Bunbury Friday Recap/Saturday Preview

So Bunbury kicked off without a hitch yesterday, at least from the perspective of an attendee.  The sound was great at every stage, there were plenty (and I do mean PLENTY) of beer tents, water was cheap (only $2 for a 20 oz Aquafina at a festival?? what world am I living in?), festival organizers are reporting 15,000 attended, and oh yeah – there was a great lineup.

Highlight for me was All Get Out, who I’ve been wanting to see since last year’s The Season came out, and they didn’t disappoint.  Theirs was probably the most emotional set of the day.  Check out the video below of lead singer Nathan Hussey singing a capella and wishing a fan happy birthday. (It’s not sideways, I promise.)

Chappo took my number two spot.  I really had no idea what to expect with them because their lead single, “Come Home”, is so much different from the rest of their album.  Their live performance leans toward what the rest of the album is like – weird and crazy but damn if it isn’t fun.  Check out the photoset below to see a bit of what I’m talking about.

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Tips if you’re going to Bunbury today:

• Download the Bunbury App for your smartphone. You’ll have the whole schedule and map right at your fingertips.
• Eat a Jameson Burger from the Claddagh’s Irish Pub tent in Craft Beer Village.  It’s only $6 and it’s delicious.
• Beer is $5/pint no matter whether you buy – Hudepohl/Moerlein or Budweiser – so drink something good.  Gosh.
• Bring sunscreen. I know it’s supposed to rain, but…well, trust me on this one.
• See Imagine Dragons at 5:15 at the Bud Light Stage. These guys are just getting started (they only have a few EPs out), but they’re going to be big within a year. Check them out before you’re the last on the bandwagon.

Here’s what I’ve got lined up for Saturday:

• 1:30-2:15 — Alberta Cross (Globili Stage)
• 3:00-3:45 — Jukebox The Ghost (Globili Stage)
• 3:45-4:30 — The Sundresses (Aliveone Stage)
• 4:30-5:15 — A Silent Film (Globili Stage)
• 5:15-6:00 — Imagine Dragons (Bud Light Stage)
• 6:00-7:00 — Manchester Orchestra (Globili Stage)
• 7:00-7:45 — The Bright Light Social Hour (Landor Stage)
• 8:00-8:45 — Kevin Devine (CMC Stage)
• 8:45-9:45 — RJD2 (Bud Light Stage)

Photos and Video: Hawthorne Heights Stripped Down To The Bone Tour

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On April 1, Hawthorne Heights kicked off their Stripped Down To The Bone tour at Galaxy CDs.  We’ve got pictures and videos from that night right here.  All Hawthorne Heights photos and video by Evan Prunty.  Belle Histoire, Yankee Go Home, and the Orphan the Poet photos by Jared Bowers and Lydia Pennington.  Mark Rose video by Joel Rospert.

Photos and video after the jump…

My Name Is Drew Post Video of Galaxy Tour Stop

The awesome guys in My Name Is Drew (who are from Delaware) have just posted a video about the first part of their tour, which included a stop at Galaxy CDs for the show last Saturday with The Rebuilt Machine.  The Lonely House’s Jared Bowers makes a cameo as well. An awesome time was had by all, and Jared noted, “I’ve never seen the bands at a show be so into each other’s sets.  It was a blast.”

We’re looking forward to seeing My Name Is Drew again, but in the meantime, check out their tour video for some secondhand fun:

Live Video: Mansions & Young Statues

One of us at TLH, James Brooks, caught Mansions, Young Statues, and A Great Big Pile of Leaves at the Vernon Club in Louisville, KY last Friday and was able to get some video of the show.  Check out Mansions’ “Blackest Sky” and Young Statues’ “Bumble Bee” below:

[VIDEO] Belle Histoire: a Band You Need to Know

If there’s one thing that gets me stoked on life it’s definitely discovering a new band that has that “it” factor.  You know what I’m talking about – that undefinable quality that makes the difference between “good” and “awesome” in a band and their music.  Those artists that blow people away at show after show or evoke emotion with every play of their record – those are the ones who have the “it” factor.  Belle Histoire is one of those bands.

Hailing from Covington, KY, this indie folk-rock band is quite young – ranging in age from 17 to 23.  But their music reflects a maturity and talent that exceeds many of their peers.  Lead vocalist/keyboardist Jane Smith’s lyrics on the group’s debut EP Spirits shows an understanding of  life and love that some many years her senior (including me) lack.  As a whole, Spirits’ composition shows a great depth of talent in the band’s writing.  This talent translates very well to the stage; I have been absolutely floored both times I’ve had the opportunity to see them play.

Though Belle Histoire is still in its infancy (they’ve been an official group for less than four months and have performed less than ten shows together to date), I have high expectations for the places they’ll go.  It’s been said that for an artist to get ahead their focus needs to be placed on writing good songs.  Belle Histoire is one of the best new bands I’ve seen in years in that regard and I’m excited to introduce you to them.

After the jump, you’ll find video of an entire set Belle Histoire played at Blind Bob’s Tavern in Dayton, OH on June 5.  Watch them in action, then make sure to visit the band’s website to download the Spirits EP and see upcoming show dates.

Live Performance Video – Into It. Over It.

Not only were we fortunate enough to be able to interview Evan (Into It. Over It.), but we also caught his set last week at Mad Hatter in Covington, KY and caught some of it on video to share.  This particular performance was a bit special as he brought Kate Grube onstage with him to duet on a couple of songs and he also played an encore – “Anchor” – because the crowd begged him for it.  We hope you enjoy watching along as much as we did.  Huge thanks to James Brooks for improving the audio quality on these. (Videos after the jump)