In the middle of a New York City summer heat wave, The Shake took steps to set the music scene a-sizzle. On the hottest Sunday of the summer, the band (lead singer/guitarist Jon Merkin, lead guitarist Eliad Shapiro, bass player Jeremy Stein and drummer Andrew McNellis) filmed their debut music video at Context Studios in Brooklyn for the song "Manic Boogie." The long hours and scalding temperatures contributed to turning the song's title into a reality.

Watch The Shake - "Manic Boogie" video:

The band's spirits were buoyed on that hot day by a chance meeting with the group Spoon, rehearsing in the next studio. The musicians all bonded over the fact that The Shake are featured in the Summer 2007 issue of Magnet Magazine for which Spoon are pictured on the cover.

The concept for the "Manic Boogie" video came from the mind of video director Powell Weaver. From the first time he heard the band's debut CD 'Kick It', Weaver was excited to work with a band as energetic sounding as The Shake. "The band's live show is so high energy that I wanted to make sure it was captured in the video," says Weaver. "The concept portrays the guys in a truly 'manic' way, running all around the set, bouncing up and down with enormous energy, all the while playing the song live."

To achieve a look that is both brand new and sure to capture the viewer's attention while commanding repeat viewings, a camera technique was employed using the natural straight lines of a variety of picture frames. "We set up the band members and their equipment, and then hung blue frames directly in front of the camera in interesting compositions," explains Weaver. "We then shot one still plate of nothing happening in frame for about ten seconds followed by a few takes of the band rocking out. Through the magic of video, the shots of the bands were placed within the frames."

Every setup was a painstaking process: "In order to achieve the desired effect, it was crucial that none of the frames or equipment moved at all over the course of the filming of each setup - only the band members could move, which certainly wasn't a problem for a band as lively The Shake," commented Weaver.

Video producer Nick Korbee was impressed by the enthusiasm the young band brought to the shoot. "The Shake was an amazing band to work with. Everyone on set was blown away by their energy and consistency throughout the day. Take after take, they gave it their all. They were playful, exuberant and totally rock and roll. Big things are imminent."

And it looks like big things ARE in fact imminent. It has just been announced that The Shake will perform at a label showcase October 27th, 2007 at New York City's Club Midway. Merkin is excited for the chance: "A showcase like this is a huge vote of confidence from people who truly matter in the music world. We're not gonna disappoint!" Adds Shapiro: "We've built ourselves as a live band and we're always in our element on stage. We're just going to go out there and do what we've done since we started." Set time is slated for 10PM.

"Manic Boogie" YouTube Video Link

To learn more about the band go to:

The Shake Official Website
The Shake on Myspace

WHAT: 'Skin and Bone' Launch Party 2.
WHEN: Tuesday, April 10th, 6:30 PM
WHERE: Club Midway
25 Avenue B (bet. 2nd & 3rd Streets), NYC
NO COVER - RSVP @ http://www.musicdish.net/events/bengodwin/

The Toronto Star recently featured Drew as a new force in the revival  of Calypso: "It's Wednesday night at the Trane Studio on Bathurst St., and the place is hopping – you have to squeeze your way to the bar. Onstage, a slim young man with a guitar has the crowd swaying to  an irresistible calypso beat. Drew Gonsalves and his band Kobo Town may not think of themselves this way, but they're a musical bridge between two cultures, and a tenuous link to what may be a dying folk art."

"What Drew is doing is wonderful," noted Roger Gibbs, head of an association of calypso performers. "He's drawing on the traditional  calypso vocabulary...giving it a fresh and authentic sound."

Born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago, Drew Gonsalves is a singer- songwriter whose music is rooted in traditional calypso, dub poetry and West Indian folk music. Founder and bandleader of celebrated roots calypso outfit Kobo Town, his songs receive regular airplay on the CBC and college radio stations across Canada. A multi instrumentalist who performs on the guitar, cuatro, tres, cavaquinho  and bongo, Gonsalves' solo arrangements emphasize the humour, storytelling and lyricism that characterize Trinidad's pre-eminent musical art.

http://www.musicdish.net/kobotown/