The Bruce Springsteen documentary, "The Promise: The Making of 'Darkness on the Edge of Town,'" debuts tonight on HBO. It will also be included on the "Darkness" box set that comes out in November. My DVR is already set to record this. Here is a review from the Philly Inquirer:
http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20101007_Ellen_Gray__Springsteen__a_true_son_of_N_J___reflects_on_his_career.html#ixzz11fvsgczW
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
Metacritic: September's Best New Music
September’s Best New Music
Metacritic lists the best reviewed music of September, let by Jamey Johnson's "The Guitar Song" which pulled an average score of 90 out of 100.
Metacritic lists the best reviewed music of September, let by Jamey Johnson's "The Guitar Song" which pulled an average score of 90 out of 100.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
A Place to Bury Strangers, Switchfoot, Touch a Truck, Carytown Wine Fest
Not much going on live here in Richmond this weekend. Those of you with DirecTV can check out Farm Aid 25 at 6 PM on Saturday on ch. 101. Farm Aid 25 will feature the usual cast of characters with performances by Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp, Kenny Chesney, Norah Jones and more. If you miss it, I'm sure the 101 will be showing highlights a lot.
If you have a kid who is as crazy about trucks as my 3-year-old, you may want to check out Touch a Truck 2010 at Richmond International Raceway from 10 AM to 3 PM on Saturday. "This event offers children a hands-on opportunity to explore heavy machinery and meet the people who build, protect and serve the Richmond community. Vehicles on display may include construction trucks, utility vehicles, emergency responders, tractor trailers, buses, and vintage cars." My son will be beside himself. The event is a charitable one with money going for the Junior League of Richmond. Tix are $5 a piece or you can get a Family Pack of 4 tickets for $15.
A Place to Bury Strangers will be at Strange Matter on Saturday night. Tix are $6 and the show starts at 8 PM with openers Caustic Castle, Soundpool and Ceremony. A Place to Bury Strangers remind me of Sonic Youth, Pink Floyd (Syd Barret era), The Ventures, Radiohead, or the Flaming Lips. Here is what a dude from Spin Magazine said about the band: "Led by effects-pedal guru Oliver Ackermann (the Edge is a customer), this Brooklyn trio further their rep for insane volume on their first proper studio album. "I Lived My Life to Stand in the Shadows of Your Heart" is straight-to-the-head industrial rock, bull-rushing into a two-minute coda of pure squall and feedback that's not unlike having hot club soda poured in your ears. But the noise never eclipses the songwriting -- "Keep Slipping Away" is as tightly wound, shadowy, and sugary as any Cure single in decades." -David Bevan, SPIN Magazine. Here they are doing "Missing You" and it ain't the John Waite song.
The Carytown Food & Wine Festival will go down on Sunday from noon to 6 PM. Tix are $15 in advance, $20 at the gate and your ticket includes a souvenir wine glass and wine tasting. If you aren't drinking, you can get a designated driver ticket for $10 that will get you free soft drinks. Children under 12 get in free. There will be food from local restaurants and lots o' Virginia wine at the festival.
Switchfoot will be at The National on Tuesday night. Tix are $20 advance, $23 day of show. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with opener The Almost. If you go to the show, the band is asking that everyone attending bring at least 1 canned good to support the Central VA Food Bank. You might dig Switchfoot if you like Third Eye Blind, Matchbox Twenty, Goo Goo Dolls, Soundgarden, Live, Nirvana, or Pearl Jam. Here's Swtichfoot with their song, "The Sound (John M. Perkins' Blues)":
There are a couple of other blog entries I did this week below so if you missed them and you have the time now, check them out.
I'll leave you with a couple a white dudes (Justin Timberlake & Jimmy Fallon) walkin' you through a history of rap with The Roots backin' 'em up. Yo, yo, yo, that Jimmy Fallon got some mad skilz.
Have a great weekend!
Tony Jordan
If you have a kid who is as crazy about trucks as my 3-year-old, you may want to check out Touch a Truck 2010 at Richmond International Raceway from 10 AM to 3 PM on Saturday. "This event offers children a hands-on opportunity to explore heavy machinery and meet the people who build, protect and serve the Richmond community. Vehicles on display may include construction trucks, utility vehicles, emergency responders, tractor trailers, buses, and vintage cars." My son will be beside himself. The event is a charitable one with money going for the Junior League of Richmond. Tix are $5 a piece or you can get a Family Pack of 4 tickets for $15.
A Place to Bury Strangers will be at Strange Matter on Saturday night. Tix are $6 and the show starts at 8 PM with openers Caustic Castle, Soundpool and Ceremony. A Place to Bury Strangers remind me of Sonic Youth, Pink Floyd (Syd Barret era), The Ventures, Radiohead, or the Flaming Lips. Here is what a dude from Spin Magazine said about the band: "Led by effects-pedal guru Oliver Ackermann (the Edge is a customer), this Brooklyn trio further their rep for insane volume on their first proper studio album. "I Lived My Life to Stand in the Shadows of Your Heart" is straight-to-the-head industrial rock, bull-rushing into a two-minute coda of pure squall and feedback that's not unlike having hot club soda poured in your ears. But the noise never eclipses the songwriting -- "Keep Slipping Away" is as tightly wound, shadowy, and sugary as any Cure single in decades." -David Bevan, SPIN Magazine. Here they are doing "Missing You" and it ain't the John Waite song.
The Carytown Food & Wine Festival will go down on Sunday from noon to 6 PM. Tix are $15 in advance, $20 at the gate and your ticket includes a souvenir wine glass and wine tasting. If you aren't drinking, you can get a designated driver ticket for $10 that will get you free soft drinks. Children under 12 get in free. There will be food from local restaurants and lots o' Virginia wine at the festival.
Switchfoot will be at The National on Tuesday night. Tix are $20 advance, $23 day of show. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with opener The Almost. If you go to the show, the band is asking that everyone attending bring at least 1 canned good to support the Central VA Food Bank. You might dig Switchfoot if you like Third Eye Blind, Matchbox Twenty, Goo Goo Dolls, Soundgarden, Live, Nirvana, or Pearl Jam. Here's Swtichfoot with their song, "The Sound (John M. Perkins' Blues)":
There are a couple of other blog entries I did this week below so if you missed them and you have the time now, check them out.
I'll leave you with a couple a white dudes (Justin Timberlake & Jimmy Fallon) walkin' you through a history of rap with The Roots backin' 'em up. Yo, yo, yo, that Jimmy Fallon got some mad skilz.
Have a great weekend!
Tony Jordan
You Want the Beeb, You Gots to Pay!
Warrant. Not so much.
Here is an article on Smoking Gun talking about how much certain acts are paid to perform one show. Justin Bieber gets $300K. It costs a lot to keep his hair looking like that. Check out the graph to see what other acts get. http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/celebrity/justin-bieber-banks-300000-nightly-sigh
Here is an article on Smoking Gun talking about how much certain acts are paid to perform one show. Justin Bieber gets $300K. It costs a lot to keep his hair looking like that. Check out the graph to see what other acts get. http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/celebrity/justin-bieber-banks-300000-nightly-sigh
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Is Video Killing the Concert Vibe?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704129204575506281834570988.html
This article from the Wall Street Journal wonders whether people who are videoing concerts with their phones are ruining the concert experience. While I am somewhat happy to see some footage of bands on YouTube, it is distracting during a concert when the guy in front of you has his hand up with his phone in it for an entire song or most of the concert. Personally, I would never want to sit there and video tape a show for the same reason I don't tape shows or take pictures at shows. I want to watch and listen without having to fumble around with equipment. I want to be "in" the show as much as possible. I am grateful to the people that want to tape shows and if that's something you enjoy, more power to you and I'll buy you a beer.
Perhaps bands need to do what the Grateful Dead, Phish and other bands that allowed taping did with tapers when they started to put their mics up all over the arena. Have a designated video section. You have to buy a designated video ticket and/or congregate near the soundboard. Anyone else videoing will be asked to put it away and if there is a second offense, will have to leave. That way bands can get their promotion, the video will probably get better because the hardcore video guys will take over and I won't have some dude's iPhone blocking my view.
Thanks to Live Music Blog for bringing this article to my attention.
This article from the Wall Street Journal wonders whether people who are videoing concerts with their phones are ruining the concert experience. While I am somewhat happy to see some footage of bands on YouTube, it is distracting during a concert when the guy in front of you has his hand up with his phone in it for an entire song or most of the concert. Personally, I would never want to sit there and video tape a show for the same reason I don't tape shows or take pictures at shows. I want to watch and listen without having to fumble around with equipment. I want to be "in" the show as much as possible. I am grateful to the people that want to tape shows and if that's something you enjoy, more power to you and I'll buy you a beer.
Perhaps bands need to do what the Grateful Dead, Phish and other bands that allowed taping did with tapers when they started to put their mics up all over the arena. Have a designated video section. You have to buy a designated video ticket and/or congregate near the soundboard. Anyone else videoing will be asked to put it away and if there is a second offense, will have to leave. That way bands can get their promotion, the video will probably get better because the hardcore video guys will take over and I won't have some dude's iPhone blocking my view.
Thanks to Live Music Blog for bringing this article to my attention.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Gaslight Anthem, Ed Kowalczyk, Connor's Heroes Family Festival, Rock d800 Block
Sunday out at Innsbrook Pavilion if you have a family or wish you had a family or want to pretend you have a family and want to go to a festival, check out Connor's Heroes Family Festival. There will be music, inflatables, Nutzy, food and beverages and more. Tickets are $10 and children 12 and under are FREE! Connor's Heroes is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization made up of volunteers, parents of children with cancer, and other caring individuals and companies who want to conquer childhood cancer through direct assistance, awareness, and research.
Monday night, Gaslight Anthem will be at The National. Tix are $18 in advance, $21 at the door. Doors open at 6 PM and the show starts at 7 PM with openers Bridge and Tunnel and Fake Problems. Gaslight hails from NJ and is greatly influenced by Springsteen (natch), Tom Petty, Tom Waits, Replacements, The Clash, The Pogues, Dropkick Murphys and Social Distortion. They have a sound that will appeal to those who like classic rock as evidenced by the nomination of their latest album "American Slang" for Album of the Year by Classic Rock magazine. Here they are performing "Old White Lincoln":
Ed Kowalczyk, former lead singer of Live, will be at The Canal Club on Wednesday night. Tix are $16 in advance, $19 at the door. Doors open at 6 PM and the show will start around 7 PM with openers Thriving Ivory, Miggs, Rocketknife, and Crashing Reality. Here he is performing his latest single, "Grace":
On Saturday, in the 800 block of West Cary St, Rock d800 Block will take place to benefit the Richmond SPCA. Thanks to Angie B. for letting me know about this one. Bands and musicians will include: Bay of Pigs, Chris Farmer, Authum Carter, Paul Ivey, and Steve Dukes. Tickets will be $5 per person at the gate. It will run from 9 AM until 5 PM and you can get a pancake breakfast. Mmmmmm, pancakes.
That's about it for this week. Just in case you were wondering, HERE is a list of the top movie soundtracks of the 90's. I would have made "Singles" #1 but it was close enough (#2).
Have a great weekend!
Tony Jordan
Monday night, Gaslight Anthem will be at The National. Tix are $18 in advance, $21 at the door. Doors open at 6 PM and the show starts at 7 PM with openers Bridge and Tunnel and Fake Problems. Gaslight hails from NJ and is greatly influenced by Springsteen (natch), Tom Petty, Tom Waits, Replacements, The Clash, The Pogues, Dropkick Murphys and Social Distortion. They have a sound that will appeal to those who like classic rock as evidenced by the nomination of their latest album "American Slang" for Album of the Year by Classic Rock magazine. Here they are performing "Old White Lincoln":
Ed Kowalczyk, former lead singer of Live, will be at The Canal Club on Wednesday night. Tix are $16 in advance, $19 at the door. Doors open at 6 PM and the show will start around 7 PM with openers Thriving Ivory, Miggs, Rocketknife, and Crashing Reality. Here he is performing his latest single, "Grace":
On Saturday, in the 800 block of West Cary St, Rock d800 Block will take place to benefit the Richmond SPCA. Thanks to Angie B. for letting me know about this one. Bands and musicians will include: Bay of Pigs, Chris Farmer, Authum Carter, Paul Ivey, and Steve Dukes. Tickets will be $5 per person at the gate. It will run from 9 AM until 5 PM and you can get a pancake breakfast. Mmmmmm, pancakes.
That's about it for this week. Just in case you were wondering, HERE is a list of the top movie soundtracks of the 90's. I would have made "Singles" #1 but it was close enough (#2).
Have a great weekend!
Tony Jordan
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Stone Temple Pilots Suspend Tour After Weiland Rant | Rolling Stone Music
Stone Temple Pilots Suspend Tour After Weiland Rant Rolling Stone Music
You knew this was coming. Weiland's been living on borrowed time for years. I keep waiting for the inevitable "Weiland found dead in hotel room in Nebraska" story. This will not end well.
You knew this was coming. Weiland's been living on borrowed time for years. I keep waiting for the inevitable "Weiland found dead in hotel room in Nebraska" story. This will not end well.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Experience Hendrix at Landmark Theater
Tickets are on sale now for Experience Hendrix at the Landmark Theater on 11/12. Its basically a bunch of musicians getting together to play Hendrix stuff but its a pretty good lineup. Here is who will be at the Landmark: Billy Cox of The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Band Of Gypsys, Steve Vai, Jonny Lang, Susan Tedeschi, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Eric Johnson, Living Colour, Chris Layton of Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Ernie Isley, Mato Nanji of Indigenous, and The Slide Brothers.
Tickets run $39.50 to $75. Click HERE for tickets.
Tickets run $39.50 to $75. Click HERE for tickets.
Oktoberfest, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Hold Steady, Charlie Musselwhite, Eels, Ghostland Observatory
All weekend long you've got St. Benedict's 6th Annual Oktoberfest going down at St. Benedict "Festplatz" which is at Hanover and Belmont in the Museum District. There will be beer, music, beer, dancing, beer, food and more beer. Its Free and the hours are Friday, September 17 5pm to 10pm, Saturday, September 18 11am to 10pm and Sunday, September 19 12pm to 6pm.
Blues man Alvin Youngblood Hart will be at the Capital Ale House Downtown on Saturday night. Tix are $7 and the show starts at 9 PM with opener The Fustics. You'll dig Alvin if you like classic blues, Rolling Stones, Led Zep, or Dylan. Here he is doing his song "Joe Friday":
The Hold Steady will be at The National on Monday night. Tix are $20 in advance, $23 at the door, doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with "A Special Guest". The Hold Steady play earnest rock n' roll with dense lyrics reminiscent of Springsteen, Modest Mouse, Replacements, Husker Du, and The Rolling Stones. Here they are performing "Hurricane J" in Denver in July:
Blues harmonica player extrodinaire Charlie Musselwhite will be at the Capital Ale House Downtown on Tuesday night. Tix are $20 in advance, $25 at the door and the show starts at 7 PM. Charlie is one of the greatest living bluesmen, if not one of the greatest of all time as evidenced by his accomplishments and collaborations: 2010 Blues Hall of Fame Inductee, 7-Time GRAMMY Nominee, 24-Time Blues Music Award Winner, 8-Time Living Blues Award Winner. He's collaborated with Eddie Vedder, Tom Waits, Ben Harper, Bonnie Raitt, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Gov’t Mule, INXS, Mickey Hart, George Thorogood and personal friend and best man at his wedding John Lee Hooker. Here's Charlie performing "Gone Too Long" in CA in 2006:
For something completely different check out Ghostland Observatory at The National on Wednesday night, that's right Wednesday night. The show was moved from Tuesday to Wednesday. Tix are $20 in advance, $25 day of show, doors open at 7 and show starts at 8 with opener DJ Chenchilla. GO mixes electronica, rock and funk and they have a killer light show with lots of lasers. That's right, lots of lasers. Here they are on Austin City Limits doing "Sad Sad City". But sadly, no lasers. Because lasers f**kin' rule:
Next Thursday, 9/23, Eels will be at The National. Tix are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with openers Trish Dunn and Jesca Hoop. Make sure you get in to see Jesca Hoop. I like her. Eels is essentially a project for one Mark Oliver Everett, otherwise known as E. Also, Eels have the best beards this side of ZZ Top and are so very bearded that they were forced to insure their beards as a fire hazard at a recent London show. You can watch a five song performance they did for MySpace Transmissions by clicking HERE. Here is Eels performing "In My Dreams":
EELS "In My Dreams" from The MySpace Transmissions
MySpace Transmissions | MySpace Video
Other shows of note this week:
Frontier Ruckus (lyrical folk rock) at The Camel with David Shultz & The Skyline and Ryan Brosmer. Tix are $8 in advance, $10 at the door, doors open at 8, show starts at 9. Here is what Rolling Stone said about Frontier Ruckus: "“They may hail from up north — Michigan, to be specific — but Frontier Ruckus sing the sound of the South: delicate, finger-picked banjos, aching, oaky violin and the haunting voice of frontman Matthew Milia, who conjures what might happen had Neutral Milk Hotel’s Jeff Mangum been raised in a log cabin. Their songs are full of rich, rural details: frozen lakes, swaying trees, highway lights glowing in the deep night. Add to the mix baleful brass and trembling percussion, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for Gothic Americana.”" Here is their latest video, "Nerves of the Nightmind":
New outlaw country dude, Jamey Johnson, comes to The National on Sunday night. Tix are $27.50 in advance, $30 day of show, doors open at 6 PM and show starts at 7 with opener Chris Hennessey. Here he is doing his song "Lonely At The Top" on Letterman last week. I love the line in this song, "It might be lonely a the top but its a bitch at the bottom".
Elf Power will be at Strange Matter at 929 W Grace St on Wednesday night. Call Strange Matter at (804) 447-4763 for show details because they don't seem to have an up to date web site. Elf Power does psychedelic indie pop and you might dig them if you like The Beatles, Love, The Byrds, Flaming Lips, Robyn Hitchcock, Sonic Youth, or T Rex. Here is the video for their song, "All The World Is Waiting":
That's it. Have a great weekend. See you at Oktoberfest. We'll drink beer.
As a bonus, here is Jesca Hoop's video for "Summertime". This song captures the feeling of those carefree summer days nicely.
Tony Jordan
Blues man Alvin Youngblood Hart will be at the Capital Ale House Downtown on Saturday night. Tix are $7 and the show starts at 9 PM with opener The Fustics. You'll dig Alvin if you like classic blues, Rolling Stones, Led Zep, or Dylan. Here he is doing his song "Joe Friday":
The Hold Steady will be at The National on Monday night. Tix are $20 in advance, $23 at the door, doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with "A Special Guest". The Hold Steady play earnest rock n' roll with dense lyrics reminiscent of Springsteen, Modest Mouse, Replacements, Husker Du, and The Rolling Stones. Here they are performing "Hurricane J" in Denver in July:
Blues harmonica player extrodinaire Charlie Musselwhite will be at the Capital Ale House Downtown on Tuesday night. Tix are $20 in advance, $25 at the door and the show starts at 7 PM. Charlie is one of the greatest living bluesmen, if not one of the greatest of all time as evidenced by his accomplishments and collaborations: 2010 Blues Hall of Fame Inductee, 7-Time GRAMMY Nominee, 24-Time Blues Music Award Winner, 8-Time Living Blues Award Winner. He's collaborated with Eddie Vedder, Tom Waits, Ben Harper, Bonnie Raitt, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Gov’t Mule, INXS, Mickey Hart, George Thorogood and personal friend and best man at his wedding John Lee Hooker. Here's Charlie performing "Gone Too Long" in CA in 2006:
For something completely different check out Ghostland Observatory at The National on Wednesday night, that's right Wednesday night. The show was moved from Tuesday to Wednesday. Tix are $20 in advance, $25 day of show, doors open at 7 and show starts at 8 with opener DJ Chenchilla. GO mixes electronica, rock and funk and they have a killer light show with lots of lasers. That's right, lots of lasers. Here they are on Austin City Limits doing "Sad Sad City". But sadly, no lasers. Because lasers f**kin' rule:
Next Thursday, 9/23, Eels will be at The National. Tix are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with openers Trish Dunn and Jesca Hoop. Make sure you get in to see Jesca Hoop. I like her. Eels is essentially a project for one Mark Oliver Everett, otherwise known as E. Also, Eels have the best beards this side of ZZ Top and are so very bearded that they were forced to insure their beards as a fire hazard at a recent London show. You can watch a five song performance they did for MySpace Transmissions by clicking HERE. Here is Eels performing "In My Dreams":
EELS "In My Dreams" from The MySpace Transmissions
MySpace Transmissions | MySpace Video
Other shows of note this week:
Frontier Ruckus (lyrical folk rock) at The Camel with David Shultz & The Skyline and Ryan Brosmer. Tix are $8 in advance, $10 at the door, doors open at 8, show starts at 9. Here is what Rolling Stone said about Frontier Ruckus: "“They may hail from up north — Michigan, to be specific — but Frontier Ruckus sing the sound of the South: delicate, finger-picked banjos, aching, oaky violin and the haunting voice of frontman Matthew Milia, who conjures what might happen had Neutral Milk Hotel’s Jeff Mangum been raised in a log cabin. Their songs are full of rich, rural details: frozen lakes, swaying trees, highway lights glowing in the deep night. Add to the mix baleful brass and trembling percussion, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for Gothic Americana.”" Here is their latest video, "Nerves of the Nightmind":
New outlaw country dude, Jamey Johnson, comes to The National on Sunday night. Tix are $27.50 in advance, $30 day of show, doors open at 6 PM and show starts at 7 with opener Chris Hennessey. Here he is doing his song "Lonely At The Top" on Letterman last week. I love the line in this song, "It might be lonely a the top but its a bitch at the bottom".
Elf Power will be at Strange Matter at 929 W Grace St on Wednesday night. Call Strange Matter at (804) 447-4763 for show details because they don't seem to have an up to date web site. Elf Power does psychedelic indie pop and you might dig them if you like The Beatles, Love, The Byrds, Flaming Lips, Robyn Hitchcock, Sonic Youth, or T Rex. Here is the video for their song, "All The World Is Waiting":
That's it. Have a great weekend. See you at Oktoberfest. We'll drink beer.
As a bonus, here is Jesca Hoop's video for "Summertime". This song captures the feeling of those carefree summer days nicely.
Tony Jordan
Friday, September 10, 2010
Life Is Good Festival webcast Sat. & Sun. w/Galactic,Dr. Dog,Guster, Mavis Staples and others
The Life is Good festival will be webcast on Facebook this weekend. Once you get to their Facebook page, you may have to hit the >> tab at the top (where it says Wall/Info/etc...) and then click Livestream.
The lineup is here. All times are EDT.
Saturday
Mavis Staples - 2 PM
Donavon Frankenreiter - 3 PM
Ozomatli - 3:45 PM
Dr. Dog - 4:45 PM
Ziggy Marley - 5:45 PM
Grace Potter & The Nocturnals - 6:45 PM
Ben Harper - 7:45 PM
Sunday
Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars - 2 PM
OK Go - 3 PM
Galactic - 3:45 PM
Brett Dennen - 4:45 PM
Guster - 5:45 PM
Corrine Bailey Rae - 6:45 PM
Jason Mraz - 7:45 PM
The lineup is here. All times are EDT.
Saturday
Mavis Staples - 2 PM
Donavon Frankenreiter - 3 PM
Ozomatli - 3:45 PM
Dr. Dog - 4:45 PM
Ziggy Marley - 5:45 PM
Grace Potter & The Nocturnals - 6:45 PM
Ben Harper - 7:45 PM
Sunday
Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars - 2 PM
OK Go - 3 PM
Galactic - 3:45 PM
Brett Dennen - 4:45 PM
Guster - 5:45 PM
Corrine Bailey Rae - 6:45 PM
Jason Mraz - 7:45 PM
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