BLOG PARTY.

Bloc Party - Live from Abbey Road

2009-11-11T22:52:00.004Z

Bloc Party recently performed at the famous Abbey Road studios as part of a programme which aired last Saturday on Channel 4 (UK). Watch the interview plus live versions of 'Mercury', 'Signs' and 'The Prayer' below...

Kele's in retrograde

I see signs now all the time

The Gord's Prayer

Kele working on solo album!

2009-11-04T23:50:00.006Z

Just when it looked like the Bloc Party boys would be going into hibernation for a good while, it's emerged that Kele has begun working on a solo album...

"Bloc Party singer Kele Okereke is recording an album with Spank Rock producer Alex Epton, aka Armani XXXchange. Fellow producer Hudson Mohawke – Ross Birchard - broke the news on Sunday night in an interview with BBC 1Xtra DJ Benji B, adding that he's hoping to be involved with the Bloc Party man's project. Asked by Benji B if there are any collaborations he's allowed to talk about, Mohawke said he's supposed to be working with Erykah Badu "and then also, I'm kinda... it hasn't been finalized yet, but I'm also kinda doing a little bit of stuff for Kele from Bloc Party's solo album as well. He's doing a record with one of the guy's from Spank Rock, so possibly gonna be doing some stuff for that."" (Gigwise)

Given Spank Rock's roots in rap and electro, this sounds like an outlet for Kele's hip-hop fetish. The results could be interesting...watch this space!

Bournemouth BIC, 31.10.09

2009-11-01T23:01:00.005Z

Bloctober rolled to a close last night in Matt's old stomping ground, Bournemouth. The band came back onstage after the interval dressed up for Halloween...if anyone has any good photos, please send them over! Apparently Kele was a banana...

That pretty much wraps up Bloc Party's touring duties in support of 'Intimacy'. The band have made it clear that they're going to be taking a break now before starting the fourth album, after touring/recording relentlessly for the past five years. It's less than clear when the band will swing back into action, but rest assured that news will appear here when it happens (and in the meantime various goodies such as the ultimate Bloc Party archive, currently being lovingly crafted over on Always New Depths). Don't be too long guys...!

Looking frightfully dashing...(thanks to Chris Hart for the photo!)

[Setlist]

One Month Off / Positive Tension / Mercury / Talons / Signs / Trojan Horse / Hunting For Witches / Song For Clay (Disappear Here) / Banquet / Ion Square / Two More Years / One More Chance / This Modern Love / The Prayer

So Here We Are / Ares / Flux / Helicopter

Reading Rivermead, 30.10.09

2009-11-01T00:15:00.002Z

[Setlist]

Halo / Waiting For The 7.18 / Mercury / Signs / Hunting For Witches / Song For Clay (Disappear Here) / Banquet / Blue Light / Ion Square / Two More Years / The Marshals Are Dead (!) / One More Chance / This Modern Love / The Prayer

Sunday / Ares / Flux / Helicopter

Cambridge Corn Exchange, 27.10.09

2009-10-28T09:55:00.003Z

[Setlist]

Halo / Waiting For The 7.18 / Mercury / Talons / Signs / Hunting For Witches / Song For Clay (Disappear Here) / Banquet / Where Is Home? / Ion Square / Two More Years / One More Chance / This Modern Love / The Prayer

Tulips (!!) / Ares / Flux / Helicopter

Skeleton (!) / One More Chance

Southend Cliffs Pavilion, 26.10.09

2009-10-28T09:52:00.001Z

[Setlist]

One Month Off / Positive Tension / Mercury / Biko / Trojan Horse / Hunting For Witches / Song For Clay (Disappear Here) / Banquet / Blue Light / Zephyrus / Talons / One More Chance / This Modern Love / The Prayer

Ares / Like Eating Glass / Flux / Helicopter

Truro Hall for Cornwall, 22.10.09

2009-10-28T09:45:00.002Z

[Setlist]

One Month Off / Waiting For The 7.18 / Mercury / Signs / Trojan Horse / Hunting For Witches / Song For Clay (Disappear Here) / Banquet / Ion Square / Two More Years / One More Chance / This Modern Love / The Prayer

So Here We Are / Ares / Flux / Helicopter

Going a bit Tong?

2009-10-19T23:04:00.006+01:00

Taken from The Guardian...

"The future of Bloc Party has been called into question by drummer Matt Tong, who hinted that he is not certain of his continued role in the band. Tong said the group is planning a long break, and that he "wouldn't mind trying something else for a while".

The band are in the middle of a month-long UK tour, but "unfortunately that is going to be it for the time being", Tong told the BBC's Subculture show. "We definitely need to have a break and gain a bit of perspective on life outside of the band. Hopefully, if we do reconvene at some point we'll be refreshed with many new ideas."

Frontman Kele Okereke has also mentioned taking a break, telling an Australian interviewer: "We may take a year off, we may take three years off. We may never make a record again or we may head straight back in and do a record." But while Okereke's comments suggest a temporary break – recalling bassist Gordon Moakes's "baby hiatus" – Tong's doubts seem to go deeper.

"I definitely don't think this will be the last you'll hear of the people who make up Bloc Party," he said, suggesting that side-projects or perhaps a rearranged lineup are likely. "Kele is an insatiable workaholic so you'll definitely hear from him again along with [guitarist] Russell [Lissack] and Gordon," Tong said."

Let's hope it's just tour fatigue syndrome kicking in. Either way, it looks like Bloctober will be the last we hear from Bloc Party for a while. UK Bloctober attendees, make the most of these gigs.

Birmingham Academy, 15.10.09

2009-10-18T21:20:00.001+01:00

[Setlist]

Halo / Positive Tension / Mercury / Biko / Hunting For Witches / Song For Clay (Disappear Here) / Banquet / Blue Light / Uniform / Little Thoughts / Talons / One More Chance / This Modern Love / The Prayer

Ares / Like Eating Glass / Flux / Helicopter

Newport gig cancelled...

2009-10-15T21:59:00.003+01:00

Bloc Party have posted this message over on their official website...

"Bloc Party have unfortunately been forced to cancel this Friday’s Newport show as guitarist Russell Lissack has to undergo a medical procedure which, whilst not being serious, cannot be delayed until the end of the tour. Unfortunately the band are unable to reschedule the date. Refunds are available from point of purchase.
Bloc Party send their sincere apologies to fans and ticket holders and hope to be able to be back in Newport soon."

Stoke Victoria Hall, 14.10.09

2009-10-15T21:22:00.002+01:00

[Setlist]

One Month Off / Waiting For The 7.18 / Mercury / Talons / Signs / Trojan Horse / Hunting For Witches / Song For Clay (Disappear Here) / Banquet / Ion Square / Two More Years / One More Chance / This Modern Love / The Prayer

She's Hearing Voices / Ares / Flux / Helicopter

Leeds Academy, 11.10.09

2009-10-12T22:23:00.002+01:00

[Setlist]

One More Chance / Positive Tension / Mercury / Talons / Blue Light / Luno / Hunting For Witches / Song For Clay (Disappear Here) / Banquet / Two More Years / Kreuzberg / Uniform / This Modern Love / The Prayer

So Here We Are / Ares / Flux / Helicopter

One More Chance (again, because they messed it up the first time!)

Sheffield Academy, 10,10,09

2009-10-12T22:16:00.003+01:00

[Setlist]

One Month Off / Waiting For The 7.18 / Mercury / Price Of Gasoline / Signs / Trojan Horse / Hunting For Witches / Song For Clay (Disappear Here) / Banquet / Ion Square / Zephyrus / One More Chance / This Modern Love / The Prayer

Ares / Like Eating Glass / Flux / Helicopter

She's Hearing Voices

Hull City Hall, 08.10.09

2009-10-09T21:59:00.002+01:00

[Setlist]

One Month Off / Positive Tension / Mercury / Luno / Biko / Hunting For Witches / Song For Clay (Disappear Here) / Banquet / Blue Light / Uniform / Talons / One More Chance / This Modern Love / The Prayer

Ares / She's Hearing Voices / Flux / Helicopter

Inverness Ironworks, 04.10.09

2009-10-06T23:35:00.002+01:00

[Setlist]

Halo / Mercury / Like Eating Glass / Signs / Trojan Horse / Hunting For Witches / Song For Clay (Disappear Here) / Banquet / Two More Years / Letter To My Son / Zephyrus / One More Chance / This Modern Love / The Prayer

Compliments (!) / Ares / Flux / Helicopter

Edinburgh Picture House, 03.10.09

2009-10-06T23:21:00.004+01:00

Bloctober is well underway, and the first setlists have started to trickle in. On Saturday, Bloc Party treated the Edinburgh faithful to the first ever live rendition of 'Zephyrus'...watch it below!

[Setlist]

One Month Off / Mercury / Hunting For Witches / Biko / Trojan Horse / Luno / Song For Clay (Disappear Here) / Banquet / Ion Square / Uniform / One More Chance / Zephyrus (first time played live) / This Modern Love / The Prayer

Kreuzberg / Ares / She's Hearing Voices / Flux / Helicopter

'Zephyrus' gets its first live treatment

'It's Not The Things You Say'

2009-09-27T20:58:00.009+01:00

Over four years since Kele's appearance on The Chemical Brother's 'Believe' single, next week sees the release of another Kele dance collaboration, this time with Dutch superstar DJ, Tiësto. Kele exercises his vocal cords on Tiësto's new album, 'Kaleidoscope', also featuring collaborations with Jónsi (Sigur Rós), Emily Haines (Metric) and Nelly Furtado.

Listen to Kele's track, 'It's Not The Things You Say', below. With Bloc Party's recent sideline in piano-based dance, this could almost pass for their new single...

Reading & Leeds Gubbins

2009-09-01T20:39:00.006+01:00

Click here for the BBC's Bloc Party festival minisite, with performance highlights and photos...

And here's a Kele interview recorded backstage at Reading, 10 years since Kele and Russell first met and kickstarted the Bloc Party love...

Leeds and Reading Festivals, 29.08.09 & 30.08.09

2009-08-31T07:12:00.004+01:00

[Leeds Setlist]

One Month Off / Hunting For Witches / Positive Tension / Signs / Song For Clay (Disappear Here) / Banquet / One More Chance / Mercury / So Here We Are / The Prayer / Flux / Helicopter

NME Review

[Reading Setlist]

So Here We Are / Hunting For Witches / Positive Tension / Talons / Song For Clay (Disappear Here) / Banquet / Two More Years / One More Chance / Mercury / This Modern Love / The Prayer / Flux / Helicopter

NME Review

Rock en Seine, Saint-Cloud, 28.08.09

2009-08-29T18:53:00.004+01:00

Bloc Party were promoted to the headlining slot at this French festival last night after planned headliners Oasis pulled out at the last minute, with Noel Gallagher walking out of the band. Watch below Kele's announcement to the crowd...

[Setlist]

One Month Off / Hunting For Witches / Positive Tension / Talons / Signs / Song For Clay (Disappear Here) / Banquet / Two More Years / One More Chance / Mercury / This Modern Love / The Prayer / Like Eating Glass / Flux / Helicopter

'One More Chance' available to download now!

2009-08-09T15:58:00.008+01:00

You can get your (virtual) hands on Bloc Party's new single 'One More Chance' from today via iTunes or the 7digital links to the right of this post. The single will also be released on very limited edition 7" (1500) and 12" vinyl (1000) tomorrow. Across the various formats, the single comes backed by a Holy Fuck remix of 'Zephyrus', plus more remixes of 'One More Chance' than you can shake a stick at. Click here for the full tracklisting!

In other release news, iTunes also has a live EP for sale featuring tracks from Bloc Party's recent London Roundhouse 'iTunes Live' gig. Click here to download, and head to BP's Facebook page to watch some videos from the same concert.

Gordy writes for The Quietus

2009-08-09T00:09:00.009+01:00

When he's not playing bass in a popular beat combo, Gordy likes to unwind by trying his hand at music journalism...click here to read Gordy's guest article on The Quietus, waxing lyrical on the Scottish band Simple Minds.

One of Joan Armatrading's favourite guitarists...

2009-08-01T11:43:00.008+01:00

...is Russell Lissack! A current BBC Radio 4 programme features Joan Armatrading, a West Indian-born singer songwriter, famous in the UK during the 1980s, interviewing her favourite guitarists. Listen to her 15 minute interview with Russell here, a "young pioneer whose extensive use of effects is expanding the range of the guitar to a new generation of musicians" (copyright Radio 4's posh announcer man).

Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay, Australia, 24.07.09

2009-07-27T10:49:00.007+01:00

Secret gig performing as 'The Silent Alarms'! Video footage below...

Report from NME.com:

Bloc Party played a secret gig in the pub area of the Great Northern Hotel in Byron Bay, Australia tonight (July 24). The band, warming up for their appearance at the Splendour In The Grass festival tomorrow (July 25), played for 400 fans and were billed as 'The Silent Alarms' – after the title of their 2005 debut album 'Silent Alarm'.

In fact the set was influenced by the temporary name, with Bloc Party playing the whole of the aforementioned first LP, plus 'Two More Years' and 'The Marshals Are Dead'. "They billed us as 'The Silent Alarms' so we decided to live up to the name," frontman Kele Okereke explained from the stage. "We're here in the most beautiful part of Australia and we wanted to do something special for you."

[Setlist]

Like Eating Glass / Positive Tension / Two More Years / Luno / So Here We Are / Banquet / Blue Light / The Marshals Are Dead / Little Thoughts / This Modern Love / Plans / Price of Gasoline / Compliments / The Pioneers / Helicopter

She's Hearing Voices

Update: Some kind soul has posted up some videos of the gig. Watch a couple highlights below, and view the rest of the videos here!

It doesn't get much better than a 'Blue Light' and 'The Marshals Are Dead' double whammy

Luuunnnooooooooo

Splendour In The Grass, Byron Bay, 25.07.09

2009-07-26T20:16:00.002+01:00

[Download] One More Chance (Splendour In The Grass, 25.07.09)

[Setlist]

Ares / Hunting For Witches / Positive Tension / Signs / Song For Clay (Disappear Here) / Banquet / Two More Years / One More Chance / Mercury / This Modern Love / The Prayer / Flux / Helicopter

Like Eating Glass