Family time continued after my niece’s visit, heading back home for my nephew’s graduation party. While this would have not traditionally made my music blog, we were all treated by a performance by a family friend! I had caught a short clip of him singing on social media a couple weeks back, and was surprised to even know he was a musician! After some setup hurdles (note the mic stand!), Nick performed quite a few songs for us - including some of my favorites below! Nice job Nick!!
I don’t really understand the allure of cover and tribute bands - but at least now I know how to distinguish between those labels.
"Tribute and cover bands—and, make no mistake, the terms shouldn't necessarily be used interchangeably—are big business in Northeast Ohio. Head to nearly any outdoor event or festival during the warmer months and, chances are, these groups are providing musical entertainment. Cover and tribute acts permeate the club and bar scene as well, both at long-time usual suspects (Westlake's Time Warp, North Olmsted's Sly Fox Lounge, the Rocksino's Club Velvet) and venues that book a mix of originals and touring acts, such as the Music Box Supper Club and the Winchester.
Northeast Ohio's cover scene is vast and varied. Decade- and genre-specific groups proliferate, from the '90s- and '00s-leaning Top 40 troupe Pop Fiction to hip-hop-centric Old Skool to '80s-heavy 80s proof for new wavers. Fans of '80s hard rock and metal can go see Juke Box Heroes or the long-running troupe Cleveland's Breakfast Club featuring Paul Sidoti, the local native who's been Taylor Swift's lead guitarist since 2007. Even the local original music community gets in on the fun—notably on Halloween, when rock, punk and indie musicians work up elaborate covers sets for an annual show at the Beachland Ballroom."
This show wasn’t on my concert calendar for obvious reasons, but I stumbled upon this show when I was back home visiting family. This bar is actually one that I frequented quite often (pre-21) when I was living back home and playing in pool leagues and tournaments. That alone makes it fun to actually see a band performing there - especially a song that I often played on their jukebox back in the day (Dwight Yoakam's Little Sister!)
Starting off this Video Day with a gorgeous cover of Ancora Tu by Roisin Murphy. Elliphant and MØ, both Scandanavian artists, collaborate on this track for One More and produced this raucous video. Finally, HAIM’s new video for My Song 5.
Bonus this week comes from a name that’s new to me, Hollysiz, with a heart-felt video for The light.
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.
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!
There’s a whole slew of videos from this show up on my YouTube Channel. But here’s a couple:
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.
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.
Scoundrel’s! That’s the name of the bar in Berea where this 80’s cover band named Spazmatics played. Not my idea, but I’ll jump on anything - and with the rule to document *all* live music experiences, here it is. I’ll be brief. Basically just put 4 guys on stage, decked out in total nerd gear, and have them cover the best of the 80’s songs… The ladies loved it!
Though my friend pointed out that they never really sang complete songs, mostly just repeated the chorus. I guess you can’t expect much from a party cover band.
My first house concert of 2014! I was so excited to find Austin Craig, and that he was willing to come and play for a bunch of strangers in my living room. I ended up with a decent turnout for a cold Friday night in January. Not technically a full house, but just the right number of people to keep everything manageable.
Austin’s voice just soared in my living room…
He also really seemed to enjoy the format, and having the time to play a longer set for people. We liked it too, turning out some gems like Springsteen’s Atlantic City.
I’m ready for my next one… I think Oslo enjoyed it too.
Catching up on these older videos that I've been sitting on - in case you haven't seen them yet. Thought this was a really fun, live-in-studio remake of Started from the Bottom. Includes TZA favorite, Asher Roth!
I'm posting this to spite my roommate, who thinks Graceland is shit. Pftt. The cuteness contained in this video doesn't hurt.
So while I'm not crazy that the Jan. 11th Jeff Mangum show is heading to a bigger venue - I am glad to see how good it's selling. (It moved from the Ohio City to the main Cleveland Masonic Auditorium.) But you know what, mentioning this was really just a reason to post a cover of The Avett Brothers doing Neutral Milk Hotel. (swoon)
Avett Brothers Cover Neutral Milk Hotel
"The Avett Brothers have put some moving originals to tape over the years, but there’s something especially endearing to this group when they share new covers. Perhaps it’s the humble reminder of the greats from whom they’ve drawn inspiration or that these clips bleed with reverence while not playing it too safe (or too faithful) to the original, but the result tends to be added appreciation for both sides of the equation. A fine homage, in other words, and their new spin through Neutral Milk Hotel’s ‘In The Aeroplane Over The Sea’ is no different. Seth Avett even conjures Jeff Mangum a bit here, while the theremin part played on violin makes for another nice touch. Check it out above.
Previously: Seth Avett Covers Elliott Smith"
(Continued... Avett Brothers Cover Neutral Milk Hotel)
This sounds amazing… Hot Chip! Scissor Sisters!! Cut Copy!!! Robyn!!!!
Robyn, Twin Shadow, Washed Out Set For Red Hot Arthur Russell Tribute LP - Stereogum
" Arthur Russell blended dance, folk, pop, classical, whatever, and created something utterly unique and extraordinary. He died of AIDS in 1992, at age 40, but his profile has risen considerably over the last two decades; frankly, I’d guess that a majority of the artists covered by Stereogum would cite him as an influence. So it’s appropriate and very cool to see so many of those artists will be featured on an upcoming Arthur Russell tribute album called Red Hot + Arthur Russell: This Is How We Walk On The Moon.
On board already to cover Russell’s songs are Twin Shadow, Washed Out, José González, Laurel Halo, Robyn, Glen Hansard, Javelin, Hot Chip, Nico Muhly + Owen Pallett, Cut Copy, Sandro Perri, The Revival Hour, Will Sheff, Sam Amidon, Ólöf Arnalds, Devendra Banhart, Dan Boeckner, Chad VanGaalen, Scissor Sisters, Oh Mercy, Rubblebucket, and Thao with The Get Down Stay Down. The project was organized by Red Hot, in association with Pitchfork."
(Continued... Robyn, Twin Shadow, Washed Out Set For Red Hot Arthur Russell Tribute LP - Stereogum)
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)
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...
Especially with all these guys on board. Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe, and Old Crow Medicine Show!
Along stops of their recent Railroad Revival Tour, Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, and Old Crow Medicine Show have been teaming up for an ecstatic hoedown of a closing number: Woody Guthrie’s “This Train Is Bound for Glory.” In the clip above, VH1 caught up with the folk-rock super-troupe next to some Austin, Texas train tracks for a nearly 7-minute, raucous rendition, in which Jade Castrinos (who kills it, as usual, at 3:45), Marcus Mumford, Alex Ebert (complete with evangelical-tinged dance moves), and friends trade lead vocals between sing-along choruses."
(From... Video: Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe, Old Crow... | TwentyFourBit)
Well this is interesting. Download this album of covers from Madonna's True Blue album, free from Paper Bag Records... (and don't forget to like me on FaceBook too)
Madonna's 'True Blue' Album Gets Covered by PS I Love You, Young Galaxy and More - Spinner Canada
PS I Love You, Young Galaxy, Winter Gloves and You Say Party! are some of the acts appearing on 'True Blue,' a free digital covers album of Madonna's 1986 smash album released this week through Paper Bag Records."
(Continued... Madonna's 'True Blue' Album Gets Covered by PS I Love You, Young Galaxy and More - Spinner Canada)
Sin Fang's last album, Clangor, was a favorite last year - as was his performance with Seabear (4/1/10) at the Grog Shop. Now he has a new album coming out March 15th and a couple covers you can check out now:
Sin Fang: Landslide / The Only Living Boy in New York
"Icelandic wunderkind Sindri Már Sigfusson really is a never-tiring musician. Touring with his other band Seabear around the world for most of the year, he used his time off to write and record a new album of his solo project Sin Fang (formerly Sin Fang Bous, to be released in early 2011). The album is preceded by this remarkable 7inch featuring two all-time-classic non-album coverversions: 'Landslide' by Fleetwood Mac and Simon & Garfunkel's 'The Only Living Boy In New York'. Sin Fang's versions withdraw some of the glossy sweetness of the originals and replace it with a pinch of Weirdo-Folk, giving you a new listening experience while keeping the original song's heart-breaking potential intact. read more..."
(Listen at Morr Pressdesk)
Last night we caught a friend's band at the ABC Tavern on W. 25th (Ohio City). Worried Men is a group of talented local musicians covering some good ol' roots / folk / americana songs. An arrangement of strings including the guitar, bass and violin (peppered with some washboard) always makes for a great live show. Acoustics weren't great, which you'll hear in the clips below - which is also why I told them to check out the Barking Spider Tavern. I'd love to see them play there... (or maybe in my living room).
Here are some other photos from last night.
By the way, The ABC Tavern is a great little pub, GREAT food...
