Boyce Avenue Ends The Year With Their Official Video For "Find Me"

For their final video of 2011, the guys have released the official video for their original song Find Me.

If someone were to ask me, "What is Boyce Avenue's best original song?" I would answer, "Find Me. Without question."  It is beautifully composed.  The lyrics are incredibly romantic.  It absolutely blows my mind that this is the first song Alejandro ever wrote.

A few months ago, I tried to explain to Boyce Avenue's Alejandro Manzano why I loved the song "Find Me" so much, and I had trouble finding the words. But somehow he got what I was trying to say. He told me, "This reaction and connection is what we strive for with every song we play."

Now, with the release of the video, I find myself searching for the right words again.

I want to write about why I love this song so much.  I want to write about how even though I'm not a musician, I love all of the instrumental complexities I hear when I listen to it....the little details and the way the instruments all blend together so perfectly.  (I actually considered breaking it down and pointing out all of the details I love about it, and where they happen in the song, but it would probably get too complex, and it would probably not make any sense to anyone but me, and maybe Alejandro.)

I want to write about how listening to this song changed the way I listen to music, and helped me appreciate music more than any other song I've ever listened to.

I want to write about how I can listen to this song on a pair of headphones and get completely lost in it.

I want to write about how the lyrics remind me of how magical and intense love can be.

The truth is, the way I feel about the song is just that....it's the way I feel about it, and sometimes you can't find the right words to describe how you feel. You either get it or you don't. So I'll just leave it at this: The song is awesome. I love the song. And I am grateful for what I feel when I listen to it.

The video is pretty cool....not at all what I expected.  The couple is absolutely gorgeous.  I love the way the colors change and flow in the background of the set the guys are in.  It kinda looks like they're inside a kaleidoscope, which goes along with the storyline.  I wonder if that was what they were going for....






Find Me is available on the album "All We Have Left"

Click here to purchase the album on iTunes.

Katy Perry's Songs Are Always Better Once They've Been Boyced

Boyce Avenue released their third Katy Perry cover this week....an acoustic version of The One That Got Away.

A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about how Boyce Avenue can take a song that is just okay and turn it into something I love. Their covers of Katy Perry's songs are a perfect example of exactly what I'm talking about. I actually really like Katy's stuff. It's a lot of fun to dance to. But sometimes her lyrics are just a bit too suggestive for my tastes, and I think her overall image is a little bit inappropriate for the teenage girls who idolize her. So while I don't necessarily change the station when her songs come on the radio, I would never buy them.  I'd much rather support artists that demonstrate the notion that a song doesn't have to be raunchy or sexually explicit to be good.  Artists like Boyce Avenue, for example.

My personal opinion is that Katy Perry's songs are always better once they've been Boyced.  So I thought it would be fun to look at the three Katy Perry songs that Boyce Avenue has covered and invite you to see what I'm talking about. :)

First they did it with their cover of Teenage Dream. The original lyrics to this song suggest that getting drunk on the beach, getting a hotel room and going all the way (with no regrets) is romantic. Alejandro made this song so much better by changing the lyrics in the second verse and in the chorus, turning the message of the song into, "Let's take our time and get to know each other....there's no need to rush." I really admire and respect the choices that he made when he re-wrote the lyrics to this song. It sends a much more appropriate message to the teenage audience the song was originally targeted for.

(Sidenote: You know that "thump" I love in Dare To Believe? There's one in Teenage Dream, too....right as he hits that power note at the 3:00 mark, which also happens to be my favorite part of the song. ♥)




Then, there's Firework, a collaboration Boyce Avenue did with David Choi on the violin. This one amazes me, because even though the tempo of the song doesn't change from the original, it somehow seems more intimate, more personal, more meaningful. There's something about the softness of Alejandro's voice in this one just struck a chord with me.  I like to think he's singing it to people who are really struggling with low self-esteem, or are just in a dark place, encouraging them to remember how amazing they are, which is clearly the message intended with this song.

He also changed the lyrics in the bridge, replacing Katy's "Boom, boom, boom, even brighter than the moon, moon, moon...." with "So don't ever take your life for granted, you're the only one who needs to rule your world; when life leaves you feelin' empty-handed, light it up and show 'em what you're worth."

BOOM indeed!!  Just like that, the song is so much better.




And now, there's The One That Got Away. Like the others, the tempo doesn't change from the original, but it feels slower somehow, more meaningful. This song has heartbreaking lyrics, and Boyce Avenue's stripped down acoustic cover delivers the message of the song much more powerfully than the upbeat techno dance club feel of the original.

My favorite part of this cover is at the 3:45 mark. Alejandro gets really into the song and belts out, "The wahhhhhhhn, the wahhhhhhhn....." and it gives me goosebumps every time I hear it.




I would also like to mention that it's nice to see Fabian in this video.  somehow, seeing all three of the guys in their videos makes them feel complete to me.

So, there it is....that's why I say that Katy Perry's songs are always better once they've been Boyced. Do you agree? Disagree? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

NEW VIDEO: Wherever You Will Go (Acoustic Cover)

Earlier this week, Boyce Avenue tweeted that they would be releasing a video today for a heavily requested cover....

.....and this morning they released the video for their latest cover, a flawless acoustic version of The Calling's "Wherever You Will Go."

Indeed, this is a heavily requested cover....fans have been asking the guys to Boyce this one for quite a while, and judging from the reactions I've seen on Facebook and Twitter this morning, I think it's safe to say that they definitely did not let us down!!  :)

I can say with absolute certainty that this video is going to quickly make its way into my Top 10 Favorite Boyce Avenue videos.  The song is perfect for Alejandro's voice, and everything about this video is perfect, in my opinion.  The lighting, the close-ups, the intimacy and emotion, all combine perfectly to make this one a video that will have female fans swooning and hitting the replay button over and over again (myself included.)



I spend every Sunday morning chatting with several other hardcore fans about every detail of the newest video, and this morning, our attention was focused on the way Alejandro transitions from finger plucking the guitar strings to strumming and back to finger plucking again so effortlessly.  This isn't the first time I've mentioned how impressive I find this....I blogged about it when they released their video for "Jumper" back in October. That was the first time I had actually spotted the transition in one of their videos, and today, I noticed it right away, at the 2:08 mark.

But what I find even more baffling is the moment when he slaps the guitar strings at the 1:33 mark....it must still be in his palm, so I can only assume he moves it right back into place and starts strumming again.

How does he DO that?!

Maybe for people who play guitar, and especially one who plays as well as Alejandro does, this is a simple thing to do, as automatic as breathing, something he does without even thinking about it....but I find it amazing. Every time I notice something like this, it makes me respect him even more as a musician.

So, aside from all the gushing, and the obsessing over Alejandro's musical slight of hand, I do love this video, and I am happily sharing it on Facebook and Twitter.  While playing it on repeat.  :)

What do you think of Boyce Avenue's latest video? Share your thoughts in the comments!!

RIHANNA GETS BOYCED....AGAIN.

I've never really been a huge Rihanna fan, but Boyce Avenue has always had a way of making me like her songs.

The first time it happened was shortly after I discovered them on YouTube. I came across the video for their acoustic cover of "Disturbia" while browsing their YouTube channel. Then, I found the videos for their covers of "Umbrella" and "Hate That I Love You."

Check these out....this is vintage Boyce Avenue!!

UMBRELLA



HATE THAT I LOVE YOU



DISTURBIA



There's also a mash-up that they did of Justin Timberlake's "What Goes Around" and Rihanna's "Rehab" that is pure genius:

musicality: (noun) Tastefulness and accomplishment in music

In January of this year, they released a cover of Rihanna's "Only Girl" (a collaboration with the VERY talented Alex Goot.) I have always hated that song. I wanted to like it, because it had an awesome beat, but the lyrics were so raunchy, I couldn't bring myself to like it, let alone love it.

Then it got Boyced.

Alejandro changed the lyrics and turned what I thought was an incredibly shallow song into one of the most romantic covers they've ever done.

Boyce Avenue's cover of "Only Girl" completely changed the way I viewed Alejandro as an artist. I had always been impressed with him, but my admiration and respect reached new heights with his take on "Only Girl." It is one of my favorite Boyce Avenue Covers. I love the lyrics, I love how it picks up when the cajon kicks in on the second verse....I just love everything about it.



I have come to trust that when Boyce Avenue covers a Rihanna song, I'm gonna end up liking it in spite of myself. Their new acoustic cover of "We Found Love" is no exception....with Alejandro on the piano, and Daniel rockin' the cajon, it was bound to happen.



To purchase these and other songs from Boyce Avenue, including their original album All We Have Left, click on the album titles below, or visit www.itunes.com/BoyceAvenue.

"Umbrella" and "Hate That I Love You" are available on Acoustic Sessions, Volume 1

"Disturbia" and "What Goes Around/Rehab" are available on Acoustic Sessions, Volume 3

"Only Girl (In The World)" featurning Alex Goot is available on Cover Collaborations, Volume 1

"We Found Love" is available on New Acoustic Sessions, Volume 2

OFFICIAL VIDEO FOR DARE TO BELIEVE

Boyce Avenue released the official video for their original song "Dare To Believe" last weekend. The song was written by Alejandro Manzano. Here's what he has to say about "Dare to Believe" and what it means to him:

If you've ever found yourself in a moment in your life where you have to make a life-altering decision, and you just feel like you've hit rock bottom, and deep inside you know something has to change, this song is about that pivotal moment where you try your best to turn it all around for the better. You might fail...you might succeed....that's irrelevant. what's important is that you dared to try."

This is easily my favorite original song by Boyce Avenue, for very personal reasons. I've kinda been going back and forth for the past week, trying to decide how much of it I want to share here on the blog. I finally decided to just sit down and write whatever comes to mind, so please forgive me if this post is a little bit disjointed.

"Dare To Believe" really resonated with me the very first time I heard it. It was a different version of the song, on Boyce Avenue's first album, All You're Meant To Be. At the time, I was married, but my marriage was not happy....in fact, it had just started to really fall apart when I first discovered the guys on YouTube. My husband and I both had people close to us, friends and family, telling us that it wasn't worth it,and that we should just call it quits and go our separate ways. It was so frustrating for me, because I still believed in us....I believed that if we could just forgive each other for all the wrongs we had done and somehow get back to why we fell in love to begin with, that we could somehow heal the wounds in our marriage.

When I heard "Dare to Believe" for the first time, the lyrics seemed to represent everything I was feeling at the time. I listened to it over and over again and held on to the hope that somehow, everything would work out.

Less than a year later, the marriage ended. I returned to Seattle, where I had spent most of my life, and started over. I felt incredibly hopeless and I was so depressed. I had fought so hard to make the marriage work, and I had failed. eight years of my life was just...gone. It was not too long after this that All We Have Left was released. The first time I heard the piano version of "Dare To Believe" I was laying in my room, and as soon as the music started, I began to cry. As I listened, this feeling of peace came over me, and I knew that even though things hadn't turned out the way I had hoped they would, everything was going to be okay.

That was 16 months ago. I am still single. I live in a small one-bedroom apartment with my dog, and I am happier than I have ever been in my life. Sure, it gets lonely, and it still makes me sad to think that the life I had hoped for didn't turn out the way I thought it would. But I knew that something had to change, and I dared to believe that I would somehow find happiness in the wake of a failed marriage. I'm grateful for the time we had together, every minute of it, because it changed me for the better. It helped me to grow into the strong, independent woman I am today. And it taught me a lot about forgiveness.

I love the words in the chorus of this song:

No more, we're gonna lose everything, if we believe all the lies....No more, this world's runnin' on empty, and there's no reason why....

There is far too much negativity, too much hostility, too much anger in the world. We are quick to anger, and slow to forgive. Why do we do that to each other? It's such a sad thing to see so much hurt in the world.

"Dare to Believe" has become a sort of anthem for my life over the last two years, and it means so much more to me than I can put into words, but my interpretation of it is pretty straightforward, and it can be summed up in two words from the second verse:

Embrace forgiveness

I really believe that this is the key to happiness. Love one another. Forgive one another. Don't give in to the anger, the hate, the negativity, the hostility....because if we do, nobody wins.

I am thrilled to share this video. It's a beautiful song, with a simple, yet powerful message.



Please feel free to share your thoughts about the video, and about what the song means to you, in the comments. ♥

NEW VIDEO: An Acoustic Cover of Third Eye Blind's "Jumper"

Boyce Avenue fans are so spoiled....a new video every week is really impressive, especially from a band who is touring as extensively as these guys are. Their latest video is a great cover of Third Eye Blind's Jumper, which was released on iTunes on October 15th.

I know I'm always talking about how awesome Alejandro is in my video reviews....his voice, his guitar playing, his overall awesomeness, and this video has all of that. I especially love the guitar from 2:34 to 2:54. He goes from strumming with a pick, to fingerpicking, and back to strumming with a pick, and makes it look effortless. At first, I was confused as to where the pick disappears to, but if you watch closely, you can actually see him tuck it away as part of the transition, and then pull it back out again. It's pretty cool....he does it with such finesse, it's easy to miss unless you're watching for it.



I also want to take a moment to express some love and appreciation to Daniel....that guy can rock a Cajon like nobody's business!! I have always thought drums in general were very cool, and I'm a big fan of the Cajon. I love how primitive it is. I love the sound it produces. The first video I ever saw from Boyce Avenue was their cover of One Republic's Apologize and I remember watching Daniel play the Cajon and thinking to myself, "What in the world is that box he's pounding on??" At the time, I thought it looked like a fairly easy instrument to play, but I'm sure it's more complicated than it looks.

These guys are just so talented, and I have so much respect for them. Because of Boyce Avenue, I have a greater love and appreciation for music in general, especially acoustic music. I've learned so much about the ways you can manipulate a guitar to produce different sounds from it. I'm always asking Alejandro about musical techniques.  He's really good about answering my questions, and he does it in a way that makes it easy to understand. It makes me appreciate music even more, and respect him even more as a musician. The fact that he takes the time to answer my questions at all is just further proof of what a cool guy he is. But I digress.

Jumper is available on iTunes on the New Acoustic Sessions, Volume 2 Album.

Emy's Concert Recap: Chicago

Boyce Avenue Street Teamer Emy Petraityte was at the Boyce Avenue show at Chicago's Riviera Theater on Friday night.  Because Emy went out and promoted the show as part of Boyce Avenue's Street Team, she was given a private Meet & Greet after the show with the guys.

This is not the first time Emy has been Featured on the Get Boyced!! Blog....she was our Featured Fan in May, and she was also the mastermind behind the Dare to Believe Fan Project.

Below is Emy's concert review and recap from Friday night's show in Chicago.

Before the Show

Since this was my second Boyce Avenue concert, I was even more excited than I was for the first one, because I knew what was coming. We decided to leave at exactly the right time, so that we wouldn’t have to wait in line outside, but also so we wouldn’t miss the opening acts. When we drove out, however, we got stuck in traffic for quite some time. I was starting to get worried, but we made it safe and on time to the venue.

When we drove past the venue, there was a line. Let me tell you.. it was HUGE! It curled around the corner and went down about half a block or so. As we were making our way towards the venue after we parked our car, the line was already diminishing because they had opened the doors. Across the street, I saw [Boyce Avenue's] tour bus, so we walked over to take a picture. My mom kept asking me how I knew it was theirs, and we took a look at the license plates.....Florida!

Emy and the Tour Bus

After that, we went inside and found ourselves way in the back of the crowd. The venue was filled with people.  It was insanely crowded! We got a good spot, though because we were right on the stairs, so we could clearly see everything....just from far away.

Opening Acts

First, Alex Goot came out.  He only played like 5 or 6 songs. He’s amazing, and I wish he had a longer set. A lot of people seemed to know who he was and sang along.

Next, Green River Ordinance came out, and nobody had any idea who they were. Their set was a little bit fancier than Alex Goot’s. They had tons of lights and used the whole stage. They were alright. Not my favorite kind of music, but they were good. One of their last songs, they covered “Baby” by Justin Bieber. You could hear boo’s and silence in the crowd. The lead singer, Josh, asked the crowd to forget that it’s a Bieber song and just sing along to the catchy tune. Many people did sing along, and it was fun! The last song that they played, they did an “Acoustic” set right in front of the crowd. This was NOT a good idea. First of all, they asked the crowd to be quiet for this to work, but nobody paid attention, so basically for about 3 minutes, they were  jamming in the front, with a small crowd around them. The rest of us couldn’t hear ANYTHING. It was disappointing.

Boyce Avenue

When Boyce Avenue came out, the crowd went CRAZY!!! Their entrance was really cool :) They entered one by one, with an awesome lights show going on! :) The crowd was very into them! They sang along to every song and the guys kept repeating how much they loved Chicago and how crazy we were.

They played all of their originals [from "All We Have Left"] as well as many covers. It was amazing! About halfway into the show, Alejandro informed the crowd that he’d be doing some songs on the keyboard. Somebody whistled really loud and Alejandro was like, “Yessss. The sexy keyboard....” and they all chuckled. During the change between two songs, some girls were screaming really loud and one of the guys (don’t recall which one) called the crowd rowdy so we all started screaming even louder.  Everyone was dancing and singing along to all the songs! More people were singing to covers, but I was surprised to hear how many people knew their originals too! When Alejandro asked if this was anybody’s first Boyce Avenue concert, many hands went up! I went to a Boyce Avenue show last year, but this crowd and this venue was much bigger and better than last year! It was the best concert I’ve ever been to! 

After the Show

Since I had done promotion in Chicago for the Street Team, I got a private meet and greet with the guys after the show! I was told to go to the merchandise table and ask Hook to direct me to the tour manager. Towards the end of the show, we walked over to the merchandise table to make sure we knew where we were going before the show ended. Hook wasn’t there....instead some mean guy from the venue was standing there selling t-shirts. When I asked him about it, he was very rude. He kept telling me he knew nothing more than I did, with so much attitude. All I asked was if he knew what I was talking about. Anyways, I got really nervous because I had no idea where Hook was. My mom insisted we go ask security people around the venue. So we did, and only one of them knew what I was talking about. He told me to stand by the door until the concert ended.


For some reason, I was worried that I wasn’t in the right place because I never found Hook. So we stood against the wall, and watched the last two songs of the show. Suddenly, as the crowd was exiting the theatre, I spotted Hook, and I ran to him. I showed him the email I got that told me the instructions and he asked me my name. When I told him, he’s like “Yup! You’re the one.” So he walked us outside to this alley, and the first thing he asked was, “How’d you know how to find me?” I said, “I was told to find Hook!” He was like, “Yeah, but how’d you know I was Hook?” I told him I had seen pictures online, and he surprisingly asked me what pictures I had seen and I simply replied, “Hook....you’re all over facebook.” He seemed so excited!


After about five minutes, he asked us to stand by the door, until he went and told the guys I was coming. When he came back out to get us, he led us down some stairs and through a hallway. The last room on the left, was their dressing room. He asked me if I was ready, and I simply replied “I have no idea.” I was freaking out!


When I walked in, the guys suddenly stood up from the couches and Fabian was the first who approached me. He was like, “Hey! I’m Fabian! What’s your name?” and leaned in for a hug. That’s when I lost all my nervousness. They were so down to earth and easy to talk to! When Alejandro hugged me, he said, “Summerluver!” and I FREAKED out! I was like, “Oh, my goodness! You guys know who I am!” They all started laughing and Alejandro added, “Everybody knows who summerluver is!”

I gave them the scrapbook I had made for them. They flipped through a couple pages, laughing, and told me they’ll make sure to dig through it later.

Looking at Emy's scrapbook

Fabian asked me about my t-shirt, and I also told him I have a These Quiet Sounds shirt and he was like, "Do you really??"  He seemed so proud!

It was amazing. They referred to me as Summerluver the whole time, until Fabian asked me what my real name was. They are all so cool, and so surprisingly easy to talk to. I felt so at ease around them. We talked for a good five minutes, one on one....Daniel asked us about our trip to Sarasota, Florida and what we thought of it.  He asked me what the first Boyce Avenue video was that I saw.  It was awesome.

BA Silliness!!

Fabian’s phone rang and he took the call outside and didn’t come back. When I was walking out, he saw me and waved.  It was the best night of my life!

If you haven’t seen Boyce Avenue live in concert yet, you’re missing out! The most talented, sweet, and humble guys EVER!!!

Best. Night. Of.  My.  Life!!!

Thanks, Emy, for sharing your night with all of us!! Looks like you had an amazing time!!

Boyce Avenue Covers One Direction's What Makes You Beautiful

Boyce Avenue's latest cover, a softer, "Boyced" version of One Direction's What Makes you Beautiful, was released on iTunes on October 15th, and the video was uploaded to YouTube on October 16th.

I had never heard of One Direction until I saw Boyce fans on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter requesting a Boyce Avenue cover of What Makes You Beautiful. So, I decided to look them up. :)

One Direction are a British-Irish boy band, consisting of members Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson. They finished third on the seventh series of The X Factor. All five of the band's members applied as solo candidates to the competition, but failed to qualify for the "Boys" category. At the suggestion of guest judge Nicole Scherzinger, the five teens were put into a band, thus qualifying for the "Groups" category. After the elimination of the other three groups within four weeks, they became Simon Cowell's last act in the competition, and finished third behind runner-up Rebecca Ferguson and winner Matt Cardle.

Aside from the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync, I'm not generally a fan of boy bands, and One Direction is no exception. When I heard Boyce Avenue was going to be covering their song, I went and found their video for What Makes You Beautiful on YouTube.




Not gonna lie....they're just a little too....well, boy bandish for my tastes.  Some of the lyrics, in my opinion, are uber cheesy. ("So girl, c'mon...you got it wrong...to prove I'm right I put it in a song..."or "The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed....")

If this song came on the radio, chances are very good my reaction would be, "GAH!! Sorry, boys...." and a quick change of the station.

Enter Boyce Avenue.

Because I'm a Boyce Avenue junkie, and I know what Alejandro is capable of, I'll give any song that they cover a chance.

I still think the lyrics are pretty cheesy.  But there's one line in the chorus that, when I hear Alejandro sing it, somehow becomes romantic and charming:

"You don't know you're beautiful....that's what makes you beautiful."

Suddenly, the message of the song shines through: humility is beautiful. And, just like that, over the last few days, the Boyced version of "What Makes You Beautiful" has started to grow on me, cheesy lyrics and all.

So, once again, Boyce Avenue has taken a song I would not normally care for at all, and made me like it. A lot. It just strengthens for me the theory that a lot of the mainstream music out there has potential....it's just the wrong artist singing it, or the wrong arrangement, or it just needs a few simple changes to take it from good to great. Boyce Avenue demonstrates this again and again with their take of so many songs. It's one of the things I love about them.




But wait, there's more!!

Today, I was in my happy place (listening to Boyce Avenue on headphones) and I heard an oh-so-subtle "thump" in the chorus, right when Alejandro sings, "That's what makes you beautiful." It reminded me of the "thump" in Dare To Believe, but since there's no piano in What Makes You Beautiful, I was very curious to know what it was. So, I asked him about it.

Me: Soooo....I swear I can hear a subtle percussive "thump" in What Makes You Beautiful...every time you sing, "...That's what makes you beautiful..." in the chorus. What is it? It sounds very much like the "thump" I love so much in Dare To Believe, but it's more subtle. I'm not imagining it, am I??

Alejandro: slapping the electric strings. you can see it in one of the shots in the video ;)

Sure enough, at the :54 mark, you can see exactly what he's talking about:

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love these little details....instrumental subtleties that Alejandro puts into the songs. The timing of this little "thump" really resonated with me, because with that subtle little sound, "You don't know you're beautiful....that's what makes you beautiful," becomes, "You don't know....you don't know you're beautiful....that's what makes you beautiful." Maybe it's just my interpretation of the arrangement, but I can't help but wonder if Alejandro included it to drive the point of the song home. Intentional or not, it's perfectly timed, and to be honest, it's what makes me love the song. ♥

Boyce Avenue's version of What Makes You Beautiful is available on the New Acoustic Sessions, Volume 2 Album on iTunes. Click here to preview/buy the album.

Fan Q&A With Boyce Avenue

Monday night, Andrea Smith interviewed Boyce Avenue before their Ottawa show.  As a writer for a music blog, Andrea was given the opportunity to interview the guys....and, as part of her interview, she decided to put the word out on Twitter and Facebook, asking fans to submit some questions for the guys.  Andrea has been a fan of Boyce Avenue since 2007 when she first saw them perform, but this was the first time she has had the opportunity to talk with them.

Andrea and the guys

Andrea contacted me and asked me if I wanted to feature the Fan Q&A portion of her interview on the Get Boyced!! Blog....and of course, I responded with a very enthusiastic "OMG!!  YES!!"

I have to applaud Andrea for her creativity....she placed each of the selected questions into a "Falloon" and then Fabian popped each one (a task he became famous for in their "Falloon Massacre" vlog) and read the questions.

Andrea's interview and concert review will be posted online soon, and I will post a link to it as soon as it is available. But for now, here are the fans' questions, and the guys' answers.  :)


My name is Morgan, I'm 20 and I come from Metz, France, and I would like to ask Alejandro, Fabian and Daniel if they would ever be interested in a French collaboration?

D: Absolutely!  I mean we don't....we don't speak French, but I bet we could....try....
A: (chuckles)
D: ....and if there are any French YouTubers out there, we hope to hear of them and maybe we'll make something happen.

When will you be coming to other countries? Like maybe somewhere in the Middle East? Preferably Dubai :) - Hiba Tamimi, Dubai (@BoycedFan on twitter)

A: I'd love to go to Dubai.
F: We try to hit as many countries as possible, it's just sometimes you have to be
invited, or maybe there's politics going on.

If you didn’t have a career in music at present, what job would you most probably have instead? - Aroob Mallhi, Pakistan (@BoycedScout on twitter)

A: Psychiatrist, or Therapist. I'd be Dr Phil.
F: Graphic Designer probably
D: I'd be an attorney still

I [sing] my loudest when I'm in the shower, so my question for the three of you is, excluding performances, when are you at your loudest? - David, from 2nerdstalk on tumblr

F: I like to sing the loudest in the car.
A: After the show on the bus, when we're blasting some dance music.

I was wondering when Boyce Avenue was going to expand their tour a little more, for example coming to other large but considered sub cities of states, such as Syracuse NY, Rochester NY, Buffalo NY, or Binghamton NY. Myself and friends would love to go to one of their shows to see them live but NYC and Pittsburgh (PA) is too far for me and my friends to travel to on week nights. We love their music and hope expansion of BA comes soon, not just for shows but everything in general! - Robert from Woodhull, NY

D: Good question! We're in the process of trying to book a tour for around March. We've played Philly but we haven't played Pittsburgh. Haven't played Denver or Salt Lake in a while. So we're working on getting more shows in smaller cities.
A: We definitely want to play for markets we've never played before.

What is the one craziest or most unexpected thing that's ever happened while you've been on tour? - Crystal from West Virginia

D: Probably this, to be honest!
A: Yeah, getting a bunch of Falloons w/questions in them (looks pointedly at interviewer) ....definitely crazy.

Are you afraid of the 6th November (EMAs), because this day will change your life forever? I'm so excited to see you guys on TV!! - Johanna, Austria

D: Actually, we won't be on TV. The outdoor event probably won't be broadcast, but we're just excited to be playing. All 15,000 tickets sold out in a minute.

When you record your videos, the timing of the audio from the studio recording with the video is just so dead on, and I've always wondered how you accomplish that. Can you explain the process? Do you play the audio from the studio recording while you're filming the video, and just play along and sing along with it? - Melenie in Seattle (@melenie_s on twitter)

F: There's a lot of technical cables and vibrations, and, uh...stuff going on.
(Laughs)
D: we do it in the studio, find what we're comfortable with and just work from that. Over time with our video and Audio team we’ve been able to figure out what we like.
A: Lots of cameras and rehearsals to get it right.

Alejandro, in the story behind the song video for On My Way, you said you were inspired to write the song after watching a movie, what movie was it?? - Talia, Gold Coast, Australia.

D: Let's just say inspiration comes from strange places.
A: I’m sure nobody really wants to know the answer to that one :)

What are your dream collaborations? Dead & live artists? - Jo 'aka' Skittles from Scotland, Boyce Avenue Street Team America Admin & Boyce Avenue Street Team UK & Ireland Officer (@skittles_ba on twitter)

A: Keith Urban, for sure
D: (to A) What about dead?
A: Michael Jackson

Boyce Avenue, if there's one famous song today or from the past that you wish you have written what would it be and why? -Ana from the Philippines (@anaeiram on twitter)

F: ‘Iris’, or ‘Happy Birthday’. Just for the residuals! (laughs)
A: ‘Stop This Train’ by John Mayer or ‘Say’, either one
D: I think ‘Iris’


And, just for fun, here is a little bit of vloggy goodness.....Andrea's "blooper reel" from her Fan Q&A with the guys.



A couple of thoughts:

• Alejandro's laugh is infectious.
• My question about the music video process received a very vague answer.....I will have to address this more thoroughly the next time I see the guys and get a more detailed answer.  =P

A big thanks to Andrea for asking me to host this on the Get Boyced!! blog.....it was an honor to be invited to be a part of this!! And of course a big HUGE thanks to Alejandro, Daniel and Fabian for taking the time to answer some questions from the fans!!  We love you guys!!

I'm Forever Yours.....Faithfully

Journey's "Faithfully" is easily one of my favorite songs of all time, so when Boyce Avenue decided to cover it, I wasn't really sure what to expect. I knew it would be good....everything Boyce Avenue does is incredible. But I knew that no matter how good Boyce Avenue's version of it was, it wouldn't top the original for me.

Staying true to form, Alejandro has come up with an arrangement that pays homage to the original, but at the same time, he has made it his own. I would have loved to have seen him do this one on the piano, and I think I would love it so much more if he had.



My personal opinion: Boyce Avenue's cover is not as good as the original, but I really didn't expect it to be in this case. I love these guys. I love everything they do. This cover is no exception. They have done the song justice, and I think it's safe to say that Steve Perry would be proud. ♥

The song is available on iTunes on the New Acoustic Sessions, Volume 2 album.

Check out the video for the original version by Journey below:

Another Great Collab from Boyce Avenue and Tyler Ward

Last week, Boyce Avenue released the video for the first of two collaborations Boyce Avenue did with fellow YouTuber Tyler Ward. This week they released the second one....a beautiful cover of Coldplay's "Fix You."

I wasn't too familiar with the original by Coldplay (shame on me) but I went and listened to it a couple of months ago when a friend mentioned it was one of her favorite songs EVER. Great song, but it didn't really resonate with me until I heard Boyce Avenue's take on it....this tends to happen on a pretty regular basis.



This cover is just amazing. It's very quickly moving its way up on my list of favorite Boyce Avenue covers. Alejandro and Tyler sound so good together! But honestly for me, the best part of the video is from about 2:33 on. Alejandro plays that guitar riff so flawlessly (I love Daniel's face at 2:37...you can tell he's very proud of Alejandro)....the control and emotion in Alejandro's voice from 3:55 to 4:22 is amazing.....and Daniel is rockin' that Cajon!! :)

One thing I did notice while watching Coldplay's video for "Fix You" is that they seem to put on an amazing live show, and their fans LOVE them. As an artist, I would think to hear thousands and thousands of people singing your songs would be such an amazing experience. Just for fun, here's Coldplay's video for "Fix You":

NEW VIDEO FEATURING TYLER WARD!!

Boyce Avenue recently collaborated with fellow YouTuber Tyler Ward, who will be opening for them on the upcoming European leg of their Fall Tour. Together, they recorded two new acoustic covers: Coldplay's Fix You and Fuel's Shimmer.

Tyler has said that Boyce Avenue is one of his biggest influences, and fans have been requesting a Boyce Avenue/Tyler Ward collab for quite some time now. (Watch the guys talk about this at the end of the video.)

Today, Boyce Avenue released the video for Shimmer.  Have a look.  And a listen.  :)



I like it.....I had never heard the original by Fuel....or if I had, I didn't remember it. So, I went and looked for it, and while I couldn't find an "official video" for the song, I found this version of it, performed live on VH1's Storytellers....10 years ago. And now I know now why I don't remember the song. It's because I never would have listened to it. It was not then, nor is it now, my kind of music.

For comparison, here's the video of Fuel performing "Shimmer" live.  Notice the title of it says it's the "best version" ...I beg to differ. I assert that the Boyce Avenue/Tyler Ward version DOMINATES Fuel's version, and is therefore, in my book at least, the "best version." But what do I know? I'm biased.  You be the judge.



Once again, Boyce Avenue has taken a song that I would never listen to and made me listen to it repeatedly. They're very good at that. :)

Side note: It just so happens that Tyler Ward & Crew kicked off their first US/Canada Tour two nights ago right here in Seattle, and I went and checked them out.  IT WAS AMAZING!! (More on that later this week in another post.)

What do you think of the new video? And for those of you in Europe, how excited are you that Tyler will be opening for Boyce Avenue in November?

Share your thoughts in the comments below!!

Fix You and Shimmer are now available on Boyce Avenue's Cover Collaborations, Vol. 2 on iTunes.

Gwen's BA California Adventure

You guys might recall from Kimmy's Boyce Avenue Tour Recap that she met up in San Francisco with Gwen from Boyce Avenue Street Team Australia. Gwen knew that she wouldn't be able to be at any of Boyce Avenue's Europe shows (she is currently preparing to travel the world!!) but she is still one lucky lady....she got to go to all three of Boyce Avenue's California shows.  Here's Gwen's recap of her awesome California Boyce Avenue Adventure!!

My Boyce Avenue Marathon

So, my adventure started with this trip to California with my friend Camille. I knew I wouldn’t be in Europe for Boyce Avenue's 2011 Fall Tour, so I decided to go to the US. Of course, I didn’t come only for them but they were the "trigger" that made me go to California. What a perfect combo: a trip to Cali, and my favorite band! :D

Gwen and Camille enjoying the California sunshine

Camille and I spent the 2 first weeks in the US road tripping and it was amazing, we had so much fun, and finally the date of the first concert came.

Boyce Avenue's Fall Tour Rolls On - San Francisco

Boyce Avenue played the third show of their 2011 Fall US/Canada Tour on Tuesday night at the legendary Fillmore in San Francisco, and I got an awesome recap and review of the show from Kimmy Warne....

Before The Show

Having never met Boyce Avenue before, I decided to buy a Meet and Greet package. I got to the venue around 5:30 and met up with Gwen, whom I had met online, of course through Boyce Avenue. She had met the guys a few times before, and leads the Australia Street Team – so it was exciting to be there with someone who was just as passionate about their music as I am.

Kimmy and Gwen

We waited outside the venue until around 6:00pm with the other M&G’s, then a staff member led us upstairs in the Fillmore, where we were to meet Boyce Avenue! As we walked up the stairs and turned the corner, there they were! It was pretty surreal; I am a fairly new fan, but it was still weird to be standing right in front of them. There were about 15 of us for the M&G, and it was extremely quick. We all lined up, and an employee handed us all VIP Meet and Greet necklace laminates, and pre-signed Boyce Avenue posters with all of their tour dates and locations listed. When they saw Gwen they started talking to her and giving her hugs, since they knew her from Street Teaming and prior shows. I was next, and it was literally seconds. I had made a collage for them, so they handed that to them, and they seemed appreciative. I didn’t have time to say much, but I had written on the back of the collage, which basically stated everything I would have said anyway. I told them how excited I was for the show, and how proud I was that they were playing at the Fillmore, and then got a picture with them. I was surprised I wasn’t nervous – I think a mixture of excitement and being with others, made me feel at ease. They didn’t say much; of course thanked us for coming to the show, but overall, it was pretty brief.

Kimmy and the guys before the show

A Weekend With Boyce Avenue, Part Two: Vancouver, B.C.

My weekend with Boyce Avenue didn't end in Seattle....the next day, I made the 3-hour drive up to Vancouver, B.C. with my friend Monica to see them again. This was my first time to ever visit Canada....even as a kid, growing up in upstate New York, my adventures had never taken me into Canada. I was so excited that my first time there was for such an occasion. :)

Click on the "Read more..." link below for my recap of the day and my review of the second show on Boyce Avenue's 2011 US/Canada Fall Tour.

A Weekend With Boyce Avenue, Part One: Seattle

I went to see Boyce Avenue as they kicked off their 2011 US/Canada Fall Tour in Seattle, Washington at the Showbox at the Market. Before the show, I had a VIP Meet & Greet with the guys (available through Artist Arena.)  I also got a special Meet & Greet with them after the show for doing promo/street teaming.

Click on the "Read more..." link below for my recap of the day and my review of the first show on Boyce Avenue's 2011 US/Canada Fall Tour.

NEW VIDEO: Maroon 5's "She Will Be Loved" - Acoustic Cover featuring Tiffany Alvord

This cover was released on iTunes a few weeks ago....lots of fans asked for this one, and once again, Boyce Avenue doesn't disappoint.  This collaboration was the second with fellow YouTuber Tiffany Alvord.





Even though I bought this on iTunes the day it was available, I haven't really listened to it as much as some of their other covers, so I haven't gotten lost in the music the way I often do with these guys.  But the videos always make me "discover" something new in the song, and this time it was the guitar at 3:45.  I just love it....the sound, the melody, and of course watching Alejandro play the guitar never gets old for me.

Alejandro has always been so great about talking to fans on his Facebook Wall, and I've asked him so many questions about technique....one thing I've learned from him is that the guitar is a very versatile instrument, and I love all the amazing sounds that can come from it based on how it's being played, or what it's hooked up to.  Delay, reverb, an e-bow, harmonics....each technique produces a different sound and gives the music its personality.

I can't believe they'll be kicking off their US/Canada Fall Tour here in Seattle in less than a week!!  I'm beside myself with excitement and anticipation!!

Dare To Believe: Boyce Avenue in Sydney - Concert Review by Tommy Schroeter

Last Sunday, Daniel from Boyce Avenue was interviewed by Dave Hammond on the Australian Radio Show The Conversation. At the end of the interview Daniel personally invited Dave and the team at Fusion Western Sydney to come see the show at the Enmore Theater.

The Conversation's Entertainment Producer Tommy Schroeter offered to write a recap/review of the show for Get Boyced!! YAY!!

The Mood when I walked into Enmore had a great sense of energy. It was like a buzz I had not felt before as we were all assigned our seats or directed to the floor space to dance and sing the night away. It dawned on me very quickly we were in for a great night and to be prepared to be blessed.

Tommy & Friends outside The Enmore Theater

It was no sooner had that happened that the lights dimmed and on stage appeared former Australian Idol Winner Wes Carr. It’s been a while since us Aussie’s have heard from him, and his new tunes are amazing. He gave an amazing set including a touching and humorous tribute to his Nana who had only a few hours to live. Vocally Wes has never sounded better and I think he even recruited some new fans follow him on twitter on (@Wescarrmusic)

Set highlights: “Been A Long Time”, “Love Is an Animal”, “Blood and Bone”, “Gloria”.

But as the crowd sang along with Wes and clapped, it was only a mere murmur as we all eagerly awaited the arrival of the three boys we had truly rocked up to see....BOYCE AVENUE!!

The lights shone bright, and as the sound techs walked across the stage the crowd
went crazy....while the screams were reaching fever pitch, Fabian, Daniel and Ladies' Favorite Alejandro Manzano arrived on stage and the moment the first note was sung I knew we were in for a party bigger than that we had on New Years Eve 1999!

Photo by Boyce Avenue

We heard everything from Wonderwall (can I just add that was the best crowd sing-along I have ever been a part of?!?!) to Teenage Dream to Dynamite...the night was off to an amazing start!

A lot of love was in the room....but for many the stand out moments were when the boys showcased the gift of songwriting each of them has as tracks they had written were performed.

The tear-jerking moment came when Daniel [shared] the sad story behind “Briane.” The
song speaks volumes and sounded like we had been transported to that very moment in
time. For me I'm a very visual person and could just imagine what it must have felt like the moment [Briane's death] happened. I'm so encouraged that people like Boyce Avenue are being a voice for this generation, raising awareness for suicide and sending out a positive message for those who have the chance to hear it.

Another amazing moment was when “Every Breath” was performed, and to hear 2,000
rowdy Aussies singing along note by note with Alejandro.

One thing I discovered about the boys is that they are very humble and for me the most
inspiring moment came when Alejandro spoke about being happy being single and how he knows in the right place and time that “the one” will appear. As a single male of a
similar age it was so refreshing to hear that I'm not the only one having those thoughts and the moment the opening keys started playing “On My Way” I was taken on a journey. This particular song has been a bit of an anthem for me of late as I have been moving forward in my own life journey. I love the words, the tune...everything about this track is magical. [It] was definitely one of the highlights of the night for many.

“Find me” was the moment that the entire audience was hanging off every lyric. It was a very surreal and and moving version. “Broken Angel” for me was such a powerful message...as a youth worker in Western Sydney we are faced with a lot of people who are struggling so to hear the story behind this song was very encouraging to see that there can be hope at the end of the tunnel.

Photo by Tommy Schroeter

Another crowd favorite was “Rolling In The Deep.” There was foot stomping going on all over the Enmore and voices singing out those lyrics with the boys.... it was a rocking and amazing moment as this version is so unique yet true to Adele’s smash...I think that’s why people love it so much.

As the show was drawing to a close the {journey] that the boys had taken us on was still very real in the atmosphere. It was such a unique and spine tingling moment.

But for me the greatest moment came when Alejandro sat a single piano to sing what has
become an anthem in all that I do of late: “Dare To Believe.” When the chorus kicked in I couldn't help but sing along. "Dare To Believe" flowed into the grand finale, "Hear Me Now.” The crowd got split [for a sing-along] and Alejandro got pulled into the crowd by girls (all vying for the title of Mrs. Manzano) but made it back on stage with an epic leap of faith...

“Iris” proved the surprise hit of the night with the 2000 strong crowd singing it word
for word and even chanting “One More , One More” in the song break to which Alejandro
responded “We’ll do one more when we finish this one!” Hahaha, it was a great end to a great show.

After the show we got to head backstage (or should I say under the stage) to meet the
brothers and it was such a special time for us all. They were all so friendly as we spoke about things from Wes Carr to The Australian People to Fabian's guitar-playing faces to the tour and how they will be back. It was so nice meeting them and having [some] great laughs as well.

The photo below shows the Conversation Host Dave Hammond his Wife Sallie and some
of his children: Jonah, Daisy and Rubie, along with a young person who does creative arts projects with us at Fusion Western Sydney named Aaron, fellow youth worker James and myself. I love this photo is shows a sense of community amongst us and the boys and we all hope that this relationship we are developing with the boys and their management can be ongoing.

Dave Hammond, Aaron, Alejandro, Daniel, James (in front), Fabian, Rubie, Jonah, Tommy and Sally

In closing, I went in with very high expectations of the show but left in a very different place....one that was filled with admiration and inspiration. One thing I learned is that if you have a dream, to chase it, no matter where you come from and what it is. For Boyce Avenue it started with a single video uploaded to YouTube that has turned into over 300,000 subscribers and has given them the chance to tour the world sharing stories of hope and inspiration.

I also think that Boyce Avenue have become another voice for this generation as they bring hope to youth and people the world over, [whether] it be through an original or a cover.

This quote sums up what I'm trying to say....“If you don't dream big, there's no use of dreaming. If you don't have faith, there's nothing worth believing.” ~Justin Bieber


I think it's safe to say, Tommy has been BOYCED!! Muahaha!! :)

Great recap, Tommy!! Thanks so much for taking the time to write it, and for sharing it with Get Boyced!! Glad you enjoyed the show so much. :)

Another Enthusiastic Review From Melbourne!!

Well, it's obvious from Twitter and Facebook that Boyce Avenue have left a TON of very satisfied fans in their wake as they say goodbye to Australia and head back to the states.  It has been so much fun reading everyone's thoughts about the shows, and it's very clear that the guys had a blast in the "Land Down Under."

I received another review today from a VERY enthusiastic fan who saw Boyce Avenue's show at the Forum in Melbourne earlier this week.  Lauchie is a great BA fan and an aspiring guitarist, and he offered a very detailed and entertaining play-by-play of his entire experience.  :)

It was a cold winter night on the 8th of August when,  after weeks of disappointment,  I found out that Boyce Avenue’s Melbourne show was All Ages (via Boyce Avenue Street Team Australia’s Facebook Page.)  After some research and talks with my parents, we decided that I could go and we bought two tickets (for my Mum and me.)  The next day was my birthday! So I had to wait a couple of weeks but at least they put out more covers to keep me from going crazy! We got the tickets in the mail during the first week and that made it real...it was actually happening.

After school on the 25th of August we started on our way to Melbourne (about a 1½ hour trip.) We plugged my iPhone into the car and blasted Boyce Avenue covers and originals. We parked a couple of blocks away [from the Forum] and walked down. Once we got there, we had a quick chat to one of the bouncers and turned the corner to find we were the first ones there. This made me even more excited because [I] realized that we were going to be at the front of the line. It was about 5:30 in the afternoon and the doors were not opening until 7:45. So we sat down and waited.

After about 20 minutes, more people started to show up.  We started to hear faint music coming [from inside]....it was Boyce Avenue starting their sound-check. We [struck up a conversation with] the girl sitting next to us, and we actually talked right up to 7:45 and stayed together all night.

At 7:15 the bouncers put us into the line they had made and things started to fall into place. Right at 7:45, they opened the doors. I ran over to the Merchandise Stand and bought a t-shirt and the All We Have Left CD. Then we waited for the Auditorium Doors to open at 8:00.

As soon as the doors opened, I got three positions saved on the barrier for my Mum, our new friend and myself...which was right in front of where Alejandro would be standing!

We talked while waiting for the support act (Mark Wilkinson) to come on. While waiting I tried to take pictures of the setlist, and while I failed, the girls next to us did not.  The setlist was great and we all were beaming with excitement. I read out the excited Boyce Avenue tweets to everyone until 8:25, when Mark came out. He was actually pretty good but the only song that really stood out for me (and Mum also) was the song about Benny about being bullied (I may have forgotten the name.)

Mark finished at 9:05 and we had to wait fifteen minutes for Boyce Avenue to come out. Someone came out and hid behind the drum kit, sticking his head out to watch the crowd every so often. We also got our photos taken by one of them to put on Twitter. One of the roadies moved Alejandro’s microphone stand closer to us. This made us all go quiet for a few seconds, realizing he was going to be so close.

At 9:20 the guys came out and [opened with] Daylight, which then quickly turned into Tonight and the crowd was pumped and started to sing along.  Tonight [transitioned] into Not Enough and after some talking with the crowd Alejandro grabbed an acoustic guitar and played the best version of Wonderwall I had ever heard, with a guitar solo and everything. That was followed by More Things To Say, which had an awesome acoustic guitar solo played by Alejandro! He then swapped guitars and they all sat on stools to play Find Me, Teenage Dream, Grenade, and Briane. They all then stood up and played When The Lights Die.

Photo by Xenia Agrotis

Alejandro swapped his electric guitar for a keyboard and belted out Broken Angel and On My Way. The he was back on his acoustic guitar and played Change Your Mind and Rolling In The Deep.

Alejandro [went] back to an electric and played an awesome version of Every Breath. Then they went off stage and came back on for the encore, in which they played Dare To Believe [with Alejandro back on the keyboard], Iris on acoustic and Hear Me Now on electric. They got half the crowd singing the Ooh woah's and the other half doing the Can you hear me now's.  Right before leaving the stage Alejandro gave me his guitar pick and I nearly died.

We waited out the front for about ten minutes to try and meet them but as they didn’t come out we left for home. On the way back we listened to my video of the night and it was really great.  The next day I still couldn’t believe what had happened the night before. I can’t wait for them to come back.

All in all I thought it was a fantastic concert. And my Mum is now a big fan. Well done, Boyce Avenue! It was worth coming out to see you live. A brilliant night was had by all!

Australia, you have been BOYCED!

Lauchie, you are awesome!!  This recap/review was so much fun to read, and I'm so glad you shared your experience with all of us!!

NEW VIDEO: Taylor Swift - "Mean" (Acoustic Cover featuring Megan Nicole)

Another video was uploaded today from Boyce Avenue featuring Megan Nicole, who will be joining them on their US/Canada Fall Tour for the West Coast (September) shows.

I am not a Taylor Swift fan. AT ALL. So much so that on the rare occasion that I'm listening to the radio, and she comes on, I turn it off. I'm not really sure why....I've just never been a fan of country music. But I do think the lyrics to some of her songs are amazing, and this one has a great message to it.

I really like the way Alejandro and Megan Nicole sound together. I'd love to see them sing something together live.



And....hard as I try, I can't post about this without pointing out the smile at 2:55....

I caught Daniel smiling in the background a few times too. It makes me happy to see them enjoying themselves so much....it's so obvious these guys love what they do. It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes: "A smile is the light in the window of your face that tells people you're at home." (Author Unknown)

Share your thoughts about the video in the comments below. Thanks for visiting! :)

Australia Loves Boyce Avenue!!

The guys are rocking their way through the Australian Leg of their 2011 World Tour, playing for a huge crowd of enthusiastic fans in Perth, and a sold out crowd in Melbourne.

Here are a couple of reviews that fans in have shared with the Get Boyced! blog....

"The day arrived....23 August 2011....the weather was perfect, sun was setting and Boyce Avenue were on their way! The doors were [scheduled] to open at 7:30 pm, crowds were growing and GROWING from 6:30 pm. Anticipation and energy was growing as were the numbers of fans. The doors took a little longer than expected to open, BUT once we heard that "click" of the door, we know IT'S TIME! Heart starts racing....THIS IS IT! Once inside the bar we found the perfect position at the stage. Mark Wilkinson was the support act. He presented himself well to the cheering crowd. Great music, wonderful voice.

The lights started to dim and then appears Boyce Avenue. They looked even more amazing on stage than just following avidly on YouTube. These guys ROCKED IT! They played a lot of originals and a few of covers also. The energy was pumping in the room.

Then, as all good things must come to an end, they played their last song. Lights once again dimmed and leaving only shadows and memories of the most amazing band to hit Perth's shores ... We cheered, and clapped, and whooo-ed them to come out for another HIT! Once again they hit the stage for 2 more songs!!! Hearts skipping a beat, camera flashes, sing-alongs, and Fabian throwing his guitar picks in to the crowd causing a frenzy! THIS IS ONE SHOW NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN!! It was an absolute pleasure to have been able to experience this show first hand!

Fortunately for us, we won a Meet & Greet package, thanks to BAST and Boyce Avenue Street Team Australia (and the lovely Gwen) through a promotions competition. We were blessed with meeting the boys backstage for autographs and photos. They are truly the most pleasant, down-to-earth, and genuinely nice guys you will ever get to meet....and sooooo darn huggable, too!!" ~Michelle Harrison (Perth)

Left to Right: Sooz, Daniel, Alejandro, Michelle and Fabian

♥ ♪ ♫ ♥ ♪ ♫ ♥ ♪ ♫ ♥ ♪ ♫ ♥ ♪ ♫ ♥ ♪ ♫ ♥ ♪ ♫ ♥ ♪ ♫ ♥ ♪ ♫ ♥ ♪ ♫ ♥ ♪ ♫ ♥ ♪ ♫ ♥ ♪ ♫ ♥ ♪ ♫ ♥ ♪ ♫ ♥ ♪ ♫ ♥ ♪ ♫ ♥

"It was just amazing!!! Truly amazing! I can't think of any other way to describe it all. It was such an experience to be able to go and hear Boyce Avenue live...I enjoyed every minute of it and just loved the atmosphere of the crowd!" ~Hayley Mah, Melbourne

HAYLEY'S VIDEO REVIEW



Thanks for sharing your recaps and reviews, Michelle and Hayley!! So glad you had such a great time at the shows!! It's so awesome to see Australia showing the Manzano Brothers so much love!! Good on ya, mates!! ;)

Stay tuned for fan reviews from Sydney and Brisbane!!

NEW VIDEO: Acoustic Cover of 3 Doors Down's "Here Without You"

Another new video on YouTube today!! This is one fans have been requesting for a while now: 3 Doors Down's "Here Without You"



I really like this one a lot. I've always loved this song, so hearing Alejandro sing it is....*sigh*..... :)

I was listening to it on headphones the other night, and I noticed this interesting "click click click" sound, and I figured it must be Alejandro's pick on the guitar strings. I'm always asking him about stuff like this on his Facebook Wall. So, naturally, I asked him about it.

Me: Okay, I swear when I listen to "Here Without You" on headphones, I can actually hear your pick on the guitar strings at the beginning and again in the 2nd verse....is that really what I'm hearing? 'Cuz if it is, I think it's SO cool. :)

Alejandro: MELENIE!! haha what a good ear! ;) that's EXACTLY what that is. Because I'm plucking the strings, you can't hear it when I'm strumming ;)
#HeadphonesFTW


So....I challenge all of you to listen to "Here Without You" on a pair of headphones and see if you can hear him plucking the strings. :)

Yeah, Boyce Avenue, acoustic, on a pair of headphones, is my happy place. I never get tired of it. How could I, when it sounds this amazing?!?!

Boyce Avenue Headed To Australia

Boyce Avenue are on their way to Australia, and it's obvious from their Facebook posts and their Twitter page that they are VERY excited.

This is the first time the guys have played "Down Under" and their shows there were selling out so quickly, they were moved to larger venues. Melbourne tickets are almost gone, and Sydney is on pace to be the band's biggest headlining show EVER. What an awesome way to say, "Welcome to Australia!!"

AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES

Tuesday, August 23rd - Perth, WA - Capitol

PLAYED

Thursday, August 25th - Melbourne, VIC - Forum Theater

PLAYED

Friday, August 26th - Sydney, NSW - Enmore Theater

PLAYED

Sunday, August 28th - Brisbane, QLD - The Hi Fi

PLAYED

NEW VIDEO: "Skyscraper" - Acoustic Cover Featuring Megan Nicole

I'll be honest. When people first started talking about Demi Levato's "Skyscraper" I went to YouTube to see what all the fuss was about, and I just wasn't feelin' it. I'm not a fan of her voice, and therefore I didn't even give the song a chance. I thought the lyrics were cheesy as hell. When Boyce Avenue hinted at a cover collaboration of the song with Megan Nicole, I thought, "Meh...." and when it became available for purchase on iTunes, I listened to the 60-second snippet and thought, "Well, there it is....the first Boyce Avenue cover I won't own."

When the video was posted on YouTube this morning, I watched it because, well, it's a Boyce Avenue video.

I absolutely fell in love with this song in spite of myself. I went to iTunes. I bought the cover. I've had it on repeat all day. And the more I listen to it, the more I love it.

A little over a year ago, I went through a divorce. It had been coming for a while, but even so, it left me feeling completely shattered. It was one of the loneliest, darkest times of my life. Rather than give in to the darkness, I fought through it. I endured it. I am a better, stronger person for having gone through it. And THAT is what this song is about.



Rihanna's "Only Girl" ....Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" and "Firework" ....P Diddy's "Comin' Home" ....these are some of my favorite covers from Boyce Avenue. But this one trumps them all. I love everything about it.

Once again, Alejandro has taken a song and put his own spin on it, keeping it true to the original but making it his own at the same time. I'm continually impressed by his ability to do this. If I could spend a day just chilling with and talking to Alejandro, I would ask him to take me through this process in great detail. He's so creative in his use of instruments. I really love the Cajon and the tambourine in this one. They are used brilliantly.

Alejandro and Megan Nicole sound great together.

But my favorite part has got to be final chorus....Alejandro singing A capella, the Cajon coming in like a heartbeat, and then the two of them finishing the song together, is pure genius.

In retrospect, I'm not really sure what I was thinking. I should know better by now. Once a song has been Boyced, it doesn't matter how mediocre I think the original is. It doesn't matter how cheesy I think the lyrics are. Without fail, if Boyce Avenue covers it, my entire opinion of the song changes.

Okay....I think I'm done gushing about Boyce Avenue's latest masterpiece. So, what do you think of it? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

The Conversation in Australia Chats with Daniel from Boyce Avenue

Boyce Avenue's Daniel Manzano recently chatted with Dave Hammond of The Conversation, a radio show in Australia. The interview aired in Australia at 9 PM, and Boyce Avenue fans worldwide set their alarms to be awake for the live stream. I was up at 4 AM, drinking cocoa and listening to the interview online with the BA Family.

The Conversation's Dave Hammond

I have to say, Dave Hammond and Entertainment Producer Tommy Schroeter were both incredibly gracious and helpful in making sure that the BA family was a part of this momentous event!! They made sure we had a working link to the live stream, and gave shout outs to many of us listening around the world. Kudos to Dave for pronouncing our names correctly!


If you missed it, you can listen to the interview here:



The podcast is available as a free download on iTunes. Click here to download it for free.

I listened to the show for awhile after the interview was over, and I really enjoyed it. Radio stations here in the U.S. could learn a thing or two from these guys!! I'll definitely be checking out their other podcasts.

The Conversation is a 3 hour talk radio program broadcast to around 60 community radio stations across Australia every Sunday night from 9pm to 12 midnight.

The program has been on air for over 13 years and has a strong following of listeners from all over Australia. It’s called The Conversation because they want to engage listeners and guests in discussion about the issues that effect us all daily.

Hosted by Dave Hammond, their theme is Ethics, Faith and Social Change and each week they work to bring you informative, interesting and challenging guests and segments to lead us in discussion on these issues.

The Conversation has a Facebook Page and they're on Twitter, so be sure to check them out!

Words From The Heart Of A True Artist

While most bands struggle and fight to get signed by a major label, Boyce Avenue has been struggling and fighting for the past year to do just the opposite. And now they can celebrate!! Boyce Avenue is once again an independent artist, producing their music videos, albums, and tours via their Independent Label, 3 Peace Records.

THIS is why I love Boyce Avenue....they have not allowed themselves to be shaped and changed to fit into the industry. They have stayed 100% true to who they are and what they want to represent, and they have kept their fans at the forefront of everything they do. Tonight, Alejandro had this to say to the fans:

The music industry is a CRAZY thing. I won't ever have time to explain to you all what you deserve to know because you support us almost blindly and have questions like we did and still do, but let me just say that we make the best of everything we can ever get our hands on. We started from zero and have clawed our way to be the small band that we are today. We have a LOT more clawing to do but my goodness, if you all knew some of the things that go down in this industry you would be astonished. That's not even a proper word to describe how gross it is haha.

All I can say is we are blessed and you all are amazing! Maybe someday we will write a book for everyone to know what TRULY went down with our story. Someday it will ALL make sense and you and so many others will be like "WOW! So THAT'S why they did what they did for the first 10 years of their career!" Just be patient with us. It has always been a 10-year plan, not a 2-year plan. We are only 4 years in, we have 6 more to go before it all makes PERFECT sense. Stick around to find out. :)

Love you all!

FEATURED FAN FOR AUGUST: SARA DI MARE

WOOP!! WOOP!! Cue the Cyber Cheerleaders!! This month's Featured Fan is our first International Featured Fan!!

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SARA DI MARE
22 YEARS OLD
BERLIN, GERMANY

How and when did you discover Boyce Avenue?

I first discovered Boyce Avenue about 3 or 4 years ago. My friend and I were looking for an acoustic version of “Lovestoned” by Justin Timberlake. We found their cover and loved it! We were watching more of their videos and found out that they are brothers. I remember saying that they’re incredible talented and I subscribed to their channel. But at that time I wasn’t really spending much time on YouTube. I checked on my subscriptions every few months and I remember falling in love with their cover of “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay. I put some more covers on my phone (I didn’t have an ipod at that time) and then I kind of forgot about them. Hard to believe, I know, I can’t even believe it myself.

Then, in October 2010, I was going through a tough time and stumbled upon the acoustic version of their original song “Change Your Mind”. I was overwhelmed. That guy was exactly speaking my mind. I checked in the description box who wrote the song. I looked for him on facebook, wrote him a message and he added me as a friend. Every since that time I was hooked!

What are your favorite BA cover and your favorite BA original song?

Wow this is a tough question. It’s really hard to choose, because I love almost all of them. I think [my favorite cover] is "Will You Be There" because I used to be huge Michael Jackson fan when I was a kid and that one brought a lot of great memories back (same with "Back For Good".) I think it’s not easy to make a MJ cover so good and so unique in its own way. And I’m a big fan of the piano.

My favorite Original is probably "Change Your Mind" because that was the first one I really listened to. I could relate to this one completely and it made me the fan I am today. "Broken Angel" also means a lot to me and I absolutely love "On My Way" and "Find Me." You see? It’s hard for me to pick one. ;)

How many times have you seen Boyce Avenue live, and where?

Just one time, in April this year, in Hamburg. It was the first time I went to a concert all by myself....I drove from Berlin to Hamburg with a complete stranger to see them perform. I also had no place to stay overnight.

After the concert I waited for the guys to come out but I ended up waiting at the wrong spot and missed them. Two hours later I found out they were gone. So unfortunately I didn’t meet them. But I will next time for sure! I also spent the night at a complete stranger’s, so it was quite an adventure for me. And it was so worth it! I will never forget that night!

Tell us why you love Boyce Avenue.

Wow, there are so many reasons to love these guys, I don’t see any reason not to.

First of all, I love their music. All of them are so talented and so passionate about what they do and you can see and feel how they love it and how they put their heart and soul into their songs. Their music is like medicine to me and like a drug, I can’t get enough of it. Also the lyrics are so brilliant and I love how people can relate to at least one of their songs, cause they have the talent to write a song from another perspective.

Second thing is, I love how they keep in touch with their fans and how they do everything to make us happy. They care so much about us and are working hard to fulfill our expectations. They always try to take everything to another level and to get better in everything they do. I have so much respect for them for doing (almost) everything on their own.

And last but least, I love the people they attract. I love the Boyce Avenue family. Because of this band I got to know so many wonderful people all over the world and I wouldn’t wanna miss that for anything. My life changed completely and I’ve never been so happy before. Without all these people and the amazing Manzano brothers, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. So thank you! I love you all!

We love you too, Sara!! Thanks for being such a great Boyce Avenue Fan!! Hopefully you'll get to meet them when they return to Berlin in November!! :)