A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to have Mumford & Sons play in the 425 person capacity room at house of blues where I work. I had been playing the album “Sigh No More” nonstop and was anxiously awaiting the live performance. The show sold out weeks in advance and I knew that was I was about to witness would be nothing short of amazing. The boys in Mumford were very humble and excited to be playing their first show in Dallas & gave everything they had to make sure they left their mark on our lone star state. And they really did.
After a 90 minute set with everyone in the sold out crowd cheering, jumping up & down and singing along the boys made their way back to the green room to revel in what just took place. But with anyone who loves what they do, they weren’t done performing. The production staff was treated to an impromptu concert outside their dressing room, in the stairway where the acoustics took hold of their powerful voices and carried them all throughout the backstage. I sat there beaming from what was the single best concert i’ve ever been to, & here I was getting to hear exactly what I love to hear from any band i’m crazy about. A raw, purely passionate, fully acoustic “jam session” from the london boys.
I talk about this website all the time, and as soon as I heard them doing this acoustic set my mind went straight to http://blogotheque.net where i watch all of the “take away shows” featuring bands walking around random beautiful places singing their hearts out. I sat in the dressing room with the tour manager and we talked about said website and he filled me in on this little gem. He wasn’t sure when or if it would ever come out, but alas it’s here & it’s gorgeous. These guys really are the real deal, they have it & anytime they are in the states please make it your business to go and see them and forever be in awe, like me.
Just watch the womans face, who was lucky enough to find them in her garden singing their beautiful song “awake my soul”, half in english & half in her native tounge french.
mumford & sons will be live at house of blues dallas, june 10th. just come.
Smile Smile are Ryan Hamilton and Jencey Hirunrusme and they are a local Dallas band who are making a lot of noise all over the world. 2009 showed them most of the US while supporting Metric on tour, and starting in February they will support Bob Schneider on a West Coast run. Meanwhile they have been hard at work in the studio cranking out the follow up to their first album Blues Roses, the new album which will be released this February is titled Truth on Tape.
The thing I love about Smile Smile is their ability to take broken hearts and sad love songs, (which are concidently about their former relationship) onto the stage and lay it all out there for everyone. This band is special, and while you’re humming along during a show, it doesn’t really hit you until you listen closely to the lyrics and hear the real stories from each members point of view. You can all form your own opinions but i’m on Team Ryan & Jencey <3
The video is for Beg you to stay, off Truth on Tape which you can pre-order here:
Ohh Willowz, a lovely garage rock band from Anaheim, California. I actually had the pleasure of working a Willowz show a few years back when i first started working at the house of blues. Since they were here they have grown so much, and in the video above you will see the changes as they venture back to Dallas to make their newest record “Everyone”. Please do yourself a favor and pick up the new album and get more information regarding these fine young boys.
With so many “indie rock” bands floating around, I find myself searching through piles of mp3’s looking for anything to strike a chord and interest me. I stumbled upon “New Denver” which is the second release from Motel Motel. The band released the album independently in July of 2008 and it’s quite good. If you are a fan of Cold War Kids, this will be right up your alley. I especially like “Coffee”, I’ve uploaded the official video, enjoy.
Wolfmother kicked off their tour to support the new album “Cosmic Egg”. The line up was The New No.2 (which has George Harrison’s song as the lead), Heartless Bastards (who are a kick ass band) and of course Wolfmother. Andrew Stockdale hit the stage running and put on a heavy rock show that had everyone talking. Last night proved to me once again why I have the best job in the planet.
Here is a photo of Andrew & I.
A good friend of mine actually recommended a song by Gotye awhile back and once I heard it I never turned back. The song was “Hearts a Mess” from the album called “Like Drawing Blood” the man behind it is Wally DeBacker. The song is beautiful and the video is exciting. For any fans of Telefon Tel Aviv or Apparat, Gotye will be right up your alley. Instead of posting “Hearts a Mess” I felt like posting a video of them doing another favorite of mine, “Thanks for your Time” live at The Metro in Sydney in 2007.
Here is a video off one of my favorite sites La Blogotheque, they feature something called “take away videos” where it’s them following bands in random places doing accapella versions of some of their best work. They have taken a page from “Black Cab Sessions” another one of my all time favorite sites, where they started filming the bands in their van on the way to the destination. Here is one of my favorite groups, The Walkmen doing “On the Water”.
Hello Ellie Goulding…For fans of La Roux all the way to Imogen Heap, she hails from Wales and this is her most recent single. I’m definitely curious to hear more from her.
Florence + the Machine have been making headlines in the UK for quite some time now, but over the last few months they have finally started to create a buzz in the US. In fact I recently saw a write up of her new album “Lungs” in People Magazine, but even the 3 & 1/2 stars (out of 4) they gave the album doesn’t seem to give it justice. If you aren’t sold by her first single “Kiss with a Fist”, then I understand completely as it’s my least favorite song on the album! The 7th song on the album is “Drumming Song” and not only is the song great, the video is pretty catchy too.
For more information about Florence and her machines go to:
