November 2006

Event Reviews

30 Seconds To Mars

With five Mtv buzz-worthy bands on the bill (six if you count the unannounced special guest) and tickets going for a mere $22 a pop, it was no wonder that the 30 Seconds to Mars' "Welcome to the Universe Tour" sold out Orlando's Hard Rock Live. Jen Cray joined the echelon.

Atreyu

On their first big headlining tour Atreyu participate in the tour mashup of metal, emo, and hardcore. Jen Cray reports on the West Side Story of girly boys versus manly men.

Barenaked Ladies

An evening with Canadian jokesters Barenaked Ladies was an almost illegal amount of fun. Between the energy of BNL and catchy grooves of Mike Doughty it was enough to leave Linda Tate spent.

Ben Lee/ Rooney

The Fun Fun Fun Tour it's called. How could you not want to check that one out? Esspecially when Ben Lee and Rooney are sharing the bill! Jen Cray was in on the fun!

Bloc Party

Bloc Party cancelled the rest of their US tour opening for Panic! At The Disco after drummer Matt Tong was hospitalized for treatment of a collapsed lung. Jen Cray managed to catch the band's Orlando show, the night before the medical trauma.

Frank Black

Touring in support of his latest album -- a double CD no less -- Frank Black takes the stage at the House of Blues in Orlando for a spooky Friday-the-13th set. Ian Koss, for one, is glad for the lack of Pixies covers.

Minus The Bear

The Club @ Firestone is once again booking rock shows, and Seattle's Minus The Bear packed the place for an eclectic evening of sounds. Jen Cray found the venue to be more inspiring than the bands.

New Found Glory

Despite cold weather and the rain, fans huddled under umbrellas, in anxious anticipation for New Found Glory. Brittany Sturges found their faith not entirely misplaced.

Pet Shop Boys

Go west on I-4, young man! Carl F Gauze heads out to the Hard Rock Cafe to get dazzled by the Pet Shop Boys.

Tapes 'n' Tapes

From The Casualties show down the block, Jen Cray rushed over to the much more relaxed atmosphere of the Tapes 'n' Tapes show, and finally found a band doing Indie Rock justice.

The Casualties

NYHC legends The Casualties bring their traditional Punk sounds to Orlando. Packed in amongst the sweaty, bloody, sticky miscreants is Jen Cray.

The Detroit Cobras

The Detroit Cobras are all about reviving the essence of early rock 'n' roll, from the rockabilly roots of the 50's to the soulful days of Motown. Jen Cray catches up with them in Orlando.

Thursday, Rise Against

Joining forces on a co-headlining tour, Rise Against and Thursday are bringing their seasoned skills to mid-sized theaters this winter. Jen Cray caught the Orlando set.

Tilly & The Wall

Tilly & The Wall have a tap-dancer instead of a drummer. That's all it took to convince Jen Cray that she had to check them out.

Twilight Singers

Afghan Whigs' Greg Dulli has brought Screaming Trees' Mark Lanegan on board for his Twilight Singers tour. Jen Cray fell into the 90's nostalgia headfirst.

Interviews

7 Shot Screamers

The conglomeration of sounds brought forth by 7 Shot Screamers can win the hearts of any crowd, due in no small degree to frontman Mike Leahy's grand showmanship. Jen Cray called up the man who had even Morrissey raving about him.

A Paper Tiger

For a band that is less than two years old, the guys of A Paper Tiger know what they’re doing when it comes to music— and they’re doing it extremely well. Brittany Sturges catches up with the band over a cup of coffee and some food.

Fat City Reprise

With catchy lyrics and humble attitude, the guys of Fat City Reprise are on their way to something big. Brittany Sturges hangs with the guys in the studio.

Starsailor

Brit-pop smash Starsailor is working on a foothold in America. Chris Catania sat down with James Walsh to find out about breaking in a new country, Bright Eyes and why American crowds giggle during "Alcoholic."

Starlite Desperation

Dante Adrian, the mastermind behind the psychedelic garage punk band Starlite Desperation, chatted with Jen Cray about being a free agent in an industry currently drowning in the wake of their own greed.

The Randies

Talking with Sienna DeGovia, vocalist/bassist for The Randies, is like chatting with a friend, as Jen Cray found out recently.

Music Reviews

Music A

The Affair

Yes Yes To You (Absolutely Kosher). Review by Jen Cray.

music A

The Alrights

High School (City Canyon). Review by Jen Cray.

Music A

Stuart Ambrose

Making It Through. Review by Kyrby Raine.

Nathan Angelo

Through Playing Me (NA). Review by Andrew Ellis.

Music B

Cynthia Basinet

The Collection. Review by Kyrby Raine.

Bathtub Shitter

Dancehall Grind (Super Hit Jam). Review by Matthew Moyer.

music C

John A. Carollo

Ampersand (Musica Baudino). Review by Kyrby Raine.

Music D

Brenda David

Better Part of Me (Cadillac). Review by Kyrby Raine.

music E

Early Day Miners

Offshore (Secretly Canadian). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Music F

Feathers

Absolute Noon (Hometapes). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Floater

Stone by Stone (Elemental/ In Music We Trust). Review by Tim Wardyn.

Music G

Giant Drag

Hearts and Unicorns (Kickball). Review by Matthew Moyer.

The Gufs

A Different Sea (Red Submarine). Review by Andrew Ellis.

Music H

The Skip Heller Trio

Mean Things Happen in this Land (Ropeadope). Review by Bob Pomeroy.

Music I

Infinite Frequency

What If.... Review by Kyrby Raine.

Melissa Ivey

Lovers and Stars. Review by Andrew Ellis.

Music M

Maryrose Crook with The Renderers

Ghosts of Our Vegas Lives (3 Beads of Sweat). Review by Aaron Shaul.

The McKassons

Tripping Maggie. Review by Kyrby Raine.

Montt Mardie

Science (Hybris). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Moros Eros

I Saw The Devil Last Night And Now The Sun Shines Bright (Victory). Review by Jen Cray.

Music N

North to Emerson

Anywhere But Here. Review by Tim Wardyn.

Music O

Olga

Now Is The Time (219). Review by Carl F Gauze.

Music P

Paik

Monster of the Absolute (Strange Attractors). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Peal

Beautiful Baby Elephant. Review by Andrew Ellis.

Vanessa Peters & Ice Cream on Mondays

Little Films. Review by Kyrby Raine.

music P

The Pink Spiders

Teenage Graffiti (Suretone/Geffen). Review by Jen Cray.

music R

Marky Ramone

Start of the Century (The Lab). Review by Carl F Gauze.

Music S

Anya Singleton

Not Easy To Forget. Review by Andrew Ellis.

The Skies of America

Shine (National Recorder). Review by Andrew Ellis.

CJ Sleez

Back from the Brink (Spinerazor). Review by Bob Pomeroy.

Snow Machine

Snow Machine (Daemon). Review by Aaron Shaul.

The Strugglers

The Fair Shore (Acuarela). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Music T

Trivium

The Crusade (Roadrunner). Review by Jen Cray.

music W

White Whale

WW1 (Merge). Review by Aaron Shaul.

Music Y

Yoko K.

012906 (Asahra). Review by Kyrby Raine.

Print Reviews

Does This Cape Make Me Look Fat?

Are you an aspiring superhero, but there's something missing in your wardrobe? Does your alias "Quickie" bring laughter rather than fear? Then take a look at Does This Cape Make Me Look Fat? and find out the answers that work and the ones that don't to these and other questions posed by superhero wannabes like Tim Wardyn.

Here She Comes...Beauty Queen

Dust off your tiaras and practice your wave! Brittany Sturges delves into the history of the beauty pageant, courtesy of this new volume.

How To Create Comics

From the editors of Write Now! and Draw! magazines comes a comics crossover like no other. Seriously. Darius Gentley shows you how you too can script and illustrate comics like a pro. And no, it doesn't involve winning a reality TV show.

Monster Nation

What would the USA be like if it were overrun by creatures that refused to shuffle off this mortal coil? David Wellington tells us in Monster Nation, and zombie enthusiast Lips Fresno enjoys his vision.

Black Sabbath: Doom Let Loose

Black Sabbath. The name alone conjures up images of protean Metal, the stuff that called the demons forth and made the parents sweat. Matthew Moyer tells us why Doom Let Loose is the definitive guide to the definitive metal band.

Ransom Seaborn

Can Bill Deasy make the transition from celebrated singer-songwriter to accomplished author with his debut novel, Ransom Seaborn? Andrew Ellis finds out.

Supernatural: Meetings with the Ancient Teachers of Mankind

Hey buddy, wanna see the dead? John Hood has a few ideas on how to pull off the impossible after reading Graham Hancock's new tome.

Ticket To Ride

Musician Graham Slater documents the decadence and desperation of the gig circuit in beat group-era Hamburg, albeit behind a thin veil of fiction. Tom Schulte gets in the van.

Screen Reviews

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America....

Reviewing a film that has generated as much buzz as Borat is pretty daunting. However, Steve Stav takes his best shot with a look at America's latest pop-culture phenomenon.

Casino Royale

What, a James Bond story without a volcanic secret lair, a menacing missile or a metal-mouthed villain? Our man in the Bahamas, Steve Stav, explains that sometimes less is more in his review of Casino Royale.

Bobby Darin: Seeing Is Believing

With this new DVD release, Hyena continues their ambitious attempt to put together a case for Darin as both underrated and influential. Does it work? Ben Varkentine says that although Darin sometimes seems to be on autopilot, when he's got his mojo working and is soldly in the driver's seat, his skills as a perfomer are too great to be denied.

Sound Stage presents Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation

Longtime Zep-head Matt Parish is dazzled by Robert Plant's first performance DVD. The Mighty Rearranger does it again.