Each month, veteran music journalist Janie Franz offers a variety of content in her Music Up Close with Janie column.
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MUSIC UP CLOSE WITH JANIE – SEPTEMBER 2009
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After our initial open house, where you saw the contents of our little virtual music club here at Music Up Close, we will be highlighting different rooms each month, but always ending with our cocktail meet-and-greet at the SonicBids Lounge. For September, Club Ladies brings a look a Teisha Helgerson, the frontwoman for the band…
THE DECEMBERISTS TO UNVEIL “HERE COME THE WAVES: THE HAZARDS OF LOVE VISUALIZED”
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The Decemberists’ album The Hazards of Love was released by EMI’s Capitol Records in March to rave reviews with NPR calling the album an “epic adventure” and SPIN writing that it “yields spectacular sparks,” adding that it contains “some of the snarliest, bluesiest, rockingest moments in The Decemberists’ catalog.” The raves continued when the band…
The Black Crowes, Before the Frost/Until the Freeze
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This past year has seen plenty of rock bands that ruled the 90s reunite in an effort to relive their past glories with some being much more welcome (Blur!!) than others (Creed??). Nevertheless, do not lump the Black Crowes in with this reunion bands. Sure, the blues rock band led by Chris and Rich Robinson…
LIVE NATION KEEPS THEIR ALL-IN, NO FEE CONCERT TICKET DEALS GOING
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This Wednesday’s No Fee, All-In concert ticket deals include hundreds of shows by an enormous variety of artists from every genre of music. Beginning on September 16th at 12:01 a.m., live music fans can purchase concert tickets at the All-In, No Fee Prices of $10, $20 and $30 to shows by such artists as…
Michel Ackermann, Kite
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This Berlin-based singer/songwriter brings you a 4-song EP titled Kite. I have to mention the cover art due to its incredibly tranquil setting. I am seeing vivid blues skies along with plush, white clouds. The initial reaction of this scenery is a very peaceful feeling, which could definitely offer someone a calming effect. Now, let’s…
Imelda May, Love Tattoo
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With a voice that’s impossible not to fall in love with, and a heaping helping of Audrey Horn (Sherilyn Fenn) sex appeal; Imelda May can with your heart in a verse. This Dubliner rose to fame after being hand-picked by former founder-member of Squeeze; Jools Holland to appear on his show “Later… with Jools…
TAKING BACK SUNDAY AND THE ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS HIT THE ROAD
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Currently on different legs of the sizzling summer tour with Blink-182 and Weezer, Taking Back Sunday and The All-American Rejects will continue to entertain fans this fall by launching a co-headlining tour in early November. This is the first time New York quintet Taking Back Sunday has toured with Oklahoma’s The All-American Rejects. Both…
DIANA OLSON INTRODUCES VLAD TO SKOPE READERS
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Vlad’s biography says, “Music has the ability to transform, heal and speak to the soul. And when it transcends itself, music is no longer music but rather the truth and philosophy of life. This is the true essence of highly accomplished guitarist, arranger, producer – Vlad…
The Stone Foxes, The Stone Foxes
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You know what you’re getting into with The Stone Foxes from the moment you drop the needle on their debut, self-titled LP. It’s an unabashed, dirty, rollicking good time. Borrowing heavily from their influences, the greats of the past and present including Jimi Hendrix, Creedence Clearwater Revival and the Black Crowes, The Stone Foxes is…
Built to Spill, There Is No Enemy
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Built to Spill has served as the influence and inspiration for many other indie bands. They inhabit a secure area in indie rock, which gives them credibility, but where fame remains out of reach. Their folk-infused, bluesy rock teeters along the postmodern lines of Pavement while hailing to an earlier era evoking the likes of…
Quincy Jones: The 75th Birthday Celebration Live At Montreux
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What best way to pay tribute to one of the biggest music moguls today than to give a five-hour concert on his 75th birthday? That’s what Quincy Jones received last year at the Stravinski Auditorium in Montreux, Switzerland, home to the Montreux Jazz Festival. In this more than two-hour long DVD, the Montreux stage…
SEE THE FRAY FOR FREE
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The Fray are putting on a free show at the House of Blues in Chicago and they want you to be in attendance. All you have to do is head to the Denver band’s Web site and fill out a questionaire and then you can print your ticket to the show. The performance…
THEM CROOKED VULTURES FIRST EVER NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES
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Them Crooked Vultures–a/k/a Dave Grohl (drums, backing vocals), Josh Homme (guitar, vocals) and John Paul Jones (bass, keyboards, backing vocals)–has confirmed the dates of its first ever North American tour. The dates kick off with an October 2 performance at the Austin City Limits music festival, to be preceded by a September 30 Austin City…
Cristen Grey and the Moving Dunes, 10,000 Things
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Cristen Grey once was the lead guitarist & rhythm guitarist for the heavy metal act, All Eyes. She and her heavy-hittin’ band opened for some pretty big 80’s rock acts such as: Quiet Riot and Cinderella. That was then and these 10,000 Things are the now. 10,000 Things came from “Grey’s realization,…
DIRTY BLONDE ENSLAVED THEIR AUDIENCE AT PALMER’S IN ANDOVER, MA
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Dirty Blonde is one of those bands that many have not heard of but many will love once they’ve heard them. Sultry singer Cheryl Aruda fronts this hard-driving, non-stop rhythm machine. Playing at Palmer’s Restaurant in Andover, Massachusetts last Saturday night, Dirty Blonde made a believer out of everybody who had not seen them before.
Sideways Reign, A Stand For All Stages
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Expect the unexpected here from a Washington-based band known as Sideways Reign. A Stand For All Stages is music for all faces. This group of musicians blends an interesting variety of rock, blues, folk and even some funk. The meaning behind the band name relates to their “Pacific Northwest roots and as a reference to…
STOLI TALKS WITH SANTANA’S TRUMPETER BILL ORTIZ
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My next guest is one of the top trumpeters in the music business today. Bill Ortiz has worked with such diverse and dynamic artists as Santana, Destiny’s Child, Tito Puente and Tony Toni Tone. Bill has been with Santana since 1999. Recently he decided that it was time to go solo for a bit. So…
SEPTEMBER 2009 SONICBIDS “ARTISTS 2 WATCHâ€
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Welcome to another amazing month of music from the incredible musicians that make up the Sonicbids.com community. We have got ten amazing musicians that will be speaking directly to the Skope readers. As always we encourage readers to dig deeper and check out their EPK’s.
HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD AND ATREYU CO-HEADLINE NATIONAL CLUB TOUR
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Modern rock renegades Hollywood Undead and Orange County rockers Atreyu, two of today’s most captivating live bands boasting a powerful mix of rock, metal and rap, have announced a co-headlining national club tour. The tour kicks off on October 16th in Lubbock, Texas through November 21st at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles. …
POTLUCK & D12 TOUR DATES
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The reunited D12 and Humboldt County hip-hop duo Potluck have kicked off the “Dazed and Dirty” Tour, which is scheduled to crisscross the country through the end of September. Underrated from Potluck has offered the following update from the road: D12 & POTLUCK “DAZED & DIRTY” TOUR: Aug 21 – Lake Elsinore CA @ Trevi…
Rob Carlton, Beautiful Collision
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This new work by Rob Carlton is nothing short of amazing with the WOW factor in full effect. This record consists of kick-ass guitar licks and high-energy jam sessions. The new CD mixes hard rock, blues and Carlton even throws in twelve string acoustic songs. ALL instrumental with a straight rock feel…
NAAM COMPLETES WORK ON DEBUT ALBUM
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Brooklyn, NY heavy psych rock band NAAM has completed work on its debut album. The fast-rising buzz band will drop the self-titled Naam on October 20, 2009 via NYC’s Tee Pee Records. The follow up to the group’s three-song mega-EP Kingdom, Naam was recorded on an abandoned dairy farm in New York’s…
500 Days of Summer soundtrack
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The movie “500 Days of Summer” starring Zooey Deschanel and Joesph Gordon-Levitt is an offbeat comedy about a girl who doesn’t believe in love and the unfortunate and hopeless romantic that falls for her. Of course its makes sense to cast Deschanel in the role of Summer – she’s had a successful foray as a…
Mina, Mina
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Mina is inviting you to take a trip to the dark side just for a bit. This journey will take you on a haunting trip through the human mind. You will hear raw emotions & feelings being poured out by Mina, from a dark-clouded standpoint. Mina’s vocals & performance on this record…
THE BALCONIES ANNOUNCE MUCH ANTICIPATED RELEASE OF DEBUT ALBUM SEPTEMBER 15th
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Ottawa’s pride and joy, The Balconies will self release their much anticipated self-titled debut album September 15th, 2009. The three piece, made up of a brother/sister/boyfriend combination, has been turning heads with their dynamic live performances. Over the past year, The Balconies have appeared at festivals such as North by Northeast and the Ottawa…
WOODSTOCK PLAYLIST ON TOUCHTUNES
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TouchTunes, the largest interactive entertainment network in North America, is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the famous 1969 festival at Yasgur’s Farm with a special playlist to mark the occasion. Beginning August 18, the TouchTunes Woodstock Playlist will be available on over 25,000 digital jukeboxes across the country and features a selection of…
Bahamas, Pink Strat
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Very rarely does an artist choose a stage moniker with apt precision. Finnish-Canadian troubadour Afie Jurvanen and his axe over his shoulder attitude is better known as Bahamas. Though this reviewer has never visited the tropical island region, it’s safe to say that if I do go, I’ll be bringing Bahamas Pink Strat with me.…
ANDREW MCMAHON HITS THE ROAD FOR SOLO TOUR IN OCTOBER
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Andrew McMahon of Jack’s Mannequin will be hitting the road for a solo tour, just him and a piano, this October. The tour will raise awareness about his deeply personal documentary Dear Jack which chronicles the year that Andrew, then 22, spent battling leukemia while trying to release Jack’s Mannequin’s 2005 debut album Everything in…
NICO VEGA ANNOUNCE FALL TOUR DATES WITH PLACEBO
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Los Angeles’ Nico Vega announce a fresh round of tour dates today, beginning with several shows in California- including an appearance at Sunset Junction in Silver Lake- followed by a fall tour with UK alt-rockers Placebo starting on September 12th in Portland, OR. w/ Placebo: 9/12 — Portland, OR — Roseland Theatre 9/13 — Seattle,…
CLIVE DAVIS TO PRODUCE HARRY CONNICK JR NEW ALBUM
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Columbia Recording Artist, singer and pianist Harry Connick Jr., just barely out of his thirties, has released 24 albums under his own name, which have sold 25 million copies around the world. Although he has recorded various genres of music, from traditional pop to instrumental jazz to funk and blues, he has shown a…
LIVE NATION EXPANDS ‘NO SERVICE FEE WEDNESDAY’
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Live Nation announced that this Wednesday, in addition to extending the popular half-price ticket special in its amphitheaters, the company is for the first time expanding its No Service Fee program to include more than 1,500 shows in its theaters and clubs, including House of Blues and Fillmore venues, making hundreds of thousands of additional…
RANDOM STABBINGS & ARTLESS CRITIQUE, AUGUST 2009
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The Queen Killing Kings, Tidal Eyes (Windup Records) The sounds-like list with which one could tag this Connecticut 4-piece is nearly as long as the unabridged historical roster of upper-middle-class-targeted radio-pop-rock artists itself: Marillion, Ben Folds, Supertramp, this kind of thing. Singer Coley O’Toole’s androgynous tenor resembles low-end Geddy Lee retrofitted with Styx’s clipped…
ROB ZOMBIE’S HALLOWEEN II SDTRK FEATURES NEW MUSIC
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Following the success of Rob Zombie’s initial reinvention of John Carpenter’s smash cult horror film HALLOWEEN which premiered number one at the box office breaking all Labor Day Weekend 2007 records, comes the sequel, HALLOWEEN II, hitting theatres nationwide on August 28, 2009 from Dimension Films. With the enormously popular horror movie series back, writer-producer-director…
PLAYING FOR CHANGE ANNOUNCES A NATIONWIDE FALL TOUR
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After a series of shows that generated rave reviews in Los Angeles, New Orleans and the U.K., it was announced today that Playing For Change will launch a national concert tour. Kicking off on Oct. 20 at The Birchmere in Washington, DC, the fall tour will bring the Playing For Change movement to over…
AUGUST 2009 SONICBIDS “ARTISTS 2 WATCHâ€
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Welcome to another amazing month of music from the incredible musicians that make up the Sonicbids.com community. We have got ten amazing musicians that will be speaking directly to the Skope readers. As always we encourage readers to dig deeper and check out their EPK’s.
RUSTED ROOT ANNOUNCES FALL TOUR
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Rusted Root have returned stronger than ever from their seven year sojourn. They’ve just released Stereo Rodeo, featuring original members Michael Glabicki (lead vocals, guitar), Liz Berlin (vocals, percussion), and Patrick Norman (vocals, bass, percussion) are joined on this album by Jason Miller (drums, percussion), Colter Harper (guitar), Preach Freedom (percussion) and Dirk Miller (guitar).…
KRISTINA TRAIN PREVIEWS HER BLUE NOTE DEBUT ‘SPILT MILK’
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On October 20, Blue Note Records will release Spilt Milk, the debut album from singer Kristina Train.
Diana Catherine and The Thrusty Tweeters, The Spirit Ranch Sessions
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First off, I wanted to get the inside scoop on Diana Catherine and these Thrusty Tweeters–just who they are really? Well, if you’re going to go strictly by the definitions of thrust & tweeters then they would be a band pushing or driving their music with force through a small loudspeaker. The first…
THE DECEMBERISTS ANNOUNCE FALL TOUR DATES
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The Decemberists have announced Fall dates for their “A Short Fazed Hovel” 2009 tour. The tour, which features a full performance of their acclaimed new album The Hazards of Love, has been earning rave reviews as it crosses the United States from coast to coast, including sold-out performances at Radio City Music Hall in New…
