This interview was recorded on-site at the Neurolux on May 3rd, 2012. Joining me was guitarist Will McLaren, multi-instrumentalist Kelly Winrich, and singer Matt Vasquez. We gathered around the pool table, so apologies for the poor audio quality. Total length is approximately 7 minutes and 30 seconds.

Listen: DeltaSpirit

By: Ryan French – Music Director/Producer: Boise By Bus

Tuesday night, March 27, The Knitting Factory was the place to be for the Boise Music For The Cure Artist Showcase. This event is held to raise awareness for the fight against breast cancer. The night was emceed by WILD 101′s Rick Moorten, and featured an appearance by Miss Idaho 2011, Genevieve Nutting. Artists featured included Boise’s James Orr and Marcus Eaton, as well as Soul Serene, rappers Dunson, and Silver Medallion. The headlining act of the night was Shwayze and Cisco—no, not the “Thong Song” Sisqo.

I don’t know if the people of Boise just have a burned image in their head of that silver hair and terribly great music video from Sisqo, but I could not talk about Shwayze and Cisco without getting that response. It seemed to me that everyone knows who Shwayze is, and that made it harder for me to imagine, since I know and follow him and his partner in crime-Cisco, that they couldn’t imagine another person with the same name. And that mentality seemed to also be true for artists like Silver Medallion, Soul Serene and Dunson, who as they performed, people were murmuring, “Who is this?”

Silver Medallion, a Brooklyn native, had an interesting act, where he decided to finish his act with the exact same song he opened with. For his sake, this was probably a smart choice since that was his only popular tune with the crowd, and probably because it was his only song that was purely his own. His DJ mixed the instrumentals from top 40 songs that were clearly not altered much and just let Silver Medallion run with the words to it. He didn’t have the greatest voice, but the guy had great energy and his rave scene vibe and sound helped his act, and that seemed to hold the crowd together until his set was over. All the artists had a great response from the crowd, and all 25 that were standing at the stage.

Dunson was able to pull the crowd away from the bar and onto the dance floor. He was a great crowd pleaser and really got their attention by throwing out CD’s. But who doesn’t like free CD’s? The main stage act was set to be a killer show, the anticipation was built, and the night was ready to end with a bang from Shwayze and Cisco Adler. I personally was getting very anxious to just see Shwayze perform, something I haven’t been able to do since before I moved to Boise from southern California, back in August.

New Pulse Producer Tim Crenshaw and I were lucky enough to get to interview Cisco and his DJ/Intern, DJ GNash, prior to the show at their room in Hotel 43. You can hear the interview below. What night wouldn’t be complete without the drama of rock stars and the showbiz of music though? Halfway through one act, my friend returns from the restroom and tells me some of the toilet talk these guys had in the urinals. So the word is, that Shwayze can’t get a flight into Boise and that he isn’t going to show up. Ok, I thought, this kind of makes sense, but we will have to wait and see if this is a stunt or just things gone wrong. Then five minutes later Cisco’s manager explains the real low down. Indeed Shwayze got stuck at an airport, missed his flight, and couldn’t get in to make the show. To me this seemed to be a sure disaster for the headlining act, right? However, I think there is a larger theme behind what transpired.

Cisco took the stage, after the removal of one of the two mics set up, and gets right into spinning some tunes for the crowd. There is no mention of Shwayze until half way through the act, where his songs, performed awesomely by Cisco, were given due credit and a shout out to San Francisco International Airport for holding him. Cisco held the fort down! He had the crowd amped, pumped and jumping, and he went through all the songs as if they were his own. During one song, a guy in the crowd with a Bruno Mars hat was pulled up on stage to rap the Shwayze part to a song. With all that Cisco has going for him, his launch of a brand, Banana Beat, his own album to debut shortly, and his collaborations with G. Love, I think that having the stage to himself was a great opportunity and will push him to stand on his own two legs.

I know the people of Boise sure seemed to support it, even though they were disappointed in the drop of a star act like Shwayze, but I think we will be enjoying a new headliner that is emerging. You can hear what would have been the Shwayze and Cisco act by listening to their new album on my show, Boise By Bus, Monday 5-7pm MST at BSUpulse.com, where I will also replay the interview with Cisco.

Interview with Cisco Adler

By Dusty Aunan – Music Director

Delta Spirit chose the eponymous title for their third full-length album, an album that builds on the fierce Americana rock of 2010’s History From Below. Like History, Delta Spirit is full of raw rock jams while still leaving room for touching ballads. This time around singer Matt Vasquez throws in more vocal dynamics, the guitars are full of echo, and some synthesizer can be heard.

Mention of synthesizer could send fans of Delta Spirit’s Americana style running for the hills, but spoiler alert: they pull it off without compromising anything.

The guitars on lead single “California” sound like they were recorded in a wind tunnel (and I mean that in a good way). The sounds echo and linger wonderfully. Vazquez’s voice verges on crooning, as if he has reigned in some of his usual rasp. With some added synth beats, the song creates a texture that is both modern and soulful.

Drummer Brandon Young’s floor-tom-heavy style is spotlighted on the ballad “Time Bomb”. An ambient guitar melody drifts over the beat, while Vasquez sings, “I don’t know what comes now/I can’t hear it but I know the sound.”

On “Money Saves” the gang adds rapid-fire synth beats to the rock sensibility that made History’s “Bushwick Blues” so great. Vasquez’s earnest lyrics are especially blunt on this track: “All the plans I made got shattered/all of my old friends are getting fatter.”

Other album highlights are “Tellin’ The Mind” (a vocal roller coaster), “Idaho” (because, duh!), “Empty House” and album closer “Yamaha”.

You can buy the album here.

“Money Saves”

By Ryan French – Music Director/Producer: Boise By Bus

Being in pretty much the toddler years of their existence some would say, Ballyhoo! Is growing up right before our eyes, and in a big way. Their recent release, Daydreams, from LAW Records, was released on September 6, 2011, is the Maryland bands fourth full length album and surely their best melodically pleasant mix yet.

The Reggae/Rock band who has been influential in my upbringing and most recent memories of surfing, travel, and great party nights with friends, has put together an awesome collaboration of Sublime-like tunes and lyrics, with the soft serenade and flowing rhythms of the surf rock scene exploding out of Southern California.

Every song can take you to your own personal beach with your own favorite margarita or cerveza in hand. This album allowed the band the opportunity to record their very first music video for their hit song “Say I’m Wrong”. If you haven’t heard of the band before or haven’t kept up with what they have been cranking out, then this music video and their entire album is a great place to start.

Ballyhoo! was able to make an appearance here in Boise not too long ago at The Reef downtown. They were taking a break from their tour with Pepper and The Expendables to showcase their ability to turn a small venue into an intimate and fun filled atmosphere that turned the heads and ears of all patrons having dinner or just grabbing drinks. I noticed many people buying for their first time a Ballyhoo! album on the way out, and I’m sure they were not disappointed.

Nevertheless, Daydreams is sure to take your mind to a new place mentally and physically. You can check out the recorded interview with them before their performance at The Reef with the link below.

Story by: Michael Tetro

DGC/Interscope recording artists The All-American Rejects  kicked off 2012 with the release of “Beekeeper’s Daughter” and took their music on tour, tastily calling it the “Shaken off the Rust Tour”. They left the crowd wanting more here in Boise Idaho after their performance January 22nd . Along with their new album, the band is playing smaller venues this time around for a chance to give back to their fans, and preform for them on a more personal level. After finishing last nights performance, it was great to see the guys come back out and talk one on one with their fans, even get personal pictures with them, and sign CDs.

In my interview with guitarist Mike Kennerty, he talks about his life on tour and some helpful pointers if your planning a career in Music Business. Click here to listen to the interview.  As for the new album, it is set to come out March 27th. Below is the track info:

1 Someday’s Gone
2 Beekeeper’s Daughter
3 Fast and Slow
4 Heartbeat slowing Down
5 Walk Over Me
6 Out the Door
7 Kids in the Street
8 Bleed Into Your Mind
9 Gonzo
10 Affection
11 I For You

By Dustin Verburg — Producer: The Negative Zone

In this interview, Samuel Herring, William Cashion and Gerrit Welmers of the Baltimore synthpop band Future Islands talk about their new album On The Water, their current tour, their recording process and how everything falls into place.

University Pulse Interview with Future Islands

Written by Michael Tetro- Interview with Design the Skyline.

If you have never heard of this band then you ought to. Just recently signed to Victory Records, these dudes from Corpus Christi, TX  are well on their way to becoming a household name. Formed in 2010 DTS ‘s music is Experimental Deathcore. I know, I know… it sounds crazy and it is. The music is different in its own way, expesially the music video this band started it all with. I had the pleasure of interviewing the guys from Design The Skyline, and what a blast that was. (click here to listen now) All in all after talking with these dudes, i hope to see them again here in the near future, possible talks of Vans Warp Tour, adios amigos!

Michael Tetro- Interview with Olyghost

Before this school year came to a close I had a chance to interview local rap artist Olyghost. “Oly” as I call him, has been a local resident here in boise idaho for a long time. He started out doing music at the age of 16, and has sense progressed to the music he does today. On the show we talked about some upcoming events for him and his music career. The release of his new album coming out next year in February, and the music video to the song “State of Shock” off his current album “Out 4 fame”.

Click the link to listen to Interview with Olyghost, and check out Oly’s music by going to www.reverbnation.com.

Michael Tetro- Interview with Undre Revis

Live in studio today was dance choreographer, Undre Revis, who has recently moved to Boise, ID to teach dance. Undre has worked with such musical artist as Michael Jackson, Mariah Carrey, and Debbie Allen. He was sole choreographer for the musical “West Side Story.” He also performed in CC Winans video “It’s Alright” and was lead choreographer. Undre will be starting his dance classes mid December at the Axiom (Golds Gym) Parkcenter location, and Gem State off of state st. For more information on classes you can contact Undre through facebook click here.

Below is the link to the interview, we talked about his new book coming out next summer, behind the scenes with Michael Jackson, are own beat box session and a whole lot more. Click and listen for the entire interview if you missed it on today’s show.

Interview with Undre Revis (click here)