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B.B. King at Peppermill Concert Hall – Concert Review

B.B. King Tour 2009

I had the opportunity to see one of the most engaging live performers of all time this last weekend, Mr. B.B. King. I saw him at the Peppermill Concert Hall in Wendover, Nevada on November 13, 2009. I have seen video performances of B.B. King but had never gotten a chance to see him perform live. All I can say is thank heaven I got the chance to see him because it was one of the best concert experiences I’ve ever had.

B.B. King is now 84 years old and his playing has slowed down a bit but he still has an excellent feel for blues guitar. His voice is older but it is still rich and full. The thing that really stood out for me is the man’s stage presence. He is an absolutely commanding presence when he walks onstage. His name King is truly fitting because it’s like the King arrived as soon as he walked out onstage. (more…)
Sunday Funnies – Auto-Tune the News

Here’s a funny video clip of the evening news put together using a pitch correction software. I don’t know about you but the use of auto-tune software is bordering on out-of-control. What with T-Pain and Lady Gaga using auto-tune on every single song they do. This clips is just a fine example of how anyone can sing using auto-tune!

Auto-Tune the News
Ace Frehley – Anomaly Album Review

Ace Frehley - Anomaly

Even though the new Ace Frehley album “Anomaly” has been out for a couple months I just barely picked it up. I don’t follow every single one of my favorite artists religiously so the new Ace album had slipped under my radar. Luckily, I subscribe to Guitar Player magazine and they did a cover story on the new Kiss album and included an interview with Ace Frehley which is what tipped me off to the new album.

First off let’s back up a bit and talk about the new Kiss album. I don’t have it and I certainly don’t plan on buying it. Why don’t I own the new Kiss album? Because Kiss isn’t Kiss without Ace Frehley on lead guitar and Peter Criss on drums! Oh don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the “after Kiss” Kiss albums and have several of them. I’m also a big fan of Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. But the new Kiss album is a major turn-off for me because they’re trying to capitalize on the Kiss makeup legacy by dressing up substitute players on lead guitar and drums. That’s why I’m officially boycotting the new Kiss album. (more…)
Make Your Live Band Gigs Easier By Downsizing Your Rig

Haul Less Equipment With A Small Amplifier

One of the least fun things about playing in a live band is hauling your equipment around. Of course, having the right equipment is crucial to being able to put on a live gig. So it seems like the longer you play in a band, the more equipment you acquire and then have to haul to your gigs. It’s a problem that can quickly get out of hand and can leave you feeling overwhelmed when it’s time to load up and haul all your equipment to the gigs.

When I started playing in bands I had one electric guitar, one distortion pedal and one amplifier. It wasn’t bad to haul that small setup even though my amp was really heavy. Naturally over the years I added more guitars that I used onstage, more effect pedals and multiple amplifiers. When my guitar rig was at it’s biggest I was hauling 3 guitars, two amplifiers, an effects rack, multiple effects pedals, wireless guitar system, microphones to mic the amps and all the necessary audio and power cables to hook everything up. I also had to haul my vocal microphone, mic stand, guitar stands and a couple racks of lights to the gigs. Needless to say, I hated hauling all that gear even though it was necessary to my show. (more…)
Save Money With Holiday Gift Packs For Your Musician

It’s that time of year again and the holidays are coming up fast. The good thing for all you live musicians out there is that the major music retailers have some excellent holiday gift packs to help you fill out your shopping list.

These gift packs are available for musicians of every level from beginner to advanced. You’ll find all kinds of great items such as guitar starter packs, recording studio packs, live sound reinforcement packs and keyboard packages.

You’ll be able to save a bundle of money when purchasing these items and they’re sure to make the musician on your shopping list very happy. Just click the banners and get shopping today!
Sunday Funnies – Marching Band Fails And Wins!

Ah yes, for many of us our first experience playing in a live band was playing in school marching band. All those hours of practicing out on the football field or marching up and down the city streets to get ready for a parade. Needless to say when you’re marching it’s hard to keep an eye on everything that’s going on around you.

Here’s a collection of marching band fails and a few wins at the end of the clip. There’s a great win where a kid runs through the middle of the marching band too! I hope you enjoy it on todays Sunday Funnies. (more…)

Weekend Set List For Your Live Band To Play – Dance 4

This is our fourth Dance Set List that you can use as a guide for building your live band sets. No matter what style of music your band plays, some of these songs are going to work for you. If your band plays dance music, then all these songs should work for you and you will have a complete set of dance music to learn. Even if your band doesn’t want to learn all the songs it’s a good idea to have them on your portable music player so you can fulfill requests while your band takes a break.

These songs are compiled from the Mobile Beat Top 200 dance songs of all time. They have been proven time and again to fill the dance floor with people which is exactly what you want to see happen when your band plays a gig.

You can download these songs from Amazon.com MP3 service which requires no special software. All the MP3’s are encoded at 256 Kbps so you will get excellent audio quality. They are also DRM free and will work on any MP3 player including iPods and iPhones.

Amazon.com Widgets

Included Songs:

Michael Jackson – This Is It – Movie Review

Michael Jackson - This Is It

Last night I got the chance to see the new Michael Jackson movie, This Is It. I was excited to see one of my favorite live performers of all time, one more time. I went into the movie without reading any of the reviews so I could make my own judgement on the show. I didn’t really know what to expect other than seeing Michael rehearsing for the tour that he had planned at the time of his passing.

This Is It really is a behind the scenes look at the tour preparations and rehearsal for his O2 tour which was hoped to be a momentous comeback for him. The film starts with interviews of excited dancers who had made it through the tough audition process to be able to be onstage with the King Of Pop. The movie switches Michael footage very quickly which is good, that’s who I wanted to see! (more…)
Musician Gift Suggestions – Swirlygig Chrome Mic Stand Drink Holder

Swirlygig Chrome Drink Holder

How many times have you reached for your drink at a gig only to find it kicked over on the floor? I’ve spilled so many drinks over the years it’s amazing I haven’t been electrocuted! That’s why today I’m suggesting the Swirlygig Chrome Mic Stand Drink Holder for yourself or as a gift for anyone who plays in a live band.

I’ve spilled drinks down my amplifier and I’ve spilled them right into plug bars. Let me tell you the light show from the exploding plug bar was cool but it sucked when the power went out because of a spilled drink. The Swirlygig drink holder will hang right on your mic stand keeping your drink within easy reach while keeping it away from your valuable amplifier and electrical outlets. (more…)
Typical Music Fan Song Critique

I thought this cartoon was especially funny because of all the times I’ve had friends and family give me feedback on my songs. I got a good laugh out of it and I hope you enjoy it too. The strip is written by Porter Mason.