A stage collapsed at Indiana’s State Fair on Saturday night, killing 5 people and injuring many more. The incident happened before Country band Sugarland were due to perform. Sara Bareilles was supporting the duo but there were no artists on stage at the time of the collapse. The State Fair continued with a tribute to the five killed.

Canadian rockers Alexisonfire have called it quits. In a statement posted on the bands website George Pettit said “There is no easy way to put this so I’m just going to say it. After ten years, Alexisonfire have decided to part ways.” The band have been performing together for the past decade and released four studio albums. For the full statement please visit http://www.theonlybandever.com.

Domino records are set to release Obscurities, an album solely dedicated to rare tracks from Stephen Merritt. The album is due for release October 10th in all good record stores but can be downloaded digitally from September 15th.

A new mobile phone app has been launched by Vodafone. The mobile phone network provider have created an application called ‘Album’ and is targeted towards festival goers and allows those in attendance to share memories by uploading images from any festival that has Vodafone sponsorship and attach their favourite festival tracks on top. For more information use the following link: – https://vodafonevipalbum.vodafone.co.uk/

Due to the recent riots across the UK the date for this years Modstep’s Summer Carnival has been changed. It will now take place August 23rd. The organisers of the event are taking safety precautions of the audience into account and do not want any of the recent unnecessary violence to affect the night. The location of Modstep’s Summer Carnival, London’s Garage, remains the same.

Reverend and the Makers have released single Riot in light of recent socio-political events. The single will be a free download and John McClure AKA The Reverend had this to say “I watched the events unfolding on the news the other night same as everyone else and was gutted to see the buildings on fire and people losing their businesses. The same way many of us have seen this coming for some time. Watching the news put me in mind of an old unfinished track that we had worked on. This is that track. Its free, it’s not a money thing in any way but I feel it my job as an artist to talk about and react to what’s happening in my own way. This isn’t part of any forthcoming Reverend album, its not gonna be a political record in the slightest but to keep schtum when there’s rioting in the streets just ain’t me. Hope you enjoy.” For more information please visit http://www.iamreverend.com/.

The launch of the Gigs and Tours App makes it easier for music fans to keep up to date with tours and available tickets. This is a music have app for any fan of music and is free to download. Download it onto your iPhone or iPad now.

A tribute to John Martyn in the form of a double album has worldwide musicians performing his tracks. It includes covers by Beck, Snow Patrol, Paolo Nutini and Robert Smith. Johnny Boy Would Love This – A Tribute To John Martyn will be released August 15th.

A new mysterious website has been launched. The elusive ‘Black Mass’ will take place on October 11th. To check it out visit http://www.allrisefortheblackmass.com/

The Best of Ash is due for release this October and the band are celebrating the release of their greatest hits album (which compromises nineteen tracks and a DVD documentary narrated by Ewan McGregor) by announcing a tour. The tickets for the five date tour are available now via www.gigsandtours.com.

20th October – HMV Institute, Birmingham

21st October – o2 Academy, Bristol

22nd October – o2 ABC, Glasgow

23rd October – Ritz, Manchester

25th October – HMV Forum, London

Clock Opera

New release Lesson No. 7 is due for release October 3rd and the band has announced a few live dates for later this year along with some festival appearances. Tickets are available now.

26th August – Reading Festival (BBC Introducing Stage)

27th August – Leeds Festival (BBC Introducing Stage)

14th September – Hoxton Bar & Kitchen, London

18th September – Southsea Festival, Portsmouth

22nd September – Mojo, Liverpool Music Week

23rd September – Cluny Two, Newcastle

Next week sees the release of Crazy Arm’s single Tribes/Help For Heroines and with the release comes news of a huge amount of tour dates. Tickets are available now.

15th August – Duke of Wellington, Lincoln (with Cory Branan & Sam Russo)

16th August – Royal Park Cellars, Leeds (with Cory Branan & Sam Russo)

17th August – The Maze, Nottingham (with Cory Branan & Sam Russo)

18th August – Edge of the Wedge, Portsmouth (with Cory Branan & Sam Russo)

19th August – Windmill, London (with Cory Branan & Sam Russo)

20th August – Prince Albert, Brighton (with Cory Branan & Sam Russo)

9th September – Ivylive Festival, Ivybridge

11th September – Plymouth Punks Picnic, Nowhere Inn

23rd September – White Rabbit, Plymouth (with Damerels & more)

27th September – Corporation, Sheffield

28th September – Karma Café, Norwich (tbc)

29th September – Barfly, London (with Apologies I Have None & Great Cynics)

30th September – Unit, Southampton (tbc)

1st October – Cambridge 2nd October – Duke of Wellington, Lincoln (with Above Them)

3rd October – The Cluny, Newcastle (with Above Them

4th October – Stereo, Glasgow

5th October – Central Station, Wrexham

6th October – Fibbers, York

7th October – West End Centre, Aldershot

10th October – Croft, Bristol (with RVIVR)

22nd October – White Rabbit, Plymouth (with Capdown)

2nd November – Price Albert, Brighton (with Against Me)

18th November – Cockpit, Leeds

19th November – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham

20th November – Talking Heads, Southampton

21st November – Arts Centre, Norwich

24th November – Cavern, Exeter (with Living Daylights)

28th November – Peel, Kingston

Crystal Fighters new single Plage was released this week. It comes from the bands debut album Stars Of Love. The band are currently performing a sweep of festival dates but have announced three headlining shows for September. Tickets are available now via www.gigsandtours.com and cost £12.50.

14th September – Shepherds Bush Empire, London

15th September – Manchester University, Manchester

16th September – Stereo, Glasgow

After a 7 years gap since their last UK tour, Death In Vegas has announced an 11 date UK tour for December. New album Trans-Love Energies is released September 26th and the first single release from the album is Your Loft, My Acid and is set for release September 19th and features Austra’s Katie Stelmanis on vocals. Tickets cost £13.50 – £15 and are available now via www.gigsandtours.com.

3rd December – King Tuts, Glasgow

4th December – Digital, Newcastle

5th December – Cockpit, Leeds

6th December – Leadmill, Sheffield

8th December – o2 Academy 2, Birmingham

9th December – Club Academy, Manchester

10th December – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham

11th December – Concorde 2, Brighton

13th December – Thekla, Bristol

14th December – The Junction, Cambridge

15th December – Electric Ballroom, London

Explosions In The Sky have announced a UK tour for January. They will also be playing a few dates this year. Tickets for the January tour are available now and via www.gigsandtours.com.

19th August – Green Man Festival, Brecon Beacons (SOLD OUT)

20th November – o2 Academy, Bristol (£16)

22nd January – Mandela Hall, Belfast (£16)

23rd January – o2 Academy, Glasgow (£18)

24th January – o2 Academy, Leeds (£16)

25th January – The Sage, Gateshead (£19.50)

27th January – Brixton o2 Academy, London (£19.50)

New release Deadly People, from Vision Of Trees is released October 3rd and with it comes a string of live dates. Tickets are available now.

15th September – Sound Controller, Manchester (with Crystal Fighters)

19th October – The Bodega, Nottingham

20th October – The Jericho, Oxford

21st October – SWN Festival, Cardiff

22nd October – Nation Of Shopkeepers, Leeds

26th October – Forum, Sheffield

3rd November – Camp, London

11th November – Music Week Festival, Liverpool

12th November – Death Disco, Liverpool

Young Pilgrim – Charlie Simpson

In Gold Blood – Kids In Glass Houses

Watch Me Dance – Toddla T

Victory – Jedward