Mary Andrews

February 23-24, 2024

Spring training has ensued once again in Arizona. C 3 Presents has continued to offer music and baseball in the sixth annual Innings Music Festival with big name entertainers and baseball stars in Tempe. The weather was perfectly temperate and the musical acts were scorching.The attendence on Friday was packed, while Saturday left room to move around with ease. 

The festival happened to open at the same time as Arizona’s Cactus League Spring training. Fans were able to see MLB legends Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, and Luis Gonzalez practicing. Ultimately, it was a win-win for players and fans alike.

Here is some of the best of the best musical acts of the first weekend.

Red Hot Chili Peppers headlined opening day with a crowd pleasing finish to the first day. Drummer Chad Smith set the tone for the set as he banged a gong to get  started. The set was filled with hits as returning lead guitarist John Frusciante, bassist Flee, and lead singer Anthony Kiedis graced the stage. Frusciante fulfilled his reputation as on of the best guitarists in the business as he played electifying instrumental jams throughout the set. “Snow( Hey Oh)” was a fine example.

Flea leaped through the air in his purple shirt with musical chops that added to the intensity of the band’s performance.

Flea and Frusciante were head to head several times during the set seemingly challenging each other with each’s groove. Kiedis had his own swagger with his commanding vocals as the crowds joined in singing their familiar songs.

Set list: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/red-hot-chili-peppers/2024/tempe-beach-park-tempe-az-6badceb6.html

Even though Greta Van Fleet has matured as the years have past, they still have that young boy aesthetic, facial hair and all. Josh Kiszka’s vocals seem to favor Robert Plant’s voice. That said, his vocals are impressive. The band totally performs to impress their young crowd especially seen with brother Jake on lead guitar. 

311 had the fans singing their faces off as they danced in place when lead singer Nick Hexum hit the stage with “Beautiful Disaster.” The set was hot in more ways than one.

Setlsit: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/311/2024/tempe-beach-park-tempe-az-6badceae.html

The Beaches’ all girl alternative rock band was a pleasant surprise in the afternoon set. Bassist Jordan Miller had a perfect voice to expose their music to the crowd with harmonies presented by the rest of the band. Highlights included “What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Paranoid” and”Everything Is Boring.” They are presently on their ‘Blame My Ex’ tour. 

Set list: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-beaches/2024/tempe-beach-park-tempe-az-7bad228c.html

Phantogram gave fans a splendid set in the afternoon. The band is listed as a duo, but the show is definitely led by Sarah Barthel doing vocals, guitars, keyboards, and synthesizers. Barthel takes command of the stage from start to finish. Electronic rock never had so much energy. The red-haired singer dances, spins and throws her hair about as she sang the songs “Don’t Move,” “Mouthfull of Diamonds,” and “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore.” The set left the crowd wanting more. 

Set list: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/phantogram/2024/tempe-beach-park-tempe-az-1badc94c.html

Macklemore was the highlight of Saturday’s fare. His present tour is dubbed the ‘Ben’ tour. That happens to be the title of his latest album. Five minutes late, the rapper ran on the stage singing “Chant” from his latest album with a cavacade of support performers including background singers, dancers and musicians. 

His energy was infectious and the crowd was thrilled to experience Macklemore. “Thrift Shop,” “No Bad Days” and “White Walls” followed. Fans were eager to sing along. Maclemore informed the crowd he and his family had been in the Phoenix area for the entire week and took in some of the local sights. He also discussed struggling with addition in the past and mentioning that the fans with addition problems were not alone. There seemed to be an intimacy Maclemore had with such a huge crowd.

Set list: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/macklemore/2024/tempe-beach-park-tempe-az-63ad3e77.html

This was the second appearance for Young the Giant at the Innings Festival and again they were a welcome sight. The first song of the set was “Wake Up” and was a crowd pleaser. Sameer Gadhia, the band’s lead singer. guided the band through songs from their latest album “American Bollywood.” Fan favorites like “Cough Syryp” were also performed.

Set list: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/young-the-giant/2024/tempe-beach-park-tempe-az-6bad3e76.html

Hozier was Saturday’s headlining act. He is on his ‘Unreal,Unearth’ World Tour promoting his new album of the same name. He stepped out on a blue darkened stage and started performing “DeSelby (Part 1) and (Part 2). Then he slid into the more familiar “Jackie and Wilson.” Hozier has a commanding stage presence. Other songs included tracks from his three studio albums. “Cherry Wine” and “Take Me to Church” were among the songs included in the set. Hozier is adorned with incredible vocals, stage presence, and musical talent. Well worth attending.

Setlist: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/hozier/2024/tempe-beach-park-tempe-az-7bad3e70.html 

It was a great weekend of great vibes and rock music during this two day weekend. New this year: Innings Festival will continue next weekend with an Extra Innings Festival with Chris Stableton and Dave Matthews Band headlining. We will report on this next week.

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Interview conducted on December 17, 2023

By Dan Locke

Nordic Daughter is more than just a musical project it is an experience in variety, acceptance, love and logic. The musical concepts behind the music build a sense of intimacy with the audience that can only be described as genuine and authentic. The vocal stylings of Melissa Lycan are unique yet classic and the songs she delivers are heart felt and blended. The project Debuted in 2016 at the Oriental Theater after years of working in the music business the members chose to write the first versions of the songs ready to be produced in the studio. The Band released the first EP “Forgotten” in 2017 and the second Album “The Path” in Nov 2018. In 2020 Nordic Daughter released three singles all around the challenges we face as we go on our heroes journey! The 3rd album is in the works and is destined to release in Spring of 2022. The band has performed with artists like Lita Ford, Trapt, Cold, Stitched up Heart, Jack Russell and Great White, Lost Point and Michael Morrow, selling out venues up to 500.

Nordic Daughter’s main focus is to tour the world teaching children how to write music as an outlet for their own voices. Interested in playing large benefit concerts, performing our fully Choreographed show for fans all over the world and giving as much of our hearts and minds to the planet as it can handle. Get ready for the fiercest of all warriors, NORDIC DAUGHTER!

What is your upbringing? 

Melissa Lycan: I was brought up in a split political household, Which is interesting because my parents really wanted the same things out of life and both of them aligned with different views on certain things but really sat moderately in the middle for most of my life.  My dad was a Deacon of our church and I think really found himself as a father when he entered the church.  

Jason’s dad died when he was 5 and this caused him to bounce back and forth between Colorado and Missouri growing up which also planted him in a unique middle ground perspective.  

Sarah was raised in the Midwest of Michigan she is a Michigander and from what I can tell her parents are artistic and creative but grounded in logic and love.  She is the only daughter and has two brothers.  One in Alaska and one in Colorado. 

How did you discover music? 

My mother and father loved music.  Our house was always filled with it.  Vinyl albums lined the living room cabinets, filled with the sounds of Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles, Blue Oyster Cult, Black Sabbath, Elton John, Jerry Mathis, the list goes on.  My dad only ever learned one song on guitar but my Aunt Kerry Jean was such a musical talent, one of the clearest memories I have in Alaska is of her singing House at Pooh Corner by Kenny Loggins.  She was in love.  My Grandmother played the piano and she taught me a few songs and I began taking lessons as a kid, eventually she gifted my parents the piano when I was 8 or 9 and then I was gifted it about 5 years ago when I began performing. 

How did you start to write music? 

I started writing lyrics through poetry when I was 8 years old but the first songs, I really composed on staff was when I was about 15 years old.  I wish I could say I was able to continue to write music but when I was 16, I went through some intense trauma. I did a nosedive into depression and self-deprecation.  I surrounded myself with musicians though, there was always a DJ teaching me to match a beat or a singer songwriter testing out a new bar but I didn’t sing again until I was 23 and didn’t pick up Piano again until I was 27.  Now I love writing songs and wish it was my full-time job.  

Describe your music.

Evanescence meets Simon and Garfunkel?  Medieval meets Adele? Modern Folk or Alternative Folk Rock is what we have settled on.  Our music is the story of a life.  The inner workings of our hearts, minds, and souls.  I try to build bridges rather than burn them down with my music.  The melodies are reticent of simpler times, but the lyrics are a little, face your fears, you only have one chance at this.  

What was your first performance like? 

 My first performance was a bit scary.  Jason and I were only playing as a Duet at that time so I was more exposed vocally than I am with a full band.  I think I just kept telling myself that it was going to be ok and there was no turning back now.  We had our first gig at the Oriental Theatre in January of 2016 and the snow was crazy, I was in my final term of my Masters program and was frantic but we still had over 300 people attend the first show.   

Royalties never appear like magic. Royalties are only sent to you through work undertaken by a PRO to ensure that their members are getting paid. If you’re not yet signed up to a Performing Right Organization like ASCAP, BMI or SESAC, you may not be receiving all the royalties you deserve.

Do you belong to any songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, SESAC, BMI or ASCAP ?

 BMI is who we work with under Melissa Lycan as the lead writer and Jason Lycan as Co-Writer.  We also have arrangements with one of our producers for a producer royalty.    

What makes a good songwriter? 

 I think being Authentic to your voice and your spirit makes you the best songwriter.  An ability to write out true feelings that evoke emotional response from the listener is a key indicator of good songwriting for me.  I also believe you have to be able to collaborate and let the song kind of flow where it needs to organically.  You can’t just fit everything in the same box or people get bored.  There is no algorithm for us though, I think our songs are kind of all a bit unique to themselves. 

What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?

 Actually, we just recorded it.  Our first original song was our wedding vows.  Jason and I spent months working out our wedding vows and we sang them when we got married May 30th, 2009.  It wasn’t until Jason’s grandfather hit stage 5 Parkinsons that we found the song on a video of the wedding and revived it.  He asked us to record the song before he passed in 2020 and now, we have. 

What is the process of writing your music?

 We start with Melody actually.  Sometimes poetry takes precedence but usually I fit my poems to the melody by adjusting syllables and phrasing, maybe finding new words that blend better but still rhyme. It isn’t until we have worked out the Duet that we bring in the Violin and then add drums, bass and keys as the topper.  We also work out the songs over about a year of playing them live before we really settle into how the songs should sound.  We test them on the audience and some never make the cut. 

What are you feeling about streaming music? 

Necessary Evil Right?  I wish they paid more to artists when they make a ridiculous amount of money.  I think streaming is a good way to make new fans, if anyone thinks our music fits a playlist let me know because we struggle with playlist placement.   

The symbol # is known as the number sign, hash, pound sign and a sharp sign in music. The symbol has historically been used for a wide range of purposes Since 2007, widespread usage of the symbol to introduce metadata tags on social media platforms has led to such tags being known as “hashtags”, and from that, the symbol itself is sometimes called a hashtag. 

Are people forgetting that the # is a part of music?

 I mean sharps and flats are par for the course but most people don’t even realize the hashtag is the sharp symbol. 

Tell me about Forgotten? 

Forgotten is a song about honoring the past.  How each hero is often first a villain and the stories we tell about the past are rooted in lessons pain and inhumanity, but they are also about resilience and overcoming those trials. We all fall down; the victors simply get back on the horse.  

How was it shooting the video in the snow?

It was soooo cold.  We were trying to get shots in December at 9000 ft.  Several times we needed to stop and warm up because it was unbearable.  In our world we are supposed to enjoy the snow so we braved the weather to creste that intense allusion to the Northern Countries and our ancestors.  

Digital vs. vinyl?

 I love Vinyl.  We listen to vinyl at least one session a week.  I wish we could store vinyl in our cars safely because I spend so much time commuting or traveling.  The warmth of a record is second to none.  We are releasing our 3rd album on vinyl in addition to CD. 

What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?  

Dromte Mig is on my mind right now because we just got the final master file back from the producer.  It is a 15th century song written in runic/Old Norse and we rearranged it and put our own spin on it.  It means that we honor our ancestors and where and what vikings truly were.  Too many people have culturally appropriated viking and scandinavian history and made them into brutes instead of wisemen, travellers, magi, traders, healers and storytellers.    

Is pay to play still a thing?  Now pay to play also means things like a playlist on the internet and opening slots for a major band on tour.

 Pay to play is all over the place still, the Whiskey for example still asks bands to pre purchase tickets that the band can then recoup from direct fan purchases.  Most touring bands are looking for the money and for local bands to draw them a crowd and help them promote.  We have a strong local support community in Denver and many artists open up for National bands with limited return for the tickets they sell.  They are playing and selling tickets for exposure.  We book venues and throw our own shows a few times a year so that we have the freedom to take smaller paying gigs when they come up.  

The show Star Trek introduced people to the holodeck: an immersive, realistic 3D holographic projection of a complete environment that you could interact with.

Today holograms are already being used in a variety of way, such as medical systems, education, art, security and defense.

Performers like Tupac, Michael Jackson, Roy Orbison, Frank Zappa, Elvis Presley, Amy Winehouse, Buddy Holly, Ronnie James Dio, Marylin Monroe, and Whitney Houston have done it already. The band ABBA just announced that they will be doing a comeback together after nearly 40 years as holograms on their next tour.  With ABBA it was with the help of George Lucas. 

If the cost was down to the point you could do it also, would you be willing to do Holographic concerts in our living room?

That would be amazing.  If the audio mix could be perfected, yes.  We have thought about doing holograms of dancers or actors so we can travel with a smaller ensemble.  

In the past if a musician stopped doing music, they found a new career.  For example David Lee Roth from Van Halen became a licensed EMT in NY for 6 years, San Spitz (guitarist for Anthrax) became a master watchmaker, Dee Snider (Twister Sister) voice over work for SpongeBob SquarePants.. If you can’t do music, what would you like to be doing?

I currently teach HS Math.  If music were not an option this is what I would continue doing, however, I plan on maintaining my voice for years to come.  I can’t imagine not making music even if I never made another dime.  It is the most satisfying and fulfilling activity on the planet.  

What is your happy place? 

 The Stage is my happy place.  It is like a relief.  I get on stage, and I get to leave all of my stress on the platform, shake it off and just be pure energy for hours.  Teaching is the only other place where I feel I make a difference in people’s lives, attitudes, perspectives and beliefs about themselves.  People have forgotten how truly magically they are, and my purpose is to wake them up.

Red Hot Chili Peppers are about to sell their entire song catalog for $140 Million.  In the past year a lot of musicians such as Stevie Nicks ($100 Million) , Bob Dylan (over $400 Million), Taylor Swift, Journey, Def Leppard, K.T. Tunstall, John Legend, ZZ Top and Shakira have sold their catalog rights within the last year.  Bob Dylan sold his entire catalog for a reported $300 million.   Neil Young sold 50 percent of his worldwide copyright and income interest in his 1,180 song catalogue to Hipnosis Songs Fund limited . Once you get to the age of about 70.  Publishing is far more lucrative than the mechanical royalties paid to artists based on sales, airplay and streams.  A good example of this is Michael Jackson brought the rights to the Beatles catalog in 1985.  And in the late 80’s the Beatles Revolution appeared in a Nike commercial.

The lump sums being offered by publishing firms are more tax friendly concerning estate planning. 

On January 19, 2021 Hipgnosis Song Management acquired 80% of Kenny Chesney’s recorded music royalties, covering the country superstar’s discography from his 1994 debut In My Wildest Dreams through 2017’s Live in No Shoes Nation.

 Someone who was totally against selling his rights was David Crosby.  He did not want to sell his publishing rights.  In addition, it was not an easy thing for him to do.  However, by making a deal with Irving Azoff’s Iconic Artists Group, it took a big weight off his shoulders.  He could pay off his house and cover other bills.  Now he does not have to work for a living.  It should be noted that David is battling tendinitis in his hands, which hurts his ability to play guitar.

Do you think you would be willing to sell your back catalog if someone like Universal is willing to buy everything, such as all the rights to all your songs? 

Hmmmm, only if I retained my ability to perform them anytime I wanted and the price was right because I believe shelving this music is a mistake.  I would never let that happen.  Also, I can always write more music because I am in the prime of my life right now.  100 million would change our lives forever, in ways I can’t even fathom yet.  

There are many platforms out there that allow artists to get their music heard. Artist Republik, DistroKid, Tunecore & plenty others offer distribution services. These services enable independent artists to put their music on some of the most popular streaming services globally, from Spotify to Apple Music & everything in between. If you’ve been in any part of the music industry in recent years, you probably know someone that has distributed a song.

Spotify reports that in 2021 there are about 8 million artists on the platform. Of those 8 million artists, about 57,000 are raking in a whopping 90% of the total revenue from streams. That means that .71% of the artists on Spotify are making good money. In 2020, there was a total of around $5 billion paid out to artists on the Spotify platform alone. 

Therefore it’s reasonable to assume that, by the end of 2021, SPOT will be home to over 90 million tracks. And that in the early part of next year, it will surpass a catalog of 100 million for the first time.

What do you think that could mean to independent artists? 

It really is a double-edged sword.  We are swimming in a sea of music and rising above the din of everyone else is more challenging today.  It becomes much more important for the music to hold integrity and really connect with fans.  No matter what as an independent artist we need to remember that 1000 true fans is a powerful thing.  We can thrive off of 5-10,000 real followers regardless of streaming.  Don’t get discouraged, keep plugging away.  

Over half a billion active users around the world share their favorite music on TikTok either with something like a dance challenge and lip-sync videos or creating a funny skit or candid camera moment.

TikTok has become a great platform for music promotion, sharing songs, and finding new listeners.  In which it has become a place for music artists to earn revenue when people use their music.  In many cases the daily promotion on TikTok has led to huge boosts on other platforms like Spotify, Facebook and YouTube.

TikTok does this algorithmically generating a feed of content for each user, which you see as the displaying of #. The more a user engages with content, the smarter TikTok gets at guessing what kind of videos the viewer wants to watch. 

Because a song can go viral because of this. 

Sony Music and Warner Music Group- , The ByteDance-owned video app revealed that it has struck an “expanded” global licensing agreement with Universal Music Group.  Now that TikTok is now fully licensed by all three major record companies, will you start using TikTok more?

I am trying to use tiktok more often.  The biggest challenge I find like most creators, I have a hugely full life in which I teach math, write music and do booking too which means I am lacking extra time to create.  I wish I could simply create tik toks and become wildly successful.  

Breaking news: TikTok is launching TikTok Radio, a full-time SiriusXM music channel going live this summer.The station will be available in vehicles and as a streaming channel on the SiriusXM App, desktop, and all connected devices.

Some of the members on TikTok include Cassyette, YukoEXE, Ashinikko, Palaye Royale, Josh Dun (Twenty One Pilots), Yungblud, Morrissey, Ozzy Osbourne, Joan Jett, Gene Simmons,  and Mick Jagger.

The station will be part of a new TikTok collaboration with SiriusXM and its subsidiary,Pandora, to jointly promote emerging talent.  Do you think this platform could become a force in the future of streaming music? 

 We already have our music hosted on tiktok so fans can create stories from our music and share what we do with other people.  I have  watched our old violin player blow up on TikTok.  Check her out @MiaAsanoMusic It titworking very well for her.  

Anything you would like to say in closing.

We released our 3rd Album later this Summer after each of the singles drop.

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Winter’s Eve

Sea of Glass-Center for the Arts

Tucson, Arizona

December 16, 2023

Multi-instrumentalist, David Arkenstone has been professionally active in music more than 35 years and is consistered to be the guru of New Age Music. His music is primarily instrumental with a few vocals blended in. His music has been labeled as “soundtracks for the imagination.”

The Grammy nominated artist has released over 50 albums throughout the years and has composed music for video games and television. His music has been used as the background for Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. Whether you realize it or not, you’ve heard Arkenstone’s music. His career catalogue of music is extensive. He managed to release ten ablums during the pandemic between 2020-2022.  

The list of musical instruments that he has mastered includes: violin, saxophone, flutes, guitar, piano, bass guitar, mandolin, melodica, pennywhistle, pan pipes, drums, harp, and Turkish saz.

The fans were anxious to hear new music from Arkenstone’s recent album release, Winterlude. It was written to illustrate some of the moods Arkenstone experiences during this season of the year. As result, this concert wasn’t primarily holiday tunes, but more seasonal selections.That said, there were plenty of Christmas songs arranged in more creative  arrangements that gave the songs a fresh ‘feel’ that avoided the repetition often heard during this time of year. Even “Jingle Bells” had a renewed vigor.

An integrital element of experiencing Arkenstone live is the virtuoso musicians that perform with him. Each had ample opportunity to demonstrate their immense talent. KimberlyZaleski is the group’s flutist. The  Cleveland native plays as the principle flutist for The Firelands Symphony Orchestra and with the Cleveland Orchestra and many other ensembles throughout Ohio.She is the co-founder of the flute, cello,and Percusion In2ative, known for their engaging performances of original compositions.

Josh Gilgoff is the drummer and percussionist who was honored with a national Jazz Rd Tour grant. He has been blessed with performances of his innovative technique”TeleVibe” on seven national and two international tours.

Laurann Woods performs as the violinist, violist, and string arranger for the group. She has the distinction of performing with such artists as The Black-Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, Shawn Mendes, Kelly Clarkson, Beyonce, and many more well-known performers. He violin has been heard on The Late Night Show with James Cordin, The Handmaid’s Tale, and The Voice to name a few. Her list of accomplishments go on. 

Emily Elkin on cello has as many accomplishments as Woods. She is a session musician, Chamber musician, educator and composer. She plays all genre of music and has performed with Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Weezer, Sabrina Claudio, Hand Habits, Big Star, Sharon Van Etten, and many more.            

The show was a guaranteed winner with musicians of such magnificent calibre. Everyone moved off the stage after the break, sitting in the audience that gave the experience of being in one’s ‘living room.’  The entire show was low lit with an aire of a chilly winter night. Obviously there was no snow on the ground outside in Arizona, but you could not help but wonder when you stepped outside what we would find. It was a magical evening filled with extraordinary music.

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Fox Tucson Theatre

Tucson, Arizona

11/26, 2023

by Mary Andrews

It was two years ago when Jake Shimabukuro brought his Christmas tour to Tucson. The 40 something year old ukulele virtuoso has performed here many tines over the years and the fans welcome him with enthusiasum every time. Shimabukuro started playing the ukulele at the age of four along with other instruments,. Shimabukuro revealed that his first band was called Pure Heart. His career exploded when a fan posted a video of him on YouTube in 2006 playing George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” The video became a viral hit and Shimabukuro became an international sensation. 

Shimabukuro brought an old school chum and bass player, Jackson Waldhoff and singer, composer, and guitarist, Justin Kawika-Young, on this tour. Young’s vocals added tremendously to the scope of the show. He mentioned Donny Hathaway early in the set as he introduced “This Christmas.” It seemed his vocals had the same quality of Hathaway’s vocals. Young has worked extensively wiith Colbie Cailiat in the past. He also has written some of the songs on Jake’s new album incliuding “Grateful.” 

The opening song was “Eleanor Rigby” that was given Shimabukuro’s finese and creative musical exploration. He typically holds his instrument close to his heart with the care of a newborn baby. However, the notes he pulls from the instrument is not as tender. He extracts notes that one normally could not imagine coming from a four string ukulele. He’feels’ the music as much as the fans hearing the music. It’s obvious that he is a big Beatles fan since he covers many of their songs.

Shimabukuro greeted the energetic fans, “Hello Tucson. It’s so great to be back. This is one of my favorite places to play. We have a brand new album out called Grateful and we will be playing tunes from that as well as some Christmas music. 

The show had several Christmas songs, but the music featured a well rounded repertiore of great interpretations of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Will Rock You,” “A Place in the Sun,” and “Try to Love One Another.” They started Little Drummer Boy” Beatles style heavy on Young’s bass in the beginning of the song. However, Shimabukuro’s brilliance was demonstrated throughout the song that had the fans giving the star a standing ovation. There were many well-deserved standing ovations during the show. Don’t miss Shimabukuro when he comes to town!

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John Mayer played a solo set at Chicago’s United Center on Wednesday and, while on stage, took a stroll down memory lane, back to his days of just starting out as a young(er) musician. Little did he know that back then, it would be just the beginning of what would become a wildly successful worldwide music career. That being said, Mayer’s concerts are not just about the music; he’s also known for his engaging stage presence and storytelling. He interacts with the audience, shares anecdotes, and creates a more intimate and personal connection with his fans. And, on October 18th, he did not disappoint, saying, “I love Chicago. I remember playing for just my friends here, at Schuba’s years ago. So, tonight, I will consider all of y’all…my friends.” Of course, the thousands in attendance at the United Center went wild.

Depending on the show, Mayer might bring out guest musicians to join him on stage. He has a history of collaborating with other notable artists, making his live performances even more exciting and unpredictable, although this was not the case in Chicago but the nearly sold-out crowd certainly did not seem to mind. He began his set with, “Heartbreak Warfare,” under a slight spotlight and intense blue lasers that blanketed his face and body as he sat comfortably on a white upholstered chair. He also visited his piano for a couple of his tunes, including, “You’re Going to Live Forever in Me,” and, “Changing.” The set was amazing, with just him on that gigantic stage…no surprise guests required.

Mayer’s music has definitely evolved over the years, and his live shows reflect this progression. He seamlessly transitions between different musical genres, showcasing his growth as an artist. Also known for his soulful, and smooth voice, his live performances highlight his vocal and guitar mastery. He often adds improvisational vocal elements to his songs, creating unique renditions for his live audience.

The John Mayer solo tour continues into early November before he (and special guest, JP Saxe) head overseas, first to Japan and then to Europe. You can visit his website (below) for future tour dates and I encourage you to do so.

John Mayer – Official Website

Ruoff Music Center 

Noblesville, Indiana

September 23, 2023

by Mary Andrews

The 37^th annual Farm Aid all day concert once again will go down in history as one of the best to date. It has been a year long celebration of Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday and today’s festivities have been an extention of that celebration. The festival had a cavalcade of musical legends. The press conference started the day’s festivities with the Farm Aid board, local farmers, members of the bands, and other Farm Aid officials. The purpose every year is  to deliver vital information on the progress of Farm Aid’s efforts to help family farmers. The local farmers spoke of challenges in the state and educating the local population on eating organic foods and the effects on human health.

Neil Young always has vital comments on concerns of the day regarding family natural farming.  Here’s what he had to day:”How important it is that the family farmers do what they do by sustaining organic food. They bring back the earrh from the ground up. There are all great things, but they all pale in comparison to one thing, the people who go to the stores. People who are out there right now. We are all together in this. The climate change crisis is out there. If we go to our media, we don’t hear about it. We hear about rediculous stuff that doesn’t mean anything. We hear about the pontificating about political views. All of this meaningless in today’s world. We as the people all around this world can do something about it. We can work together and try to do natural things. Things that help you make decisions about what foods to gather, where to go to buy it. Don’t go the the wrong place to buy the right food. Research, read a little bit to find out what they are doing. It would be great if we could stop using fossil fuel but, things could come to a crashing halt anyway. We need to forget about those kind of things and think about natural things we could do.”

Young continued, “What’s the best way to get a mile and a half down the road? Probably the best way to do that is to walk. It’s the natural thing to do. It makes you stronger and it makes you hungry for good food. In the world you make the right decisions, the natural decisions. The natural way of life. Try to do things the way they used to be. Before we got so smart and so greedy. When I first came here with Willie and John, and Dave, we had a lot of these red shirts around that said stop factory farms. This was in the first and second year of Farm Aid. There’s a couple of them out there in the crowd. This is a serious business. This factory farm thing doesn’t work. It doesn’t work for us. It doesn’t work for humanity. It doesn’t work for the planet. It doesn’t work for the animals. It doesn’t work for the humans. It doesn’t work for anything that grows naturally. Everything that we do, we need to think about natural ways. What were the ways that our forefathers used? Because their ways worked. What we’ve done has gotten so greedy. i’m not going to decent to corporated farming gustalt. But I would like to say that we have a choice and its really the people on the street who are going to make the difference. The farmers are doing everything they can do. Without the people behind the farmers, it’s not going to work. The people need to support the farmers. That’s not just a phrase. We need to think about the world and what we are doing, the natural way. Where is this food coming from and what can I do to get to it? How can I get there without hurting the planet? What things can I do today that will help? What things can I leave off my list that are going to hurt something? If we research this, we will find that it’s not b that hard to figure out. So it’s all in our hands. It’s in the hands of the people of the world to support the farmers. Support everyone who is working for a better tomorrow. A better tomorrow is based in natural ways, mother nature. Mother nature will take care of the earth. We know that. We’ll all be gone. . . .Mother earth has mother nature to protect her. We need to follow those rules. We need to follow the natural ways of living. That’s all I know to say about this. It’s so simple. People have to support the world. 

The festival is always headlined by board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, and Margo Price. This year’s surprise guest was Bob Dylan. It was one of the most packed lineup of entertainers  seen in recent years. 

Immediately following the press conference, the entertainment started with the Wisdom Indian Dancers, Clayton Anderson, and the Black Opry. The Wisdom Indian Dancers are a permanent act at Farm Aid and their colorful set is very short. 

Clayton Anderson, originally from Bedford, Indiana, is inspired by board-member, John Mellencamp. Local fans seemed to be very familiar with Anderson and gave him a warm welcome during his uplifting set. 

The Black Opry featured Lori Rayne, Tylar Bryant, and Kyshona. The band was concieved to support black artists in country music. All of the members in attendence were superb singers. Their set demonstrated the reason Allison Russell introduced Kyshona as one of the best singers in show business. The set seemed far too short.

Particle Kid is Willie’s son Micah Nelson. The young Nelson is following in his father’s footsteps as a songwriter. The multi-instrumentalist always delivers an innovative set with new music offered. He often performs with The Flaming Lips and Neil Young. Nothing like singing “Everything is Bullsh*t” to a country crowd. His hard driving guitars easily pumped up fans.

The String Cheese Incident has been celebrating 30 years as a band. They are celebrating their forcoming album Lend Me a Hand featuring their blues-inspired new music. Fans were on their feet dancing to their loosely structured jam music.

This is the third year for multi-instrumentalist, Allison Russell, to appear at Farm Aid. Doesn’t matter if she is playing clarenet, banjo or guitar, her performance is stellar. Her vocals are compelling and emotional. It’s a great sight to see her at Farm Aid.

Nathaniel Rateliff and the NightSweats delivered another outstanding folk and Americana set prior to Lukas Nelson and The Promise of the Real. Nelson has come a long way since his appearances opening for BB King in 2009. “Sticks and Stones” and “Finding Yourself” were some of the performer’s offerings. The set was amazing as usual.

Bobby Weir and the Wolf Brothers bandmates included bassist Don Was, drummer Jay Lane, keyboardist Jeff Climenti and pedal steel guitarist Barry Siess. The band was aygmented by Sturgill Simpson on guitar, Margo Price on vocals and Lukas Nelson on guitar. It was a three song set that started with an extended version of “Truckin’”

The Jim Irsey Band featuring Ann Wilson and Kenny Wayne Sheperd were up next with Wilson and Sheperd performing the bulk of the set, thankfully. Both entertainers are the best at what they do. Also session guitarist, Tom Bukovac, thrilled the crowd. Margo Price followed with Sturgill Simpson sitting in during her set as well. They covered Simpson’s “Life of Sin.” “Paper Cowboy” and “Hurtin’ (On the Bottle)” were extra treats performed.

Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds gave another spectacular acoustic set, prior to homeboy, John Mellencamp, gave the fans a run of his hit songs. Once “Jack and Diane” was started, Mellencamp stopped the song to chastise the fans for not singing it properly. It was all in fun and I must say the fans knew the lyrics to all of his songs. It was definitely a Mellencamp crowd.

Neil Young’s set was a solo set with Young playing harmonica and guitar as he walked around the stage and sang. It has been three years since Young has made a live appearance at Farm Aid. He was very apologetic regarding his absence. Young at one point shouted,”What’s your favorite planet?” and everyone roared back: “Earth!” The answer was written on the tee shirt he was wearing. The set seemed to be far too short with only four songs, granted they were long versions of the songs. One has to wonder if the set was cut short because of Bob Dylan being added to the list of performers.

Dylan’s surprise set was also short with only three songs including :Maggie’s Farm,” “Positively 4th Street,” and “Ballad of a Thin Man.” Dylan was accompanied by the Heartbreakers, Tom Petty’s band, making his Farm Aid reunion with that band very special. He took the stage without uttering a word to the crowd. Dylan has been touring and has dates lined up for the fall.

Willie Nelson and Family had the final set of the day and it was one of the best this reviewer has seen in many years. Nelson delivered exceptional guitar solos. He was flanked by sons Lukas and Micah as well as Waylon Payne. Some songs performed were “Always on My Mind,” “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Be Cowboys,” and “Texas Flood.” Nelson’s energy level could not have been higher. And Farm Aid could not have had a better day of music.

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Community College

Kirtland Ohio

Michelle Waters

As summer rolled through the campus of Lakeland Community College in Kirtland, Ohio the average festival goer might at first be confused by the music they heard coming from the multi-stage setup at Wonderstruck Festival.

Through a conscious decision, the once more pop and rock-focused fest has begun to morph into a wider variety of performances, including hip-hop and country music. In an effort to reach a wider audience, this is truly set to become the event for people who say they “Love all kinds of music”. After the sheets or rain let up halfway through day 1 of Wonderstruck, music lovers began to peel off their ponchos and trade in those protective layers for sunscreen. Yes, one of the coolest little discoveries I found at Wonderstruck this year was a crew walking around and spraying people with an airbrush gun loaded with sunscreen.

Paris Jackson

No matter your musical interests, you were sure to find something new to enjoy. Local artists were featured-mainly on the smaller Radd Stage, off to the side of festival grounds. Artists like Maybe, Mac Saturn, local favorites Wavrunner and The Vindys, Michael (Jackson)’s daughter, Paris, and true performers like Siena Liggins and Leah Kate all lit up the smallest stage of the three.

Echosmith

Looking for something eclectic? Indie artists, rock artists and hip-hop artists all rotated performances on the middle, White Claw stage. Here’s you could find artists such as Tall Tall Trees, Echosmith, The Struts, and Flo Rida on Saturday of the two-day festival. On day 2, this stage’s performance schedule included The Beaches, Tai Verdes and Nelly.

Walker Hayes

The largest stage, while at first listening seemed to feature mainly country artists, also included crowd favorites Coin, Khalid and Hembree. Folks who stuck around to the end of country star Walker Hayes’ performance on Saturday (night 1) got to see a rare live duo performance of he and Flo Rida performing their famous song, High Heels. How often do you get to attend an event where country and hip hop are so equally represented that this was possible?

Also under question was the possibility of The Struts joining forces with Paris Jackson for a duo of Low Key in Love, but that didn’t pan out. It could have been because the set schedule got a bit jumbled. But you can often only do so much with live performances. I didn’t hear anyone complaining, and really only heard how cool it was to check out such a diverse rotation of music in one place.

Check out a galley of bands Michelle photographed during the weekend.

I’ll definitely be checking out this festival again, next year. The “Wonder Series” also includes several other stops with Wonderbus (Columbus), Wonderroad (Indianapolis) and Wonderworks (Pittsburgh), and all events feature a completely different lineup.

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June 23, 2023

By Dan Locke

Grammy-nominated songwriter  Teddy Geiger — under the moniker teddydy<3 (pronounced “teddy”) — is kicking off a new era with a brand new single entitled “True Love” out now via STEM. This track is the first single from her forthcoming record, Teresa, due later this year

What is your upbringing? 

Oh my word… a roman catholic half Spanish/italian mother from buffalo ny, obsessed with the virgin Mary, but she will swear etc. less religious, more of a mystic spiritualist., paired with a super weird smart, atheist, electric engineer father who worships Tony Robbins.

How did you discover music? 

My grandfather sal (Da) first introduced me to the piano when I was still very young, and I loved it immediately.  i remember listening to lots of my moms greatest hits cd’s. She had the pretty woman sound track in the car for a while when I was young. And i remember my dad just had super tramp breakfast in America, and jewel pieces of you in the car maybe my entire life haha. I listened to a lot of the 90’s alt rock radio station when I was growing up too. That’s really where I formed a lot of my personal taste initially.

Describe your music.

Always changing, I really enjoy playing with sounds and I kind of let the sounds and the music guide me. The lyrics also kind of come that way, usually I let the sound guide me and eventually words will intuitively come up. 

Do you remember how you got your first guitar?  And do you still have it?

Oh dear.. My grandfather gave me one that was in his basement, and I used it to hit a baseball on the last day of summer camp 3 years later and that was that. 

What is your favorite guitar now.  Year and Make and does it have a name?

I don’t have a favorite guitar. I do have a favorite frog and his name is chi cho and he lives in New York. i digress,,, I really enjoy playing nylon string guitars lately. i bought a cheap small nylon string in Spain that’s all over Teresa. 

What was your first performance like?

My first performance was at the school talent show in 2004 I think. I played “nothing” that was the name of the song lol. It was like a half written idea I did the day before that kind of meandered in to ‘say my name’ by destiny’s child. 

What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?

My very first ‘song’ I wrote was called little Tommy black bird. Verrrrry simple melody, I was like 4 or 5 lol. the first song I wrote that was actually recorded and released was called “try too hard”. It was about… u guessed it… trying too hard. 

Your first hit was “For You I Will”  How did your life change after that song came a hit?

That was almost 20 years ago now wow, just thinking about that time feels like a different incarnation. I just remember being very busy. Oh and people treating me really differently. Wow yeah, I was a very shy nerdy solitary strange child and I never had more than one or two nice creative friends who could get weird. after the song became a hit people were literally putting my photo up in their bedrooms haha. It’s all very strange. 

You have written songs from everyone from Pink, Leon Bridges, Empire of the Sun, Sylvan Essos, Sir Chloe, Shawn Mendes, On Direction, Lizzo, and Caroline Polachek.  How is it to write music for other artist?

It’s been really wonderful to have had so many opportunities to make music, and to have been welcomed in to people creative space. It’s really delicate.

How was it working with Shawn Mendes?

He’s so talented and has so much energy, working with him feels like riding an enormous wave.. that was a really special time for me. 

How was it to hear that you were nominated for song of the year for your song “In My Blood”? 

It was nice 🙂 I have a hard time processing and/or acknowledging things that r so abstract, but it felt good to be a part of something that connected with so many people. Honestly that year got to be ALOT for me which kind of precipitated me GTFO to Spain for 3 months. I was being asked to show up a lot in a lot of different ways and was maybe a year or so in to a gender transition. oh hi, Im trans girl btw. Any who this leads us to the fresh baby trans girl in Spain experience that is so very dear to my heart…

Tell me about your new single “True Love”?

True Love is about the desire to be truly loved for what you truly are, and having to leave a situation where that is absolutely not happening. shes a very simple girl.

How was it working with Sabrina Nichols to do the animation on the video?

It was wonderful. Her work is so cool. We only met like two weeks before the single was coming out but she made it happen!

 I think we r going to do another one 🙂

Do you have a date for the release of your album “Teresa”?

 we r going to do the limited vinyl with a lil book I made b4 we go to streaming, I think that will be beginning of September.

Why that title?

Teresa came During my lil Spanish rebirth of sorts. there was a lil party vibe happening in the street like late and a girl kept calling me teresa and I just really liked it. i kind of used the act of writing the name on the glass in the shower in the morning as a reminder to listen to my self.

Paul McCarty just announced that he has been working with AI.  In a new interview with Radio 4 in the U.K., Sir Paul says, “We just finished it up and it’ll be released this year,” adding that he and the production team utilized new technology to “extricate” John Lennon‘s vocal tracks from an old, discarded demo recording and used it to complete a song that had otherwise been discarded for decades. 

Its amazing what ai can do. i’ve done that sort of thing with voice notes to separate the vocals from the guitar or songs I’ve lost the session for to split out stems. It’s really cool. 

How do you think AI will effect the music business in the years to come.

I think there is a lot to explore there. It’s certainly changing the way we r exposed to music. It’s kind of hurting my head to think about 

The symbol # is known as the number sign, hash, pound sign and a sharp sign in music. The symbol has historically been used for a wide range of purposes Since 2007, widespread usage of the symbol to introduce metadata tags on social media platforms has led to such tags being known as “hashtags”, and from that, the symbol itself is sometimes called a hashtag.

Are people forgetting that the # is a part of music?

Hahaha ur sharp. Don’t ask me, Im an illiterate musician. If you wrote out a very simple quarter note melody I would probably do okay, but I’ve always played by ear.

In (2022) vinyl is outselling digital media.  Metallica is selling so much vinyl that they bought their own pressing plant- They pressed 900,000 plus pieces of vinyl I 2022 alone.  The plant they purchase is the Furnace Record Pressing in Alexandria, VA.  So is it Digital vs. vinyl?

I did not know that! I love vinyl, because it’s like basically an instrument being played. my elementary school music teacher told us that if u play vinyl for sick people it heals them in the same was live music will and that cds and tapes aren’t as healing. It seems maybe kinda sketchy, but I’ve just always choose to believe him. 

What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you? 

Gayatri mantra is going in the back of my head rn. using a mantra like that can serve as a really nice way of quieting the thinking planning mind and turning inward.

In the past if a musician stopped doing music, they found a new career.  For example David Lee Roth from Van Halen became a licensed EMT in NY for 6 years, San Spitz (guitarist for Anthrax) became a master watchmaker, Dee Snider (Twister Sister) voice over work for SpongeBob SquarePants.. If you can’t do music what would you like to be doing?

David lee Roth was an EMT!? That’s beautiful. I might like to be sort of a nun, idk I will play with the idea. Im wouldn’t be surprised if this time next year im doing devotional music 😉

What is your happy place? 

I love me some quiet time, ah but I also love noisy time

Over half a billion active users around the world share their favorite music on TikTok either with something like a dance challenge and lip-sync videos or creating a funny skit or candid camera moment.

TikTok has become a great platform for music promotion, sharing songs, and finding new listeners.  In which it has become a place for music artists to earn revenue when people use their music.  In many cases the daily promotion on TikTok has led to huge boosts on other platforms like Spotify, Facebook and YouTube.

TikTok does this with the algorithm that generates a feed of content for each user, which you see as the displaying of #. The more a user engages with content, the smarter TikTok gets at guessing what kind of videos the viewer wants to watch. 

Because a song can go viral because of this. 

Sony Music and Warner Music Group- , The ByteDance-owned video app revealed that it has struck an “expanded” global licensing agreement with Universal Music Group.  Now that TikTok is now fully licensed by all three major record companies, will you start using TikTok more?

Breaking news: TikTok is launching TikTok Radio, a full-time SiriusXM music channel went live last summer. The station  a streaming channel on the SiriusXM App, desktop, and all connected devices.

Some of the on TikTok include Cassyette, YukoEXE, Ashinikko, Palaye Royale, Josh Dun (Twenty One Pilots), Yungblud, Morrissey, Ozzy Osbourne, Joan Jett, Gene Simmons,  and Mick Jagger.

The station will be part of a new TikTok collaboration with SiriusXM and its subsidiary,Pandora, to jointly promote emerging talent.  Do you think this platform could become a force in the future of streaming music?

Im still not on tik Tok 🙂

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When Barenaked Ladies perform in Chicago, you can expect a mix of their well-known hits such as “One Week,” “Pinch Me,” and “If I Had $1,000,000,” along with songs from their more recent albums. They often incorporate humor and banter into their performances, creating a fun and engaging atmosphere for the audience. This chilly June 6th evening was no exception.

To get the most up-to-date information about Barenaked Ladies’ upcoming performances and latest music releases, such as their latest single (and video), “Lovin’ Life,” released just this morning, click HERE.

#BarenakedLadies #Semisonic #DelAmitri #LiveMusic #Chicago #NortherlyIsland #LastSummerOnEarth

July 9, 2023

Wrigley Field Chicago 

by Keeton Robinson 

Legendary rock group Dead & Company made their way to Wrigley Field to finish their sold-out tour. The 2-day sold-out show was one for the books. People from all over the country and the Midwest area made their way to the historic ballpark. Seeing the artists up close and feeling like it was Woodstock type of vibe. The live band in front of Wrigley Field that’s performing had the attendees in a great mood before entering the stadium. The crowd was mainly older, but it was some young people that knew the songs and were attending as well. Entering the stadium was just a sea full of people everywhere you went, but it was one of those experiences that you had to be there in person to witness. The weather couldn’t be any better to see a live band perform their hits. Sunny day around the low 80s with clear skies throughout the entire performance. People were patiently waiting for the band to come out. When the band members came out, the crowd went wild and were ready for the performance.

Once the band members had their instruments set up and ready to go, the first song they played was “Playing In The Band”. The lead singer Bob Weir was the main person singing the song, and the crowd was singing along with him. The vibe at Wrigley Field was welcoming, and I felt like it was the concertgoers were in their own bubble while the performance was going on. What was unique about this performance to me was that once the song was over, it wasn’t a gap or anything saying we were going to the next song. I thought that was cool, and it kept the performance flowing throughout the whole night.

The next song was called Deal, and that was mainly sung by John Mayer. Overall the concert was great, and it felt like you were going through a time machine I would recommend someone to attend any tour dates in the near future.

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