petergavin's Last.fm Journal

Live on Letterman: American Idol's Lacey Brown

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 20:57:20 +0000

It may only feel like "15 minutes of fame" for American Idol hopefuls, but contestants who make it into the top 12 can ride it out much longer. Lacey Brown was the quirky-cute girl (Lisa Loeb-esque) who could have gone either way. She had the look and the talent to make it to the next rounds, but apparently her melody arrangement choices were too offbeat for mainstream America. Regardless of how the voting went, she has a great sense of humor about the whole affair and hey, she got to be on the Late Show with David Letterman!

http://www.cbs.com/late_night/late_show/video/?pid=vq__SJBJbL9_pVj4wdyCzSmQl1qnfrV0&vs=Live%20on%20Letterman&play=true

Phish confirm Telluride for summer 2010

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:30:48 +0000

In 1988, Phish broke out of their Vermont comfort zone and embarked on their first long road trip. They drove for two straight days to Colorado on a whim--the gigs weren't fully confirmed. They played for a handful of people at small bars in Telluride and Aspen, and in 1991 they came back for a couple memorable shows, but this was all long before they became rock stars. Two decades later, they will return to the mountains to play in front of 9,000 heads (or more) on August 9 and 10, 2010.

They've also announced other relatively smaller (and cooler) venues for their summer run, such as three nights at the Greek Theater in Berkeley, CA. Here's the full list:

June 11 – Chicago, IL @ Toyota Park
June 12 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center
June 13 – Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Stadium
June 15 – Portsmouth, VA @ Telos Pavilion at Harbor Center
June 17 – Hartford, CT @ Comcast Theatre
June 18 – Hartford, CT @ Comcast Theatre
June 19 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
June 20 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
June 22 – Mansfield, MA @ Comcast Center
June 24 – Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank Center
June 25 – Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank Center
June 26 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
June 27 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
June 29 – Canandaigua, NY @ CMAC
July 1 – Raleigh, NC @ Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion
July 2 – Charlotte, NC @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
July 3 – Alpharetta, GA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre @ Encore Park
July 4 – Alpharetta, GA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre @ Encore Park
August 5 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre
August 6 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre
August 7 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre
August 9 – Telluride, CO @ Telluride Town Park
August 10 – Telluride, CO @ Telluride Town Park
August 12 – Noblesville, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center
August 13 – Noblesville, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center
August 14 – East Troy, WI @ Alpine Valley Music Theatre
August 15 – East Troy, WI @Alpine Valley Music Theatre
August 17 – Wantagh, NY @ Nikon Theater at Jones Beach
August 18 – Wantagh, NY @ Nikon Theater at Jones Beach

Alex Chilton of Big Star dies on the eve of SXSW

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:24:00 +0000

On a similar wrong foot that the winter Olympics began on (when the luge slider died), SXSW experienced its own tragedy the day before the event. This untimely death wasn't as haunting, but equally saddening. Alex Cilton of the rock/pop group Big Star passed away (from an apparent heart attack) just days before he was scheduled to speak on a panel and perform a showcase at SXSW. He was 59 years old.

As as singer, guitarist and songwriter, he was best know for his 1967 hit "The Letter" with Box Tops and his work with Big Star. The group released three albums in the early '70s and reunited in 1993. They eventually released a fourth album in 2005 and the 98-song box set Keep an Eye on the Sky just came out this past September.

Listen to Alex Chilton with Big Star

SXSW do's and don'ts

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:49:31 +0000

If you're overwhelmed by the thousands of bands taking over Austin next week, here's a filter.

Must see
These bands aren't a secret anymore, but they're still rising stars. They've paid their dues and are no longer "up-and-coming," so don't be discouraged if there's a long line to get in.

Neon Indian
Miike Snow
She & Him
The xx
Broken Bells (Danger Mouse and James Mercer)
Sharon Jones & the Dapkings
Broken Social Scene
Midlake
Surfer Blood
Major Lazer
Jakob Dylan with Neko Case
Frightened Rabbit
Matt Braunger (comedian)

Too old for SXSW
There are always a few old-timers mixed in at SXSW (some are there as keynote speakers), but don't waste too much time seeing your favorite band. There are too many new bands to see! If you're looking for headliners, you'd be better off going to Coachella.

Hole
Stone Temple Pilots
Smokey Robinson
Motörhead
GZA
DJ Quik
Ozomatli

Sleeper shows
Here are a few diamonds picked out of the rough. They're lesser-known groups that you might not know about yet. Don't sleep on these shows!

The Ruby Suns
We Were Promised Jetpacks
XV
Das Racist
Sleepy Sun
The Wooden Birds
Seabear
Ben Sollee & Daniel Martin Moore
Fanfarlo
Letting Up Despite Great Faults
Joshua James
Free Energy
The Spring Standards
Matt Pond PA
El Ten Eleven
Zeus
Obi Best

Best/worst band names
Ever since "...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead" raised the bar, it takes a pretty ridiculous name these days to catch our attention. I'm not even sure if all of these groups are good, but their names stand out.

Follow That Bird!
Tiger! Shit! Tiger! Tiger!
dd/mm/yyyy
Happy Birthday
Shout Out Out Out Out
CHLLNGR
Holy Fuck
Cymbals Eat Guitars
Everthing Everything
Casxio
Holy Ghost!
Murder By Death

Best of 2009

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:28:44 +0000

Dirty Projectors with David Byrne live at Bonnaroo June 12, 2009.

#1: Dirty Projectors "Bitte Orca" - Offbeat afrobeat art rock from Brooklyn with David Byrne as a witness (and collaborator).

#2: Tor / Sufjan Stevens "Illinoize" - Heady indie folk remixed with old school emcees (Grand Puba, Outkast, Pete Rock) makes for the best mashup ever.

#3: Passion Pit and Miike Snow - It's a tie! Both debut indie-electro artists with incredible beats and falsetto vocals.

#4: Wilco "The Album" - Some say it borders on being "adult contemporary" but that just means it's a "timely album for grownups."

#5: Kings of Convenience "Declaration of Dependence" - Who would've thought the most romantic dudes on earth were from Norway.

#6: Blakroc - Real life mashup of The Black Keys and NY's finest emcees including Mos Def, Ludacris, RZA...

#7: Antony & The Johnsons "The Crying Light" - Shivering-yet-powerful, indie-yet-classical.

#8: John Mayer "Battle Studies" - It's not a love/hate thing, more like love/jealous thing I have with him.

#9: El Michels Affair "Enter the 37th Chamber" - Live instrumental versions of Wu-Tang Clan songs is by far the best concept album of the year.

#10: Phoenix "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" - Breakthrough French pop/rock group makes proverbial waves across actual seas.

#11: Wooden Birds "Magnolia" - Not just cuz I interviewed them, this is really one of the best albums of the year.

#12: Maxwell "BLACKsummers'night" - Sometimes you just need some Smoove B style R&B to get you in the mood.

#13: Silversun Pickups "Swoon" - Yeah they sound like the Smashing Pumpkins, but that's a compliment.

#14: Kid Cudi "Man on the Moon: The End of Day" - Impeach Kanye! And make Cudi hip-hop's new president.

#15: Julie Peel - If you like moody indie folk (i.e. Cat Power) you'll love Peel's debut album "Near The Sun."

#16: Volcano Choir "Unmap" - Bon Iver side project that's more ambient, equally as haunting.

#17 Tortoise "Beacons of Ancestorship" The all-star collective takes instrumental post-rock to another level, once again.

#18 Honey Claws - Electro hip-hop with an emcee who sounds like Q-tip but he's a white boy from Austin.

#19: Iron & Wine "Around The Well" - If you're into sensitive beard rock for hipsters, check out Sam Beam's double disc of rarities.

#20: James Yuill "Turning Down Water For Air" - The best folktronica album of the year, if there is such a category.

Exclusive interviews:

Phoenix http://www.last.fm/music/Phoenix/+videos/29953059

The Wooden Birds http://www.last.fm/music/The+Wooden+Birds/_/Hometown+Fantasy

Honey Claws http://www.last.fm/event/889445+SXSW+Music+Conference+and+Festival+/videos

James Yuill http://www.last.fm/music/James+Yuill/+videos/29831345

Follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/petergavin

Exile on California

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 18:31:06 +0000

In the months leading up to Festival 8 (Phish's first festival west of the Mississippi), fans were anxiously guessing what album they would cover on Halloween night. The wide range of rumors ranged from '70s rock classics like David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust" to modern epics such as Radiohead's "Kid A." But by Halloween morning, all bets were settled when the show's program guide officially revealed The Rolling Stones' "Exile on Main St."

The 1972 double LP had a major influence on the band (Phish has been covering "Loving Cup" for years) and on Saturday in front of 40,000 people, the concept of covering the entire album became a reality. All four members (Trey, Mike, Page and John) took turns singing Mick Jagger's lead vocal parts, while a 3-piece horn section and background vocals (featuring Sharon Jones) elevated the classics to soulful new levels--while respecting the integrity of the original arrangements. Of course, a few of the songs were extended Phish-style, yet they jams were tasteful and never too noodle-y. Keep in mind: there are 18 songs on "Exile" plus they played two other regular sets that same night.

As for the other seven (!) sets, Phish satisfied new and old fans with all the heavy-hitters and weren't afraid to share new material from their latest album "Joy." Whether or not they're as good as they used to be can be debated (and often is), however, it's safe to say that their 2009 comeback tour has well exceeded expectations. And even veteran fans agree that the Stones set was the highlight of the festival, if not one of their best sets ever. Which is a bold call considering the group's 20-something year history of relentless touring.

The party's not over yet. Phish has 13 more shows scheduled this year, including a three show run at Madison Square Garden in New York City. New Years dates haven't been announced, however the fake ad in the Festival 8 playbill pretty much confirms that it will be held at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, FL.

See more pics from Festival 8:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ipetergavin/sets/72157622590558859/

Exclusive interview: The Wooden Birds

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:24:32 +0000

If you haven't heard of The Wooden Birds, maybe you know Andrew Kenny from his other band The American Analog Set. Or perhaps Matt Pond from Matt Pond PA?

If you haven't heard of any of these guys, well, you have some catching up to do on your indie rock. I met up with the new quartet when they stopped by the CBS Interactive studios. They shared some thoughts and tunes from their new LP "Magnolia." The lineup features Andrew Kenny on lead vocals and guitar; Leslie Sisson on vocals; Sean Haskins on drums; and, as an unexpected bonus, Matt Pond on guitar.

Sunday Muddy Sunday

Mon, 3 Aug 2009 05:47:25 +0000

Just when you thought it couldn't possibly get any muddier, it did. After a rainy Friday and sunny Saturday, the rain returned for the final day of the All Points West festival. This time, the doors were held until after 4:00pm (4 hours later than scheduled), which unfortunately lead to the cancellation of the early bands. The bright side (literally) was that once the rain went away it never came back. And any frustration due to weather was long gone by the time Coldplay hit the stage later that night to close out the epic three-day festival.

The Silversun Pickups were fortunate enough to be the first to rock the main stage on Sunday at 5:00pm.

No use trying to fight the mud, just embrace it like these guys.

Elbow's lead singer Guy Garvey kinda reminds me of his fellow Englishman Ricky Gervais.

Post-rock pioneers Mogwai created a dark yet beautiful soundtrack to go along with the setting sun.

Did I mention it was muddy?

I missed MGMT to see Coldplay, so um, here's a picture of the ferry instead.

College Rock in the Rain - APW 2009

Sat, 1 Aug 2009 16:45:23 +0000

Getting to All Points West was not easy. First, you need to get to Battery Park (if you're coming from Manhattan), then you take a scenic ferry ride past the Statue of Liberty. When you get to the dock, you think you're there but not yet! You have to walk a mile to the entrance, not to mention the yardage on the festival grounds alone just to get to the main stage. It's a fun journey but only recommended for serious music lovers.

The ongoing thunderstorms were definitely a factor. For some it was a downer, yet many free-minded spirits made the best of it. Fleet Foxes' '70s rock-era harmonizing combined with the rain and the NYC skyline was magical (the lead singer Robin Pecknold commented on how awesome the rain was). But when the light drizzle turned to a downpour, that's when it got annoying.

It was dry for Ra Ra Riot, but then the (real) thunder started to steal the festival's thunder.

I took shelter in the free massage tent.

Here's a different kind of "media circus" - dozens of music editors staying dry by packing into a small tent.

I missed the photo pit for Vampire Weekend (they allow photographers in there for the first three songs only) but got this shot from the crowd during their hit "A-Punk," which fitting has the lyrics "Look outside at the raincoats coming, say oh!"

Even when the clouds blocked the skyline, The Pharcyde reminded us that were still in NY (were hip-hop began).

All Points West Preparty

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 18:07:32 +0000

All Points West in New York is going down this weekend! It's time to preparty with a playlist. This hand-picked mega mix features the top artists performing this year including Coldplay, Jay-Z, Tool, The Cool Kids, Mogwai, The Pharcyde, Silversun Pickups, Vampire Weekend and many more.

Free APW playlist:
http://www.last.fm/listen/playlist/5403495/shuffle

Coldplay