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ASHEVILLE RED CARPET EVENT ALERT:

5th Annual MUSIC VIDEO ASHEVILLE
Wednesday, May 9th at Cinebarre

Tickets on Sale Now!

Dress the part and get decked out in your Grammy finest attire* (of with your Asheville flare) and hit the Red Carpet at the 5th annual Music Video Asheville Viewing and Awards show THIS Wednesday, May 9th at Cinebarre, at The Biltmore Square Mall. Gather with your friends, pose for photos, and vote on the crowd favorite. Prizes for winners will include a free day of studio time at Echo Mountain Recording Studios and a $500 cash prize!

Classic cars with chauffeurs will be at the theater parking lot to drop you off for your Red Carpet moment; paparazzi, photo shoot and all! Come in style on the New Belgium VIP Party Bus: it will pick you up at the One Stop downtown and  bring you back after the awards for an After-Parti with DJ’s Molly Parti and Par.

There are 30+ videos in this year’s event shows a broad range of styles from hip-hop to indie rock to americana. Come early, at 6pm, to get in on the great photo opportunities, hang with your friends, and mingle with the filmmakers and musicians. Seating starts at 7:15 with the show promptly beginning at 7:30pm with a brief intermission. At 9:30 the audience ballots (your ticket stub) will be collected. While the votes are tallied, Guest Speaker Tom Taddeo will talk about his experience in working on music videos with Snoop Dog, Tupac, Dr Dre, Ice Cube and answer questions. An awards ceremony will follow.

Tickets are available at Harvest Records,  The Honeypot and Cinebarre. For more information visit http://www.musicvideoasheville.com.

*NOTE: Fancy dress is not required, just a lot of fun!

Who’s who of MVA:

Musicians

Kovacs and the Polar Bear, Agent 23, Stephaniesid, Underhill Rose, Chachillie, Jonathan Scales Fourchestra, Will Newman, Mad Tea: Krekel and Ami, Arizona, Mr. 1NE 5IVE feat. Chachillie, Cheeksters, The Critters, Ivan the Terribles, Caleb Johnson, The Night Lights, Chachillie, Kipper Schauer, The Campaign 1984, Sallie Ford, The Broadcast, Foul Mouth Jerk, Rock Eblen, Two People Playing Music, Rollie Thomas, Total War, Scott Duncan, Weekend Cult

Filmmakers:

Paul Chelmis Films, Hobey Ford and Shane Peters, Twin Gravity, Caitlin Krisko, Bob Peck, Edward Bakinowski and Andrew Anderson, Shane Peters, Jesse Romine, Chase Hudson, Troy Scott Burnett, Katie Damien, Jesse Hamm, Dane Smith, Daniel Judson, Paul Schattel, Bioflyer Productions, Scott Duncan, Ami Worthen, Trevor Traynor, Leopold Firesauce and David Clegg, Harvey Robinson and Carolyn deBerry

MVA has selected five music business professionals from various aspects of the music industry to select the MVA Judges Choice Award. They work within film, radio, music publications/media, promotion, and a music venue. Tom Taddeo is filmmaker who has worked on 100’s of music videos including working with Snoop Dog, Tupac, Dr Dre, Ice Cube and more; he is based in Charlotte, NC. Tom will also be a guest speaker at the event while we are counting ballots for the crowd vote. Sean O’Connell is President and Founder of Music Allies and Creative Allies; he is based in Asheville. Rex Thomson is a writer, photographer and videographer with Honest Tune Magazine as well as creator of festival-based reality TV series Rex-A-Vision; he is based in Louisville, KY. Sadie is a radio host on 98.1 the RIVER and Mountain Mornings with Carson & Sadie on 105.9 the Mountain in Asheville. Sam Katz is Partner/Talent Buyer for the Asheville Music Hall and the One Stop.

Special Thanks to the MVA 2012 Sponsors: Red Carpet Sponsor: 98.1 The River,  Grammy Sponsor: Echo Mountain Recording, VIP Party Bus Sponsor: The New Belgium Brewery, and After-Parti Sponsor: The One Stop. We’d also like to thank The ONcorps, and Lush Life Productions, Dreamspider Publicity, and Sound Mind Creative for their work to make MVA 2012 a success!

MUSIC VIDEO ASHEVILLE DETAILS AT A GLANCE:

MVA: A Showcase to Highlight Asheville Musicians & Filmmakers

Screening: Wednesday, May 9th, 2012
6:00pm Networking Party
7:15pm Seating
7:30pm sharp – Show Starts
9:30pm Speaker, Crowd Vote & Awards
$8 adv/ $10 dos general admission

*Cinebbare serves beer and food*

Tickets are now available at:
Harvest Records, The Honeypot and Cinebarre

VIP Tickets $30- includes transportation
(Limited availability online, The One Stop or Harvest Records)

VIP Ticket link: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/241264

*NOTE: MVA has rating this viewing “R” because of adult content and themes.

Cinebarre, at Biltmore Square Mall
828.665.8661
800 Brevard Road
Asheville, NC
www.cinebarre.com

Find Us On Facebook
www.musicvideoasheville.com

Click to see last year’s winners!

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Music Video Asheville 2011 was produced by  FoAM (The Future of Asheville Music) and this year was sponsored by Music Allies as  part of HATCH. Echo Mountain Recording and the Media Arts Project were also major sponsors of this year’s event which was held at the Fine Arts Theatre in downtown. You can also check out a more complete playlist at http://www.youtube.com/user/Dreamspiderweb#grid/user/C47697E0230DC2DD.

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The night was a big success and with-out further ado the winners are:

Placing 1st, winning both the Best of MVA Music Allies Judges Choice Award AND the Crowd Favorite is Kovacs and the Polar Bear, “Skeleton Crew” directed by Joe Chang with the Paper Picture Company:

The Runner-Up for the Best of MVA Music Allies Judges award, winning a free day of studio time in Echo Mountain Recording, is Secret Agent 23 Skidoo with “Chase the Rain” directed by Daniel Judson:

The Crowd Favorite Runner-up is Jonathan Scales “Muddy Vishnu” directed by Daniel Judson:

The FOAM Core also chose three honorable mentions going to:

Jar-E “Plot” directed by Steven Tingle:

Stephanie’s Id “Documentary” directed by Paul Chelmis

Juan Holiday “Seal it Tight” directed by Kurt Mann:

Groundbreaking Mentor and Featured Artists for MVA 2011 is Ben Lovett.

Lovett showed three videos and spoke about the films that he has been making for his upcoming album debut, Highway Collection.  Viral video explosion of their first single, “Eye Of The Storm,” directed by Chris Alender with Soapbox Films, is a cinematic gem that has gobbled up a million views in 4 weeks on the web, and it’s follow-up, the foot-stomping, barn burner single, “Heart Attack,” directed by David Bragg with Flying Pig Studios.

Lovett also debuted their newest video “The Fear” directed by David Bruckner with Wasteland Pictures:

To see the playlist for Music Video Asheville 2011 visit: http://www.youtube.com/user/Dreamspiderweb#grid/user/C47697E0230DC2DD

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Click to visit the MVA website

FOAM and HATCH Present the 4th annual MUSIC VIDEO ASHEVILLE to showcase the pairing of Asheville musicians and filmmakers. We are thrilled to announce this year’s Music Video Asheville is presented by HATCH and sponsored by Music Allies, Creative Allies, Echo Mountain Recording, and fiscal sponsor The Media Arts Project. The MVA Mission is to increase the awareness and appreciation of Asheville musicians and filmmakers/ videographers by showcasing their collaborative works in a public event. The MVA screening is open to the public and takes place on Wednesday, April 13th, 2010 at the Fine Arts Theater in downtown Asheville starting at 7pm. Tickets are available now for $6 each at the Fine Arts Theater, Mamacitas, Static Age, Harvest Records, and Orbitz DVD.

Music Video Asheville will be highlighting the music video achievements of Ben Lovett and featuring amazing animation video “Eye of the Storm” (See below). MVA is honored to have Lovett give a Q&A session during the event. MVA has invited the producers of his three videos to come and speak as well.
MVA’s partnership with HATCH and Music Allies has landed MVA some exciting judges for the “Best of Music Video Asheville 2011 Award.” MVA’s guest panel will include the following mentors from HATCH: Malcolm Campbell – Publisher of Spin, Sean O’Connell – Founder of Music Allies and  Creative Allies, Crissa Requate – Director of Publicity Music Allies, and Tor Hansen – Founder Red Eye Distribution / Yep Roc Records. All their bios are on the hatchexperience.com site.

Music Allies has generously offered a $500 cash prize for the Best of MVA winner and Echo Mountain Recording Studio has offered a full day in the studio for the runner up. The other big prize is the “Crowd Favorite Award” which will receive a large portion of the ticket sales to the event! The MVA Submission Board will give a series of honorable mention trophies for outstanding work as well.

Artists that have submitted to this year’s MVA include: Ben Lovett, Acoustic Syndicate, Agent 23 Skidoo, Aaron Woody Wood, Stephanie’s id, Mad Tea Party, Jar-e, Jonathan Scales Fourchestra, Rock Eblen, Enemy Lovers, Alisa Kumba, Kovacs and the Polar Bear, Jen and the Juice, Brian McGee, Juan Holiday, Chompin at the Bit String Band, Now You See Them, Ten Cent Poetry, Quetzatl, GalaxC Girl , Serious Clark, and many more… See them all on the big screen…
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Attendees are encouraged to dress-up glamorously and quarkly awesome!
Music Video Asheville tickets on sale now! http://musicvideoasheville.com/tickets/
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More info about film mentor, Ben Lovett’s ‘Eye of the Storm’:
“The self-released first single, “Eye of the Storm,” showcases Lovett’s uncanny knack for storytelling and production with its haunting vocals and acoustic guitar expertly melded with somber cello and violin into a lush watercolor of sound. The song’s visual counterpart, directed by Chris Alender of Soapbox Films, is a stunning steampunk masterpiece that became a viral sensation, generating over 2 million plays in its first month.” ~ http://themusebox.net/lovett:

“Set in a visually arresting steampunk world, ‘Eye of the Storm’ is the epic tale of a lonely sky captain who must literally and figuratively brave a raging tempest in order to find his salvation on the other side. Featuring the music by Lovett” ~ http://atlanta.bside.com/2011/films/eyeofthestorm_christopheralender_atlanta2011

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The Mountain Xpress in Asheville printed some wonderful coverage of this years Lexington Ave Arts and Fun Festival (LAAFF).  I am going to post some exceprts from each with inks to the full articles and intermingle a few of my shots from the fest… Check it out.

Great article on the LAAFF Music, the Asheville Music Scene, and the evolution thereof:

Rockin’ in the freak world

This year’s LAAFF music lineup is more indie than ever

by Alli Marshall in Vol. 17 / Iss. 06 on 08/31/2010

Molly Kummerle of Paper Tiger

Browsing old Xpress coverage of the inaugural LAAFF turned up this walk down memory lane: “More than 25 local acts [are] scheduled to appear on two stages. Highlights include Devilish Mary (all-girl string band with Cary Fridley, performing at noon); The Oxymorons Comedy Troupe; rising rock stars Drug Money; West African drum-and-dance group Ballet Warraba; and celebrated burlesque troupe The Rebelles.”

Yes, it was just as eclectic seven years ago as it will be this year, only this year there are almost twice as many acts and six stages. And, there’s another notable difference: This year’s LAAFF takes on an indie-rock flavor that it’s never had before.

“We try not to have repeats from year to year,” explains festival organizer Erin Scholze. “We sift through the genres. It seems like this year there are just a lot more successful indie bands.”

Here’s what that evolution looks like: Toubab Krewe headlined in 2005 (along with Strut, stephaniesid, the Great Slide, Cabo Verde, Fifth House, Mad Tea Party, the Buckerettes, Aaron Price and Christina Aurea).

LAAFF Electric Stage 2010

In 2006, Jeremy Long (then-percussionist with Avec La Force Percussion and Dance Initiative) told Xpress, “The planning committee decided LAAFF needed to be more diverse this year.” Enter Flamenco Saltado, Soora Gameela, Baraka Mundi, Banana da Terra, the Shining Rock Reggae Band and Nbale (Newborn Ancient Love Ensemble) with Biko Casini of Strut on West African balaphone — a group formed just for LAAFF.

LAAFF circa 2007 hinted at indie rock — the Sophisticated Chimps fit that bill, along with Speedsquare and Nevada. But the balance was jam, experimental and world music.

“Do everything faster”

… … … … …Check out this portion of the inter view with Kovacs and the Polar Bear here.

Just for LAAFF

Take Nbale. That band formed for LAAFF four years ago after Scholze noticed a number of players (Nbale included Casini, Ryan Reardon, Simon Tisman & Sage Sansome) from various bands waiting out a rainstorm together in a College St. storefront and suggested they try playing together. Another mashup was Sons of a Keeled Over Snake with members of Sons of Ralph, Larry Keel & Natural Bridge and Snake Oil Medicine Show.

“We’ve always called it a showcase event,” Scholze says of LAAFF. “You walk up the street and you are going to hear something you never would have heard. It’s a way for the musicians to intermingle with each other as well.”

Asheville Horns LAAFF 2010

Asheville Horns was also born of an opportune moment: A group of local brass players were tapped to record with Laura Reed and Deep Pocket. “Someone said ‘You should become a horn-rental section,’” recalls trombonist Derrick Johnson, whose main gig is with Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band. They did, and putting a bunch of horn players together “gave us a chance to play different types of funk,” says Johnson. Soon, Asheville Horns wasn’t just a brass section for hire, but a band with its own shows.

Johnson, a fan of collaborations, co-created the local Funk Jam (held every Tuesday at the Emerald Lounge) when friends from a Long Beach, Ca.-based funk band were visiting Asheville and looking for a place to jam. Musician/soundman/promoter Frank Bloom offered up Emerald Lounge, and what was meant to be a one-off evolved, over the last two years, into a full-on scene. That scene attracts not just local performers, but touring musicians from bands like Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Galactic and Phish. For new-to-town musicians, “It gave people a chance to get established in the scene,” says Johnson. “People started getting different phone calls for different gigs. It was a card-swapping music exchange.” … Networking for funk players.

A festival that helped build the musical landscape

Dj Candice B at LAAFF 2010

Those kinds of opportunities to meet and mix have changed the sonic topography of Asheville in recent years. When LAAFF started, “People didn’t know each other,” Scholze says. “As the years have gone on, they started doing the funk jam and that brought in people like Vertigo Jazz Band and Matt Williams. That [created] the soul-jazz thing and now they’re cultivating that.” Scenes have formed around common interests, and each scene (jazz, jam, funk, etc.) has its own following. “But I think the next step is for the [various] scenes to start connecting and opening up, maybe connecting the soul-jazz people to the orchestra-jazz people; maybe connecting some of the singer/songwriters to the funk jam,” says Scholze.

So, will next year bring a more decisive move toward indie-rock? Or perhaps an indie/world fusion? Will The Archrivals battle Nataraj? Will Woody Pines bring a DJ on stage? Will Sky Lake add a balaphone to its lineup? Whatever the next LAAFF brings — or this one, for that matter — it’s sure to be a surprise.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE: http://www.mountainx.com/ae/2010/090110rockin-in-the-freak-world

Great writeup on the happenings other than the music at LAAFF. This article also gave a round up of all the LAAFFter parties:

LAAFF: More than music

Vol. 17 / Iss. 06 on 08/31/2010

Interactive

Tall Bike Freak Michael Mooney

• Bike Jousting: Though Michael Mooney’s tall bike will not return to LAAFF this year, his bicycle jousting — a game that Mooney developed specifically for LAAFF — will. Contestants gear up in foam armor, sit astride a bike with a banana saddle and elliptical wheels, and try to dismount their opponent with a boxing glove at the end of a long pole. Fun for kids and adults.
• Big Wheels for Big Kids: This new-to-LAAFF sport was also invented by Mooney and his friends. Adults board low-rider tricycle-like vehicles and race a track made of tires.
• Miss Kitty’s Interactive Arts Area: Made for adults and kids, the arts area features many performers from the ongoing Pritchard Park Cultural Arts Program. Asheville Hoops will be on hand, along with Stina Andersen’s Tunnel of LAAFFs, which gives participants a chance to note what they love about the festival on a CD that is then woven into a bamboo tunnel. Melissa Glaze of the Asheville Mural Project does live painting, Our VOICE organizes a hand-print project and a hope box for survivors of sexual violence. Check out a preview of the upcoming Freaks of Asheville Calendar and hang out in the sideshow world created by Royal Peasantry.
…and more…

Arts

This year, 82 arts and crafts vendors will sell their wares along Lexington Ave. Since the festival’s inception this number has grown along with the square footage of LAAFF itself, which now extends all the way to BoBo Gallery. The number of arts vendors this year exceeds the number represented in this year’s Arts Park at Bele Chere.

Theatre

Catch two very different theatre shows on the LaZoom Bus Traveling Stage: Asheville Playback Theatre…The Feral Chihuahuas…Unifire Theatre…Asheville Vaudeville…Street performers

Dance

There’s more than just music at LAAFF; there’s dance, too. Local movement artists show their stuff — many of these performers also teach classes…Belle Afrique…Asheville Dance Revolution…Asheville Hoops Troupe…Lisa Zahiya hip-hop and bhangra…
READ THE FULL ARTICLE with performer descriptions HERE: http://www.mountainx.com/ae/2010/090110laaff

Wonderful Local Food at LAAFF:

Festival of Flavor

LAAFF has eats and drinks to keep you dancing

by Mackensy Lunsford in Vol. 17 / Iss. 06 on 08/31/2010

The Hop Ice Cream serving it up

What’s a street festival without food? A grouchy group of drunken zombies, that’s what. Fortunately, for festival-goers, there are plenty of local restaurants available to help soothe the blood-sugar woes at LAAFF. Just what can revelers expect to see and taste?Several Lexington Avenue merchants will be represented at the LAAFF food court, and it’s only fitting — local is what this block party is all about. Look for local buffalo short ribs from the Lexington Avenue Brewery, for example. Want something a bit more exotic? Visit Mela’s booth for a taste of Indian cuisine on the streets of Asheville.

… … …

Plenty of local beer will be available at LAAFF, which should come as no surprise. Should you be teetotalling, however, there are options for you, too. Buchi will be pedaling their special brand of local kombucha, and two lemonade stands will be on hand to slake your thirst sans alcohol.

Enjoy the party — and don’t forget to bring your appetite.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE: http://www.mountainx.com/ae/2010/090110festival-of-flavor

LAAFF stage schedules were laid out here http://www.mountainx.com/ae/2010/090110laaff-schedules

Full descriptions of the interactivities at 2009 LAAFF. Asheville Hoops, Stina Andersons-The Tunnel of LAAFFs, Melissa Glaze of Asheville Mural Project: Live painter, Freaks of Asheville Calendar Preview, Royal Peasantry and more are all laid out here in the MX  Interactive Arts area Performer Descriptions


LAAFF for the Kids:

Edgy Mama: LAAFFing with kids

by Anne Fitten Glenn on 08/29/2010

Related topics: parenting, Edgy Mama, LAAFF
It’s time again for that funkiest and most family-friendly of Asheville street fests: the Lexington Avenue Arts & Fun Festival, coming to that once raffish downtown area often referred to as Lex this Sunday, Sept. 5.There again will be a multi-tented kids’ area based in the parking lot between Downtown Books & News and Heiwa Japanese Restaurant. For the first time this year, Kids Universe, as it’s been dubbed, is being organized and run by the Asheville-based Earth Fare supermarkets.

READ THE FULL POST HERE: http://www.mountainx.com/ae/2010/edgy_mama_laaffing_with_kids

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