WML 12: Contemporary Composers Vol. 1

Welcome to the Twelfth Edition of Weekend Music Links. We've streamlined these posts because they were getting a leeeetle bit too long. So we moved some of the other portions of these weekly posts to our Facebook Page, which will be updated according to the following schedule:

Monday - Quote of the Week
Tuesday - Found Instrument of the Week
Wednesday - Upcoming Music Events

If you would like to be featured in our Local Spotlight (which we will be getting back to momentarily) or have some upcoming gigs you'd like to promote, feel free to contact Ford Seeuws or Justin Weathermon on Facebook, and we'll be happy to feature you.

This week we feature two contemporary composers who have been influential in recent years.

Clint Mansell

Chances are, you know Mansell's work even if the name doesn't ring a bell. The piece that put him on the mainstream map had been written for a string quartet that was featured in the soundtrack of the film Requiem for a Dream, but it wasn't until it had been re-orchestrated by another group of composers for the second half of The Two Towers trailer under the name "Requiem for a Tower" that everyone took notice. At that point the piece became the heir apparent to Karl Orff's famous O Fortuna as the go-to cue for trailers and movies that want to capture "epic" without all the hard work of composing something new.

Proof that Requiem for a Tower makes anything epic:

But Mansell hasn't let his success with Requiem straitjacket his compositional creativity. While his piece Dead Reckoning from the soundtrack for Smoking Aces does share more than a few fingerprints with Requiem, his soundtrack for the new film Moon is right on the mark.


The Kronos Quartet has had a pretty close relationship with Mansell for quite some time, performing the soundtrack for Requiem for a Dream, and here they perform pieces from his soundtrack for The Fountain live at a concert in Madrid:


Steve Reich

Steve Reich is one of the most influential composers who gets lumped into the "minimalist" category. Reich pioneered the art of "phasing," which requires musicians to play an identical melody, but at different tempos, so while the performers sound like they are playing something identical at first, one begins to sound a bit off-tempo, then as if it were an echo and finally comes back into unison at some point.

The effect phasing creates is unique, and while it sounds simplistic, it is not easy. You pretty much have to be a human metronome to be able to play Reich's phasing works accurately. One such example is Peter Aidu performing his one-man rendition of Reich's Piano Phase. This guy's got rhythm:


Glenn Kotche, drummer for Wilco, uses one of Steve Reich's pieces, Clapping Music, as a warm-up, which he demonstrates in the following promo from Modern Drummer's 2006 Festival.


For more information on Reich and his music, check out this interview from American Public Media, or take a look at this excerpt from a documentary about Reich, which tells the story behind Riech's discovery (invention?) of phasing as an art form.

WML 11: Found Instruments

Welcome to Playground Music's 11th edition of Weekend Music Links. We've been off the web map for a few weeks, busy with getting kids ready for school band, but we're back this week with some great links.

The theme for this week's edition is found instruments. Found instruments are objects that are used to produce sounds or music in a way that subverts the objects' originally intended purpose.

In the next few weeks, we'll be posting a "Found Instrument of the Week" on our Facebook page, so be sure to check back or chime in with your own. Maybe you've discovered a household object that doubles as a good musical instrument, or maybe you've stumbled upon some bands that use some creative objects for rhythms or melodies.

Aside from being an interesting diversion, found instruments are more common than one might think, and without them music wouldn't be the same. Here's a little example to demonstrate found instruments in action:


In addition to our videos and links relating to the topic, we also have our usual calendar of music events and a local artist spotlight. Enjoy!

LOCAL ARTISTS

Michael Reisman got his start as a musician in West Palm Beach, but considers Panama City the place in which he really spread his wings. Michael was co-founder of the Orchestra of St. Andrew Bay (now the Panama City Pops) and was a staple of the local music community as both a teacher and mentor to many young musicians.

When asked to choose his favorite instrument, his reply was, "The one that I'm holding at the moment." Michael is a voracious learner. Both a proficient violinist and violist in numerous styles, he has gone on to become an instructor of both bass and cello, and he has branched out into woodwinds as well, playing and teaching both clarinet and saxophone.

Currently he serves as a full-time instructor for Star Music Academy in Columbia, SC, where he teaches bowed strings, keyboards, and single reeds. He is also the Concertmaster of Columbia's Lake Murray Symphony Orchestra.

When asked about found instruments, Michael said, "I once found a viola bow on my car. I never did learn where it came from but someone left it there for me."

But Michael has had some experience with the other kind as well. At one point he decided to make an instrument out of clay pots. He went around to different nurseries and had enough to pots to span an octave and a half, but never could find enough to fill in the whole chromatic range. He has found himself collecting numerous sizes of branches and wood that makes an interesting sound when struck.

"I've always been interest in found sound, whether it was a bird call, the clack of a wooden wind chime, or the creak of a door. I never recorded them but certain sounds catch my ear regularly."

Michael offers the following points as advice for young musicians:

Four essentials in music study:

1 - The ability to sight-read (Get a private teacher to take you through this).
2 - The ability to be disciplined enough to practice regularly (by yourself).
3 - Learn as much music theory as possible (a teacher can help with this, too).
4 - Play with the best ensemble (group) you can.

Michael cites the following artists as influences: Cannonball Adderly, Guillaume de Machaut, Alfonso X of Castile and Leon, Eric Satie, and the Emerald Coast's own composer/conductor David Ott (who has just finished an opera commissioned by the Pensacola Opera, which will be performed at the Marina Civic on October 4-see below).

Feel free to meet Michael on Facebook. He's a phenomenal musician and gifted teacher, and is always learning and teaching something new.

LOCAL EVENTS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 - Massalina Cargo at Trigo Cafe and Bakery
6:00pm at Trigo Cafe and Bakery

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 - Rhythm and Hues Cruise
Blues and jazz by the EdMo Project and art by Michael McCarty.
3:00 - 5:00 at Destin's Sunquest Cruises.
$55

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2 - The Carolinas, Lilywhite and The Cries Of
The Axis Venue at 6:30 p.m.
$5

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3 - The Band of the U.S. Air Force Reserve
Marina Civic Center at 7:30 p.m.
FREE

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4 - David Ott and The Pensacola Opera perform The Widow's Lantern.
Marina Civic Center at 2:00 p.m.
$15 - adults, $12 - military, $7 - students.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8 - Cirque Dreams Illuminations
Marina Civic Center at 7:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9 - Open Mic Night at the Rabbit Hole
7:00pm at The Rabbit Hole
FREE

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17 - The Panama City Pops first concert: Anything Goes.
Arnold High School Auditorium at 7:30 p.m.
$25-adult, $20-sr./military, $10-children under 12.

Jazz Jam at the Granite Cafe
Every Wednesday
The Granite Cafe (on the corner of Beck Ave and 10th St. in St. Andrews)
6 - 10 pm
FREE
Bring an instrument and a bit of rhythm and join the jam!

FOUND INSTRUMENTS ON VIDEO

There are so many videos on the web dealing with found instruments that we have decided to post a "Found Instrument of the Week" on Facebook. Here is a small sampling of our finds so far:

* Tic-Tac Symphony.

* James Houston's Rendition of Big Ideas (Don't Get Any) by Radiohead. Okay, let me explain. Radiohead issued a challenge to take their song Big Ideas... and remix it. Houston decided to make a video showing antiquated electronic equipment that had "Big Ideas" of covering Radiohead's Song. It takes a bit to get going, but it really is a masterpiece of mixing and production.

* A bit more traditional, but no less amazing. I never knew the old wine glass trick could sound like this: Czech Glass Harpist.

* This gadget analyzes sound patterns and attempts to duplicate them with found instruments. In this case, the machine analyzes dialogue from a scene in Citizen Kane and tries to duplicate it. The results could be considered the basis of a musical idea: All My Candy.

FOUND INSTRUMENTS ON THE WEB

* The nice thing about found instruments is that they can be a real cost-saver when you're in a pinch, but still want to get your kids interested in music, or maybe you just feel like banging on something cheap. Check out the Homemade Percussion and Junk Music Site for some ideas.

* Paul Rudolph is a member of GLANK, which is a found instrument/percussion ensemble. Think Stomp with space-suit-looking costumes. He has an interesting picture collection featuring all manner of strange found instruments from circular saws and propane tanks to sheet metal and transmission parts.

* Speaking of car parts, Tan Dun featured brake drums in his much touted Internet Symphony No. 1 'Eroica' for the Youtube Symphony.

OTHER LINKS/NEWS

* Chris Godber has been featured on a prominent online Smooth Jazz Radio Show. Check him playing in the same queue with famous saxophonists at Mevio's Smooth Jazz Sax Show.

* The News Herald and Pineapple Willy's are putting on a contest called The Panhandle's Got Talent. All proceeds will benefit the News Herald's Newspaper In Education Program. Entry requirements include a 2-minute self-made, unaltered video and a $5 entry fee. Register online at www.newsherald.com/gottalent. The deadline for all entries is October 11.

* So Lynyrd Skynyrd has a new album, and I think the name says it all: God and Guns. The single "Simple Life" is more country than Skynyrd, and so achingly pleading in its attempt to become a part of Americana that it won't ever get there, but maybe this new album will cause cover bands to look back through Skynyrd's catalog and realize that they did have more than one song. What I wouldn't give to hear Gimme Three Steps every once in a while in lieu of Sweet Home Alabama. Am I the only one that thinks a Sweet Home Alabama fast is a good idea? Not retiring the song, mind you, just letting the thing put its feet up for a while. I mean, it's a wonder the song can still walk at all after Kid Rock's homage.

* The Odd Music Gallery is a great site featuring information on instruments that will be unfamiliar to most readers. While not all of them are found instruments, they are unusual. Some standouts include:
- The Aeolian Wind Harp-The wind plays it!
- The World's Largest Instrument
- The Pencilina - The perfect recipe for a one man band.

TOTALLY RANDOM

* This one actually has a very relevant tie to today's posting, but you'll have to watch it to find out what it is. It's like Where's Waldo...except you don't know what you're looking for, but if you look long enough...you'll get it: Amber Pacific - Fall Back Into My Life

Well, that's all for this week. Thanks for reading!

WML 10: Multitasking in the Music Business

Welcome to Playground Music's Tenth edition of Weekend Music Links.

With our tenth edition we introduce a development. Each new issue will focus on a specific theme. This week's them was inspired by our interview with Josh Street who made the point that in today's fast-paced world it has almost become a prerequisite that one wear many hats in order to make it in the music business. So we'll be taking a look at some articles, videos and links that will hopefully inspire you to don a few more caps.

With our new focus, though, we are not going to forget local bands regardless of the week's theme, so, as always...if you are a local musician or in a band (or know of one) and would like to get the word out about upcoming shows, releases or projects, drop us a line.

You can follow and contact us on twitter @ playgroundpc, or send a message to our Facebook page administrators: Ford Seeuws or Justin Weathermon.

LOCAL STUFF

Branching Out: Interview with Local Album Man Josh Street


We got in touch with Joshua Street this week, founder of Branch Records, to tell us a bit about his company, background and recording process.

PMC: When/how did you get the idea to start a record company?

I've always been really passionate about music. So has pretty much everyone around me. Like most great ideas they start with just friends talking, but after a while it progressed to a lot more. In the past, I was really discouraged with how music was developing. A lot of great music and talented people, but not a whole lot of environments and support systems to nurture it. Branch is a culmination of those ideas and feelings. As I answer these questions, I'm listening to artists create music and sitting in a studio built by the label. I really can't complain.

What distinguishes you as a record company?

We don't operate like one. A normal record company operates by promotional formulas and media outlets. Push the record here and there. Follow the market to this style and that style. We just pick music we are passionate about, creative people we like, develop the tools they need, and cultivate an environment to support their success. You can waste a lot of time trying to follow in someone else's shoes.

What is your favorite part of recording/promoting music?

Recording was one of my original passions, but probably my favorite part of what we do is creating tools and forming partnerships that build our artist community.

Any music that you find yourself listening to more than others?

I love music you can drive to and think about. Woodale, Ben Folds, David Gray come to mind. I indulge in a good 80's ballad every now and again.

You have any advice for young musicians, kids in school band, who may be interested in a future in recording?

Be ready to trudge your own path. The current system isn't set up to produce another Wynton Marsalis or Michael Jackson. They came during an old paradigm. The exciting thing is you have never had access to so many opportunities to create a job for yourself in music. Just be willing to wear a few different hats.

If you're interested in supporting local music, give Branch a hand this week. They are on their way to South By Southwest and are looking to hold their own panel on exploring new models for record labels. Read more at the Branch Records Blog, and please consider voting for their panel.

CONNECT WITH BRANCH:
Branch on Facebook
Branch on Twitter
Branch Website

LOCAL ARTISTS

Erich von Hinken

Erich got his start in music at age 5 with piano lessons. You can see him in action as a little tyke in this video from Erich's video blog (which we'll be getting back to in a minute).

Citing a broad range of influences from Beethoven, Chopin, and Bach to Anathallo, MuteMath, and Sigur Rios, Erich is as adept with the classics as he is with contemporary music of various styles.

Erich graduated from GCCC last year, having composed numerous original works including a string quartet and works for piano. All the while he was honing his improvisation and songwriting skills and released his own record with the help of the boys at Branch.

Erich is currently attending the FSU School of Music and has taken up keyboard duties with an up-and-coming Tallahassee band named Vera.

As far as multitasking goes, he's been known to break out a theremin, Key-tar, and if the music thing doesn't work he could always resort to playing Link if they ever make an adaptation of Zelda to the big screen:



The above video came from a video blog that Erich maintained last year in which he played everything from Power Rangers and Pokemon to Beethoven, Alicia Keys and Biz Markie. He also featured guest artists, and one of our own makes a cameo to play a bit of Beethoven and Journey. Visit Erich's Youtube channel to watch and listen.

CONNECT WITH ERICH:
Erich Von Hinken.com
Erich on Myspace
Vera on Facebook

LOCAL EVENTS

The Panama City Music Association has released their 2010 calendar. All performances are at the Marina Civic Center at 7:30 p.m.:

Monday, January 25 - The Pirates of Penzance
Monday, February 8 - The Israel Ballet, "Don Quixote"
Thursday, March 4 - Odessa Philharmonic with Cellist, William DeRosa
Wednesday, March 10- "Annie," Broadway Musical

Individual Events

Heart of David Worship Series
Featuring Ford Seeuws on violin and Johnny Burrows, Vocalist.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
6:00pm - 7:00pm
GULF BEACH BAPTIST CHURCH
10620-HUTCHISON BLVD(Middle Beach Rd)
Call 234-8892 for more info or visit the Heart of David Worship Series Event Page for more info.

Chris Godber in God Bless America Concert
Saturday, September 12, 2009
11:00am - 2:00pm
Panama City Mall
Join Chris and many other artists at the Panama City Mall for a Free Concert! This is an inside event and should be in the center of the mall or on the Dillard's Wing. (More details to come....) Do a little shopping, listen to some music, it's all good! Chris goes on at 12:00PM.
Facebook Event Page

Ongoing Events

Backstage Pass Concert Series

Cash Money performs tonight! Last in the series!
Dark and cool speakeasy atmosphere. Show up early and tour the backstage area. Local bands and you on stage!
Friday Nights from July 24th-August 28th
6:30 - 8:00
Marina Civic Center (Stage Entrance at Northeast corner of building)
$5
Tickets are available in advance - online at www.marinaciviccenter.com and at Civic Center box office window.
More information on their Facebook Event Page.

Live in Concert at the Martin Theatre

Sundays from now through Sept. 13
The Martin Theatre Green Room
3 - 7 p.m.
$2
This week featuring Blue Ribbon Healers.
Details:
3 to 4 pm is a meet and greet with the artists,
at 4 we begin recording the show for WKGC.
Come and be a part of the show. 5PM to 7PM is music and more music.
Every week Lucky Mudd opens up the the afternoon of music for a different musical guest.
For more details visit Emerald Coast Studio.com.

Will Therrien
Will's Wednesdays-7 pm @ Mellow Mushroom on the beach.
Saturdays - 8 pm @ Joey's Coffee Shop on Front Beach Road

Jazz, Jazz, Jazz!
On Wednesday nights, jazz fans have numerous options:

*Jazz Vocalist Suzanne Stewart-McDowell performs in the patio at the Los Antojitos Restaurant from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. The restaurant is located about a mile east of the bridge on the edge of St. Andrews on Hwy. 98.

*Musician Steve Wiggins heads up a lively jam session at the Grand Panama Coffee Shop adjacent to the Edgewater Resort on Font Beach Road.

*Jazz Jam at the Granite Cafe (on the corner of Beck Ave and 10th St. in St. Andrews)from 6 - 10 pm. Bring an instrument and a bit of rhythm and join the jam!

YOUTUBE TALENT

* If you haven't heard Paul Dateh, the hip-hop violinist, you're missing out. Here he is demonstrating today's theme with style. Plus, he's doing it to help a friend fight cancer. Cool idea...



* While not necessarily keeping in with the theme, they're local boys, so we'll cut them a break. The Carolinas did a little live music at The Gap, so if you haven't heard them yet, here's their video of the performance:
The Carolinas also have some free tunes available at Bandcamp.

* Shenzo, the rock violist we featured last week, knows a thing or two about multitasking. In fact, he takes it a weee bit over the top with his Electric Stunt Orchestra:



LINKS/NEWS

* As if high schoolers aren't already wearing enough hats, here's another one to throw their way. The National Association of Music Merchants is hosting a contest for high school and Jr. High students who play in a band performing their own original songs. "Each of the 10 finalists will receive prize money to purchase new gear—and so will their school music programs! In addition, the winning band will travel to Europe next March to perform at the 2010 SchoolJam Germany finals in Frankfurt" -from the NAMM website. The deadline for applications is October 15.

Check out their 30 second promo:



More info is available at the following sites:
NAMM's Article on the School Jam Contest
The School Jam USA Home Page
School Jam USA on Facbeook
School Jam USA on Twitter
School Jam USA on Myspace

* The LA Times has an insightful article referencing It Might Get Loud, a film in which Director Davis Guggenheim rounded up rock icons Jimmy Page, the Edge and Jack White to talk about life in the rock world. LA Times writer chatted with all three and included excerpts from their discussion. Read Wanna Be a Rock Star: Career Advice from JImmy Page, the Edge, and Jack White (thanks to PowellMusic for the find).

* Some good discussion about songwriting is occurring at Twitter's Songwriting Community Blog (yes, such a thing exists). If writing songs is one of the hats you are wearing (or are aspiring to wear) check out this article on Adding Soul to Your Songwriting (thanks to Jon Ostrow for the find).

TOTALLY RANDOM

* Another Flowchart for you this week (courtesy XKCD).


Well, that's all for this week. Thanks for reading!

Weekend Music Links: Issue 9

Welcome to Playground Music's ninth edition of Weekend Music Links. If you have any favorite blogs, message boards, videos, sites, bands, upcoming events, or anything else that you think deserves a mention, please send them our way. We love to get your feedback!

Remember-If you are a local musician or in a band (or know of one) and would like to get the word out about upcoming shows, releases or projects, drop us a line.

You can follow and contact us on twitter @ playgroundpc, or send a message to our Facebook page administrators: Ford Seeuws or Justin Weathermon.


LOCAL ARTISTS

Unfortunately, we don't have any local artists to feature this week. If you'd like to be featured please let us know!


LOCAL EVENTS

Individual Events

Heart of David Worship Series
Featuring Ford Seeuws on violin and Johnny Burrows, Vocalist.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
6:00pm - 7:00pm
GULF BEACH BAPTIST CHURCH
10620-HUTCHISON BLVD(Middle Beach Rd)
Call 234-8892 for more info or visit the Heart of David Worship Series Event Page for more info.

Chris Godber in God Bless America Concert
Saturday, September 12, 2009
11:00am - 2:00pm
Panama City Mall
Join Chris and many other artists at the Panama City Mall for a Free Concert! This is an inside event and should be in the center of the mall or on the Dillard's Wing. (More details to come....) Do a little shopping, listen to some music, it's all good! Chris goes on at 12:00PM.
Facebook Event Page

Ongoing Events

Backstage Pass Concert Series

The Romanics (featuring a handful of local musicians including Bay Arts' own Jennifer Jones) Performs Tonight!!
Dark and cool speakeasy atmosphere. Show up early and tour the backstage area. Local bands and you on stage!
Friday Nights from July 24th-August 28th
6:30 - 8:00
Marina Civic Center (Stage Entrance at Northeast corner of building)
$5
Tickets are available in advance - online at www.marinaciviccenter.com and at Civic Center box office window.
More information on their Facebook Event Page.

Live in Concert at the Martin Theatre

Sundays from now through Sept. 13
The Martin Theatre Green Room
3 - 7 p.m.
$2
This week featuring Mike Jurgensen.
Details:
3 to 4 pm is a meet and greet with the artists,
at 4 we begin recording the show for WKGC.
Come and be a part of the show. 5PM to 7PM is music and more music.
Every week Lucky Mudd opens up the the afternoon of music for a different musical guest.
For more details visit Emerald Coast Studio.com.

Will Therrien
Will's Wednesdays-7 pm @ Mellow Mushroom on the beach.
Saturdays - 8 pm @ Joey's Coffee Shop on Front Beach Road

Jazz, Jazz, Jazz!
On Wednesday nights, jazz fans have numerous options:

*Jazz Vocalist Suzanne Stewart-McDowell performs in the patio at the Los Antojitos Restaurant from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. The restaurant is located about a mile east of the bridge on the edge of St. Andrews on Hwy. 98.

*Musician Steve Wiggins heads up a lively jam session at the Grand Panama Coffee Shop adjacent to the Edgewater Resort on Font Beach Road.

*Jazz Jam at the Granite Cafe (on the corner of Beck Ave and 10th St. in St. Andrews)from 6 - 10 pm. Bring an instrument and a bit of rhythm and join the jam!

YOUTUBE TALENT

* The Low Anthem is a folk band from the Northeast. What sets them apart is their phenomenal versatility. They play: acoustic guitar, electric guitar, upright bass, electric bass, banjo, clarinet, violin, mandolin, harmonica, keyboard, piano, trumpet, trombone, drum kit, pump organ, cellular telephones (from The Low Anthem's Wikipedia article). Check out their song For the Ghosts Who Write History Books, which features pump organ, guitar and clarinet. Thanks to David Swanson for the find.

* You must experience Shenzo. He makes an unplugged viola sound amplified and even distorted:
How to Play Rock Viola - Pt. 1.
How to Play Rock Viola - Pt. 2.

LINKS/NEWS

* In 2006 Filmmaker John Maher followed the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps for 80 days to get an insider's look at the rigors of a summer with a top-ranked drum and bugle corps. The result was Throw It Down, an 88 minute award-winning documentary that promises more than just inside jokes and you-had-to-be-there moments. An article featuring the film can be found on Marching.com. You can see the official trailer at the Throw It Down website.

* Marching.com also features a helpful technique guide by Wayne Downey, the music director for the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. Downey wrote this guide, which can be found at: Marching.com.

* U2's doing a Spiderman Opera. Well, that should be interesting? Thanks to the Daily Swarm for the info.

* South African songwriter Graeme Sacks has written a piece that should get the aspiring writers among us (song or otherwise) to get busy writing. Check it out at his blog: AfricanABC. Thanks to Artists House for the find.

TOTALLY RANDOM

* This one is worth a few laughs in the xkcd vein:


Well, that's all for this week. Thanks for reading!

Weekend Music Links: Issue 8

Welcome to Playground Music's eighth edition of Weekend Music Links. If you have any favorite blogs, message boards, videos, sites, bands, upcoming events, or anything else that you think deserves a mention, please send them our way. We love to get your feedback!

Remember-If you are a local musician or in a band (or know of one) and would like to get the word out about upcoming shows, releases or projects, drop us a line.

You can follow and contact us on twitter @ playgroundpc, or send a message to our Facebook page administrators: Ford Seeuws or Justin Weathermon.

LOCAL NEWS

Tonight Steve Wiggins will be performing a live set at the Marina Civic Center's Backstage Pass Concert Series and from 6:30 to 8:00 they'll be recording the show for a live album.

LOCAL ARTISTS

Will Therrien

This week we have a video!




We were having some technical difficulties with the video playing at lower resolution. If it doesn't work for you, go here and click on VIEW IN HIGH QUALITY.

Sorry for the inconvenience.


LOCAL EVENTS

The News Herald has a great page listing weekly summer music events.
Check it out: Summer Concerts Will Have a Backstage Twist.


Individual Events

The Carolinas, Lily White, and The Bookends Live at the Rabbit Hole
Friday, August 14
6:00pm - 9:00pm
The Rabbit Hole on Harrison Ave.
$5
Check their Facebook Event Page for more info.

Chris Godber in Concert
Saturday, August 15
11:30 am - 1:30 pm
Grand Ridge Baptist Church
2093 Porter Ave
Grand Ridge, FL
Facebook Event Page

Marisa Joy Williams Benefit Concert
Saturday, August 15
7:00pm - 8:00pm
Springfield United Methodist Church
701 School Ave.
Panama City, FL
Come for an evening of Christian music presented by Donna Williams accompanied by Alan Mullikin at a concert to raise funds for Joy Park to be built at Springfield United Methodist Church.
Facebook Event Page

Chris Godber in God Bless America Concert
Saturday, September 12, 2009
11:00am - 2:00pm
Panama City Mall
Join Chris and many other artists at the Panama City Mall for a Free Concert! This is an inside event and should be in the center of the mall or on the Dillard's Wing. (More details to come....) Do a little shopping, listen to some music, it's all good! Chris goes on at 12:00PM.
Facebook Event Page

Ongoing Events

Backstage Pass Concert Series
Steve Wiggins (BLUES) Performs Tonight!!
Dark and cool speakeasy atmosphere. Show up early and tour the backstage area. Local bands and you on stage!
Friday Nights from July 24th-August 28th
6:30 - 8:00
Marina Civic Center (Stage Entrance at Northeast corner of building)
$5
Tickets are available in advance - online at www.marinaciviccenter.com and at Civic Center box office window.
More information on their Facebook Event Page.
Steve Wiggins' MySpace.

Live in Concert at the Martin Theatre
Sundays from now through Sept. 13
The Martin Theatre Green Room
3 - 7 p.m.
$2
This week featuring Jerry Mincey.
Details:
3 to 4 pm is a meet and greet with the artists,
at 4 we begin recording the show for WKGC.
Come and be a part of the show. 5PM to 7PM is music and more music.
Every week Lucky Mudd opens up the the afternoon of music for a different musical guest.
For more details visit Emerald Coast Studio.com.

Will Therrien
Will's Wednesdays-7 pm @ Mellow Mushroom on the beach.
Saturdays - 8 pm @ Joey's Coffee Shop on Front Beach Road

Jazz, Jazz, Jazz!
On Wednesday nights, jazz fans have numerous options:

*Jazz Vocalist Suzanne Stewart-McDowell performs in the patio at the Los Antojitos Restaurant from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. The restaurant is located about a mile east of the bridge on the edge of St. Andrews on Hwy. 98.

*Musician Steve Wiggins heads up a lively jam session at the Grand Panama Coffee Shop adjacent to the Edgewater Resort on Font Beach Road.

*Jazz Jam at the Granite Cafe (on the corner of Beck Ave and 10th St. in St. Andrews)from 6 - 10 pm. Bring an instrument and a bit of rhythm and join the jam!

YOUTUBE TALENT

* School Band season is about to be in full swing, so as we kick off the season here's a jolt for all the drummers out there: Blue Devils Drum Corps.

* Virtuoso Violinist Roby Lakatos delivers a stirring rendition of Csardas. Give this thing a minute and, say 12 seconds, to kick in...blazing speed. Nice tune.

LINKS/NEWS

* The Texas Tech University Music Theory Department maintains a nice blog with some relevant music-related content. They have a weekly Metal Monday post focusing on, well, Metal. This week they had an interesting post that focused on the late Cliff Burton, the Metallica bassist who died in a plane crash in 1984 (Correction-tour bus incident-thanks to Otto Akin for the correction). The post helps remind us that being Metal doesn't mean you have to be simplistic in music appreciation or apathetic in your practice regimen. This entry proves quite the opposite actually, and sheds a bit more light on why Metallica would become the quintessential metal band.

* Newest gimmick to attract attention for cultural attractions: The Twitter Opera. (Thanks to wannaplaybynamm for the link)

* NPR's Tiny Desk Concert Series turns its lenses and mics to The Swell Season this week. The Swell Season is a band composed of two members: Marketa Irglova and Glen Hansard, the stars of the Academy Award winning film Once.

TOTALLY RANDOM

* For you non-sci-fi fans...sorry-more Star Wars. Nick Burch linked this in his blog covering the evolution of media and advertising. He pointed out how the internet seems to randomly spawn moments of creative brilliance, and to prove the point he references Stefan's Stormtrooper 365 Project on flickr. Each day Stefan uploads a new picture of stormtrooper action figures in different creative poses. The project began on April 9, and is promised to continue until April 8 of next year, so if you're a Warsie (or Warser, if that's less offensive), get your daily dose of Star Wars and creative photography from the same source.


Well, that's all for this week. Thanks for reading!

Weekend Music Links: Issue 7

Welcome to Playground Music's seventh edition of Weekend Music Links. If you have any favorite blogs, message boards, videos, sites, bands, upcoming events, or anything else that you think deserves a mention, please send them our way. We love to get your feedback!

Remember-If you are a local musician or in a band (or know of one) and would like to get the word out about upcoming shows, releases or projects, drop us a line.

You can follow and contact us on twitter @ playgroundpc, or send a message to our Facebook page administrators: Ford Seeuws or Justin Weathermon.

FEATURE STORY
While this one comes a bit out of left field (or...uhhh...right field I guess), it's an interesting story that caught my eye, and it's definitely link-worthy, so here it is...

British rock band Radiohead, known for its brooding and melancholy meditations on various forms of societal malaise, have just released a song honoring Harry Patch, a 111 year-old British World War I veteran who recently passed away. Whatever your opinion of Radiohead's music or political persuasion (which they freely promote in this song), you can only benefit from a look at Mr. Patch's incredible story and life.

The story can be heard at PRI's The World or on BBC's Page where you can listen to Radiohead's Song Harry Patch (In Memory Of) while reading the lyrics and viewing a poignant photo of Mr. Patch in his last years.

The lyrics, while no doubt reflective of Radiohead's own political views on war, directly quotes Mr. Patch, and should be given an honest listen, if for no other reason than to honor the man himself.

The song begins with string lines that are reminiscent of the kind Michael Kamen used to convey the rich emotional tone that helped make Band of Brothers so good. Radiohead bring their A-game, though, utilizing Johnny Greenwood's intuitive use of dissonance and Yorke's atmospheric crooning to create a fitting homage to veterans like Harry Patch.

You can download the song from Radiohead's Website. All proceeds from the purchase will go to the British Legion in support of British veterans.


LOCAL ARTISTS

Chris Godber

Chris Godber has been a saxophonist from the beginning. He started playing at the age of 12 and began writing his own songs about the time he finished high school.

Chris spent some time overseas as a child while his dad was in the Air Force. While in Germany he spent much of his time in the house listening to music, and it became a central part of his life there. At the time it was Kenny G's mastery of the soprano sax that captivated his interest, and upon his return to the states, Chris took up the alto sax as he entered middle school.

He had asthma, however, and doctors warned him that he should not take up the sax because it could further affect his respiratory condition. He fought through it, though, and rather than aggravating his asthma, the extra effort helped strengthen his lungs.

After a successful performance of the national anthem for his father's Air Force retirement ceremony, Chris was hooked. He has since gone on to perform in numerous settings and has released four albums. His most recent, "One Breath at a Time," was released earlier this year.

Chris has this advice for young musicians:

"Practice, Practice! No joke, I know everyone tells you that, but that's because it's true in all aspects of life. If you want to get stronger, you have to work out; if you want to be a better cook you have to get into the kitchen! If you want to be a better musician you have to put in the effort and practice.

"And one thing I've learned about practicing is to never get satisfied with your playing level. If we get comfortable with how well we play then we won't strive to get better, we'll just get in this little niche and stay there. You should always aspire to be better tomorrow than you are today.

"There's an old saying that my band instructor would always tell me 'If you don't practice for one day, you will know it. If you miss practice for two days, your audience will know it.' I've always remembered this and I make an effort to practice accordingly."

A few musicians that have influenced his playing are: Boney James, Jeff Kashiwa, David Sanborn, Kenny G, Kirk Whalum, and Dave Koz. But Chris cites God as his greatest influence: "I was told that I wouldn't be able to play the sax. I could have left it at that, but something in my innermost being wouldn't let me. God spoke to me and told me to play that sax, and He allowed me to. Yea I got discouraged a lot because it was hard and didn't happen over night, but He blessed me with a family to give me pep talks and boost my confidence.

"When I was 15 I gave my sax playing and music all over to the Lord and asked Him to do with it what He would because it's not about me. He blessed it and did things with it that I could never have dreamed of. The only musical training I've had was in middle school band...I just played in church and let God teach me the rest. So my inspiration comes from the Father, whom I play for and share my testimony with audiences all over. Just as my new album is titled 'One Breath at a Time', I'm hoping to spread the message of hope and love one note and one breath at a time..."

Chris has a number of shows coming up. See the events list below for more information or visit his website Chris Godber.com.

LOCAL EVENTS

The News Herald has a great page listing weekly summer music events.
Check it out: Summer Concerts Will Have a Backstage Twist.


Individual Events

Cool Hand Luke, Save the Ship, Lily White and The Dukes of Appleton
TONIGHT!
6:30 pm
Lynn Haven United Methodist Church - 4501 Transmitter Rd.
$7
Check their Facebook Event Page for more info.


FRIDAY FEST TONIGHT!
6PM-10PM
4th Street Stage - Hangar Sixx
5th Street Stage - Emerald County Line
Maddie's Stage/6th Street - Bone Daddy
Gateway Park - TBA
Trustmark Stage/Oak Avenue - Ebb Tyde
For more info, visit Friday Fest's Website.

Curt McCathy and the 4th Street Band at Friday Fest
TONIGHT!
8:00pm - 11:55pm
The Place
Join Ashley Feller, Matt Law, Steve Henley and Curt McCarthy in the air conditioned comfort of The Place for Friday Fest!
4th Street plays eclectic acoustic music from a wide varity of artists with a little homegrown music mixed in for good measure .
You're guaranteed to hear a song you know by heart!
Facebook Event Page

Bread of Stone in Concert
Monday, August 10
7:00 pm
Free
Living Word Fellowship
Facebook Event Page

The Carolinas, Lily White, and The Bookends Live at the Rabbit Hole
Friday, August 14
6:00pm - 9:00pm
The Rabbit Hole on Harrison Ave.
$5
Check their Facebook Event Page for more info.

Chris Godber in Concert
Saturday, August 15
11:30 am - 1:30 pm
Grand Ridge Baptist Church
2093 Porter Ave
Grand Ridge, FL
Facebook Event Page

Marisa Joy Williams Benefit Concert
Saturday, August 15
7:00pm - 8:00pm
Springfield United Methodist Church
701 School Ave.
Panama City, FL
Come for an evening of Christian music presented by Donna Williams accompanied by Alan Mullikin at a concert to raise funds for Joy Park to be built at Springfield United Methodist Church.
Facebook Event Page

Chris Godber in God Bless America Concert
Saturday, September 12, 2009
11:00am - 2:00pm
Panama City Mall
Join Chris and many other artists at the Panama City Mall for a Free Concert! This is an inside event and should be in the center of the mall or on the Dillard's Wing. (More details to come....) Do a little shopping, listen to some music, it's all good! Chris goes on at 12:00PM.
Facebook Event Page

Ongoing Events

Backstage Pass Concert Series
Gulf Jazz Society Performs Tonight!!
Dark and cool speakeasy atmosphere. Show up early and tour the backstage area. Local bands and you on stage!
Friday Nights from July 24th-August 28th
6:30 - 8:00
Marina Civic Center (Stage Entrance at Northeast corner of building)
$5
Tickets are available in advance - online at www.marinaciviccenter.com and at Civic Center box office window.
More information on their Facebook Event Page.

Live in Concert at the Martin Theatre
Sundays from now through Sept. 13
The Martin Theatre Green Room
3 - 7 p.m.
$2
This week featuring Doug Spears.
Details:
3 to 4 pm is a meet and greet with the artists,
at 4 we begin recording the show for WKGC.
Come and be a part of the show. 5PM to 7PM is music and more music.
Every week Lucky Mudd opens up the the afternoon of music for a different musical guest.
For more details visit Emerald Coast Studio.com.

Jazz Jam at the Granite Cafe
Every Wednesday
The Granite Cafe (on the corner of Beck Ave and 10th St. in St. Andrews)
6 - 10 pm
FREE
Bring an instrument and a bit of rhythm and join the jam!

YOUTUBE TALENT

* This one made the rounds a couple years back, but it's worth another mention here. The featured talent here is not so much U2's song, which is nothing to shake a stick at, but the painstakingly researched and edited video:

Window in the Sky

* Here's a nice little song incorporating a string ensemble (thanks to Youtube's Music Tuesday for the find):

Too Much Time By John Vanderslice and the Magik Orchestra

* While fingerstyle guitar is not a new development, for many it was a new discovery when they saw Andy McKee's now famous performance of his song Drifting on Youtube in 2006. It's worth a look especially if you're unfamiliar with this unique way of playing the guitar:

Andy McKee - Drifting

LINKS/NEWS

* For all you composers and songwriters out there who need a break from the digital world, but never seem to have blank staff paper lying around, Blank Sheet Music.net is a nice little resource to have in your bookmarked pages. It's customizable, quick and free.

* Musician Tutorials.com has loads of great information for just about anything dealing with music-making in a typical 3-5 piece band. From guitar maintenance to choosing the right instrument, practice techniques, recording, dealing with stage fright, it's all there.

* Yamaha.com has some great resources for wind and band students. Their page Wind Tips from the Pros is one of these great resources with loads of valuable tutorials and tips.

TOTALLY RANDOM

* Some friends introduced me to Homestarrunner.com probably five years ago or so. If the name is new to you, it's hard to really know where to start in describing it. Two brothers who graduated from FSU film school decided to take their collective creative talents and direct them through a cast of characters they'd created for a children's book. The result was a web site that functions as a portal to a collection of cartoons, songs, video games, and, perhaps most famously, a page where one of the characters (Strongbad) answers real e-mails from fans of the site. So, if all this is new to you, a good places to start is Strongbad's email about drawing Dragons, which culminates with a song that has achieved that oh-so-coveted honor of inclusion in a Guitar Hero game. Witness the birth of Trogdor!

Well, that's all for this week. Thanks for reading!

Weekend Music Links: Issue 6

Welcome to Playground Music's sixth edition of Weekend Music Links. If you have any favorite blogs, message boards, videos, sites, bands, upcoming events, or anything else that you think deserves a mention, please send them our way. We love to get your feedback!

Remember-If you are a local musician or in a band (or know of one) and would like to get the word out about upcoming shows, releases or projects, drop us a line.

You can follow and contact us on twitter @ playgroundpc, or send a message to our Facebook page administrators: Ford Seeuws or Justin Weathermon.

LOCAL ARTISTS

Sam Weigle

Sam was born and raised here in Panama City, beginning his music career with piano lessons at a young age. It was footage from the Eagles' live concerts that inspired him to take his music to another level. At about this time, he had begun practicing five hours a day on the piano, and his parents suggested that he take up guitar.

So at 16, he joined the legion of aspiring guitarists out there, and because he realized he was getting a bit of a late start, Sam's competitive nature drove him to practice hard and be the best he could be. He went to college for engineering, but switched to music while at Memphis where he both recorded and performed regularly.

Armed with a number of years of teaching experience in varied environments, a certificate from Berklee in music production and a studied command of the fretboard (see him featured in this week's Youtube Talent segment below), Sam returned to Panama City and is now a sought-after teacher and performer in Panama City's growing music scene.

Though difficult for him to pin down due to his wide appreciation for various styles, Sam finds his musical center somewhere between classic rock and heavy metal. He cites the following artists as having the most profound influence on his style of playing the guitar (long list!): Joe Satriani, John Petrucci/Dream Theater, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Van Halen, Kirk Hammett/Metallica, Yngwie Malmsteen, The Eagles, Collective Soul, and Dave Matthews.

For the aspiring musician, Sam recommends a well-rounded approach:

Being a teacher, I'm always full of advice, for better or worse! Most obviously, practice. A lot. And not just songs you like, but techniques and exercises. Practice learning by ear. Learn to read music even if you think it's a waste of time. Learn at least a little bit of music theory--for some reason people think theory is boring and takes the fun out of music. That's stupid. It's fascinating and it will make both listening and playing a more fulfilling experience. Don't let anybody tell you you'll never amount to anything with doing music. There's a lot more jobs in this biz than you would think. Just decide if it's something you love only as a hobby, or you want to do for a living, and then stay that course.

One day he hopes to run his own recording studio, but in the mean time he is teaching lessons, performing at Margaritaville with his band Twice Daily (he is in the market for a bass player by the way), and posting some great guitar tutorials on Youtube.

- Twice Daily's MySpace.
- Sam's Youtube tutorials and other guitar goodies.


LOCAL NEWS

* In Issue 3 we did a profile on the Carolinas. To see what they are up to now, check out their July Update. They've got some cool stuff coming including what sounds like a pretty big opportunity with the Gap. They also landed a solid review on music review blog The Fire Note.

* Last week we mentioned that Anthony Peebles was going to be opening for Coolhand Luke and Save the Ship's show on August 7, but he has just informed me that the remainder of his band The Dukes of Appleton will be back in town, so he won't be flying solo that night. This is going to be a great show (details below)!

LOCAL EVENTS


The News Herald has a great page listing weekly summer music events.
Check it out: Summer Concerts Will Have a Backstage Twist.


Individual Events

Cool Hand Luke, Save the Ship, Lily White and The Dukes of Appleton
Friday, August 7
6:30 pm
Lynn Haven United Methodist Church - 4501 Transmitter Rd.
$7
Check their Facebook Event Page for more info.

The Carolinas, Lily White, and The Bookends Live at the Rabbit Hole
Friday, August 14
6:00pm - 9:00pm
The Rabbit Hole on Harrison Ave.
$5
Check their Facebook Event Page for more info.

Ongoing Events

Backstage Pass Concert Series
Legacy (R & B/Funk) Performs Tonight!!
Dark and cool speakeasy atmosphere. Show up early and tour the backstage area. Local bands and you on stage!
Friday Nights from July 24th-August 28th
6:30 - 8:00
Marina Civic Center (Stage Entrance at Northeast corner of building)
$5
Tickets are available in advance - online at www.marinaciviccenter.com and at Civic Center box office window.
More information on their Facebook Event Page.

Live in Concert at the Martin Theatre
Sundays from now through Sept. 13
The Martin Theatre Green Room
3 - 7 p.m.
$2
This week featuring Gileah Taylor.
Details:
3 to 4 pm is a meet and greet with the artists,
at 4 we begin recording the show for WKGC.
Come and be a part of the show. 5PM to 7PM is music and more music.
Every week Lucky Mudd opens up the the afternoon of music for a different musical guest.
For more details visit Emerald Coast Studio.com.

Jazz Jam at the Granite Cafe
Every Wednesday
The Granite Cafe (on the corner of Beck Ave and 10th St. in St. Andrews)
6 - 10 pm
FREE
Bring an instrument and a bit of rhythm and join the jam!


FEATURED PRODUCT

This week we take a look at Crafter's TRV23N-a great compact guitar for travel.



YOUTUBE TALENT

* A chef mixes beats:


Thanks to sTuFF i wANna SaY for the find!

* Sam Weigle shreds through Dream Theater's newest single (start @ 2:53 to see the blistering solo):



* We've started a little discussion on Playground Facebook page regarding the future of Post Rock. If you aren't familiar with the term, check out one or two of the following examples and join in the discussion (or if you already have an opinion, let us hear it on our Facebook Page):







LINKS/NEWS

* Students have been known to exploit teachers' hearing loss by using ring tones at too high of a frequency for the teachers to hear. Noise Addicts has a cool little app that allows you to test your ability to hear higher frequency tones. Mine cuts out at 16 Khz, while Justin was able to hear quite a bit higher. Try it for yourself: Noise Addicts' Hearing Test.

* CBC reports that new Mozart works have been discovered. (Thanks to The Daily Swarm for the link)

* Wired has a story covering the new app making it possible to use your iphone not just to play music, but to make music: Best Ways to Produce Music on an iphone. (Thanks to Daily Swarm again!)

* Having passed the mid-year mark, All Songs considered has revealed the results of a poll it conducted of its listeners cncerning their favorite songs and albums of the year thus far. The results are at All Songs Considered.

* Pandora Radio has to be one of the best radio innovations in recent years. It's not perfect, sure (I had a baroque station that kept insisting on playing fiddle tunes-nothing wrong with fiddle tunes, mind you, but not quite sure how the musical genetics of fiddle and baroque could be considered similar), but it is a breath of fresh air to those of us who tire of radio as usual. Pandora has just opened its second poster design contest for all you artists out there. Grand Prize gets 500 bucks, so if you're a quick draw (yuk, yuk) give it a shot.

* At the end of 1978, after Star Wars had achieved box office dominance, someone thought it would be a good idea to make a holiday special that has since been shunned by all parties involved (see Wikipedia's Entry on The Star Wars Holiday Special). The following clip was taken from that special, which is worth a look just to see Chewbacca in a goofy-looking gown, but the real reason it's being posted here is because Princess Leia sings, and not only are the lyrics the stuff of rejected first drafts of the cheesiest nursery rhymes, but they are sung to the tune of Williams' famous score. Brings whole new meaning to the term "epic":



TOTALLY RANDOM

* While we're on the subject of Star Wars, might as well throw this one in. Classic. The creator's description is below the video...

Star Wars: Retold (by someone who hasn't seen it) from Joe Nicolosi on Vimeo.

My friend Amanda had never seen a whole Star Wars film. When I asked her if she wanted to watch the original trilogy she said that she would, but that she already knew what happens. So I took out my voice recorder and asked her to start from the top.
I then created some very basic animation in Final Cut to go along with her narration.
www.fishrockit.com

Well, that's all for this week. Thanks for reading!

Weekend Music Links: Issue 5

Welcome to Playground Music's fifth edition of Weekend Music Links. If you have any favorite blogs, message boards, videos, sites, bands, upcoming events, or anything else that you think deserves a mention, please send them our way. We love to get your feedback!

Remember-If you are a local musician or in a band (or know of one) and would like to get the word out about upcoming shows, releases or projects, drop us a line.

You can follow and contact us on twitter @ playgroundpc, or send a message to our Facebook page administrators: Ford Seeuws or Justin Weathermon.

LOCAL ARTISTS

Anthony Peebles
Last Friday Night Anthony performed at Save the Ship's show with his band the Dukes of Appleton. After hearing rumors of his dynamic voice, my interest was piqued, so I contacted Anthony to find out more about his band and to hear them for myself.

It turns out that last week's show, though their first, was the Dukes of Appleton's last because their keyboard player is leaving for college. But Anthony is still in Panama City and is committed to continuing his solo work...and that's a good thing because not only can he carry a tune, but he carries it with a confident earnestness beyond his years.

At age 18, when most contemporaries would be concerning themselves with learning the fine art of screamo or angst-ridden whining, Anthony cites the likes of the Beatles, Fleet Foxes and John Denver as his most profound influences, and judging from his delivery, he's carrying on these traditions well. Word has it that during Friday night's show he proved that he has some other tricks up his sleeve, crooning soulfully on a bluesy original song called "When Angels Cry."

Anthony started his musical journey with drums a few years back and made the transition to playing guitar and songwriting two years ago. When pressed to give advice for up-and-coming musicians, Anthony's unassuming answer was, "Just sing what pops into your head while you play your riff. It'll turn out grand most of the time."

Judging from what I've heard, this has worked so far Anthony, so do yourself a favor and check out his MySpace and if you hear that he's playing, be there.
- Anthony's MySpace Music Page
Anthony will be opening for Cool Hand Luke's show at Lynn United Methodist on August 7 (see below).

UPCOMING MUSIC EVENTS

The News Herald has a great page listing weekly summer music events.
Check it out: Summer Concerts Will Have a Backstage Twist.


Individual Events

Heart of David Worship Series
BRITTANY LEWIS-WILLIAMS accompanied by Thomas Watts,II will present selections of Christian Music ranging from Gospel, Contemporary and Liturgical Arias
Sunday, July 26, 2009
6:00pm - 7:00pm
GULF BEACH BAPTIST CHURCH
10620-HUTCHISON BLVD
Panama City Beach, FL
Heart of David Worship Series Facebook Event.

Cool Hand Luke, Save the Ship, Lily White and Anthony Peebles
Friday, August 7
6:30 pm
Lynn Haven United Methodist Church - 4501 Transmitter Rd.
$7
Check their Facebook Event Page for more info.

The Carolinas, Lily White, and The Bookends Live at the Rabbit Hole
Friday, August 14
6:00pm - 9:00pm
The Rabbit Hole on Harrison Ave.
$5
Check their Facebook Event Page for more info.

Ongoing Events

Backstage Pass Concert Series
ON CALL BAND (Jazz/R & B) Performs Tonight!!
Dark and cool speakeasy atmosphere. Show up early and tour the backstage area. Local bands and you on stage!
Friday Nights from July 24th-August 28th
6:30 - 8:00
Marina Civic Center (Stage Entrance at Northeast corner of building)
$5
Tickets are available in advance - online at www.marinaciviccenter.com and at Civic Center box office window.

Live in Concert at the Martin Theatre
Sundays from now through Sept. 13
The Martin Theatre Green Room
3 - 7 p.m.
$2
This week featuring Grant Peeples.
Details:
3 to 4 pm is a meet and greet with the artists,
at 4 we begin recording the show for WKGC.
Come and be a part of the show. 5PM to 7PM is music and more music.
Every week Lucky Mudd opens up the the afternoon of music for a different musical guest.
For more details visit Emerald Coast Studio.com.

Jazz Jam at the Granite Cafe
Every Wednesday
The Granite Cafe (on the corner of Beck Ave and 10th St. in St. Andrews)
6 - 10 pm
FREE
Bring an instrument and a bit of rhythm and join the jam!


YOUTUBE TALENT

* A friend did this, so maybe my objectivity is a bit lacking, but I thought it was hilarious: JT on Drums.




* Stan Gibson keeps a phenomenal blog on just about anything you can imagine-from philosophy to analysis of popular music and television to theological musings and literary criticism. In one of his latest posts listing links and comments on various topics, he linked the following video and had this to say about it,"I am pretty sure that if you looked up the word ‘horrifying’ in the dictionary, this is what you’d find."



Yes, let's all agree not to do a cover like this...ever.

* But If you're bent on co-opting counterculture, you might as well do the source material justice. Justin found a perfect example: Nirvana gets Rick-Rolled.



* One man brass band: Nat McIntosh demonstrates multiphonics.




LINKS/NEWS

* The Dallas Brass is no stranger to Panama City, but if you happen to be a stranger to them, definitely give them a look. I attended one of their performances a few years back at the Marina Civic Center in which they managed to hold the attention of a packed house composed of the toughest critics imaginable: middle-schoolers. Perhaps it was Nat McIntosh's demonstration of multiphonics or his rendition of popular hip hop songs on Sousaphone that did the trick (see above). They play musical numbers from just about any style imaginable with stirring technical ability that is shaped by their nuanced musicality. They are big on the education side of things, providing clinics for school band programs, too.
- The Official Dallas Brass Web Site
- Dallas Brass on Myspace
- Dallas Brass on YouTube

* While we're on the subject of Sousaphones, the Onion had a funny riff on the Guitar Hero craze that deserves a look and a chuckle:
- Activision Reports Sluggish Sales for Sousaphone Hero.

* Another bit of brass news: NPR Music had trumpeter Dave Douglas and co. appear for their Tiny Desk Concert Series. If you're unfamiliar with the series, Bob Boilen, host of NPR's All Songs Considered has musicians over to perform live in his office. This week, the staff was wary to have a brass ensemble in the cramped space, but everyone seemed impressed by the show.
- Dave Douglas and Brass Ecstasy
- Tiny Desk Concert Series Home Page

* Babelgum's ad on Facebook is trying to sell Coldplay's Strawberry Swing Video as Radiohead-like. No offense to the video itself because it is fantastic, and no offense to Coldplay because the song is fine, but Radiohead? Posh...
The video is very well done, however, taking sidewalk chalk to a whole new level. Incredibly visualized: Strawberry Swing.

* We sent out an update this week with the following gadget, but in case you missed it, check out the following video/mixer/time waster...thingy. Special thanks to Bob Boilen (again!) of NPR's All Songs Considered for the heads up on this one.
- Time Killer in B Flat
- All Songs Considered

That's it for this week!

Weekend Music Links: Issue 4

Welcome to Playground Music's fourth edition of Weekend Music Links. If you have any favorite blogs, message boards, videos, sites, bands, upcoming events, or anything else that you think deserves a mention, please send them our way. We love to get your feedback!

This week we introduce two new sections. The first is Our Featured Product. Yeah, it's an advertisement, but we promise to keep it lively and interesting, turning you on to new products. Who knows? Maybe you'll learn something new!

The next new addition is called Totally Random. Each week we'll feature some web-oriented gizmo or discovery that will most likely have nothing to do with music, but should prove to be interesting nonetheless.

Remember-If you are a local musician or in a band (or know of one) and would like to get the word out about upcoming shows, releases or projects, drop us a line.

You can follow and contact us on twitter @ playgroundpc, or send a message to our Facebook page administrators: Ford Seeuws or Justin Weathermon.


LOCAL ARTISTS

Last week we featured the Carolinas and mentioned the free show they were doing at Pier Park. For those of you who didn't get a chance to make it, they put on a great show! Here's a short video from the event:



Remember to check them out at The Carolinas Rock.Com.

Save the Ship

In 2006 two couples, Thomas and Leah Irby and Zach and Dayle Stidham, joined forces with local drummer Pat Douglas to form Save the Ship. In August of 2008 Pat moved on to devote more time to his solo effort The Cries Of. Pat was replaced by Matt Via, and Save the Ship was off and running again until Leah and Thomas received the exciting news that they would be having a baby. Stepping in to take Leah’s place is Ashley Rader (of the Rader Family Band fame), whom the band has taken in as one of their own. She'll be performing with them tonight at The Onion (see below).

And their sound? They describe themselves as female-fronted, melodic indie-rock. While Save the Ship desires to make the best music possible, they are committed to building relationships through their music. Thomas Irby (lead guitarist) explains:

We are in this band because we want to positively impact people's lives. We want people to receive joy from our music, but also from getting to know us. Talking to the people that come to our shows is a very important part of why we do this. We have developed some very strong friendships over the years that began with someone walking up to us and saying "I really like your music".

Every person is very important and worthy of love. We believe that a lot of people (especially teenagers these days) don't get told that enough.

In addition to tonight's event, Save the Ship will be playing a show on August 7th at Lynn Haven Methodist Church, which features local band Lily White and the kind-of-a-big deal (as in really) Cool Hand Luke.

Visit Save the Ship's MySpace for songs, event lists, etc. You can watch a video of their performance at Element 3 in Tallahassee on Youtube:

Civil War Inside


And since this post is called Music Links, I might as well throw one more in: Thomas maintains a blog with some good musical links, reviews and arts-related content. Follow him at Wells Without Water.


UPCOMING MUSIC EVENTS

Show at Vineyard Church TONIGHT!!
Friday, July 17th
Panama City Beach Vineyard Church (looks like a big onion-on south side of Back Beach, just west of Alf Coleman)
6:30 pm
Featuring Save the Ship, Paxico Via Mexico(indie/folk from Gainesville), Longshanks (brand new indie rock band), and Not Ourselves (indie folk duo)
$5 (four bands for the price of half a cd!!)
Facebook Event Page

Live in Concert at the Martin Theatre
Sundays from now through Sept. 13
The Martin Theatre Green Room
3 - 7 p.m.
$2
This week featuring Jubal's Kin.
Details:
3 to 4 pm is a meet and greet with the artists,
at 4 we begin recording the show for WKGC.
Come and be a part of the show. 5PM to 7PM is music and more music.
Every week Lucky Mudd opens up the the afternoon of music for a different musical guest.
For more details visit Emerald Coast Studio.com.

Jazz Jam at the Granite Cafe
Every Wednesday
The Granite Cafe (on the corner of Beck Ave and 10th St. in St. Andrews)
6 - 10 pm
FREE
Bring an instrument and a bit of rhythm and join the jam!

Bay Arts Alliance's Backstage Pass
Bay Arts Alliance is hosting a summer concert series showcasing local talent. The details:
Friday Nights July 24-August 28
The Marina Civic Center
6:30 pm
$5 Admission
Enter through backstage corner on NE side of building
For more info visit Bay Arts Alliance or check out the event on Facebook:
Backstage Pass.


FEATURED PRODUCT

This week we take a look at the fine line of Native American flutes from High Spirits:



For more info about High Spirits flutes visit their facebook page and their website, and come on down to Playground to give them a try!

And just for fun-take a look at Barry Wood's NAMM oddities. Wood compiles a list of the most interesting new instruments found at the yearly convention for music retailers, and this year High Spirits made the list.

The contraption below makes it possible to play two or even three notes at one time...


YOUTUBE TALENT

I suppose we should just change the name of this section to "online talent" being that this is the second time we've featured videos from other sites, but, hey, the term "Youtube" is kind of like "Coke"-the brand that ends up being a catchall for the type of product...at least that's the justification for now anyway...

* This one takes a bit of time to get going, but it's worth it:

Stand By Me | Playing For Change | Song Around The World from Concord Music Group on Vimeo.

* You just never know what you're going to find out there...
I just found a humbucker electric kazoo in one of our catalogs. Out of curiosity, I did a search on electric kazoos, and here's what I found:

Vehicle on Electric Kazoo


Johnny Flash: Misirlou - Dick Dale Cover


Enter Kazoo Man - Metallica Enter Sandman performed on KAZOO by Mister Tim


So if you're looking for a cheap and novel alternative to the talk box, there's always the humbucker electric kazoo!


LINKS/NEWS

* WKGC's Peter Michael Bardach is hosting a new show called Emerald Coast Studio, which plays on FM 90.7 Saturdays at 5:00 p.m. The show features a variety of local musicians and bands that run the gamut of musical styles. They also happen to be the ones responsible for the weekly event mentioned above: Live in Concert at the Martin Theatre. One of our own, violin instructor Ford Seeuws, made an appearance on the show with Fran Bullock's ensemble the Bay Arts String Quartet. An excerpt from that show can be heard here. Other local musicians/bands that have been featured on the show include: Steve Wiggins, David Goldflies and Jim Ward, Save the Ship, the Emerald Coast Chorale, the Screaming Fleas, Ashley Rader and many more. So, yeah, it's just a tad eclectic!

For those of you interested in performing on the show or finding out more, visit Emerald Coast Studio.com, and don't forget to tune in to WKGC @ 5 p.m. on Saturdays to hear local artists take the radio waves.

* If you are learning guitar or have been playing for a long time, but cannot, with any degree of certainty, identify the note names of frets in standard tuning, check out Fretzilla.net. It works like this: make it your home page so when you crank up the internet, it prompts you to identify randomly assigned frets in a given time limit in order to load the webpage of your choice. If you get the answers right, the page loads, if not...try again. It's a good way to make your knowledge of the fretboard become second nature.

* NPR has some free music up for grabs through I-Tunes. If you like Folk or Jazz visit Free 'NPR Music at Newport' Samplers for two FREE 12 song samplers.


TOTALLY RANDOM

We’ll kick off this new section with something tasty, or at least something that makes sour stuff tasty. Have you ever heard of miracle fruit? CNN did a story on it here: "Miracle Fruit" Turns Sour Things Sweet. Apparently this is a type of fruit found in West Africa that will truly alter your taste buds' interpretation of sour tastes. None of us here have tried this yet, so if any of you have some more info, chime in. You can purchase "miracle fruit" from Miracle Fruit Man.

Thank you for checking in this week. Remember to drop by again next Friday, and if you have any feedback for us, let us know!