Story by Charles Ken

Alternative rockers Weezer will host their second Weezer Cruise in 2014

Last year, Weezer kicked off their inaugural Weezer Cruise, featuring the band and some friends performing live across the high seas. Now, the band has announced that they’re bringing the cruise back for a second year, and the event is scheduled to set sail from February 13 through 17 in 2014, according to a post on the cruise’s official website.

The Weezer Cruise will offer fans the opportunity to see the beloved alternative rock band, as well as a group of yet-to-be-announced acts, rock sets on the Carnival Fascination cruise as it makes its way from Jacksonville, Fla., to the Caribbean, with major stops at Freeport and Nassau in the Bahamas.

On top of the live performances, the cruise will offer various games and activities, as well as a place to meet Weezer and hang for a bit. As for offshore activities, Weezer plan to host a private island beach party in Nassau during the cruise cycle.

Those wishing to set sail with Weezer will be set back $599 per person. Pre-sale tickets for the cruise will be for sale beginning on March 20, and general sale tickets will be available the following day.

Story by Charles Ken

Alternative acts Weezer, Passion Pit and fun. will play the 2013 RBC

Those who enjoy a trip up to Canada plus a good dose of alternative rock may want to check out the 2013 edition of Ottawa’s RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest. A collection of alternative-minded acts have been announced for the festival, which runs this summer, including Weezer, Passion Pit, fun., Alex Clare and She & Him, as well as classic prog-rockers Rush. The festival is scheduled to happen from July 4 through July 14, so it’s over a week of festivities.

As for the specific dates, performances will happen each day, except for July 9. Alex Clare will kick off the festival on July 4; followed by She & Him on July 5; fun. and Tegan and Sara will perform on July 7; Rush will rock it on July 8; Weezer and Passion Pit will bring their alternative sounds to the festival on July 10; and Björk will perform on July 13. It’s a high-profile festival, in that the the Bluesfest, which takes place in the LeBreton Flats section of Ottawa, is Canada’s biggest blues festival.

In addition to the headlining acts, the full lineup for the RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest is on target to be announced sometime in April.  For more information on the festival and to find out how to purchase tickets, visit the festival’s official website.

Story by Anne Erickson

New cartoon rock supergroup is in the works

Velvet Revolver guitarist Dave Kushner has put together a new side project, and it’s a cartoon rock supergroup of sorts called PusherJones. The band brings together Kushner, Weezer bass player Scott Shriner, Queens of the Stone Age drummer Joey Castillo, Camp Freddy singer Frankie Perez and, for the cartoon magic, The Simpsons‘ creative director Dave Warren.

Kushner says he got inspiration for the band from the original cartoon band, Gorillaz. “The original concept was for a Gorillaz-type thing,” he told Rolling Stone. “Basically, me and Dave Warren became friends through Don Bernstein, who used to buy all the memorabilia for the Hard Rock. Dave worked on The Simpsons, and then he and I started talking about stories and different ideas. It eventually became an idea for a TV show, but then we thought, ‘The music has to be as good as the animation.’”

Fans can stream PusherJones’ debut single, “Count Me Out,” via Rolling Stone. As for the story behind the song, Kushner explained that, “[‘Count Me Out’ is] basically about a big, notorious rock band, and there’s a new guy that’s coming into the band. You’re basically seeing all of the dysfunction and insanity, and the things that make for great rock bands through the eyes of the new guy. A lot of it has been based on different stuff that has happened to me or stuff I’ve heard being in Velvet Revolver for eight years.”

“Count Me Out” will appear on the forthcoming soundtrack for The Avengers. In addition, Kushner promises to release a five-song EP with the group sometime this year.

Story by Anne Erickson

Cincinnati-based music festival features oodles of alternative rock bands

Call it an alternative rock haven. The early lineup for the debut Bunbury Music Festival has been released, and the bill features a flock of high-profile alternative acts. Bands booked to perform include Weezer, Death Cab For Cutie, Manchester Orchestra, Foxy Shazam, Minus the Bear, Kevin Devine and more. The festival takes place July 13 through 15 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

As for the schedule, Friday, July 13, has Jane’s Addiction headlining, with additional entertainment from Airborne Toxic Event, Minus the Bear, O.A.R, Foxy Shazam, Ra Ra Riot, All Get Out, Matt Pryor and more. Saturday, July 14, has Weezer at the top of the bill, with other performers including Gym Class Heroes, Manchester Orchestra, GroupLove, Dan Deacon, Jukebox the Ghost and more. Sunday, July 15, counts Death Cab for Cutie headlining, alongside City and Colour, Motion City Soundtrack, Guided By Voices, Maps & Atlases, Seedy Seeds and others. For the complete lineup and ticket information, check out the festival’s official site.

“I Like It” rockers Foxy Shazam recently checked in to talk about the band’s mounting success. The Cincinnati guys are one of the hottest live shows on the market right now, and pianist Sky White says even though the band have ballooned in exposure over the past few months, they’re used to playing a jam-packed tour schedule.

“It’s really weird, because we’re literally doing almost the same thing, but just more of it!” he said. “We’ve been touring forever. We’ve been playing 200 to 300 shows a year since we were 16 years old. But right now, we’re doing the same thing but, it’s at bigger venues, and people are showing up. Rather than just talking to kids out in front of the venue, we’re talking to people at radio stations and kids outside of the venue.”

Story by Cat Badra

Weezer singer pays tribute to the Pinkerton era with Alone III

Weezer crooner Rivers Cuomo took to his official website this week to announce the upcoming release of Alone III, a collection certainly of interest to any true fan of the punk-pop darling. Alone III, which arrives Dec. 12, will include The Pinkerton Diaries, a 237-page book that combines Cuomo’s “journals, emails, letters, photos, and school papers, everything from those years ’94-’97,” of the Pinkerton era, a time known for taking the sunny, alternative pop-oriented group down a darker, scrappier road.

The book, available at Cuomo’s website, provides “an inside look as to exactly what I was thinking” during the recording of that landmark album, with “an intimate look into the writing and recordings of Rivers Cuomo from 1994-1997.”

For more of a picture of what to expect, the site explains the book “is an intimate ride along on the journey as Rivers goes from playing an empty club with Weezer to selling millions of records and touring all over the world – then willingly trades the life of a rock star for the life of a Harvard undergrad.” Sounds enticing, right? If you’re on the fence, not that the first 500 orders include a limited-edition poster signed by Cuomo, so you might want to hurry up.

The 26-track Alone III features early, rough demos from 1994-1997. If it’s all a bit too much Weezer for you to handle, an additional, web-only premium pack is also available, complete with a 20×40 Pinkerton lithograph, a black t-shirt featuring a 1996 Cuomo photo and a Pinkerton Diaries postcard set. Find the full track listing for Alone III on Cuomo’s page.

Story by Charles Ken

Electro house DJ Steve Aoki readies album featuring members of Weezer, Blink-182

Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo and Blink-182’s Travis Barker have teamed up with electro house mainstay Steve Aoki for a few tracks on Aoki’s upcoming, debut album, Wonderland, out this winter. Aoki recently released the album’s lead single, “Earthquakey People,” featuring Cuomo on vocals. Part of the proceeds from the song will be donated to Music for Relief, a grassroots organization spearheaded by Linkin Park that supports disaster relief and reducing global warming.

So, what does Rivers’ voice sound completely embedded in trippy beats and vibes? Check out the very dance-able combination of, “Earthquackey People,” below. Cuomo’s happy, upbeat vocals perfectly compliment Aoki’s high-energy beats: “Earthquakey people, jump around. Nothing they can do or say to bring us down. Get ready to shake with the power of sound,” Cuomo sings.

With Wonderland, Aoki — a DJ, producer and founder of the Dim Mak lifestyle business — didn’t settle for second best. His collaborations on the release include Cuomo, Barker, Wynter Gordon, LMFAO and Afrojack, and the result is a pop-alternative dance masterpiece. Aoki’s previous remixes include a variety of popular alternative, rock and pop songs: Chris Cornell’s “Part of Me,” Michael Jackson’s “Dancin’ Machine,” The Killers’ “Spacemen,” Weezer’s “I Want You To,” Kid Cudi’s  ”Pursuit of Happiness” (featuring MGMT & Ratatat) and the All American Rejects’ “The Wind Blows,” to name some. Get ready for a pounding, catchy collection of alterative-tinged songs when Wonderland penetrates the globe. The album’s release date is expected to be announced soon. (Photo: Weezer via Facebook.)

Watch Steve Aoki’s Video for, ‘Earthquakey People,’ Featuring Weezer’s River Cuomo

The Weezer Cruise

The Weezer Cruise Promises Interesting Dynamic

Ever want to catch Weezer, live in action, smack dab in the middle of the ocean? Well, if so, the alternative pop-rockers have announced a unique Weezer experience: the Weezer Cruise.

The Weezer Cruise sets sail via Carnival Cruise Lines, launching from Miami to the island of Cozumel off of the Gulf Coast of Mexico, from January 19 to 23, 2012.

Weezer aren’t the only alternative guests onboard. Classic ‘80s act Dinosaur Jr. is among the 15 performers, as well as Gene Ween and Dave Dreiwitz, Sebadoh, Wavves, The Antlers, Yuck, The Knocks, Free Energy, Boom Bip, Ozma, J Mascis, Lou Barlow, Keepaway, The Nervous Wreckords, Sleeper Agent and Yacht Rock Revue. Weezer will also participate in a question and answer session and take pictures with fans on the pool deck during the cruise.

Artists will rock out on the outdoor Lido deck and inside in a theater. All of the bands perform on stages around the ship, “festival style,” making this truly a music festival on the water.

Ticket prices start at $799 per person for a double cabin, or four people go travel together for a discounted rate.