Yeasayer - On tour, coming to Zurich @ Club Zukunft 12 March 2010
  • Placebo – Unconfirmed, but pretty definite, touring Chile (10 April), Brasil (08 April) and Argentina (12 April) in April

Upcoming live gigs

I’ve got quite a few gigs coming up in Zurich the next few weeks, and one in Strasbourg (my faves, The XX!) and that makes me a very very happy girl. Here’s what I’m seeing: