[Setlist]
Blue Light / Positive Tension / Flux / Helicopter
She's Hearing Voices
Price Of Gasoline
Photos by Francis Chung
Labels: Gig photos, Setlists
¶ 10:30 PM 4 comments links to this post
[Setlist]
Sunday / I Would Die 4 U (Prince cover) / Flux / She's Hearing Voices / Helicopter
Labels: Setlists
¶ 9:31 AM 1 comments links to this post
[Setlist]
Positive Tension / Flux / Like Eating Glass / Helicopter
Photos by eudaemonia!
Edit: Below is a live video of 'Mercury' (with Daniel Lindegren filling in for Gordy, away on baby duty).
Labels: Gig photos, Mercury, Setlists
¶ 6:33 PM 10 comments links to this post
Labels: Tour
¶ 11:20 AM 5 comments links to this post
From Drowned in Sound:
Bloc Party vocalist Kele Okereke was subjected to a racist attack at the weekend, by former Sex Pistols screamer John 'Johnny Rotten' Lydon and members of the one-time punk hero's entourage.
Okereke was attacked at the Summercase Festival in Barcelona on Saturday night; he was left shaken and with bruising to his face, cuts on his face and body, and a burst lip.
The attack, according to reports, was unprovoked. A witness commented that Lydon and company were at the festival "acting like a gang of racist thugs".
Trouble flared when Okereke asked Lydon backstage at the festival if he'd ever consider reforming Public Image Ltd, as the Bloc Party singer is a big fan of the seminal post-punk outfit fronted by Lydon. The former I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here contestant grew aggressive, suggesting that Okereke had a "black attitude", and that was a problem in some way.
The story goes that then Okereke was punched and kicked by Lydon's crew, albeit not Lydon himself, while Ricky Wilson of Kaiser Chiefs and Yannis Philippakis of Foals attempted to fend off the attackers. Security broke up the fight and Spanish police were duly informed. Okereke made a statement to UK police once home.
Over 50 people witnessed the Barcelona attack - alongside members of Foals and Kaiser Chiefs were Mystery Jets, Neon Neon and Har Mar Superstar, all of whom saw what unfolded. Of the attack, Okereke has stated:
"It's not an issue of the physical assault, even though it was an unprovoked attack. It is the fact that race was brought into the matter so readily. Someone as respected and as intelligent as Lydon should know better than to bring race into the equation, or socialise with and encourage those who hold such narrow-minded attitudes. I am disappointed that someone I held with such high regard turns out to be such a bigot."
BlocParty.net wishes Kele a speedy recovery from his injuries.
Edit: Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals singer) has confirmed that the attack was unprovoked...read more.
Edit #2: Members of Foals were also injured in the fight...click here to read the news article.
Labels: Random
¶ 1:39 PM 14 comments links to this post
It's just been announced that Gordy will be sitting out Bloc Party's forthcoming tour dates as he becomes a first-time father. Here's what he has to say...
"A little bit of news for you ahead of the US tour, our first tour in some eight months. To have been away from the winding road of touring so long is a pretty big deal for us, considering we've spent most of the last four years playing our skewed R'n'B meltdown with barely so much as a pause for a cup of tea between shows. But the time has come to stretch the gig legs and break out the spandex once more.
Unfortunately I'm not going to be able to join the boys during the next month or so of touring. The reason for this is that my wife is expecting our first baby in a few weeks and after some long hard thinking we all decided, band included, that it was a bit silly for me to be flying round the world at such a critical time in the pregnancy. No one wants me to wind up in the wrong continent should there be any complications or should the little one decide to put in an early appearance. So while the other chaps are jetting around the Pacific Rim I will be buying the groceries, attending ante-natal classes and generally preparing myself for the cloud of unknown that is becoming a Dad.
In my stead we've been schooling a friend of ours, Daniel Lindegren (aka Tommy Sparks), in the ways of the Bloc. For the next few weeks Daniel will be doing his best to cover my portfolio of bass, keys, buttons, knobs and things that go 'clonk'. He is more than proficient at many of these things so I can't see it marring anyone's enjoyment of the Bloc Party experience while I'm away. All being well, I will return to reclaim my mantle around the end of August, possibly bringing with me some profound wisdom as a new father, if not a complete lack of sleep.
Keep on rockin' young 'uns"
Congratulations Gordy! Looking forward to having you back...
Labels: Tour
¶ 1:58 PM 7 comments links to this post
To coincide with the first play of 'Mercury', BlocParty.com has been relaunched. Head over there to stream the new song, and watch the accompanying, slightly-creepy, video here (or below).
And here's a behind-the-scenes video of Kele's appearance on BBC Radio 1's Zane Lowe show earlier tonight...
¶ 8:46 PM 11 comments links to this post
Tune in to Zane Lowe's show on BBC Radio 1 tonight after 7pm GMT to find out what this is all about (the premiere of a new single? Album announcement?). You can listen online here.
Labels: Random
¶ 11:07 AM 9 comments links to this post
Labels: Random
¶ 1:21 PM 6 comments links to this post
Download below a genius mashup of Bloc Party's 'Uniform' with 'Same Old Song' by The Four Tops...
Labels: Mashups
¶ 6:13 AM 3 comments links to this post
