Tonight, the Staples Center in Los Angeles will be filled with pop stars and music industry bigwigs hobnobbing, practicing their acceptance speeches and looking good in their finest award show apparel.
Bob Seger returns to Quicken Loans Arena in April
Choir and orchestra warming up
Business amps up for guitar fan
Everyone who listens to pop music has heard them, and for many guitarists they are a vital component of their sound.
They are little metal boxes called effects pedals, with names such as Wah-Wah, flanger, chorus and overdrive, and while a few pop music guitarists don’t use them — Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen prefers the raw sound of his amps — many others, such as U2′s The Edge, have massive boards with dozens of pedals obsessively arranged and routed to get their signature sound.
Musical sister duo harmonize demands of school, rock band with hopes of scoring attention of ’25 Hill’
By Malcolm X Abram Beacon Journal music writer (Watch a video of ShiSho below) In the basement of a well-kept, unassuming bi-level home in Kent, ”Vivian Ramone” and her little sister, ”Midge Ramone,” are wearing matching black pantsuits and standing in front of a homemade green screen, singing a gentle, almost folky original song, I…
Tim "Ripper" Owens to give unplugged concert at "Ripper Owens Tap House" Friday
Yep. Tim “Ripper” Owens owner of the old Tap House on E. Waterloo Rd. is giving another unplugged concert featuring guitarist Scott Jones. Owens who bought the Tap house last year, refurbished the interior and added oodles of rock and roll and some sports memorabilia to the walls has also put together a darn fine…
Rock hall plays it safe for 2011
By Malcolm X Abram Beacon Journal music writer It’s time again for pop music fans still interested in the goings-on of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation to debate this year’s class of inductees. Neil Diamond, Alice Cooper, Dr. John, Darlene Love and Tom Waits, all first-time nominees save Love, are the 2011…
Gary Grimes, performer with Beatles cover band
By Malcolm X Abram Beacon Journal music writer Gary Grimes, who for nearly 25 years performed as ”Paul McCartney” in the very popular band 1964: The Tribute, died of a brain tumor Monday at a local hospice. He was 60 years old. Mr. Grimes, of Tallmadge, played McCartney from the band’s inception in 1984 to…
George Jones concert at Civic Theatre postponed until 2011
The George Jones concert scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 9 at the Akron Civic Theatre has been postponed due to problems with the country legend’s vocal chords. The show has been rescheduled for Sunday, Feb. 13. All previously sold tickets will be honored at the new date and tickets will remain on sale. Read Soundcheck, the…
Mellowed George Jones still growing music legend
On Thursday night, the Akron Civic Theatre will play host to a rare performance by a legend.
George Jones — a k a The Possum, No Show Jones, Thumper Jones and my personal favorite, Buns McGuirk — has been making music for more than five decades, and he truly embodies the lesser-known music ethos of sex, drugs, booze and country music.
Rolling Stone names the Black Keys ‘Brothers’ the No. 2 best album of 2010
The Black Keys awesome 2010 just got a little more awesome (awesomer?). Rolling Stone Magazine named the Akron duo’s Brothers the No. 2 best album of the year, behind Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Of the band’s sixth full length album, the magazine wrote: The duo boil it down on their best record…
Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt coming to the Akron Civic Theatre in January 2011
Lovers of roosty, singer/songwriters with deep voices and wry wit, start saving your pennies! On Saturday, January 29th the Akron Civic Theatre will present An Acoustic Evening with Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt. The two respected artists have been periodically touring together for a couple of decades and this year's edition will find them performing…
Black Keys’ wild ride gets 4 Grammy nods
The Black Keys, Pat Carney and Dan Auerbach, can add another phrase to the common identifier as ”blues-rock duo from Akron, Ohio.” As of Wednesday night, the band is officially the ”four-time Grammy-nominated blues-rock duo from Akron, Ohio.”
Eclectic Bilal pushes aside neo-soul label
Back at the turn of the century, the neo-soul movement was in full swing. Artists such as D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, Musiq Soulchild, Jill Scott and Lauren Hill were gaining fans, mixing contemporary R&B and hip-hop sounds with classic soul, funk and jazz forming a healthy and necessary alternative to ”gangsta” rap.
