JohnnyBeBlogging EXCLUSIVE!!!

A Week With Fifteen Fleeting...

Hello, worthy reader of the blog. I've recently had the opportunity to cover an up and coming band right out of New Jersey, and am highlighting these reportings in a week of blog material putting them in the spotlight. The band I speak of is Fifteen Fleeting. They're coming off a hot summer which saw them perform at Giants Stadium for the Bamboozle Festival, sharing the stage with such acts as Paramore, Jimmy Eat World, Gym Class Heroes, and the incomparable Snoop Dogg.

This will be the first exclusive to the blog content since my review of Medium Cool New York City concert in September. The Fifteen Fleeting coverage will have much more content, bringing you closer to the band and giving you a glimpse into their new music before you can hear it anywhere else.

The band has been playing shows here in Jersey, New York City and Philadelphia for over a year now. They've been on an upward climb since releasing their debut EP, "Almost Everything," in the fall of last 2007, when they were still known as Trust. With their latest effort "Signals From An Empty Room," the band has brought their music to another level. The album could be looked at as somewhere between an EP and a full length album, definitely heavier on material than their EP, but slightly less than an album.

Vocals/Rhythm Guitar: Vinny Belcastro

Lead Guitar/Backing Vocals: Dan Rodriguez

Drums/Percussion: Scott Petzinger

Bass: Mike Petzinger

Throughout this week I'll be taking you behind the scenes with a band on the rise, giving you exclusive access to Vinny, Dan, Scott, and Mike. You'll hear about the band's humble beginnings, their influences, what makes them tick, and what matters most to them. You'll also get to see my review of the extended EP "Signals From An Empty Room" before it's released to the public this weekend. This will culminate in the band's record release show at Maxwell's in Hoboken on Saturday night, where I'll also be reporting a live review for the end of the weekend. Stay tuned for my signals from an empty Blog.

Sincerely,

Johnny Be...Blogging

More Jet Favre News...

The people at EA Sports waste no time...Here's an image of what newly acquired quarterback Brett Favre will look like in Madden '09. And I must say, it looks damn good! Many in the press as well as fans are already concerned with the big stage Favre will be landing on in the hot skillet that is the New York media. However, these Debbie Downers should remember a few things:

1. The Jets play in New Jersey, and have since the mid 1970's. They will continue to play in Jersey for many years to come when their new stadium (with the Giants) opens at the start of next season.

2. The Jets were 4-12 last season. That said, giving up next to nothing for him and having a 5-11 season would be an improvement in the New York media's mind.

3. The last time a New York starting quarterback wore number 4 his name was: Glen Foley.

4. Bill Belichick is already trying to cheat his way into a strategy to beat the Legend, and I'm sure he lost some sleep over this last night. His misery is our happiness.

5. Brett Favre is no stranger to the media, and historically has dealt with media scrutiny quite well. His turn as the character, Brett Favre in 1998's box office smash "There's Something About Mary" shows his poise and composure under the scrutiny of the media circus that is a movie set. Brett also played a janitor alongside Mike Holmgren in the 1996 film "Reggie's Prayer" about a retired pro football player who befriends a troubled student on the high school football team he coaches.
Click here to see Brett show off his acting chops: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjDC6P16hSg

In my intrigue of how fast Wikipedia works amid breaking pop culture related news, I did a search on Brett Favre; here's the opening paragraph as of this morning:

"Brett Lorenzo Favre (born on October 10, 1969, in Gulfport, Mississippi) is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was the starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers from 1992 to 2007."

Damn, Wikipedia is faster than TJ Houshmandz-whachamacallhim. Also, I didn't know his middle name was Lorenzo. You know who else was named Lorenzo don't you? That's right, the father in "A Bronx Tale" played by Robert DeNiro. He epitomized perseverance and that "stick to your guns" mentality that Brett Favre personifies more than anyone else in the NFL today.

Coincidence, I think not. This is a case of the legendary Lorenzos. And don't adjust your computer monitor; yes, I just connected Brett Favre's comeback to "A Bronx Tale"