Author: News on Shuffle

Maxwell’s Presents: April Smith and the Great PIcture Show

This past Friday, December 10th, I was lucky enough to finally get a chance to see April Smith and the Great Picture show live. The opportunity came with a late show at Maxwell’s in Hoboken. Openers for the evening included The Canon Logic and Elizabeth & the Catapult. The first opener, The Canon Logic, got things fired up early on, with a mini dance party even forming in the front of the room. Next, Elizabeth & the Catapult kept things going. Their sound seemed to fit better with April Smith (although I enjoyed the first band as well). It might have helped that Elizabeth & the Catapult are a female-fronted band with a similar style to April Smith (IMO). I thought Elizabeth had a similar quirkiness to April Smith and a lot of heart. Speaking of which, my heart was completely won over by the end of their set, due in large part to the charming lead singer.

That brings us to the main event, April Smith and the Great Picture Show. I did a review of their album over the summer where I raved about how unique and entertaining their sound was. This gave me high expectations for their live show, which I am happy to report were not disappointed in the slightest. April and band had a great stage presence. April Smith was charming and sweet and fun, but also strong as a vocalist. I thought she found the perfect balance of strength and sweetness. Overall the performance was solid and enjoyable. If you ever get a chance to see this band live, I encourage you to take it. I promise they will give you quite a show.

*I was going to use the end of this post to include a video I took from the show, but if you follow me on Twitter you will know I was having trouble with that. I promise to go back and edit later, but really wanted to get this up ASAP for your reading pleasure.

Edit: Sorry this took longer than I wanted it to, but all the video I took from the show is finally up on YouTube. I’m embedding my three favorites below as a sample, but you can view the rest on my YouTube page.


(Warning: that last one has a tiny little curse at the end, which you know if you are familiar with the song)

Happy Birthday, Amy Acker

News on Shuffle would like to give a happy birthday shout-out today to Amy Acker. Whedon fans were first introduced to her on Angel as the adorable and nerdy Fred Burkle (and later as Dr Saunders on Dollhouse). Other credits you may recognize her from include a recurring role on Alias, a lead role on the short-lived series Happy Town, and a guest stint on Human Target. If you are very good at picking out voices, you may also know her as the voice of Huntress on Justice League. Acker was also in Whedon’s film Cabin in the Woods, but no word on what the status is of the film in terms of release, with everything that happened with MGM. IMDB only has a release date for the UK (14January, 2011). Hopefully that gets a US release at some point as well. From what I’ve seen it looks very good, and it would be a shame if it didn’t get a larger release to the public.

I leave you with a very short (but cute) video of Acker as Fred in Angel

Josh Groban – Live from Soho

Last night I had the chance to see Josh Groban at the Apple store in Soho. This store has a lot of events like this (I also saw Regina Spektor here). I think it is a great chance to experience music you might not normally be able to afford full-priced tickets for.

I have always thought Josh Groban was a talented and gifted musician, but have never had the opportunity before last night to experience this in person. I am glad I was able to change this, because the show was phenomenal. Not only was it a good performance in terms of music, it was also a lot of fun. Josh is really funny and had a great stage presence. It was really comfortable being in a room with him. He even commented, “It feels like we’re playing in a living room right now.” It’s true, the show had a very intimate vibe to it, which added to my overall enjoyment. Another fun line from him came when he mentioned his recent move to NYC. “After years of flirting with the city, I’ve finally made an honest city out of it,” he quipped. That was possibly one of my highlights of the evening. Another highlight came at the end when he announced his last song was going to be “Per Te,” which is off his second album, Closer. This is one of my favorite songs by him. I have always imagined this song being ridiculously hard to sing (and he even said it is one of the hardest songs for him), but he makes it seem remarkably easy. I was impressed not only be the performance but also by how incredibly down-to-earth he seemed. I got the impression he is one of those artists who doesn’t entirely know how he has reached the level of success he has achieved, even though it seems blatantly obvious to his fans. (Btw, Josh Groban fans are very enthusiastic and supportive of this artist).

After final bow the fans called for “one more song,” to which Josh obliged. He commented that they didn’t have anything else rehearsed (plus he was spent from playing his own music), so he did a Neil Diamond cover instead. The song he chose was “Play Me,” which he made entirely his own. Honestly, I only knew it was Neil Diamond because he had introduced it as such. Otherwise it sounded like it could have been one of his own songs the way he sang it. There was no video allowed at this performance (it will be available on iTunes eventually), but here is a video of another performance where he sang this particular song.

Josh Groban just released his latest album, Illuminations. You can download it from Amazon or iTunes, or get it from your local record store (or Starbucks).

Nerd Birthday (x3)

I’ve had to put the blog on hiatus for a bit due to other obligations, but there are three birthdays that pulled me out of hiding for the day.

1) First, a very happy birthday to one Molly Lewis. I was first introduced to this young musician thanks to a few dozen w00tstock videos I trolled on the YouTubes. Anyone who follows her on the interwebs knows the trouble she has had with venues and such due to her being underage. Well, that won’t be an issue after tonight (although her response to the most notable incident – SDCC w00tstock – was quite enjoyable. Ninja gig ftw!). Happy 21st Birthday, Molly!

2) Next, a very happy birthday to our Nerdist, Chris Hardwick. It is thanks to this guy that I waste countless hours on one of my favorite websites. He also is one of my favorite people to follow on the Twitter. Oh, and let’s not forget the podcast and nerd social networking site he also runs, called Node. (Wow, I didn’t realize how much of my life is connected to this one person. Kinda cool.) In addition to being a presence on the interwebs, Chris does some stand-up comedy as well. He’s really funny and if you get a chance to see for yourself you really should (and I’m not just saying that because of the street team hat I occasionally wear for him). If you don’t believe me, then see for yourself.

3) Last, but certainly not least, I would like to give a happy birthday shout-out to Doctor Who! That’s right, the British sci-fi series turns 47 today. The first episode, An Unearthly Child, aired on this date in 1963. Since it’s start on this date it has seen 11 different people play the lead role of The Doctor. The new Christmas Special is set to air on Christmas Day at 9pm on BBC America. If you’ve never watched this show then you are seriously missing out. It was one of the few things that can always make me smile when I’m down, and makes me think about the world in a whole new way. I love everything about it, and would love nothing more than to spread this love with the rest of the world. (Wow, that’s a lot of love for one show).

That concludes another birthday edition of News on Shuffle. Hope all those celebrating have a wonderful time. Congrats to you all!

Jukebox the Ghost + Barenaked Ladies = A Perfect Fit

When Jukebox the Ghost first announced they would be opening for select dates on the Barenaked Ladies tour, naturally I was excited. Mostly I was thrilled for the band that they would be getting that kind of exposure (and be able to say they toured with another really cool band). I didn’t actually think about how well the two bands would work well though. Their styles were more alike than I imagined. I’m not just talking musically either – both bands also have a quirky/fun stage presence that makes their shows even more enjoyable. I’ve always been a passing BNL fan, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed their set (even though I didn’t necessarily know all the words to their songs). There were a lot of great moments during their set, but two that will stick out for me are 1) the closing number, where they mashed together a bunch of covers and danced around the stage like the crazies they apparently are, and 2) the first encore number when Ben from Jukebox came on stage to play piano with them.

Yes, it all comes back to Jukebox the Ghost, doesn’t it now?

I mean, obviously I would not have gone to this show if I did not enjoy me some Ladies, but the opening band did have some strong influence on my actually buying the tickets. For me, BNL have always been one of those bands I would only go see depending on the opener. I can’t think of a better excuse to finally check them out than my boys from Jukebox the Ghost. And let me tell you something, the band did not disappoint. They played a really solid set of their 8 best songs. There wasn’t as much banter as there would be at one of their headlining shows, but that was to be expected. Obviously they would want to squeeze in as much music as possible in the time allotted. There were a couple stories added to the mix though – just enough to give the potential new fans a taste of this bands unique and oh-so-interesting personality. (Ex: Ben describing his taped-up synth and declaring, “Duct tape does amazing things.” – Classic). It was much different seeing them play a venue like the Mayo Theatre, but it was also cool to see what their set looks like with the added lighting. Whoever was in charge of lights for the evening did a great job with both bands in timing the lights with the music. Kudos on your professionalism, Mayo tech crew.

Overall I would say the show was a huge success. The room was almost completely full during the opening set, which means lots more potential new fans for the band. Based on a casual glance of the room, I would say they won a few new hearts over with tonight’s set. And the crowd definitely enjoyed BNL’s set, myself included. Obviously I expected them to be good (or I wouldn’t have gone), but they blew my expectations out of the water. Where once I was a passing fan, now I am super in love. I could not have asked for a more perfect night.

Jukebox the Ghost set list:
Schizophrenia
The Sun
Hold It In
Half Crazy
Empire
Summer Sun
The Stars
Good Day

Side note – Just wanna take a minute to be slightly not professional and brag that I almost completely guessed the set list for tonight. Half Crazy was a maybe that depended on length of set, and Summer Sun was a very pleasant surprise. Other than that, I so called the rest of this list! I know it’s lame to be proud of this, but let me have my moment anyway. And sorry I don’t have BNL’s set list but I don’t know the names of all their songs well enough. There are very few bands actually that I know the names of every song they’ve done. Usually I just know a song when I hear it. Sorry if this makes you like the blog slightly less. I try to make up for it with a passion for music and lots of enthusiasm. Hopefully that is enough.

Muse Photo Blog (Prudential Center – 10/24)

I know it’s almost a week later, but here are some of the many photos I took when I went to see Muse at Prudential Center this past Sunday. In total I took 175 photos. These are just some of the best:

Metric opens

 Muse starts their engines
 There were great light displays the whole night
 Rotating platform
 More lights

 Finale

Kids of 88 – Sugarpills Album Review

 Kids of 88‘s album Sugarpills opens with electronic beats that tell you immediately this is going to be more of an upbeat dance album. In taking a closer listen, I found a lot of the songs seemed to focus on getting pleasure from different things, usually with another person involved. This is seen from a number of different angles, from the song “Everybody Knows,” which is about sado-masochism (although the boys have said they themselves are not into those sorts of things) to the more wholesome-seeming track “San Fran,” which paints a picture of happiness in a “Full House” type setting. Then there is the song “Downtown,” in which the singer says he wants to get dressed up, go downtown, and have a good time. The song paints a picture of a person going to a club or bar and making a night of it, both with the lyrics and backing music. The album as a whole is short in length (about 37 minutes total) and goes by rather quickly. I enjoyed it immensely, however. If you are looking to dance but don’t like generic club beats, this album is for you.

Authors note: When listening to this album I struggled to find the words to convey what I thought the band was like. I eventually settled on new wave/electronic. After listening to the album I checked their website to see how they described themselves, and was pleased that our descriptions matched exactly. I guess I found the words after all.

Live Review/An Open Letter to Muse

There are lots of really great things I have to say (and have said before) about the band Muse. I have seen them twice now, and they put on very good performance that involve lots of technical pieces, including great lighting/effects and a very good use of the entire stage. To date, they are one of my favorite live acts, mostly because I think their music is great and they do an excellent job converting that into a live show. I do have one complaint though that I would like to address at this time.

*ahem*

Dear Muse,

I love you and your music, but something needs to change if we’re going to keep seeing each other. I have seen you perform live twice now, and both times have been very good (the first time in Boston will always be the best for me). There is one thing that bothers me though, and it comes with a story. My first technical experience of one of your live shows was the recording of the HAARP performance. This album has always been my favorite for two reasons: 1) it has most of my favorite songs up till the point it was released, and 2) it is one of the best live recordings I have heard of any band. I love every song on the album, but one of my favorite moments is when you start playing “Invincible”. I have seen you live and in person twice now, and both times you have not included this song in your set list. I understand that you have too many songs to play all of them and that you can’t try to please everyone, but I believe this is one of your greatest songs and should be a staple in your repertoire. I doubt anyone would be disappointed to hear this song played live, just as I’m equally sure that many people are disappointed when it is not included. I always try to predict the encore of any show I go to (especially when I love a band’s music as much as I do yours),  and I have to say I was very disappointed I didn’t get the chance to hear this song live for myself. Would you please please please consider adding this song to your line-up for future performances? It would be especially nice if it were added the next time you play the NY/NJ area, since that is where I’m from. I (and many other fans, I’m sure) would really appreciate it.

Thank you, and good night.

PS – it really was a great show (besides my one complaint mentioned). You were, are, and always will be one of my favorite live acts. Just do this one little thing and we’ll be good.

Thanks!

Love,
A Passionate Fan

Back to you, wonderful reader… assuming you actually are still reading. I took a lot of great pictures from this show that I will try to post sometime tomorrow. Also, in case you have no idea what I was just rambling about and why I care so much, check out this video of the song in question.

No really, go. I’ll wait…

See what I mean?

But enough about the one song they didn’t play. Let’s move on to what was included.

Set List:
Uprising
Map of the Problimatique
New Born
Supermassive Black Hole
The Resistance
Hysteria
Citizen Erased
United States of Eurasia
Feeling Good
Undisclosed Desires
Time Is Running Out
Starlight
Plug In Baby

Encore:
Exogenesis Symphony
Stockholm Syndrome
Knights of Cydonia

Follow-up: One thing I do appreciate is that they have a good balance of old and new material here. In fact, it makes me very happy that “Feeling Good” and “New Born” still make the cut after all this time. I just wish I could hear Invincible once live before I die…

CMJ Day 5 in Photos

This morning I gave you my recap of the final day of CMJ, thinking I would not be able to get around to posting photos until earliest tomorrow morning. Well, folks, I was kinda wrong there (alright, technically it’s 12:30am, but I wrote most of this before going to Muse. Just had to add labels). I’ve gotta say, I am really impressed with how on top of things I’ve been this week. The version of me that first started this blog would have just done a very short post at the end of CMJ instead of the daily recaps I ended up doing. I have enjoyed getting more of an opportunity to write about the things I love the most, and only hope I can keep doing it in the long term. So – without further ado – here is the final installment of my continuing coverage of CMJ from this week.

Brooklyn Vegan party @ Public Assembly
Wild Nothing
 Titus Andronicus
 Say hello to an unbelievable crowd
 A Million Years @ Spike Hill
 TJO Presents showcase
Sydney Wayser
 Matt Koziol

Endway

 In Cadeo
 Like Trains and Taxis
 Alyson Greenfield

 Hank and Cupcakes

CMJ Day 5 – The Conclusion

The last day of CMJ for me began with another Brooklyn Vegan party at Public Assembly. Unfortunately I arrived too late for Ted Leo, but I heard the line for that was out the door. Saw Wild Nothing for the second day in a row this week, and they were really good. I knew I liked them from the first time I saw them at Pianos, but I wasn’t sure how much until I heard them here again. After they finished, Titus Andronicus began to set up to play to a very packed house. It’s amazing to me how far they’ve come this year. Between this and headlining Webster Hall, I am very impressed. The band was possibly the biggest draw on the line-up, at least in my opinion. This is why it surprised me when the band was given an incredibly short set of approximately 20 minutes. They weren’t even really given much of a warning, simply told they were done and had to get off the stage. I thought the whole situation could have been handled much better, but I’m just a humble blogger…

I lost my interest in the BV party after the Titus incident, so I didn’t stay for the whole thing as originally planned. Instead, I hung out in Spike Hill for a bit to see this band called A Million Years. I couldn’t stay for their whole set, but what I heard I really liked.

The final act of my CMJ experience was the TJO Present showcase at Bar Matchless. This is the one I mentioned before that my friend was running. The turnout for this one was really good, as was the response from audience members about certain bands. I was the photographer for the evening, so I have a ton of pictures to sort through before I post anything.

Yesterday was a great end to a fantastic week. Pictures from the final day will be posted (hopefully) soon. Tonight I’m going to see Muse at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, so look for a review of that soon as well.