Spin Magazine's Bonnaroo Mixtape

Can't wait for June 10-13? Get the low down on SPIN magazine's top picks for Bonnaroo with sixteen tracks from the Tennessee festival's top acts. Allyagottado is follow the link and get some free music!

Here's the list, so adorably (not really) named "Campfire Jams"

1. The Gaslight Anthem, "American Slang"
2. The National, "Bloodbuzz Ohio"
3. Manchester Orchestra, "Shake It Out"
4. Kings of Leon, "Cold Desert"
5. Local Natives, "World News"
6. Blitzen Trapper, "Heaven and Earth"
7. Phoenix, "1901 (Live in Sydney)"
8. Samantha Crain, "Lions"
9. Bomba Estereo, "Fuego"
10. Tinariwen, "Lulla"
11. Mumford & Sons, "White Blank Page (Live)"
12. Jamey Johnson, "Place Out on the Ocean"
13. The Young Veins, "Change"
14. Dawes, "When My Time Comes"
15. Gossip, "Are You That Somebody (Live Aaliyah Cover)"
16. Chromeo, "Night By Night"

At least they didn't pick the King's song "Use Somebody," am I right? I took a listen to it, and found some new favorites from the likes of Dawes and Bomba Estereo. The word "stereo" is in the name! So if you're working in the fish and biology tutoring industries like me over the summer and can't spare a gold dubloon for the ultrasuperpricy ticket price.

http://spin.com/articles/free-album-spins-picks-bonnaroo-2010

Song of the Day

**11/7/09

On Paradise Boulevard - Photographic Memory

------------Searching through my inbox today, I found a message from On Paradise Boulevard. I had never heard of them before, and from their name I assumed they would be another sweet-smiled generic pop punk band that, let's face it, we all love, but have seen before.

On Paradise Boulevard is far from sweet sentiments and mall-rat status. With a new bassist, a handful of five new tracks recently recorded in Ohio, and tour dates lined up through Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama, OPB's schedule is packed as tightly as their melodic hardcore sound.

On Paradise Boulevard describes their musical endeavors as "5 dudes doing what they love most and jamming as hard as shit." Need they, or I, say more? "Photographic Memory" can be heard on OPB's Myspace page along with some pre-production tracks.

http://myspace.com/onparadiseboulevard/

Cage the Elephant and Manchester Orchestra

For starters, I have never traveled outside of the state to go to a show. "Wtf?!" is usually the response I get for such a stark and unusual confession, but yes, it was true up until September 29, 2009. When the opportunity to go see Cage the Elephant, Manchester Orchestra, and Silversun Pickups in Johnson City, Tennessee was proposed by two friends, I couldn't wait to give up my "out-of-state-concert" virginity. Just so I won't forget my first time, I'll tell you all about it.

With Five Guys in my belly and the promise of a good night, Jason, Kyle and I headed into Electric Cowboy, a venue tucked into a tiny strip mall next to a shop that sold swords, crossbows, and magic wands...yeah.

If I was innocently driving through Johnson City and saw a sign for Electric Cowboy, my mind would immediately jump to a gay club specializing in Ladies’ Night, $3 Cosmos, and all-American beefcake strippers. While some of those signals may have been subtly exposed (the bouncers had a manscape look about them), the venue played great host.

Cage the Elephant couldn't seem to make up its mind about what genre of music to play that night. Everyone who still listens to radio knows the song "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked," a southern "When the Levee Breaks" knock-off that sounds surprisingly different than the rest of Cage's material. Matt Shultz was howling like a North U.K. punk grunger in one song, and the next second he was channeling his own version of Kurt Cobain from Bowling Green, Kentucky.

All of Shultz's schizophrenic performance, both confusing and entertaining, and a guitar wah that sounded like Anakin's pod racer. Their set didn't do anything for me, and the set was much too long for an opening act. To give in to a pun, the Elephant should stay caged.

I had never payed much attention to Manchester Orchestra material before (I had only heard of the M.O. that produced a noble and bombastic Christmas album that my folks put on repeat during the holiday season). So I could get an idea of what I'd be in for, we listened to Me, Everything, and Nothing to get some 101 on the way up to the show.

Andy Hull, the lyrical mastermind behind most of M.O.'s material, gave listeners a fantastic set. I was surprised when after twenty-minutes of playing, the band layed down their instruments and left the stage. Manchester Orchestra - come back! Most of the set was from Me, Everything, and Nothing, and according to my concert comrades, Hull changed some of the lyrics, giving the songs a unique twist for old and new listeners.

Silversun Pickups is coming up later!

Total Eclipse of the Heart

So, after very little deliberation and argument with myself, I decided that passing up Manchester Orchestra and Silversun Pickups would be the most epically lame thing I did to wrap up the month. As a result, I am heading up to the gig with two friends tonight. Who knows if I'll make it home with enough sleep to fuel four classes the next day? We shall see.