My bro was third in line, behind two chickies, when they announced the individual seats. So, Nazi Ticket Dork flirted and gave these chickies each two tixs, in separate locations of the venue, of course, but still, they got TWO! Next comes my bro, and Cheese Meister says, "Sorry, you can only get one seat." There were several more chickies behind my bro that the Power Freak hadn't yet flirted with, which is why he gave my bro a hard time.
Bro got bent and made a scene, but Goober Boy wouldn't budge. So the chickies go "You're holding up the line." And bro said, "Kinda sucks doesn't it? Don't you wish you got my wristband number?" So, anyway, the Pimpled Wonder just basically waves my bro away and continued his flirting.
I guess I coulda got one ticket, but hell, I am not that loser that you see at the concert rockin' out all by himself! Puh-leeze! So, I was forced to sit and listen to the damn thing on the radio. Sounded pretty good, especially Tori and Sheryl. But, I am not gonna review the show, because who reviews what they hear on the radio? That would be pathetically stupid and sad, so I won't subject you to that. Instead, I have decided to print what was published in the program that was handed out at the concert...
The Bands...Fiona Apple, Tori Amos, Tracy Bonham, The Cardigans, Sheryl Crow, Garbage, Jewel, Sarah McLachlan, Natalie Merchant, Poe.
Fiona Apple With the recent surge of female artists capturing the hearts of audiences alike, Fiona Apple stands out in the pack. At just 19, her debut release, Tidal on the Work/Clean Slate label has already sold over 127,000 copies. The first single, "Shadow Boxer," a smoky, deep, free-flowing rendition of life, exposes Fiona as an old sole (I believe they meant "soul," but hey, this was put out by KROQ) of sorts. Her haunting, seductive music along with vocals to match have mesmerized listeners and created an ever growing Fiona fan base. Fiona has been creating songs on the piano since the age of eight as a means to express the part of her that no one else could understand. A native New Yorker, Fiona moved to California at sixteen to complete her high school education and focus on music. Her three song demo caught the attention of producer and manager, Andrew Slater, who she's been working with ever since. Fiona just completed a tour with Chris Issak and an appearance as the music guest on Saturday night live.
Tori Amos Born in North Carolina and raised on John Lennon, Nat King Cole and Jimi Hendrix, Tori Amos blazed onto the music scene in 1992. She's the daughter of a Methodist preacher and music became an integral part of her life while she was still in diapers. She learned to play the piano by the age of two, and at age five she enrolled in the prestigious Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. "I was a freak child who had really good rhythm," she says. "I quickly realized that I had some kind of calling. But, just as quickly, I realized that most important to me was following my own path-and not the one that was laid down by others." Her latest album, Boys for Pele, was recorded in rural Ireland and Louisiana. It contains 18 self-produced tracks and Tori looks at her third album as a new chapter in her life. "Part of the reason," Amos says, "is that for the first time in my life there has been nobody over my shoulder saying, why don't you do it this way. This time around, I could push myself and explore new boundaries."
Tracy Bonham The Burdens of Being Upright, this 27 year old's first big label debut on Island Records is a follow up to her indie label release, The Liverpool Sessions (Cherry Disc). 1995 was a good year for Tracy as she took top honors in the Best New Artist, Best Female Vocalist and Best Single (indie) categories at the Boston Music Awards. "It was gratifying to get that kind of response, but it was also frazzling since I had to move so fast in order to keep up with everything." Tracy comments, "It has helped me to be a lot more assertive and decisive." A native from Eugene, Oregon, she was drawn first to the violin, encouraged by her music teacher/mother. The choice proved to be a success since Tracy's playing eventually earned her a scholarship to the University of Southern California. After moving to Boston, she studied voice and even more violin. Tracy finally picked up a guitar and began establishing herself as a permanent fixture on the town's rock scene. The Burdens of Being Upright contains 12 songs revealing Bonham to be an entirely candid writer who never falls into the tired trap of mere confession.
The Cardigans Taking a straight step forward, in a direction which has landed worldwide recognition and a steadily growing audience, is none other than The Cardigans. Continuing a steady rise with their new full length release, First Band on the Moon, and a well deserved spot in this year's KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas, The Cardigans will definitely have a cheery holiday. Originally from Jonkoping, Sweden, this quintet seems to keep the crowd moving with a sound that combines unconventional jazz with a 90's flow of Swedish indie pop. The lead vocals, performed by Nina Persson, should provide an interesting sound due to the heavy contributions she has made lyrically on The Cardigans latest release. In the recent past, The Cardigans completed a European that proved successful by boosting album sales to over 1.5 million worldwide. With a goal set to be "as good as the Beatles," tonight's performance is surely expected to be one of their finest.
Sheryl Crow Since her last visit to KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas, Ms. Crow has been through a lot. "I went into this record with a gambit of experiences from that last two or three years, and also quite a bit of raw emotion," she says. From her second album, simply entitled, Sheryl Crow, this beautifully talented singer/songwriter comes across with the assurance of a veteran musician. When speaking of her first single she states, "If It Makes You Happy is a credo that I have - that if you're in the moment and can find some joy in that, things can't be that bad." With an extremely energetic performance inevitable, rest assured you'll be on your feet in no time. Whether playing for the troops stationed in Bosnia or a show in front of a hundred people, Sheryl never seems to disappoint her crowd.
Garbage Garbage is back! After their '95 KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas appearance, they '96 KROQ Weenie Roast appearance, and now the 7th Annual KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas, it goes to show you can never have too much Garbage. This three-man/one-girl band has reached great success musically creating new sounds and a very unique style through numerous loops, samples and remixes. Garbage is pop music, kissed by chaos where hooks, grooves and noise collide. "There are no rules," Butch Vig claims, "but if the choice is to do less or more, usually the choice is more." The band members consist of Butch Vig (producer of Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and Sonic Youth) on drums, loops, and sound processing, Shirley Manson (former singer of Angelfish) on vocals, Steve Marker on guitar and samples, and Duke Erikson playing bass and keyboards.
Jewel Proving to the world that dreams really do come true, Jewel tells her story through her poetry, while the local coffee shop fills up. Emerging from an Alaskan homestead, to a van parked somewhere in San Diego, Jewel has managed to escape the monotony of the 9-5 work ethic by packing every coffee house around. Her debut release, on Atlantic, entitled, Pieces of You, has been nothing but successful as her sales skyrocket along with her numbers on the charts. Easily recognized by her first hit single, "Who Will Save Your Soul," Jewel unlocks a 60's reflection with a 90's style. Familiar with a smooth acoustic sound, Jewel is known to light up the stage with her poetic voice, insightful thoughts and harmonious sounds, while keeping a firm grip on the roots that got her there.
SarahMcLachlan Since the debut of her first album, TOUCH (1988), Canadian Singer/Songwriter, Sarah McLachlan has acheived a level of artistic success that is rare in the world of music today. She has consistently put out profound musical works of art while remaining true to herself. In a world of how loud and fast you can go, Sarah's eloquent and unique style transcends all fads. Her songs bring you to intimate and provocative places where honesty and purity captivate the senses. With the release of SOLACE, FUMBLING TOWARD ECSTACY (new platonum) and her 1995, The Freedom Sessions - a live collection of new material and acoustic renditions of previous releases - Sarah has finally established herself as a true talent with staying power and world-wide appeal. In 1994, she was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Performance for the hit single, "Possession." Sarah is currently working on her fourth release for Arista Records.
Natalie Merchant Natalie Merchant and her smooth, comforting voice is the perfect addition to the kind of ambiance KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas creates. Tigerlily is not only the first solo album for the artist, but also a symbolic gesture of what Natalie can do when she calls the shots. "Carnival," the album's first single, has already graced the KROQ air-waves on numerous occasions and will no doubt be one of the big hits tonight. Not to be forgotten, Natalie's experience with 10,000 Maniacs is pretty impressive with six albums as singer and lyrical producer. After the release of the hugely successful 10,000 Maniacs MTV Unplugged, Natalie announced her departure from the band and began to pursue independent projects. "The Unplugged album taught me that a single live performance could be very, very powerful. I tried to record Tigerlily in that spirit" Merchant exclaims. For Tigerlily, she created an entirely new foundation, including new managers, lawyers, accountants and, eventually, a new band. The musicians she found were Peter Yanowitz (percussion), Barrie Maguire (bass), and Jennifer Turner (guitar). The group spent five months rehearsing prior to entering the studio.
Poe Edgar Allen? Not quite. Though Poe does share the distinctive chilling and mysterious persona with her favorite author from who she got her name. Originally from New York City, Poe spent years growing up on all parts of the earth ranging from Europe to Africa. By virtue of her exposure to numerous contrasting cultures Poe has recognized the universal tie that binds them all together...music. Mixing technology with live musicians, including drummer Matt Sorum (Guns and Roses), Poe with eight different co-writers and three producers, has created Hello. The album features a breed of songs, many of which are inspired by personal tales including "Trigger Happy Jack," "Hello," and radio favorite, "Angry Johnny." Poe's voice and lyrics are clearly unique while her music is dramatic and diverse. She includes hip-hop dance beats, metallic guitars, swing-jazz and acoustic ballads. With her selective style and seductive lyrics Poe will definitely "blow you away."
© Electric Ink TM Magazine. Writings presumably came from press releases distributed by the record labels of the artists.