Category: Music

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RadioZoom Episode #116 – Interview with Aberdeen City at Richards on Richards

Something for you to listen to over the weekend, episode #116 of RadioZoom has been posted.

This episode goes mobile as Rebecca and I spend some time with Aberdeen City before they take the stage at Richards on Richards in Vancouver. They were in town on October 17, 2006 on their North American tour, opening up for Electric Six. Answering an email that Rebecca sent them, they arranged for us to be on the guest list and hang out in the green room before the show started.

We get into a variety of topics, including life on the road, their brief time in Vancouver, what it’s like to tour with Electric six, and so on. The whole atmosphere is very laid back and unscripted. You get to hear the whole interview from beginning to end, with only minor editing to make all the segments flow together. Call it what you want, but this is podcasting. There are no rules. (FYI: some explicit language is used in this episode)

On a technical note, this is my first time using Levelator in an episode. This was very useful with the raw audio that I recorded of the interview. I’ve been impressed with what it can do and recommend checking it out for yourself.

54:51 minutes
radiozoom.net

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Richards on Richards, too little on too late

I had my first experience with checking out a show at Richards on Richards last night. I’ve been told for a long time that it’s one of the best venues in the city, and there is a lot of truth to that. Not too big and not too small. It’s just right.

Aberdeen City at Richards on RichardsThe main reason we showed up there last night was because Rebecca arranged an interview with Aberdeen City, who was opening up for Electric Six. We recorded a bunch of audio for a podcast, but her interview post is up. She also gets photo credit here.

The craziest thing about this experience was not only was I getting to see a show there, but we got to go backstage to talk with Aberdeen City. In fact, it was in the green room, but it was more like a storage closet that was turned into a place for performers to hang out. Not a lot of room, nor was it exactly “green”. It still made for a cozy setting to hang out for the two of us plus the four guys from the band. Members of Electric Six wondered in and out, but my ignorance couldn’t tell you who was who.

So here it was, my first time walking through the doors of a rock and roll mecca of sorts, and before seeing the stage, we’re wisked behind the door where most rabid fans would kill to step through. There really wasn’t that tight of security to stop us, and the size of the place kind of forces the band to come out into the bar area and socialize with the crowd. It’s one of those small, intimate club types of places. For me, that’s the real way to experience a good performance.

The sound in the place is really impressive. The bass from just the kick drum is enough to make your pant legs flutter from soundwaves hitting it. The PA is bright and makes it very easy to hear the vocals. You won’t see a big and fancy light show in the place, but what they do have is really effective.

Sadly, this could be thefirst and last show I ever see there. I was told by front man Brad Parker from Aberdeen City that he heard about plans to tear the place down in about a year. In true Yaletown fashion, the mecca will be replaced by a high rise building. Expect over priced condos as well.

We have yet to figure out where, but Richards is relocating. Once again, this is some thing Parker told us, but I haven’t been able to locate any information about those details. Naturally, it will never been the same as it was. Charm is something that only comes with history, no matter how dirty or dank a place might be considered. Rock and roll is never clean and pure. It’s an experience.

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Never let the spirit of CBGB’s die

It’s been off and on for a while now, but it is official. CBGB[wiki] is closed and gone for good.

NEW YORK (AP) – CBGB hosted its final concert Sunday night after a 33-year residence in downtown New York as the iconic, grungy bastion of punk.

The concert, headlined by rock poet Patti Smith, was to be the final note sounded in a drawn-out battle to preserve the legendary club. A homeless advocacy group that owns the property, the Bowery Residents Committee, is not renewing CBGB’s lease, which expired in August 2005. The club will close Oct. 31. [myway]

It’s a mecca for rock and roll. There’s not much more to say about it than that. I consider myself thankful for taking in at least one night there. I missed a solo performance by Britt Daniel[wiki] by a few minutes, but I did catch Dressy Bessy[wiki] and I Am The World Trade Center[wiki] in a back to back perfmance. Absolutely amazing and totally my type of venue.

On a bit of a side note, it was completely stupid that I Am The World Trade Center was performing under the name “I Am The World…” when I saw then. The 9/11 paranoia was in full force at that time, claiming that they were trying to capitalize on the tragedy. Truth was that I was spinning them at KRUI long before anything happened. Thankfully, they went back to their roots shortly after I saw them.

Back to CBGB, it’s small, dark, and kinda dirty. At least it was. The layout, as I try to recall, wasn’t at all what I expected. The stage was more accessible to the audience than I thought it would have been. The sound was really good, and the atmosphere was something I just wanted to drink in, figuratively and literally. The group of people I was with didn’t quite grasp the awesomeness of this place, but I didn’t want to leave when they did. Maybe they’ll get it now

The spirit will go on, but it’ll never be the same as it once was. Incredible venues like this seem to be a dying breed in this wham-bam-make-a-superstar-today-gone-tomorrow formula of the music business. The big boys of the industry are constantly trying to harvest the indie scene, where the art is truly free to mold itself into something unique, and scoop it up so they can lay claim to the next, big thing.

If it weren’t for CBGB, a lot of the rock and roll I have come to love would never had the chance to become what it is today. For that, I thank them, and so does The Reverend.

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RadioZoom Episode #115 – Six Song Donut Spectacular: October 2006; Miss 604 Take Over

People have requested it, and she stepped up to the plate. Rebecca takes over RadioZoom for episode #115 and the October edition of the six song.

I am no longer a podcast virgin. I took over all aspects of RadioZoom for Episode #115 as John sat in the wings, being a very gracious co-host, podcast mentor and trainer.

The focus was on the Boston-based band Aberdeen City since I’ve been invited to interview them [miss604] before their show here in Vancouver on Tuesday October 17th. I then selected pod safe artists (from music.podshow.com) who all hail from Boston, MA to keep with a bit of a theme and tribute to my old stomping grounds.

I hope you enjoy and PLEASE leave us some feedback; comments, concerns, rants, raves.

35:16 minutes
radiozoom.net

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My imagination is confirmation

Mat Kearney at the Media Club

Rebecca already blogged about this show on Metroblogging Vancouver[post], so I’m late to the party on this one. She’s also the one getting the photo credit on this post. And actually, I never made my post about seeing Snow Patrol not too long ago. Maybe I’ll get to that, but I’ve been a little busy lately. I’ll add that to the list.

Anyway, about this show. Both acts were really good. Griffin House was a great opening act and was far more stripped down in terms of their sound. The lyrics were often political and witty. Mat Kearney, on the other hand, seems to be a master of bringing the quality of a CD recording on stage. He’s got a great voice and song writing ability, but I often felt like I was listening to an American version of Coldplay. Keep in mind, I had not heard of this guy before stepping foot into the Media Club.

We ended up at the show when one of Rebecca’s co-workers, who is a music nut like myself, wanted to see the show but couldn’t track anyone down to tag along. I’m always up for some live music, so we were happy to go.

The thing about this show was that it was an “industry event”. In fact, the name “Sony BMG” was mentioned numerous times, outside and inside the place. I’m not one to ditch a show or an artist for the only reason being that they are on a major label, but you better believe that there are people out there who do shun such folks. So for me, it wasn’t the fact that Kearney is one of these artists as much as it was those folks who were a part of this “industry”… “thing”.

The whole night, in this tiny club, there was constant talking. Not just chattering or murmurs. Full out conversations, ignoring the fact that there was anything happening on stage. That might be a bit of an exageration, but for anyone there who was there for the love of Kearney’s music, which there were more than just a few, this was less than perfect for them.

For the people in the back, who were most likely on guest list at the door, this is just another thing they do with their day job. Music is a business, not an art. The love they brought into that place was for money, rubbing elbows, making connections, and keeping your face in the industry that makes up Vancouver. It hurt to see this become a reality opposed to a thought that has been in the back of my head.

All the pointless, over played “hits” that populates radio and TV made sense in that moment. Mat Kearney is a victim of these people who profit from his artistic abilities, all the while they pay little attention as to what he is doing on stage. This is not saying anything about him as an artist.

I just feel bad for him. He’s a great singer, has an incredible talent at freestyling, and seems like a nice guy. I guess his stuff was featured in some TV show recently, and that’s outstanding. Good for him. I’m betting that the folks in back(and what was with the guy who introduced him at the beginning?) were more focused on working on the the next guy, gal, or group that they can get onto the next The O.C., Grey’s Anatomy, or whatever series soundtrack that’s “hot” out there.

I know this isn’t complete doom and gloom. This isn’t the truth for the whole industry, but among the big labels out there, this is heartbreaking to experience first hand. You have a picture in your head that this might be what it’s like, but the reality is something that ends up completely surprising you. There would be some happiness in knowing that you’re making this up, but I’m not.

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WILT: PodRunner

If you like podcasts and are someone who enjoys a nice, sweaty workout like myself, then you should subscribe to this. PodRunner is a weekly podcast that is music for your workouts. DJ steveboy sends this out for those who are into running, spinning, or however you workout, and the mixes are all of his own creation.

Here’s the description that pops up on his RSS feed in iTunes.

Like to run or workout to fast, energetic music? Check out PODRUNNER: nonstop, steady-bpm, one-hour mixes from L.A.’s own dj steveboy. A new mix every week to help you groove while you move, whenever, wherever, and however you work out. iTunes reviews are appreciated, and suggestions and comments are always welcome at steve@djsteveboy.com.

If you’d like to be notified whenever new mixes are online, visit the “Mixes” page at www.djsteveboy.com.

I’ve done a few running routes while listening to his stuff, and they are a really great change from the mix of music and podcasts that I usually stick on my iPod mini when I venture out. 170 BPM(beats per minute) is a little fast to set a constant pace to, and I found myself keeping up with the beat more than a few times this morning. That can get tiring if you’re not careful.

Still, this makes your environment pass by with a slightly different perspective, and I do get into the electronic side of music. I don’t know much about who is who, but I dig it. This is great to set your breathing rate to and get a nice pace on your route. You can also use it to tell how long you’ve been running if you press play at the very start of your run and measure by how much time has elapsed in the podcast.

Every episode that is released usually has a name and a short intro of him talking about the mix at the beginning. In addition, every podcast has the BPM in the title. My next trial will be something in the 135 BPM range.

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William Elliot Whitmore is coming to Vancouver

Whitmore (photo credit: cucamonga.be)I was parsing through my iTunes library when I came across the two albums that I have by William Elliot Whitmore[wiki]. When I did the public radio thing back in the states, he was a guest a few times on the show that we did at a local coffee house every Friday. Super nice, and one of those artists that were able to detract my attention from the levels on the mixer and completely pull me into his performance. Not too shabby for ten in the morning.

I thought I’d check him out on the web to see what he’s up to. He’s originally from southeast Iowa, so southeast that he grew up on the “penninsula” of the state, surrounded by the Mississippi and Des Moines River. These roots make their way into his music from time to time, but that’s not why I’m a fan of his music. Some people say Tom Waits or Johnny Cash when they talk about him, but I think that’s way off. He’s William Elliot Whitmore. Once you get to see him perform, you get it.

Whitemore (credit: ranhar2[flickr])Quite fortunately, he’s coming to Vancouver. October 5th at the Red Room. With hope, I’ll be able to make it out to see him.

Whitmore is my age. When I shook his hand to introduce myself as his sound guy, I thought that his voice might still be suffering from just waking up not long ago. Deep, raspy, and almost struggling for air. That’s just how he talks. How or why, I’m not sure, but whiskey might have something to do with it.

I set up three mics for him. One for his vocals, another for his banjo or guitar, and a third for his foot. He stomps the floor as he plays, getting the stage to boom like a kick drum. Head tilted up and eyes closed, it was like magic. On his song “Cold and Dead”, he doesn’t play anything. It’s just him singing. It gets me when I’m listening to the recording, just like I did the day I saw him perform it.

Oh sure, you might think that it sounds lame. Guy from Iowa with a banjo on stage. Tell that to all the fans of the hardcore band, Ten Grand[wiki], that have become some of his biggest followers. Imagine going out to a show in some of the seediest clubs in Europe with the intention of seeing a band with loud guitar noise and screaming, only to see this guy come on stage as the opening act. It happened many times, and people loved him.

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Vamos a La Playa

I took four years of Spanish in high school. The one thing that always sticks with me is this song, and I don’t find it overly crazy that I was able to come up with it on YouTube. Discoteques[wiki] nearly had their own unit that we studied in that class, teaching us how to use the language in social settings. I can’t even begin to guess how many times we heard this while doing translations at our desks, and it never got old. Well, at least to me.

Rebecca thought I was half crazy when I would be singing this on the way to the beach this summer. Basically it’s saying… the bombs are dropping, the radioactive wind is blowing and messing up our hair, so let’s go to the beach(o-o-o-o-oh!) and party. Mr. Martin was the best teacher, ever.

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Just another day, but I’m another year older

Canucks vs. Anaheim for my birthdayWhat can I say? It’s been an incredible weekend of birthday happiness.

There was Snow Patrol on Thursday night(which I have yet to make my review post about yet), dinner with my Canadian family on Friday, Mexican food with my Canadian friends on Saturday, and the Canucks vs. Ducks at GM place tonight. I’ve said it a lot already, but you only turn twenty-eight once, right?

There are so many thanks that need to go out to so many people. So many good times were had over the period of four days, not to mention the cards, gifts, and alcohol, consumed or given as presents, from everyone.

Just before the puck dropped tonight at GM Place, my parents called me on my cell. It was a moment of true analogy. The beer we had just purchased was foam all the way to the brim and slightly spilling over as my folks wished me a happy birthday. That’s what today had climaxed to, and I don’t think it could have gotten better than that, not to mention that the Canucks preveiled, 4-3 in a shootout.

Poncho's! As I write this, The Reverend Don Deeley is making his way through his weekly radio show at WYEP in Pittsburgh, dedicating a good portion of the selections my way, all for my birthday. He emailed me to give me a heads up, thinking I wouldn’t be listening, but I’ve been streaming in from the beginning. That means a lot, and I thank you so much, Don. Anytime I can take over airwaves through the use of my voice or a barrage of song requests, I’m so there.

I also want to mention thanks to some fellow bloggers for extending some birthday wishes. J.J. from the Canucks Hockey Blog met up with us ahead of the game tonight, providing me with another, frosty beverage for my other hand. Yvonne sent in an email as well as getting a voicemail from Uncle Weed. Even the woman who cuts my hair called me, but Minoo was more concerned about how Rebecca liked the coloring of her hair after there were some issues with getting that all done.

Rebecca had her hair coloredMost importantly, Rebecca has made this an amazing birthday. This has been the first time that we’ve been able to be together for it, and she has made it more incredible than I could have ever imagined. Everything you could probably imagine about her being a wonderful person is true, but I have that and a lot more with everyday that goes by.

Thanks to everyone. Just because your name isn’t on here and the exact contribution to this weekend isn’t listed, that doesn’t mean that it’s insignificant. There’s just so much, and I’ll keep those for myself. Memories are always the best gift that can be given.

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The Last Kiss goes along steadily

The one thing that Zach Braff[imdb] is going to have to deal with is everything he does, in terms of dramas on the big screen, will be compared to Garden State[imdb]. I’ll admit that I haven’t seen it all the way through, or it might be that I have but not all at once or in chronological order. Everytime I try to sort it out, I get slightly confused. I like to think that I have a good understanding of the whole movie. In fact, I’m just going to pretend that I do.

We did go see The Last Kiss[imdb] last night, and that’s something I can say with absolute clarity. It wasn’t my first choice, but I was nicely entertained by it.

A group of 30 year-olds struggle to adapt to adulthood while their aging parents face middle age. [movies.yahoo]

And that pretty much hits the nail on the head in terms of describing this film. The camera work has some great moments, and the soundtrack has so many sentiments of Garden State. I don’t think that’s a bad thing, but Snow Patrol, Coldplay, Aimee Mann, Remy Zero, and Turin Brakes had Zach Braff’s name written all over it. Also makes me think that I would get along with a guy like him.

Overall, I thought it was pretty good. The story kicks off and just keeps going. Problems arise, but I didn’t feel like I was on a ride by any means. There are “moments” that occur to make you think. I would tend to think that a movie like this would lead to a lot of couples having hypothetical, “what if” conversations about their relationship. To that, I say, tread lightly.