Lighten Up, our first original web series, chronicles bands taking part in the cultural shift toward sustainability. The series kicks off with The Honey Brothers (featuring SHFT's own Adrian Grenier on drums), followed by Brandi Carlile, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes and Dave Matthews Band. Lighten Up is produced in partnership with Stonyfield Farm....read more
Didn't get enough of Brandi Carlile from our Lighten Up webisode on her sustainability efforts? Yeah, neither did we. So we bundled up some footage of the talented songstress rehearsing and performing for a private audience in Los Angeles. A SHFT exclusive. Enjoy!...read more
Self-described as “the only hard-rockin’ pop band with ukulele," the Honey Brothers clearly don't take themselves too seriously. But, as we discovered on our first episode of Lighten Up, the playful New York City indie rock outfit is serious about at least one thing — the environment. In this behind-the-scenes look at the band, we catch them goofing off in their......read more
Brandi Carlile, a phenomenal talent with a sense of responsibility about the way she tours, gave a private concert in Los Angeles to a small intimate group during her "Give Up The Ghost" tour. In this episode of LIGHTEN UP, we watch some great performance and gain some insight from an evolved artist who approaches her touring with an eye toward sustainability....read more
The past year was an explosive one for Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, the Los Angeles ten-piece outfit whose 2009 debut album 'Up From Below' was a runaway hit. The band has been touring pretty much constantly since the record hit the streets, and they're getting a taste of success. At the same time, they're seeing first hand the kind of waste that accompanies a road tour if no steps are......read more
Dave Matthews Band has been touring for many years and, due in large part to the efforts of bassist Stefan Lessard, they've been approaching it with one eye on the road and one eye on the planet. On several fronts, sustainable systems have been put in place: organic food, water stations, sustainably made merchandising, all while engaging fans in the process. The eco-village gives out free samples......read more
Gary Hirshberg, CE-Yo of Stonyfield Farm and a former climatoligist, has long been an inspiration for us at SHFT. In addition to being a leader in the sustainable business community – showing other companies how sustainable practices not only help the environment, but also help the bottom line of the company – Gary shares the idea of spreading the eco message through cultural means......read more
Moby has never been one to shy away from letting people know how he feels about issues of the day. The New York-based DJ/producer/activist has been spreading an environmental message since his early days in punk bands. The difference between the punk years and today is that the anger has been toned down in favour of a more positive voice, one that emphasizes the role music can play in linking......read more
At Phish's 2009 reunion festival in Indio, California, almost fifty thousand devotees congregated among the desert mountains to revel in the jam band's free-form sounds. As we all know, the environmental impact of such a gathering is nothing to slouch at. One of the things we love about this band is they — and their fans — have always had a staunch commitment to......read more
Described by Variety as "the only dance band that matters," Brazilian Girls (actually three guys and a girl, none of whom is Brazilian) have an eclectic, multilingual sound that fuses electro, samba, salsa, reggae and jazz. With such a global approach to music, it comes as no surprise that the New York City quartet is keenly aware of the impact their shows have on the planet. SHFT's Lighten Up......read more