To promote his fifth solo album ‘What Kind of World’, Brendan Benson will visit the UK and Ireland for a run of live shows in the spring.

Benson has confirmed the following dates in May:
Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms (May 21)
London Scala (22)
Manchester Ruby Lounge (23)
Dublin Button Factory (24)
Glasgow Oran Mor (25)

‘What Kind of World’ is released on April 30th.

Benson’s Raconteurs buddy, Mr Jack White, also has a new album awaiting release and a short run of live dates this coming spring (details here).

Ex-White Stripes man Jack White is to play his first ever live shows as a solo artist in March.

White’s much anticipated debut solo album ‘Blunderbuss’ will be released on April 23rd. Ahead of its release, fans in the US will get an extra treat as White has confirmed live dates at the following venues in March:

Chattanooga Track 29 (March 10)
Birmingham WorkPlay Soundstage (12)
Memphis New Daisy Theatre (13)
Tulsa Cain’s Ballroom (15)

In addition to his new solo career, White continues to be a member of The Raconteurs with singer/songwriter Brendan Benson (who too has a new album imminent) and The Dead Weather with Queens of the Stone Age’s Dean Fertitia and Allison Mosshart of The Kills.

It has been revealed that legendary Uk band New Order are to appear in one of the headline slots at the 2012 Bestival.

The festival, held on the Isle of Wight, will also feature The Horrors, The xx, Azealia Banks, Gary Numan, Justice, Gallows, First Aid Kit, Friendly Fires, Sigur Ros, Death In Vegas and more.

The 2012 event will be held between 6-9 September at Robin Hill Park, Isle of Wight.

As with their other 2012 live dates, New Order will appear without founding bassist Peter Hook.

With a second “solo” album due to appear in the first half of 2012, guitarist Slash is to play a selection of headlining dates in venues across the US in May.

Slash and his band can be seen at the following:

May 03 – Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live
May 05 – Charlotte, NC – Carolina Rebellion, Rockingham Speedway
May 07 – Orlando, FL – Hard Rock Live
May 10 – Biloxi, MS – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – Hard Rock Live
May 12 – Kansas City MO – Liberty Memorial Park
May 13 – Indianola, IA – National Balloon Classic Field
May 14 – Minneapolis, MN – The Brick
May 16 – Madison, WI – Orpheum Theater
May 17 – Grand Rapids, MI – Orbit Room
May 19 – Columbus, OH – Rock On The Range, Columbus Crew Stadium
May 20 – Camden, NJ – Susquehanna Bank Center
May 25 – Pryor, OK – Rocklahoma
May 26 – Albuquerque, NM – Route 66 Casino

The “finishing touches” are now being made to the upcoming album according to reports, which suggests it should be in stores to coincide with the live dates. So far, no new UK/European live dates have been scheduled.

There’s a free, legal download of a new Paradise Lost track available directly from the band’s record company.

By visiting Century Media, in exchange for your email address, you can nab ‘Crucify’ – a track from the British goth-metal band’s upcoming release ‘Tragic Idol’, released on 24th April.

To promote the release of ‘Tragic Idol’, Paradise Lost will also embark on an extensive UK tour, taking in the following cities, towns and venues:

April 16 – Cardiff, England – Great Hall 2
April 17 – Southampton, England – The Brook
April 18 – Folkestone, England – Quarterhouse
April 19 – Colchester, England – Arts Centre
April 20 – Stoke, England – Sugarmill
April 22 – York, England – The Duchess
April 23 – Glasgow, Scotland – King Tuts
April 24 – Sheffield, England – Corporation
April 25 – Wolverhampton, England – Slade Rooms
April 26 – Nottingham, England – Rescue Rooms
April 27 – Manchester, England – Club Academy
April 29 – London, England – Scala
April 30 – Norwich, England – Waterfront