Something old . . .

BEATS: FROM blues rock to classical and folk to jazz, Jethro Tull have done it all.

The group — formed in 1967 — has sold more than 60 million albums worldwide and performed more than 2,700 shows in 40 countries.

Ian Anderson started the band in Blackpool in the early 1960s and they moved to London in search of more gigs. There have been numerous line-up changes over the years, with Anderson being the only original member left. Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi and Genesis drummer Phil Collins have appeared in the Jethro Tull line-up at some point over the past 43 years.

The tour, which calls at the Manchester Apollo tonight, will feature Jethro Tull songs old and new.

Ian said: “Of all the music recorded by Jethro Tull over the years, there are several songs which have rarely, if ever, been performed in public.

“We look forward to introducing some of this material to the setlist in 2010 along with some of the tried and trusty favourites.

“Martin Barre and I, along with long-standing drummer Doane Perry and old friends David Goodier and John O’Hara will bring variety and depth to the concerts with the aid of a few forgotten musical instruments currently being dug out of the rusty skip and dusted down for action.”


. . . Something new

MOTION City Soundtrack’s new release “My Dinosaur Life” is said to be the album of their career and is already being touted as the album of 2010.

Over the years Motion City Soundtrack have accomplished quite a bit Stateside, including headlining the Warped tour, Bamboozle, Lollapalooza and the MTV Campus Invasion.

The lads are Justin Pierre, Josh Cain, Matt Taylor, Jesse Johnson and Tony Thaxton.

They, have also won two MTV Woodie Awards — in 2005 the Breaking Woodie for Best Emerging Artist and in 2008 the Best Video Woodie for ‘It Had to Be You’ — as well as playing the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan.

“My Dinosaur Life”, the band’s fourth studio album, is the next chapter for the up-and-coming band. This album follows previous LPs “Even If It Kills Me”, “I Am The Movie” and “Commit This To Memory”.

Produced by Blink 182’s Mark Hoppus and mixed by the legendary Andy Wallace, “My Dinosaur Life” showcases the bands grittier edge.

See what all the fuss is about at Manchester’s Academy 2 on Saturday.