If you haven't heard, Merge is 20 years old, and the label is still kicking major ass. Last year, the label announced a special subscription-only box set titled SCORE!, which you'd be a fool not to subscribe to (TMT News). In fact, the deadline for subscribing has been extended to January 11, so get on that shit NOW. (Reminder: all proceeds will be donated to various charitable causes.)
Continuing the celebration, Merge has announced a five-day festival, appropriately titled XX MERGE. Taking place July 22-26 in North Carolina, the fest will boast "Merge artists past and present," the ultimate real-time celebration of the Merge spirit (of which most of has been privy to at some point). Unfortunately, Merge has yet to release the lineup and ticketing information -- perhaps Spoon, Portastatic, The Music Tapes, Dinosaur Jr., Neutral Milk Hotel?? -- but at least we know which days of work we need to take off.
