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Alta Bates Summit Foundation, in cooperation with Comcast and KBLX-FM 102.9, is proud to announce the Oakland Youth Chorus will open the First Annual "Applause for the Cause" Charity Concert featuring Dionne Warwick and Sinbad, June 6, 2009 at the Oakland Convention Center. Proceeds will benefit the new Carol Ann Read Breast Health Center at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland. Founded in 1974 to nurture the talent of Oakland's youth, as well as support friendship among its many cultural groups, the Oakland Youth Chorus' music education and performance programs fosters talent, confidence and community. The Oakland Youth Chorus annually serves over 1,000 children who might otherwise not be able to experience the joy of making and performing music with others. According to Sharon Dolan, executive Director of the Oakland Youth Chorus, "It's an honor for Oakland Youth Chorus to be involved in the ‘Applause for the Cause' event which will help so many in our...

Ex-Darkness boys bring ye olde rock and roll to Glasgow.

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Not an easy band to sell to prospective new listeners, are Stone Gods. Such are the fickle vagaries of fashion and taste that the phrase 'featuring ex-members of The Darkness' is probably far more likely to elicit laughter than excite interest these days. The band themselves seem to be aware of this, and have continually stressed the fundamental differences between their old outfit and this one. For one, no Justin Hawkins, and with him goes the inimitable screech and camp sensibilities that first gained that band attention yet probably most doomed them to novelty status. In his place is a much-heavier musical direction captained by Richie Edwards (not that one, obviously), the bassist who replaced Frankie Poullain (he of the infamous handlebar and pirate gear look) for the latter half of the band's career, now firmly embedded in the guitar-slingin' frontman role and taking to it with a quite remarkable level of enthusiasm and ability, exhorting the crowd to go mental and...

Alternative Electro/Electronica from an Alternative Mind

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John S Wilson is an artist from the small town of Todmorden. His music mixes sparse mountainous landscapes, the adrenalin rush and calm of rock climbing with the free-party dance culture present in Britain.

A night of local metal bands. Yes, metal. None of these bands are hardcore.

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Count Me In open the night by addressing the surprising positivity of their band name, the vocalist giving it some whacky banter along the lines of how he thinks Azriel and Bleed From Within are doing really well because they have really miserable-sounding names or something. In fairness to these bands, I think part of their success may be down to tight musicianship and well-crafted songs that are tailored to suitably cater to a blossoming niché in the local music scene... And, ironically, I think maybe this is where Count Me In are also going horribly wrong. Nothing to do with having too cheery a name, really. Sorry, guys! The “posi-hardcore” vibe that Count Me In promised to bring - I was told to expect music “like Have Heart and Bane” - quite bizarrely turned out to be a bit more like The Gallows playing out-of-tune nu-metal riffs. Don't get me wrong, Count Me In are far from untalented musicians, but there seems to be a a total lack of focus in musical direction. Either...

Glasgow electronica

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Union Of Knives are three Glaswegian knob twiddlers who have decided to form a group. Forming a group is good enough, but doing something interesting with it is something else. Building an electronic base from later day Radiohead, early the Cure and Massive Attack, Union Of Knives make icy music constructed from stuttering beats and loops of strings alongside a barrage of pounding and hypnotic effects over which glide mournful vocals. Parts of the album work such as the soft chorus of opener of Opposite Direction or the HUGE tribal beat that drives I Decline. But all too often the songs are padded out longer than they should be with extra snippets of sound, and the momentum is lost. Yet there are moments of beauty as on The Law Is Against My Heart that make this record worth checking out, especially for fans of atmospheric electronica. A debut that shows promise at the very least.

With Bleed From Within, Rise With The Falls, Blessed Apostle and The Condemmed

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In all fairness, I went to this gig only ever hearing a couple of the bands names. However I was pleasantly surprised with the gig given that I hadn't heard the names of them all. First on: The Condemned. Group of 5 lads reigning from East Kilbride. In all honestly when I saw these guys I thought, look good, probably sound shite. Man was I wrong! As soon as they started they had me glued. The lead singer had strong vocals and unlike most hardcore bands he could sing and scream. His screaming seemed effortless, like a walk in the park. Considering these guys had they’re first gig in Oct 2007, they seemed confident and strong through they’re whole set. Next: Blessed Apostle. Another group of 5 lads from East Kilbride/Dumbarton.. Before these guys even went on stage, you could sense the lead singers arrogance. In general the instrumentals are the strongest thing for this band. The lead singer looked like he struggled to keep up with the rest of the band. He doesn’t seem to...

LinnB

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Nick Harper, flies from the stage of the Albert Hall to the cancer stricken of Peru.

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New album from Canada-based duo Chromeo

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I probably should confess early doors that I’m a huge admirer of the spandex clad rock beast that is Mr Justin Hawkins. As front man of The Darkness, he laughed in the face of fashion and sensibility, daring to bring fun and showmanship back into rock music. While many “serious” music writers wrote off the man from Lowestoft as being gimmicky with fleeting appeal, The Darkness defied by finding an audience with who lapped up the well written songs and energetic live shows. For those too young to remember the days of perm-based debauchery, The Darkness provided the perfect reminder as to the fun and enjoyment that runs throughout the history of rock and roll. And let’s be honest: a man who wears spandex jumpsuits isn’t going to listen to what’s “sensible” now, is he? Two years after the members of that particular quartet went their separate ways come Hawkins’ new venture, Hot Leg. Described as an “entirely hairier beast”, Hot Leg appear to trade on the same principles that made...

Debut album from Donnington Electrolites.

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Castle Donington is a large village almost considered a town which features such attractions as a medieval market on a Monday, demolished power station, world famous race circuit and the Download festival. It’s also home to the four piece electronica outfit Late of the Pier. Late of the Pier's debut LP, Fantasy Black Channel's opening seems to reflect Donington's association with RAWK (that particular misspelling always makes me think of the Welsh for some reason) the intro being remarkably reminiscent of what Queen would sound like had they gone through a proper synth instead of Guitar phase. From then on the album settles into a poppier, Numan-esque groove, backed by less then hyperactive disco-esque bass lines. Space and the Woods is the track that most echoes the Numanoids synth-pop style but there is a bit of shitdisco in there as well. Random Firl comes close to emulating Sam Sparro's more eighties-tastic tracks but manages to find some more edge from somewhere, that gives...