Did you see them rock Fallon?  Bad Religion is questing hard to showcase their brand spanking new album, “True North”.  These guys are in their late 40s but still have more energy than you.  Yeah, get off the couch.  The pioneering punk rockers are playing the War Memorial Auditorium on Wednesday, in downtown Nashville.

Why would I go all the way to Nashville you ask?  Aside from hopes to coincidently bump into Alternative masterminds like Dan Auerbach, Jack White, and Taylor Swift, (Just making sure your still awake with that last one) I want to witness the next chapter, first hand, of the Bad Religion Saga that has been loving it strong since 1979.

I listened to”21^st Century Digital Boy” over and over before taking my first High School final.  I listened to “Sorrow” when my sister left for college.  I can’t wait to revisit classics like these, as well as new tracks like “f*** you” Wednesday Night.  Yeah, that’s the name of the song, “f*** you”.  They give zero f***s.

For those of you think an 8 hour drive is a bit problematic, you can catch Bad Religion in Chicago, April 5^th, at the Congress Theater.

Canoe Canoe are playing at the Cowboy Monkey on March 9th at 9PM after an in-studio interview at WPGU 107.1.  They are playing with Sonny Stubble and Love Toy, two local bands you also won’t want to miss.  Make sure to make it out to their show and hear them on the radio (or through our dandy listen live feature).

Not familiar with Canoe Canoe?  They have an infectious pop sound layered with psychic distortion.  Think a poppier Santah, or a sexier Wilco.  You can check out their bandcamp site here.  The tracks they have online will get you excited for what will be a fun Saturday night, as they will certainly get the venue up and dancing.

Canoe Canoe released their Black Sheep EP last July, which features two great, anthemic tracks.  With a chorus of vocals and jamming guitars and keyboards, the many twists and turns in their music would keep you on the edge of your seat, if you weren’t already standing to dance.  This stuff will get you excited, and the alternating energy of the tracks will make it easy to jam out with these guys.  This classic four piece setup is able to use feedback fluidly to give their tracks layers that won’t leave you disappointed.  If you need any more convincing, just listen to their tracks now and imagine how much more exciting they would be live.

Glowfest is a sick college music festival, featuring the best and the latest in sick beats, electronica, art and technology. These guys are on their fall 2012 tour, they are coming to U of I tonight. Get ready for an awesome night of electronic dance music ‘cause tonight, Glowfest Illinois is ready to pump Assembly Hall up with an electrifying experience. With DJs like Bingo Players, Savoy, and Hardwell (who was just voted the #6 DJ in the WORLD on the DJ Mag Top 100), you’re looking at a night of non-stop dancing, catchy rifts and fast-paced beats. Doors open at 6pm, and tickets are starting at $25 for GA seats. Tonight, Assembly Hall is going to be packed with high energy, intense light shows, and some of the best electronic dance music in the country. Get your ass over here! You won’t regret it!

Folk band/indie rockers Blitzen Trapper will be returning to C-U tonight and, as always, they’re bringing their soulful tunes with ‘em.

With the September 2011 release of their album latest American Goldwing, we can expect to hear songs like the harmonica-filled title track, “American Goldwing” and the slightly Bob Dylan-esque, upbeat song “Love the Way You Walk Away.”

The crew was last seen in Champaign in the fall of 2010, while they were touring the release of Destroyer of the Void. We’re sure to hear tracks off that album and their 2008 hit album Furr. Their 2008 release was ranked #13 on Rolling Stone‘s Top 50 Albums of 2008.

And if that ranking isn’t gonna do it for ya, lead man, Eric Earley, and I almost held hands last year …. I think. Plus, the opening act of the evening is two-piece, synth-rock locals, Psychic Twin. This duo always puts on an incredible show! Doors open at The Highdive at 8:30 p.m. and tickets are $15. If you skip out on this one, you’ll be missing one hell of a show.

Also here’s proof that we almost held hands! So clearly I’m highly credible:

Pygmalion is ripe with artists who have just released new records.  Grizzly Bear’s upcoming album Shields just came out, and we enjoyed spinning it on our Shrinkwrap with Nat (Tuesdays 9-10).  This is ideal because the audience will have time to become well-versed in the new and exciting record.  Dirty Projectors, Cloud Nothings, and Best Coast all released critically well-received albums within the past year, showing the festivals continued commitment to bringing out innovative artists that are currently actively shaping the music scene.

In addition to the numerous artists who are currently shaping the music scene, there is one headliner who will get crowds ridiculously excited: Dinosaur Jr.  One of the most influential acts in the history of alternative rock (we love playing them on Flashback weekdays at noon), they also have a new record coming out shortly before the festival.  Living legends, their performance will certainly mix old and new in a perfect blend of energy.

There are also a lot of amazing local bands that will be defining Pygmalion’s sound this year. Santah, just featured on MTV Hive, are a crowd favorite with their brother-sister harmonies and a sound so immense and raw you might see me weeping and dancing simultaneously. Common Loon, Elsinore, Grandkids, The Dirty Feathers, Deathtram, Evil Tents, also fit the bill-and seriously, I would pay just to see them and the many others that make up our colorful (read:awesome) music scene here in Champaign-Urbana.

In a shift for the festival, Pygmalion will be three days this year.  The festival organizers wanted to pack as much music as possible into the week’s end.  They hope that people will use their extra time not at the concerts exploring Champaign-Urbana, an admirable and enjoyable goal.  Given the huge amount of support that the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts has provided, and given how amazing their building is, that would be a great place to start.

There are going to be two outdoor shows this year, and the festival will be occurring in both downtown Urbana and Champaign.  This should bring some nice variety to the festival, and it will be fun to see which artists appear at which venues. Tickets still available here.  (link to tickets on here). Schedule here.

WPGU 107.1 Presents : Young Jesus at the Cowboy Monkey, Saturday, June 23rd at 9:30 PM. Cover is just $5! And those five bucks go a long way, because you’ll get three sets of musicians: Morgan Orion, The Folded Bones and, of course, Young Jesus.

Local faves Morgan Orion and The Folded Bones are huge hits in the C-U area and will be Cowboy Monkey with some sweet songs. If you have heard these guys, great. You already . Orion will be touring in Europe soon, so make sure you see him before he becomes ridiculously, hella famous! As for The Folded Bones, they are a WPGU favorite. Raw, stripped-down, garage rock with a bluesy twist, these guys truly are like no one else in the C-U music scene.

Chicago-based indie rockers, Young Jesus, are making a stop in Champaign this weekend. The quartet is touring to promote the release of their new album, Home. These guys are the kind of band that you listen to once and absolutely fall in love with, so literally no one can afford to miss this performance. Lead singer, Cody Kellog, has this deep, sultry voice, reminiscent of The National’s Matt Berninger, but it’s a little more twangy. It’s really, really cool. His awesome tunes coupled with music that ranges from fast paced, make-ya-wanna-dance tempos to harder rock make for a really well-rounded and incredible listening experience. Other band members include John Rossiter (back up vocals, guitar), Shawn Nystrand (bass) and Peter Martin (drums).

Full line-up announced?! Okay. OKAY. OKAY!

Literally everyone and all of their moms are (or really, really should be) pumped about this line-up. Personally, I think it might be one of the best ones ever announced. Ever. Did I mention ever?

And so, I’d like to take a little while to revel in the glory of the headliners. Believe me, it’s worth reveling. So here’s some info about each of the five headlining acts.

Grizzly Bear:
Are you like, hey you mentioned these guys in your last article? Well then, shush for a second.
I can’t contain my excitement for these guys.

• Brooklyn-based indie rock band
• Also experimental music, psych-folk, psychedelic rock, all around awesome
• Started off as the solo project of one of the vocalists, Ed Droste (pictured on the far right above)
• First album, Horn of Plenty, was released by Droste alone; their first album as a band was 2006′s Yellow House
• They are most famous for their 2008 hit single “Two Weeks,” and you can see the music video here

Dirty Projectors:
And another Brooklyn-based gem is coming our way. These guys make some of the most diverse and sexy music ever.

• Rock band formed in 2002
• Have so far released seven studio albums
• Their style has been compared to everyone, from Frank Zappa to Beyonce (I told you they were diverse!)
• It is scientifically proven that you will dance your ass off when you hear these guys (who’s science? My own. Duh.)
• Most famous for their 2009 album Bitte Orca, specifically their single “Stillness Is The Move”

Dinosaur Jr:
Ooooh, baby. An oldie but a goodie! And they’re also reppin’ the East Coast, but are from Amherst, Massachusetts.

• Founded in 1984 (aww yeeeah)
• Nirvana actually opened for these guys
• Sonic Youth put in a good work for Dinosaur Jr., and that’s how they became signed by WB
• They will remind you of growing up in the 90s (click here for proof)
• Their first album (Dinosaur) came out in 1985, their most recent album came out in 2009 and they will be releasing a new album right before Pygmalion (I Bet On Sky, out September 18)

Sleigh Bells:
I mean, not to sound like a clueless mom but … these guys are just so hip. If you haven’t heard them before, get on it. The second you listen to them and see how incredibly cool they are, you’re gonna be like, “What have I been doing wrong this whole time?!”

• Another pair of Brooklyn-based beauties (wooo)
• These guys are the definition of noise pop and dance punk, two of the most entertaining genres ever
• Both had previous work in music (Alexis Krauss was in teen pop group RubyBlue;Derek Miller was a guitarist in hardcore back Poison the Well)
• Knowing that little fact ^ makes listening to these guys all the more interesting, you can definitely hear elements of each
• Released their sophomore album, Reign of Terror, in February

Best Coast:
Best Coast is from the West Coast (and with four other headliners from the East Coast, they may have to fight for their namesake!)

• These two are coming all the way out from LA, California
• … and they’re bringing some Cali surf pop flavor with them!
• Some of their associated acts include Wavves and Vivian Girls (both worth checking out if you aren’t familiar with them!)
• Their debut album, Crazy For You, made the list of Pitchfork’s Top 40 Albums of 2010
• And there’s this amazing music video, directed by Drew Berrymore and staring the likes of Donald Glover and Miranda Cosgrove

That time of the year is upon us: the initial artists of the Pygmalion line-up have been announced. And while there are still slots to fill, both big and small, everyone is starting to get damn excited.

Whether you’re insanely pumped about the line-up or are unsure how you feel, you came to the right place. Here’s the first mix-tape in a series of WPGU 107.1 Pygmalion Mix-tapes. These highlights are sure to get you excited for that beautiful, musical weekend in late September.

1) Grizzly Bear — Two Weeks

Hopefully everyone is already familiar with this hit. “Two Weeks” was the single that generated all of the buzz for Grizzly Bear’s 2009 album Veckatimest. There are rumors of a new album in the works from the Brooklyn-based indie group. They headed down to Texas last year to start writing songs and getting inspiration, and hopefully we’ll get a sneak peak of some new material at Pygmalion.

2) Dinosaur Jr — Feel the Pain

Honestly, I was pretty surprised to see these guys on the line-up at first. My immediate thought was, “But what decade are we in again?” As an avid fan of older music (… I do host Flashback Cafe for those of you who don’t know …), I was intrigued but also just a bit confused. Listening to their hit single, “Feel the Pain,” you can’t avoid getting excited at the chance to see these guys live. Plus, these guys toured with Nirvana way back one. +15 cool points!

3) Cloud Nothings — No Future/No Past

This group of lo-fi, indie, kinda garage-punk (really-just-a-little-bit-of-everything) dudes just released their sophomore album in January. Attack on Memory marked a bit of a transition for the group. Prior to this, Cloud Nothings had more of a power-pop sound; now they’re ready to show off a darker and heavier side of themselves. Pitchfork even bestowed a “New Best Album” designation to these guys, so it’s definitely worth checkin them out before they get swept up into the big, bad world of music and media.

4) Owen — O, Evelyn …

Polyvinyl Record Company alert! Polyvinyl Record Company alert! Owen is the solo project of singer-songwriter Mike Kinsella. He was absolutely amazing at the Pygmalion Polyvinyl Anniversary show last year, and is sure to please the crowd again. Owen’s music is bone-chillingly beautiful. Really you just have to hear this guy. ”O, Evelyn …,” featured in a music session in this video, is off his most recent album Ghost Town, which was released in November 2011.

5) Craft Spells — The Fog Rose High

Oh my dakljfg;sdlgja;lsd. This song! This music! Here’s the true beauty of Pygmalion … I hadn’t ever even heard of these guys. They’re seriously amazing. This song is going to be stuck in my head until I see these guys live. These guys are the epitome of shoe gaze music. Whether you prefer The Smiths or The Radio Dept., you’re bound to adore this group.

6) Oh No Oh My — Take It Back

These Texas-natives are really excited to be coming to the U of I campus, and we’re equally excited to have them! Fans of Radiohead are sure to dig their tunes. I think I might be their new number one fan after watching this video. I mean like, wow. These guys are. Wow.

7) Elsinore — Life Inside An Elephant

Elsinore released Life Inside An Elephant right before traversing the country and leaving a lasting impression on all of the east coast. Now these guys are back in their native Illinois and ready to rock out with some familiar faces in familiar places. Make sure you support these guys. Sometimes you can even find a Ryan Groff (lead singer) in his natural setting at Target or the Food Co-Op.

8 ) Common Loon — Mexico

Local goodness meets psychedelic pop. Fun songs, crazy dancing and a raunchy good time will always ensure. Common Loon is a must-see local group.

9) Santah — Teeth

Santah is currently up in Chicago, making a name for themselves in the big city and playing with the likes of The Hush Sound. They certainly won’t forget about their C-U roots though, and are sure to play some local faves off of White Noise Bed. The last time I saw them, they gave the crowd a taste of some of their new material … maybe it’ll be time for a full entree now.

P.s. check out more about our amazing local/Illinois-based music scene here. Quite a few of the local bands that are going to be featured at Pygmalion can be found in this article.

Ladies and Gentlemen! The moment has arrived…. Brought to you by KAM’S, Budweiser, and Jet’s Pizza…

It’s the FRATTLE OF THE DJ’S II FINALE!

Tonight, at KAM’S, our 3 winners will battle it out, each throwing down 45 minute sets, to determine who is the

BOSS OF THE BEAT!

We’ve got our 3 finalists performing in this order:

DJ Luniks   of Lambda Theta Pi

DJ Sevlo     of Sigma Chi

DJ Jay         of ATO

The first set starts at 10:45, and we will announce the winners at 1:50 AM after all the DJ’s spin.

In case you forgot or didn’t know, the winner gets $1000! That’s right, a THOUSAND BUCKS!

Runner up gets $300, and third place gets $200.

KAM’S has some awesome drink specials, and JETS PIZZA will be on the scene giving away FREE slices!

So head on down to KAM’S tonight at 10:30 for Frattle of the DJ’s, come dance the night away with cheap drinks, live DJ’s, and free pizza!

Raw. Emotional. Androgynously cool. Just all around kick-ass. Ezra Furman is hitting up The High Dive tomorrow night, and you really can’t afford to miss this performance. This Brooklyn-based bluesy powerhouse of a vocalist is absolutely, 100% going to blow your mind.

Doors open at 8 pm and cover is ten bucks. Opening acts include Ben and Will, members of The Divide (formerly known as The Great Divide). Honestly, their work as a duo is a mystery to me, but if it’s anything like The Divide’s banjo-filled, folksy-fresh music, it’s bound to be a blast.

The second opening act is currently touring the mid-West and has made the trek all the way from Vermont. Called Chamberlin, they have an unbelievable knack of taking incredible songs and making them … better? With a laid-back vibe and chilling, bluesy harmonies, these guys have done amazing covers of the likes of Passion Pit, Cults, Kanye West and Vampire Weekend, these guys are killer. Plus Chamberlin has some equally incredible original work. Really, the only way I can think of describing these guys is f$*#in cool.

If that’s not enough to get you out of bed and rushin over to the bar-scene, Ezra Furman will hopefully do the trick. He’s been all over the country, playing in DC, Florida and Tennessee; thankfully he’s stopping here on his way to the Windy City. Furman is in the midst of creating some of his first solo work, and he is sure to please the crowd.

Three unique musical experiences, an awesome bar and your favorite people (a.k.a. your friends at WPGU 107.1), all for just ten dollars? Seriously, dude, you can’t pass this night up.