[ad_1]
Dallas-Fort Worth native Clarissa Cross, professionally known as DJ Dawn, is working to help fill the longstanding gap in the music industry regarding female disc jockeys. Cross, 33, has become a successful local DJ in the DFW area, working with prominent enterprises such as American Airlines, Ulta, Hibbett and Raising Cane’s, among others…
[ad_2]
Aria Bell
Source link
[ad_1]
Since rising to prominence after the success of The Downward Spiral in 1994, Trent Reznor’s effect on the cultural zeitgeist continues to permeate, just in ways never imagined back in the day. Who would have thought that the slender guy in black leather pants screaming his lungs out about depression and nihilism would go on to score a Disney movie or win two Academy Awards?…
[ad_2]
Kristin Lockhart
Source link
[ad_1]
Cupid, the “King of Line Dance,” is shuffling up some brand new beats for your feet this weekend. Known for hits like “The Cupid Shuffle,” “Flex” and “Do It With Your Boots On,” the six-time platinum recording artist is serving up some southern soul right onto the dancefloor…
[ad_2]
Leah Frazier
Source link
[ad_1]
Indie rockers Cloud Nothings, a band that formed in Cleveland some 15 years, recently announced the reissue of two fantastic albums, The Black Hole Understands and Life Is Only One Event. Both were first released in 2020 as Bandcamp-only products, but the records are now on streaming services and vinyl.
“We made a few on vinyl in 2020 to sell through Bandcamp because we needed money during the pandemic,” says singer-guitarist Dylan Baldi via a Zoom call from his Philadelphia home, where he was out on a morning walk. Cloud Nothings open for Superheaven at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 19, at the Agora Theatre. “The pandemic had just set upon us, and we couldn’t tour or even see each other. We got really good at emailing files back and forth. I would make a song and send it to [drummer] Jason [Gerycz]. I would record everything on top of it. It was that kind of process. We ended up making a ton of songs. That’s what these two records are sourced from. It’s already been five years, so we realized it made sense to put them out to the rest of the world.”
The Black Hole Understands represents the first ten songs from the batch. As time went on, the group realized that some of the other tracks from the same sessions were pretty good as well.
“Life Is Only One Event was super limited,” says Baldi. “That one wasn’t even on Bandcamp. It was just for people who subscribed. It was like the B-sides to Black Hole Understands, and those songs are really pretty good.”
The group took a similar approach when it came time to write the songs that would be its newest album, Final Summer. It wrote the tunes remotely but then recorded them during a week-long session at Jeff Zeigler’s studio in Philadelphia.
“We were not getting together as much when we started working on the album,” says Baldi. “We recorded it in person, which is something we haven’t done in a while. When we went to do it, we had never played the songs together in room. We had never done that before. I like playing and practicing together first. It was the culmination of this long new practice of working remotely. Now, luckily, it’s easier to be together and play music together because that is more fun.”
Baldi says he constantly writes, and the band is already putting together the tunes for a new studio album.
“I try to write a song a day just to keep the juices going,” he says. “If I get stuck, I still write and you just make a bad song. You say, ‘Today, that’s what I did. At least I did something.’ Hopefully, that clears the block, and the next song is okay. We have a couple of different ways we could take the new album. Some of it is pretty heavy and intense, almost like a metal record. There’s a side of stuff that’s super poppy like some of the more poppy Cloud Nothing songs from the past. It’s hard to decide if I should meld them or just do two different albums. A whole new type of sound might be fun, or it might just confuse people. Black Flag got pretty weird by the end. They started as a hardcore band, but they started doing eight-minute songs, which were really cool.”
The band has so many songs its back catalog at this point; the group nearly rivals the prolific Ohio-based Guided by Voice.
“We have ten records in the world and then during the pandemic, we had a subscriber thing going online,” says Baldi. “I think we made another 100 songs that are exclusive for Bandcamp people. We have a lot of songs but are not yet Guided by Voices level. Those guys aren’t really out there. Maybe there is some Ohio working class mode. Maybe we’ll keep doing it until I don’t have hands or something.”
Baldi says the upcoming Agora show will mark the first time the Cloud Nothings have ever played the historic venue.
Subscribe to Cleveland Scene newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
[ad_2]
Jeff Niesel
Source link
[ad_1]
Earlier this year, the pop duo Sparks, the 50+ year project of brothers Ron and Russel Mael, released their “undeniably triumphant” 28th studio album, MAD! It’s another fine collection of offbeat synth-driven tunes with funny lyrics about the idiosyncrasies of human behavior.
The group emerged as a musical force in the 1970s when the glammy “This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us” became a hit and has never gone out of fashion. Extremely prolific, the band has released eight new studio albums in the last 20 years. It’s also put out a radio opera, formed a side-project (the Franz Ferdinand collaboration FFS), released a live album, written a film musical (2021’s Annette) and delivered several compilations.
Edgar Wright’s 2021 documentary film, The Sparks Brothers, helped reignite interest in the group. Ahead of a Sept. 15 stop at TempleLive at the Cleveland Masonic, singer Russel Mael talked about the band’s remarkable history in a Zoom call from his Los Angeles home.
I saw the 2021 documentary, The Sparks Brothers, with some friends of mine who didn’t know much about the band. We all loved it. Did you anticipate the movie would reintroduce the band in the way that it did?
We were incredibly excited that a director like Edgar Wright would want to dedicate three years of his life to a movie about Sparks. It was something initially we didn’t know what the results would be, but we had confidence in him to do a good job and make an appropriate film about the band. We discussed it with him and his ability as a filmmaker and his sensibility as a filmmaker was on the same page as Sparks is in so many ways. His knowledge of the band and excitement was to an extreme that we thought that if he could translate that in a filmic way, it would be interesting. We didn’t anticipate it would have that emotional effect on people. The reaction was unexpected but in a really great way.
Have other people tried to make films about the band in the past?
There have been a couple who approached us before. They were people who didn’t have the same understanding of what Sparks is that Edgar Wright has. He really captured the essence of what the band is. It’s not from one era in the past. It’s a continuum. What Sparks is doing now is equally as valid as what Sparks has done in any other point in its career. Other directors might have thought that but they couldn’t verbalize it in the way that Edgar could. Maybe they thought that but couldn’t articulate it. He sees Sparks in a broader way. It’s a continuum, and some of the best work is being done now. That kind of approach is something that no one other than Edgar has presented to us, so it made sense to go with Edgar.
Did you have that mentality from the start?
To us, it’s obvious. We don’t understand if there is anyone in a band that doesn’t see things in that same way. You’re in a creative field. That’s what you do. You do it to push things forward every time you start a new project and excite yourself. You try not to rehash what you have done in the past. You try to retain those idiosyncrasies and characteristics that made you unique. It’s something innate in our genes. It’s not something we have had to try to do.
The band has such a singular sound. When you launched the group in 1971, what kind of music informed your sound?
It’s been discussed a million times. The British Invasion and early Kinks were big influences. We were big Anglophiles. That’s why moved to the UK. We essentially became a British band. We’ve been fans of what goes on the UK historically more than what goes on in our hometown of Los Angeles.
Todd Rundgren worked with the band early on. How’d you wind up working with him?
We sent tapes to every label. We sent tapes to every label. We sent one to Todd as well. He was the one person out of all the labels that rejected our early demos who was of a completely different mindset. He thought that what we were doing was unique and special and needed to be released. He signed us to his label Bearsville for our first album, and he produced it. If it weren’t for Todd, we would probably not be doing what we are doing. It took another artist.
Why do you think he liked Sparks so much?
He’s not a businessman like many record labels are. He saw it in a different way than anyone else had seen it. He thought there was something that he had never seen in a band. He wanted to retain that character and not smooth it down at all. He wanted to keep it as unique as it was at that time. He proved to be right.
He continues to embrace creativity in his own career too and do things on his own terms. I respect his decision to not to attend his induction into the Rock Hall.
A good choice.
At what point did you realize you could sing?
At the time we did our first recordings. It’s not a big epiphany. You just want to be in a band. You start to emulate all the people you idolize and respect musically. You gain your own voice literally and figuratively as time goes on. You’re told by other people that you can sing, and at that point, you are aware you can sing.
Not everyone has your vocal range.
No, they don’t.
How’d the collaboration with Franz Ferdinand come about?
It was good. It was a unique experience. It was two complete bands working together as opposed to one or two persons sitting in with another band. We had to give up our autonomy in a way to be with a band that is strong and wants to do what it wants to do creatively. We think the project turned out really good, and we were excited to tour the world together. It was a really great experience.
Talk about what you wanted to do differently with your new album, MAD!
It’s just the case with every record that you want to do something that will be undeniable to anybody that bothers to listen to it. We don’t want to leave people on the fence. It’s 100 percent embracing or maybe not getting it. The people who bother to listen to it can see the intention was to do something striking lyrically and musically. That was the main objective if there is an objective. We wanted to do something that doesn’t sound like a band with 28 albums. You can listen to it without any background information on Sparks, and it wouldn’t sound like a band with that long of a history. It would sound contemporary and striking on its own terms. That’s the main objective, but we don’t even discuss it among ourselves in that way.
The first song, “Do Things My Own Way,” was the first one written for the album. Talk about what inspired the tune, which is essentially the band’s mantra.
It’s just sort of self-explanatory. In a certain way, it’s the mission statement about the band. Hopefully, it can be broader and inspiring for people who sense that same thing of wanting to take their own path and not follow what the herd is doing in whatever sense that might be. That’s the thrust of the lyrics in the song.
What will the live show coming up here at TempleLive at the Cleveland Masonic be like?
We want it to be a life-changing experience for the audience. That is the only objective. Having as many songs to draw from as we do becomes the difficult challenge. We want to present the MAD! album and not have it be an afterthought. We focus on the new album, but we have 28 albums, and our shows tend to be 21 or 22 songs, so some albums get shortchanged. We manage to come up with some unexpected choices that stand on their own. We think that anything we do live is of a single piece, and it doesn’t sound like older songs and newer songs. If someone comes as a casual spectator and doesn’t know the history, they wouldn’t necessarily know if the songs were from one of the first 28 albums or from the new album. That presentation and the spirit of the band does not dictate the era of when the songs are from when you hear them sonically.
Subscribe to Cleveland Scene newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
[ad_2]
Jeff Niesel
Source link
[ad_1]
Photo Credit: Charlie Denis
Tate McRae brings her world tour to Rocket Arena. See: Thursday, Aug. 28.
THU 08/28
Ice Nine Kills
The metalcore group that reportedly took its band name from the 1963 Kurt Vonnegut novel Cat’s Cradle brings its summer tour to the Covelli Centre in Youngstown. The group’s latest album, Welcome to Horrorwood: The Silver Scream 2, offers the usual quotient of blistering guitar solos and parched vocals. The show begins at 6:30 p.m.
229 East Front St., Youngstown, 330-746-5600, covellicentre.com.
FRI 08/29
St. Vincent
The visually oriented singer-songwriter concludes the Rock Hall’s live concert series with a performance that takes place at 8 p.m. St. Vincent’s custom-made “Daddy” jacket from her 2021 Saturday Night Live performance and her neon green guitar from the 2017 Masseduction solo tour are both on display. In addition, the Rock Hall will mark the occasion by hosting a Revolutionary Women Weekend all weekend long.
1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., 216-515-8444, rockhall.com.
Streetlight Manifesto
This ska-punk band has been a staple on the scene for more than 20 years. They released their debut album, Everything Goes Numb, way back in 2003 and have toured and recorded steadily since then. They’re touring behind the new album, The Place Behind the Stars, and the LP really shows off their ability to write complex horn arrangements. The tour comes to the Agora tonight. Doors open at 7.
5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221, agoracleveland.com.
Tate McRae: Miss Possessive Tour
This singer-songwriter and dancer became an overnight sensation back in 2020 when her confessional, Billie Eilish-like “you broke me first” became a massive hit. For her latest album, So Close to What, she teams up with producers such as Timbaland and the Neptunes, who provide the club friendly beats on the release. She performs at 7:30 at Rocket Arena. 7 p.m.
One Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketarena.com.
SUN 08/31
Nine Inch Nails: Peel It Back Tour
The industrial rock group with ties to Northeast Ohio returns to Rocket Arena. The group just released “As Alive as You Need Me To Be,” the first official music from the band in five years. The tune comes from the soundtrack for the forthcoming TRON: Ares film and features noisy guitars mixed with pulsating synths and Trent Reznor’s typically intense vocals (he always sounds like he’s on the verge of a breakdown). The show begins at 7:30 p.m.
One Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketarena.com.
TUE 09/02
Dorothy
San Diego-born hard rock singer Dorothy Martin says she sang since she was a kid and found inspiration by sifting through her father’s vinyl collection, listening to everything from Dolly Parton to Credence Clearwater, Janice Joplin and Pink Floyd. After moving to Los Angeles, she put together Dorothy in 2014 with the intention of making hard-rocking music that, as she has put it, metalheads like Beavis and Butthead would like. The group performs tonight at 7 at Globe Iron.
2325 Elm St., globeironcle.com.
THU 09/04
UB40
Formed in December 1978 in Birmingham, England, UB40 has had more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart and achieved considerable international success. Expect to hear its biggest hits — “Red, Red Wine,” “Food for Thought,” “(I Can’t Help) Falling in Love with You” — when the group performs tonight at 7 at House of Blues. Not ones to rest on their laurels, the group recently had a hit with the poppy “Forever True.”
308 Euclid Ave., 216-523-2583, houseofblues.com.
Hudson Westbrook
The singer-songwriter performs at 7 tonight at Jacobs Pavilion as he brings his tour in support of his new album, Texas Forever, to town. The album’s latest single, “Damn Good Taste in Whiskey,” features lilting vocals and a catchy chorus, showing off the young musician’s songwriting abilities (he co-wrote all the tunes on Texas Forever).
2014 Sycamore St., 216-861-4080, jacobspavilion.com.
FRI 09/05
A Day to Remember & Yellowcard
The double bill featuring Warped Tour alumni A Day To Remember and Yellowcard rolls into Blossom. A Day to Remember adroitly mixes metalcore and pop-punk, and Yellowcard famously throws a violin into its mix of punk and rock. Should be a good pairing. The show starts at 6:15 p.m.
1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, livenation.com.
Texas Headhunters
The three members of this blues trio — Ian Moore, Johnny Moeller and Jesse Dayton — represent the last wave of the late Clifford Antone’s discoveries. The Austin-based blues club owner also famously mentored guitarists such Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimmie Vaughan, Kim Wilson and Gary Clark, Jr. The Texas Headhunters will aim to keep his legacy alive when they perform tonight at 8 at the Beachland Ballroom.
15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.
SAT 09/06
Studio-A-Rama
WRUW 91.1 FM’s annual showcase for local music takes place today at Mather Memorial Courtyard The day-long music festival begins at 1 p.m. The Louisville-based post-harcore band Wombo headlines, and Cincinnati’s Artificial Go will perform as well. Admission is free.
11220 Bellflower Rd., 216-368-2208, wruw.org.
Unwound: 30 Years of The Future of What
One of the flagship bands of the Kill Rock Stars label, the post-hardcore act Unwound has reunited to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its 1995 album, The Future of What. The album’s angular guitars and droll vocals recall acts such as Jawbox and Slint. The show begins at 8 p.m. at the Grog Shop in Cleveland Heights. Harriet the Spy and Deep Essence open.
2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5588, grogshop.gs.
SUN 09/07
Alison Krauss & Union Station
The veteran bluegrass-y band performs at 6 p.m. at Jacobs Pavilion. Arcadia, the band’s first album in 14 years, finds it in great form. Album opener, “Looks Like the End of the Road,” puts Alison Krauss’s voice up front in the mix, and she sounds as sharp as ever. Other tunes like the narrative “The Hangman” show off the group’s bluegrass roots as well as its ability to cast a dark mood with sparse instrumentation. Singer-songwriter Willie Watson opens.
2014 Sycamore St., 216-861-4080, jacobspavilion.com.
MON 09/08
Alabama Shakes
The terrific neo-soul group out of Athens, AL established the talent of frontwoman Brittany Howard, a monster guitarist and singer who infused songs such as “Hold On” and “Don’t Wanna Fight” with real grit and determination. Howard left the band to pursue a solo but returned to it last year. The reunited group performs at 6 p.m. at Jacobs Pavilion. Singer-songwriter Sam Evian opens.
2014 Sycamore St., 216-861-4080, jacobspavilion.com.
TUE 09/09
The Crooner & the Cowboy: Leon Bridges with Charley Crockett
Soul singer Leon Bridges and alt-country singer-songwriter Charley Crockett bring their Crooner and Cowboy tour to Blossom. Both artists hail from Texas and have rightly received significant acclaim. Bridges has won a Grammy, and Crocket has been nominated for a Grammy. Expect showmanship from both. The concert begins at 7 p.m.
1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, livenation.com.
Subscribe to Cleveland Scene newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
[ad_2]
Jeff Niesel
Source link
[ad_1]
Medrick “Medz” Greely, one-half of Branoofunck, is on a Zoom call with us before a rehearsal. He explains how PreMedz: The First Dosage, announced at the beginning of July, is his first instrumental project.…
[ad_2]
Eric Diep
Source link
[ad_1]
WED 10/30
Mondo Cozmo
After successful runs in indie rock acts Laguardia and Eastern Conference Champions, singer-songwriter Josh Ostrander formed the indie group Mondo Cozmo. Now, he counts the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Butch Vig as fans. He comes to Mahall’s 20 Lanes in Lakewood tonight at 7 in support of It’s PRINCIPLE!, a varied rock album produced by Mark Rankin (Queens of the Stone Age, Adele).
13200 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-521-3280, mahalls20lanes.com.
THU 10/31
Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore
Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Dave Alvin and Grammy nominated singer-songwriter Jimmie Dale Gilmore play Music Box Supper Club tonight at 7:30 as they bring their tour in support of their second collaborative album, TexiCali, to town. The 11-song collection represents a roadtrip across Alvin and Gilmore’s home states and celebrates their shared musical influences. Songs such as the narrative-focused “Borderland” show off the duo’s sharp alt-country songwriting chops.
1148 Main Ave., 216-242-1250, musicboxcle.com.
Brother Elsey: A Jar Full of Lighting Tour
On their debut LP, Brother Elsey, a Nashville-by-way-of-Detroit rock act, delivers 13 introspective tracks produced by Drew Long (KALEO, Judah & the Lion). The careening Kings of Leon-like single “Wrong Things” possesses a quiet intensity thanks to gruff vocals and cascading guitars. With a new album due out early next year, the group will likely debut some unreleased tunes when it performs at 8 p.m. at the Beachland Tavern.
15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.
FRI 11/01
GWAR
The shock rock act performs tonight at 7 at the Agora. The live show is a messy good time, and in keeping with the band’s irreverent attitude toward the world, the group just released a cover of “I’m Just Ken,” which it has reimagined as “We’re Just GWAR” (sample lyric: “we’re still the band that spews”). Dark Funeral and Squid Pisser open.
5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221, agoracleveland.com.
In the Heartland — The Music of MSB
Former members of the band that backed the late MIchael Stanley bring this tribute to the Kent Stage tonight at 6:30. MSB guitarist Danny Powers will take over on vocals as the group revisits the heartland rocker’s hits. Songs such as “My Town” capture the blue-collar Cleveland ethos and turned Stanley into a regional superstar.
175 E. Main St., Kent, 330-677-5005, kentstage.org.
SAT 11/02
André 3000: New Blue Sun Live In Concert
Outkast’s André 3000 comes to the Akron Civic Theatre at 8 tonight in support of his solo album, New Blue Sun. Coproduced by André and lauded multi-instrumentalist Carlos Niño, and featuring the playing of Nate Mercereau, Surya Botofasina, Deantoni Parks, Diego Gaeta, Matthewdavid, V.C.R, Diego Gaeta, Jesse Peterson and Mia Doi Todd, New Blue Sun is an entirely instrumental album.
182 South Main St., Akron, 330-253-2488, akroncivic.com.
Mr. Gnome
The local hard rock act brings a national tour to a close with this show at the Beachland Ballroom. The group’s new album, A Sliver of Space, is its most personal album to date and finds it making the most of its home studio, where it has time to carefully craft its stoner/shoegazer tunes. The music begins at 8 p.m.
15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.
Subscribe to Cleveland Scene newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
[ad_2]
Jeff Niesel
Source link
[ad_1]
THU 10/24
Lorna Shore
This hard rock band turned a corner when singer Will Ramos (Moment of a Memory, A Wake in Providence) joined and brought his screechy voice to the group’s hard rock riffs. A song like “To the Hellfire” demonstrates his ability to scream like some kind of tortured animal. The group brings its latest tour to the Agora tonight. Whitechapel, Kublai Khan TX and Sanguisugabogg open. Doors are at 5:30 p.m.
5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221, agoracleveland.com.
FRI 10/25
Beat
A group featuring former King Crimson members Adrian Belew and Tony Levin along with guitar hero Steve Vai and Tool drummer Danny Carey will reinterpret songs from the King Crimson albums Discipline, Beat and Three of a Perfect Pair, arguably the prog rock group’s most accessible work. The foursome represent some of prog rock’s best musicians, so you can expect they’ll nail the tunes even without Crimson mastermind Robert Fripp in the mix. Doors open at 7 p.m. at the Agora.
5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221, agoracleveland.com.
Jerry Popiel Release Party
Local singer-songwriter Jerry Popiel has had a busy year. He says he’s played more than 50 shows so far and has particularly enjoyed performing on the Viking cruise ships when they visit Cleveland, Detroit and Windsor. He also found time to record Edgewater, a new folk-rock EP, and hopes he’s captured what life is like on the shores of Lake Erie. He celebrates the album’s release with tonight’s show at Collision Bending Brewing Company. The concert begins at 7 p.m.
1250 Old River Rd., 216-273-7879, collisionbendbrewery.com.
Janis Siegel + Yaron Gershovsky
Manhattan Transfer singer Janis Siegel will play music from her new release, The Colors of My Life: A Cy Coleman Songbook. Yaron Gershovsky (long time pianist with the Manhattan Transfer, and also pianist on the new release) will accompany Siegel during this special show that takes place in Market Garden Brewery’s, Ohio City Room (lower level). Shows take place at 7:30 tonight and tomorrow night.
1947 West 25th St., 216-621-4000, marketgardenbrewery.com.
SAT 10/26
Mushroomhead
Thanks partly to the contributions of Ryan “Dr. F” Farrell, a longtime band member who recently went back to school to get his masters in composition, the latest Mushroomhead album, Call the Devil, features some carefully crafted carnival-like moments in tracks such as “UIOP (A Final Reprieve).” Expect to hear it when the local group brings its annual Halloween show back to the Agora. Upon a Burning Body, There Is No Us, Mind Incision, Bittersweet Revenge and Psycho open. Doors are at 5:30 p.m.
5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221, agoracleveland.com.
WCSB’s Halloween Ball
The local college station’s annual Halloween bash returns to the Beachland Ballroom and Tavern tonight at 6. Mephiskapheles, Noun (Marissa Paternoster), Chris Farren, Pal, Autopolitan, Brood X, Jinari Kemet and OONGOW!!! are slated to perform.
15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.
SUN 10/27
The Dear Hunter: Celebrating 20 Years
What started as a side project for Casey Crescenzo of the Receiving End of Sirens fame turned into a priority shortly after the release of the band’s 2004 demo, Dear Ms. Leading, a proggy affair that possesses elements of Death Cab for Cutie. At 7 tonight, the indie rock group brings its 20th anniversary tour to the Roxy at Mahall’s 20 Lanes in Lakewood.
13200 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-521-3280, mahalls20lanes.com.
MON 10/28
Sueco
Sueco recently released his first-ever independent album, Attempted Lover, and the rapper has also released a total of 12 accompanying music videos on his YouTube channel. His three singles off of the album leading up to release include the stripped-back “Mulholland Drive,” the fast-paced anthem “Drama Queen,” and the heavy “Outta My Head.” Expect to hear them when Sueco performs at the Roxy at Mahall’s 20 Lanes in Lakewood. GXTP opens.
13200 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-521-3280, mahalls20lanes.com.
WED 10/30
Mondo Cozmo
After successful runs in indie rock acts Laguardia and Eastern Conference Champions, singer-songwriter Josh Ostrander formed the indie group Mondo Cozmo. Now, he counts the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Butch Vig as fans. He comes to Mahall’s 20 Lanes in Lakewood tonight at 7 in support of It’s PRINCIPLE!, a varied rock album produced by Mark Rankin (Queens of the Stone Age, Adele).
13200 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-521-3280, mahalls20lanes.com.
THU 10/31
Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore
Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Dave Alvin and Grammy nominated singer-songwriter Jimmie Dale Gilmore play Music Box Supper Club tonight at 7:30 as they bring their tour in support of their second collaborative album, TexiCali, to town. The 11-song collection represents a roadtrip across Alvin and Gilmore’s home states and celebrates their shared musical influences. Songs such as the narrative-focused “Borderland” show off the duo’s sharp alt-country songwriting chops.
1148 Main Ave., 216-242-1250, musicboxcle.com.
FRI 11/01
GWAR
The shock rock act performs tonight at 7 at the Agora. The live show is a messy good time, and in keeping with the band’s irreverent attitude toward the world, the group just released a cover of “I’m Just Ken,” which it has reimagined as “We’re Just GWAR” (sample lyric: “we’re still the band that spews”). Dark Funeral and Squid Pisser open.
5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221, agoracleveland.com.
In the Heartland — The Music of MSB
Former members of the band that backed the late MIchael Stanley bring this tribute to the Kent Stage tonight at 6:30. MSB guitarist Danny Powers will take over on vocals as the group revisits the heartland rocker’s hits. Songs such as “My Town” capture the blue-collar Cleveland ethos and turned Stanley into a regional superstar.
175 E. Main St., Kent, 330-677-5005, kentstage.org.
SAT 11/02
André 3000: New Blue Sun Live In Concert
Outkast’s André 3000 comes to the Akron Civic Theatre at 8 tonight in support of his solo album, New Blue Sun. Coproduced by André and lauded multi-instrumentalist Carlos Niño, and featuring the playing of Nate Mercereau, Surya Botofasina, Deantoni Parks, Diego Gaeta, Matthewdavid, V.C.R, Diego Gaeta, Jesse Peterson and Mia Doi Todd, New Blue Sun is an entirely instrumental album.
182 South Main St., Akron, 330-253-2488, akroncivic.com.
Subscribe to Cleveland Scene newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
[ad_2]
Jeff Niesel
Source link
[ad_1]
Hinds co-founders, co-vocalists, co-guitarists and co-songwriters Carlotta Cosials and Ana Perrote say that Bob Dylan is to blame for their Madrid-based indie rock group’s formation.
“Years ago, I had a bad breakup with a boyfriend,” says Cosials in a Zoom conference call with Perrote. The two spoke from their respective homes in Madrid. Hinds performs with the Happy Return at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 22, at the Grog Shop in Cleveland Heights. “I suggested we go on holiday to forget about him. We took two guitars even though we didn’t know how to play. I bought them when I wanted to become a new person. We started playing [Dylan’s] ‘It Ain’t Me, Babe’ again and again and again and again. It was so cool. We got hooked with music. It was one of the best feelings in the world.’
Cosials says the duo began wondering if they should start a band. Their response, which she says they uttered out loud, was “hell yeah!”
“We started doing covers, and it was nothing serious,” she says. “We officially started the band in 2014.”
A pivotal moment came when the group heard contemporary alternative rock acts such as Arctic Monkeys and Måneskin.
“We both clearly remember when we saw bands from our generation doing something we liked,” says Perrote. “We listened to old music, and it wasn’t so easy to find new playlists. We listened to Rolling Stones and Velvet Underground and Bob Dylan. When we discovered newer bands, we were blown away. We were like, ‘Oh my God, they look like us.’”
The band had a steady run until the pandemic brought touring to a standstill. The timing couldn’t have been worse. The group had just released a new album and couldn’t hit the road in support of it. And then, when it was time to start recording a follow-up, the motivation just wasn’t there.
“It wasn’t so much a creative block,” says Perrote when asked about getting started on the band’s latest release, Viva Hinds. “It was more emotional. We were so drained. We were so drained. We were trying to tour the album that had just been released. We are very DIY people and put a lot of thought and energy into our albums. We were seen as happy and cheerful people. When we were writing, we weren’t feeling cheerful. Some songs were definitely not cheerful. That caused us to wonder. But we just said that this is what we are writing. We weren’t going to pretend. We never write with an idea in our head. We just let go. We just wrote about what we were going through.”
The band holed up at a studio in France and devoted all its time to writing and recording.
“It was such a fucking good decision to do that,” says Cosials. “We were living in the same place where we were recording, and we weren’t counting the dollars. It was very cheap. We had such a great time. It was like a house made of music. It was so cool.”
Album opener, “Hi How Are You,” really bristles thanks to its grunge-y guitars that make it sound like a Hole tune. A hot summer day in Madrid inspired the tune.
“For three days in Madrid, the sky was absolutely yellow and everything was full of dirt and super super filthy,” says Cosials. “We were driving around, and the sky was falling down, and it was clear to us that we wanted to do synthesis of sounds something very much like a storm. It was like a shock inside. That’s what we tried to do with those aggressive sounds. We wanted to shake you somehow.”
On the rollicking “En Forma,” a Low Cut Connie-like tune with barroom piano and pummeling drums, the group sings in Spanish for the first time on a studio recording.
“It’s like a hidden magic trick we can do,” says Perrote when asked about singing in her native language. “You didn’t even notice. We don’t want to predict too much what we will do next. We plan as little ahead possible. We very much focus on the now. It’s something we enjoy and our fans enjoy as well. It’s like a different instrument.”
The album also includes collaborations with Beck and Fontaines D.C.’s Grian Chatten.
Anxious to resume international touring, Perrote says the group has fine-tuned the live show, which has “a bit of everything.”
“We take [performing live] seriously and want to gave it a proper thought and will play so many of the new songs,” she says. “We fucking live music with all of our guts. It’s the best feeling in the world to be on stage and connected with strangers through songs they can cry to or laugh to or dance to. We’re so excited to go on tour and play in Cleveland, where we haven’t played in a very long time.” Subscribe to Cleveland Scene newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
[ad_2]
Jeff Niesel
Source link
[ad_1]
Credit: Adam DeGross
Versatile singer-songwriter Post Malone comes to Blossom. See: Tuesday, Oct. 1.
THU 09/26
The Airborne Toxic Event
Frontman and band leader Mikel Jollett brings the Airborne Toxic Event back to House of Blues tonight. The group’s tour supports a new album, Glory, as well as Jollett’s memoir, Hollywood Park. Glory features moody numbers such as “Our Own Thunder” and “The Walk,” righteous rockers that aspire to U2-like grandeur. The show begins at 7.
308 Euclid Ave., 216-523-2583, houseofblues.com.
FRI 09/27
The Black Crowes
Since the battling brothers in the Black Crowes reunited in 2019, they’ve played more than150 shows in 20 countries worldwide. The Robinson Brothers and longtime bassist Sven Pipien headed to the studio with producer Jay Joyce in early 2023 to cut their new long player, Happiness Bastards. They bring their Happiness Bastards Tour (the Reprise) to MGM Northfield Park — Center Stage. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
10705 Northfield Rd., Northfield, 330-908-7793, mgmnorthfieldpark.mgmresorts.com/en.html.
An Evening with the String Cheese Incident
For the past three decades, String Cheese Incident has cultivated a live show that “continually pushes into unexpected terrain,” as it’s put in a press release. The Colorado-bred six-piece place everything from bluegrass to dubstep and psychedelia. The group performs tonight at 7 at Cain Park in Cleveland Heights.
14591 Superior Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-371-3000, cainpark.com.
$uicideboy$: Grey Day Tour 2024
This raunchy hip-hop duo out of the Big Easy hip-hop group performs tonight at 6:30 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The show comes in the wake of the band’s latest effort, New World Depression, songs with references to drugs and death and destruction that are become sing-a-longs at this show thanks to the gang-style vocals and the group’s relentless energy.
1 Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com.
SAT 09/28
Burton Cummings
On tour to support his new solo album, A Few Good Moments, the lead singer and principal songwriter of the Guess Who brings his long-time backing band to MGM Northfield Park — Center Stage. The show begins at 8 p.m.
10705 Northfield Rd., Northfield, 330-908-7793, mgmnorthfieldpark.mgmresorts.com/en.html.
Social Distortion
Singer-guitarist Mike Ness brings his punk band Social Distortion back to House of Blues at 7 tonight and tomorrow night. Ness might be in his 60s now, but Social Distortion tunes such as “Ball and Chain,” “Story of My Life” and “I Was Wrong” remain classic punk anthems that bristle with youthful energy. And, of course, the band’s cover of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” remains the definitive take on the Cash track.
308 Euclid Ave., 216-523-2583, houseofblues.com.
Twenty One Pilots: The Clancy World Tour
A Grammy-Award winning band with Ohio roots, Twenty One Pilots have been one of the most successful rock acts of the past decade. The group’s breakout LP, Blurryface, became the first album to reportedly notch a RIAA Gold or Platinum certification for every one of its songs. Led by the single “Overcompensate,” the band’s new album embraces an even wider range of musical styles than previous efforts. Tonight at 7, the group returns to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
One Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com.
Under the Rug
Happiness Is Easy, the latest offering from this indie group, features contributions from co-writers like Sam Hollander (Panic! At the Disco, Weezer) and Mason Jenning. Expect to hear songs from it when the band plays tonight at 8 at the Beachland Tavern.
15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.
The War and Treaty
The War and Treaty have had a terrific year that started with their first ever Grammy nominations for Best American Roots Song and for the all-genre Best New Artist. They followed nominations from the Academy of Country Music, Country Music Association and CMT Music Awards. A terrific live act that draws from country, soul and R&B, the group performs tonight at 8 at the Beachland Ballroom. The Kentucky Gentlemen open.
15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.
SUN 09/29
Air Supply
The light rock act celebrated its 49th anniversary last year and has played over 5300 concerts throughout that time period. It still performs about 130 concerts each year around the world. A highlight of their career came when they performed for Prince Charles and Princess Diana and had dinner with them. A movie biopic is slated for release in summer 2025. The group plays tonight at 7:30 at the State Theatre.
1519 Euclid Avenue, 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
Iris DeMent
The talented singer-songwriter addresses climate change, the pandemic and social injustice on her new record, Workin’ On a World. She performs tonight at 6:30 at the Kent Stage. Singer-songwriter Ana Egge opens.
175 E. Main St., Kent, 330-677-5005, kentstage.org.
TUE 10/01
Post Malone
You never know what you’re gonna get with Post Malone. The indie artist has now embraced country music, and he and country star Morgan Wallen have released their new radio friendly single “I Had Some Help,” which will appear on a forthcoming Post Malone LP. The versatile indie singer-songwriter performs tonight at 8 at Blossom.
1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, livenation.com.
THU 10/03
Uz Jsme Doma
The art rock band out of Prague returns to the Beachland Tavern. The group’s roots date all way back to the 1980s, and frontman Miroslav Wanek has somehow kept the group together (with a few different lineups) going all this time. Expect to hear Zappa-inspired music that embraces unconventional rhythms and beats. The show begins at 8 p.m. Da Land Brass Band opens.
15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.
FRI 10/04
My Morning Jacket
To date, this terrific Kentucky-based band has released nine studio albums that provide a showcase for eccentric singer-songwriter Jim James. On their most recent release, 2021’s My Morning Jacket, they tried to capture the intensity of their live shows and songs such as the bluesy “Never in the Real World” feature gritty guitars and synthesizer swells. The group performs tonight at 8 at Cain Park in Cleveland Heights.
14591 Superior Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-371-3000, cainpark.com.
TUE 10/08
Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers Spirit Trail 25th Anniversary Tour
The singer-songwriter brings his tour marking the 25th anniversary of his 1998 album Spirit Trail, a collection of roots-y tunes that enables him to show off his piano playing, to the Goodyear Theater in Akron. The show begins at 7:30 p.m., and every ticket holder will receive a copy of the Spirit Trail: 25th Anniversary Edition three-CD box set at the show.
1201 East Market St., Akron, 330-659-7118, goodyeartheater.com.
Subscribe to Cleveland Scene newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
[ad_2]
Jeff Niesel
Source link
[ad_1]
As she preps for a fall tour that will mark her first tour in seven years and bring her to Blossom on Friday, Sept. 27, singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor is busy updating her TikTok account, a necessary evil in today’s world.
“I do TikTok myself, and it’s very stressful. I’m not very good at it,” she admits via phone from Los Angeles where she was about to start tour rehearsals. “I’m definitely nervous about the tour, but I have to remind myself that I’m in better shape than I’ve ever been even after two kids. I learned to work out and eat correctly. I know how to take vitamins and not get sick anymore. That was my biggest fear. I also know how to take care of my voice now.”
She’s particularly excited about the new show’s production values.
“I finally got to see what the show will look like, and it’s unbelievable,” she enthusiastically says. “There is a lift that I haven’t used, and I will have to buckle myself in. I will look like a real superstar. I’m telling you.”
Trainor hasn’t been idle during the past few years. She kicked off 2023 by joining the judging panel of Australian Idol. She also released Takin’ It Back (Deluxe), which features three new songs including the new single “Mother.” To celebrate the holiday season, Trainor teamed up with talk show host Jimmy Fallon to release the playful collaboration, “Wrap Me Up,” and she made her literary debut with Dear Future Mama, a humorous guide to pregnancy and motherhood (she had just given birth to her second child with husband Daryl Sabara.
Handling the stress of keeping her career moving forward and having a family hasn’t been easy.
“Oh, therapy is a wonderful thing once a week and anti-depressants are my best friends,” she says when about how she’s balanced her various commitments. “I have therapy once a week. Having a good supportive family and supportive team is key to success. I meet a lot of people in this career who say that I’m so lucky to have a good family and team. They’re my angels. I keep them close.”
Her new album, Timeless, features some undeniably great pop tunes, ranging from the doo-wop anthem “Been Like This” to the bass-heavy banger “To the Moon.”
“Well, I wanted to outdo myself and do the old-school pop thing with a modern sound but at another level,” she says of her approach on the new album. “I wanted it to bring it back to old school and show you the beauty of it but then be like, ‘We in the club. Did you see that coming?’ Every time, I’m on stage, I want to dance my ass off and be the pop star I always wanted to be. I have six beautiful dancers who will hold my hand, and my younger brother is doing all the music, so it’ll be a big family affair.”
Working out of a studio in her home (she literally had to crawl down the stairs to get to the basement to record because she was recovering from her pregnancy), she began writing new tunes right after giving birth.
“It was 11 days after my second C-section,” she says. “I first wrote ‘Forget How To Love’ because I saw so much hate online, especially for the LGBTQIA+ community. The song is about how we need to hate less in general and be nicer to everyone. Everyone is being so loud online. Nothing was going to stop me from getting down to that studio.”
“Been Like This” and “Love on Hold” find her working her idol T-Pain and embracing hip-hop.
“T-Pain is my hero and has been my hero since middle school,” she says. “He can really rhyme and make the background vocals as important at the lead. He taught me so much. I got to play him this new album and tell him he inspired a lot of it. He thought that was crazy.”
The Amy Winehouse-like “I Wanna Thank Me,” another album highlight, serves as a tribute to actress Niecy Nash.
“That was one of the last songs I wrote for the album,” Trainor says of the tune. “I saw the viral clip. I asked for inspiration and I got with my writer J Kash, who did my songs ‘Me Too’ and ‘No.’ He does these confident bangers. We wrote it in 45 minutes and had the best day ever. I sent it to [Nash] that day, and she sent me a video of her sobbing when listening to it. She came over and sang on it with her daughter and her wife. It was the best day I’ll ever have.”
Trainor says that when she got signed as a songwriter, she assumed that meant that people were telling her in a nice way that didn’t have what it takes to sing her own songs.
“My favorite thing is writing for other artists,” she says. “I have so many plaques in my house for songs I wrote for Rascal Flatts and J. Lo. I’m really proud of those accomplishments.”
Her 2014 hit song “All About That Bass,” however, established Trainor as a pop superstar who could sing her own damn tunes.
“I had crazy work day at the time when I found out ‘All About That Bass’ was No. 1,” she says. “I landed at the airport in Australia, and I called my parents and told them that it was No. 1 on some list. I sobbed my eyes out, and people thought I must’ve had a death in the family because I was crying so hard. I was really happy and couldn’t believe it.”
Her career has skyrocketed, making Trainor into a superstar. And while many high-profile musicians don’t want to talk politics, Trainor unabashedly promotes equality and tolerance without invoking partisanship.
“It’s all about voting and equality for everyone,” she says. “It’s all about love. We simply need to spread more love than hate.”
Meghan Trainor, Paul Russell, Ryan Trainor. 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, Blossom, 1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 330-920-8040. Tickets: $35.30+, livenation.com.
Subscribe to Cleveland Scene newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
[ad_2]
Jeff Niesel
Source link
[ad_1]
Back in 2009, two sisters and their two best friends casually formed a rock band in middle school in Toronto. Now, that band, who became the Beaches in 2013, is headlining theaters across North America, playing to large festival crowds, and opening for The Rolling Stones.
The Beaches bring their Blame My Ex Tour to the Agora on Wednesday, Sept. 25.
In the Canadian foursome’s early days of high school, they had already begun kickstarting their professional careers.
“It was weird,” says drummer Eliza Enman-McDaniel in a recent phone interview. “We were doing a residency once a week at this bar in downtown Toronto, and we’d have to go to high school still the next day. None of our friends were experiencing the same stuff we were. So, it was kind of crazy and isolating at the same time. But it was great because we were best friends, and we had each other, and we were able to lean on each other, when we needed it.”
The Beaches are leaning on each other in the same way, now that their careers have taken off. The band’s next single, “Jocelyn” details the members’ imposter syndrome since rising to notoriety.
“People are looking up to us now,” says Enman-McDaniel. “It’s an interesting feeling, but we can connect to each other on that. We’re still the same people that we were before we even started this. We keep each other in check.”
The Beaches find it especially mind-blowing that fans travel across oceans to see them play.
Excitement continues to build for the band’s next single, as it teases it on its social media accounts and adds it to the setlist. Fans have been spotted in the crowd holding up playful “Who’s Jocelyn?” signs.
The track details how wild it is that all these cool, impressive, intelligent people are looking to the Beaches for advice when the band members aren’t exactly confident in their role model status.
As for “Jocelyn,” the band just liked how the name sounded, so the girls checked their Instagram following to confirm that they did, in fact, have a fan named Jocelyn.
“The funny thing is, Jocelyn — I don’t even know if she remembers that she follows us,” laughs Enman-McDaniel. “So, we’ll see what happens. It would be cool to do like an Instagram post with the actual girl.”
The Beaches have been building a devoted fanbase for many years, but the success of the angsty girl-anthem “Blame Brett” elevated the band to new heights. “Blame Brett” finds lead singer-bassist Jordan Miller struggling after a hard breakup.
“I’m not ready for therapy, to take accountability,” Miller sings, as she grapples with how legitimate it may or may not be to scapegoat one person in the unraveling of a two-person relationship.
Enman-Mcdaniel’s favorite part of the Blame My Ex Tour and the post-“Blame Brett” success is that the band’s new fans dove deeper into the back catalogue than surface level.
“For me the most exciting part, playing these massive venues, is people actually singing the songs you don’t expect them to know,” says Enman-McDaniel. “Not just that overnight sort of vibe, not just something that then disappears; it actually felt like it had some substance to it.”
She is proud that they are building a sustainable fanbase, and truly capitalizing on the moment.
“Playing ‘Blame Brett’ is amazing, but just hearing them sing all the songs back is just the most rewarding feeling.”
“Edge of the Earth” is Enman-Mcdaniel’s favorite song on Blame My Ex to play live.
“It’s a bit of a different drumming style for me; that’s why it’s fun,” says Enman-Mcdaniel. “It kind of pushes your boundaries a little bit. And people often sing that one back to us, which is so fun.”
The album features other fun denial or deflection-born songs like “Shower Beer,” which was written prior to Miller’s breakup.
“You can tell,” says Enman-McDaniel.
But the band balances it with thought-provoking, deep-diving introspective tracks like, “What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Paranoid,” inspired by trying to pick up the pieces and adjust to a new, lonelier social life after a breakup. The band wanted to balance the serious, melancholy lyrics with upbeat production. They were inspired by ’80s music and bands like the Cure.
“They’re singing about something sad, but the music sounds happy,” says Enman-McDaniel.
“We were discussing the highs and lows when you’re going through a breakup. Kind of the concept of happy-sad. Those feelings of euphoria, but also just total heartbreak. And so, we wanted to convey that within the music.”
Since last year’s album, the Beaches has already released a couple of singles, including “Takes One To Know One,” which Enman-McDaniel says was written to counteract the themes of “Blame Brett,” and unpack the dichotomy.
Miller brought in the concept of her pattern of getting herself stuck in messy situations, and the band explored from there.
“It was kind of our follow up on ‘Blame Brett,’” says Enman-McDaniel. “She is also accountable for putting herself in these situations.”
Besides soaking up the success of the Blame My Ex Tour, the Toronto-based band is planning on fitting in more writing sessions and L.A. trips before they take a break for the holidays.
Reflecting on where it all began, the band members feel grateful and motivated to keep the fun that they’re having going.
“I think we all had the goal of ending up where we are now. So, it’s pretty crazy that we’ve achieved our goal,” says Enman-McDaniel. “It’s all led up to this moment.”
Subscribe to Cleveland Scene newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
[ad_2]
Halle Weber
Source link
[ad_1]
WED 08/28
Built to Spill: There’s Nothing Wrong with Love 30th Anniversary Tour
The indie rock group revisits its 1994 album, There’s Nothing Wrong with Love, for this special show that takes place tonight at 7:30 at the Beachland Ballroom. The group’s dynamic guitar work that sometimes verges on prog rock in tunes such as “In the Morning” distinguishes this veteran act and translates well live too. According to the club’s website, the show is sold out.
15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.
Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper
The two shock rockers bring their co-headlining tour to Blossom. A successful solo artist and moviemaker, Zombie’s legacy also stems from the time he spent with his group White Zombie, which released four albums in the ’80s and ’90s. A Rock Hall inductee, Cooper essentially invented the shock rock genre. The concert begins at 6 p.m.
1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, livenation.com.
THU 08/29
Rosanne Cash
The Americana singer-songwriter who’s famously the daughter of the late Johnny Cash and his first wife Vivian Cash performs tonight at 7:30 at the Mimi Ohio Theatre. Cash started releasing albums in the 1970s and had a hit with “No Memories Hangin’ Around,” a somber ballad about heartache that shows off her gentle voice. She’s steadily recorded and toured since then and has a large catalog of songs from which to draw.
1501 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
New Found Glory
The pop-punk band swings into the Agora tonight as part of a tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of their 2004 album, Catalyst. The album yielded hits such as “All Downhill from Here,” “Truth of My Youth” and “Failure’s Not Flattering,” songs that possess a Bad Religion-like sense of urgency. The show begins at 6:30, and Sincere Engineer opens.
5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221, agoracleveland.com.
Pitbull
Armando Christian Pérez, aka Pitbull, describes himself as an international superstar, education ambassador, entrepreneur and motivational speaker. The co-owner of a NASCAR racing team, he also owns his own record label and has his own SiriusXM channel Known for his high-energy Latin rock performances, he brings his Party After Dark Tour to Blossom tonight at 8.
1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, livenation.com.
FRI 08/30
Faith Kelly & Caswyn Moon
These two solo musicians who live in upstate New York bring their Couple of Wanderers Tour to 8th Day Brewing. Moon usually starts off the night with his American rock music with old country undertones. Then, Kelly plays her spacey folk rock ‘n’ roll with Appalachian mountain twists. They also make daily YouTube vlogs showcasing local businesses, DIY musicians and their adventures nationally, locally and regionally. The show begins at 7 p.m.
11782 E Washington St., Chagrin Falls, 8thdaybrewing.com.
SAT 08/31
17th Annual Multi Music Fest
This annual jazz fest features Kenny Lattimore, Kirk Whalum and Jeff Lorber Fusion. The concert begins at 5 p.m. at Cain Park in Cleveland Heights.
14591 Superior Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-371-3000, cainpark.com.
Hingetown Jazz Festival
The second annual Hingetown Jazz Festival will take place from 2:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Bop Stop, Jukebox and the Transformer Station. The free event is presented by the Local 4 Music Fund.
local4musicfund.org
Howard Jones
Eighties pop acts Howard Jones, ABC and Haircut 100 team up for this nostalgic show at TempleLive at the Cleveland Masonic. Jones just released a new live record that he recorded at the O2 Arena in London. The release features live versions of “New Song,” “What Is Love?,” “Like To Get To Know You Well” and “Things Can Only Get Better. The concert begins at 7 p.m.
3615 Euclid Ave., 216-881-6350, masoniccleveland.com.
SUN 09/01
Glen Hansard
The Frames singer-songwriter brings his tour in support of his latest album, last year’s All That Was East Is West of Me Now, to the Agora. The album of folk-rock tunes allows Hansard, who comes off as a modern-day Richard Thompson, to embrace the kind of quiet intensity that made the Frames so special. The show begins tonight at 7. Trousdale opens the show.
5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221, agoracleveland.com.
Squeeze
On tour to celebrate its 50th anniversary, the British pop band known for hits such as “Pulling Mussels (from the Shell),” “Black Coffee in Bed” and “Tempted” comes to MGM Northfield Park — Center Park tonight at 7:30.
10705 Northfield Rd., Northfield, 330-908-7793, mgmnorthfieldpark.mgmresorts.com.
Mike Tramp
The former White Lion frontman comes to the Winchester Music Tavern in Lakewood tonight at 7 to revisit the White Lion catalog. He’ll revisit hits such as “Wait” and “When the Children Cry,” which he’ll update with “modern vocals,” as it’s put in a press release.
12112 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-600-5338, thewinchestermusictavern.com.
TUE 09/03
The Linda Lindas
The Linda Lindas debut album, Growing Up, came out in 2022 and the band spent most of 2022 on a world tour that included shows with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Japanese Breakfast at Forest Hills Stadium and the Hollywood Bowl. They perform tonight at 7 at the Beachland Ballroom. Bacchae opens.
15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.
Mitski
While studying studio composition at SUNY Purchase College’s Conservatory of Music, this indie singer-songwriter recorded and self-released 2012’s Lush and 2013’s Retired from Sad, New Career in Business. Her career has picked up momentum since then; the current tour supports last year’s The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, a collection of tunes that finds Mitski experimenting with choral vocals on album opener “Bug Like an Angel.” Tonight’s show at Jacobs Pavilion begins at 6:30. Lamp opens. Sept. 3.
2014 Sycamore St., 216-861-4080, jacobspavilion.com.
Subscribe to Cleveland Scene newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
[ad_2]
Jeff Niesel
Source link
[ad_1]
WED 08/14
Missy Elliott
Ciara, Busta Rhymes and Timbaland share the bill with recent Rock Hall Inductee Missy Elliott, who performs tonight at 7 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Expect Elliott to deliver classic tracks like “Get Ur Freak On,” an intoxicating mix of funk, R&B and hip-hop that celebrates individuality.
1 Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com.
Sons of Cream
Malcom Bruce and Kofi Baker are sons of two of the original members of the British blues band Cream. The third member of this trio is guitarist Rob Johnson, who is a grandnephew of Cream drummer Ginger Baker. Together, they pay tribute to Cream (and they cover two Blind Faith tunes as well). The group performs tonight at 7:30 at Music Box Supper Club.
1148 Main Ave., 216-242-1250, musicboxcle.com.
THU 08/15
Jeff “Skunk” Baxter
Known for his work with Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers, Jeff “Skunk” Baxter has collaborated with Elton John, Joni Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix and Barbra Streisand. For this show at the Music Box, he’ll showcase his first solo album, Speed of Heat. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
1148 Main Ave., 216-242-1250, musicboxcle.com.
Hootie & the Blowfish
When Hootie & the Blowfish played Blossom in 2019, the band began its set with a rousing rendition of “Hannah Jane,” and singer Darius Rucker effortlessly commanded the stage, even though his voice was a bit buried in the mix at the concert’s start. He led the audience through a clap-along “I Go Blind,” and his voice came into focus on a cover of Radney Foster’s “A Fine Line.” Expect a similar performance when the band returns to Blossom tonight at 7.
1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, livenation.com.
FRI 08/16
Chuchito Valdés International Trio
A master of Cuban music, Chuchito Valdés has also extensively studied classical music. His original compositions and arrangements draw on classical harmonic and structural techniques. He draws on many styles including Afro-Cuban Latin Jazz, Bebop, Danzon, Cha-Cha-Cha, Son Montuno and much more. Valdés currently resides in Cancun, Mexico and is a frequent performer in the United State and Canada., He and his band perform at 7:30 tonight and tomorrow night at Market Garden Brewery.
1947 West 25th St., 216-621-4000, marketgardenbrewery.com.
SAT 08/17
Floyd Nation
The Pink Floyd tribute act performs at 8:30 p.m. at Cain Park in Cleveland Heights. The band will even bring backing singers and a saxophonist with it as it recreates tunes by the psychedelic rock act.
14591 Superior Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-371-3000, cainpark.com.
Angie McMahon
This singer-songwriter arrives at the Grog Shop in Cleveland Heights after playing Glastonbury and in front of 14,000 fans in Australia. Expect to hear some tunes from an upcoming EP featuring songs that were written and recorded during the same period as her new album Light, Dark, Light Again. The concert begins at 8:30 p.m.
2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5588, grogshop.gs.
TUE 08/20
Iron & Wine
This veteran indie rock band recently returned with Light Verse, its first full-length release in over seven years. Standout single, a tune that could pass as an old-time country standard, finds frontman Sam Beam harmonizing perfectly with Fiona Apple. The indie rock act comes to the Agora Theatre tonight at 6:30. Sunny War opens.
5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221, agoracleveland.com.
WED 08/21
Glass Animals
Having just released I Love You So Fucking Much, the follow-up to 2020’s hit Dreamland, which sold over 12 million copies globally thanks to the infectious hit “Heat Waves,” reportedly the biggest international hit song from a British band in almost 30 years, the Glass Animals have embarked on a lengthy U.S. tour. The alternative rock act plays tonight at 7:45 at Blossom.
1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, livenation.com.
Koe Wetzel
The Texas singer-songwriter gained a cult following with the release of his 2016 album, Noise Complaint, which mixed country, rock, hip-hop and even grunge. On tour in support of his latest effort, 9 Lives, he performs tonight at 6 at Jacobs Pavilion. Treaty Oak Revival and Dylan Wheeler open.
2014 Sycamore St., 216-861-4080, jacobspavilion.com.
THU 08/22
The Doobie Brothers
When the Doobie Brothers opened for Santana at Blossom in 2019, they delivered an opening set laden with their hits from the ’70s. A vibrant saxophone solo put a punctuation mark on a rousing rendition of “Without You,” and the band played “China Grove,” a track that featured pitch perfect harmony vocals, with a real fierceness. Expect something similar tonight when the classic rock act returns to Blossom at 7.
1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, livenation.com.
FRI 08/23
The Avett Brothers
Back in the early 2000s, this folk rock group out of North Carolina started playing a primitive approximation of bluegrass and folk music but has evolved into a band that can adroitly draw from a wide range of influences. On tour in support of a self-titled album, the band performs tonight at 6:30 at Jacobs Pavilion. Sammy Rae & the Friends open.
2014 Sycamore St., 216-861-4080, jacobspavilion.com.
Bachman-Turner Overdrive
Band leader Randy Bachman gained fame with both the Guess Who and BTO. He now has more than120 gold and platinum album/singles awards around the world. He brings BTO to MGM Northfield Park — Center Stage.
10705 Northfield Rd., Northfield, 330-908-7793, mgmnorthfieldpark.mgmresorts.com/en.html.
Samara Joy
Inspired by Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday, this soul/jazz singer won high praise for last year’s Linger Awhile, which even picked up a Grammy. She performs tonight at 8 at Cain Park in Cleveland Heights.
14591 Superior Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-371-3000, cainpark.com.
Graham Nash
The two-time Rock Hall Inductee brings his tour in support of his new album, Now, to the Kent Stage. He’s called the release the “most personal” album he’s ever made.
175 E. Main St., Kent, 330-677-5005, kentstage.org.
SAT 08/24
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
Melbourne’s King Gizzard has made a name for itself with its experimental jams that draw from both psych rock and synth pop. The psychedelic rock band comes to town tonight as part of a tour in support of its latest effort, Flight b741. The wacky single “Hog Calling Contest” sounds like Primus on acid. The group plays at 6 at Jacobs Pavilion. The indie rock band Geese opens the show.
2014 Sycamore St., 216-861-4080, jacobspavilion.com.
SUN 08/25
The Robert Cray Band and Steve Earle
Bluesman Robert Cray and alt-country icon Steve Earle bring their co-headlining tour to Cain Park in Cleveland Heights. Cray had his biggest hits in the ’80s but has kept steadily recording and touring and so has Earle, who just released his live album, Alone Again (Live), which features his hits “Copperhead Road,” “The Galway Girl” and “Guitar Town.” The concert begins at 8 p.m.
14591 Superior Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-371-3000, cainpark.com.
O.A.R.
Perhaps best known for the quirky underground hit “That Was a Crazy Game of Poker,” the jam band with Columbus, OH roots returns to Jacobs Pavilion tonight at 6. Fitz and the Tantrums open the show.
2014 Sycamore St., 216-861-4080, jacobspavilion.com.
Subscribe to Cleveland Scene newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
[ad_2]
Jeff Niesel
Source link
[ad_1]
From a young age, indie pop singer-songwriter Leanna Firestone knew what she liked. As a child, Firestone routinely attended writing and theater camps and loved to sing.
“I was interested in [writing and singing] as very separate hobbies,” says Firestone in a recent phone interview. The indie pop singer-songwriter brings her Becoming Unbecoming Tour to Mahall’s 20 Lanes on Friday, Aug. 23.
Growing up, she enjoyed writing One Direction fan fiction, poems and short stories in her free time.
“My mom would send me to [writing camps] in the summer. Mostly to get rid of me, but also because she was like, ‘You are interested in this, and you should develop this craft more,’” says Firestone.
There was even a photo of her 8-year-old self writing a nature story, posted up against a rail at one of these writing camps, published in her hometown’s local paper.
“Everybody thought that that was really funny and very stupid for me to be doing,” says Firestone, who claims she didn’t “develop shame” until an older age, but now it consumes her.
She speaks and writes with equal parts self-deprecating humor and brutal honesty.
“I knew that I wanted to be a singer — I didn’t know I wanted to be a musician — when I was listening to ‘Our Song’ by Taylor Swift in the car with my mom,” says Firestone. “I was like, ‘Yeah, this is the best feeling in the world, singing along to this song in particular, and if I can sing to music like this and have other people sing along and feel the way that I feel right now, that is my dream and my goal.”
Firestone eventually built up enough self-confidence to move from the technical side of things into the performing world at the theater camps she was attending. So, by the time she wrote her first song in middle school, she was ready to perform it.
“As a burgeoning tween, I was like, ‘Oh, I love music and I love singing and performing music, but I also love writing so much,’ says Firestone. “And I really didn’t know what I was gonna do about that.”
So, after she had learned to play some basic guitar chords, Firestone decided to move past covers and try to parlay her rapidly evolving writing talent into songwriting. This resulted in her first ever performance of the first song she had written at her eighth grade talent show.
“I did come in second, I must say that” says Firestone. “I came in second, after two girls that performed the Ed Sheeran Hobbit song. The ‘I See Fire’ Hobbit song came out when I was in eighth grade, and it was a smash hit. It won over mine.”
It was, however, Firestone’s first step towards finding a home sharing her own songs onstage.
“I sort of launched myself in the deep end, and then, over time, I started being like, ‘Oh, I kind of like the feeling of everyone looking at me, when it’s positive,” says Firestone.
Flash forward to a college-age Firestone accidentally stumbling upon an easy choice for her debut single, and the rest is history.
Firestone was a commercial songwriting major, who still saw herself as more of a lyricist who liked to sing than an artist, until she went viral.
“Strawberry Mentos,” a sparse pop tune released in 2020, puts Firestone’s quivering voice up front. It racked up 50,000 TikTok likes, when she posted a video of herself playing an unreleased version of the song. That was the push she needed to get the ball rolling.
“I was like, ‘Wow, this is the height of fame,’ says Firestone. ‘Everyone’s gonna forget about me; I’ve got to do something.’”
Within two weeks, she had finished the song and found a friend of a friend in her college town to help her produce the sweet track about the early stages of falling for someone who is going the extra mile to be thoughtful.
“It was a very, very fast process, because I was trying to capitalize on people’s attention,” says Firestone.
The singer-songwriter proceeded to release a handful of EPs over the first few years of her career, trying to build on her momentum.
Now that she has built a loyal fanbase, she’s taking her time with each release, backed by the support of her current management.
“I know a lot of people think that I’m about to drop an album, and I’m not,” says Firestone. “I feel like, ever since I’ve been doing music, I’ve been cranking stuff out, for better or for worse, and now…I’ve settled into the luxury of being like, ‘I’m actually just gonna release singles for a second.’”
Earlier this year, Firestone booked a couple of weeks of studio time and finished seven or eight songs, from which she has been pulling this year’s single releases.
“Black Box Warning,” Firestone’s second single of 2024, is all about the anxiety-induced fears of destroying or not deserving something good.
“I, for the first 20 years of my life, never dated anyone. I had some situationships here and there, but nothing too serious,” says Firestone. “I met my current boyfriend like three years ago, and as things started to get more serious with him, the more I was like, ‘Oh, I think I’m gonna poison him with my sadness.’”
The driving line for the song, “the more of me you’ll see, the less of me you’ll like,” refers back to previous tracks on which Firestone has delved into her body image issues, such as the fan-favorite “Diet Coke.” “Black Box Warning” also explores romance.
“If I allow myself to be close to you, you’re actually gonna realize that I’ve tricked you into being in love with me,” Firestone says.
Firestone asked her boyfriend if he could produce the demo for the tune.
“Whenever he played it, I started crying, because I was like, ‘That is exactly what I heard in my head,’” says Firestone. “It’s crazy because it’s like, I’m signing this song about how I’m gonna poison you if you get to know me for real, but you have made this thing that’s exactly what I was thinking the song should be, based off of no prompt.”
And so, she realized that he had come to know her deeply without her even noticing, and he still wasn’t running away.
“I do always feel like the most recent song I’ve written is my best ever, says Firestone. “Every single time I put music out, it does feel like a step up from the previous release, and it does feel like building blocks. I mean, I do a lot of self-referencing.”
Firestone’s brand new single, “Becoming Unbecoming,” the namesake for the tour that brings her to Mahall’s, is the perfect example of incorporating this writing technique.
“[On ‘Becoming Unbecoming’] I reference like four other songs that I’ve already put out,” she says. “I think that’s something that’s really exciting about my music is you can always find and pick out little parts from before, that are being really incorporated into now.’”
Since Firestone tends to dig deep with her lyrics – which can lead to some wordy verses, bridges, and choruses — many of her songs aren’t easily accessible to people who aren’t familiar with her music.
“Foreverever” is her favorite song to play live because the whole crowd gets into it.
“It’s the one that is not so wordy that by the end, people still don’t know what I’ve said.
It’s the one that like even dads start moving to, a little bit,” says Firestone. “By the end, everyone has learned the chorus, and I can’t say that about all of my songs.”
Firestone had a major panic attack the day she wrote the upbeat twenty-something girlhood anthem, but she showed up to the studio anyway.
“I ended up writing the concept for ‘Foreverever’ because I was like, ‘I think I’m going to feel younger than I am forever and less mature than I am forever, in my life. Which, I’ve been told by moms at shows, that’s not the case. That’s only for your twenties. So, I’m hoping that things will change,” says Firestone. “That song is on a project called Good Grief, which is all about my dad being addicted to drugs. I know it sounds like it doesn’t fit there, but it does in my head, because at the same time I was facing all these hard truths, I was facing all these realities about my relationship with my dad changing for the worse — forever. I was like, ‘What if I plug my ears and sing a happy song?”
Firestone dropped off a rough draft of the song with her producer and went home to get some rest, after figuring out the bassline. When she woke up from her nap, he had sent her the finished demo with a note saying he thought it was the best song they had ever worked on together.
“He was like, ‘I think this is the one. Like, this is the one to me that should be on the radio, should be in movies, should be on billboards,’” she says. “And after I listened to it, I felt exactly the same.”
Subscribe to Cleveland Scene newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
[ad_2]
Halle Weber
Source link
[ad_1]
When the British rock/pop band Glass Animals released its 2020 album, Dreamland, the pandemic limited the group’s ability to tour behind the record. And when the guys finally hit the road to support the album, which had become a huge hit thanks to the shimmering single “Heat Waves,” a song that marries a hip-hop groove with somber, upper-register vocals, touring wasn’t quite the same.
“We had to be incredibly careful during the tour,” says drummer Joe Seaward in a recent Zoom call from a Charlotte tour stop. Keyboardist Drew MacFarlane joined him on the call. Glass Animals perform on Wednesday, Aug. 21, at Blossom. “We were all having to be incredible careful about who we saw, which was no one, and where we went, which was nowhere. We spent all this time with each other in a bubble. We were very far away from home. And then, we were seeing thousands of people on stage. It was this weird life. We were sort of meeting with these people and seeing all this love and excitement, but we had to retreat to an insular way of living.”
When the band emerged from the other side of that album cycle, singer-guitarist Dave Bayley struggled to put everything in perspective. As he grappled with the unique nature of what he and the band had been through, he experienced an existential crisis. That, in turn, led to the 10 tracks on the band’s new album, I Love You So F***ing Much.
“I have a feeling that Dave was having a moment with trying to digest what happened and what relationships meant to him and what was important in life,” says Seaward. “He was also trapped in a room of his own in a flood in California, but a lot of [the existential crisis] stems from before that. The album is about what does it mean to have relationships with people and what is important.”
And to add to the surreality of it all, the songs’ storylines are set in space. The Flaming Lips-like album opener “Show Pony” features compelling bursts of synthesizers, and Bayley effectively raps his way through the thumping “Wonderful Nothing.”
“That’s the vibe of the album,” says Seaward. “It’s love songs about interpersonal relationships that’s set in the vastness of space.”
“The songs are about different people and different episodes,” says MacFarlane. “Whether it’s familial love or romantic love or friendships. There is no central person in it.”
The album features what press materials refer to as “retro-futuristic production.”
“The studio where we recorded was filled with these synthesizers that were built in the ’60s and ’70s,” says MacFarlane. “People use them to create the soundtracks to sci-fi films and what they thought the future would sound like. That was the environment. The studio was in East London. Dave [Bayley] rented it and set it all up himself with his own gear.”
“A Tear in Space (Airlock),” another album highlight, uses synths to make it sound like air escaping.
“For me personally, that song feels big and dark and like it’s in space,” says MacFarlane when asked about the tune. “It also feels quite dense. In space, you can be trapped in this tiny capsule, so maybe that is how that contrast works.”
“It’s about being in a relationship that is toxic and being stuck in a relationship, so the imagery is claustrophobic,” adds Seaward.
The tour that brings the band to Blossom is the group’s biggest to date, and Glass Animals have developed visuals that’ll suit the interstellar songs.
“You can expect some amazing visual stuff and lot of new and old songs,” says Seaward. “And lots of energy. It’s going to be a really serious tour. I’m very, very excited.”
Subscribe to Cleveland Scene newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
[ad_2]
Jeff Niesel
Source link
[ad_1]
Together Pangea doesn’t tour for as long as it used to, and for bassist Danny Bengston, that’s OK.
“Doing it less, I’m more stoked to go on tour than I was in, like, 2017, 18, 19 when we were just sort of doing it all the fucking time. It becomes something you regret,” Bengston said. “Now, it’s something I look forward to a lot more, I think, because it’s the less-is-more thing. And I think we also play better and our moods are better when we’re not gone for months at a time.”
The Los Angeles garage rockers, who perform Aug. 13 with Liily and The Rosies at Grog Shop in Cleveland Heights, are touring behind an upcoming 10th-anniversary vinyl reissue of their well-known album, “Badillac.” When Scene caught up with Bengston and guitarist/vocalist William Keegan on July 30, the latter was preparing to drive a van from Los Angeles to Boston to begin the three-week tour in earnest. He said he was excited for the journey.
“I’ll probably do an audio book but I haven’t decided which one yet,” he said.
During a half-hour chat, the band members talked about the upcoming tour, the making of “Badillac” and how touring sober has its perks.
The following interview is condensed for length and clarity.
Are you guys doing “Badillac” in full every night?
Keegan: We’re going to play all the songs off the record. We did our first show a few days ago in San Diego and we’re still kind of working out the order of things. But we basically played the whole record and then played a bunch of other stuff afterwards.
Why’d you want to revisit this?
Keegan: I think it’s our most popular record. It’s at least the most streamed. We sold out of the actual physical record in maybe 2018 or 2019 or something. So we went on a bunch of tours where, at the merch table, people were asking us for the record and we just didn’t have it. So we thought, at the 10 year (mark), we might as well repress it and then do something around the repress. And that was kind of it.
For a lot of fans of the record, I don’t think it’s 10 years old to them. I feel like a lot of people have heard it just in the last few years, even since the pandemic.
What do you remember about making “Badillac”?
Bengston: It was a crazy time. Our friend Andrew Schubert worked at a very famous mixing studio in Los Angeles, which used to be Can Am Studios, And (mixing engineer) Chris (Lord-Alge) would allow him to use the studio space in the off hours, as long as everything was clean and back to neutral for the 9 to 5 regular operating hours of that business. So we would go in, usually at like 9, 10 pm, and record until about 3 or 4 in the morning. We did that over the course of two years and that’s how “Badillac” happened.
My biggest memory is us being in that studio very late at night, coming home in the morning, the sun’s coming up, and having a burned CD of whatever we just did, and listening to it as the sun’s out. It was a fun time.
I’ve worked that late and it’s kind of isolating. I don’t know how you did it for that long.
Bengston: Substances were a bigger part of our lives at that point. We were also quite young. We were in our early 20s. and, you know, alcohol and other creative substances played a part in us being able to do that.
What are you looking forward to on this tour?
Keegan: I think, since the lockdowns or whatever, and since getting back on the road, I think I just appreciate playing for people and being in the room with people and that connection. Those songs are a big part of our lives but they’re also a big part of the lives of the people who came. It reminds them of moments in their own lives. Feeling that energy and having people sing the songs back at you, it’s really cool. There’s nothing else like it. So I’m just excited to play.
Bengston: I love touring in the summer. Especially when you go to places like the Midwest. I think people are generally in some of the better moods during that time of year.
When we were touring around “Badillac,” we were touring a lot differently. I remember it was really difficult. We were in the middle of our first major label album cycle, and there’s a lot of PR, and we were barely holding it together. We didn’t have a real tour manager. We were young, we were just fucking getting hammered every night and sleeping in way too late and barely making shows.
Now, it’s much different and we get up early. We go to bed early, as early as we can. And we have more time to enjoy cities. Summertime is the most fun time to tour because of that.
Keegan: Danny and I don’t drink anymore. It’s different touring sober. It’s a lot easier and you remember everything. And that’s pretty fun.
Subscribe to Cleveland Scene newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
[ad_2]
Eric Heisig
Source link
[ad_1]
Heavy metal acts Mastodon and Lamb of God have plenty in common. Both play some of the heaviest heavy metal you’ll ever hear. And both bands released seminal albums in 2004. That year, Mastodon released Leviathan, and Lamb of God released Ashes of the Wake.
Earlier this summer, the two groups launched a tour appropriately dubbed Ashes of the Leviathan. Both Lamb of God and Mastodon will play the aforementioned albums in their entirety when they roll into Jacobs Pavilion on Friday, Aug. 9. In separate phone interviews, Lamb of God bassist John Campbell and Mastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher speak about the tour, the state of metal and their lengthy careers with their respective bands.
[ad_2]
Jeff Niesel
Source link
[ad_1]
Talking Heads singer-multi-instrumentalist Jerry Harrison befriended singer-guitarist Adrian Belew (Frank Zappa, King Crimson) years ago when Belew guested on the 1980 Talking Heads album, Remain in Light. But they only recently decided to launch a tour that revisits and celebrates that album.
“We regularly talked about how fantastic the Talking Heads tour was that we did in 1980 and also the YouTube video that documents playing in Rome in 1980,” says Harrison via phone from his Northern California home. Belew and Harrison bring their Remain in Light Tour to the Agora at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 28. “We wanted to use it as a blueprint for a tour.”
After Harrison met the guys in the jam band Turkuaz (now Cool, Cool, Cool after a lineup change) a few years ago, he realized they were the right musicians to back him and Belew because they are such big Talking Heads fans and have a deep knowledge of the material.
“They also don’t have to meet each other and decide who can share rooms,” says Harrison. “They’ve got the kinks worked out for me. It’s like they know who wanted the top bunk and who likes the lower bunk on the bus. A tour with brand new people takes some time to work out and sometimes there are incompatibilities. With Turkuaz, I realized we could just walk in and begin. It’s been so much fun over the past few years.”
Harrison originally met Turkuaz when their manager contacted him and asked him if we wanted to produce a record of theirs.
“They did a Talking Heads song, and I could tell they had really studied the parts,” says Harrison. “They’re really great musicians. We could all walk in with a lot of prior knowledge to make this work. Having a horn section has just been a delight. I can rearrange the songs by adding horns.”
Remain in Light famously provided the Heads with the opportunity to explore the kind of Afro-pop-influenced music they had only touched on with “I Zimbra,” a track from 1979’s Fear of Music.
“For Remain in Light, we very deliberately decided not to write everything in advance but to treat the studio as an open slate,” says Harrison. “We were using the studio as a tool. Boards back then had an A/B button. You could assign various channels on the board to A or B. We would play with different parts of the songs. We could make something the A group and the B group. We wanted to create this freshness and capture the moment of discovery so to speak.”
Belew simply came in for one day to listen to the basic tracks and embellish them with his distinctive guitar playing. Heads singer David Byrne had not yet sung on the album, so he was just responding to the music.
“We put Adrian in a room and said, ‘When you feel like a solo, go for it,’” says Harrison. “We knew we would use editing as a compositional tool. The fact that there were not chord changes made it more of a challenge to write interesting melodies that went someplace.”
Harrison says the music’s infectious nature continues to translate to the stage.
“One of the most important things [with the Remain in Light Tour] is that the audience sees a group of musicians having a great time playing on stage, and the audience is invited to join us, and they do,” he says. “We don’t have the budget for a big visual show. It’s about the music. These are really good musicians playing this great music.”
As much as Harrison still holds the music of Talking Heads in high regard, he says fans shouldn’t give much credence to rumors of a Talking Heads reunion.
“People will always talk,” he says. “With the re-release of [the concert film] Stop Making Sense, we have spent some time together, but I wouldn’t hold your breath.”
Subscribe to Cleveland Scene newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
[ad_2]
Jeff Niesel
Source link