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Soundcheck

Friday, June 16, 2006
  • iPod

    Opening Bands: Love 'em or Leave 'em?

    Ever get frustrated sitting through endless opening acts, waiting for the headliner? Find out why opening acts exist, and who benefits from this time-honored concert convention. Plus, we'll look into the recent allegations of sweat shop factories being run by an iPod assembly company in mainland China. And electro-pop-trio Mobius Band perform live in-studio.

Opening Bands: Love 'em or Leave 'Em?

Music critic for the Village Voice, Robert Christgau, joins Gary Bongiovanni Editor-In-Chief of POLLSTAR U.S.A. to talk about the pros and cons of opening acts.

Mobius Band


Electro-pop-trio Mobius Band spent nearly 6 years refining their sound in the backwoods of Massachusetts. They perform live in-studio.
» More on Mobius Band

iPods and Sweatshop Labor

Leander Kahney, Managing Editor of Wired News, looks into the recent allegations of sweat shop factories being run by an iPod assembly company in mainland China.
» Judging Apple Sweatshop Charge
» Apple supplier code of conduct (PDF)

Irma Thomas

Soundcheck

August 22, 2008
New Orleans singer Irma Thomas has survived 50 years in the music business - and at least two hurricanes. She joins us to talk about her record, Simply Grand.

Bon Iver

Soundcheck

July 30, 2008
Singer-songwriter Justin Vernon spent a winter holed up in his father's hunting cabin in remote Wisconsin, recording songs about solitude that would be released under the name Bon Iver. He joins us to play some of them live.

Who's On Top and Who Should Be?

Soundcheck

August 14, 2008
Soundcheck looks at the artists who are reigning atop the Billboard albums chart -- and what their rankings tell us about the state of pop music.

The Next Big Things

Soundcheck

Paste magazine editor-in-chief Josh Jackson joins us to talk about Johnny Flynn, Janelle Monae, Bon Iver, Amy MacDonald and other must-hear artists who made Paste’s list of "The Best of What’s Next: 26 Emerging Artists You Should Know."