Arkyne, an Italian green energy company is really emphasizing the ‘green’ with the reveal this week of a cell phone charger that is powered by a potted plant. There has been DIY versions of this floating around the web for years which utilizes multiple potatoes but this new device called Bioo Lite has a developed apparatus inside the base of a plant’s pot that has real potential. Yes, if this tech can be fully realized maybe you can just plug battery-low phone into a tree at the park while you are out and about. Jokes aside, this is truly incredible. This does have some new challenges like if you forget to water your plants, does that mean you will not have any juice to power your phone or tablet? No matter what expect to see a lot of people with potted plants on the CTA in the near future. Watch this video for a full display of Bioo Lite in action.
If your excited for the future, you will appreciate our weekly 2 hours of new music discovery, Qued Up. New songs from new bands and some you already love. Listen to it every Sunday 7-9pm or ondemand here with Audioboom. – @Kevkellam
e NFL draft returns to Chicago this week with a bigger game plan designed to get fans, and a growing roster of sponsors, a lot more pumped up than a Tom Brady football.
Things you might over hear out of towners say at the NFL DRAFT:
5. Hey where’s Bear stadium? 4.Is there really a lot of crime here? 3. When do we get to meet The Fridge? 2. Where do I get one of those Ditka sweater vests? 1. What you guys have against Ketchup? Please add to this list. I left out any Jay Cutler or Deep Dish mentions, but we’ve heard them all right? – @marconibologna
Though the iconic New York Jets jacket he wore on “The Wonder Years” found a home at the National Museum of American History, Chicago-area native Fred Savage said he hasn’t had luck convincing his mom to get rid of the other stuff she’s been saving over the years. (READ MORE HERE)
I really just want Winnie Cooper’s number though. Will settle for Snapchat username. Ahem… – @marconibologna
Pages from The Simpsons episode that was set to feature Prince have been shared by show writer Al Jean. The episode never made it to TV but is being dubbed ‘The Prince episode’. In the wake of Prince’s death on Thursday (April 21), Al Jean has shared excerpts from the original script (READ MORE HERE)
See script below as tweeted by Al Jean (rumored to have been written by Conan)
Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, Duff McKagen of Guns ‘N Roses and Barrett Martin of Mad Season/Screaming Trees have hooked up to form Levee Walkers. What do they sound like? Consequence of Sound has a couple of songs hoy can check out HERE.
Twin Peaks is one of the weirdest and darkest TV shows of all time, and it’s getting an upcoming revival on Showtime with tow big names from alternative music. The show which had it’s first run on network television in the early 90s, was a sensationally weird hit about an unsolved murder in a deeply odd town with nightmarish tones and deep mythology that rivials ‘Lost’. It isn’t enough that the show is coming back, but it’s got a huge cast of confirmed performers including Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails and Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. Rolling Stone has the full story here.
If you don’t know enough about this show or simply want revisit it, check out this video from Screenrant detailing how the murder mystery in a small town was created.
If you enjoy classic alternative like NIN & Pearl Jam, then you should listen our 2 hour, weekly time machine with Bryan called Alt_Backspace. Listen to weekly episodes Sundays 10a-12pm or … @kevkellam
1. Mumford & Sons and Baaba Maal – There Will Be Time 2. Aurora – Conqueror 3. New Beat Fund – No Type 4. Garbage – Empty 5. SWMRS – Figuring It Out 6. Cage The Elephant – Trouble 7. The Kills – Doing It To Death 8. Holy White Hounds – Switchblade (Queued Up Artist Showcase – 5/4) 9. Mutemath – Used To 10. Chris Cornell – Nothing Compares 2 U 11. Meg Myers – Motel 12. Dreamers – Drugs 13. Coldplay – Up & Up
1. Finish Ticket – Color
2. Wild Belle – Throw Down Your Guns (local)
3. Bishop Briggs – River
4. Nothing But Thieves – Wake Up Call (Queued Up Artist Showcase – 5/4)
5. Jack Garratt – Worry
6. The Last Shadow Puppets – Aviation
7. Blaqk Audio – Anointed
8. Hot Hot Heat – Kid Who Stays In The Picture
9. Young The Giant – Amerika
10. Honne – Someone That Loves You (ft. Izzy Bizu)
11. Weezer – King Of The World
12. Atlas Genius – Stockholm
13. The Wild Wild – When We Were Young
14. Foo Fighters – Darling Nikki
1. The Church – Under The Milky Way 2. Green Day – J.A.R. 3. Prince – When Doves Cry 4. U2 – Staring At The Sun 5. New Order – Regret 6. Screaming Trees – Nearly Lost You 7. Veruca Salt – Volcano Girls 8. Talking Heads – Burning Down The House 9. The Clash – Clampdown 10. Collective Soul – Gel 11. Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians – Balloon Man 12. Love and Rockets – So Alive 13. Blur – Tender 14. Garbage – Push It (PIQNIQ)
1. Morrissey – Suedehead
2. Nirvana – Sliver
3. INSX – Don’t Change
4. Rusted Root – Send Me On My Way
5. Depeche Mode – Walking In My Shoes
6. Prince – Let’s Go Crazy
7. Jesus and Mary Chain – Head On
8. The Cure – Close To Me
9. Talking Heads – Life During Wartime
10. The Verve – Lucky Man
11. B-52’s – Rock Lobster
12. Catherine Wheel – Judy Staring At The Sun
13. Beck – Sexx Laws
Jimmy Fallon hosted SNL’s hour long tribute to Prince over the weekend. It included his appearances on the show, sketches about him and video of Prince performing at the SNL 40th anniversary party.
Check out the entire show below and more over at Gothamist.com.
As if Pearl Jam wasn’t enough. They were joined by Chad Smith and Josh Klinghoffer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nathan Followill from Kings of Leon for their “Rockin’ in the Free World” encore on Saturday at New Orleans Jazz Fest.
Coachella is presenting it’s second weekend this year out in Indio, California with celebrities making appearances and people getting distracted by fashion, but the music is what it’s all about. Some alternative darlings made their dent in the fest and official performance videos were posted recently. This same festive good time will be ever present on June 18th at PIQNIQ, more on that here.
The Arcs – “Outta My Mind”
This live version will this joyful backup singers makes the chorus really pop for Dan Auerbach and company. .
Meg Myers “Motel”
We had the absolute pleasure of having Meg perform an intimate private set in our Studio & earlier this year (watch that 36 minute set here) so to see bring that vibrant talent to the big tent with palm trees blowing behind her band.
Joywave -”Destruction”
These Piqniq veterans bring a lush bottom end to this song with one of the funkiest bass lines in alternative right now. Singer Daniel Armbruster is proud of it, he proclaims on stage here that “this is the greatest song ever written”….um he may be right about that. Also check out that solid gold microphone?!
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Nightsweats “Out on a Weekend”
Rateliff and the Sweats delivered the goods at our recent No Dough Show at Basecamp. Not a single hip was without a shake and that same feeling continues here in California
Miike Snow “Gengis KLahn”
This Swedish outfit will be a part of the Lolla ‘16 line up this summer, so take in their live performance of this balld of selfish lovers. The horns and back up singers give it a real presence that differs in a unique way from the recorded version.
Miike Snow “Gengis KLahn”
This Swedish outfit will be a part of the Lolla ‘16 line up this summer, so take in their live performance of this balld of selfish lovers. The horns and back up singers give it a real presence that differs in a unique way from the recorded version.
Silversun Pickups “Circadian Rhythm (Last Dance)”
It was worth staying up late to catch this set on a live stream. It was worth it to forget that I spilled snacks in my lap while singing along with this track of SSPU’s ‘Better Nature’ album. Despite the tech issue, Nikki Monninger powered through a tech issue on her vocal, which shows these guys are just pros . “Feel my body swoon, to hear you say my name”
Of Monsters & Men “Wolves Without Teeth”
OM&M have certainly become a force to be reckoned with. They previously performed on Coachella on a side stage but bring their Icelandic six-piece to the main stage here.
Cody Morris, 18, was arrested for putting soda in a water cup at an Arkansas Fast Food Joint. (Washington County Sheriff’s Office)
We’ve all done it before and we thought we could never actually get in trouble for it, but we guessed wrong! Someone finally got caught and arrested for filling up a water cup at a fast food joint with soda! Not only did this individual get arrested for filling a water cup with soda, but it’s also considered a felony! Obviously there is more to this story, but if you get caught just return the soda and apologize! Full Story Here!
While recording this episode the news of Prince’s death broke. Hear initial reactions. Plus weekend guy Russell talks about getting Pizza for Bastille Dan. Kevin is absent due to scheduling conflicts and Marconi makes him apologize for missing the podcast. As well as music from Lucas Graham.
Charlie Murphy has one of the best stories ever about Prince. If you haven’t seen the Chapelle’s Show skit in a while no might be a good time. By the way, this is very NSFW.
Lukas Graham came by the studio just in time for wALT\’s Vault! Listen to their stripped down versions of \”7 Years\” and \”Mama Said\”, plus a great interview below.
Update: 12:25 PM PT — The Sheriff’s department says Prince was found in an elevator at Paisley Park. They performed CPR, but were unable to revive him. He was pronounced dead on the scene at 10:07 AM.
His private jet made an emgency landing in Moline last week, but he appeared in concert the next night to assure everyone he was okay.
Forget the kiss-cam. This girl at an Atlanta Hawks game shows us we need a pizza-cam at every event from here on out. High-five for the double fist technique, too!
