Friday, October 31, 2008

Led Zeppelin To Tour in 2009?

Several music blogs are reporting that the long awaited Led Zeppelin reunion, is in fact, set to happen, starting in May of 2009.

However, Robert Plant may/may not be a part of it. Rumor has it that the band has been rehearsing with both Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and Myles Kennedy of Alter Bridge.

The latest rumor is that, when Plant found out about a possible replacement for him, he just might be jumping onboard, to take back what is so rightfully his.

Rumor has it, that the whole Tyler/Kennedy thing, was a ploy to get Plant to do the tour. Plant was hoping to do another album with Alison Krauss, but who knows.

It's all just rumors and speculation at this point, so who knows what will happen.

If they really need a replacement, why don't they just hop on YouTube, like Foreigner, Journey and Yes did - (I should note, that I was being sarcastic in the previous line). Nothing is more pathetic than a band who has established their place in rock and roll, who searches for a new lead singer on YouTube.

All I can say is, if this tour does happen and Plant isn't there, neither am I.

Now that I think about it:

ROBERT PLANT CAN NEVER BE REPLACED. IF THIS ZEPPELIN TOUR DOES HAPPEN WITHOUT HIM, THERE IS ONLY ONE MAN WHO COULD FILL IN FOR ROBERT PLANT. THAT MAN IS WARREN HAYNES FROM GOV'T MULE AND THE ALLMAN BROTHERS. NOT STEVEN TYLER OR THE FRONTMAN FOR THE CREED SIDEPROJECT, ALTER BRIDGE.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Let the 2009 Bonnaroo Rumors Begin...

Okay...so it's not even November and already, rumors have taken flight, about who may play the mid-June music festival which draws nearly 100,000 people to a small town in Tennessee.

There are plenty of music festivals that take place during the summer concert season, so I'm hoping to make my third trip to the farm next summer.

There's a place on the internet, Inforoo, where the 'Roo addicts flock to, in the offseason (also known as the time of year that Bonnaroo isn't taking place, which would be 361 days out of the year).

The official artist lineup is usually released anywhere from the end of January, all the way up until mid-February, with artist additions usually lasting up until the end of May.

If you remember when I was putting together my coverage/guide for MidPoint, then I'll tell you that I'll most likely be doing a similar thing for Bonnaroo 2009. I'm a member on Inforoo, and for the past several years, I have followed the Bonnaroo rumors/confirmations year round, as information was leaked.

I even had some speculations of my own/a wishlist you could say, and for the past several years, I have guessed a few of the bands that ended up playing the festival. As a music lover who has studied all of the Bonnaroo lineups, it really doesn't seem to hard to guess some of (or the types of bands) that Bonnaroo books.

Anyways...rumors are starting to fly, and it's very possible that we have the first confirmed bands to play. Here's what's going on:

Bands "Apparently" Confirmed:
Red Hot Chili Peppers (oh god no...yuck!)

Spiritualized (yeah!!!)

Strong Rumors:
AC/DC

The Allman Brothers Band - they canceled last year due to Greg Allman's health, and a lot of people are speculating that they will be making up for that gig, in 2009

The Cure

The Dead

Phish

My wishlist/guesses/hopes
(I guarantee you right now, AT LEAST ONE of these bands will be playing Bonnaroo 2009):
Animal Collective
Arcade Fire
Backyard Tire Fire
Band of Horses
Bloc Party
Cafe Tacvba
Coldplay
Conor Oberst
Dave Matthews Band
David Byrne
Does It Offend You, Yeah?
Explosions in the Sky
Fleet Foxes
Ha Ha Tonka
Heartless Bastards
Holy F*ck
Islands
Justice
The Mars Volta
M. Ward
Neil Young
Okkervil River
Old 97's
The Polyphonic Spree
Radiohead
Roger Waters
Saul Williams
The Shins
Spank Rock

Next Week of Events

Fri. Oct. 31
1. The Hiders, The Cincinnati Suds, Ugly Stick - Northside Tavern

Sat. Nov. 1
1. 500 Miles to Memphis - Vinyl Release Party for Sunshine In A Shotglass - 20th Century Theatre - 8 pm - Free

2. Frontier Folk Nebraska, The Tillers, Mike Fair and the Adventure Seekers and The Bones Dupree Band - Mad Hatter - 8 pm - Tickets are $5

Tues. Nov. 4
1. Election Day - Use Your Right to Vote

Wed. Nov. 5
1. Amos Lee with Mutlu - Madison Theater - 8 pm - Tickets are $25/27

2. The Tillers - Southgate House (Lounge) - 9 pm - Free

Thu. Nov. 6
1. Gov't Mule with Back Door Slam - Madison Theater 7:30 pm - Tickets are $28/30

Fri. Nov. 7
1. Sam Bush with Tanner Hill - Madison Theater - 8 pm - Tickets are $20/25

2. Johnny Cash Tribute - Southgate House (Ballroom) - 9:30 pm - Tickets are $10 for 21+/$13 for everyone else - performers include The StarDevils, Rumble Club, Kelly Thomas and Ryan Malott of 500 Miles to Memphis

3. One More Girl On A Stage Series - Southgate House (Lounge) - 9 pm - Free - performers include Beth Harris of The Hiders, Sharon Udoh of The Newbees, Wendy Oakley, Whitney B. and Kristen Kreft of The J. Dorsey Blues Band

I'm Boycotting Guitar Hero and Rock Band

Why is it that people actually believe they can really play guitar or drums after playing these video games?

I've never played either because I grew out of the video game phase several years ago.

It's nothing like actually playing a real guitar! There are five buttons you hit, which take up an entire fret. Okay, so you can get practice moving your fingers from fret to fret, but what is it that makes these people think they can actually play?

And these buttons you hit, aren't even correct as to where to place your fingers in the actual songs you think you are playing.

The reason I won't play these video games is this: I prefer to play the REAL guitar! I may not be that great, but I don't suck. I'm trying and I'm trying to be more creative by learning an instrument and writing songs.

The creator's of this game are turning a generation into fool's to make them believe they have any speck of talent musically, when in fact, they don't.

So, to all of you who play this game, do yourself a favor: learn to play a REAL instrument.

Think of it like this:

1. Let's say there's a book. Any book you could or would read. Then, they make the movie version of it.
2. Now, take the guitar, or any instrument for that matter. Then, they make a video game to make you think you can play it, when the real truth is, you can't.

Guitar Hero and Rock Band are like the movie version of the book. It's just not the same.

Actually, it's nowhere near the same thing. It's a bit lazy, and it's for slackers.

Please do yourself a favor: learn to play a REAL instrument. Try to become a creative person. Being creative in life will benefit you so much more than sitting on your fat ass, eating chips, smoking pot all day, and playing video games. I know, because I was once there.

A Little Late, But Here Ya Go...

The Seedy Seeds CD Release Party for Count the Days at the Southgate House
(with special guests Lightning Love, Chris Haubner and Cam Cochran (aka Paul Bunyan) of The Sheds and DJ Evan Scott)

The Seedy Seeds picture















The Seedy Seeds video: "Earned Average Dance America"

The Sheds: covering Bob Seger's "Mainstreet"

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Album Review

Ryan Adams & the Cardinals, Cardinology

Tracklist:
1. Born Into A Light
2. Go Easy
3. Fix It
4. Magick
5. Cobwebs
6. Let Us Down Easy
7. Crossed Out Name
8. Natural Ghost
9. Sink Ships
10. Evergreen
11. Like Yesterday
12. Stop

Someone once told me that, as a musician, for every ten songs you write, chances are that only one of those songs will be good. An artist's life involves a constant creation/translation of personal feelings and emotions, and sometimes, an occasional block of creativity.

Years ago, Ryan Adams was known for releasing every line of every song he was writing at the time. In return, he was receiving a lot of flack from music critic's across the country, who were basically saying that you shouldn't release every single thing you write, but rather, an artist should take their time to master one project.

With Cardinology, we see only the second full album from Ryan and company, in the past two years. These past couple years have been clean and sober for Adams, and as far as his music goes, his maturity and growth as a person and songwriter is quite clear, resulting in quite possibly some of his best work yet.

Obviously I don't know Ryan personally, but if I had to say so, I would say that the Ryan Adams of 2008 is a much different Adams, say of the year 2000, when he released his first album, Heartbreaker, after leaving former band, Whiskeytown.

Cardinology is the next phase in his life, a road that may have seem somewhat expected, as the follow up to the very successful Easy Tiger of 2007.

As I previously mentioned, about critic's giving Adams flack, some will tell you that even his worst material is better than a lot of the music that is currently out there.

Cardinology may not be classic, old school Ryan Adams, but what it is, is a defining growth in his songwriting and vocals. 2008 brings a new look into the new life of Ryan Adams. Of course, his songs wouldn't be complete if it wasn't for his stellar backing band, The Cardinals, who perform at their very best on both the album and in concert.

After listening to this album a few times, I quickly caught onto the new songs. On the first few tracks, you'll hear some similar sounding, fairly catchy songs, both in melody and lyrics. His first single, Fix It, is everything you could hope for in a single: there's a nice mix of both flat out rock, but at the same there is enough for this song to make it on pop radio.



While the album may continue on with a similar feeling/vibe, Magick is where the album starts to break away from the three previous tracks. It remains catchy, but at the same time, there is more harder rock in it, with the distorted chords of Ryan's guitar and even a little country sound in the steel lap.

Cobwebs has often been used as the opening song of the current tour, and I couldn't think of a better song to start the show off with. It's a song that is driven by the pounding of the drums, and for nearly the first minute, it's an instrumental jam that just seems to build up into another catchy pop song.

The album starts to take a slightly different turn with Let Us Down Easy. It doesn't really sound like any of the previous tracks, and so far it has the most of their country sounding songs. I even feel that it offers up some of Ryan's best vocals of the entire album.

We then see a return to the overall album vibe with Crossed Out Name, which I think is more catchy musically, rather than lyrically. Natural Ghost goes back to the country feeling that Let Us Down Easy has. Sink Ships continues on with the country feel, but has possibly the strongest bridge out of any of the songs.

Evergreen has probably done the least for me out of all of the songs on the album, but it's still good. It's not as catchy as everything else, but I like the 1970's singer/songwriter feeling it gives me.

You wouldn't think this, but the Grateful Dead have played a big influence in Ryan's life, and Like Yesterday shows that occasionally, Ryan's guitar playing sounds much like Jerry Garcia is up there playing.

A lot of albums today wouldn't be complete without the ballad. A Ryan Adams album wouldn't be complete without a song that sounds very much like Neil Young. The ballad usually falls near or at the very end of an album, and Stop would be the ballad of Cardinology. It appears to be a song not about love between two people like a lot of ballads, but rather, it may be about Ryan's past substance abuses and the realization he has come to end that period of his life.

Southgate House Tonight

Doors at 7 pm - Show at 8

Tickets are $15 at the door

Canadian singer/songwriter, Serena Ryder, is opening for acoustic/rock band, Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers

Monday, October 27, 2008

Joseph Arthur/Jennifer O' Connor - Molly Malone's - Last Night

Although I've lived in Cincinnati my whole life, it wasn't until last night that I made my first trip to Molly Malone's (formerly Jack Quinn's).

I've been to Irish pubs before, so I knew what to expect, as far as drinks go.

What I wasn't sure about, was how this "rather-small" venue would host a "not-so-small" concert like Joseph Arthur. Another "not-so-small" name, Justin Townes Earle, played here a little while back.

Needless to say, this place is one of my new favorites to catch a show in town (sorry, but you'll never beat out the Southgate House).

Molly Malone's third floor (where the shows are) reminded me of a much nicer and bigger York St. Cafe.

I'm not a huge fan of Joseph Arthur, I don't know all of his material by heart, but I love music and respect what he does, musically and artistically (at one time I was an artist myself, but I've been in a little bit of a creative block for some time).

It was the song, In the Sun, which made me an Arthur fan. I think I either heard it first on the tv show, Scrubs, or it may have been on NPR's World Cafe. So I wasn't really sure what his setlist would consist of (Arthur is also a writing machine much like Ryan Adams, releasing nearly every single thing he writes, which can be good in a way).

I was really intrigued by the opener, Jennifer O' Connor. She's perfect for fans of Over the Rhine and Kim Taylor, her angelic voice sounding as if she could be Kim's long lost sister.

CD Releases for October 28

Ten Albums Worth Checking Out:

1. Ryan Adams & the Cardinals, Cardinology - when I saw Ryan Adams at the Taft Theatre earlier this month, it seemed mostly like a "greatest hits" show, with a few new songs from the new album. I didn't discover Adams for myself, until just a couple years ago, but it didn't take long before I had his entire released collection. Some of those albums quickly grew on me, while others took a little more time. Easy Tiger was definitely what first made me a fan, but Demolition is probably my favorite album. The man writes a lot of tunes, some people saying that you shouldn't release every single thing you write. But the fact is, Ryan Adams "not best" material is still 100 times better than a lot of the crap out there today.

2. Jesse Malin, On Your Sleeve

3. Langhorne Slim, When the Sun's Gone Down

4. Hunter S. Thompson, The Gonzo Tapes: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson

5. Rodrigo y Gabriela, Live in Japan (CD/DVD) - I saw these two on the first night of Bonnaroo 2007, and they were clearly one of the crowds favorites of that night, my personal favorite from that night (because I missed The National on the same night). Amazing what they can do, and how loud they can do it, with just two acoustic guitars. They're from Mexico but based out of Ireland, and although their influences include a lot of metal music, they play instrumental music on acoustic guitars, often beating on the wood of the guitar to create some bass, almost like having a drummer. You should get this DVD if you don't have the chance to see them live, but if you do get the chance to see them, you must go!

6. Deerhunter, Microcastle

7. The Cure, 4:13 Dream

8. Bloc Party, Intimacy

9. Kaiser Chiefs, Off With Their Heads

10. Susan Tedeschi, Back to the River

Friday, October 24, 2008

Old Crow Medicine Show Tonight - Joseph Arthur on Sunday

Well, I was hoping that I'd be going to see Old Crow Medicine Show tonight at the Madison, but once again, my place of work failed to give me the night off, so I'm pretty upset that I won't be there because, well, they're awesome. It's okay though, I'll make it through.

I will be catching Joseph Arthur for the first time, at Molly Malone's on Sunday night. Okay, so maybe I became a fan when I first heard his pop hit "In the Sun" on the tv show, Scrubs, but that's a damn good song, and even Michael Stipe of REM and Chris Martin of Coldplay couldn't recreate the song to be as good as the original. Totally psyched about this intimate, stripped down show that Arthur will be playing, probably a solo acoustic show or something. I don't think his band, the Lonely Astronauts, will be with him. Should be amazing.

Back to Back Nights at the Southgate House

On Wednesday night there were quite a few bands playing at the Southgate House. One of those shows, was a solo guitar show, from one of the members of The Sundresses (sorry, I don't know your name - it's either Brad or Remy).

The first song he played was Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and because of my more recent discovery of this song (didn't hear it until a couple years ago), I was beyond happy, and waiting to see what else he had in store. Amazing set man!

Downstairs in the ballroom, I caught one of Cincinnati's finest americana/bluegrass bands in Mark Utley and Magnolia Mountain. Later on, Railroad Earth would completely blow me away.

I saw a bit of Railroad Earth at Bonnaroo 2007, but for some reason I just wasn't feeling their set that day. I wasn't as into these types of music as I am today, so that may have played a factor.

What my second RRE show brought, was very unexpected, but I was quickly sold on what they were bringing this night.

During a number of times throughout the show, I told myself that this was one of the best live band's I've ever seen. I'm not sure what it is about bluegrass music, but it seems like the band's who put on the best live shows, are usually bluegrass/americana style.

Listening to Railroad Earth, I could hear bits of the Grateful Dead, Jethro Tull, String Cheese Incident and Leftover Salmon.

They've been quite a hit on the festival market the past few year's, and it won't be long until they're a staple act in that scene.

Another Show

Earlier tonight, I caught Mike Fair and the Adventure Seekers killer (and free) set in a nearly empty lounge. At one point in the show, Jeff and Misty Perholtz, from The Newbees, came up on stage, replacing Mike Fair. Jeff was playing electric guitar, and his solo's seemed to me, that they fell somewhere in between Trey Anastasio and Tim Reynolds, if you can imagine either of those two playing classic rock songs.

Although The Newbees aren't a bluesy band, this husband and wife team possesses the musical skills to be whatever they want. The first song they played was "Me and Bobby McGee", and Misty showed the few of us there, that she has the vocal talent and range similar to Janis Joplin.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Playing on my iPod

Band of Horses
Dave Matthews Band
Explosions in the Sky
The Hold Steady
The National
Old Crow Medicine Show
Ray LaMontagne
Ryan Adams
Wilco

Friday, October 17, 2008

Music, Politics and A Movie Star Sighting

Thousands of people showed up on Fountain Square last night for "Vote Early, Rock Late", a rally supporting our probable next President, Barack Obama.

Many sported Obama gear, which included shirts, hats, buttons and stickers. The event also featured speeches from several local politicians and activists, and even the beautiful actress, Natalie Portman, made an appearance, giving about a five minute speech.

But the highlight for many seemed to be the music of The Breeders and The National. People packed the area near the stage for hours, despite the chilly winds that blew water from the fountain.

When I arrived, The Breeders were just finishing up their set, and I was impressed with the turnout.

But it wasn't all about music. In between bands, and aside from the guest speakers, there was a video collection of what seemed to be a never-ending list of celebrities, with their reasons for voting.

I've never been much into politics, but Obama secured my vote when he got the nomination. I'm not voting for him because many of my favorite bands are endorsing him, which some may think is why I'm choosing him. And I'm not choosing him because I'm a young man, and it would seem like the likely thing for someone my age to do.

I've only voted once in my life, the last election, and I went with the Kerry/Edwards campaign. We all know how that turned out or didn't turn out for that matter.

I haven't been watching any of the political coverage or debates, so I guess I'm not as up-to-date as I should or could be on the whole thing.

Basically Obama is getting my vote because of change. While some have said that he is still kind of too young or inexperienced to run our country, I say take a look at his track record, and you will see that this man is the best candidate we have had since Bill Clinton. And don't tell me that Clinton wasn't a good President because of the whole Monica Lewinsky thing. The fact is, that Clinton did wonderful things for the economy, unlike G.W., a former cocaine user.

Like a lot of Americans, I am fed up with the crap that we have seen over the past eight years, with Bush and his gang of heathens.

I have had friends who have fought in the unjust Iraq/Oil war, and luckily they have made it home safely. I grew up across the street from someone who was killed in the 9/11 attacks. These two things are the biggest reasons why G.W. angers me.

I could keep going on and on about my hatred towards Bush and how it seems as if he's trying to flush our country down the drain, but I won't.

What I will say is this: in a few weeks when Obama will more than likely be chosen as our next President, I really believe that he will be a man of his word. He appears to be trustworthy, and I feel that he is a man who truly cares for Joe Everyman, you and me, unlike Bush who seems to only care about himself. At the same time, Obama is still a politician, and for some reason, politicians seem to be a little different than you and I.

Anywho, enjoy some pics and footage below of last night's "Vote Early, Rock Late"

Natalie Portman



















The National: "Squalor Victoria"


The National: "Daughters of the Soho Riots"

The National: "Fake Empire"



The National: "Mr. November" - song used in Obama Campaign, thus becoming his nickname - this is when vocalist Matt Berninger left the stage to get close to the crowd, having a couple members sing along

Thursday, October 16, 2008

2008 Cincinnati Entertainment Awards

November 23 will be a special night for Cincinnati music. The annual Cincinnati Entertainment Awards (CEA) will not only be honoring the best in music this year, but will also be paying tribute, with the 65th anniversary of King Records, with a special performance by the legendary bluegrass musician, Ralph Stanley. They're also saying that another special performance is in the works. The event will taking place at The Emery Theatre in Over-the-Rhine.

For more details on this event, you can visit here, here or you can even cast your vote right here. You can also keep reading, to see my perspective on the whole thing.

Our music scene here in Cincinnati, grows stronger every year, with more talented bands popping out of the wood work. More and more bands from the tri-state are starting to make names for themselves, and are beginning to build fanbases across the country. The CEA's honor the best in every type of music genre you can think of, but even though there is only one winner, these categories are loaded with a great array of talent.

Here's what you, the public, gets to vote on:

And the nominees are...

Bluegrass
Comet Bluegrass Allstars
Katie Laur
Moonshine Drive
Mt. Pleasant String Band
Rumpke Mountain Boys
Tanner Hill

Blues
J. Dorsey Blues Band
Dallas Moore Band

Kinsey Rose
Straw Boss
The Turkeys
Dan Varner Band

Country
The Bad Words
Dallas Moore Band
Kinsey Rose
Straw Boss
The Turkeys
Dan Varner Band

Experimental/Electronic
Chick Pimp, Coke Dealer at a Bar
Eagle to Squirrel
Pete Fosco
IOVAE
Johnnytwentythree
C. Spencer Yeh

Folk/Americana
Greg Mahan
Daniel Martin Moore
Jeff Scott Roberson
Jake Speed & the Freddies
The Tillers
Mark Utley & Magnolia Mountain

Hard Rock/Metal
Angels of Meth
Banderas
Chakras
Foxy Shazam
The Host
noctaluca

Hip-Hop
Billfold Entertainment
Eclipse
Ill Poetic
IsWhat?!
Khadijah
da muttss

Indie/Alternative
Bad Veins
The Chocolate Horse
Pomegranates
The Seedy Seeds
The Sundresses
Wussy

Jazz
Rusty Burge
Phil DeGreg/Brasilia
Dan Faehnle
The Faux Frenchmen
Gordy Horn
Dan Karlsberg

Punk/Post Punk/Hardcore
A Decade to Die For
The Dopamines
The Frankl Project
Knife the Symphony
The Read
John Walsh

R&B/Funk
II Juicy
Daughters & Sons
Iolite
Los Honchos
Shades of J
SOUSE

Rock
Alone at 3AM
Buffalo Killers
The Cincinnati Suds
Pete Dressman & the Soul Unified Nation
500 Miles to Memphis
The Lions Rampant

Singer/Songwriter
Chris Arduser
Dusty Bryant
Wake the Bear (aka Scott Cunningham)
Nathan Holscher
Daniel Martin Moore
Kim Taylor

World Music/Reggae
Baoku & the Image Afro-Beat Band
Dark Moll
duppy a jamba
Lagniappe
Poco Loco
Super-Massive

Best Musical Ambassador for the City
Bad Veins
Bootsy Collins
Buffalo Killers
Foxy Shazam
Josh Hisle/Lost in Holland
Daniel Martin Moore
Seabird
C. Spencer Yeh

Best Live Act
The Chocolate Horse
Foxy Shazam
The Host
The Lions Rampant
Rumpke Mountain Boys
Straw Boss
The Sundresses
Wussy

The Critical Achievement Awards (unfortunately, we cannot vote for these categories. The votes specifically come from a committee)

New Artist of the Year
Bosco Rossi
Cash Flagg
The Chauncers
Cut in the Hill Gang
The Emeralds
The Flux Capacitors
The Harlequins
The Koala Fires
Daniel Martin Moore
Wonky Tonk

Album of the Year
Peter Adams: I Woke With Planets in My Face
Banderas: Beast Sounds and Parlour Tricks
Buffalo Killers: Let It Ride
The Faux Frenchmen: Oblivion
The Hiders: Penny Harvest Field
Pomegranates: Everything is Alive
Jeff Scott Roberson: Summer's Here
Seabird: 'Til We See the Shore
The Sundresses: Barkinghaus
Super-Massive: Super-Massive

Artist of the Year
Bad Veins
Buffalo Killers
Eat Sugar
Daniel Martin Moore
Pomegranates
Kelly Richey
Seabird
The Sundresses
Wussy
C. Spencer Yeh

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Ryan Adcock's 10th Anniversary

This month, my favorite local singer-songwriter is celebrating his ten-year anniversary as an artist and performer.

Ryan Adcock, an acoustic-folky, pop artist that fans of Dave Matthews, John Mayer and Rob Thomas would enjoy, will be playing a free show on Saturday, October 18 at the College Hill Coffee Company, located on Hamilton Avenue.

Over the years, Ryan has played over 600 shows, released five albums (with a sixth on the way), and won a number of awards (including CEA's, the Cammy's and the John Lennon Songwriting Contest). His music has also been featured in tv shows, movies, and he even played to 2.5 million listeners on Mitch Albom's Radio Show.

He has made quite a name for himself all over the midwest, and along the way, has made many friends in the local music community. Many of Cincinnati's best artist's and producer's have joined him in the creation and production of some of his album's, which only brings out the very best in what he is capable of.

Before the 2008 MidPoint Festival, I contacted Ryan about doing an interview, to let my reader's get to know who Ryan is as a person. You can read that interview by clicking here.

For nearly the first half of his career, Ryan played with an exceptional backing band, which included none other than the beautiful Kim Taylor on background vocals. The second half of his career, Ryan has been going at it alone, giving his live show a more intimate feeling, when you see one barefoot man alone onstage with his guitar.

Ryan has some special things planned for this anniversary show, so why would you want to miss one of Cincinnati's premiere storytelling songwriter's? Did I mention that this show is free?

2008 CEA Nominees Coming Tomorrow

CityBeat music writer, Mike Breen, is reporting that the full list of nominees for this year's CEA (Cincinnati Entertainment Awards) will be announced tomorrow (October 15).

All the voting will be done online this year, so make sure to stop by http://www.citybeat.com/ tomorrow, to cast your vote for the best of the best in local music.

Breen mentioned some of the artist's up for awards this year, and it reminded me of how strong the local music scene is, and that it just keeps getting better every year.

Up for New Artist of the Year we have Cash Flagg, The Chauncers, Cut in the Hill Gang, The Emeralds, The Flux Capacitors, The Harlequins, The Koala Fires, Daniel Martin Moore, Bosco Rossi or Wonky Tonk.

Album of the Year will go to one of the following: Peter Adams, Banderas, Buffalo Killers, The Faux Frenchmen, The Hiders, Pomegranates, Jeff Scott Roberson, Seabird, The Sundresses or Super-Massive.

Bringing home Artist of the Year will be either Bad Veins, Buffalo Killers, Eat Sugar, Daniel Martin Moore, Pomegranates, Kelly Richey, Seabird, The Sundresses, Wussy or C. Spencer Yeh.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Local Band of the Day

Jake Speed & the Freddies
(Acoustic/Americana/Bluegrass/Country/Folk/Humor/Roots)



















They're having a CD release party tonight at Northside Tavern for their new album, "World Come Clean"

Read Mike Breen's review of the album here.


Other Upcoming Shows:

Sun, Oct 12 - Black Walnut Festival at the Farbach-Werner Nature Preserve - Noon to 4 pm

Fri, Oct 17 - Jasper's - 8 pm

Sat, Oct 18 - McGlasson Farm - 1 to 4 pm - "Northern Kentucky's home for fresh fruits & vegetables" - Check out their Harvest Calender right here.

Sat, Oct 18 - Arnold's - 9 to 12 am

Friday, October 10, 2008

Band of the Day

The Swell Season
(Acoustic/Folk)

Who are they?
Glen Hansard (of The Frames) and Czech singer and pianist, Marketa Irglova. The name "The Swell Season" comes from Hansard's favorite novel by Josef Skvorecky, bearing the same name.

The Swell Season's rise to fame came about because of the 2007 film, "Once."

They won an Academy Award in 2008, for Best Original Song, with "Falling Slowly."

You may like them if...
you like The Frames, Damien Rice or bands with "a penchant for vocal harmonies and acoustic-based songcraft."

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Band of the Day

The Black Keys
(Akron, OH)
Rock/Blues/Alt

Brief Description:
Duo of Dan Auerbach (guitars, vox) and Patrick Carney (drums), often compared to The White Stripes.

Other Links:
MySpace
Fan Site
Rolling Stone Magazine
Pitchfork Review of their latest album, Attack & Release

They are playing a sold-out show at the Madison Theater in Covington, on Friday, October 10. I was planning on going, but I didn't think it would sell out, so I'm out of luck.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Band of the Day

The Old 97's
(Dallas, TX)
Alt. Country/Roots Rock

Where the Name Comes From:
Johnny Cash song called "Wreck of the Old 97"

Other Websites:
MySpace
Rhett Miller

Similar Artists/For Fans Of:
The Pixies, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Wilco, Ryan Adams, Whiskeytown, Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo, Drive-By Truckers, 500 Miles to Memphis

Discography:
11 albums over a 14-year career

Why to Go See 'Em Live:
Plain and simple - they rock. They combine country, rock and punk, which doesn't lean towards any of those genre's specifically, so you don't have to worry about saying "I don't like country or punk, so I won't go see them". It's not really the type of country or punk music you would think it would sound like.

They're playing the Southgate House this Sunday. Opening the show is the country legend, Charlie Louvin. Tickets are $22/$25 at the door. Doors open at 7pm, the show is at 8pm.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Band of the Day

I'm going with this idea, in hopes of spreading word about some great bands.

Today's Band:
Fleet Foxes

Album:
Fleet Foxes (self-titled) - debut album, released on June 3, 2008, given 4 stars by Rolling Stone magazine

Label:
Sub Pop
Their Sub Pop Page

Other Sites:
NPR Music

Similar Artists/For Fans Of:
The Beach Boys, Crosby Stills & Nash, My Morning Jacket, Band of Horses, Animal Collective and Blitzen Trapper

My Take:
The Fleet Foxes are what you'd get if My Morning Jacket teamed up with The Beach Boys. It's that simple.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Song of the Day

Every night, I'll be posting my song of the day. This will basically be a song that I heard, that for whatever reason, stood out from all the other songs I heard that day. Maybe this song made my day complete or something.

I'll try and provide you with a link to buy or download the song via the internet. Hope you enjoy and take advantage.

Song of the Day

My Morning Jacket - "Across 110 St." - Bobby Womack cover - Live at Bonnaroo 2008

This may be from the greatest My Morning Jacket show ever. Unfortunately, I was not there. But I have seen them, so I can only imagine how it went down.

For nearly four hours, My Morning Jacket dominated the late night crowd at Bonnaroo 2008, bringing together metalheads, indie hipsters and jamband hippies.

They did this by playing over thirty songs, having a few guest appearances and playing several cover songs.

I came across this song, randomly, as I was browsing through my iPod. In this particular song, we see Jim James and company, taking on disco music.

I'm not positive that I've heard the orginal. It seems vaguely familiar, but it's just not that clear. I'll have to search for it.

I'm not sure what it is about this version of this song, but My Morning Jacket nails it for me.

Did I mention that they are joined by the Nashville & Louisville Horns?

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Upcoming Shows On My Radar

Oct 8 - Daniel Martin Moore Stray Age CD Release Party with the Dan Dorff Trio and the Comet Bluegrass Allstars at the Southgate House

Oct 10 - The Black Keys with Royal Bangs at the Madison Theater

Oct 12 - Old 97's with Charlie Louvin at the Southgate House

Oct 14 - The Walkmen with the Little Ones and Peter Adams at the Southgate House

Oct 16 - The National with The Breeders - Free Show on Fountain Square

Oct 17 - The Seedy Seeds CD Release Party with The Sheds, Lightning Love and DJ Evan Scott at the Southgate House - Souse is playing upstairs in the parlour and The Tillers are playing in the lounge as well

Oct 24 - Old Crow Medicine Show at Madison Theater

Friday, October 3, 2008

Adams & the Cardinals Rock the Taft

Just got back from the Ryan Adams show. Wish I would've taken my digital camera - I saw several people up front with theirs, but I guess security doesn't check people anymore.

Full Setlist:

Cobwebs
Everybody Knows
Come Pick Me Up
Wonderwall (Oasis Cover)
Fix It
La Cienga Just Smiled
Goodnight Rose
Sun Also Sets
Oh My God, Whatever, Etc.
Magick
Desire
Let It Ride
Please Do Not Let Me Go
Love Is Hell
Crossed Out Name
Afraid Not Scared
Natural Ghost
Two
Rescue Blues
Sink Ships
When Stars Go Blue
How Do You Keep Love Alive
Shakedown on 9th Street
Mockingbird
Off Broadway
Note to Self: Please Don't Die
Cold Roses
Bartering Lines
Meadowlake Street
This Is It

Quick Notes:

There wasn't definitely a lot more rock tonight than country, with Ryan taking nearly all of the leads, at times even making a sound reminscent of Jerry Garcia, with the Cardinals turning into the Grateful Dead.

A little bit of their Alt. Country sound was still visible with Jon Graboff mastering the pedal steel.
They even got heavy at times, showing Ryan's love for 80's Hair Metal & Glam Rock - Ryan was sporting a black Dio t-shirt.

Overall, the setlist was amazing. A lot of new material, coming out on Cardinology at the end of the month.

I was kind of suprised (but very happy) to hear songs like La Cienga, Desire and Come Pick Me Up.

They played over 30 songs, for nearly 2 1/2 hours, only stopping a few minutes before the encore.

A couple times during the night, fans shouted for Halloweenhead, but Ryan only tricked us by "sort-of" singing a couple of lines from the song.

Wish I had some pics or video for you, I would've had some great shots, because I was in the third row left center, with a clear shot of Ryan, only about 15-20 feet away.

This was one of the best shows I've seen over the past several years.

YouTube Videos

Although I didn't take my digital camera to the show, I couldn't resist searching around YouTube for some 2008 Ryan Adams shows, specifically the Cincinnati show. I can't find anything from the Taft Theatre just yet, but here are some more recent videos of their current tour. Enjoy!

Cobwebs (new song)

La Cienga Just Smiled

Sink Ships (new song)

Everybody Knows

Come Pick Me Up - Jon Graboff giving them their country sound on the pedal steel.

Goodnight Rose - feels a little bit like Neil Young and the Grateful Dead.

Let It Ride - pedal steel again.

Why Do They Leave - more Neil sounding.

Cold Roses - more Dead sounding.


To Sum It All Up:

At times, when you're watching Ryan & the Cardinals up there, it sounds as if you're listening to Neil Young front the Grateful Dead as if they were experimenting in country music, rather than other things.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

The Return of Phish

Phish to tour in 2009

Read the full story here.

I'll call it now - Phish at Bonnaroo 2009...