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Elbow announce autumn UK arena tour

Elbow have announced details of a UK tour. Following the band's headline slots at Latitude, T In The Park and the Isle Of Wight festivals this year, they will embark on their first ever arena tour in November and December. Kicking off at Nottingham's Capital FM Arena on November 26, the band will then head to Birmingham NIA on November 28 and then Liverpool's Echo Area on November 29, before heading to their Manchester home-town on December 1. They will finish up at London's The O2 on December 2. Elbow will play:

Richard Branson makes pitch to buy back Virgin Records

Sir Richard Branson is considering buying back Virgin Records, the label he founded over 40 years ago. The label's current owner Universal Music may sell the baled to appease competition authorities as they look to buy rival major label EMI for £1.2bn. Sir Richard originally sold Virgin Records, the company he founded in 1970 aged 20, to Thorn EMI for £510m in 1992. In 1977, the label signed the Sex Pistols. Writing on his blog, the Virgin mogul wrote that he thinks the company is a "sleeping beauty":

Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan: ‘The next Kurt Cobain or Trent Reznor won’t make it’

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan has said that he firmly believes whoever the next "Kurt Cobain or Courtney Love or Trent Reznor" is, they will not make it big in the same way as those artists. The singer, whose band released their new studio album Oceania last month, has said that most alternative bands will never escape the scene they start in as that scene is now self-sufficient.

The Who tickets for 1979 cancelled gig will be honoured at 2013 show

The Who fans who still possess a ticket for their cancelled 1979 gig in Providence, Rhode Island can still use the brief for the band's show in the city in 2013. The legendary group were due to perform in the city on December 1979, but authorities prevented the gig from going ahead as 11 fans had been trampled to death at a previous show in Ohio. Now, The Who have announced that fans who still have the rare ticket will be able to swap it for a new brief, which will entitle the holder entry into band's gig at the Dunkin' Donuts Centre on February 26 2013.

Jack White reveals former anxiety issues

Jack White has spoken out about his anxiety issues. In a new interview, the former frontman of The White Stripes has that in his days with his old band, he was plagued by concerns over what other people thought about him. "I just sat in the corner, pondering, letting it torture me..." he said. "You just can't win – the judgement that's thrown on you is unbearable." White made the comments to MSN, and also explained that he covered "You Just Can't Win" by Van Morrison as a result of his feelings of vulnerability.

Blur to headline Converse ‘Represent’ show at London’s 100 Club

Blur will headline an intimate gig at The 100 Club next month as part of Converse's 'Represent' series of free shows. Damon Albarn and co have been confirmed as the headline act for the August 2 show, and will play last on a bill which includes a stellar supporting cast of The Bots, Savages and Swiss Lips. To get tickets, fans need to visit Converse.co.uk/blur from 9am on Wednesday August 1, with registration open until 6pm. Successful applicants will be notified by email and must confirm if they can attend by 12pm on August 2.

Roger Waters’ The Wall tour named the highest grossing of 2012 so far

Roger Waters' The Wall tour has been named the highest grossing tour of the year so far by Boxscore/Billboard. The Pink Floyd man's global jaunt earned $131.4 million (£83.6 million) from November 1 last year to May 31 this year, selling 1.2 million tickets. The tour ends on July 21 in Quebec City, and will have made more than $350 million (£223 million) in total since it hit the road in 2010, and will have been seen by three million people.

Sales of ‘old albums’ overtake sales of ‘new albums’ for the first time

Sales of "old albums" have overtaken sales of "new albums" for the first time over the last six months in the US. Sales of "old albums", which are classified as LPs that have been on sale for longer than 18 months, numbered at 76.6 million over the last six months, with sales of "new albums" numbering at 73.9 million, reports OC Weekly. According to chart analysts Nielsen, the biggest "old album" sellers have been Whitney Houston and Guns N' Roses' Greatest Hits, while Adele's 21 remains by far the biggest seller in the "new albums" category.

Beck to debut three new songs in new PS3 game ‘Sound Shapes’

Beck has announced that he will be debuting three brand new songs on the soundtrack to new computer game Sound Shapes. The tracks, which are titled "Cities", "Touch The People" and "Spiral Staircase", will each feature on a different level of the game, which is due for release next month. According to Sony, the new PS3 adventure Sound Shapes is "a classic side-scrolling platformer where your actions make the music". As well as Beck, Deadmau5, I Am Robot And Proud and Jim Guthrie will also contribute music. The game itself will be released on August 7.

Bob Dylan announces North American arena tour

Bob Dylan has announced a North American arena tour in support of his forthcoming album, The Tempest. The arena dates begins in Winnipeg, Manitoba on October 5 and runs through November 21 in Brooklyn, New York. Rolling Stone reports that this is Dylan's first time headlining arenas in America since 2006. Special guest on the tour will be Mark Knopfler, with whom Dylan toured Europe last year. The Tempest, which is the 35th studio album of Dylan's career, will come out on September 10 in the UK and September 11 in the US.
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