popwreckoning

This weekend, Dr. Dog, The Head and The Heart, Mason Jennings and many more musicians and bands will play at the inaugural Pearl Street Music Festival in Boulder, CO. Although smaller than other two-day festivals, the stellar line-up and humble community makes Pearl Street Music Festival a great primer for the various outdoor summer concerts and festivals coming through Colorado this summer. Festival organizer Travis Albright spoke to PopWreckoning about the festival line-up and the perks of a Pearl Street Music Festival wristband.

PopWreckoning, Brianna Hernandez: How did you decide which artists to feature at the festival?
Travis Albright, Pearl Street Music Festival: I wanted to have a nice mix of local and national acts with a wide array of genres. The genres at this festival include indie, folk, bluegrass, jam, rock, and even late night DJs. Plus, they’re bands that I really love. The Head and the Heart and Dr. Dog are two of my favorites.

PopWreckoning: Aside from Snowball Music Festival, this is really the first music festival in CO this year. Is there any pressure as Pearl Street Music Fest kicks off music festival season in CO?
Travis: There is absolutely no pressure. We have had such strong support from the community since day one. All of the businesses, bands, fans, and the city of Boulder have been so great to work with.

PopWreckoning: How are you working with local businesses to enhance the festival experience?
Travis: Because the festival and local businesses decided to work together on festival logistics, the entire downtown area is benefitting this weekend. With one single festival wristband, patrons can get into seven different venues from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., attend a film premiere, and check out art expos, all while receiving great discounts from local restaurants and retailers.

PopWreckoning: As Paste Magazine highlighted, this is your inaugural year. What are your goals for this festival?
Travis: We are so honored to named one of Paste Magazine’s “Top 10 Most Interesting Inaugural Music Festival of 2011!” It’s great to be in the company of such festivals as the Dave Matthews Caravan, Escape to New York, Electric Forest, and even Rock A Field in Luxembourg. Our only goal was to logistically get the downtown area to work together for a true Boulder experience. Hopefully next year we will have all of the Pearl Street district involved.

PopWreckoning: 2011 is the inaugural year for both Snowball Music Festival and Pearl Street Music Festival. With a slew of already successful music festivals, and several new music fests (including Pearl Street and Snowball), what does this mean for CO’s music scene?
Travis: I think that the music scene on the front range of Colorado is something that exceeds major markets such as New York, Chicago, and L.A. Our humbly populated area is able to run with the big dogs. That alone speaks volumes.

PopWreckoning: How is Pearl Street Music Festival different from other CO music festivals such as Westword Music Showcase, Underground Music Showcase, Snowball Music Fest, Telluride, etc?
Travis: I think it’s different because even though some of the others are multiple venue festivals, this is the only where you can buy a single festival pass and have access to so much in just a few blocks.

PopWreckoning: How would you describe CO’s music scene?
Travis: I think anyone that loves music already knows about the Colorado music scene. I’m from the east coast. Six years ago, the music scene was one of the main reasons that I moved to Boulder. That and the great beer, outdoor activities, sunny weather…

For more information about Pearl Street Music Festival, visit: www.pearlstreetfestival.com.

As part of the Grand Opening of McMenamin’s newest hotel, the downtown Portland Crystal Hotel, Portland native M. Ward is playing three consecutive nights at the Crystal Ballroom, Tuesday, May 3 through Thursday, May 5.

Wednesday’s festivities will also include local favorite David Bazan, Scott McCaughey, Charlie Gabriel & The Mel Brown Trio, Carl Smith and the Natural Gas Company, “Meet the Makers” brewery tasting, The Lord’s Own Choir, and an afterparty w/DJ Sam Huff.

Thursday’s show will feature Doug Martsch, Scott McCaughey, Charlie Gabriel & The Mel Brown Trio, Carl Smith and the Natural Gas Company, Tequila Tasting – Featuring Sauza and Tres Generaciones, “Meet the Makers” winery tasting, The Lord’s Own Choir, and a DJ’d Afterparty with Doug Martsch.

Events begin at 4 p.m., and entry is free, except for M. Ward at 8 p.m., which is $25 in advance, and $25 the day of the show.

After this show, M. Ward will be heading out on a solo European tour until the end of May, and a U.S. and Canadian tour in June and July.

For more information and to purchase tickets, go to McMenamins.com.

05.03.2011 Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
05.04.2011 Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
05.05.2011 Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
05.09.2011 Stockholm, Sweden @ Royal Theatre
05.10.2011 Oslo, Norway @  Parkteatret
05.13.2011 Paris, France @ La Gaite Lyrique
05.15.2011 London, England @ Union Chapel
05.17.2011 Lisbon, Portugal @ Aula Magna
05.18.2011 Porto, Portugal @ Teatro Sa da Bandeira
05.19.2011 Vigo, Spain @ Audiorio de Vigo
05.22.2011 Granada, Spain @ Isodro Marquez Theatre
05.23.2011 Madrid, Spain @ Teatro Lara
05.24.2011 Bilboa, Spain @ Teatro BBK
05.27.2011 Barcelona, Spain @ Primavera Festival
06.10.2011 Philadelphia, PA @ Mann Center for Performing Arts
06.11.2011 Vienna, VA @ Filene Center @ Wolftrap
06.25.2011 Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre
06.26.2011 Davis, CA @ Mondavi Center
07.07.2011 Winnipeg, MB Canada @ Winnipeg Folk
07.09.2011 Ottawa, ON @ Ottawa Blues
07.11.2011 Quebec City, QC @ Quebec City Summer Festival
07.31.2011 Newport, RI @ Newport Folk Festival

For more information visit http://www.mwardmusic.com/

I’m feelin’ some 80′s vibes and I’m likin’ it. Unpopular opinion? Maybe. But Chicago’s indie pop-rock band Pet Lions work it to their advantage. This quartet already has the  Soft Right EP backing them up and debut full-length album Houses is a solid follow-up. Production by Neil Strauch (Iron and Wine, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s) really showcases the band’s talent and adds a warm, fuzzy atmosphere to the album. It’s not clean pop music and that’s precisely why I like it. It’s noisy, yet soft and laid back, perfect for a day at the beach or a late night summer barbecue.

The album starts out slow with “The English Room” and slowly builds into the punchy second song “When I Grow Old.” “Slow Wave” chills out a little bit and “Mexican Cigarettes” begins with rippling, synthetic keyboard sounds. My personal favorite, “Sleeping,” picks up the pace again and gets toes tapping with lots of “bah bah bah’s” sure to get stuck in your head. The melody is infectious and I find myself humming it hours later. The second half of the album is chock full of bubbly and tinkling synth sounds: “Comeback” showcases the 80′s vibe I’m digging, but still keeps it fresh and relevant. “To The Coast” reminds me of Beach House and what a great band to be reminded of. Happy and feel-good, Pet Lions’ Houses is sure to be a summer staple on my iPod.

With Pet Lions’ EP Soft Right being pretty straightforward pop-rock, they took a risk by adventuring into new territory. It was an excellent risk to take though and I think it pays off. Houses, as a whole, is accessible music, but with a flair that is sure to get this band noticed. They’re streaming the album in its entirety over at their Bandcamp; check it out if you’re itching to get a glimpse.

If you’re in or around Chicago, they’re having a CD release show Saturday May 14 at Lincoln Hall. $10, 18+, and sure to be a good time.

Track Listing:

1 The English Room
2 When I Grow Old
3 Slow Wave
4 Mexican Cigarettes
5 Sleeping
6 Comeback
7 To The Coast
8 Trinidad
9 Southern Arms
10 Thieves

Matt Pryor, the frontman for Kansas rockers Get Up Kids, has announced a follow-up to his 2008 solo album Confidence Man. To help fund the album, he’s asking for fans to support him on Kickstarter.

The album is entitled May Day and it draws its title from Pryor’s plan to write, record and complete all work on the album during the month of May. It will then be released later this year.

Pryor plans to release the record independently and is using Kickstarter to help fund the project. In return for his fans’ help, Pryor is offering incentives such as vinyl pressings, exclusive t-shirts and posters, guitars used on the record and the unreleased solo record Still There’s A Light. The unreleased record will be available to fans who donate, but a clip from a “Where Do We Go Here” off that record is available as a sample on the Kickstarter page.

Pryor is trying to raise $10,000 in the next month.

Help fund the project and listen to a clip from “Where Do We Go Here” at Pryor’s Kickstarter page here.

A lot of mystery has surrounded the release of the Killers‘ Ronnie Vannucci‘s solo project – what will it sound like, when will it be released, what does this mean for the Killers – but the answers are soon to be revealed.

Vannucci’s solo project Big Talk is due to release a self-titled album July 12 on Epitaph Records.The first single is “Getaways” and will be available May 10.

Though Vannucci has primarily served behind the drum kit for the Killers, he’s taking a step out into the spotlight by taking over vocal duties and other instruments. He already has a diverse musical history outside of the world famous rock band – playing with ska act Attaboy Skip and more recently performing on several tracks for indie rock group Mt. Desolation. Based on his impressive musical resume, this album is one to keep on your radar.

Vannucci’s friend and former bandmate Taylor Milne joined him in the studio and will play lead guitar for Big Talk’s live show. Dates have not been released yet, but Big Talk is expected to announce a summer tour with a full band.

The album is available for pre-order now at www. epitaphstore.com. Stay up to date with Big Talk at bigtalkmusic.com.

Company of Thieves are one of the best acts to come out of Chicago in the past couple of years and after their initial release of Ordinary Riches, I was hooked. “Indie rock band” is a popular tag these days, but add “female vocalist” and you’ve got something new and exciting. And Genevieve Schatz certainly does not disappoint. She may look like a fragile, pretty thing with her bouncy curls and always creative outfits, but once she belts out a couple notes I guarantee your jaw will be on the floor. She means business.

Their sophomore effort Running from a Gamble starts strong with a short a capella  tune appropriately titled “Intro”; I’d like to think it’s there to give listeners a couple seconds to prepare for the mind-blowing music they’re about to hear. We dive right into “Queen of Hearts,” a song I heard first at Lollapalooza 2010, among other songs the band has played live over the past couple months including “Nothing’s In The Flowers” and “Gorgeous/Grotesque.” Company of Thieves must feel the same way about the aforementioned songs; they’re my favorites on the album and I play them over and over and over and just can’t get enough.

Running from a Gamble, like Ordinary Riches, showcases a full range of subject and emotion. “Queen of Hearts,” “Nothing’s In The Flowers,” and “Tallulah” are light and get your toes tapping. “Death of Communication,” “King of Dreams,” “Gorgeous/Grotesque” and “Won’t Go Quietly” take on weightier topics and Genevieve’s passion boils over in the earnestness of her vocals. Only Genevieve Schatz can sing about a city’s garbage-littered streets and make it sound sexy, as seen in “Gorgeous/Grotesque.” “Won’t Go Quietly” hits me so hard that I feel like the band is playing just for me. The vocals become desperate cries and screams for attention and the quiet hum of guitars and drums in the background increase the tension until you can hardly stand it. “Take Me For A Man” holds the same passion; what a fantastic way to wrap up an album. Company of Thieves perfectly craft tension and release it into their songs. They’re masters at digging deep into not only their own souls, but into their audiences’ as well. If you’re looking for fierce passion and soul, look no further.

If you’ve never seen Company of Thieves live, I can’t recommend it highly enough. Marc absolutely shreds on guitar and is a pleasure to watch; Genevieve is one of the most awe-inspiring lead singers, you can’t look away. She dances, stomps around, bangs on her tambourine and belts the most unbelievable notes from her chest. Go see a show. Thank me later.

Track Listing:

1 Intro
2 Queen of Hearts
3 Modern Waste
4 Look Both Ways
5 Never Come Back
6 Nothing’s In The Flowers
7 Death Of Communication
8 King Of Dreams
9 Gorgeous/Grotesque
10 Syrup
11 Tallulah
12 Won’t Go Quietly

Sacremento’s legendary nu-metal experimental rockers Deftones are currently on tour with the Dillinger Escape Plan.

Photographer Jon Gitchoff caught up with the show during its St. Louis stop at the Pageant and shares these photos chronicling the event:

Deftones

The Dillinger Escape Plan

PopWreckoning sat down with Alex Ridha, aka Boys Noize, before his DJ set at Beta Nightclub last month. The legendary DJ has been producing and remixing for over a decade and started his highly buzzed about record label, Boys Noize Records, in 2005. Ridha is known for his cutting-edge collaborations and for his non-stop touring. PopWreckoning was lucky enough to chat with him about what his touring schedule is like and what other artists he is currently listening to.

PopWreckoning, Brianna Hernandez: You have been doing this for a really long time – a little over a decade – how did you get into DJing and decide to DJ as a career?
Boys Noize: The thing is with me, DJing, I love it so much because I always play new stuff that excites me. DJing was always a big part of me and [I had] so much passion for it when I started and it’s still there. And now, with the traveling you get to see so many interesting cities and people.

PW: You’re huge into remixes – who do you want to remix and what type of genre would you want to work with?
BN: Actually, I was asked to do a remix for Johnny Cash [laughs], but I wasn’t able to do it. The more it’s away from what I’m doing the more interesting it is for me. I still look at myself like a musician as well. When I started to remix the Kaiser Chiefs, it was way more interesting for me to do a remix than to a techno track. It’s way more challenging to take a rock track and make it sound good.

PW: Who are some of the people you are listening to and up and comers you currently like?
BN: Definitely Housemeister. He’s actually been around for a long time as a famous DJ. But now, [during] the last couple years, he’s been blowing up. He’s outside of the box with his sounds and production and he doesn’t sound like anyone else. Guys like DJEDJOTRONIC, who is from Paris. He’s probably the most talented one right now. He’s really killing it with a style that combines house and techno.

PW: So you’re touring all over the U.S. right now –how do the crowds differ between here and Berlin, where you are from?
BN: There are many differences within the U.S. Cities where you have more access to different clubs and styles like NYC, San Franicso and here [in Denver] as well. People are getting more educated in different sounds right now. In the U.S. they really want to rage, which I always do and love. You could say it always take the U.S. a little longer to pick up stuff than in Europe. Whenever I come here, I think I have to do more to present the style and music.

PW: What does the rest of 2011 have in store for you?
BN: Well, I’m doing the summer festivals again and trying to finish a new record. I already have 25 new tracks but I’m trying to figure out which direction I wanna go. I’ve set my personal level really high now and I’m collecting more and more songs. It’s weird because I can’t go in a studio with a plan, I just go in there and see where it goes.

Hear Boys Noize’s latest track, “Transmission,” here and find more from the DJ at boysnoize.com.