There’s only three episodes left in the 38th season of NBC’s long-running sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live. This morning, SNL has revealed the final three musical guests and hosts.

On May 4th comedian Zach Galifianakis will host, while Iceland’s Of Monsters and Men will make their SNL debut as that week’s musical guest. Then, on May 11, HT faves Vampire Weekend will return to SNL as will longtime cast member Kristen Wiig. Finally, Ben Affleck will join the five-timers club as the host of the May 18th episode, while Kanye West returns as musical guest.

Organizers of the Governor’s Ball Music Festival, which takes place on Randall’s Island in NYC from June 7th – 9th, are playing with fire. Not only is the always unpredictable Kanye West a top the lineup for this year’s fest, but they have just revealed that Guns N’ Roses will join Kings of Leon and West as the three headliners. Considering Kanye and GN’R front man Axl Rose have reputations for late arrivals, it’ll be interesting to see if either of ‘em wind up delaying their sets at the fest.

Outside of the headliners, the 2013 edition of the Governor’s Ball features an extremely varied lineup that below the headliners has hip-hop star Nas next to electronica faves Pretty Lights next to roots act The Avett Brothers next to indie darlings Grizzly Bear.

General admission and VIP tickets are available now through the fest’s website.

Here’s the full lineup for Governor’s Ball 2013…

KANYE WEST  +KINGS OF LEON  +GUNS N’ ROSES + NAS  +PRETTY LIGHTS  +THE AVETT BROTHERS  +GRIZZLY BEAR THE XX  +FEIST  +KENDRICK LAMAR  +BEACH HOUSE THE LUMINEERS  +THIEVERY CORPORATION  +ANIMAL COLLECTIVE CUT COPY  +EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS ERYKAH BADU & THE CANNABINOIDS  +YOUNG THE GIANT  +BLOC PARTY BEIRUT  +OF MONSTERS AND MEN  +LOCAL NATIVES DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979  +CRYSTAL CASTLES  +AZEALIA BANKS  +YEASAYER GARY CLARK JR.  +BEST COAST  +DIRTY PROJECTORS  +PORTUGAL. THE MAN MIGUEL  +DINOSAUR JR.  +HOLY GHOST!  +JAPANDROIDS  +TWIN SHADOW DIVINE FITS  +ALT-J  +DEERHUNTER  +THE VACCINES  +POLICA  +STEEL PULSE DILLON FRANCIS  +TOTALLY ENORMOUS EXTINCT DINOSAURS PAPER DIAMOND  +FUCKED UP  +WILD NOTHING  +ICONA POP  +THE KNOCKS HAIM  +ST. LUCIA  +FREDDIE GIBBS  +GRIZ  +ROBERT DELONG  +MS MR REIGNWOLF  +SOLID GOLD  +BEAR MOUNTAIN  +SWEAR AND SHAKE  +CHERUB PACIFIC AIR  +THE REVIVALISTS  +ROADKILL GHOST CHOIR  +ON AN ON THE RUBENS  +RUBY VELLE & THE SOULPHONICS

[via Consequence of Sound]

The months in the planning 12-12-12: The Concert For Sandy Relief benefit concert is finally here. We’ll update this post with a setlist, photos, videos and our thoughts as the night goes along. The expected order of performances is Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band > Roger Waters > Bon Jovi > Eric Clapton > Rolling Stones > Alicia Keys > The Who > Kanye West > Billy Joel > Chris Martin > Paul McCartnirvana.

Setlist:

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band – Land of Hope and Dreams, Wrecking Ball, My City of Ruins, Born To Run (w/ Jon Bon Jovi), Living On A Prayer

Roger Waters: In The Flesh, The Happiest Days of Our Lives, Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 2, The Ballad Of Jean Charles de Menezes, Money, Us and Them, Comfortably Numb (w/ Eddie Vedder)

Adam Sandler: Hallelujah (w/ Paul Shaffer)

Bon Jovi: It’s My Life, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Who Says You Can’t Go Home (w/ Bruce Springsteen), Living On A Prayer

Eric Clapton: Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out, Got To Get Better In A Little While, Crossroads

Rolling Stones: You Get Me Rocking, Jumping Jack Flash

Alicia Keys: Brand New Me, No One

The Who: Who Are You, Bell Boy, Pinball Wizard, See Me Feel Me/Listening To You, Baba O’Riley, Love Reign O’er Me, Tea and Theatre

Kanye West: Clique > Mercy > Power > Jesus Walks > All Of The Lights > Run This Town > Diamonds From Sierra Leone > Diamonds > Touch The Sky, Gold Digger, Good Life, Runaway, Stronger

Billy Joel: Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway), Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song), Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas > New York State Of Mind, River Of Dreams, You May Be Right, Only The Good Die Young

Chris Martin: Viva La Vida, Losing My Religion (w/ Michael Stipe), Us Against The World

Paul McCartney: Helter Skelter, Let Me Roll It, 1985, My Valentine (w/ Diana Krall), Blackbird, Cut Me Some Slack (w/ Dave Grohl, Pat Smear and Krist Novoselic), I’ve Got A Feeling, Live and Let Die

Alicia Keys: Empire State of Mind Pt. 2

All proceeds from tonight’s concert benefit the Robin Hood Relief Fund and will be used to help the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Please head to the organization’s website to donate to the cause.

READ ON

Last week the, two titans of the world of hip hop – Jay Z and Kanye West – dropped their long in the works debut album Watch The Throne. For their first single, the dynamic duo, who have dubbed themselves The Throne, choose to go with the statement track Otis, a wordy, boastful, hook-less tune, that samples that late great Otis Redding’s Try A Little Tenderness. Let’s check out the celebratory Spike Jonze-directed video…

Jay-Z & Kanye West – Otis

While we certainly don’t pretend to be experts on the world of hip-hop around these part, we undoubtedly had to sit up and take notice when two of the biggest names in the genre decided to not only team up to put out an album, but to also hit the road together. On August 8, the dynamic duo of Jay-Z and Kanye West, will release their long in the works debut album Watch The Throne. The pair, who have dubbed themselves The Throne, have lined up a 24-date fall tour, that kicks off on September 22 at the Palace Of Auburn Hills and includes notable two-night stands at the Izod Center (East Rutherford, NJ), United Center (Chicago, IL) and the Staples Center (Los Angeles, CA).

If you’re not into a night with the two titans of hip-hop, then maybe you’ll be interested in hitting one of these recently announced tours…

• Mason Jennings: Fall North American Tour (9/15 – 10/28)
• These United States: September Tour (9/7 – 9/25)
• The Lemonheads: It’s A Shame About Ray Tour (9/30 – 12/13)
• Neon Indian: Fall North American Tour (9/15 – 10/21)
• Melvin Seals: Summer/Fall Tour (7/25 – 10/29)
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.: Fall U.S. Tour (9/6 – 9/24)
• Megafaun: Fall North American Tour (9/22 – 10/10)
• Ra Ra Riot: Summer / Fall Tour (7/30 – 11/21)
• Dar Williams & Joan Osborne: Fall Tour (9/15 – 9/30)

If the average music festival is a 26.2 mile marathon, then SXSW is a 140-mile Iron Man challenge. Waking up on day four, our skin was burnt, our ankles were swollen, and our ears were bleeding. But just when it seemed like all hope was lost and we’d spend the day sleeping – one brave, grown-ass man poured a red bull into his coffee, gave a stern look across the kitchen table and said the following words:

“…Tighten. The Fuck. Up.”

And just like that we were off for the final day of SXSW.

[Kanye and friends took over SXSW 2011 with a late night concert]

Our first stop was the MOG party for TV on the Radio and Big Boi. TV’s set at Mohawk was basically the same thing we saw of their set the day before at Stubbs. But to see them in a venue like the open-air, multi-level, very limited capacity Mohawk added a great deal of excitement. The energy was fluid throughout the venue, and the band’s huge sound was even more encapsulated than usual.

[Big Boi at The Mohawk]

There was about an hour break between TV on the Radio and Big Boi, and Yuck played the indoor stage at Mohawk. Despite their hype, we decided to hold our place to see Daddy Fat Sax in action. When he came on, he and MC Black Owned C-Bone led the excited crowd in a splattering of old school Outkast tracks and newer stuff from his own solo recordings. As the late afternoon sun started to fade, the onstage dance party kept energy and spirits high.

• Three Grown Men @ SXSW: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3

READ ON for more on Day 4 at SXSW from Three Grown Men…

For the second consecutive year at Hidden Track, we concocted our innovative little experiment for the year-end Best Albums list. Instead of picking the old fashioned way – subjectively – we opted for something a little different: a collaborative, collective list that incorporates the opinions of everybody here at HT.

To begin, we devised an all-encompassing list of well over 100 nominees, whereby most everything our contributors recommended made the list. Then we invited our crew of writers to independently and blindly vote on the whole list on a scale of 1 to 20 (20 = five stars). We ended up with varying degrees of familiarity with the nominees as some folks voted on just about everything, while some just a few. From there, we deployed our egghead algorithm for rating albums: (two times the average rating) + (the total number of votes). At that point, we took the top 25 highest scores and presto: the Hidden Track 25 Best Albums of 2010. No bullshit, no big opinions; just the results.

We’ve come to the end of our week long countdown, let’s check out our Top Five…

5) LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening

Sounds Like: Dance Yrself Clean, I Can Change

Key Tracks: Modern spacefunk, Talking Heads with an indie twist

The Skinny: James Murphy and company’s third full-length finds the eccentric front man exploring the benefits and trappings of stardom accompanied by the funky dance-pop we’ve come to know and love. Not at all a departure from the first two records, This Is Happening takes the LCD sound in a slightly more laid-back, introspective direction. Gone are some of the dancehall sounds in favor of a more organic, live band-sounding approach which brings the seemingly more personal material to life beautifully. Murphy’s impassioned vocals are direct and honest, particularly on the monstrously catchy single I Can Change. This record has all of the things we love about LCD – the Talking Heads-esque bounce, Murphy’s staccato delivery, thick, ever shifting soundscapes – but with a maturity and comfort that shows Murphy growing as an artist and a person.

READ ON for the final four albums in our countdown…

Every time Kanye West releases a song or video, makes an appearance on the VMA’s or is made fun of on South Park, it stirs a debate. Is Kanye an incredibly ambitious musician, a public figure of epic proportions tackling race, culture and art all in one fell swoop, or a clown in king’s clothing?

Here’s what Three Grown Men had to say about it…

Jonathan Kosakow on Kanye as musician:

The line that sticks out in my head the most from Kanye’s 35-minute “epic” is probably the last one that he wants to be remembered by. “We ain’t married but tonight I need some consummation.” In other words, Kanye wants to fuck you, but he won’t be giving you anything in return.  

READ ON for more takes on Kanye’s latest video…

Kanye West finally has something to say about the debacle that was his Bonnaroo debut, and judging from his comments I wouldn’t expect to him to get an another invite anytime soon. Check out this post from his blog…

I am sick of negative people who just sit around trying 2 plot my downfall… Why???? I understand if people don’t like me because I like me or if people think tight clothes look gay or people say I run my mouth to much, But this Bonnaroo thing is the worst insult I’ve ever had in my life. This is the most offended I’ve ever been… this is the maddest I ever will be. I’m typing so fucking hard I might break my fucking Mac book Air!!!!!!!! Call me any name you want…. arrogant, conceited, narcissistic, racist, metro, fag whatever you can think of…. BUT NEVER SAY I DIDN’T GIVE MY ALL! NEVER SAY I DIDN’T GIVE MY ALL! THIS SHOWS NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY TO BE GOOD AT SOMETHING THERE WILL BE PEOPLE THERE TO LIE ABOUT YOU AND BRING YOU DOWN! LIKE WAYNE SAYS PLEASE DON’T SHOOT ME DOWN CAUSE I’M FLYING! I’M FUCKING HURT BY THIS ONE. ALL I CARE ABOUT ARE THE FANS. JUST SAY THIS OUT LOUD IN A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE, “KANYE DOESN’T CARE ABOUT GIVING A GOOD PERFORMANCE.” CAN ANYONE HONESTLY SAY THAT ????????? HAS ANYONE EVEN TAKEN THE TIME TO AT LEAST DO THE MATH??? BONNAROO SHOULD HAVE RELEASED A STATEMENT IN MY DEFENSE BUT SINCE THEY HAVEN’T LET’S BREAK DOWN THE WALLS ON THIS TRUMAN SHOW AND LET YOU KNOW WHAT REALLY OCCURRED!!! FOR OVER A MONTH WE WENT BACK AND FORTH ON WETHER OR NOT WE COULD EVEN FIT MY STAGE AT THE FESTIVAL. ONE DAY THEY WOULD SAY YES… WE’D SEND THEM OUR SPECS THEN THEY THEY’D SAY OK… THEN THEY WOULD SEND SPECS BACK THAT DIDN’T FIT THE STAGE. WE WERE OBVIOUSLY DEALING WITH FUCKING IDIOTS WHO DIDN’T REALLY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO REALLY PUT ON THIS SHOW PROPERLY. THEY TRIED 2 GIVE ME A TIME SLOT WERE IT WAS STILL LIGHT OUTSIDE … I HAVE A FUCKING LIGHT SHOW DUMB ASS, IT’S NOT CALLED GLOW IN THE DARK FOR NO REASON SQUID BRAINS! MY PEOPLE WORKED OUT A COMPROMISED STAGE PLOT AND A 3AM TIME SLOT AND I AGREED. FAST FOWARD TO THE DAY OF THE SHOW. MY PRODUCTION MANAGER TRIED TO LOAD IN FOR 24 HOURS BEFORE I WENT ON STAGE BUT THE FESTIVAL WOULDN’T ALLOW US TO DO ANYTHING UNTILL PEARL JAM LEFT THE STAGE. PEARL JAM ENDED ONE HOUR
LATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AT THAT POINT WE’RE RACING AGAINST THE SUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AT 4:20AM DON COMES BACK 2 THE BUS AND TELLS ME, ” IT WOULD TAKE 45 MORE MINUTES TO PUT ALL YOUR PYRO IN!” I SAY I HAVE TO GET OUT THERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE . I HIT THE STAGE AND PEOPLE HAD BEEN THROWING SHIT ON THE STAGE …

It’s been a bit of a hectic week for me as the real job has been getting in the way. I’ve been so out of touch that Google Reader is telling me I have over a 1,000 stories that I still need to get to. Luckily, I’ve got a few choice links to share with you this beautiful afternoon. Let’s take a look at what’s goin’ on…

• After his debacle at Bonnaroo, Kanye West is now Lollapalooza’s problem
• Pete Doherty played a five hour solo acoustic set in London
• Cover Lay Down gives us – Covered In Folk: Bob Marley
  
• People Playing Songs I Love features The Flaming Lips’ Do You Realize?
• MGMT blames Phish imitators for ruining jambands
• List Time: 11 Best My Morning Jacket songs
• The Village Voice visited the new Woodstock museum

Finally, is everyone in the country about to get a free can of Dr. Pepper? Yesterday, news surfaced about a newly leaked version of the perpetually delayed GnR album Chinese Democracy. Rolling Stone-who heard all nine tracks, including three new ones-was quite impressed with they heard. Bring it on!

Some interesting news came out of Camp Bonnaroo yesterday, as it was announced that rapper Kanye West will become the first artist to play a late-night on the main stage. Here’s some info about the change…

We are excited to announce that Kanye West will now be performing a late night show on the Main Stage on Saturday, June 14th instead of the previously announced time! This scheduling change is being made to allow Kanye to fully present his critically acclaimed “Glow In The Dark” show.

Kanye will now hit the the What Stage at 2:45 AM, where he will go head to head against Phil’s 2nd set, Ghostland Observatory, Talib Kweli and Chali2na. That’s a tough decision in the making, right there. Whose set are you gonna see?