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Mar
9thTalking “fun.” and “We Are Young” in NYC“Do you wanna have fun? How’s about (fun) a few laughs? I can show you a… good time… Do you wanna have fun… fun… fun?” I realize quoting “Big Spender” lyrics from Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields’ Sweet Charity musical won’t earn me any sweet indie cred, but I went there anyway. Why? Because it allowed me to use this as an intentionally tacky lead-in: “Who doesn’t want to have some ‘fun’?” Winks and nudges out of the way, I can now tell you about the indie pop rock band “fun.”, who have been on quite a roll since their song “We Are Young,” appeared on a December episode of Glee. The track has been killing it on pop and alternative stations ever since. It’s listed at #1 on its Digital Songs charts and the album is currently ranked #3 on the Billboard 200. Despite the early success with that song, which features Janelle Monáe, the fun trio (Nate Ruess, Andrew Dost and Jack Antonoff) aren’t exactly sold it’s a hit yet. In the immortal words of Will Ferrell in Zoolander, they are clearly on “crazy pills.”
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Nov
8thMotopony Rides and TAB the Band says “I Love You”The Seattle music scene isn’t what it was in the 1990s. Ask any member of Motopony, the Emerald City-based rocking, pop-ing folkish band, and they’ll tell you the scene has gone from grunge and plaid shirts to a folk and even hip hop social scene. In the Cornerstone offices in New York City, the quintet discussed that and their self-titled debut album and performed the track “Seer” off their record. If you don’t know the band by name, by the way, you likely know them by ear. Their smooth hypnotic single “King of Diamonds” has been played repeatedly on SiriusXM and other stations, but isn’t about Neil Diamond. Listen and watch below. “Seer” Live in NYC: [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmJhJS6POIw&w=460&h=315] Motopony Interview: [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlMY4HzUux4&w=460&h=315] The second band on “A-Sides” is another rocking act but with a more classic rock feel. The Duxbury, Massachusetts-based TAB the Band features brothers Tony and Adrian Perry, who are probably sick about you asking them what it’s like having Aerosmith legend Joe Perry as their dad. Along with Ben Tileston and Lou Jannetty, the quartet evoke more comparisons to Cheap Trick and have been touring in support of their album “Zoo Noises.” Last week, the quartet made some noises for “A-Sides” by performing a killer informal version of “She Said No (“I Love You”), which appears on that record followed by a Q&A below the vid. Mangia. “She Said No (I Love You)” [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TL06ja9f_I&w=460&h=315] What was the songwriting process for “She Said No (I Love You)”? [...]
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Oct
28thThe Gift in a NYC Bathroom and Graffiti6 Gets Solo and Stripped DownYou can accomplish a lot in a bathroom. Aside from doing your business, you can read an article, perhaps text your friends, or do as I do: play Angry Birds on your iPad. OK, that’s T.M.I. and gross, but it brings us to our next “A-Sides” session. Nuno Goncalves of the Portugal psych pop band The Gift used the trendy iPad tablet — specifically a keyboard App — earlier this month in a dressing room restroom located backstage of Le Poisson Rouge in NYC to perform a track with his band. Two hours before The Gift headlined a show at that city venue, they packed inside the private lavatory to perform an intimate version of their song “RGB.” The song is off their new album “Explode,” which was released late last month. Before we get “live in the can”, here’s a breakdown of the Portuguese music makers: The Gift formed in 1994 by Gonçalves and bandmate Miguel Ribeiro. They’d later be joined by Sónia Tavares, John Gonçalves, and Ricardo Braga and soon dominated the Portugal pop-rock scene. I could tell you more about them, but you’ll get a better sense watching this: The Gift — RGB [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZm7nr6-Mdo&w=460&h=315] Jamie Scott didn’t perform a pair of songs in any bathroom in New York City. Why would he honestly? The singer/songwriter, who along with UK producer TommyD make up the duo Graffiti6, sat down with guitar in hand in a city apartment to perform two tracks acoustically. Scott and TommyD are currently [...]
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Oct
13thMutemath Perform and Discuss “Blood Pressure”Two hours before they’d take the stage for a performance that sold-out in five minutes and two days before Hurricane Irene would sort of embarrass a somewhat frantic Mayor Mike Bloomberg, New Orleans rockers Mutemath and I took refuge in the lower depths of the historic rock venue Mercury Lounge in New York City. There, the band performed and the discussed their new single “Blood Pressure” off their their upcoming album “Odd Soul” which drops Oct. 4. The song, as drummer Darren King explained, addresses their somewhat intense Christian upbringing as well as other daily stresses in life. The conversation humorously detoured from that upbringing to Judaism to parenting. Watch it below, but just so you know: The band, which also consists of front man Paul Meany, bassist/guitarist Roy Mitchell-Cardenas and new guitarist Todd Gummerman, are currently playing a few dates here or there before launching their “Odd Soul Introduction Tour” on Sept. 7. That month-long tour will see the quartet playing smaller venues before setting off for a full-fledged arena tour that matches their “Typical” big sound. Thankfully, as I found, the band don’t have big egos. That’s saying something considering they’ve had hit albums (their last “Armistice” debuted at Number 3 on Billboard’s Digital Albums and Alternative charts), have been featured on the Twilight soundtrack (“Spotlight” didn’t suck), and had one of their tracks performed on juggernaut American Idol (Sideshow Bob look-a-like Chris Sligh performed “Typical” in 2007.) Listen and watch below… [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9d5wd7wbXg&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3] About “A-Sides with Jon [...]
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Oct
13thDiamond Rings Gives It UpDiamonds are forever, and Canadian musician Diamond Rings is hoping his career lasts, well, for a very long time. Apologies for the crappy introductory sentence, but it makes sense when you chat with the artist who could be pegged as a cross between David Bowie and Lady Gaga. A few hours before his final tour date (a sold-out show Oct. 7 at Webster Hall in New York City), the man born John O’Regan discussed his career game plan and performed an intimate piano-acoustic version of “Give It Up” off his debut album “Special Affections” within a practice studio in the Music Conservatory of Westchester in White Plains, NY. Diamond Rings’ plan is essentially to keep making music and to not stop doing so until he’s — at the very least — in his 40s. In other words, to rest is to die in this industry so don’t expect the lipstick-wearing Canuck to take a long break between his well-received debut and its follow-up. Watch and listen below… preferably in that order. “Give It Up” Live and Not Giving Up [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNcQMnRW1w8&w=460&h=315] About “A-Sides with Jon Chattman” Jon Chattman’s music series features artists (established or not) from all genres performing a track, and discussing what it means to them. This informal series focuses on the artist making art in a low-threatening, extremely informal (sometime humorous) way. No bells, no whistles — just the music performed in a random, low-key setting followed by an unrehearsed chat. In an industry where everything often [...]
A-Sides Live! Events
10.26 Alice Ripley at White Plains Performing Arts Center (WPPAC) wppac.com
11.2 Pop Goes the Culture Awards and Variety Show at WPPAC
12.14 Acoustic Christmas Show (visit asideslive on Facebook for details)
1.25.13 Come as You Were - 90s Salute Show at The DAE (details on FB)
3.14.13 Comedy at the DAE (TBD)
3.29.13 Punk at the DAE (TBD)
4.26 Singer/Songwriter Night at the DAE (TBD)
5.16 Comedy at the DAE (TBD)
5.23 Chatt B-Day Show at the DAE (TBD)
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