LOCKN' Festival is proud to announce a number of updates and exciting new additions to the festival this year, including special artist collaborations, new and improved festival layout, and an expanded Garcia's Forest with weekend-long programming. Now in its 5th year, LOCKN' Festival takes place August 24-27 at the newly named Infinity Downs Farms at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Arrington, Virginia.

Sammy Hagar, Bob Weir, Dave Grohl, Sarah McLachlan, Mick Fleetwood, Pat Benatar, Don Felder, and Steve Vai lent their musical support at The Fillmore in San Francisco on May 15 for the fourth annual Acoustic- 4-A-Cure benefit concert.

It's an understatement to say improvisational guitar icon Steve Kimock has been keeping busy. He’s approaching an East Coast tour with his newest band KIMOCK featuring his son John Morgan Kimock on drums and frequent collaborator Leslie Mendelson on guitar and vocals.  He just wrapped up a successful yet unprecedented mini-tour of Japan.

Leslie Mendelson returns with Love & Murder—the singer/songwriter's first new album in eight years. The effort is the long-awaited follow up to her Grammy Award-nominated debut, Swan Feathers. A stirring work instilled with emotional depth, Love & Murder is an apropos title reflecting the dichotomy between the dark and light she encountered in those years between.

Guitarist Warren Haynes will host the 28th annual Christmas Jam tonight at U.S. Cellular Center in Asheville, North Carolina. The concert once again benefits Asheville Area Habitat For Humanity.

Bob Weir’s latest album ‘Blue Mountain’ inspired the Campfire Tour which came to the Wiltern Theater on the 10th of October. The packed venue was entertained with Bob performing solo, three songs against projected images of the Dust Bowl era, (including 2 of his new tracks (KC Moan, Blue Mountain and a lovely Loose Lucy).  The rest of the band came on stage to support him, which included notable performers Steve Kimock from RatDog, Matt Berninger, Bryan and Scott Devendorf (all from The National), Jon Shaw and Shakey Graves.

Bob Weir was quite literally born and bred in music. The adopted son of loving parents Frederic Utter and Eleanor Cramer Weir, his identity would deepen and develop in his youth. Though his parents did their best (Mama Tried) Weir’s nature was rebellious and questioning. His dyslexia didn’t help matters. In his teens, Weir was shipped off from his birthplace of San Francisco to Fountain Valley School in Colorado Springs, Colorado where hopes were that he would straighten out.

“Never trust a prankster,” a motto of the Acid Test-producing Merry Pranksters back in the 1960s, was apropos on Friday, at Bob Weir’s inaugural Campfire Tour show in San Rafael, California. In support of Weir’s new countrified, ballad-heavy album, “Blue Mountain,” all signs pointed to a live show in which Weir’s new band would mosey on through a series of sparse, slow-paced odes.

Steve will be joining Bob Weir's Campfire Tour on guitar and lapsteel (he may even dust off some pedal steel for this special occasion). After being a part of the recording session for Blue Mountain and also appearing on the new record, it's an honor for Steve to also participate in the tour. 

See you on the road!

TOUR DATES

September 30th, Bob Weir's first solo CD in ten years will be available for purchase. Titled Blue Mountain, this 12 track release is a personal collection of music inspired by the ranch stories and fireside songs of Bob’s youth, told with wisdom and heart. Weir will be touring nine dates with Aaron Dessner, Bryan Devendorf and Josh Kaufman.

Purchase at:

http://bobweir.net/#bluemountain

"Blue Mountain" video: