Image of the Day-HughShows 10.7 with Mariage Blanc

Mariage Blanc at The Wilderness Recording Studio presents HughShows Live @ Eide's on Saturday, July 12th, 2014 in Pittsburgh, PA.

First/Last-Cor Allen & Derek White

New Shouts
Mariage Blanc CD Release Show
Brillobox
Friday October 8, 2010
Larryville

So my buddies in Mariage Blanc are having a CD release bash next week (BTW-I have heard the album and it's so good!). Playing their first ever gig as support is a brand spankin' new band called, appropriately enough, New Shouts. They have a retro sound that should be blasting out of an AM radio circa 1974 and believe me that's a great thing. This will be one sweet show. Vocalists Cor and Derek were cool enough to participate in this, another duo edition of First/Last Friday.

The first album you ever bought?

Cor: The first album I ever bought with my own decision making was ‘Endless Summer’ by the Beach Boys. I still remember my Dad taking me to National Record Mart (RIP) to get it. I was probably 6 or 7 years old. I loved ‘Help Me Rhonda’, we had a neighbor called Rhonda so we’d always sing that song as a joke. Early Beach Boys stuff is great for kids, it’s so fun!

Derek: The first cassette I ever bought was Nirvana's "Nevermind", and before that I started on music when I was about 4, I was always intrigued by my parents records & 8-track tapes. I was instantly drawn to The Beatles. I was blown away by the Red/Blue collections how one side of the album they we're young and the other side John Lennon had a crazy beard goin’ on.

Your last album bought?

Cor: I just got The La’s ‘The La’s’ on vinyl to hang on my wall.

Derek: Grapefruit 'Around Grapefruit'.

Favorite album of all time?

Cor: The Beach Boys ‘Pet Sounds’ and I don’t need to explain why, it’s the best ever and it’s obvious.

Derek: The Beatles "White Album", a lot of entertaining stuff going on in that oversized album.

Least favorite/most disappointing album?

Cor: This is a tough one because you tend to forget about these…There’s a few albums that are always listed in the greatest albums lists that I just can’t justify their greatness…one is Love’s ‘Forever Changes’, it’s got nice arrangements but the songs don’t do anything for me. I’ve always read great things about it but there’s nothing memorable to me on that album.

Derek: I agree with above, I love the album art. For me the "most disappointing" would be the 2004 remake of Brian Wilson's 'SMiLE'. It ruined the myth. I guess I'm happy he did it because we got a nice documentary out of it as well as a tour. I could never get over the idea of what SMiLE could of/would of been if it were completed in 1966. I like how it was known for being the greatest unreleased album of all time.

First concert attended?

Cor: I went to see Three Dog Night with my parents when I was a kid, their singer is called Cory, you know, so that gave me some incentive as a kid to like them, which I still do.

Derek: I think it was Aerosmith at Civic Arena, I remember them being great, this was sometime in the early 90's.

Last concert?

Cor: I don’t go to a lot of big concerts, just don’t like them in arenas or pavilions, there’s no magic. I think the last one I went to was a Beatles tribute on 4th of July. It was hot as hell and outside, I have no idea how they survived in their black suits and wigs but they were spot on! Last local show I saw was The Slow Reel, who I really like.

Derek: Paul McCartney which is still crazy to say.

Favorite concert ever?

Cor: I saw Blur in 1997 at Metropol. I was 15 and in my own little world. I thought I was the only person in America who even knew who this band was so it felt amazing po-going with so many people singing ‘Parklife’ at the top of our voices. After the show I found their tourbus and stood by the door. Damon came to the door and stood there only a few feet away from me, he opened the door and ran out and I chased him down Smallman St. I have no idea what I was even planning to do had I caught up with him but he jumped in a car and took off.

Derek: I don't know, I'm waiting to be blown away, Steve Wonder has come close, & Paul McCartney.

Least favorite concert?

Cor: Ugh, so many! I went to see this band from England called The Music open for the Vines and I remember when the Vines came on, my girlfriend at the time and I were getting totally squashed by the crowd, we had the bouncers at the front help us over the barrier and we just left after probably their second song.

Derek: I saw Todd Rundgren at the Rex once. That was a huge let down. He was on some arena rock trip, he had his guitar ran through some lousy chorus pedal. He's one of my favorite artists/producers...but the show was a drag.

Favorite thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?

Cor: Right now in Pittsburgh I think there’s the nicest group of bands that there has been since I’ve been involved. Everyone is so supportive of each other. The other great thing about this city is that everyone is just doing what they love. No one is trying to fit into any kind of scene or copy the current hyped trend. I read some national reviews of Pittsburgh bands where they are criticized for that, as if the bands here are “out of the loop” or something. That’s just not the case. Everyone here is well aware of the current fads, we just don’t care because we’re doing what we love, and I love that about Pittsburgh.

Derek: I love Pittsburgh. When I compare it to other cities bigger & smaller I realize that we've got more to offer. Pittsburgh has amazing ethnic foods, real people, and several cool towns/bars. Pittsburgh has crazy hills and bridges, a lot of character and history. We have all seasons which the city wears well through each change. I love eating a maple pecan ice cream cone from Rose's while strolling through Frick Park. Yeah man, Pittsburgh rules.

Thank guys. I can't get that image out of my head of Damon Albarn running for his life in the Strip District from some crazed 15 year old. Awesome! Good luck on the gig.

First/Last-Matt Ceraso & Josh Kretzmer-Ticket Giveaway

Mariage Blanc
Brillobox
Saturday September 4, 2010
Larryville

First off, courtesy of the band, I have two tickets to give away for their show this weekend with local heroes Meeting Of Important People and All Tiny Creatures from WI at Brillobox. To enter, email me at hughshows@comcast.net with the subject line 'Mariage Blanc' and the name for the folks at will call the night of the show good for two passes. The winner will be randomly chosen and contacted by Saturday afternoon. Good luck.
Songwriters Matt and Josh sing and play guitar in the band and were kind enough to participate in the continuing week-long celebration of a little number I like to call First/Last.

The first album you ever bought?
Matt: If memory serves correct I believe it was 1,039 / Smoothed Out
Slappy Hours by Green Day
Josh: Full length album kind of slips my mind - I know the first CD I
ever purchased was the Nirvana "Smells Like Teen Spirit" single. I had
a taped copy of Nevermind, but wanted to hear the b-side "Even In His
Youth".

Your last album bought?
Matt: The Suburbs by Arcade Fire. Great record.
Josh: A bit fuzzy, but I'm guessing it was also The Suburbs by Arcade Fire.

Favorite album of all time?
Matt: This is an impossible question to answer, there are too many
albums I love.
Josh: I don't know how anyone can answer this. I've got "XO" tattooed
on my left wrist, so let's just go with that.

Least favorite/most disappointing album?

Matt: Not sure about least favorite, but I remember in 7th or 8th
grade I bought Sean Lennon's "Into the Sun" and was completely let
down because it didn't sound like The Beatles. "Friendly Fire" was
pretty decent though so he and I are square now.
Josh: Every Weezer album after Pinkerton.


First concert attended?

Matt: No Doubt, strangely enough. I was young, don't judge me.
Josh: David Bowie with Nine Inch Nails at (what was then called) Starlake Ampitheather in 1995(?) - with my mom.


Last concert?
Matt: Last local concert was Harlan Twins at Gooskis. Last big
concert was St. Vincent in February. I would also love to catch The
National this month at Carnegie Music Hall.
Josh: Harlan Twins at Gooskis - they did a great cover of Pavement's
"Range Life".

Favorite concert ever?

Matt: Probably either that St. Vincent show or Built to Spill in
2006. They were both really fun shows.
Josh: My Bloody Valentine at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago - or -
St. Vincent at Diesel.


Least favorite concert?
Matt: Aerosmith in 2002. My sister got free tickets for some reason
and I had nothing better to do (although looking back on it, that

seems debatable now). The only perk of this show was that Run DMC
opened and I got to see Jam-Master Jay perform. He was murdered about
two months later, sadly.
Josh: No fault of the band, but the Old 97s at the park in Oakland
was a drag. That's the type of band I want to see at a bar, couple
whiskeys deep - not at a park with children.

Favorite thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?

Matt: Pittsburgh has been very good to us as a band. There's a nice
scene going on now where pretty much all the bands know each other,
and most of them are friends with each other as well. Bands make an
effort to go out to other people's shows and support the local scene,
which is really great to see. I don't really have anything negative
to say about Pittsburgh at all, I've been having a blast.
Josh: Pittsburgh is great. I grew up here, so every now and again I
get an urge to pack my bags, but I definitely could not afford to have
what I have here, elsewhere.

Thanks fellas. Bummed I missed that St. Vincent show at Diesel this year. She was fantastic at The Warhol in 2008. Also, it's funny you mention XO Josh. I am on a HARD Elliott Smith kick as of late.

Image Of The Day-"Move On"

Mariage Blanc
Studio Space
Sunday January 24, 2010
Pittsburgh, PA

I had the pleasure of shooting these images while the band was beginning to record new music. It is so interesting to see how musicians work out material as a group. The dynamics are fascinating to me. A personal thanks to the fellas for allowing me to hang. More photos here.

Image Of The Day-"Ace Coltrane"

Spindrift
Tuesday March 31, 2009
Garfield Artworks
Larryville

As coincidence would have it, both Kirkpatrick Thomas and Dave Koenig were in Brian Jonestown Massacre at one point who I just had seen the night before. Dave told me they met up with the band at a rest stop earlier in the day for a little reunion. You could expect these guys to be broody and mysterious based on the music they make but nothing could be farther from the truth. They were a very pleasant bunch.

Image Of The Day-"Off White Noise"

Mariage Blanc
Brillobox
Garfield Artworks
 Saturday March 28, 2009
Tuesday March 31, 2009
Larryville

Local guys who write original tunes? What's not to love. Seeing them twice in as many days was a treat. They mixed up the tunes a bit as well busting out more new songs at GA.