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OUR CALENDAR
July
25
Friday
July
26
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August
1
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August
2
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August
8
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August
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Friday
7/25
The Floozies
Manic Focus
Exmag
Late Night Radio
Purusa
$17.50 - $51.50 | All Ages | 6 pm
BUY TICKETS!The Floozies
Just outside the jazz mecca of Kansas City springs liberal oasis Lawrence, Kansas—separated only by the waves of wheat from the epicenter of the electronic music revolution in Colorado. From Lawrence, it would logically follow that an act could rise to prominence fueled by the swing of Basie, the birth of Charlie Parker’s bebop, and the wild frontier of electronica. Born in funk and bred in the digital age, live electronic duo The Floozies have burst onto the scene at a time when the industry needed them the most.
Brothers Matt and Mark Hill share the stage just as easily as they share a musical brain. Without a setlist, and without a word between them, Matt’s guitar is in lockstep with the thud of Mark’s kick. Endless looping and production builds the raw scenery upon which palm muted chugs, searing solos, and wobbling bass paint their dazzling array of colors.
Well versed in everything from Chris Cornell to Kavinsky, the sonic vision shared by the brothers eschews contemporary electronic influences in favor of broader, deeper tastes including Zapp & Roger, Lettuce, and Amon Tobin. That wide-angle view of a century of popular music allows the Hills to remix Toto and The Dead—in the music you can hear reverence for the giants of the past, all the while producing wildly futuristic tunes for the masses to dig now.
When the pendulum swung as far as it could away from live instrumentation to laptops, The Floozies rose up to the challenge, swinging as hard as they could in the other direction with neck-snapping, knee-breaking funk so dirty that the gatekeepers stood up, wiped themselves off, and took notice. A bold live show full of sonic exploration and unbreakably deep pocket grooves has landed the brothers on stage with luminaries of the jam world Umphrey’s McGee as readily as electronic elites GRiZ and Big Gigantic. A nationwide tour with Archnemesis and Wick-it The Instigator cemented the duo’s ascent while major festival appearances at Wakarusa, Summer Camp, Kanrocksas, and Sonic Bloom dot the horizon.
The Floozies are bringing the funk back, and they’re right on time.
OUR LINKS
- The Floozies Homepage
- On Facebook
- On Youtube
- On Spotify (Will launch Spotify Application)
- On SoundCloud
- On Twitter
- On MySpace
Manic Focus
Manic Focus is the musical conception of John “JmaC” McCarten that breaks the bounds of the typical electronic music realm. Being classically-trained on piano at an early age, his musical talents have brought him through the realms of hip-hop beats and electronic music, having now evolved into the dynamic, bass-induced sounds of Manic Focus. A Minnesota native and recent transplant to Chicago, this producer is blowing up the EDM scene.
Manic Focus isn't your typical electronic dance music. His first album, Definition of the Rhythm, provides a broad array of tracks, from energized electro hip-hop to tranquil, melodious grooves. His deep bass lines and popping beats drive the tracks along, while spellbinding melodies and carefully-chosen vocal samples entrance the listener. The essence of Manic Focus lies within his flawless production, weaving together rhythms and effects to create a sheer masterpiece every time.
His second album, Expanding Mind, showcases how Manic Focus is broadening his spectrum, going from dark, majestic sounds toward a funky, bass-laden dance vibe. Now dipping into the realms of house, drum & bass, and glitch-hop, Manic Focus is exploring new genres and continuing to produce pure musical magic along the way.
With continuous new releases and dates stacking up across the country, Manic Focus is on pace to take the music industry by storm. The talents of this producer create a spell-binding effect that only further showcases the evolution of his undeniable musical ability.
OUR LINKS
Exmag
MORE INFO COMING SOON!
Late Night Radio
MORE INFO COMING SOON!
Purusa
MORE INFO COMING SOON!
Pat Metheny Unity Group
Pat Metheny was born in Kansas City on August 12, 1954 into a musical family. Starting on trumpet at the age of 8, Metheny switched to guitar at age 12. By the age of 15, he was working regularly with the best jazz musicians in Kansas City, receiving valuable on-the-bandstand experience at an unusually young
age. Metheny first burst onto the international jazz scene in 1974. Over the course of his three-year stint with vibraphone great Gary Burton, the young Missouri native already displayed his soon-to-become trademarked playing style, which blended the loose and flexible articulation customarily reserved for horn
players with an advanced rhythmic and harmonic sensibility - a way of playing and improvising that was modern in conception but grounded deeply in the jazz tradition of melody, swing, and the blues. With the release of his first album, Bright Size Life (1975), he reinvented the traditional “jazz guitar” sound for a
new generation of players. Throughout his career, Pat Metheny has continued to re-define the genre by utilizing new technology and constantly working to evolve the improvisational and sonic potential of his instrument.
Metheny's versatility is almost nearly without peer on any instrument. Over the years, he has performed with artists as diverse as Steve Reich to Ornette Coleman to Herbie Hancock to Jim Hall to Milton Nascimento to David Bowie. He has been part of a writing team with keyboardist Lyle Mays for more than twenty years - an association that has been compared to the Lennon/McCartney and Ellington/Strayhorn partnerships by critics and listeners alike. Metheny’s body of work includes compositions for solo guitar, small ensembles, electric and acoustic instruments, large orchestras, and ballet pieces, with settings ranging from modern jazz to rock to classical.
As well as being an accomplished musician, Metheny has also participated in the academic arena as a music educator. At 18, he was the youngest teacher ever at the University of Miami. At 19, he became the youngest teacher ever at the Berklee College of Music, where he also received an honorary doctorate more than twenty years later (1996). He has also taught music workshops all over the world, from the Dutch Royal Conservatory
to the Thelonius Monk Institute of Jazz to clinics in Asia and South America. He has also been a true musical pioneer in the realm of electronic music, and was one of the very first jazz musicians to treat the synthesizer as a serious musical instrument. Years before the invention of MIDI technology, Metheny was using the Synclavier as a composing tool. He also been instrumental in the development of several new kinds of
guitars such as the soprano acoustic guitar, the 42-string Pikasso guitar, Ibanez1s PM-100 jazz guitar, and a variety of other custom instruments.
It is one thing to attain popularity as a musician, but it is another to receive the kind of acclaim Metheny has garnered from critics and peers. Over the years, Metheny has won countless polls as “Best Jazz Guitarist” and awards, including three gold records for
(Still Life) Talking, Letter from Home, and Secret Story. He has also won eighteen Grammy Awards spread out over a variety of different categories including Best Rock Instrumental, Best Contemporary Jazz Recording, Best Jazz Instrumental Solo, Best Instrumental Composition. The Pat Metheny Group won an
unprecedented seven consecutive Grammies for seven
consecutive albums. Metheny has spent most of his life on tour, averaging between 120-240 shows a year since 1974. At the time of this writing, he continues to be one of the brightest stars of the jazz community, dedicating time to both his own projects and those of emerging artists and established veterans alike, helping them to reach their audience as well as realizing their own artistic visions.
OUR LINKS
Bruce Hornsby
Twenty five years after winning a Best New Artist Grammy and launching one of contemporary music’s most diverse and collaborative careers, Bruce Hornsby is still, blissfully, making joyful noise—and finding clever, expansive ways to chronicle the dynamic musical snapshots along the journey. Now comes the release of Bride Of The Noisemakers--an ambitious 25 track, double CD chronicling 2007-2009 live performances of some of the singer/songwriter and pianist’s hand-picked songs of the past 20 years. The songs are recorded live capturing the playful, freewheeling spirit and unique chemistry of his longtime band The Noisemakers.
The Noisemakers consists of bassist J.V. Collier (who has played with Hornsby 17 years), keyboardist/organist John “JT” Thomas (21 years), saxophonist flutist Bobby Read (18 years), guitarist/mandolin player Doug Derryberry (13 years) and drummer Sonny Emory (the relative newcomer of the bunch, nine years). Released eleven years after Here Come The Noisemakers, a double-CD live document of the group’s early years (with original drummer Michael Baker), Bride Of The Noisemakers is a powerful expression of how the group sounds today.
Tapping into many of the genres that have influenced Hornsby’s artistic output over the years—pop, jazz, bluegrass, country and modern classical music—Bride of the Noisemakers features songs from previous releases such as Big Swing Face (2002), Halcyon Days (2004), and Levitate (2009) in addition to Camp Meeting (2007), which featured bassist Christian McBride and drummer Jack DeJohnette, and Hornsby’s acclaimed 80s and 90s releases, including Scenes From The Southside (1988), Hothouse (1995) and Spirit Trail (1998).
“I think the guys in the Noisemakers like the gig because there’s never a dull moment and we attempt to keep the spontaneity factor high,” says Hornsby. “The watchword is always, ‘Watch Bruce.’ I’m a fairly loose leader and I don’t like to rehearse! We mostly just ride around the country on a bus and laugh a lot. Hopefully you can hear that loose spirit in our shows; I just don’t take things too seriously.”
For all his talents as a singer, bandleader and pianist with an instantly identifiable sound, Hornsby is a songwriter at heart who is committed to portraying his songs in new ways that allow them to evolve and expand. This approach was further developed by his time with The Grateful Dead, playing over one-hundred shows with the band between 1990 and 1995. Hornsby found in the Dead’s vibrant tradition of loosely blending folk, blues and improvisation a kindred spirit.
In recent years, Hornsby has pushed his artistic limits working with bluegrass legend Ricky Skaggs, The Bruce Hornsby Trio and jazz legend Charlie Haden. Hornsby has also scored the Kobe Bryant documentary (“Kobe Doin’ Work”) for Spike Lee and contributed to all-star collections paying tribute to Fats Domino and The Band. A University of Miami music alum, Hornsby has also partnered with The Frost School of Music to establish the Creative American Music Program, a curriculum designed to develop the creative skills of talented young artist/songwriters by immersing them in the diverse traditions that form the foundation of modern American songwriting.
“In the spirit of musical evolution, I’m always trying to keep my band on their toes,” Hornsby says. “I was a sideman once and I know the kind of dismal prison it can become when you play the same thing the same way night after night, as if there’s the same set list for the year. In the ten years since we released our first Noisemakers project, we are a very different group, anchored by a different drummer in Sonny Emory, who joined shortly after Michael Baker left. It just felt like it was time to do this again to show what we sound like now. It was time for a document of what I feel are definitive versions of these songs.”
In July of 2006, Bruce Hornsby released a 4 CD/1 DVD box set titled Intersections (1985-2005) which breaks his lengthy career in music down into three distinct categories: “Top 90 Time,” “Solo Piano, Tribute Records, Country-Bluegrass, Movie Scores” and “By Request (Favorites and Best Songs).” Typical of the artist’s freewheeling approach to his own music, which involves ensuring that even his most-heard pop songs don’t become frozen in time “museum pieces,” a full third of the music was previously unreleased and most of the familiar tracks were presented as unreleased live versions. The set also featured “Song H,” a new composition which was nominated for a Best Pop Instrumental Grammy Award in 2007.
Intersections is definitive in many ways, yet only tells part of the Virginia native’s incredible musical story. His three Grammy wins typify the diversity of his first decade of recording: Best New Artist as leader of Bruce Hornsby and the Range; “Best Bluegrass Recording” for a version of “The Valley Road” that appeared on the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s Will The Circle Be Unbroken Volume II; and a shared award with Branford Marsalis in 1993 for “Best Pop Instrumental Performance for “Barcelona Mona,” a song for the 1992 Olympic Games.
The sales stats and breadth of his superstar collaborations (including being sampled many times by rap/hip-hop artists) speak volumes about Hornsby’s unique fusion of mainstream appeal and wild musical diversity. His albums have sold over 11 million copies worldwide, and the title cut from The Way It Is was the most played song on American radio in 1987, winning the ASCAP “Song of the Year” award. Harbor Lights was the 1994 winner of the Downbeat Reader’s Poll Beyond Album of the Year (meaning all music other than Jazz and Blues). Tupac Shakur “co-wrote” a new song over “The Way It Is” music with Bruce, using new words, called “Changes”; it was a major worldwide hit, selling 14 million copies.
OUR LINKS
8/1
Turnpike Troubadours
Jason Boland and the Stragglers
$20 - $61.50 | All Ages | 7 pm
BUY TICKETS!Turnpike Troubadours
MORE INFO COMING SOON!
Jason Boland and the Stragglers
October 31st, 2006 will mark two milestones for Jason Boland and the Stragglers. One dates back eight years to their first performance as a band. The other will mark the release of their highly anticipated new record The Bourbon Legend. Two years removed from Jason’s last record, 2004’s Somewhere In The Middle, this new chapter in his story is decidedly the best representation of how much he and his band have matured musically.
“This is the record we have always wanted to make,” says Boland. “It is the right record at the right time and we really just let it flow.”
Boland and the Stragglers’ newest contribution to country music arrives at a time when memories of the ‘Outlaw’ movement have all but faded from the conscience of country music. With songs like, “No One left To Blame,” and “Up And Gone” this talented group of musicians has delivered a timely wake up call to those who have turned a blind eye to the ghosts of music past. The Bourbon Legend stems from a mixture of musical influences culminating in a truly modern (yet sternly vintage) country record. Each song on the record shares a common bond with its classical counterpart and proves to be a re-generation of the outlaw country of old.
The first single, “No One Left To Blame,” carries with it heavy overtones of a music reminiscent of Waylon Jennings and Hank Williams Jr. while providing an edgy musical dose of a new generations’ varied influences. The majority of the songs on the record were influenced by acts such as the Marshall Tucker Band, Johnny Paycheck, Merle Haggard, among others.
The Bourbon Legend, produced by Grammy Award winner Pete Anderson (Dwight Yoakam, Buck Owens, Lucinda Williams) is his first collaboration with the Stragglers. According to Boland, the chemistry between he and Anderson was immediate upon his arrival in Los Angeles: “Pete, taught us not to force things and to take a less is more approach.”
“Working with Jason and his band on “Bourbon Legend” was a dream situation.” says Anderson. “Jason and I shared a clear vision to make a real modern-day country album – and I feel we accomplished just that. I’m proud of Jason and I’m proud to have worked with him on this record.”
Boland hales from Harrah, Oklahoma and carries with him the reputation of being a modern day country music outlaw. Both he and his band have been leaders in the Texas and Oklahoma music scene for several years generating such hits as, “Mexico Or Crazy,”
“Somewhere Down In Texas,” and “Pearl Snaps.” Boland, backed by his band of stellar musicians: Roger Ray (pedal steel, lead/rhythm guitar), Brad Rice (drums/backing vocals), Grant Tracy (bass), and Noah Jeffries (banjo, mandolin, and guitar) have sold over 100,000 records since 1999.
The Bourbon Legend is Boland’s first record with Sustain Records, an independent Texas-based record company distributed by Universal Music & Video Distribution.
OUR LINKS
8/2
Play Dead
18 & Over | 8 pm
Play Dead
The Players
Dylan Bassett - Percussion
Brad Boerger – Guitar & Vocals
Joe Comparato – Bass & Vocals
Michael Hamm – Guitar & Vocals
Bradford Hoopes – Keyboards & Vocals
Colin Mahoney - Percussion
As we approach the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead in 2015, this group of talented and eclectic musicians has come together to celebrate the remarkable repertoire and live experience of the Grateful Dead. More than what you’d expect from a typical tribute band, this group embraces the foundation of what made the Dead’s sound so unique by creating a landscape of masterful improvisation, rich harmonies and beautiful melodies across all genres of music.
While this group of players has never before taken the stage together, they have all been in connection for more than 20 years and possess over a century of experience writing, teaching, performing and producing music. Boerger and Comparato have played and performed together in the L.A. Ramblers, The Deal, The Coyote Project and most recently Stranger Tractor. Additionally Boerger’s music roots include Tofu Teddy, The Red Zone, The Parlor Frogs, Diamond Eyed Jack & Flint Gray. Hoopes’ credits include The EZ Pieces, Ardys & Bradford, The Secondhands and with Mahoney, venture back into the 80’s with the east coast jam band MoonRocks. Hoopes and Hamm have played together in The Yards since 2003. Bassett and Mahoney are a seasoned and accomplished percussion duo with numerous credits for session work as well as their performances in their bands Sunu (in which both Bassett and Hamm play), Truckstop Honeymoon and 40 Watt Dreams (in which Mahoney play).
Together Play Dead produces an uncanny rendition of a part of musical history that was genius, ahead of its time and may never be experienced again. To say the music and culture of the Grateful Dead had a profound effect on the course that music has taken over the years is a grave understatement. Whether you’re a card carrying Deadhead, a Hi-Fi music aficionado or just a music junkie who loves a good groove you will not want to miss Play Dead.
Let The Music Play The Band!
OUR LINKS
Ingrid Michaelson
In the past two years, Ingrid Michaelson -- who'll drop her fifth studio album, "Lights Out" (Cabin 24/Mom+Pop) on April 15 -- has vaulted from overachieving indie-pop sweetheart to a bona-fide pop star. Her last release, "Human Again," debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard album chart (plus No.1 on iTunes).
This achievement merely crowned the considerable success Ingrid had already earned with her previous compositions: beautiful, idiosyncratic songs that have been prominently featured in popular films, television and on regular rotation in commercials. Her DIY approach to making music -- composing her own songs, co-releasing albums on her Cabin 24 imprint, building an organic following through music-licensing, and back in her MySpace days (where she was discovered in 2006), promoting herself -- was a slam-dunk. Now, it had evolved into a well-oiled machine, The New York Times even weighed in, declaring her songwriting "smart," her tunes "irresistible" and her live show "seamless."
Then, says Ingrid, "Everything just came to a screeching halt." While helping out seriously ill relatives, her dog died. Soon after, Ingrid herself fell sick with serious stomach issues. "My whole throat was on fire for a few months. I had to stop writing," she says, of the time between April and August 2013. "I was so ill, I couldn't sing." After seeing countless doctors -- "like, three a day" at its worst -- she got better and was able to resume writing "Lights Out." For someone associated with crafting sunny tunes about escapism, a creative detour into dusk seemed almost inevitable.
Technically, "Lights Out" refers to the two words uttered on Ingrid's tour bus when everyone's ready to call it a night. But given recent developments, it's become a metaphor for contemplating mortality and letting go -- themes more thoughtful than they are dark. The album builds into intensity, but is anchored by the swelling pop-affirmation "Time Machine" and the sweetly buoyant "Girls Chase Boys," which fits squarely into her existing catalog. "We thought of that song as the bridge for people. I'm still respecting what people want, but showing them what I can do," she explains, adding: "Some of the songs, like 'Over You,' are written to sound like relationship-y songs, but they're not."
The ethereal "Handsome Hands" is arguably "Lights Out"'s most left-of-center offering. "The song is about death, but it's also about the higher power," she explains. "In moments of desperation, even the most non-religious people pray. When you're pushed to your limits, you look for help from something other than yourself." Similarly, "Wonderful Unknown" is a positive, if beguiling narrative about the fears and uncertainties of growing old with your spouse, which she delivers in a lower register. An after-effect of her illness? "I don't think I've lost part of my voice," she explains, "but my voice has somewhat changed."
Perhaps more dauntingly, "Lights Out" also marks Ingrid's entry into a brave new world of songwriting. Recorded in New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville, the album features six producers and ten co-writers, including singer-songwriters Katie Herzig and Trent Dabbs, as well as the very in-demand Busbee (Pink, Katy Perry, Lady Antebellum). "With every other record, I've always written all of the songs. I've worked with one producer. And we've stayed in one room," she says. "I've been such a control freak about my songs! But if you can get with the right person, there are ideas you could never come up with. It totally opens doors."
And with opportunity comes meaningful change. "It's funny. It doesn't even feel like I wrote 'The Way I Am,'" Ingrid says of her platinum break-out single, recorded seven year ago. "It's a memory." She'll continue to perform it live as she tours "Lights Out" -- just stripped-down, recasting the flittering ditty into something weightier. "It feels like a little girl wrote that song. So much has happened to me in life."
OUR LINKS
Neulore
MORE INFO COMING SOON!
Gracie Schram
MORE INFO COMING SOON!
The Talbott Brothers
The Talbott Brothers is led by brothers, multi-instrumentalists and singer-songwriters Nick and Tyler Talbott. This "rock band from the heartland" plays alternative rock and roll with a pop-like melody that you can't get out of your head, infused with blues that won't let your body stop moving, and harmonies that have been compared to the Everly Brothers and butterscotch chocolate.
“The Talbott Brothers draw on classic rock influences — nearly always open to harmony — with both the pop structure of a John Mellencamp song, as well as with that pop star’s America-by-birds-eye-view perspective.”
- Chance Solem-Pfeifer (Hear Nebraska)
OUR LINKS
Tyler Gregory
Hailing from the rolling hills of Kansas, Tyler Gregory can regularly be found busking on city streets with his deep voice and steam-powered melodies bouncing off the street-side architecture. His sturdy songcraft takes cues from WWII-era blues bellowers like Leadbelly and Son House.
Gregory's mix of blues and roots music howls with a sense of passion and freedom. Singing songs portraying stories of travel, land, and the meaning of simplicity, Gregory goes full force on his guitar/stomp-box live performance arrangements.
OUR LINKS
Ziggy Marley
Ziggy Marley's life story is filled with changes and transitions. In fact, change has been the one constant in his life. From his earliest days, raised in Trench Town, Jamaica, to the present, he has been guided by his keen awareness and driving compassion. These qualities are the earmarks of his work and his journey.
The eldest Marley son is not one to let any moss grow under his feet. His 2006 release, Love is My Religion (Tuff Gong Worldwide), garnered a Grammy for Best Reggae Album at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards, giving him a total of four Grammys as an artist. It was his second solo album, and the first to be released independently on the Tuff Gong Worldwide label.
OUR LINKS
Umphreys McGee
Since forming on the campus of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN, a little more than 16 years ago, Umphrey’s McGee—guitarist/vocalists Brendan Bayliss and Jake Cinninger, keyboardist/vocalist Joel Cummins, bassist Ryan Stasik, drummer/ vocalist Kris Myers and percussionist Andy Farag—has gone on to perform over 100 concerts annually, releasing seven studio albums and selling more than 3.3 million tracks online. With their eighth studio album, Similar Skin, and first for their own indie label, Nothing Too Fancy (N2F) Music, the group has tackled the studio with the same intensity and focus as they do their fabled live shows, with an eye towards maintaining the very special relationship with their loyal fan base.
This time around, the band’s varied musical touchstones range from the melodicism of Police, U2, the Beatles and Nirvana, the symphonic prog of Gentle Giant, King Crimson, Yes and Genesis to the heavy metal thunder of Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Soundgarden and Pantera. Produced by Umphrey’s McGee in conjunction with Manny Sanchez and Greg Magers, Similar Skin was conceived as “a coherent vision,” featuring plenty of dynamics and contrast, featuring many of the songs honed from their live repertoire. In a shrinking music business, Umphrey’s McGee have found a way to connect to their audience on a grassroots, one-to-one level—albeit enhanced with high-end technology—that keeps them coming back for more. The best example is the group’s fabled “Headphones and Snowcones” live soundboard mix delivered directly to followers in their homes, as well as making past shows available online. Similar Skin is ultimately a paean to that complementary relationship between band and audience that has marked its impressive career.
OUR LINKS
The Magic Beans
The Magic Beans are a traveling band from Nederland, CO set out to bring their unique, genre-blending music to the masses and inspire a good time. Their diverse songs move your mind, while tight grooves move your booty when they come to town or through the speakers. Drawing from a wide range of influences, The Magic Beans leave nothing off the table as they combine americana, funk, rock, and electronica into a one sound and sometimes even one composition. Their sound has been described as space funk, ameritronica, and groove grass. The group uses no pre-recorded tracks or samples in favor of a more traditional approach to music: original songwriting, diverse instrumentation, and continually pushing the envelope are what have set this group apart. Seamlessly combining acoustic roots music and traditional instruments with modern technology and electric dance music, The Magic Beans are as unique as their place of origin, the Colorado Rockies.
The Magic Beans have shared the stage with an eclectic group of musicians: ranging from members of String Cheese Incident, Lotus, Leftover Salmon, ALO, The Motet, to acts like Eliot Lipp, Railroad Earth, Kyle Hollingsworth Band, Great American Taxi, Zac Deputy, Elephant Revival, Greensky Bluegrass, Split Lip Rayfield, Juno What, Papadosio, & The Werks just to name a few. They've performed over 200 shows as group across the nation in venues like; Ogden Theater, Boulder Theater, Mishawaka Amphitheater, Bluebird Theater, Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, Animas Theatre, Belly Up Aspen, the Cabooze, George's Majestic, Parish austin, The Grenada, Gothic Theater, Funky Biscuit, State Bridge Amphitheater, Fox Theater, City Hall, 320South, The Eldo CB, Ghost Ranch Saloon, and many more across the country. The group has a full studio album and live shows available for free to fans at themagicbeans.bandcamp.com and has also put on two of their own festivals and participated in countless charity and benefit events. Look for the groups second studio effort, a double album, to be released early next year.
Scott Hachey – Electric/Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
Josh Appelbaum – Bass Guitar
Casey Russell – Keyboards, Synth, Acoustic Banjo/Guitar, Vocals
Cody Wales – Drums, Beatbox
Hunter Welles – Electric/Acoustic Mandolin
OUR LINKS
Reverend Horton Heat
It’s true that the Reverend Horton Heat have been called a great many things over the course of their storied career: Perpetual Carriers Of The Rockabilly Flame, Genre-Shattering Problem Children, Filthy Drunks, and The Most Electrifying Live Act In America (150 shows every year can’t be wrong). But whatever you happen to call them, their country-flavored punkabilly and onstage antics have brought the Reverend Horton Heat a strikingly diverse fan base and a devoted cult following. The Rev himself, aka Jim Heath, leads the way with signature guitar riffs, while pounding out the bottom notes (often on top of) his upright bass is Jimbo Wallace, while Scott Churilla keeps time on the drums.
OUR LINKS
Pinata Protest
MORE INFO COMING SOON!
Red Eye Gravy
Red Eye Gravy is a truly unique Oklahoma music experience. The band creates a stylistic blend of traditional country music with the fast-paced punch of punk – adding a few hints of bluegrass, rockabilly and blues along the way. Integrating that with the homegrown influences of red dirt music, the sound of Red Eye Gravy embodies a timeless, traditional sound punched-up through the modern lens of rock & roll – loud, fast and uncompromising.
The band pummels through an exhilarating live show that captures the audience form the first burst of piercing vocals to the last notes of their deep-rooted sound. Combining a drummer baptized in punk rock, raucous lap steel, swinging doghouse bass, gritty but melodic guitar and the feverish conviction of its vocalist, Red Eye Gravy will have you believing the Grand Ole Opry was just set on fire and burned to the ground. Whether playing original songs, traditionals, or the occasional cover, this band will deliver an unparalleled show.
OUR LINKS
T-Pain
Tallahassee-based MC and vocalist T-Pain (born Faheem Najm) came up in a rap group called Nappy Headz but went pro as a solo R&B artist after he recorded "I'm F**ked Up," a personal take on Akon's Top Ten hit "Locked Up." Akon heard the track and took T-Pain under his wing with a contract on his Jive-distributed Konvict Muzik label. Produced and written mostly by T-Pain, Rappa Ternt Sanga was released in December 2005, led by the Top 20 single "I'm Sprung." Epiphany followed in June 2007. His 2008 album, Thr33 Ringz, was conceptually based around the circus and played up the singer's "Ringleader Man" persona. rEvolver, which followed in 2011, was another conceptual effort, this time putting the focus on how much T-Pain had evolved since his previous effort
OUR LINKS
Yung Knowledge
MORE INFO COMING SOON!
Reverend Horton Heat
It’s true that the Reverend Horton Heat have been called a great many things over the course of their storied career: Perpetual Carriers Of The Rockabilly Flame, Genre-Shattering Problem Children, Filthy Drunks, and The Most Electrifying Live Act In America (150 shows every year can’t be wrong). But whatever you happen to call them, their country-flavored punkabilly and onstage antics have brought the Reverend Horton Heat a strikingly diverse fan base and a devoted cult following. The Rev himself, aka Jim Heath, leads the way with signature guitar riffs, while pounding out the bottom notes (often on top of) his upright bass is Jimbo Wallace, while Scott Churilla keeps time on the drums.
OUR LINKS
Pinata Protest
MORE INFO COMING SOON!
Red Eye Gravy
Red Eye Gravy is a truly unique Oklahoma music experience. The band creates a stylistic blend of traditional country music with the fast-paced punch of punk – adding a few hints of bluegrass, rockabilly and blues along the way. Integrating that with the homegrown influences of red dirt music, the sound of Red Eye Gravy embodies a timeless, traditional sound punched-up through the modern lens of rock & roll – loud, fast and uncompromising.
The band pummels through an exhilarating live show that captures the audience form the first burst of piercing vocals to the last notes of their deep-rooted sound. Combining a drummer baptized in punk rock, raucous lap steel, swinging doghouse bass, gritty but melodic guitar and the feverish conviction of its vocalist, Red Eye Gravy will have you believing the Grand Ole Opry was just set on fire and burned to the ground. Whether playing original songs, traditionals, or the occasional cover, this band will deliver an unparalleled show.
OUR LINKS
8/23
The Rainmakers
All Ages | 7 pm
The Rainmakers
Twenty-five years ago, the summer of 1986, The Rainmakers released their first album. Four young men from the Midwest began to live out the rock ‘n’ roll dream - their music on the radio, touring the country and the world, recording in top studios, playing in music clubs and arenas across the U.S. and Europe, videos on MTV, great reviews in Rolling Stone, Newsweek, and newspapers across the U.S.
The Rainmakers brought their Missouri-born version of roots rock ‘n’ roll to fans far and wide. Songs were sung, memories were made, and they lived to tell about it.
But all rock’n’roll bands have to grow up sometime - and after 6 successful albums and countless sold-out shows from Kansas City to Oslo and all points in-between, the Rainmakers broke up in 1998. Band members raised families, got real jobs (ouch!), and found ways to play music in ways that fit their changing lives.
25 ON. Where does the time go? When a great band breaks up, where does the music go?
25 ON. February 2011. The Rainmakers reunite for the first time in 14 years. Original members Bob Walkenhorst on vocals and guitar, Rich Ruth on bass, and Pat Tomek on drums, are joined by Jeff Porter on lead guitar. New songs are written, a new album is recorded in a 5-day music blow-out. Old friendships and things learned along the way make for a new album that has the spirit of youth, and the wisdom and viewpoints of lives well-lived.
A tour of Norway and live dates in the Midwest start to happen, and the band and their fans find out that something is still working, and that something is great songs, great performances, and a reconnection with the people who made the Rainmakers part of the soundtrack of their life.
“When the music is playing, we are all 25 years old again”, says Bob.
OUR LINKS
8/23
Major Games
Josh Berwanger Band
Honey Bears
18 & Over | 8 pm
Major Games
MORE INFO COMING SOON!
Josh Berwanger Band
Josh Berwanger could easily be considered a veteran of the rock and roll wars. He first made a name for himself as a member of The Anniversary, a seminal Kansas band that released two glorious albums (2000’s Designing a Nervous Breakdown and 2002’s Your Majesty) and selling over 100,000 records before imploding in a breakup of Fleetwood Mac-style proportions while attempting to tour Japan. Undeterred, Berwanger put together a new band—a country-rock outfit called The Only Children–and would go on to release two criminally underrated records (2004’s Change of Living and 2007’s Keeper of Youth) before pulling the plug on that project and taking a job doing the next most logical thing possible– coaching high school basketball in Lawrence, Kansas.
Having experienced the highest highs and lowest lows involved with chasing his musical dreams for the better part of two decades, Berwanger found himself at a crossroads—should he finally hang up his guitar for good or should he soldier on, pulling together his best tunes and working with a group of friends to make the best music possible? Luckily, he chose the latter. “There’s this part of me that really wants music to be normal again. I don’t even know what I mean by that exactly, but I know what normal isn’t—designer outfits, fireworks, crazy gimmicks. I don’t know how to relate to that. I want to make rock and roll. I want to make something honest.”
Such sentiments make sense coming from a guy who, as a child, used his first communion money to buy Motley Crue’s Shout At The Devil on cassette. On his new record, Strange Stains, Berwanger manages to balance what have always been his primary influences—the spirit and ethos of classic rock with the kind of pop sensibility and knack for hummable melody that made The Anniversary such a great band back in their heyday. Tracks like “Time Traveler” and “I Can Feel the Moon” rank among some of Berwanger’s loveliest (and catchiest) tunes, while “Baby Loses Her Mind” is the kind of sing-along jam that wouldn’t have been out of place on a classic FM radio playlist.
For the recording of Strange Stains, Berwanger joined forces with old pal (and original drummer for The Anniversary) Michael Hutcherson, who brought not only brought the rhythm to the record, but a wonderful familiarity as well. “Josh and I met in 1996 while playing in local Kansas City pop punk bands,” recalls Hutcherson, “I am honored to be making music with Josh again. For all that’s changed in our lives over the years, we’ve still got a symbiotic musical relationship. No questions, no egos, just rock and roll. “
The new record—which also features additional playing from The Breeders’ Jim Macpherson—speaks not only to Berwanger’s tenacity as a musician, but also to his sense of humor as well. Even though his musical path has been strewn with a few left turns (and a couple of cliffs), he has always retained his ability to turn lemons into sweet, sweet lemonade. Regarding the origins of Strange Stains, he has this to say: “I started dating a girl and she said the only way she would continue to date me was if I got a job in corporate America that involved sitting in a cubicle. I said a quick ‘Fuck No’ and instantly started writing this new album.”
Berwanger’s songs are born out of love, heartbreak, fear and frustration. They sound as big and open and honest as a Kansas skyline and speak to the struggle, unique to someone trying to slug it out in the music business for most of their adult life. Berwanger is, any many ways, a visceral statement about what it means to keep doing what you love—even when it feels like you are doing so against all odds.
”It’s an honest and truly sincere rock and roll record,” he says. “It’s a record that speaks about love, heartbreak, idiots, and continuing to pursue what you love to do, no matter how hard that shit is.”
OUR LINKS
Honey Bears
MORE INFO COMING SOON!
Portugal. The Man
There has to be some credit given for this band's name alone -- co-founder John Gourley once explained it as an attempt to create a demi-mythic entity bigger than the individual members. Formed in Wasilla, AK, Portugal. The Man (yes, there's a period in the middle of their name) grew out of the ashes of Anatomy of a Ghost, a post-hardcore band whose vocalist and guitarist -- Gourley and Zach Carothers, respectively -- opted to continue working together. Rounding out the new band's lineup was keyboardist/singer Wes Hubbard, himself a veteran of other Alaskan groups, and the trio eventually relocated from Alaska to Portland, OR. Their initial existence in the Pacific Northwest was the typical hardscrabble life of a band with few resources, but drummer Jason Sechrist (formerly of Konmai Defense System) joined to form a more stable lineup. The band's profile received a boost from the Internet (the musicians made heavy use of MySpace and PureVolume for promotional purposes), and Portugal. The Man released an initial EP in 2005 before issuing their debut album, Waiter: You Vultures!, in early 2006. The next year, the group (whose lineup had once again reverted to three members, as Hubbard had left), issued Church Mouth, whose aggressive sound bore traces of Led Zeppelin and Jane's Addiction. The bandmates then opted to finance their third record themselves, drawing upon a wealth of guest musicians -- including trombonists, trumpeters, and violinists -- to create the eclectic Censored Colors. In 2009 the group released The Satanic Satanist, then quickly followed up the next year with the mellower and more electronic American Ghetto. ~ Ned Raggett, Rovi
OUR LINKS
Grouplove
MORE INFO COMING SOON!
STRFKR
MORE INFO COMING SOON!
Dirtfoot
Dirtfoot is an all original, all acoustic band out of Shreveport, LA. Forming in early 2002, they've been honing their songs and craft in bars and pubs across North Louisiana, Southern Arkansas, and east Texas. After winning the Shreveport Times Battle of the Bands in January 2006, doors have really been opening. Now playing festivals like Voodoo Music Experience in NOLA, Wakarusa Music Festival in Lawrence, KS, Diversafest in Tulsa, OK, Mulberry Mountain Harvest Music Festival in Ozark, AR, Cutting Edge Music Festival in New Orleans, LA, Red River Revel in Shreveport, LA, Northgate Music Fetival, College Station, TX, etc, and playing major markets like Austin, Nashville, Memphis, New Orleans, etc, things are definitely looking up.
Led by the organic writings of Matt Hazelton with each player adding his own flavor and feeling to the songs and sound of the group, Dirtfoot is a blend of eclectic styles as well as diverse personalities. By far, their claim to fame is their high energy shows and overwhelming crowd participation. They involve the fans with infectious grooves, call and response songs as well as their famous "Beancans'. Each show, bean cans (homemade shakers) are passed out to the audience which turns them into a part of the percussion section. Though all of their instruments are acoustic, their energy and ingenuity will make you swear they are plugged in. Featuring instruments ranging from an acoustic guitar, banjo, upright bass, pots n' pans, drums, bells, saxophone, xylophone and more, this band has a truly engaging sound, a real dose of Gypsy, Punk, Country, Grumble Boogie! It is like a good gumbo - you have some growling vocals, upright bass and percussion that makes a good, dark, dirty Louisiana roux, mixed heartily with some meaty rhythms, combined liberally with fresh offerings from the guitar and banjo that are like okra and tomatoes picked from your backyard garden, topped with the hot n' sexy spice of the saxophone and jazz style drums, and finally a little something magical and indescribable, and you have Dirtfoot - a delicious, spicy, dirty band that will make you stomp your feet, shake your ass and yell like a lunatic on a full moon night.
OUR LINKS
Mountain Sprout
Mountain Sprout is a highly energetic hillbilly music machine, spitting original tunes and blowing minds with original whitty lyrics and face melting musicianship. The Sprouts are a full time working band and play shows all year round for anyone who will listen. Whether it be Grayson VanSickle playing his machine gun banjo, singing out the novel of our lives or guitarist Adam Waggs, who yanks up the melody up by the ear and keeps you kickin'. With a smile on his face, Daniel Redmond pulls out cannon fire notes pounding the stand-up, dog house bass, and Blayne Thiebaux gives the crowd a spectacular show, burnin' rosin and bendin' air, exploding the fiddle while bursting into flames. Together, they are MOUNTAIN SPROUT.
Playing around 250 shows a year, including music festivals, concert halls and backwood hole in the walls. They have performed in venues large and small. From opening up for national icons Willie Nelson and Leonn Russel to performing with jam band titans such as Yonder Mountain String Band and Wide Spread Panic. You can find them hanging out with home grown legends like Split Lip Rayfield, Randy Crouch and countless other amazing musicians. Always opening up another beer or a sheltered mind at the local and not-so-local bars, MOUNTAIN SPROUT is always truly a crowd favorite.
After forming several renditions, the band made a final pact in ‘06. Since then MOUNTAIN SPROUT has released multiple recordings preceded by the infamous “Pornobilly”(2005) that earned a place in everyones heart. Then officially releasing their original debut album "One More for the Ditch"(2007), followed by a collection of traditional tunes entitled "Fambilly Hour"(2008), and tapped from source with another CD of original songs called "Into the Sun"(2009). With there latest smash hit album for the collection “Habits to Feed”(2010).
Now with much more to come from the Mudstomp Records family and the Pipeline Productions power house, Mountain Sprout is here to push the limits! Just make contact with plenty of advance notice so that you too can enjoy the live supernatural performance of the Mountain Sprout and if you all just want to party, well thats we do best, so let us set the mood for an amazing experience anytime; every time.
OUR LINKS
ClusterPluck
MORE INFO COMING SOON!
9/6
Crossroads Music Festival
Me Like Bees
My Brothers and Sisters
Not a Planet
Loose Park
$16.50 - $21.50 | All Ages | 6 pm
BUY TICKETS!Crossroads Music Festival
MORE INFO COMING SOON!
Me Like Bees
Me Like Bees is an indie/alternative rock band fromJoplin, Missouri and is made up of Pete Burton (lead guitar),Nick Bynum (bass), Luke Sheafer (vocals/guitar), andTimothy Cote (drums).
Formed in May of 2009, the group has developed their sound with influences from bands such as Modest Mouse,Arcade Fire and The White Stripes. The “Me Like Bees” sound, like many of their influences, is based upon the idea of moving music forward with interesting and simple melodies. Although simple, the band maintains the listeners’ attention using irregular dynamics and asymmetric song structure. The group takes a quality control approach to songwriting, with each member bringing their own creative ideals to every aspect of the process.
The lyrics of Me Like Bees music are both thought provoking and entertaining, with a wide range of themes. Many of their songs discuss matters of inner turmoil, and relate to issues like guilt and doubt.Sheafer is known for his creative wording and unique use of syllables; often times giving a positive spin on what would otherwise be depressing subject matter. His singing style has been said to be a cross between Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse and Jack White of the White Stripes.
OUR LINKS
My Brothers and Sisters
MORE INFO COMING SOON!
Not a Planet
“…Step into the cage, the spectacle, the few, the proud, the strange…” writes Nathan Corsi, the guitarist, singer, and wordsmith of Not A Planet. Corsi’s carefully crafted and emotionally charged lyrics sync perfectly with the swirling harmonies sung by Liam Sumnicht (drums) and Bill Sturges (bass). The songs unabashedly culminate in a blend of 60’s pop, east coast indie and the blues of the north.
An Akron, Ohio native, Corsi’s musical tastes and influences grew in the same fertile soil that reaped rock and roll innovators like the James Gang, Devo, the Pretenders and the Black Keys. Moving to Kansas City, by way of New York, Corsi met local music-enthusiast poster child and 96.5 the Buzz radio personality, Liam Sumnicht in 2010. With their powers combined, they immediately booked their first tour while Sumnicht simultaneously navigated Corsi throughout the KC music scene.
Extensive touring to the east coast and back in the belly of their (t)rusty van, “Trudy”, Corsi and Sumnicht were accompanied by various and sundry bass players while their bond as bandmates and fellow artists grew stronger. Ripe and ready for a permanent solution, in the winter of 2012, they welcomed a bundle of joy, William “Pretty-Boy” Sturges, with open arms. William’s unmatched joie de vivre made him a natural fit for NAP. A skillful stylist, Sturges’ bass became the glue that bound Not A Planet’s signature sound. Their first release, the NAP Sack EP, was seven tracks gleaned from a scrapped full-length recording. Latecomer, Sturges’ bass tracks were overdubbed, and the songs remixed by Producer Michael Stout of the Beautiful Bodies.
The joy of connection and creating original, honest art compels the trio to bring a dreamscape collaborative to their audience. Once again working alongside Stout, the Not a Planet debut LP concept album explores life, love, grief and the powerful visions of our collective nocturnal dream world.
Pleased as punch to have been in the top five nominated for “best indie rock song in 2012” by the Independent Music Awards for their song, Turn Me On (NAP Sack EP), and to have shared the stage with amazing bands like ZZ Ward, Seawolf, Free Energy, Maps and Atlases, Bright Light Social Hour, Ha Ha Tonka, The Dirty Heads, Flogging Molly and Antennas Up.
GENRE: Indie Rock
MEMBERS: Nathan Corsi, Guitar/Vocals
Liam Sumnicht, Drums/Harmony Vocals
William Sturges/Bass Guitar/Harmony Vocals
OUR LINKS
Loose Park
Loose Park is a Kansas City rock band consisting of members/former members of Doris Henson/Baby Teardrops/Ecstatics, The String & Return/In The Pines/Spacesuit, and Soft Reeds.
The band was birthed in June 2013. The songs thus far are reminiscent of Neil Young/Crazy Horse, Nirvana and 1990's rock music.
OUR LINKS
Mountain Sprout
Mountain Sprout is a highly energetic hillbilly music machine, spitting original tunes and blowing minds with original whitty lyrics and face melting musicianship. The Sprouts are a full time working band and play shows all year round for anyone who will listen. Whether it be Grayson VanSickle playing his machine gun banjo, singing out the novel of our lives or guitarist Adam Waggs, who yanks up the melody up by the ear and keeps you kickin'. With a smile on his face, Daniel Redmond pulls out cannon fire notes pounding the stand-up, dog house bass, and Blayne Thiebaux gives the crowd a spectacular show, burnin' rosin and bendin' air, exploding the fiddle while bursting into flames. Together, they are MOUNTAIN SPROUT.
Playing around 250 shows a year, including music festivals, concert halls and backwood hole in the walls. They have performed in venues large and small. From opening up for national icons Willie Nelson and Leonn Russel to performing with jam band titans such as Yonder Mountain String Band and Wide Spread Panic. You can find them hanging out with home grown legends like Split Lip Rayfield, Randy Crouch and countless other amazing musicians. Always opening up another beer or a sheltered mind at the local and not-so-local bars, MOUNTAIN SPROUT is always truly a crowd favorite.
After forming several renditions, the band made a final pact in ‘06. Since then MOUNTAIN SPROUT has released multiple recordings preceded by the infamous “Pornobilly”(2005) that earned a place in everyones heart. Then officially releasing their original debut album "One More for the Ditch"(2007), followed by a collection of traditional tunes entitled "Fambilly Hour"(2008), and tapped from source with another CD of original songs called "Into the Sun"(2009). With there latest smash hit album for the collection “Habits to Feed”(2010).
Now with much more to come from the Mudstomp Records family and the Pipeline Productions power house, Mountain Sprout is here to push the limits! Just make contact with plenty of advance notice so that you too can enjoy the live supernatural performance of the Mountain Sprout and if you all just want to party, well thats we do best, so let us set the mood for an amazing experience anytime; every time.
OUR LINKS
Joss Stone
MORE INFO COMING SOON!
Infamous Stringdusters
The Infamous Stringdusters are doing something right. They’ve earned critical acclaim, from their inception, awards and nominations aplenty, host their own successful music festival, have their own record label and a quickly growing and enthusiastic fan base across the country. They sound like no one else, combining virtuosic chops on five traditional bluegrass instruments, with an ethos on pushing the genre forward. The Stringdusters are taking improvised string band music to new places, combining musicianship, songwriting and experimental performance. As the band's newest record, We’ll Do It Live shows, a Stringdusters performance is ecstatic, with contagious energy flowing between the band and crowd. At each show you’ll see the band relaxed and having fun, while focusing on the music, "podding up" and directing swells of energy from their fans.
OUR LINKS
The Growlers
The music of The Growlers is unmistakable.
Sure, you can hone in on some influences baked into the work of this California-bred band.
Heck, even they’d cop to a few, like Ricky Nelson and The Clash. But once those same RIYL
tags have been filtered through the minds and hands and voices of this five-piece, there’s simply
nothing else like it.
The Growlers took the phrase “Beach Goth” as an apt descriptor of their music. Sunburned and
salty, that term perfectly describes their distinctive melding of reverb heavy surf guitar and
Bakersfield-style honky tonk with ‘80s post-punk.
This is especially true of Chinese Fountain, The Growlers’ fifth full-length set to be released on
September 23rd via Everloving Records. The 11 songs found on it are some of the strongest that
they’ve committed to tape yet; a byproduct not only of eight years in the trenches together, but
finely honing their gypsy folk dirges and psychedelic sea shanties to fans at close to 150 shows
each year. The connection between vocalist Brooks Nielsen and guitarist Matt Taylor (the
principal songwriters of the group) has only grown deeper.
“The band played better than they’ve ever played,” says Nielsen. “We’ve got the process down
now. There’s less screwing around to get the songs laid out and we weren’t waiting around for
take after take. We knew it and we played without much time to spare.”
That confidence bleeds through every track on Chinese Fountain, with the band assured enough
to layer in shades of many new influences: the loping ska beat of “Dull Boy” and “Going Gets
Tuff,” the playful disco beat behind the title track, or the Teardrop Explodes-like agitation of
“Good Advice.”
Not that the band left themselves much room to second-guess anything. The five spent about
three weeks writing the tracks, and about half that time in the studio recording them. That may
sound rushed, but it’s not as if you can hear any strain on the finished product; Chinese Fountain
is as rock solid and watertight as anything in their still-growing discography.
There’s evolution to be heard in Chinese Fountain as well, courtesy of some of Nielsen’s most
pointed and poignant lyrics to date. He takes our obsession with the online world to task on the
funky title track. When he drops the bomb that obliterates that most famous of Beatles’ claims
with "The internet is bigger than Jesus or John Lennon” he re-contextualizes Marshall
McLuhan's "the medium is the message" in the same breath. He urges positivity no matter the
obstacles (“Going Gets Tuff”). Too, he reveals a tattered heart to the world on tracks like “Rare
Hearts” and “Love Test.”
“This is my chance to let it all out,” Nielsen says of these songs. “I kind of bottle things up and
don’t really get emotional. But I think if I don’t open up, I’d be a really stale person.”
OUR LINKS
The Garden
MORE INFO COMING SOON!
Die Antwoord
Die Antwoord (pronounced Dee Ahnt-Woord; Afrikaans for "The Answer") is a South African rap-rave band formed in Cape Town in 2008. Fronted by vocalists Ninja and Yolandi Visser, their music is produced by DJ Hi-Tek. Their image draws from the zef counterculture movement and the works of Roger Ballen.
Die Antwoord released their first album, $O$, online for free, and attracted international attention for their music video to "Enter the Ninja". After briefly signing with Interscope Records, they founded their own label in 2011, Zef Recordz, through which they released their second album, Ten$Ion. Die Antwoord's third album Donker Mag was released on 2 June 2014.
OUR LINKS
Andy McKee
One of today's finest new fingerstyle guitarists, Andy McKee is lauded by many critics and guitarists as the most promising fingerstyle guitarist to arrive on the scene in some time. Born in 1979 in Topeka, Kansas, Andy began playing guitar on his 13th birthday when his father bought him a classical guitar. It was not long after that Andy got his first electric guitar and began emulating some of his favorite music of the time; Metallica, Eric Johnson, Joe Satriani, and Dream Theater.
Andy's 16th birthday was a real pivotal moment in his life. A guitar playing cousin nearly had to drag him to an acoustic workshop by a guitarist named Preston Reed. It was a mind blowing experience for the young electric guitarist! Shortly after, Andy discovered the music of three other great acoustic guitarists; Michael Hedges, Don Ross, and Billy McLaughlin, all whom he considers as his primary musical influences today.
Composing was something Andy caught on to a little bit later and started writing when he was 20 year old. Andy released his first CD titled "Nocturne" in 2001 and competed in the prestigious National Fingerstyle Guitar Competition in Winfield, KS. He placed 3rd, making him the youngest competitor to ever place in the top 3.
In 2003, Andy began playing internationally beginning with a tour in Taiwan with renowned guitarists Jacques Stotzem, Isato Nakagawa, and Masaaki Kishibe. He also placed 1st in the Miscellaneous Acoustic Instrument contest in his home state of Kansas with the harpguitar. In 2004, Andy Released his 2nd CD titled "Dreamcatcher". With the title track, Andy won a competition to have a chance to perform on stage with bassist Michael Manring. Andy also won 1st place in the Kansas Fingerstyle Guitar Competition and 2nd in the Canadian Fingerstyle Guitar Competiton.
In the time since, Andy has performed in various parts of the world including Japan, China, Belgium, England, Canada, and will begin performing even more in the States now. In late 2005 Andy joined Candyrat record label alongside one of his biggest inspirations, Don Ross.
From Andy,"Most of all, I hope my music communicates something to the listener. I don't want to just play music with a lot of skill. I hope listening to my music is an emotional experience!"
OUR LINKS
Cherub
“Melding a club-spawn, skull-shaking low end with a wall of guitars and talkbox pyrotechnics, the duo comprising Cherub also sport the silky smooth pipes to spread their appeal to all four corners of the dance floor.” – Nashville Scene
Cherub is a sexy, avante garde, electro-pop duo that is the dance love-child of 80’s funk, and pop-music from the future. The members of Cherub, Jordan Kelley and Jason Huber, share a love for honest original music and vibrant live performance, with a common goal to share a little bit of sex, a little bit of drugs, and a whole lot of love with people across the globe. Cherub’s music is a fresh electrified take on risqué pop music that brings to mind timeless artists like Prince, Zapp and Roger, and more contemporary Justin Timberlake. With a live show that is bouncing with energy, Cherub dances their way into the hearts of audiences from the first falsetto hook, until the very last delay filters out.
After completing studio work for Cherub’s first release, Man of the Hour, singer/songwriter Jordan Kelley joined forces with fellow producer/performer, Jason Huber, to polish Cherub’s live electro act and begin performing throughout the Southeast. Both Jordan and Jason have received recognition as producers and live musicians, previously performing as Schtompa and I.V.Y. League alongside renown acts, such as EOTO, Boombox, Count Bass D, GZA of Wu Tang Clan, Two Fresh, and many more. Since Cherub’s formation in late 2010, the band has shared the stage with highly regarded acts like Pretty Lights, Alex B, Big Gigantic, Bag Raiders, Miami Horror, and many others. The duo is looking forward to a number of high profile live dates throughout the fall of 2011, including dates in Mexico with YACHT and Nortec Collective, and a Halloween show supporting Pretty Lights in the band’s hometown, Nashville, TN.
Since the recording of Man of the Hour, Cherub has returned to the studio as a dynamic electro-pop production duo, to lay down tracks for their second collection of recorded material. This new batch of Cherub songs brings a fresh uptempo electro feel to the familiar pop sensibilities for which fans know and love Cherub. Jordan Kelley’s clever songcraft, slick production, and smooth falsetto, are complimented perfectly by Jason Huber’s on-stage production, tube-driven guitar work, and exciting vocal harmonies.
The Man of the Hour brings a new light to electro-pop music. The catchy hooks, tasteful synthwork, and dance-demanding rhythms work together with honest lyrics delivering a unique twist on accessible pop rock music. The Man of the Hour provides a musical package that keeps listeners bouncing around a club, and singing along the entire ride home. Drawing instant comparisons to contemporary favorites like Chromeo, Bag Raiders, The Dream, and MGMT, Cherub’s Man of the Hour brings new definition to live music and electronic music alike.
Jordan Kelley wants to “focus on making good music that is personally relevant, rather that pay attention to the conventions of any particular genre. That’s what made the Man of the Hour.” Cherub’s live performance of Man of the Hour captivates audiences with swooping vocals, soaring guitars and talkbox, and ethereal harmonies, from the drop of the first beat, until Jordan and Jason dance their way off stage.
The newer unreleased Cherub material brings a funky vintage vibe to a new-school electronic sound, with soulful stacks of falsetto harmonies, and a layered cake of talkbox and vocoders, reminiscent of Prince, or Zapp and Roger. These songs display Cherub’s versatility in songwriting and dance music production, ranging from grooving heartfelt ballads, to risqué club bangers that blur conventional genre barriers. Playful guitar licks and lush synthesizer textures dance around in the mix, as listeners are treated to sing-a-long hook after hook the entire way through the tunes. It’s fun. The Nashville Scene claims Cherub as their “nu favorite nu disco duo.”
“Instead of fearing the changes seen in music performance, with technology being so readily incorporated into everyday life, Cherub looks to embrace everything that is fresh and exciting, and we seek to pioneer a new school of music composition, production, and performance… Cheers to the future!” – Jason Huber
OUR LINKS
Ghost Beach
Ghost Beach are the latest pop pioneers to set the internet ablaze with only a couple singles floating around and without any major label backing. The New York-based duo of Josh Ocean and Eric "Doc" Mendelsohn take their '80s influences one step further with Ghost Beach. Only a few months old, they've already perfected a retro-future aesthetic that sounds like the holy trifecta of The Police, Depeche Mode, and Daft Punk, with a little Passion Pit sprinkled on top for good measure. Josh plays the jilted lover with vocal panache as Eric's soaring synths, guitars and forever young harmonies are plucked right out of Neverland. Ghost Beach is more about a time than a place, and that time is now.
- Andrew Hwang
Ghost Beach are seductively good, with endless factors shaping their sound. In parts it sounds like synth-laden ’80s pop, and on others resembles a punk-rock vibe with lengthy guitar solos, like on single “First Time”. Their confused adolescent genre is a result of influences from the likes of Depeche Mode, Daft Punk and The Police. The American pairing are reminiscent of an early Hot Hot Heat, with a semi-fem vocal, unashamedly bathing in a pop bath – and I don’t mean the bubbles. They produced something that’s a lot more grown up. Saying that, they have the fun factor, the nonchalant attitude, and a contagious “let’s not stop partying until we throw up” glitter factor
-Tim Osbourne (Obscure Sound)
OUR LINKS
Gibbz
MORE INFO COMING SOON!
Moon Taxi
Moon Taxi is one of those rare bands that unites musical ingenuity with thoughtful lyrics and still somehow manages to wildly entertain and thrill a crowd. Their new record, Cabaret, is a layered, multi-dimensional endeavor that displays the band’s maturing sense of their own musical identity. A follow-up to their live album, Live Ride, Cabaret illustrates the challenges of defining yourself in a world that seems to be suffering from its own identity loss. Lead singer Trevor Terndrup says, “It’s about juxtaposition—putting together seemingly opposite ideas and finding a strange harmony.” Inspired by surrealist artwork and novelist Tom Robbins, Terndrup says, “I guess we are trying to say that things are not so black and white, or good or evil, but relative to your own perspective.”
Evoking the musical revolution of the sixties and seventies, Moon Taxi ignites their eclectic sound with unique melodies and energetic shows. The band has already formed a loyal fan base across the Southeast, selling out clubs and creating a strong grassroots following. Keyboardist Wes Bailey says, “It’s an incredible feeling to see people who we’ve never met before in a town we’ve never played before, dancing and singing our lyrics at the top of their lungs. That’s what really gets us off.”
The songs on Cabaret are stories in themselves, each contributing to the continuing narrative of ideals lost to youth and also newly discovered for the future—both of revelry and social-consciousness. On “Hideaway”, an anti-war protest is heard in the background. The chant was recorded on the spur of the moment when Trevor and guitarist Spencer Thomson followed an anti-Middle Eastern occupation march during a trip to New York City. Spencer opened his laptop to capture the moment, and the use of the chant, he says, shows the band’s hip-hop influences. Songs such as “Southern Trance”, “Whiskey Sunset”, and “Cabaret”, perpetuate youthful visions of campfires, torn jeans, and a good roll in the hay with the cutest stranger at the party. Spencer says about the variety of their songs, “Moon Taxi is unique because we don’t have preconceived notions about who we are supposed to be so there are no boundaries for what we are willing to do or try.”
Inspired by artists who push the envelope, such as minimalist composer Phillip Glass, Director Quentin Tarintino, and bands like The Beatles and Radiohead, Moon Taxi’s study of the greats is apparent on Cabaret. The record was recorded at Alex The Great in Nashville, where others such as Gomez, Yo La Tengo, and Be Your Own Pet have also sojourned. Cabaret was impressively produced by the band's guitarist, Spencer Thomson and Hank Sullivant (Whigs, MGMT, Kuroma), mixed by Grammy award winning sound engineer Vance Powell (Raconteurs), and features folk/hip-hop artist Matisyahu, who the band has also opened for, on the track “Square Circles”.
The band has worked hard to develop their well-executed stage presence. Drummer Tyler Ritter says, “What's great about our touring resume is that we've been able to create an interactive dynamic between the five of us that doesn't take away from the songs, but ultimately adds to a more energetic and (dare I say) ‘high octane’ live show. We constantly keep our eyes and ears open onstage, so we can change direction if we need to. It’s like a really intense conversation with your best friend at 2am, after several drinks, where every topic in the world is up for discussion, and you both have to be quick on your feet to follow each other’s train of thought.” Equally important as the practice of performing regularly, the guys have also shared life experiences that strengthen their sound and camaraderie. Tom Putnam (bassist) says, “Even experiences that weren’t directly recorded, (like the rally in NYC, or the lobby hotel sounds in Mississippi), influence our writing, like riding in a Lamborghini at 150 miles an hour with a drug dealer in Memphis, or when we were en route to St. Louis and watched the sky turned dark brown with tornadic winds and hail. Everyone in the band thought for a second we would die, and if they tell you different, ask Tyler for the video. That stuff changes you and your art.” It is the willingness to change and constantly evolve that will carry Moon Taxi through many records, and a long and successful career as a band.
OUR LINKS
Reptar
Genre
electro-dance-sexpop
Members
Ryan Engelberger (bass)
William Kennedy (keys)
Andrew McFarland (drums)
Graham Ulicny (guitar, singing)
Poof Daunghty (percussion, keys)
Hometown
Athens, GA
OUR LINKS
J BOOG
J Boog is a man of many influences. The singer of Samoan descent was born in Long Beach and raised in Compton, California. Growing up in the rough streets of Compton, the strong sense of tradition and culture that J Boog absorbed from his family was instrumental in his path to stay off the streets and begin a successful music career.
At the age of four, after hearing his older sister playing the piano, he developed an interest and started watching her and learning about music. Soon, J was singing along to the notes & melodies he heard his sister play. A while later, she brought home a Bob Marley song book. Even at this young age, J knew Bob's name and his music. Upon hearing his sister begin to play, something clicked inside J. He hasn't been the same since.
The first time J Boog performed in front of an audience, he was nine years old. It was a large family reunion at a church and there were about 200 people present. J's mother and sister insisted for him to sing Whitney Houston's "One Moment In Time" and J obliged them. Though he was nervous, it went quite well.
J Boog's music career became serious in 2005, when a couple of brothers from his neighborhood brought him to one of J's favorite artists, George "Fiji" Veikoso". The two began working together immediately and J ended up moving to Hawaii in 2006 to continue developing his craft. After releasing his debut album "Hear Me Roar" in 2007, he joined the musical family Wash House Music Inc, a record label based in Hawaii and San Francisco.
A year later, in 2008, J Boog met Gramps Morgan of Morgan Heritage and there was an instant chemistry. Gramps was keen on working with J, and set out to make a way. Shortly after, Gramps, J Boog and other Wash House family members were in Jamaica recording in such prestigious places as Bob Marley's "Tuff Gong" Studio, Don Corleone's "Hit Maker", Bobby Digital's "Digital B", Shaggy's "Big Yard", Sugar Minott's "Youth Man Promotion" and more.
The results are apparent when listening to Boog's new music. It is authentic Island Music and genuine Jamaican reggae at the same time. Truly a new and exciting combination. There is a natural theme to Boog's writing: love. It recurs throughout his work and never once seems contrived. When you listen, you will feel he truly knows matters of the heart.
These days Boog is either in a studio, on a stage or catching a flight. Radio interviews have become a daily thing and it's a little overwhelming for the young artist, though he has been smart enough to keep his humility. He has a great sense of humor and an even better sense of reality. He can be overheard saying how blessed he is on a daily basis. It's easy to see why J Boog has been winning over fans when you meet him. He has the right spirit and attitude to carry him to the next level.
His new album, "Backyard Boogie" is slated for release September 27th 2011 and features Tarrus Riley, Jacob Hemphill (of SOJA), Peetah Morgan (of Morgan Heritage), Fiji and others.
Leading up to the release of his official new album, J Boog released the "J Boog EP" on June 14th 2011 via Wash House Hawaii/EMPIRE Distribution. The EP featured five brand new songs, along with three previously released songs, including his smash hits "Let's Do It Again" and "So Far Gone".
OUR LINKS
Proverbial
MORE INFO COMING SOON!
9/26
Dr. John & The Nite Trippers
Dumpstaphunk
Blue Orleans
$30 - $76.50 | All Ages | 7 pm
BUY TICKETS!Dr. John & The Nite Trippers
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Dumpstaphunk
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Blue Orleans
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Trampled by Turtles
“Shooting sparks in the face of folk traditionalism, the quintet approaches the banjo and mandolin with a level of brash recklessness hardly heard since the now-mythical reign of Uncle Tupelo. Bill Monroe and Joe Strummer would both be proud.” - SF BAY GUARDIAN
“One of very few bands in America that are hipster-approved but could heave a room of strangers into a hoe-down at any time…” - CITY PAGES (Minneapolis/St. Paul)
With four self-released albums to their credit and a word-of-mouth reputation that draws legions of diehard fans to their must-see-to-believe live shows, northern roots music hybrid Trampled by Turtles are set to release Palomino, their first album through Thirty Tigers/RED, on April 13th, 2010. With a sound that’s a bracing hybrid of classic American songwriting, bluegrass and folk, this is forceful acoustic music from the land of ice and snow – of dark winters, isolation and numbing cold – delivered at breakneck pace with the fervor of religion.
The five members of what would become Trampled by Turtles formed in 2003 in Duluth, Minnesota, the Great Lakes port town that had spawned slowcore pioneers Low a decade earlier. Down in the “The Cities” (Minneapolis and St. Paul to the rest of the world), such fabled Minnesota brethren as Dylan through to the Jayhawks had raised the bar pretty damn high, songcraft-wise. Within this contained music scene, the future members of TxT did their time in punk and rock and roll bands, brandishing their electricity proudly, before going “organic” with acoustic instruments.
While they never set out to be a “bluegrass” band, the band employs the same time-honored tools of the trade – guitar, acoustic bass, banjo, mandolin and fiddle – as their ‘grass-fed country cousins. But their soul-deep differences in influences, attitude and attack, from their quicksilver, deadly accurate picking to their lonesome, hauntingly spare ballads, make for a very different musical beast indeed.
The result of this pan-genre spot-welding is a sort of North Country & Mid-Western Blue-collar ’grass meets Basement Tapes-era The Band (unplugged!) with a fistful of gunpowder tossed into the wood-burning stove, all of which is permeated by a poignant, seductive desolation that hails from the likes of Townes Van Zandt (a favorite of Simonett’s) on up through current artists such as the Avett Brothers, Blitzen Trapper, Bill Callahan and Justin Vernon.
Crisply produced by TxT lead singer, guitarist and primary songwriter Dave Simonett, Palomino leads off with a pair of plaintive, up-tempo ballads. “Wait So Long” offers gorgeous, high lonesome harmonies by bassist Tim Saxhaug and banjoist Dave Carroll, while “Victory” is a lament about persevering through loneliness and heartbreak, with Simonett singing “all of us lonely … it ain’t a sin; want something better than the shape we’re in …” and urging the listener to carry on, with the words “and the stars they whisper blessings babe, as you walk by.”
TxT accelerates with the neck-snapping certainty on the rhythmic, pedal-to-the-metal showcase “It’s A War” before popping the chute to draw way back again as the band eases into the easy sway and gentle harmonies of “Separate.” “Bloodshot Eyes” slows it down a notch with a spare arrangement and languid tempo, with Simonett’s aching vocal warmed by a simple harmonica line, followed by mandolinist Erik Barry’s compositional contribution to the album, “New Son/Burnt Iron.” “Help You” is a bubbling, sun-dappled mountain stream of a tune, a fast-moving sparkler far removed from modern techno-paralysis, followed by “Feet and Bones,” where someone tosses a match to the thing and they’re off to the races again. “Gasoline” is raw blues gone acoustic, with a dirty vocal sound and a Depression-era feel.
Simonett strikes gold yet again with “New Orleans,” an wistful time-tripper that evokes a dreamy 19th-century reverie. But not for long. With the fare-thee-well track “Again,” the album’s closer, he and the boys deliver a bruised-but-unbowed fireside lament of longing and loss that will stick with you and brings to mind Uncle Tupelo and Jay Farrar’s solo albums. It’s a song that yearns for another chance and begs for another listen, a song that blends the band’s virtuosity with the emotionalism that connects them with their audiences.
Without press or radio support or a national release until now, TxT continue to play to sold-out venues nationwide; with 2010 bringing the band for the first time to SxSW, Stagecoach Fest, High Sierra Fest, Wakarusa, DelFest (Bluegrass legend Del McCourey’s festival) and more. They’re even getting their own star at legendary Minneapolis club First Avenue, where they can regularly sell out two consecutive nights at the 1600-capacity venue. With Palomino, TxT have harnessed their considerable power and are ready to share it with the world.
OUR LINKS
Matisyahu
In April of 2005 a fresh voice announced his arrival on the international stage with a stunningly inventive document titled Live at Stubb’s. Six years later, Matisyahu returns to the renowned Austin venue that helped to launch his career with Live at Stubb’s, Vol. II, a new CD-DVD package that demonstrates the continued originality and increasing depth of this longtime New Yorker’s craft.
Inspired by the runaway success of the original record, which spawned the hit single “King Without a Crown” and has to date sold over 700,000 copies in the United States, Matisyahu says he always knew he wanted to make another live album. “Performing is such a big part of what I do,” he says, “and there’s a lot about that live energy that you just can’t catch in the studio. So for me it was simply a matter of figuring out the right time to do it.”
He chose well: Last year Matisyahu released Light, a David Kahne-produced studio disc on which he jumped boldly from hard-edged dancehall and ska-inflected New Wave to laidback pop-rock and acoustic folk-soul. The album took Matisyahu well beyond his stylistic comfort zone and charted the growth of his vocals from traditional reggae toasting to a more dynamic, emotional place. But it didn’t necessarily show off his onstage evolution.
“I’ve played so many shows and gone through so many metamorphoses as a performer,” he says. Especially valuable was the opportunity to showcase that evolution at the very club where his career really took off. “It was kind of a return-to-roots occasion,” he says—albeit one where we see how far he’s come, as well.
Part of that transformation has been fueled by Matisyahu’s new band: Brooklyn’s acclaimed Dub Trio, which includes guitarist D.P. Holmes, bassist Stu Brooks and drummer Joe Tomino. The singer first came across the group—as fate would have it—while in Austin recording the first Stubb’s record. “I remember seeing their name at a record signing and being intrigued,” he says. “So I got one of their records while I was on tour, and there was this one song I couldn’t stop playing.”
Shortly thereafter, Matisyahu spent an entire day walking around Boston writing lyrics to the tune. “I love the way they bounce back and forth between really beautiful music and heavier, harder-edged stuff,” he says. “I knew right then that I wanted to work with them.” Last year he booked a show with Dub Trio at a small club in Brooklyn. “We just did an improv set after maybe one rehearsal,” he recalls. “It felt so right.”
That improvisational spirit looms large throughout Live at Stubb’s, Vol. II, which pulls primarily from Light and Youth, Matisyahu’s 2006 full-length. “Dub Trio understand the concept of space,” he says, “which for a vocalist is great, because that leaves a lot of room for me to really get into my lyrics in new ways.” Here Matisyahu uses that room to dig deeper into his sound than ever before, shedding new light on its hip-hop, rock and reggae dimensions to the vocal delight of the enthusiastic (and demographically varied) Stubb’s crowd.
That audience was central to what Matisyahu set out to accomplish with Live at Stubb’s, Vol. II. After all, the fans were the ones who enabled his return to the venue in the first place, affording Matisyahu the opportunity to extend the legacy Stubb’s represents. In fact, one crowd member made a lasting contribution.
“The night before the show I took a picture of my tour bus in the hotel parking lot and posted it on Twitter,” Matisyahu remembers. “Someone sent back a tweet saying they’d figured out which hotel it was and asked if they could come say hi. I said sure and a couple of kids showed up; we hung out for a few minutes on the bus. Then the next night at the show I’m pulling people up onstage during ‘King Without a Crown’ and one of them is the kid from Twitter!” The singer laughs. “So the last clip on the DVD is actually me giving him a high-five.”
The appreciation, no doubt, was mutual.
OUR LINKS
Radical Something
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Cisco Adler
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Fortunate Youth
Fortunate Youth is a collaboration of South Bay Reggae stand-outs. Rising from various bands, they’ve created a phenomenal 7-piece masterpiece bringing more fire to the stage than ever before. Combining rootsy vibes and unique bass lines united with multiple harmonies, boisterous guitar solos, and heavy keys separates Fortunate Youth from every other mainstream Reggae band. With their high energy approach and positive stage presence they provide an unforgettable show to every music fan. Fortunate Youth’s objective is to ensure a performance that leaves you feeling euphoric and curious of what might happen at the next show.
In 2011 they supported Tribal Seeds on their nationwide Tribal Youth Tour to spread their conscious music to the nation. F.Y. linked up The Green, from Hawaii, for a Midwest/Westcoast run before jumping back in the studio to record. They have hit the masses promoting only their 6-song EP titled “Up-Lifted EP” and just released their full-length album, “IRIE STATE OF MIND” on July 1, 2011. Fortunate Youth will also be touring very heavily through 2011 including a Naitonwide CD Release Summer Tour.
Upon Releasing their full-length album they quickly rose to #2 on the iTunes Reggae Charts and also locked in a #13 position on Billboard Top 100 Reggae Albums. Receiving great praise for early success Fortunate Youth strives to spread their interpretation of Reggae music to Music Lovers worldwide.
They have had the honor to share the stage with bands such as Groundation, Toots & The Maytals, The Green, The Wailers, Katchafire, Tribal Seeds, The Expendables, Pepper, Dirty Heads, Natural Vibrations, Tomorrows Bad Seeds and Sashamon.
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J Roddy Walston & the Business
The third album from J. Roddy Walston & The Business, Essential Tremors borrows its name from a nervous-system disorder that’s long plagued the band’s frontman. “It’s this condition where my hands shake―sometimes not at all, but sometimes pretty bad,” says singer/pianist/guitarist Walston. “I’ve referenced it throughout all our records in some way, but it made sense to be more open about it on this album, which is partly about owning and embracing your weirdness instead of letting it hold you captive because you don’t even want to talk about it.”
For J. Roddy Walston & The Business―who formed in 2002 in Walston’s hometown of Cleveland, Tennessee―embracing weirdness means a mumble-out-loud celebration of that great and terrible burden of being human. Forcing the oft-clashing worlds of art and rock-and-roll to make nice, the band (including guitarist/vocalist Billy Gordon, bassist/vocalist Logan Davis, and drummer Steve Colmus) deals in a scrappy yet sublime sound that honors both their Southern roots and punk spirit. On Essential Tremors, J. Roddy Walston & The Business builds off that formula with a mix of heavy hooks and elegant melodies revealing their affinity for artists as disparate as Led Zeppelin, pre-disco-era Bee Gees, The Replacements, Randy Newman, and the Southern soul outfits that once populated the Stax Records label. Co-produced by Matt Wignall (Delta Spirit, Cold War Kids) and Grammy-winning producer/engineer Mark Neill (The Black Keys) at Neill’s own Soil of the South Studios (a Valdosta, Georgia-based facility where J. Roddy Walston & The Business were the first to ever record), the follow-up to 2010’s much-acclaimed self-titled sophomore album also finds the band crafting lyrics that ultimately serve as a secret language to the initiated listener.
OUR LINKS
Fly Golden Eagle
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J Mascis
It’s all but inconceivable that J Mascis requires an introduction. In the quarter-century since he founded Dinosaur (Jr.), Mascis has created some of the era’s signature songs, albums and styles. As a skier, golfer, songwriter, skateboarder, record producer, and musician, J has few peers. The laconically-based roar of his guitar, drums and vocals have driven a long string of bands – Deep Wound, Dinosaur Jr., Gobblehoof, Velvet Monkeys, the Fog, Witch, Sweet Apple – and he has guested on innumerable sessions.But Several Shades of Why is J’s first solo studio record, and it is an album of incredible beauty, performed with a delicacy not always associated with his work.
Recorded at Amherst Massachusetts’ Bisquiteen Studios, Several Shades is nearly all acoustic and was created with the help of a few friends. Notable amongst them are Kurt Vile, Sophie Trudeau (A Silver Mount Zion), Kurt Fedora (long-time collusionist), Kevin Drew (Broken Social Scene), Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses), Pall Jenkins (Black Heart Procession), Matt Valentine (The Golden Road), and Suzanne Thorpe (Wounded Knees). Together in small mutable groupings, they conjure up classic sounds ranging from English-tinged folk to drifty, West Coast-style singer/songwriterism. But every track, every note even, bears that distinct Mascis watermark, both in the shape of the tunes and the glorious rasp of the vocals.
“Megan from Sub Pop has wanted me to do this record for a long time,” J says. “She was very into it when I was playing solo a lot in the early 2000s, around the time of the Fog album [2002's Free So Free]. She always wanted to know when I’d do a solo record. [Several Shades of Why] came out of that. There are a couple of songs that are older, but the rest is new this year. And it’s basically all acoustic. There’s some fuzz, but it’s acoustic through fuzz. There’re no drums on it, either. Just one tambourine song, that’s it. It was a specific decision to not have drums. Usually I like to have them, but going drum-less pushes everything in a new direction, and makes it easier to keep things sounding different.”
There is little evidence of stress on Several Shades of Why. The title track is a duet with Sophie Trudeau’s violin recalling Nick Drake’s work at its most elegant. ‘Not Enough’ feels like a lost hippie-harmony classic from David Crosby’s If I Could Only Remember My Name. ‘Is It Done’ rolls like one of the Grisman/Garcia tunes on American Beauty. ‘Very Nervous and Love’ has the same rich vibe as the amazing rural side of Terry Reid’s The River. And on and on it goes. Ten brilliant tunes that quietly grow and expand until they fill your brain with the purest pleasure. What a goddamn great album.
OUR LINKS
Luluc
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Slow Magic
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Kodak To Graph
Allured by pulsing incantations of cassette grain and VHS blips, live instrumentation and other found sounds, Kodak To Graph's Michael Maleki (22), delicately floats listeners through blooming clouds of synth-washes, haunting reverberations and propulsive rhythms.
Maleki's candle-waxed R&B and flower-trailed soundscapes weave together the nostalgic tones and colors reminiscent of a quiet childhood with the urban bounce and rhythmic disposition of the more modern spirit.
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Odesza
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Ambassadeurs
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Hayden James
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10/20
Ryan Adams
All Ages | 7 pm
Greensky Bluegrass
Greensky Bluegrass
Kalamazoo, MI
Bluegrass/Newgrass/Jam Band
Band Members:
Michael Arlen Bont - Banjo
Dave Bruzza - Guitar
Paul Hoffman - Mandolin
Michael Devol - Bass
Anders Beck - Dobro
"Representing the genre for a whole new generation" - Rolling Stone
If you’re familiar with bluegrass music, then you’re tuned in to some of what Greensky Bluegrass does. They’re also known to throw a great party, rock n roll, and (if the critics are to be believed) they have great songs. They are unquestionably a team of friends that traverse the country making music they enjoy. What makes Greensky different than Bluegrass? Poignant rural ballads about real people? Dobro tone that Jerry (Douglas or Garcia) would love? Distortion Pedals? Grit and attitude from a whiskey soaked card game? Indeed, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
This quintet from Michigan has been staying up late at all the coolest festivals and stopping to play your favorite clubs and theaters across America for 11 years now. Nearly 175 shows per year has prepared them for the rigorous task of continuity. Greensky Bluegrass isn’t slowing down. They’re coming to your town to help you party down. Yeah. Really. Like you never thought possible.
At the start of the millennium, some of these guys met, then they met more guys. They thought Greensky was a clever name for a bluegrass band. Fast forward to 2011 when they recorded their fourth studio record, called Handguns. Among them, words like, proud, killer, and damn right! have been spoken in regards to the music of Handguns.
While they all may be accurate, we hope you’ll find far more than you expected, hell - even more than we expected contained in this piece work that may well come to define one of 21st Century Americas hardest working musical ensembles.
The latest Greensky release, "Five Interstates" is now available! Produced once again by Tim Carbone of Railroad Earth, and featuring newest member Anders Beck, this is a great compilation of tunes. Drop on by our website at Greensky Bluegrass , scoot around back to the store, and pick up a copy or two. For full tour information check us out on Jambase.
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Twiddle
Twiddle, a Vermont based quartet, spins tall tales over an intricate soundscape of hi-def shred. Their fresh multi-genre approach conjures up jazz, classical, and bluegrass, but above all, masterfully blends reggae and funk. Obliterating laws of improvisation, their complex arrangements never fail to leave crowds lusting for more. With sage songwriting and unmatched variety, Twiddle’s thrilling infancy continues to exceed all expectation. After whimsically jamming in the fall of 2004, the founding members of Twiddle immediately recognized chemistry and a common seriousness. By the second semester at Castleton State, Mihali Savoulidis and Ryan Dempsey were already intertwining harmony and fantasy, birthing Twiddle staples like ‘Frankenfoote’ and ‘Gatsby the Great’. Brook Jordan, and Billy Comstock, Twiddle’s original bassist, complemented these melodies with a densely layered, and exciting funk rhythm This young foursome had taken Castleton by storm, toured the northeast, and composed an impressive catalog of original tunes before becoming upper-classmen.
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Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors
Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors
Some artists are able to articulate a vision at the very beginning of their career, while others hone their craft over time, growing into their vision as they mature.
“I am definitely in the latter category,” explains Drew Holcomb, a Tennessee-born, duck hunting, bourbon drinking, 1st edition book collecting, golf playing Eagle Scout with a Masters degree in Divinity from Scotland’s University of St Andrews (he wrote his dissertation on “Springsteen and American Redemptive Imagination”) who has spent the better part of the past decade as a professional musician – recording, writing, and touring with his band Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors.
Since releasing their first album, 2005’s Washed In Blue, Drew & The Neighbors (Ellie Holcomb, Nathan Dugger, Rich Brinsfield) have established themselves as a formidable indie act, selling more than 75,000 records, playing more than 1,500 live dates, selling-out headline shows, and touring alongside such varied acts as The Avett Brothers, Ryan Adams, Los Lobos, NEEDTOBREATHE, Susan Tedeschi, North Mississippi Allstars, Marc Broussard, and more. Their songs have been used in countless television shows and commercials, most notably in TNT’s Emmy Award winning 2011 Christmas Day NBA Forever spot, which paired the song Live Forever with a mesmerizing montage of past and present NBA video footage.
The hard work has paid off with the band’s sixth album Good Light showcasing Drew’s signature brand of singer/songwriter Americana in its finest form yet. Recorded live at Ardent Studios in Memphis, Good Light arrives shortly following Drew’s 30th birthday and the birth of his first child, daughter Emmylou (named for – you guessed it – Emmylou Harris), with wife and band-mate Ellie Holcomb. I think about my daughter every time I sing the title track, how I want to sing it over her when she is old enough to start understanding the world of truth and consequence,” says the Memphis native who now calls Nashville home.
“This album perfectly tells the story for a new stage in my life,” explains Drew “On past albums I was searching for my voice, both literally and figuratively. I co-wrote a lot of songs, peppered the music with too many influences, and let too many other voices in my head.”
With this album, Drew dedicated himself to the process of songwriting, stripping away extra layers, ridding himself of past boundaries and expectations. He wrote more than 40 songs for Good Light, mostly alone on his 1934 Gibson Archtop, eventually whittling the selections down to a final 12 tracks.
Drawing from personal experience to craft songs that speak to all of us, Drew explores the universal need to find meaning and joy in the midst of heartbreak and disappointment throughout Good Light. The last song on the album Tomorrow opens with the lyric, ‘Nothing ever turns out like you thought it would.’ It’s a theme that permeates the album.
“I have been through really difficult things,” Drew continues. “When I was 17, I lost my younger brother, and have lived through the grief of that great absence. On the other hand, I have experienced the joy of being married to the girl I always wanted, and have been loved really well by her…Everyone has all these different ingredients; our geography, our family, our interests, the places we have been and the places we long to see, the loves we have found and the loves we have lost. Each of us has a story, and it’s the only one we can tell. With this album I’m telling my story, in the hope that it helps other people tell theirs.”