Earlier this year, viral video sensations OK Go attacked their label EMI for placing geo-restrictions on YouTube music videos, meaning that their music videos can't be embedded are can't be viewed in certain regions. For a band that first became popular after their treadmill video for "Here It Goes Again" spread like wildfire, these restrictions have been crippling.
Now, a press release reveals that OK Go have parted ways with EMI to form their own label, Paracadute. The new label will "oversee the distribution and promotion functions for the band and have planned an extensive promotional campaign for OK Go's latest album, Of the Blue Colour of the Sky, which was released in January."
The first step of this campaign will presumably involve removing all restrictions on YouTube videos. The agreement to part ways with EMI was apparently mutual, but it won't be official until April 1, meaning that all of the usual restrictions still currently apply.
This includes the band's recent clip for "This Too Shall Pass," a single-shot marching band routine that has been viewed over a million times since being released in January. As if to prove their point, OK Go released a second video for "This Too Shall Pass" last week; this embed-friendly clip has already been viewed almost seven million times.
Upon leaving EMI, OK Go will kick off a tour, performing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on April 1 before heading out on North American tour starting April 13. The outing will include festival dates at Bamboozle, Sasqautch! and Bonnaroo as well as talk show performances on David Letterman (April 28), The Colbert Report (April 29) and Jimmy Fallon (May 4). The only Canadian date currently scheduled is in Toronto at Mod Club on April 23.
All of this is more bad news for EMI, who are currently facing a possible shutdown if parent company Terra Firma can't raise $170 million to keep the label afloat.
Tour Dates:
4/13 Salt Lake City, UT - The State Room
4/14 Denver, CO - Bluebird Theatre
4/16 Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall
4/17 Chicago, IL - Metro
4/18 St. Louis, MO - The Old Rock House
4/20 Columbia, MO - The Blue Note
4/21 Indianapolis, IN - Earth House
4/22 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
4/23 Toronto, ON - Mod Club
4/27 Northampton, MA - Pearl Street
4/28 New Haven, CT - Toad's Place
4/29 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
4/30 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
5/2 East Rutherford, NJ - Meadowlands (Bamboozle)
5/3 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts
5/5 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
5/7 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
5/9 Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live
5/11 Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
5/12 Charlotte, NC - Visulite Theatre
5/13 Atlanta, GA - The Loft
5/14 Tampa, FL - Crowbar
5/15 Orlando, FL - Firestone Live
5/16 Gulf Shores, AL - Hangout Music Fest
5/18 Dallas, TX - Granada Theatre
5/19 Austin, TX - The Parish
5/21 Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theatre
5/22 San Diego, CA - House of Blues
5/26 San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
5/28 Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre
5/29 George, WA - Sasquatch Festival
6/11 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo
Now, a press release reveals that OK Go have parted ways with EMI to form their own label, Paracadute. The new label will "oversee the distribution and promotion functions for the band and have planned an extensive promotional campaign for OK Go's latest album, Of the Blue Colour of the Sky, which was released in January."
The first step of this campaign will presumably involve removing all restrictions on YouTube videos. The agreement to part ways with EMI was apparently mutual, but it won't be official until April 1, meaning that all of the usual restrictions still currently apply.
This includes the band's recent clip for "This Too Shall Pass," a single-shot marching band routine that has been viewed over a million times since being released in January. As if to prove their point, OK Go released a second video for "This Too Shall Pass" last week; this embed-friendly clip has already been viewed almost seven million times.
Upon leaving EMI, OK Go will kick off a tour, performing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on April 1 before heading out on North American tour starting April 13. The outing will include festival dates at Bamboozle, Sasqautch! and Bonnaroo as well as talk show performances on David Letterman (April 28), The Colbert Report (April 29) and Jimmy Fallon (May 4). The only Canadian date currently scheduled is in Toronto at Mod Club on April 23.
All of this is more bad news for EMI, who are currently facing a possible shutdown if parent company Terra Firma can't raise $170 million to keep the label afloat.
Tour Dates:
4/13 Salt Lake City, UT - The State Room
4/14 Denver, CO - Bluebird Theatre
4/16 Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall
4/17 Chicago, IL - Metro
4/18 St. Louis, MO - The Old Rock House
4/20 Columbia, MO - The Blue Note
4/21 Indianapolis, IN - Earth House
4/22 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
4/23 Toronto, ON - Mod Club
4/27 Northampton, MA - Pearl Street
4/28 New Haven, CT - Toad's Place
4/29 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
4/30 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
5/2 East Rutherford, NJ - Meadowlands (Bamboozle)
5/3 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts
5/5 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
5/7 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
5/9 Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live
5/11 Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
5/12 Charlotte, NC - Visulite Theatre
5/13 Atlanta, GA - The Loft
5/14 Tampa, FL - Crowbar
5/15 Orlando, FL - Firestone Live
5/16 Gulf Shores, AL - Hangout Music Fest
5/18 Dallas, TX - Granada Theatre
5/19 Austin, TX - The Parish
5/21 Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theatre
5/22 San Diego, CA - House of Blues
5/26 San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
5/28 Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre
5/29 George, WA - Sasquatch Festival
6/11 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo
