popwreckoning

I knew this showcase was going to be huge, but didn’t realize just how awesome it was until they announced the bands.

No Sleep Records and Atticus Clothing team up for one of the biggest SXSW Showcases this year.

Stage One:
Travis Shettel (of Piebald) performing an Acoustic Piebald Set
Fake Problems
Laura Stevenson and the Cans
Into It. Over It.
This Time Next Year
Santah
Mansions
Aficionado
TS & The Past Haunts
White Apple Tree

Stage Two:
Defeater
Native
Make Do And Mend
Moving Mountains
Former Thieves
The Felix Culpa
Now, Now

I have one word for this. BADASS.

There are also special guest appearances that will be announced the day of. I’m crossing my fingers for Charlie Sheen.

This show is free. Get there early and stay for the whole entire thing or you’ll miss out. And bring snacks.

Official press release and flier.

The Vaccines, one of the most hotly tipped English bands for success in 2011, have released a new music video for their track, “If You Wanna.” They were described by the Guardian‘s Paul Lester as “like the Drums if they were more influenced by the Jesus and Mary Chain than the Smiths.”

“If You Wanna” will appear on the London band’s debut album, What Did You Expect from the Vaccines?, expected to drop in May on Columbia Records. If you’re interested in getting your hands on some Vaccines tuneage now, their 3-song eponymous EP is available in digital format, with a 10″ vinyl to be released on 7″ on March 15. And if you happen to be at South by Southwest this year, you can catch them there as well.

The Vaccines: website | myspace

Photo: Roger Sargent

New York City’s folk pop band Freelance Whales (pictured right) and Oxford, England indie dance rock band Foals will be touring North America together in April and May. In several markets (San Francisco, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC) the two bands will be co-headlining. The support act for this tour is Auckland, New Zealand electropop band the Naked and Famous.

Tour Dates
Apr 10 – Commodore Ballroom / Vancouver*
Apr 11 – Showbox at the Market / Seattle*
Apr 12 – Wonder Ballroom / Portland*
Apr 14 – Great American Music Hall / San Francisco (Freelance Whales co-headlining with Foals)*
Apr 19 – Fitzgerald’s / Houston*
Apr 20 – Loft / Dallas
Apr 21 – La Zona Rosa / Austin*
Apr 23 – Firebird / St. Louis*
Apr 25 – Varsity Theater / Minneapolis*
Apr 26 – Metro / Chicago (Freelance Whales co-headlining with Foals)*
Apr 27 – Outland Live / Columbus*
Apr 29 – Beachland Ballroom / Cleveland*
Apr 30 – Phoenix / Toronto*
May 01 – Le National / Montreal*
May 02 – Paradise / Boston*
May 04 – Terminal 5 / New York City (Freelance Whales co-headlining with Foals)*
May 05 – TLA / Philadelphia*
May 06 – 9:30 Club / Washington, DC (Freelance Whales co-headlining with Foals)*
May 07 – Ottobar / Baltimore*
May 08 – Met / Pawtucket, RI*
*with the Naked and Famous

Freelance Whales: website | myspace | @ Rock ‘n’ Roll Hotel
Foals: website | myspace
The Naked and Famous: | myspace

One of our favorite showcase at SXSW just revealed its lineup. This year’s Chop Shop/Atlantic Records  Showcase is Saturday, March 19, and features our local Kansas City favorites The Republic Tigers.

The Tigers are joined by Portugal. The Man, The Joy Formidable, Scars of 45 and Kitten.

The tent has always been a hidden gem of talent poised to explode. Janelle Monae is just one of the many memorable acts from past year’s events. Also, if you’re a fan of the soundtracks to things like the “Twilight” films and “Gossip Girl,” this tent is a must not miss.

To get in to the Saturday party, simply RSVP to rsvp@chopshoprecords.com. Space is limited, so RSVPs don’t guarantee entry. Show up early!

Set times:

4:00 – Kitten
4:20 – Scars on 45
5:00 – The Republic Tigers
5:45 – The Joy Formidable
6:30 – Portugal. The Man

March 19th – Brush Square Park – 409 E. 5th St.

With the official start of Spring on March 21, comes the start of warmer weather, plants sprouting, and lots of big concert tours. The day after the vernal equinox, North America is treated to the Dirty Work tour featuring All Time Low, Yellowcard, Hey Monday and the Summer Set – that’s waaay better than some smelly flowers, right?

The trek kicks off March 22 in Philadelphia and is named the “Dirty Work” tour after All Time Low’s upcoming major label debut due out soon on DGC/Interscope. If you’re a fan of the bands spunky pop punk you can be sure to hear some of their new material on this tour. Frontman Alex Gaskarth promises this album will push the band past genre boundaries, but still feature their praised melodic guitar lines. The album also features two songs with special co-writers, Weezer‘s Rivers Cuomo and the other with Butch Walker.

Yellowcard is also touring in support of their upcoming release and this is their first tour in over three year.

So fans of pop punk and rock, get your tickets now because they’re selling out fast. Full dates are below and tickets are available here.

The Dirty Work Tour Dates:
Mar 22 – Philadelphia, PA – Electric Ballroom
Mar 23 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom
Mar 25 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom – sold out
Mar 26 – Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory – sold out
Mar 28 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club – sold out
Mar 29 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore
Mar 31 – Ft Lauderdale, FL – Revolution
Apr 01 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues
Apr 02 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
Apr 04 – St Louis, MO – The Pageant
Apr 05 – Kansas City, MO – Beaumont Club
Apr 06 – Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom
Apr 07 – Houston, TX – House of Blues
Apr 08 – Dallas, TX – Palladium Ballroom
Apr 09 – Austin, TX – Stubb’s Waller Creek Outdoor Amph.
Apr 11 – Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theatre
Apr 12 – Los Angeles, CA – Club Nokia at LA Live
Apr 13 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues
Apr 15 – Anaheim, CA – Grove of Anaheim
Apr 16 – San Francisco, CA – The Warfield Theatre
Apr 17 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
Apr 18 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo
Apr 21 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
Apr 22 – Milwaukee, WI – Eagles Ballroom
Apr 23 – Houghton, MI – Rozsca Center for the Performing Arts
Apr 25 – Toronto, ON – Sound Academy
Apr 26 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues – sold out
Apr 28 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore
Apr 29 – Chicago, IL – Congress Theatre
Apr 30 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogarts
May 03 – New York, NY – Best Buy Theater – sold out
May 04 – Allentown, PA – Crocodile Rock
May 05 – Clifton Park, NY – Northern Lights
May 06 – Boston, MA – House of Blues – sold out
May 07 – Baltimore, MD – UMBC Fieldhouse

It would be easy to call Eve, Bridges and Powerlines’ sophomore release, reflective like Arcade Fire, sprawling like Polyphonic Spree, and intimate like Guster. That is, after all, where their influences appear to stem from at different times during the album. But the four-piece New York indie pop group manages to be only influenced by those bands rather than emulating, and manage to do successfully what so many new bands fail to do time and time again: create their own sound.

Albums after albums take the same approach to first track: either a big bombastic loud rocker or one that begins lightly and builds all the way to the end creating a magnificent introduction. At first, guitarist David Boyd gives this impression of the stereotypical blueprint album opening with “The First Equation,” but vocalist Andrew Wood keeps the band at bay from exploding too much. After the light head bopping (yes, bopping) “Mirabell,” Keith Sigel (bass) and Pete Mucek (drums), keep the uptempo “Balcony” moving for the most part, except when the drumming becomes complex and seems to lose its “skipping along” feel for the briefest of moments.

The brilliantly catchy “The Cave-In” is definitely the one track on the album that will easily be played multiple times in a row. The chorus, while using a familiar chord progression, sounds fresh and new with Wood’s use of melody and harmony. “I Remember A Blue Sky” pays its respect to Guster, but maintains its own originality of Bridges and Powerlines before descending into the title track “Eve.” Unfortunately, while being upbeat, this is where the album loses its momentum by being trite.

As quickly as it ebbs, Eve begins to flow once again with “Roman Leaders,” the laid back reminiscent track with Wood singing, “We were brothers/for a short time.” “The Jameson” is a buoyant tune that propels Eve into the final third.

So many times, albums will start off strong and the deeper it goes, the rougher it is to listen. B&P manages to avoid the longstanding cliché with the jubilant “Gazes Wide” and “The Leaves” and it’s playful tone. “Floodlights” is the perfect bookend to Eve, closing the album in the same fashion it began – subtly and freely.

Eve proves that bands still exist who do not emulate their predecessors and skillfully achieve recognition. And while Bridges and Powerlines may never be as paramount in the music scene as Arcade Fire or Guster, they are one of the few that are individual and truly prolific in their craft, thus solidifying their footprint in the pages of music.

4 ½ out of 5 stars

Snow Ball Music Festival kicks off festival season this weekend with three days against the gorgeous backdrop of Vail Valley, CO. A precursor to Coachella, Sasquatch, Ultra, and other upcoming music festivals, Snow Ball will feature a mix of well-known headliners as well as up-and-coming acts, including several Colorado-based bands.

Many of the local bands billed for Snow Ball, including Candy Claws, The Chain Gang of 1974 and Gauntlet Hair, have received notable national attention over the past year. Festival planner Latane Hughes says local acts will play a large role in Snow Ball’s inaugural year.

. “Snowdrift Wish” – Candy Claws

“The local talent is the soul of this festival,” he said. “We are depending on them to help us inspire and inform music lovers all over Colorado of this first year festival, and [we’re] also excited to have them bring their locally renowned live performances to a national crowd.”

Festival creator Chad Donnelly said his vision was to create a unique festival experience where attendees could experience both the music and the location.

“From the beginning, the idea was to really bridge the mountains and the music,” Donnelly said. “We are an entirely different type of festival across the board. The winter environment provides a backdrop unlike any other festival in the US. From skiing and snowboarding during the day, to the late night parties in the evening, I truly believe this experience will prove to be totally unique from start to finish.”

While festival goers are encouraged to plan for the chilly, unpredictable weather, Snow Ball will feature two covered and heated outdoor stages and one main stage, the “Dance Dome.”

“We have some really cool activation planned for the space, things that wouldn’t normally work during the summer months because of the temperatures.”

To see the full Snow Ball Music Fest lineup and to purchase tickets, visit here.

Written by Brianna Hernandez