{"id":28784,"date":"2016-04-14T17:09:22","date_gmt":"2016-04-14T21:09:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=28784"},"modified":"2016-04-14T16:45:49","modified_gmt":"2016-04-14T20:45:49","slug":"on-stage-uke-virtuoso-comes-to-phoenixville","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=28784","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Uke virtuoso comes to Phoenixville"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tiffany, yes that Tiffany, is back and playing Philly<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong><\/span>, Staff Writer, The Times<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"jake\"<\/a>

Jake Shimabukuro<\/p><\/div>\n

Hawaii native Jake Shimabukuro just released his \u201cbest of\u201d live collection album — an album titled \u201cLive In Japan.\u201d On April 17, his fans will be able to experience the ukulele master \u201cLive in Phoenixville,\u201d when Shimabukuro performs in concert at the Colonial Theatre (Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610- 917-1228, www.thecolonialtheatre.com<\/a>)
\nThe two-CD collection features some of Shimabukuro\u2019s favorite songs from his 15-year career. The album includes a 10-minute classic reworking of the late George Harrison\u2019s \u201cWhile My Guitar Gently Weeps,\u201d which currently has over 14 million views on YouTube.<\/p>\n

Recorded in Japan during his 2015 world tour, the collection begins with a nine-minute medley including the War classic \u201cLow Rider,\u201d and performances of \u201cDragon,\u201d \u201cBohemian Rhapsody\u201d and \u201cBlue Roses Falling.\u201d It also includes several original selections from his most recent studio album, \u201cTravels,\u201d which debuted at Number 2 on Billboard\u2019s Top World Album Chart in 2015.<\/p>\n

Shimabukuro is a ukulele virtuoso and composer whose music focuses on his complex and ultra-fast finger work. His music is an impressive blend of jazz, blues, funk, rock, bluegrass, classical, folk, and flamenco.
\nShimabukuro has written numerous original compositions, including the entire soundtracks to two Japanese films, \u201cHula Girls\u201d in 2007 and the Japanese remake of \u201cSideways\u201d in 2009.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur latest album in \u2018Live in Japan\u2019 but we\u2019re touring now with a very smaller show,\u201d said Shimabukuro, during a phone interview last week from his home in Honolulu.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis year marked my 15th year with Sony Japan. So, to kind of celebrate, we released an album of music from live shows in Japan last year — one in Osaka and one in Tokyo.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t thinking about tracks for the album when I was making the set list for the shows. It was just the tour we were doing all last year. On this tour, we\u2019re doing songs from \u2018Live in Japan,\u2019 some of my other older songs and five or six brand new tunes.\u201d<\/p>\n

The prospect of hearing new tunes from Shimabukuro is great news for his fans.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m getting ready to release a studio record in September,\u201d said Shimabukuro. \u201cWe cut the album two months ago and just finished mixing it two days ago. Now, we\u2019re getting ready to master it. It\u2019s nice when everything is tracked and recorded.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shimabukuro began his music career in the mid-1990\u2019s, performing at local coffee shops as a sideman with his first band, Pure Heart. His solo career began in 2002 when he signed with Epic Records, becoming the first ukulele player to sign with Sony Music.<\/p>\n

In the years since the YouTube clip of \u201cWhile My Guitar Gently Weeps,\u201d aired, Shimabukuro has collaborated with an array of artists that include Yo-Yo Ma, Jimmy Buffett, Bette Midler, Cyndi Lauper, Jack Johnson, Ziggy Marley, Dave Koz, Michael McDonald, Bela Fleck and The Flecktones, Tommy Emmanuel, and Lyle Lovett.<\/p>\n

He sold out world-class venues, played at Bonnaroo, SXSW, the Playboy Jazz Festival, Fuji Rock Festival, the influential TED conference, and even performed for Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Variety Performance in Blackpool, England.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe music on this album went in a different direction,\u201d said Shimabukuro. \u201cMy early influences wee Jeff Beck and Jimi Hendrix and this album really shows those influences. It\u2019s my first all-original album.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are 12 original pieces. Some have a jam band, Jerry Garcia feel. Some are more eclectic with a Jeff Beck approach. Some are more aggressive. It\u2019s a different side of the ukulele. I played it for some people and they said — this is a ukulele?\u00a0 It\u2019s not a guitar but it definitely doesn\u2019t sound like the old traditional ukulele.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor this album, I brought back all my analog equipment out of the closet and dusted off the pre-amps. I chose different things for each song. I used a bass player and three different drummers at times. I approached it like a band record. We played in the studio and kept it all live.<\/p>\n

\u201cI figured it was time to do something different. I looked back at my last four or five records and they were similar. And, the live record represented a live show. When I got back in the studio, I just wanted to take a different direction. But, it\u2019s still me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Jake Shimabukuro — https:\/\/youtu.be\/O8p1uxGJzwg<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Colonial will start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $41 and $46.
\nBetween the Buried and Me is a very predictable band — fortunately not in a musical sense.<\/p>\n

\"Between<\/a>

Between The Buried And Me<\/p><\/div>\n

The veteran band from North Carolina has evolved a lot musically over the last 15 years from heavy metal to prog rock but has maintained its identity — its heaviness and experimental nature — throughout its history.<\/p>\n

BTBAM\u2019s predictability comes from its regularity with regard to releasing albums and touring. Now in tour cycle, the band will be performing on April 15 at Fillmore Philadelphia (1100 Canal Street, Philadelphia, 215-309-0150, www.thefillmorephilly.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The band released its self-titled debut album in 2002. In 2003, Between the Buried and Me released its second album \u201cThe Silent Circus\u201d and followed with its third LP \u201cAlaska\u201d in 2005 and its fourth album \u201cColors\u201d in 2007. \u201cThe Great Misdirect\u201d, BBAM\u2019s fifth album, came out in 2009.
\nThe hard-rocking quintet — Tommy Rogers (vocals, keyboards), Paul Waggoner (guitar), Dustie Waring (guitar), Blake Richardson (drums, percussion) and Dan Briggs (bass) — has had three releases in the last five years — \u201cThe Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues \u201c in 2011, \u201cThe Parallax II: Future Sequence\u201d album in 2012 and \u201cComa Ecliptic\u201d in 2015.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do have a two-year cycle for each album,\u201d said Waggoner, during a phone interview. Wednesday afternoon from a tour stop in Portland, Maine. \u201cThen, it\u2019s time to get back home to write a new album — time to start it all over again. There seems to be no end in sight.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re still in the touring cycle for \u2018Coma Ecliptic.\u2019 After this tour, we\u2019ll take a short break, d a European tour in July and then tour the states again in the fall. In 2017, we\u2019re going to start writing and recording a new album.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m always kind of amazed when I think about how many albums we put out in the last 15 years. The current line-up has been stable for the last 10 years. It\u2019s good because we found the synergy we were looking for.\u201d
\nWhen Between the Buried and Me began in Raleigh, North Carolina in 2000, it was a metal band — loud, heavy and straightforward. In recent years, the band has moved more in the direction of progressive rock.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith \u2018Coma Ecliptic,\u2019 we just wanted to keep pushing ourselves — musically and creatively,\u201d said Waggoner. \u201cObviously, we\u2019re a little older now. Our music has a more melodic vibe — different sounds and different textures.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted to evolve as musicians and move ourselves in new directions — to push our limits and take ourselves out of our comfort zone. With \u2018Coma Ecliptic,\u2019 we\u2019re more a prig rock band than a metal band. There is less emphasis on technical guitar riffs. A lot of the songs are keyboard-driven.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a lot of bands, a shift in direction could result in a large number of fans dropping off. Not so for BTBAM.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re fortunate that our fans expect the unexpected,\u201d said Waggoner. \u201cOur new music is less abrasive. The vocals are more melodic. But, we will never abandon our roots.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn this particular tour, we\u2019re playing a mixture of old stuff and new stuff. We\u2019re playing to some people who are not quite familiar with us so we want to present the whole picture. We\u2019re playing songs all the way back to our self-titled album. a nice mix.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Between the Buried and Me — https:\/\/youtu.be\/R40wAZxMsTg?list=PLA919CDADE23267B1<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Fillmore Philadelphia, which also features August Burns Red and Left to Vanish, will start at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $25.<\/p>\n

\"Tiffany\"

Tiffany<\/p><\/div>\n

Those who are familiar with the history of pop music in the 1980s will instantly recognize the name Tiffany and invariably remember her chart-topping hit \u201cI Think We\u2019re Alone Now.\u201d<\/p>\n

They might even recall her groundbreaking \u201cThe Beautiful You: Celebrating The Good Life Shopping Mall Tour \u201987\u201d — which was the original mall tour — or her other hit singles such as \u201cCould\u2019ve Been\u201d and \u201cI Saw Him Standing There,\u201d a gender-shifted\u00a0 cover version of The Beatles\u2019 \u201cI Saw Her Standing There.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tiffany has never stopped making music since she emerged as a teen idol almost three decades ago — with the exception of a few years off when she was raising her son Elijah. The Nashville-based singer has a tasty new album \u201cA Million Miles,\u201d which came out two weeks ago. But, her focus will be on the past when she performs on April 16 at Harrah\u2019s Philadelphia\u2019s The Block (777 Harrah\u2019s Boulevard, Chester, 484-490-1800, http:\/\/www.caesars.com\/harrahs-philly<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Stevie B and Tiffany are co-headlining the special event which is billed as \u201cKing & Queen of Hearts.\u201d The show will also feature performances by freestyle superstar Judy Torres, chart-toppers The Jets, local freestyle artists Pain and Stefanie Bennett and Old School DJs.<\/p>\n

Stevie B, who is considered one of the most influential freestyle artists of his time, has enjoyed many hits throughout his career including \u201cSpring Love,\u201d \u201cI Wanna Be The One,\u201d \u201cIn My Eyes,\u201d and \u201cParty Your Body\u201d. Yet, his most popular song was \u201cBecause I Love You,\u201d which spent more than four weeks at Number 1 on the Billboard charts and is still a favorite.<\/p>\n

Rounding out the event will be such notable artists as freestyle queen Judy Torres, who is best known for her anthems \u201cNo Reason To Cry\u201d and \u201cCome Into My Arms\u201d and The Grammy-nominated group The Jets, who will be singing their chart-topping singles \u201cCrush On You,\u201d \u201cMake It Real\u201d and other Billboard hits. Local freestyle performers Pain and Stefanie Bennett will also be on hand performing all of their fan-favorites.<\/p>\n

In addition to the headliners and performers, long time Egypt and Shampoo resident DJ Frank DeSante and local Video DJ Ed Ex will be spinning \u201cthrowback jams\u201d for this unforgettable party. And unlike other traditional seated casino shows, this event is standing room only.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese combo-pack shows are really good for the fans,\u201d said Tiffany, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from her home in Nashville. \u201cIt\u2019s a party weekend. I love The Jets and their music. I did a mini-tour with them back in the 1980s after my mall tour.\u201d<\/p>\n

Later this year, Tiffany will be back on tour in support of her new album.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started writing for the album on December 15 and it came out on the 31st of March,\u201d said Tiffany. \u201cIt was really quick. I knew the writers I wanted to work with in Nashville — especially my girls Kirsti Manna and Julie Forester. We\u2019ve been friends for years and they worked on my \u2018Rose tattoo\u2019 album.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a lot of the melodies — and I had a plan. The songs were mostly about the last five years on my life. It was a bittersweet time. My father passed away from cancer. The last six months of my dad\u2019s life were sad — but he kept the best attitude.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was healing for us to be together in the last stages. Some of the songs are about the pain. I also had a cousin who died from drugs and alcohol. That\u2019s what the songs \u2018A Million Miles\u2019 and \u2018Fall Again\u2019 are about.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the new album, you can hear some of my country roots even though I\u2019m a pop singer. I\u2019m a songwriter who listened to Emmylou Harris and other songwriters like her. They were my inspirations.\u201d<\/p>\n

The world knows Tiffany as a pop star but she started her music career in a different genre.<\/p>\n

In 1981, Tiffany debuted with country music singer Jack Reeves. Later, she was singing at the Palomino Club in North Hollywood when she was discovered by Hoyt Axton and his mother Mae Axton.<\/p>\n

Mae Axton took her to sing in Nashville, Tennessee, where she performed on the \u201cRalph Emery Show,\u201d singing Juice Newton\u2019s \u201cQueen of Hearts\u201d and Tammy Wynette\u2019s \u201cYour Good Girl\u2019s Gonna Go Bad.\u201d In 1982, Tiffany performed on the same bill as Jerry Lee Lewis and George Jones.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started off in country music when I was 10 years old,\u201d said Tiffany. \u201cFour years ago, I released they \u2018Rose Tattoo\u2019 album about that chapter in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you catch Tiffany\u2019s show this weekend, you\u2019ll see a different chapter in her life — the chapter where she was riding high as an international teen idol and recording star.<\/p>\n

Video link for Tiffany — https:\/\/youtu.be\/w6Q3mHyzn78<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at The Block will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $40.<\/p>\n

\"Jessica

Jessica Fichot<\/p><\/div>\n

On April 16, another female vocalist will be performing in the area — with totally different roots for her music.<\/p>\n

Accompanied by her accordion, toy piano, chanteuse and songwriter Jessica Fichot draws from her multi-ethnic French\/Chinese\/American heritage to create a multilingual fusion of French chanson, 1940s Shanghai jazz, gypsy swing and international folk.<\/p>\n

Fichot will visit Philadelphia for a show at the Ruba Club (416 Green Street, Philadelphia, https:\/\/www.pfs.org).<\/p>\n

Following the acclaimed release of her albums \u201cLe Chemin\u201d (2007) and \u201cLe Secret\u201d (2012), she has performed to packed venues in China, France, Mexico, Canada and the United States.<\/p>\n

Born in upstate New York to a Chinese mother and French father, Fichot spent her youth in France. After earning a degree in audio engineering in Paris, she studied songwriting at Berklee College of Music in Boston.<\/p>\n

While living in Boston, she wrote batches of children\u2019s songs for musical theater and educational programs. More than 100 of her songs are published as part of ESL (English as a Second Language) programs published in over a dozen countries.<\/p>\n

\u201cTechnically, English is my first language but the language I grew up with is French,\u201d said Fichot, during a phone interview Monday morning from her home in Los Angeles. \u201cI went to an international high school in Paris. I was in the American section.<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew I wanted to be a musician. I came to the America to study because, in the states, college music courses don\u2019t just mean classical. Berklee was more modern. I majored in songwriting there. I stayed in Boston for awhile after I graduated and then moved here to L.A.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you listen to Fichot\u2019s music, you\u2019d assume that it was music that she heard when she was growing up in France. But, it would be a wrong assumption.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t listen to French music when I was living there,\u201d said Fichot. \u201cI was a big fan of Tori Amos and singers like that. After I moved to L.A., I discovered bands that were making music in English and Spanish. That got me interested in performing in French.\u00a0 So, I formed a band here in California.<\/p>\n

\u201cI taught myself how to play accordion, which is now my main instrument — after my vocals. I listened to Edith Piaf and other classic French singers. The vibe of my music is influenced by the 1920s and 1930s. And, there is some Django (Reinhardt) influence. It is French chanson.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chansons refers to songs with French word — specifically classic, lyric-driven French songs or European cabaret style songs. \u201cChanson\u201d is the French word for \u201csong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fichot\u2019s songs sung in Mandarin are a nod to her Asian heritage. Ironically, Mandarin is not her mother\u2019s native tongue — which actually is Shanghaiese.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mother is from Shanghai and I go there to perform,\u201d said Fichot. \u201cThere is a big jazz community there — Shanghai jazz. I discover a lot of musicians there who influenced me. My music is a mixture of French chansons and Shanghai jazz from the 1930s.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the music I\u2019m playing on this tour, every song is written a little differently. I try to not write on an instrument and just use my voice instead. I come up with melodies or concepts and sing them. The songs all start with a melody or a vibe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Jessica Fichot — https:\/\/youtu.be\/ajs5wrd8RpY<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Ruba Club, which also features rare Spirits, will start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10.<\/p>\n

\"Thao\"<\/a>

Thao<\/p><\/div>\n

The roster of acts playing in the area on April 16 also features another female singer with Asian-American roots. On Saturday night, Thao & the Get Down Stay Down will be performing at Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill Street, Philadelphia, http:\/\/undergroundarts.org<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, the San Francisco-based band fronted by singer and songwriter Thao Nguyen, released their fourth studio album \u201cA Man Alive\u201d in March via Ribbon Music.<\/p>\n

Produced by Merrill Garbus of tUnE-yArDs, the new record is a musical departure for Nguyen. Beat- and bass-driven with more manipulated sounds, it lends itself to her trademark high energy show.<\/p>\n

The album deals with Nguyen\u2019s relationship with her father, who left the family when she was a young girl. According to Nguyen, \u201cIt\u2019s a document of my life in conjunction with his, even though we\u2019ve always been leading our lives away from each other. Some are optimistic and forgiving, some are the opposite.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI only write when there is a deadline,\u201d said Nguyen. \u201cWe went into the studio last winter. I wrote the songs in the month before we went in the studio and even some into the recording time.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe was recorded it at Tiny Telephone Studios in San Francisco. The first session was about two weeks and then we had another nine-day session. We recorded live in the studio for most of the songs.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur songs have moved away from guitar and accordion instrument-based songs. I think we\u2019re more reliant on bass and groove. It\u2019s more instrumental, more riff- and loop-centric, and has more manipulated sounds. Lyrically, I\u2019m saying more of what I want in life.\u201d
\nNguyen grew up in the Washington, D.C. suburb of Falls Church, Virginia and moved to San Francisco 10 years ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started writing songs when I was just a kid in the suburbs — bored in my room,\u201d said Nguyen. \u201cI wanted to write songs so I had to learn guitar as a vehicle. I loved Motown from age five. I had a brother who was eight years older so I was exposed to the music of the 80s and 90s — pop and hip hop.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce I started to play guitar, I started to listen to country music and the blues for the finger-picking. That\u2019s my favorite kind of guitar playing. I played a lot of open mics in high school and continued to write and play when I was in college at William & Mary. I majored in sociology and women\u2019s studies. I met our first drummer Willis Thompson when I was in college. We played as a duo.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her current band featured Adam Thompson (vocals, bass guitar, keyboards) and Charlie Glenn (drums).<\/p>\n

\u201cI picked up Adam toward the end of college,\u201d said Nguyen. \u201cThat\u2019s when we started working more as a band. My guitar songs were always pretty percussive. When I\u2019m writing, melody is a key factor — definitely.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thao & the Get Down Stay Down\u2019s discography includes the following albums — \u201cLike the Linen\u201d (2005), \u201cWe Brave Bee Stings and All\u201d (2008), \u201cKnow Better Learn Faster\u201d (2009), \u201cWe the Common\u201d (2013) and the recently-released \u201cA Man Alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Thao & the Get Down Stay Down — https:\/\/youtu.be\/N9jpvELaKqQ<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Woozy\"<\/a>

Woozy<\/p><\/div>\n

The show at Underground Arts, which has SAINTSENECA and Little Scream as the opening acts, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $16.
\nOn April 16, Woozy, a band based in New Orleans, will return to one of its favorite cities in which to perform — Philadelphia. And, for its tour opener, the trio from the Crescent City will be bringing along Kississippi , a band from Philadelphia — for the show at Goldilocks Gallery (723 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-432-8564, http:\/\/goldilocksgallery.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Woozy is\u00a0 a three-piece experimental rock band featuring Kara Stafford (guitar\/vocals), John St. Cyr (guitar\/vocals) and Ian Paine-Jesam (drums\/percussion).\u00a0 The band released its debut album \u201cBlistered\u201d last October and has been out on the road pretty much ever since.
\n\u201cWe\u2019ve played Philadelphia a number of times,\u201d said St. Cyr, during a phone interview Monday from a tour stop in Chicago. \u201cThe show at the Golden Tea House in Philly was one of our best shows ever. We also had a really good show at Philamoca.\u201d<\/p>\n

Woozy plays an intense mix of punk, indie, slowcore, post-punk, art rock, anti-folk, sludge, post-harcore, pop and emo musical styles. The trio\u2019s music focuses on intricate instrumentation and bold dynamic shifts.
\nBlending melodic songwriting with intricate instrumentation and bold dynamic shifts,<\/p>\n

Woozy uses dual lead vocals and guitars to challenge natural pop tendencies and to create something that avoids easy genre categorization.\u00a0 Woozy\u2019s music has continues to evolve from the band\u2019s inception in 2012.
\n\u201cWe met when we were in school at Loyola University in New Orleans,\u201d said St. Cyr. \u201cWe all gravitated to the same circles. I was in a band called Sun Hotel and Ian was a percussion major.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt started with just me, Ian and Kara. We called it \u2018remedial math rock.\u2019 We mad eour first EP in fall 2012 and another after that and then made our first full-length in October 2015.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paine-Jesam said, \u201cWe started writing songs for \u2018Blistered\u2019 in fall 2013. It took a really long time to grow the songs. We threw a lot away. We\u2019d work with ideas, put them away for months and then come back to them. The last song was finished a week before we went into the studio.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were all writing together in the same room. We recorded the album at Living Room Studios in Algiers, Louisiana because a friend of ours worked there — and because it was a really relaxing environment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stafford said, \u201cWe did three days of recording in that studio and then two days of overdubbing in New Orleans. Some of the songs we had already been playing live — maybe two-thirds of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

St. Cyr said, \u201cOur first tour in 2012 was five days. Then, we had a two-week tour. It has just continued to grow. I think we played more than 100 shows last year. We\u2019re up past 50 this year and it\u2019s only April.\u201d
\nPaine-Jesam said, \u201cI always wanted to be in a band. But, this is definitely much more of a real thing than I expected it to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

There are already many Woozy fans that are glad that it did indeed turn out to be more than Paine-Jesam expected.<\/p>\n

The show at Goldilocks Gallery will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door.<\/p>\n

\"Rachael<\/a>

Rachael Sage<\/p><\/div>\n

Rachael Sage will be releasing her new album \u201cChoreographic\u201d on May 20 on Mpress Records. Fans will be able to hear a preview of the new songs when she performs on April 17 at World Caf\u00e9 Live (3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-222-1400, http:\/\/philly.worldcafelive.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Sage is like a modern-day Renaissance woman — singer-songwriter, ballerina, pianist, poet, record label owner, actress, organist, writer and record producer. Currently, she is focused on being a performer.
\n\u201cI started recording the album in August,\u201d said Sage, during a phone interview Monday afternoon from a tour stop in Atlanta. \u201cIt went pretty quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

On \u201cChoreography,\u201d Sage reconnects to her dance roots. The album is an inspired set of piano-based chamber pop sounds merging orchestral elements with her signature blend of folk, pop and rock.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got the idea to do a dance-themed concept album,\u201d said Sage, who studied and danced professionally with the New York City Ballet when she was younger and then went on to get a degree in theater at Stanford University. \u201cThe TV show \u2018Dance Moms\u2019 had used a lot of my music with its choreography.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought about how ballet and my experiences in ballet had informed my influences. I holed myself up in a hotel in London. Each day, I wouldn\u2019t leave until I had at least one song written. It\u2019s always exciting when it gets done as something different.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was writing the songs in London, I watched the Glastoinbury Festival on TV. I had a keyboard and also wrote some on guitar. It was mostly on piano because I was writing more with an orchestral sensibility.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn general, I usually write the lyrics and the melody at the same time. There were certain musical themes that developed as I wrote. My process is very subconscious at that point. All my channels were open.<\/p>\n

\u201cProducer Andy Zulla, weho I had worked with before, said he\u2019d like to work with me again. I recorded the bulk of the songs with him at Carriage House Studio in Connecticut. It\u2019s a rustic environment. It\u2019s kind of a retreat for me. There is such a great energy there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, the songs from \u201cChoreography\u201d are ready to be unveiled on the live stage.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they\u2019re not playable live, I make them playable live,\u201d said Sage, whose expressive voice instinctively wraps itself around her well-thought lyrics. \u201cBeing a production head, I can work with songs. But, it can be a challenge at times.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a pre-release show. The album won\u2019t be out for another month but fans will be able to purchase copies of \u2018Choreography\u2019 at my live shows now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Rachael Sage — https:\/\/youtu.be\/yqO70wFJVxI<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the WCL, which has Jennifer Harper as the opening act, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 day of show.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The Crookes<\/p><\/div>\n

Three months ago, the Crookes released their new LP \u201cLucky Ones\u201d on Modern Outsider via Culture Collide, and announced a month-long U.S. tour with Geographer\u00a0 — kicking off the tour at the SXSW Music Conference in Austin, and wrapping it up on April 17 in Philadelphia.
\nNow, the end is near. The tour will close next week with a show at Union Transfer (1026 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, 215-232-2100, http:\/\/www.utphilly.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The Crookes — Daniel Hopewell, George Waite, Tom Dakin, Adam Crofts — are a British indie rock band that formed in Sheffield in 2008. They released their first single \u201cA Collier’s Wife\u201d in 2009 followed by the single \u201cBloodshot Days\u201d that was released in 2010. They have since released four albums — \u201cChasing After Ghosts\u201d (2011), \u201cHold Fast\u201d (2012), \u201cSoapbox\u201d and \u201cLucky Ones\u201d (2016).<\/p>\n

\u201cDaniel and I met at Sheffield University in 2006,\u201d said White, during a recent phone interview from a tour stop in San Francisco. \u201cWe went to this pub night in Sheffield and ran into each other there a lot. We had the same influences so we decided to start a band. We had the notion of being a band for awhile before we actually became a band. We started writing songs as an acoustic duo. We also had Alex Saunders on guitar and Russell Bates on drums. After a year, people were telling us that we really needed a bassist so I took up bass. Alex left the band in 2011. About three weeks later, we had a European tour booked and we needed a guitarist. Tom Dakin joined the band and has been with us ever since. Russ left about a year ago so we got Croftsy. We\u2019re known as the magpies of Sheffield for poaching musicians from other bands.\u201d<\/p>\n

The current lineup created a very tasty album with \u201cLucky Ones\u201d and has met with a string of glowing reviews for the shows on this tour.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe new album is the first we did with Adam,\u201d said White. \u201cHim joining the band has added a new level of energy. I think there were less restrictions with this album. The songs were written by me, Tom and Dan.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted to write pop music — but pop music filtered through our own influences. We recorded the album around this time last year at Matt Peel\u2019s new studio The Knave in Leeds. It took a few months. We did a lot of experimentation. We were keen to lay things out on the table to see what works.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re now playing about half the album in our shows. Each night, we play five or six tracks and every night has been great. We\u2019ve got a lot of confidence in these songs and we\u2019re very comfortable playing them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for the Crookes — https:\/\/youtu.be\/XZn8ivXYmxs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Union Transfer will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $8.<\/p>\n

\"breakingBreaking Benjamin brought its \u201cBreaking Benjamin \u2014 Unplugged\u201d show to Fillmore Philadelphia in January. Now, the band is band on another unplugged tour with a show scheduled for April 19 at the Chameleon Club (223 North Water Street, Lancaster, 717-299-9684, http:\/\/www.chameleonclub.net<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Back in December, Breaking Benjamin, the chart-topping Pennsylvania-bred rock band led by founder Benjamin Burnley, announced a tour featuring a string of intimate acoustic performances featuring live and unplugged versions of several fan favorites.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe acoustic tour — people enjoy it a lot,\u201d said Burnley, during a recent phone interview from his home in Ocean City, New Jersey. \u201cAll the shows have been amazing. We have great fans. I wouldn\u2019t continue to do it if people weren\u2019t into it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe try to put the acoustic tours in the time we would have been off from touring with the electric band. We just put the acoustic tours on to play for the people. We try to squeeze these shows in as much as possible. The first full tour with this line-up was acoustic. We did it to show that the band didn\u2019t need a lot of bells and whistles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Breaking Benjamin\u2019s highly-anticipated return to rock music in 2015 scored them a Number One Billboard Top 200 album debut with the June release of its fifth studio album \u201cDark Before Dawn\u201d \u2014 an album that included two consecutive Number One active rock singles in \u201cFailure\u201d and \u201cAngel\u2019s Fall.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDark Before Dawn\u201d came out a really long time after the band\u2019s previous release \u2014 \u201cDear Agony,\u201d which was released in September 2009. A six-year hiatus can frequently spell doom for a band but Breaking Benjamin\u2019s ever-loyal fan base continued to grow with over 5.8 million Facebook fans, 267K followers on twitter and 80K Instagram followers combined.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a good reason for the long gap between albums,\u201d said Burnley, during a recent phone interview from his home in Ocean City, New Jersey. \u201cI went on a hiatus to address some health issues and then deal with a legal conflict. Those two things combined to produce an extended hiatus.\u201d<\/p>\n

But, Breaking Benjamin never died and \u201cBenjamin breaking\u201d never happened. The veteran singer did not let adversity break him. If anything, it made him more determined to keep going and growing.
\n\u201cEverything happens in its own time and with its own reason,\u201d said Burnley. \u201cWe came back stronger than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

The band\u2019s re-vamped lineup features musicians hand-picked by Burnley himself; guitarists Jasen Rauch (Red) and Keith Wallen (Adelitas Way), bassist Aaron Bruch, and drummer Shaun Foist (Picture Me Broken).<\/p>\n

\u201cA six-year hiatus was hard to take,\u201d said Burnley. \u201cMost of the time, it was me going to the doctor and trying to discover the cause of the problem. I\u2019m still suffering. Inflammation of muscles, joint pain and dizziness are constant things. I\u2019m still suffering but I\u2019m pushing through and living my life.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has influenced my songwriting. Any sort of aspect of life influences any artist and what they write. As a songwriter, you never really stop writing. I put ideas down all the time \u2014 constantly. Writing is just something I unconsciously do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Burnley\u2019s writing resulted in a well-received, critically-acclaimed album.
\nOriginally known as Clan 9, Breaking Benjamin got its start in north-central Pennsylvania right around the start of the century. Late in 2001, the group became Breaking Benjamin after a lineup shuffle. Burnley grew up in Ocean City and later moved to Pennsylvania where he put the band together. Now, Burnley is back at the beach.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have my own home studio here and I\u2019m building a larger studio which is also in Ocean City,\u201d said Burnley. \u201cI did most of the writing for the new album here in Ocean City. I\u2019d say 95 per cent of it was written before I put the band together. I\u2019ve always been the primary writer for the band.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhenever I\u2019m writing a song for the band, I have the whole song envisioned in my mind. And, I\u2019m fluent in programming drums so that allows me to make a project that is complete.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I write something new, I don\u2019t have any expectations of a song\u2019s success. I just try to do the best I can. If it does well, it\u2019s validation \u2014 just icing on the cake. I definitely don\u2019t write anything that would coincide with a trend. I can\u2019t bring myself to be that way. And, my fans recognize that sincerity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Breaking Benjamin \u2014 https:\/\/youtu.be\/9zFfRSeA1ls<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The \u201cBreaking Benjamin \u2014 Unplugged\u201d show at the Chameleon will start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $39.50.<\/p>\n

\"7horse\"<\/a>

7horse<\/p><\/div>\n

This is becoming a busy time for the band 7Horse with a new album — \u201cLivin\u2019 in a Bitch of a World\u201d — that will be released on April 15 and a national tour in support of the new disc. The tour touches down in this area on April 20 when the duo performs at Fire (412 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, 267-671-9298, thefirephilly.com).<\/p>\n

7Horse is an American rock and blues duo formed in 2011 most notable for its song \u201cMeth Lab Zoso Sticker,\u201d which was featured in Martin Scorsese\u2019s film \u201cThe Wolf of Wall Street\u201d — in the second trailer and on the soundtrack.\u00a0 It was also used by FoxSports on the pre-game show for the NFL playoff season.<\/p>\n

The group consists of Phil Leavitt (songwriter, drummer, and lead vocals) and Joie Calio (songwriter, guitars, bass, and vocals) — musicians who also make up two-thirds of the band dada.<\/p>\n

7Horse began as a hypothetical — What if, longtime band mates Joie Calio and Phil Leavitt thought, we bury our musical past and see if we can discover rock \u2019n\u2019 roll\u2019s Ground Zero? That question was explored in bold fashion on the duo\u2019s 2011 debut \u201cLet the 7Horse Run\u201d and continued on its sophomore album \u201cSongs for a Voodoo Wedding.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was during the time between the first two albums that 7Horse received a phone call from a representative of director Martin Scorsese, saying that the single \u201cMeth Lab Zoso Sticker\u201d was being considered for use in the film \u201cThe Wolf of Wall Street.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving Scorsese use our song \u2018Meth Lab Zoso Sticker\u2019 really helped us,\u201d said Leavitt, during a phone interview last week from his home in Los Angeles. \u201cIt was great exposure — and they paid us well. We put every dollar back into the band.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve played together for a long time in dada. The music dada made was all above the neck. The music we\u2019re making now is for the body. It\u2019s rock. It\u2019s blues. It\u2019s music you can feel. We make a pretty big sound for two guys. We\u2019ve got this rhythmic lock that is the centerpiece for everything we do.\u201d<\/p>\n

That groove figures prominently on \u201cLivin\u2019 in a Bitch of a World.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started making last year,\u201d said Leavitt. \u201cWe went to the desert — to a studio in Landers, California — and holed up for a few days. We also used my studio in Forestville, California. We spent a week in Seattle doing some tracks at London Bridge Studio and cut a couple things at Echo Park in L.A.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re always writing — even when we\u2019re on the road. This is a real important album for us. So, we started from scratch. When we were in the studio in Forestville, we stayed in the studio and slept on the floor. We\u2019d start at noon and work until midnight.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are only two of us playing so we always cut the tracks together. We try to get it out as quickly as we can. We don\u2019t try to get it perfect. If it\u2019s really bad, you should do it again. If it isn\u2019t, you can leave it. That\u2019s what\u2019s cool about rock and roll. Anything can happen.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t want to make music for the head — music that was too smart. We put the focus on from the belt down. Rock and roll has to have a street level vibe. Onstage, it\u2019s just the two of us. But, my wife is a big part of the organization. She runs the merch table. She\u2019s a very colorful personality.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for 7Horse — https:\/\/youtu.be\/7-W92xs0iMY<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Fire, which also features Liz Brennan and Shadowplay, will start at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The Ballroom Thieves<\/p><\/div>\n

Another show on April 20 will feature Ballroom Thieves performing at the Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389, http:\/\/www.ardmoremusic.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The Ballroom Thieves — Martin Earley (guitar, vocals), Devin Mauch (percussion, vocals), and Calin Peters (cello, vocals) — have been described as a rock band disguised as a folk band.
\nOn this tour, they\u2019ll be even more disguised because they\u2019re performing with an orchestra. The eight-show swing through the Northeast will feature the Ballroom Thieves accompanied by Maine Youth Rock Orchestra.<\/p>\n

\u201cMartin and I went to school together at Stonehill College,\u201d said Mauch, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from his home in Boston.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe got our start playing a lot of college shows. Universities have amazing arts budgets so we made enough money to be n the road.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe played as a duo for about two years then we got our first cello player. We got Calin, our current cello player, two-and-a-half years ago. She\u2019s been playing cello since she was 10 years old. It was kind of cool the way it worked out.<\/p>\n

\u201cMartin was also raised as a percussionist and it\u2019s had a cool effect on the band. He\u2019s very percussive as a guitarist. From very early on, we were always in agreement that our favorite instrument was cello. It can do everything. We wanted to keep the band small so cello gave us the most bang for the buck.<\/p>\n

\u201cCalin plays rock and roll cello and pushes the limits with what she can do sonically. It\u2019s helped redefine the band — from folk roots to a more progressive rock vibe. We make more noise than it seems we should be able to do with just three musicians.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Ballroom Thieves went from \u201ckeeping the band small\u201d to touring with a 25-piece orchestra.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a dream come true to play shows with an orchestra — and to help outreach to young musicians,\u201d said Mauch. \u201cWe did some shows with the Maine Youth Rock Orchestra in Maine and the sounds we created together were inspiring. It\u2019s very powerful. No-one has done this before.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for The Ballroom Thieves — https:\/\/youtu.be\/0NOZYbITnD4<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show in Ardmore will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12 in advance and $14 day of show.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at the Ardmore Music Hall are Particle and Tweed on April 14, Splintered Sunlight (Grateful Dead Tribute) and Sophistafunk on April 15, David Uosikkinen\u2019s In The Pocket on April 16, and Dirty Dozen Dance Band and Jontourage on April 17.<\/p>\n

The Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) will have Better Than Bacon on April 14, Heather Maloney and Jason Webb on April 15, Countdown To Ecstasy on April 16, Open Mic with guest host Michael Melton on April 17 and Lowdown Brass Band on April 19.<\/p>\n

The Steel City Coffee House (203 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610-933-4043, http:\/\/www.steelcitycoffeehouse.com<\/a>) will host Matt Sharayko, Dirty Dollhouse and Kevin Killen on April 14, Porkroll Project and Georgie Bonds on April 15 and \u201cLiv Live Benefit\u201d with Judah Kim, Cowmuddy, Barry Rabin and Clarabell on April 16.<\/p>\n

Chaplin\u2019s (66 North Main Street, Spring City, 610-792-4110, http:\/\/chaplinslive.com<\/a>)\u00a0 will present Zeus on April 15 and Local Detour, Last Chance and The Elwood James Band on April 16.
\nDoc Watson\u2019s Public House (150 North Pottstown Pike, Exton, 610-524-2424, docwatsonspublichouse.com) will present Brazen on April 15 and Harbaneros on April 16.<\/p>\n

Burlap & Bean Coffeehouse (204 South Newtown Street Road, Newtown Square, 484-427-4547, http:\/\/www.burlapandbean.com<\/a>) will present The Lowest Pair with Rivers on April 14, Nathan Bell and Craig Bickhardt on April 15, and Ryanhood with Joy Ike on April 16.<\/p>\n

The Keswick Theater (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650, www.keswicktheatre.com<\/a>) presents\u00a0 Boz Scaggs on April 14, OneNight of Queen on April 15 and \u201cOh What A Night of Doo Wop\u201d on April 16.<\/p>\n

The Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808, www.st94.com) <\/a>will have Rhonda Vincent & The Rage on April 14,Oz Noy Trio featuring Dave Weckl & Jimmy Haslip and Caryn Lin on April 15, Tempest on April 16, and \u201cSister Strikes Again: Late Nite Catechism 2\u201d on April 17.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tiffany, yes that Tiffany, is back and playing Philly By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times Hawaii native Jake Shimabukuro just released his \u201cbest of\u201d live collection album — an album titled \u201cLive In Japan.\u201d On April 17, his fans will be able to experience the ukulele master \u201cLive in Phoenixville,\u201d when Shimabukuro performs in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28786,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7842,7],"tags":[8273,8272,7971,8271,8274,5837,8275,8278,8277,6074,8276],"class_list":["post-28784","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-entertainment","category-featured","tag-7horse","tag-between-the-buried-and-me","tag-breaking-benjamin","tag-jake-shimabukuro","tag-jessica-fichot","tag-rachael-sage","tag-thao","tag-the-ballroom-thieves","tag-the-crookes","tag-tiffany","tag-woozy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28784","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=28784"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28784\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28791,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28784\/revisions\/28791"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/28786"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=28784"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=28784"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=28784"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}