Dolores O' Riordan and The Cranberries rock Terminal 5. Photo by Sheryl Garcia-Reyes

By Ted Reyes

NEW YORK– When pop stars re-emerge to try and regain their former shimmer and shine by reforming the bands that made them matter, the usual suspicion is that they are strapped for cash. (Check out complete photo coverage HERE).

Whether this is the case for the newly reunited Cranberries, no one cares. The important thing is that  Dolores O’ Riordan and her gang are back – to take your money for more beautiful songs and live shows.

The Cranberries showed up at Terminal 5 on May 4 to support their new album “Roses” and re-establish their place in the now fragmented musical landscape.

Firstly, “Roses” is a solid outing. The songs do not stray far from the sound that made them a band that mattered in the 90s. Ms. O’ Riordan still has the ethereal voice that makes her songs seem like Celtic  fertility and virility chants.

Tracks like ‘Tomorrow’ ‘Roses,’ and ‘Raining in My Heart’ are great tunes that will surely win a new generation of fans.

The band’s  live performance at Terminal 5 was tight. They went through a barrage of 90′s hits completely disclosed a lot of peoples’ ages that night.

Yeah, two hot ladies singing ‘Zombie’ word for word – 40 year olds. A bunch of guys slow dancing to ‘Linger’ – VERY old blokes.

It was an amazing gig and it truly is great to see The Cranberries back to restore order to our despicable state of musical affairs currently ruled by clowns in red and blue hair riding giant balloons sans panties.

I just wish Ms. O’ Riordan could dance better.

For You opens with enchanting and upbeat lead single “For You.” The title track is followed by contemporary new tracks “Could This Be Love,” “Remember Me,” and “I’ll Hold My Breath.” The EP is rounded out by a bass-pounding remixed version of “For You.”

Lead single “For You” has garnered national airplay on top music stations including Sirius XM, San Francisco’s 92.7 REV and Las Vegas’s 104.3 Now. At the release of this announcement, the single is #52 on the Mediabase Top 40 Chart, a nationally recognized music industry service that monitors radio play on major stations.

With the success of “For You,” VIENNIE V has established herself as one of the music industry’s newest pop stars on the rise.

“My latest work was created with all my fans in mind. Love is a common theme that everyone can relate to, so I wrote these songs based on my own experiences as well as on the experiences of others. I put my heart in to creating this album, so I hope you enjoy this EP that I made For You!” – VIENNIE V

For the latest updates on VIENNIE V, check out www.ViennieV.com and follow @ViennieV

With an extensive catalog of original music, Kiwi is poised to be a leading force in progressive roots music. In addition to a burgeoning national following, Kiwi has a well established fanbase in Brazil, where they have performed several times over the years. They will be returning this May for a series of showcases in Sao Paulo.
Singer, musician, composer, arranger and music producer, QuiQue Neira emerged in the Chilean music scene in the first half of the 90’s and rose to iconic status since then. He started off in the band Bamboo, which pioneered a new sound in Jamaican reggae—a fusion of pop and reggae, with elements of rock.
Mr. Neira’s most recent work “Jah Rock” (2007-2008) stands out as one of the best international reggae albums, which includes a guest appearance by Junior Marvin, guitarist of the former Bob Marley and The Wailers. With this album, Mr. Neira broke boundaries even further, becoming the first Chilean to appear in 2008 at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, where he shared the stage with world renowned performers such as Michael Rose, Sheryl Crow, Lenny Kravitz, Paul Simon, Quincy Jones, Erika Badu and Alicia Keys, among others.

Mr. Neira continues to tell his story through hits, musical innovation and creativity, reflected in the perfect harmony of pure roots reggae sounds and the influences of his own Latin essence. He is a Chilean voice that crosses the generational barriers of his many followers with the conscious messages of love and hope.

Tickets for the Friday, April 27 gig are available for pre-sale. Please call 862-571-4138 or 973-336-6455 or click here.
For more about Kiwi, please visit Kiwi's website.
For more about QuiQue Neira, please click here.

DellaRocca has been writing, recording, and playing for over eleven years. After graduating from Full Sail University with a degree in Audio Engineering, he finally found success in 2009 with The Republic of Wolves and the release of their debut EP, His Old Branches. Aside from writing, DellaRocca also handled the production and recording aspects of the project. The Republic of Wolves is still an active endeavor for DellaRocca, and in November 2010 they released their first full-length album, Varuna. Less than two months following the release of Varuna, The Republic of Wolves released it's counter part, a seven song EP titled The Cartographer and for the first time featured DellaRocca as the lead vocalist and writer. It was then that DellaRocca realized it was his time to release the masterpiece he has been keeping to himself, Tall Tales Vol. 1.

DellaRocca tells us, "This album was an opportunity for me to tell my stories. Some are true and some are not. But all of them together create something I think is special. Within the combinations of imagination, emotions, and pride. I found the timeline of my life so far, and I turned it into song."

American Gospel will release Tall Tales Vol. 1 on May 15th. Tall Tales Vol. 1 will be available for physical purchase, as well as digitally on iTunes and BandCamp.

To pre-order Tall Tales Vol. 1 or for more information, please visit: www.American-Gospel.com

Her hauntingly beautiful voice has been compared to the likes of Fiona Apple, Zooey Deschanel and Kate Nash. BEARCAT has announced that following their spring tour with Never Shout Never, they will be setting out on tour with D.R.U.G.S frontman, Craig Owens.

Throughout her life, Renee Yohe has always believed in the value of telling her story. The platforms have changed from social media, to books, to public speaking engagements, and most recently, a film based on her life starring Kat Dennings and Chad Michael Murray premiered at the Florida Film Festival on April 13th, 2012. Renee first entered the public spotlight with To Write Love on Her Arms, a non-profit organization that aims to present hope for people struggling with addiction, depression, self-injury and thoughts of suicide. In December 2011, TWLOHA was awarded a $1million grant from Chase at the first-ever American Giving Awards on NBC. By sharing her own personal struggles, Renee and the organization have helped millions.

Through everything, music has always played a crucial and stabilizing role in Renee’s life. Her favorite bands helped her through some of her darkest times. Later on, TWLOHA would find it’s biggest initial support and exposure from bands that would wear the organization’s t-shirts. When the opportunity came to form her own band, the transition just felt natural.

Renee’s eclectic talents and triumphant experiences create a compellingly notable project with BEARCAT. With a new album, a spring tour and a newly premiered film, this is set to be their year.

Tour Dates:

BEARCAT Tour w/ Never Shout Never
April 20th – The Parish – Austin, TX
April 21st – The Cambridge Room @ The House of Blues – Dallas, TX
April 22nd – Warehouse Live Studio – Houston, TX
April 24th – Launchpad  – Albuquerque, NM
April 27th – Chain Reaction – Anaheim, CA
April 28th – Chain Reaction  – Anaheim, CA
April 29th – Bottom Of The Hill – San Francisco, CA
May 1st – The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT
May 2nd – Bluebird Theater – Denver, CO
May 4th – Beat Kitchen – Chicago, IL
May 5th – Indiana University of Pennsylvania – Indiana, PA
May 6th – Grog Shop – Cleveland Heights, OH
May 8th – The Loft – Lansing, MI
May 9th – The Mod Club Theatre – Toronto, ON
May 11th – Gramercy Theatre – New York, NY
May 12th – The Space – Hamden, CT
May 13th – Brighton Music Hall – Boston, MA
May 15th – Jammin Java Music Club & Cafe – Vienna, VA
May 16th – Jammin Java Music Club & Cafe – Vienna, VA

BEARCAT Tour w/ Craig Owens
May 17th – Hard Rock Café – Detroit, MI
May 18th – The Pike Room at Crofoot – Pontiac, MI
May 20th – Mohawk Place – Buffalo, NY
May 22nd – Valentines – Albany, NY
May 23rd – Middle East – Cambridge, MA
May 24th – The Studio @ Webster Hall – New York, NY
May 25th – The Studio @ Webster Hall – New York, NY
May 26th – The Barbary – Philadelphia, PA
May 27th – Altar Bar – Pittsburgh, PA
May 28th – The Basement – Columbus, OH
May 30th – Emerson Theater – Indianapolis, IN
May 31st – Fubar – St. Louis, MO
June 1st – Blue Moose Tap House – Iowa City, IA
June 2nd – The Loft – Madison, WI
June 3rd – Mojoes – Joliet, IL

Three brilliant bands will grace the fabled Fontana's stage: Sound Reply, Johnny and The Rakets and Filbox. All three are bent to give everyone in attendance a night they won't forget.

$10 door and 21 to drink.

Click here to RSVP

The Company We Keep were the first band from the Making Moves series to head into Drexel University's studios. The tracks were produced by Justin Pierre and Josh Cain of Motion City Soundtrack, along with Drexel's Music Industry Program alumnus, Lenny Skolnick, Dave Petit and undergraduate students Justin Chapman engineering the sessions. Brian Southall tells us, "Our Making Moves recording experience was great.  It was hard to not be skeptical when thinking you're headed into a studio you've never seen, with engineers you've never met, but I was blown away by the outcome.  I couldn't be happier with the music we made during that time."

The Company We Keep will kick of the Making Moves series by releasing their 7 inch vinyl and digital download on April 24th. For more information on the band, please visit: www.WeAreTheCompanyWeKeep.com.

The $50,000 grant was created last year by the Sloan Foundation to recognize exceptional feature screenplays that dramatize science and technology themes and/or that portray scientists, engineers, or mathematicians in prominent character roles. Grainger David from Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina will receive a $30,000 cash prize, as well as an additional $20,000 to be used in direct support of the project.  The award includes year-round support from TFI, including mentorship and guidance from scientific and film industry professionals, networking opportunities, and industry exposure.
Penny Stock was selected by an awards committee comprised of actress Ally Sheedy (The Breakfast Club, High Art); director John Badham (Saturday Night Fever, WarGames); actress Rachael Leigh Cook (She’s All That); scientist and bioweaponeer Sergei Popov, and neurobiologist Ricardo Gil da Costa (Fringe).  Additional input came from the Sloan Foundation and its four partners in screenplay development: the Tribeca Film Institute, Film Independent, the Hamptons International Film Festival and Sundance Institute. Grainger David’s screenplay was chosen from nominees that had previously won Sloan prizes at the Foundation’s six affiliated film school programs: UCLA (School of Theatre, Film and Television), NYU (Tisch School of the Arts), USC (School of Cinematic Arts), Carnegie Mellon  (School of Drama), AFI (America’s Conservatory for Filmmakers), and Columbia  (School of the Arts).

Penny Stock is a feature screenplay about a community college geology professor, who risks everything on a bold new theory in the race to discover an epic diamond pipe in the Northwest Territories. Becoming a mining prospector was never in the professor’s plans – or his family’s – but he feels that he is on the cusp of discovering something great, and he’s willing to risk everything to prove it.

Last year’s inaugural prize went to Robert Cohen of NYU for his work Bystander, which is based on the 1964 rape and murder of Kitty Genovese in Queens. Though the attack lasted over 30 minutes, none of the 37 witnesses called the police or intervened until she was already dead.  Four years later, a groundbreaking psychological study on the “Bystander Effect” explained the inaction of the witnesses. Though a fictional account of the attack’s aftermath, the scientific research and theories in the script are historically and psychologically accurate.  Since winning, Cohen has been paired with an industry mentor, producer Alexis Alexanian (Pieces of April, Tadpole), who has helped him with re-writes and feedback on option agreements he has received. TFI is also providing a social psychologist who will serve as a mentor to help Cohen maintain the authenticity of the science.

“We are pleased to once again join The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to nurture and encourage student filmmaking,” said Tamir Muhammad, Director of Feature Programming, TFI.  “The Sloan Student Grand Jury prize and our annual TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund allow films that promote a greater understanding of science and mathematics to get the year-round support and funding they need to reach their full potential.  Sloan is an integral part of the Tribeca community and we are grateful for their continued support.”

“We are delighted to partner with Tribeca in selecting Penny Stock, the thrilling tale of an Indiana Jones-type geology professor in a race to discover diamonds, as this year’s winner of the Sloan Student Grand Jury Prize,” said Doron Weber, Vice President of Programs for the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.  “For over a decade, Sloan has supported six of the nation’s leading film schools with annual awards in screenwriting and film production for films that dramatize science and technology’s themes and characters.  This year several of those projects like Robot and Frank and Valley of Saints, have been successfully shot and released into the festival circuit.  With Tribeca’s skillful mentoring, we expect Penny Stock to speed its way into theaters and demonstrate yet again how films about science and technology can appeal to audiences everywhere.”

The Sloan Student Grand Jury Prize was created to recognize the very best student screenplay in the nation that uses science and technology themes or characters to tell an engaging story.  Since 1997, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has given more than $3.5 million in direct grants to film students throughout the country, including $1.75 million in prize money to student screenwriters and more than $1.75 million to student directors and producers. Established as part of Sloan’s increasing commitment to support science and technology films through to commercial production, the Sloan Student Grand Jury Prize will boost development of the winning project, and introduce the work and its writer to the industry at large.

The award was presented at an evening reception in New York City on Thursday, April 5, 2012.

About the Tribeca Film Institute:
The Tribeca Film Institute is a 501(c)3 year round nonprofit arts organization founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff in the wake of September 11, 2001. TFI empowers filmmakers through grants and professional development, and is a resource and advocate for individual artists in the field. The Institute’s educational programming leverages an extensive film community network to help underserved New York City students learn filmmaking and gain the media skills necessary to be productive citizens and creative individuals in the 21st century. Administering a dozen major programs annually, TFI is a critical contributor to the fabric of filmmaking and aids in protecting the livelihood of filmmakers and media artists.

For more information and a list of all TFI programs visit www.tribecafilminstitute.org

Follow us on Twitter @TribecaFilmIns.  Join the conversation #scienceandfilm.

Ricky Wilson of Kaiser Chiefs excited the crowd. Photos by Sheryl Garcia-Reyes

NEW YORK–After a lengthy hiatus, the British alt-rock group Kaiser Chiefs return with a new album called ‘Start The Revolution Without Me’ as well as a tour to support the new release. We, of course, were fortunate to catch their gig at Terminal 5 here in New York City last month.

The band were in top form as they ran through their hits-loaded catalog as well as their new materials. Yes, the avid fans rioted as predicted as oily skinheads in their beer stained Fred Perrys  rammed through hapless teenagers. One veteran (meaning old) skinhead even did a hilarious move that looked pretty much like a central nervous system seizure that scared even the hefty bouncers that patrolled the venue.

He looked like Mr. Clean, minus the fragrance of a newly washed shirt.

Despite being absent for quite a while, however, Kaiser Chiefs showed no signs of rust – albeit Ricky Wilson’s rather raspy vocals in some parts, which he attributed to ill health, made us wonder what he’d been smoking. Later on, the band would announce that the rest of their Spring/Summer tour would be re-scheduled in the Fall.

But hey, raspy vocal delivery and all, the band rocked nevertheless.

Check out more photos here.

“The next thing I knew, Johnathon had a show booked in Tulsa,” Lindsey says.
That first show, a manic, ultra-lean showcase of six songs that clocked in at less than 15 minutes, occurred in February of 2010, since then the band has performed in Chicago, Austin, Dallas, St. Louis, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, etc, and has released their debut album, Can’t Get Past The Lips to international acclaim.

The collective talent and cumulative experience of all involved with Broncho has resulted in an album that, for all its dirty-dishwater punk roots, is a masterwork of garage/pop simplicity. Speaking of the band’s reference points, Lindsey says “We all love the way those records sound so we naturally went in that direction, as far as fidelity goes. But more than anything, it’s the attitude of an era that I wasn’t around for, but feel a connection with. We didn’t set out to recreate a record from that era, we just took on that message and made it our own.”

Or, as Ford puts it: “It’s not nostalgia, it’s natural.”