Anthology

An Interview with Marcia Ball

by Casey Pukl

Her voice is unmistakeable, and her songs are irresistible. Marcia Ball writes swampy New Orleans blues tunes that pull at your heart-strings and can leave you crying like a child or clapping like a kid in music class.

This five-time Grammy nominee is not only an incredible singer, pianist, and songwriter, but she’s also an activist for women’s reproductive health issues.  Her campaign called, “Seeing Red” has garnered significant media attention and gained traction in Texas. I had the chance to catch up with her about her latest accolades, projects, and adventures!

CP: Thank you for taking the time out to talk this morning. First of all I want to congratulate you because I woke up this morning and saw on Facebook that you were awarded the Pine Top Perkins Piano Award last night. Congratulations!

MB: Yes thank you!

CP: Did you get to go to the awards last night?

MB: No I did not. I was with my mother celebrating her 90th birthday. My whole family is here and we’re having an all-weekend event together, and I couldn’t get away.

CP: Well, at least you won! I would love to just get right into it— your voice is just so unique and amazing to me.  How did you develop it? Did that come naturally to you? Read the rest of this entry »

Rolling Out Our Brand New Lunch Menu with Reinvented Classics

by Casey Pukl

Starting Monday, May 29th, Anthology opens for lunch! Anthology’s food has always been about simple reinventions of classic flavors and dishes that are sure to please. Our latest venture, lunch, will be no different. Executive Chef Todd Allison and Executive Sous Chef Kristen Williams have come together to create the perfect menu for your mid-day meal. Oh, and did I mention the cookies? Yes, there will be plenty of cookies for all, but more on that later.

The Deconstructed Wedge Salad
Pancette Lardoons, Crispy Red Onions, Blue Cheese Dressing

Start your meal off with one of Anthology’s signature salads, The Deconstructed Wedge. A mainstay of our dinner menu, this salad is one of our favorites. The wedge salad has long been a favorite for Chef Todd Allison. “It’s one of my favorite dishes to order, and always has been,” he says. “When I think of the perfect complement to a steak, the wedge is it. Whether I’m watching Sunday Night Football or I’m out to dinner at a steakhouse, it’s a staple.”

This salad tastes just as stunning as it looks. With flash fried onions and creamy blue cheese dressing, this wedge is one for the foodies. Pancetta lardons give this salad an additional savory, salty edge, and sliced cherry tomatoes add a lightness.

This salad is great as both an appetizer or as your main meal. You can add shrimp, calamari, chicken, or steak to turn it into a protein packed lunch for the busy business person who looks to be full, but not stuffed and falling asleep at their desk come 3 o’clock! Plus, who doesn’t want to eat something that looks this gorgeous on our patio with an amazing view of the city?

That’s what I thought. Moving on to another tasty reinvented classic… Read the rest of this entry »

An Interview with Jane Eugene of Loose Ends

by Casey Pukl 

One of the biggest British dance groups of the 1980’s, Loose Ends is celebrating 40 years of music together this year. With hits like, “Hanging on a String” and “Slow Down”, it’s apparent that there’s a great musical chemistry there. Although the trio is not in it’s original form, original members Jane Eugene and Steve Nichol have been going strong on their second time around since 2003.

I had the chance to catch up with Jane Eugene last week and get the scoop on what brought the band back together, how they’ve amassed a whole new crowd of young fans, and just what she’s most looking forward to about coming to San Diego.

CP: What got you guys started on this reunion tour? What brought you guys back together?

JE: We’ve actually been working since 2003, so we’ve been working, but it’s the fact that people want to hear the music. There’s been a resurgence in people being interested in what Loose Ends has done. This will be our 40th year this year. So what we’re doing over here is hanging on the streets, slowing down, watching people, watching you. You can’t stop the rain. Everything that people have gone out and loved and we’re gonna do that kind of a show. We’re not going to do a show where you’re going to hear the songs that you don’t want to hear. Read the rest of this entry »

An Interview with Michael Tiernan

by Casey Pukl

Michael Tiernan may be one of San Diego’s finest treasures. This father of two and accomplished singer/songwriter recently had his tune, “LA Can Wait” selected as a finalist for an ISC award (over 16,000 entries were submitted). Tiernan has also won various other accolades including Artist of the Year at the Acoustic Music Awards, and he is also a two-time Los Angeles Award winner for Male Singer/Songwriter of the Year and Triple-A Album of the Year.

But all of those accolades have taken a back seat to the incredible journey Tiernan has been on. From realizing that his journey as a songwriter is a little different from the typical path of heading to LA or Nashville to coping with the loss of his brother to cancer, Michael Tiernan has been tackling the tough things in life. Fortunately for us, he’s been tackling them through songs in the studio for all to hear, and that process has him pulling out some amazing and deeply personal lyrics that are bound to hit you somewhere tender. Read on to find out what inspired his latest record, just why exactly “LA Can Wait”, and check out his delicious favorite recipe that he was kind enough to share!

CP: I’d love to get right into your latest record “L.A. Can Wait” because you have such an incredible story and I’m so stoked to talk about it. What inspired it for you and what has this experience been like? Read the rest of this entry »

An Interview with Devon Allman

by Casey Pukl

I’m pretty sure Devon Allman and I were at one point the same person in another life. It’s rare that I pick up the phone to interview someone and instantly find myself pouring out my heart about my favorite place to eat in Nashville, TN and what I think of co-writing. So truthfully, this interview has far less to do with music than usual, but it has everything to do with who Devon Allman is, what he’s all about (hint— barbeque may or may not be a key player), and just what we can expect to see from his latest project.

Did I mention he’s helping kick off my new favorite blog feature ever? You’ll have to read to the bottom to find out just what it is, but I’ll give you a hint— it’s DELICIOUS!

Royal Southern Brotherhood is the latest project that Allman (yes, son of the legendary Gregg Allman) has embarked on, and this one is not to be missed. The line-up itself should be enough to grab your attention. Think of this group as a supergroup of the swampy blues persuasion. Teaming up with Cyril Neville (yup, The Meters. Are you listening yet?), Mike Zito (winner of a 2010 Blues Music Award), Charlie Wooten (he jammed with the Woods Brothers), and drummer Yonrico Scott (heavy hitter from the Derek Trucks Band), the project just looks too good on paper to be true.

Yet Tuesday morning, the record dropped, and there I was hitting the gym rocking my face off to what I think might be in my top 5 albums of 2012. Did I mention that it’s only May? Can you tell how excited I am about this? DO I NEED TO START WRITING IN ALL CAPS? Let me just stop typing and let you dig into the interview to read for yourselves. Read the rest of this entry »