Tag: band

Music by ToriJul 21, 20163:00 PM

Rise Above It: Jon Foreman’s Lyrics and My Fight Against Fear

“How this works is that it’s like busking, except there’s no money involved.”

Jon Foreman’s solo aftershow on the steps of Grace Cathedral. San Francisco, CA – July 9, 2015

From the front steps of Grace Cathedral, Jon Foreman addressed the fans gathered to see his aftershow performance. Minutes earlier at The Masonic, a venue just steps away from the cathedral, Foreman’s band Switchfoot kicked off the second leg of the Tour de Compadres along with Needtobreathe, Colony House, and Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors. Foreman began playing “Only Hope,” and I was overcome with emotion as two realizations hit me: one, that I was in California, and two, that I was finally attending one of Foreman’s famous aftershows. As I sang softly along with the crowd, I hardly noticed the chilly air and occasional raindrops; a welcome change from the crushing humidity of Virginia.

Music by ToriApr 4, 20164:03 PM

Infallible: Top Ten Pearl Jam Songs Ranked by Fans

In October, a Pearl Jam fan named Andrew, known as @theboytemps on Twitter, asked his Twitter followers to rank their favorite Pearl Jam albums. Due to strong interest, he set up another poll to ask the “#PJFam” to rank their ten favorite songs by the band. “I did this one because people asked me to and took time out to submit lists of their favourite Pearl Jam songs,” Andrew said. “‘Black’ and ‘Release’ were undoubtedly going to be favourites but it was interesting to see such diversity in people’s other choices, which proved that Pearl Jam’s music reaches people on so many different levels.”

Tallying votes was easier for Andrew this time around with the implementation of Twitter’s new polling feature. Previously, votes had to be counted by hand as each individual reply came in. Here are the results in order from least favorite to most favorite:

*Full disclosure: I participated in the voting.

Music by ToriMar 8, 201610:54 AM

Tuesday Tunes – “I’ve Been Bored” by Superheaven

You’re missing the point again – aliens do exist! Well, at least they do in the music video for “I’ve Been Bored,” a single from Superheaven’s 2015 album, Ours is Chrome. Despite its video, the song […]

Music by ToriJan 5, 20168:13 AM

Tuesday Tunes – “Sleeper” by Our Girl

This Tuesday, I’m happy to share music from a band I’ve recently discovered, Our Girl. Soph Nathan (who is also a member of The Big Moon), Lauren Wilson, and Josh Tyler make up this trio from […]

Music by ToriNov 24, 20158:00 AM

Tuesday Tunes – “Iron Rooster” by Foo Fighters

On October 28th, the Foo Fighters’ website was replaced with a mysterious clock and looped audio on its homepage counting down to November 23rd. Was the band announcing a new album – Sonic Highways II, perhaps? Another world […]

Music by ToriOct 10, 201511:17 AM

Wishlist: Every Pearl Jam Album Ranked by Fans

It’s become increasingly popular for bands with large discographies to have their albums ranked from “best to worst” or “worst to best” by popular music magazines and websites. Pearl Jam is no exception, with Diffuser, Rolling Stone, Stereogum, and other sites contributing their own lists. However, one Pearl Jam fan was unhappy with these rankings, so he took to Twitter to get a different opinion – but this time, directly from fans. “I was irked by Rolling Stone’s readers’ poll that put Ten, Vitalogy, & Vs. at 1, 2, and 3 respectively, as if they [Pearl Jam] never improved after that initial period, when we know that to be far from the truth,” Andrew said.

Over the course of several weeks and 45 rounds of voting, Andrew, known as @theboytemps on Twitter, asked the “#PJFam” (a Twitter hashtag used by many Pearl Jam fans) to rank their favorite Pearl Jam albums. He presented two albums per round and fans voted for their favorites until the top ten emerged based on the number of votes received.

Here are the albums from least to most favorite, as ranked in Andrew’s poll:

Music by ToriSep 19, 201510:00 AM

Interview: Trenton Wheeler of Seryn on “Shadow Shows,” Faith, and Life Through Death

seryn - promo photo — (from left): Aaron Stoner, Scarlett Deering, Nathan Allen, Trenton Wheeler, Jenny Moscoso, & Jordan Rochefort

Since their 2011 debut, This Is Where We Are, Seryn has undergone changes ranging from their sound and lineup to the place they call home. In late 2014, the band’s home became Nashville when members Trenton Wheeler (lead vocals/ukulele), Nathan Allen (guitar), Jenny Moscoso (guitar/vocals), Aaron Stoner (bass), Jordan Rochefort (drums), and Scarlett Deering (violin) relocated from Denton, Texas. Seryn released their sophomore album, Shadow Shows, on February 17, 2015. The album retains Seryn’s signature vocal harmonies and folk roots while expanding the musical groundwork laid in their debut.

The band graciously allowed me to sit in on their soundcheck during a stop on the Shadow Shows tour. As they played through “The Fire,” sound swept through the venue and filled it to capacity before any attendees had arrived. I had no doubt that I was in for a gorgeous performance later that evening. But before that performance, I sat down with Trenton Wheeler to discuss Seryn’s latest album, the band’s spiritual dynamic, and the evolving meaning of “We Will All Be Changed.”

Music by ToriMar 31, 20158:00 AM

Interview with Barry Privett of Carbon Leaf

Virginia-based band Carbon Leaf has been going strong for more than twenty years. The founding members met while attending Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia before relocating to Richmond, Virginia. Current members Barry Privett (lead vocals), Terry Clark (guitar/vocals), Carter Gravatt (guitar/vocals/various instruments), Jon Markel (bass), and Jason Neal (drums) are known for their energetic live shows and a sound that blends elements of folk, Celtic, and other musical styles. In August 2014, Carbon Leaf released Indian Summer Revisited, a tenth anniversary re-recording of their 2004 major label debut, Indian Summer.

On March 20, 2015, the band played an excellent set at the Cat’s Cradle, which included a beautiful, completely unplugged performance of “One Prairie Outpost.” A few hours before the show, I sat down with Barry Privett to discuss the band’s decision to leave a major label, songwriting process, and contributions to save Sweet Briar College, among other things.

Music by ToriOct 23, 201410:03 AM

Interview with Lullwater

From left: Brett Strickland, Joe Wilson, John Strickland, and Roy Beatty

Gene Simmons may have said that rock music is dead, but Lullwater, an alternative rock band from Athens, GA, is intent on keeping the genre very much alive. Lullwater formed in 2007 and has performed with their current lineup since 2012, consisting of John Strickland (lead vocals/rhythm guitar), Brett Strickland (lead guitar/vocals), Roy “Ray” Beatty (bass guitar/backing vocals), and Joe Wilson (drums). Lullwater’s self-titled album, released on September 17, 2013, pays homage to the grunge bands of the early 1990s who influenced their sound. Recorded on tape at London Bridge Studios in Seattle, WA and produced by Jonathan Plum, the album contains thirteen raw, energetic tracks that showcase Lullwater as a definite act to watch.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Lullwater before their October 11, 2014 show at The Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro, NC while on tour with Flyleaf and Ryan White.

“How this works is that it’s like busking, except there’s no money involved.”

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