My Annual Trek To See From Good Homes

From Good Homes is returning to the Newton Theatre this weekend and I will return there with them as a participating audience member in what has now become an annual tradition. Three years in a row is enough to call it an annual tradition, right? Once again, I will be attending the show with my buddy Adam. We’ll eat at our favorite restaurant near the venue, listen to some fabulous music by an underrated yet extremely talented band, and have an exceptional evening of good company and great times.

From Good Homes is one of those bands that really should have hit the big time, but for whatever reason it didn’t work out for them. They are as talented in the jam as Dave Matthews Band or Phish. They have a cult following that loves them dearly. And their concert performances are legendary, which is why I am so excited to see them in concert again. Every show is a different experience and as I learned last year, I really don’t know what to expect from their set. And that is an exciting prospect. I don’t like attending stale concerts where the setlists are tired and I know every song before it’s played. It takes away from the magic of the evening. From Good Homes is not like that. They mix up their sets. They add in covers. And occasionally they dust off a forgotten gem that hasn’t seen the light of day for years. That’s how the closed out the first set of last year’s night two with a blistering rendition of “It’s Getting Dirty.” And it was magnificent.

That’s one part of the joy of From Good Homes. Other joys emulate from the chemistry that the band has. Even though they haven’t recorded a new album in almost 20 years, they still have a bond that is clear and present every time they take the stage. And while Todd Sheaffer is doing well with Railroad Earth and Brady Rymer is having fun (and success) with his family music releases, when the two of them get together with Patrick Fitzsimmons, Dan Myers, and Jamie Coan, it’s breathtaking. Separately they all make solid music, but together they make unforgettable music.

It would be nice to see From Good Homes put out new music, yet I realize that’s probably never going to happen. We will just have to appreciate the material we do have from them. Three studio albums, a live release, and a live EP will just need to be enough. Of course, we should also be thankful that the band returns to their home area every year and performs for two nights that always sell out. Not many bands that haven’t recorded new material are able to do that and keep the shows fresh. And while From Good Homes does give other one off performances throughout the year (not many, but a few) it is their New Jersey shows that resonate the loudest. Maybe it’s because they’ve returned home for the holiday season and there is a blissful harmony in that feeling of coming home again.

This Friday and Saturday night The Newton Theatre will be jamming. From Good Homes usually puts on a 3-hour performance with a 15-minute intermission in between sets. There’s a lot of sing-alongs that take place during the show and the fans that see it always leave with a big grin on their face. That’s the power of live music, especially when it’s played by individuals as talented as this band. If you’ve never experienced From Good Homes live, I highly recommend that you do so. There are still a few tickets left for this weekend’s shows, but I imagine they are going to sell out by Friday. So, give yourself a holiday treat and purchase tickets to one of these shows. You might just start your own new annual holiday tradition.  

Hope For The Unsigned Artist

I was thrilled to see the following press release last week:

GUITAR CENTER PRESENTS YOUR NEXT RECORD WITH SLASH
RECEIVES MORE THAN 8,000 UNSIGNED BAND SUBMISSIONS IN FIRST MONTH

Submissions Open Through April 30th

Westlake Village, CA, March 3, 2010 -Guitar Center (www.guitarcenter.com), the world's largest musical instrument retailer, today announced that Guitar Center Presents Your Next Record with Slash, a first-of-its-kind unsigned band competition, has received more than 8,000 submissions from unsigned bands across the country, in its first month alone. The competition provides emerging artists the chance to win the ultimate career-altering opportunity: record a 3-song EP with legendary producer, Mike Clink (Guns N' Roses, Mötley Crüe, Megadeth) and have Slash write, record and perform on the winning artists' single. Through April 30th, 2010, unsigned bands across the United States are still invited to submit their music at YourNextRecord.com for a chance to win the aforementioned prize package, which also includes:

"The response so far has been tremendous and a lot of the music we've received sounds amazing but I still want to hear more," said Slash. "We're looking to find a great band with some kick ass songs and good energy, who hasn't been able to get their foot in the door otherwise, and take them to the next level."

Why did this thrill me? Because it means there are still artists out there that believe in their music and themselves. Every year, I try to visit a bar or club and check out some local talent that no one has ever heard of. Most times, the bands are really good. When you ask them why they aren’t on more of a national level, they claim that it’s because they can never get the right break.

Personally, I think a lot of motivation and ambition is lacking in artists that are unsigned, but not always. Let’s face it, most people who set out to do (whatever) in life, never get very far because they give up too soon. Take this blog for example. What if I gave up after three months because I didn’t have a large enough audience? Hell, what if I gave up now for that reason? I would always be sitting around wondering what if…? Instead, I am looking to move forward as furious as I can to continue to keep this blog growing and gaining readership. The hard work is paying off.

The same is true for those unsigned bands. The ones that actually took the time to send in their demos in the hope that they will be picked are the bands that I admire the most. To make it in today’s music industry takes a passion and dedication that not many performers have. Some acts are happy being the local talent, but others are much more ambitious. That ambition could be the difference between national success and obscurity.

To all of the bands that took the time to send in their work to Slash, wishful for a record contract, I say congratulations. Even if your band is not the one picked, you’ve already won. You’ve already done more than 85% of the other acts out there that are still sitting and hoping and wishing.

And to all those bands that ultimately end up not winning this contest, don’t give up hope. Keep promoting your work, keep playing live music whether it be at a backyard BBQ or at a packed house nightclub. The more you get your name and your music out there and the more live shows you play, the more you are going to be known and perhaps one day, break into the big time. I applaud your effort.

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