JOSH DION BANDOriginally uploaded by yeyo1Whilst in New York I had the pleasure of one of those serendipitous moments when going out on a Thursday night.We jumped in a cab in Times Square, and whilst being with two American colleagues, we were none the wiser as to where we should go for a decent, non-toursity night out. Even though we were tipped to hit Greenwich Village for a few bars.
We said “take us to the decent bars” and the cabbie, all polite and trusting like, suggested we go down to Bleeker. When we got there we strayed into a bar called ‘The Bitter End‘.
For a $5 cover charge we could grab a stage side table and enjoy one or two beers. There was a band on who were okay (Stratespherous) and then a second that were really very good (Fools for April) an the third (The Josh Dion Band Official site MySpace site) were really really awesome.
This very energetic American, rocky, soulful, bluesy live group made my trip.We were on our way out after Fools for April as we wanted to see more of Bleeker, but when I saw the next band carrying in a Fender Rhodes. If you don’t know what one is (!) remember the opening to the TV show Taxi?.Anyway, I’m a fan of any band that has one. Then I noticed their bassist had a very similar bass guitar to me and I was staying. He was gooooood btw.
They set-up in an interesting way, with a drums at the front and as soon as they started energy and soul were the name of the day. They belted out what appears to be a set that’s done the rounds as you can buy a live album with something very similar to what I heard.No matter. they had the now full crowd of The Bitter End head-nodding, foot-tapping and jumping.
As it turns out, The Bitter End has somewhat of a pedigree when it comes to live music. Apparently a recognised hang-out for record industry types and new emerging bands, people to have played there include Stevie Wonder, Gil Scott-Heron, Curtis Mayfiled, Joan Baez, Jonie Mitchell and a few other names you may have heard of.It made me think that you couldn’t do this in London.
London is a place that requires not only inside knowledge, but clear planning. you couldn’t walk into a place like this, off the street and only pay $5 and see such quality bands.The Josh Dion Band are well worth checking out as they now have a residency, every Thursday at The Bitter End. I think they start at 9pm.
When I head back to NYC I’m making sure I’m there to see them. I only hope they come to London at some point.Thanks for making my trip guys.Anyone in New York on a Thursday – go check them out. Seriously. Go check them out.New York 1, London 0.
Fools for April
http://www.foolsforapril.com
FREE SHOW
Tuesday, March 4
9:45PM
@
The Living Room
http://www.livingroomny.com/
154 Ludlow St.
Between Stanton and Rivington
212-533-7235
F or V to 2nd Ave.
Michael Dorf, the founder of the Knitting Factory in New York city said Fools For April is “one of the better songwriting teams I have come across in a bunch of years!”
1st FFA Music Video –
Check out our first music video!! “Run Run Run” – Directed by David Schlussel (Timbaland/ One Republic, Marc Broussard, etc.)
2nd Place Winners in the 2007 NYC Songwriters Competition!!!
The results are in for the 2007 NYC Songwriting Contest!!
After thousands of submissions, it was narrowed down to 12 finalists. Then, to the top 5. Then, the top 3.
We’re proud to announce that we are the 2nd place winners!! (1st place- Company of Thieves, 3rd place- Ruut.)
It was an amazing experience and we met so many talented artists!! Check out http://www.songwriters-circle.com to see pics and find out more!
Thanks to everyone who came out to support us!
New York Sun Review!
Oct.12th-
“The chance to see new talent break out is one of the great perks of such an event, and Wednesday it was the [New York]-based band Fools for April’s beautiful version of “Mona Lisas & Mad Hatters,” a New York song for a New York band. Throughout the evening, as various members of Fools for April came back to play back-up for other performers, they offered additional reasons to look toward their as-yet unreleased debut CD with anticipation.”
- New York Sun
“APRIL is the cruelest month,” Writes T.S. Elliot in The Wasteland, “stirring/Dull roots with spring rain.” Fools for April; two New York musicians, Dov Rosenblatt and C Lanzbom, are set on stirring up the dull roots of music with memory and desire with a rain of their own.
C and Dov met through serendipity. Their bands had crossed paths at many of New York City’s best-known venues like Irving Plaza, BB Kings, Knitting Factory, so they were aware of each other’s talents. Then, on a night off from his studio, C decided to catch Dov’s set at Rockwood Music Hall. C was blown away by Dov’s voice and songwriting skills and invited him back to the studio. Within hours they had written and recorded their first song, “Long Division.”
Listening to the tapes the next day, they realized that something special had taken over. There seemed to be that magical element of filling in each other’s blanks that led to a sound bigger than the both of them, a fluid, frictionless sound that they had both been searching for. And so, without hesitation, a new band was born and within a few weeks the pair had written over 15 songs together.
FFA’s music might be called folk-rock or even pop, but listen carefully, and you’ll hear subtleties that defy category. It’s a music of flowing textures, gentle, rolling sheets of sound laid one upon another, echoing from the streets of a city that gave the world music as diverse as Dylan, the Velvet Underground, and The Ramone’s. With a bow to the greats that came before them–swatches of John Lennon singing at his piano, George Harrison’s mellifluous slide, early Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Fools for April have come up with a totally new, “old” sound.
And with this new, exciting sound, Fools for April have been creating quite a buzz. They recently placed 2nd out of 2,700 bands in the New York City Songwriter’s Circle, were asked to play Carnegie Hall for an Elton John tribute also accompanying Shawn Colvin, Roger McGuinn, and Phoebe Snow. 2 FFA song were just featured on MTV’s season finale of “The Real World: Sydney” (”Fallin’ At Your Feet” and “Excuse Me”), the band is getting radio airplay and reviews from some of the top critics in the city.
¡Muchas gracias por la referencia!
Salud y suerte.