Press a Button, Play a Chord

Jason Tate

Josh Constine, writing for TechCrunch, looks at a new digital guitar where can basically press a button to play a chord:

You can also freestyle, playing whatever you want. Rock band Muse’s lead singer Matt Bellamy is an investor, and he told me he uses it to write songs since it’s so easy to recreate what’s in his head without fumbling to find where to put his fingers. The guitar automatically records your last 30 minutes of playing so if you discover the perfect riff, you won’t forget it.

To Write Love on Her Arms 10th Anniversary Concert

To Write Love On Her Arms
Gregory Robson

Ten years ago, 19-year-old Renee Yohe was just another addict struggling with her pain. As fate would have it, a journalist, Jamie Tworkowski, caught wind of her plight and offered his support. That encounter would eventually pave the way for the Florida-based nonprofit To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA). In a decade, the organization has offered help to nearly 200,000 people and raised more than $1 million towards counseling and professional solace for those battling depression, self-injury, suicide and more.

Earlier this month at Orlando’s House of Blues at Disney Springs, a sold-out crowd helped fete TWLOHA and its founder Jamie Tworkowski as part of its 10th anniversary Heavy and Light celebration. With a headlining set by Jon Foreman of Switchfoot and support from Arizona’s The Summer Set, Nashville’s Matt Wertz and Renee Yohe herself, the event proved to be a rousing success.

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Concert ‘Merch’ Comes of Age

Jason Tate

Robert Cordero, writing for the Business of Fashion, on how concert tour merchandise is becoming not just a way for artists to make money, but also a player in the fashion world:

“Obviously, the sales [of concert ‘merch’] are big and significant,” says Jerry Lorenzo, the Los Angeles-based founder and designer of Fear of God, who worked closely with Welch to create some of Justin’s Bieber’s looks for his current tour. “But they’re just as important as a branding asset to an artist,” he continues. “It’s the new CD. It’s as important as the sound, a part of the vision.”