Valencia: The Awesome Show's Final Goodbye (for Now)

If you've been a fan of Valencia for any amount of time, you probably know that Wednesday, December 28, 2011, was the band's last show for the foreseeable future. Playing in front of 2,300+ fans, family members, and fellow bands Valencia toured with, the Electric Factory in Philadelphia (where the band hails from) lived up to its name. On a cold, windy night, the venue was warm with a bittersweet ending to a phenomenal career. Now, I'm sure by now you're wondering: in a year when scene stalwarts Thrice, Thursday, and Alexisonfire break up, why does Valencia get their own post? That question has more than one answer, come to think of it. One, the write-ups for those other three bands may very well be coming soon

And two, because other than Jimmy Eat World, Valencia is probably the most important band to The Mike and Tom Awesome Show.

Let's take a look back, shall we? The Mike and Tom Awesome show began in October of 2008, a few months after Valencia's incredible sophomore full-length We All Need a Reason to Believe came out. Shortly after, a streak of pure luck and coincidence brought the band into the WTSR DJ booth to play an acoustic set, where they became the first "HOLY #@%$!" moment the show has ever had (there have been a few more after that, I can assure you). Reason to Believe ended up the #2 album of the year on the Top Albums 2008 countdown, trailing only The Gaslight Anthem's The '59 Sound. The album had major staying power on the show, getting near-regular airplay in the years after its release, and a few "Which song is the best on the album?" debates to boot.

Then, when I (Donald) was made an official panelist on the show, Valencia brought us all together in an even bigger way. With their third full-length Dancing with a Ghost due out in less than two weeks, Mike, Tom, and myself made the trek up to the School of Rock East in South Hackensack, NJ (RIP) to see Valencia's first headlining tour behind the album. The show was especially important for us, as this was the first show the three of us attended together. As proof of our devotion (and borderline obsession) to the band, the three of us all bought a copy of the album at the show (again, before the release date), and eagerly popped it into the CD player to listen to on our way home. The car ride was quiet, which, for us, is a pretty big deal. Somehow, three radio DJs were left speechless, and our silence was only broken by the occasional "This song/album is awesome," "This is so good," or my personal favorite "Oh my God, they did it again," as we were all floored by the maturation Valencia had showed on Dancing. We played the title track on the show the next day, and Dancing With a Ghost ended at #3 on the Top Albums 2010 countdown, with Valencia becoming the first band in the show's history to have two albums show up in the Top 10, Top 5, or even Top 3 of our year-end countdowns.

If that was too long, here's the jist: Valencia was a great band, the kind of band you don't come across too often. Their deeply personal lyrics and constantly-evolving musicianship were a rarity during a time when pop-punk was lacking both (see: Low, All Time), and the band never disappointed. So, to put it in the simplest terms I can, Valencia's Farewell show in Philadelphia was surreal. Seeing so many people recite lyrics they may or may not have had tattooed on them so passionately was one of the craziest feelings Tom, Mike, or I will ever have, and the only bad part about Valencia's set was that it had to end.

So in conclusion, to the friends, fans, family members, crew members, merch guys, and anyone else involved in Valencia, and of course, Shane, George, JD, Brendan, Trevor (who filled in for guitar at the show), Dan, and Max (Rest in Peace), from the bottom of The Mike and Tom Awesome Show's collective heart:

Thank you, and Goodbye (For Now).
The Mike and Tom Awesome Show
Mike Leatherwood, Tom Taylor, Donald Wagenblast

-Donald.

Radio Show Playlist for 9/24/11

Hour 1
"1983" - Neon Trees - Habits
"This is the Last Time" - Keane - Hopes and Fears
"The Way" - Valencia - Dancing with a Ghost
"All Downhill from Here" - New Found Glory - Catalyst
"Some Might Say" - Oasis - (What's the Story) Morning Glory
"Definite Darkness" - Cymbals Eat Guitars - Lenses Alien
"Bambi" - Tokyo Police Club - Champ
"Boomboxes and Dictionaries" - The Gaslight Anthem - Sink or Swim
"Last Night" - Carolina Liar - Coming to Terms
"Follow the Leader" - Sloan - The Double Cross
"I Would Do Anything for You" - Foster the People - Torches
"Even If It Kills Me" - Motion City Soundtrack - Even If It Kills Me

Radio Show Playlist for 9/17/11

Hour 1
"Fight, Fight (Reach for the Sky)" - Go Radio - Lucky Street
"Born to Lead" - Hoobastank - Every Man for Himself
"Work for the Working Man" - Bon Jovi - The Circle
"Reptilia" - The Strokes - Room on Fire
"Living Together" - Circa Survive - On Letting Go
"Wake Up Call" - Authority Zero - 12:34
"Sillyworld" - Stone Sour - Come What(ever) May
"Long Time" - Cake - Showroom of Compassion
"To All the Crowded Rooms" - Senses Fail - Still Searching (REQUESTED)
"Run this City" - Jet Lag Gemini - Fire the Cannons
"Lay Me Down" - Crossfade - We All Bleed
"Light Me Up" - The Pretty Reckless - Light Me Up

Radio Show Playlist for 9/10/11

Hour 1
"It's Only Natural" - The Higher - It's Only Natural
"Howlin' for You" - The Black Keys - Brothers
"Drive" - R.E.M. - Automatic for the People
"Teeth" - Fireworks - Gospel
"Hurricane" - Something Corporate - Leaving Through the Window
"The Royal We" - Silversun Pickups - Swoon
"Smashed Into Pieces" - Silverstein - When Broken is Easily Fixed (REQUESTED)
"Requiem" - Boysetsfire - The Misery Index: Notes from the Plague Years (REQUESTED)
"Seventy Times Seven" - Brand New - Your Favorite Weapon (REQUESTED)
"Magnets Caught in a Metal Heart" - Thursday - No Devolucion (REQUESTED)
"Lollipop" - Framing Hanley - The Moment (REQUESTED)
"Smooth Criminal" - Alien Ant Farm - ANThology (REQUESTED)

Radio Show Playlist for 9/3/11

Hour 1
"Will Do" - TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light
"Black Treacle" - Arctic Monkeys - Suck It and See
"Screaming Bloody Murder" - Sum 41 - Screaming Bloody Murder
"Four Letter Word" - Beady Eye - Different Gear, Still Speeding
"Home" - Thirteen Senses - Crystal Sounds
"Blow It Up" - The Vaccines - What Did You Expect from the Vaccines?
"Lotus Flower" - Radiohead - The King of Limbs
"Jump into the Fog" - The Wombats - This Modern Glitch
"Pararelevant" - The Get Up Kids - There Are Rules
"Climbing a Chair to Bed" - Dropkick Murphys - Going Out in Style
"Goodbye" - Eddie Vedder - Ukulele Songs
"Saints and Sinners" - Flogging Molly - Speed of Darkness

Radio Show Playlist for 8/20/11

Hour 1
"I'm Not Over" - Carolina Liar - Coming to Terms
"Burn the Witch" - Queens of the Stone Age - Lullabies to Paralyze
"Numb" - The Airborne Toxic Event - All at Once
"Never Take Friendship Personal" - Anberlin - Never Take Friendship Personal (REQUESTED)
"Louder Than Ever" - Cold War Kids - Mine is Yours
"Gravemakers and Gunslingers" - Coheed and Cambria - Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow
"Unspoken" - Lacuna Coil - Comalies
"Satellite" - The Kills - Blood Pressures
"High Pressure Low" - Against Me! - White Crosses
"Wicked World" - Cold - Superfiction
"The Foreboding Sense of Impending Happiness" - HIM - Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice
"Deep Enough" - Live - V

Radio Show Playlist for 8/13/11

Hour 1
"Reckless Abandonment" - The Spill Canvas - No Really, I'm Fine
"So Long, Astoria" - The Ataris - So Long, Astoria
"Running Out of Time" - Hot Hot Heat - Elevator
"Any Other Heart" - Go Radio - Lucky Street
"Come Out and Play (Keep 'em Seperated)" - The Offspring - Smash
"Solo Impala" - The Fashion - The Fashion
"Punk Rock Princess" - Something Corporate - Leaving Through the Window
"Rise from the Ashes" - Quietdrive - When All That's Left is You
"Do What You Want" - OK Go - Oh No
"Bang the Doldrums" - Fall Out Boy - Infinity on High
"Diamond in the Rough" - Social Distortion - Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes
"Loser" - Beck - Mellow Gold

Radio Show Playlist for 8/6/11

Hour 1
"Becoming the Bull" - Atreyu - Lead Sails, Paper Anchors
"Sillyworld" - Stone Sour - Come What(ever) May
"Sick, Sick, Sick" - Bayside - Killing Time
"Rider" - Okkervil River - I Am Very Far
"When It Dies" - The Get Up Kids - There Are Rules
"Buy Nothing Day" - The Go! Team - Rolling Blackouts
"The Fantasy" - 30 Seconds to Mars - A Beautiful Lie
"The Hardest Mile" - Dropkick Murphys - Going Out in Style
"Another Love Song" - Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf
"White Rabbit" - Egypt Central - White Rabbit
"Splinter" - Sevendust - Cold Day Memory
"Woman" - Wolfmother - Wolfmother

Radio Show Playlist for 7/30/11

Hour 1
"Flavor of the Weak" - American Hi-Fi - American Hi-Fi
"Hash Pipe" - Weezer - The Green Album
"I Did It" - Dave Matthews Band - Everyday
"The Rock Show" - Blink-182 - Take Off Your Pants and Jacket
"Million Miles Away" - The Offspring - Conspiracy of One
"Understanding (in a Car Crash)" - Thursday - Full Collapse
"New Born" - Muse - Origin of Symmetry
"Crawling" - Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory
"Duck and Run" - 3 Doors Down - The Better Life
"Alive" - P.O.D. - Satellite
"Fat Lip" - Sum 41 - All Killer, No Filler
"Screaming Infidelities" - Dashboard Confessional - The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most

Radio Show Playlist for 7/23/11

Hour 1
"Under Fire" - Halifax - The Inevitability of a Strange World
"I Don't Need a Soul" - Relient K - Forget and Not Slow Down
"Eyes Wide Open" - Rival Schools - Pedals
"Hands Open" - Snow Patrol - Eyes Open
"Sleep" - The Dodos - No Color
"Step Out of the Car" - The Boxer Rebellion - The Cold Still
"All That's Left" - Thrice - The Artist and the Ambulance
"Journal for Plague Lovers" - Manic Street Preachers - Journal for Plague Lovers
"Stay With Me" - You Me at Six - Hold Me Down
"Beat the Devil's Tattoo" - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Beat the Devil's Tattoo
"Get Thru This" - Art of Dying - Vices and Virtues
"The Same Space" - Klaxons - Surfing the Void

Album Review: Gorillaz - The Fall (2011)

 

Yup.  I'm pretty sure a lot of people just realized that last year, the Gorillaz came out with their 3rd album Plastic Beach and you must be surprised that there is NEW MUSIC still coming out from the band that's been touring since Plastic Beach came out.  Well, guess what?  There is.  Although technically this album came out on Christmas 2010, it wasn't available as a physical copy or released to the general public until April.  So what should you expect?

Radio Show Playlsit for 7/16/11

Hour 1
"Metalingus" - Alter Bridge - One Day Remains
"Development" - Nonpoint - Development
"Just Because" - Jane's Addiction - Strays
"Before I Forget" - Slipknot - Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verse)
"Almost There" - Trust Company - Dreaming in Black and White
"Got Jealous" - Hurt - Goodbye to the Machine
"Remedy" - Seether - Karma and Effect
"A Portrait of the Artist" - Aiden - Disguises
"Just Got Wicked" - Cold - 13 Ways to Bleed on Stage
"Austere" - The Joy Formidable - The Big Roar
"Heaven's a Lie" - Lacuna Coil - Comalies
"Another Way to Die" - Disturbed - Asylum

Radio Show Playlist for 7/9/11

Hour 1
"Uprising" - Muse - The Resistance
"Misery" - Good Charlotte - Good Morning Revival
"Success" - Interpol - Interpol
"You Don't Understand Me" - The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
"Oh My Heart" - R.E.M. - Collapse into Now
"One Step at a Time" - Four Year Strong - Enemy of the World
"Shiver" - Coldplay - Parachutes
"After Hours" - We Are Scientists - Brain Thrust Mastery
"Unconditional" - The Bravery - The Bravery
"Where Were You" - Every Avenue - Shhh, Just Go With It
"Given the Chance" - The Starting Line - Say It Like You Mean It
"Thank You" - Drive-By - A Delicate Situation

Radio Show Playlist for 7/2/11

Hour 1
"Bounce" - The Cab - Whisper War
"Rock My Body" - The Higher - On Fire
"Rainy Monday" - Shiny Toy Guns - We Are Pilots
"Give Up the Ghost" - Radiohead - The King of Limbs
"Rock Rebellion" - Bang Camaro - Bang Camaro
"White Sky" - Vampire Weekend - Contra
"Sam's Town" - The Killers - Sam's Town
"Shake Me Down" - Cage the Elephant - Thank You, Happy Birthday
"Everlasting Light" - The Black Keys - Brothers
"Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors" - Editors - An End Has a Start
"Ode to Solitude" - HIM - Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice
"No World for Tomorrow" - Coheed and Cambria - Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow

Radio Show Playlist for 6/25/11

Hour 1
"Joker and the Thief" - Wolfmother - Wolfmother
"The Fixer" - Pearl Jam - Backspacer
"Shackler's Revenge" - Guns N Roses - Chinese Democracy
"Wasteland" - Trapt - Only Through the Pain
"Our Perfect Disease" - The Wombats - This Modern Glitch
"Blue Monday" - Orgy - Candyass
"Sick of You" - Cake - Showroom of Compassion
"The '59 Sound" - The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound
"Ball and Chain" - Social Distortion - Social Distortion
"You" - TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light
"Ava Adore" - Smashing Pumpkins - Adore
"Only Happy When It Rains" - Garbage - Garbage

Radio Show Playlist for 6/18/11

Hour 1
"The Sharpest Lives" - My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade
"Again" - Flyleaf - Memento Mori
"Lie to Me (Denial)" - Red - Until We Have Faces
"Your Surrender" - Neon Trees - Habits
"But It's Better If You Do" - Panic! at the Disco - A Fever You Can't Sweat Out
"Nevermind" - Unwritten Law - Swan
"Deadbolt" - Thrice - The Illusion of Safety
"Four" - Lit - A Place in the Sun
"The Red" - Chevelle - Wonder What's Next
"If You Wanna" - The Vaccines - What Did You Expect from the Vaccines?
"Spanish Moss" - Against Me - White Crosses
"Lost Art of Keeping a Secret" - Queens of the Stone Age - Rated R

Album Review: Sparks the Rescue- Worst Thing I've Been Cursed With (2011)

If there were a Mount Rushmore of the men and women who have been most influential or successful in American film, Clint Eastwood would undoubtably have his mug etched in the stone. From signature lines in his cowboy movies to branching out on roles he made into his own, to becoming a wonderful producer, director, and writer, Eastwood has been around longer than most of our parents have been alive. Sadly, however, this review for Sparks the Rescue's second full-length album Worst Thing I've Been Cursed With, won't compare the band's versatility and inventiveness to Eastwood's sterling film reprtoire. Instead, Worst Thing can be closely examined using Eastwood's (possibly) defining film, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

Album Review: Balance and Composure- Separation (2011)

Before I get into the specific, intricate ways in which Separation, the debut full-length album from Doylestown, PA's Balance and Composure is a soaring, magnificent modern-rock melting pot of sound, there may be an easier way for me to do it: go to the bottom of this review, and look at the "Recommended if you rock" section. The reason I had you do this is twofold: one, to draw your attention to the section itself, which will hopefully make you go buy the album, like, right now (don't worry, this review will be here later), and two, because I know what I'm doing. You may think I sound crazy, comparing it to two of the most-respected indie-rock acts today and one of the titans of the game for the last decade, but that is simply the lasting effect Balance and Composure are poised to have. The band's debut (and I can't stress that enough, this is their debut full-length album) shows that this is by far one of the most promising acts in however-you-label-it rock.

Radio Show Playlist for 6/11/11

Hour 1
"Shine" - Aiden - Disguises
"War" - Poets of the Fall - Twilight Theater
"Sex on Fire" - Kings of Leon - Only by the Night
"Crack the Shutters" - Snow Patrol - A Hundred Million Suns
"Take Me Over" - Cut Copy - Zonoscope
"Intervention" - Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
"Don't Tread on Me" - 311 - Don't Tread on Me
"Mountain Song" - Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking
"Pararelevant" - The Get Up Kids - There Are Rules
"I Don't Want to See You Like This" - The Joy Formidable - The Big Roar
"The Trouble with Angels" - Filter - The Trouble with Angels
"Tick Tick Boom" - The Hives - The Black and White Album

Radio Show Playlist for 6/4/11

Hour 1
"Forced to Love" - Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record
"Tonight, Tonight" - Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
"Four Letter Word" - Beady Eye - Different Gear, Still Speeding
"Personal Jesus" - Depeche Mode - Violator
"Discoverer" - R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now
"Thrash Unreal" - Against Me! - New Wave
"Hide" - Yellowcard - When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes
"Grey Street" - Dave Matthews Band - Busted Stuff
"Candlelight" - Relient K - Forget and Not Slow Down
"Made for You" - OneRepublic - Waking Up
"Rox in the Box" - The Decemberists - The King is Dead
"Miserable" - Lit - A Place in the Sun