January 2012
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2012, Don't Let Me Down
Well, 2012, we’ve been seeing each other for a day now and I can’t say I have any complaints thus far.
2011 was simply amazing and I am sad to see it go, but I have a feeling you’ll be better.
I’m not one to live in the past, but I do not have one complaint from this past year. First off, I finished high school and moved on to college at Temple University. High school...
December 2011
4 posts
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My Best of 2011
Just about every newspaper, periodical and website is releasing their staff picks and “Best Of…” issues. I figured I would jump on that bandwagon and release my personal top-10 albums and live shows I saw or listened to in 2011.
2011 Albums:
10.) Blink-182 - Neighborhoods
Blink fans are fickle about what their favorite records — one’s “Enema of the State,”...
Sorry, Tumblr
In one of my last posts I explained that I used to use Tumblr as a portfolio for all of my journalism work. I then coded my own website and use that as my online portfolio.
I also said I would use Tumblr for its main purpose - blogging. Which I haven’t done since school started, so here goes nothing.
I finished my first semester at Temple University just a few days ago. It was a truly...
September 2011
4 posts
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College Life & My Path Away from Journalism
Right at the beginning of September I started my freshman year of college - and I was scared out of my mind.
I was moving from the small town of Scranton, Pa., to Philadelphia. Philadelphia is the fourth largest media market in these great United States, which is the primary reason I wanted to move there.
Temple University was the school of choice. Yes, it is in North Philly, and yes it is in a...
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In the 'Blink' of an eye
There is a reason most bands don’t release any type of films, and that reason, according to Tom DeLonge, is because “It’s difficult!”
DeLonge, the lead singerand guitarist for Blink-182 and Angels & Airwaves (AVA), is gearing up to release a science-fiction movie about human connection with AVA while on tour with Blink supporting its new album, “Neighborhoods,” which is set to drop Sept....
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New Website!
So, I now have a new website called mattmorgis.com. It was made by my good friend Joe Caviston from Yellowcat Creative Solutions.
I was using this as an online portfolio for all of my work, but now that I have the website I’ll start to use tumblr for what it’s actually for: blogging.
I will however post occasional stories, like my most recent interview with Blink-182, just because...
July 2011
5 posts
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Scranton natives join concert festival line-up
Out of 68 scheduled acts to perform at the Van’s Warped Tour on July 14, only one is a Scranton-based band.
Motionless In White, a hardcore metal band that is signed to Fearless Records in Orlando, Fla., has had major success in the music scene around the country headlining tours and festivals over the past five years.
MIW — singer Chris Cerulli, keyboardist Joshua Balz, lead guitar Richard...
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Freeland musician returns 'home'
Every musician has their first memory of why they decided to play music. Sometimes it comes from a parent playing a Beatles album or from their first concert, but for Matt Balas of Red Red Indicator, it was when he was 11 years old and his cousin copied him a Rancid cassette tape.
Balas then saved up money from his paper route to buy his first electric guitar and amplifier, and has been playing...
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Set A Survival Plan
Warped Tour always seems to have the same constants each year: The weather is hotter than the big guy next to you in the mosh pit; you receive handouts from a variety of special interest groups and musicians that wish they were on the tour; and, of course, there’s the never-ending maze of merchandise tents you have to weasel through just to see the next act on your list.
Despite all the...
WEEKENDER: Hello! →
weekendernepa:
Why hello there, NEPA!
The Weekender is now on Tumblr! In addition to our Facebook and Twitter profiles, we are now expanding even further into social media world.
We promise we won’t spam you with the same news content on all three outlets. This page is mainly going to be used by the…
June 2011
3 posts
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ALBUM REVIEW: A good, 'dirty' listen
With bands like All Time Low, you more or less know what to expect: Fun and catchy pop-rock songs. The band’s major-label debut, “Dirty Work,” is no different, and it could be the reason it debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200.
Lead track “Do You Want Me (Dead)?” contains the softest part of the album — the first 25 seconds of the song — before frontman Alex Gaskarth starts belting out the...
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SINGLE REVIEW: We the Kings "Friday is Forever"
Everyone has preconceptions about each day of the week. Sunday carries a very relaxed feeling while Monday is more of the stressful side. Friday, however, always bears a sense of letting loose — and We the Kings was able to capture that same vibe in its new single, “Friday is Forever,” released April 12.
The group changed things up a bit without losing the same style that broke them into the...
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ALBUM REVIEW: Sparks don't ignite.
As the days get warmer and the evenings get longer, everyone’s summer soundtracks will start playing. Sparks The Rescue — a four-piece from Maine — may fit in somewhere with its second full-length of bright and bristling pop punk. “Worst Thing I’ve Been Cursed With” isn’t quite a home run, but it’s an adventurous and well-crafted album with more heft than it lets on at first listen.
“Thought...
May 2011
2 posts
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All Time Low gets dirty
Pop punk seems to be a genre of music that is in high demand. From reunions like Blink 182 and Yellowcard recently coming about to new wave bands like Four Year Strong and Title Fight sweeping the nation, it’s tough to make a name for yourself with so much competition. All Time Low has had no trouble getting its music out for everyone to hear, and it shows no signs of slowing down. All Time...
April 2011
31 posts
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ALBUM REVIEW: Yellowcard's strong return
Comebacks and expectations can be a tough thing to deal with. Yellowcard knows this all too well, disappearing after having great success and becoming just another band lost to obscurity — until now with “When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes.”
The recent hiatus didn’t affect the group at all, and its familiar sound comes flooding back with opening track “The Sound of You and Me.” It’s an...
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Older, wiser TBS
Taking Back Sunday has been through a lot of ups and downs in its career. Now comprised of Adam Lazzara (vocals), John Nolan (vocals, lead guitar), Eddie Reyes (rhythm guitar), Shaun Cooper (bass) and Mark O’Connell (drums), it is set to release its first album with this lineup since 2002 on June 28. The band will headline the Bamboozle Festival in New Jersey this weekend — and play a warm-up...
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For the love of music
When it comes to music, it’s refreshing to come across someone like Sarah Blacker. In a society where worth ethic seems to dwindle more and more, Blacker pushes along through the thick and thin just to keep doing what she loves most: Performing on stage.
“When I was very little, I would have dreams every night of performing,” Blacker said, phoning in while traveling from Boston to...
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CD REVIEW: A disappointing game
During “Architects,” the opening track of Rise Against’s recent release, “Endgame,” lead singer Tim McIlrath sings all about how disappointing it is when someone loses a passion they had for something they once loved. One may interpret this as McIlrath singing about his band.
When Rise Against was younger, it played aggressive punk music. Now, after combining its previous release “Appeal to...
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A Jackal comes home
Whether it’s a high school football game or a once local, now nationally known star, homecomings are something people normally look forward to. There is always a sense of pride that is present. So why is that Wilkes-Barre native Bill Corgan and The Misery Jackals has had such a hard time returning to NEPA to play a show?
“No one wanted us to play,” Corgan said, phoning in from his office in...
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ALBUM REVIEW: Killing Time, Making a future
One major struggle for bands in today’s music scene is the consistency to be good over a considerable length of time, while still being able to stretch its boundaries and challenge themselves as musicians. Bayside, however, proves with its recent release, “Killing Time,” that the group is still capable of keeping the same sound it’s had for years, while still being able to grow and let loose...
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Yellowcard: Back to basics
It may be happening to some people right now during Lent: You take a break from something only to be reminded just how much you actually love it. Yellowcard, a five piece pop-rock group from Los Angeles, decided take a breather for about two years — rather than 40 days — and as a result, the band is back and stronger than ever. They kick off their first U.S. tour in three years at the...
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ALBUM REVIEW: An album to remember
The A Day to Remember kids are at it again. They down-tuned their guitars and put together a big album — not just big in sales and popularity, but big on hooks and breakdowns. Many critics did not think the band would be able to top its 2009 album “Homesick,” the album that brought ADTR to new levels, but the band proved them all wrong with this collection of songs showcasing the group’s...
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Rigby's set for Heart-On Fest
JERMYN – Just a few short months after Eleanor Rigby’s opened last year, its owners were already brainstorming ideas for a two-day winter festival for the cost of a traditional show.
Next weekend, the plan comes to life with the Heart-On Fest, which welcomes more than 30 bands to the all-ages music venue in Jermyn.
“The ultimate goal was to come up with a festival that could be very ...
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ALBUM REVIEW: Live disc showcases Miz's talents
In today’s world it seems like less people sit down and read a good book. The next best thing may be Mike Miz’s “Live at Downtown Arts” album. He has great narratives inside his lyrics and outstanding guitar playing. Plus, it’s not often that a solo performer can play charming love songs while at the same time melt your face with flashy guitar solos, but Miz is able to do it.
Miz, a young...
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REVIEW: In the Black in Scranton
SCRANTON — You don’t quite know what to expect when you are about to spend an evening with Lewis Black. And last Friday night’s show at the Scranton Cultural Center was filled with unexpected twists and turns from the famous angry comedian.
After a great opening performance from John Bowman — who spent most of his time telling funny tales about touring with Black and then making fun of him...
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In Black we trust
Lewis Black is a man of many talents. He is best known for his standup comedy. In addition to ranting and raving about the latest trend, news story or cultural development, Black also writes plays and books. He also has been an actor in multiple feature films and been featured on many television shows as well as having is own show on Comedy Central.
Black will bring his latest standup act,...
Hope on the move
March 1 was a horrifying day for James Braskey. He came home from work and found his dog, a chocolate Lab named Enzo, whimpering and not moving in the hallway. The healthy and energetic 3-year-old dog in pain and not giving the usual warm-and-jumping welcome threw up a red flag.
“I immediately started crying,” he said. “I freaked out a little bit because you could see he was paralyzed and...
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ALBUM REVIEW: Change is good
Quietdrive is band that has had many ups and downs in its career. It had a Top 25 radio hit when it covered Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time,” then hit a few bumps in the road since that 2007 success. Now, Quietdrive is back with a new sound, a new lineup and a new self-titled album.
Quietdrive dropped the emo tag and turned into more of a pop-rock band on most of the album. The exception...
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Flatfoot 56's Celtic punk energy
The band formed in the south side of Chicago during the summer of 2000. Three brothers, the youngest of which was 12 years old, wanted to play punk music together. Tobin, Justin and Kyle Bawinkel started writing songs, and by the Christmas season the three played their first show. Now, 10 years later, the band known as Flatfoot 56 will be making a stop at Eleanor Rigby’s on Monday, Dec....
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Less Than Jake not slowing down
Less Than Jake is a well-known name in the punk scene. With having just about 20 years experience, several label changes, eight full-length studio albums and countless singles and compilations, the five-piece ska band from Gainesville, Fla., will be back in town on Tuesday, Jan. 25 to perform at the Sherman Theater.
There will be one difference that fans may not be used to: Less Than Jake ...
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ALBUM REVIEW: From teen to adult
In the media, Taylor Swift often is portrayed as a wide-eyed, preternaturally sweet girl. She reveals nothing and is always just happy no matter what the circumstance Swift always finds a way to let nothing faze her. That is because every cross look and every hurtful remark is remembered and put into a song on her latest album “Speak Now.”
Swift’s previous records were just warm-up acts...
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Every Avenue takes successful road
Pop-punk is a genre that has exploded during the past 10 years. With events like Bamboozle and Warped Tour happening every year, the growth of the genre is undeniable. Starting out with popular acts like Green Day and Blink 182, today hundreds of bands hit the scene trying to become the next best thing. One band from Marysville, Mich., has become a well-known group in the scene, and on ...
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New film captures last days of Cafe Metro
Cafe Metropolis was an influential place to many people in the NEPA music scene. From bands to fans of music, it was more than just a venue. It was a place to go; it gave kids of any age someplace to hang out and something to do. Cafe Metropolis was a place where many bands played their first show, and in some instances their biggest show.
One fan of the popular venue, Stephanie Ogozaly,...
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Extension talks about experience
Whether it’s on a big fancy bus or an old beat up van, touring is a standard in the entertainment business. The New Jersey-based band River City Extension will never forget its first touring experience, and is ready to give it a second go including a stop at the Vintage Theatre, 119 Penn Ave., Scranton, on Saturday, Sept. 18.
In early 2010, the band signed a record deal with XOXO records...
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Terribly impressive debut
As a melodic guitar riff turns from soothing acoustic to punching electric and builds up, the new self-titled Terrible Things album starts with the words “This is not your savior or the answers to those prayers.”
That message may be pointed at fans from the members’ previous bands. Fred Mascherino, Josh Eppard and Andy Jackson were in Taking Back Sunday, Coheed and Cambria and Hot Rod...
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The heat's rising for Candlelight Red
Not many bands this day in age can have the skyrocketing career of Williamsport-based Candlelight Red. With the music industry declining in almost every aspect, bands need to work 10 times harder just to keep their name known even to a small amount of people. With that said, it’s almost refreshing to hear that that in just a short time, these quick-rising hard rockers have opened for...
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Train preps for ride into NEPA
After a three-year break, the adult contemporary band from San Francisco, Train, is back on the charts and ready to rock amphitheaters around the country. The trio, consisting of Pat Monahan, Jimmy Stafford and Scott Underwood, is currently on tour with John Mayer and stopping at the Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain this Saturday.
The band has won two Grammy awards and returns from the...
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Opening act on cloud nine
When Kiss fans flood the Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain Sunday, Aug. 15 to see the “Hottest Show on Earth,” there will be some familiar faces on stage. Local band The SilenTreatment will be an opening act on the bill, performing prior to The Envy, The Academy Is…, and, of course, Kiss.
The SilenTreatment will be among popular acts such as AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Rush, Motley...
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Pop Punk Illinois band The Academy Is...
The Academy Is… on tour with Kiss this summer.
The Illinois pop-punk band is on the road supporting Kiss on “The Hottest Show on Earth” tour, which stops at the Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain Sunday. The group is made up of singer William Beckett, guitarists Mike Carden and Michael Chislett, drummer Andy Mrotek and bassist Adam Siska.
The Academy Is… has released three...
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The Spill Canvas' surreal summer
This Saturday, when The Spill Canvas takes the stage at the Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain, the band will not be taking the opportunity for granted. The four-piece alternative rock band based out of Sioux Falls, S.D., is currently on tour with the Goo Goo Dolls and Switchfoot.
And The Spill Canvas is loving every minute of it.
“It’s so surreal,” singer/guitarist Nick Thomas said...
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Eleanor Rigby's Fills Void
Concerts by mid-level acts in clubs are not an everyday occurrence in Northeastern Pennsylvania. There are theaters, arenas and even a large amphitheater, but where can you see bands like The Hold Steady, New Found Glory, Halestorm or Drowning Pool? An increasingly popular option for local music fans — and hundreds of bands on the national touring circuit — is Eleanor Rigby’s in Jermyn.
Eleanor...
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REVIEW: Veer Union Trump Red Jumpsuit
It’s doubtful many people knew what to expect last Sunday night at Eleanor Rigby’s. Speaker company Altec Lansing sponsored the show that Red Jumpsuit Apparatus was headlining by giving away 300 VIP tickets. Things were a tad crazy to start, with the public slightly confused by the blocked-off area in the middle of the floor, but things quickly settled down.
Local artist Matt Parsons took the...