PurrView #47 - Imagine Dragons - "It's Time"

http://www.imaginedragonsmusic.com/

I was recently lying down, listening to music and spacing out as I frequently do, when a superfun song with hand-slapping, foot-stomping and the sweet sound of a mandolin caught my attention. After listening a moment longer to this catchy, syncopated tune, I realized that the singer's voice sounded awfully familiar and close to home. Is Palladia playing Imagine Dragons? I thought. The answer: Yes.

It was, in fact, the sweet sound of Dan Reynolds' voice that I heard; and Palladia isn’t the only music channel playing the catchy sound of Imagine Dragons. MTV has also deemed the Las Vegas band "buzzworthy" and declared them the 04/16/12 MTV PUSH Artist of the Week. Pandora listeners have also had the pleasure of experiencing Imagine Dragons' flourishing exposure on their favorite synth-rock-group stations.

The band has independently released three EPs previously. And since Imagine Dragons signed with Interscope records for their latest EP titled Continued Silence-- produced by the reputable Alex Da Kid-- the band seems to finally be getting the exposure and notoriety they deserve. "It's Time" is the latest single-- as well as the above-referenced music video-- from the Vegas art-synth-rock outfit.

Check out the video for "It's Time" - It's like a dark, beautiful dream

I picked up Imagine Dragons' first (eponymous) EP after catching them play Ovation at Green Valley Ranch back in February of 2010. I was reeled in by their stage presence (which seems mature beyond their years) and by Reynolds' hypnotic persona and facial expressions. Since then, I've harbored fondness for the band, so-much-so that I definitely know Reynolds' voice and the band's catchy energy when I hear it.

I truly admire Imagine Dragons, and I'm impressed with their continued quality recordings and consistent performing at gigs like SXSW. Their goods just keep getting better! One thing I must mention, however, is that I'll miss hearing the beautiful feminine touches of former member Brittany Tolman's vocals. Where did she go, I wonder?

If you dig bands like The Bravery, Young the Giant or The Killers, you should check out this talented and handsome quartet of gifted Vegas art & music scenesters! They are currently touring with The Jezabels and a couple of the remaining stops are sold out. No offense, but soon The Jezabels might just have to start saying they’re touring with Imagine Dragons.   ;)  

If I had to sum up why I love Imagine Dragons in 15 words or less, it would go something like this: Impeccable attention to melodic, electronic and percussive detail joined with strong vocals and proficient harmonizing.

Dan Reynolds - Vocals

D. Wayne Sermon - Guitar

Ben McKee - Bass

Daniel Platzman - Drums

~Meow~

Pennies

PurrView #46 - Absinthe Las Vegas

http://absinthevegas.com/

                When friends of mine enthusiastically recommended I go see Absinthe-- a sexy, tantalizing, politically incorrect, traveling circus-esque, acrobatic variety show held on the Royal Plaza of Caesar's Palace-- their rave reviews did not prepare me for how absolutely awesome the intimate show turned out to be. Their descriptions of Absinthe were actually quite brief; perhaps they just couldn't find the right words to describe it. They resorted to simply stating that I just need to go watch it. In a post-script manner one friend added, "…and don’t bring your mom."   

(lasvegasblog.harrahs.com)

The venue was a single-ring circus sized tent with Bohemian décor and wooden audience chairs encircling the stage in the center. The style of the show was one that suggested a sexy Gypsy freak show (with some of the hottest, most daring and most flexible freaks in the western hemisphere).  The performers were close enough to spit on; every seat in the house was a good one. But I certainly felt bad for a couple of the faint-of-heart, bashful audience members that regretfully sat in front. They mostly gawked in horror throughout most of the show and tried their best not to make eye contact with any of the talented, erotic performers. The majority of us however hooted, hollered, and laughed our asses off the entire show when we weren't silenced in awe at some of the stunts performed.

(absinthevegas.com)

The Gazillionaire and Penny Pibbets

(millerpolooza.wordpress.com)

                Our compere-- a mustached, racial slur-spatting, Borat-resembling creep known as The Gazillionaire-- led the audience through the circus of naughty acrobatics, comedy, stunt routines, and feats of strength suggestive of a lucid, bizarre (wet) dream world. His sidekick Penny Pibbets threw in just the right amount of additional awkwardness and a kooky slant indicative that females can be just as creepy, hilarious and perverted as the male species. And sultry singer Melody Sweets made love to our ears and eyes with her sexy voice and ravishing features-- she had me turned on before the first layer came off.

Melody Sweets

(photo: Tom Donoghue)

                If abundant use of the S and F words, twisted humor, sexuality, and flexible, glistening, fit-as-all-get-out Eastern Europeans all sound like great entertainment to you, Absinthe is a must-see Vegas show. Though many would find the spectacle offensive, vulgar and discomforting, there were only two discomforting feelings I personally experienced: pain (in my face from laughing so hard) and goose bumps (from watching the amazing acrobatics).

Here's a taste of Absinthe

~Meow~

Pennies

PurrView #45 - Snoop Dogg feat. Tupac - Coachella 2012

(photo: pitchfork.com - Snoop, Left; Tupac, Right)

Snoop Dogg closed out the first weekend of Coachella 2012 on Sunday night, April 16, with help from beloved and dearly-departed fellow West-sider Tupac Shakur. Thanks to the beauty of technology, Snoops’s revolutionary performance with Tupac’s hologram made the onstage collaboration powerful, magical and a bit spooky for audience members.



(photo: Getty Images - "Tupac" onstage at Coachella 2012)

What started out like any normal, smoky performance for Snoop, turned into a tech-savvy recreation of his past onstage chemistry with Tupac. The set included collabos with friends and big-name recording artists Dr. Dre, Eminem and 50 Cent. “The D-O-double G’s” rap-superstar set was also added to by the fresh, young Wiz Khalifa, who blew the audience away at Coachella 2011; he’s been a frequent Top 40 name ever since.

(photo: pitchfork.com - Dr. Dre, Left; Snoop, Right)

On September 7, 1996, Tupac was gunned down in Las Vegas. He died a few days later on Friday the 13^th. Fans continue to mourn the loss of the rapper, and rumors that he is still alive continue to sporadically resurface. But for the first time since Tupac’s death, he has-- in essence-- hit the stage once again to perform "Hail Mary," and to join Snoop for an apropos performance of “2 of Americaz Most Wanted.”

(photo:rap-up.com)

Without a doubt, Goldenvoice Productions should pat themselves on the back for hosting another revolutionary move in the music world. They've left the music festival community and an eclectic mix of fans in shock-and-awe at this hologram performance of one the most respected poets of Gen-Xers and younger.

Check out the amazing, albeit trippy performance at this link before it gets taken down. 

(Fair warning: explicit lyrics)

~Meow~

Pennies

PurrView #44 - Of Monsters and Men

                New to the American music scene, Icelandic sextet Of Monsters and Men embodies a melodious, artistic and catchy-- yet intelligent-- sound that's got a delightful, earthy folk vibe. The band is headed up by founding members and singer/songwriters Nanna Bryndis Hilmarsdòttir and Ragnar "Raggi" Pòrhallson.  

                Of Monsters and Men nods to the well-orchestrated instrumental prowess of Arcade Fire and captures the gypsy-like cadence of Edward Sharpe & the Magnetics Zeros, while also harnessing the folksy, heart-rending emotion of Mumford & Sons. They are an act that will surely be on the radar in 2012. The tambourine and accordion accents are enough to make your heart dance. But fair warning-- singers Nanna and Raggi's voices melded together might also make your heart melt.

                In February 2011 the band signed on to craft their debut album with Record Records in Reykjavik, Iceland. Released in September 2011, My Head is an Animal brought the band to its cozy No. 1 spot on Icelandic charts. And subsequently, the album's captivating dual-vocal track "Little Talks" shimmied its way on over to the hearts and ears of Americans.

                In December 2011 Of Monsters and Men released a four-song sample of their debut album via EP Into the Woods, leading up to the band's April 3, 2012 worldwide release of My Head is an Animal; both under Universal Records.

                The band is now in the midst of their first American tour which began at SXSW festival in March. I eagerly welcome a chance to catch them in person so I can find out if they're as fabulous and entertaining live as they are in my earbuds.

Nanna Bryndis Hilmarsdòttir - guitar / vocals

Ragnar "Raggi" Pòrhallson - guitar / vocals

Brynjar Leifsson - guitar

 Àrni Guôjónsson  - piano / accordion

Kristján Páll Kristjánsson - bass

Amar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson - drums

"Little Talks" in-studio performance, KEXP Seattle --> http://youtu.be/8Dw8qdmT_aY

~Meow~

Pennies

PurrView #43 - Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend

http://www.vivalasvegas.net/

Rockabilly enthusiasts from across the globe meet once again in the sunny state of Nevada for the 15th annual Viva Las Vegas. Held April 5-8 at The Orleans Hotel & Casino, Viva Las Vegas is the quintessential Rockabilly stomping ground and time-warp to a place in American history when hair was pomped, Chevys had that feel-good rumble, and the seeds of Rock and Roll that were planted have become today's "vintage" genre of style and fashion.

Here's what's to look forward to at VLV 2012:

Burlesque shows

(photo: edinburghspotlight.com)

Cars and Hot Rods galore

Check out Josh Clason's video of VLV 2011 cars -->  http://youtu.be/EZpdhsJHfDY

Rockin' Bands

Pin-Up Fashion

If the nostalgia of the 50s appeals to you-- the fashion, the hair, the music, the cars, the photography-- it would behoove you to make your way to Viva Las Vegas, stat.

Official VLV Website --> http://www.vivalasvegas.net/

~Meow~

Pennies

PurrView #42 - Festival Season

(photo borrowed from inquisitr.com)

Hipsters, unite. Festival season 2012 is officially here. 'Tis the season to pay in excess of $300 for event tickets, stand in long lines for showers and port-o-lets, pay upwards $15 per meal, walk around from stage to stage for miles and miles, pitch a tent and camp alongside thousands of other dirty hipsters, express yourself in ways you never thought possible and have the most amazing times of your life. Slight discomforts here and there are worth it in comparison to the wondrous things to be experienced at festivals; art, exhibition, technology, partying, carnival rides, trade, networking, comradery, and of course, bands, DJs, and other musicians and performers are all elements that make festivals the perfect adult playground and escape from society for a few days.

For more info on festivals, check out -->  http://www.festheads.com/ !

Here are just a few of the best festivals held on American soil to tantalize your senses and get your body moving and dancing:

South by Southwest (SXSW)
Though its 2012 run has just ended, it MUST be mentioned, as it is one of the most essential happenings in music and indie-culture. SXSW music, film, and interactive conference and festival takes place every Spring in Austin, Tex. What began in 1987 has become a mind-blowing 10-day event showcasing some of the best signed and unsigned bands and musicians, the latest in the independent film industry, the latest technology, and educational/environmental topics (because knowledge and caring for the planet are arts too!). SXSW is intense... Even if you're just there for the music, you might want to plan ahead a bit because you'll have to decide which of the roughly 90 venues (in addition to the Austin Convention Center) you want to visit! Save up your vacation time and splurge on this one!

SXSW - Austin, TX (photo borrowed from nunomad.com)

Coachella
Held in Indio, Calif., every April on the grounds of the Empire Polo Club, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is one of the West Coast's favorite goings-on among festival-goers. What started in 1993 is now going so strong that the promoter, Goldenvoice, not only had to split the festival into two consecutive weekends with identical line-ups this year-- the company has also just purchased 280 acres of land surrounding the festival. My favorite things about Coachella? The raver tents, the surreal palmtree-lined perimeter of the festival and the beautiful polo field grass under your feet!

Coachella after sunset (photo borrowed from KSpace.tv)

Sasquatch
Held at The Gorge in George, Washington, Sasquatch serves up the Pacific Northwest with the freshest indie/folk/hip-hop music and other forms of entertainment in one of the most beautiful venues ever bestowed upon us by God himself. The festival is put on by House of Blues. Some notable acts this year include Beck, Santigold, The Roots, Pretty Lights, The Joy Formidable, Tune-Yards, Jack White, Beirut...

Sasquatch! (photo borrowed from funcrunch.com)

Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC)
Presented by Insomniac events, EDC is an electronic music festival held annually in June. It was held in So Cal from 1997-2010. But what happens when an event gets too crazy for the L.A. area? MOVE IT TO LAS VEGAS!!! That's exactly what happend in 2011, and it was a change that arguably only made the event better. EDC's new location is Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It has exploded from a one-night electronic music event to now a three-night EDM experience complete with pixies, carnival rides, the best DJs, and entertaining oddities.

EDC (photo borrowed from electricdaisycarnival.com)

Bonnaroo
Bonnaroo (or as I like to call it, "Bonnarooooooooo!") is a four-day festival that's held out in the raging Summer heat of Manchester, TN. What began in 2002 as more of a Phish/Dead-head style gathering, Bonnaroo has now taken its place with the SXSWs and Coachellas as a reputable premier destination for festival-goers. For being out in the middle of B.F.E., massive crowds come a-flocking in remarkable numbers. One thing I love about Bonnaroo besides the amazing acts that are featured? It prides itself as being an environmentally-friendly festival with probably the smallest carbon-footprint out of all the festivals of this caliber. Shall we meet at "This Tent," "That Tent," or "Which Stage"? Seriously-- those are just a few of the clever stage names at the event. ;)

Bonnaroo (photo borrowed from 2pznappod.blogspot.com)

Alright kids... enough talk! Now get out there and let your freak flag fly ever-so-high this 2012 festival season!

~Meow~
Pennies

PurrView #41 - Avant Garde at The Plaza

(itricks.com)

Currently showing at The Plaza's historic showroom is "Avant Garde." Described as a collection of "music, mirth, magic and mayhem," it was an entertaining mix of mildly mesmerizing tricks, illusions, comical shtick and oddities to tantalize the senses.  

Violinist Lindsey Stirling-- noted in the show's description as "hip-hop violinist"-- was not present to add the desired depth to the "music" element. It would have been a pleasure to catch her since I've definitely enjoyed touches of hip-hop violin in the past like Miri Ben-Ari. Upon checking Stirling's tunes out, I found that she sounds like more of an ambient-trip-hop violinist than a hip-hop violinist. Nonetheless, I am admittedly disappointed that the musical phenom wasn't on the docket that night.

(Violinist Lindsey Stirling. last.fm)

Ed Alonzo contributed to the element of "mirth" in the show as he performed silly balloon tricks and such that I couldn't help but giggle at. Known by children of the 90s as the magician/diner owner on "Saved by the Bell," he was also the onstage illusionist who made Britney Spears disappear and reappear for her 2009 "Circus" tour.

(nerdreactor.com)

For the element of "magic," Juliana Chen seemed to take the cake with her slight-of-hand methods that give the illusion of a never ending wellspring of playing cards. She is not only a world-champion juggler and magician; she is also the show's director (and a lovely lady, at that).

 

( julianachen.com )

And for my favorite part of any equation, "mayhem" was presented primarily via Kevin James (the magician, not the comic). James is a creative and inventive award-winning personality on the worldwide magician circuit. He's created tricks that other illusionists and magicians like David Copperfield even use.  The highlight of his bit was the trick known as "Operation" which left me dumbfounded and creeped out. It was wonderful!

 (Kevin James and his pseudo-Charlie Chaplin sidekick. VegasNews.com)

Also appearing in the show were Michael Finney as MC and Sonny Fontana, who added a cute touch with his hand-shadow impersonations. In addition to Lindsey Stirling, "Avant Garde"  performers who were unfortunately not present for the show that night included self-proclaimed "Coolest Magician on Earth," Rudy Coby; famous pantomime magician, Jerome Murat; and world-renowned mentalist and stunt-magician extraordinaire, Aaron Crow. The dark and mischievous show was a delightful variety of comedy and magic, and a pretty good outing for a Wednesday night.

~Meow~

Pennies