Only Music Left

A New Agenda...

2010-04-30T11:20:00.001-04:00

It's about the time... Only Music Left has been fun, but it's time for a change. Cutting over to a new blog is not an easy choice, let alone picking a new name, but this feels like the right time and the right move. This new blog will have "Pages" that allow me to make this more of a full-featured website than just a blog. As usual, it's not yet where i'd like it to be, but it's a start. Check it out:

Boys Going Gaga

2010-04-28T20:14:00.001-04:00

How fun is this... Let this one play a bit. (and don't be fooled by the pop-up saying the outside one is better)

(via Towleroad)

Horse Feathers Tonight...

2010-04-26T10:29:00.001-04:00

...at the Beachland Tavern. Tix are $10. Very excited to see the Cloud Nothings (for the 3rd time) opening! Horse Feathers MySpace

Record Store Day 2010

2010-04-23T09:47:00.001-04:00

Had a blast up on Waterloo Rd for Record Store Day (4/17/10)...

The Prisoners @ Blue Arrow Records
Cloud Nothings @ Music Saves

Stephanie Nilles (4/16/10)

2010-04-23T08:09:00.000-04:00

There has become a group that I like to think of as my Barking Spider All-Stars, which are performers who have come back to the Spider more than once, and who are a perfect fit for that venue. This includes the likes of Brianna Lane, Liz Stahler, Tom Evanchuck, Drew Gibson and Chris O'Brien...

Stephanie Nilles has just been added to this group. She's an amazing performer who can work those keys like few I've seen, and who has a wit and humor about her that makes her shows a pleasure to see. But with a little bit of pain - as it should be.

Xiu Xiu (4/7/10)

2010-04-22T16:35:00.001-04:00

Hmm... Was really tempted to see the Bassnectar / Major Lazer show at the HOB this night, but opted for the free show at the Spot. I was walking into this show pretty blind to who Xiu Xiu was, and what they (he) sounded like. I'd been seeing his name around the blogosphere (this term still cracks me up), and figured what the hell.

Not quite what I was expecting. He was much darker... sort of clangy and chaotic. But some of the people there were *really* into it, singing every word. Not my thing, but that's what it's all about.

xx

2010-04-21T11:48:00.000-04:00

New video from the xx

Apple Ticketing

2010-04-16T11:25:00.001-04:00

Could be interesting... though I have little faith that Apple could pull of something monumental with regards to pricing and accessibility - despite being an "empire." But from a Tech standpoint - kick-ass.

Apple patent reveals concert ticketing plans

The latest Apple patent to hint at its future music plans is for a service called Concert Ticket, which would take the form of an iPhone and desktop application.

It’s described as an “iTunes based web service for tickets that will naturally enhance the iTunes music empire”. It includes e-tickets distributed to the handset, maps to the event, song lyrics, the ability to buy a live recording of the gig, virtual coupons for free drinks, and social features to find other fans at the concert.
[From Music Ally | Blog Archive » Apple patent reveals concert ticketing plans]

Kickdrums - Video & Free Mixtapes

2010-04-15T18:28:00.001-04:00

Cleveland's own Kickdrums have been a favorite of mine for some time... Though I haven't had the pleasure of seeing them yet. I've been meaning to post this video for a couple weeks now, but today is the day. Particularly because I also just found out that they are offering up a 3 volume mix-tape called the Indio Sessions (Coachella). Dont' really have much of a story behind it - but it's got some amazing artists. And if they mixed this as well as they mix their own stuff - watch out: http://thekickdrums.bandcamp.com/

Kickdrums Make a Three-Part Mixtape

Cleveland's supercool DJ team the Kickdrums have just released a three-part mixtape called The Indio Sessions.

The mixes, which you can downlaod here, are based on the Coachella music fest, so there's plenty of music-snob-approved tunes and artists.

MGMT, Passion Pit, Spoon and Yeasayer all make appearances.

Seriously — you should go download them now. You'll be cooler than Hipster Kitty.—Michael Gallucci (follow me on Twitter @mgallucci)
[From Kickdrums Make a Three-Part Mixtape | C-Notes: Scene's Music Blog | Cleveland Scene]

Now for the video...

The Kickdrums - Out To Get Me! from The Kickdrums on Vimeo.

Finally! MySpace Events

2010-04-15T07:49:00.000-04:00

The one thing I've been waiting on forever, is for MySpace to take advantage of their Event listings for all their bands. Even though I rarely use MySpace personally, it's still my go-to source for listening to music for some new band I want to check out. The number of bands on there is staggering, and so is their concert data. Finally, I'm now able to see every MySpace event listing in the area... Not that I needed the ability to discover and attend more shows... http://events.myspace.com/

MySpace Launches Events & Ticketing Platform

How does MySpace plan to stop the outward flow of traffic to Facebook and Twitter. Apparently, by connecting with them and an ongoing series of launches rather than a single splashy makeover. And today's announcement might have actually given artists and music marketers a reason to keep their MySpace profiles more up to date.

Late on Wednesday, the social networker unveiled MySpace Events, a calendar and ticketing platform that allows artists and fans to create and share events. Each event appears inside the user's MySpace calendar, including any from Facebook thanks to a growing implementation of Facebook Connect; and they can be shared on their MySpace Stream, Facebook pages, on Twitter, and via tiny url.
[Continued... MySpace Launches Events & Ticketing Platform - hypebot]

Now if only they could start leveraging the power of RSS feeds...

Kid Cudi & Snoop Dog - That Tree

2010-04-13T21:29:00.000-04:00

Kid & Snoop! Another "Video Tuesday" complete...

Familjen

2010-04-13T12:59:00.000-04:00

Proof that you don't always need the words to enjoy a good song. Just added Familjen's new album "Mänskligheten" to my new release list (out May 5th)

Familjen - När planeterna stannat from Adrian Recordings on Vimeo.

[from Discobelle]

New Scissor Sisters!

2010-04-13T10:57:00.001-04:00

First Robyn (posted on FaceBook)... now Scissor Sisters!

(Thanks Brian!)

Love Is All (4/4/10)

2010-04-10T17:24:00.001-04:00

It's funny how I've tried talking myself out of seeing these Swedish bands, but just couldn't resist. The same thing happened with this Love Is All performance Easter Sunday. After gorging at dinner, I wasn't really excited about a late Sunday night performance. Then again, there was another local opener that I was interested in seeing. Earlier in the day, before hiding eggs, I checked out the openers and saw that Cloud Nothings were catching some nice national press. Hmm... tempting.

The show was extremely impressive.

I then listened to Love Is All for the whole care ride home to Cleveland and enjoyed each song more, every time I heard it. These guys have a little grittier sound than their Swedish counterparts, Little Dragon. But both have empassioned female lead singers... Not many people were at this show, but that didn't stop the band from giving their all. This also allowed me to get closer to the stage than I normally would. Not so good for the ability to hear the next day, but totally worth it. One of these days I'll remember my ear plugs.

Seabear (4/1/10)

2010-04-10T14:29:00.001-04:00

Third concert night in a row, and it's been a good run. Seabear is from Iceland, and I'm beginning to realize just how much I like these foreign / northern bands. The music has been phenomenal, and the accents are just a treat.

I first got connected to Seabear through a side project of frontman, Sindri Mar Sigfusson, called Sin Fan Bous. That album is probably one of my favorite albums in the last year. Seabear just released their second album (We Built a Fire) and I'd highly recommend them, especially if you're a fan of bands like The Shins.

See what I'm talking about...

Here's a regular video of theirs...

Seabear: i´ll build you a fire from morr music on Vimeo.

And a Sin Fang Bous video... because you need it.

Little Dragon (3/31/10)

2010-04-10T13:35:00.000-04:00

After having just seen Passion Pit the previous night, and planning on seeing Seabear the next night, I really considered skipping out on Little Dragon. But the more I listened to their album, the more I liked it.

Helping to tip the scale was Cleveland's own The Sleeps opening. I had an older CD of theirs that that had slowly grown on me, and I was curious to see what they sounded like live. I'd be very excited to have a good, local electronica-type band. Their blacklight stage presence was trippy and a bit distracting, but that wasn't a bad thing. These guys have good thing started, just need a little more polish. They're on a good track.

But talking about polished.... Little Dragon did not disappoint! They performance was slick, spirited and energetic. I'm also a kind of sucker for the Swedes.

Check out a couple of my favorite songs. I'd see these guys again in a heartbeat.

My Step - Little Dragon

Passion Pit (3/30/10)

2010-04-09T19:56:00.000-04:00

A little over a year ago, I was watching Passion Pit perform at The Spot, with only a couple dozen people in attendance. Now they're playing a sold out performance at the House of Blues. Good for them. I think they're a fun band, definitely worth keeping an eye on. I can't say I'm as excited about Manners as I was about their first EP (Chunk of Change). But they're good enough for me to plan on getting whatever they put out next (the reissue of Manners doesn't count).

Hanging back for this show wasn't the way to go. To really have enjoyed this show, you needed to be in "the pit," and probably intoxicated. Next time.

The Big Pink (3/23/10)

2010-04-08T14:18:00.000-04:00

The Big Pink was kind of a gamble for me... I really enjoyed the sound and imagery of their Dominos and Velvet videos. They have a rather dense, electronic sound, but still with some pop sensibility. As the show approached, more friends were talking about A Place to Bury Strangers - even questioning why they weren't the headliners. I should have spent some more time with them before the show.

A Place to Bury Strangers took the dark stage, barely allowing you the ability to see them. Unfortunately the sound made it difficult to hear them as well - at least the vocals. Everything else was turned UP. Those who know more than me about them agreed, and said they didn't sound quite right. All in all, I enjoyed the performance.

The Big Pink was also good. A little better on the vocals. They sounded as I expected. Maybe a little heavier on the jam, but that was welcomed. Some people in the party didn't like them as much as the openers, but they landed pretty evenly in my book.

Here's a pic I grabbed before they turned the lights down...

Xiu Xiu Tonight at the Spot

2010-04-07T15:41:00.001-04:00

Xiu Xiu tonight at the Spot (on the Case campus). Can't say I know much about them, but I see their name all over the place. Should be interesting.

Ben Sollee & Daniel Martin Moore / Dear Companion (3/11/10)

2010-04-06T12:06:00.002-04:00

I can't say enough nice things about Ben Sollee. He's so adorable and talented. This time, he brought some of his adorable and talented friends with him, touring on his new collaboration album called Dear Companion. But first, opening was Family of the Year, an LA band that I first saw open for Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros at the Kent State Folk Festival. This time, they were a little more casual, and quite enjoyable. A nice opener for Ben & company.

Ben & Daniel took the stage with a woman on violin, guitar and vocals, and a guy on drums. The four of these guys were pitch perfect in their performance. Their voices and instruments just blended seamlessly, but also provided an exciting dynamic to solid songwriting. The show was impeccable. Ben just owns that cello.

My favorite song on the album... (you can find the rest of the videos from this performance here)

Titus Andronicus (3/9/10)

2010-04-06T12:06:00.001-04:00

I feel lucky to have caught this performance. Titus Andronicus did a promotional, free, record store tour for the release of their new album, The Monitor. I hadn't even had a chance to hear the album yet, but had a feeling this would be a good show. And it was.

This album is already being talked about as one of the best of the year.

Check out their newest video:

A More Perfect Union

Titus Andronicus | MySpace Music Videos

Hot Cha Cha (3/6/10)

2010-04-06T11:49:00.001-04:00

(whoops... getting a little out of order)

Saw Cleveland's own Hot Cha Cha a the Nickel, a Cleveland lesbian bar. Whatta show! Hot Cha Cha was all over the place... quite a spectacle. These women know how to rock.

Tom Evanchuck (2/25/10)

2010-04-06T10:41:00.001-04:00

You should know by now that Tom Evanchuck is one of my favorite local performers... This was another night at the Barking Spider. This time was actually able to bring a group of people with me. Unfortunately, this performance wasn't as smooth as usual - but thoroughly enjoyable as always.

Ani DiFranco (2/23/10 & 2/24/10)

2010-04-06T10:33:00.001-04:00

It's actually been a not quite a year since I've seen Ani - who is probably the person who I've seen in concert the most. I wasn't expecting to see her two nights in a row, as she originally only booked the Kent Stage show. Tickets were purchased. Then a couple weeks later, she booked Oberlin's Finney Chapel, which was a must-see location. Two nights in a row it would be.

Kent Stage was nice. Had decent seats. I got in the door just as Erin McKeown was finishing up with a cover of Beyonce's "Single Ladies." Wha? Unfortunately the security was militant about no photos, but was able to sneak the one below.

Ani's performance was good. Lots of new stuff as usual, and her new songs are sounding really good.

The next next night in Oberlin, we were able to catch all of Erin's set, which I'm really glad we did. Her new album (out on Righteous Babe) is really growing on me, more so than any albums prior.

Ani mixed up the set a little bit for the next night, thought I would have really liked to hear "Swan Dive" in the Chapel.

Overall, great stuff. Ani is a consummate performer. I do have to say that she didn't seem to be her glowing self these nights, almost like this touring thing was becoming a job for her. Or maybe it was just a bad couple days. But keep in mind, Ani on her bad days will probably blow away most performers on their best.

Songkick Is Now the Biggest Concert Database?

2010-04-06T08:08:00.000-04:00

I don't know about that claim... but Songkick has impressed me lately. It particularly made my day with this update this morning:

JUNE 2010

Saturday 12

Freelance Whales at Grog Shop, Cleveland Heights, OH, US

Event details

Saturday 19

DJ Rupture at Cleveland Museum Of Art, Cleveland, OH, US

Event details

Songkick Says It’s Now The Biggest Live Concerts Database

Songkick said last year that they wanted to become the largest global database of concerts in the world. It looks like they may have got there already.

Their latest figures say the site now carries information on 100,000 upcoming music events, with over 2,500 added daily added from about 80 sources. These include Ticketmaster down to small local listings papers, as well as by the Songkick user community. It’s particularly that aspect which has supercharged the site: user uploads are now up 900% year on year.

The live music industry’s benchmark for coverage until now has been Pollstar’s data – and their homepage currently says they know of “11,978 Artists and 78,818 Events”. Songkick’s numbers quoted are from internal data.
[From Songkick Says It’s Now The Biggest Live Concerts Database ]

How I Learned to See in the Dark - Chris Pureka

2010-04-05T21:45:00.001-04:00

I was just reminded that Chris Pureka has a new album and tour, and while I'm a little disappointed she's not coming to Cleveland (it's been forever), I'm still excited for her new full-length album "How I Learned to See in the Dark" which will be out April 13th. More details below...

Some more details:

ADVANCE COPIES AVAILABLE! There are a limited number of signed advance copies of the new record available at cdbaby.com. These copies will ship today and will get to you well before the April 13^th release date! You can buy them here: www.cdbaby.com/cpureka5

“MAKING OF” VIDEOS:

My go-to film extraordinaire, Marion Cunningham, came into the studio with us last March and filmed footage for several behind the scenes, studio video segments. They include footage of me and Merrill Garbus producing and recording “How I Learned to See in the Dark”, interviews, and studio footage of members of band. The first one focuses on the song “Wrecking Ball” and is up now on Logo’s New Now Next website. Go check it out here: www.tinyurl.com/newnownext

The second video is focuses on “Broken Clock” and can be viewed here:

You can see her in The Ark (Ann Arbor, MI) on Monday, April 26th.

Soundtrack 2 My Life - Kid Cudi

2010-03-30T08:49:00.000-04:00

More good stuff by Cleveland's own Cudi... just bought the vinyl release of his album. Anxiously awaiting the next.

DatNewCudi.com: KiD CuDi - Soundtrack 2 My Life (Directed by Jason Goldwatch) from DatNewCudi / DP on Vimeo.

Use Wood Glue to Clean Old LPs

2010-03-25T07:45:00.000-04:00

You know... I'm just going to add a "Vinyl" tag / category to this blog. I don't know if more and more information is coming out about vinyl, or if it's just that I'm paying more attention. I do know that I'm seeing much more vinyl being sold at shows now...

Here's a little tip for your not-so-new vinyl... like the stuff you're Mom just gave you, from when she was so excited to hear that you're playing vinyl and wanted to resurrect her collection. Just sayin'.

Use Wood Glue to Clean and Restore Old LPs

Cleaning LPs with a bottle of wood glue is hardly an intuitive way to get more mileage out of that bottle of glue in your workshop or clean a beloved LP. The results, however, are quite impressive.

Over at the music and audio-gear enthusiast site Audio Karma, one industrious user decided to test the old rumors in the audiophile community that you could clean a record with wood glue. The photo above shows a before and after shot of a record he cleaned using the technique. Why would you want to use this method? The before photo shows the results of using a commercial cleaner at home—not very impressive—and getting LPs professionally cleaned can cost $2-3 and up per album.
[From Use Wood Glue to Clean and Restore Old LPs - Music - Lifehacker]

Enjoy the music. :-)

James - The Night Before

2010-03-21T22:43:00.001-04:00

I still haven't given up on one of my favorite Britpop bands... James. It's big and it's British, and you can enjoy their new "mini album" in it's entirety until April 5th. (The Night Before is out April 19th.)

The Night Before Preview - limited until 5 April 2010 only; album released 19 April 2010 by James The Band

Ladytron DJ Set (2/14/10)

2010-03-15T07:50:00.000-04:00

After leaving the Girlyman / Lucy Wainwright Roche performance, we headed over to the B Side for a night of dancing, with Mira Aroyo from Ladytron DJing...

Girlyman / Lucy Wainwright Roche (2/14/10)

2010-03-12T08:12:00.000-05:00

I have some pics for this show, but I'll just be embedding some video from KingoftheCastle7, letting the music doing more of the talking.

Lucy is something special. Her songs are beautiful and voice is even more so. She has such a charm and wit about her that makes her a pleasure to see in concert. Watching her open for Girlyman was a real treat as well... (and the place was packed!)

I think I've seen Girlyman like 4-5 times now and this was the first where they've added a new band member. They have a drummer with a full drum-set which added a fresh perspective to their performance. Good stuff.

The Pursuit of Happiness Continues...

2010-03-11T12:36:00.000-05:00

Worthy of a re-work and re-listen.

Kid Cudi's "Pursuit of Happiness" With MGMT and Ratatat Gets Another Video

"Pursuit of Happiness", Kid Cudi's spaced-out MGMT/Ratatat collaboration, already had a video. It involved both Drake and slow-motion champagne spillage, and it wasn't that good.

But an alternate video for the same song made its way onto the internet earlier this week, as New York magazine points out. And hey! This one is way better! Director Megaforce brings out some gravitational weirdness that could well make you nauseous, and Ratatat actually show up in this one. Watch it below:
[From Pitchfork: Kid Cudi's "Pursuit of Happiness" With MGMT and Ratatat Gets Another Video]

Coffinberry / Bill Fox (2/5/10)

2010-03-11T07:38:00.000-05:00

I really like the Happy Dog. Dare I might say it's my favorite bar on the West Side... though with the plethora of bars over there, I can't say it with any definiteness... though their decor, hot dog schtick, and having live bands would be pretty hard to beat. My only gripes is the inability to find out (digitally) who will be performing, as well as the loudness of the place. It's like, really loud. But those aren't deal breakers.

I've seen Bill Fox at the Happy Dog before, and was looking forward to going back and seeing Coffinberry perform. But you know, I don't have much to say about the show... both were enjoyable. The environment and conversation was pleasantly distracting. I also forgot my camera, so you're stuck with iPhone pics.

and since it's not easy to find out who's playing... here are a couple of the remaining, upcoming shows. (Just put the JJ Magazine show on my calendar)

Frontier Ruckus (2/3/10)

2010-03-10T09:40:00.000-05:00

The decision to see Frontier Ruckus on this night wasn't necessarily an easy one. They were competing with Bishop Allen's performance at the Spot (CWRU). My first deciding factor would be to go to see the band I hadn't already seen - but I had seen both once before. The next factor is the venue... This was tough, the Spot is free and closer, but any kind of bluegrass in the Beachland Tavern is always a step ahead... Frontier Ruckus it was.

Not an ounce of disappointment was had. Seeing them previously open for Jessica Lea Mayfield, I knew instantly that I wanted to see them as a primary act... Even before the show started, I bought a vinyl copy of their most recent album Old Orion Town. These guys are just so nice and have such a great energy about them on stage... The best part about this performance was hearing some new songs from a new record that's on the way. Can't wait.

Chris O'Brien (1/28/10)

2010-03-10T07:58:00.000-05:00

Starting the road back to currency with my concert "reviews." I've been behind before, and luckily worse that this... I'll be quick and painless - I promise.

For this show - it was great seeing Chris O'Brien at the Barking Spider yet again... This time was particularly nice because he had an electric guitar accompaniment, as well as a new album (Litte Red) that I was excited to get my hands on. Chatting with him afterward is always a treat as well...

I'll be letting you know when he comes around again.

Free Album! Take Action on Climate Change

2010-03-05T08:11:00.001-05:00

Just got this update from Righteous Babe. What a great collection of songs, and for a great purpose...

ANI FEATURED ON FREE BEST OF BONNAROO CLIMATE CHANGE COMPILATION

Our friends at HeadCount and the NRDC Action Fund put together a Best of Bonnaroo compilation featuring “Fuel,” recorded live at Ani’s 2009 Bonnaroo performance, to encourage action on climate change. Ani joins Wilco, Jack Johnson, My Morning Jacket and more in donating a live track and best of all, you can download it FREE! Visit www.musicforaction.org to get your copy, while you are there you can also email your elected officials to encourage them to pass legislation to cut global warming, build a clean energy economy and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Participate in change! Reward yourself with free music!
[From : : : righteous babe records > > > late-breaking news : : :]

Grooveshark on Jailbroke iPhones

2010-03-04T10:10:00.001-05:00

I'm really trying hard to not want to jailbreak my iPhone... Help me out Apple.

Rejected By Apple, Grooveshark Releases App For Jailbroken iPhones On Cydia

When Jason Kincaid tried out the iPhone app online music streaming startup Grooveshark built and showed off in July 2009, he wrote that it was great but that he “wouldn’t expect this to pop up in the App Store any time soon”. He was right on both counts.

Grooveshark now says it has given up on its ambitions to get approved for the official App Store, claiming that Apple has been “ritually rejecting” the app for “primary selfish reasons”. We’ve heard that song before.

The startup says it spent many months developing the iPhone application, and on occasion went months without a hearing a peep out of Cupertino.

Denied access to the App Store, Grooveshark decided to head underground and is today releasing the app on Cydia, enabling people who have jailbroken their iPhone and iPod touch devices to enjoy it – and it is actually pretty cool.
[From Rejected By Apple, Grooveshark Releases App For Jailbroken iPhones On Cydia ]

The Morning Benders

2010-03-02T08:46:00.000-05:00

Just discovered these guys (via Erin), who are streaming their entire album for free on their website.

Check it out here too...

And the video. Really good stuff.

Yours Truly Presents: The Morning Benders "Excuses" from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

Bummer of the Week: Freelance Whales

2010-03-01T22:07:00.001-05:00

Hey, another schtick...

But it's not about the music... Just really wish these guys (Freelance Whales) were coming to Cleveland on their new tour. Closest they're coming is Chicago (4/4/10). Check out their new album, Weathervanes.

And by the way, by saying it's a "bummer," I'm saying you should check these guys out: http://www.myspace.com/freelancewhales

Just sayin'.

Before the Goldrush: Teach for America

2010-02-25T07:41:00.000-05:00

I've been sitting on this for a while... It's a pretty impressive list of covers and definitely worth checking (Neko Case, Okkervil River, Ana Egge, etc.) - and it's for a good cause.

Okkervil River and Joni Mitchell, before the goldrush

Since you know you’re probably not gonna quit your job and Teach For America (unless you are one of my idealistic college-student readers in which case: DO it!) there’s a new compilation out that will let you toss them a few kopeks instead to help them carry on their noble educational goals.

Before The Goldrush is a benefit album of freshfaced up-and-coming types (along with some moderate heavies like The Swell Season and Neko Case) covering some of the very best songwriters of the halcyon days gone by. The song selection is spot-on fantastic, and all the proceeds benefit Teach For America.
[From Okkervil River and Joni Mitchell, before the goldrush | I AM FUEL, YOU ARE FRIENDS]

We Will Prevail

2010-02-24T07:25:00.000-05:00

Clevelanders have had their panties all up in a bunch because of this "miserable cities" Forbes article... Rather than address the lameness of the article directly, I thought I'd post a response from Cleveland's own Mr. Gnome.

Cleveland: My Home Sweet Miserable Home
Hello Friends,

Hope your winter has been treating you wonderfully. It seems to never stop snowing here in beautiful northeast Ohio, which forces us to hibernate, participate in substance abuse, experiment in group sex, and write schizophrenic music. Sounds like fun, right? Well, according to Forbes.com, Cleveland is not so fun. Check it below - Cleveland is America's Most Miserable City for this year:

http://www.forbes.com/2010/02/11/americas-most-miserable-cities-business-beltway-miserable-cities.html?boxes=Homepagemostpopular

This is mean and untrue and us Clevelanders do not appreciate these harsh accusations...so as we're busy slashing our wrists and drinking ourselves into alcohol-induced comas we will laugh at what the rest of America thinks of us, because in the end, we will prevail!
[From mr. Gnome's Sweet-Ass Blog: Cleveland: My Home Sweet Miserable Home]

They have a great visual message to Forbes on their blog.

Brite Winter Festival this Saturday

2010-02-23T16:57:00.001-05:00

Loving these Pop Up City events! How cool does this sound??

Video Tuesday

2010-02-23T07:25:00.000-05:00

So I don't really have a "Video Tuesday" segment of this blog... in fact I don't really have any schticks like that, but maybe I should. Anyway, I've been receiving a bevy of new videos and thought I'd share them all together.

Though to start - I'm throwing in a Ani DiFranco video - celebrating the fact that I'm about to see her TWO nights in a row. First at Kent Stage tonight, then at Finney Chapel in Oberlin tomorrow night. Epic.

The rest of these are all worthy bands / songs / videos. Spend a couple moments with them

Tunng - Hustle
Frightened Rabbit - Nothing Like You
Bowerbirds - Northern Lights

Gotta Groove Records

2010-02-17T07:29:00.000-05:00

Since the purchase of my new turntable, I'm becoming enamored the vinyl revolution. And what better place to be than in Cleveland, which boasts both a kick ass Record Store (Music Saves) and one of the few Record Presses in the country (Gotta Groove Records). Check it out below.

Gotta Groove Records - "Groove With Us" from Nick Cavalier on Vimeo.

Too Far Gone

2010-02-16T08:08:00.000-05:00

Just catching up with life... in the meantime, check out Tom Evanchuck covering Neil Young at the Beachland Tavern. He'll be at the Barking Spider next Thursday. I can guarantee a great show!

Kid Cudi Keeps On Comin'... w/ Dan Black

2010-02-10T08:35:00.001-05:00

I'm pretty excited about this new Dan Black album... Check him out: http://www.myspace.com/danblacksound

LOTS of FREE Downloads from Exit Stencil

2010-02-10T08:32:00.000-05:00

Get free stuff from a great local label... February only.

New discovery for me: Like Bells
Download their entire self-titled 2009 album!

Yeti from Like Bells on Vimeo.

Are You Listening Yet? 107.3 Boom!

2010-02-08T08:37:00.001-05:00

Are you listening yet?? You should be...

Anatomy of a radio station format change
Published: Sunday, February 7, 2010 / By John Benson

Over the past two decades, the radio market has become a very corporate place, featuring three players — Clear Channel, CBS and Radio One — battling for dominance.

And there’s not much room for the little guy.

There is at least one local entity — Elyria Lorain Broadcasting, which is owned by Lorain County Printing and Publishing — that has not just eked out a living but thrived, thanks to smooth jazz station The Wave WNWV-FM 107.3.

After years of success, however, late last month ownership pulled the plug on the niche format in favor of a brand-new adult album alternative (AAA) station, which finds “Rocco” Ric Bennett, erstwhile WMMS-FM 100.7 disc jockey and WENZ-FM 107.9 program director/disc jockey, resurfacing as the visionary of the new direction.
[From Anatomy of a radio station format change - The News-Herald Life : Breaking news coverage for Northern Ohio]

First Pitchfork Music Festival Bands Announced!

2010-02-05T09:11:00.001-05:00

Woo Hoo!!! From their website:

P4k Festival!

The Pitchfork Music Festival will hit Union Park in Chicago July 16-18. And this year's lineup is seriously amazing. We've got the reunited Pavement! Holy shit! Not to mention indie godheads Modest Mouse, James Murphy's dance-punk juggernaut LCD Soundsystem, Wu-Tang Clan master chef Raekwon, St. Vincent, Lightning Bolt, Cass McCombs, Sleigh Bells, and Here We Go Magic.

All that is only the beginning. This year's Pitchfork Music Festival will feature more bands than ever before and a longer day of music on Friday.

Tickets go on sale at noon Central time today at TicketWeb. Single-day passes cost $40, and three-day passes cost $90. (There are no two-day passes this year.) Keep watching this space for more details.

Here's the three-day lineup so far:

Friday, July 16:

-- Modest Mouse

Saturday, July 17:

-- LCD Soundsystem
-- Raekwon
-- Here We Go Magic

Sunday, July 18:

-- Pavement
-- St. Vincent
-- Lightning Bolt
-- Cass McCombs
-- Sleigh Bells

[From Pitchfork: Pavement, Modest Mouse, LCD Play P4k Festival!]

Some Joe Pug Updates...

2010-02-05T08:58:00.000-05:00

Get a free download of "The Sharpest Crown" from his new release, Messenger, coming out on February 16th, 2010. I'm very excited about this release, and hopes he comes back to Cleveland again.

Also, he's got a new YouTube channel if you're you're into that kind of thing... http://www.youtube.com/user/joepugmusic

Soundcheck Sessions

We finally made the dubious purchase of a video camera, so we'll be posting some updates from the tour on my You Tube Channel. The first installment is something called "Soundcheck Sessions". On tour your nightly sound check ends up functioning as your rehearsal, so it's your time to try out new ideas, new songs, etc. It's also your time to screw up mightily. We're going to post a few nuggets from time to time, for good or for ill. The first installment is a version of "Nobody's Man" from Des Moines, IA last night. My full band made the trip to Chicago, and it's always a nice treat to play with them, so we dialed in the "loud" treatment of the song. You can check it out here.

Local Music Scene: Ante Up Studio

2010-02-04T14:50:00.001-05:00

Great Article! Link below...

Some Quotes:

"The bustling, 20,000-square-foot complex is home to 14 full-time employees. In addition to two recording suites, it houses a performance space for small concerts and rehearsals, as well as the offices of Reversed Image Unlimited, Seifert's record label and artist-development company. Under the same roof, he also operates a music-publishing firm and a post-production facility for film and television projects."

"Friends questioned his sanity. Yet where others saw folly, Seifert saw opportunity. The question I got the most was: 'Why are you building a studio at all, and if you're going to do it, why in Cleveland?' A lot of big studios in other cities are closing, but I think a lot of them are closing because they couldn't afford to have that much space in Los Angeles or New York City."
[Continued... Michael Seifert's Ante Up Audio recording studio lures big names to Cleveland and puts local talent on the map | Pop Music with John Soeder - cleveland.com - - cleveland.com ]

RIP Enoch "Trey" Tims III

2010-02-03T11:09:00.000-05:00

I received some terrible news this past Saturday, that a new and exciting friend of mine passed away. A car crash... Why am I writing about it here? Well, because Trey was quickly becoming one of my new best friends in music. He had an insatiable appetite that of which I could relate - and he had impeccable taste and style. We had just started going to shows together, and had many more planned.

This makes me incredibly sad... though I can't even image the effect this has on people that have known him longer. He had an indomitable spirit and a happiness about him that was infectious. It was hard to not love Trey.

He was often the first person I thought of when going through my music news and links, though I often learned more from him than any online news source... There are just so many things that I know he'd be super excited about. Here are just a couple, which I'll share with you.

Stream the new Hot Chip album (out on Feb. 9th) in it's entirety on their MySpace page now (though I know he already had it): http://www.myspace.com/hotchip

I'd also like to send this song out to Trey. I think he'd love it:

Major Lazer covering Beyonce's Halo:

(Catch Major Lazer at the House of Blues on Wednesday, April 7th)

Here's his obituary. Peace.

The Hidden Cameras - Underage

2010-01-28T11:56:00.001-05:00

Wanna watch a WTF video for a good song?

The Tallest Man On Earth - Take Away Show

2010-01-27T08:29:00.001-05:00

La Blogotheque posted some videos from The Tallest Man on Earth, a Swedish folk singer with a unique voice. His 2008 Shallow Grave release is one of my recent favorites, and it turns out he's just signed to Dead Oceans and has a his new album, The Wild Hunt, coming out on April 13th.

He's a "must see" if he tours the US.

Tallest Man on Earth - The Gardener - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Tallest man on earth - These Days (Nico Cover) - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Some of my other favorite Blogotheque performances

A New (untitled) Song from The Rural Alberta Advantage

2010-01-26T14:40:00.000-05:00

A video from the Rural Alberta Advantage show a couple weeks ago at the Beachland Tavern... Good times. Great band.

The Hood Internet (1/21/10)

2010-01-25T09:45:00.001-05:00

The Hood Internet Rocked! Or Rapped... Whatever. These guys sure know how to move a dance floor. Photos weren't great (iPhone), but appropriately they reflect the moment. Cleveland needs a dance night like this every week... It would make everyone happier.

Shilpa Ray (1/20/10)

2010-01-24T21:33:00.001-05:00

I had a feeling about this show, despite not knowing that much about Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers... turns out it was right.

We saw Shilpa before her performance, talking to some drunk guy at the bar. She seemed sweet and even a little demure. That changed as soon as she took the stage. It looked like she had gone in back, transformed, and came out with a fire in her belly. With wilder hair, her mouth contorted as she belted out these songs and worked her Harmonium over.

It wasn't packed this night, but that didn't matter. The crowd was energized, and it was hard not to be. I have to admit, I wasn't quite sure how to take it when they started. It was harder than I was expecting, but a couple songs into to, I was definitely pickin' up what she was puttin' down. She deserves all praise.

Beating St. Louis - Shilpa Ray...

I'll keep you posted as I have more these feelings.

Only Music Left on FaceBook

2010-01-24T20:12:00.001-05:00

Trying something out...Thought I'd create a page for Only Music Left on FaceBook as a way for people to get updates if they want 'em. I think it's still a better idea to subscribe to the RSS Feed, because then you'll get to see the content in all it's original glory (embedded media & all). But this is at least an easy way to get headlines out to friends.

Remember you can still "fan" the site but hide updates if there are too many for you... but give me a little time and see what you think first.

Be Set Free

2010-01-24T18:38:00.001-05:00

Good stuff.

Langhorne Slim - "Be Set Free" from Mog Dotcom on Vimeo.

Check out the last time he was here at the Grog Shop... Langhorne Slim (10/28/09)

Old CD's

2010-01-21T10:02:00.001-05:00

I can't imagine getting rid of mine... but maybe you're considering it.

Hey Music Lovers! Don’t Toss Your CDs
by Amanda Wills

If you’ve made the switch to MP3 downloads, chances are you’ve got a box in your garage that’s full of CD cases from artists that were less than forgettable (this author admits to still holding on to the Macarena single). But if you haven’t made the digital jump, we’ve got some news: You’re way behind.

As of September 2009, Apple has sold 220 million iPods, and users have downloaded more than 8.5 billion songs from iTunes. To put that in perspective, that’s the equivalent of 85 million CDs that would have been made.

Polystyrene downcycles quickly. As a result, recycled plastic from cases is used as an additive to new plastics rather than to make new products on its own. Photo: Flickr/LuluP
CDs contain three main components: plastic, metals and ink. Discs are made mostly from polycarbonate, although a small amount of lacquer is also used as a protective coating. Aluminum is the primary metal in discs, but traces of gold, silver and nickel are also present.
[From Hey Music Lovers! Don’t Toss Your CDs - Earth911.com]

The Hood Internet in Cleveland

2010-01-20T09:52:00.001-05:00

If you read my monthly piece on Spangle: The Zender Agenda, you'll see that tomorrow's The Hood Internet show is marked as one of the highlights of the Month. Check it out for a couple of my favorite tracks. If you're intrigued and want to know more, check below for an interview.

7 Questions with DJ STV SLV of the Hood Internet
By Jeff Kollath

Since 2007, ABX (Aaron Brant) and DJ STV SLV (Steve Reidell) have performed, mixed, and mashed as the Hood Internet. Based in Chicago, the duo began putting tracks on the web, but eventually began performing live at clubs around the city. 2009 saw ABX and STV SLV hit Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo, and has much bigger things on the horizon for 2010. In the coming months, they will hit the road with Tobacco (of Black Moth Super Rainbow), heading out West for a series of dates, before finishing back in the Midwest in April. This Saturday, True Endeavors will present the Hood Internet, with support from the New Loud and DJ Vinnie Toma at the High Noon Saloon in Madison. The show is 18+ and starts at 10pm.
[continued at... Muzzle of Bees | Music Blog: MP3 Downloads, Videos, News, Tour Dates, Giveaways » 7 Questions with DJ STV SLV of the Hood Internet]

And for you CWRU kids... they'll be performing at The Spot tonight!

Preservation Hall Benefit Album

2010-01-20T08:34:00.001-05:00

Check out the artists on this album! Definitely going to get this one...

PRESERVATION HALL, SONY RED DISTRIBUTION AND MRI ANNOUNCE: "PRESERVATION, AN ALBUM BENEFITING PRESERVATION HALL AND ITS MUSIC OUTREACH PROGRAM"

A LANDMARK COLLABORATION BRINGING TOGETHER LEGENDARY AND EMERGING ARTISTS INCLUDING PETE SEEGER, TOM WAITS, MERLE HAGGARD, JIM JAMES, ANDREW BIRD AND MORE FOR A CELEBRATION OF NEW ORLEANS MUSIC

Over the last year, more than 20 of American music's most exciting artists traveled to Preservation Hall in New Orleans to collaborate with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band on classic New Orleans repertoire. The end result is a timeless and joyous celebration of New Orleans music. Proceeds from the sale of the project will benefit Preservation Hall and The Preservation Hall Music Outreach Program. The album is set for release on Fat Tuesday, February 16, 2010 in standard CD, deluxe edition and double-LP collectible formats.
[From Preservation - A Benefit Album - About]
All Tracks featuring the PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND:

Andrew Bird – "Shake It and Break It"
Paolo Nutini – "Between the Devil and Deep Blue Sea"
Tom Waits – "Tootie Ma Is A Big Fine Thing"
Yim Yames – "Louisiana Fairytale"
Del McCoury – "After You've Gone"
Ani DiFranco – "Freight Train"
Pete Seeger & Tao Rodriguez-Seeger – "Blue Skies (Comin My Way)"
Jason Isbell – "Nobody Knows You"
Brandi Carlile – "Old Rugged Cross"
Richie Havens – "Trouble in Mind"
Merle Haggard – "Basin Street Blues"
Blind Boys of Alabama – "There is a Light"
Dr. John – "Winin' Boy"
Louis Armstrong – "Rockin' Chair"
Amy LaVere – "Baby Won't You Please Come Home"
Steve Earle – "Tain't Nobody's Business"
Cory Chisel – "Some Cold Rainy Day"
Buddy Miller – "I Ain't Got Nobody"
Angelique Kidjo with Terence Blanchard – "La Vie En Rose"

Shilpa Ray Tomorrow at the Beachland

2010-01-19T21:14:00.001-05:00

What are you doing tomorrow night? Drop it and check out Shilpa Ray at the Beachland...

There are even more details over at the Beachland Blog

OK Go Video Debacle

2010-01-19T21:01:00.001-05:00

I know... I'm hard on major labels. Probably a bit too hard. Here's a more eloquently written piece from OK Go, explaining the stress dynamics of the industry through the example of embedding a YouTube Video. Serioulsly... it's good stuff.

This week we released a new album, and it’s our best yet. We also released a new video – the second for this record – for a song called This Too Shall Pass, and you can watch it here. We hope you'll like it and comment on it and pass the link along to your friends and do that wonderful thing that that you do when you’re fond of something, share it. We want you to stick it on your web page, post it on your wall, and embed it everywhere you can think of.

Unfortunately, as of now you can’t embed diddlycrap. And depending on where you are in the world, you might not even be able to watch it.

We’ve been flooded with complaints recently because our YouTube videos can't be embedded on websites, and in certain countries can't be seen at all. And we want you to know: we hear you, and we’re sorry. We wish there was something we could do. Believe us, we want you to pass our videos around more than you do, but, crazy as it may seem, it’s now far harder for bands to make videos accessible online than it was four years ago.

[continued at... Cleveland Bachelor: Celluloid Bachelor #48: OK Go "This Too Shall Pass"]

None of this really occured to me when I so easily posted the video.

New Joan Armatrading Album!!

2010-01-19T11:32:00.000-05:00

I'm quite giddy about this one... I've talked before how I have certain artists that I'll always be interested in, despite popular opinion. Joan Armatrading is one of those artists. In fact, she may be one of the premiere artists at that level, because not only do pay attention to every release, but I actually get excited about every one of them. The last Joan Armatrading record was a blues album (New Joan Armatrading Tracks & Video), which was fairly enjoyable, but not quite as good as her 2003 Lover's Speak album. I have high hopes for this one... you can preview it here.

The long awaited new CD from Joan will be released on the 8th of March 2010 in Europe. USA release dates is the 30th of March 2010. The title of the CD is: THIS CHARMING LIFE.
Track Listings

This Charming Life

Love love Love

People Who Win

Two Tears

Heading Back To New York city

Goddess Of Change

Diamond

Promises

Virtual Reality

Best Dress On

Cry

The Rural Alberta Advantage (1/17/10)

2010-01-18T18:05:00.001-05:00

Another great show... I can't believe it's already been a year and a half since I saw these guys. But that time must have been great for these guys because the Tavern was PACKED! Opening was The Octogon and the Buried Wires. Not bad... But the real magic was with The Rural Alberta Advantage.

The last time here, they lost a keyboard and limped along, still providing a great performance. I was looking forward to fully functioning band last night, but was sad to hear that one had a cold and another had a back issue from the drive in the van. But once again, adversity did not stop them from delivering on this last of their tour of the US. They powered through a strong set, with Paul Banwatt providing his distinct and passionate vocals. In fact, all three members of this band are superb. Fully functioning or not, I will always see these guys when they return.

I also had to include this B-side track below the picture. A new favorite covering an old...

Eye of the Tiger - The Rural A...

Kid Cudi / The Dutchess & the Duke (1/15/10)

2010-01-18T17:51:00.001-05:00

No these guys did not perform together, but we did scramble between both shows in one night. Actually, the night started off with plans for going to the Yeasayer listening Party at Music Saves, but that got pushed aside for the need to eat, which turned into my first time at the Grovewood Tavern - good stuff.

Approaching the concerts this night took some finagling. Two venues, 5 acts in total...

Starting off at the Grog Shop, we caught Good Morning Valentine starting at 9:30ish. Good show and a nice little warm up... (I've seen them twice before 1/2) When they were done, we headed over to the Agora, missing the 2nd act at the Grog Shop and hoping to miss the opener for Kid Cudi. Well, not hoping, but the goal was to see as much of Kid Cudi then Dutchess & the Duke as possible. We got to the Agora in time!

Kid Cudi hadn't even taken the stage yet and the place looked trashed. Overall, the Agora looked beat (and not in a cool, hipster, I don't care kinda-way). Kind of sad knowing the Agora's history, and realizing this is what it's come to. Anyway, all that went away when the lights dropped and Kid Cudi took to the stage with a thunderous crowed cheering Cu - Di Cu - Di. Good stuff. The sound was great. You could hear him, there was plenty of bass, etc. Much better than his appearance at Case last year. We took off a little over halfway through his performance to get back to the Grog.

Pursuit Of Happiness (nightmar...

We walked into the Grog Shop to see a guy and a girl playing guitars. I knew this was The Dutchess & the Duke, but I guess I was expecting more happening on stage. At first, I admit I was disappointed to have left the energetic Kid Cudi show for this... But within minutes, I realized they *trashed*. The banter was ridiculous, but humorous. They solicited for a place to crash that night... I almost considered it, but could imagine her puking and him pissing in a corner. Anyway, an enjoyable trainwreck, but without comprimising their sound quality (too much).

The night ended there with the male counterpart walking off the stage and singing this repetitive phrase from in the crowd. Soon he was on his knees and the guitar on the ground. The audience joined him. The female counterpoint also came down, they both laid on the ground, continuing to sing the same piece over and over. A little odd, but quite a sight. Not such a bad choice afterall.

Hands - The Dutchess & The Duk...

Goal accomplished.

Update: Here's Video:

Calling All Band Geeks: Ok Go's “This Too Shall Pass” Video

2010-01-18T13:52:00.001-05:00

I say that with the utmost endearment. I wasn't a band geek, but kinda wish I was. Haven't listened to the new album yet, but I'm hopeful.

[From Ok Go – “This Too Shall Pass” Video | DBF-Music.com]

Freelance Whales / Bear in Heaven (1/13/09)

2010-01-17T10:28:00.001-05:00

Another hot pick from the UPB Programming group at Case Western. These two Brooklyn bands continue to prove that someone at Case knows what they're doing... If only the kids attending were as equally with it. It was a typical Spot night, with bad lighting, an overpowering wing smell, and only have of those in attendance, actually paying the band any respect. But I guess it doesn't matter, the band is getting paid.

Don't get me wrong, there are definitely some people there into the show - and thankfully, because these bands deserved the attention. Bear in Heaven opened with their more dense and complex approach. Something a bit more mature.

You Do You - Bear In Heaven

Freelance Whales were second (opposite of the order I was expecting). They took to the stage where I think the instruments outnumbered the band members 2 to 1. Their show was a little lighter and full of fun instruments, sounds and harmonies. If only we could have had a better sound & audience, I think these guys would have been phenomenal.

Generator ^ First Floor - Free...

eMusic Adds Warner Music Group To Catalog

2010-01-13T11:58:00.001-05:00

Despite all of eMusic's messing with their download plans (not for the better), I'm still a fan. It's a great legal supplement for stuff that you can't easily find elsewhere online - and if you refuse to pay $0.99 per track on iTunes (like myself).

eMusic Adds Warner Music Group To Catalog
In Talks To Add Streaming

(UPDATED) Digital music download subscription service eMusic has added the Warner Music Group family of labels to its offering in the US. The agreement includes Atlantic Records, Rhino Records and Warner Bros. Records as well as indies distributed through WMG’s ADA. Sony signed with eMusic last year, but thus far Unive rsal and EMI have not.

eMusic sells monthly memberships starting at $11.99 for 24 tracks making the effective single track price $.50 or less under some plans; significantly less than many of its competitors eMusic says it has has sold more than 350 million downloads under its current ownership.
[From eMusic Adds Warner Music Group To Catalog - hypebot]

Right Back Where He Started From

2010-01-11T10:38:00.000-05:00

A story... for something a little different.

The Indie Rock Fag: Right Back Where He Started From
This post was submitted by zack

Of all the things one gives up to be in a relationship — loneliness, social freedom, guilt-free farting in bed — the changes I least expected was visited up my music library. As I compile a checklist of domestic benchmarks like cohabitation and dog ownership, last night I took a plunge into life-sharing that was so scary I couldn’t even give it to much thought. I just made the decision, hit the button, and kept large piles of salt around to remind me what happens when a person looks back.

I decided to combine my music library with my boyfriends on one external hardrive. I did not do this as any symbol of unending love, as I refuse to conflate romance and Apple products, but I was sick of having my music split between two computers and wanted to consolodate it. But an unexpected side effect of this was that I have lost all my playlists. Every car trip, every college weekend, every mixtape I labelled with the name of the friend who recieved it have now been retroactively silenced by my desire to move forward.
[Continued... The New Gay » Right Back Where He Started From ]

The Afternoon Naps (1/8/10)

2010-01-10T16:50:00.001-05:00

After the Seth Glier show, we had a great dinner at Mint Café and then some drinks at La Cave du Vin (a sweet intermission). We walked into Grog Shop and immediately saw Tom, who's in the Afternoon Naps. He recently (randomly?) came to a party at my house with my friend Brian, where we discovered that we had quite a few friends in common. It was great to finally meet him. Great guy. Anyway, I digress. Our friend Trey also showed up, who's always an instant party. Another great guy. We missed the first couple acts, but did see Casual Encounters. Pretty good, but I was really just distracted with having great friends together and having a great time.

The Afternoon Naps took the stage, lamps and all. Shockingly, this is the first time i've seen them in concert. I've really been enjoying their new album, so it was about time. Their stage presence didn't disappoint, the blend of breezy pop and a mixture of male & female lead voices were a perfect compliment. They are definitely one of the best local bands Cleveland has right now. I can highly recommend both their album and their live shows. Did I mention that we danced through the whole show?

The night didn't stop there. Trey suggested the B-Side, which I haven't really experienced since Can't Stop the Beat back in 2005. We had a great time there as well... the dancing continued. Tom showed up there too, and we closed the place. A *phenomenal* night had on the East Side of town.

Seth Glier (1/8/10)

2010-01-10T15:24:00.001-05:00

Two shows at the Barking Spider in one week... what a treat. And this is the second time in less than a month where I've seen two concerts in one night. To be living in a city that offers that much to do is just great. Go Cleveland... Anyway, unlike the Woovs / Mr. Gnome shows, I'll split this one up into two entries since they're a different times and in two different venues.

Seth Glier was performing an unusually early show at the Spider, starting at 6:30pm. I showed up and Martin (the owner) introduced me to Seth who I was standing next to at the bar. He brought his stage cohort Ryan Hommel over to our table and we got to chat about their tour so far, and where they were going next. I rarely ever set out to talk to the performers, but love when it happens organically. Cool guys.

The danger of an early show at the Spider are the happy hour crowds that are rarely interested in the music. This night wasn't too bad. Seth and Ryan sounded great and were hard to ignore. Seth has a domination over the piano and a great soaring voice. His originals were great, and loved the Man in the Mirror cover as well. Ryan was a great accompaniment. You can tell these guys are good friends and play well together. Good guys, great time.

There were still two other shows at the Barking Spider that night, but we had other plans... to be continued.

Tinamou (1/6/10)

2010-01-10T14:45:00.001-05:00

I rarely need a reason to go to the Barking Spider Tavern, but seeing Tinamou provided me with a good one. A young, fresh-faced Cleveland band playing some interesting acoustic folk / funk tunes. Very talented musicians... I was particularly a fan of the violin and the drums. I was also very pleased to see the inclusion of the house piano into their set, which just added the right element to their performance on this snowy winter day. I see good things to come for these guys. Though if I had one criticism, it would be the vocal harmonies. I've said this before, but harmonizing exponentially adds or detracts from the show, there's no middle ground. Not to say it was that bad, but would like to see a little more work put in there. Otherwise, these guys were *excellent* musicians. I hope they come back to the Spider again soon.

Kurt Vile (1/3/10)

2010-01-10T14:22:00.001-05:00

I read a lot of music blogs and music news sources. The discovery of some artists seem to be entirely random, where as I'm scanning a huge list of blog titles and artists names and something just stand out for some reason. This is what happened with Kurt Vile. Not sure if I recognized his name from somewhere or not. Regardless, I checked him out and liked him, then saw he's playing at Now That's Class. Shortly there after, my friend Brian from Pittsburgh saw him and said I should go. Worked for me.

I was pretty excited to see a show at Now That's Class, as I've been there for the bar, but not specifically for a show. Seems like a cool place. Turns out my friend Matthew was also interested in the show. The only downer was that it was on a Sunday night, and I knew it would be a late show. We powered through, enjoying the venue, the patrons, as well as the openers, the Homostupids. By the time Kurt Vile took the stage, I was just holding on, but enjoyed his performance. I think I enjoyed the album a little more more than the live show - but my attendance wasn't regretted.

Woovs / Mr Gnome (12/18/09)

2010-01-10T13:55:00.000-05:00

I was intrigued with Mr. Gnome after seeing this article on CMJ, talking about "Cleveland's beautiful noise duo." I was surprised I had never heard of them before. The video was great and I was liking their sound. I began to hear more and more about these guys, and they finally announced a performance at the Beachland Tavern for their CD release. I was definitely going.

The same night, a completely different story. My boss handed me a CD over a year ago from this random band, the Woovs. He knows I like local music and this was a CD he got from his sister who has some kind of connection with the band. The cover wasn't really inviting (an attacking wolf), but I'll listen to anything. Turns out, I really liked the album! They're a somewhat-local band from Barberton, OH. I've gotten to know that album quite well and I've been waiting for a chance to see these guys for some time. A strange turn of events, they're playing the same night as Mr. Gnome.

I got access to both shows and wandered back and forth between them. I felt like they were a little flip-flopped, as the Tavern was PACKED for Mr. Gnome, and eventually sold out. The Woovs had the big ballroom and unfortunately there were very few people there. The crowds were completely different... Mr. Gnome definitely had the cool, hipster factor. Woovs had a bit more of a traditional rock crowd. I ended up spending most of my time with the Woovs, partially because I felt bad that I was one of the few there. But I was also really impressed! Kind of a jam band sound, and the lead singer has an amazing voice - and that's with him performing while sick. I was thoroughly entertained by them. I'm anxious to pick up their new album, which they just had a CD release show in Barberton.

I ended the night with Mr. Gnome. They were also under the weather, but still sounded good. These guys had a more dense, complex sound than the Woovs. I think I could really enjoy them if I spent a bit more time with their album. I would definitely go again.

Songwriter's Round w/ Chris Castle (12/16/09)

2010-01-09T19:16:00.001-05:00

I really get too excited about concerts... if that's possible. The thought of a Songwriter in the Round at the Beachland Tavern made me giddy, especially with Chris Castle hosting and Tom Evanchuck playing... Throw in two new names for me, Ashley Brooke Toussant and Nate Jones, and I couldn't ask for more. (Nate! Get some songs up on your MySpace page - or send me another site with some music!)

This was the first of a regular performance at the Beachland. Each songwriter was excellent in their own right... I've liked Chris and Tom for some time now (and continue to like them more and more), and was happy to see add Nate & Ashley to my watch list.

Catch the next Songwriter's night (at the Beachland Tavern), on Thursday, January 21st. Chris is back to host, with 3 new songwriters.

Jessica Lea Mayfield / Frontier Ruckus / Beaten Awake (12/13/09)

2010-01-09T18:57:00.001-05:00

Playing catch up...

This show had 3 performances, all of equal value to me - which is why I'm listing all 3 in the title of this blog post. Beaten Awake is a Kent band who I've really started to enjoy lately, mostly because I've fallen in love with the lead singer's voice as the lead for Drummer. True it's a little backwards since that's his side project, but hey, whatever it takes. However, there was something a little off with this performance. I've really enjoyed their newest album, but something was missing in the live show. I'll definitely give them another chance.

Frontier Ruckus was the only non-local act this night. I picked up their album on eMusic, and loved the folky/americana sound. On stage there were 5 people strong and played a plethora instruments, including trumpet, a blow keyboard thingy, a french horn, and even played a saw with a violin bow. They had an almost eerie sound, but they had a great energy about them. I can't wait to see them again - and luckily I can - they're coming back on Wednesday, February 3rd. I will be there. Did I mention they were all hot? ;-) You won't regret this show.

Then Jessica Lea Mayfield took the stage. I've seen her several times before, and this was a Sunday night, so I didn't stay long. I also can't say I would recommend someone see her live. Well, maybe if they really liked her album and hadn't seen her before. But there's really no reason to see her more than once on the same album. Sorry Jessica.

Digital albums, vinyl made a comeback in '09 while CDs slide [Article]

2010-01-08T09:33:00.001-05:00

More numbers on album sales, countering some of the doom and gloom from the industry. Click the link below for more graphs...

Digital albums, vinyl made a comeback in '09 while CDs slide
Physical CD sales continued their slide into oblivion in 2009, but online sales remained strong, even if not quite as strong as 2008. Nearly everything online was up and everything physical was down—except for vinyl, which continues to have a fierce following.

By Jacqui Cheng | Last updated January 7, 2010 7:33 PM

2009 was a decently strong year for music—as long as you look at digital online sales and ignore the sinking ship that represents physical CDs. The US numbers are in from Nielsen SoundScan, and they are mostly a less-extreme version of the 2008 numbers, due in no small part to the struggling US economy. Still, the sales of physical media was way down while online media was way up, though vinyl enthusiasts are still bent on keeping their little niche alive—and are largely succeeding at it.

According to Nielsen's numbers for 2009, overall music sales were up a very modest 2.1 percent over 2008—this is a far cry from the 10.5 percent growth between 2007 and 2008, but growth nonetheless. When you split the numbers out, though, they are much more telling: music lovers bought nearly 1.16 billion digital tracks in 2009 (up 8.3 percent from 2008), and 76.4 million online digital albums (up 16.1 percent).
[From Digital albums, vinyl made a comeback in '09 while CDs slide]

January Jams Spangle Article

2010-01-08T09:15:00.001-05:00

Dusting off this blog for the new year... My list of the "best of" shows to see in Cleveland for January has been posted over at Spangle. Check it out... as always, you can always check my Google Calendar for a complete list of worthy shows coming to the Cleveland area.

Lucy Wainwright Roche

2009-12-30T09:36:00.001-05:00

If you've ever seen or heard Lucy Wainwright Roche, then you'll know why I'm re-posting this. I've seen her open for Dar Williams and she was amazing. I also have both her EP's and I'm looking forward to this full length album... She's a great artist with a wonderful voice and personality. And lucky for you, she's going to be the opener for the Girlyman show at the Beachland on Sunday, February 14th. So if you don't like giving money online, you can give it to her in person.

Donate to Lucy's Record!

Dear Friends, I'd like to thank you for the incredible support you have given me over the last three years. As you know, in June of 2006, I took a deep breath, left my teaching job in New York City, and set out on a challenging but amazing journey into the world of living as a touring musician. So far, this journey has taken me all over several countries, 45 states, and has found me in countless roadside hotels.

I have had many adventures in the past few years and I've gotten to work with so many amazing people from the Indigo Girls and Neko Case to Eddi Reader and Girlyman and, of course, members of my very own BIG family. Most importantly I've had the privilege of playing music in front of thousands of amazing people from all over the world. I am a very lucky person.

As many of you know, I currently have two 8 song EPs out in the world. This fall, I have taken huge step, and one I'm really excited about: I have gone back into the studio and am recording my first full length CD!

I have decided to make and release this new record independently and without the support of a record label. I feel that this is the right way for me to make the best record I can make and get it out to my fans as directly as is possible!

I'm reaching out to you to help me make this record a reality. I have a goal of raising enough money to pay for outstanding musicians, promotion, production and completion of my new record. Please donate what you can! Check out the donation levels - we've put together some things to give you in exchange for your generous support. I promise you I will put my whole heart and soul into this project.
[From Lucy Wainwright Roche]

12 Ways to Scrobble

2009-12-30T09:20:00.001-05:00

Keeping up with my geekery... I thought I'd share this article on the plethora of ways to Scrobble. Don't know what it is? Read on... Why should you? It's a pretty cool way to track and share what you're listening to.

Last.fm: 12 Ways to Scrobble

“Audio Scrobbling,” as defined by Last.fm, is the act of submitting to a central database the details of what songs you’ve been listening to (what album, by who and when you listened). Scrobbling to Last.fm is the main reason I use the service these days, especially since it made the internet radio part of it a paid subscription only service for Australia. I think that being able to easily track and visualise my listening history and share that with friends is a great example of the social internet revolution.

There are a number of ways to have your music scrobbled to Last.fm from your Mac. Which one you chose depends on which fits into your music workflow the best.
[From Last.fm: 12 Ways to Scrobble ]

How do I Scrobble you (don't) ask? Coversutra.

La Roux - Bulletproof

2009-12-29T17:48:00.001-05:00

Another...

Free Remix Here

Cleveland's New Radio Station: Boom! 107.3

2009-12-29T15:36:00.001-05:00

Just found out that the station located at 107.3 - "The Wave" has become "Boom!". There's some lashing out about the change on FaceBook, but I can't say I was a huge fan of The Wave before (it was Smooth Jazz). It's now become a Pop/Rock station with artists such as these:

Won't hear many complaints from me... Though I guess The Wave will continue to air on 107.3 HD3.

Website: http://1073boom.com/

FaceBook Page

Bombadil - So Many Ways to Die

2009-12-29T09:08:00.001-05:00

Another "Best Song of the Year"... (great video too)

The Cool Ranch?

2009-12-28T09:11:00.001-05:00

Have you heard about The Cool Ranch, Cleveland's new DIY music venue at E. 71st and Chester? Have any more info?

All I've found so far is this blog post, and this gallery from the first show. Any links or calendars floating around out there?

Kid Cudi - Pursuit of Happiness

2009-12-22T09:08:00.000-05:00

I'm not much for the year-end best of's... but if I were, this is one of the top songs of the year.

Kid Cudi will be performing at the Agora on Friday, January 15th. I believe tickets are sold-out, so if you know of someone who has an extra... let me know wouldya?

More Charts The Record Labels Don't Want You To See

2009-12-22T08:48:00.000-05:00

More reason to be skeptical of the "Doom and Gloom" that the big labels are touting. Click the link below for the actual charts.

More Charts The Record Labels Don't Want You To See: Swedish Musicians Making More Money
from the artists-are-doing-better-than-ever dept

We've already discussed the research on the UK music industry that shows both that live revenue is more than making up the decline in recorded revenue and that musicians themselves are making more revenue than ever before. Some people have suggested that this is a UK-only phenomenon, but a worldwide study found the same thing as well. And, now it looks like the same is being found in Sweden as well -- home of The Pirate Bay, which we keep being told is destroying the industry. Swedish indie record label owner Martin sends in the news on data from the Swedish music industry, which looks quite similar to the UK data. First, it shows that while there was a tiny dip in overall revenue, it's back up to being close to it's high, mostly because of a big growth in live music:

Basically, recorded revenues dropped. Collections stayed about the same, but live grew. More importantly, though, is the second chart, which shows the revenue for actual musicians. And that's going in one direction: up.

And yet, The Pirate Bay is destroying the ability to make music, right? Funny that the numbers don't seem to support that at all. Basically, these charts are showing the same thing that those other studies have shown. More music is being created. There is greater "discovery" of new music. There are greater revenue opportunities for musicians, and the only part of the business that appears to be suffering is the part that involves selling plastic discs. Yes, that sucks if your business was based on selling plastic discs, but for those who can adapt and adjust, there is more money than ever before to be made. That sorta goes against the claims that "piracy" is somehow destroying the industry, doesn't it?
[From More Charts The Record Labels Don't Want You To See: Swedish Musicians Making More Money | Techdirt]

Jim Donovan - Night of a 1000 Drums (12/4/09)

2009-12-18T11:05:00.001-05:00

I love it when friends get excited about concerts and ask me to come along... it's fun when other people take the concert lead once in a while. My friend John in Pittsburgh was really excited about this show in particular. He had given me a little bit of background on what it would be, but was a little unsure. Little did I know what was to actually happen.

First off, the venue up front was your typical coffee shop / food serving establishment. But you continued through to the back and the environment immediately transformed into this type of Turkish opium den. Pillows and Paisley abounded. The first thing it made you want to do was take your shoes off (which we did). We got a good seat, and by good I mean it was against the wall so we had some place to rest our backs. Much of the seating was just free standing ottomans and pillows. But that didn't matter because people weren't sitting long.

The band took the stage, Jim Donovan was in the back on drums and was host of the night, but he was not the center of attention. There were a couple other gentleman, I would guess were from Africa because of the accents, who were the real MC's. The music was good... Very African drumming and rhythm inspired. My only criticism was the early attempts to involve people in the music through various forms of call and response. People were hesitant to sing-out so early in the night and it made things a little uncomfortable. But not for long.

The best part of the night was the dancing. True we were initially entertained by the few who started dancing the second a hand hit the drum (and who looked like they never got off that acid trip from the 60's), but it wasn't long before we were joining them. I didn't take much in the way of photos because there was a sense of providing a space where people were free to be who they wanted without judgement. I didn't want my taking photos to be seen as paparazzi for something that could have been a joke to some. But to these people it wasn't, and nor was it to our group. A great night was had.

Lilith Announcement

2009-12-18T08:38:00.001-05:00

In case you missed the Lilith Fair announcement... This lineup isn't as bad as I thought it would be. I've starred some intriguing and respectable choices. There are also some names here that I've never heard and I'll be excited to check them out. Right now, the closest stop is Chicago. Hmm... are there 2 festivals in Chicago for me this year?

We are thrilled to share with you the first round of artists confirmed for Lilith 2010.

A Fine Frenzy
Ann Atomic
Ash Koley
Brandi Carlile
Butterfly Boucher
Chairlift**
Chantal Kreviazuk
Colbie Caillat
Corinne Bailey Rae
Donna De Lory
Emmylou Harris**
Erykah Badu
Grace Potter And The Nocturnals
Ima
Indigo Girls
Ingrid Michaelson
Janelle Monae
Jennifer Knapp
Jill Hennessy
Jill Scott
Katzenjammer
Ke$ha
Mary J. Blige
Meaghan Smith
Metric**
Miranda Lambert
Nneka
Sara Bareilles
Sarah McLachlan
Serena Ryder
Sheryl Crow
The Submarines**
Sugarland
Tara MacLean
Tegan And Sara
Vedera
The Weepies
Vita Chambers
Ximena Sarinana
Zee Avi**

Here's also a little article with Tegan & Sara defending the relevance of Lilith Fair

Take a Minute at the Tiny Desk

2009-12-18T08:30:00.001-05:00

If you haven't checked out NPR's Tiny Desk Series, they're pretty good. I just stumbled on NPR's own Music Channel on YouTube. Check it out. Here are a couple recent favorites:

Beaten Awake Video

2009-12-17T10:03:00.001-05:00

Congrats to NEO's own Beaten Awake for being Spinner's Video of the Day

AA Bondy (12/1/09)

2009-12-17T09:18:00.001-05:00

This was one of the best shows of the year for me - as is his new album When the Devil's Loose. You know, I can't even remember how I happened upon AA Bondy, but I'm glad i did. His album struck me right away with it's mellow, acoustic sound. When I saw he was performing at Akron's Musica, I knew I had to go - especially with the openers.

First up was Cleveland's own Lighthouse and the Whaler. They're a good band with a diverse sound. I like what they're working on, with the complex harmonies and all. They'll only get better with more experience.

Willy Mason was next. I'd heard his name several times before, but have never given him much time or effort. He was really pretty amazing. He took to the stage all alone, which was very appropro to his sound. Great, deep voice. Very much a loner, troubadour feel.

AA Bondy finished out the night. The subtle confidence, energy and proficiency of these guys on stage made them a joy to watch. I felt like I was watching some friends play (but really good friends). From the album I was expecting a mellower set, but these guys threw in some major rock-out sessions, playing with some intense feedback interludes. Not my favorite thing, but it worked *really* well. I swear, these guys did NO wrong on stage. I will see these guys again, any chance I can get.

When The Devil's Loose - A.A. ...

I also have to give a shout-out to Musica for being a great venue and keeping a respectable timetable for 3 bands on a week night... and to Akron for it's gracious hosts and free downtown parking.

A Net Neutrality Video Primer - Pay Attention!

2009-12-15T09:53:00.001-05:00

Very important...

A Net Neutrality Video Primer

As fundamental as it is, net neutrality isn’t the easiest thing in the world to explain. That said, FMC has certainly its best to illustrate why the open internet is so important to artists and fans (check out our Rock the Net campaign and our body of articles, factsheets and blog posts). As the principle that protects the open internet, net neutrality is important to just about everyone. So it’s crucial that we work to ensure that the internet we know and love isn’t reshaped by a handful of powerful telecommunications and cable companies seeking to install toll booths on the information superhighway.

This video from Jesse Dylan (yes, he is the son of Bob) breaks down why net neutrality is key to expression, creativity, commerce and free speech. Through interview snippets with such luminaries as the “father of the internet” Vint Cerf, Damian Kulash of OK Go, Gigi Sohn of Public Knowledge, Professor Lawrence Lessig and FMC’s own Michael Bracy, the clip demonstrates why open internet structures are essential to our lives as artists, innovators and Average Joes (not to be confused with Mr. Sixpack.)

[From A Net Neutrality Video Primer | Future of Music Coalition]

Matisyahu - One Day (Acoustic) Video

2009-12-15T09:45:00.000-05:00

I figured I posted the original, why not post the Acoustic version...

Brett Dennen (11/25/09)

2009-12-14T11:44:00.001-05:00

This was the second of a 2 night concert marathon with the Australian. Also another repeat performer for me, having seen Brett Dennen twice before. Once back in 2007 at Akron's sorely-missed Lime Spider, and earlier this year at the sold out Beachland Ballroom show. Both shows were great and I had high expectations for this HOB show. Well, except for the HOB part.

This night was different than the previous two shows. Granted it was the night before Thanksgiving, but there weren't that many people at the show. The performance seemed a little off, like something was missing (the crowd's energy?). Considering that, I think my friends had it right - that his songs began to sound sorta the same. I was still glad we went, but was a little underwhelmed. But I did get to show the Aussie a little bit of downtown (had dinner at Bricco before the show) and I think he still enjoyed himself.

I do think I've exhausted my Brett Dennen concert days, unless a kick-ass new album comes out, or he goes back to playing someplace the Tavern.

Nellie McKay (11/24/09)

2009-12-14T11:28:00.001-05:00

Before this night, I've been to two shows total at Nighttown, recently to see Brownout, and my first time to see Nellie McKay. The first showed me the way of Nellie, and the second reminded of how Nighttown is a great evening entertainment destination. Seeing Nellie again on this Tuesday night also included my friend visiting from Australia, so I was particularly excited to show off Cleveland (Heights). This was the second of two sold-out nights, so we got there early to grab a decent seat. Ordered a great meal and watched a highly entertaining Nellie McKay.

As usual, she charmed the pants on the crowd with a variety of songs from Doris Day, a cover of an Ella Fitzgerald song, and even a feminist rant on a Ukelele. One one person insult and make you laugh at the same time, all with a demure and unassuming smile.

Oh, and the Australian was impressed...

History of the Boombox

2009-12-09T18:02:00.000-05:00

Very Cool...

The Rural Alberta Advantage Returns

2009-12-09T09:36:00.001-05:00

If you missed The Rural Alberta Advantage the last time they were here, you have a second chance. They're coming back to the Beachland Tavern on Sunday, January 17th! I'd suggest you go.

As with all Concert Updates, check out the list of updated shows on the right, or go directly to my Google Calendar.

Flickr Photos

2009-12-08T17:31:00.001-05:00

Saw they just released Cooliris Express for making your own photo wall... thought I'd try it with my Flickr Photo account.