Erin McKeown Is Kinda Coy

The economic down-turn has forced many musicians to get as creative with their marketing as with their music. One artist that is especially inspirational in this regard is Massachusetts-based Erin McKeown. The singer/songwriter/ace guitarist hosted a series of Pay-Per-View streaming online concerts called “Cabin Fever” from her home and raised the funds to finance her wonderful new album, Hundreds of Lions.

The clever “Cabin Fever” concept paid off as great advance publicity for the album. Not only has Lions reached #1 on Amazon.com but the Internet series also helped Erin score a deal with Righteous Babe Records, as well. On December 3rd she will be featured on NPR’s “Song of the Day.”

All four episodes of “Cabin Fever” were shot last summer from Erin’s home — in her living room, on her front porch, in a river and in her front yard. Special guests include Sonya Kitchell, Kris Delmhorst and Garrison Starr among many others.

Playing an average of 200 dates a year, Erin is no stranger to life on the road. She’s been building her fan base that way for a decade. But she can now count Mike Mills of REM fame, who she met at a recent Future of Music summit in DC, among her growing legion of devoted fans. With a full schedule of shows through the end of the year and plans to tour Europe through January, Erin is currently traversing the country with fellow Internet fund-raiser, Jill Sobule on their co-headlined “Clash of the Legends” tour. I caught up with Erin in the midst of a 25-hour drive from Minneapolis to Seattle.

Listen to the track “Santa Cruz ” from Hundreds of Lions.

CD: “Cabin Fever” is such a great idea! How did that manifest?

EM: I self-financed Lions, so I was carrying a lot of debt around. I knew I could ask my fans for support but I didn’t want to do that without offering them something unique. So I sold them tickets to a live Internet variety show —“Wayne’s World” meets “The Judy Garland show.”

CD: Were you able to raise enough for the album through “Cabin Fever” to cover it?

EM: The album was not completely paid for but the notice generated by the series did help me find a label (Righteous Babe) and that put me in a less precarious financial position.

CD: Why did you decide to put this out on Righteous Babe rather than on your own? What do they bring to the table?

EM: Righteous Babe brings not only their reputation but their staff, which is incredible. What a group of smart, experienced and dedicated folks!

CD: You’ve been touring with Jill on the “Clash of the Legends” tour. Jill also funded for her latest album through fans. How did this pairing come about?

EM: Our managers knew each other. I’d certainly heard of Jill and was in awe of her funding success, but I didn’t know her. We’ve discovered we have a tremendous amount in common and I genuinely like her. She’s a fantastic musician and I never know what she’s gonna do next. (I hear ya, Erin!)

CD: Your bio mentions you were a session player. Who are some other artists you’ve worked with and what did you play on those albums?

EM: I played piano, guitar and sang for Kris Delmhorst; songwriting and vocals for Sonya Kitchell and played bass with Among the Oak and Ash. I also have a side project with drummer Allison Miller called Emma. I play guitar, piano and sing in that.

CD: The songs on Hundreds of Lions are so whimsical. How do those translate live since they have such lush instrumentation?

EM: They are translating very well live! They are intimate songs at the core, and I wrote them with the idea that they needed to work small as well as large.

CD: You have mentioned that the music industry has changed so much since you first began your career. Can you talk about the challenges of that and what specifically has changed?

EM: The industry has changed but my daily life has barely changed. I’ve always done a lot of things myself and played a lot of shows. Now I spend more time talking to fans and I make more of the decisions that affect me. Both of those are good things.

CD: How has an ethnomusicology degree from Brown helped your career?

EM: Before I graduated I had two albums out and was already touring. My degree was a convenient way to get credit for what I was already doing.

CD: What is the biggest challenge in touring now?

EM: Staying positive and physically healthy. Luckily I’ve been at it awhile and know what I need.

CD: When did you write the songs for this album?

EM: Between 2005 and early 2008.

CD: How long did it take to record?

EM: About six months. We did four two-week sessions over that period of time.

CD: Your bio mentions your activism around energy policy. Tell me about that.

EM: That is referring to a lobby day I participated in with Ani and the Indigo Girls around a climate bill in the summer of 2005. My current work includes partnering with non-profits in New Orleans to continue the rebuilding effort and maintain awareness of the important work that needs to be done there. I’ve also recently jumped into the campaigns for net neutrality and to increase low power FM radio access for communities. You can get more info at sweethomeneworleans.com and futureofmusic.org.

Jay Sweet recently sat down with the lovely Blake Hazard and asked her a few questions about how her solo career influenced her current project and asked her what advise she had for her fellow indie artists.

JS: Before you two formed The Submarines you were both involved in other musical endeavors, i.e. bands, solo projects, composing, producing. etc. What did you learn from that period of time that helped make The Submarines more “successful”?

BH: There have been plenty of frustrations along the way, to be sure, leading up to our becoming The Submarines. We both played in clubs locally, toured nationally and overseas some, and felt things weren’t building quite as we’d hoped. I suppose spending all that time struggling and “paying your dues” can have an amazing flip-side: if you come out the other end with your cynicism in check and still just love making music, you’ve won—no matter how great or small the reward. Not being devastated by every little (or big) thing that doesn’t go as you’d hoped is a helpful result of having spent a lot of time working. We’ve also learned to celebrate the things that do go well.

JS: It seems like your label, Nettwerk, is very progressive when it comes to generating opportunities for it’s artists; I know you have been with other “major” labels, can you explain why Nettwerk has been a good match for The Submarines?

BH: Nettwerk, as a label, has been very adaptive and forward-thinking. They’re always experimenting with different approaches and it seems that’s really served them well in the sort of natural selection process. Terry once told us he only works with people he wants to work with, and who want to work with him and the label—that they’d never keep a band who wanted “out.” As far as I know, most majors don’t operate that way. People who feel they’re working together by choice will usually have a better result. There are also just some great people there, whose company we enjoy.

JS: Knowing what you have learned in the last decade or so in the music business, what would you tell yourself if you were just starting a career in today’s environment?

BH: First, stay in school, if you can! That environment can be so electric—you may never have the time and resources to mess around creatively while being intellectually stimulated that way again. Savor the hell out of that, then throw yourself into your art 100 percent. I’ve spent a lot of time second-guessing, trying to be reasonable and brace for failure, and I don’t think it’s helped a bit.

JS: I know The Submarines are in the studio recording the next project. What are some of the things you are most excited about with the new material? What do you believe is the best way to get the word out about your music?

BH: The shock of the new! Just playing around with something, a melody, some chord changes, until it suddenly takes shape is still really exciting to me. When I write a song or a part, I always think it could be the last one. Collaborating with John and hearing his instrumental ideas for the first time knocks me out and we’ve been going a bit bigger, sonically. I love not worrying about what will happen with these songs when we’re finished. There’s a force field around the studio blocking out any thoughts of the business side of things right now.

JS: Where do you discover new artists?

BH: I spend time on MySpace, chasing connections between bands and music I like to find things they like. I look at blogs occasionally, too. But, friends have sent me me recent favorites, like Noah and the Whale’s “First Day of Spring” and Sam Amidon. John’s a bit better at seeking out new music. I linger with one record I love for a much longer time.

Elliot Yamin

OurStage caught up with Yamin in Guam, the first stop of his USO-sponsored Pacific Rim tour, and asked the Gold & Platinum-selling R&B singer about life before Idol, his experience on the show and what life as an indie artist has been like since the season wrapped.

Celtic punks The Roughneck Riot

Warrington, UK’s The Roughneck Riot are a little bit Celtic, a little bit rock and roll. Taking their cues from The Pogues, The Clash, Johnny Cash and Flogging Molly, this six-piece Celtic punk band features acoustic guitar, mandolin, banjo and accordion in addition to the usual guitar, bass and drums. The Roughneck Riot has shared the stage with artists such as Billy Bragg, The Damned and Sham 69. Currently in the studio recording their new album Night Train with The Reaper, the band recently posted the lyrics to the title track on their MySpace page. The words lie somewhere between Dropkick Murphys and Tom Waits, and if the music is even half as good, this is going to be a great record! I managed to catch acoustic guitarist/mandolin/vocalist Matty Humphries during a break from recording to talk about the band’s sound, their album and their plans for the future.

OurStage: I read that The Roughneck Riot started life as a four-piece punk band. How did you make the transition from four-piece punk band to six-piece Celtic punk powerhouse?

Matty Humphries: Personally I’ve always aimed to play Celtic punk, however when we first started out we weren’t the most talented bunch when it came to playing folk instruments and such. We had to let our last 2 guitarists go for personal reasons and I managed to persuade a few of our best friends to pick up a banjo, guitar and an accordion and for the past 7 months or so. With continuous advice and motivation from our good friends The Mahones, we’ve finally managed to focus on our sound, and since then we’ve never looked back!

OS: Even on your mostly acoustic recordings, you guys sound badass. What would you say to people who think that punk music can’t be acoustic?

MH: Haha, Thanks a lot! Well I believe that all the best music started out acoustically, from early blues, bluegrass and folk to gypsy jazz and rock ‘n’ roll, so why can’t punk be played in the same way? People like Johnny Cash always stuck to playing an acoustic guitar, but always delivered.  It’s all about the energy you give when playing, not how loud your amps are or how distorted your guitar is.  And of course our main influence besides punk is Celtic folk, which traditionally started out acoustic. Playing acoustic can also add so many different dynamics to a song, and change the feel completely!

OS: As a Celtic punk band, you must be over the moon to be playing with Shane MacGowan of The Pogues this December. How did this come about?

MH: The magic of MySpace!! We were asked if we were interested in the slot through a message from a promoter, so how could we possibly turn this down! In my opinion Shane MacGowan is one of the greatest song writers in history and has had a massive influence on us, and it’s an honor to share a stage with him!

OS: Your song “Travellin’ Man” made it to the Top 10 in the OurStage Punk Channel last month. Can fans expect a similar sound on your upcoming album Night Train with The Reaper?

MH: This was a great and unexpected thing for us, as half of the band didn’t realize we were signed up to OurStage! But it’s fantastic to know we’re being heard! And yes, Night Train with The Reaper is full of songs that are guaranteed to put “Travellin’ Man” to shame!! It’s a huge mixing pot of influences, from the obvious (The Pogues, The Mahones, The Clash, Flogging Molly) to some more unusual influences to our music such as Johnny Cash, The Urban Voodoo Machine and Tom Waits. Its going to be something we can be really proud of! We’re recording the title track for the album this November with Ex-Mahones’ fiddler Dave Allen in Banbury so it should be up on Ourstage by mid November!

OS: What’s next for The Roughneck Riot? Any plans to tour?

MH: I’ve just this week opened up a recording studio where we should be finishing our album which is all very exciting! And as for tour plans, yes! Hopefully early 2010 we should be touring Europe! Possibly with The Mahones and The Popes, which is another great honor for us! So hopefully we can get Night Train with The Reaper out across the water!!

Check out “Mutiny” from The Roughneck Riot’s EP Drain The Bar in the player below!

Vida Espía has got it going on. What is “it” exactly? Well, lots of things. First, they’ve got a killer sound. Second, they have a great look. And third, they are making waves in the Los Angeles scene. They’re also in the middle of recording their debut album at Sanctum Sound Studios —at least three of them are; their drummer recorded his parts early in order to go on tour in Europe with Richie Kotzen. Their sound is clean and modern, and the coolest part? They’ve only been together a year.

Vida Espía y unos círculos amarillos/Vida Espía and some yellow circles.

We managed to catch up with the very busy Vida Espía and ask them a few questions. But here’s a twist: We’ve decided to offer you both Spanish and English versions of the Q & A.

OS: In your blog, you said that you experienced some technical difficulties at the beginning of your big House of Blues show. You almost stopped but you pressed on… What was going through your minds during those few seconds? What made you want to stop or to go on? / En su blog dicieron que tuvieron fallas técnicas al comenzar su show en el House of Blues. Casi pararon pero no lo hicieron… ¿Qué les pasaron por la mente durante estes segundos? ¿Qué les hizo querer a parar o continuar?

VE: It was one of those unavoidable experiences that every musician goes though at some point in their career, but you never know when it’s going to happen. For us it came during the biggest and most important show we’d had as a band, in front of 700 people. We would have preferred that it happen at another time, but that’s when it came. The important thing was that we kept playing and improvising while we dealt with the problems, and that the music never stopped. Some audience members realized what was happening, and our fans cheered for us. That kept us going and helped us recover the adrenaline we’d felt playing the first few notes of the show. / Fue una de esas experiencias inevitables que cada músico experimenta en algún punto de su carrera, pero nunca sabes cuándo van a suceder. Nosotros lo vivimos durante la presentación más grande e importante que habíamos tenido como banda, y al frente de más de 700 personas. Hubiésemos preferido que pasara en otra circunstancia, pero nos tocó en ese momento. Lo importante fue que seguimos tocando e improvisando mientras arreglábamos los problemas, y la música nunca paró. Parte del público se dio cuenta de lo que ocurría, y nuestros fans nos hicieron porras. Esto nos animó a seguir el concierto y recobrar esa adrenalina que sientes justo al tocar las primeras notas del show.

OS: [From Vida Espía's blog] “Since that unforgettable night [at the House of Blues], VIDA ESPIA has come to be known as one of the most promising acts in the LA circuit.” It seems to me that those technical difficulties didn’t do any damage. How does it feel to be gaining more respect during this early time in your musical careers? / [Del blog de Vida Espía:] “Desde esa noche inolvidable, VIDA ESPIA se ha dado a conocer como una de las mejores propuestas en el círculo.” Bueno, me parece que las fallas técnicas no los hirieron mucho. ¿Cómo se siente ganar más respeto durante este tiempo en sus carreras musicales?

VE: It feels great… [laughs]. The truth is that in this city (LA) there’s a lot of talent, above all in the “rock en Español” genre. For us it’s an honor to be part of such an important movement that continues to grow. It’s hard work and there’s a lot of competition, but while there are more bands and more concerts within this genre, the community of fans gets larger and draws even more attention. In the end, this benefits all lovers of rock en Español. / Se siente muy bien…[risas]. La verdad es que en esta ciudad (Los Ángeles) hay mucho talento, sobre todo en el “rock en español”. Para nosotros es un honor formar parte de un movimiento importante que está en crecimiento. El trabajo es duro y hay mucha competencia, pero mientras tengamos más bandas y más conciertos de este género, la comunidad de fans se agrandará y llamará más la atención. A fin de cuentas, esto beneficiaria a todos los amantes del rock en español.

OS: You’re currently in the process of recording your first disc but your drummer has already completed his parts. Tell us a little about this process. / Actualmente están en el proceso de grabar su primer disco, pero su baterista completó sus partes antes de irse de gira. Háblanos un poco sobre este proceso.

VE: Demian received a great offer to go on tour in Europe with Richie Kotzen, and we didn’t want to wait until he got back to start recording. So, we got him into the studio before he left and were able to complete his part of the recording. Now with the drums out of the way, we’ll add the bass, guitars, vocals, etc. As the recordings fill out with each instrument we add, we’re maintaining the sound by staying on top of production. This is the beauty of digital technology; now distance isn’t an obstacle and we can send audio files and discuss the recording via e-mails, video conferences chat, etc. What’s important is that all of us share our ideas and are happy with the result. / Demian recibió una muy buena oferta de irse de gira por Europa con Richie Kotzen, y nosotros no quisimos esperar a que él regresara para comenzar a grabar. Así que nos metimos en el estudio días antes de que partiera y pudimos completar su parte de la grabación. Ya con la batería grabada, nosotros añadiremos el bajo, guitarras, voces, etc. A medida de que la grabación se vaya enriqueciendo con cada instrumento que grabemos, lo estaremos manteniendo al tanto de la producción. Eso es lo bueno de la tecnología digital, ahora la distancia no es un impedimento ya que podemos mandarnos archivos de audio y discutir sobre la grabación mediante e-mails, video conferencia, chat, etc. Lo importante es que todos aportemos ideas y estemos felices con el resultado.

OS: Your Fanclub simply states that your goal is to “take over the world one set of ears at a time.” That sounds reasonable. And once you do that, then what? / Tu Fanclub dice que su meta es “dominar el mundo un par de oídos a la vez.” Eso me suena razonable. Y cuando lo hagan, ¿entonces qué?

VE: [Laughs] Very good question. Well, the greats truly prove that they are the best when they remain undisputed in their reign. We can only hope to make it that far. / [Risas] Muy buena pregunta. Bueno, los grandes realmente prueban que son los mejores cuando se mantienen indiscutidos en su reinado. Nosotros sólo aspiramos poder llegar tan lejos.

Sway

Sway is a household name for the MTV generation, who know him from his distinctive interviews with industry heavy weights including Jay-Z and Nas. Hip hop devotees also know him from his groundbreaking, nationally syndicated radio program The Wake Up Show and his compilation LP, This or That (Interscope) featuring KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane and The Roots. Then there are others who know him from back in the day when he was a hip hop artist and break dancer promoting his own mix tape.

This summer I had the opportunity to meet the man who has influenced the hip hop music scene for years—working from the ground up. I was immediately struck by his down to earth and genuine nature not to mention his knowledge as an industry professional. I also quickly noticed that everyone seemed to know Sway personally and all were very grateful for the support he’d given them over the years.

Recently I called Sway and asked him to share his own story, offer insights into today’s industry landscape as well as give advice to emerging artists. Sway had a lot to say so I highly recommend that artists and fans take the time to listen.

-KB

Want to keep up with Sway? You can follow him on Twitter @RealSway.

This Fall, Sway will be launching will be launching a series of symposiums aimed at helping people interested in having a successful career in the television, radio, entertainment and multimedia industries called All The Right Elements. The First All The Right Elements event will be held on November 14th at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. More info coming soon!

Tom Biller

Jay Sweet recently caught up with the Biller in between recording sessions and asked him about the journey his career has taken thus far.

JS: When did you know you could make a living in music?

TB: I was asked to play guitar and bass on Fiona Apple’s second record. Getting paid was the last thing on my mind, happy to do it for free. A few weeks later I got a check in the mail for the session work. It wasn’t crazy money but more than I’d usually make in a week at that time. For playing a song?? Damn, I was hooked…

JS: How did you find yourself working on scores for films and producing?

TB: By accident… I started out running and assisting at a few studios in LA, learning how to engineer and make records. Then I started working with Jon Brion, who basically mentored me for awhile. We would go from a movie score to a record, always something different. Got a foot into both worlds… It was during that time my musicianship took a turn as well. Many great players around to get inspired by.

JS: When you look at a film such as WTWTA, what types of conversation do you have with the director/ creative team before you jump into making a score?

TB: In this case, I went in directly working with Karen O, who had many discussions with Spike prior, so we had a few ideas to knock around. We listened to a bunch of old songs— Daniel Johnston, Langley School Music Project, things like that. Gave us a clue to what the spirit should be.

JS: Give us an idea of what it’s like working with Karen O on a project like this. In some ways it may not seem like an obvious choice but having seen some of the film it makes perfect sense.

TB: Spike’ss films always have a reaction against the typical Hollywood b.s. I know that was a focus with Wild Things, we talked about that. So in some ways I think Karen was a perfect choice, someone different… like Max from the book.

JW: Being a music supervisor I’m curious about when you believe a scene is better suited for a cue track/ pre-recorded track vs. scoring to picture?

TB: In my experience, this usually comes from the director, taking cues from what mood he/ she’s trying to achieve. Most of the movies I’ve done have been all original scores. Sometimes we would get attached to a cue only for it to be changed in editing. But you have to have an open mind in this game. With someone like Spike or Michel Gondry, it was easy to trust their musical tastes and follow their lead.

JW: If you could work with a new composer what advice might you give them?

TB: Director wins, unless the star of the movie (who took a large cut in pay to gain some cred and decided he’s not ‘funny enough’ so has scenes edited so that the music underneath is no longer in time and out of arrangement.) wins!

Home of: Las Vegas, the Hoover Dam, Andre Aggasi, Panic At The Disco, The Killers, 7 Seconds, Hemlock, Slaughter, 702, Jenny Lewis

Fun Facts: State flower; sagebrush, state song; “Home Means Nevada,” state animal; desert bighorn sheep

The Venues:

The Colosseum at Caesar’s Palace, which opened in 2003, was built specifically to house Celine Dion’s “A New Day” show (2003-2007). The venue is currently being shared by Cher’s “Cher At the Colosseum” and Bette Middler’s “The Showgirl Must Go On.”

Away from the glitz of the casinos is Beauty Bar. With an authentic late 50s interior, salvaged from the Capri Salon in Trenton, NJ, the venue hosts multi-genre DJ nights while the outdoor patio has a stage for live bands. Like its sister locations in NYC, Austin, San Diago, San Francisco and Hollywood, the Las Vegas Beauty Bar offers manicures with your martinis.

If you prefer The Vibrators and Murphy’s Law to Wayne Newton and Cirque du Soleil, The Double Down in Las Vegas is the bar for you. Punk, garage, surf and psychobilly are featured live on stage and on the jukebox. Catch OurStage punks The Bastard Suns on Oct 15th and heavy psychedelic rockers White Rhino on Oct 22nd. Thirsty? The Double Down claims to be “The Birthplace of the Bacon Martini.” Yum.

The Music:

Las Vegas' Modern Science

Las Vegas has been an entertainment mecca since it first legalized gambling in 1931. Aside from the casinos, Vegas is known for hosting big name acts like Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. But what about the local, homegrown music scene? For more info on what happens in Vegas, OurStage turned to Kane Churko of local Las Vegas band Modern Science. Modern Science has been busy playing shows to support their self titled debut album, released earlier this year on their own MIMORTL label (Download the album for free at www.FreeModernScience.com). Their hard work seems to be paying off: Their song “Look Where Your Walkin’” earned them a Top 10 finish in the March 2009 Pop Channel, and they will be showcasing at OurStage venue Ace of Clubs in NYC as part of this year’s CMJ Music Marathon. Kane took some time out to answer some questions about the music in his home state.

OS: The songs on your debut album Modern Science are exuberant, danceable and flat out fun. Do you think your hometown of Las Vegas has had any influence on your sound?

KC: Las Vegas doesn’t take itself too seriously and neither do we. Don’t get me wrong—we’re serious musicians with serious ambitions but we like to have fun and make people forget about regular life for a little bit. In that sense—we’re completely Vegas. Let’s just hope the term “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” doesn’t apply to us.

OS: Obviously not everyone in Nevada can play the Colosseum at Caesar’s Palace like Cher & Bette Midler. What is your favorite venue to play in Nevada? Who are your favorite local bands to play with?

KC: House of Blues at Mandalay Bay no question. We played there a few nights ago for about 800 people and between the stage, the sound and audience there’s no better feeling. I would love to play the new Joint at The Hard Rock though—I saw Wilco there and it was the best show I’ve ever been to. As far as other local bands go Imagine Dragons are pretty cool—we played with them the other night too. Also our friends the Afghan Raiders are also doing some exciting stuff. We’re hitting up NY with them at the end of October for CMJ. Bringing Vegas to the Big Apple. Should be a party!

OS: While Nevada, Las Vegas in particular, is known worldwide for many things, the local music scene isn’t really one of them. Do you think that bands like The Killers and Panic! At The Disco have changed people’s minds about the local Las Vegas music scene? What do you think it will take to really put Nevada on the musical map?

KC: I think it’d be an absolute misconception to think that Las Vegas embraces their local music scene. The Killers had little to no local support before they got “signed” and blew up everywhere else. Very few local music venues here stay open long enough to develop a devoted enough following. I don’t know how many local shows I’ve been to where the band members and crew outnumber the crowd. Vegas is a transient city lacking deep roots so I guess people have reason for their lack of pride in their own local music scene, but I personally hope things change and that the city comes around and learns to embrace its own rising talent. I think it will take serious cooperation from within the local music infrastructure to turn things around and hey maybe Modern Science can play some small part in that. There’s huge potential in this town—outsiders are starting to see it…I just hope Vegas will too.

OS: Finally, there is one question that the OurStage community is dying to know the answer to: Siegfried or Roy?

KC: Siegfried because he DIDN’T get mauled by a tiger. He also has better hair. Did you know those guys are like 70? No joke.

Check out Modern Science and other great Nevada artists in the playlist below!

Who are your favorite OurStage Nevadans? Where do you like to see live music in Nevada? Let us know in the comments!

Look Where You're Walkin'

by:

Modern Science

Designer Girl

by:

Bugsi

She's Got Me (I Give In)

by:

Wayward

One Last Call

by:

Theory Of Flight

Judges: MTV, FeFe Dobson, Alex from Cobra Starship

VMA weekend kicked off this past Friday night as the finalists for the MTV Best Breakout NYC battled it out on stage at The Fillmore at Irving Plaza. Local favorites The Shells, Red Directors and MeTalkPretty performed two songs each in the hopes of impressing MTV, FeFe Dobson, Alex Suarez (Cobra Starship) as well as hundreds of rabid (and many sign-wielding) fans who together would award one of them the winner of a competition that originated on OurStage.com. The excitement reverberated through the venue as fans boisterously cheered their favorite artist on. Along with the frenetic came sobering moments- specifically when the finalists each received feedback on their performance moments after playing their last note. Although the comments from the judges (seated in The Fillmore VIP balcony) were generally positive, these industry vets were not afraid to identify poor song choices or the need to improve stage presence for some of these emerging artists. With the stage still warm, one act showed that they were ready to take their careers to the next level as judges and the majority of fans crowned the hardworking quartet, MeTalkPretty, the evening’s winner. Congratulations to all the bands who participated in the regional Best Breakout Artists contests held nation wide.

-KB

I caught up with each of the bands immediately after the winner was announced. Full audio interviews available for streaming in the players below.

Mia Boostrom

If you’re a teenage musician, chances are you have a few original songs that you play for friends and family, and maybe you score a gig here and there. If you’re lucky, you might even get a chance to record your material. Of course balancing high school, adolescence and artistic potential all at once can become overwhelming at best. However, if you’re a teenage musician and your name is Mia Boostrom, you’ve already performed in front of millions of people. Playing a range of gigs, from open mics in suburbia to reality television competitions and professional sporting events, 16-year-old OurStage artist Mia Boostrom seems destined for future stardom—did I mention she already has an EP under her belt? And unlike many artists who stumble into the national spotlight with a pretty voice but limited songwriting capabilities, the original compositions displayed on Ms. Boostrom’s profile page actually deserve attention. With such natural talent in our midst, I couldn’t help but sit down with Mia and ask a few more questions about teen life in the national spotlight.

OS: Musically, you’ve accomplished more in your 16 years than the vast majority of everyone else who’s ever tried to make it big in this industry. When did you first start playing music?

MB: I started playing music when I was 8-years-old. I picked up a piano class at my elementary school with my music teacher and from there I continued into voice lessons at the age of 11. I only recently started to become a songwriter at the age of 15 when I got my first guitar.

OS: From singing at professional sporting events to reality TV shows, I’m beginning to think you don’t know the definition of stage fright. What was it like going from performing open mic nights in suburban Massachusetts to singing the national anthem for the Celtics?

MB: Moving from open mics to national stages was a huge jump for me. Even now, I still get the occasional case of butterflies but instead of nerves I try to channel it into my performance. The whole aspect of getting to larger stadiums helped me so much as a performer and an artist, and I’m so grateful for it.

Performing the National Anthem for the Boston Celtics

OS: What was more nerve wracking; playing in front of thousands of rowdy sports fans in an enormous arena or playing in front of a panel of opinionated celebrity judges on America’s Got Talent with millions of viewers watching from home?

MB: When you’re out in front of a crowd of people you are living in the moment. During the Celtics game no one is critiquing you or judging you against another performer. Reality TV is much more nerve-wracking. You have to have tough skin and deal with constructive criticism, and with the knowledge people are judging you from their couches. Thankfully, I had an enormous amount positive feedback and an incredible support system, not only from America, but from the other contestants who became some of my closest friends.

OS: The actual “reality” of these musical reality shows remains a mystery to a large portion of viewers. Did you have any “real” freedom to perform whatever material you wanted?

MB: Working with reality television was a wonderful experience. We did get to choose our own music and from there myself and the show picked a song to fit both myself and the success of the show. In all, there is nothing bad to say about reality television. Even after being eliminated, I came out with only positive feelings toward the show, the judges and the crew.

OS: What was the atmosphere like between competitors? Were you guys all supporting one another or gunning for each other’s throats?

MB: The contestants became my closest friends. We all sat through hours and hours of waiting to get interviews and wardrobe. But during those grueling hours, we got to know each other and become incredibly close friends. The most heartbreaking part of being eliminated was not me leaving the competition. It was, the fact I had to separate from the contestants who I care about deeply. We ultimately forgot we were competing and instead supported each other as much as we supported ourselves.

Performing on America's Got Talent

OS: A quick listen to the original material on your OurStage profile page will reveal not only a talented vocalist, but a gifted multi-instrumentalist as well. Being able to play two instruments fluently, do you have different lyrical criteria for songs where you play guitar and songs where you play piano?

MB: Thank you! But no I don’t have any certain criteria for piano versus guitar. Depended on how my mood is, or which instrument I’m favoring that day!

OS: There are plenty of young female singer-songwriters in the world. What’s your X factor?

MB: With all the young female singer-songwriters I try to stay as original as possible. I’m kind of an old soul. I like old jazz, blues, ballads and folk. As much as I want to fit in with other 16-year-old girls, I know that I enjoy the songs of generations past. I would say my X factor would be my classic but contemporary style. I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve and it comes across in my song writing.

OS: Your debut EP was released last fall, anything new in the works? Would you say your new material is traveling in the same direction as the old songs?

MB: I have been writing NON-STOP. I’ve been extremely busy with America’s Got Talent over this past summer, so I haven’t jumped into a recording studio quite yet. And don’t forget us 16-year-old girls still have homework! Yuck! I’m trying to balance it all and hopefully a CD will be on the way with all new original tunes!