Kiss, Eminem to Rock EPICENTER Twenty Ten

Having grown from a one-day event in 2009 to a two-day festival this year, EPICENTER Twenty Ten has been announced for Saturday, Sept. 25, and Sunday, Sept. 26, at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana. The initial lineup includes Blink-182, Eminem, Kiss, Rise Against, 30 Seconds to Mars, Bush and Bad Religion.

The set from Blink-182 is their only appearance in North America this year, and EPICENTER is the only California stop in 2010 for Kiss and Rise Against. The festival also marks the first reunion show by Bush; the band hasn’t performed together since 2001.

Bands play on several stages and are scheduled so that there’s no overlap, so fans won’t have to miss a minute of the music. Also appearing are Suicidal Tendencies, Papa Roach, B.o.B., A Day to Remember, the Black Pacific and many others. Ticket, camping and lineup information is available at epicenterfestival.com.



Old Shoe Welcomes You to the Family

Be on the lookout this summer for your free copy of the new punk compilation CD from Old Shoe Records, Welcome to the Family Volume IV. Old Shoe is giving away copies of the comp at the Warped Festival and other summer shows, and label head Josh Stolo says, “This is our tribute to the Give ’Em the Boot compilations we would score every summer at punk rock concerts. This is our way of not only introducing Old Shoe bands but also including friends of the label, bands we are fans of and giving it to the masses for free.” Welcome to the Family Volume IV includes cuts from the Riverboat Gamblers, Flatfoot 56, Bullet Treatment, Death Punch, the Bombpops, the Street Dogs, Far From Finished and half a dozen others.



Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head is Brite Futures Now

The band formerly known as Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head is to henceforth be known as Brite Futures. The band issued a statement saying, “We chose Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head on a whim when we were still in high school, and the name has seen us through an amazing four years. Our love affair with Natalie’s name was like a summer fling that lasted … and lasted … and lasted. But now it’s time for a change. Also, it has recently come to our attention that our muse Ms. Portman is not so keen on us using her name in ours. Ultimately, we are lovers not fighters, and our mamas didn’t raise no fools so we feel it is time to move forward with a new name. We are Brite Futures! No hard feelings, Natalie.” A video of the band breaking the news to Portman has been posted at YouTube.



Half Notes

The Stone Foxes had to cancel most of their late June shows due to a member’s emergency appendectomy. Their L.A. gig, scheduled for July 30 at the Viper Room, is not affected.

A bevy of L.A.-based bands including Local Natives appear on the just-released Aquarium Drunkard tribute to Television’s 1978 release Adventure. Local Natives perform the influential group’s “Careful” on L’Aventure; proceeds from the recording benefit the Silverlake Conservatory of Music.

Southern Lord Records’ West Coast Mini Tour takes over the Echo and Echoplex on Aug. 8 with sets from the recently reformed Corrosion of Conformity along with Eagle Twin, Goatsnake and Black Breath.

L.A. rock band Night Horse has finished recording their new album; Perdition Hymns drops Aug. 3 on the Tee Pee label.

Comedienne Margaret Cho has cut an album that features Fiona Apple, Tegan and Sara, Andrew Bird, Grant Lee Phillips, Ben Lee, Ani DiFranco and Brendan Benson of the Raconteurs. Tommy Chong also makes an appearance on Cho Dependent, due on Aug. 24.

Out of respect for the Clifford family after the death of drummer Devon Clifford, You Say Party! We Say Die! has changed their name to just You Say Party. The band resumes touring later this year.

Les Shelleys is an acoustic guitar/vocal duo from Los Angeles consisting of Tom Brosseau and Angela Correa of Correatown; their self-titled debut is scheduled to drop Aug. 31.

Fission from Film School is set to drop July 20.