Oscar Night with the Stars

I took my friend Melody to see one of my favorite musicians, Garrison Starr.  Melody and I have bonded over photography so we brought our cameras.    Now we have something else in common; getting out to hear live music.  Garrison and Natalia handed out prizes for spending Oscar night with them, while Jay presented The Oscar News fresh from his laptop in real time.  Yeah, you should have come!

Garrison Starr, Natalia Zukerman, Jay Nash, Dr. Jason Kanakis  February, 27, 2011

Some of my favorite photos of the evening.

Practicing on stage.  This was the only the second time all these musicians had played together.  It is amazing that they can play along even if they had never heard the song before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Music

Here is a list of what I have been listening to (and why in some cases).

Your Vegas opened for Duran Duran last year and after the show my girlfriend and I talked their ear off. Anyway, their music is what I would call Brit Pop, but my kids and husband like it so you may too. It’s lively and fun to rock out to. Plus, if you like skinny British guys in tight black pants this is the band for you!

The next set of artists is what I would consider indie music.

Last year I reconnected with one of my friend’s from middle school (really I found a lot of people from that time of my life - thank you Facebook!). He is known as Josh Joplin and I love his music and lyrics. I may be biased but again my husband likes it as well as my mom. A reviewer called him a “longtime indie-rock favorite”. Check out his stuff.

Josh lead me to his friend Garrison Starr. I don’t know how to classify her music as she has a country voice, yet lots of Rock & Roll thrown in too. A review called her a “premier alt-folk rocker”. I completely connect with her and she is a great performer as well. Her voice is like honey and you feel all that emotion and pain come through. She’s my first true girl crush.

Josh and Garrison embarked on a musical collaboration that they have been working on for the past year. Their band and debut album is called Among the Oak and Ash. They have reworked some traditional folk songs with their own bent on them. I should get a cut from all the promoting I have done for them. They are playing shows here and there so they may be in your town soon.

Garrison’s friend, Jay Nash has a voice a little like Bruce Springsteen and is a cutie. He’s the type that all kinds of women fall for. Nice love songs, but can rock out too and he is very sweet and gracious. I really like his album, A Stream Up North. He is a Labor Day baby just like me (different b-day as it is a movable holiday)!

While seeing Jay perform this past March I was introduced to Greg Laswell‘s music. Greg and Jay played an awesome show together (she my blog on it in March 2009) and I was hooked. Yeah, his music can be a bit of a downer at times, although my husband thinks it is uplifting. But Ryan is the optimist in our pairing. Anyway, just saw Greg perform again and you can tell that he and his band love making and playing music.

Pete & J headlined a show with Garrison. These two skinny guys and their band mates come on stage and boy was I surprised with their show. Who knew they had so much energy and could be so much fun?

Another group to keep your eye on is Elizabeth and the Catapults. They opened with Greg and one of her songs was featured on the latest Paste CD.

Interestingly, many of these musician’s share the same friends, bassists, and so on. The bass player from the night with Pete & J has since performed with Jay Nash. Greg Laswell promotes Pete & J and often times many of these musicians get together for benefit shows or group shows. I know there are more out there but this will get you started.

My favorite picks for what I consider more popular music and who don’t need help getting promoted from me are: Ryan Adams, Lucinda Williams, and Allison Krauss & Union Station

Isolation, Photo Friday

Rearview Mirror

I was talking to my friend the other day about her past and mine. She called later to let me know about something freaky that happened to her. Like it was a message sent from somewhere. It reminded me of an experience that I had on my final day of college, and thought, “I need to write about that.” Then promptly forgot about it until I was listening (and re-listening and re-listening) to a song by Garrison Starr, one of my favorite musicians of the past year.

I completed my four year college career in a remarkable four year time frame. It really was a big deal compared to most of my peers. Out of the 15 students from our freshman class photography program, only three of us graduated on time, and we were all women (and rommates).

It was the last day of school, graduation day, I guess, and my Chevette was packed and ready to pull off campus. I started to coast down the two lane road as I pulled away from all the dorms rooms I lived in, friends I made and challenged I faced. I reached the beginning of the bridge that crosses the Potomac River into Maryland, the land from which I was transplanted from. I was leaving West Virginia to go home after four years of hard work. I looked up to catch one last glimpse of Shepherd College in my rearview mirror and at the same time I must have hit a bump on that span of bridge. At that moment the rearview mirror fell, in a very undignified way, from the window to the floor. I never did catch that last look…..and to this day I remember that you can’t look back.

Here is Garrison's song that helped me remember:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTicnR-ybWo