Going back to my high school days growing up in Iowa, I specifically remember the first time I heard Phish.  I was with a group of friends (guys I am still in touch with today) riding around on a hot summer day on our way to what had become almost a daily sand volleyball session.  A buddy popped in the Picture of Nectar CD and told us we were in for a real musical treat.  Some band from the East with a simple but oddly spelled name.

Truly integrating two disparate musical genres into a third doesn’t occur all that often.  And when it does, it’s often lopsided in favor of one genre – over another.  It’s unbalanced, and noticeably so.  But when an organic musical marriage does happen, it can be like dynamite.  Happily, such is the case for Asheville, North Carolina’s Toubab Krewe.

With just three weeks until Colorado's second annual Mile High Music Festival, today festival organizers announce the weekend's performance schedule.  Five stages will host 50 bands during the two-day festival, with music beginning at 11:15 am each day and going until 2 am on Saturday and 12:30 am on Sunday. Mile High Music Festival has also unveiled the 2009 Site Map.  Visit www.milehighmusicfestival.com for complete details and to purchase tickets.

Upcoming Tour Dates:

Tonight at The Ridgefield Playhouse...Madeleine Peyroux --- Tonight, Tuesday, June 23rd at 8:00 p.m.  The smokey vocals of Madeleine Peyroux are coming to The Ridgefield Playhouse with her earthy new album called Bare Bones.  Peyroux has achieved critical success with her signature "postmodernist coolness" (LA Times).

The 2009 Pitchfork Music Festival, to be held July 17th - 19th in Chicago's Union Park, is closing in, and the schedule is now officially set! Plans can be made, airline tickets bought, and squeaky bicycle wheels greased.  Also, Sunday tickets are now sold out! There is still a limited quantity of Friday and Saturday tickets available, and they can be purchased here.

The 3Gs ('aka Grateful Garcia Gathering), is returning back to the Camp NCN Venue in beautiful Black River Falls Wisconsin July 30th though August 2nd 2009 where it all began over 6 years ago! A Grateful place where Garcia fans will be Gathering! It also marks the celebration of Jerry Garcia's 67th Birthday, plus the 14th Anniversary of Jerry's untimely passing.

Summer is almost here and this year’s 10,000 Lakes Festival is just over a month away, taking place July 22-25 in Detroit Lakes, MN.  Leading up to this year’s event, two of the 10,000 Lakes Festival’s headliners are releasing highly anticipated new albums in June with Dave Matthews Band’s Big Whiskey and The GooGrux King out June 2 on RCA, and Wilco’s Wilco (The Album) out June 29 on Nonesuch.