Exploit Boston! TV Episode #11: Bleu CD Release Party at TT The Bear’s Place
July 26, 2009
If you missed it, check out what I wrote about Bleu’s new album A Watched Pot that came out on July 14th. As part of a tour celebrating the release of the eleven gems of pop awesomeness, Bleu stopped in Boston to celebrate with his Boston fans who’ve been supporting him for many years before and after he relocated to Los Angeles in 2006.
Surrounded by fans and friends — a happy homecoming
Blue performed to a sold-out crowd and it was no surprise he was having a good time playing songs from an album that almost never saw a proper release thanks to a major label that held the songs hostage for many years after Bleu was dropped from Aware/Columbia Records.
Also joining Bleu that night were Peter Moore (singer from Count Zero), Air Traffic Controller (Bleu produced their upcoming CD) and Hooray for Earth.
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Photo Slideshow: Bleu CD Release Party at TT The Bear’s Place
Click on each photo to see its caption. On an iPhone and can’t see the photo album below? View the photos at Flickr.
Created with flickrSLiDR.
Video: Bleu performs a cover of Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature”
Video: Bleu performs “Boy Meets Girl”
Video: Bleu performs “No Such Thing As Love”
Video: Bleu performs “I’m In Love With My Lover”
Video: Bleu performs “No Such Thing As Love”
Video: Bleu performs “Watching You Sleep” (off an earlier album, Redhead)
Video: Air Traffic Controller performs at Bleu’s CD Release Party
Live Review: Brian Webb at Club Passim on July 17th
July 18, 2009
I first saw Brian Webb at a NEMO Showcase at Club Passim in April 2002. He backed up Rachel McCartney and she reciprocated during his set. After the show, I purchased The Evolving CD and it’s been in my music circulation ever since.
In 2003 I began seeing him regularly at Club Passim until a few years later when he was diagnosed with Chrohn’s disease and decided to play fewer shows and return to school. Friday night, Webb returned to Club Passim and, as always, he brought some of the finest Boston musicians to join him onstage. Tonight, Sean Staples (of Session Americana and about 78 other bands in Boston) joined him on stage.
Donning a “Don’t Mess With Rhode Island” t-shirt (you’d think it was texas but the teensy RI was smack dab in the middle of the longhorn state) and his personable and appreciative attitude Brian Webb opened with “Walk Alone.” People who had never heard the song before laughed after the opening line “You drive me crazy, maybe cause’ you are” causing Webb to briefly stop and laugh, saying that it would be, by far the most humorous line in the song.
After failing at what Staples referred to as “witty Passim banter”, Webb admitted that his life was now consumed by what he thought the audience would find too boring: being a math teacher and his four month old son. After some “oohs” and “ahhs” Webb trustingly allowed his iPhone to be passed around the sold-out club so everybody could see the photo on the screen. His iPhone even returned to the stage before he started the next song.
The evening continued with great renditions of “Perfect ‘lil Imperfection”, “Joshua”, “45″, “Dirty South”, and “Saved by Love” (with Webb on the banjo). Requests from the audience included “They Are Not My Own” and “D’Julliane.” The set ended with “Leaving Atlanta” and the encore “Oh Lord” which featured Webb with a slide borrowed from a generous audience member.
Intermixed throughout the show were Webb’s sharp wit, self-deprecating humor, and affable relationship with the intimate Club Passim audience — as if he were in your living room amongst a group of friends. The night included stories of the Rhode Island school system, his friendship with Sean Staples and Passim’s Matt Smith (who was responsible for the shirtless photo of Webb in the Club Passim calendar –retribution for Webb’s out-of-date website).
Regardless of his old materials, Brian Webb was in fine form. Looking around, everybody had a good time and both Webb and Staples were enjoying themselves. Mike Evin who opened the show playing his first of a two month tour brought his own piano (yes, a piano) in his car from Montreal, Canada. With an a capella song about watermelons, a childhood ode to soapbox racing and a tribute to receptionists, “Rockin’ Receptionst”, he warmed up the audience with his charm.
However, this was Webb’s night at Passim. A relative rarity. While I’m sure he will be an excellent math teacher, I hope it doesn’t prevent him from playing one or two shows a year at Club Passim. They are events that shouldn’t be missed.
Nicholas Peterson (@npeterson on Twitter) is an internet marketing and communications strategist specializing in nonprofit and arts organizations.
Photo of Brian Webb courtesy brian-webb.com.
Exploit Boston TV Episode #8: 31st Annual WBCN Rock ‘N Roll Rumble
April 20, 2009
Anngelle Wood of WBCN’s local radio show Boston Emissions hosted the 31st Annual WBCN Rock N’ Roll Rumble in April 2009. My photos from the Rumble are on Ryan’s Smashing Life. l (scroll down for links to all the nights of the Rumble).
The Luxury Perform “Seven Stories”
The Luxury won the first night of preliminaries at the 31st Annual WBCN Rock N’ Roll Rumble and then went on to win the whole thing a few nights later. View my photos on Ryan’s Smashing Life music blog.
The Dirty Truckers Perform “Boston Wrangler”
The Dirty Truckers won the third night of preliminaries at WBCN’s 31st Annual Rock N’ Roll Rumble. They went on to win their night at the semi-finals and will compete in the finals on April 24th at the Middle East Downstairs. My photos from that night are on Ryan’s Smashing Life music blog.
Sarah RabDAU and Self-Employed Assassins
Sarah RabDAU and Self-Employed Assasins won the 4th night of preliminaries at WBCN’s 31st Annual Rock N’ Roll Rumble on April 9th. View my photos from the night at Ryan’s Smashing Life music blog.
Gene Dante and the Future Starlets Perform “C Star”
Gene Dante and the Future Starlets won the 5th night of preliminaries at WBCN’s 31st Annual Rock N’ Roll Rumble on April 10th.