Pick of the Week--Artist You Should Know About: MKTO

Spring Break is coming to a close which means, along with all of the other broke, tired college students, I'm about to enter into the last leg of the school year. There's a lot to look forward to in the lieu of music and entertainment as lots of artists have set summer tour dates and releases and it's finally warm enough for all of those sweaty festivals. If you're looking for a new artist to check out before break is over then you might want to take a look at MKTO…

MKTO is a pop/rap duo made up of Tony Oller and Malcolm D. Kelley. A little background information on these guys--both Tony and Malcolm began their careers as actors acting in various types of film and television. Malcolm is well-known for playing Walt Lloyd on Lost and Finn Katins on Gigantic. He has also appeared alongside big-name actors in shows like Law & Order: SVU and My Name Is Earl. 

MKTO: Malcolm D. Kelley (left) &
Tony Oller (right)

Tony also starred in Gigantic as Walt Moore alongside Malcolm. He is remembered also for playing Danny on the Disney Channel short show, As the Bell Rings, where he sang a number of original songs with "old school Demi Lovato." Oller has most recently acted in Beneath the Darkness with Dennis Quaid as well as in the 2013 thriller The Purge.

MKTO was formed back in 2012 when Tony and Malcolm decided to become a pop duo after Gigantic aired its final episode in April of 2011. MKTO signed with Columbia Records and their first single, "Thank You," was released in January of 2013. The MKTO fanbase has quickly grown worldwide since the release of their first single with "Thank You" landing at #2 on the Australian charts and #7 in New Zealand. Their debut self-titled album was released in both countries in January of 2014 and was a hit among fans reaching #1 in Australia. The album is set to release in the US and Canada on the first of April.

The album features the duo's hit singles "Thank You," "Classic," and "God Only Knows" as well as 8 other tracks including duets with Ne-Yo and Jessica Ashley. This album is highly anticipated among the North American MKTO fans so you will not want to miss out when the album drops in April.

And if you can't get enough of MKTO, Malcolm and Tony keep their Vevo channel updated with interviews, music videos, and acoustic videos. These incredibly talented guys never fail to showcase their unique style and insane vocals. I saw them last summer at the WZPL Birthday  Bash and I was amazed at how naturally talented they were. They keep the crowd on their feet and are great at maintaining an insane hype throughout their entire set. Their stage presence alone is enough to keep the crowd entertained but they are genuinely hilarious guys and it's easy to tell they have just as much fun performing as their fans do listening to them.

Trust me, you do NOT want to miss out on what's next for MKTO. They're currently wrapping up touring on Emblem3's Band Life Tour. The tour ends on March 15th in LA but the MKTO guys will be heading out on their headlining Australian tour beginning April 23rd in Broadbeach. If you have a chance, head out and catch them on one of their tour dates because it is guaranteed to be a great time.

Tony and Malcolm are set to become the next big thing with their growing fanbase and fresh style. They've reached over 100K followers on Twitter and have been a hit, gaining new fans left and right as they tour the country. Keep MKTO on your radar for fresh, upcoming summer tunes. I promise you'll be hooked in no time. Be on the lookout for more MKTO this year because they are already making a huge impact on the 2014 music scene.

MKTO's latest video "God Only Knows":

"Thank You" acoustic:

Check out MKTO!
Twitter: MKTO, Tony, Malcolm
Facebook
Youtube
Website


ARTIST YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT: MKTO~AS TOLD BY MADS
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Pick of the Week--Artist You Should Know About: This is All Now

If you've read my most recent post about The Freaks & Geeks Tour *which you totally should be getting to because it's nearly over* I talked a bit about This Is All Now. They were one of the many bands that performed on the tour but I thought they really deserve a bit more recognition. Yes, they're that great. If you haven't paid attention to any of my past pick of the weeks then perk up and pay attention because you WON'T want to miss out on these guys…

This Is All Now is a pop/rock band from Long Island composed of Okan Kazdal, Thomas Angenbroich, Mike Pittelli, Jordan Caroleo, and Louie Malpeli. They've recently released their latest single "Rewind" which has been a hit with TIAN fans across the map. I can confidently say it's one of those leave it on repeat/forget all other music while you find yourself telling everyone "have you heard this," "you should really listen to this," "I don't know you but let me drop some music wisdom on you" tracks that you just can't stop playing. If you don't believe me then check it out for yourself here.

From left: Mike Pittelli, Jordan Caroleo, Okan Kazdal,
Louie Malpeli, Thomas Angenbroich

This Is All Now have toured with acts such as Honor Society, Allstar Weekend, and were even featured at Warped Tour 2012…*crosses fingers for Warped 2014*. After wrapping up the Freaks & Geeks Tour this week with Hollywood Ending, Late Nite Reading, etc, etc *there are literally bands popping up on this tour left and right*, TIAN will be playing three shows on Against The Current's Sink or Swim Tour starting on May 17th with King The Kid and Once Upon A Time. I can't imagine this tour being anything shy of incredible so if you want to check out This Is All Now make sure to head out to the Sink or Swim Tour on May 17th in Connecticut, Boston on the 18th, or NYC on the 30th.

I literally can't stop talking about these guys. Their pop/rock style is infectious and I can easily classify them as one of the best live acts I've seen. They know how to get a crowd going and it's great to see a group of naturally talented guys doing a really great job at what they love. It's easy to tell that they thoroughly enjoy every second of performing. TIAN is the type of band that would show the same energy and hype performing at a sold out arena as they would performing to a group of 20 or so people in someone's basement. If you happen to catch them on one of their upcoming shows feel free to have a chat with them. They're literally so approachable and the nicest group of guys ever. Also they might try to convince you to buy a CD which you definitely should because that is an investment to be proud of. ;)

All I can say is that once you've entered the sort of pop/rock bubble of This Is All Now, there is no getting out anytime soon. *Did I mention they wrote a song entirely about How I Met Your Mother?? Check it out here* I can only see this band going up from here and continuing to keep the TIAN party going with new music and shows in the next year. I'd also just like to go ahead and put myself out there as being available if they need extras in a music video. Those things look so.much.fun.

This Is All Now--"Best Night of My Life"

This Is All Now "Diana" cover:

Don't miss out on anything This Is All Now!…
Twitter: TIAN, Okan, Louie, Mike, Tom, Jordan
Facebook
Youtube
Merch



ARTIST YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT: THIS IS ALL NOW~AS TOLD BY MADS
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CONCERT REVIEW: Hollywood Ending--Freaks & Geeks Tour

This past Friday I went to the Freaks & Geeks Tour at the Firebird in St. Louis. Now we all know that the Firebird is one of my absolute favorite venues! So take the intimacy and cool rock vibe from this venue and mix in 5 crazy talented pop punk/rock/pop bands with a dash of post hardcore jumping, head banging, and sweating and you've got The Freaks & Geeks Tour. Depending on the date, there were different bands performing but on Friday, The Strive, This Is All Now, 7 Minutes in Heaven, Late Nite Reading, and Hollywood Ending took the stage so sit back and try to convince yourself why missing out on one of these shows is a good idea. *Good luck with that*

THE STRIVE:

The Strive:from left--Greg Dowd, Nick Stacy,
Brendan Stevens, Luke Davis, Michael Zenk

I had never even heard of The Strive until frontman Brendan Stevens came up to me in line and was nothing but charismatic and enthusiastic about getting the band's name out there. I wasn't sure what to expect from this Kansas City group but let me say this…they.do.not.disappoint. The whole "ugh I don't know this opening act do they really have to perform right now" feeling is always something present at shows but it wasn't even a minute into their first song and this band had the crowd raving. It didn't really matter anymore if you didn't know the words because it was just that great. Definitely keep The Strive fresh in your mind as one to watch this year.

             

Check out their latest video:

Twitter: The Strive, Brendan, Luke, Greg, Michael

Facebook

Youtube

THIS IS ALL NOW:

This Is All Now:from left--Mike Pitelli, Louie Malpeli,
Okan Kazdal, Jordan Caroleo, Tom Angenbroich

This Is All Now! I was really looking forward to seeing these guys and, yes, it was fantastic! These New York natives were a long way from home but right in their element throughout the entire set. They performed their fan favorites like "Supernova" and "Another" and even threw in a little rock-esque One Direction cover that kept the crowd on their feet. Their onstage banter was matched well with their natural talent and insane hype. If you've missed out on the first leg of the Freaks & Geeks Tour, the This Is All Now guys will be playing a few dates of Against the Current's upcoming Sink or Swim Tour. It's guaranteed to be a great time.

This Is All Now-"Another" music video:

Twitter: This Is All Now, Mike, Okan, Jordan,

Louie, Tom

Facebook

7 MINUTES IN HEAVEN:

Before Friday I had only ever heard of 7 Minutes in Heaven. I had never really gotten around to checking out any music and I'm really angry that I hadn't. Timmy Rasmussen is one talented kid. He also had Derek Mrdjenovich and Aaron Porta from The Big Time as well as Alex Rogers from She's Alive helping out. At one point they had the entire crowd running around in a giant circle just because. How can you not have a great time?? His alternative/rock style is a huge breath of fresh air right now. There are so many people trying to get in and have a go at the same edgy alt scene and flopping. Timmy's clearly got his mind made up about what 7 Minutes in Heaven is all about and he's good at showing fans that. I'm looking forward to seeing him sometime soon at his own headlining tour…*hopefully*

"Here's to Never Growing Up" cover by 7 Minutes in Heaven:

Twitter: 7 Minutes in Heaven, Timmy

Facebook

Youtube

LATE NITE READING:

Late Nite Reading: from left--Clayton Collins, Brady
Szuhaj, Dalton Wixom, Drew Cottrell

All I can say is thank the lord these Indiana boys are doing what they're doing because WOW. I've been a fan of Late Nite Reading for awhile and this was my first time seeing them live. I couldn't believe how absolutely crazy it was! They've got the look, the talent, the style, and the ability to turn a venue upside down. Their pop-punk style did not disappoint in the slightest and once they finished their set all I wanted was for them to come back onstage and do it all over again. I highly suggest checking out this band and turning up to one of their future shows. They are one of the best live performers I have seen and I'm sure you'll agree. 

Late Nite Reading's latest acoustic--"Rumor":

Twitter: Late Nite Reading, Dalton,

Clayton, Brady, Drew

Facebook

Youtube

HOLLYWOOD ENDING:

Hollywood Ending: from left--Chris Bourne, Cameron Byrd,
Tyler Wilson, Dan Geraghty

The main event…and a good one at that. It's an understatement to say Hollywood Ending have come a long way from their start as a five-piece pop band which later became a four-piece and then a three-piece and then a four-piece again. Did you get all that? The Freaks & Geeks Tour is their first headlining tour and has so far been a huge success. They have been crossing the country, playing for fans who are nothing but ecstatic to see them on this new venture. They played songs from their first EP along with their newest release, "Freak Like Me," and a few new songs that are to be released *as Tyler said* "eventually." Well, they'll be out soon enough and are bound to cause a craze among Hollywood Ending fans everywhere. Their songs are catchy and insanely fun to jump and dance along to in a crowded general admission concert. What these guys do best is make every fan feel involved in the show. They aren't afraid to show how grateful they are that people made the effort to drive out just to see them perform. It's been a bit of a weird ride for Hollywood Ending over the years but I can see these four guys really going far in the next year. I'm personally looking forward to their new music and many more headlining tours to come. If you have the chance, head out and see them. You won't be disappointed. 

Hollywood Ending's latest music video--"Freak Like Me":

Twitter: Hollywood Ending, Tyler,

Chris, Dan, Cam

Youtube

Facebook

Website

The Freaks & Geeks Tour is hitting Chicago, Toronto, Montreal, NYC, and Boston before wrapping up in Allentown, PA on the ninth of March. All of these bands are insanely talented and some of the nicest people I've ever met. Tickets are still available so grab yourself a pair and head out to the tour because you don't want to miss this!

I'll be posting lots of pictures from the show over the next week so don't forget to follow me on Twitter!
I've also made a page with a handful of pictures from the show so click through and enjoy!

HOLLYWOOD ENDING--THE FREAKS & GEEKS TOUR~AS TOLD BY MADS

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Pick of the Week--Artist You Should Know About:M.A.D

So this Pick of the Week is coming to you one day late because of that dreaded beast known as the "common head cold." I spent the whole of yesterday trying to understand how to stand up without getting dizzy let alone blogging about a new artist. But now's the time! Let's take a look at M.A.D…

M.A.D consists of Dan Lewis from South Wales, AB Pryer from London, and Michael Sutthakorn from Northern Ireland. The band just recently wrapped up a 7-date UK tour that was a huge success. The M.A.D fans came out in full to support their favorite up-and-coming boyband.

M.A.D: From left-Dan Lewis, Michael
Sutthakorn, AB Pryer

The hype around M.A.D just continues to escalate as new music and announcements about tour dates are popping up left and right. These boys are not slowing down anytime soon as they have indicated with their excitement to post teases of covers on their Facebook page and urging all of their devoted fans to plug their latest single everyday. Speaking of their latest single, Fame & TV by M.A.D has taken off across the UK. The band hosted a number of CD single signings and earned themselves a comfortable #32 in the Top 40 charts in the UK as of Sunday. The single is available worldwide along with 7 other versions including a unique and original solo version from each of the members, a piano version, and more. I highly recommend checking all of these out! *My personal favorite is Dan's Welsh version, I mean talk about swoon*

If you're just now finding out about M.A.D, no need to worry about missing out on their last tour because they are announcing all new tour dates this Friday, February 28th. I anticipate that these will be UK dates but for all of us in the US and beyond, we may have to wait a bit longer. But at the rate these boys are going, it may not be long at all. Basically Dan, Michael, and AB seem to be doing it right…whatever "it" is. They've already got nearly 100,000 likes on Facebook and even more of those eager fans waiting for their next release. These boys are on the fast track towards being the next "it" band and I, personally, can't wait to see what is in the cards for this trio next.

M.A.D's latest single: Fame & TV

Also check out the acoustic version:

Catch up on everything M.A.D!

Facebook

Twitter: M.A.D, Michael, Dan, AB

Youtube

ARTIST YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT: M.A.D~AS TOLD BY MADS

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Pick of the Week--Artist You Should Know About: Micky Parsons

Micky Parsons. What can I say about Micky Parsons…

This week I really wanted to shed some light on an artist I think deserves so much more recognition than he's been getting. Micky Parsons is a 19-year old singer/songwriter who has been currently working on some solo projects after the split from his group, District 3 (formerly known as GMD3).

*Cue awesome music intro transitioning into background info*

GMD3
From left: Greg West, Dan Ferrari-Lane, Micky Parsons

Micky was a part of GMD3 for 3+ years. The band consisted of Parsons, Greg West, and Dan Ferrari-Lane, long-time friends who decided way back when to make use of their love of performing and become a 3-piece harmony group. GMD3 started out doing covers of songs such as "In My Head" by Jason Derulo, "Price Tag" by Jessie J, and "Payphone" by Maroon 5 (just to name a few). I was personally a HUGE fan of this group because I thought they had a different sound and it was refreshing to see them remastering songs and adding twists to popular songs over the years. Basically to summarize, the group decided to enter into the 9th season of the X Factor UK. After they were eliminated during week 6 of the competition, things got a little rocky for GMD3. They did release a self-titled EP but shortly after called it quits. West and Ferrari-Lane went on to form a singing/comedy/entertainment duo called Fright Club. Micky on the other hand…

It was said that the group was having disagreements over management which caused the split. Who really knows though, right? All anyone knows is that Micky is a solo act now…and a good one! His voice has always been one to stand out but he seems much more comfortable performing his own songs than he ever did doing covers with GMD3. There's a sense of freedom and Parsons-esque style that can be seen in his covers and music videos that was apparently hiding behind the GMD3 curtain for years.

Micky has so far posted 3 original songs on Youtube and has eagerly made note that there will be many more to be heard soon. Among his originals, he has posted a cover of "Happy" by Pharrell Williams and "Wonderful World." Even though it has taken some getting used to seeing Micky as a solo act, I see a lot of potential in his R&B/pop/soul sort of style. There's just so much to expect from him! Look forward to lots of Micky Parsons in the future. His flawless vocal performances never disappoint so definitely keep him on your radar as one to watch!

Micky's latest original!

"Happy" cover by Micky Parsons

Check out Micky!

Youtube

Twitter

Facebook

Click here to see what Micky was up to before going solo…

ARTIST YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT: MICKY PARSONS~AS TOLD BY MADS

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Pick of the Week--Artist You Should Know About: Midnight Red

     Every Wednesday I will be posting a "Pick of the Week" where I will introduce you to an artist I think you should know about. These artists will either be ones that you've never heard of or ones that I think deserve more recognition….

     This week it's all about MIDNIGHT RED! Midnight Red is a five-piece boyband consisting of Colton Rudloff, Anthony Ladao, Joey Diggs Jr., Eric Secharia, and Thomas Augusto. If you don't know about this group of talented young guys then KEEP.ON.READING. When I first came across these boys I had the initial reaction that I think most people do being "oh *sigh* another boyband." I'm not going to lie though, I've always been a sucker for a good boyband and when I saw that these guys had raw, natural talent I was automatically hooked. Nowadays, it seems that every new band that comes along is manufactured and singing the same old tunes we've heard a thousand times. I'm going to give you five reasons why you should absolutely LOVE Midnight Red.

From left: Anthony Ladao, Joey Diggs Jr.,
Eric Secharia, Thomas Augusto, Colton Rudloff

1. They're absolutely genuine.
     There are a lot of bands out there that go around blindly doing whatever and singing whatever management wants them to. When this happens, there's hardly any room to get to know the people behind the photoshopped faces. One thing that really stuck out for me when I first listened to Midnight Red was that, apart from their catchy pop tunes, they sounded original. This is something we don't really find too often anymore. Yes they sing pop music but there is an element to their style that makes you really feel the music and understand the meaning behind it.

2. They can sing. I mean REALLY sing.
     It's no secret that a majority of boybands are no stranger to autotune. It sort of comes with the stereotype. What I personally love about these boys is that they can do the "boyband thing" but when it comes down to it, they can sit and sing their songs with passion and astonishing natural talent that completely throws the autotuned boyband stereotype out the window. All of their voices are unique and also unlike other bands, they ALL sing. That may sound weird but when you think about it, there's always those one or two members in the band that sort of just sway in the background and look good. This isn't the case for this band. They eliminate expectations left and right. Also, did I mention, they occasionally sing in spanish?! Check out this video of them doing just that.

3. They have personality!
     Going back to what I've said about them not being manufactured or basically acting like robots…all you have to do is watch an interview or video of them just hanging out and doing their thing. They enjoy each other's company and it is clear to see that they are really great friends doing what they love. They all have awesome personalities and never fail to make me laugh *I dare you not to giggle at least once*. They're not afraid to be themselves which is rare to find in the entertainment industry now, unfortunately.

4. They're choreographed…
     Say what you want but what girl isn't a sucker for a choreographed boyband? Don't deny it. I know what you're thinking and, yeah, a bunch of guys dancing to pop tunes is so 1990s. Let me just say this, if a band wants to dance, let them. If they want to sing while dancing, let them. If they actually CAN sing while dancing, by all means let them do whatever they want because that takes talent. There's no way I could keep a beat let alone pull off some riffs and sweet harmonies at the same time. Respect.

5. They're passionate.
     This is one of the main reasons why I really got caught in the Midnight Red craze. Whether you've been a fan for a year or a day, you never feel out of the loop. I've been following these guys for a long time and it doesn't matter how many new fans come along, they never change and they are always dedicated to putting out new material for anyone interested in it. They're always excited about whatever big project they have coming up and it's nice to see that kind of enthusiasm in people that are actually putting everything they have into doing what they love and actually manage to do it well.


Midnight Red are sure to be an up-and-coming act in 2014 with the release of their debut album set to be out this year. They will be touring with Austin Mahone on MTV's Artists To Watch Tour and have said that they will be opening for The Wanted on their Word of Mouth Tour happening in the spring. Make sure to get your tickets because you will not want to miss their shows! I'll be seeing them on the 15th of May and making a post of just how amazing I'm sure they will be live! Hope to see some of you there!

Midnight Red:
Twitter…Eric, Anthony, Joey, Thomas, Colton
Facebook
Youtube, Vevo
And you can keep up with all things Midnight Red on the band's official website!

Midnight Red's single Take Me Home:

Body Talk Acoustic:

The band's latest cover I've been especially loving lately:

Latest interview with Sweety High:

ARTIST YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT:MIDNIGHT RED~AS TOLD BY MADS

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The Wanted: Split! Oh, Scooter Braun...

Now before reading on I'd like to advise you all to take a deep breath. In…out…in…out.

You good? Good. Yes, it's true. The Wanted have just recently announced that they are "taking a break." I want to repeat this. A break. A break. A BREAK. A few of the band members have stressed that this is simply that. A break. The guys of The Wanted have decided to take a bit of time off to pursue individual projects but they assure their devoted fans that they look forward to many more TW endeavors in the future. Tom Parker made it clear on Twitter last week saying "This is not the end. You can't get rid of us that easily." So for all of you die-hard TWFanmily, don't stress. Of course it will be difficult to say goodbye temporarily to the weekly vlogs and mailers but The Wanted boys are not disappearing off the face of the earth, that I'm sure of.

From what I figure, Scooter Braun *currently running for best manager of the age with Bieber arrested and the TW split* will probably do his best to make Nathan Sykes the next big solo act. I mean c'mon we all remember the Nariana/Jariana drama ending in a great duet and many enraged Janoskianators and TWFanmily. Scooter isn't doing too hot in the eyes of thousands of teenage girls right now but maybe he's hoping to save himself with this new Sykes craze….*cricket**cricket*.

The Wanted guys probably won't do too bad on their own considering they already have had so much success simply because of TW. Max George has his Buffalo Jeans campaign, Siva Kaneswaran with his modeling *I mean wow that bone structure*, Tom Parker recently started doing some DJing and isn't half bad, and Jay McGuiness with his….um…uh oh.

Don't worry. Everyone's favorite curly-headed McGuiness will be just fine. I'm sure he will carry on with his usual antics and it will probably seem like he doesn't even realize that the band has taken a break. The Wanted have been on the grind for a very long time so it's understandable that they want to take a bit of time for themselves. On the plus side, with this news, their Word of Mouth Tour is bound to be even more amazing than ever thought possible.


THE WANTED SPLIT~AS TOLD BY MADS
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