Author: News on Shuffle

Kevin Devine and the Goddamn Band Kick-off CMJ

For the first time since I started really exploring the music scene in New York, I will be attending something for every day of CMJ this week. Tonight’s entry was Kevin Devine and the Goddamn Band at Music Hall of Williamsburg. And oh what a show it was. If you thought Kevin Devine was just some weird dude with a guitar, well then you have never seen him play a full band show before. Whether he’s playing solo or with his band-mates though, you are guaranteed to get your money’s worth. Dude is extremely talented, but also really humble at the same time. A perfect example of this happened tonight, when Devine started talking about what CMJ means to him. He mentioned how he feels honored to still be asked to play the festival since his first appearance here. It was actually one of the only things he bothered to stop playing long enough to say. There wasn’t as much banter as there normally is with his shows, but that just meant the set was jam packed with lots more music for us to enjoy. The set list tonight was band’s choice, which meant we got to hear a lot of songs they don’t normally do live. There were still plenty of fan favorites though, including two of my favorite songs by them – “Just Stay” and “You’ll Only End Up Joining Them”. Overall I would say it was a great start to a week overflowing with too many musical choices to handle. I’m glad a made the decision to come out tonight to enjoy this amazing live act.

Set List:
Trouble
You’re My Incentive
Carnival
Another Bag of Bones
You’ll Only End Up Joining Them
Shift Change
Big Bad Men
Fever Moon
Murphy’s Song
Noose Dressed Like a Necklace
Hand of God
Just Stay
Burning City
Yr Husband
I Could Be With Anyone
Cotton Crush
Ballgame
She Stayed As Steam

Encore:
You Are The Daybreak
Whistling Dixie
Brother’s Blood

Jukebox the Ghost video + CMJ news

Sorry I’ve been absent lately. A few things I should have mentioned by now but haven’t for one reason or another.

First off, I meant to post this video Jukebox the Ghost uploaded from their “Free Pianos” shows this summer. Your humble blogger makes a special guest appearance as “overly excited fan”.

Also, CMJ starts today (in case you didn’t know). Tonight is Kevin Devine’s show at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tomorrow he premieres his new band “Bad Books,” which features members of Manchester Orchestra. Also tomorrow is the Sneak Attack Media showcase, where I will be saying hello to the blog’s favorite band, Jukebox the Ghost. There are lots of other great shows happening all week. I will be talking more about the different shows each day, including a review of KD’s set, which should be up either tonight or tomorrow morning.

Do you have any shows you want promoted this week? Either comment below or shoot me an email at munchkin275@hotmail.com

Anthony Rapp Interview

Here is an interview Anthony Rapp did about his one-man show “Without You”. He answer some questions that I would have asked had I gotten the chance.

And while I have your attention, go check out my coverage of New York Comic Con over at Nerds in Babeland.

I would have written about it here, but they asked and I hadn’t written anything for them yet and thought this would be a great introduction of me to their readers. I had a lot of fun this weekend and would love to share my excitement with all of you. So go check that out.

Without You by Anthony Rapp

As I mentioned in a previous post, Anthony Rapp’s memoir has been adapted into a one-man show. Select performances have been running as part of the NY Musical Theatre Festival. I got to see it on Wednesday night, and I have to say it was spectacular. The musical proved to be a great adaptation of the book. The focus was more on Rapp getting the lead in Rent, the effect of Larson’s death, and his mother’s illness. There is very little mention of the other relationships discussed in the book, but that works best for this play. Now, I’ve never been to a one-man show before, but Rapp did a fantastic job with all the parts. He effectively conveys all of the characters and makes it easy to tell who he is representing in each moment. My personal favorites were his conversations with his mother and his representation of Jonathan Larson. Besides Rapp, the only other people on stage were the musicians. The music blended with the story very well and combined with Rapp’s performance to make for an experience packed with lots of emotion. It was hard to hold back tears in some parts. To conclude – Without You is a touching story of love, life, and family. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. And hopefully when you leave you’ll be inspired to live.

Suicide is Painless

The theme to the hit tv series M*A*S*H* was a piece of music called “Suicide is Painless”. While suicide may relieve the pain and suffering of those who commit said act, it does the opposite for those left behind. Not only do the friends and family grieve the loss of a loved one, they also have to deal with feelings of guilt over what, if anything, they could have done to prevent this tragedy from happening. Recently we have had not one, but five reported cases of young teens who were bullied to the point where death looked like the only way to find peace. One such loss would be sad enough, but five cases is a tragedy. I normally try to keep my portion of the internet focused on the good in the world, but too much has happened for me to keep silent. I just can’t help but wonder if these kids knew that help was available to them. Two support groups that immediately came to mind at the news of these events were two non-profits I have supported for some time now: To Write Love On Her Arms and The Trevor Project. In case you have not heard of them, I will take some time now to explain a little of what they are about.

To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA) is a non-profit based in Florida that deals with suicide awareness and prevention. Their mission statement says it better than I ever could:

To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide.  TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.

This all started with one struggling girl who needed help. It eventually spread to become a movement to help many others out there who have nowhere else to turn. The group tours the country, spreading their message of hope to those who are willing to listen. I was able to attend one of these events in New York City, and it changed my life forever. Now, I’m not struggling with depression or anything that serious, but it still was uplifting hearing their message all the same. No matter who you are our what your story is (and we all have a story) it is good to know that there is Light in a world full of Darkness. That is what TWLOHA is all about: shining a light for those who need it most.

The Trevor Project is another crisis hotline, but they focus on youth dealing with LGBTQ issues. This is especially relevant since the recent suicides were all teens dealing with such issues. I know homosexuality and gender issues are both touchy subjects in today’s society, but they are issues that need to be addressed. Actually, they shouldn’t be issues at all – and that’s the problem. I’m not saying you have to agree with the lifestyle. I understand why it is hard for some to accept. All I’m saying is don’t think it gives you justification of treating people as if they’re not even human. These kids were bullied for being different, and it cost them their lives. I don’t care if you don’t approve of the choices these kids have made, that does not give you the right to treat them in such a cruel manner. If my opinions offend any of my readers, then so be it. This issue is too important for me to keep silent any longer. My only hope in the light of recent events is that it opens the eyes of the world and helps to keep similar tragedies from happening in the future. I am pleased that certain celebrities have been speaking out on the issue, but more has got to be done to stop this from happening again. People need to start taking responsibility for their actions and realize that what they say and do has more power than they can possibly realize. Actions have consequences, and there are no do-overs in life. And with that, I’m going to get off my soapbox and point you towards those who can help pull other troubled teens from the edge and find them peace in a world full of suffering.

More information on the groups I have mentioned can be found in several places online.

TWLOHA:
website – http://www.twloha.com/
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/towriteloveonherarms
MySpace – http://www.myspace.com/towriteloveonherarms
Twitter – http://twitter.com/twloha
street team – http://towriteloveonherarms.fancorps.com/

The Trevor Project:
website – http://www.thetrevorproject.org/
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/TheTrevorProject
Twitter – https://twitter.com/TrevorProject

Tinderbox Festival A Smashing Success

Sunday, September 26, 2010 brought us the first Tinderbox Festival of what will hopefully be an annual event. The very musical day full of brilliant female performers took place at Southpaw in Brooklyn and was brought to us by New York’s own Alyson Greenfield. Alyson moved here from Alabama a few years ago, and since then she has been making quite a splash in our fair city. This latest success started when Lilith Fair announced it’s return this year. Alyson created a blog as sort of a campaign to get on the line-up. It turned out to be the start of what would be the creation of her own festival. There were many great female performers included in this first year, including Jenny Owen Youngs, Hank & Cupcakes, Jessie Murphy in the Woods, and a performance by Alyson Greenfield herself. The full list of performances was as follows:

MAIN STAGE
:
11:00pm Bitch

10:00pm Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers
9:00pm Jenny Owen Youngs

8:00pm Hank and Cupcakes

7:00pm Alyson Greenfield
6:00pm Jessie Murphy In The Woods
5:00pm Kalae All Day

4:15pm Brit & The Calvary

3:30pm Charlene Kaye and The Brilliant Eyes

UNDERGROUND STAGE:
10:3pm Larkin Grimm
9:30pm Denitia Odigie
8:30pm Maya Solovey
7:30pm Mal Blum

6:30pm Misty Boyce

5:45pm Jennifer Newman

5:10pm Lisa Jaeggi
4:40pm Lachi

4:10pm Allison Tartalia
3:30pm Lara Ewen

There were many memorable moments throughout the evening, but my favorite was probably this line from Ms Greenfield, “Casio. Get one. It will change your life forever.” I would like to add this tagline, “Tinderbox. Stick around. It will change New York forever.”

Being Human & Alien Autopsy Giveaway Notice

Our friends over at Smitten by Britain are doing a giveaway. You can enter to win 1 of 2 DVDs – either Being Human S2 or Alien Autopsy. The page has been linked to above. I know you like free things, right? So you should go check this out. And while you’re there you should also read some of the other entries. There’s some good stuff to find if you’re a fan of all things British.

Titus Andronicus + Free Energy Take Webster Hall By Storm

Saturday, September 25, 2010 – Tutus Andronicus and Free Energy played a fun and energy charged set at Webster Hall. First, Screaming Females opened to a decent crowd – at least considering they were the opener AND hadn’t been able to promote the date much. The fans who were there early enough seemed to enjoy them. I had heard of the band before but didn’t know much of their music. Even so, I enjoyed their set and wouldn’t mind seeing them again.

Next Free Energy came up to bat. I had seen these guys once before (performing with Jukebox the Ghost) and was really impressed. In fact, the combination of them and Titus was what made me interested enough to want to attend this event. They did not disappoint and were just as energetic as I remember them being. I said it in a past review, but they really do live up to their name. I almost bought their CD after an outstanding set, but limited funds told me I should hold off for now. I definitely will be following this band more closely in the future, however.

The final act for the evening was Titus Andronicus. If I thought Free Energy’s set was intense, that was nothing compared to the energy levels for the headliner. The band had a good stage presence and did a good job feeding off the energy from the crowd. At one point a string broke on the lead’s guitar (after some fierce playing on the previous song) and the singer decided to re-string it instead of using another instrument. He kept the audience entertained with stories and fan interaction. This included talking about his parents and proclaiming, “Mothers are special people.” Other life lessons received on this break included, Patience is a virtue,” followed by, “So is temperance.” Lessons we can all live by – although I’m sure the bar would prefer you save your temperance for another day. The night concluded with Titus and Free Energy combining to form one giant super group. The group agreed on stage they would be called Temporary Tattoos, since one member had gotten everyone temp tattoos before. They sang AC/DC’s hit “It’s A Long Way To The Top” to finish the night. There was no encore, but I thought the way they ended it was perfect as it was.

Jukebox Rocks Music Hall of Williamsburg

Last night Jukebox the Ghost celebrated their cd release with a packed house in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The night started with opening acts Via Audio followed by Drink Up Buttercup, both of which played good solid sets (although I have to admit I preferred Drink Up Buttercup, but that was just personal preference. I asked a friend what he thought and he liked them both about the same, it seemed). Once Buttercup finished their set, the crowd anxiously awaited for the moment we had all been waiting for. When Jukebox finally took the stage (which seemed like an eternity almost, although it was more like 20 minutes), it was to an enthusiastic applause. As would be expected, they played mostly songs from the new album, but there were still a few essentials played from their first, including Hold It In, Good Day, and Under my Skin. I was surprised to hear Hold It In played early in the set (it was the second song), but I guess I’ll have to get used to it with the introduction of so much good new material. Not complaining at all though. I recognize the need for change, and there have definitely been a lot of great changes with this band lately. Besides the new album being released, they also were recently on the Tonight Show w/ Dave Letterman and even more recently have announced a short extension to their tour where they will be opening for Barenaked Ladies. So yes, lots of good things are happening with this band. I couldn’t think of anyone who deserves it more though. The band has given consistently good performances and proven their love for music time and again. They closed the evening with an encore of Summer Sun followed by Victoria and a special cover that they had previously said they would never play in NY again. Their justification of this…? “Brooklyn isn’t NY.” I say it’s a stretch but I am perfectly fine with that. In case you don’t know what I’m talking about, the cover was of the Donna Lewis’ hit “I Love You Always Forever”. Personally I think their rendition is better than the original, so I have no problems with them playing it at a few more shows before they put it into retirement. It was an odd yet fun end to the night. This seems fitting when you think about it though. If I would use any combination of words to describe their music, it would be “odd yet fun”.

If you haven’t bought your copy of Everything Under the Sun yet, you should do so now. They also have lots of new merch you can order direct from them on their new website. For those who don’t live in the NY/NJ area, a list of their other tour dates can be found here as well, or you can go to their MySpace or Facebook pages. I’ll update this with some pictures from the night once I get a chance to sort through them all, which should be later today. I might have gone a little overboard with the photography last night *sheepish grin*

Don’t Wanna Miss American Idiot

Tonight I was lucky enough to snag front row (well 5th row, if you want to be technical) seats to Green Day’s American Idiot, which is currently playing on Broadway at the ST. James Theatre. The directer, Michael Mayer (of Spring Awakening fame) did a wonderful job connecting the songs together with monologues and dancing to tell the story of three friends living in Jingletown, USA but wanting to break out into the world. I don’t want to give away any more than that in case you plan on going to see it (which you really should). I will tell you that you can feel the pain and anger the characters are feeling throughout the show, and that it is made possible thanks to the acting job of the three stars, John Gallagher (also from Spring Awakening), Michael Esper, and Stark Sands.

After the show, the three leads plus the director and people in charge of orchestration, lighting, and choreography all came on stage to do a brief talk back/Q&A session with some of the audience. The session was called American Idiot U, and it’s a special thing that is going on for Broadway week. Oh, and Billie Joe Armstrong was there too. So that was kinda cool. They took us on a mental tour behind the making of the show, including when Mayer first came up with the idea and how Billie Joe was approached. It may surprise some avid Green Day fans to know that there was no hesitation from Billie Joe on the matter – he was actually very much into the idea from the start, or so he said at tonight’s panel. Personal, I can believe it. When you write a rock opera like they did, it shouldn’t be hard to imagine it when someone asks about putting it on stage. I’m gad they approved, because this theater-goer was very much impressed. For more information about the show you can visit their website. You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter.