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July was a big travel month. And I must say that it feels so good to get the fuck out of New York City. As much as I love my hometown, traveling to other places is good for the soul. The summer is rolling on and the blessings are coming through. My love/hate relationship with change is being tested. I am constantly fighting against my impulsive free spirit side with the side that is a creature of habit…
Read moreSix months ago, I was sick with COVID. Six months ago was my 32nd birthday. I was always one of the people that have looked at the pandemic as a blessing and a curse because there are times where you need to pause. And as an ambitious New Yorker, that did not seem possible. I, thank God, came out on the other side of COVID because it really set things off…
Read moreI met Krista B. through media. My sister Letty was producing a Black Women in Media blogger panel in 2015 for a brand called Daze Summit. I was on the panel representing my blog at the time, Masconsumption, and she was representing the blog Brooklyn Social. On the panel, someone mentioned wrestling, and me and her eyes lit up. It is not often that you meet another black girl your age that loves wrestling as much as I do…
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Green Day’s American Idiot, the musical based off of the band’s 2004 album of the same title, hit Broadway in April 2010 and went on to win 2 Tony Awards. Now, American Idiot is coming to Asbury Park, New Jersey, with a largely New Jersey-based cast and crew. Produced by Asbury Park Theater Company in association with Remember Jones Productions, the show will premiere on Friday, July 1st, 2022 at the Kingsley Theater…
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Please join us on July 23rd, 3-8 PM, at the Jazz Fest at the Promenade — The Raymond Wood Bauer Promenade at 400 North Wood Ave in Linden, NJ. Come out and enjoy some great jazz music from local artists. Take a look at what's happening and hopefully you can join us…
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Hey everybody, we have a great music scene running around the towns and we're proud of it. Our Jazzy live music events are the perfect way to spend a summer afternoon or evening. Our goal is to support local artists and help them get their music out there. Our events feature some of the best up-and-coming talent in the area, are family-friendly, and a great way to bring the community together…
Read moreI am not sure when I declared it in the last couple of years, but I felt like we were in the middle of a Black Wrestling Renaissance. Everyone knows about WWE, but there are actually about 100 independent wrestling promotions filled with stars, who are putting on great shows on a local level. The definition of a Renaissance is a revival of or renewed interest in something…
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You are all invited to the City of Orange NJ Food Truck and Jazz Festival for a delicious food and live music experience! Join us in the spacious nature-driven outdoors of Monte Irvin Orange Park. Monte Irvin Orange Park is a county park in the City of Orange, in Essex County, New Jersey. It serves the City of Orange with a playground, athletic fields, basketball court, soccer field, walking paths…
Read moreOn June 30th, New Jersey pop/rock artist Mistine will be releasing her debut EP, “Fade”, on all streaming platforms. Having toured with such pop acts as Conan Gray, WizTheMC, and Zeph, Mistine is ready to share her new nostalgia-inspired tunes with the world. She’s already released two singles from her EP (“Temporary Feeling” and “Everett Park”), both of which have over 24,000 plays on Spotify…
Read moreBy Patricia Rogers | Posted Friday, June 17, 2022
I am happy to finally be recapping the time I had at last month’s Invictus Pro Wrestling show in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey. It was one of the first big wrestling shows that would bring my favorite people in black wrestling together again since Wrestlemania 38 in Dallas. However, this one was special because it indeed was a family affair.
If you listen to my wrestling podcast, you have heard me talk about how my Dad got us all into wrestling. When I was growing up in the 90’s, it was all about watching Monday Night RAW. The weekly program during the “Attitude Era” was must-watch television. This was before streaming, YouTube, etc. So you had to make sure that you watched it when it aired or you would miss out. It was truly an exciting time, and I feel lucky to have experienced this with my family.
The monthly pay-per-views though is when the entire family got together. I have always been blessed to live down the hall from my God family. My Godmother, sister, and brothers were always close enough so that we can share our lives together. And wrestling, there was no exception. On those Sunday nights, they would come down the hall to watch the shows with us. My mom would cook a big meal, and it was the one Sunday a month where we could all stay up past my bedtime.
My Dad is surprised that we all still love wrestling the way that we do. But I think the most surprising part for him and me is the impact it had on my Godbrother, who is now a wrestler named J Boujii.
When I got back into wrestling around 2015, I was in love with it all over again. But it was the history and what goes on outside of the ring that fascinated me the most. This led to creating the podcast. However, when I talked to my Godbrother, it was all about what was inside the ring. He told me that he was working towards the goal of the Best Wrestler in the World.
You know at first, I was kind of worried and also like, are you sure you want to do this? The more I learned about the wrestling business, especially breaking into it, the more I was concerned that he was in way over his head. J Boujii, real name John Ruebel, was born in 1997 and was really close to my twin sister Letty and I. Letty and I were the youngest, so when John was born it was the first time we had someone younger to be around. So from the day he was born, we were protective of him.
He assured me that he knew what he was doing and was training with the best. I was able to watch him in some of his first matches and at the gym he was training with. Going to Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn where he trained with WWE Hall of Famer Johnny Rodz, my concern eased greatly when I was able to see what a leader John was. He was smart, mature, and determined to make it and for the wrestling business to work for him.
So after having a couple of years of the wrestling podcast under my belt, I was able to reconnect with John to see how we can work together in wrestling because we exist on completely different sides of things — him being the athlete in the ring telling stories, and me commenting on wrestling outside of the ring. Earlier this year, I noticed that he was going to be in the biggest match of his career thus far.
J Boujii and the other three members of his faction, Takeover, were facing one of the most popular and successful factions on the independent wrestling scene, Shane Taylor Promotions. I was so excited because we all knew that this was the moment that would put J. Boujii on the map. This match was going to be a game-changer.
In the months leading up to the Invictus Takeover vs STP show, my Godbrother went into overdrive promoting the show all over social media. And his opponent Rev Ron Hunt of STP, did all that he could to hype the match. After an eventful Instagram Live, the hype was tangible as it became a Croc vs Ring light debate, which brought wrestling podcast producer Brian H. Waters into the storyline. So, the most anticipated match for the Takeover vs STP show was now a Bodega Street Fight having J. Boujii facing Rev Ron Hunt with Brian H. Waters serving as the guest referee.
Brian, also a lifelong wrestling fan, lived a dream that night in Ridgefield Park, NJ:
“Refereeing at Invictus Pro was an experience of a lifetime. As a pro wrestling fan, for my entire life I never thought that I would have an opportunity to do such a job.
Being in the ring, you could feel the electricity of the moment as both J. Boujii and Rev Ron Hunt entered the ring. ‘Big fight feel’ would be the best way to describe it.
During the match, I was doing my best not to mess up. I didn’t want to draw attention to myself or get in the way. Both men are professionals and knew that this was my first time being a referee, so they were patient with me.
The stipulation was if J. Boujii won, I would have to wear Crocs. He did get in my face one time, so my hands may have hit the surface a little quickly when Ron pinned him the first time. But in the end, I did count to three and unfortunately wear those Crocs. But one thing I can say… I was fair.
This is def something I would love to do it again… if the storyline dictates it.”
You can watch the full match here.
I could not be more proud of my Godbrother and his crew that came up in Gleason’s Gym. It was a night that showed me that I had nothing to worry about when it came to John. If anything, I became the biggest J. Boujii fan and can not wait to see how far he goes in this business. And what made that show the most memorable wrestling event I have ever been to, is that it was truly a family affair.
My Godsister Ivory (John’s mother) was there, my twin sister Letty took phenomenal photos of the event, and my closest friends Krista B., Seindole, Justin, Janelle and Dre of Jobber Tears Podcast were there. Brian H. Waters, one of my favorite people in the wrestling space, traveled from Baltimore, Maryland to guest referee, bringing along his Wrestling Wrealm brother Hugh.
The funniest part though is that during the Bodega Street Fight, I was so happy to be there I pretty much cheered for everyone. Much to my Godsister’s chagrin, who hated that I cheered for Ron. But I am also a Shane Taylor Promotions fan. I was just so happy about both Takeover and the STP factions getting more recognition. And then to have Brian, Hugh, and Letty a part of it, and my friends sitting front row, I was just soo happy to be there.
This show emphasized that it is important to support your friends and family at any level. And everything is more special when there are loved ones around. I can not wait to do more in the independent wrestling space that will continue to uplift the black community.
I met Stephen in Dallas, Texas through Brian who was his mentor when they were at Morgan State together. He shared that he also worked in media, recently moved to New Jersey from Maryland, and wanted to do more with his business, SZN Media.
Stephen: My goals with SZN Media is to bring seasons to life! This can be anything a client may need from a media standpoint in order to propel them in their purpose. Overall, my goal for SZN Media is to grow it to a successful marketing agency with a full staff and office environment.
Stephen: The best piece of advice I heard was “Impact”. Impact is an abbreviation that my grandfather used and it means “I must personally act.” This means that within life, I am in many situations and it’s up to me to make change and provide action when necessary.
In 2022, nothing matters in life if you do not create media content surrounding it. Think about it, do we do anything without documenting it on social media? Whether its checking in on Facebook, posting photos on Instagram, or creating TikToks, we all feel the compulsion to capture moments and curate them for the world for your followers to see. Your social media presence, depending on what you do for a living, is the snapshot of who you are as a person. That is a lot of pressure, but it is important to make sure that it is the highest quality.
So make sure that when you do capture these moments, like when I wanted to get good memories of J. Bouji’’s big match, take the time to have professional photographers, videographers, etc. Investing in your brand is the best thing you can do .
By Gregory Burrus | Posted Friday, June 17, 2022
There was a lot of anticipation for the upcoming installment of Rich Engel’s Smooth Jazz New Jersey live music event at The Woodland. Having had 5 prior extremely successful, packed house / sold-out events, bringing in these three Contemporary Jazz, Funk, and Soul stars meant an awesome performance ahead.
In addition to the normal promotional stream, this event was also promoted by the widely known radio host Pat Prescott. Pat was here for 23 years on New York radio. He worked at WRVR, WBLS, WLIB, The National Black News Network. and contemporary jazz station CD 101.9. In 2001, Pat moved to Los Angeles to co-host the morning show at 94.7 The WAVE with saxophonist Dave Koz, then singer Brian McKnight, and currently Pat is the solo host of the morning show on The WAVE and she is also the producer and host of Making Waves. Pat was also chosen as R&R's smooth jazz personality of the year for six consecutive years and in 2015, she received the prestigious Genii award from the Alliance of Women in Media. So, lots of attention was on this event.
The lights dimmed and the spotlight was on twenty-something Julia Engel who introduced herself as “part of the Smooth Jazz New Jersey family.” She gave a thoughtful description of the good works of JESPY House, the non-profit represented at the concert that supports adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Julia introduced the former New York CD101.9 radio air alumnus and morning show host and tonight's Guest Master of Ceremony, Steve Harris.
Steve reminisced a bit about playing the night's Smooth Jazz performers’ tunes repeatedly in the past on the station. It was a reflective and wonderful moment to enjoy as Steve was greeted by the sold-out audience delivering a continuous and very lively amount of applause. He then brought Jazz Funk Soul on stage, and they were greeted with thunderous applause.
The applause was warranted because Jazz Funk Soul consisted of six-time Grammy nominee and keyboard extraordinaire Jeff Lorber. Jeff scored his first Grammy win in 2018, for best Contemporary instrumental album for his recording of “Prototype”.
Band member, the funk man, saxophonist Everette Harp, his album Jazz Funk Soul, a collaboration with Chuck Loeb and Jeff Lorber, received its first nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards. In addition, he has jammed with President Clinton and has performed with Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Chaka Khan, and Dianne Reeves, amongst others.
Now, round out this super group with soulman and Grammy nominee, the awesome guitarist Paul Jackson Jr. Paul is the guitarist on three Grammy-winning albums including Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Paul has either played, composed, or collaborated with musical legends such as Elton John, Whitney Houston, Pattie Labelle, George Benson, Al Jarreau, George Duke, and David Benoit.
Once introduced, the Jazz Funk Soul group came out hot!! Working in concert with each other, Jeff Lorber, Paul Jackson Jr., and Everette Harp performed some absolutely outstanding solos. And, having just left the Jacksonville Jazz Festival where I experienced Mr. Funk, Everette Harp absolutely wowed the fans. It was clear he was absolutely on fire again this evening. After some extremely intense solo performances, the crowd immediately reacted with loud and rousing applause.
This powerful vibe enforced the audience's expectations for the entire night, as Jeff Lorber delivered some energetic and lively piano tunes, while Paul Jackson Jr. added to the audience enjoyment by delivering some extremely intense guitar renditions of popular tunes. The audience reaction was positive, loud, and resulted in numerous standing ovations over and over throughout the night's performance.
This was once again another spectacular performance produced by Rich Engel of Smooth Jazz NJ and the Maplewood Division of Arts & Culture. This event clearly demonstrated that The Woodland has become the go-to venue for Contemporary Jazz with another presentation of world-class musicians delivering energetic live music performances.
Producer Rich Engel also noted the following Smooth Jazz NJ events at The Woodland will return with the following amazing performances:
Sept 24, 2022 will feature singer, songwriter, musician, 4x Grammy nominee, Jazz Walk of Fame inductee and Platinum-selling artist, Oleta Adams. As Oprah Winfrey said, “The voice that brought me out of the shower.” You know her from her 1990 debut album Circle of One which went Platinum, and the impassioned hit single "Get Here" became an unofficial anthem of the 1991 Gulf War. She has performed on worldwide tours with Tears for Fears, Phil Collins, Michael Bolton, and Luther Vandross, and has sold more than two and a half million records.
Oct 8, 2022 - The unstoppable force in the smooth jazz genre, saxophonists Kim Waters comes to The Woodland. Jazz Times Magazine called Waters, “simply one of the planet’s best saxophonists." This suave, debonair and commanding saxophonist’s ability to transcend the musical boundaries of Jazz, Pop, and R&B have made him one of the most sought-after musicians in Contemporary Jazz.
Save the dates Sept 24th and Oct 8th because you don't want to miss these events.
Gregory Burrus is a local live music producer, promoter, event planner, and community partner. He combines his extensive corporate business and technology expertise with his love of live music and being a strong community advocate.
Read more from Gregory Burrus:
https://www.jerseyindie.com/ji-blogger-gregory-burrus
https://patch.com/users/gregburrus
Join us at our live music events:
https://gregoryburrusproductions.com/events/
Recap our live music experiences:
By Patricia Rogers | Posted Monday, June 13, 2022
Mystic Meg has been on POINT.
My sun sign is Capricorn, my moon is Cancer and my rising sign is Gemini. To be honest, I have no idea what any of that means, but at the same time I feel like it means everything. Astrology is fun and gives you a fun and light-hearted something to help you make sense of the world.
I have always been into astrology ever since my older sister Nakia introduced my twin sister and me to it when we were in junior high school. I love reading up on the traits of Capricorn women and finding similarities to my own personality. Again, I do not know how much stake to put into it, but it is fun to see how they can match up to what life really is.
Recently my horoscope has been on point. When I used to read my horoscope, every now and then I felt it said something that was just what I was going through in my life. But the past couple of weeks it has been more aligned with what I have been going through in my personal, professional, and love life.
I read,
You are living the dream but it can always be better.
I have to stop saying that I am "lucky" when good things happen to me. I am incredibly blessed and thankful for the people I have in my life, the opportunities I thought I would never have.
I do not go to art museums as much as I want to because I don’t want to go alone, and when I drag my friends, I can not really enjoy myself. I like to look at every single painting and read every description. But I was able to go to the Whitney Museum, which is located in the Meatpacking District, last month for a couple of exhibits I was excited about:
The Whitney Biennial, At the Dawn of the New age: Early Twentieth-Century American Modernism, and The Whitney’s Collection: Selections from 1900 to 1965.
The pieces were thought-evoking, and I found myself stopping at certain ones and even being drawn to paintings when I walked into another room.
Some of my favorites were the pop-culture inspired sculptures, and the pieces by Georgia O'Keeffe. The pastels, vibrancy and details in the exhibits were truly breathtaking.
The day in general was one of those nice Saturdays in New York: A day at the museum, walk to Tribeca to finally enjoy the Harry Potter store, and ending it with drinks at Barcade.
If you are in the NYC area, check out the Whitney Museum.
The Mixed Tag Show was one of the first wrestling podcasts of color I discovered on social media, mainly because I knew ½ of the duo, Blue, from my time in New Jersey. I met Blue through a good friend of mine, Marie David, who I bonded with over our ambition. She worked for him at Hot 97, and Blue was a close friend of the David family. Me and him both missed her brand launch party because we got tickets to go to Wrestlemania 29 which happened to be in New Jersey in 2013 when she launched LadiSav. So me and Blue bonded over being wrestling fans.
Fast forward 5 years later, and he has launched his own wrestling podcast with Jenna Baybee, a Brooklyn-based Sasha Banks fanatic who is beautiful, stylish and knows her wrestling. Their dynamic is that of a big brother and little sister. Their skits in affiliation with the WWE Shop also helped put them on the map as one of the more entertaining wrestling podcasts out there.
Recently, I was asked to be a part of their live stream on Twitch discussing the narrative about former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Sasha Banks and Naomi “walking out” of a May episode of WWE Raw. I also streamed it from Those Wrestling Girls’ Twitch & Youtube, and it is already our most-watched piece of content ever. The title “Black Women Need More Respect” says it all. I thank Blue and Jenna for inviting me on. And also to Doc of Bleacher Report for being a gracious guest.
When it comes to networking horizontally, no one does that better than the black wrestling fan community. Ever since Jobber Slam last summer, an all-black wrestling event presented by Jobber Tear’s Podcast Network, we have been having what we call “family reunions” at events all year long.
After that it was the meet-up after WWE SmackDown at Madison Square Garden, my first live wrestling show since after the pandemic, then our 3rd anniversary event in Midtown Dallas for Wrestlemania 38, and now it’s time for Black Wrestle Fest for Juneteenth weekend in Brooklyn, and Jobber Slam 2. Oh, and we are already planning our 4th anniversary event in October in New York City. So stay tuned for that.
Now, during the pandemic I put a lot of time into the digital side of our brand, cultivating our online community by hosting watch-alongs over Zoom, etc. But when things got back to normal, it was time to make sure we were building community in real life.
So, we are hoping to be a part of more indie wrestling, getting back to the reason why we love wrestling in the first place. Since Dallas, I have joined friends at the Battle Club Pro show in Brooklyn, Invitus Pro, and coming up this summer: Black Wrestle Fest, Black Girl Magik, Jobber Slam and planning our 4th anniversary event in October in New York City.
By Patricia Rogers | Posted Saturday, June 11, 2022
This is a milestone edition! Late, but still here. And I can not help but appreciate that timing… is going to do what it is going to do. And you know what? We should be thankful to even be on this ride called life.
Yes, Patricia the Optimist is back and it feels good. Although I know it is temporary. You can plan. You can prep. You can wish for the best. But sometimes, it is what it is. You take things day by day and roll with the punches.
Roll with the punches — this is absolutely easier said than done. But when you actually can do this when things don’t go as planned, it is life-changing.
I say, ride the wave!
My family always wanted me to go to a Historically Black College/University, but I did not. And I must say that is one of my regrets.
However, I am glad that my choices have led me to where I am now. And I have been blessed to have had so many amazing people in my life that have gone to HBCUs. It has been a pleasure to see the work that my friends have been doing in the community.
I caught up with Doc, a lifelong wrestling fan who hosts a wrestling panel every year for the HBCU Con, and his nephew Corey, who was on this year’s panel.
This year’s HBCU Con took place on April 29 - May 1, 2022.
Doc: It took a dope Black woman in the form of my friend and fellow Blerd (black nerd) named Chauna "CC The Geek" Lawson (who is an HBCU alumni from Bowie State University) to create a convention that mixes pop culture, comics, anime, etc. with an HBCU theme to it. You not only get the feel of expressing your fandom in whatever your interests are but you get the experience of what HBCU campus life could look like for those who could be potential prospective students interested in attending an HBCU. It could open that dialogue and network between those individuals and a variety of HBCU alumni that were a part of this very special convention. Not to mention, what pop culture convention do you know of that has a step show? Dare I say, HBCU Con was indeed "A Different World" than where you come from.
Doc: I am a proud alumni of Coppin State University in Baltimore, MD (since graduating in 2001) in which I am currently 2nd Vice President of our alumni association. Plus, my fellow Coppin alumni named Wendell Smith is the Vice President of HBCU Con.
Doc: Well, other than my wrestling panel (lol), I enjoyed the outdoor Yardfest Performances where a host of great musical talents who blend their mixture of R&B/Hip Hop & Pop with a Blerd feel to it. For instance, the group Mako Girls give you those Destiny Child/TLC vibes, but they blend that with their love for nerdom and it shows in their dope costumes. Another one in which I admit of being bias to is my friend Roquois (pronounced like Iroquois but without the "i") who is a cosplayer extraordinaire and a very polished independent artist that mixes pop with nerdom but also with fashion in which she herself has done many runways throughout the country. Not to mention Roquois co-runs Plus Value Entertainment which puts on so many nerd events in the DMV.
Corey: My favorite part of HBCU Con is honestly seeing everyone enjoying themselves. From the different informational panels and discussions to seeing everyone dressed up as their favorite characters from different movies, comics, TV shows, etc., HBCU Con shows the creativity and passion from everyone involved, and I think that is such a cool thing to see.
Corey: I think what makes HBCU Con special is the camaraderie and unity amongst the fans of a community coming together and enjoying themselves in possibly the most pivotal time of their young adulthood. Making this event available at a time where someone could be looking for some common ground in their life with peers that they may not even have known existed in their same class or dormitory, especially with being away from home, for some, could be just the kind of positive balance they need in their life at this time.
Corey: I attended 2 HBCUs for my educational career. I received my Bachelor’s Degree from University of Maryland Eastern Shore and I received my Master’s Degree from Bowie State University.
I have always been obsessed with my career and what I wanted that to look like. My career ambitions always topped things like wanting to be a mother or be married.
So at various points in my life, there was a “dream job” I was pursuing. And I was so rigid about it and really put myself through the ringer when I felt like the course does not match that.
And then I realized in the past year that maybe your idea of a dream job, is something totally different. You think you want a specific thing, but when you get there it looks nothing like you imagined. Now it is time for something different, because you know what, this ain’t it.
Over the past year I have been presented — no, actually blessed — with a couple of opportunities that I thought was my “big break.” On paper, these roles were perfect for me. I don’t want to mention the roles or companies, but there were jobs that mixed wrestling, media, and more. But it was not aligned with my mission, etc.
Haha yes, I got cancelled. Well, this was the first time where I ever thought, oh shit, did I get my podcast cancelled over a misread tweet?
So y’all know how much I love Twitter. I have been on the platform, I am kind of ashamed to say, since 2009. It is a space where I express myself, and I never want to be in a position where I need to defend anything I tweet. Although I have nearly 3,000 Twitter followers, I still use it for me. So I don’t ever feel the need to stop myself from tweeting whatever the fuck I want or feeling the need to explain myself.
However, when you have a brand that you represent on social media, you kind of have to be mindful of what you say. Anything you post, like, and share on whatever app you are on is a reflection of the brand. This is a lot of pressure especially when it comes to wrestling which is already known to have a passionate fan base.
While watching a wrestling documentary, I tweeted something in my sarcastic tone from our brand page and it got misconstrued. When the documentary aired, I live-tweeted it as I always do and commented on a person’s reaction to Twitter cancelling him for some really fucked up shit he said about woke culture. People took it as me supporting him, when it was me noting that he actually didn’t care about wrestling Twitter “cancelling” him because he is a shitty human being.
When I tweeted it the night of, I muted it because I knew it would get a lot of traction because it was a polarizing topic. However, I did not think that it would get the hate that it got. I only found out when I was on my personal page and came across tweets questioning us and shaming us. We lost followers, people were throwing hate at us from all directions. I tried to explain what I meant in a thread, but most people didn’t give a fuck or chose to hate us even more.
Now, we have had major disagreements with other fans about various things. Especially during the Black Lives Matter times, and just having to defend female athletes’ honour on a daily basis. And Krista B. and I really don’t care if people don’t agree with us because it is fucking wrestling. It is all scripted and really, to each its own. Who cares if you think Becky Lynch is better than Charlotte Flair? Like in the bigger picture, is it really that deep?
However, this particular tweet has a lot to do with the Me Too movement so it was a little deeper than that. And it hurt that people would think that our brand would be anything but being an ally for women. So I had to get off Twitter for a couple of days, which was a first for me, and really detach myself from everything so that I did not take things personally. And that is when I was like, oh shit, is that what it feels like to be cancelled?
For 4 years, TWG has been a beloved brand. In wrestling terms, you would call us “baby faces.” So this was the very first time that I even belied or cared that we might actually get shunned and have to go into obscurity over one fucking tweet.
But I reached out to some of my friends and family in the wrestling media community, and they assured me that everything was going to be fine and to just keep doing my thing. It was such a blessing in disguise to almost get cancelled because it actually showed me who were my real friends and who had my back.
On Sunday, June 5th, the sun was shining and the weather was a comfortable 70-something degrees as Asbury Park hosted New Jersey’s 30th Annual Statewide LGBTQ+ Pride Celebration. Jersey Indie photographer David Ross Lawn was on the scene capturing moments from the parade, which featured “floats, decorated vehicles, marching bands, and enthusiastic marchers “ (learn more at jerseypride.org).
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Tomorrow (Friday, June 10), Asbury Park’s David Ross Lawn will be releasing a new 4-track EP entitled “Don’t Be a Stranger” in which he applies his contemplative piano style of music to the tracks of award-winning indie rock singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers. The EP will be available on all streaming platforms. Not only is David a composer, musician, teacher, and style icon, he is also the newest addition to the Jersey Indie team, as concert and community event photographer.
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By Gregory Burrus | Posted Friday, June 3, 2022
What's happening all around our towns for June 2022. Please join us.
Event Details: Friday, 6/3, 7-10 PM, Gemini Celebration featuring MPack Live with Lynette Sheard at South Valley BBQ and Lounge, Outdoor Patio, West Orange, NJ
Are you a Gemini? Come join us and have some birthday celebration fun with us at the new South Valley BBQ and Lounge luxurious new outdoor patio. Open to all with a new start time of 7PM. Bring a friend, family member, someone you just met, and let’s have some dancing fun. Register and make your reservation here and let us know you are coming or just show up for first come first serve seating availability. Prior events were sold out, so come early and get your seat, and let's dance!
Free, Open to Public:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jazzy-nights-presents-a-gemini-birthday-celebration-with-mpack-music-tickets-350663212107
Event Details: Saturday, 6/4, 11-4 PM, ArtBender / SoundBender Art and Live Music All Around Town, ArtBender Event SoundBender at Seton Village, South Orange, NJ
ArtBender is a celebration of creativity and self-expression, happening in and around South Orange, NJ on June 4, 2022 (rain date June 5). Community members are encouraged to gather at “creativity hubs” by starting communal projects in neighborhoods throughout the town. Local businesses are also encouraged to host an arts event. Past ArtBender events have included painting, chalk street art, poetry writing, and live music and dance performances.
Click to learn more:
https://www.facebook.com/events/782725869755494
Event Details: Saturday, 6/4, 8-10 PM, Jazz Funk Soul feat. Jeff Lorber, Everette Harp & Paul Jackson Jr. at The Woodland, Maplewood, NJ
Produced by Smooth Jazz New Jersey / Maplewood Arts & Culture, this supergroup can whisk your mind away with Jazz, humble your heart with Soul, and make your foot stomp with Funk. When describing the performance of “Jazz Funk Soul '' featuring 2018 Grammy-winner Jeff Lorber and Grammy nominees Everette Harp and Paul Jackson Jr., you’re talking about the real thing in adult contemporary music.
Purchase tickets at:
https://smoothjazznj.com/
Event Details: Saturday, 6/18, 2-3:30 PM, Live Music by Lynette Sheard & the James Austin Jr. Trio, "Juneteenth: Images Triumphant" at the West Orange Arts Council, West Orange, NJ
The “Juneteenth: Images Triumphant” art exhibition features the work of West Orange Arts Council members Dwight Carter (photography), Anthony Gartmond (drawings), Glendora Simonson (quilts), and Gabrielle Smith (quilts). A Juneteenth reception will take place on Saturday, June 18 from 12-4pm, featuring music produced by Gregory Burrus Productions with performances by Lynette Sheard Live featuring the James Austin Trio. The reception is supported by The Essex County (NJ) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated.”
Learn more:
https://woarts.org/blog-post/juneteenth-images-triumphant-june-4-july-9-2022/
Event Details: Sunday, 6/19, 2-4 PM, Dre Barnes Trio, SOPAC Juneteenth Holiday, South Orange, NJ
Join us in the SOPAC Lobby for the grand unveiling of the Juneteenth Community Art Project that was created at the painting event on June 17. Live music with Dre Barnes Trio. Light bites and refreshments will be available.
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Event Details: Sunday, 6/26, 3-6 PM, location TBA. The Barry Harris Institute of Jazz Presents the Richard Clements / Murray Wall 11th Street Bar Band featuring James Austin Jr, along with special guests including the Barry Harris Jazz Chorus, Phillip Bingham, and others.
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Event Details: Wednesday, 6/29, 12-5 PM, MPack R&B Jam. Come sing, come play, join in, every Wed. at the Orange Farmers Market at Hickory & S Main St, City of Orange, NJ
Produced by the City of Orange Division of Recreation, the City of Orange Farmers Market returns on June 29. Join us on the grass across from McDonald’s, every Wednesday from noon to 5PM. Bring your tune or your instrument and join us.
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Event Details: Thursday, 6/30, 6-8:30 PM, Stuff Brothers, Summer Sounds every Thursday at Eastman Clock Plaza Park, N Union Ave, Cranford, NJ
Produced by Downtown Cranford, grab a bite from a local restaurant and pull up a park bench for these special Thursday evening concerts in downtown Cranford. The streets come alive with a different sound from local artists each week. Performances take place at Eastman Clock Plaza.
Learn More:
Gregory Burrus is a local live music ambassador, producer, promoter, event planner, and community partner. He combines his extensive corporate business and technology expertise with his love of live music and being a strong community advocate.
I love writing about it all. My mission is to help community groups, live music bands, and local nonprofits reach their goals and accomplish their missions while enjoying the day-to-day process of life.
https://gregoryburrusproductions.com/events/
By Gregory Burrus | Posted Tuesday, May 31, 2022
Even with a rain delay and all that goes into rescheduling a festival of this size, the Under Cover Music Fest (UCMF) roared back into town on Sunday, May 15, 2022 with a huge impact. This event was produced by South Orange Downtown (SODT) and presented by Mark Murphy’s Music and Pollock Properties Group of Keller Williams. The expected 1,000 music lovers of all ages came out to the Sloan St. parking lot throughout the day and enjoyed an afternoon of FREE live music, a very lively and bustling beer garden, along with selected food vendors. But first, the music.
Talking to Mark Murphy, the presenting sponsor and owner of Mark Murphy’s Music, it was obvious he was very excited for the return of the Under Cover Festival and mentioned, “We all need this opportunity to get together, celebrate and listen to some great music in the heart of South Orange.” Well, the music was fantastic.
The Deadful Greats opened up strong, covering everything about the Grateful Dead. The Grateful Dead remained among the highest-grossing American touring acts for multiple decades and gained a committed fanbase by word-of-mouth and the exchange of live recordings due to the band's permissive stance on taping. Today, they played the best of the 70’s Grateful Dead. This group, the Deadful Greats, are a local group that has been pleasing audiences all around Northern New Jersey with their talent for years now, and they did not disappoint us. These are talented performers helping to keep the band's legacy and music alive, well, and vibrant. They did a wonderful job and brought their own unique style to this performance by bringing to life the words and melodies we all remember oh so well.
Next up was the Karl Latham Big Fun(k) Group covering Herbie Hancock, the 14-time GRAMMY Award-winner and Academy Award-winner, and internationally renowned pianist and composer. Talking about covering Herbie Hancock, I found out the day before in my conversation with Don Braden that he was on tour in Amman, Jordan with the great Herbie Hancock. Well, closer to home, Karl Latham and his band of awesome professionals — Bob Magnus on sax, Oscar Perez on keys, and Gary Foote on bass — were simply funkified and masterful. As audience member and music events producer Norman Mann stated: “These cats were excellent and off the chain. Just fabulous.”
Continuing the live music was Vivienne Frederick & Mark Murphy’s Music Faculty Band, and the audience loved their renditions of some of Stevie Wonder's most popular songs. Stevie Wonder is the singer-songwriter and musician who is credited as a pioneer and was influenced by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, pop, soul, gospel, funk, and jazz.
Vivienne Frederick, a senior at Columbia High School, is headed this fall to the University of Miami (FL) to study music and has been with Mark Murphy's Music since she was young. This was a special farewell performance for Viv with the MMM Faculty Band as they played the electrifying music of Stevie Wonder. She has a beautiful melodic voice, and along with the Mark Murphy's Music Facility Band they did a superlative job in covering her childhood singing influence, Stevie Wonder.
Continuing the live music explosion was the rising star and always-on-point Autumn Jones and her band covering Lauryn Hill. Covering Lauren Hill was perfect for her because as she says the soulful R&B she creates is an expression of her life experiences as told through her stories, expressed in each of her songs. In covering Lauren Hill, this singer-songwriter with a strong vocal technique and songwriting capabilities did justice big time for the Lauren Hill fans. In addition, she brought along a band that performed some exquisite solos that were magical to listen to, and the overall performance was loudly applauded by all.
On stage next was the Dustin Kaufman band covering Phil Collins, who is an English drummer, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is best known for his tenure as the drummer and lead singer of the rock band Genesis.
Dustin Kaufman and his band were a great choice to perform our favorite Phil Collins tunes. The band was definitely on point with the music, and combined with a swinging vocalist who came in from California they had many in the audience singing along. Together, they provided some wonderful memories of Phil Collins tunes that will last for a long time to come.
Last but not least, it was time to hear some of the best music from one of the most legendary bands of all time. Charlie Pollock and Friends covered Led Zeppelin, an English rock band formed in London in 1968 that was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the best-selling music artists of all time. At the Under Cover Music Fest, it was time to relive the glory days of Led Zeppelin with Charlie Pollock and Friends. Charlie stated previously about covering Zepplin, “The greatest mountain to climb for a supergroup is the legendary Led Zeppelin! The best players, the hardest riffs, the weirdest lyrics and the most awesome fashion. Zeppelin has it all.”
Well, Charlie Pollock (seen on Broadway shows 9 to 5, David Bowie’s Lazarus, and Pretty Woman) and Friends performed beautifully as they sang a number of entertaining tunes that took the huge crowd back to many days gone by. The band provided a very lively and wonderful close to an enjoyable day of live music.
The beer garden was laid out nicely along one side of the Sloan Street parking lot ending at Fox & Falcon, which served as a food source on-site alongside Miti Miti, and both served the food in a very timely manner. One thing I was asked a lot was: “Where are all the other food vendors?” Seems folks once sitting or laid out on the ground did not want to venture afar. Other than that, people enjoyed themselves as they filled up from the available fare for purchase or negotiated a trip to an outside location.
There were even kids activities provided by select participants to keep children entertained while parents enjoyed the music. Security was visible at every entrance point so everyone could enjoy themselves safely.
As mentioned previously, the festival was previously held on Sloan Street, and moving it into the Sloan Street parking lot was a wonderful, widely successful move. People came out in droves with lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy themselves as they watched these wonderful artists perform music from our early days.
Gregory Burrus with the fabulous Autumn Jones.
Gregory Burrus is a local live music ambassador, producer, promoter, event planner, and community partner. He combines his extensive corporate business and technology expertise with his love of live music and being a strong community advocate.
I love writing about it all. My mission is to help community groups, live music bands, and local nonprofits, reach their goals and accomplish their missions while enjoying the day-to-day process of life.
https://gregoryburrusproductions.com/events
https://www.jerseyindie.com/ji-blogger-gregory-burrus
https://patch.com/users/gregburrus
By Deaglan Howlett | Posted Sunday, May 22, 2022
Sean Tobin has been writing invigorating Irish folk rock for the past few years and is back with a new full-length June 10th titled Ghost of The Arcade. Following up 2020’s East Coast Artifacts, Tobin’s latest singles showcase his shore town storytelling with his solid backing band. Sean’s music fits in Asbury Park bars just as well as pubs in Galway. Combining traditional Irish instruments with punk ferocity, his music remains exciting and at times nostalgic. I reached out to Sean to talk about his band and their upcoming album just a few weeks away. Thanks again, Sean!
I released my first single in the winter of 2018, “Winter (In an Ocean Town).” That was one of the first songs I thought might be worthy of putting out into the universe. The other was “This Midnight”, which was the title track to my first album that came out later that same year. Safe to say, production quality and base-knowledge of songwriting has grown since then, but I still put many of those songs into my setlists.
Drums - David Patiño
Bass - Jack Breslin/Backing Vox
Lead Guitar/Mandolin/Accordion - Jake Garbe
Fiddle (When We Can Lock him Down!) - Sean-David Cunningham
These guys were a hodge-podge of connections that I'd made over the years.
Dave grounds us in the punk-rock beat that I always gravitate toward, but has no problem holding back when the song calls for it. He's also the gear guy. Thank god for that.
Jack is arguably the most "professional" musician we have in the group. He's classically trained and incredibly talented as a jazz bassist. He has his own jazz trio and plays in a bunch of other ensembles around NJ and beyond. He and I do a few duo/trio sets here and there, so we have great chemistry when it comes to banter on the mic and performing live.
Jake is the most recent addition to the group. I tapped him when we were putting out “St. Patrick's Day Forever”, as I'd heard he could play a ton of different instruments. I heard correctly. His diversity instrumentally helps flesh out each song in whatever way it needs, from mandolin to accordion to ripping leads on electric. Jake even learned each guitar solo from before he was in the band note for note overnight. Kid's an animal. He also helps add that Celtic, Americana twang to tracks in a way that I've been searching for for a while.
Sean-David Cunningham is one of the most (if not the most) sought after violinist in New Jersey. Classically trained like Jack, he started playing in rock and folk bands a while back and hasn't stopped since. He's one of those guys that only needs to hear the key of the song to play along.
Basically, I surrounded myself with musicians far more talented than me. I think it's working.
These two were serendipitous. I wrote “Memorial Drive” sitting on my VOX in my old Asbury apartment, trying not to wake the neighbors after a night out. Lucky for them, I wrote the song in under an hour. The best ones always happen that way. I'd already written “Sunset” months prior, but I never really put the two together till much later.
When I was tracking out the album, I wanted to make it flow in a way that all my favorite records do. I love the way one song blends into the next in records like American Idiot, Abbey Road, Kick by Spanish Love Songs... When I was going through the track listing, I paired tracks up by the chord they ended on, and when “Memorial Drive” and “Sunset” matched up, it made too much sense.
First off, thank you! I grew up on The Wolfe Tones. My mom's family is from Northern Ireland, so rebel music was always on repeat at parties. I joke that my dad had three CDs in his car growing up: Let the People Sing, Born to Run, and Beach House on the Moon.
RIght now, though, I've gotten into a bunch of up-and-coming Irish rock acts. The Scratch is my favorite at the moment. Palpable high-energy acoustic punk, check them out when you can. I also steer toward Dubliners, Pogues, Clancy Brothers and the rest depending on my mood. But right now, The Scratch, Junior Brother, New Pagans, the list goes on...
The lyricism of Irish music has always resonated with me, as even the most serious of songs often have a few quips inside. I love the Irish sense of humor. Dry as hell. I try to add that to my songs whenever I can.
We worked with Rob Freeman up at Audio Pilot Studio for this one. Rob is a veteran producer, as well as a well-known pop-punk musician of Hidden in Plain View. His studio is decked out with tons of state-of-the-art equipment, instruments, and even analog gear. Most importantly for me, though, it has an apartment upstairs, a fire pit outside the listening room, and tons of acreage to explore. We stayed up there for a week and fully engulfed ourselves in the process. It was a dream.
The album is so diverse, it's too hard to pick just one. I'd also be lying if I said I had a favorite, but there are a few that have yet to be released that I'm very excited about. "I'll Be Alright," for one, is an absolute foot tapper, and the piano on the track drives the album home. "Unfinished Business" is a love song, one that I sang to my wife on our wedding day, so it'll always have a special spot in my heart. "Eugene" is a song for my grandfather.. that importance goes without saying. So do I have a favorite song? No, but I can absolutely say that this is the best, most enjoyable record I've worked on to date.
We've got shows coming up to support this album at the end of June.
6/24 in New Hope, PA at John & Peter's
6/25 in Asbury Park, NJ at The Saint
6/26 in Jersey City, NJ at JC American Festival
and a late-summer tour to be announced!
~
You can keep up with all things Sean here and make sure you see him and the band this summer!
By Patricia Rogers | Posted Monday, May 16, 2022
Seeing yourself how other people see you
My sister and I have been joking about how in the last 3 years time has become a "mind fuck". Things that happened in 2019 feel like 3 weeks ago and things that happened last year feel like it was years ago. It is mind-blowing how much the world has changed in such a short time.
In my orbit, I have experienced a lot of loss. And because of how I am built, I try to just pick my head up, swim forward, and try not to look back. But I do have to take a second and accept that life has been fucking hard, and I have been doing all I can to get through.
This edition is dedicated to the loved ones I have lost since the pandemic started: my creative writing teacher Ms. Bremmer, my Grandmother, Cousin Sameemah, Natalia, Kenny, and my high school love Deshon. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of all of you and what you meant to my life. Your friends, family, students, and loved ones are forever in my thoughts and prayers.
If you are reading this I urge you to please let people know what they mean to you while you can. You never know when it will be the last time you hear from them.
I am normally a pretty nostalgic person, but I have to admit that the heartbreak of loss led me to want to go back in time when things in my life seemed perfect.
One of those safe spaces for me growing up besides wrestling was always Harry Potter. What made HP special to me growing up was being able to get lost in the wizarding world. Learn lessons about the hard choices in life between love and hate, good and evil, easy and right, and countless others.
So my sister and are in the middle of rereading the series, it would be her first time and my third or fourth. The big thing for me is the message of bravery and pushing through the hardships for the greater good. If you love watching the Harry Potter movies (I mean, come on, when is it not on TV) then I highly recommend reading the book series. JK Rowling can be problematic, but the magic she delivered with the books can be considered life-changing.
One of the most influential voices in our lives is the ones that are inside our heads. The one that speaks to us and determines how we see ourselves. I think that is why people loved Issa Rae's bathroom mirror raps where she would motivate herself to be the best person that she could be for herself.
I recently lost my high school love who since the day we met put me on a pedestal. He thought I was the prettiest, smartest, flyest, and the most amazing girl he ever knew. And I loved that at the time when we were both teenagers. We broke up 14 years ago and he never changed his view of me. I hadn't seen him since high school graduation but we kept in touch by a phone call a few times a year. And he still talked about the positive impact I had on his life, and how much he wished he’d had it all this time.
I have to admit, I took him and this light he saw me in for granted. I used to be annoyed that my ex was still trying to get with me or saw me as the 15-year-old girl he fell in love with. But now, that he is gone and I have dealt with so much emotion over the years, I would give anything to hear his voice tell me how perfect I am. Losing Deshon has been understandably heartbreaking but it did come with a lesson for me, to never take people for granted.
At his funeral, I was reunited with high school friends. Sucked that it takes a funeral to bring us back together but it was nice to see them. It was comforting to me when we all went back to the same dynamic of friendship, and we all had the same personalities even all these years later. We all claimed to make sure we kept in touch after the service, and well knew that probably wasn’t true. However, it was nice to come together in Deshon’s memory and it was just like it would have been back in high school.
“Sex sells” I have been hearing that since I was younger, and grew up through sex tape scandals, and the birth of OnlyFans. As a woman, there is this pressure to appeal to the male gaze for success. It is unfair and yet it is also a way that women have been able to feel empowered. I have been glad to see society start to change its views on sex work, strippers, and women being naked because they like being naked. But then there is that thin line of, how much is too sexy?
My tip for social media and brand marketing when it comes to sex appeal is to do what makes you feel comfortable. I personally use the motto that I dont post or engage in content that I would not be proud to show my Dad. But that is me. Obviously, there will be influencers who pose in lingerie for work and must have parents that are okay with it, which is why I say it depends on each individual’s comfort level.
Your followers appreciate and follow you for the authenticity of your account. If you do not feel comfortable being “sexy” it will not resonate. So when you do take that step just make sure it is something you want to do
4/20 this year, I went outside to Brooklyn for Battle Club Pro’s Women Crush Wednesday wrestling show. The all-female card featured some of indie wrestling’s darlings like Trish Adora and Willow Nightengale. The highlight for me however was being able to see Big Swole in another main even title match defending her Battle Club Pro championship. After the hard-hitting match against Trish, Swole cut a promo that nearly brought tears to my eyes. There have been many moments in the last couple of months that made me so incredibly happy to be a wrestling fan, and this was one of them.
Swole is a black woman in wrestling who has always been outspoken, and unapologetic about the experience of being a black female wrestler. Her well-known departure from All Elite Wrestling & falling out with owner Tony Khan allowed showed us just how hard it can be. Swole however has always held her head high and been a voice for those that need it in the industry.
Here is some of her groundbreaking promo:
“I’ll be champ forever
Can’t Nobody can come in here and take what I take
Can’t Nobody can come in here and do what I do
Can’t nobody come in here and wrestle how I wrestle
OKAY
Except for Trish Fucking Adora
You want to talk about a diamond in the rough?
You want to talk about a woman that’s paid her dues?
You want to talk about a woman that cares for this business?
That was just one
When it comes to winning and defending this
Here as ya’ll champion
I’m going to give the people that have no say
I’m going to give the people that have been loyalty
The ones that whose not trying to turn their back or change
We are icons
We are woman
We are idols to the younger generation, the children who are watching us
We will be the change because that is what battle club is all about
Please give it up to Trish Adora
I’m going to say this
Battle Club is one of the only places that actually believed in me
Joakim is one of the only promoters that flew me out and gave me the time and day
I owe so much to this man.
I owe my career to this man
If it wasn't for God putting me in his ear, I would not be here
So I thank Joakim,
I thank (Hard to hear)
I thank my all-mighty father
Ya’ll have a good night”
I am excited to see what Big Swole continues to teach and bring to all women in wrestling.
Grin & Bear - “Naturally Goes.” Album artwork by @courtneyburkeart.
By Deaglan Howlett | Posted Friday, May 13, 2022
Grin & Bear has evolved quite a bit since their initial entrance to the scene with 2015’s Range Wars. Following their first release, the project has been spearheaded by singer and guitarist Brian Perrino. He has gone on to release two more records and a handful of singles and EPs under Grin & Bear, as well as appearing on other bands’ records. While lineups have changed, Brian being at the core has kept their self-reflective and self-love messages at the forefront. Their latest release, Naturally Goes, is no exception, and possibly the most heartfelt yet (in my opinion). I reached out to Brian to tell me a bit more about how this record came together and the smattering of talent (including himself) that played throughout the album. Thanks again, Brian!
The “Forgotten EP” consists of two songs that I wrote in/around 2015 and one song I wrote in 2017. The songs “Tree” and “Dead Deer” are very, very similar. Before I get into this: these are very dark and depressing songs from a very dark and depressed time. Although they were true and possibly still remain true, I no longer focus on them because spending too much time in that space can be unhelpful. At some point, it’s very important to look at the darkness and it can be beneficial, but I don’t want to live there or forget that this isn’t the whole story. That’s why we took so long to decide if and when we wanted to release these.
Their theme is: what is the point of destroying everything around me (the environment, crossing deer, marginalized groups of people, etc.) so that I can have a life I’m not even happy with? They were written specifically about me, but I think it’s very weird to realize how much harm a lot of us do just to prolong unfulfilled and depressed lives. This is a very dark way to start the interview haha so I apologize.
“Karate Kid” is a fun and funny song that I just wanted to throw in there to add some lightheartedness to the EP. We recorded it with Connor Hanson and I think it sounds super cool, and I’m glad we put it out. If you listen, just take it with a grain of salt haha.
In a lot of ways it remained the same and in a lot of ways we experimented more on this one. If anything, this one was more collaborative. My friend Connor (Sentient Moss) and I booked an Airbnb at a lake and each had our own room to write demos in. In that lake house, I fleshed out and wrote a significant chunk of this album, which is something I’ve never done before. I wrote the basic demos as usual but gave a lot more creative freedom to my friends! On “Grip”, Faye Fadem (Trust Fund Ozu) took my original demo that had no electronics and completely added her own take. On “Make Everyone Feel Bad”, Stephen Kelly (ManDancing) and I wrote letters back and forth to help us figure out what we were trying to say and we even wrote the music together, which was difficult and scary and very fun. Another friend and collaborator Matt Baker took on a huge role on this album: he wrote and recorded a lot of the synths (“I Move Slowly” and “Porch”, to name two) and was there along the way for production help and general support, in addition to playing bass on several songs and playing the “coin flip” on the song “Naturally Goes.” This album wouldn’t be the same without him. The whole album is a giant collaboration and includes 4 different drummers, which we have never done before.
Brian Perrino. Photography by @littlegreen_pill.
Okay, I have
Chris Calabrese: drums
Matt Baker: synth/guitar/bass/backup vocals
Gavin Fischer: bass/backup vocals
Will Avon: bass/guitar
Connor McArthur (Sentient Moss): guitar/vocals
George Saives (Halogens): drums
Faye Fadem (Trust Fund Ozu): drums/synth/production/vocals
Kyle Donavan (Halogens): bass
Stephen Kelly (ManDancing): vocals
Nigel Whitley (Sentient Moss): bass
Nick Timoniere (Nameling): vocals
Alex Brumel: pedal steel
Christina (Orion Lake): vocals
Emily, Chris, Tsian, Janaki: voices on “I Can Handle Anything”
This song is special because it outlines an extremely important breakthrough that I had a few years ago: seemingly contradictory things can BOTH be true.
It feels so good to be selfless AND sometimes it makes me resentful.
This is the one from the song but also:
I want to meditate and work on myself AND a lot of days I don’t want to do it.
I care about my health AND I enjoy doing things that are bad for my health.
Ahh thank you!
This one was by Courtney Burke and I love it so much! It was the original concept for Be Gentle, but with color. Be Gentle felt very two-dimensional to me (which is why it’s black and white): you are either being gentle, or failing (haha). Now I see it’s not that simple. There’s a lot more depth and color and growth and decay going on (that’s also why it’s so cool that it was burnt into part of a tree trunk). I hope that comes through on the album.
I think it’s the last song: “Thinkin of U”
This show kind of fell into our lap. George Saives (Halogens) (basically our free manager) told us the show was booked and we could hop on and use it as our release show if we wanted. We are playing with our absolute best friends in Halogens, and hopefully some new friends in Carpool and Palamino! The show is 6/4 and I leave for a 4-month meditation retreat on 6/6, so it’s also kind of a great way to see a bunch of friends before I leave!
Brian Perrino
