The Kooks are, apparently, taking the U.S. by storm before their new release, Junk of the Heart, even comes out. (It's due on September 13.) The UK foursome hasn't been Stateside in three years, save three sold-out shows in New York City this past June. In that time, though, their homeland has roundly embraced them, as have fans in America.

Frontman Luke Pritchard has admitted that the band hit a few bumps in the road, but that they've since smoothed that out. He explained, “We've taken time to sort of readjust and try and find the band again. For a long time we had felt a bit stale; it felt like it needed a bit of revival. We wanted to make a really modern-sounding album and to try and fuse our more traditional influences with modern ones.

"There's quite a few different instruments we've not used before - different kinds of textures, but still with the roots of the band. Rather than being a band just playing our guitars in a room, we built the tracks up and added more layers. We wanted to make it more of a future-sounding record than looking back to the past.”

An early review of the record seems to indicate that the Kooks have managed to pull off just such a feat. The critic noted, “This third album may not turn them into the world’s biggest band, but there’s enough going on here to redeem them in the eyes of most ‘serious’ music fans. In some ways, Junk of the Heart captures the sound of a band trying to shake off any vestiges of their own brand of jangle-pop.”

Likewisie, in Pritchard's eyes – and ears – Junk of the Heart fulfills its mission: "This album's almost us finding out what we really are more than we have before. It's much more global-sounding as well. I don't think you could pin it down to being a British indie band anymore.

“It's upbeat; an album to play in the sun. What we really wanted to do was build a proper, full album. Something you can listen to from front to back. We're an album band and this is a journey you come on with us."

The deeper journey, that of the tortured artist, isn't so easily accessible. Still, Pritchard offers a glimpse into what it's like to be him. He confessed, “Everyone thinks they're misunderstood, don't they? I do. People perceive you to be a certain way and I don't feel like that person.

“Because people think that what you're doing is a sell-out, you're trying to be too commercial. Whatever, I don't know how people see me. Yes, I'm paranoid sometimes. I think people think I'm shit; yes, of course I do. But now I have this album and I feel like nothing can touch me, I think it's great.”

As the album critic cited, “The Kooks are earnest in their quest to be bigger and bolder than heretofore. With Junk of the Heart, they are heading in the right direction.” No reason to think that their live presentation won't be as equally noteworthy.

The Kooks 2011 U.S. Tour Dates:

November 15 – Philadelphia, PA – Trocadero
November 16 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
November 17 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
November 19 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
November 20 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
November 22 – Montreal, QC – Club Soda
November 23 – Toronto, ON – Sound Academy
November 25 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
November 26 – Chicago, IL – Vic Theatre
November 27 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
November 29 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
November 30 – Salt Lake City, UT – Club Sound
December 2 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox @ The Market
December 4 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
December 7 – Los Angeles, CA – The Music Box
December 8 – Los Angeles, CA – The Music Box
December 13 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore

Three Doors Down's ‘Time of My Life Tour’ Features Theory Of A Deadman, Pop Evil

This may sound odd, but if you're going to buy the latest album from Three Doors Down, Time of My Life, buy it from the Home Depot Web site.

Don’t worry; the national chain of do-it-yourself home improvement stores is not getting into the music retail business nor is the band venturing into the hardware racket.  

Instead, Three Doors Down is participating in Home Depot's "Celebration of Service" campaign.  It’s a charitable program that assists military veterans in a variety of ways.  If you buy the album Time of My Life from homedepot.com the band will donate one dollar to their campaign.  The offer spans two months, Sept. 11 to Nov. 11. 

"Veterans should not have to worry about where they and their families are going to live, and that's why we're so excited to be working with The Home Depot Foundation to change and improve the lives of thousands of brave men and women who have served this country. It's time to honor those who have served us all," explains TDD's lead singer Brad Arnold. 

Recently, the band took a break from selling 3 Doors Down tickets to travel to Southern California to help the Home Depot Foundation, as well as other non-profits, refurbish the grounds of New Directions, a charity in West Los Angeles that runs a myriad of services for veterans.

"We've had a long connection with the military and the troops, so this was just another way to get involved," said Three Doors Down guitarist Matt Roberts.  "The hope is that our fans learn about what we're doing and try and to help out too.  We're having a great time working with The Home Depot Foundation on this."

This fall–when they’re not helping U.S. service men and women–the band will be out on the road promoting their aforementioned new album, Time of My Life.

Their trek kicks off Sept. 29 with a 3 Doors Down concert in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  It ends Nov. 12 when 3 Doors Down rolls into Providence, Rhode Island for a show at the city's performing arts center.

Joining the quintet at most tour stops is Theory of a Deadman.  The Canadian rock band just released their fourth studio album, The Truth Is….

Highlights of the 23-date outing include a 3 Doors Down-Theory of a Deadman show in White Creek, Tennessee on Oct 2;  a 3 Doors Down-Theory of a Deadman concert in Orlando, Florida on Oct. 4; a 3 Doors Down-Theory of a Deadman gig in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Nov. 4; and a 3 Doors Down-Theory of a Deadman performance at New York City's famous Hammerstein Ballroom on Nov. 9.

Also appearing on the marquee is Michigan’s own Pop Evil.  The five-piece rock outfit released their sophomore effort, War of Angels, on July 5.

“We’re psyched for the tour with Theory of a Deadman and Pop Evil!” exclaimed Arnold. “There are gonna be some awesome venues full of some awesome fans! We can’t wait to rock it out!”

Before launching the "Time of My Life Tour” 3 Doors Down has several dates scattered over the eastern part of the United States.

Catch 3 Doors Down in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Sept 1; see the group in Essex Junction, Vermont at the Champlain Valley Exposition on Sept. 2; and cash in your 3 Doors Down tickets to see their performance in York, Pennsylvania on Sept. 16.

Fans can also attend "Time of My Life Tour" stops in Arizona and Texas.  On Oct. 26, 3 Doors Down will be in Phoenix for a show at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum.  Then on Oct. 28, 3 Doors Down and Theory of a Dead Man will perform at the Ford Arena in Beaumont.  The following night, you’ll find 3 Doors Down and Theory of a Dead Man in Corpus Christi.

Third Day: ‘Make your Move Tour’ Gets Underway Sept. 17

It’s sure to be a night of great music, inspiration, and praise that will appeal to both Christians and rock music fans.

The Grammy award-winning Christian rock band Third Day launches their “Make Your Move Tour” Sept. 17 in Cypress, Texas at the Berry Center.

The Georgia-based quartet has 40 cities on their itinerary including stops in Charlottesville, Baton Rouge, Fresno, and Baltimore.

Their robust outing wraps Dec. 2 in Raleigh, North Carolina at the Dorton Arena.

Opening for Third Day will be Tenth Avenue North and Trevor Morgan.  Nashville musician Matthew West will replace Tenth Avenue North on the marquee for a few dates. 

Fans have the option of buying regular Third Day tickets or the deluxe VIP package.  The package contains Gold Circle seats, a tour poster, and the band’s most recent album, Move.  Also included in the special VIP package is access to a special question and answer session with the band.

Speaking of special sessions, the band is holding meet and greets in all the cities on their schedule.  To attend these events you must be a member of the band’s “exclusive fan club” called “Wired.”  There is a fee to join the club.

Third Day was founded in 1991 by frontman Mac Powell and lead guitarist Mark Lee.  One night, while playing at Lee’s church, the duo met drummer David Carr and bassist Tai Anderson.  The four musicians hit it off so well that Powell and Lee asked Carr and Anderson to join the group.

Since 1996, the band has released ten studio and five live albums on two major record labels.  Third Day achieved crossover success in 2005 when their sixth studio album, Wherever You Are, peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200. 

The band would repeat that type of mainstream success two more times.  In 2008, their LP Revelation debuted at number six and in 2010 the aforementioned Move went all the way to number nine.

The song “Make Your Move,” from the Move album, premiered on ESPN on Sept. 11 during a college football game (Alabama versus Penn State). 

Another track from that same album, “Follow Me There,” was used as the theme song for "Sarah Palin’s Alaska," a reality show that aired on TLC.

The band has 26 number one singles spread out over four Christian singles chart (some songs hit the top spot on more than one listing).  Third Day has also won 20 Dove awards. 

Inspired by artists like U2, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Rich Mullins, Third Day has cultivated a reputation for not only being one of the best Christian music acts but for being a great rock band as well.

'Make Your Move Tour' Itinerary
>>Sept. 16 - Third Day in Hutchinson, KS @ Kansas State Fair
>>Sept. 22 - Third Day in Jonesboro, AR @ ASU Convocation Center
>>Sept. 23 - Third Day in DuQuoin, IL @ DuQuoin State Fair
>>Sept. 24 - Third day in West Lafayette, IN @ Elliott Hall Of Music
>>Sept. 25 - Third Day in Arden, NC @ Biltmore Baptist Church
>>Sept. 30 - Third Day in Portsmouth, VA @ nTelos Wireless Pavilion
>>Oct. 1 - Third Day in Alpharetta, GA @ Verizon Amphitheatre
>>Oct. 2 - Third Day in Charlottesville, VA @ nTelos Wireless Pavilion
>>Oct. 6 - Third Day in Baton Rouge, LA @ Baton Rouge River Center Arena
>>Oct. 7 - Wichita Fallas, TX @ Kay Yeager Coliseum
>>Oct. 8 - Third Day in Tulsa, OK @ Mabee Center
>>Oct. 9 - Third Day in Tupelo, MS @ Bancorpsouth Center
>>Oct. 12 - Third Day in Fresno, CA @ Paul Paul Theater
>>Oct. 14 - Third Day in Eden Praoroe, MN @ Grace Church
>>Oct. 15 - Third Day in Fargo, ND @ First Assembly of God
>>Oct. 16 - Third Day in Council Bluffs, IA @ Mid-America Center
>>Oct. 20 - Third Day in Troy, OH @ Hobart Arena
>>Oct. 21 - Third Day in Fort Wayne, IN @ Embassy Theatre
>>Oct. 22 - Third Day in Springfield, IL @ Prairie Capital Convention Center
>>Oct. 27 - Third day in Canton, OH @ Canton Memorial Civic Center
>>Oct. 29 - Third Day in Augusta, ME @ Augusta Civic Center
>>Nov. 4 - Third Day in Lowell, MA @ Lowell Memorial Auditorium
>>Nov. 5 - Third Day in Baltimore, MD @ Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
>>Nov. 6 - Third Day in Wilkes Barre, PA @ Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
>>Nov. 10 - Third Day in Springfield, MO @ JQH Arena
>>Nov. 11 - Third Day in Mountain Home, AR @ VADA SHEID Performing Arts Center
>>Nov. 13 - Third Day in Round Rock, TX @ The Dell Diamond Stadium
>>Nov. 18 - Third Day in Lubbock, TX @ City Bank Coliseum
>>Nov. 19 - Third Day in Alburquerque, NM @ Kiva Auditorium
>>Nov. 20 - Third Day in Phoenix, AZ @ Grand Canyon University
>>Dec. 1 - Third Day in Savannah, GA @ Johnny Mercer Theatre
>>Dec. 2 - Third Day in Raleigh, NC @ Dorton Arena

Despite being one of the year's most hated artists, Chris Brown is, apparently, also very well liked. His latest set, F.A.M.E., debuted at the top of the Billboard album charts upon its release in March. Three hit singles have since emerged and BET Awards flooded in.

This fall, Brown will get his F.A.M.E. on when he takes to the road. Beginning in mid-September, the tour also includes T-Pain, Tyga, and Kelly Rowland. Brown is so excited, he took to Twitter, writing, "This tour is about to be crazzzyyy!"

In an announcent, Brown explained, "This tour will allow me to paint a picture musically. I want to bring a lot of energy and excitement to all the fans. It's going to be a great show."

Not surprisingly, Brown hasn't done very much press surrounding F.A.M.E. His infamous Good Morning, America interview this past March was dubbed “uncomfortable” due to the fact that host Robin Roberts asked about Brown's abusive past with former girlfriend, Rihanna.

After the interview, Brown raged off, put his fist through the window in his dressing room, and ripped off his own shirt. Apparently, those anger management classes didn't do the trick.

ABC held their own, stating, "Chris Brown was invited on Good Morning, America to perform and be interviewed. There were no talking points offered. ... As always, we ask questions that are relevant and newsworthy, and that's what we did in this interview with Mr. Brown."

As for Brown, he countered that he felt exploited and was thrown off by GMA's line of questioning. So, "to release the anger that I had inside me ... I got very emotional and I apologize for that."

Brown redeemed himself in July with an appearance on the Today show. A record-setting crowd of 18,000 people showed up. No one expected such a turn-out, not Brown's team or the folks at NBC.

Perhaps the insouciance of the Today staffers – and the massive crowd – will helped convince future show bookers to give Brown another shot: "Chris made his first television appearance on the Today show about five years ago and we wanted him back as part of our summer series. He is an incredible performer and he has hit songs. There were no concerns."

In lieu of having press to build more buzz for the tour, Brown recently issued a mixtape, Boy in Detention, that features Justin Bieber's rap persona, Shawty Mane. He is also set to shoot the romantic comedy Think Like a Man and then perform on August 28 at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Rowland, though, can't keep herself from gushing about the upcoming tour dates. The former Destiny's Child member has been gushing about the collaboration and more possibilities down the line: “I just love Chris. He’s an amazing entertainer and I’m just really excited to be going on tour with him. ... I was in the studio with Chris a couple months ago just when the album was closing, so we didn’t finish in time for this record we were working on. Hopefully we’ll do something in the future.”

Chris Brown 2011 Tour Dates:

Sept. 12: Toronto, ON - Molson Canadian Amphitheatre

Sept. 14: Darien Center, NY - Darien Lake Performing Arts Center

Sept. 16: Holmdel, NJ - PNC

Sept. 17: Washington, DC - Verizon Center

Sept. 18: Detroit, MI - Joe Louis Arena

Sept. 21: Cleveland, OH - CSU

Sept. 23: Chicago, IL - Tinley Park

Sept. 24: Maryland Heights, MO - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

Sept. 25: Noblesville, IN - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

Sept. 28: Baltimore, MD - 1s Mariner Arena

Sept. 30: Uniondale, NY - Nassau Coliseum

Oct. 1: Raleigh, NC - Walnut Creek Amphitheatre

Oct. 2: Atlanta, GA - Lakewood Amphitheatre

Oct. 7: Tampa, FL - 1 800 ASK GARY

Oct. 8: Charlotte, NC - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

Oct. 9: Virginia Beach, VA - Farm Bureau Amphitheatre

Oct. 12: Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center

Oct. 14: Dallas, TX - GEXA Pavilion

Oct. 15: New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Arena

Oct. 16: Spring, TX - Woodlands

Oct. 18: Phoenix, AZ - Ashley Pavilion

Oct. 20: Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center

Oct. 22: Concord, CA - Sleep Train Concord

Oct. 23: Wheatland, CA - Sleep Train Amphitheatre

Oct. 26: Memphis, TN - Fed Ex Forum

Oct. 28: Philadelphia, PA - Wells Fargo Arena

Oct. 29: Pittsburgh, PA - Consol Energy Center

Oct. 30: Hartford, CT - XL Center