Groovin’ with MUSIC WITH A VIEW
CORK MUSIC WITH A VIEW
steppin’ up
September 1, 2012 | Fall Issue
dancin' the night away
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Nikki Dessingue/Kurt Schneider of Stereo Telescope (c) 2011 an In Your Face Photo
on the cover:
PAGE 34-41
STEREO TELESCOPE
Aki Starr PAGE 14-17
Rubblebucket PAGE 52-53
Royal Teeth PAGE 60-63
The Polish Ambassador PAGE 78-81
Vinyl Roots: Do the Hustle!
Coast to Coast 1:
30-31
Soundbites:
72-73
Tech Talk:
Austin to Atlanta.
Gadgets brought to you by Red5.
Seattle to Denton/Ft. Worth. Our readers across the U.S. tell us their favorite dance song.
Campus FM:
University of Iowa’s inspiring Dance Marathon.
The Toadies
3-Day Pass:
Dia De Los Toadies Music Festival.
46-51
Coast to Coast 2:
12-13
18-27
42-43
64-71
82-89
Coast to Coast 3:
90-91
A-Side/B-Side:
32-33
Emerging Artist:
Athens to Boston.
Get your iPod ready for our staff-compiled playlists.
Kodakid
Boogie down with T. Champagne.
Monthly Spin/Spin-Off: Album reviews from our beloved staff.
BalconyTV Cork: Ireland’s musical gem.
Reel Music:
Rock it out with Pirate Radio.
56-57
74-75
54-55
Ode to the Web:
Beatport & Trugroovez: A DJ’s Paradise.
94-95
96-101
Musical Explorations:
104-131
Across the Globe:
134-135
Last Call:
History and music in Panama.
Featuring 24 international cities and their rising stars.
Fire on Water Music Venue.
The Music Initiative www.themusicinitiative.com Chief Creative: Becca Finley editor@themusicinitiative.com Staff Writers: Matthew Becker, Thomas Champagne, Kelley Floyd, Justin Henderson, Tyrell Jenkins, Nancy LaBarbiera, Courtney Padove, Grayson Sandford, Chris Silva, Zach Stanton, Kyle Victory, TJ Weaver Creative Director: Joel Travis creativedirector@themusicinitiative.com Graphic Designer: Angie Brown Director of Media Content: Joe Davies video@themusicinitiative.com Shooter/Editor: Heather Brewer, Devin Fuller, Fez Fuller, John Kaneday, Kyle Thomas, Oliver Wentworth Digital Communications Coordinator: Kara Klein website@themusicinitiative.com Promotions Manager: Carrie Cranford promotions@themusicinitiative.com Business Development Advisor: Taylor Rains development@themusicinitiative.com Interns: Christina Corsino, Amanda Muirhead, Jordan Mitchell, Brian Wright Office: 1504 Middle Street #D Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482 843-819-7811 Like Us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheMusicInitiative Follow Us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/MusicIntMAG www.twitter.com/TMIMagEditor
Watch Us on YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/themusicinitiative.co
FOUND: Music Uncovered is a quarterly, online magazine produced by a group of music enthusiasts yearning to broaden and expand each reader’s music experience. We believe in the power of music to change a mood and enhance a moment; as well as facilitate change and link the past with the present. This is our community– seeped in passion, creativity and cultural awareness. Within the pages of each issue, we will bring you history, interviews, gadgets, CD reviews, art, new music outlets around the nation, and so much more. Among other exciting music related features, FOUND: Music Uncovered features fans talking about music. We aim to uncover hidden gems found in up-and-coming bands, and also cover nationally recognized musicians and events.
TMI gettin’ down
letter For the last 18 months, we, at The Music Initiative, have had the amazing fortune to discover a wealth of talent across the globe. Musicians have welcomed us into their homes, studios, and at their concerts. They have joined us in our listening room and on location for intimate performances, large-staged theatrical productions, and one-onone interviews. Each month we felt compelled to share more and more with our audience. What started as 40 pages has turned into 140 pages filled with amazing content. At moments we have felt overwhelmed with the wealth of talent that keeps presenting itself. In order to do each artist justice and really represent their talents, we felt it was important
So, take your time, and see what music you unco
Groovin’ with MUSIC WITH A VIEW
February 15, 2011: Volume 1
CORK MUSIC WITH A VIEW
to take some time to revamp the pages and spend a little more time with each artist.
dancin' the night away
steppin’ up
September 1, 2012 | Fall Issue
This September The Music Initiative is proud to launch the new version of our magazine entitled FOUND: Music Uncovered. We will bring this to you quarterly in September, December, March, and June. The pages will be filled with artists from around the globe, and now you will have time to digest the information, much like your favorite book. -B
September 1, 2012: Fall Issue
over within the pages of FOUND: Music Uncovered.
Vinyl
Roots
P
icture yourself in line with about three hundred other ravenous hipsters waiting for an unseen doorman to grant you admission to the hottest new dance club. If I were to pause the story right here and ask you to tell me the exact point in the time space continuum in which these people are waiting to be admitted to shake their money-makers, could you do it? Actually, you are unable to identify whether these clubbers are going to a new wave club, the latest hip-hop club, or the bastion of house and trance music. The point that I am attempting to illustrate is that only the type of dance music that they are playing differentiates these dance clubs. Had I provided a music type, you would have easily been able to nail the decade. Over the last 40 years the concept of a dance club has centered on a live DJ spinning the latest, often underground hits. What will boggle your mind is that this concept was arguably created and perfected during one of the oddest eras for music and fashion; the 1970’s and Disco.
when you think about the meager beginnings of Disco and it’s rather short lifespan that the genre could actually produce something that is still being emulated today. Disco music actually gets its start like much of today’s hip-hop and house music in that it starts underground. As early as the late ‘60s dance clubs started to spring up in major metropolitan areas. What is different about these clubs is that DJ pioneers like Tom Moulton, David Mancuso, and Frankie Knuckles are taking tracks and editing, or “re-mixing” them by incorporating percussion breaks, and new sounds to improve upon the original track’s dance-ability. Throughout the early ‘70s Disco music begins to gain a foothold on mainstream music in the US. Artists like the late, great Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, and KC and the Sunshine Band have high-charting hits. However, it is not until 1977 that the genre becomes ultra mainstream and America is introduced to John Travolta and Saturday Night Fever.
I am the first to admit that I can be a little hard on the ‘70s and especially Disco, but let’s give credit where credit is due. It is quite impressive
The impact of this cannot be overstated. While Disco music and the dance club scene were slowly gaining momentum, it was primarily with
the Latino, black, and gay crowds. Producers of Saturday Night Fever are looking to broaden Disco’s grip on mainstream America by bringing it to the Anglo crowds. Needless to say, they hit a massive home run. Discotheques start springing up in cities and towns other than major urban areas and everyone is doin’ The Hustle. Shows like Soul Train and Dance Fever increase in popularity as well. Essentially, every average Joe & Jane dons a polyester suit and a Halstead dress every weekend and hits the dance clubs. Of course, I would be remise not to mention the Bee Gees and their impact on Disco with their involvement in the soundtrack of Saturday Night Fever. The brothers Gibb were not even involved in the movie until postproduction when producers simply were just not happy with the current soundtrack. The Bee Gees were commissioned and wrote the songs for the soundtrack in the timespan of a weekend and the rest is music history. The soundtrack would garner the Bee Gees three number 1 hits in the US with “How Deep is Your Love”, “Night Fever”, and of course, “Stayin’ Alive”. Over the span of eight months, six songs by The Bee Gees
held the number 1 spot consecutively for 25 of 32 weeks (three of their own songs and three written by them and performed by Yvonne Elliman and brother, Andy Gibb). In March of 1978 the Bee Gees held both the number 1 and number 2 spots on the charts, a feat that had not been accomplished since The Beatles. To add insult to injury, Barry Gibb also bumped John Lennon and Paul McCartney from the top spot when he became the only songwriter to have four consecutive number 1 hits in the US. Did I mention that the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever is still holding in the top ten on the all time album sales list?? While Disco may have been a shortlived genre in the grand scheme of things, it is easy to see that an impression was left on pop music that is visible to this day. As for myself, the perpetual hater of all things ‘70s, I am backing down a bit and I am currently downloading some Disco-era music to better educate myself. As for the polyester suit…well, let’s hope you don’t run into me at the dance club!
-JH
John Travolta, “Saturday Night Fever”
On a side note, in recent months we have lost two of Disco music’s greatest influences. Donna Summer and Robin Gibb, you will be missed!
-JH
Aki Starr, the latest YouTube sensation, a rising starr (pun intended) from San Francisco has exploded onto the dance music scene. His contemporary sound builds from his Latin rock roots, but maintains a pop-friendly, dance-friendly rhythm. Aki exudes high energy in his performances, with beaucoups of musical talent and entertaining dance moves.
Your background is incredibly diverse – musical theatre, dance, singing, acting – how has this helped you to progress as an entertainer? I’ve learned to really engage and feed off of the energy of the crowd. You get them to participate spiritually, emotionally. Once you can do that as an artist, you are on to something. It is all a learning process. You can either let the audience control you or you can motivate the audience. Musically your background lies in the Latin music genre, why the recent move to the dance/electric genre? Since I grew up in San Francisco and the Bay area, I’ve been exposed to a genre of Latin music originated from here called Latin rock, with local artists such as Carlos Santana, Pete Escovedo, Malo, Azteca and other Bay area bands paving the way. I got a chance to sing with some of them recently, so it was a big influence. As far as uptempo's, dance is an integral part of Latin music. When I was singing with Spanish Flys a few years ago, 95% of our fans were young Latino girls. With the trends leaning toward the Katy Perrys, the Rihannas, the Chris Browns, and the Lady Gagas, you must keep up with the times and produce current sounding stuff. So, I released this single, “The Closer I Get To You.” I did my best to give a sound that is current: pop friendly, dance friendly, electric friendly, and mixed with a little dubstep in the middle.
How profound was the impact of you working with the Santana brothers? Huge. Jorge Santana is a musical icon in Latin music. He co-founded the legendary Latin Rock band "Malo," which had a nationwide top 10 hit song in 1972 called "Suavecito" that became an oldie anthem for Chicano's all over the United States. Jorge was also a member of the legendary Fania All-Stars in the early 70s, a star studded band that also included Ray Barretto, Willie Colon, Ruben Blades, Hector Lavoe, Cheo Feliciano and more. I was privileged to sing the lead vocals on Jorge's latest album Gracias Madrecita, which was released late last year.
Malo Concet-Aki Starr performing with the band Malo
Shots from Aki Starr’s music video “Closer I Get To You”
What type of kid were you? Growing up, I never thought I would be a singer. I was a pretty low-key guy; the introverted, kind of a nerdy guy playing baseball. My first taste of the entertainment industry was through breakdancing. All my friends were breakdancers, so I had no choice. We would go downtown to make money dancing on the streets. When I started doing shows around the state it opened my eyes to the entertainment world. I got used to the crowd reaction. From then on entertainment was my focus. It was inevitable that music would take over because it was all around me.
Are you missing the camaraderie of people on stage with you? Any major differences?
Do you have a favorite dance move? Spinning on my head. I was known as the guy that could spin on his head forever. I still do it and incorporate it in my shows. Dancing inspirations? James Brown and Michael Jackson. Do you draw from both vocally as well? Yes. I sing lead with a Michael Jackson tribute band. It's quite a challenge singing Michael’s songs because his voice is so high. Being able to sing his music and incorporate his performance technique is a huge learning experience. I use him and James Brown for inspiration in what I'm doing as a solo artist. You are in the midst of a solo tour, what was the best part of planning this? I was so excited to put my show together. I held auditions for a new ensemble of dancers. I wanted to strategically plan the show where it engages the crowd in an explosive way...in an unforgettable way.
Somewhat. Now, I can really own the entire stage without having to worry about looking over my shoulder and stepping on anyone’s toes. I can really engage the crowd to 100% of what my energy can bring. Of course, there are always challenges. The biggest challenge is not the stage, but the politics of radio. I'm definitely down for the challenge. I've learned how to proceed in a productive way. Being "productive" is important to you, how do you continue this beyond your music? Dance has always been a way for people to express themselves. It’s something positive. We’re utilizing this whole dance movement as a way to give back to the community. Most urban communities have a drugs and gang problem. Through dance I’ve been able to get together with some great people and do events that get the kids off the streets. We promote anti-gang/ anti-drug. The movement in San Francisco is huge and we’re working to get sponsorships from local politicians. We have competitions with prizes and incentives for kids to do something positive with their lives. It makes a difference.
Aki's solo tour is in full force. If your are in California, go see this multi-talented performer/ philanthropist. He exempifies the best in young musicians with dedication, determination and devotion. -MB
2
NEW ORLEANS BIRMINGHAMLOS MIAMI PO ATLANTA D ATHENS f e a t u r e d: CHARLESTON O /DURHAM/CHAP T ASHEVILLE NASHVILLE DENTON ASHINGTON, D.C.
ARLESTON
APEL HILL
ASHEVILLE
NASHVILLE
GTON, D.C.
YORK CITY
BOSTON
SEATTLE
NEW ORLEANS
SAN FRANCISCO
BIRMINGHAM
LOS ANGELES
MIAMI
PORTLAND
ATLANTA
DENVER
ATHENS
OMAHA
CHARLESTON
TULSA
RALEIGH/DURHAM/CHAPEL HILL
DALLAS/DENTON/FT. WORTH
ASHEVILLE
AUSTIN
NASHVILLE
MINNEAPOLIS
WASHINGTON, D.C.
MADISON
NEW YORK CITY
CHICAGO
BOSTON
2
SEATTLE S ANGELES SAN FRANCISC LOS ANGELES ORTLAND PORTLAND DENVER DENVER OMAHA OMAHA Our staff writers set out on a musical roadtrip, PEL HILL discovering the nation’s hottest local bands. TULSA TULSA DENTON/FT. WO N/FT. WORTH AUSTIN . NASHVILLE
WASHINGTON, D.C. NEW YORK CITY
BOSTON
GO PERISCOPE Based out of Seattle, Washington, Go Periscope is an Electronica-AlternativePower pop band currently working on their latest album. See Florin Merano on vocals and keyboard and Joshua Frazier on vocals, guitar, and keyboard. Their new single “Wasteland” is now on iTunes. You can also check them out on Facebook and ReverbNation. -KF
SEA
TTLE
TMI hot picks THE FRESH & ONLYS (garage pop) The Crocodile / Sunday, Sept. 16th / 8pm
DEAD WINTER CARPENTERS (bluegrass) Nectar Lounge / Friday, Oct. 19th / 8pm
CARINA ROUND (dark-folk singer/songwriter) Tractor Tavern / Tuesday, Nov. 13th / 8pm
TMI hot picks BLEEDING RAINBOW (psychadelic shoepunk post-gaze) Bottom Of The Hill / Wednesday, Sept. 12th / 9pm
Gates of Light is a progressive rock psychedelic band based out of San Francisco. It consists of Mike Welch on lead vocals, synthesizer and guitar, Ben Briggs on drums, Ryan Hillian on lead guitar and keyboard, and lastly Jonathan Barber on bass guitar and vocals. Check them out on Facebook and ReverbNation, and hit them up if in the San Francisco area. -KF
FREELANCE WHALES
(indie rock) Mezzanine / Wednesday, Oct. 18th / 9pm
GENERATIONALS
(indie rock) Cafe Du Nord / Tuesday, Nov. 13th / 7pm
GATES OF LIGHT
SANF RANC ISCO
THE HUMAN ABSTRACT
These Los Angeles locals formed in 2004 and started off selling two track demos at live shows to make a name for themselves. Eventually it caught on and they were soon recording with big names like Soulfly and Machine Head. They carved an even bigger name for themselves after touring the Vans Warped Tour exhibiting their progressive and technical metal style for the primarily softer musical style event. Consisting of five members, guitarists Dean Herrera and A.J. Minette, vocalist Nick Olaerts, bassist Kenny Arehart, and drummer Brett Powell, the band has seen several lineup changes since their formation. The band has a love for the classics as their name is derived from a poem by William Blake published in 1794, and have released a modern style cover of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata.” The Human Abstract’s gift for technicality has certainly paid off as they have released 3 full length albums and toured with numerous big names in the metal scene.
LO S A N GELES
-ZS
TMI hot picks CAB 20 (garage pop) The Smell / Friday, Sept. 28th / TBD
KEVIN MISO (singer/songwriter) The Coach House / Sunday, Oct. 28th / 7pm
THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE (synthrock) The Glass House / Friday, Nov. 16th / 7pm
TMI hot picks BISON BISON
(rock) Dante’s Live / Friday, Sept. 7th / 8pm
BOUQUET
(americana/pop rock/ambient) Backspace Cafe / Thursday, Oct. 11th / 9pm
WATER TOWER (folk) Wonder Ballroom / Saturday, Nov. 10th / 7:30pm
The Fruit Bats bring back that seventies free love revival with a modern twist of The Kinks. Songwriter and former Chicago-based member of the Shins, Eric D. Johnson lays down a strong acoustic guitar foundation coupled with ambient samples similar to Mark De Gli Antoni from Soul Coughing, played by Ron Lewis. Moving away from the traditional drum and bass routine, drummer Graeme Gibson and bassist Chris Sherman accent Eric’s catchy lyrics with shakers and claps and a straight to the point bass line. “When You Love Somebody” from their album, Mouthfuls, has a four on the floor dance club undertone without a heavy snare drum to cloud the mix. The electric guitar from Sam Wagster dances along with Eric’s voice, which is a delightful mix of Wayne Coyne, David Bowe, and John Lennon, built up with soothing harmonies. -TC
FRUIT BATS
PORT
ENVER
DANIELLE AT E T H E SANDWICH Danielle Ate the Sandwich is the stage name of nationally recognized, independent folk musician and songwriter, Danielle Anderson. Danielle is known for her downright quirkiness and tunes that are gently and thoughtfully written, delivered by her strong and shameless voice. Her YouTube videos have become extremely popular and have given her the opportunity to write and play music full time. She has now recorded four albums. Two Bedroom Apartment, her 2010 release, scored number 5 on iTunes’ top selling singer/songwriter charts. Last month she released a new, full length, studio album, Like A King. The Denver Post says, “Danielle Anderson is a tender singer-songwriter, a brazen humorist, a fearless young woman. Performing as Danielle Ate the Sandwich, Anderson wields a ukulele, a guitar and her own words to tell stories about people.” This thrify gal puts a positive spin on the word “weird,” leaving audiences thirsting for a pair of thick rimmed glasses just like hers. -KV
TMI hot picks THE GIRAFFE DODGERS
(progressive bluegrass) Quixote’s True Blue / Tuesday, Sept. 4th / 8pm
THE BOTTOM DOLLARS (rock/soul) Herman’s Hideaway / Thursday, Oct. 4th / 7pm FATHER JOHN MISTY (folk) Bluebird Theater / Friday, November 2nd / 8pm
TMI hot picks GREEN TREES
(concrete surf) Slowdown / Thursday, Sept. 6th / 8pm
PALEO
(folk) Barley Street Tavern / Tuesday, Oct. 23rd / 9pm
UME (heavy indie rock) The Waiting Room Lounge / Wednesday, Nov. 7th / 8pm
THE DIRTY R I V E R RAMBLERS
The Dirty River Ramblers were formed out of Omaha, NE in 2011. A four-piece band with three part harmonies, Josh Krohn plays both the fiddle and the banjo, Justin Kephar plays madolin, Mace Hathaway plays guitar, and Chris Hunke plays bass. Taking inspiration from bands like Yonder Mountain String Band and Railroad Earth, the Dirty River Ramblers are on their way up without hesitation. Check out the dates for their summer tour. -KF
OMAHA
WE THE GHOST The arrival of We the Ghost has spawned one of the hottest bands in Tulsa’s local music scene. Centered on the core of songwriter Beau Tyler and Dain Samuelson with bassist Jimmy Adams, this group is something more geared toward alternative pop rock. The chemistry within the band is far from what people are expecting. They have a distinctly different feel, combining pop sensibilities with hip-hop undertones and an occasional Caribbean vibe.
TMI hot picks DUSTIN & JESSE’S HIGHER EDUCATION (americana) The Colony / Thursday, Sept. 27th / TBD
THE RAW MEN EMPIRE
(indie folk) The Soundpony / Sunday, Oct. 28th / 10pm
BRIAN BURKE BAND
(country) Cain’s Ballroom / Friday, November 16th / 7pm
-KF
TULSA
DALLAS/ DENTON /FORT WORTH
CHARLIE SHAFTER B A N D Southern-rock and indie-pop... doesn’t sound plausible right? Well, just leave it to the Charlie Shafter Band to follow through. The four band members (Joel, Charlie, Clayton and Adam) were raised in Duluth, Minnesota and all share a common friendship and a love for music. Whether jamming an acoustic set or rocking with a full ensemble, the Charlie Shafter Band is nothing but a good time. If you ever have a chance to see them, do it. You won’t regret it. -KF
TMI hot picks THANKSGIVING
(experimental rock) Rubber Gloves / Monday, Sept. 17th / 9pm
THE FRONTIER BROTHERS Lola’s / Thursday, Nov. 22nd / 9pm
SOMEBODY’S DARLING (roots rock) Club Dada / Saturday, Oct. 6th / 9pm
(alternative)
SOUNDbytes Brandy Weber
Pit t s b u r g h , PA
Boyfriend
What song makes you
really want to
Justin Bieber
Allison Stevenson Charleston, SC
SHAKEDOWN STREET B o o m B ox
Gwyn Jones Konduros Andrew
Touch Me DOORS
DENVER, CO The
Jared Swanson Atlanta, GA 3 minutes and 6 seconds into
DANCE YRSELF CLEAN L C D So u nd s y s te m
E M I LY BUSCH
Sara Sollott
Westminster, MD Athens, GA Dancin’ in the Streets Shout Grateful The
ISLEY
BROTHERS
Dead
Mooresville, NC
Drunken
Lullabies Flogging
Molly
b o o g i e SOMETHING ABOUT US Wes Jameson
oogie-oogie,
NEW ORLEANS, LA
(CHEROKEE REMIX)
Daft
SHAKE YOUR GROOVE THING, P unk & drop it like it’s hot?
BAILEY WILLIAMS
GAINSVILLE, FL
Bonafied Lovin’ Chromeo
Josh Philippe
SYRACUSE, NY Set It Off
DIPLO
R Y A N SPALDING
DURHAM, NC Communication
Part 3 Armin Van Buuren
Matt Christensen East Greenwich, RI
Who Is Ready To Jump
Chuckie
Krystal Rose Charleston, SC
Holden Oversoul Widespread
Panic
3 Day
pass
T
here’s nothing better than a long holiday weekend—except maybe a long holiday weekend filled with good friends and great tunes. If that sounds like music to your years (a little bit of pun intended) then you should head over to WhiteWater Rocks in New Braunfels, Texas this Labor Day Weekend. For the third year, Whitewater Ampitheater will be the host to the fifth annual Dia De Los Toadies Music Festival. The festival has grown into a two-day event filled with plenty of rock.
The festival is named for the Toadies, an alt-rock band from Fort Worth, Texas. You’ve probably heard their hit song “Possum Kingdom”—yes that one that sounds eerily like a song to a vampire’s love interest or something equally disturbing (think murder). Coincidentally, in its first year the festival was actually held near the song’s namesake Possum Kingdom Lake. This year’s lineup will include Helmet, Mariachi El Bronx, Riverboat Gamblers, Brutal Juice, Sixteen Deluxe, King Bucks, Soldier Thread, Cartright, The Phuss, several special guests, and of course, the Toadies. All of the listed bands are Texas natives. This is certainly something special for the Midwesterners who enjoy a taste of local music.
This is an all ages show and children under five get in for free. General admission tickets are standing room only, so if you would rather enjoy the festival from a seat, be sure to reserve one of the 249 bleacher seats or a VIP table seat in advance. If you’re interested, tickets will be available on the WhiteWater Amphitheater. Having a festival along the Guadalupe River has plenty of perks besides the shows—if you get too hot in the late summer Texas heat, there’s access to tubing, rafting, and canoeing. -CP
Sweet!
Toadies playing at the 2011 Dia De Los Toadies
STEREO TEL Boston had it right in 2010 when they nominated Stereo Telescope for Electronic Act of the Year. Staying away from the “disco” or “techno” side of the electro genre and focusing on the driving force of punk, Kurt Schneider’s innate talent and music ingenuity coupled with Nikki Dessingue’s charm and lyrical prowess captivates their audiences. On their third anniversary, we wanted to get a little closer to the inner workings of this magnetic duo.
DESCRIPTION Nikki: Ambient “would be retro” dance rock.
HOW THEY FOUND EACH OTHER HIS-STORY Kurt: I grew up in Michigan. I came to Boston for College. I was playing in five bands. I wanted her to work on a song with me.
HER-STORY Nikki: I grew up in New York upstate. I went to Holy Cross in Wister and moved to Boston 2006. Boston has a great music scene, but especially a big indy rock scene. I was in a “Pretty Girls Makes Graves” meets a “Minus The Bear” type band. He was in this amazing band that I was obsessed with. I was one of his top ten fans, not even kidding. He then asked a friend to ask me if I would sing on this new electronic track through MySpace. So, he had it pretty much done so I wrote a verse, the harmonies, a chorus, and we just reworked a couple of things and it was done. I knew when we were done we would write a million more songs.
LESCOPE
MUSICAL SOULMATES? Kurt: She’s amazingly creative. I always run into roadblocks with lyrics, so it’s really great to have someone by my side that actually can rhyme. She’s much better with words, as you can tell by how quiet I am. Nikki: {Laughing} I’m the mouth of this and he’s the looks and the brand. I’ve never been in a band that can keep my full attention; I’m always in three or four projects. When I connected with him, there was nothing else in the world that I needed or wanted. That was it; it’s all that I do. Everything you hear is possible because he’s so driven in terms of advances with technology.
INFLUENCES Kurt: I came from punk rock/ heavy metal/ indy rock. I got into electronic music later. I like M83, Super Rainbow, Javelin, and The Octopus Project. Nikki: I went from solo singer to punk band to indy rock band. Since playing with Kurt, I draw from a lot people: Springstein, Cindi Lauper. M83 is a common thread between us.
EARLIER DAYS: “LIGHTHOUSE” Nikki:That was the first epic we wrote. It started out as a 12-minute instrumental electronic epic that Kurt wrote. Kurt: It was a project I did for a friend who was having an art show and she wanted some music playing in the background with video and live art, so I just spent the summer putting it all together. I started playing the song “Draw Me A Sky” for Nikki. We started chopping it up and “Lighthouse” came from that. Nikki: What a great starting point. It was the reason we were able to launch from one song to four, and tour on them because they were so well produced. We just hacked them up into three minutes, arranged it, and filled in lyrics. It catapulted us.
STRUGGLES FROM THE ROAD Nikki: Remember our first tour, mere months after AND it was not planned. Kurt: Both our bands broke up about the same time and I had already planned a tour. So, we decided to just go on anyway. It was fun. Nikki: We grabbed a friend who had a sudan and we had a computer rigged to a keyboard and a few guitars. We had to convince the bookers to let us keep all the gigs as our new band Stereo Telescope. On that tour we made it to our first South by Southwest and we had two showcases. It was awesome.
DIY: GOOD OR BAD? Nikki: We handprint/handscreen our own t-shirts. We quickly run to the studio to record two singles “Light House” and “Geography” to get them downloaded and printed on download cards. We are all about it.
f o s s h e c o r p t e e n h t und o in h g u try Throe have fo w
MUSICAL COMMUNITY: HELPFUL OR SELF-SERVING? Nikki: We love helping people; we have a pretty solid name in the electro-scene in Boston and so bands will contact us all the time asking about gigs. It’s such hard work, but we are all about helping people figure it out. And the complete other side, we have had the most amazing people help us who just care about music. Kurt: Like Tim Slusher. Nikki: Tim Slusher out in San Antonio, TX who met us and had a showcase at SXSW called the Nekkid Armadilla and invited us.
MOVING FORWARD Kurt: Through the process of trying to find our sound, we have found one that solidifies what we are trying to do. Nikki: We turned a corner technology-wise and lyrically we now just click. Kurt: We are figuring how to gear a little better. We have more moving lights, so it will definitely be “dancey.” Nikki: We are trying to get back to some basics, like more instruments. We want to play more live. Kurt has been working his ass off learning Ableton so we can sample and loop while still being all over the stage with instruments. We really want to like get a little more connected to the music for the next project.
, d n u o s r u o e r d a n e fi w o t t a g h n i y r t f olidifies w hat so do. ng t Kurt: It will be a lot more minimal at least to the aspect to the number of instruments you hear at a time. Not 17 layers. Nikki: The layers are beautiful. We love doing that and will do it again. This next one though we are thinking about doing mid-tempo grooves and being more true to our stage performance. Kurt: With live-projected visuals that will get authenticated by the music. l think current fans are going to like it a lot because it will be more entertaining and interactive. Nikki: I am really excited to share our version of what we are feeling next; it will still translate really well.
CURRENT TRENDSETTERS Nikki: Bodega Girls. We did a remix swap with them. I’m inspired by their energy. I love them. And Washed Out. Kurt: Chairlift.
DANCING MOVES ME Nikki: Dancing can be very fluid movement someone feels coming from our music. It doesn’t matter how many people are in a room or how fast, or loud or quiet, or slow you are playing, if you can make someone feel something to the point where they are physically moving and feel the need, that just really rounds up the experience. It’s really exciting to have music moving back in that direction and is linked with technology. It’s connection. Kurt: You know you are doing something right when people are slam dancing at your shows. It hard when people are standing there with their arms crossed and staring at you. It’s fun getting that energy from the crowd. I really like it. I think it’s interesting how much the electronic dance thing has been thrown up the same time with the rock ‘n roll revival. Both have a lot of dance roots. Nikki: The best of both worlds dancing their faces off. Kurt: People are tired of being elite and are having more fun at shows.
Nikki: Fun is back!
FAVORITE DANCE MOVE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOUR FANS DO AT YOUR SHOWS Kurt: Running man or someone break dancing. Nikki: I was gonna say break dancing. Break dancing every night would be really exciting. The funniest dancing moment was the couple who was grinding in front of this stage, but the guy behind the girl was so drunk that he kept knocking her onto the stage creating a loud crash every time. Kurt: He was like mmmmmmmm. Nikki: I couldn’t stop laughing the whole time because the chick kept pointing at me and I was like no you, you keep doing your thing.
SHARE IT- YOUR PRIVATE DANCING SONG Kurt: The whole record: Tiny Victories. Nikki: I will literally twirl myself around to “We Own the Sky.” And Kurt and I put together a cover of The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven.” It’s available on iTunes and there’s a video on YouTube. This is one of our top dance songs at shows, even though it is a cover!
Within a few short years, Stereo Telescope has made a name for themselves as a cult favorite among the
electro-pop
crowd
in the northeast and has garnered
some
critical
attention for themselves in the south as they tour in what they term as the classic j routing pattern (Boston, Brooklyn, North Carolina, Nashville, and finally to Texas). Their chemistry, style and charisma radiates with a can-do attitude that everything is possible. Like their musical layers, their humility and ability to give back to others in their own musical community creates a sincere depth. They have created a beat that is impossible not to dance to. -BF
emerging Artist
Right before T. Champagne wrapped up his national tour, we caught up with him right to find out how it’s been and his specialty dance moves. How’s the tour been treating you? The tour’s been treating us really well; we as a group have become very tight musically. We’re really starting to read each other on stage and do some improvising so that’s really exciting. The reaction from the crowd and friends has been great along the way. We have had some setbacks, but we’ve been able to get through them and move forward. And that’s a great thing.
What are you top 3 places you’ve played during your tour and why?
Number one would be The Summit in Durango, CO. Since Champagne with Friends, the act, has been playing there the past four years, we have a pretty big fan base and we had a great turn out! We also played the Durango Mountain Resort during the day which helped for The Summit at night.
Number 2 would be Flora-Bama in Pensacola, FL.
We played the show in Florida, but the van was parked in Alabama. Literally this club is right on the border of Florida and Alabama. Cool venue on the beach and their sound engineer really took care of us. The place was packed with people dancing all night. The mindset of the crowd was great; they’re on vacation looking for a good time, even if it’s a Tuesday night.
Number 3 would be The Garage in Lubbock, TX.
It’s on a 15 story parking garage that’s across from the Texas Tech stadium. Lubbock is really flat so you feel like you’re on top of the world. You see plains for miles and miles.
When you see people dancing at your show, how does it impact the night?
Personally, what’s your favorite aspect of the combination of dance and music?
It totally adds to a show when we got a full room dancing; it’s unlike anything else. It controls the tune. You’re not going to speed up or slow down, just vibe off how the people are grooving. They become an instrument in front which leads to us playing better. For me, if the staff members are dancing while on their shift that means a lot. They’re used to hearing music all the time so if they’re “vibing” off what we’re doing, that’s always a good sign.
I think the energy level that dancing brings is my number one like about it. It energizes the night. It gets people hearts moving and my heart moving. So many shows, especially on this tour, we’re so exhausted from driving. And then we get to the venue, set up, and honestly, it’s tiring. But once the people start dancing to our music, it picks me up. Then the whole room becomes one big bouncing ball working off itself.
Have you picked up any dance moves from watching someone groove while you perform? I guess so. When we see people dancing on the dance floor doing their thing, in a way we’re dancing with them. It definitely affects us. For instance, if someone is dancing all crazy like, then we’re going to be going crazy on stage with them.
Sounds like tour has been great for Champagne with Friends! Seems like everyone, including the band have really been dance, dance, dancing. -CC
Lewis Law Group, LLC Group, LLC Creative Arts and Entertainment Law The Lewis Law Group, LLC was founded in 2012 in Charleston, South Carolina by William Bee Ravenel Lewis - a 16 year lawyer, professional musician and artist. Having a unique understanding of the personal and professional challenges faced by those in the industry, he formed Lewis Law Group to combine his knowledge of, and love for, the creative arts with his many years of legal experience in such other diverse fields as aviation, banking, and general courtroom practice.
www.lewislawgroupllc.com
Lewis Law Group, LLC Lewis Law Group, LLC combines a lifelong passion for entertainment and creative arts with many years experience representing clients in negotiations and, when needed, in the court room. The Lewis Law Group, LLC is well positioned to provide representation and counseling with integrity and passion with respect to a broad range of matters encompassing the creative arts, including: Band Partnership Agreements Agency Agreements Publishing Agreements Production Agreements Management Agreements Record Company Negotiations Film and Television Internet and Wireless Copyright and Trademark Digital Rights Management Royalty Reclamation Trade Secret Protection Visual Arts Business Formation and Advice General Litigation
William Bee Ravenel Lewis, Esq. Entertainment & Sports Industries Forum (Music and Personal Appearances Committee) - American Bar Association Section of Intellectual Property Law American Bar Association Music Initiative Advisory Board
Lewis Law Group, LLC, 1 Wesley Drive, Charleston, SC 29407 (843) 737 6252 (Licensed only in S.C. and legal services are provided in Charleston, S.C.)
The Monthly Spin Sound Tribe Sector Nine / The Jefferson Theater 10-23-11 Charlottesville, VA Free stream/download at http://www.archive.org
Glow sticks in hand and ready to rage when the five members of Sound Tribe Sector Nine (STS9) step onto stage. The energy intensifies transcending into a night of colorful lights, interesting sounds, and heavy beats. Not your typical electronic in your face dub step, STS9, has a melodic funk to their electro sound. STS9’s music has evolved into a dance-inducing show since forming in 1998. And this performance from The Jefferson Theater in Charlottesville, Virginia stands testimony to that. Their experimental instrumental jams begin with “Atlas.” Like the name this track has a sense of adventure to it. The light show synced so perfectly, blasting everyone into their psychedelic experience. Groove worthy “Moonsocket” brings an inner-galactic vibe to the show. Its slow start gradually builds as the drums become tighter and faster. Guitarist Hunter Brown loops his rhythmic licks as the accompanying sounds grow with him and then brings it gracefully back down. Give STS9 a listen when you’re searching for a band that will musically take you away.
-CC
Neon Trees / Picture Show The Neon Trees’ sophomoric album Picture Show is an excellent follow-up to their 2010 album Habits. As a major fan of the Neon Trees’ first effort, I’ll admit I was a little worried that this second, slightly longer work wouldn’t quite live up to it. Not so. The Neon Trees delivered a full fourteen songs of dance beats with a punk attitude. Even the most subdued person will have trouble resisting getting up and dancing to some of the upbeat hits, such as the single “Everybody Talks,” “Moving in the Dark,” and “Lessons in Love.” Even the slower tunes deliver plenty of oomph. Kudos to the Neon Trees for producing another addicting album you won’t be able to take out of the cd player—there isn’t a single miss on the disc.
-CP
Florence and the Machine / Ceremonials Hailing from England, Florence and the Machine’s sound resonates loudly across the Atlantic thanks to bandmates Florence Welch, Tom Monger, Isabella Summers, Chris Hayden and Robert Ackroyd. Their sophomore album Ceremonials is mature, dark and hauntingly romantic. The opening song “Only If for a Night” deals with the bittersweet notion of death and remembrance; her voice is like an echo all around the room. Welch delivers an ultimatum in “Shake It Out” to overcome her dark past and opt for a bright future. The subtle tribal rhythm in “Heartlines” juxtaposes the lyrics which are beautifully written and sang, “On the sea, on the sea and land over land / Creeping and crawling like the sea over sand / Still I follow heartlines on your hand.” The band certainly has raised the bar for themselves, the lyrics are inspiring and heartfelt; Welch bares it all on every song.
-JT
Scissor Sisters / Magic Hour A genre defying mix of rock, pop and dance, The Scissor Sisters new record, Magic Hour is a thoroughly accessible and very modern release that still manages to sound convincingly "classic." On the opening track, "Baby Come Home," the band kicks things off with an upbeat piano driven rocker that will definitely remind people of artists like Elton John and George Michael. Two tracks later they evoke the Bee Gees on “Inevitable” which features an R&B, soul vibe, upper-register vocal harmonies, and the now ubiquitous sound of an 808 drum-machine "handclap". On the next track, “Only the Horses,” singer Ana Matronic leads a "pure pop" experience with lots of radio potential thanks to its contemporary synthesizer sounds and grinding, fuzzed-out electronic bass tones. Later on the record, The Sisters create a moody, contemplative atmosphere on “The Secret Life of Letters” in which beautifully arranged strings, harp, and piano swell and build towards the climax. While some listeners may be turned off by the "DJ-Music" tracks with the club style beats and sexually explicit rapping, there are those who will eat it up, and for everyone else, there's the ambient, trancey, melodica of the standout track, “Somewhere.”
-GS
Anathema / Weather Systems Liverpool based quintet Anathema shatter new emotional ground with their 9th studio album Weather Systems, continuing with the heartfelt melodies that graced their previous 2010 effort; We’re Here Because We’re Here. Perhaps best known for the doom and gloom sound they helped generate in the early 90s, there’s little darkness to be found here, excepting the centerpiece “Storm Before the Calm,” which given the title calls for an electronically hypnotic buildup before it crescendos, lyrically mirroring the title amongst a squealing and cathartic guitar. The two opening tracks “The Untouchable” (parts 1 and 2) begin with some beautiful acoustic finger picking alongside lead vocalist Vincent Cavanagh’s flawless vocal delivery becoming more emotional as the song progresses. The latter track has a similar build up style but with somber piano and a swelling string orchestra accompanying a duet with female vocalist Lee Douglas whose contribution shines particularly in the track “Lightning Song.” She sings inspiringly: “Your world is everything you ever dreamed of If only you can open up your mind and see.” Anathema’s quality to produce songs with deep emotional hooks without reverting to standardized verse – chorus structures continues to set them apart from the rest of the scene as they remain a constant source of inspiration to their devoted fan base.
-ZS
Silversun Pickups / Neck of the Woods The newest effort from these alternative rockers, Neck of the Woods, was a pretty predictable follow up album, mainly due to the fact that is in no way predictable at all. Silversun Pickups have built a reputation for being a revamped and extremely unique type of rock and roll, specifically 90s alt-rock, but rock and roll none the less. That’s really what makes Neck of the Woods so fantastic; the eclectic and thrashing moments on the album never overshadow the pure rock power that backs every single one of their songs. An immediate example of this is revealed with the first track “Skin Graph,” which starts with a smooth guitar lick, then moves to sweeping synth hits, and then goes into a progressive drum beat. The transitions are effortless, and the melodies are unreformed and free-flowing. Keeping as the backbone to all of this is organized chaos is the deep, raspy and meaningful vocals from lead singer Brian Aubert, who is always quick to surprise with how quickly he can switch from a droning mumble into a piercing scream. Not for everyone, but a must have for some.
-GS
Talking Heads / Cape Cod Coliseum 8-20-1983 South Yarmouth, MA Free stream/download at http://www.panicstream.org
When it comes to dance music, Talking Heads, always comes to mind. Their metaphoric lyrics and upbeat, new wave sound guarantees a boogieing good time. Talking Heads created the genre of pop-punk before it became infiltrated by heartbroken pretty boys and lip syncing. The marching beat matched by David Byrne’s vocals in “Thank You For Sending Me An Angel” represents the structured yet playful work created by this group. Each song is distinctive to its own garnishing a unique sound emerging before it’s time. “Making Flippy Floopy” off their “Speaking In Tongues” album had just been released. The simple tune has a deep bass line puncturing through its entirety. Happy-go-lucky, “This Must Be The Place (Naïve Melody)” sweetly enters the show with sweeping sounds of a dreamland. It’s cheerful, lively melody sings of “home is where I want to be” making it the perfect tune when missing mom. Talking Heads is a classic band that never gets old. On good days and bad, Talking Heads will bring back the inner peace and get you dancing.
-CC
Hot Chip / In Our Heads Since their debut in 2008, Hot Chip have become known for making enjoyable dance music. On their fifth studio album they have assembled eleven songs full of huge sounding drums, pulsating synthesizers, and compelling dual vocal harmonies. While much of the album sounds very familiar, as if certain tracks could have been on previous Hot Chip records, the band finds ways to experiment and keep things fresh. The opening track “Motion Sickness” builds nicely with a classic 80s synth-brass section leading the progression while singer Alexis Taylor uses his falsetto tastefully. On “How Do You Do?” the punchy bass line drives a very retro sounding track that features an electrifying synth solo and Taylor singing the affecting lyric "The church isn't made for praying...its for celebrating the life that bleeds through the pain." In Our Heads is a great sounding, highly danceable album, and a musical step forward for Hot Chip.
-CS
Gigamesh / All My Life EP Don’t expect anything progressively different here, folks. When you’ve got a style that bursts with as much suave production and refined dance appeal as Gigamesh’s does, there’s no need to do anything but build upon the stream of retro fitted, modern day disco chic that this Minneapolis synth wizard has already compiled. Clocking in at four tracks, All My Life opens with the self-titled love promise, seamlessly matching the rhythmic pulse of beats, bass, and synths with the glitzy, soulful guest vocals of Jana Nyberg. The groove kicks up a notch in round two as “Don’t Stop,” also featuring Nyberg, paces its way through four minutes of disco bliss that harks back to the days when the late Donna Summer was controlling the crowd. Finishing off this exceptionally polished work, “Your Body” and “Dream On” provide the perfect amount of zest to pull it all together. As long as Gigamesh keeps the beat bouncing like this with his future endeavors, he’s an artist to count on listening to all my life.
-KC
Kimbra / Vows Kimbra is a 22 year-old born and raised in New Zealand. She is most currently known for her feature in Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know." Gotye, a band from Belgium, is based out of Australia and the two have known each other for a while and recently decided on collaboration. Kimbra's album was released at the end of May. The opening song "Settle Down” has an indigenous back beat that will get you up and dancing in no time. It's a love song where she asks her significant other to settle down with her. There is one live song "Plain Gold Ring" which is recorded with studio backings Kimbra stays true to her own sound at all times with an old approach to singing with a modern twist of jazz. Kimbra supports all types of music on her new album a rhythm and blues sound with “Two Way Street”; keeps it retro with “Good Intent,” all the while the whole album is a pining for committed love.
-KF
All The Noise / Baby Steps If classical and techno music had a kid, and hip-hop and an 80s synthesizer were blessed with offspring, and those two kids decided to do the grown-up and that kid was goth, the product would be Baby Steps, the new mix tape from “All the Noise,” a newly signed music artist to the GOOD Music Group. It’s all instrumental, synthes with an underlying hip-hop beat driving everything. Each song tells its own unique story. “INTRO” sets the scene as a triumphant entry into battle, like a funky World of Warcraft, (minus the weird screen names and awkward reality.) Then we roll right into “Diamonds and Gold,” with visions of sweat soaked party-goers and nights that fall under “that crazy night” Facebook posts. And then there is “Super” featuring CoMa which fits under “get my day going” theme music, or “this night is going to be mellow but memorable” theme music. Whichever theme, mood, day or night you plan on having, this is the mix tape you want as the soundtrack..
-HB
Shatterdog / Shatterdog Hailing from our own city of Charleston, South Carolina, four piece Shatterdog drop their debut self titled LP; a marble slab of southern Americana goodness. From the emotionally subtle “Angeline,” with its organ strewn beneath a mix of acoustic and electric guitar delineated by vocalist George Stevens throaty vocal delivery to the bluesy vibes of “World Gets Ready,” Shatterdog covers a wide range of genres from country/bluegrass to pop and blues with big band style swings puncturing the mix from time to time. Shatterdog’s sound is something reminiscent of early Radiohead with a dash of country, wholly original yet reminiscent of artists everybody loves. It’s music great for any occasion from relaxing by the water to sitting around a campfire with close friends. “Ever Since You Left,” another notable track features vocals by guitarist Dan Crawford exhibiting his dual talents in an emotionally fueled radio worthy spat between lovers. For something more minimal, “Black Leaves,” showcases the bands knack to coalesce sparse and somber instrumentations with country rock buildups.
-ZS
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros / Here This eleven-person California based indie-rock band has released their second full length album, and fans of Bob Marley, the 1960s, and positive vibrations, as well as those who listen to newer acts like Mumford and Sons and The Black Keys should really enjoy it. The band sings nine bright, well crafted, and often uplifting, tunes that while re-treading some familiar musical territory, maintain a level of quality that warrants repeated listens. Of particular note is “Mayla,” on which the band sings in a choral unison while shimmering staccato guitar plucks accent the reggae-like progression, and “Dear Believer,” which tastefully employs strings, a trumpet, and the sweetly sung lyric/philosophy, “I say reaching for Heaven is what I’m on Earth to do.” On their sophomore effort, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeroes sound refined and mature, yet relaxed and natural with solid songs and performances all around.
-CS
Tabi Bonney / The Endless Summer You probably haven’t heard anything like this before, no really. Especially if the only rappers you know start with, lil’, or young, especially if you only hear your hip hop on the radio, and ESPECIALLY if you missed the golden age of hip-hop circa mid-80s late 90s. This is some original stuff right here. This is Tabi Bonney’s latest mix tape The Endless Summer. Coming from the District of Columbia area you can pick up a little Go-Go beat on “Senior Year,” his futuristic playa flow on “Winner’s Parade” featuring Nicole Wray. Speaking of feature Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def, make an appearance on the Caribbean influenced track “Chop Chop.” Seriously this man is a beast, who else have you heard using steel drums over a beat… didn’t think so. Or say something like; “I parachute down to earth with a paratroops / hit the dirt spread the gospel for what it’s worth.” This man is sick. Please do not sleep on this cat; he’s been around for a while and he’s about to make a killin'. This is a mixtape so if you can find it, download it, and make this a part of your endless summer soundtrack. Tabi Bonney… good look!
-HB
Tanlines / Mixed Emotions The Brooklyn boys Jesse Cohen and Eric Emm that make up the experimental synth-pop band Tanlines recently released Mixed Emotions in March of this year. Being their first studio album, Mixed Emotions doesn't run the risk of being overshadowed by other products of Cohen and Emm, aside from a variety of singles, remixes and various compilations. It is safe to say that the album's title is rightfully placed, due to the emotional adaptability that the songs display. Ambiguous tones and pulsating synths present a creative opportunity for the listener to make what they want of each piece. Mixed Emotions is pretty much, the perfect accompaniment for any mood or occasion. Aside from a few critiques for lacking a big climax or release, the album is already receiving some pretty impressive reviews in it's first couple of months on the shelves. Songs like “Not the Same” and “Rain Delay” are sure to prove the critics wrong with pick ups that definitely deliver some concrete pay off in the end, while still posing the ability to
-KV
The Spin—Off
Staff-selected tracks from the Monthly Spin
1. STS9 / “Atlas”
9. Gigamesh / “Don’t Stop”
2. Neon Trees / “Everybody Talks”
10. Kimbra / “Plain Gold Ring”
3. Florence and the Machine / “Shake It Out”
11. All The Noise / “Diamonds and Gold”
4. Scissor Sisters / “The Secret Life of Letters”
12. Shatterdog / “Ever Since You Left”
5. Anathema / “The Untouchable Part 1”
13. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros / “Mayla”
6. Silversun Pickups / “Skin Graph” 7. Talking Heads / “This Must Be the Place” 8. Hot Chip / “Motion Sickness”
14. Tabi Bonney / “Chop Chop”
15. Tanlines / “Not the Same”
RUBBLEBUCKET T
he live show of Brookyn’s energetic Rubblebucket will capture an audience’s attention. From robot puppets, LED lighting tricks, and a crowd-surfing horn-section, fans can expect a dance party for sure. Led by trumpeter Alex Toth and lead vocalist Kalmia Traver, Rubblebucket’s music grooves beyond any one genre flowing with indie dance grooves, rock and afrobeats. Kalmia’s gave us her take on what’s in a name, dancing, and the challenges of being on the road.
Let’s get this one right out of the way… Rubblebucket? The best I can do at defending it is just yep, we’re a playful bunch. It wasn’t a musical decision. Rubblebucket is a tool used in stonemasonry that holds rubble on construction sites. We’ve gone back and forth whether that should be our name or not. But, there is simply joy in the silly and playful. Do you feel your music reflects this playfulness? We’re are definitely indie dance music. Are there any songs that make you want to get up and dance? Pretty much any Michael Jackson song. It’s like instant dance tonic. Are there any songs you would like to remake into dance songs? Moondog. They call him the Viking of 6th Avenue. He was a composer living in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. He was pretty remarkable and has a pretty large body of work. He made all his own instruments. It’s just magical. I’ve actually started doing a rendition of some of his music that is way more dance-oriented. So, what does your ultimate dance club look like? There’d be a good dance floor with trees growing in it; you’d be dancing under the trees. Maybe you’d actually be outdoors, but the ceiling would be so high that you can never tell if it’s indoors or outdoors. There’s also a brook flowing in it and a bar serving the most amazing cocktails.
Everyone is really interested in conversation, too, so when you’re not dancing, you’re having the most amazing conversations. And the sound system is the best sound system in the world; it sounds good from any angle. Would you have line dancing in the club? I actually grew up in New England doing a lot of contra dancing which is an Appalachian dance brought over from the English. It’s a really awesome line dancing tradition that my whole family is in to that’s so fun and is being revitalized and embraced by youth right now. Make fun of it all you want, but if you ever go up to New England you’ve got to try it. Clearly, you have an affection for New England, but you travel all over the US. What do you think is special about touring here? It’s an amazing country. Everywhere in America is so beautiful in different ways. Last fall eight of us were out for five weeks, and in the spring for six; both tours spanned a transitional season. We got to see the different regions of America which was truly stunning. Our country is like Never-Neverland. I really love the Pacific coast, San Diego, and San Francisco. But, I’m a Vermontist; so I’d be lying if I didn’t say Vermont was probably my favorite place. Eight people in your band on the road… challenging? It’s definitely a challenge. It’s just a microcosm of any large organization.The more people you have, the more heads you have to listen to. We’ve been together as eight for almost four years. We’re really like honing in on the process of making decisions together and that we’re on the same page. We all have a role and a lot of fun. I feel like we’re siblings. It has a lot of ups. Do you find new music on the road? I am not the best music explorer. Some of my colleagues in this band are the most avid music listeners I’ve ever met. They constantly, constantly, constantly listen to music.They use Spotify a lot in the van—I can’t even believe that it’s free and you can listen to anything you want at any time. Who are your favorite artists? I really love Charlie Parker, he’s a go-to. I can always get happy listening to him. We recently did a tour with Ryan Power, a Vermont singer-songwriter. I find myself listening to his songs over and over again and learning them. I’m a huge fan of Little Dragon; they’re reggae and I love good reggae and beautiful West African music.
-CP We hope to hear a reggae remix at the Rubblebucket Dance Club in the future, but in the meantime we’ll just catch a show and a dance.
GIG! 7/7 & 7/8
High Sierra Music Festival Quincy, CA
7/12
Camp Bisco Mariaville, NY
7/14
Old South Pearl Jam Denver, CO
7/15
Green River Festival Greenfield, MA
7/19
Thunderbird Cafe Pittsburgh, PA
7/20
All Good Music Festival Thornville, OH
7/21
Boulderfest Rochester, NY Check out their website for more show dates, videos and other goodies!
rubblebucket.com
Reel
Music
There’s only one rule to follow when listening to the groundbreaking soundtrack known as Pirate Radio– “rock ’n’ roll!” That’s right, this 2-disc soundtrack screams and bleeds ‘60s – a time when DJs had personality and “rock ’n’ roll” was at its height. Get ready to Mash Potato, Swim and Hitchhike your way through the night with these classic tunes. Pirate Radio tells the story of eight rouge disc jockeys who set sail on the Northern Atlantic in 1966 in efforts to keep “rock ’n’ roll” alive. The British government tries everything in their power to shut down the only radio station that broadcasts rock and pop to the mainland. Try as they may, the country’s deep love of music keeps the lawbreakers afloat. These enthusiastic music lovers did more than break the law; they defined a generation.
they had to make a lasting impression among rock’s finest musicians. The band’s fourth single, “All Day and All of the Night” opens and closes the film with a euphoric energy that ebbs and flows with the character’s emotions. Influenced by blues, folk and country this Kink’s track is the perfect theme song for a soundtrack that crosses all genres. Writer and director Richard Curtis blends together the music and scenes like no other. Not only do the songs help narrate the story, but their titles were also inspiration for several character names. The names Marianne, the main character’s love interest, and Elenore, who made her way on the boat by marrying one of the DJs in efforts to hookup with another, were inspired by The Turtles’ parodic song “Elenore” and Leonard Cohen’s folk ballad “So Long, Marianne.” On a ship that includes eight men and one lesbian, love and sex can be hard to come by, but when they do, Pirate Radio supplies just the right tracks for those moments of pure bliss. Smokey Robinson and the Miracle’s “Ooo Baby Baby” plays softly on top of the scene when Carl has his first intimate moment with the gorgeous Marianne. More importantly, when someone asks Carl for the song he lost his virginity to he can
With a 2-disc set that includes 32 tracks and 30 different artists the Pirate Radio soundtrack acts more like a textbook for ‘60s music. The trailblazers of rock–The Rolling Stones, The Isley Brothers, The Beach Boys, The Kinks, Dusty Springfield, Jimi Hendrix, Smokey Robinson, The Who, The Supremes and David Bowie, to name a few–rightfully receive a spot on this must-have soundtrack. Big things have small beginnings. The Kinks have been stapled as one of the world’s most influential rock bands, but back in 1964 upon their first album,
PIRATE RAD
1. “Stay With Me Baby” – Duffy 2. “All Day and All of the Night” – The Kinks 3. “Elenore” – The Turtles 4. “Judy In Disguise” – John Fred And Playboys 5. “Dancing in the Street” – Martha Reeves 6. “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” – Beach Boys 7. “Ooh Baby Baby” – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles 8. “This Guy's In Love” – Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass 9. “Hi Ho Silver Lining” – Jeff Beck 10. “I Can See For Miles” – The Who 11. “With A Girl Like You” – The Troggs 12. “I’m Alive” – The Hollies
“Father and Son” plays as Carl tries to pull his father up to the surface amidst floating records. Steven’s unique voice accompanied by nothing but acoustic guitar symbolizes the birth of a great relationship. Every now and then a great film with an even better soundtrack comes along and redefines the relationship between music and film. The Pirate Radio soundtrack shows how the two should dance effortlessly and fall into a natural rhythm. Album covers of the past seven decades from artists such as The Killers, Duffy, Lauren Hill, and even Taylor Swift flash across the screen during the credits. The Pirate Radio soundtrack isn’t just another track list; it’s a presentation of music’s evolution through time. -TJW
13. “Yesterday Man” – Chris Andrews 14. “I’ve Been A Bad Bad Boy” – Paul Jones 15. “Silence Is Golden” – Tremeloes
Disc 1
proudly say the appropriately titled Rolling Stones’ track “Let’s Spend the Night Together.” The special night wouldn’t be complete without a song to cuddle to, and fortunately Herb Albert & The Tijuana Brass’ “This Guy’s In Love with You” creates the perfect atmosphere as the two sleep the night away.
DIO
1. “Friday On My Mind” – Easybeats 2. “My Generation” – The Who 3. “I Feel Free” – Cream 4. “Wind Cries Mary” – Jimi Hendrix 5. “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” – Procol Harum 6. “These Arms Of Mine” – Otis Redding 7. “The Happening” – Supremes 8. “Cleo’s Mood” – Junior Walker & The All Stars 9. “She’d Rather Be With Me” – The Turtles 10. “98.6” – The Bystanders
In every film there’s always one scene that captures a special bond between two characters, and when backed by the perfect track, this scene can speak volumes. When the boat begins to sink, Carl dives in for his estranged father who refuses to let go of a box containing his favorite records. Cat Steven’s
11. “Sunny Afternoon” – Kinks 12. “Father And Son” – Cat Stevens 13. “Nights In White Satin” – Moody Blues 14. “You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me” – Dusty Springfield 15. “Stay With Me” – Lorraine Ellison 16. “This Old Heart Of Mine” – The Isley Brothers 17. “Let’s Dance” – David Bowie
Disc 2
ode to the
web www.beatport.com
P
rivately owned and operated by Beatport LLC based in Denver, Colorado, Beatport is an online music store that caters specifically to electronic dance music and the culture that surrounds it. A veteran since January 2004, Beatport has an impressively extensive library. The current Beatport catalog is comprised of more than 700,000 tracks, 160,000 releases, and over 24,000 artist charts from over 120,000 artists and remixes. And this is not just a broad database of electronic tunes; this is EVERYTHING. With 19 different genres including progressive house music to dubstep to trance, you can narrow down your search to get exactly what you want and download the best artists of the genre. Needless to say, anything you want, you get.
Obviously, a strong following backs Beatport, and the website judges what the most popular artists are from a special awards voting system that is set up, the Beatport Music Awards. Each year, Beatport users can vote for who they think is the best artist, who has the best remix, and who has the best single in all 19 categories. The downloadable content is all in MP3, AIFF and WAV formats so anyone can download to their specific liking. For newcomers just breaking into the electro vibe world, Beatport makes it not only easy but pleasurable to browse through the website, including a Top 10 of the most popular downloads and a list of playlists that featured DJ’s set up of their favorite songs and remixes. If you want to get your 21st century dance party started, visit Beatport now! -GS
S
o you love dance music, and you’ve got the tracks to prove it. Now, you want to broaden your horizons. You want to express yourself and have people know your love for the dance floor. You want to find venues to show off your moves and bob your head to your favorite beats. All this and much, much more is at your fingertips with Trugroovez.com. Although this is really just a music directory, the massive selection of eclectic links is a sure wealth of knowledge for anyone. A Disk Jockey’s paradise, this website lends a hand to not only the listener but the musician as well. It includes links to DJ agencies, producers, mixing software, and much more.
Plenty of leisure items are also included on the website, including urban clothing and art work, specifically street art and graffiti. Another cool feature is the “Suggest Site” tab, which lets you contribute your own URL and add websites that you find to the collection. This way, the website is a constantly growing hodgepodge of information. Not a fan of electronica? The website also includes a “Vinyl Stores” tab that lets you peruse old school records. Although a rather diverse and arbitrary assortment of topics, Trugroovez wants to please the masses, and does it with ease. -GS
www.trugroovez.com
ROYAL TEETH F
OR MANY LOUISIANA BANDS LIKE THE REVIVALISTS, GIVERS, AND BIG HISTORY, this year is the high water mark for making proverbial ripples in the music scene. Relatively new to the game, The Royal Teeth are representing the south end of the Big Easy with a vengeance all across the US. With a dose of electronic goodness, some cool harmonies and unbridled indie enthusiasm, The Royal Teeth are as purposed on stage as they are off. While traveling in the van with his bandmates, Gary Larsen shares a bit about the band’s penchants, processes, and procedures. So, Louisiana is kicking some ass and taking names right now in respect to up and coming musicians. Who do you think we should be on the look out for? For sure, Gun Hotel, a true DIY band—it’s pretty amazing. Wearloose from Lafayette. We also really love Fox and the Hound. Bedrock, Indy mountain— I can keep going forever. How is your writing process different from most other young bands? We compose it virtually through email. It’s a weird way to write I know. I’ll put the acoustic in an email, and then we will add the drum ideas, then
build in the funk. We like giving everybody their own privacy in terms of adding something and they have time with it, instead of pressure to make something cool immediately. From the beginning, we have been separated with a couple people living at least three hours apart. We had to keep writing originals, so we would Skype. We just really couldn’t wait to have everybody in the same room. It’s been weird especially lately with being on the road because everybody is together so much, we actually write together. As much as I like this, it will be nice to have a few days where we’re stopped and I can really open up on some of these new songs.
ROYALTEETHMUSIC.COM
Does this affect group dynamics in terms of performance? It’s hard to really tell right now because we’ve never really had a chance to just like sit and start from scratch. I’m definitely excited to try that. I would love to explore all the options to see what we can do. I think the way we are able to play together is very special. The dynamics are amazing and the crowd feels it. What makes people excited and want to dance to your music? The most important thing is the energy of it. It engages the crowd. We never look like we are bored. We just enjoy playing music and we have fun doing it. It’s very rare that we leave a show not sweaty because we move a lot and jump. We have an upbeat sound and can give a fun upbeat live show. What song makes you want to dance? “Baby” by Justin Bieber. It’s Stevie’s fault. He’s got the most interesting iPod playlist—from an off-thewall weird Indian song to N-SYNC to Ryan Night Space Jam to a strange jaguar noise and back to, of course, “Baby” by Justin Bieber. Like Justin Bieber, it appears that social media has been a big part of your success thus far. Is that accurate? Absolutely. We are very on top of all that ourselves. I’m very proud to say that we check our facebook constantly. We make it a habit to talk back to the people who are reaching out to us. It’s important for people to feel connected and actually communicate with the band. Our band actually cares enough to talk back.
Andrew Poe
Word on the street is that you are the 2012 giveaway and contest keys, percussion, samples, geniuses. True or background vocals false? most appreciated for: We’ve gotten backing the van into tight pretty lucky with spaces; making sure getting a lot of great everything is in opportunities. It was place during SXSW that Talent House had a concert for a Warner Showcase. We had to submit a video, and our music. Over 1,000 people submitted. A panel of judges picked a winner. We just did it as a long shot, threw in as many options as we could. We found out a week before SXSW we won and we still didn’t know where we were going to sleep. It turned out to be a great room, packed with people. Right after that show ended, we found out we had been entered into a Twitter contest for CNN just the night before. We ended up getting to go to this warehouse and play for CNN with [the band] fun. We didn’t have any PA equipment so we basically did this acoustic performance we hadn’t prepared for. It was great exposure.
Josh Hefner drums
most appreciated for:
managing tour expenses
Gary Larsen
guitar, vocals most appreciated for:
determination
Your style has evolved considerably in the last three years, can you tell us a little about that? Well, three of our members have actually played in previous bands for a while, for somewhere between 5-10 years in a band called Juliet. In 2003, I moved in with Josh Wells (bassist) and the sound development was kind of weird. At the time we just didn’t have an available drummer, but a friend of ours started making an electronic beat and samples over the songs we were writing. So those opportunities were now available to us. Then two more members joined this band and it just kind of kept growing and growing finally and then we picked up our guitar player, Stevie. Every time we made a progression, the next person just came around. It just worked out and felt right.
Nora Patterson vocals
most appreciated for:
designing album artwork & flyers
What are your themes that you usually center around your writing? I try to keep it very simple. You don’t want to over complicate things or try too hard. When I’m presenting an idea I try to keep just the skeleton—the very bare idea and core vocals. Then from there guitar, samples we build it up more. I’m most appreciated for: really inspired by being innovative sounds more positive and fun. I’m always inspired by old pop music and Motown. They’re so catchy.
Stevie B
Josh Wells bass guitar
most appreciated for:
founding the band; idea generator for songs
Why is “Wild” so special to the band? It’s the crowd favorite, so we can’t not play it every night. It became a song about being in a band and just doing all that a band does. I’m basically talking to myself and my band saying I know this is a change; let’s make a step; let’s stretch ourselves; let’s chase this dream. That song sings to people who have done or are trying to do their best. We always close the show with it. It has the most high energy live. It’s an anthem to everyone, and to ourselves, as well. The five princes and princess of Royal Teeth have just joined the music court. With the same determination, passion, and pride they currently possess, we have no doubt they will be the next kings and queen of the industry. —BF
AUSTIN DIGITAL ANTIQUE
Finding a band with a unique style of music these days is no easy task. When you hear a sound that catches your attention and makes you think “hmmm, now this is something I haven’t heard before,” you must allow yourself the opportunity to investigate it further. Digital Antique is one of those bands that is truly worth a listen. They have been called an instrumental Indie rock band, however they play a progressive style music mixed with dark, pure rock that flows in a way seldom heard. It is a mesmerizing and totally enjoyable show to watch, with the band members playing everything from the violin, viola and cello, to the classic guitar, bass, and drums. Since their forming in 2008, the band has gathered quite a following in the Austin area. A new album is set to be released in July 2012. It is sure to solidify their presence and increase their fan base significantly. -NL
TMI hot picks SALIM NOURALLAH
(singer/songwriter) Mohawk / Thursday, Sept. 6th / 9pm
MR. GNOME (experimental) Stubb’s BBQ / Thursday, Nov. 15th / TBD
CRYSTAL CASTLES (electronic) Emo’s / Saturday, Oct. 13th / 10pm
TMI hot picks MICHAEL KIWANUJA (soul/blues) Fine Line Music Cafe / Friday, Sept. 28th / 7:30pm
DARK DARK DARK (cabaret/indie) The Cedar / Wednesday, Oct. 3rd / 7:30pm
HEAVY (rock) First Avenue / Saturday, Nov. 3rd / 8pm
SOLID GOLD
The indie electro poppers Matt Locher and Zach Coulter of Solid Gold met in college at the University of Madison in 2000. The two were introduced when mutual friends at the University were putting together a group. Soon enough, the group set a new foundation and relocated to Minneapolis and got jobs as they prepped and released their first full-length album in 2008 called Bodies of Water. Since then they have been on a steady tour of Europe and the United States. The group has remixed many big artists like Beyonce and more, as well as had a few appearances at SXSW. These guys are more than just popular locally and they continue to gain praise throughout the world. Minneapolis has a reason to be proud. Next time you’re at a bar or club and you hear the glam rock of Solid Gold, think of how far they have come, that anything is possible, and most importantly— dance! -KV
MINNE APOLIS
M A D I S O N
TMI hot picks PLUME GIANT (psychedelic folk) The Project Lodge / Saturday, Sept. 15th / 7:30pm
THE INTELLIGENCE (lo-fi indie) The Cactus Club / Tuesday, Oct. 9th / 9pm
MILO GREENE
(indie folk) High Noon Saloon / Saturday, Nov. 3rd / 9:30pm
BARISTACIDE The band Baristacide is delivering a buzz that is much bigger than the one your neighborhood barista does. The group is a four-piece powerpop project based in Madison, made up of Educational Davis, Poncho Pilot, Jonny Sucrose and Van Mojo. The quartet combines the concrete (drums, guitars and vocals) with the subjective—soul, insight and courage—to create their very own Baristacide swagger. -KV
ARCHIE POWELL & THE EXPORTS Archie Powell & The Exports are a four piece powerhouse of a band, fueled and inspired by the everyday struggles and triumphs of being in your twenties. They make music about the newfound problems in life, like the realization that you are in the real world, career changes, and teenage love dissolving as grown up responsibilities encroach. The band is known for their high energy songs that are impossible not to dance to. Even better–they are all completely applicable to almost everyone’s lives at some point. The band’s first album, Skip Work was named favorite local album of 2010 by Chicagolist. Archie Powell & The Exports released their second studio album Great Ideas in Action on May 1st, 2012 and they are already receiving rave reviews. Their overall sound has been described as garage rock, indie-pop and alternative, but is versatile enough to fit into many other genres. The group is a pioneer in blending a fun pop rock sound with darker lyrics to create a sardonic dynamic. And, not to mention—their music videos, hilariously exemplify this! -KV
TMI hot picks BEAR CROSSING (progressive crowd rock) Elbo Room / Thursday, Sept. 20th / 11pm BENJAMIN FRANCIS LEFTWICH Schubas / Wednesday, Nov. 28th / 9pm
GERALD WALKER
(rapper) The Abbey Pub / Thursday, Oct. 4th / 7:30pm
(singer/songwriter)
C H I C A G O
TMI hot picks ALVIN YOUNGBLOOD HART Maple Leaf / Friday, Sept. 14th / TBD
(blues)
CHARLIE MARS BAND
(acoustic soul/pop) The Howlin’ Wolf / Friday, Oct. 5th / 10pm
MESCHIYA LAKE (jazz/vaudeville) The Spotted Cat / Tuesday, Nov. 27th / 6pm
Meeting on a summer day at the French Quarter of New Orleans, these five heroes of folk came together to create what the locals now know as one of the best bands of Louisiana. New Grass Country Club, otherwise known as plain ole’ “New Grass” or just “Country Club, ” has such a unique sound that many struggle to pin down. Attempts have said the tunes of the band strike a border between power folk, surf pop, and 80’s punk. Regardless, this sound is beloved by most everyone that stumbles upon the quintet playing in a bar, on the sidewalk, or in a popular venue of New Orleans. These boys always seem eager to play by their nearly psyched demeanor on stage. The group’s sound can be compared with elements of The Avett Brothers, Beach House, and The Growlers, three completely different bands that all have powerful things to offer. New Grass uses these elements to synthesize their own brand of music that has The Big Easy buzzing.
NEW GRASS COUNTRY CLUB
NEWOR LEANS
-KV
35 SECONDS Voted best Birmingham band of the decade by Brum Notes and Blue Whale magazine in 2010, 35 Seconds has been the buzz of Birmingham for the past ten years, and is still being talked about. The band, formed in 1997, had an initial indie/ jangle pop sound to it. Over the years with more pieces, shows, and a confidence boost, 35 Seconds has developed a tight, complex and unique stye of music that continues to make them popular locally and in the UK. Their most recent recordings have morphed yet again into a grinding funk inspired sound. -KV
TMI hot picks THE WOGGLES (garage-rock) The Bottletree / Saturday, Sept. 29th / 9pm WOLF GANG
(indie pop) WorkPlay / Monday, Nov. 5th / 8pm
THE MILK CARTON KIDS (alt country) Moonlight On The Mountain / Thursday, Oct. 25th / TBD
B I R M I N G H A M
TMI hot picks ROOSEVELT COLLIER (sacred steel) Bardot / Tuesday, Sept. 12th / TBD
ANDREW BIRD
(indie rock) The Fillmore / Monday, Oct. 8th / 8:30pm
TAKING BACK SUNDAY (emo/rock) Revolution / Wednesday, Nov. 7th / 7pm
AFROBETA
With music by Miami’s avant dance duo Afrobeta, it is impossible to not want to move. Afrobeta is made up of the incredible and undoubtedly ‘out-there’ couple of Cuci and Tony Smurphio. Why do these two work so well together? It’s the combination of Cuci’s rapid fire delivery and the potency of her lyrics that compliment the head bobbing baselines and funky synths of Smurphio. The collaboration of these two elements creates some of the most incredible dance music we’ve seen yet— and they couldn’t have picked a better city in which to start. Afrobeta has recently come out with their first release since their 2011 LP Under The Streets. This new project is called Wig Party, and is a mixed tape of ten fresh tracks that has fans buzzing. Next time you are throwing a fiesta of any sort, don’t forget your Afrobeta, a crucial addition to a night of color, dance and polyphonic fusion! -KV
GENTLEMAN JESSE
& HIS MEN Stemming from support for another Atlanta band, Black Lips, The Peach State’s Jesse Smith’s latest band has become more than just a local fixture of the capital’s music scene. Starting as a bassist for the Carbonas, Smith has since started a group with a whole new flair. Their name: Gentleman Jesse & His Men. This time with a softer edge, the fairly new band has become a pretty big hit. Their 2008 album Douchemaster made it out of Pitchfork’s scrutiny with an 8.1 review. Pretty darn good. This stuff is a good mix between surf rock and punk and radiates the energy of youthful summertime. Blunt lyrics and happy instrumentals dominate their songs and embody the band’s style. The use of doubled voices and a kind of pithy humor help make the majority of Gentleman Jesse’s pieces perfect for lighthearted listeners who want to share a laugh. Put on their most recent single “You’ve Got the Wrong Man” and go for a skip around the block on a sunny day. Then you know you’re doing it right! -KV
TMI hot picks THE ROCKETBOYS
(piano rock) Vinyl / Thursday, Sept. 20th / 7pm
KAKI KING (guitarist/songwriter) Terminal West / Monday, Nov. 12th / 9pm
JACKIE GREENE
(americana) Smith’s Olde Bar / Friday, Oct. 5th / 8pm
A T L A N T A
Are you ready for an amazing water and light show while listening to tunes on your laptop? When the music plays, each speaker shoots four jets of water accompanied with red, blue, green and yellow LED lights to the beat of the music. It is powered by USB, connects to any music source with a 3.5mm jack is sealed tight so you don’t have to worry about leaks, and measures 22cm x 6cm x 6cm each.
The USB guitar allows you to learn to play guitar and record your new licks. The package comes with a six-string, all-wood electric guitar with an ion guitar link that plugs into your computer. It also comes with Guitar Rig LE software that has step-by-step instructions on how to play, video tutorials, high quality amp effects and recording, a guitar strap, and a pick.
Like most things that are sweeping back in from the 70s, so is the famous Stylophone. Labeled the “electric organ that fits in your pocket,” this gadget will take you back in time like no other. The gadget is packed with a vibrato switch, tuning key, headphone out socket, MP3 player in socket and a selector switch for one of three sounds.
Cycle Speakers Want to jam out while getting some exercise on your bike? Shaped like a water bottle (conveniently fitting into all bicycle drink holders) this speaker has it all: excellent sound quality with a built-in hi-fi stereo, mini SD card support, it charges by USB (no need for batteries), plays MP3 and WMA formats, has built-in FM radio (87.5 – 108mhz), built-in high-capacity battery (charges in approx. three hours), and measures approx. 20cm x 7cm. It’s also great for hiking, walking or running.
Lost your pick again and have a plastic card you need to get rid of? No need to worry, because there is a solution. Working like a hole-puncher, the Pickmaster allows you to create picks out of old cards you no longer use. Slide the card in the Pickmaster, press down and there you go, a new pick! Cuts plastic up to 1mm thick, and safely destroys old cards.
CampuS
FM
A
nyone who enjoys a good dance party and appreciates the simple human right to a true childhood is fully equipped with the skill set necessary to make Dance Marathon, the University of Iowa’s largest student-run philanthropy, a smashing success. Originating in 1973 at Penn State University, U of I’s Dance Marathon got on its feet in 1994 when a small group of passionate students took the initiative to raise $31,000 to benefit 26 families of children battling pediatric cancer at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital. Every year since, Dance Marathon has raised money and provided year-round support to youth cancer victims and their families.
At “The Big Event,” students assemble—fully clad in outrageous costume—to shake their fannies in celebration of the children survivors, and to remember those who have passed throughout the year. All participants must remain standing for the full 24 hours. And put away those Diet Cokes, because caffeine is not allowed.
University of Iowa
Throughout each year, Dance Marathon organizes group excursions to amusement parks and museums, lifting the spirits of these children and their families. Students visit young patients in the hospital, often forming strong bonds and lasting friendships with those they encounter. And throughout the winter months, students will do anything from sending letters and postcards to friends and family back home, to “canning” for cash on the streets of downtown Iowa City on a Saturday night with one goal in mind: raising the $400 necessary for an invite to the year’s finale event—a 24-hour dance marathon.
There is never a dull moment at Dance Marathon; live entertainment is provided throughout the event. DJs and local bands keep marathoners rockin’, and University dance and theatre groups catch the spotlight too. Families sponsored by Dance Marathon also participate in the event—many for the full 24 hours—and most share words of inspiration and give speeches of gratitude throughout the night. The event closes with power hour—the last of the 24 hours when all students gather in the Main Ballroom for a final spurt of all-out, non-stop jumping, fist-pumping and dancing on their weary legs. Power hour is a very high energy, indescribable finale to a very rewarding and exciting experience.
Iowa City erected 75 different statues of “Herky”, the University of Iowa mascot, across town.
U of I’s mascot, Herky, enjoys crowd surfing during the Dance Marathon’s “Big Event.”
“Dancers are the backbone of this organization, and this $5 million pledge gives them a positive outlook to the future…”
Eighteen years since its inception, University of Iowa’s Dance Marathon has grown to include over 1,500 participants, 300 student leadership positions, and in 2012, they raised a record-breaking $1,369,147.18. And Dance Marathon has proudly pledged to donate $5 million over a ten-year period to a new University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, which will aim to create a fun, interactive atmosphere where children and families will feel comfortable; where they will not feel the reality that they are in a hospital. Dancers are the backbone of this organization, and this $5 million pledge gives them a positive outlook to the future; a precise vision of the great impact their efforts will truly make in the lives of kids yearning to be kids.
Warning: Spontaneous dancing may combust at any time; students are already registering for Dance Marathon 19, to be held February 1 & 2, 2013.
-KK
Greetings earthlings! Whether he’s riding synthesizers across the deep reaches of outer space or stationed at his home base in Oakland, CA calculating the precise moment to drop the beat, The Polish Ambassador, known by his human name as David Sugalski, knows exactly how to cause a frenzy under the crowd’s feet. From his robotic originals to hopped up remixes, it’s a glitched-out, cosmically amped kind of universe when The Polish Ambassador takes over the helm of the Space Escalade. Strap yourselves in tight. It’s a rowdy ride from here on out!
So what’s new in The Polish Ambassador’s galaxy?
Is there any particular style you prefer to rework?
In between touring and camping with friends, I’ve been bangin’ out beats in the studio. I get really addicted to that when the wave is available to ride. I’ve put out a lot dance party music, but right now, I’m starting to experiment more with my own original material. I’m finishing up six new tracks for my next EP, Superpowers, which comes out in August. It’s a bit slower and sexier with a more organic feel. It’s definitely got some computer tweaks and glitches, but it’s more rooted in slower BPMs and earth sounding drums.
I tend to go with music that people wouldn’t typically consider remixing. I’ve tackled some pretty heavy tracks like Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes,” George Michael’s “Careless Whisper,” and Radiohead’s “Fake Plastic Trees.” I like to push the limits even when people think a song is perfect just the way it is. It’s not my intention to make my remix better or worse. I like to test them through my filter and see what comes out.
How do you go about selecting songs to remix? About ninety percent of the time, they’re unauthorized remixes. I find an acapella, which is just a voice track, and test it out with a stockpile of beats that I’ve got. Or sometimes, I’ll recreate a new beat just for that particular acapella. They’re all original works.
What’s the process like getting from point A to point B? I seek out a lot of new music and use that as ideas to run through my own brain to see what I can come up with. There’s also a lot of research involved to figure out what tools I need to use as far as synthesizers and drum samples are concerned and how I can tweak those to my own liking. The creative process is founded on a more technical process.
Is there anyone in particular that you would be honored if they asked you to put your spin on one of their tracks? It’s actually already happened a couple of times. STS9 hit me up to remix their song “Scheme.” I remixed Large Professor’s “The Entrance” for the first track on my album Homeboys in Outerspace: Episode 1. If you don’t know, he’s an old school hip-hop legend, and after he found out about that track, he actually asked me to do a remix for his upcoming album. I’ve been a fan of his for a long time, so that was a real big honor.
Where did the original idea for Homeboys in Outerspace come from? It’s a bit of my own personality and what I find cool in a humorous sense. There used to be this really bad television show called Homeboys in Outer Space that aired for one season sometime back in the mid 90s. I always thought that was the dumbest name for show, but dumb in such a hilarious way that it gets transformed into awesome. I wanted to take that idea and bring it into music by putting my own style into a collection of hip-hop tracks. It’s turned out great so far. I haven’t even begun to think about Episode 3, but I imagine it will come…
Do you have any plans to put out any hour or so long mixes? Part of me thinks that I put out produced material in a single track to lure people to come out to the live show. That’s what they get, a completely unique set every time I play. I want people to appreciate my production, but I think it’s something they need to see live to get the full effect of all the wild stuff I do when I’m performing at a show. But the door is definitely open for that in the future.
Why do you give people the option to download your music for free? Sometimes I struggle with that. Does it make sense for me to give my music away for free when people are buying it? My thinking is that it’s so hard for us as single human beings to wrap our minds around how many people there are out there in this world. For every person that I give music away to for free, hopefully word spreads to ten other people who actually log onto iTunes and buy it. There’s also the side that giving feels good. If people dig it, they spread it around. It’s a natural process that can help propel more live shows.
Why do you feel it’s important to keep your fans so highly involved and integrated via social media into all of The Polish Ambassador’s happenings? I want to connect with these people. They have a little piece of me that they’re listening to, and in some sense, they know a certain side of me. When I go out on the road, it’s joy to have these exchanges with fans that are so interested in what I’m doing. The next logical step seems to ask for their input and take it to a level that’s more than just performer and fan. They’re helping fuel this with their feedback and keeping it an open-ended project.
What’s your opinion on the rising popularity and current state of electronic dance music? For one, we are people of the computer. If someone takes it away from you, it’s almost as if you’ve lost your arm for the day. You can do so much musically with computers that you can emulate almost any instrument, especially with the ease of mixing and processing things to sound bigger and cleaner. I think people are becoming less concerned with the performance and more into the atmosphere, vibe, and energy. I think electronic music is rising up so fast because people want to go out and dance with their twenty best friends. It’s opening up more doors for the sake of community and artists, and it’s a beautiful thing.
And what can the audience expect at one of your shows? A guy who freakin’ loves connecting with the people who are coming out to support him! They can expect to dance and leave fulfilled knowing that it was a musical journey through a variety styles, layers, and BPMs.
We’ve got to know. Who’s responsible for cleaning and maintaining the suit? Yours truly! Sugalski’s dry-cleaning. Nothing will ever replace that suit. It’s always going to be in the wardrobe, but I’m actually talking to a few designers who want to possibly develop some new ones down the road.
And we can’t wait! Be on the lookout this fall to see if The Polish Ambassador, possibly decked out in a sleek new outfit, will be coming to a city near you. Regardless of what he’s wearing, you’re in for an ear opening, eye bedazzling, and feet shuffling experience! Signing off.
-KC
TMI hot picks THE BREAKS (rock) 40 Watt Club / Thursday, Sept. 20th / 9pm
THE OCTOPUS PROJECT (electronic) The Melting Point / Monday, Oct. 1st / 8:30pm
REHAB (hip-hop) The Georgia Theater / Saturday, Nov. 17th / 8pm
GIFT HORSE
Voted among Athen’s Music Junkie’s “Top Ten Bands You Need To See at Athfest This Year,” Gift Horse is climbing it’s way up. Described as being “more trance than dance,” the band puts together haunting progressions of atmospheric rock and roll that draws listeners into their realm. With influences ranging from rock and pop, jazz and blues to folk and country, the band’s music is an intricate masterpeice of stacked guitars, collaborative rhythms, and vocal harmonies that give Gift Horse a signature sound of their own. On their MySpace page, the band describes their sound as “something new, yet oh so familiar,” rendering true with the combined experience of deja vu awe that the sounds cultivate. Lets just say that if you’re up for some shoegazing and heavy distortion, a Gift Horse show is surely a gift to whoever is in attendance.
AT H E N S
-KV
BEN FAGAN & THE HOLY CITY HOOLIGANS Since a very young age, Ben Fagan has been infatuated by music. Nowadays, with the addition of the Hooligans, Fagan thrives in writing lyrics that are positive and uplifting and combining these with relaxed and soulful instrumentals. His first band, the Plainfield Project (also based out of Charleston, SC) produced ska/reggae influenced rock which started circulating on local radio stations. With the knowledge and ambition that he acquired from his earlier project, Ben Fagan & the Holy City Hooligans are prepared for something grand and are awaiting national exposure. It is obvious that these guys love what they do. They create a unique mix, a blending of island vibes, urban funk and hip-hop to convey a positive message with an original sound. Aside from the feel-good energy that the band gives off, they are praised for the variety of music that they can produce, anywhere from psychedelic and trippy to straightforwardly soulful. Catch Ben Fagan & The Holy City Hooligans at local venues along the East coast, and hopefully across the nation soon! -KV
TMI hot picks SICK/SEA
(indie rock) The Tin Roof / Friday, Sept. 14th / 8pm
JIMMY HERRING BAND
DOPAPOD (experimental funk-rock) The Pour House / Thursday, Oct. 4th / 9pm
(fusion guitarist) Charleston Music Hall / Thursday, Nov. 1st / 7pm
C H A R L E S T O N
RUNAWAY CAB
This local band is making waves in the Chapel Hill music scene with their pop-rock sound. The band formed in 1998 from two sets of high school friends, and includes Chad Hough (drums), Matthew Cloutier (guitar), Ned Clark (vocals), Jeremy Bone (bass), Erich Brunk (guitar), and Andrew Parkinson (keys). They released their first album On the Upside in 2000, and since then have released an EP Time in 2002 and Burnout in 2004. Their songs have been featured on several television shows including Cold Case, One Tree Hill, and Skin. -CP
TMI hot picks
RALEIGH/ DURHAM/
HUMMING HOUSE (gypsy swing) The Pour House / Thursday, Sept. 20th / 8pm TENNIS (indie pop) Cat’s Cradle / Tuesday, Oct. 9th / 8pm RED FANG
(hard rock) Kings / Thursday, Nov. 8th / 9pm
This Asheville band may have a little bit of a funky name, but North Carolinians sure aren’t having a rough time making it out to their shows. Kovacs & The Polar Bear started out as a duo at Hendersonville High School. Guitarist/vocalist Nicholas Kovacs and drummer Andrew Woodward began playing and recording together in 2006. Bassist/keyboardist Chris Lee joined the group in 2008, and guitarist/ keyboardist Joe Chang was added a year later. Originally the band wanted to start softer, eventually got to the point of playing pretty loud, but still keep the folky feel to their music, similar to what would happen if Mumford & Sons and Bon Iver decided to have a baby. This band is greatly respected for their consistency and their artistic meddling of elements of rock, folk and even the occasional electronica. With beautiful harmonies and pickin’ instrumentals, this quartet is sure to blow anyone away.
TMI hot picks TORO Y MOI (chillwave) The Orange Peel / Thursday, Sept. 27th / 8pm
CHUCK BRODSKY (singer/songwriter) Altamont / Friday, Oct. 12th / 8pm
THE HONEYCUTTERS (americana/honky tonk) The Grey Eagle / Saturday, Nov. 3rd / 9pm
-KV
KOVACS & THE POLAR BEAR
ASHE
THE LONELY BISCUITS Formerly known as Gravy and the Biscuits, The Lonely Biscuits based out of Nashville combine a mix of hip-hop rhymes and smooth pop rock ballads. Gravy Wenrich, hip-hop vocalist and guitarist, and drummer, Sam Gidley, began collaborating together while attending Belmont University with vocalist and guitarist John Paterini, alternating a call and response mix of Kid Rock and Jason Mraz. Joined by the funky bass lines played by Nick Byrd, the Lonely Biscuits transform your everyday living room into a dance floor, with tracks like, “Chasin Echoes” and “No Place to Roam.” Their latest EP, Biscuit Buffet, lays down a lounge groove funk style with chill guitar rifts and head-bouncing beats great for a long drive, beach party or Saturday night out on the town.
NASHE VILLE
-TC
TMI hot picks SUZI RAGSDALE (singer/songwriter) The Bluebird Cafe / Thursday, Sept. 6th / 9pm
THE SEA AND CAKE (indie rock) Mercy Lounge / Friday, Oct. 26th / 8pm
STREETLIGHT MANIFESTO (ska/rock) EXIT/IN / Tuesday, Nov. 27th / 7pm
TMI hot picks AARON CRAWFORD & THE BADCARDS (troubadour roots rock)
9:30/ Saturday, Sept. 15th / 7pm
TWERPS (indie rock) Black Cat / Wednesday, Oct. 17th / 8pm
BLACKNOTES (SWARM) Bohemian Caverns / Sunday, Nov. 25th / 7pm
FORT KNOX FIVE
D.C.
WASHI NGTON
Spawned from the musically elaborate minds of Sid Barcelona, Jon Horvath, Rob Myers and Steve Raskin, D.C.’s Fort Knox Five fuses funk, hip-hip, reggae and electronic beats to create their genre defying, party rocking anthems. After forming Fort Knox Recordings in 2003 to independently release their own music, the guys have gone on to produce numerous singles, remixes, EPs and a full length album entitled Radio Free DC. From Bob Marley to Afrika Bambataa, their “remints” (as they so appropriately title them) bring out the inner funk in all of us. Whether it’s performing around the world as DJs or as a live group featuring guest artists, Fort Knox Five’s “Funk 4 Peace” mentality is setting the gold standard for dance floors everywhere. -KC
TMI hot picks MREE (indie folk) The Living Room / Sunday, Sept. 9th / 9pm LUCY WAINWRIGHT ROCHE Joe’s Pub / Tuesday, Nov. 20th / 7pm
THE LAST BISON (mountain chamber/indie folk) Brooklyn Bowl / Thursday, Oct. 25th / 8pm
(singer/songwriter)
THE ALBERTANS
The Albertans (www.thealbertans.com) were named one of Brooklyn’s L-Magazine’s Top New York bands in 2009. They began as a 7-piece band but now perform with four members: Joel Bravo, Curtis McLean, Ian Everall and Alison Yip. The Albertans’ second full-length album New Age sings the sentiments of today’s youth, a perfect fit for their pop-indie-rock sound. A combination of a variety of instrumentation and smooth, yet perky vocals make this group a unique listen.
NEW YO R K CITY
-CP
ANIMAL TA L K
Stop–do you hear that chatter? All of this commotion is strange, it must be Animal Talk. Featured in The Phoenix’s “Class of 2012: Boston’s 12 best new bands,” since forming in 2011, the quartet known by it’s city as Animal Talk has been described as everything from “post-dance rock” to “indie alternative-pop.” Regardless of the sound label, the group is obviously impressing Boston and other cities all over the country. After proving to have an extremely energetic and vibrant live show, Animal Talk has ranked itself among the top go-to groups for the more mainstream bands looking for a wild and fresh opening act. They have now played gigs with everyone from Young the Giant to The Mother Hips. With a second EP, touring dates with places along the East Coast, and a showing at a few festivals including SXSW, the band is ready for more in 2012. -KV
TMI hot picks JINX BROS.
(swamp blues) Johnnie D’s / Thursday, Sept. 13th / 9pm
PETER MULVEY
(folk) Club Passim / Thursday, Nov. 1st / 7pm
TINARIWEN (world music) Paradise Rock Club / Saturday, Oct. 13th / 8pm
B O S T O N
MUSIC WITH A VIEW If you haven’t heard of BalconyTV then crawl out from under that rock and see what’s happening in the music world! Over thirty cities worldwide are showcasing their live local talent in an inventive and entertaining new way. I spoke with Joanne, the brains behind Balcony TV Cork in Ireland to get a feel for the local scene there…
The David Nelligan Thing //
MUSIC WITH A VIEW
What is your job with BTV and how did you get involved? I am the person who runs the show behind the scenes. I started the show in Cork in April 2010 but officially in September 2010. I felt it was important to have a balcony representing Cork because there is so much musical talent here. Ireland is in any case renowned for music and I wanted to show the world the music/musicians I love in Cork and have them on the balconytv.com website and I also did it because I love Cork too. I cover all administration, as in I organize balcony shoots, I e-mail, phone bands/acts. I keep the show going. I do a lot of work. I took it upon myself to start the show from scratch in Cork. The rest of the crew consists of John Hough and Dave Knox doing camera and sound, Cormac Brenock and Ian Richards on sound, Aaron Wiley on camera, and Tom McCarthy and Dominika Walachowska with photography.
What music genres are popular in Cork? All genres are popular in Cork. Cork is vibrant in terms of music and the arts especially. We have a lot of traditional musicians obviously, singer-songwriters, rock, pop and blues musicians. Electronic music with all its many branches are important too. Experimental and sound music is becoming increasingly popular thanks to Vicky Langan of Black Sun.
What up and coming local artists do you recommend people look out for? There are many bands/solo performers and singer songwriters to look out for and a lot of these, I believe should and will be very famous. John Spillane, Mick Flannery, Tomás McCarthy, Jack O
Circus Cat //
Bona Fide Federation // Rourke, Aaron Dillon, Hank Wedal, Elly O Keefe, Diarmuid O Leary, Eoghan Murphy, Ciarán McGuckin, Annette Buckley, Bren O Ruaidh, John Reid & Derek Ellard are all incredible singer song-writers. The bands I like most are Fred, Bona Fide Federation, the David Nelligan Thing, Circus Cat, Slow Motion Heroes, Áine Duffy & Band, Crow Black Chicken THe Mandolas, Niall McCabe & Band, Lerner, The Art Crimes Band, GHosthead Revival, Kodakid and The Hard Ground.
Where are the best places to see live music in Cork? The best places to see live music in Cork are without a shadow of a doubt, Charlie’s Bar (Union Quay), most of Benny McCabe's bars, namely The Crane Lane and Sin é and most recently most Saturday evenings at Crowley's Music Centre on McCurtain Street as well as the Triskel Arts Centre including Gulpd Cafe on South Main Street.
Our theme for this issue is dance. Are there any special steps indigenous to your area? Well, in Ireland, as you know we have our own traditional music, Irish dancing and there is sean nós
Lerner //
dancing too, which literally means 'old style'. People go to céilís to dance to this kind of music and it's great craic (Irish word for 'fun'). Naturally, we have all the other kinds of dancing that are popular across the globe but Irish dancing is our indigenous style.
How has having BTV in Cork benefited the local scene? Many musicians have gained much more considerable interest from people they would not have reached otherwise, i.e. many bands now have fans from all over the globe, even though, they haven’t been to the majority of the places. Some have even been invited to various countries and in general, their viewership has peaked dramatically due to the busy traffic network it has.
What is your most memorable BTV moment and why? I think naturally starting it was memorable, the first few shoots I did, to create the test videos. Then, of course, the launch because it was such a big deal, I had been working on it practically alone for four or five months until my great friend and exceptional sound/camera man John Hough got involved. The launch was a very special day for me and there has been a few Balcony moments that were incredible due to the performers that were on the show, John Spillane, Bona Fide Federation, The Mandolas, The Art Crimes Band, Beat n Blow, The David Nelligan Thing, Slow Motion Heroes, Circus Cat, Crow Black Chicken and The Bambir from Armenia. I am also confident that more great times are yet to come.
Having worked in the music business, what advice do you have for struggling musicians?
The Hard Ground //
Kodakid //
Put the work in and it will pay off in many different respects in the end. Make sure your music links can be easily found on the internet (set up a website/sound cloud/Facebook) with as much information as possible and links. Play gigs and build up a reputation and a following. Don't rush into things, wait until you are happy with what you have created and others will love it then too.
Cork isn’t the only Irish city on BalconyTV; the franchise started in Dublin and expanded outwards from there. Join the millions of others and go to Balcony TV and click Cork to see these exciting acts in action. -ZS
Musical
Explorations
Panama
An international travel series featuring
The Music Initiative’s Editor-In-Chief and 2012 Emerging Artist T. Champagne journeyed to Panama to experience three vastly differing regions of the country in 10 days. The purpose of this experimental trip? To see, interview and experience how music and the arts, nature, food & spirits, architecture, and the human spirit transcends borders. Our first stop Panama City but more importantly, the area known as Casco Viejo. Tuesday 3am Armed with two very small backpacks, a guitar, a DSLR camera, and a microphone, we, excited and exhausted, de-board our plane to a deserted Panamanian airport. Meandering through the empty waiting areas, and check-in terminals, we pray that our cab driver, who we have been informed speaks no English (and on the flip side
we speak no Spanish), will be there to greet us. We easily pass through customs, and as the airport exit doors open into a balmy tropical atmosphere, Blas, our trusty driver, greets us with a smile, open arms, and some solid English. (Thank you for the recommendation Evan at Los Quatro Tulipanes!). The
former beer bottler chatted up local beers, the history of the canal and how the city had morphed from an old world oasis into an architectural mecca for businesses and tourists alike. As we drive across the Pacific Bridge, we venture into the massive, very sleek, modern Panama City and the backdrop/ location for the 2008 James Bond flick Quantum of Solace. As the newly constructed Trump Tower looms before us, we glance quickly, at each other, back and forth, wondering what we had gotten ourselves into. Was this a modern world? Were we not getting a taste of a Third World country? Were we not going to get to experience “old” architecture, history and culture? As suddenly as our hearts had dropped, and our vision of the dream trip crushed; they were lifted again as we catch a glimpse through
the grey haze of dawn at the fish mongers unloading their catch at the wharf. The contrast of the dilapidated boats floating in the water flanked to the left by modern steel buildings reaching for the heavens and to the right, the breathtaking old world architecture boasting its strength, classic beauty, and longevity, reinvigorate our spirits immediately. Blas skillfully navigates the narrow streets, parks the cab, hands us a key, and points to a door. Unsure of what will lie behind the locked door, we turn the key to enter Los Cuatro Tulipanes and caught our first glimpse of the modern sophistication, coupled with a reverence for historical architecture that would remain constant throughout our time in Casco. What we also learned, pretty quickly, is that Panamanians are some of the most hospitable people around. You can’t beat arriving at your hotel at 4:30am to find two cold Balboas (local beer) waiting in the fridge for you, right?
Tuesday 11am Anxious to hit the city, our enthusiasm compensated for our lack of sleep. But before we leave the comforts of our casita, we journal a bit, review the information our host Evan has left for us on the culture, interesting people in the city, great places to eat, and sites we must see. We make copious notes, but are soon to discover this is a place where hidden treasures are found by the chestful. Tourist map (and borrowed cell phone) in hand, we are surprised that the sleepy area where we arrived a few hours before is now teeming with the hustle and bustle of city life. Wandering through the streets, we are surrounded at every turn with iron balconies, lush gardens, and fountains. We quickly become nostalgic for New Orleans. As we cruise around the city, we see street vendors with art, children playing a game kicking a ball in the streets and a man shaking hands with people in the street. A lot of people. Turns out, we are in front of the President’s Mansion. Yes, the President of the country of Panama. Apparently this happens daily. The President comes out and shakes hands with the public. It’s funny that in this place where a distinction between classes is evident, there is also a profound respect for community and tradition.
A few hours and a gallon of perspiration later, we are in dire need of nourishment. With our stomachs rumbling and legs shaking, we hear a voice in the distance. Are we hallucinating? Nope, Restaurante Tequila Bar is summoning us. Once again, we are welcomed with Balboas; and our host suggests the local corvina ceviche. Delighted by the suggestion, we take the advice, and add a burrito to the mix. Relaxing a bit from the suds, our eyes widen as we see a gorgeous presentation of ceviche with plantains in a margarita glass. And delicious to boot. Are we loving it? We, in fact, love it so much, we order another round and chat a bit about the music scene around town. What a perfect stop to regroup and get some inside scoop before heading back to checkout of our apartment. We meet Evan Richards, manager of of Los Quatros Tulipanes, in the lobby to get his perspective of this city. After a few suggestions, phone calls, and introductions, we part ways and venture down the stone streets. Lush gardens with every flower imaginable, decorate the rustic remains of wall-less buildings. Renovated churches, businesses and homes invite hip restaurants and storefronts to breathe life into their historic shells while towering chapels guide the cool breeze off the bay through the city streets. One thing we are finding a bit perplexing is that many of the businesses do not have blatant signage, as we are accustomed to seeing in the U.S. Many don insignias on the doors or windows. As we are unaware of this, we pass our next hotel about eight times, back and forth, forth and back, to the catcalls of construction workers and the perplexed stares of locals. Finally, pride tucked
currently in our backpacks, we ask a man sitting on his porch if we are in the right place, in our slowest of English. He sweetly smiles, and says “Español?” We shake our heads. Kindly, without hesitation, he stands, walks us around the corner, and points to a door with two letters peering out from the frosted oval windows…CH. We ring the doorbell and are greeted by Olga, manager of the Canal House. Quickly, she ushers us out of the heat, offers us some libations, and escorts us to our suite. As we climb the beautifully restored stairwells, we stare wide-eyed at the gorgeous paintings and windows of all sizes reflecting the light from which we just escaped. It beckons you to look for the old and new, simple and complex, black and white. There is something epic about this place, inspiring a moment, but also an eternity, much like an M.C. Escher work.
Tuesday 4pm After a brief respite and a visit with our new musician friend Jason, GM of Lunas and Relic Bar, we are drawn to the shores that separate Casco Viejo from Panama City. With daylight to spare, we stroll through the manicured public park along the waterway to the Fisherman’s Wharf. What a transformation this place underwent in the last 12 hours when we first saw
the fisherman unloading their catch from our cab window. Now, these same folks are hustling to sell their remaining fish before the market closes. If it’s a fish and it swims in the Pacific, good chance you’ll find it here. Shrimp, octopus, corvina, blood clams and more. Thankfully, we find a vendor with an umbrella, table and chairs. We order two cups and take a load off, as we watch three different ways of life. To our left the video from the Giant Panasonic LED Screen blazes alongside the sun from the glittery Panama City. Directly in front of us, a variety of boats and fisherman undulate with the tide, as the remaining sunlight playfully frolics in the water. To the right, the sun casts a spectacular glow on the old beauty, allowing her to bask in the glory of the day. With dusk (and Happy Hour quickly approaching), we cruise into Las Clementinas for some much talked about jazz by pianist Carlos. His nimble fingers kept the tunes flowing and the moods festive. Cozying up to the bar, we meet the gregarious Roberto Chocolate and his lovely wife, sister, and friend. We chat about politics, the best beach in Panama, and the craft of writing. These former Canadians relocated to Panama, and have been integral in founding The International Film Festival of Panama. After a few more recommendations for restaurants, some music swapping, and tips of getting around, we bid them all Adieu.
Tuesday 8pm As we wander back to our hotel and through the romantic Plaza Tomas Herrera Park, we notice the twinkling of lights from the Venezuelan steak house, Puerta De Tierra. We choose a table at the edge of the park under an umbrella that shields us from the light breeze, as we sip red wine and dine under the stars, sharing a classic steak and a creamy havarti risotto. A small band of gypsies traveling south from Mexico share stories of their travels while playing the accordion, guitar and bongos. Pedestrians linger, as children dance to the hypnotic tunes. A peaceful
night falls upon us. Just as we lean into the rhythm of the night, an unwanted ultimate party bus positions itself across the street, ready to bring out the animal in its passengers. The old converted school bus, painted and lit up more than a discothéque, was luring our fellow diners with Reggaeton to hit the latest dance club. We pass on the mobile fiesta, finish our dinner, and stumble upon DiVino, the perfect place to wind down the evening. Wine boxes line the ceiling and champagne bottles serve as lamp shades. An endless list of South American and European wines entice us. Exotic cheeses, a knowledgable waitstaff, and the most relaxing hideaway convince us that this is where we must finish up our first official night in Casco. -BF -TC
Stay tuned for more Casco tales when we visit the Panama Canal.
Travel Tips: ¬ Buy an international cell phone or a special SIM chip when you arrive http://www.movistar.com.pa/onsite/index.php ¬ Know the name of the specific neighborhood where you are staying. ¬ Take a map of the city to your concierge or host where you are staying and have them mark the areas of town that are safe to walk. ¬ Go to the wharf and try as many types of ceviche as you can.
Across
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Glob
international spotlig
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ght series
Adam Tensta (Stockholm)
“Hip-hop in Sweden
isn’t new. It’s been around for twenty years. What is new are artists rapping in English and becoming international.” These are the words of Adam Tensta, a Swedish Rapper and Activist who has broken the mold, topped the charts, and remained true to himself. Growing up in project housing during the 80s and 90s in the Tensta suburb of Stockholm, life was anything but easy for those of immigrant descent, such as Adam Momodou Eriksson Taal. But he embraced his ethnicity (Gambian, Finnish, and Swedish), his darker skin tone, and his suburban upbringing and channeled it all into his music. He even incorporated his home suburb into his stage name and became known as Adam Tensta. His debut album It’s a Tensta Thing was a Swedish chart topper, and it was awarded the 2008 Swedish Grammis for best Dance/Hip Hop/Soul album. However, Tensta doesn’t care to categorize his music into any specific genre. He said that his music is an emphasis on his everyday life. His first album was heavily influenced by the music of Bob Marley, Europe (Hard Rock), and House music. But the rapper’s influences stem deeply from American hip-hop as well. Theses artist include Nas, Mobb Deep, Outkast, Tupac, and the Wu-Tang Clan. Growing up, what Tensta liked about these artists was that they truly spoke their minds and found a niche for their music without compromising their artistic integrity. Tensta could relate to this. His hit song “My Cool” is about staying true to oneself. The single found a home all over the world and has been featured in videogames such as NBA 2K10 and Tony Hawk Ride, and even in the HBO series Entourage. Aside from music, Tensta is an activist and role model, abstaining from drinking, smoking and drugs. He is part of organizations whose goals are to prevent/stop bullying, trafficking and alienation. He understands that struggles are wordwide, so no one is alone. Music is how Tensta expresses himself. -TJ
The word for “attention” in German, Achtung captured just that of the Korean capital this summer. It is safe to say that Seoul was now illuminated with the music and bright personalities (and not to mention, flaming orange hair) of the three members of the band. Consisting of vocalist and acoustic guitarist SeungYoup Choo, bassist ByungChul Ahn, and drummer Yong Hoon Lim, Achtung has been around since 2002 and continues to wow audiences. The group recently made it through the fourth round of the popular Korean TV program titled Top Band, which caused the group to rapidly gain recognition as they were placed against some of the country’s greatest indie bands, proving Achtung a worthy opponent. As BalconyTV says it, these guys truly do rock out. They definitely exhibit confidence on the set from the beginning of a clip until the end. They match infectious bass riffs with the quick pulses and snaps of the drum kit to back up the acoustic guitar. And to top all of it off–they add in those extremely unique vocals sung by Achtung’s very own SeungYoup Choo. Choo’s voice has a higher pitched yet raspy sound to it–one that is unforgettable and an unbeatable pair for the high energy instrumentals. This year the band can now say they have been around for a decade, and has released two albums in between. The first was released in 2008, the second in 2009. Their style from album to album remains relatively consistent and is a fusion of elements of funk, reggae and fusion jazz. -KV
This month on BalconyTV Totnes, musician Holly Ebony surely proved herself to be a package deal.The gorgeous girl has a head full of brown carefree curls that match her approachability. Holly comes across as the type of person that everyone wants to get to know and is lucky to call a friend–and this is before you add guitar into the equation! The musician’s voice is comfortable yet seductive, familiar yet brand new, and simply one of a kind. She meddles soul blues and folk into one heckofa concoction and stirs it until it becomes her own. Ebony’s passion for music is obvious when you hear her voice. She draws inspiration from her own life happenings and uses singing not only as an outlet for personal expression, but to share with others what she feels is important. She gets ideas from folk, soul and blues, and my music tells stories from the wilderness around her and the depths of her spirit. Her 2010 EP Memory of a Life is her first and most recent compilation, recorded on Dartmoor with Nick Marshal of SunReturn Studio. On the side, Ebony likes to sing with the Glorious Chorus, a vibrant Gospel influenced choir. She also works as a session vocalist for various diverse projects. -KV
Thanks to BalconyTV Kaunas, the music of the acoustic singer/songwriter Simon Kempton is now candy to the ears of Lithuanian listeners as wells as those in his homeland of Scotland. Kempston’s performance on BalconyTV was nothing short of revolutionary. The man’s music takes a multifaceted dynamic, displaying the variety of extensive practice Kempston has undergone. The Edinburgh based musician has an approach to music that is very difficult to pin down because of the plethora of elements that it contains. It can be described as vaguely as contemporary acoustic and as specifically as enchantingly technical or compellingly choppy. The evidence of the musician’s classical training is blatantly displayed in the clip through his complex fingerpicking guitar style. Celtic elements in his music are a reflection of his love for the Celtic landscape and scenery. In addition, nodes of eastern European influence are sprinkled throughout his composition, proving his travels abroad as a third influence on his style. On top of all of this, the musician artfully weaves in a vocal strategy that perfectly compliments his instrumentals, creating intricate sounds with little ingredients–his guitar and his voice. He radiates confidence when he passionately delivers his melodies in the clipped vocal style that is truly his own. Scotland has already booked up the musician, playing at bars and on the radio, not to mention the release three albums, the third of which was released last month. Now his love of Eastern Europe is beginning to love him back. Kudos to the Kaunan who booked this gem, it’s a given that he’s got his foot in the door with this city; watch for Kempston’s possible appearances elsewhere in the region, having Europe tapping their toes across the board! -KV
Simon Kempston (Kaunas)
Al Parkinson (Melbourne)
There is something about watching Al Parkinson’s performance on BalconyTV Melbourne that makes me feel like I have known her forever. Maybe it’s because she’s quirky, cute and charming. And just when you thought it couldn’t get better, Parkinson chooses to play the puppy of all instruments–the ukulele. Talk about a dynamic duo! Now just how does she blend the sounds from the tiny sounding tune box that is rarely taken seriously with her low and sultry vocals? I don’t know, but she sure does it well. Parkinson’s style is a mix between the smooth and playful voice of pomplamoose, the sultry bellows of Norah Jones with the passion of Isabella Summers of Florence and the Machine. The product though, is completely unique, especially with that uke! Al’s song is like a distant memory, something oh so familiar, like the train in your childhood that you used to always hear in the distance before you drifted off into sleep. In an interview with Melting Pot, Parkinson described her genre as “Chocolate, Coffee, Chilli, Cigarettes and Cake.” This girl is playful, but she makes music about real things. She makes the type of stuff that you could listen to all day long without even a thought of switching songs. With elements of blues, folk, and soul, Parkinson’s honest music is sweeping the country of Australia and others at that. She has released a number of albums and EPs and isn’t stopping soon. Along with her music the girl is known for her presence and the comfortable yet funny air that she exhibits. Be sure to look out for Al in the future, this gal is bound to take herself and one of the smallest instruments and make it big! -KV
From the basement to the Balcony, the young and promising reggae band Satta Vibes is lighting up Crimea with good vibes. If anyone can prove the importance of the BalconyTV program as a means of rapidly and internationally spreading awareness of local talent, this band is it. The quartet was formed this year and is already the talk of the town. These four talented young men started their musical journey in Smiferopol, the administrative center of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in southern Ukraine. I could have had no idea how new the band was until I engaged in some more in depth research. These guys radiate confidence from the beginning, and any observer can tell they’re into what they do–not only because of those intense dread locks! This band takes the reggae genre by storm in that Satta Vibes is the kind of band that is enjoyed by everyone in every season, not just island beach bums in the summer. And I do have to add, the Ukrainian lyrics make it even better!
Satta Vibes
(Crimea)
So just how do these rasta boys synthesize their unique sounds? By simply employing the conventional guitar /bass drum /instrument trio. They manage to create a sound that is fresh and new, while simultaneously making you feel a little less stressed. I am interested to see what Satta Vibes will do for Crimea in the next year and am anticipating the time when they take the world by storm. If they are already this good in 6 months or less, their potential is boundless. Like BalconyTV Crimea says on their site, “if you like positive music in the weak beat, good text and green wave, then we will please you with their creativity.” Look out for the remarkable rookies when they break out on tour! -KV
For all those people out there who have tried to learn to play an instrument, one knows the difficulty of this task. It takes hard work and dedication, unless you’re one of those “gifted” types. Beatmac happens to be just that. Born in Madrid, Beatmac is a phenomenal artist who has slowly has made his multi-faceted talents meld into one stunning improvisational hodgepodge. Over the course of his BalconyTV video, the man spanned a universe of sounds you could make with a mouth. While playing his keyboard and making beats off the top of his head, he scatted, sang jazz, rapped and beatboxed over top of his already bumping beats. Then, when things couldn’t get better, they did with a nasty dub-step switch up that flowed seamlessly about halfway through his song. Above his shear talent is another key quality that could be the make or break for a lot of listeners—the fact that his music isn’t in English. Doesn’t matter. His rapping flow was so precise and unbroken that it really doesn’t matter what he was saying. To his credit, a couple of his continual chanting hooks had some reasonably understandable English in them. He is touring now with many rap and jazz artists alike, blending his unique sound to make for super charged ear candy. Bottom line, get into Beatmac. Even if it may not be your cup of tea, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the raw aptitude this man possesses. -GS
(Madrid)
BEATMAC
Not many adults are still doing what they fell in love with as a toddler. Natalie Chapman is one of the select few to fall into this category. Born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa, Natalie has been performing since she was three years old. Her career started in musical theatre and bloomed from there. She took a lively interest in theatre, music and dance and spent her childhood honing her skills in all three areas. Natalie is a graduate of the Waterfront Theatre School, where she earned her performance diplomas in dance (ballet, tap and jazz), singing and drama. She became a professional performer in 1996. After four years of studying songwriting in London, Natalie released her debut album Between the Lines. She wrote 80% of the lyrics on the record. Her singles “Are You Coming Home?,” “A New Life,” and “With You and Me” accumulated a great amount of radio play in her home country. Her blend of acoustic-folk and rock music was a success. Natalie’s influences include Tracey Chapman, Annie Lennox, Sting, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Kenny Rodgers, Lionel Richie, Nina Simone, Pink Floyd, Patsy Cline, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Peter Gabriel, Cat Stevens, and Stevie Nicks. In 2008, Natalie returned to stage as leading lady in the musical The Full Monty. She also completed a one-year contract on Scandal (etv) as detective inspector, Janine Meyer, before taking part in the award winning play Rivonia Trial. Natalie is also a very successful voice-over artist working for a multitude of major brands, and hosts her own radio show, which has a strong focus on local talent. She is currently a business music lecturer. Chapman is also an avid promoter of South African music and blues in particular. She is the marketing and PR person for The South African Blues Society. A triple threat since the age of three, Natalie Chapman has made a home in the entertainment world. -KV
Natalie Chapman
(Johannesburg)
(Brighton)
Ruby and the Ribcage. Sounds creepy right? Think again; Ruby’s melodies have an underlying melancholic beauty that will sweep you off your feet. While simultaneously maintaining an upbeat and rhythmic flow that rolls like tumbleweeds through the old west or fog across the scenery of an H.P. Lovecraft novel, it’s all balanced properly with Ruby’s enchanting vocals and stunning range (courtesy of her lovely large rib cage which grants her that extra resonance) and Ellie Garlick’s violin and viola that appropriates their style with the extra emotional flair that sets them apart. Eddie Edwards handles the double bass like a boss and Sam Pert’s percussion is perfectly steady and minimalistic (how many times do you hear drummers overdoing something that would sound much better played simply?) Guitarist Aaron Brooks carries melodic acoustic rhythms that mesh with Ruby’s mandolin, banjo and ukulele duties perfectly to create the somber atmospheric effect the band carries out so effectively for their signature sound. Ruby and the Ribcage is only one year young, formed in the summer of 2011, but sound like they’ve been performing together for much longer with a maturity and stage presence that says so. Ruby started out posting advertisements for bandmates online and at universities in droves, narrowing down the responses to a whopping 30. Anyone who’s been a front man/woman for any band can feel sympathy for the filtering process and endless “We’ll keep in touch’s,” but thankfully for us she handpicked a fine selection of talented musicians for all our listening pleasure. -ZS
Originally based in Australia, this amazing quartet seems to have found a new comfort zone for themselves in a foreign place; Germany that is, and apparently out of sheer spontaneity according to lead vocalist Rich Beeston’s testimonial during their Balcony TV performance. It’s been of great help for them, however, having centralized themselves, and touring exclusively in Europe has garnered them much commercial success including a ranking in the
top 5 Amazon singles downloads for their single “Heart of the Universe,” off their first full length release Simple Desire. Their success in the U.S. is also impressive having been featured in several TV shows among them The Hills and Gossip Girl. Formed in the fall of 2008 in Sydney, Rich started out playing acoustic sets for high schools and university groups as the Richard Beeston Band before kicking it up a notch with the electric and ethereal soundscapes these guys treat their fans to as of late. All Mankind gets their name from the Pearl Jam song “Mankind,” but listening to their positive lyrics and message one gets the impression they chose it out of more than sheer inspiration. Combine the expansive soundscapes of the music of U2, emotional depth of Coldplay, and the transcendental harmonies of Dredg and you can start to get an idea of what to expect from All Mankind. -ZS
Before hearing Lora Lie I read a bit about them. My eyes skipped over a few words: “Audience into a state of melancholy and contemplation;” yep that’s for me. After listening for a few minutes those words were like a small prophecy for a state I’d soon reach without effort. While deeply unsettled by vocalist Kaja Domińska’s scratchy and apathetically angelic delivery, it had a healing effect like meditation as I fell upon pondering the almost instantaneous sadness I felt. Each song has a unique quality: The minimalistic “Jabberwocky”’s pulsing percussion like skeleton keys and harsh alternating vocals atop the scarce melody glues you to your seat, waiting for a climax you fear won’t arrive while the more electronic “Pawn Shop Heart” is breathtaking and cathartic all the same without overdoing any one instrument. The vocal exchange between Kaja and Paulina Sztramska is something quite unlike anything I’ve heard from today’s artists. While Lora Lie is a fundamentally electric band, their acoustic BalconyTV set suited them wonderfully and hooked me right away; something most electric bands with the raw garage formula they exhibit often have difficulties with. Mateusz Romanowski handles the guitar work which ranges from hauntingly dissonant with reverb like foghorns bouncing off distant ships in the pacific to the distorted, aforementioned garage buzz and screech of 90s grunge. Drummer Tomek Skórzyński’s contribution is nothing short of brilliant. His varied nuances throughout the tracks on the latest EP Catadores is both progressive for the genre and bombastic with no shortage of spectacular tom rolls. If you like dark, meaningful music or to just plain contemplate, Lora Lie is definitely your cup of tea. -ZS
Lora Lie (Poznan)
TJ Quinton (Brisbane) TJ Quinton is instantly recognizable as a unique singer/songwriter who stands apart from the growing number of mediocre acoustic solo artists. As a former student of music and former member of the independent progressive folk group, The Deckchairs, it’s easy to see how his experience has paid off and culminated into a cohesive blend of soft rock and progressive folk he can officially call his own. In addition, he has played alongside artists such as Jeff Lang, Dallas Frasca, and The Fumes, and in the past two years played over two hundred shows across Australia and North America, achieving a steadily growing fan base–and deservedly so! Upon my first listen to even a shoddy live YouTube video, it sounded as if he were playing and singing backwards; a strange effect achieved by his raw talent. His debut album Sorry Business is among one of the finest and most interesting debuts I’ve heard from a solo artist in several years. He is a master of his twelve string guitar, weaving intricate melodies that border on the melancholic and ambient, looping minute symphonies of love and despair, happiness and obscurity. Quinton’s warm and diverse vocals tell stories that are hard to catch at first listen as they are overgrown by lush twelve string tapestries with tribal style drums that serve as backbeats, obscuring the messages enabling you to peel back the music layer by layer, listen by listen. -ZS
Looks can be deceiving at times. Not to say that four younger, long haired fellows from Lisboa who say their only influences are 60s/70s/80s/90s music (or anything that has to do with rock n’ roll) might have you in your assumptions. In the specific case that is the Zanibar Aliens, looks are absolutely deceiving, but in the best way possible. When I watched them perform their song “The Truth” on BalconyTV, I already had them pegged as just another garage band who attempted to mimic a 70s power jam. Then, after the first verse, things took off big time. Reminiscent of Led Zeppelin’s “Moby Dick,” the Zanibar Aliens mastered the feel of an eight minute musical masterpiece that made up so much of the classic
rock era. All the ingredients were present: A strong lead singer with exceptional piano skills, killer experimental guitar parts, and a raw but consistent backbone of drums that held the piece together very nicely. Even when you think it’s over, it’s only the aliens taking a break until they blast right back in with another super charged breakdown. They even made the complete song journey by ending it the way they started by repeating the first verse. They are currently looking for a record label to sign them, and I am not sure why they don’t have people jumping all over them. Many might say this sound is old-fashioned in today’s music scene. Well, I’ve got news for you. There wouldn’t be a music scene today if it weren’t for classic rock. Everything we hear is based on the sounds of the 70s at one point or another, and the Zanibar Aliens are here to make that clear. Long Live Rock, boys. -GS
As a musician myself and a music enthusiast all around, I am always striving to hear everything I can. I never want to miss a single genre, sound or note that upcoming artists have to offer, whether it be the revival of a genre or a completely new age sound. However, time and time again, I am most moved by the simplest of songs. Sometimes, it’s nice to just sit back and listen to someone sing gently over a smooth acoustic guitar. Such is the case with much of Mexico City’s music scene, with the mariachi sound rooted deeply in the traditions of the people. However, most intriguing to me was the wholesomeness and purity of Gonzalo Dotti. A cleaner sounding Damien Rice but with just as much passion, Dotti really brings life to this original tune, “Una Razon.” A student in Mexico City, Dotti just wants to laugh more than cry, or try to at least. All his words are in Spanish, but that is hardly a negative. If anything, it heightens the passion behind which he sings. Even without knowing what the words are, it is clear he knows what it means in his soul, and that is really all that matters. Very attuned with a guitar, Dotti finds ways to make his four chord song course in and out of transparency with the way he controls his vocals and musicianship in an effortless way. Most importantly, he is a positive person that you want to be around. If you’ve got a lazy Sunday coming up soon, have Dotti on your playlist.
Gonzalo Dotti
-GS
(Mexico City)
Patricie (Prague)
There is something that always intrigues me about male-female duo bands. Plenty of examples in history: The White Stripes, Matt & Kim, and The Ting Tings, to name a few. Most of these bands rely on some heavy rock/dance songs with boisterous harmonies, but Patricie keeps it simple, which is a key factor in their sound. Singing in her lovely language, Patricie has one of those easy, unadulterated, Sara Bareilles–type voices that you could listen to all day. With her duo guitar companion harmonizing with the classic da-da-da chorus, you see how much fun they are really having. The music is not compromised at any point, because although simplistic, there is careful muting and plucking between the two guitars that makes them duel in the most playful way possible. Their BalconyTV performance was fun; the four chord song had such a sweetly laid out chord progression that I attempted to learn myself after listening. Patricie has a kind of flow about her verses, a pitter patter of singing that works for her style. Always returning to her da-da’s, listeners don’t have to get lost in the language, but can open up to the music rather. Whether Patricie does this purposefully or not is a question I don’t really need to know the answer to. Her calming tunes are all I need to hear to know that something is very true about this woman. If you like female vocalists and want something a little different, be sure to check out Patricie. -GS
There are a couple things that need to be clear before you read this: I don’t know any of their names, nor the names to any of their songs. All I know is that A Band Called Boy consists of a lead singer/guitar player, a maraca player, and a tambourine guy. Then six other guys stand in the back and dance. Nothing too complicated here, just your basics: the party boy, the dosey doe, and a lot of free styling that I’m not sure they are even aware of. However, despite what you may be thinking, I couldn’t look away. It is a mentality that has become increasingly popular in music today; large music groups that stand for a lifestyle, even before the music. It is why groups like A$AP Rocky and Odd Future are so popular. They have a good time and don’t take themselves too seriously, something that many artists fail to see as a main ingredient in success and having people like your sound. If they enjoy watching you, they will enjoy your music. So maybe A Band Called Boy is smarter than we all think. They are best friends who write songs together but instead of practicing long hours on instruments, they let one person take care of that while the rest of them dance around. The upbeat Sublime sounding song they performed matched their bravado perfectly. As scrutinizing as I am about music at times, I can’t hate on the simplistic sound these guys have, because it works. Watching them makes me want to be up on the stage, going crazy like they do. If you want to cut loose and just dance without care, let yourself open up to the crazy, fun and enjoyable A Band Called Boy. -GS
A Band Called Boy (Kostroma)
(Delhi)
Indigo Children “The indigo children come/the indigo children come.” This is a line from the hit Indian (Asia) song Puscifer. Sanchal Malhar writes and produces the music. Then the music is recorded and performed live by an extended group of people. Other than Malhar, the group consists of Jaidev Rishiyoor, Nikhil Rufus Raj and Sahil Mendiratta. This entire project and band is known as Indigo Children. Indigo Children are a community of musicians whose ancestors were a part of the fight for independence from the British Empire. A more famous incident during the struggle was the Blue Mutiny in Bengal in 1861. Indian farmers rebelled against both the zamindars (aristocrats) and the government, and the farmers refused to farm the indigo crop, which they were forced to grow in order to profit the European indigo traders. “We make music to
shake your body to. We think of it as surf music, or simply, rock n roll music.” Indigo Children have been a part of the Indian circuit since 2004 in a few different arrangements. By playing gigs at pubs and college fests around India, the group started to gain recognition. These gigs eventually brought them nationwide attention within the underground rock scene. This became the foundation of their fanbase. Today in India, some still believe that they haven’t attained true liberation from foreign oppression. Music is their expression of freedom from “that bourgeoisie mentality of the urban enslaved-tomoney city folk.” Indigo Children would like to see an echo of the Blue Mutiny of 1861 from the current global movement for spiritual liberation. -TJ
Andrew Redford It’s always a heartwarming feeling to witness a young artist live his dream. At just 19, Andrew Redford has his foot in the door and is already walking in. Redford now lives on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland and he always keeps the beach in his heart. His music clearly reflects this. Redford’s songs take the listener on an adventure. Some of his influences include Bob Dylan, Coldplay and Death Cab For Cutie. Andrew mixes indie, folk, and pop/ rock, which culminate into a melodic soft rock. As a multi-instrumental singer and gifted songwriter, Redford is making waves at beaches all over.
Redford recorded his debut EP, City, at just 17 years old in 2009. He continued with the release of his self-produced record She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not. Redford’s music received national radio play, broadening his fan base. Taking a “gap” year in 2010, Redford received the Billy Thorpe Scholarship, a music aid award that provides funds for studio recording. The scholarship also included meetings with Michael Chugg (Chugg Entertainment) and Seb Chase (MGM). This year, Redford was one of the Telstra Road to Discovery winners, along with songwriter Kelly Menhennet. The prize was a twelve month mentorship program tailored to each individual winner. Both artists were flown to Nashville to further their music opportunities. Now Redford is trying something new, leaving his acoustic love behind to experiment with more multifaceted arrangements. But he will always be a beach kid at heart. Andrew Redford has been said to be “the quiet achiever who knows where he’s going and is determined to arrive there in one piece.” -TJ
(Sunshine Coast)
Lissa (Sydney)
Lissa Kukura’s music is sweet, honest and genuine. Hailing from Sydney, Australia, she was raised around an eclectic music scene with loads of supporters. Her influences include songs such as Fionn Regan’s “Be Good or Be Gone,” Coldplay’s “See You Soon,” Lior’s “Bedouin Song” and Kings of Convenience’s “Misread.” Lissa once stated, “I’m also influenced by the type of day it is, the colour of the light, a friend’s circumstance, the amount of sleep I’ve had, whether I’ve exercised or not, the lesson to be learned for the day or how much tea I’ve consumed.” Her music is true, not only to her, but to everyday living as well. Lissa’s music resembles that of artists such as Regina Spektor and Ingrid Michaelson. It’s Lissa’s honesty in her voice and writing that likens her to these artists. Lissa has played all over Sydney and the East Coast. She’s played festivals such as Festival of the Sun, Newtown Festival and Adelaide’s The Gorgeous Festival. The past two years have also seen Lissa release a series of EPs named small steps. Lissa’s small steps project has been her companion on the road and the expression of her journey so far. “Sometimes our distant dreams can seem all too overwhelming to reach and it’s the choice to take simply one small step after another that gets us started. Before you know it, you look back and realize how far you’ve come and you can’t help but smile.” Part One released in May of 2010 and Part Two in March of 2011. Part Three was released in March of this year. The single “Dreams of You and I” from the EP has recently made it to #13 on Triple J’s indie chart and #62 on the overall chart. Lissa may not be world-renowned just yet, but her honest words and sincere melodies will soon get her there. -TJ
Oisin McCole
Oisin McCole is a singer-songwriter to keep an eye on. McCole plays a pretty, highly melodic, and heartfelt kind of folk music that evokes the work of genre great Nick Drake while also reminding you of the best tunes by island neighbors Belle and Sebastian. His song “Not for your Heart” is a tuneful, contemplative and somewhat sad ballad that McCole plays and sings with marks of true troubadour brilliance. His tenor voice sounds very natural, unaffected, and sweetly emotive, with his “not-a-dry-eye-in-the-house” lyrics setting him apart from other tunesmiths of his generation. When asked about his pretty voice, McCole says that he doesn’t have his own voice, instead he has the voice of a small jazz-handed Puerto Rican that he met once in a canoe. “I stole his voice,” the young poet explains, “there was a tussle.” Soon to record some “decent quality” versions of his songs, McCole will then put together some sort of an extended play. The song “Not For Your Heart” was written after a night in Susie’s house when loads of uninvited people invited themselves to her party. It has nothing to do with that event. McCole is working a day job and says he hasn’t had much time for working on music lately, but that he tries to gig around Dublin when he can. I think Oisin McCole underestimates the caliber of musician that he is and the quality of songs that he has written. Everyone needs to go to his facebook page and encourage him to play more shows, and post more of his music online so we can hear more of this excellent up and coming songbird. -CS
(Dublin)
Paper Lions
(Toronto)
Enter the Paper Lions, a superb indie-rock quartet from the small town of Belfast, Prince Edward Island. After releasing the critically acclaimed EP Trophies, the band has sought to “spread the love” by making their latest record available for free. This is no small thing because the songs and music that the Paper Lions have is of extremely high quality, and not to be missed by those who enjoy acts that merge melodic pop, melancholy songs, lyrics about youth, sophisticated arrangements, and vocal harmonies.
Festival, Virgin Festival, The Warped Tour, Stan Rogers Folk Festival, Evolve Festival and many more. They’ve shared the stage with such varied acts as CAKE, Tokyo Police Club, Hollerado, The Rheostatics, No Joy, Hot Hot Heat, and Electric Six. They’ve had their songs featured on ABC and NBC, MuchMusic, MTV and AUX, had an iTunes Single of the Week, were finalists in the 2010 John Lennon Songwriting Competition, and won the David Suzuki Playlist for the Planet competition.
The band is comprised of brothers John and Rob McPhee who fill the positions of lead vocals respectively, Colin Buchanan on guitar, and David Cyrus MacDonald on drums. Eight years and three vans in, with over 1,300 shows played, Paper Lions has received 16 ECMA nominations and one win, over 20 PEIMA nominations and four wins, the Touring Artist of the Year award from CAPACOA, a Verge Music Award nomination, and a CBC Radio 3 “Bucky” award nomination. They’ve played Hillside
This band should not be missed, they are a far better than average band with a number of songs that have instant appeal as well as deeper cuts that will make the listener want to listen more than once. -CS
Josie Harrington Josie Harrington, a self taught guitarist and songwriter is an amazing talent. Backed up by a five piece band, her song “All the Time” stands out as a vibrant, soulful and wonderfully catchy tune. Harringtons music reflects her Irish folk music roots, and is taken to top form probably in no small part by her college education in music. Her melodies are breezy, and her lyrics take the listener on a reflective journey through places only a true soul-searcher would dare tread. Her musical vision is brought into full realization by her backup band (referred to simple as “band”). Each musician in the band comes together with the others and the sound is very full and big while remaining vital, emotive and tasteful. The overall
(Cork)
sound of this artist is folk with a bit of traditional Irish music and just a nod to contemporary pop. Harrington guested on different albums as both musician and singer including Patricia Clark’s album The Lark’s March; she has also performed at numerous festivals predominantly in Ireland , UK, France , Norway and the USA, and has supported bands such as The Hothouse Flowers, Mundy, Liam Ó Maonlaí, Guidewires and Flook. Josie is currently working on her solo album which will be released in 2012. -CS
Fink, aka Fin Grenall, is a songwriting wonderkind with a penchant for complex and pleasing rhythmic vocal melodies, and a jazzy style of guitar playing that is truly refreshing when compared to the innumerable bar chord type singer-songwriters. Today, “Fink” also refers to the trio that Fin leads, a fantastic trio featuring Guy Whittaker on bass and Tim Thornton on drums. In addition to recording music, Fink has produced major label artists including Martin Taylor (guitarist), Amy Winehouse, Michael Pitt and Robert Belfour. Fink’s latest album, Perfect Darkness, was released through Ninja Tune on June 13, 2011. Grenall speaks of the new album: “So we took a little hiatus: a bit of writing time, put our lives back together a little bit…during all of the above Timmy wrote a few books (available now on Random House: they’re about bands…lots of famous musos from the 90’s love ‘em…if you even know what a ‘neddy’ is you’ll love ‘em too). We recorded a couple of Sideshow albums for Aus Music, and I wrote a load of songs for other people. We really
Fink
(London)
needed a few months off…we all got fat and lazy and it was great…then we traveled to Los Angeles in November 2010 for a blitzkrieg recording session in Steakhouse Studios with Billy Bush. We had eight tracks written and roughly planned out, plus two to do on the ground once there… y’know, kinda soak up the atmosphere as well as the Mexican junk food… We nailed the whole record from start to finish in 16 days – a feat that I think surprised the producer as much as us… we wanted to nail some hardcore blues “Wheels” and some big tracks “Fear Is Like Fire” as well as a stringy epic “Perfect Darkness.” We’re pretty amped about the whole album…It comes out in June 2011 (September in the US)…See you there, back out on the road…new set, new songs, loving it…” -CS
Billed as “The Old Soul Gentleman,” 28 year old singer and songwriter Del Barber posesses a heaping portion of raw talent and displays heart-wrenching lyrical depth, maturity beyond his years, and most definitely, soul sweet soul. In a musical climate overrun by prefab popstars and teen idols, Barber remains undaunted, and keeps his musical offerings authentic, poetic and deeply moving. His work represents the essence of what the singer-songwriter scene emphasizes: simple, sweetly finger-picked acoustic guitar, genuine, and often movingly honest songs and performances, and a strong sense of family, traditions, values and moral fortitude. The artist is by no means boring or dry, rather, he often sings about things that are complex and sensitive, humorous, and sometimes just plain weird. I’m not sure how he so-effectively weaves between reflections on his topics; one moment talking of
political polarization on the radio, next singing out the words “egggggsss and sausage,” but he does, and better yet, he never comes off as a lunatic. Barber says, “I’m 28-years-old, I’m a guitar player and a songwriter. Sometimes I preach, sometimes I rhyme. I know that I will never do anything but this. My world has turned into managers, agents, airports, festivals and promoters, but her source is still just a dashboard, a radio, a guitar and a pen.” If more artists that are talented like Barber is could remember to remain true and focus on the things that are truly important in life we’d have a much better culture, society, and world. Check out Del Barber in North America, and playing (by his estimation) a couple hundred shows a year in support of his fantastic new record Headwaters, released on Six Shooter Records. -CS
“Sometimes I preach, sometimes I rhyme.”
(Edmonton)
Del Barber
LAST CALL
What type of music do you promote and who has been your favorite performance?
The majority of our shows would loosely fall into the rock genre, but on any given night you may hear reggae, funk, bluegrass, jazz, blues, or hip hop. About 95% of our shows are local independent artists who are trying to make a name for themselves in the scene. It’s tough to pick a favorite performance, but lately there has been a fantastic local band called Hoi Polloi who has been putting on really impressive shows.
fire on water downtown Milwaukee
Recently named “best live music venue”, what makes you stand out over the others?
We strive to make Fire a unique and intimate place to see local live music in Milwaukee. We take good care of the artists performing and we take care of their fans by being one of the only places in Milwaukee to offer live music without a cover charge.
What are you looking forward to most this summer?
Each summer we do a live music series called Afterburn that coincides with Summerfest, the biggest music festival in the world, which takes place right down the road from us. Afterburn ran from June 27th to July 8th and we had great local bands perform at Fire every night of the week, totally free to the public. It was our chance to showcase all the great talent that has played at Fire throughout the year and the fans loved it because we kept the party going after Summerfest closed down at midnight.
What is the clientele Fire caters to music lovers of all ages, from the college crowd and atmosphere like at to older adults who are still young at heart. Weeknights tend Fire On Water? to be more mellow with a young professional happy hour crowd but it gets pretty wild on the weekends with fans dancing and partying to their favorite local artists.
Specialty drink? Please describe it to us.
Is Jameson a specialty drink? Cause we sell a lot of that. We actually have a great drink menu with drinks named after musical references. Our favorite is the "Fats Domino". Blueberry vodka, fresh blueberry juice, white cranberry juice, and a splash of white soda. Extremely refreshing on a warm summer night. Our top selling specialty shot is called "Vampire Weekend". It’s a half shot of Jameson and a half shot of Rum Chata chilled.
What’s rocking on your iPod right now? The best part of owning a live music venue is getting to listen to music every second we’re at "the office." We have an awesome internet jukebox that our patrons tend to take over, but when we do get a chance to control the music, its across the board. Arcade Fire, The Black Keys, Radiohead, Umphrey’s Mcgee, Jack White, The Beastie Boys, Phish, Van Morrison, Bloc Party, Bon Iver, Tv on the Radio, The Beatles… it’s pretty eclectic. -CC