Like the second movie or book in a trilogy, the middle days in weekend-long music fests can sometimes be disappointing, the novelty of the first day having worn off and the last day euphoria yet to come. Saturday at Lollapalooza 2011 most certainly bucked this trend, though, with dynamic performances from a slew of talented artists.
Ahhhh, Lollapalooza. Chicago loves you so, and for good reason. You bring in millions of dollars from out-of-towners, who have to stay somewhere, eat, and be merry and pay good money to do so. You also bring the best big-name bands consistently year after year. Foo Fighters, Coldplay, Muse, Eminem, My Morning Jacket, Deadmau5, Kid Cudi… A concert for any single one of these headliners would cost at least a third of the price of a Lolla 3-day pass. Even the one-day passes are a good deal.
A single Martin guitar can take up to sixteen weeks to produce, and is made with the highest quality materials available by skilled craftsmen and women, who pour their entire selves into their work. Then why have some people bought Martin guitars that were thrown together in two weeks with cheap woods and metals and no care? They aren’t actually Martin guitars.
At this year’s Summer NAMM show in Nashville, Tennessee, C.F. Martin & Co., known for building world-class acoustic guitars since all the way back in 1833, were showing off some of their new models. While tradition and a commitment to quality are their trademarks, there is no reason Martin can’t be innovative and constantly introduce new products, like their new line of ukuleles, which were featured prominently at their booth.
While ukes are fun and enjoying unprecedented popularity right now, Martin’s guitars are really the meat, providing countless players around the world with great tone and playability.
Overwhelmed by the massiveness of Lollapalooza this year? No need! Check out these four bands you shouldn’t miss on Lolla’s second day.
Walking around the NAMM floor at Nashville’s convention center last week, it was incredibly surprising how many ukulele manufacturers there were. For some reason or another, the “uke” is becoming very popular; there were at least three manufacturers who were selling only ukuleles and ukulele accessories.
Music fans in the Chicago area, hell, even the Midwest in general, have been gearing up for Lollapalooza for the last week or two, and it is no wonder why. This year’s lineup is phenomenal, with Foo Fighters, Muse, Coldplay, Eminem, Deadmau5, Kid Cudi, Pretty Lights and others headlining the three-day destination festival that will be transforming Chicago from August 5th to the 7th (Friday through Sunday).
There have been many attempts over the years to make a guitar able to play any sound, like modern synthesizers and keyboards, which can usually play anything from a string section to a harpsichord to percussion patches. Technology has been advancing, and the attempts have been getting better, but it hasn’t been until now, with Roland’s GR-55 Guitar Synthesizer, that it has really been done right.
NAMM (National Association of Music Merchandisers) Shows are the place where companies showcase their new products, and both the hits and misses make appearances. This year’s Summer NAMM Convention had its fair share of winners, like some new acoustic electric guitars from C.F. Martin & Co and Roland’s amazing new Guitar Synthesizer, but those were definitely balanced out by some misguided attempts.
Authorities in Aberdeen, Washington are considering naming multiple public landmarks after Kurt Cobain, who grew up in the northwest port town. According to Blabbermouth.net, they are currently discussing naming both a bridge and a public park after the Nirvana frontman.
