You might remember my post from a couple months ago that contained perhaps the most intense music video I've ever seen. Well, Minneapolis group Aaron & The Sea are back with a new video for their single "There There Creature Creature". At first glance it may not appear to be as dark as the video for "Deja Vudu", but subtext is everything. While definitely less intense, there is still an overriding feel of angst and unease. Check it out below and then do one of two things (or both). Stream the entire new album from Aaron & The Sea or/and download the whole thing for free! You can accomplish those tasks below as I have provided the necessary links. Now get crackin'!

On May 16^th, California band Social Distortion will be in Bend to rock the Midtown Ballroom. I talked to Social D. guitarist Jonny Wickersham last week for a SOUND piece that will be on newsstands this Wednesday. Check out a little extra coverage from that interview and watch the music video Social D. did for “Machine Gun Blues”, their biggest hit off last year’s release Hard Times & Nursery Rhymes. Each band member played a spirited role in bringing the song to life.

Jonny Wickersham:

On his 12 year (so far) experience as a guitarist for Social Distortion…

“It’s cool to play music that a lot of different people respond to… different walks of life, different ages. It feels good to play in a band that has the capacity for that as opposed to being a band that only one generation likes or one demographic.”

On writing songs with Mike Ness…

“My contribution to the stuff is purely musical. On Sex, Love, and Rock ‘n’ Roll, I brought a few tunes to the table that were more mapped out. Mostly I might come up with an arrangement and a few working lyrics and Mike will do a rewrite [of the words]. He’s not the kind of guy who would want to sing someone else’s lyrics because the songs are deeply personal to him. I bring in guitar parts and melodies and then Mike will shape up the structure of the tunes.”

On the song “Machine Gun Blues” and the music video for it…

He [Ness] wanted to write an old gangster story. It’s a traditional heist kind of thing and we put together a video for it. It was a really fun thing to do. The video was really killer. In the video, we extended the song with guitar solos and story and made it over seven minutes long.”

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otZ1SfwbE64&ob=av2e 490x385] 

Social Distortion with Toadies and Lindi Ortega

$36 at bendticket.com

8pm, Wednesday, May 16^th

Midtown Ballroom, 51 NW Greenwood Ave. 

On May 16^th, California band Social Distortion will be in Bend to rock the Midtown Ballroom. I talked to Social D. guitarist Jonny Wickersham last week for a SOUND piece that will be on newsstands this Wednesday. Check out a little extra coverage from that interview and watch the music video Social D. did for “Machine Gun Blues”, their biggest hit off last year’s release Hard Times & Nursery Rhymes. Each band member played a spirited role in bringing the song to life.

Jonny Wickersham:

On his 12 year (so far) experience as a guitarist for Social Distortion…

“It’s cool to play music that a lot of different people respond to… different walks of life, different ages. It feels good to play in a band that has the capacity for that as opposed to being a band that only one generation likes or one demographic.”

On writing songs with Mike Ness…

“My contribution to the stuff is purely musical. On Sex, Love, and Rock ‘n’ Roll, I brought a few tunes to the table that were more mapped out. Mostly I might come up with an arrangement and a few working lyrics and Mike will do a rewrite [of the words]. He’s not the kind of guy who would want to sing someone else’s lyrics because the songs are deeply personal to him. I bring in guitar parts and melodies and then Mike will shape up the structure of the tunes.”

On the song “Machine Gun Blues” and the music video for it…

He [Ness] wanted to write an old gangster story. It’s a traditional heist kind of thing and we put together a video for it. It was a really fun thing to do. The video was really killer. In the video, we extended the song with guitar solos and story and made it over seven minutes long.”

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otZ1SfwbE64&ob=av2e 490x385] 

Social Distortion with Toadies and Lindi Ortega

$36 at bendticket.com

8pm, Wednesday, May 16^th

Midtown Ballroom, 51 NW Greenwood Ave. 

Tonight kicks off the Cascades Classical Music Foundation Young Performers Competition with a benefit concert featuring professional pianists Molly Wheeler and Rhonda Ringering. As a bonus, there will also be performances by last year's CCMF champion Kiara and runner-up John Fawcett. The concert is at COCC's Wille Hall at 7:30pm. (Suggested donation $10)

Tomorrow morning, also at Wille Hall, the competion gets underway. Performers in different age groups will be competing for scholarships they can use to purchase professional grade instruments or additional music lessons. Now in its sixth year, the CCFM Young Performers Competition features some of the most outstanding musical talent that Central Oregon and the Pacific Northwest have to offer. Check out a John Fawcett violin recital video below, as well as a solo piano piece by Bend Oregon competitor Lindsey Williams.

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47ITPRQJTqg&feature=youtube_gdata_player 490x385]

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Wihpq8eYAw&feature=youtube_gdata_player 490x385]

Tonight kicks off the Cascades Classical Music Foundation Young Performers Competition with a benefit concert featuring professional pianists Molly Wheeler and Rhonda Ringering. As a bonus, there will also be performances by last year's CCMF champion Kiara and runner-up John Fawcett. The concert is at COCC's Wille Hall at 7:30pm. (Suggested donation $10)

Tomorrow morning, also at Wille Hall, the competion gets underway. Performers in different age groups will be competing for scholarships they can use to purchase professional grade instruments or additional music lessons. Now in its sixth year, the CCFM Young Performers Competition features some of the most outstanding musical talent that Central Oregon and the Pacific Northwest have to offer. Check out a John Fawcett violin recital video below, as well as a solo piano piece by Bend Oregon competitor Lindsey Williams.
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47ITPRQJTqg&feature=youtube_gdata_player 490x385]

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Wihpq8eYAw&feature=youtube_gdata_player 490x385]

Do you find it a little hard to plan out your Sasquatch Festival schedule and decide which stages you need to be at? We're making that process a little easier on you with the Spotify playlists below. As always, this year's event features several well-known bands as well as indie favorites that you may not have heard of. Each list below is organized by the day bands will be performing. So, just click, listen, and plan!

Do you find it a little hard to plan out your Sasquatch Festival schedule and decide which stages you need to be at? We're making that process a little easier on you with the Spotify playlists below. As always, this year's event features several well-known bands as well as indie favorites that you may not have heard of. Each list below is organized by the day bands will be performing. So, just click, listen, and plan!

Do you find it a little hard to plan out your Sasquatch Festival schedule and decide which stages you need to be at? We're making that process a little easier on you with the playlists below. As always, this year's event features several well known bands as well as indie favorites that you may not have heard of. Each list below is organized by the day bands will be performing. So, just click, listen, and plan!

I finally finished putting together all of my post Coachella coverage from the first weekend of the festival. Below you will find a full slate of links to photos, videos, streaming music, and my very own survival guide (if you're thinking about going next year). It was a fantastically well run festival and just in case anyone is wondering... the best performance I saw was M83 and the best experience I had was the show by Godspeed You! Black Emperor. (you should definitely check out music from both of those groups). Enjoy!

Coachella Photos

Coachella Ferris Wheel

Coachella Performances (video)

Coachella Survival Guide

Coachella Spotify Playlist (streaming)

Palm Springs Cell Phone Collage

I finally finished putting together all of my post Coachella coverage from the first weekend of the festival. Below you will find a full slate of links to photos, videos, streaming music, and my very own survival guide (if you're thinking about going next year). It was a fantastically well run festival and just in case anyone is wondering... the best performance I saw was M83 and the best experience I had was the show by Godspeed You! Black Emperor. (you should definitely check out music from both of those groups). Enjoy!

Coachella Photos
Coachella Ferris Wheel
Coachella Performances (video)
Coachella Survival Guide
Coachella Spotify Playlist (streaming)
Palm Springs Cell Phone Collage

The 2012 edition of the Coachella Music Festival is in full swing, now going into it's final day of the first weekend. So far (in my opinion), guitar is king at this year's event. Highlights for me have included Dawes, M. Ward, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Gary Clark Jr., and Godspeed You! Black Emperor. But that's not to say Coachella hasn't provided a ton of other great performances as well! In fact... I'd also put M83 and Amon Tobin up there with those guitar laden groups. You can still stream many of today's performances and even check out a couple encore sets that happened last night. I'll post more soon, so in the meantime check out just a handful of photos below and keep following me for more coverage!