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Jason Reeves, Graham Colton & Lady Danville in Boston

4/25/2010

Jason Reeves, Graham Colton, and Lady Danville @ Cafe 939
April 23, 2010 – Boston, MA

Friday night at the Cafe, part of Berklee College of Music, was a great night for music. The sound in this small room is great – very quiet, and most musicians play acoustic so the sound isn’t too overwhelming. The intimate setting also allows for more interaction between the artist and the fans. Both Jason Reeves and Graham Colton played some requests.

The opener for the night was Lady Danville, an unsigned 3 piece band. They were probably the most entertaining of the night. The songs were fun to listen to, and their acoustic vibe was unique. The drummer played just with his hands (no sticks). They even did a cover of the MGMT song “Kids”:

Next up was Graham Colton, a musician I have liked for almost 10 years now. He played solo on the guitar, and did both old and new songs.

Ending the night was Jason Reeves. He was accompanied by his bass/keyboardist and drummer. The crowd really loved them, singing along to some songs. Jason’s little anecdotes in between songs showed his quirky, down-to-earth personality. He also played both old and new songs that really showcased his songwriting ability.

Check out more photos from the show here.

Watch more videos from the show here.

(post courtesy of Cayte)

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Sandy Dane Album Release Show @ Bitterzoet

4/16/2010

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Imagine a beautiful spring day in the middle of April. The sun is out, you’re enjoying a drink and listening to some sweet, melodic pop music and you feel good. That in itself could be a review for yesterday’s events. It all fit perfectly together. But lets get into a little more detail.

A few years ago, Sandy Dane suddenly had a radio hit with Peace, Love & Icecream, a cool, bubbly pop song that fit right in with the summery weather. It was a long wait for her official debut “Beautiful And Ugly” but the day has come and on this friday night in April, Sandy Dane is presenting her new album to 300+ people in a well-filled Bitterzoet in Amsterdam.

There were a lot of familiar faces and the response to the new songs was very good. I talked to a good number of people, many of them, in some way, involved in the music industry, be it as radio professional, freelance journalist or in the business side of it all. And without exception they all seemed to think that Sandy Dane’s debut album has a lot of potential. I am absolutely agreeing with that opinion. But I’ll get more into that when I review the album.

So lets talk performance. The show started a little late (sign of a real musician?) and despite a few technical difficulties (not sure but I think one of the amps was a little funky at the start) the music did all the talking. From Beautiful & Ugly to One Way Ticket, Sandy Dane showed off her impressive vocal strength and the musicians that accompanied her on stage knew exactly how to bring out the best assets of the songs. I haven’t quite memorized the setlist, but Sandy basically played her whole (or at least most of) new album.

Some of the songs that stood out to me were the single One Way Ticket, which is an absolutely perfect choice for the radio, with the catchy sing-along chorus. Also, This Heart of Mine & Lay Down were played and sung perfectly. I like how these songs show a little more emotion and give Sandy Dane a little more singer/songwriter feel than just your regular pop singer. It adds to her musicality and to her personality, which is an important factor for a live musician. The two songs that stuck with me most though were Mr. Painoman & Sunday Sunshine. Both songs could easily be released as radio singles (especially the latter one) and suited Sandy’s vocals very well.

Of course it was an official album release show, so the album had to be presented to Sandy. One of the rising stars in radio land, Domien Verschuuren of Dutch radio 3FM came out to present the album and congratulate her on a job well done. The two knew eachother for some time and this led to some funny banter on stage that put a little bit of a comic note on the evening. After that she played Lay Down & One Way Ticket as an encore.

All in all it was a very pleasant night with a very friendly atmosphere and excellent musicianship. Both musically and in presentation of the music, Sandy & her band showcased talent and potential. Of course this is only the beginning of the journey but they already figured out how to go about it. If anything, they will only continue to learn and grow along the way and I imagine sooner rather than later, Sandy Dane may very well become a star, not only in her native Netherlands but also across the borders. The style and general sound of her music lends itself very well to be popular in countries like UK, Sweden, Austria, Spain, Australia, Canada and even the US. And who knows what happens then. But for now, Sandy Dane should just be proud to have released a solid debut album with a lot of (radio) potential and enjoy the success it is going to bring her. Because with her enthusiasm and tenacity, and a kind, personal approach to her fans, she is bound to find success very rapidly.

The album release in Bitterzoet was a great start and a very entertaining event. I enjoyed it very much, as did many others. So thank you Sandy Dane, and thank you to your band. And I’ll see you again at another show. Enjoy what’s coming and good luck!

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Matt Hires @ Paradise Rock Club

4/8/2010

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Matt Hires @ Paradise Rock Club
April 8, 2010 – Boston, MA

After seeing Matt Hires play at Cafe 939 back in January with former American Idol contestant Jason Castro, I checked out Matt’s debut full-length CD, Take Us To The Start. I soon began listening to this record quite often. It has a mellow rock sound similar to Mat Kearney or Tyrone Wells. Matt has a unique voice, but could be compared to Adam Duritz of the Counting Crows. There are no tracks to skip on the album – every song is distinct and enjoyable.

When I saw that Matt would be coming back to Boston on tour with Will Hoge and needtobreathe, I made sure I was there. This time Matt played solo with just an acoustic guitar, but he was still able to captivate his audience. He had us whistling along to his song “Out of the Dark” and even threw in a cover song.

Check out some photos from Matt’s performance here.

Matt Hires on Facebook
Matt Hires on MySpace

Watch a clip of Matt performing “State Lines” at the show:

(post courtesy of Cayte)

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Wallis Bird @ Rotown, Rotterdam

4/7/2010

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It seemed just an ordinary wednesday when I set out on my little journey to Rotterdam. The gentle drizzle during my 1hr drive could not really temper my anticipation for what was yet to come. The grey weather made for an empty road and speedy travel, so I got to Rotterdam perfectly on time. Arrived at Rotown 20 minutes before doors opened and dealt with some work by means of cell phone.

Then it was time for action. Doors opened and I eased my way in, surprisingly as one of the first few people. After a little inside joke with the girl who was tending the vestibule and getting myself a drink I positioned myself on the left side of the venue where I had a good view over the whole stage. The show was scheduled to start at 9:30PM, but experience made me believe it would be closer to 10. And low and behold, around 9:50PM, all of a sudden, Wallis and her band appeared on stage. And right from the get go there was a feeling of familiarity, a feeling of comfort, like it was some kind of relaxed, studentesque even, party. It fit the mood of the night perfectly as there was a cool chemistry between the musicians and between the band and its audience.

Wallis, Aidan, Aoife, Michael & Christian were having a lot of fun on stage and it proved to be very contagious. The crowd, myself included, were captivated and felt part of the whole thing. I guesstimate there were about 80 – 100 people in the venue, maybe a little more. Not as many as I expected, but it proved to be a very good amount of people for this show. It was intimate, yet still quite festive, pretty much like Wallis Bird’s music. There’s nothing fabricated or forced about it. The music is utterly pure, honest and real. From set opener Berlin to the encore Feathered Pocket, the whole show was a string of highlights. Judging from the people around me I think Blossoms In The Street, The Circle, Meal of Convenience, Measuring Cities, To My Bones and the encore were among the crowd’s favorites especially.

I was already a fan of Wallis’ music and her live shows have always been among my favorite nights out, but this was my first time seeing her play live with a full band. And I must say, please give me more of that. The intensity, fun, emotion and sheer talent they all displayed is a source of joy and inspiration. Last night was a perfect example of what makes live concerts so much fun. Like I was discussing with the band afterwards, music is all about emotion and when you try to get your music or your message across during a performance you should show that emotion and that intensity, that’s what it’s all about. These lovely musicians truly showed that quality and it made me happy.

I know I’m a little biased when it comes to the Irish, as they are probably my favorite people in the whole world (you can’t deny it, they know their music and they know their beer, what’s not to like?), but really, they were all so incredibly kind. I talked to Aoife, Aidan (PS. Aidan, I tracked down a copy of the EP you mentioned, so I should be able to hear Oklahoma in a week or two when it arrives, you got me curious, haha) & Wallis for a little while and they are just such warm and genuine people. I bet they have so much fun hanging out with each other on tour. I look forward to them coming back to our little patch of dirt in May (Upstairs, Paradiso, May 31, 2010). Maybe we’ll all be able to toast over a pint of Kilkenny or Guinness as with the music of Wallis Bird, it’s just like St. Patrick’s Day, everyone’s Irish ;-)

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Live Recaps

Jason Reeves, Graham Colton & Lady Danville in Boston

Sandy Dane Album Release Show @ Bitterzoet

Matt Hires @ Paradise Rock Club

Wallis Bird @ Rotown, Rotterdam

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