Ryan Star - Sink or Swim/Losing My Religion - Webster Hall, NYC 1.18.11

Just when I don't think Ryan Star can surprise me any more, he goes and does it again. At his NYC concert at Webster Hall earlier this week, he pulled out an old favorite off his first album Songs From the Eye of an Elephant - Sink or Swim for the encore. But he threw in a cover of REM's Losing My Religion, which I believe he hasn't sung live since he was on Rockstar Supernova! I ended up missing this show as I couldn't make the logistics work for me this time around - needless to say that I am eternally grateful to stacyr311 for capturing this for us all to enjoy! Check out her other videos from that night on her channel as well!

Jimmy Gnecco - Maxwell's, Hoboken, NJ 12/19/10

This was my last show of 2010 and I almost didn't make it! The show had originally been announced back in October, and I had made tentative plans to go, provided the weather cooperated. The week before the show, the weather had been calling for a major snowstorm that Sunday into Monday. I'd been bumming out and praying the storm went out to sea so I could go - and that was what happened. Friday night before the show, it was confirmed the storm was going out to sea, and I made my plans to go. I arrived late afternoon on Sunday and hung out for awhile before I got ready to go and left, thinking I'd arrive in plenty of time. Boy was I wrong! The show was uncharacteristically early, and what should have taken about 15 minutes to get to Maxwells took almost 45, thanks to traffic from the Giants game. But I arrived about 5 minutes before doors opened and met up with some friends before heading into the venue.

Artist Profile: Mike Robins

Growing up in a musical family, Mike Robins's love of music started early. "Music was a huge part of my early life, my dad was a drummer and mom was a pianist. It was always around at home," he explains. Originally calling Thornhill, Ontario home, Robins is now living in LA working on his solo EP, which he plans to release mid-january, and touring with Hope, a singer-songwriter on Atlantic records. I caught up with him after a show in Cambridge, MA.

How long have you been playing music?
Since high school. I played in a few bands until I finally just put together the Mike Robins band. A little while later the guitarist and I started an acoustic duo called Robins and Stokes. That did well for a while and we released an independent EP which sold well in Ontario. However eventually that ended, but once I got to University, I started a band called Two Foot Falls. This was the band I was playing in right up until I went out to Los Angeles

Lion of Ido - The Sad Cafe, Plaistow NH 12.11.2010

I was pretty thrilled when this show was announced as I was very surprised in the best way when I saw Lion of Ido open for Ryan Star in Boston back in June. They'd been doing some shows in NYC, but never when I could get down there to see them, so when they booked a show about 45 minutes from me, I jumped at the chance to go. It was also the day of my mom's holiday party, but I was able to do both things. I met up with Brooke at the venue around 7, in which we walked in and saw the band hanging out in the lobby. We said hi and then decided since they weren't going on for about an hour or so since a bunch of local bands were also playing, that we'd go get coffee and come back - she also had no cash so that was a stop that we needed to make.

Better Than Ezra - Paradise Rock Club 12.9.10

I won tickets to see Better Than Ezra play at Paradise when they were in town a couple of weeks ago, and while I was hesitant to go since it was a last minute thing - I couldn't find anyone who would go with me, and I didn't know anyone there - I'm glad I did. I was also interested to see the renovated Paradise. I had been there earlier in the year to see a different show and hadn't been back since they'd reopened. I like Paradise a lot - even though its 850 capacity, it still feels really intimate - plus its in a great location in Boston and very easy to get to. Its easily one of my favorite music venues. Doors for the show were at 8, as the show was at 9, so I arrived about 20 minutes after doors opened, picked up my tickets and headed in. There was a good crowd of people already in front of the stage and I started out third 'row' for the opener.

Josh Groban - Christmas in Rockefeller Center VIDEO

Josh performed at the tree lighting in Rockefeller Center last night and it was so good to see him back on my tv. He performed a beautiful rendition of Bells of New York, off of Illuminations, and it really could be released as a holiday song - I hope it is. I think I love this song more after I've heard him perform it live. Check out the video after the jump.

Josh Groban Illuminations - First Listen

Josh Groban's first album in 4 years, Illuminations released this week. I downloaded it Monday night from Amazon and listened on the plane ride home from Atlanta. I have to say, I'm really impressed. I'd say the time that was taken to make this album was absolutely worth it. Wandering Kind, an instrumental prelude sets the tone of the album - its just a very pretty piece, with piano and strings and it gets you ready to hear the story that Groban has to share. I can actually see this used by a figure skater for a short program piece.

Ryan Star w/Hope & Days Difference - Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge 11.8.2010

Last Monday night I headed into Boston to see Ryan Star play a headlining show at the Middle East, which for me started off a busy week. When I saw a show in NJ appear the following night, I was hoping there'd be a Boston show, and was hoping that it'd be before I left for Atlanta that Wednesday night. Sure enough, a few days later, the Boston show was announced and I was psyched to see that it would be indeed that Monday, and not that Wednesday.  Doors opened at 8, and once I got into the venue I was surprised at how tiny it was, but it's a great space. The acoustics were great all night, and I'm really not sure how Ryan and his whole band fit onto the tiny stage!

Josh Groban - Hidden Away Video

The video for Hidden Away, Josh Groban's first single off of his upcoming album Illuminations and his first video in 4 years premiered on Popeater.com yesterday. Groban talks about the song and the video, saying the song is "about people needing the kind of life shaken out of them," Groban explains. "It's about people who are waiting for that release. It could be somebody coming home from work, a friend -- but the song itself is about people who need to be woken up inside."

Fans should expect more videos for tracks off Illuminations. "I think these songs really lend themselves to music videos," Groban says. "They're very personal stories for me and so my quest in making videos in the future is try and make videos that visually more and more match the mood of the song." 

Josh will be performing some small shows leading up to the release of the album on November 15. I'll be doing a full recap of the album when I get it, so be on the lookout for that. From everything I've heard, I'm really excited to hear it.

Check out the video here!

Jimmy Gnecco w/Plain Jane Automobile - Don Hills, NYC 10.2.10

I was pretty stoked when this show was announced, as I try to get down to NYC/NJ for Jimmy's shows when I can swing it, and being on a Saturday night, there was really no excuse not to make plans to go. I talked Lisa into coming with me (it didn't take much convincing, honestly) and that Saturday once she got out of class, we headed to NYC. I called Bill when we arrived so he could come down and show us where to park as he let us park in his neighborhood- and let me tell you, trying to find a parking space in New York is an entertaining experience. After driving around for about a half hour, we finally found one and parked and hightailed it to the subway to get where we were staying.