Weekend Round Up: Metallica at SXSW, Beatles Releasing More Tracks, Klaxons to Re-Record Second Record

Too many headlines, too little time. But never fear! BeatCrave has taken the liberty of scouting out the weekend’s top stories and tightening them up for your speed-reading pleasure. Take a look at the latest scoops:

• Austin Powell of the Austin Chronicle has printed a story that he’s received confirmation that Metallica will take a giant step outside of arena-land to play this Friday (March 20) at Austin, TX’s legendary Stubb’s BBQ for SXSW‘s “Guitar Hero: Metallica” showcase. The venue holds only 2,100 people, so if you plan on going and want to make it in by 10 p.m. to see the band, I recommend getting in line the night before if possible. SXSW won’t publicly affirm Powell’s statement, but I’d say get your metal horns ready, just in case.
• UK’s pop-rockers Klaxons are the latest victims of overbearing label execs. Or at least that’s how the situation appears, because the band has admitted that they will re-record parts of their second album after Universal rejected the first take, which band member Jamie Reynolds described as “really dense” and “psychedelic.” Reynolds indicated that the tweaked tracks, which will be done in four weeks, would be more pop-oriented, but it’s not clear if this is more the band’s decision or the label’s. At any rate, it’s sad knowing that the album in stores won’t be what the band was originally shooting for… bands need to stand up for their music!

• All US Virgin Megastores to close down by June. A sad story indeed. [Yahoo]
• Katy Perry gets sultry and appears in April’s Esquire. See a couple photos here. [PopEater]
• Miley Cyrus tried to meet with Radiohead, who denied the request, which culminated in a feud between the pop star and the alt rockers. [PopEater]
• Bob Dylan and The Dead to headline this year’s Rothbury Festival. Read about who else is on the bill and look at ticket info. [Billboard]

What’s your reaction? Are the Klaxons now nothing more than Universal’s musical puppets? Do labels have a right to say no to a record?