Off Beat

People That Do This To Bands Should Be Shot

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:02:00 +0000

MAE

VAN STOLEN IN PHILADELPHIA

BAND TO CONTINUE ON U.S. TOUR

After performing a two-night stand in Philadelphia last night, rock trio MAE woke up to find their van and trailer stolen.

“This morning we woke up to find our van, trailer, all instruments, equipment and merchandise had been stolen from the hotel parking lot. This misfortune has fallen among many of our friends in the past and after touring for 8 years this sort of thing is bound to happen. We have four dates left on our tour and will play the shows with the help of our friends in Deas Vail and Jenny Owen Youngs. It's in these moments that our fans lift us up and remind us why we do what we do. We thank you for the immediate outpouring of love and support.”

--MAE

Despite this curveball, the trio has rented a van to finish out the remaining dates of their U.S. tour, they are currently accepting fan donations for the loss.

Despite this curveball, the trio-- DAVE ELKINS (lead vocals/guitars), JACOB MARSHALL (drums) and ZACH GEHRING (guitar)-- have rented a van to finish out the remaining dates of their U.S. tour. The group is currently accepting fan donations for the loss. Fans can donate here:
http://www.whatismae.com/donate .

DATE CITY VENUE

Headline Tour w/ Jenny Owen Youngs and Deas Vail supporting

Thu 11/5
Cambridge , MA The Middle East

Fri 11/6
New York , NY The Fillmore at Irving Plaza

Sat 11/7
S. Hackensack , NJ
School of
Rock

Sun 11/8
Washington, DC Black Cat

Sat 11/14 Metro
Mannila , Philippines Mall of Asia Concert Grounds

Tue 11/24
Tokyo , JP Club Quattro

Wed 11/25
Osaka , JP Club Quattro

Thu 11/26
Nagoya , JP Club Quattro

Sat 11/28
Honolulu, HI Pipeline Café

For MAE publicity, contact MSO:

Libby Coffey (818) 380-0400 ext. 224

LCoffey@msopr.com

Angela Villanueva (818) 380-0400 ext. 232

AVillanueva@msopr.com

Bari Lieberman (Tour Press) (818) 380-0400 ext. 222

BLieberman@msopr.com

www.whatismae.com

www.myspace.com/mae

About MAE:

The alternative rock trio MAE just released (M)ORNING physically in stores late last month after selling-out a limited edition run on their tour earlier this spring. The enhanced disc is the first of three separate 8-song collections of music the band is releasing in 2009/10-- (M)ORNING , (A)FTERNOON , and (E)VENING --and includes a special DVD documentary which explains the evolution of the group’s “12 Songs, 12 Months, 1 Goal” campaign. The project evolved from digital to include physical releases via the band’s own imprint Cell Records which is now in partnership with Tooth & Nail for distribution.
MAE left Capitol Records to blaze their own trail and without limitations the band found a different way to do the two things they love most: creating music and helping others. They created “12 Songs, 12 Months, 1 Goal: Make a Difference,” and decided to release (M)ORNING , (A)FTERNOON , and (E)VENING as well as partner
with charitable and humanitarian organizations to make a direct and positive impact in the world. So far in 2009, MAE has raised $55,095.48 and has partnered with both DonorsChoose and Habitat For Humanity to distribute the funds.

###

From the Weathervane

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:17:00 +0000

Dr. Dog + Weathervane Music
= SPECIAL LIMITED OFFER

Listen up, everyone! We are extremely excited to announce an amazing development for our November 12 Year End Concert-Fundraiser:

Recently Dr. Dog co-frontman and singer, Scott McMicken learned about Weathervane Music. To say the least, he was on board! Flash forward to this past weekend: on Friday and Saturday night, Dr. Dog allowed us to project the Weathervane Project Series videos both nights (SOLD OUT - 1800 people!) at their Philadelphia TLA shows. It was incredible. Both concerts were amazing, especially night two where they ordered pizza for the whole audience! (50 pizzas. That's "class".)

And now, in an attempt to help finish off our Kickstarter Fundraiser and kick off the November 12 Concert-Fundraiser with a bang, Scott has offered to play a special solo set of music BEFORE THE SHOW at an exclusive Pre-show VIP Party! The show will happen at an undisclosed location for special guests only. We've already sold 2. There's 18 SLOTS LEFT for this special offer, and it's ONLY GOOD UNTIL THIS SATURDAY! See below -

Deluxe VIP Party Package for November 12

$250 gets you:

1. 2 tickets to the Pre-Show VIP Party featuring Scott McMicken from Dr. Dog at 7pm (Location will be supplied with your package purchase).
2. 2 tickets to the First Annual Weathervane Music Year End Concert-Fundraiser at Johnny Brendas, featuring Sunset, East Hundred, Danielson and BC Camplight
3. 1 hand screened, Numbered/Limited Edition Commemorative Poster for the show (Pictured Above - these are in "pre-order" stage, so expect delivery before Christmas) signed by the artist, Mark Pernice, and the participating musicians on the bill

This offer is only good until OCTOBER 31, when our Kickstarter Campaign runs out! (That's 6 days from now!). Click the link below. Make a donation of $250, scroll down on the right for Backer Rewards and Select NOVEMBER 12, PRE-CONCERT VIP PARTY ADMISSION.

Here's that link:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/27389455/weathervane-music-non-profit-needs-a-little-cash

We can't thank Scott McMicken and the whole Dr. Dog organization for everything they've done so far! They are the pride of Philadelphia music, and as an organization they show true class at every juncture.
=================

Weathervane Music Info:
WEBSITE
DONATE
The Weathervane Occasional (email news list)
Facebook
Twitter
Blog

Weathervane Music
(Brian, Bill, Katonah and Josh)
Weathervane Website
Facebook Fan Page
Twitter
PO Box 29498
Philadelphia PA, 19125

Prepare for a safe Halloween

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:42:00 +0000

Avoid Halloween Horrors

—————

Emergency Physicians Offer Tips on Avoiding Trick-or-treat Injuries

Washington, DC — The nation’s emergency physicians want costumes, candy and fun times to be the only things you and your children experience this Halloween. But unfortunately each year a fun spooky adventure can become an all too-real nightmare that ends in the emergency department.

“Halloween should be about good times and fun with friends and family, yet sadly, each year we see kids who are injured while trick-or-treating,” said Dr. Angela Gardner, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians. “Many of these injuries are easily prevented if a parent or guardian were to take some very simple precautions.”

Common Halloween injuries include eye injuries from sharp objects, burns from flammable costumes and children hit by cars as they walk and run around busy neighborhoods.

ACEP suggests that adults follow these tips for a safe and fun Halloween:

·
Make sure you see all the candy before your child eats it. Avoid candy that is not wrapped in its original wrapper, as well as all fruit.

·
Make sure your child stays on the sidewalks as much as possible (off streets) and obeys all traffic signals.

·
Discuss the importance of staying together in a group. Require at least one adult to serve as a chaperone during trick-or-treat gatherings.

·
Make sure your child knows the potential dangers from strangers. Make sure they know never to accept rides from strangers or visit unfamiliar homes or areas.

·
Avoid costumes that could cause children to trip, such as baggy pants, long hems, high heels and oversized shoes.

·
Avoid costumes that obstruct the child’s sight or vision.

·
Avoid masks if possible. If your child must wear one, make sure it is well ventilated.

·
Make sure costume fabric, wigs and beards are made of flame-resistant materials, such as nylon or polyester.

·
Keep candlelit Jack-O-Lanterns away from children so they can’t get burned or set on fire.

·
Make sure costumes are visible at night: avoid dark colors. Add reflective tape to the costume so your child is more visible to motor vehicles.

·
Take a flashlight while trick-or-treating as visibility decreases long before it gets really dark.

·
Check accessories such as swords, knives, wands and other pointed objects. Make sure they are made from flexible materials and have dulled edges.

ACEP also recommends that children “trick-or-treat” at organized Halloween festivities, such as at local churches, shopping malls or schools. This way children are not walking in the dark and it allows constant adult supervision.

For more on this and other health related topics, go to
www.EmergencyCareForYou.org .

ACEP and MedicAlert Foundation are partnering to promote EmergencyCareforYou.org and to educate the public about medical emergencies.

MedicAlert Foundation pioneered the first medical identification and emergency medical information service in 1956 to provide people with a simple but effective method for communicating their medical conditions. Since the organization’s founding, MedicAlert Foundation has provided services and products that help to protect and save lives for its 4 million members worldwide. For more than 50 years, the nonprofit foundation has relayed vital medical information on behalf of its members to emergency responders so they receive faster and safer treatment. MedicAlert IDs alert emergency personnel to a member’s primary health conditions. In addition to its 24-hour emergency response service, MedicAlert Foundation also provides family and caregiver notification so that members can be reunited with their loved ones. For more information, visit www.medicalert.org .

ACEP is a national medical specialty society representing emergency medicine with more than 28,000 members. ACEP is committed to advancing emergency care through continuing education, research and public education. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, ACEP has 53 chapters representing each state, as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. A Government Services Chapter represents emergency physicians employed by military branches and other government agencies.

###

Saturday Night

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:25:00 +0000

Stop Signs

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:34:00 +0000

in West Chester are there for a reason. Use them.

The Sky Drops

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:37:00 +0000

Hello!

The Sky Drops are pleased to announce some special shows this Autumn.
If you are in Wilmington on September 18th, don't miss the super bill with Dead Meadow @ MOJO13.

We've received a great response from the release of our debut full length album "Bourgeois Beat"... for instance "i f***ing LOVE it" - Kramer

Check out more of the press .

Listen to "Bourgeois Beat" songs - theskydrops.com/music.htm

Watch the 8mm video for "Truth Is" - youtube.com/watch?v=2nd3DaRf8gI
< /a>

Purchase CD from The Sky Drops store
Purchase digital files from iTunes, Napster, Amazon, Amie Street, lala, etc.

TOUR (more dates to come):

Tuesday 15 September - Black Majik Tuesday at Glasslands Gallery
The Sky Drops with Mon Khmer and Holy Hail
Doors @ 9 PM - Cover: $6.00
289 Kent Ave. (between S. 1st and S. 2nd)
Williams burg, Brooklyn, NY 11211
The Sky Drops on @ 9:45 pm

Friday 18 September - Mojo13
The Sky Drops with Dead Meadow, The Three 4 Tens, The Empty Shapes
1706 Philadelphia Pike
Wilmington, DE 19809

Saturday 26 September 2009 - The Octoraro
The Sky Drops with The Three 4 Tens, House of Fire
2 South 3rd Street
Oxford, PA 19363

Saturday 10 October 2009 - Bar None
The Sky Drops with Screen Vinyl Image, Ultra Cindy, Kingsteen, and Churn
5000 Cleveland Street
Virginia Beach, VA 23462-2504

Tuesday 27 October 2009 - Bar None
The Sky Drops with Screen Vinyl Imag e, Ringo Deathstarr, and Ceremony
5000 Cleveland Street
Virginia Beach, VA 23462-2504

Saturday 21 November 2009 - The Spot
The Sky Drops with Revolution, I Love You, and TBA
1908 North Market Street
Wilmington, DE 19802

Saturday 5 December 2009 - Metro Gallery
The Sky Drops with TBA
1700 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21201

See you there!
Rob and Monika
The Sky Drops

theskydrops.com
myspace.com/theskydrops

West Chester Rock City

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:25:00 +0000

click the link if you like punk rock

From the Next Issue of CC

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 20:24:00 +0000

Well, there’s no way around saying it…This past week has been a very sad one for me and for many people from the Philadelphia Music Community. Early Saturday Morning, August 22, we lost our dear friend, drummer and percussionist, Bobby Wolter. Bobby played with lots of bands over the years, most recently The Weeds and REDFORD and before that Shooting Ropes, Steph Hayes and the Good Problems, Love Syndicate and others.

I had become very close to Bobby over the past few years as he and I share something in common: we both struggle with a terrible disease called Cystic Fibrosis. Bobby and I were introduced by our Nurse Practitioner Marianne Ferrin from the Adult CF Clinic where we both receive our care. Marianne knew Bobby and I were musicians and that we may have common friends and other interests as well.

She gave him my e-mail address in 2004. It turns out that people with CF shouldn’t interact physically, as we all carry around bacterial infections that could compromise our health. Furthermore, Bobby had the “mack-daddy” of all the infections, b. cepacia, and he assured me I did NOT want that. We corresponded sporadically through e-mail for several years until early this year when Bobby’s health was becoming a more and more serious matter. It was at this point that our messages started to become deeper and more involved, and Bobby became one of the most important people in my life.

By June, we decided to publish our emails to one another in a blog called Brian and Bobby Speak (http://brianandbobbyspeak.com). We were both delighted by the feedback we received. There were easily 50, sometimes 100 people who’d read it every day. I’ve worked much harder for many things far less successful. By July, we were talking about expanding the spirit and mission of the blog by producing a video series as well, and establishing the company to make this happen, Brian and Bobby Films.

Sadly, this week CF took Bobby’s life. It was completely out of nowhere for me. Now, I didn’t SEE Bobby every day, but we e-mailed each other almost every day, and toward the end we were video chatting as well. Bobby’s imagination was afire with creative plans for the future. Though on paper he was sick, very sick, I know Bobby was alive.

I met Bobby’s family and friends Wednesday at his Memorial Service in Paoli. I certainly wish I could have met them under better circumstances, but I was honored to be welcomed and received so warmly by them.

The Philadelphia community lost a great one this weekend. Bobby was a great drummer, but far above and beyond that, at 28 years old, Bobby was a great kid. He had endured enough physical pain and hardship to be an 80-year-old man, but somehow through all that he maintained the smile, the laugh, the voice and sense of humor of an innocent kid.

I love you, Bobby. I’ll miss you forever.

The family of Bobby Wolter ask donations be made in his name to:

The Research Fund for Cystic Fibrosis

Attention: Dr. Holsclaw, MD

Penn Presbyterian Hospital

51 North 39^th Street

Philadelphia PA, 19104

To read Brian and Bobby Speak, go to http://brianandbobbyspeak.com.

-- Brian McTear is a musician, producer and engineer, the owner of Miner Street Recordings in Philadelphia, and founder of Weathervane Music Organization. Information, including pictures of the Weathervane Project Series sessions, can be found at http://weathervanemusic.org. To make a donation, go to http://weathervanemusic.org/donate

For more information on Miner Street Recordings, http://myspace.com/minerstreetrecordings. Espers - http://www.myspace.com/espers

September 26

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 20:43:00 +0000

click the flier for more info

A Bad Comparison

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:33:00 +0000

So I read our paper online here, especially for the comments. And anything involving Coatesville has amazing comments, great entertainment. But one thing I've noticed is that Coatesville is compared to Philly and I think that's undeserved and makes Philly look bad. As someone who lived there for a bunch of years, can we leave Philly out of it?

Saturday Night

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:43:00 +0000

The Fjords

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:21:00 +0000

Everyone should look in to the fjords. Fascinating stuff according to Fletcher Munson. I urge everyone, at his advice to look in to them -- Google it, Yahoo it, go to the library. And according to Munson, enjoy them over a nice glass of chardonnay.

ART

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:54:00 +0000

The Pop Punk Extravaganza

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:20:00 +0000

Boycott Classics

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:17:00 +0000

And do it by going here

Good Buy

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:52:00 +0000

Fudge Pops at Work Rule:

Weathervane

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:04:00 +0000

The Weathervane Occasional

The OFFICIAL Weathervane Music Launch Party -
Thursday, June 25 at Kung Fu Necktie in Philly

PHILADELPHIA, PA June 1, 2009 –

Hi, everyone!

It was a great weekend here at Weathervane, and things are really starting to get busy! On Friday we had an incredible evening with Sunset and Philebrity at Fishtown’s 2424 Studios. The space was beautiful and the band took full advantage of it. We also got to reveal a sneak peak of the first Weathervane Project Series to an incredible response. We can’t wait to show it to everybody! A big thanks to everyone who came out and donated to the cause, and to everyone involved in putting this together – especially Sunset, Philebrity, and 2424 Studios.

But Friday’s success got us even more excited to announce the OFFICIAL Weathervane Music Launch Party at Kung Fu Necktie on Thursday, June 25 – a viewing and listening party followed by performances from rising Philly bands and friends of Weathervane, The Armchairs and Papertrigger. We’ll watch the videos from the first two sessions with Sunset and East Hundred, which, if I do say so myself, have turned out to be pretty damn amazing. Then the bands will take the stage, and if you know anything about either of them, you know they always put on a good time. Tickets are $10, and proceeds will go directly to benefiting Weathervane, raising some much needed funds to keep this dream going.

We’ll also be unveiling the first of our series of Commemorative Posters – hand silk screened, signed, limited edition prints. The man behind our 2009 series is Philadelphia/NY-based artist Mark Pernice, and he’s been putting together some really beautiful stuff for us that you can check out now on our blog. The individual posters and the entire 2009 series will be available for sale soon, and on-hand at the Launch Party, so keep your eye out for those, and check out more of Mark’s work at his site.

Buy tickets for the Launch Party here, and don’t forget that in the coming weeks we’ll be releasing the video introduction to Weathervane and our first two projects. We’ll see you in a few weeks!

Love,
Katonah & Weathervane Music
http://weathervanemusic.org

=================
Venue & Band Info:
Kung Fu Necktie - 1250 N. Front Street (Front & Thompson) - http://kungfunecktie.com
Papertrigger - http://myspace.com/papertrigger
The Armchairs - http://myspace.com/thearmchairs

=================
Weathervane Music Info:
Site: http://weathervanemusic.org
Email list - The Weathervane Occasional - http://bit.ly/ne4tc
Facebook - http://bit.ly/uOW91
Twitter - http://twitter.com/wvmusic
Blog - http://wvmusic.tumblr.com

Hard To Do

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:15:00 +0000

From My Inbox

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Tue, 05 May 2009 21:02:00 +0000

Sometimes, a lot of times, I get press releases that are immediately deleted. This was funny enough to post in its entirety. My vote is for Ticketmonster.

The Worst Company in America

Bank of America, Comcast, Ticketmaster and AIG make

The Consumerist’s “Final Four”

New York , NY (May 4, 2009): It’s the bailouts versus the monopolies! “The Worst Company in
America ,” the annual 32-company battle royale from The Consumerist (
www.consumerist.com) has whittled itself down to the “final four”: Bank of America, Comcast, Ticketmaster and AIG. One of these disastrous companies will go on to join Halliburton (2006), RIAA (2007) and Countrywide (2008) as “The Worst Company in
America .”

AIG and Ticketmaster face-off May 4^th, Bank of America and Comcast face-off May 5^th, the victors of those contests meet May 6^th, and then the “winner” is announced May 7^th.

The competition began with 32 companies separated into four brackets. Companies competed in head-to-head match ups and the winner of each match up was determined by the vote of Consumerist readers. The 32 companies included: AIG, Target, Peanut Corp of America, American Express, Walmart, HP, T-Mobile, Best Buy, Ticketmaster, TWC, Apple, United HealthCare, Verizon, Sprint, Home Depot, Citibank, Comcast,
DirecTV, US Airways, Capital One, General Motors, United Airlines, Sears, Chase, eBay/Paypal, GE, Dell, Chrysler, AT&T, Circuit City , Starbucks, and Bank of America.

“AIG and Bank of America paved their way to the final four with exorbitant executive compensation packages, reckless management, and tax payer bailouts. Ticketmaster and Comcast drew the ire of voters because they were viewed as monopolies that consumers were forced to deal with,” said Meghann Marco, Consumerist.com.

A leading online resource for consumer-driven advice about dealing with everything from non-existent customer service to onerous cell-phone contracts to ever-shrinking (and ever-more-expensive) grocery products, The Consumerist is published by Consumer Media LLC, a not-for-profit subsidiary of Consumers Union, and takes no outside advertising. The Consumerist is the 38th most popular blog in the world, as measured by Technorati, a site that tracks blogs and other social media.

About Consumer Media LLC

The Consumerist's parent company, Consumer Media LLC, is a subsidiary of Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports , and
ConsumerReports.org, and is the nation's leading not-for-profit consumer advocacy organization. Since its founding in 1936, Consumers Union has fought for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves. To maintain independence and impartiality, CU accepts neither outside advertising nor free samples. It employs a staff of "mystery shoppers" who buy products in retail stores around the country, just as any other buyer would, and then ship them to the Consumers Union labs, where technical experts test some 3,000 products yearly.

To further advance its mission, CU employs a dedicated team of grassroots organizers, advocates and outreach specialists who work with the organization's more than 600,000 online activists to change legislation and the marketplace in favor of the consumer interest. Consumers Union is also the leading publisher of information to help consumers choose the right products, stay safe, and protect themselves against unfair business practices. In addition to The Consumerist and Consumer Reports , CU's publications include ConsumerReportsHealth.org, ConsumerReportsEnEspanol.org, ShopSmart magazine, Consumer Reports on Health and Consumer Reports Money Adviser . CU's publications have received many major awards, including multiple National Magazine Awards, several Webby Awards and numerous awards for public-interest and health-care reporting.

Twittering A Dead Horse

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:44:00 +0000

Loads and loads of people write about how much facebook sucks or Twitter is horrible and I'm not going to waste my time with it. I don't twitter because, well, it sounds ridiculous. But a writer with pitchfork.com asks an excellent question. What is the analog equivalent of twittering? Driving around and yelling out the window what you are doing? Good question. Here's the column.

Tomorrow Night

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:46:00 +0000

Look for interviews with two of the bands playing on Saturday April 25 in copies of CC -- our A&E publication. Adam and Dave's Bloodline was in the last issue, The Collingwood will be in the next which is out on Wednesday.

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:45:00 +0000

I Hate You Allergies. This Post Was Not Brought To You By The Makers Of Zyrtec Or Clariton.

Corn Chips and Fire

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:39:00 +0000

I once saw the dude from survivorman light a corn chip on fire to demonstrate the oil burns slow and you can carry the chip a little ways. Sitting at my desk I decided to see if it works. It does and leaves your office smelling like burnt popcorn. If I ever have to survive at work and I have change for the vending machine and a lighter on me -- I'll be ok.

Saturday Night

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:27:00 +0000

Yes, these bands are actually
playing in Oxford Saturday night.
I know it's hard to believe but they are.

Forgetful

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Is) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:27:00 +0000

I've been really bad with this for a lot of reasons. But I got this today and figured, alright, that'll get me started.

Philadelphia Producer Launches Non-Profit, Weathervane Music

PHILADELPHIA, PA March 31, 2009 – Philadelphia record producer and recording studio owner Brian McTear announces Weathervane Music, a non-profit organization that sets out to improve the state of music in our culture, and bolster the career potential of great independent musicians in the process.

Weathervane Music, under the guidance of its Fiscal Sponsor, PositiveSpace, is working to achieve these goals by annually awarding great independent musicians the opportunity to produce recordings in a quality studio with a professional production staff, and the chance to be the primary focus of a series of video projects covering the artists, recording sessions, and studio process, all produced for the web.

“Weathervane exists to produce and promote great works in independent music. The industry is surely becoming less and less effective for artists, which all but ensures shorter, less productive careers for even the best of the best,” says McTear. “Every one of us, music fans and musicians alike, needs to step up and support great music and the people who make the music. Weathervane hopes to lead this effort by providing great opportunity and exposure for its artists, and by providing new ways for music fans to support the making of great music directly, year in and year out.

“At the same time, we’ll expand the general public’s knowledge and awareness of the recording process and a musician’s vision for his or her music as it comes alive in the studio. We will build a great educational resource for amateur and professional recording enthusiasts by maintaining a detailed music and video archive of the recording sessions.”

Co-founder Bill Robertson is a Bethlehem native and high school friend of McTear. Says Robertson, “We hope that over time an invitation to participate in Weathervane’s annual music program will be a prestigious honor, and that our efforts will invigorate and transform these artists’ careers and lives. Further, we hope to clear the path for independent musicians to benefit from non-profit resources for the arts, as well as from grant-making foundations, private patrons, etc. It’s an idea whose time has come.”

Weathervane will announce its first projects on Thursday April 2, 2009.

For more on Weathervane Music, visit http://weathervanemusic.org .
For more on PositiveSpace, visit http://positivespace.net.