new SWEDEN Music

A couple of years ago, I used to manage a band called Parkwright. I remember when they played the Kennett Flash. It was a good turnout and a great bill. The Flash is a really nice venue... BYOB, right in the middle of historic Kennett Square, PA. The Flash actually won a WSTW Homey Award this year for "Best Venue."

Anyways, Parkwright played a great set, and so did Hippocampus, but if my memory serves me correctly also on the bill was a guy that went by the name "another fellow." I may stand corrected, but I do remember watching this guy's set and thinking to myself... now that's someone that "gets it." He had captivating showmanship, great stage presence and not to mention an awesome, folky voice. His songs and performance made me feel as if I had been swept away to some private party held by Saddle Creek, along a river bank, in the middle of Omaha, Nebraska. It was memorable... and when the set was over, I made sure to go up and grab the two CDs he was handing out. I told him he had a great performance, and that I was looking forward to seeing him play again soon. Then, I scurried off to my secluded, mad scientist laboratory to continue building and organizing Monster, which is what I've done for the past two-three years.

Well, another fellow continued on his course, and is now singing for a band that has made quite a bit of noise over the past year. New Sweden is what happens when you assemble passionate, talented musicians, and lock them in a room full of energetic, Americana-infused fairy dust. They play because they want to. It's lightning in a bottle, or on a stage, or in a parking lot under a sign with their name on it.



New Sweden was established in November 2009 along the unconquered banks of the Delaware River, a region commonly known as Wilmington, DE. The genesis s of New Sweden, and subsequent growth, stems from a combined interest to create powerful, heartfelt, and innovative tunes that capture the roots of American spirit and exploration. One can hear the influence of traditional Folk (Woody Guthrie, Burl Ives) combined with an explorative indie edge (The Avett Brothers, Bright Eyes) meshing together to form an emotional sonic slurry. In other words, grab a tambourine and staple it to an old wooden chest; throw some drifting viola over a droning pump organ; slam a bass line on top of a grinding guitar and banjo; New Sweden aggressively create their sound by whatever means possible in order to capture emotions of joy, sadness, anger, and confusion.

Citizens of the Mid-Atlantic region have been able to experience New Sweden throughout 2010 in bars, restaurants, opera houses, coffee shops, and riverbanks. A relentless and energetic live act, New Sweden has become a household name in the state of Delaware, gaining titles of Spark Summer Music Series and Out & About's Musikarmageddon.

Currently, the band is in the midst of recording their first full length album, due for release in Spring 2011. New Sweden’s collective eyes, ears, and other body parts are fixed on expanding the New Sweden territory in 2011 by playing Philly, New York, Boston, D.C., and any other spot that wants to hoedown. After all, live music and sharing emotions are truly what New Sweden is about. "Out to sea, the big wide sea, I wonder what we’ll see.” - NS

New Sweden is William Dobies- guitar, vocals, boots, handyman; Caroline Stratton- viola, pump organ, bells, nuclear fuel; Dan Weirauch- bass, vocals, noisemakers, oceanography; Jimmy Dukenfield- banjo, vocals, pump organ, guitar, mandolin, hipster; Zac Dukenfield- drums, wooden chest, xylophone, scrapper.



Congrats to Delaware! Joseph "Joey" Graham, Joe Biden, Sugar Ray Leonard, Freelance Whales front man-Judah Dadone, Revolution, I Love You, Monster Entertainment LLC and now "new SWEDEN" :)

I-M

"Goodbye Old Friend"

Roach #Yum

Tempamental Featured on Hot 97

Monster Entertainment artist Tempamental was FEATURED on Hot 97 with DJ Kay Slay... YES, you just read that right. We have officially hit the streets HARD from Virginia to Massachusetts. So from here on out, when I say "Get Familiar" I'm not only referring to Monster but to Tempamental's debut album that's on its way courtesy of Black Ink MMG (www.blackinkmmg.com)!

Wanna hear the Hot 97 radio broadcast? CLICK LINK BELOW
DOWNLOAD



"Get Familiar" Tempamental's debut album is due out early summer, late spring 2011. Keep checking back for details.

I-M

Monster Entertainment LLC is a Philadelphia-based artist management, promotions and booking company
www.wearemonsterent.com

Gold Streets

Yep, it's official! There's not enough time in the day. I need another 12 hours to get everything that I want to get done... DONE.

Full review of this year's MMC coming shortly, for now... Gold Streets



This year's Millennium Music Conference, held in Harrisburg, PA the last couple of days was pretty successful. Great panels, mentoring sessions and bands... it was good catching up with people you only see once a year.

One band I have to make note of to see more than once a year is Gold Streets. Their performance Friday night at ABC (Appalachian Brewing Company) Abbey Bar Harrisburg was delightful to say the least. I now have basslines stuck in my head that I'll be humming at work tomorrow. There's something about a female bassist that just makes life better. Add in an Indie, Psychedelic, Rock version of Robyn's "Dancin' on my Own" and you have what I like to call a complete Friday evening. Oh, and the Scottish ale was tasty.

Check out Gold Streets at a venue near you... or on a Facebook near you. www.facebook.com/gold.streets

"Billy's Dead" MP3 Link via Pennlive.com

Why Watch TV?

I love Chick-fil-a

immeasurable

What a Grammy night right? At this moment, the amount of stokedness that I have for music is immeasurable. I'm not sure what to be more hype about... this,



this,



Or THIS!



What a great night of performances. Congratulations to Arcade Fire on wowing millions. Definitely well deserved. Also, I was wrong... I thought Bieber had it locked for new artist! He lost out to Esperanza Spalding, a bassist who has been heating up the jazz world for a while. Congrats to Esperanza! I hope she doesn't get beat up by a mob of 13 year old girls... they can hit pretty hard from what I remember.

Now begins a new year of music! Who's hot? Who's next? Radiohead(2/19/11)? Very much hopeful for 2011. As always, I'll stay reporting as much as possible... Indie first!

I-M

Case Closed and Phantasm perform this weekend at MMC www.musicconference.net

The 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards

Rehearsal Pics... Artists prepare for music's biggest night. I hope Christina Agumalera gets to perform... I hope she remembers her words. (Ok I quit) She knows I love her!







Didn't realize that Cee Lo Green's F*** You was nominated for Record of the Year? Even though I love "F You", I think Eminem and Rihanna will take it. Although, it could be Lady Antebellum... choices choices.

Will Bieber take best new artist? Is he still new? Seems like he's been out for 3 years... wasn't he ten when his first single dropped? I can't remember... seems like so much has happened since then. Maybe Drake will sneak up and take it. Probably not though. CBS is hoping to break another record... I think they may. We'll have to wait and see! Happy Grammy Day

I-M