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Tuesday 24th May - Brighton Centre, Brighton
Thursday 26th May - Brixton Academy, London
Friday 27th May - Brixton Academy, London
Sunday 29th May - Corn Exchange, Edinburgh

Secret Machines will be supporting the Chemical Brothers on their two Brixton Academy gigs on 18th/19th March (these dates were previously announced).

The Chemical Brothers have also been confirmed as playing the Rock am Ring and Rock im Park festivals in Germany in June (3rd to 5th). Thanks to Michael Kelleners for info. Other acts which have been confirmed for the festival so far are:

R.E.M.
Iron Maiden
Green Day
Incubus
The Prodigy
HIM
Apocalyptica
The Hives
Fat bread 

The complete live schedule for the Chems in 2005 can be found in the live section of Planet Dust.

See the live section for a full list of the Chemical Brothers planned live dates in 2005.

The Chemical Brothers have also announced two lives dates in Germany in February. The dates are:

Saturday 26th February - Palladium, Koln
Sunday 27th February - Columbia Halle, Berlin

More details, including tickets, here. Tickets are E30.50 for the Koln gig and E30.70 for the Berlin gig. Thanks to Michael for details.

The Chems are also playing an extra gig in Tokyo, Japan, in addition to the two already confirmed for the AX, Tokyo, on 11th and 12th February. They may be playing Tokyo Bay NK Hall on Sunday 13th February. Thanks to Ryne Cender for details. Prior to this, they will also be playing in Osaka at the Zepp, on Wednesday 9th February. Tickets for all four gigs are prices at 6,800 Yen (in advance).

Details of all the confirmed dates on the Chemical Brothers 2005 tour can be found in the live section of Planet Dust.

Friday 21st January -  New Zealand - Auckland - Big Day Out
Sunday 23rd January - Australia - Gold Coast - Big Day Out
Wednesday 26th January - Australia - Sydney - Big Day Out
Thursday 27th January - Australia - Hordern Pavilion, Sydney
Sunday 30th January - Australia - Melbourne - Big Day Out
Friday 4th February - Australia - Adelaide - Big Day Out
Sunday 6th February - Australia - Perth - Big Day Out
Friday 11th February  - AX, Tokyo, Japan
Saturday 12th February - AX, Tokyo, Japan
Friday 25th February - Le Zenith, Paris, France
Friday 11th March - Carling Apollo Manchester, UK
Saturday 12th March - Carling Academy Glasgow, UK
Tuesday 15th March - Civic Hall Wolverhampton, UK
Wednesday 16th March - Point Theatre, Dublin, Ireland
Friday 18th March - Carling Academy Brixton (Late), UK
Friday 19th March - Carling Academy Brixton (Late), UK

Thanks to Denis Verriere (Paris) for news of the French gig.

Buenos Aires, Argentina, 22nd October 2004:

Intro "Tomorrow Never Knows" Junior Parker loop
1. "Hey Boy Hey Girl"
2. "Get Yourself High"
3. "Music: Response"
4. "Block Rockin' Beats"
5. "Song To The Siren" Excerpts
6. "Come Inside"
7. "Under The Influence"
8. "It Doesn't Matter"
9. "Out Of Control"
10. "Temptation / Star Guitar"
(interlude)
11. "Got Glint?"
12. "The Private Psychedelic Reel"

Santiago, Chile, 24th October 2004:

1. Intro: Junior Parker "Tomorrow Never Knows" loop
2. "Hey Boy! Hey Girl!"
3. "Get Yourself High"
4. "Music: Response"
5. "Block Rockin´Beats"
6. "Brothers gonna Work it Out"
7. "Song to the Siren"
5. "Come Inside"
6. "Under The Influence"
7. "It Doesn't Matter"
8. "Out of Control"
9. "Temptation/Star Guitar"
10. "New Track"
11. "Hoops"
12. "Electronic Battle Weapon 7 / Acid Children"
13. "Setting Sun"
14. "The Golden Path"
15. "Elektrobank"
16. "Got Glint"
17. "The Private Psychedelic Reel"

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Tickets go on sale Friday 26 November at 09:00, and will be available online here.

Also as previously reported on Planet Dust, Tim Burgess, vocalist with The Charlatans (and contributor to debut Chems' album "Exit Planet Dust" in 1995 with the vocals on the seminal "Life Is Sweet"), guests on the album. Burgess provides vocals to a track called "The Boxer". Mos Def's brother, Anwar Superstar, appears on the hip-hop style tune "Left Right". Bloc Party vocalist Kele Okereke appears on the frantic "Believe," while British act the Magic Numbers appear on "Close Your Eyes". Other highlights (according to Billboard) include the ominous "Hold Tight London," which sports a bass line akin to Tortoise or Can, and closer "Surface to Air," a smile-inducing, seven-minute instrumental with a pulsating synth melody.

Full track list is as follows:

"Galvanize"
"The Boxer"
"Believe"
"Hold Tight London"
"Come Inside"
"The Big Jump"
"Left Right"
"Close Your Eyes"
"Shake Bounce Break"
"Marvo Ging"
"Surface to Air"

"Galvanize" was to get it's world radio premiere on BBC Radio 1's Zane Lowe show today, Wednesday 17th November. Radio 1's Pete Tong will also broadcast an extended remix of "Galvanize" this coming Friday. 

For the first time for a Chemical Brothers release, it will be possible to purchase the track via internet download before the single is released in the shops. From Monday 22nd November, it will be possible to download it from www.musicfromemi.com.

The Chemical Brothers have also announced details of live Japan and UK dates in 2005. They are as follows:

AX, Tokyo, Japan, 11/02/2005
AX, Tokyo, Japan, 12/02/2005
Carling Apollo Manchester 11/03/2005
Carling Academy Glasgow 12/03/2005
Civic Hall Wolverhampton 15/03/2005
Carling Academy Brixton (Late) 18/03/2005
Carling Academy Brixton (Late) 19/03/2005

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"Galvanize" will feature US rapper Q-Tip on vocals. 

Tim Burgess from the Charlatans is also rumored to be providing his vocals to another track. Burgess, of course, provided the vocal on "Life is Sweet" on 1995's "Exit Planet Dust".

More details of "Push The Button" and "Galvanize" will be published on Planet Dust as they become available.

On Sunday last, the 24th October, The Chemical Brothers played live at San Carlos De Apoquindo, in Santiago, Chile. 

The event began at about 6pm, with a DJ on until 10.45pm, when the Chems hit the stage. Tom and Ed got a very warm reception from the Chilean crowd. The Chems delivered in kind with a spectacular show with excellent sound and impressive visual show. The setlist played in Santiago was:

1. Intro: Junior Parker "Tomorrow Never Knows" loop
2. "Hey Boy! Hey Girl!"
3. "Get Yourself High"
4. "Music: Response"
5. "Block Rockin´Beats"
6. "Brothers gonna Work it Out"
7. "Song to the Siren"
5. New Track
6. "Under The Influence"
7. "It Doesn't Matter"
8. "Out of Control"
9. "Temptation/Star Guitar"
10. "New Track"
11. "Hoops"
12. "Electronic Battle Weapon 7 / Acid Children"
13. "Setting Sun"
14. "The Golden Path"
15. "Elektrobank"
16. "Got Glint"
17. "The Private Psychedelic Reel"

Thanks to Ramón Avendaño, Rodrigo Carrasco Huerta and Alejandro Jofre, from Santiago, Chile, for details of the concert. Photos of the gig (left) were taken by Alejandro.

"The show was awesome, but way too short. During the third or fourth song of the set, it started to rain quite heavily. Apparently there was a problem because the Brothers stopped and left after "Star Guitar". Then after about 10 minutes they came back, but they played the last 2 songs of the set only, so they skipped "Setting Sun", "The Golden Path" and some of the new songs. It's a shame really, because they never come and the crowd response had been so great that we deserved the whole set, if not more. I want to think that they really had a problem with the equipment and that's why they shortened the set. The setlist was as follows:

1. "Hey Boy Hey Girl"
2. "Get Yourself High"
3. "Music: Response"
4. "Block Rockin' Beats"
5. New song, it had a vocal with a female voice singing "Would you need some time in the sun?" or something similar.
6. "Under The Influence"
7. "It Doesn't Matter"
8. "Out Of Control"
9. "Star Guitar"

(interlude)

10. "Got Glint?"
11. "The Private Psychedelic Reel"

Anyway, what they played was mind-blowing. The spectacular 1-2-3-4 of "Hey Boy Hey Girl", "Get Yourself High", "Music: Response" and "Block Rockin' Beats" turned everyone mad! 12,000 people jumping and singing along to "Hey Boy Hey Girl" can be the highlight of one's life. People even sang along to the "oooooohhh" noises during "Block Rockin' Beats". I think it was during this song that it started to rain, which was cool at first! It seemed to rain harder as the music got more intense. I thought they were going to be more serious, like most DJs, just looking down at their equipment and not moving. But they were really cheerful, they greeted the audience lots of times and smiled and danced a lot. "Get Yourself High" was more intense than the album version, and they practically didn't use the vocal track, except for the "Just get yourself high" part. "Star Guitar" was the night's highlight for me, though I can't believe I was the only clapping to the rythm of the beat. It was completely awesome, and it never seemed to finish, which was great. I sang to the top of my voice when the beats stopped and we heard the vocal track "You should feel what I'm feeling..."

After Star Guitar they left, but someone announced that they were going to come back, so we didn't worry. We moved to the side of the stage so that we would not get smashed during the remaining tracks. But when they started with the last tracks, I knew they had skipped part of the set. It's a shame really, but well, the show was amazing, and we got to hear "The Private Psychedelic Reel," best dance track ever."

Thanks to Gabriel Alejandro Rojo for sending in the above report from Argentina.

The tracklisting the Chems played on the night was as follows:

Intro: Junior Parker "Tomorrow Never Knows" loop
Hey Boy Hey Girl
Get Yourself High
Block Rockin´Beats
Under The Influence
Song to the Siren
Music: Response
NEW SONG
Temptation/Star Guitar

Out of Control
It Doesn´t Matter
Acid Children
Golden Path
Setting Sun
Golden Path
NEW SONG
Elektrobank
NEW SONG
The Private Psychedelic Reel

Thanks to Sergio Porro for the track details and the photos of the gig.

The Chemical Brothers have announced their first live dates of 2005. They will play the "Big Day Out" tour in January/February 2005, throughout Australia and New Zealand. The dates are as follows:

21st January 2005 -  New Zealand - Auckland
23rd January  2005 - Australia - Gold Coast
26th January  2005 - Australia - Sydney
30th January 2005 - Australia - Melbourne
4th February 2005 - Australia - Adelaide
6th February 2005 - Australia - Perth

The Chemical Brothers will join The Streets, The Music and The Beastie Boys among many others on the tour. More details about the "Big Day Out" festival can be found at http://www.bigdayout.com

They have instead announced South American dates. They are:

Wednesday 20th October 2004: Sao Paulo, Brazil, Estadio Pacaembu
Friday 22nd October 2004: Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pachaoutdoors 
Sunday 24th October 2004: Santiago De Chile, San Carlos De Apoquindo

The Chems have been nominated for "Best Music Video Online" at the 2004 Digital Music Awards. The complete shortlists are on the DMA website, www.dma04.com. The Best Music Video Online shortlist is selected by the editorial team at Yahoo Launch UK and includes "Get Yourself High". Voting will end on October 12 and the results will be announced at the Digital Music Awards at Shepherd’s Bush Empire on October 19. Vote for "Get Yourself High" by clicking here.

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The Chemical Brothers have announced the release of the seventh Electronic Battle Weapon. "Electronic Battle Weapon 7" is being released as a one-sided promo-only 12", containing a track which was played at all the Chems festival appearances this summer, called "Acid Children". The track has proved to be one of the most popular of the new Chems material previewed throughout the summer festivals. It features a distinctive vocal sample "You Are All My Children Now!", which is lifted from the old horror film "A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge".

The Electronic Battle Weapon series of promo releases have typically been newly recorded Chems tracks, released on promo to allow DJ's to test them in a club environment, and to gauge their popularity. "Acid Children" is likely to feature on the next Chemical Brothers album, scheduled for release sometime in 2005, as yet untitled, but designated "Chemical Five" unofficially until a title is made public.

Earlier "Electronic Battle Weapon" releases have been:

EBW1/EBW2: It Doesn't Matter / Don't Stop The Rock
EBW3/EBW4: Under The Influence / Freak Of The Week
EBW5: It Began In Afrika
EBW6: Hoops

GUADALAJARA, LA CONCHA ACUSTICA: Friday 15th October 2004
MEXICO CITY, SALA DE ARMAS: Sunday 17th October 2004

Tickets are available here.

THE Chemical Brothers are back! Well, very nearly, because we're still waiting for a new record.

But anyone who saw their recent performance at Glastonbury Festival this year will know that while many of their peers are either stopping trading altogether (Orbital) or not releasing good records (from Faithless to Aphex Twin's last the list goes on) The Chemical Brothers look to be on the cusp of a creative renaissance.

Part of the reason for this could be down to the fact that they exist in that midpoint between dance and rock where all the best new bands such as The Rapture and Scissor Sisters reside.

"I don't see one element being anymore relevant than than other," explains Chemical Brother Ed Simmons. "I think at a festival it's great to have a special live act, but you still can't deny the power of a DJ who's in command of a tent full of ravers.

"I love the fact that when we play live it's a big moment at a festival, but it's just as exciting as hearing Justin Robertson, Sasha or Richie Hawtin DJ."

Show

Just in case you're wondering why we're talking to Ed, it's because at the end of the month The Chemical Brothers will be playing a live show at Creamfields over in Speke, near Liverpool.

So what are we to expect with the new Chemical Brothers live show? "We are definitely playing new songs," says Ed. "We're currently working towards a new album for next year, we've written some really exciting new songs which we'll be playing at least four or five of them live.

"One of them is being released as an Electronic Battle Weapon called Acid Children, which will be ready to go later this month."

Fans of The Chemical Brothers know that the Electronic Battle Weapons, as well a being heavy duty Chemical Brothers fare, are a great introduction to the way they're going to head on the next album. At time of going to press we've not heard the new one, though we've never been let down in the past.

Lysergic

Live, of course, The Chems come into their own. Saturday night at Glastonbury saw the Brothers turning an enormous field into a frenzy of laser beams and booming breakdowns, not to mention some of the most lysergic music at a festival known for its lysergic music.

"Tom and I were really energised when we went to see Kraftwerk play at Brixton Academy a while back," explains Ed. "The sheer technicality of the show, the way they synchronised the music with the visuals really prompted us to have a big rethink about the way we presented our show.

"We have a whole new stage set-up now and I think Glastonbury proved that it helped us have a massive reconnection with the people out front."

Outfit

This reconnection and reinvention is what keeps The Chemical Brothers good and healthy as they head into their first decade as an outfit. How does that feel?

"I'm not saying we're aspiring to make albums for the next 25 years," comes the reply, "but there's this idea now that dance music is of its time, that it's had its place.

"But we're musicians and we want to continue making music into the future, because we get an immense amount of pleasure from making it as well as sharing it with people."

The Chemical Brothers at the forthcoming Creamfields at the end of the month should prove that statement nicely.

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/ram/glasto_chemicalbros_getyourself_acidchildren.ram 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/ram/glasto_chemicalbros_starguitar.ram 

Real Player is needed to listen to both streams.

Planet Dust reports from Oxegen in Ireland:

Due to the (inevitable!) scheduling clashes at Oxegen in Ireland, fans of dance music had to make the sacrifice to leave before Orbital, on their final Irish appearance, played "Chime" during their encore, to get across to the Dance Arena in time for The Chemical Brothers, who were headlining that stage. First up from the Chems was a very cool version of "Tomorrow Never Knows". It may have been a modified version of the Junior Parker cover of the Beatles' classic, but I'm not 100% sure. The Chems took to the stage to that track anyhow, and it sounded wonderful, and built up the anticipation of what was to come. "Tomorrow Never Knows" then gave way to a full-on "Hey Boy Hey Girl", to which the crowd went pretty much mad to! Next up was "Get Yourself High", which Planet Dust had never heard live before, but it worked really well. It is one of the better Chems tracks of the last couple of years. "Music: Response", "Block Rockin' Beats" and "Chemical Beats" followed by a snippet of what we think was a new track which Planet Dust had not heard before. Because it was a new track, unrecognized by the crowd, it didn't get much of a response as some of the earlier tracks, which was a pity. The crowd soon got going and the atmosphere build up for the subsequent "Under The Influence" and the storming "It Doesn’t Matter", from "Dig Your Own Hole".

Next up was all-time classic dance track, "Out of Control", which on the album features Bernard Sumner from New Order on vocals. The New Order theme continued with the Chems playing their own version of "Temptation", the New Order classic from the 80's. It gave way then to "Star Guitar". The "Temptation"/"Star Guitar" combination has been part of the Chems live performance now for a while, including as part of the "American EP" from 2002. One of the highlights of the set was another new track, with a fantastic intro, and a kind of trance feel. "Electronic Battle Weapon 6" followed, as did "Setting Sun", "The Golden Path" (significantly reworked from the single release, with only a minimal amount of the vocal track used), and I think another new track. "Got Glint" was played towards the end, before the final, and normal set ender, "The Private Psychedelic Reel".

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The Chems' next festival appearance sees them going to Ireland to the Oxegen festival, their first Irish appearance in two years.

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The Chemical Brothers are to headline the Creamfields festival this coming August. Creamfields is one of the UK's biggest one day festivals. The Chemical Brothers will join the likes of Goldfrapp, Paul Oakenfold Judge Jules, Fergie, Tall Paul and Paul Van Dyk. The event will take place at the Old Liverpool Airfield, in Speke.

Running from 3pm to 6am, it usually attracts around 40,000 people from across the UK each year. Last year saw 35,000 people arriving in Liverpool to dance until daybreak and see Massive Attack play their first live show in the city. James Barton, founder of Cream, said "Every year we always intend to make the show even better and stronger and I think it is even more important now after Liverpool winning the Capital of Culture award. The event was born and bred in Liverpool so it is appropriate the event here is perfect and that it continues to act as a catalyst for what we are doing in the rest of the world. We are hoping for more of the same in future years."

Tickets for Liverpool Creamfields, on Saturday August 28, the Bank Holiday Weekend, are UK£49 plus booking fee. For more details see the Creamfields website.

In addition to Creamfields, the Chems have confirmed that they will be playing the Benicassim Festival in Spain in the first weekend in August. Tom and Ed have played this festival several times before, and will be a popular addition to this year's line up. Kraftwerk, Lou Reed and the Pet Shop Boys are also apearing at the festival. More details can be found at the festival website.

The Chemical Brothers will also play two festivals on successive days in Portugal, on 16th and 17th July 2004. On the 16th July they will play the Vilar de Mouros Festival in the north of the country. Bob Dylan and The Cure will also play at the same festival. On the following day they will play at Festival República Independente in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. Also appearing at this festival are Andy Smith (Portishead), Leeroy Thornhill (ex-Prodigy), Felix da Housecat & Dego (4-Hero).

The full 2004 Summer Festival schedule for the Chemical Brothers, as currently understood by Planet Dust is (subject to change; E&OE):

May 22nd 2004 - Glint at Turnmills, London, UK (DJ night, not festival appearance!)
June 16th 2004 - Wolverhampton Civic Hall, UK (not a festival!)
June 25th to June 27th 2004 - Glastonbury, UK (exact day of Chems appearance TBC)
July 10th 2004 - Oxegen Festival, Ireland
July 11th 2004 - T In The Park Festival, Scotland
July 16th 2004 - Vilar de Mouros Festival, Portugal
July 17th 2004 - Festival República Independente, Portugal
July 30th to August 1st - Fuji Rock Festival, Japan (exact day TBC)
First Weekend in August - Benicassim Festival, Spain (exact day TBC)
August 20th to August 22nd 2004 - Lowlands festival, the Netherlands (exact day TBC)
August 28th 2004 - Creamfields, Liverpool, UK

Note - Planet Dust intelligence previously reported that this was a DJ appearance by the Chems, but it is actually a live date! Apologies for any confusion caused!

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The Chemical Brothers are to play the Lowlands festival in the Netherlands in August. According

The Chemical Brothers have won Best International Act (non-US) at the 2004 Dancestar Awards. The Awards took place in Miami, Florida, USA, on 10th March, and are the American dance music industry awards.

The Chems have also just announced another Glint night at Turnmills (left) in London on Saturday 22nd May 2004. This will be the third of Tom and Ed's famous nights at Turnmills, and the first club night the Chems have played since New Years Eve at the same venue. According to the press release regarding the Glint night, the Chems will be dropping some new material during their set, material which they are working on as part of their new album, due for release (probably) later this year. According to Tom and Ed "After an amazing NYE at Turnmills we are really excited to be coming back to one of the best clubs in the world to do a Glint party. It¹s always a real buzz to play in such a brilliant atmosphere and the fact that we feel so relaxed/free in Turnmills means we plan to play music fresh from the studio. We are writing and recording right up until the night, so we should have lots of new mind bending chemical music to unleash!!"

Details of the night:

Room 1
The Chemical Brothers
Nathan Detroit

Room 2
Justin Robertson
Moonboots
Frank Tope

Turnmills
63B Clerkenwell Road, London. EC1M 5NP
Info: 020 7250 3409
Tube: Farringdon
Doors: 10pm ­ 6am
Prices: £12 Advance / MOTD
Advanced Tickets: ticketweb // 08700 600100

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The Chemical Brothers will also play a DJ set at Miami's Ultra Music Festival on Saturday March 6th 2004. The Ultra Music Festival takes place at the Bayfront Park in Miami, Florida, USA, and will be the official opening event for the 19th annual Winter Music Conference.

The following day the Chems will also DJ at the Astralwerks night at Mansion on Washington Avenue in Miami. The event is also being promoted by Spin and will also feature Audio Bullys and Miss Kittin. Tickets are $25 and available to purchase here.