sots blog

SXSW 2012 and Upcoming Tour

2012-03-08T15:35:00.001-05:00

Hello Friends, Family and Lovers,

Hope all is well in your land. We are beyond excited to be playing at SXSW this year. Below is a list of our travels. If you're going down for the festival or know anyone who is, come and have a laugh with us! We've been working on a bunch of new tunes...trying to keep the momentum going of putting out a new release per year. After SXSW, it will be recording time. We're going to be renting a house and buying a bear skin rug. We'll see how it will turns out. The record will be titled "Some People, Some Times". Keep an ear out.

As always we appreciate being able to bring our little wagon of Rock N' Roll around and meeting amazing people along the way.

Hope all is well & thanks for listening.

With Love....SOTS

SXSW & Upcoming Tour Schedule

Saturday, March 10th - Columbus, OH

@KOBO

FACEBOOK EVENT

Wednesday, March 14th - Austin, TX

I Blame Yoko / Heave Media SXSW Showcase

@B.D. Riley's - 204 E. 6th St.

Set Time: 3:45PM

RSVP on Do512

FACEBOOK EVENT

Wednesday, March 14th (2nd Show) - Austin, TX

The Nekkid Armadilla Extravaganza SXSW Showcase

@Agave - 415 E. 6th St.

Set Time: Midnight

RSVP on Do512

FACEBOOK EVENT

Friday, March 16th - Austin, TX

Rustbelt by Sunbelt SXSW Showcase

@Lucy's Retired Surf Bar - 506 West Ave.

Set Time: 3:00PM and 8:30PM (2 Sets)

Saturday, March 17th - Austin, TX

The Outlaw Road Show SXSW Showcase

@Rusty's - 405 E. 7th St.

Set Time: 3:45PM

RSVP on Do512

Friday, March 30th - Niagara Falls, NY

@Hard Rock Cafe Niagara Falls USA

Saturday, April 7th - Oneonta, NY

@Black Oak Tavern

FACEBOOK EVENT

Saturday, April 21st - Rochester, NY

@The Bug Jar

'Good Ole Days' Placement on MTV's The Challenge

2012-02-09T14:09:00.001-05:00

Get More:

The Challenge (Season 22), Full Episodes

Also, please visit MTV's Soundtrack Blog for a FREE DOWNLOAD of Good Ole Days - http://bit.ly/zKOs3S

FEARLESS

2012-01-13T12:54:00.000-05:00

BEST OF 2011 LOVE

2012-01-08T20:01:00.000-05:00

A Big Thank You to Ryan Spaulding of rslblog.com and Matheson Kamin of The Rock and Roll Report for showing Almost Not There love on their best of 2011 lists.

Courtesy of rslblog.com - http://www.rslblog.com/2011/01/big-list-best-of-2011.html

Son of the Sun
"Almost Not There" EP

SUNSHINE FROM THE NORTH - Buffalo, NY's amazing Son of the Sun have rapidly become a regular listen at the RSL Compound. No joke, I've listened to this record dozens of times this year and I've managed to see them three times over the last three months. This is the kind of band I would be willing to drive distances to see. Well here's why; there's six songs (nearly a full-length) of quality on this EP. Pick up this album and fall for Son of the Sun's modern and throwback fusion. The tracks are romantic photographs for your music-loving mind. FULL ALBUM STREAM

Web / My / Fb / Tw

Courtesy of The Rock and Roll Report - http://rockandrollreport.com/matheson-kamins-best-of-list-for-2011/

Son of the Sun - Almost Not There: The second of two EPs to make their way onto my Best Of list for this year is Almost Not There from Son of the Sun. The six songs that make up this release work well to create one strong, though short, release. The variety in the songs is one of the reasons why I include this CD in this list. Son of the Sun offers up some of the best indie rock this year with their Almost Not There CD. This is one CD I wish was longer than it is.

Stay tuned for much goodness in 2012. Thank you all for your continued support.

Love,

SOTS - I Blame Yoko Music

BOSTON, NYC, BUFFALO

2011-11-29T21:50:00.000-05:00

Hello friends,

We have some exciting shows on the East Coast coming up!

*We will be playing the Kingsley Flood CD Release Party on Thursday December 8th in Cambridge, Massachusetts at The Lizard Lounge. If you're not up on the Kingsley Flood tip, do yourself a favor and check them out. They're an amazing, new band coming out of the Beantown scene.

*On Friday December 9th, we will be making the trek from Cambridge to The Big Apple where we will be making our debut performance at Piano's on the Lower East Side. At Piano's, we will have the pleasure of playing with Rochester, NY's own SPORTS and a host of other great talent. Be sure to check out the lineup for that evening here.

Click here for the FACEBOOK EVENT INVITE

*On Friday December 16th, the lovely folks of Kingsley Flood will be performing with us for the forth time back in good ole' Buffalo, NY for our show at Mohawk Place. Also on the bill for the this evening is a great, local, up and coming band called Evil Things.

*Also we have some amazing shows on the horizon for 2012...first off on Friday February 3rd we're cookin up a lil sumpthin sumpthin for our first ever performance at DBGB's in Buffalo......stay tuned for details on that and everything else.

As always you can check out everything SOTS at www.sonofthesunmusic.com.

Thank you to everyone for your continued support.

With love.....

-SON of the SUN

VOTED BEST INDIE/COLLEGE BAND (IN WESTERN NEW YORK) by WBNY 93.1

2011-10-17T22:00:00.000-04:00

A great big thanks to WBNY 93.1 for naming us the Best Indie/College Band (In Western New York). We are honored and humbled.

A big congrats to all the winners. Much Love.

Check out the other categories/winners below. Cheers!!

Thank you SO much for everyone who helped, big thanks to

Outer Limit Recording Studios

Angstfaktor Records

Suzanne Perry

Paul Burt

Chris Kalata

Mista Perez

ALL the bands that donated their time to perform at the ceremony

(Big Tree Road, AJ Jordan The Crescendo, Garda, The Brass Monkeez, Sudden Urge, Dan Harper & The Magic Show)

& everyone who came out! We really appreciate it!

-------------------------------------------------------------

-listing is organized as-

Award Category:

Top 3 in votes

Staff Picks (91.3 FM WBNY, BuffaBLOG.com, Steak & Cake Records, Ciniris [Screen Printing])

-------------------------------------------------------------

I'm So Sad They Broke Up (from Western New York):

first: Abominable Killer Snomen, second: Lake View Effect, third: Run Marty!

WBNY: Venona

Steak & Cake: BALTO

Most Underrated Artist/Band (from Western New York):

first: Sixpin, second: Mike Zogaria, third: Final Conspiracy

WBNY: Rescue Dawn

Steak & Cake: DAMIAN WEBER

Ciniris: Rescue Dawn

Best Glorified Rehearsal on the WBNY Local Show:

first: Dead Before Dawn, second: Anal Pudding, third: Come Honor

WBNY: Bearhunter

Best Sound Guy (in Western New York):

first: D2 Sound, second: Joe Tall of J. Tall Audio, third: Rockstar Dave

WBNY: Neal Brodfuehrer of Town Ballroom/Mohawk Place

Steak & Cake: GREG BURT

Best Music Video (from Western New York): first: Go Sabres! by Sudden Urge, second: Blow by The Bella Donna, third TIE: Aisle by The Bunny The Bear, Why (Original) by Grunderhall

WBNY: E.T. (Katy Perry Cover) by Ghost Sequence

Steak & Cake: THE NYBRKFST: THICK WITH THIEVES DIRECTED BY RAMI ABU-SITTA

Best Lyrics In A Song (from Western New York):

first: Invisible by Sixpin, second: Make it Up To You by Mike Zogaria, third: Emergency by Breckenwood

WBNY: All Winners by The BloodThirsty Vegans

Steak & Cake: TERRIBLE ERA BY BILL TIMES A BILLION

Ciniris: Time Machine, Letterset

Best Instrumental Song (from Western New York):

first: Evian Majora by In The Presence Of Enemies, second: Louis by Peanut Brittle Satellite, third: Exitelitech by Paul Burt

WBNY: Evian Majora by In The Presence Of Enemies

Steak & Cake: FYFE - PACKS & PIANOS

Best Solo/Acoustic Artist (from Western New York):

first TIE: Taylor McManus & Andrew Mitchell, third: Mike Zogaria

WBNY: Dan Stafford

Steak & Cake: BECCA RYSKALCZYK

Ciniris: I.Am.Angelo

Best New Band (from Western New York):

first: Plan-B Buffalo, second: Caught In A Crossfire, third: Final Conspiracy

WBNY: Rustworm

BuffaBLOG: Love Scenes

Steak & Cake: MOURDANT SISTERS

Ciniris: Rescue Dawn

Best Venue (in Western New York):

first: Club Paradise, second: Town Ballroom, third: Nietzche's

WBNY: Soundlab

BuffaBLOG: Nietzsche's

Steak & Cake: SUGAR CITY

Ciniris: Xtreme Wheelz

Best Jam/Groove Band (from Western New York):

first: Aqueous, second: Mick Hayes Band, third TIE: More Than Me, Sloppy Joe & The Juice

WBNY: Aqueous

BuffaBLOG: Lazlo Hollyfeld

Steak & Cake: LAUNJIE

Ciniris: More Than Me

Best Punk/Hardcore Band (from Western New York):

first: Rhinocerous, second: Hold It High, third: Pig Rectum

WBNY: The Fucking Hotlights

BuffaBLOG: The Fucking Hotlights

Steak & Cake: STRANGERS

Ciniris: This Is Voyage

Best Metal Band (from Western New York):

first: The Bella Donna, second: Sixpin, third: Caught In A Crossfire

WBNY: As Summer Dies

Steak & Cake: DIRT EYES

Ciniris: Bury The Hatchet

Best Rock Band (from Western New York):

first: The Pug Mahones, second: Sixpin, third: Suckerpunch

WBNY: Final Conspiracy

BuffaBLOG: AUTOPUNCH

Steak & Cake: REAL PEOPLE

Ciniris: More Than Me

Best Indie/College Band (from Western New York):

first: Son Of The Sun, second TIE: Inlite & The Breathing Tree

WBNY: The Breathing Tree

BuffaBLOG: The Bird Day

Steak & Cake: ARCTIC DEATH

Ciniris: The Breathing Tree

Best Power-Pop/Pop-Rock Band (from Western New York):

first: Breckenwood, second: Thrown Under The Bus, third TIE: The Mixtape, Rescue Dawn

WBNY: The Mixtape

Steak & Cake: NELSON TYPE

Best Country/Folk Band (from Western New York):

first: Mick Hayes Band, second: 100 Proof Justice, third: 90 West

WBNY: Mick Hayes Band

BuffaBLOG: Andrew J Reimer's Country-Punk Extravaganza

Steak & Cake: Andrew J Reimer's Country-Punk Extravaganza

Best Jazz/Blues Band (from Western New York):

first: Jony James Blues Band, second TIE: Wanted By The FBI, The Black and Blues Band

WBNY: Dan Harper & The Magic Show

BuffaBLOG: On The Sly

Best Experimental Band/Act (from Western New York):

first: The Bunny The Bear, second: Lazlo Hollyfeld, third TIE: Ghost Sequence, Dali's Ghost

WBNY: Lazlo Hollyfeld

BuffaBLOG: Lazlo Hollyfeld

Steak & Cake: BADMILK

Best Electronic Band (from Western New York):

first: The Bunny The Bear, second: Garda, third TIE: I.Am.Angelo, Sunday Radio

WBNY: Sunday Radio

BuffaBLOG: Shapes Of States

Steak & Cake: SOUND SHAMAN

Ciniris: I.Am.Angelo

Best Hip-Hop/Rap Performer/Group (from Western New York):

first: J-Heat, second: AJ Jordan The Crescendo, third: Eric Crittenden

WBNY: AJ Jordan The Crescendo

Steak & Cake: SLEEP CLOSE DEATH

Best Contemporary/Adult Band (from Western New York): first:

Alison Pipitone Band, second TIE: The Incureables & Grace Stumberg Band

WBNY: Speak Easy Three

Best Ska Band (from Western New York):

first: Do It With Malice, second: Lighting Killed My Parents, third: The Blank Shots

WBNY: The Blank Shots

Ciniris: The Blank Shots

Best Pop-Punk Band (from Western New York):

first: Thrown Under The Bus, second TIE: Anchor Me Down & Rust Belt Lights

WBNY: Sleep Atlantic

Ciniris: Letterset

Best R&B/Soul Artist/Band (from Western New York):

first: Nickel City Pimp Choir, second: Old School B Boys, third: Mista Perez

WBNY: Micheal Prince

Best Cover Band (from Western New York):

first: Sudden Urge, second: Hot Daddy Rocks!, third: Cateogry 5

WBNY: Passionworks

Best Tribute Act (from Western New York): first: Hey You A Tribute To Pink Floyd, second: Strictly Hip, third: 2 Minutes To Maiden

WBNY: Beatle Magic

Best Promotion/Booking Company (in Western New York):

first: After Dark Presents, second: Suzapalooza, third: ESI Events

WBNY: Incite A Riot

Ciniris: After Dark Presents

Best Promoter (putting on events in Western New York):

first: Suzanne Perry (Suzapalooza), second: Dennis Ferry (After Dark), third: Nick Sallee (Sonic Indian)

WBNY: Nick Ramirez from Incite A Riot

Steak & Cake: KEVIN CANE FROM THE VAULT

Ciniris: Dennis Ferry of After Dark

Best Western New York Music Website/Publication:

first: ArtVoice, second: Nightlife, third: Gloom & How We Get Out Of Here Promotions

WBNY: BuffaloBLOG.com

BuffaloBLOG: BuffaloBLOG.com

Steak & Cake: BUFFABLOG.com

Ciniris: WBNYLocalShow.com

Best Music Festival (in Western New York):

first: Music Is Art, second: OP Music House EXPOSURE Concert, third: Jam-Boree

WBNY: OP Music House EXPOSURE Concert

Steak & Cake: BIDWELL INDIE 5000

Ciniris: Music Is Art

Best Recording Studio (in Western New York):

first: World Of Noise Recording Studio, second: DWS Studios, third: Watchman Recording Studios

WBNY: True Sound Studios

Steak & Cake: DELPLATO STUDIOS

Ciniris: GCR Audio

Best Record Label (in Western New York):

first TIE: Righteous Babe Records & JACT Records, third TIE: The Team Records & Catch 22 Records

WBNY: Steak & Cake Records

Steak & Cake: STEAK & CAKE RECORDS

Best Music Merchandise Company (in Western New York):

first: Park Avenue Imprints, second: TC Printing, third TIE: Tour City & Positive Approach

WBNY: Ciniris

Best Concert Photographer (in Western New York):

first: Faded Skyline Photography, second: Ken Czworka Photos, third: Carl Cederman

WBNY: Faded Skyline Photography

Steak & Cake: BOB NEUMAN

Ciniris: Nicole Cooke

Best Guitarist (in Western New York):

first: Brian Frasier of Category 5, second TIE: Parker Greenman of The Teasers & LW Perry of 100 Proof Justice

WBNY: Joe Leising of Pig Rectum

Steak & Cake: ERIC ROVNER OF ANDREW J REIMERS BAND

Ciniris: John Anstett, Letterset

Best Guitar Duo (in Western New York):

first: Denny Sliday & Andy Mitchell of Sixpin, second: Kevin Lambert & Alexander Matos of Final Conspiracy, third: Andrew Mayer & Joshua Strate of The Blank Shots

WBNY: Kevin Murphy & Danny Case of Vanity Strikes

Best Bassist (in Western New York):

first: Joe Quader of Category 5, second: Vaughan Perrott of Sixpin, third: Tony Berrafato of Lighting Killed My Parents

WBNY: Ben Whelan of Funktional Flow

Steak & Cake: BRAD KUJAWSKI

Ciniris: Ricky Needham, Letterset

Best Drummer/Percussionist (in Western New York):

first: Bryan Sibbitts of The Blank Shots, second: Michael Forgione of Sixpin, third: Mick Miller Drummer for hire (Mike Productions)

WBNY: Josiah LeRoy of Letterset/Sunday Radio

Steak & Cake: RYAN SCHLIA

Ciniris: Matt Salzer, Fighting For First

Best Original Pop/Indie Vocalist (in Western New York):

first: Garrett Shea of Breckenwood, second: Nicholas William of The Breathing Tree, third: Jordan Dixon of Inlite

WBNY: Jordan Dixon of Inlite

Steak & Cake: NICK GORDON

Ciniris: Zong Gu, Sunday Radio & Cameron Powell, Letterset

Best Original Rock/Metal Vocalist (in Western New York):

first: Andy Mitchell of Sixpin, second: Mike Jordan of The Pug Mahones, third: Nick Lamacchia of The Donner Party

WBNY: John Green of His Name Was Yesterday

Steak & Cake: ANDY CZUBA

Best Female Vocalist (in Western New York):

first: Kristine Rose Brown of Dead Before Dawn, second: Carrie Engler Mazur of ENVY, third: Kelly Wahl of Hit N Run

WBNY: Lauren Ciapelli of Lapse

Steak & Cake: KATIE PRESTON

Best Keyboard/Synth Player (in Western New York):

first: Ray Halm of The Bella Donna, second: Lee Becker of Statues Of We, third: Arron Watts of Grunderhall/Brotherhood

WBNY: Rich Flierl of Dotsun Moon

Steak & Cake: LEAH LOEFKE

Ciniris: Zong Gu, Sunday Radio

Best Stage Performance/Presentation As A Band (from Western New York):

first: Category 5, second: Sixpin, third: Envy

WBNY: Free Henry!

Steak & Cake: JOHNNY NOBODY

Best Stange Performance/Presence As An Individual (from Western New York):

first: Michael Culmo of Category 5, second: Carrie Engler Mazur of Envy, third: Jim Crean of Hair Nation

WBNY: Matt Tybor of The Bunny The Bear

Ciniris: Ricky Needham, Letterset

Band Most Likely To Break Out Of Buffalo, NY:

first: Sixpin, second TIE: One Hundred Proof Justice & The Blank Shots

WBNY: The Bella Donna

Steak & Cake: THE BIRD DAY

Best Thing To Happen To The WNY Music Scene This Year:

first: Music Is Art, second: WBNY Local Music Awards, third: Travesty Pictures

WBNY: Travesty Pictures

Steak & Cake: BUFFABLOG.com

Ciniris: Buffalo Does Pop CD

EP of the year (from Western New York):

first: Sixpin - Vegas, second: Mike Zogaria - Come Home, third: Kennedy Carpool - Napolean

WBNY: Glass Hero - You (Me)

BuffaBLOG: The Tins - The Tins [EP]

Steak & Cake: 1990 EP BY GIVE IT UP FOR THE OTTER

Ciniris: The Sequel B-Sides, Letterset

Album Of The Year (from Western New York):

first: Dead Before Dawn - 2012... A New Dawn, second: Aqueous - Giant Something, third: Effective Resolution - Just To Let You Know

WBNY: Various - Buffalo Does Pop

BuffaBLOG: Roger Bryan & The Orphans - 37

Steak & Cake: ARCTIC DEATH - ARCTIC DEATH

Ciniris: Various - Buffalo Does Pop

Buffalo, NY Legend Of The Year: first: Micheal Hund, second: Lance Diamond, third: Dave Constantino

WBNY: Micheal Meldrum

Steak & Cake: MICHAEL MELDRUM

#Letsgetmessy Unofficial CMJ Music Marathon Day Party

2011-09-28T14:38:00.002-04:00

SON of the SUN set time at 1:30pm sharp!

CLICK HERE for FACEBOOK INVITE

On Saturday, October 22th 2011 #LETSGETMESSY will takeover Arlene's Grocery for the day during CMJ 2011. The event will feature performances from a number of rising stars including: Archie Powell & The Exports, Kellen & Me, Sydney Wayser, Paper Thick Walls, Sandman Viper Command, Son of The Sun, The Damn Choir, and Hey Marseilles.

Arlene's Grocery

95 Stanton Street

New York, NY

The party is free to the public! By RSVP-ing at http://letsgetmessycmj.com/ your name will be added to the guest list and you will receive a free mix tape featuring artists performing at the event!

So #LETSGETMESSY! Like it. Tweet it. And RSVP for a Free Mix Tape from all of the performing artists!

Developed by a select group of Toronto, Chicago, and LA music professionals, #LETSGETMESSY is Audio Blood’s American debut! In collaboration with Wine From The Moon, 4 Ohm Group, AudioTree, and Heave Media #LETSGETMESSY is also a social media event. Not only showcasing independent talent from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Toronto, #LETSGETMESSY brings fans together at CMJ through different online channels.

Event Line-Up:
12:00pm Hey Marseilles (Seattle, WA)
12:45pm The Damn Choir (Chicago, IL)
1:30pm Son of the Sun (Buffalo, NY)
2:15pm Sandman Viper Command (Toronto, CA)

3:00pm Paper Thick Walls (Chicago, IL)
3:45pm Sydney Wayser (Brooklyn, NY)
4:30pm Kellen & Me (Chicago, IL)
5:15pm Archie Powell & The Exports (Chicago, IL)

My Best Mistake Music Video

2011-09-02T13:33:00.000-04:00

Hello friends,
We've had a great summer....Thanks to all that came out to the shows and to all the new people we've met. We are in a bit of Fall hibernation at the moment.....We finally got our studio set up again and we will be working on some new material. Check out the new music video for My Best Mistake. We hope you enjoy.....love. sots.

"My Best Mistake" by SON of the SUN - Music Video from Endless Eye on Vimeo.

BuzzChips Excellent Review of Almost Not There

2011-08-15T17:00:00.000-04:00

Son of the Sun "Almost Not There" Review

Son of the Sun, a five-piece from Buffalo, NY have produced an excellent EP infused with vintage effects, minimalist arrangements and sincere songwriting. The musical aesthetic throughout Almost Not There maintains a level of consistency from song to song, creating a streamlined experience rather than a collection of tracks thrown together under one name.

In addition to their well-conceived retro sound, Son of the Sun plays with dissonance and harmony, a theme that can be heard both literally and figuratively in the music throughout the record (major and minor tonalities intermingling in “As Far As Lucy” or a slow, more morose song such as “Fruit Jar” injected with a buoyant bridge). This is also expressed lyrically in “10,000” as singer Zak Ward proclaims “I wanna lay down, I wanna record my dissonance” over upbeat music in the background. This juxtaposition creates an experience that stirs disparate emotions in the listener.

The arrangements are also kept to a minimum, though they produce strong and variant moods in each song. An important contributor to this is the sincerity of the lyrics, and Ward performs them dynamically with strength, vulnerability and candor.

Almost Not There provides a snapshot of a band that has a well developed sound and thoughtfully crafted songs, prompting the notion that contrary to the title of their EP, Son of the Sun has arrived.
&lt;a href="http://sonofthesunmusic.bandcamp.com/album/almost-not-there"&gt;Almost Not There by Son of the Sun&lt;/a&gt;

Baby Sue Reviews Almost Not There

2011-08-02T09:44:00.000-04:00

Son of the Sun - Almost Not There (Independently released CD EP, Pop/rock)
We love this band. Part of what impresses us most about these guys is the fact that they're not playing for any particular crowd...nor are they playing any particular specific genre of music. Rather than ape what's currently popular and/or using the latest sounds by the latest crap sellout artists...the fellows in Son of the Sun are doing what they do best: simply playing good music that induces great feelings. There's nothing cute or ultra-artsy here...no weird sounds darting out of nowhere...no intense physical images...none of the usual trappings that make most bands sound exactly like most other bands. Using only the bare essentials these guys manage to do everything they set out to do...mainly because they write great damn classic songs that will stand the test of time. Only six tracks here (dammit!)...but they're all credible and they all cook. Kickass cuts include "As Far As Lucy," "Henry's England," and "Don't Worry." This is short (only about 23 minutes' worth of music)...but it will just have to satisfy folks until the next full-length is released. We can't wait. TOP PICK.

EP Review on Awaiting The Flood

2011-08-02T09:42:00.001-04:00

Son of the Sun: Almost Not There

ALBUM REVIEWS, ARTISTS — BY LARRY VANDERPOOL ON JULY 27, 2011 8:37 AM

White Bluff, Nashville, and Middle Tennessee music aficionados, Son of the Sun will officially release their latest EP Son of the Sun: Almost Not There today (July 26, 2011) on the I Blame Yoko Music label. This album is the follow up to their first full length LP The Happy Loss (2010). The new EP and its collection of six songs see no stylistic departure from Son of the Sun’s formula for producing melodic soft edged rock music. Think well written Lo-Fi, psychedelic, nostalgia rock similar to Oasis, Blur, or The Traveling Wilburys. Despite the nostalgic and familiar qualities of Son of the Sun: Almost Not There their sound never comes off as trite or a mere imitation. In fact, the sound is genuine and the bands artistic integrity remains intact as the album seamlessly combines classic and contemporary sounds and sensibilities.
The EP’s first track “As Far as Lucy” is an up tempo guitar driven tune that rocks and slurs its way into your consciousness with a brazen cockiness that will have listeners hooked from the first notes. The vocal performance on the album’s second track “10,000” has all the swagger and smoothness of a Roy Orbison or Carl Perkins song. Furthermore, the pessimism and darkness of the lyrics are juxtaposed against the up tempo rhythm and confident vocal delivery on the song. “Fruit Jar” is another stand out song that for the most part moves along in ¾ time, until the psychedelic sounding bridge and chorus’s distort the tune ala the Beatles “Sgt. Peppers.” The song almost sounds like Syd Barret attempting to perform a country tune after dropping a large dose of LSD or mescaline.
Zak Ward, Joseph Stocker, Jeremy Franklin, Steve Matthews, and Brandon Delmont collectively known as Son of the Sun have made a superb album that is both classic and contemporary. The combination of British pop with American psychedelic-blues based rock sounds works extremely well for this band. Music listeners of many genres including rock, country, pop, blues, and americana will enjoy this album and should not hesitate to add it to their collections. Expect to see a lot more from Son of the Sun in the years to come as this star has just started to burn and from the sound of their new EP they are ready to shine. For more information on Son of the Sun or to purchase their newest music you can find them at http://www.sonofthesunmusic.com/.

HYPE MACHINE LOVE / UPCOMING SHOW IN BUFFALO

2011-07-21T17:42:00.001-04:00

Hey folks....if you're sitting around, tryin to beat that heat....take a couple minutes and play our new single 10,000 and help us build some hype.......

Click here to play (courtesy of The Hype Machine)

Also.....big show on Chippewa tomorrow night with Bearhunter and Handsome Jack (7/22/11) at Noir Ultra Lounge...stop on out. They're going to have great drink specials going on (check the facebook event invite for details):

Facebook Event Invite

Buffalo News - OLP Hard Rock Summer Concert Series Review

2011-07-04T23:41:00.002-04:00

What a bill. What a setting. What a crowd.

Saturday, Niagara Falls hosted venerated Canadian alternative band Our Lady Peace adjacent to the Falls, on the grounds of the Hard Rock Cafe. Thousands turned out to see the band, which has been making a habit of playing our neck of the woods around this time of the season for the past several years.

Shows as part of the Canal Concert Series in Lockport and at the Riviera Theatre in North Tonawanda have already become the stuff of legend.

We can add Saturday’s Falls show to the list. The band simply tore it up. This was the finest show I’ve seen OLP offer in the nearly 20 years it has been coming to the Buffalo area.

Of course, as beautiful as the setting was and as smooth as things progressed throughout the nearly six hours of live music on offer, there was a (small) fly in the ointment. Roughly an hour into OLP’s set, roadies rushed onto the stage, whispered in singer Raine Maida’s ear, and suddenly, everything was on hold. A looming storm —which, by the way, never fully arrived — brought lightning over the Falls, which is a major problem for outdoor gigs powered by megawatt systems.

Happily, after a half an hour or so, the band returned and seemed to kick things into serious acceleration for the remainder of its set, which went well past the evening’s curfew. Incidentally, it didn’t appear that the threat of lousy weather and a potentially canceled show had urged many, if any, to leave.

OLP — singer Maida, guitarist Steven Mazur, bassist Duncan Couts and drummer Jeremy Taggart — rose to prominence in the middle ’90s, peaking in commercial terms with the album “Clumsy.” The Juno-winning group is hardly riding on the strength of its early work, however. It released its most ambitious effort, “Spiritual Machines,” in 2000 and perhaps a career-defining work in 2009’s “Burn Burn Burn.”

The band has always been well-loved in Western New York, and Saturday, it was easy to understand why—with Maida’s yearning-inflected vocals leading the way, OLP brings an arena-sized grandiloquence to the stage. At once smart, visceral and well-structured, the group’s sound brings the heaviness of grunge to bear on harmonic schemes akin to those favored by Muse, the Smashing Pumpkins, and “The Bends”-era Radiohead.

All of this was in evidence Saturday. Perhaps the two songs that most ably display the parameters of the OLP sound were both performed during the show.

“Is Anybody Home?” is an esoteric ballad centered on Maida’s idiosyncratically compelling vocals; the piece moves through dramatically dynamic sections and is a “power ballad” in the nonpejorative sense of the term. Mazur’s guitar work was a delight here, moving with grace between chiming arpeggios and attitude-driven melodic lines.

“Starseed,” played near the finale, is what we might refer to as “classic” OLP — a soaring vocal melody, image-rich lyrics, odd but addictive chorus hook and incredibly tight interplay between the musicians combine to create gloriously anthemic alt-rock. In this department, OLP has few peers.

Saturday’s show had much more than OLP to recommend it. A late addition to the bill was legendary rapper and rocker Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, of the seminal outfit RUN-DMC. DMC is on the road in support of a new album, “The Origins of Block Music,” and backed only by a clearly brilliant DJ, he tore up the Falls stage.

Reprising a collaboration with Sarah McLachlan on the rap-rock hybrid “Just Like Me” — which marries the chorus of Harry Chapin’s “Cat’s in the Cradle” to DMC’s rap and McLachlan’s keening vocal — DMC held the assembled in his tightly clenched fist. He delivered the goods with his own version of RUN-DMC’s gritty “Mary Mary” and did the same with the immortal “It’s Tricky.” DMC’s set felt a little too brief, but it was a real treat.

Local band Agent Me kicked things off with a strong set of its quirky alt-rock originals, and even early on, the crowd was large and into it.

Klear belong in an arena, frankly. Led by vocalist Fred Shafer and guitarist Bruce Wojick, the recently reformed Western New York favorite performed like a headliner, treating enthused fans in its native Niagara Falls to an inspired set of soulful hard rock, peaking with a torrid “It’s All on Me.” (The band will open for Alice Cooper and Anvil at the Harbor later this summer.)

Son of the Sun offered the finest of the three sets I’ve watched the band perform in recent weeks. Introduced by the evening’s emcee, a DJ from 103.3 the Edge, as the “finest band in Western New York at the moment,” Son of the Sun’s set—blending edgy alternative, garage rock and power-pop — backed up such a claim.

We Listen for You - 10,000 Track of the Day

2011-06-29T21:48:00.000-04:00

Almost Not There by sonofthesunmusic

DigBoston.com DEFEND YOURSELF!: SON OF THE SUN Interview

2011-06-19T21:41:00.000-04:00

Son of the Sun blew us away back in October when they played Beast of the Northeast, our first ever shindig in New York for CMJ. Now, the Buffalo boys are back—but this time on our turf. Their Joe Stocker tells Duck Tales.

You opened for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes in Buffalo. What was that like?

It was great. It was exciting for us to play with a band who we currently listen to and think are an amazing, relevant band. They’re making quite a big splash—and really smart music—so it was great to do a live show with them.

It was absolutely amazing. Like going to church, sort of.

You guys must deal with typos all the time.

No, it happens. We get “sons” of the sun sometimes, but we have a really good sense of humor about ourselves. If I see a name I think would be a cool name or title, I write it down. To my knowledge, [Son of the Sun] is from William Blake’s poetry—

but if you Google “Son of the Sun” a cartoon from Duck Tales comes up. That’s not what I was inspired by. It just sounded good.

Your latest album, Almost Not There, is about to drop?

An EP, yeah. We’re excited about it. Six songs, called Almost Not There. We’re happy with it. It’s definitely a progression of us, as more of a band—and not just as a studio singer that’s trying to get people together.

If you had to describe the EP in three words, what would those three words be?

Probably “almost not there.” [Laughs]

It’s a very delicate process, being in a band. Whether you’re super successful or not, you’re dealing with four or five egos, emotions, hang-ups, feelings and ideas. It’s interesting to see the finish line, and we’re grateful for that.

SUMMER OF LOVE TOUR DATES 2011

2011-06-15T19:00:00.000-04:00

Buffalo.com Love

2011-06-04T16:11:00.000-04:00

MANY THANKS TO THE GOOD FOLKS AT BUFFALO.COM FOR COVERING THE FIRST THURSDAY AT THE SQUARE OF 2011

Zak Ward post performance interview 6-2-11

Circling the Square 6-2-11

TONIGHT TONIGHT - THE FIRST THURSDAY AT THE SQUARE OF THE SEASON

2011-06-02T15:00:00.002-04:00

Tonight, we are pulling our little wagon of Rock n Roll into Lafayette Square to kick off the first Thursday at the Square of the Season. The Etchings will be opening the show, we go on at 6pm, then Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. The weatherman predicts beautiful weather so come on down and have a laugh with us.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - 40 Day Dream

Son of the Sun - My Best Mistake

The Etchings - Sleeping Safe and Sound

NEW SINGLE "MY BEST MISTAKE" AVAILABLE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

2011-05-24T15:01:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends, Family, Lovers (past and present),

We are excited to announce the release of our NEW Six Song EP on iTunes "Almost Not There".

"Almost Not There" will be available for download on iTunes on Tuesday, June 28th 2011. You can download the New Single "My Best Mistake" for Free HERE!

You will also be able to purchase the album on CD and digital download directly through the SON of the SUN website: www.sonofthesunmusic.com

Thank you for your continued support.

Radio Interview on The Sunday Night Shakedown - Rochester's 98.9 The Buzz

2011-04-29T16:22:00.000-04:00

If you missed it LISTEN to our April 10th, 2011 interview on the Sunday-Night Shakedown with Frank De Blase of the Rochester CITY Newspape r. Special thanks to Frank De Blase and Jeff 'Woody' Woodruff.

Rochester City News Article | Performing live at Bug Jar - Rochester, NY - Saturday April 16, 2011

2011-04-13T12:54:00.000-04:00

Big thanks to Frank DeBlase from the Rochester City Newspaper for doing this interview. Also, we have a show in Rochester, NY at The Bug Jar on Saturday April 16, 2011. We will be performing with local Rochester favorites Auld Lang Syne and Syracuse's Animal Pants who will be celebrating their Rochester Album Release.

Facebook Event Invite

MUSIC PROFILE: Son of the Sun

By Frank De Blase on April 13, 2011

Record Store Day Performance - Record Theatre - Buffalo, NY - Saturday April 16, 2011

2011-04-13T12:32:00.003-04:00

Thanks to our buddy Seamus Gallivan of The Good Neighborhood for this plug. We will performing as apart of Record Store Day - Saturday April 16th, 2011 at Record Theatre (University Plaza Location - 3500 Main Street, Buffalo, NY). We go on at 11:00am SHARP!

Come support your local Record Store!!

Keepin’ it Local – Fourth Annual Record Store Day Set for Saturday

By Seamus Gallivan

Rooted firmly in the notion of Keepin’ it Local, Record Store Day (RSD) marks its fourth anniversary this Saturday of celebrating the unique culture of the over 700 independently-owned record stores across the country, and now including many beyond. Beyond countless exclusive releases and offers at local havens Record Theatre and Sprial Scratch Records – check their sites for specific offers and RSD’s site overall expansive rundown – many local bands will perform in-store, listed at the bottom of this article.

Before I chatted with local music magnet Susan Tanner about the entire effort, Buffalo First’s Angela Stefano waxed poetic about local record stores:

“When I was in high school, I’d occasionally spend some time after school in New World Record, which was down the street from my school. I bought albums by my favorite (now, sadly, broken up) local bands there. I went there the day after prom – basically sleepless, hair in that morning-after hairsprayed mess – for a signing with The Goo Goo Dolls.

“Now, when I need to relieve stress or think, I’ll spend time in Record Theatre. I recently bought Son of the Sun’s album there – one of the few non-online spots I could find it.

Son of the Sun plays an 11:00 a.m. in-store Saturday, part of Record Store Day at Record Theatre's University Plaza location

“The latter record store is still open; the former, sadly, is not.

“Record stores foster a sense of community. They hold in-stores and signings with up-and-coming (and sometimes more famous) artists. Their staff will happily recommend you great new music or order you rarities and special requests. They carry local albums that national chains and websites wouldn’t even know existed. Plus, it’s just plain fun to spend an hour or three aimlessly browsing through the bins.”

Beyond the last two stores standing, having fought through fire and big-box brimstone, Buffalo’s contribution to RSD is bolstered by music magnet Susan Tanner, an independent marketing/promotions consultant and promoter rep for ESI Events who used to serve as sales/marketing manager for Righteous Babe Records and recently created and moderated a panel at the South By Southwest Music Festivalon Record Store Day.

If you have a free hour sometime this week, as Tanner’s husband Marty Boratin, part of the still-pulsating soul of New World Record, what releases he has his eyes on for this weekend. Tanner took time to talk about the history and meaning of Record Store Day.

What inspired the creation of Record Store Day?

It started as a copycat holiday from Free Comic Day. Comic sellers wanted draw attention and people to their stores, so they’d have a day where they gave stuff away. Indie record stores saw that – a lot of shops are down the street from each other, or some carry comics, too, and were aware, and wanted to use the idea to help them stand out from their bigger competition – places like Best Buy, Target, and at the time Barnes and Noble and Border’s.

Chris Brown at Bull Moose in Portland, Maine [which now has 10 locations] made this his brainchild. Then Criminal Records in Atlanta picked up on it. The first one was real loosey-goosey – labels were contacted and told, “Hey, were gonna do this event – clean out your closets and send us t-shirts, samplers, anything we can give away.”

There’s so much more to it now – how has it evolved?

It’s funny and interesting – at first, the message to the public was, “C’mon in and get free stuff.” As it’s grown over four years now, the freebies are fewer and farther between – it’s almost all exclusively-made products for Record Store Day. What started as getting customers in for free stuff now serves to offer them things they want to buy.

A lot of bands and labels now plan special, limited-quantity releases for their fans on Record Store Day – a lot of them are regional, smaller labels, and even the smaller label will get that visibility and help them be placed on level footing with the big guys.

Even a local, independent artist like Brian Wheat – he’s putting out a record on his own label, but performing at Record Store Day, so it’s great visibility for local bands – people who might not go out to see live local music will see bands at in-store performances.

Brian Wheat kicks off the University Plaza in-store lineup at 10:00a.m.

And it’s now expanded into Canada, England, France, Japan; and this year – though it’s been kept kind of low-key because they don’t want to dilute the effort – some labels have started doing specific, limited-edition releases on Black Friday, as a lot of accounts are saying that they’re doing more business on Record Store Day than Black Friday.

Between that panel and your experience, how is the point driven home of the importance of supporting the local, indie record store, and the purpose they serve?

One thing everyone was saying at the panels is that part of goal of this is getting people to think of these stores not just on Record Store Day, but every other day. The label doesn’t have to plan these things just on this one Saturday in April – if they have a key release coming out in June, they can team up with the indie stores; or a band that’s touring, maybe they could do more in-stores all along the tour.

They do serve a purpose – it’s the place that when I was a kid, I could go find about music. Whether or not I know somebody there, nine times out of ten, the kids there are knowledgeable about music and lead me to some good stuff. I like the community of meeting people who want to talk to me about music, rather than typing things in on a computer – I can walk in to my local record store and say, “You know what I like – tell me what I should get?”

What are your plans for Record Store Day this year?

I hopefully will go up to Record Theatre early – Brian Wheat is playing at 10:00a.m., so I want to be there right away, partaking in music and perusing around, thumbing through racks and buying some stuff. Marty has a whole list of things he wants to get.

Announced in-store performances as of Monday –

Record Theatre, 3500 Main Street (University Plaza):

10:00 – Brian Wheat

11:00 – Son of the Sun

12:00 – Iceberg

1:00 – Wooden Waves

2:00 – The Stay Lows

3:00 – Doppelgangers

4:00 – Here Come the Comets

5:00 – Johnny Nobody

6:00 – Bearhunter

7:00 – White Bison

8:00 – Cassi Meyerhoffer

Bearhunter brings the thunder to Record Theatre with a 6:00p.m. in-store

Record Theatre, 1800 Main Street (at Lafayette):

10:30 – Tifani

12:00 – Alumni

1:00 – DJ Drapes, Django and Press

2:30 – Wes Walters

3:30 – Love Scenes

4:30 – DJ Scarlett

5:30 – J Bangin Brew

6:30 – Off The Cuff

7:30 – Drea Ndur

Spiral Scratch Records, 291 Bryant St. (off Elmwood)

Tony Flaminio (Failures Union), White Whale, Treetop, Mark Constantino (Fences make Good Neighbors/ex-Exit Strategy), and more…

You Wreck Me (Cover) - SON of the SUN LIVE at Artpark

2011-03-28T19:15:00.000-04:00

New Video: performing Fruit Jar live in NYC at Arlene's Grocery

2011-03-10T14:08:00.000-05:00

Bar Karma on Current TV placements for Get Together and April Fools

2011-02-16T11:36:00.000-05:00

Get Together and April Fools placed in Current TV's Bar Karma Episode 1 "A Guy Walks into a Bar"

Get Together at 14:06 and April Fools at 16:07

http://streaming-episode.com/bar-karma-season-1-episode-1-a-guy-walks-into-the-bar.html