Last June, the genre-defying progressive sextet Umphrey’s McGee released their eighth studio album Similar Skin via their own independent label, Nothing Too Fancy Music. Similar Skin is the band’s most cohesive album to date and was very well received by the band’s ever-expanding and loyal fan base, and the press, including Rolling Stone, American Songwriter… Continue reading Umphrey's McGee Celebrate 2000th Show
With the band’s second leg of their Fall Tour kicking off tomorrow in Des Moines, IA, Greensky Bluegrass announces their first series of dates for 2015. The first leg of the Winter Tour takes them up and down the Eastern US in January and February with highlights including multiple dual-night stands in such venerable venues… Continue reading Greensky Bluegrass Announce Winter Tour 2015
It’s hard to use the term super-group without a couple of obvious stigmas surfacing. It usually constitutes musicians who were sensationalized with other bands coming together to benefit off of the novelty of their collaboration with other already successful players. Often the results are under-inspired, a lucrative opportunity to make a quick buck off of… Continue reading Hardworking Americans | The First Waltz | Review
The Garcia Project and Acoustically Speaking is heading out to bring the experience of classic Jerry Garcia Band to the USA! We love the music that Jerry Garcia created with The Grateful Dead and the Jerry Garcia Band created. All of us in The Garcia Project and Acoustically Speaking are huge fans and are dedicated… Continue reading The Garcia Project Announce Kickstarter
Anna Vogelzang – the multi-instrumentalist, producer and songstress — is set to release Driftless on her own Paper Anchor Music. This is the follow up to 2012’s celebrated Canary in a Coal Mine. Amarillo, the first track from the new EP, premiered on BlackBook Magazine’s website on October 17th. Of Vogelzang, Blackbook raves, “every now… Continue reading Anna Vogelang: Pop-Folk Songstress Set to Release 'Driftless'
Grammy Award-winning musician Brian Setzer donated his signature orange Gretsch guitar to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History during a ceremony Oct. 17. The replica guitar is evocative of Setzer‘s original 1959 Gretsch 6120 “Stray Cat” guitar, for which he raided his Monopoly game for two dice drilled holes in them and attached them… Continue reading Brian Setzer Donates Gretsch Guitar to Smithsonian
How many more Dead tribute bands does the scene really need? There’s truly already plenty out there. Even if the music is structured to be boundless and open for continuation, it seems like bands could better serve the music with an improvisational spirit, but playing originals instead of Dead covers. Indeed it takes a special… Continue reading Joe Russo's Almost Dead | Boulder Theater | 10/10/14
Yet another beautifully sunny day graced us on Friday at Yonder Mountain String Band‘s Harvest Music Festival. Not a drop of rain and enough sunshine to charge cell phones (a rarity among the few most recent Harvest festivals.) There is such happiness floating through the campsites and stages, families are playing and wrangling children, and… Continue reading Harvest Music Festival 2014 | Day 2
People are rejoicing here on Mulberry Mountain this year. After 3 years of poor weather during Harvest Music Festival, it’s finally a perfect weekend. Sunny, cool and breezy…I guess climate change is working in our favor right now. Folks are rolling in and setting up camp, but the crowd seems smaller this year, but it’s… Continue reading Harvest Music Festival 2014 | Day 1
At the SHEL/ Under the Willow show at the Abbey Chicago on September 24th, the crowd bubbled over as Erin Donovan spoke of her Irish ancestors and really anyone’s ancestors. She was describing one of the first songs the band wrote together as the crowd nearly overpowered her amplification. The song is called Heritage and… Continue reading Under the Willow / SHEL | Abbey Chicago | Review
