First/Last-There You Are

"There You Are is a 4 piece rock band from Pittsburgh Pa. The band was founded by members Tom Chorba (vocals, guitar) and Matt Bean (drums) who were childhood friends and jam buddies. Through the years, these two members have played in a variety of projects in the area, occasionally crossing paths, until late 2013, when they decided to write together. The band was initially formed just to create some enjoyable music to enable the two to play live as something to do on the weekends; and thats exactly how it went for the months after. A demo was released mid 2014 to satisfy demand of small fan base to have something physical to listen to; and a successful release show was organized for this release. This demo, labeled “There You Are” was a mix of various musical styles that included new members Ryan Drish (guitar) and Justin Trevis (bass). With the addition of these members, a more sophisticated ep was planned to pull together the band’s musical identity. This was followed with the recording of the band’s debut ep (self titled) which was recorded in the last two months of 2014; scheduled to be released early february. Two rather high attended shows opening for Royal Blood and also Richie Kotzen allowed this band to debut in front of a fresh local audience, to very well ratings among audience attendees."

There You Are is an alternative grunge-rock band from Pittsburgh. They have a self-titled debut EP out and will more than likely playing some of it on Friday night (5/8) at The Smiling Moose Upstairs for an early 6pm show with Turnpike Gardens and Good Ship Gibraltar. I want to thank Tom Chorba (Guitar/Vocals) for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.

The first album you ever bought?
Oh man. This is tough. The Kinks "Village Green Preservation Society". I bought it in 10th grade with my own money, but I got some prior.. When "I'm blue da ba dee ba da" by Europop came out, I got my dad to buy it for me. (So that may be first)

Your last album bought?
Holy s*** lol... Foxy Shazam's "Gonzo" was the last one I legally got ha-ha but it was free.. before that, it honestly may have been “Wasting Light” by the Foos.

Favorite album of all time?
That's a loaded question lol;  "Ritual de lo Habitual" by Jane's Addiction might be my favorite. The best days of my life had that as the soundtrack. I lost my virginity to it... Yeah that's it ha-ha.

Least favorite/most disappointing album?
Hahahahaha dude... I remember when I got "Appetite..." when I was little, and I heard ‘You’re Crazy’. Well that says the f-word... And I was chilling in my room, listening to it on my PlayStation 1 (so prior to 2000, because I got PS2 when it came out in 2000), and I took it out, scared shitless because of the word I heard and wasn't supposed to hear… I took it to my mom, said I didn't want it anymore, she said "why". I said "cause I only know 3 songs (‘Paradise’, ‘Sweet Child’, ‘Jungle’)" she said "listen to more, you’ll like it" so, being a good boy, I listened to my mom, and also being scared to tell my mom what I heard, I kept it... So that album disappointed the 7 or so year old tom that heard it... I can just say “Year Zero” by NIN if you want a simple answer, ha!

First concert attended?
America (you know, ‘Horse With No Name’?) I was 7-ish, at the South Park Rib Fest. Just me and Papa T… Might have seen The Clarks one year earlier, but that could’ve been the following year... Go with America at 7 ha-ha.

Last concert?
WILLIE NELSON!

Favorite concert ever?
Foxy Shazam in Columbus!

Least favorite concert?
Allman Bros. in 7th grade... They played 2 songs and it went on for 2.5 hours.

Favorite thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?
The bike trail, ha! But musically, it’d be opening for Royal Blood in December.

Thanks, Tom. Out of the hundreds of Q&A's I have conducted on the blog, you seem to have had the most fun out of everyone answering. Thanks, buddy!

First/Last-Joe Pug

"For the moment, Joe Pug has it figured out, career if not life: Just write the songs that have to be written, play them for anybody who will listen, tour as if you had no home. Oh, and give your music away. Which isn’t to say he won’t be selling his debut full-length offering, Messenger ( Released 2/16/2010 on Lightning Rod). But free is how he came to make it, more or less. It worked like this, for Joe Pug anyhow: The day before his senior year as a playwright student at the University of North Carolina, he sat down for a cup of coffee and had the clearest thought of his life: I am profoundly unhappy here. Then came the second clearest."

Joe Pug is a folk singer from Austin, TX who's latest album "Windfall" is available now. He hits Pittsburgh tonight to more than likely play tunes from it and I want to thank him for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.

The first album you ever bought?
Aerosmith, "Get A Grip".

Your last album bought?
John Moreland "In The Throes".

Favorite album of all time?
Maybe Weezer "Pinkerton".

Least favorite/most disappointing album?
Any album of my own that I did not record within the last year.

First concert attended?
Red Hot Chili Peppers / Silverchair / The Rentals.

Last concert?
Lucinda Williams in Conroe Texas.

Favorite concert ever?
Wilco at the Moody Theater in Austin.

Any thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?
Maybe what I'm about to say is going to cost us, but it has to be said. Primanti Brothers is an abomination and it ruined my the inside of my body for a week the last time I tried to ingest it.

Thanks, Joe. No apologies necessary at all on the Primanti's non-love. Unless I am black-outed loaded, I can't eat those things either.

First/Last-Working Breed

"Working Breed is a scintillating quintet from Pittsburgh, writing eclectic rock utilizing guitar, bass, drums, keys, synth, lush 3-part harmonies, trombone, trumpet, musical saw, and whatever else they get our hands on. Leading ladies Erika Laing and Chelsea Attwood combine their multi-instrumental musical talents with guitarist Mike Dugan, bassist Jonah Petrelli, and drummer Sam Stein, coalescing to form unique songs that hop from country leaning indie to brass-laden space jams to spy music to french acoustic reggae. There is no sound off-bounds for this genre-bending group!"

Working Breed is a Pittsburgh indie band who throw the sink at any definable genre and come up with their own unique (and awesome) sound. Get a taste by checking out their first EP "METHOD: observation". This is the rare band that can play a three plus hour set and not have to repeat songs... believe me, I have seen them do it. They will play a 'regular' set this Wednesday (5/6) at Howler's with fellow blog faves Pete Bush & the Hoi Polloi and Black Little Birds. I want to thank Chelsea Lynn Attwood (Guitar/Keys/Vocals) for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.

The first album you ever bought?
The first album I ever bought was The Who, “Tommy”. I rawked that rock opera so hard.  I thought I was a pinball wizard.

Your last album bought?
Andrew Bird, “Things Are Really Great Here, Aren't They...”
I've always been mesmerized by his style. The way he melds his words and vocals into the music itself has been an inspiration to my writing process. There are times that the tones in his voice and his violin are indistinguishable from each other. It's a good one.

Favorite album of all time?
I have toiled over this question at times to try to whittle it down to one favorite album... and I usually end up opting for the ‘High Fidelity’ approach (top 5). There are so many different reasons that I love an album. There are those albums that I have obsessed over and had to listen to on repeat because of what it did for me at that particular time in my life. There are the albums that I grew up listening to from the womb and know every nuance and change almost instinctively. There are also the distinctions between music genres that are important to me because of my musical ADHD... going from folk in its many forms, to 60s psychedelic rock, to the 80s and then again 2000's New Wave, French acoustic reggae, to early R&B and hip hop, the list of interests and obsessions go on.
So, if I had to choose one album that no matter where I am in my life... from the darkest moments, to the excitement of change, from my understanding of love and the world around me as a teen to where I am in my thirties... it would have to be Joni Mitchell, “Blue”. There is a feeling that the stories she has created within every song on this album have been written for me and only me in such an intimate way. Her vocal range and vocal melodies put me in a state of awe every time I listen to it. My favorite album.

Least favorite/most disappointing album?
Weezer, “The Green Album”. “The Blue Album” was pretty amazing but “Pinkerton” was on repeat through most of my life. I loved this 90s rock band and all of their quirky nerdiness. I had some real moments of wishing I was the half-Japanese girl that did it to them every time. I remember talking to my brother about how excited we were that they were finally coming out with a new album. I remember going down to the Music Oasis the day it came out, we put it on in the parking lot, and we literally heard the wah wah wahhhhh come out of the speakers. I was so disappointed. It only got worse after that. Didn't they do a State Farm Insurance commercial recently? Gross.
As an honorary mention... Zwan, “Mary Star of the Sea”. What was the deal with that move Billy Corgan?

First concert attended?
The first concert I ever attended with my parents was James Taylor. I think I slept through the whole thing... so sad. The first solo concert I attended was No Doubt, the ‘Tragic Kingdom Tour’. I was star struck and so very much in seventh grade. I think I started wearing plaid pants after that day.

Last concert?
Talib Kweli with Rapsody and Jasiri X. It was a concert put on by the Pittsburgh hip hop collective and OneHood Academy, at the Kelly Strayhorn theater. Pretty amazing energy and positivity in the air there. It was also cool to have seen Rapsody before her big debut as the only featured artist on Kendrick Lamar's latest album.

Favorite concert ever?
Another question with too many answers. So I will say the first ones that came up for me... David Byrne toured after his album called “Look into the Eyeball”. Blew my mind. What a show to have experienced by one of the most prolific and innovative artists out there. Summer time, outside, barefoot.
The second one that comes up for me is The Flaming Lips. If you didn't have the opportunity to see them before they have apparently gotten "tired", (I have yet to prove this, only have read reviews of their more recent shows) then you have missed out on a wild circus ride of shows. People dressed up as animals, oversized balloons all over the crowd, wild psychedelic videos, what a ride!

Least favorite concert?
I really hate to say this, being that I hold a lot of his music and writing up on a pedestal as some of the best, but Bob Dylan. Twice. There I said it.  He needs to stop charging people to see his shows. Best to leave it to the old record player. Which I think everyone should experience at one point in their lives.

Favorite thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?
I have had an ever changing attitude toward Pittsburgh. I was born here, and despite some extended trips away and living away for a time or two, I have mostly made this my home as a young, and now "official" adult. I will go ahead and speak for a lot of 412-ers of my generation who have gone through loathing, then loving, then loathing, then loving again. And then loving again. There is something about the place that does draw you back... the people. There is something about the ability to strike up a conversation with someone at the grocery store, or bar, or restaurant, or any random place and time, and you will create a friendship, create a whole new idea, bring someone into a new project that is just starting up, that is unlike any other place I've spent time. Maybe it’s called community. Maybe it’s called blue collared roots, or grass roots, or maybe it’s just being real. Whatever it is called, there is a sense that no matter where you go in this town, you will inevitably feel at home.

Thanks, Chelsea. I must admit, I am not familiar with that Byrne album... gonna have to check it out based on your glowing recommendation.

Image of the Day-Dream Phone

 Dream Phone at Carnegie Library Main Branch (Quiet Room) on Sunday, April 12, 2015 in Pittsburgh, PA

Tonight at Brillobox is a very sweet bill consisting of Robin Vote, Blød Maud, Littler (Philadelphia) and the gals of Dream Phone. This is one fun band to see. They have a '60s girl group inspired garage pop sound and contain members of local faves The Harlan Twins, The Lopez, Roulette Waves, Paddy the Wanderer and Delicious Pastries. You can thank me later.

First/Last-Houdini's Psychic Theatre

"Based out of Pittsburgh, PA, Houdini's Psychic Theatre creates a genre-bending musical experience. The collision of 5 friends and their different musical tastes, influences, and experiences builds a layered and dynamic sound that hopes to make it's mark. This Pittsburgh-based progressive-rock jam band is dedicated not only to writing, improvising and recording their own music, but also to supporting other up-and-coming artists in the area and bringing fresh tunes to the people's ears."

Houdini's Psychic Theatre is a Pittsburgh indie rock band who are playing tomorrow night outdoors at Grist House Brewing in Millvale. I want to thank Justin Avi (Bass) for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.

The first album you ever bought?
Spin Doctors “Pocket Full of Kryptonite” (1991), say what you will, but they were a killer band! (Are they still together??)

Your last album bought?
My awesome girlfriend just got me Beastie Boys “Check Your Head” on vinyl for Valentine’s Day, but the last album that I actually purchased myself was a reissue of The Shins “Oh Inverted World!” on vinyl for only $11! I was so stoked about that find at SoundCat Records that day. Both records have been in heavy rotation lately.

Favorite album of all time?
It’s a newer one, but my “Desert Island” album would be alt-J “An Awesome Wave”. It is just… perfect.

Least favorite/most disappointing album?
Anything from Weezer post “Pinkerton”.

First concert attended?
Neil Young at Star Lake Amphitheater when I was in 8th grade.

Last concert?
I love going to see live music but my most memorable recent concert was Lotus on a Friday night in January. They put on an amazing show.

Favorite concert ever?
Red Hot Chili Peppers on Halloween 2006 in Cleveland. I’ve seen them a few times since, but I find myself talking about this show more than any others… Flea was dressed as a witch and suspended from the rafters while playing bass; that’s hard to top.

Least favorite concert?
Neil Young and Crazy Horse at Austin City Limits Festival in 2012… I HATE to say it, but it was just bad.

Favorite thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?
I grew up in Pittsburgh and it’s surrounding areas. It’s a really exciting time to be in this city and it’s really cool to hear from friends from other cities, or friends who have moved away from Pittsburgh, talk about all the exciting things happening here. I’m very proud to be in a band here and have really enjoyed being a part of the Pittsburgh music scene.

Thanks, Justin. I believe Spin Doctors are actually still a band. They released an album a few years ago so I guess you can call that still being active. Plus they are playing out live... so I would say yes.