Laura Michelle & Drake Bell at the El Rey Theatre

Laura Michelle at the El Rey Theatre photo by Jessica Klausing

Laura Michelle at the El Rey Theatre photo by Jessica Klausing

 

Laura Michelle hosted her first album release at the El Rey Theatre in downtown Los Angeles last Friday night. Michelle along with special guest, Drake Bell celebrated with a full length concert. 

Check out my review.

Special thanks to Music Junkie Press for featuring my review on their site!

Information & Links:

 

 

 

 

New Site & New Digs

Welcome to On The Flipside Music!

My newest music blog that will hopefully showcase some of your favorite artists as well as introduce you to some new ones. You can find all of my original work from my old blog (ontheflipsidewithjess.blogspot.com) over here now. I will not bore you with a redundant intro--see the "About" section for that!

Instead, I'll bore you with some announcements:

I'm in the process of editing lots of interviews and new music reviews. Stay tuned!

I am also accepting music submissions! If you have your own music or would like to make a request then send them my way! I may not always be able to respond in a timely manner but I will be in touch.

Check out my latest concert review of The Mother Hips at West Hollywood's Troubadour. The band covered a "surprise album" and shared a new single off their upcoming album. You can read the review and listen to the new single, "I went in hard," right HERE.

Tim Bluhm of The Mother HipsPhoto by Jessica Klausing

Tim Bluhm of The Mother Hips

Photo by Jessica Klausing

AIR + STYLE 2015

Written By Jessica Klausing

For the first time, AIR + STYLE brought big air, snow, and music to Pasadena's Rose Bowl. Hosted by Shaun White, This two day festival featured world elite snowboarders and skiers qualified from the Innsbruck and Beijing events. This was also the first time skiing was added the lineup where 16 professional skiers competed on the Big Air Jump.

Despite the cold weather and rain showers, the competitions were completed with more than 40,000 spectators in attendance!

For the results and additional information check out the AIR + STYLE  main page.

In addition to the competition, AIR + STYLE brought 18 incredible bands performing over two stages. The Saturday lineup consisted of: Bad Things, Phantogram, Diplo, Kendrick Lamar, Teenage Wrist, In the Valley Below, Metz, The Black Lips, and Portugal The Man.

Below are my favorite songs from each of these bands. Enjoy!

Bad Things

These guys were the first act of the day. This is an American Synthrock band that features professional snowboarder and skateboarder Shaun White on lead guitar. I didn't think at first I was gonna dig it. Despite White's athletic celebrity status, this band has some songs worth checking out. "Caught Inside" stands out among their predominant garage band sound. This song is smooth with a nice steady drum beat. The group also includes lead vocalist Davis LeDuke, bassist and former Augustana member Jared Palomar, guitarist Anthony Sanudo and the lovely Lena Zawaideh on drums and vocals.

Phantogram

This band was my favorite of the day! Their music is catchy, chill and motivating. What's not to love? Sarah Barthel can belt out the pop vocals like nobody's business! It's hard to find a bad song out of their catalog, but "Fall in Love" is their ultimate best in my opinion. Barthel's voice just pulls you into a deep hypnotic spell with no chance of ever coming back. Seriously, I can't stop playing this song on repeat.

Diplo

Electronic music lovers unite! This American DJ is usually seen with his associated act, Skrillex, or as the duo are better known as Jack U. This electronic dance music (EDM) sound can be described as Dubstep. Honestly, I am not much of a fan to Dubstep. I personally prefer the more traditional House or relaxing Trance. "Revolution" is one of the exceptions to the rule for me. It's upbeat and fun, which is the whole point to EDM, right?

Teenage Wrist

When it comes to music I'm genuinely a sucker for 90's garage and indie sounds. So, I was quite pleased to discover Teenage Wrist. In a world full of autotune it's pleasant to get back to the simpler sound of sweet nostalgia. Not a whole lot of information can be found other than their Facebook and Twitter accounts. What we do know is the band is a collaborative side project that consists of Kamtin Mohager (The Chain Gang of 1974), Marshall Gallagher (Swing Hero) and Anthony Salazar. "Slide Away" is the second single off the band's forthcoming EP. According to the band, this song is a sample of what we can expect for future releases. If that is true, then I don't think music lovers will be disappointed.

In the Valley Below

Angela Gail and Jeffrey Jacob blend the beautiful harmony that is Americana, blues and synth pop. Their sound is almost a dead ringer in the style of Peter Bjohn and Jon Jon. This dynamic duo has already gained attention by European alternative radio. "Peaches" is the opening song on the their debut album The Belt. It's a fitting pick to give listeners an introduction into Gail and Jacob's synchronized chemistry.  

Metz

This Canadian post punk trio are a real punch to the gut. If you are not too much into the heavy metal scene then you might have a hard time listening to their new stuff. It is heavier, darker and much more sloppier. Those that love heavy distortion, screeching vocals with growling guitar riffs may appreciate "Wet Blanket" or "The Swimmer." My pick is the somewhat tamer "Spit You Out." This song has the right amount of feedback in which can almost resemble Nirvana.

The Black Lips

The Black Lips are a self described "flower punk" garage band. Basically, it's another term for psychedelic rock. Despite their provocative stage antics, their sound has a 60's British rock vibe. Granted a demented 60's sound but the lyrics are quite catchy. "Bad Kids" is one of those dark songs that you can't help but sing along.

Portugal the Man

Portugal The Man is an American rock band that hails from Wasilla, Alaska. Most of their songs have a quirky synth sound to them while under toning symbolism for the darkness of human nature. I like "Sleep Forever." That song has a beautiful "Champagne Supernova" by Oasis like eloquence to it. However, "Purple, Yellow, Red and Blue" receives the honorable mention for its deliciously dark combination of bells and falsetto vocals.

Kendrick Lamar

Hip Hop artist Kendrick Lamar closed the AIR + STYLE Day 1 as the last performance of the night. And what a fun way to close the festivities indeed.  Lamar brings a fresh sense of swag to west coast hip hop. His arty self expressions give hip hop a much needed positive look on life. "I" is perhaps the best example of that point. The song is a reminder to keep happy and be blessed in things that you have despite the bad times.

Plus the line "These days of frustration keep ya'll in tucking rotation" is a real doozy. It gets stuck in your head for days!

In Memory of Davy Jones & Leslie Carter

I wanted to make a special post in honor of  Davy Jones and Leslie Carter. Both of these talented artists are near and dear to my heart. I was devastated to have heard of both deaths, but after watching Jones' tribute on Good Morning America, I kept thinking about the prior month when I read in a local magazine of Carter's death. I couldn't shake the fact that two of my favorite artists had died just a few months apart.  I have been listening to The Monkees and Leslie Carter since elementary school and will proudly continue to do so. They were the first artists that inspired me at such a young age that it is cool to like different styles of music

DAVY JONES

1945-2012

I was in the second grade when I first discovered The Monkees. My mom had bought a couple of VHS tapes of their 1960's tv show. I was enamored. I must have watched those videos about a million times. I even remember listening to their CD non-stop on a 6 hour car trip to Florida and still not growing tired of hearing it. I was a 90's kid stuck in the 60's. As far as who my favorite Monkee is still a tie. Micky Dolenz cracks me up no matter what mood I'm in but Davy Jones was simply a heartthrob. Like millions of other girls, I was dazzled with Davy's boyishly cute looks, optimistic personality and flirtatious accent. Whenever I think of Davy Jones, I smile. His music is upbeat, fun, and reminiscent of innocent times. The shows of today will never withstand the test of time like The Monkees have done.

"Daydream Believer" was Davy's most popular song but "She Hangs Out" is my all time favorite Davy song. Plus, this song was featured at the end of my favorite Monkees episode. The one where the two Russian spies are watching Davy break out into a song and dance number to "Way Down Upon the Swanee River." Davy will always be remembered as the adorable entertainer.

LESLIE CARTER

1986-2012

In my opinion, Leslie Carter is one of the best pop bubblegum artists of the Y2K generation. Her music is highly underrated which as a result only her single, "Like Wow!" was the only music ever released. She formed a pop/rock band, The Other Half, which disbanded in 2009. The song, "Like Wow!" is the definition of what 90's pop music was all about. It was about the campy and cheery feeling of being in love. When I listen to the song it reminds me so much of my carefree childhood memories. A time of innocence before fully understanding the trials and woes of becoming an adult. 

The "Like Wow!' music video has been rarely seen by viewers. I think its a shame that the world could not have seen more of Leslie's talents.

Social Networking's Impact On the Music Industry

INTRODUCTION

Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and YouTube are popular social networks that have revolutionized the music industry. Major recording labels have lost CD sales and marketing revenue because of the free downloads offered on the internet. In the past, artists and fans were at the mercy of the record labels. An artist’s success depended on getting signed to a major record label. Major record labels had the money and sole power to influence mainstream audiences. These record labels could sell music, create music videos, and distribute artist information to all media outlets. However, the recent emergence of social networks makes all this possible to everyone. Fans and artists alike can now share music, tour dates, videos, information, and pictures on the internet that reaches a diverse audience. According to Neilson SoundScan, CD sales have dropped 18% in 2007. The rapid evolution of the internet cannot be stopped but it can be controlled. Many record labels have teamed up with social networking websites to take advantage of this mass marketing.

ONLINE DEMOGRAPHICS

  • In the early beginning, social networks were geared towards teenagers and young adults in their early twenties. However, in the last year, social networks have been able to attract the older generation, according suite 101.

  • Social networks allow fans to share music with their friends or find out what other people with similar interests are recommending according to Spinner.

  • According to Wired, on social media sites, users categorize themselves into useful demographics based on media consumption, so music-oriented sites can offer advertisers more value than the ones where all people do is talk.

  • The music industry realizes that social networks allow marketers to learn about specific interests. According to Catherine Halohan , social networks allow anybody to create an account for free to gain access to the same number of people as large corporate businesses.

  • Facebook’s iLike application gives marketers insights to specific fans’ interests.  iLike notifies fans when their favorite artist is in town, which sends them links to Ticketmaster or to iTunes to buy music.

  • 139 million users access MySpace, 175 million uses Facebook, and 344 million uses YouTube.

WARNER MUSIC GROUP AND YOUTUBE

In 2006, Warner Music demanded all of its copyrighted videos be removed from YouTube. Warner Music hoped that users would seek out the Warner Music official website to access these videos. YouTube appeals to the most internet users regardless of age or gender. Users can obtain videos of their choice without payment. The official website required users to pay for these videos. The label hoped to regain some of its lost video revenue.  Despite the label’s efforts, audiences were still finding ways to beat system.

  • Warner Music copyrighted videos were still being shared across the internet to other networking websites such as MySpace. Fans refused to pay for something that they could easily obtain for free.

  • Once someone obtains a video through file sharing it becomes viral. There is no exact way to trace a source or to stop the video from re-appearing. Using these free services is a great way to cater to fans’ needs.

MYSPACE MUSIC

In 2008, MySpace created a specialized division for artists to sell and market their music. Top record labels
 such as Sony BMG, Warner Music, and Universal Music unveiled MySpace Music, which allows fans to listen to online music for free and buy songs for download, along with concert tickets and merchandise.

  • MySpace Music offers fans exclusive secret shows of their favorite artists. The secret shows are offered for MySpace users only. The record labels and the social network work together to generate the most users.
  • Black Eyed Peas, Bruce Springsteen, and Good Charlotte, and many other famous musicians have premiered music on MySpace, allowing fans to preview upcoming CDs.

ONLINE INTERACTION

Another popular aspect of social networks is they allow fans more personal time with the musicians.

  • Twitter has become a great way for artists to interact indirectly with their fans (Topping, 2010). Artists such as Kanye West have taken advantage of their “tweets” to promote a new album or make an instant personal statement, according to Guardian.co.uk.

  • Fans can obtain the “tweet” and then re-tweet it for others to see or pass on.

  • Fans can follow their favorite band to learn about upcoming concerts, watch videos, or read online interviews.

SOCIAL PANEL VIDEO

In the social media panel video, social network executives talk about their plans to continue to promote the music industry.

  •  Jason Kirk, executive of Ustream says 15% of its broadcast is dedicated to live music.  "Fans are interested in obtaining on demand web streams. "

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, social media is constantly evolving. The music industry has also faced many phases of evolution.

  • Similar to vinyl and cassettes, CDs may fade out of style for a while. However, music has always remained a major impact on our society. I think that social networks will continue to work together to promote the music industry.
  • In the earlier years, we were used to reading about a band in a magazine or watching a music video on MTV. Now, we are in a high technological state where we can obtain all this and more with the click of a button.
  • We are increasing our demand for instant online notifications. Someone reading an artist’s “tweets” might also be watching their video on YouTube at the same time. We will continue to move forward with technological advancements and evolution.