Arts & Entertainment
NYC's Gladshot, Mystics Anonymous,& Chris LeGrand Is On Talking H
Friday Night On www.activatemedia.org
We have a fun filled packed hour with three guests this week and our first guest returns for his third visit to Talking Hendrix from the band Mystics Anonymous we have Jeff Steblea and he is part of a great four band line-up show at the Root Cellar in Greenfield, Massachusetts this upcoming thursday night April 25th:
Mystics Anonymous is the name of singer/songwriter Jeff Steblea’s musical project, best defined as eclectic independent rock. “With Mystics,” says Steblea, “the whole point was to establish a project where nothing is off-limits.”
From rootsy acoustic material with jazz elements to harder alternative rock to more experimental, ambient, and score music, Mystics Anonymous has been defined by its fierce independence and adventurous eclecticism.
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While Mystics Anonymous draws from an impressive range of influences, Jeff’s distinctive voice and songwriting skill are the glue that holds Mystics together and keeps its sound unique. Jeff’s expressive, award-winning baritone and impressive vocal range have drawn comparisons to singers such as David Bowie, Jim Morrison, Nick Cave, and Mike Patton.
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Jeff Steblea [pronounced Steb-luh], former lead singer for alternative band Go Figure, began the Mystics project in 1995 as a way to focus on artistic freedom and break free of the constraints of popular music expectations.
Jeff recorded the eponymous debut Mystics Anonymous CD while traveling the United States, and he enlisted many talented friends to perform on the CD. The CD focused on a ’70s-inspired rootsy alternative sound with poetic, confessional lyrics, and was compared to artists such as Wilco and early R.E.M. The CD was released in October of 1998 and garnered radio airplay in the United States and abroad.
After the release of the CD, Jeff spent several months assembling and rehearsing with a live band to tour behind the release. Unfortunately, the band lineup never became stable, and Jeff was rethinking his approach when he was asked to contribute original score to some independent film and television projects. In order to record his original scores, Jeff began the slow process of building his Gondwanaland studio. During this period, he decided to abandon any plans of forming a live band and instead focus on Mystics Anonymous as a recording project.
Jeff released a limited edition mail-order CD of seven new songs, The Brutality of Beauty, in the summer of 2003. The first Mystics CD consisting of Gondwanaland material, it showed a move toward lo-fi experimentation and greater eclecticism from the now-restless songwriter.
During this time, Jeff also composed and recorded an instrumental score, Middle Distance, for the 2003 art exhibition Of the Earth at Artworks Gallery in Connecticut. The installation focused on the American southwest, and the Mystics Anonymous score offered an intoxicating blend of sound manipulation, drumming/percussion, and groove rhythms evocative of the southwestern landscape. A CD of the score was released in October 2003, and showed marked growth in studio experimentation. Middle Distance also made more explicit Jeff’s interest in more experimental music, garnering comparisons to cult artists such as Brian Eno, John Lurie, David Lynch, and Angelo Badalamenti.
Mystics Anonymous quietly released Winsted in the Space Room, in 2004. The CD features 14 original songs that are simultaneously experimental and accessible. Myriad musical styles are represented in the release, and its lo-fi studio experimentation steeps the compositions in a pleasing indie aesthetic reminiscent of artists such as Guided by Voices, Sebadoh, and The Minders.
Mystics Anonymous returned in 2014 with Dreaming for Hours, the first Mystics full-length in ten years. The album received positive reviews and airplay, and Jeff launched into a year of playing live shows with a crackerjack band, including Brian Marchese, Matt Silberstein, and Andrew Goulet. This lineup enjoyed an intense chemistry and rapport, and it was easy for Steblea to decide that the next release should showcase the band’s virtuosic playing, tight arrangements, and almost alchemical properties.
Released in June 2016, She Wanted the Future is a 5-song EP that showcases the live Mystics band across strong material, from the power pop of the title track to the blistering, boisterous jam that ends the EP. It received strong reviews in the local press and airplay on local radio, especially for the titular track. Later that year, Mystics released its annual free digital holiday single, a duet between Jeff and Brandee Simone for the classic “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” which garnered a fair amount of attention online and even a bit of unexpected airplay. Mystics Anonymous continues recording and playing shows, along with playing endless games of Risk and reading novelettes.
Mystics Anonymous Official Website:
Our second guest is Debb Andrews & Mike Blaxill of the NYC PopGaragePsych group Gladshot who will be headlining a show this upcoming Thursday night April 25th at the Root Cellar in Greenfield, Massachusetts:
New York City band Gladshot features Debb Andrews' and Mike Blaxill's shared vocals and songwriting, and combines elements of pop, garage and psych with propulsive guitars, and inventive organ and Wurlitzer driven keyboards. Considering they’ve already worked on everything from a “dystopian rock musical” (Barcode) to songs that scored TV shows on TNT, ABC and MTV - and after wrapping up a live set on WFMU’s Goddamn Dave Hill show where they lit up Dave’s message board and then went on to headline a sold out NYC show. So go and support local music and independent artist shows including this one here it will be a night out of fun and where else can you see four bands for the low price of $10.00 admission??
Where : The Root Cellar
10 Fiske Ave.,
Greenfield, Massachusetts 01301
Price: $10, all ages
featuring:
The True Jacqueline/Gladshot/ZoKi/Mystics Anonymous
The True Jaqueline Official Website:
https://truejacqueline.bandcamp.com/
Gladshot (NYC) Official Website:
https://gladshot.bandcamp.com
www.gladshot.com
ZoKi Official Website:
https://www.facebook.com/ZoKiband/
Mystics Anonymous Official Website:
Our Third guest of this week is Chris Lee Grand who portrays Mick Jagger in the critically acclaimed international tribute band Satisfaction Rolling Stones Tribute band and he is also the executive producer of the show as well:
Chris LeGrand is the executive producer and cast member in the role of Mick Jagger for Satisfaction/The International Rolling Stones Tribute Show. Chris founded the show in 2001 with the goal of producing the first touring tribute show in honor of the World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band. With over 35 years experience in the music industry and a bachelors degree in business, Chris has grown the Satisfaction show into a 150 date annual touring entity along with developing the two additional shows "A Symphony For The Devil" and "Gimme Abbey" He is also president and owner of SMG Entertainment LLC and partners with H & L Classic Events. He currently resides in Dallas-Ft. Worth area.
“Satisfaction/The International Rolling Stones Tribute Show" is the international touring tribute show to the World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band. This Billboard & Pollstar highly rated show are entering their 18th year in production with over 3500 performances listed to their credit. Their client list include the nation’s top casinos, performing arts centers, music halls and corporate clients. Performing up to 150 shows a year, this highly acclaimed production showcases the most authentic cast & costuming of its kind. The likes of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and cast bring a colorful performance to over 50 years of classic hits. They have been featured in Rolling Stone magazine, Showbiz Magazine, Las Vegas Today, CBS Sunday Morning news and hundreds of national newspapers, magazines, television & radio as the world’s greatest show honoring the Rolling Stones and their legacy. The cast now has four uccessful projects including “A Symphony For The Devil”, "Gimme Abbey" and their latest project "Beatles vs. Stones-A Musical Showdown".
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
2005: The production became the first ever Rolling Stones show to debut on the Las Vegas strip as part of Legends In Concert Show. They received outstanding reviews as well as feature cover stories in the Las Vegas Sun and ShowBiz magazine.
2007: The group was a featured artist on national television news in the CBS News/New York special on the rising popularity of the tribute industry.
2008: The show was chosen by Paramount Pictures and the IMAX Corporation to perform promotional concerts for the Rolling Stones concert film “Shine a Light” by Martin Scorsese throughout the USA.
2010: The group received their highest accolades ever as they were approved by the Rolling Stones to perform long term engagements with the Walt Disney Corporation. They also embarked on their first ever tour of Russia with sold out shows in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
2011: The group launched a new project entitled “A Symphony for the Devil” featuring the group performing with symphony orchestras around the world.
2012/2013: The group’s World Tour was in honor of the Rolling Stones’ 50th Anniversary.
2014: The group debuted their latest project titled “Gimme Abbey”. This production is a broadway style multi-media enhanced show featuring The Beatles and The Rolling Stones together in a conceptual concert in the year 1969.
2016: Satisfaction teamed up with Abbey Road to form a new touring production entitled "Beatles vs. Stones"-A Musical Showdown. The show follows both bands from 1964 forward into the future with alternating sets and a once in a lifetime finale.
Las Vegas Sun: "Shined just like the real Stones on the strip"
CBS News New York: "A must see...go get Satisfaction"
New York Examiner: "The best show of its kind...ever!"
"Washington Post: "A spot on portrayal to the Rolling Stones"
Showbiz Magazine: "They have you in the aisles like Jumping Jack Flash"
Satisfaction's Official Website:
So tune in friday night from 7-8 p.m. on:
