Behind the Setlist Billboard

Birdy (Jasmine van den Bogaerde) broke into the mainstream in 2011 when, at the age of 14, she released a cover of Bon Iver's "Skinny Love," a song that remains a staple in her live performances. "Skinny Love" was a hit in the U.K. and Australia and helped her debut, self-titled album top album charts in Australia, the Netherlands and Belgium. Birdy's latest album, Portraits, is a blast of '80s orchestral synth-pop that recalls the best of the Eurythmics and Kate Bush. She will perform at festivals throughout Europe in the summer of 2024.
Links
Birdy's home page
Birdy @ Setlist.fm
Jay Gilbert @ Label Logic
Glenn Peoples @ Billboard
Behind the Setlist archive
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K.Flay (Kristine Flaherty) released her latest album, MONO, on Sept. 15, 2023 on Giant Music. Known for songs like "High Enough" and "Blood in the Cut," K.Flay says she recorded MONO like it was a debut album. "I just didn't have a ton of judgment," she says. "In a good way. I wasn't self censoring, or self judging, going, 'Man, that's a stupid idea.'" The result is "a no-holds-barred futuristic rock record" (When the Horn Blows) with "a fresh and rare auditory experience" (Spill Magazine).
On Billboard's Behind the Setlist podcast, K.Flay talks about her live shows, how she connects with her audience, the value of collaborating with other musicians, her hesitancy to use social media, how artists deal with mental health issues and what she does when she comes off stage.
Links
K Flay home page
K Flay tour dates
Jay Gilbert @ Label Logic
Glenn Peoples @ Billboard
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Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney join Billboard's Behind the Setlist podcast (Glenn Peoples from Billboard and Jay Gilbert from Label Logic) to talk about the upcoming album, Ohio Players, out April 5. The debut single, "Beautiful People (Stay High)" and other tracks were inspired by the rock, R&B and funk 7" singles they played during their Black Keys Record Hang gigs at clubs around the U.S., Europe and Mexico City in 2023. "The way that a lot of those classic 45s are, there's there's no wasted space," says Carney. The guys talk about writing the song "On the Game" with Noel Gallagher of Oasis fame at a studio in London and, separately, the advice his brother Liam Gallagher gave them about how to build a setlist for a festival gig.
The Black Keys currently have some European dates set for April and May and one U.S. date, the NASCAR Chicago Street Race Weekend two-day festival on July 6.
Links
The Black Keys home page
The Black Keys tour dates
Jay Gilbert @ Label Logic
Glenn Peoples @ Billboard
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Neil Finn of Crowded House joined Billboard's Behind the Setlist podcast to chat about the band's upcoming album, Gravity Stairs, out May 31 through BMG, and the first single, "Oh Hi" (watch the amazing video at YouTube here). Neil shares some insights into the songwriting craft, the band's live performances and Crowded House's long history.
Crowded House was formed in 1985 after the break-up of Neil's previous band Split Enz ("I Got You," "Message to My Girl"). The group's 1986 debut album was a huge success in the U.S., the group's native Australia and New Zealand and elsewhere. "Don't Dream It's Over" reached No. 2 on the Hot 100 singles chart in 1987, and "Something So Strong" reached No. 7 the same year. The band went on to continued success with the albums Temple of Low Men in 1988, Woodface in 1991 and Together Alone in 1993. After a pause, Crowded House returned with Time on Earth in 2007 and Intriguer in 2010. After yet another pause, they returned with Dreamers are Waiting in 2021. 
Links
Crowded House home page
Crowded House tour dates
Jay Gilbert @ Label Logic
Glenn Peoples @ Billboard

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Success — and longevity — isn't lost on Barenaked Ladies' Ed Robertson. "It just seems unreal to me that I've been in a band called Barenaked Ladies for three and a half decades," Robertson tells Behind the Setlist. Best known for their 1998 hit "One Week" and the theme song to the comedy TV show "Big Bang Theory," Barenaked Ladies is still going strong. They released their 14th studio album, In Flight, in September 2023 and are preparing for a U.K. tour in the spring before returning to more shows in the States. The band's joyous live shows have earned them a huge touring business at arenas and amphitheaters through the U.S. and Canada, their home country. Robertson says the band chose build a career in North America rather than try to break in Europe, Latin America and Asia. "We'll take any gig," says Robertson, "and we will deliver."

Links:
Barenaked Ladies homepage
Barenaked Ladies tour dates
Jay Gilbert @ Label Logic
Glenn Peoples @ Billboard
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No other band sounds like Gogol Bordello. Frontman Eugene Hütz has crafted a caustic blend of styles that meld his affection for punk with the Romani music from his native Ukraine. Gogol Bordello released its ninth studio album, Solidartine, in 2022. This year, Hütz launched a new label, Casa Gogol Records, with a collaboration with New Order's Bernard Sumner, "Solidarity," and put out a track to benefit Ukraine, "United Strike Back," featuring Tre Cool (Green Day), Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys), Joe Lally (Fugazi) and Roger Miret (Agnostic Front).
Links
Gogol Bordello home page
Gogol Bordello tour dates
Jay Gilbert @ Label Logic
Glenn Peoples @ Billboard
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