The “Sibilance” staff once again has sad news to report about a member of the music scene battling cancer. RUSS RISEMAN, former owner of the ALEHOUSE, has been diagnosed and a series of benefits are being organized on his behalf, starting with a show December 1 with BOOMBAZI, MARK RANKIN, STRANGE PLEASURE, BAND BEYOND DESCRIPTION, and ROB DERHAK from MOE., at the Big Easy. Next up is a gig December 22 at Amigo’s with bands still to be determined.
The premiere of the MAINE SONGWRITERS’ SHOWDOWN television program, featuring clips from this past summer’s competition won by WILL GATTIS and organized by HAWK KALLWEIT, debuted on Channel 2, at 8 pm, November 16. It’s likely to continue in that time slot with new shows each month.
PETE KILPATRICK won that Boston band contest we told you about last month, earning himself a development deal with EPIC RECORDS/ORIGINAL SIGNAL. To celebrate and as reward, Pete and company will open the WFNX holiday show at the Orpheum, in Boston, with MUTEMATH, SPOON, COLD WAR KIDS, and AGAINST ME! Original Signal is one of the “new breed” of labels that claims to understand the new digital marketplace and the new post-major-labor world, though it seems like some of that knowledge means they want a cut of artist merch and touring revenues, which have historically been off-limits to the label-types. Good luck to Pete in figuring out how to make the deal work for him.
Album watch: As far back as April, GRAHAM ISAACSON’S SINISTER MUSE label announced his “debut” album would be out this coming January. We’ll see if Memories in Shadows materializes. We hope so. It’s been a while.
LOST ON LIFTOFF have announced NICK LAMBERT, guitarist and sometime songwriter, has left the band and has been replaced by TY DROWN, who has DIV KID and the FIZZ on his resume. The Fizz, at least, knew radio rock, so Drown should fit right in with LOL’s version 2.0. Look for shows shortly.
