Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Tomorrow: Strand of Oaks @ Beachland Tavern

Tomorrow night at the Beachland Tavern!  $12.  Check out his new video and a free download of his World Cafe session below!

By the looks of Tim Showalter, I would not expect the type of music that he puts out as Strand of Oaks - but his stuff is great.  I’ll let AllMusic describe it for me:

"The project of Goshen, Indiana-based singer/songwriter Tim Showalter, Strand of Oaks specializes in bold and anthemic indie Americana that draws from classic rock and folk, skillfully blending traditional singer/songwriter catharsis with stadium-ready melodies in the vein of artists like War on Drugs and My Morning Jacket. "

(Via.Strand of Oaks | Biography | AllMusic)

NewImage

 

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Video Day

Duke Dumont has been one of the breakout dance artists this Summer, and the party continues with Won’t Look Back.  Lykke Li is keeping it artistic with Gunshot. Next up, the New Pornographers have the first video for War on the East Coast off their upcoming release.

Bonus:  See how the Basement Jaxx solves the Footloose problem of the future.

Monday, July 28, 2014

Video Day

Finally, a full video for Robyn & Royksopp’s Do It Again.  It’s a longer one, but worth the effort.  Next up is Francesco Yates with a great new single for Call.  Finally some funky visuals for Simian Mobile Disco’s Tangents.

Bonus:  I’m not sure what to think of this new track from The Drums...  What do you think?

Liz Longley (7/26/14)

After bailing on the rain at the Burning River Festival - we headed back to the Beachland to catch Liz Longley.  I only heard her name like an hour before being there, so not much was known other than some great opening slots and some songwriting awards.  I can see why people like her music - a great voice and some excellent songwriting.  We also found out, on several occasions, she’s single.

Liz Longley (7/26/14)

Burning River Festival 2014

What a rainy mess!  Still glad we got there for some Christmas Ales & some eats!  We did catch a little DJ Party Sweat action, a preview before he graces the stage at the Gay Games!

Burning River Festival 2014

Burning River Festival 2014

Burning River Festival 2014

Burning River Festival 2014

Burning River Festival 2014

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (7/24/14)

Because I missed the Clap Your Hands Say Yeah performance back here at the Grog Shop in June, I wanted to make it to Pittsburgh to catch them at Club Cafe.  Not the venue I would have expected, and now that it’s happened I can say that it was not the best venue for them.  However, it’s hard to deny my love & admiration for Alec Ounsworth so I still thoroughly enjoyed it.  

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (7/24/14)

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (7/24/14)

Alternative Press Music Awards Show

The night we drive back from Pitchfork, we attended the inaugural Alternative Press Music Awards.  At this point I felt like I was just along for the ride, so I hadn’t much time to prep for this experience.  No prep was necessary, this show was all about Rock & Roll.  What an impressive event!!  The weather was stunning, the city looked amazing as a backdrop.  A gorgeous sunset on the lake to our backside was just a bonus!  Sure I didn’t know many of the names being nominated, but there’s no mistaking Joan Jett, Slash, Billy Corgan, Ice T, and Machine Gun Kelly!  Way to represent Cleveland!

Alternative Press Music Awards Show 2014

Alternative Press Music Awards Show 2014

Pitchfork Music Festival 2014

Less than a week from Country Concert & Queen w/ Adam Lambert, I was making my annual pilgrimage to the Pitchfork Music Festival with friends.  This was also another year biking around Chicago - an excellent experience.  I’ve learned that this show is more about the total experience, than it is trying capture & review each band - but there were some great ones this year.  The Giorgio Moroder was one of my favorite… sets? I thought how this is probably the closest I’ll ever come to seeing a Donna Summer concert.

Other great performances included Beck, Neutral Milk Hotel and Neneh Cherry, St. Vincent and Wild Beasts.  However, the best experiences for me at the festival were the earlier performances on the Blue stage - by Mas Ysa, Factory Floor, The Range and of course Jon Hopkins!!  You can catch most here:


Pitchfork Music Festival 2014

Pitchfork Music Festival 2014

Pitchfork Music Festival 2014
Pitchfork Music Festival 2014

Queen w/ Adam Lambert (7/12/14)

The same weekend as Miranda Lambert & Country Concert, I was heading north of Detroit to see Adam Lambert performing with Queen!  The juxtaposition was fun.  This show I tagged along with a big fan of both Queen & Adam Lambert, though I’m a pretty big fan of Queen myself.  I had mid-level expectations going in to this, but right from the beginning of the show I knew this was going to be fun.  I don’t know what a traditional live Queen show is like, but I can’t imagine this was far from it.  Great stage, lighting, sound.  Adam was himself, but represented the band well.  But this show was all about Queen, and Freddy.  What a delight.

Queen w/ Adam Lambert (7/12/14)

Queen w/ Adam Lambert (7/12/14)

Country Concert 2014

Not my traditional festival, as you can imagine, but this one was all about family.  I took my sister & my niece, both who were incredibly excited to see Miranda Lambert.  I’m up for anything, so I was excited to see what this event was all about.  I was *amazed* at the size of this place, needing to park what felt like 2 miles from the main stage.  I wish I would have tracked my car location via GPS!   Lots of camping, drinking, trucks, barely clothed youths, and lots of country music.  Growing up with that - its no culture shock.  Ultimately not the place to close out with kids.  But overall, it was a good time!

Country Concert 2014

Country Concert 2014

Tomorrow: !!! @ Beachland Tavern

The most recent album from !!! (chk chk chk) has such a superb dance party vibe, I have high aspirations for their Beachland Tavern show tomorrow night!  Check them out!

NewImage

Monday, July 14, 2014

Video Day

New Blood Orange (already!) for High Street.  New Digitalism with Wolves (feat. Youngblood).  Cloud Nothings express their Psychic Trauma in a new video.

This week’s song by Neko Case has been posted before, but now there’s a video!

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Video Day

More new Austra with a video for Hulluu.  New Little Dragon with Pretty Girls (who aren’t so pretty).  Speaking of pretty, check out the people in the new Foxes video for Glorious.

 Bonus: Some fun Nile Rodgers with DO What You Wanna Do!

KITTEN (7/2/14)

Thank you Annie!!  This was such a great show - one of the best I’ve seen in a while… You want to know how I can tell?  There was NO ONE at the bar while KITTEN was performing!  She electrified the stage - was personable, passionate and rocked out with the youth of a 19yo (which she is).  Such great songs on their album, with quite the diversity.  Glad this was all represented in their set… 

Kitty opening, but had the stage banter of a vacuous 14yo.  The music was OK, but the show was just her singing/rapping/talking over an MP3.

Kitty (7/2/14)

KITTEN on the other hand - was such a breath of fresh air.  I’ve already worn out their album and waiting on the next album & tour!

KITTEN (7/2/14)
KITTEN (7/2/14)

KITTEN (7/2/14)

There’s a whole slew of videos from this show up on my YouTube Channel.  But here’s a couple:

Debbie Gibson / Cleveland Pride (6/28/14)

Not really there for the music (unfortunately) but thought I’d at least document being there…  :-)

“Can I Work This Pole?"

Cleveland Pride 2014 / Debbie Gibson

Cleveland Pride 2014 / Debbie Gibson

Xavier Rudd (6/26/14)

Road Trip!!  This time to Pittsburgh to catch Xavier Rudd with my best friend… This was also my first time seeing a show in the Altar Bar - great concept, but an awkward layout.  Opening was Ash Grunwald who was quite the blues/rock powerhouse.

Ash Grunwald (6/26/14)

In prepping for this show, I dusted a lot of my Xavier Rudd MP3’s off and enjoyed the trip down memory lane.  The same experience was had this night, though I’d love to see some new stuff from him soon!  Until then, check out his cover of Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time below.

Xavier Rudd (6/26/14)

Melissa Ferrick (6/23/14)

Another year, another Melissa Ferrick show.  Still some great stuff there (despite the utterly lifeless crowd that night).

Melissa Ferrick (6/23/14)

Article: Downtown Records, House of Blues, Grog Shop, Beachland team for Cleveland version of Downtown Festival

Finally some details on this elusive "Downtown Festival" happening in Cleveland!

NewImage

Downtown Records, which in 2011 launched its multiday Downtown Festival in the Big Apple is giving the North Coast a try.

The label, whose stable includes artists of just about every genre, but leaning towards indie, is teaming with the House of Blues to stage shows on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 19 and 20, at HOB, the Grog Shop and Beachland Ballroom.

Other incarnations of the festivals will be held in New York City, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Los Angeles and Houston.

A dozen artists and bands will play Cleveland. A two-day festival pass, $59, includes general admission access to House of Blues and Grog Shop festival shows, front-line access to all shows at HOB, a Downtown Festival T-shirt and laminate.

(Via. Downtown Records, House of Blues, Grog Shop, Beachland team for Cleveland version of Downtown Festival | cleveland.com)

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Tomorrow: KITTEN @ Grog Shop

Thanks to Annie Z. for the heads-up on this show!  I’d been getting around to investigating this show, but it’s been kinda busy lately.  As soon as she referenced early “Crystal Castles” I knew I was in for this show.  They do have some of that lucious blown-out pop sound, but the album is quite divers and quite good! There’s a lotta openers for this show, but some good ones (i.e. Kitty, Silent Lions & Kid Runner). Check out some videos from the top two bands tomorrow night:

Chloe TRON copy

Tomorrow: Boy & Bear @ House of Blues

Australia’s own Boy & Bear will be here in Cleveland at the House of Blues for some superb folk rock musings.  Producing such a solid album with impeccable production, I’m expecting the same from their live show.  Details from NPR below.

Boy and Bear1

Boy And Bear On World Cafe : World Cafe : NPR

"The members of Sydney, Australia's Boy and Bear have enjoyed a fair amount of success: Their second album, Harlequin Dream, made its debut at No. 1 on the Australian charts. The folk-rock band, led by Dave Hosking and Killian Gavin, joins World Cafe guest host Michaela Majoun in the studio for a live set."

(Continued... Boy And Bear On World Cafe : World Cafe : NPR)