Author: News on Shuffle

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. 

Union Couty Music Fest

This past weekend Clark, NJ was lucky enough to host the Union County Music Festival. Your blogger was only able to attend on Saturday, but there were some great acts on both days. Some of the ones I got to check out included Matt Koziol, Bern and the Brights, Jesse Malin, The Bravery, OK Go, and Train. Matt Koziol played a fun set to a handful of people. The crowd size increased slowly as the day progressed, reaching insane levels by the time OK Go and Train were ready to perform. The day was a lot of fun and provided me with 10+ hours of free live music. I’m looking forward to attending again next year.

Two New Videos

Hey there, music lovers! A couple new music videos have come out recently that I felt like sharing. One is Jukebox the Ghost video for the first track off their new album.

The other is from Jesse Malin’s album “Love It To Life”

Jess Malin was just at Union County Music Fest, which I owe you a blog post on. As for Jukebox, they can be seen in Brooklyn, NY at Music Hall of Williamsburg this Thursday September 16th. This is their first show in the area since the new album came out, so you’re not going to want to miss this.

Jukebox the Ghost – Everything Under the Sun (A Review)

I have been a fan of Jukebox the Ghost for some time now (about 2 years actually), and have listened to their debut album a couple dozen times. I never thought I would hear a more complete and fun-loving album ever again – I should have anticipated them outdoing themselves in their next try. Their sophomore album Everything Under the Sun is everything I could ask for and then some. Just when I thought I couldn’t love this band anymore – it’s as if this album is their answer to that.

The first track is Schizophrenic, which starts off racing and lets you know you’re listening to a band that likes to have fun with their music. I defy you to not dance around your room right along with this opening number. I could almost feel the energy fill the room as the song progressed.

After a few fun dance numbers, they slow it down a bit with Summer Sun. Even still, there is a quiet energy still present. It is like a breath of fresh air after you’ve been dancing in the rain. It picks right back up and rushes into the next track, Mistletoe. One of the things I have always loved about this band is how well their first album blended together. Each track seemed to have some connection to the ones surrounding it. Even some of my favorite artists have one or two songs in their albums I can usually skip, but that is not true with Jukebox. Every song adds something special and would be missed in the overall listening experience of the album as a whole. Some artists give you singles – this band gives you albums. You can tell a lot of care and attention has gone into choosing each song to make it fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. That level of attention is part of what makes their music special. It also makes it very hard for me to choose a favorite song. You know that feeling when your favorite song come on and you say, “Oh, I love that song!”? Well I should probably just say, “I love that band!” because I do. I love them a lot. Does that make me biased in writing this review? Possibly. So here’s the challenge for you – listen for yourself and tell me I’m wrong, that my excitement over this new album coming out is misplaced. If you make it through the whole album without smiling once, well then I will consider myself corrected.

Everything Under the Sun is currently available for pre-order & will be released Sept 7th. The band just announced this morning they will be on Dave Letterman tonight, so take advantage of this chance to get a free preview. Their next New York date will be Sept 16th at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Your humble blogger will be the one in the front taking a million pictures, dancing like there’s no tomorrow, and congratulating the band after on continuing to be awesome.

Without You – Anthony Rapp’s Memoir Hits Broadway

A quick post to share this event with you. Anthony Rapp (once the lead in the Broadway hit, Rent) wrote a memoir about his time in the show and some life changing events that occurred in that time. It’s a great book that I recently finished reading and loved every minute of it. There is a lot of power and emotion in the words (I’ll admit, even I cried in some places) and I highly recommend going and experiencing it for yourself. Rapp has now turned the book into a one-man play that will be on Broadway for the 2010 NY Musical Theatre Festival. List of dates follows:

Monday, Sep 27th, 2010 at 8:00 pm SOLD OUT
Wednesday, Sep 29th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
Wednesday, Sep 29th, 2010 at 9:00 pm
Thursday, Sep 30th, 2010 at 1:00 pm
Thursday, Sep 30th, 2010 at 8:00 pm
Wednesday, Oct 6th, 2010 at 4:30 pm
Thursday, Oct 7th, 2010 at 8:30 pm
Thursday, Oct 7th, 2010 at 11:00 pm
Saturday, Oct 9th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
Saturday, Oct 9th, 2010 at 9:00 pm

Tickets went on sale to members August 1st. They go on sale to the general public September 1st. Make sure to grab your ticket ASAP, as they will likely go fast. The opening performance is already sold out, and that’s before the general public even had a chance at snagging a seat.