Sandlot Heroes to Showcase at Millennium Music Conference
Media Five is excited to present Sandlot Heroes at the 14th annual Millennium Music Conference in Harrisburg. The band will showcase Friday night, February 19 at 8 p.m. at the Radisson Penn Harris Convention Center. The event is all ages.
The MMC celebrates new music with 4 nights of showcases featuring over 250 original acts at 25 live music venues. Since 1997, the conference & showcase has become one of the premier music events on the East Coast. MMC has educated and showcased thousands of independent acts and artists. Music industry professionals attend as panelists, speakers, mentors, exhibitors and talent scouts to network, do business and share their experience with musicians, registrants and attendees.
Meanwhile, Sandlot has kept plenty of busy in the recently, performing at several schools around the Lehigh Valley. They're gearing up for a big Valentine's Show at Crocodile Rock in Allentown on Feb. 14. For all tour dates, check out their Myspace.
12-23-09
Sandlot Heroes Finish Up Storybook Year, Look Forward to 2010
This year belonged to Sandlot Heroes.
Over the summer, “Out of My Hands,” the first single from the band’s debut album Pretend That We’re Famous, blew up on B104 FM, the biggest radio station in the Lehigh Valley. It reached the top spot on the station’s nightly top ten countdown, stayed there for weeks and is still going strong, earning over 500 spins to date. In October, Sandlot released Pretend to a packed house in Allentown’s Crocodile Rock, and drew raves from local critics for their infectious blend of pop and rock. With more than 4,500 songs sold digitally, the album is beginning to make national waves.
To promote the album, the band spent the year playing everywhere it could. Gigs at venues like The Note in West Chester and The Saint in Asbury Park with fellow buzz band Push Play – not to mention rousing showcases at Musikfest in Bethlehem and the Dewey Beach Music Conference in Delaware – saw the band get its name out there. But it was through inventive, impromptu stops at local high schools and middle schools during pep rallies, lunch hours and bonfires that the band was able to connect with students and gain devoted fans.
Next up? The early months of 2010 will see the release of the “Out of My Hands” video, a showcase at the Millenium Music Conference in Harrisburg, and a heavy dose of touring to promote Pretend. We can’t wait to see what else the band has in store.
12-18-09
Fuel's "Hemorrhage" named Billboard's No. 5 Rock Song of the Decade
Media Five would like to congratulate Fuel for the band’s hit song “Hemorrhage (In My Hands)” being named the number 5 rock song of the decade by Billboard Magazine. The chart (which can be seen here) was tabulated based on record sales and radio play for the decade.
Media Five discovered Fuel in 1996 while the band was playing covers and some originals in Pennsylvania bars and nightclubs, and developed them from the ground up. “Hemorrhage” was a breakout smash, earning the band international success. The song spent twelve weeks at number one on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks chart from 2000-2001 and propelled the band’s album Something Like Human to double platinum.
11-05-09
Sandlot Heroes Feature Story in Morning Call
Click on the image below for a great read about Sandlot Heroes in the Lehigh Valley’s premier daily news source The Morning Call. Writer Dave Howell captures the moment well as the band releases their debut full length Pretend That We’re Famous.
10-24-09
David Sestak Interviewed on WFMZ Channel 69 News
On Saturday, October 24, in Philadelphia, the doors of the Wachovia Spectrum were opened to masses, offering them one last look at the building. Media Five's very David Sestak was asked to reflect on one of Philly's most historic venues.
Bethlehem, PA's pop rock band Sandlot Heroes has scored their second #1 most requested song at B104 FM in Allentown, PA, beating out artists such as Kings of Leon, Nickleback, and The Fray. "Out of My Hands" has entered the station’s top 20 currently at 25 spins a week. Previously, the band’s song "So" enjoyed 5 consecutive weeks of being the #1 requested song at B104. Program Director Eric Chase testifies: "From the minute I saw and heard the Sandlot Heroes, I recognized them as a presence that could immediately be placed into the fabric of the pop culture equation that we try to create here at B104."
"Out of My Hands" is the first single from their forthcoming full length debut "Pretend That We’re Famous" scheduled for an October 27 release date. The album was produced by Adam Richman over the past year in Coney Island. His collaboration with the band has produced a taut infectious blast of youthful rock that indicates this band is in it for the long haul.
Sandlot Heroes' summer highlights included tour dates headlining at Musikfest (Bethlehem, PA's international music festival that attracts one million people every year) and playing to fans at Hot Topic and the Gap stores in eastern PA. Fall tour dates in support of their release include the Dewey Beach Music Conference, AbsolutePunk.net Show at Crocodile Rock Cafe in Allentown, PA and a two week east coast tour. An all ages hometown record release party will take place on October 31, 2009 at Crocodile Rock.
Sandlot Heroes have added a slew of summer dates, which see the band traveling around the Lehigh Valley playing several high profile shows in anticipation of their forthcoming debut record, Pretend That We're Famous. The guys will be everywhere from Crocodile Rock in Allentown supporting Ryan Cabrera to starring in a showcase at this year's Muskifest. They'll be adding a lot more dates as Pretend's release grows closer, so expect to see many more updates soon!
Upcoming shows:
May 3 Riverfusion Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
May 16 Crocodile Rock Cafe (with Watch Out There’s Ghosts) Allentown, Pennsylvania
May 29 Saucon Valley High School Saucon Valley, Pennsylvania
June 13 Best In Bloom Festival; Emmaus, PA
Jun 25 Sun Inn Courtyard Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Jun 27 Crocodile Rock Cafe (with Ryan Cabrera)
Aug 3 Musikfest Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Aug 6 Hot Topic - Lehigh Valley Mall, Whitehall, PA
Aug 15 Flyers' Skate Zone - Voorhees, NJ
Aug 27 The Corner Pocket - Blairsville, PA
3-13-09
SANDLOT HEROES FINISHING DEBUT ALBUM FOR SUMMER RELEASE, PREPPING VIDEO FOR “THE TRAINWRECK”
Sandlot Heroes are busy putting the finishing touches on their debut album Pretend That We’re Famous, expecting a summer release for the seven-song disc. The guys are holed up in the lofty confines of producer Adam Richman’s (Making April) studio, getting ready to unleash their sound on the rest of the world.
The album includes six brand new pop-rock odes to youth and young love gone wrong, including the first single, “The Trainwreck” and “Out Of My Hands.” The band’s 2007 hit, “So” is also included as a bonus track. The band is shooting its first video for “The Trainwreck” next weekend in the Lehigh Valley with director Joe Maziarski (The Gaslight Anthem.)
12-22-08
As 2008 draws to a close, we’re taking a look back at the great year that was for some of our artists.
LIVE
Answering the call from many fans who have long clamored for it, LIVE released their first-ever live CD/DVD Live at the Paradiso Amsterdam in November. The project came on the heels of a long international run this year that ended in Amsterdam, where the band continues to have enormous success. The set features some of the biggest hits from the band’s illustrious, nearly 20-year career, including “Lightning Crashes,” “Selling The Drama,” “All Over You,” “I Alone,” “Lakini’s Juice,” “The Dolphin’s Cry,” “Simple Creed,” and “Heaven.” There are also two brand new studio tracks offering a preview of what’s to come in 2009!
FUEL
2008 saw the release ofPlaylist: The Very Best of Fuel, which hit shelves and computers in October. The album, a greatest hits collection from one of the most prominent alternative rock bands of the last decade, consists of 14 songs spanning Fuel’s entire career. While the band laid low for most of the year, former members Brett Scallions and Kevin Miller certainly kept busy: Scallions is currently the frontman for Riders On The Storm, a project featuring former The Doors members Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek, while drummer Kevin Miller toured with Tantric, who saw recent success with their Top 10 Mainstream Rock hit “Down And Out,” and his own band, Fosterchild.
BRIDGES AND A BOTTLE
Bridges had an exciting year that saw them gain impressive regional and national exposure! In July, they were voted the most popular band in WMMR’s online contest to open for Coldplay’s Philadelphia show, getting thousands of votes, more than any other band in the competition! (Unfortunately, they weren’t picked as openers, but the band’s participation in the contest drew heavy media coverage in central PA.) Bridges was also featured in an exclusive national full-page advertisement for Olympus Gear in dozens of major magazines, including Guitar Player, Acoustic Guitar, GuitarWorld, Bass Player, Keyboard, Modern Drummer, Drum & Electronic Musician! (Ad below.)
Finally, capping off a jam-packed 2008, the guys have resumed playing as a full electric band and are ending the year in style, with a flurry of year-end dates in and around the band’s hometown of Harrisburg. (Check Myspace for dates and times!)
SANDLOT HEROES
The year was good to the guys in Sandlot Heroes, who rode a huge pop song to the top of the local charts in the spring. Major Top-40 station B104 started spinning the infectious “So” earlier this year, and the song spread like wildfire among listeners of all ages. It was voted number 1 on B104’s nightly top ten countdown for five weeks straight this summer, beating out all-stars like Nickelback and Matchbox Twenty. Since then, the band has seen an enormous spike in popularity, opening for names like Yellowcard, Jesse McCartney and Boys Like Girls. The band is currently in the studio with producer Adam Richman (Making April) crafting a brand new EP featuring the hit-in-the-making “Out Of My Hands,” which the band is shooting a video for in the near future.
See you in ’09!
11-11-08
LIVE’s first-ever live CD/DVD release
Live at the Paradiso Amsterdam is in stores now! The multi-platinum rock legends from York, PA have delivered a stunning set featuring their biggest hits: "Lighting Crashes," "Selling the Drama," "I Alone," Lakini's Juice," "The Dolphin's Cry," "Simple Creed," "Heaven," and more! Order it today!
Sandlot Heroes are currently in the studio with producer Adam Richman working on a brand new album for 2009! Their single, “Out Of My Hands” hits radio soon, and the guys will also be shooting a video for it in the near future. Meanwhile, you can hear a brand new song called “The Illusion” at the band’s Myspace! Expect big things.
10-21-08
Playlist: The Very Best of Fuel hit shelves and computers last month. The greatest hits collection from Fuel, one of the most prominent alternative rock bands of the last decade, consists of 14 songs spanning their entire career. Not just the hits, but...the life-changing songs. The out-of-print tracks. The fan favorites everyone loves. Most of the material is culled from the classic albums Sunburn and Something Like Human, including the smashes “Shimmer”, “Hemmorhage (In My Hands)” and “Bad Day.” The collection also includes exclusive remixes! If you order a physical copy (available from Amazon and other online retailers), not only will it be made of 100% recyclable material, you’ll also get full liner notes, photos and more included as a PDF file on the disc. Check it out!
9-16-08
Brides And A Bottle are excited to bring you their Midnight Sessions Live DVD early this fall! It's a very adventurous homemade project, conceptualized entirely by the band. The DVD finds the band unveiling their six newest songs by performing them live in a centuries-old abandoned barn two late nights in the summer. The band kept the songs simple: stripped-down arrangements with acoustic guitars, basic percussion, and string accompaniment from hired musicians. The DVD was shot by director Mark Eaton and mixed by producer Rich Keller.
Bridges, who were recently voted the most popular band in WMMR's online contest to open for Coldplay, are currently in the studio working on their third record with Rich Keller. They're also performing every Thursday night outside at Tom Sawyer's Cantina in downtown Harrisburg: the place to be for young adults! Stay tuned for more news on Bridges.
7-31-08
We are proud to once again provide entertainment for this year's Musikfest celebration, held from August 1-10 in downtown Bethlehem. LAURA WARSHAUER will be playing Lyrikplatz Wednesday, August 9 from 9-9:40pm. It's free! For more details please go to Musikfest's official Web site!
See You There!
7-15-08
Bridges and a Bottle have been featured in this Olympus Gear ad for the LS-10 . Check them out! The ad will be featured in the following magazines, Guitar Player, Acoustic Guitar, GuitarWorld, Bass Player, Keyboard, Modern Drummer, Drum, & Electronic Musician!!
Bridges and a Bottle landed the #1 spot with their video "Promise" by receiving the MOST VOTES in the WMMR Coldplay Opening Act Contest. The contest had hundreds of videos competing for votes to win the opportunity to open for Coldplay on July 25th at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. Out of the 35,000+ votes cast Bridges’ video “Promise” came in #1!!
7-11-08
CONGRATULATIONS TO BRIDGES AND A BOTTLE! They are not only one of the three finalists in the WMMR open for Coldplay contest, but they received the most number of votes. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO VOTED AND SUPPORTED BRIDGES AND A BOTTLE! We now await the announcement of the final winner…
7-10-08
Bridges and a Bottle are #1 right now in the Coldplay Contest!! Help keep them there so we can win it and open for Coldplay at the Wachovia Center!! You have until MIDNIGHT TONIGHT! GO VOTE!Bridges And A Bottle has landed in the top 15 in an online contest that will determine the opening act for Coldplay’s tour stop in Philadelphia.
FANS CAN VOTE FOR “PROMISE" AT: www.coldplayontour.com/wmmr
It is the 11th video down! Vote now!!
7-7-08
Bridges And A Bottle has landed in the top 15 in an online contest that will determine the opening act for Coldplay’s tour stop in Philadelphia.
Bridges’ video for “Promise” is one of 15 band-submitted videos (selected from over 400) that fans can vote for on Philadelphia radio station WMMR’s Web site. In an effort to support local original music for their “Viva La Vida” world tour, the members of Coldplay will then judge the three videos that receive the most votes, and grant the winner a 20-minute opening slot before their performance at the Wachovia Center July 25. The deadline for fan voting is Thursday, July 10. VOTE FOR “PROMISE" AT: www.coldplayontour.com/wmmr
The band achieved regional success with 2006’s Trojan Horse E.P., which spawned the hit single “Still Standing.” The track received heavy airplay on radio stations across central Pennsylvania, and it was the fifth most played song of 2006 on WMRF, ranking ahead of artists like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nickelback. The track’s unexpected popularity prompted Rocco Pallotto, music director at WMRF, to hail Bridges as “the next big band to make it out of Pennsylvania,” following the likes of multi-platinum rockers Live, Fuel and Breaking Benjamin. The band was also featured on XM Satellite Radio Channel 43 XMU, where they were selected out of 500 submissions for airplay. “18” and “Still Standing” were programmed into rotation.
Bridges – led by brothers Justin and Adam Smith and guitarist Tyler Adkins – is currently in the studio with producer Rich Keller working on their third album. The band is also prepping the release of Midnight Sessions Live, a unique, self-produced DVD that is due at the end of the summer.
Laura Warshauer will be a featured performer at Wave Gathering 2008 in Asbury Park, New Jersey, held June 20-22. The three-day festival, in its third and biggest year yet, will feature over 175 emerging acts, over 24 venues, and music industry panels. Wave Gathering is quickly becoming one of the country’s strongest and most unique music celebrations, and one critic described last year’s festival as “the dusting off of a broken-down rock ’n’ roll town seeking a return to glory.” Held throughout Asbury Park at various historic venues such as The Stone Pony and The Saint, Wave Gathering is expected to draw more than 2,500 fans – the mark set last year. Laura is thrilled to be taking part in the festival as one of the artists on the verge of breaking out. For more information, visit:
Time and date of Laura’s performance TBD. Please check back soon for more information.
5-12-08
In the new video playing above, Laura Warshauer performs "Sweet 17" at Muhlenberg College April 18. This video and the more videos coming will give you a look into Laura Warshauer's life and music before her EP drops this summer. Upcoming Laura Warshauer shows are as follows:
Twisted Tree Café
May 15
Asbury Park, NJ
Pianos
May 17
9 PM
Ages 21+
New York, NY
Twisted Tree Café
May 22
Asbury Park, NJ
Pianos
May 24
9 PM
Ages 21+
New York, NY
Drexel University
May 29
Philadelphia, PA
North Star Bar
June 1
Ages 21+
Philadelphia, PA
Crocodile Rock
May 7
Allentown, PA
Espresso’s Joe
May 25
Keyport, NJ
4-30-08
We are excited to announce that Laura Warshauer will be performing at the upcoming RiverFusion festival. She will be playing on the creek stage. The performance and venue information for Laura Warshauer is as follows:
RiverFusion 2008
Bethlehem, PA Sunday, May 4th The Creek Stage 6:00 P.M.
4-1-08
We are proud to announce that there will now be a Laura Warshauer sampler CD available at her shows. It will be a sneak preview of her new album. Come out to see Laura and pick one up. She will be playing at the following clubs on the dates listed:
The SS Cape May will be held March 7th and 8th, 2008 at the historic Congress Hall and others select venues in Cape May. The premiere event will feature two afternoons of music business keynotes, panels, songwriting workshops, musician clinics, mentoring and demo listening sessions and exhibitors at Congress Hall.
Saturday, March 8th:
Laura Warshauer, Mainstage Ballroom at Congress Hall, 8:45pm
2-11-08
We are proud to announce that central PA’s Millennium Music Conference 12 has chosen several of our bands and solo artists for showcase performances at the MMC12 this year. Click here for more information on the conference. Since 1997, the MMC and Showcase has become one of the premier music events on the East Coast.
The following is listing of when and where our arists are playing:
Saturday, February 16th:
Laura Warshauer, Radisson Bridges Lounge – 10:00
Bridges and a Bottle, Radisson – 11:30
Media Five's Founder and President David Sestak will be chairing the "Managers, Agents and Promoters" panel on Saturday, February 16th at 2:30pm at the Radisson Penn Harris Convention Center, Panel Room B He will also be on the panel "Demo Derby: Blind Demo Drop Box" at 4:00pm in a panel room A.
Laura Warshauer will speak at the "Singer-Songwriter" forum on Saturday, February 16th at 2:30pm at the Radisson Penn Harris Convention Center.
Happy New Year! Welcome to Media Five Entertainment's Artist Management site. We are extremely excited to launch our redesigned management website. Check out Bridges and a Bottle, Laura Warshauer and other features of our site such as streaming mp3s and videos.
This past month Media Five's founder David Sestak was featured in an article discussing the 25 year anniversary of the release of Billy Joel's "Allentown". Click on the picture below to read about David's experience promoting Billy Joel and the history of Joel's celebrated hit single.
Dave Sestak, left, and Denny Somach, pictured November 14, 2007, were the first promoters to book legendary Billy Joel in the Lehigh Valley at places such as The Roxy Theater, Ag Hall, and Muhlenberg College.
