Here is a review and pictures from their live show in Portland, Oregon.  They were awesome!  Pictures by Troy Kujala Photography. Review written by Trista K.

Having just released their much-anticipated Senior album, Daisy, Brand New appeared to be immersed in their on-going transformation during their sold-out performance at the Roseland Theatre. A somber-looking Jesse Lacey (lead vocals/guitar) leisurely walked out on stage in a casual flannel and bright blue beanie, not to move from that very spot for the entire 90-plus minute set. Jesse did, however, manage to bellow out a variety of new songs from Daisy, as well as more familiar tracks from Deja Entendu (2003), and The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me (2006), with an obvious raw sincerity. Brand New’s other members kept the crowd eager by thrashing around the rest of the stage. Sing-alongs ensued, followed by what seemed like confusion at times as to what to do with the bands latest, and more introspective, complex tracks. With the light of a single spotlight, Lacey closed the show with a moving rendition of “Play Crack the Sky”, where in the darkness of the stage, Jesse’s younger brother and theManchester Orchestra front man, Andy Hull, stepped up and added more effect to an already compelling conclusion. Overall, Brand New’s performance left you with more questions than answers and a new curiosity to further explore the inner-workings of Daisy.

Opening for Brand New, no one seemed to want to move anywhere but forward in anticipation of Atlanta, Georgia’s Manchester Orchestra. And rightfully so. This rock band put on a non-stop, delightfully intense performance that was both exhilarating and highly animated. Though they are a young band, the dynamics of Manchester Orchestra on stage tell a story of a unique unity that surpasses the more experienced. Manchester’s latest album, Mean Everything to Nothing, has received much praise from critics and fans alike, and their live performance leaves no less to be expected.

For their first performance of the tour, Portland’s own The Builders and the Butchers kicked off the show with an effective set list from their latest album, Salvation is a Deep Dark Well, that had the crowd clapping and stomping along to every song. These five natives of Alaska have settled into an ever-growing fan base since forming their Southern-Gothic quartet in 2005. The Builders and the Butchers left an energetic buzz swirling around the venue as they exited the stage, proving to be a great new addition to the tour.

Brand New on Myspace
Brand New is available on iTunes
Buy Daisy here

Pictures below by Troy Kujala Photography

Bliss Cavendar (Ellen Page) lives in small-town Texas and yearns to break free of her mother’s (Marcia Gay Harden) world of beauty pageants and conformity. Bliss sees her chance when she meets the Hurl Scouts, a roller-derby team; she tries out for the team and wins a slot, lying to her parents about her new hobby. Bliss finds friendship and freedom with her teammates, but a conflict between a championship game and the Bluebonnet beauty pageant threatens to spill her secret.

I saw Whip It over the weekend, and I absolutely LOVED every minute of it.

The movie stars Ellen Page as Bliss, a unhappy teen stuck in the small town of Bodeen, Texas.  She has a pageant obsessed mom, played by Marcia Gay Harden and an ex-football star father, played wonderfully by Daniel Stern. (He’s such a great actor, he needs to do more!)

While on a shopping trip with her mother in Austin, Texas, Bliss is introduced to roller derby, and instantly falls in love. What happens next is awfully predictable, but is also completely fun and exciting. Bliss is torn between pleasing her mother by competing in a beauty pageant, and competing with the roller derby team Hurl Scouts. Gee, I wonder what happens!

I think first time director Drew Barrymore did a brilliant job – but my only complaint is that Drew should not have starred in the movie. Her character, a stoner named Smashley Simpson was completely unbelieveble and bordered on annoying. With that said, I totally enjoyed watching Juliette Lewis as the badass, and Jimmy Fallon as the hilarious announcer. PS: Singer-songwriter Landon Pigg made his acting debut as Bliss’ rocker – love interest. I have his album sitting here on my desk – I’ll write that review up soon.

Bottom line – you should definitely check out Whip It! It’s so much fun! I loved it – and will totally be seeing it again!

I absolutely LOVE the Avett Brothers. I first heard them last year, and was eagerly awaiting the release of this new album. I finally got my hands on it last week, and I’ve loved every song on the album. It’s great! It’s so good, in fact, that it’s hard to believe this is their first big-label debut. My favorite songs are the title track “I and Love and You” and also the beautiful “Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promises”.  The album contains 13 amazing songs, and I am confidant after listening to them for a few minutes you’ll be as big of a fan as I am.

Each time I listen to the album, I love it more. It really grows on you.  If you haven’t heard of the Avett Brothers before – this is the perfect album to start with. They have previous albums, but this one is the best to date.  I love them! I hope you guys check them out!

Buy “I and Love and You” on iTunes! PLUS! the album is still streaming on NPR and is available in Starbucks everywhere .

There is no harmony like brotherly harmony. Something indelible in the weave of voices and play of sensibilities is stamped into the fraternal DNA and also stems from a lifetime of shared experiences. You can hear it in classic brother acts across the musical spectrum, from the Louvin Brothers to the Everly Brothers and on down the decades through the Wilson brothers (Beach Boys), the Davies brothers (Kinks), the Allman Brothers and even the Brothers Gibb (a.k.a., the Bee Gees). You can clearly hear fraternal magic at work in the songs of Scott and Seth Avett, better known as the Avett Brothers, as well.

That magic is abundantly evident on I and Love and You, the Avett Brothers’ big-label debut. Its 13 songs are delivered in a style that defies pigeonholing but might be described as a rootsy amalgam of folk, country, bluegrass, rock and pop – even a jab of punk-style dynamics here and there. Drawn by the naked honesty of their songs and the rousing intensity of their live shows, legendary producer and talent scout Rick Rubin signed the Avett Brothers – consisting of siblings Scott and Seth, plus bassist Bob Crawford – to his American Recordings label in 2008.

The Avett Brothers released I and Love and You, their major label debut on American Recordings/Columbia Records yesterday! I and Love and You was produced by multi Grammy Award winner Rick Rubin. The band performed the title track on the Late Show with David Letterman last night (See above). The band will also be seen performing another new track, “Laundry Room,” on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on Tuesday October 6th.

The band’s diverse style and consistent touring, along with independent releases, have helped the band build a loyal and rabid fan base. Rolling Stone recently highlighted the band in their ‘Artists To Watch’ proclaiming “Over the course of a decade The Avett Brothers perfected a blend of bluegrass picking, country harmonies and rock & roll energy.” While O Magazine proclaimed “The North Carolina rock band creates elegiac Americana.” The Avett Brothers have toured most of 2009 testing out new material, as well as their older songs. This year alone, the band has performed at SxSW Music Festival, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, as well as upcoming stops at Newport Folk Festival, Mulberry Mountain Festival, Outside Lands Festival, Britt Festival, Austin City Limits Festival and more (see full itinerary below).

THE AVETT BROTHERS ON TOUR:
9/22 Oxford, MS The Lyric Oxford
9/24 Memphis, TN Minglewood Hall
9/25 Little Rock, AR Robinson Center Music Hall
9/26 Tulsa, OK Cain’s Ballroom
9/27 Dallas, TX Granada Theater
9/29 Baton Rouge, LA Baton Rouge River Center Theatre
10/1 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
10/2 Austin, TX Austin City Limits
10/3 Midwest City, OK Rose State PAC
10/5 Murray, KY Lovett Auditorium Center
10/15 Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live
10/16 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
10/17 New York, NY Terminal 5
10/18 Boston, MA House of Blues
10/20 Iowa City, IA The Englert Theatre
10/21 Madison, WI Barrymore Theatre
10/22 Urbana, IL Canopy Club
10/29 Huntington, WV Keith Albee Theatre
10/30 Louisville, KY Louisville Palace
10/31 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium

http://www.theavettbrothers.com
http://www.myspace.com/theavettbrothers

When I saw Bat For Lashes in concert last month, I found myself absolutely blown away by the opening band, Other Lives’.  I kept looking at my sister in awe, saying “They are AMAZING! Who are they?”  They were so powerful, and beautiful, and to be honest, I didn’t want them to stop! I love Bat For Lashes, but I would have been perfectly content with a whole night of Other Lives’.

Their first single off the album, Black Tables – was featured on last night’s Grey’s Anatomy!!!! Awesome!!

Sidenote: I do not, nor have I ever been paid for these reviews…just so you guys know. I see a LOT of shows, and I mention the ones I like – and leave out the ones I don’t. Every once and a while I see a band that I love so much – I just want to share it with all of you.  This is one of those times.

Other Lives‘ was breathtaking. I was completely in awe of their music, and the music completely moved me.  I came home and immediately contacted their rep. They sent me an album which I have listened to – almost exclusively – for the last month or so.  I gave the album to my husband, and told him to give them a listen.  He – in turn – has listened to them more than I have.

Other Lives’ self-titled, full-length debut will be released on April 7th by tbd records, the ATO Records imprint that launched a year ago with the physical release of Radiohead’s In Rainbows. It will be available at digital retailers beginning March 17th and lead single “Black Tables” goes to radio this month. The album (and the EP that preceded it) was recorded in Los Angeles with producer Joey Waronker (the Eels, Lisa Germano) and engineer Darrell Thorp (Radiohead, Outkast, Beck). Released in October 2008, the EP – also self-titled – was featured for three consecutive weeks on iTunes’ “Rising Stars of Indie Rock.”

Based in the college town of Stillwater, Oklahoma, the band – Jesse Tabish (lead vocals, piano, guitar, harmonium, organ, vibes, electric harpsichord), Josh Onstott (bass, melotron, backing vocals), Jonathon Mooney (piano, violin, organ, vibes, electric harpsichord), Jenny Hsu (cello, backing vocals) and Colby Owens (drums, lap steel) – has been playing music together for the past five years in various incarnations. They began as an avant-garde instrumental group, then added vocals and eventually evolved into Other Lives.

In a recent feature, Filter hailed the band’s music as “perfect for waking up on a crisp fall Sunday or executing a heartrending breakup in the middle of the night,” going on to note: “If Other Lives was more formulaic or eager to get rich, the five-piece would be in N.Y. or L.A., gloating about impending global success. But that’s not how things are done in Stillwater, Oklahoma…” The landscape informs their music, from the traditional folk elements to the expansive, unhurried nature of their songs. Yet Other Lives owes as much to modern-day classicists such as Jóhann Jóhannsson and Arvo Pärt and British progressive rock as it does to its folk forefathers, drawing from a rich palette that even encompasses traditional Spanish music (“Matador”).

Balancing epic grandeur with quiet restraint, the album evokes characters and civilizations hovering between life and death, majesty and melancholy, hope and despair. “End Of The Year” is a breathtaking tightrope walk between such extremes – a lilting interplay between piano and cello gives way to more somber tones, then comes full circle six minutes in with a transcendent guitar riff over elegant orchestration and drum corps-style percussion. “Paper Cities,” featured as a KCRW “Tune Of The Day,” is a powerful indictment of nationalism, reminding us that the boundaries drawn by war are temporal, “just lines on a map,” while the cautionary “Don’t Let Them” takes to task the powers that be – and those who put them in power, namely us.

Praised by LiveDaily for its “captivating, cinematic sounds,” Other Lives was one of the noteworthy new acts performing at last fall’s CMJ Music Marathon. Upcoming tour plans include a series of dates with Delta Spirit (see below for itinerary) and a stop at SXSW.

Listen to their first single, Black Tables, and tell me they’re not amazing!

otherlives.com
myspace.com/otherlives
facebook.com/otherlives

album available at itunes.com/otherlives/otherlives

A reinvention of the original Oscar®-winning hit film, Fame follows a talented group of dancers, singers, actors, and artists over four years at the New York City High School of Performing Arts, a diverse, creative powerhouse where students from all walks of life are given a chance to live out their dreams and achieve real and lasting fame…the kind that comes only from talent, dedication, and hard work.

The cast includes Asher Book as Marco, Kristy Flores as Rosie, Paul Iacono as Neil, Paul McGill as Kevin, Naturi Naughton as Denise, Kay Panabaker as Jenny, Kherington Payne as Alice, Collins Pennie as Malik, Walter Perez as Victor, and Anna Maria Perez de Tagle as Joy. Their instructors include Debbie Allen as Principal Angela Simms, Charles S. Dutton as Alvin Dowd, Kelsey Grammer as Joel Cranston, Megan Mullally as Fran Rowan, and Bebe Neuwirth as Lynn Kraft.

I had the pleasure of attending a screening of Fame last night, the new film by director, dancer and choreographer Kevin Tanchareon.  This is a reinvention of the original 1980 musical of the same name, and it was brilliant. This PG movie is a perfect family movie that any young boy or girl can enjoy – and one that adults can enjoy as well!

One of the things I appreciated most about Fame was that it wasn’t an overly stylized movie.  Wasn’t glossy, pretty, and bright (like the High School Musicals). It was gritty and felt real, and each scene captivates you. I like that for the most part, the cast was full of young actors you wouldn’t recognize.  It gives the film a very real – documentary feeling.  The acting was great, the dancing, singing and music was even better. As I was leaving the theater I heard a lot of “the music was awesome!” and it was! The music kept the movie flowing at a wonderful pace. You wanted to tap your toe in one scene, and cry in the next.  The emotions seemed so real, and so raw, you felt part of the story.

I would have really liked to see  more back story on the characters, if anything – that’s where the movie fell short. There was a lot of singing, dancing and music – and not enough character development. But I liked the movie a lot – this would have just made the movie better. Many of the characters were so interesting, I just wanted more!

I usually shy away from remakes, but this remake was worth the 107 minutes.  I really enjoyed it – and I would highly recommend it for families with children interested in the arts. I would definitely watch this again with my kids – to be honest, I’d probably watch it again on my own.

I give it two thumbs up!

I saw Tori Amos in concert this summer, and she was fantastic! But I was absolutely blown away by the band that opened for her, One eskimO. I liked them so much, I could have listened to them for hours. I’m happy to show you this EXCLUSIVE SNEAK PEEK to you – and to show you their new Visual Album!  One eskimO is awesome, please check them out! Below, you’ll find their first single off their new album, “Kandi”

One eskimO is a new UK band that is making their foray in the United States, and gaining significant popularity especially with their new twist on combining music with animation. Warner Bros. has partnered with the band to create a “visual album”, which will be available on iTunes and other digital outlets NOW.

The visual album is an innovative new musical experience for consumers that brings a musical album together with groundbreaking animation and story to offer music fans a fully immersive musical and visual storytelling experience.

Its produced by Passion Pictures, which is well known for their award-winning Gorillaz animation, “The Adventures of One eskimO”, is a 10 part short form animated series that takes viewers on a journey through an epic love story starring our hero One eskimO and his band of animal friends that include Monkey, Giraffe and Penguin.

One eskimO, the band, is the brainchild of singer/songwriter Kristian Leontiou, One eskimO arrives with an impressive breadth of imagination that instantly marks them as something extraordinary. Produced by Rollo Armstrong (Faithless, Dido), the music is an ambitious and affecting collection of widescreen modern pop, alive with iridescent textures and intricately crafted songs. Songs like “Hometime” and “Kandi” (featuring an indelible chorus sampled from Candi Staton’s classic “He Called Me Baby”) are moving and expressive, touching upon such universal themes as love and heartbreak, success and failure. One EskimO is Kristian Leontiou – vocals; Adam Falkner – drums; Jamie Sefton – bass & horns; Peter Rinaldi – guitar. The band’s debut album will premiere September 22 on Shangri-La Recordings and a U.S. tour will kick off September 15 at Joe’s Pub in New York.

Trailer: www.FindLittleFeather.com

For more details on One eskimO and to see their tour schedule visit here

iTunes Link to order episodes: http://bit.ly/7SJOc

“Away We Go” is a contemporary comedy directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes from an original screenplay by Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida. The movie follows the journey of an expectant couple (John Krasinski of “The Office” and Maya Rudolph of Saturday Night Live), as they travel the U.S. in search of a place to put down roots and raise a family. Rounding out the cast are Jeff Daniels, Carmen Ejogo, Jim Gaffigan, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Josh Hamilton, Allison Janney, Melanie Lynskey, Chris Messina, Catherine O’Hara, and Paul Schneider. “Away We Go” is produced and co-financed with Focus by Big Beach.

The cast is amazing. John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph, Jeff Daniels, Carmen Ejogo, Jim Gaffigan, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Josh Hamilton, and Allison Janney.

Away We Go was SO GREAT. I knew it would be good, but I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph were both so brilliant, I can’t imagine anyone else pulling it off as great as they did. The story teeters between comedy and drama, and I think it pulls it off expertly.

I didn’t know what to expect going into this movie, so there were many great surprises (including a rather shocking scene with Maggie Gyllenhaal) and many huge laughs. I loved the movie so much I didn’t want it to end. I wanted to continue watching the couple wander throughout the country and the people they met along the way.

What I didn’t realize until the end, was that this movie was directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Revolutionary Road). It’s no wonder I loved it so much, he’s a genius!

I liked this movie so much, I’ve seen it 4 times already. I LOVE IT! I would watch it over and over. It’s a great movie to own, because you WILL want to watch it more than once. LOVE IT!

Don’t forget to go out and get your copy of Away We Go – which is available on DVD and Blu-Ray Hi-Def on September 29th!!