Joe Flip

LOCAL MN BAND TO HEADLINE UPTOWN ART FESTIVAL



MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL, August 4, 2015 — It’s been a good year for local musician Joe Filipovich (aka Joey Flip) and his band The Blue Cities. He's had the opportunity to bring his unique blend of blues and rock music to a number of events and cities across the Midwest. He's even got down to Nashville, TN to play a handful of shows in between the recording and release of his debut full-length album, Release — and this was before the year was even half over. Filipovich also serves as the Education Director for the local non-profit , The MN Blues Society where he created a “Blues in Schools” education program for public schools and the Music in the Park Series. That’s no problem for Filipovich. He likes to work a lot…and fast, apparently.



The Blue Cities formed not much more than a year ago. A duo originally, the group consisted of Joe Filipovich (aka Joey Flip) on guitar and Aurora Wahlstrom with the two sharing vocals. Together they performed their mix of covers and originals at cocktail lounges, wedding receptions, restaurants and music halls around the Twin Cities and the upper Midwest. More recently the lineup has been expanded to include Rhona Brack on harmonica, Paul Hunder on drums and Ben Tapia on bass.

Earlier this year Filipovich released his debut album, Release, which has already begun to receive radio airplay in both the US and Europe. The album has been well-received by critics as well and features all original material that was recorded at Joey’s home studio. Reviewer Clara Tsac had this to say about the album in Rift Magazine: ”Joe Filipovich’s mastery of the guitar is tributed all throughout the work, from funky electric slides to soft acoustic strumming. Whether live on stage or in the studio, The Blue Cities is a team to pay attention to.” (Read the full review here.) Release is available through cdbaby.com, iTunes and Amazon with individual tracks posted on Joey’s Sound Cloud page. As the band’s songwriter Filipovich is inspired by artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton.



With a few dozen shows and festival appearances under his belt, and a new record, The Uptown Art Fair on Saturday, August 8th, will put Joey in front of potentially his largest audience to date. 385,000 people are expected to attend the fair this year. Blue Cities are no strangers to the festival circuit though. They have had the opportunity to showcase at Highland Fest, Eau Claire Jazz Festival, The Dry Bones Blues Festival and have competed in The Road To Memphis Blues Challenge. This event is not to be missed and provides a great opportunity to see this rising band play in front of a home crowd.



Uptown Art Fair - www.uptownartfair.com

Saturday August 8th, 7pm

Performance location: 2841 Hennepin Avenue South | Salsa a la Salsa Parking Lot



LINKS

www.thebluecities.com

www.facebook.com/thebluecities

https://twitter.com/JoeyFlipMusic

https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/joeyflipcd

www.mnbs.org - Chris Auman

Minnesota band “The Blue Cities” deliver a work of soulful vocals and skillful guitar lines in new musical work “Release.” Lead vocalist Aurora Wahlstrom and guitarist Joe Filipovich team up to complement each other on every track, serving a range of styles.

Joe Filipovich’s mastery of the guitar is tributed all throughout the work, from funky electric slides to soft acoustic strumming. Whether live on stage or in the studio, “The Blue Cities” is a team to pay attention to.

“Release” opens on Aurora’s voice in a Spanish serenade as it wavers through the romantic sounds of a Spanish night. “Esta Noche” shimmies its way through softly dramatic guitar riffs and gentle percussion, which changes dramatically in the next track, “I Can Tell.” Funk and blues now come more into play, giving a bit of an Elvis meets James Brown old-school vibe.

“Not For Me” turns into Jazzy, lighthearted indie, then it’s an instrumental track of Joe’s guitar and trippy chimes in “Rain.” The work as a whole shifts easily between a variety of genres, and ends on the big-band sounding “This Little Thing,” as Aurora’s voice soars through heartrendingly raw notes.

A collection of songs for rainy nights and sunny days, “Release” is exemplary of what happens when two talented, passionate musicians get together and just enjoy their music.

http://www.thebluecities.com/ - Rift Magazine

The Blue Cities move along to the semi-finals for the duo competition (Joey Flip and Aurora) for the Road To Memphis Blues Challenge 2015
http://www.mnbs.org/rtm2015.html - MN Blues Society

"A likeness to Bon Jovi and Stevie Ray Vaughan with a throw of Jazz, beautiful guitar work with impressive vocals." - -Crimson Clear Productions

“Joe kicked off the set with a version of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Pride and Joy.” Guitar masters like Vaughan have the uncanny ability to play rhythm and lead at the same time. That’s tough enough to do on an electric guitar, but Joe pulled off a more than credible rendition with his acoustic.
…She tested the limits of her lower register on the first half before taking flight on the bridge. By the time “I can’t do what ten people tell me to do/So I guess I’ll remain the same” bounced off the back wall, all eyes were on the singer. As my friend put it, “Her pipes have pipes.”
-Kennedy, Tim. "Review: The Blue Cities at Club Underground." Rev. of The Blue Cities. TheMinnyApple.com 25 Feb 2015 - theMinnyapple.com

KFAI - Live interview and performance
http://kfai.org/rollinandtumblin - KFAI

WHYS - Live interview and performance
http://www.whysradio.org/ - WHYS

"They lit up Clancy's while playing at 52nd Street in Eau Claire, Wisconsin this year! This live performance is a must see!"

-The Eau Claire Jazz Festival - Eau Claire Jazz Festival

A salesman turned full-time musician will be performing on the Iron Range in June - Hibbing Daily Tribune

"We are so happy we had The Blue Cities on Radio X. Their interview/performance on the Josh Wolfe Live show was fantastic. Looking for some blues or a little jazz feel, these guys are it."
-Josh Wolfe Radio X - RadioX

Joey Flip & Aurora’s “Release” is a silky smooth sound, one that effortlessly taps into the heart of the blues. Full of anguish the pieces nicely work off of each other, with the album overall coming together to create a truly fascinating narrative. Loss, longing, wistfulness, these work alongside the dreamy overall atmosphere that is created. Melodies glisten. Vocals are perfection hitting the right level of hope and sadness, effortlessly balancing itself between the two emotions.

A sense of humor permeates the casual groove of “Not for Me”. Serving as an anti-romantic song it is dedicated to all of those awkward relationships that are too difficult to end. For “I Can Tell” they begin with taut guitar lines as the piece reflects reflects upon longing. They use a light touch on the summery sounds of “Esta Noche”. Slowing things down considerably is the heat of “Mess Around” which feels like the soundtrack to the perfect passionate weekend afternoon. Dreamy in tone is the spaced-out work of “Rain” which feels at times otherworldly. Opting for heavy, very heavy percussion, is the industrial stomp/country hybrid of “Whipping Post” where atmosphere is as equally important as the piece includes guitar flourishes alongside the monolithic beat. Bringing the album to a satisfying conclusion is the clever work of “4th Street Alley”

https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/joeyflipcd

“Release” gives a glimpse of what the future of the blues might be. It is a wonderful engrossing album.

http://www.thebluecities.com - Skope Magazine

I just received the newest release, Release, from Joey Flip and Aurora and it's different. Opening with Not For Me, an easy jazz track, Aurora sings lively over Flip's guitar with bass, drum and piano accompaniment. Switching to a more blues rock tempo, on I Can Tell, Flip takes the lead on vocal and also brings his guitar to the forefront. Aurora joins on vocal, deep into the track and Flip throws down some more aggressive riffs. On Latin infused, Esta Noche, Aurora and Flip really seem to hit on all cylinders with some of the best vocals on the track as well as some cool Spanish guitar work. Slow blues track, Mess Around, is up next and Flip gives his fretboard a hard workout complimented by Aurora on vocals and keys. Quiet ballad, This Little Thing, has a nice melody and a radio format making it the most practical radio play track for the release. Rain, an experimental instrumental track with a bluesy base is my favorite on the release with a solid foundation of bass and drums and Flip creating a bit of a soundscape with his guitar. Very interesting. Blues track, 6 Feet Underground, feels a lot like an early Dylan track with basic drum and key backing Flip on guitar and vocal. Don't Come Around has a really stripped city feel but with an almost spiritual vocal backing. Flip pushes the envelope for me and that's good. Haunting. Whipping Post really captures the feel of some early blues men with ragged vocals, resonator slide guitar and rudimentary percussion. 4th Street Alley has conventional blues/rock construction and Flip sings, plays acoustic rhythm and solos on electric. Basic drum rhythm and bass work give the track more texture leading up to some synthesized vocals and a wide open James Gurley like solo for a hot conclusion. - Bman's Blues Report