Tag: Live

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Concert Reviews

Gavin DeGraw Serenades Fans Over the Makeup Counter of Macy’s

The makeup section of Macy’s department store is definitely not your typical concert venue. However, for 35-minutes Tuesday night it was for lucky New York Gavin DeGraw fans. Following a signing with DeGraw and Tommy Hilfiger on the second floor of Macy’s Herald Square, fans were ushered outdoors to 34th Street to await entrance into DeGraw’s 10 p.m. show.

Though it was a short set of seven songs, DeGraw’s ongoing jokes and explanations of each song had the audience in constant laughter from the moment he walked onstage. DeGraw started off the night on piano with “Follow Through” from his debut album, Chariot. A strong, soulful song, his voice reverberated throughout the first floor of Macy’s. Fans in the crowd enjoyed the intimate performance, one screaming, “I love you, Gavin!” to which he quickly responded, “I love you back. I don’t know you, but I think it’s gonna work.”

The night featured a mix of DeGraw’s older songs, such as breakout hit “I Don’t Want To Be,” as well as some newer material from his latest, self-titled album. Before introducing “Cheated On Me,” he slyly asked the crowd, “Has anybody in the room falsely accused someone for cheating on you?” to which a few hands raised. He quickly retracted himself and sarcastically commented, “Then you’re alone. Because that hasn’t EVER happened to me.” With lyrics “I’m a jealous guy/I hear people talk/And it isn’t hard to believe/I think you cheated on me” for DeGraw, the song is pretty explicit. Who knew rock stars had insecurities?

Fans enjoyed requesting songs throughout DeGraw’s set, one of which he sat down at the piano for a few minutes and admitted, “This is a great song, but I can’t remember the opening line.” Crowd favorite of the night seemed to be current guitar-driven radio hit, “In Love With a Girl.” DeGraw ended the intimate set with the title track off his debut album, “Chariot.” A slower jam, the song displayed his strong vocals. Complete with fitting piano accompaniment, the soulful and jazzy number had fans humming the tune as they exited the store.

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Concert Reviews

NFL Kickoff Concert Well Worth the Wait, Despite Sweltering Conditions

New Yorkers lined up in record numbers Thursday afternoon for their chance to see Usher, Keith Urban and Natasha Bedingfield perform for the NFL Kickoff concert in Columbus Circle, honoring last season’s Superbowl champions, the New York Giants. Possibly the hottest day of the year, the high reaching over 90 degrees, concert staff kept the audience nearest to the stage hydrated, throwing water bottles into the crowd and splashing them with water. However, the nearly six hours spent standing while awaiting the show as the scorching sun beat down on concert attendants did take a toll on some, as two girls passed out in the area where I was standing.

Those that were lucky enough to get close to the stage received an engaging performance by all three performers, possibly most surprising to the crowd was country rocker Keith Urban. From my spot, most concertgoers were there to see Usher, but Urban and his band, made up of a keyboardist, bass, electric and acoustic guitarists, drummer and banjo players certainly awed and impressed.

“I want to give a huge thank you to everybody that got here real early. I wish we could play for hours,” Urban said. “I’ve walked in this circle plenty of times and now we’re just jammin’ and having some fun.” His high-energy, nearly 40-minute set gave New Yorkers a new appreciation for country music. From jumping onto a stage jutting out from the main stage while playing solid guitar riffs on “Where the Blacktop Ends” to running into the crowd, high-fiving fans while stopping at times to sing and play guitar during “You Look Good in My Shirt,” I think most in attendance walked away as Keith Urban fans.

Usher, of course did not disappoint. His grand entrance — preceded by cheerleaders being flipped in the air before a smoke-filled stage — proved that he still has the stage presence, dance moves and smooth singing style that he is known for. Usher introduced the crowd to a few of his new hits, such as catchy opening song, “What’s Your Name” off of latest album, Here I Stand, as well as played many of his older classics.

“Throughout the years you’ve been so supportive so I thought I’d start off with some songs you know,” Usher told the crowd. “So if you know the words, sing along New York,” he said before performing a medley of “Confessions Part II,” “Burn” and “U Got It Bad.” During his wardrobe changes a DJ kept the audience alive before Usher came back out to end the show with “Lovers and Friends,” high-energy song “Yeah!” and current radio hit, “Love in This Club.”

Natasha Bedingfield opened the show and played many of her radio hits and tracks off her latest album, Pocketful of Sunshine. Audience favorites seemed to be slower number, “Angel” as well as the Hills‘ theme song, “Unwritten.” Prefacing “Unwritten” she told the audience that she’s been waiting to sing the song in New York. “You guys inspire me by your strength. When there is tragedy you stay strong and come together and move on.”

The rest of the afternoon was filled with appearances by NBC television stars such as Zack Levi from “Chuck” and Alison Sweeney as well as Rich Eisen and Deion Sanders introducing each performer. Mayor Bloomberg introduced the concert while video recaps of the 2007 New York Giants season leading up to their big Superbowl victory were shown, gearing up football fans for the 2008 season.

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Contest

Free Tickets For YOU!


Hey everyone! Sorry I’ve been M.I.A. for a bit, the apartment in South Carolina had very little wireless connection so I wasn’t able to upload anything. However, as a special thanks to you for being extremely loyal readers, I have a pair of tickets to see Swedish rock musician Kristoffer Ragnstam this Wednesday night at Pianos at 8 p.m. in NYC. Quite an accomplished singer-songwriter, Kristoffer’s lyrics are a bit out of the ordinary from anything I’ve come across and I think you’ll like him. Listen here for a stream of his song, “Swing That Tambourine” or check out his Twilight Zone-esque video for the song on YouTube or Quicktime. You can check him out on MySpace as well.

What I need from you:
E-mail me with:
1.) Your full name and
2.) Why you deserve tickets to see Kristoffer this Wednesday.

I need to pick a name by the end of the work day so act fast and let me know why you want to see him. Be creative!

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Concert Reviews

Backstreet Boys Fans Hit The Jackpot In Atlantic City

This past Friday I, along with several hundred other 20-somethings relived our childhood when seeing the Backstreet Boys’ show at the House of Blues in Atlantic City. Having been performing for the past 15 years, the majority of them now in their 30s, those Boys proved that they still have it goin’ on.

I should preface this review to explain just how hardcore some of my friends and I were dedicated to this band, hopefully not incriminating myself too much in the process. Back during the height of the BSB era two friends stood outside “TRL” with a “Beam Us Up, Carson” sign for hours, one making it on Channel 11’s “News at 11,” being interviewed by a reporter about the pandemonium outside the MTV offices with a record number of fans — think 10 times the extent of Jonas Brothers fans today. Another friend learned the entire “As Long as You Love Me” chair dance, and that’s no easy task — trust me, especially for the uncoordinated like myself. I can’t even do the “Everybody” dance, and I’ve tried many a time.

Sure, we got a lot of heat for liking them. Seventh and eighth grade definitely isn’t an easy period in any kid’s life, and I could never explain to people what “I Want It That Way” meant. Come on, could you? “Ain’t nothing but a heartache/Ain’t nothing but a mistake/Tell me why, I never wanna hear you say I want it that way.” The Backstreet Boys made life a little easier. I could escape from that awkwardness of middle-school life and be in my own world listening to their music. And I did. Granted, they weren’t the first “boy band” to walk the earth, and they definitely won’t be the last, but you cannot deny the presence they’ve had on my generation’s music influence.

The concert Friday night started out the same as every show of theirs I’ve been to — the continuous Backstreet Boys chant minutes before the venue goes dark. Soon thereafter, Brian, Howie, AJ and Nick were spotted onstage in boxing attire as an announcer introduced each member to the crowd. Thunderous applause and the most exasperating high-pitched screaming I have ever encountered at any show followed. I think every woman unleashed her inner 13-year-old Friday night, myself included.

The Backstreet Boys’ set began with a high-intensity performance of “Larger Than Life,” then segued into a cover of Kanye West’s “Stronger” before the venue went dark once more. Seconds later the Boys appeared in leather jackets for “Everyone” off of 2000’s Black and Blue album and “Any Other Way” off of their latest album, Unbreakable, with nonstop energy and impeccable dance moves. Their stage interaction with each other and the fans in the crowd demonstrated their prowess for performing.

Whether it was Brian constantly making comical faces while waving to audience members or Howie winking and blowing kisses, their love for what they do was evident the entire night. Despite having lost one member — Kevin Richardson — and having not been on tour the past few years, the Boys proved to the crowd that they’re not going anywhere, with the promise of a solo album from both AJ and Howie in the near future as well as another album in the works.

“We want to thank you all for 15 unbelievable years,” Howie told the screaming crowd. “We want to thank you for keeping the Backstreet pride alive.” Their nearly two-hour set included 26 songs from their 15-year career. The entire venue was singing along to many of their old hits and fan favorites such as a medley of “As Long as You Love Me,” “I’ll Never Break Your Heart” and “All I Have to Give” complete with their infamous hat dance. Their newer material, such as faster-paced, edgier “Panic” and slower ballad “Unmistakable,” continues to showcase BSB’s solid harmonies, catchy choruses and impeccable intonation.

In addition, each Boy took the stage alone, singing a song off of their previously released solo album (in Nick and Brian’s case) or the debut of a song from their upcoming release (AJ and Howie). While Howie’s song had a Latin vibe to it, AJ’s was much more rock influenced and heavier than the Backstreet Boys’ material.

It was evident that the Boys held a special appreciation for their Jersey fans. “I love Jersey so much that I actually married a Jersey girl,” Howie told the crowd. AJ later added, “Just to set the record straight, my Mom’s from Jersey. Hackensack to be exact,” as the screams rose and echoed throughout the venue.

Screaming isn’t all the Boys got from fans Friday night. During a slower take of their hit “Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely,” each of the four members sat down at a makeshift card table. While mimicking playing a card game and talking with one another before beginning the song, two fans threw their bras at the Backstreet Boys, practically hitting a startled Brian and Howie in the face. Another fan could be spotted on the balcony flashing the guys continuously throughout their set.

The crowd favorite of the night seemed to be “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back),” as the Backstreet Boys had everyone jumping along throughout the song. The last song before their encore of “Shape of My Heart,” the guys got the crowd energized, and if they hadn’t come out for one more song, I think fans would have walked away content. Singing their famous line “Backstreet’s back all right,” the Boys have proven that they have lasted 15 years strong. I’m interested to see what the next 15 will be like.

For more on the Backstreet Boys be sure to check out their Website.

Special thanks to Wendy Hu for th

e picture from the show Friday night!

Categories
Concert Reviews

The Graduate Treat NYC Crowd To A Wet Finale

Though they were onstage for just under 30 minutes, the Graduate easily stole the show Wednesday night at the Blender Theater. With a high-energy set and solid instrumental interludes, the Graduate kept the crowd alive while continually jumping around onstage.

All the while, the Graduate drew concertgoers closer and closer to the stage throughout their seven-song set and had many in attendance clapping along to each song. With previous stints on Lollapalooza, the Warped Tour and Germany’s Rock am See it’s easy to tell that their busy tour schedule over the past two years has only strengthened the band’s onstage performance.

Starting the night off with “I Survived” from their debut album, Anhedonia, the five-piece Illinois band quickly grabbed the crowd’s attention with an almost organ-sounding keyboard intro before frontman Corey Warning took over on vocals. When he introduced their next song for the night, “Sit and Sink,” screams permeated the venue. “Did I tell you how much I love New York?” he asked the crowd. “Well it’s true!” New Yorkers seemed to love the band as well.

The Graduate’s live show far surpassed expectations I had from just listening to their album. The band’s lineup is made up of a drummer, bass player and two guitarists, one who splits his time on keyboard, while frontman Corey Warning alternates his time on vocals and guitar. The instrumental accompaniment between the bandmembers was strong, never overpowering Warning’s vocals. The instrumental “Interlude” exemplified the core sound of the Graduate, and although no one was singing, the crowd was surprisingly really into it.

“The City That Reads” started off a bit slower than their previous songs, with strong instrumental features that fit the mood change in the song well. When Warning sings, “Baltimore is quiet and cold,” you believe him. “Doppelganger” livened the night up with Warning rocking out on tambourine before playing their last song of the night, “The Formula.”

Ending zealously, each guitarist put down their instrument before bringing out a set of drums, dousing them with water for visual effect and then hammering on them. You can’t get a better finale than that, except maybe a fireworks display. Eventually, the guys picked back up their guitars to finish the song and left the stage to a room filled with screams and thunderous applause.

When I asked Corey what makes the Graduate standout from other up-and-coming bands, he explained that fans have told him their live show is what pushes them over the edge and makes them keep coming back. After seeing their performance last night I have to agree.

To listen to their music and see when they’re coming on tour near you, be sure to check out the Graduate on MySpace. Lead singer/guitarist Corey was nice enough to sit down with me before the show and answer all of my questions about the band, touring and their music so be sure to come back in a few days for the full interview!

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Concert Reviews

Priscilla Ahn Keeps Concertgoers Intrigued with Quirky Stories and Unique Instruments

With a glass of red wine in one hand and guitar in the other, Priscilla Ahn had the audience at Maxwell’s laughing along during each song introduction Friday night. Whether it was explaining uncomfortable social situations at L.A. house parties in “Wallflower” or prefacing “The Boob Song” by telling the audience, “It’s not about my boobs, don’t worry; it’s about another girl’s boobs,” Priscilla’s hilarious onstage banter heightened curiosity throughout her mellow and relaxing set.

The night included many songs from Priscilla’s recent debut album, A Good Day, as well as a solid cover of Willie Nelson’s “Opportunity to Cry” and some unreleased material. Strong instrumental accompaniment never overpowered her soft, angelic vocals and at times she even harmonized with herself with the help of a loop pedal. Definitely a diverse set, Priscilla’s band was made up of cellist Oli Kraus and bass player Gus Seyfrett, better known as Willoughby, who opened the show, as well as herself on guitar, harmonica, ukulele and kazoo.

Having just over an hour set in Hoboken, Priscilla started off the night with stand-out track “Dream,” which has garnered much attention from being featured on the season finale of Grey’s Anatomy. Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, it only makes sense that many of her songs were linked to nature. She even told the crowd, “It’s always been a dream of mine to live in a tree. I always thought it’d be cool. Some people do it, and that’s cool,” before segueing into a song with the appropriate title, “Living in a Tree.”

Priscilla’s voice is so captivating, it felt as if she was singing a lullaby to the room during her slower songs. The crowd was so still and mesmerized that at times the only sound heard besides the musicians onstage was the click of cameras capturing her performance. While some songs were pretty mellow, others, such as “I Don’t Think So” were a bit more edgy, Priscilla referring to it as her “sassy” song with deeper and darker vocals and a fitting harmonica feature.

Her quirky introductions followed suit with her unique lyrics to each song. On “Astronaut,” a song with musical accompaniment reminiscent to a carnival, she sang “The fish in the sea have many things to tell me/Well what could they be?/I’ll never know/I had to go/Because I don’t associate with fish.” Laughter quickly filled the room.

Last song of her set was low-key “Find My Way Back Home” featuring Priscilla on ukulele. Sounding somewhat like being at a Hawaiian luau with a mix of Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” Priscilla ended the night on a high note. Soon to be joining Willie Nelson on his tour, I couldn’t imagine a more perfect fit.

For more on Priscilla, be sure to check her out on MySpace and if you haven’t yet, you can read an interview I had with her a few months ago by clicking here.

Special thanks to Deana Koulosousas for taking the photos from Friday’s show.

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Concert Reviews

Lights Resolve Tear Up the East Coast

I’ve been to many concerts over the years, and you can usually tell right away whether or not the band onstage loves what they’re doing. Saturday night was no exception. Within seconds of taking the stage, it was clear that New York-based band Lights Resolve love every aspect of playing music and that didn’t falter throughout their entire set. Whether it was guitarists Matt and Sherman jumping around the stage while playing, or drummer Neal smiling continuously all while hammering at the drum kit, Lights Resolve’s passion and exhilaration definitely had fans clapping and singing along during most of their performance.

I caught Lights Resolve’s show last Saturday at Maxwell’s in Hoboken, and afterward they gave away tickets to their concert this past Saturday at the Blender Theater in New York. From jumping into the crowd while playing guitar in the middle of their set to bringing fans onstage to help out with a song, Lights Resolve kept Maxwell’s enthused throughout their nearly one-hour, intimate set. Obviously, I couldn’t help but see them again and brought along a few more friends this time.

Though their set in Hoboken was a bit longer, Saturday’s set didn’t disappoint. In fact, I think the bigger stage and venue only helped their performance. Starting out the night with guitar-driven song, “The Hills and Michael Jackson” off of their most recent EP Currency, Lights Resolve brought their soaring energy and prowess to the stage in New York. At times, bass guitarist Sherman played his red guitar high in the air with more enthusiasm than any bass guitarist I’ve ever encountered.

While their set mostly included previously released material such as fan favorite “Lost and Jaded,” Lights Resolve showcased some relatively new songs – which fans seemed very receptive toward – often starting out much faster with their percussion and guitar features. “You’re making us feel like we’re at home,” Sherman told the crowd. Songs like “This Could Be the Last Time” and “Another Five Days” had strong instrumental features either in the intro or middle of the song, sometimes both.

The night started out energetic with three faster paced songs before the band began “Another Five Days,” a relatively slower track compared to their previous. The slow guitar and bass accompaniment in the beginning of the song flowed well and segued nicely into frontman Matt Reich’s vocals while the eerie blue and green lighting surrounding the three bandmembers greatly helped the ambiance throughout the song.

While the guys of Lights Resolve explain their music as being atmospheric and theatrical, the band also encompasses a strong rock sound that cannot be disguised. For a three-piece, they are as solid a band as they come – the intensity and energy never wavering or fluctuating throughout their set. Native New Yorkers, Lights Resolve will be playing gigs around the city within the next few weeks, and I think I just might have to see them one more time.

Be sure to check out Lights Resolve on MySpace if you haven’t yet, catch a show when they’re in town and let me know what you think!

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Concert Reviews

John Mayer, Colbie Caillat and Brett Dennen Impress in New Jersey

Shortly after 9 p.m. the lights flickered and PNC Bank Arts Center went dark amidst incessant screams and flashing cameras. A guitar could be heard in the distance and within seconds John Mayer walked onstage starting the night off with a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire.” It seemed only fitting, being that he was playing in Springsteen’s home turf. However, many in attendance weren’t familiar with the song as a confused hush rose throughout the crowd.

Clearly in his element Tuesday night, Mayer told the crowd, “This doesn’t get old at all. There’s nothing like playing a show and knowing I can sleep in my own bed tonight” before he rattled off each television network in the tri-state area adding: “I like playing the places where I know the TV stations.” Mayer played a nearly two-hour set while opening acts Colbie Caillat and Brett Dennen thoroughly impressed the crowd.

For those hard-core John Mayer fans, his current summer tour is different than previous tours. His set was made up of three segments — his more popular songs, some blues numbers and covers as well as an encore where the fans pick which song is played by voting on his Web site. Mayer’s set did not disappoint as he changed up his more well-known songs with varied guitar riffs and instrumental features, slowing down or speeding up the tempo from time to time. When introducing hit single, “Daughters” Mayer told the crowd, “This is a song called ‘Daughters 1974′” before playing the song slowly and breaking into a cover of Billy Joel’s “She’s Always a Woman” while cleverly singing, “She’s always a daughter to me.”

The night included impeccable covers of Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin'” as well as Van Halen’s “Panama,” which got the girls swooning as he took off his shirt and jumped around the stage releasing his inner Eddie Van Halen while playing guitar. Mayer made a 10-year-old birthday girl’s night when he serenaded her in a round of “Happy Birthday” before segueing into “Waiting On the World to Change.”

Despite the various cover songs he included in his set, crowd favorites seemed to be his better-known material. Bluesy number “Gravity” as well as current single “Say” from movie, The Bucket List, gained much excitement from the crowd while older songs such as radio hit “No Such Thing” and “Bigger Than My Body” garnered much attention as well.

Brett Dennen opened the night and had an impressive set featuring many songs from his most recent album, So Much More. His music encompasses a blend of folk and blues and is thoroughly enjoyable. Songs like “She’s Mine” and “Ain’t No Reason” demonstrated Dennen’s versatility and craft as a singer-songwriter.

Colbie Caillat followed Dennen with a solid 40-minute, nine song set. Her light, airy voice had the crowd singing along throughout most of her performance, especially radio hits “Bubbly” and “Realize” off of current album, Coco. Before introducing “On the Wire” she told the crowd, “This song is about overcoming your fears and I’m trying to do that every day,” referencing her stage fright. Alternating between the mic and playing guitar, her performance was strong, both vocally and instrumentally.

Caillat prefaced “Bubbly” by saying, “This song goes out to anyone out there that’s in love right now.” Teasing the audience by starting the song at a much slower pace than fans were familiar with; her performance sounded like a remix of the radio hit at first. Soon after, she picked up the tempo everyone was used to hearing. Highlight of the set, and crowd favorite, seemed to be Caillat’s soulful Jackson 5 cover of “One More Chance.”

While at some shows, opening acts seem to be less highly regarded than the headliner, Dennen and Caillat definitely impressed, and Mayer’s 16-song set did not disappoint the packed crowd at PNC Bank Arts Center either. “We hope tonight is a night you can forget all your problems and think about the best time in your life and revisit it for the next two hours,” Mayer told the audience early on in his set. And for most, I think he succeeded.

Special thanks to Deana Koulosousas for taking the photos from the show Tuesday night.

For more on Brett Dennen check out his MySpace.
To listen to Colbie Caillat’s music check her out on MySpace.
For more on John Mayer’s tour check out his Website or MySpace.

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Concert Reviews

Supergrass Heat Up Hollywood

From the moment Supergrass took the stage the energy skyrocketed throughout the venue. Whether it was lead singer Gaz Coombes making his way to the edge of the stage while serenading the crowd or motioning the audience to clap along during their performance, U.K. band Supergrass had a spot-on set filled with non-stop intensity. The energy permeated from the stage into the crowd while practically all in attendance were dancing or singing along word for word.

On a day off from touring with the Foo Fighters, Supergrass played a 70-minute headlining show at Avalon Saturday night in Hollywood. Very eclectic, the crowd varied from parents and children to college students and older, die-hard fans who have been following the band throughout their 14 year tenure. Supergrass started out the night with a solid guitar riff leading into opening track “Diamond Hoo Ha Man” off album, Diamond Hoo Ha, released earlier this year. As the opening guitar riff began and the brightly lit backdrop emerged spelling Supergrass, the intensity rose and did not falter.

While most of the 18-song set included songs from their latest album, some older Supergrass favorites were played as well — one from their second album, In It for the Money and their encore performance of first single released as a band, “Caught by the Fuzz.” While the older hits were often followed by screams of excitement from the crowd, most in attendance seemed familiar with the newer material just as well as the older classics.

The night was filled with catchy choruses and guitar riffs as well as solid instrumental accompaniment provided by drums, keyboards, tambourine and even a cowbell. “We love it here!” frontman Gaz Coombes told the crowd. “We’ve been going for quite a long time — 14 years or something. We love coming to the States; it’s beautiful.”

Many of Supergrass’ songs have strong instrumental features either in the beginning or middle of each song, some reminiscent of almost electronic club-like mixes. “Rebel In You” started off slower than previous songs, but their catchy chorus throughout the song didn’t stop the crowd from dancing along. As the night continued, fans in the audience screamed song requests as frontman Coombes jokingly yelled back, “I told you no requests or you’ll have to be removed.”

The energy from Supergrass’ set didn’t waver for a moment and neither did the audience’s. With their catchy choruses and guitar riffs, Supergrass had the audience singing their songs long after the concert was over.

For more on Supergrass check out their MySpace and be sure to catch them on tour this summer with the Foo Fighters! Below is their fun music video for first single, “Diamond Hoo Ha Man” off of their latest album. Check back next week for my interview with bass player Mick Quinn!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EPHk16mO20]

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Features News

GigMaven: An Easier Way to Book Shows

I’m always interested in what’s going on in the constantly changing music industry. I originally started this blog to feature interviews with musicians, but there are so many aspects of the music industry to cover. I think I’m going to try to branch out on things that I find interesting that might intrigue others as well. GigMaven is just one example that is helping with the rapidly changing industry. Below is my interview with Howard Han, founder of GigMaven, a new website dedicated to helping musicians find and book gigs online. Check it out for yourself at http://www.gigmaven.com. As always, feel free to leave comments or E-mail Me! on suggestions, artist features or ways you’d like me to improve the blog!

Tell me a little bit about GigMaven. How did you come up with the concept?
One of my friends, Richard Pan, was a musician for three years out of college. He was working at Abercrombie and Fitch in Ohio while driving out to NYC every couple of weeks to play gigs. He was doing pretty well, consistently booking gigs in NYC. He played at the Knitting Factory and at CMJ ’08 and got signed to an indie label, but he was having a bit of trouble getting gigs outside of NYC. Ultimately, he ran out of money and decided to go to law school.

At the time, I was helping him out while working in finance, and I started thinking about ways to help him get exposure and book gigs outside of NYC. After doing some research, we realized that booking is still very much an old-school process where people walk around and try to get their press kits to bookers at clubs. We felt like there had to be a better, more efficient way to do this. Out of Richard’s struggle and decision to forgo his music dreams, came our idea for GigMaven.

How are you working to get this project off the ground?
Currently, we have close to 300 musicians and 15 live music venues in NYC helping us beta test the website. We are slowly looking to expand to Boston, Philly and DC over the next couple of months and then expand to the rest of the nation in 2009.

What stage do you think you’re at right now?
We’re at the very beginning of something that will change the way the live music industry operates. We want to make everyone’s lives easier and allow them to book gigs online, lowering the average cost and time to book a gig.

Are you planning on eventually helping out with merchandise and releasing these artist’s albums, or just gear it towards finding venues?
We’ve definitely thought about the opportunities around helping musicians sell merchandise or mp3s and we have some interesting ideas around how we can make that process easier. That being said, we are 100% focused on our core business right now, which is booking gigs for musicians and venues.

What type of artists are you working with?
We primarily work with indie rock musicians, some unsigned and some signed to indie labels. Although our core is indie rock, we don’t focus on one genre or specific type of music or club.

What type of venues? Is it just based in New York for now?
Currently, we are only booking gigs in NYC, but we plan on expanding to Boston, Philly and DC in the next couple of months. In 2009, we aim to expand to the rest of the country.

How do you decide what venue to book these artists at?
We do not make any decisions regarding the actual booking. GigMaven is a platform for musicians and venues to find each other. Venues ultimately make the decision who they want to perform and musicians ultimately make the decision where they want to play.

Do you think what you’re doing is the future of the music industry?
We believe that it will be the future of the booking aspect of the live music industry. The music industry is going through a period of turmoil, which I believe will result in a tremendous amount of innovation and opportunity. We believe that booking gigs online is a natural solution to the inefficiency in the live music booking process.

For more on GigMaven listen to the guys explain their concept in more depth on a previous radio interview here.