Can't Stop the Music

02/19/10 – The Civil Wars @ The Red Room at Cafe 939

cstm — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 01:30:34 +0000

This show was absolute perfection. It was my third time seeing The Civil Wars (Joy Williams, John Paul White) in Boston, and the second time in a row that they were in front of a sold out crowd in the Hub. After their album Barton Hollow debuted at #1 on iTunes and #12 on the Billboard charts, I had high expectations for this duo and they did not disappoint.

Williams and White recently wrote ‘O, Henry’ during their off-time at Sundance. Check out the live performance of the new track below…

Big things are coming down the road for these two, and I cannot wait to see what they have in store next. If The Civil Wars are coming to a city near you (and if the show isn’t already sold out) be sure to catch them on the road!

The Civil Wars

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11/06/10 – NEEDTOBREATHE @ House of Blues Boston

cstm — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 17:16:37 +0000

There are only so many bands that I will make the effort to see every single time they come to town. For the past 5 years, Needtobreathe has been one of these bands. The very first time I saw them at Axis, there were about 50 people there and I had no idea who any of the bands were. Since then, Needtobreathe has played pretty much the entire Boston circuit – Paradise Lounge and Rock Club, Cafe 939, Avalon….I was proud to hear that they would be headlining at the House of Blues on their current 42-date national tour.

The show started off with “Prisoner” and from there on out the set list was strong. Some of my all-time favorites to hear live, “Girl Named Tennessee” and “We Could Run Away” were definite highlights.

The new tracks that Needtobreathe shared with the crowd blended right in with their popular classics. I’m really anticipating their new release – with each album their material gets better and better.

After the main set, the encore started off with a beautiful acoustic rendition of “Valley of Tomorrow”. Check out the video below.

Atlanta: Where the players play

cstm — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 18:19:02 +0000

My hiatus is over! A few weeks ago I got the chance to go down to Atlanta and visit a few friends, and check out a few shows while I was down there of course. No trip is complete without going to a concert in the area.

The first night I was there I got to experience the infamous Eddie’s Attic in Decatur. The passion that the owner and staff have for treasuring live music is just incredible. The lineup for the evening was Tyrone Wells, Andrew Belle and Crown Point. The crowd was great….it’s truly awesome when the crowd isn’t chatting through the whole set and I can actually hear the music. Huzzah! Eddie’s had an awesome atmosphere and a great night of music was enjoyed by all.

The following night I got to check out the Variety Playhouse in Little Five Points — a pretty hipster neighborhood with this movie theater-turned-venue gem. It was a packed house for the show and Sara Bareilles did not disappoint. Her banter and sweet harmonies filled the room and I’m pretty bummed I sold my ticket to the show up here in Boston. Greg Laswell opened the show, who I’ve seen live a handful of times – it was nice to see a familiar face on stage in a foreign city.

A great few nights of music – trying to decide what city to explore next!

Title track off Andrew Belle’s full-length The Ladder to be featured on Vampire Diaries

cstm — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 02:17:35 +0000

Be sure to tune into The Vampire Diaries this week to hear Andrew Belle’s song “The Ladder” featured on tomorrow night’s episode. The episode will air this Thursday on The CW at 8PM ET. Belle has had numerous song placements on medical dramas, so it will be interesting to see his music move into the world of vampires. With the recent vampire phenomenon that is sweeping our culture, the outcome of this placement will be an exciting one for Belle. With millions of fans nationwide, Vampire Diaries will bring Belle even more positive exposure than he has already received.

The Ladder
by Andrew Belle

woe is me
faithless you and selfish me
i will leave a key for you outside my doorway

woe is me
one if by the land, or two by sea
so won’t you leave, for me, a light outside your doorway

on a ladder from there to here i’ll climb
all this clatter between my ears i find
does it matter if i cant clear my mind?
There’s a right and a wrong time

Woe is me
Sentimental you and faithful me
And i will be the one to gaze on you discreetly

Slow your speed
Turn yourself around and follow me
Cause i will be the one who preys upon you sweetly

on a ladder from there to here i’ll climb
all this clatter between my ears i find
does it matter if i can’t clear my mind?
There’s a right and a wrong time

Andrew Belle
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Andrew Belle’s “My Oldest Friend” featured on new ABC hit show

cstm — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 02:10:36 +0000

TV placements just keep rolling in for Andrew Belle, who most recently had a placement on ABC’s Rookie Blue tonight. Music from The Ladder seems to fit the mood for many TV shows, becoming the soundtrack to heavy relationships, Kardashian drama and medical crisis. Continued success for Belle’s music placements on television make me hopeful to see what’s next….film soundtracks? We’ll see!

My Oldest Friend
by Andrew Belle

Don’t wanna sound ridiculous
but i think you know i’m sick of this
and i kinda think that we can bend, do you?
i’ll try to be a better friend to you
you know i miss ya in my life
and i kinda think that i realize
that i was only lookin out for me
instead of gettin you the help you need

who do you think you are?
who do i think i am?
barely listening to my oldest friend

i’ve given one, you’ve taken two
but this medicine has followed you
from the eastern coast and back again
so i tell you once but not again
that i only miss you in my life
and i hope you finally realize
that i’m only looking out for you
when i’m not afraid to see this through

Together, technology, music and creativity can go a long way

cstm — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 10:55:05 +0000

Amidst a sea of Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, BandCamp and other social media and music sites, musicians need to be extremely innovative when it comes to promoting their newest releases. Musicians need to think of exciting new ways to reach fans as it has almost become too easy to access music — to the point of people getting lost in a world of iTunes libraries, internet and conventional radio and local music scenes. Justin Branam has broken the mold with his new project, iPhone Sessions. Branam’s new project is made up of 3 brand new tracks and 2 that have previously been released. The real kicker here is that every last piece of iPhone Sessions was created on an iPhone. From the album cover, to the promotional videos, to the recordings themselves — all of which are incredible.

The EP will be available exclusively through Kickstarter to raise money for Branam to fund a new full length record. Kickstarter is a place for creative ideas to get recognized and funded for people who want to help make these ideas come to life — and get fun rewards while doing so. iPhone Sessions specifically has some additional incentives ranging from having your name featured in the album’s liner notes to having Justin play a concert in your living room, all depending the donation amount.

Not only is this EP a fun and creative project, but the method in which Branam is currently working on his music allows fans, both old and new, to get involved in a positive way. To check out iPhone Sessions and all things Justin Branam, check out the links below!

Here’s a sneak peek of one of Branam’s songs, Dial Tone, which is featured oniPhone Sessions.

iPhone Sessions
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Justin Branam
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To check out more information on Kickstarter and what it’s all about, click here!

Official Music Video: Tim Halperin’s “She Runs”

cstm — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:28:18 +0000

Tim Halperin, who I had the pleasure of interviewing a few months ago, has been busy over the past week putting together a continuous-shot music video for his single “She Runs”.

Add together a great level of creativity and hundreds of hours of help from volunteers and this is what you’ll get, folks. The video has been posted on YouTube for less than 48 hours and already has over 16,000 views and also has landed itself on YouTube’s Rising Videos page.

Stay tuned in the future for what Tim has in store, including a Back to School tour this upcoming fall. You can keep yourself updated by following any of the links below!

Tim Halperin
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Ten Out of Tenn presents Three Out of Tenn

cstm — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 01:04:17 +0000

Grab your tickets while they last, folks! Andrew Belle, Trent Dabbs and Andy Davis (three members of the acclaimed Nashville-based group Ten Out of Tenn) are heading out on tour starting next week. Check out the dates below and see if they are coming to a city near you!

6/9 – Square Room – Knoxville, TN
6/10 -The White Mule – Columbia, SC
6/11 – Smith’s Olde Bar – Atlanta, GA
6/12 – Third and Lindsley – Nashville, TN
6/13 – Workplay – Birmingham, AL
6/19 – IOTA – Washington DC
6/20 – Tin Angel – Philadelphia, PA
6/22 – 939 Café – Boston, MA
6/23 – Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 – New York, NY
6/25 – Radio Radio – Indianapolis, IN
6/26 – Double Door – Chicago, IL

This is a tour you don’t want to miss – Check out music, tour details and 140-character musings from Andrew, Trent and Andy using the links below:

Andrew Belle
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Trent Dabbs
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Andy Davis
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Sara Bareilles releases new single “King of Anything”

cstm — Fri, 28 May 2010 18:40:55 +0000

A few weeks ago Sara Bareilles officially put out her new single, “King of Anything”. I’m definitely digging this upbeat, catchy song and I’m excited to see what new material she puts out next. Her first album, Little Voice, was phenomenal both on the studio release and on the road. That album was released back in 2007 so I’d say it’s about time for a new album. Check out the new song below and keep your eyes and ears ready to catch wind of a new release coming out (hopefully) in the next few months.

Sara Bareilles
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Landon Pigg & Lucy Schwartz – “Darling I Do”

cstm — Fri, 21 May 2010 15:34:37 +0000

This song has been stuck in my head since this performance aired on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno the other night. I’ve been a fan of Landon for about 4 or 5 years now and this duet he did with Lucy Schwartz is fantastic. It will be featured on the soundtrack for the next installment in the Shrek series, Shrek Forever After.

Check out the official music video for the song below!

Landon Pigg
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Lucy Schwartz
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