The Eye Of The Storm

My friends Jess & Andy (aka She Keeps Bees) are playing at the Northside Festival this weekend, but there's no need for a special festival badge since the show is free! Go check them out at Matchless on Saturday at 4pm. Don't miss out on this:

Puppy Love

Those girls don't even know what hit them!

And This Is Why I Love New York

Have You Heard?

There's some serious talent coming out of Berkeley, California, and The Morning Benders are leading the pack. Their latest album Big Echo was released earlier this month, and on it the band embraces a new fuller sound that truly puts their older work to shame. Sure their last few albums were easy on the ears, but they lacked the drama and passion that's evident on Big Echo. If you don't believe me, take a look at this live video of their first single 'Excuses,' featuring other West Coast luminaries like Girls' Christopher Owens.

Hello, I'm Johnny Cash.

Today is Johnny Cash's birthday. He would have been 78 years old. In celebration of his music and the man himself, Flavorwire compiled a list of "78 Things You Didn't Know About Johnny Cash." The results are pretty amazing, but my favorite was witnessing The Man In Black impersonate The King. Long live rock 'n roll!

The Video Vault: Teen Crush Edition

I fell in love with Gavin Rossdale in 1996 when I was 14 years old. He was the first man I cried over, the first one to make me feel all fizzy and nervous inside even though I knew we would never meet. There's something intangible about your first crush - the innocence that is lost when you realize you would give anything just to see your own reflection in another person's eyes. And obviously make out with them... but that's a given. My love for Rossdale was so fiery, so uncontrollable, so wild, that I can still remember the moment I picked up a copy of Rolling Stone (pictured above) only to come home and paste it on my wall. He was staring at me - I was staring back at him. Almost perfect. The video below was taken during Bush's performance at Woodstock 99, and features a shirtless, wet, yelping Rossdale singing their (still) heartbreaking single 'Glycerine'. It makes me shiver with delight even after all these years.

#1 Dad

The past couple of weeks at my new job I've finally started to realize why people love Pandora so much. Pandora let's you create your own "radio station" by choosing one artist to mold an entire playlist after. What I've really enjoyed is finally hearing the artists that I've always heard about, but never got around to listening to. Case in point Loudon Wainwright III, singer/songwriter, thespian, and father of Montréaler Rufus Wainwright. I've been a fan of Loudon since he played the classic "divorced dad going through a midlife crisis" character Hal in Judd Apatow's Undeclared, but until today I had never heard his music. I've really been missing out. My knowledge of folk music is limited at best, so when listening to a Pandora playlist inspired by Nick Drake I was pleased to discover that the man who had made me laugh years ago, is also one hell of a musician. Check out this video of Loudon playing a track from the Knocked Up soundtrack, and if you're a fan of Freaks & Geeks I suggest you give Undeclared a whirl.

Have You Heard?

In college I used to go to shows all the time, ravenous for new music and a raucous good time. As I've grown older I've become less patient with all the elements that come along with a concert - the crowd overflowing with drunken buffoons, the sticky floors, and the stench of sweat aren't as sweet as they used to be. But last Saturday I braved it all to check out a killer band from Knoxville, Tennessee. Royal Bangs put on one hell of a live show, and even though they were the opening band the crowd was enthralled with them immediately. They had all the elements of bands that I love: the intricate guitar work of Les Savy Fav, the joyous synth of Blonde Redhead, and the energy and enthusiasm to pull it all off. With two records released in the past year, I hope to see a lot more from these guys in the near future. Now kick off those shoes - it's time to dance!

The French Are Coming!

Yesterday a friend of mine was kind enough to take me to a taping of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Being a huge fan of his predecessor the great Conan O'Brien, I was a little apprehensive about the experience, but the magic of television is so enrapturing. There's something about the frantic chatter of tourists, and the feeling of being in a television studio that makes every joke ten times funnier. I was excited by the prospect of seeing if Jennifer's Body star Megan Fox is as attractive as everyone thinks she is (she is), and thrilled to see Law & Order's Anthony Anderson casually conversing with Jimmy like old friends. Being steps away from The Roots was a treat in itself, but my friend had secured band stand tickets, so we got to rock out behind musical guests Phoenix. Check me out bopping and swaying to the sweet sounds of 'Lisztomania' from their latest record Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix:

In Defense of The Gaga

Everyone's panties are in a bunch after Lady Gaga's VMA performance last week - even her former teachers, the nuns at Convent of the Sacred Heart in NYC are seeing red. Let's forget the nuns for a second, and do a little reality check. When did we forget that pop music doesn't always have to be manufactured garbage? Although Lady Gaga's first two singles ('Just Dance' and 'Poker Face') were international number one hits, people just don't get what she's really trying to do. Yes, she's a singer/songwriter extraordinaire who's been playing the piano since the age of four, but unlike most celebrities she isn't easily digestible. She's said it before, and I'll say it again: Gaga is a performance artist. It's not just about her voice, her songs, or her flamboyant fashion choices, but rather the entire picture. Her performances are the gel that hold it all together, and often her performances are what confuse people the most. There's nothing confusing about the following clip of her performance on Good Morning America earlier this summer. This is Gaga at her best: her voice soaring, her dark aura swirling around crisp pop inflections. Her music may be catchy and accessible, but that doesn't mean we should expect her to be a typical pop star. Her aesthetic is wholly her own, and I hope she keeps it that way. I mean when was the last time a musician made you think of a neck brace as a fabulous accessory?