Matrix 2 A Muse

I the MIGHTY & FOR ALL I AM Crater Chain Reaction By Unmitigated Spasm

2012-05-22T00:53:00.000-07:00

Karma Never Sleeps...

And neither does Denny's

After battling the 101 and the 5 for two hours to get down to lovely Anaheim, California and its world famous all ages rock club Chain Reaction, I found myself craving some sustenance, both in the form of heavily amplified power chords and low fat protein.

Thankfully, Denny's is a stone's skip away from Reaction, so I saddled up to the counter for a quick Fit Fare egg white omelette with spinach and mushrooms and a side of turkey bacon.

Aye, aye the mighty fare fit for a king.

I the Mighty soon delivered a heaping plate of much the same...high levels of protein fueled by complex carbohydrates and iron.

Singer Brent Walsh, guitarist Ian Pedigo, bassist Chris Hinkley and drummer Blake Dahlinger hit the stage at 7:30 sharp as the opener for the evening with a brief six-song set whereby they played their brilliant new Karma Never Sleeps Ep in sequential order.

What more could a fan want???

Well, there was one fan yelling for them to play "Hearts and Spades" from their 2010 Ep of the same name but at least he wasn't yelling "Freebird" or "Dead Is The New Black" from headliners Ice Nine Kills.

Usually fans have to wait 20-30 years to hear their favorite band do one of their seminal albums in its entirety in tunestack order...and here it was dangling down ready to drown all around.

And what a thrilling throwdown...kind of like Dancing on a Tightrope knowing that if you fell, it didn't matter, because a cauldron of scorching hot rock would roil your soul.

As all writers, and actually most people in general tend to do, I carefully considered a bevy of artists to compare I the Mighty to but the list soon grew immesurably long....let's just say that ItM is one complete high octane smackdown that can not only recreate their studio wizardry with infinite precision, but will appeal to anyone who likes to watch a tight-knit band dialed in deep where karma never sleeps.

Be it the Warped tour sun gods and goddesses, the jam band twirlers, the prog-rock freaks & geeks, the KROQ neophytes or the emo screamos, I the Mighty will stand tall and tidy.

Add youthful exuberance, good looks and engaging melodies soaked in hazmat harmonies and you have a sure fire recipe for success.

I'd like a Mighty Fit Fare platter of Karma Shawarma en Fuego por favor.

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Next up were Chicago-based Equal Vision labelmates FOR ALL I AM, whom used to be called I, Artificial.

Singer Aria Yavarinejad was stoked to be playing Chain Reaction for the first time, fulfilling a childhood dream. Chase Wagster (guitar/vocals), Tom Crisp (guitar), Mario Roche (bass) & drummer Aaron Martinez were amped up too.

Not an atom of artificial, just a formidable wall of palatial Marshall.

Once again, eager teenagers were seared rare with a brief action packed set, though this time wandering hand-in-hand with the big bad Lone Wolf.

And he was about to huff and puff and blow our house down, discarding inhibitions to be Overthrown:

While FAIA had a few faithful on hand at the beginning of the show, everyone in the room was a fan by the end of the set...a true testament to the band's vulgar display of power and, especially, Aria's ability to engage the crowd to jump, to mosh, to scream, to sing and to just expend every ounce of pent up energy and have a good time.

Because if he's living out a childhood dream as dusk sets on a Thursday eve in Orange County at a Sucrose bar, mighty as well make it a memorable one since for all we are is a collage of skin and bones and blood and sweat & tears.

We sustained a chain reaction of immense satisfaction and I immediately felt the urge to see if Denny's served porridge to fortify my divine because...

The Lone Wolf Never Sleeps

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(Grazie: Natalie Bisignano @ Equal Vision Records)

HALEY ROSE Happily Ever After; The Most Tragically Romantic Song EVER!

2012-05-20T01:32:00.000-07:00

I think I've fallen under

A magic spell

Something I heard about once

In a fairytale...

HALEY ROSE
Happily Ever After
Lyrics:

I think I've fallen under
A magic spell
Something I heard about once
In a fairytale

See, I just wait here,
It won't take long...
For Prince Charming
To come along.

He'll kill the dragon,
And set me free...
And Happily Ever After
We'll always be.

All the king's horses
And all the king's men,
They'll never put me
Together again.

There's no glass slipper, baby,
No magic here.
And no fairy godmothers' ever
Gonna appear.

Locked in the tower,
This tale is over.
Where it began...
I'm drinkin' poison, yeah.

Sedated forever
Under this spell.
And no one will know
Because there's no one to tell.

All the king's horses
And all the king's men,
They'll never put me
Together again.

There's no glass slipper, baby,
No magic here.
And no fairy godmothers' ever
Gonna appear.

I'll wait forever
To spend forever
I'll wait forever
For happily, happily, happily...
I'll wait forever
To spend forever...
I'll wait forever for happily,
happily,
Happily Ever After.

Stopping listeners in their tracks upon a single listen, "Happily Ever After" appears on Haley's DREAMGIRL Ep released via Dark Fantasy Records, owned/operated by electro-rock duo Blood On The Dance Floor.

Dahvie Vanity and Jayy Von Monroe of BOTDF have taken the self-anointed Princess of Fucking Darkness (a long overdue counterpart to Grandmaster Ozzy as the Prince of FD) under their bloody wing inviting Haley to contribute to their new Evolution album releasing June 19.

Dahvie & Jayy also had her join them on stage for "Frankenstein and The Bride" during the duo's Fight To Unite Tour this spring.

The FTU trek advocated for anti-bullying among American youth and was sponsored by punk rock apparel company Lip Service and anti-bullying organization Musicians Opposed to Bullying (M.O.B.).

Other support acts included New Years Day, William Control, Deuce & Brokencyde!

Ms. Rose hath conjoined with Daisy Rock Girl Guitars as an artist;

A Rose and A Daisy

Flowers of the Apocalypse;

How Bittersweet they Smell...

Solanum dulcamara for Romeo

Celastrus scandens for Juliet

As the stars of the Princess continue to malign,

And Darkness continues to gel,

Her magic spell shall propel....

Happily

Happily Ever After.

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PANTERA Vulgar Display Of Power; A New Level Of Biomechanical Radical

2012-05-16T23:59:00.000-07:00

The 20th anniversary edition of Pantera’s VULGAR DISPLAY OF POWER, a landmark album widely acknowledged as one of metal’s most enduring and influential masterworks, is available now as all physical and digital retail outlets.

Recorded by singer Philip Anselmo, guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott, bassist Rex Brown and drummer Vinnie Paul, the album has been certified double platinum by the RIAA and features several of the group’s most iconic songs including “Walk,” “Mouth For War,” “This Love,” and “Fucking Hostile.”

The Vulgar Display Of Power reissue also includes the previously unreleased track “Piss,” an incendiary blast of vintage Pantera from the original recording sessions that had long been forgotten until Paul recently discovered it in the band’s vault.

A newly created video for the song recently debuted at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards and has already amassed massive radio airplay and over 1 million views on YouTube.

This Saturday, May 19, Vinnie Paul will be a featured guest on That Metal Show on VH1 Classic at 11PM ET/PT. Paul sits down with hosts Eddie Trunk, Jim Florentine, and Don Jamieson to discuss the 20th Anniversary of Vulgar, the new track “Piss,” as well as some details on his upcoming album with HELLYEAH.

In addition to the Vulgar Display Of Power reissue, Pantera’s Walk EP is also available now for the first time in the U.S. at all digital retail outlets for a suggested list price of $3.99.

Previously released in Japan in 1993, the six-track EP includes two “Cervical” remixes of “Walk” by J.G. Thirlwell and “Biomechanical” remixes of both “Fucking Hostile” and “By Demons Be Driven” by Justin K. Broadrick of the band Godflesh.

The EP is rounded out by live versions of two tracks from Pantera’s previous album Cowboys From Hell, the title track and “Heresy,” recorded live in Moscow at the Monsters Of Rock in 1991.

VULGAR DISPLAY OF POWER (20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION)
Track Listing
CD
1. Mouth For War
2. A New Level
3. Walk
4. Fucking Hostile
5. This Love
6. Rise
7. No Good (Attack The Radical)
8. Live In A Hole
9. Regular People (Conceit)
10. By Demons Be Driven
11. Hollow
12. Piss (Previously Unreleased)

DVD
1. Mouth For War (Live In Italy)
2. Domination/Hollow (Live In Italy)
3. Rise (Live In Italy)
4. This Love (Live In Italy)
5. Cowboys From Hell (Live In Italy)
6. Mouth For War – Video
7. This Love – Video
8. Walk – Video

WALK EP
Track Listing
1. Walk (Cervical Edit)
2. Fucking Hostile (Biomechanical Mix)
3. By Demons Be Driven (Biomechanical Mix)
4. Walk (Cervical Dub Extended)
5. Cowboys From Hell (Live)
6. Heresy (Live)

PANTERA.COM

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Stars In Stereo; Bec Hollcraft & Jordan McGraw Have Spoken For The Broken

2012-05-12T22:46:00.001-07:00

Hot in the heat of SXSW 2010, I ambled over to Rusty Spur to see an artist named Becca. I, along with several dozen people, were in for quite a treat as Bec Hollcraft hit the stage with guns blazin' on her six string. Singing songs from her album Alive!!, Becca was a cool waft of fresh air in the maddening cloud of hipster indie rock.

Not only were her songs fizzy pop rock candy, Ms Hollcraft could shred with the best of 'em, even playing some tasty licks with the guitar behind her head...was I watching the embodiment of Jeff Beck and Ritchie Blackmore in the body of a 20-year old girl? You're damn right I was. As a prodigy at the age of ten, Becca had already spent half her life perfecting her craft, one which was discovered by Meredith Brooks when she was thirteen.

After the conference was over, I came to learn from an associate, whom was working with her, that her biggest audience was in Japan, which is where a "Best of" CD/DVD hit stores in March 2011. With no plans for a stateside companion release, there wasn't any word of a future album to come. Life went on.

So when a tweet crossed my timeline about a month ago announcing that Becca (aka Bec, short for ReBECca) was now fronting a band called Stars In Stereo, I was eager to know more, but other than a free download of an amazing new song called "The Broken," there wasn't much more to know about SinS.

The enchantment of a mystery began.

Soon thereafter, a tweet asked whom in LA would like to see the band play...though with no details. Curious. Mystery combing an elusive path.

And then another bread crumb.

Stars In Stereo would play the Troubadour on Sunday April 22. I went to the Troubadour web site to buy tickets and the calendar said "Private Event" on 4/22. No way to buy tickets to a band playing their very first show ever?? Curious-er.

A few days later, less than 140 characters came again. Fans had to tweet the band back to be eligible for possible guest listing. Lucky fans would receive a password for entry. Perhaps they were shooting a video for the band's EPK crossed my mind.

The mystery was now playing loudly in stereo in a Sims-style game of Myst. Cognitive transmission intact.

The morning of the show, a stream of responses littered Twitter announcing the password for entry was The Broken. An onion wrapped in SinS smelled deliciously sweet.

Arriving at the Troubadour, we were not asked to recite the "secret" password, but were greeted by a well-dressed woman that welcomed us. Curiosity continued to swirl.

The Secrets Have Spoken...We Are The Broken!

And that's when I felt like I entered level two of an alternate reality...

Were we all extras in a Muppet Movie sequel?

Was it Year Zero? Were we Fixed at Zero?

I went into the main bar to the left of the front entrance, and was met with the notion that perhaps, in jeans and a tee shirt, I was a bit under-dressed for a rock show???

The area was packed with well-heeled industry types and the bar itself was plastered with trays of imported salami, prosciutto, cheeses and baguettes while a meticulously appointed waitstaff, with platters of pizza with kale, flash-fried shellfish and forkfuls of spaghetti, roamed the crowd.

And to wash it down, there was a full open bar.

And a futuristic dessert cart with astonishingly decadent chocolate truffles decorated as sparkly glam pops. Blatantly blissful and seductively SinS-ful!

Curiosity had stumped the pretty kitty...but it was going to be a glittery night in the city.

I then overheard someone chattering that they worked on the Dr. Phil show. And with that I glanced to my left and noticed a tall man in a crisp white dress shirt. I turned away to grab another succulent hors d'oeuvre and then did a double take. It was the "actual Dr. Phil" standing next to me.

Ok, do they ever do episodes of Punk'd with entire groups of people? Was this a weird Tim Burton-inspired Flash Mob?

What the Hell was going on? This reality TV channel was deep in the dial. Had I not come to the Troubadour to see a little known (and little known about) rock band play their inaugural show?

I had. We had.

What I soon learned was that one of the guitar players in Stars In Stereo is Jordan McGraw...son of Dr. Phil McGraw (did not know the Doctor's last name. And now I do). Everything came into focus. The reveal.

Now it was time to rock.

All Together, we will lose it all...

Flanked by Jordan and Ryan “Frogs” McCormack (and his trademark mohawk) on Guitars, Drew Langan on Drums and Justin Siegel on Bass, Bec was back where she belonged...rockin' in the free world...yes, an intentional allusion to the fact that Neil Young played his first solo show at The Troubadour in June of 1969.

Playing seven original songs, including the arena-ready anthem "The Broken" and a epic version of Nine Inch Nails "Closer," Bec's voice sounded phenomenal as she commanded the attention of the enthusiastic crowd with the confidence of a budding superstar.

Complimenting Bec's riffage, Jordan is also a deft guitar player with a commanding stage presence. In only a matter of time, Hollcraft and McGraw will be superstars in stereo.

Over the course of their tight-knit set, Stars In Stereo came across as extremely well-rehearsed, both sonically, and showmanship wise...even having part of their entourage pass out flashing multi-colored glow sticks to the entire audience...which, of course, will look fantastic in the EPK!

The "first" show needed to be well-choreographed with a national tour with The Used and Dead Sara on the horizon (begins today in Buffalo).

43 years After the Gold Rush, another precious stone illuminated the iconic stage...and its incandescence shone like stars in stereo...

How I wonder what you are

Up above the world so high,

Like a diamond in the sky

Twinkle---Twinkle

Stars in Stereo

Troubadour

W. Hollywood, CA

Set List (4/22/12):

1. Dealing Secrets

2. All Together

3. Red-eyed Romance

4. Closer (Nine Inch Nails cover)

5. At The Stroke Of Midnight

6. Violence

7. The Broken

8. Every Last Thing

Stars In Stereo
Tour Dates
May 12 - Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom (w/ The Used & Dead Sara)
May 13 - Albany, NY @ Northern Lights (w/ The Used & Dead Sara)
May 15 - Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre Living Arts (The Used/Dead Sara)
May 16 - Huntington, NY @ Paramount (w/ The Used & Dead Sara)
May 18 - Providence, RI @ Lupo's (w/ The Used & Dead Sara)
May 19 - Boston, MA @ House of Blues (w/ The Used & Dead Sara)
May 21 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza (w/ The Used & Dead Sara)
May 22 - Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock (w/ The Used & Dead Sara)
May 23 - Charlotte, NC @ Fillmore (w/ The Used & Dead Sara)
May 30 - Silver Spring, MD @ Fillmore (w/ The Used & Dead Sara)
May 31 - Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart's (w/ The Used & Dead Sara)
Jun 01 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave (w/ The Used & Dead Sara)
Jun 03 - Winnipeg, CAN @ Garrick (w/ The Used & Dead Sara)
Jun 05 - Edmonton, CAN @ Starlite (w/ The Used & Dead Sara)
Jun 06 - Calgary, CAN @ Macewan (w/ The Used & Dead Sara)
Jun 09 - Vancouver, CAN @ Vogue (w/ The Used & Dead Sara)
Jun 10 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox (w/ The Used & Dead Sara)
Jun 11 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theatre (w/ The Used & Dead Sara)

STARS IN STEREO

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(Stars In Stereo Troubadour photos by Picksysticks)

Mackin' On: Bohème (Vive La Vie)

2012-05-08T19:24:00.000-07:00

From late 1999 to early 2008, Cassidy Catanzaro was the frontwoman and primary songwriter in Antigone Rising. After releasing four independent albums, the all-female rock band was signed to Lava/Atlantic Records, and its 2005 major label debut From the Ground Up sold upwards of 500,000 copies.

Celebrated for the excitement of her live performances, Cassidy toured/played shows with The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Dave Matthews, Rob Thomas, The Allman Brothers, Macy Gray, Raphael Saadiq, Charice & Norah Jones.

After releasing music as The Cassidy Project in 2009/2010, she moved West and adopted the name Bohème to mark a new chapter in her career, and in her life.

The excitement continues with her recently released album Follow The Freedom, which contains the infectious single "Blind Spot". Having just finished a round of sold-out shows on the East coast, she's gearing up for a month-long Tuesday night residency (in June) at The (refreshingly cool) Mint in West LA.

Before indulging in four delicious bites of sumptuous Mint, Bohème sampled a tasty bowl of steaming hot Mack with a dash of finely grated Parmesan cheese.

1. I have friends in a band called New Years Day that have been battling the U2 song of the same name in the Google search results sweepstakes. You’re up against the revered opera of Giacomo Puccini, which has 116-year head-start on you. Is there any literal or tangential connection to the Henri Murger novel Scènes de la vie de bohème from which La Bohème is based?

Bohème: Not particularly beyond the shared romanticization of the Bohemian lifestyle which Murger's short stories portrayed. I do sometimes Google Bohème though and wonder what I'm doing in a bustle and pin curls and I realize it's the opera and not me.

2. I’m sure it was a blast being a young bohemian living in the Latin Quarter of Paris in the 1840s. Any plans to bring that carefree essence forward and do an intimate show or have a bacchanalian gathering at La Bohème in West Hollywood?

Bohème: My experience is one doesn't have to work too hard to create that atmosphere on any given night in WeHo. But I do encourage people to come, enjoy a cocktail and let their extensions down. It's gonna be a barn burner..that's a promise.

3. You were the lead singer of the all-female rock band Antigone Rising for 8 years and were able to play shows with The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Dave Matthews and The Allman Brothers. Obviously, some of the most legendary highest-grossing touring acts ever! Out of all the soundchecks, shows, after-parties and the like, which one stands out and why?

Bohème: Oh man. Two come to mind, the night Gregg Allman stopped me in the hallway after everyone had gone and asked if he could get up and do one of my songs with us the next night in Kansas City. And the absolute Metropolis The Stones haul in and out of their backstage every night. Themed rooms...multiple cuisines. I'm pretty sure there was a French quarter...

4. You recently toured the East coast and are getting ready for a month-long Tuesday-night residency at The Mint in June. In addition to playing songs from your new album Follow The Freedom, will it be a Jon Brion Largo-vibe, where one night your pal Rob Thomas might join in on a duet of “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” or Steve Perry might stop by to reprise the background vocals he contributed on the remix of the title track?

Bohème: Wouldn't that be awesome? They might rabbit...they might. :)

5. You’ve inhabited NYC and LA. Please help settle the score:

Where is the Best pizza?
Ray's Famous, Ray's, Famous Ray's, The Famous Rays Pizza (A little NYC humor)

Best sushi? Sushi Yasuda (204 East 43rd Street, NYC)

Best sports teams? Yankees and Jets

Letterman or Leno?
Not answering that. I'm trying to get on those shows!

Ferguson or Fallon? OK, Fallon...but really like Ferguson too.

Worst congestion? Cross Bronx nightmare horror show

Best music venue in each city? Beacon in NYC, The Mint in LA

Best shopping: Soho? Melrose? 5th Ave? Rodeo Drive? Or?
Elizabeth St area

6. You sing. You write. You act. You perform. You entertain. Any other passions that occupy your mind and your time?

Bohème: I like to jump rope and play with Lucy, my dog baby. I like to cook too...maj. And I really like hanging out with people who make me hysterically laugh. Laughing and things that are wickedly funny are a big passion.

7. Carson Daly just announced your back-story. You’re about to audition for The Voice. What song would you sing and which of the coaches would you want as yours and why?

Bohème: These are good questions! I would sing "Nobody Knows" by Pink and I'd want Xtina. She's still the best live singer out there period end of convo. Much to be learned from that diva.

8. Armed with a discretionary $1888 in cold hard cash to splurge wantonly, how would you spend the dolla billz?

Bohème: I'd pay for a month at a hotel for some homeless kids. There's a lot of them out here and I have a special pain in my heart for them.

9. Going one step further. Removing all logistics, you have 28 days to travel anywhere in the world at your leisure. You can travel extravagantly or thriftily. Where would you go? Anything in particular you would want to see or experience?

Bohème: I'd go to Tibet. For the reasons one goes there.

10. Is there a special Catanzaro family recipe that gets passed along to each generation? Or a new one concocted by you that will begin the tradition?

Bohème: Funnily enough...there's an italian stuffing recipe that's guarded like the nuke codes. I'm still working on getting my cousin drunk enough to let it leak.

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

Bohème: The Palmyra Foundation brings books to the school children of the poorest and most remote villages in Jamaica. They're a beautiful charity and very close to my heart. And anything in your town that helps homeless youth. Rob Thomas has Sidewalk Angels...do something for them if you can.

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

Bohème: The Dalai Lama. 'Cuz I need it. :)

BOHEME

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Matt Skiba's Babylon Embodies Alkaline Chemical Romance Of Dark Elegance

2012-05-07T00:06:00.000-07:00

A trooper, a vagabond, a minstrel and an artist - over the course of fifteen years and eight full-length albums as the lead singer/songwriter for Chicago’s Alkaline Trio, Matt Skiba has been all of these things.

Touring the world, heart on sleeve, Skiba has consistently penned some of the great dark pop anthems of the past decade. For both major labels and indies, whether it be acoustic ballads or antagonistic anthems, Skiba is an icon of the outsider and he has remained a singular voice of a sub-genre he helped to create.

Now, after so many years as part of the band that has come to define him, Skiba has stepped out from the Trio to create Babylon, the debut album from Matt Skiba and the Sekrets.

Babylon doesn’t mark a major sonic departure from the infectiously catchy, sanguine-stained tunesmanship Skiba is known for.

The songs are still cleverly-crafted and instantly memorable, but the details of the tracks on Babylon are what separate this album from all of his previous output.

His independence from the confines of a group dynamic allow the songs to take flight, subtleties intact, and elevate the music from mere songs to exquisite songcraft.

Of his unfettered creativity, Skiba explains, “Working as part of a group is great, but it’s a democracy. You hear something in your head and play it, then the other guys comment and you compromise. That’s what being in a band is about. I wanted to create that music in my head – not a dissected and altered version of it.”

Teaming up with AFI’s Hunter Burgan on bass and My Chemical Romance’s Jarrod Alexander on drums, Babylon remains the creation of Skiba himself. “It’s a band, but it’s not a band. It was great to have Hunter and Jarrod come in and play. They are both great musicians and it was a thrill to play with them. Everyone involved in the album breathed life into the ideas, making them songs and giving those songs a foundation that couldn't be stronger or more inspired.”

His singular vision shows the true breadth of his songwriting skills, from the uptempo chant of the album opener and lead single “Voices” to the heartfelt, acoustic strains of its closer, “Angel of Deaf” In between tracks like “Olivia”, a paean to the pain only someone you love can cause, and the tongue in cheek devil’s hook of “Luciferian Blues” take the listener on aural adventure that is simultaneously familiar and fresh.

“My songwriting – whether it be for Alkaline or for Skiba and the Sekrets – comes from the same place. I craft songs a certain way and there is always going to be a piece of what I’ve done before in it,” he explains.

Fans of Alkaline Trio will immediately fall in love with tracks like “You” and “The End of Joy”, while the 80’s post-punk new wave synth of “Falling Like Rain” may take some by surprise.

Babylon offers something for those just coming to the party and those who have been there for years.

Not merely a studio experiment, Matt Skiba and the Sekrets will be touring extensively behind Babylon. The shows are sure to be equal parts intimate and explosive, with Skiba performing the entire album along with a few unexpected surprises.

“I can’t wait to play these songs live. It’s always exciting to try new stuff out, and to do it with an all new band – who knows who’ll be coming along for the ride when we do this live – is going to be great.”

MATT SKIBA
Babylon
1. Voices
2. All Fall Down
3. Luciferian Blues
4. Haven't You?
5. The End of Joy
6. You
7. Olivia
8. Falling Like Rain
9. How the Hell Did We Get Here?
10. Angel of Deaf

MATT SKIBA and the SEKRETS
Tour Dates:
Jun 07 - Chicago, IL @ Metro
Jun 08 - Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
Jun 09 - Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of the Living Arts
Jun 10 - Washington DC @ Black Cat
Jun 12 - Cambridge, MA @ Middle East
Jun 13 - Brooklyn, NY @ The Bell House
Jun 20 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
Jun 22 - Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
Jun 23 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
Jul 24 - Pomona, CA @ Glass House

MATT SKIBA FACEBOOK

Mackin' On: JENNY MANN of Blameshift

2012-05-02T02:25:00.001-07:00

Led by the powerful vocals and commanding stage presence of Jenny Mann, New York based rock band Blameshift, featuring guitarist Tim Barbour, bassist Vince Monticciolo and drummer Nathan Saake, have been blazing a path across the nation for the past five years, logging over 150,000 miles of terrain in an eco-friendly tour bus powered by vegetable oil.

Matching an insatiable work ethic with dramatic live performances and a growing repertoire of show-stopping anthems and catchy ear candy (garnering placements on MTV and video game "Call of Duty"), the Long Island quartet continues to prove why retailer Hot Topic anointed Blameshift one of the "Best Unsigned Bands" in the land.

Jenny and the boys are gearing up for another run of shows and have an incredible new Ep on the horizon (they've been playing two new songs, "Revolution" and "Better Without You (C'est La Vie)" from it during their live shows).

Ms Mann graciously took a few minutes to indulge in a low-cal bowl of Mack and cheese...

1. We’ll start off with a tough question...

Does your middle name have two “n’s” as well?

JM: Great question...but, unfortunately no!!!! My middle name is Leigh!

2. Blameshift recently recorded six songs in LA with producer Erik Ron. There’s a lush, achingly beautiful ballad that closes the Ep called “Wherever It Goes”. Erik proclaimed it to be one of the favorite songs he’s ever done. Considering he’s worked with Panic! At The Disco, VersaEmerge, Foxy Shazam, Four Year Strong, Hit The Lights, The Academy Is and Good Charlotte, among others, that’s extremely high praise (and well-deserved). What was the inspiration behind the song?

JM: That song is actually extremely meaningful to me. I wrote it with Erik at a time where everything in my life was changing. I was moving out of the house I grew up in, it was being sold and knocked down, I wasn't sure where I was gonna live, amongst other things. I was at a crossroads where I just wasn't sure where my life was headed.

Erik and I locked ourselves in the studio all day and wrote, "Wherever It Goes". It was so raw and emotional we didn't even add harmonies or backing vocals. It's just an honest song about growing up and searching to find your place.

3. You’re in the process of shopping the new songs. In the meantime, do you have any plans to release a second single/video from The Black Rose?

JM: We actually plan on doing a video for a song from the upcoming EP that we just recorded in the next few months. Stay tuned for that!!

4. Blameshift is hitting the road in June with Straight Line Stitch. What a fantastic pairing...Alexis is an incredible singer too! I hope I get to see one of the shows (tour dates below).

Rather than chunes, what are your fave five apparel brands to accessorize yourself with that you can’t leave Long Island without?

JM: Hmmmm... I don't think I really have any favorite brands. I am more into buying random items from random stores. The five items I couldnt leave Long Island without are my studded combat boots, my leather jacket, leggings, leg warmers and headbands.

5. Being on the road with a bunch of guys, what reality show is it closest to on a regular basis:

a) Ice Road Truckers or American Chopper? Ice road truckers
b) Whisker Wars or Storage Wars? Storage wars
c) Diners, Drive-ins and Dives or Iron Chef? D, D and D!
d) Jackass or Ridiculousness? Jackass
e) Jersey Shore or The Real Housewives of New Jersey? Jersey Shore (Tim is the Situation ;) )

6. Blameshift tours incessantly each year in your eco-friendly vehicle that runs on vegetable oil. I’m guessing there’s enough used oil in each and every town to power your RV. What the best place to re-fuel, McDonalds? How far can you travel on one fill-up?

JM: Actually, McDonald's has some of the worst oil. Places like Japanese and Chinese restaurants are the best because they don't re-use the same oil over and over like some of the fast food places do. Any restaurant that will clog your arteries will probably clog our bus too! We have a 70 gallon tank in our bus, so we can travel 700 miles on that!

7. Being a vegan in large swaths of our great land must be a challenge from time to time. What’s your go-to food in anytown USA? And for the other road warriors out there, what are your Top 3 vegan dining spots at home and/or on the road?

JM: It's extremely difficult for a vegan to eat in much of this country. I eat at Golden Corral a lot because they have a big salad bar and I can take it to go. I also eat Taco Bell because their beans are vegan. If all else fails, Wal-mart always has hummus and vegetables. That's a staple.

My Top 3 vegan dining spots around the country would have to be Pita Pit, Panera Bread (awesome black bean soup and cilantro hummus) and Chipotle!

8. I really enjoyed your rendition of Rihanna “We Found Love” at Texas Rockfest at SXSW this year (their showcase made my Top 10).

You’ve also done covers of other big-chorus pop songs like Yellowcard “Only One”, Oasis “Wonderwall”, Justin Timberlake "Cry Me a River" and Bruno Mars “Grenade” (check You Tube to see 'em). So, if you were auditioning for The Voice, what song would you sing and which of the coaches would you want as yours and why?

JM: I would probably do an Aerosmith or Queen song. I would definitely do a song by a male artist. Its always fun to hear a song written for a male done by a female.

And, I would definitely choose Cee-Lo! He is definitely the best coach and it seems like he genuinely cares about his artists.

9. Armed with a discretionary $1888 in cold hard cash to splurge wantonly, how would you spend the dolla billz?

JM: Shoes, sunglasses, costume jewelry, Sally Hansen nail strips and makeup. Any leftover money I would spend at Whole Foods...I'm obsessed with that place.

10. Going one step further. Removing all logistics, you have 28 days to travel anywhere in the world at your leisure. You can travel extravagantly or thriftily. Where would you go? Anything in particular you would want to see or experience?

JM: I have always dreamed of going on an African Safari. I would definitely want to do that. I would probably spend some time in Israel too. I have really good friends there and have not had a chance to go yet. My sister went last year and it changed her life.

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

JM: I recently teamed up with an amazing company called Rockin' Wellness. They make total body nutrition shakes that are raw, vegan and made from the world's top superfoods. I have never found a company that I am so excited about. They support music and health...what more could I ask for?

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

JM: That's an easy question. I would choose to spend the day with my best friend, mentor and role model...my grandpa.

He inspires me every day!

BLAMESHIFT TOUR DATES
May 24 - Wantagh, NY @ Mulcahy's
May 25 - Joliett, PA @ The Watering Hole
May 27 - Upper Marlboro, MD @ Six Flags America
May 29 - Fayetteville, NC @ The Rockshop Music Hall (Free Show)
May 31 - Sandy Springs, GA @ North River Tavern
Jun 05 - Austin, TX @ Dirty Dog Bar (w/ Straight Line Stitch)
Jun 06 - Harker Heights, TX @ Ami's Hard Rock (w/ Straight Line Stitch)
Jun 07 - Fort Worth, TX @ Tomcats West (w/ Straight Line Stitch)
Jun 08 - Corpus Christi, TX @ Clicks Paradise (w/ Straight Line Stitch)
Jun 09 - Houston, TX @ Mango's Cafe Houston (w/ Straight Line Stitch)
Jun 15 - Scottsdale, AZ @ Martini Ranch (w/ Straight Line Stitch)

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I the MIGHTY Karma Never Sleeps When You're Dancing On A Tightrope

2012-04-30T01:52:00.000-07:00

I the MIGHTY
With this Ring(ing in my ears)
I thee WED

One of my Top 10 SXSW showcases this year was by San Francisco based I the MIGHTY.

Led by the captivating delivery of singer Brent Walsh and mightily anchored by guitarist Ian Pedigo, bassist Chris Hinkley and drummer Blake Dahlinger, I the MIGHTY made an indelible impression on me as an act ready to breakout in a big way.

Soon after the Mighty onslaught of Austin, Equal Vision Records released a 6-track ItM Ep produced by Erik Ron (VersaEmerge, Panic! At The Disco, Good Charlotte, Four Year Strong, Hit The Lights, Saosin, Blameshift).

Karma Never Sleeps is a 6-pack of stacked tracks Dancing On A Tightrope across a Cutting Room Floor...

I the MIGHTY

Karma Never Sleeps

1. The Dreamer
2. Dancing On a Tightrope
3. Cutting Room Floor
4. The Frame III: Sirocco
5. These Streets Are Alive
6. Escalators

Back in March of 2010, ItM self-released an Ep called Hearts and Spades. You can download it for free at their Bandcamp page (the band has included a "Thank-you" letter...Hearts for their fans are in Spades)

I the MIGHTY
Hearts and Spades
1. Technicolor
2. Modern Medicine
3. Hearts and Spades
4. I the Mighty Defeatist
5. Just Drive

I the MIGHTY
Tour Dates
May 04 - Ogden, UT @ Mojo's (w/ Ice Nine Kills)
May 05 - Boise, ID @ The Venue (w/ Ice Nine Kills)
May 06 - Missoula, MT @ The Connection
May 07 - Seattle, WA @ Studio 7 (w/ Ice Nine Kills)
May 09 - Orangevale, CA @ The Boardwalk (w/ Ice Nine Kills)
May 10 - Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction (w/ Ice Nine Kills)
May 11 - Fresno, CA @ Kuppajoe's
May 12 - Modesto, CA @ FYE

And for those who appreciate tradition done in a non-traditional way, their instrumental rendition of "Carol of the Bells" is Holiday music at its atmospheric best.

As Larry David might say....it's Migh-ty, Migh-ty good!

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FALLING IN REVERSE As Warped Tour Kickoff Awakens The Dead & The USED

2012-04-23T16:48:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what it's like to be Falling In Reverse

Ever wonder what it's like to be Raised By Wolves

Or to be serenaded by a Dead girl

Or to be abused by The Used

Or to Get Wasted until 6:66 in the morning

If so, you know you're Warped

This year, March ended with the roar of a Lion...

The VANS WARPED TOUR kick-off party and press conference assembled at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles on the 29th of March.

Vans Warped Tour artists, including Cherri Bomb, Neo Geo, Vampires Everywhere!, Dead Sara and The Used joined tour founder Kevin Lyman and Steve Van Doren of Vans to celebrate.

Also on hand were local scenesters including Mixi from Stitched Up Heart, Davey Suicide, Danielle Fidelity from Hollywood Waste, photographer Michelle xStar, Ana Lovelis (Cherri Bomb mom) and Todd Brodginski from MSO.

A sea of fans packed the club early and were first treated to a screening of the new tour documentary film NO ROOM FOR ROCKSTARS (from Stacy Peralta and the producers of Dogtown & Z-boys) before Forever Came Calling (the group featured in the NRFR film) came out to kickstart the heart of the party with some live rock 'n roll.

Next up was Matt Toka and his trademark bright green hair. Toka is a real go-getter as he passionately hurtles himself into every performance as if it's his very last. Strutting the stage with great aplomb, his amped up music explodes like a bomb.

Detonating the crowd with favorites "Say10" and "666" ("6:66 in the morning") from his upcoming Reprise/Warner Bros debut, Matt and his band pepper their sets with classic riffs from the likes of Metallica to keep the intensity level at a fever pitch. It's all leading to what I'm imagining will be a bunch of bright green hairdos amongst the throngs along Warped this summer.

Fading from green into yellow, came the first "surprise" guest of the night. Singer Ryan Key, along with violinist Sean Mackin and guitarist Ryan Mendez, stripped down a couple of Yellowcard favorites; "Ocean Avenue" & "Sing For Me".

Next up were the impassioned musings from a Dead girl by the name of Sara. Having seen Dead Sara a few times already this year, it was cool to see them on a bigger stage with a booming sound system and a larger crowd to elevate the energy in the room as singer Emily Armstrong and guitarist Siouxsie Medley delivered yet again with an unforgettable epic rendition of their signature song "Weatherman".

Seeing Ms Armstrong leap from the top of a Marshall stack after the bridge in "Weatherman" is not revolutionary but it sure does seem that way every time. Dead Sara is alive and well in the city of Angels.

The limitless boundary of the Walking Dead was further unhemmed by the straight line stitch of the deluge of The Used.

Singer Bert McCracken and the rest of The Used wrecking crew kicked off their rampage with "the best song ever written" (Nirvana "Smells Like Teen Spirit") before instigating a high voltage rock 'n roll set geared to use and abuse anyone not already having nothing but a good time.

Headlining the evening were Falling In Reverse whom have been busy playing shows in L.A. as of late. A few months ago, they played a raucous sold out show at the House of Blues on Sunset before signing on last minute to open for Guns N' Roses at the Hollywood Palladium.

As was expected, the majority of fans in the audience were in attendance to see the "King of the music scene" Ronnie Radke (as he anoints himself in "Tragic Magic") escape the fate of mediocrity once again. He's a penultimate showman whom knows how to get the most out of both his band and his eagerly responsive flock of worshippers.

At one point, the floor in the mosh pit was vibrating beneath our feet from the exuberance of hundreds of bodies madly falling in reverse over and over again.

Expect the same to happen all summer long...though replace the climate-controlled air conditioning with blazing hot UV rays and you have a hot tamale recipe to unleash a cherished moment of infamy.

"Hi my name is _____ and I'm a Warped Tour addict...

I'm Not A Vampire but I feel one corsing through my veins"...

VANS WARPED TOUR 2012:

6/16 Salt Lake City, UT Utah State Fairpark

6/17 Denver, CO Sports Authority Field at Mile High

6/20 Las Vegas, NV Plaza Hotel & Casino

6/21 Irvine, CA Orange County Great Park

6/22 Pomona, CA Pomona Fairplex

6/23 San Francisco, CA AT&T Park Lot A

6/24 Ventura, CA Seaside Park

6/27 Chula Vista, CA Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre

6/28 Scottsdale, AZ Camelback Park

6/29 Las Cruces, NM New Mexico State University

6/30 San Antonio, TX AT&T Center

7/01 Houston, TX Reliant Center Parking Lot

7/03 Dallas, TX Gexa Energy Pavilion

7/05 Maryland Heights, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

7/06 Auburn Hills, MI The Palace Of Auburn Hills

7/07 Tinley Park, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre

7/08 Shakopee, MN Canterbury Park

7/09 Bonner Springs, KS Sandstone Amphitheatre

7/10 Noblesville, IN Klipsch Music Center

7/11 Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Music Center

7/12 Burgettstown, PA First Niagara Pavilion

7/13 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center

7/14 Montreal, QC Parc Jean Drapeau

7/15 Toronto, ON Molson Canadian Amphitheatre

7/17 Darien Center, NY Darien Lake Performing Arts Center

7/18 Scranton, PA Toyota Pavilion

7/19 Mansfield, MA Comcast Center

7/20 Camden, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center

7/21 Uniondale, NY Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum

7/22 Hartford, CT The Comcast Theatre

7/24 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion

7/25 Virginia Beach, VA Farm Bureau Live At Virginia Beach

7/26 Atlanta, GA Aaron's Amphitheatre

7/27 Orlando, FL Central Florida Fairgrounds

7/28 Miami, FL Cruzan Amphitheatre

7/29 St. Petersburg, FL Vinoy Park

7/30 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

7/31 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center

8/01 Milwaukee, WI Marcus Amphitheater

8/04 Redmond, WA Marymoor Park

8/05 Portland, OR Rose Quarter Riverfront

(Special thanks to Libby, Angela & Michele @ MSO and photographers Melissa Libertelli & Manny Hebron)

Mackin' On: Lucy Levinsohn of Evolove

2012-04-17T17:00:00.001-07:00

Singer. Songwriter. Wordsmith. Entrepreneur. Business Manager. Prognosticator. Rockstar. Pinup. Style maven. California girl.

Lucy Levinsohn, lead singer of LA-based popcore band EVOLOVE, is a rising star on the move.

She's busy finishing up her band's first full-length album, Acoustic Sessions Vol. 1, but took a quick break from tracking vocals to partake in a friendly set of questions for the launch of a brand new M2AM feature called Mackin' On.

1. The word EvolovE is a palindrome. Any thoughts to writing a song entitled “Evolove” that explores the use of palindromes (phrases could include “Dammit, I'm mad!”, “Never odd or even” or Won’t it now”)?

A- I have never thought of that, but it's a really good idea!

2. You wrote a song called “2012” about the apocalyptic Mayan prophecy. Do you personally put any credence in the prophecy? And if the world is to end on Dec 21, 2012, pick your Final Destination. Removing all logistics, where would you like to be and with whom?

A- I recently heard that Mayan's didn't include Leap Years in their calendar and that by their estimations the World would have already ended so, I am not going to kiss my ass goodbye yet. But for the sake of answering the question I would pick a tropical destination for sure. I love the ocean and can live off of coconuts and fish :)

3. You’ve instituted a successful ongoing event in L.A. called Rockstars & Pinups which shines a light on buzzbands and the burgeoning Pinup/Burlesque scene. What led to this unique pairing of entertainment and do you have any special plans for the next installment?

A- I love Pinup culture and I have incorporated it into my personal style. Rock in roll is very much a part of my lifeblood so it only made sense to combine the two into "Rockstars & Pinups. I've been really busy writing and recording EVOLOVE's upcoming Acoustic record but the next event I do is going to be even bigger than the previous.

The problem with putting on a successful event is you have to outdo yourself every time. Since this is a quality problem to have, I have started scouting talent and hope to have the next event before the end of summer.

4. Rather than chunes, what are your must-have fave five apparel brands to accessorize yourself with; whether on a desert island, a remote space station or a city under the sea?

A- Stop Staring!, Express, Converse, American Apparel and Guess.

5. What’s your favorite food/snack?

A- Favorite Food: Sushi. Favorite snack: Cheese and crackers.

Liquid accoutrement?

A- Hot Tea, I love all kinds from English to Peppermint to Green. I never turn down a good cup of tea!

6. If you were auditioning for The Voice, what song would you sing and what, if any, changes to the arrangement would you make?

A- Funny you should ask. This is the number one thing I have the hardest time figuring out. I have no idea and I wish someone would give me a great idea. If you have a suggestion, I am all ears.

(Ed. note; I suggested Pearl Jam "Black" with an inversion of gender, swapping "she" for "he" throughout)

7. You’re finishing up a new album that features acoustic renditions of songs from your first two Eps as well as some brand new material. Have you enjoyed deconstructing some of your most well known songs? Were the new songs written specifically with an acoustic format in mind or were they previously recorded but unreleased?

A- This record has been a real learning experience. Not only is it EVOLOVE's first acoustic record, it's our first full length. I think we went into it thinking it was going to be a quick endeavor. We were wrong! It is taking a lot longer than we anticipated but it's sounding great. I'm actually in a session right now. The 4 new tracks are a combination of songs we have been performing live and a couple that have never been heard before.

8. Guilty pleasure app on your iPhone?

A- Words with friends, Angry birds, and My fitness pal.

9. Armed with a discretionary $1888 in cold hard cash to splurge wantonly, how would you spend the dolla billz?

A: I've become addicted to Stop Staring! dresses. I would most likely spend a boatload of the cash there. I would probably spend the rest on a lavish sushi dinner with my closest friends :)

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

A- I would spend the day with Madonna. She is and will always be a music legend. A lot of people like to downplay her place in music history but she is a business genius if you ask me.

EVOLOVETHEBAND.COM
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Let's Get DEAD On NEW YEARS DAY! Death Before Taxes At The AXL of EVIL!

2012-04-14T20:29:00.003-07:00

Death before Taxes!

Props to the creative zeitgeist at Hollywood Waste and/or the fine upstanding living dead people in haunted mansioncore quintet NEW YEARS DAY for plotting out a perfect row of grave stones for today's launch of the "Let's Get Dead" video.

I mean, C'mon c'mon. Friday the 13th followed by Get Dead Day (aka New Years Day) followed by Tax Day.

Without hesitation, Let's Get Dead before Taxes.

But there's more to today than just being Saturday April 14. This is the day that the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Guns N' Rose-less, two of Southern California greatest exports, will be inducted and enshrined into the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame.

It's surely a foreshadowing of the 50th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremony in 2035 that will honor another great SoCal export; NEW YEARS DAY:

And if it was purely a scheduling coincidence...then a salutation to the ghetto nation of my hyper-active imagination for connecting the dot matrix along the crooked line.

So, LET'S start over again...and GET DEAD again.

In the pantheon of larger-than-life rock tandems, NYD singer Ashley Costello and guitarist Nikki Misery are one of the tandems of their generation.

Hard to imagine one without the other...like peanut butter & jelly, sushi & wasabi and Joss Whedon & weirdness.

Their stage presence and charisma is undeniable but let's see how they stack up against GNR.

Ash is also a bold memorable lead singer's name and, wholeheartedly, a much cooler name than Axl.

Her perfectly coiffed orange and black hairdo (in reverence for her favorite holiday, Halloween) is light-years more striking than Axl's scraggly red locks.

Ashley has rallied a nation of #Creeps to wear a white bandana on their knee in solidarity. Axl has only managed to adorn his own head with one.

Ms Costello's Appetite for Destruction looms larger than Rose's because hers is not self-destructive but powered by the destruction of the pre-conceptions of theatrical rock n' roll.

When it comes to Slash vs Misery. Both are pure propane when it comes to rock names. Slash loves to slash. Misery loves misery. The former has a badass black top hat, the latter, sick ass skeleton bone gloves. It's a pick 'em. RAWK!

Another twosome comparison that might also be apropos would be Ashley & Nikki vs. Stevie Nicks & Lindsey Buckingham (late 70s-era Fleetwood Mac).

Ashley & Stevie are both iconic rock singers that have hair to die for and are fashion trendsetters that inspire generations (both are Rockanostas!). Nikki & Lindsey are each band's secret weapon, armed with six strings. It's a toss up!

Pick your poison: Gold Dust Woman or Blood Lust Woman...

Gold is so 70s...BLOOD is definitely the new Gold!

NEW YEARS DAY
Let's Get Dead (Lyrics)

Avoid the dreadful guillotine, you know you've got to get this right
Where's the poison in your words?

You can kiss yourself goodnight
Jet black lipstick and a look in your eyes, you're running out of time

Lay your heart out

Let's get dead and start over again
Get your revenge

Don't let them get much further because they are getting away with murder

C'mon c'mon I dare to you impress me

Honey all that Im suggesting is you'll soon go out of style
Tick tock tick tock you're just wasting my time, I haven't got all night

Lay your heart out

Let's get dead and start over again
Get your revenge

Don't let them get much further because they are getting away with murder

Let's get dead c'mon!

It's time to turn the lights out, for the party's not over.
It's just getting started...

On April 24, NYD will be releasing a Creep-side called LIGHTS OUT, a fresh artery ready to pump more blood for THE MECHANICAL HEART.

NEW YEARS DAY
FIGHT TO UNITE TOUR
w/ Blood On The Dance Floor, BrokeNCYDE, Polkadot Cadaver, William Control, Deuce, The Bunny The Bear, Haley Rose

4/05/12 – Mesa, AZ @ The Nile Theatre
4/06/12 – San Diego, CA @ The Epicentre
4/07/12 – Santa Ana, CA @ The Yost Theater
4/08/12 – West Hollywood, CA @ The Key Club
4/09/12 – Oakland, CA @ THE METRO
4/10/12 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
4/11/12 – Seattle, WA @ The Studio Seven
4/12/12 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Club Sound
4/14/12 - Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall
4/16/12 - Minneapolis, MN @ The Cabooze
4/17/12 - Joliet, IL @ Mojoes
4/18/12 - Pontiac, MI @ The Crofoot Ballroom
4/19/12 - Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's
4/20/12 - Buffalo, NY @ Infinity
4/21/12 - Hartford, CT @ Webster Theatre
4/22/12 - Clifton Park, NY @ Northern Lights
4/24/12 - New York, NY @ Gramercy Theater
4/25/12 - Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock
4/26/12 - Baltimore, MD @ Sound Stage
4/27/12 - Greensboro, NC @ Greene Street Club
4/28/12 - Orlando, FL @ The Beacham
4/29/12 - Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
4/30/12 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
5/03/12 - Dallas, TX @ The Door
5/04/12 - Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
5/05/12 - San Antonio, TX @ White Rabbit
5/06/12 - Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater

JESSIE J Throws A Cha-Ching Ba-Bling Party In The U.S.A. With ONE LOVE

2012-04-12T23:54:00.002-07:00

It went a lil something like this:

I'm feeling sexy and free
Like glitter's raining on me
You're like a shot of pure gold
I think I'm 'bout to explode

Everybody look to their left
Everybody look to their right

One love, One heart
Let's get together and feel all right

At about 3:30 PM PST on Tuesday April 3rd, a tweet from @TheRoxy jostled my focus. Jessie J, one of the hottest singers on the planet (and Justin Timberlake's current fave), would be playing her first official gig in Los Angeles the following Monday (though, for a stretch in 2009, she resided at the infamous Oakwood corporate complex in Burbank while writing her album and showcased for a room full of "corporate suits").

Aside from a Jumpsmokers remix of her smash-hit "Domino" that had recently made it into my iPod, I knew double J mostly in name alone. On a whim with nary a second thought, I hastily reserved a ticket to be among the few, the proud. For what exact reason I wasn't sure, so I did some high tide surfing.

Born Jessica Ellen Cornish and raised in London, the superstar singer (and Voice UK celebrity mentor along with Tom Jones, Danny O'Donoghue and will.i.am) would be coming to LA to perform "Domino" on The Voice (US) with Christina Aguilera's protégés ("Team Xtina") as vocal accoutrement.

Jessie would also be attending an ELLE Women in Music Event benefitting the VH1 Save the Music Foundation.

Easter Sunday came and went and manic Monday was front and center. Arriving at the world-famous Roxy Theatre at 9:20, I said hello to owner Nic Adler, whom was in his trademark hat and greeting VIPs as they sauntered in.

It was only a few months ago that I was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the likes of Alex Da Kid, Kaskade and Brooklyn Allman as Skylar Grey, known for penning the hook to the monster hit "Love The Way You Lie" for Eminem & Rihanna, as well as platinum tracks for Dr. Dre, Diddy-Dirty Money and T.I. featuring Christina Aguilera, was making her Los Angeles debut.

On this night, 500 buoyant fans were once again stacked shoulder-to-shoulder to see/hear an acclaimed songwriter of hits for Miley Cyrus and Chris Brown, though this time in close proximity with Max George, Siva Kaneswaran, Jay McGuiness and Tom Parker from boy band The Wanted as well as a double stack of Jasons, singer Jason Derulo and Lava Records honcho Jason Flom.

Within minutes, Jessie strolled on to the stage to an eruption of cheers and a massive glare of mobiles held high to capture the moment. Outfitted in denim cutoffs adorned with cash money symbols and a large Super Mario tee, the diminutive singer warmed up her massive voice with "Who's Laughing Now," the beginning of an incredible 80-minute set.

Still on the precipice of my introduction to Who You Are and Who She Is, my mind began racing with comparisons as Jessie effortlessly transitioned her tonal presence segueing pop, R&B, reggae riddims, hip hop and a splash of scat.

Faces and names and stage personas that flit from ear-to-ear were Rihanna, Gwen Stefani, Nelly Furtado, Katy Perry, Christina Aguilera, P!nk, Nicki Minaj, Sean Kingston, Pitbull, Eminem and Lady Sovereign.

Highlights were the Euro-trance bump of "LaserLight," the new jack swing of "Do It Like A Dude" (which Jessie originally wrote with Rihanna in mind) and the mash-up of her own "Stand Up" with Bob Marley's "One Love". The former's title alone makes me think of Marley's "Get Up, Stand Up" which makes her mash-up a natural fit.

Having recently seen Bruce Springsteen for the first time as well in a smallish venue at SXSW, and the way his intimacy with the audience shrinks the whole room, it was interesting to see Jessie interact in a similar manner.

One minute, she would snatch someone's mobile to video record herself, the next to snap a photo, the next engaging in one-on-one convo, the next trying on fan's hats and sunglasses, the next reading personal notes aloud before accepting a gift or two which were met with an appreciative heartfelt “Thank-you”.

And then the deeply personal stories about self-doubt, being bullied and wayward days in LA came pouring out.

We were completely and utterly drawn into her world. We might as well have been anywhere...much like Bruce makes an arena feel like they’re at the corner bar, it was like we were at a backyard BBQ or a haute soiree in the Hollywood Hills...though, in actuality, much like with Springsteen, we were under the spell of a multi-million seller and a renowned International superstar.

Midway through the show, a fan passed along a handwritten note asking if she could be chosen to accompany Jessie on a song during the evening and, without skipping a beat, JJ obliged, bringing young Ms Helen on stage to duet on "Price Tag" with its cotton candy chorus of:

It's not about the money, money, money
We don't need your money, money, money
We just wanna make the world dance,
Forget about the price tag
Ain't about the (uh) Cha-Ching Cha-Ching
Ain't about the (yeah) Ba-Bling Ba-Bling
Wanna make the world dance,
Forget about the price tag

And this fan pull-up was just the beginning, as Jessie soon invited the whole crowd on stage to dance along to an effervescent soul-nourishing sing-along of "Domino".

The Party In L.A. U.S.A. was underway...Take us down like a Domino!

As I ambled down Sunset in a glorious glow, I thought to myself...while it's easy to put a #PriceTag on the value of one's time, thankfully, for now, memories are priceless... It's

who.you.are

JESSIE J
ROXY THEATRE W. HOLLYWOOD, CA
4/9/2012
1. Who’s Laughing Know
2. Rainbow
3. Stand Up > One Love (Bob Marley cover)
4. Casualty Of Love
5. Nobody’s Perfect
6. Never Too Much (Luther Vandross cover) > Abracadabra
7. LaserLight
8. I Need This
9. Who You Are
10. Mamma Knows Best
11. Do It Like A Dude
12. Price Tag
13. Domino

Btw, I noticed Jessie drinking vitaminwater on stage (actually piqued my curiosity) and then I saw a VW bottle make a cameo in her new video for "Laserlight," the track she did with David Guetta.

Couldn't be a coincidence, could it??? Sure enough. Jessie is a vitaminwater ambassador supporting the company's sponsorship of the 2012 Olympic Summer Games in London. Be on the lookout for special edition bottles featuring Ja-Jay-J's iconic bob!

JESSIE J OFFICIAL

REGINA SPEKTOR Don't Leave Me With All The Rowboats In The Oil Paintings

2012-04-06T13:58:00.000-07:00

Hear them whispering
French and German, Dutch, Italian and Latin

All the Rowboats in the Oil Paintings. They keep trying to Row Away...

And by the moon the reaper weary,
Piling sheaves in uplands airy,
Listening, whispers," 'Tis the fairy
Lady of Shalott"

She knows not what the curse may be,
And so she weaveth steadily,
And little other care hath she,
The Lady of Shalott

The Lady of Shalott 1888. The Lady of Spektor 2012.

ALL THE ROWBOATS
LYRICS
All the rowboats
In the paintings
They keep trying to row away

And the captains' worried faces
Stay contorted and staring at the waves
They'll keep hanging
In their gold frames
For forever
Forever and a day

All the rowboats
In the oil paintings
They keep trying to
Row away, row away...

Hear them whispering
French and German, Dutch, Italian and Latin
When no one's looking
I touch a sculpture
Marble, cold and soft as satin

But the most special
Are the most lonely
God I pity the violins
In glass coffins
They keep coughing
They've forgotten
Forgotten how to sing
How to sing

First there's lights out
Then there's lock up
Masterpieces serving maximum sentences
It's their own fault
For being timeless
There's a price to pay
And a consequence
All the galleries
The museums
"Here's your ticket
Welcome to the tombs"
They're just public mausoleums
The living dead fill every room

But the most special
Are the most lonely
God I pity the violins
In glass coffins they keep coughing
They've forgotten
Forgotten how to sing
They will stay there
In their gold frames
For forever, forever and a day
All the rowboats
In the oil paintings
They keep trying to
Row away, row away....

First there's lights out
Then there's lock up
Master pieces serving maximum sentences
It's their own fault
For being timeless
There's a price to pay
And a consequence
All the galleries
The museums
They will stay there
Forever and a day
All the rowboats
In the oil paintings
They keep trying to
Row away, row away...

Please Don't Leave Me after a long walk on a short pier under a Small Town Moon...

REGINA SPEKTOR
What We Saw From The Cheap Seats
1. Small Town Moon
2. Oh Marcello
3. Don t Leave Me (Ne Me Quitte Pas)
4. Firewood
5. Patron Saint
6. How
7. All The Rowboats
8. Ballad Of A Politician
9. Open
10. The Party
11. Jessica
12. Call The Brothers (ft. Only Son)
13. The Prayer of Francois Villon (Molitva) [Cover Song In Russian]
14. Old Jacket (Stariy Pidjak) [Cover Song In Russian]

What We Saw From The Cheap Seats, due May 29 on Sire Records, was recorded over an eight-week period last summer in Los Angeles.

Writing each of the 11 tracks on the album, Spektor arrived at the recording session with a collection of new compositions, but others were pulled from earlier periods.

Regina and producer Mike Elizondo (Dr. Dre, Eminem, Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg, D-12, Xzibit, Nate Dogg, Obie Trice, Nelly Furtado, Pink, Fiona Apple, Tegan & Sara, Alanis Morissette, Natasha Bedingfield, Switchfoot, Maroon 5, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Kris Allen, Gary Clark Jr, Avenged Sevenfold, & Mastodon) fleshed out instrumentation and sought to make each of the songs stand alone sonically.

Most of the songs were recorded live with Spektor on piano and vocals, while additional instrumentation was added to the original takes. Of working with Spektor, Elizondo says, "Regina Spektor is that rare artist that continues to surprise. Just when you think you have her figured out, she knocks you out with something completely different. It s that spirit that drives this record. Each song takes you on a journey that only Regina is capable of providing. She has truly outdone herself."

REGINA SPEKTOR -- 2012 Tour Dates
04/10 Montclair, NJ, Wellmont Theatre
04/18 Broomfield, CO, 1st Bank Center (w/ Tom Petty)
04/19 Broomfield, CO, 1st Bank Center (w/ Tom Petty)
04/21 Little Rock, AR, Verizon Arena (w/ Tom Petty)
04/24 Albuquerque, NM, Tingley Coliseum (w/ Tom Petty)
04/26 Wichita, KS, INTRUST Bank Arena (w/ Tom Petty)
04/29 Alpharetta, GA, Verizon Wireless Ampitheater (w/ Tom Petty)
05/01 Estero, FL, Germain Arena (w/ Tom Petty)
05/03 Orlando, FL, Amway Center (w/ Tom Petty)
05/05 Austin, TX, Frank Irwin Center (w/ Tom Petty)
05/10 Boston, MA, Orpheum Theatre
05/12 Philadelphia, PA Tower Theatre
05/15 New York, NY, United Palace Theatre (w/ Only Son)
06/28 Borlange, SE, Peace and Love Festival
07/02 London, UK, Royal Albert Hall
07/04 Manchester, UK, O2 Apollo
07/05 Paris, France, Le Trianon
07/07 Sesimbra, PT, Super Bock Super Rock
07/14 St. Petersburg Russia, Yelagin Island Festival
07/15 Moscow, Russia
07/20 Luzern, CH, KKL Concert Hall Blue Balls Festival
07/22 Berlin, Germany, Tempodrom
08/14 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre

REGINA SPEKTOR.COM
FACEBOOK
TWITTER

Singer SCOTT MILLER And Fiddler RAYNA GELLERT Are CoDependents

2012-04-04T21:46:00.004-07:00

It may seem an unlikely pairing: Scott Miller, the no nonsense rootsy rock and roll songwriter, and Rayna Gellert, a maven of old time fiddle music. But during 2011, Gellert began accompanying Miller on his solo gigs adding nuances to his existing catalog and gracing some new songs that had been bubbling up as Miller was preparing for a new release.

Gellert recalls the duo's genesis, “I met Scott at Mountain Stage in West Virginia about a year and a half ago. I was there backing up Abigail Washburn, and Scott was there doing his solo thing. Bryn Davies was playing bass in our group, and she introduced me to Scott before the show (they had been on Patty Griffin tour together)".

"Scott's name was familiar to me, but I didn’t know what he did exactly. His set was after ours, so I was able to sit in the wings and listen. It totally freaked me out. Cliché, yes, but: I laughed, I cried. His writing absolutely blew me away, and he was such a compelling performer. I was an instant Miller convert. I went straight out to the lobby and bought his most recent album. After the show I called my husband and was raving about this amazing songwriter I’d discovered, and he was kinda like, “Um, yeah. I have a bunch of his albums. I’ve been a fan for years.”

“Later that night our band and Scott all hung out on the roof of our hotel with The Steeldrivers (who had also played the show), shooting the shit and passing around various bottles. It was tons of fun, and I felt drunkenly bonded with everyone there. When I was back home, I sent Scott a fan-mail note and said that if he ever had need of an old-time fiddler, I was just over the mountain and would by psyched to play with him. I didn’t think he’d actually take me up on it – or, if he did, maybe it’d be some tiny part on a recording. I definitely didn’t expect him to want me to perform with him. But, sure enough, that’s exactly what happened”.

“Coming to the role of accompanying a singer-songwriter from a background in old-time music is interesting. For the longest time I felt like I couldn’t play that role, because I had no real experience in improvisation, and never considered myself a versatile musician. But I’ve come to learn that my old-time background gives me a unique angle on accompanying other kinds of music.

My feeling about playing old-time fiddle has always been that I want to get out of the way of the tune, so I bring that same approach to Scott’s songs. He certainly doesn’t need me playing with him, and I’m not afraid of minimalism, so I seek unobtrusive ways to compliment what he does. I’m always hearing the lyrics and trying to feel my way through. I think our playing together works because his songs are so visceral, and I really respond to that”.

SCOTT MILLER & RAYNA GELLERT
CoDEPENDENTS
1. Lo Siento Spanishburg West Virginia
2. Someday Sometime
3. Unforgiven
4. We're Leaving This Town
5. Lost Not Broken

Scott and Rayna are doing a few special shows together to celebrate the release of CoDependents

4/14/12 Mockingbird Roots Music, Staunton, VA
5/01/12 The Berkeley Café, Raleigh, NC
5/03/12 Ashland Coffee & Tea, Ashland, VA
5/06/12 Night Cat, Easton, MD
5/11/12 Molly Malone's, Covington, KY

Scott will also be playing Twilight Alive in Kingsport, TN on May 24

Raised on a cattle farm in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, Scott Miller called Knoxville, TN his home for 20 years before moving back to the Commonwealth in 2011. As one of the founders of the seminal roots rock band The V-Roys, he recorded three albums for Steve Earle and Jack Emerson's label E-Squared Records before embarking on a successful solo career at Sugar Hill Records where he released four critically lauded albums from 2001-2008.

In 2009, Miller launched his own F.A.Y. Recordings with the release of his most recent full-length album For Crying Out Loud, and, this fall, F.A.Y. will issue his seventh as-yet-untitled studio album.

During the past fifteen years, Miller has received high praise for his well-crafted songs delivered with raw emotion and biting wit. Whether his compositions tell the tales of fictional characters or are colored with historical archeology, Knoxville’s Metropulse sums it up best when they surmised “His songs are full of rural imagery; his trademark is the mule. And he has a degree in Russian lit from William & Mary. He is not much like anybody else we know of.”

THE SCOTT MILLER.COM

Rayna Gellert grew up in a musical family, and has spent most of her life immersed in the sounds of rural stringband music, heartfelt gospel songs, and old ballads. After honing her fiddle skills playing at jam sessions and square dances, Rayna fell into a life of traveling and performing.

Her fiddle albums are widely celebrated in the old-time music community, and she has recorded with a host of musicians including Robyn Hitchcock, Tyler Ramsey, Sara Watkins, Loudon Wainwright III, John Paul Jones, and Toubab Krewe.

From 2003 through 2008, Rayna was a member of the acclaimed stringband Uncle Earl, with whom she released two albums on Rounder Records. These days she can be found on stage with Abigail Washburn, Scott Miller, and Toubab Krewe. She lives in Swannanoa, North Carolina.

Gellert's solo debut album Old Light: Songs from My Childhood and Other Gone Worlds will be available in late spring.

RAYNA GELLERT.COM

FOR THE LOVE OF THE MUSIC: The Club 47 Folk Revival Documentary

2012-04-02T23:25:00.003-07:00

FOR THE LOVE OF THE MUSIC: THE CLUB 47 FOLK REVIVAL, a new documentary celebrating the roots of the Cambridge, Massachusetts folk music scene from 1958 - 1968, is set to premiere at the Boston International Film Fest on April 17.

The 105-minute film centers around Club 47, the iconic Harvard Square coffeehouse, now known as Club Passim, where Joan Baez, Tom Rush, Taj Mahal, Judy Collins and many others got their starts in the early years of the folk revival.

The 105-minute film features interviews with Baez, Rush, Mahal, Collins, Maria Muldaur, Geoff Muldaur, Jim Kweskin, Jackie Washington, Jim Rooney, Peter Rowan and many others. It also features previously unreleased music and rare photographs, featuring Bob Dylan (pictured in Cambridge below), Joan Baez, Eric Von Schmidt and others.

Included in Folk Revival are audio recordings of two unreleased Bob Dylan performances, “Talkin’ World War III Blues” and “With God on Our Side,” and a Dylan with Eric von Schmidt version of the traditional hymn “Glory, Glory”. These archival performances were recorded at the Club and are currently under preservation with the New England Folk Music Archives.

Additionally, there are also newly captured performances, bringing together stars from Club 47’s heyday performing with today's best-known and emerging folk artists, including Ellis Paul, Antje Duvekot and 14-year-old Hayley Reardon.

Peter Coyote narrates the film, which documents the fateful day in 1958 when a young unknown singer named Joan Baez talked her way into becoming the first folk act to play the tiny Mount Auburn Street jazz club.

From there, the film documents how the club blossomed to play a pivotal role in the American folk revival, which peaked in popularity in the mid-1960s.

“At the heart of it all was an amateur scene,” singer-songwriter Tom Rush says in the film, “people playing for the love of the music.”

For the Love of the Music also explores the harsh business realities Club 47 faced over the decades, while also providing a platform for the civil rights and anti-war movements. And the film looks forward to the influence Club 47 and, later, Passim, has had and continues to have on folk, blues, bluegrass and rock ‘n roll.

“The Club 47 scene was unique,” said the film’s executive producer and co-director Todd Kwait. “Unlike the Greenwich Village folk scene that was developing at about the same time in New York, Club 47 wasn’t a bar run by a club owner but rather a non-profit coffee house. That made for more of free-flowing atmosphere with more collaboration between the club and the artists.”

"Those ten years were like a Camelot Moment," added co-producer/co-director Rob Stegman. "This was an unusual group of extraordinarily talented musicians, coming together almost by chance, yet launching a revolution in American music that inspired generations of artists and music lovers."

Spending two years working on this project, Kwait and Stegman traveled to Berkley, CA, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Vermont, West Virginia, New York City and Cambridge to conduct 30 on-camera interviews. In May of last year, they also organized a special live concert filmed at the Putney School in Putney, VT bringing together veteran and upcoming musicians.

Though this is their first feature-length collaboration, the two filmmakers first met as freshman at Boston University in the late 1970s. Kwait is President of Ezzie Films, and previously produced and directed Chasin' Gus Ghost,’ a history of jug band music, and Vagabondo about singer Vince Martin.

Stegman is President of BlueStar Media, and has been producing for corporate communications, broadcast and cable television for over 30 years; most notably Old Ironsides Returns to Sea for the History Channel and Tim Allen: Just for Laughs for TLC.

For the Love of the Music was produced in collaboration with The New England Folk Music Archives and its founder Betsy Siggins, whom is featured prominently in the film. She was a founding member of Club 47 and later Executive Director of its successor, Club Passim.

For the Love of the Music will premiere at the Boston International Film Festival on April 17, 2012 6pm at the Loews Theatre /AMC Boston Common. The film will also screen at the SENE Film, Music and Arts Festival at Brooklyn Coffee and Tea House in Providence, RI on Friday April 13, 6:00 PM EST.

CLUB 47 FILM:
OFFICIAL
FACEBOOK
TWITTER

*****************************

The Boston International Film Festival

The Boston International Film Festival was created to celebrate the art of filmmaking and to honor the filmmakers who make it all possible. This is a festival dedicated to rewarding artists for their individual talents and for their creative expression through the medium of film. The festival strives to bring together in Boston local, national and international filmmakers by promoting the world’s most artistic and creative independent and experimental films.

The Southeast New England Film, Music & Arts Festival (SENE)

Based in Rhode Island, SENE seeks to involve audiences in a full range of cultural opportunities, combining film, music and art into year-round events designed to cross-promote the works of filmmakers, musicians and artists to new audiences.

The festival is produced by Southeast New England Film, Music and Arts, a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Donations to SENE are tax-deductible as allowed by law. The festival is 100% volunteer run. All donations go directly to producing the festival's programs and events and supporting the work of filmmakers, musicians, poets and artists.

The New England Folk Music Archives

NEFMA preserves, promotes and documents the ongoing cultural legacy of folk music and its connections to New England through education, collaboration and entertainment.

(Bob Dylan in Cambridge photo courtesy of Betsy Siggins)

VANS WARPED TOUR 2012 June 16 - Aug 5 (Tour Dates / Full Line-Up)

2012-03-30T17:46:00.000-07:00

Renowned for bringing skate/punk/action sports and youth culture to the forefront on a global scale, the VANS WARPED TOUR® is calling and summer is here…

The full VANS WARPED TOUR 2012 multi-stage line-up has now been revealed including Rise Against, who will join other previously announced main stage artists All Time Low, Taking Back Sunday, Anti-Flag, Yellowcard, The Used, Four Year Strong, New Found Glory, Pierce The Veil, Falling In Reverse, Breathe Carolina and more. The VANS WARPED TOUR--a mix of hotly-tipped and established artists--continues to be the most eclectic traveling festival tour on the planet featuring rock, punk, pop, hip-hop and rap, metal, indie rock, electronic, alt-country, folk-punk, dubstep, reggae and rockabilly.

Last night (Thursday, March 29), the VANS WARPED TOUR kick-off party and press conference was held at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles. VANS WARPED TOUR artists (including Cherri Bomb, Neo Geo & Vampires Everywhere!) and friends joined tour founder Kevin Lyman and Steve Van Doren of Vans to celebrate.

Fans were treated to a screening of the new tour documentary film NO ROOM FOR ROCKSTARS (from Stacy Peralta and the producers of Dogtown & Z-boys) and enjoyed live performances from Forever Came Calling (the group featured in the film), Falling In Reverse, Matt Toka, Dead Sara as well as special performances from tour veterans Yellowcard (acoustic) and The Used.

[Pictured clockwise: The Used; Falling In Reverse; Ryan Key (Yellowcard); Ronnie Radke (Falling In Reverse), Bert McKracken (The Used) and Ryan Seaman (Falling In Reverse)]

"The energy at the 18th annual Vans Warped Tour Kick-Off Party was amazing," said tour founder Kevin Lyman. "All signs point to a great summer to come in 2012."

Beginning today, Friday, March 30 (10:00am PT) festival goers can purchase tickets via the exclusive, lower-priced pre-sale. To keep the festival at a great value, pre-sale package prices are $21.99 and include commemorative 3D ticket--which also serves as a jump-the-line early entry pass--a Vans Warped Tour 2012 compilation CD and a 25-cent donation to the Unite the United charity and all service fees. Only a limited number of pre-sale tickets are available per city and once they sell-out, they’re gone. The general on-sale will begin April 7.

The 41-date VANS WARPED TOUR 2012 commences June 16 in Salt Lake City, UT and finishes August 5 in Portland, OR. The tour will hit a handful of new venues this year.

VANS WARPED TOUR 2012:
6/16 Salt Lake City, UT Utah State Fairpark
6/17 Denver, CO Sports Authority Field at Mile High
6/20 Las Vegas, NV Plaza Hotel & Casino
6/21 Irvine, CA Orange County Great Park
6/22 Pomona, CA Pomona Fairplex
6/23 San Francisco, CA AT&T Park Lot A
6/24 Ventura, CA Seaside Park
6/27 Chula Vista, CA Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
6/28 Scottsdale, AZ Camelback Park
6/29 Las Cruces, NM New Mexico State University
6/30 San Antonio, TX AT&T Center
7/01 Houston, TX Reliant Center Parking Lot
7/03 Dallas, TX Gexa Energy Pavilion
7/05 Maryland Heights, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
7/06 Auburn Hills, MI The Palace Of Auburn Hills
7/07 Tinley Park, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
7/08 Shakopee, MN Canterbury Park
7/09 Bonner Springs, KS Sandstone Amphitheatre
7/10 Noblesville, IN Klipsch Music Center
7/11 Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Music Center
7/12 Burgettstown, PA First Niagara Pavilion
7/13 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
7/14 Montreal, QC Parc Jean Drapeau
7/15 Toronto, ON Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
7/17 Darien Center, NY Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
7/18 Scranton, PA Toyota Pavilion
7/19 Mansfield, MA Comcast Center
7/20 Camden, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center
7/21 Uniondale, NY Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
7/22 Hartford, CT The Comcast Theatre
7/24 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion
7/25 Virginia Beach, VA Farm Bureau Live At Virginia Beach
7/26 Atlanta, GA Aaron's Amphitheatre
7/27 Orlando, FL Central Florida Fairgrounds
7/28 Miami, FL Cruzan Amphitheatre
7/29 St. Petersburg, FL Vinoy Park
7/30 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
7/31 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
8/01 Milwaukee, WI Marcus Amphitheater
8/04 Redmond, WA Marymoor Park
8/05 Portland, OR Rose Quarter Riverfront

VANS WARPED TOUR 2012
ARTISTS - GENRE
A Loss For Words - Pop Punk, Post Rock
After The Burial - Metal
All Time Low - Pop Punk, Alternative
Amyst - Post Hardcore/Electronic
Anthony Raneri - Alternative, Singer/Songwriter
Anti-Flag - Punk Rock
Ballyhoo! - Reggae, Rock
Bangups - Rock & Roll, Punk Rock
Bayside - Punk Rock, Alternative
Blessthefall - Metal, Rock
Born Of Osiris - Metal
Breathe Carolina - Electronic, Rock
Brian Marquis - Acoustic Folk
Captain Capa - Electro
Catchingyourclouds - Pop, Acoustic
Champagne Champagne - Rap/Hip-Hop, Rock
Chelsea Grin - Deathcore, Metalcore
Chunk! No Captain Chunk! - Pop Punk, Screamo
Cold Forty Three - Pop Punk, Rock
Danielle Barbe - Rock, Pop
Dead Sara - Rock
Divided By Friday -Pop, Rock
Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide - Rockabilly, Pop-Punk
Echo Movement - Rock, Reggae
Emily's Army - Punk
Every Time I Die - Rock, Metal
Falling In Reverse - Hardcore, Rock
Fireworks - Pop, Punk Rock
For Today - Rock
Four Year Strong - Punk Rock, Alternative
Funeral Party - Indie, Goth
G-Eazy - Rap/Hip-Hop, Rock
Hostage Calm - Punk Rock, Soul
Hyro Da Hero - Rap/Hip-Hop, Rock
I Am The Avalanche - Punk Rock, Alternative
I Call Fives - Pop Punk
I Fight Dragons - Rock & Roll, Chiptune/8-bit
Impending Doom - Metal, Metalcore
Into It. Over It. - Acoustic, Indie
It Boys! - Rock, Pop
Iwrestledabearonce - Metal, Rock
June Divided - Rock, Post Rock
Justina - Rap/Hip-Hop
Koji - Punk Rock, Acoustic
Living With Lions - Punk Rock
Lost In Society - Punk Rock, Alternative
Lostprophets - Rock
Machine Gun Kelly - Rap/Hip-Hop
Make Do And Mend - Rock, Punk Rock
Man Overboard - Pop Punk, Punk Rock
Matt Toka - Pop Rock, Alternative
Mayday Parade - Alternative Rock
Memphis May Fire - Post Hardcore, Metal
Mighty Mongo - Rock, Ska
Miss May I - Metal
Mod Sun - Rap/Hip-Hop
Motionless In White - Metalcore
Neo Geo - Rock, Electro
New Empire - Rock, Alternative
New Found Glory - Pop Punk, Rock
Of Mice And Men - Metal
Oh No Fiasco - Alternative, Rock
Owen Plant - Singer/Songwriter, Reggae
Pierce The Veil - Rock
Polar Bear Club - Punk Rock, Hardcore
Rise Against - Punk Rock
Rise To Remain - Metal
Senses Fail - Punk Rock, Screamo
Sick Of Sarah - Rock, Indie
Skip The Foreplay - Metalcore, Dubstep
Sleeping With Sirens - Chiptune/8-bit, Rock
Sleepwalker - Rock, Alternative
Stepdad - Electro-Pop, Indie-Pop
Streetlight Manifesto - Punk Rock, Ska
Super Water Sympathy - Alternative, Indie
T. Mills - Rap/Hip-Hop, Pop
Taking Back Sunday - Rock
Taylor Thrash - Pop, Rock
Ten Second Epic - Rock, Pop Rock
The Constellations - Indie, Rap/Hip-Hop
The Darlings - Rock, Alternative
The Ghost Inside - Rock, Alternative
The Green - Reggae, Pop
The Jukebox Romantics - Punk Rock, Ska
The Scissors - Punk Rock, Pop Punk
The Silver Comet - Alternative, Pop Rock
The Used - Alternative, Rock
They All Float - Post Hardcore, Hardcore
Title Fight - Punk Rock, Hardcore
Tomorrows Bad Seeds - Rock, Reggae
Tonight Alive - Pop Punk, Rock
Tony D'angelo - Pop, Rap/Hip-Hop
Transit - Post Hardcore, Indie
Twin Atlantic - Alternative, Rock
Vampires Everywhere! - Rock, Metal
Vanna - Post Hardcore
Vinnie Caruana - Acoustic
Wax - Rap/Hip-Hop
We Are The In Crowd - Pop Punk, Pop Rock
We Are The Ocean - Rock, Alternative
We The Kings - Rock, Alternative
Wick-It The Instigator - Electronic, DJ
Yellowcard - Alternative, Rock
You Me At Six - Rock

VANS WARPED TOUR:
The VANS WARPED TOUR® is well established as America’s premier music and lifestyle festival of the summer, breaking up-and-coming indie talent as well as both creating and showcasing major established artists since 1995. The nationally-renowned festival is the most eclectic traveling tour and features a diverse array of artists--with hotly tipped acts in every genre from punk, metal and indie to rock, hip-hop, rap, electronic, reggae and pop; as well as a variety of lifestyle attractions for its traditionally low ticket price.

The tour has cemented its place in history by bringing punk rock/skate/action sports culture from the underground to the forefront of global youth culture, while at the same time helping those in need and being the first tour to consistently use groundbreaking environmental concepts every year on the road. The Warped Eco Initiatives (WEI) range from biodiesel fuel for touring trucks and buses, to environmentally friendly catering for the artists and crew courtesy of Tada! Catering. There's even a solar-powered sound system on the Kevin Says Stage and vanswarpedtour.com showcases public transportation options for every tour date and carpool social media apps as well as exotic eco travel contests. For more information on the tour that Alternative Press readers voted the “Best Tour/Festival” of 2009/2010 and Rolling Stone called “America’s most successful festival” (2005)

UNITE THE UNITED FOUNDATION:
Unite The United Foundation is a public 501 (c) (3) non-profit, fundraising organization founded by the producers of the Vans Warped Tour Rockstar Taste of Chaos Tour and Mayhem Festival. It is our mission to encourage fans, artists and industry leaders from the music, touring and action sports worlds to work toward positive change, by supporting local charities and participating in community volunteerism events across the United States. Unite the United Foundation is committed to raising funds to be donated directly to grass roots organizations that are making a difference in our national community.

Coming soon...

(Artist Photos: Chelsea Lauren)

INCOGNITO Soul So SURREAL On The Funky Acid Jazz Express

2012-03-29T12:42:00.007-07:00

Legendary UK groove-masters INCOGNITO embark on its third decade of creating funky mind-blowing soulful classics with their stellar new recording SURREAL.

As the preeminent funk/jazz/soul/dance outfit in the world, INCOGNITO, almost singlehandedly pioneered the “acid jazz” movement, scoring hits with versions of Stevie Wonder’s “Don't You Worry ‘Bout A Thing” and Ronnie Laws’ “Always There,” selling more than a million records in the process.

SURREAL is Incognito’s look into the future, featuring three of the brightest young stars on the British soul scene: Mo Brandis, Natalie Williams and Vanessa Haynes.

Mo Brandis, who is being hailed as England's John Legend, features on the sultry swing of "This Must Be Love," the two-step of "Don't Wanna Know" and the first single "Goodbye To Yesterday" which you'll swear you've heard before. And no, it's not a Boyz II Men cover, but it's just as good!

Watch "Goodbye To Yesterday" and the behind-the-scenes clip:

And then there's the soul sistas.

Long time Incognito lead singer and celebrated jazz/soul diva, Maysa, whom Incognito mastermind Jean-Paul ‘Bluey’ Maunick calls his ‘awesome musical muse,’ gives SURREAL the special touch that only she can deliver.

Maysa features on three cuts, the lead track "The Less You Know" which has a big bold Earth Wind & Fire meets Michael Jackson vibe, "Capricorn Sun," a mid-tempo in-the-pocket groove machine and the closing tour-du-force "Thoughtful Fantasies" which sounds like mid-70s Chicago at their horn-blowing best.

New to Incognito is Natalie Williams, a rising UK star compared to Erykah Badu and Jill Scott, whom is most well-known for her monthly Soul Family Sundays residency at world renowned Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London. Guests have included Amy Winehouse, Terri Walker and Jamie Cullum who remarked, "She’s a truly real, beautiful star, worthy of everyone’s attention.”

Ms Williams features on the dreamy elegance of "Above The Night," the Calypso-flavored sway of "The Stars From Here" and the sublime "Restless As We Are".

Rounding out the soul train trio is Vanessa Haynes whom contributed to Incognito's 2010 release Transatlantic R.P.M. and has previously worked with Van Morrison, Billy Ocean, Chaka Khan, LuLu, Anastacia, Leon Ware and Mario Biondi.

Ms Haynes features on the acid jazz boogie of "Ain't It Time," the tender "Don't Break Me Down" and the resplendent "To Be With You".

Augmenting world-class musicianship and know-how with a modern brigade of soul singers lays the foundation for the Incognito locomotive to hustle and bustle along its fourteen tracks.

Bandleader/guitarist Bluey shares, “I hope when people hear SURREAL they identify with the songs and see themselves in the stories. I hope they feel the bass & the drums in their guts and see this album as a complete work from beginning to end. I want the listener to feel nostalgic and in the next instance to be surprised. I want heads to nod, hips to sway, and hands to be thrown in the air. I want them to say that ‘this album is slamming!’”

INCOGNITO
SURREAL
1. The Less You Know (ft. Maysa)
2. Goodbye To Yesterday (ft. Mo Brandis)
3. Above The Night (ft. Natalie Williams)
4. Ain't It Time (ft. Vanessa Haynes)
5. Capricorn Sun (ft. Maysa)
6. Don't Wanna Know (ft. Mo Brandis)
7. Restless As We Are (ft. Natalie Williams)
8. Rivers On The Sun
9. Don't Break Me Down (ft. Vanessa Haynes)
10. The Stars From Here (ft. Natalie Williams)
11. To Be With You (ft. Vanessa Haynes)
12. This Must Be Love (ft. Mo Brandis)
13. The Way You Love (ft. Vanessa Haynes, Imaani & Mo Brandis)
14. Thoughtful Fantasies (ft. Vanessa Haynes, Maysa & Mo Brandis)

INCOGNITO TOUR DATES
03/28/12 Detroit, MI @ Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts
03/30/12 New Haven, CT @ John Lyman Center for the Performing Arts
03/31/12 Reading, PA @ Berks Jazz Fest, Crowne Plaza Ballroom
04/01/12 New York, NY @ B.B. King Blues Club
04/02/12 Annapolis, MD @ Rams Head On Stage
04/03/12 Washington, DC @ Warner Theatre
04/06/12 Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage
04/07/12 Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage
05/25/12 London, England @ London Islington Assembly Hall
06/05/12 Paris, France @ Trianon
07/13/12 Straubing, Germany @ Jazz an der Donau Festival
07/21/12 Saulkrastu, Latvia @ Saulkrastu Jazz Festival
08/01/12 Sapporo 札幌 Japan @ Jasmac Plaza Zanadu
08/03/12 Osaka 大阪 Japan @ Club Quattro
08/04/12 Fukuoka 福岡 Japan @ Beat Station
08/05/12 Hiroshima 広島 Japan @ Club Quattro
08/07/12 Nagoya 名古屋 Japan @ Nagoya Blue Note
08/08/12 Tokyo 東京 Japan @ Blue Note Tokyo
08/09/12 Tokyo 東京 Japan @ Blue Note Tokyo
08/10/12 Tokyo 東京 Japan @ Blue Note Tokyo
08/11/12 Tokyo 東京 Japan @ Blue Note Tokyo
11/02/12 Zurich, Switzerland @ Jazz No Jazz Festival

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KERLI Fixed At ZERO GRAVITY In A Weightless Wonderland (Video)

2012-03-26T23:10:00.001-07:00

I'm as light as I can be

I'm as high as I can be

In a wondrous weightless wonderland where limitless isn't presumptuous.

A world where Bubbles float on shades of Deity scented with glee

And swim in the technicolored telepathy of KERLI

In a world fixed at Zero Gravity, all is fair in love and levity.

A world bathed in the sweet sweet sounds of bottomless beats preening under the waterfall of a weighty weightless Goddess is a world shaped by art, fashion, expression, colors, sights, sounds, RPMs, BPMs, linguistics, phonetics, pinwheels and fluffy cuddly teddy bears.

Imagine a weightless world where the peaks of Madonna, Lady Gaga, Bjork, Katy Perry and Rihanna unlock the tulips of Tiesto, Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Deadmau5 & Kaskade.

Welcome to the destiny of Zero Gravity

Behold the first moonchild of KERLI 2.0

Immerse yourself in the official music video for ZERO GRAVITY directed by Alon Isocianu (Done With Dolls, Candy Coated Killahz, The Balconies, Shortwave HotKid) and Pasha Patriki (Down With Webster, Kate Voegele, Finger 11, Emily Osment).

Watch it and then close your eyes and watch it again...

KERLI
ZERO GRAVITY
Feels like coming home
After traveling a million miles
I am not alone
Searching for the starlight in the darkest skies

A complex surface
Laid out right before our eyes
Everything makes sense
Now that you are by my side

I'm as light as I can be
You got me feeling weightless
You take me on an odyssey
You got me feeling weightless

You make me float free
My love for you is endless
No ties are binding me
Oh onto zero gravity

Now onto zero gravity
Oh onto zero gravity

All the pain in me
No more needs to be expressed
Feels like I can breathe
You lift a burden off my chest

Traces of sadness
No more chaining me to the ground
I am limitless
Ever since you came around

I'm as light as I can be
You got me feeling weightless
You take me on an odyssey
You got me feeling weightless

You make me float free
My love for you is endless
No ties are binding me
Oh onto zero gravity

Now onto zero gravity
Oh onto zero gravity
Now onto zero gravity
Oh onto zero gravity

I'm as light as I can be
You got me feeling weightless
You take me on an odyssey
You got me feeling weightless

KERLI MUSIC.COM

SXSW 2012 Top 10; CHERRI BOMB Explodes And DEAD SARA Emerges

2012-03-20T17:45:00.005-07:00

(Taylor Jardine of We Are The In Crowd)

SXSW 2012 - TOP 10

2000+ bands descended upon Austin this year for the 26th Annual SXSW Music Conference and Festival.

As David Coverdale once intimated, Here I Go Again...

I've been to the annual morass of music and mayhem for the past 12 years and although I was, initially, less than enthused about this year's offerings, I was pleasantly surprised over the course of 96 hours and departed Tejas with a few new favorites.

In the Pinterest of full disclosure, we did not have a photographer on hand so the accompanying photos happened somewhere else in a time line of sublime. Pinstagram anyone?

1. PORTER ROBINSON @ Empire Automotive - Having seen this 19-year old DJ phenom last year as an opener on the Skrillex summer club tour (he also opened for Tiesto's 'College Invasion Tour'), Porter once again proved that he is headed for the same stratosphere as both Sonny Moore & Tijs Verwest.

Manning the sonic portal at quarter after 1, Robinson's pumping electro house bumped the crowd hard for 90 minutes.

Special thanks to BandPage for handing out cheap sunglasses to all dance floor revelers. They came in handy, especially when a guy, hoisted on stilts in a full-body LED suit, came barging into the middle of the crowd to shoot lasers out of giant pistols. Said guns were also hooked up to hoses of freon. Taking a sonic cue with the immortal words from Skrillex "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites"...CALL 911 NOW! LED man proceeded to shoot powerful blasts of freon on the hot & sweaty bodies as he spun wildly in circles.

Apart from being engulfed in a sea of foam at clubs in Ibiza, this entertaining add-on was one of the best I've ever been a part of.

2. WE ARE THE IN CROWD @ Palm Door - WATIC had recently cancelled their LA show at the Troubadour, so I went to see them with no preconceptions (other than a glowing recommendation) and no knowledge of their music. Fortunately for me, they started late due to a PA glitch which allowed me to walk in during the first part of their set.

During the course of the first three minutes of vocal interplay between Taylor Jardine and Jordan Eckes, I became their newest fan. Tay (as she goes by) reminds me of a badass mix of Hayley Williams and Cady Groves and their songs are catchy as hell.

After the show, I said 'Hello' to the affable Ms Jardine whom helped me sort out my phone's two-way camera. I scooped up a free Glamour Kills tee and off I went.

We Are The In Crowd are definitely a shining light spotlighting the current crop of potent pop punk. Having just released Best Intentions, their Hopeless Records debut album, look for them to tour the rest of 2012 including the entire Warped Tour.

(Nia Lovelis, Miranda Miller, Rena Lovelis, Julia Pierce)

3. CHERRI BOMB @ Bat Bar/Red 7Having originally seen an incarnation of Cherri Bomb when they were still called Red Shadow, the Bat Bar performance on Wed night was their first SXSW showcase (I saw them at the Alt Press showcase on Saturday as well), one of their first US shows outside of Los Angeles and the first time I was seeing them.

Having opened for Foo Fighers in Europe last summer and recently having played the Soundwave Festival in Austrlia, these four teenagers (lead vocalist/lead guitarist Julia Pierce, guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist Miranda Miller, bassist/vocalist Rena Lovelis & drummer/vocalist Nia Lovelis) are much more than the Runaways. Sure they have the looks and the undeniable stage presence but sheer talent oozes and their songs pack a whallop. Nia's monstrous drumming surely put Dave Grohl on notice that there's a new kid on the block.

Hearing "Shake The Ground" (live) from their upcoming This Is The End of Control debut on Hollywood Records (due May 15; produced by Red Decibel & Bobby Huff), it was one of those moments where a collective feeling washed over the room...we were all a part of something f'in special.

Tick, Tick...Boom! Get ready to watch Cherri Bomb EXPLODE!

4. DEAD SARA @ Buffalo Billiards - Formidably led by singer Emily Armstrong and guitarist Siouxsie Medley, LA's Dead Sara are a force to be reckoned with.

Having seen their sold-out Troubadour show at the beginning of the year, I was already fully onboard the 'Weatherman' train but this is the kind of band that you want to see again and again because they are truly living on the edge looking to push every performance past the rev line.

Emily's determined passion for over-the-top appetite for destruction reminds me of a cross between Eddie Vedder during Lollapalooza '92 and Kory Clarke during his tour for Warrior Soul's Geffen debut.

For the crescendo of every performance of 'Weatherman,' Emily climbs on top of an amp stack and leaps off...I can see her scaling bigger and bigger heights, literally and figuratively, during their opening slots on The Used & Chevelle tours this spring and the entire Warped Tour.

On this particular afternoon at the In Grooves/Fontana showcase (Dead Sara's self-titled debut releases April 10), Ms Armstrong finished her impassioned regaling of 'Weatherman' by leaping headfirst into the crowd (nearly landing on top of me) and moshing out the final strains with her newly christened diehard fans. A SXSW moment to remember forever!

5. FRED FALKE @ Malverde - My end to SXSW 2012 couldn't have finished any better. I hoofed it over to Malverde (at 2nd & Guadalupe, just behind 'The W') for some soul-invigorating deep house by French music producer Fred Falke.

Beginning his music career in 1995, Falke started as a gigging bass player before switching to production work in the late 90s. Now, in high demand, he's remixed tracks by the likes of Little Boots, Gossip, U2, Annie, Grizzly Bear, Uffie, Ladyhawke, Florrie, Lykke Li, La Roux & Ke$ha's 'TiK ToK' which how I first came to know about him. He also twisted the knobs on a version of her mega-hit "We R Who We R".

Fred's live DJ sets feature him playing bass on an actual bass and not just pressing a pre-programmed loop-di-loop.

The lights in Malverede came on at 2:15AM and due to a rousing call for an Encore, Falke obliged with another 15 minutes of low-end-drop-out and requisite dancefloor build-up. A master of ceremony. A masterful set of circumstances. A mastery of music.

6. SKRILLEX @ The Main - What's there to be said about Skrillex that hasn't already been said? Everyone (except Grammy 'Best New Artist' voters) knows he's the friggin' messiah forging the new wave of electronic music...a bloody revolution is under way!

His set at The Main was cool because it was a "vs" config whereby he shared the deck with labelmate Porter Robinson whom debuted a brand new song.

Skrill dropped Cinema & Scary Monsters & Bangarang and, needless to say, the crowd (myself included) went ballistic! It was HOT as a MOFO in there, both literally and pure volume wise.

7. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN @ ACL Live - Having never seen Springsteen before, I decided that if chosen in the SXSW lottery I would go check it out for a few songs. I stayed for all 2 1/2 hours.

Highlights were the 17-piece E Street Band (Jake Clemons, nephew of Clarence, was fantastic), Bruce stage-diving, his comment that SXSW was "fuckin' crazy right now and a teenage music junkie's wet dream", "10th Avenue Freeze-Out" and Tom Morello's Rage Against The Machine-style guitar solo during his rendition of "The Ghost of Tom Joad". I was blinded by the light.

Fittingly, Springsteen opened and closed the show with Woody Gutherie covers. Low Anthem, Alejandro Escovedo, Tom Morello, Eric Burdon (of The Animals), Arcade Fire members Win Butler and Regine Chassagne, Garland Jeffreys and Joe Ely joined in the "This Land Is Your Land" finale that, in the confines of the relatively small Moody Theatre, and context of SXSW, was a treasured moment in time.

Thanks to Jesse Malin for the cold Dos Equis (which he bought for me when I bumped into him on the patio before the show). He was catching part of Bruce's set before heading to his own showcase later that night. Such is the beauty and the dynamics of SXSW.

8. I THE MIGHTY @ Lucky 13 - During Blameshift's showcase the day before, producer Erik Ron introduced me to this San Francisco based alt rock band. ITM was opening the Equal Vision Records showcase the next day at Lucky 13, a venue Live Nation turned from empty space into rock venue in a matter of 2 1/2 weeks (such is the nature of many of the makeshift SXSW venues that are only open for 10 days out of the year).

Led by the captivating delivery of singer Brent Walsh and mightily anchored by guitarist Ian Pedigo, bassist Chris Hinkley and drummer Blake Dahlinger, I the Mighty made an indelible impression on me as an act ready to breakout in a big way.

Their Erik Ron-produced Karma Never Sleeps EP, which features the single "Cutting Room Floor," releases March 27 via Equal Vision.

9. GRIMES @ Clive Bar - Let's just call this the set I almost didn't see...because of the massive overcrowding of Clive Bar's awkward layout and Grimes' insistence on soundchecking for about 30 minutes past when she was supposed to start.

She was getting feedback from the lone mic in her setup and with an enormous crowd on the main floor packed in like sardines, it seemed like an eternity until she began (ironically, the throngs could easily have been placated by putting on a recorded mix of Grimes...her voice has that soothing Bjork meets Enya-like quality).

All was soon forgiven as her soaring vocalizations over a flowing bed of dreamy electronica reaffirmed the hype that she's poised for a mainstream break-thru this year. Let's hope she hires a sound engineer to go on the road with her.

It should be noted that across town at the very time she was emoting elegance, Eminem was throwing down with 50 Cent on his seminal Get Rich or Die Tryin'. Ms Grimes (aka Claire Boucher from Vancouver BC) is surely the next in line to get rich or die tryin'.

10. BLAMESHIFT @ Texas Rockfest - Led by the powerful vocals of Jenny Mann, Long Island rockers Blameshift are in the midst of a three-month eco-powered tour that took a brief break in late February so the band could record their amazing new EP with producer Erik Ron (VersaEmerge, Panic! at The Disco, Foxy Shazam, D.R.U.G.S).

Highlighting "Better Without You (C'est la Vie)" and "Revolution" from the forthcoming 6-track EP, "Figure Out A Way" (the live version contained a short chorus of Tiffany "I Think We're Alone Now") from their The Black Rose EP and working in a brand new cover of Rihanna "We Found Love," Blameshift are generating a ton of buzz as one of the Best Unsigned Bands in the land.

Other SXSW 2012 Highlights:

BIRDS OF CHICAGO @ Betsy's Bar - Americana instrumentation took flight on the wings of gorgeous harmonies (in English & French) by singers Allison Russell and JT Nero.

BORGORE @ The Parish - Israeli DJ Asaf Borger (aka Borgore) went full Gore with an aggressive set of "Gorestep" splashed with live rap and a dose of death metal. Flanked by female pole dancers on either side, Borgore kicked off his 6-week U.S. tour which includes stops at Ultra Music Fest, Coachella & Nocturnal Wonderland.

CANDLEBOX @ Antone's - Having just heard Kenny Powers play Candlebox "Far Behind" during the Jason Sudeikis (aka "Shane") eulogy/funeral scene on a recent episode of Eastbound & Down, the band was once again front and center on my mind after nearly a decade or so. I was a fan of the band and the Seattle scene/sound in the 90s so I was curious.

Singer Kevin Martin was in fine form but it was Peter Klett's meaty riffs and tasty blues-soaked guitar solos that sealed the deal.

Their new album Love Stories & Other Musings arrives April 3.

MUSTARD PIMP @ Empire Automotive - Mustard Pimp are the french dynamic duo of Baron and eKa (whom used to be a guitarist in a metal band).

Showcasing at the Dim Mak Records (Steve Aoki's label) event and hitting the stage just before Porter Robinson, their music is hard to classify as they throw down everything from House to Breakbeat to Electro and Maximal. What's easy to classify is that they satisfy.

JESSE MALIN @ Cedar St. Courtyard - The Cedar Courtyard is one of my favorite places to see a show...especially when I'm actually in the courtyard and not out on 4th St waiting in a crazy long line.

I've seen Jesse many times, both solo and as the made man plunging the punk rock detonator of D Generation. He always delivers as if every show is his last...sharing the same ethos as his idol Bruce Springsteen.

Hitting the stage a little after 1AM, with an acoustic guitar and electric piano accompaniment, Malin played some favorites from Glitter in the Gutter and channeled his freeform beat poet stream-of-consciousness alter-ego as only a master manipulator of theatrics can do.

JILLETTE JOHNSON @ BMI Brunch, Four Seasons - Playing during the annual BMI shindig on the lawn of the Four Seasons is actually a primo gig in front of a large swath of key execs in the music biz. Only problem is that said industry types are usually hungover and focused on large cups of java and breakfast tacos.

Jillette's voice was quite lovely and I look forward to hearing her forthcoming Wind-Up Records EP Young, Blind and Dumb, co-produced by Peter Zizzo (Vanessa Carlton, Avril Lavigne) & Michael Mangini (Joss Stone, Diane Burch).

LIVE @ Antone's - While brand new singer Chris Shinn sounds like an Ed Kowalczyk knock-off, their solid set began with "The Dam at Otter Creek" and focused on material from the mega-platinum Throwing Copper (one of two platinum records on my office wall). Hearing "Lightning Crashes" as a full-blown drunken crowd sing-along is a near perfect way to spend five minutes.

Before Live (whom were billed as a "special guest") hit the stage, guitarist Chad Taylor, bassist Patrick Dahlheimer and drummer Chad Gracey joined Candlebox vocalist Kevin Martin and CB guitarist Sean Hennesy for a set of hard-driving alt rock under the moniker The Gracious Few.

THE MILK CARTON KIDS @ St. David's Sanctuary - Imagine Simon & Garfunkel channeling the Fleet Foxes in well-press suits. Serene vocal elegance. Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale (aka The Milk Carton Kids) received a standing ovation at the end of their set.

TMCK's debut studio album Prologue is available for free download via their web site.

NOW, NOW @ Palm Door - Promoting their sophomore album Threads, Cacie Dalager (vocals, guitar, keyboard), Bradley Hale (drums, backing vocals) and Jess Abbott (guitar, vocals) make sweetly layered artsy indie rock akin to Tegan & Sara navigating an intergalactic space-time continuum.

(Taylor Young & John Pedigo)

THE O's @ St. David's Bethel Hall - Indie folk duo out of Dallas with a penchant for Smothers Brothers-style camaraderie amidst a fierce attack of kick drum, foot tambourine, slide guitar and banjo.

Throw in a few cold brews, a shot of bourbon and voila, you have a tasty batch of cheery-O's.

Look for summer/fall dates opening for Rhett Miller (solo) and Old 97's.

ZZ WARD @ Bat Bar - Sporting her trademark fedora, singer ZZ Ward brewed up a mean batch of rock, blues & soul laced with dark leaves of Z.

Visit her web site to grab her free Eleven Roses mixtape featuring "Better Off Dead" and "OVERdue".

THIS GUY... whom secured one of my all-time concerts highlights...

CADY GROVES; You Outta Know THIS LITTLE GIRL Gives Good Show

2012-03-12T01:31:00.015-07:00

Every girl is capable of murder if you hurt her

Theoretically speaking.

About a theoretical guy named "Todd"

Remember the key word is "capable" though This Little Girl has Got A Good Alibi. And you outta know what it is.

Ms Cady Groves (aka Cady Groovenstein III) is vying to become the next mega superstar traveling the road paved platinum by Alanis Morissette (Jagged Little Pill), Liz Phair (Exile In Guyville), Avril Lavigne (Under My Skin) and Adele (19 & 21).

Love gone awry. Love gone goodbye. Love like a stick in the eye.

May she soon indulge in a big fat gelatinous piece of pop culture pie.

And may we all go along for the ride.

So, theoretically speaking, I found myself in Downtown Disney on a random Wednesday night smack in the latter mid-half of the second third of February.

Might I have on mouse ears?
Might I be saying, Yes please Dear?
Might I be mistakenly looking for Sears?
Might I be drinking cold Meeler beers?

Might I suggest that none of these are anywhere near?

I got a good alibi.

I'm a cultural attaché.

And I was curious. Being such a coveted pick in this year's draft class, would CGIII go number two overall, or with a little Luck, could she be #1.

Could Oklahoma be national champions once again? It has to happen Boomer Sooner or later, especially with Ms Cadence under center.

She definitely has the catskillz to pay the beat box billz.

But...

Could the inimitable Cady Groves imitate herself to a tee in front of a packed House of Kool Moe Dees?

Would she be as funny as an RSS feed of Ambien tweets?

Would she charm the OC with sweet itty bitty ditties like "Real With Me" "Refrain" "One In The Same" "Fly" and "The Life of A Pirate"?

Would she rile up the O' Reillys with the vengeful Castrol from her forthcoming RCA Records' debut?

Would she reach into her knit hat of good n plenty to cherry pick a patch of pickled pepper from her technicolor coat of many covers; Paramore "The Only Exception" Katy Perry "California Gurls" Ke$ha "Blow", The Band Perry "If I Die Young", *NSYNC "God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You", Jason Mraz "I'm Yours", Taylor Swift "Mean", Miranda Lambert "Famous In A Small Town", Blake Shelton "Who Are You When I'm Not Looking", fun. "We Are Young", Miley Cyrus "Climb", Rihanna "Umbrella", Alanis Morissette "You Outta Know", The Dixie Chicks "You Were Mine", The Dixie Chicks "Take Care Of You", Leona Lewis "Bleeding Love" or Adele "Someone Like You"?

Would "Rubber Dicks" and "Rubber Duckies" swim their way into the convo?

Would she ignite the hay of Caliente Chelle Rae?

It's 7:55 and the bee's knees have left the hive.

The pollination of a generation has begun.

And it's sweet as motherlovin' sassafras.

Focusing solely on material from her debut album, this self-dubbed "Beautiful Freaks" tour with labelmates Hot Chelle Rae was well-constructed to showcase two of the leading lights of RCA.

At a lo-dough price, most all of the shows along the tour sold out providing Ms Groovestein the opportunity to get touchy-feely with her fervent fans while indoctrinating a bunch of new ones.

A Cady Groves show is as easy as 1, 2, 3

Uno Dos Tres.

1) She sings beautifully (and seemingly effortlessly)

Whether it's dueting with Ryan Follesé (of Hot Chelle Rae) on “Why Don’t You Love Me” (the album version features Demi Lovato), belting out the chorus of "I'm Not Afraid Of You," rowing the skinny bop pop of "We're The Shit," emoting the heart-wrenching exorcism of Adele's "Someone Like You" or cheerleading the hand clap slap "breakdown" of "This Little Girl" (think Avril Lavigne "Girlfriend");

Don't you know you should never treat a girl like that?
Got a good alibi, and my bag's all packed
Don't you know you should never treat a girl like that?
'Cause the next one's gonna have the hammer pulled back

Cady Groves is 1000% the real deal!

2)You sing voraciously along with her

Cady's got a good alibi...she's having as much fun hearing the unison of voices echo her words as she is sangin' her songs.

It's ironic that much of new material has threads sewn by Mean Jolene Greene because she seems to be so fully engrossed in the joy of the moment when singing her songs with her fans.

3) Cady hot chili pepper sprays the crowd with spicy chippy dip by way of loose lipped quips

Result: Smiles that stretch a mile for a long while.

Three days of the condor later and I find myself on the well-worn sidewalk of the Sunset. Its refurbished neon is luminescent...much like the beautiful freaks all dolled up on a Saturday night in Hollywood.

And on this night at the Roxy, it's more or less a label showcase as the VIP section is jam-packed with honchos, hogwarts and dignitaries.

Amongst the shuck n jive are songwriters Tom Meredith (co-wrote "This Little Girl", "I'm Not Afraid of You" & "In Your Window") and Sean Douglas (co-wrote "This Little Girl").

The room is abuzz and security keeps telling me to stand inside of the line separating the main floor from the aisle. But I wanna colour outside of the line because Tonight, Tonight, I am here to hear the HCR mega-hit for the fourth time in 4 days (yes, they basically open and close the show with their biggest song) and to see if the song remains one in the same or the tide of the pirate had waned.

Aside from one less song in the (already) short set, Cady strapped on her metaphorical rubber duckie once again and proved she's no one trick pony.

In addition to a freeform variation on her rant about all the "Evil Todds" in the world, she sauteed some extra thick sarcastic sauce in a matter-of-fact dead-pan while introducing her Adele cover by saying she was trying to help a young struggling singer from the UK.

Going on with the spoken intro for quite a bit longer than at the Anaheim show, she commented that probably only four people in the room found her funny.

I was one of the four horsemen.

While comedic timing in a live setting is perfected over time, she continues to be the funniest person on two thumbs...follow her on Twitter for a daily dose of hilarity.

And then there's her constant stream of homemade videos with her older brother Kelly...

"YOU SHOT ME IN THE THIGH!"

Her sassy stream-of-consciousness sets her ship apart on the open sea.

Which is where Cady Groves is headed.

She'll get to live her Life of a Pirate after all.

It's time for her ship and fresh air

Pop culture has refurbished its lair.

CADY GROVES
SET LISTS:

House Of Blues
Anaheim, CA
February 22, 2012
1) Revenge
2) We’re The Sh!t
3) In Your Window
4) I’m Not Afraid Of You
5) Live and Learn
6) Red Handed (Acoustic)
7) Someone Like You (Adele cover)
8) This Little Girl

Roxy Theatre
W. Hollywood, CA
February 25, 2012
1) Revenge
2) We’re The Sh!t
3) In Your Window
4) I’m Not Afraid Of You
5) Red Handed (Acoustic)
6) Someone Like You (Adele cover)
7) This Little Girl

CADY GROVES
BEAUTIFUL FREAKS TOUR
w/ HOT CHELLE RAE & ELECTRIC TOUCH
02/14/2012 - Denver, CO Bluebird Theater
02/15/2012 - Salt Lake City, UT In The Venue
02/17/2012 - Vancouver, BC Venue
02/18/2012 - Seattle, WA Showbox Sodo
02/20/2012 - San Francisco, CA Slim's
02/22/2012 - Anaheim, CA House of Blues
02/23/2012 - San Diego, CA House of Blues
02/24/2012 - Indio, CA Riverside County Fair
02/25/2012 - Los Angeles The Roxy Theatre
03/24/2012 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL Culture Room
03/25/2012 - Tampa, FL State Theatre
03/26/2012 - Jacksonville, FL Freebird
03/28/2012 - Dallas, TX House of Blues
03/29/2012 - Austin, TX La Zona Rosa

(Special thanks to Cady Groves, Danny Rukaskin & Jamie Abzug @ RCA Records. Concert photos courtesy of Picksysticks)

LZZY HALE & Mz HYDE; The Strange Case Of Daughters Of Darkness

2012-03-08T00:53:00.007-08:00

Hearing someone utter the phrase Love Bites makes me think of Joe Elliott and the pleasant hazy shade of the eighties...

Hearing LZZY HALE rapturously pronounce "That Bitch Can Eat Her Heart Out, Love Bites, But So Do I" is a familiar taste of Poison...both a play off of the sumptuous HALESTORM ballad and a double entendre of another 80's arena rock Coupe DeVille that pricked pop consciousness with rosy ballads emanating from Hollywood and Vine.

Look What The Cat Dragged In...

I'll Kiss You In A Way You'll Never Forget About Me

So says Halestorm singer/guitarist Lzzy Hale on "Love Bites (So Do I)" the lead track on Halestorm's new Ep HELLO, IT'S MZ. HYDE

HALESTORM
LOVE BITES (SO DO I)

Don’t listen what your girlfriend says
She reads those magazines
That say you failed the test
You don’t have what she needs
I slither like a viper
And get you by the neck
I know a thousand ways to help you forget about her

That bitch can eat her heart out!

Love bites, but so do I, so do I
Love bites, but so do I, so do I

LOVE BITES!

My lips are pale and vicious
You’re foaming at the mouth
You’ve suffered in the darkness
I’ll suck the pain right out
So come and taste the reason
I’m nothing like the rest
I kiss you in a way you’ll never forget about me

That chick can eat her heart out

Love bites, but so do I, so do I
Love bites, but so do I, so do I, so do I!

It checks you in and kicks you down
And chews you up and spits you out
It messes with your sanity by twisting all your thoughts around
They say it’s blind, they say it waits but every time it seals your fate
And now it’s got you by the balls it won’t let go until you fall
I was down and out got up I said “Hey love I’ve had enough!”
I’ve felt pleasure without pain
My soul you’ll never tame

Love bites, but so do I
Love bites, but so do I, so do I
Love bites, but so do I, so do I, so do I!
Love bites, but so do I, so do I
Love bites!
Love bites!

Formed in 1998 by siblings Elizabeth "Lizzy" Hale and her brother Arejay, Halestorm released three EPs before issuing their self-titled debut album in 2009 (a "Live" album and "Covers" EP followed).

Hello, It's Mz. Hyde marks the band's fifth EP which culls four songs from the band's sophomore album THE STRANGE CASE OF... (due April 10 via Atlantic Records).

One of the focus tracks is "Here's To Us" which was performed on the "On My Way" episode of GLEE during the regionals' competition portion of the show.

The song was performed by Lea Michele, who plays Rachel Berry, and the other female members of New Directions.

Listen to both versions:

Whether it's Ms. Michele & Ms. Berry (Daughters of Happiness) or Mz. Hale & Mz. Hyde (Daughters of Darkness), here's to a hailstorm of airplay sure to unleash a maelstrom of magnificence.

And if you've got love in your sights, Watch out, Love Bites!

HALESTORM TOUR DATES
Apr 13 - Augusta, GA @ James Brown Arena (w/ Staind & Godsmack)
Apr 14 - Orlando, FL @ Tinker Field
Apr 15 - Estero, FL @ Germain Arena (w/ Staind & Godsmack)
Apr 17 - New Orleans, LA @ UNO Lakefront (w/ Staind & Godsmack)
Apr 18 - Lafayette, LA @ Cajundome (w/ Staind & Godsmack)
Apr 19 - Bossier City, LA @ CenturyLink Ctr (w/ Staind & Godsmack)
Apr 21 - Lubbock, TX @ Lone Star Amp (w/ Staind & Godsmack)
Apr 22 - Belton, TX @ Bell County Center (w/ Staind & Godsmack)
Apr 24 - Beaumont, TX @ Ford Pavilion (w/ Staind & Godsmack)
Apr 25 - Laredo, TX @ Laredo Energy Center (w/ Staind & Godsmack)
Apr 28 - Tampa, FL @ St. Petersburg Times Forum
Apr 29 - Jacksonville, FL @ Metropolitan Park
May 01 - Corpus Christi, TX @ Concrete St (w/ Staind & Godsmack)
May 02 - San Antonio, TX @ Illusions (w/ Staind & Godsmack)
May 05 - Rockingham, NC @ Rockingham Spdway (Carolina Rebellion)
May 06 - Evansville, IN @ Ford Center (w/ Staind & Godsmack)
May 08 - Fort Wayne, IN @ Memorial Coliseum (w/ Staind & Godsmack)
May 09 - Battle Creek, MI @ Kellogg Arena (w/ Staind & Godsmack)
May 11 - Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena (w/ Staind & Godsmack)
May 12 - Huntington, WV @ Big Sandy Arena (w/ Staind & Godsmack)
May 13 - Binghamton, NY @ Broome Arena (w/ Staind & Godsmack)
May 15 - Syracuse, NY @ On Center (w/ Staind & Godsmack)
May 16 - Manchester, NH @ Verizon Wireless (w/ Staind & Godsmack)
May 18 - Flint, MI @ The Machine Shop
May 20 - Columbus, OH @ Rock On The Range (Columbus Crew Stdm)
Jun 01 - Nürburg, Germany @ Rock am Ring

HALESTORM
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LZZY HALE TWITTER

CASSIDY Follows Her Freedom As BOHEME And Reigns Supreme

2012-02-29T11:11:00.004-08:00

At first glance, Bohéme's Follow the Freedom seems like it must be the work of a new artist.

According to all search engines and music libraries, no such person or entity has ever released an album before. In fact, though, Bohéme is the name taken by an established and acclaimed musician—a singer, songwriter, producer, and entrepreneur—to mark a new chapter in her career, and in her life. So rather than announcing the arrival of a rookie, Follow the Freedom represents an artist reborn.

For eight years, Cassidy was the front woman and primary songwriter in Antigone Rising. After releasing four independent albums, the all-female rock band was signed to Lava/Atlantic Records, and its 2005 major label debut From the Ground Up sold almost 500,000 copies.

Celebrated for the excitement of its live performances, the group toured with the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Dave Mathews, and Rob Thomas.

"It was an amazing period of discovery and growth," says Cassidy. "I learned a lot about the business, and about being part of a team, since I was always a bit of a loner. But for many reasons, by the end I just wasn’t getting all that I’d hoped for."

When she decided to leave the band, however, Cassidy faced a conundrum. In the intervening years, a rapper known as Cassidy had hit the charts and, as she says, "kind of cornered the market on the moniker."

Really, though, the name issue wasn't the most immediately pressing matter for the singer. Having struck back out on her own, she found that she had lost the inspiration to make music. "It was like the voice was silent," she says. "I was disenchanted, bewildered. I didn’t have the desire to do it anymore, or know if I could ever get back there again."

She did some freelance journalism and some acting, wrote a book and screenplay, even tried writing a few songs— "but they felt like a chore," she says.

Something more drastic needed to happen for Cassidy to find her fire for making music, her passion since singing in local New Jersey bands as a teenager before moving to New York, Los Angeles, and London to chase the dream.

"I needed to go back to the beginning, to who I was before the band," she says. "And I found that girl was still very much there, and had been progressing the whole time. As soon as I started to be creative without having to prove anything, the songs started to come, and it was like the floodgates opened."

The first song to arrive was the breezy, buoyant "Everything Sunshine," its mood the furthest thing from the crisis she was facing. "That was the first moment I could see that I was headed in the right direction," she says, "and that the answers could possibly be in the songs themselves, if I could just let myself write them."

Next came "Even the Mistakes," a sentiment that was perhaps both more predictable and more necessary in her current state. "The song was giving me permission to screw up," she says. "I realized that the bad times in your life aren't forever, and they happen for a reason."

By the time she wrote the powerful "Thank You for Breaking My Heart," Cassidy had relocated to LA and knew that she had something to develop. She contacted her old friend Don Boyette, best known as Michael Jackson's touring bassist, who agreed to co-produce her album, with all of the support a true friend can offer. "I've known Don forever, we have sort of a brother-sister relationship," she says.

The sound that Cassidy created for Follow the Freedom, in front and behind the microphone, took the singer back to her earliest influences. "I always wrote these little blue-eyed soul ditties—like some cross between Minnie Riperton and Rickie Lee Jones, with some arena-rock sensibilities in the choruses," she says. "The radio was the only musical instrument in my house growing up, so I love those '70s and '80s melodies."

During the final stages of the album, she even got to live out a true classic-rock dream. Mixer Niko Bolas, who has worked with everyone from Neil Young to Frank Sinatra to Keith Richards, invited an old friend to stop by and listen to Cassidy's songs.

"I walked into the studio one day to find Steve Perry hanging out in my mixing bay," she says, still with a certain degree of disbelief. "Before I knew it, he was there every day showing me tricks he used to get his voice to sound like that on his albums. Secrets I will take to my grave! He even came up with this cool idea for a backing vocal on 'Follow The Freedom'. We threw a mic up and sang together!"

With the album done, and given an unexpected blessing from the voice of Journey, there was still the unresolved matter of the name. "Don said it would just come to me, and it did," she says. She settled on a word that has long evoked creativity and independence.

DOWNLOAD A FREE MP3 of the Remix ft. vocals by Steve Perry

"Bohéme is the name of the project," she says, "but it's also me. Who I am and how I feel—a gypsy, a free spirit. I'll always be Cassidy, that's my name, but this is sort of an alter ego, a character I’ve created as I’m starring in this new role of my life."

And that's a complicated role, indeed, as Cassidy is releasing the album on her own Band and Mountain record label, while preparing to bring the new songs alive with all of her usual dynamism on stage. But, as always, the music comes first: With its brave emotions, uplifting messages, and soaring soul melodies, Follow the Freedom offers a classic sound and a welcome spirit in the music landscape.

"When I look into the abyss of the music business," says Cassidy, "I don’t see me out there. We need theatrics and slight of hand, we all want to be entertained of course! But we also need more voices of women who are real. There has to be someone else girls can look at and say, 'She’s like me.'

"I made the music that I want to hear.
I only really know how to do what I do."

BOHEME - FOLLOW THE FREEDOM
1. Follow the Freedom
2. Even The Mistakes
3. Everything Sunshine*
4. Blind Spot
5. Done Done Done*
6. Undertow*
7. Pot of Gold*
8. A Girl Like That
9. Sensitive People*
10. Thank You for Breaking My Heart

*Mixed by Niko Bolas at The Surf Shack, Los Angeles, CA

All songs produced by Cassidy Catanzaro and Don Boyette except for "Pot Of Gold" and "Sensitive People" which were produced by Cassidy Catanzaro and George Stanford.

BOHEME
TOUR DATES
03/31 - N. Augusta, SC @ Downstairs Live
04/01 - Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
04/02 - Arlington, VA @ IOTA
04/03 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Café
04/04 - Philadelphia, PA @ Tin Angel
04/06 - New York, NY @ Rockwood Music Hall (No Cover)

BOHEME ARTIST.COM
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PANTERA Vulgar Display Of Power 20th Anniversary Edition May 15

2012-02-25T12:32:00.005-08:00

February 25 1992 witnessed the resolute declaration of A New Level of Confidence & Power, A VULGAR DISPLAY OF POWER.

Seems like a brief minute ago, I was drinking beers with Dimebag Darrell, Vinnie Paul and Rex Brown at a billiard hall around the corner from the Vic Theatre in Chicago before PANTERA's record release show for VDOP.

And poof. 20 years have vanished but the legacy of one of the greatest metal albums EVER lives on. It's as fucking hostile as ever!

Today marks the 20-year Anniversary for Pantera’s Vulgar Display Of Power, a landmark album widely acknowledged as one of metal’s most enduring and influential masterworks.

Recorded by singer Philip Anselmo, guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott, bassist Rex Brown and drummer Vinnie Paul, the album has been certified double platinum by the RIAA and features several of the group’s most iconic songs including 'Walk', 'Mouth For War', 'This Love', and 'Fucking Hostile'.

Pantera - Walk by Warner-Music

To celebrate, Rhino channels the album’s relentless blitzkrieg of musical aggression onto a two-disc Deluxe Edition. The CD includes the original album remastered and “Piss,” a recently discovered unreleased track from the recording sessions.

The DVD contains an unreleased live performance filmed in Italy in September of 1992 plus the three official music videos from the album.

Due out May 15, 2012 from Rhino, the CD/DVD set will be available at retail outlets and will also be available digitally.

The collection features the debut of 'Piss', an incendiary blast of vintage Pantera from the original recording sessions. It remained lost until Vinnie Paul rediscovered the track while going through the band’s vault.

Along with the unreleased song, Vulgar Display Of Power (Deluxe Edition) also features unreleased video of the quartet performing six songs at the Monsters Of Rock show in Reggio Emilia, Italy on September 12, 1992.

The set list draws almost exclusively from Vulgar (“This Love,” “Rise” “Mouth For War”), but also includes the title track from their previous album, Cowboys From Hell, and a melding of Vulgar’s “Hollow” and Cowboys’ “Domination,” which was a live staple of the band.

Video of Pantera performing live during this era is extremely rare, making the DVD one of the few ways to see them in their prime.

PANTERA
Vulgar Display Of Power
Expanded Edition
Tracklisting:

CD
1) Mouth For War
2) A New Level
3) Walk
4) Fucking Hostile
5) This Love
6) Rise
7) No Good (Attack The Radical)
8) Live In A Hole
9) Regular People (Conceit)
10) By Demons Be Driven
11) Hollow
12) Piss (Previously Unreleased)

DVD
Mouth For War – Live In Italy 1992
Domination/Hollow – Live In Italy 1992
Rise – Live In Italy 1992
This Love – Live In Italy 1992
Cowboys From Hell – Live In Italy 1992
Mouth For War – Music Video
This Love – Music Video
Walk – Music Video

PANTERA already have 5,000,000+ Facebook fans...and are looking for a few million more.

LONG LIVE DIMEBAG DARRELL!

HE IS WE Are Creamy As Buttermilk. Skip To Ma Lou, Oh Darling!

2012-02-20T23:47:00.000-08:00

HE IS WE will hit the road as headliners in May & June on the GIVE IT ALL tour with support from Deas Vail, Plug In Stereo and South Jordan.

The five week cross-country jaunt which includes a slot at Bamboozle marks the first tour since releasing their Skip To The Good Part EP in late December.

Sure to be heard during each night's HIW set will be "Our July In The Rain" from the new EP and both "Blame It On The Rain" and "Happily Ever After" from their My Forever album (both videos have over a million views):

Pairing the He from The We with the He known as Plug In Stereo will result in a stereophonic tremor of Trevors.

Trevor Kelly from He Is We will be pseudo-shadowed by opener Trevor Dahl (aka Plug In Stereo) whom will inspire cacophonous sing-alongs during his sugary-sweet "Oh Darling" (minus the inimitable Cady Groves):

However, Mr. Dahl separately paired up with Ms. Groves for an impromptu hotel room karaoke session knocking out quickie covers of Ke$ha "Blow" and Adele "Rolling In The Deep":

Having seen He Is We last summer at Chain Reaction in Anaheim, I highly suggest catching one of the shows.

Hearing the crowd sing along to every word of every song at the top of their lungs is, alone, worth the low dough price of admission (advance tix for the LA show are $12).

It will be an evening for All To Give It All because...

Fly's in the buttermilk, shoo, shoo, shoo.
Skip to my Lou, Oh Darlin'

HE IS WE
2012 Tour Dates
May 02 - Varsity Theater Minneapolis, MN
May 03 - The Rave Bar Milwaukee, WI
May 04 - The Bottom Lounge Chicago, IL
May 05 - The Pyramid Scheme Grand Rapids, MI
May 06 - Musica Akron, OH
May 08 - Rocketown Nashville, TN
May 09 - Masquerade Atlanta, GA
May 10 - The Social Orlando, FL
May 11 - Local 662 St Petersburg, FL
May 12 - Jack Rabbits Jacksonville, FL
May 14 - Tremont Music Hall - Casbah Charlotte, NC
May 15 - Jewish Mother Virginia Beach, VA
May 16 - Ottobar Baltimore, MD
May 17 - The Note West Chester, PA
May 20 - Bamboozle Asbury Park, NJ
May 22 - Altar Bar Pittsburgh, PA
May 23 - The Loft Lansing, MI
May 24 - The Basement Columbus, OH
May 25 - Emerson Theatre Indianapolis, IN
May 26 - The Blue Moose Tap House Iowa City, IA
May 27 - Sokol Underground Omaha, NE
May 29 - Marquis Theatre Denver, CO
May 30 - The Complex | Grand Room Salt Lake City, UT
Jun 01 - The Nile Mesa, AZ
Jun 02 - Chain Reaction Anaheim, CA
Jun 03 - Troubadour Los Angeles, CA
Jun 05 - Hawthorne Theatre Portland, OR
Jun 06 - El Corazon Seattle, WA

CELLESTE Imbues Janis Joplin In A Led Zeppelin. Get READY TO FLY!

2012-02-16T00:23:00.000-08:00

O CANADA...

With fertile plains and mountains grand. With lakes and rivers clear,
Eternal beauty, thos dost stand...

But, really, tell me...is it your spacious skies?

Your proximity to the Aurora Borealis?

Is there a lil somthin' somthin' in the potash?

Is LaBatt's brewing a special strain of potassium carbonate?

Over the years, you continually export iconic female singers with great regularity; Avril Lavigne, Alanis Morissette, Sass Jordan, Tegan & Sara, Lights, Melissa Auf der Maur, Kathleen Edwards, Sarah McLachlan, Loreena McKennitt, Joni Mitchell, Buffy Sainte-Marie, KD Lang, Diana Krall, Nelly Furtado, Alannah Myles, Frazey Ford, Serena Ryder, Esthero and Geddy Lee...ok maybe he just sounds like a woman.

You also provide a fertile environment for Montreal native CELLESTE and her brand of ballsy blues-soaked gut-check Bron-Y-Aur stomp that makes one imagine what would have been if Janis Joplin (and not Paul Rodgers) had been joined at the hip with maestro Jimmy Page to metamorphosize into the quasi-natural dynamic duo deemed Overlords in a Bad Company called THE FIRM of Rock 'N Roll.

Did someone sprinkle "pot ash" on my Corn Flakes?
Are Porn Flakes the Lebkuchen du jour?
Or is my mind's eye too close to the thermosphere?

Inspired by the rock bands of the 60’s and 70’s and with a gritty voice reminiscent of Linda Perry, Sheryl Crow, Joss Stone, Tina Turner and Joan Jett, Celleste's music is a blend of rock, folk, blues and pop, a melting pot that she likes to call “Modern Classic Rock”.

Celleste elaborates, "I’d often hear Led Zeppelin and Janis Joplin coming through my older brother’s door, while my dad was playing Chet Atkins tunes in the basement...it was a great environment to grow up in, and obviously influenced who I am today."

While her debut album READY TO FLY is chock full of blustery riffs as heard on its 8+ minute Led Zep 'Ramble On' meets Triumph 'Magic Power' title track and its rip-roaring "Real Love," its sonic palette is colored more by the Black Crowes' shake of "Drive," the Hammond B3 propelled gospel revue "What Are We Waiting For" and the folksy mandolin stroll of "Say What You Want" which serve as a passageway to its emotional center that is "Beyond Words".

With the lingering reverb of a luscious piano melody layered against the deftly orchestrated refrain "You have given me so much, A Love beyond, A Timeless bond," its shadow is its cloak.

Something's at the edge of your mind, you don't know what it is
Something you were hoping to find, but your not sure what it is
Then you hear the music and it all comes crystal clear
The music does the talking, says the things you want to hear

Celleste's music shall provide the wind beneath your wings...

With glowing hearts we see thee rise, the True North strong and free...

Get Ready To Fly!

CELLESTE.COM
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