An Evening with Daughtry.

An Evening With Daughtry
@ The GRAMMY Museum
Los Angeles, CA
September 14, 2010

By: Joy R. (@shadeofcat)

The GRAMMY Museum has been presenting the "An Evening With..." series; a public program that give audiences unique access to their favorite musical artists. Previous artist on the series have included: Ringo Starr, Dionne Warwick, Herbie Hancock, Smokey Robinson, John Mellencamp, and more.

Last night's show was "An Evening With Daughtry."

In front of about 200 at the Clive Davis Theater, GRAMMY Museum Executive Director, Robert Santelli conducted an in-depth recorded interview with the band and their producer Howard Benson about the band’s creation, direction, and vision. Chris Daughtry (lead vocal, guitar) and Brian Craddock (rhythm guitar, vocals) kept the audience laughing with anecdotes about their mutual acquaintances in high school to Brian's audition and eventual acceptance in the band. The other two had stories of their own, Josh Paul (bass, formerly of Suicidal Tendencies) who starred in a Don Henley video when he was 7 and Josh Steely (lead guitar, vocals) who everyone in the band thought was the janitor at the studio they were in until he blew them away with his superior guitar skills.

After the interview, they took questions from the audience until the band took a "bathroom break" and returned for an intimate almost acoustic performance. Chris continued to talk about the individual songs as he introduced them, treating fans to an even more in-depth look at how each track was conceived and brought to life. Chris, Steely, Brian, and JP kept the audience thoroughly entertained even then, sharing how they came up with ideas, tried to compose rhyming lyrics, and accidentally found riffs due to guitars being improperly tuned. They ended with an absolutely beautiful rendition of their latest single, “September,” the song that inspired the title of their 2nd album, Leave This Town. The event was a truly memorable experience for all.

Setlist:
No Surprise
Life After You
Home
September

Upcoming programs at The GRAMMY Museum include evenings with: Buddy Guy, Seal (with David Foster), Alan Parsons, and Roseanne Cash.

Be on the lookout for Daughtry’s new album which the band is scheduled to start work on early next year.

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Lifehouse @ LA Country Fairgrounds

Lifehouse
LA County Fairgrounds
Pomona, CA
September 6, 2010

By: Joy R.

Upon entering the venue, the first thing that struck me was how incredibly unsuited the Fairgrounds were for a concert. The stage sat in the middle of a race track and was situated in such a way that those who were not seated in the two sections directly in front had limited if any view. At least the bands seemed aware of the issue as they stayed fairly close to the front during their sets. The hanging monitors helped as well but it would have been nice to see the drummers every once in a while.

The show opened with Alana Grace. Despite the feedback that shrilled every time she approached either of the speakers on the side of the stage, she delivered a fun set. Hamming it up with her guitarists and dancing around the stage. Her music is more on the pop side of rock but it was her voice that really did me in; strong and clear with just the right mix of huskiness. Another thing that struck me was that while she has relatively good stage presence, she wasn’t able to fully command the crowd. She’s young though, give her a few years and I’m sure she’ll become a force to be reckoned with.

The two standout tracks for me were her breakout song, “Black Roses Red” from the soundtrack to Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and a cover of “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes.

After an unavoidably long set from Carolina Liar and an even longer set-up, Lifehouse finally hit the stage. Although their set could have been longer, they still threw in a pretty good range of material. They started strong with the very catchy and singable “All In” but the momentum dropped during “Nerve Damage” and didn’t start back up until bassist Bryce Soderberg (former AM Radio member) took up lead vocals for "Wrecking Ball." This song is always a highlight for me, aside from the fact that Bryce can really sing and hit those higher notes, there's something very honest in his delivery that just works. Singer Jason Wade re-joined about halfway through with his guitar and the two shared a hug at the end. One thing I have to say about Jason is that he truly seems to care about the band and their fans. He not only engaged the audience but singled out specific people here and there with comments and questions.

Predictably, the entire house was on its feet for “Hanging by a Moment” and more or less stayed up through “Falling In.” The sweetest moment was unsurprisingly during “You and Me.” Whether standing or sitting, everyone knew the lyrics and Jason had the audience singing the chorus for what seemed like forever - I don’t think anyone minded. They closed the first set with “First Time,” another fan favorite and fun romp. Wasn’t sure if they’d return for an encore but after a few minutes, Jason came out with an acoustic for “Broken.” The rest of the band joined in as well ending the night on a calmer note.

Setlist:
All In
Halfway Gone
Nerve Damage
Smoke and Mirrors
Whatever It Takes
Wrecking Ball
Blind
Hanging by a Moment
Somebody Else’s Song
Falling In
Take Me Away
You and Me
First Time
Encore: Broken

Lifehouse is off to Europe next but will be back in the US for a headlining tour in October. Check their website for details.

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Crash Kings - Live @ The Roxy

Crash Kings
Live at The Roxy Theatre
West Hollywood, CA
May 13, 2010

Photo Gallery by Chelsea Schwartz



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Band of the Day: Viva City

Have you heard Viva City yet? An UK electronic-rock band that will blow your mind. Currently we only have their 2010 music sampler with six tracks, but those six tracks provide a dance party you can't resist. They played our HIGH VOLTAGE event last night at The Viper Room and if their recorded music wasn't enough, their live show took the band to a whole new level in our eyes. With a high energy stage presence, glam rock style and electronic flare it's possible this band might be music's best kept secret at the moment. However, that won't last long... SPREAD THE WORD - VIVA CITY ROCKS!



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The Hounds Below - 12.10.09

The Hounds Below
Beat Kitchen (Chicago, IL)
photography: Jade Amey

Recognize The Hounds Below lead man? He is also the front man for the Detroit rock outfit, the Von Bondies. Are they just as good? Oh yes, of course. I wouldn't say this band is as energetic and electrifying live as the Von Bondies are, but that's really not a bad thing. I'm sure not a lot of people would know this from listening to the Von Bondies, but if you happen to see a Hounds Below show, I bet the first comparison for Jason Stollsteimer's voice will be Roy Orbison. Not only is there a very clear presence of Orbison in his voice, but there is also a distinct presence of early rock 'n' roll in the music with a tinge of a jumpy blues-folk-soul mix. However you want to describe it, 'it' is good. And they even win without a drummer (which was the case at this Chicago show). Besides this band being so damn great live, it also shows how versatile of a musician Stollsteimer can be. I have a feeling this won't be a short lived project, so keep your eye on this band.







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The Sights - 12.10.09

The Sights
Beat Kitchen (Chicago, IL)
photography: Jade Amey

Before I get to the photos, I would just like to say that if I had to pick a band for a "Most Exciting Comeback" for 2009, it would definitely be The Sights. After taking a bit of a break from touring and recording, front Sights man Eddie Baranek reformed The Sights into a new band, but they kick just as much ass as before (on stage and on record).

This was the second time I saw The Sights this year; the first was in Grand Rapids, MI in November. After seeing that Michigan show, I jumped at the chance to see them when I found out they were playing in Chicago. Now, I'm all about Michigan music (well known fact) but I honestly didn't get in to this band until late this past summer. I've known of them since 2005 but never listened to them despite all of the recommendations people had given me. It wasn't until this Chicago show that I had started to kick myself for not listening to them almost five years ago . . . seeing them play at Beat Kitchen made me think of all the times I could have seen them when I lived in Michigan and how great they were back then, too (the band has albums dating back to 1999). It was a pretty energetic set despite it being cold and icky outside; concert-goers were still arriving as their set progressed. Though the band that played was in its newest form, with the only original member being Baranek, the rest of the band flew through the old tunes like champs; as if they had been in the band since its conception and then some. The newer songs were in top form, as well. I had bought the band's new 12" Silver and Gold after their set and later that night I was chatting with the band's drummer about it (he goes by the name Skip). He was telling me that he hopes people really like The Sights' new songs because its not quite like the old stuff. He's right. Its not so much the sound of the bands past. The new songs have a bit more to it - definitely a lot of soul and more emphasis on the vocals in the songs - but when one hears the songs, they still have an air of the sound that the band is known for: straight up 'in your face' garage rock.

You will be seeing more and more of The Sights in 2010 with a few shows already set in stone and a new LP, entitled Most of What Follows Is True, to be released within the next year. And now, on to the photos!



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Hell on Heels Tour - Philadelphia, PA

Hell On Heels Tour
Semi Precious Weapons / Nico Vega / Von Iva
@ The Khyber
Philadelphia, PA
February 2, 2009
Reviewed By: Izzy Cihak

"Don't Light Them! Light Me! I'm the one who spent 60 minutes making my face fucking flawless!" spat the Seberg-esque platinum, from the stage of the Khyber, as stagehands frantically scurried to fix the lighting situation. Decked out in lycra and patent leather stilettos, Semi Precious Weapons' front-thang, Justin Tranter clearly knows just how fucking fabulous he really is. With Miss Guy spending more time on the turntables than onstage and Theo Kogan displaying herself in more designer ads than punk rock dives, Mr. Tranter has taken the crown as Brooklyn's #1 blonde bombshell. This February Tranter brought his garage glam outfit to Philly for the most explosive display of glittering grime since the passing of Mr. Thunders. (read more)

SPW MySpace | Nico Vega MySpace | Von Iva MySpace

Darker My Love - Live @ Johnny Brenda's

Darker My Love
@ Johnny Brenda's
Philadelphia, PA
December 4, 2008
Reviewed By: Izzy Cihak

Although their latest album, 2, is surprisingly accessible, beards are far from the only fuzziness left of Neo Psychedelic Shoegazers Darker My Love. They may have recently returned from a jaunt with Indie Pop faves the Dandy Warhols, where they appeared as bourgeoning rock stars in the vain of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club circa 2002, but their recent headlining tour returns them to coyly rocking clubs with violent hails of feedback and pleasantly pretentious musicality generally reserved for godlike geniuses of the Lower East Side. Their five-minute looping video of "trippy" footage of deep and mysterious things like fish and teeth was more than a little trite. And many of those who filled the venue were getting a little too into it in an I'm-rocking-out-in-khakis kind of way. And, when you really thought about it, you knew you could never justifiably describe the experience as a modern equivalent to "rockin' with the Velvet's at the Factory in '67." But when the lights went down and you were hit with those screaming waves of hipster psychedelia, you really fuckin' wanted to.

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Paramount Styles - Live at The Khyber

Paramount Styles
@ The Khyber
Philadelphia, PA
October 12, 2008
Reviewed By: Izzy Cihak

When Girls Against Boys' Scott McCloud found himself at Philadelphia's Khyber, promoting his latest project, Paramount Styles, he found himself looking at an audience of a little more than a half-dozen, comprised of music journalists, probable record store owners, and others who realize that Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby is as important as Siamese Dream. Random, roaring waves of sound crashed into the set from those watching the Phillies game in the next room and in-between songs the Hip-Pop being spun upstairs seeped through the floor. Apparently Post-Noise Minimalism isn't exactly in vogue. (read more)

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New York Dolls - Ventura Theater - Ventura, CA

New York Dolls Photo Gallery
Ventura Theater (Ventura, CA)
October 29, 2008
Photography By: Chelsea Schwartz



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Liz Phair - Philadelphia, PA

Liz Phair
@ Theater of the Living Arts
Philadelphia, PA
August 27th, 2008
Reviewed By: Izzy Cihak

Even at 41 Liz Phair sounds just as earnest singing songs about one-night stands, pre-teen fornication, and "cunt(s) in spring" as she did fifteen years ago on Exile in Guyville. On August 27th Rock N Roll's favorite MILF found herself gracing the stage of TLA, performing the album in its entirety in celebration of the anniversary. (read more)

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The Cute Lepers - Philadelphia, PA

The Cute Lepers
@ The M Room
Philadelphia, PA
August 19th, 2008
Reviewed By: Izzy Cihak

Can't Stand Modern Music, the title of the debut LP from power-pop outfit The Cute Lepers, couldn't be more suitable to describe their August 19th gig in the heart of Fishtown, Philadelphia's hippest locale and the regular stomping ground of over-hyped, underimpressive Phooklyn acts like Vampire Weekend and the Dirty Projectors. While the New York Dolls-inspired Seattle six-piece, lead by Steve E. Nix of the Briefs, only attracted about two dozen, it was certainly the most badass gathering in the City of Sisterly Affection since David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain hosted the city's most decadent Valentine's Day celebration. The band, crowded onto the not-exactly-spacious stage, proved to be a glamorously sleazy oasis of Rock N Roll in the middle of a neighborhood comprised of Vice magazine's target audience and American Apparel employees. (read more)

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Rock The Bayou 2008 - Houston, TX

Rock The Bayou has come and gone; and what a fabulously hot time was had by all. Highlights for us included Kix, Sammy Hagar, Jetboy, the sunday night All Star Jam at the official after party held at Meridian, the breeze that picked up on Monday, Dee Snider's stage banter, and so much more. Disappointments included heat stroke, Bret Michaels and The Rock of Love - Season 3, Dangerous Toys, and having the festival come to a close. Check out some photos we got over the weekend:






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Outside Lands 2008 - San Francisco, CA

A Personal Look at Outside Lands
By: Chelsea Schwartz

This past weekend 60,000 music lovers crowded into Golden Gate Park in San Francisco to attend the inaugural Outside Lands Festival. Brought to us by the co-founders of Bonnaroo alongside one of the most successful promoters in San Francisco - Outside Lands provided concert-goers with an all around experience of what San Francisco is about.



Music kicked off on Friday late afternoon with Steel Pulse hitting one of the six festival stages to an audience of anxious Radiohead fans who were already holding spots for the bands end of the night set. Over the course of the weekend we'd see Tom Petty, Rogue Wave, Matt Nathanson, Regina Spektor, The Black Keys, ALO, and many more.



One of my favorite sets of the weekend was Beck's 17 song set performance which included an array of selections from all his albums minus Mutations. 'Hell Yes' was performed entirely by 808s (video clip below) and 'Loser' was introduced by a very cool bluesy slide guitar jam. And I have to say, in all my experience, 'Where Its At' was the best I have ever seen it.



Also stellar, as usual, was Radiohead's killer light and video setup. Just YouTube anything from Radiohead at Outside Lands and you'll see what I mean. Their set list was also impressive as they played more "hits" than any other time I've seen them, including my old personal favorites 'Just' and 'Fake Plastic Trees.'

New favorite Radiohead song (thanks to its live performance): 'Reckoner' off of the new album, In Rainbows.

If you needed a break from the music, the Dell Dome provided tons of options from creating your own digital mix tape to rockin' out your hair! And the food and wine provided by San Francisco's own local favorites was quite a treat. Not to mention the festival proximity to the Haight Street area provided excellent post show opportunities.

While one is never quite prepared for the extensive walking of a music festival (no matter how many you've been to previously), Outside Lands was overall a fantastic vibe and a very well done festival, even with all the Beck fans tearing down the chainlink fence to race over to Radiohead's upcoming set faster.



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Kill Hannah - El Rey Theatre - July 19th

Check out the High Voltage Kill Hannah Photo Gallery from their Los Angeles performance at the El Rey Theatre on July 19th! Click the photo below to see more images.



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Peter Murphy in Philadelphia

Peter Murphy
@ The Trocadero
Philadelphia, PA
June 29, 2008
Reviewed By: Izzy Cihak

Well, it seems as though Ziggy and the Spiders are fighting again. After nearly two years back together and their first studio album in 25 years Bauhaus have broken up for the third time. With this, Love and Rockets are now playing some of this year's biggest festivals and Peter Murphy, who's looking more and more like John Waters as Caligari's Cesare every day, is bringing his "Retrospective" tour to half-capacity clubs across America. (read more)

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