Editor’s Note: The following is written by Jackson at ShowSanctuary. ShowSanctuary is two brothers’ take on the live music scene, providing the lowdown on the concerts to catch and undiscovered artists to follow. The brothers are devoted contributors to the TicketStumbler Blog.

Here’s some of the shows I’m liking this week. Click on the links for tickets!

Thursday 3/5

Ben Kweller @ 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia

This dude is ultra-talented, no doubt. Combining classical rock and country influences with the occasional punk jam, he’s sure to please. Additional Ben Kweller shows.

Friday 3/6

Donavon Frankenreiter @ Wilma Theater in Missoula, MT

I’ve been a huge fan of Frankenreiter’s laid-back jams for a few years now. He has long been known for his acoustic strumming, but his newest album, Pass It Around, has a more low down funky-groove vibe. Definitely worth checking out! Additional Donavon Frankenreiter dates.

Check out Franenreiter’s video for “Your Heart”:

Saturday 3/7

Ani DiFranco (with special guest Chad Stokes) @ Washington DC’s 930 Club

I have family coming to town this weekend and we’re headed to this one. Although we’re going more for the former Dispatch and current State Radio front-man, Stokes, we should definitely be entertained by the talented and seasoned DiFranco. Additional State Radio dates.

Editor’s Note: The following is provided by ROSCO at ShowSanctuary. ShowSanctuary is two brothers’ take on the live music scene, providing the lowdown on the concerts to catch and undiscovered artists to follow. The brothers are devoted contributors to the TicketStumbler Blog.

Artists: BUSH

Album: SIXTEEN STONE

Track: COME DOWN

love and hate, get it wrong
she cut me right back down to size
sleep the day, let it fade
who was there to take your place?

no one knows – never will
mostly me but mostly you
what do you say, what do you do
when it all comes down?

CHORUS:
cause I don’t wanna come back down from this cloud
it’s taken me all this time to find out what I need
no, I don’t wanna come back down from this cloud
it’s taken me all this, all this, all this time

there is no blame, only shame
when you beg you just complain
the more I come, the more I try
all the police are paranoid

so am I, so is the future
so are you, just be a creature
what do you say, what do you do
when it all comes down?

CHORUS:
cause I don’t wanna come back down from this cloud
it’s taken me all this time to find out what I need
no, I don’t wanna come back down from this cloud
it’s taken me all this, all this, all this time

Editor’s Note: The following is written by Jackson at ShowSanctuary. ShowSanctuary is two brothers’ take on the live music scene, providing the lowdown on the concerts to catch and undiscovered artists to follow. The brothers are devoted contributors to the TicketStumbler Blog.

The lady and I checked out the Tokyo Police Club last night at Washington, DC’s Black Cat and we were treated to a fast-paced, highly energetic show. We didn’t know much about them beforehand, but these Canadians knew how to rock. Their fast-paced style moved swiftly from song to song pleasing the sold out crowd. Their songs are on the shorter side, but with as much energy they put into their performance, I hardly believe they could have sustained for much longer. Eager concert goers were loving the more popular “Your English Is Good” and the base-riffs in “Nature of the Experiment”. They have become increasingly popular having played most of the top-notch festivals in 2007 and 2008 (Coachella, Glastonbury, and Lollapalooza) and opened up for Weezer on their 2008 Troublemaker Tour. Definitely check them out if you get a chance. Tokyo Police Club tour dates.

Check out their music video for “Nature of the Experiment”:watch?v=DPY5vTbLhs8

Editor’s Note: The following is written by Jackson at ShowSanctuary. ShowSanctuary is two brothers’ take on the live music scene, providing the lowdown on the concerts to catch and undiscovered artists to follow. The brothers are devoted contributors to the TicketStumbler Blog.

Here’s some of the shows I’d love to catch this week Click on the links for tickets!

Monday 2/23

Andrew Bird @ the Moore Theater in Seattle, Washington

We really like this guy…and think you all should check him out too. Additional Andrew Bird dates.

Tuesday 2/24

Modest Mouse @ the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood, California

This trio has been rocking for years and are a definite must see for those who haven’t seen them. Check them out!. Additional Modest Mouse dates.

Wednesday 2/25

George Clinton and the Parliament-Funkadelic @ House of Blues in Boston, MA

This man is one of the greatest innovators of soul, rock and funk, and has been pleasing concert goers for over forty years. A can’t miss live show…highly energetic. Additional George Clinton dates.

Friday 2/27

G. Love and Special Sauce (featuring Tristan Pettyman) @ The Jupiter Bar and Grill Tuscaloosa, AL

This Philadelphia trio fuses blues, hip-hop, R&B… and just about everything else, leaving concert goers wowed and wanting more. Definitely check them out!  Pettyman can definitely jam too, making this quite the night of live music. Additional G. Love and Special Sauce dates.

Saturday 2/28

Lucinda Williams at The Tabernacle in Atlanta, GA

She can straight-up jam…and his been doing so for years. Fusing blues, rock, and country, she’s sure to please a wide variety of listeners. Additional Lucinda Williams dates.

Editor’s Note: The following is written by Jackson at ShowSanctuary. ShowSanctuary is two brothers’ take on the live music scene, providing the lowdown on the concerts to catch and undiscovered artists to follow. The brothers are devoted contributors to the TicketStumbler Blog.

Here’s some shows I’m liking this weekend. Click on the links for tickets!

Thursday 2/5/09

Tim Reynolds @ The Rhythm Room in Phoenix, AZ – This man can straight-up jam.  Concert goers will be blown away by his ridiculous skills and loving the ticket price ($15).  Additional Tim Reynolds shows!

Friday 2/6

Big Head Todd and the Monsters @ The 930 Club Washington, DC – This group has been around for awhile and although I don’t know much about them, I’m going…and you should too.  Tix are cheap ($25), and these guys are apparently known for their highly energetic live shows. Additional Big Head Todd and The Monsters shows.

Saturday 2/7

State Radio @ Numbers in Houston, TX- The former front man of Dispatch, Chad Urmston, formed State Radio to the delight of many.  State Radio is a reggae-rock fusion that’s sure to have concert goers grooving.  Check them out! Additional State Radio dates.

Yonder Mountain String Band @ War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville, TN – These Colorado dudes sure can jam.  Their progressive bluegrass style entertains fans night after night.  With tickets starting at $22….why not? Additional Yonder dates.

Editor’s Note: The following is written by ROSCO at ShowSanctuary. ShowSanctuary is two brothers’ take on the live music scene, providing the lowdown on the concerts to catch and undiscovered artists to follow. The brothers are devoted contributors to the TicketStumbler Blog.

Artist: WILLY MASON

Genre: BLUES, ROOTS, FOLK

Mr. Mason,

I wanted to write and tell the world. I wanted to tell everyone why – why you are the next big thing. I’ve wanted to for a while. But, I need more evidence to back up the claim. So, instead, here is my letter to you. Because, I’ve been wondering… Where are you Willy?

All the best,

Fan

Mason needed only to play four chords from his guitar and my ear was glued; stuck to the sounds radiating from the car speakers. It was the first time I’d heard Mason, who was strumming the chords of Save Myself- a simplistically arranged, soulful single. After he sang the first few lines, the sound was lodged inside my skull. It became superglued to my brain, forever remaining in memory.

When I heard it, I checked the radio dial for the station number. I mean, I knew it wasn’t the disco station. It sounded almost like country. But, not quite. More blues- but blues with a pop. Folky, sort of. It was, it seemed, somehow more…mysterious.

I knew one thing- it was good. When I got home, I checked out the rest of Mason’s tunes online. Then, in order to pay the artist his due, I purchased (rather than pirated) his album. Each additional track subsequently became superglued.

Mason is a hybrid of all that which is great from the past. Actually, he is the direct descendant of one of the greatest minds in the 19th century (philosopher William James). But I’m talking about his music. Think of Johnny Cash meets Bob Dylan, with some Springsteen sprinkled in. Like each, his voice has grit. It’s been broken in- but still sturdy. Also, his lyrics are more than a mere reflection of that voice. The words dig deep. They’re not overdramatic, but not boring either. Put simply, they leave an impression.

He could be just as good as his predecessors, maybe better. He could be…

Problem is, Willy went away for a while. Nobody knows where he’s been. He released his sophomore album, If the Ocean Gets Rough, in March of 2007. On October 15th of 2007, he left a note on his MySpace profile. In the first sentence he writes: all posted oct/nov tour dates have been officially cancelled as of this weekened; an unfortunate but necessary decision as i must be with my family at this time.

That first sentence seems to have an ominous tone. Mason goes on to graciously apologize to fans. Additionally, he promises that more songs and shows will be delivered in the future.

Regardless of whether or not Mason continues his career, one particular fan wishes him all the best with issues at home. I imagine that he could have a flourishing career. I mean, in my mind, its already been pretty great. But, that’s not what matters. Some things are just more important. Mason seems to realize that… Maybe that’s why his voice has all that grit?

Editor’s Note: The following is written by Jackson at ShowSanctuary. ShowSanctuary is two brothers’ take on the live music scene, providing the lowdown on the concerts to catch and undiscovered artists to follow. The brothers are devoted contributors to the TicketStumbler Blog.

Here’s some shows I’m liking this weekend. Click on the links for tickets!

Thursday 1/29/09

Thievery Corporation @ 9:30 Club Washington, DC – DC’s very own Thievery Corporation is showing off their mix of dub, jazz, classical and Brazilian, with a heavy political sentiment. Their sound is one of a kind and definitely worth checking out. Additional Thievery Corporation shows!

Keller Williams @ The Social in Orlando, FL – Keller’s unique style has been pleasing fans for years. His ultra-creative guitar skills and stage presence will blow you away. Additional Keller William shows!

Friday 1/30

John Legend @ Fillmore Miami Beach Jackie Gleason Theater – I’ve been a big fan of Legends’ soulful ways since Day 1. Although I’ve yet to see him live, I’ve heard he sounds spot-on to his albums. He’s sure to treat the lucky South Floridians to a groovin show. Additional John Legend shows.

Saturday 1/31

Citizen Cope @ Neighborhood Theater in Charlotte, NC – I know we talk about this man a lot, but we absolutely love his vibe. Definitely check him out when you get the chance. Additional Citizen Cope dates.

Sunday 2/1

WATCH SUPER BOWL XXXXIII

Editor’s Note: The following is written by ROSCO at ShowSanctuary. ShowSanctuary is two brothers’ take on the live music scene, providing the lowdown on the concerts to catch and undiscovered artists to follow. The brothers are devoted contributors to the TicketStumbler Blog.

Artist: ANDREW BIRD

Album: NOBLE BEAST

Release Date: JANUARY 20, 2009

Andrew Bird is now the only artist that Show Sanctuary has deemed worthy of two articles. When we first wrote of him in September of 2008, he was categorized as an Artist Under the Radar. Since then, however, he’s become a glowing light on the radar screen. His aircraft, however, remains a UFO.

Critics have tried to lump him together with the indie music genre, though his music defies categorization. In fact, in fact it seems plausible that Bird has single-handedly began a music revolution, creating his very own genre in the process. But, without a familiar genre to place it in, his music is still a mystery.

So, just who is Andrew Bird? What are his talents? Or should we say, what talent does he lack? There is seldom an artist who is as proficient in as many instruments, styles, rhythms, and moods. In addition to his guitar, Bird will use the violin, a mandolin, or even a glockenspiel to put you under his musical trance. Or, he may just simply whistle.

Whistling has become a signature technique for Bird, intertwining it with his voice and instruments to create heavy, elegant tracks. It illustrates an element of genius in Bird’s work. Using a natural music-maker which we all share, Bird has added a piece to his music that extends it beyond that of his peers. Bird makes it look easy, begging the question: How come no one else has thought of that?

In March of 2007, Bird released his breakthrough album- Armchair Apocrypha. Though it went gold, the album did not seem to cement Bird among the new artist elite (though it certainly should have). Listening to the tracks on Noble Beast, it becomes clear that the same mistake will not be made twice. Every track is a gem, with every piece set perfectly where Bird has placed it. His ear never makes a mistake, leaving our ears yearning for more.

TOUR DATES:

1/26/09 Brooklyn, New York

1/28/09 New York, New York

1/30/09 Boston, Massachusetts

2/02/09 Richmand, Virginia

2/03/09 Washington, DC

2/04/09 Atlanta, Georgia

2/06/09 Orlando, Florida

Meiko has come a long way since being a cocktail waitress just over a year ago.  Releasing her self-titled debut album on myspace in September of 2007, Meiko has catapulted herself from serving martini’s to LA’s finest to appearing on some LA’s finest television shows.  This mellow singer-songwriter combines her talents of songwriting with her smooth as silk voice to create an immediate coffee-house atmosphere anywhere her music is heard.  After listening to Meiko’s album several times through, I can refer only to the album’s appeal as the “it” factor.  Something about the honesty in her voice combined with the perfect melodies makes it near impossible to skip a track; something can be rarely said about a full album.  The stand out song on the album is obviously Boy’s With Girlfriends.

The hook in the chorus never seems to get old leaving you yearning to hear the chorus one more time even after the song is over.  Another great draw about this song is that it begins with just the keyboard and vocals and immediately after the climax of the bridge, it drops back into the chorus reduced to just keyboard and vocals; coming full circle and making the listener feel complete.  The other tracks on the album that carry an upbeat but, easy going tone are How Lucky We Are, Heard It All Before, and Walk By.

A great album is always defined by the last song, and this one is exception.  Meiko’s slow and haunting song Hawaii projects the same feel as Damien Rice’s Cheer’s Darling. The lyrics taken alone appear to be something written for an overly optimistic song strummed on an up-tempo guitar.  Somehow, they end up fitting perfectly behind an eerie slow tune that sets a melancholic ambiance that makes you allow the CD to go back to the first track and start all over again just to get back to the optimistic singer-songwriter you first met.  That being said, I have fallen asleep while listening to this album multiple times; and that’s a good thing!

Patrick Kennedy

patrick.kennedy@ourvinyl.com