 |
|
|
Red
Hook Music Festival 2012
Redhook Fest is quite possibly the best small, one-day festival
ever imagined. How I missed this treat for ten years is beyond me.
It takes place a mere half-hour from my home, outdoors, and on the
grounds of the Redhook Brewery in Portsmouth, NH...
|
|
|
South
By Southwest 2012
Hybrid Magazine's own David
DeVoe returns to Austin, Texas for yet another round of the
internationally reknowned South By Southwest Music, Film,
and Interactive Conference and Festival. For more information on
the festival, its occupants, etc visit www.sxsw.com.
For David's experiences, read on...
|
|
|
Our
Favorite Records of 2011
The ubiquitous year-end list... the inevitable bane of music
writers and journalists everywhere, as well as the readers of blogs
and newspapers and everything else under the sun. Everyone loves
to disagree and discuss throughout the coming months. So, here are
our lists. We'd love to know what you think...
|
|
|
AWOLNATION
Aaron Bruno can normally be found behind a mic and
immersed in a crowd of faithful followers. But for this summer afternoon
the lead singer and creator of Awolnation can be found on
a tour bus, graciously opening a few windows into the genius that
is his music. The tour circuit can be a long and grueling time,
however you...
|
|
|
KANROCKSAS
What happens when you stick rock in the middle of Kansas?
Well if it's in the middle of the word you get Kanrocksas and if
it's in the middle of the city you get 2 days packed with more music
than KC has ever seen. 2011 marked the debut of this newbie festival
and for its first year, Kanrocksas decided to give birth to a whole
new experience...
|
|
|
WARPED
TOUR 2011
For 2011, the Vans Warped Tour brought together a mixture
of youngsters and veterans. In its 16th year, it felt as though
the booking agents rolled the dice with the line-up because none
of it really made sense. In the end though, the day had some great
acts...
|
|
|
Eddie
Spaghetti - Interview
While on tour to promote his new record, Sundowner, Eddie
Spaghetti, erstwhile frontman of the Supersuckers, walks
around a small Denver bar waiting for his sound check to start.
Looking exactly how you would expect - dark sunglasses, cowboy hat,
and leather jacket - Eddie finds a stop in the warm sun and takes
a drink...
|
|
|
South
By Southwest Music Festival 2011
March is here again… so soon? It doesn't seem like it's already
been a year since my last pilgrimage to the heartland of American
rock and roll culture and the biggest, scariest, freakiest music
festival in the country. This year South By Southwest brought with
it the promise of warm, dry weather and new barbecue joints…
both...
|
|
|
Murder
By Death - Interview with Adam Turla
Murder By Death is a group not easily defined by current
labels. For over 10 years, many have tried to label the band hailing
from Indiana. Comprised of singer Adam Turla, bassist Matt
Armstrong, cellist Sarah Balliet and drummer Dagan
Thogerson, Murder By Death has tried to side step convoluted
genres and sub-genres...
|
|
|
Our
Favorite Records 2010
The ubiquitous year-end list... the inevitable bane of music writers
and journalists everywhere. Everyone loves to disagree and discuss
throughout the coming year. So, here are our lists. We'd love to
know what you think...
|
|
|
CIRCA
SURVIVE - interview with Anthony Green
A father, a successful musician and a respected member of the music
industry. One would think these adjectives would describe someone
clocking in at an age of about 35-40 years old. But this time the
words fall on a young man at the strapping age of 28. That name,
Anthony Green. His role with Circa Survive has taken
him to whole...
|
|
|
TERRIBLE
THINGS - Interview With fred Mascherino
Halloween Eve in a city like Kansas City normally means you're surrounded
by ghouls, goblins, an assortment of Tom Cruise look-a-likes
and if it's this year - various Jersey Shore characters.
However for this Eve, the small wood-lined venue (found slightly
off the beaten path) has one surrounded by kids closer to mid-twenties,
sans...
|
|
|
Garagefest
2010
I had timed my arrival in Lawrence, Kansas, perfectly. The first
show of Scion Garagefest 2010 would not begin for another hour and
a half, so there was ample opportunity for my customary visit to
Lovegarden Sounds to pick up some vinyl and to stop by Rudy's
Pizzeria for a nice, cold beverage. From my seat at Rudy's I
could see the would-be...
|
|
|
LIFE
IS GOOD FESTIVAL
Before I even get to the music, let me state that I can't say enough
good things about the Life Is Good Festival. The 2-day event was
ostensibly a fund raiser for the Life Is Good Foundation which provides
a host of services to underprivileged kids. Add to the good...
|
|
|
AIRBOURNE
A can of beer has no idea of its fate when it's placed on stage
with Australian rockers Airbourne. Approximately 10 minutes
into their set and the alcoholic beverage is beaten against lead
singer Joel O'Keeffe's head, showering the already rank-smelling
audience...
|
|
|
MILE
HIGH MUSIC FESTIVAL
As I stepped into the Mile High Music Fest at Dick's Sporting Goods
Park on a warm Saturday afternoon, I was feeling a bit apprehensive.
See, I had gone the first year it was held, and it was unbearably
hot, unbearably expensive, and there weren't nearly enough water...
|
|
|
THE
POSTELLES
On October 12, 2010, The Postelles' self-titled debut will
be released on EMI/Astralwerks records. I recently had the opportunity
to sit down with front man Daniel Balk and bassist John
Speyer before their gig with Interpol at the House of
Blues in Boston. Our conversation varied...
|
|
|
PHOENIX
What happens when you throw out all convention and ambition for
an album? Well, if you're Phoenix you get Wolfgang Amadeus
Phoenix, an album that has been nominated for a Grammy, gathered
enough fans to sell out shows all over the U.S. and abroad, and
receiving multiple festival invitations. Was there an unfair advantage
for...
|
|
|
CIVIL
TWILIGHT
Exactly one year ago this month, I had the amazing opportunity to
write about an album that surpasses many others out there. It was
that album that snagged me [as a writer] my first fan mail. So naturally
I hold a soft place in my heart for the band that not only made
me realize some of my talent, but produces truly inspirational...
|
|
|
APRIL
SMITH
The friendliness in singer-songwriter April Smith's smile
has a girl-next-door quality, and yet, the vampiness in her stage
persona and the sultry caress in her vocal cuts project a siren's
lure. Teaming up with four musicians whom she affectionately christened
The Great Picture Show, Smith concocted a good-time traveling...
|
|
|
PAPER
ROUTE
There are bands that, from the first listen, feel as though they
were cut from a record label-created mold. There are also bands
that aside from their talent, can't ever seem to find their place
within the scene. Then there are those few that no matter how hard
someone tries, they can't pin a label on them; there's no genre
that completely...
|
|
|
2009
Van's Warped Tour
15 years old by definition means that you just got your braces off,
you're learning how to drive and you are probably gearing up for
that first kiss. But if you're Warped Tour you're making
out with the quarterback, you've bought a Harley and you're modeling
on the weekends...
|
|
|
THE
QUEEN KILLING KINGS- Interview with Coley O'Toole
The ingenuity that rock bands have to come up with new names seems
to spring eternal like a well that has no bottom. Some of the most
unusual band names are the ones that people remember the best, like
The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Def...
|
|
|
JACK'S
MANNEQUIN - Interview with Andrew McMahon
A musician, is he the maker of music or the creator? Do the titles:
"musician" and "composer" ever coincide? And
with the horrible times our country is in right now, are we looking
to music as an escape? These were just a few of the topics I chatted
over...
|
|
|
HA
HA TONKA - Interview with Lennon Bone
Missouri’s Southern Rock revivalists Ha Ha Tonka’s
first release on Bloodshot Records, 2007’s Buckle In The
Bible Belt, gave one the distinct feeling that the group is
more than simply a Southern rock flavored band with an unusual name.
This year’s Novel Sounds Of The Nouveau South proves
beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are...
|
|
|
CHUCK
MEAD - The Journeyman Comes Home
“Lawrence, Kansas is the center of the universe!”
former BR549 front man and Lawrence, Kansas local boy Chuck
Mead told a crowd of friends, relatives and fans at a packed
(and sweltering) Bottleneck on May 23. When I talked with Chuck
a couple weeks before the show...
|
|
|
THRICE
- interview with Dustin Kensrue
First there was two, then there was four, and promptly followed
a tour. Ok, I didn't mean to rhyme, really. More I was pointing
out that, finally, after nearly a year between releases we have
the complete Alchemy Index available for enjoyment. Thrice
knew...
|
|
|
AGNOSTIC
FRONT - interview
It's been a while since I've seen Agnostic Front.
In fact, it has been so long that I can't even remember when exactly
it was. So needless to say, I was quite excited to see that they
were doing a West Coast tour with First Blood and playing
in Denver on December 18...
|
|
|
hybrid
writers' FAVORITE RECORDS of 2008
Hybrid magazine music writers make their picks for the best
records of 2008... dig it!.
|
|
|
HYMNS
Amidst the splendor and darkness of the House of Blues in
Dallas, before the whispering, elegant twists of painted blue flower-covered
vines adorning the walls, in the middle of a concert and the middle
of a song, Brian Harding looked at his audience, walked away...
|
|
|
LOCKSLEY
A single high-pitched modulation of feedback and wavering
guitar lingered in the air of Emo's Lounge in Austin as the face
of 24-year-old Jesse Laz, lead singer of the British invasion-style
pop rock quartet Locksley, dripped with sweat and hung limply
in profile, his...
|
|
|
STEVE
WYNN interview
Over his almost 30-year career in music, first with The
Dream Syndicate and then solo, Steve Wynn has become
one of our great singer/songwriters. With his cinematic lyrics -
often dealing with ordinary people struggling with their dark sides
- and uncanny...
|
|
|
WAKARUSA
2008
Woodstock it is not, more like the little adopted brother
that followed Woodstock around while it was getting big and thought
"some day that will be me!" The Wakarusa Music Festival
(a.k.a Waka or Wak-Fest for short) is that little brother; the five-year
old little...
|
|
|
THE
SWIMS
As you may or may not know, Scranton, PA, is home to a great
many original bands, including The Sw!ms, a pop band whose
live show has to be seen to be believed. We spoke with Sw!ms frontman
Brian Langan about what the future holds for his band...
|
|
|
FOLKLORE
Currently based in Athens, GA, guitarist Jimmy Hughes
is involved with a lot of bands, including a hip-hop group and seminal
indie pop band Elf Power. Most recently, he has been the
mastermind behind Folklore, a musical project that has allowed...
|
|
|
MADELINE
ADAMS
Though only 23 years old, Madeline Adams is already
a prolific songwriter. She began singing in Athens, GA, at the age
of 15, a fact that tells a whole story by itself, and she has already
released two solo albums, with another due out in January. With
comparisons...
|
|
|
BARTON
CARROLL
Growing up among the mountains of Appalachia almost always
etches itself indelibly into one's character. There is a certain
nature to those hills that grows inside the people who dwell there,
marking them with a strength and power that belies mere geography.
The music...
|
|
|
Our
Favorite Records of 2007
The ubiquitous top ten - end of the year - favorite records
lists. We've got them, just like the other guys. Ours may or may
not be better. Check it out and see what you might have missed this
year! You might agree with our writers, you might disagree. Aren't
opinions fun?...
|
|
|
INGRID
MICHAELSON
Don't let Ingrid Michaelson's résumé
fool you. Yes, she's had several songs featured in the blockbuster
ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy. Yes, one of those songs
- the concise pop gem "The Way I Am" - was recently spotlighted
in an ad for Old Navy sweaters...
|
|
|
MAE
Passion is something that everyone needs in life. Whether
it's for a person, a hobby, or even a job, passion is a necessity.
In my line of work that passion generally lies in music, the writing
of it, the performing it and the learning of it. Each band...
|
|
|
CHIODOS
I only listen to the quality underground bands. A common
sentence uttered by the youth of today. It's the need to not conform
to the masses who listen to whatever the radio tells us is good
that week. However, with radio gradually slipping down to what may
be its...
|
|
|
PROJEKT
REVOLUTION 2007
In this industry sometimes the music doesn't always come
to you, you have to go to it. In my case, the music came to Chicago
(and not KC), so I went. The music that I'm referring to, of course,
being the infamous Projekt Revolution. Now celebrating
it's 5th anniversary...
|
|
|
THE
USED
A mere four days after the KC Warped Tour stop, I barely
had enough time to recuperate before another festival was to hit
the streets of our fair city. This one was slightly smaller (thank
God) and on a day much cooler. Buzz Beach Ball is a locally run
music festival hosted by the...
|
|
|
WARPED
TOUR 2007
13 is easily one of the most superstitious numbers out there.
It could be considered good... Say, to bet on in gambling. And it
could be considered bad... Like Friday the 13th. Well as far as
Warped Tour is concerned the number 13 is Lucky. For "Lucky
13" good fortune came in so many ways: luck that the tour lasted
13 years...
|
|
|
LOLLAPALOOZA
2007
Last Sunday, as dusk settled over a tightly-packed crowd
of music fans in Chicago's picturesque Grant Park, one of the most
revered live acts of our generation bid farewell to one of live
music's most storied festivals. Lollapalooza, the brainchild of
Perry Farrell)...
|
|
|
KELLIE
STROUD : Making Her Mark On Modern Country
Modern country female artists are on an up-swing once again
with recording artists like Gretchen Wilson, Ashley Monroe,
Taylor Swift, and Carrie Underwood making an impression
from Nashville to across the Pacific Ocean into Australia and back
around to the...
|
|
|
MADINA
LAKE
What do the tv show Fear Factor and Roadrunner Records
have in common? Well they both took a chance on two brothers from
Chicago. Granted, the stunts they had to do in Fear Factor
aren't quite the same as their day-to-day life on tour, but it still
played an important part...
|
|
|
LOVE
ARCADE - interview with Thomas Amason
That old cliché "You can't always believe everything
you read" is especially true when it comes to the pop/rock
band Love Arcade. The press leads the public to believe that
the quintet, fronted by lead singer and multi-instrumentalist Christian
Snowhite, puts on a...
|
|
|
MARISA
YEAMAN
After playing several European music festivals in 2006 including
one in The Hague, Australian singer, songwriter, and musician Marisa
Yeaman has become recognized as a contemporary blues-roots artist.
Her debut album Pure Motive launched her solo career and
has been embraced by country folk music communities...
|
|
|
ANBERLIN
interview
One year ago, almost to the day, I was sitting in my car
outside the Granada Theater, trying desperately to get over my nervousness.
It was my first interview ever for Hybrid Magazine and it was with
Stephen Christian, the lead singer of Anberlin. Well,
this year I got the chance to sit down with Stephen again. This
time a little less...
|
|
|
SOUTH
BY SOUTHWEST 2007
Well, once again Hybrid staffers have saddled up an headed
back down to Austin, Texas for the one and only South By Southwest
music, film, and interactive conference. We've taken notes and we're
presenting them here for the entertainment and (mis)education of
all of our readers...
|
|
|
RICHARD
SWIFT interview
Comparable to such artists as Bob Dylan and Tom
Waits, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Richard Swift
won much critical acclaim and a growing fan base with the albums
The Novelist and Walking Without Effort. Both albums
were re-released in one set by...
|
|
|
OUR
FAVORITE RECORDS 2006 - Hybrid writer's picks
It's that time again, folks! The following are our lists
of favorite records for 2006. We know some of you will disagree,
and some of you will hopefully discover new treasures you'd never
heard of until now. Either way, we wish you all a happy holiday
season
and a prosperous new year... by the Roman calendar, that is...
|
|
|
THE
CLASSIC CRIME
"So flippin' excited", I believe were the exact
words I used when I found out that The Classic Crime was
coming back to Kansas. I first saw these guys when they were on
the Tooth and Nail Tour last spring. Traveling with groups like:
Anberlin, Emery, The Fold, Far-less...
|
|
|
EMERY
On an abnormally warm November night, I'm sitting Indian-style
on the floor backstage of The Uptown Theatre, surrounded by concert
equipment. A couple of tour personnel are lounging at the tables
near me and the drummer of one of the other bands is practicing
on...
|
|
|
STEWART
COPELAND (The Police)
Not many opportunities come along in this gig to have a
conversation with the superstars of my youth, so when the invitation
went out to interview The Police's legendary drummer, Stewart
Copeland, schedules were re-routed, work was flexed and arrangements...
|
|
|
MATT
PRYOR - The New Amsterdams
To have the opportunity to sit down with an artist one-on-one
when they come to your hometown is such an experience. But what's
even better is when that artist calls it home, too. This week I
had the opportunity to sit down with one of the most influential,
big time...
|
|
|
MAE
It's Sunday night of Labor Day weekend, you've seen the
relatives, you've caught up with the friends, and you've even gotten
your fill of bbq. All that's left is a day to sleep in and relax.
Or so you thought. Cleverly hidden in-between family gatherings
and the marathon...
|
|
|
BUZZ
BEACHBALL 2
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Or rather, monkeys and
eagles and dinosaurs? The hot Kansas sun can bring out all kinds
of crazy animals. But, when you combine 100 degrees, 90% humidity
and a day-long music festival, the species that emerge are like
nothing...
|
|
|
WARPED
TOUR 2006
51 bands, 60 cities, 64 days, 8 stages, loads of sponsors
and thousands in attendance. The Vans Warped Tour is a marathon
tour to say the least, there's no sprinting allowed. It's been 12
years since its conception and the Tour is still going strong...
|
|
|
COACHELLA
2006
OK, so that said, my friend and I had decided this was the
year for us to start going to Coachella. Two days of music in the
California sunshine was going to be just the antidote to the long
winter. We had grandiose plans that we would camp at the festival
and really get...
|
|
|
ROB
DICKINSON
South By Southwest is always a good time to try to catch
up with some artists that have been a bit absent from the scene
for a few years. This year was no exception, as David DeVoe got
the chance to meet up with Rob Dickinson, erstwhile singer/guitarist
for brilliant...
|
|
|
HIDDEN
CAMERAS
It's hard to stand out at SXSW, but doing things his own
way comes naturally to Hidden Cameras frontman Joel Gibb,
and it pays off. In a room full of wannabe rockstars, hipster kids
and industry suits, the Cameras were instantly recognizable. Not
that they were wearing...
|
|
|
MIKE
DOUGHTY
The one thing that stood out most about '90s cult favorites
Soul Coughing was their unwavering drive to be unclassifiable.
Their sound was a cool sonic platypus, plastered and confused on
absinthe, a mixture of hipster spoken word lyrics, catchy hipster...
|
|
|
BURNSIDE
PROJECT
There's a fine line between a rock band who adds electronic
elements to beef up their music (i.e. Kaiser Chiefs) and
an electronic band that adds rock elements to make their music more
interesting (i.e. Interpol). NYC's Burnside Project
is a rare breed, in...
|
|
|
NIGHTMARE
OF YOU
Culling its name from a line from a Cure song, the
moniker Nightmare of You isn't the only thing that skips
along the angst-ridden path that Robert Smith, Roddy Frame
and Morrissey blazed. Musically, they could easily be musically
grouped with...
|
|
|
Going
Underground: Interview with Nathan Johnson
Imagine this: a film composer, a classically-trained piano
instructor, a log-cabin builder, a high-school student, a dancer,
a grade-school teacher, an actor, an architect, a struggling novelist,
an illustrator and a landscape gardener all move together under
one Boston roof...
|
|
|
FAVORITE
RECORDS OF 2005
Well, another year has come and gone and like all music
critics around the globe, the illustrious few at Hybrid Magazine
have made their yearly lists of favorite albums that were released
in 2005 (or thereabouts). So grab a cup of joe, kick back in the...
|
|
|
The
Frames: interview with Glen Hansard
It's been a bit more than a year since Hybrid Magazine last
caught up with Glen Hansard from Irish musical dignitaries
The Frames and sat down for a cup of tea (or in this case,
coffee). Way back in September, the band had begun its North American
tour for fall ...
|
|
|
Bauhaus:
What hath Goth wrought?
Murphy and Ash are legendary extremes of misunderstood
artists, bringing enigmatic drama to the Bauhaus bio. Historically,
it's fallen on the brothers Haskins to act as voices of reason,
peacemakers and counselors. David J bridges the gap, and
discusses...
|
|
|
EMBRACE:
Interview With Danny McNamara
By now, we hope that you've heard the message: Embrace
is once again on American shores. This time, not only on CD, but
also in person. The gentlemanly Danny McNamara took a few
minutes to sit down with David DeVoe and chat about the tour,
the new record, the expectations of American audiences and the greatness....
|
|
|
"Teenage
Dreams So Hard To Beat" - a tribute to JOHN PEEL
It was the most tragic news received by the music industry
for a long time. Legendary broadcaster John Peel died of
a sudden heart attack while on a working holiday in Peru, a destination
he had always wanted to visit. John was 65, although in his heart
he was still the eternal teenager...
|
|
|
Dale
Watson - Real Country
Dale Watson is unknown by many people who listen
to country music. And to others, he is one of the very few remaining
country artists that actually embody the soul of the music and where
it comes from. David DeVoe had the chance to sit down for a spaghetti
dinner with Dale and his band, The Lonestars, in a noisy
little restaurant...
|
|
|
COWBOY
JUNKIES
Although the sound of their debut recording, Whites Off
Earth Now, had little resemblance to the band's namesake, by
the time The Trinity Sessions was released, the Cowboy
Junkies found an instantly recognizable groove to call their
own. With a mix of traditional country, blues, and folk, surrounded
by a languid-heroin chic' timbre...
|
| |
 MORE
ARCHIVED FEATURES |
