blog
10/2/09
(GUITAR) PULLING TOGETHER: ALL-STARS HELP HALL!
Country royalty – and a few very loyal subjects – gathered for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's (www.countrymusichalloffame.com) All for the Hall benefit at Club Nokia in Los Angeles. The royalty – Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris and Dwight Yoakam – were joined by loyal subjects Melissa Etheridge, Chris Isaak, Michael McDonald, and American Idol judge/songwriter/performer Ka ra DioGuardi, for a traditional "Guitar Pull," accompanying one another on songs (current and classic) as well as swapping stories, lots of laughs, and occasional back-and-forth barbs. The evening's loose atmosphere onstage – including Gill's introduction of McDonald as a special guest, only to see Isaak come on instead – was juxtaposed by beautiful music (Gill's chilling version of a new song, "Bread and Water," Etheridge's stirring "You Can Sleep While I Drive," are just two examples) and the seriousness of the cause, preserving the history of America's music, Country music, the bedrock of nearly all today's songs. Of the benefit, Gill said before the show: "It (the Country Music Hall of Fame) houses everything, every note of music in our world is there, it's documented, it's respected, it's there for people to learn from. I just wanted to educate people on the importance of it. The whole idea of this All for the Hall thing was mine in the sense that, what I wanted to do was…ask everybody who does this to play one night of music for free…just, if you love music, do it for one night for free, and give the money to the Hall…have some fun." Without a doubt, fun, and funds, was what last night's event was all about.
10/1/09
You probably know WHITE GOLD from GotMilk? ads, most recently seen during the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Now, he is set to bring the epic 15-minute Rock Opera Battle for Milkquarious to the web, supporting a great cause (see info below).
Check out the funk-filled music video for “Almost as Beautiful as Me” from the Rock Opera that pits WHITE GOLD against milk-sucking evil-doers: www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF4CoQSYprc.
Also, here is an MP3 of the track that can be used as a giveaway: http://feedcompany.com/wg_song1_15.mp3.
Help spread the word and let me know if you need any additional info on White Gold and the Battle for Milkquarious…
White Gold’s Milkdonculous Giveaway
WHITE GOLD and GotMilk? have teamed up to help save California high school arts programs with White Gold’s Milkdonculous Giveaway. California public high schools will be challenged to remake a scene from the rock opera for the chance to win part of a combined $50,000 in funding earmarked for arts programs ($20K scholarship for first place, one $10K winner for second place and 8 honorable mentions at $2.5K each). For more details, visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF4CoQSYprc.
9/21/09
SAND BLAST: BEACH FEST BLOWS FANS OUT OF WATER!
"I've got my toes in the sand, listening to the band" could have been the unofficial mantra this weekend at the third annual West Beach Music Festival in beautiful Santa Barbara, CA. While the sun's rays sprayed over the bikini—clad, bathing suit-baring crowd, a wave of bands performing on two stages provided the perfect soundtrack for another prefect Southern California weekend. Day one saw Donavon Frankenreiter lay down his laid back groove, which, at times, invoked a possible mash-up of the Allman Brothers Band and Curtis Mayfield. His set included the very appropriate "Pass It Around" and "Life, Love and Laughter." Later, Los Angeles-based Ozomatli, the incredible multi-ethnic, multi-instrumental 7-piece did its usual outstanding job of taking the audience through an array of musical styles – from rap to rock, salsa to cumbia, funk to fusion – via tasty favorites such as "Chili Sauce" and "Super Bowl Sundae." Reggae legends Steel Pulse closed day-1 with a dizzying display of beats, bass lines, and guitar gyrations, sending the exhausted crowd home on a musical high. Day-2 highlights included New Yorkers The Bravery getting into the So Cal scene; Philadelphia-bred G. Love & Special Sauce bringing their brand of funk to the beach, and native Californian Ben Harper and his fantastic band, the Relentless 7, closing the show with a muscular set of blues-based rock and roll (think Led Zeppelin) that included a red-hot version of "Red House." Sunday, the joint was jumpin' (and puffin') with off the chain performances by Pepper and Slightly Stoopid, both huge crowd favorites.
9/13/09
CRAZY REIGN: PRINCE OF DARKNESS SHINES!
Ozzy Osbourne opened up and closed down the second annual Sunset Strip Music Festival with a nearly one hour blitz of hits set on the infamous stretch of Sunset Blvd, itself - for the first time ever - shut down to traffic especially for the event. On Thursday, Ozzy was honored at the House of Blues in Hollywood for his part in the history of the famous Sunset Strip music scene (in 1970, the Prince of Darkness and Black Sabbath held court during a 5-night stand at the Whisky A Go-Go during the band's first U.S. tour.) On Saturday, he ruled over an estimated throng of 10,000 standing on the Strip, opening his musical assault with "Crazy Train," while drenching his people with his trademark buckets of water, and a high-pressure hose. Fans soaked it up, while Ozzy delivered solo smashes such as "I Don't Know," "Suicide Solution," "Mr. Crowley," (all from Blizzard of Ozz), "Bark at the Moon," and "I Don't Want To Change the World," as well as Sabbath staples "Paranoid" and "Iron Man." Ozzy's show-stopping (traffic-stopping!) performance was just the crown jewel of performances during the 3-day festival that included full throttle sets by Pepper, Korn, The Donnas, Fishbone, Unwritten Law, Shiny Toy Guns, and Shwayze, just to name a few. Next year's third annual Sunset Strip Music Festival will be hard pressed to top Ozzy Osbourne topping the bill, but fans can only dream of a potential dream team of Sunset Strip icons that organizers could choose from, perhaps Van Halen or Motley Crue being early favorites well worthy – and ready – for their Sunset Blvd. close-ups!
8/13/09
Last night I thought I was going to see my friend Colin Devlin once again at Largo here in L.A. But my plans shifted quickly, and I ended up at the Troubadour instead and had the very unexpected pleasure of spending a little bit of time with my daughter Angie. That's ALWAYS a good thing! :) And, as an added bonus, I heard some very cool music from one of Angie's band, The Rescues, as well as short sets from Sara Bareilles, and Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket. Each of their sets was all-too brief, but they were there for a very good cause: the show was a benefit for their fellow artist, Kelly Buchanan. Here's my review:
TO THE RESCUE: ACTS ENTER PACT TO AID FRIEND!
The world famous Troubadour in Los Angeles played host to a very special evening featuring helping hands, healing hearts and tremendous talent, all assembled to raise funds for fellow musician Kelly Buchanan, who suffered a serious brain injury during a street hockey game last March. Los Angeles based The Rescues (www.therescues.com), Sara Bareilles, and former Toad the Wet Sprocket member Glen Phillips, among others, treated the audience to some of their own tunes as well as a cover of one of Buchanan's gems. The Rescues - three of four members attended Berklee College of Music alongside Buchanan - wowed the crowd with amazing harmony vocals and exceptional musicianship (including trading instruments on almost every song) on "Let Loose the Horses" and "Break Me Out," the latter a break out hit featured on the new Lifetime series Drop Dead Diva. Later, The Rescues put their mark on Buchanan's bittersweet "Graffiti On My Heart." Bareilles followed The Rescues with a tender take on Counting Crows' "Sullivan Street," plus a raucous rendition of her smash "Love Song." Phillips closed the show with an acoustic set featuring songs slated for his upcoming solo album. Fans wishing to donate funds to offset Buchanan's medical expenses can do so at www.kellybuchanan.com.
