popwreckoning

Photographer Scott Spychalski recently caught Stone Temple Pilots at Kansas City’s Midland Theatre. Here are some photos showcasing the performance:

In support of his new solo effort Happy Galoshes, Scott Weiland is going on tour this winter!

Tour Dates:
Dec 06 – Borgata / Atlantic City
Dec 16 – Voodoo Lounge @ Harrah’s Casino / Kansas City
Jan 16 – La Zona Rosa / Dallas
Jan 17 – Wherehouse Live / Houston
Jan 19 – Centerstage / Atlanta
Jan 23 – Theater of Living Arts / Philadelphia
Jan 24 – Starland Ballroom / Sayreville, NJ
Jan 26 – Wilbur Theater / Boston
Jan 28 – Andrew’s Hall / Detroit
Jan 30 – Pabst Theater / Milwaukee
Jan 31 – Pantages Theatre / Minneapolis
Feb 02 – Gothic Theater / Denver
Feb 05 – Grand Ballroom / San Francisco
Feb 06 – The Pearl / Las Vegas
Feb 07 –  Henry Fonda Theater / Los Angeles

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Scott Weiland: website | myspace | stone temple pilots @ virgin mobile festival 2008

Since they were the “soundtrack of your summer”, the guys in Boys Like Girls don’t want you to forget about them as the head into the studio over the winter. So for now, check out this interview with guitarist, Paul DiGiovanni, where he talks about life, recording and the group’s new DVD:

Bethany, PopWreckoning: Let’s jump right in. You guys just released a DVD with some live music and behind the scene stuff of you guys on tour. Why did you decide to do that and why should people check that out?
Paul DiGiovanni, Boys Like Girls: The reason that we wanted to do that was to give kids and fans kind of an insight into what we were like as a band and what we were like as people. We’ve been touring for awhile and our record’s been out for awhile and we have a ton of kids that come out to the shows to see us and listen to the CD in their cars, but they don’t really know who the four of us are, what we’re all about and what we’re really like. So we just wanted to show kids what we’re like as real people and what we do behind the scenes and just how we’re normal everyday people.
It’s also to give a recording of one of our most important shows that we’ve ever played. It was a sold out show at home in Boston that we’re just really proud of, so, all those things wrapped into one.

PW: So what is the craziest tour experience that you’ve guys ever had? Do people get to see that on the DVD?
PD: Our director came out with us for two weeks on the road, stayed with us and followed us everywhere we went and did everything we did with us, but with a camera. So we got a ton of random things that go on: funny things and just little problems we had and stuff like that, so that’s really cool. But, one of our biggest accomplishments ever was that we played on this summer tour, this headlining tour we just did with Good Charlotte, we played a show at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell, Massachusetts and it’s like 7,500 people or something like that and we sold it out. We over sold it and it was the biggest sold out show they’ve ever had there. And that’s the place that we all four grew up, going to see shows whenever somebody was playing there, so that’s like one of the biggest accomplishments ever for us. That’s what the DVD show is, so it was great to put that on there.

PW: Oh, that’s really cool then. So what are some of the bands you guys grew up with? Who would you have seen there?
PD: All kinds of stuff. The Get Up Kids. Jimmy Eat World. You know, bands from when we were a little younger learning our instruments. We all did the whole classic rock thing, of course, what else? Just all that new, well when that old emo thing came in, like all the 90s rock like Nirvana and Stone Temple Pilots, everything. Which is really cool because the four of us listen to different kinds of things, which helps us sound different as a band.

PW: So are you excited by the Get Up Kids Reunion?
PD:Oh my God, I’m so excited. I was just on their MySpace watching videos from the show they just played and I can’t wait to go see them next year.
PW: Yeah? I actually was just at that show.
PD: You were? No way.
PW: Some of those videos on their MySpace are actually mine.
PD: Are you serious? Oh my God. I’m freaking jealous of you.
PW: Aw, don’t be, that’s like the one cool thing we get in the Midwest.
PD: That’s awesome. I would have loved to have been there.
PW: Yeah, well Spring’s not too far away, but we digress. Sorry to get us so off topic.
PD: That’s OK.

PW: You guys called the DVD Read Between the Lines. Why’d you pick that title?
PD: That’s one of our lyrics and at the same time while watching the DVD, kind of read between the lines. Take it all in and understand just who we are. Take that from the DVD. Like I said, the whole point of it is learning who we are as people and just understanding more about the band and the stuff behind it.

PW: What’s your favorite song to perform live?
PD:On this last record, I’d probably say “Great Escape” because that was our biggest song off our record. We’d always play it last. The kids just went absolutely crazy every time we’d play that song and it would be so late at night. That was definitely my favorite.

PW: On that song, “Great Escape”, you guys had a couple of versions of it. You had the demo that you originally released and it got you a lot of attention. Then you had the album version. Did you ever get any problems from fans wanting to hear one version over the other?
PD: Way in the beginning when all we had was that first crappy demo version on PureVolume. When the record came out in the beginning we had some who would say stuff, but the record’s been out for so long and people have, not really forgotten about the old one, but recognize this as the real version of the song. Nothing too bad, just some stuff at the beginning and a few people said stuff. Whenever you’re used to one thing and then you have a new version that comes out, you kind of just like to hang on to the old. That’s just kind of human nature. Nothing too bad, just typical.

PW: So you guys are working on some new material now, right?
PD: Yeah, we are.
PW: Will you guys mess with releasing demos again then or will people just have to wait for the album?
PD: Yeah, once we get anything final and done for the record, we’ll probably get a couple of singles up on PureVolume and all that, just the same way we did it last time. So kids can hear it first and people can have the music.

PW: What’s your songwriting process? It seems like you guys are always on tour. Do you have much time to write new songs?
PD: Yeah, we’re always on tour, but that also makes it easier because that means that we’re always together with a guitar on the bus. We always have an hour everyday to sound check for the most part. We’ve had a ton of time on the road to write and we have a ton of things recorded for the new record already from live demos on the bus or sound check. Then, what we’re doing right now, is take this month to just kind of organize everything, talk about what we’re going to do and then after the holidays we’re going to go into the studios with everything we’ve done so far. We’ll take like 30 or 40 songs and just whittle them down and make the final record from them.

PW: Will you be working with Matt Squire again?
PD: That’s something that we’re going to take this month to talk about. We haven’t really thought about anything like that. We don’t know who we’re going to work with or what we’re going to do. We’re just focusing on the music and songs right now, which is the most important part. We’re just doing that now and then in the next month or so we’ll have everything figured out and we’ll let everyone know.

PW: You guys are a little more seasoned now then you were when you released your self-titled. How has that changed the direction of your music?
PD: Martin [Johnson] has always written his vocals on real life experiences, so he’ll just take that to the next level probably with different things that we’ve experienced in the past few years with being homesick and in a new place everyday. It’s just a continuation of his life. Musically, we’ve just gotten smarter and a lot tighter and better together. So that’s going to show through on the record.

PW: How about contributors and guest artists? You guys have a lot of friends in the music world and in the past a few Boston artists like Bleu have worked with you on the last record. Would you do that again?
PD: I don’t know. I think that’s something to think about a little later on. We’re going to finalize these ideas right now and then when we have a steady ground to stand on we can actually think about working with other people and trying to get some guest vocals in there, but we’ll do that later on. Right now we’re just trying to get a solid ground.

PW: I know you guys toured with Metro Station and you’re pretty good friends. Were you friends before the tour or after? It seems like you have a lot of stuff on your MySpace page and website supporting them.
PD: We met them a few months before that tour and started a relationship by crossing paths and hanging out a bit. Once that tour happened, we got to be pretty good friends and hung out all the time. Whenever you’re on tour with bands, I mean, sometimes some bands don’t get along for whatever reason or keep to themselves, but we like to have relationships with all the bands we tour with and we definitely had a good relationship with them and are friends.

PW: When you guys broke into mainstream, I noticed there was a little bit of a whiplash, like one day you had Absolute Punk listing you “Artist of the Day” one day, but then the next people were like, “Oh, they’re too pop sounding.” How do you deal with that or does that not even phase you?
PD: You can’t really let that phase you. People always want to hate and find reasons to hate and make up rumors, stuff like that. You just need to know that. We write our music not just for ourselves but the fans. We’ve had a couple of years to just show everybody that we spin out a good track and you have to ignore the negative. Especially on sites like that you have kids who are just unhappy unless it is indie folk with no record label. Every thing’s going to get hated on and it’s stupid and there’s not a lot of logic to it for that stuff.

PW: MTV really helped you guys out in breaking into mainstream by being on “TRL” a lot. How do you feel about that show ending?
PD: It’s pretty sad. We all watched the last week of it and it kind of sucks because that’s just a memory all had growing up. I don’t remember the beginning. I don’t remember before it. I just remember running home from high school and that was the cool thing to do. Everyone watched it and talked about it and it had the biggest acts. It was the biggest thing in music and on TV, so that’s sad that it’s coming to an end.
One of my favorite memories with this band is the first time that we played “Great Escape” on “TRL” for the first time a couple of years ago. It was one of the most surreal things in the world. To just see it end kind of sucks for everyone really.
PW: Do you think that will affect where people get music videos?
PD: I don’t know. I think part of this whole situation is just how much the internet has just taken over music in general. That’s kind of how people get them. If somebody wanted to watch a video six or seven years ago, you’d put it on TV and watch “TRL”, but now you just type it into YouTube whenever you want, so, I think that had something to do with it. The internet is just the big deal in music right now.

PW: Going off about the internet, I’ve noticed that you guys have one of the most interactive band websites that I’ve ever seen and it’s practically like it’s own Facebook. Did you guys have any part in that design?
PD: We did. It took awhile to get our page and it had just redirected people to our MySpace page when we were figuring it. We talked to a few different web companies to get one that was interactive like that and you could get a profile sort of like myspace, but all about the band. The fans can go to the forums and blogs. We can post updates on it and they can post updates on it. We can all communicate and keep in touch. We can answer questions about the shows and all that stuff.
It’s a cool way because you can have a band website with a picture and a few songs and it can be boring, but the fact that kids can go to this page and pick a name and be a part of it is a really cool thing for them.

PW: What’s the most shocking thing on your iTunes playlist?
PD: Shocking? I downloaded the new Taylor Swift record last night. John [Keefe], our drummer, actually played on a song on that record. So I got it to check that out and she’s pretty awesome.

PW: So is there anything you’re really looking forward to for the new year or last month of 2008?
PD: Music-wise?
PW: Yeah, music unless there’s something else?
PD: Yeah, I’m kind of excited to be at home for the first time in a couple of years and to hang out with my friends and family and all that stuff. to just kind of wind down and take it easy. We’re all just going to be clearing our minds and getting ready to do this record, which is going to be such a big project for us. So that’s the one thing that’s on all our minds right now.
PW: Yeah, you have seriously one of the busiest tour schedules that I’ve seen for a band.
PD: Ha, I agree with you. We go pretty crazy.
PW: Yes, very intense. Well, that’s all I have. Anything else you think our readers should know?
PD: We’re doing this record soon and putting a single out as soon as we can, so hopefully everyone checks it out and enjoys it.
PW: Sounds good. Thank you and have a great Thanksgiving. Enjoy your time off.

Boys Like Girls: website | myspace

Somehow, day 2 of this year’s Virgin Mobile Festival was even better than the first. While I was still on a high (all natural!) from the Foo Fighter‘s set the previous night, each of the sets I was honored to see on Sunday blew me away, especially that of the closing act performed by the one and only Kanye West (the other major reason along with Lupe Fiasco, I needed to hit VFest). Again, I was a bit of a late arrival, but only missed Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and The Go! Team this time, making it to catch half of Shudder To Think‘s set.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – 12:00-12:45 // North Stage

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

The Go! Team – 12:20-1:05 // South Stage

The Go! Team

Shudder To Think – 1:05-1:55 // North Stage
I kind of missed the Shudder To Think train when it first came around (to be fair, they did form when I was just a year old and disbanded while I was still in my middle school girl power pop phase), but after a ten year hiatus, a quasi-reunion occurred last year and the band pulled off a solid set at Virgin Mobile Festival.

Shudder To Think

Andrew Bird – 1:25-2:10 // South Stage
Andrew Bird, whose 2007 Armchair Apocrypha I (and many others) adore, played a phenomenal set last Sunday to a packed South Stage. He’s recently sold out 2 New York City shows in just 2 hrs for his upcoming tour! Not surprising in the least. Get in on some Andrew Bird tour action, if only to see him rock out with a violin — it’s magnificent.

Andrew Bird

Paramore - 2:15-3:05 // North Stage
One of the most touted national acts, I was disappointed with how boring Paramore’s set was. Haley and the guys had fierce energy, but every song blended together making the set feel like one long song. Then again, that’s what pop punk usually is.

Paramore

She & Him – 2:35-3:25 // South Stage
Having seen this magnificent duo before, I ditched Paramore and made my way over to the South Stage to be as close as possible to Ms. Zooey Deschanel and her counterpart Mr. M. Ward. The set list was almost exactly the same as when I’d see the band headline at the Trocadero in Philadelphia, but it was just as good the second time. The one noticeable change was a cover of “I Put A Spell On You” which wonderfully displayed Deschanel’s vocal range, and the addition of an original song by back-up singer Becky Stark, who’s also got a great set of pipes.
Why only these two pictures of Deschanel are available, I can’t say, but you can check out some pictures from their Philadelphia performance here.

She & Him: Zooey Deschanel

Taking Back Sunday – 3:30-4:20 // North Stage
Taking Back Sunday was totally my jawn in high school. For nostalgia’s sake, and I still really dig Tell All Your Friends and Lazzara’s mic swinging action, I caught out part of the band’s high energy set. An oldie but still a goodie.

Taking Back Sunday: Adam Lazzara

Lil Wayne – 3:50-4:30* // South Stage
The asterisk on Lil Wayne’s set time denotes that this time line was not accurate since Lil Wayne showed up on stage 40 minutes late, making fans wait almost two hours, as many staked out their spots during She & Him’s set. I don’t like to be kept waiting, so I opted to catch a good spot for Iggy & the Stooges over at the North Stage instead. I’d seen Iggy at Download: Philadelphia so I knew I was in for a great set. I’m bummed to have missed Lil Wayne’s performance, but if I ever get the chance to see him again, I hope he’s prompt.

Lil Wayne

Iggy & the Stooges - 4:50-5:50 // North Stage
If you want some punk rock and roll, no need to look further than Iggy and the Stooges, or just Iggy. The man, in his sixties, has more energy than an entire kindergarten class. He ran around the stage, jumped on amps, and yelled at the crowd to ‘get the hell up on stage!’ and went so far as to demand that security allow the crowd to jump the barricade and thrash about on stage. Sadly, these demands were not met, so rather than accept defeat, Iggy jumped down and engaged himself with the crowd running around through the open space that was barricaded off from the stage, since security also refused to let him actually jump into the crowd.

Iggy and the Stooges

The Black Keys – 5:15-6:15 // South Stage
I also skipped over The Black Keys in favor of staking out a spot for Stone Temple Pilots as I figured my future opportunities to see STP was far less great than the future potential of catching a Black Keys set.

The Black Keys: Dan Auerbach

The Black Keys: Patrick Carney

Stone Temple Pilots – 6:20*-7:35// North Stage
No pictures have been made available for Stone Temple Pilots.
The band arrived on stage 20 minutes late, but rather than have their set extended like Lil Wayne’s on the other stage, they were forced to finish up at 7:35, keeping at least one stage on schedule. They powered through their hits and Weiland — who was layered to the max with clothing (t-shirts, vests, 3 or 4 ties) — removed a piece of clothing with each new song played. The crowd eagerly sang and moshed along for the entire set.
In addition to making their fans wait 20 minutes to begin their peformance, with maybe 15 or 20 minutes to go, STP left the stage for 5 minutes — maybe they needed a hit? — in which Weiland removed his t-shirt and put on a black leather vest before coming back out to perform their last two songs. Perhaps it was supposed to be an encore, but making the audience wait 20 minutes initially should’ve sent a red flag to Weiland and co. that we wanted more songs, not a lame attempt and a pseudo-encore.
Despite time issues, all and all a decent set.

Moby - 6:30-8:00 // DJ/Rave Tent
Never actually went into the DJ Tent (though everyone referred to it as the “Rave Tent”) for fear of club kids and getting molested by those on X, but walked by slowly during Moby’s spinning session. It was fab and had I not been rushing to catch the legendary Bob Dylan, I probably would’ve stopped and raved it up for a bit.

Moby

Bob Dylan – 6:45-8:00* // South Stage
No pictures have been made available for Bob Dylan.
I’ve never seen Bob Dylan perform before. I think that perhaps since I’d been building him up in my mind for the 23 years I’ve been alive, I expected too much. He was great, no doubt, but it wasn’t the magic I’d expected. And he didn’t even let the cameras (neither photo nor video) get close enough to even show his face. So for all I know, it wasn’t even Dylan. Just saying.

Nine Inch Nails – 8:05-10:00// North Stage
I’m not big into Nine Inch Nails. What?! Yeah. It’s true. I can only take at face value what Ajay told me in regards to this: I’m “a happy person.” I stuck around for a good portion of their set and I was impressed by the ridiculous light show they put on, but I was definitely eager to get over to the South Stage for Kanye West.

Nine Inch Nails: Trent Reznor

Kanye West – 8:30-10:00* // South Stage
No pictures have been made available for Kanye West, which is unfortunate because his stage show was a visual assault of lights, colors and fog. If I owned a point and shoot digital, I’d have pictures of my own to show you, but I always manage to drop them. A lot. They don’t last long in good working order in my possession.

Lots of VFest attendees shared my enthusiasm for Kanye’s performance and packed out the lawn in and around the South Stage to dance and sing/rap along with the oft-controversial rapper. His set list was long and inclusive featuring “Good Morning”, “Champion”, “I Wonder”, “Get Em High”, “Through the Wire”, “Heard Em Say”, “Diamonds from Sierra Lione”, “Touch the Sky”, “Good Life”, “Flashing Lights”, “Homecoming”, “All Falls Down”, “American Boy”, “Put On”, “Jesus Walks”, “Gold Digger”, “Can’t Tell Me Nothing”, and “Stronger”. He also spit some original lines on the spot — or so it seemed, anyway.

I was definitely impressed with West’s set and cannot wait to see him again. He mentioned that he was bummed out to have to be put up against Nine Inch Nails again (the first being at this year’s Lollapalooza) because he wanted to be in the crowd for their set. He did, however, praise VFest for their choice of venue since those who couldn’t afford tickets to the event (think in the hundreds) were still able to see and hear many acts through the fence. He was very honest in his sentiments about loving his fans and never wanting to do anything more than perform for them because it’s what he loves and lives for. I absolutely walked away from VFest with a greater admiration for Kanye West.

Here’s looking forward to Virgin Mobile 2009 — I can’t wait to see how they try to top this year.

Aug 9th & 10th at Baltimore MD’s Pimlico Race Course, see the Foo Fighters, Jack Johnson, Kanye, NIN, and STP at the 2008 Virgin Mobile Festival. The full line-up will be coming soon!

The festival, one of the most eco-friendly in the US, is now in its third year and looking better than ever!

More info at the Virgin Mobile Festival website.