WTMD is listener-supported radio from the campus of Towson University.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Kids Chorus Covers Phoenix

The following video from Staten Island school PS22 proves why music education is so important in our schools and how listening to a radio station like TMD in the car with your kids can lead to great things. Enjoy this waaaay-too-adorable cover of Phoenix's "Lisztomania" by the same young chorus you hear on those Passion Pit songs.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

One Degree Closer to Hendrix

There's a Baltimore and even a WTMD connection to the just-released, long sought-after, posthumous Hendrix collection, Valleys of Neptune.

John Vondracek, son of WTMD volunteer (and extremely knowledgeable music head, I might add) Bob Luh runs a video-design company called The String Theory. They developed a video for the title track based on a couple of paintings by Hendrix, that were used as covers for the album and single.

Previously, John has developed video that played during a Roger Waters concert.

Enjoy the swirling colors of John's amazing work!

She and Him Go Back to School

Call it the indie rock version of the "Hit Me Baby One More Time" video, but check out Zooey Deschanel dancing in the high school halls and M. Ward looking like the detached object of her affection.

I LOVED the first She & Him record, and while this song may have lost a bit of the "golly gee" innocence, the playfulness is still irresistible.

From Volume 2, here's "In the Sun."

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Muse/Silversun Pickups, First Mariner Arena, 03-03-10

Silversun Pickups opened up the show. There really weren't many people in the arena for them, but they put their hearts into it and were fantastic. The crowd that was there was totally digging it.

Muse was unbelievable and they sounded just like the CD’s. The sound at the area for Muse was perfect. We sat upstairs, but in the 2nd row right in the center so we were in a good spot for excellent sound. They came out with each member on 3 pillars lit up with red lights, and kicked the show off with Uprising, a great new song off The Resistance to get the party started, then jumped into the title track from that album. The pillars lowered and the band was able to move around onstage to entertain the crowd. Matt Bellamy was flailing around with his guitar as the rest of the band knew their role, to support the genius Bellamy.

New Born was wild. I love the guitar riff when that song gets jamming. Hysteria got the crowd pumped, not that they needed it, and when they jumped into Starlight the crowd could not stop singing “Black Holes and Revelaaaaaaaaaations”. Lasers were shooting all over through out the night, lights were flashing, and the band was performing like one would expect. The encore was awesome too. Two of my favorites by them, Stockholm Syndrome and Knights of Cydonia ended the evening. I left wanting more.

Not once did I think (and this happens to me at shows from time to time) “I can’t wait to get out of here.” They could have played all night and I would have been just fine.

One of the best all around shows I’ve seen. On a scale of 1-10, I would give this Muse performance a 10.

Next up…The Church on April 27th at Ram’s Head On Stage.


Setlist:
1 Uprising
2 Resistance
3 New Born
4 Supermassive Black Hole
5 MK Ultra
6 Interlude
7 Hysteria
8 Nishe
9 United States Of Eurasia
10 Feeling Good (Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley cover)
11 Helsinki Jam
12 Undisclosed Desires
13 Starlight
14 Plug In Baby
15 Time Is Running Out
16 Unnatural Selection
Encore:
17 Ex...ogenesis: Symphony, Part 1: Overture
18 Stockholm Syndrome
19 Knights of Cydonia

Don Rogers
WTMD

Friday, March 5, 2010

Life Hit By a Rogue Wave

If there ever was a "perfect storm" for the undoing of a band, then Rogue Wave got hit by a big one.

Over the past few years, former member, Evan Farrell was tragically killed in a house fire, drummer Pat Spurgeon, who was born with one kidney, took his dialysis on the road while he desperately waited for a donor, and frontman Zach Rogue, slipped two discs in his neck, which caused him to lose sensation in his guitar-playing hand- not to mention, he was bed-ridden for some time.

The overcoming of all these things is a legendary and moving story. If you get a chance, seek out the PBS documentary D-Tour on Pat's life-affirming story to find a donor match.

The other triumph is their new album on Brushfire Records, Permalight. It's got lots of clicks, clacks and other percussive electronic touches that make it, kind-of easy to dance to. It's an honest and energetic re-emergence.

Rogue Wave play the 930 Club tonight.

Brushfire filmaker and co-owner Emmett Malloy directs the video for their new single, Good Morning


Rogue Wave - Good Morning from Rogue Wave on Vimeo.


and check out more of Pat Spurgeon's incredible story here:

D Tour trailer from Jim Granato on Vimeo.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Penn Station Celebrates "Baltimore"

Caleb Stine and Saleem's song "Baltimore" gets a new visual verse this month as Amtrak and MARC Train commuters at Penn Station, 1515 North Charles Street, will be greeted by a mural inspired by the song in the building's main entrance.

The artwork, created as part of a collaboration between students at Maryland Institute College of Art and the University of Baltimore, depicts elements of Saleem's "city of dreams" in four striking panels.

An official opening and reception will take place at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 4th at Penn Station. And the mural will stay up through March 31st.

This is the latest chapter in a collaboration that started in the summer of 2008 when WTMD's Baltimore Unsigned introduced Caleb Stine, a country folk-rocker, to Saleem, a hip-hop artist, and challenged the songwriters to create four songs in six weeks.

The duo debuted their material, including "Baltimore," at the 8 x 10 in July 2008 and announced plans to record a studio album. The result, Outgrown These Walls, received critical acclaim.



And "Baltimore" has inspired more than a few educators to use the song as a starting point for lesson plans. Here's Saleem performing in May 2009 at Cherry Hill Elementary.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Mystery Artists Revealed

You may have heard a little promo leading up to our March fund drive talking about how WTMD brings you closer to the artists you care about and want to get to know.

The spot had clips of some live music and interviews made here in the TMD studios with artists we did not identify.

So, if you happen to be playing along, here’s the big reveal!

Check out the featured artists below and remember that you make moments like this happen!

Become a new or renewing member today!


Rusted Root
Morning Sessions Air Date: November 6, 2009

The Pittsburgh-based band became a critical and commercial success with its 1994 album, When I Woke, featuring the alternative hits “Ecstasy” and “Send Me on My Way.” Last fall the band released Stereo Rodeo, its first studio album in seven years. Here they are warming up in our studios!



Lead vocalist Michael Glabicki described his songwriting process with the musical collective. “Traditionally, it’s based off the acoustic guitar—the guitar rhythm and the overtones of the guitar," he said. "I kind-of get inside that world … I scat the melodies and formulate those into words later. Then I bring the song to the band, and everybody puts their ideas into it. Then they start to feed into each other, and it turns into something different at that point.”



Eric Lindell
Morning Sessions Air Date: January 29, 2010

The New Orleans native serves up a hybrid of funk, reggae and Americana with a blues backbone. The Baltimore area is a regular stop on his endless touring, but he's still discovering incredible new venues to play.



He recounted how he wound up performing at Club 66 in Edgewood: "[The owners] followed me around for a couple of years, and said, ‘You gotta play our club!’ . . . . After a couple of years of seeing these guys at shows and [hearing] their enthusiasm, I finally get to their club. It’s one of the coolest places I’ve probably played. It’s like an old Elk’s Lodge out in the middle of the country. It’s got a big brick fireplace [and] a BYOB situation. It’s great!"



Fanfarlo
Morning Sessions Air Date: February 12, 2010

The London-based band's debut, Reservoir, was featured as WTMD's CD of the Month in January and they deliver a charming blend of orchestral-flavored art rock with a literary flair. And their live shows enjoy a little more homespun flair.



“We take our own sort-of bunting with flags and lighting," said bassist Justin Finch. "And the first thing we do when we get to a venue is set up, decorate and make it our own. And yeah, we’re into our own dust bowl carnival sort-of thing.”

Thursday, February 18, 2010

All Good Festival Lineup

Tickets for the the 12th annual All Good Festival go on sale at noon tomorrow. Prices start at $129 and go up to $399 for a VIP pass.

This year's jam-packed spectacular will be headlined by Furthur, featuring Bob Weir and Phil Lesh. Widespread Panic, Parliament/Funkadelic, Dark Star Orchestra, Umphrey's McGee, Lotus and The Yonder Mountain String Band are also on the bill.

Here are some pictures from last year's festival to get you in the mood. Don't forget your Patchouli.














Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Keepin Up with The Jonsi's

It's hard not to get lost in the other world that is Sigur Ros. Unfortunately, the ethereal Icelandic band with the made-up language, scrapped upcoming plans for 2010 because some of the members are becoming fathers and want to enjoy time with their youngsters. Can't blame 'em!

So, while Sigur Ros is on hiatus, we can pencil in the year to enjoy the solo project of it's falsetto'd singer/guitarist, Jonsi.

Go is coming out April 5th. I played the first single from it, "Go Do" this morning. The melody explodes into this songbird-like fantasy world that only Jonsi could inhabit. As usual, it's quite magical.

Enjoy this free download of "Boy Lilikoi"


Boy Lilikoi by Jónsi

and check out this video for "Go Do"

Jónsi - Go Do from Jónsi on Vimeo.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Tony Sica Passes

We're sorry to inform our listeners that Tony Sica, the original host of Detour has passed away.  We'll have more details later, but for now we would like to direct you the Uptown Concerts web site run by Tony's wife Joyce. 

Please join theWTMD staff in thinking loving thoughts for Tony, Joyce and their family.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Great Snow Creation!!

Here is a nice snow Jabba for you... Have fun out there!!!

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

OFFICIAL BONNAROO 2010 LINE-UP

So far:

Dr. Dog, Japandroids, Tokyo Police Club, Kid Cudi, Jimmy Cliff, She & Him, GWAR, Thievery Corporation, Punch Brothers, Jay-z, Monte Montgomery, Ok Go, Bassnectar, Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers, Wale, Mayer Hawthorne and The County, Regina Spektor, The xx, Phoenix, Ingrid Michaelson, Cross Canadian Ragweed, John Fogerty, Medeski Martin and Wood, Weezer, The Flaming Lips with stardeath and White Dwarfs perform "Dark Side of the Moon", The Avett Brothers... More to come...

Sweet Sledding Spots!!

Here is a tool to help you find a great sledding spot near you!!

SLEDDING

Bonnaroo Flyer???

Could this be it??? Supposedly this flier has leaked.. Or is it just someone's wishlist done with photoshop?? Stay tuned to www.Bonnaroo.com. The artists are in charge of making the announcements this year. That's right, The festival artists are using their own social networking sites to announce that they will appear at this years festival. Check your favorite bands myspace, facebook, or twitter to see if they have made an announcement!!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

WTMD Listener Donations to Haiti Rescue Response Fund Exceed $15,000

Thanks to everyone who donated to Doctors Without Borders through our online pledge form and phone lines on Tuesday.

Listener contributions exceeded $15,000 and will make a dramatic difference in the lives of people affected by this devastating natural disaster.

Throughout the drive, we spoke with a few individuals with first-hand experience with the crisis and relief effort. Click on each person's name below to hear the complete interview.