Rising indie-rock groups Annuals and Manchester Orchestra will spend a month on the road together co-headlining a fall tour. The two southern-bred groups both spent the summer on the festival circuit and will gear up for the tour by releasing a split 7-inch record. The record will be sold exclusively at shows during the tour and includes Annuals cover of Manchester Orchestra's "Where Have You Been" and Manchester Orchestra’s cover of Annuals "Brother." As an added bonus, the artwork features each band reinterpreting the other’s album cover.

Annuals are also preparing for the release of their digital-only EP Frelen Mas, which contains b-sides from the Be He Me sessions and also includes their cover of the gospel song "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." The joint outing will open October 26 at Atlanta’s Drunken Unicorn and conclude November 20 at Lawrence, KS’ The Bottleneck. Of special note is the tour’s stop at New York’s Bowery Ballroom on Halloween.

As previously reported, Phish will once again dip into its archives this fall to release Vegas 96 via its own JEMP records on November 20 . The three-disc set documents the Vermont quartet's Las Vegas debut on December 6, 1996, the final date of an extended 35-date fall tour. In celebration, the group invited out a number of special guests, including Les Claypool and Primus guitarist Larry LaLonde, a group of yodelers, actor Courtney Gains, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band multi-instrumentalist John McEuen and a slew of Elvis impersonators onstage during a series of lengthy narratives and segues based around "Harpua." The story included in "Harpua" in generally considered one of Phish's best theatrical moments and set the tone for the group's later Las Vegas performances, which featured guests like Kid Rock and rarities ranging from "Esther" to "Walfredo." A limited edition version of the album will also be released featuring a DVD of archival footage and an extensive 40-page boundbook featuring photos from the show.

Sonya Kitchell will issue a previously unreleased song, "I’m In Love With You," as a download at Starbucks locations on Tuesday, October 23.  Beginning October 2, Starbucks has selected a different artist each day whose song will be prominently featured for free download on iTunes. Each Starbucks location is providing customers with “Song of the Day” cards, redeemable on iTunes for a complimentary song, hand-selected by Starbucks Entertainment. Other artists featured include Dave Matthews, Bob Dylan, KT Tunstall, Paul McCartney, John Mayer and Joni Mitchell. Kitchell performed the song regularly while on tour with Ben Taylor last winter and recorded it with Taylor’s band at the end of the tour. Velour’s Jeff Krasno, brother of Soulive guitarist Eric Krasno, produced the track in NYC and it was mixed by Steve Addabbo.

Kitchell is also featured on the new single-disc compilation Give Us Your Poor, which will benefit the Give US Your Poor Campaign To End Homelessness. She will share the stage with Herbie Hancock at Fairfield, CA’s Fairfield Ctr. For Creative Arts on November 8. 

What looks to be the first-ever multi-city Hanukkah concert event will take place on Saturday December 8. Taglit-birthright Israel and JDub Records have collaborated on the The Eight, which will feature music from artists selected by JDub along with multimedia performances, and a menorah lighting ceremony at each venue. Participating bands include: Apollo Sunshine, Balkan Beat Box, Budos Band, Trachtenberg Family Slideshow Players, Mocean Worker an The Levees. Tickets for The Eight will go on sale on October 19th to alumni of birthright Israel's educational trips  for Jewish young adults, and will be available to the general public starting on October 26, via goeight.com.

The following clubs and artists will participate in the U.S. installment of the Eight:

New York, NY – Webster Hall

Hadag Nachash

Budos Band

Soulico

Los Angeles, CA – Echoplex

Balkan Beat Box

Dengue Fever

San Francisco, CA – The Independent 

Apollo Sunshine

Seattle, WA – Crocodile Café

Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players

Golem

Boston, MA – T.T. The Bears

Simple People

Mocean Worker

Wailing Wall

Washington, DC – Sixth & I

The Leevees

Deleon

A local contest will determine the opening band