Monthly Archives: September 2011

That Metal District
with Jim Florentine
and Don Jamieson

By Jon Meyers | Published: September 28, 2011

That Metal Show’s Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson have a three night stand this week (9/29-10/1) at DC’s shiny new Riot Act Comedy Theater and as such we thought we’d spend this week at TVD getting Don and Jim on the record—on METAL records. We’ve got their Top Five Favorite Metal LPs on VINYL in a countdown that’s not too different from a That Metal Show Top Five List.

And we’re not leaving you guys out of the loop either. We want to hear your Top Five Metal LPs on VINYL in the comments to all of Don and Jim’s posts this week and the one commenter who makes a solid case for his or her Top Five list will win a free pair of tickets to see Don and Jim on a night of their choosing this week. (Our winner will be chosen this Thursday, 9/29, at noon!)

It’s Day #3 which means we’ve got the guys’ #3 on their Top 5 List…

JIM FLORENTINE’S #3: Motorhead – “Ace of Spades”
Another album I bought in that import record store in Florida. I first heard of Motorhead when I saw one of the guys in Saxon wearing their shirt on the back of the Wheels Of Steel album. Then I heard they were opening for Ozzy on some of the Blizzard Of Ozz tour. I remember seeing the album cover for the first time and thought they were Mexicans! I was thinking this can’t be good. I thought the record was going to be in Spanish until I flipped it over and saw song titles such as “Bite The Bullet,” “Shoot You In The Back,” and “Jailbait.” I knew it had to be good.

“The Chase Is Better Then The Catch” was the opening track followed by “Love Me Like A Reptile” and I was hooked. This is the greatest Motorhead album of all time. Not one filler track!

DON JAMIESON’S #3: Black Sabbath – “Sabotage”
Such a trippy cover. They band is standing in front of a giant mirror facing away from it and the reflection is exactly the same. Instead of reflecting their backs it shows their fronts. My fave Sabbath album of all time. Very angry.

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Wilco with Nick Lowe
at Merriweather Post Pavillion, 9/25

By Elias Leight | Published: September 28, 2011

Wilco came out at Merriweather Post Pavilion on Sunday with a jarring thud, in the form of “Art of Almost,” the first track on their new album, Whole Love. “Art of Almost” begins with electronic beeps over an ominous bass rumble. It’s weirdly funky, but funk isn’t Wilco’s strong suit.

The band debuted several new songs: “Black Moon” is a quiet, love-lorn storm of finger picking and slide guitar, “Dawned On Me” is a cute chugger buoyed by its head-over-heels sentimentality. The title track of the new album has a lovely swing, Tweedy straining to an affecting falsetto. However, “One Sunday Morning (Song For Jane Smiley’s Boyfriend)” shuffles rosily along on a sweet acoustic riff for too long.

Wilco are experienced performers and superb musicians. Jeff Tweedy is a completely charming frontman, and he seems to love every moment he is on stage—it’s impossible not to be caught up in his baby-faced disheveled enthusiasm. He is also highly amusing, at one point thanking the “communists at NPR for helping us to be better capitalists.” (The show was recorded live for NPR.)

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Postcard From Brighton
BN1…Autumn Red

By Laurence | Published: September 28, 2011

Here in Brighton we like to think we’re an increasingly important music hub, not just for the UK, but for Europe too.

With some 800 premises licensed for live music, more than a few seriously large music schools, significant arts festivals, a huge music tradition and the ‘Great Escape’ annual industry event (UK’s equivalent to South x South West), to name but a few, we have more artists and industry types per square mile than most cities in the world. Swing a cat in St. James Street and you’ll be sure to take out several dozen musicians, a handful of producers, four music industry lawyers, a couple of publishers and a whole label subsidiary. Well, if you’re lucky, you will.

Quite how the Brighton economy sustains such arts fuelled activities is beyond comprehension, it’s not as if today’s music business offers any meaningful revenue streams anymore is it? But for now, at least, there seems no end to the shenanigans. All this brings not so much a problem of quality but quantity – to be honest the two go hand in hand; how do you sift the few decent trees from the forest of average. Well that’s where we come in. We’re here to help you to identify the diamonds in the rough.Each month we’ll give you a round up of what’s hot and what’s not, and whilst we’re at it we’ll try and give some pointers to you out of town folk as to how to crack Brighton -the ‘insiders guide’ to the slow but certain journey toward world domination, as it were.

Watch this space! In the meantime, begin your acquaintance with quality by checking out Autumn Red here:

– BN1 Magazine

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5 Questions with Generationals @hoscotchfest

By Rachel Hurley | Published: September 27, 2011

Ever since Generationals came to Memphis and played our show The Warm Up, we’ve been listening to their album Actor-Caster non-stop. That’s why we were thrilled when we realized that they would be playing Hopscotch Music Festival this year.

We were lucky enough to catch their performance for Sound Situations at Marsh Windwoods. We also pulled them aside on the streets of Raleigh for this episode of 5 Questions With… It’s one of our favorites of the series with questions from Good Luck Dark Star, River City Extension, Jeff the Brotherhood, Dignan, and Rainy Day Manual.

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The Dimes, Then and Now: My Ten Cents

By Rochelle Muzquiz | Published: September 27, 2011

A few years ago, I began working in radio and figured out that I could occasionally get my grubby little hands on a pair of free concert tickets. As a fan of late ’60s/early ’70s piano pop (Carole King is my idol), one of the first shows I elected to see was Todd Rundgren at the Aladdin Theater. (What? Some lucky winner didn’t pick up his Todd Rundgren tickets?)

My friend Jennie and I got to the show early and waltzed right up to the stage, placing our hands on its dirty edge, the hot lights warming its surface. We chatted with fellow audience members in anticipation of an evening of groovy, nostalgic tunes like “Hello It’s Me” and “I Saw The Light” and didn’t want to budge from our prime seating. Little did we know that the only pop we would enjoy would be from Rundgren’s bright-eyed opener, Portland’s own, The Dimes.

Posted in TVD Portland | 1 Comment

TVD Ticket Giveaway: Ray LaMontagne
and the Pariah Dogs
at MPP, 9/29

By Olivia | Published: September 27, 2011

Grammy Award-winning folk hero Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs will be at Merriweather Post Pavilion on Thursday, and we’ve got a chance for you to win a pair of lawn tickets.

LaMontagne won the Grammy last winter for God Willin’ and the Creek Don’t Rise as Best Contemporary Folk Album, and “Beg, Steal or Borrow” was nominated for Song of the Year.

Posted in TVD Washington, DC | 21 Comments

TVD Ticket Giveaway: SIGNALFEST, 10/1

By Eric Tullis | Published: September 27, 2011

TVD has teamed up with the organizers of the the Southeast Electronic Music Festival (SIGNAL) and we’re giving away a pair of tickets to attend both Saturday night (10/1) shows in Chapel Hill, NC and neighboring Carrboro, NC.

As we mentioned before, SIGNAL is in its sixth year and has expanded its reach to Raleigh where one of our favorite female deejays, Jubilee, will be headlining on Friday night at Mosaic Wine Lounge. But to make things a little easier on you, these tickets will get you and a guest in both Saturday night’s back-to-back shows at Local 506 and Cat’s Cradle—both within walking distance of each other. Read More »

Posted in TVD Chapel Hill | 2 Comments

SoundLand Music Festival 2011 Part
Two: Folkin’ Around

By Morgan Swank | Published: September 27, 2011

Ok, can I be completely honest with you all? I’ve been wanting to use that title for so long now and never had the chance to until this moment.

Yep, for part two of my three-part SoundLand coverage I’m dedicating an entire post to the third day of the festival where folk music rang supreme. So with that being said, let’s delve into the highlights and start folkin’ around already.

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That Metal District
with Jim Florentine
and Don Jamieson

By Jon Meyers | Published: September 27, 2011

It’s Day #2 which means we’ve got the guys’ #4 on their Top 5 List. We’re counting ’em down backward – all Casey Kasem-like…

DON JAMIESON’S #4: AC/DC – “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”
Love the people on the front cover with the black bars on their faces. Victims of Bon Scott’s ‘Problem Child’ no doubt…’Dirty Deeds’ indeed! Not a dull moment on this record.

JIM FLORENTINE’S #4: Raven “Rock Until You Drop”
When I was a kid there was no way of hearing the music beforehand on the internet or even radio if it was metal. I saw the cover to this record with all the equipment on top of them and figured it must be good and took a chance with my hard earned dishwashing money to spend $16 on import for this.

This album introduced me to what would be labeled later on as Thrash Metal. This album still sounds just as fresh today as it did back in 1980. I do miss the original drummer Whacko and his Helmet that he wore. I think he was the original Special Ed!

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Another Cup of Coffee with Jody Stephens of Big Star

By Chris Milam | Published: September 27, 2011

There are a handful of bands that made me want to pick up an instrument; Big Star’s one of them. There are a handful of songs that made me want to write songs; “Thirteen” is one of them. I’ve written before about their music, what it’s meant to me, and what it’s meant to generations of artists and fans alike. In the interest of time and space, I won’t repeat myself.

My first “meeting” with Jody Stephens–Big Star’s drummer and last surviving member–came in February. I was recording an Ardent Presents session and, mid-song, recognized him in the control booth. It was all I could do not to stop the take and ask for his autograph.

So, it was a thrill to sit down recently with Mr. Stephens and talk about Big Star, Memphis music, and more. Enjoy…

Another Cup of Coffee with Jody Stephens!

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Alyssa Graham:
The TVD First Date

By Jon Meyers | Published: September 27, 2011

Growing up with two parents whom one might describe as “music junkies” was a treat…usually.

My parents weren’t musicians but based on their extensive vinyl collection they were certainly music aficionados and obsessive about spinning vinyl. Often I would come home and my parents would be singing at the top of their lungs or dancing in the living room listening to one of their favorite records. My dad would always stop me and say, “Alyssa, come here, listen to this… wait for it…” and then inevitably, he would sing over the part he wanted me to listen to anyway.

But, the record player never stopped spinning in my house. To a little girl the towering cabinets of vinyl in the main family room were like the candy store window display. There were different flavors, different pretty wrappings and certainly different surprises within each 12 X 12 package.

Posted in TVD Washington, DC | 1 Comment

TVD Live: Junior Marvin, 9/22 at IOTA

By Dulani Wallace | Published: September 27, 2011

Last Thursday, a real party went down at IOTA Club and Cafe in Arlington, Virginia. Those who were there were touched by the spirit of Bob Marley. For those who missed it, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt because somewhere and sometime soon Junior Marvin will put on a show you can’t miss. You can’t sleep on it.

Junior Marvin was one of the original members of Bob Marley and The Wailers. Many members of the band have died, but Marvin’s show carries the special message of unconditional love through roots reggae music and his late colleagues who helped fashion it.

Marvin is a guitarist with a penchant for sound. When the band came on stage it took very little effort to give Marley’s roots reggae a contemporary slant.

Posted in TVD Washington, DC | 4 Comments

New releases from
J. Cole, 9th Wonder, and Phonte declare Tuesday, 9/27 “North Carolina Hip-Hop Day”

By Eric Tullis | Published: September 27, 2011

North Carolina has always been a wellspring of musical activity, and today three of the state’s top hip-hop acts are all releasing heavily-anticipated solo projects taking the state’s music heritage a step further. The September 27 release-date triumvirate of J. Cole’s Cole World: The Sideline Story, 9th Wonder’s The Wonder Years and Phonte’s Charity Starts at Home has recently been commonly referred to as “NC Hip-Hop Day” and while it’s unlikely that these guys initially planned to drop their albums on the same day, we welcome the happenstance, united front.

J. Cole drops his debut LP Cole World: The Sideline Story a couple of years after becoming the first artist signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label. In this Complex magazine, online cover story, music journalist, Damien Scott tells how J. Cole followed his dreams of becoming a Jay-Z-endorsed, successful hip-hop artist from Fayetteville, NC.

Cole World—which is almost, entirely self-produced—should retain all of the scrappy and assertive mojo from his last two mixtapes (The Warm Up, Friday Night Lights) as well as some added, commercial sparkle from having Shawn Carter as a mentor and benefactor.

Posted in TVD Chapel Hill | 1 Comment

That Metal District
with Jim Florentine
and Don Jamieson

By Jon Meyers | Published: September 26, 2011

(…and it’s a ticket giveaway!)

Anyone who knows me well knows that there’s one TV show I make sure I see each and every week in its time slot and nothing, nothing—will stand between me and it.

What can I say, I love Desperate Housewives.

No wait – that’s bullshit. The show I’m really talking about is VH1 Classic’s That Metal Show. For the uninitiated, it’s the metal version of ESPN’s Sports Center for rabid fans like myself who’ve read every liner note, memorized every riff, and have followed our favorite bands through every DUI and line-up change.

Joining host Eddie Trunk on That Metal Show are Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson—both huge metal fans who have also graced more comedy stages than you can shake a codpiece at.

Jim and Don have a three night stand at DC’s shiny new Riot Act Comedy Theater (9/29-10/1) and as such we thought we’d spend this week at TVD getting Don and Jim on the record—on metal records. We’ve got their Top Five Favorite Metal LPs in a countdown that’s not too different from a That Metal Show Top Five List.

And we’re not leaving you guys out of the loop either. We want to hear your Top Five Metal LPs in the comments to all of Don and Jim’s posts this week and the one commenter who makes a solid case for his or her Top Five list will win a free pair of tickets to see Don and Jim on a night of their choosing this week. (Our winner will be chosen this Thursday, 9/29, at noon!)

Let’s kick it off! We’re counting backwards to Friday’s #1!

JIM FLORENTINE’S #5: Metallica – “Kill Em All” | Growing up in Old Bridge, NJ I used to hang out at Johnny Z’s record store called Rock N Roll Heaven. Every Friday I would take my paycheck down there and he would turn me on to all these cool new bands.

I already had the No Life Til Leather cassette so I had an idea what they sounded like. I had a an advance copy because it came out on Johnny Z’s label Megaforce. I turned the whole neighborhood onto this album before it was even out. It is arguably the most important metal albums ever released.

Ironically, I just came back from seeing the big 4 at Yankee Stadium with 50,000 people and it wasn’t for this record I would have been home watching Youporn as usual.

DON JAMIESON’S #5: Motorhead – “Bomber” | The first MH album I ever bought. Thought it was so cool to see Lemmy and the boys flying inside the Bomber with the Snaggletooth logo on the side spraying bullets. This album took me to a whole other level in my love for metal.

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Song by Song Review: Ryan Peel’s The New Memphis Sound

By Special to TVD | Published: September 26, 2011

When discussing Memphis music and the future of the Memphis sound, Ryan Peel has always been on my radar. He is a multi-talented individual whose roots are as diverse as the culture of this city. Memphis has always been a melting pot of people and ideas and that is exactly what Ryan brings to the table.

When Rachel sent me The New Memphis Sound for review, my first thought was that the title is such a bold claim. Redefining Memphis is something that has always been met with resistance, primarily because so many people are afraid to change. After listening through Ryan’s collection of songs, I can confidently say that it is a major factor in redefining Memphis music.