DIY Music Festival feat. John Mayer, Phillip Phillips, Bruno Mars, & Ellie Goulding!

Summer is all about concerts and music festivals out in the sun! This past weekend a few of my best pals and I went to 2 shows back to back, and it turned into our own little DIY music festival!

On Saturday, July 20th, we trekked out to The Gorge in Quincy, WA for John Mayer's Born & Raised 2013 tour with special guest, Phillip Phillips! John's crooner style and ridiculous guitar shredding skills were to die for, and Phillip's performance definitely solidified his spot in the folk-pop singer/songwriter genre!

For those not familiar with The Gorge and will be heading out there for Watershed or Sasquatch in the near future, here are some tips!

The Gorge 101

• Bring food and water! (Stuff there is expensive and you are allowed to bring one sealed bottle of water, and food in clear containers)
• Blankets and lawn chairs are a must if you are on the lawn. (Or you'll be lying on the cold hard ground)
• Bug spray. (If you're a mosquito magnet like myself, you will not regret it)

The Gorge is GORGE! 

A clip from the show!

Going into Sunday, June 21st, we head to Seattle's beloved Key Arena! The go-to venue for any of your favorite major/mainstream artists and bands!

Key Arena 101

• Leave earlier than you think you should to find cheaper/free parking! (Ain't nobody got dimes to pay 20 bucks for event parking)
• Get to the venue early for first dibs on the best merch. (Lawd know that unisex smalls are the first to go!)
• Be discreet with phone recordings of the concert! (the employees there get mad when they see you recording, also, someone else is probs gonna post it on youtube later anyways, so just enjoy the show!

As you may know by now, I am a very frequent concert goer and I have seen many great AND horrible performers. This being my second time seeing Bruno and his band, I can safely say that they are some of the best live performers I have ever witnessed (only being challenged by the great, Muse). Their in sync energy, effortless and fun choreography, and musicianship paired with Bruno's ON POINT singing/guitar playing/piano playing/drumming/dancing, it really can't get any better. 

Bruno killin' it on the drums (and everything else he does)!

 

(Sorry for the horrible sound quality!)

So when I heard Ellie Goulding was opening for Bruno, I WAS PUMPED! Not to sound like a pretentious music hipster, but I loved her debut album that featured "Lights" WAY before it was even on the radio here in the US! Even though Ellie's genre and music style didn't really go with Bruno's, I had no care in the world because I love them both! Her sweet-airy tone, catchy synth lines, and extremely contagious melodies should make you an instant fan!

A clip from Ellie's set!

Peace, Love, & Rock n' Roll,
A-Tran.

BOTW #25 - MS MR

Due to internet at the Honolulu International Airport costing $9 for 2 hours (as my brother would say,"ain't nobody got dimes fo dat!"), this post is a bit late... Apologies to my loyal BOTW readers! However, the wait was totes worth it for this week's featured artist!...

Watch out alt-pop-rock world, there is another electronic power duo in town! MS MR hails from New York and brings listeners a spacey pop sound with airy synth pads, hauntingly sweet vocal stylings reminiscent of Florence Welch and Ellie Goulding, and the quirky-coolness vibes of Bjork. 

I first heard of MS MR (pronounced Miss Mister) from a friend at work, Vera, who was totally raving about them after seeing them as an opening act for another band (Ellie Goulding maybe?). Being the band-obsessed person I am, I had to see what they were all about right away! And boy, was I pleasantly surprised! MS MR's debut full length, Secondhand Rapture, has been on repeat ever since. The record works perfectly as foreground and background music, whether you need new workout tunes or just something to play in the background of a party or whilst studying!

Can't wait to see them live at The End's Summer Camp!
See you August 10th at the Marymoor Park! Tix: http://www.theendsummercamp.com/
Check out MS MR's site for more tour dates: http://www.msmrsounds.com/

A couple of my fave MS MR tracks:

Other artists you might like if you're diggin' MS MR:

M83
Bjork
Florence + The Machine
Metric
Santigold
Lana Del Rey
Ellie Goulding


Peace, Love, & Rock n' Roll,A-Tran.

BOTW #24 - 78Violet

This week's BOTW spotlight is on 78Violet, a.k.a. Aly & AJ Michalka! These names probably sound familiar to you if you were ever a Disney Channel frequent of my generation. These pair of sisters were seen acting on TV shows (Phil of the Future, Hellcats), movies (Cow Belles, Easy A), and were signed as "Aly & AJ" early on in their careers to Disney's Hollywood Records. Although they started out with Disney, their spin on "pop" was a lot edgier than the rest of the bubblegum singers on the Disney roster with synths and guitars that they actually played, and songs that they actually wrote (both a rarity nowadays in the industry).

These Cali born/Seattle raised sisters brought us super fun and catchy electro-poprock hits like "Potential Breakup Song" and "Chemicals React" that were bound to be stuck in your head.

With Aly & AJ 2.0 on a different label, now referred to as 78Violet, their sound has matured into a more raw and organic direction, and it will not disappoint! Their leading single, "Hothouse," from the upcoming album gives off an indie-folk-pop vibe and their melodies and harmonies are absolutely haunting (very reminiscent of one of my favorite bands, Eisley)!

(song starts around 3:27)

I can't wait for 78Violets new album to release! I loved their old electro-poprock stuff, and I can already tell that I will love their new stuff even more!

You're totally gonna love 78Violet if you like: 

1. Eisley

2. Kimbra 

3. The Hush Sound

4. Sea Wolf

5. Sia

6. Churchill

7. Gotye

Peace, Love, & Rock n' Roll,

A-Tran.

The MERICA Playlist - Happy 4th BOTW Readers!

In honor of the 4th of July, the ultimate MERICA holiday, I am listing a few of my favorite Merica themed songs!

1. How can this not be on the list? "Party in the USA" - by Miley Cyrus

2. One of my new faves! "Made in the USA" - by Demi Lovato

3. "I'm Proud to be an American/God Bless the USA" - by Lee Greenwood (but here's the Queen Beyonce version!)

So, my brother and I have this thing where we love to watch renditions of the National Anthem... here are a few of my favorites!

1. JHUD - This gets me everytime!

2. Take 6 - Probably the illest arrangement.

3. Destiny's Child - Nothing tops those harmonized riffs, NOTHING.

Hope everyone has a patriotic day, stay safe!

Peace, Love, & Rock n' Roll,
A-Tran.

BOTW #23 - Sanders Bohlke

Sanders Bohlke @ Tractor Tavern 6/19/13

Upon first listen of this week's BOTW feature, you would probably associate his music to the "Seattle Sound." Sanders Bohlke's folky-indie-DIY vibe is super chill and is perfect music for a day of writing at your local coffee shop or just lounging around the house. 

I got the chance to catch Sanders on Rachael Yamagata's 2013 Dealbreaker Heart Tour and could not be more happy that I came in time to see his set (opening acts can be sketch sometimes.. haha)! Sanders' set consisted of him and his guitar. In this acoustic setting, I instantly became a fan of his voice. And although his studio recordings are great, they do not do justice to the power, rawness, and sincerity in his tone that can only be captured live (so go catch Sanders and Rachael on tour!!!).

Sanders was the coolest guy ever,
super nice! And we're matching!

You would totes dig Sanders Bohlke if you like:
1. Ray Lamontagne
2. Civil Twilight
3. Sea Wolf
4. Band of Horses
5. John Mayer
6. Paolo Nutini













Check out "Ghost Boy" from his latest record:

A clip from the show:

Sanders' Internet Stuff:
http://sandersbohlke.com
https://twitter.com/sandersbohlke

Have a musical night, friends. (:

Peace, Love, & Rock n' Roll,
A-Tran.

BOTW #22 & Concert Recap - Rachael Yamagata

Dealbreaker Heart Tour 2013.
June 19, 2013.
Tractor Tavern - Seattle, WA
Cell pix by A-Tran.

This week's BOTW feature is on Rachael Yamagata, a singer/songwriter that has been such a big inspiration to me ever since I heard her for the first time nearly 9 years ago! I painfully had to stay home back in 2004-05ish whilst my mom went to her show on the "Happenstance" tour. Since RY only ever plays 21 & over shows, it was not until last year did I get the opportunity to catch her in Seattle for the first time after I was old enough!

I remember the day I first heard "Happenstance," Rachael's debut album, and I instantly became a fan of her beautifully raspy and raw voice, artfully constructed lyrics, and enchanting piano melodies. "Happenstance" is one of few records that I have experienced and can listen to the entire thing without skipping a track.

With the release of "Elephants... Teeth Sinking Into Heart," "Chesapeake," and "Heavyweight," following her debut album, you can really hear RY's artistry evolve. I like to compare her voice and music to wine, it has definitely gotten better and matured with age. RY's ability to pour her heart out into a song is so inspiring and beautiful. Rachael is the epitome of the singer-songwriter genre, and I am definitely taking notes!

RY's songs have so many feels that you would probably think her live shows to be potentially really sad and a Debbie Downer... but, WRONG! Her live shows are full of nothing but tears of joy and laughter! Between songs, she usually narrates how she came about writing them and cracks jokes with the audience. Rachael is literally one of the most hilarious, endearing, and genuine artists I have ever had the chance to watch. She is also super cool to come out after every show and take the time to talk to all her fans, I highly recommend catching her next show!

A few favorites from each record...
1. Happenstance: Letter Read, I Want You, I'll Find a Way, Worn Me Down

2. Elephants... Teeth Sinking Into Heart: Duet, Elephants
3. Chesapeake: Dealbreaker, Full On, Even If I Don't, You Won't Let Me
4. Heavyweight: Heavyweight, It'll Do

Video clips of the show a couple nights ago!...

RY & I!

Check back next week for a feature on one of my new favorite voices! In the meantime, you have a lot of Rachael music to listen to. (:


Peace, Love, & Rock n' Roll,
A-Tran.

Concert Recap - LIGHTS

Tour: Siberia Acoustic 2013

Date: June 13, 2013

Venue: The Neptune - Seattle, WA

A myriad of pics from my phone!

First off, to all my BOTW frequents, I apologize for this late post! The last week has been super hectic with finishing out my last quarter at UW AND graduating... BUT! I am back and ready to share my music opinions and endeavors! Be sure to check out my blog again later this week for a BOTW feature & concert recap on one of my favorite singer-songwriters!!

So going back to this concert recap... Last Thursday I had the opportunity to catch LIGHTS on her Siberia Acoustic tour and it was AMAZING, to say the least. Although her full band shows are stellar with energetic synths and headbangin' beats, LIGHTS with her acoustic, piano, and Kevin Fox on cello brought a whole new perspective to her music.

Despite the fact that I memorized Siberia Acoustic front to back, hearing her perform it live brought the songs to a new level. The vulnerability and honesty she displays on stage for her fans is one of the most inspiring things about LIGHTS and I really appreciate that as an aspiring artist and songwriter. LIGHTS' singled out voice was as pure and as strong as ever, never missing a note. With Kevin Fox accompanying her with beautiful and inventive cello lines, the instrumentals were on point! Low and behold, LIGHTS is a rare performer in this day and age that can sing and play live and sound as good, or even better than the studio versions!

Check out this vids! (Including some tunes not included in Siberia Acoustic!!)

For more on LIGHTS, check out my previous BOTW post: http://atransbandoftheweek.blogspot.com/2013/05/botw-17-album-review-lights.html