Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Tomorrow: Peter Bjorn & John @ Grog Shop

If you've not yet heard (or heard of) Peter, Bjorn & John... keep reading.  These Swedish pop/rockers have been putting out a steady stream of iPod worthy albums since 2001.  For me, they caught my attention with the whistle-ly hooks of 2006's Young Folks.  Their newest release, 2011's Gimme Some (buy it at Insound), is just as strong as anything they've released, making this a great way to see out the month of August!  Opening is Molly Rankin.  Tickets are $18 advance / $20 day of show.

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...and the video that started it all (for me).

Video Tuesday

Today is all about the boys.  Future Islands have a video out for their new single Balance, off their new release On the Water out 10/11 AND who are coming to the Beachland on 10/27! Next is the new video for Good by The Dodos. Finally, a hauntingly beautiful video for Bon Iver's Holocene.

Margot & the Nuclear So & So's (8/25/11)

Last Thursday night, I made it to the Margot & the Nuclear So & So's show at the Grog Shop before a long weekend away.  This was another one of those shows where I know the name, I know I like a couple songs, and I know the show is going to be worth it.  But it's also a show where once I'm there listening, I really wish I had spent more time with their music because I know that would have made a good show even better.  Even during the crash course with their stuff just days before the show, I found myself rapidly liking them more and more.

Margot & the Nuclear So & So's (8/25/11)

Margot & the Nuclear So & So's (8/25/11)

Yet another solid indie rock outfit hitting the Grog Shop for not much "bucks" (as my nephew would say).

I can't wait for their new album, which as I mentioned before, you can help with!

 

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Robyn @ The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Another reason to love the Rock Hall.

Five Minutes With Fame: Robyn | The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum

""The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is pleased to partner with Microsoft Zune for Five Minutes with Fame, an exclusive video series on the Zune Marketplace featuring singers, songwriters and bands at the forefront of today's music. After a behind-the-scenes tour of the Museum, we sit down to talk with each artist about their music, their road to success, inspirations, being on tour and of course, some of their favorite artists and artifacts highlighted in the Museum. This week's featured artist is Robyn.

Much like her Swedish pop-loving brethren, Scandinavian singer-songwriter Robyn has a gift for crafting indelible melodies, though it's not all sunshine and bubblegum. Her songs often favor a R&B groove and she sings with soulful conviction, a style cultivated by listening to her parent's American soul records. Her latest releases reflect an ambitious rethinking of what a pop song can be – and spotlight a woman who rocks."

(Continued... Five Minutes With Fame: Robyn | The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum)

 

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Tonight: Margot & the Nuclear So & So's @ Grog Shop

Tonight Margot & the Nuclear So & So's will be playing at the Grog Shop, with Attack Cat and The Ridges opening ($12 / 9pm).  I have their previous couple albums and I'll be exicted to hear some of the new stuff they're getting ready to put out (you can help them!).

Margot

In the meantime:

 

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Video Tuesday

Last week I posted the Pt. 1 of the new Marina & the Diamonds concept for her new album (Radioactive, out 10/3/11), here's the follow-up.  Next up is the new video for Digitalism's Circles, which is probably the top dance album of 2011 so far.  Rounding this out, mainly for the mermaid sex, is the new Lady Gaga video for You And I... not horrible.

Christopher Bell (8/18/11)

Following up on my promo for this show, It was great seeing Christopher Bell at Annabell's.  I got there a little late and saw Chris squeezed in at the front corner of the bar with Snoop Dog doin' back-up.  Chris worked with the looping (a TZA favorite) using a keyboard with a... um... electric bass?  Not the standard acoustic bass that I saw with him the first time, but then it would've been knockin' the blunt out of Snoop's mouth, so it's probably better that way.  (Please correct me with instrument names here Chris)

Christopher Bell (8/18/11)

Christopher Bell (8/18/11)

Songs and vibe was great.  Chris had an intermission where we got to sit and chat for a while with him.  For this crowd, he also threw in some great covers as well... Overall, a great show at an incredible Akron venue.

Some pics of Annabell's as well...

Christopher Bell (8/18/11)

Christopher Bell (8/18/11)

Christopher Bell (8/18/11)

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Murder By Death (8/17/11)

A great way to end another phenomenal Summer in the City concert series at the Rock Hall.  While I enjoyed the set put on by Murder By Death, and was even more surprised by all the people who knew ever word to every song... the real star last night was Downtown Cleveland.  You couldn't have asked for a better night to be lake-side.  Having beers and music outside the Rock Hall was just the icing on the cake.

Murder By Death (8/17/11)

Murder By Death (8/17/11)

Murder By Death (8/17/11)

Murder By Death (8/17/11)

Murder By Death (8/17/11)

there's more...

Tonight: Christopher Bell @ Annabells (Akron)

I was first introduced to Christopher Bellat the Barking Spider Tavern - where I've discovered many of my favorite acts.   Since then, he's been showing up (but I've been missing him) at Annabells in Akron (Highland Square).  I've also, recently come to the realization that Annabells might be one of my favorite Akron bars.  So tonight I'm getting the best of both worlds, great music at a great bar.  And to top it off, I think they might still have Great Lakes' Lake Erie Monster on tap!!

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Check out why I think Christopher Bell is so great:

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Tomorrow: Murder By Death @ Rock Hall

Tomorrow is the final show that is part of the free Rock Hall Summer in the City concert series.  It feels like just yesterday I was posting the initial announcement of this new Cleveland institution.

Murder By Death is a 5 piece band from Indiana, who have been putting out stuff consistently since 2001.  The more I hear these guys, the more I like them.

Mbd

Here is a Q & A with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Video Tuesday

A little more somber Video Tuesday. Starting with a different side of the phenomenal Marina & the Diamonds with Part 1: Fear & Loathing (waiting on details for a new album!!). Next up is the "official" fan-made video for The National's Exile, Vilify (from the Portal 2 Soundtrack??). To end on a more upbeat note, here's a video for Come to the City from The War on Drugs (Slave Ambient is out 8/16)

Monday, August 15, 2011

Free Music: Heartless Bastards @ Laundromatinee

Another reason I love Heartless Bastards... Don't forget, LaundroMatinee.com always offer free MP3 downloads of these sessions...

Friday, August 12, 2011

Article: 5 Ways Apple iTunes Saved Record Stores

Interesting take.. I'm off to the woods for a couple days.  Have a great weekend!

5 Ways Apple iTunes Saved Record Stores - TheStreet

145454 itunes 10 icon

Record-store owners owe Apple iTunes a tremendous debt of gratitude for being an uncaring, scatter-brained, inhuman little jukebox: It's saving their skin right now.

The running narrative in the music world during the past decade is that the physical album is dead, and file-sharing, downloads and, most notably, Apple's iTunes killed it. Yes and no."

(Continued... 5 Ways Apple iTunes Saved Record Stores - TheStreet)

 

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Machine Gun Kelly Signs to Interscope

I couldn't be happier for our own Machine Gun Kelly!  Wish I could've caught him at his last Grog Shop performance...

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Article: Aging & New Music

I find this intriguing, how many people stick to the music from their youth and often reject newer stuff.  It's very hard to get people, even in their 30's to pay attention to new music. Even more difficult if it's live music...  (I hope to help change all that.)

Why do pop-culture fans stop caring about new music as they get older? | Music | Crosstalk | The A.V. Club

Medium av club logo 150x150

"What I don’t get is the hostility that new music sometimes engenders among aging fans. I’ve chided friends who grew up on punk and indie music for turning into what they always hated—nostalgia-happy, past-worshipping hippies—because they can’t consider the latest buzz band without going into the same tired rant about how artists today don’t have ‘edge,’ ‘relevance,’ or ‘originality’ by comparison with some overly idealized group from their past. I find that this opinion tends to say more about the listener than the state of contemporary music, which is too vast to be summed up by such sweepingly reductive statements."

(Continued... Why do pop-culture fans stop caring about new music as they get older? | Music | Crosstalk | The A.V. Club)

 

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Free Catie Curtis Song / New Album

If you've been following me for a while, you'll know I have several artists that I will always stick with, and will get buy everything they put out.  Catie Curtis is one of those people, and she's just released a free MP3 from her upcoming album Stretch Limousine on Fire (8/30) to celebrate marriage equality in NY.  Get it here. Album Details:

When the singer/songwriter movement boomed in the mid-90s, Catie Curtis was at its forefront. Now a veteran artist with a 15 year career, Curtis has recorded ten critically acclaimed solo albums and has had songs featured in numerous TV shows including Dawson’s CreekFelicity,Grey’s Anatomy and Alias, as well as in films such as 500 Miles to Graceland and A Slipping Down Life.

Curtis’ new CD, STRETCH LIMOUSINE ON FIRE, is a bold statement of beauty yet simultaneously grittier—a bit more raw—than her past work. Produced by Lorne Entress (Lori McKenna, Ronnie Earl, Mark Erelli, Mighty Sam McLain) and recorded and mixed primarily in Los Angeles by noted engineer Ryan Freeland (Ray LaMontangue, Ingrid Michaelson, The Weepies), the album features guest vocalists Lisa Loeb and Mary Chapin Carpenter along with musicians Jay Bellerose (Drums), Jennifer Condos and Jesse Williams (Bass), Thomas Juliano (electric guitar),Duke Levine (Lap Steel and guitar), David Limina (Organ) and Glenn Patscha and Julie Wolf(keyboards). Standout tracks include the title cut, “Shadowbird”, “Highway del Sol” and “River Wide”. Matthew Curry, a Grammy nominated artist/designer best known for his work with Thievery Corporation, illustrated the cover and designed the CD artwork.

I have to say I barely recognize her in this picture (and don't really like it), but maybe she's trying a little reinvention or something.  Whatever, we go too far back for me to care.

Catie Curtis Publicity Photo 2

My Crush Continues...

Starfucker might just be one of the coolest bands out there (still)... can't wait to see them again. (via intothewoods.tv)

Friday, August 5, 2011

Guilty Pleasure: Enrique Iglesias

So I thought I'd introduce a new category to the ol' Zender Agenda.  The Guilty Pleasure.  While it may not always seem like it, I try to keep things here aimed for the larger audience... but things I'm still excited to share.  Well, there are other things that I wouldn't normally share (or would at least try and mask).  In other words, things that are purely self-indulgent, and why not.

And the honor of kicking this off goes to Enrique Iglesias!  Ever since some of his early pop albums (I *loved* Not In Love), I've had a little crush on him.  Yes, I  have even seen him in concert (pre-2005, so there's no evidence on my blogs).  Everything about this video is easy on the eyes.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Cold Cave / Austra (8/2/11)

I'd been touting this as the "show of the month," and even though it's still early, I think this statement will stand. This is primarily due to Austra.  The more I listen to her Feel It Break album, the more I love it.  Her quirky (but impressive) voice and great beats behind it... it's just wooed me more and more each time I play it - even though it's a bit darker of an album than I prefer.  When they took the stage, I was surprised to see so many of them, including two "Robert Palmer" girls!

Austra (8/2/11)

Awesome...  (more videos here).

At this point, I would have been happy to leave, but I knew from Pitchfork that Cold Cave would be a great show too.  They were LOUD, and dark, and totally lost in their music.  This wasn't a "chat with the audience" kind of show.  They took the stage and just punished their instruments and the speakers with their danceable and driving dark beats.  Definitely an 80's vibe, but done probably the best possible way (these days).

Of course, the room was dark and they were going non-stop on stage, which made photography hard, but possibly fun:

Cold Cave (8/2/11)

Cold Cave (8/2/11)

Unfortunately, they didn't sound as good recorded, but I'd definitely see them again.


thezenderagenda.com's Cold Cave / Austra (8/2/11) photosetthezenderagenda.com's Cold Cave / Austra (8/2/11) photoset

 

New Casiokids Album!!

Casiokids have been one of my favorite electro-pop bands over the past 2 years.  Even live - I was thrilled with them.  So the announcement of a new album (and a FREE DOWNLOAD) has me giddy.  Check it out below.  (Side note, just pre-ordered a Blue Vinyl / T-Shirt package shipped for a bit over $30 from Polyvinyl!).

Aabenbaringen over aaskammen will be out October, 11th.

Let's just hope they hit Cleveland this time around.

Aabenbaringen over aaskammen

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Video Tuesday

Finally, it's Tuesday!  Let's start this off with a new Bombay Bicycle Club video for Shuffle (they'll be at the Beachland on 9/12/11 w/ Two Door Cinema Club!).  The Drums are next with an intriguingly serious video for Money (Portamento out on 9/12 [UK]). Finally, Penguin Prison with a great pop song and video for Fair Warning (Album release date tbd).

Monday, August 1, 2011

Must See Shows: August

From the original Spangle article here.

The Featured Events are front-loaded at the beginning of August, so hopefully you're reading this early. The rest of this month tapers off, but there's still plenty of shows to keep you entertained. Also this month, be sure to catch the remaining two Summer in the City shows, the free Rock & Roll Hall of Fame concert series. While this month may seem a little light overall, there are a whole slew of shows that I wouldn't normally list , but being a former hair metal fan myself, I thought there might be others who are interested (it was high school people). August is also packing in the likes of Candlebox, Mr. Big, Heart, Def Leppard, and Queensryche. Oh fine, while I'm going retro, you can even catch Tiffany & Debbie Gibson performing together this month too.


Featured Event

August 2 :: Cold Cave (Indie/Electronic) / coldcave.tumblr.comGrog Shop / $12 ~ $14 I missed Cold Cave the last time they were in town, but I'm thrilled they're coming back again - and this time they're bringing the extremely talented Austra with them! I was able to catch Cold Cave's driving electronic beats at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago a couple weeks ago, and that only gave me a taste for the dense and driving sound they'll be producing at the Grog Shop. As for Austra, I think she would have been a Featured Event on her own as well.

August 9 :: Neko Case (Alt-Country) / nekocase.comBeachland Ballroom / $30 Neko and I go way back. I've seen her several times, though oddly never actually with The New Pornographers. And to be honest they've not all been great shows. But as a testament to the talent this woman posseses, I'm still going to list her as a Featured Event. Her uncompromising songwriting and oddly secure, yet exposed stage-presence will always make her a show worth seeing. Get tickets early, this show will sell out.

Best of the Rest

August 2 :: Bright Eyes (Indie Rock) / conoroberst.comHouse of Blues / $28 ~ $30 FInally touring on a new album, Bright Eyes w/ The Mountain Goats are being presented on behalf of The Grog Shop.

August 3 :: The Joy Formidable (Pop/Rock) / thejoyformidable.comRock & Roll Hall of Fame / FREE The third installment of this *awesome* free series at the Rock Hall. Our own Hot Cha Cha opening!

August 3 :: Eels (Indie Rock) / eelstheband.comBeachland Ballroom / $20 ~ $22 I'm sure Eels are a fine band, but the pop/rock bliss of The Submarines opening would be the real draw.

August 3 :: Wye Oak (Folk / Indie Rock) / wyeoakmusic.comBeachland Tavern / $10 ~ $12 I've seen their name before, but it was all the positive comments on iTunes that convinced me to list these guys.

August 9 :: Sara Bareilles (Singer/Songwriter) / sarabmusic.comHouse of Blues / SOLD OUT Good tickets if you can get them.

August 11 :: Mountain Heart (Bluegrass) / mountainheart.comCain Park / $15 ~ $18 If you're reading along and saying to yourself, where's the bluegrass?? Here you go.

August 12 :: Janet Jackson (Pop / R&B) / janetjackson.comJacobs Pavilion / $99.50 ~ $250 The one and only. Ms. Jackson, if you're nasty.

August 14 :: The Cool Kids (Rap) / coolxkids.comGrog Shop / $15 ~ $18 A Chicago-based retro-rap duo laying down some old school beats.

August 24 :: Deerhunter (Indie Rock) / deerhuntertheband.blogspot.comRock & Roll Hall of Fame / FREE These Atlanta noise rocker's have been getting a lot of buzz. Also a Pitchfork Music Festival Alum, and the final show of this Rock Hall series!

August 25 :: Margot & the Nuclear So & So's (Pop/Rock) / margotandthenuclearsoandsos.netGrog Shop / $12 These guys put out some solid hooks and have great songwriting. Check them out.

August 31 :: Peter, Bjorn & John (Pop/Rock) / peterbjornandjohn.comGrog Shop / $18 ~ $20 You might've recognized my penchant for groups of the Nordic persuasian. These guys helped start that.

Notable Road Trips

August 12 :: Nanci Griffith (Country) / nancigriffith.comKent Stage (Kent) / $35.50 ~ $50 The venerable songnstress who transcends the country genre. This show will be phenomenal.

August 13 :: YACHT (Indie / Electronica) / teamyacht.comThe Magestic (Detroit) / $15 Part of a 4-day festival at the Magestic complex. Their blend of other-worldly electronica is tearing up playlists all over the place.

August 20 :: Handsome Furs (Indie/Rock) / handsomefurs.comBrillobox (Pittsburgh) / tbd If you missed them last month as a Road Trip, you have another chance!