Old Faithful (7 Walkers) blew again, as is does, this past Friday night at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, OH.  The show kicked off at 8:00P, just as the sun was going down. All it took to get the party started was the first twang of the guitar string and the people started to move. The main stage was positioned in front of huge windows overlooking Lake Erie with some standard tie died tapestries strewn about.

Though there are plenty of Texas swing and Red Dirt bands claiming roots in the Lone Star state, the Von Ehrics leave tradition on the railroad tracks out in the rain, letting it rust and corrode until they can bend it into their own warped brand that they call Texas-styled country punk rock and roll. In reality, it’s more like speed metal country than punk, and highly addictive.Even the band’s name, the Von Ehrics, is warped. There’s not a single Von Ehric in the lot.

Brazos Stone is representative of Red Dirt bands of the southwest but definitely is not typical. Though the press has said they’re from Lubbock, Wichita Falls, and Ft Worth, they really all grew up in Throckmorton TX, a town of 800 people with a general store, a post office, two banks, a gas station, three cafes, and a private club. The town swells during fowl season as hunters flock to the region to shoot doves and other small birds.

It was a quiet night in Boulder when this suave duo from the late amazing band LCD Soundsystem came to Colorado’s favorite indoor venue, the Boulder Theater. This dj set by James Murphy, who did it all in their previous band (drums, vocals, programming, piano, synthesizer) and Pat Mahoney who played drums and percussion for them, was very anticipated.

Domino Effect’s Music For My Soul is a rock-hard reggae album that shows its lineage throughout, sounding like a cross between Pepper and SOJA with classical roots to back it all up. As far as the mix, the vocal delivery is a dead ringer for Kaleo Wassman with emphasis (as the album title suggests) firmly rooted in the power of music as personal salvation.For the most part, the album remains conservative in keeping to core reggae beats and sounds.

Even with just one listen to Ruby Jane’s new album, Celebrity, it becomes immediately clear that the seventeen year old singer-songwriter is quite the talented musician. Boasting a mature vocal delivery and practiced instrumentals, the indie-folk record is solid throughout, with few weak points to detract from a complete collection of songs.As a folk record, Celebrity will satisfy most fans seeking a fresh young talent in the genre.

A lot of people like to use the word “genius” when describing Jack White, and it’s easy to see why. His mastery of so many genres, including blues, gospel, country, and rock, place him in rarefied air of modern musicians. Oh, and he can play a bit of guitar too.

Didn’t you always dream of having Jerry Garcia and David Grisman pick the night away in your living room?

Yeah, me too.

Allen Thompson is on a new departure with his upcoming album Salvation in the Ground, due to be released on September 4, 2012.  In this new project, Allen made a conscious decision to use the powerful energy of increased collaborative effort, resulting in a cohesive album with a well-rounded sound, and most importantly, it is fun to listen to.  Thompson seems to have hit a sweet spot with a new philosophy: more is more.  Starting with a three-piece strin

My Morning Jacket is considered by many to be one of the premier live rock outfits in the country. Suffice to say, they did nothing but bolster that reputation over the course of six ridiculously entertaining hours Friday and Saturday night at the unparalleled Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado.