Your band playing Life is Good Fest??!

Life is good Teams with Sonicbids to Fill Final Performance Slot at 2011 Life is good Festival
Two-Day Fundraising Festival Hopes to Raise $1 Million for Kids Facing Life-Threatening Challenges

Ever wanted to play in front of a crowd of more than 15,000 people? Is the thought of playing on the same bill as Ray LaMontagne, The Avett Brothers, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Levon Helm and others a dream come true? Does your music spread the power of optimism? If so, Life is good is looking for you to perform at the 2011 Life is good Festival.

Life is good has teamed up with Sonicbids to select one final band to perform at its festival on September 24, 2011 in Canton, MA. There is only one slot available and the Life is good Festival team wants to find the best band in America for this opportunity. To be selected, the band must have an incredible live show, great songs and most importantly, an optimistic vibe.

The 2011 Life is good Festival is a multi-faceted fundraiser combining world-class headliners and nationally known musical talent on three stages, including several of today’s most popular children’s performers. This one-of-a-kind festival aims to raise $1 million to benefit the Life is good Playmakers, the action arm of The Life is good Kids Foundation.

The 2011 Life is good Festival takes place on September 24 and 25, 2011. The festival will feature national headlining artists Ray LaMontagne, The Avett Brothers, Michael Franti and Spearhead, The Levon Helm Band, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Brandi Carlile, Martin Sexton, Raphael Saadiq, Ingrid Michaelson and The Hold Steady as well as The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Maceo Parker, Tristan Prettyman, The Ryan Montbleau Band, Zee Avi, Dwight and Nicole, and Jenny Dee and the Deelinquents. Kindie rock superstars Imagination Movers and The Laurie Berkner Band will headline the Good Kids Stage alongside special kids performances from Keller Williams and local favorite Ben Rudnick and Friends. The full talent line-up and complete festival information can be found at www.lifeisgood.com/festivals.


Sonicbids is a web-based company that helps bands from around the world discover and book gigs. To submit a band for consideration, go to http://sonicbids.com/lifeisgood. There is a $10.00 submission fee for bands to be considered and 100% of Life is good’s proceeds from the Festival will be donated to the Life is good Playmakers. Applications will be accepted through August 15, 2011.

The winning submission will perform at the Festival on Saturday, September 24, 2011. In addition, the band will receive a brand new Martin acoustic guitar and a $500 gift card at http://www.lifeisgood.com/.

There is a $10.00 submission fee for bands to be considered and 100% of Life is good’s proceeds from the Festival will be donated to the Life is good Playmakers. Applications will be accepted through August 15, 2011.

The two-day music and fundraising festival is hosted by Life is good, a Boston-based company that spreads the power of optimism through its colorful collection of apparel and accessories and through its social mission to help kids overcome life-threatening challenges. The annual event will make its return to historic and picturesque Prowse Farm at the foot of the Blue Hills, just minutes from Boston. Once again, Life is good has partnered with Superfly Presents, nationally-recognized producers of the iconic Bonnaroo and Outside Lands festivals to assure a first-class festival experience for all ages.

Tickets for the 2011 Life is good Festival are on sale at http://www.lifeisgood.com/. Adult single-day tickets are $65, and $120 two-day tickets are also available. Tickets for children ages 2-12 are available for $20 for a single day ticket and $35 for a two-day ticket. Children under 2 are admitted free of charge.

Since 2003, Life is good has raised over $6.5 million for kids in need. The Life is good Kids Foundation is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit committed to helping children overcome life-threatening challenges such as violence, illness and extreme poverty. Its Playmakers initiative provides innovative training and support to the frontline child care professionals dedicated to helping these children so that all involved lead healthier, more joyful lives. To date, the Life is good Playmakers have trained more than 2,500 Playmakers across the country who have provided joyful, healing play to over 130,000 kids.

For more information on The Life is good Company, the Life is good Kids Foundation and the Life is good Festival, please visit http://www.lifeisgood.com/.

About The Life is good Kids Foundation
The Life is good Kids Foundation is an accredited 501(c)(3) public charity whose mission is to help children overcome life-threatening challenges, including violence, illness and extreme poverty. Through its action arm, Life is good Playmakers, it provides training and support to the adults dedicated to caring for these children so that all involved lead healthier, more joyful lives. More than $6.5 million has been raised to date for children in need, principally through Life is good Festivals and the 100% of profits that The Life is good Company donates to the Foundation from nationwide sales of select products. For more information, visit http://www.ligplaymakers.org/.

About Sonicbids
Sonicbids is the website the helps bands get gigs and promoters book the right bands. Our community includes more than 245,000 bands and 21,000 promoters and licensors from all around the world. With festivals, clubs, colleges, music licensing and much more, Sonicbids offers a diverse range of gigs for every kind of musician. In fact, last year alone, more than 71,000 gigs were booked on the site. The company was founded in 2001 by Panos Panay and continues to focus on its core mission of empowering the artistic middle class. Get a gig or book a band at http://www.sonicbids.com/.

Good Luck!!

Paul Dempsey live in Boston!

Early heads up Boston area music fans:

Aussie singer-songwriter Paul Dempsey lands at the Brighton Music Hall on August 18th.
Paul just released his US solo debut Everything Is True The album received iTunes Australia Album of the Year honors and 4/5 stars from Rolling Stone Australia. Paul is also known for his work as frontman of the wildly popular Aussie rock band Something For Kate.

Tons of info on his site which is right here

Neflix subscribers....you are not going anywhere..

Within the last week Netflix, the DVD by mail (and streaming) company announced they were making some changes to their services. It seems their most popular (from what I can tell) version of the services is “one at a time with unlimited streaming”. What that means is you get a physical DVD of lets say Mad Men Season 1. You watch it, you return it, you get DVD2 of that series, or whatever is next on your list. The streaming portion allows you to stream their available library to your phone, iPad, Playstation or whatever other device you have. It sounds like it was one set price for that service.

Well Netflix got sorta smart....lets charge you for the DVD as well as the Stream. The big issue is that customers that have that option had their price go up “double”.

I've had Neflix since February of 2004 and I love it. I really do. When I hear people don't have it I get really confused. I do. They'd pledge allegiance to Blockbuster on line, or another service that was now defunct. Now days they say Redbox is the way to go. Even for a buck I can't see the perk in this. You still need to go somewhere, get it, and bring it back. Granted they are getting to be more common than a Starbucks but I still think you are held hostage to that pick up/drop off you had with the old video stores.

What I find funny is how people are bent out of shape. “I am quitting, dropping my Netflix account” they yell. These are the same people that are moving to Canada if a certain person is elected President.

Cut the shit.

Seriously.

Look, Netflix has its flaws. It is never perfect for everyone. I've never had a broken DVD, I've had only one “damaged” dvd that was replaced in what seemed like 12 hrs. The library is massive, I can't even tell you the last thing I looked for that they didn't have.

Streaming is still “new” to them. The big issue that most have is that a new release is not there. So you are stuck paying for a “DVD” service if you want to see the latest movie(s). That is okay though right? What is wrong with popping in a DVD. You put in a cd now and then in your car when the iPod dies. You might even put the needle on a record in your home. Its okay people..really..its a movie..its supposed to be fun.

Looking at it, Netflix could have awarded its long term members some perk but what? The biggest issue I've seen above all has to do with streaming. Until a relationship can be worked out with the movie studios I think we are stuck. Netflix already delays new releases from some studios for 30 days to allow for “in store sales”. Again, if you LOVE “Entourage” that much you either have HBO, or you are going to buy the DVD..or you wait...and you know..waiting is okay. You've had to wait when a DVD you wanted was on a “wait”. Waiting is part of life. Rent a classic, or a documentary, let the dust settle and you'll be through the 5 DVD series of True Blood in about a week.

The one big perk, where Netflix and the Studios could make $$ is with a premium stream service. New releases for X number of dollars a month. There are people that would pay 10 bucks or more for this service. A first run movies is what 10$ at the very least. If Netflix and the studios could come up with a way..even if they limited your “First run stream” to 4 per month people would bite, you'd cut down on your mailing costs, eliminate the need to purchase a huge inventory etc. It works for the consumer, but the studios would lose a truck load of money.

In reading my own “plan” (3 at a time, unlimited with bluray and streaming) there is a few things I could cut back on. Drop blu ray (lets face it..as nice as it looks and sounds about 90% of what I rent is just fine on standard DVD) and drop it down to 2 at a time..I'll save close to 10 bucks.

Maybe we all just need to read our terms and bill a little closer.

Enjoy Netflix...I know I will.

Still Alive..

Still alive here, just not a ton of exciting stuff to report. I'll have something shortly I am sure.