This may be one of the most eclectic line-ups to ever grace the stage at O'Brien's.
First up is Crewshall. Self-described as: "Boston's hottest new band playing reggae, hip-hop, and latin riddims," they'll be taking the stage tonight at 9:30. At 10:30, is Bella's Bartok, a 10-piece intensely energetic band, they blend eastern European folk influences with gypsy punk. Headlining the show at 11:30 is 28 Degrees Taurus, the ambient psych-rock band known for their unique asian-folk melodies on guitar, chilling vocals, and their love of jagermeister.
So, if you find yourself in the mood for hip hop riddims, gypsy rock, and psychedelia, or for a night of energetic fun, get yourself over to O'briens.
Lemon Merchant Records and director Chris March are pleased to announce the release of Aloud’s crazy new animated music video for ‘Exile In The Night’, the second single from Aloud’s new CD ‘Exile’ (out now on Lemon Merchant Records).
"This video is completely different than anything we've done before." says Chris March, director and animator of the music video. "It's a story of friendship, murder, revenge... and murder." Check it out above!
The second leg of Aloud’s massive ‘Exile National Tour’, in support of the new CD, kicks off Saturday, February 19th. This leg features an additional 30+ performances throughout the US, including stops in Philadelphia, Chicago, Denver, Boise, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Austin (SXSW), New Orleans, Chapel Hill, and more. The full list of tour dates is as follows:
Wed. 2/23/11 - Off Broadway, St. Louis, MO
Thur. 2/24/11 - Lindberg’s, Springfield, MO
Fri. 2/25/11 - Coffee Rules, Hays, KS
Sat. 2/26/11 - Lion’s Lair, Denver, CO
Mon. 2/28/11 - Bar Deluxe, Salt Lake City, UT
Tue. 3/1/11 - Liquid Lounge, Boise, ID
Wed. 3/2/11 - Studio on 4th, Reno, NV
Thur. 3/3/11 - El Rio, San Francisco, CA
Fri. 3/4/11 - Clancy’s, Long Beach, CA
Sat. 3/5/11 – TBA, Los Angeles, CA
Sun. 3/6/11 - Jose’s Underground Lounge, Monterey, CA
Tue. 3/22/11 - The Howlin’ Wolf Den, New Orleans, LA
Thur. 3/24/11 – TBA, Little Rock, AR
Fri. 3/25/11 – TBA, Nashville, TN
Sat. 3/26/11 – TBA, Knoxville, TN
Have you heard Cooling Towers? No? Well, neither had I until recently, but hey thats what makes finding a cool band, cool. "Bodies" is a clever tune worth checking out.
Adam Bouchard, lead vocalist of Cooling Towers, says that the band's influences are Ian Brown (former lead singer of the seminal English alt-rock band The Stone Roses), Gavin Friday (Virgin Prunes), Sultans of Ping, and Babybird. "Beauty Pill, too," says Bouchard. "I love the band Beauty Pill."
Cooling Towers next show is Saturday, February 26 at Union Station in Northampton.
Dropkick Murphysare counting down to the release of their highly anticipated new album with “13 Days of Going Out in Style.” Beginning February 16, the band will unveil exclusive video content on their Facebook page every day until the release of their forthcoming 13-song set, "Going Out In Style" on March 1. Simultaneously, the band will launch a contest on Twitter that will offer fans the chance to win an iPad 2 loaded with Dropkick Murphys content.
Dropkick Murphyshave recorded 13 video clips in correlation with each song on their upcoming album, featuring the band discussing a range of topics, from the inspiration behind the songs to stories from the studio and more. The videos will be posted to the band’s Facebook page, and fans can unlock the content by hitting the “Like” button under each video every day.
Furthermore, fans will have the opportunity to win an iPad 2 by helping Dropkick Murphys spread the word about "Going Out In Style" through Twitter. The contest requires participants to check the band’s Twitter page every day of “13 Days of Going Out In Style” and either tweet or retweet the band’s post about the new album and preorder link. One fan will be chosen to win a brand new iPad 2 filled with exclusive Dropkick Murphys content. "Going Out In Style" is the seventh full-length studio album from the band. Due March 1 on their own Born & Bred Records (ILG), the album continues to display the group’s signature blend of punk rock energy, folk soul, Irish spirit and American rock n’ roll, and including a rousing rendition of the classic “Peg O’ My Heart” that features guest vocals by Bruce Springsteen. The album is now available to preorder digitally at iTunes, and physically through the band’s website.
Mean Creek's brand new EP titled Hemophiliac is currently available via their bandcamp for a free download. The EP was produced by John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, The Hold Steady, etc) it is a free four-song digital-only offering from the band.
Next month, the band heads to Austin to perform at SXSW as part of the "Boston to Austin" showcase. They will be playing The 512 in Austin on Thursday, March 17.
Whistle Jacket hits the stage tonight at PA's lounge in Somerville. Often labeled as "quirky" we like this band's high-pitched nasaly vocals and whimsical indie rock style..they're definitely a good time and will make you want to dance!
Also on the bill are the indie folkrock band Young & Old, Fashion Snake and The Milkman's Union (from Portland, Maine). Lead singer Henry Jamison's lyrics are beautiful and along with his vocals and the music it all blends to create a dreamy-imagery, like Pavement only prettier.
If you're in the mood for local pop music, this show is a must-see.
P.A.'s Lounge, Union Sq., Somervile
8:30 pm --The Deli Staff
The sweet sound of ‘Lauralee’ wafts down a hospital hallway. The rooms are filled with sick and dying patients. A young man with an incredible range sings sweetly to a child who has a few weeks to live. This will be her first and last live concert. Perhaps this is a strange place to hear live music, but 22 year old singer/songwriter Seth Glier plays at AIDS clinics, Children’s and VA hospitals, through a program called Musicians on Call. He began this work while touring because he is ‘bringing music to people who need it the most.’
Currently touring to promote recently released “The Next Right Thing” in his Prius with his guitar player Ryan Hommel, Glier explains the two met at a blues bar when they were a mere 14 years old. Together they share a love of music with soul or ‘storytelling pop’ tunes. The two marked 250 shows in 2010, and this year should be even greater in numbers. Music videos for ‘Lauralee’ and ‘Walk Katie Home’ will be out in March.
The sweet sound of ‘Lauralee’ wafts down a hospital hallway. The rooms are filled with sick and dying patients. A young man with an incredible range sings sweetly to a child who has a few weeks to live. This will be her first and last live concert. Perhaps this is a strange place to hear live music, but 22 year old singer/songwriter Seth Glier plays at AIDS clinics, Children’s and VA hospitals, through a program called Musicians on Call. He began this work while touring because he is ‘bringing music to people who need it the most.’
Currently touring to promote recently released “The Next Right Thing” in his Prius with his guitar player Ryan Hommel, Glier explains the two met at a blues bar when they were a mere 14 years old. Together they share a love of music with soul or ‘storytelling pop’ tunes. The two marked 250 shows in 2010, and this year should be even greater in numbers. Music videos for ‘Lauralee’ and ‘Walk Katie Home’ will be out in March.
Glier’s love of music manifested itself when, suffering massive injuries in ice hockey, but still wanting to be a part of the team, he began to sing the National Anthem before games. He soon became the local celebrity singing at local and then National Hockey games. This was only the initial spark that lit his musical fire.
Writing his first song on 9/11, Glier implemented a ‘rap breakdown’ as he was listening to Linkin Park and Chumbawumba at the time. On his birthday, his Dad gave him Janet Jackson’s Velvet Rope and Joni Mitchell’s Blue, the latter of which changed his musical tastes forever. Soon after he realized he could sneak off during study hall in school to play the piano they had in the auditorium. Though his behavior got him expelled at one point, it didn’t keep him away from writing songs on the piano.
Performing his music is a way that Glier feels he is able to give to people. When he is off the road, his autistic brother influences him in a profound way. “When I’m at home, I get him up in the morning, make sure he’s showered, fed, medicated, and it’s funny, when you have a relationship like that with someone, words aren’t necessary. Your bond is unspoken. I feel that bond when I’m on stage too.”
Inspiration found his way into Glier’s life at the Berklee School of Music through musician/teacher Livingston Taylor (James Taylor’s brother). Though the two met on campus, they play gigs together and Glier insists that is where the real lessons occur. Taylor has taught him everything he knows about editing songs, performing live, and his relationship with the audience. Glier doesn’t subscribe to some of the taught philosophies, such as reading the stock market to gage the moods people will be in, but he appreciates all of the lessons received and incorporates them with his own style into his performances.
Berklee was “an overpriced paint by numbers” experience and he left there knowing ‘who [he] wasn’t”. Learning chords and doing things the ‘American Idol way’ wasn’t working for him. Glier was restless at college and the school of life was pulling him to become his own person ‘Berklee was like a fork or utensil while the meal was life.”
The buzz about Glier becoming ‘the next best thing’ in music doesn’t affect him in the slightest. When people come up to him after shows and say ‘someday we’ll say we knew you when…’ he tends to brush it off and wisely responds ‘or you could just know me now.” He claims that his amazing parents and intimate circle of friends wouldn’t allow him to become anyone more than just who he is now. “Everything I try to do is from the heart and not from the head”.
Seth Glier gives far more to people than just his musical talents. He believes in being happy with what he has and enjoys where he is at these days. Working constantly in order to get his music out into the world and sharing his joy and talents with others is what gives his music meaning.
Jordan Valentine & the Sunday Saints will have a weekly residency at The Rosebud in Davis Sq. every Thursday in March. Hailed as the "Etta James of the Boston underground," Valentine and her band lay down soulful, funky music. It's a modern take on 60's and 70's soul music that definitely will find you out of your seat moving and grooving!
The residency also marks the release of the band's 7" single on Cultures of Soul Records. There will be vinyl giveaways from the Cultures of Soul vaults too. Below is the complete list of dates and supporting bands:
It’s a sunny winter day in Harvard Square in Cambridge. The snow may still be piled fifteen feet high and covered with months of sand and salt but after a brutal January this 40 degree day feels like the first day of summer. I even consider taking my winter jacket off. The sun is shining. The snow is melting. It’s a great day for a show.
When I sit down in the early afternoon to talk with Burlington, Vermont-based singer-songwriter, Myra Flynn, this Super Bowl Sunday afternoon, Club Passim is nearly empty. We choose a table near the front and sit down to chat. I’m taken immediately by how focused and self-assured Myra is. She may be a passionate artist but she’s equally passionate about her life, her career and her musical community.
Talk of her early life moves quickly to Vermont, her love of Burlington and her on-again, off-again relationship with the city.
“I was born in Rockford, IL and we moved when I was 5 to Brookfield, VT which is literally in the middle of the woods. I kind of did the leave, come back, leave, come back thing and then came back and it stuck. I’m still there but I’m kind of getting the itch to move on. It’s been 5 years in Burlington and it’s been awesome. I love it there. It’s the coolest city in the world. It’s where I want to have my children someday. But I may be itching for a little bit more right now.”
