Friday, February 27, 2009
The Supervillains and Slightly Stupid in Concert
Great show!
Photos by Steven Ridenour - 2009 - All Rights Reserved.
Britney Spears' 'Circus' Is the #1 Most Played Song in the Country
Britney Spears' 'Circus' Is the #1 Most Played Song in the Country
Spears' Marks Her First Back-To-Back No. 1 Singles And Fifth No. 1 Top 40 Hit Song
NEW YORK, Feb. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Britney Spears continues her dominance on the charts, her latest single "Circus" is the No. 1 song on the Top 40 radio charts and her fifth No. 1 song overall. Currently she holds three songs in the Top 40 chart, her breakout first hit song "Womanizer," "Circus" and her rapidly rising third single "If You See Amy." Additionally this marks the first time in her storied career where Spears scores back-to-back No. 1 singles on the radio chart, according to industry trade Radio & Records.
The platinum album Circus debuted at No. 1 and made Britney Spears the first female ever to have five No. 1 album debuts. Worldwide, the album has sold in excess of three million albums. Circus reunites Spears with previous collaborators Max Martin, Danja and Bloodshy & Avant and her latest video for "If You See Amy" recently wrapped shooting in Los Angeles and was directed by Jake Nava (Beyonce, Shakira, P!nk).
Spears' upcoming arena tour, "The Circus Starring Britney Spears" kicks-off in New Orleans on March 3, 2009. In the days following her tour announcement, tour promoter AEG Live immediately added six shows in Los Angeles, Toronto, New Jersey, Chicago, Long Island, NY and Anaheim, CA, in order to cover the overwhelming demand from fans worldwide.
Britney Spears is one of the top-selling artists of the last decade, and to date she has sold in excess of 63 million albums worldwide: ...Baby One More Time (1999); Oops!... I Did It Again (2000); Britney (2001); In The Zone (2003) and Blackout (2007).
Source: JIVE Label Group
Spears' Marks Her First Back-To-Back No. 1 Singles And Fifth No. 1 Top 40 Hit Song
NEW YORK, Feb. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Britney Spears continues her dominance on the charts, her latest single "Circus" is the No. 1 song on the Top 40 radio charts and her fifth No. 1 song overall. Currently she holds three songs in the Top 40 chart, her breakout first hit song "Womanizer," "Circus" and her rapidly rising third single "If You See Amy." Additionally this marks the first time in her storied career where Spears scores back-to-back No. 1 singles on the radio chart, according to industry trade Radio & Records.
The platinum album Circus debuted at No. 1 and made Britney Spears the first female ever to have five No. 1 album debuts. Worldwide, the album has sold in excess of three million albums. Circus reunites Spears with previous collaborators Max Martin, Danja and Bloodshy & Avant and her latest video for "If You See Amy" recently wrapped shooting in Los Angeles and was directed by Jake Nava (Beyonce, Shakira, P!nk).
Spears' upcoming arena tour, "The Circus Starring Britney Spears" kicks-off in New Orleans on March 3, 2009. In the days following her tour announcement, tour promoter AEG Live immediately added six shows in Los Angeles, Toronto, New Jersey, Chicago, Long Island, NY and Anaheim, CA, in order to cover the overwhelming demand from fans worldwide.
Britney Spears is one of the top-selling artists of the last decade, and to date she has sold in excess of 63 million albums worldwide: ...Baby One More Time (1999); Oops!... I Did It Again (2000); Britney (2001); In The Zone (2003) and Blackout (2007).
Source: JIVE Label Group
New Line Up For Pop-Rock Teen Sensation, Clique Girlz
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- The Pop-Rock Teen Sensation, Clique Girlz, have added a new member! Montreal native Sara Diamond, 14, has joined sisters Destinee and Paris Monroe to form the new trio. Sara was chosen from thousands of teenage girls who attended the national audition in search of the new Clique Girl. Sara, who also acts and models, has been singing and performing since age five. She has also opened for legends Roberta Flack and Bonnie Tyler at Montreal's Bell Centre.
Destinee and Paris spotted Sara's talent immediately when she sang with them at the audition. "We just clicked instantly," commented Destinee. "It was amazing how well our harmonies blended," added Paris.
The Clique Girlz have teamed up with The Topps Company, makers of Bazooka, Ring Pop and Baby Bottle Pop, for fun promotions that include: four Baby Bottle Pop and Ring Pop concerts, Clique Girlz webisodes, ringtones, games, exclusive previews and more. The trio will have their photo on Topps packaging; appear in television ads on Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and Toon Disney. A print campaign is set for teen scene must-reads like J-14, M and Twist Magazine who voted Clique Girlz "Best New Girl Group" summer 2008.
Destinee and Paris spotted Sara's talent immediately when she sang with them at the audition. "We just clicked instantly," commented Destinee. "It was amazing how well our harmonies blended," added Paris.
The Clique Girlz have teamed up with The Topps Company, makers of Bazooka, Ring Pop and Baby Bottle Pop, for fun promotions that include: four Baby Bottle Pop and Ring Pop concerts, Clique Girlz webisodes, ringtones, games, exclusive previews and more. The trio will have their photo on Topps packaging; appear in television ads on Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and Toon Disney. A print campaign is set for teen scene must-reads like J-14, M and Twist Magazine who voted Clique Girlz "Best New Girl Group" summer 2008.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Birthdays - February 20, 2009
Happy Birthday!
J. Geils is 63
http://www.jgeils.com/
Brian Littrell is 34
http://www.brianlittrell.com/
Sebastian Steinberg is 50
Leland Martin is 49
J. Geils is 63
http://www.jgeils.com/
Brian Littrell is 34
http://www.brianlittrell.com/
Sebastian Steinberg is 50
Leland Martin is 49
J. Holiday - Video
Watch this exclusive video with J. Holiday where he talks about his new album Round 2 and performs soulful renditions of "It's Yours" and "Bed"
Fresh off the heels of his Grammy nomination, J. Holiday will release his sophomore album Round 2 on March 10. You can hear the album exclusively on MySpace Music the weekend before the official release.
Fresh off the heels of his Grammy nomination, J. Holiday will release his sophomore album Round 2 on March 10. You can hear the album exclusively on MySpace Music the weekend before the official release.
Ashley Beedle & King Britt mix Southport Weekender Vol. 8
Ashley Beedle & King Britt mix Southport Weekender Vol. 8
Two fantastically eclectic mixes riddled with delightful soulful classics, contemporary dancefloor nuggets and exclusive new tracks
Ashley Beedle & King Britt
Southport Weekender Vol. 8
April 21, 2009
suSU Music
Since its launch the acclaimed Southport Weekender album series has featured mixes from some of the world’s DJ elite including Jazzanova, Mr. Scruff, Kerri Chandler, Gilles Peterson, Jazzy B, DJ Spen, Tony Humphries, Quentin Harris and many more. Having rocked the rafters of Southport Weekender 43 festival this past November, versatile music heavyweights Ashley Beedle and King Britt continue the infectious party vibe with Southport Weekender Vol. 8 on suSU music.
For those in North America (and perhaps unaware), Southport Weekender is Europe’s most unique and best loved indoor soulful music festival. In fact, the Southport Weekender is celebrating 21 glorious years of festival madness with two events every year! Attracting 5000+ party folks to the indoor Pontins Holiday Complex in Southport, it’s dubbed as the “UK’s friendliest party.” Southport features four arenas, boasting a heavyweight selection of cutting edge and classic soulful music from House, Jazz, broken beats, drum n’ bass, Hip-Hop, deep house, R&B, Soul, Jazz Funk, Rare Groove, Nu Soul with amazing performances from the world’s DJ Elite, Live acts and PA’s.
With Southport Weekender Vol. 8, Ashley Beedle and King Britt provide a selection of tracks that embodies the spirit of what this festival is all about. Each artist delivers a fantastically eclectic mix riddled with delightful soulful classics, contemporary dancefloor nuggets and exclusive new tracks. Here, Beedle offers his own “Heavy Disco Edit” of Peven Everett’s “Surely Shorty” while King Britt drops in his own exclusive remixes of Ursula Rucker “Electric Santeria” and Zaki Ibrahim “Money,” to name a few.
ABOUT ASHLEY BEEDLE
Ashley Beedle is a guy who's been involved in more projects than we can possibly name. The versatile artist is as happy slinging reggae, funk, rock, soul, disco and jazz on the metal platter, as he is house music; and his productions have been championed by an equally wide range of decksmiths from Danny Tenaglia and Fabio and Grooverider to Gilles Peterson and John Digweed.
Affiliations: Shock Soundsystem, Ballistic Brothers, Black Science Orchestra. X-Press 2, Delta House Of Funk, Disco Evangelists, Roots Revolution, Jamayka Boys, Black Jazz Chronicles and Afro Art, Warbox, Ralph und Beedle, Mavis, London Heavy Disco Review, etc.
ABOUT KING BRITT
King Britt is a pioneer of all things soulful, rhythmically textured and melodically provocative. This Philadelphia native has found a way to escape the strictures of a single category of music by expressing his creations through deep house, hip-hop, broken beat, nu-jazz, funk and afro-tech. Whether it’s film scoring for Hollywood, rocking a dancefloor in Tokyo or consulting for the leading urban lifestyle brands, there are no limits to what King Britt will do next.
Affiliations: Philadelphia, Digable Planets, Sylk130, “King Britt Presents Sister Gertrude Morgan,” “The Nova Dream Sequence” and Scuba
Southport Weekender Vol 8 is released April 21, 2009 on suSU Music
SOUTHPORT WEEKENDER VOL. 8
TRACKLISTING:
CD1 MIXED BY ASHLEY BEEDLE
1 THE DELLS - WALK ON BY
2 FAZE ACTION - WE DON'T KNOW HOW
3 ASHLEY BEEDLE - HEIGHT
4 LEO ELSTOB - HOW HIGH?
5 ROOT SOUL FEAT. VANESSA FREEMAN AND MIKE PATTO - SPIRIT OF LOVE (PHIL ASHER'S RESTLESS SOUL BOOGIE MIX - YOSHI EDIT)
6 X-PRESS 2 FEAT. KISSING THE PINK - ENJOY THE RIDE (ASHLEY BEEDLE'S MAGIC SESSION VOCAL)
7 BLACK GHOSTS - IT'S YOUR TOUCH (ASHLEY BEEDLE'S HEAVY DISCO EDIT)
8 CRAZY P - STOP SPACE RETURN
9 PEVEN EVERETT - SURELY SHORTY ( ASHLEY BEEDLE'S HEAVY DISCO EDIT )
10 JOEY NEGRO AND THE SUNBURST BAND - OUR LIVES ARE SHAPED
11 LEE MCDONALD - I'LL DO ANYTHING FOR YOU ( PATCHWERKS REMIX )
12 DON DOWNING - DOCTOR BOOGIE
13 ISAAC HAYES - I CAN'T TURN AROUND (ASHLEY BEEDLE'S KING CHOCOLATE MEMPHIS 2 CHICAGO RE-EDIT)
14 D NOTE - THE GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS (BALLISTIC BARRIO BOOM MIX)
15 NATURAL SELF - IN THE MORNING
16 THE LONDON HEAVY DISCO REVUE - ...AND JUSTICE FOR ALL
CD2 MIXED BY KING BRITT
1 ZAKI IBRAHIM - MONEY (KING BRITT REMIX)
2 EDWIN STARR - WAR (KING BRITT REMIX)
3 BUNNY MAC - LET ME LOVE YOU (BUGZ DUB)
4 MARTIN SOVEING - CABO PARANO
5 GLENN LEWIS - STAY WITH ME (TERRY HUNTER DUB)
6 TEDDY DOUGLAS - WHATCHA GONNA DO (HARLUM VOCAL MIX)
7 JOEY NEGRO - SAMBA PARTY
8 JELLYBEAN BENITEZ - LATINA
9 DJ OJI - ESTEBAN (MARK MENDOZA EDIT)
10 URSULA RUCKER - ELECTRIC SANTERIA (KING BRITT FIVESIX MIX)
11 LUCA BACCHETTI - NIGHT OVER KWAZULU
12 SOLOMONIC SOUND - MASH DOWN
13 UP BUSTLE AND OUT- DANCE YOUR TROUBLES AWAY (KING BRITT REMIX)
14 JOHN TEJADA - .DESIRE FEAT NICOLETTE
15 DJ DOZIA - LATIN HIGH
16 SVEN VAN HEES - TSUNAMI (BUSCEMI REMIX)
17 SUSANA BACA - LA NOCHE (REMIX)
Two fantastically eclectic mixes riddled with delightful soulful classics, contemporary dancefloor nuggets and exclusive new tracks
Ashley Beedle & King Britt
Southport Weekender Vol. 8
April 21, 2009
suSU Music
Since its launch the acclaimed Southport Weekender album series has featured mixes from some of the world’s DJ elite including Jazzanova, Mr. Scruff, Kerri Chandler, Gilles Peterson, Jazzy B, DJ Spen, Tony Humphries, Quentin Harris and many more. Having rocked the rafters of Southport Weekender 43 festival this past November, versatile music heavyweights Ashley Beedle and King Britt continue the infectious party vibe with Southport Weekender Vol. 8 on suSU music.
For those in North America (and perhaps unaware), Southport Weekender is Europe’s most unique and best loved indoor soulful music festival. In fact, the Southport Weekender is celebrating 21 glorious years of festival madness with two events every year! Attracting 5000+ party folks to the indoor Pontins Holiday Complex in Southport, it’s dubbed as the “UK’s friendliest party.” Southport features four arenas, boasting a heavyweight selection of cutting edge and classic soulful music from House, Jazz, broken beats, drum n’ bass, Hip-Hop, deep house, R&B, Soul, Jazz Funk, Rare Groove, Nu Soul with amazing performances from the world’s DJ Elite, Live acts and PA’s.
With Southport Weekender Vol. 8, Ashley Beedle and King Britt provide a selection of tracks that embodies the spirit of what this festival is all about. Each artist delivers a fantastically eclectic mix riddled with delightful soulful classics, contemporary dancefloor nuggets and exclusive new tracks. Here, Beedle offers his own “Heavy Disco Edit” of Peven Everett’s “Surely Shorty” while King Britt drops in his own exclusive remixes of Ursula Rucker “Electric Santeria” and Zaki Ibrahim “Money,” to name a few.
ABOUT ASHLEY BEEDLE
Ashley Beedle is a guy who's been involved in more projects than we can possibly name. The versatile artist is as happy slinging reggae, funk, rock, soul, disco and jazz on the metal platter, as he is house music; and his productions have been championed by an equally wide range of decksmiths from Danny Tenaglia and Fabio and Grooverider to Gilles Peterson and John Digweed.
Affiliations: Shock Soundsystem, Ballistic Brothers, Black Science Orchestra. X-Press 2, Delta House Of Funk, Disco Evangelists, Roots Revolution, Jamayka Boys, Black Jazz Chronicles and Afro Art, Warbox, Ralph und Beedle, Mavis, London Heavy Disco Review, etc.
ABOUT KING BRITT
King Britt is a pioneer of all things soulful, rhythmically textured and melodically provocative. This Philadelphia native has found a way to escape the strictures of a single category of music by expressing his creations through deep house, hip-hop, broken beat, nu-jazz, funk and afro-tech. Whether it’s film scoring for Hollywood, rocking a dancefloor in Tokyo or consulting for the leading urban lifestyle brands, there are no limits to what King Britt will do next.
Affiliations: Philadelphia, Digable Planets, Sylk130, “King Britt Presents Sister Gertrude Morgan,” “The Nova Dream Sequence” and Scuba
Southport Weekender Vol 8 is released April 21, 2009 on suSU Music
SOUTHPORT WEEKENDER VOL. 8
TRACKLISTING:
CD1 MIXED BY ASHLEY BEEDLE
1 THE DELLS - WALK ON BY
2 FAZE ACTION - WE DON'T KNOW HOW
3 ASHLEY BEEDLE - HEIGHT
4 LEO ELSTOB - HOW HIGH?
5 ROOT SOUL FEAT. VANESSA FREEMAN AND MIKE PATTO - SPIRIT OF LOVE (PHIL ASHER'S RESTLESS SOUL BOOGIE MIX - YOSHI EDIT)
6 X-PRESS 2 FEAT. KISSING THE PINK - ENJOY THE RIDE (ASHLEY BEEDLE'S MAGIC SESSION VOCAL)
7 BLACK GHOSTS - IT'S YOUR TOUCH (ASHLEY BEEDLE'S HEAVY DISCO EDIT)
8 CRAZY P - STOP SPACE RETURN
9 PEVEN EVERETT - SURELY SHORTY ( ASHLEY BEEDLE'S HEAVY DISCO EDIT )
10 JOEY NEGRO AND THE SUNBURST BAND - OUR LIVES ARE SHAPED
11 LEE MCDONALD - I'LL DO ANYTHING FOR YOU ( PATCHWERKS REMIX )
12 DON DOWNING - DOCTOR BOOGIE
13 ISAAC HAYES - I CAN'T TURN AROUND (ASHLEY BEEDLE'S KING CHOCOLATE MEMPHIS 2 CHICAGO RE-EDIT)
14 D NOTE - THE GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS (BALLISTIC BARRIO BOOM MIX)
15 NATURAL SELF - IN THE MORNING
16 THE LONDON HEAVY DISCO REVUE - ...AND JUSTICE FOR ALL
CD2 MIXED BY KING BRITT
1 ZAKI IBRAHIM - MONEY (KING BRITT REMIX)
2 EDWIN STARR - WAR (KING BRITT REMIX)
3 BUNNY MAC - LET ME LOVE YOU (BUGZ DUB)
4 MARTIN SOVEING - CABO PARANO
5 GLENN LEWIS - STAY WITH ME (TERRY HUNTER DUB)
6 TEDDY DOUGLAS - WHATCHA GONNA DO (HARLUM VOCAL MIX)
7 JOEY NEGRO - SAMBA PARTY
8 JELLYBEAN BENITEZ - LATINA
9 DJ OJI - ESTEBAN (MARK MENDOZA EDIT)
10 URSULA RUCKER - ELECTRIC SANTERIA (KING BRITT FIVESIX MIX)
11 LUCA BACCHETTI - NIGHT OVER KWAZULU
12 SOLOMONIC SOUND - MASH DOWN
13 UP BUSTLE AND OUT- DANCE YOUR TROUBLES AWAY (KING BRITT REMIX)
14 JOHN TEJADA - .DESIRE FEAT NICOLETTE
15 DJ DOZIA - LATIN HIGH
16 SVEN VAN HEES - TSUNAMI (BUSCEMI REMIX)
17 SUSANA BACA - LA NOCHE (REMIX)
Thursday, February 19, 2009
FIREWORKS RELEASE DEBUT ALBUM
FIREWORKS RELEASE DEBUT ALBUM,
‘ALL I HAVE TO OFFER IS MY OWN CONFUSION’
MARCH 24 ON TRIPLE CROWN RECORDS
February 19, 2009 -- Get ready for FIREWORKS to light up the music scene.
The Detroit, MI band--Brett Jones (guitars), Chris Mojan (guitars), David Mackinder (vocals), Kyle O'Neil (bass), Tymm Rengers (drums)—will release their debut album, ALL I HAVE TO OFFER IS MY OWN CONFUSION, March 24 on Triple Crown Records.
The album—produced by New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert and mixed by Paul Miner (H20, Atreyu, Thrice)—is a breath of fresh air; energetic anthems that serve as a perfect combination of pop-punk with hardcore breakdowns and feel good “sing-alongs” bursting with infectious hooks.
FIREWORKS entered an Orange, CA recording studio with Gilbert for two weeks, where he helped FIREWORKS turn their songs into eleven raucous, lively tracks that encompass a broad range of styles. “Detroit,” a fast-paced, punk rock number about growing up, and “Show Me Your Vanishing Act One More Time,” a rollicking, punchy song, offset the slower, more pensive tones of “2923 Monroe St.” and “Come Around.” The entire album is a refreshing collection of punk-tinged, pop-inspired rock songs that surge with the band’s passion for making music and are aided by Gilbert’s ear for a good melody.
“Chad brought a lot of awesome ideas to the table and really pushed the best out of us,” bassist Kyle O’Neil says.
FIREWORKS has spent the last three years on the road, touring with bands like Hit the Lights and Set Your Goals, and garnering a solid, devoted fan base since mid-2006. Their dynamic live performance, sincerity and ability to engage fans gets them a leg up as ALL I HAVE TO OFFER IS MY OWN CONFUSION hits the stores.
“We gained our own DIY following,” O’Neil notes. “I think those fans are pretty loyal and willing to stick with us. It’s so helpful to already have a fan base when your debut album comes out. We touch a lot on friendship and on growing up on this record. It’s about a lot of different things. We really have something honest to say. I hope our fans identify with it. That’s what we’re trying to accomplish: write songs that people can identify with.”
Fans can check out FIREWORKS at any of the following stops:
DATE CITY VENUE
All dates with This Time Next Year:
Tue 3/10 Baltimore, MD Charm City Art
Wed 3/11 Doylstown, PA Moose Lodge
Thu 3/12 Wallingford, CT American Legion
Fri 3/13 Allston, MA ICC
Sat 3/14 Manchester, NH Rocko’s
Sun 3/15 Syracuse, NY The Lost Horizon
Mon 3/16 Latham, NY The Landing Zone
Tue 3/17 Buffalo, NY The Attic
Wed 3/18 Toronto, ONT. Adrift Clubhouse
Thu 3/19 Lansing, MI Snyder-Phillips Hall-East
**Fri 3/20 Southgate, MI Modern Exchange
Sat 3/21 Kent, OH The Vineyard
Sun 3/22 Chicago, IL Beat Kitchen
**Official record release party.
Fireworks on Myspace
Fireworks on Facebook
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Another Morrissey Photo
Morrissey in concert at The King Center in Melbourne, Florida.
Photo by Steven Ridenour - Copyright 2008 - All rights reserved.
OK GO LAUNCHES SPRING TOUR ON MARCH 6th
OK GO LAUNCHES SPRING TOUR ON MARCH 6th
Will Preview Songs From Upcoming Album Produced By Dave Fridmann
OK Go Featured in Dreamworks Film "I Love You, Man"
Grammy-winning rock band OK Go will preview songs from its upcoming album on a bi-coastal headlining tour launching March 6th in Philadelphia, with Irish indie band Oppenheimer and Longwave opening the East Coast dates, IO Echo and Jaguar Love opening the West Coast dates. OK Go has spent the winter holed up in an upstate New York barn-turned-studio with producer Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips, MGMT, Sleater-Kinney), handcrafting what they describe as the "danciest, most anthemic, most heartbroken, and most honest songs" of their career. The band is chronicling the process with an offbeat series of videos at http://www.okgo.net.
The upcoming album, due out late summer on Capitol Records, follows up 2005's hit-filled Oh No, which rocketed the band to international fame with major shows on five continents and a series of low-budget homemade videos including "A Million Ways" and "Here It Goes Again" ("the treadmill video") that have been viewed hundreds of millions of times and set all sorts of records.
Their emergence from the studio also sees OK Go play a fictional wedding band in the upcoming Dreamworks film "I Love You, Man" set for release on March 20th and will also be featured in Banana Republic's "City Stories" spring/summer print and web campaign.
In other exciting news, OK Go's friend and collaborator Al "Carnival Time" Johnson recently moved into his new house in New Orleans' Musician's Village. The band donated proceeds from "You Are Not Alone," their 2008 Charity EP to the cause. The EP is available at iTunes, with all proceeds going to help struggling musicians in New Orleans. Link to EP: http://is.gd/jLMg
OK Go - Spring 2009 Tour Dates
3/6* Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts
3/7* Towson, MD Recher Theatre
3/8* Brooklyn, NY Music Hall of Williamsburg
3/10* New Haven, CT Toad's Place
3/11* Northampton, MA Pearl Street Nightclub
3/12** Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club
3/13* Portland, ME Port City Music Hall
3/20*** San Diego, CA House of Blues
3/21*** Anaheim, CA House of Blues Anaheim
3/24*** Santa Cruz, CA The Catalyst
3/25*** San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
3/27*** Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
3/28*** Seattle, WA Chop Suey
* with Oppenheimer and Longwave opening
** with Oppenheimer and Hooray for Earth
*** with IO Echo and Jaguar Love opening
Will Preview Songs From Upcoming Album Produced By Dave Fridmann
OK Go Featured in Dreamworks Film "I Love You, Man"
Grammy-winning rock band OK Go will preview songs from its upcoming album on a bi-coastal headlining tour launching March 6th in Philadelphia, with Irish indie band Oppenheimer and Longwave opening the East Coast dates, IO Echo and Jaguar Love opening the West Coast dates. OK Go has spent the winter holed up in an upstate New York barn-turned-studio with producer Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips, MGMT, Sleater-Kinney), handcrafting what they describe as the "danciest, most anthemic, most heartbroken, and most honest songs" of their career. The band is chronicling the process with an offbeat series of videos at http://www.okgo.net.
The upcoming album, due out late summer on Capitol Records, follows up 2005's hit-filled Oh No, which rocketed the band to international fame with major shows on five continents and a series of low-budget homemade videos including "A Million Ways" and "Here It Goes Again" ("the treadmill video") that have been viewed hundreds of millions of times and set all sorts of records.
Their emergence from the studio also sees OK Go play a fictional wedding band in the upcoming Dreamworks film "I Love You, Man" set for release on March 20th and will also be featured in Banana Republic's "City Stories" spring/summer print and web campaign.
In other exciting news, OK Go's friend and collaborator Al "Carnival Time" Johnson recently moved into his new house in New Orleans' Musician's Village. The band donated proceeds from "You Are Not Alone," their 2008 Charity EP to the cause. The EP is available at iTunes, with all proceeds going to help struggling musicians in New Orleans. Link to EP: http://is.gd/jLMg
OK Go - Spring 2009 Tour Dates
3/6* Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts
3/7* Towson, MD Recher Theatre
3/8* Brooklyn, NY Music Hall of Williamsburg
3/10* New Haven, CT Toad's Place
3/11* Northampton, MA Pearl Street Nightclub
3/12** Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club
3/13* Portland, ME Port City Music Hall
3/20*** San Diego, CA House of Blues
3/21*** Anaheim, CA House of Blues Anaheim
3/24*** Santa Cruz, CA The Catalyst
3/25*** San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
3/27*** Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
3/28*** Seattle, WA Chop Suey
* with Oppenheimer and Longwave opening
** with Oppenheimer and Hooray for Earth
*** with IO Echo and Jaguar Love opening
Slightly Stoopid - Video Clip, Tour Dates and PR
SLIGHTLY STOOPID CONCOCTS A CEREBRAL AMALGAMATION
OF PIPE DREAMS, HERBAL NOSTALGIA, AND ANTI- AUTHORITARIAN SENTIMENT
IN ITS LATEST FULL SCALE VIDEO CLIP for “2am”
Fans Can Watch "2am" Exclusively on imeem
Los Angeles, CA - (Tuesday, February 3, 2009) -- Everyone's favorite California Dub Rockers SLIGHTLY STOOPID, are about to unveil their brand new video for their hit single "2am”, from the band's latest full scale studio release “Chronchitis." The colorful "2am" clip is a psychedelic amalgamation of live concert footage, archival footage of drug-related police activity from the 60s and 70s, and tripped-out images of marijuana culture. Starting today, fans around the world can watch the video exclusively on the band's imeem profile at imeem/slightlystoopid
The band also plans for an interactive web based version utilizing the new “hot click” technology which will create additional “pop-ups” of various facts and historical information about the band and various elements contained within the video.
In addition to watching "2am" on imeem, fans can find free streaming playlists, videos and exclusive photos on Stoopid's imeem profile at http://www.imeem.com/slightlystoopid. Using imeem's embeddable playlist widgets, fans can easily share their favorite Slightly Stoopid playlists with friends and embed them on blogs websites and profiles on Facebook, MySpace and other social networking services. imeem is the world's largest social music service with more than 25 million people visiting the site each month.
In the "2am" clip, Slightly Stoopid churns out a stoner's delight of video eye candy that artfully references a nostalgic play on old "Keystone Cops," “Reefer Madness," “Cheech and Chong," “High Times," CNN, and The Fillmore West, and perfectly accompanies the laid back groove of the song. "2am" has been one of the Most Played/Most Requested tracks at alt/radio stations across the country since last Fall, including L.A.'s KROQ-FM, and was awarded "Song of the Year" by San Diego's 91X radio outlet. The clip for “2am” was directed by acclaimed visual effects artist Mark Larranga, who has worked in various capacities on such blockbuster films as "Titanic," "O Brother Where Art Thou," and "Spiderman 1 & 2," has contributed to videos as diverse as those by Jamiroquol and Britney Spears, and whose cutting-edge and stunning visual work has also been seen in a number of television commercials.
The San Diego-based Slightly Stoopid is comprised of members Miles Doughty (guitar, bass, vocals), Kyle McDonald (guitar, bass, vocals), Ryan "RyMo" Moran (drums), Oguer "OG" Ocon (congas, percussion, harp, vocals), DeLa (saxophone), and C-Money (trumpet, keyboard). Signed by the late Bradley Nowell (of Sublime fame) to Skunk Records, the band has subsequently turned down three major label contacts, deciding instead to stay completely independent and maintain control over their music and career. Without the benefit of traditional major label sales and marketing methods, Slightly Stoopid has sold more than a half-million albums, "Chronchitis" debuted at #55 on the Billboard Album Chart, they're selling out tour dates nationwide, and now they've got their own label so they can support other bands who just don't want to go the outdated major label way. For years, Slightly Stoopid has been totally wired in with new technologies and file-sharing and have built a new music model that many other indie bands are now following.
Slightly Stoopid hits the road this month on the first leg of their 2009 tour. With more to be announced, dates are below:
FEBRUARY
5 Rialto Theatre, Tucson, AZ
6 Orpheum Theatre, Flagstaff, AZ
7 El Rey Theatre, Albuquerque NM
8 Fox Theatre, Boulder, CO
11 George's Majestic, Fayetteville, AR
12 The Horseshoe, Bossier City, LA
13 Warehouse, Houston, TX
14 Diamond Ballroom, Oklahoma City, OK
15 House of Blues, Dallas, TX
18 Floyd's Music Store, Tallahassee, FL
19 The Venue, Gainesville, FL
20 Plush, Jacksonville, FL
21 Hard Rock Live, Orlando, FL
22 Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg, FL
MARCH
17 Tempe Town Lake, Tempe, AZ (with Bad Religion)
19 The Pageant, St. Louis, MO
20 Congress Theatre, Chicago, IL
21 Orbit Room, Grand Rapids, MI
22 Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY
25 Toad's Place, New Haven, CT
26 Crocodile Rock, Allentown, PA
27 The NorVa, Norfolk, VA
28 The NorVa, Norfolk, VA
31 The Music Farm, Charleston, SC
APRIL
1 Georgia Theatre, Athens, GA
2 The Lyric, Oxford, MS
3 House of Blues, New Orleans, LA
4 Stubb's BBQ, Austin, TX
OF PIPE DREAMS, HERBAL NOSTALGIA, AND ANTI- AUTHORITARIAN SENTIMENT
IN ITS LATEST FULL SCALE VIDEO CLIP for “2am”
Fans Can Watch "2am" Exclusively on imeem
Los Angeles, CA - (Tuesday, February 3, 2009) -- Everyone's favorite California Dub Rockers SLIGHTLY STOOPID, are about to unveil their brand new video for their hit single "2am”, from the band's latest full scale studio release “Chronchitis." The colorful "2am" clip is a psychedelic amalgamation of live concert footage, archival footage of drug-related police activity from the 60s and 70s, and tripped-out images of marijuana culture. Starting today, fans around the world can watch the video exclusively on the band's imeem profile at imeem/slightlystoopid
The band also plans for an interactive web based version utilizing the new “hot click” technology which will create additional “pop-ups” of various facts and historical information about the band and various elements contained within the video.
In addition to watching "2am" on imeem, fans can find free streaming playlists, videos and exclusive photos on Stoopid's imeem profile at http://www.imeem.com/slightlystoopid. Using imeem's embeddable playlist widgets, fans can easily share their favorite Slightly Stoopid playlists with friends and embed them on blogs websites and profiles on Facebook, MySpace and other social networking services. imeem is the world's largest social music service with more than 25 million people visiting the site each month.
In the "2am" clip, Slightly Stoopid churns out a stoner's delight of video eye candy that artfully references a nostalgic play on old "Keystone Cops," “Reefer Madness," “Cheech and Chong," “High Times," CNN, and The Fillmore West, and perfectly accompanies the laid back groove of the song. "2am" has been one of the Most Played/Most Requested tracks at alt/radio stations across the country since last Fall, including L.A.'s KROQ-FM, and was awarded "Song of the Year" by San Diego's 91X radio outlet. The clip for “2am” was directed by acclaimed visual effects artist Mark Larranga, who has worked in various capacities on such blockbuster films as "Titanic," "O Brother Where Art Thou," and "Spiderman 1 & 2," has contributed to videos as diverse as those by Jamiroquol and Britney Spears, and whose cutting-edge and stunning visual work has also been seen in a number of television commercials.
The San Diego-based Slightly Stoopid is comprised of members Miles Doughty (guitar, bass, vocals), Kyle McDonald (guitar, bass, vocals), Ryan "RyMo" Moran (drums), Oguer "OG" Ocon (congas, percussion, harp, vocals), DeLa (saxophone), and C-Money (trumpet, keyboard). Signed by the late Bradley Nowell (of Sublime fame) to Skunk Records, the band has subsequently turned down three major label contacts, deciding instead to stay completely independent and maintain control over their music and career. Without the benefit of traditional major label sales and marketing methods, Slightly Stoopid has sold more than a half-million albums, "Chronchitis" debuted at #55 on the Billboard Album Chart, they're selling out tour dates nationwide, and now they've got their own label so they can support other bands who just don't want to go the outdated major label way. For years, Slightly Stoopid has been totally wired in with new technologies and file-sharing and have built a new music model that many other indie bands are now following.
Slightly Stoopid hits the road this month on the first leg of their 2009 tour. With more to be announced, dates are below:
FEBRUARY
5 Rialto Theatre, Tucson, AZ
6 Orpheum Theatre, Flagstaff, AZ
7 El Rey Theatre, Albuquerque NM
8 Fox Theatre, Boulder, CO
11 George's Majestic, Fayetteville, AR
12 The Horseshoe, Bossier City, LA
13 Warehouse, Houston, TX
14 Diamond Ballroom, Oklahoma City, OK
15 House of Blues, Dallas, TX
18 Floyd's Music Store, Tallahassee, FL
19 The Venue, Gainesville, FL
20 Plush, Jacksonville, FL
21 Hard Rock Live, Orlando, FL
22 Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg, FL
MARCH
17 Tempe Town Lake, Tempe, AZ (with Bad Religion)
19 The Pageant, St. Louis, MO
20 Congress Theatre, Chicago, IL
21 Orbit Room, Grand Rapids, MI
22 Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY
25 Toad's Place, New Haven, CT
26 Crocodile Rock, Allentown, PA
27 The NorVa, Norfolk, VA
28 The NorVa, Norfolk, VA
31 The Music Farm, Charleston, SC
APRIL
1 Georgia Theatre, Athens, GA
2 The Lyric, Oxford, MS
3 House of Blues, New Orleans, LA
4 Stubb's BBQ, Austin, TX
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
CYCLE OF PAIN ANNOUNCES NEW TOUR DATES
CYCLE OF PAIN ANNOUNCES NEW TOUR DATES
SELF-TITLED DEBUT STREETS APRIL 21
Cycle of Pain, brainchild of journeyman bassist John “J.D.” Deservio, has announced an April 21 street date for their upcoming self-titled debut, as well as upcoming tour dates to support the release. The album will be released on Reform Records/Rock Ridge Music. Cycle of Pain will be playing several local shows in February and will open for Black Label Society later this spring. All tour dates are listed below.
John “J.D.” DeServio’s career as a bassist can be defined only as formidable and impressive. His time spent with Black Label Society has taken him around the world and made him a sought after bassist for clinics from Japan to South America and back. But long before he began globetrotting, J.D. started out like most accomplished musicians, in the garage with a band and a bottle of Captain Morgan. Twenty-five years later, that same band has emerged as Cycle of Pain with an intense and diverse self titled hard rock album.
At 15 years old, J.D. began practicing his favorite Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, and Scorpions tunes with good friends Joe Taylor (guitar) and Gregg Locascio (drums/vocals). Despite the many high profile moments in their careers (Lita Ford, Vinnie Moore, Drill, Rich Kotzen and many more), the old band has always aspired to record and tour together. Cycle of Pain later added Rich Monica (Tantric) on drums.
With J.D. and Taylor’s prior musical commitments, it took a lot for the old band to come together and record the 13 track album, which has already been lauded by many of Black Label’s biggest fans.
Though rooted in metal, the album’s 13 tracks delve into elements of funk, hip-hop, and soul, and they offer enough ammo to rock both in the clubs and on the radio. Cycle of Pain also features many guest performances by such credible names as Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society, Ozzy), Ray Luzier (Korn) Brian Tichy (Billy Idol), Sen Dog (Cypress Hill), Russ-T Cobb, Hugo Ferreira (Tantric), Marcus Ratzenboeck (Tantric), Clip Payne (P-funk), Burton (Fear Factory) & Russell Allen (Symphony X).
Taylor sees the band as a modern twist on the bands that originated metal. “I think we’re a band that is much needed in the scene today,” Taylor comments. “Cycle of Pain is basically what all of us are missing when we go to a show.”
The album will be released on April 21st, 2009, and Cycle of Pain will begin its tour that same day opening for Black Label Society.
“We’re part of a family tree that started with Black Sabbath,” adds J.D. “From there came Ozzy with Randy Rhoads, then eventually Ozzy with Zakk. Zakk started the whole Black Label thing, which I became a part of, and we’ve now reached the point where I have my own project in the same line of such huge names as Osbourne and Iommi, Rhoads and Wylde. It’s a good place to be in.”
Cycle of Pain Website
Cycle of Pain Tour Dates:
2/20 – Clementon, NJ - Cherrywood Rock Club
2/21 – Staten Island, NY - L’amour
Cycle of Pain w/ Black Label Society, Sevendust, and Dope:
4/21 – Houston, TX - Warehouse Live
4/22 – Corpus Christi, TX - Concrete Street Amphitheater
4/24 – Austin, TX - Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater
4/25 – Dallas, TX - Palladium Ballroom
4/26 – Tulsa, OK - Cain’s Ballroom
4/28 – Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre
5/1 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
5/2 – Los Angeles, CA - Wiltern Theatre
SELF-TITLED DEBUT STREETS APRIL 21
Cycle of Pain, brainchild of journeyman bassist John “J.D.” Deservio, has announced an April 21 street date for their upcoming self-titled debut, as well as upcoming tour dates to support the release. The album will be released on Reform Records/Rock Ridge Music. Cycle of Pain will be playing several local shows in February and will open for Black Label Society later this spring. All tour dates are listed below.
John “J.D.” DeServio’s career as a bassist can be defined only as formidable and impressive. His time spent with Black Label Society has taken him around the world and made him a sought after bassist for clinics from Japan to South America and back. But long before he began globetrotting, J.D. started out like most accomplished musicians, in the garage with a band and a bottle of Captain Morgan. Twenty-five years later, that same band has emerged as Cycle of Pain with an intense and diverse self titled hard rock album.
At 15 years old, J.D. began practicing his favorite Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, and Scorpions tunes with good friends Joe Taylor (guitar) and Gregg Locascio (drums/vocals). Despite the many high profile moments in their careers (Lita Ford, Vinnie Moore, Drill, Rich Kotzen and many more), the old band has always aspired to record and tour together. Cycle of Pain later added Rich Monica (Tantric) on drums.
With J.D. and Taylor’s prior musical commitments, it took a lot for the old band to come together and record the 13 track album, which has already been lauded by many of Black Label’s biggest fans.
Though rooted in metal, the album’s 13 tracks delve into elements of funk, hip-hop, and soul, and they offer enough ammo to rock both in the clubs and on the radio. Cycle of Pain also features many guest performances by such credible names as Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society, Ozzy), Ray Luzier (Korn) Brian Tichy (Billy Idol), Sen Dog (Cypress Hill), Russ-T Cobb, Hugo Ferreira (Tantric), Marcus Ratzenboeck (Tantric), Clip Payne (P-funk), Burton (Fear Factory) & Russell Allen (Symphony X).
Taylor sees the band as a modern twist on the bands that originated metal. “I think we’re a band that is much needed in the scene today,” Taylor comments. “Cycle of Pain is basically what all of us are missing when we go to a show.”
The album will be released on April 21st, 2009, and Cycle of Pain will begin its tour that same day opening for Black Label Society.
“We’re part of a family tree that started with Black Sabbath,” adds J.D. “From there came Ozzy with Randy Rhoads, then eventually Ozzy with Zakk. Zakk started the whole Black Label thing, which I became a part of, and we’ve now reached the point where I have my own project in the same line of such huge names as Osbourne and Iommi, Rhoads and Wylde. It’s a good place to be in.”
Cycle of Pain Website
Cycle of Pain Tour Dates:
2/20 – Clementon, NJ - Cherrywood Rock Club
2/21 – Staten Island, NY - L’amour
Cycle of Pain w/ Black Label Society, Sevendust, and Dope:
4/21 – Houston, TX - Warehouse Live
4/22 – Corpus Christi, TX - Concrete Street Amphitheater
4/24 – Austin, TX - Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater
4/25 – Dallas, TX - Palladium Ballroom
4/26 – Tulsa, OK - Cain’s Ballroom
4/28 – Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre
5/1 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
5/2 – Los Angeles, CA - Wiltern Theatre
Morrissey - New CD Today - Years of Refusal
Years of Refusal by Morrisey - Lost Highway Records
I haven't heard the whole album yet, but I think it is going to be another great album by Morrissey. You can listen to the track, I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris at Lost Highway Records.
I hope to photograph the Morrisey show when he plays at Hard Rock Live in Orlando, Florida on March 1, 2009. I photographed him in concert last year in Melbourne and it was a blast.
For Morrissey Tour Dates - Click Here
Steven
I haven't heard the whole album yet, but I think it is going to be another great album by Morrissey. You can listen to the track, I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris at Lost Highway Records.
I hope to photograph the Morrisey show when he plays at Hard Rock Live in Orlando, Florida on March 1, 2009. I photographed him in concert last year in Melbourne and it was a blast.
For Morrissey Tour Dates - Click Here
Steven
Gavin DeGraw to Release New Collection of Songs Entitled FREE, March 31st
Gavin DeGraw to Release New Collection of Songs Entitled FREE, March 31st
FREE Follows on the Heels of Platinum Singer and Songwriter's Self-Titled 2008 Top 10 Album
DeGraw Hits the Road for "Where It Began" Tour on March 27th
NEW YORK, Feb. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 31st, 2009, J Records' platinum recording artist Gavin DeGraw will release a new collection of songs, entitled FREE -- a raw, organic-sounding recording that showcases DeGraw's earthy charm and ever-evolving songwriting talent.
"My intention on FREE was to stay out of the way of the songs," DeGraw says. "We kept the production very minimal in order to get everything that lies between me and the audience out of the way. By removing all the bells and whistles, you really make room for someone to pay attention to the songwriting." As a result, DeGraw's freewheeling melodies, heartfelt lyrics and soulful, blues-tinged vocal performances are front and center, creating an intimate experience for listeners.
Performed by a crack band that includes guitarist Audley Freed (Black Crowes), bassist Andy Hess (Gov't Mule), drummer Charley Drayton (Keith Richards' X-Pensive Winos), and keyboardist George Laks (Lenny Kravitz), FREE, the 10-song set ranges from new songs that were completed in the studio, such as "Stay" and "Mountains to Move," to tunes that DeGraw wrote very early in his career that have evolved with him, like "Dancing Shoes" and "Glass." "Those are songs only my die-hard fans would know," he says. "I wanted to properly record them because they're special to my fans." There's also a cover of Chris Whitley's "Indian Summer," a powerful number that DeGraw includes on FREE as a way to draw attention to one of his favorite artists. "I wanted to expose Chris' music to my fans," DeGraw says.
To keep himself from over-thinking the songs, DeGraw recorded FREE in less than two weeks at the Brooklyn studio of his producer Camus Celli, who has worked with such artists as Tina Turner, David Byrne, and Arto Lindsay. DeGraw and Celli have known each other since working together on an early version of DeGraw's platinum-selling 2003 major-label debut CHARIOT. "I've been in the studio with several different producers so I already knew what I wanted," DeGraw says. "This was my opportunity to be involved in the production, and I knew Camus could get the sounds I was going for."
The trust he had in Celli and the collaborative spirit of their partnership freed DeGraw up to dig deep and tap into something he says he hadn't tapped into for a while. "This album reveals the honesty about my love of music," he says. "It isn't about the biggest, the strongest, or the loudest. It's about simplicity in its purest form. It doesn't sound like the big machine. It sounds like where you go to escape the big machine."
In keeping with the stripped-down feel of FREE, DeGraw will hit the road on March 27th for an extensive spring tour he has dubbed his "Where It Began" tour, in which audiences will be taken on a musical journey back to DeGraw's roots for a series of intimate full band and solo performances. "We'll take a similar approach to the live shows as we did on the album," he says. "This tour is all about creating that very close connection with the audience."
FREE is the follow-up to DeGraw's self-titled 2008 album GAVIN DEGRAW, which debuted at No. 1 on the digital sales chart and No. 7 on Billboard's Top 200 album chart last May, earning DeGraw his first Top 10 album. GAVIN DEGRAW spawned the hit singles "In Love With A Girl," which Billboard dubbed "a rocking homerun" and the gold-certified "We Belong Together."
Gavin DeGraw's upcoming tour dates are as follows:
3/27 Portland, OR, Aladdin Theater
3/28 Seattle, WA, The Tractor
3/31 San Francisco, CA, Great American Music Hall
4/01 Los Angeles, CA, El Rey
4/02 San Diego, CA, Soma
4/04 Detroit, MI, Public Concert Stage
4/05 Scottsdale, AZ, Martini Ranch
4/06 Albuquerque, NM, Launchpad
4/08 Austin, TX, The Parish
4/09 Dallas, TX, The Loft
4/10 Houston, TX, House of Blues
4/11 Oklahoma City, OK, Diamond Ballroom
4/13 Columbia, MO, The Blue Note
4/15 Chicago, IL, Park West
4/16 Decatur, IL, Kirkland Fine Arts Center
4/17 Columbus, OH, Newport Music Hall
4/19 Manchester, NH, Southern New Hampshire University
4/20 New York, NY, Highline Ballroom
4/21 Harrisburg, PA, Whitaker Center
4/22 Philadelphia, PA, Theatre of Living Arts
4/24 Boston, MA, Paradise Rock Club
4/25 Reading, PA, Alvernia University
4/26 Alexandria, VA, Birchmere
4/28 Richmond, VA, The National
4/29 Knoxville, TN, The Square Room
5/01 Louisville, KY, Kentucky Derby Festival
Monday, February 16, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Sister Hazel
Sister Hazel
Saturday, February 21st
House of Blues
Lake Buena Vista, FL
Sister Hazel has sold over two million albums in their 17-plus-year career. The platinum-selling band co-founded the Rock Boat (www.therockboat.com), the world's largest floating music festival, with Sixthman in 2001. Also in 2001, the band established the charity, Lyrics for Life, which benefits children with cancer. Sister Hazel is: Ken Block (vocals, acoustic guitar), Drew Copeland (vocals, rhythm guitar), Ryan Newell (lead guitar), Jett Beres (bass), Mark Trojanowski (drums). The band can be found online at www.sisterhazel.com and www.myspace.com/sisterhazel.
SISTER HAZEL TO RELEASE LIVE ACOUSTIC ALBUM IN JUNE
Gainesville, Florida five-piece Sister Hazel will be releasing a live acoustic album on June 17th. Entitled “Before The Amplifiers, Live Acoustic,” the record features sixteen tracks (see full track listing below), including the band’s hits, fan favorites, and live concert staples, all in a stripped-down, acoustic format. The album was recorded on January 12th at Nickel and Dime Studios in Atlanta (other bands who have recorded there in the past include Indigo Girls, The B-52’s, Shawn Mullins) in front of 100 lucky fans who were chosen at random from over five thousand entries. Family and friends of the band were also in attendance. “Before The Amplifiers” is the perfect collection for both the hardcore band fans (a.k.a. Hazelnuts) and for listeners just discovering the band for the first time.
Says band lead singer Ken Block: “One of my favorite things about our band is that we have always appreciated breaking it down just as much as we love to crank it up. The fans have always connected with the acoustic sets and enjoy the acoustic moments at our bigger shows. They've been asking us to do an acoustic record for as long as we've been a band. We felt like we were in the perfect space to capture an acoustic evening and it turned out great. There are a lot of different sounds and several alternate arrangements that were a blast to play. Acoustic versions really get their power from musical subtleties, the lyricism and the naked harmonies. That's where the intimacy really shines.”
Tracks on the album include:
1) Champagne High
2) Hold On
3) Shame
4) All For You
5) Your Winter
6) World Inside My Head
7) Strange Cup Of Tea
8) Mandolin Moon
9) Just Remember
10) Come Around
11) Swan Dive
12) Happy
13) This Kind Of Love
14) Starfish
15) Change Your Mind
16) Feel It
As per usual, the band will be touring heavily leading up to and in support of “Before The Amplifiers,” with a number of summer festivals already on the itinerary. As a group that values fan input and feedback a great deal, the band will be holding their annual Hazelnut Hang again, scheduled for May 30th – June 1st in Isle of Palms, South Carolina. This weekend of performances, interaction and conversation allows fans an opportunity to connect with the band members on a personal level.
Sister Hazel has sold over two million albums and co-founded the Rock Boat (www.therockboat.com), the world's largest floating music festival, with Sixthman in 2001, which they also host annually. In 2001, the band established the charity, Lyrics for Life, which benefits children with cancer. Sister Hazel is: Ken Block (vocals, acoustic guitar), Drew Copeland (vocals, rhythm guitar), Ryan Newell (lead guitar), Jett Beres (bass), Mark Trojanowski (drums). The band can be found online at www.sisterhazel.com and www.myspace.com/sisterhazel.
####
I'd really like to photograph the show in Orlando. I photographed Sister Hazel in Baltimore a couple of years ago and it wasn't the best lighting in the world. House of Blues typically has great concert lighting, so the shots should turn out great.
What do you think of Sister Hazel?
Steven
Click here to see a video.
UMPHREY'S MCGEE'S NEW ALBUM, MANTIS, IS RELEASED TO RAVE REVIEWS
ANOTHER WINDY CITY FAMILY GETS CAST INTO THE LIMELIGHT
UMPHREY'S MCGEE'S NEW ALBUM, MANTIS, IS RELEASED TO RAVE REVIEWS
LOOK FOR THE BAND ON TOUR NOW IN SUPPORT OF NEW ALBUM
Chicago, Illinois - Chicago's Umphrey's McGee new album, Mantis, hits streets today to rave reviews, casting another Windy City family into the public spotlight.
Mantis is already being hailed as the band's most progressive, melodic and artistically cohesive album to date.
Here's what critics are saying:
"Umphrey's McGee stand revealed as consummate musical alchemists, deftly reconfiguring sounds from rock's vast panoply of styles, and evoking bands as diverse as Steely Dan, Metallica, XTC, Rush, and the Beach Boys without sounding like copycats...the sleekly constructed tunes (no noodling here) sparkle with a sweetness and soul that's more than the sum of their influences."
- Entertainment Weekly
"...meticulous...the cohesive strength of the band...rarely falters. If complexity is the standard by which it should be judged, Mantis warranted the buildup [of its release]." - New York Times
"...razor sharp compositions... surgical precision, stop-start build-ups, hair metal riffs, and anthemic crescendos...not to mention some of the most technical and inspired guitar soloing you'll hear on an album..." - Relix Magazine
"...fresh, fluid, and classic. Mantis is a culmination of a buzz that has surrounded this band since its inception.... From jam band princes to prog-rock kings, Umphrey's McGee has arrived." - Honest Tune
"[Mantis offers] seriously ambitious arrangements. ...and their songwriting has progressed as much as their ambitions." - Prefix Magazine
The first single from Mantis, "Measure to Measure," debuted at #1 on the R&R Indicator Top 30 chart (tied with "Lucky" - Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat duet). Billboard Magazine recently recognized Umphrey's McGee's "digital savvy," hailing Mantis's innovative pre-order campaign, where fans unlock bonus content as the number of Mantis pre-orders increase, as "...a likely template for emerging and established acts [looking to] kick-start interest in a new release."
Umphrey's McGee will appear on PBS's critically acclaimed concert series, Soundstage, on February 5, 2009 - just in time to celebrate the release of Mantis. Look for the new material on Mantis to get a live workout in 2009, when the band hits the road in support of the new album. Confirmed tour dates are as follows:
January 22 Aggie Theatre Fort Collins, CO
January 23 Boulder Theater Boulder, CO
January 24 Fillmore Auditorium Denver, CO
January 30 First Avenue Minneapolis, MN
January 31 First Avenue Minneapolis, MN
February 01 First Avenue Minneapolis, MN
February 12 Barrymore Theatre Madison, WI
February 13 Barrymore Theatre Madison, WI
February 14 Barrymore Theatre Madison, WI
February 15 Barrymore Theatre Madison, WI
February 19 Variety Playhouse Atlanta, GA
February 20 Variety Playhouse Atlanta, GA
February 21The Orange Peel Asheville, NC
February 22 Neighborhood Theatre Charlotte, NC
March 04 Workplay Soundstage Birmingham, AL
March 05 Workplay Soundstage Birmingham, AL
March 07 Langerado Music Festival Miami Beach, FL
March 12 Royal Oak Music Theatre Royal Oak, MI
March 13 Egyptian Room Indianapolis, IN
March 14 Egyptian Room Indianapolis, IN
March 25 Cain's Ballroom Tulsa, OK
March 26 Liberty Hall Lawrence, KS
March 27 The Pageant St. Louis, MO
March 28 Minglewood Hall Memphis, TN
April 01Town Ballroom Buffalo, NY
April 02 The Grand Opera House Wilmington, DE
April 03 Penn's Peak Jim Thorpe, PA
April 04 Ram's Head Live! Baltimore, MD
April 05 Toad's Place New Haven, CT
April 07 Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel Providence, RI
April 08 Calvin Theatre Northampton, MA
April 09 House of Blues Boston, MA
April 10 Nokia Theatre Times Square New York, NY
April 11 Nokia Theatre Times Square New York, NY
April 16 Taft Theatre Cincinnati, OH
April 30 House of Blues New Orleans, LA
May 01 House of Blues New Orleans, LA
In addition to a one-of-a kind pre-order campaign where fans can participate in "unlocking" exclusive bonus material, Mantis incorporates PUSH(TM) technology by Digital Insert to deliver new content throughout 2009. PUSH requires no software installation or serial number; by simply putting the Mantis CD in your CD-ROM drive, the disc will act as a "key" to an Umphreys.com micro-site where fans get access to exclusive 2009 content as it becomes available.
Mantis is yet another innovative music experience to be offered by Umphrey's McGee, who have proven adaptive and inventive both in music and business over the last 10 years. Through online community building, creative web-based promotions, and open taping policies allowing live music sharing among fans, Umphrey's McGee has harnessed the internet's momentum to spread their music far and wide. The band's download store UMLive.net is an archive of their ever-diverse live performances, hosting downloads of over 300 shows with 750,000 tracks sold since 2004. Umphreys.com hosts the iTunes friendly UM Podcast which releases two 75-minute episodes of live material each month to its 20,000 subscribers. Since 2001, Umphrey's has released soundboard recordings of each night's concert immediately after the show in both physical and digital formats - and each show typically sells upwards of 300 copies per night. The band's unique approach to online and digital distribution, paired with word of mouth buzz, has helped Umphrey's McGee sell out shows nationwide while keeping their fans a top priority.
http://www.umphreys.com/
UMPHREY'S MCGEE'S NEW ALBUM, MANTIS, IS RELEASED TO RAVE REVIEWS
LOOK FOR THE BAND ON TOUR NOW IN SUPPORT OF NEW ALBUM
Chicago, Illinois - Chicago's Umphrey's McGee new album, Mantis, hits streets today to rave reviews, casting another Windy City family into the public spotlight.
Mantis is already being hailed as the band's most progressive, melodic and artistically cohesive album to date.
Here's what critics are saying:
"Umphrey's McGee stand revealed as consummate musical alchemists, deftly reconfiguring sounds from rock's vast panoply of styles, and evoking bands as diverse as Steely Dan, Metallica, XTC, Rush, and the Beach Boys without sounding like copycats...the sleekly constructed tunes (no noodling here) sparkle with a sweetness and soul that's more than the sum of their influences."
- Entertainment Weekly
"...meticulous...the cohesive strength of the band...rarely falters. If complexity is the standard by which it should be judged, Mantis warranted the buildup [of its release]." - New York Times
"...razor sharp compositions... surgical precision, stop-start build-ups, hair metal riffs, and anthemic crescendos...not to mention some of the most technical and inspired guitar soloing you'll hear on an album..." - Relix Magazine
"...fresh, fluid, and classic. Mantis is a culmination of a buzz that has surrounded this band since its inception.... From jam band princes to prog-rock kings, Umphrey's McGee has arrived." - Honest Tune
"[Mantis offers] seriously ambitious arrangements. ...and their songwriting has progressed as much as their ambitions." - Prefix Magazine
The first single from Mantis, "Measure to Measure," debuted at #1 on the R&R Indicator Top 30 chart (tied with "Lucky" - Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat duet). Billboard Magazine recently recognized Umphrey's McGee's "digital savvy," hailing Mantis's innovative pre-order campaign, where fans unlock bonus content as the number of Mantis pre-orders increase, as "...a likely template for emerging and established acts [looking to] kick-start interest in a new release."
Umphrey's McGee will appear on PBS's critically acclaimed concert series, Soundstage, on February 5, 2009 - just in time to celebrate the release of Mantis. Look for the new material on Mantis to get a live workout in 2009, when the band hits the road in support of the new album. Confirmed tour dates are as follows:
January 22 Aggie Theatre Fort Collins, CO
January 23 Boulder Theater Boulder, CO
January 24 Fillmore Auditorium Denver, CO
January 30 First Avenue Minneapolis, MN
January 31 First Avenue Minneapolis, MN
February 01 First Avenue Minneapolis, MN
February 12 Barrymore Theatre Madison, WI
February 13 Barrymore Theatre Madison, WI
February 14 Barrymore Theatre Madison, WI
February 15 Barrymore Theatre Madison, WI
February 19 Variety Playhouse Atlanta, GA
February 20 Variety Playhouse Atlanta, GA
February 21The Orange Peel Asheville, NC
February 22 Neighborhood Theatre Charlotte, NC
March 04 Workplay Soundstage Birmingham, AL
March 05 Workplay Soundstage Birmingham, AL
March 07 Langerado Music Festival Miami Beach, FL
March 12 Royal Oak Music Theatre Royal Oak, MI
March 13 Egyptian Room Indianapolis, IN
March 14 Egyptian Room Indianapolis, IN
March 25 Cain's Ballroom Tulsa, OK
March 26 Liberty Hall Lawrence, KS
March 27 The Pageant St. Louis, MO
March 28 Minglewood Hall Memphis, TN
April 01Town Ballroom Buffalo, NY
April 02 The Grand Opera House Wilmington, DE
April 03 Penn's Peak Jim Thorpe, PA
April 04 Ram's Head Live! Baltimore, MD
April 05 Toad's Place New Haven, CT
April 07 Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel Providence, RI
April 08 Calvin Theatre Northampton, MA
April 09 House of Blues Boston, MA
April 10 Nokia Theatre Times Square New York, NY
April 11 Nokia Theatre Times Square New York, NY
April 16 Taft Theatre Cincinnati, OH
April 30 House of Blues New Orleans, LA
May 01 House of Blues New Orleans, LA
In addition to a one-of-a kind pre-order campaign where fans can participate in "unlocking" exclusive bonus material, Mantis incorporates PUSH(TM) technology by Digital Insert to deliver new content throughout 2009. PUSH requires no software installation or serial number; by simply putting the Mantis CD in your CD-ROM drive, the disc will act as a "key" to an Umphreys.com micro-site where fans get access to exclusive 2009 content as it becomes available.
Mantis is yet another innovative music experience to be offered by Umphrey's McGee, who have proven adaptive and inventive both in music and business over the last 10 years. Through online community building, creative web-based promotions, and open taping policies allowing live music sharing among fans, Umphrey's McGee has harnessed the internet's momentum to spread their music far and wide. The band's download store UMLive.net is an archive of their ever-diverse live performances, hosting downloads of over 300 shows with 750,000 tracks sold since 2004. Umphreys.com hosts the iTunes friendly UM Podcast which releases two 75-minute episodes of live material each month to its 20,000 subscribers. Since 2001, Umphrey's has released soundboard recordings of each night's concert immediately after the show in both physical and digital formats - and each show typically sells upwards of 300 copies per night. The band's unique approach to online and digital distribution, paired with word of mouth buzz, has helped Umphrey's McGee sell out shows nationwide while keeping their fans a top priority.
http://www.umphreys.com/
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Gavin DeGraw To Sing National Anthem For 51st Annual Daytona 500
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., – J Records singer-songwriter, Gavin DeGraw, whose latest album “Free” will be released March 31, will sing the National Anthem for the 51st annual Daytona 500 on Sunday at Daytona International Speedway.
DeGraw’s debut album “Chariot” in 2003 reached platinum and produced three No. 1 hit singles – “I Don’t Want To Be,” “Follow Through” and the title-track “Chariot.” His self-titled second album was released in 2008 and produced hits such as “In Love With A Girl” and “Cheated On Me.”
Mercury Nashville recording artist and two-time Dancing With The Stars champion Julianne Hough, who was originally scheduled to sing the National Anthem for the Daytona 500, is unable due to illness.
“I am so disappointed that I’m missing the opportunity to sing the National Anthem at the Daytona 500,” Hough said. “I came down with a severe case of influenza and the doctor told me I could not fly. I look forward to making it up to every one soon.”
“We’re grateful to have Gavin DeGraw, who is also performing at the Daytona 500 Grand Marshal’s Dinner, step in at the last minute,” Daytona International Speedway President Robin Braig said. “With hundreds of thousands of race fans in attendance and millions more watching on television, we look forward to hearing Gavin’s rendition of the National Anthem prior to the start of ‘The Great American Race.’ ”
DeGraw will kick off his “Where It Began” Spring 2009 Tour on March 27 in Portland, OR.
For more information on Gavin DeGraw, visit www.gavindegraw.com. For tickets to the 51st annual Daytona 500 are available online at http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.
Friday, February 13, 2009
ERIC LINDELL TO PERFORM IN JACKSONVILLE BEACH!
ERIC LINDELL TO PERFORM IN JACKSONVILLE BEACH!
“When Eric Lindell opens his mouth, what comes out is some of the most earnest, blue-eyed and merciful soul. Enjoyable, wonderful, impeccable...super funky guitar licks.” –Harp California-born, New Orleans-schooled singer/songwriter/guitarist Eric Lindell, touring in support of his latest Alligator CD, Low On Cash, Rich In Love, will perform live in Jacksonville Beach on March 20, 2009.
His combination of sweet, blue-eyed soul with foot-stomping R&B, swamp pop, funk and blues have won him critical and popular acclaim across the country. Low On Cash, Rich In Love is filled with original songs, solid grooves, insightful lyrics and one emotionally rich track after another.
Lindell will release his third Alligator CD, Gulf Coast Highway, on March 24. Concert information is as follows: Friday, March 20th Mojo Kitchen 1500 Beach Blvd. Jacksonville Beach, FL 904.247.6636 9:30 p.m. $12
Recorded at Piety Street Studio in New Orleans, Low On Cash, Rich In Love will delight Lindell’s fan base and will capture the attention of music lovers all over the globe. From the first single Lay Back Down to the undeniable groove of a totally reworked version of Gil Scott-Heron’s Lady Day And John Coltrane (the album’s sole cover song) to the New Orleans bounce of Tried And True, Low On Cash, Rich In Love is Eric Lindell at his very best. His sinewy and soulful vocals recall 1970s Van Morrison, while his guitar and harmonica work are uniquely his own. With sweet saxophones punching in all the right places and grooves building on top of each other, Eric Lindell has created a timeless collection of songs.
Born in San Mateo, California in 1969, Lindell spent countless hours in San Francisco, soaking up the musical sounds of the city, eventually leading him to pick up the bass and then the guitar. Lindell listened to the music of The Impressions as well as Buddy Guy. He discovered blues greats Junior Wells, Jimmy Reed and Albert King before drifting toward the R&B sounds of Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway, soaking up the soul and learning how to craft a song. After performing at bars on the West Coast with a few short-lived bands, Eric formed his own group in 1993 and quickly gained a loyal California audience thanks to countless performances and many late-night jam sessions.
Established stars like Charlie Musselwhite and Tom Waits attended his gigs, as did overflow crowds of music fans. Lindell left for New York in 1998, gigging there regularly before heading down to New Orleans in 1999, where he quickly discovered the roots music scene. He gravitated toward the West Bank dive bars of Gretna and Algiers, Louisiana, where he befriended many older swamp pop musicians, who helped him get more regular gigs. Before long he met up with Galactic’s Stanton Moore, and the two jammed together often. Some of New Orleans’ finest players, including keyboardist Ivan Neville and drummers Harold Brown and Johnny Vidacovich, often joined him on stage. Galactic bassist Rob Mercurio began sitting in as well, and word of Lindell’s immense talents quickly spread around the city. Stars like Branford Marsalis, The Neville Brothers, John Scofield, Chris Chew (North Mississippi Allstars), and Wally Ingram (David Lindley, Stockholm Syndrome) began showing up at his gigs and embracing this fresh California kid’s funky music. According to Lindell, “It’s a great feeling to be recognized for your music in New Orleans.”
Lindell’s 2006 Alligator Records debut, Change In The Weather, delighted and surprised music fans hungry for a truly original artist. Lindell’s deceptively simple sounding songs, laid back grooves and hook-laden melodies were fueled by guests including War drummer Harold Brown, Ivan Neville and Galactic’s Stanton Moore. Critics across the country went wild, with reviews and features in Relix, OffBeat, The Chicago Sun-Times, Harp, Guitar Player, Down Beat, The New Yorker, The New York Press and many other national and regional publications. Singer And Musician magazine put Eric on the cover and many newspaper entertainment sections did the same. The New Orleans Times-Picayune said, “Eric Lindell has arrived. He channels Van Morrison with his irresistible soul...not a moment is wasted.” The Chicago Sun-Times followed, saying “Soulful original songs fuse R&B, swamp pop and funk into a potent, party-time mix.” Radio responded in kind. The first single, Give It Time, debuted as the #1 Most Added song on the Radio & Records (R&R) Indicator Chart (and spent 14 weeks there, peaking at #16), #1 Most Added on the Americana Chart and #2 Most Added at AAA radio overall. The song was a Top 20 single on Friday Morning Quarterback’s AAA Chart. In addition, Lindell triumphantly appeared on the nationally syndicated public radio program Mountain Stage. Lindell’s live shows draw as much attention as his material. His unstoppable grooves, rocking, deeply rooted, original songs and excellent musicianship never fail to fill the dance floor. With the release of Low On Cash, Rich In Love, Lindell and his band will continue to tour heavily, giving the rest of the country the chance to discover for themselves what a growing number of people already know: Eric Lindell is a musician bursting at the seams with talent, with the uncanny natural ability to come up with one instantly classic song after another, and the desire to take his music to every corner of the music-loving universe.
“When Eric Lindell opens his mouth, what comes out is some of the most earnest, blue-eyed and merciful soul. Enjoyable, wonderful, impeccable...super funky guitar licks.” –Harp California-born, New Orleans-schooled singer/songwriter/guitarist Eric Lindell, touring in support of his latest Alligator CD, Low On Cash, Rich In Love, will perform live in Jacksonville Beach on March 20, 2009.
His combination of sweet, blue-eyed soul with foot-stomping R&B, swamp pop, funk and blues have won him critical and popular acclaim across the country. Low On Cash, Rich In Love is filled with original songs, solid grooves, insightful lyrics and one emotionally rich track after another.
Lindell will release his third Alligator CD, Gulf Coast Highway, on March 24. Concert information is as follows: Friday, March 20th Mojo Kitchen 1500 Beach Blvd. Jacksonville Beach, FL 904.247.6636 9:30 p.m. $12
Recorded at Piety Street Studio in New Orleans, Low On Cash, Rich In Love will delight Lindell’s fan base and will capture the attention of music lovers all over the globe. From the first single Lay Back Down to the undeniable groove of a totally reworked version of Gil Scott-Heron’s Lady Day And John Coltrane (the album’s sole cover song) to the New Orleans bounce of Tried And True, Low On Cash, Rich In Love is Eric Lindell at his very best. His sinewy and soulful vocals recall 1970s Van Morrison, while his guitar and harmonica work are uniquely his own. With sweet saxophones punching in all the right places and grooves building on top of each other, Eric Lindell has created a timeless collection of songs.
Born in San Mateo, California in 1969, Lindell spent countless hours in San Francisco, soaking up the musical sounds of the city, eventually leading him to pick up the bass and then the guitar. Lindell listened to the music of The Impressions as well as Buddy Guy. He discovered blues greats Junior Wells, Jimmy Reed and Albert King before drifting toward the R&B sounds of Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway, soaking up the soul and learning how to craft a song. After performing at bars on the West Coast with a few short-lived bands, Eric formed his own group in 1993 and quickly gained a loyal California audience thanks to countless performances and many late-night jam sessions.
Established stars like Charlie Musselwhite and Tom Waits attended his gigs, as did overflow crowds of music fans. Lindell left for New York in 1998, gigging there regularly before heading down to New Orleans in 1999, where he quickly discovered the roots music scene. He gravitated toward the West Bank dive bars of Gretna and Algiers, Louisiana, where he befriended many older swamp pop musicians, who helped him get more regular gigs. Before long he met up with Galactic’s Stanton Moore, and the two jammed together often. Some of New Orleans’ finest players, including keyboardist Ivan Neville and drummers Harold Brown and Johnny Vidacovich, often joined him on stage. Galactic bassist Rob Mercurio began sitting in as well, and word of Lindell’s immense talents quickly spread around the city. Stars like Branford Marsalis, The Neville Brothers, John Scofield, Chris Chew (North Mississippi Allstars), and Wally Ingram (David Lindley, Stockholm Syndrome) began showing up at his gigs and embracing this fresh California kid’s funky music. According to Lindell, “It’s a great feeling to be recognized for your music in New Orleans.”
Lindell’s 2006 Alligator Records debut, Change In The Weather, delighted and surprised music fans hungry for a truly original artist. Lindell’s deceptively simple sounding songs, laid back grooves and hook-laden melodies were fueled by guests including War drummer Harold Brown, Ivan Neville and Galactic’s Stanton Moore. Critics across the country went wild, with reviews and features in Relix, OffBeat, The Chicago Sun-Times, Harp, Guitar Player, Down Beat, The New Yorker, The New York Press and many other national and regional publications. Singer And Musician magazine put Eric on the cover and many newspaper entertainment sections did the same. The New Orleans Times-Picayune said, “Eric Lindell has arrived. He channels Van Morrison with his irresistible soul...not a moment is wasted.” The Chicago Sun-Times followed, saying “Soulful original songs fuse R&B, swamp pop and funk into a potent, party-time mix.” Radio responded in kind. The first single, Give It Time, debuted as the #1 Most Added song on the Radio & Records (R&R) Indicator Chart (and spent 14 weeks there, peaking at #16), #1 Most Added on the Americana Chart and #2 Most Added at AAA radio overall. The song was a Top 20 single on Friday Morning Quarterback’s AAA Chart. In addition, Lindell triumphantly appeared on the nationally syndicated public radio program Mountain Stage. Lindell’s live shows draw as much attention as his material. His unstoppable grooves, rocking, deeply rooted, original songs and excellent musicianship never fail to fill the dance floor. With the release of Low On Cash, Rich In Love, Lindell and his band will continue to tour heavily, giving the rest of the country the chance to discover for themselves what a growing number of people already know: Eric Lindell is a musician bursting at the seams with talent, with the uncanny natural ability to come up with one instantly classic song after another, and the desire to take his music to every corner of the music-loving universe.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Tinsley Ellis - The Guitar Hero Set to Play in Orlando
GUITARIST/VOCALIST TINSLEY ELLIS TO PERFORM IN ORLANDO! “Feral blues guitar...non-stop gigging has sharpened his six-string to a razor's edge...his eloquence dazzles...he achieves pyrotechnics that rival Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton.” -Rolling Stone Hard-rocking blues-soaked guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Tinsley Ellis will perform live in Orlando on March 21, 2009. GuitarOne calls the Atlanta-born Ellis “a Southern blues-rocker with monstrous guitar chops.” Ellis’ latest release, MOMENT OF TRUTH, is his first studio album since returning to Alligator, and is the most guitar driven and lyrically expressive recording of his career. Performance information is as follows: Saturday, March 21st B.B. King’s Blues Club 9101 International Dr. Orlando, FL 407.370.4550 6:30 p.m. Ticket Price: TBA Produced by Ellis, MOMENT OF TRUTH captures all the power and energy of his legendary live performances. His vocals reach new heights of soulfulness and expressiveness; his guitar playing is ferocious and relentless, but, when the mood calls for it, gentle and moving. But what really sets the album apart is the depth of Ellis’ songwriting. The material deals in matters both personal and universal and runs the gamut of human emotions. MOMENT OF TRUTH is Ellis’ most wide-ranging and inspired recording. Born in Atlanta in 1957, Ellis grew up in southern Florida and first played guitar at age eight. He found the blues through the backdoor of the British Invasion bands like The Yardbirds, The Animals, Cream, and The Rolling Stones. He especially loved the Kings – Freddie, B.B. and Albert – and spent hours immersing himself in their music. His love for the blues solidified when he was 14. At a B.B. King performance, Tinsley sat mesmerized in the front row. When B.B. broke a string on Lucille, he changed it without missing a beat, and handed the broken string to Ellis. After the show, B.B. came out and talked with fans, further impressing Tinsley with his warmth and down-to-earth attitude. By now Tinsley’s fate was sealed; he had to become a blues guitarist. And yes, he still has that string. Already an accomplished teenaged musician, Ellis left Florida and returned to Atlanta in 1975. He soon joined the Alley Cats, a gritty blues band that included Preston Hubbard (of Fabulous Thunderbirds fame). In 1981, along with veteran blues singer and harpist Chicago Bob Nelson, Tinsley formed The Heartfixers, a group that would become Atlanta’s top-drawing blues band. After cutting Cool On It and Tore Up with The Heartfixers, Ellis was ready to head out on his own. He sent a copy of the master tape for his solo debut to Bruce Iglauer at Alligator Records. “I had heard Cool On It," recalls Iglauer, “and I was amazed. I hadn't heard Tinsley before, but he played like the guys with huge international reputations. It wasn't just his raw power; it was his taste and maturity that got to me. It had the power of rock but felt like the blues. I knew I wanted to hear more of this guy.” GEORGIA BLUE, Tinsley’s first Alligator release, hit an unprepared public by surprise in 1988. Critics and fans quickly agreed that a new and original guitar hero had emerged. Before long, Alligator arranged to reissue COOL ON IT and TORE UP, thus exposing Tinsley’s blistering earlier music to a growing fan base. Tinsley’s next releases, 1989’s FANNING THE FLAMES, 1992’s TROUBLE TIME, 1994’s STORM WARNING and 1997’s FIRE IT UP (produced by the legendary Tom Dowd), solidified Ellis’ reputation as a guitar hero with depth and substance. Ellis’ 2005 return to Alligator (after short stints with Capricorn and Telarc Records), the searing guitar-fueled LIVE-HIGHWAYMAN, was the live recording his fans had been demanding for years. Recorded at a packed club just outside Chicago, the CD takes Ellis’ extended soloing and heartfelt vocals to staggering heights. The Chicago Tribune said, “Incendiary live performances, inspired, original and funky.” Averaging over 150 live shows a year, Ellis has played in all 50 states, as well as Canada, Europe, Australia and South America. Whether he’s out with his own band or sharing stages with The Allman Brothers, Robert Cray, Koko Taylor or Widespread Panic, he spreads his jaw-dropping licks, thunderous axe work and intense vocals everywhere he goes. With the massive touring supporting MOMENT OF TRUTH, Ellis will bring his high-energy, guitar-drenched performances to people all over the world. Tinsley Ellis’ time has come. For him and his growing legion of fans, the moment of truth is now.
MIMS IS BACK TO "MOVE" THE CROWD
PLATINUM ARTIST RETURNS:
MIMS IS BACK TO "MOVE" THE CROWD
SECOND ALBUM, GUILT,
RELEASES APRIL 7TH ON CAPITOL RECORDS/ AMERICAN KING MUSIC
"Move (If You Wanna)" is a MySpace smash;
Viral video to come for "One Day" (feat. Ky-Mani Marley)
NEW YORK - Returning to center stage after a chart-topping, platinum-certified debut, Capitol Records/ American King Music hip-hop artist MIMS is showing why he's still hot. "Move (If You Wanna)," the unstoppably rhythmic kick-off single from MIMS' forthcoming second album, GUILT, has set off a mad rush to the dance floor and to cyberspace by his fans, logging an astounding near- 9 million plays so far at http://www.myspace.com/mimsfanclub, the official MIMS MySpace site. The track is also the No. 2 most-added song nationally in the rhythmic crossover and urban formats. The single is currently at 15 million in overall audience.
GUILT, the sophomore album by MIMS, will arrive in the physical and digital marketplace on April 7th, 2009. The album follows Music is My Savior, which featured the RIAA-certified platinum Billboard Hot 100 #1 dance anthem "This Is Why I'm Hot." The album and its singles generated cumulative sales of 300,000 domestic copies and 2 million digital downloads.
MIMS has also taken a starring role at Consumer Electronics Show, held in Las Vegas two weeks ago, introducing Car Stars, an astonishing technology co-developed by Gracenote, Voxonic, and Nissan, which enables drivers to make music selections by speaking, and also hear driving directions and music choices from a variety of stars - even in foreign languages, and taking into account your surroundings and destination. The Car Stars media system won Best New Car Technology at CES. (See links to coverage below.)
"Move," currently released as a digital single and has sold over 100,000 downloads, was produced by Da Internz, one of the several A-list production collaborators on GUILT, along with Jim Jonsin, Blackout Movement, and others. Aside from the official video for "Move," a viral video has been shot for another album focus track, "One Day" featuring Ky-Mani Marley (son of reggae legend Bob Marley).
MIMS (Shawn Mims) exploded onto the rap, R&B, pop and digital sales charts in spring 2007, when his first Capitol Records/ American King Music single, "This Is Why I'm Hot," produced by the Blackout Movement, sold over 140,000 downloads in its first week of release. The song debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart, and jumped from #32 to #1 on the Hot 100; it also hit #1 on the Rap Singles list, and #2 on R&B/Hip-Hop. "This Is Why I'm Hot" went on to sell over 3 million ringtunes, and topped the iTunes daily list of best-selling full-song downloads.
The wildly popular and infectious "This Is Why I'm Hot" set the stage for the release of MIMS' debut album, Music Is My Savior, in March 2007. It entered the Billboard Top 200 album chart at #4, #2 on both the R&B and Rap Albums charts, spinning off the second single, "Like This."
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/GadgetGuide/story?id=6592710&page=1
http://www.itnewsonline.com/showprnstory.php?storyid=28395
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-10135493-48.html
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=19&entry_id=34407
http://news.digitaltrends.com/news-article/18896/hands-on-with-gracenote-carstars
MIMS IS BACK TO "MOVE" THE CROWD
SECOND ALBUM, GUILT,
RELEASES APRIL 7TH ON CAPITOL RECORDS/ AMERICAN KING MUSIC
"Move (If You Wanna)" is a MySpace smash;
Viral video to come for "One Day" (feat. Ky-Mani Marley)
NEW YORK - Returning to center stage after a chart-topping, platinum-certified debut, Capitol Records/ American King Music hip-hop artist MIMS is showing why he's still hot. "Move (If You Wanna)," the unstoppably rhythmic kick-off single from MIMS' forthcoming second album, GUILT, has set off a mad rush to the dance floor and to cyberspace by his fans, logging an astounding near- 9 million plays so far at http://www.myspace.com/mimsfanclub, the official MIMS MySpace site. The track is also the No. 2 most-added song nationally in the rhythmic crossover and urban formats. The single is currently at 15 million in overall audience.
GUILT, the sophomore album by MIMS, will arrive in the physical and digital marketplace on April 7th, 2009. The album follows Music is My Savior, which featured the RIAA-certified platinum Billboard Hot 100 #1 dance anthem "This Is Why I'm Hot." The album and its singles generated cumulative sales of 300,000 domestic copies and 2 million digital downloads.
MIMS has also taken a starring role at Consumer Electronics Show, held in Las Vegas two weeks ago, introducing Car Stars, an astonishing technology co-developed by Gracenote, Voxonic, and Nissan, which enables drivers to make music selections by speaking, and also hear driving directions and music choices from a variety of stars - even in foreign languages, and taking into account your surroundings and destination. The Car Stars media system won Best New Car Technology at CES. (See links to coverage below.)
"Move," currently released as a digital single and has sold over 100,000 downloads, was produced by Da Internz, one of the several A-list production collaborators on GUILT, along with Jim Jonsin, Blackout Movement, and others. Aside from the official video for "Move," a viral video has been shot for another album focus track, "One Day" featuring Ky-Mani Marley (son of reggae legend Bob Marley).
MIMS (Shawn Mims) exploded onto the rap, R&B, pop and digital sales charts in spring 2007, when his first Capitol Records/ American King Music single, "This Is Why I'm Hot," produced by the Blackout Movement, sold over 140,000 downloads in its first week of release. The song debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart, and jumped from #32 to #1 on the Hot 100; it also hit #1 on the Rap Singles list, and #2 on R&B/Hip-Hop. "This Is Why I'm Hot" went on to sell over 3 million ringtunes, and topped the iTunes daily list of best-selling full-song downloads.
The wildly popular and infectious "This Is Why I'm Hot" set the stage for the release of MIMS' debut album, Music Is My Savior, in March 2007. It entered the Billboard Top 200 album chart at #4, #2 on both the R&B and Rap Albums charts, spinning off the second single, "Like This."
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/GadgetGuide/story?id=6592710&page=1
http://www.itnewsonline.com/showprnstory.php?storyid=28395
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-10135493-48.html
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=19&entry_id=34407
http://news.digitaltrends.com/news-article/18896/hands-on-with-gracenote-carstars
Ben Kweller's Web Series "One Minute Pop Song"
| BEN KWELLER'S WEB SERIES "ONE MINUTE POP SONG" TO PREMIERE EXCLUSIVELY ON AOL MUSIC'S SPINNER.COM NINE-WEEK SERIES FEATURES NEW WEBISODES EVERY TUESDAY NEW ALBUM "CHANGING HORSES" DEBUTS ON BILLBOARD'S TOP 200 ALBUM CHART |
 ATO Records today announced that AOL Music's taste maker rock site, Spinner.com, will exclusively premiere Ben Kweller's lifestyle and personality-oriented web-series, "One Minute Pop Song // Season 2.""One Minute Pop Song" is a self-produced, web-show that first aired in the summer of 2006 and was met with great enthusiasm by Kweller fans and the online community.Known for it's unfiltered, behind-the-scenes look at the artist, "One Minute Pop Song" returns for its second season with even more insight into Kweller's life, his surroundings and his moving music. Season Two takes place in Kweller's hometown, Greenville, TX. It was filmed during recording session breaks from the acclaimed new album "Changing Horses." Check out what Ben had to say about the new season, primarily the first episode that is now live on the site. "I am pleased to announce that 'One-Minute Pop Song' has hit the big time! My home-grown web series has been "picked up," as they say in the biz, by Spinner, the web's top-ranked rock music site, who will be airing each episode right here for nine Tuesdays in a row. Season Two starts off with a bang as we visit my childhood home, see where I first kissed my wife and discover what's buried in the backyard." Check out the first episode of "One Minute Pop Song" here: http://www.spinner.com/2009/02/09/ben-kweller-offers-a-tour-of-his-childhood-home/ Ben Kweller's fourth album, "Changing Horses," is a full-blown country affair, brimming with immaculate pedal steel, twang and multi-part harmonies. Kweller produced the album himself and recorded it with his band in Austin, TX, where he now resides. "Changing Horses" was released by ATO Records on February 3rd. CATCH BEN KWELLER ON TOUR in support of "Changing Horses": February 16 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown 17 - Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theatre 18 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall 21 - Cleveland, OH - Case Western Reserve U 22 - Toronto, ONT - The Mod Club Theatre 24 - Somerville, MA - Somerville Theatre 25 - New York, NY - Town Hall 26 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club 27 - Philadelphia, PA - TLA 28 - Pittsburgh, PA - Diesel March 01 - Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle 03 - Lousiville, KY - Headliners Music Hall 04 - Nashville, TN - Mercy Lounge 05 - Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club 06 - Birmingham, AL - Workplay Theater |
SXSW - 2009
Some of the bands playing at SXSW 2009
GREEN RIVER ORDINANCE
www.greenriverordinance.com
www.myspace.com/gro
HOCKEY
www.myspace.com/hockey
LATE OF THE PIER
www.lateofthepier.com
www.myspace.com/lateofthepier
LAURA MARLING
www.lauramarling.com
www.myspace.com/lauramarling
THE POSTELLES
www.thepostelles.com
www.myspace.com/thepostelles
TROUBLE ANDREW
www.troubleandrew.com
www.myspace.com/troubleandrew
Anyone going to this years festival? I should fly out and stay w/ my bro for a few days, but I don't think I'm going to be able to make it.
Steven
GREEN RIVER ORDINANCE
www.greenriverordinance.com
www.myspace.com/gro
HOCKEY
www.myspace.com/hockey
LATE OF THE PIER
www.lateofthepier.com
www.myspace.com/lateofthepier
LAURA MARLING
www.lauramarling.com
www.myspace.com/lauramarling
THE POSTELLES
www.thepostelles.com
www.myspace.com/thepostelles
TROUBLE ANDREW
www.troubleandrew.com
www.myspace.com/troubleandrew
Anyone going to this years festival? I should fly out and stay w/ my bro for a few days, but I don't think I'm going to be able to make it.
Steven
Bike Week - Daytona
Bike Week - Lots of Music Going On!
Check it out on the official web site for this years Bike Week events. They also have a new bike they are giving away...
Don't forget to take lots of pics.
Steven
Check it out on the official web site for this years Bike Week events. They also have a new bike they are giving away...
Don't forget to take lots of pics.
Steven
Step into the Dreamworld of Robin Thicke in the new official video!
Robin Thicke debuts a new music video to promote his latest single from Something Else entitled "Dreamworld".
Let me know what you think of the new video. - Steven
Let me know what you think of the new video. - Steven
Looking for something different to do in Miami?
February 12, 2009
Bayfront Park’s Farmers' Market and Lunchtime Experience Returns!
(Miami, FL) ---- Tired of doing the same thing for lunch? Bayfront Park has a healthy, fun alternative - Bayfront Park’s Farmers' Market and Lunchtime Experience! Back for the third year, the market starts Thursday, February 19th and will run for seven consecutive Thursdays until April 2nd. Located in the center of the park on the Flagler Promenade, the market will showcase some “returning” vendor favorites selling fresh, locally grown produce; exotic fruits; organic honey; orchids; herb plants; and homemade guacamole, as well as new vendors selling natural and organic body care, baked goods, ceviche, and more.
In addition to the Farmers' Market area, people will be able to enjoy their lunch by the bay with food and beverage vendors, tables and chairs, and restrooms on site. There will also be live music with different performers and genres every week. This year there will be weekly drawings for a multitude of prizes such as a box of locally grown, seasonal produce; tickets to the Miami Heat, and the Adrienne Arsht Center; free admission to Jungle Island; dinners; gift certificates; and even an autographed copy of the Estefan Kitchen cookbook by Emilio & Gloria Estefan. Please see a complete list of donating organizations below and please visit www.bayfrontparkmiami.com for contest details.
The market and lunchtime experience will take place on Thursdays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and the target audience is the downtown Miami workforce. “We wanted to do something for the downtown worker,” said Tim Schmand, Executive Director of Bayfront Park. “Our facility has so many wonderful events that are inclusive of the whole community. Adding this event enabled us to focus on our daytime neighbors while achieving partnerships with neighboring organizations such as Health Foundation of South Florida and Miami Downtown Development Authority, and all of the organizations who generously donated the prizes.”
“In addition, one of the goals of the Bayfront Park Management Trust is to create a compelling reason to visit Bayfront Park and The Farmers' Market and Lunchtime Experience meets this goal. We have created a lively environment and a place where people can eat lunch. We know the average worker does not have that much time so they are able to shop, eat lunch, relax by the bay and enjoy themselves all in one place. The affordability of the market items also plays a key role.”
"With so many of us working to tighten our family budget, Bayfront Park’s Farmers’ Market offers the perfect opportunity to buy wholesome and healthy foods without putting a strain on our wallets," said Miami City Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, who serves as chairman of the Bayfront Park Management Trust. "Plus our perfect weather and the park's gorgeous views of the bay make it a beautiful lunchtime getaway."
As a sponsor, this Farmers' Market fits with the Health Foundation of South Florida’s goals of promoting healthy lifestyles of individuals, families and communities. By introducing the downtown workforce (approximately 190,000) to fresh, locally grown produce it gives those people an opportunity to be aware of a healthier way of eating while promoting the growth of our local agriculture.
According to Health Foundation Chairwoman Susan Kelley, “Unlike shopping in the grocery store, this experience gives people the chance to interface with the farmers and hear their stories. Also, the locally grown produce lasts longer because it has not undergone any processing and the time from farm to consumer is much shorter.”
“The Farmers’ Market is one of the many advantages of living and working in Downtown,” said Miami City Commission Chairman Joe Sanchez, who serves as chairman of the Downtown Development Authority. “Downtown Miami is the walkable, livable alternative to sprawl.”
Farmers' Markets continue to gain in popularity. The United States Department of Agriculture (U.S.D.A) reported a 6.8% increase in the number of markets since August 2006. The total number of Farmers' Markets in the United States has grown to 4,685 (Aug. 2008) from 1,755 in 1994, the year the U.S.D.A. started reporting. In 2006, the U.S.D.A. even declared a National Farmers’ Market Week.
Bayfront Park’s Farmers’ Market and Lunchtime Experience
Thursdays from 11:00am-3:00pm: February 19 - April 2, 2009
Rain or Shine!
The actual dates are:
February 19 ▪ February 26 ▪ March 5 ▪ March 12 ▪ March 19 ▪ March 26 ▪ April 2
Bayfront Park
301 N. Biscayne Boulevard
Miami, FL 33132
305-358-7550
Presented by Bayfront Park Management Trust
Sponsored by Health Foundation of South Florida and Miami Downtown Development Authority, with the support of UF / Miami-Dade County Cooperative Extension Service, and the City of Miami
PRIZES* DONATED BY:
Adrienne Arsht Center
Bee Heaven Farm
Bongos Cuban Café/Bongos Nightclub
Churchill’s Barber Shop
Estefan Enterprises
Historical Museum of Southern Florida
Island Queen (Bayside Marketplace)
Jungle Island
Larios on the Beach
Metro Beauty Center
Miami Art Museum
The Miami Heat (American Airlines Arena)
The Knife Steakhouse (Bayside Marketplace)
Whitman Family Museum
*all prizes are subject to change
I don't know about you, but I think it sounds like some fun...
Limp Bizkit is Back
LIMP BIZKIT ORIGINAL LINE UP ROCKS AGAIN!
The original line-up of Limp Bizkit is back, do you believe in miracles? If so, then you can believe Limp Bizkit is back to do it ALL again! Album! Tour! Worldwide!
(New York, NY) February 12, 2009 – The original line-up of Fred Durst, Wes Borland, Sam Rivers, John Otto, and DJ Lethal are back from an eight year hiatus to bring their world back to ours. Fred Durst and Wes Borland said in a joint statement:
"We decided we were more disgusted and bored with the state of heavy popular music than we were with each other. Regardless of where our separate paths have taken us, we recognize there is a powerful and unique energy with this particular group of people we have not found anywhere else. This is why Limp Bizkit is back."
The guys will kick off a world tour in the Spring on the overseas festival circuit with headline shows sprinkled in throughout Eastern Europe and Europe, selected dates include, in late May, Russia, Ukraine, and the Baltic countries where Limp Bizkit has never played before despite huge demand, along with major festivals like Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park in Germany, more dates to be announced shortly. A new album, which would be the original group’s first full-length effort since 2000, is also planned.
Limp Bizkit’s first three albums have sold over 20 million copies in the U.S. alone, and another 13 million in the rest of the world.
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