Tag Archives: video

My New Music: Bruno Mars – “Locked Out Of Heaven” and my two observations

29 Oct

I’m a Bruno Mars fan, I really am.  If you’ve seen him live you know what kind of entertainer he is and how talented his band is as well.  I’m looking forward to his new album dropping this winter and digging his first single “Locked Out Of Heaven” but a couple observations.  When I listen I hear two distinct things besides his vocals; the first that he had to have gotten inspiration for the beat from The Police and second is that he took a sample from Foster The People’s own remix/updated intro for “Pumped Up Kicks” (if you don’t believe me, listen here and fast forward to the 1:40 mark).  I’ll still listen to the track and it’s most likely going to make it onto the next playlist.  And if you haven’t heard the song yet, check it out below.

Tags: , , , , ,

Five For Friday: Rolling Stones, The Lumineers, Bob Dylan, Gary Clark Jr. and Ghost Beach

26 Oct

TGIF!  Back with a new Five For Friday to get you through the weekend.

  1. If you didn’t see it yesterday, check out my post about the Rolling Stones surprise show in Paris yesterday where fans got to snag tickets for $20.  Oh what I would have done to see that show!  Fingers crossed I can find a way to get tickets for the shows in Jersey in December.
  2. Did you catch The Lumineers on Letterman earlier this week?  Rolling Stone said the band “shined” but as much as I love the band, I have to say I was disappointed.  Didn’t like the sound on this one.
  3. This weekend I get to see Bob Dylan in concert.  Been quite a while since my last Dylan show and perhaps this may be the last.  Either way, should be interesting and I’m going to relish every second of it.
  4. Gary Clark Jr.’s album Blak and Blu is awesome and you all need to listen to it pronto.
  5. Fall is in full swing but you don’t have to be.  Here’s a song to brighten up your day from Ghost Beach – “Miracle” Viceroy remix.

     

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Now Playing: The Black Keys / RZA – “The Baddest Man Alive”

22 Oct

Shout out to my brother for this little gem, The Black Keys and RZA – “The Baddest Man Alive” from RZA’s The Man With The Iron Fists motion picture due out November 2 which stars Russel Crowe and Lucy Liu.

Tags: , , , , ,

My New Music: Family of the Year

22 Aug

Wow, I can’t believe I haven’t put these guys below on the blog after their album has been on repeat for me the past month plus.  Without further adieu, your music for today.

Four words: Family of the Year

Who? A four-piece indie outfit from LA with ties to different parts of the country and across the pond.

What?  A kickass, highly talented band throwing you a bit of indie-rock and pop, folk, island vibes and more in a way that works and will have you hand clapping and boot stomping in no time.

Why you should listen? Just play their new album, Loma Vista, and you’ll understand exactly why.

A reason you’ll be excited?  If you like GROUPLOVE, you’re going to really dig these guys as they feature an array of vocals and variety of instruments to craft a fun, uplifting sound.

Why I’m excited: This band has been around since 2009 but I only recently discovered them and can’t wait to dive into earlier works but am more impressed with their most recent album which is seriously on repeat a few times a week.

If you like: GROUPLOVE, The Belle Brigade, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, The Lumineers, GIVERS.

Final thoughts: It’s just some damn good music so listen up.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Revisited: My @Lollapalooza 2012 | Running down the festival from top to bottom

8 Aug

I can sum my Lollapalooza experience up quite easy: an incredible time with great friends.

Any chance I get to return to the city of my birth I’m excited but add in a music festival with 100,000 people in Grant Park and you crank it up to 11.  This year I approached Lolla a bit different and wasn’t running from show to show.  I took the pace down a little and really stepped back to enjoy it a bit more. I was late to some shows which was unfortunate but at the end of the three days I was still stoked about who I saw and just wonder what may have happened if the Saturday afternoon storm evacuation didn’t cancel acts like Alabama Shakes, The Temper Trap, B.o.B. and the band I was most hoping to see, The Dunwells.  Props to C3 Presents for acting swiftly to recover and push back start times, reschedule bands like fun., Chairlift, Empires, etc.  C3 also did an incredible job of scheduling overall forcing the crowd to pick and choose like I’ve never seen.  When you are looking at a mile walk from the Bud Light Stage to the Red Bull Stage, it’s just not really possible to get everywhere you want to be unless you are a marathon sprinter.

A breakdown of who I saw each day:

Friday: O Rappa, Michael Kiwanuka, The Black Angels, The War On Drugs, Metric, Die Antwoord, Passion Pit, Black Sabbath, The Black Keys

Saturday: Of Monsters and Men (off the grounds), fun., The Weeknd, Red Hot Chili Peppers

Sunday: Outasight, The Devil Makes Three, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Trampled by Turtles, Gary Clark Jr., The Gaslight Anthem, Of Monsters and Men, Florence + The Machine, Miike Snow, Jack White

Headliners:  I have to be honest, you shouldn’t have gone to Lollapalooza just for the headliners. Talented musicians indeed (and ones I like) but you can’t compare The Black Keys, Black Sabbath, Avicii, Justice, Jack White and Red Hot Chili Peppers to last year’s of Coldplay, Muse, My Morning Jacket, Eminem, Foo Fighters and Deadmau5.

My First Show: O Rappa

My Final Show: Technically Jack White but essentially I caught all four final acts bumping to Kaskade, hearing Childish Gambino drop “Heartbeat” and hearing one of my favorite Justice songs, “On’n’On.”

My Moment of Joy: Seeing the rambunctious overfilled crowd on hand for Of Monsters and Men Sunday night time slot.

My Favorite Show: Didn’t actually happen at Lollapalooza.  Off-site Of Monsters and Men show on the rooftop of a condo tower for Gilt City’s ‘Better Than Backstage’ party.  Thanks to my friend Nicole for making it happen!  Seriously one of the top three bands I was dying to see at the festival and here I am just inches away as they rocked out.  A tip of the hat to an amazing group of musicians doing big things.

Best Overall Show: Die Antwoord, my second time seeing them and this was just flat out awesome. They had the crowd mesmerized and loving every moment of this high energy set.

Best Bud Light Stage Show: For me, Passion Pit – flat out great performance but easily it was Florence + The Machine, she had at least half the festival goers on hand to hear that incredible voice.  I remember the first time I saw her was in a small tent at Bonnaroo and she owned Lollapalooza.  Say hello to next year’s festival circuit headliner.

Best Red Bull Stage Show(s): I guess The Black Keys, those guys are just so honed in and solid in front of big crowds.

Best Playstation Stage Show(s): Die Antwoord, Gary Clark Jr.

Best Sony Stage Show: Last year I spent the most time at this stage.  This year I only really saw Miike Snow.

Best Google Play Stage Show: The Gaslight Anthem, the Jersey rockers did exactly that making the most of their 45 minute set.

Best BMI Stage Show: Well the only one I actually got to this year was Outasight and he had the crowd bouncing.

Best Perry’s Stage Show: In truth, I didn’t even see a show here, passed by a lot but didn’t get caught up in the pandemonium but the stage setup that may have been the best show.  LED bonanza creating quite the visuals.

Overall Stage With The Best Performances: Hands down Google Play, they stacked the deck with this stage and fans responded packing all of these shows. Big time acts like The War on Drugs, Blind Pilot, SBTRKT, Band of Skulls, Dawes, Wale, GIVERS, fun., Washed Out Twin Shadow, Frank Ocean, Of Monsters and Men, The Gaslight Anthem, Hey Rosetta!, The Big Pink, Childish Gambino

Biggest Surprise: How much I enjoyed the Metric show.

Best Legend Show: I just have to say Black Sabbath for the sheer fact that I saw Black Sabbath, even if Ozzy is starring into gigantic teleprompters and not sounding too good.

Random Moment(s) Of Awesomeness: fun. show being rescheduled after the Saturday evacuation and just owning the crowd for a 35 minute set filled with their hits.

Most Entertaining Show: Die Antwoord, if you’ve never seen them, you can’t help but be entertained

Most Disappointing Moment: not getting to see a bunch of acts I was super excited to see for the first time like Milo Greene, First Aid Kit and The Dunwells (the rain ruined that one for me) and some of my favorites like GIVERS, Chancellor Warhol, DAWES.

Next Big Thing: I want to say The Dunwells but the evacuation for the storm forced a cancellation of this show. And I sincerely hope more people discover Michael Kiwanuka; he’s got an incredible voice, great songs and is an absolute treat to listen to live.

Giving it a shot: The Devil Makes Three and I absolutely loved them.

Top Party: I’m giving this to Passion Pit because it was entertaining, full of energy and well I am a fan.

Funky Good Time Show: Gary Clark Jr.

Band I Was Sad To Miss: Sigur Ros

Best Intro: Rahm Emanuel introducing The Black Keys

What Would Have Been Great: Having less scheduling conflicts so I could see more bands

Top Moment: Choosing to skip Milo Greene, Chancellor Warhol, JEFF The Brotherhood and GIVERS for a once in a lifetime moment with Of Monsters and Men on the rooftop with the Chicago skyline serving as the background.

Best Festival Eat/Drink: Uncorked Wine Lounge

Best Place To Cool Off: I didn’t really find one and it was hot and humid

Biggest Waste of Time: The Toyota Crane game thing that totally wasn’t a crane

Evacuation Nation: Wow, getting 100,000 people out of the park in approximately 30 minutes before the torrential storm came in was pretty incredible.  Holed up in a steamy Irish Pub with $6 Bud Lights wasn’t ideal but it was festive and one of those random things you won’t soon forget.

Clutch Move: Popping out a little early on Friday night to head over to Big Star, my favorite taco and mescal joint in town.

Tip For Next Year: Coming a day early again and leaving on a later flight on Monday.

More Tips: drink water, more water, sunscreen is your second best friend after water, if you see someone struggling give them a hand or find someone to help.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

New Music – Lollapalooza Edition: The Dunwells

30 Jul

So this week it’s all about Lollapalooza on DoYouHearTheMusic.com. Most everyone is familiar with a lot of the acts performing this weekend so I’m going to throw some info out there on some artists and bands you may not be up to speed on.  Today’s group is actually a band I cannot wait to see, one of the must see shows for me.

Two words: The Dunwells

Who? Two brothers, two cousins and one more mate from Leeds, England.

What?  A five piece band destined to make it across the pond in America.  Check out their debut album, Blind Sided Faith.

Why you should listen?  Their indie-folk sound is full of beautiful harmonies any music fan will love – plus they add a little slice of Americana to their music.

A reason you’ll be excited?  These boys are now on a mini US Tour so get out and see them at a venue near you.

Why I’m excited: These guys just bring it and I can’t wait to see them perform live.  From their folk to blues and rock to soul, they are all over the place but in a unique way that blends together perfectly.

If you like: Mumford & Sons

Final thoughts: At Lollapalooza these guys have to compete in the same time slot as Alabama Shakes, The Temper Trap, fun. and B.o.B – how’s that for being relative nobody’s right now? I’ve seen every act but The Dunwells and I cannot wait to see them rock the BMI Stage this weekend.  I promise that for anyone opting to check these guys out, you will be thankful and have one heck of a story to tell when they break it big.

My recommendation, catch the top half of Alabama Shakes and make your way to The Dunwells.

Saturday, August 4, 4:30-5:10 p.m.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Music Monday: Slightly Stoopid ft. Chali 2na – “Just Thinking”

30 Jul

Oh yes, you read that headline correctly, Slightly Stoopid have dropped “Just Thinking” featuring the one and only Chali 2na of Jurassic5 and Ozomatli fame.  The hip-hop baritone guests on the track which will appear on the album Top of the World dropping August 14.

Tags: , , , , ,

Video: Bob Ross (Yes, that guy with the afro from PBS) Remixed – Simply Awesome!

27 Jul

In one day nearly 600,000 hits for the late Bob Ross (oh yeah, everyone’s favorite afro sporting “happy little trees” artist) of PBS, remixed.

The best part is this was commissioned by PBS! “Bob Ross remixed by Symphony of Science’s John D. Boswell for PBS Digital Studios.”  Happy Friday y’all!

Tags: , , ,

Funding a new album via Kickstarter: Cody ChesnuTT – Landing On A Hundred

17 Jul

Music aficionados let me break it down like this.  You all know and love the song “The Seed” on The Roots’ Phrenology but guess what, it’s not originally their song.  Who’s song is it?  Cody ChesnuTT’s, that’s who and he’s a super talented musician you are missing out on (I encourage you to listen to The Headphone Masterpiece).

What does this have to do with anything you ask?  CC is looking to fund his new album Landing On A Hundred via the crowd funding website, Kickstarter. He’s halfway to reaching his goal and there are a whole bunch of different pledge levels to receive some really great rewards including tickets to a show of your choice, autographed CDs/Records, meet and greets and more. You’ve got 30 days left, ready, go.

 

Tags: , , , , , ,

What I really think about Live Nation pulling the plug on Springsteen/McCartney

16 Jul

Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney jamming together; what I would have done to have been there and witness a collaboration that 80,000 fans at Hard Rock Calling in London were privileged to.  Too bad it was marred by the unfortunate stance taken by festival organizers and authorities.

I saw it over the weekend, tweeted it a couple times as soon as I saw it but wasn’t really going to blog post about it until I realized that I need to vent a little bit.

This is a perfect example of some of what’s wrong with so many things today.  And yes, I know I’m referencing music but you know what, this is the universal language that speaks and unites strangers all over the world.

You went over curfew, so what. It’s a music festival and you have two of the greatest entertainers to ever exist sharing a stage and giving fans one of the most magical and memorable performances to date.  Live Nation, take the fine and pay it, make a statement apologizing for going over but don’t deprive the world of seeing improvisation at its finest take place. And it’s not like we are taking about anyone, we’re taking SIR Paul McCartney (oh and how do you not put in place a buffer for Springsteen when he is known for his marathon concerts).  For a destination where the spotlight will be shining bright with the summer Olympics about to take place, way to give yourself a self inflicted black eye leading up to it.

Also I love this, Springsteen guitarist Stevie Van Zandt quotes from The Guardian:

But Van Zandt, who also starred in the US drama series The Sopranos, turned to Twitter in rage. In a series of tweets from StevieVanZandt, he said: “One of the great gigs ever in my opinion. But seriously, when did England become a police state?

“We break curfews in every country but only English cops needs to ‘punish us’ by not letting us leave until the entire crowd goes. Is there just too much fun in the world? We would have been off by 11 if we’d done one more. On a Saturday night! Who were we disturbing?” he asked.

“The cops got nothing more important to do? How about they go catch some criminals instead of fucking with 80,000 people having a good time? English cops may be the only individuals left on earth that wouldn’t want to hear one more from Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney!

“I’m sorry but I have to be honest I’m pissed. Like I said, it didn’t ruin the great night. But when I’m jamming with McCartney don’t bug me!”

Van Zandt also compared the occasion to the last live Beatles performance in 1969 on the roof of their Apple record company offices in London’s Savile Row. It was cut short by police. “Ha! @raindogs70 just reminded me how the Beatles’ rooftop concert ended. Not much has changed in 43 years!”

All of this reminds me of the movie Pirate Radio (The Boat That Rocked for those of you in the UK) and how Government wanted to shut down rock and roll. Looks like things really haven’t changed…..

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →