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blindspot gears up for debut E.P. & release party

December 14, 2016 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

BY JULIA CIRIGNANO

blindspot (PHOTO BY MARK MYERS PHOTOGRAPHY, SUBMITTED BY ALEXA ECONOMOU)

If you like Paramore, U2, The Killers, Neon Trees, Coldplay, and Aerosmith then you will love blindspot. The band is fronted by lead singer Alexa Economou, accompanied by Chris Cormier and Austin Ferrante. Blindspot is an indie rock band from Lowell, Mass. They will be releasing their debut EP on February 24, 2017, followed by a release show at The Middle East Upstairs on February 25^th. The music video for their lead single off this EP is titled “Every Time You Close Your Eyes” and has just been released!

Economou and Cormier have been friends since high school and eventually started pursuing music together.

“Chris got into sound recording and he began recording me performing cover songs,” Economou said. “Eventually, he asked me to sing at an open mic and I gathered up the courage to do it. From there we started writing together and eventually started playing gigs as a band. The rest is history. The two of us met Austin through playing shows with other bands that he was in, and we recruited him to become an official member of blindspot this past fall.”

While blindspot is based out of Lowell, the band plays many shows in the Boston area as well as New Hampshire and New York.

“We typically play at places like The Middle East, Thunder Road, etc.,” Economou explained. “We also head up to New Hampshire pretty often to play venues such as Fury’s Publick House in Dover. We have a residency coming up there in January on every Wednesday night of the month. This year we have also travelled to New York a lot for some really cool gigs.”

Over the last two years, blindspot has had the opportunity to open up for some well known bands such as Gin Blossoms, Candlebox, Plain White T’s, Buckcherry, Puddle of Mudd, Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots, Finger Eleven, Fuel, Saving Abel, Smile Empty Soul, and Tantric.

“The most memorable shows have been when we won a battle of the bands to open for Puddle of Mudd, when we opened for Gin Blossoms to a sold out crowd of over 600 people, and when we opened for Scott Weiland from Stone Temple Pilots, a true legend,” Economou said. “One of my most recent favorite shows was actually on my birthday this past September at The Whiskey Barrel Bar in Haverhill, Mass. We had so many friends and fans show up that night to support us and I could not have imagined spending my birthday any other way. We also ventured out on our first official tour this past spring and travelled all the way down the East Coast, where we had a lot of great shows and experiences in new cities.”

One of the biggest acts blindspot has opened up for was Steven Tyler of Aerosmith at Laconia Fest this past summer.

“Opening for Steven Tyler was nothing short of a dream come true,” Economou said. “When I found out that we were going to be opening for him, I was in a state of shock and very nervous on the days leading up to the show. Steven has been my idol, role model, and inspiration since I first got into music at a very young age. He and Aerosmith have shaped my entire life because I would not be who I am today without their music. My sole focus on the day of the show was on nailing blindspot’s performance and walking away satisfied that we played the same show as the one and only Steven Tyler. Yet the icing on the cake came after the show when I got to meet Steven and he asked me about my band and even kissed me! It was definitely an experience that I will never forget.”

Blindspot’s debut, self-titled EP will be released on February 24th, 2017. The following night, the band will be playing a release show at The Middle East Upstairs in Cambridge, Mass.

“We have released a handful of singles over the last two years but we really feel as if this EP epitomizes who we are as a band and so we wanted to title it as our name to show who we are,” Economou said.

The music on this EP shows the growth that blindspot has gone through over the past two years they’ve been playing together. The band has written some songs together yet they finally feel that they have created a compilation of music that is purely blindspot originals. They believe in these songs and are excited for the world to hear them.

“We have become better musicians and songwriters over time so the performance is definitely stronger for everyone as well as the sound quality,” Economou explained. “We definitely love the music we have previously released but we are extra excited to showcase our new material.”

The lead single off this EP is titled “Every Time You Close Your Eyes.” For the music video, blindspot decided to use a concept that also follows a common theme within the band as a whole, the concept of vision, blindness, sight, eyes, etc.

“The main theme in the video is that we are all wearing blindfolds. The song is called ‘Every Time You Close Your Eyes’ so the blindfolds signify the concept of eyes,” Economou explained. “The meaning of the song is the internal conflict of the heart vs. the mind where the heart is telling you one thing that you might desire but the mind is telling you that it might not be good for you and you should let it go.”

Check out the video HERE.

“The video depicts me walking through rooms blindfolded where the audience sees strange things happening behind closed doors yet I can’t see them even though I want to,” Economou said. “Eventually, I am able to let go of the blindfold and become free from everything holding me back from who I want to be. The video was done with 41st Casanova Productions and we are super stoked with how it came out.”

Blindspot chose this song as the lead single off their new EP because they believe it is the best representation of the band.

“We wanted to introduce the EP with a song that is fun but has a strong meaning behind it,” Economou said. “It is already one of our favorite songs to play so we wanted to share it with everyone as the first single and also let it really come alive visually by putting a video to it.

Check out blindspot at their website HERE and Facebook page HERE.

Business Spotlight, Features & Interviews, Home

Have guitar?…Mouradian Guitar Company will fix

December 12, 2016 limelightmagazine 1 Comment

By JULIA CIRIGNANO

Inside the work space at Mouradian Guitar.

Come to Mouradian Guitar Company located at 810 Main Street in Winchester, Mass., for quality guitar repairs by skilled repairmen Jim and Jon Mouradian. This family owned business focuses on exceptional guitar and bass repairs as well as selling used guitars, basses, amplifiers and select musical accessories.

The store was founded in 1980 by guitar maker Jim Mouradian and is now co-owned by his son Jon. In 1984, Jon, who was only nine years old at the time, started helping his father with minor repairs which grew into a joint partnership that has lasted most of both Jim and Jon’s adult life. Limelight Magazine recently stopped by the shop to talk to Jon about the business he runs alongside his father.

“My dad built guitars and I would have little jobs,” Jon explained. “I’ve been good with mechanics my whole life. I would mount the strap buttons, mount the knobs, and mount the tuners. It started off very simple.”

Jon soon became an expert in his field. Off and on from 1992 to 1997, he toured and traveled as a guitar tech with bands such as Extreme, Saigon Kick, and Big Wreck.

In 1997, at the age of 22, Jon decided to work full-time at Mouradian Guitar helping his father repair and sell guitars. Over the years, the shop has changed and evolved to follow the current musical trends.

“The business itself has not changed a ton so much as the cast of characters,” Jon said. “That kind of follows whatever the trend is in Boston. There will be times when the blue scene is huge or the punk scene is huge or the underground rock scene is huge and we see a lot more of those people. There was a time we were installing Floyd Rose Tremolo’s and putting humbuckers on stats as a very regular occurrence. Now, it’s much more about preserving guitars and maintaining as much of the original guitar as we can while keeping them working.”

Some of the most common trends Jon is seeing these days are head sock repairs, Mahogany guitars, Gibsons, Martins, bridge re-glues on flat top acoustics, and installing pickups in acoustic guitars.

When it comes to guitar repair, Jon and Jim have seen it all. Father and son have seen nasty home repairs with duct tape and bad repair jobs done by other shops. They have received guitars in multiple pieces and each time manage to restore them to their original quality.

“A couple days ago a guitar came in in multiple pieces with the headstock masking taped on,” Jon said. “That must have happened years ago and wherever they stored it insects decided to take up home in the masking tape. There’s probably 10,000 dead bugs in the tape and that’s not the first time.”

Both Jim and Jon Mouradian have established a one-of a kind guitar repair shop. They have managed to make a name for themselves the old fashion way: by creating long lasting relationships and doing quality work.

Mouradian Guitar has made a name for itself due to the two gifted men who run the shop. The shop itself is rather small, with one sign outside the door and shades always drawn. The reason this business has been successful is because of the quality of their work and the human connections they make along the way.

“My dad is super nice. Mr. Congeniality,” Jon said laughing. “But really, it’s genuine. I think people like coming and talking to him as much as having their guitars fixed. There’s also the fact that we’re blessed with whatever mechanical abilities that allow us to work on these guitars all the time and make them better without damaging anything. Years of doing a good job at a good rate.”

With so much success and only two real employees, Jon explains the difficulties they are now faced with. They are currently backed up two months since they have such a long waiting list of guitars that need repairs. While they sometimes make exceptions for musicians who need a quick repair, Jon wishes he could return guitars at a better rate.

“The hardest thing for us with everybody is the time,” he said. “We get a lot of push back on the calendar which is tough. I’m not sure what to do. If we do a terrible job for six months, turn around time would be very quick but nobody will want to come and see us.”

While quality work is always the number one priority at Mouradian Guitar, Jon believes that building a relationship with clients is also one of the most important parts of being a store owner.

“I think what makes our world successful is that we’re nice, we do a good job, and we try and become friends with our clientele,” Jon said.

He believes this is part of what makes Mouradian Guitar better than many other guitar stores. Jon believes he has some competition from other local music stores but not much from chain stores such as Guitar Center. While they may have a bigger selection of guitars to buy, their repair center is nowhere near as skilled as Jon and his father. The interaction with their staff is mediocre and both their range and level of guitar repair skills is below average.

“No disrespect to those guys but there’s not a whole lot of people who do what we do,” Jon said. “Guitar Center will never be a competitor of ours when it comes to repair because they don’t have anybody really qualified working on the guitars. Unfortunately, I see that. Just last Saturday, I bailed a kid out. I was driving away and I saw him walk up to the door of the store. He said, ‘I’m having a ground problem’.”

Jon then proceeded to re-park his car, open the shop back up, and repair his guitar which had received a botched fix at Guitar Center. With several major problems within the guitar, Jon was able to repair everything in time for this client to go on tour.

Throughout his years working with musicians, one story sticks out the most. This story took place in the early 90’s when Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl, and Krist Novoselic of Nirvana walked into Mouradian Guitar. At the time, Jon was on the road as a guitar tech but his father Jim greeted the three musicians dressed in ragged clothes.

“It was prior to them releasing their first record,” Jon began. “They were traveling around, touring, playing clubs like tons of our friends do now. The day before they walked into the building, “Kurt L-kabombed (smashed)” both of his guitars which separated the necks from the bodies; just ripped the four screws right out of their Fender style guitars. So they came into the shop and said ‘hey, can you help us out?’ And my dad, being a dad and being understanding, said “yeah, I’ll help you out but you’re on tour, you’re making money with these guitars, you really can’t break them’.”

At the time, nobody knew who these three men were. Months later, Mouradian Guitar got a package in the mail containing Nirvana’s Nevermind album, a t-shirt, a hat, and a thank you note. At that point, Jim and Jon still didn’t know how famous they would become.

“It just so happened that they ended up becoming a world famous band,” Jon said. “There’s lots of people who we help out all the time who finish their day’s work as a plumber and then go play a gig somewhere so they can feed their families and that’s as important.”

Check out their website HERE and their Facebook page HERE.

For any inquiries, give them a call at 781-756-4877 or send them an email at info@mouradianguitar.com.

From left, Mouradian Guitar co-owner Jon Mouradian and Limelight Magazine writer Julia Cirignano.

Features & Interviews, Home, Up & Coming Artists

Hard works pays off for singer/songwriter Erinn Brown

December 7, 2016 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

BY JULIA CIRIGNANO

Erinn Brown Band (SUBMITTED PHOTO BY NANCY WESTON)

Erinn Brown is living proof that if you work hard enough you can become a successful musician. Singer/songwriter Brown has released three records with The Erinn Brown Band: Road Signs To The Sun, Don’t Forget About It and Ruled My Life with The Erinn Brown Band. She currently plays gigs around her hometown of Salem, Mass., and also teaches private music lessons to a variety of different age groups.

Brown is a gifted musician herself yet she still loves teaching private home and studio lessons, private lessons at Endicott College in Beverly, Mass, and will soon be teaching the Modern Band Project at Endicott. She is beyond happy with her current musician career. She loves being part of both the Salem music scene and the Endicott College community.

Brown attended Berklee College of Music where she majored in Professional Music with a concentration in Performing and Songwriting. She uses many of the skills she learned there when she teaches music lessons and also when she writes her own music.

Brown has been teaching private music lessons for younger kids for eighteen years and teaching at Endicott College for over five years. At Endicott, she teaches piano, guitar and voice lessons.

“I started working there because the music and arts program decided they wanted to implement private lessons as an option for students,” Brown explained. “I was asked if I wanted to teach there privately. It was exciting for me to get involved in that because it’s a different level. I had been teaching little kids so it’s nice to have the adult students.”

After being part of the Endicott College community for such a long time, Brown was recently asked to teach the Modern Band project at Endicott for the Spring 2017 semester. During these fifteen weeks, she will be helping several students form a band and prepare for live performances on campus.

“I was just asked to fill in this coming semester to teach a class which I’ve never done before,” Brown said. “I’m really excited about it and I’m really nervous.”

Brown fits perfectly into the Endicott community, especially the performing arts family. She looks forward to her new, additional role within the community.

“I feel very lucky to be part of it. I think it’s a really neat program,” she said. “The people who I have been working with there are creative and fun and thoughtful. I feel a good sense of community and that’s comforting.”

Brown has been pursuing her own music with The Erinn Brown Band for over ten years. She plays many local venues with her band and also as a trio, duo, and solo act. Brown has grown both through her experience teaching and her work with her band.

“The Erinn Brown Band with all the different musicians has been inspiring to me,” she said. “I will always appreciate their input. It’s similar in the way I’ve grown with my teaching. I’m always learning from other people.”

Brown has worked with many different local musicians, yet her current band consists of Steve Peabody on drums, Sven Larson or Bryan Sheehan on bass, Randy Leventhal on lead guitar, and Brown on rhythm guitar and lead vocals. Brown has known Peabody the longest and talked about how he became part of the band.

“I worked with my drummer in college,” she said. “We were in an ensemble together and we wound up taking a couple classes together. We were good friends.”

While Brown and Peabody drifted apart after graduation, he ended up finding her on MySpace in 2005.

“At that time, the drummer I had been working with had just passed away so it was perfect timing for Steve to contact me; both as a good friend and being supportive and also he’s a great drummer,” Brown explained.

Brown’s work within her band is very near and dear to her heart. Her music is personal since her writing is so raw and honest. Brown has been a writer her whole life whether she is writing for herself or songwriting. While themes such as relationships may have first inspired her writing, she has also pushed her some towards more mature and controversial topics.

“I think I wrote mostly about my relationships in the beginning then expanded,” Brown explained. “Relationships are always a big part of my writing but I tried to, I mean didn’t necessarily try it just came out, but to be more political and socially aware in my writing. On my second record I wrote a song called ‘And In The End’ and that was very driven by the politics at the time. Feeling a split between political parties and others, kind of what’s going on these days.”

Brown has always written music that is very real and true to herself, to the point where she sometimes finds it hard to sing her own lyrics. She only writes about events and feelings which she has experienced, so recording and performing these songs can sometimes be very emotional for her.

Brown is currently working on some songs for a new record with various political themes. Keep your eye out for a new Erinn Brown Band record that will hoping be coming out in 2017. Brown has also written some songs with her drummer Peabody which she said will definitely be on the new record.

While Brown is dedicated to her band, she sometimes plays shows as a solo act, and some as a trio. She also plays many shows with her guitarist/boyfriend Randy Leventhal. No matter what the setup, Brown loves the community of musicians and friends she has acquired since moving to Salem.

“We play at In The Pig’s Eye in Salem frequently. It’s like a second home to me,” Brown explained. “When I first moved up this way, I first started playing guitar in front of people at this place. Before, I was a singer who just fronted bands. The Pig’s Eye was always a place that I enjoyed going to and hanging out with people there. Of course, the clientele changes but it always feels comfortable there and it’s really nice to feel that comfort with my friends; my best friend Randy on guitar and my friend Steve on drums.”

Brown plays at many other venues around the Salem area. While many of them are now closed, she still enjoys playing at Brodie’s Seaport since they have a big enough stage for her whole band to perform. She also plays at many venues in Somerville, such as Sally O’Brien’s.

Check out The Erinn Brown Band’s official website to get the latest update on her show schedule HERE. Also, check out the band’s Facebook page for updates HERE.

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LIMELIGHT MAGAZINE STATEMENT ON GRAMMY NOMINEES

December 6, 2016 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

We took a look at the Grammy nominations and we continue to be in a state of disbelief. How on earth could David Bowie’s “Blackstar” not be given a nod for “Album of the Year.” Not only is it one of the top reviewed albums of the year, but it is one of the best. Instead, the so-called music industry professionals decided to nominate Justin Bieber’s “Purpose,” along with Adele, Beyonce, Drake, and Sturgill Simpson, over Bowie in this category.

We often laugh when people contact us after our annual music awards and say we should change the process and allow the music industry professionals to decide the nominees. Well, this is what you get when that happens. Plus, look at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That’s decided by music critics and people in the industry and look at the number of bands who should be in the Hall of Fame (i.e. Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Moody Blues, Yes, etc.) that aren’t or bands that took far too long to get in (i.e. Rush, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Heart, etc.).

The bottom line is there is no perfect process for an awards show but when so-called music industry professionals get involved, you’re creating a recipe for disaster.

Features & Interviews, Home, National Artists

Joan Osborne follows her own instincts

December 5, 2016 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

BY JULIA CIRIGNANO

Joan Osborne (SUBMITTED PHOTO BY JEFF FASANO)

Joan Osborne has been pursuing music for over 20 years and she has just hit her creative climax with her newest album Love and Hate. Osborne’s story began when she moved to New York City in the late 80’s when she founded her own record label called Womanly Hips. Osborne pursed her love for singing and songwriting and gained substantial success in 1995 when she released her first major label album, Relish, featuring the hit single “One Of Us”. Although this album gained substantial attention, Osbourne made her intentions clear as stated in her website bio, “She was more interested in musical integrity and creative longevity than transient pop success.”

Osborne has always been ahead of her time. She bravely stepped out into New York alone and opened her own record label. She has also been open about both her sexual and creative freedom. With one compilation album, one holiday album, two live albums, and seven studio albums under her belt, Osborne still felt that she had creativity that needed to be let out. Osborne worked on Love and Hate for several years before perfecting and releasing her eighth studio album in 2014. This album explores many different aspects of both love and hate. Within this album, Osborne once again displays her iconic, raw lyrics and bluesy voice.

Osborne will be performing a show consisting of stripped down versions of songs from Love and Hate, as well as songs from her other studio albums, at the Spire Center for Performing Arts, located at 25 ½ Court Street in Plymouth, Mass, this Thursday, Dec. 8^th. Purchase tickets HERE.

“If fans are familiar with the full band versions of the songs from the album or from seeing us live, they can expect a more intimate experience,” Osborne said “For the duo and trio shows we strip the songs down to their bare essence and the fans have told us over and over that it is a very emotionally affecting show, that they hear things in the songs that they never have heard before.”

At the show, Osborne will be bringing playing with two other talented musicians: Jack Petruzzelli and Andrew Carillo.

“I will be bringing two excellent musicians who are also old friends,” Osborne said. “Jack has been a collaborator since the early nineties, and we came up together playing in the clubs and bars of Manhattan. He and I have also coproduced the last two albums that I’ve released. Jack plays with Patti Smith, with Rufus Wainwright, and is a founding member of the Fab Faux which is the world’s premier Beatles cover band. Andrew has been working with me since the early 2000’s and he and Jack together have a great sound. They are also really fun to hang out with, and because they have known me for so long, they have lots of embarrassing stories about me!”

Osborne said it’s much different performing as a duo or trio compared to having a full band.

“Performing with the full band is a lot of fun but there is something about doing a duo or trio that is both more challenging and more satisfying for a singer,” Osborne said. “You have nowhere to hide but you can also work with a lot of subtleties that get lost in a band configuration, and the shows tend to be more emotionally intense because of that.”

Since Love and Hate’s release, the album has received many positive reviews. What makes it so much more different from Osborne’s previously released music is her focus on songwriting.

“We first started writing material for Love and Hate a full seven years before the album was released,” Osborne said. “It took us that long to find our way to what the album wanted to be. It started as an effort to create something that was stylistically in the world of Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks or Pink Moon by Nick Drake but as we worked on it the themes of romantic love–in all its many variations–began rising to the surface and I realized that that was what the record wanted to be. So for that reason, we were all very busy with other projects, it took us a long time to get to the end result but I think that was a good thing. I like the fact that every song went through many versions before being fully realized. I think the writing is as strong or stronger than anything I have done.”

For Osborne, Love and Hate is one of the most personally-charged, creatively ambitious efforts of her two-decades-plus recording career.

“I think the subject matter, romantic love, is a very complicated one at this time in my life and in the life of my family and friends,” Osborne said. “Most popular songs tend to explore the territory of a new love or of kicking someone to the curb after you can’t take it anymore. There is a huge area in between those two points, an area that is very complex, and that is what I see people in my world living through; trying to negotiate and it’s both very difficult and very rewarding. I wanted to explore love in that way, to get into all the messy details of a deeper love.”

As a seasoned musician and songwriter, Osborne now feels that she is truly writing for herself and she is making up her own rules. Her dedicated fans have followed Osborne through her growth and she is grateful they are willing to evolve with her.

“I know that doing music for a living is very privileged life, even though it can be very difficult,” Osborne said. “I know that I would not be able to do this unless I had fans who came to the shows, who bought CDs and T-shirts, and who have stayed with me through all the different styles and incarnations I’ve traveled through. I honestly have no idea what I would be doing if I could not do music, so my fans have been my salvation.”

Osborne has been nominated for seven Grammy Awards; six in the 90’s and one in 2013.

“Of course it’s nice to be recognized in that way,” Osborne said. “It’s nice to feel that you are part of a larger community of music artists and going to the Grammy awards, seeing the other artists from all different genres, always makes me feel connected to this huge web of people making music around the world.”

With many years of experience as a musician, Osborne still manages to create compelling and refreshing music.

“I have jumped around from genre to genre, which can be seen as commercial suicide in a way,” Osborne said. “I can only say that I have followed my instincts more than any plan for commercial success and I don’t honestly know whether that has been a good thing but that’s been my choice.”

“I think my experience makes it easier for me to create music,” she added. “I think it allows me to cut through the noise and get to the heart of the matter more quickly. I don’t feel bored: music is like the ocean, you can dive in and swim your whole life and you will never get to the other side.”

Osborne also has a lot of memorable moments since the release of Relish in 1995.

“I have been really fortunate to be welcomed into a lot of different musical worlds,” she said. “I have sung with Lucciano Pavarotti in Italy, I have sung with Stevie Wonder at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I’ve toured with The Dead, dueted with Bob Dylan and I’ve sung with Patti Smith. Those have been highlights but honestly they have not been any more wonderful than just performing with my band in front of a crowd on a normal night. There’s something about the communal emotional experience of that which transcends everyday life and elevates us all.”

While Osborne hasn’t released any new music in two years, she is currently working on a set of Bob Dylan songs that she hopes to start recording this winter.

“Our next album will be a set of Bob Dylan songs,” Osborne explained. “It’s a project I have long wanted to do and the residency we did at the Café Carlyle back in March was the springboard for this album; we did two weeks of nothing but Bob Dylan songs and it was amazing. I felt like what an actor must feel like doing Shakespeare, the material is so rich. So we’ve been in pre-production for that and will be going into the studio shortly after our show in Plymouth.”

Tickets to Osborne’s show at The Spire are $45. The venue features superior acoustics, custom state of the art lighting and sound systems and original period architectural details, offering patrons an exceptional performing arts experience.

Business Spotlight, Features & Interviews, Home

Vintage record store to open in downtown New Bedford

December 2, 2016 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

BY JULIA CIRIGNANO

Purchase Street Records is located at on Purchase Street in New Bedford, MA (PHOTO BY ROGER CHOUINARD) — Purchase Street Records is located on 767 Purchase Street in New Bedford, MA (PHOTO BY ROGER CHOUINARD)

Looking for a store with a variety of vintage, heavy metal music along with classic rock and punk records? Roger Chouinard will be hosting the grand opening of his new shop Purchase Street Records on Saturday, December 3rd. The shop is named due to its location at 767 Purchase Street, in New Bedford, Mass. This shop will sell a variety of vintage records, tapes, and T-shirts focusing on the theme of heavy metal, punk and hard rock music.

Chouinard recently spoke with Limelight Magazine about why he chose to open up the store.

“I took a year off from my previous ownership,” he explained. “I’ve been doing the buying and selling throughout my life and I’ve always enjoyed music because I play drums and I have a musical heritage with family members.”

Chouinard chose to open up the shop in New Bedford because he grew up in the area and has pursued music within the local music scene.

“My bands and I see this as a forthcoming city in the arts district,” he said. “I really just wanted to bring music back to the area as when I was growing up it was a city that everyone of them wanted to play and make a name for themselves in.”

At Purchase Street Records, Chouinard will mainly be selling vintage records, tapes, and T-shirts. Many of his items are rare finds since Chouinard has been collecting rare metal, punk, and hard rock items for years.

“I’ve collected so many heavy metal/hard rock items in bulk because I know that style of music and for some reason it finds me,” Chouinard said. “I have a lot of Euro metal, heavy metal, and even indie titles. With that said, I also have some of the best classic rock collections that you can find and you know everybody loves classic rock.”

As a business owner, Chouinard has set some goals for Purchase Street Records.

“My goals are for the shop is to be an outstanding business in the community and bring back vinyl,” he said. “I hope to make somebody’s day when they find a record they been looking for forever.”

Not only is Chouinard a lover of music but his uncle, the late Bobby Chouinard, also inspired him. Bobby was the drummer for Billy Squier, Beggars and Thieves, Peter Wolf, and several other acts.

“My uncle taught me that anything can be achieved and you treat people the same way no matter if they are on their way up or on their way down,” Chouinard said. “Everyone’s a person no matter who, what or how they’ve lived in life.”

At Purchase Street Records, Chouinard will also be selling his uncle Bobby’s book titled Bobby Chouinard: Drummer Extraordinaire. The book was published by Roger Chouinard and it’s about Bobby’s life and the different bands he played with.

“If you’re a lover of music please go like our Facebook page, Purchase Street Records (click HERE), and if you’re not a big music collector please pass on my name to somebody that is. I hope everybody has a great holiday,” Chouinard said.

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Candlebox to perform at Narrows Center in Fall River, Massachusetts

December 2, 2016 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

The Seattle rock band Candlebox will perform an acoustic set at the Narrows Center in Fall River, Mass., on Saturday, March 25, 2017, in a concert presented by JKB Entertainment Group. This show is one of only two New England dates, with the first one already sold out. Purchase tickets to the Narrows show HERE.

Led by vocalist and guitarist Kevin Martin, Candlebox first achieved success in the early 90s with their own approach to the grunge style — one that incorporated more blues and classic hard rock instead of the punk elements inherent in the original grunge style. With this more mainstream sound, Candlebox went multi-platinum with a number of hits, including “Far Behind,” “You,” “Cover Me,” and “It’s Alright,” and gold albums from 1994 through 1999.

Candlebox broke up in 2000, but reunited in 2006. Two years later, they released their fourth album Into the Sun, followed by Love Stories and Other Musings in 2011. Earlier this year, they released Disappearing in Airports which charted on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart.

For this special intimate show at the Narrows, expect to heart their classic hits, fan favorites and songs from their new album but done with an acoustic twist.

The Narrows Center is located at 16 Anawan Street in Fall River. Tickets to the show can be purchased online at www.narrowscenter.org or by calling the box office at 508-324-1926. For those wanting to purchase tickets in person, box office hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 12 noon to 5 p.m. or during show times.

Features & Interviews, Home, National Artists

MASS are ‘Holden on to Christmas’ and helping Toys for Tots

November 28, 2016 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

BY JULIA CIRIGNANO

MASS is known as a hard rock band from Revere, Mass., but they have decided to show another side of themselves with the release of a four song Christmas CD Holden on to Christmas. You may know these four musicians as the rockers that they are but they are also all fathers who believe that no child should go without presents on Christmas.

The band first decided to give to Toys for Tots in 2010 when they released their first Christmas single. They released a second Christmas single in 2014 and once again donated the proceeds to Toys for Tots. This year, MASS decided to step up their game by releasing a full, four song Christmas CD, which is limited to 500 copies and they’re already selling fast. Get your copy HERE!

Limelight Magazine spoke with MASS vocalist Louis St. August about the success of the first two Christmas releases and the band’s inspiration for expanding their Christmas tradition by releasing a Christmas CD this year. The first Christmas single they released did very well and they were able to raise around $3,000 for Toys for Tots. For the Christmas release in 2014, MASS ended up raising even more money for the charity. Since there was only a limited number of copies for both of these releases, MASS decided to put that music, remastered on a CD, with one original MASS Christmas song.

“We have the three songs that we previously recorded and a brand new original Christmas song called ‘Holden on to Christmas’,” St. August explained. “We had them all remastered and we put them all together on the CD.”

The CD was just released on November 17th but already around 300 out of the limited 500 copies have been sold. Along with this impressive first week of sales, MASS is glad to be able to once again give Toys for Tots a substantial donation.

“No child should go without receiving at least one gift on Christmas,” August said. “We felt strongly about that, especially myself, so I presented the idea to the guys [Gene D’tria, Mike Palumbo, and Joey “Vee” Vadala] and they all agreed.”

Not only is this CD a grouping of four merry songs but it is also a true MASS album. With so many other Christmas albums out there, St. August talked about what makes this CD different.

“Our fans like MASS music so they like our renditions of the songs that are rock but also Christmas,” he said. “People who have written me back really appreciate the new song we wrote so I think the CD is different than other Christmas CD’s because we have a little bit of a different style and our voices are different. It’s coming from a melodic, hard rock band and it’s just showing a different side of us; a side that can do ballads and happy, Christmas tunes.”

St. August first started thinking about creating a Christmas CD in August since the band would need that much time to create Holden on to Christmas.

“I started it in August and I actually sang the Christmas song that we wrote on a hot day in September,” he said. “I had to kind of force myself into the Christmas spirit.”

Holden on to Christmas consists of three previously released songs, “Jingle Bell Rock”, “Grown Up Christmas List”, and “Where Are You Christmas”. The last song on the CD is the title track which is a original MASS Christmas song “Holden On To Christmas”. St. August explained how that last song came into fruition.

“We’re coming out with a brand new album next year, a full length album,” he explained. “It will be our ninth studio album. We wrote a couple songs when we were in the studio and one of the songs just didn’t fit with the rest. So my idea was, ‘why don’t we change it and make that into a Christmas song?’ I put Christmas lyrics on it and added some Christmas kind of atmosphere to it with sleigh bells and the choir.”

MASS hopes to continue releasing Christmas music every few years and also donate as much money as they can to Toys for Tots. MASS has even considered doing a possible MASS Christmas concert in the next couple of years.

Features & Interviews, Home, National Artists

Paul Bielatowicz: Bringing sound to the silent film ‘Nosferatu’

November 20, 2016 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

BY JULIA CIRINGNANO

Paul Bielatowicz & Simon Fitzpatrick (PHOTOS BY JANEL LAFOND-KILEY)

Guitarist Paul Bielatowicz and bassist Simon Fitzpatrick will be back on the road this December by popular demand. Both are extremely talented musicians known for their work with drummer Carl Palmer, of Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Asia. For their December run of dates, Bielatowicz and Fitzpatrick will be premiering one act from their soundtrack written for the classic silent film Nosferatu.

Bielatowicz is a sensational guitarist from Lancashire, England. He attended school at Leeds College of Music and pursued music for a while before he was offered the opportunity to play guitar for the Carl Palmer Band. Although he has only released one solo album in 2014 titled Preludes & Etudes, he has a vast history within the music industry touring the world, recording music, and playing phenomenal live shows with musicians such as Neal Morse (Spock’s Beard), Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), Paul Gilbert (Mr. Big) and Les Paul.

For a while, Bielatowicz toyed with the idea of creating a soundtrack to a silent film. In the same out-of-the-box manner in which he approaches many of his projects, Bielatowicz chose to write a soundtrack for Nosferatu, a silent German expressionist horror film, after watching the movie a few years ago.

“I feel that music and art should connect people on an individual and personal level,” Bielatowicz said. “Sadly we live in a society that seems to be moving away from that idea, where mass media and maximum profits are the primary goals of creativity. I’m always looking for ways to rebel against this modern day trend – writing and performing a live soundtrack to a 95-year-old silent movie just seemed like the right thing to do!”

“The name I gave to the silent movie soundtrack project is The Orchestra of Lost Emotions,” Bielatowicz said. “With all the wonderful technological media innovations we have today, I feel like we miss out on a more personal experience – our physical and personal relationship with the world is becoming a lost emotion – hence the name of the project.”

Bielatowicz loves to challenge himself as a musician so creating a soundtrack for a movie such as Nosferatu that has been surrounded by so much hype has been an exciting experience for him.

“I think the history that surrounds Nosferatu makes it a very attractive movie to tackle,” Bielatowicz said. “The director’s initial plan was to make a version of Bram Stoker’s Dracula but when permission was denied by Stoker’s family, he decided to go ahead and make the film anyway, tweaking the script and changing the characters’ names – Count Dracula became Count Orlok for example – in an attempt to avoid copyright infringement. Despite their efforts, the changes were not enough to avoid a lawsuit. Shortly after its debut, a judge ruled in favor of the Stoker estate and ordered all copies of the movie to be destroyed.”

Thankfully, some copies of the film survived, and today it’s become a cult classic. The movie sprouted a wave a creativity within Bielatowicz and he knew this was the project for him.

“Nosferatu has the reputation for being a creepy horror movie, which of course it is but it’s also so much more than that,” Bielatowicz explained. “F. W. Murnau was the genius director of his day and the movie is a cinematic masterpiece full of innovative camera techniques, cutting edge special effects and emotional acting performances. It’s difficult to imagine how innovative Murnau actually was in his early silent movies – you have to remember he was literally inventing the media of cinema at the time and the films he made still stand up as a benchmark for modern day movies to be measured by.”

“Not wanting to give too much away, Nosferatu doesn’t follow the standard plot norms we came to expect of Hollywood over the 100(ish) years that followed,” Bielatowicz said. “The hero turns out to be not-so heroic, while his love interest becomes the heroine in an emotional climax to the movie. That’s definitely not what audiences would have expected in the early 1920s. The way Murnau succeeds in communicating these subtleties and emotions using the medium of silent acting and camera work is nothing short of genius.”

The Orchestra of Lost Emotions is a multi-cultural soundtrack. Bielatowicz combined his English heritage and the original film’s German elements to create a masterpiece. This piece of art also incorporated Bielatowicz’s rock sound with a mixture of classical music.

“I guess my influences as a composer aren’t what you’d typically expect for a rock guitarist!” Bielatowicz said. “Classical music has always been my passion and there’s a huge classical influence in the music I’ve written for this soundtrack. As for the German connection, I think fans of classical music will recognize a huge tip of the hat to Beethoven throughout.”

Bielatowicz talked about the main characteristics that differentiate the Nosferatu soundtrack from his previous material such as his stripped back solo album Preludes & Etudes.

“The biggest difference is that I’ve written all the music to tie in very closely with onscreen action,” Bielatowicz explained. “Scoring for a silent movie allows you the freedom not only to write music which evokes the emotions of a scene but also to incorporate sound effects into the music. Elements such as footsteps, door slams etc. are all incorporated in the music as an attempt to blur the lines between soundtrack and sound effects.”

The soundtrack is split into four acts. Bielatowicz will be premiering the first act on his December tour along with the first 30 minutes of the film.

“[The first act] is a great introduction to the movie and goes right up until the dramatic moment where the main character first meets Count Orlok the vampire,” Bielatowicz explained.

Along with the premiere of Nosferatu, Bielatowicz will also be playing a variety of covers and original music.

“We’ll be playing a selection of classical showpieces, including a lot of music from my solo album Preludes & Etudes,” he said. “You can expect to hear movements from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, some Beethoven favorites, Chopin Etudes, Debussy ballads, famous opera overtures all arranged for electric guitar, bass guitar and Chapman stick, like you’ve never heard them before! Mine and Simon’s tour follows an extensive tour with Carl Palmer, where we’ve been playing tribute to the late Keith Emerson, so you can probably expect a couple of ELP [Emerson, Lake & Palmer] classics thrown in too!”

The last time Bielatowicz and Fitzpatrick played together, they received rave reviews. Both musicians always put on a dynamic instrumental performance, and this one is bound to be even better due to the premiere of the soundtrack. Bielatowicz confirms his true talent by creating an all instrumental playlist that never bores the audience and never begs for vocals.

“I think variety is the key to maintaining an audience’s interest in any musical setting,” Bielatowicz said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re solo instrumentalist, a full band with vocals or a 90 piece orchestra, if everything you play sounds the same then your audience is going to get bored pretty quickly. Obviously, the fewer elements or instruments you have in a band, the more creative you have to be about maintaining variety but as long as you remain mindful of that then it’s possible to keep an audience’s interest no matter what instruments you have at your disposal. Dynamics play a big part, as does instrumentation, the use of different sound effects and obviously having 25 minutes of your set devoted to playing a soundtrack along with a movie screening helps a lot too! Audiences can expect a carefully thought-out set, specifically designed to keep them on the edge of their seats for the entire duration of the show.”

Bielatowicz has been playing alongside Fitzpatrick for many years and is excited to embark on another tour with him.

“Not only is Simon one of my best friends but he’s also one of the most gifted musicians I’ve had the pleasure of playing with,” Bielatowicz said. “I think our musical styles compliment each other perfectly – there’s no one else I’d rather do this tour with. I guarantee audiences will see him doing things they never thought possible on the bass guitar or Chapman Stick!”

Over the years, their relationship has grown and they have pushed each other to be the best musicians they can be. Their musical chemistry is evident during their live performance and this bond has been created and solidified through their years of friendship and musical expansion.

“I definitely think we’ve inspired each other to take our instruments to new places,” Bielatowicz said. “The way we both play our instruments is quite un-guitary and un-bassy and I think it’s fair to say we’ve influenced each other on our musical journeys.”

Here’s is the complete list of tour dates for Bielatowicz and Fitzpatrick’s tour. Visit the websites of the public venues to purchase tickets.

December 8, 2016 – Pawnee, IL (Private Concert)
December 9, 2016 – Milwaukee, WI (Private Concert)
December 10, 2016 – Chicago, IL (Private Concert)
December 11, 2016 – Gibsonia, PA (Private Concert)
December 12, 2016 – Blend of Seven Winery, Delaware, OH
December 15, 2016 – Tupelo Music Hall, Londonderry, NH
December 17, 2016 – Hollis, NH (Private Concert)
December 18, 2016 – Hartford Road Cafe, Hartford, CT
December 20, 2016 – Schwenksville, PA (Private Concert)
December 21, 2016 – Triad Theatre, New York, NY
December 22, 2016 – Narrows Center for the Arts, Fall River, MA

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Y&T and Stryper’s Michael Sweet headed to the Narrows Center

November 17, 2016 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

If you’re looking for the perfect holiday gift, JKB Entertainment Group is pleased to announce Y&T and Stryper’s Michael Sweet at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, Mass. Tickets to these shows will surely please the rocker on your list.

On May 2, hard rockers Y&T will perform songs that span the band’s over 40-year career, including “Meanstreak,” “Don’t Stop Runnin’,” and “Summertime Girls,” for a show that will last at least two hours. Purchase tickets HERE.

Formed in the early 1970s, Y&T is one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s own innovators of the hard rock sound, influence bands such as Ratt, Motley Crue and Metallica. With over a dozen studio albums that have sold in excess of four million copies, Y&T always deliver. In fact, whether performing to a festival crowd of 50,000 or in an intimate venue like the Narrows Center, Y&T’s high-energy set and passionate performances still captivate legions of fans around the globe, proving Y&T’s music timeless.

One month later on June 2, Michael Sweet, front man of the multi-platinum rock band Stryper will play an acoustic set of Stryper classics, songs from his solo career, and much more. Purchase tickets HERE.

With a career and repertoire spanning over three decades, Sweet has fronted one of the most trailblazing groups of the MTV generation, written a stable of Billboard charting singles, filled arenas all the world over, said goodbye at the peak of it all, took stock in a thriving solo career, got Stryper back together for yet another record breaking run and even took a stint co-leading one of the most legendary classic rock acts ever, BOSTON, from 2007 to 2011.

The Narrows Center for the Arts is located at 16 Anawan Street in Fall River. Tickets for both shows are currently on-sale now through the venue’s website, www.narrowscenter.org, or by phone at 508-324-1926.