A Brilliant Array of "Fireflies" Light the Sky

I blame the lazy, lightning bug-filled nights of summer for making me forget to tell the entire world that Owl City's new single "Fireflies" has been available for free download on iTunes all this week. But you still have two days to zap over to iTunes and grab a copy.

Or you could always pay $.99 for this beautiful little ode to fireflies, insomnia, and other wondrous dreams. A song as magical as this is kind of worth the money.



But wait, there's more - the music video for "Fireflies" premiered yesterday on Owl City's MySpace! Normally I hate videos that all take place in one room and videos where the singer is just sitting at a piano the whole time - yawn! But this video takes place in no ordinary bedroom. Yet again, Owl City takes a mundane situation and turns it into a gorgeous work of art (for more examples of this, see "Early Birdie," a song about going on vacation, complete with highways and shuttle buses, but described in the breath-taking way only Owl City can describe them).

Cute, child-like, wondrous, beautiful.

Owl City "Fireflies"


And where can I get that adorable little dancing wind-up crab at 1:58???

Also, congrats to Owl City for having the #2 album on iTunes. Yup, Ocean Eyes is second only to Daughtry, beating out the Black Eyed Peas, Michael Jackson, and every other band in the world that is not Daughtry.

It's taken me all week to wrap my head around "Fireflies"' beauty, so I'm not quite ready to extensively review Ocean Eyes, but I can tell you I definitely recommend it. (Also, may I note that it only costs $7.99 right now - pretty good.) As always, Owl City's songs shine a thousand little lights on the beauty in everything from the sea to the sky to the city of Seattle to dancing lightning bugs.

Warped Tour Diary Part 1: The Canned Food Conundrum, Sing It Loud, and the Next Jonas Brothers?!!?

Warped Tour. Alternative Press can (and will) spend hours talking about how it's the only summer tour that matters (What, AP's not into the JoBros World Tour? Or Demi Lovato and David Archuleta??), so you can pick up a copy of their magazine if you want a long-winded explanation of why Warped Tour is awesome. For my introduction, all I can say is, it is. It's big and long and hot and sweaty and weird and scary and hilarious and it would probably smell like gym socks if not for the overwhelming stench of tobacco. But we love it anyways.

2009's tour was an extremely momentous occasion: it marked the first time in history that my parents actually let me go. So this Tuesday, my friend and I got up at the crack of 7:00 (soooo earrrlyyyyy...) to make sure we got to the Merriweather Post Pavilion before the crowds did (I hear they start arriving around 9:00).

Tiffany, my friend laughed at your blog about being in the middle of the woods since Columbia Mall is literally across the street from Merriweather Post, but I totally feel you. I was sure I would get attacked by a bear while trying to find the main entrance in that forest. First, I got to the North Gate, which appears to be the chill entrance. Everyone was just sitting in circles on the ground. I'd like to chill there next year. But I was meeting up with a friend of a friend who had been standing in line at the main entrance since 7:30 (now that's dedication), so I had to rush past Barely Blind and their $5 EPs (all the way from Texas - wow!) and hug the fence of the pavilion, leaving a trail of Chewy bar crumbs so I wouldn't get lost.

(Okay, so maybe hugging the fence was enough to keep me from getting lost. Plus there was no way I was dropping any of my well-hid snacks on the ground. But didn't that make a cute story?)

We got in line easily enough, applied some sunscreen, and settled in for the long wait. The guys from The Promise Hero came by hocking their $5 EP, but they didn't seem too impressed when I started squealing about how I'm friends with them on MySpace and think they're really cool. Honestly, they seemed a bit more interested in my friend's friend's tank top and short shorts. Guys.

A few other people came by touting $5 EPs, and one guy even had an EP he was willing to sell for $2-5, whatever we were comfortable paying. That was cool. But he still focused his attention on the girls in tank tops and lost a sale because of it. We also got accosted by the friendly folks from Peta2, which has now decided to give away DVDs and stickers at every musical event in the world. I signed a petition against animal testing by cosmetics companies, despite my burning hatred for organizations that spend their money giving out free DVDs and stickers when they could use the money to, oh, I don't know, help animals, or something like that. But whatever.

My friends and I all brought canned foods because we wanted free cut-the-line passes. And we like helping those less fortunate. We kept looking for places to drop it off (because I really don't want to carry my condensed milk and canned peaches around all day, thank you), but the Peta2 girls were clueless about it, and the Merriweather employees actually refused to talk about it. Weird. But around 10:00, all us line-jumping do-gooders got to stand under a tree, then move to a secret entrance next to some trailers, across the street from the dumpsters. Apparently this was the VIP entrance, too.

At first, we were all smushed together into one big line. I was standing near a guy wearing an Owl City t-shirt and was about to profess my love for Owl City to him and ask him if he was a member of the street team too and ask him to be my best friend, but just then, they divided our big mass of people trying to pass itself off as a line into two big masses of people trying to pass themselves off as the VIP line and the other line. Owl City Fan was a VIP, and I was a mere canned food-carrying commoner. Sigh. I never got to talk to him. I did manage to holler "I like you NeverShoutNever shirt" at a rather bewildered boy in a NeverShoutNever shirt, though.

They said they'd let our line in 10-15 minutes early, but by the time we got in, the pavilion was already flooded by folks from the main entrance. So maybe we would've gotten in earlier if we hadn't helped the needy. Oh well. Time to spend $2 on a sheet of paper with the schedule and move on!

The First Band: Sing It Loud

After our first lap around the pavilion, I bought a $6 smoothie (Sorry hon, I ain't paying $2 extra to carry around a sticky souvenir cup all day. Though the 3-foot tall $9 cups did look pretty darn cool...) and settled in to watch Sing It Loud's set.




Pat Brown has prettier hair than any other non-transvestite on Warped Tour. (But he's got nothing on Jeffree Star.)



My overpriced strawberry smoothie and I rocked out to a couple songs, including "Bite Your Lip." I truly admire Sing It Loud for noticing that a girl is biting her lower lip. Any other Warped Tour band would probably have called the song "Flash Your Tits" or "Shake Your Ass." Props to Sing It Loud for looking above chest-level.

My New Favorite Band: Rosy Likes Red

During Sing It Loud's last song, my friend and I made our way over the Kevin Says stage to get a good spot for the Baltimore band Rosy Likes Red. We got there pretty early, so there were plenty of spaces available to stand near the stage... including front row, center. Right in front of two giant speakers, of course, but you can't pass up a Great Spot like that. Sacrifice your hearing for the love of music.

While the band was setting up, two girls approached us and asked if we were there to see Vamps or if we'd be leaving after this band played (yeah, you know you want our Great Spot). We told them we were just here for Rosy Likes Red, then we'd probably go to another stage, so they could have our Great Spot. I checked out the schedule, seeing that Rosy Likes Red was scheduled to begin at 11:50, and Vamps was playing... at 3:55.

"You're seeing Vamps at 4:00?" I asked the girls, confused.

"Yeah," she said, and explained that they're a Japanese band who doesn't come to the US very often. She's gone to New York to see them before, so I guess standing outside in front of some speakers for 4 hours was no big... That's dedication. The Vamps fans were really cool. I tried to bond with them over our love of Asian Music No Other Non-Asians Listen To, but my mangled pronunciation of Aof Pongsak meant nothing to them. They also kind of liked Girls Generation, though, so that was cool. I'm definitely going to check out Vamps sometime, see if they're really worth the hot, sweaty wait.



But our conversation was cut short when Rosy Likes Red worked out their technical difficulties (for the moment...) and began their set.








I'd never heard of Rosy Likes Red before Warped Tour, so I can't tell you exactly which songs they played, but I can tell you they sounded good. On their MySpace, they describe themselves as new wave/emo/post punk with a retro sound. I don't know much about new wave post punk (for one thing, I thought that was an oxymoron...), but I would classify them as pop-punk. Their music reminded me of Blink-182's lighter stuff. I picked up a copy of their EP after the show (and got them all to sign it - yay!). I can definitely recommend the songs "Girl, You Take My Breath Away" and "Give Up." "Down" sounds a bit shakier on the EP, not quite as melodious, but still pretty rockin'.



But the thing that really struck me about Rosy Likes Red was their image and stage presence. Lead singer Connor looked very striking in a black tee, red skinny jeans, and mismatched red and black Chucks. Was it just coincidence that he was wearing fire engine pants, which were the trademark of Joe Jonas before they became the trademark of every lite emo hipster? Or that bassist Byron had a fauxhawk, which was the trademark of Joe Jonas before the band got involved with Disney and Disney reportedly cut off the Joehawk because it was too immature? Rosy Likes Red's stage presence reminded me of the Jonas Brothers before every elementary schooler in the world had a Camp Rock pillowcase, back when they were just a little pop-punk band from Jersey that was heavier on the pop. Disney probably won't be banging down Rosy Likes Red's door because RLR is certainly heavier on the punk half of the genre than the JoBros ever were, but RLR's on-stage antics were certainly reminiscent of the free Jonas Brothers concert I saw in Six Flags two years ago, before they released their first album on a Disney-owned record label. Connor jumped and danced around, just as Kevin Jonas always did. He also walked right up to the edge of the stage, on top of the speakers, looking too cool in his wayfarer shades. He didn't quite have the Joe Jonas Rockstar Strut down, but he was getting there.

Cute moment: Rosy Likes Red's motto is "Get naked and dance!" Near the beginning of the set, Connor said that. A girl behind me started lifting up her tank top.

"Oh my God!" Connor screamed. "She's actually doing it!"

Sure, I don't honestly believe she was going to take it all off, and I don't if Connor really believed that either, but it was the cutest thing ever. Any other band would've cheered and egged her on, but Rosy Likes Red seemed genuinely shocked, bless their skinny-jeans-loving little hearts.



But seriously folks, Rosy Likes Red were awesome. And Jonas haters, please don't write them off because I just spent the last 250 words saying their set was like a "Year 3000"-era Jonas Brothers nostalgia tour. They aren't little JoBros wannabes or anything like that. They're a super cool local band everyone should check out.



Also, their drummer looked amazing. I don't know much about drumming, but I do know that the way he went from the snare and toms to the cymbals looked really cool. Their songs didn't have very funky beats, but he played them in a pretty funky-looking way. I never saw him do the traditional one-hand-on-snare-other-on-tom setup most drummers use. I think... Uggh, I know nothing about drumming, but I think their drummer was really cool. Drummers, please comment and either explain what I'm trying to say or just tell me I'm crazy.



Rosy Likes Red had a bunch of technical difficulties during their set, but they handled them with charm and charisma. Connor spilled his drink on the wires connecting his mic and guitar, but he turned the whole thing into a joke about how he's such a crazy, destructive rock star. Lots of things kept going wrong with their equipment, but RLR never missed a beat. Very good for a little local band on the Kevin Says stage.




Did I mention how close to the stage we were? We were so close to the stage. I think I could have touched Connor if I had reached my hand out. But no one else was trying to touch him, and RLR isn't super famous (yet), so I was afraid I would come off as weird and creepy instead of cute and fangirly. So I kept my hands to myself.

I still want to be able to reach out and touch someone on some stage at some point in my life, though.



Also, at the end of their set, some guy in short shorts and nothing else came running out on stage. It reminded me of how Hellogoodbye concerts usually end with guys dressed up in colorful Mexican garb or beer bottle costumes dancing around the stage. It was random, but it was a cool touch.



After the set, my friend and I went over to RLR's tent to hang out with them and get autographs and the like. We both bought their EP and got everyone to sign it. At first, the guys started signing the front of the plastic case instead of the disc itself. Then they realized it was better to sign the actual disc. Cuties. Guess they aren't too used to giving autographs.

Other cool fact: my friend went bowling with their bassist, Byron, and he recognized her! Yeah, I'm friends with friends of famous people. Be jealous.



I also got my picture taken with all the members of RLR except Connor, who was busy talking to some friends and kind of oblivious to the fact that me and my friend were standig right next to him for, oh, I don't know, five minutes. Hmmm. It was worth it to get his autograph, though. Plus it gave me some time to check out Alana Grace, who played on the Kevin Says stage after RLR. She sounded all right. One of the few female-fronted rock bands at Warped Tour this year (or was she a solo artist with a back-up band?). The few minutes I heard of her set weren't very remarkable, though I liked her black tee with gold writing on it. Couldn't read it, but it looked cool.



And thus ends Part 1 of my diary of my day at Warped Tour. Stay tuned for the dish on Lights, the scariest mosh pit I've ever seen (not Lights'), and a very pissy British band that is not afraid to kick you in the vagina.

This Week's Concert Forecast: Hot with a Chance of Dancing and Jumping for Joy

Although summer in DC is almost always blazing, a few weeks are certainly hotter than others in the music scene. This week has a pretty major heatwave in store for Marylanders.

First up, start your weekend early by catching electropop genius Owl City at Sonar tomorrow night. His albums can magically pick you up and take you on a whirlwind tour of the skies from California ("West Coast Friends") to Vienna ("Dear Vienna"). He may be known for his good production and MySpace success, but his live performances are said to be just as flawless as the performances he records in his basement. His sold-out show in Vienna, VA this May got stellar reviews on his official street team site. I've heard that show was a non-stop dance party, and I'm sure tomorrow's show will be no different.

Owl City's summer tour is winding down in preparation for the release of his sophomore album, Ocean Eyes, this July. Sorry for the short notice, but tomorrow is the last chance to catch him until his fall tour stops at Rock n Roll Hotel on September 12th.

The big festivals don't come to Maryland until July and August, but it's never too early to start preparing for Virgin Mobile Festival. Normally, this preparation would include months of saving up for the event (but wasn't it worth $80?), but this year, the cheap music gods have smiled upon Maryland. The Virgin Mobile FREEFESTival will be bringing Blink-182, Weezer, Taking Back Sunday, Mates of State, and too many other amazing acts to list to Merriweather Post Pavilion. And no, by "free," they are not referring to freedom and liberty and all that jazz. Tickets really are free. Really. Check The Washington Post if you need proof.

Calling the tickets "hot" would be like calling dry ice "lukewarm," so you'd better plan on snagging some the second they go on sale - er, on give away? how do you describe this? - this Saturday at 10:00. Get to that website like your life depends on it, or better yet, like you're getting Jonas Brothers tickets for kid sister who will pout all year if she misses their summer tour.

Then on Tuesday, the party's coming to Recher Theater in Towson. Cash Cash, Every Avenue, Valencia, The Morning Light, and Sparks the Rescue will all be performing. Five bands for $12: now that deal's almost as good as Virgin's. Listening to Cash Cash is always a party, in your bedroom or elsewhere. I don't really listen to any of the other bands, but I've heard great things about Every Avenue and Valencia, and I definitely think they're worth a look.

Those are my must-sees for the week (and since I'll be out of the country for the rest of the week, I fully expect you readers to check them out then comment on their fabulousness). I predict that the next big heatwave coming to the area begins around July 13th, when the Jonas Brothers, Jordin Sparks, and Honor Society's fans mob the Verizon Center, those not blessed enough to get tickets party with Honor Society at a church in the middle of the night, and those too cool to care about those guys see Hey Monday, This Providence, The Friday Night Boys, Stereo Skyline, and The Bigger Lights at Jammin Java. (Funny story: Hey Monday's show has sold out, but the Jonas Brothers still have a few single seats available. But Hey Monday aren't the one's touting a "sold-out tour"...). Then of course, Warped Tour comes to Merriweather Post the next day.

May I Just Say "Yum"?

From ear candy to eye candy to gigantic bowls of Froot Loops, here are a few quick ways to satisfy your sonic sweet tooth:

"Strawberry Avalanche" by Owl City


Owl City's single of the month for June is a refreshing journey under the candy-coated clouds... sounds gag-inducing, I know, but this magical electropop song is really more substantial than just saccharine. Let this "Strawberry Avalanche" crash you. You won't be disappointed.

Also, check out a cute fan-made video for the song here. Crayon drawings of people in sleeping bags and strawberries? Awww.


Looking for a few more songs to whet your appetite? Check out:

"Sugar Rush" by Cash Cash - I've said it before but I'll say it again... Actually, I don't even have to. This pop confection's name says it all.
"Chewing Gum" by Annie - Another aptly named track. Though Annie's strong beats and high-pitched vocals aren't rich like chocolate, this electropop tune will stay in your head longer than any gum's flavor.
(Warning: The video for "Chewing Gum" flat-out scares me... And after having it in your head for an hour or two, your gag reflex may be extremely heightened. Actually, I cannot in good conscience suggest that anyone listen to this song... But it is quite sugary.)


Okay, and now for a picture that will really make your mouth water:
Mike Goodrick may still be struggling to make it big in the music industry, but he is clearly no starving artist. Check out that ginormous bowl of Froot Loops. Yummm...



Are his acoustic songs sweeter than all that sugary cereal? Is that even possible? See for yourself at his MySpace.

And more importantly, how many gallons of milk would you need for all that cereal???

It's Alright... I Guess

Yesterday, Ashley Tisdale performed her new single "It's Alright, It's Okay" off her upcoming "edgy rock album" (the news guy's words, certainly not mine), on Good Morning America. The performance offered a fleeting glimpse of what will hopefully be a fleeting phase in her musical career.

The first thing you notice about Ashley Tisdale these days is "Whoa, her hair is brown." While fashion magazines can pore over whether or not this means brunette is yet again the new blond, the most striking thing about Ashley's new locks is that, from a distance, she is now a dead ringer for that other Ashley you thought disappeared years ago, Ashlee Simpson.

Ashley T. seems to be fully embracing the Ashlee S. look, complete with the "Pieces of Me"-era lackluster dance moves. Really, Ashleys, you can't just shake your shoulders willy-nilly. Shake 'em like you mean it, like you really want to thrust your... shoulders... into the camera's personal space. But I guess Ashley T. is still too good a Disney girl for that kind of popstar dancing.

Ashley has delegated all responsibility for destroying that good-girl image to her legs, which are fully embracing their new duty. Sure, she's worn booty shorts before, most notably in the "Be Good to Me" video, which I saw three times in one night while babysitting a four year-old Hannah Montana fanatic. I was torn between my desire to cover her eyes, turn off the TV, and/or spontaneously offer up some ice cream to distract her and my desire to make sure I was actually seeing Ashley Tisdale. In booty shorts. On Disney Channel.

My eyes did not deceive me then, not, unfortunately, did they deceive me yesterday when Ashley wore DIY booty shorts apparently made by hacking off the entire legs of an innocent pair of jeans. In case Ashely's quarter-inch inseam was not eye-catching enough already, a white thing peeked out form each pantleg. Were they handkerchiefs? Were her shorts deemed so inappropriate that the producers demanded she wear white spandex underneath? Did she need Icy Hot patches from all the rigorous lackluster-dance workouts? No, it turned out these white fabric flaps covering her upper thighs were her pockets, which had been somehow spared during the butchering of the rest of her jeans. If only they had been cut off and our fashion sensibility had been spared instead.

Note to the world: cutoffs with the pockets hanging out below the hem line are neither alright nor okay.

And that brings us to the song itself. In another apparent attempt to be Ashlee Simpson, "It's Alright, It's Okay" is a piece of crazy catchy pop-punk that's almost saccharine enough to give you a toothache. The lyrics are far from profound, making it the identical cousin of every other semi-former Disney girl breakout attempt that has been released in the past five years. Its thrashing guitars during the chorus are pleasant enough, but halfway through the chorus, you expect it to turn into "So What" by Pink.

It's alright, okay
I'm so much better without you
I won't be sorry...
So, so what, I am a rock star
I got my rock moves and I don't want you tonight

Every time, I expect her to start singing "So What," and every time she disappoints me.

I know that accusing popstars of ripping off each other's songs leads down a dangerous, slippery slope that even the U.S. legal system dares not tread because halfway to an out-of-court settlement, you realize that there are only so many three chord combinations possible. But really, "It's Alright, It's Okay" sounds like "So What" 's baby sister that tries to replicate her cool older sister's wardrobe with clothes from Club Libby Lu. The result? A toothless yet thrashing girl-powered ode to not needing a man... that utterly lacks conviction.

The song is fun enough to dominate the Radio Disney charts until the Jonas Brothers' new album comes out (oops, too late), but it's still now as good as the best songs from Ashley's last album, to pop gem - okay, that's overstating it; more like sugar crystal - "He Said She Said" and the hilarious piece of ironic social commentary "Not Like That." (excerpt from lyrics: "I'm a normal girl like you who hates clubbing because all those plebes are so effing jealous of my fabulousness")(excerpt may have been paraphrased). I love that song. It's the most danceable piece of ironic social commentary after Millionaires' "Hey Rich Boy" (excerpt from lyrics: Boys if you want girls like me, flash that cash where we can see. You think I want that ice cold money - well, hell yeah, it's fucking yummy!) and Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" (excerpt from lyrics: "I am soooo wasted. Date rape me, Colby!")(Lady Gaga lyrics paraphrased. Millionaires lyrics unaltered.)(No, really, look them up...)(Told you so.)

I'd say Ashley Tisdale's post-High School Musical future is looking even dimmer than Vanessa Hudgens', whose upcoming movie Bandslam looks about as good as any movie whose working title was Rock On! can be expected to look. But hopefully, both these girls' careers will last longer than the cutoff-jeans-with-dangling-pockets look will. Hopefully that look ended, like, right after Ashley's performance.

You can watch the performance and chat with a Good Morning America guy here, at least until ABC catches on to the fact that the person who posted the video probably doesn't own the copyrights to it.

New Moon-inspired song lives up to its name

It can take a while to ease out of final exam mode into summer mode. To help ease the transition, this blog is in multiple choice format.

Directions: For each question in this entry, select the best answer form among the choices given and do not fill in any corresponding circles please because writing on your computer screen in No. 2 pencil is never a good idea. Trust me.

You have 10 seconds to answer the following question because there is an amazing song you have to hear ASAP. No wasting time!

Which of the following is the best cheesy introduction to the new song "Irresistible" by Oh, Hush!?
a) Oh, Hush!'s new song "Irresistible" will have you howling with delight.
b) Oh, Hush! is very familiar with secret identities. Maybe that's why these top-secret Internet music sensations sympathize so strongly with werewolf Jacob Black... or maybe it's just because of his abs.
c) Note to Jacob: Bella so would've chosen you if she'd heard this song.
d) This song is "irresistible!"... ha... ha...
e) Dude, those are all the lamest things I've ever heard.

I think E is correct... aw, just watch the video. It's definitely the catchiest Twilight-inspired song I've ever heard.



Choose the best course of action after watching the video:
a) Use you supernatural super speed to run over to Oh, Hush!'s MySpace and ask the guys what they think of Twilight. They'll actually comment back.
b) Wait to see what fabulous surprises they have in store for 6/22/09!
c) Hit play on the video again. Then again when it finishes. Then again. And again. And again...
d) Drag the playhead to that picture of Taylor Lautner with his shirt off... what?

My answers for that last one were A and C. I didn't do D, I swear... really...

Now Everyone Wants to Be On a Boat

Because meeting Mickey Mouse just isn't good enough for kids these days, Disney is stepping it up this summer. For all of you who have dreamed of going on sun-drenched Caribbean cruises with the tweenaged rich and famous, your dream has just come true.

In a brilliant attempt to lure families to their cruise lines, Disney now offers cruises with the stars of Camp Rock, Sonny With a Chance, JONAS, and several of their other official shows and movies. And by "stars," they mean minor supporting characters. Still, a cruise with That Breakdancing Kid from Camp Rock is a cruise with That Breakdancing Kid from Camp Rock. I personally dream of going on the cruise with Camp Rock's Alyson Stoner and Meaghan Martin on August 2nd. Staterooms the size of walk-in closets starting at $3400! Sleeps four!

Passengers on these cruises will get to take pictures with the stars, get stuff autographed by the stars, ask the stars questions during special panel discussions, and party it up for one "a high-energy evening with shows and a special musical performance" by a "Radio Disney star!"

This deal just cements the fact that cruise boats are the hot place to be this summer, whatever age you are. You know, grandparents and cruises go together like kids with funny haircuts and Warped Tour. Now Disney's appealing to the crowd who wants to be like Zack & Cody, not the ones who want the opportunity to sing "I'm On a Boat" while actually, you know, on a boat. Because that is so much cooler than shouting it at, say, the MTV Movie Awards.

Wait, maybe these kids do want to shout "I'm On a Boat," too...


NOTE: Parents with small children are advised to steer clear of the July 19th cruise featuring Jason Earles of Hannah Montana because people who meet Earles in person may realize that he is actually 32 years old, and this realization could scar your youngsters for life.

Yeah, and you thought Kevin Jonas being 21 was creepy.