By Director and Correspondent: Helen Brown   Tue, May 31, 2011

Last month, the Shenandoah Riverside Festival in Strasburg, Virginia kicked off the music festivals for me, packed full of camping and some much needed reprieve.  There was an array of young, aspiring artists, ranging from country music to funky soul on in to hip-hop and world beats.  Although it was somewhat rainy, the vibe at Riverside was full of energetic momentum thrusting from one party scene to another.  It was the perfect time to relax, whether it was chillin’ at your camp site, drinking beer, walking around to the festival’s vendors, or listening to the music while stretching on a blanket.  It was all in all a peaceful festival that provided good conversation with a little room to walk on the wild side. 

While the music rang through until the late night, one night of which included the police stopping the music due to a completely ridiculous law otherwise known as a sound ordinance, there were characters indicative of many “hippie” festivals that I have attended up to this point, providing a nostalgic fondness.  As my photographer and I enjoyed the small attendance, I learned this was the second time the Riverside Festival has been in effect.  With much room to grow, I envision this festival becoming a local favorite for the residents of Strasburg and a worthwhile camping retreat for the wayfaring strangers interested in music festivals a little out of the way. 

Hosted by Beau Morgan, this festival is also paving the way for philanthropic efforts for cleaning up the neighboring rivers, thus leading to rivers free from the pollution that intrudes into many worldwide veins.  The bands that played in honor of these events include Barcode, Shamaicans, Steal the Prize, Pants for Bears, Future, Beau Morgan, Ben Jordan, 5 of a Kind, Jake and the Burtones, Ambrose Dilemma, Allen Thompson Band, the Atkinsons, the Shakedown, the Vegabonds, Delta Saints, and Midnight Spaghetti and the Chocolate G-Strings.  For further information on cleaning Virginia’s rivers, please visit them through Facebook to see new festivals coming their way to the Strasburg area.

By Photojournalist: Stefany Tyree   Wed, Jun 01, 2011

Lynchburg - Freestyle artist Trife Mumbles has been in the music scene for the last 15 years.  Having got his start rapping on street corners, hanging out with friends, and engaging in ever-infamous rap battles.  It was then he met his high school homeboy Christopher “Cat” Tucker, who happened to be in the process of starting a hip-hop production company.  He heard Trife freestyling, knew he was a one-of-a-kind talent, and invited him to his first studio recording.  He continued to make mixtapes and recorded with many different artists throughout Virginia and traveled all over the East Coast, handing out promotional CDs.  He has always been a solo artist but spent some time with a group called Lion’s Den, which consisted of Trife Mumbles, Starr Nyce, Sweets, and Dolla Bill.  So ever since, he’s been promoting many different mixed albums, making videos, traveling and performing, and working to make Trife Mumbles an everyday household name.  Trife knew that pushing the music was how he was going to be heard.  

Trife has a list of live performances under his belt, as well, including but not limited to: opening for Phife of A Tribe Called Quest, Rick Ross, and numerous other performances in Virginia and New York.  He says he would also like to play local venues more, but as truth would be known, Lynchburg doesn’t have opportunities for local freestyle artists to express their talents like other genres of music do.  Therefore, he’s forced to travel elsewhere to perform.  One thing about Trife that I was drawn to was his creative way with his words or lyrics.  I asked him how he writes his music, and he told me he doesn’t.  I stopped writing and asked him to explain, and he said, “When an idea hits, it hits ... I don’t write it, I say it in my head over and over.  I beat it in my head.  I’ve lost sleep over a thought ... If it’s worth you remembering it, then it’s worth you saying it.”  To me, this was fascinating, because that truly is art.  When you can be lyrical in your own mind, say it over and over until you make yourself remember it, never let it touch a pen and paper, then create something great from it ... well, that takes talent.  Trife's music relates to his life experiences, and he raps about things he has seen or been through, and the people he markets his music to can relate to that.  It evokes emotion, almost a sense of understanding between him and his fans which only makes it that much more real.

So for now Trife continues to freestyle, make mix CDs, shooting videos, scheduling performances, and promoting his music.  When asked about his vision, where he sees himself going with music, his answer was simple.  He wants to bring rap back to what it used to be, with some of his biggest influences coming from the sounds of the Juice Crew, Biggie Smalls, 2Pac, Big Pun, Big L, KRS-1, and Jay-Z.  He’s also been working on some reggae lately as well, so expect to see more great things coming from him.  He’s put in countless hours and many years of hard work to turn a street dream into a reality.

For more information, and to hear Trife Mumbles check out the following:

ReverbNation.com/TrifeMumbles

YouTube.com/User/CatsEyeInc

EntertainmentYouEnvy.Blogspot.com

By Director and Correspondent: Helen Brown   Wed, Jun 01, 2011

Charlottesville - The reinvented Rock River Gypsies, together for six years now, performed at the Southern on March 5 to a loyal crowd bursting with family and friends showing their support for these musicians who have advanced to a new level of performance within the last year.  Supporting their new album At Long Last, recorded at the Sound Studios with James McLaughlin, the Rock River Gypsies displayed a kindred fellowship to each other and a commitment to the music that has obviously congealed into a cohesive sound with uniform energy.  The Rock River Gypsies, composed of Ryan Barbarsky (guitar, vocals), Matt Kauper (bass), Jared Lawson (mandolin, vocals), Chris Smith (guitar, vocals), Gina Sobel (flute, saxophone, vocals), and Darby Wooten (percussion, vocals) possess a unique style which encapsulates Celtic rhythms, sounds of the Appalachia, and an authentic bluegrass core that echoed old school rock 'n' roll.

Their new album included a song lineup of new originals and past favorites such as "Camel Cigarettes", "Hey Anne", "Brain in a Box", and "Virginia Sweetwater Girl" - a favorite of mine on the album that stirs southern charm with Yankee wit.  As their originals showed coagulation for their essence of spirit, the musical vision as a group is becoming clearer with each performance, as well as their confidence for projection, thus sounding broader with each harmonizing note that mirrors into the vibe of crowd.  The Rock River Gypsies were not merely playing for themselves, but playing for their supporters, while feeding off the fan’s vitality and enthusiasm that became a mutual tryst amongst loved ones.  It is easy to relate their name to their personalities due to this six-piece exhibition of distinguished abilities and different backgrounds coming forth in the instruments and manner in which they play and shining through in their diverse following.  Almost immediately after the opening band the Design, fans were eagerly waiting for the show to begin, hollering as they took the stage and never ceasing to express their joyous celebration throughout the evening’s performance.   

With such a volcano of interesting blends and merging elements creating the Rock River Gypsies, it is sometimes difficult to make sense of the many journeys I am taken on while listening to their music.  Along with nightingale ballads, unexpected funk at times such as those found within Brain in a Box, the electrical guitar riffing through an initial softness of Sobel’s flute and sax igniting into a touch of the bluesy jazz, there seems to be an illogical progression of tone right when you get used to the songs direction.  Followed by a steadfast, rowdy drum section and a robust bass line, there erupts beautiful, lustful reverberations from Lawson’s ethereal mandolin sweeping you away to another that transforms to a romantic ambiance.  Being that there are advantages and disadvantages to the many flavors swirling and mounting within the pot here, their contra is something that can be potentially hard to stabilize.  However, as the last year has shown, the Rock River Gypsies have unveiled extreme marked progression, in which I am anxiously awaiting to see how their paths of talent, instrumentation, and soulful roots marry to produce a little more cohesive simplicity.  Yet, their energy, raw talent, and graciousness towards the crowds were magnetic that night, and it is apparent this night was a much-deserved success.

The mood was right, radiating fun with a slight rebellion, while there was a merging of relatable, honest lyrics, humorous at times, yet sweetly poignant at others.  Just as the name dictates, the term gypsy refers to a drifter, a traveller, a wanderer of sort.  Musically speaking this is true to form, fitting and perfect for these unique and talented musicians.  As they have stated in their online interview, it is apparent that they have spent a considerable amount of time together, learning and growing together in experience necessary to their evolutionary experience as a growing act.    

The Rock River Gypsies Interview via Ryan Barbarsky and Jared Lawson’s thoughts on their philosophy as a group…

RB: This band is as much about personal relationships as it is about a mutual love of making music.  Part of being in this band is having a sense of camaraderie with everyone else in it.  I don't know if other bands spend their Sundays together eating breakfast, playing Frisbee golf, and cooking out, but those are the sorts of things we do.  In college, when we met and formed the first incarnation of the band, we spent what is perhaps an unhealthy amount of time together, and we went on adventures regularly.  I have slept next to all of these people, I have gotten to know their families, I have seen them at their best and their worst (and they have certainly seen me at mine), and we all care for each other deeply.  We are a kind of family; dysfunctional to some extent like every family, but I know that these are people I will have relationships with forever.  This band is also mostly a democracy; we have no "frontman" per se, and we all have a hand in one way or another in writing and arranging our original songs.  It's about making decisions together, compromising (even when one or more people don't really want to), and celebrating the results of those actions.

If you take a close look at the title track of the album, "At Long Last," you'll find evidence of our love for, and understanding of, each other.  Chris wrote it, and he knew enough about each of our families and heritage to write a meaningful verse for each of us to sing.  He was able to do that because he has spent time with all of the people he wrote about, and because he knows what qualities in ourselves we are proud to have taken from the people who have shaped who we are today.

We don't have a clear idea of where we're headed right now.  We're in a bit of weird, in between place currently, as we are all working jobs to pay the bills at the same time our musical "careers" are starting to move forward.  To me, having an album is pretty much the highlight of the musical portion of my life, so I'm pretty happy about where things are.

JL: The Rock River Gypsies were united at the College of William and Mary, and began their search for a unique musical sound.  Equipped with different performance histories, each player’s cards were placed on the table, shuffled, and played to their musical strengths.  Songs forged from broken hearts, drunken nights, and nature was passed around and given the special touch of each musician, producing an exciting assembly of original songs.  A diverse selection of covers ranging from bluegrass to rock 'n' roll, adopted and brought to life in true “Rock River” fashion, fortify their performances and appeal to a broad audience.  Stirring harmonies, distinctive arrangements, and cutting solo work define the sound of the Rock River Gypsies, who are always striving to tighten their jingles, and take their individual musicianship to the next level.

As you can tell through their candid perspective on living life through experience and music, you can tell their evolutions through life and their musical evolutions are one in the same.  Through their eloquence of writing, it would be remiss of me to not include their personal take on their aspirations and previous experience as a band that I could not have stated more genuinely.  As the band collectively stated, “The Rock River Gypsies were long-suffering with a form of musical multiple personality disorder, adhering to the traditional forms of bluegrass and jazz within the same musical sentence.  With their new album At Long Last, they have forged a sound for themselves, while paying homage to those traditions which wrought them: a little more rock 'n' roll, a little more soul.  Hailing from Charlottesville, Virginia, the Gypsies have grown from a bar band whose goal it was to get the joint flat-footing to a regional act who still wants to see you dance.  Every member of the Gypsies contributes his or her unique voice both in harmonies and in songwriting, and the result is a rollicking pastiche of bluegrass, rock, and jazz that never fails to entertain."

For further information, please visit RockRiverGypsies.com for future rockin’ nights of rhythm and harmony, and please be sure to visit TheSouthern.com as well for further displays of our unique, Charlottesville music scene.  With spring officially here, it is certain that you can look in many of the neighboring music and restaurants venues downtown where you can enjoy the Rock River Gypsies live.  I look forward to following this summer’s music collection and what lurks for all of us!  At Long Last is available to download on Bandcamp and iTunes.

By Director and Correspondent: Brandon Samuel   Wed, Jun 01, 2011

Richmond - If you haven’t been fortunate enough to have heard Nicos Gun before, you might want to prepare yourself now, because it appears that they are on a crash course to take the country by storm.  Although they have only been playing together for a year, they are already preparing for an opportunity that most bands spend their whole careers trying to make happen.  At the end of May, Nicos Gun will be joining the Disco Biscuits at Red Rocks in Colorado for Bisco Inferno.  This third installment of Bisco Inferno will feature an insane lineup that will give Nicos Gun the privilege of sharing a stage with Rusko, Big Boi from Outkast, Emancipator, BoomBox, and of course, the Disco Biscuits.  The band will be kicking off their second tour of the year at Current in Richmond and will be making a quick trip across the country, playing shows in preparation for their most ambitious opportunity to date.

One of the coolest things about Nicos Gun is that they all worked in the music industry long before the band ever came to fruition.  Harry Zelnick worked as a producer, putting together beats for artists like Ludacris and 50 Cent.  Barney Cortez had worked on some tracks with the Roots, and Nick Bockrath spent time with American Babies and Elevator Fight.  Both Cortez and Bockrath first met Zelnick when they were looking to produce a track “that Lil' Wayne would want to use.”  They got together and started creating beats and only found out about Zelnick’s prowess on the drums when they were having some downtime during production.  Once they met up with Andy Black, they decided that Nicos Gun needed to be heard, and they started focusing their efforts on writing as much music as possible, and playing as many shows as possible.  I was given the opportunity to do an interview with Nick Bockrath and immediately could sense that they were having a blast doing what they love to do.  They want their music to make people happy, and they want their shows to leave last impressions on everyone that comes out to see them play.  Take a look at what Nick had to say, and then head to NicosGun.com so that you can find out when they will be in a city near you.        

33: Tell me a little bit about Nicos Gun.
Nick Bockrath: Well, basically we are a band from Philly.  We started out as a project, where we thought we would get together and make beats.  Initially, the plan was just to continue making beats like a producer, and have other artists use them.  It slowly started moving away from that plan and started to form more of a band feel.  The four of us like a lot of the same music, and we all live together and are together at the studio all the time, so its real fun for us.  We all really like the Talking Heads, the Stones, Bowie, and rap, too; so we try to keep it fun and interesting all the time.

33: What do you want people to take away from a show when they come to a venue to see you?
NB: I want everyone to get laid after.  I want everyone to have a fun ass time.  We want it to be a party, like a fun party.  Certain bands, you will go to their show, and you know that it’s going to be a certain type of party.  For example, the Flaming Lips, they have a crazy light show, and Wayne is rolling around on top of the crowd in a giant ball while confetti is being shot into the crowd.  And then you have the Disco Biscuits, and you always know that their shows are going to be wild and crazy.  I want our shows to have that feel some day, with the crazy stage setup and production.  I want the show to be something that people talk about and look forward to going to.  I want us to be one of those bands that are more than just a group of people that is playing music.  I have been to tons and tons of shows, and there is something to be said for a band that creates their own type of world when you are at their concert.  Right now, there are so many types of people that are coming to our shows, and we want it to always be that way.  I want it to always be something that people are comfortable coming to.

33: This Spring Tour is all leading up to your show with the Disco Biscuits at Red Rocks.  What does the anticipation feel like?
NB: Yeah, it’s definitely the biggest venue that we have ever played.  Everyday I have to remind myself that I am playing Red Rocks.  The Disco Biscuits have been really helpful to us.  We work in the same studio, and they are just fucking awesome.  They support us in every way possible.  We were opening for Conspirator one night, and they asked us if we wanted to play Red Rocks.  I was like, "Fuck yeah, are you kidding?  What kind of question is that?"  It took a couple of weeks to set in, but now we are just excited to get out there and do it.

33: What other stops are you looking forward to this summer?
NB: We go to the Roots Picnic in Philly.  It’s got Nas and Whiz Khalifa, and plus the Roots are the shit.  They are another group that is just some of the hardest working people out there.  We are doing Gathering of the Vibes, the Exponential Festival in Philly, which has us and people like Booker T.  Lots of really cool shit going on.

33: Explain why Nicos Gun wants to be thought of as a punk rock Michael Jackson.
NB: We love that type of dance stuff.  He had that whole production style that we really like, and we were all just really big fans of his music.  We want to have that sort of attitude and edginess in our stuff, and then also have sound that everyone starts dancing to as soon as they hear it at a party.

33: You guys are constantly in the studio working on new music.  Where do you get the motivation to keep working and making new songs?
NB: We are all the type of people that know this is exactly what we want to do.  From the moment that any of us wakes up it’s all we can think about.  What can we work on?  What can we make better?  To be a big name in this game you have to work hard.  You want everything to be perfect.  We are the type of band that just wants to make a lot of music.  We have so much shit that will probably never get released, but might be used as a stepping stone to something bigger down the road.  Making music is almost second nature; it’s just what we do.  Barney wakes up every morning and starts making demos in his bed.  Harry is always working with rappers and stuff like that.  We are always here, and there is always so much to do.  Sometimes we will produce a whole track and then work to try to figure out how we are going to play it live.  I think we are starting to get a more focused sound.  We have only really been a band for a year, so it’s growing really fast every day.  Living together really helps, too.  You wake up, and everyone is on the same level.  We have a direct route from our house to the studio, so we don’t really have an excuse not to.

33: For all of the music you make, you always like to make music videos for your songs.  Why is this so important to you guys?
NB: First of all, it’s fun as shit making videos.  We want to start putting out more videos to more songs.  A lot of people go to YouTube when they are looking for a band, and we definitely recognize that.  I think that if you have a visual to look at while you are listening to something it will help keep your attention.  We hope that the videos are fun for people to watch.  We want people to try to get a sense that we are having a lot of fun with it.  We love where we live, and we love what we are doing, so why not put it on a video.  We have friends that have cameras, and we just do them ourselves.  It’s a fun way to spend a weekend, and we don’t really have to go anywhere to get it done.

33: Where do you expect to see yourself in five years?
NB: Bigger, I hope.  I want to go international with it.  Traveling all around the world, doing shows all around the world.  We have met so many cool people everywhere we have gone.  I love traveling, and except for Harry, none of us has really traveled the world much.  So yeah, in five years I want to have a lot of music out there.  I want all of the fans to have as much stuff as possible to listen to and look at.  I definitely would want to stage some shows, too, like some super crazy looking shit.

33: If you could choose your dream headlining spot, where would it be?
NB: Is it too cliché to say Madison Square Garden?  No, but really that would be awesome.  Honestly, I just want to play everywhere.  A world tour would be amazing.  Playing music in front of people that love what you do and can’t even speak your language would be absolutely amazing.

Side Note: By the time you read this article, Nicos Gun has already performed at Red Rocks ... they killed it!

NicosGun.com

MySpace.com/NicosGun

By Director, Team Coordinator and Correspondent: Desiree Baughman   Wed, Jun 01, 2011

“Life gets in the way.”

Lynchburg - This is what singer/songwriter Renee Ruth Peckham sings at the end of her song "Chasing Butterflies", but in fact, this couldn’t be further from the truth for this young talent.  There doesn’t seem to be much stopping Renee Ruth from pursuing the musical path that was carved out for her at a very young age.

Renee Ruth hails from Canada, north of Toronto, and moved to Lynchburg to attend college.  Her heart told her to pursue a degree in music.  Although she had already been singing and playing for years, her father basically told her that there was no future in music for her, and it seemed as though Renee Ruth was going to give up on the music that had been tugging at her heart for years.

“I just didn’t think I could pursue it.  My dad told me that there’s no future in music, you can’t pay the bills with that, you’ll never make it … ”  Between her father’s advice and the brief self-doubt she felt, she found herself a psychology major.  Now, Renee Ruth teaches at Liberty University and Randolph College, working in both the communications department and the counseling department, as this driven songstress possesses two Master’s degrees in both.  Although it may seem from nine to five as though she’s removed from music, it’s only a matter of hours before the sun sets upon Lynchburg, and you’ll find her playing regularly at downtown restaurant Jimmy on the James.

You can catch Renee Ruth performing there on an almost weekly basis, singing her heart out and playing the piano.  No matter how small or large the audience may be, she performs with the same intensity, soothing the listening ears with a melodic voice that’s as light and sweet as Sarah McLaughlin with a hint of Joni Mitchell.

The voice and talent you’ll see at Jimmy on the James is something Renee Ruth has been working at for years.  She was seemingly born with a natural gravitation towards music, singing in church alongside her mother and sister from the age of five.  Her parents quickly noticed her gift, and she was soon introduced to the Suzuki Method, which is a philosophy designed to nurture one’s talent and character through an education in music.  Renee Ruth soon found herself immersed in what she loved and was developing the voice and instrumental talent she has today.  She learned to play the piano, developed her voice, and began writing songs.  She briefly dabbled in playing the flute, trumpet, and drums, but ultimately found her strength with the piano and guitar.

“Don’t get me wrong, I was no Mozart, but it was more advanced for a five-year-old because I was trained by ear,” says Renee Ruth.  She had grown up listening to her mother’s beautiful baritone voice singing in harmony with Renee Ruth’s father, who played the guitar and sang alto.  Soon, the entire family was performing together, as her mother dressed up Renee Ruth and her sister in matching outfits and placed them on stage, where they would sing and play tambourines or bells as her father played the guitar and as her mother sang.  “That’s how I started performing,” Renee Ruth recalls.

By the time Renee Ruth had reached high school, she was singing in the church ensemble, and although others easily recognized her talent, Renee Ruth was reluctant to acknowledge what her voice was capable of.  They would request she sing a solo, and she would refuse, believing that she didn’t sound good enough and that she only belonged in a group singing harmony.

In 1996, Renee Ruth was faced with a personal tragedy that pushed her towards music more than anything ever had.  At the age of 17, Renee Ruth’s mother passed away, and she found herself standing in front of two paths.  She felt that she had to choose between hurting on her own or placing her trust into something greater than herself and thereby releasing the pain of her mother’s death.  She chose the latter, and music became her outlet and release.

When Renee Ruth came to Lynchburg for college and tried to escape the music, it was relentless and chased her further down the path that had been laid out for her so many years ago.  She borrowed one of her father’s guitars and taught herself to play, and soon purchased her first keyboard.  Not long after, she made a friend who had a recording studio, and she found herself writing more songs than ever.  “I spent a couple of months writing and singing and recording and playing,” she says.

With multiple degrees behind her and a determination that can be heard in her voice and seen in her performances, Renee Ruth successfully recorded her first EP What I Need, which was released in 2010.  With experience such as singing in the respected, talented Thomas Road Baptist Church Choir and playing live at a wide variety of venues in Lynchburg and Virginia Beach (among other places), Renee Ruth has finally moved further down the musical road that she has been on for so long.  Her voice has evolved into a melodic, almost wistful sound that easily navigates up and down the peaks and valleys of many notes, resting perfectly on each one.  Her lyrics and style are reminiscent of not only the folk music of the 60s that she grew up listening to, but often has the slight melancholy sound of contemporary singer/songwriter Susie Suh and yet the strength and range of Joss Stone.  

However, Renee Ruth affirms that she has a sound that is all her own.  “I didn’t pick my sound, it picked me, so I have no other motive than that’s all I know how to sound like,” she explains. There is an accessible vulnerability and intimacy in her voice that demands attention as you listen to her. Her lyrics are carefully crafted and are brimming with color and emotion.  Songs like “Chasing Butterflies” beautifully weave together words as she sings of “crimson gold October skies” and true statements such as “Life gets in the way.”

Although she regularly draws upon the sometimes painful experiences she’s had in life, Renee Ruth delivers songs that are powerful, and while she’s singing, her voice can take your breath away.  Her voice builds upon the foundation of the piano or guitar, and she still has many goals she wants to achieve musically and things that she wants to experiment with.  “I am only starting to find the time to mess with looper pedals.  I aspire to a Ben Harper level, but want to try looping the keys!”  She says, further acknowledging that her journey is far from over.

Aside from playing at Jimmy’s regularly, she also has some upcoming events that are just around the corner.  On the weekend of May 21, Renee will be playing at the Virginia School of the Arts last gala of the year, performing the title track of her EP “What I Need”, to which two alumni dancers have choreographed a dance.

Although Renee Ruth is busy with her job, playing live, and setting her sights on future goals such as obtaining a Ph.D. and also writing a book, she hopes for a musical awakening in Lynchburg’s local music scene.

“I have spoken with a number of different artists from various bands … and there is a unanimous desire to see the music scene grow.  There is an underground scene here, but it is not recognized by society at large in this city.  I would love to see the music scene in Lynchburg grow to where community is in support of its local artists, and we can draw audiences and artists from surrounding areas,” she states.  Although she describes herself as a “kind of musical lone wolf at the moment,” Renee Ruth will undoubtedly continue to catch the attention of audiences and other artists in the Lynchburg area and beyond, or wherever her destined musical path takes her.

Lynchburg audiences are pleased that Renee Ruth’s voice traveled from Canada and made its way to Lynchburg, and Renee Ruth will continue to make large musical strides.  No matter where she’s playing, Renee Ruth has one main goal in mind: “I want to create music that makes people stop and listen,” she states.

Just so she always has this goal in mind, Renee Ruth made a personal note to herself one day on her iPhone: “Make songs that make people lose their breath.”

One would think that with the long path she’s been on to get where she is now would have taken her breath away, but in fact, this strong singer/songwriter is still on that journey, and fortunately for her audience, her voice seems to hold their hands as she takes their breath away and leads them down a bright, beautiful, melodic path.

ReneeRuthPeckham.Blogspot.com

ReverbNation.com/ReneeRuthPeckham

By Photojournalist: Kerri Killion   Tue, May 31, 2011

Chesapeake - A new band fresh out of Richmond graced the stage at Roger's on April 31 for a true punk rock show.  Opening for G.G. Allin’s Murder Junkies, these kids from Richmond were geared up and ready to go.  Only one little hitch - they were one man short.  The bass player was seriously ill and unable to attend, but that did not stop the boys from showing up to face the music and fulfill their punk rock obligation.  Scott Trinca and drummer Dan Groux anxiously waited out front with Angry Pirate Records executive Fisher Essenfeld for the first three bands to start the musical invasion.  Their young, fresh faces filled with smiles as we started the interview.  Anxiety and excitement were stirring in the air as I talked to the musical duo.

33: How long has Insubordination been together?
Scott Trinca: Since summer of 2008.  We are in the middle of finishing up our debut record with Angry Pirate Entertainment.  It has 17 songs and probably 30 minutes of actual music.  [laughter]

33: Is it like the two-minute punk songs?
ST: Yeah, there is going to be a lot of funny stuff on it as well.  We have a skit with the bass player Bryan Archer.  He does a funny Godfather impersonation.

33: And where is Bryan?
ST: He is really sick today, so we have to do without him, I guess.

33: You guys are from Richmond?
ST: Yes, unfortunately …

33: Well, that’s the first I have heard that.  Everyone from Richmond always says they love the scene and love the culture.
ST: We are about the only punk band in Richmond right now.  There is a lot of metal and screamo stuff that doesn’t appeal to me really.

33: Influences anyone?
ST: Bands like the Ramones, NOFX, and Less Than Jake for a little more poppy side of the spectrum.  The thing I like about the music we play and listen to is that it all happened back before we were born or knew about it.  I discovered the Gits, a great band from D.C. that I absolutely love.  The Queers are good too.  I like getting really into it.  Dan, why don’t you answer some questions?
Dan Groux: My influences are a lot of indie music like the Strokes and Angels and Airwaves.  I like some space-type music.
ST: I love older stuff like David Bowie, the Cure, or Anti-Flag and Dead Kennedys.  The Murder Junkies are going to make us look like the Jonas Brothers, since we have to open for their notorious stage show.

33: Favorite song that you love to play?
ST: We have a song called "Intro 50 Years."  The song is basically about how when you are not born into money your life is based on sacrificing your body.  I think it’s wrong, and I just love singing it.
DG: My favorite song to play is "Gourmet Grilled Cheese" from our first record.

33: So what do you consider a "gourmet grilled cheese"?
ST: I actually wrote the song about the West Side of Richmond.  There is this one restaurant I was working at; they served something called a gourmet grilled cheese, which I thought was ridiculous.  It was basically just a glorified cheese sandwich, so I had to write something about it.
DG: My gourmet grilled cheese is a grilled cheese with bacon, and that’s it.  [laughter]
ST: One really important thing about our record coming out is there are no songs about girls or relationships.  It is all about specific topics that other people really do not touch too much on.  For instance, we have one song about America and one song about the radio stations.  It isn’t just like, "My girlfriend dumped me, and now I am pissed off."  It is a lot more intellectual than a lot of people might expect.

33: So the radio song: pro- or anti-?
ST: The song is against the radios in Richmond where we are from.  The stations only play, like, two songs, and they are both by Three Days Grace.  Or there is classic rock, and those are the only two stations that are guitar-oriented.  I like punk rock basically by default.  It is the only thing that has songs really about something.

33: If you could play with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?
ST: NOFX definitely.  It sucks I was born too late to see the Ramones.  I would have loved to have seen them.  I hate how I missed the entire era because of when I was born.

33: What type of punk would you consider yourself?  People label punk all kinds of things nowadays.  It is not always pure punk anymore.
ST: I would say punk rock with maybe a little bit of ska influence because of our bass player.  It is really punk rock.  It is pretty basic - not any kind of hardcore or indie - it just fits in the punk rock category.
Fisher Essenfeld: It will be available through Amazon stores.  The way we discovered the boys is pretty interesting.  We came across them on accident.  My partner Mikey got tricked into working a gig one night and these guys played second or third and blew everyone away.  Mikey texted me, and we decided to talk to him.  These guys probably thought he was some kind of pedophile or something saying, "Here is my card.  I have my own record label."  These guys are eighteen and nineteen years old.

33: So were you waiting on him to ask you to get into the back of some kind of van?
ST: No I was stoked!  I wasn’t sketched out at all.  We only played like fifteen or twenty minute sets at that show; it was terrible.  Mikey let us keep playing longer since he liked us so much.
FE: We like to have fun.  We got to know the guys better, booked them to play a few shows, and we all hung out.  They are as old as my sons!  I do love the music, though.  The music style they come from is right up my alley.  I am a fan.  I am from that era and loved the Sex Pistols back from '77 or '78.  We get to work on a very close basis with the guys, from recording to booking shows.  We talk a few times a week about basically anything, from South Park to music. 

There is always room for angst-riddled youth with beefs about society, the government, and the country, and bands that are not afraid to represent their punk rock predecessors and keep their mojo of discontent flowing.  Insubordination might be too young to have seen the Ramones, but they definitely are doing the movement proud with the music they are bringing to the table, so prepare your ears for a punk rock mind-raping when you see Insubordination.

ReverbNation.com/Insubordination

AngryPirateEntertainment.com/Insubordination

By   Wed, Jun 01, 2011

Lynchburg - On a cold November night in 1989, a DJ/turntablist/producer from the Hill City named his newborn son after the legendary hip-hop icon Rakim, but dropped the "R" and added an "L."  DJ Earl2thaB (Earl Bryant) was and is the proud father of Lakim (Lakim Bryant).

It didn’t take long for Lakim to be introduced to hip-hop music, with his father being a respected producer and turntablist/DJ in the area.  He grew up meeting local emcees that his pops made beats for.  When Lakim eventually had the itch to create instrumentals, his dad taught him how to work his MPC but told him he should also read the manual.  His father also taught him to be himself and to let the music express how he felt and represent who he was.

At age 16, Lakim was making hot beats right out of the gate.  It all started with his first group venture, Blacc.  Consisting of Word (main lyricist), Rome (beats/occasional emcee), and Lakim (beats/emcee), the young group developed their talent and love for the music and are still in pursuit of making their dreams come alive.

Lakim soon dropped his first beat tape entitled The Vault Vol. 1.  Sharing it on AIM, he received feedback from other producers.  D-Que, Gif, and Problem were standouts that inspired Lakim to continue creating.

Soon after, he dropped his second project Christmas Beat Tape with Danimal.  In this collaborative effort, Lakim and Danimal received blog attention from KevinNottingham.com with instrumentals like “Christmas in the Tropics” and “Deez Nuts Roastin'".  The project got the ball rolling for Lakim, giving him immediate success and attention from hip-hop heads all over.

In his third beat tape Siamese Spins, he was contacted by artists that wanted to work with him.  Emcees like Keb0 from Cincinnati made the link to the Hill City beat creator and his world soon changed.

At age 20, Lakim discovered he had lymphoma.  He went on a hiatus from social networking but also went on a musical tirade, showing his strength and his will to not only succeed but also survive.

He accomplished what most hip-hop producers will never attempt: successfully creating an instrumental album with a theme that people can grasp and never let go of.  With his epic work Project Mercury, Lakim used the theme inspired by Astronautics.  Space travel was something he loved since he was young and inspired him to create a project that was way more than just a beat tape.  He found a record in downtown Lynchburg’s Speaker Tree that documented the actual space mission and led to his instrumentals “Constellations” and “Star Gazer”.  He noticed that people were listening, not only locally but throughout the United States.  Cincinnati emcee Keb0 was able to lay his vocals on Lakim’s “Constellations” and extend the producer’s exposure.  Project Mercury received much deserved blog attention and has recently passed 2,000 downloads on Bandcamp.com.

Soon after the success of the first installation, the anticipation grew heavily for Project Mercury 2: The Challenge Remains.  It didn’t let down and kept the theme going with bigger sounds like “Galaxy King”.  Some who had never heard Part 1 had to go back to hear where it all started.

Taking Trips: Japan was Lakim’s sixth project.  Japanese culture, art, the way the Japanese express themselves, and the music they create were all inspirations behind the project.  Though this particular work was created before the tsunami in Japan, after the recent tragedy Lakim went back and made proceeds go to Japanese tsunami relief.  Taking Trips: Japan lead to collaborations with Jean P. and three tracks on Amor Jones’ The Wake Up Show.  Lakim has never had any trouble with the ladies, but even Asian shawties were giving Lakim a second look after this project.

Lakim’s most recent project Angels with Filthy Souls is an ode to the sound of 90s hip-hop music, with vinyl-popping boom-bap inspiration.  The most popular project thus far, AWFS speaks for itself and opened new doors such as a working relationship with Cali emcee J. Good.

The 21-year-old Lakim is the most downloaded and played music artist in Lynchburg on Bandcamp.com, and that includes all music genres on the site.  When I sat down with him recently, he expressed that his goal is to make Lynchburg be heard, and he seems he is doing just that.

When asked what type of advice he had for producers or emcees everywhere, he said, “You should just try to be yourselves.  Never let anyone try to dictate your art.  Originality is the key to success.”

When asked who his favorite music artists and favorite hip-hop producers were, he told me, “My favorite artists, including genres other than hip-hop, would be Daft Punk, Jay-Z, and Gino Vannelli.  My favorite producer has to be J Dilla.  Definitely the best to ever do it, in my opinion.”

I obviously wanted to know his opinion on local venues not supporting hip-hop music.  He replied by saying, “I know for a fact that the majority of venues around don't endorse hip-hop, because I have friends that have run into problems while trying to perform.  I think if someone would set up somewhere with an audience in mind for heads, there will be good turnouts without having any problems.”

At one time, most that had heard of him knew Lakim would be the future, but at this point he can also be seen as the past, present, and future of hip-hop when it comes to beat creation.  His doctor is telling him that things are looking good, and hopefully with one more chemo treatment, he will be back to 100 percent.  With an upcoming Taking Trips (TBA), a full-length album with Canton, Ohio emcee Jean P., and collaboration with North Carolina producer Professa, Lakim is making his goals happen, and he continues to make hip-hop music the way it was when he was growing up.  Next up, he wants to perform a live beat set locally or globally so he can solidify his spot as one of the most talented producers not only in Lynchburg, but way beyond the city limits.

You can find Lakim’s music at Lakim.Bandcamp.com or at MySpace.com/BlaccMuzik.

By Photojournalist: Kerri Killion   Wed, Jun 01, 2011

Norfolk - What do you get when you mix a McWookster with a Hat Club and throw in three humor-driven, talented musicians?  Why, none other than local hard rock favorites 180 Out.  They bring a unique flavor of progressive rock mixed with hard rock and a dash of rapcore.  180 Out has been around a few days according to the drummer, but really started just a few years ago in 2008 with a different lineup, and now two originals remain.  The band has had a few variations in lineup, but this is the best to date, and that is a fact the entire band can agree with.  Just talking to the guys you can see the chemistry oozing between them.  We step outside of the NorVa to get down to business and find out what makes these boys tick-tock.

33: Whose brain child is this?
Jeff Wheeler: Bobby Coghill is the papa bear of the band.
Bobby Coghill: We decided to start a band and brought Chewie into the mix and we lost a guitar player, picked up Andy, then lost a bass player and picked up Bryan.  We have been together ever since.

33: How many albums do you guys have out?
Chewie McWookster: One.
Bryan Craig: We have five in India, four in Japan, and one in Antarctica.
BCoghill: But we do not have too much in the U.S. right now.
JW: We are a lot bigger in unpopulated countries.
CW: We have one full-length album that is available on iTunes called The Rock N Roll Revival.  You will hear some of that tonight.

33: So is this your first time gracing the stage of the NorVa?
BCoghill: This is our fourth time playing at the NorVa but first time headlining.  We opened up for a well-known band called Nonpoint and also for a great Led Zeppelin tribute banded called Zoso.  It is crazy watching them - was like watching Led Zeppelin.  I have a funny story about that, but I do not think I should say it.

33: You have to say it!
BCraig: It happened to Bobby backstage.

33: Did it involve man on man action?
BCraig: Basically, it did.
BCoghill: It was a naked lead singer in a hot tub with a fat dude serenading him.  I did not ask questions.
CW: I think what happened is Bob is a little on the heavy side and they were looking for a ménage a trois.

[Zachary Barry, aka Piglet, 180 Out’s dedicated stage hand, snorts.]

33: So is that where rodie Zachary Barry, more affectionately known as Piglet, gets his nickname from?
Zachary Barry: Yes, it is all in the laugh.
JW: He is our own famous roadie.  He was on CNN.  Piglet was in Richmond, Virginia, and was in an Insane Clown Posse video where he was booty dancing on stage with the girls.
ZB: I was on national TV!

33: So I heard there was an initiation to get into the band; tell me a little bit about it.
BCoghill: We usually cane people and get beat into the band.

33: Well, I don’t know, I heard from a little bird it involves ball tag?  [all laughing]
JW: We have some legendary games of that.  We kind of evolved from punching to whipping.  The funny thing about it is we haven’t whipped Andy yet.
Andy Matas: No one is brave enough to try it with me.

33: We need to get pictures of Andy being whipped into 180 Out - that is something our readers would love to see!
CW: It was my first day with 180 Out, and I punched the old bass player in the nuts.  That is where it all started.
JW: The only whipping Andy likes to get is, well, I won’t say it.  Bryan is the horse.
CW: We call him tripod.  Did you see her eyes get big?

33: I will take your word for it, as it is safer that way for me.
JW: He can actually stand on that one leg.
BCraig: It is like leaning into the wind.

33: But that time you fell.  Is it too cold out or something?
BCraig: It is cold come on.  [laughter]
BCoghill: Seriously, as a band we try not to cuss in our music so we can stay family-oriented.  So I am going to have to talk to the boys about that.  In all seriousness, our music contains minimal cuss words because we want to be able to play our music for our children.
BCraig: I tried really hard to get into this band.  Now that I am here, this is where I want to stay.  Practicing with these guys is the best thing.  We have a great time.
JW: Andy has a preshow ritual before every show.  He has to eat 50 wings!  No matter where we play.

33: That’s a lot better than the weird things other people do before a show.
BCraig: We play all of our stuff.  We are not a cover band, and that is where our name came from.  If you do not like us, do a 180 and get the ... [pauses]
BCoghill: ... Hell out!

33: What is your favorite 180 Out song to wow the crowd with?
AM: I love "Touch the Moon" and also the song "Blood and Fire."
BCraig: Chewie wrote the lyrics to "Blood and Fire", and me and Jeff wrote the music.  It is an awesome song.

33: What do you think of the scene around here?
JW: I think Norfolk has bigger places to play, but I think the beach has more venues.
AM: My personal opinion - as I have been in the scene five years or so - there are a lot more people promoting the local scene and trying to get the word out.  There are a lot of different people like your magazine and others doing podcasts and websites to help promote the local scene.  It is nice to see people trying to help the musicians out.

[In walks the Wolfe, interviewing a band at the Jew Mom behind the NorVa.]

Wolfe: I got shows to cover, too.

33: I do not doubt your show covering.  This is my lead correspondent, guys.  Hey, Andy is going in the back door!  [laughter]
BCraig: Oh, he likes the back door.
Wolfe: Oh, are you doing an interview?  I am such a dick!
BCraig: Take your fuzzy coat, and get the hell out!  [laughter]
CW: One of the coolest things is that we all collectively make decisions together.  It is something I have not experienced.  It is usually one person saying it is my way or the highway.  If we have an issue, we settle it and squash it.  There is no real in fighting.  Anything that has to do with the band, we all make the decision together.
BCraig: Support local music!  Support fat people.

33: Chicken wings!

On that note, I have to say 180 Out is not only an entertaining band to see perform live but remarkable guys to shoot the breeze with.   They bring laughs, talent, and energy that just draws you to them.  This is all contained within a five-man band of hard rock aggressiveness.  Oh yeah, girls - you know what I am trying to say.  Come for the stage show and music stay for the after show company.   Their music is distinct and their personalities are first class.

ReverbNation.com/180Out757

By Correspondent: Sarah Freiseis   Wed, Jun 01, 2011

Richmond - Wednesdays came and went, leaving many thirsty for more and in search of an experimental itch to scratch.  With a quick flick of the wrist and notice of a Sunday show at Commercial Taphouse & Grill, a renewed sense of enthusiasm flowed through Richmonders like a Trappist in a monastery.  Playing as a casual collective, the New Belgians keep it cool - regardless of the night.

The band is comprised of five members, all of which regularly play in a multitude of groups that span several genres.  Together they create a sound that can't be described with just one word - soul, funk, rock, jazz... you name it.  Saxophonist Marcus Tenney said, "I would describe it as very loose, very eclectically driven; there's a lot of different musical influences that the individuals have run across, and I think that creates a really cool sound." 

Tenney said they've discovered everyone in the group has several things they can add to the sound.  "Everything changes so much each time we play - I just want to see what happens next."  He recently added singing to his repertoire and said the focus on vocal tunes developed in response to positive reactions stemming from their weekly following.  He said being a part of a project that includes him singing is quite a different experience than what he is accustomed to.  "I learned to play saxophone and trumpet though jazz primarily, and learning where the boundary is between how much of that you can put into a voice has been tripping me up - you have to have a lot of control because the voice itself is an instrument."

Joey Ciucci, who plays a Rhodes piano and an organ in the band said, "It's cool because I play a lot of the bass parts on the organ, so on tunes when there's two guitar players and not a bass guitar player, I'm playing the bass on the organ which is great, just a whole different sound than with a bass guitar."  He said with drummer Scott Clark playing in "a shitload of bands" and considering all of the members are playing full time, scheduling gigs, particularly on the weekends, has proven to be a challenge.  "We're continually trying to figure out when we can all be in the same room and play," he said.

That evening's audience enjoyed a sophisticated lineup of decidedly song based performances.  Todd Herrington (bass, guitar) said, "It’s really about a cool little three- or four-minute song."  Ranging from upbeat ditties to soulful serenades, each song brought its own funky magic to the forefront.  Melancholy moments with "What We Had" in the first set and pure pleasure with "Punchtown" in the second, both original tunes, had the crowd stirring with delight, not to mention the buzz over unique takes on covers such as "Come Together", "(I Got) So Much Trouble in My Mind", and "Let My Love Open the Door." 

Herrington said the group started as an outlet for songs he had written, but some of the songs like "The Banana Hand Shuffle" are collaborative.  "I guess I put it together - I had been working on a record under my name, and there were all these songs I wanted to play out with a band, so I just started to get together with some guys and play these songs."  He said he was surrounded by a group of people who seemed to enjoy doing it, and it just progressed from there and into a weekly gig.  He also noted many of the songs they are playing now will be released under his name in the fall, and that the band name pays homage to the man responsible for making Mekong, Mekong - local beer guru An Bui.

Guitarist Nate Griffith said, "It was great with the Cary Street thing because you are much better rehearsed for one, and we could try out new ideas - 'Hey, does this work?’  'No, yes, whatever.'"  He added that although he doesn't think about the style of music while he's playing, the more opportunities to play the better.  Guest musicians are frequently in on the fun times, too - Brian Mahne (organ/keys), Joel DeNuzio (drums/percussion), and Charles Arthur (lap steel/guitar) are known to take part when the occasion arises. 

With their residency at Cary St. Cafe coming to a close earlier this year, the group has gotten some interesting offers inspiring them to get back into the groove of letting it all hang out with every Humpday. Herrington said the Belgians may pick up a weekly gig at Emilio's starting the middle of June.  "I want to keep going and doing what we do," Herrington continues.  "I want this to be fun, and I want everything that happens to evolve naturally."

Hometown is where the heart is, and we hit the jackpot - the band will be opening up for Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings on Friday, June 24 as a part of the Friday Cheers concert series at Brown's Island here in Richmond.  Santé - the New Belgians taste like an import with talent the size of a growler!

ReverbNation.com/TheNewBelgians

Facebook.com/Pages/THE-NEW-BELGIANS/

By Editor (Managing) and Correspondent: Robin Marschak   Wed, Jun 01, 2011

By   Wed, Jun 01, 2011

I first met Chris Townsend in May of 2008 when he was shooting a music video for the local rock band Spüknof.  A friend's house on Rivermont Avenue had been turned into a makeshift film set – make-up was in the kitchen, pizza in the hallway, and filming took place just about everywhere else: in the living room, the dining room, the bathroom, and the bedroom.  When I got there in the afternoon, Spüknof was playing “Going Nowhere” in front of the fireplace for about the fiftieth time, while volunteers applied Elmer's Glue to the face of a 20-year-old actress, hoping it would resemble something like wrinkles once it dried (it didn't).

Even though Chris shot the entire clip in just one day and basically without any budget at all, it made it into the Sunscreen Film Festival in Florida that year, along with eleven other videos from around the country.  The finalists were chosen from thousands of submissions, many of which, according to Chris, cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to make.  In 2010, “Going Nowhere” won the award for “Best Pop Music Video” at the World Music and Independent Film Festival in Washington, D.C.

Since that video shoot three years ago, Chris has filmed a number of music videos for several local artists, including two more for Spüknof — one of them, “Weeds Have Grown,” made it into the River Bend Film Festival in Indiana earlier this year.  Last year, Chris’ video for Point of Honor’s “Red Hills” was accepted to Dances with Films, followed by Humble Tip’s “Nobody This Crunk” at this year’s event.

There certainly hasn't been much downtime for his company, LSD Productions (“Living Serving Devoted”).  Last year, Chris and his team, then under the name Broken Fan Media, released the 30-minute film “Yes, We Can.”  Now, they're getting ready to start shooting Chris' first feature movie, Brother's Keeper.

And it’s not only the company name that has changed.  “This is a new phase in my life,” says Chris.  “I want to make stuff that’s more positive.  That doesn’t mean that I’m not gonna push the limits of things, but I want to make something that I know my kids can watch one day.  I want them to look at this film in particular as kind of a love letter from me: that no matter where you are in your life, God can forgive you for what you’ve done.”

Brother’s Keeper isn’t his first venture into the Christian scene: Chris has shot videos for a number of Christian bands, including Point of Honor, hip-hop artist Humble Tip, and Richmond punk band True Liberty.  In 2010, he also directed a commercial with Stephen Baldwin and filmed a promo video for Mike Huckabee.

Chris is clearly moving away from the edginess of his previous projects – both “Yes, We Can” and the award-winning short “The Clarence Frazier Project” (2006) created a lot of controversy.  “I’ve learned that I don’t want to make my films just to shock people, or to get press,” says the 30-year-old father and husband.

Fortunately, giving his company a more Christian focus doesn’t mean he’s going to stop making videos for secular bands.  “I love music too much not to!” admits Chris, explaining that it is just his approach that has changed.  “I want to create things that are more artistic, rather than just flashy.”

And as with all of his films, music remains the major influence in his creative process. 

“Music was a huge inspiration for this,” he says.  One of the songs for the soundtrack triggered him to develop part of the script: “I opened up a bottle of red wine, put on my headphones, and put the song on repeat, and I started writing.  It was such a heartfelt song … I think that is a great example of art influencing art.”

Before studying at New York Film Academy and working as an intern on various Hollywood sets, Chris started his career at Liberty University.

While he wasn’t too happy with Liberty's communications curriculum, Chris benefited from the different kinds of people he met.  “When I moved to New York, that kind of prepared me ... It made me a little more open-minded towards things,” he says.

The program at NYFA was intense: “Day one, they hand you a 16 mm-camera, teach you how to load it, teach you how to understand lighting, so you don't overexpose or underexpose film ... it was a great experience.”

After graduating from New York Film Academy, Chris moved to Los Angeles to work as an intern on different film sets.

“If you wanna be a filmmaker, you gotta get used to working for free,” he says.  “I was literally getting about fifty bucks a week ... I never got a credit for one thing I did, but it was being around that atmosphere that helped me understand everything.”

While Chris worked as a production assistant on The Shield and 24, his wife (then his girlfriend), supported him financially.

“She's been my rock in a lot of ways,” says Chris.  “Having my wife in my corner is the best thing in the world.”

Another rock in his life are his two kids, who can't wait to play with him when he gets home from another long day of editing.

“I learn a lot from them,” says Chris.  “It kind of gives me that Peter Pan-syndrome, and I get to dive back into being a kid and use my imagination and learn from that.”

And they're part of the reason why Chris likes living in Lynchburg, even if it means that one has to dig to find “artful gems,” as Chris calls them.

“Would I love to move back to New York?” he says.  “Yeah, but I gotta look at it from the standpoint of my kids now.”

Besides, Chris doesn't think that location has a huge influence on one's art.  “I think that the people you surround yourself with, the stories that you hear from them ... I think that staying true to yourself, and how you feel, and what you can pull from your heart makes you artful.”

Chris finds his inspiration in everyday things, such as reading the newspaper or people-watching.  “Some people find that creepy, but, you know, go to the mall and watch people.  You can learn a lot about people,” he says.

When he's not hanging out at the mall or playing with his kids, Chris spends most of his time editing videos, even on weekends.  “It's addictive to me,” says Chris.  “It's like building a puzzle.  It's fun.”

And just because a film is practically finished, or because everyone loved it, doesn't mean he's done with it.

“I'll come back to it, say, a month later, and try taking it apart, and rebuilding it like an engine, trying to make it even better than it was, and sometimes I've done that, and sometimes it's come out so horrible,” he says, laughing.

To Chris, filmmaking is experimental, and it’s a learning process.  “I’ve made more crap than good stuff,” he admits.  “But I’ve learned from the crap.”

And despite Chris’ mixed feelings about his previous films, things aren’t the same with Brother’s Keeper.

“I feel differently about this film than I’ve ever felt about anything,” says Chris.  “A lot of work has gone into it, and I’m proud of it.  This is the first time I can actually tell you – aside from music videos – that I’ve had a film project on my plate, and I can just sit back and smile at it.  Even the stress that I have with it doesn’t feel so overwhelming.  I know it’s gonna get resolved.”

After shooting the film in June, Chris plans to make a music video for the soundtrack.  Once again, he’ll be working with Spüknof’s Mark Carey, who wrote the music for Brother’s Keeper.  This time, there will be no Elmer’s Glue involved.

By Correspondent: Michael Cohen   Wed, Jun 01, 2011

D.C. - Shane Cooley, the man with a smooth name and a sound to match, brought something special to the stage at Ebenezers Coffeehouse in Washington D.C.  With his harmonica blowing, feet stomping, and guitar shredding, Shane Cooley lit the night up and gave the audience all that they could ever ask for - short of setting his guitar on fire.  Singer, songwriter, and veritable one-man band, Cooley wears many hats.  Literally speaking, he was wearing a very smooth hat during our interview, which distracted me a bit with thoughts of how I would look in the same headgear.  With that being said, Shane is many things, though the title of "workhorse" surges to the forefront of my mind.  I was floored when he humbly conveyed to me how he just finished touring and performing 49 shows in 45 days … I repeat - 49 shows in 45 days.  Coast to coast, I might add.  Seeing as how he will be touring all the way through 2012, it is undeniable that Shane Cooley is a man on a mission.  With his dynamic performances and burgeoning cult-like following, Cooley will soon have his mission accomplished.

33: What genre of music do you consider your sound to be?
Shane Cooley: I get that question a lot.  My answer is retro-folk rock.  I sort of, as a person and a musician, feel misplaced in the twenty-first century.

33: How late do you think you are?
SC: Forty, fifty years late.  I resonate from the sixties and seventies a lot, that’s sort of the music I grew up on.  I listen to some modern stuff, but I really try to bring back the classic singer/songwriter vibe.

33: Who did you listen to growing up?
SC: Dylan was definitely a huge influence.  I listened to a lot of Hendrix and Zeppelin, and then as I got older I started listening to jazz and some hip-hop.  Stuff you wouldn’t really hear in my music, but it’s still very influential.  I can tell it’s there, even if other people can’t.

33: Is that where you draw your inspiration?
SC: Yeah, I listen to a lot of music, but I’m a very lyrical person.  I read a lot of poetry, I read a lot of novels.

33: Do you write all of your songs?
SC: I do.

33: Your album Westland came out in February. How’s that working for you?
SC: It’s going well, getting some radio airplay.  It's actually been picked up by Clear Channel now.  I’m hoping the airplay will get more extensive in the near future.  It’s on XM radio, too.  The cool thing about it is one of the songs from Westland, "Last Love," got me second place for best male artist at the international acoustic music awards.  That’s really gotten me a lot of exposure.

33: How’d you feel when you found out you won?
SC: Pretty good, man.  I never win contests.  I’m one of those guys who seem like they have the bad luck of the draw.  I don’t know, I lucked out on that one.

33: Where do you see yourself in five years?
SC: I wanna go absolutely as far as I can go.  I want to have some diehard fans.  I’m not really interested in the whole American Idol, Top 40-type thing.  I wanna have the comfort of knowing that whether or not I’m getting a lot of radio airplay, there are still people following my music.

33: Are you under a label?
SC: No, I’m completely on my own, but the way I did the tour was pretty interesting.  The tour was called the Home Sweet Home Tour.  I got together with some acts from different parts of the country - the Melillo Brothers, Adam Smith from Nashville, and Adam Webb from Philly.  We just went to everybody’s hometown, so we all had a free place to crash, and we had everyone’s home crowd.  So if my draw in Philly was weaker than it was in Virginia, Adam Webb could hook me up with his people.  It was a cool concept, having collaborations instead of competition.  We were able to make it worth it.

33: Do you have groupies?
SC: No comment [laughs].  There are definitely followers - I don’t know if they would appreciate being called groupies or not - but they're there.

33: Tell me about your song “California Nights.”
SC: It was about the first time I had been on the West Coast.  I just wanted to write a rock 'n' roll song, man.  I really wanted to represent the excitement of being out there for the first time.  It had been a while since I had written a real rock 'n' roll song, and I’m very proud of it.  It’s got that sort of classic rock 'n' roll vibe.

33: Do you come from a musically inclined family?
SC: Actually, my dad’s playing drums tonight, so that’s cool.  Basically, how I got started was my dad was playing guitar - I was, like, ten - my dad said, "Shane, get on the drums," and halfway through he stopped and was like, "Shane you got it."  So I just kept going from there.

33: What other instruments do you play?
SC: I play guitar, harmonica, bass, a little bit of piano, and drums.

33: You mentioned earlier you have a lead guitarist coming on tonight.
SC: Yeah, his name is Curtis Prince.  He’s a solo artist from Charlottesville.  I played a few shows with him, and it sort of happened we just started jamming together.  He’s got some really cool sounds coming up.

33: Dead or alive, who would you most want to collaborate with?
SC: I would have to say Jerry Garcia.  I’ve really been listening to the Dead a lot lately.  My music isn’t very jammy, but its definitely got a lot of Grateful Dead songwriting technique in it.  I would really love to hear his flicks on my song.

33: What part of the music scene don’t you like today?
SC: I don’t like the misconception of the music scene.  I think that a lot of non-musicians have sort of been led on by American Idol and other TV shows.  I wish I had a dollar for every time someone says I should be on that show.  I have to correct them.  To me, American Idol has this get-rich-quick scheme to it, and that’s not how it works.  I really think it’s important to educate people on how it really is in the music scene.  Let me tell ya, there are guys out there who are ten times worse than Simon.

33: Is there anything you want the fans to know about your music, your style?
SC: The main thing is that my songs are very real.  I’m a shy person, my music is very autobiographical, and my performances are very emotional.  They’re a lot of fun, too.  Hopefully, fans will come away relating to it, because one of the best parts of being a musician is when someone comes up to you and says, "Hey, your song helped me get through a tough time."  To me, one of the things that get you through life is a good song.  So whenever anyone says that about my music, I’m absolutely flattered.

Shane Cooley may be flattered, but I was blown away by his epic performance at Ebenezers.  His standing a top a chair with the crowd rocking and his fist held high, embodied for me, the spirit of folk music.

ShaneCooleyMusic.com

MySpace.com/ShaneCooley

By Editor-In-Chief and Correspondent: Andrew Lutwin   Wed, Jun 01, 2011

For the 15th consecutive year, music fans will flock in droves to the annual All Good Festival.  For the ninth year in a row, the festival will take place in Masontown, West Virginia, at Marvin's Mountaintop - and with good reason.  This venue for the festival creates a natural ampitheater by placing the stages at the bottom of a hill, allowing for the finest of natural acoustics, not to mention a glorious view of a moutain backdrop behind the stages.  

All Good sets itself apart from the average summer festival by utilizing a rotating, two-stage setup, which allows for no overlapping sets, ensuring that everyone in attendance can potentially see every single act on the bill.  And with this year's lineup featuring the likes of Furthur, Primus, Pretty Lights, moe., Umphrey's McGee, Sound Tribe Sector 9, the John Butler Trio, Dark Star Orchestra, the Warren Haynes Band, Yonder Mountain String Band, Keller Williams, Galactic, and Toots and the Maytals (not to mention many, many others), festival goers will certainly want to take advantage of this unique setup to truly get their money's worth. 

All Good will take place from July 14-17.  Look for our coverage of the event in upcoming issues that will include special guest interviews.  For tickets and information, visit AllGoodFestival.com.

By   Sun, Jun 05, 2011

June 10-12^th at the Sedalia Center in Big Island, Virginia. Tickets are $20 at the gate, $15 advance. Camping is included, BYOB, food vendors will be on site.

Lynchburg – Ad Astra Music Festival is here once again. For the 3^rd year in a row, one of Lynchburg’s only local music festivals is back and better than ever. This year, June 10^th-12^th, rain or shine, the community and region will come together to celebrate through music at the Sedalia Center in Big Island, VA.

Tickets to the event are only $20 general admission, and $15 advance purchase. Tickets can be purchased online at AdastraMusicFestival.com. Visit our website for more details on ticket outlets and event information. Tickets include camping for the weekend. Food vendors will be on site and BYOB is permitted with valid photo ID at the gate.

There are 12 bands from around our region lined up this year including Bigfoot County, Bad Circus, Junkyard Mountain, Work Release, and DJ Mason & Joey from Lynchburg VA; FUTURE from Washington, DC; Silo Effect, Gypsy Jones & the Fortune Tellers, and INIT from Richmond, VA; The Design from Charlottesville, VA; Harwell Grice Band from Franklin Co., VA; and Colby Dobbs Band from Charlotte, NC. Music for everyone and a weekend full of camping and fun!

Ad Astra Music Festival, Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, founded in 2008 after the unrelated deaths of Hall Sykes and Hal Sigler of Lynchburg, VA. Inspired by the overwhelming support for their friends and family, a group of friends came together to form what is now Ad Astra Music Festival, Inc. Our mission is to strengthen community bonds by arranging an annual celebration and providing an outlet for local and regional music. Ad Astra donates proceeds to charities locally each year, and this year, proceeds will benefit Kids Haven and The Jubilee Center of Lynchburg, VA. If you are interested in donating towards the event, visit our website, and click the “donate” tab.

For information regarding the event, visit AdAstraMusicFestival.com or email AdAstraMusicFest@gmail.com.

By Director and Correspondent: Brandon Samuel   Wed, Jun 01, 2011

Richmond - It was a bittersweet night at the National on May 4 as the New Deal made their way through Richmond for the last time.  The announcement that the members of the group would be moving in their own individual directions at the end of this year was met with both sadness and anticipation.  There was an immediate buzz around the city as soon as the show was announced, as old and new fans alike prepared themselves for one last rager in the capital city.  Following local favorites the Former Champions and a duo out of New York called Sub Swara, the three members of the New Deal took hold of the crowd and didn’t relinquish their grip for more than two hours.  It was a night that most in attendance will not soon forgot and one that sent those who missed the National scrambling to find a ticket to the next stop on their farewell tour.

The Former Champions took the stage first to what began as a fairly small crowd.  It didn’t take long for the first floor of the National to fill up with people that were eager to call in “sick” to work the next morning.  The Champs got the crowd moving with favorites like “Stereo System” and “GTFD,” then brought the night to a whole new level of chaos by putting together a sick rendition of the Beastie Boys' hit “Make Some Noise.”  Matt Walton, David Ashby and Geoff Bakel took turns showing off their rapping skills, while Ben White provided a beat on the keyboard that put a funky electronic spin on the first single off the Beastie Boys' latest album Hot Sauce Committee Part Two.  It is these types of moments that justify getting to a show to see an opening act.  I have been lucky enough to see the Champs in the past and knew they were going to put on a good show.  If you have not seen them yet, you won’t want to wait much longer.  With festival announcements piling up, it is becoming pretty apparent that this might be the last year the Champs are going to be opening shows instead of headlining.

Sub Swara was up next, and this highly energetic duo took drumming and electronics to a whole new level.  Using a mixture of Macs, sound pads, wave drums, electronic pads, and several snares, they pounded out a set that ebbed and flowed the entire time.  The duo would loop different beats on one instrument and would then take their places at a different type of drum to add the other sections.  Each of the guys was interactive with the crowd, and you got a sense that they were finding their energy from the crowd.  The set ended fairly quickly, and it was time for a quick change.  It was also time to say farewell to one of the most innovative and forward thinking electronic acts on the scene.

Something a bit strange happened between sets on this night.  Usually, when there is a set break, the first floor empties as people make their way outside to the smoking area.  This night, however, it appeared that the majority of the people in attendance kept their spot on the floor for fear of losing it if they went outside.  It was somewhat surreal to think that this was going to be the last opportunity to see the New Deal play a show in Richmond.  The first time I saw them was at the National when they last came into town.  I was then fortunate enough to go to All Good last year and watch their late night set on the festival's opening night.  I will never forget how energetic Darren Shearer was on that night in particular.  He would be pounding away a beat on the drums and would have a mic up to his mouth while he was using all of his spare energy to hype the crowd up as much as possible.  For The New Deal, it’s all about the crowd and people having a good time.  Perhaps this is the main reason I knew this time in Richmond was going to be something exceptional.

Dan Kurtz, Jamie Shields and Darren Shearer took the stage to a thunderous ovation from the crowd.  Pockets of those in attendance chanted the band’s name over and over, while the three of them took a moment on stage to take it all in.  Once they took their respective places on the stage, it didn’t take long at all for them to take the night to the next level.  Darren made it clear as soon as he sat down that they were going to go on a musical journey through all of their music throughout the years and encouraged the crowd to shout out the name of any song in particular that they wanted to hear.  For two solid hours the band crushed crowd favorites like “G-Nome” and “Technobeam” while the stacked LED lights behind the band flashed changing colors and patterns non-stop.  The light show was nothing over the top, but that is honestly not what a New Deal show is all about.  Most people would describe a New Deal show as a crazy dance party, and to tell you the truth, I think that about sums it up.

There was an absolute look of contentment on the faces of all three members of the group for the entire night.  To them, it seemed as though goodbye wasn’t a bad thing at all.  It was one more chance for them to stand in a beautiful venue, in front of 1,000 people that are essentially piled up in front of them, and play music while getting to see the appreciative expressions on the faces of everyone in attendance.  Jamie Shields was killing the keyboards all night, while Dan Kurtz switched between playing the bass straight up, and using pedals to create some amazing sounding distortions of the bass lines.  Darren lived up to his role as one of the hardest working drummers in the business.  He moved between his kit, an electronic pad, several hand held instruments and beat boxing (which is incredible), all while keeping the rhythm with the double bass drums.  Together, they made a sound that was both unique and incredibly crisp.  Watching them perform live is amazing, not only because of how much fun it is, but also because it is remarkable to hear such complex and intricate music being played live, right in front of you.  The guys made it clear that they wanted to continue to play, but the weeknight called for a hard stop to the music at 1 A.M.  The crowd made sure to stick around a little bit longer on this night to ensure that the ovation they were giving was as big as the band deserved.

This was a night that will remain in my memory for a long time for numerous reasons.  The crowd was amazing the entire night.  You could see people looking after each other and making sure that everyone was having a good time.  The energy of the band was off the charts the entire night, and they were having a lot of fun on the stage.  When the band came back on stage, they delivered Darren to his drum set on a Dolly that they found backstage, and throughout the night you would see them looking at one another and laughing while they were playing.  The last thing I will take away from this night was getting to hear “Gone Gone Gone” through the amazing sound system at the National one last time.  I am an outspoken fan of how great the acoustics in that building are, and if you were there, you know why.

Lucky enough for me, and Magazine33, this will not be our last run in with the New Deal before they hang it up at the end of this year.  We are lucky enough to be a part of Camp Barefoot 5, an amazing festival in Bartow, West Virginia that the New Deal is headlining this year.  It also appears that the announcement of the bands departure has opened the flood gates to other festival appearances throughout the summer, so the chances are that if you are a fan of electronic music and have plans to make it to one of the many festivals this summer, you are going to have the opportunity to see them one last time.  I sincerely look forward to the memories that will be created from the shows this summer and can only hope that there may be a sudden change of heart.  The electronic music scene really isn’t going to be the same without the New Deal, but if it must be, make it memorable.

For future show dates you can check out the New Deal on Facebook, or at TheNewDeal.com.  The Former Champions are also a big part of Camp Barefoot 5 this year, and will also be making appearances at Camp Bisco and Amberland.  The Champs also play regularly around Richmond, and you can find their show schedule at FormerChampions.net.  Sub Swara is definitely a group that is on the rise, and you can follow them at SubSwara.com.

By Correspondent: David Brunson   Wed, Jun 01, 2011

Fredericksburg - The time had finally come.  After weeks of anticipation, Jukebox the Ghost was finally back in Fredericksburg.  During the month prior to their arrival, through heavy promotion and word of mouth, the news spread faster than the Red Scare did in the '50s; everybody was talking about it.  People were scrambling to buy tickets, fearing that they would quickly sell out, making plans, and eagerly awaiting Jukebox the Ghost’s return.

I left the beach where I had been spending my spring break, hightailed it back to Fredericksburg, endured traffic on I-95, and made it to Eyeclopes in time to volunteer with Fredericksburg All Ages (FAA) and help set up before the show.  The bands slowly arrived, and the rest of the volunteers and I had the honor of meeting Jukebox the Ghost and helped to unload their equipment.  They set up, soundchecked, and then the front doors were opened.  In flooded the crowds, containing an assortment of people, from FAA regulars, to familiar faces and acquaintances who I do not normally see at FAA shows, to people from out of town who came specifically to see Jukebox the Ghost.  As the first artist took the stage, it occurred to me how crowded it was going to be; he already had an audience large enough to make any FAA headlining band happy.

This first artist was a local singer/songwriter, Joey DeMarco.  Being from Fredericksburg, he already has a loyal fan base in town, particularly amongst FAA enthusiasts.  I had seen him play once last fall, and have a copy of his self-released EP You Made the Cycle, Now Lie in It, so I was already familiar with his music.  His set was unusual for him, in that he played an electric guitar (a white Stratocaster) rather than his acoustic, but he pulled it off beautifully.  Playing a mix of older songs from his EP and new ones, he blended his euphonious voice and poetic lyrics with a new electric backdrop.  While this shift was not nearly as dramatic as Bob Dylan going electric, it did add a new spin to his music.  He also used an electric loop pedal, creating some guitar textures similar to those of early Velvet Underground.  What really makes Joey DeMarco’s music so captivating are his lyrics, weaving stories of life with personal reference and honesty; songs such as “Varying Shades of Blue” are deep, yet easy to relate to, and to top it off, his singing voice is fantastic.  He will be releasing an album sometime in the near future, and I look forward to buying it.

On tour with Jukebox the Ghost were two other bands, one being Pretty & Nice.  I had listened to a song of theirs online, but other than that I had no prior exposure to their music, so they were a new experience for me.  The band consisted of Kevin Walsh (drums), Rodger Lussier (bass, occasional keyboards), and Holden Lewis and Jeremy Mendicino (guitars, vocals).  Their music was an unusual blend of indie rock, experimental pop, punk, and a touch of neo-psychedelia.  While some of their songs were more straightforward, a number of them made use of quirky rhythmic ideas.  Often, one member of the band would remain rooted on the down beats while another would create syncopated, rhythmic accents on the offbeat.  This created an interesting effect, adding a somewhat manic quality to their music.  This mania was intensified by the band’s stage presence, particularly that of Jeremy Mendicino.  The moustache clad singer/guitarist would dance along to their music, and make unusual faces as he sang.  It really exemplified some of the quirkiness in their music and made their set a lot of fun to watch.  Despite their oddball rhythmic sense, their music was very accessible, and they played some very catchy songs.  Their high energy quirkiness definitely went over well with the audience, which by that time had expanded and filled Eyeclopes.

The third band, Wakey! Wakey!, was also on tour with Jukebox the Ghost.  The quintet was fronted by singer/pianist Mike Grubbs, who was joined by a drummer, synth player, bassist, and violinist.  Wakey! Wakey!’s music was a great combination of indie pop and classically influenced chamber pop.  The group’s sound was driven forward by the electric piano playing and powerful singing voice of Mike Grubbs, trading between brighter pop songs and slower, contemplative ballads, often with both styles blending into the same song.  At one point in their set, Mike picked up an acoustic-electric guitar, and the rest of the band left the stage.  He played a short solo set of two songs; apparently Fredericksburg was the first audience in several years to hear him play guitar live.  As he wrapped up, the rest of the band rejoined him on stage for the rest of Wakey! Wakey!’s set.  A huge aspect of their sound was their violinist, whose melodic violin lines provided a perfect match for Mike’s piano and singing.  On songs such as “Take It Like a Man”, the violin even took the lead for some parts, and really brought out the classical influences that are spread throughout Wakey! Wakey!’s music.  For songs like “Almost Everything”, you really can hear the dynamics of their orchestration; all of the instruments blend together to create a lush, warm backdrop for Mike Grubb’s rich vocals.  Wakey! Wakey!’s piano driven music definitely got the audience ready for the piano driven indie rock of Jukebox the Ghost.

It had been almost a year since Jukebox the Ghost had last played FAA, and it’s needless to say that Fredericksburg was more than ready to see them again.  For Jukebox, it has been a productive year - they have released a new album (Everything Under the Sun), toured constantly, and even been featured on the David Letterman Show.  They played a diverse set of songs from both of their albums, keeping all fans, both new and old, satisfied.  The trio consists of Tommy Siegel (guitar, vocals), Jesse Kristen (drums), and Ben Thornewill (keys, vocals).  Jukebox the Ghost has made a daring move for a rock band - they have no bassist, but that hole is more than filled by Ben Thornewill’s classically influenced piano playing, which covers both high and low register parts with equal ease.  The overall sound of Jukebox the Ghost is a hodgepodge of musical styles, ranging from the Beatles to Mozart.  While songs such as “Victoria” and “Hold It In” do have prominent classical influences, they do not become overpoweringly technical or difficult to grasp, staying firmly rooted in the indie pop idiom.  Majority of their music is upbeat and pop-oriented, but upon closer investigation of their lyrics, darker themes are revealed than the music might imply, often dealing with topics such as breakups, mental illness, and the apocalypse.  This isn’t to say that they don’t have their share of happy songs, such as the major key pop rock of “Under My Skin.”

Jukebox the Ghost definitely has great audience interaction.  They would banter between songs, telling stories of the road, and even taunt the audience by playing piano intros to songs, but then suddenly stopping and continuing to talk.  It all created a very jubilant, carefree environment that only enhanced the overall enjoyment of the show.  It was remarkable how many of the lyrics people the in the audience knew.  There was constant singing by large numbers of people, for even their lesser-known songs.  As for their hits, the audience response was overwhelming, with practically everybody singing along.  During “Hold It In” the entire room was filled with singing and clapping.  They would frequently get call-outs and song requests.  One guy even was a dedicated enough fan to get a Jukebox the Ghost tattoo on the underside of his arm, just above his wrist.  Jukebox the Ghost played a lengthy set, running the concert later than expected, but the more of their music we could get, the happier we were.  Fredericksburg was fortunate enough to get the first stop of their new tour, so we were able to hear the public debut of two of their newest songs, as well as a cover of Huey Lewis’ “The Power of Love” which they described as a “tasteless cover”, but was infused with their own stylistic elements. 

Jukebox the Ghost truly is a great band; their music melds together extremely catchy music with awesome songwriting, complex song structures, entertaining lyrics, and delectable pop hooks.  Hopefully, they will play another FAA show on a leg of their next tour, whenever that may be.  While you may not be able to turn on the radio and hear meaningful new music coming out these days, Fredericksburg All Ages continues to prove that if you look around, interesting new music is not only still there, but it is very much alive and well.

By Photojournalist: Kerri Killion   Wed, Jun 01, 2011

Chesapeake - The show started out like any other, with bands setting up their merch tables while the audience gains excitement waiting for the soundcheck.  A mix of punks and metalheads were in their garb at Roger's on April 31 to see the infamous G.G. Allin’s Murder Junkies and opening acts Insubordination, DirtNap, and All Has Fallen.

Merle, bassist for the Murder Junkies, was manning the merch table sporting his awesome facial hair and long dreadlocks (if you have not seen them, Google it!).  Sitting next to him was Dino, the notorious drummer for the band who is known for playing in his birthday suit.  I decided to introduce myself and get an autograph.  I have listened to the Murder Junkies since the early 90s.  This was my second time being graced with their menacing riffs live.  As I approached Dino he was quiet and friendly, as he gladly started signing my poster with a variety of notes including, "Beautiful Kerri" and "I love you."  After handing me back my poster, he kissed me and smiled.  I was not expecting a mouth invasion by the neon yellow-haired punk skins basher.  The show already was starting out on an unpredictable note, but I had no idea what would be in store at the end of the event.

For those of you that do not know of the band, G.G and Merle Allin started the Murder Junkies back in 1991.  The band was notorious for their over the top, very hands-on show.  Hands-on meaning Allin would defecate on the stage, piss on the crowd, and even go as far as punching crowd members in the face.  The show was not for the weak-stomached or those easily offended.  The Murder Junkies have such song offerings as "Needle Up My Cock" and "Bite It, You Scum", giving you an idea of the musical ear bashing you will get.  If the music’s intensity doesn’t make your ears bleed, G.G Allin’s fist just might.

The band took to the stage with Merle sporting some leopard-skin tight pants and matching Converses.  The air was filled with punk angst as the crowd anticipated a show that they hoped would meet the bands notoriety.  Dino took the stage, stripping down from his jeans to reveal his Murder Junkies boxers, but did he stop there?  No, off came the boxers and out came Mr. Winkie, as he got behind his kit and started pounding out the first song.  The singer brought the high energy you would expect, moving around the stage powered by punk.  The crowd was moving in frenzy to the fast-paced riffs in a sea of awesome aggressiveness driven by the music when it came to a grinding halt.  The owner of Roger’s Sports Bar interrupted the show, demanding that Dino put his clothing back on.  The crowd booed, but Dino complied and stood up, pulling his pants up.  P.P. looked at the crowd and at his bandmates, trying to decide his next course of action - to play or not to play.  After the coercing of the crowd, the show went on with Dino now sporting his black Murder Junkies boxers.

No sooner than the next song, out came an angry bar owner again, and a screaming match initiated.  Dino, for the extent of his reputation and his crazy stage antics, was prim and proper, apologizing for his nudity by stating, “If we had known it was such an issue, I would have left them on.”  The crowd was riled up and demanded the show continue, but the discouraged Murder Junkies had all they were willing to take.  They had been using some of Insubordination's gear, and the guys were frantically trying to offload the stage as the crowd's anger built.  Audience members were screaming, “What is the issue?  We want our money back!”  Dino Sex, in true punk attitude, drummed his solo as he does at the end of every Murder Junkies show, with little concern on his face for the situation that was building around him.  He finished, casually got up, and joined the rest of the Junkies in their van, ready to roll off before the cops showed up.  As they left I asked for a final quote.  P.P. Duvay screamed, “This venue sucks.”  Benjamin CD Murder Bunny, sitting next to him in the van piped up, “It isn’t the venue, it is the promoter!”  The Murder Junkies peeled off into the night leaving me doubt if we will ever see them play in the Hampton Roads area again.

I contacted the owner of Roger’s Sports Bar concerning the incident and was told, “Virginia ABC has a rule that there will be no nudity in any restaurant that serves liquor or beer, or they will lose their license to serve these beverages.  Anyone who violates these regulations has no respect for themselves, the law, or my business.  No one was hit, pushed, or otherwise injured when they were told to go away.  From what I had seen, he had nothing to be proud of.”

So it seems G.G. Allin’s Murder Junkies continue to shock the world, even though G.G. Allin tragically passed away in 1993.  Merle has continued the band, and I am sure G.G. is looking down from heaven or up from elsewhere, smiling with each shocked fan - or in this case, venue owner!

MySpace.com/MurderJunkies

GGAllin.com

By   Tue, May 31, 2011

Richmond - For over 13 years and 1900 shows, Dark Star Orchestra has embodied the Grateful Dead’s live experience for fans both too old and too young to have ever seen their own Grateful Dead show.  On Wednesday, July 6, the band will be bringing its critically acclaimed live show to Richmond fans at the National.
 
To understand Dark Star Orchestra, it’s imperative to first understand the Grateful Dead, who performed over 2300 shows over their four decades as a band.  Their lasting impact on American culture cannot be overstated – particularly in our music, with artists in genres as diverse as metal and Americana citing them as a major influence.  
 
Over their many years together the Grateful Dead only ever released thirteen studio albums, but countless live recordings are still rabidly sought after, traded and collected for reissuing.  It was always about the live performance, the euphoric blurring of the line between audience and band, and Dark Star Orchestra is doing its part to keep that alive.

Recreating historic Grateful Dead setlists, and intermittently crafting their own, Dark Star Orchestra offers a continually evolving artistic outlet within the Grateful Dead's musical canon. Matching equipment, stage layout and even members (various eras could included female vocals or multiple drummers), Dark Star Orchestra's determined commitment to "raising the Dead" has earned them high praise …
 
"Quite possibly the most talented and accomplished tribute band out there." – Rolling Stone
 
"Dark Star Orchestra often sounds more like the Dead than the Dead sometimes did." – Chicago Tribune
 
Numerous guest musicians have sat in with Dark Star Orchestra, including Phish’s Mike Gordon and Jon Fishman, Steve Kimock, Peter Rowan, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, Keller Williams, Gov’t Mule’s Warren Haynes, and many original members of the Grateful Dead themselves.
 
“Playing with Dark Star Orchestra feels just exactly like it felt when I was playing with the Grateful Dead,” states Donna Jean Godchaux, Grateful Dead vocalist and frequent DSO guest.
 
"I can close my eyes and go back 30 years and have it be every bit as rewarding and satisfying," states Dan Healy, Grateful Dead sound engineer 1966 -1994 and also touring as DSO’s sound engineer in 2008.
 
While recreating setlists song for song, Dark Star Orchestra does not try to match Grateful Dead songs note for note.  Anything so formulaic would be of a great disservice to the free spirit of the Dead’s live performances.  
 
For sound clips, photos, interview request and any further information on Dark Star Orchestra, please visit DarkStarOrchestra.net.

By Illustrator/Cartoonist: Jason Nocera   Tue, May 31, 2011

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