Big surprise, I'm back talking about Wilco, but in case you missed your daily dose of The Colbert Report last night, everything was coming up Wilco.
Colbert interviewed Jeff Tweedy for about five minutes, which is a surprise to me since Tweedy has always been known as somewhat of a recluse, judging by certain scenes in the Sam Jones film I am Trying to Break Your Heart where he shies away from public interaction, and at the 9:30 club in 2004 where the whole band came out to drink and socialize after the show, except for Tweedy who just lingered in the threshold of the backstage doorway. It's no secret that he is a low key kind of guy, which Colbert says to him point blank during the interview, but it's good to see Tweedy coming out of his shell more than he has in the past, which is mostly due to his successful drug rehabilitation and Wilco's rise in status to one of the most influential and significant bands in America. You can't afford to be too gunshy when every rock journalist in the country is rabid for an interview.
The song performed, titled "Wilco the song", is a Colbert Report exclusive, and it's awesome, mostly because it's a highly preferred shift away from the jazz-rock or critically termed "dad-rock" sound that I think plagued their most recent album, Sky Blue Sky. Don't get me wrong, I love "Impossible Germany", "You Are My Face", and "Side with the Seeds", but it wasn't exactly their best work. Tweedy himself said "I'll never make another record like it." I can't wait to see what they come up with next. Check out the video of last night’s performance that I’ve embedded below.
Happy Halloween! If you don't already have plans, Chris Smither is stopping by The Barns tonight for an 8pm performance. Tickets are still available, so after you take your kids trick or treating, come on by for a one-man show from one of the finest blues and contemporary roots musicians of the past three decades. Bonnie Raitt herself has openly expressed admiration for Smither’s songwriting and guitar playing, referring to him as her "Eric Clapton.” Swing by iTunes for a preview listen of some tracks from his live album, Live as I'll Ever Be, featuring select performances from his March 27, 1997 performance at The Barns.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Nice Try, Axl
Ok, I gotta start by asking-following the release of the massively delayed Guns N' Roses single Chinese Democracy (and album)-does anyone actually care anymore? I mean, after a few curiosity listens and probably 100,000 record sales or so, what kinds of benefits is Axl Rose and co. actually reaping from this project, now 10 + years in the making? The 411 on Rose is that he is highly controlling and contentious with bandmates and the overarching music industry, which in the past has led to periodic breaks in the creative process as we saw with the delayed releases of Use Your Illusion 1 and Use Your Illusion 2 in 1992, 5 years after the career defining Appetite for Destruction in 1987.
20 + years down the line, it's apparent that Rose still isn't able to find compromise, with a slew of lineup changes, and production tweaks/song re-tracking delaying the release of Chinese Democracy by close to 3 years since Rose announced to Rolling Stone in 2006 that "people would hear music this year." As a music fan and consumer, Rose is legitimately turning me off from his music. I'm now armed with the knowledge that he has re-cut the single title track more than three times since 2006, which now embodies a wildly overproduced, death metal infused metallica rip-off, which is actually getting significant airplay on MODERN ROCK radio stations? I don't see much a place in the world for a song like this. Axl, I respect the decade long college try, but the result is just not up to par.
http://www.q1043.com/pages/news/gunsnroses/
20 + years down the line, it's apparent that Rose still isn't able to find compromise, with a slew of lineup changes, and production tweaks/song re-tracking delaying the release of Chinese Democracy by close to 3 years since Rose announced to Rolling Stone in 2006 that "people would hear music this year." As a music fan and consumer, Rose is legitimately turning me off from his music. I'm now armed with the knowledge that he has re-cut the single title track more than three times since 2006, which now embodies a wildly overproduced, death metal infused metallica rip-off, which is actually getting significant airplay on MODERN ROCK radio stations? I don't see much a place in the world for a song like this. Axl, I respect the decade long college try, but the result is just not up to par.
http://www.q1043.com/pages/news/gunsnroses/
Friday, October 24, 2008
Wolf Trap's Inaugural 5k Run Tomorrow
Starting at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning, Wolf Trap will host its 1st ever 5k run in support of the organization's broad network of nationally renowned arts & education programs. Our initial registration goal was 350 runners, and currently our special events department is teetering somewhere between glee and fright since we've exceeded that number by more than double. We're still accepting registrants at $25 a head, so if you're feeling philanthropic and are in need of a good soul cleansing run through the Wolf Trap park, visit the link to sign up - https://community.wolftrap.org/NetCommunity/SSLPage.aspx?pid=263
Here's the map for the run - 
Added incentives to drop by the 5k are as follows:
1) Opportunity to hang out with free money guru, Matthew Lesko!
2) Chance to run alongside U.S. Representative Tom Davis, who will kick off the run and personally participate in the race.
3) Live performance from regionally renowned rock group, Everyone But Pete
4) On-site remote broadcast from Mix 107.3
5) Children's costume contest
Schedule of events listed below, hope to see you out with us tomorrow!
8:00-8:30 am: Pre-Race Warm-up
7-9 am: Entertainment from Mix 107.3
8:30 am: 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk begins
8:45 am: 5K Race begins
9-11 am: Finish Line Festival
9-9:30 am: Special Children’s Performance
9-11 am: Music by Everyone But Pete
9:30 am: Halloween Costume Contest for children 14 and under
10 am: Awards Ceremony
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts?
You know I love what I do, but it's official, Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton have the best jobs in the history of employment. Well, I guess I would rather be self-employed or a wildly talented musician/poet who has the ability to change people's lives with a single stroke of the guitar or an introspective lyrical phrase, but for someone who works for a particular organization, these guys have got it made.
Case and point (and this is something I didn't even know existed until this morning which I feel a little ridiculous about since it has been underway since April) Robin had Dr. Dog, which incidentally happens to be one of my favorite bands right now, perform as part of All Songs Considered's "Tiny Desk Concert" series. This concert series features a band performing a stripped down set of 3-4 tunes totaling about 15 minutes of preview content, and it all takes place behind Bob Boilen's desk. Yeah, seriously, behind his desk. The on-stage set is a large bookcase featuring the Levon Helm Band boxset behind Toby Leaman's head. Watch out world, this has now inspired me to host Wolf Trap artists as performers behind my desk for summer 2009! Nope, scratch that, I share summer office space with my intern. Ah well, for now I'll just have to be entertained by Hilton and Boilen's endeavors and job functions, which pretty much allows them free reign to do whatever, and bring in whoever they darn well please. Check out the performance below. The guys naturally blend with the casual atmosphere, emphasized by their characteristic fedoras, white t-shirts, and wide-rim sunglasses.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95893471
Case and point (and this is something I didn't even know existed until this morning which I feel a little ridiculous about since it has been underway since April) Robin had Dr. Dog, which incidentally happens to be one of my favorite bands right now, perform as part of All Songs Considered's "Tiny Desk Concert" series. This concert series features a band performing a stripped down set of 3-4 tunes totaling about 15 minutes of preview content, and it all takes place behind Bob Boilen's desk. Yeah, seriously, behind his desk. The on-stage set is a large bookcase featuring the Levon Helm Band boxset behind Toby Leaman's head. Watch out world, this has now inspired me to host Wolf Trap artists as performers behind my desk for summer 2009! Nope, scratch that, I share summer office space with my intern. Ah well, for now I'll just have to be entertained by Hilton and Boilen's endeavors and job functions, which pretty much allows them free reign to do whatever, and bring in whoever they darn well please. Check out the performance below. The guys naturally blend with the casual atmosphere, emphasized by their characteristic fedoras, white t-shirts, and wide-rim sunglasses.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95893471
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Any Other Bloggers out There?
Yesterday I met with a pair of consultants from Booz Allen Hamilton, and as we were discussing potential social media strategies for Wolf Trap, it occurred to me that I should reach out to my readers to discover which of you operate a blog, or have a twitter account. And as I continue to search for reputable music or performing arts blogs that I can read and contact to keep up blogger relations, I wanted to ask your help in pointing me in the direction of any captivating and informative industry specific blogs you read on a daily basis.
Anything you could share would be much appreciated...I've made it a goal to discover and read 5-10 highly influential performing arts blogs on a daily basis, and while I think I'm becoming fairly well informed, I'm calling on you to help me fill in the gaps. So please, chime in with comments if you facilitate your own blog, or if you have optimal suggestions for other industry related reading. I look forward to hearing from you, and reading you in the future!
-G
Anything you could share would be much appreciated...I've made it a goal to discover and read 5-10 highly influential performing arts blogs on a daily basis, and while I think I'm becoming fairly well informed, I'm calling on you to help me fill in the gaps. So please, chime in with comments if you facilitate your own blog, or if you have optimal suggestions for other industry related reading. I look forward to hearing from you, and reading you in the future!
-G
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Are you Keeping up with the Times? Take Seth Godin's Quiz
As I make strides to adapt to the changing face of PR and analyze new media strategies and placement opportunities for Wolf Trap's schedule of artists, I find myself continuously drawn to the ideas and musings of Seth Godwin, the brain behind the concept of "permission marketing" and author of Seth Godin's Blog, one of the blogosphere's most respected and highly trafficked pitstops. Permission marketing, which is the concept of seeking "buy-in" from potential customers before sending them pieces of advertising, is actually one of the fundamental concepts inherent in blogger outreach tactics, so if you operate a blog, or even participate in social networking on Facebook and MySpace, post photos on Flickr or Picassa, or tag relevant stories for others to view on Digg or Delicious, you should make Seth's blog one of your daily reads.
I feel compelled to share Seth's latest post with you...it's a quiz asking a series of short questions about your general aptitude and competence as an employee with an office job. Some of the questions are no-brainers, but I'm curious to know how many people have set up RSS feeds, keep up with influential blogs, or use certain google applications. Take the quiz and see how you measure up to what I'm not quite sure is the norm as of yet, but will probably reference an obsolete, low-producing employee in 2-3 years time. I've also posted Seth's questions below.
Cheers,
Graham
Can you capture something you see on your screen and paste it into Word or PowerPoint?
Do you have a blog?
Can you open a link you get in an email message?
Do you read more than five blogs a day?
Do you have a signature in your outbound email?
Do you have an RSS reader?
Can you generate a PDF document from a Word file you're working on?
Do you know how to build and share a simple spreadsheet using Google Docs?
Do have a shortcut for sending mail to the six co-workers you usually write to?
Are you able to find what you're looking for on Google most of the time?
Do you know how to download a file from the internet?
Do you back up your work?
Do you keep track of contacts using a digital tool?
Do you use anti-virus software?
Do you fall for internet hoaxes and forward stuff to friends and then regret it?
Have you ever bought something from a piece of spam?
I feel compelled to share Seth's latest post with you...it's a quiz asking a series of short questions about your general aptitude and competence as an employee with an office job. Some of the questions are no-brainers, but I'm curious to know how many people have set up RSS feeds, keep up with influential blogs, or use certain google applications. Take the quiz and see how you measure up to what I'm not quite sure is the norm as of yet, but will probably reference an obsolete, low-producing employee in 2-3 years time. I've also posted Seth's questions below.
Cheers,
Graham
Can you capture something you see on your screen and paste it into Word or PowerPoint?
Do you have a blog?
Can you open a link you get in an email message?
Do you read more than five blogs a day?
Do you have a signature in your outbound email?
Do you have an RSS reader?
Can you generate a PDF document from a Word file you're working on?
Do you know how to build and share a simple spreadsheet using Google Docs?
Do have a shortcut for sending mail to the six co-workers you usually write to?
Are you able to find what you're looking for on Google most of the time?
Do you know how to download a file from the internet?
Do you back up your work?
Do you keep track of contacts using a digital tool?
Do you use anti-virus software?
Do you fall for internet hoaxes and forward stuff to friends and then regret it?
Have you ever bought something from a piece of spam?
Monday, October 6, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
Are You a Twitter Idiot? Jeremy Pepper Schools on Twitter Etiquette...
A lot happened in the D.C. world yesterday...
1) Congress is becoming more optimistic about the passing of the $700 billion financial rescue bill
2) The New Kids on the Block stopped at the Verizon Center on their reunion tour.
3) Palin and Biden engaged in their only Veep debate (I have it DVR'd but the news media tells me Palin defied any negative expectations surrounding her projected performance)
4) I talked publicity with Luke Brindley (performing at The Barns with Ari Hest on November 20)
5) I won $80 playing poker.
6) I made a fall 2008 mix for my department (currently I'm pretty obsessed with Red House Painters, and all things Mark Kozelek for that matter)
All big stuff :)
Given my recently opened twitter account, I was instantly inclined to log-in and read opinions/news/buzz about the first three, and potentially tweet to my followers about the last two. I'm a newbie to the twitter world, but am beginning to amass a decent list of followers, and pretty much gather most of my daily news from corporate and individual, more personalized tweets.
The whole process of tweeting and participating in this new "micro-blogging" phenomenon makes me a bit nervous at times, because while I think it's a crucial social media tool in the face of regressing traditional media outlets, I'd hate to perpetuate "Twitteriocy" as coined by Jeremy Pepper. If you tweet or are pondering opening an account and want to avoid becoming a Twitter idiot, I'd encourage you to read Jeremy's latest post on his massively influential Pop! PR Jots blog.
Happy Friday,
Graham
1) Congress is becoming more optimistic about the passing of the $700 billion financial rescue bill
2) The New Kids on the Block stopped at the Verizon Center on their reunion tour.
3) Palin and Biden engaged in their only Veep debate (I have it DVR'd but the news media tells me Palin defied any negative expectations surrounding her projected performance)
4) I talked publicity with Luke Brindley (performing at The Barns with Ari Hest on November 20)
5) I won $80 playing poker.
6) I made a fall 2008 mix for my department (currently I'm pretty obsessed with Red House Painters, and all things Mark Kozelek for that matter)
All big stuff :)
Given my recently opened twitter account, I was instantly inclined to log-in and read opinions/news/buzz about the first three, and potentially tweet to my followers about the last two. I'm a newbie to the twitter world, but am beginning to amass a decent list of followers, and pretty much gather most of my daily news from corporate and individual, more personalized tweets.
The whole process of tweeting and participating in this new "micro-blogging" phenomenon makes me a bit nervous at times, because while I think it's a crucial social media tool in the face of regressing traditional media outlets, I'd hate to perpetuate "Twitteriocy" as coined by Jeremy Pepper. If you tweet or are pondering opening an account and want to avoid becoming a Twitter idiot, I'd encourage you to read Jeremy's latest post on his massively influential Pop! PR Jots blog.
Happy Friday,
Graham
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