“A Holiday Benefit, Vol. II” Takes Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
A few years ago now, I returned to my alma mater, Syracuse University, to speak to students about how to get a job (or, more specifically, how I got my job, and lessons I've learned that might be of some valuable to them).
It's a speech I would later give at Emerson College, and have adapted and re-presented to various internship and graduate programs since. In fact, I'll be dusting it off this Monday night.
Anyway, I addressed three separate classrooms that day before driving past my band's house ("The Smokehouse") to the hill high ...
“A Holiday Benefit, Vol. II” Release – Photos
December 2nd, 2008
“A Holiday Benefit, Vol. II” In Sixty Seconds
Listen, I know I'm prone to hyperbole, but last night's Rebel Spirit Music Presents: A Holiday Benefit, Vol. II" album release party was hands-down the single-most meaningful, beautiful and excellent artistic and community-oriented thing of which I've ever been a part.
There wasn't a bad apple in the bunch. And were I not a) exhausted, b) due at the office in eighteen minutes or c) still wearing last night's torn jeans and tuxedo shirt, I'd tell you all about it.
So here are the headlines:
The musicians killed it. I've never seen a ...
“Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” Video Premiere
I like Christmas well enough, but what I really love are Christmas songs.
"Do They Know It's Christmas" rocked my brace-faced, junior high world. I bought the single, and raced home from Tredyffrin-Easttown Middle School every afternoon to catch the video on MTV.
In high school, my brother, Chris, and I used to drive around suburban Philadelphia looking for luminaria-strewn neighborhoods listening to "A Very Special Christmas" at full blast.
That's Christmas to me. Keep your Berl Ives and Bing Crosby. Give me my yuletide cheer ...
Bid On “A Holiday Benefit, Vol. II” Silent Auction Items Now!
At last year's "A Family Holiday Benefit," our raffle raised a few hundred extra bucks for 826NYC.
At this summer's Authentic Record's Flood Relief Benefit, though, we tried a silent auction instead and raised a few thousand.
And so, for Monday's big "A Holiday Benefit, Vol. II," we've got a bunch of cool silent auction items. And you can bid on them online!
Just email me (benjamin at mtvi dot com) your item number, description and bid by 10:00pm ET on Monday, December 1, and I'll be sure you're in the running. I'll let you know if ...
“A Holiday Benefit, Vol. II” Rehearsal
My primary assignment was bartender, but I also played the role of backing vocalist, reporter, photographer and tambourinist.
Most of the "A Holiday Benefit, Vol. II" gang got together to rehearse last night: Chris Abad, Tony Maceli, Jaime Allegre, Casey Shea, Jamie Leonhart, Bryan Dunn, Deena Goodman, Rosi Golan, Derek James, Dov Rosenblatt and Amber Rubarth.
Tony, Chris and Jamie are the house band for Monday night's big charity event. They learned nearly twenty songs in two days. I'm doing "Blue Christmas," and "Merry Christmas ...
“A Holiday Benefit, Vol. II” Rehearsal – Photos
November 27th, 2008
“A Holiday Benefit, Vol. II” Due December 1
Comprised of eleven tracks from some of New York City's finest emerging artists plus their collective cover of "Happy XMas (War Is Over)," A Holiday Benefit, Vol. II is a charity CD spanning the sacred (Brent Shuttleworth's "The God In You"), the profane (Derek James & Kyle Paas' "Mele Kalilkimaka"), plus plenty of rockin' holiday tracks in-between (Bryan Dunn’s "Father Christmas").
The CD's release is set for December 1, 2008, and will be marked by a party at New York City's Canal Room. In addition to performances from Shuttleworth, ...
Live Blogging The “Holiday Benefit, Volume II” Recording Session
On December 1, the follow up to our now-annual holiday benefit compilation -- aptly titled "Rebel Spirit Presents: A Holiday Benefit" -- will be released at New York City's Canal Room.
This year's record features twelve holiday covers and originals from New York City singer/songwriters like Brent Shuttleworth, Casey Shea and Rosi Golan, plus our collective recording of "Happy X-Mas (War Is Over)."
This is the live account of our all-star recording session.
11:59AM - On L train approaching Lorimer Street with Chris Abad and Jamie ...
Jamie Leonhart & Chris Abad Bring Christmas To October
It may have been a bit out of sync with yesterday's balmy, October weather, but the holiday spirit was in the air.
And so it was that -- just as the sun began to set on a crisp, fall afternoon -- I retired to our cramped walk-in closet and began assembling my little MacGyver recording studio. I powered up ProTools, and cued up our track, and began tinkering. Twenty minutes later -- just as the doorbell rang -- I emerged to say to Abbi, "I would have to pick the world's most-recognizable Christmas tune."
Yup, it's time for another ...
