This Saturday: Stefan Henegar and Swollen Spring Violets at USM!

My friends Stefan Henegar and Swollen Spring Violets will be playing for free at the Burnham Lounge in Robie-Andrews Hall on the USM Gorham campus this Saturday. This is going to be a very special end of the year event for residents in Robie-Andrews before finals week kicks in.

Stefan Henegar plays a solo acoustic set with influences from The Beatles, Cat Stevens, Kimya Dawson, and Nick Drake.

Swollen Spring Violets is a collective of musicians in Robie-Andrews led by Jakob Battick of Bangor band 1800s Sea Monster. Influences for SSV include Leonard Cohen, John Cale, Low, The Red House Painters, and The Smiths. This musical collective includes a plethora of instruments from acoustic guitars and electric guitar to piano, accordion and trumpet. I'd like to make a special note that I play trumpet and accordion for this band.

This is going to be a very unique and beautiful event, so I recommend you come on up to Gorham to check it out.

They Might Be Giants and Apollo Sunshine at the Somerville Theater - 3/28

My girlfriend Stephanie and I had initially bought tickets for the Mezzanine section of the Somerville Theater, but Chris Chafin of Girlie Action put me on the guest list for writing the review and we ended up four seats from the front.

The show started right at 7:30 with Apollo Sunshine, an experimental, psychedelic-rock group originally from Boston. I was immediately impressed as they started playing “Breeze” with Sam Cohen playing a distorted Autoharp, Jesse Gallagher mercilessly slamming away at the bass and Jeremy Black providing a clean and steady rock beat.

Click here to stream Apollo Sunshine music for free!

Many of their songs were upbeat, some surreal-sounding, some rock/blues-heavy, and most of them included Sam and Jesse singing together about moons and pissed-off lords made by pissed-off men. Their rockin’ blues song “Lord” included an amazing drum interlude with all three members playing intricate, layered drum beats giving off a very Blue Man Group-y feel. Jesse did most of the song banter that mostly involved him only saying “cool” in a very mellow, humorous way.

Grunt brings down the house at South Portland High School

I have some friends in a hardcore/punk band called Grunt, and they just performed at the South Portland High School coffeehouse Wednesday night. The event was full of dancing, singing, and other things, but it was this act and two other loud bands (one of them being Sawtopsy, formerly The Black Mass Ritual) that brought the noise and raised the roof.

While I may not be a big fan of the genre, I can definitely appreciate their performance. Lead singer Henry Clark has a great hardcore stage presence while Sean Esten and Dan Smith shred up their guitars with Nick Doane slams away at the drums.

Here's the video of them doing two songs, "Revenge" and "Knife Fight":

Dominic and the Lucid, The Leftovers and Jeff Beam playing at USM this Saturday!

USM local rocker Jeff Beam will be joined by Portland psychedelic rock group Dominic and the Lucid and Portland punk rockers The Leftovers on Saturday, March 8th at the Brooks Student Center on the USM Gorham campus.

Jeff Beam, Dominic and the Lucid, and The Leftovers

(Guest review) Elton John at the Civic Center - 2/28

For this article, I have a very special guest...my mom, Melissa Martin! She went to the Elton John concert last Thursday and wrote a very thorough and detailed report of the show. I'm going to sit back for this one and let my mom explain the wonders of Elton John to you...

Three weeks ago… Elton John is coming to town… Boy, the tickets are expensive. He’s alone with no band… At the Civic Center… A hockey arena… Nah… I can see him just as good on a DVD or TV. Ok… Like an itch you can’t scratch… Tickets went on sale today… I got caught up in work… All the good seats must be gone… Oh, it’s just as well…

Four days later, sitting at my computer, I decide that I really wanted to go. If I plug in one seat, where would it be? Typing the code for authentication on Ticketmaster… Section E Row 14…God, it’s a LOT of money. More than I’ve ever spent on a ticket and it’s not even a scalper! My finger involuntarily clicks the mouse … “Thank you for your order.” it said. “Why did I do that?” I said to myself, but I knew why.

Elton John - The Greatest Discovery

Why? Because all of the times I heard him on the radio in the 70’s. I remember looking through my friends’ Sister’s albums that she got from Columbia Record Club. One of them was Elton’s Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. That album had a gatefold album jacket that opened up. Inside, lots of great artwork and the booklet that contained all of the lyrics, pictures and details of who played on the album. Reading the credits… Wow! “Better Off Dead” has a double drum track! I LOVED that album. I declared that Elton John was my favorite artist in 1975. I play the piano and got the piano music to play along with the records...

Today’s the day. Ok. Got home from work I talked to my fiancé and he said something about, “Now watch out for the tears…” I said, “What?” He said, “Well, his music means something to you. It might move you to tears.” Well, NOTHING prepared me for the emotions that I felt when the lights went down…

Super Furry Animals at the Paradise Rock Club - 2/23

Super Furry Animals played an exquisite show last Friday at the Paradise Rock Club, a well-established venue nested on the perimeter of Boston University. To my great relief, there was only one opening band, and they were very entertaining.

Super Furry Animals

Super...Furry...Animals??

Yes, Super Furry Animals is a neo-psychedelic rock band from Wales, and they're going to rock the house at Paradise Rock Club tomorrow in Boston. My mom recently introduced me to the band's music and it's wonderful stuff. If you're a fan of The Flaming Lips, I highly suggest checking these guys out.

Richard Thompson's "1,000 Years of Popular Music"

My dad took me down to Boston last Friday to see Richard Thompson at the Berklee Performance Center. Though I have never been a fan of Thompson's music, my interest in folk music has been growing for the past year or so. I have heard my dad play Richard Thompson throughout my entire life, and after that concert, I was converted into a folk-loving Richard Thompson fan.

The Fiery Furnaces at The Space - 1/19

The Fiery Furnaces put on a great show at The Space. Before going on, Portland indie rock band Phantom Buffalo opened up, and it was an unexpected treat. I had been wanting to see Phantom Buffalo after I had to leave their Strange Maine show before they came on, so I'm glad to have finally catch them live.

Photo by Stephanie MacDonald

The Fiery Furnaces coming to The Space this Saturday!

Just a heads up for you weekend concert-goers out there! Psychedelic, electronic pop-duo The Fiery Furnaces will be heating up The Space in Portland this Saturday! Fiery takes musical influences from eclectic groups such as Os Mutantes and Captain Beefhart. Admission is $12 and doors open at 9PM.

And here's another sample of their music from their latest music video, "Duplexes of the Dead":

Hope to see you there!

As Tall As Lions at The Station - 12/15

I just recently discovered As Tall As Lions through a friend at school and two free MP3s from Stereogum.com. I got a chance to see them this past weekend, and it was a great way to finish the 2007 concert year.

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists at The Space - 12/2

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists filled The Space to the brim last night. The place was packed, and as soon as Ted came out with the rest of his band, the crowd went wild. Ted's band was supported by two opening acts, punk group The Gang and glam artist Kristeen Young.

The Gang came out first with their anthem-y drone punk. They were fun, but they didn't offer anything real unique. They had a lot of energy, and they were having a lot of fun, but overall, I didn't find myself too interested. Granted, there were a few songs that I found really catchy, so they have some promise.

Kristeen Young came out afterwards wearing a very punky outfit with her drummer/tough guy Baby Jeff. When she first started belting out dissonant chords on her synthesizer and singing in a creepy soprano voice, I didn't quite know what to think. But as soon as the second song came on, I started to grasp her music a lot more. I'd say she played dark pop music. It was so good, though. The way she mixed those dissonant chords with her beautiful, eclectic voice really appealed to me. She put on a really good set.

As soon as Ted Leo and the Pharmacists came out on stage, their presence commanded the entire audience. Ted was very charismatic with the audience. Before him and his band started to play, someone in the audience yelled, "Play (unintelligible) eventually!" and Ted remarked upon the politeness of the individual in a joking manner. Though he was a good talker, the night was starting to get a little late, so I was hoping that he wouldn't push back his set too much.

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists coming to The Space!

This Sunday, Washington D.C. rock group Ted Leo and the Pharmacists will be performing at The Space Gallery on Congress Street with NYC-based The Gang. Ted Leo and his band is best known for singles such as "Where Have All The Rude Boys Gone?", "Biomusicology", and "Me and Mia".

Local musician/journalist Jeff Beam had a chance to interview Ted Leo just the other day on WMPG. Without further ado, here's the interview:

Hope to see you at the show on Sunday!

The Decemberists tour canceled due to ill band member

Not much of a post for today. I was going to see The Decemberists last night, but they just canceled the entire tour due to a band member falling ill. That was my second failed attempt at going to a Decemberists show. I'm glad they decided to stop touring before the band member became too ill, but man, I want to see them so bad. Well, maybe next time. That is all.

Of Montreal at The Roxy - 10/12

A few weeks ago, I saw Of Montreal at The Roxy for the second time this year. Brooklyn based Jungle/Psychedelic Rock band MGMT was the only opening act of the night. I was very disappointed to discover that Philly hip-hop duo, Grand Buffet, did not show up. However, MGMT put on a fairly good performance, and Of Montreal wowed me once again with their crazy dance party theme.

Mark Gennarro Band CD release show on Friday!

My good friends of The Mark Gennarro Band are having a CD release show for their new EP, Suit Up, The EP. Fellow comrades Will Gattis, Passing Lane, and Jaeger Wells will be playing along with The Mark Gennarro Band. The show will be at the North Deering Grange Hall in Portland. There is a $5 cover charge, and the doors open at 6:30 with the show starting at 7.

The Mark Gennarro Band is a rock band straight out of Portland, having competed in the 23rd Annual Reindeer Rock-Off, coming out in 7th place overall. Kegan of The Cheese Grater Experience says that The Mark Gennarro Band is "a combination of ZZ Top and The White Stripes." Be sure to check out their music on their Myspace.

Will Gattis is an up-and-coming piano rocker in the Portland area. He has recently won the title of "Maine's Best Singer/Songwriter" in the Maine Songwriters showdown. He won $400 worth of recording equipment and a free day in the recording studio among other prizes.

Passing Lane is a four piece band from Portland that plays a mixture of rock, funk, and jazz. They won the 22nd Annual Reindeer Rock-Off, and they are currently promoting their upcoming album.

Jaeger Wells is a pop-rock singer/songwriter out of the Portland area. He describes himself as "one part Elvis Costello, three parts radio pop, and a little bit of everything else." He is currently promoting the release of his new EP, Bastard Pop.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to go to this show, but I encourage everyone else to check out these fine young musicians. See you there (in spirit)!

The Everyday Visuals at The Big Easy - 9/15

The Everyday Visuals put on a great show once again at The Big Easy. I'm not going to spend too much time talking, because I actually have some live concert footage to share with everyone.

TEV never fails to please me with their clever instrumentation, electro-beats, beautiful harmonies, and intelligent lyrics ranging from the cheerful to the melancholic. This is one indie rock band that you don't want to miss. I'll let the videos do the rest of the talkin'.

Marissa Nadler and Larkin Grimm at the Space - 9/10

I was given the opportunity to see Marissa Nadler at the Space on September 10th, and it was quite unlike any other show I've been too. I'manindie rock guy, so I'm typically at shows that are...well...a bit rockin'. This show definitely rocked, but in a different way. The concert was a good mix of Folk, Americana, Gothic, and Psychedelic Bluegrass.

Will Gattis at Village Park - 8/27

After two previous attempts in the past year, Will Gattis finally pulled off a free summer concert in the park last night. There was a great turn out, and as I said yesterday, the weather was beautiful.

Photo courtesy of Cam Jones

Will played an hour long set with a mix of new songs and old songs from his 2005 album, Dullard. On some songs, Jeff Beam of Specter played drums and Nick Langley played bass guitar. The drums and bass proved to be a great addition to songs like "Sean" and Dullard's single, "Christopher".

See Will Gattis at Behind Wal-Martstock today!

The day has finally come! The weather is beautiful and the birds are singing! Today is the day that Will Gattis performs a free show at Village Park in Falmouth! It's actually going to happen, folks!

Yes, you heard me correctly. The show is on! Come to Village Park behind the Wal-Mart in Falmouth at 6 to see Maine's very own rock pianist, Will Gattis!

For those who didn't know, Will just performed at Spencer Albee's latest Clash of the Titans show as Ben Folds while he duked out Spencer playing as Elton John. Though I couldn't attend the show, I heard great praise about the show. If you haven't given Will a listen yet, you need to now, because he is one of the hot up-and-coming Portland artists to watch. Check out his Myspace for full songs here.

Rufus Wainwright at the Avalon - 8/21

As another part of my big graduation gift package, I got tickets to see Rufus Wainwright down in Boston. I have been a Rufus fan for a bit more than a year, and I've always loved the diverse rhythms and lyrics from his music, so I was really excited to see him perform.

Concert Review Extravaganza!

I've been to an overwhelming amount of concerts lately, so I haven't been able to write full-quality reviews, but I promise that will resume soon with the upcoming Rufus Wainwright concert. Right now I'm going to write mini-reviews of concerts I've been to for the past 3 weeks. Lets delay no further. Here we go!

Under the cut:
Rustic Overtones at the Ayslum - 7/29

Zappa Plays Zappa at the Bank of America Pavillion - 8/4

Rotundo Sealeg, Zac Clark, and Math the Band at the Portland Friends Meeting House - 8/11 (video included)

White Stripes at the Civic Center - 7/22

Luckily for me, I got a ticket to see the White Stripes for my birthday, and boy, what a treat it turned out to be. The show was simply incredible. It's remarkable how two people can have such an outstanding stage presence.

I'd have to say the highlight of the show was "Icky Thump". Watching Jack White play the guitar and organ synthesizer simultaneous was nothing short of orgasmic. Another highlight was "Seven Nation Army". During the snarling guitars of the chorus, the crowd went nuts, swaying back and forth, jumping up and down.

Jack White was ecstatic to see most of the fans reciting all of the lyrics, so he vowed to come back to Portland again, as this was the first time he has played here with his pseudo-sister Meg. All in all, great concert. I will definitely have to see them again.

Will Gattis playing in Falmouth on 8/27!

If you were disappointed to hear that Will's show in Portland, I have some good news! Will Gattis will be playing at Village Park in Falmouth on August 27th! The show goes from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM and Will will be the only performer.

For those who don't know, Will Gattis is an up-and-coming piano rocker in the Portland music scene. If you like Ben Folds, Joe Jackson, and the like, you will surely enjoy Will's own style of playing the piano and telling stories through song. Check out some of his music here on his Myspace.

So don't forget: Be there at Village Park in Falmouth on August 27th at 6 PM. This will be a great show to finish off the summer with.

Wizard Rock at Hogwarts Square - 7/20

While the rest of the Portland folk were at Mugglefest on Friday, I took a bus down to Cambridge, MA to see The Hungarian Horntails, Draco and the Malfoys, and Harry and the Potters play at Harvard Square-ahem, I mean Hogwarts Square.

This was a big concert to celebrate the release of the seventh book of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The show was free, so Harry Potter fans flocked from all corners of the courtyard. There were people dressed up as famous wizards, Dementors, Death Eaters, and one person came as a Snitch.

Photo courtesy of carrie227

There was an overwhelming attendance in Hogwarts Square. The place was filled up like Lollapalooza or Bonnaroo. My friend Danii remarked at this saying, "Fergie can't even get this!" I was happy that so many people came to see these three bands. Some newcomers to Wizard Rock thought these bands were created solely for the book release party. Boy, were they wrong.

Cat Empire and Dominic and the Lucid today in Monument Square!

If you're around the Portland area, go see Cat Empire and Dominic and the Lucid play at Monument Square at 5 for the Alive at 5 Concert Series. Cat Empire is a ska-rock band from Melbourne, Australia, and Dominic and the Lucid is a psychedelic-rock band from the Portland area. Be sure to check both of them out!

Will Gattis Show: Canceled

It is to my regret that the Will Gattis show is canceled tonight on account of the bad weather. I will keep everyone posted on his next show.

Will Gattis at Western Prom tomorrow!

Will Gattis, an up and coming rock-pianist from Falmouth, will be performing at the Western Prom Park on Wednesday for free. The show is happening from 7:30 to 8:30, and everyone is welcome to come.

If you're a fan of Ben Folds, you will love the music that Will has to offer. He has already released a full-length by the name of Dullard under The Will Gattis Trio. You can find this album at local Bullmoose Music stores.

He may sound like Ben Folds a lot, but he certainly has adopted his own style of playing and telling stories through his song. He has a great sense of humor as well. At a show on Sunday, he performed a cover of "It's Not Easy Being Green", and then performed a song he wrote while he was on prescribed pain meds called "Rugby Man". He also has a song making fun of Joan Osbourne called "Rant".

If you want to watch a local artist who has a lot of great potential, please check out Will Gattis. Not only is he a great musician, but he is also a great guy. He is very cool and chill. Visit his Myspace, and be sure to come to the show tomorrow!

Tool at the Civic Center - 7/13

"Where my lasers at? Where my lasers at?" asked one Coach Z from HomestarRunner.com. Well, Coach Z, I finally have the answer for you, and it isn't "bew bow!" All of the lasers were at the Tool show Friday night at the Cumberland County Civic Center. I couldn't believe I paid $52 to see them, but after the show, I was a believer.

The Polyphonic Spree at the Avalon - 7/2

"God only knows what you're missing!" This one line from The Polyphonic Spree's "Hanging Around The Day" perfectly describes the concert I attended on July 2nd. Believe in God or not, the statement still stands true. The Polyphonic Spree show was phenomenal and euphoric, and you had to be there in order to comprehend the greatness of the show.

Concert review this Monday; Polyphonic Spree video

Hello, everyone. I saw The Polyphonic Spree in Boston on Monday, and it was the best concert I've ever attended. There was nothing quite like it. It was a euphoric and freeing experience. I don't think I've ever been so happy in my life.

I'll be posting a big write-up of the show on Monday. It'll be pretty lengthy with photos, summaries of the show, and even some impromptu interviews with some of the band members. For now, here is footage of the encore performance of The Polyphonic Spree in Boston on Monday. Enjoy. I sure did!

Get Him Eat Him at The Space - 6/23

I was able to attend my first show at The Space on Congress St. last night, and it was a great first show. The main band was a Providence-based, Indie rock band called Get Him Eat Him with supporter Gully, a Portland-based band that draws a lot of influence by prolific indie bands Guided By Voices and Pavement.

Concerts Galore!

I'm going to be attending a bunch of concerts this Summer. Here are the ones that are on my list so far:

6/23 - Get Him Eat Him @ the Space Gallery in Portland
6/25 - Bobby Bare Jr. and The Slip @ the Space Gallery in Portland
7/2 - Jesca Hoop and The Polyphonic Spree @ the Avalon in Boston
7/13 - Tool @ the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland
7/19 - Cat Empire @ Monument Square in Portland
7/20 - Harry and the Potters and Draco and the Malfoys @ Harvard Square in Cambridge
7/22 - The White Stripes @ the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland
7/29 - Rustic Overtones and Cambiata @ the Asylum in Portland
8/4 - Zappa Plays Zappa @ the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston
8/21 - Rufus Wainwright @ the Avalon in Boston

Quite a lot of concerts, right? Some of them are graduation/birthday gifts, some of them are cheap, and some of them are free. The Cat Empire and Harry and the Potters shows are free, so you should definitely check them out.

Now for some other concerts that are definitely worth checking out...

The Everyday Visuals at the Big Easy - 5/17

The Everyday Visuals put on another amazing show last Thursday night. Since I was more familiar with their music for this concert, so it was a lot more enjoyable.

One of the best things I like about The Everyday Visuals is watching them perform. The band is made up of very talented musicians, and that's why I was right up front to see them.

It's Not My Birthday

Well, actually it is. That's just the name of a They Might Be Giants song I like a lot. I got some cool new cds for my 18th birthday: Dinosaur Jr.'s Beyond, Rufus Wainwright's Release the Stars, and Frank Zappa's Lather, a compilation the man put together himself before he died. One of my good friends got me a very sweet Led Zeppelin movie poster for my dorm next year.

The two biggest presents were concert tickets for two shows. I'm going to see The Polyphonic Spree in Boston at the Avalon on July 2nd and Rufus Wainwright at the same place on August 21st. I'd like to thank my mom and Dr. Rock'n'Roll for making this all happen.

The Everyday Visuals are coming to Portland

The Boston-based indie group The Everyday Visuals are coming back to Portland on May 17th at the Big Easy. They are still promoting their new album Things Will Look Up. The Everyday Visuals combine elements of melodic rock and electronica to make something completely unique. If you like R.E.M., Radiohead, or Wilco, you will like this band a lot. The band just found out that they are they most played Indie band in Boston. Visit their Myspace to listen to tracks from their latest album.

Muse and My Chemical Romance: CANCELLED

The Muse and My Chemical Romance show scheduled for Sunday night was cancelled, because both bands got serious food poisoning in Virginia. The show may be rescheduled, but as of now, there are no guarantees. I'm very disappointed, because I really wanted to see Muse, but I didn't want to see one of my favorite bands dying on stage, so this is all for the better.

This post is dedicated to what the show might have been like, so I will entertain you with a bunch of Youtube videos.

They Might Be Giants first show of the tour!

I finally got to see my favorite band in the world last night, and I was pleasantly pleased. IT WAS AN AWESOME SHOW!

They Might Be Giants is a geek rock band that has been around since 1982, and they still rock very hard! I got to the Stone Church in Newmarket, NH very early, so I was able to find a spot right in front of the small stage. If I reached out with both arms, I would touch John Linnell, the keyboardist/accordionist/vocalist of the band. I didn't do that, though, because I didn't want to seem like a creep. It was pleasing enough to be this close to the band anyways!

MC Chris and House of Fools - April 27, 2007

I went to my first show at the Station Friday night to see MC Chris and what a change of pace! The experience was very different from the Guster concert last weekend. There were four artists performing Friday night, and I went to the show for MC Chris.

Now who is MC Chris? He's a nerdcore rapper from Brooklyn with an attitude larger than himself. Despite his small size, you don't want to mess with his ninja skills and zombie-battling abilities. He has given voice talent to the popular Adult Swim show Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and he has a new song featured on the Aqua Teen movie's soundtrack called "I Want Candy".

Guster in Boston - April 21, 2007

The melodic pop-rock band Guster put on an amazing home show last weekend in Boston at the Opera House. The concert was a part of their Campus Consciousness Tour, a tour aimed to raise awareness about environmental issues and how to take action. The organization behind the tour, Reverb, was created by Guster guitarist/vocalist Adam and his wife in an effort to connect musicians and fans through the support of the environment. In the lobby of the Opera Hall, there were various environmental groups handing out pamphlets, creating mailing lists, and distributing free coupons for eco-friendly products. At Guster's merch table, there was a carbon-neutral Guster tee that I absolutely had to get (it had a cool lion on it). Guster also asked attendees to bring in canned goods for the Greater Boston Food Bank. I brought some in with my mom and brother, and we got signed up for a chance to meet the band (unfortunately didn't happen, though).

The Format opened up for the Guster, and they put on a pretty good set. Their first song called "Dog Problems" was amazingly catchy, but most of the songs following it didn't meet the greatness of that one song. The Format had a pretty good stage presence. It was fun to watch them perform. I just couldn't get into them too much. There were a lot of people who came for them, so perhaps I just have to get used to their music.

When the Guster set was ready, I was ecstatic! I saw them last year when they came to Portland, and I loved their performance...