Summer is decidedly over in the Northeast, but it’s always warm in Los Angeles, the backdrop chosen by New York-based, Philly-bred Flounder Warehouse for their brand-new video, “Better Now.”
Bethlehem-based rock band The Beautiful Distortion is one of 60 acts that received a call-back to audition for the “Music Under New York” (MTA MUSIC) program in May. MTA MUSIC provides more than 7,500 performances each year at approximately 30 locations throughout the New York City subway system. Every spring, MTA MUSIC presents a day of invite-only auditions in Manhattan to review and add new performers to their official roster.
Artist: Kyle & the Pity Party
Album: Home
Released: Feb. 3, 2018
Genre: Alternative Rock
Our community partners at Allentown JazzFest continue to sweeten the pot for anyone looking to attend next week’s festival.
Artist: MAYVE
Song: Cruel Intentions
Released: Jan. 18, 2017
Genre: Indie pop
Up-and-coming Texas hard rockers Blacktop Mojo are playing in New York City on Thursday, September 8, and Bethlehem’s WSCI Star City Indie Rock Radio wants to make sure you can get there.
WSCI is sponsoring a bus trip to New York next Thursday, providing fans of Blacktop Mojo with the ultimate meet and greet experience in celebration of the band’s trip to the Northeast. Fans will get to hang out with Blacktop Mojo as they ride into the city with the band, starting with the trip’s departure from WSCI’s Studio 73 – 1667 Woodfield Dr. in Bethlehem – at 2 p.m. The bus will head to the World Trade Center 9/11 Memorial, and will then make its way to The Red Lion, located at 151 Bleecker St. in Greenwich Village, to catch Blacktop Mojo’s 8 p.m. performance.
Tickets are $40 and include admission to the evening’s show. The bus will fill on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, check the event out on Facebook or call (484) 387-8191.
I lived in rural New Jersey for the majority of The Quinn Spinn’s previous run. As a direct result, I often found it difficult to get out on the scene on a regular basis. Heading to New York was always an all-day, expensive affair, and constantly being cash-strapped at the time always made it much more difficult. I loved what was going on in Philly, but it was two hours away, and even if I had known about the wealth of talent in my “second home” of the Lehigh Valley, it was still an hour drive at the time.
I knew the whole time that I needed to be out there. I needed to be much more than a talking head behind a computer (or phone, or tablet) screen, and I needed to get out, support local music, and build relationships with the same artists I’d play on our shows every week. Oddly enough, the best way in this digital age to be a resource and build a brand as an indie music authority is to meet people face-to-face. Who would have thought?
I’ve seen this in action ever since moving back out here (a year ago today), and then by launching Lehigh Valley Underground in January. I’ve gone out on the scene more than I’ve ever had the opportunity before.
Getting to at least once show per week is my rule. As a result, I’ve had the chance to meet great people and talented artists whom I now call friends. I’ve had some really cool opportunities – Allentown JazzFest comes to mind – which have helped build the profile of LVU as an emerging player in our local music scene. I would like to think that bodes well for everyone.
Through it all, I just want to express my gratitude for being able to work with all of you to this point. For as busy as life gets, I now know I can count on going out, snapping some photos, and hanging out with some talented folks, to the point where doing so has become ingrained in my weekly routine.
It’s been a blast so far, and I look forward to discovering where the road leads us next.
One of my favorite artists from The Quinn Spinn‘s previous run is New York-based hip hop artist Ayoinmotion. You may recognize that name, because you heard his song, “She’s Leaving” on yesterday’s episode.
I had the privilege of catching Ayo’s live show a couple years ago at Webster Hall, where he opened for Talib Kweli during the NY Loves J.Dilla Tribute Show. The man and his band can straight-up perform. They are among the most talented, engaging artists I’ve ever had the privilege of seeing live.
Ayo is also very globally-conscious. A native of Lagos, Nigeria, he also spent time Flint, Michigan before arriving to New York. In response to Flint’s recent water crisis, Ayoinmotion performed a benefit show a couple weeks ago, raising more than $500 for the children of Flint.
Below is a visual recap from Ayoinmotion’s Facebook page, which goes to show that indie artists can make a positive difference on the world they know.
Artist: Midnight Mob
Release: Honest Brutal Glorious
Release Date: March 25, 2016
Genre: Hard Rock
Midnight Mob is one of the most memorable hard rock acts to come out of the New York area in recent memory. The band’s unique talents in blending of so many different shades of rock – combined with one of the highest-energy live shows currently on the indie circuit – has always made it stand out among its contemporaries.
The band’s upcoming EP, “Honest Brutal Glorious,” is all three of those things. It is Midnight Mob at its purest and most unapologetic – that is to say, at its best.
Frontwoman Blackey Lor’s vocal performance on “Honest Brutal Glorious” is on-point across the board, and the record serves as a perfect example of what makes her one of the most versatile vocalists in indie rock. She can sing with soul, as she does on the EP’s spirited opening track, “Song for the Damned,” just as well as she delivers powerful angst on a song like “Run for Your Life.” Moreover, she makes it look and sound easy, projecting the convincing swagger that has become her calling card.
In its entirety, the band’s collective ability offers a listening experience that seamlessly demands a wide range of reactions from its fans. Certainly, there are some trademark headbangers on “Honest Brutal Glorious,” but the band doesn’t stop there. The dance rock flair of “Swing On” will surely have audiences stomping and clapping along during live shows, while “Stay,” the album’s stripped-down closing track, is as beautiful as it is haunting, as it tells the tale of a love lost.
“Honest Brutal Glorious” serves as a reminder of what hard rock can be when bands continue to push past old boundaries. Certainly, the members of Midnight Mob have no fear when it comes to challenging themselves, and their hard work pays off with an EP that will surely stand as one of the year’s best.
Track listing:
1. Song for the Damned
2. Run for Your Life
3. Ghosts
4. Black Mamba
5. Swing On
6. Stay