Chicago Feature- Virginian Pilot

Robert Lamm believes that his brain is wired differently than most other people’s. How else to explain the near constant hum of music playing in his head?

 “Even as I speak to you now I hear a melody in the background,” said the founding member of the band, Chicago. 

 As the songwriter for such classic rock hits as “Saturday in the Park,” “25 or 6 to 4”and “Beginnings,” this ever steady soundtrack has been mostly a good thing. After all, Chicago has produced five number one albums and twenty one top ten singles over the course of their celebrated career.  But sometimes the tune spinning inside Lamm’s head is unwelcome.

 “It’s not much fun when it’s a jingle from some dog food commercial,” he laughed.
 Such are the occupational hazards involved with five decades of music making.  Chicago, who play tonight at Farm Bureau Live in Virginia Beach with the Doobie Brothers, has been churning out their horn fueled rock and roll for 45 years now. Still, suggest that the band has provided the soundtrack to people’s lives and Lamm is gracious but mostly indifferent.

“I don’t like to focus on the past,” said the keyboard player and vocalist. “We’re all about moving forward.” Fans of Chicago’s 80’s power ballad years may be unaware that the band’s early output was very different.

When Peter Cetera, the de facto leader of that era left the band, Chicago returned to their earlier adventurous mind-set. By 1994, love songs gave way to experimental fare including psychedelic jams and even a rap song for what was meant to be Chicago’s 22^nd album.

Considering their storied career up to that point, it seemed as though Chicago had earned the right to follow their artistic vision. “Well you would have thought that would have been the case,” said Lamm of the project. Instead, “Stone of Sisyphus” was deemed unmarketable by Chicago’s record company. Even so, the album gained legendary status among fans and was heavily bootlegged until it was finally self- released in 2008.

With four original members now in their sixties, Chicago could easily coast on their back catalog but instead are busily crafting new music for a CD they expect to release in 2013. Lamm says his compositions reflect the direction taken in his solo efforts.

“My interests move toward world music and electronic music. The great thing about Chicago is that there’s never been a lot of resistance to pushing boundaries.”

 A prime example of that mentality is the viral sensation “Forget Saturday,” a mash-up of Chicago’s “Saturday in the Park,” with Cee-Lo Green’s Grammy winning song, “Forget You.” The track, produced by a Lamm collaborator melds the two songs seamlessly.

“I spoke with Cee-Lo and he just laughed and threw his hands up in a humorous way when we talked about the similarities in the songs,” said Lamm. “I look at it as a compliment.”

But that wasn’t the first time Chicago’s music has served as an inspiration.

I’ve had a lot of requests over the years for permission to sample Chicago songs,” said Lamm, who’s given consent to artists ranging from R&B superstar Chris Brown to the European hip-hop collective Cookin’ Soul. 

“A lot of today’s current music makers have a certain reverence for 70’s music,” he said. “For them, it’s where it’s at right now. They think it sounds cool.”

 

Royal Teeth-Virginian Pilot

Royal Teeth is having a moment.
Not only did the quirky indie pop band deliver a buzzworthy performance at this year's annual South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas, but the sextet's synth savvy music is getting modern rock radio play, featured in TV shows such as "90210" and HBO's hit series "Girls," and even showcased in a Canadian Buick commercial.

"Things are happening really fast. We haven't really fully processed it yet," guitarist/vocalist Gary Larsen said of the band's rapid rise.

"We all just quit our day jobs in May," added vocalist Nora Patterson by phone from the band's home base in Lafayette, La. "It's a little scary, but it's worked out really well so far."
It almost didn't happen. At least, it might not have happened.

Last fall Royal Teeth was invited to perform in the hipster-approved CMJ Music Festival in New York City, and considered turning down the offer.

"Our manager was a little hesitant to have us play because he wasn't sure we had enough experience," explained Larsen.

At the time the current lineup had only been together for a year.

"There was some talk about whether we should take a little bit more time before we threw ourselves out there and risk getting eaten alive," Larsen said.

Royal Teeth took the chance.

Bolstered by the vocal interplay of Larsen and Patterson, the festival's response to Royal Teeth was almost as exuberant as the group's catchy melodies.

The band, which plays The Jewish Mother in Norfolk on tonight, evokes the golden age of new wave with its swooping choruses and electronic dance beats.

On "Wild," the lead track off its debut EP "Act Naturally," Royal Teeth delivers an epic ode to chasing dreams.

"It's about making a real commitment and going for something you really want," Larsen said.
That "go for it" philosophy struck a chord. "The song is really connecting with people," Larsen said. "It's kind of weird but it's a really good weird."

"We didn't think it would become this anthem when we wrote it," Patterson added. "That's pretty awesome."

The band's live show isn't so bad, either. Royal Teeth tries to connect with its audiences by using simple, but effective, techniques like shooting balloons or confetti into the crowd.
"Our main goal is to be really fun live," Larsen said. "We really want it to feel like an experience. I like to jump in the crowd and play, literally, in your face. I'll take your phone and snap pictures, anything we can do to make the show memorable."

And that takes practice.

"It's actually something we work on," Patterson said of developing the band's stage show. "We want to be different, so we try to come up with new ways to make the show more interactive.

"We put everything we have into it so we can make it really worth the money you're spending to come and see us."

Hackensaw Boys Feature - Virginian Pilot

People always tell us, 'I never thought I would like bluegrass music, but I love you guys,' " said Ward Harrison, guitarist for the Hackensaw Boys.

"Whenever someone comes up to us after a show and says, 'I'd never seen a bluegrass band before,' we say, well you still haven't."

So say the Hackensaw Boys, a six-piece acoustic act from Charlottesville that plays moonshine-era-inspired melodies with a punk rock swagger.

"If anything, we're a fiddle-stomping rock 'n' roll string band," Harrison said.

For the Hackensaw Boys, that joyful noise is as much informed by the music of their youth as that of their great-grandparents. The bandmates came of age in the era of such alternative rock pioneers as The Replacements, a noted influence.

"That band directly inspired the angle at which we approach music," Harrison said. "They had that sort of reckless, throw-it-all-up-and-see-where-it-lands kind of spirit."

The Hackensaw Boys will conjure that spirit at The Jewish Mother in Virginia Beach on Saturday, using traditional instrumentation such as mandolin, upright bass and fiddle along with a rhythm device called the "charismo," a homemade contraption of tin cans, spoons, bicycle bells and hubcaps.

"It is kind of a spectacle, I have to admit," Harrison said of the band's stage show.

 But that doesn't mean the Hackensaw Boys aren't capable of tugging at heartstrings with an Appalachian-style lament.

"We're certainly known for very high-energy, dancey kind of stuff, but at the same time we can switch gears into something more contemplative and mature," Harrison said. "I liken it to an evening at the theater; we cover the gamut of emotions."

Eclectic but not gimmicky, the Hackensaw Boys embrace old-time music without a stitch of irony.
Sure, they have fun with the concept, as evidenced by their grizzly-bearded appearance and use of old-fashioned country music nicknames, but Harrison - aka "Spits" - says the band's intent is genuine.

"We love the tradition of the music that we do. It's what's in our hearts."

ETC Fest- Virginian Pilot

Small is the new big.

That's the premise behind this weekend's inaugural ETC Indie Music and Arts Festival at Town Point Park in Norfolk.

Organizers say the event aims to shine a light on independently produced music, art and even food.

"Indie can mean different things to different people, but it is the idea that the independent author, the visual artist that does not have a studio, or the band that is not heard every day on the radio is given an opportunity to showcase their talents in a premiere venue within a professional production," said Ted Baroody, president of Norfolk Festevents.

And ETC, which stands for Embrace the Culture, takes the independent theme a step further by including chefs who don't cook at typical brick-and-mortar restaurants. In addition to three stages of music and a retail arts marketplace, the festival will feature a food truck food court.

"It's a modern alternative to the traditional food setup," Baroody said. It's also a fitting representation of the do-it-yourself ethos.

"Chefs, musicians and artists are kindred spirits," said Cassandra Ayala, co-owner of Twisted Sisters Cupcakes, one of the mobile eateries that will be serving culinary creations on Saturday. "I think food is just another level of the kind of passion it takes to be any kind of creative soul."

Ayala should know. The enterprising epicurean and her sister, Tracy Busching, ditched their steady paying jobs several years ago to launch their traveling cupcake business. The siblings' pink polka-dotted van is likely recognizable to many Hampton Roads foodies who stay abreast of Twisted Sisters' ever-changing location via social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

"We get to bring the community together," Ayala said. "It's about much more than just handing someone a plate of food."

That's a sentiment echoed by Amy Oliver, founder and co-owner of Wrap-N-Roll, a food truck that offers healthy wraps, salads and entrees.

Oliver and partner Jerri Hartz work with Hampton Roads Buy Fresh Buy Local, an organization connecting local farmers to consumers. The food truck proprietors are newbies to this. Oliver, a former flight attendant, was mulling over career options after a transitional job in food retail got her thinking. One day while scanning Craigslist, the Virginia Beach resident spotted an ad for a used truck and inspiration struck.

"I didn't tell anybody, I just pulled up to the driveway and told my husband I was starting a new business," she laughed of driving home with the vehicle.

Oliver says the venture has given her the opportunity to meet like-minded people.

"The woman who designed the logo for the food truck is also going to be at ETC," she noted. Local artist Tammy Deane repurposes goods found at local thrift shops.

"She takes things apart and puts them together into really interesting funky pieces. "That's what I love about this festival," added Oliver. "If you look around, you will see that we're sitting on all kinds of neat creative stuff here in Hampton Roads."

Lit-Virginian-Pilot

Thirteen years ago, the rock band Lit was on top of the pop music world with a platinum-selling album and a No. 1 hit song in "My Own Worst Enemy."

Musical trends have changed since Lit's sugary, serrated guitar riffs and semi-gloomy Southern California melodies were late-'90s buzz fodder; so much so that it's easy to assume Lit's flame burned out years ago.

The reality is much more complicated.
"We've been through a lot," confided the rock band's bassist, Kevin Baldes. "But we're still standing, and I think that speaks volumes."

The fact that Lit, which plays the nTelos Wireless Pavilion in Portsmouth on Tuesday, has survived is something of a minor miracle. And although the band's performance is part of the "Summerland" tour of '90s acts, Lit's story is more than just nostalgic. It's one of endurance through tragedy.

Since releasing its last album eight years ago, Lit has faced a number of heartbreaking challenges. In 2005, brothers A. Jay and Jeremy Popoff - the group's lead singer and guitarist - lost their stepfather when he was killed in a motorcycle accident. Their mother survived but was seriously injured.
"They were hit head-on by a drunk driver," Baldes revealed. "It was horrific."

It would be several years before the Popoff brothers felt ready to return to making music on a full-time basis.

"Obviously, family comes first, and A. Jay and Jeremy needed to take care of their mother," Baldes said.

By 2008, things were looking up for Lit.

"We were writing new songs and had booked a tour to open up for Kiss in Europe," Baldes said.
A week before the tour was scheduled to start, tragedy struck again when Lit's drummer, Allen Shellenberger, collapsed.

"I was the first guy he called after it happened," Baldes said. "He was really upset because he didn't know what was going on."

Medical tests revealed that the 38-year-old drummer was suffering from brain cancer. He died just over a year later. After his band mates took time to grieve, they opted to carry on.

"Allen would have been really mad if we hadn't kept going," said Baldes. "Music has always been soothing for us, just as it is for a lot of people."

Fast-forward to the present, and Lit is now a five-piece group, with the addition of guitarist/keyboardist Ryan Gilmour and new drummer Nathan Walker, Shellenberger's one-time drum tech.

Even so, the loss of the long-time member is still palpable.

"As a bass player I'm part of the rhythm section, and there are many different points in a show where I would have to look at Allen to keep time," said Baldes, his voice cracking with emotion. "So I have to look back at Nate now. It's still hard sometimes."

Triumph over tribulation is a theme that colors many of the songs on Lit's new album, "The View From the Bottom," released last month.

"The Wall" and "Here's to Us" are poignant power ballads informed by loss. But that's not to say Lit has abandoned its fist-pumping rock side, as evidenced on the new single, "You Tonight."

"If you're a fan of Lit and like what we do, why would we change that and try to be something different?" Baldes said.

So far, the reception for Lit's return has been more than the bass player had expected.

"We've been away for a long time, so the support we've been getting is just awesome," he said. "People seem to be really digging the album, and that is very validating. I can't tell you how good that feels after all we've been through."

Mindy Smith-VirginianPilot

Not quite a country singer, and with a sound that's sexier than folk music, Mindy Smith isn't easy to label, and that's just the way she likes it.
"I don't much care to be put in a box or be in any specific genre," said the Nashville-based musician.

Even so, by creating music that favors substance over style, Smith has found an audience with fans of intimate songcraft.

"That's the reason I write songs; to deal with difficult things," said the musician, who plays the Jewish Mother in Virginia Beach on Sunday. "I think that's what draws people to my music. They can hear that it's real."

Whether she's calling out a thoughtless lover or expressing grief, Smith strikes a chord and offers catharsis.

"There's a certain element of exposure emotionally within myself that I allow people to get in touch with," she said. "But at the same time I think they can reflect on situations in their own lives."
The 40-year-old native New Yorker moved to Nashville in 1998 and, like many young hopefuls, started out by playing open-mic nights. It wasn't long before her sweet soprano voice began eliciting comparisons to country-folk artists like Alison Krauss and Shawn Colvin.

As the daughter of a pastor, she draws on spiritual themes.

From "Come to Jesus" off her 2004 debut, "One Moment More," to "Closer" on her new self-titled record, Smith isn't shy about expressing her faith.

"I'm proud of being a pastor's kid," she said. "I think it's actually pretty cool."

But that spiritual journey hasn't always been an easy one.

"It's been a challenge sometimes, I'll be honest with you," said Smith, who purposely took a three- year hiatus between albums. "I spent the last several years trying to get my bearings and investing in myself. We all have to do that at times. I call it weeding the garden."

The time off re-energized the singer-songwriter and allowed her to dig deep into her emotional life, one that will forever be influenced by the passing of her mother when she was still a teenager.
"The songs that I write are very much coping mechanisms for traumatic experiences," she said.
One other method of attempting to deal with difficult feelings has held her back, but it's something Smith says she's come to terms with.

"There are elements in my journey that have inhibited me, and one of them is having obsessive compulsive disorder," she said.

"When I do a show I have to explain to the stage manager that these are my issues and this is how things need to be because a lot of people are coming to my show and I want to be able to give them the best one possible."

Smith used to find these types of exchanges embarrassing.

"Now I'm like, whatever," she said. "There are a lot of people struggling with the same thing, and maybe, by me being open about it, it will help them in their own struggle to be OK with themselves."
Above all else, Smith seems to have found some peace of her own, and it's resulted in a newfound confidence.

"I really feel like this is my moment," she said of her career. "And there a lot of people pulling for me."

Carbon Leaf-Virginian Pilot

On his way to band rehearsal, Carbon Leaf frontman Barry Privett ruminates over the concept of time.

“I’ve been chewing on the fact that we’re all on this linear timeline,” he said of a theme that’s emerged in the rock band’s latest batch of songs. “There have been a lot of questions about how you use that as you move through life. Are your dreams still the ones you once had or do they need adjusting?”

It’s fitting that the band takes such stock in its timeline as Carbon Leaf just hit its 20-year mark. What began as a dorm room jam session at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland in 1992 has evolved into a career that’s included radio hits and tours with the Dave Matthews Band and John Mayer.

Privett, who was raised in the Elizabeth Park section of Norfolk, admits that the milestone snuck up on the band.

“Before we knew it, all this time has flown by,” said the 41-year-old singer, talking on the phone from his home in Richmond. “It makes me wonder how we managed to stick with it. It’s still a lot of hard work, but on the other hand, we still get to create things and throw it out into the world.”
Carbon Leaf’s career trajectory has been slow but steady. The band, which plays the Fourth of July Stars in the Sky event at Victory Landing Park in Newport News on Wednesday, started performing at small clubs in Hampton Roads and Richmond before moving on to larger East Coast venues.
In 2002, the rootsy, harmony-driven rock band beat out more than 1,000 other entrants to become the first unsigned group to perform at the American Music Awards. The high-profile gig garnered the quintet national radio airplay and a record contract. Two years later, Carbon Leaf had a pop-rock radio hit with “Life Less Ordinary.”

The band’s latest release is 2011’s three-disc set “Live, Acoustic … And in Cinemascope!” a collection that showcases Carbon Leaf’s warm, amiable vibe. Now, the group is in the initial phase of readying its next project.

“There are different seasons for the band, and we just ended kind of a long, dark winter,” said Privett. “I was off on my own writing lyrics and everyone else was doing a lot of heavy practicing, so now we’re getting reacquainted with the creative process again.”

To that end, Carbon Leaf has been holed up in the West End of Richmond at the home of guitarist Terry Clark.

“He’s got a two-car garage attached to his house, which we converted to a rehearsal space and recording studio,” Privett said. “We have about 30 new songs, and we’ve been working out the arrangements and hitting about four or five a day for the last couple of weeks. Once we cycle through them, we’ll see which ones are good and which ones are disasters.”