Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Chris Pureka (9/19/19)

Chris Pureka doesn’t come to town very often. I would venture to say that this was only her third time in Cleveland since 2006.  My first time I was able to see her at the Barking Spider Tavern. I missed the second opportunity in 2012 because I was in NYC.  So I was quite excited when I saw she was finally coming back again, this time to the Beachland Tavern!  

She has hit the Oberlin Folk Festival a couple times, where I saw her in 2011. I missed her in 2016 because I was in Atlanta.   I guess the point of all this is that I’m a big fan, and it takes hundreds of miles for me to not see her perform.  ðŸ˜‹

I’ll admit that I haven’t been keeping up with her latest album releases, but I’ll always be charmed by her quiet stage presence, but piercing songs and slight quiver in her velvet voice.

Chris Pureka  9 19 19

Chris Pureka  9 19 19

The Harmaleighs opened, and this show introducing them to me to them.  They were so charming - and talkative!  They had great harmonies and wonderful songwriting.  I guess this was their first performance without their drummer in awhile, but it definitely worked.

The Harmaleighs  9 19 19

The Harmaleighs  9 19 19

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Video Day #tzaupbeat

Billie Eilish just released this stunning video for all the good girls go to hell. I enjoyed hearing about this new Muna album on NPR, and wanted to share their new video for Taken.  Metronomy slipped in their new release by me, Metronomy Forever, which I almost missed - but thankfully caught this video for Wedding Bells.

Bonus:  I’ll admit I never thought I’d be posting about Lil Nas X on this blog, but his recent exposure has been captivating - like the future tech in this video for Panini.

Article: Frankie Knuckles's vinyl gets a permanent public home

Glad to hear this important collection has an accessible home.

 

"On the third floor of the Stony Island Trust & Savings Bank Building, a 17,000-square-foot neoclassical edifice in South Shore, roughly 5,000 vinyl records sit on rows of shelves salvaged from a defunct hardware store. There's not much about the collection that suggests a museum, but these records are a cultural treasure far more valuable than the music in their grooves—their presence here, in the newly christened Stony Island Arts Bank, is intended to preserve them and make them accessible to the public. They belonged to the late Francis Nicholls, better known as Frankie Knuckles, who died at age 59 on March 31, 2014. Beginning with a late-70s gig DJing at short-lived West Loop nightclub the Warehouse, which gave house music its name, Frankie spun ecstatic live sets that would define the genre for decades—a genre that's reshaped dance and pop music perhaps more profoundly than any other."

(Via Frankie Knuckles's vinyl gets a permanent public home | Music Feature | Chicago Reader.)

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Video Day #tzachill

FINALLY getting some new stuff from Sin Fang with this video for Hollow (and hoping for an album soon).  I was able to catch (part of) a great set by Whitney at the Pitchfork Music Festival, and am also enjoying their new video for Used To Be Lonely.  FKA Twigs just released this slow jam video feat. Future for holly terrain.

Bonus:  Apparat just release their new video for Heroist, with the following description:  "The Berlin-based musician enlisted UK Music Video Award winner Matilda Finn to present a creative response to his restless, snare-driven track. What unfolded was a sci-fi dream sequence made of hundreds of flickering clips expressing human ecstasy and pain."

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Video Day #tzaupbeat

I’m not much for karaoke, but I’d reconsider if they were all like this video for shy kids’ Backwards in Love.  Kitten has floated in and out of my radar these past couple years, but I’m liking what I see/hear with their new video for Memphis.  Dillon Francis releases this campy new video for Go Off (Nuthin’ 2 It).

Bonus:  !!! has a new album out and this new cartoon video for Couldn’t Have Known - which I’m pretty sure is not for kids.

Stolen Jars (9/10/19)

The concert options have been a little light lately, whether that be the holiday weekend, school starting, or what not.  I would have liked to see The Head & The Heart who were also performing this night - but being that I saw them at the Masonic all the way back in 2014, I knew it wasn’t going to be an expensive show at Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica.  I wanted to see something, and I was enjoying what I was hearing by Stolen Jars online.  They started early at Mahalls Locker Room and it was OK - a little rougher around the edges than their recorded stuff.

Stolen Jars  9 10 19

BoomBox (9/7/19)

I was able to catch BoomBox back in early 2018 and had a great time dancing at that show.  I was thrilled to see they were coming back - and again - it was a party!  Their sound is completely accessible and danceable.  It draws a pretty trippy crowd too.

BoomBox  9 7 19

St. Paul & the Broken Bones (8/31/19)

I made a last minute decision to head down to Columbus to catch a Midwest Fresh party, but prior to I met up with some friends at this free St. Paul & the Broken Bones performance in the Columbus Commons!  I was able to see them at a previous Nelsonville Music Festival and really appreciated their performance.  However for this one, it was mostly about party with friends I don’t see often.  Still - I caught some pics & video!

St Paul  the Broken Bones  8 31 19

St Paul  the Broken Bones  8 31 19

St Paul  the Broken Bones  8 31 19

Headspace (8/24/19)

Made it to another Headspace, this time in a “DIY Venue” that was wasn’t announced until the day of the party.  It was a cool little art space in this unsuspecting Cleveland east side neighborhood.  It was quite the experience, and a great time.

Headspace  8 24 19

Headspace  8 24 19

Headspace  8 24 19

 

 

Horns And Things (8/16/19)

Stumbled upon this excellent performance at the Music Settlement’s Bop Stop by Horns and Things.  An interesting perspective was noting the rich history of established jazz musicians in the area - something that isn’t necessarily reflected in today’s pop/rock community (as far as I know).

Horns And Things  8 16 19

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Video: The Rise And Fall Of The Headphone Jack

Feels like this is an appropriate stroll down memory lane, considering today is the Apple Keynote.

Friday, September 6, 2019

Article: Unsigned Artists Are Generating More Income Than Ever Before, According to New Study

Right on!

"Artists without record labels generated $643.1 million in 2018, up 35% from the prior year, according to a new research survey conducted by the music distribution service and alternative record label Amuse alongside MIDIA Research. That represents a 3.3% share of recorded music revenues, up from 2.8% in 2017.

The findings, based on a survey conducted of more than 250 artists around the world, suggest that with alternatives to label deals expanding, independent artists are increasingly discovering new ways to generate income. As a result, labels are seen as less vital than ever to sustaining a career in music."

(Via Unsigned Artists Are Generating More Income Than Ever Before, According to New Study | Billboard.)

Monday, September 2, 2019

Video Day #tzaupbeat

Brockhampton continues releasing singles and videos, this time for If You Pray Right, which has lead up to another album release. Yeasayer released a tripped out video for their new single Let Me Listen In On You.  Jorja Smith has a hot new video for Be Honest feat. Burna Boy.
Bonus:  I never expected to be putting Sturgill Simpson in the #tzaupbeat category, but this new video/single make it pretty difficult to pin him down.  Read more about what he’s doing here.