Posts Tagged ‘musica’
NH outing to see the Avett Brothers
Last night Amber and I headed down to UNH to catch the Avett Brothers. Probably Amber’s all-time favorite band. She introduced me to the Avett Brothers several years ago via a DVD of one of their live performances. Ever since I’ve been hooked and dying to see these guys rock the stage. They are all so talented and it still blows my mind how they jump from instrument to instrument.
Scott Avett playing the piano...sigh.
They are a band that is extremely good, and when they play live, they are that much better. Do NOT pass up a chance to see these guys. They put on such a great show!
“I looked ahead at the open road
And I thought about what people know
And I wrote a book called
‘People don’t know nothing.’” ~Scott Avett
On our way to UNH in Durham, Amber and I stopped at the Black Trumpet Bistro to do some much needed catching up about boys, careers and gossip. What more appropriate place where the food was outstanding and the the view unmatchable?
garlic snails, Moroccan spring chicken wings, duck
breaded scallops, cheesy whipped potatoes, pickled cauliflower
My personal favorite, the cheese plate with assorted accompaniments.
Good weather, good food, good music and one REALLY good friend. 
I’m a very lucky girl.
Mumford & Sons are coming to Portland!
I’m a firm believer in that good things happen on Tuesdays. Waking up to a nice cup of coffee and a good conversation was only proved my theory. Soon after, however, as I set out to start the day’s writing, things got REAL good. I received a link to this article…
“One of today’s hottest folk rock bands has agreed to play on the Eastern Promenade this summer in what’s expected to be Portland’s largest outdoor concert – other than July 4th celebrations – in years.
The State Theatre, which is promoting the event scheduled Aug. 4, anticipates that more than 12,000 people will attend the “Gentlemen of the Road” concert featuring the British band Mumford & Sons.
Organizers hope that the daylong event, on a Saturday, will spill over into the rest of the city by nightfall. For the “after concert party,” smaller, indoor venues would host the local musicians who will be opening acts for Mumford & Sons.
Portland’s City Council approved the concert proposal Monday night by an 8-0 vote. On the advice of its attorney, the council stipulated that the State Theatre agree to a contract detailing conditions that must be met to protect the public’s safety.” ~Dennis Hoey, Portland Press Herald staff writer
Key words and phrases I like from the lede of this article: Eastern Promenade, summer, outdoor concert, Mumford & Sons (DUH!), daylong event, spill over into the rest of the city, “after concert party,” smaller venues, local musicians, approved…proposal…by an 8-0 vote.
I don’t think I need to point out how HUGE this is for the city of Portland as a whole. But it is HUGE! I think it’s awesome that the city passed this with an 8 to 0 vote. This is going to really put Portland on the map in terms of music and is going to be GREAT for tourism.
I’m a huge fan of big music events but living in Maine often creates the travel to these events difficult, or even often financially impossible for me.
I love summer. I love being outside. I love music. I love Mumford & Sons. I love our local bands. I love the local aspect about this whole event and I love that it is being applied to music.
Oh, Tuesdays!
New Music Monday: Mumford & Sons cover White Lies
Before getting ready to hit the gym and work off the equivilant of the entire pizza I ate for dinner last night in a silly contest I thought I could win, I needed to get some new music. An hour plus of cardiovascular activity this morning fueled by some bumping new tunes is needed. I perused the “iTunes recommends” section and got some golden oldies, including John Mellencamp’s “Cherry Bomb” and some new pop hits. Nothing too worthy of a “New Music Monday” post however.
Then I started searching to see what my YouTube had to offer and the following Mumford and Sons video was suggested for me:
A friend of mine really turned me onto the White Lies this summer and who doesn’t love Mumford and Sons? I was excited to see the two combined in this driving video. (check the original)
I like the intense poetry behind the White Lies lyrics and always find Mumford and Sons’ escelating rythm to be stimulating. Ever since Mumford and Sons’ Bonnaroo performance last summer, thousands of fans, including myself, have been eagerly awaiting their new album.
In my search this morning I also stumbled upon these new songs, “Home”, “Ghosts That We Knew”and “Lovers Eyes,” all pulling at my heart and having me even MORE excited for their new album. Marcus Mumford makes me melt, truth!
New Music Monday: Band of Skulls
Monday’s writing is off to a slow start as I had to write the Mallett Brothers post twice. Plus, I needed time to have a mini breakdown cursing technology in between. Anyway, this jam has got me back in the zone and feeling normal.
I was turned on to the Band of Skulls this summer when I attended the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Nashville, you may have heard of it. Band of Skulls was the first band I heard play the first night we entered the music venue, check it. Walking into a realm of overstimulating scenes, I instantly found myself guided through the festival to their heavy rock ‘n’ roll tunes. A true rock ‘n’ roll girl at heart, I find heavy drums and guitar to be very comforting, a feeling that was much needed when entering the chaos that is Bonnaroo.
I rocked their first CD, Baby Darling Doll Face Honey, to and from work in the Passat all summer. These were pre-living in the West End days when Forrest Avenue was the bane of my existence. I find the track that inspired the title of the album, “Fires”, to be one of the most romantic and inspirational songs in a go-master-the-summer kind of way.
Anyway, I was stoked to see their new single, “Sweet Sour,” as one of the “free on i-Tunes” songs last week. Every time it has come up on my i-Pod it throws me off guard and blows me away bringing me back to the roots of rock that I love so much.
2/24 The Mallett Brothers Band
Another long work weekend with little sleep has come to an end. I went out Friday night… andddd Saturday night…this weekend in search of a cure for those midwinter, boring blues. Friday night was one of my girls’ birthdays that luckily coincided with a Mallett Brothers Band performance at the Big Easy, or as many a Portlander calls it, the “Big Sleazy.” The Mallett Brothers Band, led by local red-haired, hellion brothers are a local band of all good things country, rock ‘n’ roll and folk.
While sipping a post work glass of champagne out of a coffee mug, I change from my work clothes to my Led Zepplin tee, tight blue jeans, hipster wedges, scaly cap and rain coat. With a leftover caffeine buzz from work and excitement to be going downtown on a Friday night with good friends, we brave the rainy weather and head to Market Street.
Upon pulling up in front of the venue, Ash and I beeline it to the door. We head past the group of sweaty smokers lingering outside laughing and shouting in the rain/snow falling from the cold February night sky. As we enter we awkwardly await to pay as the door guys who are standing in the entrance to the venue are accidentally ignoring any new comers. They’re that into the music.
After paying our $8 cover fee we walk in only to be hit with a wave of heat and humidity from sweaty, rainy bodies and the smell of stale beer. The place is PACKED and everyone is swaying and stomping to the beat having a good time. Ash and I are instantly lifted. We head down to the busy bar and anxiously await our turn to get some cold ones. We chat a minute with the birthday girl and finally, a beer in each hand, we head out to the dance floor.
Upon entering the zoo that is the dance floor, I instantly wish I had worn my boots. However, I never miss out on an opportunity to reel and rock to some good music. Three inches taller, I dance my way, avoiding drunken, swinging elbows and spilling drinks, to the front. It is in this space that I am happiest, lost in the music slowly slipping further and further away from a dull night at work.
To love the Mallet Brothers is somewhat of a cliche in Portland. Maybe it’s because of their fame or the fact that many a girl is “in love” with Will Mallett, singer/songwriter/guitarist and Cosmopolitan Magazine’s “Maine Hottest Bachelor” of 2011. Cliche or not, I too infused with beer and excitement, cannot help but fall for the band and their live fast, play hard attitude. As such true Maine boys, they are thrilled to be playing for such a local, fan-filled crowd. The enthusiasm goes back and forth, from band to crowd and the intensity of the music and the dancing increases.
The raw voices belting out lyrics about small town life, heartache and trucks mixes with rock ‘n’ roll guitar over country and folk beats. The crowd is hugging, kissing and dancing creating an atmosphere of winter blues relief. How can you dislike such a feel-good band? As a girl from the midcoast who grew up partying in trucks and falling for hardworking blue collar boys, I surely can not help but have a soft spot for these dingy tee shirt, trucker hat wearing rockers.
Check out some of their music, here.
New Music Monday: The Civil Wars
Even though I’m not living the 9-to-5 lifestyle, I still find Monday to be a monument of a day. I generally have racked up a lot of things that didn’t get done during the week, laundry, groceries, going to the bank, etc. etc. that I have to tackle in one day while still attempting to get the joy out of my day off. So between doing errands, attempting to do some productive writing and have fun, Monday mornings can be pretty daunting and/or inspirational! Today’s to do list: gym, grocery shopping, lunch at my grandparents, writing 1,000 words between blog posts and a profile piece I’m working on and then dinner for my oldest friend, Jackie’s, 25th birthday. Yikes! I’m almost 25!!
I have decided that having a theme to Monday’s posts would allow me to write a blog post without being too overwhelmed and yet I could easily get up and write a post about something I love and then feel a sense of accomplishment all before my day even really gets started. I’m not simply using the day to post music because I am obsessed with alliteration, although it’s starting to seem that way.
I chose the Civil Wars for today’s post as I have been listening to this song on repeat ever since the Grammy’s. Last Sunday while I was unenthusiastically watching the Grammy’s, I became intrigued when this duo sang their little diddy, Barton Hollow. I think the audience at the Grammy’s was equally as stunned by their performance and responded with the same “Who are they?”
Johnny Depp? Jim James from My Morning Jacket? No. The Civil Wars.
Instantly the name rang a bell as my roommate, a big folk music fan, has been watching their career for some time now. She even went with her family to check them out when they came to Portland a while back. Now that they’re slinging two Grammy’s, I doubt they’ll be up Portland, Maine way anytime soon. So, without further ado, here is the official video for Barton Hollow. Enjoy, and don’t let the Monday’s get ya down!
