Ryan's Smashing Life

Rodrigo y Gabriela at the Orpheum!

2012-05-17T06:44:00.000-04:00

Photographic Evidence

and Thoughts on Shows

Sold Out Show

The Orpheum

Boston - 04.23.12

Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero have been playing guitar together for more than fifteen years and it shows with each jaw-dropping performance. Their acoustic, nylon stringed instruments produce a unique sound which is not easy to classify; encompassing influences from both rock and world music.

from the new album Area 52

Rodrigo y Gabriela brought the band C.U.B.A. on the road with them on the Spring 2012 tour in order to showcase the thrilling and dynamic hybrid of metal, latin and jazz featured on their new album Area 52. The record contains nine of Rod and Gab's favorite songs from their own catalogue re-arranged and recorded in Havana with legendary producer Peter Asher and a 13-piece Cuban orchestra comprised of some of the country's finest young players. The new album was mixed by Rafa Sardina, one of the leading studio musicians in the Latin music world, and arranged by London-based pianist, composer and arranger Alex Wilson. Recording took place in the Miramar district of Havana, Cuba, at Abdala Studios, founded by the Cuban folk hero Silvio Rodriguez, as well as at Rod and Gab's studio in Ixtapa, Mexico. Other players on the record include: drummer John Tempesta (The Cult, Testament, White Zombie), sitarist Anoushka Shankar and drummer Samuel Formell (Los Van Van).

"As a fan: They far and away exceeded my expectations of their live show. They are one of the most engaging acts I've seen in some time. They easily drew in the audience and made them part of the show. The addition of the Cuban band added some amazing layers to what they do with their guitars," - photographer Lisa Sanchez Gonzalez.

And what about shooting an event at the Orpheum? "What an amazing old theater! The sound is fantastic and there isn't a bad seat in the house. The staff was very friendly and I felt very welcome as a photographer there. Great experience all around," said Gonzalez. "The audience was one of the best parts! Every person in that place was completely into the show. Right up to the upper balcony (I traveled the entire theater). They were constantly clapping and dancing. Honestly, one of the most high-energy audiences I've seen in ages. Everyone had a great time and it was a great buzz spilling out from the theater at the end. And it was a really cool crowd too. Very eclectic. Old, young, hipsters, all different races. And it was sold out...

Rodrigo Y Gabriela
Album / Web / Fb / Tw

Inspired by Maurice Sendak - Meet Foolish Ida

2012-05-16T07:12:00.008-04:00

Inspired: Music at Work

Sounds You Need to Hear

Boston's Sarah Rabdau as an inspired & grown "Ida"

Call it impeccably disappointing timing, but in reflection - perhaps there is no good time for one's literary heroes to die... Boston Singer/Songwriter Sarah Rabdau has created a song cycle and side project, titled Foolish Ida, was inspired by the book "Outside Over There" by Maurice Sendak - who just died this month after suffering a stroke. The work was in process long before Sendak, 83, passed away.

"Sometimes I feel like Maurice Sendak gave birth to my imagination. His books could transform bedrooms into jungles filled with monsters, and open windows into dark worlds filled with goblins and baby snatchers. And why were these images so appealing to young children and adults alike? Because they told the truth. Each one of us has a sadness that cannot be explained, and a darkness that we try and keep at bey, even as children. We all want to run away to a land faraway and save ourselves. Sendak's gift to us all was to let us."

Sarah Rabdau’s new side project Foolish Ida will release the first EP of two on May 19th at Café 939. It should be a special night of music.

Growing up with an artist mother meant that books read to young Sarah Rabdau were often chosen solely for their illustrations. Like many children, Maurice Sendak's books were a staple. He could realistically portray the thoughts of a child growing up in an adult’s world by weaving complex emotions with frighteningly beautiful illustrations. Among his books, Sarah’s favorite was Outside Over There; a story about Ida, tasked with watching over her infant sister while her father is away at sea. One day, while playing music and not paying attention, goblins sneak in through the window, steal Ida's sister away and replace her with an ice changeling. The rest of the book follows Ida as she ventures into Outside Over There in search of her sister. Foolish Ida continues the story, as Rabdau imagines how the events of the book might have forever changed Ida, shaping her decisions and relationships into adulthood.

Rabdau’s vocal delivery, fraught with emotion, intimacy, and fire, is the standout, as in her past musical offerings (Sarah RabDAU & Self-Employed Assassins, Ad Frank & the Fast Easy Women). Yet with Foolish Ida, it’s not just her voice that shines, it’s the songs. Written with obvious love not only for Sendak but for Ida, the swirling pianos, punctuating organs, and cascading choirs paint a picture fit for the stormy pages of “Outside Over There.”

Foolish Ida / Tickets Sat 5-19 / Sarah Rabdau / Tw

RIBS - "Kiss" (NEW!!)

2012-05-15T08:49:00.000-04:00

Celebrating New Music
by Nick Parker

This week brought us new single "Kiss," a sample of the upcoming "Russian Blood" EP by RIBS (May 22nd release). At RSL we often make a point of not repeating our coverage of any one act, but RIBS are a band unusual enough to warrant subsequent attention, partly because there are very few acts on the Boston scene who sound anything like them, and partly because they have always been so incredibly polished in their recordings. The sound is frequently metal heavy, but always retains a clarity that you might expect reserved for smoother genres.

live photos by Mark Jenko

Until we get hold of the whole thing we can only guess where RIBS will be taking us this time around. You can be sure it won't be to light and sunny climbs though. This is a band that, even in quieter and more reflective moments, remain dark where others flaunt their abilities. What we can see is that "Kiss" is a carefully thought out track, which showcases the kind of production mastery that has become a staple aspect of their work.

The burning question then, is how can we possibly expect RIBS to reproduce this kind of highly polished, highly processed sound live. I'll be very intrigued to see what they do on stage, and I'm a little nervous for them. That said, when I saw them last year at Great Scott, they produced the most elaborate light show I've ever seen by a local band, spanning the entirely venue with neon strip-lights, keyed by pads controlled by drummer Chris Oquist. It had a very disconcerting effect at the time, immersing the audience in the band's set to a degree they were certainly not expecting. Given that commitment to getting under our skin (even when it presumably required huge amounts of extra work by the band) suggests RIBS will do what ever is necessary to give these new songs the refinement they deserve.

NEXT SHOW: Friday 5/25/12

Russian Blood Live CD Release @ TT the Bears

w/ The Suicide Dolls

RIBS
Web / My / Fb / Tw

Brown Bird - Blood of Angels

2012-05-14T06:54:00.007-04:00

Off Stage Music Video

New Clips of Favorite Artists

It's been a wild year of being discovered by audiences coast-to-coast for David Lamb (guitar, banjo, percussion, vocals) and Morganeve Swain (fiddle, cello, upright bass, vocals) of BROWN BIRD. Their reputation as one of New England's finest folk artists may no longer be adequate in describing their accomplishments these days.

A scalding set at last year's Newport Folk Festival, a series of howling, inspired, foot-stomping performances at SxSW (including a magical set at The Outlaw Roadshow assembled by RSL and the Counting Crows' Adam Duritz) and they even just recently wrapped string of dates with Yonder Mountain String Band.

There have been interviews, live sessions and jams all along the way. Today as we share this music video, the Providence duo find themselves about to embark on another ambitious endeavor - playing US dates with Duluth's red-hot Trampled By Turtles. Lightning in a bottle? This is it.

About the Video - The session was shot at DPerry Music’s studio in Boston, MA on May 5th. Great stuff here from Big Old Big One who have been thoroughly prolific - both in terms of the number of artists and breadth of stylistic productions they have managed over the last year. Clearly staying busy and working with the very best is something we can respect and praise at RSL. If you don't know Big Old Big One, get friendly and check out their video productions.

BROWN BIRD with TRAMPLED BY TURTLES

5/16 - Lawrence, KS - Granada
5/19 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot
5/21 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up Tavern
5/22 - Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Music Box
5/25 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ball Room
5/26 - Vancouver, BC - Vogue

photos of Brown Bird in Austin by Jon Shapely

Brown Bird
Albums / Web / Fb / My / Tw

The Women Who Rock Us

2012-05-13T09:02:00.012-04:00

Without getting all sentimental, we wanted to celebrate Mother's Day 2012 in the best way we know how - to celebrate the Women in Contemporary Music that drive us crazy, that go wild, that make us appreciate Women and the craft of music just a little more. This is far from an complete list. Mothers or not - these ladies are responsible for making our hearts flit and sing - making life better through music.

Beth Ditto of Gossip

Editor & Writer Nick Parker selected Beth Ditto.

"Rock and roll rebellion is about difference, and there are very few women in music who assert that difference more uncompromisingly than Gossip's Beth Ditto. Standing on the shoulders of Riot Girl giants, Ditto has demanded our attention in so many area of popular culture (particularly in the UK) that is sometimes easy to forget that she has the voice as colossal as Aretha Franklin's, transported into stripped-down 21st century disco punk. Cross her at your peril."

Sarah Negahdari of The Happy Hollows

Photo by Zoe Ruth Erwin

Writer Julie Stoller selected Sarah Negahdari.

"Behold, Sarah Negahdari, crazed banshee vocalist and lead guitar shredder for Silver Lake-based trio The Happy Hollows. Don’t let her diminutive fairy tale princess look deceive you. Alternating with ethereal singing and fanciful drawings of flying horses is pummeling guitar fury that will throw you up against the nearest wall, and otherworldly shrieks that can shatter the space-time continuum. She’s expecting a brand new baby album later this year with Happy Hollows, and has a solo side project called Pisces."

Stephanie Briggs of Little Brave

Writer Chris Fullerton selected Stephanie Briggs.

"Stephanie Briggs, the driving force behind Austin’s Little Brave, has managed to defy all labels thrown at her music. She’s been tagged as a Texas Troubador, but her brand of folk-driven indie rock is hard to pin down in one category. A talented multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, she brings a girl-next-door-turned-rock-star sexuality to the stage that will make everyone in the audience leave with at least a little crush on her. Whether rocking out with a full band or stripping down for a solo acoustic show, Stephanie pulls every emotion from your soul, from bittersweet break-ups to songs about The X-Files. She’s currently working on a series of EPs and planning a trip to Toronto for the NXNE festival in June."

Amanda Palmer

Writer Cara Giamio selected Amanda Palmer.

"Sometimes I think Amanda Palmer might be more than one person. Bear with me for a second and think about it. Could one person have spent her formative days looming over Harvard Square as a living statue and her formative nights attacking pianos in underground clubs as half of legendary punk-cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls? Can one person direct the Boston Pops with Keith Lockhart and cover Rebecca Black for Occupy Boston? Unbraid her soul into beautiful, slow-blooming blog posts AND fire off about sixty worthwhile tweets per minute? Build her own A.R.T. show, fake her own death, and invent her own music industry
model? And still have time to draw on her own eyebrows every morning? Probably only if that person’s from Boston. Lucky us. Amanda Palmer has a new record coming out - double lucky us."

Emily Armstrong of Dead Sara

Siouxsie Medley of Dead Sara

Photo Editor 5342 selected Dead Sara.

"Since catching them at SXSW, I've had a mild obsession with Dead Sara. Their self-titled release in April has been in regular rotation every since it came out. It is one of my top albums for 2012. While not an entirely female band, singer Emily Armstrong and guitarist Siouxsie Medley have more than enough bad-assery to fill any room. Be sure to catch them."

Erika Wennerstrom of Heartless Bastards

Ryan Spaulding selected Erika Wennerstrom

"When we decided to put this piece together celebrating strong women in music I sincerely hoped no one else would pick Erika before me. To me, she's perhaps the most obvious choice in music today. There are few singers who have moved me so much the last six years since this web site's creation. She has endlessly toiled and has a massive catalog of remarkable music with her band Heartless Bastards. Having just featured the band in our 19-band lineup in Austin (http://theoutlawroadshow.com) will always & forever be one of the most thrilling moments of my life. Erika's lyrics, her ferocity in presenting the songs on stage and the way she adds layers (both emotional and sincere) to her vocals gives me chills. I couldn't be happier for her or the band that Heartless Bastards have delivered the finest workd of their career in Arrow (2012) - my album of the year so far as we near the year's half way point. She's a very special musician and they are one hell of a band.. "

Movies: THE AVENGERS

2012-05-12T17:13:00.004-04:00

Thoughts on Films

Movie Review

by Max Bowen

and Ryan Spaulding

Feel like the current crop of films aren’t meeting your daily requirements of explosions - with gross property damage in the billions? Are the lack of narcissistic, armor-clad playboys, giants with frightening anger management problems and alien armadas leaving you unsatisfied? I give you "Marvel’s The Avengers."

Action is what carries the day in this film, though the writing team crafted a decent story with more than just mindless violence. In this case, one of the major plot points is the secrets S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nicholas Fury is keeping from the rest of the team, although to be honest, why would you trust a man who heads up the world’s #1 spy organization? You see, Fury and his fellow spy-guys haven’t been hanging onto the Tesseract to light up the conference room. (Editor's Note: The Tesseract is the alien energy source that Captain America had previously thwarted arch-villain The Red Skull from harnessing for world conquest. Of course, that happened before Cap became a giant ice cube at the bottom of the sea. He's resurrected and plays the innocent all-American boy in the room in this motley crew of heroes in this film.) Now, what Shield really plans to do with this "ultimate power"... well, you’d better just buy a ticket for that one.

The Avengers, directed by Joss Whedon (Firefly, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), is the culmination of much of Marvel’s cinematic franchise. Each of the characters has had one or two solo films, and this one brings them all together, where they bond as brothers and vow to fight at each other’s side or die trying. (Or kill each other first.)

The film opens with the ominous return of the God of Mischief, Loki - his arrogance portrayed brilliantly by actor Tom Hiddleston. This time Loki’s allied himself with the Chitauri, an alien race who have set their sights on the Tesseract. (Evidently the power is go great it acts as a gateway to different universes... There aren't also nice folks on the other side....) After getting their asses handed to them, the head honcho at S.H.I.E.L.D., Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson, the baddest mother on any block), decides that gods and alien stormtroopers are just a touch outside his wheelhouse (just wait until you see the technology he commands) and recruits the mightiest heroes on Earth for the job.

Ultimately that's the premise of the movie. Bring together powers that could tear the world apart to save it. And it's almost the downfall of the group - which have some serious backstories and a lot of psychological baggage.. Stark spends half his time trading jabs with Captain America and Thor, not caring that both could tear him in half, and the other half reminding everyone else that they’re idiots. Banner’s constantly on guard, since any stress could turn him into the Hulk, at which point he’d turn the rest of the cast into red rags. I just hope the S.H.I.E.L.D. staff have good insurance.

Nevertheless, the Avengers are able to put aside their differences and direct their pent-up rage against Loki and the Chitauri for a climactic battle that sets new standards in annihilation. (Obviously this thing was all digital and CGI but for the time spent in theatre, audiences where we saw the film were captivated - blown away by most of the seamless action.) It's a tall order as the suspension of disbelief must last more than two hours.

The Avengers brings back the original actors from most of the Marvel films, with Chris Evans as Captain America, Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark (alter ego of Iron Man), Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Scarlet Johansson as the Black Widow. The modern-day Robin Hood known as Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) gets added to the mix. Both he and Black Widow are Shield Agents - squaring up a question I had about incompatibility of adding a gun-toting and arrow-shooting duo in the midst of super-soldiers, armored and green-skinned monsters and demi-gods.

Speaking of the green goliath, Bruce Banner (The Hulk) is the only one who can’t seem to keep any consistency in his films, with Mark Ruffalo next on deck to fill the jolly green giant’s shoes. He plays the role well, depicting a man who’s constantly watching himself, because one slip and downtown New York is a mass graveyard. While the acting wasn’t exactly a cinematic milestone, the cast played their roles very well.

The action, dear God, it is awesome. The Hulk scenes in 3-D were ridiculously satisfying. Whether it’s the Hulk punch-stopping an alien warship, Iron Man taking down a platoon of Chitauri soldiers or Hawkeye proving that you don’t need to be a god to send the bad guys to meet theirs, I love every minute of it. Marvel’s always had a history of great special effects, and The Avengers maintains that tradition, while at the same time not relying on CGI monsters to carry the film. Choreography in this was one was spot-on, not easy to do with such a large cast.

Spoiler Alert: Stick around through the final credits to get a load of what's coming up next. The death-worshiping intergalactic mad man Thanos chuckles as he is warned by the defeated Chitauri King to avoid Earth at all cost least he wish to face his end... Chilling and inspired all in one moment.

Assemble!
Official Movie Site

IMDB
Rotten Tomatoes

Tonight's Huge Show - Filligar, OldJack & Cask Mouse!

2012-05-12T11:11:00.000-04:00

A Night of Musical Adventure
Sat 5/12/12 at Radio Bar

21+ 8pm - just $8 RSVP

Two of Boston's Brightest and Chicago's Filligar!

original design by Nicole Anguish

Filligar!!!

ON THE ROAD WITH COUNTING CROWS - Beginning on June 9th, Filligar will be on The Outlaw Roadshow National Tour with Counting Crows. The reason: simply put - this is absolutely one of THE BEST live shows in America right now. And we have them tonight at Radio in Union Square! The same act that tens of thousands of folks across America will be seeing will be playing a simple $8 show tonight in Somerville. This is no joke. Your eyes have not betrayed you. Get down to Radio tonight and check this out!

at The Outlaw Roadshow in Austin 3-17-12

photos by Jon Shapley

Filligar
Web / My / Fb / Tw

The Region's Best Rock & Soul...

"Take a Bow" is new and an OldJack original.
The track was produced by Will Dailey & recorded by Scott Riebling

As Good As It Gets Right Now - Depending on your music tastes, OldJack could be the best live band in New England right now. I put them in the Top 5 without hesitation. I'm delighted to have helped serve up to massive audiences at both CMJ and at SxSW - but let's be clear: they delivered big time! The band is much, much bigger than our small stages. The light is burning bright and you should catch it whenever you can!

Single Release - On Saturday, May 12th, OldJack will be unleashing their new single, "Radio" at the club of the same name. This should be really, really good.

Stoke the Fire - There's a pretty extensive new OJ piece worth a read on Bill Copeland Music News. While much of the piece serves as an introductory piece, there's some new light shed on the band's recording of "Take a Bow" and a few colorful insights offered by Old Jack's Dan Nicklin.

OldJack
Albums / Fb / Sb / Tw

Brilliant New Sounds - A light shines brightly on Cask Mouse these days. The band proved to be one of the standouts of this year's Rock 'n Roll Rumble. The summer ahead promises to be an exceptional opportunity for them to gain a strong foothold here in Boston. [Editor's Note: bonus points for the stand-up base. But this goes without saying... apologies.] For those reading this from outside Boston, take heed! This is some good sh*t...!

Meet the Band - With love and respect for the art of songwriting enjoyed by generations, Cask Mouse sifts the sand of time to bring alive new stories of American life with the love and craftsmanship that made this country what it is today. Its members draw from all aspects of their diverse musical and geographical experiences to truly express emotion and tell untold truths. With a sweeping love for all music they find themselves meandering the genres of country, folk, rock n’roll, rhythm and blues, gospel and soul.

Cask Mouse
Album / Fb / Tw

RSVP

VIDEO - THE WANDAS "ABANDON SHIP"

2012-05-11T13:30:00.001-04:00

Moments in Music
Songs Locked in Time

Recently back off their national tour, I coaxed The Wandas back on to a stage this week at The Middle East to play RSL's "Ocho de Mayo" lineup. Boy are we ever glad they did. Watch as guitarist Brent Battey grabs the mick and sings "Abandon Ship" and literally all hell breaks loose!

One of this generation's best bands from New England...

Footage was captured and edited by Stephen LoVerme of Treebeard Media

THE WANDAS
from Boston, MA

Web / Fb / My / Tw

FIELD REPORT Added to The Outlaw Roadshow

2012-05-10T20:04:00.002-04:00

Confirmed to Play!

The Outlaw Roadshow

What's Coming This Summer - Counting Crows are taking RSL's The Outlaw Roadshow on the road with them this Summer! That means amazing exposure opportunities for emerging talent and will provide the best live show possibilities for fans. You literally will see Counting Crows and the best supporting acts this country can offer. Fans should arrive early to these shows - every band was hand-selected. There are no throwaways.

"We handpicked every venue ourselves to get out of the cookie cutter places & into cooler outdoor gigs that WE wanted to play & we're pretty sure YOU are gonna dig," said Adam Duritz. "But the best part of all is that we're taking THE OUTLAW ROADSHOW on the road with us to bring all OUR favorite new bands to YOU. This summer COUNTING CROWS & RYAN'S SMASHING LIFE Present THE OUTLAW ROADSHOW!! On The Road and Everywhere You Are -- All Summer Long!!!"

FIELD REPORT is the creation of Chris Porterfield, whose debut record is a collection of songs six years in the making. Chris cut his musical teeth with DeYarmond Edison (the other members of which were Justin Vernon and Megafaun). After their breakup in 2006, Bon Iver and Megafaun went on to success while Chris hung back in Wisconsin, thinking his career in music was probably over. It was really just beginning. For the first time in his life, he began writing his own songs, which he spent the following six years carefully perfecting. In December 2011, the record was finally committed to tape at Justin Vernon’s studio.

The results of those sessions, now celebrated in Rolling Stone and music blogs around the planet - is a haunting set of songs - both crafty and poignant. After sending a few unfinished tracks to select people, the response was immediate and impactful: producer Paul Kolderie (Radiohead, Warren Zevon, The Pixies, Uncle Tupelo) fell in love with them and offered to mix the record, which he did in February. You'll be able to own the music you're listening to this July.

The Outlaw Roadshow at SXSW 2012 was the world debut of Field Report, a set and a performance that laid the groundwork for this huge summer tour announcement and the year that lies! Come celebrate this music discovery with us!

Outlaw Roadshow live video by Visual Voice Boston

Field Report
Web / Fb / Tw