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Thursday, June 17, 2010
New Releases / On TV / Awards / Opinion / Mike McCray / News NEW: J. Cole's "The Last Stretch"
Posted By Mike McCray on Thu, Jun 17, 2010 at 1:20 PM
Marking the one year anniversary of his mixtape, The Warm Up, North Carolina's current hip-hop namesake dropped a new, unheard track, for fans on his blog Tuesday, sincerely thanking them for the past year of support and promising more to come.
The track, "The Last Stretch," has Cole spitting on the a mixed bag of topics. New found success, women, haters, repping his city too much. Either way, it's a great look. Enjoy.
J. Cole - The Last Stretch <-- click here to play.
Friday, May 28, 2010
New Releases / Opinion / News New music from Kanye West
Posted By Mike McCray on Fri, May 28, 2010 at 6:15 PM
I get it. You don't like him. You think he's an asshole. Etcetera, etcetera, right?
That still doesn't change the fact that whenever Yeezy decides to get back in the studio, it's a big deal and when he actually decides to drop new music, it's usually even bigger.
Anywho, I'll skip the lecture (he doesn't care), New music from Kanye West featuring Dwele, called "Power."
I like it.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
On TV / Awards / Opinion / Jeff Hahne / News Quick Idol thoughts
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Thu, May 27, 2010 at 11:29 AM
I've been pretty quiet about this season of American Idol because, well, it's been pathetic. The show is losing its luster — if it ever had any.
I'll sum up last night's show with a few comments (I think I watched the entire two-hour episode in roughly 15 minutes, thanks to the DVR):
- Dear Mr. "Pants on the Ground" (Gen. Larry Platt), you need to write more lyrics. Seriously. Standing up there repeating the same line over and over, I had to wonder who truly was looking like a fool.
- Apparently William Hung was on stage at some point. I didn't notice.
- Adam Lambert was nowhere to be seen - apparently he's at home resting his voice for his upcoming tour.
- Brett Michaels came out and sang — really? You're recovering from all kinds of brain problems, but rush out to play on Idol. You need to get your priorities straight.
- Ellen DeGeneres has a record label now. I didn't know that smiling, making bad jokes and telling every singer they're wonderful qualified people to own a label. She's signed Greyson Chance — the kid who sang "Papparazzi." Doesn't mean he has songwriting talent.
- Paula Abdul came out and rambled and made horrible jokes and I hit fast forward.
- Simon Cowell is leaving for his new show X-Factor. Which means Idol's ratings will continue to drop and Cowell's X-Factor will take over as the new ratings king.
- In the end, it was Lee DeWyze who won out over Crystal Bowersox. In a way, it makes sense. DeWyze has no personality and his vocal talent isn't that great — so it'll put him in nicely next to most of the other winners who have gone nowhere fast. He needs the promotional backing of being an Idol winner a lot more than Bowersox does. Meanwhile, I expect that Bowersox, who should drop the last name and just go by Crystal, has definite potential. Honestly, how many of the winners walked out and you thought, "They're huge now because of Idol!" Only Carrie Underwood and, maybe, Kelly Clarkson can say that. Daughtry - not a winner. Kris Allen, Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks, Fantasia, Ruben Studdard, David Cook... none of them is selling out, or even playing in, arenas.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
News / Opinion / Jeff Hahne Santana concert canceled
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Tue, May 25, 2010 at 2:36 PM
So, Santana has canceled the July 28 concert at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Charlotte due to "scheduling conflicts."
Really? Because the July 27 and July 29 concerts are still going on as planned. I'd guess it's more like poor ticket sales — but did they even give them much of a chance? I've seen comments from quite a few people who are disappointed that the show is not going to happen. I guess it goes to show that you have to get your tickets early or a band just might bail out.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Opinion / Eric Mullis / News Going through performance withdrawl
Posted By Eric Mullis on Mon, May 24, 2010 at 10:19 AM
I've been on a study-tour with some students in Vietnam for the past two weeks and haven't been able to practice or play any music with my band. Before I left, we were playing almost every weekend and I got used to regularly performing. Indeed, it turns out I'm some kind of addict because I'm having performance withdrawals that have got me thinking...
I first noticed it when we were riding on the tour bus. I was listening to music on my phone and felt energy welling up from deep down. I wanted to express that energy by playing and performing but couldn't. I could only listen to someone else's music while sitting on a hot bus.
I also noticed it the night that I found a jazz club in Hanoi. I could barely sit still as the band worked their way through standards that I play back home at the Double Door with Bill Hanna. I was that annoying guy who clapped too much and was a little too enthusiastic about the music. It was a great show but it was depressing at the same time.
I think that every performer is aware of that expressive energy on some level but it's in my mind since that energy has no where to go.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Opinion / Jeff Hahne / News ...that's why there are bathrooms
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Thu, May 13, 2010 at 9:46 AM
OK, there's no other way to put this, but the subject keeps wafting in, so someone has to address it. When you're at a concert, or any other loud public event, please keep in mind that while people may not exactly hear you release your flatulence, that doesn't mean they won't smell it.
Gross? Yep, it is, without a doubt, but for some horrible reason, I keep finding myself in the vicinity of someone who obviously ate something that his/her digestive track did not agree with.
Last week, I was at Levon Helm — a seated show at the Knight Theatre — and was basically trapped in the vicinity of the culprit. Last night, I was at OK Go and when the stinky situation arose from somewhere near the soundboard, I could easily make a run for another part of the venue to get away.
Seriously — that's why there are bathrooms. You may be trying to add your own bass line to the evening's events through a rumble out your backside, but you should remember that smell travels and there's no longer the stench of cigarette smoke to mask your intestinal distress.
Why bring this up in a blog posting? Because it's quite obvious that some people don't have common sense when it comes to these matters and don't care about the people around them. I don't want to smell you if you haven't showered, and I don't want to get a hint at what you might have eaten earlier in the day.
Next time, whoever you are, get your shit together, literally and let people enjoy the show... Everybody does it, but not everybody wants to know about it... or get a preview.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Opinion / Jeff Hahne / News Watching concerts in your camera...
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Mon, Apr 26, 2010 at 11:09 AM
Has anyone else noticed the trend of people video taping concerts on their phones or digital cameras?
It seems to happen more and more — and not just on the "popular" songs, but on every song. As I'm watching the band over the heads of those around me, I'm also trying to see between countless cell phones and digital cameras as they video tape the entire song.
What's the story here? First of all, what are you going to do with your wobbly video that has horrible sound? Put it on YouTube? Are you just hoping that someone falls off stage so you can get 1 million hits?
I don't get it. Why does someone want to pay $50 or more for a concert ticket only to watch the entire show on a three-inch video screen as they try to tape the entire thing?
I understand people trying to take a quick cell phone pic, or maybe they want a video of their favorite song, but on numerous occasions, I've seen people holding their cameras up for an entire hour-and-a-half concert so they can video every single song in the show. And it's not like these people are front row and getting a great shot — they're halfway back in the crowd, or further, and getting a small collection of lights and shadowy figures.
Here's one example from the recent Bon Jovi concert (this guy has posted roughly 40 minutes of the concert so far). Check out the fantastic quality in the first 30 seconds -
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Here's some great audio from the Beastie Boys concert at Amos' Southend:
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So, here's my point. Go to concerts, enjoy the show and have fun! Don't buy tickets so you can sit there staring at your camera — if your friends want to see the show, they should buy a ticket, too. You really need a better hobby than producing shitty videos.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Opinion / Mike McCray / News Alice in Chains' new audience?
Posted By Mike McCray on Thu, Apr 22, 2010 at 11:56 AM
Living in the immediate proximity of The Fillmore and Uptown Amphitheatre means overhearing good (and bad) concerts from time to time.
Overhearing Alice In Chains the other night, while jarring, wasn't all bad, but the funniest part for me had to be after the show when I was taking my high school-age cousin home after the show (he was working) and he was trying to figure out how he knew songs from a band that formed before he was born and has only put out one, maybe two albums in his lifetime.
It was about midway through the drive that we both figured it out.
Alice In Chains shares common ground with 2Pac, Nas, Pantera and even B.o.B as artists featured on last year's Madden video game. What's funny about songs on Madden is that it'll expose and make you sit through music you'd otherwise skip without hesitation but because it's part of the game you go along with it, a lot of times embedding it in your brain so much that you sing it during the day.
How else would a Black teenager from a neighborhood that's about as hood as Charlotte gets know Alice in Chains' "Them Bones" by heart?
So yeah, Alice in Chains...meet your new fan base!
Friday, April 16, 2010
Opinion / Mike McCray / News The local video dilemma
Posted By Mike McCray on Fri, Apr 16, 2010 at 3:27 PM
I grew up on the tail end of the music videos generation. The flop on the couch and waste a day watching music video days have come and gone and, sure, sitting on YouTube to see what new videos are out is cool but it's not the same.
It does present a unique conundrum for the local artist though, especially those who have grown up in the "real" MTV era where the thing artists do when they have a new single is shoot the video.
I usually tell artists if you don't have the budget, or anything funny/cool/creative for a viral video, skip the video all together because there's nothing you can do to help yourself. It's my respect for local artists that won't allow me to use this blog to clown some of their frankly shit-tastic videos I've been tagged in or sent lately.
I'm talking '80s green screen in the mall bad without the irony and we're in on the joke part. These guys were completely serious and the problem lies in how they've been presented media in the past versus how the industry works now.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Opinion / Mike McCray / News Bobcats success + a memorable soundtrack
Posted By Mike McCray on Thu, Apr 8, 2010 at 1:50 PM
After a close win over the the former Charlotte Hornets last night, the Charlotte Bobcats are in the playoffs for the first time ever. Luckily, I get the opportunity to look back at one of my favorite movies as a kid and, arguably, one of the best soundtracks of the last 15 years, because of it's close ties with the team.
Space Jam starred Bobcats majority owner Michael Jordan and came out in 1996, better known as 4th grade for me. The soundtrack for the movie went 6x platinum, hitting double-platinum within two months of it's release.
What was crazy about this album was how good it was, especially the music for a fairly silly, kids movie. No teeny boopers on this one, luckily it was pre-Britney Spears and the Boy Band boom, this album had really good artists singing good songs, only a few actually pertained to basketball.
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Live Review: Soweto Gospel Choir
Review of Soweto Gospel Choir's performance in Charlotte.
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Charlotte singer-songwriter Bart Lattimore releases the ultimate 'dad' video 1
Lattimore and Modern Primitives drummer Phillip Gripper collaborate on "That's What Daddies Do."
