ESPN X Games Announces X Fest Musical Line-Up at the Home Depot Center
The Ultimate Action Sports and Music Festival Featuring Bad Religion, Unwritten Law and Blackalicious
Los Angeles, Calif. - ESPN X Games, the premier action sports competition in the world, announces the musical acts performing at X Fest, as part of the festivities surrounding X Games 12 at The Home Depot Center from Aug. 3-6, 2006. X Fest tickets for Friday to Sunday can be purchased with the STAPLES Center or The Home Depot Center arena tickets as a package, or purchased separately for just $5. X Fest will be free to the public on Thursday. All ticket information for X Games 12 and X Fest events can be found at ticketmaster.com.
Doors open to the public at The Home Depot Center at 11 a.m. on Thursday and Friday, Aug. 3-4, and 9 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 5-6.
Thursday, August 3
UNWRITTEN LAW
In a day where many pop and rock acts aren't around long enough to make a second album, Unwritten Law is ready to drop their first best-of compilation, Hit List. On the record you will find their five Top 20 singles-three of which hit Top 10-and one #1, "Seein' Red." What fans won't find is the same old material they already own; the band hunkered down in a San Diego studio to re-record 14 fan favorites and two brand new tracks. While MTV has recently been focusing on the emo rock sounds of Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance, fans can be assured Unwritten Law won't let current trends change their sound. Check them out at www.unwrittenlaw.com.
NO USE FOR A NAME
No Use for A Name is a four-piece punk rock band from San Jose, Calif. and has been the torchbearers of the skate-punk scene since Tony Sly and Rory Koff started the band in 1987. The band hit their stride once they signed to independent label Fat Wreck Chords, owned by NOFX vocalist Fat Mike.
Their second Fat full length Leche Con Carne was hugely successful while their video for "Soulmate" was added to heavy rotation on MTV. After constant touring, from the main stage on Warped Tour to Japan and everywhere in between, NUFAN continues to make music that captures a raw skate-punk essence while also creating melodic sing-alongs their fans adore. Their 2005 release Keep Them Confused made appearances on both Billboard's Top Independent Album and Top HeatSeekers charts. Find out more at www.nouse4aname.com.
Also Appearing: Redgun Radar and The Photo Atlas
Friday, August 4
BAD RELIGION
For over a quarter of a century, Bad Religion has been unleashing their unique brand of punk rock and influencing an entire generation of musicians. Formed in 1980 in Los Angeles, Bad Religion has journeyed from the gritty, nihilistic How Could Hell be Any Worse?, to their extremely successful Stranger Than Fiction which includes hits "21st Century (Digital Boy)" and "Infected," to the searing The Empire Strikes First, which includes the single "Los Angeles is Burning." What sets Bad Religion apart are the truly thought provoking and complex lyrics, provided by frontman and Cornell Ph.D. Greg Graffin. Their songs have been covered by artists from Sublime to Biohazard, and are cited by bands such as Rage Against the Machine and Rancid as important influences. Bad Religion's longevity and talent has cemented their spot in punk rock's history, and they aren't done yet. A new album is set for release by early next year. For the latest, visit www.badreligion.com.
X Fest Page 2
Saturday, August 5
NINE BLACK ALPS
Just because they are from Manchester doesn't mean you can assume much about Nine Black Alps. They looked well beyond their own front door -- and even over an entire ocean -- to find their inspiration, crushing out American artists like Sonic Youth and Elliott Smith. The result is a band that sounds raucous, bursting with un-harnessed energy and angst, and as US Today puts it, "everything fans of intense guitar-attack rock want."
Named after a line in a Sylvia Plath poem, Nine Black Alps tread down a path of desperation, death, love and desire, giving each of their songs a ferocious urgency. Their stateside release Everything Is on Interscope Records has earned them praise amongst the indie scene, shows with Mars Volta, Kaiser Chiefs and Weezer, and radio play with their addictive single "Cosmopolitan." But don't let the song fool you, these boys prefer grit to polished perfection. "I like things that are vaguely crap and ramshackle," says vocalist Sam Forrest. The New York! Times called them a band "well worth discovering." Discover for yourself at www.nineblackalps.com.
BUCK-O-NINE
It's been over 12 years since Buck-O-Nine emerged from the San Diego beach scene, offering their upbeat ska and punk sound as a counter to the darker grunge rock that had been overtaking the airwaves at the time. Along with fellow bands such as No Doubt and Rancid, Buck-O-Nine spread the signature California sound across the country with 1997 release 28 Teeth. Their single "My Town" helped launch them to the top spot in the Billboard HeatSeekers chart, as well as getting airtime on MTV and spots playing major festivals across the country. With five albums to their credit, Buck-O-Nine continue to play several shows a year and write music which they release on their website, www.buck-o-nine.com.
Also Appearing: Revolution Mother featuring skateboarder Mike Vallely and The Dares
Sunday, August 6
BLACKALICIOUS
Blackalicious is not your average hip-hop group to say the least.
Comprised of only two members - lyricist Gift of Gab and beat maker Chief Xcel, the group enlists a cast of characters to bring their positively charged, funky songs to life. Think Gnarls Barkley meets Outkast with underground credibility and a deep seeded history that began back in the Bay Area in 1987. They went on to tour the globe, headlining hundreds of shows and joining the likes of Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, the Roots and Public Enemy, as well as recently signing to the premiere punk rock label, Epitaph Records. Definitely not a predictable move for a hip-hop group but credible evidence of their unique style and wide appeal. Through it all, they kept focused on the next Blackalicious project, calling it The Craft to reflect their maturing approach to the music. Says Gab, "The Craft is about understanding that we have received a blessing but also that we need to be about discipline. We do it for fun, but we take it very seriously, almost religiously." Catch the groove at www.blackalicious.com.
Also Appearing: Monte Arer I
For the most updated X Fest music schedule, visit www.expn.com.
X Games 12 Coverage
ESPN and ABC will provide 14 hours of original LIVE X Games 12 programming from August 3-6. ESPN will also present four late-night highlight programs starting August 4, resulting in a total of 18 hours of original programming for X Games 12. SportsCenter, ESPN's flagship daily news program, will report LIVE from X Games 12 from August 3-6. Each of those nights, the 11 p.m. ET SportsCenter will contain event coverage from X Games 12.