Click here to view the embedded video.

Besides the musical performance, how does a band make their show a fully felt dialogue of emotions instead of just an average rock concert? And if a band did create that environment, how would you respond to a concert of conversation?

When I saw their YouTube video (above) I knew we had to have Minnesota-based indie-folk band We Are the Willows tell us the details behind it.  I could tell that there was something going on in that video but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

The video captures them playing “Isabel’s Song” at Forward Music Festival last September.  The performance struck me as daring, fresh and exciting. Why? Well, the songs on their full-length debut album A Collection of Sounds and Something Like the Plague are delicate, sweet and have an almost childlike feel to them.

But as the story of the album unfolds you quickly realize that, along with the sense of simplicity and innocence flowing through the tracks, there’s also a depth and an emotional rawness that beckons a deeper commitment by the listener, especially when lead singer, guitarist Peter Miller opens up and sings in his “counter-tenor” croon.

So when I saw them start their performance in the middle of the crowd, I wondered why they choose to take such a big chance with a new audience.

I Also Wondered…

What was the interaction like between the band and the audience during the performance? Did it feel awkward? Or did the band’s dynamics fit perfectly for the moment?

Did the band draw upon any of their favorite concerts they’ve experienced as fans to make the performance work? Did the band look to the crowd’s non-verbal response to adjust the songs on the fly?

Peter Miller answers those questions in this Q&A and he also tells us how a Dirty Projectors concert inspired his performance approach; and how he aims to make a We Are the Willows live show “a concert of conversation.”

The Power of the Little Things Continues

We Are the Willows are also label mates to Bon Iver who we’ve featured on Live Fix before via our exploration of the Little Things. So Peter took the time to tell us what “Little Things” he sees during concerts as an artist and a fan, too.

Q & A with Peter Miller

LF: What do you love the most about performing live? What do you think brings fans and the band closer together?

PM: One of my favorite things about playing live is the conversation that ends up happening between the folks listening and myself. This can be a literal conversation between songs, which is usually really fun and makes way for lots of silliness, but the sort of conversation that seems the most meaningful or special is the conversation that happens between a listener and the songs I’m playing. I think that I write songs to say something that couldn’t be said any other way and when a listener understands that, when they understand what the song intends to communicate, it’s very special. This phenomenon achieves what normal conversation often times cannot; real, heart-felt connection between two people.

As an artist, what “Little Things” do you look for during a show for real-time insight or inspiration?

Hmmmm, one thing that I do, and I’m sure lots of people do, is look at people’s faces and make eye contact with people. I guess it’s a sort of gauge for how the show is going. If someone looks bored out of their gourde I might try and make a silly joke between songs or play some faster songs.

But one little thing that makes playing super special is when I can tell that someone is really enjoying the songs. Getting a smile from someone means a ton and makes me happy to be playing music.

As a fan, what “Little Things” have you noticed during some of your favorite concerts?

I love it when you can really tell that a band is having a great time playing music. I’ve been to shows where you can tell the folks playing are not enjoying themselves and for some reason it takes away from the show. Now, I realize that these people are actual human beings that have good and bad days, so I don’t mean to be insensitive, but when a band is having a killer time, one is more inclined to have a killer time as well.

I saw the Dirty Projectors last November and it was super obvious that David Longstreth was having the time of his life. He was smiling from ear to ear, giving band members huge high fives, mid-song, and jumpin’ around like a maniac. It was awesome.

I don’t know what it is exactly, but I just love seeing people loving what they are doing.

When you started playing “Isabel’s Song” in the middle of the crowd and we eventually see the bigger picture at the end of the video. But what was it like for you as a band to create a mood, or to take the crowd on an unexpected emotional journey? Why did you decide to play in midst of the crowd like you did?

Well, when we first arrived at the Overture Center in Madison, WI, after loading in, we noticed that the opening in the ceiling reached all the way to the domed ceiling some 3 or 4 floors up. Naturally, we started yelling absurdities and making fart sounds and listened to how far they would reach. Everything sounded so huge and each sound reverberated through out the whole place. We sang a few lines from a song and found that it sounded incredible in this space. That’s when we decided we’d open the set in that spot.

What we didn’t expect was that this deviation from the norm, that is, playing in the audience, really captured people. It was incredible to realize that when a band plays on a stage there can be a wall between the audience and performer. Playing in the crowd really helped us to traverse that wall and hopefully helped people come back over it to listen to us when we played the rest of our set.

What was your first live concert like as an artist and what did you learn from it?

I can’t really remember my first concert as far as my first band ever, but I do remember that the first time I played as We Are The Willows I had a miserable time. I was in a rock n’ roll band at the time and playing these quiet songs felt so different, not only to perform but in regards to what they demanded of a listener. It’s easier for a listener to tune out some dummy with an acoustic guitar than a whole band with super loud electric instruments. I think I realized that I needed to engage with people more and attempt to draw people in to the songs.

Can describe your mental approach and the chemistry of the band when you all play live together?

We are a band that has disasters happening all the time. There is always something going wrong with our equipment, the venues equipment, etc. In light of this fact, we have become a band that can play our jams in almost any circumstance. If the venue’s sound system goes out we have no problem unplugging all our gear, re-arranging our songs and set list, and playing completely unplugged. I think our approach to playing live is to create a meaningful and fun experience for ourselves and hopefully for the listeners as well.

What live performances by your favorite artists have inspired your live performance?

I’ve been really taken by bands that are good at engaging with the audience and have a good time playing music. The band Megafaun is really good at that. Those guys really create a fun time when they play and that’s really inspiring.

What is something unique about your live performance that fans might not realize or be aware of?

Something that is really evident, but always amazes me is that Karin plays 5 or 6 different instruments during our set. She’s super awesome. Also, we have a robot foot pedal (a midi controller) named Jeffery. He triggers all the beats and samples.

Music Download, Tour and Band Info:

You can get current tour info for We Are The Willows on their Myspace page and download the  A Family. A Tree EP (for FREE or on a pay-what-you-want basis) here.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Recently, my brother Ken and I were hanging out playing Wii and I had Peaches’s Impeach My Bush playing on my laptop as we swung virtual golf clubs and knocked down digital bowling pins. Then something unexpected happened.

And a few songs into the album Ken asked who that was, I told him it was Peaches and he quickly grabbed his Droid to look up her music.

I didn’t intend on making any Peaches converts that night, but that’s exactly what happened.

So in tribute to my brother’s unexpected conversion to Peaches, I’d like to pass along a recent Sound Opinions Podcast featuring Peaches.

During the show, the hosts Jim Derogatis and Greg Kot ask Peaches about some of her very first live shows back when she opened for Bjork with just an iPod. Derogatis also recalls one of his favorite and “historic” live Peaches moment at the Park West in Chicago.

There’s also a few live in-studio Peaches performances to enjoy, too!

Hey, if you were at that Park West Peaches show that Jim talks about we’d love to hear about your experience. Tell us all about it in the comments below.

Click here to view the embedded video.

It’s a challenge for all bands.  Some can do it and some can’t. But what can two blues legends teach us about transferring the palpable emotion and energy a band creates in the studio to the live show? Can you teach the “STLS” or is it just something a band either has or doesn’t?

Recently, I was talking with my friend Patrick about our favorite blues musicians.  Now, I should tell you that Patrick plays the guitar and is big fan of the blues, so during our chat he shared with me one his favorite blues recordings: “Mannish Boy” featuring Muddy Waters and Johnny Winter.

It was a great chat because ever since Patrick gave me that recording I’ve listened to it over and over again.

There was something about it that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Something that connected it to what we feel when we listen to an album and then go see the artist perform it live.

So my curiosity led me to do some digging around on the interwebs and YouTube where I eventually found what I was looking for: a video with a live version of “Mannish Boy.”

And then it hit me.

Listening to both “Mannish Boy” versions together illustrated one of the biggest challenges bands face: transferring the studio energy to their live show, or what I like to call the Studio-To-Live-Show (STLS) energy transfer.

But my exploration and wondering didn’t stop with Waters and Winter.

I took what I discovered with “Mannish Boy” and put it in contemporary context to see how today’s touring bands measure up, or are going about their own STLS.

I started to wonder how, or if, Yeasayer, Matisyahu, LCD Soundsystem, Vampire Weekend, Gorillaz and others will be able to do the same thing.  They’ve all recently spent time in the studio and have current or upcoming tours this year.

So what we’ll do first is uncover the classic “Mannish Boy” blues moment and then we’ll see if today’s bands can measure up to what Waters and Winter accomplished.

Johnny Winter Revs Up Muddy Waters

In the recording Patrick gave me (mp3 below), you can hear Winter yelling in the background as Waters is playing. It’s as if Winter is pumping up and revving Water’s engine up in a hurry.

It’s a great moment that captures the palpable energy in the studio as the two recorded Hard Again, which was Water’s return to the studio after Winter’s signed him to his Blue Sky label. The album was released in 1977 and the following year Waters and Winter went on tour.

The Elusive “Energy Transfer Challenge” All Bands Face, Chase

I’ve had many talks with artists about how hard it is to take studio energy and translate it to the live show, or vice versa.

Knowing that, I’ve been amazed at the uniqueness of this “Mannish Boy” recording because it succeeds on both ends; live and in-studio.

Sure, there are a lot of tangible and intangible factors that make both of these “Mannish Boy” recordings so unique. And we could spend hours talking about them and all the nuances.

But for the most part, I think the STLS is something that you can’t teach.

And I think that most of the time a band either has it or doesn’t.

But with the right production a band could pull it off with the help of a gifted live sound crew and studio engineer.

It’s also extremely difficult to re-create the intimacy of a studio recording during a live show because each situation has different elements that make it intimate and memorable for fans.

Things like feeling the crowd around you, or being close to the artist while listening to the album with headphones by yourself, or standing close to the stage, or being able to see the artist during the concert and putting all the 5 senses of the sensory human experience together are what make listening to music on record than going to experience it live so powerful.

And struggle is also faced by a great live band who’s trying to re-create that transcendent live connection with fans live when recording in the studio. I think of the Grateful Dead when I think of  a band who never really made a studio album that truly captured the power and feeling of their live show. You had to get one of their treasured live bootleg tapes that Dead Heads passed around to really feel the communal essence and live energy of the band.

I’m sure you have a list of your favorite bands who made great studio albums but were never able to successfully transform the album into a great live show.

But somehow Waters and Winter succeeded in both settings with “Mannish Boy.” And even though that track and live concert were recorded over thirty years ago, it’s nothing short of amazing that they were able to do so. And judging by the comments on the YouTube video it’s obvious that live concert moment has certainly stood the test of time for fans.

But now it’s time to see if the top and emerging bands in 2010 can do what Waters and Winter did in 1978.

Will Other Bands Be Triumphant in 2010?

Well, so far in 2010, Yeasayer, St. Vincent, LCD Soundsystem, Vampire Weekend, Polysics, Matisyahu, and Gorillaz are all in the process of the Studio-To-Live-Show energy transfer. And all these bands are either touring behind new albums or will be touring this year.

And some of those bands are also in the process of finishing up new albums for release this year and are in the midst of the first part of the STLS transfer as you read this.

So I wonder.

What has it been like for all those bands in the studio?  Did they have a “Waters and Winter” moment, too? And if they did, will they be drawing on those moments for inspiration during their live show? And will they be able to triumphantly transfer that studio energy to their tour?

What About The Fans?

Let’s look at things from a fan’s point of view.

Have you been soaking up the new albums of your favorite band and creating expectations for the energy you hope to feel during their live show?

For me, I’ve had Yeasayer’s Odd Blood and Gorillaz’s Plastic Beach on constant rotation since their releases. I’ve loved both of them each time I listen to them, but I’m wondering what their live show will feel like.

Will the band successfully transfer or re-create the same emotional energy I’ve felt while listening to their albums?

Well, so far, I can say that Matisyahu, St. Vincent and Polysics have all released albums that successfully transferred energy in both ways.  But some of them went a different route to do so.

And in the process they created a new version of energy for their live show which I loved just as much as what I felt from their studio album.

The exciting thing about all this STLS energy transfer stuff is that you never know what you’re going to get.

And on any given night an artist can flip the switch, find their groove and really turn up the energy like Winter did for Waters. They can completely surprise you, too!

That said, I’m looking forward to seeing how LCD Soundsystem and Vampire Weekend do with their STLS energy transfer as their tours roll into Chicago later this year.

Conduct Your Own STLS Experiment

I courage you to pick up any of these albums and go check out their live show and tell me what happens. Let me know how it goes and if there’s any difference between what you felt while listening to the album versus experiencing their live show.

Now It’s Your Turn

What bands do you think have successfully made the  STLS energy transfer?

What bands are you looking forward to experiencing live this year?

You can also get more band touring info on Jambase.

I was instantly sent back to February 2007 when I heard the news the Mark Linkous had died. Sudden deaths and suicides of musicians we’ve enjoyed tend to send us reeling, especially if their live show once helped you escape, mourn and cope.

I’d like to take a moment to remember Linkous, who fronted Sparklehorse, by traveling back to February 21st 2007. First, I’d like to share our review of their Chicago show and pass along this Popmatters article that pays tribute to his work and career.

It’s always a sad day when I have to do posts like this.  But I also believe that doing so is a key part of the mourning process that we shouldn’t avoid or neglect as fans or artists.

Whether you knew Linkous personally, loved his music, or had your life changed during a Sparklehorse show, we can all benefit by reflecting on some of the great memories he left behind for us to enjoy.

Given the nature of Linkous’s death, I also know that this time of year can be one of the hardest times for those who struggle with depression and mental illness.  I’ve had four friends in the last few years, take their lives during this time, so I know it can be just as hard for those of us left behind. And whenever I hear about a suicide like Linkous’s all those thoughts and feelings about my friends come rushing back with a vengeance.

And it’s sort of strange how things work, too. Because I remember how that Sparklehorse show helped me cope back in 2007. It was just a few days after the death of one of my friends and I needed a cathartic escape. And the concert provided just what I needed at that time.

That said, I’d like to share with you three articles I’ve written on musicians, suicide and the importance of live music mourning. I hope you find them helpful and please feel free to ask me any questions about them. I’m more than willing to talk about why I wrote them and how they helped me work through the deaths of my friends.

Closer Still: Reflections on Joy Division

Suicide Catharsis: A First Note

Experiencing, Grief, Joy and Community in Live Music

Your Thoughts?

How do you feel about revisiting a concert memory of an artist who’s no longer with us.

How do your favorite concert memories help you mourn?

Now, we all know that there’s more than one way to enjoy a show and that we don’t always need our eyes to help us write concert reviews, right?

I’m not the first to say, and I definitely won’t be the last, that, as St. Vincent, Annie Clark conjures up a beautiful disturbance in the minds and hearts of listeners. And just like she’s done on her first two albums, Marry Me (2007) and Actor (2009), her live show pushes all the right buttons, pulling you into a world filled with beautiful, alluring and subversively disturbing stories.

As you can tell by that snippet from my Popmatters review I “enjoyed” the St. Vincent show –  I even called it “a phantasmagorical jaunt down a sonic rabbit hole to a place bubbling with curious melodies and mad rhythms.”

But you know what?

I actually “saw” very little of it.

Why?

Well, due to it being a sold out show, Colleen and I weren’t able to get the best seats or view because the Metro was packed and fans were crammed in,  so if you weren’t over 5′ 7″ , near the front of the stage or near a balcony railing, a clear view was a rare thing.

And since I’m vertically challenged, I was kept from “seeing” and reviewing the show like I normally do.

So as St. Vincent’s performance unfolded like a dream, I felt a nightmare coming on as my frustration grew because I was sadly stuck behind taller fans and unable to get a decent view.

With each passing song, I was getting concerned because I couldn’t see how the band was making such wonderful sounds and melodies with their small orchestra of instruments. And if I couldn’t see, how was I going to write a review?

Sure, I could have pushed my way through, squeezed in between fans and fought for a better view, but I didn’t.

As Colleen snapped photos from the balcony,  I did a coup against my natural instincts and decided to feel my frustration and let it brew a bit so I could find a way around the visual road block.

And surprisingly I did.

As I passed through my moment of unwanted frustration and fear I found a way to make my lack of “seeing” work in my benefit.

In the end I walked out of the Metro with more evidence to support that sound isn’t the MOST important sense.

And as I tell you my story, I’ll explain how we don’t necessarily need our eyes to enjoy, or write about, live music.  It was a sensual discovery that was as magnificent as the St. Vincent show itself.

What We Don’t See Brings Us Pleasure

As fans, we might think that “hearing” the music during the concert is what always brings us pleasure. But the intense amounts of “I can’t see the stage” displeasure I felt during St. Vincent’s show actually confirmed that our sense of sight might be more important than we realize. It might even trump our sense of sound.

What I’m saying is that when I had my view of the stage blocked during the St. Vincent concert my irritation was a clear indication that “seeing” the music being played what just as important as hearing the music.

Need more proof?

Maybe this story of how vertically challenged fans at a Matisyahu concert made a periscope to overcome the blind spots and taller fans at the House of Blues. If that doesn’t make a case for the importance of “seeing” the band versus just “hearing” the music, then I don’t know what will.

Put Down Your Pens and Close Your Eyes

Now, it’s time to talk to you writers of concert reviews. I say this as one of you and as one who loves writing about live music. I love soaking up the visuals of concerts and I know it’s part of our job to describe in words what the concert scene was like.

But let’s stretch our minds a bit.  Let’s think differently how we can better capture the feeling of concert. Let’s consider for a moment that we might be relying too much on our eyes and what we see to write a concert review.

I’ve been thinking about that thought for awhile now. And when I wrote my St. Vincent review I started to see the craft of concert reviewing differently — or shall I say with clearer eyes.

And the more I think about what happened at the St. Vincent show and what it was like to write the review without relying on my eyes and more on my sense of touch, I’m starting to think that we might be able to write better reviews if we closed our eyes and paid more attention to what we feel instead of focusing so much on what we see going on around us.

Often our eyes deceive us in life and I’m starting to realize that the same happens when writing about live music.  And I think it’s time to see what happens to the craft of writing concert reviews when we take our eye balls out of the equation.

What would happen if we did rely more on what we feel and let go of what we “see” around us?  What would happen if we engaged our other senses to better capture the unseen essence of live music?

Final Focus: Felt vs. Saw

It’s amazing to think how this Experiment just sort of happened by accident and came out of a terrible moment of frustration and fear.

This wasn’t a pre-planned Radiohead experiment. And I didn’t intend on conducting an experiment to see if I could write a review without using  my eyes. But that’s exactly what happened.

I discovered something beautiful when I was forced to rely more on what I felt instead of what I saw.  I remember closing my eyes during the St. Vincent show and letting my mind and other senses write the review instead of my pen.

And I have to say things turned out pretty good. (And I didn’t even see this discovery coming at all.)

Do You See What I’m Talking About?

If you had to give up one sense during a show, what would it be and why?

Would you be able to tell the difference between a “no-eyes” concert review and a regular review?

Have you ever written a review without using your eyes?

Hey there, thanks for stopping by.  Sorry for the mess. Were in the process of reworking Live Fix.  All the great words, photos and ideas you’re expecting are still here. Things just look different for the moment.  We’ll have things back to normal shortly. Thanks again for your patience.

You might be reading this post and wondering ‘what the heck is going on here? I thought this was a Live Music blog?’ It is and will always be. But on this Live Fix post were going to take a very important detour.

And our very important detour begins when, a couple weeks ago, I had one of my best and most compelling Twitter moments that involves our friend Obi-Wan.

I was scanning my friend’s tweets like any other day and then all of a sudden I read this tweet that just stopped me dead in my tracks.

This tweet was so honest and true that I couldn’t help but respond. So I did.

The tweet in the photo above came from Holly Hoffman who is a social media community manager, business owner, a very fine blogger and more who lives in Texas.

After I responded to her tweet, another fellow blogger, Steve Errey, did too. So all three of us connected on Twitter and then Holly suggested that we bring this the topic of mentors to a bigger Blogger Round Table in which we post own thoughts on mentors on our own blogs and then share our thoughts by linking back to our post in the comments on Holly’s Blog WorkLoveLife.

So in a nut shell that’s why Live Fix will now detour for the moment from the topic of live music and I will share with you my thoughts on mentors.

If you’ve never been and always wanted a mentor I invite you to join in the discussion and post your comments below.  The topic of mentors has always been a very odd one for me and I have mix feelings about it, which I’ll explain in just moment.

But first I want to tell you this.

In my first comment to Holly after reading her tweet I told her what she said was very deep and I appreciated her honesty.

I also told her that I completely understand how hard it is to let key people — friends or mentors — leave your life and move on.

I especially understood her point that as we grow individually it becomes necessary for us to move on even when our friends and mentors have stopped growing. It’s in those moments in our life that we have to face the truth that we’ve outgrown friends and mentors, and sadly move on even though it’s a good sign for us that we are moving on.

Sure, we might still love those we leave behind, but when it comes to moving on in life, one of the hardest things to do is let friends and mentors go because they’re holding us back.

It seems like such an un-human thing to do, but I can tell you that I’ve been through it before and I’m happy that I did it even though it was hard as hell to do it.

Now, for the rest of my post, explain specifically what mentorship means to me and how it’s changed my life when I was younger and how it’s lack of presence as I’ve gotten older has frustrated me.

When I was ending high school and heading into college I had a spiritual mentor who came into my life as somewhat of an accident. I wasn’t looking for a mentor but when we connected it just seemed right. He was looking for a younger person to challenge and inspire him and I needed someone who could help teach and guide me. The mentorship worked well for a few years then as I grew spiritually and creatively we grew a part and I haven’t had a mentor since. That was when I was about 22 years old.

And since then I’ve continued to grow spiritually and professionally, I’ve gotten married and further discovered and developed my talents and gifts as a writer and creative person.

And, not by choice, I’ve manage to do all that without a mentor.

Sure, there have been people along the way that have help me, but there hasn’t been one person that I can call my “mentor.”  I have always desired a mentor, but no one has ever approached me and no one has just naturally come into my life like my first mentor did.

So over the last ten years (damn, it’s been that long? ) I’ve thought about what type of mentor I would want.  I’m a writer who loves music and books and such, so naturally, I would like to have a  mentor who loves writing as much as I do.

And I would also like to have a mentor who has more experience than I do in my areas of work and pleasure (blogs, social media, music writing, communications, community building, etc ).   But my mentor doesn’t have to fit the picture I have in my mind necessarily or like all the same things I do.  I’m completely open to whatever type of mentor life might bring my way.

And When It Comes To Mentors I’ve Also Thought About:

What is the role of mentor? Do they only guide, instruct and challenge?

Why is it so hard to find a mentor? Why does it seem that there’s always a short supply of mentors? Do most people not see any value in being a mentor?

Why is it such a rare thing for a mentor and mentoree to connect?

Do mentors not know that they are needed?  Do mentorees not know where to look?

Obi-Wan Kenobi, Are You Our Only (Mentor) Hope?

I don’t want to sound like some cheezy after school special public service announcement, but I’ll finish by saying this.

This topic has always made me frustrated because I’ve always wanted someone to mentor me in different areas and different points in my life.

And the whole reason why I was excited to be a part of this Blogger Round Table was because when I saw Holly’s tweet all those “I wish I had a mentor” emotions that I’ve stuffed down came rushing back up to the surface.

Holly’s tweet had struck a chord with me because, I too, have struggled with the truth of friends and mentors coming and going.

But most of my frustration has been in the void NOT being filled ever since I out grew my first mentor.

I’ve also struggled with the fact that I can’t wait around for a mentor to find me or me to find him.

That said, I’m not the kind of person that will sit around and wait for life to happen to me. Even if I screw up and fail, I always prefer to take risks and go into uncharted territory versus sitting back and waiting.

But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve always wished that I did have a mentor, or at least someone in my life that was a constant presence that could offer wisdom and show me what to do when life presents major challenges and forces me to make decisions that I haven’t made before.

But the older I get, the more I realize that that is not how life is.

The older I get the more I realize that life is not like it is in the movies where there’s a Mickey to every Rocky, a Obie-Wan to every Luke Sky-Walker. Those movie-mentors seem to grow and develop nicely on the silver screen, but those are just fictional mentors in fictional story lines that fall flat in real life.

Sure, those made-up story lines are fun to watch  But they certainly haven’t played out as true in my life and all they seems to do is get my hopes up.

Yes, I do have friends who have mentors and I’m very happy for them. And I wish them all the best. Hopefully mentorship will be something I will experience again soon. Or maybe I’ll be called to be a mentor, who knows?

I’ll I know is that as I write this post, I still don’t have a mentor, but I would welcome any advice on what a mentor really is, or what a person like myself should expect when looking for a mentor.

Again, this topic is an ongoing discussion. And I’m really really really happy that Holly decided to put together this Blogger Round Table which expertly leverages the power of social media to further the discussion on the topic of mentors.

Update 3/3:

Since I posted my thoughts on mentoring I’ve received some great links that I want to pass on to you.

First, is from my friend Tyler who sent me this Inc. article that talks about finding a business mentor.

Then, there’s the Blogger Round Table  Round-up that Holly did.  In her post today she featured the other bloggers who shared there thoughts on mentors.

Update 3/9:

Here’s another link that I came across later in the week. Jessica Smith wasn’t a part of the Blogger Round Table but she shares a helpful story full of tips on mentorship on her Jessica Knows blog.

It’s all great info that’s been helpful to me and will definitely be helpful to anyone looking for tips on how to find a mentor.

What Are Your Thoughts?

Is the idea of mentorship a myth that only comes true in the movies?

Are most people afraid or just too busy to be mentors?

Do most people just see no value in mentorship?

Do you have a great mentor story to share?

For the last several months I’ve been doing some heavy research in to Chicago’s early to late 80’s hardcore scene. If you’re new to this era and genre you can check out some of my favorite bands like the Effigies and this Punk database to get an idea of what other bands were a part of the scene.

But I wanted to find more than what I had already read about and listened to.

I wanted to know more about a very obscure era that I began to hear about as my research unfolded.

I wanted to learn more about a specific group of bands that seemed to lack an extensive historical record or live show documentation.

I wanted to learn more about the bands of the NORCORE era.

I started to get discouraged because I was coming up a bit short in my quest to uncover more info beyond what I had discovered so far from various sources about the NORCORE era:

Between 1985 to 1987 an underground punk rock music scene thrived on the near north side of Chicago in and around a blue-collar neighborhood called Norwood Park. The bands were diverse in sound and development, but bonded by common influences, recording-styles, and management. The scene was referred to by many names and descriptors, but most widely used descriptor was “Nor-Core.”

It was mostly punk, but had a strong glam rock and big guitar/big vocal influence as well. Occasionally some ska and rockabilly would be thrown into a set with mixed results. Bands played at old Northside clubs like the Envoy, The Lift Off and the Montrose Ave. Slot Car Lanes. Many all ages shows happened at the Courtside Racket Club.

But gladly my hopes were raised due to the recent emergence of a tribute band. And thanks to one of its members I was able to find more answers to my long list of unanswered questions about the Nor-core live music scene.

I’m excited to share with you what I found and present this exclusive Live Fix interview and story about a crucial period in Chicago live music history.

Interview with Dave Bergeron of the Norwood Park All-Stars

This week I spoke with Dave Bergeron who was a member of Bloodsport and is the lead singer of the Norwood Park All-Stars tribute band.

Since the NPAS will be playing tomorrow at the Cobra Lounge, I met with Dave at the Cat Box studios, one of their secret and undisclosed Chicago locations where they practice and record.

I asked Dave to talk about his memories of Chicago’s hardcore scene and tell us why the Nor-core live music scene was so important, yet mostly unknown.

I also asked him to explain the mission of the Norwood Park All-Stars and what the psychological difference is between a tribute band and a regular band, since he’s played in both.

I hope you enjoy this three-part video interview and the few bonus questions below in which Dave explains his approach to performance and his love for Chicago’s live music scene.

And, by all means, if you have any other information on this very obscure — but highly crucial moment in Chicago live music history — please help a brother out and drop the info in the comments below.

LF: What do you love the most about performing live?
Dave: The sense of immediacy.

As an artist, what “Little Things” do you look for during a show for real-time insight or inspiration?

I look for the interaction between us on stage; if we are all well engaged the performance can’t help but take a hold.

As a fan, what “Little Things” have you noticed during some of your favorite concerts?
I wouldn’t call it a little thing as the effect on me makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. I had the pleasure of bartending at Metro for the past ten years and during that time I saw a great many bands. Every great once in awhile a band would perform and would just be hitting on every cylinder; I’m not even sure the band was aware of how they were doing it! It is something just shy of magic and can’t be bottled.

What was your first live concert like as an artist and what did you learn from it?

My first performance was at a college party at IIT; I learned that I had know idea of how to sing…I now have a small understanding but still have a long way to go.

What elements or characteristics of your favorite bands’ live shows do you draw inspiration from the most?

The excitement and energy that they brought to the stage.

What part of Saturday’s Norwood Park All-Stars show are you excited about the most? What will make it unique from other shows?
I was given free reign in putting the bill together for the evening; a bunch of great performers that are all good people. There is a common thread among the bands.

Thanks again to Dave and the Norwood Park All-Stars for bringing us into the Cat Box studios and shining a light on Chicago live music history.

Begin your Nor-core history quest to today by joining the Norwood Park All-Stars Facebook group.

Show Info

Cobra Lounge

235 N. Ashland in Chicago.

Saturday 2-27

with Matt Hendricks, Vendoo Za and the West Side Winders.

The show starts at 9:30.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

We had a great time on Monday night during the YMTE live podcast at the Hungry Brain. Brandon, Esmeralda and Playboy.com editor Scott Smith kept us laughing with Chicago neighborhood rants, Playboy tales and crazy games of Bozo buckets.

As we chilled out on the couch in front of the stage, we were also treated to a rare live music moment courtesy of one half of the Chicago garage rock band White Mystery.

And as a little after-show special I have for you a quick Q&A with Alex White of  White Mystery who during the Hungry Brain show told us that this was the first time she had ever performed solo in front of a live audience.

Alex usually performs with her brother Francis as a duo so I thought it was a perfect time to ask her a few questions about her first live solo performance.

What was the hardest part about performing solo for the first time? Would you do it again?

Yes, performing solo as myself, or half of White Mystery, is likely to reoccur in the future. The hardest part about performing solo is song selection. My challenge is to tailor a couple favorites for the solo format from four full length albums, a dozen singles, and an archive of hundreds of songs.

What did you enjoy the most about performing solo? What was going through your mind as you were playing?

The best part about playing solo is the clarity of guitar and voice. There’s no mistaking songs stripped down like that. I’m a minimalist with a two-piece band, and solo takes it to the next level. As I was playing, I thought, “The only more minimal I can be is if I weren’t here at all.”

What did you learn from playing solo and how do you think it will impact your next live show with your brother?
I learned that it’s possible to switch between a Big Muff fuzz pedal and clean state while playing guitar and drums at the same time in a room full of strangers. This will definitely lend more confidence to the next White Mystery show with my brother Francis White at the Double Door this Friday, February 26 for the Windy City Story Slam.

Any other thoughts you’d like to share?
Playing stripped down and solo is rock’n'roll. People shout and feel the rhythm of your heart when you move their hips.

You can also see White Mystery during their record release show on March 20 at the Hideout and buy the new record directly from the band on their website.

Thanks again to Alex, the Hungry Brain and the YMTE crew for putting on a fun night! Download the live podcast here.

Were you at the Hungry Brain on Monday night?  What did you think of Alex’s performance?

Live Photo by Colleen Catania

Click here to view the embedded video.

This past weekend indie rap duo Eyedea and Abilities wrapped up their recent tour in support of their latest album By The Throat. And while memories of the tour are still fresh in fan’s minds, we’re going to revisit E&A’s Chicago show and experiment with hip hop’s call-and-response culture.

Part One: Total Recall From Reggie’s Rock Club

To start things off I’d like to say that I’m excited to share with you another guest review by Moira McCormick who’s also contributed to the previous Saul Williams Dual Review and Community of Groove experiments.

And in Part One of this new Call-And-Response Experiment Moira’s Eyedea and Abilities review will take us back to their Reggie’s Rock Club show in December and set the stage for the second phase the Experiment.

Part Two:  An Inspired Response

In Part Two, we’ll see the show through the eyes of  Talib, a fellow hip hop fan and friend of Moira.

When Moira told me about Talib’s experience, I asked if he would share his thoughts and feelings from the concert and he graciously accepted the invitation.

Talib’s story is unique in that it both recounts his E&A experience and lets us see live hip hop culture through his perspective as a life-long fan.  And I see his story as a new and inspired version of the call-and-response. (More on that in a minute.)

I’m also honored that Talib decided to share his story because he does a great job of explaining how emcee/poet Doseone — who followed E&A’s performance — took Talib down an unexpected emotional path when Doseone made a few questionable comments to the crowd about Chicago rapper/emcee Rhymefest.

And once you read his response in Part Two’s post, you’ll see that his response is not just directed at the artist. Talib’s story is also an open invitation addressed to his fellow hip hop fans who love the culture just as much as he does. And you’re welcome to keep the conversation going by responding back to Talib in the comments.

Why Do This Experiment?

In a way, this Experiment reminds me of a key element of live hip hop culture that both amazes and confuses me: the call-and-response between the fans and the DJ or Emcee.

Call-and-response has a long history that goes back hundreds of years, but for our purposes here I’m talking about the call-and-response as we know it in 2010 in hip hop concert culture.

We’re used to the call-and-response being live and instantaneous. But instead of the exchange happening verbally during the concert in real-time, I curiously combined my amazement and confusion to create this experimental call-and-response that flips the script and expands on what were used to.

Sure, we engage in call-and-responses at hip hop concerts for different reasons.

But for me, I’ve always felt that they can be a strange thing to experience when, as fans, we’re forced into responding or “throwing our hands in the air” when the DJ or the Emcee hasn’t really earned our emotional or physical response.

And for some reason, in those “un-earned” moments, we respond anyways like conditioned lab mice or even Pavlov’s salivating dog. Why? I think in most cases, it’s because we don’t want to disrupt the flow of the show or damage the ego of the artist.

And I don’t think that type of trained and conditioned behavior is a good thing for live hip hop — fans or artists.

So, since Live Fix is all about exploring the fan experience, you can consider the combination of Moira’s review and Talib’s story as a new type of call-and-response that’s been extended over time — and one that empowers the hearts, minds and memories of hip hop fans.

That said, I see this Experiment as an ongoing and organic test to see if we can better understand the real purpose of the call-and-response by taking it out of the usual context of the live concert and seeing it in a new context — and that’s exactly what Moira’s review and Talib’s story will do.

And their stories will certainly challenge us to rethink how we respond to an artist’s onstage comments or live performance.

Something You’re Not Used To

Before we get to Moira’s review here’s one final reason for the Experiment.

I’m used to writing –  and you’re used to reading — concert reviews a few days after the concert. With that in mind you might think it’s a bit odd to post a review of, or explore a concert that took place a few months ago.

But this Experiment isn’t bound by time or place.

In essence, what we’re doing is acknowledging the truth that our hearts and minds don’t always store our concert memories with an expiration date.

Yes, timely concert reviews are important. But being on time isn’t our goal here.

Our goal is to push the limits and explore beyond what we’re used to and see what we can find.

Okay, I’m done explaining.

Ya ready…?

Good. I am too.

Let’s get things started with Moira’s review.

Eyedea and Abilities — Reggie’s Rock Club, Chicago 12.3.09

“See, you thought that was rehearsed – but our whole life is freestyle, man.”

Thus spake Michael Larsen – code name Eyedea, and the verbal half of indie hip-hop duo Eyedea and Abilities – midway through E&A’s recent set at Reggie’s Rock Club, on Chicago’s Near South Side.

The plaid-clad MC had just been relating the experience of driving the tour van through a snowstorm on a previous tour – not an unheard-of scenario for the Minnesota-based pair. His freestyle-is-our-life remark could refer not only to Eyedea’s own extemporaneous essence – a laurelled freestyler who’s aced Scribble Jam and Blaze Battle, Eyedea also fronts freestyle/jazz group Face Candy – but to E&A’s career arc in general. It’s liberally dotted with Eyedea’s off-the-beaten-path sidetracks, including a solo hip-hop album (under the nom du disque Oliver Hart), a Face Candy CD, a printed poetry/art collaboration, a rock band called Carbon Carousel, and a Twin Cities indie label, Crushkill Recordings.

Thus it’s not hard to see why, even though Eyedea paired off with wizardly DJ Abilities, aka Gregory (Max) Keltgren, a decade ago, they only have three full-length albums to their conjoined credit (all of them on Rhymesayers Entertainment, the pioneering independent label owned by venerable underground-rap act Atmosphere.) In fact, fans awaited the duo’s latest opus, By the Throat, for five years.

At Reggie’s, Eyedea and Abilities were opening for another popular indie duo, Doseone and Jel (whose set would prove diverting, in a sophomoric way, up to a point, but was decidedly outclassed by E&A’s.)

By the Throat is a sonic dreadnought, an unstoppable alloy of rap and rock – one that can convey Eyedea’s wound-licking worldview even while thus armored – and it was as deeply satisfying in concert.

With black-garbed Abilities as a rear-guard eminence noire, looming over his turntables and synths, sparkplug front-man Eyedea let fly with rococo scrolls of lyrical angst. “There’s a fine line between your wit and your whining,” he snarled over Abilities’mecha-punk beats, carving up a poseur’s pose with corrosive prose: “It’s funny how some people have a way of making the Milky Way look tiny…You’re so hip-hop, you’re so punk rock, you’re so so so fuckin’ cliché.”

While E&A’s set – as economical in its own way as their 29-minute, no-dross CD – mostly focused on By the Throat, the duo also dusted off “Now,” a nugget from E&A (their 2004 CD), along with a couple intriguing new tunes. Plus, Eyedea proffered “Play Dead Til They Kill You,” reprising his guest appearance on a 2006 release by MN collective Saturday Morning Soundtrack.

“Did you guys get a chance to steal our record?” Eyedea cracked, as his partner eased into the woozy lysergic strains of “Sky Diver,” an étude of opposing energies. “Genius by day, junkie by night/By the grace of breeze, I never scraped a knee that didn’t help me see bleeding isn’t what it seems,” Eyedea spat, machine-gunning his lyrics over Abilities’ languid psychedelic dreamscape.

Headliner Donseone made a brief cameo appearance at that point, messing around with the synthesizers (Jel may have joined in, too; I’m not tall enough to have been able to make a positive ID at the time.) Recess over, Eyedea and Abilities churned up a compellingly sinuous version of “Spin Cycle,” a relationships-suck screed with a pounding, astringent-harmonied chorus: “You won’t spin my head around/You won’t take this one from me…”

“Speaking of ‘sorry,’ do we have any couples in the house?” quipped Eyedea at the song’s end. “Boyfriend-girlfriend? Darvocet-Vicodin?”

Eyedea then segued into a contemplative spoken-word intro (that prefaced “Now,” the set-closer), containing within it quite an elegant distillation of the eternal male-female road hazard: “Avoiding your soft spots is so hard.” Yes, sometimes it really is just that simple.

Okay, that’s the end of Part One.

Stay tuned for Talib’s story in Part Two as we continue to question and explore hip hop’s call-and-response culture.

Were you at the Eyedea and Abilities show in Chicago, or did you see them on their recent tour?  What did you feel or experience?

Click here to view the embedded video.