Author Archives: Morgan Swank

TVD Ticket Giveaway: Henry Rollins at the 9:30 Club, 11/5

It’s that time again. You know, the one every four years when America finds itself drowning in political backlash on the eve of the presidential election.

Luckily, there’s a man willing to get out there and give the people what they want to know about the current political situation in the form of spoken word. His name is Henry Rollins.

Spoken word magician, former harDCore god, and total badass Henry Rollins is making his way across the country to every single state capital on his upcoming Capitalism Tour. From what we hear, the tour will not follow the guidelines of being a voting guide from an outside viewpoint, but instead will be more of an “unflinching quest for truth that’s sadly lacking in the profit-driven American mass media.” Yeah, America!

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Posted in TVD Washington, DC | 32 Comments

TVD Vinyl Giveaway: The Mynabirds, Generals

Maybe I’m just a sucker for a woman who writes songs about historical people and events with political undertones, but this is one vinyl giveaway that I’m particularly excited about.

We’re giving away a copy of the brand new album Generals from The Mynabirds that was released not but a few weeks ago—and it can be all yours!

Inspired by photographer Richard Avedon’s portrait The Generals of the Daughters of the American Revolution, The Mynabirds’ Generals follows a constant theme of what it means to live and breathe revolution, whether internally or in the literal sense. There are explorations of what it means to be a daughter in “Wolf Mother,” what it means to be American in “Karma Debt,” and simply what it means to be a revolutionary, as in the title track.

Somehow or another, Laura Burhenn was able to reference Sartre for a pop chorus in “Body of Work,” as a nod to the existentialist idea that “freedom is what you do with what has been done to you.” In part, Generals is a not only a concept album, but a protest against fighting, lethargy, and above all, apathy.

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Posted in The TVD Storefront | 15 Comments

Bringing it on home.
TVD Ticket Giveaway: Destroyer at the 9:30 Club, 6/16

Vancouver native Dan Bejar began the project known as Destroyer in 1995. His first album, We’ll Build Them a Golden Bridge, was an electric folk record, setting the stage for the early Bowie comparisons that were certain to follow his particular vocal style.

In 1998, Bejar added a rhythm section and took it into the studio for the first time. Since then, the music Bejar has created through cryptic lyrics and a unique voice gave Destroyer a notable voice within the music world. Bejar alone has collaborated his songwriting style with notable acts like the New Pornographers and Frog Eyes over the past ten years to add to his many accolades.

In 2011, Destroyer released a brand new album Kaputt. Pitchfork placed the album at 2nd on its list of the Top 50 Albums of 2011, and it received wholly positive reviews from music critics alike. Now, Bejar and the Destroyer crew have decided to hit the road again and they’re coming to the 9:30 Club this Saturday, June 16th. Naturally, we’ve got a pair of tickets to give away!

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Posted in TVD Washington, DC | 2 Comments

TVD Ticket Giveaway: The Wombats at the
9:30 Club, 4/23

Time for an easy quiz. What’s better than seeing three British babes serenade you with electro-indie pop music on a Monday night? Seeing the three British babes from The Wombats serenade you for FREE at the 9:30 Club on a Monday night! I told you it would be an easy answer.

Liverpool’s own super cool trio The Wombats are starting to make a splash in music news these days. Having released two studio albums, 2007’s The Wombats Proudly Present: A Guide to Love, Loss, & Desperation and 2011’s The Wombat’s Present: This Modern Glitch, the band just recently announced that they will be supporting The Red Hot Chili Peppers on their two UK concert stops.

They’ll be crossing the pond to shower the US with their “indietronica” sound this month into May, and they’re stopping by the 9:30 Club on their way. Luckily, we’ve got two tickets to give away!

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Posted in TVD Washington, DC | 16 Comments

TVD Ticket Giveaway: Housse de Racket at the 9:30 Club, 3/25

The French are coming! The French are coming!

…to the 9:30 Club. Yep, our favorite French synth-pop duo Housse de Racket is coming to the 9:30 Club on Sunday, March 25th, and we have two tickets to give away to one lucky person.

Having worked with other well-known French artists like Air and Phoenix, childhood acquaintances Pierre Leroux and Victor Le Masne formed Housse de Racket out of a mutual love for the music they created as teenagers at the local music conservatory in France. In 2008, they released their first album Forty Love, which received high praise from critics and music-lovers alike.

Housse de Racket released their much-anticipated second album Alesia in November of last year and have been touring the world ever since. The duo have now decided to cross the pond and kick off their North American tour in the good ‘ole U.S.A. They are hitting up the club this weekend, and we’ve got a pair of tickets to give away. Oui s’il vous plaît!

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Posted in TVD Washington, DC | 14 Comments

TVD Ticket Giveaway: Polyphonic Spree at the Sixth & I Synagogue, 5/21

Clear your calendars and pull out those old high school choir robes from your closet! We’ve got one really awesome ticket giveaway for you.

The Polyphonic Spree just announced that they will be stopping by Sixth & I Historic Synagogue on May 21st during their You+Me Tour, so naturally we have a pair of tickets to give away to one lucky person. Tickets go on sale Friday (3/9) at 10am, but you have a chance to win a pair before you can even buy them!

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Posted in TVD Washington, DC | 25 Comments

TVD Ticket Giveaway: The Beach Boys at Merriweather Post Pavilion, 6/15

Okay, so I know we’ve had some really awesome giveaways in the past involving The Beach Boys, but if there was ever a Holy Grail of ticket giveaways, it’s this one.

In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, The Beach Boys are about to embark on a 50th Anniversary Tour with the lineup of Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, and David Marks touring together for the first time in 20 years!

We’ve got your chance to see the boys of beach for yourselves live at the Merriweather Post Pavilion on Friday, June 15th! You pickin’ up my “Good Vibrations” yet?

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Posted in TVD Washington, DC | 33 Comments

TVD Recaps The 54th Annual Grammy Awards

In case you aren’t completely sick of seeing the tweets or hearing about upsets of last night’s 54th Annual Grammy Awards, we here at The Vinyl District are going to give you a break down of what happened from a first-hand account as we wind down and recap the night waiting in a busy terminal at LAX. Lucky you.

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Posted in TVD Los Angeles | 1 Comment

TVD Ticket Giveaway: Cowboy Mouth at the 9:30 Club, 1/26

Alright ladies and gentlemen, we’ve got a really awesome giveaway this week. New Orleans rock outfit Cowboy Mouth is coming to the 9:30 Club on Thursday (1/26) and we’ve got a pair of tickets to give to one lucky winner. Go ahead and grab those stetsons and boots with the spurs so you can dance your way out of them at the show!

Hailing from the salty marshes of New Orleans, Cowboy Mouth has been bringing the sounds of the Bayou and classic Southern rock ‘n’ roll since the early ’90s. In 2011, the raucous rebel rousers released their 10th studio album aptly titled Mardi Gras and are now on tour making stops in select states all over the U.S. to bring you their tunes and a damn good party.

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Posted in TVD Washington, DC | 19 Comments

Canadian Americana: Whitehorse World Tour
Begins Today

We’ve highlighted our fair share of Americana in the past few months because it isn’t too often that the genre gets the love and attention it rightfully deserves. In the name of folk music, we’re back with another awesome Americana duo straight out of Canada. Yes, you heard me correctly—Canada.

Whitehorse is a brand new project created by two of Canada’s most acclaimed folk singer-songwriters, Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland.

The duo recently released their first self-titled LP on August 30th with Six Shooter Records, and it has been well-received by the public.

Whitehorse begins a worldwide tour today (1/18), in Cambridge, MA. Check them out if you get the chance. You won’t be disappointed.

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Posted in TVD Nashville | 10 Comments

TVD Ticket Giveaway: Beady Eye at the 9:30 Club, 12/8

“I see no point in what you’re thinking. I’m going out, I’m takin’ you drinkin’.”—Beady Eye, “Bring the Light.”

Alright so maybe we aren’t really taking you out drinking, but if you play your cards right we can get you a pair of tickets to the 9:30 Club this Thursday (12/8) to see British rock outfit Beady Eye.

Beady Eye formed in 2009, after Liam and Noel Gallagher of Oasis reached their boiling point backstage at a summer music festival, thus resulting in Noel’s departure from the band. Liam and remaining Oasis bandmates Gem Archer, Andy Bell, and Chris Sharrock then began working on a brand new album under the new name Beady Eye. The band released that album, Different Gear, Still Speeding in February of 2011.

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Posted in The TVD Storefront | 10 Comments

TVD Live: Charlene Kaye with Team Starkid at Center Stage, 11/15

If the name Charlene Kaye sounds familiar to you, it’s probably because you recognize her from our interview with the sultry songstress back in August of this year where she talked about everything from her upcoming album Animal Love, to her kickstarter campaign, and her duets with fellow Team Starkid member turned Gleek Darren Criss.

Now Charlene is touring various cities over the United States with Team Starkid as the opening act for The SPACE Tour as well as playing in the backup band for the main performance. I was fortunate enough to catch up with Charlene and check out her set last week when the tour made its stop at Center Stage in Atlanta, Georgia.

So Charlene, let’s talk about the SPACE Tour. How’s it going so far?

The tour is going really, really well. It’s been so much fun! I love everyone that is a part of this tour. They’re all some of my best friends. It’s just been a great experience so far.

Have there been any highlights along the way?

Umm… probably hearing Joe Walker talk about his belly button lint.

Wait… really?

Oh yeah. Every night.

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TVD Vinyl Giveaway: The Beach Boys’ SMiLE

No, you haven’t drifted off into a deep sleep with a “tropical drink melting in your hand,” this is the real deal. The Vinyl District is giving away the much anticipated SMiLE 2LP album from none other than the kings of ’60s beach pop, The Beach Boys.

“Wouldn’t It Be Nice” to win this fantastic prize? Ok, I’m done with the lyric puns…

Described by Rolling Stone as “The most famous unfinished album in rock & roll history,” SMiLE is a compiled collection of The Beach Boys’ legendary 1966-1967 sessions for the never-completed album. With complete participation from the original Beach Boys’ members Al Jardine, Mike Love, and Brian Wilson, Capitol/EMI has decided to release the unfinished product to the public for the first time, and the album is out tomorrow. Exciting, right?

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Posted in The TVD Storefront | 33 Comments

Americana Music Association Festival

This past week The Vinyl District was fortunate enough to cover the Americana Music Association Festival in Nashville, Tennessee. The festival spanned four days and was filled with artist showcases, conference panels, a star-studded awards ceremony, and even a southern literature book fair. Once again Nashville proved that it sets the standard for throwing a top of the line music festival in any type of genre.

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Posted in TVD Nashville | Leave a comment

The Americana Music Festival Starts Today

Just when you thought you were sick of hearing about all the cool festivals Nashville hosts on a monthly basis, we’re bringing you one fitting for October. This week, Nashville honors those artists of the Americana and folk genre. The 2011 Americana Music Festival and Conference takes place throughout the city today through Saturday (10/12-10/15), and The Vinyl District will be around to cover the entire thing.

The 2011 Americana Festival will have the the best of the best in Americana and Folk music to showcase like The Civil Wars, The Vespers, and many more.

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Posted in TVD Nashville | Leave a comment
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