Cassette Chronicles, Home

The Cassette Chronicles – John Norum’s ‘Total Control’

Leave a comment

BY JAY ROBERTS (SPECIAL TO LIMELIGHT MAGAZINE)

The Cassette Chronicles is a continuing series of mini reviews and reflections on albums from the 1980’s that I have acquired through Purchase Street Records in New Bedford, MA.

The aim of this series is to highlight both known and underappreciated albums from rock, pop and metal genres from the 1980’s through the cassette editions of their releases. Some of the albums I have known about and loved for years, while others are new to me and were music I’ve always wanted to hear. There will be some review analysis and my own personal stories about my connection with various albums.

These opinions are strictly my own and do not reflect the views of anyone else at Limelight Magazine.

John Norum’s Total Control (1988)

If I remember an article I read correctly, guitarist John Norum left Europe back in the 1980’s because he was unhappy over the more commercial bent of the group’s music. Given that he has been part of the lineup for years with the band’s turn towards a more classic rock sound these days, you can kind of see where he was coming from given the material that was included on this particular album.

With Norum singing lead on eight of the eleven tracks as well as playing guitar, the guitarist was clearly in as much “total control” as possible for the time. While the album’s production is clearly of the 80’s, the material does veer greatly into the heavier guitar driven sound. While keyboards do have a presence on the album, they don’t overwhelm the clearly more aggressive rocking vibe.

There are nine original songs on the album plus two covers. The cover of Thin Lizzy’s “Wild One” closes the album while Norum also covers the Vinnie Vincent Invasion song “Back on The Streets.”

The album does a nice job of keeping the blood flowing with great guitar work on tracks like “Eternal Flame” and “Law of Life,” but the downbeat and moody style employed on “Too Many Hearts” makes for a disappointing song.

When you think about it, the album is kind of a foretelling of what Europe is doing now, musically speaking. And it isn’t a bad thing either. This album is quite enjoyable and I think people will be surprised by what they hear.

Note of Interest: Swedish singer Goran Edman, who would go on to front Yngwie Malmsteen’s band for two albums (amongst many other projects), sings lead on the three tracks where Norum does not have the lead vocal.

Cassette Chronicles, Home

The Cassette Chronicles – Eddie Money’s ‘Nothing To Lose’

Leave a comment

BY JAY ROBERTS (SPECIAL TO LIMELIGHT MAGAZINE)

The Cassette Chronicles is a continuing series of mini reviews and reflections on albums from the 1980’s that I have acquired through Purchase Street Records in New Bedford, MA.

The aim of this series is to highlight both known and underappreciated albums from rock, pop and metal genres from the 1980’s through the cassette editions of their releases. Some of the albums I have known about and loved for years, while others are new to me and were music I’ve always wanted to hear. There will be some review analysis and my own personal stories about my connection with various albums.

These opinions are strictly my own and do not reflect the views of anyone else at Limelight Magazine.

Eddie Money’s Nothing To Lose (1988)

In a previous installment of The Cassette Chronicles I wrote about Eddie Money’s Can’t Hold Back album and how beyond the two hit songs from the release, the album was otherwise lacking in high quality material.

Nothing To Lose was the follow up album to Can’t Hold Back and it is surprisingly much more of a cohesive album. This is in spite of the fact that it really only has one hit song, the solidly entertaining “Walk On Water.” Working in concert with guitarist Richie Zito (who played guitar on eight of the ten songs as well as co-producing and co-arranging), Money found a real solid groove here.

While the more commercially oriented material is the main component, there’s a couple of full on rocking tracks. “Forget About Love” and “Bad Boy” have a strong guitar that runs throughout each song. The solo on the latter song is electrifying while the more aggressive than expected guitar work on the former song at first surprised and then delighted.

The track “Let Me In” has kind of annoying build up in the chorus but the song was otherwise solid. And the atypically good but not sugary love song “Pull Together” was lyrically potent.

While this was pretty much the last Eddie Money album that I can say that I paid attention to, it did take me a little by surprise and I’m pretty happy that was the case. I’ve got a couple of online friends who rave about Eddie Money to this day and looking back on this album will likely mean I have to break down and check out some of the material that came later on.

Note of Interest: Guitarist Stevie Salas made a guest appearance on the track “Let Me In”.

Home

Exclusive: Limelight Premiers Katie Dobbins Debut Single ‘More Love’

2 Comments
Katie Dobbins (PHOTO BY KRIS DOBBINS PHOTOGRAPHY, SUBMITTED BY KATIE DOBBINS)

Contemporary folk artist Katie Dobbins will release her debut album, She Is Free, at The Burren Backroom in Somerville, MA, on May 7, 2017, and Limelight Magazine is premiering the new single “More Love” off the album. Click HERE to give it a listen.

Coupling a contemporary folk foundation with new country embellishments, Dobbins’ music, though reminiscent of Jewel and Colbie Caillat, establishes itself solidly in a genre all its own. Her release show will feature supporting sets by Boston performers Hana Kahn and Age, artists who, in addition to bringing their own locally-renowned musicianship, also perform in the evening’s spirit of freedom, empowerment, and love.

Dobbins explains, “This album, She Is Free, is a collection of songs I created over time, and its release signifies my own personal freedom from any insecurities or fears I have held about myself or my music up to this point. The songs on the album pay tribute to certain people in my life who have empowered me along the way, and also tell stories of various real and imagined characters pursuing love and freedom.”

Dobbins works as a special education teacher in Lexington, MA and performs regularly as a solo artist in the Boston area and with the band at Storyheights Church. She Is Free is Dobbins’ debut release, its nine tracks touching on themes of love, self-empowerment, and setting yourself free. Following the release of her album, Dobbins plans to travel regionally and share her music with new audiences throughout New England.

She Is Free will be available on iTunes, Spotify, and Bandcamp. For additional information, please contact Dobbins at the information provided below.

Let The Music Set You Free

Katie Dobbins She Is Free album release show with Hana Kahn and Age on May 7, at 8 p.m. at The Burren, 247 Elm Street, Somerville, Mass.

Ticket Link: http://bit.ly/2mfOIMc

 

 

Features & Interviews, Home, Up & Coming Artists

Kate Eppers finds ‘The Wishing Well’

1 Comment

BY JAY KENNEY

Kate Eppers is a singer, songwriter and actress from Salem, Mass., who just released her catchy debut album The Wishing Well. The album contains seven songs with each song telling a story of the stages Eppers was going through in the summer of 2014. It starts off sad, angry, confused, as she was going through something very traumatic at the time. Then, the songs change, transitioning to the soundtrack of a truly euphonic state, as she was falling madly in love. The album ends with an instrumental that is compilation of all the songs on the album. After listening to it from start to finish, we knew she was someone we wanted to feature in Limelight Magazine. What follows is our interview with Eppers where she candidly answered our questions about her album, acting career and some other interesting things.

Kate Eppers debut solo album is called “The Wishing Well” (PHOTO BY JEREMY DORSON PHOTOGRAPHY, SUBMITTED BY KATE EPPERS)

LIMELIGHT MAGAZINE (LM): You just released your debut studio album The Wishing Well on March 17th. You started the songwriting process in 2014 and it finally came to fruition three years later. How do you feel about the finished product?

KATE EPPERS: I feel the album came out completely different than I thought it would, better than I ever dreamed. Originally, I thought this was going to be a three song EP, but the songs just kept coming. They flew out of me in such a brief period, less than two months. I wrote most of the songs on my keyboard. I knew I would keep the piano in most of them but I never imagined what the songs would evolve into through the production process. “Burn This City to the Ground” was powerful enough in its organic state of piano and vocals, but once the guitars, strings, and toms were brought in, the song took an even darker turn. “Follow Me” was beautiful to me in its simplicity, but once flutes, drums and dreamy flowing strings were incorporated, it became almost unrecognizable. The results are very satisfying, reminiscent of Disney I’ve been told. The Wishing Well now as a completed album has surprised me as the songs took on a life of their own. I am surprised at what the evolution of the music produced, and I couldn’t be happier with the results.

LM: Your album has a theme to it, with each song telling a story of the stages you were going through in the summer of 2014. Can you elaborate on this for our readers because understating the order of songs and how the record flows adds a special dimension to it? 

KATE EPPERS: This album truly is a time stamp of my life during the summer of 2014, except for “Prove That You’re Real” which I wrote years prior. The songs were written as I was experiencing extreme pain and extreme happiness (mostly happiness). At times my feelings were simultaneous with the writing of the songs. Other times the writing took place after the fact when I was in a place, a state where I was better able to channel those emotions into the creation of a song. The songs were specifically placed in consecutive order of which they were written. “Silence” begins my story which is a somber song of betrayal and sorrow. Following this was “For Me There’s Only You” in which I crafted a song using my fantasy obsessed imagination. This was a tale of an immortal woman searching for her long dead lover. I had the chorus and melody in my head for years, but had never moved forward with bringing it life. “Burn This City to the Ground” was a poem I wrote to deal with the same trauma I was going through when I wrote “Silence”. The decision to turn this into a song was ultra-challenging, as I have never written words before music before. Upon completion of writing this song, I was elated as it turned out as I had hoped. [It’s] dark, dramatic, and melodic. The next two songs “Follow Me” and “The Wishing Well” flowed out of me in such a natural way as I fell in love again (intensely). I fell into a state of euphoria in which I had never experienced or knew possible! I hope this comes through in the album – a feeling of pure happiness, of dreams coming true.

LM: Of the seven songs on the album, do you have a particular favorite and why?

KATE EPPERS: An honorable mention would be “Follow me”. It was my way of asking the man I was falling in love with to be with me always, to never leave my side. However, I would say the title track “The Wishing Well” is my absolute favorite, mostly due to the severe emotionality and honesty it represents. I was falling so deeply in love, and existing in such a magical world when I wrote this. This song personifies the passion and intensity of that relationship, of that blessed moment in time. When I listen to it, I get intense chills as powerful images and feelings are awoken. It’s so overpowering that I cannot always listen.

LM: The final song on the album is an instrumental compilation of tracks called “Medley of the Melodies.” This adds a nice touch. Why did you decide to close the album like this? 

KATE EPPERS: About halfway through the recording process of this album, I started playing around on the piano attempting to see if any of the songs fit into each other. I imagined a medley would be a fun and creative way to wrap up the journey that these songs take you through. It’s a way to recap all the collective melodies which represent my words, my heart and my life. Originally, it was just going to be piano. Upon the completion of recording the medley, I longed to hear other instruments and plug-ins dancing around the keys. I also thought it would be a treat to hear the melodies from The Wishing Well come alive in another way. It was exciting to hear parts of “For Me There’s Only You” with dark undertones, an organ and a chorus! “Follow me” turned string heavy and classical, romantic. “Medley of the Melodies” was the very last song completed on the album.

LM: After listening to The Wishing Well, many of the songs have a Blackmore’s Night vibe making them very unique. You’re vocal style is also similar to their vocalist Candice Night. Were you familiar with Blackmore’s Night when you recorded the album? Has anyone else compared you to them?

KATE EPPERS: What’s funny is last week an actor I worked with on an independent film sent me a message asking if I had ever heard of Blackmore’s Night. He stated it strongly reminded him of my music. I was not familiar with them and now I am absolutely a fan. “Magical Night” sounds like a beautiful, medieval, Celtic fantasy come to life! Any comparison between me and them is a huge compliment that I’m happy to take. Candace Night has such a unique, sweet voice. Music that evokes fantastical imagery is something that I will be hooked on immediately.

LM: Who are some of your biggest influences in the music industry that impacted the recording of The Wishing Well or inspired you to be a singer-songwriter?

KATE EPPERS: I grew up adoring Mariah Carey, as well as obsessively singing and listening to all Disney music. (I still LOVE Disney and was in Disneyworld and Disneyland this year). As a tween, I went to a Tori Amos concert and was fortunate enough to meet her. I went with a good friend and her father was friends with the amazing Matt Chamberlain who at the time was Tori’s drummer. Tori was so sweet and kind and I became a super fan. She heavily influenced me with her beautiful, operatic voice flowing through her piano heavy, unique, experimental songs. She truly does not fit into one specific genre, and her songs can change their sound from album to album. My favorite album of hers, if I had to pick one, would be To Venus and Back. “Concertina” may be my favorite Tori Amos song of all time.

LM: Do you plan to do any touring to support your new album?

KATE EPPERS: I am hoping to have a CD release show sooner than later! I have to gather the pieces all together. Stay tuned for CD release show information as it’s scheduled. In the meantime, I play with my cover band (Teal Street Band) typically at weddings and private parties. We will be at Bunratty tavern in Reading, Mass., on Thursday, June 15, from 7 to 10pm.

LM: Along with the new album, you’ve recently updated your website, kateepers.com. Besides this site, what other ways can people access your music online?

KATE EPPERS: I am happy to announce kateeppers.com is live! In addition to this I have a very active YouTube page with the music video “For Me There’s Only You” from The Wishing Well. (Click HERE to view this video). This video was filmed in my hometown of Salem, Massachusetts, by Astropiano films. My music can be downloaded on iTunes and Amazon, or streamed  free on Spotify, SoundCloud and Reverbnation. My website also offers a few free downloads.

LM: Outside of music, you are also an actress. You have a cool demo reel on Vimeo. Do you have any acting or film related projects in the works?

KATE EPPERS: I had the pleasure of playing a lead in the upcoming film entitled The Chair from Bald Dog Productions. It was filmed in Boston at the end of 2016 and is now in post-production. This is a 1920s-themed period film. I have a song in the movie called “Show You A Good Time”. This was co-written by the insanely talented Boston rock band One Time Mountain! From writing and producing the song with OTM, all the way to filming my scenes, it was an unbelievable experience. I can’t wait for the film to be done. I am also just beginning to study a script for an upcoming horror movie in which I will be contributing music to as well.

LM: Do you have a preference for music or acting or do you like both equally?

KATE EPPERS: It’s hard to pick just one. I adore being part of a project which incorporates both of my favorite things, music and acting. I have found the act of completing an album to be so exciting and fulfilling. With that being said, there is nothing more fun than being part of a live musical theater show with an incredible cast dancing and singing all around you! Before having my own music video, I was featured in eight or so music videos for other artists, typically playing “the girl” in the video. Performing in music videos is crazy fun and addictive. It’s another example of incorporating acting and music together. It’s me completely in my element.

LM: Anything you’d like to add to this interview?

KATE EPPERS: Thank you so much to Limelight Magazine for taking the time to listen to my album and allow me to open up about something so personal and pivotal in my life. I appreciate it so very much! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share.

Kate Eppers (PHOTO BY LEE MAC PHOTO, SUBMITTED BY KATE EPPERS)
Home

Stryper front man Michael Sweet to film live DVD at Narrows Center

1 Comment

Michael Sweet, front man of the multi-platinum rock band Stryper, will record his first ever live DVD on Friday, June 2, 2017, at the intimate Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, Mass. Click HERE for a special video message from Michael Sweet about this show.

The concert will feature Stryper classics, songs from his solo career and a few covers. Louis St. August and Gene D’Itria (of MASS) will open the show. 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.

Musically speaking, Sweet is coming off yet another creative high in the Stryper camp thanks to its 2013 return to form record No More Hell To Pay and its follow up Fallen. He also released the stellar solo album One Sided War in 2016 and is currently recording the sophomore Sweet & Lynch album (which features legendary guitarist George Lynch).

For this special show at the Narrows Center, Sweet will take you on a journey throughout his musical career, performing songs and sharing stories in an unforgettable evening of stellar musicianship.

The Narrows Center is located at 16 Anawan Street in Fall River, Mass. Tickets to this show can be purchased online HERE 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.

Cassette Chronicles, Home

The Cassette Chronicles – Lindsey Buckingham’s ‘Go Insane’

Leave a comment

BY JAY ROBERTS (SPECIAL TO LIMELIGHT MAGAZINE)

The Cassette Chronicles is a continuing series of mini reviews and reflections on albums from the 1980’s that I have acquired through Purchase Street Records in New Bedford, MA.

The aim of this series is to highlight both known and underappreciated albums from rock, pop and metal genres from the 1980’s through the cassette editions of their releases. Some of the albums I have known about and loved for years, while others are new to me and were music I’ve always wanted to hear. There will be some review analysis and my own personal stories about my connection with various albums.

These opinions are strictly my own and do not reflect the views of anyone else at Limelight Magazine.

Lindsey Buckingham’s Go Insane (1984)

When this album was originally released, I loved the title track. But in all honesty, I don’t think I’ve actually heard the song in the proceeding three decades. You can chalk this entire album up to the notion that sometimes feeling nostalgic or indulging yourself in it comes back and bites you in the butt rather than remind you of good times long past.

I’m not one that looks to go negative in a review or hope to be entirely positive. I just want to give my opinion on what I hear for the good or the bad. But since reviews should consist of more than “This Sucks!” here goes…

I’m not entirely sure what the point of the album was for Buckingham. The title track doesn’t live up to my memory of it at all. The vocals are entirely overproduced which leads them to seem either buried in the overall mix or treated as an afterthought throughout.

The “song” called “Play In The Rain” is the last song on the first side of the album and carries over to be the first song on side two. The only problem is that the track comes off more as a conceptual and/or experimental exercise rather than a real song. It’s a mostly existential wankfest. And that’s probably the kindest thing I can say about pretty much everything on this release. It is like the ability to write a quality song somehow deserted Buckingham here. The fact that I actually liked the title track when it was first release is kind of embarrassing now that I’ve looked back at it.

Even the most interesting song, “Loving Cup”, is ruined by the vocal production. I think if I ended up listening to this album again, I just might live up to its title and actually “go insane” for real.

Cassette Chronicles, Home

The Cassette Chronicles – Cheap Trick’s Lap of Luxury

1 Comment

BY JAY ROBERTS (SPECIAL TO LIMELIGHT MAGAZINE)

The Cassette Chronicles is a continuing series of mini reviews and reflections on albums from the 1980’s that I have acquired through Purchase Street Records in New Bedford, MA.

The aim of this series is to highlight both known and underappreciated albums from rock, pop and metal genres from the 1980’s through the cassette editions of their releases. Some of the albums I have known about and loved for years, while others are new to me and were music I’ve always wanted to hear. There will be some review analysis and my own personal stories about my connection with various albums.

These opinions are strictly my own and do not reflect the views of anyone else at Limelight Magazine.

Cheap Trick’s Lap of Luxury (1988)

“You’ve got me all wound up and ready to go!”

Despite the preceding lyrical line belonging to the closing song “All Wound Up” on Lap of Luxury, the sentiment the lyric conveys pretty much sums up the whole album.

From the get the blood pumping opener “Let Go” to the final strains of music, this album doesn’t disappoint. Despite the heavy use of outside writers (the band wrote or co-wrote just six of the tracks), the music is in undeniable possession of that classic Cheap Trick rock and pop melodic sensibilities. The cover of the Elvis Presley hit “Don’t Be Cruel” is a winner in my estimation because it makes me like the song and I’m not really much of an Elvis fan.

The elephant in the room is the huge smash hit ballad “The Flame”. While the chart success of the song meant the track got insanely overplayed, it is a decent song. The funny thing is that I distinctly remember reading at least one article that the band really doesn’t care for the song. (I can’t find the article online so I can’t 100 percent confirm this though). But, it would be mildly amusing that the last big hit song the band had became one that its members liked the least.

I’m more partial to the songs that lean more towards the rock and roll side of the band’s music like “Space” and “Never Had A Lot To Lose”, but the decidedly more commercial sounding “Ghost Town” has its merits as well.

The subsequent tour for the album represents the one and only time that I’ve been able to see Cheap Trick live. They were opening for Robert Plant and I ended up going with the son of my boss at the time. The band put on a great show and, in a twisted sort of way, I’m glad that I haven’t been able to see them again so as not to sully the memory of their set. What made the set more memorable was how the band blew Robert Plant off the stage on that night. Plant’s set had the volume up so loud that you could barely hear a damn thing he was saying or singing. Cheap Trick grasped the notion that volume can’t be allowed to drown out the music.

“You’re holding out, but I’m holding on. Can’t wait until your resistance is gone.” The lyric made me wonder just how anyone could be holding back on giving some music fan loyalty to Cheap Trick. The band will always be seen for their success with At Budokan and Dream Police as well as their all-time hit “Surrender”, there’s no doubt about that. But for my money, the entirety of Lap of Luxury should be seen as one of their best collective offerings as well, regardless of how the band themselves may feel about the album.

Note of Interest: Keyboardist Greg Giuffria (House of Lords, Angel, Giuffria) co-wrote the song “All We Need Is A Dream” with Rick Nielsen and Robin Zander.

Features & Interviews, Home

Julia Cirignano reflects on time with Limelight Magazine

Leave a comment

BY JULIA CIRIGNANO

Julia Cirignano (center) with Flight of Fire at the Narrows Center in Fall River, MA.

I have been writing for Limelight Magazine for six months and unfortunately my time here has ended. While many of you may have seen my articles for Limelight or have met me in person at shows hosted by JKB Entertainment Group, you may not know that I have actually been an intern.

As a student at Endicott College with a major in English with a creative writing concentration and a music minor, I decided to do my senior internship under the guidance of Katie and Jay, the co-owners of both JKB Entertainment Group and Limelight Magazine. I chose this internship because Limelight was my favorite local music magazine and after meeting Katie and Jay I knew we would gel well together. I couldn’t have been more correct.

Interning for Limelight has been an amazing and truly rewarding experience. While I was given many intern-like responsibilities through my work for JKB, I was also a full time staff writer for Limelight. For JKB, I worked many shows and got to meet some awesome people – both musicians and fans. For Limelight, I was given the opportunity to interview many amazing musicians, business owners, and other people within the music industry and write articles about them. I interviewed local musicians and bands such as Sarah Barrios, Liz Bills (of Analog Heart), blindspot, Erinn Brown, Nikki Coogan (of The Devil’s Twins), Exit 18, Flight of Fire, Girls, Guns and Glory, Shanna Jackman, Ashley Jordan, Jenna Lotti, Martin and Kelly, Dan Masterson, MB Padfield, Sinners Inc., and Matt York, and also several national acts such as Paul Bielatowicz, Black ‘N Blue, Journeyman – A Tribute to Eric Clapton, MASS, Motion Device, Leather Leone, Joan Osborne, and Trevor Rabin.

I also had the opportunity to write featured stories on several businesses and nonprofits, including Cable Car Cinema and Café, Coolidge Corner Theatre’s After Midnight Program, Dark Delicacies, Fright Rags, Hudson Horror Show, Mouradian Guitar Company, Purchase Street Records, Narrows Center for the Arts, The Time Capsule, and TJ’s Music All Star Band Program.

I interviewed director Justin Mayoh about his film Tales of Rocky Point Park and author J. Blake Fichera about his book Scored to Death. I also wrote a few themed stories which focused on a variety of subjects such as vinyl, tattoos, fitness, and more. These stories included quotes from many musicians, fitness trainers, business owners and music fans: Erin Ollis, Amy Marie, Amanda McCarty, Nina McGoff, Sarah Barrios, Emil Belisle, Paul Horton, John MacFee, Hailey Magee, Brian McKenzie, Jennifer Mitchell, Moment of Clarity, Christopher Ruiz, Allison Sigrist, Emile Belisle, Nikki Coogan, April Cushman, Mike LaRoche, Ken Macy, Stan Matthews, Ryan Stark, Arline Urquhart, Mark Vinciguerra and spokesmen from  Burlington Records, Cheapo Records, In Your Year Records, Joe’s Albums, Music Connection, Nuggets Records, Round Again Records, Skele-tone Records, Spun Records and Sunset Records.

I also interviewed JKB Entertainment Group/Limelight Magazine’s co-owner Katie Botelho-Bielatowicz about nail art designs and how to book shows. In addition, I contributed to a tribute story on Bob Coburn of Rockline by interviewing Ian Anderson (of Jethro Tull), Rik Emmett (of Triumph) Shaun Hague (of Journeyman – A Tribute to Eric Clapton) and a number of Limelight’s loyal readers.

I am hugely grateful towards both Katie and Jay for taking me on as an intern, teaching me the ropes to write articles and host shows, being patient with me, buying me food, and keeping me entertained. I truly enjoyed the wonderful experiences I had while working for the both of them.

Some of my most memorable moments includes driving to Rhode Island to watch Jay get a David Bowie “Blackstar” tattoo while I interviewed the tattoo artist and musician Nikki Coogan (of The Devil’s Twins). I will also never forget the night I got to help Katie and her husband (and national touring guitarist) Paul Bielatowicz judge JBK Entertainment Group’s Opening Act Contest held at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, Mass.. Along with the amazing people I met at that show, I will never forget the jaw-dropping performance put on by Flight of Fire, which ended up being a band I have stayed in contact with, written an article about, and assisted when they opened for Lita Ford.

For JKB Entertainment, I was able to help host shows for a variety of different artists such as Blackmore’s Night, Opening Act Contest (Elsie [featuring Lisa Couto & Ray Cooke], Flight of Fire, Allison & Kevin Giuliano, Huxster, Gracelyn Rennick, Ilene Springer, We Own Land, and Matt York), The Yardbirds, Lita Ford, and Paul Bielatowicz & Simon Fitzpatrick.

It was great to be part of the Fall River community if only for a short period of time. Before this internship, I had never been to Fall River. Being a Bostonian myself, I learned to love Fall River and the surrounding towns due to the truly passionate and creative people I had the opportunity of meeting and working with. I am thankful to every business owner who invited me into their store and took the time to answer my interview questions. I am thankful for everyone who picked up their phones or sat by their e-mails answering my interview questions.

Thank you to Katie and Jay for all they have done and thank you to all the other helpful people I have met through them. This internship was truly a blast! I am grateful for all the tools I have learned along the way and will continue reading, writing, and being an avid music fan.

 

Home, Movies & TV

19th Annual Boston Underground Film Festival Announces Final Wave of Films

Leave a comment

Cambridge, MA – Following up on last week’s feverish announcement, the Boston Underground Film Festival (BUFF) is proud to reveal the remainder of its eclectic 19th edition, taking place from March 22nd  through the 26th at the Brattle Theatre and Harvard Film Archive. BUFF’s already dynamic lineup is rounded out with even more intriguing films from around the world, including over 80 short films and music videos that promise to disturb, dazzle, and delight.

BUFF is honored and thrilled to be hosting the East Coast Premiere of hotly-anticipated doc A Life in Waves, an intimate portrait of one of the most influential electronic composers of the last 40 years, Suzanne Ciani. Documentarian duo (and BUFF alum) Brett Whitcomb and Bradford Thomason will be in attendance, along with the diva of the diode herself for a post-screening Q&A at the Harvard Film Archive. Fans of synth would be remiss to miss this! On the other end of the documentary spectrum is our New England Premiere of Dean Fleischer-Camp’s Fraud, an impossible to categorize hybrid-doc and bold experiment in filmmaking that explores the essence of “truth” in a post-truth era. Come and catch one of the most controversial films to take HotDocs by storm last year.

Lovers of all things dark and disturbing are advised to pencil in this quadruplet of narrative nightmares: A grieving mother and a bullying occultist (Steve Oram) face their demons in black magic thriller A Dark Song, from Irish, first-time director Liam Gavin. Valentin Hitz’s gorgeous and unnerving Hidden Reserves gives us a peek at the future-that-could-be (ponder this: death insurance) with his Austrian dystopian sci-fi masterpiece. And speaking of hidden, BUFF presents for the first time ever a Secret Screening; we can’t tell you what it is, but we can tell you that it’s one of the most highly anticipated genre titles coming out this year. Take the leap into the rabbit hole with your pals at BUFF and catch it before all your friends.

Lightening things up substantially is a triple threat of comedic treats: A group of awful idiots fail at throwing a party over and over in Slamdance smash Neighborhood Food Drive, with BUFF alum & director Jerzy Rose and writer Halle Butler in the house. Emerson College alum Michael Reich brings his surreal and sensational She’s Allergic to Cats to the Brattle; you’ll laugh, cry, and ponder duck boobs. Rounding things out is our anniversary screening of oft underappreciated Southland Tales, Richard Kelly’s gonzo anarchic vision of the near future (which may be closer to the near present), which we lift up and celebrate ten years later.

The festive environ would be incomplete without a set of accompanying parties: BUFF delivers in spades this year with our opening night, All Your Heroes Are Dead-themed shindig at Zuzu (hosted by Moon Button and all things vinyl). We’ll have a night of karaoke at Tasty Burger, themed Dystopioke (aren’t you curious), a late-night jaunt out to Boston Bowl for Big Lebowski-themed shenanigans (costumes highly encouraged, dudes), an incredible closing night happening at the Lilypad, hosted by our favorite merchants of awful, The Whore Church, and complete with synth soundscape provided by Dust Witch, Antoni Maiovvi, and Timothy Fife. And, of course, more! Save up your stamina because we work hard and play harder on team BUFF.

Grab Festival Passes, only available through Kickstarter, until March 17th: bit.ly/KickstartBUFF19

###

BOSTON UNDERGROUND FINAL WAVE

A DARK SONG – East Coast Premiere

Liam Gavin | Ireland | 2016

A determined young woman and a damaged occultist risk their lives and souls to perform a dangerous ritual that will grant them what they want.

A LIFE IN WAVES – East Coast Premiere

Brett Whitcomb | USA | 2017

This incredible documentary explores the even more incredible life and innovations of composer and electronic music pioneer, Suzanne Ciani. Join us for a Q&A with Suzanne & the filmmakers following the screening!

FRAUD – New England Premiere

Dean Fleischer-Camp | USA | 2016

A struggling family commits fraud in this contentious docu-ficto hybrid.

HIDDEN RESERVES – East Coast Premiere

Valentin Hitz | Austria/Germany/Switzerland | 2016

Where death with dignity comes at a premium, an insurance salesman turned narc must reevaluate his ideology when he falls for the rebel he’s assigned to entrap.

NEIGHBORHOOD FOOD DRIVE – East Coast Premiere

Jerzy Rose | USA | 2017

A group of awful idiots fail at throwing a party over and over.

SECRET SCREENING – Secret Premiere

Secret Director | Secret Country | Secret Year

One of the best genre films coming out this year.

SHE’S ALLERGIC TO CATS – New England Premiere

Michael Reich | USA | 2016

A dog groomer in Hollywood aspires to be more than a dog groomer in Hollywood.

SOUTHLAND TALES – Anniversary Screening

Richard Kelly | USA | 2006

During a three day heat wave just before a huge 4th of July celebration, an action star stricken with amnesia meets up with a porn star who is developing her own reality TV project, and a policeman who holds the key to a vast conspiracy.

BOSTON UNDERGROUND SHORTS LINEUP

Shorts Block DISORDERED STATES:

A TOWN CALLED THEOCRACY

Jehad Al-Kateeb, Syria/USA, 15 min.

Boy and girl meet cute through the magic of municipal overreach.

GUTS
Carrie Drzik, USA, 4 min.

The delightful tale about a plucky young heroine left to her own devices.

MARGINAL CIRCUS EMBASSY

Oliver Kowalczyk, Spain, 10 min.

We can’t always hide our anxiety and loneliness with costumed pool parties.

ISADORE

Brooke Paxton, Australia, 14 min.

A German Expressionist ode to pantomime and our desperate need to please another at our own expense.

YULETIDE

Marinah Janello, USA, 5 min.

Krampus can spy you. But that doesn’t mean you can spy on Krampus.

WALL

Giannis Vlahopolous, Greece, 14 min.

Those who control the money may also be controlling your outrage.

YOU CAN’T ESCAPE

Goirick Das, USA, 3 min.

Ding dong ditching—or the endless cycle of running from our fears and ourselves.

NO WAVE

Stephane Lapointe, Canada, 12 min.

After he hears a man scream within the calming sea of a relaxation radio station, sleep deprivation is the least of Henry’s problems.  

BROADCAST SIGNAL INTRUSION

Tim Woodall, UK, 15 min.

The brief hijacking of a TV signal leads a lonely, grief-wracked video archivist onto an obsessive quest for meaning.

Comedy Shorts Block DON’T LOOK BACK INTO THE SUN:

DEATH METAL

Chris McInroy, USA, 5 min.

A metalhead gets passed down a satanic guitar that riffs to shreds.

CALLING IN DEMONS

Porcelain Dalya, USA, 8 min.

Instead of calling out of work sick, Daphne finds that she has demons in her home.

EULOGILIA

Alex Grossman, USA, 11 min.

After her bizarre addiction to eulogize is discovered, a troubled young woman fights to prove her sanity while attempting to survive group therapy.

EARWORM

Tara Price, USA, 5 min.

A lonely man does battle with a relentless piece of music.

IDIOMS ORIGINS ANOTHER TALE

Jim McDonough, USA, 6 min.

According to the legend, each and every idiom came to be after happening in real life. These stories have never been told. Until now

COMPUTER FIGHTERS

Kevin James & Neil Cicierega & Ryan Murphy, USA, 22 min.

When the local rich kid begins to hog a new groundbreaking video game at the arcade, it’s up to Ryan, Neil, and Kevin to stop him.

PET MONKEY

Eric Maira, USA, 8 min.

A date night turns ugly when a persistent boyfriend offers to buy his girlfriend a monkey.

STAYCATION

Zachary Fleming, USA, 12 min.

Rob just wants some quality alone time. So does the apartment he rented.

4D

Laurence Rosier Stanies, Australia, 7 min.

if the fourth dimension is time, what would a real 4D printer look like? A time machine? A black hole?

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Mark Kuczewski, UK, 6 min.

One man’s quest to rekindle his love with his zombie bride.

TAMPOON

Jeanne Jo, USA, 7 min.

When Miranda makes bad decisions about her love life, a possessed tampon enters to take care of business.

CHICKEN TUESDAYS

Brandon Daley, USA, 10 min.

Will Gillman sets out to impress his date by bringing her to a chicken photography competition at a local bar. From the director of last year’s Savasana.

Animated Shorts Block GET THE BALANCE RIGHT:

THE PAST INSIDE THE PRESENT
James Siewert, USA, 12 min.

A couple replays the same encounter day after day.

ADAM

Veselin Efremov, Sweden, 6 min.

A criminal wakes to find he has been stripped of his body and placed into a machine.

MOLAR

Luke Liberty, USA, 2 min.

Strange things are afoot in the dark of the forest.

HOLD ME (CA CAW CA CAW)

Renee Zhan, USA, 11 min.

A bird and her boyfriend are seemingly happy until she wants more.

PANIC ATTACK!

Eileen O’Meara, USA, 3 min.

Maybe you did leave the coffee on; maybe your house plants are gaslighting you.

LILLY HITS THE ROAD

The Bum Family, Canada, 5 min.

An adventure of a 10 foot tall orange monster and her friend Fluffle.

ROGER BALLEN’S THEATRE OF APPARITIONS

Emma Calder & Ged Haney, UK, 5 min.
The theatre of the subconscious; sex and death cavort for the audience’s amusement.

THE GOLDEN CHAIN

Adebukola Bodunrin & Ezra Claytan Daniels, USA, 13 min.

On a distant space station, a scientist becomes obsessed with the pocket universe she is monitoring.

THE HISTORY OF MAGIC: ENSUEÑO

Jose Luis Gonzalez, USA, 5 min.

In a small Texas town, a teenage girl’s imagination transforms her bike ride home.

THE ITCHING

Dianne Bellino, USA, 15 min.

A wolf just wants to party with some bunnies, but there is something under her skin.

OPOLIS

John F. Quirk, USA, 3 min.

Lookout! Space alien Attack!

Midnight Shorts Block TRIGGER WARNING:

HELL FOLLOWS

Brian Harrison, Japan/USA, 11 min.

The soul of a sadistic killer posses the body of his identical twin, and is out for vengeance.

STUDDED NIGHTMARE

Jean Claude Leblanc, Canada, 9 min.

Can a man resist the pull of the suicide chair?

FOR A GOOD TIME CALL

Izzy Lee, USA, 12 min.

Maybe you shouldn’t.

MUTT

Bruce James, USA, 14 min.

Faith will do some crazy thing to you, down in the buckle of the bible belt.

MOUSE

Celine Held & Logan George, USA, 11 min.

Two cokeheads come up with an uniquely opportunistic way to stick it to the man. Held and George are a filmmaking duo to keep an eye on.

THE LOWER RACE

Graham Roberts, USA, 10 min.

In the near future, when our toxic earth is ruled by giant ants, one part-human warrior is all that stands against total Insecta domination.

FANGS & CLAWS 2
Francisco Lacerda, Portugal, 17 min.

Get ready for the trashiest sequel of the year!

PRINCESS

Jonty Williment-Knowles, USA, 5 min.

A troubling love story, told through a broken lens.

FUCKING FREAK

Salamo Manetti-Lax, USA, 15 min.

As an Alien walks the sun drenched landscape of Los Angeles, it encounters a slew of angry inhabitants mirroring various facets of LA society. A nice little message picture.

New England Horror Shorts Block HOMEGROWN HORROR:

LETTING

Hannah Neurotica, Vermont, 3 min.

A little girl’s nightmares manifest in her toy collection.

LOOKER

Diana Porter, Massachusetts, 10 min.

A scorned woman has a special plans for her lecherous harassers.  

FRACTAL

Anna Gravél, Maine, 14 min.

A woman’s return to her childhood home releases terrible memories.

STRANGE HARVEST

Stee McMorris, Massachusetts, 6 min.

A pair of strangers awaken to find themselves imprisoned in a bizarre alien goo.

THE DISSOLVING MAN

Ben Swicker, Massachusetts, 20 min.

An aimless young adult finds his life literally disintegrating before his eyes.

THE PRICE OF BONES

Brandon Taylor, Massachusetts, 10 min.

A pair of women go to disturbing lengths to achieve a socially-desired body type.

THE CALL OF CHARLIE

Nick Spooner, Rhode Island, 14 min.

A Lovecraftian creature makes things awkward for guests at a dinner party.

PEPPERCORN HEARTS

Christine Louise Marshall, Maine, 13 min.

A funeral holds more than sadness for the spurned mourners gathered there.

Shorts Playing with BUFF Features:

WALDEN PINK

Peter Bolte, USA, 11 min.

Walden sits on a park bench as an endless stream of religious proselytizers, process servers, and angry bartenders distract him from from finding peace and clarity to his repetitive and draining existence. From BUFF alum Peter Bolte (Dr. Sketchy’s) and starring David Yow of The Jesus Lizard.

HOME EDUCATION

Andrea Niada, United Kingdom, 25 min

A domineering mother and her inquisitive daughter engage in unusual acts of faith in an attempt to cajole an attic-bound pater familias back from the dead.

THE BRIDGE PARTNER

Gabriel Olson, USA, 14 min

A timid housewife is jolted into a fight for her survival or sanity by her new partner at a weekly bridge game when she thinks she hears a whispered threat.

FROM THE DIZZINESS OF FREEDOM: THE PHILOSOPHY VESSEL

Melissa Ferrari, USA, 8 min.

A visualization of the strategies people incorporate to find meaning in their lives inspired by the mythology and functions of mazes and labyrinths across history.

THE QUANTIFIED SELF

Gleb Osatinski, USA, 11 min

Lozinski, Clare and their daughters Daniela1 and Daniela2 prepare for the girls’ first trip to a The Pillar, which gives meaning to their highly ordered lives. But The Pillar takes and gives and when it blesses the family with a new addition, it takes from them in ways they can’t anticipate.

INK

Ashlea Wessel, Canada, 10 min

A traumatized woman seeks penance and personal transformation through tattooing after surviving a devastating pregnancy. One night, drenched in booze and ink, her deepest fears threaten to consume her.

THREE POINT DYNAMICS

Keaton Smith, USA, 15 min.

An alcoholic, theoretical physicist seeks to right the wrongs of his past by applying his unified theory to reality.

BYEFURNOW

Michael Elliott Dennis, USA, 17 min.

A bereaved pet owner, on the suggestion of a stranger in a bar, resorts to a mobile app to help him find closure.

AN ELDRITCH PLACE

Julien Jauniaux, Belgium, 17 min.

Terror grips a man keeping watch over an erratic researcher’s late night experiments.  

RITES OF VENGEANCE

Izzy Lee, USA, 5m

Nuns’ justice comes, their will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

TROLL: A SOUTHERN TALE

Marinah Janello, USA, 12 min.

An eccentric artist navigates self-expression through his experiences living and growing up in the South.

DISCONTINUITY

Lori Felker, USA, 15 min

When Tabitha moves back “home” to the house she shared with her long-distance boyfriend Stephen, their reunion is interrupted by communication problems, neighbors, and a clowder of cats.

BOSTON UNDERGROUND MUSIC VIDEOS

“Turbo Killer”

Carpenter Brut

Seth Ickerman

“Shooter”

Clipping.

Carlos Lopez Estrada

“Being”

Millington

Josh Thomas & Darcy Prendergast

“Father”

Rysy

Martyna Iwańska

“Ten Year Tenure”

Halfsour

Ariana Ratner

“Molly”

Palehound

Lara Jean Gallagher & Brian Kinkley

“No Reason”

Bonobo & Nick Murphy

Oscar Hudson

“Bury the Body”

Ruby Rose Fox

Ruby Rose Fox & Dave Brophy & Roger Metcalf

“Happy”

Mitski

Maegan Houang

“Good Earth”

Fawn

Ariana Anderson

“Nothing”

Tesla Boy

Ryan Patrick

“Roller”

Quilt

Adi Putra

“Ya Ya Ya”

You Won’t

Josh Arnoudse

“Big Dead Heart”

Eldridge Rodriguez

Pat Breen & Cameron Keiber

“Overcame the Sun”

Cloudy Busey

Julian Clark & Adam Hersko & Matt Twohig

“Dropped Bench Press”

Skinny Bones

Eli Susser

“Back Around, Devil”

Dessert

Alex Lill

“Black Man In A White World”

Michael Kiwanuka

Hiro Murai

“Lite Spots”

Kaytranada

Martin C. Pariseau

“Blood in Love”

Ruby Cube

Pierre Teulieres & Milo Gony

“Closer”

Lemaitre

Ewan Jones Morris & Casey Raymond

“I Wanna Prove To You”

Lemon Twigs

Nick Roney

Cassette Chronicles, Home

The Cassette Chronicles – Eddie Money’s ‘Can’t Hold Back’

Leave a comment

BY JAY ROBERTS (SPECIAL TO LIMELIGHT MAGAZINE)

The Cassette Chronicles is a continuing series of mini reviews and reflections on albums from the 1980’s that I have acquired through Purchase Street Records in New Bedford, MA.

The aim of this series is to highlight both known and underappreciated albums from rock, pop and metal genres from the 1980’s through the cassette editions of their releases. Some of the albums I have known about and loved for years, while others are new to me and were music I’ve always wanted to hear. There will be some review analysis and my own personal stories about my connection with various albums.

These opinions are strictly my own and do not reflect the views of anyone else at Limelight Magazine.

Eddie Money’s Can’t Hold Back (1986)

While classic rock radio will always keep “Two Tickets To Paradise” in their rotation when called upon to play an Eddie Money track, this album contains two more of his biggest hits in “Take Me Home Tonight (Be My Baby)”, the rocking track that features Ronnie Spector on guest vocals, and “I Wanna Go Back” which is a nice nod to nostalgia. That kind of struck me funny considering I’m listening to the full album for the first time as it has only recently had its own 30th anniversary.

The thing about this album is that despite containing two smash hits that the pop charts wholeheartedly embraced, there is nothing else really approaching the quality of either track throughout the rest of the album. I liked the song that opens up side two, “We Should Be Sleeping”, but that was mostly for the smoking guitar work in the song (particularly the solo on the outro).

While nothing is truly noteworthy for being bad, the album is top heavy with the hits and then just kind of meanders its way to the end. Pop music in the 1980’s had such a diverse roster of artists from various genres so you had to have radio friendly hits to make yourself heard in such a crowded field. However, it is very disappointing to me when an artist doesn’t back up those hits with some good old fashioned album tracks as well.

Notes of interest: Randy Jackson (now best known as a judge on American Idol) played bass on three tracks while Mr. Mister members Richard Page, Pat Mastelotto and Steve George pop up on the song “One Chance”.

Bringing great entertainment to New England since 2011!