For more than a decade, DeVotchKa has been melting its sweeping collection of influences into an authentic and totally original blend of rock 'n' roll.

With his new album Minnesota, Mason Jennings crafts a collage of love trying to survive the transition into being a grown-up in a complex world. “Love is the most important thing to me, my relationship with my wife and kids,” Mason says, adding “And music has always been as important as breathing to me.

If there’s any band out there that will make you go out on a school night and shake it, its Fort Collins based Euforquestra. Hell, I was running a fever that night and dragged my ass down to the party. Unfortunately I missed the first opening act Boom Chicken and most of Jet Edison’s set.

At the State Theater in Ithaca, NY on November 19, 2011, Dark Star Orchestra will perform its 2000th show since its debut just over 14 years earlier. At this show, DSO is celebrating this special milestone by offering one lucky winner an iPod loaded with over 2000 songs.

Since the release of 2009’s The Future Will Come, John “Juan” Maclean has stayed quite busy remixing artists like Chairlift, Matthew Dear, The Tough Alliance and forthcoming remixes for Yoko Ono and Stevie Nicks. He’s also appeared on both the Holy Ghost! Static on the Wire! EP (shredding guitar solo!) and taken front man duties on Shit Robot’s “Grim Receiver”.

The Malah will unveil the latest volume of their live recording anthology “Live from Earth 2010” on Nov. 4, cataloguing what was a huge year for the band as they spread their uplifting grooves across the country.

Dead Letters is the fully authorized portrayal of the Grateful Dead according to the world’s most devoted fan base: Deadheads. Beginning in their earliest days, the Grateful Dead saved tens of thousands of letters sent to them by Deadheads reflecting on the spectacular concerts they’d attended and requesting tickets.

What happens when you take the spirit of Dick's Picks and combine it with the very best aspects of Road Trips? Dave's Picks! Esteemed archivist, vaultmeister, and all-around Dead fiend David Lemieux will curate the finest unreleased shows from the master tapes, brought to life with HDCD sonics by Jeffrey Norman, period photos, and informative liner notes. All four CD releases in 2012 will be limited to 12,000 individually numbered copies.

Hard to believe, but we've been rolling out the Grateful Dead Almanac for about 18 years now, carrying on a time-honored tradition of keeping Dead Heads up to date on the latest developments in this still-evolving and vital musical and social community. But with this issue of the Almanac, you'll notice something a little different. As in, it's not made of paper.