Matrix 2 A Muse

Hayley Reardon Inspires Teen Girls To Join Her TRIBE For National Unity Day

2012-09-19T09:50:00.000-07:00

On October 9, 2012, acclaimed 16-year old singer-songwriter Hayley Reardon will issue the second single from her forthcoming debut album, Where The Artists Go (due Oct 23 via Kingswood Records).

Coinciding the release of “Tribe” with National Unity Day, Hayley explains the meaning of the song, “I know what it’s like to want something different than everyone else around you. And to feel like the more you find yourself, the less of you they understand. I wrote this song about learning for myself that all we need to be is what makes us feel alive and eventually we’ll find our “tribe,” a group of people who understand and don’t want for us to be anything but ourselves.

"So many times I think all I’ve needed to hear is ‘let it go, little girl.’ Let go of the ones who don’t understand and hold out for the ones who do. Don’t lose yourself in the search because your tribe is waiting and once you find them, you’ll know what it means to belong.”

Instituted by the PACER National Bullying Prevention Center in Minneapolis, MN, “belonging” is the message that will unite our country on Wednesday October 10 as those who care about students who are bullied and want bullying to end, will make their color ORANGE on Unity Day.

On this observed day of Unity, everyone will link together—in schools, communities and online— to send one glorious ORANGE message of support to students who have experienced bullying.

During “Unity” week, PACER will premiere the official music video for “Tribe.” Featuring handwritten messages of Unity submitted by students from across the country, the video furthers the message Hayley expressed in a “Teens Against Bullying” toolkit created for distribution to classrooms via PACER.

Additionally, Reardon was asked to design a custom “Unite Against Bullying” t-shirt. Her “celebrity” design, including layouts from YouTube phenom Rebecca Black, country music crooner Kylie Morgan, Baltimore Ravens star Ray Rice, actresses Janel Parrish and Katie Leclerc and decorated Olympians, gymnast Nastia Liukin and diver David Boudia, will be available for sale via CustomInk.

Universal messages of “Unity” and “Inclusion” are ones that Reardon has always held dear to her heart. Since developing an in-school performance program called “Find Your Voice” to deliver peer targeted messaging encouraging empowerment through self-expression, Hayley has been sharing her message in an official role as a National Peer Spokesperson for the PACER Center.

Enlightening young minds at middle school auditoriums and summer camps throughout New England, she has also played at schools in Michigan and Minnesota and will soon visit two middle schools in Anchorage, Alaska during ‘Unity Day’ week.

Reardon’s “Find Your Voice” message stems from a song she wrote after winning multiple recognitions at the annual Boston Folk Festival Songwriting contest at only 12 years of age.

Entitled “Stand Together,” the song, which appears on her Hope You’re Smiling Ep, was penned to encourage students and young adults to find their own voice and take a stand against bullying.

Hayley vividly recalls the genesis for writing Together, “I wrote ‘Stand Together’ a few weeks after starting the sixth grade. I was always warned that middle school could be a hard time socially because kids are known to be so brutally mean to each other at that age.

The song was my response after going in and seeing it for myself. It was basically me speaking to my peers, about how this whole ‘growing up thing’ would be a little easier on all of us if we could just face it as a team”.

From the powerful team which was assembled for the making of the eleven-song Where The Artists Go [producer / drummer Lorne Entress (Catie Curtis, Lori McKenna), guitarists Kevin Barry (Ray LaMontagne, Mary Chapin Carpenter) and Mark Erelli (Josh Ritter, Lori McKenna, Kelly Willis), bassist Richard Gates (Paula Cole, Dar Williams, Patty Larkin, The Weepies) and pianist Glenn Patscha (Ryan Adams, Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson)] to a tribe of storied folk luminaries, Reardon continues to join forces with generations of highly artistic creative communities.

With a prominent appearance amongst the likes of Joan Baez, Tom Rush, Judy Collins, Taj Mahal, Maria Muldaur, Geoff Muldaur, Jim Kweskin, Jackie Washington, Jim Rooney, Peter Rowan in the award-winning documentary For The Love of the Music: The Club 47 Folk Revival, which won Best Documentary at the 2012 Boston Intl Film Fest, to official showcases at the 2011/2012 Folk Alliance Conferences, to appearances on DittyTV, WDVX’s Blue Plate Special in Knoxville and Morning Edition on NPR affiliate WBUR in Boston, all signs for Reardon are pointing due north.

Fresh from graduating a summer performance program at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Hayley has been invited to join folk music legend Tom Rush as a special guest performer during his Tom Rush - Celebrating 50 Years of "Doing whatever it is he does" - Part 3 - The Modern Times at Club Passim on Sunday Sept 23 before returning to the iconic club on Sunday Oct 21 to celebrate her album release with an afternoon showcase.

Hayley Reardon Tour Dates

09/23 - Cambridge, MA @ Club Passim (w/ Tom Rush)

09/27 - Framingham, MA @ MetroWest Women's Alliance Gala

10/08 - Anchorage, AK @ Mears Middle School

10/09 - Anchorage, AK @ Goldenview Middle School

10/18 - Dedham, MA @ Paradise Cafe

10/21 - Cambridge, MA @ Club Passim (CD release show) [4:30PM]

10/27 - Boston, MA @ Mass General Hospital (Juvenile Diabetes Ctr)

10/27 - Lynn, MA @ Walnut Street Cafe

11/20 - Concord, MA @ Concord Middle School

HAYLEY REARDON.COM

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | YOU TUBE

Led Zeppelin Celebration Day Nov 19; Live From London's O2 Arena

2012-09-14T12:18:00.002-07:00

On December 10, 2007, Led Zeppelin took the stage at London’s O2 Arena to headline a tribute concert for dear friend and Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun.

What followed was a two-hour-plus tour de force of the band’s signature blues-infused rock ’n’ roll that instantly became part of the legend of Led Zeppelin.

Founding members John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant were joined by Jason Bonham, the son of their late drummer John Bonham, to perform 16 songs from their celebrated catalog including landmark tracks “Whole Lotta Love,” “Rock And Roll,” “Kashmir,” and “Stairway To Heaven.”

Although 20 million people applied for tickets, the band’s first headline show in 27 years was seen only by the 18,000 ticket holders who were fortunate enough to have secured seats through the worldwide lottery.

The film of Celebration Day will see a worldwide theatrical release by Omniverse Vision on 1,500 screens in over 40 territories on October 17. The theatrical screenings will follow premieres in London, Los Angeles, New York, and other major cities.

Tickets for the public screenings will be available on September 13 via LED ZEPPELIN.COM

Celebration Day will then be available on CD/DVD/Bluray/Download on November 19 from Swan Song/Atlantic Records.

LED ZEPPELIN
CELEBRATION DAY
1. Good Times Bad Times
2. Ramble On
3. Black Dog
4. In My Time Of Dying
5. For Your Life
6. Trampled Under Foot
7. Nobody’s Fault But Mine
8. No Quarter
9. Since I’ve Been Loving You
10. Dazed And Confused
11. Stairway To Heaven
12. The Song Remains The Same
13. Misty Mountain Hop
14. Kashmir
15. Whole Lotta Love
16. Rock And Roll

Led Zeppelin has also been selected as one of the recipients of the 2012 Kennedy Center Honors. The band is set to receive the Honors at the annual gala on December 2 in Washington, DC.

STARS IN STEREO Broken Video; Tour Dates With The Used & Blue October

2012-09-05T23:04:00.000-07:00

Since playing their inaugural show at the Troubadour on April 22, LA alt-rockers STARS IN STEREO, led by singer/guitarist Bec Hollcraft, have been touring non-stop, landing opening slots with The Used, Dead Sara, Foxy Shazam, Twin Atlantic & Hoobastank.

When their September run with The Used finishes up, they'll leapfrog from Boise to Bourbon Street to pick up a string of Rocktober shows in support of Blue October (tour dates below).

Rare as it is to not be bustling and hustling from Point A to Point B to Point X, Y & Z, Bec and the boys recently found time to film their first music video for The Broken.

SinS will soon be issuing their very first Ep. In the meantime, scope out their next-level lyric video for Violence that's a mash-up of a lyric video and an actual music video.

STARS IN STEREO
TOUR DATES
09/18 - Pomona, CA @ The Fox Theater (w/ The Used)
09/19 - Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre (w/ The Used)
09/21 - Chico, CA @ Senator Theater (w/ The Used)
09/22 - Sacramento, CA @ Ace Of Spaces (w/ The Used)
09/23 - Reno, NV @ Knitting Factory (w/ The Used)
09/25 - Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory (w/ The Used)
09/27 - Missoula, MT @ Wilma Theater (w/ The Used)
09/28 - Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory (w/ The Used)
09/30 - New Orleans, LA @ Joy Theater (w/ Blue October)
10/01 - Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage (w/ Blue October)
10/02 - Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore (w/ Blue October)
10/04 - Boston, MA @ House Of Blues (w/ Blue October)
10/05 - New Haven, CT @ Toad’s Place (w/ Blue October)
10/06 - Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre Living Arts (w/ Blue October)
10/07 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre (w/ Blue October)
10/09 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall (w/ Blue October)
10/11 - Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues (w/ Blue October)
10/12 - Royal Oak, MI @ Royal Oak Music Theatre (w/ Blue October)
10/13 - Traverse City, MI @ Ground Zero (w/ Blue October)
10/14 - Chicago, IL @ House Of Blues (w/ Blue October)
10/17 - Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom (w/ Blue October)
10/18 - Omaha, NE @ Sokol Auditorium (w/ Blue October)
10/20 - Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall (w/ Blue October)

STARS IN STEREO
FACEBOOK
TWITTER (BAND)

TWITTER (BEC)

STITCHED UP HEART 2.0; Frankenstein Rises From The Grave With Guns Ablaze

2012-09-03T17:01:00.002-07:00

She's baaaaaackkkk!

And Ms Mixi ain't whistlin' Dixie

Ok, so she never really left but it makes for an appropriate headline emblazoned on the tombstone of Hollywood as STITCHED UP HEART are cranking up the butane once again.

Re-hemmed, Re-fueled, Re-formulated, Re-calibrated.

Stitched Up Heart's revolvers are Locked, Stocked, and ready to be Unloaded with both guns blazing!

So, don your Saturday night flak-jacket best and get ready to board this exhilarating scary-go-round, but lest it be known, that it's a high velocity whirling dervish.

It's very GRAVE and only for the BRAVE!

Stitched Up Heart, led by singer/ringleader Mixi, exploded onto the wilting Hollywood rock scene two years ago with palpitations quickly emulating cardiac arrest.

The band knocked 'em dead at hallowed haunts like Bar Sinister, The Viper Room and The Roxy, mopped up the masses at SXSW and select Warped tour dates before penetrating the pulse of the pragmatic while on tour with Warner Bros recording artist Gemini Syndrome.

People took notice and so did the industry as Mixi was anointed one of the Hottest Chicks In Hard Rock by the editors (and readers) of Revolver Magazine.

Label offers started rolling in. But, one must ruminate...

Is this a passageway to Heaven?

Or

IS this the WAY to get to HELL?

It was an incendiary first twelve months for the band but around the time Revolver was hitting newsstands and mailboxes, then guitarist Nikki Misery was hitting the exit as he side-stepped a few zip codes south to join up with Orange County Haunted Mansioncore incinerator, New Years Day, led by the ghoulishly affable Ashley Costello (Misery is far left in the photo below).

Soon thereafter, Mixi and several of the other band members bid adieu.

It was a time of transition and TRUE BLOOD.

While seeking replacements to stitch up her juggernaut, Mixi (real name Alecia Demner) found herself with a cameo role in the "Somebody I Used To Know" episode of True Blood (season 5, Ep 8).

With her trademark red heart necklace glowing brightly, Ms Demner is seen crossing the camera frame in vamp bar Fangtasia. Bartender, I'll have another and can you please put the "unofficial" official Bon Temps theme song on the nukebox:

Wonder if I checked your pulse
would there be a beat at all?
You're like the Dead Walkin'

The Walking Dead

Chapter 2.

Bearing a visceral moniker lends itself to many interpretations and, in this case, to the very band itself.

Stitching up the heart of the band with David DiSarro on bass, Grant Webb on guitar and James Decker on drums, Mixi's magic carpet ride is, once again, flying high in full stride.

Re-confirgured to indoctrinate the uninitiated with their next-level fastidious Frankenstein fury, Stitched Up Heart have thrust to Mach 2, which equates to twice the speed of sound...and that's with the pedal at only half mast.

Faster than a speeding bullet and able to leap expectations in a single bound, the band is on a mission to zoom past all preconceived notions of hard music.

Lap one unfolds with the blistering video for their new single "Grave". Juxtaposing between just and justified, it's cotton candy for the inside.

REVOLVER joined Team Mixi, hosting the world-premiere as a precursor for the unveiling of the 2012 edition of The Hottest Chicks In Hard Rock, which glazes eyeballs and papers bedroom walls this week.

Phase one is done.

Phase two is underway, as Stitched Up Heart is providing some much needed resuscitation to the beleaguered arteries of Hollywood. Over the last few months, SUH has put together/headlined several packed-to-the-gills multi-band bills with a fashion show component.

The most recent one took place on August 25 at a fabled House under the lights of a glorious Sunset.

At one of the most iconic venues along the Sunset Strip, Mixi popped her House of Blues Cherry with a dominant performance worthy of a Purple Heart.

Flanked by bands Assuming We Survive, Downtown Attraction, A.M. or Above, Hey You! and an Amanda Jean fashion show, Mixi and her new band of brothers were more ferocious than ever!

Gone are the once-upon-a-time show gimmicks of glitter and fake blood. Back is Mixi's bold, beautiful blue locks while her trademark black & white stripes are less pronounced as her full-length striped arm bands have been chopped down to wrist-band size.

And even though her favorite black pants seem to split and shred more and more as the months roll tide, there's no fear and nothing to hide! Mixi has complete command of, and has a good chemistry with, 2.0, as the band is truly armed and dangerous.

These combustible components lend themselves emblematically to the new songs. The perverse circus swirl that permeates "I'm A Fucking Genius (But I Don't Know Shit)" detonates the mind as an instant showstopper while "Frankenstein," "It Comes Back Around," "Dead Walkin'" and "Grave" continue the anthemic tradition instituted by "We're Alive" and "Is This The Way To Get To Hell".

Round after round after round of heavy artillery showcased a ready-made monster systematically marching towards nirvana but then, in an instant, my breath ceased and the passage of time hung in the balance. An intimate song entitled, "Is This The End?" swooped down and encircled my soul.

The rapture commenced.

A generational anthem has been born but equally intriguing is the peek behind the Mixi mirror, a glimpse of the courageous heart of a Lioness. Vulnerable and raw, powerful and poignant, her entire-being embodiment left a lasting impression.

Stitching oneself up allows for progression and transformative emergence, but so does unstitching thyself.

Frankenstein has risen from the grave

Dead Walkin' like Christopher Walken

No time for sulkin' like Macauley Culkin

Only time for Rockin' like Dokken

STITCHED UP HEART

TOUR DATES

10/17 - San Francisco, CA @ TBA

10/18 - Portland, OR @ TBA

10/19 - Tacoma, WA @ TBA

10/20 - Coeur D'Lane, ID @ TBA

10/21 - Spokane, WA @ TBA

10/23 - Seattle, WA @ TBA

FACEBOOK

TWITTER (BAND)

TWITTER (MIXI)

Dead Sara Tour (Neon Trees, Offspring) Aug 30 - Oct 5; Warped UK, ShipRocked

2012-08-30T15:42:00.003-07:00

Los Angeles buzzband DEAD SARA, featuring dynamic duo Emily Armstrong on vocals/guitar and Siouxsie Medley on lead guitar, kicks off their end-of-summer tour with The Offspring, tonight at the On The Waterfront Festival in Rockford, IL.

Neon Trees will join up on Sept 6 as the triple-pronged rock attack blazes the U.S. before resurrecting the West once again with a tour-ending stop at the Palladium in Hollywood on October 5!

These three paired together are an absolute 3 "X's" in a row! You DO NOT want to miss this rock 'n roll tic-tac-toe!!!

Em, Siouxsie and the boys are also on tap to play Epicenter Fest in Orange County, CA with Deftones, Bush, Stone Temple Pilots, Scars on Broadway, and Chevelle as well as the DC101 Kerfuffle with The Offspring, Sublime with Rome, Garbage, Anberlin, and Foxy Shazam.

They then head across the pond to play Warped Tour's first visit to the UK in 13 years before leaping from the pond to the open sea on the ShipRocked Cruise from Nov 27 - Dec 1 with Godsmack, Korn, P.O.D., Sevendust, Filter, Five Finger Death Punch, Fuel, Black Stone Cherry, Pop Evil, Lit, Helmet, In This Moment, Geoff Tate, The Halo Method, Gilby Clarke, Write This Down and Andy Wood & The Amalgam. The boat departs from Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale, pit-stops in Key West, hits Nassau, Bahamas and circles back.

Dead Sara's self-titled debut album featuring "Lemon Scent," "Sorry For It All" and the massive boom of "Weatherman" is available now.

Be sure to catch the band Rolling Stone declared the "L.A. quartet poised to breakout nationally."

DEAD SARA
TOUR DATES
08/30 - Rockford, IL @ On The Waterfront Fest (w/ The Offspring)
08/31 - Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore (w/ The Offspring)
09/02 - Toronto, ON @ Echo Beach (MCA) (w/ The Offspring)
09/03 - Montreal, QC @ Metropolis (w/ The Offspring)
09/05 - Montreal, QC @ Metropolis (w/ The Offspring)
09/06 - Boston, MA @ House of Blues (w/ Offspring, Neon Trees)
09/08 - Bethlehem, PA @ Sands Center (w/ Offspring, Neon Trees)
09/09 - Ashbury Park, NJ @ Stone Pony (w/ Offspring, Neon Trees)
09/11 - Providence, RI @ Lupo's (w/ The Offspring, Neon Trees)
09/12 - Poughkeepsie, NY @ Mid Hudson (w/ Offspring, Neon Trees)
09/14 - Chicago, IL @ Congress Theatre (Riot Fest)
09/15 - Bristow, VA @ DC101 Kerfuffle (w/ The Offspring, Sublime with Rome, Garbage, Anberlin, and Foxy Shazam)
09/15 - Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore (WEND show)
09/17 - Charleston, SC @ The Music Farm (WYBB show)
09/19 - New York, NY @ Terminal 5 (w/ The Offspring, Neon Trees)
09/20 - Huntington, NY @ Paramount (w/ The Offspring, Neon Trees)
09/22 - Irvine, CA @ Verizon Wireless (Epicenter w/ Deftones, Bush, Stone Temple Pilots, Scars on Broadway, Chevelle)
09/27 - Denver, CO @ Fillmore (w/ The Offspring, Neon Trees)
09/29 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Gallivan Center (X96 show)
10/02 - San Jose, CA @ Civic Auditorium (w/ Offspring, Neon Trees)
10/03 - Avila Beach, CA @ Beach Resort (w/ Offspring, Neon Trees)
10/05 - Hollywood, CA @ Palladium (w/ The Offspring, Neon Trees)
10/06 - Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pav. (Buzzfest)
10/07 - Dallas, TX @ Trees (KDGE show)
11/10 - London, UK @ Alexandra Palace (Vans Warped Tour)
11/27 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ ShipRocked Concert Cruise

DEAD SARA.COM

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

YOU TUBE

Jillette Johnson & Whiskey & Frosting Equals One Potent Recipe For Success

2012-08-24T11:24:00.002-07:00

The world is full of aliens...

You.

You are not an alien

One of my SXSW highlights this year happened over the din over hipsters clanking and clamoring for coffee, egg tacos, sausage, bacon, crispy diced potatoes and more coffee at the annual BMI Acoustic Brunch on the back lawn of the Four Seasons adorning the waterway for Lady Bird Lake.

It's a must do every year because it usually provides the opportunity to say Hello to a lot of movers and shakers all at once. And, occasionally, discover a great new artist.

In this case, I had been told to arrive late morning so I could catch a set by a new Wind-Up Records signing, Ms Jillette Johnson. Tacos in my belly and caffeine coursing through my weary veins, a young girl in a wide-brimmed black hat soon sat at a Kurzweil and began pouring out her Pauvre Coeur.

Some people were paying attention. Most were preoccupied by sleep-deprived oblivion but there was one constant.

That voice!

A moment etched in time. When the fame game ignites a flame, my recollection won't change. I knew what I was hearing. A prelude to transcendent ascendency.

Jillette was playing an important showcase but she wasn't supporting a debut album and this wasn't the beginning of a national tour. That was all to come. For now, life went on.

New releases came and went but in the back of my mind, I continued to wonder when.

And, then came word of a 5-shot serving entitled Whiskey & Frosting.

While, that exact combination didn't occur to me on the back lawn, it, actually, was completely apropos. So, she's already created the perfect analogy for her music.

When I'm asked again...anything new you're listening to? I'll say Jillette Johnson. When asked what does she sound like...

Like a glorious swig of Jim Beam with a heavenly Betty Crocker chaser. You can't have one without the other.

Whiskey & Frosting was served up on a silver platter on Aug 14.

Whether Jillette is mellifluously tickling the ivories on the sweeping majestic message of "Cameron," helping our heart beat with the anthemic "I will fight this war" chorus of "Torpedo," searing our senses with the soaring octaves buoying "When The Ship Goes Down" or raising our consciousness with the hauntingly naked "Pauvre Coeur," one realizes that we're on the precipice of greatness.

Watch the video for Pauvre Coeur (French for "Poor Heart"):

So, Regina Spektor, Amy Lee, Sarah McLachlin, Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, Sara Bareilles, and the like, there's a new chanteuse at the front door of the proverbial Palais...she's whipped up a furious fifth of frosting and is ready to pour a potent batch of handcrafted bourbon.

Whiskey & Frosting for all!

Let's get pasted.

Bon Appetit!

JILLETTE JOHNSON.COM

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

TWITTER

Deadmau5 Professor Meowingtons Cat Headphones (Dog Isolating Technology)

2012-08-08T23:08:00.000-07:00

Divine For Feline

Yours Truly,

A Dead Mouse

Introducing the World's First Headphones for Cats...

Designed for electro-house music maker Deadmau5′s cat, Professor Meowingtons pHD, the Meowingtons headphones are the world’s first headphones for cats.

Founded on the belief that if music sounds better, it feels better, SOL REPUBLIC is on a mission to create incredible music experiences for humans and felines alike.

Of course, cat headphones would not be worth their weight in catnip without the input of world-renowned cat, Professor Meowingtons pHd.

Previously known for his work with music producer Deadmau5, Meowingtons helped to create the headphones and bring great sound and style to felines around the world.

Designed by famed digital artist Joshua Davis, a frequent collaborator of Deadmau5 and fan of Professor Meowingtons, these headphones look good on the ears or even around the neck. Engineered for durability and easy to adjust, cats of almost all shapes and sizes will be able to feel the music.

Only 10 of these exclusive cat headphones have been created making them highly sought after by felines the world over. They are perfect for furry music lovers who want to block out the annoying sound of dogs and humans, while looking like the stylish cat in town.

Selling at a retail price of $999, the limited supply is sure to sell out faster than a catnap.

Sol Republic may produce more based on demand and will donate proceeds to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

Davis styled the headphones after Sol Republic’s Tracks on-ear headphones. They’re infused with tech found in their Amps in-ear headphones.

Sol Republic CMO Seth Combs told tech-site Mashable, “We had to change the housing to accommodate the unique shape of cat ears and to reduce output for sensitivity. They also have a mic and remote, but I don’t envision many cats using that functionality.”

We do.

It'll be a CATaclysmic CATastrophe for Dogs the world over...

Meowingtons Cat Headphones
Features:
Dog Isolating Technology
I4 Sound Engines delivering deep bass and high clarity
Detachable sound engines
Durable headband
Three-button remote and ClearTalk™ microphone
Certificate of authenticity
Branded cat headphone display stand

More info: SOLREPUBLIC.COM/MEOW

FLYLEAF Explore NEW HORIZONS; Exuding A Voice For The Voiceless

2012-08-05T01:39:00.000-07:00

Wait until I fly...
Into a New Horizon

It's been three LONG years since FLYLEAF unveiled their sophomore masterpiece Memento Mori.

In the ensuing 1000 days, I've been especially mindful of death, and now, thankfully, am mindful of a New Horizon on the horizon and the subsequent chapter entailed on the blank page of book number three which concludes the initial infinite trilogy of soliloquy emanating from a tempestuous Temple in Texas.

Digame that three times fast. Andele! Andele!

Amidst the passage of time, guitarist Sameer Bhattacharya traveled, in between writing stints, bassist Pat Seals eradicated his rock star mane and the coolest Fu Manchu beard East of China while singer Lacey Sturm penned and delivered the messianic 'Heavy Prey,' a searing collaboration with former Filter guitarist Geno Lenardo that appeared on the Underworld: Awakening soundtrack.

And awaken we did.

Prey stands as one of her greatest songs and definitive performances, replete with her trademark screamo growl detonating the word "Blood" as Heavy reaches its triumphant conclusion.

Ms Sturm and her husband Joshua (guitarist for the band Kairos, a Greek word meaning "the supreme moment") also welcomed their first child, Joshua "Jack" Lewis Sturm on April 10, 2011.

New Horizons and new hairlines abound. All fodder for exploring creative ground.

Flyleaf majestically returned to our ears this week with a powerful introduction to their upcoming album by premiering its title track "New Horizons" (available for purchase on August 21).

Horizons is taut musically, in true Flyleaf fashion, and hits right in the sweet spot with a well-paced vocal meter through the verses before soaring on the wings of a bold catchy chorus that sticks with you long after the volume has subsided.

It's one of the strongest songs to date by a band with an arsenal of 'em.

The guitar work by Bhattacharya and rhythm guitarist James Culpepper shines throughout, exhibiting a modern-rock pilgrimage dotted by shades of expansive 90s alt rock. Think Breaking Benjamin meets U2 meets R.E.M. meets Live.

And then think again...

For this is a new horizon...

Glistening. Gleaming. Glaring. Gliding. Riding. Providing. Abiding.

Soon to be a staple of every Flyleaf show, "New Horizons" made its live debut at the Palladium Ballroom in Dallas, TX in May at a benefit for the dearly departed Rich Caldwell, whom was the band's longtime soundman. Caldwell was involved in a fatal car crash in April and is survived by his wife Katy and their two-year old son Kirby. Donations to his Memorial Fund can be made here.

New Horizons will arrive this fall. In the meantime, exude your voice and sing along because there is no better time to be sublime!

FLYLEAF
NEW HORIZONS

So you’re tired but you’re alive
So open up your eyes and
you can get your sleep when you are dead
Kill the clock inside your head
Bring your normalcy to the edge and watch it drown in new horizons
New horizons

You said I’d only have to wait until I die but that’s in no time
How did we come to thinking this was funny?
Jeering and laughing at the dying,
while we’re riding the light in You.

Wait. You said I’d only have to wait until i die, new horizons
There is no such thing as time inside this moment, no sun rising

Wait until I fly, new horizon
Wait until I fly, new horizon

Sin with a conquest, lifeless
In with a new quest
Here’s a voice for the voiceless,
and a song for the soulless life of sin

Wait. You said I’d only have to wait until I die, new horizon
There is no such thing as time inside this moment, no sun rising

Wait until I fly, new horizon
Wait until I fly, new horizon

When the times keep going wrong and we go right
When the times keep going wrong and we go right

Wait. You said I’d only have to wait until I die, new horizon
There is no such thing as time inside this moment, no sun rising

Wait until I fly, new horizon
Wait until I fly, new horizon
Wait until I fly, new horizon

There is no such thing as time inside this moment, no sun rising
Wait until I fly
When the times keep going wrong and we go right
We go right

FLYLEAF MUSIC.COM

FACEBOOK

TWITTER (BAND)

TWITTER (LACEY STURM)

BIRDS OF CHICAGO: JT Nero & Allison Russell; Flight Of An Americana Beauty

2012-08-01T23:40:00.001-07:00

BIRDS OF CHICAGO, a collective based around singer-songwriters/instrumentalists JT Nero and Allison Russell, are set to release their eponymous debut album on October 2, 2012.

Comprising twelve original songs, Birds of Chicago immediately soars into flight with the protracted leap of its lead track, “Trampoline,” an infectious bass-driven bastion of communal joy being shared for free.

From there, the journey fluidly glides throughout the canon of American music, from the gospel-infused harmonies levitating “Cannonball,” to the simmering soul of “Before She Goes,” to the Cajun-spiced polka of “Sans Souci,” to the sparse, yet sprawling, “rock & roll is dead and in its grave” soliloquy encircling “Old Calcutta” to the rustic waltz of “Galaxy Ballroom” through to the deep burning sojourn of “The Moonglow The Tapeworm”.

Its destination of migration has been an organic one.

On 2011’s Mountains/Forests, released under the JT Nero banner, the two singers struck a definitive chord, tapping into the true, bewitching power of their voices together on an entire record. Featuring a full cast of characters that would round out the “Birds of Chicago” ensemble -- the Clouds and Michelle McGrath, a luminous singer and picker from the hidden hills of Southeast Ohio, the collective amassed a cavalcade of praise on both sides of the Atlantic.

Separately, Russell notched further acclaim, collaborating with Dom Flemons of Carolina Chocolate Drops on a “modern string band” project called Sankofa with singer Ndidi Onukwulu and percussionist Sule Greg Wilson. The resulting album The Uptown Strut showcased Allison’s elegant sunset, “If Wishes Were Gold”.

Parallel golden roads positing an evolutionary flight path.

At the beginning of 2012, JT and Allison took to Kickstarter to raise funds, which poured in, allowing them to set up shop in Chicago’s Humboldt Park with engineer Zach Goheen, whom previously produced records by Russell and Nero’s respective bands, Po' Girl (Vancouver, BC) and JT and the Clouds (Chicago, IL).

Arresting cresting soon bore fruit.

ETown co-hosts Nick and Helen Forster have dubbed them “the dynamic duo” as Nero’s fractured country-soul wraps Russell’s silver and gold tones with a warm embrace. Imagine a youthful Van Morrison taking a delightful vocal stroll with Emmylou Harris or the intermingled majesty of Richard & Linda Thompson on their 1974 debut or Peter Yarrow and Mary Travers taking turns blowing in the wind and the proper frame of mind arrives in due time.

A frame of mind invigorated by a sublime intertwine of subtle scents of pine.

Not too perfect, not at all saccharine, echoes of mountain gospel, street corner doo-wop, and classic soul seamlessly dangle from the vine. Accompanied by just a banjo and a guitar, it’s chilling. Fired by a full band, it’s a full tilt revival appealing to Jamband land as well as fans of Raising Sand (by Robert Plant and Allison Krauss), Mumford & Sons, Fleet Foxes and Grateful Dead.

The Birds’ “Sugar Dumplin’” glistens with the glaze of “Sugar Magnolia,” announcing its grace as a fresh-faced American beauty!

Much like Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir’s Uptown Jug Champions, Nero and Russell are most at home on the road - pick almost any night in the next thousand days and you can bet they will be at some theater, pub, winery, VFW hall, roller rink (they wish), living room or historical landmark under a moonlit sky dovetailing their voices, singing their songs of hope, despair, love...and electric seahorses.

And honey bee apocalypses. And coconut ice cream. It's familiar and strange - the everyday and the magical.

Whether touring as a duo or with the full family band, Nero and Russell have emerged as “two of the most compelling new voices in American Roots music” as noted by the Chicago Sun-Times. The duo is gearing up for a run of dates from August 21 to November 8, with eight weeks of shows with acclaimed “dirt-road” folkster Sean Hayes.

Select festival dates include Pickamania, Strawberry Music Fest, The American River Music Fest, The Roots Music Fest at Joshua Tree as well as several shows with Matt The Electrician and a hometown album celebration on November 10 at Old Town School of Folk Music.

BIRDS OF CHICAGO:
JT Nero: songs, vocals, guitar, percussion
Allison Russell: songs, vocals, clarinet, banjo, ukulele, guitar

QUOTES
“Dynamic duo” eTown
“This year’s biggest roots surprise.” L.A. Times
“Songwriting genius.” Five star review; Maverick-UK
“Slinky, vulnerable and reverent of the Memphis soul of yore.” Chicago Tribune
“Two of the most compelling new voices in Americana roots music.” Chicago Sun-Times

Birds of Chicago
Birds of Chicago
1. Trampoline
2. Cannonball
3. Before She Goes
4. The Moonglow The Tapeworm
5. Sans Souci
6. Flying Dreams
7. Galaxy Ballroom
8. Come Morning
9. Sugar Dumplin'
10. Old Calcutta
11. Humboldt Crows
12. The Wide Sea

BIRDS OF CHICAGO
Tour Dates
Aug 21 - Cincinnati, OH @ American Roots Series (Fountain Sq)
Aug 23 - Ridgefield, CT @ C.H.I.R.P. (Ballard Park)
Aug 24 - New York NY @ The Living Room
Aug 30 - Yosemite, CA @ Strawberry Music Fest (Camp Mather)
Aug 31 - Yosemite, CA @ Strawberry Music Fest (Camp Mather)
Sep 01 - Yosemite, CA @ Strawberry Music Fest (Camp Mather)
Sep 02 - Yosemite, CA @ Strawberry Music Fest (Camp Mather)
Sep 09 - Silver City, NM @ Pickamania (Gough Park) [2:15pm]
Sep 14 - Lotus, CA @ American River Music Fest
Sep 15 - Lotus, CA @ American River Music Fest [11:00am]
Sep 16 - Lotus, CA @ American River Music Fest [7:30pm]
Sep 18 - Arcata, CA @ The Playhouse (w/ Matt The Electrician)
Sep 22 - Chico, CA @ Origami (w/ Sean Hayes)
Sep 24 - Petaluma, CA @ Lagunitas Taproom (w/ Sean Hayes)
Sep 28 - Berkeley, CA @ Poplar House Concert
Sep 29 - Santa Cruz, CA @ Rio Theatre (w/ Sean Hayes)
Oct 02 - Ashland, OR @ Unitarian Church (w/ Sean Hayes)
Oct 03 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir (w/ Sean Hayes)
Oct 04 - Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern (w/ Sean Hayes)
Oct 05 - Bellingham, WA @ Wild Buffalo (w/ Sean Hayes)
Oct 06 - Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore (w/ Sean Hayes)
Oct 07 - Bend, OR @ Mandala (w/ Sean Hayes)
Oct 11 - San Diego, CA @ The Casbah (w/ Sean Hayes)
Oct 12 - Santa Barbara, CA @ Soho (w/ Sean Hayes)
Oct 13 - Santa Ana, CA @ OC Constellation Ctr (w/ Sean Hayes)
Oct 14 - Joshua Tree, CA @ Roots Music Fest
Oct 15 - Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room (w/ Sean Hayes)
Oct 16 - Flagstaff, AZ @ Coconino Center (w/ Sean Hayes)
Oct 17 - Santa Fe, NM @ Santa Fe Sol (w/ Sean Hayes)
Oct 19 - Austin, TX @ Lambert’s (w/ Matt The Electrician, Sean Hayes)
Oct 20 - Austin, TX @ New Belgium Tour de Fat (Fiesta Gardens)
Oct 20 - Austin, TX @ Lambert’s (w/ Matt The Electrician, Sean Hayes)
Oct 21 - Houston, TX @ Mucky Duck (Matt The Electrician Sean Hayes)
Oct 24 - Birmingham, AL @ Moonlight On The Mtn (w/ Sean Hayes)
Oct 25 - Louisville, KY @ Uncle Slayton’s (w/ Sean Hayes)
Oct 26 - Asheville, NC @ The LAB (w/ Sean Hayes)
Oct 27 - Greensboro, NC @ The Blind Tiger (w/ Sean Hayes)
Oct 29 - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s (w/ Sean Hayes)
Oct 30 - New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge (w/ Sean Hayes)
Nov 01 - Pawtucket, RI @ The Met (w/ Sean Hayes)
Nov 02 - Cambridge, MA @ Lizard Lounge (w/ Sean Hayes)
Nov 03 - Plainfield, VT @ Haybarn Theatre [Goddard] (w/ Sean Hayes)
Nov 04 - Ithaca, NY @ Unhaunted Mansion (w/ Sean Hayes)
Nov 05 - Buffalo, NY @ The Ninth Ward (w/ Sean Hayes)
Nov 07 - Toledo, OH @ The Village Idiot (w/ Sean Hayes)
Nov 08 - Spring Lake, MI @ Seven Steps Up (w/ Sean Hayes)
Nov 10 - Chicago, IL @ Old Town School of Folk (w/ Sean Hayes)
Nov 14 - Denver, CO @ The Oriental Theater (w/ Sean Hayes)
Nov 16 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The State Room (w/ Awna Teixeira)
Nov 30 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent (w/ Sean Hayes)
Dec 01 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent (w/ Sean Hayes)
Dec 05 - Gaithersburg, MD @ Theatre at the Arts Barn
Dec 16 - Fort Atkinson, WI @ Café Carpe (w/ Peter Mulvey)
Jan 11 - Morro Bay, CA @ Coalesce Bookstore
Jan 12 - Templeton, CA @ Castoro Wine Cellars

BIRDS OF CHICAGO.COM | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

FRANK TURNER Buried Alive By EMILY BARKER In A Field Of Red Clay Halo

2012-07-27T13:08:00.000-07:00

Ivor Novello award winning songwriter EMILY BARKER and her band The Red Clay Halo have released their brand new single FIELDS OF JUNE (featuring Frank Turner) through Xtra Mile Recordings!

Inspired by historical duets such as Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris, Neil Young & Nicolette Larson, and Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood, as well as more traditional songs as collected by archivists Alan Lomax or Harry Smith, and contemporary songs such as Johnny Cash's 'Delia's Gone' or 'Where the Wild Roses Grow' by Nick Cave and Kylie, Emily has teamed up with friend and musical peer Frank Turner, to create a wickedly dark murder ballad with a strong male and female duet at its core.

Also available on 7" vinyl, the single is backed with Emily Barker's track Nostalgia which features as the theme tune to Kenneth Brannagh's television series Wallander which won her and composer Martin Phipps a BAFTA and Royal Television Society Award for Best Soundtrack.

Also accompanying the single is a stunning vintage-style black and white silent film video which sees Emily and her band in fine form breaking Frank's heart and then attempting to bury him in the ground.

Emily and her band first met Frank way back in 2006 when they shared a stage at Brixton's Windmill. Shortly after this meeting, Frank invited Emily to do a solo support slot on a UK tour with him and his band The Sleeping Souls.

It was on this tour that Emily and Frank first performed "Fields of June" as a duet during Emily's set. The friendship that was formed has seen Emily & The Red Clay Halo record on Frank's albums, support him on tours of the UK and Europe, and perform live with Frank and The Sleeping Souls on some of their biggest shows to date including Frank's sold out Wembley Arena show in April 2012.

Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo have recorded and released three albums together, Photos.Fires.Fables (2007), Despite The Snow (2009) and Almanac (2011), and have just completed the recording of a fourth album, due for release early in 2013.

"This is a dream of a record. A new Marling, then? No, Barker offers something else..." BBC Music Editor's Choice (on Almanac)

"Stripped free of studio frippery and all the better for its carefree simplicity" **** Q Magazine (on Despite The Snow)

Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo
Tour Dates
July 29    Camp Bestival, Dorset, United Kingdom
Aug 17    Beautiful Days Fest, Escot Park, United Kingdom
Aug 23    Castle Park Old Town Fest, Leicester, United Kingdom
Aug 25    Solfest, Cumbria, United Kingdom
Aug 26    Towersey Festival, Thame, United Kingdom
Sep 02    Stroud Fringe Fest, Stroud, United Kingdom
Sep 09    Bestival, Isle Of Wight, United Kingdom
Oct 16    Solus, Cardiff, United Kingdom*
Oct 17    Waterfront, Norwich, United Kingdom*
Oct 18    Islington Academy, London, United Kingdom*
Oct 19    Concorde 2, Brighton, United Kingdom*
Oct 20    Trix, Antwerp, Belgium*
Oct 21    Tivoli de Helling, Utrecht, Netherlands*
Oct 23    Gloria, Cologne, Germany*
Oct 24    SO36, Berlin, Germany*
Oct 25    Amager Bio, Copenhagen, Denmark*
Oct 26    John Dee, Sankt Hanshaugen, Norway*
Oct 27    Musikens Hus, Gothenburg, Sweden*
Oct 28    Debaser Slussen, Stockholm, Sweden*
Oct 30    Tavastia, Helsinki, Finland*
Nov 01    Inkonst, Malmo, Sweden*
Nov 02    Uebel & Gefährlich, Hamburg, Germany*
Nov 03    Beatpol, Dresden, Germany*
Nov 04    Freiheiz, Munich, Germany*
Nov 05    Flex, Vienna, Austria*
Nov 06    KSET, Zagreb, Croatia*
Nov 07    Factory, Milan, Italy*
Nov 08    Abart, Zurich, Switzerland*
Nov 09    Zapata, Stuttgart, Germany*
Nov 10    Ringkirche, Wiesbaden, Germany*
Nov 11    La Maroquinerie, Paris, France*
Nov 12    Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth, United Kingdom*
Nov 13    O2 Academy 2 Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom*
Nov 13    Academy II, Oxford, United Kingdom*
Nov 14    Academy II, Manchester, United Kingdom*
Nov 15    Rescue Rooms, Nottingham, United Kingdom*
Nov 16    Other Room, Birmingham, United Kingdom*
Nov 17    Garage, Birmingham, United Kingdom*
Nov 18    Northumbria University, Newcastle, Australia*
Nov 19    Thekla, Bristol, United Kingdom*
Nov 20    Stylus, Leeds, United Kingdom*
Nov 21    Union Chapel, London, United Kingdom
* Solo shows on The Revival Tour

EMILY-BARKER.COM
FRANK-TURNER.COM

Mackin' On My Arcadia (Jacqui Sandell)

2012-07-23T00:05:00.001-07:00

Bronx-based quintet MY ARCADIA, led by the soaring vocals of JACQUI SANDELL, have been blazing a trail for the past three years with smart, thoughtful arty alt-rock that deftly navigates the intersection of introspection and exposition.

Unleashing melodies that simmer over majestic dynamics, the band recently released an Ep entitled STAY that straddles the space-time continuum of existentialism and mystical magnificence.

And it's only an apéritif of transcendence as the main concourse will soon transpire.

With a gorgeous breathtaking vocal style similar to her gal pals Sierra Kusterbeck from VersaEmerge and Juliet Simms (of The Voice), Ms Sandell sings her heart out to the heavens each and every time.

In between rehearsals for an upcoming free show at St. Theresa School in The Bronx (on July 26), Warped Tour hangs and exuberant celebrations for her 24th birthday a few days ago, Jacqui graciously took time to indulge in a sumptuous crock pot of mack and cheese.

1. You just released a bloody fantastic 5-song Ep called Stay, produced by Craig Owens (Chiodos/D.R.U.G.S). The songs are a musical tour-du-force and your singing is impeccably cinematic. “Human” is one of my favorite tracks...that’s going to be a fun one to jam on live! What comes first, music, melody or lyrics and what was the inspiration for “Human”?

JS - Thank you for your support, but actually Craig Owens didn’t produce this record the producers name was Dave Andronico from the Bronx where we live. It was great recording with him cause he knows us all so well which made the whole experience more intimate and personal. However, Craig was around during the recording of the album managing us and putting his input onto the production of the album, specifically working with Mike (Costello) and Alex (Cahill) on guitars.

JS - "With regards to the songwriting process, absolutely music comes first. Mike always likes to bring something new and the band quickly feeds off that and a natural organic songwriting process begins. We don’t over think structure and we don’t think about the final product, we take the song and let it flow. The band jams until we feel it’s right even until crazy hours of the morning. While this is going on I don’t speak, I close my eyes, and I listen and just try to feel the music while creating tons of melodies in my head. Once we are closer to a finished musical product I create the lyrics."

JS - "As for the inspiration for “Human,” it is the closest song to my heart because this record in many ways is a break-up record. Every song on the EP is a different part of the ongoing emotional layers of my most recent breakup. “Human,” in particular, is dedicated to this band, the fans, and anyone who has seen us perform. “And the sun will rise, on the floor I see, everyone I need to survive.” It’s a tribute song that sums up the idea, which is no matter what I’m going through; the one thing that always makes any pain go away is to perform and to see all those fans."

2. Another one of my faves on Stay is the epic “Sail On”. Such powerful lyrics! There’s a live acoustic version of it on You Tube (c/o CommonRevolt) that is searing as well! When you hit the soaring chorus against the sparseness of a single acoustic guitar, it’s truly majestic...it makes my minds eye sail into the great big blue. Online, there’s also a gorgeous acoustic version of “Lulea (City By the Sea)” from your last Ep. Any plans to cull some past acoustic renditions with stripped down versions of some of the new songs and release a companion acoustic Ep (btw, I did come across the artwork for a My Arcadia Acoustic Ep from 2010 but just saw Lulea associated with it and didn’t see any further info)?

JS - Out of the 12-15 songs that we originally wrote for this EP, “Sail On” was the first official song chosen to be recorded. I remember the moment Mike and I finished the chorus and we just looked at each other with the most relieved, yet proud, smiles on our faces. Out of all the emotions I had gone through writing the lyrics with Mike for this record, I really wanted to convey them in the most unusual way.

I wanted our listeners to be able to easily relate to the record and still have them place their minds outside their internal box. We love that people connected with the acoustic version we did on the spot with CommonRevolt.

One of our favorite things to do as a band is just strip down the songs that we’ve released, even though it’s the same song, we’ve noticed it gives our fans a completely different feeling when they hear it and the feedback from those fans has had an incredible impact on how we write.

JS - "Unfortunately, the entirety of our first record becoming acoustic was an unfinished product. After almost 2 years of promoting our debut EP City by the Sea, we felt such a hunger to continue writing for the next release and just couldn’t wait to get going. With that said, having “Lulea” be our most popular track at the time, we felt it would be the most appropriate choice as an acoustic release. As of right now, we are very happy to announce that at the end of July we will be working closely with our dear friend Jesse Deflorio to film a whole new set of acoustic sessions from Stay, alongside multiple covers that we have always wanted to perform. Apart from the acoustic sessions, we’ll be getting very personal with our fans and showing them a little more about ourselves i.e., what we love to do apart from the band and what inspires our daily lives to become My Arcadia."

3. The artwork for Stay has a Salvador Dalí ‘Persistence of Memory’ impressionistic feel to it. Were you involved with the concept? What does the artwork signify to you?

JS - That is exactly how we wanted our listeners to feel when they saw the cover. The artwork I have to say is closely connected to our title song “Stay,” which has the most relation to how we feel when we dream. It relates to where our minds go and how possibilities are just endless, how something so unreal can change everything about you. For me it’s just where I go to reconnect with songs I’m writing.

4. Simultaneously, you’re also working on a 14-song full-length album to be released this fall. Will any of the songs on the Stay Ep or “My Pioneer” or “September” be on the full-length? Will you be self-releasing the album or via a label/distribution partner?

JS - These past few months we have been working on a full length and it has certainly had its rewarding moments as well as its breaking points. We honestly wrote the record in a very short amount of time because, at that moment, things for the band had changed quite drastically with the interest we gained from Craig (Owens), he really wanted us to get in the studio and start working as soon as possible."

JS - "We recorded this record in Michigan with Matt Dalton, who is an incredible producer and my favorite person to get goofy with. I worked very closely with him and Craig on vocals, even until 1am we were still writing. It was a lot of stress but this record is going to come out exactly the way we envisioned it."

We really aren’t sure when we want to release our full length because we’ve been trying to focus all of our energy into Stay which we are so proud of because it took us years to complete and refine to something we’d hope our listeners would appreciate and notice the hard work we put into it. There also may or may not be a few comebacks with previous recordings that we’ve added into our full length but that would be terrible of me to give away so soon!"

5. Listening to My Arcadia makes me daydream of a bold new world, the likes of which are seen in the fictional worlds depicted in “Avatar” and “The Hunger Games”. What inspires you?

JS - "This is an incredible compliment thank you! I mean, for me personally, it’s so hard to explain what really inspires me because, thankfully, most of what I’m trying to portray comes out quite naturally and sometimes I don’t even know where it’s from. I can say I like to honor everything and everyone that’s passed through my life so far, from the spiritual mind-fuck dreams I have about what my perfect world might be like, to the memories of my most tragic love that I hold onto everyday."

JS - "Writing with My Arcadia is the only way to even come close to the way I want to feel all the time. My dreams are the most inspirational thoughts in my head because they are fully out of my control, which is why I connect my writing with the ocean as much as I do. The sea is a lost void of mystery and possibilities that can’t be controlled by man. Sometimes it gives you beauty and perfection and sometimes it gives you tragedy."

6. Are you familiar with a college on the outskirts of Philadelphia called Arcadia University? The campus features Grey Towers Castle, a National Historic Landmark and their mascot is a Knight formally named Sir Castor. Sounds like a perfect place to play a show or shoot a music video. The school’s student web portal is called “My Arcadia”. Are you familiar with the University?

JS - Yes I am! I remember when we first created the name for the band this college always popped up and it made me laugh and I’ve always wanted to play there just to say that we did. What most people don’t know about why we are called My Arcadia is that it is in fact connected to a utopian land in Greece. The idea of your perfect place, your perfect mind set where you feel most comfortable. I chose this name because it’s where I go when I make music…to my arcadia.

7. You’ll be doing a lot of touring this summer/fall. What are your Fave Five apparel brands and/or accessories that you can’t leave the Bronx without?

JS - Ok so I’m a girl, which means I bring about 1,000 extra unnecessary items more than the rest of my band! The top 5 brands/items that I just can’t live without on the road are my collection of vintage Harley shirts, my high-wasted pants from American Apparel because they hide your food baby…they call me Jacqui “high-wasted” Sandell, my assortment of crazy rings from my favorite store Gypsy Warrior, my suitcase of MAC cosmetics (my best friends work for the company so the hook up doesn’t help my addiction), and my dry shampoo cause a girl’s got to look clean!

8. Let’s touch on some more favorites:

Midnight snack: Veggie gyoza from Trader Joe’s

Adult beverage: Cosmopolitan (because I’m a lady)

Animal: My dog Dylan

Phone App: Instagram. I absolutely get a thrill out of examining people’s homemade lunches and nail colors. No really I do!

Brand of make up: MAC of course! The best lipstick you can own from them is “Shy Girl”

Travel Destination: Sweden, I go to Stockholm a lot and visit my family. I can’t wait to live there one day.

Singers: Oh man, this is hard. As of lately Ellie Goulding, Jesse Harris, Anthony Raneri and Birdy, but my all time favorites are Mariah Carey, Dan Layus, Anthony Green, Fiona Apple and Ben Folds.

Movie: Annie Hall by Woody Allen

Sports Team: The Rangers!!

Disney Song: Oh don’t get me started I love Disney. “A Whole New World” without a doubt, that’s my jam.

9. There’s a glut of televised singing competitions monopolizing the airwaves. There’s a new one with John Legend, Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Nettles called Duets on ABC. With that theme in mind, if you could duet with anyone (dead or alive), who would it be and what song would you want to sing?

JS - A Duet… It’s got to be with Dan Layus from Augustana singing their song “Fire”. It’s one of my favorites!

10. Staying in that arena, last summer on Warped Tour, you joined Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows to perform ‘Laminated E.T. Animal’ and MA has covered Alkaline Trio “Maybe I’ll Catch Fire” but you also have a penchant for pop music divas like Mariah Carey. With that diversity in mind, if you could front one of your favorite bands or favorite singer’s band for an encore, who would it be and what song would you sing?

JS - This is going to sound completely out of left field but if I had to join a band for an encore it just has to be Every Time I Die performing “The Marvelous Slut”. I don’t know how I’d fit into the song but I would make it work! Performing with D.R.U.G.S was one of the biggest thrills!

JS - "I’ll be honest, there is just nothing like playing the Warped Tour for the first time and just waltzing on the main stage to see a ton of screaming faces. It’s why I love what I do and I’m so grateful for every opportunity given to me and my band mates."

11. Are there any charities or organizations that you support that you like to give a shout-out to?

JS - I’ve recently been exposed to an up and coming organization called SHEDDING HOPE.

Right now, they are traveling all over the country visiting animal shelters, and are looking to bring awareness to them and help people understand why adoption and giving an animal a home is one of the most rewarding selfless acts.

I’m also excited to say that my toy fox terrier Dylan and I will be doing a photo shoot for their book coming out which I believe you will be able to purchase with a donation to the organization.

I am also a big supporter of Keep A Breast, they have come so far as an awareness organization and their message alongside the support they bring to breast cancer patients and survivors is beautiful. I was lucky enough to perform an acoustic set with my band at their tent on the Vans Warped Tour and I felt honored to be a part of a great organization supporting an amazing cause."

12. If you could spend a day with anyone (dead or alive), whom would it be and why?

JS - If I could spend a day with anyone it would have to be Ben Folds. I just want to take a piano lesson from him and just awe in his ever-so-majestic presence.

MY ARCADIA
FACEBOOK

TWITTER (BAND)

TWITTER (JACQUI)

EVOLOVE Debut Album Due August 14; Rockstars & Pin Ups III At Roxy LA 8/20

2012-07-18T14:38:00.003-07:00

Hollywood, CA: LA pop-core alt rockers EVOLOVE, led by the powerful vocals of singer Lucy Levinsohn, will release their debut full-length album, Acoustic Sessions Vol. 1 on Tuesday, August 14. Containing four brand new songs ("3 Cheers" "Everything's Falling" "The Dream" "Spare Me"), stripped-down versions of "Let Me In" "2012" and "Toyshop Girl,” from their debut 2012: Countdown to the End, and acoustic versions of all five tracks from last year’s Breaking Heartstrings Ep, ASV1 is the band’s first release since signing a deal with Opus 1 Music this spring.

Anchored by the twin stack, guitar attack of Dave Corsile and Colby Jensen and bolstered by the propulsive rhythm section of bassist Billy Berman and drummer Andrew Carroll, EVOLOVE (pronounced Eh-Voh-Luv), were first thrust into the national spotlight as finalists of the FreeCreditScore.com band search.

Debuting the group’s commercial during the MLB All-Star game on FOX, the spot amassed millions of impressions across broadcast and cable spectrums. Significant airplay on outlets such as ESPN, CNN and CNBC led to key placements on ABC's top-rated teen drama Pretty Little Liars as well as MTV’s hit shows Made, True Life and Teen Mom.

After crisscrossing the U.S. for the past eighteen months (during which retailer Hot Topic anointed the group as one of the land’s “Best Unsigned Bands”), EVOLOVE are gearing up to celebrate Sessions Vol. 1 with two concerts, one in front of their hometown fans and a virtual one with Evolovers around the globe.

On Sunday August 12 at 6PM PST, Evolove will play an exclusive set for 100 fans online via StageIt. Implementing a “pay-what-you-can” model, the event will be highlighted by a 30-minute set of the band’s most-requested songs. Tickets for the event can be purchased HERE.

On Monday August 20, the band will headline the third chapter of ROCKSTARS & PIN UPS at The Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood. Produced by Ms. Levinsohn to cast a light on the best and brightest music, entertainment, fashion and performance art bubbling up in Los Angeles, the event will also showcase Vera Mesmer, whom are propelled by the yin-yang of Mr. Christopher Mesmer & Miss Nadja Mesmer, KrashKarma, led by Ralf Dietel, and Never Like The Movies, featuring singer Shay Gerson.

Previous installments of Rockstars introduced standing-room only crowds to raucous sets by Evolove, Matt Toka, Valora, Blameshift, Neo Geo, ModelSaint, Melotia and iNK.

The first two Roxy events were capped by special performances by Miss Dakota and the Burlesque ALL Stars. The ALL Stars are on tap to reprise their nightcap and will be flanked by burlesque performances by Misty Rose, Push The Girl and Dolly Danger on an adjacent catwalk in-between bands.

Catering to the burgeoning Pin Ups portion of the event, Levinsohn is also unveiling a Fashion-show type competition, open to the public, with $1000 worth of prizes from Roadkill Ranch, Stop Staring!, Rock Me Makeup and Lux De Ville to be awarded.

Sign ups for “Pin Ups” whom wish to participate will take place from 7-8 PM in the Roxy Theatre lobby.

ROCKSTARS & PIN UPS III will be hosted by Jimmy Roc and is presented by Pin Up America Magazine & Hollywood Music. Sponsors for the evening include Roadkill Ranch, Hollywood Music, Stop Staring!, Lux de Ville, Big Kid, Rock Me Makeup, HeartChord, Rockchild Designs, Coffin Case, Schecter Guitars, Audix Microphones, Orange Amps, Risen Drums, You Ain’t Rock, Picksysticks and 1888 Media.

This all-ages event is free for 21+ ($3 for under 21). The Roxy Theatre is located at 9009 W. Sunset Blvd, W. Hollywood, CA 90069.

ROCKSTARS & PIN UPS III
MON AUG 20, 2012
DOORS: 7:30PM
ROXY THEATRE | RSVP

BANDS:

EVOLOVE

VERA MESMER

KRASHKARMA

NEVER LIKE THE MOVIES

SPECIAL GUESTS:

BURLESQUE ALL STARS

PERFORMANCES BY:

MISTY ROSE

PUSH THE GIRL

DOLLY DANGER

HOSTED BY:
JIMMY ROC

PRESENTED BY:
PIN UP AMERICA
HOLLYWOOD MUSIC

SPONSORED BY:
ROADKILL RANCH
HOLLYWOOD MUSIC
STOP STARING!
LUX DE VILLE
BIG KID
ROCK ME MAKEUP

CO SPONSORS:
HEART CHORD
1888 MEDIA
ROCKCHILD DESIGNS
COFFIN CASE
SCHECTER GUITARS
AUDIX MICROPHONES
ORANGE AMPS
RISEN DRUMS
PICKSYSTICKS

VersaEmerge Into Another Atmosphere With No Consequences

2012-07-16T23:53:00.000-07:00

The Versa is so bright, they gotta wear shades...

It's been a little over two years since VersaEmerge detonated a smart bomb on pop culture and, ever since, our collective consciousness has been transfixed At Zero.

Cruising within the inebriation of the open planes of imagination, the time to move the needle back to the future is upon us.

Early this year, a source close to the band told me that singer Sierra Kusterbeck and musical maestro Blake Harnage (astral projecting as a dynamic duo akin to Matt and Kim) would be delving deep within a beat-driven frequency awash in splashes of rub-a-dub-dub on their new master platter, Another Atmosphere.

Intrigued and beguiled, I imagined a cacophony of protons exorcising RPMs with symphonic precision.

Well, today, the wait is over and my curiosity has been shed, my appetite whet with destruction.

Cratering a sound reminiscent of Passion Pit, Two Door Cinema Club, The Killers and Phoenix, all with a dash of sinister slickness, Kusterbeck and Harnage have upped the ante...

The result is an emergent antecedent...

The Dark Knight has Risen...

Illuminating fifty shades of grey, there are no consequences...

Only sonic saucers of oratory glory.

VersaEmerge
No Consequences
(Lyrics)

Everywhere I go
No one says “no” to me
They don’t, they don’t dare

Everything I want to feel
The good, the bad, always indifferent

Be my muse before I walk all over you to get to the next one
You were fascinated like a fool and I literally killed you

CHORUS
You’re calling me insatiable and I can’t deny
On the heart for the irreplaceable
Impossible to fight
Should I settle for less?
You’re good but I want the best
I want you along with the rest
I want the world with no consequences

Drink it up and be so mad and wowed along with me till the ending
Pray to set you free ‘cause I’ll give you the heart
They gave it to me

You’re calling me insatiable and I can’t deny
On the heart for the irreplaceable
Impossible to fight
Should I settle for less?
You’re good but I want the best
I want you along with the rest
I want the world with no consequences

Should I settle for less?
You’re good but I want the best
I want you along with the rest
I want the world with no consequences

Should I settle for less?
You’re good but I want the best
I want you along with the rest
I want the world with no consequences

Should I settle for less? (Everywhere I go, no one)
You’re good but I want the best (says no to me, they don’t they dare)
I want you along with the rest (Everything I want to feel)
I want the world with no consequences (The good, the bad)

VERSAEMERGEMUSIC.COM

PANTERA Final Vinyl Out July 24, 2012 (Trendkill, Reinventing Steel, 101 Proof)

2012-07-11T11:23:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year, Rhino unveiled the 20th Anniversary Edition of Pantera’s VULGAR DISPLAY OF POWER, which featured the debut of the incendiary lost track “Piss.”

Following up on Vulgar’s success, Rhino continues to honor Pantera’s legacy as one of metal’s most influential bands by offering the Texas quartet’s final three releases on 180-gram vinyl.

Presented in gatefold jackets, THE GREAT SOUTHERN TRENDKILL, OFFICIAL LIVE: 101 PROOF and REINVENTING THE STEEL will be available July 24 from retail outlets, including PANTERA.COM and RHINO.COM.

The first two albums are double LPs and available for a suggested price of $24.98 each, while STEEL will be issued as a single LP for $17.98.

This vinyl release of TRENDKILL is different from an earlier version that was issued as a single LP without the track “Suicide Note Pt. I.” To include the song for this new release and ensure ultimate sound quality, Rhino expanded the album to a double LP.

Recorded over four years (1996-2000), these two studio albums and live collection represent the final three releases from Pantera, singer Philip Anselmo, guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott, bassist Rex Brown and drummer Vinnie Paul.

The follow-up to the classic Far Beyond Driven, THE GREAT SOUTHERN TRENDKILL is the group’s fourth platinum album, peaking at number 4 on the Billboard charts. It yielded three singles, “Drag The Waters,” “Suicide Note Pt. I” and “Floods,” the latter an epic track that features one of Dimebag’s defining guitar solos.

The following year, the band returned with its first live album, the gold-certified OFFICIAL LIVE: 101 PROOF. Recorded during the tour for Trendkill, the collection captures the group at the peak of its live prowess as it grinds and grooves through many of its greatest songs, like “Walk,” “Cowboys From Hell” and “Cemetery Gates,” as well as “Dom/Hollow,” which combines the tracks “Domination” and “Hollow.” Along with the live recordings, the release also includes two studio recordings, “Where You Come From” and “I Can’t Hide.”

The group’s final studio album, REINVENTING THE STEEL was certified gold, peaking at number 4 on the Billboard charts. Along with the singles “Revolution Is My Name” and “I’ll Cast A Shadow,” the album’s other standout tracks include “Death Rattle” and “Goddamn Electric,” which features a guest guitar solo by Slayer’s Kerry King.

THE GREAT SOUTHERN TRENDKILL
Side One
1.       “The Great Southern Trendkill”
2.       “War Nerve”
3.       “Drag The Waters”

Side Two
1.       “10’s”
2.       “13 Steps To Nowhere”
3.       “Suicide Note Pt. I”
4.       “Suicide Note Pt. II”

Side Three
1.       “Living Through Me (Hell’s Wrath)”
2.       “Floods”

Side Four
1.       “The Underground In America”
2.       “(Reprise) Sandblasted Skin”

OFFICIAL LIVE: 101 PROOF
Side One
1.       “New Level”
2.       “Walk”
3.       “Becoming”
4.       “5 Minutes Alone”

Side Two
1.       “Sandblasted Skin”
2.       “Suicide Note Pt. 2”
3.       “War Nerve”
4.       “This Love”

Side Three
1.       “Dom/Hollow”
2.       “I’m Broken”
3.       “Cowboys From Hell”
4.       “Cemetery Gates”

Side Four
1.       “Strength Beyond Strength”
2.       “Hostile”
3.       “Where You Come From”*
4.       “I Can’t Hide”*

REINVENTING THE STEEL
Side One
1.       “Hellbound”
2.       “Goddamn Electric”
3.       “Yesterday Don’t Mean Shit”
4.       “You’ve Got To Belong To It”
5.       “Revolution Is My Name”

Side Two
1.       “Death Rattle”
2.   “We’ll Grind That Axe For A Long Time”
3.       “Uplift”
4.       “It Makes Them Disappear”
5.       “I’ll Cast A Shadow”

*Studio Recording May ’97

Warped Tour 2012: Mice, Men & Maidens Rise To Remain Motionless In Reverse

2012-07-04T01:23:00.001-07:00

WHAT ARE YOU SO SCARED OF?

EJECT, EJECT, EJECT!

It was the tail-end of a nefarious daydream whereby I would rapidly descend in a downward spiral without a chute, from the puddle jumper I was snuggly seated in while flying into a city adorned by a lake with the namesake of the chemical compound, NaCl.

It was a WARPED thought for sure as I found myself not-so surreptitiously BREAKING & ENTERING into the grand state of...

U-T-A-H

While I stared out the half-window of AMELIA Airlines from 34,000 feet, my thoughts remained motionless in white, my adrenaline coursing.

I SURE AS HELL could do this. Besides, even if my wily coyote came crashing down, it’s only a didactic daydream so I’ll be SAFE & SOUND.

And, IN THE FIRST PLACE, this is MY daydream so there is no reason to FAKE IT!

There was a time when the sky

Held the answers for the things I couldn’t find

LET IT LAND for TONIGHT I am ALIVE!

Are you Listening? ARE YOU LISTENING!

The STARLIGHT on the horizon is luminous and bright. I have a REASON TO SING, I have inertia TO DIE FOR.

Of Mice & Men, Of Maidens & Mormons, Of Marvel & Might, my consequences have risen to remain motionless in flight. I will rage against the machine of my mind’s machinations. I will conquer my fictitious fear.

Return your table-of-consciousness to its upright position. We’ll be landing in ten minutes.

THANK YOU & GOODNIGHT!

I awake. Groggy. Jet lagged. Hungry for caffeine...and a Clif Bar.

The last time I was in Salt Lake City was 10 years ago for the Olympic Winter Games, ironically rescued by Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney. At the time, a buddy of mine was running production for the nightly concerts, so armed with official credentials, I randomly walked into a make-shift building behind the stage and, inadvertently, found myself in the N*Sync hospitality suite.

When asked what I was doing there, I said...”Looking for something to drink”. They verified my credentials and then pointed to the spread of cold refreshing beverages. Don’t mind if I do. Hope you don’t mind Justin!

Today would be a day to explore the quaint confines of downtown SLC, have a delicious bite to eat at The Copper Onion and visit the Vans store at the Mormon-run City Creek Center (patrons can be fined if caught swearing in the general common areas of the shopping mall) to buy some cheap sunglasses and a black Vans tee...Warped tour essentials.

As it turned out, 200 lucky wrist-banded fans were getting ready to meet Of Mice & Men. How Nice & Zen.

I awake. It's half past nighttime. Have I awaken the empire? No, just the silence of the night. Oxygen at this altitude is like amphetamines for ocean-level dwellers.

Tick. Tick, Tock...my mind is sitting on the Dock.

Saturday June 16 arrives.

Am stoked to see the kickoff of the 18th annual Vans Warped Tour. I first went in 1996 while working with Goldfinger, whom had just released the single “Here In Your Bedroom”.

At the time, it was just another multi-band bill with a beer sponsor. Unfortunately for me, Warped fell off my radar for a long stretch thereafter.

Flash forward to 2010 when I discovered a new favorite band that warps words with infamy. Calling themselves VersaEmerge, I found myself Fixed At Zero. They were touring their brilliant new album, but only on Warped tour. $40 was pretty reasonable for an all-day fest and perhaps I might discover a few cool bands.

Little did I know what Warped had become...the single best event of the year...from the perspective of the fans, the bands, the sponsors, the charities, the participating organizations and the makers of sunscreen!

From the multiple stages, to the flea-market vibe of the merchandise village which had tents for nearly every band to companies and non-profits educating the leaders of the next generation to places to slip ‘n slide to cool off from the blistering heat to health-conscious food vendors, it was liberating and inspiring that someone had the gumption to orchestrate such a massive undertaking that literally packs up, traverses on through the night and sets up at dawn to do it all over again all summer long.

I was blown away...and then there was the MUSIC!

The freshest most exciting bands amped up, and ratcheted up, by their raucous fan bases. The resulting Energy was a Monster...and yes, they were sponsoring a stage!

Gestalt was in full effect. The whole was infinitely greater than the parts. It was transcendent yet, in some ways, seemed like a secret handshake.

The mainstream media should be acknowledging Warped Tour as the most culturally significant thing to happen since Woodstock.

Coachella, Bonnaroo and the like are big fat meaty events but this is a bonafide movement! All props goes to its founder, and pilot, Kevin Lyman, whom should be awarded the purple heart of courage as a prognosticating generational icon.

Now, I must admit, that hanging out all day in the blazing incineration of summer heat is pretty low on my bucket list and not knowing what bands are playing when until you show up (the schedule changes every day enticing goers to show up at 11am so they don’t, potentially, miss their favorite artist), Warped Tour has cemented a place on my must-do list every year.

Pulling up to the Utah State Fairgrounds for the kick-off date of 2012, I felt like I was going to opening day and excited for the first pitch to be thrown out. Would it be a curve ball or, perhaps a knuckleball, motionless in flight?

In this case, late morning fastballs were hurled by Orange County’s Neo Geo, whom rocked their hot new single “Superstar?” and Rise To Remain featuring singer Austin Dickinson, son of legendary Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson.

SPF 50 application ensued and another Austin soon led the early afternoon detonation. Austin Carlile, the main artery for Of Mice & Men, showered the masses of red blood cells with a heap of sonic hemoglobin. The sun burned bright. Carlile burned brighter.

From there, the heat index rose, both on the thermometer and the vacillation of my mind. Dead Sara unleashed Mortal Combat.

On their show-stopping anthem “Weatherman,” singer Emily Armstrong and guitarist Siouxsie Medley have assumed the deity-inducing reins previously held by Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, Roger Daltry and Pete Townsend, Chris Cornell and Kim Thayil and Zach de la Rocha and Tom Morello. Dead set to reign. Top floor please.

I’m burning up...my white blood cells...they’re breaking & entering.

The afternoon hours melted together as moshing, chanting, singing, screaming and hydrating took place interchangeably during super-charged sets by We The Kings, Four Year Strong, All Time Low, Blessthefall, Matt Toka (he opened his set with a blazing version of Adele "Someone Like You") and Streetlight Manifesto, whose horn section would be at home at Jazz Fest, Further Fest, Mardi Gras or Carnival.

Hook ‘em Horns!

Late afternoon presented a chance to see Sydney, Australia based pop-punk outfit Tonight Alive.

Led by a thoroughly engaging Jenna McDougall, wearing a Utah Jazz hat backwards, their brief energetic set, which included a cover of Mumford & Sons “Little Lion Man” (available on Punk Goes Pop 4), was the penultimate highlight of the day.

While it’s a tired cliché to compare female-fronted rock bands to Paramore, in this case, the parallels seem just. Having witnessed the cult of Paramore several times before they broke big, Ms. McDougall, at only 19 years of age, possesses the same superstar qualities as Hayley Williams, and this band delivers the goods like they intend to rock the planet upside down under.

And then I did a double take coupled with a double-shot of 5-hour Energy. Up next at the nearby Tillys stage were another new favorite band of mine, We Are The In Crowd, co-starring singer Taylor Jardine and singer/guitarist Jordan Eckes.

Tay was wearing a WATIC camouflage tee. Of course she was, though I had just left the Kevin Says stage where Jenna McDougall was sporting the same exact WATIC tee...this was the first show of the tour...happy coincidence or sisterly love, no matter...both bands are for the “In” crowd. It was perfect to see them back-to-back.

Taylor and Jordan are a charismatic dynamic duo that have the talent and recorded material to one day be commanding arenas around the world. Elevation point numero two came in the form of Alex Gaskarth reprising his harmonious role of singing along with Ms. Jardine on the chorus of “Kiss Me Again”.

From there, I doused my ears with a bit of hometown heroes The Used, whom have made a triumphant comeback with their scorching new record Vulnerable.

Bert McCracken was in fine form but we needed to migrate back to the Kia Soul stage to do some unmitigated Falling In Reverse.

Unbeknownst to us, some actual falling in reverse was about to transpire.

Racing out to the gargantuan riffage of “I’m Not A Vampire,” rhythm guitarist Derek Jones took a spill off the front of the stage landing immediately to the right of our photographer, whom along with security helped Jones to his feet.

Dazed and confused and bleeding True Blood from the head, the band left the stage at the end of the song to assess whether they should continue. After a few minutes, Ronnie returned to ask the anxious crowd to be patient because Derek was really hurt.

A rock ‘n roll trooper, Jones soon joined the band, initially sitting in a chair, but proceeded to finish out their inpenetrable set that climaxed with “The Drug In Me Is You”...which seems apropos as an “unofficial” official slogan for Warped Tour.

Time to devour a half-rack of Motionless In White and a tasty slab of Bayside before circling back round to Kia Soul for Taking Back Sunday, whom took the power back.

And then there was one.

The remaining sun-baked Fairground faithful converged to do some Sleeping With Sirens as the sun finally set.

But the sun had actually risen to remain motionless in reverse.

What a glorious day of discovery, meeting bands, buying merch at cut-rate prices (including exclusive items like the Tonight Alive acoustic Ep), getting free clean-water bottle re-fills via Klean Kanteen and complimentary enlightenment from visionary organizations such TWLOHA, which provides help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide, and all amidst a massive cacophony of sensory scintillation.

Btw, all of this radiant rebellion is just between you and me. It’s for Living Dead Girls and Living Dead Boys whom congeal together on a hot as Hades New Years Day.

Perhaps one day, the mainstream will properly transmogrify its mythical majesty.

Really...What are YOU So Scared Of...WE Are The IN Crowd.

We’re Warped and we’re Proud.

Time to Let It Land.

Thank you & Gute Nacht.

Danke: Libby, Angela & Michele @ MSO PR, Bethany Watson & photog Steve McCormack (far left in the above photo, orange shirt)

A Warped exposition in photography (128 pics of Tonight Alive, We Are The in Crowd, All Time Low, Falling In Reverse, Dead Sara, We The Kings, Four Year Strong, Of Mice & Men, Taking Back Sunday, Streetlight Manifesto & Matt Toka)

Hayley Reardon Where The Artists Go; RIYL Colbie Caillat, Taylor Swift, Meiko

2012-07-02T00:44:00.000-07:00

Boston, MA: Acclaimed 15-year old singer-songwriter HAYLEY REARDON has issued the title track from her debut album WHERE THE ARTISTS GO as a free download, for a limited time, before the official single, that includes three different versions, is released on July 17 via Kingswood Records.

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://kingswoodrecords.bandcamp.com/track/where-the-artists-go-edit"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Where The Artists Go by Hayley Reardon&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

Deeply reflective of what it truly means to be an “artist,” regardless of the medium enveloped or passion embodied, “Where The Artists Go” is an apt introduction to the encompassing artistry that is Hayley Reardon.

Hayley elaborates, “’Where the Artists Go’ is about looking for the artist in everyone. The song was inspired by an eighth grade social studies project where we were asked to draw ourselves exactly as we saw ourselves. A boy in my class that I hardly knew had drawn a self-portrait that so beautifully captured the explosion of light and color inside the mind of an artist"...

..."I was so inspired by the fact that this quiet boy in my history class that I had known for years, had such light and passion inside of him, and that I got to see a glimpse of it that day. It got me thinking about what kind of explosion of creativity and spark might lie beneath the skin of all the people I see day to day but only know on the surface. The song is about breaking rules and being passionate, bold, and original...and even more so, its about being proud of being all those things and letting them shine through. It’s about being proud of the explosion, no matter how big, that makes each of us our own artist."

The eleven-song Where The Artists Go was produced by renowned drummer Lorne Entress (Catie Curtis, Lori McKenna) with contributions from veteran sessions players Kevin Barry on guitars/lap steel (Ray LaMontagne, Mary Chapin Carpenter), Mark Erelli on guitar (Josh Ritter, Lori McKenna, Kelly Willis), Richard Gates on bass (Paula Cole, Dar Williams, Patty Larkin, The Weepies) and Glenn Patscha on piano/Hammond organ (Ryan Adams, Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson).

Due for release this fall, Artists will appeal to traditional folk music aficionados weaned on Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell while also appealing to alt-country stalwarts, Lucinda Williams, Kasey Chambers and Dar Williams, hipster indie icons Connor Oberst, Bon Iver, Neko Case, Anais Mitchell and Meiko and as well as mainstream singer-songwriters such as Taylor Swift, Colbie Caillat, Cady Groves and Jason Mraz.

On the heels of winning the annual Boston Folk Festival Songwriting contest at only 12 years of age in 2009, Hayley released her first Ep entitled Beautiful Simplicity which was followed by 2010’s Hope You’re Smiling that showcased the anthem “Stand Together,” a song penned to encourage students and young adults to find their own voice and take a stand against bullying.

Hayley vividly recalls the genesis for writing Together, “I wrote ‘Stand Together’ a few weeks after starting the sixth grade. I was always warned that middle school could be a hard time socially because kids are known to be so brutally mean to each other at that age. The song was my response after going in and seeing it for myself. It was basically me speaking to my peers, about how this whole ‘growing up thing’ would be a little easier on all of us if we could just face it as a team”.

Taking a stand one step further, Hayley developed an in-school performance program called “Find Your Voice” to deliver peer targeted messaging encouraging empowerment through self-expression. Sharing her message in an official role as a National Peer Spokesperson, for PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, Ms. Reardon has enlightened packed middle school auditoriums throughout New England, Michigan and Minnesota.

These speaking engagements laid the foundation for honing her craft of delivering thoughtful musical performances. From opening shows for her idol Lori McKenna, to official showcases at the 2011/2012 Folk Alliance Conferences in Memphis, to appearances on DittyTV and WDVX’s Blue Plate Special in Knoxville, Hayley quickly developed a comforting, yet commanding, stage presence.

With the wisdom of an old soul amidst the exuberance of a youthful mind, Hayley’s mesmerizing performance of “Stand Together” one afternoon last year caught the attention of Betsy Siggins, Executive Director of the New England Folk Music Archives.

As a friend of Bob Dylan for 50-plus years and the person whom gave Joan Baez her start at Club 47 in 1958, Siggins has witnessed generations of aspiring songwriters and has a proven knack for recognizing innate talent.

Ingratiated with Reardon’s ability to write “some wonderful, wonderfully important songs,” Ms. Siggins introduced Hayley to folk documentarian Todd Kwait, whom invited her to reprise the moment to close out the award-winning documentary For The Love of the Music: The Club 47 Folk Revival, which won Best Documentary at the 2012 Boston International Film Fest.

Kwait, whom subsequently signed Reardon to his Kingswood Records imprint, quickly became a champion of her artistic integrity and thematic messages of self-empowerment, “As a documentary filmmaker committed to telling the history of folk music, I consider Hayley Reardon to be an inspiring songwriter, a captivating performer and, I am certain, a significant voice in folk music’s future”.

Reardon’s appearance in the documentary immediately linked her to an extended lineage of matriarchs and patriarchs of the folk movement of the 1960s as Joan Baez, Tom Rush, Judy Collins, Taj Mahal, Maria Muldaur, Geoff Muldaur, Jim Kweskin, Jackie Washington, Jim Rooney, Peter Rowan and Siggins were all featured in the film.

And now she stands together with history before her, proudly bearing the torch for a new generation of inspiration. From Boylston Street to Harvard Square to Cambridge to Strawberry Hill, the deep heartbeat of Massachusetts is only the precipice of where this artist will go.

With a host of important songs under her belt, more well-worn notches will be punctuated this summer as Hayley is set to partake in a five-week performance program at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, under full scholarship, which she attained as the winner of a recent Berklee-sponsored songwriting competition.

She will also play select shows at a number of regional summer camps and make special appearances in the Northeast including events tied to National Bullying Prevention Month in October.

HAYLEY REARDON
Where The Artists Go
1. Where The Artists Go
2. Only Pretending
3. Change
4. Tribe
5. Music (feat. PZed)
6. Scribbles
7. Like He Knows The Red Sox
8. Addicted To Conviction (feat. Sterling Higa)
9. There You Are With Me
10. Seattle
11. Goodbye Song

HAYLEY REARDON.COM
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
YOU TUBE

BLAMESHIFT Tour; 12 Stones, Throwing Gravity & Digital Summer (7/6 - 8/7)

2012-06-29T10:47:00.001-07:00

Long Island, NY hard rockers BLAMESHIFT have announced that they will join 12 STONES on their upcoming album release tour.

Logging well over 150,000 miles of touring terrain over the better part of the last five years, the band will begin tacking on another several thousand starting July 6th in Merriam, KS.

The tour comes to a close a month later on August 7th in Marietta, GA. Amidst the tour, BLAMESHIFT will break off for two dates in Pecatonica, IL at Rock'n the Valley 2012 at the Winnebago Fairgrounds. These two festival dates also feature Skid Row, Warrant and Trixter.

“We’re stoked that 12 Stones is bringing us with them on their album release tour. We’re honored and excited to celebrate a new release with such a great band,” states guitarist Tim Barbour. “We’re looking forward to seeing all of our loyal fans when we rock their city with 12 Stones.”

BLAMESHIFT’s debut EP, The Black Rose, was released in February 2011 and produced by Erik Ron (Versa Emerge, Good Charlotte, Panic! at the Disco, New Years Day). The EP was fully funded by the bands diehard fans through Kickstarter.com. Over 75 related music media outlets, including Taco Bell and Sullen Clothing, supported the band's release.

Soon after the release of the EP, the band shot a music video with director Jay Sansone for their single ‘Ghost’.

From that single, the band garnered a Hot Topic “Unsigned Band of the Month” title for August 2011, 80,000 collective hits on the music video on multiple YouTube pages including BlankTV, placements on MTV’s "The Real World”, and more.
To top it all, the YouTube gaming world began using ‘Ghost’ in montages for the game Call of Duty, reaching over 1.5 million views, making BLAMESHIFT an official YouTube partner.

BLAMESHIFT performed at NAMM and SXSW this year before hitting the road with Straight Line Stitch in the spring. The band also spent a month in LA completing work on a six-song follow up to The Black Rose, also with Erik Ron.

“We just finished working on our new album with Erik Ron. We are currently looking for a label home to release it with,” adds Tim Barbour. “Fans should be aware that we’ll be performing some of the new songs on the upcoming tour dates!”

BLAMESHIFT TOUR DATES
6/27 - Omaha, NE @ Shamrocks Bar and Grill
6/28 - Clive, IA @ The Bombay Bicycle Club
6/29 - Bloomington, IL @ Mugshots
6/30 - Alton, IL @ The Big Muddy Pub

w/ 12 STONES, Digital Summer, Throwing Gravity:
7/06 - Merriam, KS @ Aftershock
7/07 - St. Joseph, MO @ Tremors
7/08 - Norman, OK @ The Hidden Castle
7/09 - Memphis, TN @ Hard Rock Cafe
7/10 - Little Rock, AR @ Flying DD
7/11 - Nashville, TN @ The Rutledge LMV
7/12 - Toledo, OH @ Headliners
7/13 - Pecatonica, IL @ Rock'n the Valley (Skid Row, Warrant)*
7/14 - Pecatonica, IL @ Rock'n the Valley (Skid Row, Warrant)*
7/17 - South Barrington, IL @ Penny Road Pub
7/18 - St. Louis, MO @ The Merge
7/20 - Cincinnati, OH @ Inner Circle
7/25 - Rhinelander, WI @ Elbo Room
7/26 - Steger, IL @ Another Hole In The Wall
7/27 - Fargo, ND @ Pickled Parrot
7/28 - Janesville, WI @ Back Bar
7/29 - Des Moines, IA @ House of Bricks
7/31 - Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's
8/01 - Stanhope, NJ @ Stanhope House
8/02 - Buffalo, NY @ Broadway Joe's
8/03 - Mechanicsville, VA @ Cullen's Cove
8/04 - Centreville, VA @ Bull Run Park
8/05 - Baltimore, MD @ Recher Theater
8/06 - Charlotte, NC @ Milestone Club
8/07 - Marietta, GA @ 120 Tavern & Music Hall

*No 12 Stones

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | YOU TUBE

PRETTY LIGHTS Illumination Tour (Aug 17 - Nov 17); Purple Mountain Majesty...

2012-06-25T23:21:00.000-07:00

Electro Hip-Hop Soul savant PRETTY LIGHTS has announced a 50+ city North American tour beginning August 17 at Red Rocks in Colorado (near his hometown of Fort Collins) and finishing up at Compuware Arena in Detroit on Nov 17.

These new dates are in addition to his festival appearances in Belgium and Denmark (at Roskilde) and his participation in the FULL FLEX EXPRESS Canadian railway tour with Skrillex, Grimes, Tokimonsta, KOAN Sound and Diplo.

The Full Flex beat-masters will travel on a private passenger train, with the route inspired by the 1970 "Festival Express" tour, which featured Janis Joplin, Grateful Dead and The Band traveling across Canada.

After the Northern Exposure steam engine reaches its Western-most Canuck depot, the Illumination of 2012 is set to commence.

Derek Vincent Smith (aka Pretty Lights), will mount a full frontal assault of planes, trains and automobiles as he teleports infinite planes of illumination, trains of existential thought and auto-mobility of magic mountains majesty.

Revered and admired for distributing his music for free, PL recently flipped the switch on his sonic swatch palette; "Good music is good music. It doesn't matter if it's a bangin' dirty beat or an ambient beautiful interlude. I've been hard at work on a new album for more than a year. I've completely switched up my process of producing & composing."

"It is being created from all originally composed samples off of self made vinyl and all analog modular synthesis. It is and has truly been a massive undertaking, and there are many more surprises in store besides what I've mentioned, including a mini documentary about the making of the album."

"Soon people will see why I've put so much time into this collection of music. I'm bringing the true album back. Prolific, conceptual, consistent, yet extremely diverse, and a real substantial piece of music you can sink your teeth into, not a flimsy EP or an album filled with remixes."

"I'm talking about the real shit. I'm talking about taking it to the next level and really pushing the evolution of not only electronic music but musical expression in general.

The 2012 Illumination Tour will be the place to hear (and SEE) a lot of what this upcoming PL release has in store."

PRETTY LIGHTS
TOUR DATES
July 06 2012 - Les Ardentes Festival, Liège, Belgium
July 07 2012 - Roskilde Festival, Roskilde, Denmark
July 13 2012 - Fort York, Toronto, CAN (Full Flex)
July 14 2012 - Ottawa Blues Fest, Ottawa, CAN (Full Flex)
July 15 2012 - Parc Jean Drapeau, Montreal, CAN (Full Flex)
July 18 2012 - Shaw Park, Winnipeg, CAN (Full Flex)
July 20 2012 - Kinsmen Park, Edmonton, CAN (Full Flex)
July 22 2012 - PNE Forum, Vancouver, CAN (Full Flex)
Aug 11 2012 - Shambhala Music Fest Salmo, British Columbia
Aug 17 2012 - Red Rocks Amphitheater, Denver, CO
Aug 18 2012 - Red Rocks Amphitheater, Denver, CO
Aug 23 2012 - Midland Theatre, Kansas City, MO
Aug 24 2012 - Midway Festival, Columbia, MO
Aug 25 2012 - Westfair Amphitheater, Council Bluffs, IA
Aug 26 2012 - Summer Set Festival, Somerset, WI
Aug 29 2012 - LC Pavilion, Columbus, OH
Aug 30 2012 - nTelos Wireless Pavilion, Charlottesville, VA
Aug 31 2012 - Electric Zoo, New York, NY
Sep 01 2012 - Stage AE, Pittsburgh, PA
Sep 02 2012 - North Coast Music Festival, Chicago, IL
Sep 05 2012 - Big Sky Brewery Amphitheater, Missoula, MT
Sep 06 2012 - Knitting Factory, Boise, ID
Sep 08 2012 - Summit Pavilion, Reno, NV
Sep 09 2012 - Blue Lake Casino, Blue Lake, CA
Sep 13 2012 - Cuthbert Amphitheater, Eugene, OR
Sep 14 2012 - Bill Graham Civic Center, San Francisco, CA
Sep 15 2012 - Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA
Sep 16 2012 - Marquee Dayclub, Las Vegas, NV
Sep 18 2012 - Comerica Theatre, Phoenix, AZ
Sep 19 2012 - Convention Center, Albuquerque, NM
Sep 21 2012 - The Backyard, Austin, TX
Sep 23 2012 - Bayou Music Center, Houston, TX
Sep 25 2012 - Brady Theater, Tulsa, OK
Sep 26 2012 - Riverfest Amphitheatre, Little Rock, AR
Sep 28 2012 - MSU Horsepark Arena, Starkville, MS
Sep 29 2012 - CounterPoint Music Festival, Atlanta, GA
Oct 02 2012 - The Fillmore at Jackie Gleason Theatre, Miami, FL
Oct 03 2012 - UCF Arena, Orlando, FL
Oct 05 2012 - BayFest, Mobile, AL
Oct 06 2012 - Mardi Gras World, New Orleans, LA
Oct 31 2012 - TD Garden, Boston, MA
Nov 01 2012 - State Theatre, Portland, ME
Nov 02 2012 - Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, CT
Nov 03 2012 - Times Union Center, Albany, NY
Nov 04 2012 - Tower Theatre, Philadelphia, PA
Nov 09 2012 - The Township Auditorium, Columbia, SC
Nov 10 2012 - Bojangles Coliseum, Charlotte, NC
Nov 13 2012 - Boutwell Auditorium, Birmingham, AL
Nov 17 2012 - Compuware Arena, Detroit, MI

PRETTY LIGHTS MUSIC.COM

SANKOFA If Wishes Were Gold (Feat. Allison Russell); UTNE Video Premiere

2012-06-18T16:47:00.001-07:00

On Wednesday June 27, UTNE Reader will world premiere the music video for If Wishes Were Gold by modern string band SANKOFA at UTNE.com with a corresponding digital single to be released July 10th via Cleveland-based Kingswood Records.

Sankofa’s Allison Russell, whom penned Wishes, provides a sultry lead vocal on the track while adding acoustic guitar to compliment an understated harmonica by John Sebastian of The Lovin’ Spoonful and the resplendent brushes of percussionist Sule Greg Wilson. The result is a warm glow engulfing a cool summer eve in the city.

Allison recalls the genesis of the song, "If Wishes Were Gold’ is about as straight forward a song as I've ever written. There's no ambiguity to the particular kind of blues I am feeling there...I was ready to give myself to someone I loved and that person just wasn't ready the way I was READY."

"To some extent, it also stems from the vagabond existence I was living at that time. There's kind of a double yearning going on, not just for someone to love, but for a place that felt like home, ever elusive. The song was written during a sojourn in Chicago and came to life under the deft musical guidance of John Sebastian. We arranged and recorded it together at Nevessa Studio in Woodstock, NY.”

Sankofa member Dom Flemons, from Grammy Award winning Carolina Chocolate Drops, sums up the mood beautifully, "This original by Allison is wonderful, honest and bittersweet. The understated harmonica by John Sebastian, and Paul Rishell’s exquisite slide, float atop Alli’s guitar and Sule’s cool brushes."

Sankofa

If Wishes Were Gold

(Allison Russell/Po’ Girl Music, Inc./ASCAP)

Allison Russell - Vocal, guitar
John Sebastian - Baritone guitar, harmonica
Sule Greg Wilson - Drum set
Paul Rishell - Slide guitar

Ch:
Oh sweet, sweet I wish you could be sweet on me
Oh sweet, sweet the timing’s wrong an old story

I’ve dealt my share of disappointment
Not to be cruel, I couldn’t help it
Now it’s my turn , my turn to learn
The sad,sad sweet of love unreturned

Ch:

Geese on the grass flew from my country
Lake like an ocean lake like the sea
My feet are firm I hear the call
I could walk from Chicago up to old Montreal

Ch:

A restless mind a restless body
A restless love just not for me
But if I could you know I surely would
Take from you such pain so undeserved

Ch:

Oh sweet, sweet I wish you could be sweet on me
Oh sweet, sweet the timing’s wrong an old story
the timing’s wrong an old story
It’s just that same old sweet sad story

Wishes appears on THE UPTOWN STRUT, a 15-track album that showcases reinterpretations of songs by Sly Stone, Ray Charles, Jimmy Cliff, Minnie Wallace, Charlie McCoy, Bessie Smith and Louis Jordan.

In addition to Russell, Flemons and Wilson, STRUT features Canadian singer Ndidi Onukwulu with ivory key contributions from Blues Hall of Fame Inductee Professor Louie.

From Pandeiro and Bodhran drums to accordion and maracas to kazoo and tambourine to jugs, bones and washboard, The Uptown Strut deftly glides the gamut of instrumentation with banjos augmenting a couple of classics from the early seventies, on “Can’t Strain My Brain” by Sly Stone and Jimmy Cliff’s seminal “Sitting In Limbo” (from The Harder They Come), with flat-picking syncopation by Sebastian, whom also covered Limbo on his 1974 album Tarzana Kid.

Mining further precious metals, The Strut saddles up at a sonic hookah as Sebastian and Professor Louie hydroponically blend with Wilson and Flemons on “Weed Smoker’s Dream,” a sophisticated traipse of the Harlem Hamfats tune from 1936 that clocks out at exactly four minutes and 20 seconds after an extended exhale of Cab Calloway’s “Minnie The Moocher”.

Further 420-friendly cuts include a Gospel-infused re-working of Ray Charles’ number one hit “Let’s Go Get Stoned,” with a soul-baring lead vocal by Ndidi Onukwulu, “What’s The Use of Getting Sober,” Louis Jordan’s first number one hit in 1942, and the 1930s-era Dixieland roll of “Don’t You Make Me High” set to sail by a sublime melody on clarinet.

Other storied sign posts in downtown Uptown are “The Old Folks Started It,” a take on the 1929 Minnie Wallace tune which also references Shelton Brooks’ 1917 hit “Darktown Strutter’s Ball,” “Sing Sing Prison Blues,” a nod to Bessie Smith’s 1924 recording and a, literally, bare-boned rendition of “Jump Jim Crow,” an early American treasure originally “collected” by blackface minstrel Thomas “Daddy” Rice in 1828.

SANKOFA
THE UPTOWN STRUT
1. The Old Folks Started It (ft. Dom Flemons & John Sebastian)
2. Ha-Ha Blues (ft. Ndidi Onukwulu)
3. Weed Smoker's Dream (ft. Sule Greg Wilson & John Sebastian)
4. If Wishes Were Gold (ft. Allison Russell & John Sebastian)
5. It's A Good Thing (ft. Dom Flemons & John Sebastian)
6. Can't Strain My Brain (ft. Ndidi Onukwulu)
7. I Can Tell The World About This (ft. Allison Russell)
8. Brown Skin Girl (ft. Sule Greg Wilson)
9. What's The Use of Getting Sober? (ft. Sule Greg Wilson)
10. Jump Jim Crow (ft. Sule Greg Wilson)
11. Sing Sing Prison Blues (ft. Allison Russell)
12. Sitting In Limbo (ft. Sule Greg Wilson, Ndidi Onukwulu & John Sebastian)
13. Don't You Make Me High (ft. Allison Russell)
14. You Got Me Rollin' (ft. Dom Flemons & John Sebastian)
15. Let's Go Get Stoned (ft. Ndidi Onukwulu)

SANKOFA QUOTES
“Sankofa breathes new life into old Americana.” UTNE

“Sankofa offers a spontaneous, raunchy barnyard romp that bridges the gap between hillbilly country, gospel, and soul.” SSG Music

“A common theme of The Uptown Strut is that the instrumentation complements the songs perfectly. The result is an album that is every bit as fun and mirthful as immersed in heritage and history.” Press Plus 1

ALLISON RUSSELL | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

Mackin' On: CELLESTE

2012-06-13T23:41:00.000-07:00

The last few months for Canadian singer/songwriter/actress/model CELLESTE have been filled with jet setting, rock 'n roll infamy and a lot of hard work.

From opening an arena show for Alice Cooper to modeling in Cancun for Royal Resorts to performing at the official opening gala for the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada to launching a vintage glam jewelry line carried by renowned online jeweler ICE to releasing a supremely catchy new single as a introduction to her sophomore recording being released this fall, her fancy footwork has been fast and furious deep in the heart of Montreal.

Celleste graciously took a break from wrapping up her new album to indulge in a piping hot platter of Mack and cheese.

1. As a follow-up to your 2010 album Ready To Fly, you’ve just released an addictive new single called Join The Infestation that’s chock full of booty-shaking funk and syncopated hand claps. Whom did you work with on the track and is there a whole album on the horizon?

C: On Ready To Fly, I had an amazing experience working with singer-songwriter/producer Eric Dick, so obviously I co-wrote my new song "Join The Infestation" with him again. Eric totally gets me and my music, and he brings out the best in me when it comes to working in the studio. I'm very happy to say that we're working on my second album right now, which will be coming out in the fall :)

2. In the accompanying JTI video, you bust out some pretty fancy footwork which makes me think of the original “Footloose” (it was blasphemous to remake such a classic!). Considering songs such as "The Loco-Motion" and the “Cha Cha Slide” were specifically written with the intention of creating a new dance style, is there an actual choreographed routine called The Infestation that you hope will catch on like The Macarena?

C: Ah! Funny question :) All my dancing was actually improvised, it was really just about me having fun... Nothing planned there! I only had to rehearse the swing dancing parts...for obvious reasons. As for The Infestation dance...I'm all for it! That would be fun, but I guess I would have to check out the video and learn my own moves again lol

3. You opened for Alice Cooper at the Bell Center in your home base of Montreal. How was it hanging with the elder of Shock Rock? Did he give you any advice? Do you have a favorite song of his?

C: Alice Cooper is the sweetest guy! I gave him an album after soundcheck, we took a picture, did a You Tube video together and then he said: "Can I keep the CD?" Isn't that a cute story? I said: "Please do!". It was an honor to meet him, he's 64 and he's still rockin' out! You have to respect that.

(Btw, AC had Ke$ha sing on “What Baby Wants” for his Welcome 2 My Nightmare release...your voice would have sounded killer on WBW...and you could have listed your name as Celle$te)

C: lol That would of been nice! It's always good to have a $ sign in your name :)

4. On June 7, you performed at "The Grand Evening", the official opening gala for the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada. The prestigious event to benefit local charities will be held at the l'Arsenal Contemporary Art Complex in the Griffintown district of Montreal. I would love to race through the streets of my city. Any desire or possibility to put the pedal to the metal, Formula 1 style?

C: The Grand Prix gala was a great evening to be part of, I was very happy to be invited to perform there. As for racing...I'm not a big fan of speed racing... I did get to see the Grand Prix race, and I certainly respect the intensity those drivers have to endure... but I still can't say I'm a fan!

5. Our government keeps making cuts to Arts funding...our Public Broadcasting System is constantly on the brink but, in Canada, there are grants artists can receive to help them tour (both domestically and internationally) and showcase at conferences, etc. Brilliant! Have you received grant support from the Conseil des arts de Montréal (CAM), the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ) and/or the Canada Council for the Arts (CCA)?

C: There's a lot of politics involved in this area. All the grants from the province of Quebec are for French music only, though it is possible to get a grant for English music from the Canadian government. But as co-owner of an indie record label (MightyMusic.ca), I can say that money often comes with ties... So up until now we've managed to keep our costs as low as possible, and haven't gone the grant route.

6. You have a partnership with the international jewelry boutique ICE for a line called VINTAGE GLAM that includes leather bracelets, steel cuffs, rings, necklaces and earrings (prices range from $60-$300). What are your favorites pieces and which are the top sellers?

C: The Smily Face leather bracelet is a winner on my wrist, but I really love all the pieces. As far as top-sellers... you better talk to Ice! My guess might be the "stainless-steel cuff" bracelet or the "multi-gemstone" silver bracelet...

7. You are very stylish in all of your publicity photos. What are your Top 5 apparel brands and/or shops/stores?

C: Well thank you. I actually work really hard to find my clothes... I make an effort NOT to shop in commercially known stores, or wear brand names. I like my clothes to be unique...so it's always a challenge. I really need a fun designer that I could work with, so I can always feel like "me", and wear my own designs... Working on it!

8. Let’s touch on some favorites:

Delectable at Tim Hortons? Cute Canadian question...but I love my Decaf Soy Mocha at Starbucks :)

Favorite flavor of Yoplait? I only eat organic yogurts...but my favorite flavors are vanilla & mocha. I love fruit, but I'm not a fan of fruit-flavored yogurts!

Adult beverage? Bold, red, Amarone wine...The best! Animal? Pigs and dogs... I love them both equally.

Phone app? My producer & I use some very cool recording apps when we're writing songs, it's very handy and practical, and it allows us to write anywhere and at anytime... for quickly getting down ideas, "FiRe" is great, and for more involved recording there's Meteor, or DAW Multitrack

Brand of lipstick/make-up? No lipsticks, I love my lip balm. As for the rest of my make-up, I use MAC.

Singers? Robert Plant, Shannon Hoon, Fiona Apple, KT Tunstall

Movie? I love sci-fi movies, especially those involving time travel. Back To The Future 2 is a big classic of mine! The latest Star Trek by J.J. Abrams was also great.

Show on CBC? I have to say that I don't watch a lot of TV (so no CBC!), but I always enjoy a quick comedy to clear my mind... The Simpsons usually does the trick :)

Travel destination? I've never been to Italy... I absolutely want to go there for an awesome Amarone Wine tour!

Victoria or Prince Edward Island? Victoria...it's closer to California!

9. There’s a glut of televised singing competitions around the globe. There’s a new one in the U.S. with John Legend, Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Nettles called Duets. So, with that theme in mind, if you could duet with anyone (dead or alive), whom would it be and what song would you want to sing?

C: My fantasy would be to sing the song "Change" with the late Shannon Hoon from Blind Melon, but an awesome duet/collaboration with either Steven Tyler, Lenny Kravitz or Sheryl Crow would also be an amazing experience :)

10. My favorite song from Ready To Fly is “Beyond Words”. Such a beautiful ballad! What is the inspiration for the song?

C: The song is about unconditional love...the kind of love that you can't express in words. We all have someone special in our lives, a friend, a parent, a child... I personally wrote it for my extraordinary dad. He accepted to be in the video with me, which was a fun experience and a magical moment.

11. Are there any charities or organizations that you support that you’d like to give a shout-out to?

C: I support many of them. A shout-out and much love certainly goes to all the organizations concerning animal rights, women's rights, and children. Eventually I would like to focus on a specific one that I'll be dedicating more time and effort to...

12. If you could spend a day with anyone (dead or alive), whom would it be and why?

C: I would love to have a chat with God :) So many things to ask...that would be quite an interesting and informative day.

CELLESTE.COM | CELLESTE TV | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

IN ALCATRAZ 1962; THE DRIVE In 2012; U.S. Demolition Derby Jun 25 - Aug 31

2012-06-12T00:14:00.000-07:00

Northern Virginia metal/hardcore outfit, In Alcatraz 1962, have announced a two-month string of tour dates that will see the quintet traverse the U.S.

Beginning June 25 in Lehighton, PA, the band will hit the road with Float Face Down and The Last Ten Seconds of Life on a “Don’t Be A HaTour” run of dates before linking up with Legacy and This Romantic Tragedy for twenty-six shows from July 31 through August 31.

In June of 1962, on a tiny island isolated in the midst of San Francisco Bay, a daring breakout that had never been tried and had virtually no chance of succeeding was being planned. Four incarcerated criminals were orchestrating their escape from the world's most notorious prison.

Fast forward to 2005, In Alcatraz 1962 was formed by drummer Josh Zupovitz as an after school cover song jam session to escape the prison of boredom but once the band’s lethal chemistry was unleashed upon an unsuspecting public, they quickly sped ahead selling out shows and copies of their 5-song DREAM Ep, which brought them to the attention of Standby Records President Neil Sheehan.

Brandishing a blistering double-kick drum driven sound akin to Sepultura, Pantera and Bullet For My Valentine, the current In Alcatraz 1962 line-up includes vocalist Tyler Baldwin, guitarists Chris Smith and Danny Lapetina, bassist Jonathon Pentz and drummer Josh Zupovitz.

Before the summer onslaught commences, the group is holed up at Cleveland's Studio D Productions with producer Don DeBiase (Modern Day Escape, Beneath The Sky, For All Those Sleeping) putting the finishing touches on its punishing debut full-length record THE DRIVE, due October 9 via Standby Records.

Tracks from THE DRIVE include “Submergence,” “Stagnant,” “The Fatal Flaw,” “There To Take” and “Aspirations” which will make its track premiere on June 30 and be distributed as a free download.

Don't Be A HaTour

FLOAT FACE DOWN (Rite of Passage/Mediaskare Records)
IN ALCATRAZ 1962 (Standby Records)
THE LAST TEN SECONDS OF LIFE

6/25 - Lehighton, PA @ Erin's On First
6/26 - Lemoyne, PA @ The Champ
6/27 - Somerset, PA @ TBA
6/28 - Cleveland, OH @ The Foundry
6/29 - South Bend, IN @ Bender Ballroom
6/30 - Steger, IL @ Another Hole In The Wall
7/01 - Moline, IL @ The River Music Experience
7/02 - Cedar Falls, IA @ Outdoor Fest
7/03 - Fayetteville, AR @ Rogue Lounge
7/05 - Waco, TX @ TBA
7/07 - Clarksville, TN @ The Coup
7/08 - Covington, KY @ TBA
7/11 - Richmond, VA @ Kingdoms
7/12 - Springfield, VA @ Empires
7/13 - Wilmington, DE @ Harmony Grange
7/14 - Tower City, PA @ Sloppy Hog Festival
7/15 - Milford, PA @ Tom Quick

Legacy/This Romantic Tragedy Tour

LEGACY (InVogue Records)
THIS ROMANTIC TRAGEDY
ONE YEAR LATER (CI Records)
IN ALCATRAZ 1962 (Standby Records)

7/31 - Wyandotte, MI @ The Active Room
8/01 - Painesville, OH @ Scores Fun Center
8/03 - Albany, NY @ Valentine's
8/05 - Providence, RI @ Firehouse 13
8/07 - Smithtown, NY @ Smithtown Masonic Temple
8/08 - Stanhope, NJ @ Stanhope House
8/10 - Trenton, NJ @ Championship Bar and Grill
8/11 - Wilmington, DE @ Harmony Grange
8/12 - Richmond, VA @ Kingdoms
8/14 - Boiling Springs, SC @ Sound Stage Music Hall

THIS ROMANTIC TRAGEDY
LEGACY (InVogue Records)
ONE YEAR LATER (CI Records)
IN ALCATRAZ 1962 (Standby Records)

8/15 - Jacksonville, FL @ The Pit
8/16 - Tampa, FL @ Transitions Art Gallery

THIS ROMANTIC TRAGEDY
LEGACY (InVogue Records)
IN ALCATRAZ 1962 (Standby Records)
I, OMEGA (Bullet Tooth Records)

8/17 - Metairie, LA @ The Cypress
8/18 - Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald's
8/19 - San Antonio, TX @ The White Rabbit
8/20 - Ft. Worth, TX @ Tomcats West
8/21 - El Paso, TX @ Lips Lounge
8/22 - Albuquerque, NM @ Gasworks
8/23 - Mesa, AZ @ The Underground
8/24 - Las Vegas, NV @ The Sanctuary
8/25 - Canoga Park, CA @ The Cobalt Cafe
8/26 - Bakersfield, CA @ The Dome
8/28 - San Jose, CA @ Musik Ink Studios
8/29 - Klamath Falls, OR @ The Shasta Grange
8/30 - Tacoma, WA @ Hells Kitchen
8/31 - Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven

IN ALCATRAZ 1962

STANDBY RECORDS FACEBOOK TWITTER

MODERN DAY ESCAPE Launch UNDER THE GUN U.S. Tour (June 7 - July 7)

2012-06-04T23:25:00.000-07:00

Standby Records recording artist Modern Day Escape are set to unleash their propulsive live show June 7 to July 7 on the Under The Gun tour with support from Victory Records recording artists Dr Acula and The Bunny The Bear and InVogue Records recording artist From Atlantis.

Launching in Orange County, CA, the tour will traverse all corners of the U.S. before landing in San Antonio, TX for the final show.

Ticket prices for the Under The Gun tour range from $8.50-$12 with VIP tickets available for sale at Enter The Vault.

Check out sample tracks from each band on the official tour page.

Modern Day Escape, featuring singer James Vegas, drummer Sandra Alva, guitarists Marti Rubels and Mark Burn and Shep on bass, are hitting the road to support the recently released album Under The Gun that features a power-packed title track and the monster anthems “Life’s A Bitch,” “Falling Victim,” “Tiger’s Blood” and “The Syndicate”.

Drawing rave reviews from Outburn and Alternative Press, Under The Gun is available at iTunes and FYE with Hot Topic carrying an exclusive deluxe edition that contains a bonus DVD and an extra track.

UNDER THE GUN TOUR

w/ Modern Day Escape, Dr Acula, The Bunny The Bear, From Atlantis

6/07/2012 Fullerton, CA @ Riff Haus
6/08/2012 Las Vegas, NV @ The Junkyard at 702
6/09/2012 Bakersfield, CA @ Scrambler Park (Rock n’ Roots Festival)
6/10/2012 Medford, OR @ Imperial Ballroom
6/11/2012 Tacoma, WA @ Hells Kitchen
6/12/2012 Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
6/14/2012 Ogden, UT @ Mojo’s
6/15/2012 Denver, CO @ Moe’s
6/16/2012 Lincoln, NE @ Knickerbockers
6/17/2012 Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews
6/19/2012 Peoria, IL @ The Brass Rail
6/20/2012 Joliet, IL @ Mojoes
6/21/2012 Portage, IN @ Camelot Hall
6/22/2012 Cleveland, OH @ Peabody’s
6/23/2012 Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock
6/24/2012 Buffalo, NY @ Broadway Joe’s
6/25/2012 Trenton, NJ @ Championships
6/26/2012 New York, NY @ Webster Hall
6/27/2012 Towson, MD @ Recher Theater
6/28/2012 Springfield, VA @ Empire
6/29/2012 Jacksonville, NC @ Hooligans
6/30/2012 Fayetteville, NC @ Rock Shop
7/01/2012 Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
7/02/2012 Spartanburg, SC @ Ground Zero
7/03/2012 Nashville, TN @ The Muse
7/05/2012 Oklahoma City, OK @ The Conservatory
7/06/2012 Houston, TX @ Scout Bar
7/07/2012 San Antonio, TX @ The Green Room

UNDER THE GUN TOUR

UNDER THE GUN TICKETS

MODERN DAY ESCAPE

DR ACULA

THE BUNNY THE BEAR

FROM ATLANTIS

STAR CITY MELTDOWN Here With You (MP3); Tour Dates June 1 - July 28

2012-05-31T22:48:00.001-07:00

With an explosive stage show, uncompromising confidence, and a sound described as "Journey meets Avenged Sevenfold" that will appeal to fans of Staind, Breaking Benjamin and Godsmack, East Tennessee’s STAR CITY MELTDOWN will release “Here With You,” the first single from their hotly anticipated sophomore album, on June 5 as a free download, via Microsoft SkyDrive.

Also available via scannable QR code on full page ads in the latest issues of Alternative Press, Revolver, AMP, Hails and Horns, Substream and Outburn, “Here With You” appears on the band’s Razorblades and Hand Grenades album due September 25th on Standby Records (Black Veil Brides, Modern Day Escape).

The companion music video will world premiere June 25 on BlankTV.

Standby Records President Neil Sheehan developed the rollout for the single, "Here With You’ seems like the perfect way for Standby Records to kick off the summer! Its addictive hook and passionate lyrics will certainly get stuck in anyone's head, while its message just oozes the vibe of a typical budding summertime relationship. What better way could we find than to introduce Star City Meltdown to the masses than to offer this excellent song to fans for free? What better way is there to introduce the latest band to our Rock N' Roll 2.0 movement? Click the link, and Star City Meltdown will be ‘Here With You’."

Reuniting for round two with former Creed bassist/producer Brett Hestla (Dark New Day, Framing Hanley, Tantric), Razorblades and Hand Grenades is the follow-up to the group’s 2009 release Stick In the Eye which featured the hit single “Ready or Not”.

STAR CITY MELTDOWN
Razorblades & Hand Grenades
1. Dying To Live
2. Say What You Want
3. White Trash Superstar
4. Here With You
5. Untied
6. Not So Lonely
7. Ready Or Not
8. Spotlights & Blue Lights
9. Backfire
10. The Last Time
11. Legend

Johnson City, TN based Star City Meltdown is comprised of singer Brad Dills, guitarist/vocalist Lukas Patterson, bassist Cody Cupp, drummer Dean Andrews Jr. and guitarist Chris Stewart, whom as one of the original members in Black Veil Brides, co-wrote the smash hit “Knives and Pens” which has garnered over 40 million views on You Tube.

Having built a rabid fan base over the past three years while touring with Art of Dying, Saving Abel, Crossfade, Saliva and Korn, Star City Meltdown are locked and loaded to unleash more explosive shows for the remainder of 2012 and well into next year.

STAR CITY MELTDOWN
Tour Dates:
Jun 01 - Pascagoula, MS @ Thunders Tavern
Jun 02 - Tallahassee, FL @ Club Episodes
Jun 05 - Orlando, FL @ Club 57 West
Jun 06 - Rock Hill, SC @ The Money
Jun 07 - Murfreesboro, NC @ Zakk's Coffee House
Jun 08 - Atlanta, GA @ North River Tavern
Jun 09 - Columbus, GA @ Soho
Jun 13 - Mineral Point, MO @ Jerry's Bait Shop
Jun 16 - Elgin, IL @ The Gasthaus Bar
Jun 21 - Bay City, MI @ The Vault
Jun 22 - Cambridge, OH @ Downtown Arena
Jun 23 - Imperial, PA @ Grim’s Roadhouse
Jun 24 - Reading, PA @ The Silo
Jun 27 - Columbus, OH @ O’Sheckys
Jun 28 - Akron, OH @ Ripper Owens Tap House
Jun 29 - Marion, OH @ Tink’s Rock House
Jun 30 - Covington, KY @ Molly Malone’s
Jul 01 - Kent, OH @ Outpost
Jul 04 - Pascagoula, MS @ Thunder’s Tavern
Jul 05 - Columbus, OH @ Soho
Jul 06 - Marietta, GA @ 120 Tavern
Jul 07 - Sheffield, AL @ Sandbar
Jul 27 - Birmingham, AL @ Spirits Of Birmingham Paranormal Fest
Jul 28 - Birmingham, AL @ Spirits Of Birmingham Paranormal Fest

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | YOU TUBE | STANDBY

Dark Nightflight Of Kate Miller-Heidke

2012-05-28T14:42:00.000-07:00

On June 19, singer-songwriter KATE MILLER-HEIDKE, a London based, Australian multi-platinum selling artist, returns with NIGHTFLIGHT, her third solo album and the follow-up to her critically acclaimed 2008 release Curiouser.

Over the course of 11 songs, Nightflight Miller-Heidke (pronounced hide-key) ruminates on homesickness, mortality, love and surrender, in an album that is both sonically lush and emotionally stark, deeply personal and yet utterly panoramic.

A supplementary companion is also available creating a deluxe 18-track version of the new album. Bonus material includes four live cuts and three extra songs.

"Everything I've ever done has been a reaction against the previous thing," Kate says. "Nightflight is definitely a more vulnerable and exposed record than anything I've done before. If Curiouser was a playful, dysfunctional adolescent, Nightflight is more like a damaged, melancholy person in her late 20s.

With Nightflight, we wanted something darker and more organic, more beautiful and more expansive."

Tying into this theme, KMH recently releasesd a lyric video for "The Devil Wears A Suit" which features scenes from "Night Of The Living Dead," the 1968 horror classic directed by George A. Romero and starring Judith O'Dea, Russell Streiner, Bill Hinzman and Duane Jones.

Written between the frenetic jolt of London and the sleepy backwaters of Toowoomba, Nightflight showcases songs about real people's lives.

Recorded over two months in Melbourne, the album was produced by Keir Nuttall with Lindsay Gravina (Rowland S. Howard, Mick Harvey, The Living End, Magic Dirt) in his Birdland studio in Prahran, Melbourne.

Nightflight also features James O'Brien from The Boat People on bass, Gemma Turvey and J.P. Shilo on piano, John Castle (Washington), Steve Pope (Angus & Julia) and Dan Parsons on drums, with Luke Moller (Shane Nicholson) on violin/viola.

Nightflight was then transported to Suffolk in rural England, where it was mixed by Cenzo Townshend (Florence And The Machine, Kaiser Chiefs).

The last three years have taken the Australian artist across the world - from Australia to Asia, the US and UK, audiences have been mesmerised and transformed by her extraordinary talent.

Performing at the Coachella and Lilith festivals and joining Ben Folds on over 100 shows in the US, UK & Europe, Ms. Miller-Heidke also delighted to rave reviews as the British dancing girl in the English National Opera's The Death Of Klinghoffer at the Coliseum in London.

She's now gearing up to take a global flight thru the night for the duration of 2012. Be sure to catch her wondrous Nightflight in a city near you!

KATE MILLER-HEIDKE
NIGHTFLIGHT
(Deluxe Version):

Disc One:
1. Ride This Feeling
2. Sarah
3. Nightflight
4. The Tiger Inside Will Eat The Child
5. Let Me Fade
6. I'll Change Your Mind
7. Humiliation
8. In The Dark
9. Beautiful Darling
10. The Devil Wears A Suit
11. Fire And Iron

Disc Two (Bonus Disc):
1. Mother And Sun
2. Your Friends Will Tell You Who You Are
3. Hey Little Girl (Live)
4. In The Dark (Live)
5. The Devil Wears A Suit (Live)
6. Fire And Iron (Live)
7. Starlings

KATE MILLER-HEIDKE
TOUR DATES:
Jun 05 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Hotel Cafe
Jun 07 - Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy & Harriet's
Jun 12 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Hotel Cafe
Jun 19 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Hotel Cafe
Jun 25 - Chicago, IL @ Schubas
Jun 27 - Toronto, CAN @ Drake Hotel
Jul 03 - New York, NY @ Rockwood Music Hall
Jul 07 - Vienna, VA @ Jammin' Java
Jul 10 - New York, NY @ Rockwood Music Hall
Jul 12 - Cambridge, MA @ T.T. the Bear's Place
Jul 15 - Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live
Jul 16 - Philadelphia, PA @ Barnes & Noble Walnut St (Noon)
Jul 17 - New York, NY @ Rockwood Music Hall
Aug 10 - Adelaide, AUS @ Governor Hindmarsh Hotel
Aug 11 - Perth, AUS @ The Astor Theatre
Aug 14 - Melbourne, AUS @ Corner Hotel
Aug 15 - Melbourne, AUS @ Corner Hotel
Aug 23 - Sydney, AUS @ Metro Theatre
Aug 25 - Brisbane AUS @ HiFi Bar
Sep 16 - Cary, NC @ Koda Booth Amphitheater (w/ Ben Folds Five)
Sep 18 - Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle (w/ Ben Folds Five)
Sep 19 - N. Charleston, SC @ Perf. Arts Center (w/ Ben Folds Five)
Sep 23 - Dallas, TX @ Palladium Ballroom (w/ Ben Folds Five)
Sep 24 - Austin, TX @ Stubb's Waller Creek Amph. (w/ Ben Folds Five)
Sep 28 - Kansas City, MO @ Starlight Theatre (w/ Ben Folds Five)

KATE MILLER-HEIDKE

FACEBOOK | TWITTER

High On Ghostly Gold Panda Mountain

2012-05-25T17:21:00.001-07:00

As an artist/producer who's never felt the need to try and find his place, or even give the notion of attempting to fit in credence, GOLD PANDA (born Derwin Schlecker) returns with a new split, "Mountain/Financial District," his first new release since last year's critically-acclaimed DJ-Kicks comp for !K7 Records.

It's a comeback that he describes as a "short story," hinting at something in the future that, even he confesses, could twist in a completely different direction to the two tracks here – of which Derwin describes as “modern hip-hop.”

Schlecker adds, “the 808 snares on ‘Mountain’ are a nod to Noah "40" Shebib and some-time Drake collaborators, Boi-1da. 'Financial District,' at 125 bpm is, I guess, an accelerated version of that.”

Reflective of Gold Panda’s increased time travelling the globe and jumping from place to place, "Mountain" and "Financial District" most definitely sit apart from each other in different atmospheres.

"Mountain," the slightly warmer of the two, with it's huge reverberating percussive sound cocooning a myriad of skittering, pirouetting samples.

"Financial District" meanwhile revolves around off-kilter drones that play off one another before being hoisted up by the return of that resolute rhythm. The track titles, Derwin explains, indirectly came about after a discussion with Brainfeeder artist Matthewdavid, who told him he needed better names for the tracks.

“Listening to "Mountain" again on a trip to Japan over New Year's, we flew directly over Mt. Fuji and it seemed to just fit what I was seeing out of the window.

"Financial District" was just the opposite of the vast expanse of the mountain I guess. Crowded, synthetic and shiny… repetitive – and of course both can erupt at any time.”

BUY MOUNTAIN/FINANCIAL DISTRICT (7" vinyl or MP3)

Product Notes: Standard weight clear vinyl, limited to 1,200 units worldwide. 7" jacket with spine features front cover art by Andy Gilmore, with type and layout by Michael Cina.

GOLD PANDA
Live Dates:
Jun 02 - London UK @ Field Day Festival
Jun 10 - Manchester, UK @ Parklife Festival
Jun 23 - Ballinlough, IRE @ Castle Body & Soul Festival
Jun 30 - Evreau, FRA @ Rock Dans Tous Ses Etets Festival
Jul 07 - Amsterdam, NED @ Pitch Festival
Jul 26 - Miami, FL @ Bardot
Jul 27 - Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lodge
Jul 28 - Vancouver, CAN @ Electric Owl
Jul 29 - Portland, OR @ WTF Festival
Aug 01 - Washington DC @ U Street Music Hall
Aug 02 - New York, Y @ The Bowery Ballroom
Aug 04 - Salzburg, AU @ Stuck! Festival
Aug 19 - Leicester, Uk @ Summer Sundae Festival
Aug 30 - Pula, CRO @ Outlook Festival
Sep 02 - Los Angeles, CA @ FYFest
Sep 06 - Pula, CRO @ Outlook Festival
Sep 09 - Bestival, UK @ Isle of Wright
Oct 05 - Vienna, AU @ Waves Festival
Oct 12 - Bologna, ITA @ Robot Festival

GOLD PANDA | TWITTER | FACEBOOK