Pandora Radio...for Blackberry

Already a monster success with the Internet, iPhone, iTouch, and Windows Mobile, Pandora Radio, a free personalized Internet radio service, has been a huge hit with Blackberry smart phones since its release for the devices earlier this year.

So, if you have the Blackberry data package, Pandora is 100% free for you to stream over your Blackberry device.

The Pandora platform is really cool too. To select a station on Pandora, simply type in a band or song name and a personalized playlist will appear.

For example, I searched for "Pink Floyd Radio" and these song appeared in this order:

1. Pink Floyd-Brain Damage

2. Led Zeppelin-Fool in the Rain

3. The Beatles-Strawberry Fields

4. Pink Floyd-Time

5. The Wings-Band on the Run

6. Steve Miller Band-The Joker

Pretty sweet list, eh? It's all random and the lists are always pretty money. However, you can only skip forward over six songs in one hour on Pandora's free version. Just one small price you have to pay for the great service.

My suggestion: Download Pandora! It beats your Mp3 player any day with its huge database of songs streaming from the Internet. Just get some headphones and you've got a new, mobile music player.

One Fine Day

"If I had a perfect day, I would have it start this way..."

Last night I had the great pleasure of seeing my absolute favorite band play at my absolute favorite venue. The Offspring played at Starland Ballroom as part of their "Sh*t is F*cked Up" Tour. This was my first time seeing The Offspring play live, and they did not disappoint.

They came out swinging with an amazing set list. A set list that I ended up taking home with the help of a kind roadie and a very helpful security guard. It included:

• Stuff is Messed Up
• Bad Habit
• You're Gonna Go Far, Kid
• Come Out and Play
• Walla Walla
• Have You Ever (which is possibly my favorite Offspring song)
• Staring at the Sun
  -----------------------
• Gone Away
• Kristy, Are You Doing OK?
• Gotta Get Away
• Half Truism
• Why Don't You Get A Job
  *Intermission*
• Americana
• All I Want
• Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)
• (Can't Get My) Head Around You
• Kids Aren't Alright

ENCORE

• Hammerhead
• Want You Bad
• Self Esteem

I'm very proud to say that I fought my way front and center, and spent the entire show up against the barricade looking up at lead singer, Dexter Holland. It did come at a price though, as I ended up walking out of the show with a broken rib. It was totally worth it.

I didn't just leave with an injury though, I also walked out with souvenirs I got on purpose, including a t-shirt, a tour poster, my coveted set list, and Gringo Bandito--Dexter Holland's signature hot sauce. And I love hot sauce.

Overall, there's no way it could have been a better night. Not even if all my ribs remained intact.


The Offspring - Gone Away (live)

GigMaven Podcast: Amy Sheehan

Are you feeling blue? No? Yes? Who cares?

Amy's got some blues with a little soul and a pinch of reggae. Check out her podcast interview...

Get your MJ Memorial Fix

I'm not sure how I feel about the media spectacle that the Michael Jackson memorial service has become. I don't remember such a media storm since Princess Diana's death. Nevertheless, here are some of the many places you can check out live media coverage on the web.

CNN and Facebook

Hulu
MySpace (via collaboration with AEG Live)
CBS and Ustream

And here are some videos of Michael Jackson beat-boxing, wow he is talented

Michael Jackson a capella on Oprah

Michael Jackson Beat Boxing - Celebrity bloopers here

Mobile Cellstruments

Cell Phone or Instrument?

How about both...

KDDI (Japan's 2nd largest Cell Phone Company) has collaborated with Yamaha to bring you, or at least the Japanese for now, mobile hybrids; a cross between a cell phone and an instrument.

This cell phone is entirely different from the iPhone instrument applications, as this product is genuinely instrumental with external buttons for a trumpet and many more features along those lines.

As shown above, external attachments turn these cellulars into instruments by allowing users to have direct control of their cellstruments, just like the real thing only electronic and on a phone. The particular model shown above comes with attachments that allow you to switch between flutes, harmonicas, and trumpets.

Yamaha uses an interesting "humming" technology which allows you to hum into the speaker to produce a musical sound.

More fun on the go and more flexibility to be creative away from your practice studio.

Here's another video of a fold out piano for the cell phone.

Will anyone go to Japan and bring back a few to jam on here?

Getting Exposure

I'm sure everyone knows the exposure powerhouses: myspace, facebook, purevolume, etc. but there are a few you might not know that could help you promote yourself and your live shows.

If you're based out of the tri-state area there is a free non profit publication of all the all ages shows for the month. It's called Showpaper, and It always has amazing art on the backside too (see right).

Another resource is www.thesixtyone.com. This website allows artists to upload their songs where people can support/vote on them and if the song gets enough votes it is moved to the home page.

If this one flew over your head USE YOUR SCHOOL! There are mass email list serves that your advisers or professors can post your shows to. This is especially great because students love music and representing their school. It's the type of fan base you probably want

Also here's a couple sites where you can post your music for free and people will listen.

http://music.metafilter.com/
http://www.jamendo.com/en/

One thing to note, people don't really take chances spending money on an artist they don't know so it's good to first get your music to listeners rather than consumers i.e. podcasts, radio, pandora. Ya dig?


Also peep my flyers post for more tips.

Internet Beatmakers, Extinct Instruments and Billie Jean

I have found my new favorite internet instrument. IMO, the Tony-b Machine has all the characteristics of a highly addictive electronic music maker.

This web machine offers a variety of beats, notes, keys, melodies and vocal cuts that lure your into a hypnotizing trance. If I didn't have to work right now, I would be playing with this for probably the next two hours.

Lets move from 21st century music to a long extinct instrument called the Lituus. This 8-foot long trumpet-like instrument fell out of favor nearly 300 years ago and the last piece written for the instrument was in 1736 by Johann Sebastian Bach.



Using computer software, researchers at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland have worked to recreated the Lituus based upon its range of notes and a general idea of its shape.

Although it is awesome that these researchers can recreate an extinct instrument, the real breakthrough is that with the same software, musicians have the ability to customize instruments to their own musical needs.

Oh, and I should probably add a small tribute to Jacko.

Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
by hushhush112