[Repost from Port City Daily; by Shea Carver, February 23, 2021]
EVENT CALENDAR
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Finding ‘Paradise’: Sean Thomas Gerard talks new music, fatherhood and upcoming release of his LP
Sunday, February 21, 2021
Saint Maybe - She's Alright (Live Solo Acoustic Performance by Oliver Ray)
Thursday, February 18, 2021
Tuesday, February 16, 2021
Monday, February 15, 2021
Saint Maybe "Way With Words" (Solo Acoustic Performance)
Watch Oliver Ray of Saint Maybe (plus Patti Smith) perform the song "Way With Words" from their 2012 debut album Things As They Are live here on YouTube:
Sunday, February 14, 2021
Happy Birthday, Steven Patrick Haley
It is no surprise that some of the most beautiful people in the world are born on this day: February 14th, Valentine's Day. One of them happens to be the very reason I even have a career in music, simply by answering "Yes" to the question I asked him nearly 30-years ago when I was first introduced to him at high school in Orange Park, Florida: "Do you want to be in a band?" Happy Birthday to one of the most talented, loving people I know in this world: Steven Patrick Haley! • Photos of our bands Sella + Audio Explorations. ~ James Tritten, Fort Lowell Records
Friday, February 12, 2021
Wilmington love songs for Valentine's Day
Sean Thomas Gerard: "Jovie"
The love of a parent for a child is among the emotion's purest forms. Sean Thomas Gerard, known for his work with Wilmington rockers Onward, Soldiers, wrote this dreamy soft-rock tune for his daughter the day before she was born last year. It'll be on his upcoming album "Finally Found a Paradise," set to be released March 30 on Wilmington's own Fort Lowell Records. Lovely lyric:"Jovie/ Hope you let me down slowly/ When you feel like you're fenced in/ Call my name and I'll be there in an instant."
More: New Wilmington song ‘Jovie’ will lift your spirits
Tracy Shedd: "Valentine"
Short and sweet, with a hint of darkness, like chocolate. Wilmington-based singer Shedd's vocals are on time here, dreamy and delicate like a memory of long-lost love. Lovely lyric: "Take me back to the place I can dream/ And I'll dream all day."
Pinky Verde: "Antacid 750s"
Heather Jensen, who records and performs moody indie rock under the moniker Pinky Verde, released the song “Antacid 750s" last year. It's about the intense emotion conjured by a new love affair, and slyly compares those feelings to a different kind of heartburn. Jensen's laid-back delivery makes it all sound like no big deal, but her lyrics give away her true feelings. Lovely lyric: "Days so content with you spent/ Haven't felt a hunger/ Haven't eaten for days/ Don't need to when I'm here with you."
More: Wilmington band Pinky Verde releases song from the heart
"Love is a complex emotion, as shown by this heart-shaped graffiti in Smith Alley between Market and Princess streets -- and as shown by the love songs written by Wilmington musicians." [Photo By Paul Stephen]
Wednesday, February 10, 2021
Pre-Order Sean Thomas Gerard's sophomore album now
On Tuesday, March 30, 2021 Wilmington, North Carolina's own indie folk rocker Sean Thomas Gerard's new Digital LP titled Finally Found a Paradise will be released on all digital music platforms. However, you can pre-order Gerard's sophomore solo album now on Bandcamp and you will receive two tracks from Finally Found a Paradise -- "Strange & Electrifying" and "Jovie" -- immediately.
Friday, February 5, 2021
Tucson sounds - A nice quarantine getaway
Once upon a time, your favorite music writer was but a lowly high school rock fan, scribbling goth adjacent poetry and political opinions in notebooks and thinking up terrible headline puns for her high school newspaper along the lines of “tennis team swings into action.” But, then, senior year rolled around and your humble teenage scribe fell into a funk, afflicted by writer’s block, feeling like it was all just an exercise in futility.
Sunday, January 31, 2021
New album from Sean Thomas Gerard, coming soon!
Ladies & Gentlemen, it is with great pleasure that we share with you Fort Lowell Records will be releasing Sean Thomas Gerard's (of Onward, Soldiers) second full length studio album -- 'Finally Found a Paradise' -- as a Digital LP in March 2021! Gerard's sophomore solo release is a reflection on the ups and downs of his life over the past ten years, and we could not be more excited to be a part of his life this year. Stay tuned here for more info!
Saturday, January 9, 2021
Ten years ago, yesterday, January 8
Thirteen others were shot but survived: Bill Badger, Ron Barber, Ken Dorushka, James Eric Fuller, Randy Gardner, Congresswoman Gabrielle "Gabby" Giffords, Susan "Suzi" Hileman, George Morris, Mary Reed, Pam Simon, Mavanell "Mavy" Stoddard, James "Jim" Tucker, and Kenneth Veeder.
Later that same year, Fort Lowell Records, along with Thomas Beach, Curtis McCrary, Nathan Sabatino, Stephen Seigel, Eric Swedlund, and Ryan Trayte formed 'Music Against Violence' and released Luz de Vida: A Compilation to Benefit the Victims of the Tucson Tragedy. It is an album that includes songs from Tucson musicians such as Calexico, Giant Sand, La Cerca, and Tracy Shedd, as well as national artists like John Vanderslice, Robyn Hitchcock, Ozomatli, Meat Puppets, Jimmy Eat World, Spoon, Neko Case, and DeVotchKa.
Luz de Vida is still available for your listening enjoyment on all digital music download and streaming platforms. 100% of the money from Luz de Vida goes to Homicide Survivors to assist victims, families, and witnesses of the January 8th tragedy in Tucson, Arizona. CLICK HERE to check out Luz de Vida today.
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Happy Birthday, Kenyata Sullivan of The Majestic Twelve
Happy Birthday to Kenyata Sullivan, husband to Grace Sullivan, owner of Whatever Wilmington, founder of Wilmington's defunct WE Festival (as seen on MTV; 1996-2009), and leader of the band 'The Majestic Twelve' -- one of the many great contributing artists to the album GROW: A Compilation in Solidarity with Black Lives Matter.
Sunday, December 6, 2020
Gravity Records Commercial, by Hendy Street Produxions (ft. 'GROW')
Hendy Street Produxions made a new commercial for Wilmington, North Carolina's own Gravity Records, and choose four artists from the Fort Lowell Records' album -- GROW: A Compilation in Solidarity with Black Lives Matter -- to use for the music: The Majestic Twelve "Amphibious Vehicular Love", Team Player "Wake for You", Sean Thomas Gerard "Strange & Electrifying", and Tracy Shedd "Holding Space". Learn more about GROW here, and then order your copy from Gravity Records here.
Friday, December 4, 2020
Beauty & Bloom Holiday Market - Saturday, December 5 - 11:00am-3:00pm
GROW is a local compilation of musical, visual, and literary artists who all stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter, and who have donated their own talents to endow the North Carolina New Hanover County NAACP with working capital to help ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination in our community. We at Fort Lowell Records cannot image a better holiday gift for you to give anyone this year other than -- GROW: A Compilation in Solidarity with Black Lives Matter -- on vinyl record. It is truly 'a gift that keeps on giving'. And for a 'minimum donation' of only $30.00, it is a gift that anyone can afford to give. Please join us tomorrow -- Saturday, December 5th -- on South 2nd Street in the South Front District for Beauty & Bloom's Holiday Market between 11:00am-3:00pm, and come buy two, three, or even five copies of GROW to gift to your loved ones this holiday season. 100% of the sales from GROW will be donated to the NHC NAACP, and we are on target to raise over $30,000, but we can't do this without your help, so come on down to buy a few copies of this amazing album tomorrow. Thank you in advance, Wilmington NC, for your support and contributions. We look forward to seeing you in our Port City's South Front District in the morning (or afternoon). 🎄
Wednesday, December 2, 2020
Flytrap Brewing presents Fort Lowell Records + Sean Thomas Gerard
Join us this coming Thursday, December 3 between 5:00-9:00pm at Flytrap Brewing, along with musician -- Sean Thomas Gerard -- and food truck -- The Chrome Gnome, by Platypus and Gnome -- for Flytrap's first Vendor December event. Fort Lowell Records will be selling GROW: A Compilation in Solidarity with Black Lives Matter vinyl records to continue our efforts with raising money for the North Carolina New Hanover County NAACP, to help ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination in our community. 100% of the money from all sales of GROW will be donated to the NHCNAACP, and we have the potential to raise over $30,000 in total. However, we won't achieve that goal without your support, so please stop by Flytrap this Thursday to purchase a couple of copies of GROW to gift to your loved ones this holiday season. Sean Thomas Gerard, a featured musician on GROW, will be playing his wonderful music, while The Chrome Gnome and Flytrap Brewing are serving up their tasty culinary delights and brilliant brews. Happy Holidays, everyone! Be well, and be kind, and we will see you on Thursday at Flytrap! ((Don't forget to bundle up)) ☃️
Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Thank you, New Hanover County
As we end this short work week to take a moment and share what each of us individually are thankful for tomorrow with family and friends, we would like to take a moment ourselves to share with you how thankful we are to have received New Hanover County's support with and contribution to GROW: A Compilation in Solidarity with Black Lives Matter. Pictured here are Kate Oelslager (left) and Lauren McConville (right), both Communications and Outreach Coordinators with our local county government, holding not only the county office's own archival copy of GROW, but the I Stand in Solidarity Because... card that their team provided for each vinyl GROW record, allowing you as the listener to express your own solidarity with our project and efforts to help ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination in our community. We recommend each of you take a moment to write-in how you Stand in Solidarity on your personal card, if not to share with others, at least to express and document your own feelings as they are right now, this year. We hope New Hanover County's I Stand in Solidarity Because card serves as a welcomed outlet for each of you. Additionally, THANK YOU dearly for your support with GROW. Be well, and enjoy your holiday weekend. ~ Fort Lowell Records 💛🧡❤️💖
Thursday, November 19, 2020
Satellite Bar & Lounge Holiday Market - Saturday, November 21 - 10:00am-4:00pm
Remember, 100% of the sale from our record GROW will be donated to the North Carolina New Hanover County NAACP to help ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination in our community. We are asking for a minimum donation of $30.00 per vinyl record.
Read the 'repost' below to learn about what all of the vendors + Satellite are doing additionally to help our North Carolina neighbors, ...and then purchase your Raffle Tickets today!
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[Repost from Satellite Bar & Lounge]:
We’re so excited about our HOLIDAY RAFFLE & MARKET ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21st! Swipe to see some of our incredible raffle prizes~$5 per ticket. If you’d like to purchase a few in advance, please PayPal -- satellite.lounge@gmail.com -- & DM us as well. Proceeds will go to NourishNC and they need us now more than ever.❤️
Sunday, November 15, 2020
Happy Birthday, Joel Finsel of Third Person Project
Before the day is over, please allow us the opportunity to introduce you to our friend, American Author -- Joel Finsel -- pictured here holding his own personal beautiful Teal Green copy of GROW: A Compilation in Solidarity with Black Lives Matter. Joel is one of the leaders with Third Person Project, the group of students and professionals who have been archiving The Daily Record: the Black owned newspaper that was burnt down in 1898 during the Wilmington Massacre. Their organization rescues any remains of the paper they can find by partnering with UNC to digitize the paper, ensuring its preservation for countless years ahead. Third Person Project is utilizing the GROW album to provide patrons of the vinyl record with a print-out of the earliest version of the paper -- Volume 2, from 1895, when the paper was called "The Wilmington Record" (before it was a 'daily' publication) -- to enjoy while listening to the various music from Cape Fear. You can actually read the news from 1895 while you are listening to new music of today. We cannot thank Joel enough for his contributions to GROW. But in an attempt to do so, we wanted to take a moment this evening to celebrate Joel on his special day, so...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOEL!