Sunday, September 22, 2013

Concert - Our Last Night and Lions, Lions

It’s a little embarrassing to admit that I discovered Our Last Night because the two frontmen (brothers Matt and Trevor Wentworth) are models for Johnny Cupcakes. I did dig a little deeper and investigated their actual music, which falls squarely into post-hardcore. It’s a great genre and a solid scene but honestly it’s not really my scene (as often as I dabble there and sometimes wish it was). But the best discovery I made? Their acoustic tracks on YouTube. That I can get behind.

If you’re only going to watch one video, I’d choose their cover of “Skyfall”, the James Bond theme by Adele. It is shockingly good. Their reinterpretation of her ballad into a rock song is something I never would have thought of, but these brothers can handle the vocal challenges without batting an eye. I’ve mentioned the series of other covers they released this summer as part of their “Summer of Covers” lead up to the new album they’re working on and those are worth checking out as well (my other favorite is definitely the re-working of Justin Timberlake’s “Mirrors”).

When they announced they were touring with Lions, Lions I was excited to see a Georgia date at The Seven in Douglasville. It was a no-brainer that I was making the forty-five minute trek to the sleazy looking shopping center that houses The Seven to see them. Even if I had to go alone.

Armed with my camera and an urge to make friends, I headed out to see two bands that I know are great and I was determined to have a good time. I ended up chatting with band guys before the show, and eventually thoroughly enjoying myself through two fantastic sets.

I hadn’t seen Lions, Lions since a trip to Boston for a show at the end of the Blue Line (that’s an OLD post, fyi). I knew I was in for good time and it was one heck of a night. Even in a small setting, front man Josh worked his heart out and put on a great set. While I’ve known who they are for years now, I’ve never really sat down and gave their music a true listen. I won’t make that mistake again. I’ll be seeing them next time they’re in town for sure.

Lions, Lions 10

Lions, Lions 5

Lions Lions 12

Next up was Our Last Night and I was hooked instantly. They opened with “Fate” which I thankfully knew (the acoustic version is amazing, but the full band version is pretty great too). Their set list included “Skyfall” and every other song I knew by them that wasn’t a cover. (Of which there were about four, but that’s not the point.) They put on a fantastic show. Matt’s pure vocals are just as pristine live as it is on the recorded tracks. Trevor’s energy is incredible and contagious, even in the small crowd. Being at a hardcore type show, I was anxious of getting hit but hid in a corner right up at the stage. I loved having him wander towards my end of the stage, and found myself jumping along, totally in the groove.

Our Last Night 15

Our Last Night 23

Our Last Night 3

Our Last Night 1

Our Last Night 12

Our Last Night 16

If these guys come to your town, take a chance on them and get to the show. Hell, I’ll be there every time they are somewhere I can get to easily. They’ll be in Atlanta this December and it’s already on the calendar. I’m glad they’ll be playing the Masquerade this time since it’s a slightly better venue (and closer to home). Even though I don’t know the other bands, I’ll be hitting it up for a little bit at least. If you’re there, keep an eye out for me.

Friday, September 20, 2013


A friend sent me this link today:

http://www.ohshelteringsky.com/

It seemed odd at first but ended up being this neat interactive thing that eventually leads to a video. It’s pretty darn cool, but I’m mostly intrigued by the song that’s playing in the background. Whatever it is, it’s great. If you happen to know, post it as a comment below.

I’ll let you know if I find out more, but check it out now, let me know what you think!

Concert - Stages and Stereos Acoustic Show


If you follow this blog then you should already know about Stages and Stereos. This fall is shaping up to be a great season for them with their latest single, “Small Town Favorites” dropping a few weeks ago. In case you couldn’t guess, I already love it. They also got picked up as the opener on the Glamour Kills tour with some other names you might know: Mayday Parade, Cartel, and Man Overboard.

The new EP of the same name, Small Town Favorites, drops on September 24, aka this Tuesday! I’ll be out of town when it drops, but I’m looking forward to downloading it the moment I get back. If the first tune was any indicator of what the rest of the album might be, it’s going to be great.

Stages recently came through town to play an intimate acoustic set while supporting Brooks from Mayday Parade’s side project Truth and Consequences. Despite it being an acoustic show, the full band was there, including surprise guest Alex Reed from Go Radio supporting on vocals and keys. Rumor has it he’ll also be touring with the guys this fall on the Glamour Kills Tour, filling in the spot left by former band member Austin’s departure, but for now we know he’s supporting the album release show on Saturday (9/21) in Tallahassee.

The venue they played, Swayze’s, is the north end of town’s version of The Seven. A bit of a trek and an odd place stuck in a strip mall, it’s not a bad venue though with decent acoustics and there’s not a bad spot in the place. It’s also all ages, specifically geared towards the local youth (like The Seven).

The re-vamping of old songs was something else entirely. Going acoustic is nothing new to the Stages guys. We’ve heard what they can do on their acoustic EP, but this particular set took it to a different level. The intimacy of the venue and tone of the show made it feel as if you were loitering around a living room at a house party, listening to your friends jam a little instead of standing in front of a stage. We got a nice surprise when they played a stripped down and jazzy version of “1990”, one of the other songs off the Small Town Favorites EP. Getting the acoustic sample just made me all the more eager to hear the studio version.

I’m pumped to see them again in a month when they roll through town again supporting Mayday Parade (remember, Glamor Kills), but there’s also that bittersweet feeling that this might be the last small venue, intimate show we get from them, so I’m cherishing it. Until then, I’ll be spending my time memorizing the new EP so I can sing along without missing a beat.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

New Song From Ghost Thrower "Halloween In Brooklyn"

Mostly, I'm just going to put this here:



I can talk about how good the new Ghost Thrower track, "Halloween in Brooklyn", is, how their sound has changed a little, but in a good way, how Travis' voice has gotten better, all of that. But you can tell that just by listening to it.

I can talk about the video itself, which is a series of photos and moments from over the years, many of which I've seen on instagram or twitter, shots of friends, and maybe even a show or two I was actually at. I can talk about how I've never been so jealous of a friend group in my life, because they seem like they have fun. Lots of it. But I'm guessing you're feeling the same way.

What I want to talk about is how you need to mark your calendars. The self-titled full length that this track is on will be available October 15th on iTunes. You'll need that.

Get ready. Get miserable.

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