Listen Local
I have so many memories of seeing fantastic live music at The Scranton Cultural Center throughout the years. After relocating back to the east coast in 2002, I found myself heavily involved in Scranton’s original music scene. It was at this time that electric city was sponsoring live at The RedRoom concert series at the Cultural Center. I found myself mesmerized by the architecture, the history, the energetic crowd (and it was really crowded) of people checking out the shows and, of course, the great local talent giving everything they possibly could in their performance to make it a memorable night. Since the series, there have been many occasions where local artists filled the Masonic rooms with their music as well as national acts like Maroon 5, The Black Crowes and Wilco.
The Scranton Cultural Center and electric city have again teamed up to create the Listen Local concert series being held in the Shopland Hall. Some artists that have already performed in the series are MIZ, Ashes for Trees, Rogue Chimp and Langor. With Bobby Davis and the Smartest Man featuring Harmony Constant performing this Friday, Jan. 13, the monthly event is making quite a name for itself around town. You still have a couple more chances to check out performers like Nowhere Slow, Jeanne Zano Band, Red Blue Green, AAYU, Grip of the Gods and Family Animals who will grace the stage in the upcoming months.
Tattoo You
Van Halen has ended their radio silence and returned with their first video in god knows how long. Featuring original frontman Diamond David Lee Roth, the video depicts the old dudes strutting around a stage filled with balloons and features a constant barrage of the members mugging for the camera. The first single is called “Tattoo” and features memorable lines like “I got Elvis on my elbow, when I flex, Elvis talks. I got hula girls on the back of my leg, and she hulas when I walk.” Genius.
There is also a not-to-be-missed tramp stamp reference in the song’s bridge.
The upcoming new album, A Different Kind of Truth, will be the band’s first album with David Lee Roth on vocals since 1984’s 1984.
The Jazz Café Knows
American folk quartet The Barr Brothers, featuring former members of The Slip, made their way from the River St. Jazz Café’ in December to the soundstage of Late Night with David Letterman in January proving yet again that the Plains venue and Tom Moran really know what is catching fire in the music world.
California Dreaming
Coachella has announced the lineup for this year’s festival (April 13-15 and April 20-22 in Indio, Calif.) leaving east coast music lovers quite awe struck and envious. This will mark the first time the festival will take place over a span of two weekends. I won’t be seeing Radiohead performing new material from their upcoming release, nor will I get the chance to see Bon Iver transform their two studio masterpieces into sprawling live numbers. This year is also highlighted by a slew of reunited bands I would kill to see like Pulp, Mazzy Star, fIREHOSE, At the Drive-In and Refused. The festival will also feature hit makers The Black Keys, The Shins, multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird, Feist, Texas instrumental group Explosions in the Sky and rap pioneers Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. If you feel like hopping on a plane in April, this should be your destination. Or you could stay local and check out everything that’s happening in our backyards.
Here’s what’s in my headphones this week: Sting The Dream of the Blue Turtles (A&M)
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Send email to tgraham@timesshamrock.com
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