Sohodolls, The Academy Is.., The Matches, Butch Walker and Hanson are ON THE VERGE. Coming in early '09 from Planet Verge & Ambush TV!

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Concert Junkie: Sex and the City Review

Friday night, I fulfilled my womanly obligation by seeing the Sex and the City movie. I was never gaga for the show because I was too involved with the Soprano's. However, I do give SATC a lot of credit for revolutionizing the way women are portrayed in television; we've come a long way since the classic 50's sitcoms. When the show was on air, I probably watched a total of 5 episodes, two of them being the finale. This show made it trendy to go to sex shops, mainstream the use of vibrators, have as much sex as Ben Franklin did when he was in France, drink Cosmos or anything in Martini glasses, and make shy women more confident about having sex chats with their girlfriends. I had a feeling the atmosphere in and around the movie theater was going to be interesting.

The Chili's at the Palisades Center was running a $5.99 Cosmopolitan special, though I had to pass. I find Cosmos to taste like ass and if you don't believe me then you've never had a real one; you've only settled for the fake TGIFriday's version. Instead, my friend and I indulged in trendy Margaritas because Tequila is fantastic. After our drinks, it was time to join the herd towards the theater.

Every SATC movie was sold out. An employee had to come into the theater and inform us that people could not save seats because they had to accommodate for 300 people.

I don't know about you, but dressing for the movies is something I don't put a lot of thought into. Give me a cute shirt and jeans and I'm good to go. Why was this night different than all other nights? Since fashion and style was such a key element to SATC, some ladies felt the need to deck out in Euro-trash threads that you would see on the dance floors at the high-scale City clubs. I kid you not. Sorry ladies, but SATC movie is not the one that you would find Mr. Big at. Your best bet is to go to Indiana Jones to pick up some fellas with those garments. But don't count on fan-boys to give you the time of day, unless you want to join their Lan party.

In the midsts of this ultimate girl's night out, surprisingly, there were a handful guys in the theater. Most of them had dates and looked bored out of their minds before the movie started. They were most likely texting their fellow buds with, "Shoot me now" or getting texted "You know how I know you're gay..." There was also a group of guys sitting together in the front row. Not only did they stick out like Waldo, but they clearly looked out of place. My guesses are they either A) lost a bet or B) the three of them wanted to get in touch with their feminine side so they could try to understand women better. They thought what better way to do that then to go see SATC together. However, I'm going to guess A.

The previews were for every romantic comedy that is set to release this summer. No joke. People were singing along to the Mama Mia preview. Ugh. If there is anything I don't like its ABBA. Why is there a musical and musical movie for a band that destroyed rock 'n roll during their hayday? There is also going to be a Notebook-esque movie coming out. I'm warning you now, get the Kleenex ready!

Without further ado, the two hour and fifteen minute movie began. I was thrown off by the choice of intro-music. They didn't use the theme song. Though it does make a slight appearance during the movie. I don't want to give any of the plot away because there are surprises and twists. I will lend you this piece of advice, overall, I found SATC to be better than the actual show. I highly recommend it to anyone who, like me, was not a huge fan of the show. It really does continue from where it leaves off. It gives a Dummies/Idiot-guide description in the beginning for those who have never, ever seen or heard of the show. If you want a fun girls night out, this is the ultimate movie for just that. 4/5 Cosmos :).

By Lori: who actually wore pink for this occasion.

Ask Val Emmich ANTHING- LIVE

POST QUESTIONS HERE:

http://www.thestream.tv/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1948














Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Memorial Day Fun at Fontana's



Hidden admist chicken carcase-cased window and crowds of people deep in Chinatown lies a hidden music mecca- Fontana's.

Jordana and I met up with our favorite West Coaster- Carrie Hughes (she most likely licensed your bands song for The Hills) for an evening of up-and-coming Rock with Hotspur and Hungry Tigers.

A few years ago, we frequented CBGB. No other place could top the cozy feel of it. Perhaps it was because our friends always packed the place for shows. But Fontana's just may bring Planet Verge back to NYC!



The zebra print chairs, intimate basement performance space and friendly staff really make Fontana's a pleasure to attend.




It's been almost a year too long since we saw Hotspur and the new songs prove them to be just as addictive as always. The band's stage show is indeed a spectacle not to miss.

Though it was only the second show ever that Hungry Tigers performed, it was evident that this band is going places- fast. Keep your eye on them in the tri-state area. Those who appreciate strong musicianship should especially check them out.



And as for Fontana's, if Jordana convinces them to allow dancing upstairs, we just may be celebrating her birthday there this August! Stay tuned.



* By Joelle, who felt REALLY BAD for a homeless dog sleeping next to its owner on the street in Union Square yesterday. But Jordana tells her there is a crazy cult that forces teens to go homeless for a year across America before they can join it. So the girl is wack and should give her dog to a shelter!

Is it July 29th yet?



That's what you'll be asking yourself after watching the "Walking on Air" video by Kerli. Island Def Jam's 21 year-old Estonian bombshell is leaving viewers wanting more...and more and more. The SIX MILLION You Tube visitors a day pretty much tell you this girl is going to be huge. And when her debut drops later this summer, expect her name to rise to the top of the charts.




Think Avril colliding with Bjork with a touch of positive goth ala HIM and you'll have a good idea of what Kerli is all about.



She's proof that no one should judge an artist by their name- I wouldn't even open a press release with her name in the subject because I assumed she was a dork! But as soon as I saw the cover art, I became inquisitive and captivated.

While she emits the whole goth vibe, Kerli's music is actually very positive and at times, pretty sunny. Very much unlike her native land:



Lyrics like "Imagination is my defense," and "I'm not bullet proof" reveal life hasn't always treated her well. But her spirit remains soaring("Whatever happens was meant to be that way") and will therefore be a positive role model for all the depressed punks and funeral garb wearing slit-your-wrist club members. Music needs to have more voices like Kerli.

It's also important to note that she should not be cast off as just another pretty face. There's actual talent here. It's cringe-worthy to say she was discovered by the Baltic American Idol but it's true (maybe it's way cooler out there?) Infact,
she's quite ugly on purpose for most of the "Love is Dead" video until she undergoes a metamorphosis at the end:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZMJDx-Qp_c

While I laughed at her rapping "Creep Show," the song actually makes sense once you dive further into her story. But enough from me. Meet Kerli now: www.myspace.com/kerlimusic





**By Joelle, who loves Kerli's style

Venuszine.com today





Hi all,

Check out www.venuszine.com today. Yours truly has a featured "Staff Favorite!"


Lots more on Bombshell Betty from me/Venus coming soon!


*Joelle

News and such

** Rumor has it two very well known and loved NJ record labels are biting the dust....

** The new 1997 is out today. It's not nearly as impressive as their debut. For some reason, the vocals are a bit annoying and the songs are not as captivating (as in nothing was catchy enough to really make me pay attention). Perhaps I'll have a change of heart....

** I just got the new Damiera press kit in the mail but won't be listening to it because the cover art grosses me out....

** Music Resource Group is looking for a few good guys and gals. Interns can work from home. Check out www.musiciansatlas.com and www.independentmusicawards.com and email joelle@musiciansatlas.com if you want more details....

Friday, May 23, 2008

Exclusive Paramore Performance on Soundcheck



Soundcheck arrives in San Jose for an exclusive audience with Tennessee pop punks Paramore. Fronted by enigmatic lead singer Hayley Williams, the buzzed-about band get candid about crossover sounds and the Deep South - and perform tracks from their critically acclaimed album, 'Riot!' Check out their full performance on Soundcheck.






Thursday, May 22, 2008

The Perfect Match: Heavy Metal Meets Ballet


This is really rad. Yeah, that's right, I said rad.

Tonight I saw a preview of Memento Mori by Ballet Deviare. This show is truly one of a kind. When I was invited to see this ballet set to heavy metal music, there was no part of me that was shocked at the pairing. Instead I thought, "of course!" Why wouldn't the two go hand in hand? Both are powerful, energetic, and intense.

The preview did not disappoint my high expectations. The numbers were filled with passion - by both the dancers and the live band, Gwynbleidd. Both the musicians and dancers had time to shine with long, dark musical interludes between the cutting-edge choreography.

Memento Mori is Latin for "remember your death." The show's program poses the question, "Without an understanding of our temporality, how can we live each day to the fullest?"

I recommend getting lost in the entrancing momentum of Memento Mori. Sit back and enjoy, you're about to experience something uniquely special.

Check them out this weekend at Baruch Performing Arts Center or visit their site and friend them on your social networking site of choice (really, they're on MySpace, Facebook, Bebo, Twitter, E-Harmony... ok, lying about E-Harmony...)

Red Hot Band to Watch

Does It Offend You, Yeah

Just heard the song "Let's Make Out" by Does It Offend You, Yeah on my favorite new social networking/music site: www.erockster.com (I've literally had the station streaming all day).

So it's no surprise these guys are from England, because practically every band I love is British. Their profile on erockster tells me:

NME Magazine describes Does It Offend You, Yeah?'s music as "an intergalactic dog fight between primal rock and highly-evolved dance," adding that the foursome is "The UK's best new party band."

So I love this band and I love this site.


Here are some reasons why erockster will be your new addiction:

There are separate profile formats for Fans, Musicians & Music Press (!)

So bands can network with the press (get it?)

Anytime you post a new blog or upload pictures, it appears as an update on the sites homepage

If you like a band that's playing, you can simply click a button and read their bio, hear more songs, view their influences & similar artists AND get links to all articles about them straight from Google.

It's amazing. Just do it.

And don't forget to be our friend!

http://my.erockster.com/planetverge


*By Joelle

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

I would like to publicly state...

For the past year, I have been planning my wedding detail by detail. And one of my favorite things is my bouquet, because how many brides do you see that walk down the aisle with black flowers?

Damn Ashlee Simpson gets knocked up and married three months before me and carries Black Magic Roses!!!!!

grrr.

just had to let that out.

* By Joelle, who will still have the coolest wedding.

Talk About a Steal: Free Love Automatic EP

Love Automatic has its debut EP, Dance Floor Disaster, up for grabs this week at www.myspace.com/loveautomatic.



Love Automatic lives up to its name. It's truly addiction upon introduction with this band. After seeing Mike Glita (you know and love him from his Senses Fail days, right?) and company perform at School of Rock last month, there's no doubt that this band is going places. I'd even pay for the complete package.

Frontman Brent Carpentier worked the crowd like a pro and his bandmates kept energy levels at maximum output the entire show. They're armed with incredibly intoxicating songs and will be holding up your playlists as soon as you make the EP yours. So do it now.


* By Joelle, who is rarely impressed by new acts nowadays.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Hit The Lights Announce New Singer

The press release says....

Hit The Lights Return With "Skip School, Start Fights" Out July 8th - Announce Spring/Summer Tour Plans!



Lima, Ohio pop punkers HIT THE LIGHTS will release their sophomore record Skip School, Start Fights July 8th on Triple Crown Records. Skip School, Start Fights is the follow up to 2006's buzzworthy This Is A Stickup...Don't Make It A Murder which put Hit The Lights on the map and saw them tour with New Found Glory, Paramore, Cute Is What We Aim For, Cartel and Boys Like Girls. The band will be on the road all summer, see below for confirmed dates with Set Your Goals, All Time Low, I Am The Avalanche and more.

Skip School, Start Fights was produced by Rob Freeman (Hidden In Plain View) at Pilot Studios in New Jersey and mixed by Zach Odom and Kenneth Mount (Mayday Parade, All Time Low, Cartel).

Hit The Lights went through a lineup shuffle before they recorded Skip School, Start Fights. When former lead singer Colin Ross left the band last summer to pursue the quiet life, HTL decided it was time to unleash their secret weapon...it was time for their guitar player, Nick Thompson, to step into the limelight as lead singer. So how do they sound now that Nick's leading the charge? Better than ever. Obviously. Hit The Lights are now a four piece consisting of Nick Thompson (Vocals), Omar Zehery (Guitar), Nate Van Dame (Drums) and Dave Bermusk (Bass).

* By Joelle, who says:
Decide for yourself which line-up you prefer at www.myspace.com/hitthelights. Personally, I feel now the vocals just sound like every other band I don't like and there's nothing really special. Anytime a new vocalist enters the picture, the band should change its name. I'd give them more of a chance and at least be able to listen without constantly comparing vocals between Nick and Colin.

Calling All Photographers

Show Us Your Best Shot:

CALL FOR ENTRIES:

Independent Music Awards Adds Concert Photography Category

The Independent Music Awards (IMAs) – an international program that promotes independent artists, labels and releases to more than 12 Million music fans and industry has added a Concert Photography category to an already broad spectrum of design and music honors that span genres from Heavy Metal to Gospel.

With the new Concert Photo Category, the IMAs will honor those valiant photographers who risk life and limb in the pit enduring the rigors of capturing a live Indie performance, where avoiding flying objects and flailing bodies are often occupational hazards. The IMA Concert Photography category is open to all photographs of a live performance by an Independent musician or band taken between July 31 2007 and August 1 2008.



Snoop Dogg supports the IMAs- he was a judge last year!


Deadline for the upcoming Independent Music Awards is August 1, 2008.

Go to www.IndependentMusicAwards.com for entry forms and program details.

In Other News...

Australian singer/song-writer Julianne "Jewels" Hennessy just posted a music page on Myspace. Currently living in Melbourne, Hennessy is recording a debut EP and it will be released sometime in the later months of '08. Her sound is a blend of Tori Amos, Kate Bush, Stevie Nicks, and Fiona Apple.

Be sure to friend her on myspace at: http://www.myspace.com/juliannemusicpage

Here are some samples of her vocal ability:

In Time recorded at a recital in '06




Cover of Rhiannon with Matthew La Corcia at the Fire Station Cafe (Aussie bar)



By Lori: who had a memorable dining out experience with Julianne and mutual friends at Veggie Heaven in Teaneck when she studied at Willy P as an exchange student last year. Fun times.

Concert Junkie Reports and Rants

If any of you Los Angeles dwellers are wondering why there's a banner on top of the Capital Record's building that says: "Welcome Home Brian Wilson." Well scratch that head no more. According to a press release on Wilson's website, the former Beach Boy is back with his original label and set to release a new album, "That Lucky Old Sun."

"That Luck Old Sun" will be available on CD, CD/DVD, vinyl, and digitally on Sept. 2. The album is set to be "a love letter to Southern California." The other influence to the piece is the 1949 song "That Luck Old Sun" itself. Wilson sang it in shows last year.

I know some of the people who read this are probably thinking, 'Why the f*** is this person reporting on someone my grandparents dig?' Well Emo lovers, without the glorious harmonies of the Beach Boys, most groups of today will probably have a different sound. You might have heard of this really untalented band called the Beatles(being sarcastic, calm down)? Guess where they got most of their ideas from? No, Pink Floyd wasn't until later. No. Not the Stones. Honestly, if its not on Guitar Hero or Rock Band, you wouldn't know it. If the Beach Boys didn't release the legendary Pet Sounds there would be no Sgt. Pepper's, and if the Beatles didn't release Revolver there would be no Pet Sounds.

Why should you care about this? These are two of the greatest albums of all time. When you listen to them, more than once of course, your eyes will broaden and your mind will expand. No drugs involved, just fantastic music. That's why you should take music appreciation classes, so you can appreciate music, or talk to your ex-hippie neighbor.

By Lori: who realizes after Joelle's, Jess's, and her recent posts, there is no hope for the youth of America to have any great new music in the spotlight because publications and radio stations do a horrible job. Except on 107.1 the Peak and 90.7 WFUV. Plus, I understand Jess's pain about seeing the Tequila chick on the cover of Blender because Rolling Stone featured the cast of the Hills last month. What do they have to do with anything?

Monday, May 19, 2008

Two patterns:

Blender tends to put women on their covers. I get it. After all, it's a sister mag to Maxim. But it's also a music magazine, so can someone please, for the life of me, explain why the Hades Tila Tequila is on the cover of the latest issue? I know she has that fauxmantic reality show, I know she released a few songs--but they were all shitty. If a music publication is to be taken seriously, why aren't they exposing serious musicians? There are plenty of beautiful femmes who can actually pen and carry a tune (Alanis, Mariah, even Natasha Bedingfield come to mind). Why waste our time on this lascivious leprechaun character?

When a lip synching performer's vocal track errs, they will do a jig. It wasn't just Ashlee Simpson. A singer in a live band at a wedding I went to this weekend did the same thing to a slightly higher-pitched cover of "No One" by Alicia Keys. Once she messed up her vocals, what did she and, subsequently, another male singer do? They did jigs. Is there a law somewhere requiring this?


*By Jess, who did a lot of nothing today.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Life and other stuff at 3:36pm

I'm at work, reading Ian from Lostprophets blogspot and thought I'd post something of my own.

Tomm. is free iced coffee day at Dunkin' Donuts (YES! I've had a countdown). I'll be stopping in on my way to the office, at lunch and possibly grab a decaf on my way home.

In other news, I adopted a dog from the shelter over the weekend. Something I've been wanting to do forever. I actually found this little boy (ok, he's 42 pounds-not so little) in the pouring rain a few weeks ago. But after nobody claimed him at the shelter, I decided I should be his new mom. I love Huskies and it was fate that I found him.

He's so well-trained and loving, I can't imagine who wouldn't be searching for him. I have posts on Craigslist, PetFinder, etc. But he was skinny, scared on his face and collar-less so who knows...

I have a trainer coming today to help Skye (my blue-eyed 5 year-old Siberian Husky/German Shephard mix) accept her new brother, Lucky (the 1 1/2 year-old Siberian Husky/ Shiba Inu mix). We are such a cute little family as we walk down the street!

My silly fur kiddies:






So missed the Nicole Atkins show I was so eagerly waiting to cover. But hey, I saved a life!

And I got the new Raine Maida solo CD. Details on what you can expect from that soon. Very different from Our Lady Peace, I'll say that.

What else???? Jordana and I caught the Val Emmich show at Pianos last week (he rocked as usu.) and both decided that we're getting kind of sick of writing about music stuff. So you can be expecting lots of other fun content on this blogspot from us! I actually just realized I have been a music journalist for a full DECADE now. How insane is that??? I love music, but I think I'm pretty bored with all the bands out there today. I have no interest in writing about many people. After a while, it's the same questions over and over again. Unless you really love the band and care more about them. In that case, I'll never be sick of doing interviews!

I am considering digging into my past and posting my adventures in dating (ah, the single days!) Very entertaining stuff there. We'll see!

The boys at my job are playing Flight of the Concords non-stop. But yesterday it was this really awful metal. I had to yell at them for it. I'm the only girl here, as the others are on vacation or home sick. Who know what would become of the place if I was out, too!

* By Joelle, who will post more often and also JUST got a Facebook page. Wow.

Friday, May 09, 2008

A Day in the Life....

Of local sensation RACING KITES as they take on the music festival world...



Meet Alex, Matt, Preston, Rick, and Matt (yes, there are two Matt's). They make up one of the most successful pop-punk acts that New Jersey has seen in years.

After winning an opportunity to rock out on the Linc Star Stage at Bamboozle this year, Racing Kites threw it into high gear. Not only would this unsigned band be thrown in front of management companies, booking agents, labels and A&R reps, they would have the chance to win over the larger population at Bamboozle- the spectators. Having watched many a “local band” be overwhelmed by the festival atmosphere and allow themselves to be overcome with nerves, I knew that Racing Kites would be different, they used the nearly sold out second day of the fest to captivate and dominate. Each member emanates pride and passion for their work, determined to make themselves an ever growing presence in the music world.

RK has been working tirelessly on developing a solid consumable EP that they are proud of, and recently completed it. With the sampler ready, they decided to make it available for purchase at Bamboozle…they were flying off the table. Whenever I popped in on the merch table throughout the day there were always kids near by they were getting ready to buy it, or that had already bought it. The band strategically had at least one member ready to greet fans and talk about the new EP while the other members were risking life and limb in the sea of humanity with signs advertising their next performance or appearance in the in day, always sporting a box of EP’s to sell.



I met up with the band around 10 on Sunday…they had been at the venue since 7:30! Punctuality? Alex (vocalist) was already “vibeing” off the environment and the sound checks occurring on the larger stages surrounding us. Matt was already walking around trying to sell some of their brand new EP, and the other members were finishing up some table and gear preparations for the day ahead. With nothing but smiles and pride, Alex gave me the run down on the days event for Racing Kites (only after trying to get at my citrus green tea, it was still super cold!)-

1:30- BamboozleTV
2:30- Linc Star Stage
3:40- Signing at the Linc Star table
5:30- Acoustic set in the “Golden Inn” VIP tent



Alex explained to me that in between all of the scheduled appearances he really wanted to be out in the crowd and give the voices in the band a face. One thing I found Racing Kites pushes is being accessible. They want the fans to remember not just light hearted pop-punk performance, they want fans to remember interaction; kids are more likely to remember the music if they meet and interact with the members (this is a HUGE marketing approach and has been extremely successful for the guys).






As Racing Kites Bamboozle debut was nearing, the crowd in front of the stage was growing exponentially. Behind the stage there was a tense moment as we discovered the stage water supply was diminished, but once catering provided a restock the moral was back up to norm and the excitement was approaching peak...







There is no doubt that they have a solid fan base, no really, there’s no doubt- the fans knew the lyrics as well as the band. For such a young band, seeing this is an extremely positive sign of things to come. The synchronicity and positive energy the band brought to the performance was profound. With each song they played nerves dissipated. Racing Kites provides a mix of pop and pop-punk sounds that many bands fail to execute successfully, these guys found the right ingredients for the recipe of success, that’s for sure.





Alex approached me before the signing and expressed concern that there may not be many people there… He was proven wrong. Starting about 15 minutes before the signing was scheduled fans began to form a line at the table. It was neat to see the various homemade “RK” shirts that were scattered throughout the line. They were signing without break for the entire allotted time.





Next on the schedule was their highly anticipated acoustic performance in the “Golden Inn” VIP tent. Even after about 20 minutes of technically difficulties (none of which really seemed to be the bands fault, there was no sound guy so everything had to be done by the band…this all takes time folks!). Once the set was in motion my jaw hit the floor. As much as RK provides a powerful set “plugged-in” they provide as equally a moving performance acoustically. Alex’s (vocalist) voice marries wonderfully with the acoustics of the bands guitars, the sweet sound would stop even the most distracted person… It is quickly becoming a rarity to find a band that is solid both on the plugged stage and in an un-plugged setting. This ability is certainly an asset. It would have been interesting to put their acoustic set on the bigger stage.



Racing Kites spent the day in non-stop motion. Constantly promoting (odds are you either met the guys or you saw their sign moving through a crowd) and playing showcase performances. Throughout the day the band left their impression on everyone they came into contact with. They are a truly talented group of guys, and I wish them the very best of luck.



Check out the bands myspace for an updated list of shows, you can also watch their super cool RKTV! www.myspace.com/racingkites



**By Amanda who had the most EPIC Bamboozle weekend ever...

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Concert Junkie: Unraveling the Josh Dion Band





The Beginning

Add fun rock music with a tight knit of friends, multiply it by loyal fans and the result is the Josh Dion Band. The quintet met at William Paterson University where some members were studying in the jazz program. However, it wasn't until after their Willy P days did the band decide to form.

"Josh and I became an in-demand rhythm section at William Paterson University in my senior year," says bassist Brian Killeen. "I joined the band Ulu and they needed a drummer, so I called Josh. We were on the road with them for a year."

After Ulu went their separate ways, drummer and singer Josh Dion was thinking of starting his own band.

"While we were on tour, I was writing lyrics," reflects Dion. "Who can I call? So I started to think about my friends and the musicians I knew. I knew Sarah and we knew each other quite well. I knew she was a great singer. I knew Pat and Brian. Dan is my favorite guitarist, so I asked him. The rest is history."

The band released two albums, "Give Love" and "Live!" and traveled around the East Coast in their van called the Idler. They have also played in festivals in Spain. Each member of the Josh Dion Band: Dion (singer/drums), Pat Firth (keyboards/vocals), Dan Hindman (guitar/vocals), Killeen (bass/vocals) and Sarah Versprille (vocals/percussion) adds their own unique quality to the band's overall sound and atmosphere.

"I started playing guitar in secret," says Hindman, who is from DE. "I never took any other instrument [trombone, baritone, drums and trumpet] seriously."

Firth started playing piano at age five because his mom is the Director of the Adirondack Community College Music Program and his dad is a Low Brass Specialist and teacher.

"They both were huge influences on me," reflects New York State native Firth. "My musical interests up until the end of high school were mainly in classical. However, Lee Shaw was the first teacher I had who steered me in the direction of jazz."

Similarly, Dion, who is from CT, was also influenced by his family to get involved in music.

"My father plays drums and he introduced them to me before I could remember," says Dion.

According to Killeen, who is from Long Island, he started playing bass after his brother's friend played "Enter Sandman" on his instrument of choice. "There was no turning back."

"I have always loved music," says Rochester native Versprille. "I somehow convinced my parents to let me go to school for jazz. An amazing feat!"

New Album: Anthems for the Long Distance

After establishing themselves in the scene for the past three years with packed crowds, the Josh Dion Band released Anthems for the Long Distance on May 2 at the Highline Ballroom in New York City, and on I-tunes and CD Baby May 13 with no major label involved.

"We decided to record an honest, rootsie album that we have 100% control," says Hindman.

According to Dion and Hindman, instead of waiting for "The Big Deal" and next radio single, the band agreed to do all the knitty-gritty steps involved with recording and mixing Anthems for the Long Distance themselves.

"We put this project off for a year and half mainly because we were dealing with the music business. Major labels were interested, but we decided not to deal with that," says Dion. "Instead of waiting for that big deal, we realize this [writing and recording our own music] is our passion."

The entire album was recorded in five days with natural takes and no edits in a Brooklyn studio. It was mixed in three days, front to back for a grand total of three weeks. Josh Dion Band fans can experience a pseudo-live, raw sound on the overall album with a special horns section, too.

The first handful of tracks, "Makin' my Livin," "Line 'em Up" and "Walkin' on Stilts," can make any rough commute more bearable with beats you can drum on your dashboard and melodies you can sing-a-long to. The other jazzy rock beats, "Feel," "Heartache" and "Hold Fast" blends in well with the overall "organic" sound of the album. "Take the Time" is a great group closer before the very last song, "As We." It has an old blues/show-tune sound. The song is a great representation of Dion and Versprille's vast vocal ability.

"Our music has a level of honesty," says Hindman. "Doing things that matter, feeds into the Josh Dion Band."

Dion reflects about his song-writing ability.

"Writing is all I ever do. When I write lyrics, its almost like a spiritual awakening. Whatever story I can conjure up or whatever profound phrase I hear, it gives me a drive and vision that will sustain [in the song]. I mainly stick to writing songs and poetry, the little spurts of thought to make you think," said Dion.

The song that has a personal impact on me (your lovable Concert Junkie) is “Pilot,” mainly for the lyrics. “I’ll be your pilot now/ I’ll be your guiding light/ Lift in your sunshine/ We will rise above…” The lyrics are purely motivating. The reason why the song effected me in a personal way is because it makes me reflect about fun times spent with my late mom, who was a huge inspiration to me. That's the beauty and power of music. :)


The Future


Recently, the Josh Dion Band returned from Spain where they performed in various festivals around the country. During the summer, JDB will be performing in Pennsylvania, Vermont, New York, and Massachusetts. T-shirts, posters, and other merchandise is now available. You can check out more information at:http://www.joshdionband.com or http://www.myspace.com/joshdionband


By Lori: who posted the JDB pics courtesy of Michael Schoeck because her camera was MIA for the CD Release party. Thanks Bud.

So much for "punk"

Universal/Buzznet Acquisition Machine Continues...

Disruptive times can produce strange bedfellows, either through acquisition, investment, or both. The latest example involves Universal Music Group, which is now an investor in community Absolute Punk (absolutepunk.net), thanks to a recent acquisition by Buzznet. Just last month, Universal announced a major investment in Buzznet, one potentially reaching $25 million.

The latest Buzznet buyout was confirmed by Absolute Punk founder Jason Tate on the site. "There have been some rumblings today that we have been 'acquired' by Buzznet and I’m excited to let you know that - welp, it's true," Tate wrote.

Absolute Punk is mostly geared towards lesser-known artists within emo, punk, alternative, ska, and other genres, though some featured artists invariably gain broader appeal. Still, Absolute is built on non-mainstream coolness, and Tate was careful to downplay the potential involvement of massive major Universal. "For those who rumbled about UMG and all that – UMG doesn't own Buzznet, they've made an investment in the company – those are two different things," Tate assured.

The Absolute Punk acquisition follows Buzznet buyouts of Stereogum and Idolator, both music blogs with sizable, targeted audiences.

Permalink: http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/050508punk

Monday, May 05, 2008

Don't cross the bridge into music. Just go down the river.

Just because someone fills out a gown nicely and is passable as an actor or actress, it does not mean they can carry a tune to save his or her life.

Jennifer Lopez? Let's hear her sing live without backing tracks, without dancing, without Marc, without spectacle. Keanu Reeves? Please, how many of you know who Dogstar are? Lindsay and Ali Lohan? Really? Hilary Duff, while I think she's classy and refined and adorable, can't sing live worth dung. While Emmy Rossum does a pretty convincing Imogen Heap ripoff, very few actors and actresses are capable of producing quality tunes.

The latest on the list is Scarlett Johansson. Her video for "Falling Down," a Tom Waits cover, has hit the Internets in a storm, and frankly, it sucks. Here's why:

1) The broad can't sing. Even under all the production and multilayered tracks, she sounds like a constipated chronic smoker.
2) What a waste of David Bowie's talent. If he sang the entire track, as opposed to backing vocals, we might actually have a good song on our hands.
3) What the Hell is she doing in this video? Great, you got your hair done. Great, you're putting your makeup on. Great, fans give you flowers. But um, why are you blowing pensive gum bubbles and hanging out with Salman Rushdie? Salman Rushdie? No, seriously. What the Hell?

*By Jess, whose virgin eyes are trying really hard to ignore the visuals below.

Friday, May 02, 2008

The Rockstar Life Ain't So Glamorous!

A few months ago I claimed I was going to start a weekly tour update. However, that obviously has yet to happen. Instead I am committing to you...my readers...to do a monthly update. That's a bit more realistic with my insane schedule.

As some of you may or may not know, I'm engaged to singer/songwriter Chris Nathan: www.chrisnathan.com

I've learned over the last year that the most difficult job is being the girlfriend/wife of a musician, particularly the lead singer. They get all the attention, have all the band mates seeking them for leadership (and a paycheck), and have the most "groupies".

With the bad, comes plenty of good. And in my case, I have my soul mate...so there's much more good than bad. Chris, my fiancee, treats me like a queen. There's nothing I can't do with him by my side.

We returned to Nashville a few weeks ago after being on tour nearly 2 months. This was the not-so-glamorous type of tour. Me, 4 boys, and our adorable photographer, Leah Falkowski, all crammed in an '87 old church van (aka "The Cream Machine"). We went from North Carolina-to-New York-to-Ohio-to-Alabama-to-Tennessee. Sometimes we'd stay in a beautiful hotel with a priceless view of downtown and a bed that was fit for a king, other nights we'd sleep in the very crammed van, or we'd be in the middle of nowhere and we'd stay in the only hotel in the small town, in which I was praying there weren't bugs in the beds! No matter how rough the tour got, or how much the other band members despised me being on the road with them (after all, I'm just the fiancee...why am I on tour with them?...why should they or any of the fans show me respect?), I wouldn't change a thing. There were those dramatic moments where the band members argued about me being on tour with them and showed me little-to-no respect, but we pressed on and worked through things...just like any dysfunctional family would. It was all worth the trials, because now we are back in Nashville, Chris is getting the industry attention his talent and voice deserve, and I'm still right by his side. He knows no matter how hard it gets, I'll be right there. When he fails, I fail. When he succeeds, so do I.

I've grown tremendously, and after being crammed in a van for 2 months, I've become much closer to my fiancee. He knows what I look like when my hair's a mess and I have no make-up on, and he still tells me I'm beautiful ;) There were moments where I had to get ready in the van before a show and well...this was the result:


Big things are happening for Chris' career and I'm thrilled to be a part of it! Chris is playing an acoustic solo show for a charity tomorrow, I'll update y'all and let you know how it goes, as well as other exciting news!

Also, Chris' music is starting to get radio play beginning May 13. I'll let y'all know what stations in your city to listen for him and request him!

**By Christina - the rock star wifey! www.chrisnathan.com

Thursday, May 01, 2008

Thursday's "Fresh 5"



Hey Guys! Here are five more bands that you should keep in mind when wandering from stage to stage this weekend...

1. INNERPARTYSYSTEM



2. RACING KITES



3. FOUR YEAR STRONG



4. DR. MANHATTAN



5. DROP DEAD, GORGEOUS


(note- keyboardist Aaron left the band and has been replaced with the super nice Duck...make sure you go say hi to them!)


**By Amanda who will be rockin' out at Hoodwink tomorrow night!! Come say hi!