ILovePortlandMaine.com

Duo-Duel is back! Portland, are you ready?

Jeff Mateja — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 18:24:12 +0000

The Duo Duel is back again for 2013 in Portland! The unique race is a fantastic opportunity for a team of two to each race a 5k while featuring live music, food, prizes, and all in the heart of downtown Portland. The race is benefits Learning Works. Learning Works is a great community based organization that provide the best learning opportunities in Maine for at-risk youth, the immigrant community and low-income families. This year’s event will take place on August 24, 2013 at 8:00 A.M.! The race features four divisions: Male, Female, Co-Ed and Organization. Awards go to first place and second place duo’s in each category.

This is a fun and unique run! You begin on commercial avenue and you run the “canyon” on Commercial to the path along the beautiful East End beach, up Cutter St then up to the Eastern Promenade. After grabbing some water at the Bangor Savings stop, you head down Fore St, left on Hancock, head back to Commerical and back to Start/Finish/Handoff!

Click Here for a full race outline.

The race has a very simple message. 1. To put on a great race! 2. Have it include the best teamwork possible. 3. To have it rooted in the state of Maine. The race does all three extremely well. The live music is from local musicians, the race packet gifts from local companies and the first 150 registrants receive logo t-shirts designed by a local Maine company.

Come out and enjoy the Duo Duel 2013!

For more information

To Register Online

State of the State show – July 12: A True Homecoming

Jeff Mateja — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:45:07 +0000

You know it wasn’t that long ago that Katalyst founder Kyle Poissonnier was in the crowd in 1999 watching his first show ever at the State Theatre on Congress Street in Portland, Maine. The Rustic Overtones, a legendary Portland based band, happened to be performing that night in 1999 and ironically will be headlining Poissonnier’s new brand launch on July 12, 2013 at the State of the State – which promises to be a memorable night of great music.

ILovePortlandMaine.com first wrote about Poissonnier back in 2011 when his brand (elykssor) at the time was attracting great local attention. Two years later, the 28 year old has been inducted into Husson University’s Hall of Fame (as the youngest ever inductee), given a nationally televised Ted Talk and garnered national media attention through MSNBC’s web series “Rediscover”. In the spring of 2013, he launched Katalyst: A hybrid brand of fashion, athletics, fundraising efforts, music and events. “I just felt like I had cultivated so many connections and I was taking myself in this direction anyway. It was time to do something else and I was lucky enough to get all these amazing bands signed on to do the show at Portland’s most historic venue” said Poissonnier. “To me this means the most and it’s hard to put into words how much seeing shows and bands at the State (Theatre) inspired me to be where I’m at now. Now 14 years later to be hosting a show of this magnitude for my new brand, is something hard to describe” he added.

The show is sponsored by Baxter Brewing, a craft brew company, calling Lewiston, Maine home, and becoming wildly popular in only its second year. The show also will be in remembrance for Raina Jensen. Raina grew up loving the Rustic Overtones and spent much of her time overseas in Fiji and her hope was to help the indigenous people preserve their culture, build a library and to get an education. She was tragically lost in 2010 in a car accident. This concert will allow her message to spread to a bigger audience and to celebrate her beautiful life. Poissonnier said, “As soon as this story was presented to me, I immediately insisted we do this for her, and all the bands agreed.”

Playing the show is emerging electronic based soul trio – The Other Bones. Andrew Mead, the bands synth and production man said, “Growing up I saw so many shows at The State that defined what a great performance was for me. It’s really amazing to be playing that same stage, especially knowing that we’re sharing it with some of our favorite (local or non-local) acts.” The band is widely regarded as one of the top emerging acts locally and on the east coast. People will most definitely be in for a treat when the Other Bones open the show on July 12.

Following them is The Wrecking. When I told Kyle they were the only band that I wasn’t familiar with, he was quick to bring me up to speed. The band doesn’t play locally very much which makes it very special for their audience. The Windham natives can usually be found on tour opening for the likes of powerhouses like Switchfoot and NEEDTOBREATHE. The band just released their second full length album in 2012 called, “So Much For Love” with much success. Darren Elder, the bands drummer told us that the band is “extremely honored to share the stage with such amazing artists. We wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, this is going to be brilliant.”

Next up is Spose. Spose for all of his accomplishments, including a gold single, signing with Universal Records in his mid twenties, and three albums under his belt, has NEVER played at the State Theatre. To say he is excited is an understatement. “This show is a dream come true for me, I grew up going to shows there. I saw the Foo Fighters when I was in 6th grade, and Dilated Peoples in 8th grade. I never in my wildest dreams thought I could play the same stage as some of my heroes. This show will be a big night for me,” said the rapper, a Wells, Maine native.

The Mallett Brothers Band is just as hot as any band on the east coast currently after recently releasing their third studio album “Land.” Their blend of country, rock, and folk really have hit a chord with many fans around the United States as the band has spent the last six months touring the United States including Austin, New Orleans, and Nashville to name a few. Vocalist Will Mallett said, “We couldn’t be more psyched to be a part of this show. We’re all big fans of every act on the bill and the fact that we were asked to participate is beyond humbling. There have also been some murmurings of collaborations so we’ll see what happens there. This is set to be one of the more memorable nights of the summer for me and for the rest of the band members!”

Finally, The Rustic Overtones make their long awaited return to the State Theatre after a ten year absence at the venue. The band has played many memorable shows here including their CD release of “Viva Nueva!” and their final show that lasted for an amazing 5 plus hours. The Rustic Overtones are easily one of the best to ever come out of Maine. “Playing the State again after almost 10 years, it’s really exciting…like coming home after you’ve been away for a really long time. We can’t wait” said front man Dave Gutter.

This concert surely promises to be the event of the summer and one of the biggest local shows in recent memory. With all of this happening as well as the launch of his new brand Katalyst, one would think the 28 year old would slow down. Just recently Poissonnier signed his first professional athlete to his new brand; Marquice Cole of the New England Patriots. “What we are going to do with uplifting people through events, athletics and charity will change the way people look at brands,” Poissonnier said. It all starts on July 12th at the State Theatre with this event. Poissonnier finished with,”I cannot express in words what this night will mean to me with the people involved. I remember exactly where I was standing the night I saw the Rustic Overtones there in 1999.”

Get your State of the State show tickets here, as this all ages event is sure to sell out with General Admission tickets only $15.00. Doors open at 6pm. Show 7pm.

Click here for more information on Katalyst

Bissell Brothers – A New Local Craft Brew for Portland, Maine

Jeff Mateja — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 13:48:38 +0000

One would think in a city like Portland, Maine that brothers Noah and Peter Bissell would have a very tough time cracking into the already booming local and national craft brew market. But what most wouldn’t count on is the experience and creativity each brother brings to the equation. Once people see the packaging of the craft brews in the fall they’ll understand what strengths the Bissell brothers possess. Yet before they have even made their beer available to the public the brothers have already garnered quite a buzz in the craft beer world.

Peter; 29 is already a very accomplished well-known commercial photographer with projects ranging from weddings to food to clothing and everything in between. Noah; 23 is a recent University of Maine at Farmington grad who relocated to Portland last year. The brothers grew up in Milo, Maine, a small town in Piscataquis county boasting a population of only about 2,300. We recently sat down with Noah and Peter to ask the question: Why craft beer?

Why beer? What made you want to start brewing beer in the first place.

(Noah) I lived with Peter here in Portland for a summer between college semesters. The city’s beer scene really caught my attention and I saw that “beer” was way, way more than macro lagers. That got me interested in learning about the incredible array of flavors craft beer could provide. I still wasn’t old enough to legally buy beer, though, so out of necessity I began the process of learning how to make it. Science has always been to rigid for me and art too lawless, and right away beer provided a creative middle ground that really appealed to me. I’ve been hooked since.

When did you realize that this was something you wanted to work with your brother on? Talk about the undertaking that this last year has been

(Peter) The whole thing started about 18 months ago. It was basically a convergence of Noah’s obsession with the art and science of brewing and my already existing involvement in entrepreneurship and exploring business in the new economy. There was never one of those “gee shucks, why not?” conversations that you always read about in brewer interviews. We started this company to be one of the best, and in a market this crowded, there’s no other option.

Craft beer is such an emerging industry and Maine especially has so many great local craft breweries, where do you see your beer fitting in and who are some breweries you really admire?

(Noah) Everyone’s doing such awesome and different things with beer here. For me, I feel like Allagash is unparalleled in creativity, especially considering how good there kind of “out there” stuff still ends up tasting. I have so much respect for Maine Beer Company and the level of both quality and consistency they maintain, especially on a small scale. I also have an enormous amount of admiration for Oxbow’s distribution model and how they’ve gotten themselves so many tap lines based on their personalities and work ethic rather than with a big distributor.

(Peter)

Within any flooded market, sub-categories and niches emerge. As Portland’s only self-distributed brewery producing exclusively hop-forward American ales, we’re no exception. In terms of inspiration, we’re lucky because it’s all around us. Oxbow’s DIY brand culture is something I really dig. Luke at Baxter Brewing had the foresight to bring cans to Maine on a huge scale, before the industry as a whole realized this was the next step in packaging. Maine Beer Company’s obsession with quality hop-centric beer has been incredibly inspirational as well.

Talk about the beers you offer (or will offer) and the flavor profiles.

(Noah) Our beers will be hoppy. While we’ll certainly make beers that are “hoppy” in traditional terms, we want to bring big, pronounced hop profiles to styles where those aren’t usually found. With the variety and quality of hops coming out of America and abroad these days, the definition of “hoppy beer” is becoming really dynamic. That’s the most exciting part of the present state of American craft brewing to me, and the beers we make will be inspired by that shifting definition of “hoppiness”.

Talk about how branding is so important to what you guys will do. You have a background in helping so many local brands get started with your photography, why is it so important?

(Peter) Branding is so influential in people’s decision-making. As consumers, we like to think we make conscious, thought-out buying choices, but we rarely ever do. In a noisy market, you need to stand out in every way – The beer has to be (and is) one of the best in its class, for people who SEEK OUT the best ales, and the visual branding has to be simple, easy to remember, and stand out on the shelf, for the customer who is undecided when she walks into the store or bar.

When can we expect to see Bissell Brothers on the shelves or in a great local pub?

(Peter) We’re doing everything we can to open as quickly as possible, in the way that we’ve intended to open. That’s all I’ll say at this time.

Where do you see Bissell Brothers in 5, 10, and 15 years?

(Noah) Still small enough to control quality and distribution to our standards of excellence, and making really delicious beer.

(Peter) As a company, we’ll always be looking ahead to see what craft beer is becoming, and going there early. Though we’re intending to grow the company after launch, staying relevant and important in the scene is a top priority.

Fore more information visit http://www.bissellbrothers.com or via their Facebook.

40th Annual Old Port Festival – Sunday, June 9 – Music lineups

Jeff Mateja — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 20:55:22 +0000

Sunday June 9th, marks the 40th Old Port festival in Portland from 11am to 4pm, as the downtown comes alive with live music, food, Maine-made arts and crafts, kid’s activities and more! The official start of the festival begins at 11am with a parade down Exchange street led by the Shoestring Theater!

Live music has always been a big part of the festival and below is a complete list of all the stages and times for the festival courtesy of PortlandMaine.com.

Old Port Festival 2013 Stage Schedules and Band Lineups:

Dispatch Magazine – Federal & Exchange Streets

12pm: Acoustic – Trey Ewald

12:20pm: Northern Lands

1:15pm: Fancy Reagan

2:10pm: Acoustic – Trey Ewald

2:30pm: Sparks the Rescue

3:25 pm: Amy Allen

4:15pm: Evers Webb Band

WCLZ – Fore and Sliver Streets

12pm: Maine Marimba Ensemble

1pm: Sha Sha Sha

2pm: The Pete Kilpatrick Band

3pm: Charlie Mars

4pm: Enter The Haggis

The Coast 93.1 – Middle and Pearl Streets

12pm: Hello Newman

1pm: Amy Allen

2pm: Sara Skinner

3pm: Matt Hires

4pm: Vicci Martinez

WPOR – Temple and Middle Streets

12pm: North of Nashville

1:15pm: Morgan Frazier

2:30pm: Chris Stapleton

3:45pm: Eric Paslay

Maine Academy of Modern Music – Dana Street

12:00pm: Mark It Zero, Rupture The Fish, Beware of Pedestrians (2013 MAMM SLAM Winners!)

1:30pm: Illegal Eagle, Emergency Sirens (Kids Rock)

2:00pm: Metal Sideburns, Yard Sail (Girls Rock)

2:30pm: Guilty Bystander, Battle Taxi, Jake Marcus Stryker (Teen Rock)

4:L00m: Local Jane, The Practice (Adult Rock)

Bull Feeney’s Irish Music Stage presented by Smithwick’s Irish Ale

Moulton Street

12pm: Maine Public Safety Pipe and Drum Corps

12:30pm: The Milliners

1:30pm: Rum Riot

2:30pm: The Squid Jiggers

3:30pm: The Pubcrawlers

At the WCYY patio-One Monument Square

12-12:30 Kurt Baker Band
12:45-1:15 Paranoid Social Club
1:30-2:00 The Mallet Brothers
2:15-2:45 Anna Lombard
3:00-3:30 Spose
3:45-4:45 American Idol Winner Kris Allen

For a full list of all entertainment and kid’s activities visit http://www.PortlandMaine.Com

Superhero Day at the Ballpark with the Portland Seadogs – Sunday June 2

Jeff Mateja — Thu, 30 May 2013 21:15:56 +0000

Sunday, June 2nd, the Portland Seadogs take on the Altoona Curve at Hadlock Field and fans will also enjoy ”Superhero Day at the Ballpark”. Iron Man of Marvel Comics fame will be available for autographs and photos. The first 500 fans to enter the ballpark will receive a free comic book, courtesy of Casablanca Comics.

According to the Seadogs website, www.seadogs.com, “Adults and children are also encouraged to wear their favorite Superhero costume to the ballpark. Everyone wearing a Superhero costume will be able to participate in a pre-game Superheroes Parade around the warning track. The parade will start at 12:30 PM.” We understand there will be prizes awarded for best costumes with two $500.00 Nextgen Scholarships for children and Bugaboo Creek Steak House gift cards for to the top adult costumes.

Order tickets online at www.seadogs.com or by calling the Sea Dogs Ticket Office at 207-879-9500. Enjoy the game! Play Ball!

The 34th Annual Bonny Eagle Car Show is this weekend!

Jeff Mateja — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:25:59 +0000

It’s that time of the year again for the annual Bonny Eagle Car show and this is the 34th installment! Proceeds from the show go to the Bonny Eagle athletic department! No matter if you’re a first timer or a veteran of the event there will be plenty to see for the whole family! The show will feature: Tuners, Post War Classics, Special Interest, Sport and Foreign, Street Rods, Mini Trucks, Antiques, Trucks, Corvettes, Muscle Cars and MORE!

More Info: http://www.bonnyeaglecarshow.com

Kennebunkport listed in top ten “happiest seaside towns” in the country!

Jeff Mateja — Wed, 08 May 2013 18:12:06 +0000

Maine is again receiving more national recognition! This time by Coastal Living magazine. Kennebunkport graces the top ten list for the top ten “happiest seaside towns” in the country.

Coastal Living editors revealed a list of their “Happiest Seaside Towns” in the February 2013 issue and then asked the rest of America to vote for their favorite. Fans rallied around their favorite towns and voted often. Beaufort came in first place followed by Harwich Port, Massachusetts.

It’s true that folks from New England and especially “Mainers” take pride in their hometowns and this is an example of that from Kennebunkport. Editor-in-Chief Antonia Van Der Meer said, “People take great pride in their home towns and we at Coastal Living are thrilled to share their happy little secret with the rest of America.” We couldn’t agree more.

The top ten looks like this:

1. Beaufort, SC

2. Harwich Port, MA

3. Sanibel Island, FL

4. Sag Harbor, NY

5. Newport, RI

6. Rowayton, CT

7. Kennebunkport, ME

8. Pā’ia Town, Maui, HI

9. La Jolla, CA

10. Pescadero, CA

For a full list of towns visit http://www.coastalliving.com/happytowns2013.

Comedian Ray Harrington returns to Portland!

Jeff Mateja — Mon, 06 May 2013 20:26:32 +0000

Comedian Ray Harrington returns to Portland for the first time since recording his CD here last September and he is sharing the stage with his special guest Kevin Neales!

Ray was named Best Comic by the Providence Phoenix, Portland’s Funniest, and was winner of Catch a New Rising Star. He was awarded Best Actor, Best Film in the 48 Hour Film Festival 2012, and was invited to host the International Filmapalooza Awards in Hollywood. Ray has been heard on nationally syndicated radio along with Sirius/XM and seen on ABC, FOX, and CurrentTV.

Live May 18th at Mayo Street Arts Center

Where: Mayo St Arts Center, Portland

When: Saturday, May 18th, 8PM

Tickets are Available Here!

For more information visit http://www.RayHarringtonComedy.Com

The 44th annual Portland home show!

Jeff Mateja — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:25:01 +0000

The 44th annual Portland Home Show will take place this year from April 5-7 at the Portland Expo building. This event has been Maine’s leader in attracting local buyers for 44 years! The event boasts 300 booths and 12,000 attendees annually. This is a two building event between the Portland Exposition building and the Portland ice arena and it gives the attendee a chance to truly find something they like.

Show Hours

Friday April 5th- 1pm-8pm

Saturday April 6th- 10am-8pm

Sunday April 7th- 10am-5pm

For more information visit Homeshows.Com or call 1-800-237-6024

Mathew Zimmerman joins Universal Properties Portland Team as a Buyer Specialist

Jeff Mateja — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 14:41:25 +0000

Portland, ME 3/27/2013 — Mathew Zimmerman has joined the Universal Properties Maine Team at Keller Williams Realty Greater Portland as a Buyer Specialist.

Mat started in real estate in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 2010. His prior background is low voltage/construction, most recently as vice president of operations for HW Automation (FL). Mat has a BA from Brandeis University and is currently licensed in both Maine and Massachusetts. Originally from Cape Elizabeth, Mat now lives with his wife Liz and two year old daughter Lily in Portland.

“It is a pleasure to have Mat on our team,” said CEO Jeff Mateja. ”His experience and diplomatic nature will be a huge asset to not only our clients, but our team’s growth as well.”

Universal Properties International was founded by Adam Hergenrother in October 2011 as a platform to launch his successful model for real estate teams nationwide. Universal Properties International’s vision is to be the real estate team of choice for business leaders who want to further their growth opportunities and improve their lives through systems, training, leadership, and mindset expansion.