As we end September and head into October, we are so happy that Patrick O’Heffernan has joined us as a staff writer. His first review was just published, so check it out and make sure you subscribe to the Blog so you don’t miss anything. There’s a lot happening so let’s get right to it.
DURANGO SONGWRITERS EXPO THIS WEEKEND
If you’ve followed our blog for any period of time, then you know how important we think the Durango Songwriters Expo is. It has launched the careers of quite a few artists, including Alissa Moreno, Tim Fagan and Meghan Trainor. Not only that, but several of the attendees have won LA Music Critic Awards, including recent winners Jordan Siwek and Scott Krippayne aka PAEHNE.
We have been involved with it for several years and our founder has been part of a panel there as well. Due to our recent move to Oklahoma City, we are unable to attend this year’s event, which opens on Wednesday night with a showcase in nearby Denver before officially kicking off with a showcase on Thursday and then runs Friday and Saturday at the Omni Hotel in Westminster, Colorado. The event culminates with a concert on Saturday night which always features the legendary Big Al Anderson. This year he is joined by Songwriters Hall of Fame member Tom Douglas, major hit songwriter Kate York (Little Big Town, Fall Out Boy) and Grammy-winning songwriter Fagan. The Saturday concert is open to the public and tickets are available at the door.
OKLAHOMA CITY HAS A NEW FRINGE FESTIVAL
The first Fringe Festival was held in Edinburgh, Scotland and has grown to include Festivals around the world, including the Hollywood Fringe Festival, which is one of the biggest ones in North America. Oklahoma City has now joined that elite group with the debut of Theatre Crude Fringe Festival, which opened on September 25 and runs through October 6. The Capitol View Event Center is hosting the Festival. For more information, click on their website.
INDIE FILM ‘MICKEY AND THE BEAR’ TO DEBUT AT MONTANA FILM FESTIVAL
Mickey and the Bear, an indie film set in Montana, will premiere at this year’s Montana Film Festival on Thursday, October 3 at 6 p.m. at the iconic Roxy Theater in Missoula before heading out on a tour of Montana. If you are in Montana, we highly recommend you check it out.
NEW SINGLES
Our first single this week comes from Australian artist Riebourne. We love her voice and think she has a great chance of cracking the American Top 40 scene with “Venom.”
Next up is LCBTQ+ artist Déyyess, who has a powerful message coupled with equally powerful vocals. We think she is definitely an artist on the rise and can’t wait to hear what comes next.
https://soundcloud.com/deyyess/no-mans-land
Single number three is from pop duo Rule of Young, which we think deserves serious and heavy rotation on radio. Check out “Lie Better.” We can’t get enough of their harmonies and musicality.
Our musical voyage next takes us to Toronto for the alt-rock sound of Contour‘s new song, “Above You.” Great vocals and a serious message highlight this brilliant song. Enjoy.
Our final single this week is a retro throwback to the days of disco. Check out Sweetwood and their latest tune, “One and Only Lover.” We guarantee this one will get you on the dance floor.
NEW MUSIC VIDEOS
Our first video is from another of the amazing artists at Blue Élan Records, Roan Yellowthorn. We think she has truly nailed it with her latest, “Indigo.” Let us know what you think.
From the beauty of the previous video we next present the stark reality of the rocking sound of Makes my Blood Dance on their new video “Sick as our Secrets.” This one has a lot of food for thoughts and is truly visually stunning, with live concert footage included.
Our third video is an upbeat pop tune from producer Ferris Pier that features to amazing vocals of The Voice stand-out Abby Cates on the song, “Lift me Up.” If this one doesn’t lift your spirits, nothing will.
Next up is the R&B/hip hop sound of The Greys on their latest “Drama.” We love this one and would love to see them featured on Empire.
We close out this edition with a dark cover of the classic Pink Floyd song, “Another Brick in the Wall.” This version shows a dynamic creative mind and we think it will quickly become a favorite on its own merits. Check out LA’s own Nomad and Lola.