Posts Tagged ‘Music’
Tonight: Songstress Elizaveta Set to Serenade Jammin Java
Posted by Matt Basheda / Friday, January 27th, 2012
Winter always encourages mellow, ambient music. Something about quiet snow and days spent indoors asks for something smoother.
You’ll get plenty of piano-based, female singer-songwriter stylings tonight at Jammin Java.
First up is Tiffany Thompson, an Alexandria native with a big voice and matching aspirations. She belts out heartfelt melodies over layered, slightly melancholy tunes.
The main act is Elizaveta. Born in New York, raised in Russia, Elizaveta is an opera singer-turned-pop songstress. She’s classically trained; her fingers deftly manipulate her piano keys and she puts her incredible voice to good use. Her stage outfit is certainly eye-catching — simultaneously refined and outrageous. This is her new single “Meant:”
Both artists have new albums to feature in their set lists, which will make for a unique show. Local music is always worth support, and the next big thing could be right around the corner. If you’re looking for a beautiful, buzzworthy concert, give this a go. Plus it’s early, so there’s really no excuse.
Show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are here. Directions are here.
–Matt Basheda
Posted by Lindsey Leake / Thursday, January 12th, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
FBI headquarters may move to Springfield
Alexandria teen left unscathed in Woodbridge shooting incident
Wilson Bridge construction will cause Beltway lane closures tonight
Two NoVA music venues among top 100 clubs in the world
Metro fares may increase even more than originally proposed
(Compiled by Lindsey Leake)
The First Two Finalists of Mid-Atlantic Band Battle 6: Brightwork and Kill the Alarm
Posted by Matt Basheda / Wednesday, January 11th, 2012
We brought you the inside scoop on opening night of Jammin J’s sixth Mid-Atlantic Band Battle. Now we’ve got some more for you: Q & As with the winners of the first two nights. The two finalists so far are Brightwork, from Charlottesville, and Kill the Alarm, of New York City.
I talked to Brightwork minutes after their first-round victory on Monday night. The members are: Seth Hayes, bass; Andrew Boyd, drums; Brian Hrubik, keyboards and backing vocals; and Caleb Carpenter, guitar and lead vocals. Here’s what they had to say:
On the state of the band so far:
Caleb: We’ve been a band for about two and a half years. We got our start in college, so we kinda did the part-time thing … playing gigs on weekends. And once we graduated we … decided that we felt like we wanted to try a shot at being professional and doing this for a living.
Brightwork after their win on Monday. From left to right: Brian, Andrew, Caleb and Seth.
How their college experience helps them as a band:
Seth: The biggest defining thing about us is that we have such varied skillsets as a group of guys. Of the four of us, we have college majors in international business, finance, web design and communications. We just have such varied backgrounds, and because of that we’re able to do so many different things as a band, which has been really important for us. … We’re able to … all contribute in our own way and really … be a cohesive group. Sometimes we sit down and it’s like a board meeting [laughter].
On songwriting:
Caleb: The songwriting process for us [pauses] … it’s not easy, for one thing, because we’re very, very hypercritical of ourselves. … We like to come up with the best material possible—something that we feel conveys what we’re trying to say but also is up to par with what we feel like it should be. But a lot of times what we’ll do is … either Brian or myself will come to the table with an idea or something that really inspires us, or … with this melody or this riff. And we’ll … take it to each other and kinda pick it apart, and then once we find something that we like that’s concrete, we’ll begin building it from there. So … songwriting is such a process. … It really is an art and we take it very seriously and it’s something that, you know, we’re just trying to get better with, every time we do it.
Check out Brightwork live from a previous performance:
Tuesday’s winner was Kill the Alarm, which is primarily a vehicle for singer/songwriter Garen Gueyikian. Hailing from New York City, Gueyikian has been making distortion-tinged pop music for over a decade.
How’d you hear about the Band Battle?
Well actually, I’ve played Jammin Java before. I’ve played a couple shows there, and I love playing there. And I was just passing through and I stopped in to get a coffee ‘cause I had played in Arlington, at IOTA. And I just stopped [at Jammin Java] to see how the place looked, and I hadn’t been there in a while, and talked to the Brindleys [JJ's owners] over there. And I saw the little flyer for the battle of the bands and I thought, this looks interesting … and sure enough, here we are.
Kill the Alarm rocking Jammin Java on Tuesday night. Photo courtesy Jammin Java.
What does the win mean to you?
It’s nice. It’s really great. There was a lot of great music, great bands, so I wasn’t expecting anything. It was a lot of fun. It was a high-pressure situation being tossed in. But … it’s a great feeling.
How would you describe your music?
Inspiring, energetic alternative pop-rock.
Check out Kill the Alarm’s song “Shout it Out Loud:”
More on the Band Battle by week’s end.
–Matt Basheda
Opening Night at Jammin Java’s Sixth Band Battle
Posted by Matt Basheda / Tuesday, January 10th, 2012
Jammin Java’s sixth iteration of its wildly popular Mid-Atlantic Band Battle kicked off with a bang last night. The bands were great, the judges were hyped and everyone had fun.
Courtesy Jammin Java.
I pulled up to JJ amid snowfall and rush hour traffic.
After I set up my camera at the press table, I introduced myself to the judges: Mary Adkins, founder of See Joe Rock, a social networking site for unsigned musicians; Amber-Therese Foster, booking agent with Last Call Entertainment; and Pat Sommers, rock ‘n’ roll instructor at Pat Sommers Rock Shop and former session man for the likes of Roger Daltrey and Ace Frehley. And the emcee was Nate Ihara from local favorites We Were Kings.
The ever-friendly Sommers immediately invited me to join the gang at the judges’ table. So there I sat, with a behind-the-scenes view of the competition. A somewhat embarrassing side-effect occurred during Ihara’s introduction of the judges–everyone in the place looked at me, but no one knew who I was.
The show was slow to begin. The first band, Threat Level Midnight, took the stage about 30 minutes later than originally scheduled. They proceeded to blow the roof off with intense metal. Sommers put his skills to immediate use. “You can tell he’s nervous,” he said, referring to the lead singer, who stood cemented to a single spot.
Threat Level Midnight was also the only band to run overtime, their set hilariously punctuated by the smooth sounds of ’70s disco blasting over the PA.
Fourth Quarter Comeback was the next band. They unleashed a blast of punchy pop music, with sparkling power chords complimented by jokes cracked to the audience between songs. JJ finally started to fill up, and the audience waved hands and bounced along. I could tell when the judges liked a band by the level of chatter that erupted after a set–lots of talk meant good, stunned silence meant bad. But Fourth Quarter Comeback impressed all around.
Fourth Quarter Comeback owns the stage.
The next band was called Brightwork. And they left quite an impression. With loop-based, beat-oriented pop, Brightwork lived up to their name–they delivered a torrent of upbeat, fairly complex tunes. Ringing guitars melded flawlessly with clean vocals and synthesizers. And the organ player blindsided the audience with a perfect backflip on stage. This band had their act together.
Brightwork in action.
At this point, the judges table was buzzing like a middle-schooler’s smartphone.
The next two acts were polished, radio-friendly hard rock–Everything Falls and Fistful of Fifties. The highlight was the latter’s lead guitarist, whose fingers danced across his Telecaster’s fretboard.
Then came Go. That’s right, their name is simply Go. Easy to remember, but nearly impossible to Google. This trio absolutely destroyed–in the best way possible. They blasted quality rock music with a style all their own–driven by uncompromising rhythm, rather than driving guitar, though there was plenty of the latter, too. The bassist and drummer were on another level. They spun complex, airtight riffs throughout the entire set.
Go’s look set them apart, as well. Each member had his own style, which, instead of clashing, solidified the group’s memorable aesthetic. Their music was catchy and danceable, but with unbeatable attitude. They strung together each of their songs seamlessly without talking to the audience, which kept the mystique factor in full effect.
Go!
“These guys are my favorite so far,” said Foster as the judges handed in their ballots.
The final act was a guitar-and-drum duo called The Grey Area. They pushed out spiky blues-based numbers, and were clearly in a mind-meld type of situation, because they shifted in and out of tempos with utmost ease.
About 15 minutes after that, the place fell silent as Ihara announced the winner.
It was Brightwork! The band from Charlottesville played a stunning set, and their win was much deserved. They’ll be headed to the finals on Feb. 17, but they have lots more in store for the future.
And we’ll also have plenty more on the continuing Band Battle festivities, which run through this Thursday, Jan. 12.
Stay tuned!
Brightwork moves on to the finals! Left to right: Brian Hrubik, Andrew Boyd, Caleb Carpenter, Seth Hayes
–Matt Basheda
Jammin Java’s Mid-Atlantic Band Battle 6 is Here
Posted by Matt Basheda / Friday, January 6th, 2012
Jammin Java unleashes its ultimate contest once again in three days.
Courtesy Jammin Java.
The sixth Mid-Atlantic Band Battle is all set and ready to go. Four nights–Monday, Jan. 9 through Thursday, Jan. 12 next week–see seven bands each. Each night has a single winner who advances to the finals in February.
This is no arbitrary battle of the bands, with the audience voting on the winner. The crown doesn’t go to whichever band happened to bring the most friends. A judges panel presides over the spectacle. All of the judges have significant professional music credentials.
Take Pat Sommers, for instance. He worked with Roger Daltrey, Ace Frehley and many others for years, contributing vocals, guitar and anything else they needed on their albums. But lately he’s been a staple of the Northern Virginia music industry. He runs Pat Sommers Rock Shop, a workshop and launch pad for teenage bands to hone their skills.
And Sommers couldn’t be more excited to bring his years of experience to the table at the band battle.
“The talent that’s coming out of [Jammin Java] is second to none,” he says. “I expect to see a lot of great young bands. … I am super excited about what’s happening here in Northern Virginia. … I’ve noticed that we’re starting to get a music scene here that’s very New Yorkish–people do all different things. I do think that we’re gonna see something come out of here that’s gonna be … really special.”
Other judges include music journalists, venue managers and record company veterans. Full bios on each judge are on the Band Battle’s official site.
These shows are consistently sold out, so get tickets while you can. At the moment they’re still available, but don’t miss out on this chance to catch NoVA’s next big act.
But if you can’t make it, we’ll be there on the scene to give you the scoop. Stay tuned–next week, Northern Virginia’s going to be rocking like crazy!
–Matt Basheda
New in January: Music, Book & Film
Posted by Rebekah Lowe / Thursday, January 5th, 2012
MUSIC
‘Fallen Empires’
Courtesy of Potomac Books Inc.
Over five years have passed since Snow Patrol barged onto the scene with “Chasing Cars,” the band looks to be more musically adventurous than ever before on their latest album. Release date: Jan. 10.
Book
‘Gone at 3:17: The Untold Story of the Worst School Disaster in American History’
Approximately 300 children and teachers died in 1937, when a school in New London, Texas, exploded. But this tragedy remains little-known. Brown and Wereschagin delve into every aspect of the disaster. Release date: Jan. 31.
3D Nostalgia
‘Beauty and the Beast’ in 3D
Disney gives the 3D treatment to yet another of its classic films. “Beauty and the Beast,” arguably Disney’s finest animated achievement, shines amid the typical dearth of winter movies. Release date: Jan. 13.
New Beauty Pill Album Release at Artisphere
Posted by Matt Basheda / Wednesday, January 4th, 2012
Local legends Beauty Pill have been hard at work.
The Dischord Records band decided last year to make every second of their recording process available to the public. They recorded their new album in Artisphere’s black box theatre. The process was completely open to the public, both audibly and visually.
So naturally, their new album will be unveiled exclusively at Artisphere this Saturday, Jan. 7. Music is just part of the installation. Listeners will be able to interact with photographs from the recording sessions while listening to the finished record.
The exhibit, called “The Immersive Ideal,” is exhilarating in its potential. This is truly something new. In a world filled with pseudo-artists just trying to sell a product, Beauty Pill stands the notion of musical piracy on its head. Free music isn’t morally wrong–it is simply another tool for real artists to use. By inviting literally everyone into the recording studio, and showcasing the results as part of a multimedia exhibit, Beauty Pill is bringing their music to the public in a more directly tangible way than any free download ever could.
Here’s a previous song of theirs. If you like ambient music, give it a listen. And more of their songs can be found on their MySpace page.
The exhibit opens this Saturday, Jan. 7 in Artisphere’s black box theatre at 7 p.m. It runs until Jan. 22, but opening nights are always especially exciting. And of course the event is free.
–Matt Basheda
Christmas Countdown: Classic Movies and Christmas Songs
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, December 21st, 2011
Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011
Christmas movies are as anticipated as any aspect of the Christmas season. The comedies in particular spread joy all year. They provide wonderful quotes with which to enliven your conversations. Memorizing lines from your favorite Christmas movies will make you funnier and your friends happier.
Take “Elf,” for example. Snippets of dialogue can be adapted for everyday use. Whether a reference to “the yellow ones don’t stop” to a simple “wow … that was weird,” try inserting a line into ordinary conversation and reap the comedy harvest.
WMZQ’s WinterFest ‘Takes a Back Road’ With Rodney Atkins
Posted by Lorin Drinkard / Monday, December 12th, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
On Saturday night, the Patriot Center hosted WMZQ’s annual country rock-a-thon - WinterFest. With a lineup of seven artists, including big-time stars Kellie Pickler and Rodney Atkins, the night was filled with Christmas cheer and country crooning.
David Nail performs at WinterFest 2011. / Photo credit: Bekah Lowe
Kicking off the event were “My Name is Money” singer Sonia Leighand Georgia-born, truck-lovin’ artist Kip Moore. WMZQ station on-air personalities Jenni Chase, Boxer and Newman goofed it up on stage between sets by line dancing like hockey players, introducing Tommy’s Place line dancers on stage and discussing Redskins’ football.
Wisconsin-native Josh Thompson, who’s been on the “Tailgates and Tanlines” tour with Luke Bryan this year, took to the stage singing his radio hit “Beer on the Table.” Thompson recently released a new single from his sophomore album called “Comin’ Around,” which addresses big dreams in a small town. The boot-clad, plaid-wearing crowd was on their feet Saturday night, shouting along, while holding up their Bud Light drafts as Thompson crooned, “Come Friday night, my friends and I start peeling off them labels/Working hard all week puts beer on the table.”
Grammy-nominated artist David Nail performed the tearjerker, Top 10 tune “Let It Rain,” which had many audience members swaying and singing along. Nail, who released his album “The Sound of A Million Dreams” in November, followed up with his 2009 smash success “Red Light.” The four-man band played an energy-packed set as Nail picked on the guitar and his keyboardist banged out the sweet sounds of country. Three-time American Country Awards winners Thompson Square really brought the house down with their anthem of all love songs: “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not.” The real-life married couple’s adoration for each other was so evident – they sang to each other throughout their set.
Country couple Thompson Sqaure brought the love songs. / Photo credit: Bekah Lowe.
With a personality just as sparkly as her black, shimmery top, Kellie Pickler shared about life with her new hubby, covered some Loretta Lynn songs and even dedicated her song “My Angel,” which is all about her love for her grandmother, to a meet-and-greet fan. Finishing off her performance, she sang the fun, toe-tapping hit “Red High Heels.”
“Take A Back Road” star Rodney Atkins was the last to perform and it was clear most fans had been awaiting his arrival. Atkins asked a young girl near the front of the stage to guess how they had traveled to Fairfax. Her answer: “On a bus?” which was quickly shouted down as people screamed, “On back roads!” Atkins’ relaxed stage presence and catchy tunes kept the audience’s attention, but what really won them over: crowd interaction.
WinterFest headliner Rodney Atkins works the crowd. / Photo credit: Bekah Lowe.
With his band playing the opening chords of “Cleaning This Gun,” Atkins traded his guitar for a T-shirt shooting gun and fired them off toward excited fans and also called a young boy on stage to help him sing the father-son tune “Watching You.” During performances of ”If You’re Going Through Hell” and the night’s most anticipated song, “Take A Back Road,” Atkins worked his charm by tossing the mike into the front section near the stage and had fans sing out the lyrics. When it came to working the crowd, and providing a listen-on-repeat rush hour traffic hit song, Atkins had it covered.
–Lorin Drinkard
Andrea Bocelli Kicks Off U.S. Tour
Posted by Lorin Drinkard / Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
World-renowned Italian tenor says 'buona sera' to D.C. / Photo courtesy of Monumental Sports & Entertainment.
If third time’s a charm, then beloved Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli is completely charmed. And charming. With trip #3 (in a row) to the U.S. just around the corner, we caught up with the most beautiful voice in the world and talked about visiting D.C., his recent Dancing With the Stars cameo, soon-to-be-established charity foundation and more.
[As told through translation]
Lorin Drinkard: We’re so looking forward to your upcoming visit to Washington, D.C. As your third tour in the United States, do you have surprises up your sleeves for the audience? What are some of the musical selections you’ll be performing?
Andrea Bocelli: “My aim is to transmit throughout the world that eternally beautiful repertoire which is traditional of an Italian tenor, ranging from operatic arias to great ballads and Neapolitan melodies as well as a few other pieces chosen among the ones that people have come to associate with my voice.”
Drinkard: Conductor Eugene Kohn, Ana Maria Martinez and Heather Headley will also be with you tour. Tell me a little about working with Mr. Kohn. What aspects of his conducting do you most appreciate? And performing with Martinez and Headley?
Bocelli: “Eugene is a great musician as well as being a man who lives for music, almost more than me and it is always a wonderful thing to work with people who still have a childish enthusiasm towards the things they do.
Heather and Ana are two friends who have been sharing the scene with me for several years. Let’s say it will be like a special party among friends. What more can I ask for?”
Drinkard: Over the years, you’ve starred and performed in numerous operas. Do you have a favorite character or role? What about it appeals most to you?
Bocelli: “There are plenty of characters that I love in operas and it would be truly impossible to choose one, also because a lot depends on the moment, on my mood … I can say that, when I confronted the character of Cavaradossi I could truly identify with his personality as a man, as a lover, as a citizen, very attentive to the political events of his era.”
Drinkard: And you recently performed on the hit show “Dancing With the Stars” along with Chris Botti. How did this musical collaboration come about?
Bocelli: “David Foster introduced us and we quickly took a liking to one another. Chris is extremely talented and transmits vital energy. Music has the power to unite people and so we immediately felt a strong desire to make music together.”
Drinkard: In just a few days, you’re newest CD/DVD release, “One Night in Central Park” will be available in stores. Tell me a little about that concert in New York. What about it makes it so unique and special? What can fans look forward to on this CD/DVD?
Bocelli: “I experienced a huge emotion, a huge sense of responsibility with regards to recording of the CD and DVD. I thought of the people that were eagerly awaiting me, defying the rain and the cold wind, I thought of my children, my mother and my partner, all of those whose heart was beating fast at the idea of seeing me appear in that spectacular framework. I thought of everything and nothing at the same time, because when the moment arrived, all thoughts took refuge in that protected area of my mind to make space for concentration.”
Drinkard: Congratulations, Signore Bocelli, on making it into the “Guinness Book of World Records” for the highest-selling solo classical album of all time. As one of the most accomplished tenors in the world, who inspires you musically? Any other tenors or classical performers you admire?
Bocelli: “This is one of the few questions that does not generate any doubts whatsoever: I have said and written time and time again that Franco Corelli was my true model, my inspirer, always, when I heard him for the very first time. It was love at first sight and this bond has never broken and has never suffered a recession.
As far as more recent times are concerned, I cannot afford not to mention the Maestro Pavarotti who deserves a special place in the history of music of our century and it was an unforgettable privilege for me to be at his side.”
Drinkard: In addition to classical music, what other types of music interests you?
Bocelli: “I am open to listening to all kinds of music: we can trace marvellous pages from all kinds of music, but my preference is for the opera and when I get out of my armchair to put on a CD, most of the times my choice is for opera.”
Drinkard: Having sold over 65 million records to date, what about your music makes it enjoyable and relevant to fans all over the world, from all different walks of life?
Bocelli: “The nature of music is mysterious and so much so that it generates strong emotions within us. It moves along passages that reach the most intimate areas of our psyche without being tried by prejudices or influences of any kind. This special condition attributes special properties to music that even I, in a certain sense, without even troubling the supernatural, do not hesitate in defining as a mystical experience.”
Drinkard: What do you think are contributing factors to your success in the musical world?
Bocelli: “I don’t believe that key moments exist: instead there is passion, determination, predisposition, the receptivity of the audience. What counts is to be the right man at the right time.”
Drinkard: You are quoted as saying, “I don’t think one decides to become a singer, It is decided for you by the reactions of the people around you.” Who were the people around you that led to the beginning of your journey as a singer?
Bocelli: “It was an intuition of my mother who, when I was a whimsical child, only managed to make me eat by putting on background music that she used as a ‘sedative.’ She made me listen to the tenor Franco Corelli, whose voice I fell in love with as soon as I heard it. From then on music became a constant and vital element in my life. It was a real flash of lightning, so much so that at nine years of age I already knew quite a number of songs.”
Drinkard: You began your career in Italy. Do you have a favorite performance venue there?
Bocelli: “Italy is where the opera was born and, among other things, it is my real passion with traditional theatres in which singing still represents an extraordinary experience. Small theatres in which you can feel the audience breathing almost next to you and with you, where your voice is offered in a simple and natural manner, without the need for amplification – these are the places in which I am always happy to sing.”
Drinkard: You are also quoted as saying there is “no connection” between your blindness and your singing ability. In what ways do you think being blind has impacted your life? As far as your musical career?
Bocelli: “It is not the absence of defects that determines the success of an important singer, but the presence of huge values that are nothing more than heaven-sent gifts.”
Drinkard: Last year you teamed up to sing with Mary J. Blige at the Grammy Awards to raise money for Haiti relief. Are there other charitable organizations that are near and dear to your heart?
Bocelli: “I warmly and actively accepted the nomination as Honorary President of the ARPA Foundation of Professor Mosca some years ago and I have also been supporting the NPH ITALIA Francesco Rava Foundation , operating in Haiti, for some time.
Furthermore, I must say that the birth of the Andrea Bocelli Foundation will soon be announced.”
Drinkard: Signore Bocelli, you’ve said you’ve always “loved speed and adventure” and that you’re “a man of action.” When you’re not performing or recording music, what types of activities do you most enjoy doing?
Bocelli: “One of my greatest passion is horse riding. I have always been fascinated by horses, by their strength, their agility, their beauty, all made available to man. Riding is also a challenge, a courageous act, even more so the younger and more highly strung the animal is … As a child I couldn’t resist the temptation of riding a difficult horse, of conquering his resistance … It was really thrilling. Later on horses helped me to learn to love nature, the peace of the countryside, the voice of the woods and the rivers.
As my career got underway I had to abandon my horse riding activities but the passion remained, to the point that just recently I could not resist buying another horse. Once again I chose another young black stallion, only three years old; now we have to get to know each other, but our friendship has got off to a good start. I feel that I have made a new friend who will be a good companion for many years.”
Bocelli, with conductor Eugene Kohn, will be performing with world-renowned soprano Ana Maria Martinez and Tony Award-winner Heather Headley at the Verizon Center in D.C. on December 2nd at 8 pm. Tickets are $78 – $378 and are available for purchase here.
–Lorin Drinkard
