RAGE AND GIRL TALK
The big news about the just-announced Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival lineup is that Rage Against the Machine is finally reuniting for the April festival in Indio, Calif.
Not only has the political rap-metal band from L.A. been out of action for seven years, but fiery frontman Zack de la Rocha has been MIA for the entire Bush administration and the War on Terror. You would have thought he'd have a few things to get off his mind.
The local angle is that mashup artist Girl Talk, recently featured in the Boston Globe, will be representing Pittsburgh, most likely in some late-night party capacity.
Among the others on the massive three-day bill are The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bjork, The Arcade Fire, Interpol, Willie Nelson, The Decemberists, Arctic Monkeys, Roots, Sonic Youth, New Pornographers, Lily Allen, Lupe Fiasco, Ghostface Killah, Fountains of Wayne, Regina Spektor and a reunion of Crowded House.
Coachella happens April 27-29. Tickets are $85 per day; $249 for a three-day pass. They go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster outlets and www.ticketmaster.com. For more details, go to www.coachella.com.
BILLY WINS
Billy Price has won the award for best "Blues Singer -- Male" at Blues Critic: The Online Home of Blues and Southern Soul. In what the site called the closest race of the contest, Price edged out Watermelon Slim and Jackie Payne, plus other nominees Tab Benoit, Frankie Lee, Preston Shannon, Robert Cray, Eddie Kirkland and Willie Walker.
Best Album went to Watermelon Slim, Best New Artist Debut was James Hunter and Female Singer was Janiva Magness. To see the full list, go to www.bluescritic.com/2006contemporarybluesawards.htm.
Everlife is flying high.
EVERLIFE
Teen People might come later, but for now, the members of Everlife are happy to be on the March cover of the American Airlines in-flight magazine "Attractions."
The pop trio of sisters originally from Indiana, Pa., will release a debut CD on Hollywood/Buena Vista Records on Feb 20.
BETTER SONGS
Songwriting is the subject of the next Undercurrents School of Rock free music business Networking Party taking place Monday at 7 p.m. at Moondog's, Blawnox. There will be an "In the Round" presentation including Clark Slater and Anthony Rankin. It will be followed by an acoustic open stage. Call 412-828-2040.
YOUTUBE GEM
Yet another reason to love YouTube is the posting of long-lost video clip of The Cynics performing at the In Pittsburgh Music Awards in 1990.
It's an unplugged performance of "The Room," with a perfect vocal and great mugging by Michael Kastelic and compelling backup work from cellist Erin Snyder and guitarist Gregg Kostelich. The song is timeless enough that if it were in black and white, it would look like an old Ed Sullivan Show clip.
It's hard to believe now that this event from the Syria Mosque was actually televised in prime time by KDKA. What a showcase it was for local music.
To see the clip, go to www.youtube.com and type "In Pittsburgh Music Awards."
RIP, Syria Mosque and IP Newsweekly.
-- Scott Mervis
First Published: January 25, 2007, 5:00 a.m.
