LA’s own Greek Theater is one of the most unique outdoor venues where you can go see a show. It’s also been named best outdoor small theater in the U.S. Seating just over 5000 people, it offers an intimate setting and state of the art jumbo screens for all you who forget to bring your binoculars. Located just Northeast of Hollywood in Griffith Park it’s easy to get to and quite inexpensive if you don’t mind taking Metro.

This past Friday night the Greek played host to one of Americas last remaining singing Icons. Starting out some 60 years ago He had the stage name Joe Barry, this of course didn’t suit Bob Hope who liked what he saw in the young up and comer. With his real name Anthony Dominik Bennedetto, a little to long for the marque, Hope shortened it to the name the so many fans around the world have come to know as Tony Bennett. The rest is History.

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Keaton Simons new album asks “Can you hear me?”  The answer is a resounding yes, and we want to hear more!  From the moment I popped this album into my CD player, I was amazed by the talent Simons displays.  I wondered where on earth he could have been hiding, but I suppose that an unimportant question now that I’ve been graced by his musical magic. Woo!

En route towards a Paolo Nutini/Gavin Degraw-esque sound, Simons differs in ways that prove to be extremely successful for this album.  Think a dash of pizzazz, a sprinkle of edge, and a pinch of fresh that make his sound something worth hearing.  He succeeds in coercing you to want to listen to what he’s saying; mainly because unlike some artists, he sounds like he has lived.  Through his music you, in turn, are experiencing his experiences, and isn’t that what music is all about?

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Thank you all for playing our “What did you want to be when you grew up” Brooke Fraser give-away!

And the winners are:

• Claudia the stewardess
• Christianne the astronaut
• Francisco Sevilla the Top Gun fighter pilot

Our two winners of Brooke’s latest CD “Albertine”go to:

• Claudia the stewardess
• Francisco Sevilla the Top Gun fighter pilot

If you were not lucky enough to win, I’m sorry. Below if more information about the show as well as information for more give-aways! You’re bound to win at some point and we’ve got way better odds than Vegas!

Brooke Fraser will be playing at th El Rey Theatre (Map), September 12 at 8:00pm. The show is open to all ages you and can purchase tickets for $16-$19 at goldenvoice.com.

More Give-Aways:

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This week’s Number # 1 Hit on Billboard’s Hot 100 is “When All Hope is Gone” by Slipknot. This New Wave Metal band has had seven Grammy nominations and one win,  Best Metal Performance 2006 for the song “Before I Forget.” After a month on the charts, “When All Hope is Gone” made it to number one from their fourth studio album [When All Hope is Gone]  comes a song that is heated and angry, as are most metal songs; but also filled with hints of political pissed-off-ness. Maybe not even hints, possibly downright outrage.

Metal, as genre, tends to contain themes of violence and demons in their lyrical content. This song mentions the devil and hell but ‘hints’ towards hell as the United States and the devil as a one Mister President Bush. Our country is in such disrepair that it seems like regardless of which political party we vote for, we’re screwed. It’s just a matter of whom we we want to be screwed over by more; a donkey or an elephant, ow! Slipknot refers to the nation burning because of a lack of a united front. United front = Corrupt Government, I think so! It seems like a catch-22 here, wanting to help and create a more just world by ruining the economy at home, killing our own men by sending them to fight and then going out and raping and killing people for well, their own good? HUH? “When All Hope is Gone” refers to the Bill of Rights as a bill of sale, as though America is only doing anything for personal, selfish and financial gain. That sums it up pretty well, don’t it?

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The winners of the Balkan Beat Box concert September 9th at 8pm at the El Rey Theater are…

• Danimal who would like to travel to Switzerland
• Lindsey will be taking a trip to Israel
• Dan who is a hope skip and a jump away from Djibouti

Congratulations and enjoy the show!

Everyone else, thanks for playing, if you would still like to attend the show you can buy tickets here.

We also have two other competitions still going on for Brooke Fraser, A Bronx Tale, and next week we’ll be announcing four new give-aways between Monday and Friday! And trust me, we got some goodies for ya.

This week on Billboard’s Hot 100 the Jonas Brothers hold the number one spot with their song, “A Little Bit Longer.” This song is from their third album, A Little Bit Longer [2008]. Their previous albums are It’s About Time [2006] and Jonas Brothers [2007].  Jonas Brothers got our attention but it wasn’t quite IT. The third album was the charm, as this time around the bros are off the charts and the object of teenage girls’ swooning across the nation. The Brothers are all Evangelical Christians, were home schooled by their mom and all of them wear purity rings. Sorry, groupies, they’re worth waiting for!

‘A Little Bit Longer’ was written by Nick Jonas about his experience with diabetes. The song depicts being told to wait longer at a doctor’s office for a diagnosis. He refers to high and low blood sugars in the chorus and that he’s still waiting on a cure.

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For those of you who are into good singing and beautiful music, you have to check out Brooke Fraser. This girl’s got a voice like an angel. She’s like the new Norah Jones but from New Zealand. She studied piano from the age of seven, began writing songs at 12, and at 15 got sick of writing slow piano ballads and taught herself how to play the guitar. Although at first she appears to have a quiet demeanour her deep lyrics and soulful voice point to a deeper side of her.

Maybe the fact that secretly she wants to be a drummer in a hardcore band or a forensic anthropologist is what makes her so f-ing cool. Or maybe it’s because her first album What To Do With Daylight, debuted at #1 and achieved gold-selling status in the same week. The album eventually went 8 times platinum and remained in the top ten on the album charts for over a year. But don’t trust me, trust her voice and check out the video below the jump. I don’t know, your call.

If you want to see her for free at the El Rey on September 12th, we’ve got your tickets right here. We’ll be giving away 3 pairs of tickets to three lucky winners and two copies of her latest CD “Albertine” to the first two people picked in our drawing. All you have to do to win is…

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Pop Star magazine and Take Ovuh Records celebrates teen star power as they help kick off the Lil Kev and Alivia Annette Show album launch party with red carpet host Manny from the Streets (Ryan Seacrest/Kiss FM) and Lil C-Note of NBC’s Heroes. The new teen pop stars are celebrating the release of their album with an all teen party to be held Saturday August 30, at the Platinum Live club in Studio City, Ca. Lil Kev and Alivia Annette have invited all of their friends on the teen scene in Hollywood to come party with the next plateau of young entertainers in the business. Manny from the streets (Ryan Seacrest Show) will get the party started by hosting live from the red carpet and introducing the event’s teen host Lil C-Note from the popular NBC series Heroes.

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Michelle Shaprow

Singer, songwriter, and producer, Michelle Shaprow, performs two shows this week. First up is The Hotel Cafe tonight and the Knitting Factory on Friday. Michelle will be showcasing her new album, “Sevenly.” Her single, “If I Lost You,” reached No. 1 on the BBC radio station 94.9 FM, and landed a spot on Giles Peterson’s Top 20 list, as well in regular rotation on KCRW. Her single, “Time,” reached No. 5 on the billboard dance charts and was nominated for Best Pop Dance Record for the International Dance Music Awards.

Thursday 21st August

The Hotel Cafe
1623 1/2 N. Cahuenga Blvd.
(323) 461-2040

Friday 22nd August

The Knitting Factory Club
7021 Hollywood Blvd
(323) 463-0204

There’s been some eventful changes on Billboard’s Hot 100 this week! She-who-kissed-a-girl-and-shall-not-be-named dropped down to the third spot and replacing her at number one is the lovely Rhianna with ‘Disturbia.’ Unless you’re my dog, Cheerio, you can’t see my happy dance that I’m doing it in the privacy of my own house right now as I revel in joy.  Rhianna also makes the Top 5 twice with ‘Take a Bow’ at number four.

Chris Brown is holding his own at number two with ‘Forever.’ Brown is young and hot, while his lyrics are not that creative or original it’s a sure-fire way to get a party jumping. It’s gonna be me and you on the dance floor, double your pleasure, double your fun…

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Amy Kuney’s debut full-length LP, “Bird’s Eye View” was released Tuesday, August 12.  With it’s release, audiences finally have the chance to become acquainted with this brilliant 23 year old whose life experiences could put those of people twice her age to shame.  Amy moved from her comfortable teenage life in the states to the rugged poverty stricken Honduras when her parents felt called to be missionaries in the country.  While in Honduras, Amy found great comfort in exploring her music and, eventually, finding her voice.  A voice that is as unique as the experiences leading her to its discovery.

Prior to the release of “Bird’s Eye View,” Amy Kuney has seen some great musical accomplishments.  Her music was spotlighted on the season finale of One Tree Hill last year giving many of the shows viewers a small glimpse into the genesis of this musical genius.  Her cover songs of pop hits like Coldplay’s, “Viva La Vida” and Damien Rice’s, “The Blower’s Daughter” have been supremely popular on YouTube and showcase her ability to handle even some of the toughest mainstream songs and make them, so beautifully, her own.  Her cover of Damien Rice’s, “The Blower’s Daughter” gave her the amazing opportunity to play with the song’s original creator in Iceland recently: he loved her version of his song so much that he invited her out to lush continent.

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Dan Evans

It’s been a hell of year so far for 21 year old Dan Evans. For NBC’s The Biggest Loser fans you may remember the Frankfort, Illinois native, camp counselor, and musician was eliminated earlier this year after losing a whopping 136 pounds in weight. Within 2 weeks of leaving the show he was recording his first country-rock album in Nashville with top producing and writing talents, Russ De Salvo and Jim Kimball.

He is set to embark on a country-wide “Purpose of the Pain Tour” which promises a night of inspiration with artists who’ve experienced similar hurdles and life changing experiences and there’s even talk of a health and fitness TV show that he and his mum will co-host. Dan initially weighed 310 pounds and although he has been a musician since his teens, his weight was an anathema to his dreams. He was accepted on to the show with his mother on the Biggest Loser Couples, Season Five and the rest, as they say, is history.

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