November 24– The Maine were one of the handful of bands featured on the OP Love Drunk Tour, headlined by Boys Like Girls. Although they were only openers, the reaction of the crowd made it seem as though these boys from Tempe, Arizona were the headliners of the tour.

The Maine’s pop-rock is a perfect blend of musicianship, attitude, and catchiness– fusing mellow guitar rifts with memorable lyrics is something The Maine does very well, and their talent has undoubtably made them popular. Their live performance, however, showed off even more of that talent.

Though their set was somewhat short, they made sure to include some of their best hits, like “Girls Do What They Want,” “Everything I Ask For,” and the cover of Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me.” With each song played, the young audience became more infatuated with The Maine’s frontman, John O’Callaghan. The vocalist’s deep tone is a departure from the usual high-pitched vocals that are synonymous with the pop-punk genre, and his stage presence was almost domineering and intimidating– combining those two qualities made the many teenaged girls in attendance stir-crazy.

The band’s set was really impressive, especially when one notices the interactivity of the band. They seemed really happy to be able to share their music with fans for even just thirty minutes. Musically speaking, the band did a great job live, showing that they are not just a “CD recording only” band.

The Maine’s performance was a really well-done set, and I will say that they are deserving of their new-found success. In case you missed it, check out my interview with The Maine’s guitarist Kennedy Brock here!

Side Note: Sorry for the lack of pictures of the other members of the band besides John and drummer Pat Kirch! The photo pit was insane, so I wasn’t able to get that many photos of the rest of The Maine, and the few that I did obtain weren’t of spectacular quality. My apologies, guys!

If you’re a fan of female-fronted, heartfelt folk-rock, it’s time you check out Laura Stevenson and The Cans.  The band is part of QuoteUnquote Records, run by Jeff Rosenstock [Bomb the Music Industry, Kudrow, Arrogant Sons of Bitches], and, like their label mates, showcases a flawless brand of DIY-tunes.  I personally had the pleasure of asking the talented Laura Stevenson a few questions, and here is what she had to say.

Who are you and what do you do in The Cans?

I’m Laura, I write and sing and play guitar.

What is your writing process like?
That definitely varies, if I have the luxury of being totally alone
with a guitar with no roommates around then I sit and play and sing a
melody over and over until it transforms itself into some sparse words
and then eventually into a song.  That is my preferred way of working
but it’s intensely private and hyper-emotional, my eyes tear, it’s a
big mess.

Are you currently writing any new material? If so, how does it differ
from A Record?
Yes indeed.  We’re working on writing the next record as we speak.  I
had a lot of songs written and some that were unfinished that I’ve
been gradually bringing to practices and showing the band and we’ve
been doing a lot of work on them together which is really nice.
Because I started out playing the songs on A Record before The Cans, I
had pretty much fully realized and arranged those songs myself which
was kind of limiting.  But now we have this group writing environment
with a bunch of different brains contributing and… it’s pretty
awesome so get ready.

The song “Landslide Song/The Dig” displays an entirely different side
of the band than the rest of A Record.  Any particular reason this
track has a more upbeat vibe?
Yeah, that’s the song people circle-pit to.  And by that I mean, 3
people did.  Once.  But it was really exciting for me.  That song may
be different from the rest of the songs on A Record but it’s not a
stretch for us to play or to write.  Most of us come from punk rock
backgrounds, I know I do, Mike does, Jeff, Alex, Chris, Matt…

How did you become involved with QuoteUnquote Records and how has your
experience there been?
Well, Jeff from The Cans runs QuoteUnquote.  He is a relatively new
Can but I’ve been playing in his band Bomb the Music Industry for
maybe 5 years now?  Off and on, I don’t go on every tour.  Anyway, the
two of us have been friends forever and we respect each other a lot as
writers and he seemed really psyched about putting out A Record.
Having our first real record on QuoteUnquote was a really awesome
experience.  It’s a digital and donation based label so it was very
easily accessible and that’s all we wanted, we just wanted as many
people to hear it as possible with no pretense.  We weren’t looking to
profit off of it, you know, it was 8 songs that we were proud of.

What sparked the idea to cover the Bomb! the Music Industry song “It
Ceases to Be Whining…” and to have Bomb cover “A Shine to It”  on the
split EP?
I forget who’s idea that was, either Jeff or Mike.  I think Jeff knew
all along that he’d cover A Shine to It but I was really up in the air
about which song I would cover and it was a source of anxiety for a
while.  Jeff writes such good songs, really it’s insane how good he
is.  I knew I wanted to “pretty-up” a fast song and I guess the title
and all the “fucks” deterred me for a little bit but the melody is
really beautiful so I just took it and ran with it, recorded it on
GarageBand, and then Mike added the clapping and the fun.

Who are your biggest musical and non-musical inspirations?
Hmmm… that’s a tough one.  I really like Courtney Love.  Is that
okay?  I think she rules.  Mike had to stop following her on Twitter
because apparently it was crazy.

What is a typical Laura Stevenson & the Cans show like?
We’ll play you some songs, we’ll make stupid faces at each other, I’ll
try to make jokes between songs and do some high-kicks, 3 kids might
circle-pit… we have fun but play really sad songs.

What is it like for you being a female on tour in a van?
Probably what it’s like to be a male in a van… except that I get my
period which is not so fun on tour.  Then again, I don’t wake up with
a boner- also not fun on tour.  Otherwise, you know, we all treat each
other with a lot of respect, we’re really lucky to be a part of a
group in which every single person is just really, really awesome and
really kind and good at what they do.

Do you have any funny or outrageous tour stories?
Oh god, I never do when people ask me.  Once, we went to Subway.  It was okay.

Name three artists you’re currently really enjoying.
Let’s see… Cast Spells, Archipelago, and Hard Girls.  All great
bands and very nice people.

What would be a dream tour lineup for you?
Neil Young, Archers of Loaf, C + C Music Factory, … can we open?

Is there anything else you’d like to add or say to your fans?
Thank you for being great!  A Record plus 3 additional songs is being
released by Asian Man in April so, keep an eye out!

Local rock music photographer and a dear friend of mine, Anne Ferguson, suffered a great loss when her Nikon D80’s mirror system was shattered while photographing a concert recently. Known to many frequent concert-goers as “photog-mom”, Anne was a staple at almost any hardcore show, happily situating herself in the photo pit and capturing not only a live show, but the very passion and emotion musicians expressed during a performance that only she could find.

While many of her fans and close friends wanted to help, not many could think of an appropriate way to aid Anne, who did not have the funds to replace the irreparably damaged DSLR camera body. It was Darien Paige, lead singer of NYC’s Belladonna, who thought of a way to help Anne while providing any potential donaters some great entertainment; it was with this idea that the Bands For Anne Benefit Concert was born.

Bringing together some of the best examples of New York and New Jersey’s local talent, Bands For Anne features 13 hardcore bands who are all eager to help out a local photographer in need. The bands will play at NYC’s Crash Mansion, known for the TV show Fearless Music which has played a vital role as the starting point for many local band’s careers. A raffle for one of Anne’s framed and matted composites will be available as well as an auction that is expected to feature signed merchandise from bands such as Our Last Night, BlessTheFall, Escape The Fate, and more; all personal friends of Anne that she has met throughout her career.

I was able to ask seven of the 13 bands some questions about who they are, what type of music they play, and why you should be more than excited to see them live. If you’re interested in attending Bands For Anne, and you are 18+, be sure to come down to Crash Mansion (http://crashmansion.com/) on Thursday, January 28th. The show starts from 7pm and goes until 2am and is a mere $12 for 18+ attendees, and an even cheaper $10 for 21+ concert-goers.

Veracosa- myspace.com/veracosany

How did you form?

We were all friends and we operated as a 3 piece band until our manager found us a bassist. Our drummer soon came along for the ride after 5 months of being a band.

In what genre would you classify your music in?
We don’t really like to classify ourselves in any genre particularly, but if we would have to choose one it would be a melodic Post-Hardcore with sprinkles of southern influences. We like to call it VeraCore ;D

How do you think your band sets itself apart from other bands in its genre?
We bring a melodic feel to the hardcore scene which is what the scene has been missing since forever. We are more of a family than a band; our friendship comes first rather than just doing this for business. We take more of a “let’s have fun” approach rather than a strictly “doing it for the fame” approach. We like to joke around yet stay in your fucking face at the same time. Another thing is that we never dismiss a song idea, we just all work together to make it something great.

If you could go on tour with any 3 bands, who would you pick, and why?
If we had to pick 3 bands we would go on tour with A Skylit Drive, Senses Fail, and A Day To Remember or Alesana (they tied in the spot). We would tour with them because they influenced us as much as we were already fans of their amazing music.

On Borrowed Time- www.MySpace.com/onborrowedtimeny

What is your name, where are you from, and how did you form?

We are On Borrowed Time from Queens, New York by majority. Well actually we will be honest here and specific as possible. Ron and Vin are from Hamilton Beach, Queens. Seabass and Ivan are from Woodhaven, Queens, and Jay is from the Bronx, New York. Vincent Agate plays the bass and does the “deathly lows” to back up the vocals in the band. Ronald Teri dances and plays guitars, while also singing backup cleans [vocals] and playing the keyboard. Jay Williams brings the sexiness and makes the band hot (said while pointing down at his crouch) and dabbles solemnly on the guitar (wink), which in turn brings melodic mastery to the overall sound. Sabastian is the shyest of the fellas unless he is under the under the influence of Mountain Dew, Seabass claims his main focus is on the cowbell but he also sits behind drums and lets loose. And, of course, Ivan fronts the outfit and provides the cleans and screams and makes everything so hot! And unlike Jay, he does it shirtless. OBT first formed when Vin, and Ron wanted to make a band. After previous adventures in their early teen lives FAILED, they decided to learn from all past mishaps and make things this time just fun. Ron states that the band formed just like every other 21st century-Xbox playing band, by Guitar Hero, lol, real talk though… The guys were high school classmates with Ivan and picked him up. The guys then held auditions for a second-first guitarist for the very technical style they were looking for; yeah OBT has 2 first guitarists, and Jay came from a friend of a friend, you know how these things work out. Jay used to be in a band with Seabass and they came as a packaged deal. Win. All the guys blended well with all of their extremely different backgrounds and mended well and make beautiful music together.

In what genre would you classify your music in? How do you think your band sets itself apart from other bands in its genre?

Well to fit into a genre is always a difficult task to claim, especially when starting out, we are still experimenting with a lot of styles so our sound isn’t set just yet, but it is developing. Vin says that “if we had to describe it, we are mostly hardcore, or post-hardcore, we really wouldn’t know the pre-requisites for either genre, lol, but whatever that is, that’s what we are. Our music is always fast paced, and it is everything literally smashed together, like blues, loud bass and electronic parts and breakdowns, it’s just beauty. It’s beautiful-hardcore,” backed up and claimed by Ron, “we just want to do what we want and we are some talented kids,” so hopefully we can make something out of this. When asked Sabastian simply responded, “I dunno, I guess Mountain Dew, that’s how we sound in my mind.” Ivan states that “the band is strictly Metalcore just so we get fat metal dudes to check us out.” Jay says basically we are Smooth Post-Metalcore, R’n’B meats breakdowns, no typo there.

Deceiving Persephone- www.MySpace.com/deceivingpersephone

In what genre would you classify your music in? How do you think your band sets itself apart from other bands in its genre?

I would concider our music to be somewhat post-deathcore, because our music is composed of deathmetal/metalcore guitar riffs but has a high pitched singing tone too it which would put it in a post genre. I think we set ourselves apart from other band in the game because of what we bring to the table, sure there are other bands out there that can do what we do but they can’t do it as good as we do it.

Who are your greatest influences as musicians?

Personally my greatest influences as a vocalist is Phill Bozmen of Whitechapel; I think he’s an absolutely amazing vocalist.

If you could go on tour with any 3 bands, who would you pick, and why?

If I could tour with any 3 bands, I would pick 2 NYC local bands, and one signed band. I would pick On Borrowed Time, just because I love all the members in that band and they’re all really nice people. The second local band I would pick is Vienna Falls, just cause before I was in a band I would always go to their shows and dance my heart out, if anyone in NYC deserves to get big it’s them. They’ve always came through when anyone has needed them and they’re all sweethearts. The signed band I would have to say A Plea For Purging. I’ve never seen them live in person but I’ve seen videos on them and their stage aura is just amazing, it’s so positive and pure ,it just drives me insane, as it does everyone else.

Vienna Falls- MySpace.com/viennafalls

Where are you from, and how did you form?

Brooklyn/Queens/Long Island. Joe, Erik and Rosario were once in another band, but we then found Sean and Jay and formed this one.

In what genre would you classify your music in? How do you think your band sets itself apart from other bands in its genre?

We are hardcore/screamo. All of our members have different influences, I believe we set ourselves apart by our own separate influences.

If you could go on tour with any 3 bands, who would you pick, and why?

Speaking for the rest of the members, I assume it would be: The Devil Wears Prada, Miss May I, Underoath.

Wrath of Hera- www.MySpace.com/thewrathofhera

How did you form?

The Wrath of Hera was formed by drummer Zach Lieggi and guitarist Nick Laezza, after the breakup of their former band A Plot For Your Demise. They began writing new music in mid April of 2009, tried out numerous vocalist and finally came across former Etched In Flesh vocalist Allen “Hazebert” Middleton. The trio then held many auditions for guitar and bass,and in September guitarist Angelo Bruccoleri (ex A Plot For Your Demise) joined the project.

In what genre would you classify your music in?

We wouldn’t classify ourselves in to one genre of music due to the fact that our music covers every style of metal.

How do you think your band sets itself apart from other bands in its genre?

Our very intense live performance. We produce a powerful energy that radiates from the stage to the back of the crowd,while playing a tight set.

Waste Deep In Flesh- www.MySpace.com/wdif

“We are Waist Deep In Flesh from Brooklyn, NY. We formed back in 2007 with just Jonathan as vocals and Gian as bass. We had several drummers and guitarist that didn’t last long. Soon enough, Gian moved up to guitar and close friend Felix joined as drums. After three seasons of practicing we started receiving show offers during the Fall of 2008. Even though we didn’t have a bass player we took them. We played shows with well known bands such as Setback, Line Of Scrimmage, Billyclub Sandwich, Waking the Cadaver and Sworn Enemy. By the Winter of 2009, we had a bass player that lasted only two shows including a show with Razorblade Hand Grenade; after that we decided not to play a show without a bass player. We searched and searched and found Quincy. We spent all summer practicing and started playing shows again in August of 2009. After that, it was non-stop with shows being offered to us left and right. Gian started college in the fall of ‘09 and met the new lead guitarist Tom. Now as a full band, we have played even bigger shows with Full Blown Chaos and Empire Shall Fall. We had also recently headlined our first show which was full of friends and fans dancing and singing along to our music. Since then we had realized we became an established Hardcore band from NYC.”

“We currently are recording a 7 track EP and will be selling it at shows. If you would like to purchase it outside of a show, just message us on the Facebook or Myspace and we can meet up personally.”

For You I Will- www.MySpace.com/fyiwmusic

“We are For You I Will from Bergen County NJ, actually right across the bridge. We formed through just lots of searching through other bands MySpaces and eventually found all the right people to form an extremely hard working band.”

“We are a Hardcore band with a twist of Melodic Metal. We set ourselves apart from everyone else with how we balance out different genres in our music with transitions and no repeating parts; they’re may be no repeating parts but they are sure to get stuck in your head! We all have different influences from all different genres, from New Found Glory to The Ghost Inside.”

I hope to see a lot of Mosh To This readers there, and I know you’ll have some great fun! If you want to check out some of Anne’s work, be sure to head over to her MySpace page.

Many feel that trippy songsters Animal Collective could never outdo their most recent release, Merriweather Post Pavillion, but with the band’s recent announcement, they may have done the impossible.  Teaming up with director Danny Perez, the group has created Oddsac, a visual album.  The musical film will make it’s debut at the Sundance Film Festival, and will then be screened in both New York City and Chicago.  More cities and screenings are soon to be announced, and more information, as well as links to purchase tickets, can be found at www.oddsac.com.

November 7– Blending infectious lyrics about relationships and heartbreak with a talented lead singer, Mayday Parade became an instant favorite of mine with their EP, Tales Told By Dead Friends, and their first album, A Lesson In Romantics. Celebrating the release of their sophomore album Anywhere But Here, Mayday Parade co-headlined the 2009 AP Tour Fall Ball, which hit Sayreville’s Starland Ballroom with full force.

The band’s performance was a highlight of the evening. I’ve always enjoyed this band, and seeing them live was a treat. Performance-wise, Mayday Parade put on an impressive show, performing new and old favorites alike; “Three Cheers for Five Years”, “Jersey”, “Kids In Love”, and “The Silence” were all performed with a few others, giving a nice balance of poppy, upbeat tunes and slower love ballads– the slower songs are easily among the band’s best, with single “Miserable At Best” being greatly admired by the audience.

One of my favorite attributes of Mayday Parade is their lead singer, Derek Sanders. His vocal talents are nothing less than impressive, and they were especially great at this concert. While Sanders is a stellar performer, it is mildly disappointing that the band parted ways with second lead vocalist Jason Lancaster, who seemed to be a natural counterpart of Sanders. Although drummer Jake Bundrick and guitarist Jeremy Lenzo fill in for Lancaster’s vocals during older songs, the songs off of Anywhere But Here sadly lack the second set of lead vocals that made Mayday Parade stand apart from many of the other bands in its genre.

The crowd seemed to be more receptive towards the performances of the band’s older material rather than the songs found on Anywhere But Here; the outstanding performance of “Three Cheers For Five Years” overshadowed the performances of songs like “The Silence” and title track “Anywhere But Here.” The band itself seemed to be more connected with their older songs as well, which was also reflected in the set list of the night, consisting of three songs off of their new album and seven songs off their debut album and preceding EP.

All in all, Mayday Parade pulled off a great set, and it surely appealed to everyone in attendance. Though the audience seemed to be satisfied more with the band’s older songs, I feel that in time, they will be able to make the adjustment and start getting comfortable with the new material; likewise, I believe that the band will soon become more connected with their newer material and will be able to perform it with as much enthusiasm as they do with their older songs. Mayday Parade will be co-headlining the Take Action 2010 tour with We The Kings, so make sure you check that tour out!

Pop/Punk band The Maine have been gaining some popularity within the past couple of months. After a handful of opener acts on tours with bands like We The Kings and All Time Low, The Maine co-headlined the 2009 AP Tour as well as performed on the Hurley Stage throughout Warped Tour ‘09. Recently, the band appeared along side Boys Like Girls, Cobra Starship, A Rocket To The Moon, and VersaEmerge on the OP Presents Love Drunk Tour.

I was able to ask guitarist Kennedy Brock a couple of questions shortly after the end of the Love Drunk Tour. Click the jump to read the full interview!

- How was the OP/Love Drunk tour with Boys Like Girls, Cobra Starship, A Rocket To The Moon, and VersaEmerge?

The tour was amazing, easily the best crowds we have ever had! We are great friends with ARTTM, Versa, and BLG, so there weren’t too many new faces to learn, which is always nice. Cobra Starship turned out to be great people also. It’s crazy how fast the tour went, I really wish it would have been longer!

- Did you have a favorite date of the tour?

I think that St. Louis was my favorite date of this tour, I love The Pageant, it is such a great venue, and the crowd was insane that night.

- Do you have a favorite band that you toured with?

It’s hard to choose a favorite band. We have toured with a lot of cool people, but if I had to, I’d say it’s ARTTM [A Rocket To The Moon], I have known them since I joined this band, and have never had a dull moment. They are some of the most down to earth guys around!

- Do you have a favorite song to perform live?

I enjoy playing Into Your Arms.

- What do you think sets your band apart from other bands of your genre?

It’s hard to answer that question without coming off [as] arrogant. Everyone always thinks they stand out, it’s hard to say what really makes the difference. We work hard, we love our fans, and we try to write good songs, hopefully that does the trick and sets us apart.

- Have you started working on a new album? If so, can you talk about it?

Nope, we are going to take the rest of this year off to hang with our families and start the early stages of the writing process.

- Do you have any plans for 2010? A future tour?

Not sure yet, hopefully it’s going to be a good year though!

- As a musician, who are some of your major influences?

My band mates first of all, as for bands, I am a big fan of Third Eye Blind, and Tom Petty!

- Would you like to add anything else?

Thanks for your time, see you next year!

July 31– All Points West, a music festival that takes place at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey, has been compared to the Coachella Music Festival and other indie music festivals. This year’s festival, which took place between July 31-August 1, featured an impressive line-up ranging from Jay-Z to Coldplay.

I was fortunate enough to cover the first day of this year’s festival, and in doing so, I have garnered many photos throughout the day. You can view some of these photos after the jump. This post is photo-intensive, so it may take some time to load for people with slower connections.

Bo Burnham

Ra Ra Riot

Fleet Foxes

The National

Vampire Weekend

Jay-Z

All in all, All Points West was a very interesting day. Although I never listened to the bands and musicians that performed prior to the show, I had a great time. All of these bands were absolutely outstanding live, and I was very impressed.

My two personal favorites of the entire day were Ra Ra Riot and Vampire Weekend. They played equally great sets, and they were extremely fun to photograph.

The day was plagued with the occasional downpour of rain. It wasn’t too bad until just prior to Vampire Weekend’s performance, and lasted throughout their set, as demonstrated by the photos of them. The rain caused many mud pools to form, which led to a messy way to end the night. The rain stopped prior to Jay-Z’s set.

Jay-Z filled in as the headliner after The Beastie Boys had to drop off the line-up due to Adam Yauch’s throat cancer scare. Although he wasn’t originally planned as the headliner, he did a great job with his performance.

I hope you enjoy these photos, and I hope that I will be able to photograph the All Points West festival once more in 2010.

December 11– Taylor Swift closed out Z100’s Jingle Ball with a spectacular 30 minute performance that simply dazzled. Although it was a relatively short set when compared to most other concert sets, it showed off exactly why Ms. Swift has garnered so much attention recently.

Swift’s performance was nothing less than stunning. She was able to command the presence of all who attended the concert– not an easy feat when one considers that the sold-out concert took place at New York’s famed Madison Square Garden.

Her energy and excitement were easily seen as they resonated throughout her entire performance. Songs such as hit singles “Our Song” and “You Belong With Me” hit their mark with fans, yet mellow songs like “Fifteen” and the stellar “You’re Not Sorry”, with a bridge that included a cover of Justin Timberlake’s “What Goes Around”, easily stole the show. Some songs were performed with videos screening behind Swift and her band on a massive screen; these videos included cheerleaders doing a routine during “You Belong With Me” and scenes from the video of “Love Story.” When this screen was not used for video, it showed an up-close view of Swift and her backing band.

This talented songstress was perfectly comfortable on stage, and not once did she seem daunted by the nearly 20,000 member audience. She made just a few slightly audible mistakes while singing and playing a guitar and piano, but many did not seem to notice. Swift also took plenty of time to thank all those who supported her and her career; these opportunities did not seem staged at all, yet appeared to be totally sincere and genuine.

Her last song, “Love Story,” ended with a flurry of lights, fireworks, and streamers, and after all the commotion settled, the show ended, leaving fans literally begging for more. Although they were only teased with a half-hour set, they were still appeased with the chance to see their favorite artist live.

Taylor Swift’s performance proved that she is a formidable artist live, yet I wish her set could have been a extended by a few songs. If ever given the chance to see Ms. Swift live (especially since her Fearless Tour has been extended until June 2010), you should definitely check her out, as you will be very entertained.

December 11– Prior to the start of Z100’s Jingle Ball concert, several artists took a trip through the H&M Gift Lounge. Several performing artists, as well as other celebrities, were able to choose from an assortment of gifts from brands such as Wonka, Verizon, Duracell, and several others.

-All Photos are credited to WireImage-

Among the talent that turned out were American Idol finalist Adam Lambert, American Idol winner Jordin Sparks, and Justin Bieber, who all later performed at the concert. The bands Boys Like Girls and The Fray, pop singer Ke$ha, and Jay Sean made sure to attend the gift lounge.  Also present were actresses Anika Noni Rose (Disney’s The Princess and The Frog), Katrina Bowden (30 Rock), actor Mark Indelicato (Ugly Betty), comedian Judah Friedlander (30 Rock), and many others.

Some of the best gifts of the night that attendees were able to choose from included a new Verzion Wireless Droid phone, a $500 gift card and VIP Shopping Pass to H&M, a WONKA Purple Card that entitled the holder to a year’s worth of candy, and a year’s supply of their favorite flavor of 5 Gum.

One very special stand came from Duracell, who displayed the Duracell Power Rover. This bicycle-like device allowed riders to continuously pedal the machine, which in turn, generated energy. This energy will be harnessed to power the 2010 numerals in the Times Square New Years Celebration. All those who attended the lounge were more than happy to donate their time to help power such an iconic image.

All those who attended the Gift Lounge seemed to enjoy the selection quite a bit. When selecting his 5 Gum flavor, Owl City’s Adam Young told an attendant “I’ve never kissed a girl, but now I’m ready!” Judah Friedlander spent nearly 30 minutes setting up his new Verizon Wireless Droid at the Verizon stand, and pop singer Ke$ha, while receiving her gift card to H&M, was overheard telling her publicist “please make sure we don’t lose this one, I’m going to use it after the show.”

It was a very productive day for all those who attended the H&M Gift Lounge as well as those who helped run it. The talent were happy with their new gifts, and the representatives of the individual companies were more than happy to spread the word about their product.

]]> http://moshtothis.com/2009/12/21/jingleballgiftlounge/feed/ 0 brian_rentas http://moshtothis.com/2009/12/12/interviewtiffanymink/ http://moshtothis.com/2009/12/12/interviewtiffanymink/#comments Sat, 12 Dec 2009 22:04:38 +0000 brian_rentas http://moshtothis.com/?p=169 ]]> Tiffany Mink, known by many as Minkus, reached out to thousands of music fans as the pit reporter for Warped Tour 2009. Her pit reports gave little snippets of information regarding the goings-on of each date of the tour, while providing behind-the-scenes videos and photographs. Recently, Minkus revealed that she’ll be back for Warped 2010, and also revealed that the first band announcements will be on WarpedTour.com on December 18. I spoke to Minkus about how it is to live on a tour like Warped, some secrets about next summer’s tour, and her advice for getting into the music industry. Read the whole interview after the jump!

- How was it being a part of such a huge tour like Warped Tour almost straight out of college? How did you react when you found out that you would be the pit reporter?

I’ll be honest- I almost didn’t even apply. I wanted it so bad that I couldn’t imagine applying and watching it go to someone else. When Paul from the office called me, it was like a 45 minute conversation and I was pacing around in my front yard while my mom, sister, and friend were laughing at me. And getting that job two months after I graduated college? Never would I have ever thought that would happen to me. It just fell in front of me at the most perfect timing. Not to sound sappy, but it just seemed like it was one of those “meant to be” moments because Warped was something I wanted to be a part of when I first went in 2003.

-Was it a big adjustment to be living on the road for the duration of Warped?

Um. Yes. Ok, think about living out of a suitcase. Then put your suitcase under a car. It’s like that. Buses are crowded, messy and cramped but holy crap it’s awesome and like nothing else I’ve ever done. You make a whole new family out there because you are forced to. Living with so many people in that little space, you learn alot [sic] about yourself. Luckily for everyone on that tour, Kevin works with the best so you are always going to be in good hands and with good people. And people who won’t make fun of you for taking a baby wipe shower.

- How is the general environment of Warped Tour? Can it get stressful at times? Boring? Do all the bands/musicians get along?

It’s mind-boggling how it can be both stressful and boring. No, Warped isn’t boring by any means. The place is different, the fans are different, the bands can be different. But in order for everything to run smoothly, there has to be some sort of routine. There are moment where it’s like “same stuff, different day” but those are few and far between. Granted it’s still pretty hectic out there because everything gets put together that morning. It’s really stressful for most jobs out there. Mine depended on bands schedules and since they aren’t figured out until that morning, I can’t plan ahead. But everyone respects everyone else because there’s a mutual understanding of how hard everyone is working.

- What were some of your favorite bands that played during Warped ‘09?

Gallows, Sing It Loud, TAT, Therefore I Am, InnerPartySystem, Less Than Jake, The Ataris, Bayside, The Architects, POS, Alexisonfire, The AKAs, and 3OH!3. All just great people and solid bands. I love a good live show, and all of these will sure as hell give you one.

- Congrats on being asked to do the Pit Reporting for Warped Tour 2010! When did you find out about this?

Thanks! We were already talking about me coming back mid-tour last summer. I took the role further than it had gone by really pushing the social media networks, staying focused on getting content for every day and being as timely as you can out there. I felt like I had to prove myself and I think it was during the last week of the tour, myself and production wanted me to be out again for next year. They knew how hard I worked and knew I could come up with even more ideas for next summer.

- With the announcement that you’d be coming back as a the pit reporter, the dates of Warped 2010 were announced, as well as the news that band announcements would be made very soon. How early does planning start for Warped Tour?

Kevin literally starts planning next year as soon as the tour ends. Because Warped is so massive with the duration, number of bands, sponsors, vendors, different venues, all the staff, etc etc you have to get an early start. There’s very little down time from one to the next. Keep in mind Kevin also does 2 other tours and is starting a new one next year- that actually ends just 2 days before Warped starts. I don’t know how he does it!

- Are you doing anything else for Warped Tour during the planning stages? (helping pick talent or venues, communicating with sponsors, etc.)

I help run the Warped’s Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and Stickam accounts. I also brainstorm and help develop marketing and promotional ideas with the office. I also like to create content before the tour to keep fans informed with the bands and other on-goings with the tour like ticket on sale date. This year we are talking about more videos from me before the tour. I don’t have anything to do with the production side of things, just social media.

- Have all the bands been booked yet, or are there still more bookings that need to be done?

The majority have been booked, yes. There is still some talk with some bands, but we have the bulk of everything ready to roll. I heard the list today and it’s pretty extensive but Kevin still has some bands in the works.

- Could you possibly give us a hint towards a couple of bands that are on Warped 2010?

Nope. Sealed to secrecy until it’s announced. But I will say that from my personal tastes, I’m extremely excited for this summer. It includes a band who I’ve listened to for almost a decade and haven’t had the chance to see yet.

- Is there anything about Warped Tour that fans may find surprising? (odd rituals or good luck charms, random facts, or anything of the like?)

Most people who are into Warped want to work on it, but their idea of what it’s like on tour is typically different than what it is. Everyone pulls 12 hour shifts in that heat- even merch guys are setting up at 7am in the morning. There are shining moments and it’s fun, no doubt, but I think many people underestimate how demanding the tour is for staffers. Most people I know are in their bunks asleep before 11pm that night!

In terms of other surprises, bands you wouldn’t think would ever become friends actually do. Fat Mike [of NOFX] loves Jeffree Star. True story! There’s a lot of support for bands from other bands and you’ll see them watching side-stage. Rituals and stuff are really more for the bands. Chris 2 of Anti-Flag brushes his teeth backstage before his set everyday.

- Do you have any advice for readers who may want to break into the music industry without being in an actual band?

Start early and start networking. Make plans and learn everything you can from anywhere you can. It’s something where you have to keep your eye open all the time, make everything you can an opportunity and hope you happen to fall into some luck. Most importantly, you gotta have passion. Because it’s so demanding and cut-throat and everyone wants your job, you have to have that to make you [appear] as a stand-out. I was once told that there is always someone who will do your job for free. It’s true, so you have to stay on your toes and really want to be there.

- Would you like to add anything else?

In terms of getting into the industry, I think there’s something that people need to know. It loosely relates to my job, but every other aspect it’s crucial. Whether you like it or not, if you want to somehow work in the music industry, you sometimes have to look at music as commodity. A band can only stay a band and get their message out as long as they have the means to do so. A majority of those means is money. If a label doesn’t have money to help a band tour, then that band’s music can’t get everywhere. See what I mean? All of the people who work for Warped Tour love it. It is about music, it is about the bands, it is about the kids- but it can only keep doing it because it funds itself. There’s a bottom line to everything, in every job, and this is no different. It’s just a perspective you have to keep in mind.

Want more advice from Minkus about getting into the music industry? Read her blog in which she discusses her experiences from Warped Tour and how she got to where she is here: http://www.tiffanymink.com/blog.html