Psychostick’s Rawrb talks about the band’s summer tour, “The ‘Merica F*ck Yeah Tour”

Psychostick is probably best known for their song “BEER!!”, the heavy metal anthem to irresponsible drinkers everywhere that made the rounds on the Internet back in the early 2000’s and popped up frequently on active rock stations across the country. They’ve had their tongue firmly planted in their cheek for nearly a decade and a half and now they’re about to enter a new chapter in their band history. After a successful Indiegogo campaign, Psychostick was able to raise the funds to build their very own studio in their home. That means they’ll be able to put out more music and content to their rabid comedy-metal fans. Media Mikes had a chance to catch up with the lead singer, Rawrb, about what kind of plans they got in the works and their upcoming summer tour with Dog Fashion Disco and The Bunny The Bear.

Jeremy Werner: I know the first thing people will wanna know is everything and anything about the new album you’re working on. So, is there anything new about the album you’d like to share with us that people might not already know about?
Rawrb: The only thing that’s been released about the new album has been “Obey the Beard”. The actual title and track listing hasn’t been announced yet because we’re still going back and forth on a lot of that stuff. We’ve recorded a lot of songs and it’s coming together. Once everything really starts to get finalized. We’ll really start releasing more info.

Jeremy: Do you guys have an estimated release date?
Rawrb: Hopefully early fall…I’m guessing.

JW: Now I know during the Indiegogo campaign, one of your stretch goals, if you raised the money, was to release a covers album. Sadly you guys didn’t reach that goal, but is a cover album still in the cards?
Rawrb: We talked about it, but we still might do it eventually. We were gonna do it sooner than later if we hit the stretch goal but we definitely want to. It’ll just be longer before we can.

JW: So you’re about to hit the road with Dog Fashion Disco and The Bunny The Bear…can fans heading out to the shows expect a new song on this upcoming tour?
Rawrb: We’re going back and forth on that one too. There’s one in particular we wanna play, but I’m not sure if we’re gonna have time. We’re a little bit short on the set for us, but I think we’re gonna try and squeeze another new one in there. We’ll see.

JW: A short set-list? It’s not a co-headlining tour with Dog Fashion Disco?
Rawrb: No, probably not, it’s pretty much their tour. They invited us out and we were very ecstatic to do that because .they still have a huge fanbase. I don’t know if you saw their Indiegogo, but they just blew it out of the water.

JW: Oh yeah. It was really impressive. It’s good to see both of you guys hitting your initial goals without a problem.
Rawrb: Yeah, so honestly, it’s not a co-headlining tour. We’re the opening act for them the whole tour.

JW: Now I saw they’re heading overseas for the first time to play three nights in England…so is that a sign that maybe you guys are heading overseas for the first time?
Rawrb: We’re trying. We’ve made a few new contacts and it’s the closest it’s ever been so I’m pretty optimistic. I think it will happen, maybe this year or maybe next year, hopefully. I’m hoping that it will happen later this year because we’ve been overdue for this for a long time. We have a pretty good following overseas and we’ve just never had an opportunity jump over there because of…silly reasons like money (laughs).

JW: So going back to the new studio you guys were able to build…what exactly does it mean for the future of Psychostick?
Rawrb: We’ll be able to produce music more frequently. One of the biggest challenges and why it’s been so long since we’ve had a new album, is that we tour so much and don’t have the resources to sit down and just crank out another album on a more frequent basis, but now we’ll be able to do that. I’m hoping we’ll release more music, more frequently. Instead of waiting three years, it’ll be a year and a half or less. We live in our studio too, so we can wake up and write a song and record it then and there. It’s really nice to be able to do that. A lot of the obstacles have been removed so we can get a lot more done and there will be a lot more stuff coming.

JW: What musical direction will you go with now that you have this studio? Will you be focusing on cranking out more albums or maybe a couple EP’s here and there or will it be like the video posted a while back…your cover of “Reading Rainbow”?
Rawrb: We put out the “Reading Rainbow” cover a couple weeks ago and that was just us testing out the studio. We just wanted to see how it was gonna work. It happened really fast and we were super excited. We’re gonna do full length albums and little tidbits like “Reading Rainbow” We’re gonna try and do more covers too because we have a great idea and we can’t sell it because it’s owned by somebody else. So since it’s a cover, we can just go crazy with it. There’s no limits to this now, except for time…(laughs)…we’re excited.

JW: Now that you have your own studio, are you guys thinking about dropping from your label and creating your own?
Rawrb: We haven’t really thought about it. We’re very happy with Rock Ridge. We handle all of our own production, they don’t have any say in that and that’s part of the reason why we love them is because we can do what we want. We built the studio so we can crank out whatever we want and when we want.

JW: Is there anything else you want your fans to know?
Rawrb: We’re working on new stuff and there’s gonna be a lot more content like videos and gags and things like that, that we got planned. When it hits, you’ll know. It’s gonna be non-stop and there’s gonna be more music from us now that we have a studio. So we’re excited about all these things and I think our fans will be really happy with what we come out with because we are. And that’s the first step, we have to like it, before we let it out…(laughs)…it’ll be good.

You can check out Psychostick on their summer tour, ‘The Merica F*ck Yeah Tour’, playing alongside Dog Fashion Disco and The Bunny The Bear, at the following dates:
May 29th: Amityville, NY
May 30th: Albany, NY
May 31st: Pennellville, NY
June 1st: Watkins Glen, NY
June 2nd: Trenton, NJ
June 3rd: Providence, RI
June 5th: Westland, MI
June 6th: Cleveland, OH
June 7th: Cherry Valley, IL
June 8th: Joliet, IL
June 9th: Minneapolis, MN
June 10th: Merriam, KS
June 11th: Waterloo, IA
June 12th: Des Moines, IA
June 13th: Lincoln, NE
June 14th: Denver, CO
June 16th: Salt Lake City, UT
June 17th: Sacramento, CA
June 18th: West Hollywood, CA
June 19th: Las Vegas, NV
June 20th: Tuscon, AZ
June 21st: Scottsdale, AZ
June 23rd: San Antonio, TX
June 24th: Houston, TX
June 25th: Fort Worth, TX
June 26th: Oklahoma City, OK
June 27th: St. Louis, MO
June 28th: Indianapolis, IN
June 29th: Columbus, OH

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: bands, fck, merica, psychosticks, rawrb, summer, ...

Concert Review “Transgender Dysphoria Blues Tour” Rochester, NY

“Transgender Dysphoria Blues Tour”
Against Me!, Tony Molina, Big Eyes
Date: Saturday, May 10th 2014
Venue: Water Street Music Hall, Rochester, NY

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The punk rock group Against Me! made a stop at Rochester, NY’s Water Street Music Hall on Saturday, May 10th in support of their latest album titled “Transgender Dysphoria Blues”. The 4 piece group appeared to be in top form with singer/guitarist Laura Jane Grace at the helm as the group blasted through an hour and fifteen minute set that included songs from the group new album and their sizable back catalog.

Big Eyes a three piece power trio from Seattle, Washington helped kick off the night as they performed a solid 35 minute set playing songs that were a blend of both classic and indie rock. Singer/guitarist Kate Eldridge laid down an impressive performance both on guitar and vocally while the group’s bassist and drummer provided an extremely tight back beat. Next up was the group Tony Molina from San Francisco, California. The group performed a unique blend of melodic punk rock tinged with Black Sabbath like break downs that quickly grabbed my attention. Sadly the rest of the crowd in attendance didn’t seem interested as there were several portions of the bands brief set which could have used immediate attention mainly in the name of feedback suppression which ran ramped in between each number.

After an extended set change Against Me! would take the stage opening with “FuckMyLife666” which set the performance of perfectly by paving the way for songs like “New Wave”, “Don’t Lose Touch” and “Trans Gender Dysphoria Blues”. The bands energy was high throughout the fast pace 75 minute set and though the band paused only briefly to interact with the frenzied crowd those in attendance didn’t mind. At point during the set the band asked the crowd for help as they sang happy birthday to bassist Inge Johansson which everyone seem to really enjoy and then it was immediately back to the set which was closed out shortly after by the song “The Ocean” from the bands “New Wave” album. After some persistent chanting from the crowd Laura Jane returned to the stage for a solo performance of “Baby, I’m an Anarchist” which was followed by full band performances of We “Laugh at Danger (And Break All the Rules)” and the always entertaining “Pints of Guinness Make You Strong”.

Whether you just discovered Against Me! or you are a long time fan you need to get to one of the remaining shows on this tour. The band sounds better than ever and the new material sounds even better live. Also if you want to check out some other cool music then get to the venue early and catch both Big Eyes and Tony Molina sets as I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Against Me! Set List:
1. FuckMyLife666
2. Cliché Guevara
3. New Wave
4. Walking Is Still Honest
5. Unconditional Love
6. I Still Love You Julie
7. True Trans Soul Rebel
8. Don’t Lose Touch
9. I Was a Teenage Anarchist
10. Turn Those Clapping Hand into Angry Balled Fists
11. Pretty Girls (The Mover)
12. Transgender Dysphoria Blues
13. Miami
14. Americans Abroad
15. Dead Friend
16. Osama Bin Laden as the Crucified Christ
17. Thrash Unreal
18. Black Me Out
19. The Ocean
Encore:
20. Baby, I’m an Anarchist
21. We Laugh at Danger (And Break All the Rules)
22. Pints of Guinness Make You Strong

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: blues, concert, dysphoria, ny, review, rochester, ...

Concert Review: Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band “Songs from St. Somewhere” Tour, Tampa, FL

Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band
MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre
Tampa, FL
April 19, 2014

It was a rather chilly and on and off rainy night, April 19, 2014 in Tampa, FL but that didn’t mean anything for us hardcore Jimmy Buffett fans. I do not think I have ever been to a concert with as much energy and excitement that this show at the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre. The last time I saw Jimmy and his band perform was in Orlando, FL at the Amway Center and I have to admit thinking back on it now it just felt so claustrophobic being in that closed arena. Now the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre was a open arena that really gave Jimmy and the band a chance to open their wings and really soar higher than ever. The band was in fine form at this show. You can honestly just look at Jimmy’s face and know that he is honestly and genuinely having fun. Just plain fun. I may have said this before but the guy seems to really love what he is doing and I swear he only seems to be getting better and better each time I see him.

When you look at this stage, there are literally so many people up there that I didn’t know where to look first. In fact, I counted and including Jimmy his Coral Reefer Band adds up to twelve members. Now the reason why that is unique is that you could literally pick out the role of each person throughout the entire person. If you were listening out for Michael Utley on the keyboards you can clearly hear him jamming. If you were looking out for Mac McAnally (I mean you can’t miss the guy with that hair but…) you can easily pick out his voice on each song. To be that is so very important. You can tell that there was a lot of time put into making sure that each member of the band was equally balanced and sounded just right. Congrats to the sound engineer for this sound because it was an outstanding performance.

What I really loved about this show was that from the moment it started it was just hit song after hit song. We were on our feet literally the entire show. If we got tired after at any point, the excitement of the next song just completely took over and drew us in. Some highlights as usual were “Boat Drinks”, “Come Monday” and “Southern Cross”. Since this is the “Songs From St. Somewhere” tour, we got to hear the new hit song “Too Drunk to Karaoke”, which was just such a blast to hear live. The band’s cover of “All Night Long (All Night)” got such an outstanding response, I looked around at one point during the song and didn’t see a mouth not moving and anyone not dancing like crazy. They not only play the songs that they want to play, they play the songs that fans want to hear and they were right on queue!

The “Songs From St. Somewhere” tour took a break in December but picked up this month to close out the tour. This show actually was one of the last one of the tour before the band (taking only a month off) kicks right back into touring with the new summer tour, “This One’s For You”, which starts in May. So even though that this was the “end of the tour”, you could have easily told me that it was the kick-off because like I said the energy was insane and the band was in rare form. I don’t know how they tour for most of the year and never take a break…but I guess it just goes back to my original statement of how much fun these talented performers are having on the stage.  I hope that it is not too long before they decide to take over the state of Florida again because I already feel the itch to take a trip to Margaritaville again soon!

Set List:
1. Kinja
2. Landfall
3. Brown Eyed Girl
4. Boat Drinks
5. Weather With You
6. Pencil Thin Mustache
7. It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere
8. Son of a Son of a Sailor
9. Rhumba Man
10. Come Monday
11. Too Drunk to Karaoke
12. Cheeseburger in Paradise
13. Cultural Infidel
14. Piece of Work
15. Somethin’ ‘Bout a Boat
16. Southern Cross
17. Volcano
18. Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes
19. A Pirate Looks at Forty
20. Back Where I Come From
21. One Particular Harbour
22. All Night Long (All Night)
23. Fins
24. Margaritaville

Encores:
25. We Are the People Our Parents Warned Us About
26. Knee Deep
27. Defying Gravity

 

Related Content

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: band, buffett, concert, coral, fl, jimmy, ...

Goo Goo Dolls’ Robby Takac talks about the band’s acoustic tour

Robby Takac is the bassist and a founding member of the rock band the Goo Goo Dolls. In June of 2013 the group released their tenth studio album titled “Magnetic” to rave reviews. The group is currently out on the road performing acoustically and Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Robby about the special run of shows and this summer’s upcoming tour with “American Idol” alum Chris Daughtry.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about the current acoustic tour you guys are out on?
Robby Takac: That was something John has been talking about doing for awhile now. Occasionally we get asked to do one off acoustic shows and they end up being a lot of fun and something we wanted to do more of. We just finished a Canadian tour run and have a little bit of time before our next tour starts to go out and do this acoustic run. It’s a great opportunity for us to go back out and do some shows that are a little different. There’s times during these shows where we have 11 people up there performing.

AL: With the acoustic element aside what do you find to be the biggest difference between these shows and the band’s traditional shows?
RT: When we are doing an electric show there are a lot more bells and whistles. We bust out all the stops when we are performing electrically. With the acoustic shows we are playing in much more intimate venues. I think the largest room we have booked on this tour is maybe 400 seats.  There is a different form of communication happening between the band and the listeners in this smaller setting. The shows are going great and I have a feeling that we will be more of them in the future.

AL: How does song selection play out from night to night?
RT: After putting out a number of acoustic songs we have a good catalog to choose from. We also do a bunch of our hit songs that we have reworked. A lot of the songs have been orchestrated so doing those on our own without that backing has been a little different. We thought about having things laid out ahead of time but it ended up working better when we just go off the cuff. We go out tell some stories and play some songs and it’s just a great time.

AL: Can you tell us about the bands recent video for the song “Come to Me”?
RT: I think when you do a video you are looking for something that accompanies the song. We tend to do videos that go along with the songs as the song is the most important thing. We shot the newest video up in the hills outside of Los Angeles and we feel it goes great with the song.

AL: What are the plans for the band after the acoustic tour run?
RT: We have a summer tour coming up with Daughtry that is going to be amazing. I think he has done a really great thing being able to change from what he did on “American Idol” and transforming it to what he is doing now. He had the ears and eyes of American during the time he was on that show and he has managed to keep them. We are going to have a great time this summer with Daughtry and Plain White T’s who will also be part of the tour.

AL: Can you tell us a little bit about the record label you have been working on?
RT: Good Charamel Records is the name of the label and we put out a lot of 7 inch Japanese punk rock albums.  Bands like Shonen Knife and Pinky Doodle Poodle are on our label. My wife and I actually manage Shonen Knife who has a great new album coming out soon.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: acoustic, bands, dolls, goo, robby, takac, ...

Theater Review “War Horse” Kansas City, Missouri

“War Horse”
April 1, 2014
Music Hall
Kansas City, Missouri

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

It was an incredible evening in Kansas City this week when the Tony Award winning play “War Horse” rode triumphantly into the Music Hall for a one week engagement.

Based on the popular children’s book of the same name by Michael Morpurgo (adapted for the stage by Nick Stafford, the play was also the basis for the very successful Steven Spielberg-helmed film from 2011.

The play begins in August 1912 in England. A horse auction is about to commence. In a bidding war between the Narracott brothers – well-to-do Arthur (Andrew Long) and down-on-his-luck Ted (Gene Gillette). As the two go at it, they drive the price to more than three times the usual. Ted wins but he must spend the mortgage money on the creature. What’s worse, while Ted was looking for a plow horse, he has come home with a hunter. He entrusts the care of the horse to his son, Albert (Michael Wyatt Cox). Albert names the horse “Joey,” and with love and kindness, the two bond. Soon, young Joey is a majestic steed…rearing up in joy when Albert is near. It is a bond that will continue to hold, even when separated by war.

Winner of 5 Tony Awards (and a special Tony for it’s remarkable puppetry), including Best Play, “War Horse” is a show that you will remember forever. Not only for its great cast and outstanding set design, but for the amazing work of the South African Handspring Puppet Company. What they have created is nothing short of miraculous. Life size horses gallop and play on the stage, guided not only by the puppeteers inside the creation but the one guiding the head as well, capturing the very essence of movement and grace. With the “handlers” dressed as others in the cast, they blend in so nicely that one can easily begin to believe the horses are real.

As the story progresses over six year, Joey learns to do things he wasn’t intended to and uses those skills to not only help himself but to save the lives of those around him. He is truly the star of this production and I can’t tip my hat enough to the artists that bring him, and the other horses, to life. The human actors also do a great job. As Albert, Cox displays just the right amount of wide-eyed innocence that is slowly lost as he goes off to battle in an effort to search for his friend. Both Long and Gillette portray the conflict between the two Narracott brothers sharply. Yes, there is some anger and animosity there, but underneath there is love. Others who deserve special notice include Maria Elena Ramirez as Albert’s mother, Andrew May as a German officer who soon understands the horror of war and Caden Douglas as the hard charging Captain Stewart. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the cast that brings Joey to life: Jon Hoche, Brian Robert Burns and Jessica Krueger. Bravo!

“War Horse” continues in Kansas City through April 6.
UPCOMING DATES
April 8        Orpheum Theater               Omaha, Nebraska
April 22     Capitol Theater                    Salt Lake City, Utah
April 29     Popejoy Hall                         Albequerque, New Mexico
May 6          Bass Concert Hall               Austin, Texas

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Theatre Reviews Tagged With: city, horse, kansas, review, theater, tour, ...

Styx’s Lawrence Gowan talks about the band’s “Soundtrack of Summer” 2014 tour with Foreigner & Don Felder

Lawrence Gowan is the lead vocalist/keyboardist for the legendary rock band. Earlier this year, they announced their 2014 summer tour titled “Soundtrack of Summer”, which will feature a co-headline with Foreigner and former Eagles guitarist Don Felder. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Lawrence Gowan about their upcoming tour, creating new music and his thought’s on being a member of Styx for 15 years.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some info on the bands upcoming tour?
Lawrence Gowan: We will be out this summer with Foreigner and Don Felder. We have toured the states with Foreigner in some time. We did some shows with them over in England and we realized that the pairing of the two bands was just really great. We wanted to add a little more to the bill like we had done last summer bringing Ted Nugent out with this. This year were brining Don Felder formerly of the Eagles. It’s a great night of entertainment when you can add a third element that takes things over the top. We had done a show last year with Don and it was fantastic. The fact that he has written so many of those Eagles classics that people know is great but he also has an amazing band as well. We added him to the mix and now fans will get 3 hours of music that they know all the words to. The tour is being call the “Soundtrack to Summer” tour and I think that is very fitting. It definitely describes our experiences from playing in the U.S. and Canada. I think people will probably be tired from singing after it’s all over.

AL: The last tour featured Styx performing the “Pieces of Eight” and “Grand Illusion” albums in their entirety. Will the band be picking different albums to perform for this tour?
LG: I don’t think it will be this time. The evening is very much hit driven so I think people will be hearing all the songs they know. Having performed albums in their entirety I have found this to be a curious thing. The big thing is that audiences seem to keep getting younger and younger. So many people seem to have discovered classic rock in the last 10 years. At our shows we see younger people enjoying the experience of hearing some of our albums in their entirety. They seem to share their enthusiasm for both our hits and other tracks from the various albums that don’t get as much play. One of those tracks is “Man in the Wilderness”. That song was never released as a single and it has become a huge favorite. Of course we will be playing “Come Sail Away”, Blue Collar Man” and Renegade” as they are some of our corner stone’s but we can change our set a little to hit some of those more obscure songs which have become peoples favorites over the years. There’s going to be diversity in the night with an element of cohesiveness among the three bands.

AL: Being this is not the bands first time out in a multi-band tour format how do you go about keeping the shows fresh and new from year to year?
LG: That’s our task. It just so happens that we are band who is up to that challenge. We love hearing from fans that the show was even better than the last time they saw us. We are always trying to figure out ways to elevate the show and play the songs better than we have before. A song is a living thing. It’s not stagnant piece of music that stays the same. Every time we play one of our songs it’s going to be a little different. Each night songs take on new meaning for us when we play them. Each day is new and it’s another opportunity to try and get the song right. There is a lot more going on with the music than just being a collection of notes. There are feelings and emotions that need to be navigated every time you play a song. That’s our challenge. In addition to that Styx is a band of 5 front men. Everyone on stage is a great entertainer and musician. I think that’s why the audience is so engaged in what we do. We have a tremendous connection with the audience and we are certainly aware of that. The combination of the band, the song and the audience is infectious. We love what we do and constantly want to do it better.

AL: As an artist I am sure you always want to be creating new material however, does the fans wanting to hear the bands previous catalog make it tough to introduce new material?
LG: There is definitely a balance. We did a full album about 10 years ago that we are still trying to play as much as we can. It hard to squeeze a song in to the set but when we have the chance we will do that. We also had a cover album come out where we did a cover of “I am the Walrus” and that ended up being a big hit with classic radio stations. We try and get that one in there whenever we can. We have been trying to put out some new pieces when we can. We also have re-recorded some of the classic Styx songs and added new pieces to those. We always look for the opportunities to add something new. We also have to try and grapple with the reality of the music industry right now. The one thing that can’t be downloaded or replicated in any way is the live experience. That’s what people are drawn to.  Every show is different
and its own separate experience.

AL: This May will mark your 15th year as a member of Styx. When you first joined the band did you ever envision being where you are today?
LG: I have had a really fortunate career. I had a successful solo career in Canada prior to joining Styx and was able to garner a big enough audience to where I could one day perform with Styx in 1997 when they came to Montreal. That led to the second half of my career where I get to be a part of this legendary band. Not many people can make a claim like that. My career has gone backwards in that I had the long solo career and then a lengthy band career. I really have enjoyed the whole thing. There is always something more you want to accomplish but when I am beating myself up about that I look at where I am and see how fortunate I am. It’s a very unique situation and I am so grateful to be part of this.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: don, felder, foreigner, gowan, lawrence, soundtrack, ...

Richie Ramone talks about his 2014 tour and debut solo album “Entitled”

Former Ramones drummer Richie Ramone who was a member of the legendary punk group from 1982-1987 and penned such classic songs as “Somebody Put Something in my Drink” and “I’m Not Jesus” has just returned to the music scene after an extended hiatus with a debut album titled “Entitled”. To support the release Richie and his band our out touring the U.S. and Europe and Media Mikes sat down with Richie recently to discuss his time with the Ramones and why he felt now was the time to release a solo album.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us how you originally were chosen to join the Ramones?
Richie Ramone: There was a big 3 storey house in Brooklyn were we all used to party and hangout. There was also a recording studio there. I just happened to be there one day and Little Matt who was a roadie for the Ramones was leaving after hanging out and I happened to ask him where he was going. He told me that the Ramones were auditioning new drummers and that he had to be there. I told him to my name in the hat for consideration and a short time later I got a call from Monte Melnick the bands manager and the rest is history. I just happened to be in that building at the right time. I didn’t know any of those guys initially as it was an open audition.

AL: What was the band atmosphere like when you joined?
RR: They were worn out. Things were good but of course Joey and Johnny tended to fight a lot. I was just this kid from New Jersey. I was new blood and once I got in there things just settled down. When someone new comes to the band everyone is on their best behavior. (Laughs) It was a good climate in that band for many years. John and I both loved baseball and when I first joined we would go to games at the different ball parks together. Sadly as time went on and it came time to do business things just didn’t work.

AL: What is your take on the recent marketing explosion of Ramones merchandise that often doesn’t include yours, Marky or Cj’s names?
RR: They won’t put mine or Marky’s name on the t-shirts anymore. Apparently the one with Tommy is the biggest seller. If you are able to find an original Richie shirt it’s worth around $300 or more. I’m not part of that merchandising thing anyhow and these days I have mine own merchandise and things are fine. I know the Ramones still sell around 20-25,000 records a year and things are going well. I think things were a bit cheapened when after I left they tried to make it seem like I never existed. People knew I was there. I went through a lull for awhile and now I have risen to the top.

AL: Being you along with CJ were both very instrumental in the continuation/success of the Ramones what were your feelings toward being excluded from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductions?
RR: When you see bands with multiple members in a situation like that there really needs to be a decision to take everyone or just the original core members. That’s how it’s supposed to work and when the Ramones went in it didn’t work that way. I still went to the ceremony and spoke on Joey’s behalf. It all worked out. Big fucking deal I didn’t get a statue.

AL: Why did you choose now to come out with a solo album?
RR: I have no idea! I didn’t even pick up a drum stick for 10 or 12 years. In 2006 Joey’s brother Mickey invited to me to perform at the Joey Birthday Bash. That kind of got the fever going. In 2007 I did “Suite for Drums and Orchestra” with the Pasadena Pops and did some shows and then did a few more Birthday Bashes the following 2 or 3 years. From there I started writing and the material turned out real good. People started saying that I should do an album. I had never done a solo record before and one thing just sort of led to another and here I am now. Things weren’t really ever planned they just happened.

AL: How did you go about putting together the material and the band which plays on the record?
RR: I wrote all of the stuff in my home studio. I found Tommy Boland who plays guitar on the record through a friend of mine. I play all the instruments but for this I needed real players. Tommy added a lot of color. I knew I wanted a little heavier guitar sound with solos. I wanted a little metal in there and that’s what I got with Tommy. Jiro Okabe came in and played bass on the record. Playing the material live is a little different. Tommy wasn’t available for this run and Jiro’s vocals didn’t work so I let him go. The live sound has to be a little harder as it’s more stripped down. There are only 4 of us up there and we don’t use any backing tracks. We just plug in and go. This line up of Clare Misstake on bass, Alex Kane on guitar, and Ben Reagan on guitar/drums is really fucking good. I am excited to be out with them.

AL: Where do you generally start when working on new material?
RR: It happens all different ways. Sometimes it starts with a beat, sometimes with a chord progression or a lyric idea. I am not a guy who writes about politics or anything like that. I just write about stuff that happens in my life. A lot of times what’s happening in your life is also happening in other peoples as well.

AL: The U.S. tour runs through March. Does the band have any plans scheduled after that?
RR: We will be heading to South America for the month of May and then will be in Europe and Italy in June. We are going to be touring all of this year. We have to see how this all goes and maybe will do another record. I have more material that I have been thinking about but I want to see how well this first record is going to be received. If the kids want more I am going to give them more.

AL: What has the overall reception been like for the record/tour?
RR: The reception has been real good. Especially from the people who come out to the shows who already have the album. It’s hard if no one has listened to the record before hand because there’s no relationship built around those songs yet. Some fans coming out may get a little bewildered at the new material. That was a big part of why a waited a couple months to tour behind the release as I wanted people to have a chance to sit with the material.

AL: What do you feel is the biggest change in the music scene now as compared to the 1980’s?
RR: In the old days you generally just hid from the fans. I would put my sunglasses and just stay hidden. Now you are totally exposed. It’s a huge difference! Touring is still touring. You’re riding in a van all day and then wait in a cold room till you go on. The music industry has changed also. I just come out and have fun with the fans as that’s who it’s all about. 5 minutes after our set is done I am out at the merch table meeting everyone and taking pictures with them. They pay their hard earned money and we give them a show.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: 2014, album, debut, entitled, ramone, richie, ...

Concert Review: Richie Ramone “Something in My Drink Tour”

“Something in My Drink Tour”
Richie Ramone, One Last Shot, Home Court Advantage
Date: Wednesday, February 19th 2014
Venue: The Lost Horizon, Syracuse, NY

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Former Ramones drummer Richie Ramone made a stop at the legendary Lost Horizon in Syracuse, NY on February 19th as part of his 2014 “Something in My Drink” tour. The gig was an intimate in your face experience as Ramone and company treated the crowd to slew of Ramones classics as well as songs off Ramones debut solo album “Entitled”. Though Ramone had some stiff competition with SU Basketball also being in town it did little to phase the fans or the band as all eyes were on Richie.

Starting off the night was a local act by the name of Home Court Advantage. The groups sound was a mixture of pop-punk that teetered on the edge of straight forward rock as the group mixed cover and original material. Though as the group’s name may have suggested they may have in fact had the home court but there was certainly no advantage as at several times throughout the brief set it seemed as though the band members were all playing something different which resulted in a number of timing issues. Next to take the stage was another local act by the name of One Last Shot. The group’s metal-core sound was promising as it was quite a bit of a departure from the previous band and a bit more refined. Sadly the minute the singer opened his mouth any promise the band may have shown went directly out the window. Dressed in homemade pants fashioned from duct tape the singer read like a cheap Darby Crash knock off. This really was a disappointment due to the tightness of the backing band however, they were able to get the crowd somewhat warmed up for the headliner so I guess their mission was accomplished.

After a brief set change Richie Ramone and company would take the stage. Flanked by the lovely and always entertaining Clare Misstake on bass, the energetic Alex Kane on lead guitar and multi talented rhthym guitarist/drummer Ben Reagan, Richie proceeded to take the audience on a music joy ride that enticed several circle shaped pits and pogo Malays fitting of the high octane 180 beats per minute music that was being performed. From classic songs like “Somebody Put Something In My Drink” to “Commando” and “Something to Do” to newer songs like “Entitled” and “Smash You” which are featured on Ramones new Solo album Richie and his crew held the audience in their hands and left them wanting more. Don’t let the fact that Richie now in his 50’s is going to slow or dull down that legendary break neck speed or sound synonymous with the Ramones name as he appears to be at the top his game and ready to take on the world.

The U.S. leg of the “Something in My Drink” tour runs through March and from there the band will be heading overseas for a group of shows in Europe. I highly suggest going out to see the band as Pinheads and Animal Boys both new and old will not be disappointed.

Richie Ramone Set List:
1.) Criminal
2.) Somebody Put Something in my Drink
3.) Smash You
4.) Something to Do
5.) Better Then Me
6.) Durango
7.) Animal Boy
8.) I Know Better
9.) Blitzkrieg Bop
10.) Entitled
11.) Warthog
12.) Elevator Operator
13.) Can’t Say Anything Nice
14.) Forgotten Years
15.) Take My Hand
16.) Today Your Love
17.) I ’m not Jesus
18.) Loudmouth
19.) Humankind
20.) Cretin Hop
21.) Into the Fire
22.) Vulnerable
23.) Commando

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: concert, drink, ramone, review, richie, tour, ...

Foreigner’s Kelly Hansen talks about “The Soundtrack of Summer” Tour with Styx and Don Felder

Photo Credit: S. Schweiger

Kelly Hansen is best known as the current lead singer of the rock band Foreigner. He joined the band in 2005 after Lou Gramm left in 2003 to pursue a solo career. Foreigner just announced their 2014 tour, called The Soundtrack of Summer along with Styx and Don Felder of The Eagles. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Kelly about tour, music and other future plans.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about what we can expect from your upcoming The Soundtrack of Summer tour?
Kelly Hansen: It is a tour of the U.S. and starts May 16th. Tickets are on sale now. It will consist of Foreigner, Styx and Don Felder (The Eagles). We are real excited about it. We all have been able to hang out recently and working on a re-recording of the track “Hotel California”. So that is pretty cool. We were also on “Fox and Friends” this past week in NYC, where we did a medley of “Juke Box Hero”, “Hotel California” and “Blue Collar Man”. We are rehearsing and getting ready and it has been great. I think it is going to be an awesome summer tour. It will certainly be a fun night of music with a lot of great hits.

MG: Foreigner and Styx have toured together before but tell us about the addition of former Eagles guitarist Don Felder?
KH: You are always trying to find a good package. It was a good time for us to try and all get together. Styx has been doing very well. Things are blowing up for Foreigner recently. We had had a lot of things come up and it has really given me the feeling that this is going to be a good year for us. I have a good feeling about this tour and that the vibe is going to be really good.

MG: Can you tell why you choose to record a new version of the Eagles’ “Hotel California”?
KH: I am not sure if it was a management idea or a band idea. I know that Tommy Shaw had written and played with Don on his latest record. So there was that partnership going on. We thought that it would be a good song for everyone to get on board with and be a part of and to redo for the show. Jeff and Don really came up with the arrangement, the plan and put it together. We all did different parts on it. I sing a verse…Tommy sings a verse…Don sings a verse. Tommy, Johnny and Don all play solos on it, so it is really cool.

MG: I read that Styx and Foreigner will interchange closing slots for the tour; tell us about this dynamic?
KH: Yeah, we call it flip-flopping. You come up with the cities for the tour and then you talk about which show would be good for each band to finish. Some fans want particular bands to close and that is cool. You just sort it and make sure it is pretty even. I like it because it makes it feel like a co-headlining gig.

MG: What can fans expect from the compilation album as well to go along with the tour?
KH: It is going to have songs from each band on there and maybe a couple of extras things. It will be available for sale during the tour. I am not sure of the complete details yet.

MG: Tell us about your appearance at a New Jersey Buffalo Wild Wings to get customers psyched for the Super Bowl halftime show this year?
KH: It was very last minute, we went in on our day off, and I had just gotten back from Germany. I went into the studio and re-sang the lyrics since the words changed for the spot. Then we flew into Secaucus, NJ and it was very on the fly. There were like twelve hidden cameras in the restaurant. It is a sports bar, so there were a lot of TV screens throughout. We had these cheerleaders come out with tons of confetti and we just started playing the tune. We totally surprised people and we did it a few times. We would wait for the restaurant to clear out and do it again. It was wild. Everyone had a great time.

MG: Lastly tell us about plans for a new Foreigner album and plans for yet another tour later this year to play the “4” album in its entirety?
KH: We were talking about doing that, yeah. We are also going to Germany to do an acoustic tour, which is something we have never done before. We will be playing all these cool opera houses in Germany. We were talking about doing the whole “4” album in its entirety, which will be cool. Concerning the album, there is already some writing that has started. I do not know if it will be a whole new album, it will mostly likely be a mix package with new material and hits. So we are looking forward to that as well.

MG: How do you get the energy to constantly tour non-stop?
KH: It is pretty heavy duty. I really have to try and take care of myself. I got a green juice sitting next to me right now. I have to make sure I get plenty of rest. The management and everybody is real good to make sure about asking me if I can do a particular schedule and they take real good care of me.

MG: I am a juicer myself, so I am sure the fans are going to want to know what your green juice recipe is?
KH: Mine is spinach, kale, cucumber, celery, ginger, lemon and apple. I like to do it heavy on the green, just a little bit of fruit. I do not like sweet juice. I like it to be pretty gnarly. I like that [laughs]. If you are juicing andf you have all that pulp left over, what you should do is put all that in a pot fill it up with water and you can make this great vegetable stock that you can use for all kinds of recipes. That way you can use the vegetables twice, especially if you are buying organic and they are more expensive. You juice the vegetable first and take that out and use that to make the stock. Then you go and put in your fruit, so you are not making a vegetable stock with fruit in it. I really enjoy that.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: don, felder, foreigners, hansen, kelly, soundtrack, ...

Concert Review: AFI “Burials Winter Tour”

“Burials Winter Tour”
AFI, Youth Code, Coming
Date: Saturday, February 1st 2014
Venue: Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 AFI played the final show of the “Burials” winter tour on February 1st at the intimate Town Ballroom in Buffalo, NY to a near capacity crowd. The California based band has been out in support of their 9th studio album titled “Burials” which was released in late fall of 2013.  Though it’s been 4 years since the bands last album and quite some time since the band has performed in the upstate NY area they certainly made up for lost time with the evenings stellar performance.

Kicking of the night was a 3 piece band by the name of “Coming”. The groups sound could be describes as a mixture of Reagan Era punk rock with a bit more edginess and experimentation. Though the idea was promising the group seemed to lack any real talent. Drums dominated a good portion of the band’s sound and what space was left was filled buy one line vocal passages screamed well past the point of be able to be recognized just what the singer was actually trying to sing. Though the venue was only partially full by the end of the groups set those in attendance did provide the band with ample applause. As the venue slowly began to reach capacity a two piece Industrial EDM group by the name of “Youth Code” would take the stage and by the end of the group’s first song you could almost hear a pin drop as the crowd, myself included were left completely baffled by what we were seeing and hearing. Unoriginal 80’s era beats mixed with schizophrenic yelling and behavior plagued the groups 30/40 minute set that when the duo finally left the stage it was if a collective sigh was heard throughout the room.

After a sizeable gap between acts AFI would finally take the stage basked in a glow of red, purple and blue lighting. Lead vocalist Davey Havok wasted no time acquainting himself with the audience as by the bands second song he had already made one trip in to the audience via a quick leap from the security barrier. This would not be the first time Havok would make his way out into the three tiered venue which only added to the excitement which filled the now tightly filled room. The band performed songs from their varying catalog which dates back to 1995. The band known for their energetic live performances certainly didn’t disappoint as bassist Hunter Burgan and guitarist Jade Puget made tracks all over the stage jumping and spinning throughout the 17 song set. Even though it was the bands last night of this tour run they gave the crowd something special by performing the song “Greater Than 84” live for the first time which sounded just as good, if not better than the recorded version. Before finally leaving the stage for the night the band performed a 3 song encore made up of “The Conductor”, “Dancing Through Sunday” and “Silver and Cold” which left fans cheering for more. Every time I am able to see AFI it makes me wish that they toured more extensively and this night’s show has once again left me with that same feeling.

AFI Set List:
1.) The Leaving Song Pt.II
2.) Girl’s Not Grey
3.) I Hope You Suffer
4.) Wester
5.) Love Like Winter
6.) Ever and a Day
7.) 17 Crimes
8.) The Leaving Song
9.) Beautiful Thieves
10.) Kill Caustic
11.) Greater Than 84 (Live Debut)
12.) The Days of the Phoenix
13.) 6 to 8
14.) Miss Murder

Encore:
15.) The Conductor
16.) Dancing Through Sunday
17.) Silver and Cold

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: afi, burials, concert, review, tour, winter, ...

Monster Truck’s Jeremy Widerman talks about 2014 tour with Buckcherry

Jeremy Widerman is the guitarist/vocalist for the Canadian hard rock band Monster Truck. The 4 piece group from Hamilton, Ontario released their first full length album titled “Furiosity” in May of last year. The band is set to kick off 2014 touring with Buckcherry and Media Mikes had the chance recently to speak with Jeremy about the tour, his dislike of music videos and his take people’s perception of Canadian bands.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us a little background on the band?
Jeremy Widerman: The band started in Hamilton, Ontario and all of the guys in the band were pretty familiar with one another because of playing in the Hamilton music scene. We wanted to start a band that we could keep to ourselves and do what we wanted. We wanted to be free of self imposed rules of what we should or shouldn’t be. We started out wanting to be a bar band that would play once or twice a month just for fun. We wanted to be able to stay in control of everything as a group.

AL: When did you realize that the band could/should move forward?
JW: Things became pretty apparent within the first six months of the band. A lot of the songs came together really quickly which gave way to us being able to start doing shows just as quick. It was in those first that we knew we had something that could be expanded upon. It took us a year however to actually go for it.

AL: The bands first full length album “Furiosity” came out almost a year ago. How has the reception been?
JW: The record came out in May of 2013 and we knew that if things were done properly and we did things the way we wanted we would end up with something that could be quite successful not only with our fan base but also to new listeners as well. We worked on “Furosity” for a year because we felt this momentum that we knew we could capitalize on. The record took a little longer than we had initially thought it would to complete but once we sat down with the mixes we were all really confident that we achieved what we had set out to do. The release has gone really well as did the subsequent tour. You never know what to expect when it comes to the music industry but things have worked out well and we have gotten a lot of great opportunities because of that.

AL: Do you feel coming from Canada has influenced people perception of the band here in the United States?
JW: Yeah for sure! That’s just one of those things you can’t avoid. We try not to pay much attention to that stuff as it’s sort of a natural occurrence. I think it’s going to happen no matter what. You are going to have a stigma attached to you no matter what. If ours is that were from Canada that’s fine by us. From our perspective as proud as we are to be from Canada and be Canadians I don’t know if Canada really provided me with the kind of bands I wanted to hear growing up. We don’t take a lot of influence from Canadian music and people have told us that we don’t sound like other bands from Canada. I think that has been a bit of an asset for us moving ahead in the United States and overseas as there is a certain Canadian rock sound that bands have. Whether it was conscious or subconscious it’s something we don’t have.  It could be because our influences didn’t come from Canada and that we have tried really hard to ovoid that stigma. Naturally being from the country will cause some assumption and we are ok with that.

AL: The band has put out a couple lyric videos recently but nothing featuring the band. Have there been any talks to do a full music video production for any of the songs off of the album?
JW: We actually wrapped shooting on a video for the song “The Lion” a few days ago. Lyrics videos are something that I am not a huge fan of. The label likes to put them out to help promote the songs but other than that I’m not really sure what they accomplish. (Laughs) Music Videos in general are kind of hard to understand these days. With YouTube going downhill because of all of the add implementation it has really hurt things. On our YouTube page you won’t find the ads because we chose not to monetize the site. I thought the true beauty in YouTube initially was that you could bounce from video to video without being force fed advertisements. From my perspective videos are fun to do when you have a good idea and it fits with the music. We have sort of shied away from videos this past year but we have been asked to do some recently and it’s just part of the business.

AL: Can you tell us about the bands tour plans for 2014?
JW: Starting January 20th we will be out on the road with Buckcherry. We had sort of a slow start in the States building the band and that is something we want to work on throughout this year. We will be out for a month with the Buckcherry guys and then we have a couple weeks off before we head over to the UK, Europe and Germany. After that we will be back in States and on tour for three weeks with Alter Bridge. Once that run wraps up we will be out on another run with some really big bands however, I can’t announce that one just yet. We are really looking forward to getting back out there.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: 2014, buckcherry, jeremy, monster, talks, tour, ...

Theatre Review “Once” National Tour – Orlando, FL

“Once” National Tour
January 28th – February 2nd
Bob Car Performing Arts Centre
401 West Livingston Street
Orlando, FL 32801-1413

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Before “Once” was such a big deal and became an Academy Award winning film (for Best Song “Falling Slowly” in 2007), I was already a huge fan of the film and its music. When the show was produced as a stage play on Broadway, I thought that it couldn’t have made a better fit for that format. And not surprisingly it ended up winning eight 2012 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Living here in Orlando, FL sometimes it can be harder to catch Broadway’s best but luckily we have the treasure that is Bob Car Performing Arts Centre, which delivers the best of Broadway right in the center of city of Orlando. When the national tour dates were announced for “Once”, I couldn’t have been more excited.

I have had the privilege of interviewing both leads in this touring play, Stuart Ward and Dani de Waal (click on their names for respective interviews). They are really talented and do great justice to this beautiful piece of work. They add something special and unique to each of the songs, which I instantly fell in love with. I have been listening to the “Once” soundtrack consistently since 2007 and only to be slightly replaced with the 2012’s Broadway Original Cast Recording. So I am not only a fan but I feel like this music speaks to me on a much deeper level. When I was listening (and singing along) during this play, I feel like they really nails these tracks and delivered the soul that would be expected from Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova.

“Once” is quite the stage experience and features a very impressive ensemble of actor/musicians who play their own instruments onstage. The supporting cast to this play are also outstanding and really wrap up the show with a red ribbon. High regards go out to Evan Harrington, who plays Billy, for a particularly great performance. Prior to the show starting, you were able to get up on stage and walk around to feel like you are a part of the show. The cast then came out and started just riffing and playing fun music for the audience to enjoy. Ray Bokhour, who played Da, had a really beautiful and touching go at the song “On Raglan Road” and hang the audience near tears. When the show did start it blended in so well from the pre-show that if you didn’t know the music, you wouldn’t have even realized it started.

The set was extremely simple and has no changes besides the enter/exit of some chairs and music equipment. Pretty much the whole cast is on the cast throughout the whole show playing along with their instruments and adding to each of these wonderful songs. The story itself if you are not familiar follows a Dublin street musician who is about to give up on his dream when he meets a beautiful young woman who encourages him to keep going and do something with his songs. The two get closer overtime and work on their music… but this isn’t your fairy tale romance as events become much more complex in their time together. I cannot recommend this play any higher. It is emotionally gripping and will leave you hanging on to every note of its beautiful music. Congrats to the national tour cast since they simply nailed it.

Click here to purchase tickets during the show’s stop in Orlando and also be sure to check out the schedule for the remainder of the national tour!

Miami, FL (The Adrienne Arsht Center)
Feb. 4 – 9, 2014

Tampa, FL (Straz Center)
Feb. 11 – 16, 201

Fort Myers, FL (Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall)
Feb. 18 – 23, 2014

New Haven, CT (Shubert Theater)
Feb. 26 – March 2, 2014

Atlanta, GA (Fox Theatre)
March 4 – 9, 2014

Pittsburgh, PA (Benedum Center)
March 11 – 16, 2014

Rochester, NY (Auditorium Theatre)
March 18 – 23, 2014

Buffalo, NY (Shea’s Performing Arts Center)
March 25 – 30, 2014

Minneapolis, MN (Orpheum Theatre)
April 1 – 6, 2014

St. Louis, MO (The Fox Theatre)
April 8 – 20, 2014

Des Moines, IA (Civic Center of Greater Des Moines)
April 22 – 27, 2014

Tempe, AZ (ASU Gammage)
April 29 – May 4, 2014

Denver, CO (Buell Theatre)
May 6 – 18, 2014

Las Vegas, NV (Smith Center for the Performing Arts)
May 20 – 25, 2014

Seattle, WA (The Paramount Theatre)
May 27 – June 8, 2014

Portland, OR (Keller Auditorium)
June 10 – 15, 2014

San Francisco, CA (Curran Theatre)
June 17 – July 13, 2014

Los Angeles, CA (Pantages Theatre)
July 15 – Aug. 10, 2014

San Diego, CA (Civic Center)
Aug. 12 – 17, 2014

Costa Mesa, CA (Segerstrom Hall)
Aug. 19 – 31, 2014

Charlotte, NC (Blumenthal Performing Arts Center)
Sept. 30 – Oct. 5, 2014

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Theatre Reviews Tagged With: fl, national, orlando, review, theatre, tour, ...

Scott Ian, Legendary Anthrax Guitarist, Officially Announces “Speaking Words” Tour

SCOTT IAN: Legendary ANTHRAX Guitarist, Author, and TV Personality Officially Announces “Speaking Words” Tour, North American Leg

New 60-Second Video Teaser Launched via VICE Noisey

 SCOTT IAN’s Hilarious One-Man Storytelling Experience Kicks Off in Chicago, IL on February 20, 2014

“Geek, author, guitarist, icon: when it comes to recounting the history of metal, SCOTT IAN is the man – catch him while you can.” – Alex Milas, Editor, Metal Hammer

At this point, it’s no surprise to anyone that legendary heavy metal musician, author, and television personality SCOTT IAN has a lot to say. After decades-worth of international touring with Anthrax, bumping elbows with illustrious (and sometimes ridiculous) characters all over the media spectrum, and undergoing general “you won’t believe this” experiences— SCOTT IAN certainly has some hilarious and surprisingly personal stories to share.

Following the resounding success of the UK leg of his “Speaking Words” tour, Scott is picking up the mic again for a 15-city North American leg, kicking off in Chicago, IL on February 20th.

An official “Speaking Words” tour teaser, featuring professional footage from his upcoming “Speaking Words: Live in Glasgow” DVD (pre-order coming soon), has been exclusively released via VICE Noisey today. Watch it here.

Don’t mistake this for your run-of-the-mill spoken word tour. In SCOTT IAN’s own words, “it ain’t no poetry reading” either. “Speaking Words” is an honest look at the insane life that Scott has led for the last 31 years, the people he’s met, and the events that coincide. During each show, Scott will take part in a special Q&A session with the audience.

SCOTT IAN adds, “England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, Germany; I’ve been “Speaking Words” all over the world. My friends in the U.S. and Canada, you asked for it and now I finally get to bring it home! I’m looking forward to talking with ya, talking at ya and telling you some amazing tales of drunken debauchery and ridiculousness. No punches pulled, no swear word left unturned, and no question avoided in the Q&A. Let’s do this!”

A special opportunity to join a VIP meet & greet at each date is available now via SCOTT IAN’s webstore. This unique and limited event will allow you to spend time with Scott like never before. It’s a veritable post show hangout with a metal legend— one that’s sure to enrich your knowledge of not only all-things SCOTT IAN, but Anthrax and metal history in general. The VIP meet & greet also includes a special VIP laminate, banner, and other goodies. Learn more and get your passes here: http://bit.ly/1jXEPen

Currently Confirmed SCOTT IAN “Speaking Words” Dates:

2/20 – Chicago, IL @ Mayne Stage

2/21 – Westland, MI @ The Token Lounge

2/22 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Rex Theatre

2/24 – Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theater

2/25 – Toronto, ON @ El Mocambo Club

2/26 – Kingston, ON @ The Mansion

2/27 – Ottowa, ON @ Ritual

3/01 – Baltimore, MD @ The Ramshead Live: Power Plant Live

3/02 – Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live

3/04 – Boston, MA @ Hard Rock Cafe

3/05 – New York, NY @ BB Kings

3/06 – Syracuse, NY @ Lost Horizon

3/07 – West Warwick, RI @ Manchester 65

3/08 – Portland, ME @ Port City Music Hall

With a career spanning three decades, Scott is heralded as metal elite. As the co-founding member of Anthrax, SCOTT IAN helped to create the thrash metal genre in the 1980’s. Anthrax have sold over 10 million records worldwide, have multiple Gold and Platinum awarded recordings, multiple Grammy nominations and have toured the world over on roughly 90+ tours since 1984. SCOTT IAN is recognized as a constant and unanimously recognizable figure in the worlds of music, poker, comics, movies and television. Currently, SCOTT IAN hosts Blood & Guts for the Nerdist Channel, and along with Anthrax, is writing songs for their presently untitled 11th studio album, due out in 2014.

For more information on SCOTT IAN, please visit these websites:

Official SCOTT IAN: www.Scott-Ian.com

Official Anthrax: www.anthrax.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/scottian

Twitter: @Scott_Ian

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Music Headlines Tagged With: american, announces, anthrax, author, guitarist, ian, ...

Arnie Roth discusses upcoming concert tour “A New World: Intimate Music from Final Fantasy”

Arnie Roth is a classically trained violinist and composer. He is known well in the video game community for his work as the musical director and conductor on concert tours like “Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy” and many others from the “Final Fantasy” series. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Arnie about the upcoming new concert tour “A New World: Intimate Music from Final Fantasy” and what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us what we can expect from “A New World: Intimate Music from Final Fantasy” concert?
Arnie Roth: This concert will have almost entirely different music titles from the Distant Worlds concert repertoire. The scores have been drawn from throughout the 25 years of Final Fantasy releases, with the decision made in consultation between myself, Nobuo Uematsu, SQEX, and our AWR Music Productions team. We especially tried to feature many of the most popular scores that we have not performed in the Distant Worlds concerts. Most importantly, this is a chamber music performance, meant to be enjoyed in an intimate setting and a superb acoustically designed space, such as LSO St Lukes. We are fortunate to have superb performers with us for this premiere, including the highly regarded Navarra String Quartet, the wonderful pianist known for his work with the music of Uematsu and Final Fantasy, Benyamin Nuss, and we will also feature Nobuo Uematsu and myself in a live performance of Final Fantasy VI: Dark World.

MG: How it will differ from the “Distant Worlds” tour?
AR: I have mentioned some of the differences above. The most obvious difference is certainly the scale of the event, as Distant Worlds features over 100 musicians on stage with video screens, performed in much larger venues. A New World: intimate music from Final Fantasy is an intimate chamber music concert, without video content, featuring exciting new arrangements and repertoire from throughout the Final Fantasy catalogue, presented in a much smaller venue, with 13 musicians.

MG: Do you have any plans to expand the “A New World” concert, perhaps a tour, after London?
AR: We hope to be able to make announcements about this subject very soon.

MG: Any chances you will make it back to Florida in 2014? May I suggest Orlando?
AR: We are in discussions for Distant Worlds: music from Final Fantasy performances in several locations in Florida. Your suggestion is duly noted!

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: arnie, concert, discussing, fantasy, final, intimate, ...

Michael Orlando talks about new band The Killing Lights and 2014 UK tour

Michael Orlando is the founder and lead singer of band The Killing Lights, which was formerly Vampires Everywhere! Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Michael to talk about the band’s new name and their upcoming 2014 tour.

Adam Lawton: Can you explain the name change from Vampires Everywhere! to “The Killing Lights?
Michael Orlando: I felt it was time to move on. VE was my brainchild for over 4 years and through it i got to meet so many amazing fans & people. However, over the last 4 years I have grown as an artist and as a person. I am definitely not the same person I was 4 years ago haha. I’m definitely more positive and I feel my eyes are now open to the world around me. The Killing Lights brings a measure of closure to both the person I was & the horrid events I went through. TKL represents the new me and my new hopes and dreams.

MG: Do you feel fans of the band will be confused at all by the change?
MO: At first this was my greatest concern! I had many anxiety attacks about the name change and leaving a project I had built from the ground up! However, my fans are amazing and have embraced the change with open arms! I have recently changed back to my birth name Michael Orlando as well. Fans really seem to respect the fact that I did this name change & I love them for it! I am sure things will continue to be a bit confusing but over time everyone will eventually catch on! I have to stay true to myself and what I believe in.

AL: Can you tell us about the bands new line up?
MO: The Killing Lights consists of myself on vocals, DJ Black on Guitar, Frankie Sil on Bass, & Joshua Ingram on Drums. I am beyond happy to be surrounded by talented determined individuals that can see the big picture. We have been working hard to make sure everything is true to our heart and Rock n’ Roll!

AL: Can we expect any other stylistic/musical changes with the band?
MO: With VE we were overly theatrical and prided ourselves on making a statement. TKL is way different both musically and stylistically! We are basically being ourselves. We don’t go out of our way to be “Rock n’ Roll” we just bring ourselves as we look everyday. Whether that’s a bit of the 90’s or a bit of the 80’s it is who we are and what we represent. You can expect rock n’ roll music from rock n’ roll people.

AL: What does the band have currently scheduled for 2014?
MO: There is so much going on with TKL! As of now we are gearing up for our first UK Tour in February! I am so excited to finally meet my UK fans and show them the new band. We also plan on releasing a music video and a couple of singles. There is so much in the works and I couldn’t be more happy about whats going on!

 

Related Content

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: 2014, band, killing, lights, michael, orlando, ...
« sdf
Previous
Page 13 of 18
Next
Next Page »