The Return of Marc Seeley

For those of you who don't know, I once managed Marc Seeley, who recorded and performed under the moniker Letters from the Prom. Last summer he essentially dropped off the face of the earth, depriving us all of his musical genius in the ensuing months. He is now writing a new album as Tokyo Quest, the first song of which is the above "Eloise".I had a rare opportunity to discuss music with Marc recently, and the forthcoming album is tentatively entitled Play My Tiny Tune, Big Orchestra, and will be made up of folk tunes like the one you just enjoyed above.

The Fox and the Hound Show - 3/1

This week's radio show features tracks by Chicken Little, mewithoutYou, Letters from the Prom, The New Division remix of "Lisztomania, and many other Flying Circus favorites. Don't forget to become a fan and tune in each week from 9-11 PM Eastern. Next week we'll have J.M. Ruth, author of The Deacon Cross, who has been posting a soundtrack for the book called "Pudge's iPod".

Music Video: Letters from the Prom - Over the Moon

A few months back I went on a short California tour with Letters from the Prom. We shot a bunch of video footage, and Marc recently edited it all together to make a video for his song "Over the Moon" starring himself, me, my girlfriend, and her friend Brooke. Check it out:

Show Review: Bess Rogers & Allie Moss

I was just reading a great article on a busy musician in Citypaper, which reminded me of a little tour that dropped by Messiah for our first B-sides this semester. A couple years back, indie-pop singer-songwriter (oh hyphens) Ingrid Michaelson played a big show here, and evidently the band enjoyed it. Last spring, Bess Rogers and Allie Moss, both members of Ingrid's touring band, were scheduled to play at B-sides when one of the Snowpocalypses hit and blocked all roads from NYC to central PA. As you may remember, I was managing Marc Seeley (aka Letters from the Prom) at the time, and he graciously played a second b-sides gig as a substitute.

Undaunted, the ladies rescheduled and joined us for the opening show of the fall semester on September 1st. Moss warmed the crowd up with intimate folk ballads, then Rogers batted clean-up with bouncier kernels of indie-pop goodness. Worth the wait? Probably.

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I'm Promoting My First Show

Hey kids!
On my 21st birthday (June 4th), I will be promoting my very first non-college-related show at The Auction House in Audubon, NJ. It will benefit To Write Love On Her Arms, a cause that means a great deal to me due to the struggles of people that I love. Music will be provided by Troubador, Letters From The Prom, Pennsylvania folk trio Darry Miller & The Veil, and local YouTube phenomenon Christina Grimmie and friends. Tickets will be $10, and you can RSVP on Facebook here. Be sure to get tickets in advance when they become available and/or arrive early, as this is an intimate venue that is sure to sell out!

On a related note, help make sure that I do not lose the ability to promote in Philly before I get started, and help support the indie and DIY promoters and venues that have been creating such an awesome scene for us there by signing this petition against a city council bill that would require official contracts and other paperwork to be submitted to the city for approval 30 days in advance of each event. We don't want the arts in the same hands as the SEPTA strike.

Peace, love, and rock'n'roll,
Foxy

Letters from the Prom - New Video

I returned from the SoCal tour with Letters from the Prom a while back, but this is the first opportunity I have had to update the site. Marc played some sick shows at Coffee Depot in Riverside and Viento y Agua in Long Beach, and the last day we stayed at the Atrium Hotel in Irvine. We spent hours relaxing by the beautiful pool, and shot this video for his tribute to The OC in one take:

Letters from the Prom - California Tour

For those who don't know, in February I became the manager for Marc Seeley, aka Letters from the Prom. We are currently on tour in southern California. Tonight is the first show at Coffee Depot, the largest coffeehouse in America. Here are the dates, click for more info:

April 28 @ Coffee Depot
May 1 @ Viento y Agua

Meanwhile, check out this video:

All Your Radio Needs

While Flying Circus Radio is on hiatus, listen to my once and future roommate Jared High, his cousin Bryce Stever, and other fabulous people on the PB & J show Thursdays from 10-midnight EST on 90.7 FM WVMM, Messiah College Radio, or online here. They'll be playing some Letters from the Prom and other wonderful tunes on the regular. Enjoy!

Explanation of Situation

Here's the deal: I've been busy.

I realize that not posting from November to February essentially kills a blog if the author isn't otherwise famous (which I'm not). I got caught up in finals and end-of-semester stuff at Temple and preparations for a trip to California and then a semester in Oxford (where I am now).

I have now posted all my show reviews from November, and will hopefully be posting more often since I have little to no scheduled obligations while I'm here. As a sidenote, show schedules will be on hiatus until I return to the US of A, because I honestly don't want to know what I'm missing out on. Here's a list of the websites I check if you'd like to keep up with that yourself:

R5 Productions, The Troc, Electric Factory, TLA, Khyber, Champion Ship, B-sides, SAB, Chameleon, Croc Rock, SBC, Merriweather, Ram's Head, Sonar, Ottobar, 9:30 Club, Hangar 84

I'll be going to some shows in England, as well as passing on friends' reviews of shows elsewhere. When I get back (in April), I'll be kicking into high gear with a new promotions company, initially focusing on my friend Marc Seeley, aka Letters from the Prom (who you might remember from here). In the meantime, let me know of any shows, venues, artists, etc. you think I should cover, and check out this video from blogger favorites The Soft Pack (formerly known as The Muslims):

Show Review: Troubador and Letters from the Prom

Last Friday Messiah's Philadelphia Student Activities Board (PSAB), of which I am a member, put on a Homeboy Music show featuring my friends in Troubador and the big homie Marc Seeley, who goes by the moniker Letters from the Prom. The following will be my article on the subject for The Broad Street Journal student newspaper:

For the first time ever, MCPC had its own concert. On Friday, September 18th, students were serenaded by central Pennsylvania singer-songwriter Marc Seeley (otherwise known as Letters from the Prom) and Troubador, a band of youthful indie pop upstarts from South Jersey. Sipping hot cider and munching on s'mores and other snacks around a crackling fire in our beautiful backyard as live music floated over the gathered community prompted Director of Community Life Ryan Wilson to wonder, "Why haven't we done this before?"

Letters from the Prom is the solo project of Marc Seeley, a singer-songwriter so talented that he recorded all the tracks (vocals, guitars, bass, drums, keys) on his debut album "Nostalgia Is Dead... And You Killed It" himself. A self-taught musician, he treated us to an hour-long acoustic set of his own material, peppered with occasional covers as diverse as The Postal Service and Bob Dylan, closing with his almost absurdly catchy tune "Discover & Deliver".

Troubador, fresh from a performance on Radio 104.5's local spotlight "Live at 5", played a short set of material from their upcoming "Between the Truth and the Lies" EP and a cover of Nirvana's "Heart Shaped Box". Lead vocalist and keyboardist Erika Ricchini was delighted to play in what she described as "a garden" despite a few minor technical difficulties. Due to a recent personnel change, the first few songs were played with keys, acoustic guitar, and one drum for an effect some students described as "like a lullaby" before being joined by the full kit, electric guitar, and bass for the latter half of the performance.

Be sure to check the bands out at www.youtube.com/icoelmono and www.myspace.com/troubadormusic respectively and look forward to more upcoming PSAB events!

Here's a live electric version of "Discover & Deliver" by Letters from the Prom:


and a video of Troubador performing "Between the Truth and the Lies" on Radio 104.5: