Rock the Cause is a non-profit organization aiming to raise awareness, visibility, and membership for non-profits through Rock and Roll. Scott Herold, CEO of Rock the Cause, realized a need to involve the young generations with their community as the baby boomers retire. Rock the Cause takes a grass roots route by using Rock and Roll to engage younger generations to take notice and volunteer in their community. Rock the Cause aims to create awareness and to generate an aspiring attitude in youth.
Thus far, Rock the Cause has shown significant impact through their events: 40% of audience members gave money to causes they discovered through Rock the Cause, 33% became volunteers in their community, and 79% of the audience discovered new music.
On the 29th of this month, Rock the Cause (partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters) will be throwing an event called Glitter Ball 3: Big Hair Big Hearts, in which 80% of proceeds go to the partner non-profit. This event is a tribute to the 80’s with free big hair makeovers, cheap drinks, Pabst Blue Ribbon on tap, free beef jerky, Minnesota Roller Girls, and Vikings Cheerleaders. Furthermore, wine and chocolate truffles for the ladies. White Light Riot will be playing a tribute to Spinal Tap. The whole night will be full of 80’s fun and 80’s tunes played by The Melismatics, The Notties, The Bloodsugars, and Alison Scott. This is sure to be a rockin’ event which will end with a late night dance party hosted by Stellar Vector!
Glitter Ball 3 will be at Music Box Theater, 1407 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, and will start with Happy Hour at 6:30 pm and music beginning at 8:00pm. Tickets can be purchased at irockthecause.org for $15 in advance or $20 at the door. They also have VIP tickets for $50 which include open bar, reserved seating and swag. I wouldn’t wait too much longer, the show will sell out soon!
In less than two weeks we will be stumbling our way into another year! With the holidays still left to endure it's difficult to think about where you want to be when that ball drops at Midnight. House party? On a couch w/ a loved one? Drunk outside The Drink in Uptown?
Well, the Twin Cities' music scene is giving you plenty of reasons to spend your last seconds of 2009 at a concert venue near you. Some of the best in local music are throwing killer parties throughout our little metropolitan area. Here's three that are on my radar:
*NEW YEAR'S EVE W/ MARK MALLMAN*
Veteran rocker, Mark Mallman, has put together a stellar lineup for his New Year's Eve bash in Dinkytown.
89.3 The Current presents this benefit for music programs at Edison High School in Minneapolis. It may be one of the more expensive events of the night (go figure, it's in Downtown...at a hotel), but what it has to offer could be well worth the admission.
Details: Doors @ 8pm Tickets: $25 General/$75 VIP or donate an instrument
18+
*NEW YEAR'S EVE AT THE TRIPLE ROCK*
Perhaps one of the more eclectic shows of New Year's Eve, the Triple Rock is offering a night of R&B, hip hop, reggae, and soul. Also included...champagne jello shots and Confessions of 2009.
Details: Doors @ 9pm Tickets: $7 Advance/$10 Door
18+
Just a little food for thought. I began 2009 with a flying-champagne-cork to the head at a house party, so I plan on starting this new year a bit more positively with some good music and friends. Hope to see you out.
So I had a mellow 4th of July weekend... great BBQ with fellow music industry friends & acquaintences where we laughed about quitting smoking and bitched about the high price of gas affecting artists' ability to tour. The whole situation just sucks! This week The Crave is in town for the Harley Davidson Music Festival at The Cabooze, with White Light Riot opening. I'm excited to see them as I consider myself something of an Anglophile. Then Sunday is Bastille Day at Barbette which is always good fun!
NPR.org, June 9, 2008 - Anyone who thought Britpop died ten years ago was sorely mistaken. It is alive and kicking in Minneapolis, Minn. Following in the footsteps of UK darlings Blur and others, the rock group White Light Riot has a vibrant, energetic sound that thrives on chainsaw guitars and larger-than-life melodies.
White Light Riot's briskly-paced debut LP, Atomism, mixes gritty rock textures with elements of bright, sunshine pop. It's a sometimes huge sound when it needs to be, but dynamic throughout.
"Charlatan," the record's high-energy opening track, features punchy guitars and nervy drums backing lead singer Mike Schwandt's smooth, soaring pop vocals. With hooks galore and a post-punk edginess, the band's aggressive sound proves uber-catchy.
Schwandt returned from studying in the UK in 2005 with an unabashed Britpop fetish. Despite his own interests, he insists that the band's sound is very much a group effort. "None of the songs were written by just one person," Schwandt says. "Someone had lyrics, someone had a verse progression, someone had a chorus, etc. Together, as a group, was the only way to truly write our songs." So much so, Schwandt says, that that's how the record got its title. "Social atomism is the belief that society should be viewed in terms of the individual's importance, rather than group's and community's as a whole, because it is the unique qualities of the individuals in a group that ultimately define it. We thought that this fit so perfectly for how we write, play and record that it became the title of the album."
The band has already written 12 songs for what will be its sophomore album. They plan to tour later this summer and fall, but no dates have been scheduled.
So I've been spending a bit of time on MySpace checking out new bands. I know I'm slow to the party, but it's brilliant that you can listen to all this great music before you buy it or go see them live! When I think of all the music I've spent my hard earned ca$h on over the years that sucked, I can't help but think how BRILLIANT it is that you can listen and decide for yourself.
Shows I'm going to see soon: White Light Riot at a private party, The Kooks at Fine Line, Grand Old Day on Sunday, Old 97s at First Avenue, Stone Temple Pilots at Roy Wilkins and The Von Bondies at First Avenue. Can't wait, you've gotta love summer in the Midwest! --Mistress AMG
White Light Riot has a had a slew of video content for the fans recently. First, there was the absurdly funny video for "Out of Sight". Then, the indepth new video blog posted last week. And now, a brand new video for the song "Charlatan" which follows the guys for a day in their lives.
Tuesday--Sasha and Digweed at Epic, set time: MIDNIGHT. Wednesday--Voltage Fashion event feat. White Light Riot at First Ave, set time: 9:30 or so... Thursday--Justin Currie (Del Amitri) at Fine Line, set time around 9 pm. Friday--Dinner & Drinks with the neighbors who don't get out much... it will be a late night and I have yoga at 9:30 am on Saturday. Saturday--Fakebook with Mary Lucia and Slug (Atmosphere) interviewing Chuck D at The Fitzgerald in St Paul. Then run to the 400 Bar to catch The Effects (Peace & Chicken Grease!) Sunday--The Bravery at Fine Line, set time around 9 pm. Monday--SLEEEEEP.
"Opening session" with Kim, Taco, Thorn and Keith on the patio of Iron Cactus. (I'm so sunburned!) Seeing the 50 Records kids in their shirts everyday. (Who knew five girls could shower in under an hour?) Catching South acoustically at the Blue Hammock party. (Hello Rocco.) Watching Tim challenge "The Racoon" to a dance off on 6th Street. Seeing Elevation and White Light Riot SHINE during their showcases. (I will feel so satisfied when everyone in the world loves them as much as I do.) Andrew in the "panties." Governor's Party (Thurs, Fri and Sat). Seeing Keith, Nate and Tim dirty dance (together)! Catching Tokyo Police Club acoustically at The Current stage (and being able to tell them how great they were at the airport on Sunday morning). Running into friends everywhere. Staying up all night on Saturday to catch our 4:30 am taxi to the airport (I guess I'm not to old to party all night!?)
50 Records presents Zude's Official SXSW Day Party. Check out the website for bands, date, location, sponsors, etc... More news to come in the next few weeks.
Ever wonder how the White Light Riot's music video Atomism was created? It was a multiple step process:
First all the members of WLR where filmed (HD) in front of a green screen. Here they nodded there heads, spun around, and of course sang to the tune. Mike Schwandt (lead singer) got semi-sick spinning around and around while singing the entire song... I thought he was going to puke. Then I made it him do it again the opposite direction. He was a trooper and we made it through without any vomit on the carpet. The green screen actually was a make shift, college kid arts and crafty one... stitched together different pieces of green fabric by a 50 Records skillful employee:) Her fingers now hurts from the labor and was pulled to landscaping duty.
Next step was importing the footage into the computer, the green screen was keyed out and multi filters were added to create a black n white, high contrast appeal. Through out the video are elements from the cover art and inserts of the "Atomism" cd. This design is what inspired the overall feel of the video. Smoke, fonts, high contrast, and odd objects, just instead of static - in motion. The motion of the figures was also all done within post-production.
Now the rough draft and timetable was complete.
Now let's add some color. Some animation was imported via flash for the initial test run and then some live footage of the graffiti garden in Duluth were used for texture. Again many filters and different movements were added to make the piece have more depth and sex appeal.
One scene removed from the final product was the light bulb drop scene. Other elements were also moved around until the final product was making everybody ooze with excitement.
After multiple views there was some concern, especially when watching it on a large screen, that the editing could cause seizures thus the warning at the beginning... nobody needs to get sued right?
Any other questions? Ask away and I'll try to answer. I know my grammer is all over the place but that's not my job:).
***Try to find the creator somewhere within the film***
The MP3s posted on this blog are meant to promote the artists and their music. One or two free MP3s never hurt anyone, but if you enjoy the mp3s you find here, please support the artist and purchase their CDs. If you are the owner of a song posted on the 50 Records Blog and you would like the MP3 removed please contact us and we will do so ASAP.
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