Friday's Rockin' Roundup - Natural Disaster Edition

This past Tuesday around 2:30 PM, the unthinkable happened. I actually experienced an Earthquake. Having lived in Northern New Jersey for most of my entire life, I’ve never felt an earthquake before. When my entire office building shook, I knew something was wrong, and an earthquake was my first thought. Then I laughed at myself for how silly that sounded. Turns out, it wasn’t so silly after all.

Although it originated in Virginia, the effects of the quake were felt as far north as Massachusetts. It was a scary feeling for a few moments, as no one around me was sure of what had happened. We quickly evacuated the building, but minutes later got the all clear to head back inside. Feeling the building shake (albeit mildly) made me wonder what people who have lived through large Earthquakes feel like. The one I experienced was a 5.9. I would never want to witness an 8.0.

And now there’s news of a huge hurricane heading our way. At least this is a natural disaster that I am used to…

Here’s what rocked this week:

The Great Kat - The World’s Fastest Guitarist?
Here’s an interesting piece. This article is on Long Island Native Katherine Thomas, known as the Great Kat. Her current CD, Beethoven Shreds, is available now. So, is the Great Kat the world’s fastest guitarist? I guess we’ll have to check out the CD to find out. In the meantime, read over this great article that will fill you in on all the details.

Say It Loud: The Genius of James Brown
Debuting at the Grammy Museum this September is an exhibit to none other than the Godfather of soul. The exhibit will focus on James Brown as the “Godfather of Soul” – blazing a trail in American music by blending gospel, pop and soul- as well as show Brown’s role as a trendsetter in both fashion and dance. The exhibit will also illustrate how Brown used his music and celebrity to positively impact the Civil Rights Movement and race relations of the 1960’s. The exhibit will open to the public on September 17, 2011.

Want To Go To An Indie Music Campout?
Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven will be rolling into the Joshua Tree region of California next month to co-host their 7th annual CAMPOUT music festival. CAMPOUT will take place September 15th, 16th and 17th at Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace in the High Desert of Southern California. The locale of this fest ties in perfectly with Cracker’s own history as their signature album Kerosene Hat was recorded there back in 1993 in the now-closed movie soundstage next to the Palace. This year’s edition of CAMPOUT looks to be one of the best ever. Tickets are available now.

Dave Matthews Band Caravan Postponed
The DMB Caravan was supposed to take over New York City this weekend. However, due to the impending hurricane, the governor of New York has declared a state of emergency for Saturday and Sunday. Therefore, the only festivities that will take place are on Friday night. The rescheduled dates of Saturday and Sunday will be announced in the near future. If you have tickets to these two nights, hang onto them. Single day ticket holders have also been invited to use their ticket for Friday night’s show.

Every Album Challenge Update
Albums Listened To: 267
Albums Remaining: 1,786

For more news, reviews, rants, raves, updates, and shout outs, you should follow me on twitter. www.twitter.com/ryovie

Friday's Rockin' Roundup - Lots Of Reviews Edition

Every so often here at the Rock And Roll Guru, things get backed up. Such is the current case with my reviews. Lately, I have been blessed with a lot of new music to review. Between new discs from OAR, Theory Of A Deadman, Incubus, Black Stone Cherry, and some great discs from lesser known artists that I have received, there are a lot of reviews to be done.

When you add in the fact that I am working hard to finish the remaining concert reviews left to complete from concerts past, it all equals a lot of review writing that needs to be finished. I am looking to spend the next 2-3 weeks focusing on reviews. I want to get the word out about the new albums from the bands we love. I want to get the word out about some great new music I’ve been exposed to from bands not many of us know but should. And, of course, I want to finish my concert reviews.

Hopefully this will mean double postings on the weekend – a concert review and a CD review. However, in order for that to happen, I would really have to hunker down and get some writing done, which is not the easiest thing to do when one has a full time job and a full time family. All I can say is that I will do my best.

Here’s what rocked this week:

Should An Anti-Semite Composer Be Played In Israel?
A very interesting article passed my desk this week. The article made me think so much that I had to share it. On one hand, you have a beautiful composer, whose work is considered genius, being banned in a country. On the other hand, you have a man who had nothing but pure hatred for Jewish people and the Jewish culture. The question that David Goldman asks in this wonderfully thought provoking piece, is should this music be banned? This is an excellent article that I recommend everyone take the time to read.

The Sad Passing Of Jani Lane
As I am sure that all of you know by now, Jani Lane has passed away at the age of 47. As a person who idolized him during my teenage years, his passing is really upsetting. I am going to miss the man and his music. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of his friends, family, and fans during this difficult time.

A New Boston Album In The Works
Can you really have a Boston album without Brad Delp? Over at Real Rock News, they have the latest information on the Boston album that is near completion. Granted, the word is that some of Delp’s vocals will be featured on the album, but with Delp’s passing in 2007, to me, that was the end of Boston. I am skeptical about this new record, to say the least.

MANOWAR Is Coming
Manowar has announced that their only US show will take place at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey. Cousin Ryo plans to be there. Tickets are on sale now.

For more rants, raves, news, reviews, concert updates, and weird what-nots, you should follow me on twitter. www.twitter.com/ryovie

Friday's Rockin' Roundup - Mini-Vacation Edition

Since my mother’s milestone birthday was this month and my birthday was also this month, we decided it would be a good idea for me to head down south and visit her for a few days. So, the Guru is on a mini-vacation/long weekend. It couldn’t have come at a better time. My regular (9-5) job has me burnt out and the pace of the work isn’t slowing down. Every time that I tell myself things are going become calmer after this next big project, another huge project jumps in its place. It’s very draining, so a vacation is just what I need to clear my head, body, and spirit.

Visiting with Mom is always fun too. She likes to spoil me when I come to see her and we always have so much fun together. And while I’m down there, I’m hoping to see a Rays game and scratch another list off of my baseball stadium tour. Having already done Texas this year, Tampa Bay would make it two in one year. That would be nice.

My apologies for those who look forward to the weekly concert reviews and CD reviews. With work at the pace it has been and with this mini-vacation taking me away for a few days, there’s going to be no concert review or CD review this weekend. They will return in all their glory next week at their regularly scheduled time. Have a great Friday everyone!

And while I was packing a bag and thinking about the surf, sand, and sun, here’s what rocked this week:

Live Daily No More
Perhaps it’s a fallout of the Ticketmaster/Live Nation merger, perhaps there are other reasons, but it was very sad to learn that Live Daily is no longer publishing on the web. I was a huge fan of this website, and it was a major source of news and concert information for me. As a weekly blogger, this is a tough loss of an incredible source. There aren’t many sites out there that do what Live Daily did and they are going to be missed.

The Lollapalooza Lineup Unveiled
Just released, Lollapalooza 2010. Of course, Soundgarden is the last band of the weekend. I can’t wait to see what they perform, how they sound, crowd reaction, etc. Some of the choices on who to see is going to be hard though. Lady Gaga is up against the Strokes on opening night. Social D and Spoon overlap on day two. Green Day on night two is a no-brainer. And then MGMT at the same time as Wolfmother. What would you do? Over on the Lollapalooza site, you can create your own custom schedule. I wonder if it comes with a map to get you from stage to stage?

Nina Simone Back To Life
The Nina Simone movie is scheduled for a 2012 release (tentative – of course). Mary J. Blige is still scheduled to play the role of Nina. Nina was a pioneer and a legend in jazz music. Her music still speaks to fans many years after its release. I’d love to know what’s going to be on this soundtrack. And if Mary J. Blige covers a few of Nina’s classics, I’ll bet it will sound amazing.

Good Primer On Classical Music
I’ve been listening to a little more classical music lately. I’m not sure why, but it prompted me to do some research. If you ever wanted to get into classical music, but didn’t even know where to begin, this is an excellent introduction written by the folks at Naxos. It even covers concert etiquette if you are attending a live orchestra show. That’s valuable information!

For more daily treats, tweets, beats, and feats, you should follow me on twitter. www.twitter.com/ryovie