Tag: awards

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Artists Worth Checking Out Monday Mashup Women in Entertainment

Monday mashup 2018: vol. 36

Wow, what a wonderful weekend at the Durango Songwriters Expo.  We’ll have a complete breakdown for you later this week, but suffice it to say that it was life-changing.  Thanks again to Jim Attebery, Jack Hayford and the entire staff for delivering a truly inspiring program and to all the old and new songwriters and industry professionals we encountered.

BROADWAY WORLD AWARDS NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN

Nominations are NOW OPEN for the 2018 BroadwayWorld Regional Awards Worldwide!

Regional productions, touring shows, and more are all included, honoring productions which opened between October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018.  Our local editors have set the categories and now YOU get to nominate and vote for your favorites!  Nominations are reader-submitted and will be open through October 31.

After the nomination period ends, BroadwayWorld‘s local editors will proof the list for eligibility and errors, then voting will begin in early November and run through December 31.  Winners will be announced in January!

Check out the website for more info.

NEW SINGLES

Our first single comes from an old friend who has a new project.  We have always been a huge fan of Megan Burtt, and have reviewed her a few times.  She has a new band named Gingerbomb, and they have released their first single, “Wildfire.”  Check out those harmonies.

Our second single is from another amazing Blue Élan Records artist, Car Astor, formerly known as SEE.  Check out the amazing rhythms of “Girlfriend.”

Our third single comes from a band with the most original name we have discovered to date – Approachable Members of Your Local Community.  Check out their new single, “Only Friend,” featuring the vocals of Tamara Dream.

Our next single takes it up a few notches on the rocking scale, and we really love the sound of Laurina Sue‘s “Dark Side.”  Check it out and see if you’re ready to cross over.

Our final single comes from the UK with the premiere of Peakes‘ latest, “Still Life.”  We introduced you to them last year and we think this one will be perfect for your Monday.

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

Last week we reviewed the latest album from Saint Slumber, and today we want to share their new music video.  Check out “Stay Away.”

Vanessa Zamora is becoming one of our favorite Latin artists, and we are proud to feature her newest video, “Solegrande,” today.  This one should get your charged up for the new week.

We switch it up with our third video from the rock band, Superbean.  We love the energy of “Marisol,” and think you will too.

Last week we reviewed the new album from Everlast, and are happy to share the video for his video, “Don’t Complaint.”  Welcome back!

Our final video this week is from another artist who is becoming one of our favorites.  Last week we shared her cover of David Bowie’s “Lost in Love.”  This week she brings us the video for her song, “Strangest Dream.”  Check out Rachel Eckroth and let us know what you think.

 

 

 

 

 

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews Women in Entertainment

Get it or forget it – David Fitzpatrick, Southern Halo, Sideline, Porlolo, Kris Lager Band

Just when we thought we were caught up, we received more than 30 new requests for review for albums being released on or before April 30, a whopping 266 submissions for the first half of 2018.  With today’s five reviews, that makes a total of 226 we have written this year.  It’s quite obvious that indie music is taking over the planet.  With the exception of the new release from the Kris Lager Band, the other four are all being released today.

Artist Name:  David Fitzpatrick

Album Name:  Parachutes in Hurricanes

Label:  Daystorm Music

Genre:  Southern Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Lost on the Same Street; 2.  Long way Down; 3.  Half a Mile; 4.  How I Wish; 5.  All in Tonight; 6.  Your Ghost; 7.  Money Isn’t Everything; 8.  So Happy with You; 9.  Bed of Roses; 10.  If I Could; 11.  Done to Me

Publicist:  Daystorm Music

Review:  Our first impression of the new release from David Fitzpatrick is that he came to rock, southern style.  The sweet sound of “Lost on the Same Street” brings back memories of growing up in the south and listening to the sound of The Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynrd and The Doobie Brothers.  Fitzpatrick’s gravelly voice is the perfect fit to the amazing musicianship of his band.  The organ on “Long Way Down” truly makes this cut special, while the guitar and the organ combine to make “How I Wish” equally appealing.  “All in Tonight” has a jazzy vibe that complements their southern rock style.  Other worthy cuts include “Your Ghost,” “So Happy with You,” “Bed of Roses,” and the retro sound of “If I Could.”

Recommendation:  Definitely worthy of addition to your musical library, we strongly recommend you Get this one.

Artist Name:  Southern Halo

Album Name:  Just Like in the Movies

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Pop Country

Track Listing:  1.  Southern Halo; 2.  My Girls & Me; 3.  Notice Me; 4.  I Think too Much; 5.  Tom Girl; 6.  Anything is Possible; 7.  Not Today; 8.  Missing Mississippi; 9.  Famous; 10.  Gettin’ Back Up; 11.  Hey Boy; 12.  Coming Home; 13.  It’s Always Been You; 14.  Just like in the Movies (revised)

Publicist:  So Much Moore Media

Review:  Familial harmonies have always been our favorite, and Southern Halo has them in spades.  Sisters Natalia (guitar), Christina (drums) and Hannah (bass) Morris have all the makings of a family legacy like the Judds, The Kinleys and SHeDAISY, and have been taking Nashville by storm since then were pre-teens.  They released their debut album in 2015, and have returned with their original production team for their sophomore album.  This one is a concept album, and every song works together to produce a record that should be listened to from start to finish, without skipping a single song.  The music is worthy of cross-over, in the style of Taylor Swift, but with the most heavenly harmonies we have reviewed this year.  Radio station managers and music supervisors need to give this band serious attention, especially “Anything is Possible.”

Recommendation:  This is what modern pop country should sound like.  This one is a must for serious music lovers.  Get it Today!

Artist Name:  Sideline

Album Name:  Front and Center

Label:  Mountain Home Music Company

Genre:  Bluegrass

Track Listing:  1.  Thunder Dan; 2.  Frozen in Time; 3.  Old Time Way; 4.  Song for a Winter’s Night; 5.  Bluefield WV Mtn. Girl; 6.  I Long to See His Face; 7.  Lysander Hayes; 8.  Memories that we Shared; 9.  Something out of Nothing; 10.  All Because of Me; 11.  Satan’s Chains; 12.  Cotton Eyed Joe

Publicist:  So Much Moore Media

Review:  Sideline is a cross-between the bluegrass stylings of Rhonda Vincent & the Rage (but with a male vocal) and the country sound of Alabama and Shenandoah.  The songs are very radio friendly for classic country and Americana, and should play extremely well to fans of  those genres, in particular the amazing track, “Frozen in Time.”  This is the band’s fourth studio album, and the chemistry is evident from the first note.  The band’s bluegrass roots are truly shown on the tracks “Old Time Way,” with its amazing mandolin, banjo and acoustic guitar picking, backed up by some incredible fiddle, and “Lysander Hayes.”  Other cuts worthy of your time include “Song for a Winter’s Night,”   the gospel songs “I Long to See His Face” and “Satan’s Chains,” “Something out of Nothing,” and their instrumental cover of the traditional bluegrass tune “Cotton Eyed Joe.”

Recommendation:  If you love classic country, bluegrass or Americana, then this one belongs in your music library.  We think you need to Get it immediately.

Artist Name:  Porlolo

Album Name:  Awards

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Indie/Folk Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Wasting Time; 2.  I Don’t Want to Lose; 3.  Awards

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  Colorado project Porlolo, a combination of vocalist Erin Roberts and guitarist Tom Moore, plays music that mixes Americana, indie and folk rock with melancholy lyrics that grab hold of you and make you empathize with the song.  The current line-up also includes Ben Desoto on drums and Anna Morsett on bass, and is truly worthy of industry attention, especially in the fast-growing Americana genre.  All three songs are wonderful.  Our only regret is that the EP is too short and barely whets our appetite, leaving us wanting much much more.   We also advise music supervisors to check out these tracks because they would do great as placements in television and film.

Recommendation:  This band is amazing and this short 3-song EP is the perfect appetizer for the awesomeness we are sure is yet to come.  Grab it now.

Artist Name:  Kris Lager Band

Album Name:  Love Songs and Life Lines

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Soulful Rock and Boogie

Track Listing:  1.  Aurora Borealis; 2.  The Heart Wants What the Heart Wants; 3.  Sweet Magnolia; 4.  I Wanna Hold you in my Arms; 5.  San Francisco Bound; 6.  You Know I Love  You; 7.  Pickin’ up the Pieces; 8.  You and I; 9.  Where the Green Grass Grows Tall; 10.  Guiding Light; 11.  I’m Still Here and I Ain’t Lettin’ Go; 12.  I’ll be Thinking of You; 13.  That’s What Love Is; 14.  Journey’s Sonata

Publicist:  Frank Roszak Promotions

Review:  The album kicks off with the spirited instrumental “Aurora Borealis” before giving us the first glimpse of the unique vocals of Kris Lager on “The Heart Wants What the Heart Wants.”  His style is a mix between Bob Marley and Bob Dylan, and is perfectly suited for this “feel good” musical vibe.  Check out the stirring “Sweet Magnolia,” the soulful and inspirational “I Wanna Hold  you in my Arms,” the upbeat boogie tracks,”San Francisco Bound” and “You and I,” the down home Americana sound of “Where the Green Grass Grows Tall,” the bluesy sound of “Guiding Light and “That’s What Love is,” and the closing instrumental “Journey’s Sonata.”

Recommendation:  Don’t miss this one.  Get it before it’s gone.

 

 

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Awards Hollywood Fringe Festival Theatre

HFF 17 ends with presentation of awards

The 2017 Hollywood Fringe Festival ran June 8-25, and included 375 shows and more than 2,000 performances.  The eighth annual Festival concluded with more than 800 in attendance at the awards show held at the Ricardo Montalban Theatre, hosted by Festival Director Ben Hill and Communications Director Stacy Jones Hill.  The awards that were handed out came from two sources – the Fringe Freaks Community Awards, given by the Fringe staff and voted on by participants, industry and patrons, and the Sponsored Awards, given by various companies for a designated reason.  Here is the list of awards handed out.

Fringe Freaks (Community Awards):

Sponsored Awards:

ShoWorks Don’t Wait. Create! Award:  Chimpskin

The Screamiest:   A(partment 8)

The Spirit of the Fringe, Never in a Box Award: TOYS

The Duende Distinction:  Christina Evans – Choreography – TOYS

Tip Your 2Cents Award for Distinctive Voices:  Chimpskin

The Ripest Show:  Definition of Man

A Little New Music Award for Outstanding Songwriting: Turbulence!

Larry Cornwall Award:  Magic 8 Ball (My Life with Asperger’s)

Rogue Machine’s “Premiere” Award:  Urban Unrest – Urban Theatre Movement

Beyond Bechtel-Wallace Award: Thanksgiving

Diversity in American Theatre Award:  In the Valley of The Shadow

Soaring Solo Artist Award: Magic 8 Ball (My Life with Asperger’s)

The Inkwell Playwright’s Promise Award: In the Valley of The Shadow

Short and Sweet Award:  CHATTER

O-Face Award for Orgasmic Achievement (Most Orgasmic Performance):  Yozmit Walker – Do You: Migration of the Monarchs

Best Fringe Flyer:  An Evening With John Wilkes Booth

The Unleashed Award:  Thanksgiving

The LAFPI Most Wanted Award:  Actors Company, Art of Acting Studio,  Assistance League Playhouse, Epiphany Space, Complex Theatres, Hudson Theatres,  Los Angeles LGBT Center, Rogue Machine @ MET Theatre, studio/stage, The Loft, Theatre of NOTE, Three Clubs, Thymele Arts, Urban Social House, The New Collective

The Encore! Producers Award:

Complex Theatres – Video Games, Narcissus and Echo, Trixie: The Musical, Human Hothouse: The Aftershow, 13th Grade, Desert Warrior, Claim Jumper, Even If It’s Wrong, Toys, Confessions of an Arab Woman, Incantessimo, Mistero Buffo, Too Many Hitlers, Ripley’s Dystopia, Broke and Ugly, Mary’s Medicine, Under the Jello Mold, Slashed, An Evening with John Wilkes Booth, Do You. Migration of the Monarchs

Lounge Theatre – Bitch Brow, I’m Too Fat For This Show, Just Like Life, NICAEA, Sapo Cancionero: Live Your Heart Out, Thanksgiving, The Girl Who Jumped Off The Hollywood Sign, Transmission – A One Tran Show

Sacred Fools Theatre – Quantum Entanglement, Bono & the Edge Waiting for Godomino’s, Easy Targets, Definition of Man, Divorce: The Hip Hop Musical, The Joe & Joshua Show!, Why We Become Witches, Kinsherf’s Coat, A Harmony Boy’s Christmas, Charlie Moose Makes His Move, 12 Bars, Urban Theatre Movement presents: Urban Unrest, The King’s Language, High Rise, Orange Mango Cabaret

Three Clubs – Buffy Kills Edward, Shakespeare and Chill, Hot Dates, Legends of the Hidden Three Clubs, Psychosical, Nights at the Algonquin Round Table

Studio/Stage – Blamed: An Established Fiction, Nothing Bad: A Werewolf Rock Musical, Here Comes, Rutherford, Herpes: A Love Story, The Tempest: All Women Cast, So You Want to be a Vampire, The Spidey Project, Three Can Keep A Secret, MEXISTANI! Growing up Mexican and Pakistani in America, Gamers
 
The New Collective – Just Sayin, Got A Minute, I Do … Do You?, Life, Death and … Entertainment

Actors Company – A Void, Bravo 25, Dead Boys, Dying City, missmatch, Pagliaccis, Songs of the Fall, The Complete History of Drag in a Few Mo-mo, Trump in Space

Asylum – 6 Figures, 86’d, Andy: The Red Nosed Warhola, CHATTER, Cheek (and other stories), Chemo Barbie, CringeFest: An Uncomfortable Anthology, Devadasi, A Story of Sex, Power and Devotion, Hello Again! The Songs of Allan Sherman, Homebody/ The Anxiety Cure, Just Old Woman from Old Country, Save Me a Spot!, Scarlet Pimpernel, SECRET IDENTITY CRISIS, Secure Storage, SNATCHED…Stories From Down There, Solomon: King Poet &, Lover – A Tale of One Man & 700 Wives, Space Play or The Number of Nothing, Terror on The High Seas, The Amitycode, The Brick – A One Man Musical, The Motherfucker With The Hat, The Rise and Fall of Dracula, The Sacred Beasts, The Second Coming of Klaus Kinski, This Our Now, Two Motherfuckers on a Ledge, Willy’s Lil Virgin Queen

 

Categories
Fringe Shows

HFF16 ends with a bang

HFF16 concluded yesterday with its annual Awards Show and Closing Party.  The Awards show this year was at the Ricardo Montalban Theatre, and the venue was packed with excited participants and industry.  The big winner of the night was the incredible solo show, My Big Fat Blonde Musical.  Hats off to the lovely Theresa Stroll and her finance’ Robert McGlynn, who crafted a wonderful show about accepting yourself and never giving up on your dreams, which hit a chord with so many of this year’s Fringe attendees.  So proud to have had the opportunity to see the opening night performance of this amazing show, which was one of my personal Top Ten shows at the Fringe.

Thanks to everyone on the Hollywood Fringe Festival staff, from Executive Director Ben Hill on down, for the incredible event you all put together.  Thanks also to Director of Publicity Stacy Jones Hill for your amazing coverage of the event and the assistance you provided to media members like me, making HFF16 the best one yet.

Here’s the list of awards handed out last night:

Fringe Freaks (Community-Voted Awards)

Top of the Fringe: My Big Fat Blonde Musical

International: MacDeth!

Fringe First (World Premiere): My Big Fat Blonde Musical  

Cabaret & Variety: Angel’s Flight

Comedy: Lamprey: Weekend of Vengeance

Dance & Physical Theatre: Office Beat – A Tap Dance Comedy

Ensemble Theatre: Night Witches

Musicals and Operas: My Big Fat Blonde Musical 

Solo Performance: Still Got It

 Sponsored Awards

A Little New Music Award for Outstanding Songwriting: Thug Tunnel

Beyond Bechdel-Wallace Award: Disrupted

Cherry Poppins’ Cherry Picks: Ripest Show: Tilt & Here There Be Dragons

FPI’s Most Wanted Award:  Actors Company, Fountain Theatre, Lounge Theatre, Macha Theatre/Film, Rogue Machine @ MET Theatre, Sacred Fools TheaterStephanie Fuery Studio Theatre, The Hotel Cafe: Second Stage, The New Collective, Theatre Asylum and Underground Theatre

O Face Awards for Orgasmic Achievement: Keight Leighn from (A)partment 8 (Most orgasmic performance), Will Michaels from Night Witches (Most orgasmic writing), Kitty Serial Killers – Sacred Fools (Most orgasmic production)

The Duende Distinction: Moving Art Collective: Metamorphosis (for overall production)

The Inkwell Playwright’s Promise Award: Vanessa Espino for Odilia

Lumpy-Cramp© Spirit of the Fringe, Never in the Box Award: Wheel of Invention

The Rogue Shakespeare Award for Artistic Excellence: Daniel Llewelyn-Williams for Writing/Acting Excellence in A Regular Little Houdini 

The Unleashed Awards: Porn Rock (Most Unleashed Show), Jessica Moreno in All Aboard the Marriage Hearse (Most Unleashed Performance), Elizabeth Dement in Porn Rock (Tracey Collins Funny Girl Award) 

The Encore! Producers Awards: 

Three Clubs: 30:30:60 – A Competitive Birthday Event, 50 Shades of Shakespeare, A Whole Newd World: Cherry Tales at The Knock Shop, Broadway Noir, Live From The Grave…It’s John Belushi!, MADLIB! The Musical, Nilbog: The Unauthorized Musical Parody of Troll 2, Ruby, Human Test Subjects

Actors Company: Amy Snowden’s Confessions from LA to L.A., Charlotte’s Shorts, F—- My Life, Freakout, Girls Together Always, Makin’ A Movie featuring the Mad Jackrats (LPNSImprov), The Gay Guide to, Tinseltown, Thirteen’s Spring, She Got Off the Couch, YOU

Asylum: A Horse With a View, A Regular Little Houdini, American Man Dream, Awkwardly Fabulous, Bin Laden: The One Man Show, BOUND, CRAFTSMAN, Einstein!, Happy Hour, How to Be A Virgin (in 13 morally ambiguous steps), In The Garage, Kill All Politicians, Las Garcia, Night Witches, Occupation, Voices, Bull, Smoke

Complex Theatres: Time Stands Still, The Art of Falling Down, Suicide LIVE, I am Vertical, Cockroach Dialogues, Julianne: Live from LA!, Lolita, Daisy, Ophelia: A Love Story, MacDeth!, Punch and Judy, Slightly Dramatic, Sticky-Fingers Monologues, Tony Danza’s Letterz 2 2pac: an evening with Tony Danza, Washed in the Blood

Lounge Theatre: All Aboard the Marriage Hearse, Aurora and Larry, Bloody Beautiful, Cold Tangerines, Fairytales Against Humanity, Feast of Snacks, MmHmm, Please Stand Clear the Doors Are Closing, SpiritWheel, Strap-On, The Creeps, Uterine Affairs, Whalefail

Sacred Fools Theatre: Thug Tunnel, Office Beat: A Tap Dance Comedy, Alien Vs. Musical, Still Got It, My Big Fat Blonde Musical, Mark Twain Answers All Your Questions!, Tilt, Lamprey: Weekend of Vengeance, All The Best Killers are Librarians, Paul Dooley: Upright and Personal, Up Down Stick Stuck, Thanks a Lot! My Gratitusical, Penny For Your Thoughts, The Princes Charming, Come Fux With Us, Tell Me On A Sunday, Nine Dresses: Sex, Death, Fashion

If you live in Los Angeles, I strongly urge you to support the shows that have been selected for extensions.  Keep the Fringe spirit alive.  See you all next year.

 

Categories
Fringe Shows

HFF16 – Final wrap-up

HFF16 has been my favorite Fringe experience yet, and I have attended six of the seven years of the Festival.  Hats off to Ben Hill and his amazing staff for all the work they have contributed to make this Festival such a success.  I can hardly wait for HFF17.  But before that time, here are shows I felt were worthy of Honorable Mention:

Fifty Shades of Shakespeare.  With a killer cast of two men and two women and the Bard’s sexiest scenes for material, what could go wrong?  Throw in the twist that the audience decides what roles they play, and you have the makings of a great Fringe show.

Bumpersticker:  The Musical.  A last minute addition to my schedule, this group brought an engaging and funny take on the countless bumper stickers that drivers have been forced to see while stuck in traffic.  A truly fun time.

Thug Tunnel.  Kat Primeau and her Robot Teammate & the Accidental Party company created a visually stunning musical romp through the sewers of apocalyptic Earth.  Getting the chance to see this masterpiece was a gift from the Universe, and one of the privileges of creating fringeships at the Festival.  Thanks Kat for inviting me.

And now, my awards:

Best solo show:  My Big Fat Blonde Musical

Best ensemble:  A Whole Newd World – Cherry Tales at the Knock Shop

Best musical:  A Feast of Snacks

Best comedy:  How to be a Virgin (in 12 Morally Ambiguous Steps)

Best drama:  Chemistry

Best venue (tie):  Sacred Fools and Three Clubs

Most personal (tie):  30JJ or Bust and Sexy Maus

Most ready for Broadway:  Tell me on a Sunday

Most heart:  Gilda: A Tribute to the Beloved Comedienne Gilda Radner

Best Fringe Festival:  HFF16

Thanks again to everyone for making me feel special this year.  I especially love the welcome I got from David Haverty, the friendliness and openness from so many of the participants and staff, and especially my new friends at Cherry Poppins.  You all contributed in making this my favorite Fringe experience ever.