Saturday, December 22, 2012

Interview: State Champs

>>  State Champs is a solid pop-punk band that's out making a name for themselves on the road.  They're currently finishing a tour with Hit The Lights, A Loss For Words, and With The Punches, and they're enjoying every minute of it.  I spoke with Derek after the band's show at Revolution (formerly Ollie's Point) about touring, Glamour Kills, writing, skateboards, and more.


Please state your name and role in the band.
I'm Derek and I sing in State Champs.

How has this tour with Hit The Lights been so far?
This tour has been sweet.  Probably one of the best tours we've been on just because Hit The Lights is one of the bands I grew up listening to and I can look up to in a sense because they've been around for that long but are still relevant enough to make this tour sweet. It's not even a let-down being the first band on the package because there's other bands we can also look up to and be friends with and overall it's just been an awesome time.

You've been touring a lot recently.
Yeah. We were busy over the summer with a couple of full US tours and it was overwhelming at first just because we've never been anywhere, like me personally, I'd never been anywhere outside of the New England area.  So being able to travel has been awesome.  Getting to the West coast for the first time was sweet, can't wait to go back already.  We've been getting used to it in a sense but we actually have some time off coming up which we can look forward to and then probably be ready to head right back out once we get home anyway.  It's kind of a big cycle.

Before that time off, you'll be involved with the Glamour Kills holiday shows, right?
We just got done with the Glamour Kills Holiday Festival in Boston yesterday [12/14/12] which was at the House of Blues and it was insane.  The stage alone was probably bigger than any venue we've played which was crazy when we first walked in. It was probably one if the biggest shows we've played and we were very excited to be a part of that. Tomorrow [12/15] is the holiday festival in Poughkeepsie with different headlining bands and our same tour package is involved, and a lot of different opening bands too so we're excited to see what round two will bring. Should be good.

So you have a lot to look forward to. Tell us a little about the 'Overslept' EP you put out before all of the touring.
Back in September we put that out.  It's our first release on Pure Noise Records, who we signed to last year. The response on it has been awesome so far, and we're still kind of touring off of that release which is good.  Seeing kids knowing the words and singing along more each time is cool.  Now we're merging over to getting ready to write and record our full length which we're going to be doing in the spring of next year. Like I said, we have some time off in January and February to get the writing process done for that and then really get to work on it in the new year, so we're really excited for that.

How has being signed with Pure Noise helped you guys?
It's been great. When we signed to Pure Noise, we said this was just the beginning of everything.  Most people think that when you sign to a record label it's the end of everything and that's where you've made it.  We took it as the start. Jake who owns Pure Noise is basically a one man show and he's the man. He's a normal guy who knows the deal and knows what's up and is basically like a dad to us in a sense and takes care of us. It's helped us to have that name behind us as well, just for backing and having kids who know about the label and want to check out more bands on it. It's great to have that backing but ultimately we're trying to prove ourselves with our music as well.  But overall it's been awesome.

In addition to touring and getting ready to write, you guys also just put out some skateboarding stuff.
Yes we did. A couple of days ago, we released a collaborative skateboard with a company called Real Talk.  They've done a few collaborative boards with some heavier bands, I think we're the first pop-punk band to do a board with them which is cool. A lot of us in the band skateboard on our free time anyway so we were stoked to find out we could do something like that. We haven't seen them yet, and I'm excited to see them when we get the chance.  The internet response on it seemed cool and we're really stoked on it.

It's a very cool and different idea.
Yeah, it's different. We've done some kinds of miscellaneous merch items before but this is definitely the coolest so far.

Other than touring and writing, is there anything else you'd like to highlight?
We've been busy, busy on the road non-stop and focusing on covering new ground and playing to new people which has been so cool these past 5 months or so.  We're focusing on playing to new people and enjoying what we're doing with writing new music and ultimately keeping the cycle going- writing more and playing more music. We'll see where it goes from here, but we're just having fun.

Is there anything else you'd like to say to the fans?
Everyone that supported us from the start is what keeps the fire going so that's what's cool for us.  Ultimately we're just having fun so anyone that hasn't seen us, come out to a show. Come hang and say what's up, we're all pretty normal people who like to hang out and play music. So hopefully we'll see y'all soon.  Thanks.




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Tuesday, December 18, 2012

The Suppy Nation Tour feat. The Story So Far + Man Overboard

>>  The Story So Far and Man Overboard will be co-headlining The Suppy Nation Tour in the spring.  This nationwide tour begins on March 8th in Dallas with support from Tonight Alive, Citizen and The American Scene. The tour has a slew of sponsors, including Working Group Management, Good Fight Entertainment, Alternative Press, Pure Noise Records, Rise Records, Fearless Records, Lost Tape Collective, and Born & Bred. Premium ticket packages go on sale Dec. 18th at noon through Sound Rink.  Public on-sale is Jan. 2nd at 10AM local time.



All In Merchandise Presents:  
The Suppy Nation Tour dates:
March 8th – Dallas, TX – Trees *
March 9th – San Antonio, TX – Backstage Live *
March 10th – Houston, TX – Fitzgerald’s *
March 12th – Mesa, AZ – The Nile *
March 14th – San Luis Obispo, CA – SLO Brew
March 15th – San Diego, CA – Epicentre
March 16th – Pomona, CA – The Glasshouse
March 17th – Oakland, CA – Oakland Metro
March 19th – Portland, OR – Branx
March 20th – Seattle, WA – El Corazon
March 22nd – Salt Lake City, UT – Club Sound
March 23rd – Denver, CO – Marquis Theatre
March 24th – Lawrence, KS – Granada Theatre
March 26th – St. Louis, MO – Firebird
March 27th – Nashville, TN – Rocketown
March 28th – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
March 29th – Tampa, FL – The Orpheum
March 30th – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Talent Farm
April 1st – Jacksonville, FL – Brewster’s Roc Bar
April 2nd – Columbia, SC – New Brookland Tavern
April 3rd – Virginia Beach, VA – Shakas
April 5th – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer
April 6th – Patchogue, NY – 89 North (Mixtape Festival)
April 7th – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
April 8th – Boston, MA – The Sinclair
April 9th – Montreal, QC – La Sala Rosa
April 10th – Toronto, ON – Annex Wreckroom
April 11th – Detroit, MI – Magic Stick
April 12th – Chicago, IL – Reggies Rock Club
April 13th – Toledo, OH – Headliner’s (Jamboree Festival)
*Tonight Alive will not be playing these dates


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Friday, December 14, 2012

Interview: Chevonne

>> Do you remember seeing a passionate girl with hair as big as her personality on this season of The Voice?  Well, that's Chevonne.  She's an artist that is hard to miss, and harder to forget.  While she didn't make it to the final rounds of The Voice, Chevonne's career is far from over. She's working on a debut album and has started a Kickstarter campaign to help fund it.  I spoke with her about her time on The Voice, her dedication to making music she loves, and just how important the support from fans really is.


>> UPDATE:  It's official, Chevonne has met her Kickstarter goal! This means that, through support from the fans, Chevonne will be able to go ahead and record her debut album.  According to the following statement, Chevonne couldn't be more excited to make this happen:
"the record's going to be straight-up fun, rock meets soul under a glittery pop umbrella. the lyrics will be tongue-in-cheek and catchy but never lacking in substance and universality.  i'll play with my vocals and delight your ears with all kinds of new and different sounds. (aaaand just MAYBE i'll break your hearts with a big ol' power ballad too.) oh, and it'll be written top to bottom by myself and my trusted co-writer/producer buds in Brooklyn!!
the album itself will be dressed to the nines, filled with colorful, engaging, and dramatic art and photos!  i LOVE playing with fashion and elevating my look to something completely original and forward-thinking.  but above all, like i said, it'll be FUN.  it's a celebration of youth, of survival, of LOVING yourself and letting loose!" (source)
>> Stay tuned for more information.  Congrats, Chevonne!

Chevonne by Elijah A. Bland (Andrew_Avasin)) on 500px.com
Chevonne by Elijah A. Bland


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Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Tour Dates: Pierce The Veil with Memphis May Fire, Letlive, Issues

>>  Pierce The Veil will be heading out on the Street Youth Rising Tour with Memphis May Fire, letlive, and Issues in the spring.  The full list of dates can be seen below.


Tour Dates:
Mar 14 - Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theater
Mar 15 - Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
Mar 16 - El Paso, TX @ Tricky Falls
Mar 17 - Lubbock, TX @ Jakes Sports Cafe
Mar 20 - Pensacola, FL @ American Legion Post 33
Mar 21 - Jacksonville, FL @ Roc bar
Mar 22 - Raleigh, NC @ Lincoln Theater
Mar 23 - Lancaster, PA @ Chameleon Club
Mar 24 - Clifton Park, NY @ Northern Lights
Mar 26 - Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Chance
Mar 28 - Cincinnati, OH @ Bogarts
Mar 29 - Grand Rapids, MI @ The Intersection
Mar 30 - Palatine, IL @ Durty Nellie's
Mar 31 - Des Moines, IA @ Wooly's
Apr 3 - Reno, NV @ Knitting Factory
Apr 4 - Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst

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Monday, December 10, 2012

An Acoustic obSession with NGHBRS

>> NGHBRS is a band that can't be defined.  Their music can be considered indie, alternative and the like, but those labels don't do it justice.  The band specializes in taking a song and reworking it, creating as many versions of the song as they please, and having each version end up even better than the last.  It should come as no surprise that NGHBRS has acoustic versions of some of their songs as well.  
>> Last Thursday, December 6th, Ian and Eric performed an acoustic version of the song "Animals" in the Van Halen Room at the New York Academy of Music (near Ollie's Point) in Amityville, NY.  



NGHBRS's Acoustic obSession
"Animals," live from the Van Halen Room



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Wednesday, December 5, 2012

2013 Tour Dates: The Wonder Years with Fireworks, Hostage Calm, Misser

>> The Wonder Years will be going on a 2013 spring tour with Fireworks, Hostage Calm, and Misser.  Tickets will go on sale this Friday, December 7th at 3 PM EST.  The full list of dates can be seen below.

Dates:
3/8/13 - The Stony Pony - Asbury, Park, NJ
3/9/13 - The Met Cafe - Pawtucket, RI
3/10/13 - Upstate Concert Hall - Clifton Park, NY
3/12/13 - The Basement - Columbus, OH
3/13/13 - The Irving Theater - Indianapolis, IN
3/14/13 - The Pyramid Scheme - Grand Rapids, MI
3/15/13 - Turner Hall - Milwaukee, WI
3/16/13 - Fitz’ Spare Keys -  Elmhurt, IL
3/18/13 - The Aquarium - Fargo, ND
3/19/13 - Sokol Underground - Omaha, NE
3/20/13 - Firebird - St. Louis, MO
3/21/13 - Downtown Music Hall - Little Rock, AR
3/22/13 - Zydeco - Birmingham, AL
3/23/13 - Roc Bar - Jacksonville, FL
3/25/13 - The Soapbox Laundrolounge - Wilmington, NC
3/26/13 - Kingdom - Richmond, VA
3/27/13 - Empire - West Springfield, VA
3/29/13 - Harmony Grange - Wilmington, DE



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Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Hopeless For The Holidays Compilation

>> Hopeless Records will release a holiday compilation on iTunes on December 4th.  Hopeless For The Holidays will feature covers and new songs from artists like For The Foxes, Anarbor, and more.  The full track listing for the compilation can be seen below.
Track Listing:
  1. For The Foxes – "The Only Thing That Glistens"
  2. Divided By Friday – "All I Want For Christmas Is You"
  3. Anarbor – "West Coast Christmas"
  4. Driver Friendly – "X-Mas In Texas"

>> Can't wait for December 4th? You can listen to "The Only Thing That Glistens" from For The Foxes below.




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Thursday, November 15, 2012

Punchline Stream Remix of "Universe"; Release 'So Nice To Meet You' on Vinyl

>> Punchline released their "So Nice To Meet You" EP earlier this year.  What's new is the fact that the EP is now available on vinyl through Paper + Plastick Records.  Your purchase not only gets you a cool red or blue record, but it also comes with a digital download of a 5-song EP called the "Introduction To The History Of Punchline."


>> This new sampler includes a song from each of Punchline's previous releases so that new fans can see what the band has done leading up to "So Nice To Meet You."  The people at Paper + Plastick are so excited about this sampler that they're offering it up as a free download from their web store.  So new fans can see what Punchline is all about before they get the new vinyl, and everyone can get the sampler with their purchase as well.  It's a win for everyone.

'Introduction To The History Of Punchline' Track listing:
  1. Play (from The Rewind EP) 
  2. Heart Transplant (from Action)
  3. Flashlight (from 37 Everywhere)
  4. Ghostie (from Just Say Yes)
  5. 21 Forever (from Delightfully Pleased)


>>  In order to celebrate the release of "So Nice To Meet You" on vinyl, Punchline is streaming a remix of their song "Universe."   The remix, done by John O'Hallaron, can be heard exclusively on Alternative Press.

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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Kesha Releases Acoustic Version of "Die Young"

>> Ke$ha will be releasing a new album, titled Warrior, on December 4th.  In addition, she will also be putting out a 5-song acoustic EP called Deconstructed.  You can pre-order both the album and the EP here.  The track listing for the acoustic EP can be seen below.

Deconstructed Acoustic EP track listing:
  1. Old Flames
  2. Blow
  3. Harold Song
  4. Die Young
  5. Supernatural


>> Can't wait for December 4th? No problem.  Check out the acoustic version of "Die Young" below.


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Skate and Surf Festival Returns To New Jersey in 2013



>> It's official - the Skate and Surf Festival is making a comeback!  Here's the first announcement from the festival's facebook page:
The rumors are true! Skate and Surf Festival will makes its return to New Jersey in the spring of 2013. Please invite all of your friends to like this page and show support for the festival. The next big announcement is right around the corner...

>> Stay tuned for more information! I'll post all announcements as soon as they're made.
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Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Circa Survive Release Hurricane Sandy Benefit EP

>> Circa Survive released a five-song EP on their bandcamp page. The band is accepting donations of $4 or more for the EP, and all of the proceeds will go towards the American Red Cross relief efforts.  The five songs on the EP and a statement from the band can be seen below.

Track listing:
  1. Circa Survive - "Battle, My Love"
  2. Psychic Babble - "Baby Steps"
  3. Anthony Green - "When I'm On Pills" (Stephen Clifford remix featuring Chris Weyh)
  4. Anthony Green - "Get Yours While You Can" (Psychic Babble Remix)
  5. Brendan Ekstrom - "April"

A statement from the band:
"So many of our friends and families were directly affected by Hurricane Sandy, we felt we needed to do something to help out. Starting today you can pay-what-you-want & download an exclusive 5-song EP on Bandcamp with previously unreleased b-sides from Circa Survive and Psychic Babble (Colin's solo project), plus remixes of Anthony's solo songs "When I'm On Pills" (Stephen Clifford remix ft. Chris Weyh) and "Get Yours While You Can" (Psychic Babble remix), and an instrumental song by Brendan ... It's all in the family.
 
We have set the price for the 5 song EP at a minimum of $4 or you can purchase any of the songs individually for a minimum of $1. Since this is a 100% charity item we encourage you to be as generous as possible when deciding what to pay. Thank you in advance for your gigantic hearts.
All proceeds from this will benefit The American Red Cross relief effort in the Northeast.
 
Infinite Love,
Circa Survive
"



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Friday, November 9, 2012

2013 Take Action Tour To Feature The Used, We Came As Romans, and Crown The Empire

>> Sub City and Hopeless Records have announced that The Used will be headlining the 2013 Take Action Tour.  The tour will also feature We Came As Romans, Crown The Empire, and Mindflow.  Tour dates can be seen below.  Visit takeactiontour.com/2013 for ticket information.

>> Proceeds from the annual Take Action Tour go toward non-profit organizations. The 2013 tour will support the It Gets Better Project, an LGBT youth outreach program.

 
2013 Take Action Tour Dates:
1/11/13 - Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues
1/12/13 - Salt Lake City, UT @ In the Venue
1/14/13 - Denver, CO @ Summit
1/16/13 - Kansas City, MO @ The Beaumont
1/17/13 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
1/19/13 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
1/20/13 - Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room
1/22/13 - St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
1/23/13 - Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
1/25/13 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
1/26/13 - Rochester, NY @ Water Street Music Hall
1/28/13 - Washington, DC @ 930 Club
1/29/13 - Boston, MA @ House of Blues
1/30/13 - Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
2/1/13 - Hartford, CT @ Webster Theatre
2/2/13 - Atlantic City, NJ @ House of Blues
2/4/13 - Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
2/5/13 - Tampa, FL @ The Ritz Ybor
2/7/13 - Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
2/8/13 - Cincinnati, OH @ Bogarts
2/10/13 - Detroit, MI @ Fillmore
2/11/13 - Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
2/13/13 - Tulsa, OK @ Cain's Ballroom
2/14/13 - Houston, TX @ House of Blues
2/16/13 - Austin, TX @ Emo's East
2/17/13 - Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
2/19/13 - San Antonio, TX @ Backstage Live
2/20/13 - El Paso, TX @ Tricky Falls
2/22/13 - Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theatre
2/24/13 - Phoenix, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
2/26/13 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
2/27/13 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
3/1/13 - Los Angeles, CA @ Wiltern

>> The Take Action Tour charity compilation CD will feature music from Transit, Mayday Parade, Say Anything, Sleeping With Sirens, I Am The Avalanche, All Time Low, Bad Religion, and many more.  The CD will be released on January 8th, but it is currently available for pre-order here.



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Koji and Dads Announce East Coast Tour

>> Koji and Dads are heading out on a northeast tour in late November and early December. Koji will be performing with a full band at these shows, and will be releasing his debut full-length early next year via Run For Cover RecordsDads are supporting their recent LP 'American Radass (This is important)' that was released this past summer via Flannel Gurl Records
The tour dates can be seen below.


Tour Dates: 
Nov 28th - New Paltz, NY @ SUNY New Paltz w/ Paul Baribeau
Nov 29th - Boston, MA @ TBA
Nov 30th - East Hartford, CT @ The Cave
Dec 1st - Amityville, NY @ The Spotlight
Dec 2nd - Purchase NY @ Suny Purchase
Dec 3rd - Montclair NJ @ The Meatlocker
Dec 4th - Philadelphia PA @ Mt. Thrashmore










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Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Every Avenue Announce Final Tour

>> Every Avenue just announced that they will be going on hiatus.  Not wanting to leave fans empty handed, the band will be heading out on a farewell tour in December with Set It Off, Conditions, and more.  Tour dates and a statement from the band can be seen below.
Hey everyone, we're about to embark on our last Every Avenue tour. We think it's appropriately called the 'Last Call Tour'. We've always said 'this is see you later, we're not into goodbyes.' We are not breaking up, and are not on bad terms. We have all reached a new chapter in our lives and we are excited about exploring new possibilities! We'll be taking Set It Off, Conditions, Wilson and Car Party on this run, and we can't wait to see you guys.

 

Tour Dates:
Dec 4 - Omaha, NE - Sokol Underground
Dec 5 - Minneapolis, MN - Mill City Nights
Dec 7 - Canton, OH - The Auricle
Dec 8 - Pittsburgh, PA - Altar Bar
Dec 9 - Buffalo, NY - Mohawk
Dec 11 - Boston, MA - Sinclair
Dec 12 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts
Dec 13 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theatre
Dec 14 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Loft
Dec 15 - Richmond, VA - Canal Club
Dec 16 - Springfield, VA - Empire
Dec 18 - Nashville, TN - Rocketown
Dec 19 - St Louis, MO - Firebird
Dec 20 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrew's
Dec 21 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge



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Vinnie Caruana to Release Solo EP in Early 2013

>> Vinnie Caruana (of I Am The Avalanche) announced that he will be releasing a debut solo EP.  Vinnie has been in the studio with RX Bandits member Steve Choi, and plans to release this EP early next year through I Surrender / Run For Cover Records.

>> Vinnie had this to say about the release, "I really felt like I owed this to myself and to all the people who have supported my music for so long. I won't let either of us down."

>> Check back for more information on the EP, coming soon!

 (Photo courtesy of Dani Sacco Photography)


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Thursday, October 18, 2012

Tour Dates: Hit The Lights + A Loss For Words + more

>> Hit The Lights will be hitting the road this December.  The band will be touring the US for a month with A Loss For Words, With The Punches, and State Champs.  Dates can be seen below.


Tour Dates:
12/11/12 - Rochester, NY @ Water Street Music Hall
12/12/12 - Syracuse, NY @ The Lost Horizon
12/13/12 - Teaneck, NJ @ Mexicali
12/14/12 - Boston, MA @ Royale
12/15/12 - Amityville, NY @ Ollie's Point
12/16/12 - Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Chance
12/17/12 - Altoona, PA @ The Archway Center
12/19/12 - Pittsburgh, PA @ The Altar Bar
12/20/12 - Erie, PA @ The BT
12/21/12 - Dayton, OH @ Rockstar Pro Arena
12/22/12 - Joliet, IL @ Mojoe's
12/23/12 - Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's

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Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Patent Pending Release Video For "Spin Me Around"

>> Patent Pending premiered a brand new video today for their song "Spin Me Around."  The video features footage from vocalist Joe Ragosta's wedding.  (Congrats, Joe and Dana!)
You can watch the video below, or at Billboard.com .


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Sunday, October 14, 2012

An Acoustic obSession with This Good Robot

>> I've wanted to start hosting acoustic sessions for ages now.  It was all about finding a place, a time, and all of the other necessary circumstances that simply never seemed to work out.  As of October 13th, I am proud to say that this dream of mine has become a reality, thanks to This Good Robot and the Yippie Cafe!

>> Last night, my friend Nick Karp (of Rewrite the Scene / Nick Karp Photography) booked a show at the Yippie Cafe on Bleecker Street in Manhattan.  After the show, This Good Robot took the time to perform a new song for my new feature.  This was the band's first time performing this song, and I am honored to present this acoustic performance of the song "Red."

This Good Robot's Acoustic obSession
 "Red", Live from the Yippie Cafe


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Thursday, September 27, 2012

Interview: Action Item

>> Action Item just finished up a tour with Owl City.  The tour came to Irving Plaza in New York City  recently, and I had the chance to talk to AI singer Brian Cag at the show. 


You just finished your set here at Irving Plaza. How do you think it went?
It was great! New York City is just such an amazing place.  We're from New Jersey so it's ten minutes away from here.  It's always a great time, and we have friends and family here at every show in New York so it's great to see them too.

Being from New Jersey, does playing shows at New York City venues like this have a special feeling for the band?
It's amazing. The last time we were here we headlined Gramercy Theatre and it was sold out.  It's been phenomenal actually, New York City is primarily our big hometown so it's been a blessing to be able to bring kids to any shows here. 

Speaking of bringing kids to shows, I noticed that there was a large amount of older fans enjoying your set just as much as the younger fans were.  How does it feel to have people of all ages coming out and supporting your band at shows?
It's definitely a compliment to know that your music can transcend different ages and not just be stuck within one demographic.  That's something we're really trying to break out of.  We have young fans, sure, but I'd really love to just reach all ages and all types of people too.

That makes sense since you guys have been together since 2008, right?
Yeah, but we've been best friends since I was 12.  We decided to play music seriously in 2008 or 2009, and it's been quite a journey so far.

Since then, you've gone from playing smaller shows to shows like this one.  How has that experience affected the band?
It's been a while.  Coming from playing to 50 people who don't give a crap about your band, or 5 actually.  We've done such crappy tours where 10 people show, maybe, at bars and stuff like that.  People don't really hear about that, but I'm not afraid to speak about it.  We've done such crappy tours for such a long time, played to nobody and then things kind of turned around when we had a show with Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez.  It was our first arena show, ever, and that kind of changed everything for us.  It kind of set us on a path where we were just blessed to even be there.  So that was a good opportunity for us.  I think touring is just a crazy thing that you just have to learn as you go along.  There's no school for that, you just have to live it.

What do you consider one of the best experiences you've had as a band so far? Was is that show with Justin Bieber?
Well that was definitely a game changer.  One of the best experiences so far.. We're going to radio with our song "Last Day of Summer," and hearing it on some stations is crazy.  When you start to play music when you're growing up, it's your dream to hear your song on the radio.  When you first start playing guitar or singing you're like, "hopefully I'll hear myself on the radio" and that's where our heads are at now as far as that, it's just crazy to have that happening.

How did it feel when you first heard your song on the radio?
It's cool.  It's playing on some small markets across the country.  It's starting to pick up slowly.  It's definitely a growing process.  People think it just happens at the snap of a finger, but that's not really how anything happens to be honest.  It was actually humbling to hear it and think "oh, that's me" and to have other people hearing it.  It's crazy.

As a band, you guys already seem pretty humble.  I remember seeing you guys going up to people waiting on line to get into Bamboozle two years ago and having them listen to your new EP.
We still do that, it hasn't changed.  We're still the band to go out after every show and meet everybody and not be afraid to talk to people.  I don't hide in my dressing room, I'm not that kind of singer.  I'm not going to be ego tripping, thinking I'm too good to be in front of you.  We'll always be that band as long as we can.  God willing, if things get even crazier then we'll still think of cool ways to meet everybody and cool ways to still be connected.  Being connected with our fans is one of our main priorities. 

You seem to have that opportunity here being on tour with Owl City.  Have you noticed a better crowd response at these shows?
It's a great pop tour, and [Adam] has amazing fans that would like our music.  I guess our music kind of fits into that range of pop and I think it's been great.  The response has been amazing, it's been the same if not better than our last tour.

You released a new single which seemed to get a great response tonight. What was your reaction to having even the newest song go over well?
It's cool, and it's always kind of scary to play a new song.  People might have just be learning the lyrics so there aren't that many people singing along, but tonight it was packed so it was good.  It's good to see the reaction in person above all, it's the best measure of seeing how a song is doing.

You also released a video for that single which has a lot of views.  But what's next for you guys?
We'll be putting out a new CD at the beginning of the new year.  January 1st is the tentative date.  It isn't named yet, but it will be soon.  We also have a new video game coming out for the iPhone and Droid which should be fun and interesting.  There's also a possible new single and video in the works as well.  Also a co-headlining tour to coincide with the release of the new album.

Is there any more information you can give us about that tour?
It's going to be us and some of our best friends.  That's about all I can say for now.

Is there anything else you'd like to say to the fans?
Thanks for always sticking with us and for being here, coming to shows, buying singles and the whole deal.  Thank you for being part of this whole family of Action Item fans.




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Tuesday, September 25, 2012

New Videos From Balance and Composure, Circa Survive, and More

>> Circa Survive recently performed two songs during an acoustic session for Nervous Energies.  You can view both videos below.


>> Balance And Composure released a video for the song "Quake," which is featured on the band's album titled Separation.  The video can be seen below. - http://www.altpress.com/news/entry/balance_and_composure_release_quake_music_video


>> No Doubt put out a video for their single "Push And Shove." - http://www.altpress.com/news/entry/no_doubt_release_push_and_shove_music_video --


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New Music Tuesday: VersaEmerge + more

New Albums:
  • One Big Happy - Bowling For Soup, Patent Pending, and The Dollyrots put together an album full of fun.  It sounds cliche, but in all seriousness - this is a truly fun album.  The bands covered each other's songs while releasing new songs of their own.  There's a great dynamic and all three artists work well together.  You can download One Big Happy on iTunes

  • Angst - Handguns just released their debut full-length album through Pure Noise Records.  The album, titled Angst, is now available on iTunes.



>> Glamour Kills premiered a video of Craig Owens performing a new song titled "No More San Francisco."  The video can be found below.


>> VersaEmerge streams their new song "Burn," which can be heard below.


>> Never Shout Never released a song called "Magic" from their upcoming album.  The album, titled Indigo, is set to come out on November 13th.

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Details Revealed For Punk Goes Pop 5

>> > Fearless Records will be releasing Punk Goes Pop 5 on November 6th.  This 5th volume in the series will feature covers of recently released songs as well as some older ones.  The track listing and album art can be seen below.


Track listing:

> Can't wait for November 6th? No problem! Check out Upon This Dawning's cover of "Call Me Maybe" below.


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Friday, September 7, 2012

Fall Tour Dates: With The Punches + I Call Fives

>> Two of my favorite local bands are touring together this fall! With The Punches and I Call Fives are hitting the road for a month, traveling to the West Coast and back.  Real Friends and Stickup Kid will also be performing on the tour.  Check out the dates below.

>> UPDATED 10/18/12With The Punches just made an announcement regarding the tour: 
We will be shooting footage for a music video on the entire I Call Fives tour starting tomorrow! If you wanna be in it, come out to the show in your area and be prepared with a personal reason or experience of why you listen to WTP. You will only get an opportunity to be in the video if you come out to one of the dates of this tour! So be there! It's going to be awesome!



Tour Dates:
Oct 19 - Nutley, NJ @ Radiant
Oct 20 - Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero Balcony
Oct 21 - Patchogue, NY @ 89 North (Fall Mixtape Fest)
Oct 23 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Smiling Moose
Oct 24 - Columbus, OH @ Skully's *
Oct 25 - Lansing, MI @ Mac's Bar *
Oct 26 - Barrington, IL @ Penny Rd Pub *
Oct 27 - Grand Rapids, MN @ Ground Floor*
Oct 28 - Burnsville, MN @ The Garage
Oct 29 - Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews
Oct 31 - Ogden, UT @ Mojo's
Nov 1 - Cedar City, UT @ The Space
Nov 2 - Mesa, AZ @ Nile Underground **
Nov 3 - Canoga Park, CA @ Cobalt Cafe **
Nov 4 - Long Beach, CA @ DiPiazza's **
Nov 5 - Lancaster, CA @ Industry Theater **
Nov 6 - Las Vegas, NV @ The Box Office
Nov 7 - Albuquerque, NM @ The Gasworks
Nov 8 - San Antonio, TX @ The Ten Eleven
Nov 9 - Abeliene, TX @ Cobb Park Event Center
Nov 10 - Austin, TX @ Mohawk
Nov 11 - Denton, TX @ Hailey's
Nov 13 - Atlanta, GA @ Purgatory Room
Nov 14 - Greensboro, NC @ Greene Street Club
Nov 15 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Shaka's
Nov 16 - Staten Island, NY @ The Cup
Nov 17 - Stanhope, NJ @ Stanhope House
Nov 18 - Cambridge, MA @ Middle East Upstairs
Nov 19 - North Providence, RI @ Columbus Club
* - with Real Friends
** - with Stickup Kid


>> In case you missed it, here's my interview with Jeff and Drew of I Call Fives at the Vans Warped Tour this past summer!


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Tour Dates: The Rockshow At The End Of The World Tour feat. All Time Low

>> All Time Low will release their new album, Don't Panic, on October 9th through Hopeless Records.  The band will then head out on the Rockshow At The End Of The World Tour starting just a few days later on October 12th.  The Early November (select dates), The Summer Set, The Downtown Fiction, and Hit The Lights will provide support on this national tour.  Tour dates and a teaser video can be seen below.



Tour Dates:
Fri Oct 12 - Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom**
Sat Oct 13 - Rochester, NY @ Water Street Music Hall**
Sun Oct 14 - Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s**
Mon Oct 15 - Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
Tue Oct 16 - Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
Wed Oct 17 - Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall
Sun Oct 21 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
Mon Oct 22 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
Tue Oct 23 - Omaha, NE @ Slowdown
Wed Oct 24 - Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall
Fri Oct 26 - Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory
Sat Oct 27 - Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
Sun Oct 28 - Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
Tue Oct 30 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Wed Oct 31 - West Hollywood, CA @ House of Blues
Thu Nov 1 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
Fri Nov 2 - Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
Sat Nov 3 - Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues
Sun Nov 4 - Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee
Tue Nov 6 - Houston, TX @ House of Blues
Wed Nov 7 - Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
Fri Nov 9 - Jacksonville, FL @ Freebird Live
Sat Nov 10 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
Sun Nov 11 - Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues
Tues Nov 13 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
Wed Nov 14 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
Thu Nov 15 - Norfolk, VA @ The Norva
Fri Nov 16 - Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock Café
Sat Nov 17 - Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of the Living Arts
Sun Nov 18 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
Tues Nov 20 - Hartford, CT @ Webster Theater
Wed Nov 21 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
Fri Nov 23 - Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live
** The Early November instead of The Summer Set



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All Time Low Announce In-Store Appearances

>> In order to boost excitement about their upcoming album, All Time Low will be doing a string of in-store appearances.  Fans will have the opportunity to attend a signing with the band after watching them perform an acoustic set at each venue. 

>> In order to guarantee entry to these intimate events, you must purchase a pre-order of the band's new album, Don't Panic, from the designated store to receive your wristband for entry. You can start pre-ordering the album through each store on September 21st.  In addition to the album, you will receive a wristband and a limited edition poster.  Keep in mind that wristbands and posters will be first come/first serve.  *Guests without a wristband will be admitted on a first come basis as capacity at the store permits.


In Store Dates:

10/4/12 - 5:30PM - Philadelphia, PA @ F.Y.E. - Acoustic + Signing
110 S Broad St Philadelphia, PA

10/5/12 - 5:30PM - Baltimore, MD @  Sound Garden - Acoustic + Signing
1616 Thames St Baltimore, MD

10/10/12 - 6:00PM - New York, NY @ J&R Electronics - Acoustic + Signing
23 Park Row New York, NY 10038

10/11/12 - 6:00PM - West Babylon, NY @ Looney Tunes - Signing ONLY
31 Brookvale Avenue West Babylon, NY

10/12/12 - 3:30PM - Fords, NJ @ Vintage Vinyl - Acoustic + Signing
 51 Lafayette Rd Fords, NJ

10/13/12 - 3:00PM - Rochester, NY @  Record Archive - Signing ONLY
33 1/3 Rockwood St Rochester, NY 14610

10/16/12 - 4:00PM - Chicago, IL @ F.Y.E. - Signing ONLY
 26 East Randolph Street Chicago, IL 60601-3604

10/21/12 - 3:00PM - Greenfield, WI @ Exclusive - Signing ONLY
5026 S. 74th St. Greenfield, WI 53220

10/24/12 - 3:30PM - Denver, CO @  Independent - Signing ONLY
937 East Colfax Avenue Denver, CO 80218

10/26/12 - 4:00PM - Boise, ID @  Record Exchange - Signing ONLY
1105 West Idaho Street Boise, ID

10/28/12 - 3:00PM - Seattle, WA @ Silver Platters - Signing ONLY
701 5th Avenue North Seattle, WA

11/3/12 - 3:00PM - Las Vegas, NV @ Zia Record Exchange - Signing ONLY
4225 South Eastern Avenue Las Vegas, NV 89119

11/4/12 - 3:00PM - Tempe, AZ @  Zia Record Exchange - Signing ONLY
105 West University Drive Tempe, AZ

11/6/12 - 3:30PM - Houston, TX @ Cactus Records - Signing ONLY
2110 Portsmouth Street Houston, TX 77098



>> Get ready for the new album by watching the lyric video for All Time Low's new single,
For Baltimore".




>> Can't make it to one of the in store appearances? No problem!  All Time Low will be heading out on The Rockshow At The End Of The World Tour starting October 12th. Support for that tour comes from The Summer Set, The Downtown Fiction, Hit The Lights, and The Early November (on select dates). You can see the dates for that tour by clicking here, or visiting alltimelow.com/tour .




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Sunday, August 19, 2012

Fall Tour Dates: Man Overboard

>> Having just spent the summer on the Vans Warped Tour, the guys in Man Overboard have no intentions of slowing down.  Their fall schedule is packed with tour after tour.

>> First, the band will head out on a mini-tour with Major League in September.  Man Overboard will then join the Taking Back Sunday tour with Bayside for a run of the West Coast in October.  In November, the band will be heading to the UK to tour with New Found Glory, Less Than Jake, and The Story So Far on The Road To Warped Tour.  All of these tour dates can be seen below.



with Major League
Sept. 20th - Baltimore, MD @ Charm City Art Space
Sept. 21th - Sewell, NJ @ Washington Township Senior Citzens Center
Sept. 22nd - Lansdale, PA @ Landsdale VFW
Sept. 23rd - Rockville Centre, NY @ Vibe Lounge



with Taking Back Sunday and Bayside
Oct. 16th - Salt Lake City, UT @ In The Venue
Oct. 18th - Seattle, WA @ Showbox At The Market
Oct. 19th - Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
Oct. 20th - Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst
Oct. 21st - San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom
Oct. 23rd - Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
Oct. 24th - Pomona, CA @ The Fox Theatre
Oct. 25th - Los Angeles, CA @ Club Nokia
Oct. 26th - Las Vegas, NV @ House Of Blues Las Vegas



The Road To Warped Tour - UK
Nov. 05 - Manchester @ Manchester Academy
Nov. 06 - Leeds @ Leeds University
Nov. 07 - Glasgow @ Barrowands
Nov. 09 - Cardiff @ Cardiff University
Nov. 10 - London @ Alexandria Place

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Thursday, August 2, 2012

Warped Interview: Cherri Bomb

>> When I first heard there was a new all girl rock band on this year's Warped Tour, I knew I had to look them up. Cherri Bomb caught my attention by their name alone, but their sound is what kept me interested.  These newcomers were the recipients of a lot of hype both before and during the tour.  I found out why when I first pressed play.  Their new album, This Is The End of Control, is everything you'd expect from an all girl rock band and more.  It has a true kick to it, and just enough spice to keep you nodding your head from start to finish.  The girls themselves have a stand out and unique style that just adds to the overall punk rock vibe.  But hype and style aside, the music speaks for itself.  These girls are going places, and their journey has just begun.

>> I got the chance to sit down with the ladies in Cherri Bomb at the Vans Warped Tour in Uniondale, Long Island.  You can watch the interview below.

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