popwreckoning

If only Jason Schwartzman were still a part of Rooney, then this tour with Eisley and the Chapin Sisters would have been a perfect family affair. It’s seriously amazing to see that much talent in shared among family members. Though I guess just as talent runs in families, so does the lack of talent – seriously, my sister and I tried to do karaoke together once and it was not pretty.

The Chapin Sisters started off the show with their brand of saccharine folk songs. Their voices together were great and my friend and I commented on how they sounded and even looked a bit like Zooey Deschanel of She & Him. I guess it was a sound comparison because shortly after making that comment, the sisters brought up their recent tour with She & Him in the past Fall.

Eisley followed and this Texas indie rock group of three sisters, one brother and cousin blew me away. I had always heard good things, but this was the first time I’ve ever been able to catch them live. The one sister, Sherri, had a voice like Canadian singer Lights. My friend and I kept saying she was our favorite vocalist, but then Stacy would start to sing and we’d be like, no we love her the most. In other words, we really just loved everything about whatever was happening at the most recent moment because it just got better and better. The harmonies were superb, while the instrumentals drivingly interesting and catchy.

Midway through the set I tweeted a pic of Eisley and immediately got a text back, “You’re at Eisley? I didn’t think they served your kind there.” I couldn’t help, but chuckle at the Star Wars joke, but it did make me curious about the band’s name – turns out the really are named for the Star Wars town of Mos Eisley.

The group mentioned some new music coming out this Spring and played a few new songs such as “Smarter” off the upcoming release. Definitely put this release on your radar.

Eisley Set List:
Better Heart
Golly Sandra
Many Funerals
Brightly Wound
Smarter
Valley
Invasion
I.W. Prepared
Sad
Ambulance
Mr. Moon

I must admit, I had been a little out of the Rooney loop for awhile. I was obsessed with them in high school, so I couldn’t wait to hear “Daisy Duke” and “I’m Shakin,” but I didn’t really know what to expect from the more recent material.

The set list was a great mix of old and new songs, so I was pleased to hear what I had originally fell in love with mixed in with new songs that I was pleasantly surprised by. The group also through in some covers – inviting the Chapin Sisters back out for a cover of “Magic.”

Rooney’s warm-sounding surf rock was perfect for the cold Winter night of this show and really, my only bone to pick with them were the dance moves of lead singer Robert – maybe a little bit less of the chicken-head bobbing. It just got a little cheesy as the show went on and the overdone gesture detracts from what is some really great music.

Rooney Set List:
Stay Away
Blueside
Don’t Look at Me
Daisy Duke
All or Nothing
Losing All Control
Don’t Come Around Again
Holdin On
Only Friend
Runaway – cover
Stars and Stripes
Magic – cover
Shakin
Ishbay
Can’t Get Enough
—
Not in My House
Heart

The tour is still going on, so if you get the chance to see it in your town, definitely check it out. Tour dates are here.

Rooney is heading out on tour with Eisley and The Chapin Sisters February 2011.

The tour begins in Albuquerque, NM, February 2. Tickets are on-sale now at www.rooneytix.com and each ticket comes with a digital Christmas EP.

February Tour Dates:
w/Eisley & The Chapin Sisters
2/2/11 Albuquerque NM Launchpad
2/4/11 Tulsa OK Caine’s Second Stage
2/5/11 Kansas City MO The Beaumont Club
2/6/11 St Paul MN Station 4
2/7/11 Milwaukee WI Mad Planet
2/8/11 Grand Rapids MI The Intersection
2/9/11 Pontiac MI The Crofoot Ballroom
2/10/11 Chicago IL Lincoln Hall
2/11/11 Columbus OH The Basement
2/12/11 Cleveland Heights OH Grog Shop
2/13/11 Pittsburgh PA Alter Bar
2/14/11 Newport KY The Historic Southgate House
w/Eisley
2/16/11 Cambridge MA The Middle East
2/17/11 Philadelphia PA Theatre Of Living Arts
2/18/11 Washington DC Rock and Roll Hotel
2/19/11 Carrboro NC Cat’s Cradle
2/20/11 Asheville NC The Grey Eagle
2/21/11 Nashville TN Exit/In
2/22/11 Memphis TN The Hi-Tone
2/23/11 St Louis MO Firebird
2/25/11 Denver CO The Marquis Theatre
2/26/11 Salt Lake City UT Kilby Court

Having heard of Rooney about eight years ago or so (and being on their mailing list since then), I was intrigued to see them live for the first time. I was a little unsure of what to expect from them exactly, but since Rooney is currently on tour with Hanson to promote their newest release Eureka, I rightfully assumed it would be a fun show. And though the tour has only just started, they’ve already hit major cities such as Buffalo, NY and Philadelphia, PA.

The sold out Philadelphia show Sunday night was very entertaining. Though the majority of the fans were in attendance to see Hanson, Rooney, who happens to be very engaging, had the crowd singing right along with them. Lead singer, Robert Schwartzman, encouraged the crowd to clap along to the beat several times throughout the night. The band impressed me and had very good stage presence. They personalized the show by talking about the Phillies baseball game they attended earlier in the day, and about the storm that delayed the game, drenching the band in the process. At one point, Robert even threw his Phillies baseball cap out into the crowd.

Rooney’s music is very guitar based with the occasional keyboard used in their songs which of course keeps the energy level high throughout the night. They played songs from their newest release Eureka such as “Holding On” and “I Can’t Get Enough.” They even played a cover of “Rockin’ in the Free World” by Neil Young with Robert playing drums and Ned Brower, their drummer, singing lead. Their adaptation stayed true to Neil Young’s version of the song and the crowd seemed to really enjoy it. Overall, Rooney has very upbeat music that encourages the audience to sing and dance along. If you are looking for a good to pop show to see, don’t pass up the opportunity to see Rooney. You won’t be disappointed.

Hanson has announced the first two legs of a North American tour in support of their upcoming Shout It Out Release.

The band’s debut single, “Thinking ‘Bout Somethin,’” was released digitally Friday in conjunction with the premiere network television performance of the song on the Late Show with David Letterman, and the music video debut on Myspace. The video features “Weird” Al Yankovic and is a homage to classic film The Blues Brothers.

The first leg of the Shout It Out Tour begins July 21 with support from Rooney, and covers the east coast, south and midwest. The second leg, featuring A Rocket To The Moon, covers the southwest and west coast and begins September 14. In partnership with OurStage, they are hosting an opening band contest in each market, where local indie artists can compete for the chance to share the stage with the band.

If you cannot make it to any of the tour dates, don’t fret: the band’s sold-out, five-night concert series at New York’s Gramercy Theatre, featuring the band performing one of their albums in its entirety will be streamed live on Hanson.net, Livestream.com and MSN.com.

Shout It Out, is due out on the band’s 3CG Records on June 8.

Tour Dates:
Leg 1:
July
21 – Buffalo, NY – Club Infinity
23 – Hyannis, MA – Cape Cod Melody Tent
24 – Cohasset, MA – South Shore Music Circus
25 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of the Living Arts
27 – Baltimore, MD – Sonar
28 – Richmond, VA – Hat Factory
30 – Asheville, NC – Orange Peel
31 – Raleigh, NC – Lincoln Theatre
August
2 – Louisville, KY – Headliners
3 – Nashville, TN – Wild Horse Saloon
4 – Memphis, TN – Minglewood Hall
5 – St. Louis, MO – Pageant
7 – Kansas City, MO – The Beaumont
8 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown (no Rooney)
10 – Minneapolis, MN – Music @ Zoo Outdoor Amphitheatre
12 – Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theatre
13 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues
14 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues
16 – Grand Rapids, MI – Intersection
17 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre
19 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
20 – Pittsburgh, PA – Carnegie Music Hall
21 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
23 – Cincinnati, OH – Moonlight Gardens
24 – Indianapolis, IN – Egyptian Room
25 – Tulsa, OK – Cain’s Ballroom

Leg 2:
September
14 – Mesa, AZ – Piper Theater
16 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues
17 – Los Angeles, CA – House of Blues
18 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
20 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
21 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
22 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
23 – Seattle, WA – The Moore
25 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
27 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory
28 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory
30 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot
October
1 – Boulder, CO – Fox Theatre

Rooney‘s Rob Schwartzman has a new solo project known as Solo Bob. Solo Bob just released a video for first single “The Victim” and the tune can also be downloaded at Solo Bob’s web site here.

After Mapquest took my friend and I on the most illogical route to El Corazon in Seattle, we arrived just in time as the doors opened to see Rooney, Tally Hall and Crash Kings on the Wild One tour on Wednesday. Thankfully, we only had to wait outside for about ten minutes, because it was pretty darn close to freezing.

El Corazon is a small, but fairly intimate venue with a great view from all vantage points. That night, the teenybopper crowd filling El Corazon differed starkly from those who worked there, covered in piercings and tattoos, dark hoodies and unkempt facial hair. I liked the odd juxtaposition, as it fit the contrasting lineup. The Crash Kings were up first, with their three-piece of Tony Beliveau on vocals and keyboard, his brother Mike Beliveau on bass and Jason Morris on drums. Tony was quite the showman, rocking out with a clavinet, a customized keyboard with guitar strings and a large whammy bar. Mike played with multiple amps, making music both full and raw without a guitar, leading to rather a unique sound.

The three-piece Crash Kings played a short, but strong set, including first single “Mountain Man,” as well as other crowd-pleasers “1985,” “Raincoat,” “You Got Me” and “It’s Only Wednesday,” which was recently featured in the film “Zombieland.” I hadn’t heard much of their music before the show, but I was thoroughly impressed with their stage presence, matching the intimacy of the venue with their brotherly synergy.

After their half-hour, Tally Hall came up on stage to set up their instruments, clad in suit shirts and vests, as well as fake mustaches to match their hair color. It fit Tally Hall’s persona perfectly, as they’re pretty much the nerdiest band I’ve heard since They Might Be Giants. Seriously, they referred to their own music as “wonky rock.”

What I love so much about Tally Hall is how funny they are, but they are genuinely good musicians, and they harmonize wonderfully, with guitarists Joe Hawley, Rob Cantor, keyboardist Andrew Horowitz and bassist Zubin Sedghi all bringing their own vocal style. To my delight, Tally Hall played some new songs, meaning a new record coming possibly soon, as it’s been a good three years since Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum. But they did play a few of the hits from ,MMMM: “Welcome to Tally Hall,” “The Bidding,” “Ruler of Everything,” and “Good Day.” My favorite song was actually during Horowitz’s one singing part, “The Whole World and You,” and they got the whole crowd clapping with Horowitz’s adorable subtle lisp. The crowd surely loved the dapper crew, as the youngins surrounding me sang along to all of the words.

Cantor and Hawley had the most charm, saying that it was “an honor and a pleasure to be playing with Rooney and Crash Kings,” causing everyone to cheer loudly, so then they’d say it randomly throughout the half-hour set. I would have preferred longer than half an hour, and it would have been plausible, as we hit the road just after 11. An hour would have given them more time to banter, showing off their unique personas. But I was happy just the same.

Rooney was up next.

Following a long intro of the “The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly” theme music, building the palpable anticipation, it was obvious that most people there came to see Rooney. They were met with screaming girls, reminiscent of the reaction that the Jonas Brothers might get, but with a few token drunk guys.

The foursome came out cool and casual, and started off with “Stay Away” off their eponymous debut back in 2003. It gave me a weird flashback to a little film that you may have seen at one point – “The Princess Diaries,” yeah, cause front man Robert Schwartzman was in that movie as Michael Moscovitz, Anne Hathaway’s love interest. As was the rest of Rooney, as Michael’s band. Sure, the movie was eight years ago, but I just can’t seem to get it out of my head.

That soon left my mind, as I moved from the one side of the stage where bassist Matthew Winter seemed to not be having any fun to the other side of the stage where guitarist Taylor Locke captivated the crowd with his sweet riffs and undeniably flowy hair. Schwartzman did most of the talking, leading the room through a set list of oldies but goodies such as “Blueside,” “Daisy Duke”  and “Popstars,” which Schwartzman said they hadn’t played in a while, as well as brand new songs. One new song titled “Wild One” let drummer Ned Brower actually sing and he was quite good.

Around 10:40, Schwartzman thanked Seattle profusely for being so great, and it caught me off guard, but made everyone laugh and cheer when Locke started playing random opening riffs from classic Seattle rock songs from Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and Soundgarden.

“Ned’s from here, so we can do that,” Schwartzman said, “Well, born in Chapel Hill and raised in Seattle.”

It made me smile. But nothing made anyone smile quite as much as the guy standing behind me who kept shouting “I Should Have Been After You” all night. He finally got his wish during the encore.

“Who wants ‘Simply Because?’” Schwartzman asked the crowd.

People cheered.

“Tell Me Soon?”

People cheered.

“How about ‘I Should Have Been After You?’”

And people went nuts.

“Okay, we’ll do it for that guy this one time.”

I was fine with that, as “I Should Have Been After You” is one of my favorite Rooney songs.

At the end of the night, my friend had a completely different experience watching Rooney on the opposite side of the stage as I did. So I guess it’s based on your vantage point. Robert’s the conversationalist, Ned’s got the charm and Taylor’s got the charisma.

And Rooney’s surely got the light and bouncy pop rock to get you dancing, even on a Wednesday night before finals week.

Rooney: website | myspace

L.A. five-piece Rooney is gearing up to release a new, limited-pressing EP, Wild One and will embark on a national headlining tour beginning November 27 at Los Angeles’ El Rey Theatre, in support. Fans can get a first listen to Wild One as the EP will be available exclusively at these upcoming shows before becoming available at iTunes in early 2010. Only 5,000 EPs will be pressed.

Wild One was produced and engineered by the band, and features four brand-new tracks. The EP was mixed by Dave Trumfio (Wilco, Built to Spill and My Morning Jacket) and mastered by Dave McNair (Willie Nelson, Patti Smith.)

After signing with a major record label and working with some of the music industry’s most esteemed producers since their inception, the band is proud to showcase this collection of songs they crafted entirely themselves. Rooney’s latest offering features some of their best, most inventive and original material to date.

Rooney was signed to Geffen Records in 2002 after independently releasing a series of EPs and demos. They released their self-titled debut in 2003; shortly thereafter they saw significant success with single “I’m Shakin” and a cameo appearance on hit teen drama The O.C. The band has toured with a variety of superstar acts including Kings of Leon, Weezer and The Strokes.

Rooney is Robert Schwartzman (vocals/guitar), Taylor Locke (guitar / vocals), Ned Brower (drums / vocals), Louie Stephens (keyboard / vocals) and Matthew Winter (bass).

Track Listing:
1. Suckceed
2. I Don’t Understand
3. Wild One
4. The Days Keep Going By

Tour Dates:
Nov. 27 – El Rey Theatre / Los Angeles, CA
Nov. 28 – The Glass House / Pomona, CA
Nov. 29 – Slim’s / San Francisco, CA
Nov. 30 – WOW Hall / Eugene, OR
Dec. 1 – Hawthorne Theatre / Portland, OR
Dec. 2 – El Corazon / Seattle, WA
Dec. 4 – In the Venue-Club Sound / Salt Lake City, UT
Dec. 5 – Bluebird Theatre / Denver, CO
Dec. 7 – Station 4 / St. Paul, MN
Dec. 8 – House of Blues / Chicago, IL
Dec. 9 – Majestic Theatre / Detroit, MI
Dec. 10 – Beachland Ballroom / Cleveland, OH
Dec. 11 – Webster Hall / New York, NY
Dec. 12 – Club Stage / Baltimore, MD
Dec. 13 – Middle East Underground / Cambridge, MA
Dec. 14 – The Note / West Chester, PA
Dec. 16 – The Loft / Atlanta, GA
Dec. 17 – Tipitina’s Uptown / New Orleans, LA
Dec. 18 – Meridian / Houston, TX
Dec. 19 – Emo’s / Austin, TX
Dec. 20 – Granada Theatre / Dallas, TX
Dec. 22 – Club Congress / Tucson, AZ

Rooney: website | myspace

Let me preface by saying that the Rooney show was the most oddly entertaining experience I’ve had in a while. It was the first time in my life that I felt too old to be somewhere, and I’m only 20. I entered the Middle East, usually packed full of fashionable hipsters, only to be greeted by gaggles of preteen and teenage girls whose hearts I could almost hear fluttering.

That’s not to say that any of this was a bad thing. One, I was taller than a lot of people there and that’s a rarity and two, the audience had SO much energy throughout the show. I forgot what being really into a band in high school meant: the unconditional love and admiration these kids had for Rooney was astounding and really enjoyable in a kind of strange way to be around.

Rooney themselves really delivered what the audience was looking for. They swaggered on stage looking as cool as ever and the screeches of girls and hoots of guys surrounded them as they began to play. Everyone started to make hearts with their hands and hold them in the air periodically, which I guess is really popular to do at shows now because it never stopped.

Seeing Rooney play was really fun, though. There was a lot of singing along, dancing and awkward teenage couples, and everything involved blended so well with Rooney‘s performance. They clearly know what their fans like, and know their place with their audience. There’s something really awesome about sining along to “I”m a Terrible Person,” which they played towards the middle of their set and people really went crazy for “I’m Shakin,’” which was more fun than I’d expected and I couldn’t help but really get into it.

The only major complaint that I had about the show is that I thought the band’s banter was kind of boring. I can remember them talking, but not what they said even though I was kind of annoyed by whatever it. But that’s just evidence of how easy kids are to please. The member of Rooney could have talked about what they’d had for dinner the night before and still everyone in the audience would have laughed and screamed out of joy just because they were saying anything at all.

At one point they covered The Band‘s “The Weight,” which is an iffy choice for Rooney I think, as it’s quite the song to be tackling. However, it was very effortful and you could tell the band really cared about pulling it off and the cover was an overall pleasant one. I’m not complaining at least. And the numerous parents dotted around the venue clandestinely avoiding their children as not to embarrass them or cramp their style seemed to really appreciate it, too.

Rooney has opened up for bands like The Strokes, Ben Lee and OK Go, but you can really tell that they’re most at home when they’re headlining and they’re in front of their young but very dedicated fans. It’s definitely a really good time when they play, so if you’re prepared to deal with the all ages show crowd then Rooney is definitely an excellent choice. I can’t lie, the show melted my cold pretentious indie heart, if only for a couple hours.

Rooney: website | myspace

by: Jimmy