VideoGirl: Video of the Week (I'm switching things up)

I realize those of you reading this were expecting a review of the Plug In Stereo concert, but, as of now, I will be posting that tomorrow. Tonight I will share with you a note worthy music video for you guys to check out this week. Okay, well I literally just stumbled upon this right now and it's not my original video plan, but at the moment I like this song better. My original plan was to show you guys a Jimmy Robbins video, but I guess I will just save that for another week. So, here is Superman by Joe Brooks:

I hope you guys enjoy this video, and if you do check out some of his other music on his youtube page:http://www.youtube.com/user/joebrooksmusic

Have a great rest of the week, and I will talk to you all tomorrow!

Musicbox #1 -- Patrick Stump Truant Wave EP

Welcome to the first ever weekly Musicbox! Today's topic is Patrick Stump's solo project entitled, Truant Wave - EP. Now, I guess this was a pretty controversial project considering the constantly asked question, "Does this mean Fall Out Boy is breaking up?" But, that question is not what I'm going to be talking about today, since too many people have already discussed the drama behind it all as opposed to actually looking at the music Patrick made. To be honest, I have gotten caught up in the all the controversy around Fall Out Boy and how Patrick Stump himself has changed, but with that said, I will be doing my best to put that aside and judge solely on his music.
Patrick is calling his new music "soul punk" which is a pretty accurate description of the seven songs he has recently released, with collaborations with artists like Lupe Fiasco, Alph-a-Bit, and Om'mas Keith. The lyrics are classic Patrick Stump, but the music is definitely moving in a totally different direction than Fall Out Boy fans are used to. I'm split right down the middle with this EP; I'm totally in love with half of the songs, but the other half almost disappoints me. "Love, Selfish Love" and "Spotlight (Oh, Nostalgia)" are without a doubt two of my favorite songs from Truant Wave, followed by "Big Hype" and "This City." Although they are very different for him, they do still feel like they belong to him (if that makes sense). They fit his style and suit his voice very well. The other songs "Cute Girls," "Porcelain," and "As Long As I Know I'm Getting Paid," just don't feel like they should be Patrick Stump songs. "Porcelain," has a very heavy techno sound, and not that I don't like techno, but I just don't like techno mixed with Patrick Stump. "Cute Girls," is almost jazz meets R&B and it just doesn't fit with the rest of the songs. And it's not even that those songs are bad, they are just very very different. But, if anything, this experience has made Patrick better at what he does. He is showcasing his voice more, and he really has a beautiful voice that you don't always pay as much attention to when you are listening to the heavy rock music of Fall Out Boy. Patrick has really pushed himself with this solo project and personally I think it really paid off. His new music is very original which will set him apart from the legacy that is Fall Out Boy, and I think that is exactly he what he was looking to do.
Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think. Coming up on Thursday I will be reviewing the Plug In Stereo concert I went to last week, and then there will be a great suprise video of the week on Friday!

Coming Soon (Just a short update)

Hello everyone! I've been doing some planning recently, and I just thought I should update you so you know what to expect. From this point on, Tuesday is going to be "Musicbox," where I will post CD and artist reviews; Thursdays will be "Chasing a Rockstar," where I will be posting concert reviews or interviews; and Friday will be "Video Girl," where I will post a music video of the week. And, yes, I did borrow all of those names from the titles of songs.Hopefully this schedule will work out, at least for now. I will be starting up next week with a review of Patrick Stump's solo project the Truant Wave EP, and Thursday's concert review will be of the Plug In Stereo concert I actually just went to last night! The video of the week is going to be a suprise, considering I haven't actually thought of it yet. But to start us off, since it is Friday, I will go ahead and post a video for this week. It's their very first music video, and if you like it check out their brand new EP on bandcamp or on their Facebook page. Here is: Auzerias by A Yawn Worth Yelling

Slim's and Upcoming Shows (I'm alive and blogging again!)

Hey everyone I'm still alive! I'm sure you're all wondering why I've been gone for so long -- actually you probably really weren't thinking about that at all so let's just move on shall we.
There are a couple things I want to talk about. First of all: Slim's. Slim's is a club (for lack of a better word) for live music. I have been to a few concerts there, and it's definitely one of the greatest clubs in San Francisco. I absolutely love the atmosphere in that place; it's very small and it gives the concerts a more personal feel. It only holds 1200 people but it feels like it's even less, and the stage is set so that you can see from where ever you are standing. Although I've never been far from the stage my mom and my uncle can always see from the back, and they take some pretty bomb pictures from where they stand, so I take their word for it. Another awesome thing about Slim's is that when the actually concert is over the bands usually come out and hang with everyone. Sometimes there is a line you have to wait in for pictures or signings, but usually you'll just find the band members roaming around the floor, talking to people, taking pictures, and selling their merch. Overall, my experiences at Slim's have been great and I would definitely put it in my top three venues.
The second thing I wanted to talk was upcoming shows, local and tours. Pin Up Productions Battle of the Bands semi-finals have started (I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Eyes Like Mine, Patheon, Two Star Hotel, Start the Fire Up, and A Yawn Worth Yelling.), and they are a great way to support local music and discover some pretty great bands in the proccess! Ticket info? Just contact me and I can help you out. Other upcoming concert are the Plug in Stereo (which I'm a promoter for!!) and Never Shout Never. The Plug in Stereo concert is this Thursday, and I'm totally stoked for it!! It's going to be a really fantastic concert, and don't think I'm just saying that because I have to. If you don't believe me look at the line up, it says it all right there. All the bands are super talented; Bird by Bird, DownDownDown, Weather, and Plug in Stereo! I'm most excited for the two, since I've been listening to them for a while now and have never had the chance to see them in concert... Until now! You can buy tickets for that show on Slim's website, and I definitely recommend that you do. Never heard of any of the bands? Check them out on Facebook, Myspace,etc. I can guarentee that there is something there you will like. Now, Never Shout Never is coming out with a new album sometime in the next month or so and he's going on tour to help promote it. He's coming to San Francisco fairly soon, but I'm unsure that I want to see him again. I definitely love Chris Drew/Never Shout Never and A Rocket to the Moon, but I've seen them twice and I'm thinking about waiting for another concert to come around but at the same time I would love to see them for a third time... Decisions, decisions. Anyways, tickets for that show are (I think) available on The Warfield website or Never Shout Never's website. If you haven't seen NSN or A Rocket to the Moon and you have the opportunity to go, I would completely reccommend going.
The last thing I wanted to say was: expect quite a few concert reviews, and a couple interviews in the near future!