Dear Wire fan,

Welcome to the newest edition of the Pinkflag mailing list, getting you all the latest Wire news first.

WHAT A YEAR!!

2011 has been Wire's busiest year for a very long time! Along with a hugely critically acclaimed (and our distributor's second best selling album of the year*) release in Red Barked Tree, the band has extensively toured. Wire played in Australia and New Zealand, the UK (twice), Continental Europe, the USA and Canada; and the band's travels also included a smattering of festivals and one-off shows, such as Meltdown, Coachella, a welcome return to Japan and the Berlin Festival, plus various radio sessions and a very cool TV appearance (about which more later). We count 80 shows according to the gigography!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In celebration of this extraordinary year, pinkflag presents a special keepsake for those many thousands that saw the band live, as well as those who weren’t able to make it. Named for the legendary series of radio broadcasts hosted by Bernard Lenoir for Radio France, The Black SessionParis 10 May 2011 was initially available as an exclusive tour item during Wire’s UK autumn dates, but will see a worldwide release in February 2012. 

The Black SessionParis 10 May 2011 was recorded at Radio France’s Paris studios in May 2011, with Wire performing in front of an invited — and enthusiastic — audience. The album captures the band in razor-sharp form, tightly honed after months of touring. The selection of tracks marries live versions of songs from Red Barked Tree with choice cuts from Wire’s extensive back catalogue, including much-loved classics Kidney Bingos, Map Ref 41°N 93°W and Two People In A Room. The recording is also the first album to feature guitarist Matt Simms alongside the core trio of Colin Newman, Graham Lewis and Robert Grey.

Tracklisting
01. Adapt
02. Comet 
03. Smash
04. Please Take 
05. Kidney Bingos 
06. Clay 
07. Map Ref 41°N  93°W 
08. Moreover 
09. Two People In A Room 
10. Down To This 
11. Drill  
12. Red Barked Trees 
13. Pink Flag 
 
PRE -- ORDER FROM THE STORE RIGHT NOW!

WIRE ON THE BOX - 2011

It will not have escaped the attention of the more eagle-eyed amongst you (especially the 1000 odd Berliners that were there) that Wire took part in the Berlin Live series of concert broadcasts for ZDF back in September.
 
 
The event took place in a disused power-plant and featured, amongst other items, a strange "two-stage Drill" collaboration with Einstürzende Neubauten. The rest of the Wire set consisted of Moreover, Clay, Please Take & Smash.
 
What will be less known is that the most recent Wire London show at XOYO was filmed for inclusion in the Moshcam series. Sound was recorded multitrack and a high-quality result is expected, judging by the previews we have seen!
  live @ XOYO photo by Ralf Zeigermann
 

WIRE WIRE WIRE

 
There is a new line of Merchandise available. Themed around the band name and designed by Jon Wozencroft, the design comes in various flavours. There is a T-shirt (available in all sizes apart from XXL)
 
 
Also a tote bag (available in Black & Natural)
 
  
 
Also, we can make available, as a special order, cushions! This is an idea inspired by Michael Stipe who bought tote bags at the New York show in order to make them up as super chic interior decor!
 
   
 

NEXT YEAR

Next year will be a very different year for Wire: we're not planning any tours, but there will still be some live shows. Ones we can announce now are:

Feb 11: Ox 100 Festival, Solingen, Germany (in celebration of 100 issues of the Ox Magazine)
Apr 06 : Avant Festival, Moscow, Russia (the band's first visit to Russia)
 
During the year Wire will be developing a very special project and towards the end of 2012, it is hoped that work will begin on the follow-up to Red Barked Tree.

 


AND FINALLY

This newsletter and the website are complimentary resources. To keep abreast of Wire and and all its doings, we recommend checking pinkflag.com regularly as well as being signed up to this mailing list.

All the best,

Pinkflag

 
* We were pipped by Glen Campbell