On Monday, September 9th, I was joined by fans from all over to see the rock stars we call Breaking Benjamin. Not only did they straight up rock the stage, they had other killer acts destroy it right before them. With performances on the docket from DIAMANTE, Dorothy, Three Days Grace, and Chevelle, we were surely in for a stellar night.
Straight out the gates DIAMANTE brought the heat and we were off. Something Benjamin Burnley said was that there is a shortage of strong women in rock music, and they did well choosing DIAMANTE for this tour. I had never heard of Diamante but from what I could tell, they are a perfect blend of anthemic rock music. Let’s not leave out how electrifying Diamante Bovelli’s hair and outfit were. FIRE. Their set was banger after banger and I thoroughly enjoyed it. DIAMANTE delivered a heavy start to the show and warmed it up for Dorothy to come next.
Hailing from Los Angeles, the quartet they call Dorothy hit the stage. I was not prepared for what I was about to hear. Dorothy Martin definitely comes out and gets the crowd’s heads and hands bobbing up and down. I think the song I enjoyed the most was “Wicked Ones” because it had so many different elements at play. I can see myself listening to them in the future for sure. The modernized-blues rock group was definitely there to have a good time and you could tell. Big things in store for Dorothy, I can see it now.
Following Dorothy was Three Days Grace. Now, I was specifically excited to see them because I have been listening to them since I first got into rock music back in middle school. Beginning in 1997, in a small town in Ontario, Canada, Three Days Grace took punk rock music and thrashed the alternative rock scene in the 2000s. After leaving in 2013 because of health issues, Adam Gontier was replaced with Matt Walst and some people wouldn’t have even guessed that happened because of how similar they sounded. They played hits like “Pain”, “I Hate Everything About You”, “Never Too Late”, and ended with “Riot”. All those songs had an impact on my music taste, and I was stoked to see them performed live. Every aspect of their performance was so well put together that it was like listening to them on the radio. Job well done to Three Days Grace.
Next up was Chicago-area based band, Chevelle. Having shot them at Edge Fest in 2017, I was prepared for another sick performance. I wasn’t able to shoot them this time around, but my floor seat was sufficient enough to enjoy the show. They are a fun band to watch because the lights are dim most of the time and when they hit any chorus the lights come on and hit you in the face! Watching Pete Loeffler sing these songs is entertaining as well because of all the high notes he has to hit – but he kills it every time. They played through a ton of great songs, but they knew what they were doing when they saved all of the best ones for last. “Vitamin R”, “Send The Pain Below”, and “The Red” were back to back of each other but there was still more to come. They ended their set with “I Get It” off their 2007 album Vena Sera and honestly, I couldn’t complain. Great performance all around.
And then there was one. I was looking forward to this moment all day and it was finally here. Breaking Benjamin, the highly anticipated act had a lot to top but they definitely found a way to do it. Starting the set with “Red Cold River” off their latest album, Ember, they dove right into “I Will Not Bow” soon after and the crowd went wild! I had a hard time taking photos cause I was so hype. Being a fan for the last 10 years, I couldn’t believe I was standing right in front of them taking their photo. Accompanied by some flames, in the middle of their set, they did covers of some all-time favorites in the rock genre. From hits like “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana, “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen, “Enter Sandman” by Metallica, to “Bulls On Parade” by Rage Against the Machine, they ended with an amazing drum solo by Shaun Foist.
They had no trouble getting the crowd off their feet and yelling every word to their songs. They played more hits such as “So Cold” and then “Failure” from their 2015 release, Dark Before Dawn. What we thought was the end (and usually never is), “Torn In Two” came on and then the stage went dark once it concluded. With the crowd yelling and the lights down, the chords to the beginning of “Rain” started playing. Voices in unison started singing while Benjamin Burnely began walking around the pit with all of the fans. It was truly an awesome sight seeing the crowd allow him to walk through the center of everyone. Knowing it wasn’t over yet, the only logical song was missing, “The Diary of Jane”. With the last chance to get everyone off their feet, Breaking Benjamin gave it their all and closed the show out with a bang.
Monday night will go down as one of the best shows I have ever seen. Benjamin Burnely and the rest of the band did a phenomenal job throughout their performance and brought their 'A-Game' to Austin on Monday night. All supporting acts on this tour were incredible and played off each other in ways that made the lineup pop. I'd highly recommend catching this tour when it swings through your area as it was truly one for the ages!
Jessica Gramuglia got in the "Hot Tub" with Hot Tub Johnnie & DJ Spectrum on Hunnypot Live #423 to talk about her career as a Music Supervisor and share a very special music playlist.
Scroll Down to watch the video and be sure to check out the archives for Jessica's print bio and the full audio from from show HERE
"We don't know if we are even gonna do another Little Brother album at this point." It's been over ten years since Rapper Big Pooh told HipHopGame.com that he and his remaining Little Brother member Phonte wanted to focus on their own solo projects. Since then, Rapper Big Pooh and Phonte have collaborated with multiple creative projects, but this year's reunification of the group has amassed a collective excitement from both patient fans and the music industry as a whole.
Critically acclaimed North Carolina hip-hop duo Little Brother have something to say in their latest video for single "Black Magic" featuring Madison McFerrin. Phonte kicks the track off with a prideful proclamation: "Black skin, black faces, black people make black magic". The duo begin to reflect on the times, from questioning whether new rappers only care about accumulating clout to solidarity with the African-American community amidst police brutality and violence. They also reassure their audience that they have been doing just fine throughout their time apart. Phonte explains that he's been "ASCAP'in" (collecting royalties) and Rapper Big Pooh, though a little disgruntled with the lack of recognition whilst hustling in the industry, says he's happy with the simple things in life: "I'm still focused on the goal and not what's hangin' on the walls / Listen, all I need is the sports channel / And a glass of your finest red, you feel me?"
With scenes of festivities, friendly faces, and a backdrop that spells out "GOOD TIMES", it's clear that Little Brother want to create a sense of love and community. The single's production is a warm throwback to the poetic core of underground hip-hop, and in this new world of uncertainty and division, Little Brother are on a mission to put the pieces back together through the power of music.
-Marina Sakimoto
Nikki Glaspie and the Homies return to The Mint on Tuesday September 24st. That's reason enough to grab this offer immediately. But wait!, if you order now we'll throw in Hot Tub Johnnie to DJ between the live music.
Nikki Glaspie is among the premier drummers in music today. As a founding member of The Nth Power she's blazing a path of light, and rolling waves of love in her wake. Nikki Glaspie has been trotting the globe behind the likes of Beyonce, Maceo Parker, Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk, GRiZ, and more. For the better part of two decades, Nikki has been in-demand, with a who's who of the jazz/funk scene. Nikki Glaspie is already a living legend, well before her fortieth birthday. Remarkably, it feels as though she has merely just begun!
A true night of Funk & R&B with a rotating cast of Nikki's Homies. The Homies have all shared the stage and/or recorded with: Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Chaka Kahn. Prince, Stevie Wonder, The Neville Brothers, Megan Trainor, Brian McKnight, Jay Z, Kanye West. Sorceress. Alchemist. Beat Conductor. Funk Philosopher. Seneshal of Style. Purveyor of Pocket. Child of God. Agent of Love.
Hot Chip's new video introduces you to "Bath Full of Ecstasy"
Hot Chip's videos are always very entertaining, but this time the British band just released an exceptional video for their latest single! The video starts with an Youtuber reviewing a Japonese videogame from the 80's called "Hot Chip: Bath Full of Ecstasy", then the song begins and it shows clips from the video game. The video game is very similar to Mario Bros. and you can choose one of the band members as your avatar to play. The youtuber also shows the packaging of the game and its other features. Too bad this video game doesn't exist for real.
The song "Bath Full of Ecstasy" is the latest single from the album of the same name, including other hits such as "Hungry Child" and "Melody of Love".
"Bath Full of Ecstasy" is Hunnypot Approved!
-Renata Vontobel
Our Video Pick today is “One Missed Call” by the talented LA-based singer/songwriter PJ AKA Paris Jones.
You know that inner voice that sometimes tells you stuff that you might like or not… Called intuition? Ye, that’s right.
The video is based on a true story and it’s pretty relatable. Unfortunately, there are always people out there like her X, the inspiration for the video. It might be heart braking but also a learning experience, growth, and strength evoking and eye-opening…
In “One Missed Call” PJ sampled Stevie Wonder ("All I Do song") in the track! How cool is that? Check it out.
The potatohead people are back with a new recent track that’s been out for about a month now called “single life.” It is the track you want to listen to out in the club with your homegirls and homeboys. It is a throwback to the 90’s R&B with modern sounds from today, but clearly a homage.
It is a creative music video put together with the different colors being used throughout the entire scenes, white, purple, yellow, it engages you and Bunnie really brings her talent out into the table. Their audience are showing nothing but love to “single life” and it is well deserved because their audience want more.
We can't get enough of Phoenix native UPSAHL's latest party protest "Drugs". In her new video for the single, Taylor Upsahl takes us through a trippy house party where everyone's either snorting glitter or taking rainbow-colored pills. Upsahl's unforgettable hook is bound to stick with you next to you want to party hard. The song's warm and soulful vocals and jangly beat create a perfect track to kickback to.
Upsahl released her first single with Arista Records late last year. Though she's only been out of high school for just over a year, she's well versed in the music industry. At the age of 5, Upsahl began learning and playing piano and guitar. In her freshman year, she dropped her first EP. With millions of plays on Spotify behind her, Upsahl is an unstoppable force that's shaking up the pop world.
Written by Marina Sakimoto
We work our hands to the "bones" for you. We threw those bones at the Hunnypot Live Labor Day 2019 edition. Hot Tub Johnnie worked up the crowd from the start. Kevin Estwick plopped in the tub and told us the tale of his musical life journey which he's still traveling. Jennifer Hershman brought some sweet Canadian sounds. Grace Blue electro rocked us right. h2the returned with their collective computer clique. Amanda Rome West got us all ready go back to twerk. The Blue Jean Junkies be-bopped and was as live as Leeds and Hot Tub finished the work day with a world famous Hunnypot Dance Party. (9/2/19)
Kevin Estwick was raised in southern California. Kevin has been working in audio since 1997 and joined Core Music Agency as the United States branch agent with a background in media composer representation.
Kevin lived in New York City for over a decade where he earned a B.A. in International Politics from Columbia University, and an M.A. in Arts and Public Policy from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. He also studied film scoring and entertainment law. During this time, he worked both as a private investigator for a public defense firm in The Bronx, and taught advanced audio engineering in two commercial recording studios in Manhattan.
Kevin plays the saxophone and managed his own band, performing throughout the Tri-State area including some of his own work with the Brooklyn Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Howard Gilman Opera House. In 2015, Kevin moved back to Southern California and started working with an A-list composer agency in Calabasas, CA. He then founded his proprietary composer management company Sterling Film Music, and now brings all of that experience and meaningful insight to the talent he represents today with Core.
Jennifer Hershman is currently writing and producing her 5th studio album; Mixed by Howard Redekopp (Mother Mother, Tegan &Sara), Her music is homegrown in Vancouver British Columbia and has an alt-country pop-sheen- flair. She released a single from the EP ~ “Bleeding Hearts” earlier this year , and has also added some acting credits to her name. Jennifer has formed a diverse career for herself as an International songwriter and has had over a million streams on Spotify, as well as having a collaboration reach the top 5 Billboard dance charts with the group Balligomingo. She teaches/coaches singing and guitar & ukulele in her community of Vancouver in the Mount Pleasant area, and is producing the 2nd annual Music Festival called “Sonic Summer Nights “ that will take place this summer July 30th &31st at Jonathan Rogers Park in Vancouver. Jennifer has Film and TV placements to her name including “Degrassi” and “The Chris Isaak Show”. And recently played for The Crazy 8’s film festival Gala and The Red Bull event ~ Red Monday, where she put together a female Barbershop Quartet that performed acapella. Jennifer looks forward to seeing some friends in L.A ~
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Based out of Los Angeles, CA, Grace Blue is a duo comprised of vocalist Grace Mogz and keyboardist Joseph Arazi who had the pleasure of meeting each other in their hometown in Israel. Grace Blue's first video for their current single "Our Eyes" has garnered over 100,000 views on YouTube alongside rave reviews. Their next video/single "Nowhere To Go" is out now.
Check out their full 5 song EP at the link below. All songs are Represented by Hunnypot, Master and Publishing.
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“Brilliantly blending 80’s synths with an new cutting edge sampling style, rising hip hop/experimental producer h2the released his debut single titled “Taste Of The“, a teaser/cut-up off his new beat tape exclusively available on cassette!” – UGHH
URB Magazine wrote that “[h2the] is something else…in a profound kind of way,” calling his sound titillating and “juicy for the ears,” while The Village Voice described his productions as “adventurous and banging.”
2DOPEBOYZ and Vibe Magazine’s allhiphop.com have also noted h2the’s rap flips of 80's inspired sonics. It’s the producer as auteur as every track takes you through the emotional space of the artist, like Kanye or Godard.
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A performer by nature, self-managed Amanda Rome West is a rapper, stand-up comedian, actress, content creator, USC Business Cinematic Arts honor student, and entrepreneur. She is pioneering the world of running the female rap game and has only just begun.
Hailing from Bethesda, MD, she is killing it in Los Angeles, the entertainment industry capital of the world. She just dropped her 18 song debut album When in Rome, which she performed at her first sold out show at the Dime LA, followed by shows at venues like Songbyrd DC, BANANAS at Leimert Park, 1221 Lounge, Cloud Nine Aspen, and more.
She's always working on new music, content, and other artistic creations. She stars in the most streamed episode (#3 “I Love Being Naked”) of Snapchat's BROTHER channel's show Parental Guidance, and makes widely viewed social media videos daily. She advocates for many causes, especially feminism, conscious happiness, body positivity, and anti-bullying.
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The Blue Jean Junkies are a touring all-star rock blues band from different established musicians from the Philippines but based in California.
The Blue Jean Junkies band has been a staple for a rock rhythm & blues act since the early 90’s to now in Metro Manila, Philippines. With tones of slide guitars, harmonica & groovy fills, Nino Mendoza (front man) Touring the US to catch the Rolling Stones in San Francisco is joined with established musicians from Manila that migrated to California Drummer Wolf Gemora (Wolfgang) Guitarist Dave Aguirre (Razorback) & Buwi Meneses on bass (h2the) to form an all-star outfit to rock it in Los Angeles, San Francisco,Las Vegas and Texas.
Facebook Instagram (Buwi) Instagram (Nino) Apple Music Spotify
Attention Cannabis enthusiasts: Hunnypot is again offering a very special private cannabis inspired "tasting" event.
Lunch Box Treats is an artisanal line of hand crafted edibles that provides a highly potent euphoric experience with each and every tasty bite.
Don’t be deceived by the delicious home-made taste that reminds you of grandma’s cookies.
Lunch Box Treats are one of the strongest and tastiest edibles you’ll ever enjoy. You’re welcome.
The sampling is located in the Green Room directly behind The Mint.
+21, 7-11PM
Green Room (behind The Mint)
6010 W. Pico Blvd.
LA, CA 90035
LightSkinKeisha proves women are ruling the hiphop scene with her new hit song "SMD"
LightSkinKeisha started her career being viral on social media with her videos and pictures, she took this opportunity to do something she loves: music. In 2017 she released her first single "Weather" and now in 2019 she is already a big internet sensation. Her latest video for "SMD" already has more than 120k views on YouTube, this song has a nice feel to it with a remarkable guitar riff and the lyrics are also very catchy.
Being compared to great stars like Cardi B, LightSkinKeisha proves that woman in hiphop are still rising and they came to stay.
"SMD" is Hunnypot Approved!
-Renata Vontobel