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Various bands at Cornerstone 2009. Pics are only cel phone quality… sadly we lost our digital camera on the last day of the festival. CORNERSTONE 2009 GALLERY

Time to update my list of Bands I Have Seen Live. I am not listing every single band I’ve ever seen. There are plenty of opening acts I was forced to sit through to get to the main event. Festivals are similar… lots of bands I “saw” but don’t care about having seen. It’s basically [...]

The new album from Living Sacrifice is out. But you probably already have it if you’re a fan. Holly Williams finally released a sophomore album! It is beautiful indie-alt-country, with some traditional stuff wrapped up in a modern candy-coated shell. Demon Hunter has posted some songs from their upcoming album on myspace. If you’re the [...]

Aught-Nine ended up being a high watermark year for me in terms of music. 2008 was a pretty weak one and both 2007 and 2006 had some good stuff but not really… a lot. 2009? Where do I even begin? There are no less than four records competing in my heart and head for “album [...]

STAVESACRE Cornerstone 2009 July 2, 2009 Stavesacre played eighty minutes, did every song I really wanted to hear except “Minuteman,” played some new tunes, made mistakes and laughed about it, and despite being part-time at this point put on a performance that blew almost every other set at Cornerstone out of the water. Oh, and [...]

Stavesacre Against the Silence EP/DVD Independent Released 07.14.09 5 tracks / 19:07 www.stavesacre.com Stavesacre’s new Against the Silence EP in one word? AGGRESSIVE. The title track crackles with frenetic energy, punctuated by Mark Salomon’s feisty, snarling vocals. This band is FIRED UP. The reunion with founding member Jeff Bellew seems to have given vocalist Salomon, [...]

Since it was released for Rock Band last week, my friend James and I were discussing just how damn great the song “My Name is Jonas” by Weezer is. Possibly the best opening track on a debut album EVAH? In that spirit, here is a totally non-definitive list of best opening tracks on albums (that [...]

Relient K – “Who I Am Hates Who I’ve Been (acoustic)” mewithoutYou – “Timothy Hay” Project 86 – “The Spy Hunter” (never gets old) Stavesacre – “…the Band Played On (Against The Silence Pt. II)” Maylene & the Sons of Disaster “Listen Close” Matthew Good – “Born Losers” mewithoutYou – “The Fox, The Crow & [...]

As a follow-up to Cornerstone Journal of Epic Length, here are links to awesome bands that played the festival! Coriolis INDUSTRIAL METAL White Collar Sideshow CHAOTIC PERCUSSIVE ART-ROCK Children 18:3 PUNK ROCK Grave Robber ZOMBIE PUNK ROCK mewithoutYou ART WORSHIP ROCK STUFF JUST LISTEN Project 86 HARD ROCK/METAL Stavesacre DYNAMIC RIFF ROCK The Crucified OLD [...]

Looking back on my best of oh-seven and best of oh-six lists… *facepalm* Right, many of my picks hold up but I have to address a few outstanding issues here. They weren’t all dingers… OH-SEVEN RETCON Rusty Metal I really put Demon Hunter’s Storm the Gates of Hell as a favorite disc? I’m sorry to [...]

THURSDAY I was not scheduled for the press tent on Thursday, but the marathon the day before had me beat. After a laaaazy morning, I checked out Grandfather Rock’s “Where is the Wonder?” rant/discussion at the Press Tent. Then it was time for a trip into Macomb for an oil change and groceries at Wal-Mart. [...]

New Project 86! http://www.tollboothnews.com/archives/2009/07/20/project-86s-picket-fence-cartel New Stavesacre! http://www.tollboothnews.com/archives/2009/07/20/stavesacre-returns-with-against-the-silence-epdvd

Bros. Martin I’m a big fan of Joy Electric (www.joyelectric.com) and Starflyer 59 (www.myspace.com/starflyer59) – Ronnie Martin and Jason Martin, respectively. Their long-awaited joint project (simply and appropriately titled “The Brothers Martin”) was another fine piece of 80′s and 60′s inspired pop-rock. When I say pop, I’m not talking about shitty top 40, but classic [...]

“Keep waiting. I’ll be right on time.” – “Keep Waiting” Stavesacre: 1996-2006 Stavesace chased for a number of years. “Hey, have you heard Stavesacre?” At each turn, I was quick to dismiss the band. “Disquiet” was the only song I’d ever heard, and quite frankly, I thought it (and the accompanying video) was terrible. Late [...]

BEST ALBUM MuteMath – s/t There isn’t really anything that comes close. MuteMath’s long-awaited full-length release is tops of the pops. And such. Worthy Mentions Underoath – Define The Great Line Jars Of Clay – Good Monsters Norma Jean – Redeemer Stavesacre – How To Live With A Curse Riley Armstrong – La Loop Beck [...]