Recent Dark Wave Playlists

Milestones: Morrissey is 53 today; watch 12 full Smiths, Moz concerts from 1983-2012

Milestones: Morrissey is 53 today; watch 12 full Smiths, Moz concerts from 1983-2012

Well, it’s once again Morrissey’s birthday — insert “Unhappy Birthday” joke here — and the perpetually glum Smiths frontman is 53 today. To celebrate, we thought we’d dig up our favorite photo of him (yes, that’s Moz and Rick Astley), and then post a dozen Smiths and Morrissey concerts for your viewing pleasure.

Peter Gabriel announces 'So' box set reissue, North American 'Back to Front' tour

Peter Gabriel announces ‘So’ box set reissue, North American ‘Back to Front’ tour

Peter Gabriel will celebrate the 25th anniversary of his classic ‘So’ album with a deluxe multi-format reissue plus a 13-date North American tour dubbed “Back to Front,” which will find him performing the album start to finish backed by members of the same band he originally toured the album with.

Video: Florence + The Machine cover Talking Heads' 'Wild, Wild Life' in animal costumes

Video: Florence + The Machine cover Talking Heads’ ‘Wild, Wild Life’ in animal costumes

When it came time to announce their slot headlining the U.K.’s Bestival, Britain’s Florence + The Machine opted for an unusual unveiling: The whole band dressed up in animal costumes and rambled their way through a stripped-down take on the Talking Heads hit single ‘Wild, Wild Life.’

Merge to reissue Bob Mould's Sugar catalog in U.S. — download 3 free live MP3s

Merge to reissue Bob Mould’s Sugar catalog in U.S. — download 3 free live MP3s

With expanded reissues of Sugar’s catalog — 1992′s landmark ‘Copper Blue,’ the 1993 companion EP ‘Beaster’ and 1994 sophomore album ‘File Under: Easy Listening’ — coming out over the next few weeks in the U.K., Merge Records has announced it will release trimmed-down versions in the U.S. later this summer.

Haçienda at 30: Watch New Order, Smiths, Stone Roses, Chameleons at Manchester club

Haçienda at 30: Watch New Order, Smiths, Stone Roses, Chameleons at Manchester club

Thirty years ago tonight, The Haçienda — the famed Manchester nightclub opened by Factory Records, New Order and Tony Wilson — opened its doors to the public. Check out clips of New Order playing there, plus full sets from The Smiths, The Stone Roses and The Chameleons.

Blondie and Devo to tour U.S. together this September — full dates announced

Blondie and Devo to tour U.S. together this September — full dates announced

New wave legends Blondie and Devo will team up for a run of U.S. dates this September, four of which — two concerts in Washington state and two in California — already have been announced. Outside of those dates, however, it’s not yet clear how extensive the Blondie-topped joint tour will be.

Skin Yard — proto-grunge act on 'Deep Six' comp — remasters catalog for digital release

Skin Yard — proto-grunge act on ‘Deep Six’ comp — remasters catalog for digital release

Seattle proto-grunge rockers Skin Yard — whose members included Jack Endino, producer of Nirvana’s ‘Bleach,’ and future Soundgarden and Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron — this month reissued most of its catalog digitally, with each record remastered and one, 1990’s ‘Fist Sized Chunks,’ remixed.