Pages

Friday, February 27, 2009

Review: Pink Floyd Expereince @ KY Center 2/25


I started the night off at the Kentucky Center Bar to ease away a hectic day at work as well as to acclimate myself to the widest age range of Pink Floyd fans I have ever seen in a room together. There were 6-year-old kids wearing worn out Dark Side t-shirts as well as guys so old it just may have completed their life if they played something obscure like "Interstellar Overdrive." All these different folks gathered together to see/hear songs they’d likely never see the original band play together again.

As the lights flickered at Whitney Hall and shortly thereafter dimmed, the band walked out on the stage; without my glasses and from a wonderful ten rows back, dead center, the lead guitar player looked remarkably like a early 90's David Gilmour; I was stoked! The band started off with “Learning to Fly” which wouldn't have been my first choice at a Pink Floyd show but may have been a regular starter for the post Waters Pink Floyd. The Pink Floyd Experience then rolled right into my favorite album, Animals, and got the show started properly with “Pigs”. It was at this point; I knew they weren't really trying to deviate from the perfect recipe that is note for note Floyd... I was a little afraid of that. When they did deviate it brought freshness to the room as they lay claim to the stage as a successful Pink Floyd cover band. The sax player, while a remarkable woodwind player, approached the "high five" area of the stage a few too many times in my opinion and it may have been different if the other members of PFX did that occasionally during a solo but who am I to argue, people love those sax players!

Where I got my kicks was with the light show. The subtle billow of the fog machines made for an awesome texture when the lights danced across it. 200,000 watts of light strobing and changing colors is what they claim but I’m not counting watts at this point… I’m marveling at the circular display screen depicting WWII bombers, corrupt world leaders and US currency during “Money.” Those lights and video really added to the “experience” aspect and visualized what you always heard in Pink Floyd lyrics; pure bliss!

I don't think anyone will disagree that Pink Floyd had their heyday in the Seventies and over the course of the evening they played a 70's heavy mix of Floyd albums such as Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here and The Wall. I was very pleased they didn't leave out the 60's entirely and added a couple tracks from their first two albums. If you judged by the amount of raised hands and leaps from seats, I'd say the songs from The Wall went over best with DSOTM being a close runner up.

I gotta say that if a band can tour around the world and put on a spectacular light show just playing Pink Floyd songs... more power to 'em! Pink Floyd were
Incredibly talented musicians; I have no problem putting on any Pink Floyd album and listening to it from start to finish... well, maybe Ummagumma as it was so experimental I don't even think Roger Waters would cue it up. I know every band probably says "It's awesome to be here Louisville, and we're definitely coming back here!" but with this band, I really believe it... c'mon, the locals were flying out of their seats just to get the energy out of their bodies, not to mention to touch the giant flying pig... Good experience indeed!




Thursday, February 26, 2009

Ben Kweller w/The Watson Twins @ Headliners 3/3 MOKB Ticket Giveaway

From Dodge: 
"We've got a couple tickets to give away to their March 3rd show in Louisville, KY. Act fast and get your contact email in our comments section (Talk back to yo' mama) to be registered to win."

2/28 - Bryan Scary & the Shredding Tears, Draft Riots & Deer Meet

Every year around this time, I get a charge of energy from the exposure to new bands/material from our locals due to Louisville is for Lovers. I know you may be sick of reading my constant blogs about Li4L but you can always click off... (hah, get it... internet humor)

Anyway, I saw a few bands I had been meaning to see and one of which was Deer Meet. First I saw Jimmy (singer/guitar) play solo at Ear X-tacy and he held his own; just him, a strat and a crowded room. The next evening I saw 2/3 of Deer Meet at Skull Alley and they rocked they cold, beer-less (although advertised) venue (don't get me started on Skull Alley right now.) Like I said though, they did great especially considering their drummer couldn't make it and the drummer from The Deloreans sat in. Speaking of those shows, I may have a recording or two up my sleeve to share in the coming weeks...

On to the point, right? This Saturday Deer Meet will be playing Uncle Pleasants with Draft Riots and Bryan Scary & the Shredding Tears. Bryan is outta Brooklyn, NYC and Deer Meet and Draft Riots are from the Ville as we've already discussed. The show is $8adv/$10door and doors are at 8pm at Uncle Pleasants on S Preston (street, not Highway...)

give a little listen to a couple of songs I taped of Deer Meet at Skull Alley a coupla weeks ago...



Sorry not to have any mp3s from the other bands to play... just click on the band's names to get you to somewhere you can give these guys a listen. Be strong Louisville!
 

Ben Sollee’s Television Debut Tonight On Jimmy Kimmel Live


Here's a little info from Ben's Mgmt:

Catch songwriter Ben Sollee tonight as he makes is national television debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live (February 24th / ABC / check local listings). !!!!!  SXSW and U.S. tour dates have been confirmed in support of his second full-length ‘Learning to Bend’ and digital EP ‘Something Worth Keeping’ (featuring the duet “Only a Song” with Jim James of My Morning Jacket).

I think Silas House can say this better than I ever could:  “Ben Sollee's set was rousing and riveting; by the third song (a reworking of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come"), he had silenced the entire, large room which had earlier held some loud talkers at the back. By the time Sollee was halfway through the show, the crowd was fairly mesmerized…Sollee brings the cello out of the realm of classical music and makes it a part of the people's music…He plays it as funky, country, Appalachian, classical, bluesy, and folksy. Sometimes all in the same song, and it works every time.” – Silas House, for No Depression

Here’s the rundown: Sollee was born and raised in Kentucky, classically trained and steeped in Southern Gothic and scratchy soul 45s.  Profiled on NPR All Things Considered and named one of Paste Magazine’s favorite songwriters of 2008, Ben has worked with avant-garde bluesman Otis Taylor and Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet.  He’s an activist against the mountain top removal of his home state of Kentucky, but we’ll get to that really soon.  We promise.

Ben  / NPR All Things Considered:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92193202

Ben / “How To See The Sun Rise” @ Paste Magazine
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5fd9Z7zJVg


Tour Dates

* with Daniel Martin Moore
+ opening for Vienna Teng

Feb 25          Orlando, FL             The Social *
Feb 26          Tallahassee, FL Club Downunder *
Feb 27          Birmingham, AL  Bottle Tree Café *
Feb 28          Oxford, MS              Proud Larry’s *
March 3         Houston, TX             House of Blues *
March 4         Austin, TX              Stubb’s Jr. +
March 5         Dallas, TX              House of Blues *
March 7         St. Louis, MO   Blueberry Hill *
March 18 -19    Austin, TX              SXSW (schedule forthcoming)
April 7         Somerville, MA  Somerville Theatre +
April 8         Vienna, VA              The Barnes at Wolf Trap +
April 10        New York, NY    Le Poisson Rouge +
April 11        Glenside, PA    Keswick Theater +
April 14-15     Ann Arbor, MI   The Ark +
April 17        Chicago, IL             Schubas +
April 28        San Francisco, CA       Café Du Nord (headline)
April 29        Los Angeles, CA The Roxy +
May 1           San Diego, CA   Anthology +
May 2           Tucson, AZ              Club Congress +
May 4           Mesa, AZ                Mesa Arts Center +
May 8           Louisville, KY  Bomhard Theater *
May 9           Atlanta, GA             Variety Playhouse +


Monday, February 23, 2009

Edgehill Ave. CD Release Party & Live Lunch


Edgehill Ave.'s sophomore CD, "Rambler" drops tomorrow on new label Departure records and is a bit if a departure from their first album (I won't mention my intention with the pun... read here please.) 

EA will be celebrating the release with two performances this Friday, Feb 27th.  Tune in at noon for the Live Lunch performance on WFPK and later that night WFPK Presents the release show in the Saloon at Phoenix Hill TavernTeneia Sanders will open the show at 8p and we'll start around 9p with some special surprises including appearances from Leigh Ann YostDaphne Luster and more. Tickets are $10 and available at Ear X-tacy,Ticketweb, and on our site. After you get into the show you can trade your stub for a copy of the CD!

Rambler will be available locally at Ear X-tacy as well as online at CDBaby and Digstation (mp3 format available now.)  In a few weeks it will also be available at iTunes and all the major download sites.

Also, later this week, look for the review in Leo Weekly as well as a short podcast interview that should be posted on Backseat Sandbar Wednesday night.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Li4L in-store video: The Fervor with Dave Cronin at Ear X-tacy

Hey all, I am working on some of the recordings I made during the Louisville is for Lovers performances last week. I recorded audio from the Ear X-tacy in-store with Teneia Sanders, Deer Meet and The Fervor. I also used my D90 SLR to record the video from a song by the Fervor (sadly, It can only record HD video in 5 minute increments so there is a slight cut) and I think it turned out well. I thought I'd share while still editing photos and audio from the other shows; I'll be getting those up soon but in the meantime, enjoy!


The Fervor with Dave Cronin @ Ear X-tacy 2009-02-13 from Kory J on Vimeo.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Louisville is for Lovers Ear X-tacy instore/Photos

We caught wind of the Ear X-tacy instore this friday and along with the Fervor, Jimmy from Deer Meet is going to do a solo set and the lovely Teneia Sanders will be singing too! This all starts at 7pm this friday the 13th. Best of all, it's FREE!

Don't forget all the other Li4L shows this week:
February 11th - Acoustic Showcase Show @ The Lounge in Butchertown [8pm/21+/$3]
February 13th - WFPK Live Lunch @ WFPK Studios [noon/free - first come first served to 100max] Listen Here or on your dial at 91.9 fm
February 14th - Valentines Day Showcase @ Skull Alley [8pm/All Ages/$5]

Pick up your copy at one of the shows or at Ear X-tacy! Here if you're outside of the city.

This will also be the week I see Teneia 4 times in 1 week, Wow. Check out some photos from the round Teneia and Bro Stephen participated in last Saturday at Lisa's Oak Street Lounge...






Thursday, February 5, 2009

Bro Stephen & Teneia Sanders at Lisa's Sat/7th

So, I don't have much news about this new band Bro. Stephen aside from the fact that it's formed from Scott Kirkpatrick (Chemic) and musicians from Nashville and Bloomington. What I do know is that I love what I've heard. They're celebrating a new hand made EP entitled "Front Room" that appears to be much more than EP length clocking in at 14 songs (correct me if I'm wrong, I could just be reading the demo stuff from myspace wrong.) It looks to only be available at their shows and I'm dying to get a copy to hear more than the two tracks on myspace... uhg, myspace. 
I can tell you that Scott and his band Chemic are great and the magic that is Teneia Sanders will be playing as well! Oh yea, they're playing down at the little bar under the Sterling beer sign, Lisa's on Oak Street Lounge this Saturday starting at 9pm.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

O'death at Jim Porter's - Ticket/CD giveaway!!!


Hello all, the band O'death is coming all the way from New York City (I specify city as I have family from the state and it's a major pet peeve not to specify city and pretend the other 11 million folks don't exist.) Alright, back on track... the band O'death, an eclectic mix of gospel, folk, fiddles, drums, banjos and paint buckets is on their way to Jim Porters Good Time Emporium on February 12th. The band will be in the middle of a 6 day streak of shows so they'll be good and warmed up to warm you up! I used to be a bit leary about Jim Porters but went with my family recently and it's such a cool, weird, fucked up place... it's just fine for O'death; I'd like to see more bands try out the Emporium. They'll be playing with Th' Legendary Shack Shakers outta Nashvegas for all you psychobilly fans!

For the show we'll be doing a random drawing to give away tickets for two to the show and we also have two 'O'death- Broken Hymns, Limbs and Skin' cds to give away. Just drop us an email and you'll be entered to win. We'll draw three winners (2 tix, 1 cd and 1 cd) on the 9th and notify you via email.

If you can't win a CD you can always pick one up at the show or online here.

Sample a track:

Show details:
O'death and The Legendary Shack Shakers @
Jim Porters Goodtime Emporium
February 12th
Doors at 8pm
$13 adv (at earXtacy)/$16 day of show