Rock The Walls

Update for real?

2010-05-19T03:24:00.001-04:00

Know i'm the only one to really be reading this, but I PROMISE YOU AND MYSELF that i'll start blogging more now that it is summer. Woo hoo!

Lots of updates/news forthcoming. Exciting stuff.

More Weekly Updates?

2010-03-04T02:58:00.001-05:00

Think updating this daily has proved to be a pretty tall task... going to try and update this weekly with Concert Calendar, Music News, Spotlight Bands, sort of like a craigslist for those who missed the show I guess. Sounds like a rad Idea.

Facebook Fan Page soon to follow!

Patrick

Avenged Sevenfold enlist Mike Portnoy for new record

2010-02-18T12:07:00.002-05:00

Looks like Avenged Sevenfold is using Mike Portnoy to record their new album. For those who don't know, Mike is the incredible drummer for Dream Theater, and my personal favourite, Liquid Tension Experiment. Portnoy was The Rev's favourite drummer. Checkout the article below.

http://www.altpress.com/news/pullmeunder.htm

Avenged Sevenfold have announced that they will record their upcoming album with Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy. The band were forced to look for a replacement following the unexpected death of James "The Rev" Sullivan in December, and they turned to Sullivan's "all-time favorite drummer."

The band released this statement: "Mike [Portnoy] said it would be an honor and without question that's what Jim would have wanted. It's comforting to us that someone like Mike, who is undoubtedly revered as one of the best drummers in the world, held such respect and adoration for the Rev's abilities."

Portnoy had this to say about filling in: ""Even under normal circumstances, I would've been happy to help the guys out in any way I could as I think Avenged Sevenfold are a great band...but under these incredibly sad and tragic circumstances, I must say I am truly honored to have been asked to play with them and I didn't even have to think twice about saying 'yes.'

These guys are a true family and it is an incredibly emotional experience to be here with them for the first time without their lost brother. But they have welcomed me into the family with open arms and there's a real excitement to make the record they had set out to make.

I am treating my participation on this album with the utmost respect for Jimmy's memory and am remaining as true as possible to the drum parts that he wrote for the songs and the record he wanted to make.

I want their fans to realize that I'm not trying to step into or fill The Rev's shoes...I'm just merely lacing 'em up for him!"

Avenged Sevenfold will be working on the follow-up to 2007's self-titled album.

Alexisonfire Breaks Barricade; Show is Cancelled

2010-02-17T13:12:00.002-05:00

Last night at LiveCity music venue in YaleTown, fans rushed the stage during Alexisonfire's first song and broke the Barricade. Unfortunately they weren't able to continue the show. Article and video below.

http://www.straight.com/article-290278/vancouver/olympic-venue-livecity-yaletown-shut-down-after-crowd-rushes-stage-alexisonfire

LiveCity Yaletown was shut down early tonight (February 16) after hundreds of fans pushed towards the front and broke down a barrier separating the audience from Canadian hardcore band Alexisonfire.

Less than 30 seconds into the group’s first song, frontman George Pettit ran to the front of the stage and quickly brought things to a halt.

You knew it was coming.

Front and centre, some 20 feet from the front row, I was taken off my feet as soon as the first chord was struck. As the young crowd swayed hard from left to right, pressing forward, people fell to the ground in every direction, many on top of one another.

The barrier broke and staff and police immediately swarmed to what was left of the clearing between the audience and the stage. The band pleaded for people to move back.

It wasn’t violent. I didn’t witness a single fight or any act of real aggression. And when called upon, the audience did comply and moved away from the stage.

Song broke out and “O Canada” was repeated several times. One VPD officer stood atop a section of broken fence and pretended to act as the crowd’s conductor.

It was obvious that several–if not many–people were hurt. At least one person was carried away on a stretcher. Since I’ve arrived home, local media outlets are reporting that as many as 20 people were injured with nine being taken to hospital.

Alexisonfire apologized and said that they would return to Vancouver as soon as they could./blockquote>

P.S Fuck the people who booed. Seriously.

You can catch these guys March 28th at the ACC or April 23rd at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo

Tons of tours announced

2010-02-17T10:52:00.002-05:00

Yesterday alone a abundance of tours were announced. Headover to www.myspace.com/rockthewallsradioshow to check it out, but here is a few of those tours:

Protest The Hero w/ Hawthorne Heights, The Set, Elias, and Abandon All Ships- March 26th @ Sound Academy

Alexisonfire w/ Trash Talk, La Dispute, Therefore I Am April 23rd @ Town Ballroom

Set Your Goals w/ Comeback Kid, Title Fight, Make Do And Mend April 29th @ forward hall in Erie,PA

Say Anything w/ Angels and Airwaves April 29th @ Sound Academy

and Dead and Divine will be touring with The Bled announced via Facebook Fan Page.

This is why these dudes rock:

2010-02-15T21:27:00.005-05:00

The Swellers recently started a tour video blog called TV Movie News. In their most recent webisode they tried to get into the WWE Headquarters, followed by some goofing off in Allentown, PA.

If you haven't heard of The Swellers you should check them out at www.myspace.com/theswellers. Their most recent record Ups and Downsizing came out September 29 on Fueled By Ramen. You can catch them March 18th with H20 and The Mongoloids.

2010 Update

2010-02-15T20:41:00.003-05:00

It's been just over four months since I last did a big update or really a update of any sort on this blog that no one really reads. I'm basically going to quickly do a “Sparknotes” version of what has happened for those uninterested in reading:

1) In October, I was approached by an Internet Radio Station out of St.Catharines called Train Rek Radio about doing my show on their station. Upon a few talks, I was given a timeslot every Thursday from 4pm-7pm.

2) Have had tons of Interviews on the show, A Day To Remember, Anti-Flag, Silverstein, Set Your Goals, Reel Big Fish, Big D and The Kids Table, All Time Low, Comeback Kid to name a few and more recently last week two Pop Punk bands that are making a buzz in the scene, A Loss For Words and The Wonder Years.

3)By doing this Internet show, anything goes, anything can be played. It's pretty sweet I don't need to worry about editing out swear words. Safes alot of time on my end.

4)The Train Rek guys bought me a website domain. The site is going to go up soon.

5) I use myspace to post all the shows coming up in Toronto/Niagara/Buffalo area. Go check that shit out, layout to come: myspace.com/rockthewallsradioshow

6) Rock The Walls has been around for a year now, I think it's appropriate I do a “Year in Review” type deal. I was planning to do one for 2009, but I figured with some big releases being out in January that had big significance within the show, It would be much more appropriate to take a look back at the last 12 months that way.

There is a ton more stuff that has been going on, but that is the most important stuff. I have devised a gameplan for the next year of Rock The Walls that may or may not involve taking over the world.

In other words, I am planning some stuff in the next bit to hopefully take the show to the next level. I think with having 3 hours on Train Rek Radio and a hour on 90.1FM The Heat, my major focus has shifted to the Train Rek show due to the amount of extra time I have, with the ability to have 2 or 3 guests each show.

I'm going to start posting on this more until the website is up, I'm going to try and post a funny video or RTW related news item every day, but more realistically a 2-4 times a week. School is pretty busy but I always find time to do things like play video games [somehow getting 8 hours of sleep isn't as appealing as playing NHL 10/2K10, FIFA 10, or Call of Duty for 2 hours and getting 6 hours of sleep].

I'm stoked to see what the next year brings for the show. Now that I have a show that I can do EVERY week of the year as opposed to October to April, it makes a huge difference. With the Most Anticipated Albums of 2009 feature, It sucked because there were a number of HUGE releases I was unable to mention due to the time it came out, etc. No one's fault. It will just be good to have the Thursday from 4-7pm spot 52 weeks of the year.

There are way too many people to thank, I'd first and foremost like to thank my Parents for bringing me up the way they did, Carter Buchanan who made this vision all possible, and Keith Maurik at Epitaph Records to giving me a interviewing start.
If anyone told me I would get to Interview almost all my favourite bands and other legendary bands such as Flogging Molly and Less Than Jake three years ago I would have said they were crazy.

And more than anything, Anyone who has ever listened in for even 5 or 10 minutes of any show, seriously, you could all be listening to a station like 102.1 The Edge or doing something completely different like watch TV, play video games, looking for hot babes on dating sites or going out. Thanks for the support, it really does mean everything to me.

There is life advice I want to give everyone, do exactly what you want to. Don't let anyone ever hold you back from doing anything you love or a vision you have. Work hard, and you will "Do Work"

Stay Classy,

Patrick Walford
-Host/Producer of Rock The Walls

Updates

2010-02-02T12:09:00.001-05:00

Daily Updates will now be coming in, full update on the last 4months coming later today

Sweet? Sweet.

Patrick

GET FUCKING STOKED! THIS WEDNESDAY AT 7!

2009-10-05T02:34:00.004-04:00

Wow, it's been pretty busy the past 40-something days. It's been nearly six months since my last show[25weeks for those who have been counting]but at the same time it feels like the show's first season just ended. I've done a plethoria of Interviews over the course of the summer and have plenty more to come.

I'm pretty stoked to get back to doing the show every week. Over the course of the last six months some INCREDIBLE records have been released. So many that there are some records I haven't had the time to listen to; or even apperciate.

My second year of college has been pretty busy thus far, mix work in with that and the fact they've been booking me 25-35 hours a week and it's been quite the juggle.

THE SHOW IS NOW WEDNESDAYS FROM 7-8PM

At this point in time i'm still picking/figuring out the setlist for the first week, and what surprise interview I will have on the show. I've also started using myspace [http://www.myspace.com/rockthewallsradioshow] to post the shows, as it is ALOT more organized and easier to follow. Expect a layout to be up in the coming week or so.

After every show i'm going to make the show as well as the full interview of the band featured on the show available online for people's listening[AND viewing-details to come] pleasure. As well I'll have the music news and show setlists via text along with it.

I'm going to start to try and post on this everyday. whether it is a article, or a video updating you on a ton of shit, i'll do it. This is going to be the place for editoral/opinion/news. The myspace will be used for dates and useful/helpful links.

Hopefully some people will tune in on Wednesday and be stoked on the show. Doing the show is something I almost can't put into words how much I really enjoy it. If just ONE kid/person loves the show out of 50, 100, or 1000 people that listen, that's fucking sweet. It's being able to get people into new music/bands and to be able to inform them on the upcoming shows/latest news/ new music that they love is something I take with a unmatched amount of passion.

Right now in "the scene" it is at a bit of a crossroads. While the negative aspects of the scene seem to be sticking out, there is also a crazy amount of good music coming out. It's just something you have to take with a grain of salt. We could all get pissed off at Brokencyde and others, but really, what's the point? There are many bands that I can't really comprehend that people like, but everyone has their own musical tastes.

With my show I'm trying to help you sift through all the auto-tune/recycled breakdowns garbage and get to the good/worthwhile stuff. Hopefully you'll listen at some point in time this season to see what the show is about, and to checkout some music from some awesome ska, punk, and hardcore bands. I may have rambled on a bit, but what would you expect? It's been a long time!

Getting Ready For Wednesday,

Patrick Walford
-Host/Producer of Rock The Walls

P.S expect a video Tuesday Night

Jim Lindberg leaves Pennywise

2009-08-21T18:01:00.005-04:00

Shitty deal, pretty bummed about this. Can't imagine a pennywise song without him... here is a statement from Fletcher Dragge, Bryon McMakin, and Randy Bradbury

STATEMENT FROM THE REMAINING MEMBERS OF PENNYWISE

August 21, 2009—The members of Pennywise, Fletcher Dragge, Byron McMackin and Randy Bradbury, have issued the following statement regarding singer Jim Lindberg’s departure:

“After 19 years with Pennywise, Jim Lindberg has decided to step down as lead singer. Pennywise has long stood behind the motto that you should always follow your heart and pursue what makes you happy, and we wish Jim the best of luck in his new ventures, whatever they may be. Pennywise has become a way of life for a lot of people, and has definitely become a way of life for us. As the three remaining members of Pennywise we feel that we are not done delivering our message to our fans.

”The band has always been about moving forward in life no matter what obstacles stand in front of you. We will begin our search for a new singer immediately. We will continue to tour the world and we are looking forward to writing new music. We've had a lot of good times and survived the hard times thanks to the undying support of our fans. We're looking forward to what the future may bring."

Sincerely Fletcher, Randy, and Byron

Pennywise is one of the most significant bands to emerge from Southern California’s second wave of punk rock. Formed in 1988 in Hermosa Beach, California, Pennywise has released nine full-length studio albums; one live album; two extended plays; and one DVD. Their most recent studio album, Reason to Believe, was released to over 500,000 fans for free through a limited offering from their new label MySpace Records. The critically acclaimed album was also sold physically and digitally the world over. “The Western World,” the first single from this watershed album quickly became the most successful single of the band’s storied career.

-via EarShot Media

Big update soon...

2009-08-18T18:55:00.003-04:00

I've been busy with work these past few weeks[working every day with the exception of the 7th and 11th]In the coming days I have some major announcements to make regarding the show that will be back on-air within a month! I'm super stoked. I hope you are as well.

Going to do Punk-O-Rama on 102.1 The Edge tonight, I am beyond stoked for that.

Stay tuned for an update friday,

Patrick

More dates added....

2009-08-05T05:05:00.002-04:00

Some tours have recieved updates to dates that originally weren't up. If i list Toronto and not Buffalo, it's means the tour is not going there/hasn't been announced yet.

I'm going to be transcribing one of the interviews I did to give you some EXCLUSIVE info. seriously. Some of this shit hasn't been heard anywhere else.

NEW DATES:

Atreyu w/ Hollywood Undead and Escape The Fate
Toronto: November 3rd at Sound Academy

AUGUST BURNS RED WITH THE ACACIA STRAIN, IMPENDING DOOM
Toronto: October 12th at The Pheonix

check this out: http://rockthewalls.blogspot.com/2009/07/summerfall-tour-updates-exclusive.html for all the tours announced so far this fall/winter that are coming to Toronto/Buffalo

Update/Motion City Soundtrack's New Record Has A Name:

2009-08-03T08:18:00.004-04:00

Figured before I go to bed[been up for 36hours, sick.] i'd throw a bit of a update down.

-Went to Gig Life tour Monday in Buffalo. Show was great, will post review after

-Thursday Audio interview up later today

-Got to help Introduce IllScarlett with Josie Dye at Cutting Edge Music Festival last night. Boo-yah!

-More shit to come/write about, stay tuned....

MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK UPDATE:

Mark Hoppus of Blink 182 got a chance to sit down with Motion City Soundtrack on the First Day of Blink's headlining tour. Hoppus was album to get the name out of the band for their much anticipated fourth album and first on Columbia Records. The album will be called My Dinosaur Life.Here is the article below:

Seriously, the guy can multitask.
So it came as no surprise
that last week, when MTV News was in Las Vegas for the kickoff of Blink's reunion tour, he decided that
he should interview Motion City Soundtrack — the night's opening act, and a band
he's worked with in the past — because, you know, he can!

Of course, we let him do it — and it turned out that he was really good. So
good, in fact, that he got the guys in MCS to reveal the top-secret title of
their upcoming album (which Hoppus produced), by employing an old trick we
professional journalists like to call "the bum rush."

"I just worked with them and produced their new record, which is titled My
Dinosaur Life," Hoppus said right off the bat. "Is that what it's
called?"

"I think so," MCS frontman Justin Pierre
responded, a little bit dumbfounded. "Currently we're having inter-band
discussions between This Dinosaur Life, My Dinosaur Life, This Is My Dinosaur
Life, His Dinosaur Life, Her Dinosaur Life, Their Dinosaur Lives. But I'm
partial to My."

"I think My is good," Hoppus shot back.
"Can we firm it up right now? My Dinosaur Life."
And firmed up it was. So,
having just shocked the band into revealing one closely guarded secret, Hoppus
got right to work on prying another bit of information from the band: Perhaps
getting them to say something shocking about the new record? (What we in the biz
call the "pull quote.") And once again, he struck gold.

"I think it's an awesome record," guitarist Joshua Crain said. "It's definitely a
step up. Not that Commit This to Memory [the band's breakthrough 2005 effort] is
a bad record, I love that record. I just feel that we got a little more aggro on
this one."
Emboldened, Hoppus then moved in for the kill.

"What was it like to have two gnarly, defining rock
moment milestones in your career," he asked, clearly setting the trap. "Commit
This to Memory and My Dinosaur Life — both that are almost as big as Nirvana?"

"Words can't really express it. I'm stumped,"
Pierre said. "You know what, though? It feels good. One day, with a little help,
you guys can get there." What can we say? Hoppus is a total pro. Is there
nothing he can't do?

SUMMER/FALL TOUR UPDATES! EXCLUSIVE ANNOUNCEMENT!

2009-07-28T03:33:00.011-04:00

Hello all that have found my blog from various sites; if you are on my facebook or are coming from AbsolutePunk.net First I will start off with a few previously unannounced tours. Some dates have been announced for Toronto/Buffalo so I will add dates accordingly when they become available.The previously unannounced tours[well, two with one having unannounced support] are 100% confirmed by the bands themselves. HERE IT IS!

ATREYU WITH HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD AND ESCAPE THE FATE
Toronto: November 3rd

ATTACK ATTACK! WITH I SET MY FRIENDS ON FIRE
Toronto: October 21st at Reverb, 6pm
Buffalo: TBA

SENSES FAIL WITH[previously unannounced support of:] A SKYLIT DRIVE, CLOSURE IN MOSCOW, and FACT
Buffalo: October 1st at Xtreme Wheels
Toronto:TBA[stay tuned to their myspace for more dates]

BAYSIDE will be supporting the BOUNCING SOULS on their 20th anniversary tour

OTHER NOTABLE TOURING NOTES-
-PARAMORE will be doing a small club tour this fall with a band that has been known/spectulated for the past few weeks and one that just signed to Fueled By Ramen, THE SWELLERS. They 100% confirmed as one of the support bands.
Dates and other support TBA.

Slipped by accident in an interview, BAYSIDE will be supporting the BOUNCING SOULS on their 20th anniversary tour

-FIREWORKS will be playing some west/mid-west dates with Hit The Lights this fall. Dates to be announced. FW were unsure of any East Coast dates.

-SET YOUR GOALS will be heading to Europe this November/December with FIREWORKS and HIT THE LIGHTS as confirmed by both Fireworks and Set Your Goals

-Currently playing their last few dates on the Gig Life tour,GRAVEMAKER will be heading to Europe this fall which will then be followed by the recording of their sophomore album.

Now onto some tours that have already been announced that you may have missed.... (UPDATED AUGUST 4TH)

10 FOR $10 TOUR FEATURING: POISON THE WELL, TERROR, BANE, VISIONS OF DISORDER, MADBALL, CRIME IN STEREO THIS IS HELL, WAR OF AGES, THE GHOST INSIDE, MONGOLOIDS, AND TRAPPED UNDER ICE
Toronto: August 11th at The Opera House
Buffalo: August 14th at Town Ballroom

THRASH AND BURN TOUR 2009 FEATURING: DEVILDRIVER, EMMURE, DESPISED ICON, MY CHILDREN MY BRIDE, VEIL OF MAYA, FOR THE FALLEN DREAMS,OCEANO, AND MORE
Toronto: August 14th at The Opera House

WELLAND,ON FIRST ANNUAL BRIDGESTOCK 2009 FEATURING: POISON THE WELL, STREET PHARMACY,HEADSHOT AND MORE
Date: August 15th

EMERY WITH MAYLENE AND THE SONS OF DISASTER, CLOSURE IN MOSCOW AND KIROS JUST ANNOUNCED SPECIAL GUEST HEADLINERS: TAKING BACK SUNDAY
Buffalo: August 18th at Town Ballroom

TAKING BACK SUNDAY JUNE 23RD RESCHEDULED SHOW : Support TBA
Toronto: August 19th at Kool Haus

Blink 182 WITH FALL OUT BOY, PANIC AT THE DISCO AND CHESTER FRENCHBuffalo: August 21st at Darien Lake

BLINK 182 WITH WEEZER, TAKING BACK SUNDAY, AND CHESTER FRENCH
Toronto: August 23rd at Molson AmpitheatrepSOLD OUT]

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE W/ PROTEST THE HERO, INFLAMES, AND BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME
Toronto: September 9th at Arrow Hall

SILVERSTEIN: A SHIPWRECK IN THE SAND CANADIAN TOUR with support from: A DAY TO REMEMBER, TEN SECOND EPIC, AND I AM COMMITTING A SIN
Toronto: September 24th at Sound Academy

STREETLIGHT MANIFESTO WITH OUTERNATIONAL AND BROADWAY CALLS
Toronto: September 26th at Kool Haus

Bouncing Souls with Youth Brigade, Off With Their Heads and more
Toronto: September 27th at Opera House

A DAY TO REMEMBER WITH PARKWAY DRIVE, IN FEAR AND FAITH, AND I SEE STARS
Buffalo: September 29th at Town Ballroom

Epitaph presents: EVERY TIME I DIE AND BRING ME THE HORIZON, OH SLEEPER AND ARCHITECTS
Toronto: October 9th at Kool Haus
Buffalo: October 10th at Town Ballroom

AUGUST BURNS RED WITH THE ACACIA STRAIN, IMPENDING DOOM, AND MYCHILDREN MYBRIDE
Toronto: October 12th at The Phoenix

DANCE GAVIN DANCE WITH EMAROSA, OF MICE AND MEN, AND OF MACHINES
Buffalo: October 13th at Xtreme Wheels

PORTUGAL. THE MAN WITH HOCKEY AND DRUG RUG
Toronto: October 14th at Horseshoe Tavern

VANNA WITH IT DIES TODAY AND ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS
Buffalo: October 16th at Town Ballroom
Toronto: October 17th at Wreck Room

THE GET UP KIDS WITH KEVIN DEVINE, AND THE LIFE & TIMES
Toronto: October 25th at The Phoenix
Buffalo: October 27th at Town Ballroom

ATREYU AND HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD WITH ESCAPE THE FATE
Toronto:November 3rd at Sound Academy

ALTERNATIVE PRESS FALL BALL TOUR FEATURING: THE SECRET HANDSHAKE, YOU ME AT SIX, SET YOUR GOALS, MAYDAY PARADE, AND THE ACADEMY IS...
Buffalo: November 12th at Town Ballroom
Toronto: November 13th at The Guvernment

JUST ADDED JULY 29TH!
BRAND NEW WITH GLASSJAW
Toronto: November 21 and 22 at Kool Haus

ADDED AUGUST 3RD
Bouncing Souls with Youth Brigade, Off With Their Heads and more
Toronto: September 27th at Opera House

Atreyu w/ Hollywood Undead and Escape The FateToronto: November 3rd at Sound AcademyAUGUST BURNS RED WITH THE ACACIA STRAIN, IMPENDING DOOMToronto: October 12th at The Pheonix

JUST ADDED AUGUST 6TH: PORTUGAL THE MAN WITH HOCKEY AND DRUG RUG
Toronto: October 14th at Horseshoe Tavern

Some other shows that are announced, but dates have yet to be determined for Toronto and Buffalo...

ALL AMERICAN REJECTS AND TAKING BACK SUNDAY WITH ANBERLIN
Buffalo and Toronto: TBA

STRIKE ANYWHERE WITH POLAR BEAR CLUB, CRIME IN STEREO AND RUINER
Buffalo and Toronto: TBA

ALL TIME LOW WITH WE THE KINGS, HEY MONDAY, AND THE FRIDAY NIGHT BOYS
Buffalo and Toronto: TBA[expect within a week]

EXCLUSIVE ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING TWO UNANNOUNCED FALL TOURS THIS TUESDAY

2009-07-27T04:44:00.003-04:00

Hello everyone,

Tuesday I am going to give people a rundown of some of the announced tours so far for this fall/winter, including two that have been previous unannounced, and will be for the first time HERE on the Rock The Walls Radio Show blog. They are two bands we feature on the show and will have interviews with later on.

Stay tuned on tuesday for the latest,

Patrick Walford

New Motion City Soundtrack song/Setlist from 7/24 show

2009-07-24T20:55:00.003-04:00

This is a new song MCS played last night when they opened for Blink 182. It sounds great. Can't wait for the new record. No title as of yet

UPDATE: A friend of mine was at the Las Vegas Blink 182/MCS show last night and got this video. Name of the song is A LIFE LESS ORDINARY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Bzb05hoT2g

Below is the setlist of last night's show:

Motion City Soundtrack 7/24/09 Las Vegas,NV -THE JOINT
Attractive Today
Everything Is Alright
Capital H
Don't Call It A Comeback
Make Out Kids
My Favorite Accident
A Life Less Ordinary (New Song)
It Had To Be You
LG FUAD
Fell In Love Without You
This Is For Real
The Future Freaks Me Out

Thrice's New Album "Beggars" pushed up.

2009-07-23T16:46:00.003-04:00

An album I was looking forward to featuring as a Most anticipated album of 2009 on one of the first shows back;Thrice's sixth studio album, titled Beggars was leaked on Monday. This was nearly THREE MONTHS before it's scheduled release of October 13th! They will instead push up the release and digitally release the album on iTunes August 11th. The physical release (featuring bonus material) will also be pushed up, with a date still needing to be worked out. Here is the press release from Vagrant below. Go out, buy this record on August 11th. Support this incredible band I feature on the show.

July 23, 2009 – Vagrant Records announces the August 11, 2009 digital release of Beggars, the sixth studio album from Thrice. The digital album will be available exclusively through iTunes. The release date and details of the CD, with bonus material, will be announced shortly.

The digital release date was pushed up from October 13 in response to a leak that was discovered on Monday, July 20. Thrice said in a statement yesterday on their website, “We’d like to thank those of you who have resisted the urge to download this leak, those of you who have been supportive of us in online forums as this thing began to spread, and those of you who have heard the record and are sharing kind words about it. We always appreciate your support, but even more so right now.”

The California-based quartet recorded the 10-track set at producer and guitarist Teppei Teranishi’s New Grass Studios this spring. Thrice will be performing later in August on the upcoming west coast Warped Tour dates and will soon announce their US tour plans for the fall.

Thrice is Dustin Kensrue - vocals/guitar, Teppei Teranishi – guitar/piano, Edward Breckenridge – bass, and Riley Breckenridge – drums.

A Look At A Possible New Business Plan for the Music Industry

2009-07-22T20:57:00.003-04:00

I found this an interesting read and decided to post it here. It takes a bit about a possible changing of the guard in regards method of reaching fans. Not signing big record contracts and getting them to distribute it, but rather direct links to audiences over the internet[ala itunes]. It was in the new york times and Brian Message, manager of Radiohead talks a bit about it, and will invest a couple hundred thousand dollars into it. enjoy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/22/technology/internet/22music.html?_r=4&ref=business

"There was a time when most aspiring musicians had the same dream: to sign a deal with a major record label.

Now, with the structure of the music business shifting radically, some industry iconoclasts are sidestepping the music giants and inventing new ways for artists to make and market their music — without ever signing a traditional recording contract.

The latest effort comes from Brian Message, manager of the alternative band Radiohead, which gave away its last album, “In Rainbows,” on the Internet. His venture, called Polyphonic, which was announced this month, will look to invest a few hundred thousand dollars in new and rising artists who are not signed to record deals and then help them create their own direct links to audiences over the Internet.

“Artists are at the point where they realize going back to the old model doesn’t make any sense,” Mr. Message said. “There is a hunger for a new way of doing things.”

Polyphonic and similar new ventures are symptomatic of deep shifts in the music business. The major labels — Sony Music, Warner Music, EMI and Universal Music — no longer have such a firm grip on creating and selling professional music and minting hits with prime placement on the radio.

Much of that has to do with the rise of the Internet as a means of promoting and distributing music. Physical album sales fell 20 percent, to 362.6 million last year, according to Nielsen, while sales of individual digital tracks rose 27 percent, to 1.07 billion, failing to compensate for the drop. Mindful of these changes, in the last few years marquee musicians like Trent Reznor, the Beastie Boys and Barenaked Ladies have created their own artist-run labels and reaped significant rewards by keeping a larger share of their revenue.

Under the Polyphonic model, bands that receive investments from the firm will operate like start-up companies, recording their own music and choosing outside contractors to handle their publicity, merchandise and touring.

Instead of receiving an advance and then possibly reaping royalties later if they have a hit, musicians will share in all the profits from their music and touring. In another departure from tradition in the music business, they will also maintain ownership of their own copyrights and master recordings — meaning they and their heirs can keep earning money from their music.

“We are all witnessing major labels starting to shed artists that are hitting only 80,000 or 100,000 unit sales,” said Adam Driscoll, another Polyphonic founder and chief executive of the British media company MAMA Group. “Do a quick calculation on those sales, with an artist who can tour in multiple cities, and that is a good business. You can take that as a foundation and build on it.”

The third Polyphonic principal is Terry McBride, founder of the Vancouver-based management firm Nettwerk Music Group and manager of Barenaked Ladies.

The Polyphonic founders, who have provided the company with $20 million in seed financing, say they plan to invest around $300,000 in each band. The company will then guide musicians and their business managers — who will function a little like the band’s chief executive — to services like Topspin, which helps manage a band’s online presence, and TuneCore, a company that distributes music to online services like iTunes, Amazon and Napster.

The partners say they have been thinking about such a venture for several years. They recently tried to raise money for the company from venture capitalists in Silicon Valley, but met with initial skepticism.

“Returns on entertainment products when portfolios are small are typically very erratic,” said David Pakman, a partner at venture capital firm Venrock, which passed on the deal. Mr. Pakman doubted that Polyphonic and similar firms could produce the kind of returns on investment that venture firms typically look for.

Polyphonic, which will be based in London and in Nettwerk’s offices in New York and Los Angeles, says it plans to approach private investors again after it has proved its model works.

The new company will have plenty of company in exploring new ways for artists to maintain control over their creations.

Marc Geiger, an agent at William Morris Endeavor, who tried a similar venture in the late 1990s called ArtistDirect, is now developing a program for musicians at his agency that will be called Self Serve. Mr. Geiger said he was not ready to divulge the details yet, but said that Self Serve would provide tools and financing for artists to create businesses independent of major recording labels.

Even the major labels themselves are demonstrating new flexibility for musicians who do not want to sign the immersive partnerships known as 360 deals, in which the label manages and profits from every part of the artist’s business.

In late November, for example, EMI took the unusual step of creating a music services division to provide an array of services — like touring and merchandise support — to musicians who were not signed to the label.

“We all know the role that the record label has traditionally played needs to change,” said Ronn Werre, president of EMI’s new division. “There are artists that want to have more creative control and long-term ownership of their masters, and they may want to take on more of the financial risk. To be successful we need to have a great deal of flexibility in how we work with artists.”

Artists who have produced their own music and contracted with EMI to run parts of their business include the R&B singer Bobby Valentino and Raekwon, a member of the Wu-Tang Clan.

Mr. Message said that “there are many artists who still want to go with labels, which do still have abilities to really ram home hit singles.”

Bands who take the Polyphonic route, he said, will need to have considerable entrepreneurial energy. For example, they might stay after concerts to “go to the merchandise store and sign their shirts and talk to fans, because they know they are right at the heart of their own business,” he said.

Bands that have taken this approach say it can be arduous. In 2007, after releasing three records with independent labels, Metric, an alternative band from Toronto, finally got several offers from the big record companies. But the band declined to sign after concluding that the labels were asking for too many rights and not offering enough in return.

With help from a grant from the Canadian government, the band cut its own album in April, “Fantasies,” and started selling it directly to fans on services like iTunes, where it has scaled the popularity charts.

“It certainly has not been easy,” said Matt Drouin, Metric’s manager. “When I get up at 6 a.m. the British are e-mailing me. When I go to bed at 2 in the morning the Australians are e-mailing me. It’s an extremely empowering position, but one hell of an undertaking.”

Updates...

2009-07-07T02:37:00.000-04:00

Figured i'd update some shit that is going on....

1. Brand New will announce the name and release date of the new CD this sunday, July 12th.

2. I'm interviewing All time Low July 15th. -Nothing Personal[HA!]

3. Your my only follower reads this but HAHA TIMES A BAGILLION! I FOOLED YOU BIG TIME DIDN'T I?! Hopefully you enjoy it!

4.tons more shit to come. Remember, Warped Tour is this Friday. Any questions for ANY BANDS, PLEASE EMAIL ME at rockthewalls@live.ca

More to come! Stay tuned....

Most Anticipated 2009: Album Update

2009-07-03T20:58:00.002-04:00

this is a rough bit, going to add pictures and what not tomorrow morning....

Most Anticipated Albums 2009 Update:

In the first Ten shows of Rock The Walls, most episodoes[with the exception of 1 or 2] featured 1 to 2 bands that would be releasing albums that were highly anticipated by the music scene: Wether it was on a global[blink 182] or national [billy talent] scale. Here is a update of what's going on with those bands, how their releases went and more.

A Day To Remember: Homesick
Release Date: February 3rd(Victory Records)

The album dropped the day the show did, but was still featured regardless. An Album that was highly anticipated by not only pop punk fans but also hardcore fans, two genres over the years that have blended so nicely[depending on the bands you are talking about]. Their sophomore album produced by fellow floridian[or floridense] and pop punk legend Chad Gilbert, ADTR once again takes the catchyness of a pop punk song and throws in "br00tal" breakdowns throughout the way. The album has recieved quite a bit of critical acclaim, even being featured in Revolver, known to be a Hard Rock/Metal Magazine with a the headline "A Day To Remember: Pop Punk Metal". The Downfall Of Us All, the first track and single off the album has recieved a great reception, and was featured in Rock Band 2 two weeks ago.

Regardless of what the Magazines/Critics say, This album is a must-pickup. Lyrics mostly focus on how tough life is on the road and being away from home. They wrapped up a tour with The Devil Wears Prada in late April, and are enjoying the summer sun, playing The Vans Warped Tour in it's entirity. Expect them to tour in the fall with a band like Set Your Goals/August Burns Red.

My Picks: Another Song For The Weekend, I'm Made Of Wax Larry What Are You Made Of?, Homesick

New Found Glory: Not Without A Fight
Release Date: March 10th (Epitaph Records)

A record I pumped WAY up on the show while questioning the lack of maturing on NFG's part, Not Without A Fight is one of my favourite NFG albums. It takes elements from Coming Home, Sticks and Stones, and the Tip Of the Iceberg EP and nicely blends them all together to bring fans once again to their feet for The Undisputed Pop Punk Champs hailing from Coral Springs, Florida. Doing a favour for the band as they were without a label at the time, The Album was Produced by Good Friend Mark Hoppus during the Summer of 2008 in his home studio.

Right out of the gates NFG reminds fans that they haven't gone anywhere or changed a damn thing. The record is vintage NFG, with some new, harder tracks that take inspiration from the other "persona" these guys are apart of, the international superheroes of hardcore[see truckstop blues]. It as well brings one of my favourite instrumental openings to a song ever, "this isn't you" where the first 30seconds is a infectious riff couple with boloski making you can't help but to air drum along. There are[in my opinion] a few tracks in the middle of the record that slows it down a bit, but overall it is more great pop punk for summer, you should no doubt pick up.

favourite tracks: Such A Mess, Listen To Your Friends, This Isn't You

Blink 182: [Untitled/TBA]
Release Date: Fall 2009

The biggest Punk reunion ever happened at the Grammys February 8th,2009 with Blink 182 announcing their comeback. It really is a shame that a near fatal plane crash for barker was what finally made the three connect again. Through the TV appearances thus far, they haven't sounded too great, with some people pointing the finger at Tom "singing like he is still in Angels and Airwaves".

The band has written a new song, a post-hardcore track different from their pop punk/alternative rock sound entitled "The Night the Moon Was Gone" (Hoppus' alternate title: "The Day the Sun Said Suck It"); the song was co-written by DeLonge and Hoppus, who both sing on it. DeLonge says the song sounds like a lost track from the untitled album; While Hoppus stated that, "Lyrically, it's all about how everybody has the same wants, fears and desires. No matter who you are, no matter what vantage point. At the end of the day, everyone just wants to get by." Currently, the band has no target or estimated release date for the forthcoming album and Hoppus says if it takes a year to record, it will take a year to record.I, however have heard from various sources that the album will drop in October/November.

While Hoppus has kept busy producing this year for the likes of Motion City Soundtrack, Saosin, Panic At The Disco and co-wrote a song with All Time Low, the band will head out on tour with various support in rotation through the two month and 1 week run, which starts in Vegas July 23rd and ends October 3rd in Atlantic City including: Weezer, Fall Out Boy, All American Rejects, Panic At The Disco, Asher Roth[WUT], Chester French[LOLWUT], Motion City Soundtrack, Valencia, and Taking Back Sunday. 9 different bands, man that's crazy. Obviously only 3-4 bands/artist will be playing each date. I am still scratching my head over the decision of Chester French and Asher Roth but I guess a little variety is never a bad thing.

Either way, Fall release or not, expect this to drop and the music scene to explodes like a stick of dynamite, as everyone eats this shit up.

Billy Talent: III
Release Date: July 14th

An Album that I have been looking toward ever since II came out, Billy Talent III met and succeeded my expectations, getting the chance to listen to this fine album over a month early. The only Canadian band featured as a Most Anticipated release of 2009 on the show[thus far] and six-time juno winners, III Produced by Brendan O'Brien[Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers. Sound Garden] kicks off in style with Devil On My Shoulder, featuring a bassline everyone has to to love and expect from BT. The album is filled with songs that [to me] people will maybe not like on first listen, but will largely grow[see Diamond On A Landmine]. A bit slower and darker then the previous two albums, III packs some bad-ass riffs and with the Special Edition comes with "guitar villian" a second CD with the guitar taken out, so you can play along to it. The double disc comes with a poster featuring all the tabs. How badass is that?

If you haven't already had the chance to listen to it, rush out to stores July 14th and pick this one up. Upon first listen you may pass this off, but it is a album that grows with time. I personally suggest doing something that you don't really need your mind for while listening to the album WITH EARPHONES IN to apperciate this album in full. Great album. Great band. Rock on Billy Talent.

My picks: Saint Veronica, Diamond On A Landmine, Definition Of Destiny
.
Brand New: Daisy
Release Date: September 22nd

A Band that all resembles the classic sex,drugs, and rock n roll type "we're going to break up. no were not." On and off again scenario highlighted twice in the past year, Brand New's Album, due out September 22nd may just be the most anticipated album of the year. Most recently in a interview, where Lead Singer Jesse Lacey talks about the possibility of the band "ending" and how Vinnie Accardi[backing vocals/guitar] wrote "alot" of lyrics for the new record.

Old News to BN fans, An episode happened August 2008 in Chicago at Lollapalooza[did i spell that right?] when Lacey was telling the crowd they were stupid for watching them, that they should be watching Explosions In The Sky[awesome instrumental post-rock band from Texas. Check'em out], and topping off the further spectulation when he hucked off his guitar in the direction of drummer Brian Lane at the end of their set nearly hitting him, with Brian looking quite pissed.

If this is the Rocky Chemistry that sees the upcoming Brand New release top The Death and God Are Raging Inside Of Me, I'll take it. Expect this sometime between September and October.

Set Your Goals: This Will Be The Death Of Us
Release Date: July 21th (Epitaph Records)

A Band I admittingly only got into in October of last year, Set Your Goals is what music is all about. Their sophomore album, titled "This Will Be The Death Of Us" is set to drop July 21st and after hearing two tracks[the title track and gaia bleeds] I would have to say this is THE most anticipated album of the year for me thus far. This Will be The Death Of Us opens the album nicely, but as the track comes to a end in set your goals style it goes right into the next, the song cuts off. What a tease! The second track released, Gaia Bleeds(Make Way For Man) is the hardest song SYG has ever wrote.

The album produced by Mike Green[Paramore, The Matches] has been said by the band to be more serious than their debut Mutiny!. TWTDOU features a plethoria of guests you'd expect on a hip-hop album[not that these people would ever be on a hip hop album, but the idea of featuring so many people] including Hayley Williams of Paramore, Vinnie Caranna of The Movielife/I Am The Avalanche, and John Gula [ex Turmoil]. Just before the album releases and a bit over two weeks away, the band will head out on a Co-headlining tour with another RTW Favourite, Four Year Strong. The tour is a MUST-SEE with Fireworks on the entire tour, and Grave Maker, The Swellers, Drive A, A Loss For Words, Drive A and Polar Bear Club supporting on various dates throughout. Get your moshing shoes ready, because this album and tour is going to be off the fucking walls on Rock The Walls.

Rancid: Let The Dominoes Fall
Release Date: June 2nd(Epitaph Records)
(Coming soon...just picked it up a few days ago)

All Time Low: Nothing Personal
Release Date: July 7th(Hopeless Records)

The quartet foul-mouthed shit disturbers from Maryland,Virginia have gotten used to the hordes of screaming girls worldwide, but are they ready to explode into the mainstream with their third album Nothing Personal, due out next tuesday? If a bands like Paramore and Fall Out Boy are any indication, the pop punk quartet will explode
with Nothing Personal. Produced by Matt Squire[Taking Back Sunday, Panic At The Disco, Boys Like Girls], Butch Walker [co-written and produced Fall Out Boy, Avril Lavigne, Midtown] and David Bendeth[Killswitch Engage, UnderOath, Paramore] the album is FILLED with single-potential reeking from every song. The first track and single off the album Weightless was featured on the show and what really caught my ears as the possibility to another great pop punk album up there with the likes of Blink and New Found Glory. The song is filled with the type of energy and hooks fans have come to expect and love. The album for the most part is pretty good, all previous fans will eat this up like spaghetti tuesday at east side mario's, and in the process attracting ALOT of new fans.

The only thing I can say I truly dislike about this album some of the electronics used. It seems like some songs were a bit overproduced. The closing song, Therapy[when comparing it to last record So Wrong It's Right acoustic ballad, remembering sunday] just isn't up to the standards you'd expect. Too Much sounds like a HelloGoodbye song with the electronic beat machine in full force. Still with a few blemishes, the album is a great piece of pop punk with catchy lyrics and guitar hooks that I am sure the lovers of ATL will fall in love with all over again, and make the haters burn even more All Time Low shirts for stealing their girlfriends.

Pick it up next tuesday and tell me what you think. Much like the BT record, some songs grow on you after a couple of listens.

My picks include: Weightless, Walls, and Break Your Little Heart.

Motion City Soundtrack: Untitled/TBA
Release Date: Fall 2009(Columbia)

The fourth album by the band that largely introduced me into this scene of music, Motion City Soundtrack have been keeping it on the DL, releasing two short Webisodes while recording the album and not really saying too much. Drummer Tony Thaxton broke his arm in january, posting x-rays up on his twitter revealing a chilling break in two places. This further delayed the recording of the album and even saw one of their techs known to us MCS die-hards as Claudio(who also happened to play drums on Sing It Loud's track, Come Around). A few months ago Mark Hoppus posted on his twitter "working titles/names" on the new MCS record. Titles included Hysteria, and Twilight Song, which I can only assume is a song for the new twilight movie, New Moon. I put this together due to the fact that the author of twilight mentions MCS in her books a few times, it'd seem logical they would ask. Could we see them blow up? Only time will tell[and violins will swell].

What puts me at ease about their major label debut after being with Epitaph their first three records is the fact the record was produced by the man behind the bands second album, Pop Punk Masterpiece Commit This To Memory; none other then Mark Hoppus, who seems to be producing records as if it was the swine flu, making his rounds[and rightfully so, the man is a genuis] with all the bands mentioned about in the NFG bit.

In my opinion this album will truly make or break Motion City. They are all off doing side-projects, with Jesse/Tony starting toy and collectible business, josh busy producing records, and Justin directing movies. Matt Taylor, what have you been up to my good man? Hopefully just relaxing and not back at the old paramount park you were at in high school at the hot dog stand we dreadfully talked about in a previous interview. Like Matt would read this.

We've all heard major label horror stories from New Found Glory to Thrice and many other bands. We'll see what happens come fall!

FINALLY! BMTH Interview

2009-07-03T07:17:00.000-04:00

Posted this over a week ago, Gonna start blogging everyday[or at least try to] with interesting, informative shit. Got two[or five depending on what way you look at it] things coming up in the next day and a half]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlU7taQ6oy8

I have more shit lined up/going on... SCENEfest went well. Got interviews with Dead and Devine, Liam Cormier of Cancer Bats, Jimmy Stadt[lead singer]of Polar Bear Club, and one of my favourites, Permenant Bastards.

I'm going to Josie Dye's Pool Party apparently on Sunday for a intern shift... should be interesting!

Talk to you later on today,

Patrick

ATTACK ATTACK! IS CRABCORE

2009-06-25T14:24:00.000-04:00

I saw this on Absolutepunk.net and laughed my ass off. This is pretty funny.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2009/jun/23/scene-and-heard-crabcore

"There's a new music genre in town – and it's more baffling than anything else you'll hear. Brace yourself for the crabcore of Attack Attack!

If a band wanted to make a song and accompanying video that makes Brokencyde look as banal as a Mark Ronson cover of Paulo Nutini, then Ohio's Attack Attack! have certainly succeeded with their single, Stick Stickly.

Their boyband screamo-eurodance blend comes across like a cross between Enter Shikari and the Vengaboys. Certainly, their amalgam of Auto-Tuned emo vocals, synchronised headbanging, puzzlingly bad miming, haircuts that would cause even Josh from the Horrors to raise an eyebrow and chart-trance interludes is one of the most baffling things I have seen in music in a long time. Even the wistful blonde girl in the band's Evanescence-go-rural-in-the-midwest video loses her cool near the end and has to cover her ears.

If you've already stumbled across Attack Attack!, you've probably gone through several cycles. You begin by hating everything about them. Then you cackle in disbelief, and finally you grow to love them (ironically). I've already gone through three-and-a-half cycles just while writing this.

To accompany their, er, unique sound and live aesthetic, Attack Attack! have their very own genre name: crabcore. But, unlike all the other genres covered in this column, crabcore isn't defined by sonics or BPMs or lyrical content, or tied to a geographic location. Crabcore is defined by the body contortions of the band's guitarists when they perform. This is the lolloping crab-like stance adopted while a guitar player shreds, and it's not dissimilar to a sumo wrestler having extreme muscle spasms while readying themselves to engage with an opponent.

So is this whole thing just kids having fun or a carefully planned ploy to gain as much attention as possible by offending as many people as they can? If you listen to Attack Attack!'s earlier material, you'll notice it is decidedly less ridiculous. Their song Stick Stickly is well over a year old, and they have another accompanying video that is a lot less, er, intense. But if you look at their video tour diaries, you'll notice they are soundtracked by stuff like Basshunter, so maybe they just have very, very poor taste. Regardless of what you think, there is already a Last.fm crabcore group, with fans planning to start their own bands. Stick Stickly, it seems, is only the beginning"

MORE AWESOME NEWS

2009-06-19T15:43:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow is edgefest, i'm pretty excited! I work from 8-3, then I have the rest of the day off. To stay. Watch awesome bands featured on RTW like Cancer Bats, Billy Talent, and Alexisonfire. VIP pass. Uhhhh am i dreaming?!

Also, next week Rock Band 2 will release the first of 2 or 3 Warped Tour Track Packs. Some bands that are frequently played on the show are being featured! I'm excited to play. I'll post a review of the shows tomorrow, as well as keep you posted on a ton of other stuff.

The Songs Out Next Tuesday on Xbox Live Marketplace:
A Day to Remember - “The Downfall of Us All”
Bad Religion - “21st Century Digital Boy”
Chiodos - “I Didn’t Say I Was Powerful, I Said I Was a Wizard”
Escape the Fate - “The Flood”
Underoath - “Reinventing Your Exit”

Edge Intern Blogs! plus Special!

2009-06-18T03:20:00.000-04:00

I'd decide I would put both my Edge Intern Army Blogs on here for everyone to see[although my lovely girlfriend is my only follower at this point]

I'm going to do a column on Bands you should see on warped, what to check out by them, why you should see them live, and bands that are like them. Basically it is going to be something you'd see in a Alternative Press Magazine.

However, I'll be doing seperate ones released one day after another with Ska, Hardcore, and Punk bands to see. The fourth day as a joke, I'm going to put bands you should avoid. This will cover bands playing the Toronto/Buffalo Dates.

ANY QUESTIONS ON ANBERLIN or Any bands playing Toronto Warped, EMAIL AT Rockthewalls@live.ca

On to the blogs: that can be found on edge.ca!
http://www.edge.ca/Blogs/TheEdgeInternArmy/BlogEntry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10036250

"No Doubt About That"
Okay, okay, my title is a bad pun. But it goes perfect with how the night went. The crew met up at 4:30 at the Edge studio and we made our way down to the ACC for the No Doubt and Paramore concert, easily the two most popular female fronted bands in the last 20 years. I was excited to be covering it. We loaded up the truck with the equipment and made our way over to the venue. We'd be singing karokee. Boo fucking yeah! I was excited to make a goof out of myself! I mean afterall, I've chased people out of rooms singing on Rock Band 2 so I must be pretty good right?

After we got there and set up, one of the fellow interns Dave popped in a awesome Ska/Dub/Reggae CD to get us in the mood. We started to shoot the shit and found out he had a radio show much like mine when he started at mohawk[insert a Niagara teacher's joke about Mohawk here]

Eventually, since we are the Edge Intern Army and we rock out with the amps to 11,we popped in No Doubt's Tragic Kingdom and began to skank around the tent with our unique "walks/dance" we made up. I'd like to think I looked like a dancing bird, or homer in that episodoe where he is Dancin' Homer.

Erin [ one of the other interns] did most of the singing and was really good. I probably enjoyed the most being a absolute goof going around and taking photos with random fans. As we took photos with eager fans. A girl was shaking excited because she just met Hayley Williams of Paramore. OMG NO WAI! Overall it was a very fun event and hope we do karokee for future concerts at the ACC.

While I had to go work overnight a few of the interns had a chance to go inside and watch the show. Let's just say Darren Pfiffier[who also happens to be the drummer of RTW favourite Goldfinger] + Atlanta= Good. That's all I'm telling you!

I'm super pumped for Edgefest this weekend, it feels like Christmas is coming early this year. All the interns are getting backstage fucking passes and we are going on stage to introduce a band. sick!

Skankin' away,

Patrick
[Yes I sound like a frantic excited fangirl in this blog, i am well aware haha]

FAREWELL TO NINE INCH NAILS
Well last night was the first night of the rest of my life, My first edge intern shift. Leading up to this exciting day many thoughts went racing through my head. would it be a Highway to Hell? A walk in the park? After 5minutes, I knew it was going to be pure hell! Blasting MGMT on the way to the show was only the start of what many would consider "a rough night". pfft, if this was the paranormal world. What a Kick-ass first experience this was!

My fellow interns were very welcoming and outgoing, making me feel at home and fitting right in from the get-go. As Alli opened up the trunk at we got to the venue, I was silently scared out of my pants, Thinking in my head "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!". They were "monkey backpacks" Throughout the entire night we wore the monkey on our backs for the new movie Land Of The Lost starring Will Ferell.

Walking up to the entrance with these "creatures" on our backs, we were greeted at the Molson Ampitheatre by[who I swear was] Lars Ulrich [the drummer for Metallica], wearing a white wig,and was working security. The guy even sounded like lars!

Throughout the entire night we wore monkeys on our backs for the new movie Land Of The Lost starring Will Ferell. The comments throughout the night were priceless. "I WALKED INTO THE MONKEY ON YOUR BACK AND I ALMOST SCREAMED!" "That is the creepiest thing I have ever seen, what's that have to do with the edge?!" "What exactly is the significance of that uhh.... monkey?...ferret?.....human?...thing?" The movie is a remake of the 1974 tv series that lasted just 3seasons. and the Character's name is "Chaka" played by Jorma Taccone[Hot Rod, Role Models, Saturday Night Live]

We then decided to throwdown one of the most moving Rock Band performances of all time, with the Edge Interns melting every Plastic Guitar in sight. Alli on vocals, Lana on Drums, Alex on Guitar, and myself on Bass. I didn't say anything regarding the fact I have Rock Band 1 and 2 with about 150Downloaded songs, quietly getting 97% on expert to the surprise of my bandmates. I might have to call the Ontario Work Safety line after that perfomance. Playing Rock Band on the job?! Life is so tough!

While we might have been promoting the movie, it was finally time for music as tonight NINJASSSC! would hit the stage.Up first was Street Sweeper Social Club, a band I had never heard of, but had this Rage Against The Machine/Funk vibe to them with a Tom Morello-like guitar sound. Little did I know[among most of the crowd] The guitar player was infact Tom Morello. He had a shaved head, which clearly threw everyone off. The lead singer[Boots Riley] reminded me of Lenny Kravitz, circa 1990.

Next up would be a monumental performance and the last ever in Toronto[at least for now] by one of the most creative bands ever to hit a stage in the world; Nine Inch Nails. Admittingly not being a big fan or ever being into NIN, only having heard their Radio Singles, I was taken by storm. They played everything from March Of The Pigs to The Hand That Feeds and Burn. Notable Omissions to the disappointment of fans included Capital G and Closer.

Much to the surprise of many fans, Jane's Addiction closed out the night. This brought a pretty diverse crowd with everyone from 18 year old girls with multi-coloured dreadlocks, to 50 year old men smoking cigars and going on about how great the 80's were for music. JA [yes, with dreamy Dave Navarro!] played everything you'd expect they would, from Stop! to Mountain Song. Perry Farrell can bust a move, no questions asked. I laughed a few times at some of the moves he was making onstage.

Overall it was a great night, but one thing really blew my mind. Standing close to one of the merch tents, greeting people as they walked by, I noticed the cost of shirts. 45bucks?! for a green shirt that just has the NIN logo on it?! and 85 for hoodies?! These shirts and sweaters must have brought all the chicks or were stain resistant. I've been to alot of concerts over the past few years but have never seen merch so ridicolously priced. I don't know if it was the venue setting prices or the band, but in this "recession" you would have figured the merch would be more reasonably priced.

This weekend is the intern bootcamp, where I am in the midst of designing some sort of shirt with my kindergarten drawing skills to make everyones eyes bleed.

Until next time,

-Patrick
Edge Intern Army n00bz

Laundry List!

2009-06-11T04:21:00.000-04:00

Well after starting [technically] 3 jobs this week, i'm back into the swing of things. Guess i'll start off with the most important stuff, then move my way to the album reviews.

Over the last month lots of stuff has happened. and 3 100% confirmed, big announcements!

1. I am now a intern at CFNY, 102.1 The Edge In Toronto. Officially having my first shift last Tuesday at the Nine Inch Nails show. I'll post my review on that later. I can't wait to get the chance to job-shadow[working along side] with some of brightest and most professional radio on-air personalities in the Country among other exciting stuff. I will be at the No Doubt show next Tuesday at the Air Canada Centre.

2. June 23rd, I will be Interviewing a band who's first single off of their fourth album rose to number 1 on the US rock charts and a RTW favourite:

ANBERLIN. Super stoked for this. Any questions, send them my way!

3. Once again I will be doing press at the the longest running annual rock tour in the US, Vans Warped Tour. I am super stoked to be doing this once again and to give the fans of my radio show and others the chance to pick the brains of their favourite artists apart.

4. I am in the works organizing some other stuff so stay tuned......

On to the Reviews of the shows, starting by most recent:

[img]http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/the-blender/files/2009/01/aptour.jpg%20[/img]
AP TOUR 2009
First of all, I wanted to give props to Fearless Records for hooking me up with a ticket to the show!

When I walked up to the venue around 6pm I was surprised, the line-up at the kool haus was wound around to queens quay[the street perpendicular to the venue]. Luckily for me I was able to cut through this to get my ticket at will call.

When I got into the venue, I felt like I had to show ID to see if I was under 16. There were so many young teens it made me feel so old. At least all the sight of all the moms and dads made me laugh.

By the Time I entered the venue I caught the last A Rocket To The Moon song, a band I had heard of, but was largely unfamilar with. I can't really give a fair assessment, but the mostly girls between 13-15year old crowd went batshit for it.

HIT THE LIGHTS
For those unfamilar with the band, many have dubbed these guys "New Found Glory Jr." for the similar sound. If you like NFG, your almost guaranteed to like these guys. They played mostly stuff from their new record, Skip School, Start Fights. The absence of Omar Zehery on guitar due to a family emergency saw a variety of guitarists from A Rocket To The Moon[Nick Santino], The Maine[Jared Monaco], my buddy Derek Mount[Chapstique] from Family Force 5, and even Vocalist Nick Thompson assuming his old role in the band by playing 2songs. They capped their performance off with their lastest single and one of the catchier songs on the record, Drop The Girl. Overall a tight, clean live performance and one of my favourites of the night.

FAMILY FORCE 5
Introduced to me last year while in New Jersey at Bamboozle by one of my friends, I couldn't get over Family Force 5 and their live performance. It was like a bunch of kids with A.D.D were given the keys to a candy store. The only way to describe the band's performance and on-stage antics is: fucking crazy. Maybe it's because there are 3 brothers [soul glow/solomon,Crouton/Jacob,and Phatty/joshua olds'] in the band, or the fact they just love to get-down and entertain the crowd.

While their new, more "dancey" album is not as well recieved by fans as their first more rock/rap fused record, their set, as always was entertaining. Playing some of old favourites such as Numb, Supersonic, Earthquake, and Luv Addict and New anthems Radiator, Wake The Dead, and Dance or Die. I would have liked to see "first time" performed live, one of the more "rock" songs on the record, the set was still great. They played about 11 songs. I'm happy this set was third, which you'll find out why a bit later.

3OH!3
A group I discovered in February of last year with their hilarous, homemade video for Holler Til You Pass Out, 3oh!3 have changed [in what i feel] for the worst. A group I was into as I took it them as more of a joke/fun as opposed to an actual "serious" group, everyone who has supposedly "been a fan since the start" takes them seriously and actually takes them seriously. Holy shit. Are you serious?

As they come on stage with the starting track of the album WANT, Tapp a Garage Band made beat, screams and screeches could be heard from Bay Street. They cut right away into "Punkbitch" as various whiteboys do their best Dr.Dre impression and for 3minutes, are "hardcore" rapping gurus....in their minds.

As the song comes to a close, Nate Motte speaks. "Were the band 3OH!3!" Woah, woah, woah. What the fuck. I try to hold back, back at least I shout "YOU GUYS AREN'T A ACTUAL BAND!"
Just because you take a Bassist and drummer who are there for looks and aren't actually playing out on tour does not make you a band. When Snoop Dogg takes a drummer out on tour with him, does that make him a actual band?

No fucking way.

The worst in all of this, the playing wasn't even believable. The drummer was doing hi-hat hits when clearly, the song is not making a hi-hat sound. These are Garage Band made beats, yes they are possible to play on a drum kit. Was the drummer? No way. 3oh!3, as they did when I saw them at Bamboozle in May 2008, had a beatmachine, in which they play all their beats off of, what those in the business call a backing track.

The drummer is all over the place, doing his best impersonation of playing the drums. Much of the same for the bassist. Just standing there, as a prop looking good. It also made me think, how much do they get paid to pretend play instruments while out on tour?

3oh!3 played pretty well all the songs off of Want, with the exception of the few that were my favourites on their debut record. No Chokechain. No Holler Til You Pass Out, No Say Dem' Up. Lame.

They ended with the song that has made them very popular with "the kids", Don't Trust Me, and prior to played a new song. It sounded like Don't Trust Me Part 2, they should have just played it with a extension.

I sound like a bitter douchebag whose band "sells out" on him and are no longer cool to like because everyone else likes them, or maybe i just grew out of 3oh!3 a bit too fast. The performance was nowhere near as good as when I saw them at Bamboozle, or the 5Warped Tour stops I was at. I was very disappointed.

The Maine
I have never really been into The Maine, but had never seen them live, so I decided to stay for most of their performance. Having only one record out, they didn't have a whole lot to choose from as far as song choice was concerned. Much to the delight of the thousands of anxious and energetic teeny boppers, they played favourites such as "Girls do what they want" and "Everything I Ask For".

Like The Maine or not, I will give them one thing. They love their fans and treat them like gold. They realize they are popular/famous because of the fans who buy their record, and I respect that a ton. Too many bands get big and forget what/who got them there, Fan Support.

Overall the show was okay, Hit The Lights and Family Force 5 were highlights of the night. I wasn't overly impressed with 3oh!3, and The Maine was alright. It might just be because the show a week earlier was one of the best shows I have ever been to....

Talked about the New Found Glory/Bayside/Set Your Goals show all throughout the first season of RTW,getting more pumped as the day neared. Fireworks, a Pop Punk Band from Detriot reminiscent of a Young New Found Glory subbed in for Shai Hulud, who dropped off the tour for the final 3 weeks. Special thanks to Keith at Epitaph Records once again!

Let's get to the bands:

Fireworks: I didn't expect anyone in the pheonix to know Fireworks, but when they opened with Detriot[my favourite off of their new record, All I Have To Offer Is My Own Confusion] at least 30-40 kids began sing-along and going somewhat crazy[you know, how most hardcore kids do] It seems Fireworks already had a following up north, which I thought was pretty awesome.

They played 6-7 songs, mostly off the new record with a few from their old EP. Overall a great performance, I was pretty impressed!

Setlist:
Detroit
Michigan Boys Need To Get A Clue
Cardellini
I Support Same Sex Marriage
Again and Again
Closet Weather
Show Me Your Vanishing Act One More Time
From Mountain Movers to Lazy Losers

Set Your Goals: Having just recently getting into these guys over the past 10 months, I was excited to see them live for the first time[i counted and i had 8! count'em 8! chances to see them between bamboozle/warped tour last year, boy am i pissed about that]

Succeeded my expectations and then some. Fucking awesome. Kicked it off with Flight of the Navigator, where by the end of the song I have to confess that I had to make my way from the back of the crowd to the pit at this point, I couldn't miss out. In addition to the usual songs and a couple of Rock The Walls favourites, they played two new tracks I unfortunately didn't catch the titles to. I'm positive one was This Will Be The Death Of Us[Title Track from their new album out July 21st] and one titled "summer jam". Was very impressed and really into it like most of the crowd was. Lots of SYG supporters in Toronto, alive and well. Can't wait to see these guys once again on the gig life tour.

Setlist:
Flight of the Navigator
Goonies
The Fallen
This Will Be The Death Of Us
Work in Progress/We Do It For the Money
Summer Jam
Don't Let This Win Over You/Echoes
To Be Continued
Mutiny

Bayside: I wasn't sure what kind of a reaction and/or fan base they would get/have in Toronto but that was quickly answered as Bayside hit the stage with a loud group of cheers, Louder then both SYG and Fireworks. Fittingly they kicked it off with Hello Shitty and transitioned into Boy as the Pheonix went nuts. Hands down the most crisp and cleanest live guitar playing I have ever seen live in person. Jack O'shea is a absolute beast. When they came to the solo in The Walking Wounded, he absolutely killed it and the pheonix practically blew up. A absolute wizard, doing much the same in Rochambo. One of the best live performances i've seen from a band period.

Setlist
Hello Shitty
Boy
The Walking Wounded
They're Not Horses, They're Unicorns
Carry On
Duality
Masterpiece
Mantauk
Rochambo
Linoluem
Blame It On Bad Luck
Devotion and Desire

Then came time for the main event as the undisputed Pop Punk Champs New Found Glory took to the stage.

NFG showed why they have been and continue to be one of the biggest pop punk bands ever. It was hard to imagine before the set NFG topping Bayside's set, but they did. For next 75minutes I found out first hand as my NFG live cherry was popped. They kicked it off with their lastest single and the song I played when I featured them and Not Without A Fight as one of RTW's Most Anticipated Albums of 2009.

They played all the favourites you'd expect them to with a few unexpected surprises such as Story So Far and 2's and 3's[by request]!Before the encore they played a cover from Soundtrack To Your Stereo Part 2,[Don't You] Forget About Me which seemed to send the crowd into aw and it calmed down.

As they came back out they played Better Off Dead and the pit was going nuts. This was seen as a last stand- and went apeshit. After 2's and 3's, they started the beginning of intro,and the pit got even bigger. They all knew what was coming next! a song we all remember wether we were 8 or 20, My Friends Over You. Cue one of the loudest crowd sing-a-longs you'll ever hear and the only way to end a NFG set.

Setlist:

Listen To Your Friends
Understatement
At Least I'm Known For Something
Forget My Name
Right Where We Left Off
All Downhill From Here
Sincerely Me
Hold My Hand
Truck Stop Blues
Truth of My Youth
The Story So Far
Tip Of The Iceberg
Failure's Not Flattering
Dressed to Kill
Don't Let Her Pull You Down
Hit or Miss
Don't You (Forget About Me)

Encore:
Better Off Dead.
2's & 3's
Intro
My Friends Over You

What a show. I really wish this was after the mess that was AP Tour, but clearly none of the bands on that bill come close to NFG [or Bayside for that matter] in terms of musicianship and stage presence. These bands[ NFG, Bayside] have staying power the run-of-the-mill neon electro punk crap will never have. As NFG has already proven they are more then a one hit wonder, and will be around for years to come.

It was also amazing to the diversity in the crowd. From 20 year old decked out hardcore kids to 25-30 year old men and women and 14 year old boys and girls barely into high school. I find it amazing that a band can bring so many different people together at different stages in their life to all get that same feeling when they are watching their favorite band up on stage.

Just as Motion City Soundtrack is to me[and always will be] my favourite band due in some respects the fact that being introduced to them introduced me into the "scene [punk,ska,hardcore]" i'm into now and will eventually get into for the rest of my life. This is what New Found Glory is to so many kids, especially the hardcore crowd. New Found Glory is the band that introduced them to bands such as Have Heart and Title Fight.

Getting lost in music is a special and amazing thing. I absolutely love it. Living in a day and age where so much stuff is accessible to us and millions and millions of artists on the internet, anyone can find anything for them.

phew! that was way long, and took me over the course of 2-3 sittings all within the past few days. Now I can get on a normal schedule for updating blogs, expect them to come fast and furious now, maybe even featuring some videos?

Working Away and Still not believing the Penguins are The 2009 Stanley Cup Champions,

Patrick

Getting on my horse.

2009-06-05T02:26:00.000-04:00

Well, I've been kept busy while being off from school the past month, completely forgetting updates and such. I'll be giving reviews of the two shows i went to, plus an exciting announcement of where i am interning over the summer, interviews/shows coming up, and much more.

Getting caught up,

-Patrick

Taste of Chaos, what's coming up this summer and more.

2009-04-27T12:52:00.000-04:00

Well, it's been a while. School is finished[already? four months of summer? sweeeet] and i'm two weeks removed from the last show of the first season[can I call it that?] of Rock The Walls.

For some reason I have said been saying rock the walls IS as opposed to I. Rock The Walls is a one man crew/team, but I still act as if there is a crew of 3-4 people going with me to each show for a interview,etc. haha.

ANYWAYS....

On to the important stuff.

The interview with Andrew Everding[Keyboards, Vocals] of Thursday and a surprise interview with Matt Kean[Bassist] Bring Me The Horizon went well. I played them on my last show, but I'll hopefully have the individual files up in the next few hours for listening pleasure.

Taste of Chaos itself was pretty good. I'll give a little rundown of exactly what I thought from Openers to Headliners..

Four Year Strong: The rotation of the 3 opening bands[Cancer Bats, Pierce The Veil, Four Year Strong] saw FYS up first. Having seen these guys several times i anticipated two things:
1)Awesome performance
2)Rough Pit

Having seen 2 kids knocked out, a person jump off of speakers 40feet high into a crowd and several bloody noses, I expected it to get rough. However, the pit was pretty tame, and for the most part the crowd was pretty retarded. I don't think they really understood what a breakdown was as far as the pit' went. Kids would start moshing at random times.

Retards aside, Four Year Strong put on, as always a great show. They seemed to play the most songs out of the 4 bands leading up to thursday which was surprising. They played pretty well every song from Rise or Die Trying, with the exception of "If he's here, who's runnin hell?" and "Wrecked'em? Damn near killed'em"

The highlight of this set for me would have had to been the Breakdown in Beatdown In The Key of Happy. Just as they were about to start the breakdown they go into the fucking breakdown of raining blood! Pretty sweet.

Pierce The Veil: I've already voiced my opinion on these guys on air... I didn't really get why they were on this tour. Guess they were for the scenie boppers who were there for oli sykes. These guys weren't particularly my favourite band to say the least.. And wouldn't you know it. Half way through their set the beat to Lil' Wayne's "lollipop" comes on. they all lift up there guitars and WOW! On the three guitars each has a word! First one, PARTY Second MOTHER third FUCKERS! Another "neon" group?! How am I not shocked?! The end of their set they played a cover of MJ's Beat It, which wasn't too bad due to the singer's high pitched voice.

Cancer Bats: A homecoming for the Cancer Bats on the second-to-last stop on TOC, I have never been a die-hard fan of these guys but always liked them. Holy geez. They teared shit up and then some. The crowd was rowdy and their performance saw guest appearances by George and Wade of Alexisonfire! Pretty sweet. Then the great guy who I interviewed, Andrew of Thursday came out for Hail Destoryer to add some screams to it. Awesome performance.

Bring Me The Horzion: Judging by the number of "I partied Naked With Bring Me The Horizon" shirts I saw in the crowd, I'd say most people had been waiting all night for these guys. They came out to their first single on their new album Suicide Season and a song I've played quite a bit on the show due to their performance was also coming up on April 14th at L3, The Comedown.

The pit opened up wider then it had all night, as fellow Oli Sykes admirers clinched on for dear life at the front. Throughout the very short set[considering the band was directly supporting Thursday.]They only played 5 songs. I would say this is probably due large part of one of their guitarist, Curtis Ward leaving the band midtour. They had to throw in their guitar tech, who i am told only knows songs off the new record.

BMTH went through other popular songs on the new album such as Football Season Is Over, The Sadness Will Never End (Feat. Vic from Pierce The Veil), Diamonds Aren't Forever and closed with Chelsea Smile. As the band went offstage, fans started to chant for a encore.

Having seen BMTH on Warped Tour 2008 in California before Four Year Strong played on several dates, their live show has greatly improved. Back in August all you could hear was Oli screaming and double bass.

Thursday: after BMTH, I couldn't believe my eyes. More than half the venue cleared right out. I was shocked. It was just really sad to realize what the scene has come to. How could more then half these kids leave before Thursday, a band that will be talked about well after bands like Pierce The Veil and Bring Me The Horizon disappear, like they were some fucking shitty local band? All those kids would miss out, that's for sure.

One of the most legendary post-hardcore bands, Thursday blew my mind away. Near the end of the set, they began to take requests from people in the crowd, as if it was a small, 100-200 people, intimate show as opposed to 3,000-5,000 capacity Kool Haus. The setlist (off of the top of my head looked something like this:

1) At This Velocity
2) Resuscitation
3) Understanding
4) Counting 5-4-3-2-1
5) Friends In The Armed Forces
6) Beyond The Visible
7) Signals
8) Workforce
9) Circuits
10) Jet Black
11) Dark MountainHere
12) War All The Time

Great set, was absolutely blown away. I really hope some kids got into these guys because of that performance, because those guys deserve it.

Overall Taste of Chaos minus PTV was a pretty good show. I'd have to give it a 8/10.

STAY TUNED FOR THURSDAY AND BRING ME THE HORIZON INTERVIEWS

Skankin' and Moshing away,

Patrick

ROCK THE WALLS BLOG #1

2009-04-07T16:51:00.000-04:00

This is the place where you can find all the latest music news, concert calendar for shows going on in the Niagara Region, video interviews and much more.

Stay tuned for upcoming announcements with the hottest bands in Punk, Ska, and Hardcore!