Rammstein - North America 2011

I left my TV on while I was cleaning up before I hit the hay. I felt like Jimmy Kimmel tonight. "Raaamstein. Rrraaaamshhteeein. Ram Stein? Rammstein." I looked at Jimmy with confusion. Why is that name coming out of that man's mouth?! "Rammstein will be performing on the show this Thursday night!" Get out of here, you serious? Who knew that Jimmy (or his peoples) knew?!

Rammstein, one of the most famous European bands of all time, has been touring in North America since last year. Their last stop will be in Las Vegas, NV on May 21. This is their first tour since they were banned from this side of the Atlantic more than a decade ago. They were considered a little too graphic, while others considered it great entertainment.

For all you German hard metal fans out there, check them out on Jimmy Kimmel this Thursday night, 5/19/11 @ 12/11c. Watch it, DVR it, Tivo, or use whatever contraption you have. Now I'm wondering how they are going to fit in the pyrotechnics. This is going to be fun.

I was gleefully introduced to Rammstein, by a dear friend of mine, about a year ago. I mentioned this in a previous post here and delved into some history in this post here! We went to the Festival d’été de Québec (Quebec Music Festival) during the summer of 2010. I agreed to go because it would be a great road trip, Trombone Shorty and hello music! I was further introduced to Rammstein when we popped in their CD. "Du hast mich!" My friend translated some lyrics. BLUSH. Oh, my. I was starting to understand why they got banned. It's metal, but good metal that makes sense to your ears and not just random loud banging of instruments. The lyrics are a whole other bunch of stories. By the end of the trip, I unknowingly joined the head banging. Rammstein knows how to put on a show! It involves pyrotechnics, an inflatable boat, sparkly clothing and bubbles. Lots of bubbles.

So, naturally, my friend and I had to go to their show at the Izod Center on May 5th. We were NOT disappointed. Some friends wanted to be there with us, and some sent us off with well wishes and hoped we'll make it back in one piece. It was quite the international gathering. The couple in front of us on the bus line were from Norway and some fans behind us were from Australia. Rammstein brings the world together...in their own way.

Fun Fact: "Du Hast" is on the soundtrack of "The Matrix." Makes you want to search for your VHS (it WAS that long ago) of it doesn't it??

Phoebe Holiday Ryan - The Sound

I was early and I was confused. So confused. I arrived about half an hour early for a show I was going to see. Two minutes later, I wasn't quite exactly sure what was going on with the current "gig."

What is going on? There's a host? Wait, no. She's an instructor? Why are there so many performers for this set? This is a huge band. Oh, these are her students who are performing on stage here. Are those parents with a camcorder in the audience? THESE ARE STUDENTS? WOW.

This was the night when I first met Phoebe "Holiday" Ryan and a bunch of her classmates and friends. This crew hails from the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at New York University. Each student had an instrumental or vocal performance, either solo or with other classmates. There was no doubt of the enormous amount of talent that was there with me that night. I only had the opportunity to hear 3 songs but it was enough to overwhelm and amaze my senses. They have more talent than the current Billboard Top 20. I certainly hope all of them will "make it."

Afterward, when the set packed up and the stage was being readied for the next performance, I had an opportunity to talk to Phoebe for about 30 seconds. I was absolutely delighted to be invited by this young local singer/songwriter to her showcase at Webster Hall the following week!

As expected, I had a great time and was thoroughly impressed. Again. Phoebe had such a great stage presence with her attitude, voice and music. She's an Indie and folksy singer with a tiny splash of pop. Phoebe is a natural entertainer who can continue to engage her audience's attention while tuning her instruments or getting herself ready for the next song. It's the small lapses in between songs that gives time for the performer to build a connection with the audience, which some musicians actually neglect to take advantage of.

Phoebe played some of her own songs and some from her band, Town Hall. Apparently, she's also in a band...in her spare time! Town Hall is actually quite on the folksy side. Something a little different, but also a goodie, for my fellow city dwellers.

I especially loved the support Phoebe has from her fellow classmates. I recognized a handful of them from the week before. Some were in the audience and some sang back up for a song or two for Phoebe. It was one big happy family!

Below is the only clip I can find of my favorite song, The Sound, written by Phoebe Holiday. Find the lyrics on her MySpace, here ! Stay tuned...

NLX - Find Love

When I think of NLX, I think of the trials and tribulations of a woman's heart. It can be breathtakingly beautiful or it can get very ugly. And you will most definitely feel it! Think I just done scared all the boys, haha. You can observe this below, which is also NLX's FIRST video!


Hope you enjoyed that! Anyways, I'm getting so distracted by the German tourists in front of me, the Italian tourists to my left and the couple hugging (I hope that's all they are doing) right outside the window. Hm. I need to correct myself. When I think of NLX, I think of the trials and tribulations of a man and a woman's heart. NLX's words captures many of the pains and healings that love provides so easily to us, but she also makes sure it does not go down without a fight to the ends of the Earth. If it does end, NLX closes the door and walks on, in her leather jacket (love it) and boots.

NLX, a native from Ontario, splits her time between Toronto and NYC. I saw her perform, in NYC, last week. I also witnessed her amazing voice seizing the attention of the whole room. Her strong and deep vocals accommodates the emotions of her songs perfectly.

NLX's latest album, Bitch Get Fit, came out in 2009 and is available on her website, www.NLXmusic.com, iTunes or Amazon (the link below). You should take a visit! NLX has stated that she is currently working on new material. Hopefully we'll get to hear it soon! As passionate and dramatic as her songs are about moving on, my (and also many others') favorite song is the one that describes how love can stop you in your tracks with its sweet and tender grasp. Good thing ABC thought so, too. NLX's song, Find Love, was featured in an episode of Brothers and Sisters in October of last year! Kitty!! Play and revel in it, here...

NYC Free Concert Season Begins ...

Although, I am sure there are plenty of concerts that has happened and are happening in our lovely city, I just thought I'd mention the Black Eyed Peas and their upcoming free concert. I hope you like this word as much as I do...free!

The BEPs will be performing on June 9, 2011 in Central Park to benefit the Robin Hood Foundation. The Robin Hood Foundation specifically funds programs that are most effective in fighting poverty in NYC. The BEPs also started an arts school in New York which will, hopefully, offset the cut to the arts programs in New York's public school system.

This concert is might also play as an introduction from BEPs to NYC announcing that they will be here for some time. I wasn't sure how and where the money is coming from since the concert will be free, but it is mentioned that VIP seats will be sold online. There will be about 50,000 tickets that will be given away online! Good luck! Maybe you can take a nice stroll across the Park that day, too. =)

College Broadcasters Inc. - Minute of Silence

. . . . .

What's that you hear? That's right. Nothing. Just a few minutes ago, at 12 PM Central and 1 PM Eastern time, a minute of silence was held on college radios all across the country. This effort was organized by College Broadcasters Inc. (CBI) in protest of the rising sales of college radio stations. CBI is an organization that represents students in media ventures that commits to education and student involvement. This protest was prompted by the recent sale of the radio station from Rice University (KTRU) and the pending sales of University of San Francisco (KUSF) and Vanderbilt University (WRVU). These sales will mean a decrease in the already small number of local outlets a community has.

College radio stations plays a great role, if not the most important role, as a voice for students and the local community. The voices that are fortunately still being heard nationwide are in support of those that have been silenced.

Here are some words from CBI's President, Candace Walton.

"This minute of silence is just the first step in a broader effort to make the nation aware of how critical student stations are to localism in broadcasting.

Many Americans, including members of Congress, have complained that consolidation, voice tracking, syndication and automation have left communities without a true local radio station. Student stations are often the last locally-focused radio outlet in their community.”

Click here, www.askcbi.org, for more information.

Jane Lui & Ramen

Well, Mondays are usually the most boring and most #$&%ed about day of the week. Sometimes you just have to spice it up, with sriracha if you have to, because Mondays will come and smack you in the forehead whether you like it or not.

Lucky for us New Yorkers, this past Monday we had Jane Lui come by and show us her awesome and beautiful music chops. And lucky for me, I had a chance to chat with Jane while we were waiting to eat ramen before her performance at Rockwood Music Hall. I must say that all her answers make me understand more of who she is and why she does what she does. Check out her website and download her songs/CD for FREE here!

CNote: Where was the best place you performed?
JaneLui: Wow, that's a good question. The best place I performed in the past few months was at UC San Diego. It was because of the audience. They made me feel so relaxed and comfortable. I haven't had that in a long time. It was a very interactive crowd. It was like being among friends.
CNote: Where would you like to perform?
JL: Hands down, Europe. I've performed there before and would go back again.
CNote: If you can collaborate with anyone, any singer, from any time, who would it be?
JL: (before I even finished the question) Björk!!! She is an amazing singer and songwriter. She gives me goosebumps. Björk is really fierce in what she does. She knows how to use her ability to create moods and tell stories.
CNote: Who/What inspires you?
JL: It's not music that inspires me. It is the connections I have with people. The conversations and stories we have and share.
CNote: What song is your guilty pleasure of the moment?
JL: Africa by Toto. I couldn't get it out of my head for the last few days.
CNote: Toto?
JL: Yeah from the 80s!
CNote: OOOO. I know, I know. Seriously, I know it! =D Would you perform it?
JL: YEAH!! Not tonight, though, lol. In the future.

Some more friends came to join us on the forever ramen line. Don't worry, we had time to eat and enjoy the food (including a juicy and fatty pork bun app!) before Jane had to make her appearance. The answer I was most surprised to get from Jane, is that music is not her inspiration. This answer actually really shines through her. Jane connects very well with people, her friends and her fans. She's very intuitive of her audience and it's important for her that we are comfortable and in a good mood. I got a kick out of Jane taking a picture of her audience at Rockwood. If I haven't mentioned it enough, her CD is FREE to download on her site at www.JaneLui.com. So no excuses, people! Jane is really a great and original artist and I hope you will get a chance to see and listen to her.

Trombone Shorty and a NYC Summer 2011

Oh, oh my. Last time, I went to see Trombone Shorty in Canada and now he's coming to see me! Aite, so not exactly. Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue are joining the Dave Matthews Band Caravan event on Governors Island from August 26 - 28, 2011. Tickets go on sale for the general public on April 29th! Here's the link for more info.

Trombone Shorty is getting more and more recognition for his talents and contributions to jazz and pop fusions. Here is my first review of him from last summer. Warning, it's quite long, but it has pictures and a video! OoOOo ;)

Jane Lui @ Rockwood Tonight!

We're in for a Monday night treat with Jane Lui! She'll be performing at 10PM at Rockwood Music Hall, NYC. Here's my first post about Jane. Hope all you music fans can drop by!

Elton John - free concert!

DATE: April 20, 2011
TIME: 5PM
LOCATION: North Cove of World Financial Center (North of Chambers)
PRICE: Free. Wristbands will be distributed at 4PM. First come first serve.

One of the most beloved musicians and pianist of all time, will be opening for the Tribeca Film Festival with a free concert! Link here for more information. Good luck!!!

Fail...

So a # of posts ago, I mentioned that I was excited to be able to see Jackson Tyler Hunt play in NYC! I was all pumped to go to his 11 PM performance on a Wednesday night, even though I had work at 9 AM the next day! I drank coffee like it was from the Fountain of Youth. Went to Barnes and Noble to pass the time. Got an onigiri (rice triangle) and ate it while walking in the park!! By 9 PM I was DONE. I couldn't...just couldn't stay up any longer. I was a sleep delinquent the days before and I should've known better =.=

By 10 PM I was home...

So sorry that I missed out! Sigh. I'll have to wait 'til next time. But who knows when that will be? Sometimes these moments come around like shooting stars! Ah, I will continue to follow this young and enthusiastic musician. On another note, I felt a whole lot better today and got some artichoke pizza in Chelsea with some crazies but besties. So creamy and crunchy and yummy...drool...

Drake and Robot

It's nice to see and hear famous people use their names to make their audience aware of certain matters...even if it's done in weirdly ways...

The clip below, from Funny or Die, shows Drake getting disturbed by a suspicious robot. And the only reasonable thing to do is to punch its lights out!! Down it goes!

The message this is trying to get across? "Be a real man. Real men don't buy girls." Yeah, I still don't know where the robot comes from but it definitely got a few giggles out of me, hehe. Oh, how you make the ladies swoon, Drake. Besides that observation, I am very happy to see Drake participate in this campaign (headed by Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher - www.demiandashton.org) against child sex slavery. This atrocity does not only occur in third world countries. It happens here in the U.S. as well. There is an estimated 12 million men, women and children, across the globe, who are sold into sexual slavery. About 300,000 of these souls, are in the U.S. There are things that you can do to help. But the most important thing (if not anything else) is to be in the know and also educate others about this. Thanks!

The next Piano Man - Jackson Tyler Hunt

Wow. Once I saw Jackson Hunt's face on his site (www.reverbnation.com/jacksonhunt) all I could think of was, "He wants to be Billy Joel?" A lover of the piano, Mr. Hunt has his own definition of what pop music is. He has the "stuff" to go the boy band route, though. But his bio states that he wants to follow in the footsteps of past piano greats like Elton John and Billy Joel, aka Piano Man. Currently, in his young career, he sounds more like Boys like Girls.

I can totally see him sing, "Throw it away, forget yesterday, we'll make the great escape!!"

This Missouri native is on the Reverbnation website, which supports indie music, musicians, venues, etc all in the name of music. It's also the only website (meaning no Youtube!) that has his songs available. Browse around it when you get a chance...after listening to Jackson's song, of course. His song, "Dance, Dance" is currently #3 on their chart! I'm excited to see what else he has in store for us.

Fortunately, for me, Jackson will be performing in NYC this week! He is scheduled to perform on April 13, at 11 PM at Banjo Jim's (700 9th Street, NY, NY). I'll have to go check it out. More reviews and pictures to come. Hope to see some of y'all there!

Listen Honey, to the Hot Sardines

There used to be a time when flapper dresses, feathers and fedoras were a part of casual everyday wear and not just reserved for Halloween. That time is lovingly nicknamed, the Roaring 20s. This decade also gave us such greats as Charlie Chaplin, Louis Armstrong, Josephine Baker, Harry Houdini, Duke Ellington and Babe Ruth! Life was certainly not any simpler back then (it was also prohibition era), but I'm sure it was plenty of fun with these types of talents.

Coincidentally, I've been looking on and off to see where I can enjoy some songs from this jazz age, live! Yes, I know there are speakeasies. But most of them are so secretive and exclusive that I probably can't get in with my ity bity list of credentials. But what d'ya know. My commute home helped me get my answer. I was in my usual mad rush (out of habit) when I stopped short in my tracks. I was stumped and had to stop and listen...amongst the tourists!

Time stopped for a mere few minutes when I saw The Hot Sardines performing in the station. Wow. In my great desire to find out the band's name, I walked back and forth and weaved through a few immobile listeners (can't really blame them, though) to get a mere glimpse of their logo standing upright on the station floor. Love the name. It is especially appropriate for rush hour commuters taking the trains.

This is hot jazz at it's best (at least in NYC). It's very New Orleans a.k.a. Dixieland. All you need is some friends, dancing shoes and whiskey. Even if it's in the subway station. The Hot Sardines are composed of: Evan Palazzo, Elizabeth Bougerol, Jason Prover, Peter Anderson, Justin Hines, and tap dancer, Eddy Francisco. Elizabeth has a strong and crisp voice which is also a match made in heaven for these songs. It will give you chills and make you want to dance...with Eddy! They sing jazz standards such as, "Everybody Loves My Baby," and "Dinah." These Sardines know how to give the originals a run for their money! Let's try to catch them the next time they're in NYC, shall we? Check them out at their website here: www.hotsardines.com/#.

Paper Cranes 2011

This past weekend, a bunch of my dear friends gathered at my place to fold cranes! We're sending them to the Student Rebuild/Bezos Family Foundation, which will donate $2 for Japan's reconstruction efforts for every crane received.

Our final count after the party is 257! We're with you, Japan.

Rammstein in NJ - May 2011!

Well, she did it again. My friend "Y," has somehow convinced me to go with her to watch the most famous German hard metal band from the other side of the Atlantic, Rammstein. Again. Not that I'm upset or anything. Just curious as to the set of events that lead to this, lol.

We will be at the Izod Center bopping our heads bedsides other metal heads and gearing ourselves for the pyrotechnics that the band so loves.

Rammstein formed in 1994 and has had the same line up ever since. Talk about commitment! They named themselves after the German town, Rammstein-Miesenbach, the site of one of the biggest air show disasters in history. About 70 people died and hundreds were injured. Yup.

Critics are usually divided on their music. Some say they are intense and brutal and encourages...bad stuff. They've had to defend themselves when some said criminals and terrorists were listening to their music. But others say that they are actually humorous and nothing but good entertainment. It's how you, as a listener, translates it. Well, of course.

Rammstein hasn't played in North America for almost 10 years. Part of that is due to the fact that they were banned. And my first time watching them was also their first return to North America. It was...actually quite the experience!