Dying Fetus Reign Supreme Album Out Tomorrow-Streaming Link, Contest & Tour Dates

DYING FETUS' new album Reign Supreme will receive its long awaited release tomorrow June 19th via Relapse Records. Today Metal Sucks is hosting an exclusive full album stream of Reign Supreme. Check out the entire record HERE  and be sure to order your copy HERE.


Reign Supreme should find its place in any avid fan of technical/brutal death metal fan's collection
-Metal Injection-

The originators of deathcore are clearly here to stay.
-Stereo Killer-

ChiIL Live Shows was set to do a video interview with Dying Fetus, when they played Reggies' in Chicago last week, but a 9 year with the stomach flu put a wrench in the works at the final hour.   Things were pretty sick around here, and not in the good way.....We'll make it up to you next time you swing through Chi-Town.   We do have a sweet video interview and live show shots with their openers, Revocation, from their Ultra Lounge & Bottom Lounge gigs a few months back.

Reign Supreme features nine tracks and is a "return to roots" with production focused slightly more on slam than in the band's last few works.  Thematically, the album is set to be a good old-fashioned piece of social and political commentary in the style of DYING FETUS as we have come to know.

The band recently completed work on a video for the song "From Womb to Waste". The video features 12 camera angles from a recent live show at Maryland Deathfest held at Sonar in Baltimore, MD. The video was filmed and directed by Scott Hansen (Animals as Leaders, A Day to Remember).   Check it out.




Alternative Press Magazine is hosting an exclusive giveaway of a DYING FETUS ESP LTD guitar. The grand prize also includes a deluxe copy of Reign Supreme and a DYING FETUS t-shirt. Two additional winners will be chosen to receive a copy of Reign Supreme. To enter the contest, visit the giveaway page HERE.

DYING FETUS are currently on tour supporting Reign Supreme. Currently they are taking part in the "18 Nights of Blood Tour" with label mates REVOCATION and Six Feet Under. Immediately following those tour dates the band will head to back to Europe for a headlining run as well as additional festival dates including the "With Full Force" festival in Roitzschjora, Germany, "Sevilla Rock Festival" in Sevilla, Spain and the "Getaway Rock Fest" in Gävle, Sweden.

In More DYING FETUS tour news the band has just confirmed the dates for "The Womb to Waste" headlining European tour. The tour will kick off September 14th in Lindau, Germany and runs through October 14th in Aarschot, Belgium. Support on the tour will come from label mates REVOCATION, Job For a Cowboy and Cerebral Bore. A complete list of dates can be found below.

For updates on DYING FETUS visit their Facebook page.

DYING FETUS on Tour With REVOCATION and Six Feet Under
6/20: Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven
6/21: Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater
6/22: Oakland, CA @ Oakland Metro Operahouse
6/24: West Hollywood, CA @ The Whisky
6/26: El Paso, TX @ House of Rock
6/27: Houston, TX @ Scout Bar
 
EUROPEAN TOUR
6/29: Roitzschjora, Germany @ With Full Force*
7/1: Badalona, Spain @ Estraperlo Club
7/2: Madrid, Spain @ Ritmo Y Compas 
7/3: Almería, Spain @ Sala Jala Jala 
7/4: Sevilla, Spain @ Sevilla Rock*
7/6: Gävle, Sweden @ Getaway Rock Fest*   
 
"The Womb to Waste" European Tour
9/14: Lindau, Germany @ Club Vaudeville
9/15: Genève, Switzerland @ L'Usine
9/16: Brighton, UK @ Concorde2
9/17: Norwich, UK @ Waterfront
9/18: Birmingham, UK @ O2 Academy 2
9/19: Reading, UK @ Sub89
9/20: Manchester, UK @ Club Academy
9/21: Glasgow, UK @ Cathouse
9/22: Dublin, Ireland @ The Pint
9/23: London, UK @ Underworld
9/24: Paris, France @ Divan Du Monde
9/25: Nijmegen, Holland @ Doornroosje
9/26: Hamburg, Germany @ Markthalle
9/27: Malmö, Sweden @ KB
9/28: Gothenburg, Sweden @ Sticky Fingers
9/29: Stockholm, Sweden @ Klubben
10/1: Helsinki, Finland @ Tavastia
10/3: Copenhagen, Denmark @ Vega
10/4: Berlin, Germany @ C-Club
10/5: Würzburg, Germany @ Posthalle, Hell Inside Fest
10/6: Jena, Germany @ F-Haus
10/7: Prague, Czech Republic @ Hoodoo club
10/8: München, Germany @ Backstage
10/9: Wien, Austria @ Arena
10/10: Ljubljana, Slovenia @ Gala Hala / Kino Siska
10/11: Legnano (Milano), Italy @ Land Of Live Club
10/12: Aarau, Switzerland @ Kiff
10/13: Essen, Germany @ Turock
10/14: Aarschot, Belgium @ De Klinker
 
*Denotes Festival Appearance

APOCALYPTIC NIGHTMARE JOURNEY-book release kick off in Chicago 6/19

M. SHAWN CRAHAN VISIONARY AND PERCUSSIONIST FOR THE GRAMMY-WINNING, MULTI-PLATINUM GROUP SLIPKNOT, ANNOUNCES

‘THE APOCALYPTIC NIGHTMARE JOURNEY’

BOOK TOUR FIRST-EVER ART BOOK COLLECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHY

RELEASED EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH MTV BOOKS

STARTING JUNE 19

Step inside the APOCALYPTIC NIGHTMARE JOURNEY…
 
From the mind of M. SHAWN CRAHAN aka clown--the founder and visionary behind one of the biggest hard rock bands in the world, the multi-platinum, Grammy-winning Slipknot--comes APOCALYPTIC NIGHTMARE JOURNEY. His first-ever art book collection of photography, the APOCALYPTIC NIGHTMARE JOURNEY will be released exclusively through MTV Books beginning June 19 worldwide. As M. Shawn Crahan prepares to hit the road with Slipknot on June 30 as the headlining act on the Rockstar Mayhem Festival and the newly announced Knotfest, August 17 and 18, he’ll launch a series of book signings/Q&A’s in select cities; see list below.

The book tour will kick off in Chicago, IL (6.19 The Abbey) and visit the following U.S. cities including Madison, WI (6.21 Barnes & Noble), W. Des Moines, IA (6.23 Barnes & Noble), Overland Park, KS (Kansas City-6.24 Barnes & Noble), Omaha, NE (6.25 Barnes & Noble), Los Angeles, CA (6.29 Book Soup), Tempe, AZ (7.5 Changing Hands Bookstore) and Ridgewood, NJ (7.26 Bookends), with more to be announced.

APOCALYPTIC NIGHTMARE JOURNEY is an art book collection with over eleven years of manipulated medium format Polaroids, each an exploration in darkness and light and a representation of Crahan’s second and equally powerful artistic outlet. Weird, wired, paranoid, and endlessly imaginative,  ANJ is Shawn’s hand-picked collection of over 187 giant, never-before-seen images in numerous styles.

Lars Ulrich of Metallica penned the forward for Apocalyptic Nightmare Journey after seeing M. Shawn Crahan’s photography at a gallery show. From Ulrich’s forward:

“Let go of the bungee cord, do away with the safety net. Just go for it, and let the journey take you wherever the journey’s going to take you. And as you’re going on that trip through this book, occasionally imagine clown next to you. Imagine hearing his voice in your head talking about what these images and experiences have meant to him and where he was going with it. And you will end up on one fuck of a ride, that I can guarantee you will be unique, spellbinding, and potentially life altering. This book is everything that art should be.”

www.apocalypticnightmare.com/photobooks

http://www.facebook.com/MShawnCrahan
Check out a digital preview of the first 25 pages of the book on Facebook

http://twitter.com/#!/MShawnCrahan

 

Current dates for M. Shawn Crahan’s  APOCALYPTIC NIGHTMARE JOURNEY book tour:

DATE             CITY                           BOOK STORE                                 TIME

Jun 19            Chicago, IL                The Abbey                                         6:00 pm, Free         

Jun 21            Madison, WI              Barnes & Noble                                  7:00pm, Free          

Jun 23            W. Des Moines, IA   Barnes & Noble                                    5:00pm, Free          

Jun 24            Overland Park, KS   Barnes & Noble                                   5:00pm, Free          

Jun 25            Omaha, NE               Barnes & Noble                                  7:00pm, Free          

Jun 29            Los Angeles, CA      Book Soup on Sunset                         7:00pm, Free          

Jul 05             Tempe, AZ                Changing Hands Bookstore                7:00pm, Free          

Jul 26             Ridgewood, NJ         Bookends                                            7:00pm, Free

Play Locally--We Want Uke-Ukefest 7/7

Chicago Ukulele Cabaret Presents: 

The 3rd Annual Great Midwest Ukefest!

   Four String Fireworks to Benefit Local Music Education
.          

From Traditional to Extreme and Everything In-Between


*Lanialoha Lee*

* Bone and Bell*

*Harrison Street Ukulele Players*

*Heavy Boxes*

*Jeffrey Weisfeld Combo*

*Hee Haw*
         

*Discarded Pearls*

*Vic Miguel*

*Troy Martin*

*Uke Skywalker & Tuba The Hutt (all the way from PA!)* 
                                                              

Plus 5 hour afternoon Open-Mic and morning Power Strums 101 Workshop
 
Saturday, July 7, 2012



11 AM-11:00 PM



Chief O’Neill’s Pub and Restaurant



3471 North Elston Avenue



Admission: $10 Adults, $7 Kids  

Under 5 FREE

   

                                                                            

Power Strums 101 Workshop with Lanialoha Lee:  $10 
 

proceeds to benefit The Intonation Music Workshop-a local non-profit organization providing band-based music education to children in Chicago’s under-served neighborhoods.


 


The Chicago Ukulele Cabaret will once again kick off post-July 4th weekend with a 4-string bang at its 3rd Annual Festival. Part curated showcase and part open-mic, this all day fest allows everyone to participate while showcasing several featured performers in full sets. 

As always, the show will offer something for everyone, from traditional players, to classical virtuosos, to full band and indie rock interpretations. Building on the success of last year's outing, organizers this year are adding an 11:00 AM Powerstrums 101 workshop with The Old Town School of Folk Music's Lanialoha Lee.  

The afternoon will include a 5-hour open mic session, and the curated evening show will feature full sets from perennial cabaret favorites such as Lanialoha Lee, Bone and Bell, Heavy Boxes, Harrison Street Ukulele Players, Jeffrey Weisfeld Combo, Hee Haw, Discarded Pearls, Vic Miguel, Troy Martin, and many more!




All are welcome to perform during our five hour open mic segment from 1:00-6:00 PM.



  Interested acts for the open-mic should RSVP to ukechicago@gmail.com

.  Click here to 
Buy Tickets in Advance.

Dralion Video Interview-ChiIL Live Shows Chats With Cirque du Soleil

We thoroughly enjoyed catching up with Vanessa Napoli, Senior PR Spokesperson for Cirque du Soleil's Touring Shows.    She gave us the scoop on Dralion, opening at Allstate Arena this Wednesday, June 20th, then playing at United Center the following week.   Check out our original interview above, interspersed with Dralion live show clips, courtesy of Cirque du Soleil.   We'll be there for opening night and will have a full show review up shortly thereafter.    

  

If you missed it earlier, we also had the opportunity to interview Dralion's talented and charming young acro-juggler, Vladik.   Click here to check out our original interview with him.

One of the questions I asked Vanessa was about Cirque du Soleil's history of philanthropic partnerships in the cities they visit.  She told us they do usually try to partner up with local circus arts organizations, especially deserving non profits, but she didn't have specific details at the time.  We just got word that Dralion has indeed donated tickets to Chicago's CircEsteeem, so their young team and pre-team performers can catch the show.  They will also be running some special workshops with the CircEsteem kids!   Unfortunately, we'll be out of town shooting a travel piece, but if we can find another shooter, and if Dralion green lights it, we'll share stills and video from the workshop here as well.

Make 2012--The Chinese Year of the Dragon one to remember for your family! 

Catch Dralion performances in Rosemont at Allstate Arena (June 20-24) and Chicago at United Center (June 27-July 1).   Click here for tickets and more information.

Play Locally-Hot Happenings for the Weekend-6 CORNERS BBQ FEST & STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG

6 Corners BBQ Fest

Family Friendly Fun, Meaty Goodness, Film Festival, Great Tunes including Voodoo Kings at 6pm.....and More.   Click here for the FULL FEST SCHEDULE.

Chicago Filmmakers
is proud to screen a selection of digital shorts and 16mm films on
Saturday, June 16, at the Portage Theater, 4050 N. Milwaukee Ave.,
during BBQ Fest.  First up at Noon is a collection of films created by
youth in our Summer Digital Moviemaking Camps.
Following at  2 p.m., we will screen films from our collection by
Chicago’s own Tom Palazzolo including ‘At Maxwell Street’, ‘Jerry’s',
and ‘Ricky and Rocky’.  Join us to learn more about our summer youth
classes, film classes for adults, and other ways to get involved. For
additional information visit us at www.chicagofilmmakers.org

Bands

For the 6 Corners BBQ Fest, they strive to give you original talent,
and feature as many local bands as they can.

Saturday, June 16: Main Stage (on Milwaukee at Irving)

Waco Brothers: Saturday’s headliner

12:30: The Shams Band (We've given away their CD's to our readers, and shots stills and video of The Shams Band for years, and they're one of our local favs!    Search The Shams Band in our blog side bar for our past photo filled features, then get out and see them live TODAY!)

2:30 Four Star Brassband

4:30 Future Laureates (We've given away their CD's to our readers as well.   Future Laureates rock.)

6:30 Voodoo Kings (Highly recommended!  Check 'em out.   *Our freaky bit of family Voodoo from this week "AKA:  pix disappeared, but we got the tee shirt!"--Dug is on a shoot down in New Orleans and took a phone photo at Marie Laveau's House of Voodoo and sent it to us.    It didn't go through.   The same day, Du-Jay and I moved boxes around in the basement to make room for a new water meter and found a t-shirt on the floor under one from...you guessed it Maria Laveau's House of Voodoo.   It had been buried there for over TEN YEARS!   I pulled it out, washed it, and wore it.   When Dug called to ask how we like the picture we said "What picture?!"   Imagine our surprise when we finally saw the photo a day later!)

8:30 Waco Brothers

North Stage (On Milwaukee at Belle Plaine)

7:30 p.m. Polkaholics

(Another of our local favs.   Dare you not to dance.   Polkaholics are good time for all ages!)

Sunday, June 17: Main Stage (on Milwaukee at Irving)

A hometown band opening on Sunday

1:00 Old Irving

3:00 Andrew Diehl and the Nightmen

5:00 Magic Box

7:00 Brighton, MA

North Stage (On Milwaukee at Belle Plaine)

6: 00 Charlie Baran & The Groupo Gringo 

STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG

7:30pm at Bank of America Theatre

Yay!   Puppets behaving badly....one of my favorite genres.  This is one for the big kids AKA:  adults & 17+.   I've got my ticket, do YOU?    They're only in town through Sunday so get your act together and go already.    Stuffed and Unstrung is part of the TBS Just for Laughs Chicago comedy festival and also presented by Broadway in Chicago.    

If anyone needs to get out and see an R rated puppet show, it's parents of young children.    Sure, the childless and the hipsters can come too.....   But parents REALLY need a good old raunchy remedy for all the saccharine sweet, PC pablum we put up with in the name of entertaining our littles.   So book a sitter and come on out for laugh.   YOU deserve it.

Check out our full prior write up on Stuffed and Unstrung, including a video clip, by clicking right here.

National Theatre of Great Britain's Frankenstein a Must See at Music Box #review

Frankenstein--dark, dazzling & macabre

2012 TONY© AWARD-NOMINATED ONE MAN TWO GUVNORS, JUNE 16 & 21, AND DANNY BOYLE’S SMASH STAGE PRODUCTION OF FRANKENSTEIN, STARRING JONNY LEE MILLER & BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH, JUNE 18-19, & JULY 22, 25-26!

Check out our prior coverage including all the Music Box/ National Theatre show details HERE.

We were super stoked to have an advanced press sneak peek at Frankenstein (Version 2) Jonny Lee Miller as The Creature; Benedict Cumberbatch as Victor Frankenstein (2h 5m).   Pure theatre geeks will want to check out both versions, documented in this fabulous flip flop of leading roles.   We could only make the second version, but chatted up other critics who saw both and they personally preferred the second.   

Coincidentally, both actors are currently playing TV versions of Sherlock Holmes, and word is both did stellar jobs alternating in the stage roles of The Creature and Victor Frankenstein.  We thoroughly enjoyed Jonny Lee Miller's Creature, who embodied both the innocence and wonder and the vengeful fury of a toddler thwarted.  The brief "making of" documentary at the beginning was also an intriguing and informative high point and a welcome prelude.   

We've been doing a long form exploration via video interviews on How Creatives Parent and How Parents Create at ChiIL Mama/ChiIL Live Shows.   This was a stellar example of what we've been discovering.   Producing a new human changes you on a fundamental physical and mental level and flows through creative work in a vital way.  Miller said there was a lot of his two year old that went into his depiction, and it showed.   Even the initial entrance of The Creature was so birth like, as he emerged into this world.

By contrast, the others who saw Cumberbatch's Creature said his characterization was much more lurchy and marionette like.  The actors also studied stroke victims and those recovering from accidents, doing physical and speech therapy to regain control of their adult bodies, which also manifested in the physical characterization.   All in all, this challenging role was handled with impressive finesse.   

We were also quite impressed with the set design, lighting, costumes and make up.   The choices were unique and added much to the caliber of the show as a whole.   Sometimes it's hard to capture the immediacy and intimacy of live theatre on film, but the camera work is phenomenal and the show is still compelling on screen.  We liked the steam punk costume choices for the villagers.  The mob made a symbolically and visually impressive entrance when they first met The Creature, on their noisy, industrial, gear laden contraption.    

The Creature more closely resembles a man than a big green monster, but the play painfully and poignantly showcases the monstrous nature within man.   Mentally and emotionally this adaptation is more true to Shelley's book than most other Frankenstein movies and screen plays, but even more cynical and crackling with dark intensity.  The multilayered characters, excellent plot twists, and psychological and moral conundrums have us still thinking about the show days later.   Highly recommended.

We had planned to catch a press preview of One Man, Two Guvnors, too, but I ended up making an emergency trip to the vet instead, as my 110lb Akita was yelping in pain.   Fortunately it turned out to be a pinched neck nerve, so very painful but nothing lethal.   However, sometimes family....even the creatures under our care, have to take precedence.

Music Box tickets for all 3 shows are priced at $15 (advance), $18 (day of), and $20 to see both Frankenstein versions (advance sale only).  They can be purchased at the Music Box Theatre box office or online by clicking here.

The Music Box Theatre, Chicago’s year round film festival located at 3733 N. Southport Avenue, is proud to present limited engagement screenings of two National Theatre of Great Britain hits this summer:  the 2012 multiple Tony Award-nominated One Man Two Guvnors, featuring the current Broadway cast that transferred from the National, and Danny Boyle's smash hit stage production of Frankenstein, starring Jonny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch, who alternate in the roles of The Creature and Victor Frankenstein.   

*Can't make the Music Box dates?   You've got one more chance at Northwestern.
SAVE 20% ON THE NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE BROADCAST OF FRANKENSTEIN!
June 26 & July 24, 2012

Oscar-winner Danny Boyle (127 Hours, Slumdog Millionaire) returned to the theatre to direct this visionary production with Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller in alternating roles of Frankenstein and the Creature. It will return to cinemas worldwide this summer for a limited season of encore screenings, with two broadcasts at the Theater and Interpretation Center at Northwestern University: Tue, Jun 26, 7pm & Tue, Jul 24, 7pm.  The broadcasts will be held in the Ethel M. Barber Theater, 30 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston.  Mention code NUNTL and save 20% on full-price tickets (valid on advance purchase only).  (847) 491-7282 or  buy online!




Dueling Sherlocks


Can't get enough of JONNY LEE MILLER & BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH playing the same characters?


People on both sides of "the pond" and around the world dig Cumberbatch's Sherlock Holmes, on the BBC series of the same name.   A third series of the contemporary take on the timeless characters is slated for 2013.
 

This fall, CBS is set to unveil a new modern day version of Sherlock Holmes, "Elementary," set in New York and starring Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu.   Check out the trailer here.


The Show


On Air:
Thursdays 10/9c

 

Starring:
Jonny Lee Miller (Sherlock Holmes)

Lucy Liu (Joan Watson)

Aidan Quinn (Captain Tobias Gregson)

 

Executive Producers:
Rob Doherty

Sarah Timberman

Carl Beverly

Michael Cuesta

 

In a modern-day take on Sherlock Holmes, the iconic detective is taking on New York. Just out of rehab, he's been assigned to live with his worst nightmare-sober coach, Dr. Joan Watson. Holmes's unsurpassed skills of deduction and Watson's medical expertise come together to create a dream team for solving the NYPD's most impossible cases.


 

Seven Foot Bike Guy, Nick-TBS Just for Laughs Chicago (HD Vid Interview)

Check out our original HD video interview with Nick, owner of Sundance Bikes of South Carolina.   He created this rockin' SEVEN FOOT TALL BIKE and he's been ridin' high and makin' friends.    Why settle for a fixie when you can DIY up a fun, funky, true original!