For the past five years, we started taking nominations for our annual Limelight Magazine Music Awards on Election Day. However, this year we have decided to make a much needed change to the process. By starting the first week of November, we are leaving out two months of the year, when some musicians typically wait to release music. Since we want our awards to truly represent a full calendar year, we will begin the nominating process in January from now on.
Rather than solicit nominations over an eight week period, we’re hoping to do this over a two to three week span this year to steam line the process. One week later, public voting will take place and the winners will be announced at an awards ceremony to be held at South Shore Music Hall in Quincy, Mass., on Saturday, March 22, 2014. Like last year, eight artists will be randomly selected from all the nominees on the ballot and asked to perform at the awards show.
Additionally, the nominating process will once again be completely fan driven, with the exception of the “Song of the Year” award which will be nominated by radio DJs who support the local music scene. The top eight artists who receive the most nominations in a specific category will be placed on the final ballot. However, anyone who won an award in a specific category last year is ineligible to be nominated for that same award this year. (Runner ups can be nominated since they didn’t actually win). The Legend and Unsung Hero awards are the only two awards that will not be nominated or voted on by the public. Instead, they will be chosen by the co-publishers of Limelight Magazine.
In closing, we thank you for your continued support of the local music scene and for supporting us in our endeavors.
As British hard rock pioneers UFO prepare to bring their show to the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, Mass., on Oct. 14, guitar hero Vinnie Moore took time out to chat with Paul Bielatowicz about his life-long love affair with music.
The name Vinnie Moore was revered in guitar circles long before he joined veteran British rockers UFO. Moore began playing guitar at the age of 12, “I got my first guitar for Christmas. I was really into guitar bands and wanted to play because of Jimmy Page, Ritchie Blackmore and Brian May.” However, his first encounter with the instrument almost proved to be his last, “It was much more difficult than I had expected, and I almost quit.” Thankfully, Moore persevered, “There was a love, and that kept me going. As I progressed it seemed to become easier and more natural. At about the two-year mark I got more serious and started practicing for a couple of hours a day. Soon after that I became obsessed, and at that point I couldn’t stop because the guitar owned my soul!”
Moore began playing in local bands and, a few years later, a major guitar magazine featured him as an up-and-coming star. It was this article that led to his first big break, “A production company in Los Angeles was casting for a Pepsi TV ad which featured a rock guitarist. They saw my write up in Guitar Player Magazine and gave me a call one January evening. The next morning I was on a plane to L.A. I went through the audition process and was chosen to do the music for 30 and 60 second versions of the commercial. It was just amazing for me, hearing my playing on national television a few times a day. The ad was a great kick starter for my career as it helped create a bit of a buzz before my first record came out.” The ‘buzz’ did the trick, and his debut solo album was a huge success – seemingly overnight, Vinnie Moore had arrived!
Over the years, Moore has enjoyed a long and varied career. “Being a solo artist, a member of UFO, playing with Alice Cooper, guesting on several projects… man, it’s all been great and I feel very fortunate. There have been many highlights but I think that maybe the journey itself has been the best part.”
Aside from his reputation as a performer, Moore has also earned a name for himself as a world-class teacher. His two tuition videos, released back in the 80s, provided guitarists with an insight to the closely guarded secrets of a virtuoso guitarist. Today, Moore is still involved in teaching – when he’s not on tour or in the studio he can often be found giving guitar master classes. Asked what advice he gives to students, he responds, “I think that love and passion are the most important things. If you have those first, then all the other things will somehow fall into place. Listen to as much music as you can because you will learn from it all. Find a teacher because that will help you learn things more quickly. And find a group of friends who play, because you will learn from one another. Just play as much as you can. I learnt a lot from my teacher, listening to records and from playing in bands with guys who were more accomplished than I was. But nothing helps as much as sitting in the bedroom and putting the time in.”
Speaking to Moore, it’s clear that his childhood love and passion for the guitar is still very much alive. He remains hungry for musical development and the continued perfection of his art, “If I didn’t feel like I was making some sort of progression I would probably quit. This is what keeps it exciting for me. Music is so incredibly infinite and there is always something new to learn and explore. It’s not something where you learn it all and then you’re done. There always seems to be something that you didn’t know about before; it’s amazing what can be done with 12 notes.”
UFO is a band with a rich heritage of guitar players – Michael Schenker (Scorpions), Bernie Marsden (Whitesnake), and bassist Billy Sheehan (David Lee Roth, Mr. Big, The Winery Dogs) count among Moore’s predecessors. Moore has been a permanent fixture in their line-up for the past decade, appearing on four studio albums, including last year’s critically acclaimed release Seven Deadly that returned the band back to the charts. Although UFO boast a serious pedigree and have indelibly carved their name into rock history, one can’t help but notice their desire to have fun and enjoy the ride. This goodtime attitude is evident in their music and performance. Concertgoers can expect, “A lot of energy and inspiration. We do this because we still love expressing ourselves in front of an audience. The day that I don’t feel that, then I don’t want to do it anymore. We give every show our all and feed off the energy from the crowd. Song-wise you will hear something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.”
With a career spanning 30 years and counting, Moore’s eyes remain fixed firmly on the future, aiming to, ”Continue doing what I love, keep being inspired and fascinated by music and keep playing for people.” With a new solo album in the pipeline, Moore’s hunger and love for his art continues to propel him forward on his musical journey, as he wows audiences worldwide.
Louis St. August and Gene D’Itria of the Revere-based rock band MASS, who received considerable airplay on MTV and radio with their single “Do You Love Me” in the 1980s, will open the show with a rare acoustic set.
The Narrows Center for the Arts is located at 16 Anawan Street. Tickets can be purchased online at www.narrowscenter.org, by calling 508-324-1926, or in person at the box office. Hours are Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. and during all shows.
With two Top 10 hits and more than a million albums sold, singer-songwriter Howie Day will be performing at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, Mass., on Sept. 20th as part of a northeast tour. Rebecca Correia, a singer-songwriter from Rochester, Mass., opens the show.
Along with a keyboardist, cellist and percussionist, Day plans to treat fans to an unplugged gig of new material yet to be released, plus his platinum single “Collide” and “She Says.”
“We call it ‘living room acoustic,’” said Day. “The four of us got together and were like, ‘if we can’t rehearse this in my living room then it’s going to be too much.’ It’s pretty laid back.”
Between shows, he’s been visiting Boston to record what will be his fourth studio release, an album that will likely be available in late 2013 or early 2014. While it’s yet to be titled, he’s laid down a few tracks and said having the opportunity to perform a majority of the songs before recording them has been a unique experience, as getting the chance to test the music on the road allows him to make adjustments in the studio.
“It’s the reverse of the way most people do it and makes it a lot more fun to play live,” Day said. “In the past, I’ve made albums and then I have to try to figure out how to play it live, whereas this one will be ready because we’re already playing it live. And it reflects a live show, which is great.”
He decided to record the album in Boston partly due to his longtime friendship with producer, Mike Denneen, who is based in Bean Town and produced most of Day’s music. Day trusts Denneen and often seeks his advice.
“He’s like my oracle,” said Day.
The writing process, he said, has been different to past albums. He’s done a great deal of collaborative writing, but he’s doing most of this one solo.
“With this album, I’m trying to write on my own a bit more, which is more difficult because you have to be disciplined about it,” he said, noting that singer-songwriter Sam Bisbee has encouraged and inspired him via “off the cuff” social meetings. “It’s like having a trainer at the gym: you have to show up. And you want to record and do things as best you can and not look back. It’s tough to not look back, but you have to just let each recording have it’s own moment. You have to keep evolving and move forward.”
During one of his trips to Boston, he performed with the Boston Pops at the Esplanade on the Fourth of July. He was flattered – and excited – when they reached out to him and asked him to join them for the show.
“It was one of the greatest days of my life and that’s not an exaggeration,” Day said. “It was amazing and fun.”
When he’s not writing, recording or performing, Day is taking pictures. He loves photography, and “is a sucker” for snapping shots of landscapes. Having a creative outlet he is able to explore is important for him as an artist.
“I’m really not good at it, but it’s soothing,” he said. “When you have a camera, you see everything differently because you’re looking for something to take a picture of. It makes you more aware of the world around you. Somehow that augments the whole writing process because you see things a bit more objectively than you would in your own bubble or routine.”
He often takes photos while on tour, noting that he enjoyed capturing special moments during a few visits to Iceland last year. These experiences creep their way into his music.
“I love it because when I play songs I think about, ‘this is when I was on that beach and it was snowing,’” he said. “It comes through to the audience.”
And while some audiences have enjoyed his cover of the “Game of Thrones” theme song at solo shows, it’s not played every night.
“We do that because we think it’s funny,” said Day. “It’s an icebreaker. If it seems a little tense, we’ll play that and it changes the whole direction. I like to make people laugh.”
But fans at the Narrows are sure to experience his charming and witty banter, as well as his use of effects pedals and loop-sampling techniques, a style he typically turns to at solo gigs. The band is working on injecting it into performances, along with a cover of Elton John’s “Come Down in Time.”
“It’s a very underrated Elton John song,” Day said. “We’ve been having a lot of fun with that one, too.”
Meanwhile, Correia, a guitarist and piano player who spends half her time in Nashville and the rest in her hometown of Rochester, said she can’t wait to open for Day.
“I’m super psyched,” said Correia, who has also opened for an array of notable musicians such as Natasha Bedingfield, Shawn Colvin, and Livingston Taylor. “I got to see him play in Nashville about a year and a half ago and I’m thrilled to be playing with someone who makes music similar to mine.”
The Narrows Center for the Arts is located at 16 Anawan Street in Fall River. Tickets can be purchased online at www.narrowscenter.org, by calling 508-324-1926, or in person at the box office from Wednesday through Saturday, 12 noon to 5 p.m. Tickets will also be available at the door on the day of show.
Singer-Songwriter Jacy Dawn, of Chelmsford, Mass., can now add the title of “Actress” to her long list of talents. Dawn will play the role of the “Restaurant Hostess” in an upcoming episode of ABC’s hit television show Nashville. The show received ratings of over 6.5 million viewers last season.
Now filming it’s second season, Nashville stars Hayden Panettiere, Connie Britton, Powers Booth and Kimberly Williams Paisley to name a few and revolves around the cut-throat world of music and politics. Dawn was hired for the part through the show’s casting agency and says she has her background in the restaurant industry to thank for landing her the role.
“I left my job as a waitress for an opportunity in the entertainment industry and they wanted an actress with previous restaurant experience,” said Dawn. “Whoever guessed I’d end up right back where it all started? I guess everything comes full circle!”
Dawn was a waitress, manager and hostess at Garrison’s Restaurant in Billerica, Mass., for eight years, before making her move to Nashville.
As a highly acclaimed singer and songwriter, Dawn’s long list of performance credits include singing for President Bill Clinton and performing shows with superstars Wynonna, Martina McBride, LeAnn Rimes, Tanya Tucker, Jo Dee Messina, Darius Rucker, Willie Nelson, Lorrie Morgan and Vince Gill to name a few. Her songwriting credits include 17 cuts since 2009 by both National and International artists. Dawn’s work as production coordinator on the newly released Pam Tillis/Lorrie Morgan album Dos Divas, garnered her the position as project manager for the duo. Dawn’s previous acting credits include being cast as an extra in the Sony Motion Picture, Country Strong starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Tim McGraw in 2010.
Dawn begins filming on the set of Nashville, August 22. The new season airs Wednesday, September 25,2013. An air date for Dawn’s episode has not yet been announced.
Jordan Paiva, of Dartmouth, Mass., is a 21-year-old musician and DJ who is living the dream. Since he was 11, he has been singing and teaching himself to sing in different languages. For many years, his idol was Josh Groban who he listened to for inspiration. In November 2011, he had the opportunity of a lifetime when Groban asked Paiva to come on stage with him and sing “You Raise Me Up” in front of thousands of people at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, R.I. He also runs a successful DJ business called Music of Our Lives. We recently caught up with Pavia who was gracious enough to answer our questions.
Limelight Magazine (LM): Please introduce yourself to our readers. Where did you grow up and when did you decide to get involved in the music business?
Jordan Paiva (JP):My Name is Jordan Paiva. I’m 21 years old. I was born in the Azores, which means I am 100% Portuguese. I have always been an entertainer ever since I was a little boy, but I started to grow into classical music and opera when I was just 11 years old. Classical music is now one of my biggest genres of music that I sing.
LM: On your last CD, you have a song that you sung in Italian, how many languages do you speak?
JP: On my first album called AMOR I sing in Italian and Latin as well as English, but I only speak English. I enjoy learning different languages when singing and that is one of my biggest hobbies. I am proud to say that I can sing in English, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian, and Latin.
LM: You also won an award last year at the Portuguese Music Awards that were held in New Bedford. What award did you receive? How did you feel after receiving it?
JP: Back in February winning the award for BEST CLASSICAL MUSIC was absolutely SHOCKING! I never thought that in front of the whole Portuguese community around the globe that I would have won that award! It was such an honor and I cannot wait for next year! It made my Portuguese family proud that someone with NEW TALENT would take the award for such a beautiful song in Italian!
LM: According to your Facebook page, your next studio album is coming out in 2014. Have you begun recording the album yet? What can we expect?
JP: The next album that I will be releasing in 2014 is called International. This album is going to be my biggest challenge yet. I will begin recording in October. Facing the challenge of squeezing six languages (English, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian, and Latin) and the right songs to be “internationally” known for singing in the most popular languages so that I can one day perform them for different cultures.
LM: Do you plan to record the songs for your new album with a band?
JP: The music that each track comes from is beautifully made through different orchestras recorded then I sing to the music. I hope to one day get to record with an actual orchestra in the studio.
LM: Although it’s been covered already by local news outlets, you had the opportunity of a lifetime when you were asked by Josh Groban to come on stage and sing “You Raise Me Up” with him at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, RI, in November 2011. How did you get that chance? What was that experience like? Was that the largest crowd you ever sang in front of?
JP: Back in November of 2011, I attended a Josh Groban concert who is one of my BIGGEST IDOLS!! They had a Q&A section where you could ask Josh any question you wanted. So, at 19 years old, I told myself that I wanted to SING with my idol Josh Groban. Shortly after the last question out of 50,000 people, my question was answered with a YES!! The experience was more than overwhelming. I couldn’t stop smiling for the longest time. My DREAM had come true and to sing in front of all those people was my biggest audience yet and the crowd went WILD! I wasn’t nervous I was extremely happy! Hope to do it again at his next concert in October 2013 at the TD Garden in Boston.
LM: Other than Josh Groban, what other artists do you listen to for inspiration?
JP: Other than Josh Groban I enjoy singing classical music from Andrea Bocelli, Michael Buble, Frank Sinatra, Elton John, Elvis Presley, Nat King Cole and so much more to go on!
LM: You also run a DJ business and have quite a following. How did you get involved with that? What do you enjoy about that type of work?
JP: Being a DJ is a fun job. When people book their parties with me, they don’t just get a DJ that stands behind his table and presses play…they get an entertainer!! I get out there and I dance with the crowd, teach them some new dances and get everyone active and playing games and making it a never ending party of FUN! So if anyone ever needs a fun and outgoing DJ they can always visit us at www.musicofourlives.us.
LM: Where would you like to see yourself in the next five years?
JP: In the next five years I hope to have the world know my story and how much passion I have in my music and my singing!
LM: How can our readers reach out to you?
JP: I can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JordanPaiva247 or as a DJ by going to www.musicofourlives.us. People can also go to www.reverbanation.com and search “Jordan Paiva” where they can buy my album. If they get bored one day, they can go to YouTube and key in “Jordan Paiva” and they’ll have over 400 videos to watch.
With music as fresh as the vegetables she harvests, local singer-songwriter and organic farmer Hayley Sabella is proving her “farm fingers” are just as good at strumming a guitar as they are at picking tomatoes.
Bright and cheerful, Sabella seems to have the unlikely rough edge you’d expect from a farmer, but Sabella isn’t afraid to roll up her sleeves and get her hands dirty, which she has done now for three summers. Alongside her music, Sabella works at both Holmes Farm in Manomet, Mass. and Soule Homestead in Middleboro, Mass.
On August 3, Sabella took a break from farming and played an intimate outdoor concert alongside local singer-songwriter Hayley Reardon at the Homestead. Seeing her perform at the farm where she works, it was clear where Sabella’s music gets its raw, honest quality.
“It was cool to look around and see [Soule Homestead] in a different context…it definitely cast the place in a different light,” she said.
Although farming began as a seasonal job while she was an English major at Bridgewater State University, it has become a passion and inspiration for her. This inspiration can be heard in her 2012 EP Farm Fingers.
Along with playing intimate local venues and house shows, Sabella is preparing to record her first full length album to be titled King Solomon, after one of her songs on her Farm Fingers EP.
In October, Sabella will travel to Minot, Maine, to record for the second time with Josh Ray at Owl Head Studios.
“I want to invite a lot of friends to come up and play their instruments and I think overall it’s going to be great and people are going to want to see what it’s like,” Sabella said.
To fund the album and a “behind the scenes” documentary, Sabella said she plans to launch a Kickstarter campaign.
“I’m looking for minimally $10,000,” Sabella said. “I want to record the record and also hire a film crew to document it because it’s in the middle of the woods…and it’s going to be a really cool process.”
In the meantime, Sabella is playing around three shows a week at intimate venues throughout New England, including Sarah Blacker’s upcoming CD release concert at Club Passim in Cambridge, Mass., on August 22, 2013, at 7 p.m.
“[Blacker’s] delightful – she’s just such a nice, warm person,” Sabella said.
Along with encouragement and advice, Sabella said Blacker has helped to introduce her into the music community in Boston. After the projected release of King Solomon in February 2014, Sabella hopes to tour and spread her roots even “further and wider”.
“I’m very excited and I’m pleased that I am so busy, it means I’m on the right track,” she said.
Better Times Emporium owner Steve Davoli poses with his prized antique vintage Coca-Cola dispenser in Plymouth. (Photo by Leah Astore)
By LEAH ASTORE
Vinyl is alive and thriving in Plymouth, Mass. and the man keeping the records spinning is the owner of Better Times Emporium Steve Davoli.
Back before iTunes, CDs, and even eight-tracks, vinyl records brought music to the masses in its rawest form. Now Davoli is finding people are once again craving the classic sound of vintage records. Surprisingly, the majority of his record-buying customers were born after the CD began its rise to the top.
“I think it’s all just new to them or their parents or grandparents gave them a record player,” Davoli said. “They love the covers, the sound – it’s more pure; even sometimes you’ll get that little scratch when you play them and that’s that whole part of [records] that people really like.”
The most popular records – not surprisingly – include legends such as The Beatles, The Kinks, and Led Zeppelin.
Over the course of two years, the Better Times Emporium inventory has moved from a small one floor storefront to a three-floor building with one floor dedicated entirely to records, 45s, eight-tracks, and record players. What started with one small box of records has become his most popular item drawing young, old, local, and non-local customers.
“People that come in from other countries will go up and start walking through them and they’ll pick up American records and take them back [home] with them,” he said. Customers have even traveled from out-of-state to find beloved musical relics. “It seems to be a big thing and there’s people that will come in and are surprised that I have them,” he said.
Davoli’s journey back in time began in much the same fashion. At 22 years-old, his cross country road-trip from his hometown in Medford, Mass., to sunny California surprisingly became a permanent visit. Soon after, he found himself immersed in local antique shows. He began by collecting vintage Coca-Cola items – the first in his collection was a Coca-Cola dispensing machine that is now a permanent working fixture at Better Times.
Over the course of 26 years, what started as a personal collection eventually became big enough for Davoli to start an antiques booth and soon after a co-op. When he moved from California to Lakeville in 2002 he found work as a carpenter, but the work was unfulfilling for him – what he dreamed of doing was opening his own antique store.
“This is something I always wanted to do – have my own store,” Davoli said. “And have a space where you can come in and feel like you just went back in time.”
Perhaps that’s why he surrounds himself with the artifacts of what he believes were truly better times.
“I’m stuck in the past. I wish I was born sooner and could’ve been around all that,” Davoli said.
His store aims to recreate this feeling for all who remember it or simply want to learn more about what the 50s and 60s were like.
“The look of it, the sounds – everything was simpler, cheaper. That’s what appealed to me and that’s what I wanted to try to recreate to a certain extent,” Davoli said of his store. He hopes that it can be a place for everyone to come and relive the good ol’ days and the golden age of music.
“The biggest thing for a lot of especially the older people – my age or older – is they get reminded of the past and just all the things that were part of when they were younger and it was fun and that’s what I want to try and convey,” he said.
Limelight Magazine recently caught up with bassist extraordinaire Simon Fitzpatrick of Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy. The band just completed an extensive world tour, including a show at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, Mass., on May 5, 2013. Fitzpatrick, a graduate of the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance, also released a solo CD called Reflections to coincide with the tour. On August 3rd, he’ll be performing again with Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, NJ, as part of YES’s first ever festival called YESTIVAL – a day-into-night musical adventure in full quadraphonic sound. Please enjoy our interview.
Limelight Magazine (LM): You just finished an extensive world tour with Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy. How did the tour go overall?
Simon Fitzpatrick (SF): I thought the tour was a great success overall. It’s the longest tour the band has done to date, starting in Japan in February and ending in May in New York, and it was a real pleasure to perform all around the world.
LM: Were there any shows that stood out from the rest? Why?
SF: For me the two gigs we played on Cruise to the Edge were a real standout. It was an honour to perform in front of the greats of progressive rock like Yes, Steve Hackett and UK and also to have the chance to watch them perform. Sailing through the Caribbean for five days and making tropical island excursions to swim with dolphins was a plus too.
LM: This must have been asked many times but how did you get your current job as Carl Palmer’s bass player?
SF: Dave Marks, one of my former bass guitar tutors, is a previous member of the band. When former bassist Stuart Clayton left, Carl asked Dave for recommendations for a replacement and my name came out. Carl checked out some of my YouTube videos and the rest is history.
LM: According to your website, you also work with two London based acts: The Robbie Boyd Band and Elephant Gun. Do you still work with them? Do you find it hard to bounce back and forth between all three bands?
It is difficult because there are inevitably going to be clashes. Fortunately, the other bands I work with are very flexible and able to use replacements when I’m not available. Being involved with different projects also gives me the chance to enjoy playing differing styles of music (in this case folk/pop and jazz/fusion) rather than being tied down to one genre.
LM: You graduated from the Institute of Contemporary Music as best overall bass player from both the diploma and the degree courses. When did you start playing the bass? What motivated you to play this instrument?
SF: After discovering metal as teenagers, my twin brother and I were inspired to learn the guitar, especially after watching bands like Megadeth, Fear Factory and Slipknot. We soon realised that to have a band, one of us was going to have to learn the bass and I was the one to really take to it and I haven’t looked back since. Sadly, I don’t think many people are drawn to the bass first but I think of it as my mission to change that!
LM: Who were your musical inspirations growing up? Who do you listen to now for inspiration?
SF: The music which I was first passionate about was the nu-metal wave from the early 2000’s. From there my tastes expanded to all forms of metal including the progressive form which took me to Dream Theater who were probably my biggest inspiration. I’d never heard anything like them before and it was a real eye opener about musical creativity, what could be achieved on a musical instrument and how far technical ability could be pushed. Very soon after I’d bought a six string bass and was absorbing as much as I could about what you could do with it. That feeling of being blown away after hearing some new music is harder to find these days but I listen to all kinds of music and try to be open to inspiration from anything. In terms of bass players my biggest influences have probably been Victor Wooten, Stu Hamm, Jaco Pastorius and John Myung.
LM: You brought out the stick bass at the Howard Theatre in Washington D.C. Do you play the stick bass often? Did you use it on any other dates on the tour?
SF: The Stick is a very new instrument to me and I am only starting to get to grips with it. Now that the tour is over I have some time to get properly acquainted with it and so hope to be able to use it more in the future. I used it on the last five or six gigs of the tour on our arrangement of “Carmina Burana.”
LM: You released a solo album called Reflections that coincided with the tour, containing many of your previous solo spots, some songs you haven’t performed live and some original pieces. How long did it take you to record the album? Why did you select the cover songs you did?
SF: Much of the album was recorded in the last couple of months before the tour started, although the content reflects my solo bass playing from the last couple of years. For my solo spots I try to select an epic piece (like “Bohemian Rhapsody” or “Stairway to Heaven”), which has enough content for me to be able to keep it interesting as an instrumental and which is well known enough for the majority of our audiences to be able to connect with it. Other pieces on the album are favourites of mine which I wanted to put my own spin on and some well known classical pieces which I felt could be brought out well on the bass.
LM: You received a standing ovation at the Narrows Center for the Arts for your cover of Yes’ “Roudabout.” How do you feel getting that type of response?
It really means a lot to me to get a reaction like that as it shows that all the hard work was worth it. One of my favourite things about playing in the US is how the crowds will really let you know how they feel – usually in a good way! British crowds are great too but they can be a little reserved and standing ovations are much less common.
LM: Are you possibly looking to follow up Reflections with another album?
SF: I’m constantly working on new solo arrangements, so when I feel I have enough material I’ll most likely put it together as a second album.
LM: Do you want to continue playing music as a career for the rest of your life or do you have other goals?
SF: Yes at the moment that is my intention but who knows what the future holds.
LM: Is there anything you’d like to add?
SF: It’s always a pleasure to visit the New England area so I look forward to returning to play some more music. Thanks!
(This story was taken from the summer 2013 issue of Limelight Magazine).
Twenty-eight year old guitar goddess and singer-songwriter Orianthi has played alongside some of the biggest guitar legends of our time from Steve Vai to Carlos Santana and has become an idol in her own right.
From her music to her message, Orianthi has shown what passion and determination can do.
At six-years-old Orianthi began playing music in her home of Adelaide, Australia, with a view to someday become a recording artist in the United States. She received her first guitar soon after and began learning songs by Vai, Santana, and Jimi Hendrix. By the time she was 15, Orianthi began her career as a professional guitarist and caught the attention of both of her idols, Vai and Santana.
“The hardest thing is just keeping at it and not giving up,” she said. “You can travel the world and do it for a living if you really work your butt off.”
After playing with Carrie Underwood at the Grammy Awards in 2009, she gained the attention of Michael Jackson for the King of Pop’s ill-fated “This Is It” tour. Yet, the fall of 2009, brought her biggest success when her debut single “According to You” off of her second solo album Believe received major air time in the United States and worldwide.
Now Orianthi is saying “Welcome 2 My Nightmare” as she tours the United States with Alice Cooper and Marilyn Manson.
Since 2011, Orianthi has played guitar alongside Cooper while balancing her own solo career as a singer-songwriter. Performing to audiences of 5,000 to 6,000 people a night, Orianthi, Cooper, and Manson aim to shock and entertain and feed off of their audiences’ energy.
“Every night it’s like a big party on stage,” she said. “We’re just having a lot of fun out here.”
The shows incorporate shocking and dramatic props like guillotines and plenty of fake blood.
“Working with Alice is just so great because he is a really cool person apart from being an amazing performer,” Orianthi said. “I’ve learned a lot from being out on tour with him.”
Besides touring with Cooper, Orianthi has played sporadic solo concerts for her newest solo album Heaven in This Hell, which was released in March 2013. From August to October, she will perform solo shows for Heaven In This Hell before she rejoins Cooper on his tour. Next year, she said she plans to fit in a series of international shows in Australia, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
For Heaven In This Hell Orianthi went to Nashville to record with musician, songwriter, and producer Dave Stewart who was formerly part of the disbanded Eurythmics. After meeting him at a show two years ago and “jamming out” with him, she knew she wanted to mirror the same vibe of Stewart’s albums in her music. The collaboration, she said, happened really naturally.
Unlike her other albums, Heaven In This Hell is more hard rock oriented while combining riff-heavy songs with country and blues. Her song “Filthy Blues” and the title track “Heaven In This Hell” are a perfect example of this. Yet other tracks like “If You Were Here With Me” convey softness amidst the albums’ grittier overtones.
“It’s the kind of music I want to put out there,” Orianthi said of Heaven In This Hell. “It’s a record I’m really proud of.”
At this stage in her career, Orianthi has much to be proud of, as she has proved herself as a multi-faceted artist playing alongside musicians of several different genres from country to pop to hard rock. Next, she would like to expand her musical repertoire even further by combining heavy guitar with more electronic based musicians.
“I really like Lady Gaga’s voice. I think it would be really cool to do something with her or Usher and do something really different than what I’ve done before,” she said.
Amidst her worldwide success as a recording artist, Orianthi stays true to her message and hopes to continue to inspire both guys and girls to pick up guitars and follow their passions like she did.
“If you want to be a musician – you want your music heard out there, it’s just about putting yourself out there and taking risks and performing to as many people as you can.”
Brianna Grace is singer-songwriter from Middleboro, Mass., who is making a name for herself in the country music scene across New England. She was voted by our readers as runner-up “Country Artist of the Year” and will be opening for Jonathan Edwards at the Cotuit Center for the Arts on July 13th and Scott McCreery (for a second time!) at Indian Ranch in Webster, Mass., on August 10th. We recently caught up with Ms. Grace who was delighted to answer our questions.
Limelight Magazine (LM): You’re in the process of recording your debut album. Can you tell us how it’s going?
Brianna Grace (BG): The process is coming along well! It’s exciting to see something that started with my guitar develop into a full-grown album. The plan is to record the tracks by the end of summer and release the album sometime in the early fall. If things continue at the rate they are going, I’ll get to share many more of my original songs with everyone!
LM: Are you recording the songs solo or with a band?
BG: On the album I will be performing with a wonderfully talented group of musicians. In the future I might include acoustic songs on an album, or even release strictly an acoustic album, but until then anyone interested can listen to my YouTube videos.
LM: How do you select musicians to record with you? Do they have any input on the songs?
BG: I work with my producer to decide which musicians. I’m always open to new ideas that can potentially improve my material – so yes! They can have input if they’d like to throw ideas out there. At the end of the day, however, it’s about what sounds the best and what best represents me and who I am as an artist.
LM: Can you discuss your own personal song-writing process?
BG: More often than not, I tend to write the words before the music or melody. However, sometimes I’ll surprise myself and create the song’s melody before I even have completed lyrics. From the time I was in elementary school, I loved writing poems. When I reached middle school, my enjoyment with poem writing became a love for song-writing thanks to guitar lessons. Now, I write anywhere and everywhere. I always try to keep my songwriting book with me wherever I go, just in case. On the off chance I don’t have my book with me, I will use available notebooks, random pieces of paper, post-it notes, or my phone…you name it in order to jot my ideas down. It doesn’t really matter where I am. If it pops into my head, I write it down, or even hum a melody into the voice recorder on my phone to keep it for future editing. Sometimes an entire song comes easily from one concept—and other times a song could take months to write, having come from different concepts and ideas I’ve had lying around. It’s all up to the moment and the song.
LM: How did you feel about being named runner-up “Country Artist of the Year” at our annual awards show this year?
BG:I honestly feel beyond honored to have received such recognition. I really wasn’t expecting such a humbling nomination! I was taken aback when my name was announced. There are so many other talented artists in this industry, and to be placed amongst so many of those artists was such a fantastic feeling. I can’t thank my fans enough for their love and support. It feels great to know that there are so many people who support me and my music. My fans are truly amazing and I’m very grateful for that.
LM: You’ve done some appearances on local radio stations. Do you like promoting your music on the radio?
BG: I love radio appearances! It’s definitely a different type of performance and experience. I am not usually in front of many people—just a handful at most are actually sitting or standing near you. But playing on the radio has the potential for many people listening. You never really know exactly how many, or WHO could be listening. I think that’s what’s even more exciting about it. Knowing that there’s the potential that what seems like such an intimate and simple performance can in reality reach and impact a huge amount of people. And you never know what that could lead to.
LM: What do you enjoy most about performing live on stage?
BG: It’s hard to pinpoint just one thing. Live performances are exciting, invigorating. It’s a chance to connect with your fans on a more personal level than just pressing play on a stereo. It’s raw and unpredictable. Plus, being able to see and hear the reactions from the crowd is an adventure within itself. Live performances push me to put forth my absolute best—to give well beyond 100 percent during every second of the show. Part of that is because I know that the people in front of me took the time out of their life to come and support me, so I want to thank them the best way that I can and make it worth it. Performing is like being in a different world. I know everyone says that, but I have to agree. It just seems natural and I go into some kind of zone. When I perform, I am completely comfortable with who I am—with the steps that I take and the things that I say. I believe in the things I sing about. I sing about things that I can connect to (and that hopefully the audience can as well)—whether that means it is about something I went through or something I saw someone I love endure. If I believe in it, I’ll put my all into it.
LM: You opened for Scott McCreery at Indian Ranch last July. What was that experience like?
BG: That experience was, for lack of a better word, surreal. It was more than I thought it would be, and after it was over left me wanting more as well. The venue seats a couple thousand people, making it the biggest audience I have performed in front of in New England. The calibers of response from audience members at this specific show definitely reminded me why I do what I do and why I want this so much.
LM: You were recently involved with a recording of “Dirty Water” to support the One Fund Boston. How did you get involved and what was it like working with so many talented musicians?
BG: This project was somewhat of a spur of the moment thing. My friend Dave DeLuca from the Highway Ghosts contacted me asking if I wanted to be a part of this project that the band Girls Guns and Glory was putting together. Obviously, I jumped at the chance. There were about 40 of us packed into producer Sean McLaughlin’s studio. It was one of the most memorable moments of my career to date. Seeing so many musicians from New England all come and work together for one cause was awe inspiring. There was so much talent in one place that day and it truly shows how the many diverse members of the music community can unite and create something worthy of a noble cause. (Purchase their version of “Dirty Water” at www.onesession.bandcamp.com).
LM: Why did you decide to pursue a career in music and focus on country music?
BG:Music has always been a terrific outlet for me, and has helped me through many of life’s ups and downs. The power that music has for people is also inspirational. Music, even one simple song, is something that can create a movement, a memory, an emotion, and in general just bring people together during good times, or even bad (such as the “Dirty Water” project). Music is such a huge part of my life and it’s what I love to do, so it only made sense to have it be my career as well. As far why I chose to focus on country music? I guess it more so chose me. I grew up with it. From the time I was four years old, I would ride around in my Dad’s truck blasting George Straight or Martina McBride. I love all kinds of music, but country is what I always go back to. It’s the most natural for me.
LM: Who are some of your biggest influences?
BG: To start, of course, I admire fellow artists who I have grown up listening to such as George Straight, Garth Brooks, Martina McBride, Shania Twain, Faith Hill…the list goes on. But I believe that many more musicians have made an impact as well. I have learned so much from working with all different types of musicians and artists from different levels and genres. The influence that goes the furthest back in my life, though, is my Mom. She has always had a passion for music and performing and that was instilled in me at an extremely early age (as in, banging on pots and pans as a drum set and running around with a toy microphone once I realized my vocal chords could do more than just talking!).
LM: What sets you apart from other local musicians?
BG: The amount of talented musicians in this world, even in this community alone, is remarkable. Being able to be a part of all of it is an honor. When it comes to making a name for one self, recognition takes time and is based upon multiple things. The experience you give the audience has to be a memorable one. Sure, I sing and play guitar. Yes, I write my own material. But I also really put effort into the live performances and the experience that my audience has during the show. One night at a gig someone actually made a comment to me about how I, in a sense, even became part of the audience because of my persona on stage (and on the dance floor with them), and how fun they thought it was. That stuck with me. I also try to personally speak with audience members when I can. My songs and style take a classic genre and add a modern twist to it, which appeals to music lovers of more than just one preference, as well as age groups. And at the end of the day, I love what I do. Music is my passion, and my determination and drive to also have it be my lifetime career is at an ultimate high.
LM: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
BG: There’s not much else to say, except thank you for giving me such an opportunity, and thank you to my fans, friends, and family for such wonderful and continuous support. Without any of you, I wouldn’t be able to have any of this or do what I do.
(This story was taken from the summer 2013 issue of Limelight Magazine).
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