MelodyTrip

Sneaks and Freaks - Kickin' it Old Skool at Rock the Bells

TenaciousB — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 16:53:00 GMT

I'll admit it. I have an unyielding obsession with anything 80's. Sour Patch Kids, Soap-On-A-Rope, Alf lunchboxes, The Cosby Show - you name it, I probably spent a good portion of my measly $20/week allowance on it.

It goes without saying that when Rock the Bells blew into Miami's Bayfront Park Arena, I was happier than Angela Bauer when she walked in on Tony Danza, wet, lathered up, and showering on "Who's the Boss?" This year's lineup featured a unique hybrid of old skool denizens: Mos Def, Kidz In The Hall, The Pharcyde, and headliner A Tribe Called Quest. The New Regime received equal billing with the likes of Nas, Raekwon, Ghostface, and Philly ingenue, Santogold. But, it was De La Soul that had me turning cartwheels. In the three days leading up to Rock the Bells, I practically danced all the way to work with the best of "3 Feet High and Rising" blasting through my headphones. De La, you see, represents much that is cyclical in this world - the youth and vigor of D.A.I.S.Y, the rampant, viral social dillusionment in "De La Soul is Dead," and the Walmart-friendly McRecord that was "The Grind Date." After months of sieving through tired Billboard chart toppers on the radio, I was antsy. Rabidly hungry, in fact, to sink my teeth into some good music.

On Saturday afternoon, The Israeli Princess and I pulled up to a veritable explosion of politically high-minded rhymes. By the time we scrambled onto Bayfront Park's grassy knoll, M-1 and stic.man had launched into "It's Bigger Than Hip Hop." Saying that the crowd was pumped would have been a gross understatement. Even the Heineken beer guy had spontaneously hiked his shirt up to waist-level, and was chanting along with the crowd, "One thing about music, when it's real they get scared/Got us slavin' for welfare/Ain't got no food, clothes, or healthcare."

Indeed. All around me, young city hipsters with asymmetrical bangs were looking bored and sardonic, while the South Dade contingent thronged the grounds with easy grins and warm beers. I blinked. Were those....J Crew couples, with starched cotton shirts and khakis, bopping to "Till We Get There?" Check. And was that an overweight goth kid with nose-to-navel piercings, ala Wichita, Kansas, sharing a j with a Mr. T lookalike? Check. The crowd was clearly as diverse as one could get, and yet, the common denominator at this show turned out to be neon Converse high-tops. Everyone was rocking them. I looked at my feet, then over at The Israeli Princess'. Flip flops. Ruining Presidential elections and street cred since 2004.

Next up was Brooklyn hip hop impresario, Mos Def. He took the stage to thunderous applause, wasting no time in informing the crowd that "Corporate forces is runnin' this rap ***/Old white men is runnin' this rap ***/Viacom is runnin' this rap ***/Mos Def is runnin' this rap ***." And run the rap *** he did. The former Black Star frontman launched into his sleeper hit, "Brooklyn." The rhymes were the same - a trip down memory lane, the recollection of Izod shirts and his childhood in Bed-Stuy. But gone was the steely, sometimes hard-edged inflection in his voice. Mos Def seems to have embraced his status as one of the Founding Fathers of Hip Hop, and as a result, has emerged as a seasoned performer who is finally comfortable in his own skin. Nearly ten years later "New World Water" was just as fresh as I remember it. The quirky, tinkling riffs actually sounded better than when "Black On Both Sides" hit record stores in '99. To my right, the girl with the long pink dreads sighed, closed her eyes and leaned back on her beach towel, soaking it all in. It made me think of a conversation that I had with my nine year old nephew.

"Mos Def? Who's that?"

"Only one of the most gifted hip hop artists, ever."

"I don't know him. He must be old. I like T Pain."

I watched the 16 olds around me dance barefoot, toes curling in the grass, while Mos Def ripped on contemporary rappers "moving fast, but thinking slow" in "Close Edge." Mos Def may be old, but that cat gets better with age. Take that, T Pain.

The high point of my day arrived when De La Soul took the stage. They opened with "Rock Co. Cane Flow", the wryly sardonic ditty about a hip hop act that achieves and super-stardom, only to be dogged by "news vans" and the folly of "lights, camera, action", until it's "too old to rhyme, too bad, too late." For anyone else who wasn't there to witness the magic, De La Soul was anything but too old, or too late. Alongside Ghostface, they killed with "He Comes" and "Shopping Bags (She Got From You)." Next to the frozen lemonade stand, a two year old girl was firmly esconced in a spirited pop and lock showdown with her father, while Black Sheep belted out the immortal lyrics that everyone born before 1980 knows:

"Engine engine number 9/On the NY Transit Line/If my train goes off the track/Pick it up/Pick it up/Pick it up!"

Watching them, I realized that this was how the gift of good music gets passed down, from generation to generation. Not through slick marketing campaigns, or viral Youtube videos. Not through celebrity endorsements, or the latest focus groups. Not even through us. Good music lives on through two year old kids, who, on a hot Saturday afternoons, decide to kick off their sandals, let the breeze run through their hair, and dance unashamedly to That One Great Song. And in the summer of 1989, wasn't life a lot simpler?

"You can get with this/Or you can get with that."

See, kids? This is the infallibility of good music - it actually makes sense.

Getting ready to breathe some Oxegen

Yvonne Gordon — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:20:00 GMT

The full stage line-up for Oxegen 2008 has been revealed and the festival, which takes place from 11th to 13th July 2008 at Punchestown Racecourse, Naas, Co Kildare (Ireland) is shaping up to be a fab weekend.

Festival goers at Friday’s Oxegen can see performances from the queens of urban-pop, Sugababes as well as Scottish singer songwriter Amy Macdonald. They can also check out the fresh new talents of Friendly Fires, Noah & the Whale and Liam Finn.

Saturday’s Oxegen will feature the spiky Indie-Pop of The Wombats, Joe Lean and The Jing Jang Jong, hotly tipped to be among the best new bands of the year, as well as a performance by cult heroes The Brian Jonestown Massacre.

New additions to Sunday’s bill include Brooklyn rockers The Hold Steady, who’ll be appearing at Oxegen the day before the release of their new album Stay Positive. Reggae superstar Eddy Grant and Ireland’s own Republic Of Loose will also be entertaining the Punchestown crowds.

The full OXEGEN line-up

Friday 11^th July

Main Stage: Kings of Leon, Interpol, Editors, Paddy Casey, The Coronas and Amy Macdonald.

TheStage: Groove Armada, The Go! Team, Ben Folds, dEUS, Sugababes and Future Kings of Spain.

Green Room: Bell X1, Mundy, Aslan, The Saw Doctors and Captain.

Pet Sounds: Cat Power, Aphex Twin, Tricky, Battles and God Is An Astronaut.

New Band Stage/Futures: White Denim, Friendly Fires, The Metros, Noah & The Whale, Sparkadia, Bryn Christopher, Liam Finn and Leopold.

Dance Stage: Calvin Harris, Unkle, Annie Mac, MSTRKRFT, Koze, Kosheen, Sneaky Sound System and Burns.

Saturday 12^th July

Main Stage: The Verve, REM., Stereophonics, Amy Winehouse, Counting Crows, Newton Faulkner, Scouting For Girls and Bowling For Soup.

TheStage: The Prodigy, The Zutons, Feeder, Panic at the Disco, The Enemy, The Hoosiers, The Wombats, Powderfinger, One Night Only and Little Man Tate.

Green Room: Manic Street Preachers, The Charlatans, Pendulum, Echo and the Bunnymen, Vampire Weekend, British Sea Power, The Ting Tings, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Delays and Concerto For Constantine.

Pet Sounds: The National, Hot Chip, Richard Hawley, Seasick Steve, Declan O’Rourke, Paul Heaton, My Morning Jacket, Camille O’Sullivan and Jack McManus.

New Band Stage/Futures: Elliot Minor, Royworld, Joe Lean and The Jing Jang Jong, Black Kids, Alphabeat, Ida Maria, Yeasayer, Holy ***, Mindless Self Indulgence, Cage The Elephant and Sergeant.

Dance Tent: Justice, Boys Noize, Slam, Michael Mayer, Streetlife DJs , Kavinsky, The Japanese Popstars and Chemistry DJ's.

Sunday 13^th July

Main Stage: Rage Against The Machine, Kaiser Chiefs, The Fratellis, The Kooks, The Blizzards, The Feeling and Eddy Grant.

TheStage: Chemical Brothers, The Raconteurs, Republic Of Loose, Kate Nash, The Pigeon Detectives, We Are Scientists, The Courteeners and The Subways.

Green Room: Ian Brown, The Pogues, Tom Baxter, Reverend and the Makers, Jack Penate, Alabama 3, The Stranglers, The Hold Steady and The Whigs.

Pet Sounds: The Swell Season featuring Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová, Roisin Murphy, Band of Horses, MGMT, Delorentos, Lightspeed Champion, David Jordan and Ryan Bingham.

New Band Stage/Futures: Los Campesinos!, Cajun Dance Party, Flogging Molly, Fight Like Apes, Glasvegas, The Script, Twisted Wheel, In Case Of Fire, Jaguar Love and White Lies.

Dance Tent: David Guetta, Luciano, Mylo, Kaz James, Carl Craig, Crookers, Radioslave, Does It Offend You Yeah? and Quiet Village.

Stay tuned

For all the latest Oxegen news including line-up up-dates, camping, travel, age restrictions and parking information, see www.oxegen.ie

Stay tuned to www.MelodyTrip.com for further Oxegen updates and live blogs from the festival

Finally, if you want to see it all again, MTV UK & Ireland will be filming at the festival and coverage will premiere with the OXEGEN Festival Weekend on 2nd and 3rd August with over 50 hours of programming across MTV’s channels.

Yvonne Gordon is a Melody trip writer. view her news from Glastonbury 2007 at http://www.melodytrip.com/Community/blogs/yvonne_gordon/archive/2007/06/26/glastonbury-2007-hailed-a-success-despite-rain-and-mud.aspx

Jazz Takes Over Toronto!

StudioB — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:19:00 GMT

Jazz Takes Over Toronto! +++++++Starting today! (June 20) this ever-growing 11 day festival swamps 49 venues with sounds sweet and blue. (Oh oh, wait a second. I see from my schedule that Al Green played last night! Damn!! Where was I?! Now I’ll never be saved!). Also, this year it seems that they’ve added a bonus concert after the end of the festival proper with Dave Brubeck (July 2). ++++++++Lots of interesting main-stage choices this year – interesting in that many of these high profile performers are not regarded as being strictly jazz. With the likes of soul-man Al Green, the gospel of the Blind Boys of Alabama, the Nawlins boogie of Dr. John, and world music artist Salif Keita, the T.O.Fest is on top of the current trend of festivals to be more inclusive. ++++++Maceo Parker was my favorite performer of two fests ago, and trust me when I say that his band grooves hard! Tonight he will be burning up The Sound Academy, a cool venue by the waters of our Great Lake (just don’t swim in it). +++++++++++++Tough choices must be made though. Also playing tonight is the gravel-and-honey voiced Dr. John. He’s at the main-stage, and I’ve got to figure out how to be in two places at once. Enjoy! http://www.tojazz.com/Pages/Toronto_Downtown_Jazz_Festival_pgM29.asp And check out Maceo! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABLwmYI09Lw&feature=related

To Be Specific. . .

Hallie — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:11:00 GMT

The campground gates opened at noon on Wednesday and by Thursday morning the farm was packed for the night’s unofficial opening. What Made Milwaukee Famous, Newton Faulkner, Back Door Slam and Grand Ole Party were among the small group of artists filling the tent stages (the two largest stages, “What” and “Which” not opening until Friday,) with newcomers Vampire Weekend and Dark Star Orchestra both putting on excellent shows and attracting the largest crowds. When Dark Star’s set of carefully selected and brilliantly reincarnated Grateful Dead tunes wrapped up with “Tennessee Jed” the swell of excitement from the packed and overflowing tent made it pretty clear we were all about to have an excellent weekend.

Friday’s festivities began with the Drive-By Truckers opening up the “Which Stage” just after noon. Stephen Marley filled the largest “What Stage” right next door and the surrounding tents boasted smaller names but just as much crowd enthusiasm. I caught both Jose Gonzalez and indie rock goddesses (so named by me after witnessing their obsessively adoring fans sing EVERY word to EVERY song the twins played) Tegan and Sara before heading over to the main stage for the Raconteurs, by far one of my favorite sets of Bonnaroo. I’ve always been a fan of the White Stripes and loved their show at last year’s festival but as I watched Jack White strut around that giant stage, flinging his leather jacket to the side with his carefully sculpted hair style slowly disintegrating in the Tennessee summer heat I completely fell in love with the Raconteurs. And I don’t even know what the hell a raconteur is. White alternated yelling, whispering, spitting then giggling out the lyrics to “Keep it Clean” (also known around the internet as “The Coca-Cola song”) with magnetic gusto and personality.

Other notables of the day were Rilo Kiley, Willie Nelson, M.I.A., The Swell Season and The Bluegrass Allstars (ft. Luke Bulla, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer & Bryan Sutton,) all pretty indicative of the festival’s hugely wide range of tunes simultaneously blasting into the fields. Just before Metallica took to the main stage Chris Rock cracked up what appeared to be every single person currently on our side of the Mississippi River. My pals and I settled for listening to the comic from a spot approximately 137 miles away, as getting any closer was a complete impossibility. This was probably due in part to Metallica following Rock by only 15 minutes prompting people to line up for the show hours in advance.

Wrapping it up with WP

Hallie — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:40:00 GMT

Bonnaroo’s seventh run came to a close last night with Widespread Panic’s three-hour set. With some decidedly not-so-jam-bandy artists filling the festival’s big-ticket spots (Metallica on the massive “What Stage” at 9 on Friday night and Pearl Jam in the same location on Saturday, both closing down all but one of the festival’s more than a dozen other venues) and with Kanye West’s show causing a bit of an upset (the show kicking off after 4 in the morning instead of at 8:15 as originally scheduled,) a hearty dose of John Bell (WP’s lead guitarist and vocalist) was just what the doctor ordered.

I came into this year’s festival excited about such a wide range of artists but after talking with some other attendees it began to look like inviting artists from across the board may have been a misstep for the festival organizers, and the concert’s 80,000 available tickets didn’t all get sold. But while we may have been able to pack a few more folks onto the farm, this year’s attendance was nothing to sneeze at and thousands of people braved the dust and the gas prices to trek to middle Tennessee.

Revving up for the 'roo

Hallie — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 22:09:00 GMT

It’s that time of year again- grab a granola bar, pack your cooler and SPF your bandana –clad forehead - we’re going to Bonnaroo. The line up for the seventh-annual music festival (held on a more than 700 acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee) is as diverse as ever and covers such a wide range of tunes that even the choosiest music fans can find something to flail to. Melodytrip coverage of the glorified field party will be coming to you from a local gal and Bonnaroo veteran, guaranteeing you insider scoop as well as a healthy helping of pithy redneck jokes (I’m allowed to make fun of my own people. Anyone from above the Mason-Dixon Line will kindly keep his or her Yankee mouth shut. Just kidding. Not really.)

This year’s headliners include Pearl Jam and Metallica, two festival first-timers, and also features Bonnaroo basics such as Jack Johnson, Alison Krauss, My Morning Jacket and the festival’s very first headliner, Widespread Panic. Check out the full list of artists as well as info about other attractions at the official (and staggeringly detailed) website, http://www.bonnaroo.com/.

Get stoked.

CMA Music Festival Nashville Huge Success

Dana G — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:44:00 GMT

2008 CMA Music Festival attendance and presales for next year exceed expectations and break records

With daily attendance running about 52,000 a day (4,000+ above last year) over the four-day festival, Nashville couldn’t be more pleased with this year’s turnout – Proving once again there isn’t much that can stop an avid country fan from participating in this event every year. Not even the ridiculous gas prices and record-breaking heat seemed to phase the fans. As if that wasn’t proof enough of country music fans’ loyalty - presales for 2009 have already exceeded past years’ sales.

"I believe that speaks to the strength of the event, the popularity of our artists, the dedication of our fans, and the entertainment value of the festival," says CMA Chief Executive Officer Tammy Genovese. "You know you are giving the fans what they want when they put down their hard-earned money for an event and we haven't even announced who will be performing.”

The annual festival’s reputation for a strong roster, action-packed activities and surprise guests keeps the fans coming back year after year. Whether it’s Jessica Simpson popping up at several festival functions or Keith Urban leaping from the stage, sprinting into the stands and autographing his guitar for a stunned fan – CMA Music Festival has something to delight virtually everyone – And when I say everyone – I mean everyone from everywhere. The appeal of this festival attracted attendees from every state and 28 foreign countries including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Latvia, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom (which includes England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). Proof positive once again that the up-close-and-personal format of this highly successful festival strikes a universal chord.

Even the media came out in record numbers. More than 750 journalists from over 200 domestic and international media outlets were credentialed for the 2008 CMA Music Festival.

Visiting fans and locals alike came in droves to make some memories - in a quest for some once-in-a-lifetime experiences…and the festival delivered…as always.

As members of the media, we tend to be so intent on getting every juicy tidbit that we often forget to enjoy ourselves. This is one of the few events I have covered that afforded me opportunities to indulge myself – An event that I can honestly say is a once-in-a-lifetime experience – every year.

2008 CMA Music Festival Nashville - Countdown to Finale

Dana G — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 16:23:00 GMT

Fans and locals alike show no signs of slowing down on Day Three of the “CMAfest ”

On another 90+ degree day in Music City, the enduring enthusiasm of attendees of the CMA Music Festival is impressive. It’s like there’s a statue somewhere – hypnotizing the streets “…give me your tired…your sun-burned…your hungry…your huddled masses…yearning to have their pictures taken with the stars…”

Seriously, these fans are so resilient and tireless – they make even the most seasoned news reporter look like a wimp. Ok – I’m talking about myself – but I’m telling you – I’m seeing mirages of swimming pools and snow-capped mountains by mid-afternoon!

Perhaps it’s the reward of procuring the autograph of their favorite star – or the allure of the prized picture posing with Alan Jackson (who did indeed making a two-hour showing after a 10-year absence from the annual festivities). Jackson signed autographs and posed with fans in the truTV section of the Convention Center on Friday. Whatever the appeal, it’s powerful and tangible here on the streets of Nashville.

A picture-perfect example of just such fans are Mike and Theresa Mancuso. They hail all the way from Salt Lake City, UT. While Mike jumped at the chance to blame the trip on his wife, the smile on his face was a dead giveaway that he didn’t regret having made the trip. When asked what the highlight of the trip had been (so far), Theresa gushed - “Meeting James Otto! He’s my favorite!”

For the record - my favorite thing at the festival is the misting tent!!! My least favorite thing? When they make me move and let other people have a turn.

In my travels thus far around the festival, I can honestly say that I have yet to encounter a fan who will complain about one tiny thing with regard to their cmafest experience (even when I prompt them to!). When asked how they are faring in the heat – I get responses like “Yeah, it’s hot – but I saw John Rich today! …and…I talked to Kix Brooks…he’s so nice!”

I would be remiss not to give credit to the Artists, too. It’s one thing to show up and put on your best “this-is-my-rehearsed-smile-for-the-camera” face for a couple of hours and retreat to your air-conditioned bus or “camp” – but they go out of their way to make each fan feel like their new found friend (even if it is only for a minute or two). Country music is a force and genre to be reckoned with. These performers know how to make people feel at home – and it really shows.

Young newcomer Taylor Swift was still signing autographs and taking pictures with fans (after a record-breaking 7+ hours) on Friday. She told her dad she wasn’t going to quit (signing) until every fan that waited in line got their autograph. Now – granted – she’s a teenager and a newcomer not yet jaded by the industry, but this isn’t the first of her gestures to keep her fans hooked. Taylor personally talks to fans online – regularly. Whether it’s innate business savvy on Taylor’s part - or just a genuine appreciation of the fans’ adoration (or both), her fan base is climbing steadily.

Well, I think I have sufficiently sucked up to Nashville, the fans and the artists for now (I’m pretty sure you are on to me anyway) – Yes, I’m trying to kill time until the press conference at LP Field just before the big concert tonight – when the sun will be setting and the temps will be wa-a-a-y down to…oh, 85 degrees?

For the latest info on tonight’s LP Field Concert, other activities, tickets and around-town-events during the festival - here are some great sites:

www.cmaworld.com

www.cmafest.com

www.cmt.com

www.nashvilledowntown.com

NXNE Toronto June 12 – 15

StudioB — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:31:00 GMT

North By Northeast takes over Toronto next weekend! With 500 bands playing 40 venues you’d be hard pressed to find a better pub crawl. +++++++++Twenty-nine Canadian dollars (that’s what, like fifty bucks US right?) gets you into EVERTHING. The thing that I like about NXNE is that all the conferences, films, and industry type events are apparently all included in the one wrist-band price. This is unique to NXNE. Other festivals have graduated pricing, sometimes well into the hundreds of dollars, that can be cost prohibitive should one like to attend a conference for example. (I won’t name names – you know who you are). +++++++++++++++++I’m just now mapping out my itinerary and will mention who I think might be worth seeing in the next blog. ++++++++The web-site has full details: http://www.nxne.com/ ++++++++++++Enjoy!

2008 Chicago Blues Festival-Friday, June 6

msleah — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 04:11:00 GMT

11:30 in the morning is the best possible time to arrive at the blues festival--not only did the temperature hover at a manageable seventy degrees, but the grounds were almost empty. I was able to stroll up to the stages without impediment. Seating was not a problem, and I could dance with the reckless velocity of a whirling dervish without smacking into anyone. Not many people were doing this so early in the day. The crowd smiled and nodded sleepily at the Keith Frank and Soileau Zydeco Band when...(read more)

2008 Chicago Blues Festival-Thursday, June 5

msleah — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 23:15:00 GMT

The first day of the blues festival is always filled with the same sort of anticipation that accompanies Christmas morning. There was a brief but dramatic thunderstorm on Wednesday night, and the Thursday morning sky was gray and creepy, filled with ominous clouds. When I arrived at the festival, drenched with sweat, the thermometer was almost at ninety degrees. The crowd was enthusiastic, but strangely listless. The unbearable humidity caused me to collapse in front of the Front Porch Stage, where...(read more)

MGMT “Find Some Models for Wives” @ Billabong’s Design For Humanity [LA 06/04/08]

Sutton — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 22:43:00 GMT

A sold out Avalon Hollywood was filled with about 1500 surf fashion people for the 2nd Annual Design for Humanity Wednesday night. It was as swanky as surf industry stuff gets (I’m assuming with the red carpet and all). A former Billabong person, Kati, was nice enough to bring me along. We’re borderline MGMT groupies at this point.

The drinks were flowing, some sweet art was displaying, DJ Steve Aoki was spinning, and it was all supporting the Surfrider Foundation. And the runway show was nice.

Walking up to the stage was way too easy. I had planned on hanging back but this opening was hard to pass up. When the band started sound checking from behind the curtain, people finally took the cue and everything got a little more
normal.

“Weekend Wars”, lead into the familiar set that was seen at Coachella. The one that makes you earn it. See on casual listen, Oracular Spectacular is incredibly front-loaded with pop songs and then goes into a more rolling, psychedelic production. When performed the order is basically reversed, going through the second half of the album, first. In other words, they save “Electric Feel”, “Time To Pretend”, and “Kids” to the very end. Might I suggest picking one of those three to open, just to get the crowd into it? But their system still works as the crowd is rewarded for waiting every time. And I’ll add that the opening songs are not duds, they’re just not as fun. “Pieces of What”, “4th Dimensional Transition”, and “The Handshake” have all gotten better live. If their next album sounds more like these instead of chasing another anthem, I might actually dig it more.

I hardly looked up from my dancing at Coachella, so this time around I was the guy standing completely still with a camera. My videos reflect this:

"Electric Feel"

and also "Time To Pretend"

For the “Kids” finale, dreamboat Andrew VanWynGarden changed from his Kurt Cobain dress to a George Clinton poncho. A bit out of his past shy character, he grabbed drinks from the crowd among other objects (glasses, bras).

Security didn’t stop people from getting up there. Two dudes actually stage dived, one failing miserably, and the other faring better (way to go Action Jackson!).

I could say much more about MGMT. Their rise to fame shows that, yes, bands are gaining popularity through different avenues these days, but, major labels still make this all happen much faster. In less than a year, they can go from “new band watch in 2008” to a massively embraced hit record, to a “guilty pleasure.” Forgive me for romanticizing when I talk about these guys, but there is something to them that’s so likable (and inevitably unlikable). And I refuse to succumb to a backlash. They have a couple of exceptional songs that make you feel good. It helps that they have the right style, the right visuals, and the right looks to boot. They sing songs about pretending to be rock stars, which are quickly becoming self-fulfilling prophecies.

Rarely do the pics come out this decent, so here's more:

Oh right. The models...

Storm warnings cause nighttime shutdown at Wakarusa.

preetz — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 17:48:00 GMT

After an incredibly nice day at Wakarusa Douglas County came under a tornado watch. At about 7:30pm on Thursday the music stopped and staff began broadcasting warnings of tornadoes and high winds over megaphones in the major camping areas. The rest of the day's music was canceled and the Wakarusa staff certainly seemed to indicated that they wanted people to seek shelter. By the time we had broken down our tent and loaded the car we had noticed quite a few people headed out of the festival area. This update is a little late because, as expected, power was knocked out in my apartment less than an hour after we got back. Ultimately, it would have been pretty messy if we had continued camping. Hopefully all of those that left will return early today.

Be sure to check the photo album for a few Thursday pictures (Friday pictures soon).

Something For Everyone at 2008 CMA Music Festival

Dana G — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 17:22:00 GMT

The sea of bright orange bags seems to take on a life of its own – floating down the streets of Nashville in a quest for the ultimate fan experience

If you don’t recognize the diehard country music fan by the dangling camera and gleam in their eye, the bright orange “goodie” bag on their arm is a dead giveaway!

Despite the heat, gas prices and crowded conditions in downtown Nashville – loyal fans lined the streets and riverfront to take part in the annual “Fan-fest”.

Today was the first official day of the festival - which is already living up to its reputation as the ultimate fan experience. There’s truly something for everyone.

Country artist Luke Bryan gushed (genuinely) to the media after his performance on the daytime stage about the privilege of being asked to play the Riverfront and the LP Field (as the LP Field evening shows are generally reserved for the big guns). “It’s the highlight of performing – To play in front of the fans”, Bryan said.

Trisha Yearwood appeared this morning at The Country Music Hall of Fame. Tricia’s camp handed out 200 tickets to fans starting at 9:00 a.m. - tickets that were gone in 10 minutes! The ticket granted them entrance to the autograph session for Yearwood’s new cookbook “Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen: Recipes from My Family to Yours” (that’s a mouthful).

And then there’s Mindy. After a five-year absence from the limelight – Well, let me rephrase that – After a five-year absence from the media – Well, let me rephrase that – After a five-year absence from the stage, Mindy McCready takes the concept that any press (even bad press) is good press - to a whole new level. She hit the riverfront stage wearing blue jeans and a casual peasant blouse, announcing with a giggle – “This next song is a song I wrote…well started to write…in jail. It’s called I’m Still Here”.

You gotta hand it to her…When the only press you get for four-plus years is for your tumultuous personal life and subsequent incarceration – and you can stand up in front of thousands of people and laugh at yourself…you’ve probably got staying power…The girl’s got guts.

Case in point…She just got press – again…I just wrote about her!

How do you follow that act? You bring in the big dogs! And bring they did. Have you ever heard of the DockDogs Competition? (originally started by ESPN a few years ago) I know! I hadn’t heard of it either – but when I found out it involved water…cold, refreshing water…I was tempted to race over to LP Field and join the dogs in the swimming/fetching competition! (You still have time to catch that act at LP Field – Starts daily at 11:00 a.m. www.dockdogs.com.)

It was about this time I made the decision to take a much needed break from the heat and head back to the Media Lounge (sounds so glamorous, doesn’t it?)…Okay – the truth is – I knew I was bordering on psychotic in a fleeting moment when the temptation to snatch a melting Sno Cone from a seemingly inattentive child almost overwhelmed me (she was wasting it…and I was hot!).

By 6:30 p.m. I was back on track (and, more importantly, had regained my sanity). LP Field on such a beautiful summer night was spectacular - The air still filled with the smell of funnel cakes and the excitement in the stadium palpable.

The stellar lineup delivered as promised. Jewel with her effortless style; Montgomery Gentry with their inimitable rough-n-tumble performance; Kelly Pickler stylishly bouncing around the stage in cropped denim pants and a canary yellow top.

The fireworks – the media buzzing around – the flashes from the Photo Pit – would all leave the party-goers with a magical feeling to carry with them out of the stadium.

Hard to believe there is still so much more to come over the next three days.

(Fortunately, I get to sleep an extra half an hour tomorrow – as I have already abandoned the fruitless effort of straightening my hair. Humidity and curly hair – fun stuff!)

For latest info on appearing artists, show schedules, tickets and around-town-events during the festival, here are some great sites:

www.cmaworld.com

www.cmafest.com

www.cmt.com

www.nashvilledowntown.com

Spinning Cartwheels at Suoni's Outset: Incarnating Bliss per il Popolo

ah-tran — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 01:55:00 GMT

I've already fallen behind the ball on this month-long celebration that has aurally-inclined Montrealers doing cartwheels for an entire moon-cycle. June comes and stalks us once again, and thanks to the fine folks who run the Suoni per il Popolo festival, it is a true test of endurance to keep a person's set of ears up to date on all of the wonderful sounds that hit the stages of la Sala Rossa and Casa del Popolo over the festival's run of 30 days.

On Sunday, the first day to roll around, I scrambled up to Sala Rossa and sat in the warmth spread by the deep-red walls. Shalabi Effect were setting up, and the quartet's piles of aural toys cluttered the stage. Sam Shalabi, himself, sat tucked in a corner, up-stage-left, entirely obscured by the upright bass of Alexandre St. Onge; from here, the Montreal band's namesake maintained a quiet control and mystery.

Their songs, winding and elegant, wove pulsing basslines and homemade and traditional Indian percussion with fuzz-soaked slabs of endless guitar lines, electronic voice manipulations, oud drones, and jelly-roll slide-guitar into dreamscapes. Shortly the room was hypnotized, half a dozen folks lying on their backs to try to hold-dear the meditative electricity that Shalabi Effect washed over them. The group landed several sharp psychedelic stabs to remind those who weren't bent over in bliss that their lush sounds were a layered and living scape.

Excepter shortly climbed to the stage, slowly building a glowing electronic hum: the chanting of an invisible mechanical beast. Usually incarnated by six operators, this mechanical beast clamboured to its feet, which helped to shake the remainder of dream-sleep from the audience's ears; this night, only four were required to bring the beast to life. Of Excepter's sound operators, one lovely lady in robes slunk to the stage wearing layers of masks wrapped around her head, which she shed as she ploughed into command of a digital drum-panel. This became the beast's footsteps; it was steered by a laptop from the rear and drove in time, rather than space.

Behind glasses whose frames were disco beats, one of Excepter's operators built a heartbeat by pounding together rods of dark-matter that the beast perhaps stole from another star. The beast shifted and swayed, tugged by a shimmering synthesizer rope; its movements stumbled and struggled in the darkness of a foreign solar system. Truly the beast of Excepter's sound exists in outer-space, sometimes, its skin decorated with glistening kisses from solar flares and cloaked in the rumbling clutter of space dust. The audience reached and stretched their arms, hoping to hold Excepter's mechanical sound beast, but as their fingers groped closer and closer, some grabbing on to the beast's fingers, Excepter's journey slowed to a roll before planting its feet sturdily. Heads spinning, it took the audience some time to comprehend the quest they had just attempted to follow.

Expect to hear much more, here, about Suoni per il Popolo, for this festival still offers more than fifty concerts over the course of the next several weeks. Right this moment, I'm training my ears, in hopes that they will be able to handle the excitement that this festival offers.

If you happen to be in the Montreal area, or are in any way capable of making it this way, key your way to http://www.casadelpopolo.com/suoni/about.htm to find a full festival schedule, images of some of the delightful silkscreened posters for some of the shows, and many sorts of wonderful and helpful informations.

SPACE is the Place--Chicago Blues Festival Pre-Concert

msleah — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 04:45:00 GMT

Chicago is a town that can't get enough of the blues, and the annual blues festival kicks the typical Chicagoan's passion for the genre into overdrive. By the time the second week of June rolls around, we're impatient for the chance to sit in the sun, sipping ridiculously overpriced cups of warm beer and screaming at the top of our lungs. Several local venues feature previews for those people, like myself, who have trouble waiting until Thursday to get their annual blues transfusion....(read more)

2008 CMA Music Festival Kicks Off Nashville Style

Dana G — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 03:27:00 GMT

Kicking off the four-day festival on Thursday, June 5 at 10 a.m. will be Phil Vassar and Jo Dee Messina at the Greased Lightning Riverfront Stage. Over 100 Artists are set to grace the various stages over the next four days...

Few things excite Nashvillians as much as football and hockey season, but the CMA Music Festival is certainly a contender! While the anticipation of 145,000+ visiting attendees and the corresponding boost to the area’s economy would be reason enough for any town to rejoice - Nashville is such a close-knit community that even the locals share in the tourists’ enthusiasm for the experience. LP Field, Riverfront Daytime Stages and Downtown Nashville will be buzzing with tourists and Nashville natives over the course of the festival.

The official festival starts Thursday, June 5 and continues through Sunday, June 8 - but the fun and activities have already begun. For example, Wednesday, June 4 – Marty Stuart headlines his “Late Night Jam” at the historic Ryman Auditorium (an intimate venue with fabulous acoustics!) This is Marty’s seventh year of participating in this event to benefit MusicCares. Separate tickets can be purchased at www.ryman.com.

Probably the coolest thing about this festival is the concept that the artists are paying homage to the fans! The artists are actually the fans for a day! (technically, four days) Part of the great appeal of country music is that country artists take pride in making themselves (as much as possible) pretty accessible to their adoring public. No other genre of music has ever been able to accomplish this “up close and personal” type environment - mostly due to security issues.

If you are a country music fan, you owe it to yourself to attend the CMA Music Festival (formerly known as Fan Fair) at least once. When I first came to Nashville in the 90’s, “Fan Fair” was held at the fairgrounds. I was lucky enough to have a friend in the music industry who slapped an “all access” pass on my thigh (cuz that was cooler than wearing it on traditional parts of the body) – and off we went. She had a laminate that definitely looked much more official, but I didn’t care – I was going to Fan Fair and I was privileged! At the time, I was an aspiring writer/singer and was tingling with excitement over the possibility of rubbing elbows with the stars.

What I discovered was - it really didn’t seem to matter much that I had an “all access” pass. The general public was pretty much treated with the same royalty factor that my friend and I were. I remember feeling a little cheated - until I had time to absorb the concept. Being from California, I wasn’t used to the hospitality factor Nashville so graciously offered. I finally understood why country music fans were so loyal to their fav artists. Mutual loyalty. What a great concept.

The point is – this is your chance as a fan to see tons of your favorite famous (as well as budding) country artists up close and personal. To experience the warmth and generosity this unique little-big-city has to offer.

It’s no wonder people travel from all ends of the planet to come to this event every year. Four days of a “fanfest”. Four days of autograph-gathering, picture-taking and hours of great music. Does it get better than that? Not for the country music fan!

The festival lineups change almost daily as “surprise guests” are added. Artists that we never knew were country music lovers – like Jewel – will be appearing at this year’s CMA Music Festival. Who knew she’s been writing country songs since she was 16? Now that she has clout in the music industry, she’s recording country music. Let’s face it – Country is pretty cool these days.

For the latest info on appearing artists, show schedules, tickets and around-town-events during the festival, here are some great sites:

www.cmaworld.com

www.cmafest.com

www.cmt.com

www.nashvilledowntown.com

At last count - tickets were limited, but still available! Grab your ticket(s), fanny-pack, camera and autograph book and head out to nirvana-for-the-country-music-fan! See ya there! (I’ll be the one with the cool press laminate!)