Latest News from Chris Roblee

Hello ReverbNation!

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:30:52 EDT

GigMaven and Mavenly Community, As of today, we are happy to announce that we have been acquired by ReverbNation, the leading provider of marketing, promotion and social media tools for over 1.7 million artists and music industry professionals in order to help them expand their live performance initiatives. We started GigMaven to help artists and [...]

Will Smith on stage with Nas

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:58:41 EDT

Sweet Will Smith cameo during Nas’ show in Philly.

GigMaven Artist of The Week: Lion In The Mane

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 01:00:46 EDT

I’ve known about Lion In The Mane for a couple years now; I knew them back when they were The Atlas. Their progression into LITM is impressive, to say the least, and I feel like a proud parent hearing them in their best form yet. I feel that the best way to describe LITM’s sound [...]

Amy Winehouse: Another Lost Soul

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:21:29 EDT

I always found it pretty remarkable that Amy Winehouse achieved such a major level of fame. She had a beautiful voice, her music maintained a classical pop shine, and every ounce of her music was constructed with soul (not just by Amy, but also her band). The reason why I found this remarkable is because [...]

GigMaven Artist of The Week: Poetic Republic

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 12:00:43 EDT

GigMaven's Artist of the Week, Poetic Republic, a collection of artists that create organic and jazz influenced hip-hop music.

Show Review: Taking Back Sunday + Thursday

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:57:37 EDT

My review of the Taking Back Sunday and Thursday show at Best Buy Theater, July 17th 2011.

GigMaven Artist of the Week: La Veda

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 12:00:30 EDT

La Veda is a relatively new artist from Baltimore, and I'm sure it won't be long until her name becomes well-known among the local scene. I can only hope that she heads up North soon, so I can see this music come to life in person.

Review: The Wonder Years – Suburbia I’ve Given You All and Now I’m Nothing

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 12:09:06 EDT

My review of "Suburbia I've Given You All and Now I'm Nothing" by The Wonder Years.

Great Caesar – GigMaven Artist of the Week

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 17:23:58 EDT

While it’s true that I’ll like anything with a bari sax, there are plenty more reasons why you should check out Great Caesar and catch them live at Cameo Gallery next Saturday July 16th. This band is really good at naming their songs, and I’m happy to say that they’re one of a slowly but [...]

“Calgary” – Bon Iver vid

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 12:31:22 EDT

via Pitchfork Might have made TRL back in the day.

GigMaven Artist of the Week: My Cousin, The Emperor

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 17:24:11 EDT

This week we’d like to turn your attention to Brooklyn’s My Cousin, The Emperor. They’ll be opening for Kara Suzanne at Gramercy Theatre July 28th, and now’s the perfect time to get them on your radar. Check out their offerings, The Subway EPs Vol. I-II, A Long Way From Home, and a number great of [...]

Freddie Gibbs “Keep It Warm For Ya”

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 11:41:03 EDT

Freddie Gibbs “Keep It Warm For Ya

check out Jangula!

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:07:34 EDT

Thanks to Ian Jones II for the great Jangula photos.

James Blake @ Primavera Sound

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:47:15 EDT

from Pitchfork:

Northside Wrap Up- New Moods, Monogold, Headless Horseman, Sun Airway @ 285 Kent

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 19:56:00 EDT

Sunday night I finished off Northside on a high note at Bird Dog Production's 285 Kent party featuring New Moods, Monogold, Headless Horseman, and Sun Airway. The space has been totally transformed since the last time I went there to see Javelin (when it was gypsy-themed), and now has a sprawling black-and-white graffiti theme which really made it feel perfect for the show. It was also MY BIRTHDAY, I think I made the right choice.

Northside Day 3-The Babies, Mainland, Guided by Voices, Thee Oh Sees

Sun, 19 Jun 2011 18:33:50 EDT

A solid day with a lot of night pickings and not too many day parties, Saturday’s main Northside show featured festival headliner show with Guided By Voices supported by The Babies, Surfer Blood and Wavves in the afternoon. I later caught Mainland and Thee Oh Sees. The Babies are soooo Brooklyn. A supergroup of members [...]

GigMaven Showcase- Phantom Power, Jangula + oddlogic

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 14:54:05 EDT

Last night Northside was sweaty and marvelous at both GigMaven's showcase at Spike Hill feauturing Phantom Power, This Frontier Needs Heroes, Ravens and Chimes, MiniBoone, Life Size Maps, Jangula, and oddlogic.

Beirut graces Northside at Mccaren Park

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 14:50:00 EDT

It was a pleasure witnessing the legendary Beirut play and hour-and-a-half long set at Mccaren park’s Steve Madden Stage last night. Not only are they one of my favorite bands, they also feature one of the most inspiring and unique sounds of any band of this generation. Yes, that’s a big statement to make, but [...]

Northside begins- Atlas Sound in St. Cecilia’s Church

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 14:47:16 EDT

As said, Northside is one of the most fun festivals of all time, and Brooklyn’s biggest. Think of SXSW’s little cousin that is mostly for locals and you can actually get into all the shows you want to rather than lining up hours ahead. Thursday was the kick-off Northside night, with all sorts of shows, [...]

GigMaven Northside Festival Showcase in BK: 6/17

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 10:55:09 EDT

Come to Spike Hill tomorrow night to check out our Northside showcase, featuring MiniBoone, Life Size Maps, Jangula and more!

Indie Love Fest Does It Again

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 22:12:38 EDT

2011 was a year to be glad you Sasquatched. With fair weather, a great lineup, and as always, one hell of an atmosphere, Sasquatch Music Festival 2011 was a must for Northwesterners and Canadians alike. Four packed days encompassed performances from a multitude of different artists – ranging from indie rock to face-melting dubstep to [...]

GigMaven Artist of the Week- Najla Belly Dance NYC

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:44:23 EDT

Our GigMaven artist of the week is Najla, a belly dancer in NYC! She has shimmied her way onto our radar with beautiful moves and a busy schedule. Though we usually only reserve the gleaming Artist of the Week for musicians, Najla's Make Music New York schedule is so incredible we had to feature her. Make Music New York, if you don't know, is "a live, free musical celebration across New York City that takes place each June 21 - the longest day of the year."

GigMaven’s Northside Showcase is Lookin’ Gooooood

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 13:40:58 EDT

We've been working away gathering artists for our upcoming Northside Showcase on June 17th. We set up an open call on www.gigmaven.com and hand selected GigMaven artists electro-shoegaze conoussier Phantom Power , and folk-Americana gliders This Frontier Needs Heroes .

GigMaven Artist of the Week- Miniboone

Fri, 27 May 2011 14:52:53 EDT

Hey Miniboone! We just wanted to remind you how much we like you guys- not that you need reminding- we recently booked you for both our SXSW and upcoming Northside showcases, and remember CMJ? It seems so long ago at this point. But just in case the memo was missed- we think you are awesome. [...]

Wanna Play GigMaven’s Northside Festival Showcase?

Wed, 25 May 2011 11:19:57 EDT

Northside Festival is baller. It’s a creative gathering taking place June 17-19 spanning art, film, and music in the sprawling area from Williamsburg to Greenpoint. Last year it was one of the most fun festivals I went to- think of a way less hectic, way more walkable, and much more laid back SXSW. The music [...]

5 Very Wonderful Things*

Fri, 13 May 2011 17:41:24 EDT

Music Rules. This is something we all know. 5 Very Wonderful Things* my-semi-regular post under which I list 5 great songs that I’ve been listening to lately and talk about them a little. Lately, I dig everything, from really old school experimental pop to local favorites and hot-off-the-vinyl-press pitchfork-approved songs. Comin\’ Through 1. The War [...]

Videos from Old Timey Showcase

Tue, 10 May 2011 19:15:56 EDT

1. Apocalypse Five and Dime "My Love" Live at Bowery Electric.. awesome!

Old-Timey Showcase at Bowery Electric 5/9- Photos & Review

Tue, 10 May 2011 00:23:17 EDT

This past Saturday, we at GigMaven hosted a showcase for the Festival of Ideas for the New City, a symposium and art festival hosted by the New Museum. We teamed up with The {NewNew} and the night went without a hitch, from the fun begginings of Apocalypse Five and Dime to the concluding whirlwind of [...]

GigMaven Artist of the Week- The Vandelles

Fri, 06 May 2011 13:28:56 EDT

The Vandelles (listen to songs on their GigMaven profile) have been around Brooklyn for some time and we think they are just peachy. They played a handfuls of shows at SXSW, unfortunately I didn't make it out to see them, but it's created some buzz for the band. The psychadelically chill quartet has toured with both The Warlocks and The Black Angels, which is pretty incredible.

{NewNew} for Etsy + GigMaven at the Festival of Ideas

Wed, 04 May 2011 19:06:53 EDT

In prepping for the much-anticipated Festival for Ideas, GigMaven has teamed up with The {NewNew} for Etsy in promoting each other’s events for the Festival of Ideas for the New City. It’s been awesome teaming up with such a creative and successful company, and these collaborations are what the Festival is all about. The {NewNew} [...]

BATTLES at Le Poisson Rouge 4/27

Mon, 02 May 2011 12:18:10 EDT

Battles played a sold-out hometown show last Wednesday at LPR. The crowd was full of diehard fans, rave-types, and a serious age range. Once the band started, however, all were one as we could not keep our eyes off the stage. A big thanks to My Heart is A Spade, who gave me those in-demand [...]

GigMaven Artist of the Week: The Bottom Dollars

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:53:19 EDT

Brooklyn’s The Bottom Dollars (listen to songs at their gigmaven profile ) have earned the prestigious title of GigMaven’s artist of the week. They are a band who blends soul, rock, and country-alternative into a sound that is so polished it sounds masterful. Layered choral harmonies drive each song while clever instrumental work, including ominous guitars, [...]

Go check out James Kinney Live’s Demotape at Ella

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:49:32 EDT

I had the great pleasure of checking out James Kinney Live’s ongoing series Demotape in the intimate basement of Ella on Avenue A near 2nd Street. GigMaven loves when people come up with creative ways to throw gigs. Every Monday for five weeks in a row, the James Kinney Live team hosts the same thirteen [...]

Yuck ‘n’ Tame Impala at Webster Hall (!)

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:33:36 EDT

Yuck ‘n’ Tame Impala brought an international presence to Webster Hall monday in a long-awaited, sold-out show. English quartet Yuck impressed everyone with their fuzzy, 90s-inspired alt-rock. A list of influences that include the Pixies and Dinosaur Jr, and contemporaries a mix of Girls and Smith Westerns, the overtone of Yuck’s music is a melodic, [...]

Thee Oh Sees Play in Someone’s Backyard- SXSW 2011 Edition

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:22:48 EDT

This is a bit of a repeat story, but it’s a pretty good one from SXSW. I had seen a video of Thee Oh Sees playing at a house party at SXSW 2008 and pretty much based my opinion of the unofficial events of SXSW around it. To my pleasure, I actually had a similar [...]

Omega La La La! Rubblebucket & Millionyoung! pics + setlist

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 13:51:51 EDT

Omega La La La! Rubblebucket & Millionyoung! pics + setlist On Tuesday, Girlie Action Media invited me to come check out DFA-produced Rubblebucket, an eight-piece hailing from all over but based in NYC. The show was a blast- Rubblebucket's incredible performance, stage presence, quirky decor, and great music won over the crowd at LPR.

Silk on, Puro Instinct

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 01:37:27 EDT

Silk on, Puro Instinct Lately I've been listening to a fair deal of female-fronted bands- Braids, Beach House, Vashti Bunyan and newcomers Puro Instinct have been in heavy rotation. Puro Instinct remain a fairly unknown pleasure despite putting out their most recent Headbangers in Ecstacy on Mexican Summer. Puro Instinct is a smooth, droney retro-alt band reminiscent of late 80s shoegaze with 90s twinges of pop. Their sound is certainly sexy, and so is the band itself- fronted by two sisters, Piper and Skylar

GigMaven Artist of the Week- Jana Fisher

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:35:11 EDT

Jana Fisher is one of the featured artists in a series GigMaven is collaborating on at the LES’ Ella Lounge called DemoTape. The series, which began this past Monday and continues to take place over the next four Monday evenings, is a competition for singer-songwriters to be hosted by James Kinney Live. We are really [...]

SDS vs 40oz Mixtape- So Good.

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:45:56 EDT

Came across this free mixtape that FOC (UK-based threads company) and Smoke Don’t Smoke (Music Blog) put out and it is just fantastic. It’s hosted over at the Forty Ounce Blog, and was made in conjunction with a dope new t-shirt that’s for sale. Highlights of the tape: Oregon Bike Trails- “Deep Sea Diver” This is [...]

GigMaven’s Austin Showcase Video

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 10:55:05 EDT

Enjoy this compilation of videos from our Austin Day Party which took place during SXSW. Featuring: The Luyas, Miniboone, Vaudeville Smash, Empires, The Boat People, and tech demo from Automatic DJ. You can see photos of all the great bands that played in our showcase here. A huge thanks for everyone who made this video [...]

Explosions in the Sky at Radio City w/ Low – VIDEOS

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:57:11 EDT

Last Wednesday Explosions In The Sky with openers Low exploded at Radio City Music Hall. My first time to the venue and my first time seeing the incredible band, it was overall an extremely emotional experience. They played 9 songs back to back, from 4 mins to some breaking the 10 min mark but captivated [...]

GigMaven’s New Artist of the Week: The Wiyos

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 16:16:00 EDT

Michael Farkas, Seth Travins, and Teddy Weber: each member of the Kingston, NY-based Wiyos are skilled musicians, engaging storytellers and consummate comedians. Currently on tour throughout the England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, The Wiyos will be returning to the US in May and playing in NYC at Bowery Electric for GigMaven’s Old-Timey. Supporting The Wiyos [...]

Beach Fossils play Act 4, perform at New York City Opera Hall

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 19:24:42 EDT

A big thanks to L Magazine for providing me with a pair of tickets to see the opera classic “Elixer of Love” followed by an afterparty with Beach Fossils at Lincoln Center’s NYC Opera. The opera/concert experience is a new concept called Act 4, every Thursday directly following the Opera Performance by a variety of [...]

Pics- Little Shalimar, Jessica 6, Miami Horror at Knitting Factory

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 15:48:12 EDT

Last Monday three very different bands came together at the Knitting Factory for one fun, energetic, sold out show. Little Shalimar is a Brooklyn-based blues / psychadelic band that actually really impressed me. Their EP, “The Pnemonia Blues” comes with a story of being written in LA with lead singer wearing “a bathrobe and drank [...]

The last of South By: Big Boi, Snoop Dogg, Starfucker, Das Racist, The Black Angels + Seryn

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:38:43 EDT

By Saturday, half of the GigMaven team was no longer in town, but due to some miracle and terrible bus problems to San Antonio, i was forced to my reschedule my flight for Sunday and I was able to stay the extra day. I was so glad; it was probably the funnest day of the [...]

PICS- SXSW Thurs Night/Friday with TV on The Radio, Deerhunter, Kurt Vile, Glasser, Spank Rock + More

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 14:15:25 EDT

Thursday Night, after the house party in East Austin, my friend and I randomly wandered into Elysium, using out platinum badges to cut the line. We had no idea that inside was a sweaty-ass-dance-party with Spank Rock and later legendary German dance-electro band Boys Noize. I’m pretty sure almost everyone there was on ecstacy, and [...]

SXSW Continued- Thee Oh Sees, The Dodos, Atlas Sound, tUnE-yArDs, Lower Dens, more

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 15:31:13 EDT

SXSW only got crazier as nights went on. Here’s the second batch of shows I saw on the second and third days of the Music Festival. The Dodos - Wednesday (Official at the Parish). The Dodos are one of my favorite bands from San Francisco and actually are really nice people. They are freak folk [...]

Foodspotting’s SXSW Food Cart Fair

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 13:22:03 EDT

One of the highlights of our time in Austin were the various food carts. Mexican, Korean BBQ, Hawaiian Fusion, Grilled Cheese… you ask for it, you got it. Foodspotting hosted an excellent food cart fair during the middle of the day on March 13th, a place where technology and food met in harmony. ”Foodspotting is [...]

Early SXSW Showcase PICS- Twin Shadow, No Joy, White Denim, Givers, Washed Out, Cloud Nothings…

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 17:05:23 EDT

SXSW was a whirlwind, and only now can I find the energy and patience to start editing and resizing all of these pictures. Everything about SXSW is awesome, you already know that. Keeping my gushing commentary to a minimum, here were some of the best bands I saw in showcases, official and unofficial, from first [...]

Video Highlights of SXSW11

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:21:42 EDT

I’m working on a pretty intense experience video shot with my panasonic HD DV Cam, but these were a few FlipCam vids I grabbed when I didn’t have the big camera. The eclecticity of these videos perfectly reflects the craziness of SXSW 2011. The Head and the Heart played a ton of shows at SXSW, [...]