Hunnypot Does...
Powered by CircleSquareLA

Over the years, there have been very few bands that have been able to develop a solid blueprint for long-term success.  Many have tried and failed, while others have gone the distance and remained relevant in this “modern age” of music.  Artists like The Rolling Stones, The Who, and Rush are among those elite who have withstood the test of time and continued to perform at the top of their game over careers that have literally spanned decades.  Another such band that sits among these time-tested heavyweights is Yes.  Founded in London, England in 1968, this progressive rock band has endured everything from multiple lineup changes to breaking up and everything in between over an incredible 45+ year career.  I had always heard great things about Yes and their live performances, but never actually got a chance to see them in concert.  Instead, I had to rely on their extensive catalog while hoping that the stars would align and one day would be able to catch this iconic band live here in Southern California.  Well, I finally got to check Yes off my concert “bucket-list” and got to see them live and in-person on Saturday night.

As I entered The Grove in Anaheim, CA, I could immediately feel that this show was going to be special.  The venue was packed, and an electricity filled the air that I had not felt at a concert in quite some time.  As the legions of Yes fans waited in anticipation for the show to begin, I could not help but wonder if these guys would live up to my ultra-high expectations (heck, who really does these days?) Waiting for the show to begin, I struck up a conversation with a gentleman who shared with me this was his 118th Yes show (you heard that right - #118!) I could not believe he had been to that many shows (which averages out to be almost 3 shows per year over the bands entire career).  After sharing some addition fun-facts about Yes, he told me to strap myself in for an unbelievable night of music.  At that very moment, the lights dropped and this sold-out crowd went absolutely crazy.  The giant LCD screens began to flash funky psychedelic images (made famous by long-time Yes artist Roger Dean), and the band everyone had been waiting patiently to see was finally taking the stage. 

As a short prelude came to an end, vocalist Jon Davison, bassist Billy Sherwood, keyboardist Geoff Downes, drummer Jay Schellen (filling in for the ailing Alan White), and the legendary guitarist Steve Howe all took the stage.  After a few brief waves to the crowd, the band was off and running with their 10-minute epic “Machine Messiah”, off of their 1980 classic LP, Drama (which was played in its entirety).  Act I concluded with two of my favorite early catalog tracks – “I’ve Seen Good People” and “Siberian Khatru”.  Both tracks were clean, crisp, and instrumentally spot-on.  What stood out to me throughout the opening set was the cohesiveness of the latest incarnation of this band. It would stand to reason that the complexity of these songs might be challenging to some of the newer band members – especially Davison and Schellen.  However, their performances were nothing short of amazing and ultimately delivered a near-flawless performance.

After short intermission, the band launched into another 10-minute masterpiece, “And You and I” (off of the 1972 LP Close to the Edge).  This was immediately followed by selections from Tales from Topographic Oceans. My favorite track from this album was “Leaves of Green” - an excerpt from “The Ancient (Giants Under the Sun)”.  Davison’s vocals were masterful and Howe’s sheer brilliance on guitar mesmerized the Yes faithful into a trance-like state that lasted up until the final chord of “Nous Sommes du Soleil”.  Simply breathtaking.  The show wrapped up with a killer encore consisting of fan-favorites “Roundabout” and “Starship Trooper”.  There was not a single person at The Grove in their seats during their final reprise.  Everyone (and I mean everyone) was out of their chair singing and celebrating with a band they have grown to love over the past four decades.  There could not have been a better ending to this powerful set.

When the dust had settled and everyone was back on solid ground, I finally had a chance to collect my thoughts.  Did Yes live up to all the hype and exceed my expectations?  One word – Absolutely. Howe, Downes, Davison, Schellen, and Sherwood laid all of their cards on the table and pulled out all of the stops in this once-in-a-lifetime show. It was clear to everyone that what was just witnessed was a special performance (and maybe one of their best on their 2016 Album Series Tour).  Maybe Jon Davison said it best earlier in the show, “It’s been a great tour, but my heart belongs to OC”.  Coincidence?  I think not.  If you get a chance to see these guys live on tour this fall, please do.  It’s definitely a “bucket-list” type of show that leaves nothing (and everything) to one’s imagination.

For more information on Yes and their current US tour – Click here.

Set List:

Act 1

Drama: 

  • Machine Messiah
  • White Car
  • Does It Really Happen?
  • Into the Lens
  • Run Through the Light
  • Tempus Fugit

I’ve Seen All Good People

Siberian Khatru

Act 2: 

And You and I

Selections from Tales from Topographic Oceans

  • The Revealing Science of God / Dance of the Dawn
  • Leaves of Green (excerpt from ‘The Ancient / Giants Under the Sun (Duet by Steve Howe & Jon Davison)
  • Ritual / Nous Sommes du Soleil

Encore:

Roundabout

Starship Trooper

 

Stay Frosty and Rock On!

 

Published in Hunnypot Does

The ASCAP "I Create Music" EXPO puts you face-to-face with some of the world's most successful songwriters, composers, artists, producers and music business leaders, all who willingly share their knowledge and expertise and give you the know-how to take your music to the next level.

Our own Jeff Gray gives everyone a preview of what it's like to attend the ASCAP EXPO...

Don't miss this years ASCAP EXPO! 

April 13-15, 2017

Loews Hollywood Hotel

Los Angeles, California

 

Special thanks to:

Hunnypot, Bobbi Marcus PR, Media Liberated, ASCAP, attendees, interviewees, panelists, sponsors & staff of ASCAP EXPO 2016!

 

Director: Ryan Taalbi  Editor/Camera: Preston Taalbi  Camera: Bronson Taalbi

 

'On The Verge'

Written by Scott Hinds

Performed by The Royal Hounds

 

Courtesy of Hunnypot Unlimited

Published in Random Fun

From Newcastle upon Tyne, UK duo Those Who Burn first met performing an improvised set at the legendary 'Star and Shadow' Cinema of Ouseburn Valley. Following the performance they set up studio in a disused industrial unit honing improvised sketches and schizophrenic sound in collaboration with other innovative musicians and vocalists.

Described as "gritty, engaging and aggressive", Those Who Burn utilize surreal imagery and veer from grand cinematic soundscapes to abrasive subversive rock, delicate ambient melody, synth drone and spacious trippy break-beats delivered with an ethos that resists categorization and stylistic inertia.

Those Who Burn resonate in the multimedia context of Film and Television as on your turntable, radio or mp3 player.

Stream/Download (DISCO)

 

All Compositions and Sound Recordings are represented by Hunnypot exclusively.

Published in Artists

Come out to the Mint this Friday, 8/26! Our own Hot Tub Johnnie will be DJing this amazing show stacked full of five bands that is sure to be a good time. 

For tickets and information about the bands click here

Published in Random Fun

The Olympics are over but Hunnypot Live! keeps delivering winning gold medal music.

Monday night was off to the races with a Hot Tub Johnny DJ set that vaulted our poles and and volleyed our balls. The marathon relay continued with our guest DJ Yvette Metoyer (SuperMusicVision) DJ set that brought in gold, silver and even bronze feels. Bevin Hamilton represented the "country" of Americana for a freestyle event, there was no equestrian that Lyrical Groove got all our hooves dancing, Madeline Spooner swung it out of the park with her electronic flavor sounds and Hot Sauce Holiday was so busy having fun and entertaining they forgot there was any competition.  8-22-16

-J. Gray

YM photo

YVETTE METOYER (SUPERMUSICVISION INTERVIEW & DJ SET)

Yvette Metoyer grew up in sunny Southern California and spent many countless hours scoring life’s memories by making mixtapes (yes, tapes) for her high school and college friends. Inspired by her love of music and TV at an early age, she pursued a career in television production after having graduated from Cal State Long Beach.

After having worked on several successful shows, including HBO’s Big Love, a lengthy WGA writers’ strike shut down all LA productions, and Yvette decided to take a music supervision extension course at UCLA, where she met one of the top music supervisors in the game, Thomas Golubic´. A one year apprenticeship with Thomas’ company SuperMusicVision blossomed into a nearly ten year working relationship with exciting collaborations on multiple film & TV projects, including the Emmy award winning AMC series Breaking Bad, the zombie apocalypse ratings juggernaut The Walking Dead, the delightfully smart and charming Breaking Bad prequel, Better Call Saul, the Cinemax thriller series Outcast, and the witty comedic drama series Grace & Frankie. Yvette has recently been promoted as co-music supervisor on the critically acclaimed AMC series Halt and Catch Fire and is sure to continue expanding on her impressive resume.  


bwh

Bevin Hamilton

Bevin is an Alternative Rock Artist pinning her genre as 'American Gothic Rock'. She is a solo Artist/Songwriter residing in the city of angels, both dark and light. Her background in music stems from classical to classic rock, and is evident in her songs. She has toured, written and/or worked with the likes of Motley Crue, Tim Armstrong, and Jimmy Cliff. She has honed her songwriting skills with many Nashville writers and Artists and continues to expand and push through music stereotypes and barriers.
Her songs explore the inner and outer landscapes of the American Dream.... How we see the world and how the world sees us. The characters that populate her songs are indeed ghosts and fringe dwellers and plucky heroines. The fighters, dreamers, Rebels, Visionaries... In her creative vision all these psychological archetypes and spiritual aspects of our selves get to be unleashed, and heard.

Her EP “Filters and Frames” was produced in Los Angeles by world renowned Producer, Mixer and Songwriter James Michael. James has produced records from artists such as Motley Crue, Scorpions and Papa Roach and has had hits with Kelly Clarkson and James Durbin to Meatloaf. He is also the Lead singer of the band Sixx: AM.

Website  IMDB  iTunes


Lyrical Groove

Lyrical Groove

The Lyrical Groove is a band that combines cohesively crafted spoken word and live instrumentation to inspire and entertain. With a musical style that balances Jazz, Hip Hop, Blues, R&B, Gospel, and Soul, The Lyrical Groove infuses a potent message with a social consciousness and spiritual awareness that sings to your humanity and moves your soul.

The Lyrical Groove was formed under the motivation of spoken word artist, Kendrick Dial, to have live music accompany his performance of poetry. The pursuit of collaboration then began with Louisiana born friend and drummer, Glenn “GK” Sanders and keyboardist, Mike Smith. The group officially formed in November 2010, after a gig at the Ruby Room in San Diego, CA. An overwhelming, affirming crowd response cemented in the group’s minds what their hearts were warming up to. In July 2011, the band was joined by musical Bay Area native guitarist, Mike “Token” Benedetto, Jacob “Cubby” Miranda on bass and their ultra-talented vocalist Brisa Lauren in 2012.

The Lyrical Groove just released their debut full-length album, Spoken Soul: Music For Life, which is a catalogue of spoken words and songs that mirror the genres that inspire the band. The Lyrical Groove has been one of San Diego’s hardest working bands over the last 4 years. If you are a lover of musicianship, lyrical inspiration, and wit accompanied by an awe-inspiring live performance, then Lyrical Groove is the band for you. Music is one of the most barrier-bridging elements of life. Lyrical Groove is a band that embodies that sentiment.

The Lyrical Groove as performed all over San Diego, CA at a collage of events ranging from fund-raisers, church and youth programs, music concerts, wine tastings, to numerous events/venues such as the San Diego IndieFest, Anthology, Humphrey’s Backstage Lounge, Winston’s, and The House of Blues.

Facebook  Twitter  Youtube


resized resized resized madeline spooner

Madeline Spooner

Madeline Spooner is an experimental electronic pop artist based out of Los Angeles. Her latest EP, NAUTILUS, is an amalgamation of organic and electronic instrumentation that perfectly frames her spellbinding vocals. 

From her roots as a Midwestern native, Madeline has married her early acoustic storytelling with her affection for electronic music. She draws inspiration from the non-standard pop sensibilities of artists like Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, and The Doors as well as the esoteric tendencies of Coco Rosie, The Knife and Kate Bush.

Chris Douridas of KCRW first premiered Madeline on the airwaves on his Saturday radio show. Subsequently, Madeline was invited to a successful May residency at the Satellite, where she released her first single from NAUTILUS. Respected music columnist Kevin Bronson (BuzzbandsLA) first debuted the single on KCSN. He wrote:

"Had to Let It Go, a dreamy communiqué about shucking the weight of the world, embodies the mystical themes on the EP. With its airy flourishes and cinematic sweep, [it] has the same je ne sais quoi as the more experimental work of Marina and the Diamonds. It’s good for letting go.” 

Quirky curio instruments combine with analogue synths in a lush panoramic landscape, where Spooner endeavors to maintain a soulfulness in her rich and expansive contemporary sound. Madeline’s co-producer and collaborator, Ethan Allen (Tricky, Ben Harper, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Patty Griffin) shares these same sentiments, resulting in a cohesive vision for inspired sonics and thought-provoking lyrics.   

As a two-time first place award winner for the American Songwriting Awards, executive director Joseph Paulos highly lauded her by writing, “Madeline’s vibrant pop sound with psychedelic twists and turns keep listeners wanting more. We believe she is going to redefine the independent music scene.” 

NAUTILUS will be available on July 31st on www.madelinespooner.bandcamp.com, www.madelinespooner.com, iTunes and all major digital retailers.

Instagram  Youtube


Hot Sauce

Hot Sauce Holiday

Hot Sauce Holiday is for everyone that wants to kick over their office desks and start dancing. We are for the eccentric outsiders, the burners, and the lovers. Join us in taking on the banality of convention. 

Hot Sauce Holiday is a four piece cabaret rock band from Los Angeles. Their live shows emphasize crowd participation and a great deal of improv. Bongo-solos, skits, poetry, and dance numbers have been known to break out. They have been known to feature burlesque dancers, hula hoop artists, and scandalous routines involving Playboy playmates. Genre-wise the sound varies from song to song drawing influence from 60's psychedelic and folk, to early punk, 80's electro, disco, and even a bit of barbershop. The song lyrics are surreal and witty with every band member trading off on vocals or singing in harmonies. In addition to over 20 originals the band has a variety of party cover songs they are able to play ranging from George Michael to Motorhead.

So leave the outside world behind you for a couple hours and come experience the originality,  joy, and chaos that is Hot Sauce Holiday. Hunnypot Approved good time guarantee!

Facebook  Website  Instagram  Twitter

Published in Hunnypot Live

Scott Stapp is considered by many to be one of the top vocalists of the 1990’s.  His thought-provoking lyrics and high-energy stage presence were a welcome change in a post-grunge scene that seemed more pop oriented and less-substantive than its heavyweight predecessors like Nirvana or Pearl Jam.  Upon the release of My Own Prison in 1997, Stapp and Creed quickly ascended to the top of the Billboard Charts with three #1 hits - a feat that no other band had accomplished with a debut album.  Over the next few years, the band’s popularity skyrocketed including a certified diamond LP, Human Clay, and a Grammy in 2001 for Best Rock Song with their hit, “With Arms Wide Open”.  Creed was definitely a household name and arguably one of the most popular bands on the planet.  Unfortunately, all of the fame and fortune that comes with success came crashing down on Stapp in 2004 when Creed parted ways.  Regardless of reason for their break up, it was the first in a series of tragic events that would stigmatize (and ultimately reshape) Scott Stapp into the man he is today.

On Saturday August 20th, Scott Stapp rose from the ashes to perform for an intimate crowd at Club Vibe inside of the Morongo Casino in Cabazon, CA. Expectations were high for the near-capacity crowd, many of which had already seen Scott Stapp perform numerous times on his 2016 Proof of Life Tour.  As lights dimmed, energy levels began to skyrocket as frenzied fans began to push their way towards the stage.  Strobes flashed green and blue as lead guitarist Ioannis Papadopoulos, rhythm guitarist Ben Flanders, bass guitarist Sammy Hudson, and drummer Dango Cellan all took their place on stage.  After a short prelude, Scott Stapp joined the band center stage, grabs the mic, and screams, “I think they shoot cause they want it.” And at that moment, all bets were off in Cabazon as the band launched into 2001 anthem “Bullets”.  Based on Stapp’s energy and emotion, it was clear that this was going to be a special night.

Over the next two hours, Scott Stapp mesmerized the Southern California crowd with a brilliant setlist comprised of classics from his years with Creed as well as lesser known tracks off his solo LP Proof of Life.  Standards such as “My Own Prison”, “With Arms Wide Open”, and “Higher” were played with a reckless abandon that transported many back to their first Creed concert.  Stapp’s vocals were spot-on, and showed no signs of rust as he brilliantly maneuvered the 90-minute 12 song set.  In addition, Scott’s band was absolutely amazing.  Papadopoulos and Flanders electrified the crowd with brilliant guitar work coupled with a kick-ass stage presence that left nothing on the table the entire show. Hudson’s bass lines were sick, and Dango’s stick work was truly intoxicating.  The way these guys played together, you’d think they had been touring for the last 15 years.  Scott Stapp wrapped up the evening with an amazing encore featuring two of my favorite songs, “One Last Breath” and “My Sacrifice”.  You could tell from the look in his eyes that he did not want the night to end, and he connected with as many fans as possible up until the last note was played.  What an epic show.

From his humble beginnings as the son of a Pentecostal Minister to now solo-artist, Scott Stapp has lived a full life with many highs (and even more lows) over a complex 20-year career.  His self-admitted struggles with drugs, alcohol, and mental illness have taken him on a fascinating journey that most could not fathom, only to come out on the other side a better human being, father, and husband.  And to get back in the game after all that Stapp has gone though is an incredible feat all to itself.  Saturday’s show at Morongo was a testament that anything is possible with focus, determination, along with the unconditional love and support from one’s family. If this inspiring performance was any indication of things to come for Scott Stapp, the sky’s is definitely the limit going forward.  Saturday's performance is one of my top 10 for 2016 and definitely a “must-see” show!

Click Here to find out when Scott Stapp is playing in your area on his 2016 Proof of Life Tour. 

www.scottstapp.com

Set List (8/20):

  • Bullets
  • My Own Prison
  • What If
  • Torn
  • Overcome
  • One
  • Dying to Live
  • Jesus Was a Rockstar
  • With Arms Wide Open
  • Higher
  • Encore – One Last Breath
  • Encore – My Sacrifice

 

Stay Frosty and Rock On!

 

Published in Hunnypot Does



PADUCAH, Ky. — Twenty-five years. Two-and-a-half decades. A quarter of a century. A long time no matter what you are talking about. So it’s no surprise J.D. Wilkes wanted to celebrate that milestone for his band, the Legendary Shack Shakers. Founder/frontman/multi-instrumentalist Wilkes decided the best way to commemorate a quarter century of making music with his band was - of course - by making more music. But like most long-lasting groups, the Legendary Shack Shakers have had a lot of band members come and go through the years. So a “family reunion” was planned, one that would host past members and the current lineup for celebratory recording sessions. The result is the group’s new full-length offering from Alternative Tentacles, Cockadoodledeux, due out November 5th, 2021. The title is a nod to the Shack Shakers’ 2003 album, Cockadoodledon’t. Though not their debut record, it was the one that broke the group to a wider audience. Its explosive collision of punk, blues and country was perhaps what made the Shack Shakers legendary. Cockadoodledeux, however, is more singular in its focus. Wilkes had been yearning to set his rock ’n’ roll leanings aside and record something new. This time, instead of hopping genres as many of his albums do, Wilkes wanted to explore one genre alone. He wanted to just make a Country-and-Western record.

“Our older albums jump around all over the place, genre to genre, styles that are almost diametrically-opposed even,” he says. “But this record jumps only within country music itself. It's a big-tent genre, really. It has all these little subgenres within it providing endless variety. From Western swing and rockabilly to spaghetti Western and bluegrass and even Tex Mex.” Originally, Wilkes planned to pursue this concept on his 2018 solo record, Fire Dream, but when the sessions got underway, the muse pulled him in a different direction. “Suddenly, I had all these unused country tunes, and I thought, ‘Hey, that could be the new Shack Shakers record,’” he says. “And it made sense to me because family reunions and country music seem to go hand in hand.” In addition to the current members (guitarist Gary Siperko, bassist Fuller Condon and drummer Preston Corn), the original 1990s lineup showed up, and former members like multi-instrumentalist Chris Scruggs (Marty Stuart’s Fabulous Superlatives) and bassist Morgan Jahnig (Old Crow Medicine Show) pitched in, too. Cockadoodledeux also includes performances by a few Kentucky music legends, such as Sun Studio guitarist Stanley Walker (Jean Shepard, “Rockin’” Ray Smith), dobroist Jack Martin (Lester Flatt) and renowned Cajun fiddler “Hillbilly” Bob Prather (Onie Wheeler).

Punk rock icon and founder of Alternative Tentacles Jello Biafra makes a special guest appearance, as well, contributing vocals to the band’s cover of the theme to the TV Western series Rawhide. He first met the Shakers at South by Southwest in 2005 and has since made several appearances with the band, both onstage and on their album Pandelirium. Biafra calls Wilkes “the last great rock ’n’ roll frontman.” Of Biafra, Wilkes says, “It’s just good to be with people who believe in you and are passionate about what you do.” Because of the Covid pandemic, Wilkes uploaded the “Rawhide” tracks to Biafra’s San Francisco studio where he added his wild yelps and yodels remotely. “He killed it,” Wilkes says. The bulk of the recording was done at the Time on the String studio in Paducah, Kentucky. But like Biafra, Jahnig and Scruggs added their parts remotely. “Morgan has a studio of his own, so I sent him the tracks,” Wilkes says. “And I drove down to see Chris and was actually at the studio in Nashville as he laid down steel guitar. Otherwise, everyone else came to Kentucky for the family reunion.” Cockadoodledeux includes a track, “Secret Mountain,” that was originally intended for the band’s first release on Alternative Tentacles. Recorded at Nashville’s famous Woodland Studio, it features Micah Hulscher (Wanda Jackson, Emmylou Harris, Margo Price) on barrel-house piano and former Shack Shakers Mark Robertson, Rod Hamdallah and Brett Whitacre. “Secret Mountain" is a track that got nixed off The Southern Surreal,” Wilkes explains. “It was just too country at the time. But, of course, it’s perfect for this.” Wilkes’s passion for country and western music is apparent throughout the record, his vocal performances resonating with an authenticity that too often is missing from modern country fare. And while Cockadoodledeux may be more musically disciplined than their past albums, songs like “They Won't Let Me Forget” (“They won’t let me forget, all the things I can’t recall”) and “Punk Rock Retirement Plan” (“He likes a square dance instead of a slam dance”) reflect Wilkes’ wickedly hilarious brand of lyricism; a thing that has been winning him fans for quite a while - 25 years in fact. Looking back on the group’s journey, Wilkes remarks, “It’s been 25 years of long-lasting friendships, unfortunate rivalries - amazing experiences. Triumphs. Heartaches. The whole dramatic story arc.” He pauses, then adds, “And I can’t wait for the next 25.”

Hunnypot is Th' Legendary Shack Shakers official Publishing sync representative, ask us about LICENSING! - John Anderson

STREAM/DOWNLOAD (DISCO)  SPOTIFY

Cockadoodledeux

 

Published in Artists

For Camryn, the adrenaline of bungee jumping off a building is a feeling she wants to have every day. This MTV "buzzworthy" pop/rocker has been in the music scene since 13, and landed herself a management deal at eight with her own demo. Bold, unapologetic and fearless, she rocks out in her guitar-driven tracks like a badass and just debuted her "New Dynasty" EP. 

The New Dynasty EP co-written by her is a bold statement of Camryn's evolution into an artist with her own voice and power. In her track "Machines," her vocals and chorus empowers and steams up the energy in the entire room.  "The idea of ‘and we do it like machines’ is my way of saying ‘I’m going full steam ahead with my music – who’s coming with me?!'" says Camryn. The "Machines" video showcases how she leads us to revolt from oppressive forces, breaks out into the world and take back their own power with her crew. Her determination and drive is nothing to be missed.

Camryn didn't let the fear shut her down. It inspired her, and now she has 1.7 million Facebook fans reached. What do you do with fear? Listen for yourself and let her music inspire you. Make sure you come to see her perform live with Hunnypot on September 19th, 2016, Monday, 8:45pm at the Mint. 

 

Can't make it? Stream it live on HUNNYPOT LIVE!

 

 

Published in Video Picks

Matisyahu has teamed up with Jewish rapper Kosha Dillz, to bring this Semetic anthem as a protest against recent attacks toward Jewish and Israeli people. The music video, set in the desert, features the two artists, performing soulfully as dancers accompany them in the background. Kosha Dillz is the son of immigrant parents from Israel and strongly identifies with his Jewish heritage by rapping in both Hebrew and English. Also identifying as a Jewish artist, Matisyahu was inspired to speak out against anti-semitism because of an event that happened in his life.

 

When asked about the song, Matisyahu explained, " 'Dodging Bullets' started as a reference to the anti-Semitic attacks against Jews and Israelis by the BDS movement but its meaning extends beyond that. It is in reference to an event that occurred to me last summer in which the BDS chapter in Valencia, Spain applied pressure to a Spanish festival demanding that I write a letter or make a video of political intention in essence denouncing the state of Israel. When I refused to reply as they demanded I was thrown off the festival just days before the event and while I was already touring in Europe. 

This particular “bullet" backfired on the BDS movement as Jews and Non Jews spoke up about the injustice of the only publicly recognized Jew on the festival line-up being called out to promote a political agenda. The outcry from fans of all backgrounds grew loud enough that even the country of Spain itself denounced the festival for giving into the BDS movement and as a result the festival asked me to perform again. My band and I accepted the re-invitation and performed in front of tens-of-thousands of peace loving concert goers while approximately a hundred BDS "bullies" created a pyramid of antagonism trying to block my view of the fans while waiving large Palestinian flags, continually giving me the middle finger, and throwing shoes at me all while holding signs reading insults like “Naziyahu.” 

This kind of behavior only seeks to create more animosity and anger, which is what I felt initially during the performance. At some point however, I began to "dodge these bullets of hatred" and found myself feeling a deep sense of empathy for mankind and God. The song 'Dodging Bullets' in turn is not just a political statement geared at the BDS movement or the Israeli/Palestinian conflict but one of an existential and spiritual revolution, whereby one is able to dodge the bullets meant to knock you off your true life's mission as a human being on this planet: to love with all of your heart, soul, and might!!! And to turn bullets of hatred into the music of the soul "

 

Kosha Dillz will be performing at Hunnypot Live at the Mint on September 5. 7pm, all ages, and free. 

Published in Video Picks

Madeline Spooner delivers her hauntingly beautiful vocals over top of experimental electronic music on the live video for her song "Had To Let It Go". Coming from a small town in the midwest, she has adapted her background for acoustic storytelling into a mixture of electronic and organic instrumentation. 

As a two-time first place award winner for the American Songwriting Awards, executive director Joseph Paulos highly lauded her by writing, “Madeline’s vibrant pop sound with psychedelic twists and turns keep listeners wanting more. We believe she is going to redefine the independent music scene.” 

Madeline will be performing at Hunnypot Live on August 22, 2016 at the Mint. 7pm all ages and free!

 

Published in Video Picks
  • Twitter