New music, old music, everything from electronica to hip hop to bluegrass. The Beat Box will simply be a blog-avenue for music exposure that bypasses commercial media and gets us all listening to something new. With a short review on the musicians, the aesthetic quality of their songs, and why they captivate us, this is your brain, your life, and your weekend on music.
Now it’s jazz, the place is roaring, all beautiful girls in there, one mad brunette at the bar drunk with her boys. One strange chick I remember from somewhere, wearing a simple skirt with pockets, her hands in there, short haircut, slouched, talking to everybody. Up and down the stairs they come. The bartenders are the regular band of Jack, and the heavenly drummer who looks up in the sky with blue eyes, with a beard, is wailing beer-caps of bottles and jamming on the cash register and everything is going to the beat. It’s the beat generation, it’s be-at, it’s the beat to keep, it’s the beat of the heart, it’s being beat and down in the world and like oldtime lowdown and like in ancient civilizations the slave boatmen rowing galleys to a beat and servants spinning pottery to a beat ... -Jack Kerouac (1959)
Here is a catchy tune by Chadwick Stokes, active humanitarian and member of the bands Dispatch and State Radio. Stokes is not only a talented musician, but also a beloved Zimbabwean activist. Co-founding the non-profit Calling all Crows in 2008, Stokes has dedicated himself while on tour, and through his own traveling, to improving the lives of women worldwide.
Of Montreal Where: The Paradise When: April 1st Price: $25
Of Montreal, an offshoot of Elephant 6 Collective, defines innovation. Although I have only seen an Elephant 6 collective performance once, afterwards it had me looking around the room at inanimate objects, wondering what kind of instruments they could become. For example, one of the performances featured Christmas songs played with a bow and saw, a tiny piano (think 7 inches high and 10 inches long), and a Santa with knobby boots for percussion. You never know. Of Montreal is also known for traversing genres as wide as vaudeville, electronica, funk, glam, indie-pop, afrobeat, twee pop, and psychedelic. And don’t be surprised if you find yourself bouncing around the room to whimsically vulgar lyrics. Musical oxymorons can be quite addicting.
Trampled by Turtles Where: The Paradise When: April 18th Price: $20
Tortugas!!!!! After taking one Trampled by Turtles album out of the library (Palomino), I’m already a devoted fan. Trampled by Turtles offers an energy-infused dose of Duluth, Minnesota. Their fifth album release, Palomino, remained on the Billboard bluegrass charts for 52 straight weeks, so we can expect that their album release this coming April will be nothing short of glorious. You’d be wise to check them out when they come to The Paradise on April 18th. Sources say they do not disappoint. Ever. Plus, to be Trampled by Turtles would be the cutest trampling EVER!
Rubblebucket Where: The Paradise When: May 4th Price: $15
Rubblebucket is categorized as an “American indie dance band from Brooklyn NY,” although categorizing them presents a conundrum. Known for their exuberant experimentation with orchestral sound, as well as a staunch dedication to entertainment and theatrics, it's no wonder that people struggle to describe Rubblebucket as anything other than, well, everything. The theme of being “blown away” seems to be a common thread in Rubblebucket reviews. With the trumpet and saxophone players from John Brown’s Body (Alex Toth and Kalmia Traver) and percussionist Craig Myers, Rubblebucket was dubbed “A Must Hear Artist” by SPIN magazine in 2009 and won a Boston Music Award for Live Act of the Year in 2011. Get your tickets quickly though folks! Last time they played at the Paradise, the show sold out, leaving many of us painfully intrigued and melancholy about the fun we were missing.
Suffice it to say I am obsessed with the song: “Came out of a lady”
Otis Grove Where: Church When: every Tuesday in March Price: Free!!
If you enjoy electric guitar riffs that blow like a breeze through your hair, special guests, Hammond organ, drums, and massive amounts of real shredding, then check out Otis Grove. They will be gracing Boston with their presence every Tuesday at Church throughout the entire month of March.
Change in schedule! First Aid Kit – this show got moved from Brighton Music Hall to the Paradise
To assure yourself that you will sit down to write, you have to cook risotto. It’s impossible to accurately predict the timing. As I sit with my computer next to the stove, cooking mushroom, asparagus, and salmon risotto with gruyere, heavy cream, and a tad of cheddar, I’ve decided to do a rundown of the concerts coming up in Boston in the near future. There are MANY. So be READY. and willing…
First up:
1. Perpetual Groove Where: The Middle East When: March 22nd and 23rd Price: $12
For the price and the quality of music, no one should have an excuse for not seeing Perpetual Groove. Real Savannah Georgia flare in the North East. It may be safe to say that this is one of those bands that, 30 years from now, us old-timers will be saying “I remember when I used to be able to see Perpetual Groove for $12!!!” Known for their genre mosaic of originals and covers, Perpetual Groove prides itself on the diehard fans they create at every concert. Without getting too detailed, I’ll finish by asserting that after this show, any newbie would be rare to not run home and add PGroove to their itunes repertoire.
Teakwood Betz
2. First Aid Kit
Where: Brighton Music Hall When: April 2nd Price: $15
If I told you I wasn’t going to see this band based on the credibility of this song, I’d be lying. But if this doesn’t pull you into a trance, what will? A video cover of the Fleet Foxes song “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” made this duo of sisters, from Sweden, a sensation. After their youtube video was a massive hit, they went on to perform the song with the Fleet Foxes for a concert in Holland. And now here they are coming to Boston. So check them out. And show them love.
And if you’re curious about the video that lead to their fame, here it is:
Where: Berkley Performance Center When: March 23rd Price: $28-37
To even try to list the number of accolades received by the Blind Boys of Alabama would take a massive scroll, and a quill. And a little medieval scribe suit. Literally. Because they began performing in 1939. Think: countless Grammys, Gospel Music Hall of Fame, Lifetime Achievement Award, movie soundtracks, show soundtracks (The Wire), White House Performances, and God knoooows the list goes on, child! Hallelujah!
4. The Infamous Stringdusters
Where: The Paradise When: March 15th Price: $15
If you like to do-si-do, then imagine these guys in an intimate venue like the Paradise. It’s bound to be nonstop fun and will undoubtedly leave you walking home tired, all danced out, and in a very good mood. Why? Because that’s what a fiddle, standing base, banjo, and mandolin do, they make people happy.
There were too many concerts coming up to make one blog out of… so there will be more to come…
