Posted by Leilani Polk on Aug. 4, 2009, at 2:40 pm
As of Wednesday, August 5, 2009, Tampa Calling will be folded into Creative Loafing’s main blog, The Daily Loaf, and all music content from this date forward will be merged with the rest of the content on DL. To continue to read solely music content, click here and save the link to your bookmarks. To get a feed from the entire Daily Loaf site (which features posts on sex & love, food, film, arts & entertainment, sports, green living and much more), click here and save the link to your bookmarks.
Thank you for your cooperation and we hope to see you over at The Daily Loaf!
Posted by Leilani Polk on Aug. 4, 2009, at 12:05 pm
The RITZ Ybor has announced that the 70’s Soul Jam featuring The Stylistics (pictured), Chi-Lites and MC Jimmy “JJ” Walker due to take place this Friday, August 7, has been postponed and will not be rescheduled until sometime in 2010 (no date has been confirmed). Refunds are available at the point of purchase; tickets purchased online will be automatically refunded.
Posted by Leilani Polk on Aug. 3, 2009, at 4:12 pm
Here a few concert announcements I received this past weekend.
No Clubs Presents sci-fi horror metal makers GWAR with special like-minded guests Job for a Cowboy and The Red Chord Sunday, October 4, at The Ritz in Ybor City. Tickets are $19 in advance/$22 day of show, and go on sale this Saturday, August 8, beginning at 10 a.m. The 25th anniversary tour marks of the band’s “re-awakening on planet Earth” celebrates their most “sonically devouring, instrumentally challenging” album to date, Lust In Space, due out August 18 on Metal Blade Records.
Posted by Leilani Polk on Aug. 3, 2009, at 10:09 am
Kids are freaking great, right? They just keep getting smarter and more clever every generation. Here’s the latest whiz, 5-year-old Wesley, who performs his own unique rendition of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” at the 2009 Spring Coffee Shop Jam at Columbia City Theater in Seattle. This is not a child being exploited or another chance for fanatical stage parents to put their kid under a spotlight. The clip is from an ongoing event that gives students at Heartwood Guitar Instruction a chance to showcase their abilities. I
I love how he says “twain” instead of “train,” and when he sings, “But I shot a man in Reno / just to watch him die,” it kills me. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 31, 2009, at 4:17 pm
A friend of mine sent me a link to this Soul Train clip featuring Kool & the Gang’s “Jungle Boogie.” While the quality of the video isn’t great, the dancing is effing classic. I want to bust moves like this. I do bust moves like this, in my mind.
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 30, 2009, at 10:40 am
A quick breakdown of this weekend’s most worthy concerts beginning with Thursday, ’cause that’s when the weekend really starts, right? For a more comprehensive schedule of concerts, check out our Upcoming Events page.
Thursday, July 30 Jeffree Starw/Artist VS Poet/Watch Out! Theres Ghosts/Lets Get It Jeffree Star is conversely ambiguous and flamboyant — he could be a woman or a man with his long, bright pink hair, dragtastic make-up and swaths of rock star tattoos. The LA-based self-proclaimed “Queen of the Internet” is a dance music recording artist and Internet phenom who has more than a million MySpace friends and more than 12 million hits on his most played song, “Eyelashes Curlers & Butcher Knives.” Thurs., July 30, 8 p.m., Orpheum, Ybor City, $10, all ages.
Maxwellw/Chrisette Michele Neo-soul singer Maxwell — the Grammy-nominated artist who hits the high notes in his seductive, made-for-making-looove serenades — is currently touring in support of his fourth studio album and first new effort in eight years, BLACKsummers’night. The Brookyn native’s latest features a 10-piece band that brings a lush feel to the album’s supple grooves. Soul support act Chrisette Michele actually won a Grammy for “Best Urban/Alternative Performance” in 2009 for her up-tempo “I Will Survive”-style single, “Be OK.” Thurs., July 30, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater; last time I looked this show was SOLD OUT, although I’m sure you can find tickets floating around outside.Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 28, 2009, at 3:57 pm
Minneapolis indie hip-hop duo Atmosphere — made up of rap artist Slug (Sean Daley) and DJ/producer Ant (Anthony Davis), pictured (photo credit Dan Monick) — bring a smart and refreshing change to the bloated bravado found in much of modern hip-hop music. Slug raps in a personal style that often draws from his own experiences, like the uplifting “Sunshine,” about appreciating the sunny days of life and wanting to bottle them in a plastic jar, “Bust it out whenever someone’s actin hard,” or the funky fun, sample-heavy “C’mon” from the duo’s new (and free) EP, Leak at Will, about being aware of where you’re from but not falling prey to its lawless temptations. But he’ll just as soon offer up a story — “The Waitress” from 2008’s When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold, looks at the antagonistic relationship between a waitress and a homeless man as told from his point-of-view, “I wonder when she’ll realize / That she’s the only reason I visit / The only woman in my world that acknowledges my existence.” Eyedea & Abilities and Attracted to Gods provide support for the duo’s Bay area show. Sat., Aug. 1, 8 p.m., State Theatre, St. Petersburg, $21. (Videos after the jump)Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 28, 2009, at 1:14 pm
Pennsylvania experimental rock ensemble Black Moth Super Rainbow (pictured, photo by Jae Rumberto) hit retro and modern notes all at once with their day-glo vibrant electro-dance melodies, fizzadelic folk shambles and made-for-space jams. It’s some of the headiest music you’ll find out there right now, but songwriter/frontman/creative conscience Tobacco (real name Tom Fec) doesn’t consider his music psychedelic at all.
“I think everything I do is pop,” he told me a few weeks ago during a phone interview before the second leg of the band’s two-part tour. “I don’t like psychedelic music and I never set out to do it. It just sort of comes out that way. I might be the only person who thinks this, but Eating Us … it seems like a pop album to me.”
Eating Us, his band’s fourth and latest full-length, is not the sort of name that makes me think pop. The black-and-white album cover, with its smeary sad face superimposed onto the back of a hand, doesn’t make me think of pop music, either. And the limited edition “hairy” version of Eating Us (with synthetic hair in its inner sleeve) is probably as far from pop packaging as you can feasibly get. (VIDEOS AFTER THE JUMP) Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 27, 2009, at 2:11 pm
Lots of new concert announcements arrived in my email box over the past three days. I’ve paired the new with a few that slipped through the cracks for your concert planning convenience. For a complete breakdown of area shows, visit our Upcoming Concerts page.
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 27, 2009, at 12:00 am
A weekly bulletin on musical guests playing late night TV; set your TIVOs or DVRs if you’ve got an early bedtime.
The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS
Monday, July 27: Dave Matthews Band
Tuesday, July 28: Silversun Pickups
Wednesday, July 29: Elbow (The British alt rockers are currently on tour with Coldplay.)
Thursday, July 30: Cage the Elephant (They don’t have a new album out since their 2008 self-titled debut, but they did play a much-talked-about set at Bonnaroo.)
Friday, July 31: Dave Matthews Band (Two nights of DMB on Letterman. Woo fucking hoo!)
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 24, 2009, at 2:19 pm
Jamie Foxx has come a long way since his In Living Colour sketch comedy days. That job led to some serious acting gigs, then to an Academy Award-winning performance of Ray Charles in the 2004 biopic, Ray, then to a lucrative music career. Foxx had always played music (he began taking piano lessons at age 5 and actually released an album, Peep This, in 1994), but that role opened new doors for him as the artist proved he could not only act, but that he had a damn fine voice and knew how to use it.
With music cred came guest spots that began when Foxx was featured with Kanye West on Twista’s song chart-topping “Slow Jamz.” His “I Got a Woman” Ray Charles-inspired hook in West’s “Gold Digger” followed and the song debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained there for 10 weeks. It was all downhill from there. Foxx proved himself a multi-talented force to be reckoned with and while virtually no one heard Peep This, Foxx’s second album, Unpredictable, sold nearly 2 million copies in the U.S. alone and was certified double platinum by the RIAA.
Foxx’s current 50-city North American “Blame It” tour in support of his third album, 2008’s Intuition, makes its way down to Florida and stops at Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center’s Carol Morsani Hall on Monday, August 31, at 8 p.m. Tickets on sale at noon this Monday, July 27; regularly priced tickets start at $56.50.
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 22, 2009, at 3:49 pm
Exciting news folks. Due to an apparent overwhelming demand, Leonard Cohen (pictured, photo credit: Lorca Cohen) brings his world tour back to North America and adds some dates, including a surprising two-date Florida leg that features the artist at the BankAtlantic Center in Ft. Lauderdale on Saturday, October 17, and the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa on Monday, October 19. (Wonder what he’s doing in the Sunshine State between dates) Tickets sale details will be released Monday, August 3…
Here’s the release
Los Angeles, CA – July 22, 2009 – To the delight of his legions of fans, Leonard Cohen will once again return to the U.S. this fall for the final leg of his critically acclaimed 2009 World Tour. Since taking the stage earlier this year at New York’s Beacon Theatre—his first stateside performance in more than fifteen years—Mr. Cohen has enchanted audiences, earning rave reviews and sold-out concerts across the globe. The highly anticipated 15-date trek kicks off October 17th at BankAtlantic Center in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and culminates on November 13th in San Jose, CA, which is the fourth Northern California date of the tour. Tickets for the newly added concerts will go on sale beginning Monday, August 3, 2009. Additional tour information is available at www.LeonardCohen.com and www.AEGLive.com. (Complete tour date additions listed after the jump) Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 22, 2009, at 2:25 pm
A quick breakdown of this weekend’s most worthy concerts beginning with Thursday, ’cause that’s when the weekend really starts, right? For a more comprehensive schedule of concerts, check out our Upcoming Events page.
Thursday, July 23 Nightmare Of You (pictured) w/Plushgun/Brian Bonz/Aushua In Nightmare of You’s single, “I Think I’m Getting Older,” frontman Brandon Reilly laments about aging against jangly guitars and post-punk bounce, and right before it peters to an end, there’s a brief breakdown of lazy, watery dub. Haven’t heard the rest of the Long Island, NY, four-piece quartet’s just-released second album, Infomaniac (Bevonshire), but my curiosity is piqued. Plushgun and Brian Bonz are both Brooklynites; Plushgun does cloying electro-pop (oft-described as “infectious”) while Bonz has a husky vocals and a pleasant ambience to his organic experimental rock. Thurs., July 23, 9 p.m., Crowbar, Ybor City, $10 in advance/$12 dos (18 and up).
Ex-Norwegianw/The Lighthouse and the Whaler/PemberleyWhile the name may imply far away origins (or an appreciation of Monty Python’s Flying Circus), Ex-Norwegian hails from Miami Beach and their music has the bright and shiny quality you’d expect with hand-claps, acoustic guitar and cheery vocals. Ohio’s Lighthouse and the Whaler make airy folk rock with percussive trimmings and multi-voice harmonizing that give the music a tender, rustic feel. Thurs., July 23, 9 p.m., New World Brewery, Ybor City, $7. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 21, 2009, at 4:50 pm
Jackson Browne settles his copyright case with the Republican Party, which played his 1977 hit, “Running on Empty” without permission in a McCain campaign ad that aired on TV and the Internet.
A new covers album of songs by New Zealand indie great and recent stroke victim Chris Knox features a rather respectable line up — Guided by Voices, the Mountain Goats, Jay Reatard, Yo La Tengo and Lambchop, among many others.
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 21, 2009, at 12:45 pm
Google “gypsy punk” and most of the dozen or so results relate back to Gogol Bordello. Search the band specifically and you’ll find more than a million pages that mention it. While Gogol’s Ukraine-born visionary/composer Eugene Hütz isn’t interested in taking credit for spearheading a whole new movement in American music, his band’s influence is undeniable.
Gogol grew from NYC’s underground music scene, just as much a melting pot as the city itself. Hütz immersed himself in it and assembled a motley crew of talented, multi-ethnic musicians to create his gypsy punk orchestra and make his vision of infusing East-European culture into Western music a reality.
The nine-member band represents seven nationalities all told. Their sound combines gypsy and Slavic music traditions with punk rock, dub reggae, metal, rap and even some funk and grooves, and the lyrics are delivered in English sprinkled with Spanish, Ukrainian and Italian verses. Since 1999, they have released four LPs; the most recent, 2007’s critically acclaimed Super Taranta!, fully launched Gogol into the international spotlight.
Many of Gogol’s songs (including “Wonderlust King, below”) are about living a roving, responsibility-free lifestyle, though various other topics are touched upon, from the absurdly catchy “Start Wearing Purple,” about letting loose and being silly, to “American Wedding,” which pokes fun at our country’s stuffy wedding traditions (“Where is the vodka, where’s marinated herring? / Where is the supply that gonna last three days?”), to the hilarious God vs. Science debate in “Supertheory of Supereverything.”
Everyone contributes vocals to the boisterous, colorful music, like violin virtuoso Sergey Ryabtsev, capable of some of the fastest and most furious fiddle playing I’ve ever witnessed; accordion player Yuri Lemeshev, who also moonlights with the studio band on Late Night with Conan O’Brien; and attractive lady entertainers and pandemonium makers Pamela Jintana Racine and Elizabeth Sun, who alternately sing, dance, and play marching band-style percussion throughout the live shows.
Hütz is the captivating and unpredictable center of it all. He sings lead, plays forceful acoustic guitar, and, usually shirtless with sweat dripping from his thick handlebar mustache, marches back and forth encouraging playful unruliness and leading spirited singalongs. He pilots the vigorous musical spectacle and keeps both his band and the audience as amped-up as he is.
Leilani: So, tell me about the role you play in the band as ringleader. How much of your songwriting goes into what happens on stage?
Eugene: I think it’s quite obvious (laughs robustly) that I write all the songs. (VIDEOS AFTER THE JUMP) Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 21, 2009, at 11:12 am
Less than a year after their last appearance at Clearwater’s stately Ruth Eckerd Hall, New York-based blues rockers The Black Crowes return for another round on Wednesday, October 7, with Truth & Salvage Co. to open. Tickets are $40.50 and $68, and sales begin at noon this Friday, July 24.
The tour will come after the release of the band’s eighth studio effort, Before the Frost…Until the Freeze, a different sort of double album out September 1. The first album, Before the Frost…, features 11 new unreleased Crowes’ studio songs distributed via the band’s own Silver Arrow label and Megaforce Records. The second album, …Until The Freeze, includes 8 original Crowes’ songs and a cover of Stephen Stills’ classic “So Many Times,” and it’s given away via a download code included with Before The Frost… Limited-edition vinyl copies of Before The Frost…Until The Freeze with all 20 tracks will also be available.
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 20, 2009, at 2:09 pm
Adam Yauch, aka MCA of the Beastie Boys, revealed the details of his illness today via a video broadcast with fellow member fellow band member Adam Horovitz (Ad-Rock) on the Beastie Boys’ website. Yauch has a form of cancer that attacks his Parotid gland, though the good news is that it’s only located in one area, it’s treatable, and the treatment will not not affect his voice. Yauch also apologized to fans who were looking forward to their upcoming shows and he seemed sincerely sad about it, though that probably has more to do with his health than anything else. An update on Yauch’s condition and the band’s cancelled shows is expected soon; the Beasties will also postponed the release of their eighth studio album, Hot Sauce Committee, originally due to drop in September.
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 20, 2009, at 1:20 pm
Last Thursday, on the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission to land on the Moon, NASA came out with the embarrassing news that it had somehow, over the years, managed to record over America’s most important historical footage of said trip to the Moon’s surface. You know, the famous footage of Neil Armstrong’s “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” the one that all those conspiracy theorists say is faked Wag the Dog style? Yeah, that footage.
(Apparently, in the 1970s and ’80s, NASA had a shortage of tapes, so it erased about 200,000 of them and reused them, including ones documenting the historical event.)
Luckily, NASA’s news came with a Hollywood saves-the-day solution: those crafty preservationists who restored Casablanca are digitally sharpening and cleaning up grainy footage of the moon landing taken from four sources NASA scrounged from around the world. The results are said to be better than what TV viewers witnessed on July 20, 1969, and according to senior NASA engineer Dick Nafzger, “There’s nothing being created; there’s nothing being manufactured.”
In honor of NASA’s royal fuck-up, I’ve made up a playlist of songs dedicated to the moon. There are a great deal more than 10, and some are rather obvious, but headlines are better with nice round numbers … interesting how many of these songs were produced in the ’70s. I guess a mission to the moon will inspire some songs, huh? Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 20, 2009, at 6:23 am
A weekly bulletin on musical guests playing late night TV; set your TIVOs or DVRs if you’ve got an early bedtime.
The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS
Monday, July 20: Spinnerette (the alt rock foursome featuring Brody Dalle and Tony Bevilacqua, both formerly of The Distillers; the band just released their self-titled debut in June)
Tuesday, July 21: the Flatlanders
Wednesday, July 22: Diane Birch
Thursday, July 23: Ginuwine (pictured) with Missy Elliott (They’ll likely perform “Get Involved,” the second single from Ginuwine’s latest album, A Man’s Thoughts. The song also features Timbaland — he produced it — but he’s not scheduled to appear.)
Friday, July 24: Judy Collins Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 17, 2009, at 12:59 pm
Gainesville’s dreadlocked singer-songwriter Chris McCarty, a local fave who hits the Skipperdome every eight weeks or so, brings his soulful acoustic groove-pop back to town, this time performing at Push Ultra Lounge for a “Ralley Florida” concert. The charitable event is held to raise awareness and funds for the statewide, grassroots “Share a Little Sunshine Tampa Bay (SALS)” viral marketing campaign to infuse much-needed revenue into Florida’s economy.
If you’re interested in doing your part, visit the SALS website (at VisitFlorida.com). Once there, upload some sort of video about Florida’s greatness, then send it out to encourage friends, family and loved ones to vacation here. Every person who sends or receives an invite will be registered to win one of 12 Florida getaways. As an added bonus, every person who sends an invitation and brings the printed online confirmation to the concert gets in for free. The show takes place Friday, July 24, at 9 p.m.; regular admission is $5 at the door.
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 16, 2009, at 8:55 am
This time, instead of opening for of Montreal, brother-and-sister indie pop duo The Fiery Furnaces bring their own headlining tour back to town. No Clubs Presents the band at Orpheum Saturday, August 22; tickets are $13 in advance and can be purchased at Daddy Kool ($15 day of show). Here’s the full Fiery Furnaces release/bio:
Eleanor was constantly ridiculed in the crudest and least interesting manner by her brother Matthew. He, for his part, had to suffer such things as her coming in the room, and various other affronts, for instance talking, or watching the TV show she wanted, or putting on a record she might like to hear. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 15, 2009, at 12:51 pm
It’s been three years since Soviet-American songstress Regina Spektor first enchanted us with the soul-pop perfection of Begin to Hope and proved herself a storyteller with a keen sense of detail and drama, a confident singer with a broad vocal range — from high and pure to low and sensual — and a poet with a unique use of words and an alluring inflection, not as if English were her second language, but as if she’s established a whole new charming style of speaking.
The follow-up and Spektor’s fifth studio album doesn’t quite attain the catchy ease of its predecessor, but far (Sire Records) carries its own abundance of appeal.
In the bouncy opening track, “The Calculation,” Spektor playfully ponders the mathematical equation of love and the surprising fury of its burn while in “Folding Chair,” she enjoys a casual day at the beach with her sweetheart and daydreams of domestic bliss (“Let’s get a silver bullet trailer, and have a baby boy / I’ll safety pin his clothes all cool and you’ll graffiti up his toys”). “The Wallet” shows her way of making the mundane seem remarkable with a touching ballad about finding someone’s lost wallet, and she combines quiet, abstract contemplation with grandiose stretches of piano and rhythmic flourishes in the melancholy yet somehow uplifting “Eet.” (Video after the jump) Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 14, 2009, at 11:56 am
This just in from the Bruce Springsteen newsite: The Boss had added 25 dates to his current U.S. tour, including a stop at Tampa’s Ford Amphitheatre on Sept. 12; tickets go on sale July 24. Here’s the complete details, with the fluffery (gushing quotes from European press) edited out:
Bruce Springsteen & The Legendary E Street Band have added 25 new US concert dates to their 2009 ‘Workin’ On a Dream’ tour. Springsteen has now sold over 1.5 million concert tickets in 2009 alone, with the new dates expected to push that number over the two million mark. (Video of the band performing “The River” at 2009’s Glastonbury and complete schedule of tour dates after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 13, 2009, at 2:01 pm
It is finally confirmed. Phish is not lame and did not drop all the most obvious hints about the location of the upcoming “Save the Date” fest so we could figure it out with little or no detective work. They led us all down a false trail, encouraging speculation and spreading rumors so thick and detailed that pretty much everybody and their brothers were convinced that the fest would be held at the Coachella site in Indio, California, also a city known for its date farms. (By date, I mean the fruit.) The rumors seemed so solid that hundreds (including a CL staffer, not myself), booked rooms in the Indio area.
Throughout the past several weeks, to hype up the forthcoming festival set to occur in a mystery location Oct. 30-Nov. 1, Phish anchored their homepage with an interactive pic of the United States, with various flash disasters — swarms of hungry ants, gods blowing storms in from the heavens, even Mike riding doomfully across the country on his Segway — to remove the possibilities state by state. California was still on the map up until today, when it was hijacked by four hot air balloons, casting all previous speculation into the dirt.
My original theory, since Nevada is still on the map, that Phish has decided to take over Vegoose and will either be the headliner on a bill of bands, or the sole band. Vegose is a Halloweentime fest. I guess only time will tell — but you heard the theory here first!
Stay tuned for a complete Phish Saves America wrap of the first leg of the summer fest, with pics and video.
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 13, 2009, at 6:30 am
“Don’t stop, believing — hold on to the feeyayaling!”
“‘Cause I can’t fight this feeling anymore, I’ve forgotten what I started fighting for! And if I have to crawl upon the floor, come crashing through your door, baby, I cant fight this feeling anymore!”
“Come sail away, come sail away, come sail away with me!” (Think of Cartman singing it. Makes it twice as great.)
All right, enough of that. Just wanted to introduce two concert announcements I received over the weekend about two upcoming shows featuring ’70s classic rock bands known for their epic power balladry.
Journey (the current incarnation pictured at right, in case you didn’t recognize) stops at the Amway Arena in Orlando Wed., Sept. 23, with Night Ranger to open. Tickets are $126, $66 and $36, and go on sale this Sat., July 18 at 10 a.m.
And the “Cant Stop Rockin’ Tour 2009″ with REO Speedwagon and Styx (also featuring special guest opener Night Ranger) play a pavilion only Ford Amphitheatre Fri., Oct. 30. The reserved seat tickets are $59.50, $39.50, $29.50 and $19.50, with four-packs available for $60. Sales this Sat., July 18 at 10 a.m.
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 13, 2009, at 12:00 am
A weekly bulletin on musical guests playing late night TV; set your TIVOs or DVRs if you’ve got an early bedtime.
The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS Monday, July 13: Kelly Clarkson (Pictured, to promote her new album, All I Ever Wanted)
Tuesday, July 14: Wilco with Feist (who will perform their collaboration from Wilco the Album, “You and I.”)
Wednesday, July 15: Paul McCartney (hopefully he’s be yakking and playing)
Thursday, July 16: Grizzly Bear (to make up for their non-appearance a few months ago, when they got bumped because GM’s Bob Lutz went over. Will likely play something from Veckatimest.)
Friday, July 17: Metric
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 10, 2009, at 2:04 pm
You’d imagine Dignan’s music is conceived somewhere cold and snowy grey and stunning in its starkness, a place for thinking meaningful thoughts and contemplating life’s everlasting mysteries.
Not a Texas town located a mere five miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border and boasting a significant Hispanic community. (Dignan photo by Taylor Pool)
“There’s not much of that in the music,” bassist and Dignan co-founder Devin Garcia tells me via phone a few weeks ago while the band was enjoying some down time in Cincinnati before a show later that night. “A lot of times, people are almost surprised about that.”
The atmospheric chamber pop has a distinctive psyche-folk feel in the same vein as Grizzly Bear. The multi-layered vocals are delivered in gentle and mellifluous intones or passionate cries, and are backed by wordless chorales and tasteful washes of sound with small textural details added for affect — glock chimes, guitar reverb, tambourine jingles, hand-claps, accordion notes, whistling.
Dignan is named after the charming ne’er-do-well in Wes Anderson’s first film, Bottle Rocket, and had its start when high school-aged Andy Pena met Garcia in church and became fast friends while tooling around in the church’s music room, where they spent many a late night experimenting with various instruments and taking full advantage of the empty performance space. Soon enough, Pena was playing guitar, Garcia electric bass and the duo were recruiting other young musicians to join them. Eventually, they settled into the current lineup with keyboardist and harmonizing vocalist Heidi Plueger, drummer Trey Perez, and David Palomo, who sings and plays accordion, glock and keys. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 9, 2009, at 4:18 pm
After two confusing Tweets from Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry — one alerting fans to the re-scheduling of Aerosmith’s Florida dates, the next saying the show could potentially still take place — I finally received word that the show has indeed been postponed.
Here’s the official Ford Amp statement:
(July 10, 2009) Aerosmith has postponed their scheduled show for July 11th at the Ford Amphitheatre in Tampa, FL due to an artist injury. A rescheduled date will be announced soon. Tickets purchased for the Ford Amphitheatre concert will be honored at the rescheduled date. For additional tour and ticket information, please visit www.livenation.com or www.aeroforceone.com.
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 8, 2009, at 5:10 pm
Here’s a quick breakdown of your best live music bets for the upcoming weekend. Yes, we count Thursday, because that’s when the weekend really starts, right? I mean, for those of us who pretend it’s just a second Friday… For a more comprehensive schedule of concerts, check out our Upcoming Events page.
Thursday, July 09 Don Chambersw/Urbane Cowboys/Roppongi’s Ace/Al TorchiaDon Chambers (pictured) sings in a raspy drawl, plays banjo with electric guitar aggression, and writes Southern gothic narratives about death, heartbreak, and other grim topics set against slinky Southern-fried roots rock that crackles and burns with a fiery intensity. Last September, with his Athens, Ga.-based band GOAT, Chambers released his fourth album, Zebulon, which was co-produced by the Drive-By Truckers’ Patterson Hood and featured on NPR’s Second Stage. Chambers has been likened to Tom Waits and Johnny Cash, and both are adequate, if not accurate, comparisons. Chambers performs solo (sans GOAT) at two shows on either side of the Bay: at New World Brewery on Thursday with Urbane Cowboys, Roppongi’s Ace and Al Torchia, and on Friday at The Garage in St. Petersburg with support acts TBA), and also appears on Studio 10 Friday morning. Thurs., July 9, 9 p.m., New World Brewery, Ybor City; and Fri., July 10, The Garage, St. Petersburg. Both shows are $6. —LP
Friday, July 10
PBS (Porter Baptiste Stoltz) Ever since The Meters, New Orleans has had a tradition of turning out funky trios. PBD includes stalwarts of the Crescent City: bassist George Porter Jr., drummer Russell Batiste and guitarist Brian Stoltz. Their vocals are serviceable, but their musicianship and way with a groove are really the reason to see them. Standback opens. Fri., July 10, 8:30 p.m., Ace’s Lounge, Bradenton, $15 in advance/$18. —ESRead the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 8, 2009, at 4:49 pm
The John Lisishow at Dave’s Aqua Lounge listed in this week’s issue as taking place on Saturday, July 11, is actually taking place on the following weekend, Saturday, July 18. Please make note on your live music calendars and we apologize for the error.
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 8, 2009, at 11:32 am
Sludgy post-punkers The Melvins are set to release Chicken Switch, a different sort of 15-song remix CD, on Sept. 29 via Ipecac Recordings. How is it different? Apparently, instead of given a single track to work with, the remixers on Chicken Switch were provided with complete albums to produce their single tracks, and in some instances, more than one album was used as source material.
The band is also hitting the road to support NOLA heavy metal supergroup Down this August and September, which includes a stop at House of Blues in Orlando on Sept. 2.
Check out the Chicken Switch track listing and participating artists as well as the complete Melvins tour schedule after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 7, 2009, at 4:06 pm
The Allman Brothers Band brings their 40th Anniversary Tour to Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall on Wednesday, October 21. Because of the classic jam rockers’ longtime popularity and legion of loyal fans, the show will most likely sell out. (The Allmans haven’t played a headlining date in the Bay area since their 2005 stop at the Ford Amphitheatre, likely because the annual Wanee appearances draw enough fans not to warrant an actual Florida tour.) So, if you can afford to pay $131, $101.50, $81.50 or $61.50 per ticket to see the Allmans at Ruth Eckerd, get your tickets when they go on sale, this Friday, July 10, at noon.
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 6, 2009, at 3:36 pm
This week, R&B artist Maxwell releases his fourth studio album and first new effort in eight years years, BLACKsummers’night, on Columbia. The release is available as a two-disc CD/DVD deluxe set that includes 5DAYSofBLACK, a film inspired by the making of the album. Maxwell recently released a series of excerpts from the film that take a rather interesting behind-the-scenes peek at the way he put it together. The featured tracks are “Cold,” (which features long-time Maxwell collaborator, producer/songwriter Hod David), “Pretty Wings,” “Stop the World” and “Help Somebody.” Check out all four previews after the jump; Maxwell plays Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater Thursday, July 30. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 6, 2009, at 12:22 pm
Scotland’s indie rock foursome Frightened Rabbit, fronted by brothers Scott and Grant Hutchison, hits several festivals (including Pitchfork) and makes a few solo stops this July. The band (pictured at left, photo by Dave Gourley at Kelvingrove Museum) has just announced that it will return to the states for a late summer-early fall tour that kicks off in Morrison, Colo., and ends at The Social in Orlando. They also debuted a new song and played some intriguing covers at Off the Beaten Track, an ongoing video music project (check that out HERE). Here are some highlights from the release (tour dates after the jump):
The foursome will team up with friends and countrymen, The Twilight Sad and We Were Promised Jetpacks for a raucous Scottish invasion of the States. The band will headline the anthemic rock-filled jaunt, which kicks off in Salt Lake City on September 14, following their appearance at the Monolith Festival in Colorado, alongside Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Girl Talk and the Walkmen. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 6, 2009, at 6:20 am
If you recall, Tampa area art rockers Lush Progress held a video release party back in May. If you missed that show, and the premiere of their new tasteful and rather well-made video for “Even Now” (produced by frontman Drew Cutler and directed by Jesse Newman, still at left), check it out here: Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 2, 2009, at 3:26 pm
Random news bites from the last several days (excluding anything about Michael Jackson … well, mostly).
Regina Spektor’s new album, far, debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 this week and the lovely Russian-born songstress is scheduled to perform on Late Night with Conan O’Brien on Thursday, July 30. Slipping to the No. 2 spot this week are theJonas Brothers with Vines And Trying Times, which held last week’s No. 1 position. Black Eyed Peas have moved to the top of the charts withThe E.N.D. And in case you BEP fans were worried, the title doesn’t foreshadow the band’s immenint break-up, but stands for “The Energy Never Dies.” Clever.
Seattle grunge metal makers Alice in Chains have confirmed the dates of their upcoming world tour, sans lead voice Layne Staley, who, if you recall, faded away into reclusivity before he speedballed to his death in 2002. The tour supports the band’s first new studio release in more than 10 years, Black Gives Way to Blue (in stores September 29). The first single, “A Looking View,” is currently streaming on their MySpace page and definitely has the feel of classic Alice in Chains, complete with the hard-meets-soft harmonies by vocalist/guitarist Jerry Cantrel and Staley replacement, vocalist/guitarist William Duvall. Here’s a statement the band released about the new song: “The song basically speaks to any number of things that keep you balled up inside. A cell of our own making with an unlocked door that we choose to remain in. Focusing our attention inward instead of reaching out to a much larger world. I think this is common to us all. It’s funny how hard we fight to hang on to a bone we can’t pull through a hole in the fence, or how difficult it is to put down the bag of bricks and move on.” Current confirmed U.S. stops include Detroit, DC, Chicago, NYC, Milwaukee, Portland and San Francisco. No telling whether the tour will bring them to Florida. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 2, 2009, at 1:58 pm
So, I got this email about this “spellbinding” (PR agent’s words, not mine) Daft Punk-produced video for Douglas Armour’s song, “Flushed & Flamelike, Themselves.” While the video looks real good, there’s not much to it. In sum, a crazy-eyed dude runs through the forest, stopping to do some slow-mo thrashing of his long stringy hair against various particularly breathtaking (and likely digitally-produced) backdrops (still shot at right). After watching the video, I thought the postscript to the e-mail was particularly funny: “PS: I’m accepting submissions to my unofficial video caption contest. Current front-runner: ‘This is why no one invites Andrew WK to go camping any more.’” Check it out after the jump and tell me if you are as baffled by it as I. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jul. 1, 2009, at 5:12 pm
It’s a holiday weekend, which means one extra day of partying down and supporting the local music scene without fear of a hangover-filled workday to follow. Here’s a quick breakdown of your best live music bets. For a more comprehensive schedule of concerts, check out our Upcoming Events page.
Thursday, July 2 Mike Dunn & the Kings of New England (pictured at right)/Will Quinlan/King of SpainWinter Park singer/songwriter Mike Dunn makes music that evokes freedom and wind in your face. His grabby, anthemic tunes send out a whiff of Americana, but at core they are pure, pop-infused rock ’n’ roll. Dunn pulls from a list of 11 confederates to make up his backing band, the Kings of New England, on any given night. No word on how many will show up at New World for this gig, but the safe bet is it won’t be all 11. Atlanta’s Rick Brantley was formerly on the bill but has been replaced by local one-man experimental rocker, King of Spain (Matt Slate). And Quinlan, well, we all know Quinlan, the dour dean of Tampa Bay’s Americana scene. Thurs., July 2, 9 p.m., New World Brewery, Ybor City, $7. —ES
Michael McDonald + Boz Scaggs Two of the most popular vocalists of the 1970s join together in a co-bill at Ruth Eckerd. My strong preference is Scaggs, with his round, throaty soul croon. His Silk Degrees(’76) is an unmitigated classic. Lately, Scaggs’ has added standards from the American Songbook to his repertoire, so his show will be a compendium of material over several decades. (Concertgoer alert: He’s going on first; to read more about him, check out the CL feature here.) When McDonald joined the Doobie Brothers in 1975, they went from a guitar-oriented bar band (albeit a slick one) to a Grammy-winning pop outfit dominated by McDonald’s keyboards and syrupy voice. He had a solid solo career in the 1980s, despite the blemish known as “Yah Mo B There.” Thurs., July 02, 7:30 p.m., Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, $62.50-$103. —Eric Snider
Friday, July 03 Starlight Mints/Evangelicals (pictured at left, photo by Sarah Cass) You might want to take a break from the Hot Dog show and stroll up the street for Starlight Mints, a band out of Norman, Okla. (home of Flaming Lips) that would make a proper co-bill with Sunbears!. The quartet of “pop mutants” brings plenty of whimsy and weirdness to their sound, but never strays from tried-and-true rock verities: hooks, tuneful vocals, muscular rhythms. The band is backboned by synthesizers, but adds playful twists — like the cartoon horns on “Zoomba” from their new album Change Remains. Evangelicals are also from Norman, and sound as if they might’ve been to a few barbecues at Coyne’s house. Fri., July 3, 9 p.m., New World Brewery, Ybor City, $8. —ES Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jun. 30, 2009, at 1:26 pm
It used to be that MTV would overplay videos to such a degree that it was impossible not to know the latest singles by Madonna, or Prince, or Michael Jackson (may he RIP). Those artists blew wads of cash to make miniature movies for their songs. (Michael and sister Janet’s 1995 acclaimed video duet, “Scream,” cost $7 million alone to produce.)
Nowadays, MTV doesn’t play videos so much as it airs clips of them during the closing credits of its neverending reality TV programming, so many artists have turned to YouTube to get the vids out and are likely alot more budget conscious when making them. The results vary from fun and inspired to downright garbage. Here’s a look at two Moby videos created in support of his ninth album (out today on Little Idiot). I’ve also included a preview clip of Bjork’s live Voltaic CD/DVD release. (Complete clips from the DVD would be nice but sadly, there are leaked or uploaded as yet.)
Artist:Moby Album:Wait for Me Songs: “Shot in the Back of the Head,” “Pale Horses.”
Both of Moby’s new singles have intrigued me with their raw electro-meets-organic feel. The video for “Shot in the Back of the Head” is David Lynch’s dark and abstract translation of the song, which is rather gloomy all on its own; and “Pale Horses,” the second single with haunting female vocals by Amelia and melancholy overtones, is directed by Elanna Allen and follows a lonely alien who takes a train to the moon to find some companions. Both are animated, but in very different styles. Grade: A for both; the music was good and the videos compelling enough to make me want to check out Moby’s new album. (CHECK OUT THE VIDEOS AFTER THE JUMP). Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jun. 29, 2009, at 12:00 am
A weekly bulletin on musical guests playing late night TV; set your TIVOs or DVRs if you’ve got an early bedtime and you haven’t already caught these appearances (or want to see them again).
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jun. 26, 2009, at 2:02 pm
Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse Dark Night of the Soul
From the first reports of a new project by artist/producer Danger Mouse and singer/multi-instrumentalist Sparklehorse (Mark Linkous), to the freaky 16-second video revealing filmmaker David Lynch’s hand in its artistic direction, to its Internet leak after the dispute with EMI turned into a permanently unresolved issue, Dark Night of the Soul has been generating a shadow-shrouded hype that reflects the album’s own bewitching eeriness.
The 13 songs were written by DM and SH in collaboration with a noteworthy cast of nearly a dozen guests, who not only provided vocals but helped compose and produce their respective tracks. Each one retains its own individual feel, but all remain within Dark Night’s moody boundaries and feature DM’s skilled multi-layering production techniques. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jun. 25, 2009, at 6:02 pm
He might not actually be dead yet, but TMZ is reporting that pop master Michael Jackson, who suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this afternoon at his Holmby Hills home, has passed away at age 50. According to them, the paramedics said that they were unable to revive him. (Other publications, like ABC News, MTV.com, NPR and the New York Times are not so quick to jump to the RIP conclusion.)
So is Jackson alive or dead? Is this the Shrodinger’s Cat paradox being played out right in front of our very eyes? Keep watching the headlines…
Gainesville, FL – Vinnie Fiorello, drummer of ska/punk legends Less Than Jake and owner of Gainesville-based independent label Paper + Plastick Records, is celebrating his birthday in style this year. To commemorate, the music industry vet is giving away P+P digital catalog (except the latest release, Shook Ones’ The Unquotable A.M.H.) to the first 200 loyal fans that visit www.audiblediversiongroup.com/paperandplastick/browse/DigitalReleases at 3PM EST. “My birthday seemed like a logical day to do this” admits Fiorello. “While I’m celebrating with tacos and beer, people can celebrate with some of my best friends and favorite bands on P +P.” “I’m doing this because I want to share the music I love. Maybe you heard the band name or maybe you heard a song or two… so now is the time to dive into the P+P catalog for free at 3,” he says. A lucky 200 fans will receive over 80 free tracks, from artists such as Foundation, Farewell Continental, Gatorface, We Are The Union, Assassinate The Scientist, Protagonist, Blacklist Royals, Landmines, Coffee Project and Andrew Dost. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jun. 24, 2009, at 4:20 am
Musicians tend to disparage their local music scenes, but when it comes to Florida, neo-folk troubadour Lauris Vidal (pictured, photo by Charles Brewer III) says they likely don’t know how good they’ve got it. He didn’t. The 31-year-old Daytona-based musician (who plays guitar, tenor banjo, lap steel and a ukulele he crafted from a banjo neck and cigar box) grew up here, but spent five years performing for DC’s thankless audiences. “It was so cold and closed in DC, and you had to work so hard for no appreciation at all,” he told me during a recent phone coversation.
While the Sunshine State may seem like a cultural dead end, Vidal says Floridians are generally open to original music, including his own brand of shambling, Southern gothic-tinged roots. “Coming back here and playing and having people of all ages really appreciate it, and show it, felt amazing. It’s one of the reasons why I want to work so hard in Florida and help Florida’s national reputation.” Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jun. 16, 2009, at 11:27 am
This just in from No Clubs Productions:
ATMOSPHERE w/Special Guest TBA
Saturday, August 1, 2009
THE STATE THEATRE
Doors: 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $21 in advance/ $23 Day of Show
ON SALE SATURDAY 6/20/09 Ticket Link
Atmosphere is a hip-hop group from Minneapolis that centers around rapper Slug (aka Sean Daley). The son of a black father and a white mother who divorced when he was a teenager, Slug became entranced with hip-hop, graffiti, and breakdancing, and formed the Rhyme Sayers Collective with two high school friends — Siddiq Ali (Stress) and Derek Turner (Spawn). (VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP)Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jun. 15, 2009, at 1:46 pm
It’s midnight at a hole-in-the-wall club in the heart of Little Havana, Miami. The place is pumpin’, the dance floor jammed with a multicultural mass of bodies writhing and grooving and ducking and swaying and shaking asses to the pulsing beats. The music is a breathing, heaving, horn-saturated slice of Miami fusion, the native flavors of Cuba — salsa, charanga, rumba and the like — mixed with ’70s-style funk, hip-hop turntablism, free jazz, dub reggae, Afro-beat and electronica.
The band responsible, Spam Allstars, calls its Pan-American dance music “electronic descarga” and the man in charge is DJ Le Spam, though he’s not a frontman in the traditional sense. The youthful Miami musician/producer (real name: Andrew Yeomanson) doesn’t sing or play instruments or tell his bandmates what to play. But he crafts the foundation of the band’s music, shaping the mood with basslines and electronic beats. The resulting samplers are triggered throughout the band’s live performances, and Yeomanson uses turntables to add improvised sounds, words and textures to what his all-star group of musicians produce, all while mixing the entire thing via his post behind the soundboard at the back of the stage. (Audio and video after the jump.) Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jun. 14, 2009, at 5:58 pm
This weekend, I determined that the quality of your back-up singers determines the cheese factor of your show. Steely Dan’s were a trio of lovely ladies straight out of 1989, whose vocals were overshadowed by bad hair and fashion, and badly choreographed dance hands. Yes, I said it — dance hands, those theatric gestures all the drama club kids make when singing in musicals, the ones that don’t really express anything but keep your arms from hanging down at your sides like wet noodles. So, yes, I was distracted by the trio, but I was also just not that into the music, either. (Photos by Phil Bardi taken from the soundboard.)
Full disclosure: I am not among the loyal legion of Dan fans. I can understand and appreciate the influence of the progressive jazz-rockers, and I like some songs from their catalog, although they are guilty of recording one of my least favorite songs, ever, “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number.” (I’m a hater on “Deacon Blues,” too.) There’s just something about the Steely Dan sound — its slick production quality, Donald Fagen’s vocal tone — that rubs me wrong. But my mind has been changed by greater things and music is oftentimes different when consumed in a live setting, and since my husband is a devotee and has never seen them live, and since I’ve never seen them perform live, either, I took us both to the show at Ruth Eckerd Hall this past Friday, June 12. The Florida leg of the “Rent Party ‘09″ tour was a sort of warm-up for the upcoming series of special bigger-city bills where the band will play one of each of their classic albums in its entirety at each show. Read the rest of this entry »
Not much info, but dates on the band’s own MySpace page confirm this show is really happening and I am totally stoked! I got to see Black Mother Super Rainbow play for a measley 30 minutes before Aesop Rock at Orlando’s Anti-Pop fest in 2007, and it was a pretty stellar time, even for being soo short. To read my review of the band’s latest album, Eating Us, click here.
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jun. 12, 2009, at 11:45 am
Two concert announcements came through while I was on vacation these past few days. The artists are as disparate as you can possibly get without being of entirely different species.
Neo-soul singer Maxwell, the Grammy-nominee with the passionate pipes who produces some pretty seductive, made-for-making-looove R&B serenades, will stop at Ruth Eckerd Hall on Thursday, July 30. The artist tours in support of his fourth studio album and first new effort in eight years years, BLACKsummers’night, out July 7 on Columbia. Tickets go on sale Friday today at noon. Check out the first single from the album, “Pretty Wings,” by clicking here. (I’d post it but the embedding function has been disabled. Obviously.)
The other new show on the Bay area concert calendar is The Airborne Toxic Event (pictured, photo by Kristi Sparrow), a rather new (three-year-old) gothic New Wave-flavored rock band from LA that’s been getting some pretty good press for their 2008 self-titled debut. The band stops at St. Petersburg’s State Theatre on Tuesday, October 6. Tickets are $16 in advance and go on sale Saturday, June 20.
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jun. 9, 2009, at 12:58 pm
Let me preface this by saying I’m a huge fan of Animal Collective. I’ve followed them since 2005’s Feels, which mystified, intrigued and ultimately turned me onto the the experimental trio, and I think the new album, Merriweather Post Pavilion, is among this year’s best. Where other people find their experimental music abrasive and hard to understand, I dig the collages of chaotic electronics, the repetition, the fickle melodies, the whooped-chanted-sung lyrics. But while last night’s show had some pretty great moments, the overall performance wasn’t quite as dynamic as I’d expected, the subtleties didn’t translate very well in State Theatre’s high frequency-swallowing room, and the repetition that I normally enjoy was almost exhausting in a live setting. (Photos by Phil Bardi.)
The band had a pretty visually appealing stage set-up: two tall towers of speakers on either side of the stage covered in white sheets, a huge white ball hanging in the center over the stage, with animated projections and electro-lights playing against it (did these guys see Phish’s Hampton set up or what?), a huge backdrop featuring Merriweather’s dizzying optical illusion cover art, soundboard tables covered with white sheets that lit up in a rainbow of neon colors at various musical cues. (MORE PICS AFTER THE BREAK) Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jun. 9, 2009, at 11:31 am
Just got this press release from Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center announcing that British dance music twosome Pet Shop Boys will be stopping at the center’s Carol Morsani Hall Thursday, Sept. 10. Here’s the release details:
One of the most iconic and influential pop acts in the world, the English pop duo Pet Shop Boys has reemerged on the music scene with their ninth album, Yes. Filled with sparkling state of the art pop songs, Yes is an affirmation of the duo’s knack for mixing innovative artistry with exuberant commercial appeal.
In a career spanning more than two decades, the duo of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe have created some of the most beloved and recognizable hits in the world including their signature song “West End Girls” as well as “It’s A Sin,” “Always on My Mind,” “Go West” and “New York City Boy.” They’ve sold more than 30 million records and have worked with artists like Dusty Springfield, David Bowie, Liza Minnelli, Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue, Electronic and Madonna.
Regularly priced tickets are $39.75 to $69.75 and go on sale June 12, at noon. Tickets may be purchased by calling 813.229.STAR (7827) or 800.955.1045 outside Tampa Bay, in person at the TBPAC Ticket Office or online at www.tbpac.org.
For more information about the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and its upcoming events, please visit www.tbpac.org.
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jun. 8, 2009, at 2:59 pm
A sneak peek at videos for music releases due out this week by a range of artists, with short reviews and grade school-style ratings!
“For What It’s Worth,” the first single off Placebo’s Battle for the Sun, on Vagrant Records. This is the British alt rock trio’s sixth album and its first since 2006’s Meds. Good visuals, interesting commentary. Rating: B+
The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, NBC Tuesday, June 9: Bonnie Raitt and Taj Mahal (Likely promoting their “BonTaj Roulet” co-headlining tour, a series of concerts where the two veteran blues artists perform separate sets with their own bands, and then take the stage together for a blues jam)
Wednesday, June 10: Rancid Thursday, June 11: Neko Case (The rest of this week’s schedule + video of Pearl Jam on Conan after the jump.) Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jun. 5, 2009, at 2:14 pm
Several days ago, while watching Marco Benevento fire up his piano on a YouTube video, I got to thinking — who are some of the best keyboardists around right now, the ones who truly bring chops to the table, either via instrumental compositions, or songwriting, or both? I’ve tried to go less obvious — no one’s questioning the skills of Gregg Allman, or Keith Emerson, or Count Basie, or Richard Wright, or George Duke, or Dr. John, or interchangeable piano men Billy Joel and Elton John, or even the wondrous Stevie Wonder. We all already know those dudes are at the top. But what about some of the less obvious, but no less great? In the vein of Ivan’s Top 5 Bass Players Ever — except that, despite the title of my post, I’m not really claiming these are the best key players ever, just my favorites — I’ve put together the following list, in no particular order, and with video.
Marco Benevento
He’s among the most talented keyboardists around right now, in my humble opinion. He’s pretty hip to current technology and usually incorporates it into his compositions. I’ve seen him play in his main band with drummer Joe Russo, the Benevento/Russo Duo, I’ve seen him perform as part of a Led Zeppelin tribute, Bustle in Your Hedgerow, I’ve seen him tear it up with Russo, Mike Gordon and Trey Anastasio during the GRAB tour, and I’ve seen him in his solo project, a trio with badass bassist Reed Mathis and drummer Matt Chamberlain. The following video Marco with his trio playing “Twin Killers” from a May 13 show in Philly.
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jun. 5, 2009, at 12:47 pm
I fell in love with Soviet-born songstress Regina Spektor a few years ago with the release of 2006’s Begin to Hope. While I was initially turned off by the inherent pop marketability of the album (it’s almost too well-produced for its own good), I was drawn to her poetry, to the sweetness of her accented voice, to the moments of her singing in her native language. (There’s more of that on her earlier self-released albums, though she really does it best in her third album, Soviet Kitsch.)
Anyway, the point of this post is that Miss Spektor is set to finally release the follow-up to Begin to Hope and I am stoked. Other than her adorable duet with Ben Folds, “You Don’t Know Me” — the first single off his 2009 album, Way to Normal — Spektor has been virtually MIA for far too long. Now, she’s gearing up for a worldwide release of far, due out on Sire Records June 23. (The official press release with info on her upcoming Letterman and Good Morning America, track listing and European tour dates, and the video for her new song, “Laughing With,” after the jump.) Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jun. 4, 2009, at 1:22 pm
Indie rock forefathers (parents) Yo La Tengo are gearing up to release Popular Songs, on September 8 via Matador. The follow-up to 2006’s I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass was recorded in Hoboken, N.J. and Nashville earlier this year.
We have an old saying at Matador HQ, “the only thing predictable about Yo La Tengo albums is their high level of excellence and crazy amount of musical ground covered”. Trouble is, even if you believe we really have an old saying that unwieldly, it doesn’t really do justice in this instance. The new Yo La Tengo CD/2XLP/digital album ‘Popular Songs’ (OLE 856-1,2) could be the bravest musical statement to date in a career full of ‘em. Recorded in Hoboken and Nashville in early 2009 with longtime associate Roger Mountenot, ‘Popular Songs’ finds the trio of Georgia Hubley, Ira Kaplan and James McNew at the height of their creative powers, fashioning an epic work that’s cooly confident as it is wildly adventurous. (THE REST OF THE RELEASE AND NEW SINGLE, “Periodically Double Or Triple,” AFTER THE JUMP.) Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jun. 2, 2009, at 11:05 am
The Jim Beam-hosted concert featuring The Hold Steady this Thursday, June 4, at Jannus Landing has been postponed until further notice. Tickets that’ve been reserved/printed out/whatever the damn promo included will be honored once the date is re-scheduled. No word on whether or not this has anything to do with Jannus owner Jack Bodziak’s recent arrest.
UPDATE: The Hold Steady date has been re-scheduled and is now set to occur Thursday, July 2, at The Ritz Ybor in Ybor City.
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jun. 1, 2009, at 5:30 pm
Pittsburgh experimental rock ensemble Black Moth Super Rainbow produces some of the headiest psychedelic electro-fizz you’ll hear around right now, day-glow vibrant and spaced-out like an acid trip to the moon.
The band tones down the face-melting mania and turns wistfully surreal for its fourth full-length, Eating Us (Graveface), setting blotter paper lyricism against a rich and dreamy orchestra of synthesized sound — dense, swirling textures of synthi-chord, synth-strings, synth-flute and synth everything else. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Jun. 1, 2009, at 1:56 pm
The Dodos perform solid, straighforward, no-frills-attached acoustic-driven pop music, and their 2008 album, Visiter, was among one of my favorites last year. Here’s the band performing “Red and Purple” and “Eyelids” from Visiter, and what seems to be a new song, “Fables,” on Pitchfork TV. (See the video after the jump.) Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 31, 2009, at 6:33 pm
Tonight, May 31, 2009, Phish returns to the road and kicks off the first leg of their summer tour at Fenway Park, home field of the Boston Red Sox and the oldest of all current MLB stadiums. Phish, the band that inspired this ongoing column (and changed the lives of me and everyone who reads this thing and plenty of others who don’t), will hit the stage at 6:55 p.m. and fill upwards of 30,000 fans (including my good friend AAAlex) with joyous satisfaction. (Screenshots of the first-night-back video — with Fenway’s organist playing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” then cracking his knuckles and launching into “Tweezer” while various appropos shots of the stadium flash by — after the jump.) The rest of us will watch from the sidelines, checking the regularly updated From the Road setlists, watching various #Phish Tweets from the show (my own not from the show here), and eagerly awaiting our own upcoming Phish adventures.
With a new spat of Phish shows to be reported on, Phish Saves America (PSA) is officially off hiatus. Not that it was ever really on hiatus, but I’ve admittedly took a bit of a break since Hampton, letting all the little Phish news bites fall through the cracks while I set some things in order. (Translation: I’ve been busy.) But the upcoming weeks will find both me and Tampa Calling contributor B.Treotch (also of Coventryblog.com) at several different upcoming Phish shows, which means plenty of coverage. B.Treotch will be at Asheville (maybe?) and Knoxville, and will serve as Creative Loafing’s on-site reporter at Bonnaroo with various Tweets and whatever else we can manage at the Tennessee fest, and a post-fest wrap with all the media we can manage. I will be road-tripping up to Knoxville in an RV with some Bonnaroo-bound friends and other taggers-on next Tuesday (look out for plenty of Tweeting and a post), then I’ll be hitting the last three shows (in Indiana and Wisconsin, respectively) the following weekend. The Gorge will follow in August if my husband and I can juggle the finances as planned.
But for now, let’s start with something fun — a “What If” of sit-ins that has Phish performing with a select roster of other Bonnaroo artists.
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 28, 2009, at 10:59 am
Bass playing maverick Les Claypool — whose co-headlining tour with Matisyahu stops at Jannus Landingthis upcoming Monday, June 1 — is currently celebrating the release of his second and most recent solo release, Of Fungi and Foe. This high quality slice of avant rock bizarrity is inspired by two soundtrack projects Claypool worked on last year, one for the Wii video game, Mushroom Men, about an ongoing civil war between Earth’s small population of formerly regular fungi who, along with various other native flora and fauna, gained sentience from a comet that crashed to Earth); and the other for the forthcoming horror flick, Pig Hunt, described as “a guy’s weekend of hunting gone wrong in the backwoods of Northern California, set amidst the chaos of marijuana, meth, rednecks, and a killer cult that worships a legendary 3,000 pound wild boar called ‘The Ripper.’”
The first single to get video treatment, “Red State Girl,” has the sort of weirdo feel you’d expect, with its players in freaky masks (are they presidents, or no-name cartoonish politicos?). Anyway, because I can’t embed the video, all I can do is show you a screen shot (see below) and offer you a link to the actual YouTube vid — click here to check it out.
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 27, 2009, at 3:10 pm
Another band not coming to a town near you, Chicago experimental post-prog rock-n-jazz quartet Tortoise has announced a tour that makes stops in Greece, Japan, France and Belgium, hits nine US cities over the course of three months, and never once ventures further south than Austin. The band is set to release their latest album and first in more than five years, Beacons of Ancestorship, on June 23 via Thrill Jockey, and will supposedly announce another string of U.S. dates in the fall. Here’s hoping for a Florida run. Or at least a stop anywhere in the state.
Check out the video for their new single, “Prepare Your Coffin” and current tour dates: Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 26, 2009, at 4:12 pm
A few Fridays ago, I had the pleasure of seeing the Ghetto Love Sugar reunion. The band — a local experimental jazz jam outfit that enjoyed its heydey several years ago and played their last show in ‘03 — re-banded for a single show when drummer/percussionist Jon Priest returned to town for a weekend of performing. Priest (now a resident of Boone, N.C.) sat in in with pretty much every band he helped shape over the course of his many years that Friday night: Middle Rhythm Session, GLS, the funk-jazz foursome Infinite Groove Orchestra, and reggae masters Rocksteady@8.
That night, Priest told me he was going to play “until I can’t play no more.” And he did. The GLS set was, IMO, one of the most spirited parts of the night, though IGO pretty much KILLED it. (If you haven’t seen IGO perform, sans Priest, they play Yeoman’s Road Pub every first Friday of the month.) Anyway, I’ve been meaning to post some video from that night that a local music lover sent me, but just didn’t get the chance until today. Here’s two, parts one and four, the latter featuring GLS playing a smokin’ cover of The Beatles’ “Within You, Without You” from the May 8 show. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 26, 2009, at 3:55 pm
As an addendum to my recent column, “Traveling to see music without losing your money (or your mind),” I’ve put together this small group of shows and fests that provide some good selections for music-motivated travel. If you haven’t already made travel plans this summer, here are some of your best bets.
Grizzly Bear and TV on the Radio Saturday, June 13, The Tabernacle, Atlanta
If you wanna go, get your tickets now — it’s a Saturday night co-headlining bill featuring of two of Brooklyn’s most hip and beloved bands, both with recent albums — Grizzly’s just-released Veckatimest, TVOTR’s fantastic Dear Science from last year — so the show will most definitely sell out. I would be at this show, front row, if I wasn’t just returning from a music-motivated vacation that same Thursday.
The Decemberists (pictured) with Andrew Bird and Blind Pilot July 18-19, Edgefield, Portland, Oregon
The chamber rock quintet only comes as close as Atlanta and plays that date on Wednesday, June 3 — not at all convenient for a road trip unless you plan on taking that week off. But the tour also includes this appealing Saturday-Sunday run in Portland, and with whistling singer/songwriter Andrew Bird, and Portland’s own indie pop duo, Blind Pilot. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 26, 2009, at 11:38 am
A weekly bulletin on musical guests playing late night TV; set your TIVOs or DVRs if you’ve got an early bedtime.
The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS Wednesday, May 27: The Dead (rerun, April 23) Thursday, May 28: The Killers (May 11)
Friday, May 29: Wynton Marsalis (May 13)
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 25, 2009, at 11:41 am
Vinyl Fever is not only open today, but hosts a Memorial Day listening party of Veckatimest, Grizzly Bear’s third and latest album (due out tomorrow, May 26). In honor of the listening occasion, the store also offers a sale of used CDs and records, and gives away lithos with the purchase of new Green Day, Tori Amos and/or Grizzly Bear albums. Buy enough music stuff and put it all in a Record Store Day tote (while supplies last). The listening party begins at 2 p.m. Regular store hours are 11 a.m.-6 p.m.. Vinly Fever is located at 4110 Henderson Blvd., Tampa.
On that note, I’d just like to say that David Letterman has jumped the shark. Grizzly Bear’s appearance last week got bumped for — get this — GM’s Bob Lutz, who talked so much that there wasn’t time for a string quartet-assisted Bear to perform “Ready, Able.” Yeah, bumped for Lutz, and I watched the whole damn episode, and boring Lutz (who gave away a car or some such bullshit) just to find out I’d wasted an hour (well, less than an hour as I DVR’d it and fast-forwarded through the commercials and Letterman’s routine). So, for your viewing pleasure, here’s the Bear on Letterman from last July playing “Two Weeks.” Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 22, 2009, at 2:54 pm
I missed her the last time she came to town, but you can bet I’ll make sure to catch Texas-based songstress Izzy Cox (aka the “Murder Ballad Queen”) this time around. Cox croons in a clear, honeyed soprano that slinks and slides against voodoobilly jazz, bouncy Western swing and honky tonkin’ blues. Her songs reflect a perverse sense of humor and feature a colorful cast of hard-bitten women, from a hoodoovoodoo type of girl who likes switchblades and Colt 45, to a mad woman in the Number Nine Ward with voices in her head telling her she’s dead, to “Belle Gunness,” an old folk tune about one of America’s most notorious female serial killers.
Thurs., May 28, 9 p.m., The Garage, St. Petersburg, $6 in advance/$8 day of show.
Last year, America’s indifferent masses finally acknowledged the country’s desperate need for change and elected a leader who not only represented change but inspired confidence, re-affirmed those freedoms we held so dear, and gave us back our sense of patriotism without making us feel ashamed of it. The dark times aren’t over, but we’ve filled ourselves with enough hope to get by.
You get the idea that Akron/Family is feeling the same sense of re-claimed patriotism before even hearing their new album. The cover of Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free (Dead Oceans) features the American flag, its star-spangled square replaced by a tie-dye swirl of white on faded navy, its broad stripes wrinkled and gaping in spots. But it still hangs proud and defiant, if a bit worse for wear. (Video and rating after the jump.)Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 20, 2009, at 4:07 pm
This Saturday, May 23, Kelly’s Pub celebrates its final night as Kelly’s Pub. The downtown Tampa watering hole — which has been serving a wide range of brewskies and hosting original live music (local and otherwise) for the past two-and-a-half years — re-launches on Sunday as the Karma Bar & Cafe. But before then, Kelly’s stages a goodbye blowout with live music by Rob Osenton (frontman of The Junkyard Kings, and regular performer at the pub’s Wednesday nights open mics), and Orlando’s Stimulus Nimbus. The festivities kick off at around 9 p.m.; the cover is $3.
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 20, 2009, at 1:35 pm
For more Summer Guide stories about how to spend your summer vacation (or to read about the memorable summer-related experiences of other CL staffers, freelancers and interns), click here; to check out some travel-worthy events taking place this summer, click here; picture below of me by Phil Bardi, taken at Langerado 2008.
My first time traveling to see music was February 2001, when A Perfect Circle’s Mer de Noms tour came to Florida and the easier access Orlando show sold out before I got tickets. At the time, I was barely three months into my 21st year, recently single, and so fiercely infatuated with APC that I went ahead and planned a road trip to see them in Ft. Lauderdale, convinced I could talk a few other adventurous friends into making the overnight jaunt with me.
Problem was, the three who joined me — two of my girlfriends and a hottie musician I was unsuccessfully courting — were unemployed, so the jaunt ended up being a 100-percent Leilani-sponsored affair. Worst of all, my crush turned out to be prudish, petulant and overall, a royal pain in the ass who, in less than 24 hours, had not only managed to alienate me, but made me lose interest in even continuing our friendship because I could no longer stand the sound of his voice.
Luckily, my feelings about music-motivated traveling weren’t affected since both the music and vacation parts were fabulous. But I learned much from the experience and the numerous experiences that followed. Here’s some wisdom I’ve gained over the years. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 20, 2009, at 10:23 am
Just got a release announcing that The Hold Steady will return to the Bay area, this time playing a special, last minute show at Jannus Landing on Thursday, June 4. This one’s on Jim Beam’s tab, which means that the show is FREE. You hear that folks — a FREE Hold Steady show! Not a huge fan myself, but they’ve got alot of loyal fans here because of that “Killer Parties” song with the infamous lyrics, “If she says we partied then I’m pretty sure we partied / I really don’t remember / I remember we departed from our bodies / We woke up in Ybor City.” Tickets are very limited (it’s a free show after all), and are available to ages 21 and up only; sign up for the drawing to get in here.
IN CASE YOU MISSED THE UPDATES: The show at Jannus Landing was postponed, the date moved out to July 2 and the band will now be playing at The Ritz in Ybor City. Tickets that’ve been reserved/printed out/whatever the damn promo included will be honored.
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 18, 2009, at 2:55 pm
Dozens and dozens of acts will make it onto Tampa Bay area concert stages this summer. Here’s our best bets, in a wide range of genres.
Stanton Moore The bespectacled founder of NOLA funk purveyors Galactic is widely regarded as one of the best drummers currently drawing air. This show has him in a trio setting with estimable guitarist Will Bernard and keyboardist Robert Walter. The small ensemble allows room for Moore to strut his Crescent City-honed skills. Expect expansive jamming and finely honed interplay. (Video: Stanton Moore Trio performing at Emerald Lounge in Asheville, N.C., Sept. 10, 2008.) (May 28, Crowbar, Ybor City)—Eric Snider
Sunday, May 31 WMNF Jazz Jam feat. Sam Rivers/PBS/World Afro-Cuban Ensemble/Infinite Groove Orchestra/Impromptu/Trio Vibe/others TBA Tampa Bay’s community radio station has been putting together more jazz events of late — thank you for that — this being one of the more ambitious. Saxophonist Sam Rivers, 83, was once a front-rank player on the New York (and thus international) avant-garde scene. He’s settled into legendhood well, living in Orlando and taking gigs as he pleases. A potpourri of locally-based acts rounds out the bill. (May 31, Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa) —ESRead the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 17, 2009, at 6:52 pm
Last night, Photographer Phil and I played Heatwave Hopscotch, skipping from stage to stage, pausing longer at some than at others though never staying long enough to get comfortable in any one place, and having a grand old time all along the way.
We cruised into Heatwave around 9 p.m., missing the monsoon and arriving just in time to catch a snatch of blues guitarist Michael Burks at the Bandshell before we landed in the Cantina for Kinobe and Soul Beat Africa. (Kinobe pictured, photo by Phil Bardi.)
We were in our spot two seconds and one sip into our drinks before we were befriended by a pair of jolly 40ish Bradenton gals (I nicknamed them Angel and Curly), who immediately pushed a few Ace’s Lounge cards on us, then admitted to being friends with the owner. Angel went on to extol all Ace’s virtues (she called it the “Skipper’s Smokehouse of Bradenton”) and about the hotel conveniently located right across the street, the Jimmy Buffett-themed Parrot Inn. You could virtually make a night of it – see a show at the famed Ace’s, stumble over to the Parrot and get a room, hit Bradenton Beach the next day if your head’s still attached. (Angel admitted she’d already booked a room for Red Elvises in October.) Then she and Phil started chatting about photography and her husband’s new hobby of taking pics of the sky through his mega-high tech telescope, and how Saturn was so clear right now that you could see its moons. When Phil ducked away to take pics, Angel latched onto me, and told me about how excited she was to see some world music, the greatness of what we were seeing while we were seeing it, the lady who scooted into the huge spot in front of us and whether she was a temporary or permanent stopper. I ran into Van, spotted a dude who was a deadringer for Donald Sutherland, enjoyed a few songs worth of the warm and buoyant Ugandan music, then snagged Phil and dragged him to the Ballroom. (Many more pics and tidbits after the jump.)Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 15, 2009, at 4:31 pm
Just got a news release announcing the premiere of six albums on MySpace over the course of the weekend, before the albums hit stores. Here’s more info (click the links to hear the albums): Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 14, 2009, at 3:04 pm
David Hasselhoff was once unbelievably popular in Europe, especially in Germany, when his single, “Looking for Freedom,” hit number one right around the fall of the Berlin Wall. He hasn’t done much since aside from the odd acting gig and alcoholic video embarassments, though he’s done several self-satire appearances in films ranging from The SpongeBob SquarePants Movieto Dodgeball: A True Underdog Storyto Eurotrip; appeared in a parody of Baywatch in Wildboyz with David, Steve-O, and Chris Pontius. He’s even had a stage comedy made of his life in Australia, David Hasselhoff: The Musical.
Now, to the real matter of this post: the Hoff’s music video for “Jump in My Car.” According to WikiPedia, the single “…demonstrates a penchant for self-parody, this time of his performance as Michael Knight in Knight Rider. The car in the video was a black Pontiac Trans Am with a pulsing LED and an interior nearly identical to that of K.I.T.T. (this video was shot in Sydney, Australia and used a right hand drive KITT replica), including an aptly-timed use of K.I.T.T.’s seat ejection system. The video plays to a skit where he asks one of three girls to “jump in his car” to take her home. The girl initially refuses but then gets in so long as he behaves politely. She suggests that he should drive quickly, because she lives down south, “about 84 miles”. When she insists she is not joking, he asks her to leave the vehicle, but she refuses, so he resorts to using the ejector seat to cause her to exit.” Unfortunately, I wrote this post before realizing that pretty much every vid of this online has a “removed by request” in the spot where the embed code should be. So if you’re real interested, check it out here.
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 14, 2009, at 12:58 pm
You know the economy’s bad when musicians get robbed, and the two recent occurrences in what seems to be a new trend are Jeff Ament and Gliss vocalist/guitarist Martin Klingman.
A few weeks ago, some assholes broke into the van of LA psyche rockers Gliss (who stopped here a few weeks ago) and made off with all manner of gear, including a flight case, microphones, tour shirts, several copies of their new album, Devotion Implosion, and most importantly, vocalist Martin Klingman ’70s Fender P Bass, an instrument he got from his grandfather when he was a kid.
The latest musician to suffer caught it first hand. According to reports from DeKalb County Police, Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament was leaving Atlanta’s Southern Tracks recording studio on April 27 when he and another man were jumped by three masked goons with knives who’d been lurking in the nearby woods. Ament was cleaned out — the robbers took $3,000, his passport and $4,320 worth of goods. When Ament attempted escape, he was knocked down and split his head open, but didn’t require hospitalization. The robbers fled the scene in a black Nissan Maxima.
Luckily for Ament, he was only injured, not kilt. That would’ve sucked.
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 13, 2009, at 2:39 pm
Wilco is currently streaming their new self-titled album. Check it out here.
And for your viewing pleasure, after the jump, see a video of Wilco performing “Wilco,” from the album Wilco on the Colbert Report. (Thanks, Stephen!) Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 12, 2009, at 2:20 pm
Here’s the release with a few minor modifications.
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
CANCELS DATES AT CRUZAN & FORD AMPHITHEATRES
Due to unforeseen production delays (lack of desire of anyone in FLA wanting them to see them — what, did we suddenly develop good taste down here?), the summer New Kids On The Block tour has made necessary changes to the tour dates and venues. Unfortunately, the concerts at Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm on Sunday May 31st and Ford Amphitheatre in Tampa on Saturday, May 30th have been cancelled. Refunds are available through point of purchase (and if you purchased them in the first place, you don’t deserve to have your convenience charges refunded). We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused (none at all, in fact, we are relieved).
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 11, 2009, at 12:44 am
A weekly bulletin on musical guests playing late night TV; set your TIVOs or DVRs if you’ve got an early bedtime.
The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS
Monday, May 11: The Killers
Tuesday, May 12: Chrisette Michele (Def Jam’s latest neo-soul pop singer, pictured)
Wednesday, May 13: Wynton Marsalis
Thursday, May 14: Rick Ross with Magazeen (Do I not get “Yacht Club” or is it really like a serious version of, “I’m on a Boat,” and, awful? I mean, really awful, maybe because it’s not tongue-in-cheek?)
Friday, May 15: Mastodon
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 7, 2009, at 12:36 pm
I can’t help liking Adele, the darkhorse Grammy-winning British soul songstress with a loverly husky and powerful voice. A friend sent this video to me a little while back and it made it to the bottom of my Inbox before I’d even registered I received it. Here, she performs a Virgin Radio in-studio of her now well-known single, “Chasing Pavements,” and she’s all acoustic raw and make-up free and still beautiful and natural and wonderful and she sounds damn great. Am I gushing too much?
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 7, 2009, at 11:12 am
CL’s choice picks for this weekend in music.
Friday, May 08 What was it that Deiter said on Sprockets? Oh yeah … “Your story has grown tiresome.” I can see this gimmicky show — Unwigged & Unplugged: An evening with Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer, which features the three now-silver-haired comedians who made up Spinal Tap performing acoustic — as getting real old real fast. Let’s hope the trio doesn’t think that just the songs can carry the day; they’d better have some funny shtick in there, or I could see this thing being a waste of time. Then again, I could be wrong. Still, one wonders: What happens when you run an acoustic guitar through an amp and turn the amp up to 11? Fri., May 8, 8 p.m., Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg, $36.50-$49.50. —ES
Post rock meets experimental electronica by instrumental Los Angeles duo El Ten Eleven (pictured). Made up of Kristian Dunn (fretless bass, guitar/bass doubleneck) and Tim Fogarty (electric drums, acoustic drums, synthesizers), El Ten Eleven employs heavy looping and much effects pedal-pushing to create its fuzzified, lively brand of dance music. Also performing: Surly, The Tape Delay and Ghost of Gloria. Fri., May 8, 8 p.m., Orpheum, Ybor City, $8 in advance/$10 DOS. —LP
It’s only fitting that Nashville’s Kings of Leon have graduated to playing arenas — although the Sun Dome is pretty small in that regard — because their sound has morphed from a garage-y immediacy to, yup, more of an arena-style bombast. “Sex on Fire,” the first single from KoL’s current album, Only by the Night, casts a U2-ish hue. The shift must be working: Only by the Night ascended to No. 5 on the Billboard 200, besting 2007’s Because of the Times by 20 slots. For more, read CL’s interview with guitarist Matthew Followill here. Fri., May 8, 8 p.m., USF Sun Dome, Tampa, $35.50 and $43. —ESRead the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 5, 2009, at 3:56 pm
Hollywood director David Lynch is one freak-minded mutha. Although I was far too young for Twin Peaks (only 10 when it premiered), my parents never stopped me from watching Lynch’s two-season ABC drama and I was compelled to continue after the first episode.
It was television like none I’d never seen before, one that both intrigued yet completely and utterly disturbed me with its dark, bizarre aesthetic, tortured characters, and intriguing storyline, about an FBI agent who’s sent to a small town, Twin Peaks, to investigate the murder of the town’s young, seemingly innocent, homecoming queen, Laura Palmer. The soundtrack was full of slinky and somehow sneaky jazz, and melancholy compositions with ethereal vocals, motifs borrowed from Julee Cruise’s 1989 album, Floating into the Night, which was written in large part by Angelo Badalamenti and Lynch. Quite interesting and haunting music, and some that I’ll not soon forget.
This time, the enigmatic Lynch (who, in addition to being a filmmaker and composer, is a visual artist as well) has used his deranged imagination to create 50 or so original photographs for the upcoming Danger Mouse-Sparklehorse album, Dark Night of the Soul. The director’s photographs will also be published in a book to be released along with the album. (Videos after the jump.) Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on May. 1, 2009, at 11:40 am
We previously published that UB40would be playing Jannus Landing on Monday, May 4. They will actually land at the St. Pete venue on Sunday, May 3.
Here’s Snider’s write up:
Formed in 1978 in Birmingham, England, UB40 is one of the most successful and durable of the British reggae bands. The group is a two-tone ensemble that scored dozens of hits in the U.K. and a few major smashes in the States, including two — “Red Red Wine” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love” — that reached No. 1. The name UB40 is a reference to the unemployment form in England, which I’ve always thought was pretty catchy and clever. Sun., May 3, Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg, $35. —ES
The latest press-generating tactic the Lips are enjoying is a collaboration with Wu Tang’s GZA. (That’s the foursome below with a badass looking GZA. Or maybe his bad-assness is mere confusion, like, “Who are these guys again and what real benefit am I getting from playing with them?)
Posted by Leilani Polk on Apr. 28, 2009, at 12:00 am
When guitarist/singer/songwriter Jason Isbell put together his solo debut, Sirens of the Ditch, it was a prolonged process carried out over several years while he was a fulltime member of Drive-By Truckers, those purveyors of raucously rockin’, whiskey-drinkin’ alt-country music.
“I only had a day or two to record it at a time,” Isbell told me during a phone interview a few days before kicking off the second leg of his spring tour with his band The 400 Unit (pictured).
Squeezing solo studio time into an already jam-packed gigging schedule might’ve been easy for your standard hired hand, but Isbell made up a third of DBT’s triple axe attack and was a productive songwriter throughout his six-year tenure with the band. He’d always brought his own distinctive flavor to the Truckers’ sound and as he drew closer to finishing his record, it became clear he was headed down a different path than the rest of his bandmates, both musically and personally. The dissolution of his marriage to DBT bassist Shonna Tucker didn’t make things any easier, so three months before he released Sirens in 2007, Isbell made his amicable exit.
Sirens sounded a lot like a DBT record, and though it was well received by critics and fans alike, there was a lingering curiosity about the direction he’d take with his follow-up. Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit, recorded in Muscle Shoals and released on Lightning Rod Records in February, is a clear departure from the Truckers sound. It’s also more cohesive than his solo debut. Isbell’s pleasantly husky drawl is set against rootsy, Southern-fried rock ’n’ roll with countrified pop melodies and the soulful, gospel-tinged Muscle Shoals sound: tough, passionate, unflinching, melancholy, and sincere. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Apr. 27, 2009, at 2:27 pm
Much randomness has arrived in my inbox, made headlines, been ranted about, premiered, revealed … you get the idea. Here’s a breakdown of news stuff that caught my eye over the past seven days.
Tonight, the Decemberists (pictured) make their first appearance on The Colbert Report since the 2006 ShredDown between Funk and Colbert fill-in, Peter Frampton. Portland’s indie chamber rock ensemble is set to perform “The Wanting Comes In Waves / Repaid.”
Newcomer pop-soul singer/songwriter Priscilla Reneais the latest webcam-owning self-promoting musician who’s used YouTube to get noticed. She’s got a real nice voice, young and velvety sweet, so teen-attractive that she was scooped up by Power/Capitol without delay and released her debut EP, Hello My Apple, March 31. Here’s the adorable vid she put out in honor of her release. Whaddya think?
Posted by Leilani Polk on Apr. 23, 2009, at 1:32 pm
Friday, April 24 Bay Area Beat presents Adrianne w/Francilla Two stylistically contrasting artists take to the acoustically impeccable Pro Star Sound Stage. Adrianne (pictured), who claims Atlanta and Los Angeles as bases, is a singer/songwriter who favors cozy melodies and spacey arrangements often built around acoustic guitar. Francilla — Tampa by way of the Virgin Islands — has a more beat-oriented dance sound, although it seems unlikely that the show will turn into a rave. Fri., April 24, 8 p.m., Pro Star Sound Stage, St. Petersburg, $10. —ES
Those Legendary Shackshakers w/Nervous Turkey/Tailgunner Joe. For more on the Shackshakers and MP3’s, check out Autopsy IV’s post here.Fri., April 24, 8 p.m.,The Garage, St. Petersburg, $12.
Arturo SandovalA predominant figure on the Cuban jazz scene, Sandoval formed Irakere with Chucho Valdes and Paquito D’Rivera, and was mentored by Dizzy Gillespie in the U.S. His post-bop trumpet style is also spiced by flavors of his homeland, where he still resides. Sandoval is a gregarious performer who knows how to please a crowd. Fri., April 24, 2 and 8 p.m., Largo Cultural Center, Largo, $30 in advance/$35 dos. —ESRead the rest of this entry »
Posted by Leilani Polk on Apr. 22, 2009, at 3:37 pm
We published that underground Nashville-based roots rockin’ multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter Jeff Black was to play the Studio@620 Thursday, April 23; he’s actually playing the show on Sunday, April 26. Black, who’s recorded with Iris Dement and Jeff Tweedy, and counts among his fans Sam Bush (who played on Black’s ’05 album) and Waylon Jennings (who covered Black’s “Carnival Song”), produces music that has a wholesome, genuine quality not unlike early Springsteen or Bob Seger. A great Sunday evening show. Sun., April 26, 7 p.m., The Studio@620, St. Petersburg, $20 general/$15 students and seniors.
Posted by Leilani Polk on Apr. 21, 2009, at 4:49 pm
Crystal Method’s quality of electronica has been hit-or-miss at best since their 1997 debut, Vegas. “Drown in the Now,” the new single from the electro duo’s forthcoming album, Divided by Night (due out May 12), features Matisyahu doing his trademark spooky chanting and rapping. I have a hard time liking the dude, but the video is pretty cool, I guess. I’m a sucker for animation, especially when it looks good. P.S. I apologize for the advertisement.
Posted by Leilani Polk on Apr. 20, 2009, at 4:14 pm
It’s 420. Another chance for a songlist. This one I think should be kinda special, since there’s been 420 songlists since the dawn of mankind. Or since people started making lists and smoking pot and using “420″ as code for pot-smoking. Ironic that by the time I get this thing up, it will actually be right around 4:20 p.m.
For those who are curious, the origins of the number 420 are smoke-shrouded in urban legend. I found a few things today in honor of the unofficial holiday, but my fave is the thoughtful piece by the Huffington Poston the meaning of 420. Not so surprising that the Grateful Dead were at least partially responsible for 420’s propagation into pot culture. Here’s an excerpt:
It was Christmas week in Oakland, 1990. Steven Bloom was wandering through The Lot – that timeless gathering of hippies that springs up in the parking lot before every Grateful Dead concert – when a Deadhead handed him a yellow flyer.
“We are going to meet at 4:20 on 4/20 for 420-ing in Marin County at the Bolinas Ridge sunset spot on Mt. Tamalpais,” reads the message, which Bloom dug up and forwarded to the Huffington Post. Bloom, then a reporter for High Times magazine and now the publisher of CelebStoner.com and co-author of Pot Culture, had never heard of “420-ing” before.
The flyer came complete with a 420 back story: “420 started somewhere in San Rafael, California in the late ’70s. It started as the police code for Marijuana Smoking in Progress. After local heads heard of the police call, they started using the expression 420 when referring to herb – Let’s Go 420, dude!”
Bloom reported his find in the May 1991 issue of High Times, which the magazine found in its archives and provided to the Huffington Post. The story, though, was only partially right.
It had nothing to do with a police code — though the San Rafael part was dead on. Indeed, a group of five San Rafael High School friends known as the Waldos – by virtue of their chosen hang-out spot, a wall outside the school – coined the term in 1971. The Huffington Post spoke with Waldo Steve, Waldo Dave and Dave’s older brother, Patrick, and confirmed their full names and identities, which they asked to keep secret for professional reasons. (Pot is still, after all, illegal.)
Posted by Leilani Polk on Apr. 17, 2009, at 1:51 pm
If the answer to the headline is yes, but you’re referencing the feeling, and not the ’60s-era Los Angeles band, then you may want to head over to the Beach Theatre this Friday night for a special WMNF Film Series benefit screening of Love Story. The documentary tells the tale of the proto-psychedelic mixed-race cult rock band Love, led by legendary frontman/songwriter Arthur Lee. Love stood out from the rest because contrary to its name, the band had a dark musical vision very different from the Utopian ideals of the Flower Power generation. A portion of proceeds from the screening benefit ‘MNF. Fri., April 17, 7 p.m., Beach Theatre, St. Pete Beach, $7, 727-360-6697, beachtheatre.com.
