Any Given Tuesday Finds New Home

Beginning today, Any Given Tuesday has a new home at SENBaltimore.com! Both sides are very happy about the shift and are confident that readers will be the ones who benefit from regularly published content on a slick-looking website that offers content about all aspects of Baltimore's entertainment, music, and nightlife scenes.

You can check out the first post, a review of Avec's Lines, here.

So from now on, visit AGT at http://www.senbaltimore.com/blogs/agt/index.shtml. Or, just go to www.senbaltimore.com, click "blogs" on the top toolbar, then "any given tuesday."

**UPDATE 11/7/07: The RSS feed address below has been fixed and is fully subscribable in your browser or feedreader**

The RSS feed will remain http://feeds.feedburner.com/anygiventuesday so you can subscribe in your browser or feedreader.

Any Given Tuesday Episode 11: The GO

Detroit's The GO recently released Howl On The Haunted Beat You Ride (read Any Given Tuesday's review here), the best classic rock album of 2007. With masterful production and an ear for a rock and roll sound that changed the future of music, The Go have moved beyond their early days with Jack White from The White Stripes and the garage sound of Detroit and reinterpreted the '60s rock sound to make an album that should have been released forty years ago. Better late than never!

Remember that you can subscribe to the podcast in iTunes and call in to leave a message for the show at (443) 955-5382.

Click the cover art to buy the album, and click below to listen to Episode 11 of Any Given Tuesday, featuring several tracks from the album.

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Any Given Tuesday Episode 10: Pontiak

Virginia brothers Jennings, Lain, and Van Carney form Pontiak, a riffing rock band that stays on my iPod and in my CD player. The brothers were kind enough to drive up to Baltimore in early September for an interview, however the file was corrupted somehow on my computer, and I had to wing this episode without one of the most fun interviews I've had yet. Fortunately, you get to hear more songs. Unfortunately, you miss out on the great interview!

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Happy First Birthday, Any Given Tuesday!

Happy Birthday to Any Given Tuesday! One year old today. If you're curious, the very first post: a review of Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds. I think that page got about 3 hits, one from me, one from my wife, and one from my work's IT department scanning my internet history to see what I've been doing at work!

What fun it's been. I've gotten some great shows under my belt, some great albums, and some wonderful new friends. Recently, circumstances have made it really tough to put a lot into AGT. Good circumstances, but such that they require pithy posts and rarer reviews than I'd like.

To those who came along and have been reading since the early days, thanks! I hope it's been worth it. If you're new, stick around! Hopefully I'll be able to tough it out another year.

P.S.: How about that picture for the cheesiest birthday image I could ever find?

Any Given Tuesday Episode 9: Ingrid Michaelson

Listen to some tracks from Ingrid Michaelson's Girls And Boys and take in a review of the album. Click below or on the post title for the file. You can also subscribe to the podcast's RSS feed. And call in to the show and leave a voicemail! (443) 955-5382 is the number, and your voicemail will get included in a future episode of the show. You can also email and let me know what you think!

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Any Given Tuesday #8: Baltimore Music Conference Weekend

After spending a weekend at the Baltimore Music Conference, I culled together a bunch of the interviews to produce this latest episode of the podcast. Featuring a run-in with Salim & The Music Lovers' Salim and Topix, a young band called Funky Willie & The Git Down Boys, The Side Affects, U'll Neva No, and Sean K. Preston. And, of course, the artists provided songs for your listening pleasure.

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Subscribe to the Any Given Tuesday podcast in iTunes or your RSS-based podreader.

Any Given Tuesday #7: Podcasting 101 At The Baltimore Music Conference

Joel Witt from Folk Media and myself presented at the Baltimore Music Conference this weekend on the basics of podcasting. We covered topics from podcasting hardware and software to format all the way through to our tips for success. Give the show a listen below or subscribe to the Any Given Tuesday podcast RSS feed.

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Any Given Tuesday Episode 6 - Wendel Patrick

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Wendel Patrick and I sat down a few weeks ago for an interview, and I finally got around to editing the result. Listen to a few tracks from Wendel's album, Sound: (read a review of Sound: here), and enjoy! Just click the logo above to listen, or right click to download the MP3. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed in your podreader or in iTunes.

Wendel Patrick (www.wendelpatrick.com) is a trained pianist from Baltimore who just so happens to make insanely exciting music influenced by classical, jazz, hip hop, and electronica. Barrett King sits with Wendel at the City Cafe in Mount Vernon to discuss Wendel's album, Sound:, the creative process, gear, and more. This episode also features three tracks from the album: "Man Vs.", "Traffic", and "My CD Has A Scratch II (feat. Salim)".

Any Given Tuesday Episode 5: Baltimore Music Conference & The Payola Reserve

Join Any Given Tuesday and your host, Barrett King, as we head over to Fell's Point to meet with the founder of the Baltimore Music Conference, Lisa Suit. After that, we'll move over to Charles Village to The Payola Reserve's practice space for an interview. This episode also features two tracks from the band's latest effort, 200 Years.

Download Episode 5 of Any Given Tuesday: BMC/Payola Reserve

Any Given Tuesday Takes Chicago Vacation

Happy 4th of July! I am happy to say that I am going on vacation next week with Kristen. There may or may not be posts from July 10-13 depending on whether I can either log some posts in advance to publish for those days or arrange some guest bloggers (anyone interested? Leave a comment or email me.) to cover for me. I will have internet access, but intend to use it very sparingly. We will be in Chicago, Kristen's old stomping grounds, seeing the sights and enjoying some much-earned alone time. I'm hoping to meet R. Kelly and tell him how much I love the "Same Girl" track, but if anyone else is interested in meeting up around the Hancock Building, my hotel is right across the street. No paparazzi, please.

I also need a cure for nailbiting, if anyone's got some advice. I've been chewing my nails for way too long, and it's got to stop.

Now go enjoy your Independence Day! And if you're at work, enjoy yourself immensely once you get off! You deserve it.

Any Given Tuesday Video With Egg Babies Orchestra: Online and Comcast OnDemand!

A couple Fridays ago, I got to work with SEN Baltimore on a video (we call them SENcasts) at Ottobar when Egg Babies Orchestra performed.

Check out the video of Any Given Tuesday at Ottobar with Egg Babies Orchestra (and get a look at yours truly, in case you actually cared)! And not only is this video available here online, but it's also on Comcast OnDemand! Go to Searchlight/Entertainment/Go Baltimore/SEN BALTIMORE.

Any Given Tuesday Episode 3: Salim

In this episode, Salim sits down with Any Given Tuesday to talk about his latest album, Hip Hop Revisited, and introduces his new single "The Sure Shot". The interview covers topics including the current state of hip hop, the architecture of a track, Salim's influences and his upcoming performances. Sit down with Salim and Any Given Tuesday, listen to three songs from Hip Hop Revisited, and get to know this local artist in a way that only SEN Baltimore and Any Given Tuesday can offer.

Check out Episode 3 of Any Given Tuesday, and subscribe to the podcast feed.

The Decline of Hip Hop

In a USA Today report, the newspaper discusses the decline of album sales in rap music, stating that "this year, rap sales are down 33% from 2006." This is even greater than the overall decline in album sales, and cannot be dismissed as simple suffering from digital sales and/or illegal downloads. Culprits include skipping whole album sales in favor of hyping the singles that sell ringtones and digital singles.

The greatest culprit in the declining sales, however, cannot be denied: people are just tired of hearing about bullets and bling. As USA Today puts it, "the young, largely white audience that can make a difference between modest and blockbuster sales ó are tiring of rappers' emphasis on "gangsta" attitudes, explicit lyrics and tales of street life and conspicuous consumption."

And one of my favorite hip-hop artists, KRS-One, puts it this way: "The music is garbage. What has happened over the past few years is that we have traded art for money, simple and plain, and the public is not stupid." You've got that right, Blastmaster! Hip hop as an industry has given up information and education and social activism in favor of being strictly party music. There is no balance in hip hop.

"The public has made a choice," KRS-One says. "They're saying, 'We do not want the nonsense that we see and hear on radio, and we are not putting our money there.' Rap music is being boycotted by the American public because of the images that we are putting forward."

Arguing that the current language of hip hop is blasted because it is a cultural representation of reality, 50 Cent counters "Music is a mirror, and hip-hop is a reflection of the environment we grew up in."

In my conversation with Salim, a Baltimore hip hop artist (the podcast will be available on Any Given Tuesday tomorrow), we discussed the lack of balance in hip hop, and it is clear from the above comments by KRS and 50 that there are different cultural representations that hip hop can make. There is a time for party music, a time for mirroring one's reality, and a time for speaking out against political and social injustice.

"Any Given Tuesday" Podcast: Episode 2 featuring Salim, Pontiak, and Brian Adam Ant

Following up on the first podcast with Thrushes (and trying to keep the show coming out on Tuesdays), the second episode is a radio-show format with tracks from Salim (read a review of Salim's album here), Brian Adam Ant (read a review of Separation Celebration here), and Pontiak. The podcast is produced in collaboration with SEN Baltimore.

Song List:
Salim - "Stresses of the City" from the album Hip Hop Revisited
Brian Adam Ant - "Our Artillery" from the album Separation Celebration
Pontiak - "Sun on Sun" from the forthcoming Sun on Sun

Visit SEN Baltimore to check out Episode 2 of Any Given Tuesday

Read AGT's review of Pontiak's current album, Valley of the Cats. Pontiak's Sun on Sun comes out in September. Expect a review of that soon.

Thanks to everyone who checked out the first episode of Any Given Tuesday; Download the MP3

The first Any Given Tuesday podcast went down last night. A big thanks to Michael Nguyen at SEN Baltimore for producing, and another tip of the hat to Thrushes for sitting down with us and talking about everything from taking time off work for touring to obsessing about gear and even baseball. Way cooler was letting Any Given Tuesday premiere their new demo, "Trees" before it hit the blogosphere for mass download. Even though this was the first episode, and we had some technical issues, things came out well. If you weren't able to listen last night, or had trouble hearing the live stream, you can download Episode 1 here.

I'm starting work on Episode 2 today, which will be available next Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. This will be more of a radio format show. It won't be live, and it will be just me and a few songs by Baltimore bands that you need to hear. Drop me an email or leave a comment, let me know what you think of the first show, and what you want to hear in the future!

Any Given Tuesday Podcast Tonight!

Be sure to check out the first Any Given Tuesday podcast in collaboration with SEN Baltimore tonight at 9:30 Eastern with Thrushes! Click here for more details.

**UPDATE**: The podcast was a great time. We did have some technical difficulties, but Mike at SEN Baltimore is going to load up a better recording for download tomorrow. I'll get the link up as soon as I can. Thanks to Thrushes for participating!

"Any Given Tuesday" Podcast Featuring Thrushes: Details

Any Given Tuesday's podcast is about to be in full effect. Make sure you have the Talkshoe link ready when the show premieres on Tuesday, May 22 at 9:30 Eastern. If you want to listen live or call in to the show and talk to Thrushes, you'll need to download the Talkshoe client. If you aren't around for the actual broadcast, you will have the opportunity to download the show to your computer or MP3 player, more on that later.

To call in: (724) 444.7444 and enter in ID# 31860

Any Given Tuesday Podcast In Collaboration With SEN Baltimore

I am very excited to announce that Any Given Tuesday is working with SEN Baltimore to produce a podcast all about Baltimore music. The podcast will be named after this site, Any Given Tuesday, and is hosted by yours truly. The first episode will broadcast live on Tuesday, May 22, at 9:30 Eastern Time and will feature an interview with Thrushes and will deliver a demo of their latest song, "Trees", to the masses. Listeners will have the opportunity to call in and speak with the band.

Download the Press Release and help spread the word or read below:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SĒN Baltimore and Any Given Tuesday Announce Baltimore Music Podcast
First Episode Featuring Breakout Band Thrushes will be Broadcast Live Online

BALTIMORE, Maryland, May 15, 2007—Building upon the powerful media content of Baltimore entertainment magazine SĒN Baltimore (www.senbaltimore.com) and the expansive music coverage of music blog Any Given Tuesday (www.anygiventuesday.info), the two organizations have joined forces to create an “Any Given Tuesday” podcast covering the latest and hottest sounds in the Baltimore music scene.

“Any Given Tuesday” will premiere May 22, 2007 at 9:30 PM Eastern as a live internet broadcast on Talkshoe.com, kicking off a series of podcast media from The SĒN Baltimore Network. Hosted by Barrett King, creator of Any Given Tuesday, the first episode will feature an interview with Baltimore’s own Thrushes (www.thrushesrule.com), who have been setting the indie rock scene aflame with their debut album, Sun Come Undone. Thrushes will play a song from the album as well as a newly-recorded track that has yet to take over the blogosphere. Listeners will be able to listen live online and have the opportunity to call in and talk to the band.

“What Any Given Tuesday and SĒN Baltimore are doing here could become essential to Baltimore artists. Current traditional outlets like print and word-of-mouth are important, but a downloadable podcast with interviews, songs, and the ability to call in on some episodes and participate with the artists in real time is going to change the way we find new music in this town," King said. "This isn’t big media jumping on late in the game and trying to break news that fans already know about; this is the scene breaking itself. The trendsetters get to beat the suits to the punch. Working with SĒN Baltimore, 'Any Given Tuesday' wants to keep music trends with those who actually shape them: the artists and fans.”

Michael Nguyen, director of SĒN Baltimore, is equally enthusiastic. “The goal of The SĒN Baltimore Network is to cover all the bases by reaching out via multiple media formats. SĒN Baltimore magazine is visually aggressive and so is its companion website, senbaltimore.com," Nguyen said. "The 'Any Given Tuesday' podcast, and future podcasts from SĒN, will push the envelope even further with an internet audio presence that can be downloaded to an MP3 player and listened to while driving or walking to work, browsing stacks at the record store, and so on.”

“Any Given Tuesday” is planned to become a regular feature, with flexible programming formulas to spotlight bands of various genres all over the Baltimore region. “We aren’t necessarily locked in to Baltimore proper,” King said, “but the band has to have a tie to the area. I’m from Delaware, and Baltimore reaches out that far with respect to the small venue crowd. If a band is willing to do shows in the area and be a part of our community, that’s close enough for me.”

“Driving to D.C. for a show once felt like a necessity for Baltimoreans," Nguyen said. "Our scene is changing, and as it grows, so will the scenes of the surrounding areas. We have to break the news that there is much more to this region than D.C. suburbs.”

About Any Given Tuesday
Any Given Tuesday (www.anygiventuesday.info) is a music blog featuring album reviews, concert reviews, tour dates and legal MP3s from artists both local and national.

About SĒN Baltimore
SĒN Baltimore (www.senbaltimore.com) is published by RETROFORWARD, LLC and offers both print and online editions of its magazine with free information on Baltimore trends and nightlife.

Contact:
Barrett King, Creator, Any Given Tuesday, http://blawk359.blogspot.com, blawk359@gmail.com or +1-443-955-5382

Michael Nguyen, owner of RETROFORWARD, LLC, mike@retroforward.com. 1.888.507.8289

Any Given Tuesday's Shameless Plea For Your Support

Here at Any Given Tuesday, we don't often get whiny and ask for support, but today is one of those days. Since starting up back in September of 2006, things have been speeding along at a pretty good clip, with site visitors and subscribers increasing regularly, and often in exciting spurts. So, thanks! It means a lot to see those hits, particularly from those of you who continue to stop in on a regular basis.

That being said, AGT needs your help. As popularity grows, bandwidth gets used up (insert collective groan here) and it makes it harder to offer you the legal MP3s we try to dish up whenever possible. Not only that, but we want to leave Blogger and get hosted somewhere that loves us, so we can store MP3s, images, and our pages on one server. To do that, we need the readers to help out. The easy way is money. You can donate by clicking on the Paypal button in the right margin. That's too easy, and you don't get your money for free (but if you're one of the few that does get free money, please, share it).

The easier way (even though it helps Google and other giants get paid) is to click on advertisements. There are Google ads at the top of the screen, and all album titles and album art link to Amazon.com. Just clicking on Google ads gets us paid, and everything you buy at Amazon gets us a commission. (On the Amazon note, we're interested in an indie distro partner that will help us sever ties with the corporate conglomerate.) Google sees revenue from your clicks, too, but you aren't shelling out your scratch.

It is important to say that AGT isn't here to get rich. We go to work every day at regular jobs, and those aren't making us rich, so this site certainly isn't going to do it, either. We simply want to cover the overhead and keep bringing you great news and other material. Your funds will go exclusively to hosting costs, server storage, phone and mailing fees, etc. The absolute pie-in-the-sky dream over here is to break even doing what we're doing.

Another free and wonderful thing you can do is subscribe to Any Given Tuesday. On the right margin are buttons to add the feed to your feed readers, to subscribe via email, and to add the site's RSS feed to your web browser (Mozilla Firefox is capable of it, and so is IE7). Increased subscriber numbers will allow us to obtain advertising revenue from our RSS feed.

Caveat: Any Given Tuesday is not going to clog the site with advertisements. We want to bring you ads that are relevant to what you like. And we want to do that without Amazon and hopefully without Google. They can partner with the big boys and girls. We want subscribers and hits that make it worthwhile for smaller organizations to hook us up with ad revenue. You benefit by seeing ads that don't entirely suck.

So, that's the solicitation. Help us help you. Order of priority for the help you can give: (1) Subscribe to the site. (2) When you log on in your browser, do it through http://www.anygiventuesday.info rather than the Blogger address). (3) Donate (a buck, two bucks, that's more than Google is giving). (4) Click on ads every time you visit (and you can right click, open in a new tab/browser, and you won't leave this page!). (5) Join us on MySpace (the page will tell you more about AGT). Plus (6) you can call us or email us and let us know how we're doing (contact info is in the top-right margin), and leave comments on the site! We love you all and want to communicate with you!

Thanks for coming to Any Given Tuesday, and thanks for continuing to stop by. Here's to another six months, and to making it six years.