Still Life Podcast

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Fresh out of Venezuela in South America these young ladies came to America to pursue their dreams of playing their alternative music for all to enjoy.  Their story is amazing, their heart and dedication to move to a new unfamiliar territory to achieve their dreams should be a model we all stand by.  

Rocktober Fest 08 -Review

On a beautiful fall Saturday back in the woods off Livingston Avenue  in Lutz, FL several bands, vendors and personalities flocked to one spot to make a footprint on the future.  We all came together for a family friendly concert designed to raise money for the American Cancer Society, in hopes that our donations will one day stamp out this horrific disease forever.  The event was ROCKTOBER FEST ‘08 presented by The Expressionist Magazine, which brings art appreciation and awareness to the communities and nation.

Rocktober Fest ‘08 was designed to be a concert with mixed genres so that everyone in attendance would have something to enjoy.  We had hip-hop thanks to Judge Dredd, we had country in the house with Sharon Hewett, and the Legendary Billy Rose, who performed with 16 Second Stare.  In addition, we had alternative sounds thanks to Still Life, rock and southern rock music from groups such as  Her Revenge, PineHill, Ghost Sound and  16 Second Stare.  We also offered our fans some heavy rock with the hard hitting kids, Holes and Hearts.  Amber Nicol, who is the bass player with the group 16 Second Stare, did a solo with an acoustic guitar.  Her performance got  the crowd excited for her group, who also were the concert’s headliners.

The event turned out to be a great success.  We raised a few thousand dollars, and  $345.00 for a family in need who was struggling with cancer.  The sponsors for the night helped make the event possible.  They included Dade City Auto, J. Joseph Salon, Postnet (Collier Parkway), Dr. Scott Paton, Don’s Dogs, Custom Embroidery, and Kettlepot’s Kettle Korn.  We couldn’t have done this without these prominent businesses who care about their community and want to stop cancer from destroying us.  We also thank 16 Second Stare for allowing us to use their “awesome” stage and property!

The Expressionist Magazine gives a big thank you to Party 95.5 Internet radio and Make-EM Dance Entertainment for broadcasting the event live via the Internet to the world and helping us to get the vendors.  Thanks to them we were broadcasted in 12 states and 5 countries that we know tuned in!  If you want to hear some of the featured artists at Rocktober Fest, they have them all in rotation!

In attendance for the night were some profound people in the community such as John Tovar, band manager and Kim Bogart, Pasco County Sheriff Democratic Nominee.  It was an honor to have them come to our event.

The event is still being talked about through The Expressionist’s MySpace page  and throughout the community.  “It’s what we are here to do,” says Jason Dowd of The Expressionist Magazine.  “This event was designed to promote the bands and show the community a lot of great talent exists in our own backyard.  It also gives families a chance to be together in a fun, safe environment while raising money for a wonderful cause.  It’s a ‘win-win’ situation.”  People on the chat room of Party 95. 5 were demanding another show, and they will get it.  Rocktober Fest ‘09 is a sure thing and we’re working on an event in April.

The show features artists in The Expressionist Magazine. Curious about who will be on stage at the next shows? Check out the featured bands and artists (past and present) at www.theexpressionist.com because they will be the ones on stage in April and next October.

To see photos of the event, click the link provided ROCKTOBER FEST PICS

Local Band/Art Updates 12/2/08

Local artists and bands are always looking to create new shows and to display their work for your enjoyment.  Supporting local art and events helps the community, gives the Tampa Bay area a good reputation for supporting the arts and in most cases, it is 10 times cheaper than going to see a professional.  Did you know most local bands can be seen for about $5.00 and most local art shows are around $5.00 to $10.00?  What an affordable, family fun afternoon!

Here are some of the updates for local Tampa artists and bands:

16 Second Stare

Angry Tim and the rest of 16 Second Stare donated 10,000 CDs to the troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and other war ridden countries to bring a taste of home, show their appreciation for their work and give them something to relax to and enjoy!  The CDs have been distributed and they are receiving lots of great compliments on them.

The day before Thanksgiving, the Top 40 Indicator was released showing 16 Second Stare’s, “Red Carpet Material” title track ranked #34 on the debut.  They ranked higher than Beyonce, Daughtry and Little Wayne.  They are accompanied on the chart by names like Pink, Britney Spears, Nickelback, Akon, Taylor Swift, David Cook and Rihanna.

• Pegasus Lounge - 12/5/08  at 11:00 PM, 16 Second Stare headlines the night.  10008 N.30th St.  Tampa, FL
• Uptown Bar- 12/6/08 at 11:30 PM, 16 Second Stare headlines the night.   658 Central Ave.  St.Petersburg, FL

You can purchase their CDs at www.16secondstare.com/store or download their songs on iTunes or any major download distributor.

Still Life

This past week, Still Life had a minor set back.  They lost their bass player.  This lady duo now is looking for a replacement.  If you are into alternative music and want to rock with this band, give them a hit on MySpace www.myspace.com/stillliferockmusic

Holes and Hearts

This band of brothers has been working tirelessly to get more songs written, perform, and start touring around the United States.  They didn’t care if it was a paid gig or a charity and they got their wish.  They will be touring to states like California, Ohio, and of course Tampa Bay.  Here are some show dates and more will be posting soon.  Check out their MySpace page for all the shows and info. Congratulations, HOLES AND HEARTS!

• June 19, 2009     Rock The Socks Benefit Show - Hollywood, CA
• June 21, 2009     Venice Beach Board Walk - Venice Beach, CA
• August 8, 2009   North Coast Music Festival - Cleveland, OH
• August 9, 2009   North Coast Music Festival - Cleveland, OH
• August 10, 2009 North Coast Music Festival - Cleveland, OH

PineHill

PineHill will be releasing their new DVD/CD album in January.  The exact date and place will be announced soon.  They hope everyone will show up and support the band, get a CD and enjoy the night.  We’ll keep you posted once we have any updates.

ROCKTOBER FEST - FOR THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY

Still Life - Living The American Dream

As Americans we tend to take our freedoms for granted.  We forget that the 1st Amendment to our Constitution gives us the right to say what we want without censorship or consequences.  We also take for granted that everything we need is right at hand, we can go into a music store and purchase just about any kind of music, from many different bands.  Unfortunately for some, those rights are not present in their society.  That was the case for Still Life

The Venezuelan born band consisting of three beautiful Latin ladies realized they had a dream to become alternative rock band.  They had the musical talents, they had the voices to send them to stardom, but they lacked the market for their music.  In Venezuela, almost all the music is Latin or Latin influenced, this market style would not do well for their band.  They also had the horrible political problems that have plagued their country for many many years.  These ladies decided that nothing will stand in the way of their dreams, and two years ago set fourth on the hardest hurdle they could encounter to make their dreams a reality; they would leave their beloved country and come to America, where their music was marketable, and there would be no political turmoil to stand in their way.

The bands name “Still Life” does not live up to these ladies perseverance at all.  Their lives are anything but still, they have fought to have their dreams come true at any cost.  They are now living the American dream, and not taking it for granted, instead they embrace it, while their fans embrace them and their enchanting vocals. 

I admire this band in so many ways.  Most people don’t do half of what these ladies have done to pursue a dream, yet people expect it to become a reality; these ladies know the value of hard work with dedication and by taking many risks they have achieved success.  I just love their mesmerizing vocals, its something I can easily sit back and drift away too.  I also admire their sound, because its has such a variety from rock to jazz.

Its fun to watch them achieve their success, I watch their MySpace all the time to see more and more shows going up as more and more places realize how talented they are.  They offer a unique and fresh sound that will capture their audience, a key to repeat performances and additional bookings.  You can follow Still Life, get updates on show dates and tours on their MySpace page http://www.myspace.com/stillliferockmusic

Still Life - Bourbon Street Nightclub Review

Still Life is an interesting young female band fresh out of Venezuela, ready to live the American dream.  I got the pleasure to watch them live at the Bourbon Street Nightclub Sunday night and I must say I was quite intrigued with their music.

Still Life delivers a psychedelic alternative rock sound, their music is something you can drift away with.  It’s hard to put into words what they sound like unless you hear it for yourself. They are that unique, which is a welcome addition to our local music scene. I would attempt to sum it up as a mix between Enya and the Cranberries mixed with their native Spanish tongue.  When thrown all together it’s an “En-berry Margarita” that compliments anyones appetite of those alternative rock dishes!

The vocals are strong and beautifully executed, a charismic chant that will rock and soothe you at the same time, while capturing your soul.  I can say they have a very unique sound that captivated me the instant I heard it.  Their music is something I could listen to for hours and get lost in my own little world.  I love it!

Still Life will be performing at the Bourbon Street Nightclub again September 11, 2008.  If you missed them Sunday night, don’t miss them when they come back.  Until then, you can hear their music and check out their photos at www.myspace.com/stillliferockmusic