On Repeat: Rachael, Brett and More

This past weekend was filled with great music and great friends--to me a perfect combination. The Obama fundraiser introduced me to some music that I rarely see live; a line-up of Funk / Afro-beat including Budos Band and Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. Their energy is rocking, inclusive of the congo drums, trumpets, saxophones and more. Sharon Jones is fierce and incredibly soulful. Charles Bradley, who made a grand entrance during the Budos set as their lead singer for only two songs, is like James Brown reincarnated. He made a great statement on stage in light of the Obama event:
"We are a world full of different colored roses. These roses need sunlight and love. We are killing our planet and need a change, and need to give love to the roses!"

Friday night was dedicated to the CMJ festival line-up at Mercury Lounge. Most notable was Mother, Mother, a Canadian band with great harmonies, Ambulance LTD, and Delta Spirit. Delta Spirit is a rock band that I stumbled upon at SXSW and was the highlight of the show. They are similar to the Black Keys, with rich piano beats and a lead singer with a raw, sexy voice.

There are two great albums out that I also wanted to mention. I am so excited that Rachael Yamagata just released Elephants...Teeth Singing into Heart, her second album since her EP Happenstance, which is one of my favorite albums. Yamagata's voice is hauntingly beautiful, and the video below captures her vibe perfectly:


Brett Dennen recently released Hope for the Hopeless, an album just as sweet and catchy as his past works. His video below is for his single "Make You Crazy" featuring Mandy Moore. At first I thought it was a bit cheesy, but it's growing on me! His unique sound is light and something to enjoy on the surface.

Barack Obama Fundraiser TONIGHT!

Daptone Family Fundraiser for Barack Obama

If you feel like venturing to Brooklyn tonight, there is a great show at Southpaw at 125 5th Avenue, Park Slope. There is a $20 minimum donation for the Obama/Biden campaign. Enjoy great tunes from Budos Band and Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens. Doors open at 8pm, and I recommend getting there before 9pm because this will for sure sell out!

NY Shows This Week!

There are TONS of shows this week due to the CMJ festival. Here are my suggestions.

Tuesday 10/21:
Lykke Li -- Bowery Ballroom
French Horn Rebellion -- Lit
The Cool Kids -- Gramercy Theatre
Sasha Dobson -- Rockwood

Wednesday 10/22:
Ki: Theory -- Music Hall of Williamsburg

Thursday 10/23:
Budos Band -- Barack Obama Fundraiser @ Southpaw in Park Slope
Crystal Castles / Fujiya & Miyagi -- Webster Hall

Friday 10/24:
The Virgins / Delta Spirt -- Mercury Lounge
The Black Lips -- Antics Warehouse
Broken Social Scene -- Brooklyn Masonic Temple
The Killers -- Hammerstein Ballroom

Sunday 10/26:
Cashed Fools -- Trash Bar (Free PBR from 8-9!)

Treasure Island

After the Phili MMJ show, I hopped on a flight to LA to attend my very first VMAs. As I first stepped onto the Paramount Studio lot Paris Hilton & family almost ran me over in a golf cart! I was working, but the excitement was contagious. I did my working bit and the rest of the night consisted of catching the short Kanye performance “in space,” and running into a bunch of wasted Real Worlders, whilst sipping on some champagne gratis. Later that week I tried to get into the sold out Ratatat show to no avail-my coworker (Wilson) was even playing the MTV card very vehemently! No worries though, because I had just seen them in NYC.

Soon after I flew to San Fran to spend some quality time with my sister and attended another great MMJ show at the beautiful Greek Theatre (again a light drizzle and more amazing-ness, I swear Jim James winked at me), spending the rest of the weekend shooting all sorts of goodness for MTVU at the Treasure Island Music Festival. We had ourselves a raw warehouse space and a talented Director of Photography shooting some bands from the festival that would stop by, play amidst beautiful lighting set-ups, and send shivers down my spine. Some standouts included Fleet Foxes, The Foals, and CSS. For the last band, I was sent to pick up Jack White and the crew from The Raconteurs. Oooh what a moment. I really stood back from it all while we were shooting them, giggling at how lucky I was. I've never seen the director so giddy! After shooting all day, the crew and I would rush through backstage to VIP, casually passing members of Vampire Weekend, having a quick conversation with Tokyo Police Club, and catching the last performances of the night--TV On The Radio, The Kills, Tegan & Sara, and The Raconteurs. Photos of the trip are posted on my Facebook album “Work.” Earlier this year we did a similar shoot at the SXSW festival in Austin for Ahead of the Curve. It's sensational work.

Music Picks:

Some old ones for today:

Frente! Marvin the Album

Yeah Yeah Yeahs Show Your Bones

The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers

Peter Bjorn & John Writer’s Block

Camera Obscura Let’s Get Out Of This Country

Sean Lennon Friendly Fire

Stevie Wonder Greatest Hits Volume 2

The Velvet Underground Loaded

Jack Johnson On & On

Belle & Sebastian The Life Pursuit

Elliott Smith XO

Fionna Apple Tidal

Gwen Stefani Love, Angel, Music, Baby

*Photos courtesy of Cold Smoke Films

Does Anybody Even Read These Things?

Where do I begin? I should have started three years ago, when I landed my gig at MTV and started attending concerts weekly. I’d love to say that MTV influenced my live music interest, but it was more so being around coworkers and friends that wanted to see the shows with me in The Vibrant City That Is New York—where there is literally a great band playing somewhere every single night.

About two years ago I started working with MTVU, our college channel (the closest you're going to get to the old MTV--deal with it), that really sparked my interest in the latest “indie” bands. Add a deep-rooted love of classic rock, a new love of electronic music, a touch of Rolling Stone & Spin magazines, the booming festival circuit and like-minded, smart music companions added to the boot; and you’ve got the recipe for Eve Frederick. And yes, I have the nickname at work, “Concert Eve!”

As much as I would like to go over all of the amazing experiences I’ve had with music over the last three years, or I could even say since my first concert (it was Oasis), I’ve decided to start with my fourth show of my FAVORITE band (and I can say that with conviction), My Morning Jacket (MMJ).

Accompanied by two people who are very much on my music wave length, Kizz and Todd, we ventured to Phili to see MMJ on Sept. 5^th at a great venue, the Festival Pier. No two-at-a-time beer limit? Free Pizza? Clean bathrooms? A spot directly in front of Jim James? A light drizzle and fireworks over the water? The show was captivating, moving, heart wrenching, magical, and frankly just turned me on. As Kate Chinen from The New York Times states, “My Morning Jacket has spent the better part of a decade making soaring, reverberant Southern rock with a psychedelic undertow: music to get lost in, body and soul." Here's a great link where you can download some of their live shows. If you want to re-live any of my experiences, check out the Greek Theatre, Festival Pier, Radio City, or Lollapalooza shows. For an MMJ virgin, I would recommend the album Z or the live Okonokos. Oh and by the way, Jim James is the lead singer. In my opinion he's the male equivalent of Mariah Carey. His voice is, in simple terms, beautiful. He was in the midst of falling in love as he was writing their most recent album, Evil Urges, and man can you tell this guy was in love! His delivery is so powerful; you can be drawn in so closely to the love he felt as the words drift out of his mouth. The lyrics "I want to thank you for thinking of me" in the track "Thank You" are so endearing--to thank someone just for loving you? And his screaming! It's the most beautiful scream you've ever heard! The audience is right there along with him, truly with their body and souls.

‘Till the next show…

Music Picks:

Some new ones for ya!

Fleet Foxes self-titled

Does It Offend You, Yeah? You Have No Idea What You’re Getting Yourself Into

Keane Perfect Symmetry

Calexico Carried to Dust

The Killers Day & Age (Out 11/25)

Lykke Li Youth Novels