New Music: Kimbra – “Miracle”

22 Jul

New Music – “Miracle” | New Album – The Golden Echo, out August 19| New Kimbra Tour Date including Life is Beautiful Festival – October 24-26 in Las Vegas.

NEW ARTIST ADDITIONS to Life is Beautiful Festival

22 Jul

This morning we announced six new artist additions to the Life is Beautiful Festival 2014 lineup! Stoked to keep making this lineup stronger with the additions of Little Dragon, Baauer, Kimbra, Nahko and Medicine For The People, Echosmith and Bear Hands!

Little Dragon – have never played Las Vegas

Baauer – throws down some of the best DJ sets I’ve ever experienced at festivals let alone quickly becoming one of the best nightclub DJs around

Kimbra – is back after close to a three year absence where she was working on her new album The Golden Echo which drops August 19.  Her new single, “Miracle” just dropped and Life is Beautiful is her only festival this year

Nahko and Medicine For The People – get ready to get a little spiritual and dance away with these Portlandians

Echosmith – if you haven’t listened to the song, “Cool Kids” I sure hope you know all the lyrics by October

Bear Hands – oh baby, this is going to be a great show.  Check out their latest single “Agora”

7.22.14 - Artist Additions

7.22.14 - Show Poster_Final

 

 

 

R.I.P. Johnny Winter

17 Jul

I was saddened to hear about the passing of legendary blues guitarist Johnny Winter. Yet another amazing and talented musician who has left us this year. Personally I’m thankful that a spontaneous last minute trip to Jazz Fest this past May provided me the opportunity to hit the late night (and what became legendary) Gov’t Mule and Special Guests show at the Saenger Theatre where Johnny Winter sat in for a few songs.  In what would become one of his final live performances, that was special regardless but now it has a whole new memory for me.

 

Check out this photo of Warren Haynes and Johnny Winter from Dino Perrucci Photography which amazingly captures that special moment on the evening of May 2, 2014.

Revisited: Dave Matthews Band – 7.15.14 – Jacksonville, FL (Video)

16 Jul

I sure hope if you weren’t there you were watching online. I have seen the Dave Matthews Band dozens of times live but this was the first time getting a chance to see the special summer two set tour, an evening of acoustic and electric. I for one loved it. Thanks to modern technology and Yahoo, fans had the chance to stream the entire concert live as part of the company’s initiative with Live Nation to broadcast 365 concerts in 365 days on Yahoo Screen. This show was numero uno! And as luck would have it, I somehow managed to get from Vegas to Jacksonville overnight to attend!

The acoustic set was ridiculous at least for my DMB taste. Unless you’ve been fortunate to catch a Dave & Tim show, chances are you’ve never heard these songs live or acoustic. With just Dave & Tim on stage, the show opened with Bartender (I swear more than half the shows I’ve been to have opened with this song) before the whole band joined for Two Step, Snow Outside, Satellite, Stolen Away On 55th and 3rd, #27, Sweet, Tripping Billies and What Would You Say. The guys sounded great, looked like they were having an absolute blast and the set was a great balance to get the crowd all warmed up and feeling good before breaking into the electric set.

After heading back into the arena following a set break, it felt like you were JUST heading into the show. I mean seriously, it was like two separate DMB concerts. Oddly enough I don’t think the venue knew what to prepare for as the great beer shortage of 2014 may have occurred at the arena last night! Haha. On to set two! Dave returned solo to open with Minarets before having the whole band return to break into One Sweet World. From the second set the highlights for me were the Seven > Belly Belly Nice > Crush (what a jam), Warehouse, the always amazing cover of Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer and the tour debut of Belly Full. All in another great DMB show with some old, some new, some fast, some slow.

Here’s a video of “Sledgehammer” I shot.  Hope you like it.

 

 

:::: SETLIST ::::

ACOUSTIC SET

Bartender

Two Step

Snow Outside

Satellite

Stolen Away on 55th & 3rd

#27

Sweet

Tripping Billies

What Would You Say

ELECTRIC SET

Minarets

One Sweet World

Seven

Belly Belly Nice

Crush

Save Me

If Only

Warehouse

You & Me

Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel cover)

You Might Die Trying

Everyday

Grey Street

_Encore_

Belly Full

Good Good Time

Why I Am

 

As for the Yahoo Live Concert series on Yahoo Screen, DMB was just the beginning and I know if I’m not at a show, I’ll most likely be couch concerting with Michael Franti on July 18,  KISS July 19, Common July 21, Jurassic 5 July 23, Wiz Khalifa July 25, Panic! At The Disco July 30 and OK Go August 14.  Can’t wait to see the other 300+ shows Yahoo will be announcing.

 

Now Playing: @atrak & @GLADIATOR Remix of @FosterThePeople – “Best Friend”

11 Jul

Hot! Click play below to hear the brand new remix of Foster The People’s – “Best Friend” by A-Trak and gLAdiator. Happy Friday indeed!

NEW VIDEO: @RAC – “Cheap Sunglasses” ft. Matthew Koma

10 Jul

If you’re a fan of mannequins, you’ll definitely dig this new video from RAC for “Cheap Sunglasses.” Either way, peep this video and if you haven’t yet been cranking this song on your summer playlists, fix that pronto. Added bonus, RAC is Vegas bound for Life is Beautiful in October!

VIDEO: @_SLEEPERAGENT Perform “Waves” on Late Show with David @Letterman

10 Jul

Check it out, Life is Beautiful 2014 artist, Sleeper Agent, rocked Late Night with David Letterman last night performing their hit single “Waves.” Can’t wait to welcome them back to Vegas in October!

New Music: @JennyLewis – “The Voyager”

8 Jul

Jenny Lewis has released the title track off of her forthcoming LP, The Voyager. The album is due out July 29 and you can catch Jenny at the Life is Beautiful festival in Las Vegas October 24-26.

Listen to “The Voyager” here:

New Music: Alt-J – “Left Hand Free”

7 Jul

I am an Alt-J fan, have been since I first heard them and will continue to be. I’m stoked to have them on the 2014 Life is Beautiful lineup and can’t wait for their performance. And even though they’ve called their new single “Left Hand Free” the “least Alt-J song ever,” I still dig it and don’t mind the departure from “their sound” and I for one think it’s going to open them up to a whole lot of new fans. Many are already saying it’s very Black Keys-esque and perhaps it is but again, I don’t mind. It’s a catchy tune, and to me it spans a several genres of music. If anything it takes it back to way before the Black Keys. Plus Joe Newman’s distinct voice is still present so how about we embrace it before rushing to judgement about the new album (it’s only one song), “This Is All Yours” which is due out on September 23.

Playlist: July 4th Independence Day Special

3 Jul

The long holiday weekend has arrived! In honor of America’s birthday, here’s 19 hours worth of music to play during your drive, bbq, pool party, or just laying around. A little old, a little new, some fast, some slow, definitely bands you’ll recognize, others you wont but in the end, it’s all over the place and I think you’ll dig it. Hit the shuffle button and press play Enjoy! Happy Independence Day!