Pitchfork

-- The Killers and Coldplay will play a benefit concert together in front of 2,000 people at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire on February 18. These are bands that can regularly draw crowds ten times that size on their own; this is a special show. The two world-conquering entities are getting together in the name of humanitarian organization War Child's 15th anniversary. As previously reported, the charity will also release the star-studded Heroes CD (with the likes of TV on the Radio, Beck, Hot Chip, and Lily Allen covering classic tracks) in the UK February 16 on Parlophone and February 24 in the U.S. on Astralwerks.

-- B-list Saddle Creek band Ladyfinger (ne) will vie for the A-list with their new album, dusk, which comes out February 3. When it comes to album titles, all-lowercase is the new dot com. The band will hit the road in February and March.

-- Vaugely otherworldly indie rockers Takka Takka are taking to the road in support of their new album, Migration. Their tour route may or may not follow the same exact migration pattern as the Northern Pintail. The first stop is a release party for the Guilt by Association 2 covers compilation, also featuring Robbers on High Street, Jukebox the Ghost, and Lowry. Along for the ride for most of the trek is Sister Suvi, featuring Patrick Gregoire of Islands.

-- Venice Is Sinking is a band and a concept and a city in a concept that's falling below water. They're from Athens, Georgia and they're putting out a new album on March 31 via One Percent Press. It's called AZAR, which refers to an "effective math teacher who is usually an ex-marine" according to Urban Dictionary. First single is called "Ryan's Song". (Full disclosure: I'm pretty sure it's about my addiction to Jamba Juice.)