April Showers & a Fount of New Info

While homework and studying have been eating my life for the past couple weeks, a few random things have happened. Here's a post to get you all up to speed...

A few weeks ago, I fell totally completely hopelessly madly in love with Owl City's album Maybe I'm Dreaming. I actually listened to it in its entirety every day for about two weeks. Seriously. If listening to "On the Wing" and "The Saltwater Room" doesn't add a little beauty to your world, no electronic music will.

I've been planning to do a longer post about Owl City and several other similar bands, but there are these silly little things called AP tests I should be studying for over the next few weeks, so look for some updates after his show at Jammin' Java on Saturday, May 9th... I won't be going to the show, but I will spend the whole night obsessing over how someone so amazing is less than 20 miles away from me. But you should go to this show and experience the magic for yourself.

But if you're looking for a good concert, you really have no excuse not to see one soon. Fall Out Boy, Cobra Starship, Hey Monday, Metro Station, AND 50 Cent will all be coming to the Merriwether Post Pavilion this Saturday, April 25th. It actually looks like it will be the biggest assembly of talented pop-rock-punk-rap-techno artists to hit Merriwether Post this year, eclipsing Warped Tour, whose headliners are just kind of lame. General Admission tickets are still available, and because this tour has a funky ticket policy, it means you could be buying $36 lawn seats. But really, even 50 Cent will be there. This assembly of talent is certainly worth enduring a nosebleed.

Truly hardcore patyhoppers could try to attend Towson U's big TigerFest-ish thing before the FOB concert. The All-American Rejects, along with Ace Enders, Shiny Toy Guns, and that other band they're touring with will all be playing, probably throughout the afternoon. And I've heard there will be a mechanical bull.

The All-American Rejects themselves probably won't play until the evening, long after the FOB concert extravaganza has begun, so AAR fans might be better off skipping the beer garden (oh, and the rest of Towson U's party) and heading over to AAR's in-store appearance at Wet Seal in Towson Town Center. Give the store a ring at (410) 825-3736 for more info.

And if you want to spend every minute of your weekend listening to live music, be sure to stop by the Change for China benefit concert at Montgomery Blair High School on Friday night. They're boasting four professional bands, which has nothing on Fall Out Boy of course, but is quite impressive for a student-run benefit concert. And they're giving out an electric guitar as a door prize. They can't promise you a mechanical bull, but it's totally the next-best thing. More info on their Facebook page.

Oh, and don't forget that Cash Cash will coming to Sonar on Friday, May 8th, along with Kevin Rudolf, who is actually more of a big deal. But Cash Cash is ditching the northeastern leg of Warped Tour this summer, so you'll want to see them while you can. I still maintain that they're going to hit it fairly big one of these days...

[*EDIT* Uhmmm jaykayy... The Kevin Rudolf tour has been canceled. So Cash Cash will now be in Baltimore supporting Sing It Loud at Fletcher's on April 29th. A Wednesday... Guess I'll see them someday...

But if you're interested in the Sing It Loud tour, Virginia band The Friday Night Boys will also be opening. At least one of their members went to Sandy Spring Friends School, which is a pretty cool place, fyi. So I'd really like to see them in concert sometime. Darn you, school nights...]

And in case you haven't noticed, Sonar is hosting concerts by tons of awesome artists in the near future. Everyone from The Ting Tings to Lady Sovereign to Kate Voegele will be stopping by, so you should stop by their website to check it out.

That covers just about everything on my concert radar. As for other events, you probably don't need me to keep you up-to-date on all the latest Jonas Brothers news, what with their zillions of fans dedicated enough to create crazy fansites, but in case you forgot, their news series JONAS premieres Saturday, May 2nd, and their new album Lines, Vines, and Trying Times drops June 15th. Check out their hilarious attempts at sexy facial expressions on the album cover! Well, Kevin and Joe are trying to be sexy anyways. I think Nick just has the sun in his eyes.

Also, if you thought those JB updates were silly or trivial, you'll be glad to know Joe wore the same outfit to the airport and the 17 Again premiere. Isn't the Internet a fabulous educational resource? There is just so much useful information out there...

Anyways, with prom season fast approaching, girls might feel the desire to deny that they are still single or convince everyone that the random guy who asked them really is cool! And what's more impressive than dating an Internet music sensation? Act fast if you want to be able to tell the world that you are dating a member of Oh, Hush! Pink tank tops proclaiming that MY BOYFRIEND IS IN OH, HUSH! don't go on sale every day, you know. But they do go on sale tomorrow at 8:00 EST. And if you think everyone who sees your shirt will be able to call you on the fact that your boyfriend is not in Oh, Hush!, you clearly aren't in on the secret behind Oh, Hush!'s unique success. (Okay, maybe their awesome dance-rock tunes are their secret to success, which isn't really the best-kept secret...) Either way, stop by their MySpace or Facebook pages to check out their music and shirts. The sale ends on Monday, so you might want to hurry!

And finally, Meg & Dia's new album came out today! I would love to review it for you, but homework calls, so you'll have to listen to it and decide for yourself.

So that's about everything that's happened in the past month. Oh, and I've been told that Hottub's album sounds better than their live performances. I don't know how any music could top their angelic voices, but if you say so...

I love Relient K.

Yo, twitter.com/relientk, your fave band has a special video message for you. Oh, and as for the rest of the world, their new "In the Studio" webisode might be of interest to you as well. I know I was pretty psyched to get an update from my favorite band that NEVER uses the Internet.

Basically, Relient K is at work on their new LP, giving all pop-Christian-punk fans another reason to live. As evident in the webisode, they are recording it in a be-yoo-tiful studio in Tennessee.

The only other real news I've heard from them is that you can now call them up and confess your undying love for their slightly ambiguous yet beautiful songs on their Say Now number, which is 615-866-4628.

And they are going on the world's most fabulous tour with my electropoppin' love, Owl City. Check his music out; it bears no resemblance Relient K's pop punk, but it's still gorgeous. Think NeverShoutNever joining The Postal Service. Unfortunately, they're touring the West Coast together, so no shows I could ever possibly attend. And their Winter Wonderslam tour only it the Southeast... They need to show the mid-Atlantic some more love. I know they were at the 9:30 Club five months ago, but still.

Anyways, watch their webisode here!!!