It may be called MySpace, but it sure seems to be featuring a lot of Western Mass guys of late. Two area bands of note were featured in recent promotions by the internationally-renowned social networking site this month.
The first, Dinosaur Jr., was tapped to perform the latest installment of MySpace's Secret Show series, wherein users "friend" the secret show profile page and receive advanced notice of special free concerts.
"There was just such an amazing energy in the room," the Iron Horse Entertainment Group's Brendan Leith reports of Dino Jr.'s clandestine concert at Pearl Street Aug. 15. "The last two records have such great material, and when you combine them with the older hits, it really made for one hell of a show. Plus, it's nice to know a lot of the people who work closely with the band were also in attendance."
The alt-rock icons are currently on tour in support of their fifth full-length as recorded by the original line-up of J. Mascis, Lou Barlow and Murph. It's called Farm, and was released on the band's new label, Jagjaguwar, on June 23.
That same week, yet another Valley heavyweight, Shadows Fall, chose MySpace to exclusively premiere the first video of its upcoming disc, Retribution.
And, as one of the band's former managers, Scott "Ogre" Lee explains, foregoing once-sought-after small-screen outlets in favor of such cyber opportunities these days is equal parts "savvy" and "sign of the times."
"Since MTV virtually gave up on music, I consider it a reality network," Lee says. "So, if you're a musician, your reality is that many more fans—and, even record labels, these days—will actually watch your video on a place like MySpace. Working with them on your videos is common sense… good business… and, definitely the wave of the future."
The video is for the track "Still I Rise" and was shot in southern California with real mixed martial arts fighters. Retribution is slated to hit shelves Sept. 15, and the band will next be in the area Oct. 10, holding court at Hartford's Webster Theater.
*
Meanwhile, yet another national recording artist that calls Western Mass. home, Killswitch Engage, debuted its latest studio effort earlier this summer on the Roadrunner imprint.
This Sunday, Aug. 30 in the Pearl Street Ballroom, the hometown heroes will headline a special show honoring the local recording facility they utilized for the sessions, Westfield's Zing Studios, on a bill rounded out by fellow Zing-regulars All That Remains, Unearthed, Once Beloved and Anti-Love.
"We're calling it the Zing Fling, and basically, it's a home show for some of our best-known bands," explains the studio's Eric Arena. "We are so psyched to have such a great lineup for this one, and hope to do more in the future…. What a great way to end the summer."
Since Arena opened the proverbial autumnal can of worms, perhaps it's as good a place as any to note that the area's first Oktoberfest—complete with authentic pancakes, a beer garden and entertainment courtesy of Sha-Musi and The Party Boyz—will occur at the Springfield Turnverein in Agawam on Saturday, Aug. 29.
*
And rounding out this week's CD release celebrations, Franklin County Coop Collective staple Kathy Chapman (myspace.com/kathychapman1) ushers in her sophomore studio effort, Fertile Ground, at the Rendezvous in Turners Falls this Saturday, Aug. 29 as well.
According to Chapman, the evening will feature a host of Coop personnel and a blues/rock jam amidst the Ground sounds.
*
Lastly… a happy ending/triumphant return for the man widely considered to be "America's best unknown songwriter," Roger Salloom. As reported in this very column, the Valley veteran recently suffered a heart attack, but checked in to report that he will appear at his annual free concert at Noho's Academy of Music this Aug. 29 as scheduled.
"It certainly was terrifying, and only five percent survive what I had," he says of his medical emergency. "I am a lucky, grateful person."
Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. Box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 698-9373 or email Garycarra@aol.com.
