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Posts Tagged → The Head and the Heart

September 20th, 2011

Our fave ACL sets

Here at Front Gate Tickets we worked really hard during this year’s Austin City Limits Festival but we ALSO played really hard. We met some celebs, worked the box office like WHOA and generally sweated our tushes off… oh, and we saw some super rad bands!

A few of us put together short lists of our absolute most FAVE performances of the whole festival. We didn’t get to see EVERY show (we did have to work after all!) but we did manage to squeeze in some killer sets.

Jeff Kreinik – Director of Sales and Marketing

Shrie Spangler – Marketing Assistant and Community Manager

Jamie Keyes – Ticketing Assistant

Foster Jordan – Developer

TV on the Radio

Brendan Moore – Product Manager

  • The Head and the Heart
  • Fitz & the Tantrums
  • TV on the Radio
  • Fleet Foxes
  • Christian Bale (did you see him too!?)

Dean Mono – Web Developer

  • Beardyman
  • My Morning Jacket
  • Fleet Foxes
  • Fitz & the Tantrums
  • Christian Bale!

Wanda Jackson

What were YOUR absolute fave sets of the whole festival? Check out our Flickr page to see more photos of the fest, and our Facebook and Twitter pages to read our recaps of celeb sightings and other festival fun!

By admin • Posted in Festivals • No Comment
September 6th, 2011

Jon Russell of the Head and the Heart attacks sound technician

Seattle indie folk-pop darlings The Head and the Heart have made quite a splash lately, and not just in their comfort zone of the northwest. Joy-seeking folk-loving listeners all across the country have fallen for their earnest vocal harmonies, tinkling piano interludes and effervescent charm. Their 2009 self-released debut (packaged in handmade denim sleeves and handed out at shows) blew up via word of mouth and some positive local press, and they’ve been on the upwards climb ever since.

But that lucky streak may be about to come to an end, all because of lead singer Jon Russell’s “uncharacteristic” bout of rage when he clobbered a sound technician at the Tractor Tavern in Seattle. Acclaimed sound engineer Doug Krebs posted on his Facebook page an account of the happening:

… Last Tuesday night I was violently attacked by the lead singer of this band, Jon Russell. This was after a performance he attended of his recent tourmates’… He did not know who I was—this could have happened to anyone. This attack was without any provocation… After approaching me at my work station and rudely accusing me of not being attentive or qualified for my job (which everyone in attendance refutes completely) I calmly asked him to leave. He angrily demanded to know what my name was. I told him I was not going to talk with him and asked him to leave once more. Thinking it was over, I went back to resetting the board. Out of nowhere he attacked me and began to choke me, pulling me out of the sound booth and digging his fingernails into the back of my neck while pushing his thumbs into the front of my throat. After his friends noticed he was attacking me, they grabbed him and removed him from the club kicking and screaming. All of his friends apologized profusely saying he has a bad temper and was intoxicated.

This unfortunate incident is particularly interesting considering the recent assault involving Seattle hip hop group Mad Rad. Eric Grandy of the Seattle Weekly chimes in with his thoughts on both incidences, their differences and what he thinks Seattle should do.

Both of these happenings raise several questions about the state of artists, attitudes, success and behaviors. Will The Head and the Heart get banned from multiple Seattle clubs (banding together in solidarity for one of their own) like Mad Rad did? Or will they suffer a much lesser punishment, purportedly based on the fact that they aren’t brazen impetuous rappers?

Krebs is more worried about Russell than angry, and good for him for taking that stance. But someone needs to hold him accountable for his behavior, drunk or not. And more importantly… is this behavior something we should get used to? Their music aside, it seems as if The Head and the Heart have got some re-evaluating, and re-imaging, to do.

By admin • Posted in News • No Comment
August 16th, 2011

Festivals in full swing

Summer is the season for festivals, y’all… and BOY do we have a bunch of them going on right now! Kahbang Fest in Bangor, Maine just did it’s thing and was hugely successful in it’s third year. There are scads of stellar festivals set to kick off soon, and we want to give you the lowdown on all the summer fun!

  • If you’ve got blues on the brain, the only place to be at the end of this month is at Bluestock Fest in Hunter, NY. Such American blues greats as Robert Cray, Elvin Bishop, Tommy Castro, Shemekia Copeland and Buddy Guy will grace the stage, along with many others, in this three day humdinger of an event. You can buy tickets HERE.
  • The Houston Press is putting on a super fab new festival called BestFest. Kicking off on September 24th, this brand new event boasts acts such as Cake, Deer Tick, Bun B, Buxton, The Ton Tons and more. And it’s not all about music, BestFest will highlight the best restaurants, artists and musicians during the two day shindig. You can buy tickets HERE.
  • The 3rd Annual Taos Mountain Music Festival is a two-dayer, August 20th and 21st in stunning Taos, New Mexico. This event is the perfect chance to see artists like Matisyahu, Ozomatli, Afroman, Langhorne Slim and others. The Taos Ski Valley is the ideal venue for an outdoor music festival which sits on four acres of National Forest land and is surrounded by the towering Sangre de Cristo Mountains. You can buy tickets HERE.
  • Pensacola Beach’s DeLuna Fest will kick of the fall, from October 14th-16th. This is a not-miss, stunning with the likes of Jane’s Addiction, Weezer, The Shins, Cut Copy, Cold War Kids, Ghostland Observatory, The New Pornographers, Ladytron, Ra Ra Riot, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears and literally tons more. You can buy tickets HERE.
  • Austin City Limits Festival is slated for September 16-18 here in Austin at Zilker Park. With acts like Arcade Fire, Kanye West, Stevie Wonder, My Morning Jacket, Fleet Foxes, Social Distortion, Big Boi, Foster the People, Fitz and the Tantrums, Wanda Jackson, Bomba Estereo, The Head and the Heart and more, I don’t know how ACL Fest WOULDN’T rock your proverbial socks off. You can buy tickets HERE.
  • Doheny Days is set on the idyllic Orange County Beach, frothy ocean waves lapping a the beach, the sunsets blazing perfectly overhead. The beach is also home to campgrounds, tidepools, volleyball courts and an educational interpretive center… guaranteeing a whoppin’ good time! See Ben Harper, Weezer, Ziggy Marley, Neon Trees, Black Uhuru, JJ Grey and Mofro and other great artists. You can buy tickets HERE.

Now’s your chance to soak up the last of summer, see some shows, guzzle some booze, eat some fried food and laze in the grass amid the sweet, sweet sounds of some of the best musical artists around!

By admin • Posted in Festivals, Previews • No Comment