We're back with another mix for your hardcore calorie-burning sessions.  This one features a lot of our highlights from 2008:  mostly uptempo rock & electronic tracks to get your heartrate going.

It's Labor Day - be prepared for colder weather and incessant political ads.  You might be bummed you gotta stop wearing white, but here's some stuff to look forward to:

The biggest festival season ever (QRO Festival Guide) is stretching all the way into November with The Fun Fun Fun Fest, in the ‘Live Music Capital of the World’, Austin, and QRO’s gonna be there or be square.  November 8th-9th, 2008, Waterloo Park will see the third year of FFF, which features not just some great indie-rock but also hip-hop, dance, electronica, and FFF’s signature, a whole host of punk rock reunion & revivals.  And FFF ’08 expands to an awesome four stages this year, with the addition of an up-close & personal stage for solo, acoustic, and comedy acts.  QRO’s previewing the whole event, from Clapping Your Hands and Saying Yeah to The Dead Milkmen’s one-time reunion, from dancing on a YACHT to laughing to Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Good Job! live:

It’s back & better than ever!  Last year, thanks to the impending redevelopment of the classic-but-crumbling Coney Island, everyone had predicted that the 2007 Village Voice’s Siren Music Festival (QRO recap) would be the last ever, or at least the last for a few years, as developers turned Astroland Amusement Park (QRO photos) into… something else.  While who knows what’s happening to Coney Island (what about the Freak Show?!?), Village Voice has brought Siren back (QRO concert listing) with maybe it’s best line-up ever: 

Olympics in China, election in America, actors' strike, the Cubs & the don't-call-them-'Devil' Rays leading the majors - it's gonna be one long, hot summer.  If you're in the Big Apple, there's only one thing to do, and that's hit the big - and little - outdoor concerts, from the first year of All Points West (QRO Festival Guide) to the last year of the free McCarren Park Pool Parties (QRO Free NYC Schedule).  Here's our on-the-ground recap of where we're at, going from spring training to election day:

Sometimes the music industry can overlook the vast resources of talent that are Australia and New Zealand.  We don't make that mistake.  Here, we present a relatively fresh look on some of the hottest and coolest acts to come from Down Under and give you some reasons why you should no longer ignore them:

School's out and the summer music season is underway - here's some stuff you should be sure to check out:

It may cost a pretty penny to live in the Big Apple, but it does have its side benefits, namely a whole slew of free concerts.  As the weather gets warmer and more folks head outdoors, New York becomes rife with free shows, from little in-store events to The Village Voice's massive Siren Music Festival out on Coney Island, from one-offs to the Sunday staple, McCarren Park Pool Parties, now in its final year: