Crimes of Fashion

WTF?!
Kirstin Maldonado & Mitch Grassi

OK, as you all know I like the acapella group super group Pentatonix. Also some of you may know I was there from the start before they became worldwide superstars. "Yes" I covered them and know them and have the photos on this blog to prove it.

I will be the first to admit that even though their casual sense of style needed a little oomph in the beginning it was who they were and quite charming. Well that all changed after they signed with RCA a stylist stepped in and has been doing them no favors ever since.

Bear witness to the featured pic. Who in the F#ck told Mitch to sport the look of a 70's porn star, complete with a porn stache accessory?

Oh Kirstie, while I know you have eclectic fashion taste Morticia Addams called and she wants her look back.

Seriously you know I love you guys but it's time for a little push back on whoever is advising you on what to wear. 

Trust. That is all Michael has left the building.

Mitch on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/mitchgrassi/?hl=en

Kirstie on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/kirstin/?hl=en

Introducing: Avriel & The Sequoias

Another facet to the talented Avi Kaplan of Pentatnoix 

"Rustic and grave, it's a gorgeously somber and symphonic slice of introspective chamber/indie folk that's sure to stay with you."- PopMatters

Avriel & the Sequoias and PopMatters have teamed up to release the gorgeous new video for "Fields and Pier." The track is a first listen from the upcoming debut EP, Sage and Stone, set to drop June 9. "Fields and Pier" pays homage to the wild and beautifully unkempt world Avriel grew up in: "For the video, I wanted to show how my music is deeply connected to nature," he explains. "The strings are represented by the way the leaves tremble in the Northern California wind, the steady finger-picking is represented by the sun-kissed fields of Oregon and the cello by the slow, steady current of the Smith River." Watch the video on PopMatters HERE.

Sage and Stone is the debut independent release from the multi-talented and multifaceted Avi Kaplan, Grammy Award-winning performer and arranger of a cappella phenoms Pentatonix. Sage and Stone is inspired by and purposefully presents the full spectrum of Avi's folk palate without ever abandoning his talent for lush, layered vocals, intricate arrangements and tasteful acoustic performances. It's evident in every note on Sage and Stone, that Avriel Benjamin Kaplan has a reverence and respect for folk music that goes well beyond his years. Songs like "Fields and Pier" and "Sage And Stone" recall the sounds of modern indie folk artists like Iron & Wine and Bon Iver, while tracks like "Song For the Seeker" and "Sweet Adeline" draw clear inspiration from legendary artists such as Simon & Garfunkel and John Denver.

Avi's upbringing - in Visalia, CA, near Sequoia National Park - plays an integral part in his story and is a heartbeat in this new music: the majestic Sequoia trees are where he found inspiration and escape, and where he first discovered music in its most organic and truest form. Sage and Stone simply - and profoundly - pays homage to where Avi's passion for music was born, and is a stunning introduction to this different and exciting new chapter of his musical journey. It is honest and humble. It is thoughtful and unrestrained. It is Kaplan at his core - passionate, emotional, inspired and unapologetically vulnerable.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube

Dolly Eight It

Smiles Everyone, Smiles!
Dolly Parton & Pentatonix 

Dolly Parton scores her eighth Grammy with some help from the Pentatonix gang!

World-renowned singer/songwriter/entertainer Dolly Parton continues racking up the honors! In 2014, The Recording Academy inducted Parton's self-penned hit JOLENE into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Now, in 2017, that same song, released as a collaboration with Pentatonix, was awarded a Grammy in the Country Duo/Group Performance category. Watch the collaborative performance here:

Arranged by PTX

Filmed at NOVE Entertainment
Produced by Dolly Parton, Pentatonix and Flyte Vu

"Oh my Lord I am so excited to have won the Grammy with Pentatonix on my old song Jolene," says Dolly Parton. "I am so happy and am so very proud of Pentatonix. The song is one of my favorites. Thanks to the Grammys, but most importantly thanks to all the fans. I love you all."

The award-winning collaboration between Pentatonix and Parton happened through a partnership with Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, which has enjoyed success with both acts in the past with exclusive editions of albums from each. In Parton’s case, the partnership stretches back to her 2009 Backwoods Barbie Collector's Edition project, which was followed by the release of An Evening With…Dolly and became the first Gold album-ever certified by the RIAA for Cracker Barrel Music. That relationship has continued with her latest Dolly Records / RCA Records release Pure & Simple. Released in the summer of 2016, the album – which netted Dolly her first chart-topping album since 1991 – was released in a deluxe Cracker Barrel-exclusive edition that featured live performances of her classic hits “9 To 5” and “Jolene” from the Glastonbury Festival, along with a 48-page ZinePak magazine filled with photos and interviews highlighting memorable stories from Parton. The collaboration is not part of any of the packages, however, is available for digital download here:

iTunes smarturl.it/PTXJolene
Amazon smarturl.it/PTXJoleneAmz
Spotify smarturl.it/StreamPTXJolene
Google Play smarturl.it/PTXJoleneGP

“Cracker Barrel is thrilled to have brought these two extraordinary talents together, Dolly Parton and Pentatonix, as part of our Spotlight Music Program for the exclusive collaboration of “Jolene." We share in the celebration of their GRAMMY Award win as they are both a special part of the Cracker Barrel family,” said Don Hoffman, VP of Marketing at Cracker Barrel.

CTK Management CEO Danny Nozell said, "The collaborative video produced by Cracker Barrel between Pentatonix and Dolly has been viewed over 22 million times and has now won a Grammy. Dolly proves, once again, that she is making music that the fans will respond to."

Parton's 2016's Pure & Simple North American Tour was the highest grossing tour of her career, performing over 60 shows.

Fans can link to purchase Pure & Simple and the various versions available by exclusive partners below:
Cracker Barrel: smarturl.it/dollycbps
Walmart: smarturl.it/walmartdolly
Amazon Music: smarturl.it/amzmusicdolly
Amazon Physical: smarturl.it/amazondolly
Apple Music: smarturl.it/dollypartonps
Google: smarturl.it/gpdolly
Spotify: smarturl.it/spotifydolly  

Michael's Musings

Motley Crue
l-r Shauna Waters, Me, Lindley Waters & Kelly Waters

Since this will be my thoughts and impressions going into Christmas I thought to myself that I may try to curtail any cynicism I may be possessed by at present by posting an image of me and my three angels aka my nieces from Christmas two years ago in my home state of Washington. 

Like that will ever happen, yep get ready because here I come!!!

When I was a kid I used to think the red light flashing on a nearby radio tower was Rudolph's nose, yes really.

Parents teach their kids not to lie, yet they perpetuate the myth of Santa Claus. How many children has that fucked up?!

A virgin birth, yeah right.

What did I do for my Birthday? So glad you asked. I had a wonderful lunch with my friend Mike Clifford and an even better dessert later, not Mike...Yes, Daddy has a secret.

Lunch Time!
Me & Mike Clifford

Pentatonix has a new Christmas album out. It's what they do best.

Riot On Sunset by my buddy James Durbin is another album I highly recommend.

Taking myself to see La La Land today, in case you are interested.

My niece Shauna Waters pictured above is getting married in Cabo in June, and to think I knew her when she...

Kelly Waters, my other niece pictured is an accomplished make-up artist, so proud of her.

Now let's talk about my niece Lindley Waters, also pictured above. She now calls Berlin her home base. I want to come visit you my spirit animal! Let's go hang gliding grrrrrrrrrrrl! 

Elf on a Shelf is so tired ass, I move we shift our attention to the Whore in a Drawer. Doesn't that sound a lot more merry???

Due to the PC movement Christmas can no longer be referred to as "White" 

Tis' the season for back door crack whores

I love Lady Gaga's song A-Yo, did you know it's about smoking pot?!

My gift to you is me on Social Media. You can keep tabs on me at the following WWW addresses. Merry Christmas! 

https://twitter.com/MShinafelt

https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/  

Bring On The Joy

It's time for some joy, bring it!

Angel City Chorale (ACC), the celebrated Los Angeles choir led by Founder/Artistic Director Sue Fink, will jump-start the season in style with Bring on the Joy, the choir’s 23rd annual set of holiday concerts and sing-alongs during the first weekend in December. The festive evenings will bring together talented Los Angeles-area singers and instrumentalists with a tapestry of seasonal favorites featuring musical textures from diverse traditions. The inclusive, family-friendly concerts will take place at Wilshire United Methodist Church in Los Angeles over two very special nights on Saturday, December 3, and Sunday, December 4, 2016. Tickets range in price from $22 for children to $75 for VIP packages (see details in last paragraph). The performances start at 7:00pm and include a 15- minute intermission; a dessert reception follows each performance. For additional information on ACC, please visit http://www.angelcitychorale.org.

“Our amazing soloists, choir, and orchestra are able to create stunning musical performances without losing the spontaneity, sparkle, and joyous community spirit missing in our big city life,” says Fink. “There is a rare feeling of connection at these events among the diverse participants – the positive energy generated is palpable, like a booster shot of joy: it hits you right in your heart.”

Bring on the Joy –

Angel City Chorale kicks off the season with its eagerly anticipated annual set of winter concerts and sing-alongs. This year’s exciting 23rd edition, Bring on the Joy, will entertain audiences with an infectious blast of holiday cheer over two family-friendly nights.

The vibrant performances, a reflection of Los Angeles, feature a 25-piece live orchestra and an array of seasonal favorites with musical textures from diverse traditions. Audiences will also get the chance to sing with the lively 160+-member choir on familiar songs during the popular sing-along.

This stunning choral exploration features Classical, Traditional, Spirited Contemporary, and Gospel R&B. In addition to popular American Christmas carols, African, Chanukah, Celtic, Medieval, Beatbox, Pop, and British vibes will be presented. The diversity of the program represents the rich tastes and talents of the choir.

Selections at these joyful evenings include works by Gustav Holst, Amy Grant, John Rutter, Pentatonix, Nat King Cole, and more. Angel City Chorale is also proud to present the world premiere of “Feast of Snow” by gifted Los Angeles composer/former ACC choir member Philip White (Ray Donovan [Showtime], Agent Carter [ABC], Revolution [NBC], Supernatural [CW]). This will be the second time ACC premieres a work by White, who is a composer for film, television, interactive media, and the concert stage. The Los Angeles Master Chorale has also performed two of White’s choral works, the last of which was a commission.

Links –

• Angel City Chorale (ACC) - http://www.angelcitychorale.org

• Bring on the Joy Tickets - http://angelcitychorale.org/concerts-events/bring-on-the-joy-concert

• Bring on the Joy FB Event Page - https://www.facebook.com/events/342134072799070

• ACC’s Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/AngelCityChorale

• ACC’s YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/user/AngelCityChorale

• ACC’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/AngelCityChoral

• ACC’s SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/angelcitychorale

# # #

Congrats! Kirstin Maldonado

Kirstin & Jeremy
Yes They, Can, Can, Can

Normally I don't write about celebrity engagements but in this case since I know the bride to be, and she likes my clothing style, I would like to wish her well.

Kirstin Maldonado of the super group Pentatonix is vacationing in Paris with her boyfriend Jeremy Michael Lewis this Memorial Day weekend. What she didn't know was he was planning to pop the question.

Kirstin took to, what else, Twitter to express excitement:

"'The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.' AT THE MOULIN ROUGE. SO HAPPY. @JeremyMichael22 !!!!!!" she tweeted "Paris, I love you. Happy happy."
Congratulations to the two of you! 
Have a great Memorial Day everyone and always remember.
Kirstin on Twitter: 
https://twitter.com/kirstin_taylor  

Beat It With Cara Delevingne

Cara "Beatbox" Delevingne

There's something about Cara that I find compelling...even though she is present and available it's like she always has a secret of epic proportions brewing just under her surface.

Making Ms. Delevingne a personal favorite of mine. 

Well add one more thing to that list: Beatboxing. Yes, while promoting her movie Paper Towns on The Tonight Show, Cara revealed a whole new layer of herself and showed off a skill that the world at large did not know she had.

She impressed everyone including host Jimmy Fallon.

Watch your back Kevin "K.O." Olusola of Pentatonix, there's a new Beatboxer in town.

Hit the video after the jump!

Cara on IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5353321/?ref_=nv_sr_1 

Pentatonix Tackle Michael Jackson

PTX: It's Easy, ABC

With the release of their tour documentary ON MY WAY HOME and their upcoming tour with Kelly Clarkson  CLICK HERE -

What else is an acapella super group to do? Why cover the musical history of the King of Pop Michael Jackson in one big ole mash-up, the Evolution of Michael Jackson.

Jeeze do these guys ever take a break?! No seriously...?!

Groove to the mash-up after the jump.

Get more PTX here:
https://www.youtube.com/user/PTXofficial  

Pentatonix "On My Way Home"

GRAMMY AWARD WINNERS PENTATONIX RELEASE ON MY WAY HOME DOCUMENTARY TODAY

AVAILABLE NOW EXCLUSIVELY VIA VIMEO ON DEMAND

Grammy Award winners and platinum-selling recording artists Pentatonix release their new documentary, On My Way Home, exclusively via Vimeo On Demand today.  The 90-minute documentary follows the group on their journey back home to Texas after they received their first platinum selling album with That’s Christmas To Me and won their very first Grammy.  With the expectations set higher than ever and the group riding a wave a success, PTX continued their domination on the road with their SOLD OUT North American On My Way Home Tour. Mixed with live performances, fans will get a behind the scenes look as the group perfects their tour, starts recording their first original album and shares their experiences of how their wildest dreams are coming true.

The documentary, which was produced by Scheme Engine (Where I'm From: JAY Z, One The Road: Macklemore, & Beyonce & JAY Z's "On The Run" Tour), is available for purchase now at Vimeo On Demand (smarturl.it/PTXvimeo).

Last night I attended the premiere screening and reception for the film on the Sony lot in Culver City, CA -

So I threw in a few pics that I took at the reception for your enjoyment. Have a great weekend!

Awwwwww:
Scott Hoying & Brittney

It's All About That Bass:
Avi Kaplan & Yours Truly

The Fun Shirt Club:
Me, Mitch Grassi & My Friend Brittney

Official Website: http://ptxofficial.com/

YouTube Page: http://youtube.com/Ptxofficial

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Pentatonix

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PTXofficial

To purchase On My Way Home: smarturl.it/PTXvimeo 

Kevin "Renegade" Olusola

Cellist, beatboxer, producer, Grammy winner and one fifth of Pentatonix. That is how most of you know Kevin "KO" Olusola. 

Perhaps you didn't know he is also a Renegade. Yes, Kevin's first EP Renegade is out tomorrow, March 10th.  

Less than an hour after the EP surfaced on iTunes, The Renegade EP, which features Olusola’s world famous celloboxing (simultaneously playing cello and beatboxing), landed at #1 on the Classical Album Chart.  Simultaneously, his rendition of Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me” shot to #1 on the Classical Singles Chart, with a companion music video, which "KO" premiered on YouTube in conjunction with it. 

MS: Rumor has it you have a new EP coming out?

KO: Oh my god, I am ecstatic, I am beside myself! I can't believe it is real and it's happening. It's very exciting!

MS: What prompted you to do Renegade?

KO: I feel that I've gained a lot of skills now that I have been in Pentatonix a while for inspiration. I wanted to put something out that was a cohesive sound of all those experiences that I can elaborate on.

MS: So, how does it feel to be a Grammy Award Winner?

KO: It's amazing and surreal. When I say "Oh yeah we won a Grammy" that doesn't come out of most people's mouths. To know that I can say that is very humbling.

MS: Very few people have one, it's really cool. 

KO: Exactly!

Renegade!

MS: On your EP, this may or may not sound weird to you. Probably not, when you played Sam Smith's Stay With Me, I heard singing even though there wasn't any. 

KO: Wow! You understand it. That is the sound I am going for! The people who I have admired as instrumentalists are people like Santana. He was a singer first and his medium for that voice was his instrument. So that's why when people say that the cello is the instrument that is the closest to the human voice, I had to take it that step further. How do I actually reproduce this sound so people can actually hear a voice and say "Wow!" I tried to create a sound around it. I'm so happy you said that, that means a lot to me, Thank You.

MS: BTW I remember you playing Renegade at The Orpheum in Los Angeles, CA.

KO: Oh yeah, absolutely! 

MS: You always get a solo at a Pentatonix concert which is nice.

KO: Thank you, I appreciate it. It took me so long to put all of the elements together so when I was offered the solo I thought why not just go for it!

MS: Curious people want to know. What made you want to cover Heart Attack by Demi Lovato?

KO: It had an edgy quality to it...electronic, tech, hardcore, which I love! What attracted me to it was I did not think people could ever think the piece could be done with the cello and the beatboxing. So I took it and said: "Let me try it." 

                                                           "Stay With Me"

MS: You have created an original music category: Celloboxing.

KO: No one else is Celloboxing, sure why not, let's do it. (laughs)

MS: You've also played Carnegie Hall as well.

KO: Oh yeah. I did it on two different occasions one was my senior year in High School as a cellist, a solo. Then I did it in my first year of college on saxophone. Two different experiences at Carnegie Hall. I feel very honored that I have had that opportunity.

MS: How does it feel to be on the classical music charts? 

KO: It's so weird to contemplate that people are actually going out and buying the music that I'm creating. I'm overwhelmed.

MS: You're like Lindsey Stirling she is a Rock Star on the violin, you are a Rock Star on the cello.

KO: Oh thank you! I appreciate that! When you think about it now this alternative sound is popularized and now has wide mass appeal. Lindsey is amazing, she really paved the way for it an created it, in how she presented what she did. There are so many ways to be heard now, it's amazing!

MS: How did you discover your inner Beatboxer?

KO: It wasn't anything that I thought of. I just kind of did it when I was young. It was this song by Musiq Soulchild called Juslisten and it had this hook at the very beginning of the song, that inspired me, that's when I started Beatboxing a lot more. 

Go Celloboxing with Kevin at: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KO1Music
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kolusola
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/kolusola
Order The Renegade EP on iTunes: http://smarturl.it/RenegadeEP   

The Dream Team: Kelly Clarkson & Pentatonix

GRAMMY AWARD WINNER KELLY CLARKSON ANNOUNCES

2015 PIECE BY PIECE TOUR

Sixth Studio Album, Piece By Piece, Available Today

Special Guests Pentatonix

& Eric Hutchison To Join The Tour

Tickets On Sale Starting March 14 at LiveNation.com

Kelly announcement:  http://smarturl.it/PTXPieceByPiece?IQid=ptxtw …

Yes it's a dream come true! Kelly Clarkson is touring with the world's favorite acapella group Pentatonix, get all the 411 below...see you there!

Earlier today on Good Morning America, global superstar and GRAMMY® Award winner Kelly Clarkson announced her 2015 PIECE BY PIECE TOUR. The 36-city tour, promoted exclusively by Live Nation, will start on July 11 in Hershey, Pennsylvania and culminate on Sept. 20 in Camden, New Jersey. Joining Kelly on the tour will be recent GRAMMY® winners Pentatonix and singer-songwriter Eric Hutchinson. Kelly will be touring in support of her sixth studio album, Piece By Piece, which is available in stores and digitally today.

Fans will be able to access special pre-sales by being members of Kelly’s free online fan club, Kellebrities. To sign up and get more details, visit www.KellyClarkson.com.  Citi® cardmembers will have access to pre-sale tickets beginning Tuesday, March 10 at 10:00 a.m. local time through Citi's Private Pass® Program. For complete pre-sale details, visit www.citiprivatepass.com. Tickets for the general public go on sale starting Saturday, March 14. For more information on the tour and specific on-sale dates, please visit www.KellyClarkson.com or www.LiveNation.com.  Join the 2015 PIECE BY PIECE TOUR conversation at #PieceByPieceTour.

Kelly kicked off her U.S. promotion on Sunday with a profile on CBS Sunday Morning, followed by a performance and skit on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last night. Critics have been raving about Piece By Piece, TIME saying it’s, “a record that’s loaded with slick power-pop and uplifting empowerment anthems,” while Billboard states, “Clarkson doubles down on songs that put her skyscraping voice first. And it sounds better than ever.” Kelly can also be seen on the cover of this week’s People Magazine.

Kelly Clarkson 2015 PIECE BY PIECE TOUR Dates

All dates, venues and cities below subject to change.

Date	City	Venue	On-Sale Date
Sat July 11	Hershey, PA	Hersheypark Stadium	Sat March 14
Sun July 12	Mansfield, MA	Xfinity Center	Sat March 21
Tue July 14	Holmdel, NJ	PNC Bank Arts Center	Sat March 21
Thu July 16	New York, NY	Radio City Music Hall	Sat March 21
Fri July 17	New York, NY	Radio City Music Hall	Sat March 21
Sun July 19	Pittsburgh, PA	First Niagara Pavilion	Sat March 14
Tue July 21	Darien Center, NY	Darien Lake Performing Arts Center	Sat March 14
Thu July 23	Uncasville, CT	Mohegan Sun Arena	Sat March 21
Sat July 25	Toronto, ON	Molson Canadian Amphitheatre	Sat March 21
Sun July 26	Clarkston, MI	DTE Energy Music Theatre	Sat March 14
Tue July 28	Cincinnati, OH	Riverbend Music Center	Sat March 14
Thu July 30	Indianapolis, IN	Klipsch Music Center	Sat March 14
Sat Aug. 1	Rosemont, IL	Allstate Arena	Sat March 21
Sun Aug. 2	St Louis, MO	Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre	Sat March 14
Tue Aug. 4	St Paul, MN	Xcel Energy Center	Sat March 21
Thu Aug. 6	Denver, CO	Pepsi Center	Sat March 14
Sat Aug. 8	Salt Lake City, UT	USANA Amphitheatre	Sat March 14
Mon Aug. 10	Portland, OR	Moda Center	Sat March 14
Wed Aug. 12	Seattle, WA	KeyArena	Sat March 14
Sat Aug. 15	Las Vegas, NV	Mandalay Bay Events Center	Sat March 28
Sun Aug. 16	San Diego, CA	Viejas Arena	Sat March 14
Wed Aug. 19	Los Angeles, CA	Staples Center	Sat March 28
Fri Aug. 21	Wheatland, CA	Toyota Amphitheatre	Sat March 21
Sun Aug. 23	Mountain View, CA	Shoreline Amphitheatre	Sat March 21
Tue Aug. 25	Phoenix, AZ	Ak-Chin Pavilion	Sat March 14
Thu Aug. 27	Albuquerque, NM	Isleta Amphitheater	Sat March 14
Sat Aug. 29	Austin, TX	Austin360 Amphitheater	Sat March 14
Sun Aug. 30	Dallas, TX	Gexa Energy Pavilion	Sat March 14
Tue Sept. 1	Houston, TX	Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion	Sat March 14
Thu Sept. 3	Little Rock, AR	Verizon Arena	Sat March 14
Sat Sept. 5	Nashville, TN	Bridgestone Arena	Sat March 14
Thu Sept. 10	Atlanta, GA	Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood	Sat March 21
Sat Sept. 12	Vienna, VA	Wolf Trap National Park For The Performing Arts	Sat March 21
Sun Sept. 13	Vienna, VA	Wolf Trap National Park For The Performing Arts	Sat March 21
Tue Sept. 15	Tampa, FL	MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre	Sat March 14
Thu Sept. 17	West Palm Beach, FL	Coral Sky Amphitheatre	Sat March 21
Sat Sept. 19	Raleigh, NC	Walnut Creek Amphitheatre	Sat March 14
Sun Sept. 20	Camden, NJ	Susquehanna Bank Center	Sat March 21

For more information, please visit:

Official Website: www.kellyclarkson.com

Twitter: @kelly_clarkson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kellyclarkson

YouTube: http://smarturl.it/HBSpv

Listen to Piece By Piece on Spotify: http://smarturl.it/PxPSpotify?IQid=pressrelease

Purchase Piece By Piece (iTunes): http://smarturl.it/PxPiT?IQid=pressrelease