Even more details on Hopscotch

Courtesy of New Raleigh. Looks very exciting!

My final interview for New Raleigh

And it's with Chris Tamplin, who is the brains behind this weekend's Raleigh Undercover. Check it out,  and go to the shows. I've had a lot of fun writing for New Raleigh, and I think they're all amazing and talented folks, but I think I need to spend a little more time around here. I promise not to be so much of a stranger on my own blog!

New .mp3 from Ben Davis & the Jett$!

Their latest, "Charge It Up," is out today on Lovitt Records. Here's an .mp3 of "Maccu Piccu".

More info on the Indy's new music fest

David Menconi has the details on his blog. 

IWTDU2

I've been hearing great things about IWTDI's occasional U2 tribute, and since I spent my junior and senior years of high school obsessing over U2, I had to check it out. John (Bono) started losing his voice during the show, and that seemed to inhibit his energy, but other than that they were spot-on. And they played the good, deep cuts - the early stuff that I absolutely love. I was thrilled to hear "A Celebration," and "A Sort of Homecoming."

I'll wait to check them out again (on St. Patrick's Day!) before fully judging them, and I look forward to seeing John in top form. I think any tribute Bono needs to be as campy as possible. When a group of girls started dancing drunkenly in front of the band last night, my companion leaned over and said, "The real Bono would have one of those girls on stage." So I advise John to let his inner Bono loose during the St. Patrick's show. Have the bouncer grab bring some random drunk girl on stage for a slow dance during "Bad". March around the pub with a white flag during "Sunday Bloody Sunday." Over-emote as if you believe every single line is going to save a starving child in Africa.

I also decided last night to begin tweeting video from shows, and got about two minutes of "New Year's Day," but when I heard the results, it sounded terrible. Anyone have advice for recording loud music over a Blackberry? Is recording over an iPhone any better, because I'm thinking about getting one when my contract runs out. I also got video on my camera of the band doing "Sunday Bloody Sunday," but decided against posting it. I'd like to think St. Bono would be magnanimous and not sue me for copyright infringement, but I'm not going to take my chances.

Forgot to add this: As you may have gleaned from my Twitter feed, I have offered John $100 if he sports an '80s era Bono mullet at the St. Patrick's Day show. This is a real offer. He must actually cut his hair into a mullet. Wearing a wig does not count. This is what I'm going for:

Or better yet, the 1983-style mullet:

I'll buy him a beer if he wears a shirt like that too!