Tag Archive for 'sxsw'

LOVE GONE BAD

Published by Kate B on October 23, 2009 in Artist Feature, Artist News and Rock. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

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There was a time, not that long ago, when the pop world was infused with romantic ennui. This cavalcade of weary-hearted artists was led by the Smiths, whose woebegone tales of love and loathing gave a jolt to bummed-out youth in bedrooms across North America and Europe.

These days you can still find vestiges of that age in plenty of bands. We Were Lovers is one of many. And though their lovelorn indie rock has lots of pretty moments, for the most part it lays supine on the bed like a melancholy teen. The combination of meandering, unintelligible vocals and lo-fi production washes out whatever energy the arrangements give the music. Even bright guitar stabs and an unexpected horn section in “Mirror, Mirror” fail to fully lift the song out of its torpor. Singer Elsa Gebremichael is dreamy, fo sho, but her drowsy singing style is, well, tiring after awhile. In “Birds of a Feather” multitracked vocals give the effect of a chorus of Debbie Gibsons on Quaaludes.

However, all hope is not lost. In the darker “C-C-Call You On,” Gebremichael snarls her way through distorted guitars, adding a killer Blondie edge to the tune. Here’s for waking up on the wrong side of the bed.

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50 STATES IN 50 WEEKS… WEEK 14: TEXAS

Published by BethanyLeavey on September 15, 2009 in Playlists and Rock. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

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Home of: Buddy Holly, George W. Bush, Roy Orbison, Howard Hughes, Tommy Lee Jones, Janis Joplin, Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Destiny’s Child, Dixie Chicks, At The Drive-In

Fun Facts: State flower; bluebonnet, state song; “Texas, Our Texas,” state insect; Monarch butterfly

The Venues: Everything is bigger in Texas, and music festivals are no exception. Austin hosts two of the biggest: Austin City Limits and South By Southwest.

Now in it’s 8th year, Austin City Limits features Kings of Leon, Medeski, Martin & Wood, Coheed & Cambria, Dave Matthews Band, Mos Def, Thievery Corporation, Pearl Jam, Ben Harper And Relentless7, Sonic Youth, Passion Pit and more from October 2nd to October4th in Austin’s Zilker Park, with a slew of big name after parties at the city’s many venues. If you’ve got tickets to the sold out show, be sure to check out OurStage artists The Airborne Toxic Event and Here We Go Magic.

What began as a simple music festival in 1987 has become one of the biggest music, film and interactive conferences in the world. South By Southwest (SXSW) helped launch the careers of artists like Amy Winehouse, The White Stripes, The Strokes and Lilly Allen, and features music’s current stars along with the hottest undiscovered acts. The next SXSW conference will run from March 12th to March 21st, with the music conference running from March 17th until the 21st.

Lined with quality live music venues, the legendary 6th Street has done a lot to help Austin earn the moniker “The Live Music Capital of the World.” Emo’s, located just off of 6th Street, is an Austin favorite for both locals and festival-goers because of its indoor and outdoor stages.

The Music:

BWQQUNEDCMCD-320x240White Rhino – Austin locals White Rhino play heavy, psychedelic rock that falls somewhere between Queens of the Stone Age and Motörhead. “Rhodesia” from their self-titled debut album is about as rock and roll as it gets. The band is currently touring around the Southwestern United State, including a stop at Emo’s with Monotonix on September 25th.

l_41a554cf3d144505bc3b9df999a66a6bOso Closo – Oso Closo’s theatrical, jazz-influenced progressive rock combines piano, string arrangements and dueling guitars. Their theatrics landed them a part in last summer’s production of Tommy at the Dallas Theater Center. Check out “Straight Out The Gate” to see why Jim Heath (The Reverend Horton Heat) and Bryce Avery (The Rocket Summer) count themselves as fans. The band is currently on tour promoting the release of their second album Today Is Beauty’s Birthday.

UMCMSIEMMXJN-320x240El Tule – Relative newcomers to OurStage, El Tule have already landed themselves a Top 10 finish in the July Latin Channel and a feature on AOL Music. “La Sirena” showcases the band’s combination of Latin, Afro-Cuban, Rock and Reggae music. El Tule’s music will be featured in the soundtrack of the upcoming film Pepe & Santo vs. America starring noted Mexican actor Rafael Amaya.

m_cbb78c5334fc41ffa077bde2edd2257bYou’re Done For – Starting a pop punk band in a city where rock and metal rule the music scene might not seem like the best idea, but that’s what the members You’re Done For did. Their plan seems to be working: the band completed a Southwest tour in 2009, picking up new fans along the way. Check out “Everybody is Listening” from their EP Shhh…Everyboy’s Listening. If you like what you hear, let them know! Your basement could be the next stop on their House Party Tour.

Check out these acts and other great Texas artists in the playlist below!

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

THE INDUSTRY BUZZ ABOUT ANNIE AND THE BEEKEEPERS

Published by jayschneider on June 5, 2009 in Artist Feature. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

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Music insiders know the right balance of passion, musical talent, image—and most importantly—work ethic is what really makes an artist shine.  OurStage folk act Annie and the Beekeepers are putting their own spin on this classic formula while making its mark with mature composition, clever lyrics and a nostalgic yet earthy sense of melody.

Massachusetts native, Annie Lynch began writing music when she was thirteen-years-old, playing for friends at small coffee shops. It wasn’t until she met the rest of her band mates that she started considering music as a true career. When we spoke to Annie, she told us this was the starting point for the band’s songwriting collaboration. Squid Hell Sessions, the Beekeepers latest EP release, is the result of this effort. The band’s unique fusion of Folk and Blues, along with their straightforward writing style, afforded them the opportunity to perform at SXSW and CMJ in past years. They’ve continued to parlay their sound into upcoming spots in the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion and Midpoint Music festivals.

 

 

l_cdeb2a0385e369965a919ba83d0cb0f5Music aside, Annie and the Beekeepers have gained industry success in many other ways. The choice of “the Beekeepers” as the band name refers to the group’s tireless work ethic. Annie likens their sense of motivation to the same “strength in community” found within bee colonies. In this spirit, Annie unknowingly sets an example for indie bands who want to succeed while  staying true to their sound. She also expresses some seldom heard advice:  in the music industry, “we’re all just people in this together.” This concept encourages artists to go out into the world and make personal connections. Even if an artist feels like their won’t land that next club gig, they should take the time to write a letter. The talent buyer at the club is, after all,  just another person trying to help their venue and the artists who play there. The effort may just be the “in” an artist needs to get their foot through the door. In fact,  Annie and the Beekeepers  got their music played on the Emerson College radio station in Boston, MA (WERS) using this same strategy.

Balancing out this equation and further highlighting the band’s organic style is the Beekeepers’ decision to stamp their album art by hand on 100% recycled cardboard packaging, purchased from Calumet Carton. These small steps allow an artist to add a personal touch to their albums while staying cost effective and environmentally friendly.

Let Annie and the Beekeepers add color to the musical landscape in your world.  Check out their latest release and join their fanclub.

MY VIRTUAL SUMMER FESTIVAL ROAD TRIP

Published by jayschneider on April 30, 2009 in Editorial and Festivals. 4 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

Break out the coolers and start planning those road trips because summer is on its way. There are few things in this world that can draw masses of people halfway across the country to spend their minimal savings on a single weekend. A summer musical festival is one of them. From hippies craving nostalgia to college students scraping together their loose change for months, these festivals see such a draw of people that I’m sure they aren’t giving too much thought to these rough economic times. On that note, I’m going to take you on a tour of the five most notable warm weather festivals that deserve your attention this year.

SXSW:

sxsw-2009First on the itinerary is the week-long party of southern hospitality that is the SXSW music festival in Texas. The unique thing about this festival is its location: it doesn’t really have one. Rather, this celebration of music scatters mainstream and up-and-coming acts all across the Lone Star State to select bars, clubs, and outdoor spaces. Unfortunately, here comes the bad news, this festival happened a few weeks ago. If you went this year you probably enjoyed such names as Third Eye Blind and Ben Harper and Relentless7. If you’ve been following our coverage you know that over 80 OurStage artists played SXSW. Make sure to check out this festival next year if you missed it; it’s a great way to start off your own tour of summer music fests.

Continue reading ‘MY VIRTUAL SUMMER FESTIVAL ROAD TRIP’

License to Sing

Published by jayschneider on April 23, 2009 in Artist News. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , .

The music industry is changing and the tell-tale signs of success from the old days just aren’t as applicable anymore. Today, in addition to radio plays and record sales, success is also measured by digital distribution, downloads, and media placement. In this spirit, we’ve found our top 5 favorite licensing stories right here from OurStage. Check them out.

alissa-morenoAlissa Moreno: At the top of our list lies this accomplished singer/songwriter. Her powerfully simple songs have landed her feature spots on MTV, NBC, Fox, CBS, and many more. These features aren’t just small mentions, either. Her catchy tunes can be heard on hit shows like “The Hills“, “Laguna Beach“, “Newport Harbor“, “Wonderfalls“, “Will and Grace“, and “How I Met Your Mother“. Moreno doesn’t stop there. She’s even earned a Grammy nomination for her well-crafted songwriting. “Every Day“, a popular hit sung by Rascal Flatts, was nominated this past year for best songwriting. This is one artist you won’t want to miss before she “hits it big”.

marrMarr: This powerful, adrenaline-pumping metal band had the honor of licensing a song for the New Line Cinema feature “Shoot Em’ Up” (starring Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti and Monica Belucci). The song “Landscape” caught the ears of New Line placement exec’s and seemed to be a stellar match for the non-stop, edge-of-your-seat action film.The band was even invited to play a minor role in the movie. The DVD can be purchased now.

kilroyKilroy: This classic rock-inspired group has had its share of success on OurStage. It is no surprise then, that their music has been featured on such mainstream media outlets as MTV and FoxSports. Their nostalgic, upbeat style have made them a perfect fit for a recent FoxSports college football special, where they were invited to perform their energetic song, “Shake ‘Em Down”, to be paired with a high-ranking team. am

AM: Indie Singer/Songwriter, AM, credits himself with an impressive 46 song placements on TV and in movies. These placements include notable names like HBO’s “Big Love“, ABC’s “Men In Trees“, MTV’s “The Hills” and TNT’s “Trust Me“. This artist clearly shows how licensing can be used as a springbaord for more traditional music industry accomplishments (”Best Singer/Songwriter of the Year” at the LA Weekly Music Awards and a showcase at SXSW). Check out this artist’s smooth melodies and honest image. He certainly has a lot to say.

mollymarletteMolly Marlette: This trend-setting indie singer has certainly established a strong following in the industry (popular youtube videos, strong fan following on OurStage and MySpace, etc.). Marlette’s song “Constantly” was featured on the hit television series “One Tree Hill“, as a perfect representation of the show’s uplifting drama and universal themes. This feature earned her significant credibility and actually helped lead to her online popularity.

These artists may have proven themselves time and again on the OurStage charts, but they’ve also utilized other media as a powerful tool for furthering themselves as artists. In a changing musical world, artists can benefit from embracing licensing because, it is a new way to reach fans in unexpected places. Maybe these artists have inspired you to listen closer when you’re watching your favorite show. You never know what you’ll discover.