VIDEO: Antje Duvekot - "Long Way"

A recent LIVE performance of one of my favorite songs, by one of my favorite artists... Check out the lovely and talented, Antje Duvekot performing "Long Way".

I remember when I saw her perform this song in Athens, GA a couple years ago. (Read about that show HERE.) Took my breath away then, still does now. While Antje has several shows in the US, the Netherlands, and Germany I haven't seen anything for GA yet. (Click HERE for tour dates.) I do hope she comes back soon though! I'd love to see her perform LIVE again!!!

www.antjeduvekot.com

http://amillionwattsofsound.posterous.com

GOODIES: Free MP3s of Antje Duvekot, NIN, on THE BIGGEST LABEL EVER.

INVISIBLE CHILDREN is a cause to rescue the 3,000 child soldiers in Uganda. Yes. You read that correctly. CHILD soldiers. Doesn't sound right, does it? That's because it isn't.

Thanks to the socially-conscious music website, THE BIGGEST LABEL EVER (BLE), visitors can learn about INVISIBLE CHILDREN and several other various causes.

In addition, registered users get free exclusive content from hundreds of artists who are showing their support by giving away free downloads. Some have single songs available, while others, such as NIN, have full albums up for download.

www.biggestlabelever.com

I encourage you to please visit the site and learn more about what is happening in the world we are living in. Take a moment to register, and get great music while contributing support to important causes. It's FREE! Can't pass that up, can you? Especially in this economy!

Socially networking, savvy? You can also check out their pages profile pages

On Facebook

On MySpace

I'd like to give special thanks to one of my favorite artists, Antje Duvekot, for sharing this site in her newsletter. She has a beautiful song "Merry Go Round" you simply must take a listen to.

ON THE ROAD: Indie Artists in Early 2009!

Some of my singer/songwriters are kicking off 2009, by hittin' the road. Check out and support these talented independent artists at a venue near you!

A.A. Bondy
02/11/09 Charlotte, NC Snug Harbor
02/12/09 Athens, GA Tasty World
02/13/09 Birmingham, AL Bottletree
02/14/09 Knoxville, TN Pilot Light
02/16/09 Oxford, MS Proud Larry's
02/18/09 Little Rock, AR Whitewater Tavern
02/20/09 Dallas, TX Double Wide
02/21/09 Austin, TX Emo's
02/23/09 Tucson, AZ Solar Culture Gallery
02/24/09 Hollywood, CA Hotel Cafe
02/25/09 Santa Cruz, CA The Crepe Place
02/27/09 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge
02/28/09 Seattle, WA Tractor Tavern
03/03/09 Chicago, IL Schubas Tavern
03/05/09 Minneapolis, MN The 400 Bar
03/06/09 Madison, WI University Of Wisconsin
03/07/09 Chicago, IL Schubas Tavern

Antje Duvekot
01/09/09 Framingham, MA Amazing Things Art Center
01/10/09 Easthampton, MA Pioneer Arts Center
01/17/09 Westfield, NJ Coffee With Conscience
01/23/09 Seattle, WA TBA
01/24/09 Seattle, WA House Concert
01/25/09 Portland, OR Alberta Street Pub
01/27/09 Felton, CA Don Quixote's Int'l Music Hall
01/28/09 Berkeley, CA Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse
01/30/09 Cotati, CA Frog Song
01/31/09 Sutter Creek, CA Sutter Creek Theatre
02/07/09 Fairlawn, NJ Fairlawn Community Center
02/13/09 Pittsfield, MA Mission Bar & Tapas
02/14/09 Pawtucket, RI St. Paul's Episcopal Church
03/10/09 Nashville, TN Bluebird Cafe
03/11/09 Decatur, GA Eddie's Attic
03/13/09 Charlotte, NC Evening Muse
03/19/09 Cambridge, MA Passim Folk Music & Cultural Center
03/20/09 Cambridge, MA Passim Folk Music & Cultural Center
03/21/09 Cambridge, MA Passim Folk Music & Cultural Center
03/28/09 Elmer, NJ Appel Farm Arts & Music Center
04/04/09 Bloomington, IL Blue Moon Coffeehouse
04/05/09 Dayton, OH Canal Street Tavern
05/10/09 Belle Plaine, KS Bartlett Arboretum

Glen Phillips
01/30/09 Tacoma, WA Urban Grace
04/02/09 Bay Shore, NY YMCA Boulton Ctr. For The Perf. Arts
04/03/09 Tarrytown, NY The Tarrytown Music Hall
04/04/09 Chatham, NJ Sanctuary
04/05/09 Annapolis, MD Rams Head On Stage

LIST: Music Makes For Great Gifts...

With the holidays here and Christmas fast approaching, I thought I'd help out and suggest some albums that would make for great gifts. These are albums (new and old) that I really enjoy. There's music from different genres, so hopefully there's a little something for everyone. Hope you agree...

(BTW... these are in no particular order, and like everything in this blog, is my own complete endorsement.)

1. Smashing Pumpkins - Any of their albums, I think would be a winner. I just LOVE this band. The end.
   
   
2. Radiohead - Anything by these guys. They are brilliant.
   
   
3. AA Bondy - American Hearts
   
   
4. Antje Duvekot - Snapshots
   
   
5. Augustana - Can't Love, Can't Hurt
   
   
6. The Brilliant Mistakes - Distant Drumming
   
   
7. Five A.M. - Raise The Sun
   
   
8. Val Emmich - Little Daggers
   
   
9. Matt Nathanson - Some Mad Hope
   
   
10. O.A.R. - All Sides
    
    
11. Emerson Hart - Cigarettes & Gasoline
    
    
12. Adele - 19
    
    
13. Kira Fontana - Inner Revolution
    
    
14. The Interiors - The Interiors
    
    
15. Mass Solo Revolt - Easy Mark
    
    
16. Aleksis Bilmanis - World Around
    
    
17. The Fray - How To Save A Life
    
    
18. Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
    
    
19. Leona Lewis - Spirit
    
    
20. Travis - Singles
    
    
21. The Kooks - Konk
    
    
22. The Ting Tings - We Started Nothing
    
    
23. Silversun Pickups - Carnavas
    
    
24. Christian Brown - When It's Perfect
    
    
25. Deftones - White Pony

And just because it's the holidays... My favorite Christmas album to suggest would be:

Any of the Harry Connick, Jr. Christmas albums.

Happy Holidays!

VIDEO: Antje Duvekot - "Long Way"

Here's the video clip of Antje Duvekot performing "Long Way". I shot this footage at the show in Athens, when she opened for Glen Phillips.

Unfortunately, the end gets cut off as the batteries on my digital camera ran out. Though incomplete, video still captures her incredible performance.

Antje Duvekot

The Melting Point | Athens, Georgia
Friday, July 11, 2008

SHOW REVIEW: Glen Phillips

Part Two: Glen Phillips
www.glenphillips.com

Glen. *deep breath* Glen Phillips. *deep breath* FINALLY.

So, the background story to this event that occured last Friday night (July 11, 2008) goes like this...

I have been in love with Glen's music for 20 years and counting. Ever since the days of Toad the Wet Sprocket. I was sad after they broke up, thinking I wouldn't hear anything new from Glen. But was thankfully, wrong, when I discovered he was doing solo acts. For whatever reason, I was never able to make it to any of his shows (with Toad and/or solo). Either I was short on funds, sick, had prior commitments couldn't get out of... what have you. This year, I was determined. I was thrilled to find out he was playing in Atlanta, but when I discovered he was doing the show in Athens, I KNEW. There was NO WAY I was missing his show.

So, I am utterly ecstatic as my friend and I are on 129 headed to Athens. It was finally happening, for real! I was super excited when I entered the venue. I had never been to The Melting Point before. I really like it. It's a nice, intimate place, and we were seated at a candlelit table in the very front row. Far left, next to the steps that Glen would soon be climbing up to take the stage.

After I just finished talking to Antje Duvekot, Glen walked right past me with his guitar and smiled. He was going on stage. Oh. My. God. My legs felt like jello. Thank goodness my seat was a mere two feet away. I immediately sat down as he adjusted his guitar and began to play.

Glen's show was incredible. He played a variety of songs from his albums. Opening each with a story or comment. Sharing a bit of himself with the audience. At one point he threw his arms in the air and cried "Butterbean!", then proceeded to explain that it is something his brother told him to do when in Georgia. Ha ha ha. There were even a few political comments, which didn't bother me (seeing as I agreed with him). Whatever.

Listening to him, I laughed. I smiled. It was awesome.


He played a couple songs from Toad days, including two popular favorites "Walk On The Ocean" and "All I Want". The latter of the two was done "sing-a-long" where he'd stop and let us sing the chorus. That was so fun! I would've gotten some video of it, but I was too engaged in singing and clapping while wearing a cheezy big grin on my face. Oh, and "Crowing" was pretty awesome too.

He also did a couple covers. A Paul Simon one, Huey Lewis' "I Want A New Drug" which was the most sexiest version I have EVER heard of that song (I mean...Damn! Whew!), and Randy Newman's "Political Science". I've got video of the Newman song and will be posting that along with a few others I was able to get as well.

Naturally, most of his performance consisted of songs from his solo albums. I loved "Thank You" and "Train Wreck" and... well... HECK... I loved it all!

Glen performed songs from a new EP he has out called Secrets of the New Explorers. Go buy it. It's fantastic. My favorite song on it is track #2, called "Solar Flare".


Anyways, after Glen's amazing performance, and encore, I gathered up my nerves and approached him by the bar. He smiled and had to go put his guitar up, but promised to come back and speak with me. Which he did.

First, I told him how nervous I was... ha ha ha. Then, how much I love his music. How I've tried to catch a show for many years, and was so thrilled to see him perform that night... Let alone, have the opportunity to meet him. I wrote a little note on the back of my contact card, with this blog address and gave it to him. That way he could read on here everything I wished I could tell him but was finding myself difficult to express. He was so down-to-earth, and thanked me for my appreciation and support of his music. Glen kindly signed my cd and even took a couple photos with me. I even got a hug before I walked away. I'm amazed I didn't pass out. Ha ha ha.

My hands were shaking a bit, on the way to the car. Thank God I wasn't going to be the one driving. *sigh* When I got home, I looked at my cd, and saw that he'd written "Jen - Hello, at last." In reference to FINALLY getting to see him.

Yes, Glen. Hello, at last... indeed.

More pics and video to come soon...

SHOW REVIEW: Antje Duvekot

Part One: Antje Duvekot (Opening for Glen Phillips)
www.antjeduvekot.com

I'm rather surprised that I never heard of this lovely performer, prior to her opening act for Glen Phillips. Antje Duvekot is an extroardinary musician. Her music has charm and depth, which seem to reflect her personality. That's a lot to say for someone whose talent I've only just experienced for the first time. Throughout the show, she engaged the audience into her world by sharing anecdotes and little stories behind her songs. I was captivated after the first song.


After her performance, I picked up her cd "Snapshots" which contained most of the songs from her show that I fell in love with. Including, "Dandelion", "Pearls" and "Merry-Go-Round". My favorite song is "Long Way" which I had to purchase online, because it wasn't available on that particular cd. I did get some video of her performing that song. Sadly my batteries died before she finished. But, I got most of it and will post it as soon as I can.

Because The Melting Point was an intimate venue, I was fortunate to be able to meet Antje and tell her how beautiful I found her music to be. She was just as charming offstage as on. I even spoke a little bit of German with her! Sie ist sehr nett und freundlich. How cool! :-)

I am definitely looking forward to discovering more of her music and writing about it here on this blog.