U2, The Fall, The Subways

U2 honoured by Portugal

U2 are to be honoured by the Portuguese government this weekend, in recognition of their pioneering humanitarian work across a quarter of a century.

The band, playing the final show on their 'Vertigo' Euro-leg of the world tour in Lisbon, are to receive the Order Of Liberty from President Jorge Sampaio.

A presidential spokeswoman commented: "Over the past 25 years the band has allied its public exposure to the defence of human rights."

The Order Of Liberty honours efforts "to defend civilised values, dignify mankind and the cause of liberty", reports the BBC.

The group's efforts to combat Third World debt, seen most recently when they opened the London leg of Live8 with Sir Paul McCartney, earns them particular praise from Portuguese officials.

All four members of the band are expected to attend the investiture ceremony. The 'Vertigo' world tour completes in America at the end of 2005.
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The Fall return

The Fall are set to release their first album of new material since 2003 on 03 October. ‘Fall Heads Roll’, the follow-up to ‘The Real New Fall LP’, will be released on CD and limited edition vinyl (1,000 copies).

A double A-Side single, ‘I Can Hear The Grass Grow/Clasp Hands’, is set to precede the album release.

The band will be playing a series of dates across the UK, stopping at:

01 October - Academy 2. Manchester
06 October - Boardwalk, Sheffield
08 October - Carling Academy, Liverpool
10 October - Sugarmill, Stoke
16 October - Renfrew Ferry, Glasgow
19 October - Sage, Gateshead
23 October - Zodiac, Oxford
24 October - Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
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The Subways' mammoth UK tour

The Subways are getting ready for a busy autumn of touring. The junior garage rockers release another single, ‘With You’ from their debut album ‘Young For Eternity’ on 12 September.

And soon after that they embark on a mammoth UK tour which takes in their biggest show to date, at London Astoria on 05 October.

The dates are:

30 September - Lincoln Drill Hall (September 30)
01 October - Sunderland University Manor Quay (October 1)
04 October - Bournemouth Old Fire Station (4)
05 October - London Astoria (5)
06 October - Colchester University Of Essex (6)
08 October - Stoke Keele University (8)
09 October - Northampton Roadmenders (9)
10 October - Wrexham Central Station (10)
12 October - Brighton Event (12)
13 October - 1Norwich Waterfront (13)
14 October - Hull University (14)
15 October - Leeds Cockpit (15)
17 October - Newcastle University (17)
19 October - Dundee Fat Sams (19)
20 October - Aberdeen Moshulu (20)
21 October - Glasgow Garage (21)
24 October - Cambridge Junction (24)
25 October - Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall (25)
27 October - Oxford Brookes University (27)
28 October - Bristol Anson Rooms (28)
30 October - Exeter Lemon Grove (30)
31 October - Cardiff University Solus (31)
02 November 1Manchester Academy 2 (November 2)
03 November - Liverpool Academy 4 (3)
04 November 1Sheffield Leadmill (4)
10 November Portsmouth Pyramids Centre (10)
11 November - Reading University (11)