In the several months since their latest album, Another Sound is Dying, was released, the members of Dub Trio have completed no less than two North American tours and a European one, not to mention made numerous appearances at festivals and in general been far away from their hometown of Brooklyn. The guys obviously have an enormous stash of RedBull, or something, on hand, because despite their already jam-packed year, they’ll continue touring through mid-December. The band will arrive Stateside at the beginning of November, fresh off a set of European dates.

10/15 Limoges, France – La Fourml
10/16 Perigueux, France – Le Reservoir
10/17 Belfort, France – La Poudriere
10/18 Dunkerque, France – Les 4 Ecluses
10/19 Luxembourg, Luxembourg – Verso
10/21 Tilburg, Netherlands – 013/Batcave
10/22 Orleans, France – L’Astrolabe
10/23 Montpellier, France – Victoire 2
10/24 Bulle, Switzerland – L’Ebullltion
10/25 Grenoble, France – Summum
10/26 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso
10/27 Berlin, Germany – Lido
10/28 Hamburg, Germany – Hafenkang
10/29 Koln, Germany – Tsunami Club
10/30 Athens, Greece – AN Club
10/31 Bern, Switzerland – Dastock
11/01 Maastricht, Netherlands – Muzlekglerterij
11/10 Burlington, VT – Club Metronome
11/11 Providence, RI – The Living Room
11/12 Allston, MA – Harper’s Ferry
11/13 New York, NY – The Knitting Factory
11/14 Asbury Park, NJ – Asbury Lanes
11/15 Buffalo, NY – Nietzsche’s
11/16 Toronto, ON – El Mocambo
11/18 Newport, KY – Southgate House
11/19 Cleveland, OH – Grog Shop
11/20 Hamtramck, MI – Small’s
11/21Chicago, IL – Subterranean
11/22 Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon
11/23 Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater
11/25 Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge
11/26 Boulder, CO – Fox Theatre
11/28 Breckenridge, CO – Three 20 South
11/29 Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
12/01 Seattle, WA – El Corazon
12/02 Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
12/04 San Francisco, CA – TBA
12/05 Sacramento, CA – TBA
12/06 Los Angeles, CA – The Viper Room
12/07 Phoenix, AZ – Hollywood Alley
12/10 Austin, TX – Red 7
12/11 Houston, TX – Warehouse Live
12/12 Dallas, TX – The Prophet Bar
12/13 Little Rock, AR – Juanita’s
12/14 Nashville, TN – Exit/In
12/16 Washington, DC – TBA
12/17 Baltimore, MD – TBA
12/18 Philadelphia, PA – TBA

Morgan Heritage has had to cancel its anticipated European tour due to a medical injury suffered by keyboardist/vocalist Roy “Gramps” Morgan. The group is currently on the charts with the single “Nothing To Smile About” and was to tour its current album, Mission In Progress. Heritage is known for its dynamic live shows; the canceled tour would have marked the group’s first time to the EU in three years.

October has been a month of passings and remembrances. It’s been a year since South African reggae great Lucky Dube was slain in an attempted carjacking, on October 18, 2007. A concert in Jamaica commemorating Peter Tosh’s October birthday has been called off due to production difficulties. The iconic former Wailer was murdered September 11, 1987. And finally, reggae fans are mourning last weekend’s loss of rocksteady godfather Alton Ellis, who passed away in a London hospital after battling cancer. Artists have been offering tributes to Ellis this week.

Not sure how we missed this, but Vybz Kartel, DJ, entrepreneur, and owner of a rum company and condom line, is also a single man, after a court agreed to finalize his divorce proceedings. Kartel was married in 2006 to a woman living in the U.S., but due to visa issues has not been able to visit her for some time.

Is piracy and bootleg killing the reggae market? According to a Gleaner article it is, with sales of Jamaican CDs down 50 percent. “I am very sure the music sales are going down. Record stores in New York are closing down, CD sales are ridiculously low,” Irie Jam Media CEO Bobby Clarke told the paper. Clarke was referring to the closure of noted Brooklyn reggae retailer Super Power.

Sequence/Ultra Records act Enur’s new album, Raggatronic, includes a dancehall-meets-danceclub hit, “Wine Wine,” featuring Beenie Man And Natalie Storm.

Dub and steppers fans should check for the new single, “Captive Free,” from prolific U.K. act Roots HiTek. Since the early ’90s, this artist, soundsystem, and label has released singles by Barry Issacs, Colour Red, and Tena Stelin, all with multiple dub versions.

This year’s annual Champions In Action concert, October 18 at Portmore’s Jamworld Entertainment Complex in Jamaica, is boasting a deep artist lineup. Headliners include Bounty Killer, Mavado, Sizzla, Capleton, Ninja Man, and Vybz Kartel, while new and established acts like Serani, Bugle, Demarco, Taurus Riley, Queen Ifrika, I Wayne, Busy Signal, Assassin, Lutan Fyah, and Spice will fill out the bill.

Reggae at the Ritz at the renowned Ritz Theatre in Elizabeth, New Jersey takes place Sunday, October 26, with headliners Mavado and Buju Banton.

Richie B’s Hot 102 Top 20 Dancehall Singles
1. Flippa Mafia “Dem Yah & Dem Yah” (Board House)
2. Vybz Kartel “Trailer Load of Money” (Adidjaheim/Chimney)
3. Konshens “Winner” (Natural Bridge/Cash Flow)
4. Mavado “I’m So Special” (TJ)
5. Mavado “Inna Di Car Back” (Big Ship)
6. Beenie Man “Gimmi Likkle” (Born So)
7. Harry Toddler “More Money” (Downsound)
8. Tifa “Bottom of the Barrel” (Ward 21)
9. Macka Diamond “Robbery” (Scatta Productions)
10. Elephant Man “Nuh Linga” (Board House)

Pictured: Morgan Heritage.

Gregg Gillis (a.k.a. Girl Talk) is likely one of the busiest guys in music, what with all the show dates, songs, and samples on his plate, but he hasn’t forgotten the fans. Thus, he has unveiled his new day-to-day blog, which is currently documenting adventures on the road as he embarks on his six-week tour.

Each day, a new video will be added to the Girl Talk MySpace page. Days one, two, and three are already up and feature things like an interview with Gillis’ dad, screaming crowds, backstage footage, and many, many references to food.

In other news, Gillis’ Jordan headband is currently being auctioned on eBay, and is said to be “reversible and in good condition.” Bidding for it should keep you occupied for the next few days, as the physical release of Feed the Animals has been pushed back to November 11. The album can still be downloaded under the pay-what-you-want plan at Illegal Art.

Tour dates are in full swing and selling out quickly. You can even check the weather before heading out to the show.

Dates
10/15 Knoxville, TN – Valarium
10/16 Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse*
10/17 New Orleans, LA – House of Blues*
10/18 Houston, TX – Warehouse Live*
10/20 Austin, TX – Emo’s*
10/21 Dallas, TX – Palladium Ballroom*
10/23 Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theater*
10/24 Los Angeles, CA – Henry Fonda Theater**
10/25 Los Angeles, CA – Henry Fonda Theater**
10/27 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore**
10/28 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore**
10/30 Salt Lake City, UT – In the Venue**
11/01 Lawrence, KS – The Granada Theatre**
11/03 Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue**
11/04 Milwaukee, WI – Turner Hall Ballroom**
11/05 Urbana, IL – Canopy Club**
11/06 Nashville, TN – Cannery Ballroom**
11/07 Louisville, KY – Headliners Music Hall**
11/09 Cincinnati, OH – Bogarts**
11/10 Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom**
11/11 Pontiac, MI – Eagle Theatre**
11/12 Toronto, ON – Koolhaus**
11/13 Montreal, QC – Club Soda**
11/14 Foxborough, MA – Showcase**

* w/ Hearts of Darkness and Grand Buffet
** w/ CX Kidtronik and The Death Set

Inbox: Girl Talk

Photo by Laura Buckman.