Found: Music Uncovered by Found: Music Uncovered Magazine

hide your kids, hide your wife,

IT’S FESTIVAL SEASON!! TOP 10 SOUNDTRACKS C H E C K

S U M M E R

T H E

C R U I S I N ’

meet

ALSO featuring

ZZ Ward Ward ZZ Andy Mineo Mineo Andy Slightly Stoopid Stoopid Slightly Copper Into Into Steel Steel Copper the Hangout Hangout Music Music Festival Festival the

July 22, 2013 | Summer Issue

F O R

O U T

clockwise from top left: Andrew Campanelli, Michael Girardot, George Gekus, Zack Feinberg, David Shaw, Ed Williams, Rob Ingraham photo by: Joel Travis

44The Revivalists

features:

30 ZZ Ward

70 Slightly Stoopid

88 Andy Mineo

106 Copper Into Steel

c o l um ns:

120 The Hangout Music F estival

14-17 76-77

Vinyl Roots:

134-137

BalconyTV Sunshine Coast:

Reel Music:

182-183

Last Call:

For the Record: The Evolution of Music Production.

Planning a road trip? Check out Found’s Top 10 Soundtracks for Summer Cruising.

The “Down Under’s” musical sensations.

Visit Mohawk in Austin, TX and discover their famous Mohawk Summer Shandy’s.

r e vi ew s :

18-27

40-41

Coast to Coast 1:

60-67

Coast to Coast 2:

3-Day Pass:

96-103

Coast to Coast 3:

Spinlight City / Miami Erin Ivey / Austin Finding Cadence / Minneapolis The Daze / Madison Mike Golden and Friends / Chicago Bipolaroid / New Orleans Sharbaby / Birmingham The Twain Shall Meet / Seattle

Take a trip to hear live music at: Coachella / Indio, CA Shaky Knees Festival / Atlanta, GA The Governors Music Festival / New York City, NY The Waterfront Blues Festival / Portland, OR

78-79

Ode to the Web:

82-87

Spin-Off/Seasonal Spin:

tvadsongs.com: What IS that song? rcrdlbl.com: Free music downloads daily.

14 album reviews spanning the musical wavelength.

Bike Thief / Portland

Fayroy / San Francisco Goodbye Luna / Los Angeles Bike Thief / Portland Rowdy Shadehouse / Denver Kris Lager Band / Omaha Paul Benjaman Band / Tulsa Picnictyme / Asheville The Stereofidelics / Dallas

The Plants Music Factory / Athens Nic Cowan / Atlanta Dirty Virgins / Boston Company / Charleston The Young Things / New York City Spaceship Days / Raleigh The Outlet Divide / D.C. Afro / Nashville

118-119 A-Side/B-Side:

Get your iPod ready for our staff-compiled playlists.

Bipolaroid / New Orleans

Spaceship Days / Raleigh

101

158

Baiju Dharmajan / Delhi, India Zift / Istanbul, Turkey

175 138-179

Aziza Ibragimova / Crimea, Ukraine

Across the Globe:

Featuring 36 international cities and their rising stars Daniela Aleuy / Santiago, Chile Limseungmook/ Seoul, Korea Liz Lawrence / Totnes, UK ReedNoBrass / Kaunas, Lithuania Goodbyemotel / Melbourne, Australia Zift / Istanbul, Turkey Julian Le Play / Vienna, Austria Last Days Fam / Johannesburg, South Africa The DuBarrys / Brighton, UK Alberto the Music Box / Hamburg, Germany Muchy / Poznan, Poland Astrid and the Asteroids / Brisbane, Queensland Naked Affair / Lisboa, Portugal Wamazo / Mexico City, Mexico MooF / Prague, Czech Republic Good Times / Kostroma, Russia Baiju Dharmajan / Delhi, India The Green Room / Sunshine Coast, Queensland

173

145

Kris Roche / Tokyo, Japan

Dheis Folk Group / Dublin, Ireland Renny Field / Sydney, Australia Sound of Lions / Toronto, Canada The Mandolas / Cork, Ireland Beardyman / London, UK Boogie Patrol / Edmonton, Canada One Missed May / Saratov, Russia Rebeka / Warsaw, Poland Mangora / Zagreb, Croatia The Weatherman / Porto, Portugal Grazia Cinquetti / Modena, Italy Kris Roche / Tokyo, Japan Benedikt / Tel Aviv, Israel Aziza Ibragimova / Crimea, Ukraine Eon Dry / Pontevedra, Spain In Lonely Majesty / Aarhus, Denmark Jaque.Reina / Buenos Aires, Argentina Olya Bravina / St. Petersburg, Russia

“I don’t wantIssue: to work, Summer 2013 I just ust want to bang on the drum all day.” “I don’t wan “I don’t want to work, I just want to bang on nt to work, I just want to bang on the drum all day.” “I don’t want to work, I just want to bang on the dr drum all day.” “I don’t want to work, I just want work, I just want to bang on the drum all day.” “I to bang on the drum all day.” “I don’t want to work, “I don’t want to work, I just want to ba bang on the drum all day.” “I don’t want to work, on’t want to work, I just want to bang on the drum I just want to bang on the drum all day.” “I don’t w “I don’t want to work, I just want to bang on g on the drum all day.” “I don’t want to work, I jus want to work, I just want to bang on the drum all d t want to bang on the drum all day.” “I don’t want “I don’t want to work, I jus just want to bang on the drum all day.” “I don’t wa “I don’t want to work, I just want to bang o FOUND: Music Uncovered

http://www.themusicinitiative.com/730entertainment/found/

Chief Creative/Editor-In-Chief Becca Finley editor@themusicinitiative.com

Staff Writers: Thomas Champagne, Carrie Cranford, Becca Finley, Grey Gowder, Justin Henderson, Tyrell Jenkins, Ryn McAtee, Amanda Muirhead, Grayson Sandford, Sadie Skeels, Zach Stanton, TJ Weaver Managing Editor: Brandy Pruitt managingeditor@themusicinitiative.com

Creative Director: Joel Travis creativedirector@themusicinitiative.com Graphic Designer: Christina Corsino

Director of Media Content: Joe Davies video@themusicinitiative.com Cameramen: Kyle Thomas Editors: Oliver Wentworth

Promotions Manager: Carrie Cranford promotions@themusicinitiative.com

Promotions Assistant/BalconyTV Host: Amanda Muirhead

Senior Audio Engineer: Thomas Champagne

Business Development Consultant: Taylor Rains development@themusicinitiative.com

Interns: Taylor Marchbanks, Caroline Unger Office:

159 Civitas St. Suite 209, Box #11 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 843-388-7716

Publisher: This Is Noteworthy {tin} Like Us on Facebook:

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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, CD reviews, new music outlets around the nation, and so much more.

www.twitter.com/MusicIntMAG www.twitter.com/TMIMagEditor

Among other exciting music related features, FOUND: Music

Watch Us on YouTube:

hidden gems found in up-and-coming bands, and also cover nationally

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Uncovered features fans talking about music. We aim to uncover

recognized musicians and events.

t want to bang on the drum all day.” “I don’t want nt to work, I just want to bang on the drum all day. n the drum all day.” “I don’t want to work, I just w ” “I don’t want to work, I just want to bang on the rum all day.” “I don’t want to work, I just want to toChristina bang on the drumAmanda all day.” “I don’t want to work Caroline don’t want to work, I just want to bang on the drum , I just want to bang on the drum all day.” “I don’t ang on the drum all day.” “I don’t want to work, I j I just want to bang on the drum all day.” all want to work, I just want to ban Brandy Sadieday.” “I don’tCarrie want to work, I just want to bang on the drum all da n the drum all day.” “I don’t want to work, I just w st want to bang on the drum all day.” “I don’t want day.” “I don’t want to work, I just want to bang on Ryn to work, I just want to bang on the drum all day.” Taylor M. Joe st want to bang on the drum all day.” “I don’t want ant to work, I just want to bang on the drum all day onJoelthe drum all day.” “I don’t want to work, I just Kyle

letter from the editor

Becca Finley, Playa Coronado, Panama

festivals, the musician strives to visit all of his/her loyal fans bringing gifts of new songs, swag and spirit. All year we wait, each summer they deliver. As you know, each quarter we ask you to support "live music". This is the PRIMARY way musicians make a living now. So, this summer, I give each of you only three action items.

July

...we are officially in the thick of summer.

I am not sure if everyone classifies summer as their favorite time of year, but for me, nothing compares (cue Sinead O' Connor). I relish the feel of the sun shining bright. I breathe a sigh of contentment knowing that the days extend so we can work on our tans, play outside and travel about enjoying the weather and well-deserved vacation time. However, while we look to relax, most of our musician friends are in the thick of their busiest season. Running from town to town, touring and playing

1. 2. 3.

Support a musician. Buy one item of swag. Without the musician, we have no music. Support a music venue/ festival. Buy a ticket. Without the venue, the musician has no place to play. Take a picture of you with one of the above items, like our FB page and post a picture of you. One winner will be chosen at random and announced in our Fall Issue.

This summer,

work hard, play hard

and support those who help entertain you.

-B

Our most sincere apologies to Sarah Fillman. We failed to credit Sarah with the amazing cover photo of Justin Jones in our 2013 Spring Issue of Found: Music Uncovered. We are so thankful to work with so many talented photographers.

Please check out more of her work at:

www.fillmanfoto.com

Beach Flow Yoga Birthday & Bachelorette Yoga Wedding Yoga

www.sealevelyoga.com

www.stonesthrow.com

www.subpop.com

www.easystar.com

www.partisanrecords.com

vinyl roots

ike many great inventions, the ability to record music comes into existence as the bastard child of something which was intended for an entirely different purpose. For this reason, it takes the magic touch of more than just one set of hands to go from the meager beginnings of sound impressions recorded on tin foil back in 1877 to music that is 100% digitally produced today. It all starts in 1877 with someone you may have heard of. One Thomas A. Edison is in his lab (which I picture to look a lot like Dr. Emmett Brown’s lab in Back to the Future) trying to improve the telephone when he inadvertently produces the first phonograph. Edison’s original phonograph machine records sound on a vertical cylinder wrapped with tin foil (so you know it’s good). By 1886, the tin foil is gone due to its fragile demeanor and is replaced with a wax-coated cylinder. Around this same time, Chichester Bell (brother of Alexander Graham Bell) and Charles Tainter are busy patenting their own version of Edison’s phonograph, which they call a graphophone. Their company is called The Volta Graphophone Company, which later ends up merging to become Columbia. Up until 1889 or so, these two machines are produced to record spoken word and marketed toward the legal and stenography industries. However, the poor-selling machines begin to pop up across the country in amusement arcades with added coin-in-the-slot features which enable the public to pay to listen to something purely for entertainment, which are mostly comedy monologues at the time. In 1890, the phonograph and the graphophone are in a feverish competition for market share, with the phonograph grabbing the slight edge. Thus, the New York Phonograph Company opens the first purpose-built recording studios. Five years later, music recordings are being made and are starting to come into demand publicly, but the technology is nowhere near developed enough to handle mass production.

Enter another American inventor. And no, we are not talking about Flowbee inventor Rick Hunt, people (However, my hair has never looked better!). We are talking about Emile Berliner, who really gives the industry a boost by creating the disc record, or gramophone. Berliner joins forces with machinist Eldridge Johnson to form the Victor Talking Machine Company and they start mass-producing gramophone players and disc records made of hard rubber. Unknown at the time, the disc record signifies the demise of the cylinder recording format because the cylinders are expensive to produce when compared to the discs and it is even tougher to make multiple copies of recorded material. Before the disc record, the high demands of cylinders force artists to record and re-record the same records over and over. In fact, it is said that awkwardly-named African American artist George Washington Johnson often sang his hit song, “The Laughing Song,” upwards of 50 times per day for a total upwards of 30,000 individual recordings! “Ain’t nobody got time fo dat!” By 1900, there are three major companies in the US producing record players and records: Edison, Victor, and Columbia. Together they are selling 3 million records a year in the US alone. The success of the record industry over the next two decades is phenomenal. Right up to the advent of radio and the Great Depression.

The phonograph division of the Thomas A. Edison Company is the first to fold in 1929. Victor is purchased by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), and Columbia is purchased by the ironically named Columbia Broadcasting Company (CBS). Throughout the 30s, records continued to be sold, but in fairly small numbers. Only the motion picture industry and the wide popularity of juke boxes help keep the industry somewhat afloat up until WWII. To the record industry, WWII is a blessing in disguise. During the war, the governments and armed services of many countries call on the record industry to produce entertainment for the troops. In the US, the military sponsored the recording of “V-discs.” “V-discs” are 16” diameter discs made of more flexible vinyl. As you can imagine, this material holds up much better in shipping overseas to troops in the various battle arenas. It is also around this time that musicians start to band together against the radio stations and demand royalties for each time their songs are played on air. This battle wages on for several years and culminates in a strike whereas no records are recorded for nearly two years (other than for the war effort). As the war comes to a close, we start to see some serious advances in the recording industry. German companies AEG and I.G. Farben have steadily improved the process of recording with magnetic tape recorders, which revolutionize the record and soundtrack recording industries. Also, RCA and Columbia produce a new 45-rpm disc for playing singles that offer a second song on the “flip side,” and the LP-discs which hold entire albums. These new high fidelity discs symbolize a new era for the home record player.

What “Hi-Fi” does for the record industry is remarkable. By the 1950’s, advances in recording equipment are changing the way records have been made since their inception. No longer does the entire band or group need to be together playing the piece in its entirety in order to make a recording. Now, each instrument or vocal can be individually recorded and then “mixed” at a later date. If a note is missed, it is easy to cut out that piece of tape and splice in a better note. The ability to mix and layer sounds ultimately leads to popular musicians beginning to experiment with sound effects like echo and reverb, which become industry standards. This gets so out of control in the “Psychedelic 60s” that artists are producing songs and albums in such a way that they could never actually be recreated in a live format (Ah-la Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by the Beatles)…heavy, man. Although tape recording technology is in wide industry use as early as the 1950’s, the music industry generally stays away from it on the consumer end. That is, until the wildly unanticipated success of the 8-track cassette. The 8-track is developed to listen to in a car and most industry experts feel that it is going to be a small niche market at best. However, this technology hits an American in the midst of a muscle car revolution and by the early 1970’s the 8-track holds nearly 1/3 of the market share. This is enough to get the attention of the labels and it’s not long before the 8-track is replaced with the next big thing in tape recording.

stop the machine of forward prog ress...

“...you can’t

This next phase in the industry is most likely right in most of your wheel houses: the cassette tape and the CD era. Are there two more iconic pieces of plastic that represent music in the 8Os and 90s than those two? In fact, digitally stored music technology is already around during the height of the CD, but the music industry is skeptical and fearful of music piracy (and for good reason in hind sight). But you can’t stop the machine of forward progress and the digitization of music is in full swing by the late 90s. Only, consumers are ripping their purchased CDs and digitizing the songs in MP3 format on their personal computers early on. If only they had a way to share these files. Enter Sean Parker and his file sharing software called Napster. “Say hello to my little friend!” All of the sudden people are connecting to one another’s computers via the Internet with Napster providing them with the vehicle to share digital music files. This, of course, sends the music industry into a panic and Napster is shut down. However, this is only the beginning of the digital music age. Companies like Apple quickly step in to take advantage and produce portable storage and playback devices for the digital music. Fast forward to present day where almost every person walks around carrying several gigabytes worth of music on them at any given time! At first, digital music and the advent of iTunes creates hysteria and a great divide amongst artists. Some artists embrace the digital wave and fully produce and make available all of their music digitally. Others have held out longer, but even original hold-outs like The Beatles and AC/DC are now available on iTunes. And perhaps the most significant turn in the digital era is that artists are now creating their own songs or albums and distributing them digitally… on their own. No record labels! What this means for the industry, time will only tell. As for the hard formats of music such as records, tapes, and CDs, even with the resurgence in vinyl, they have all but been relegated to the status of collectables. Time to open up that antique shop, I suppose.

NEW ORLEANS BIRMINGHAMLOS MIAMI PO ATLANTA D f e a t ATHENS 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

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

SPINLIGHT CITY Rock and Roll/Pop

Calling all Floridians! Need a new band to jam out to in the

Festival, and the Grammy Showcase, just to name a few.

car with your windows rolled down, enjoying that beautiful

Teaming up with powerhouse producer James Paul Wisner

weather? Then don’t waste another second before checking

(Paramore, The Academy Is, Dashboard Confessional),

out local indie pop group Spinlight City. Spinlight City is

Spinlight City released their new EP “Agree to Disagree”

comprised of members Rayko Batista (lead vocals), Ray

which brilliantly combines the essence of rock and roll

Garcia (guitar, vocals), Tony Noriega (guitar, vocals),

with pop and leaves each listener asking for more. These

David Martinez (bass), and Joey Z. (drums). Each of the

guys are truly passionate, dedicated, and will not let you

guys has a very unique personality, providing the band

down—after just one listen, you’ll be hooked.

with all of the essentials needed to create something great. In just a few short years they have been able to accomplish a lot of great things and play at very high attendance events such as The Vans Warped Tour, the Florida Music

MIAMI TMI Hot Picks LISABI (punk prog rock) Churchhill’s Pub/ / Fri, Jul 5

AEROPLANE (french house & balearic beat) Bardot//Tues, Jul 9

WINTERSUN (epic metal) Revolution//Tues, Sept 3

Rayko Batista , Rey Garcia Tony Noriega , David Martinez, Joey Z.

ERIN IVEY U r b a n Fo l k

AUSTIN TMI Hot Picks NORTHERN FACES (folk rock) Emos//Fri, Jul 12, 7:30pm

OURS (alt rock) Stubbs//Thurs, Aug 8, 9pm

LARRY AND HIS FLASK (folk punk)

Jeff Glatz, Don Glatz, Marc Utter

Mohawk/ / Thurs, Sept 19, 7pm Erin Ivey

Urban folk darling Erin Ivey has charmed the hearts

bottle. Ivey’s songs have a kind of solemn warmth to

and souls of Austin’s music scene, and it’s high time she

them, imbibed with a gentle, sorrowful lilt. If you’re not

enchanted you with her clear, sweet voice and melodies.

convinced, she’ll absolutely melt your skepticism with

Ivey, who plays acoustic guitar, looks as urban and folk

her cover of Tom Waits’ “Alice.”

as Austin feels and her music carries the same earthy yet

talent, Ivey’s got an eye for the perfect accompaniment.

edgy tones. Ivey has played for crowds in legendary and

Having previously recorded with RB/organ trio The

intimate venues, most notably The Cactus Cafe, and has

Finest Kind (producing hits “Amelie” and “Sing Out”),

appeared on BalconyTV singing her soulful “Canyon.”

Ivey now plans on branching out and working with the

This past January she recorded a stripped down

Tosca String Quarter on Austin Lullabies, a homage to

compilation of tracks, Dreamy Weather, with guitarist

her city, hopefully due out toward the end of the year. I

Ry-Dog Johnson. The entire endeavor was fueled and

promise that you won’t regret spending a few moments

funded by Ivey’s fans and supporters on Kickstarter,

wrapping yourself up in Ivey’s ethereal yet earthy

where she met over 150% of her original goal. This

melodies. This girl knows how to carry a tune right into

girl is all about chocolate, tequila, and a good, soulful

your soul and once you hit “play,” there’s no going back.

time; she’s Texas, particularly Austin’s artsy vibe, in a

Apart from her own

FINDING CADENCE Acoustic/Pop/Rock

Wait just a minute, Minneapolis! You absolutely need to hear Finding Cadence if you haven’t already. This acoustic/ pop/rock band is made up for four members that collectively create a sound that just gets you in the mood to dance and belt the lyrics. With Isaac on the drums, Monroe on the guitar and vocals, Peter on bass and vocals, and Alex on guitar and vocals, Finding Cadence has been playing as a band for nearly 10 years now. They’ve played around at a few places Minneapolis music lovers would know about: the State Fair, Linden Hills Live, and Famous Dave’s. Starting out, the band has done many parties and fundraisers just to get their name out there. Finding Cadence is currently unsigned, but their innate love for creating music shines through when they Meredith Jones, Nathan Jones

play. A few years back, Finding Cadence

Michelle Wallace, Ted Wallace

won first place in the Rock Festival held in Chaska, MN. This led to them playing

MINNEAPOLIS

in local bars and regional venues around the state. The group is very interested in being signed, so their drive and passion intensifies their original music, including songs such as “Crush” and “Anatomy.” Some of the topics they address include

TMI Hot Picks BAD BAD HATS (indie pops) The Cedar//Thurs, Jul 18, 7pm

the role of superficial love and being human. Their influences include the Beatles, Dave Matthews Band, Santana, Bob Dylan, Wings, Sufjan Stevens, Josh

JAKE BUGG (folk) Fine Line Music Cafe/ / Mon, Aug 5, 7:30pm

Rouse and Elliot Smith. So if you’re in Minneapolis, or heck, in the state of Minnesota at all, find a venue where this group will be playing. But if your not

BLEEDING RAINBOW (rock) 7th Street Entry//Sun, Sept 1, 8pm

fortunate enough to hear them live, get online and listen to the sounds of Finding Cadence-it’ll be worth it.

THE DAZE Alternative Rock

MADISON

The Daze is an up and coming

Jack White, Radiohead, and The

alternative

based

Black Keys, and their sound fully

out of Madison, WI. The group

reflects this influence. Songs like

is comprised of Gabe Burdulis

“I’ll Never Let You Go” and “Girl”

(vocals, guitar), Alex Blair (guitar),

have that bluesy, yet somewhat

Christian Rasmussen (bass), and

hard rock feel that any fan of

Tom Thurlow (drums). The guys

the previously stated icons will

came together in 2010 and over

love. Burdulis’ voice can easily be

THE JIMMYS

the last few years have evolved

compared to that of Dan Auerbach

(r&b)

to perform all different types of

of The Black Keys. The Daze is

music from hard rock to blues

currently performing in various

and alternative rock to pop rock.

cities throughout Wisconsin and

Having deservingly won the 2012

hope to stick together providing

Launchpad Competition and four

fans with good music for quite

MAMA’s at the 2012 MAMA’s

some

Award Show, The Daze has a bright

the love and support they can

future ahead of them. They state

get so be sure to “like” them

their influences to be rock icons

on Facebook and listen to their

such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers,

smooth tunes on ReverbNation.

TMI Hot Picks MOON HOOCH (cave music) The Frequency/ / Fri, Jun 28, 8pm

Majestic//Sat, Jul 6, 7:30pm

DA N I E L A N D T H E L I O N (indie folk) High Noon Saloon// Wed, Aug 21, 8pm

Gabe Burdulis , Alex Blair, Christian Rasmussen, Tom Thurlow

rock

group

time.

They

deserve

all

MIKE GOLDEN AND FRIENDS A l t e r n a t i v e / P s y c / Fo l k

Mike Golden, James, Jason Josh, Scot, Amanda

Anybody who’s anybody in Chicago should do themselves a huge favor and check out local group Mike Golden and Friends. As a sophomore in college, Golden began to reevaluate his life and decided that he wanted to pursue a career as a musician. With his passion, motivation, and a little help from and old friend and fellow musician, he created his first two records, Trees EP Part 1 and Trees EP Part 2. This collection was produced entirely in the apartment of producer Scot Stewart, whose creativity and vision lead to the unconventional use of microphones made of thrift store telephones, bathtub recording, stomping, clapping, and clashing beer bottles to give the albums their unique sound. Mike Golden and Friends recently released “Groceries,” their first full-length album. The name of the album is the perfect metaphor—their music as well as the group itself, much like your cart at the grocery store, is comprised of a variety of unrelated items, but they each come together to serve one good and meaningful purpose. Tracks like “Stay Here” and “Bones” are the perfect tunes to listen to in order to get hooked on this group. Golden’s cool, crisp voice combined with the unique background percussions is something any music lover can appreciate. Mike is currently playing shows mostly in the Midwest and the group is working on writing and recording their second full-length album.

CHICAGO TMI Hot Picks PHONY PPL (hip hop rap) Schubas//Sun, Jul 7, 7pm

SEAN MAGWIRE (singer songwriter) Abbey Pub/ / Sat, Aug 17, 9pm

CHROME SPARKS (chillwave) Metro//Tues, Sept 17, 8pm

BIPOLAROID G r o o v e / P h y s c h a d e l i c / Tr a s h y B l u e s

Ben Glover, Andy Dimirksy DC Harbold, Seth Fountain

Just in time for sunny afternoon picnics and long, booze-filled

Kickstarter and rebuilding houses post-Katrina. Make no

days at the beach, comes Bipolaroid’s latest LP Supernatural

mistake, Bipolaroid, much like the city they love, has been

Beauty. Not exactly what you would expect to come out of

through it’s ups and downs, but they’ve continued to make

New Orleans, Bipolaroid’s Woodstock-styled tunes will

remarkable sounds along the way, picking up stories and

soothe and groove you into the perfect summer mood. Led by

scars with schoolboy ease. Whether you grew up listening to

frontman Ben Glover, Bipolaroid pledges allegiance to Syd

Flower Power-era anthems or simply need something epic to

Barrett and the 13th Floor Elevators, pleasantly delivering

accompany your very own bohemian rhapsody, Bipolaroid

psychadelic and eternal sounds of summer. Glover’s “delta

needs to be the at the top of your list for your next mixtape.

psych” band delivers a distinct New Orleans twist on British psychadelia and trashy blues, resulting in an utterly addictive sound. Glover, the only remaining founding member, dons aviators and crafts tunes with Andy Dimirsky (lead guitar), King Louie Bankston (drummer), Brett Roberts (bass), and Oliver Vonderahe (keyboard). Veterans of the New Orleans bar scene, Bipolaroid has released three full-lenth LPs before dropping Supernatural Beauty with Get Hip Recordings

NEW ORLEANS TMI Hot Picks BURNT ONES (sike rock) The Circle Bar// Tues, Jul 9, 9pm

earlier this year. They are currently working on their latest

CADDYWHOMPUS

LP, Twin Language, to be released later this year. Glover

(experimental noise pop)

was featured in an unfortunately deleted scene on the New Orleans episode of the One Square Mile documentary series; these boys may be imbued with melodies of old, but they’re Delta boys through and through. Glover helped fund the band’s 2010 album “Illusion Fields” with money from

One Eyed Jacks/ / Fri, Aug 2, 9pm

FLOW TRIBE (funk) Tipitina’s/ / Fri, Sept 6, 10pm

S H A R BA BY Blues

Though

she’s

been

the

business for decades, Sharbaby is not a familiar name to most, at least not outside of her current home in Birmingham. Born and raised in South Bend, Indiana, Shar was influenced early in her life by her musical dad, aunt, and sister; as an adult, she moved to Pensacola, Florida for a time before finally settling in Alabama. “All my life, I’d heard stories from my great grandmother, who was born and raised in Jackson Gap,

Alabama—

Alabama coming

felt home.”

moving like

SharBaby

finally been

20012, she was inducted into

playing in bands and alongside

the Blues Hall of Fame under

some of the blues’ greats of the

the title “Master Blues Artist.”

late 20th century, including

Her

the great Willie King. With a

solely to her music; for the

deep, husky voice and adept

past several years, Shar has

fingering on her electric guitar,

worked with the Alabama Blues

Shar has a unique presence in

Project, teaching children of all

her music. Shar’s philosophy

ages the roots of blues music

towards music is a simple and

and how to play it. Don’t be

altruistic one: “It’s all about

surprised if in twenty years,

making

there’s an influx of Alabama-

people

She’s

feel

good.

influence

isn’t

BIRMINGHAM

limited

TMI Hot Picks H U R R AY FO R T H E R I F F R A F F

(country folk)

The Bottletree Cafe//Mon, Jul 8, 8pm

When I see one person out

based

there tapping his foot, that’s

Sharbaby is currently signed

THE BEAR

enough for me. I’ve reached

to Digitdoc Records and will be

WorkPlay/ / Wed, Jul 31, 9pm

at least one person.” Sharbaby

touring the U.K. this summer

has definitely reached more

and France in 2014. Her most

than just one person however,

recent albums are available for

having

purchase on iTunes, Amazon.

toured

all

over

the

United States and Europe. In

master

blues

artists!

com, and Sharbaby’s website.

(pop)

LITTLE WAR TWINS (soul punk)

The Nick Rocks//Fri, Sept 6

T H E T WA I N S H A L L M E E T P o p R o c k /S i n g e r S o n g w r i t e r

Seattle, deep within your mist is a band who is ready to be

and various other percussion instruments. Their music has

heard by millions. The Twain Shall Meet creates the kind of

the studio quality sound, but it also has the live performance

sound that can emulate the same feeling that comes from

feel. There’s something to be said for that. With songs

experiencing a majestic painting. The Twain is comprised

such as “Solstice,” “Dance Away,” and “Empathy,” there’s a

of three members: Ashraf Hakim, Peter Weaver, and Scott

common thread of focus on the sound. There are no lyrics

Wurst. The Twain has referred to itself as a jam band and

in the Twain’s music, so one must rely on the music itself

a group that practices worldwide jazz improvisation. Ashraf

to tell the story. Fortunately, after many tracks, these guys

Hakim spent 16 years as first chair cellist at the Cairo opera

have yet to disappoint. Even more interesting is the dynamic

house. His improvisation skills illuminate fans, both new and

style that these guys possess. They can transition from a

old, whenever he plays. Pete Weaver wears many hats in this

heavy percussion to a fiddle band sound, all in the same song.

group. He is the composer, producer, recording engineer, and

Needless to say, these guys are someone you should hear. The

plays both guitar and bass during recording sessions. Scott

Twain Shall Meet is an experience you will not forget.

Wurst is a percussion enthusiast, playing tabla, udu, djembe,

SEATTLE TMI Hot Picks S KY FO OT (jam) Nectar Lounge// Wed, Jul 24, 7pm

PIANO PIANO (experimental rock) The Crocodile/ / Sun, Aug 18, 7pm

SHUGGIE OTIS (r&b) Neumos/ / Thur, Sept 5, 8pm

Ashraf Hakim

www.fillmoremb.com

www.bardotmiami.com

www.mohawkaustin.com

www.stubbsaustin.com

www.finelinemusic.com

www.thecedar.org

www.majesticmadison.com

www.high-noon.com

www.abbeypub.com

www.citywinery.com/chicago

www.oneeyedjacks.net

www.spottedcatmusicclub.com

www.workplay.com

www.thebottletree.com

www.thecrocodile.com

www.nectarlounge.com

ZZ Ward (born Zsuszsanna Eva Ward in Abington Pennsylvania) is an American singer, musician and songwriter signed to the Boardwalk Entertainment Group and Hollywood Records. ZZ Ward is also managed by E. Kidd Bogart’s Boardwalk Music Group. She released her debut EP, Criminal, on May 8, 2012. Her debut album, Til the Casket Drops, was released on October 16, 2012. Ward has already made herself a staple blues name in a very small amount of time since her hit single, Put the Gun Down, reached its way into the Top 40 Billboards. Now she’s getting ready to head out on tour, scheduled to hit numerous festivals and shows. We were lucky enough to have a quick chat with her about rap, inspiring female vocalists, growing up in Oregon, and what’s to come for the future.

photo credit: modmobilian.com

Still from live studio performance of “Criminal” on YouTube

So you were born in Abington, PA and then moved to Oregon. I would have pegged you for a New Orleans native given your sound. Where did you get your southern rock and blues influence from? I couldn’t tell you to this day. Coming from PA and then moving to a house up in the woods in Oregon didn’t really play an impact in my musical tastes. I’ve just always loved rap and blues music ever since I can remember. I just love the way it sounds, I love the way it hits me. I’ve always been hooked to it.

When you moved to Oregon you joined a band at the age of 12. What was that experience like at such a young age? It was actually my dad’s band, I was 12 and 13 during that time. They knew I could sing, so they let me come up and sing on stage with them for a lot of their shows. It’s funny, I tell people that and they think it’s so cool, but at the time, people weren’t super into having a kid onstage singing with a bunch of grown men. Some people turn their nose down to young singers, not taking them seriously or scoffing at them. But it gave me a good feel for the business and helped me get really acquainted with music at a young age, so I look at it as a good thing!

On your mixtape, , you sample a lot of beats from very different and eclectic rappers such as Tyler, the Creator and Childish Gambino. Is rap a big influence in your music?

So your name is Zsuszsanna Eva Ward. Look at me thinking of ZZ Top or ZZ Hill before thinking that ZZ was just an abbreviation of your name. What ethnicity is that?

I’ve just ALWAYS loved rap. One thing that has always attracted me to music is its authenticity. With blues music, you can really hear the emotion in their voices, in the instruments, in the overall feel. Same with rap. You can hear that same emotion in rap music, they really mean what they are saying. Again, there is just something that is so real about it that hits me.

(Laughs) Thanks! It’s Hungarian. My mother was born in Budapest.

Favorite rap artist? Oh man...I could name so many right now. I would have to say Illmatic by Nas is without a doubt one of my favorite albums. Always loved Jay-Z…who doesn’t? I’m really into a rapper right now named Azealia Banks, she’s from Harlem and spits fire. Check her out.

On your debut album, , you have a song with Kendrick Lamar. What was it like collaborating with such an influential rapper on the song, “Crying Wolf?” It’s funny, the song is about a drunken guy who is chasing after me. The producer of the song was drunk in the studio when he made the track, so I wrote the song after that because I liked it so much. When the idea to incorporate a rap track was thrown into the mix, Kendrick Lamar came up as a good fit, and he absolutely slayed the track. I’m a big fan of him.

You have a beautifully developed and soulful voice. Who are your favorite vocal influences when it comes to the more soulful blues and rock side of your music? Tina Turner, for certain. It’s crazy, name her most popular song.

Um….Proud Mary? See, that’s ridiculous, because she has so much incredible vocal work it’s ridiculous. She f****** murders every track she has on her duo albums, along with anything else she’s done. When it comes to female singers, I’ve always listened to women that sound like men, extremely loud and belting voices that have extremely mature tonal quality. Love Big Momma Thorton, I’ve always listened to her. Vera Wood Hall is another, she’s not very popular but she should be, she’s up and coming. Oh, and Mavis Staples. I could keep going.

Any male vocalists you take influence from? Robert Plant. Plain and simple.

photo credit: interviewmagazine.com

ZZ Ward

What is your favorite song off of your debut album? Of course I want to say all of them but…”Last Love Song” probably has to be my favorite.

What is your favorite song to perform live? “Blue Eyes Blind!” The crowd always gets going when we start that one up. I love to turn acoustic on a lot of the tracks that I do live, and we have a lot of fun with that.

What instruments do you play? Guitar, harmonica, and keyboards.

Any future endeavors you can tell us about? When’s the next album?! Well, I just put out my first album in October, so I’m not really working on anything right now. More focused on just getting my name out there on the tour I’m heading out for soon! We are playing shows in London and Paris and then playing all over the U.S. at festivals like Bigfoot and Firefly. I’m actually going to be headlining a festival in my home town which is…

Weird? …scary. Yea, a little weird. It makes me more nervous than any other show I’m doing because I was raised in this place and want the people to be proud of my hard work in representing my city.

I have no doubts that you will. I’ll be coming out to see you soon at one of your shows! Hell yea!

www.fillmanfoto.com

Sarah Fillman Photographer

Visit the Spring Issue 2013 of Found Magazine at www.themusicinitiative.com/foundmagazine for Sarahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s photography work for our cover interview: Justin Jones photo credits:

pages 44-45 pages 48-49 pages 54-55

3 Day Pass all photos courtesy of Kanrocksas facebook page

WHO WHO:

“Rock is a state of mind,” so get your mind right. That means get ready to see Kansas in a whole new way—filled with artists and fans from all over the country ready to dance, create, and dream their way to a weekend that qualifies as a win. Why the race lingo? Oh yeah, the festival is taking place in the Kansas Speedway. Call your mom, tell her you want tickets for your birthday. Or you can go to the website to buy the tickets, check out what to bring or not to bring, and get directions to the venue.

HOW: HOW

WHY: WHY

Kansas City, Kansas

WHAT: WHAT:

The Kanrocksas Music Festival is one of the Midwest’s biggest music festivals. With 60,000 people in attendance, its first year and a year off to make the venue better than ever, the festival’s creators are ready to get the music bumping and the people fist pumping... or just dancing. Really, it’s time for the Midwest’s biggest party to get back at it.

WHERE:

Those on the fast track to stardom in the indie music scene and the fans cheering them on every second of the way. Featured artists include Kendrick Lamar, Passion Pit, Pretty Lights, The Avett Brothers, Tiesto, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

WHERE

kanrocksas Festival

The Kansas Speedway

june 28-29, 2013

(it’s going to be toasty, so bring your water (1 unopened bottle per person allowed in, but you can buy more inside)

all photos courtesy of Forecastle Festival facebook page

WHERE

WHO WHO:

Artists from all over the scene—rock, jam, EDM, folk, bluegrass, rap, and indie all-stars will be in attendance. This is the festival for those who want to have their cake and eat it too—they don’t swear by one genre, but instead are ready to run from a set by Big Boi straight into the crowd jamming out to The Old Crow Medicine Show before heading over to absorb some bass by GRiZ. A few of the other artists in attendance include The Black Keys, Alabama Shakes, Baauer, Datsik, and some Louisville local talent to name a few.

A music festival to rival the rest. This festival brings in artists from all over the music spectrum to be one of the biggest and broadest festivals in the country, but its big name doesn’t mean the newbies can’t get in on the action. This festival gives local artists an opportunity to share their passion with the masses, but the goodness doesn’t stop there. Forecastle Festival hearts the environment as much as the music and makes it a point to spread the word about environmental activism. Cool.

WHAT: WHAT:

WHY: WHY

Louisville, Kentucky

WHERE:

This festival is about bringing friends and family together to listen to music, learn about ways to protect the environment, and enjoy the great outdoors.

Tickets are available online for GA or VIP and $1.00 from each sale goes to the Forecastle Foundation to promote awareness about ways to reduce each individual’s carbon footprint.

HOW: HOW

forecastle Festival

Think skyline, water, bridge—gorgeous

(thank goodness it’s on the Ohio River—get ready for the heat)

july 12-13, 2013

Country all-stars like Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Eric Church and many more. If you’re into Honky Tonk, Daisy Duke shorts, and cowboy boots, then you’re into WE Fest. Adults only is preferred, but family campgrounds will be available.

To bring the music to the people. WE Fest has been around for over 30 years, connecting the fans with the artists, creating new friendships, and celebrating all that is country. This year the festival aims to create a place where music-lovers get to experience “Livin’ the Dream in 2013.”

WE Fest is one of the nation’s largest and most anticipated country music festivals. In an effort to make a few dreams come true, the festival hosts the WE Festival Karaoke Roundup, which kicks off in January when dreamers from all over the Midwest compete to karaoke for a chance at fame. The top three in The Grand Finals get the chance to perform in front of 55,000 people on WE Fest’s Main Stage. Enjoy the show this year, and get on the list for next year’s Roundup. Tickets are available online for camping, vehicle permits, and festival tickets with multiple campgrounds to choose from.

HOW: HOW

WHY: WHY

Soo Pass Ranch, Minnesota

WHAT: WHAT:

WE Fest 2013

Four miles south of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota

WHERE:

WHO WHO:

all photos courtesy of WE Fest facebook page

(that’s what they call the “sweet summertime,” folks)

August 1-3, 2013 all photos courtesy of TomorrowLand facebook page

WHO WHO: WHY: WHY

september 26-29, 2013

Tickets are available online for the Full Madness Pass, Full Madness Comfort Pass (VIP) and Dreamville passes are sold separately, but must be sold in conjunction with the festival tickets. There are global travel packages available too, check out the website.

HOW: HOW

TomorrowLand has become the face of the ultimate electronic festival dreamland, and now it’s time for its sister festival TomorrowWorld to hit the US. What once may have seemed like a far-off dream to be a part of one of the biggest music events in the world filled with an energy that will stay with you in your memories for years to come, can now be a reality for music-lovers in the states. Oh, and they want to blow your mind.

TomorrowWorld is a spin-off of the world’s largest music festival, TomorrowLand, which takes place in Belgium. Dreamville, TomorrowWorld’s village, is filled with shops, food vendors and activities and transports its attendees to another world brimming with creativity, love and music. Arrive early for the incredible pre-party in Dreamville called The Gathering and prepare to have your mind blown from the second you arrive until you drive away from the site...or maybe until a few days after.

WHAT: WHAT:

A massive lineup of international electronic dance music artists, each with a unique spin on the genre, and all of the flower children, bass heads, hula hoopers, and festival aficionados looking to experience a festival unlike any other in the nation.

Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia

WHERE:

tomorrowworld festival

Your 8,000-acre paradise awaits...

970 Morrison Drive Charleston, SC 29403

LINEUP july/august/september

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of meeting The Revivalists last summer at The Hangout Music Festival. The seven talented gentlemen who reside in New Orleans have been selling out shows, performing on nearly every music festival stage, and touring with Govâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Mule. Their soulful rock nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; roll sound has music enthusiasts turning their heads and dancing in their direction .

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from L to R: David Shaw, Ed Williams, Andrew Campanelli, Zack Feinberg, Rob Ingraham, Michael Girardot, George Gekus photo by: Joel Travis

“Th es pir is d i t efi of nit N ely e w in ou Or r b lea an n d.” s 46

The members of the Revivalists come from all over the U.S. How did you join forces in New Orleans and how has that city influenced your music? Zack: Most of us knew each other from college and just kind of playing around in bands so we all met in that scene. I met Dave, who was actually the only one who didn’t go to school in New Orleans, he was just playing guitar shirtless, doing that thing on his front porch. That was his introduction. Ed: One thing that we like to say is that we all went down to New Orleans and we fell in love with the music and the talent of the musicians in just your average club. It’s so inclusive there. The way that New Orleans music is, it just gets into the way you play, there’s not much that you can even do about it, so we just embraced that New Orleans funk and soul thing that’s just so engrained in the music scene down there. And if you’re trying to do music, you can’t have a better group of people to be around to learn off of. Andrew: If you want to learn something, there are people in New Orleans that will teach it to you. You know what I mean? It’s not a cutthroat, like “I’m better than you and you need to figure this out on your own.” It’s just fun to play music together there. Zack: We wouldn’t call ourselves a New Orleans band, by any stretch. Well, I mean we would, but we don’t play New Orleans music. But we have a New Orleans tinge to our sound, I would say. David: It’s a spirit. The spirit of New Orleans is definitely in our band. Rob: It’s like we took a rock cookie and dipped it in the New Orleans chocolate. Now it’s a chocolate covered New Orleans rock cookie. Andrew: Is that gluten free? It sounds good.

New Orleans is famous for Busking? Y’all into that?

What has been your biggest accomplishment in the past year?

Zack: We’ve done that. We did that for fun one day but we were never really like street kids earning our money out there everyday.

Michael: I got engaged, does that count?

Ed: A lot of us play electronic instruments, too. Like the steel guitar, it’s not like I can just set up on the street corner.

Rob: Going on tour with Gov’t Mule was such a big deal.

Andrew: Yeah you can, battery powered amplifier, bud.

David: I think selling out at the Brooklyn Bowl was huge.

Andrew: Winning the contest to play at Hangout last year.

Ed: That’s a heavy thing to drag around.

You won a contest to play Hangout?

David: No, it’s like a little box!

David: Yeah, we won a contest to play Hangout Fest. It was put on by Reverbnation, our fans voted us in and we got a lot more fans because of it. It was insane.

Andrew: And what about that dude that brings his cello out there?!

Your dream venue to play? George: Red Rocks would be absolutely amazing. I get chills just thinking about it. Andrew: We could probably answer this question collectively; Red Rocks is on everybody’s bucket list. Ed: Zack and I grew up in New York and we used to go see the Allman Brothers and everybody at the Beacon Theater. I’ve seen Radiohead there and stuff and that’s a place that I have always wanted to play at because I’ve seen so many shows there growing up. So hopefully that will happen one day. Rob: Yeah, I’m from Tulsa and we actually got to play at the coolest venue in Tulsa, Cain’s, with JJ Grey and Mofro last year. So I kinda don’t have a personal one, so I guess The Fillmore. Michael: For me, it’s outdoors to a packed house at Stubb’s in Austin. Zack: Roman Coliseum David: Pompeii George: Basically, any cool place on the planet, we’d like to play there.

Zack: That was one of the biggest things that like sparked and lead to us getting a booking agent and a great manager. Everything since then has just been accelerating. Andrew: Another thing was selling out The Independent in San Francisco. Rob: We went from like 30 people at our shows to 80 to 500 in less than a year. Andrew: And for me, it sticks out in my mind because we jumped to a bigger room and it was the first time we had a big headlining show on the other side of the country. And we didn’t expect to sell out. We’ve sold out a few shows before and knew it was going to be good. But this one we didn’t expect, it was awesome.

So y’all are playing the most music festivals this summer. What would you say are your top three festivals that you’re looking forward to? Ed: Hangout. High Sierra is another one we’re really looking forward to. Governor’s Ball and Mountain Jam, we’re calling that a combo because it’s the same weekend. Michael: I’m looking forward to Bonnaroo and Jazzfest.

“Basically,

any cool place on the planet, we’d like like to to play play there.” there.” we’d

all photos on page: The Revivalists performing live at The North Charleston Performing Arts Center photos by: Becca Finley

from L to R: Ed Williams, Michael Girardot, George Gekus, Rob Ingraham, David Shaw, Andrew Campanelli, Zack Feinberg photo by: Joel Travis

“Rock shows are never a

one-sided experience

We’re giving and they’re giving to us.” 50

Do you guys feel like your music belongs in the jam band scene and do you like being there?

much apart of the show as we are. What I really like is a packed 600-person bar where the crowd is all around you and it’s steamy and just awesome.

Everyone: We love being apart of that scene!

Rob: Rock shows are never a one-sided experience. We’re giving and they’re giving to us.

Michael: Me and Zack were talking about this the other day. Do you want to elaborate? Zack: Yeah, I mean, we feel like we want to be embraced by the jam band community. We love that, a lot of us are in to that. We want to capture them and gain their admiration and be embraced to the jam band community. We also hope to extend to be more broadly embraced because we feel like we have very accessible songs that really anybody and their mother and their grandma and their aunt and their dog can get into.

Do you think being on tour with Gov’t Mule is going to help launch you further into that? Everyone: Oh, definitely. George: It’s a nice launching point because that scene is very accepting and when they like you, they are extremely loyal. It’s very passionate, so it’s not a bad start. Zack: We want them to be apart of our core. We have our core that we’ve gone out on our own, busting every night in random towns. So we have some really dedicated fans and we want to add the jam band community to that and then build off from there. Andrew: Lately, I’ve been thinking about it, we never really set out to be a jam band. But it doesn’t surprise me that we fit in with that because that’s just like who we all are. David: We like to jam, we like that music. Zack: They value good musicianship and good songs and that’s just what we’re about.

What do y’all like to see the crowd doing when y’all are at your shows? Zack: Going crazy, dancin’ on tables! David: The more the crowd can do, the merrier. We try to really make sure that the crowd is as

Talk to me about your new song “Monster.” David: That was a thing that just came about in Montgomery, AL. during sound check. Started playing this little riff then everybody jumped in on it, had the lyrics in a week, and it was done! George: Don’t come as easy as that! Ed: Every once in a while we’ll have a song where it’s like *snaps fingers*. “When I’m Able” was like that, too. We all were just practicing in the practice space and it was like, “Hey, that’s a song.” Michael: For “Monster,” someone started playing and then everybody added their parts and we pretty much had the entire form done by the time we were done jamming in like 15 minutes. And it never changed.

Is your songwriting always a collaborative type process? Andrew: The rearranging of the songs is always collaborative. David: With so many pieces and parts to put together, it comes in a lot of different ways. Pick a song. “Criminal” Ed: I had a riff that I was doing and then Dave was doing some lyrics over it and we kind of, in the studio, kind of crafted the way that the parts would go. David: We crafted the arrangement in the studio and then I came back and wrote the lyrics onto the final arrangement. Zack: I think we tried a couple of things for the chorus because we had that main riff and we ended

up just picking a combination of the best ideas for the chorus. George: We knew we were going to the studio for it so I think we kind of like messed around in the practice space to try and figure something out. But I don’t think the way that we had worked it out there came out the way that it is on the record. Ed: Well, I had the chorus, and then we tried like three different other things and we ended up just coming back to the simplest version of it, which was the original. So we kind of went full circle on that one. David: Most of the time the original idea is the best. But it’s also good to go out there and explore and come back so that you feel good about it.

How are people finding out about your music (social media, word of mouth, etc.)? Everyone: Word of mouth. Andrew: And a lot of people listen to the Jam On XM radio station, which our music is played on. It’s great; it’s different than regular radio. It’s a community of people, word of mouth. People choosing music that they like and the DJs are all fans as well. Zack: Social media is like word of mouth too; people are posting about us, which reaches their friends. Ed: The other thing to consider, if you’re going to get Sirius XM, you are a serious fan of music. So that’s a great scene to get into. If a new band catches your ear, you will listen to it. Andrew: And people listen to it to get into new music.

You have begun to conquer the summer festival circuit, what’s the next big milestone? Rob: THE MOON! George: We want to play on the moon. David: We want to get on that Letterman thing. Andrew: Headlining really prestigious venues. Venues we’ve all wanted to go to and to be able to play there is awesome.

Ed: Start trying to get into some more mainstream lines like the late night shows or more radio. This was like a goal of ours this summer: destroy the festivals. Zack: I would like, within the next year, for us to have a really great studio release that we’re all just super proud of. Because we hear a lot of, which we love, that our live shows are great and that they like our albums, too, but I want the next album to be something that we’re all just super, super, like, can’t wait to get it out. Michael: But that comes with time. Like, the last record we did in a week. When we have more time, we’re going to have a lot more to craft and make it the way that we really want it to sound. Andrew: I do think that the records that we’ve put out have been the best records that we could put out at that time. We’ve all gotten better. And it’s not like we’re not proud of the stuff that we have put out already but we’ve gotten better since then and so should the records.

What’s some advice you would give aspiring musicians? Zack: Just keep going. Just keep going. Andrew: Start bands with your friends because it’s just too annoying to play with people that you don’t like. George: Coexist. Ed: Don’t stop. And it’s a team; you’re always a team. David: Rock n’ roll, don’t turn down. Zack: It’s hard work. You’ll always have to be studying and be a student of it and keep getting better. Rob: The only mistake that you can make is to stop making mistakes. Michael: Don’t get upset if you don’t get what you wanted. Like, maybe you get a big blow. Just keep going and eventually things are going to work out. George: And be nice to everybody. Be nice, you never know who you’re talking to.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The only mistake that you can make

is to stop making mistakes.â&#x20AC;?

clockwise L to R: Ed Williams, Rob Ingraham, Michael Girardot photo by: Becca Finley

“...it all starts with having good music

and being good at your craft.

Oh yeah, be a good band.

And if you’re not, then become a good band.” 54

from L to R: George Gekus, David Shaw, Andrew Campanelli, Ed Williams, Zack Feinberg, Michael Girardot, Rob Ingraham photo by: Joel Travis

UPCOMING SHOWS

16 July The Bottleneck / Lawrence, KS

August 09 Windmills Craftworks / Bangalore, India

17 July Old Rock House / St. Louis, MO

August 10 Windmills Craftworks / Bangalore, India

19 July House of Blues Chicago / Chicago, IL

August 11 Windmills Craftworks / Bangalore, India

20 July Bluebird Nighclub / Bloomington, IN

August 15 The Pour House / Charleston, SC

21 July All Good Music Festival / Buckeye Lake, OH

August 16 Downtown After 5 / Asheville, NC

July 24

August 18

July 25

Sept 05

July 26

Sept 06

July 27

Sept 07

Westcott Theater / Syracuse, NY

Putnam Den / Saratoga Springs, NY

Gathering of the Vibes / Bridgeport, CT

Iron Horse Music Hall / Northampton, MA

28 July Chicken Box / Nantucket, MA

Equifunk / Equinunk PA

The Blind Tiger / Greensboro, NC

The Sunrise Theater Preservation Green / Southern Pines, NC

Riverside Park / Roswell, GA

Sept 08

Southland Ballroom / Raleigh, NC

Zack: Everybody has nights at a venue where the crowd turnout is disappointing, but if you’re super cool with everyone that works at the venue and you’re easy to get along with and they like your music, they’re going to be apologizing to you about the turnout. Andrew: I mean, it all starts with having good music and being good at your craft. Oh yeah, be a good band. And if you’re not, then become a good band. Rob: You can start out being a really s***** band, as long as you become a good band. Michael: We were a really s***** band for a long time. Zack: The videotape definitely suggests we were not that good. But we all saw what was good about it and how good it could be. Rob: And we all kept learning. We all learned from each other and every band we’ve played with. Every show or festival is like a master class for us.

Andrew: Focus on the songs because the songs are super important. If you feel like something isn’t exactly right, take the time to make sure that it’s what you want. Zack: Like, there’s a Gov’t Mule lyric, “to be one with your weakness is your greatest strength.” It’s if you’re studying for a test, you need to go over the material that you know you’re having trouble with, so as a musician, you need to find the spots that don’t feel right and then really focus on them. George: And let your band mates help you with that. Let everybody pitch in on it. Ed: If all of us had huge egos, it would be hard for us to give each other criticism. You have to be able to take criticism and you have to also be willing to give it. You have to kind of go with it and be like, “Alright, this is a group thing,” and you’re going to have to kind of give and take with it.

from L to R: George Gekus, Rob Ingraham, Zack Feinberg, Ed Williams, Michael Girardot, David Shaw, Andrew Campanelli photo by: Joel Travis

Love their sound, energy, and passion. This band has something for everyone. With their busy tour schedule, they may be coming to a town near you, so do not miss out on this chocolate covered New Orleans rock cookie!

records www.alphapuprecords.com

Ghostly International Records www.ghostly.com

www.hopelessrecords.com

Vicious Recordings www.viciousrecordings.com

FAY R OY A l t e r n a t i v e / P s y c / Fo l k

Zack Hoag, Kyle Fournier, Alex Gerhard

Originally from Indian Rocks Beach, Fl., alternative/ psych/folk group FayRoy has been digging their roots in the San Francisco area since September 2011 and

SAN FRANSISCO

the city should be thankful. The band is made up of three members—Zack Hoag, Kyle Fournier, and Alex Gerhard, and each of the guys are incredibly talented at what they do. Aptly being named after a historical beach cottage on Indian Rocks Beach, Fl., FayRoy’s tunes embody the chillness of the sea and the surf. Their songs, such as “Barney Fife” and “Trotter House,” are perfect examples of the fact that their music can be used to get you relaxed or to get you up and jamming. Their unique indie sound is a great addition to any music lover’s playlist. Hoag’s soothing vocals pull you in and the emotion that he displays is inspiring. So grab a few friends and head to the beach and make sure you save a spot for FayRoy on your playlist.

TMI Hot Picks DA N T E E L E P H A N T E (indie surf rock) Bottom of the Hill/ / Fri, Jul 19, 8:30 pm

WEATHERSIDE WHISKEY BAND (alt country) Cade Du Nord//Mon, Aug 19, 8:30 pm

M EG A N & L I Z (pop duo) Brick and Mortar//Wed, Sept 11, 6 pm

G O O D BY E LU N A Indie Pop

LOS ANGELES TMI Hot Picks ALAINA BLAIR (country) The Coach House// Wed, Jul 24, 7 pm

GOAT RADIO (virtuosos) Hollywood Bowl/ / Sun, Aug 25, 7 pm

MYRON & E (funky soul) Bootleg Theatre/ / Wed, Sept 4, 8 pm

Brooks Nielsen, Matt Taylor, Scott Montoya, Kyle Straka, Anthony Perry,

Richard Schmieg, JJ Moser, Chad Smith, David Hood, David “Alaska” Bordelon

Los Angeles based indie-pop group Goodbye Luna is the

with his family. During this time, with the help of close

brainchild of lead keyboardist/vocalist Richard Schmieg.

friend and drummer JJ Moser, Richard recorded his first

Having no musical experience at the age of 16, Richard

studio-recorded EP, “Love So Deep,” still under the name

received his first instrument, a keyboard, from his parents

of Goodbye Luna. In 2010, Goodbye Luna took on a whole

and immediately became determined to be a songwriter. He

new line up, now composed of Richard, JJ Moser (drums,

started off writing songs about his high school crushes and

percussion), Chad Smith (percussion, backup vocals,

played at family gatherings while also recording self-mixed

mandolin), David Hood (lead guitar, electric guitar), and

tracks in his bedroom. In 2006, Richard partnered with a

David “Alaska” Bordelon (bass, backup vocals). Songs

few other local musicians and for about a year, Goodbye

like “Wash Me Away” and “Oceans and Miracles” portray

Luna recorded and performed as a full band. Richard and

the group’s faith, which is the inspiration for each of their

his family suffered a great tragedy in 2008, causing him

tunes. Goodbye Luna is the perfect addition to your Sunday

to choose to take some time away from the band and be

morning soundtrack, so be sure to check them out.

BIKE THIEF I n d i e R o c k / Fo l k y P o p

Febian Perez, Dylan McGown, Charlie Barker Greg Allen, Brandon Elhaj

Portland’s latest breakout band, only 6 months old, has been

Grizzly Bear twist. You’ll find Bike Thief all over the Oregon/

taking the Pacific Northwest by storm. Bike Thief, with its

Washington area, surrounded by swaying crowds, entranced

understated vocals and sweeping instrumental breaks, crafts

by their lyrical ballads and sweet numbers. Effortlessly hitting

perfectly sway-worthy songs well suited for roadtrips, campfires,

the perfect balance between upbeat indie rock and folky pop,

or microbrewery beer filled bars. Bike Thief’s frontman may

Bike Thief promises to steal the scene nationwide with ease.

originally hail from Providence, hence their newly released album’s name Ghost of Providence, but the band itself was born in Portland, Oregon. Lead singer, guitarist, pianist, and organist Febian Perez banded together with Portland urbanites Charles Barker (backing vocals/guitar/ukelele/mandolin/glockenspiel),

PORTLAND

Greg Allen (backing vocals/viola/violin), Brandon Elhaj (vocals/bass) and Dylan McGown (drums). The band gets their name from the 1948 Italian film The Bicycle Thieves and their influences from musical hotspots in Rhode Island, Texas (where Perez briefly resided), and Portland. From indie rock ballads to

TMI Hot Picks M I X TA P E S (hip hop) Backspace Cafe//Sat, Jul 13, 7 pm

slow-dance rock and roll numbers, Bike Thief’s greatest asset is it’s ability to incorporate numerous vocal and instrumental harmonies, resulting in a soothing but epic experience. Although the band officially formed this past January, they’ve already produced their first album and are quickly on the rise in Portland and beyond. Audience members will be treated to a complete musical experience, the band brings in backup vocalists and instrumentalists to round out their indie rock’n’roll sound, reminiscent of old-school Death Cab for Cutie with a modern

PA R S O N R E D H E A D S (rock n roll) Bunk Bar/ / Sar, Aug 3, 9 pm

ROBERT WALTER’S 20TH CONGRESS (funk jazz) Doug Fir//Fri, Sept 13, 8 pm

R O W DY S H A D E H O U S E H i g h - E n e r g y Fu n k

Denver’s own Rowdy Shadehouse is a powerful, highenergy, dance your tail off funk group that will have you getting up and getting rowdy in no time! The band is made up of members (as humorously stated on their Facebook page) Jon Thursday (maestro), Warlock (drums), WeezE (guitar), Badhorsey (bass guitar), Mont Brown (tenor saxophone, auxillary), Cosmic Slim (saxophone), and Ryan Chipps (alto saxophone). Rowdy Shadehouse believes that music is all about letting go and having fun and this attitude is extremely evident in each of their funky grooves. They provide something for everyone at all of their live shows—playing a mixture of comfortable, old tunes alongside a large variety of original jams. Each member brings to the stage an energy and insane talent that makes it impossible to remain seated while listening to them. “Velvet Jesus” and “Silk Skin” get your hips shaking and feet stomping straight from the start and I must say, it’s pretty hard to stop until the last note is played. So get your dancin’ shoes on and check these funk masters out ASAP!

DENVER TMI Hot Picks

Jon Thursday, Warlock , WeezE Badhorsey, Mont Brown

X A M BAS SA D O R S (rock pop) Ogden Theater// Sat, Jul 20, 7 pm

SAUNA (noise pop) Larimer Lounge/ / Sat, Jul 27, 8 pm

WEEKEND (lo-fi) Hi Dive/ / Mon, Sept 9, 8:30 pm

Cosmic Slim, Ryan Chipps

KRIS LAGER BAND S o u l / B o o g i e Tr a n c e This band is one for the

Swagadocious. Rick Galusha

connoisseur

American

of Pacific Street Blues states,

music. I’m not just talking

“Swagadocious bears up to

about one or two genres—the

repeated listening long after

Kris Lager Band is deeply

the

smell

rooted in the music tradition.

and

spilt

beer

The

repertoire

This record captures a band

that these guys pull from

moving into a creative period

the

where the output is art in the

H O N KY

blues and classic rock styles.

classic sense of great albums.

However,

has

The time has come – this

(rock) The Waiting Room Lounge//Wed, Jul 17

touches of funk, jam, R&B,

band is ready for the national

G O G O L B O R D E L LO

barrelhouse

spicy

stage.” Their songs range in

Latin beats, cajun Zydeco,

emotion from joy, to love, to

(gypsy punk) Slowdown/ / Fri, Aug 16, 7 pm

as well as Gospel music and

pain, and the simple pleasure

some

of life. Nebraska is the place

extraordinaire”

to experience The Kris Lager

John Fairchild AKA Scooby

Band. But as Rick Galusha

Sha

stated, these guys are ready

musical

strongly

rooted

their

hip

music

country,

hop,

“freestylist

Bo.

thanks

Hailing

from

Nebraska, these guys have proclaimed

themselves

stale has

smoke

OMAHA

gone.

TMI Hot Picks

DIZZY BATS (pop punk) The Barley Street Tavern//Thurs, Aug 22

for the national stage.

“Roots Revivalists” and listed their genre as soul music and boogie trance. The band consists of John Fairchild on the drums, Brandon Miller on the bass, Jeremiah Weir on the clavinet, organ, & percussion, and Kris Lager on lead vocals and guitars. For the first few years, the band was known by the name Indigenous and toured as an opening act for many

big

names.

Though

they’ve changed names, the group has always the mantra, “Celebrate life.” The band has recently released its album

Jeremiah Weir , Kris Lager John Fairchild, Brandon Miller

PA U L B E N J A M A N B A N D R o c k /J a z z / Fu n k

Paul Benjaman, Jesse Aycock Jeff Newsome, Andrew Bones, Bo Hallford

Many describe the Paul Benjaman Band as disciples of the

truly Tulsa sound, Paul Benjaman Band is known for their

“New Tulsa Sound,” referring to the 1970’s “Tulsa Sound”

great live shows and incredible collaborations with guest

that originated in the days of Eric Clapton and Tom Petty, but

musicians such as Sonny Landreth and Ian Moore and the

the band describes themselves as “boundary-free 1970s style

Lossy Coils. Somewhere in between Kansas and Texas, there

rock.” True to free spirited form, their sound simultaneously

stands Oklahoma, and somewhere between classic rock and

defies and surpasses all expectations. The band’s members

classic country western, there stands Paul Benjaman and his

met through happenstance, with a good dose of talent and

band. Both are destined for greatness.

love for music, while cruising and jamming in the Tulsa music scene. They released their full-length album, Something, back in 2010 and have been gathering fans and awards in bars and festivals across the country. A delightful surprise bag of country western, rock, blues, bluegrass, and almost anything else that you can hope to throw into the mix, the Paul

TULSA

Benjaman Band have remained shockingly under the radar, despite their appearances a high volume festivals and venues like SXSW and Backwoods Bash Music Festival. These guys are seriously talented. Paul Benjaman (vocals, guitar) leads Jesse Aycock (guitar, steel guitar), Jeff Newsome (electric piano), Andrew Bones (drums), and Bo Hallford (electric bass) to make consistently great music. Their hit “Them Tulsa Boys” was named #11 on This Land Press’ “Greatest Hits: 25 Songs About Oklahoma” list and “My Time” sounds like something that one would find on the soundtrack to True Blood (in a good way). In addition to championing their own

TMI Hot Picks

S O U L F RY

(southern soul) The Colony//Fri, Jul 12

TYLER AND THE TRIBE (country) Cain’s Ballroom/ / Fri, Aug 16, 7 pm

THE DAMN QUAILS (americana) Mercury Lounge//Sat, Sept 21, 8 pm

PICNICTYME Hip-Hop

Texan wunderkind Richard

2012, which featured slower,

Escobedo, aka PICNICTYME

thanks to an odd family

PICNICTYME slipped into

nickname,

being

old habits again, pumping

musical

out madly sweet songs with

makes

underground

thoughtful

tracks,

genius look easy. Starting

known

out playing the drums at

fellow hip-hop beatmakers

age 11, he quickly began

and shakers. Most recently

adding

musical

and

his

artistic,

and

friend

and

Sober

skill

released project Booty Fade,

MC,

with its badass and twerk-

singer/musician, producer,

worthy beats. After a lifetime

photographer,

sets.

visual,

collaborators

times

and

video

the

music

industry,

director, PICNICTYME has

PICNICTYME

been a constant figure in

list of insanely smooth hip-

the background for Dallas’

hop beats that will knock

(and the nation’s) hip-hop

your socks off. Hot or cold,

atmospheres. You may not

never

think that you’ve heard of

PICNICTYME

PICNICTYME, but chances

the

are that, if you’re listening

his generation, and quite

possibly the beatmaker for

hip-hop,

him. in

you’ve

Bouncing

the

Caribbean vibes,

around

beatmaster

PICNICTYME

heard

great

crafted

tunes,

soulful

twerk-worthy

jams with the likes of A.Dd+, Oscar De Leon, Kid Cudi, and Erykah Badu (with whom he still

sometimes

performs

with, as a part of her musical troupe the Cannabinoids). PICNICTYME

has

had

plenty of time to glean from “the greats,” often spurring their careers forward in the process. After releasing his first LP Sea Monsters in May

Picnic (center)

long

temperature, is

one

beatmakers

the hip-hop nation.

ether,

has

and

room

has

DALLAS TMI Hot Picks UN CHIEN (psychedilic rock) The Live Oak//Sat, Jul 20, 8 pm

OV E R S E AS (rock) Dan’s Silverleaf/ / Thurs, Aug 1, 8 pm

PEOPLE ON VACATION (indie pop) The Crown & the Harp//Fri, Sept 27, 9 pm

T H E ST E R EO F I D E L I CS I n d i e Fu n k / R o c k

Asheville based indie funk-rock duo The StereoFidelics will take

Chris Padgett

you back in time to groovy, 70’s art-rock sounds and then hurl you decades forward, colliding you head-on with the energy and intensity of today’s indie rock scene. Despite the fact that The StereoFidelics is made up of just two members—Melissa McGinley (drums, lead vocals, harmony vocals, electric violin) and Chris Padgett (vocals, electric guitar, foot-operated synth-base), they provide listeners with a pleasantly surprising huge, full-band sound that any eclectic music lover can enjoy. McGinley’s powerful, jazzy voice flows brilliantly with Padgett’s strong, satin-smooth vocals. This dynamic duo possesses the ability to leave their audience goers sympathetically exhausted and dripping with sweat due to their immense passion and synchronicity. Their recent studio release “You Are Having a Wonderful Time” has received solid airplay from college and community radio stations from coast to coast and after one listen, you will understand why. The StereoFidelics have a very unique DIY attitude about what they do—they book their own shows, design their own album covers, screen print their tour t-shirts, and even make some of their onstage clothing. The duo has had the pleasure of performing alongside such acts as Rubblebucket, Donna the Buffalo, That 1 Guy, as well as many other talented artists.

ASHEVILLE TMI Hot Picks WAST E D W I N E (freak folk) French Broad Brewery// Sat, Jul 20, 6 pm

SIRAH (hip-hop) Orange Peel/ / Mon, Aug 12, 8 pm

WHY? (indie rock) Grey Eagle/ / Fri, Sept 20, 8 pm

Melissa McGinley

www.bottomofthehill.com

www.thesmell.org

www.mezzaninesf.com

www.thecoachhouse.com

backspace www.wonderballroom.com

www.backspace.bz

www.hi-dive.com

www.bluebirdtheater.net

www.barleystreet.com

www.theslowdown.com

GET COLONIZED.

www.thecolonytulsa.com

www.cainsballroom.com

Dallas, TX

www.dadadallas.com

www.granadatheater.com

Asheville, NC

www.theorangepeel.net

www.thegreyeagle.com

(Pictured above and/or below) Karl Denson, Miles Doughty, Paul Wolstencroft, C-Money Kyle McDonald, Ryan Moran, DeLa, Oguer Ocon

Slightly Stoopid Slightly Stoopid has been keeping themselves crazy busy lately with the release of their newest album, the release of their live album, and kicking off their summer tour with Atmosphere. Drummer Ryan Moran talks about all the big news.

We’re all thinking it, and some people know the story and I’m sure you are tired of telling it, BUT… Where did the name Slightly Stoopid actually come from? Picture a group of rowdy 15 year olds in a room with a bong tossing names around in 1994. Someone said “that name is slightly stoopid,” everyone laughed, and the name stuck.

How do you feel you contributed to the rise of reggae as a more prominent genre in today’s music scene? I feel that we have contributed to live music as a whole because we have been touring constantly for years. We play a good amount of reggae, but also punk, ska, hiphop, rock, funk and metal stuff too. We are fortunate to have fun doing what we love to do. It’s about the music for us. No costumes, no eyeliner, no fake crap. We just love to play and that is probably our main contribution.

Why is percussion so important to this genre of music and how would you describe its effects on your crowds? Drums and percussion are the back bone to the music. They are important in most musical styles aside from say classical and church music. Drums and percussion feel good and make people dance. Plus they are fun to watch as well.

The band appears to be very go with the flow. How does this positively or negatively impact traveling together or hiccups during a live performance?

Miles Doughty, C-Money, Kyle McDonald Ryan Moran, DeLa, Oguer Ocon

We always try and go with the flow and not against it. Easier that way. We don’t take things too seriously while we travel or do shows. Things happen. You miss flights/buses/trains/cabs. You make mistakes while playing songs. I think it’s a positive thing. We are alive. We are humans. We are not quantized robots on auto tune! (laughs)

Who would we be surprised that you are influenced by musically? We listen to a very broad spectrum of music. From world, blues, jazz, classical reggae, punk metal, rock, pop, etc. We are well-rounded listeners. I’m really influenced by life.

If you could play in a band of a different genre, which genre would you choose? I’ve never really played in a straight up rock band. I would like to.

Ryan Moran

Favorite city to play? I love NYC, Chicago, San Francisco and any city on any coast, preferably near a surf spot!

Most memorable artist that you’ve performed with... We have toured with many memorable artists. One of my favorites was probably touring with Snoop. He’s larger than life, but still really down to earth.

Miles Doughty, C-Money, Kyle McDonald Ryan Moran, DeLa, Oguer Ocon

You just finished your latest album, Top of the World. Talk to me about its release and what feedback you’ve been receiving. Yeah, we released it in August of 2012 and it was a really great experience for all of us because in years past we kind of all go to one studio and hang out for a few weeks straight and all of us are in the same room all the time, but between our last release and Top of the World, a lot of the guys got married, some guys have kids now, everyone kind of settled in, and so we decided not to just force another record out. We just wanted to take our time with everything. What was cool about it was that we were collaborating in different combinations of guys. Now there are seven or eight guys in the band and some days there would be two or three, like one combination of guys and the next day, two or three other guys, so we were kind of stacking parts. That way, everything sort of materialized organically.

What is your favorite song off of the album? Man, I’ve got a couple. One of the first ones that comes to mind is called “Pon Da Horizon.” It’s kind of like an Afro beat. Kyle and I were at the studio one night and were just messing around with the groove and it started taking shape. It’s one of my favorites because it’s really powerful. I’ve got another one, too, “Ska Diddy,” because we got Angelo from Fishbone. He’s always been one of our favorites since we were kids. So, it’s kind of a tie between those two songs.

You also recently released your live album, Live at Roberto’s Tri Studios. Talk to me about that experience. It was really cool. We went to Bob Weir’s studio in Northern California, which is actually in my hometown of San Rafael. So for me, it was really kind of special. It was kind of like a homecoming. I grew up listening to [Grateful] Dead and was really into them, so having the chance to play with Bob was a real honor.

Miles Doughty, Kyle McDonald Ryan Moran, DeLa, Oguer Ocon

“ Drums

and percussion are the back bone to

the music. They feel good and make people dance. Plus they are fun to watch...

”

What made you decide on touring with Atmosphere for your Kickin’ Up Dust summer tour? We’re fans of him. We’ve done a couple festivals where we got a chance to meet some of the guys. We like their music and thought it would be a good, appropriate mix. He was free, we were free, and so we started talking to him earlier this year and locked everything in.

What other bands will be joining you? We’ve got three openers—The Budos Band, The Grouch & Eligh, and Tribal Seeds from San Diego. All three are quite a bit different; kind of funky, world music to straight reggae, to more of like a hip hop thing.

Three places you are excited to hit during this tour and why? The hometown is always a fave. We will have all of our friends and family out to those shows and it will be a great party. Any west coast show really. But nowadays we have friends and family all over the map, so almost every show feels familiar...

Miles Doughty, C-Money, Kyle McDonald Ryan Moran, DeLa, Oguer Ocon, Karl Denson

The Kickinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Up Dust tour

will be making its way its way to

27 cities across the US starting July 10th and their latest album,

Top of the World is available now on iTunes!

reel music

10 Soundtracks for Summer Cruising

Top

It’s no secret—soundtracks have become an essential piece of movie history thanks to Garden State, Purple Rain, and Grease. Finding one that you and your friends can enjoy time and time again may be difficult, but once discovered, it’s better than an iced-tea on a hot summer day. Here are the top ten soundtracks for summer cruising:

indicates favorite track

Nick & Nora’s Infinite Playlist

“Ottoman Couch” by Vampire Weekend When Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist hit the scene back in 2008, the Columbia University spawned band Vampire Weekend had just released their debut self-titled album. Not only was this soundtrack aware of Brooklyn and Cali’s prosperous indie-rock scene, introducing many to bands such as Bishop Allen, Takka Takka, and We Are Scientists, but it also sparked a new surge of soundtrack followers.

American Graffiti

“Little Darlin’” by The Diamonds It was 1973. George Lucas teamed up with producer Francis Ford Coppola and sound designer Walter Murch for a coming-of-age film that was one of the first to use diegetic music, exclusively from the records. Due to an $80,000 budget, Lucas had to cut his ‘60s playlist of 80 songs, including all Elvis tracks, down to 41. But not to worry, from Bill Hayley & His Comets’ “Rock Around the Clock” to the Beach Boys’ “All Summer Long,” this is one playlist that never misses a beat.

500 (Days of Summer)

“Sweet Disposition” by Temper Traps What do you get when you pair together Zooey Deschenel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and a soundtrack that’s had people hitting repeat since its 2009 release date? The answer: not the normal 93 days of summer, but 500 (Days of Summer). Much like the film, this playlist offers a mix of emotional highs and lows, from The Temper Traps’ “Sweet Dispositions” to Regina Specktor’s “Hero.” What better way to end this fine playlist than with “”Please, Please, Please…” from the sweet melodic duo that is She & Him.

Project X

“Heads Will Roll” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs For those of you who enjoy a good party complete with red solo cups and ping-pong balls, Project X should be the start and end of your summer bash playlist. Though the official soundtrack has only 18 songs, the movie boasts an impressive 50+ track list sufficient for every party-goer. With songs and remixes from The XX, Drake, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Eminem, Salt-N-Pepa, Yeasayer, Animal Collective, MGK, and many more, Project X will leave you and your friends partying till the neighbors call the cops.

Singles

“Waiting for Somebody” by Paul Westerberg No other music scene can rival that of Seattle, Washington’s. Nearly 20 years ago, Cameron Crowe’s Singles was our invitation, our eyes and ears, into that grunge world. Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains all lend their talents, but there’s one Seattle birthed band missing from the lineup– Nirvana. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” should’ve passed the cut, but it became too difficult to get approvals. The Singles soundtrack made history when it was released three months ahead of the film’s release date, by which time it was already gunning for platinum.

Skateland

“Urgent” by Foreigner Lace-up your skates ‘cause it’s the ‘80s and we’re going back to small-town Texas. When a soundtrack starts with Lipps Inc.’s “Funky Town” and ends with New Order’s “Age of Consent,” everything in between is just added gravy, and boy, is that gravy tasty. Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust”, Blondie’s “The Tide is High,” and Def Leppard’s “Rock of Ages” are just a few tracks from this ‘80s stew of funk and rock that’ll have you begging for more. The movie falls flat in several places, but the music keeps it flying high.

The Twilight Saga

“Sister Rosetta” by Noisettes I know what you’re thinking, “Twilight, really?” Really. After revealing that she jammed out to Muse for the majority of the writing process, Twilight author Stephenie Meyers invited the band to lay down a track for the first film. Four films later, Green Day, Noisettes, Lykke Li, Bon Iver, Paramore, Passion Pit, Linkin Park, Ellie Goulding, and a handful of indie-folk and piano rock bands found themselves in the recording room, that’s right, laying down impressive tracks.

Dazed and Confused

“I Just Want to Make Love to You” by Foghat Growing up with a girl named Mary Jane and listening to Black Sabbath, Seals & Crofts, Aerosmith, and Deep Purple was a way of life in the ‘70s. If you’re looking for staple classic-rock songs, look no further. Songs such as Alice Cooper’s “Schools Out for Summer,” Kiss’s “Rock and Roll All Night,” and Ozzy’s “Paranoid” will have you and your friends air drumming and strumming down I-95.

The Bling Ring

“Crown on the Ground” by Sleigh Bells Hot off the press comes the loud and in-your-face soundtrack to The Bling Ring. After collaborating with director Sofia Coppola on Lost in Translation and Marie Antoinette, musician Brian Reitzell has struck urban pop gold. Turn up the volume and roll down the windows because M.I.A., Rick Ross, Azealia Banks, Rye Rye, Frank Ocean, and Kanye West deserve no less. And what would a Sofia Coppola soundtrack be without a Phoenix song? Closing the playlist, the band’s title track “Bankrupt!” from their latest album will have you floating on pure bliss.

Great Gatsby

“Young and Beautiful” by Lana Del Rey From director Baz Luhrmann, Bryan Ferry of Roxy Music, and music producer Jay Z comes a triumphant soundtrack with a sound that balances infectious ‘20s melodies on a tightrope of beat-jumping contemporary sounds. This balancing act is most apparent in Ferry’s re-arrangement of Beyonce’s “Crazy in Love,” sung by Emile Sade, Fergie’s rendition of “A Little Party Never Killed Nobody…” and will.i.am’s “Bang Bang.” The sultry and atmospheric sounds of Sia, The xx, Lana Del Rey, and Florence + the Machine ground the soundtrack in emotional turmoil, while Jack White’s “Love is Blindness” and “No Church in the Wild,” featuring Jay Z, Kanye West, Frank Ocean, and The Dream, provide an energy on which the soundtrack rides to no end.

ode to the web Library of songs on tvadsongs.com

emember all those hundreds of times you were

from old school breakfast commercials to the newest

watching TV and a commercial comes on with an

and latest car ads. Once you find what you want, you

extremely cool song in the background and you say to

give it a click and tvadsongs.com will play the audio

yourself, “What IS that song?” So you go online and

clip, not the actual commercial, and tell you the name

search “car commercials” or “iPhone commercials”

of the song for you to type into a search engine and

and you look and look but you just can’t find it? Look

find more details. Of course, and most importantly,

no further. Tvadsongs.com is your one stop shop to

it’s free. Want to take your advertisement music

finding any song from TV or radio ads. With a

search a step further? Tvadsongs.com has links to

database of over 1,500 songs, it’s sure to have what

neighboring websites for game theme songs, football

you are looking for, and as the top of the screen says,

club songs around the world, and much more. So the

“If you can’t find a theme song, contact me and I’ll try

next time a commercial theme has you stumped,

and get it for you.” Truly dedicated to the love of ad

you’ll know where to go.

songs. It’s a simple interface; an alphabetized database of songs ranging from all types and genres,

It’s a simple interface; an alphabetized database of songs ranging from all types and genres, from old school breakfast commercials to the newest and latest car ads.

External links to other genres on tvadsongs.com

ike many times before, I like to dedicate part of

the “Ode to the Web” section by talking about a music website that brings off-the-beaten-path music

the

forefront.

This

month

it’s

rcrdlbl.com, a music streaming website based in Soho, New York City, NY. As the description on the website states, “RCRD LBL curates free music downloads and a large selection of streaming audio, exposing listeners to incredible songs across numerous genres. Fans can also enjoy RCRD LBL through content partners such as VEVO, as well as cutting-edge free music events in a variety of venues and non-traditional locations such as roving club series Smoke & Mirrors and beach party Rock-A-Way Summer.” How could you say no? One of the coolest aspects of the

website is its slick and hipster interface. Non-interfering advertisements line the sides, but they seem to somehow blend with the overall feel of the site. The site is dedicated to bringing you a new song EVERY day, and it is a totally free, procured MP3 download for you to use. A key aspect as well is that it doesn’t play favorites in its music selections; although very indie at times, there are tracks from blues, pop, R&B, rock, electronic, rap, etc. It’s all about finding good songs that haven’t been tampered by the mainstream spotlight yet. They also feature remixes as well. All in all, it’s something that deserves a visit from any music fan, and you may just find yourself a daily user.

Home page featuring the streaming “song of the day” on rcrdlbl.com

This site is dedicated to bring you a new song EVERY day, with a totally free, procured MP3 download for you to use.

Description of site features on homepage of rcrdlbl.com

spin-off

1. "Painful Like"- Austra

8. "Sleep"- Transit

2. "Danger to the World"- This Is Our Year

9. "I Need My Girl"- The National

3. "Sun Blows Up Today" - The Flaming Lips

10. "Microscope"- Arrica Rose and the ...’s

4. “The Little Record Store Just Around The Corner"- Drivin’ n’ Cryin’

11. "We’ll Find a Way" - Mike Felumlee

5. "Family Ties"- Cary Morin

12. "Distance/Divide" - Koji

6. "Deep Summer" - John Brown’s Body

13. "I Know Evil"- Jason Blum

7. "Closer" - Ned and the Dirt

14. "Apathy and the Devil" - Lisa Germano

staff selected tracks from The Seasonal Spin

seasonal spin

Austra /

Olympia

It’s only fitting that Toronto-based Austra, named after the Latvian goddess of light, named their second album after the home of the Greek gods-Olympia dropped earlier this year. Since releasing their debut album as a three-piece band in 2011, Austra, originally comprised of Katie Stelmanis (lead vocals, keyboard), Maya Postepski (drums), and Dorian Wolf (bass), has added three new members: Ryan Wonsiak (keyboard), and Romy and Sari Lightman (backup vocals). At first look, Olympia may seem like Austra’s more mainstream “dance album,” but sad, sweet vocals accompany their trademark synth beats and interplaying instrumental work. Stelmanis’ clear warble takes the lead, rising and falling in turn, sometimes only repeating a few lines, a kind of futuristic dance mantra for the brokenhearted. “What We Done” and “Fire” power the album’s first half, while “Reconcile,” “Annie (Oh muse, you),” and “Hurt Me Now” round out the album’s second half, spanning post-heartbreak angst and weariness, all set to masterfully crafted synth and instrumental beats.The band’s versatility allows it to employ monastic-like chanting, jarring riffs, trance-like beats, and Stelmanis’ old-time warble without coming off as disorganized; instead, Austra’s mystical coolness creates an intimate, nearly friendly quality that separates itself from Stelmanis’ impassive face on the album’s cover. Austra’s unforgettable fey quality will entrance you from start to finish with Olympia, and you’re sure to return time and time again to wrap yourself in pure pop catharsis.

This Is Our Year /

Life As We Know It

Self-described as “post-hardcore,” Chicago quintet This Is Our Year (TIOY) only pledges allegiance to themselves and their fans, instead of aligning themselves with any one genre. Previously branded as “pop-core” and “post-punk,” TIOY brings heavy riffs, pop harmonies, and catchy melodies with a side of metal to the table, one catchy track at a time. The band formed in November 2010 and released their first EP early in 2011, earning themselves an admiring following in Chicago and the surrounding areas. Their follow-up album, Life As We Know It, recently released on Stayposi Records, has earned TIOY recognition throughout the Midwest and the nation at large. The ever popular “Identities” preaches that “determination is all you need to find your new identity... growing up was enough convincing to clear out this youthful mind.” Other solid tracks include “True Friends Are the Latest Trend,” “Our Anthem To You,” and “Safety in Numbers,” where they promise that “as long as we’re by your side, you’ll make it out alive.” Bursting with anthems of self discovery and solidarity that will soon breed TIOY a fandom comparable to Lady Gaga’s “little monsters,” Life As We Know It is an unapologetic promise to keep America’s youth strong and true.

The Flaming Lips /

The Terror

Alternative rock gods The Flaming Lips have managed to produce yet another powerhouse album. Recorded against the band’s iconic synth sounds within the space of only a few days, the band’s second collaboration effort with Dave Fridmann is a new kind of beast, belying a seemingly darker and more angst-ridden journey than the previously whimsical and experimental Lips’ albums. Don’t be fooled, though, the stark beauty that strikes you upon your first listen is exactly what will entrance you on the second and third spins; what may seem jarring at first ends up sticking with you, weaving lunar synth melodies into your daydreams and carrying you gently through your worst days. The entrancing “Try to Explain” spins a kind of blissful melancholy, gripping “You Lust” will capture your attention, and “The Terror” is nothing short of mystical magic. The Lips have done it again, creating something so hauntingly and weirdly beautiful that it is simultaneously soothing and stimulating. The Lips can do no wrong, and neither can anyone who invests some time in listening to The Terror.

Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ /

Songs from the Psychedelic Time Clock

With twelve albums and a documentary down, Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ is ready to take on the national scene. The Atlanta, Georgia band’s sound is hard to pin down with just one word; they seem to slip seamlessly in between genres, pledging allegiance only to an all-American “rock” sound. With influences stemming from their southern roots to the Beatles and Iggy Pop, Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ has crafted a perfect album from their previously released EPs. Songs from the Psychedelic Time Clock dropped at the end of April, to the pleasure of longtime fans and first time listeners everywhere. “Sometimes the Rain is Just Rain” ditches the southern rock sound and harks back to the 60‘s psychedelia sound that inspired the album’s cover art. “Little Record Store Just Around the Corner” and “The Psychedelic Time Clock” quickly inspire both dancing and guitar-hero themed fantasies. As their devoted fans will readily profess, Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ is a good time, all the time; I urge you to get thee to their website as soon as possible, because Songs from the Psychedelic Time Clock is pure rock’n’roll gold that will take you on a journey from hippie festivals to Fourth of July festivities and summer fun in 6 tracks flat.

Cary Morin /

Streamline

Blues guitarist and singer/songwriter Cary Morin represents the legendary genre with pure heart and soul. His latest album Streamline showcases his story telling ability through original songs and also includes a few covers interpreted in his own style. This simple album features only Morin finger picking an acoustic guitar. No drums. No bass. It's not needed. Streamline, the perfect name, captures the flow of the album as each track moves effortlessly into the next. Happy-go-lucky original song “Family Ties” will have you reflecting and feeling the love of your family. It's simply beautiful. Morin covers “Wolfman's Brother,” an original Phish tune, that would satisfy their thousands of fans. His personal twist gives it new light, making it hardly recognizable to the original song. So as you relax and enjoy the warm summer evenings ahead, play Streamline, it is the perfect accompaniment.

John Brown’s Body /

Kings & Queens

Is there truly a better way to start off an album than with a call to the dancehall? I think not, and John Brown’s Body, named after abolitionist icon John Brown, seems to be of the same opinion. The seven-piece reggae band wastes no time heralding summer’s sweetness with “Step Inside” and “Invitation,” the first two tracks on their ninth album, Kings & Queens, on which they prove that they are, indeed, the kings of summer eternal. Founding member Kevin Kinsella, jamming in reggae bands since 1989, leads on guitar with Joshua Neuman (bass), Sam Godin (keyboard), Paul Merrill (trumpet), Lee Hamilton (saxophone), Elliot Martin (vocals), and Tommy Benedetti joining him in creating JBB’s joyful, reggae sound. Kings & Queens starts off strong and refuses to quit. Apart from the darker, slower “Starver,” each track proves to be a warm, peppy reggae anthem that delivers blessed bliss on each and every listen. “Old John Brown,” aptly named, “Deep Summer,” and “Searchlight” have proved to be fan favorites, although picking favorites is a decidedly difficult task with such juicy jams as JBB delivers. The band released their debut album, All the Time, in 1997 and have spent the past 16 years earning their spot in hearts of Caribbean and reggae music lovers across the globe. In the wake of Kings & Queens’ release, you can find them touring across the United States, serenading throngs of swaying fans and leading them to the sunny, summery promised land.

Ned and the Dirt /

Giants

Indie quintet Ned and the Dirt from Columbia, SC, formally known as Ned Durrett and the Kindly Gents, have a powerful sound both in their music and in their lyrics. Singer and songwriter Ned Durrett never fails at showcasing his passion through his voice in the group’s first full-length album, Giants. Stand out track “Closer” had me singing along after a few listens, like I had known it for years. The catchy melody reminiscing of nineties alternative rock brought me home. However the song that caught me was the final track of the album, “In Ronda.” The emotion felt from the first few notes of the guitar was overwhelming. The sincerity in Durrett's grounding voice holds on until the very last note. Then comes the finale: the band tight, all building, pounding, rocking, while Durrett belts the melody, adding this layer of bliss. Perfection. Giants is an album you can listen to on repeat without it ever getting old and loving each song.

Transit /

Young New England

Brimming with an energetic familiarity, Boston-based Transit’s fourth album Young New England packs a youthful punch with every track, and is filled with punk summer anthems and pop soothers alike. Show opener “Nothing Lasts Forever” starts the album off with a bang and the joyfully gritty “Young New England” follows, packing most of the album’s power in the first two tracks. “Always working for the weekend, battling for a few good nights,” Joe Boynton sings, perfectly embodying the attitude of youths everywhere, struggling to make rent and have a good time. “Don’t Go, Don’t Stray” tackles summer flings and “Hazy” proves a solid, reflective number to round out the album. It’s Transit’s readiness to tackle the “every-youth’s” misadventures that makes them so great, doing so with a peppy punk sound and simply powerful lyrics. Easily inspiring youthful solidarity and nostalgia in turn, Young New England is about to fill your summer playlists and, while you won’t be the same afterwards, you won’t be sorry either.

The National /

Trouble Will Find Me

With the release of their first album in two years, The National has gracefully returned to the international music scene. Trouble Will Find Me is a long overdue return filled with frontman Matt Berringer’s impossibly lovely lyrics set against incredible instrumentals, courtesy of Aaron and Bryce Dessner (guitar/keyboard and guitar) and Scott and Bryan Devendry (bass and drums). The National wastes no time in sending you into tears of sorrow, beauty, and joy, often simultaneously. They may break your heart and soul, starting with the soothingly gut wrenching “I Should Live in Salt,” but they’ll spend the rest of the album piecing you back together with each flawless track that follows. “Demons,” previously released as a single, picks up the pace a bit and “Sea of Love” packs some seriously emotional pep. “Don’t Swallow the Cap” harks back to the traditional understated beats and grizzly crooning that trademarked the band in the past. Berringer growls his way through solemn soother “I Need My Girl” and “Graceless,” rocking you sweetly through what would otherwise be traumatic catharsis. “Fireproof” will bewitch you entirely with its otherworldly melody and haunting lyrics. Alligator was dubbed one of Pitchfork’s “Top 200 Albums of the 2000s,” but Trouble Will Find Me will undoubtedly become a timeless piece in the indie-rock cannon.

Arrica Rose & The ...’s /

Lucky

No, this group’s name isn’t a typo or just filler until I remember to actually write words, Arrica Rose & The …’s is the next band that you’re going to fall in love with. Rose and the Dot Dot Dots have just released an EP called Lucky that is going to knock your socks off. It barely gives you a moment of anticipation before the drums start on the downbeat of the very first track and Rose’s dark, creamy voice pours into your ears. The album doesn’t solely rely on Rose’s vocals though—the instrumentation of the songs is lush and expert. Lucky doesn’t fail to provide the uptempo songs, nor the slow songs to rock and nod your head to. This album takes you on a journey, and you will be overjoyed to follow.

Mike Felumlee /

Adelaide

Truth be told, I already knew I was going to love Mike Felumlee’s latest EP Adelaide. I’m pretty biased because my favorite person in the world lives in said southern Australian city, but even so, Felumlee won me over quickly with his upbeat and infectious indie pop. As the former drummer for such bands as the Smoking Popes, Alkaline Trio and Duvall, Felumlee is a surprisingly adept multi-instrumentalist, playing drums, bass, guitar, banjo, ukulele, and of course, vocals. On Adelaide, you’ll find a sunny rock album, with four tracks of unadulterated pleasure, filled with lyrics of love and companionship. As I write this, I’m already inundating my favorite person’s Facebook page with Mike Felumlee songs. Even if your own favorite person doesn’t live in Adelaide, you’ll still be compelled to share his songs with them.

Koji /

Crooked In My Mind

Pennsylvania native Andrew Shiraki, known by his stage name Koji, released his fifth album late last April on Run for Cover Records. An avid activist, Koji has spent the past few years producing albums in conjunction with non-profits and charities to raise awareness about the Lord’s Resistance Army’s (LRA) use of child soldiers and the homeless in America; Crooked In My Mind is his first solo release in a while, and it is entirely worth the wait. Album opener “Chasing a Ghost” has a tone reminiscent of Oasis’ “Wonderwall,” but the lyrics delve more deeply, resulting in an even more pleasantly bittersweet melody. The album’s nine tracks range from dead-end romances to nagging self doubt and inherent human value. The feelings-shy crowd may have a tough time sitting down with Koji’s music at first, but his humble charm and sensitive songwriting style will tear down even the most stony hearts. A killer songwriter with a gold medal in Ghandi-isms, Koji isn’t messing around here-he’s calling on his audiences to wake up and do a little bit of good now and then. Luckily enough, he’s delivered an album that is simultaneously honest, comforting, and supportive. Crooked In My Mind is the perfect call to friendship, and Koji will be touring around the nation this summer to promote his message. I suggest we join in and sing along.

Jason Blum /

Radio Dial

In today’s iPod-driven society, the radio has mostly gone the way of landline telephones—only used by older people or when there’s nothing else available. But Jason Blum’s latest album Radio Dial is anything but antiquated. Instead, the listener is treated to ten tracks of varying genres, from the blues-infused pop of “Thinkin’ About You” to the Latin flavored “Las Estrellas.” Like Baskin-Robbins, there’s something for everyone to enjoy from Blum’s single “I Know Evil,” which is delightfully rockabilly and my personal favorite, to “Barcelona,” which has a prominent accordion, giving it more of a world music air (very fitting). Radio Dial is a fun romp through genre-blurring music, and not just ten songs that sound the same, like so many albums do these days. Hopefully, we’ll be hearing Blum on our own radios soon!

Lisa Germano /

No Elephants

No Elephants is the ninth album of musical veteran Lisa Germano, and the fourth since her “retirement” in 1998. However, while No Elephants is a tad quieter than Germano’s 90s fare, it is no more subdued. The sound is ethereal, and at times, even spooky, and Germano’s wispy voice along with piano and violin accompaniment, the effect is complete. At one point, one can even hear a theremin make an appearance, a tragically underused instrument in my opinion. The seemingly uncorrelated sounds, such as beeps and bells and birds, gives the album the feel of avant-garde music, but the lyrics maintain the dark, confessional tone that has made Germano a cult favorite since her debut. The album has an air of low production quality at first, but rest assured that it was intentional. It feels like you’re stepping into the private recital of a friend, only to realize that there was always a master producer behind the curtain. No Elephants is a must-hear for all music lovers.

i i

Life's struggles gave him strength. Faith stood by his side. Spirituality helped deliver the mes sage. Get to know Andy Mineo . 88

You had a difficult childhood, how important do you think parental figures, both male and female are to adolescents? Extremely important. We are most impressionable in those formative years. I know the course of my life was set into motion based on much of what my parental figures invested in me. The good figures (my mom) & the bad (other older men who didn't know better).

Can you explain your initial desire to use your art in honor of God, and then how/ why you moved away from it? I became a Christian at about 13 - I wanted to make raps about God and what he had done for me. And I did. But, as life went on and I went into high school, I got caught up in the battle rap scene. I wanted to have the most ferocious rhymes to destroy my opponents and win respect in the hip hop scene. So I didn't think that talking about Jesus was going to win me many points when trying to verbally assault someone. Also, my relationship with God was suffering heavily because of my lack of growth spiritually. So, it showed in my rhymes. When I got to college, I started growing again and surrendering my music back to God.

Andy Mineo

What was the one moment that sticks in your mind that made you vow to follow your renewed purpose to use your art to honor God and his teachings? I was at a release concert for a rapper named "Da Truth." The album was Open Book. He rapped a song called "The Price Tag." In the song he spoke about the cost of following Jesus and surrendering everything to him. Go listen to it. After I heard that song I knew I needed to give up much of what I was doing that was causing me to compromise in my faith.

Why is freestyle rap important to you? It is one of the most forgotten art forms of rap. It's the improv jazz solo of hip hop. It's organic, unplanned, inspired by the moment. It’s pure creation, quick wit and raw imagination. It's an art that doesn't get as much attention today as it once did, which is sad. I'm sure it will make its way back around (as most things do).

How did you come up with the name C-Lite? It was an inside joke with friends when I was growing up. It stood for Cellulite (because I was fat).

Why was it so important to you to drop it and use your birth name? Well, 1 - I didn't like the name. I thought it was corny and cliché, especially for a Christian artist. Christian artists have enough hurdles to jump, having a cheesy name doesn’t help.

Who are your heroes, both musically and personally? Hmm... My mom (personally) & Duke Ellington (Musically).

Tell us a little about 116 Clique and how you got involved with this Dallas group. 116 is a collective of artist’s who are unashamed of their faith. It’s not just a group of artists, it is much bigger. It’s an actual movement of people who align themselves with Romans 1:16 - being unashamed of their faith in Jesus.

How did they help in your movement and growth? I am the youngest of my label mates. The older dudes have invested in me in so many ways. I glean from them often as we hit the road together. On manhood, marriage, finances, leadership, following Jesus, etc. They're all wise, talented and Godly men.

[Freestyle Rap] is one of the most forgotten art forms of rap. It's the improv jazz solo of hip hop. It's organic, unplanned, inspired by the moment. It’s pure creation, quick wit and raw imagination.

Heroes for Sale was released in April of this year, and debuted at No. 1 on the Christian Chart, 4 on Top Rap and 11 on Billboard 200. How proud were you that your message/album had the ability to cross over into different categories? It’s really exciting to see the response it got. I hope to cross into more genre's as time goes on. I want to see our music reach more people.

We love that you describe your concept behind the album as "What I really wanted to do is show the brokenness of the heroes that we create and the heroes that we try to be in order to show that there is ultimately only one great hero,” would you please pick the 3 songs that you would like people to listen to the most and describe what they mean, and how the music ties into that meaning? 1. “Bitter” - I shared a lot of my personal life on this record. Showing the brokenness of some of my relationships in life and my dependency on God to be the healer of those. 2. “Ex Nihilo” - This song literally means "something out of nothing." This describes us. This describes me. God creates beauty from ashes. 3. “Caught Dreaming” - This song describes the grandeur of God's love for us, in spite of our weak love for Him.

How often do you collaborate with other writers? Not very often at all. Sometimes I’ll have people help with choruses, but for the most part I am the primary writer.

What do you look for in a writing partner? Someone who isn’t obvious. Poetic, concise and good with memorable phrases. Someone who isn’t afraid to be told “no, try again.”

Andy Mineo

Do you have any daily rituals? My day to day is pretty different at the moment. I’m doing a lot of traveling at different times throughout the week, so it’s hard to be consistent. But, I do have a list of 7 things I try to do every day. I have this list saved to my lock screen on my iPhone. 1. Eat healthy 2. Work out 3. Spend time with God in prayer and scripture 4. Read something that challenges my thinking (nonChristian material) 5. Spend time creating or finding inspiration 6. Spend time with friends or family (phone, hang time, text, etc.) 7. Spend time investing in someone (giving out without expecting a return).

Who are your favorite artists? I have so many from so many different genres. I love people who push the limits of creativity. Duke Ellington, Beethoven, Berlios, Nas, Kings Kaleidoscope, Gungor, J. Cole, Nas, Lana Del Rey, King Crimson, John Mayer, The Roots, James Blake, CocoRosie, Sade, blah blah. I could go on forever. Those are just a few in my play list.

What is your greatest weakness? What steps do you take to work on it? Discipline. I am constantly trying to grow to be a more disciplined man. I fight against it by making myself accountable to others regularly.

What movie could you watch a million times and never tire of? The Newsies or Ace Ventura. Classics. I watched ‘em a million times already with my sister Mary!

How many pairs of sneakers do you own? Yikes... about 35.

What do you think is the best way to get back in touch or reconnect with one's spirituality? For me, finding community that is heading in that direction was insanely helpful. When I had people to walk alongside me and point me in the right directions I grew exponentially.

Best road food? Hmmm. There aren’t many good choices since I always try to eat healthy haha. Road food is the worst for me. But... I’d say Chick-Fil-A

Most inspiring individual to you right now? Jay-Z. He’s aging like wine. Growing old but remaining relevant.

We'll keep following your example and shining light. Check out Andy Mineoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s singles and recent album, Heroes for Sale on iTunes today!

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T H E P L A N T S M U S I C FA C T O R Y S i t a r/ I n s t r u m e n t a l / Tr a d i t i o n a l

ATHENS TMI Hot Picks SUBSONICS (glam rock) 40 WATT//Fri, Jul 26, 9 pm

T H E DA R N E L L B OYS (americana) Melting Point/ / Tues, Aug 27, 7:30 pm

SNARKY PUPPY (instrumental fusion) Georgia Theater//Fri, Sept 13, 8 pm

Ababd Vyas

Athens musical group The

Jeff Buckley. His songs are

Plants Music Factory is the

all

brainchild of New York native

experiences that the listener

Anand Vyas. Born in Queens,

could

he spent many years in India,

As Vyas says himself on his

studying

Twitter, through The Plants

classical

Indian

thoughtful, lose

emotional

themselves

in.

music at the feet of Ustad

Music

Sultan Khan, internationally

to“[Explore] the boundaries

celebrated for his skill on

the sarangi. Vyas was unique

them into a single radiating

conscious

his

lessons

however,

Factory,

music,

and

tries

integrate

identity.”

That

being the only one of Khan’s

sounds like the divinity that

students to study the sitar, as

influences

well as develop his skill using

music, and a worthy goal

a bow on the instrument.

every musician should strive

In Vyas’ songs, the sitar is

for. The Plants Music Factory

prominent, as is the tabla,

is comprised mostly of Vyas,

always

the

a multi-instrumentalist, but

listener to the rich musical

is accompanied by Joe Leone

history

the

and Robert Sutherland. The

musical present of Western

group is currently unsigned,

popular music has influenced

but I expect to see great

Vyas as well. With his soulful,

things

echoing voice, Vyas almost

future, with or without The

invokes a vision of an Indian

Plants Music Factory.

connecting of

India,

but

classical

from

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Indian

the

N I C C O WA N C o u n t r y/S o u l /S o n g w r i t e r

Nic Cowan, Kevin Leon Marshall Coats, Peter Swadley

When Nic Cowan made the move from Texas, Atlanta gained

sure to keep checking in with the guys for information on the

an exciting new musician. Cowan makes music for sunny

new record and summer tour dates so you can experience Nic

days, music that would play in the background of sitting in

Cowan & The Remedy as they should be experienced, live in

the grass with friends, drinking a beer, feeling the tangible

the sunshine or deep in the summer night.

effects of summer on your body. The group is fronted by lead singer and guitarist Cowan, with Kevin Leon on drums, Marshall Coats on bass and trumpet, and Peter Swadley on the keys.

Cowan’s voice is gritty and pleasing, while the

music can’t help but make you want to nod and shake with

ATLANTA

songs like “Cut It Loose” and “Hard Headed.” Don’t think that it’s all just mindless fun though—songs such as “Reno” offer a heartfelt story of art, love, and life. As Cowan says, “[My dad] said the key is to be completely original. Don’t do something that people can categorize easily. You want them not to be able to put a label on you. You can be an amazing singer, amazing player, amazing songwriter, but if you sound like something that’s already out there, then you’re not going to get far.” It seems like Cowan has really taken his father’s advice to heart, because while his sound is uniquely

TMI Hot Picks KURT VILE & THE VIOLATORS (indie) Terminal West//Tues, Jul 16, 8 pm

T H E O H H E L LO S (eclectic folk rock) Eddie’s Attic//Tues, Jul 23, 8 pm

Southern, you can really hear the inflections of country,

TO R R E S

soul, and R&B saturated into his songs. Nic Cowan & The

(electric singer songwriter) Variety/ / Sat, Sept 21, 7:30 pm

Remedy are currently signed to Southern Ground Artists, and are finalizing their debut album, but if you’re desperate for some Nic Cowan in your life, you can purchase his first album (sans The Remedy) on iTunes and Amazon.com. Be

DIRTY VIRGINS Psychedlic Pop/Experimental Born out of Allston Rock

released

City and whiskey fueled

year hopes to see them

rock dreams come rock

quartet

and out of Boston bands’

The

Dirty

Virgins.

completely

band

released

two

out

EPs,

the

this open

male

smokey

underground.

their

With

luck,

any

they’ll

G I R L S G U N S & G LO RY (honky tonk) Club Passim/ / Sat , Aug 3, 7 pm

nation

the

rallying rebels and rock

release

making

(roots rock) Sally O’Brein’s//Sat, Jul 27, 9 pm

the

in March 2012, following

around

soon

RYA N TAY LO R BA N D

enough,

second EP Tapped Out

touring

TMI Hot Picks

rounds of basements and

fans

town

THE DODOS

dive bars, much to many

dripping with nostalgia of

Bostonians’ delight. Dirty

every sort, Dirty Virgins

(indie rock) Paradise Rock Club//Fri, Sept 27, 9 pm

Virgins are pure Boston

bring the best of it to the

(sans any homage to Irish

table, serving it up with a

heritage): full of beer and

sublime side of old school

whiskey, perfect for dark

cool. They’ll remind you a

dive bars full of lively

little of the Kinks, a little

and

of the Epsilons, and a lot

lusty

folk.

Their

alike.

unapologetically brawny,

raw sound adds to their

good youthful times.

your

own

rollicking

college drop out veneer, making

for

perfectly

great time. “Straight to Hell” will take you right up to heaven, musically speaking,

and

“Cheap

Talk” might even bring Brit-pop the

memories

surface.

The

Dirty

Virgins

epitomize

unpolished

greatness.

Their sometimes messy, always

powerful

sound

makes them all the better. Additionally, the grainy recording quality of their tracks complements their already

in-your-soul

rock’n’roll vibe - you feel like you’re listening to a truly old school record.

Austin Burt , Alex Carlo

Signed

Dean Mulone , Luke Alvine

Cash2Mouth,

Dirty Virgins have only

BOSTON

C O M PA N Y Indie Pop/Rock

pop-rock

the eerily relatable quality of

tracks, filled with a pure sound

the songs they write. Alternately

and

contemplative

Company’s

Brian Robert, Shawn Krauss Brett Churchill Nash, Wil Yorke

CHARLESTON TMI Hot Picks

indie

clear

vocals,

instantly

and

energetic,

imbibe a welcoming feel. Their

Company consistently delivers

second full-length album Dear

meaningful music at it’s finest.

America is a great followup

Every track hits close to home.

to 2010’s Holy City, named

They’re anthems are for the

after the band’s hometown of

EveryMan, the EveryAmerican,

Charleston,

and

South

Carolina.

the

band

blends

indie

After Holy City was released, the

rock and pop-rock seamlessly,

band’s founding drummer, Kelly

occasionally adding harmonica

Grant, passed away in December

instrumentals

2010, leaving Company with a

drums

great deal of grief and catching

they’re indie, rock, pop, or a

rotating

blend of all three, Company

drummers and bassists since

is purely, truly American -

then, Company has come back

their music feels like home, an

again under the leadership of

amazing feat with such trying

frontman Brian Hannon with a

and transitional times as they

true blue album that manages to

have had. Regardless of the

acknowledge their grief without

short amount of time it took

wallowing in it. Dear America

Company to produce the album,

Hannon notes that the motifs in

do.

full

Despite

honest,

heartfelt

and

foregoing

altogether.

Whether

sunny

Dear America are “a culmination

(rock) The Sparrow//Mon, Jul 22, 10 pm

melodies. The pop-rock group

of efforts and sacrifice dating

manages to be earnest without

back years and years.” Dear

ALEXANDER & THE GRAPES

getting sappy. After transitions

America is available on iTunes,

(folk pop) The Royal American/ / Tues, Aug 20, 9 pm

and tragedies, Company has

Amazon, and bandcamp, and

managed to stay on target with

the band has spent the past year

their homey, truthful spirit,

touring across the country and

maintaining musical production

internationally

FA L L I N G T H R O U G H A P R I L

BLACK JOE LEWIS (blues, funk, soul) The Pour House//Mon, Sept 9, 8:30 pm

lyrics

and

energetic,

incredible

speed,

especially when you consider

T H E YO U N G T H I N G S Rock

Ever have one of those days where you just want to rock out in your underwear in your room by yourself? If today is one of those days, head over to ReverbNation and check out New York City’s reemerging rock group The Young Things. Composed of members Mike Fleizach, Josh Hammer, Neil Kumar, and Jon LaPrade, these guys are guaranteed to shake any negative

NYC

vibes that you’re feeling. With the release of their new EP, The Young Things have been packing venues all over New York. Their debut music video “All My Friends Are Junkies” was chosen as a feature video on AOL Music’s national and they won the Deli Magazine’s Artist of the Month. The guys performed a sold-out show at the Bowery Electric, earning them a residency at the local hot spot. Their music brilliantly

TMI Hot Picks M U D, B LO O D & B E E R (roots rock) The Way Station//Tues, Jul 23, 9 pm

T H E W H I T E B U F FA LO

combines the lighter side of life with the darker through their

(americana) Rockwood Music Hall/ / Sun, Aug 4, 7 pm

soaring guitars and vintage melodies married with pounding

OBITS

drums and dark lyrics. Tracks like “Talking Too Loud” and

(rock) The Bell House//Sat, Sept 21, 8 pm

“Case of the Mundanes” will have you up and ready to take on the day with their upbeat rock sounds and catchy vocals. Be sure to check out their newest album, “Hello Love/Goodbye Sexual,” which will be released on June 4th under their new label, Battle Worldwide.

Mikey, Josh, Neil, Jon

100

S PA C E S H I P D AYS Alterna-pop

Chuck Cox, Greg Torsone, Adam Lee Decker, Dave Kress

Alterna-pop

trio

Spaceship

Awards and Best Pop Act in the

Days is blowing up in their local

Los Angeles-based Artist Music

music scene—and rightfully so!

Awards. Since then, the group

Spaceship Days (then known

has added members Adam Lee

as grey.) was born in a North

Decker and Tarik Ghiradella,

Carolina State University dorm

giving the band it’s full desired

room with three guys having

sound. Each of their tunes is

no instruments or even the

crisply produced and possesses

skills to play any of them. In

slick,

2009, two of the members,

Chuck Cox and Greg Torsone,

songwriting. “December” and

decided to break away and

“Shadow Walking” are feel-

they

albums

good, catchy tracks that will

independently and under the

transform any listener’s bad

name

The

mood. The guys mostly play

second of the albums, “Black

shows around North Carolina

Holes & Butterflies,” earned

so, North Carolinians, keep

them Best Pop Artist in the 2011

your eyes peeled for a chance to

St. Helier Cider Online Music

see them at a venue near you!

released

Spaceship

two

Days.

pop/alternative

well

catchy,

music mature

RALEIGH TMI Hot Picks T E R RY A N D E R S O N & T H E O LY M P I C AS S- K I C K I N T E A M (rock) The Pour House//Thurs, Jul 25, 7 pm

R OYA L BA N G S (indie) Kings Barcade/ / Mon, Aug 12, 9 pm

O’BROTHER (experimental) Local 506//Wed, Sept 18, 7 pm

THE OUTLET DIVIDE Experimental/Indie/Rock You’ve heard of the one-man band. But

Washington,

D.C.,

The

Outlet

Divide is a one-man show that takes it a step further and has given names to the different sides of himself. Erich Morse is The Outlet Divide. The Outlet Divide is a solo project that was started in

2008.

His

other

names

include

E, E-Dubz, and E-Rawk. The Outlet Divide made a home with the genres of alternative, experimental, and indierock. When asked about his career as The Outlet Divide, he replied, “[There are] no egos, no gossip, no BS. The sounds are raw/unpolished yet it makes you think. Step Inside Your Mind.” “Step inside your mind” is exactly what you may do after listening to a song by The Outlet Divide. The music is raw, emotive, real, and as many describe it, it is E. E is the singer-songwriter that puts all of himself into his music. There are so many different sides to Erich, that it takes a good bit of listening to understand him. But once you do, The Outlet

Divide

becomes

amazing

Erich Morse

D.C.

experience. His influences range from “classical to tool and in between.” “You

TMI Hot Picks

say you don’t want to be/You say you

H E I D I M A RT I N & M O O N I N S CO R P I O

don’t want to be known...” These lyrics

(jazz) Bohemian Caverns//Tues, Jul 16, 7 pm

are reflective of the kind of music Erich creates. Emotion, and one’s exploration

E L E P H A N T STO N E

of it, is always a journey. The Outlet

(hindie) Black Cat/ / Sun, Aug 11, 8 pm

Divide just tries to guide you along the way. So when the opportunity presents itself, don’t pass it up. The Outlet Divide will no disappoint.

102

LUCY ROSE (folk rock) 9:30 Club//Tues, Sept 17, 7 pm

AFRO Progressive Jazz Rock

NASHVILLE

Progressive jazz-rock group

home of Perpetual Groove

AFRO is becoming one of the

and many other great artists.

biggest things to happen to

They also have a DVD in

Nashville’s up and coming

production that was shot

local

The

at Rhythm and Brews in

group has varied in style

Chattanooga, TN. AFRO is

over

years

one very talented group of

but the sound they have

musicians and I can say with

JAY K E O RV I S & T H E B R O K E N BA N D

settled into as of late is truly

certainty that they are going

something great. AFRO is

to go very big places in the

(new roots) The End/ / Sun, Aug 25, 9 pm

composed of six extremely

music industry. Don’t turn

talented

another page before checking

music

the

Mullins

past

scene.

few

members—Adam (guitar,

vocals),

them out—I promise you

Blake Gallant (bass, vocals),

will be thanking me later!

TMI Hot Picks C A M E R O N B E D E L L & DAV I D D e VAU L (singer-songwriter) The Listening Room//Fri, Jul 19, 9 pm

ZEDD (electro house) Marathon Music Works/ / Mon, Sept 9, 7 pm

David Williford (saxophone, vocals),

Jeff

McSpadden

(percussion, vocals), Kaitlyn Connor (keyboard, vocals), and Michael Toman (drums). The

amazing

ability

the

group possesses to marry the sounds of traditional jazz

with

the

sounds

progressive rock is incredibly noteworthy.

Audience

members at each of their live shows are taken on a journey through swinging jazz tunes to funky rock jams. You really cannot help but get up and groove to each and every song that they play. The group was recently signed to Nimbleslick Entertainment,

Adam Mullis, Blake Gallant, David Williford Jeff McSpadden, Kaitlyn Connor, Michael Toman

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School of Music, Inc. The Kore Course and Jazz Course are each available for 35+ instruments.

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from L to R: Cody Chelius, Eric Lesser, Daniel Harry, and Chris Conrad

106

COPPER I N T O S T E E L With a music scene like Nashville, Tennessee, it’s pretty easy to find good music just by walking out your front door. But it’s those rare occasions when you happen upon something truly great that really make you say, “Wow!” That’s exactly what I did when I stumbled upon Murfreesboro, TN born acoustic rock and blues group Copper Into Steel. This talented group of guys was kind enough to answer a few questions for us about life and the music biz.

from L to R: Cody Chelius, Eric Lesser, Daniel Harry, and Chris Conrad

Let’s talk childhood—did each of you always dream of being musicians as kids?

Eric: As a kid I think my first dream was to be a professional soccer, basketball, or tennis player, three of my favorite sports at the time; but when my parents bought me a piano and started taking me to weekly lessons, I knew that music would always be a significant part of my life. Cody: I remember being infatuated with music ever since I was a little kid—especially live music. My parents and their friends were always throwing parties with a live band for entertainment. We would all be dancing and singing along to Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan songs having the best time. I could see how much fun the musicians were having and I always wanted to do the same. My mom would tell me, “those guys have to pack up all that gear at two in the morning and they won’t be in bed until four!” I would just tell her, “I don’t care.” Chris: Kind of, I either wanted to be an engineer and design amusement park rides or play in a Nu Metal band like Limp-Bizkit or KoRn. There was a little bit of

108

contrast in my dreams back then, not to mention the bands on MTV while I was a kid were Nu Metal bands. Daniel: I actually didn’t imagine myself as a musician or rock star as a kid. I always thought I’d take after my Dad’s profession as an electrical or mechanical engineer. Even after I attended UT-Chattanooga’s orientation, I decided that path was not quite for me any longer. I packed up and headed to MTSU to pursue a recording industry degree. Without this decision, Copper never would’ve come to be.

Have your families always been supportive of you choosing music as a career? Eric: They’ve always supported the instruments I’ve played over the years, including piano, guitar, and percussion/drums and ever since I first joined a band in high school, winning battle of the bands my junior year and playing gigs all over Charlottesville, VA. I think they saw early on that I would pursue my God-given talent through music.

Cody: My parents have been nothing but supportive of my choice to pursue a career in music. We have

always shared similar tastes in music and enjoy going to a lot of shows and festivals together. I started playing mandolin after they took me to the Hickory Fest Bluegrass Festival when I was fifteen. Since then my parents have always encouraged me to continue playing mandolin. When Copper Into Steel started, they knew we had something special and are excited to see how far we can grow. My mom listens to all the shows on archive.org and likes to tell me when things sound good... or not so good, haha. Chris: Yes, however, I was in a couple of bands before Copper Into Steel and my parents did not take them as seriously. When they finally heard/ saw Copper Into Steel, they told me, “You need to focus on making this band your new future job.” I’m 23 years old and they still support me on trying to be a musician for my career. Daniel: My parents and family have always been supportive of my music. My dad always made sure I had the gear I needed, especially recently with the purchase of the bands new trailer for our busy touring schedule. My mom was a little hesitant at first, but only because she really didn’t know the

from L to R: Cody Chelius, Daniel Harry, and Chris Conrad

ins and outs of the industry and how exactly I’d turn my music into a career. Today, after seeing the bands growth and our at least “decent” shot at playing music for a living, my folks are ready for the bumpy and hopefully successful ride.

How did the four of you get started playing together?

Cody: Sophomore year of college, Conrad and I were playing in a jazz band together. At the same time, he started becoming friends with Daniel because of a class they had together. After seeing Daniel perform at a house show, Conrad knew Daniel had more to offer than most singer/songwriters in the area. The two of them started jamming together and Conrad eventually invited me over to join one of their practices and meet Daniel. The first thing I remember playing was “Fire and Rain” by James Taylor and Daniel’s voice gave me the most intense chills. We improvised an ending section that kept building and building and all burst into laughter. That night Daniel told me he wanted to start a band called Copper Into Steel.

Where did the name Copper Into Steel come from? Daniel: I was trying to the think of visual themes that reminded me of acoustic instruments. I started playing around with the color schemes. Copper is the color of the bronze strings on my acoustic guitar. And of course, the steel comes from the steel strings for the higher notes of acoustic instruments. After playing around with different words to tie them together, I eventually came up with Copper Into Steel. Basically no one else came up with anything better, so we chose that, haha.

If you could promote one local band from the area, who would it be and why? Cody: I have to give a shout out to our friends AFRO. Our bass player was originally in the band and him permanently switching definitely put a hold on what they were working on. Now they are back and better than ever, making some incredible music. We just played three shows with them and their musicianship is just unbelievable.

What venue do you enjoy performing at the most and why?

Eric: Newbys’ in Memphis—a bar/venue that we’ve had some very memorable shows at due to our close relationship with the audience and our loyal fans there. Also 12th & Porter in Nashville, a venue that we’ve played some of our most notable gigs at, including the bluegrass ball, where we had the opportunity to share the stage with famous acts such as, “The Travelin’ McCoury’s,” “Emmitt-Nershi band,” featuring Michael Kang, mandolin player from “The String Cheese Incident.”

Where do you see yourselves in 10 years?

Eric: As a band, hopefully still touring the country and getting our name out there, playing shows at Red Rocks Amphitheatre and the Gorge. But if the band splits up, I see myself playing music until the day I die, God willing. Cody: In ten years I want to be on the road with the band playing extensive tours. I hope to have a

110

full production team with us that know our sound and lights and can help to put on an incredible show every night. To be able to perform for people at clubs, theaters and music festivals all around the country and make a living from it would be the biggest dream come true. Someday I would love to record and mix one of our albums when we weren’t touring to test the waters on producing a record as well as writing and performing. Chris: I would hope that we become a successful touring band that is respected within the industry. Daniel: I hopefully see myself living in Nashville, and even more consumed with Copper Into Steel. I hope we’re even bigger and more successful than we ever imagined. For the record, I don’t care whether we’re famous or not. I JUST WANT TO PLAY MUSIC FOR A LIVING. If I’m doing that in ten years, I will be very happy and fulfilled.

You are very active on social media (i.e. asking fans their favorite venues, first shows, instruments they play, etc.)—do you feel as if this is the best way to interact with fans? Cody: Absolutely. So many bands forget that the best part of social media is that it allows for a two-way conversation to happen between the artist and the fans. We are no longer in the days when a people would use the Internet solely to read information written on a website. As a fan, I like to read what everyone else thinks about different venues, upcoming festivals or music that I haven’t heard of and put in my two cents as well. I think that it can really build a bond between fans and the artists that only posting things like “come see my show” or “listen to my music” can’t. Daniel: Social Media is the best way to attain the masses attention. Yes, I think it’s best at interacting with our fans. All the different venues, Facebook, Twitter, reverbnation, Instagram, etc. do a great job at keeping our fans up to date. I think they like that a lot, especially with a band that started small but continues to show success, like the opportunity for this interview for example.

Cody Chelius of Copper Into Steel

“In 10 years I want to be on the road

with the band playing extensive tours.”

Cody Chelius

Y’all have a jam-packed Spring-Fall tour—where are you most excited about performing?

Eric: I’m super pumped to play in New Orleans, a city I’ve never been to and is filled with lively culture, lots of soul, and is the birthplace of some amazing musicians, including Fats Domino. I’m also looking forward to playing in Charlottesville, Virginia, where I’m from, and of course, New York City.

If you could change one thing about today’s music industry, what would it be?

Chris: I would change the fact that venue/festival promoters keep their contact information private, which makes it very difficult to try and get on bigger and better bills for upcoming acts. I see poor-average bands popping up on line-ups and festivals all the time and I always wonder how they pulled it off. Most of the time its “who you know” as opposed to “what you know” or how well you do it. I feel that mind site could definitely be changed to better the music industry.

Any crazy groupies yet? We won’t do any namedropping. Cody: Our fans are great. I love them all. No crazies yet. Eric: .............yes. Chris: As the bass player in the band, I don’t see any groupie action. However, my other band members have some pretty funny stories that I’ll leave for them to tell. Daniel: All I’ll say is that Memphis, Tuscaloosa, and Richmond are some wild towns, haha.

Has it been hard managing performing as well as maintaining a social life or do the two kind of go hand in hand? Chris: Sometimes it’s a bit difficult to maintain a normal social life because we are constantly traveling around the country. Not to mention some of our friends are also in regional touring bands that are touring a lot as well. However, it has opened us up to having groups of friends in different places, especially in all the Tennessee cities.

112

Daniel Harry

Eric Lesser

“All I’ll say is that

Memphis, Tuscaloosa, and Richmond

are some wild towns...”

Chris Conrad

114

from L to R: Chris Conrad, Eric Lesser, Cody Chelius, and Daniel Harry

What piece of advice would you give a band just starting out, even more recently than you guys? Eric: It might seem cliché, but practice, practice, practice. That includes constantly writing/working on new material, but also rehearsing old songs for the occasional encore. Playing gigs every weekend and touring obviously helps you gain stage presence and confidence for the band as a whole, but it all starts by putting in the hours in someone’s basement or attic.

Cody: If your band is traveling on the road, set up a gig swap. Find a band in another town that draws well and open up for them. When they go on tour, they can open for you in your hometown. That way both bands can play for a good crowd.

Chris: Make sure you make time for personal practice (not “jamming” with other people) and take lessons on your instrument (not from a peer). It will never hurt you to learn and better yourself. Also try and listen to as much diverse music as possible to help broaden your sound as a band. Daniel: Have a good name/logo for your band. Utilize social media to the max, it will do wonders for bands starting out with a close group of friends around and such. Assign roles/responsibilities for each member of the band other than their instrument (for example: someone to run social media, someone to schedule practices, someone to book, etc.).

If you could grab lunch with any artist from any era/genre, who would it be and why?

Eric: Carter Beauford, drummer for Dave Matthews Band, definitely comes to mind, being my favorite musician, but since I’ve already been blessed with the opportunity to meet and talk with him about playing styles and past shows, I’d have to say John Bonham or Keith Moon. Both drummers climbed and summited the pinnacle of rock n’ roll drumming and my respect for them is unprecedented. Cody: I would grab lunch with Del McCoury. He seems like one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. He has played with so many amazing musicians and has been a part of some of most historic moments in bluegrass it would be incredible to hear some of his stories. Chris: Probably jazz bassist Charles Mingus. I watched a documentary on him a couple years ago and he seemed like an intelligent guy who had a lot of good ideas. He also seemed a bit insane but had a good since of humor at the same time. That would be an interesting lunch. Daniel: Dave Matthews - mainly because I love his fan demographics, having the huge live following, but also the commercial success has made DMB one of the biggest acts of all time. I want that for Copper, the huge live and commercial success, similar to what Dave has done. Also, because I’d like to ask him about his songwriting ideas.

from L to R: Daniel Harry, Cody Chelius, Eric Lesser, Chris Conrad

T O U R D AT E S 7/18 Nashville, TN - Ryman Plaza 7/19 Murfreesboro, TN - Main Street Live 7/20 Memphis, TN - Newby’s 7/24 Knoxville, TN - Preservation Pub 7/25 Roanoke, VA - Martin’s Downtown 7/26 Washington, DC - Ebenezer’s Coffeehouse 7/27 Kempton, PA - Jammin’ for the Animals Fest 7/29 Reading, PA - Mike’s Tavern 7/31 New York, NY - The Bowery Electric 8/01 Reading, PA - Reading Liederkranz (early) 8/01 Shartlesville, PA - Steal Your Fest (late) 8/02 Richmond, VA - The Camel 8/03 Raleigh, NC - Slim’s Downtown Distillery 8/05 Knoxville, TN - Barley’s Taproom

116

Aside from the many shows you have coming up, any other big plans in the works in the near future for Copper Into Steel?

Eric: Completing our first album, as well as the continual touring, especially now that we have a brand new trailer with plenty of space for all of our music equipment, sound gear, and stage lights. We’re best friends, we’re having a great time on the road and maturing as a band, and we’ll see where our musical abilities take us.

Copper into Steel is taking their local music scene by storm. With their first album being released this month and tons of upcoming tour dates, there’s no excuse for anyone not to check these guys out. I have a feeling these guys will be jamming together for quite some time and with their dedication and passion for what they do, they are guaranteed to have a bright future ahead of them.

aside/bside

Liars “WIXIW”

Austra

“Darken Her Horse”

Air France

“Collapsing At Your Doorstep”

Diamond Rings

DVAS

“Put Me On ”

“Inner Sanctum”

Twin Shadow “You Call Me On”

Future Islands “Vireo’s Eye”

Gigamesh “All My Life”

The Burning Hotels

“Beard”

White Denim “Street Joy”

Thieves Like Us “Desire”

John Maus

The A-Side

Joe’s Mix

118

Wagoosh

“No Title (Molly)”

Destroyer “Kaputt”

Audiodope

The B-Side

Owen’s Mix

The Morning Benders “Promises”

Radiohead

Washed Out

“The Butcher”

Spoon

“Feel It Around”

“Who Makes Your Money”

Wilco

Person L

“Art of Almost”

“Canyon Lands”

Gorillaz

“5/4 FiveFour”

Grizzly Bear “Ready, Able”

Blonde Redhead

Manchester Orchestra

“A Cure”

“Shake It Out”

Neon Indian “Fallout”

Vampire Weekend “Step”

Tera Melos “Bite”

Jake Cinninger of Umphrey’s McGee

Benny Benassi

Let’s Hangout!

M U S I C

120

The Tontonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s frontwoman Asli Omar

Ferris Wheel at Hangout

E S T I V A L

unshine, sand, and the sounds of

Stevie

Wonder:

only

the

Hangout Festival can boast such a combination. For one weekend

a year, the quiet coastal condo community of Gulf Shores, Alabama erupts into a sea of stages, concession vendors, and scantily clad music enthusiasts from all corners of the US. This year the festival featured the headliners Kings of Leon, Tom Petty, and Stevie Wonder. The range of musical genres present at the festival came to a forefront in Wonder’s festival-concluding show featuring a mashup of funk and classic rock. Stevie Wonder fused the instrumental groove of Parliament’s “Tear the Roof Off the Funk” and the Beatles’ lyrical stylings in “Day Tripper.” As Stevie Wonder mused on stage, such a gathering in Alabama of all forms of humanity truly shows the power of music to bring diverse groups together in a collective love of music.

122

Crowd starting to gather for Jim James

Luke Miller of Lotus

Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors

Mike Rempel of Lotus

124

The Roots

No band embodied this unity more than the upand-coming group The Mowgli’s from Los Angeles. Featuring the full musical range of their eight band members, The Mowgli’s captured the hearts of the crowd through their fun and happy hits including “San Francisco” and “The Great Divide.” The band led a “B.S. expelling” primal scream with the audience, reminiscent of the wail of a Warren Haynes guitar or the growl of a Bassnectar effect. Their energy resembled another California band at the festival— Grouplove. Sporting endearingly goofy costumes including a full-body skeleton spandex suit, Grouplove fired up the crowd with renditions of their hits “Tongue Tied” and “Colours.” Their summer ballad “Naked Kids” followed the vein of the optimism found in The Mowgli’s, yielding an air of positivity for the final day of the festival. All in all, the festival served as a meeting place of popular music’s legends and newcomers like The Tontons, Space Capone, Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors, and Colin Lake (all featured on Balcony TV Charleston), giving audiences the rare opportunity to enjoy their favorites, like the Shins, and discover the immense talent of groups like The Revivalists. The Revivalists blended the musical energy of New Orleans with the emotional force of Delta Blues music to produce a truly crowd-pleasing experience, highlighted by saxophone solos and a crowd surfing drummer. Ryan Stasik in the zone

Michael Vincze of The Mowgli’s

Backdrop at The Hangout Music Festival

126

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Roots performed the impressive set of the weekend,

most

excluding Stevie Wonder.

Their immeasurable musical IQ yielded a constant flow of covers and original music with instrumental command unmatched by any of the other bands.â&#x20AC;?

Festival goers buying merchandise

The balmy Alabama Gulf Shores

The Charleston duo Shovels & Rope wowed crowds at the Hangout Stage with their country-delta blues fusion foot-stomping music, including their hit single “O’ Be Joyful.” Their gritty guitar and drum kit sound fits perfectly with the strong and raspy vocals of the lead vocalist, whose timbre brings to mind the sweet southern sounds of June Carter Cash mixed with the pained roars of Willie Dixon. It was easy to understand the musical pedigree of Shovels & Rope, especially since Warren Haynes, The Black Crows, and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers all performed on the Hangout Stage later that day.

Festival goers relaxing in the shade

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Benny Benassi

The Roots performed the most impressive set of the weekend, excluding Stevie Wonder. Their immeasurable musical IQ yielded a constant flow of covers and original music with instrumental command unmatched by any of the other bands. Their cover of James Brown proved a completely appropriate link between “the hardest working man in show business” and the hardest working band in show business. Their nonstop set with a constant flow of songs was comparable only to the Bruce Springsteen three-hour marathon concerts of the 80s or the electronic dance sets put on by Afrojack, Steve Aoki, and Bassnectar. The band definitively earned their self-described title of “The Legendary Roots Crew” by providing one of the more memorable performances of the festival.

The most incredible performance of the festival had to be Stevie Wonder’s band. Some of the songs they played came as a surprise both to the audience and to the band. At times, Stevie Wonder called out a key and launched into Bob Marley or another song that struck his fancy. The master showman paid tribute to Michael Jackson with a cover of “The Way You Make Me Feel;” he congratulated his newly engaged daughter with “Isn’t She Lovely,” and also made a passionate plea to end gun violence in America. When he became satisfied with a song or grew bored, he simply said it was over and everything stopped. The performance culminated in a brilliant performance of “Superstition,” in which Stevie Wonder and his band showcased their incredible ability as musicians and performers. Most of all, the performance highlighted a key theme that permeated almost every show of the festival: it was all about having fun.

Lotus performing

Benny Benassi and one of his many trippy backdrops

Fans with Delta Rae at the group’s meet and greet

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With Hangout Fest 2013 in the books, all we can do is wait excitedly for what next year will bring. If recent history tells us anything, the Hangout Fest will remain a relevant and entertaining destination for summer festival patrons and bands looking to make a big splash. Let the count down begin and unleash the online bloggers with their lineup predictions.

Memories being captured at Bassnectar

balconytv

Sunshine Coast

is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world—but that’s not all they have to offer; they’ve got the musical talent to match. Luckily, we have Rachel Forsyth of BalconyTV Sunshine Coast to elaborate on the local music scene they have there.

What is your job with Balcony TV and how did you get involved? I am currently the Producer and Presenter of Sunshine Coast BTV. It is such a cool job. Originally, my friend Nikki (original producer of BTV) asked me to help her present the show and when she left the job to have her second baby, I took over her role as Producer as well. I also trained at QUT and have a Bachelor of Arts in Drama.

Where does the filming take place and why was that location chosen? Choosing the right venue to host BTV was extremely impotant to us, as the Sunshine Coast is such a beautiful place and we really wanted to show-off our amazing, natural scenic beauty to the world. Our new season starts off this year in July and we have moved to the Coolum Beach Surf Club. It has a great atmosphere, stunning views, and the locals love live music! Terence and Mal and the local Coolum community are really involved in supporting the arts community and are excited to have BTV onboard. We Ziggy

play in front of a live crowd on the last Sunday of every month and make a really cool Sunday Arvo out of it. We are very lucky to have a great new crew onboard as well. We have Kellie, Russell, Wade, Brenton, Jordan & Greg - all lined up to bring BTV to life! BIG SHOUT OUT TO JULES AS WELL.

Which artist has the most views for BTV Sunshine Coast? Ziggy! A very impressive musician here on the coast. He has great talent, is very easy on the eyes, and most importantly, is really well mannered and humble. He’s also very intelligent and knows how to market himself. We are very proud of our Ziggy!

What do you feel is the most important quality for a musician to possess? Besides great talent, we like working with musicians that are well mannered and organized.

Who are some of your favorite local artists and why? Mitch Davis and the Dawn Chorus. These boys are just so damn talented! Taylor Moss - because she is just so cute and she has the talent and the drive to go all the way to the top. Kimbal - because he is talented and he is always humble. He is always willing to give back and I think that’s really important. Lots of my crew gave their time for free to do the show so it’s nice when a musician is thankful for that time.

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Sunshine Coast, Queensland

beautiful place

“…Sunshine Coast is such a

and we really wanted to

show-off our

amazing, natural scenic beauty to the world.”

Mitch Davis and the Dawn Chorus

Where would you direct tourists to see the local music of Sunshine Coast and why? There are so many hot spots on the coast. Of course, we would want them to come to Coolum Surf Club, but also, there is Kings Beach Tavern and the Sol Bar & another great event is the Peregian Originals. The Point online music portal & SCOPE magazine has great information on where to go.

What has been your most moment working on BTV?

memorable

So many, we are so lucky! When you look out to the ocean, hear the waves crashing and you’re listening to a great tune, you just escape! Life can’t get any better! I’ll always remember when Mitch Davis sang solo for "Becky’s Song" - I was blown away. You can watch the film clip that we decided to make after we heard Mitch play on the Balcony that day; it’s such a moving song.

Why should people watch BTV? Are you kidding? Everyone should be watching BTV. New music from everywhere around the world... I can tune into (for instance) India, Japan, or Moscow and watch amazing talent. New balconies and cities are popping up everywhere. It’s like opening up a door to another place, then getting the chance to tune in and feel the vibe of the people there.

How has BTV benefitted your local music scene? BTV has given our artists a chance to show off their original music to the world. It’s a great marketing tool and loads of fun. The music rumble is a chance to play off with some of the worlds best. We were so excited for our Sahara Beck when she won the rumble a little while back. A 16 year old from the Sunny Coast in a rumble with amazing bands! Where else does this sort of thing happen?

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Having worked in the business, what advice do you have for struggling musicians? (Laughs) From a producer’s perspective, be determined, be driven, be organized, be honest, be on time and always have great manners.

BalconyTV Sunshine Coast

has a beautiful beach and great music—what more could you really ask for? Fortunately, you don’t have to pay the travel expenses and take the vacation time to witness it all go down. Go to Balconytv.com and click on Sunshine Coast to see what all the fuss is about.

Coolum Beach Surf Club

MUSIC WITH A VIEW www.balconytv.com/sunshine-coast

Across

the

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ght series

Daniela Aleuy Daniela Aleuy began playing music at 18 and has since steadily grown in the music scene—first in Valparaiso then onto other places such as Vina del Mar and Mexico. Her life as an artist kicked off when she won the "Nescafe Concert" in Valparaiso during her time studying engineering. From the wild success she experienced from the concert, Daniela performed gigs at small bars and venues until she was invited to perform on “Whatever Happens,” which propelled her national fame. Following her national debut, Daniela signed with Warner Music and released her first album, titled That’s Me, in 2001. In the same year, Daniela won awards for “Best New Artist” and top rankings in some of the biggest names in music. However, even with her rise to fame and the opportunity to continue to grow in her craft, Daniela needed some time in a beautiful place like Vina del Mar to follow other passions. During her time in Vina del

(Santiago, Chile)

“In 2011, Daniela released her third album, , and is now on tour promoting her music.” Mar, Daniela took on the title of interpreter and composer which led to her second album, Believe. Following her sophomore album’s debut, Daniela continued to travel around Mexican and Chilean cities, sharing her music on radio shows and at gigs, and composing music for movies and TV shows in Mexico City. In 2011, Daniela released her third album, Encerio, and is now on tour promoting her music.

Daniela Aleuy

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Limseungmook

Limseungmook (Seoul, Korea)

Henry Wadsworth was correct when he said, “Music is the universal language of mankind.” No matter what the language, it does not take a translator to understand the emotions behind the music. Some songs don’t even need lyrics to convey the composer’s message to the audience—the beauty in the music is being able to discover what the song means to the listener himself rather than trying to figure out what the song means to the artist. Limseungmook’s music is a perfect example of an artist pouring emotion into his music in such a way that no matter your native language, the song itself speaks to those who hear it. This artist began sharing his music in Hongdae, Seoul in 2011 and has since continued to follow his dream by sharing his experiences through his music. Limseungmook speaks while he writes his lyrics as if he were writing a poem to capture the full artistry of relaying memories, stories, messages,

and feelings. Through his guitar, Limseungmook reveals the trials of love, the nostalgia of childhood, and the reality of growing up and moving away to follow one’s dream. No translation needed, Limseungmook’s songs require an open mind and a willingness to feel whatever the music and the message has to offer.

“Through his guitar, Limseungmook reveals the trials of love, the nostalgia of childhood, and the reality of growing up and moving away to follow one's dream.”

Liz Lawrence Described as fresh and undeniably honest, Liz Lawrence has made quite a name for herself in the Ireland music scene. What started as a music career playing in punk and ska bands has turned into a life of live performance and creativity as a solo artist. Lawrence began playing music in her early teens and has continued to grow as a musician, creating EP's and albums that detail her life as a musician, the emotions wrapped within her experiences and life’s simple pleasures, such as a lazy weekend or time spent in love. In 2011, Liz created her first album Bedroom Hero, but it wasn’t until January of this year that she decided to release her work. Although the journey of an artist is never easy, Liz takes the trials she encounters with stride and compassion—something obvious within her demeanor, writing, and music. Since her career began, Liz has supported artists such as Ben Howard, Young the Giant, The Civil Wars, and even her personal idol Ani Difranco, while

(Totnes, UK)

receiving warm regards from artists and the media alike. This indie pop star, with an easy-listening voice that notes of a female Jack Johnson and the fiery presence of a punk rocker, continues to write, record and tour around the UK. Liz writes in her blog that she hopes to release a new EP soon and ends her post with a request to her audience that they “do what [they] love, face the fear, live in the moment, and be kind.” As long as Liz continues to create her music as a soundtrack to the lives of her fans, fulfilling her requests will be a pleasure.

“This indie pop star, with an easy-listening voice that notes of a female Jack Johnson and the fiery presence of a punk rocker, continues to write, record and tour around the UK.”

Liz Lawrence

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ReedNoBrass (Kaunas, Lithuania)

ReedNoBrass, a five-member indie rock band from Lithuania, has only been around since 2011, but these guys are serious. Already managing to rack up “newbie” awards such as “Novice of the Year” at the Pravda Novice Awards 2011, "Best Alternative Band" at M.A.M.A 2012 music award and the title of Lithuania’s Best Music Debut 2012, from an acclaimed Lithuanian music magazine. Their hit single “I Want You Back” won "Best Lithuanian Song of 2012"—ReedNoBrass took the Lithuanian music scene by storm. While those are some pretty huge awards for a band that just came together in 2011, this indie rock band knows what they’re doing. The five members Imantas Reed (vocals, keys, ukelele), Vytas Rasimavičius (guitar, back Vocals), Robertas

Dariush Loznikoff

Imantas Reed

Semeniukas (guitar), Dariush Loznikoff (bass) and Mantas Augustaitis (dums, guitar, back vocals), have toured around Europe performing at festivals, big and small, to share their craft and passion. With a vibe that is similar to Passion Pit, ReedNoBrass appeals to a younger generation, but all of their music is accessible in a way that musiclovers of every genre can find a part of the music that resonates within them. Their chill, indie-rock vibe leads ReedNoBrass to create music that perfectly complements a long afternoon drive, as well as the soundtrack to a party. Their music is uplifting and relatable, yet with only one EP released titled id, we want more.

“...create music that perfectly complements a long afternoon drive, as well as the soundtrack to a party.”

from L to R: Scott Pioro, Tom Marks, Gustaf Sjodin Enstrom, and David Schmidt

Goodbyemotel (Melbourne, Australia)

After multiple run-ins around the Melbourne, Australia music scene, Gustaf Sjodin Enstrom, Tom Marks, Scott Pioro, David Schmidt, and Paul Amorosee decided to join forces as Goodbyemotel. Since then, they have rapidly been climbing the ladder of success after a series of EP releases, shows, and an album release. Their music has appeared in multiple television ads and shows, and their songs have become commonplace amongst college radio stations in the U.S. Known for expressive melodies and emotive lyrics, Goodbyemotel conveys true sentiment in their music. Goodbyemotel’s music varies greatly from piece to piece. Early on in their career, the band featured a more raw sound characterized by higher tempo songs, hammering bass, and post-punk elements. As time went on, they changed with the rest of indie-rock, altering their sound to be much more refined, and less

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“Goodbyemotel conveys true sentiment in their music.” distorted, generally moving away from any grunge influence. This year, Goodbyemotel released an EP titled People. The extended play draws influence from indie-rock successes Arcade Fire and Death Cab for Cutie. The band has incorporated a piano, stepped up production, and created a far tighter sound. Goodbyemotel is especially talented at building up their songs, starting with a simple melody and ending in a deeply developed anthem. As Goodbyemotel garners increasing success, they keep refining their sound. In a way, they have always been chasing the trends of indie-rock; however, with the release of their latest EP, it’s easy to see them step up in the pop world rather than the indie one.

Zift

(Istanbul, Turkey)

Istanbul, home of the Ottoman sultans and cultural jewel of Turkey, sits at the intersection of two very different worlds; to the west of the Bosphorus sits Europe and to the east an ever-modernizing Asia Minor. From its founding by the Romans several millennia ago, Istanbul represents a cultural crossroads and center for artistic exchange. Today, Turkey exemplifies this cultural fusion of eastern tradition and global modernization. The Istanbul band Zift fits this trend. The band is made up of vocalist Cantek Batur, drummer Baris Samir, guitarists Olay Andac and Türker Talayman, bassist İlker Göçmen, and keyboardist Yavuz Yurtgüder. Zift released their debut album Wrong Things in 2010. Their music reflects the modernizing and westernizing efforts of Turkey. Aside from the language and style of the vocals, the majority of their songs could have originated anywhere. This could prove a blessing for Zift, who have very entertaining and catchy songs that could easily work in a bar setting. Their songs “Yok” Barış Sami

“…hold all of the pieces to make them fun pop rock songs with simple chord progressions and catcy hooks.”

Cantek Batur

(meaning “No” in Turkish) and “Cekil Yolumdan” (“Out of the Way”) hold all of the pieces to make them fun pop rock songs with simple chord progressions and catchy hooks. In 2011, Zift released their music video for “Parçalar Bu Rüzgar.” The song’s haunting vocals and reverberating chords make the images on screen a little bit spooky. Without understanding the language, I am still able to understand how the story is of love lost and a longing to be reunited with the young lady interspersed between shots of an empty town and of the lead singer. The narrative becomes more vivid as happy and playful memories of ice cream and toy stores transition to separation and loss. “Üvey Aşklar” continues their style of a pop rock sound behind haunting vocals. This song has a bit more of an edge to it than most of their other tracks, adding a darker and harder dimension to the band.

Julian Le Play Viennese singer songwriter and radio personality Julian Heidrich debuted in 2012 as the pop artist Julian Le Play. With instant success for his single “Mr Spielberg,” Julian Le Play soon gained the attention of the wider Austrian audience, earning him nominations for an Amadeus Award in both the Rock/Pop and Album of the Year categories. According to BalconyTV, the music video for “Mr Spielberg” reached over 300,000 views in the first few weeks alone. The video draws upon a true appreciation for the films of its namesake as Le Play jumps from one Spielberg movie to the next, pursued by his very angry date. Comically, the setting for the video is a movie theater that only shows Spielberg films. Julian Le Play

(Vienna, Austria)

Julian Le Play

“...the more I became exposed to his sound, the more I appreciate the playfulness and the simple charm...” His debut album Soweit Solar drew in an audience looking for a lighthearted pop standard that covers the conventional themes of love and desire. It would not surprise me to learn that he was the winner of Austrian Idol or some similar reality show since his music sounds very similar to American star Phillip Phillips. His newest hit, “Der Wolf,” draws heavily on the European club pop scene in its musical stylings with a lot of electronically altered instruments and synthesizers. Most of all, it seemed like a good reason to howl musically for about a minute over a piano track. Though Le Play’s music may come off as your run of the mill pop song, it quickly grows on the listener. Admittedly, I had some skepticism about this artist after only being familiar with a couple of his songs, but the more I became exposed to his sound, the more I appreciate the playfulness and the simple charm that it conveys. Le Play’s videos are extremely entertaining and bring out a lot of personality in his songs.

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Last Days Fam (Johannesburg, South Africa)

Tembisa, South Africa’s Last Days Fam are not only transforming South African hip-hop, but the culture behind it as well. Comprising of four members, ArchBonafide, BrainTrain, Kitron, and LandmarQ, Last Days Fam creates spiritual, socially conscious music; the group believes in the message instilled within their music, and that it should not only sound good, but also have a purposeful meaning. Religion plays an integral role in this message as well as the music. Initially, listeners and churches were skeptical of Last Days Fam, as hip-hop has acquired a reputation for it’s more negative standing. After seeing how dedicated the artists are and hearing their skillfully crafted music, critics soon altered their stance. It’s because of this that Last Days Fam have extended their reach beyond their religious market and into the mainstream. Last Days Fam’s music is best defined as eloquent; it has both beauty and force. Resounding bass, string and horn

from L to R: ArchBonafide, LandmarQ

based samples, and fluttering keys are all constant in their sound. Production-wise, this sound is reminiscent of old-school hip-hop, almost as if Last Days Fam is trying to go back in time and alter the genre's meaning from the start. Lyrically, their music is well-groomed and smart. Unlike most gospel music, their religion is not forced, but subtly interlayed, focusing more on the positive morals rather than individual beliefs themselves. These morals are delivered through rich South African accents and articulate flows.

”They're not referencing drugs, alcohol, crimes, money, or women, but instead simply doing the right thing.”

from L to R: LandmarQ, Kitron, BrainTrain, & ArchBonafide, Photography by Val-Freshsqueez and Graphical Edits by D.U.M.M.Y

Last Days Fam are unique because they have one foot in the door of the mainstream and the other firmly planted in their message. They’re just letting their ideas slowly roll in, changing the game. They’re not referencing drugs, alcohol, crimes, money, or women, but instead simply doing the right thing. They speak of doing something important with the time you’re given, making a difference to those around you, and honoring those who already have. While many have tried this, Last Days Fam do it in way where it’s not cheesy, bland, or unnatural, but rather expressive and clever.

The DuBarrys If you love Vampire Weekend, you’ll tumble head over heels for The DuBarrys. The fresh-faced four-piece crew, based out of Brighton, charmed BalconyTV viewers last May with “Better Than You Think,” a sweet, soulful melody driven tune. With a very Jason Mraz-like voice and beach pop beats, The DuBarrys can do no wrong. Their most recently released album, Chocolate and Red Wine, is available on Spotify and will leave you with an insatiable appetite for all things Brit-pop. “Throne” and “Chase” are unbelievably catchy. If you combine them with any sort of endorphin-inducing activity (like yoga, as I did), you’re likely to walk around in a goofy, peppy state for the rest of the day. Since coming together as a group in 2011, The DuBarrys have won “Best Performance of the Year” in Castellon, Spain, and played gigs at bars and festivals alike, including the Isle of Wight, charming fans across the UK and Western Europe. Band members Chich (bass), Alex (guitar/keyboard), Rax (vocals), and Dylan (drums), all chip in on vocals and craft some of the best indie pop-rock tunes around. Their latest single, “This Time,” was released earlier this year,

(Brighton, UK)

to the glee of Facebook fans and Twitter followers alike. Simultaneously relaxing and stimulating, The DuBarrys’ sound makes for the perfect yoga or beach playlist addition. If you don’t believe me, just listen to their cover of MGMT’s “Kids;” you’ll instantly be transported to summers of tomorrow. You won’t find a better promise of summer possibility than in Chocolate and Red Wine. Rarely have I ever found myself inescapably dancing to such a chill track as “Better Than You Think,” but The DuBarrys have proved themselves impossibly cheery in every way imaginable. Somewhere in between rain and shine, The DuBarrys are four pieces of wonderful and an adorable mix of summer camp and romanticized boarding school fantasies. They are, in fact, British summer in musical form, and I, for one, am prepared to listen to them year round without end or regret.

“Somewhere in between rain and shine, The DuBarrys are four pieces of wonderful...”

from L to R: Alexander Schoenfelder, Charlie Chich, Dylan Fanger and Rax Behéshti

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Alberto the Music Box

Alberto the Music Box (Hamburg, Germany)

Alberto the Music Box, also known as the “Human Beatbox,” has come a long way from Hamburg, Germany. He was featured at BalconyTV’s 2008 Music Video Awards and sent the YouTube universe into a tizzy with his unmatched beatboxing talents. Not only gifted, but also very charismatic, Alberto starts off each gig explaining the art of beatboxing. Not to worry, he’s not Houdini revealing his secrets. On the contrary, his explanations only make his craft that much more impressive. Starting with a bass beat, adding in a snare here and there, topping it all off with a melody and inserting vocals when appropriate, Alberto is seemingly a one-man radio show. Switching seamlessly from house music to rap to rock and even pop, Alberto’s crowd pleasing skills know no bounds. He’ll quickly bounce from “Ice, Ice, Baby, Baby” to a Pitbull "Top-40" hit and then back to classic house music staples. Alberto is an all-in-one show; you’ll be sorry if you miss him performing “My Humps.” Each performance may not be airtight or pitch perfect, but that doesn’t detract from Alberto’s charm. Instead, his ever

so slight vulnerability makes his art all the more impressive, exalting his talent and bringing him down to a human level at the same time. Even if you haven’t dabbled in beatboxing in the past, Alberto the Music Box is well worth a YouTube search. Fret not, he will not waste your time: you’ll be properly awestruck within the first 20 seconds of his performance. Part entertainer, part comedian, and entirely talented, Alberto is making Germany proud and the rest of us may be content to watch him now and forevermore. Alberto, you have our full support. May your mouth never stop movingbecause our ears will never stop listening.

“…his ever so slight vulnerability makes his art all the more impressive, exalting his talent and bringing him down to a human level...”

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Muchy press photo

Muchy(Poznan, Poland) Though a well-known name in their native Poznan, many of our non-Polish readers may not have heard of rock group Muchy. Muchy, translated as “Flies,” was founded in 2004 by Michael Wiraszko, Peter Maciejewski, and Simon Walisewski. The band met immediate acclaim when they released their debut album Terroromans in 2007. This album was named “Record of the Year” by Polish Radio Programme 3 (PR3) listeners, and Muchy also won the title of “Team of the Year” by PR3 as well. Even more impressively, they were also nominated for the Eska Music Awards 2008, as well as for a Fryderyk (so named for Poland’s local golden boy, Fryderyk Chopin) as best new band (they were nominated a second time in 2011). The group has a fun, uptempo rock sound, with talented musicians on both traditional rock instruments, but also the computerinduced sound effects that are so popular nowadays. While some bands overuse effects, Muchy balances their rock influences with the present evolution of rock music; for example, check out my personal

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“Muchy balances their rock influences with the present evolution of rock music...” favorite “Ksiegowi I marynarze.” It kicks serious electronic rock ass! Its members have said that they draw influence from artists such as The Smiths, The Velvet Underground, Modest Mouse, and Guided By Voices, but there is something distinctly Polish about their sound, and no, not just because of their Polish lyrics. The band currently consists of Wiraszko on vocals, guitar and keyboards, Waliszekski on drums, Damian Dielka on guitar, Thomas Theme on bass, and Krysztof Zalewski on guitar and keyboards. They released their third album, Chcecicospowiedziec in September 2012 on Sony Music. If you’re looking for a good rock band, and you’ve exhausted your English speaking options, you will not be disappointed by Muchy!

Astrid Asteroids (Brisbane, Queensland)

and the

Hailing from Brisbane, Autralia, Astrid and The Asteroids play truly unique, rather bizarre “sci-fi soul.” The group is already mastering their one-of-a-kind sound despite playing as a group for less than two years. This stems from their aptitude at playing their respective instruments, as well as their background as educated musicians. Led by eccentric frontwoman Astrid Jorgensen and backed by five others, the group is known for their versatility and dynamic sound. With elements of soul, funk, and disco, they’ve created moving music with a twist of wonderful weirdness. Musically, Astrid’s powerful, soulful voice takes charge of the band, and The Asteroids act accordingly. Astrid has great vocal range that works with both melancholy ballads and bass-driven funk jams. As for her lyrics, the content is highly creative and slightly nerdy, frequently referencing space and time. The inclusion of Evyn Arnfield on the trumpet creates an energetic back-andforth sparring with Astrid’s vocal abilities. Kirstin Baade lays down the majority of the funky rhythms on her bass

guitar, while keyboardist Parmis Rose and guitarist Lachlan Bell handle the livelier rhythms, as well as some wild, soulful solos. Meanwhile, drummer Gene Stevens lays down the foundation on his kit, keeping everyone on the mission. Astrid and The Asteroid’s music breaks the conventional mold of a soulful funk band, or most bands as a matter of fact, and it’s all thanks to their peculiar personalities. They aren’t trying to be weird or unique but simply themselves. Their honed talents as musicians make it possible for them to experiment with the style of music they enjoy, and blend their own unusual character into it.

“Astrid has great vocal range that works with both melancholy ballads and bass-driven funk jams.”

from L to R: Astrid Jorgensen, Evyn Arnfield, Gene Stevens, Kirsten Baade, Lachlan Bell, Parmis Rose

Naked Affair

(Lisboa, Portugal)

Naked Affair represents everything you crave from an exotic vacation: luscious laziness and sweet indulgence. Their first single, “Melon Ice Cream,” will have you entranced from the first dreamy electronic keyboard chord and almost whispered lyrics. The band may have only formed earlier this past year, releasing a video teaser for “Melon Ice Cream” on frontman Manuel Salvador’s YouTube page, but they wasted no time making rounds at some of Lisboa’s most trendy bars and making their debut on BalconyTV this past June. With their dreamy electronic soul sound, Naked Affair would not be out of place in a smoky bar or on a swanky rooftop. Citing Erykah Badu, Daughter, The xx, and Roisin Murphy as influences, Naked Affair combines the musical superpowers of Bruno Mota (keyboardist, producer) and Joao Maximo (percussion) with Salvador’s controlled and powerful vocals, resulting in the sexiest sound around. “Melon Ice Cream” drifts from slow, hip swaying verses to strong, clear choruses. Despite their raw power, Naked Affair never loses control. They take you on a deceivingly calculated journey from

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start to finish, bringing you high and low in turn with their ethereal vocals and simple lyrics such as, “You’re the smoke to my high.” It may sound silly, but once you listen to it, you’ll be singing it all day long. The drive behind the band’s formation was to create an entirely new sound, feeding off of Portuguese charm and alternative-soul influences, that would inspire an emotional response in their listeners. They’re all about using musical genius to set off musically inspired fireworks in your head. Naked Affair, much like their name, will strip you down and give you an experience like you’ve never had before. Giving you everything you never knew you wanted, Naked Affair crafts music so good, it will give you chills with every track, every time.

“They're all about using musical genius to set off musically inspired fireworks in your head.”

Wamazo! No, that’s not a comic book sound effect (well it could be); it is a rapidly up-and-coming Mexican band. As greatly as I would like to turn their name into a verb, I shall attempt to restrain myself. In 2005, Mexican drummer Victor Castillo put together a world music rock band that was made up of thirteen drums, guitar, bass, and vocalists. The group sought to combine rock and world percussion with a Mexican fusion sound. What resulted from this grand experiment was Wamazo. The band now has five completed studio albums with their last two, Drumming Manifesto (2008) and Mes Con Lanza (2012), having been produced in New York by renowned engineer Henry Hirsch and Lenny Kravitz. As you would expect, the percussion sections drive the songs. The overall style varies from song to song, but the importance of percussion and the dynamism of the percussive arrangements remain paramount to each song. Even the guitar and bass are used in a more

Wamazo

rhythmic rather than melodic way. The band claims that this reliance on percussion “represents a range of music that invites you to enjoy and reflect with a sense of humor.” Wamazo is a truly versatile group of musicians who are almost even more entertaining to watch than to listen to. YouTube proves to be both the audience and the entertainers’ best friend in this case because the audience can truly appreciate the precision and skill of the percussionists in Wamazo. One particular video to watch is “Ensamble De Baterias,” An eleven-minute jam session of pure energy and grit that showcases Wamazo in all of their talent. I challenge you to try to watch the whole video without tapping your toe or banging on something by the end of it.

“...the percussive arrangements remain paramount to each song.” (Mexico City, Mexico)

Wamazo

MooF

(Prague, Czech Republic)

What is acid pop? Like me, many of you probably are scratching your heads at that question. After listening to Czech acid pop band MooF, the definition, if not vague idea, of acid pop comes into view. Founded in 2011, MooF brings a silky feel to their Anglicized music in a style very comparable to smooth jazz or elevator music. At least, that is the closest style of music that I can liken it to. That is not meant to be a critique of their music, but instead a realization of how lovely and relaxing acid pop can be. MooF combines smooth jazz with a funky disco slant, thus creating a sort of lounge funk. The smooth jazz groove of the band is most audible in “Circles” and “You Can Expect But Don’t Have Expectations.” Both songs possess a clearly elevator music style of guitar instrumentation that becomes even further enhanced by the dreamlike keyboard drones in the background. MooF’s “Reason” also features a droning keyboard in a way suitable for those awkward middle school slow dances. MooF gets a little funkier in “Party Time” and “Low Level Panic,” but still keeps things on the lighter side. “Party Time” feels a lot like a Norah Jones song, or at least a cover of one of her songs, with its gritty vocals and funky Viktoria Matušovová

from L to R: Jakub Smutný, Laďa Štefek

jazz instrumentals. The excellent bass lines of both “Low Level Panic” and “Sounds” reveal MooF’s affinity for 1970s disco music like ABBA and the Bee Gees. Overall, MooF provides a relaxing and carefree vibe through a clean sound and smooth instrumentation. Since we have managed to slightly understand what acid pop sounds like, the next question must be “What does MooF mean?”

“MooF combines smooth jazz with a funky disco slant, thus creating a sort of lounge funk.” 156

Good Times

(Kostroma, Russia)

The name Good Times works perfectly for this band. There is no better way to describe them than a goofy Russian offshoot of Sublime or Reel Big Fish. To put them most simply, this is a large group of guys just having fun. According to BalconyTV Kostroma, the band “conducts medical musical therapy sessions” to cure things such as “constipation, uncontrollable urination, impotence, depression, and other mental illnesses.” The band even claims its music can naturally augment the size of women’s breasts. All of that is highly unlikely, but it makes for a good story. What is true, though, is that the band openly welcomes public exposure at their concerts. Good Times has a lot of songs to dig through on their website but one to definitely check out is “Spaceman.” This song truly reflects the overall feel for the band as a rougher, Russian Red Hot Chili Peppers. The song plays to the strengths of the large ensemble

that makes up the band between its drummers, horn section, guitarist and bass guitarist, along with the lead vocalist. Their other major song is ironically titled “Serious Song,” since it is anything but serious. To see how truly serious it is, just watch the music video and you will immediately understand. The band’s overall sound is a mixture of reggae and Southern California rock with a Russian twist. The horn section, guitarist, and bassist could easily be performing for a Slightly Stoopid cover band. The band has two drummers, one with a traditional drum set and the other with a large bass drum that he wears strapped around his shoulders. The lead vocalist uses his raspy growls to deliver the band’s lyrics with a rhythmic and percussive force. The name Good Times is entirely appropriate because you just can’t help but have a good time listening to these guys.

Good Times

“...you can't help but have a good time listening to these guys.”

Baiju Dharmajan (Delhi, India)

Formerly of the band Motherjane, Baiju Dharmajan is one of India’s most prominent guitarists. Throughout his tenure with Motherjane, Dharmajan and his band established themselves a profoundly successful rock/metal group. During their stardom, the instrumentalist also picked up his nickname, “God of Small Strings.” However, after the bands second album, Dharmajan began to change his musical direction to be more carnatic-oriented. Carnatic music is traditional Indian music, stemming from ancient Hindu traditions. The music often consists of twisting, lengthy, and cyclical pieces. As a result, the style is often transcendental and always melodious. Although modernized, Dharmajan’s music obviously reflects the culture-steeped style. Capable of playing extremely technical pieces from a variety of genres, Dharmajan is known for his virtuosity. Typically starting his songs from a basic riff, the expert guitarist quickly and effortlessly expounds into difficult variations and solos. Along the way he loops the various parts to create a richly layered, integrated melody. Dharmajan also frequently adds depth to his songs via distortion and reverb. His music is a unification of brilliant composition with perfect execution. Thanks to his

Baiju Dharmajan

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Baiju Dharmajan

“…the expert guitarist quickly and effortlessly expounds into difficult variations and solos.” genius instrumentation, the maestro has been twice been named "Best Guitarist" as the Jack Daniel’s Rock Awards. Baiju Dharmajan’s music is a wonderful meshing of traditional Indian style incorporated with modern rock. This creates great distinctiveness for the artist, as it provides more complexity to the music than the typical showy guitarist. To Dharmajan, it’s not all about shredding but producing something strongly emotive. This has shown since his early years, studying traditional Indian music on the violin, but also citing famous rock guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page. These eclectic qualities are just as prevalent in his music today.

The Green Room Hiding themselves in a Queensland garage now adorned as “The Dungeon,” The Green Room spent the majority of 2009 fine-tuning their reggae sound and the feel that it radiates. Garnering their chosen aesthetic, members Alex Johns, Johnny Collins, Ollie Jackson, and Rob Burr started playing highly energetic and lively shows, propelling themselves into the festival circuit. As a result, they are developing a dedicated fan base, as well as assembling flattering reviews from critics. Drawing from obvious reggae influence, The Green Room melds their original compositions and impresses themselves into the feelgood genre. Lead singer Alex Johns has a distinctive resonating voice. He carries its slight gravely tone throughout most songs, not afraid to let his strain create stressful moments on songs like “Shanti on Fire.” Despite this, Johns is equally as willing to step back from the microphone, creating space for the rest of the band to showcase their abilities, as shown on “Restless Day.” While embracing the laid-back vibes reggae music is frequently associated with, The Green Room also

from L to R: Ollie Jackson, Alex Johns, Johnny Collins, and Rob Burr

(Sunshine Coast, Queensland)

explores some more glaring sub-genres, such as ska. This is clearly shown in their instrumentation, which features heavy flickering bass notes. Meanwhile, the lofty guitar can either provide support to this, or a nice contrast. This flexibility works agreeably with the composition, creating strong, emphatic segments and solos, as well as bright airy sections. The Green Room is arousing much hype as they nurture their creativity. They appear to have a bright future as a result of their dedication and interest in exploring their sound. In addition to this, their attachment to reggae music and its various subgenres provides opportunities to explore said genre to create a more revolutionary, fresh take on its meaningful culture.

“...the Green Room melds their original compositions and impresses them into a feel-good genre.”

(Dublin, Ireland)

Dheis Folk Group

from L to R: Patrick Browne, Brian Corry, Josh O' Loughlin and Flor Ó Riain

What’s not to like about Irish folk music? This modern Irish traditional folk band began playing together in 2011 at O’Donoghue’s Pub in Dublin. The group came together through the partnership of the County Clare duo Josh O’Loughlin and Brian Corry, who toured together in Norway and Denmark, picking up the musical cultures of those Scandinavian countries. By forming Ar Dheis, meaning “right” in Irish, the duo sought to provide a medium for the world to experience the culture of County Clare. The band gained notoriety by joining the Irish Ambassador to India on a ten-day tour around St Patrick’s Day in 2012. Currently, the band is made up of Brian Corry (whistle, fiddle, flute, vocals), Josh O’Loughlin (banjo, guitar, tenor guitar, vocals), Ultan O’Brien (fiddle), Philip King (bodhran, vocals, guitar), and James Ryan (guitar, vocals). The band hopes to have an album out soon and expand their region of performing beyond Dublin and County Clare to London and other international destinations. It is

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“...I can only offer that it is something best experienced rather than explained.” difficult to describe the music of this band. For those of you who understand what traditional Irish folk music sounds like, you will know exactly what to expect. For those of you who don’t, I can only offer that it is something best experienced rather than explained. The name of the band seems to be in a bit of flux currently. Though commonly known as Ar Dheis, the band went by the name Deis on BalconyTV Dublin. Though many may think this is just a typo, it is relatively significant because “deis” in Irish means “opportunity,” while “dheis” means “right.” Perhaps that doesn’t matter or maybe it is a sign of the band changing its message. Either way, the main aim of we should call them is “craic,” or “fun.”

Renny Field

(Sydney, Australia)

Singer/songwriter Renny Field accurately refers to himself as an “artist, journeyman, songwriter, and performer.” Voyaging across much of the world including Ireland, England, Germany, and Australia, Field has been on mission to present his life and stories as honestly as possible. He is not trying to change himself to achieve fame or create a false persona. Rather, Field is simply letting his life guide him to places he doesn’t expect. His outlook on life would appear to stem from the beliefs of the 1960’s folk revival—traveling, experiencing, and telling with an accompanying guitar.

to have a pristine tone, giving his guitar a bright yet placid sound. As well as this, he sometimes adds hushed pianos in the background to provide more depth to his music. Overall, Renny Field draws from the long lineage of folk and acoustic music but bonds it to his own life experiences. In a sense, his music is an accurate portrayal of his life. He is willing to share how and what he feels with his audience, as well as the reason behind it. Because of this, Field has developed himself as a true artist, not trying to be anything but himself.

Like his mindset, Renny Field’s music also represents 1960’s folk. Verses narrate his experiences and the knowledge he’s gained from them. He frequently exploits imagery to detail emotions he feels and to express how he needs them. His voice speaks in chopped up melodies and notes, reminiscent of Bob Dylan’s The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, sans the strain. Likewise, he also enlists the use of the harmonica over a steady tambourine on more uptempo songs such as “Rhythm.” However, Field also steps outside of this genre and explores more modern acoustic-pop. Throughout most of his 2012 album, Fieldnotes, songs are thoroughly produced

“...Renny Field draws from the long lineage of folk and acoustic music, but bonds it to his own life experiences.” Renny Field

from L to R: Marco Campagna, Whitney Delion, Will Assad, Christian Awad, Joel Souey

Sound of Lions Toronto’s Sound of Lions is the kind of band that charms your ears and your heart; they’re the kind of good ole time band that makes you want to hang out with them after every gig. Everything about SoL, from their music, to their goofy Instagrams, to their Trainspotting-homage album cover art, these are the Canadian cool kids, the goofballs with wicked talent and relentless drive. Alternating between Whitney Delion’s groovy light vocals and Christian Awad’s raptastic verses, Sound of Lions cannot lose. The band won “Best New Act” and “Best Album” in Ottawa Xpress’ Readers Polls in 2011 and has been in “hibernation” for most of 2012. Don’t worry, though, they’re back with a bang, announcing their return with Cheerio art on their Facebook page and a Trainspotting-homage cover art for their latest album, 11:44. Sound of Lions can be hard to pin down because they do not align themselves with any single genre, but that doesn’t make them any less delightful. Their songs alternate from mostly rap-and-beats to Erykah Badu and Lianne la Havas inspired swinging numbers where Delion’s light, groovy voice takes the lead. Switching from “done me wrong” dance

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(Toronto, Canada)

“...you never really know what you're going to get when you listen to a Sound of Lions track for the first time, which makes the entire album a joyful trip down the rabbit hole.” numbers to large chill tracks, you never really know what you’re going to get when you listen to a Sound of Lions track for the first time, which makes the entire album a joyful trip down the rabbit hole. Never disappointed, always impressed, you’re likely to become their next, and possibly biggest, fan. If nothing else, you’ll want to follow them on Facebook and Instagram, they are wizards at connecting with their fans-SoL is nothing short of a damn good time all around.

The Mandolas It’s been fifty years since an executive at Decca told the Beatles that “groups of guitars are on their way out,” and it’s been 50 years of proving just how wrong he was. The Mandolas are a quartet of men from lovely Cork, Ireland, and they all play some type of stringed instrument. Between Michael Grace, Colm Hayes, and brothers Paddy and Dorian Kelly, they employ acoustic guitar, mandolin, mandola, bouzuki, banjo, and viola in their music. Their special blend of folk and pop, along with their flawless harmonies, make them an easy comparison to groups such as the Beatles, the Beach Boys and Fleet Foxes, but don’t be so quick to pigeon-hole them. Their mellow sound instantly makes the listener want to sing along, swaying their heads and wishing they were back on the Emerald Isle (even if they’ve never been before). Their traditional Irish folk music, mixed with contemporary pop, makes them instantly memorable and the listener craves for more. It’s music that you can put on any playlist, whether it helps you fall asleep, makes driving around town just a bit better, fits as the “mellow

(Cork, Ireland)

“Rarely do I hear lyrics that speak so simply, yet so truthfully and poetically.” song” on your party mix, or even inside your own head when you hold that special person’s hand for the first time. The Mandolas have a beautiful and simple message to their music—that life is good. If you have friends and lovers and music, then it is a good day, or possibly your greatest day. As they say, “I’m happy, at least for today.” Our lives are filled with “todays,” so why focus on what bad things happened yesterday or what could happen tomorrow? “Life, it ain’t easy, but who said it was? You just hold what you can, and forget what you’ve lost, and move forward, and make amends.” Rarely do I hear lyrics that speak so simply, yet so truthfully and poetically. Currently, the Mandolas have one EP out, My Greatest Day, available on iTunes.

from L to R: Dorian Kelly, Colm Hayes, Michael Grace and Paddy Kelly

Beardyman Sometimes it takes a while to find your groove with an artist. It could take a few months or even years; it may take a couple of singles or a couple of albums. But with others, you are instantly sucked in, like the gaping maw of the Sarlaac, only in the best way possible. Darren Foreman, aka Beardyman, had that effect on me. While not hugely interested in either electronic music or beatboxing, it was impossible for me to stop listening to this Londoner’s mad skills. Beardyman is not only a former UK Beatbox Champion, but is the first to win two championships in a row. It’s hard to believe such noises could come from a human being, let alone a single human being. A master of improvisation (like any good beatboxer should be), Beardyman often improvises entire shows, like in his “An Album in an Hour” series (which can be watched on YouTube), where the audience yells out song title suggestions and Beardyman composes on the spot. One half human beatbox, one half comedian, one whole musician. At some points, it seems like the Beard takes

(London, UK)

himself seriously—just recently he revealed his latest innovation, the Beardytron 5000 Mk II, comprised of nothing more than three iPads. About the Beardytron 5000, Foreman says, “The system is essentially my life's work and will continue to be what I use for all my future endeavors. It [takes] many vastly different iterations of the looper's interface to find the perfect balance of speed, accuracy and controllability that make my shows possible. It can do things no other looper in the world can do, small but vital advances which are fundamental to allowing a complex and dynamic looping based live-production performance possible.” At other points, you can see how much fun that the Beardyman obviously has with his music and with his audience. “This song will never get to number one,” he laughs as he sings a song about hating Tesco (“I Hate Tesco, My Babbers”). It’s like they say, someone who can truly make you laugh is invaluable. Beardyman has one album, I Done a Album, and is currently working on a second.

Beardyman

“A master of improvisation, Beardyman often improvises entire shows...”

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Boogie Patrol press photo from their website

Boogie Patrol

(Edmonton, Canada)

In my opinion, the best thing about soul music is that the genre name is completely representative of the music. With soul music, you feel it possessing your bones and coursing through your veins. I defy anyone not to get up and move when confronted with good soul, and with Edmonton’s Boogie Patrol, you’ll definitely be boogying your feet off. The band has been pumping out Western Canada’s answer to soul, funk, and R&B music since 2007 when self-proclaimed “harmonica hound” and vocalist “Rott’n” Dan joined forces with guitarist Yuji Ihara. They were soon joined by bassist Nigel Gale, Sean Grieve on the keys, and JJ, who implemented Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, and African drumming styles into their pieces. When you listen to Boogie Patrol, you’ll be listening to a highly skilled band with a lot of spirit. I’m particularly fond of Rott’n Dan’s vocals—it sounds like he rips his words from the bowels of Hell, and my God, is it something to hear. Such rawness is always appreciated in any kind of music, but when combined with Grieve’s skilled piano,

“...it sounds like he rips his words from the bowels of Hell, and my God, is it something to hear.” Ihara’s expert guitar, and Dan’s rootin-tootin’ harmonica, a good time will be guaranteed for all. Boogie Patrol has played hundreds of shows, and headlined several festivals, including North Country Fair, Beaumont Blues Festival, and Wild Oats & Notes. In 2012, their second album I Try and I Try But I Don’t Know What To Do (2011) was named “Blues Album of the Year” at the Edmonton Music Awards, and in early 2013, represented Edmonton and Western Canada at the Blues Foundation’s 29th Annual International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Be sure to look for them on tour this summer in British Columbia! Boogie Patrol has two albums available for purchase, I Try and I Try and I Don’t Know What To Do and Groove On or Bug Out (2009).

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One Missed May (Saratov, Russia)

The lead singer does not make it band, but when you’re lead singer is Christine of One Missed May, it sure does help. This pop punk band originates from Saratov, Russia, one of the cultural centers for the performing art in Eastern Europe. Made up of five members, the musicians in this band all compliment each other in the way they play. The group includes Christine on vocals, Valentin on guitar, Sergey on guitar, Fyodor on bass, and Kirill holding the beat down with the drums. It’s their vocal riffs and all encompassing musicality that draws listeners in. Even if pop punk isn’t your preference, One Missed May reaches beyond the conventional boundaries, if there are any, of the genre. A lot of this comes from their lyrics. Most of their songs are in English and address everyday topics that the average person deals with:

Christine of One Missed May

relationships, loss, enjoying what’s already good in the world, etc. The sound that we currently hear from the band has been in the works for a few years. Christine is the last to join the band. One Missed May focuses heavily on particular sounds in their music and how they all work together. That’s where that sense of purity comes from. Although they are primarily play around Russia, according to their online presence, the United States is home to a large collective of their listeners. So watch out world! With songs such as “We’ll Do It Again” and “Arise Your Day,” this band is sure to be hitting your airwaves soon!

Valentin of One Missed May

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“It's their vocal riffs and all encompassing musicality that draws listeners in.”

Polish act Rebeka is the creative product of Iwonę Skwarek. Most of her music contains only her vocals and the dissonant sounds of a Casio MA-130 keyboard. The keyboard has a very distinct sound that verges on being painful to the listener, but manages to become beautiful when coupled with Skwarek's sweet yet sad vocals. More recently, Rebeka added producer Bartosz Szczesny to transform the musical experience with a slightly more updated sound. In addition to his production know how, Szczesny added his skill on the bass guitar to Rebeka. Though the band is designated as an experimental pop band, they challenge that characterization, claiming that they are “not to be limited to any musical boundaries.” Soundcloud seems to be the best medium for exploring this band. Their studio recordings are far more compelling than their live performances that are available on YouTube. A lot of their music falls into the range of indie electronic with a 1980s flare to it. This can best be heard in the original mix of “Melancholia.” Some of the band’s influences include homebrew disco and Chinese techno, most audible in “Fail.” To any fan of techno, I recommend this song because it possesses nearly every characteristic of a successful underground techno track. So much of the credit for Rebeka’s success goes to Szczesny. His production skill turns a very fringe musical artist like Skwarek into a techno force. Skwarek’s powerful vocals and retro keyboard become enhanced to new levels in the studio. With this combination of skill sets, Rebeka will have a great deal of success in urban markets.

“Some of the band's influences include homebrew disco and Chinese techno...”

Rebeka (Warsaw, Poland)

from L to R: Bartosz Szczęsny, Iwona Skwarek

Mangora

Mangora (Zagreb, Croatia)

Mangora formed as a band in 2008. BalconyTV describes the band’s origin stating “It was not started, created or formed,” the band was fused, or at least that is how Mangora tells it. The band relies heavily on the diverse influences of its seven members to develop the eclectic sound that drives their groove. Some of these influences include reggae, rock, funk, and cabaret that, when combined, form what the band likes to call a "funk fusion." If you were to visit their Myspace page, you would only find three songs. That is not to say that they only have three songs, a simple YouTube search could prove otherwise, but these three songs are all a casual listener needs to understand the full range of influences guiding these musicians. The first of these tracks, “Idealno Vrijeme,” meaning “Ideal Time” in Croatian, blends a very intriguing mixture of reggae, salsa, funk, and jazz. Such a combination

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“The musical literacy and knowledge of this band cannot be understated.” can sometimes be overwhelming, but somehow Mangora pulls it off with a very unique flare. From light lounge music they move to a grittier and dirtier funk. Their other songs “Sexual Recreation” and “Oh My” bring the funk to new levels with guitar rifts right out of Shaft. The bass and percussion of “Oh My” draw from classic American hip-hop like Public Enemy and both songs bring in a slight reference to Bob Marley. The musicians that make up Mangora have a great deal of potential to continue growing as a group and to continue producing an eclectic blend of funky music. The musical literacy and knowledge of this band cannot be understated, especially after listening to their broad range of musical ability.

The Weatherman (Porto, Portugal)

While a name like The Weatherman may not conjure up the most intriguing images and sounds, Alexandre Monteiro proves he doesn’t need a flashy name or be Nicolas Cage to get your attention. Mr. Monteiro debuted in 2006 with his solo album Cruisin’ Alaska, and by solo I mean he composed and played all the instruments himself without help; an impressive feat indeed for his across the board style. You don’t just hear a man and his guitar; it’s a full lineup including spacey electronic backdrops and rhythms, traditional rock percussion, electric and acoustic guitar, bass and even some woodwinds thrown into the mix. For with his second LP Jamboree Park at the Milky Way, he employed musicians from the Academy of Music in Espinho, where they also recorded the album, with Alexandre maintaining a handle on the production responsibilities. In this kind of situation you can always expect drastic changeups in style and sound what with new perspectives and influences, and Milky Way was no exception to the rule. Lucky for The Weatherman, it was a positive one. On this album, aside from the obvious improvement in production, the arrangements became much more solidified and direct in pop fashion while maintaining his original style. If you take the folk elements (and haircut) of The Beatles, throw in the

positive summer vibes of The Beach Boys, and mash it up with the electronic lining of pop music of today, you’ll get close to what I’m hearing. The Weatherman proved they could produce a downright radio hit pop song on one track then throw in a semi-progressive curve ball the next, while maintaining the fluidity of a solid album. Now, in 2013, with their self titled third LP, there’s no question that their sound has fully developed into something more radio friendly. Thankfully for fans and newcomers like me, it will always sound like The Weatherman.

“You don't just hear a man and his guitar; it's a full lineup including spacey electronic backdrops and rhythms...and even some woodwinds thrown into the mix..” Alexandre Monteiro of The Weatherman

Hailing from the beautiful Italian town of Parma, Grazia Cinquetti exploded on to the music scene with a very youthful optimism in her music. Along with playing piano and guitar, Cinquetti composes both her lyrics and music. Her passion for the arts also extends to theater. She studied at the Dams in Rome and graduated with honors and a thesis in modern mime. In 2005 she won the "Emerging Young Artists Award" in Rome and in 2009 came in second in the Milan Angels of Rock competition. In 2010, Cinquetti’s song “Terra Argentina” gained wide success and was aired weekly on Argentina National Radio. In 2012, Cinquetti released her five-song EP Into the Blue. In the music video for the title track, Grazia Cinquetti takes “Into the Blue” to a new meaning when she goes from painting blue on a canvas to becoming the canvas herself and eventually becoming the blue.

percussionist Gianni Sorvillo, tromba Efosa Igbinehi, and drummer Simone Bevilaqua, along with her many other collaborators. Her song “Daughter of Slovenia” takes on a much more regional sound as opposed to her other music that is largely either pop or jazz.

Cinquetti describes her music as ethno-pop with veins of jazz. Her song “Solo Rose” certainly fits that description with a very jazzy sound. Her band is made up of guitarist Luigi Catuogno, bassist Gianluca Lione,

“Her music has a sort of happiness and charm that makes it easy to enjoy...”

To gain the best perspective on her musical style, I recommend watching her performance for BalconyTV Modena first. This performance brings out the ethno-pop sound that she ascribes to, along with her jazzy undertones. Like her other work, this performance has quality musicians behind Grazia Cinquetti, thus showcasing her talents as both a songwriter and an arranger. Her music has a sort of happiness and charm that makes it easy to enjoy live or as relaxing background music.

Grazia Cinquetti

Grazia Cinquetti (Modena, Italy)

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Kris Roche

“Kris uses his simplicity to illustrate complex human emotions.”

(Tokyo, Japan)

Kris Roche There seems to be a theme of honesty in the music of grass-roots artists. This is definitely true for Kris Roche. Currently in Boston, Kris uses his guitar, along with his vocals, to piece together pop and rock hits. Roche is part Japanese and part American. Originally born in Japan, some of Kris’s music is infused with both Japanese and English words. What’s so great about it is his music’s natural flow. From just a few listens, I feel the organic-ness as he transcends languages. Kris is tearing up the scene in the northeast. With just a quick look at a few of his YouTube videos, Kris still plays on the street for the casual tourist or day-jogger, yet this guy has already made his way to Carnegie Hall. He says he just warming up in the music world. Kris

has released both his EP Anything But Alone and his acoustic album Tales of Bufflebear, bringing the listener along as Kris reminisces to how he got to this point in life and in his music career. The melodies are simple and the lyrics can be easily remembered for a sing-a-long. What’s really dope is the fact that Kris uses his simplicity to illustrate complex human emotions. On his website, he states: “I play guitar. I write songs. I'm one part cynic and one part hopeless romantic. I like grilled cheese sandwiches and being overly picky about ramen noodles.” Kris is definitely an artist to look forward to adding to your playlists.

Benedikt Look out Israel music lovers–Benedikt is headed your way. This rock 'n roll band formed in 2007 and took the name of it’s leader, Lyr Benedikt. What’s fun and very much admirable about this group of guys is that they value and culminate many of the elements that comprise rock 'n' roll. They found a way to perfectly mix a contemporary sound with that of the old school feeling of country blues, rockabilly, folk, surf and gypsy swing. Needless to say, Benedikt will get you on your feet and moving with a sense of careless joy. The band is comprised of five members: Lyr (lead vocals and guitar), Roey Bar Yehuda (saxophone and vocal), Shay Landa (keyboard and vocals), Yonatan Shilansky (bass and vocals) and Liry (drums). However, there have been times when the keyboard and drums have been dropped for another saxophone and an accordion. These guys give off a great vibe. Originally from Jerusalem, Benedikt made its way to Tel Aviv’s indie circuit. What they bring to their table through

(Tel Aviv, Israel)

both their music and performances is music free of politics; it’s music that embodies that feeling of the human spirit. Lyr has written songs with themes of lost love, loneliness, and self-disdain. Yet, with their lively beat, the band brings the best of both worlds, fun and energetic music and lyrics that talk about something deeply human. These fellas have been touring Israel for the last few years and are currently recording what will be their debut, fulllength album. They’ve already released the single “Don’t Expect.” So if Benedikt is playing a set near you, do not miss that chance to have a good time.

“They found a way to perfectly mix a contemporary sound with that of the old school feeling of country blues, rockabilly, fold, surf and gypsy swing.”

from L to R: Uran Kamper, Roey Bar Yehuda, Shay Landa, Lyr Benedikt and Yonatan Shilansky

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Aziza Ibragimova With reality TV contests like American Idol and X Factor spreading throughout the world, more and more no name singers are being given the chance to display their talents (or lack thereof). Aziza Ibragimova, belonging to the former, stepped onto the stage of X Factor Ukraine garbed in a Native American dress and small drum in one of the most unusual performances in the show's history, literally stunning the audience members and judges. She received a standing ovation, I believe, not just for her stunning voice but due to her unique charisma and radiant childlike innocence that sets her apart from the bulk of these generally forgettable performances. Born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in 1990, Aziza’s family moved to Crimea in 1995. In 2007, Aziza entered the Kharkov State University of Arts where she excelled greatly in theater performing in comedies and tragicomedies. It was likely there where she developed her enchanting stage presence to later put to good use with her true voice in music. With her BalconyTV Crimea performance she was able to turn what is usually the simplest possible acoustic performance into a haunting little gem, and with the camera hovering before her she executed the illusion of levitation giving the appearance of being suspended in water all the while maintaining perfect pitch. Here we see her eclectic and (other) worldly style in full light where she shines the brightest. It’s no exaggeration to compare her style with that of Dead Can Dance with her bearing a striking resemblance to the ominous beauty of Lisa Gerrard’s own voice. Her first LP was released in the summer of 2011 with music and lyrics written by Rodion Faremny, exhibiting her in a more straightforward pop approach. While this may not be a waste of her talent, I believe in the right producer’s hands, an Aziza Ibragimova release could be downright phenomenal, reaching audiences far and wide.

(Crimea, Ukraine)

“...we see her eclectic and (other) wordly style in full light where she shines the brightest.” Aziza Ibragimova

Eon Dry is killing the music scene in and around Pontevedra, Spain. However, the three-man band calls Vigo, Spain their home. With a lead guitar, a bass, a keyboard and a drum set, these fellas create a sound that makes you want to move your body because their words are already having that effect on your soul. The members of the band include Matías on guitar and vocals, Frank on bass, and Brian on drums, keyboard and background vocals. Matias and Brian had been trying to complete their band since 2007. In 2010 they found Andre, whose bass added a much needed element to Eon Dry. The group debuted that same year in the "Iguana Club" opening up for major Australian groups. There’s a bond between these guys. It’s an off the stage bond. It’s seen in their interviews and in their performances. Add this bond to the fact that Eon Dry is Galicia band, and their music becomes that much more interesting.

Galicia music is Celtic Folk music found in Galicia, Spain. However, from the very beginning, the band prides itself on making music that ignores limits and boundaries. There’s a dream-like feeling to their music. It’s creative and personal. From the start to finish, their songs create their own sound, not letting a single wall or limit stop it from taking your soul to a place where it feels comfortable. They are currently working on their debut EP HYPERBOREA. If you are near or in Pontevedra, find out when and where these guys are playing. Eon Dry is not a set you want to miss.

“There's a dream-like feeling to their music. It's creative and personal.”

Eon Dry (Pontevedra, Spain)

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from L to R: Matias Frulestein, Frank Jaeger and Brian Washin.

In Lonely Majesty press photo

In Lonely Majesty(Aarhus, Denmark) Danish band In Lonely Majesty hails from the Northern European folk music tradition. They formed in September of 2012 and already have a small assortment of songs varying in subject from the stories of kings and adventure to the small and admittedly trivial things of everyday life. They seek to draw upon the legacy of similar indie rock and folk bands of Northern Europe, including Ireland and Britain. The most immediate reaction to their song “Mother Winter” is that it is simply an angstfree Mumford & Sons song, which may be high praise for the band. In Lonely Majesty mixes the beauty and grit of their acoustic string instruments and their four-part harmony much in the way Mumford & Sons does but with a less Irish feel to it—almost as if Mumford blended with Of Monsters and Men and appeared as four Danish musicians. The band’s lead vocalist and guitarist Lasse Helboe projects his words in a raspy and calculated manner, demanding attention to the intricacy and specificity of each lyric. The

“The popularity train of Mumford & Sons and Of Monsters and Men is just long enough that this band can jump on and find a great deal of success.” pure musical talent of “diverse string instrumenter” Jeppe Vejs, bassist Andreas Ohn, and percussionist Anders Rønne aids in the epicness of each song and the detail of each story. To think that they created “Mother Winter” along with their other two songs “Travel Far” and “Silas and the King” in the short time of less than a year since their founding is truly remarkable and bodes well for their future as a band. I have a feeling that we will hear a lot more from In Lonely Majesty in the very near future. The popularity train of Mumford & Sons and Of Monsters and Men is just long enough that this band can jump on and find a great deal of success.

from L to R: Elizabeth Palazzolo, Wally Santiago, Emilio Palazzolo, Juan Vasquez, Micah Gorosito

Jaque.Reina (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Rock trio Jaque.Reina started rocking in 2002 and has spent the past decade honing their already impressive sound. Originally basing their sound off of traditional metal, rock, and grunge with a nice dose of blues and pop mixed in, the Gattelet brothers Leandro (drums) and Facundo (vocals,

“Jaque.Reina packs a playful punch that imbibes a sense of exotic fun and brawn.”

guitar), and Tulia Navia (bass) released their first album Arterias in 2003. After the release, they turned their focus on aligning themselves more with

wave of young musicians in South America who are

Latin America's "New Rock" genre, transforming

embracing edgy current trends and blending them

themselves into a tight, powerful performance

with classic tropes of the rock and metal genres.

group. Cranking out albums on a nearly biannual

Additionally, their Argentinian flair naturally lends

basis has done nothing to slow Jaque.Reina's roll;

an almost intimidating vibrance to their already

they've been plenty busy making appearances in

reeling guitar riffs and rallying choruses. Jaque.

Buenos Aires bars and international music festivals,

Reina packs a playful punch that imbibes a sense of

most recently at the Rock al Parque in Bogota, named

exotic fun and brawn. With a heaping side of gleeful

one of CNN's "Top 25 Summer Music Festivals."

metal rock and roll, Jaque.Reina is not "traditional"

Earning themselves a growing and enthusiastic

in many senses of the word, but they are a classic,

following, Jaque.Reina's music represents a new

solid good time in every possible way.

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Olya Bravina (St. Petersburg, Russia)

Should I be ashamed to say that when searching out talent around the world I’m more optimistic about hearing the unattractive artists? So here I stand corrected of my hasty judgements, and Olya Bravina proves she’s more than just a pretty face; in fact she’s the whole package. While we’ve seen looks take pop “idols” further than we’d have liked in this business, we all know it’s the talent and originality that separates the artists of longevity from the ones who’ll fizzle out like an Alka-Seltzer adrift in the Pacific. Having read half a dozen or so Dostoevsky novels, the impression his St. Petersburg women left me was a tad frightening; not the case here but Olya is scary good. The warmth of her voice touches the soul carrying with it heartwarming and universally lucid words. Raised in Northern Russia, in the city of Ukhta, she entered into the St. Petersburg University for Multimedia Arts. Thankfully for us she continued to be driven by her love for music and the gift of her own divine cry. As with many musicians and artists alike, chance (or fate) would oblige Olya as she met the famous vocal instructor of the Jazz department of The Musorgsky Musical College Ariadna Karyagina. She then began to cultivate her own unique style of music. While her style has been labeled as "art pop," it doesn’t quite do the music justice. The tracks are easy listening and slow going but instantly likeable. The songs comprise elements of light jazz in her vocal style infused with alluringly warm and ambient pop harmonies, courtesy of her excellent backing band typically consisting of an original sounding lineup of keyboards, percussion, guitar, bass, and occasionally, horns for good measure. As Olya continues to grow as an artist, she has the ambition to be great, and it will be a pleasure to see where she’ll take us next.

Olya Bravina

“The warmth of her voice touches the soul carrying with it heartwarming and universally lucid words.”

Los Angeles, California w w w.balconytv.com/l os-a n gel es

Toronto, Canada www. son i cbi ds.com

St. Petersburg, Russia www.era r ta .com

Nashville, Tennessee w w w.ha rd ro ck .co m

Saratov, Russia w w w.welco m e.sg u.r u/ ? p a g e_id = 53 1 & l an g =e n

Bogota, Colombia w w w.d ir tyk itchen.co

Santiago, Chile www. por ta l di sc.com

Brighton, UK w w w.a lf iesm usic.co m

Dublin, Ireland www.face book.com/Th eMedi a For tress

Brisbane, Australia w w w.ra ceca feo nline.co m . au

London, UK www. stage- el ectri cs.co.u k

Totnes, UK w w w.stea m p a cket inn.co.u k

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.)