Watch Widespread Panic & Jason Isbell Perform "Ride Me High" in Raleigh August 19, 2016 14:36

Widespread Panic is in the midst of another monster year, one which has certainly seen the band making all kinds of noise.  The band's spring tour was packed with many highlights, several of which came during the end of April, when the band shared the stage with Tedeschi Trucks Band in Birmingham, AL and Jason Isbell in Raleigh.  Early in the second set in Raleigh, Panic welcomed Jason Isbell to the stage for a rousing take on the J.J. Cale classic, "Ride Me High."  Fortunately, HD video footage has surfaced, and the video can be watched in full below. 

 Watch Widespread Panic & Jason Isbell Perform "Ride Me High" in Raleigh here:

Setlist: Widespread Panic at Walnut Creek Amphitheater, Raleigh, NC - 4/30/16

Set 1 Travelin' Light, All Time Low, Christmas Katie > Jack, Dyin' Man, C. Brown, Bear's Gone Fishin' > Honky Red, Red Hot Mama (64 mins)

Set 2 Sell Sell, Cease Fire > Ride Me High*, Genesis, 1x1, Blight > Chilly Water > Drums > Porch Song, Blue Indian, Climb To Safety (92 mins)

Encore Walkin' (For Your Love), Heaven (11 mins)

Notes * w/ Jason Isbell on guitar

The Mantras Release Video For New Single "Here We Go" August 19, 2016 11:43

Progressive jam rock group The Mantras have had a busy summer, and the excitement surrounding this band continues to build.  The North Carolina-based band has just released an official music video for their latest single, "Here We Go," which can be watched in full HD below.  Keep an eye out for the next single/video from the band, which is scheduled for release on Wednesday, August 24th.  Fans can expect the new Mantras album, Knot Suite, to be released in full on Wednesday, August 31st.  See below for details on the band's upcoming fall tour.

Watch The Mantras new music video for "Here We Go" here:

Official Bio: The Mantras

The Mantras, a five piece jam machine born of Greensboro, NC have been conquering crowds and melting minds all over the country progressively for over a decade. The band’s music can be described with all types of varying rock and roll terminology, but is absolutely best defined by each listener’s ear and, equally important, their experience.

Since the inception of The Mantras in the mid 2000's, the band has been touring the country and building a catalog of 4 studio albums and over 100 original songs. Performing an entirely different set of music each night is an integral part of the band’s direction and mission as well as the ability to truly improvise in between orchestrated pieces. With eclectic influences of sounds from around the globe, The Mantras create a musical escapade during each performance, giving every ounce of emotion to their craft of expression and communication through music.

The Mantras are a family of rock; their closely-knit bonds can truly be felt by the crowd while the band performs. This is a critical feature of their community. One can easily tell that the musical pockets created by radical guitar riffs, gut checked bass lines, screeching synthesizers, a complete projection light show and two symbiotic drummers are no accident. The musical conversation on stage is simply beautiful to watch. The feeling is not exclusive just to the members on stage, however. The Mantras’ loyal fan base can testify to the reciprocation of love between performer and attendee and in a scene where it is sometimes difficult to stabilize a fan base and a consistent identity, The Mantras do just that. It has all of the ebbs and flows, peaks and valleys and patterns of constriction and release that can hook someone for life. Each show is a story. Each story is unique.

In addition to the collaborative element between band and fans, The Mantras have shared the stage with some of the foremost titans of jam. Their most recent studio release, entitled Jam Bands Ruined My Life was recorded at Umphrey’s McGee, axe man Jake Cinninger’s home studio, where Jake is featured on two tracks. Shortly after recording, The Mantras opened for and shared the stage with Umphrey’s McGee members while performing the thumping single entitled, “Kinetic Bump.” In addition, The Mantras have collaborated with members of The String Cheese Incident, Tea Leaf Green, and Perpetual Groove among many others. The year 2013 saw The Mantras play over 180 shows, culminating in their annual Mantrabash music and arts festival, held in the beautiful backcountry of Ferguson, NC. Mantrabash stands as a testament to the loyalty of the fan base and the engagement of The Mantras within their local, regional, and national music communities. Attended by thousands, Mantrabash has become the landing spot for live music fans from all over the country to enjoy the hard work and dedication of The Mantras in addition to the other stellar musicians who appear over the 3 days.

The Southern Belles Announce 2016 Fall Tour Dates August 18, 2016 15:09

Southern psychedelic rockers The Southern Belles just announced a twenty-one date tour extending end of August to end of October and bringing the band up and down the east coast. Along with this announcement came the release of their newest music video for “Déjà vu” filmed at The Broadberry in RVA. The video is a sample of what’s to come nearly half a year in advance of their third full-length album. Look out for our exclusive release of the video on Facebook later today. 

Anchored by two of their final First Fridays- a monthly gig they’ve held down for 4 years- in Richmond, touring the Carolinas and helping the band wrap up festival season, this tour will also feature some excellent regional support on almost every date. 

Fall Tour Dates: The Southern Belles

8/31 Gypsy Sally's, Washington, DC w/ The Suitcase Junket  
9/2 The Camel, Richmond, VA w/ Aqueous  
9/3 The Pour House, Raleigh, NC 
9/8 The Southern, Charlottesville, VA w/ The Congress 
9/9  Gualleyfest, Ace Adventure Resort, Minden, WV 
9/17 Pink Moon Festival, Rock Camp, WV 
9/23 The One Stop, Asheville NC w/ Supatite 
9/29 Dingus Magee's, Statesboro, GA  
9/30 Barrel House South, Savannah, GA w/ The Band Piano 
10/1 Lumpkin St. Station, Athens, GA w/  The Band Piano 
10/7 The Camel, Richmond, VA w/ BYOG 
10/8 622 North, Blacksburg, VA w/ BYOG 
10/14 The Alibi Room, Waterford, NJ w/ The Northeast Corners 
10/15 Keystone Lounge, Skippack, PA 
10/16 Bourbon & Branch, Philadelphia, PA w/ Souel Dehli 
10/20 Doc Taylor's, Virginia Beach, VA 
10/21 The Whisky, Wilmington, NC 
10/22 Crossbones Tavern, Greenville, NC 
10/27  Golden Pony, Harrisonburg, VA w/ Of Tomorrow 
10/28 Scruffy City Music Hall, Knoxville, TN w/ Masseuse  
10/29 Clyde's, Chattanooga, TN w/ Masseuse 

Fruition Announces Fall Tour + Three-Night New Year's Run in Portland August 18, 2016 14:08

Modern Measure Returns to Chattanooga, Tuscaloosa This Weekend August 18, 2016 13:31

Photo by DV Photography

Live electronic duo Modern Measure is set to return to both Chattanooga, Tennessee and Tuscaloosa, Alabama this weekend.  Friday night's show is scheduled for 9:00 PM at JJ's Bohemia in Chattanooga, while Saturday night's show leads them to familiar territory in Tuscaloosa at Green Bar at 10:30 PM.  The duo has deep roots in Northern Alabama, which always creates a special buzz amongst themselves and their fans alike.

Listen to Modern Measure's latest edit/remix "Fast Panda (HS X SDNR Edit)" here:

Official Bio: Modern Measure-

Bob Weir Releases First Single "Only A River" From New Solo Album August 18, 2016 11:34

The Werks, McLovins, and Dank Round Out Funksgiving Lineup August 17, 2016 22:50

Live & Listen is pleased to announce that Funksgiving 2016 will feature The Werks (two sets), McLovins, & Dank.  We have been working on this show for quite some time and could not be more excited to share this news.  This year's event will take place at the Union Station Train Shed in Montgomery, AL on Friday, November 25th.  This will be a benefit for Family Promise of Montgomery and E.A.T. South.  Both VIP and General Admission tickets will go on sale on Friday, September 2nd.

Family Promise of Montgomery is one of over 150 affiliates across 39 states. Family Promise of Montgomery unites the interfaith community and local resources to help homeless children and their families return to stability. Their interfaith network consists of 13 "host" congregations and 7 "support" congregations. These congregations serve homeless families within the places of worship and provide meals and a safe place to stay.

E.A.T. South is a non-profit organization based in Montgomery, Alabama that encourages healthy lifestyles through education & sustainable food production in urban areas throughout the Southeast.  E.A.T. South envisions communities across the Southeast have access to fresh, healthy, affordable food and the knowledge about food preparation that supports a healthy lifestyle.  E.A.T. South currently manages two urban farms - Montgomery's Downtown Farm and our Farm at Hampstead. Both teaching farms offer educational programs and provide fresh, naturally-grown fruits and vegetables to the greater community.

The Werks have emerged & established themselves as a national powerhouse; delivering an electrifying dance party to beloved fans across the musical spectrum. Fusing psychedelic shredding, wailing organ, and slap bass with synthesizers and modern dance beats, their live shows encompass a sensational blend of jam-rock and deep electronic funk.

These genre-benders will be touring throughout 2016 in support of their 4th studio album, 'Inside a Dream' released in November 2015, which takes listeners on a track-by-track musical voyage through the heart of a dream; into their own hopes, fears, and aspirations. The seasoned jam-centric quartet brings a sonically superior mix of otherworldly explorations and revelatory lyrics to this artistic and mature musical statement.

Through sanguine compositions that effortlessly transition from spacious soundscapes to driving rhythms, the album merges multiple genres in a style that only this Ohio quartet can deliver. Throughout the 11-track release, Inside a Dream remains raw yet polished, and emotional yet whimsical… it is within these contradictions where the depth of the band truly shines.

Catch them soon in a city near you, or at the 7th incarnation of their “Werk Out Music & Arts Festival” in August, which draws 5000+ people annually to Ohio.

Through years of touring and experimentation, Dank has searched for the strongest ingredients, boldest grooves, and most intoxicating melodies with which to light up their audiences. Take a dash of pop vocals, a sprinkle of synths, a hair of funk guitar, layer it with electric piano, driving bass, chunky riffs, and shake it up with a groove you can dance to. Check out Dank's latest EP Get Up or check their tour dates to see them live!

Funksgiving is Live & Listen's inaugural live music event in Montgomery, Alabama, held annually on the night after Thanksgiving, which is conveniently the night before the Auburn vs. Alabama football game, also known as The Iron Bowl.  The idea was to start a tradition in Montgomery on a night where many natives are back in their hometown.  Our hope is to continue this tradition for many years, ultimately making Funksgiving one of the most highly anticipated annual music events in the Southeast.  

Funksgiving 2015 featured Robert Randolph & The Family Band, McLovins, & BYOG at the Union Station Train Shed in Montgomery, AL on Friday, November 27th 2015..  The event raised a total of $3000 for Parkinson Association of Central Alabama.  The event drew over 700 attendants in Downtown Montgomery and served as Live & Listen's largest show in Montgomery to date.

Funksgiving 2014 was the inaugural Live & Listen event.  The show featured Earphunk and McLovins at The Warehouse at Alley Station and raised a total of $2500 for Run Bell Run, a local fundraising campaign for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  The event drew over 400 people to Downtown Montgomery, setting the tone for many great shows ahead for Live & Listen.  

Turkuaz and The New Mastersounds Announce Major Fall Tour August 16, 2016 13:08

Turkuaz and The New Mastersounds have announced a major fall tour, which will feature both bands co-headlining at venues nationwide. In celebration of the tour, both bands are releasing a joint disc which includes each band covering a song from the other's catalog. The very limited edition vinyl is now available for pre-order via both band's fan club ticketing before it's exclusively available at shows throughout tour. Click here for Tickets/Preorder.

Turkuaz is a 9-piece “Powerfunk” outfit from Brooklyn, NY, whose modern take on the classic funk sound has established them as leaders in the funk revolution that’s currently taking place in the genre. Blending elements of Pop, R&B, and Soul with their distinct aggressive funk core, Turkuaz sounds like the musical love child of Sly & the Family Stone and Talking Heads.

Prophets Of Rage Announce Release Of Debut EP 'The Party's Over' August 16, 2016 02:07

Newly formed supergroup Prophets of Rage has wasted no time making a splash upon its formation just a few months ago. The supergroup, which features members of Rage Against The Machine, Cypress Hill, and Public Enemy, has performed a handful of times thus far, and their highly anticipated 'Make America Rage Again' tour is scheduled to kick off this Friday in Fairfax, Virginia,  

On Monday afternoon, we learned that Prophets of Rage will soon release their first five-song EP, which features two new, previously released tracks ("Prophets of Rage" and "The Party's Over"), along with live versions of "Killing In The Name," "Shut 'Em Down," and "No Sleep 'Til Cleveland."  The band recently revealed that Rage Against The Machine, Pearl Jam, and Stone Temple Pilots producer Brendan O’Brien is producing the material.  Look for the EP to be scheduled for pre-order this Friday, and stay tuned for further details regarding the official release.

Prophets of Rage is Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello, Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk and frontmen B-Real of Cypress Hill and Chuck D of Public Enemy.  DJ Lord will also be joining them on their upcoming tour.

Listen to the new, self-titled track "Prophets of Rage" here:

Watch Yonder Mountain String Band's Amazing New Music Video August 16, 2016 01:39

With a new album scheduled for release in early 2017, Yonder Mountain String Band has released a music video from the first known track, "Alison."  The video was filmed using drones, while the band performed at the top of Bridal Veil Falls in Telluride, Colorado.  The band released the video on Monday afternoon by way of debut via Rolling Stone Country.

The new album will be the sixth studio effort for the jam grass veterans, and the second since the departure of Jeff Austin and additions of Allie Kral (fiddle) and Jacob Joliff (mandolin).  The release comes just days before a big YMSB performance at Red Rocks Amphitheatre this weekend with Drive-By Truckers and Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

Watch YMSB's music video for "Allison" here:

Twiddle Will Head West For 2016 Fall Tour August 15, 2016 14:39

Vermont-based jam sensation Twiddle has announced its 2016 fall tour dates, which kick off on September 28th in St. Louis, Missouri.  The band will then head west for a run of shows in Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Washington, Oregon, and California.  Kitchen Dwellers will provide support for each show on the run, with the exception of October 22nd - 23rd at Hangtown Fest in Placerville, California.  Futher details and ticket info can be found by visiting Twiddle's official website.

Twiddle, a Vermont based quartet, spins tall tales over an intricate soundscape of hi-def shred. Their fresh multi-genre approach conjures up jazz, classical, and bluegrass, but above all, masterfully blends reggae and funk. Obliterating laws of improvisation, their complex arrangements never fail to leave crowds lusting for more. With sage songwriting and unmatched variety, Twiddle’s thrilling infancy will surely exceed all expectation.

Watch Twiddle perform "Syncopated Healing" at Ram's Head in Baltimore here:

CukoRakko Music & Arts Festival Reveals Final Lineup For Fall Fest August 15, 2016 11:53

Photo by Jordan Kirkland: Live & Listen

Share this post directly from our Facebook page and tag a friend for a chance to win two weekend passes to CukoRakko.  We will announce a winner via Facebook on Monday, August 22nd at 12:00 PM CST.

CukoRakko Music & Arts Festival is pleased to reveal it's phase three artist announcement and final artist lineup for the 2016 Fall Fest at Horse Pens 40 on October 6th - 9th.  The phase three artist announcement includes a very special reunion performance from Mama's Love (Athens, GA), Dank & Friends (Atlanta, GA), Winston Ramble (Birmingham, AL), Bird Dog Jubilee (Atlanta, GA), and Seeds? (Huntsville, AL).  A variety of single-day and weekend passes to the festival can be purchased by clicking here.  CukoRakko is a one-of-a-kind, family-friendly event located at one of the South's best kept secrets, Horse Pens 40.  Kids ages 10 and under are admitted for free.  Stay tuned for details on Live & Listen's official pre-party at Horse Pens 40 on Thursday, October 6th.  

CukoRakko's Fall Fest will be held at Horse Pens 40 in Steele, AL from Thursday, October 6th - Sunday, October 9th.  The lineup this fall will feature as diverse and exciting of a lineup as we have seen from the festival, including the likes of The Heavy Pets, Funk You, Col. Bruce Hampton & Madrid Express feat. Carter Herring, Backup Planet, Winston Ramble, Dank & Friends, The Captain Midnight Band (x2), Maradeen, Mama's Love, The Stolen Faces, Jason Bailey Band, Boy Named Banjo, Royal & Toulouse, Bird Dog Jubilee, Seeds?, and Harkestra's Grateful Gospel Jamboree.

Click Here: Purchase your CukoRakko tickets today!

In preparation for the October festivities, we have included video or audio footage from each of this year's performers below.  This lineup features a variety of amazing talent from across the Southeast, including many of the regions top up-and-coming acts.  Stay tuned for future coverage and exclusive content, including our annual interview series, "The Road To CukoRakko," which will be released in early October.

The Heavy Pets

"Dewpoint" - Live at The Georgia Theatre

"Keep Me Running" - Live at The Georgia Theatre

 Funk You

"Lets Dance" - Live at Terminal West

Col. Bruce Hampton & Madrid Express w/ Carter Herring

Entire set from Echo Mountain Studios

Backup Planet

Official music video for "The Road"

Winston Ramble

"Free State of Mind" - Live at Muscle Shoals Studio

Dank

Official music video for "Get Up"

The Captain Midnight Band

"Common Law Hussy"

Maradeen

Official Music Video - "She Treat Me Like a Real Man"

Mama's Love

Listen to "Catch a Feelin'" here:

Listen to "Wake Up Woes" here:

 The Stolen Faces (Grateful Dead Tribute)

Official Music Video - "U.S. Blues"

Boy Named Banjo

Listen to "Blue Hole Bridge" here:

Jason Bailey Band

"Adventures of Shannon Ceili"

Royal & Toulouse

Official music video - "One Direction"

Bird Dog Jubilee

Covering Twiddle's "Lost In The Cold"

Seeds?

Live at Lowe Mill in Huntsville, AL

Harkestra's Grateful Gospel Jamboree

Live from CukoRakko SpringFest 2015

Watch Members of The Allman Brothers Band Join The String Cheese Incident at Peach Fest August 14, 2016 03:34

Photo by Jordan Kirkland: Live & Listen

After learning that Gregg Allman would be taking time off from the road to due "serious health issues," The Peach Festival was unfortunately forced to cancel the highly anticipated Gregg Allman Incident scheduled for this weekend.  Fortunately, adjustments were quickly made to arrange The Allman Brothers Family Incident, which occurred during the first of two sets from The String Cheese Incident on Friday night.  Throughout the set, the band welcomed former Allman Brothers' drummers Butch Trucks and Jaimoe, bassist Oteil Burbridge, percussionist Marc Quiñones, and guitarist Jack Pearson.

The set kicked off with "Statesboro Blues," and was followed by ABB hits such as "Midnight Rider," "Melissa," "Ain't Wastin' Time No More," Bob Dylan's "Quinn The Eskimo," and an lengthy jam on "Jessica" > "Drums" > "Jessica."  Video footage from "Jessica," Trouble No More," and "Ain't Wastin' Time No More" can be watched below, and a complete setlist from Friday nights show can also be found. 

Watch a clip from "Trouble No More" here:

Watch a clip from "Ain't Wastin' Time No More" here:

The String Cheese Incident: Peach Music Festival; Scranton, PA

Set I: Statesboro Blues, Midnight Rider, Trouble No More, Melissa, Outside & Inside, Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More, Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn), Jessica > Drums > Jessica

Set II: Can’t Wait Another Day, Believe > Dudley’s Kitchen, Song In My Head > Sirens > BollyMunster, Close Your Eyes, It Is What It Is > Colorado Bluebird Sky

Source: friendsofcheese.com

Live & Listen's 'Bands You Should Know': Zoogma August 12, 2016 14:34

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Live & Listen is pleased to continue a brand new weekly feature known as Bands You Should Know.  This new concept will highlight a different band each Friday with an interview, general background information, current happenings, as well as videos and audio from each band.  After nearly two years of various interviews and artist spotlights, we feel that installing a consistent weekly feature is the perfect move as we progress forward.

For our sixth edition of Bands You Should Know, we sat down with Justin Hasting (guitar/synthesizer) of Zoogma, a Nashville-based live-electronic band like no other.  This is one band that we've been fortunate enough to witness the steady progression from college bars to national festivals.  Zoogma crosses into multiple genres on nearly every tune, bringing elements of electronic blues, rock, and even hip-hop to the table.  This band continues to push boundaries with each album, and they show no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

Interview by Jordan Kirkland: Live & Listen

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Let's start off by talking about the formation of Zoogma back in 2010.  Was there much experience amongst you guys playing together before things got officially rolling?

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Justin: Yeah.  We sort of jammed around town a bit in 2009 too, but even before that, my first band that I was ever a part of, which I joined about a month after getting to college, was with our drummer, Matt (Harris).  We found each other on Facebook.  It was a time when you were able to get Facebook when you became a freshman in college.  So I got Facebook, and I was just going through the music stuff.  I knew that I wanted to play music, and I saw an ad for a band looking for a guitar player.  

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I went and met up with them, and Matt was the drummer.  It was like a hill country blues band.  So we were playing North Mississippi Allstars and R.L. Burnside, and then other stuff like Grateful Dead and Phish.  We would go out and play bars around the area on the weekends.  So, that's sort of the new stuff we're working on now with Zoogma. It's kind of a 360 all the way back to that.  But yeah, me and Matt did that for a while and went to a couple of festivals and decided that there was some more stuff out there than the blues that we wanted to play.  It all sort of happened after that, and we met the right people.

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Photo by Zach Stone Photography

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Very cool.  And this all began in Oxford, Mississippi at Ole Miss, right?

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Justin: The band did start in Oxford. So, when we first started in early 2009, we were a five-piece, and every member of the band lived in Oxford.  Then after about a year a few of the guys moved and/or pursued family life. We knew Brock from Memphis and had him join after a few jam sessions, then we pulled in Ryan from his old band, Energy D, as a replacement on bass. Ryan had already heard half of the songs anyway, so he was an easy fit. That's more or less how it all kind of worked out.  

 

You guys blend a tremendous variety of genres together to create such a unique sound.  I know that the approach towards the live electronic aspect is different than a more traditional band.  How do you guys go about creating original music in such a unique way?

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Justin: Well, I think that the live electronic thing is such an interesting concept, you know?  If you're in a rock band, you're playing rock music.  If you're in a blues band, you're playing blues music.  If you're in a live electronic band, you're playing live electronic music, but what does that even mean?  I think that a lot of the diversity of our sound just comes from everyone's individual backgrounds.  We all sort of come from different places.  I think where we sort of agree is that we want the end result to be sort of newer sounding, which you can call that electronic, or whatever you want to call it.  There is always some type of sub genre going on with it, you know?  

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If you look at the music we've recorded over the years, at first it was a little more like this, then we did a little more of a rock thing.  We've done a bunch of remixes, and then this past one had a very funky, future kind of vibe.  The one we're about to put out is very much bluesy, in that element.  So, I think just figuring out ways to keep the electronic thing constant and evolving, but also figure out ways to make that also interesting.

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Watch Zoogma's music video for "Molasses" here":

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I'm glad that you said that, because I feel like so many people tend to shut themselves off from certain genres before they have ever given it a chance.  I think that goes for all genres.  It's just really easy for someone to decide they don't like something if they have never even given it a chance.

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Justin:  Well, I think with electronic music, and it's just because it's had a short lifespan so far, a lot of people don't necessarily understand whats happening, or even how the sounds are being created.  Especially with the technologies that we have available to us now.  Anybody can go in and make something that sounds cool.  You don't have to have a music degree or even a lot of musical knowledge.  So, it's sort of hard to determine the musicianship on the electronic side from the stuff that people might criticize.  

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I think every genre has it's critics.  The electronic genre is definitely evolving though, and in a good way, to me.  I feel like a lot more people are jumping on the live thing in recent years.  You see Pretty Lights, Gramatik, Big Gigantic, and GRiZ all doing it.  All of these acts that are now incorporating more and more live elements into the show, because that's what people are wanting.  I think everyone is agreeing that you can still have electronic music while incorporating good musicianship with it that makes it even better.

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I agree.  I think the live element is what ultimately leads a lot of people towards stepping outside of what they are accustomed to listening to.  

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Justin:  Right.  Especially older generations, or even people that are our age.  It was just so new for us that I feel like a lot of people don't really grasp what's happening or how the sounds are created.  They just think to get a trap song or something, you just plug into a program and move some audio files around and it's there, you know?  Sometimes it can be done like that, but it's different.  

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Photo by Live Edit Labs

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So, you mentioned the remix album that you guys released in June.  You guys collaborated with 12 different artists as a follow up to last year's New Era EP, right?  

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Justin: Yeah...so we put out New Era in late January, and we knew we wanted to do a remix thing.  So we started hitting people up, and we were really surprised that so many people were interested in doing it.  We thought we would get maybe 5 or 6 guys and maybe have two versions of each song, which would have been cool.  It turned out that we ended up getting like four of each track.  It was really cool, man.  You have a piece of music that you've written, and then you give all of the puzzle pieces to someone else and see how they put it all together and reinterpret everything.  It was pretty cool.

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I would imagine so.  You guys brought in Khris Royal, Modern Measure, Dynohunter...

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Justin: Yeah...Unlimited Aspect, Vibe Street, Turbo Suit, Dalton Richmond, DELTAnine...man there were so many people on there, and they are all our good friends, too, which makes it even more fun. Khris Royal was actually a part of the original track, High_5, but definitely had his sax twisted and scew'd by everyone on the remix side (laughs). What a player that guy is.

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You mentioned something earlier about the band taking a bit of 360 degree turn and getting back to some of those earlier roots.  Can you elaborate a little bit more on that?

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Justin: Sure.  I think it was probably two years ago that we did this bluesy remix.  We always like to do things that are tied to the Southeast and some of the music we grew up with, whether it be a Three Six Mafia remix, Outkast, or whatever.  We did a remix of R.L. Burnside's "Let My Baby Ride," but we remixed it with a Young Buck track and dubbed it "Let My Shorty Ride."  We went back and rerecorded all of the musical parts to it and then produced the track.  It was more like trill-country blues, you know?  It had an electronic hill-country sound with live guitars/drums/bass.  That is still the most listened to, downloaded, everything track that we've ever done.  We thought, "You know...maybe we hit something there with that combination of genres."  

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So when we finish any record, we always sit back and think, "Ok, what now?"  There is never time to just chill for a while and not be recording anything.  We released New Era and needed to decide what was next.  We sort of revisited the blues thing; jamming on those kind of ideas, and writing songs like that.  They were just so easy to write.  It was really fun, because once we decided we were going to do that, we would go to record stores and pick up a bunch of old blues records, and pick out what we really liked about them.  I think we started to take some of the old ideas and concepts of the songs that we really liked and turned them into something that sounds a little more current. 

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That's really been a lot of fun, and like I said, the songs are just kind of writing themselves.  We'll come up with one part, and it kind of all unfolds from there.  It's like I was saying earlier, with live electronic music, you never really know technically what genre you're playing.  You decide to play a drum and bass song, and as a guitarist, you're thinking, "Oh, well all I have to do is play drum and bass guitar."  What is that? (laughs).  It's whatever you want it to be.  If you're going for something specific, like blues-electronic, you know to play blues guitar over this.  It's just a little more directional. 

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It's nice to have a direction where you know you're going tonally or technically, just kind of keeping things going in a certain direction.  Not to say that the opposite is negative, we've done plenty of that (laughs), but you have to move in and out of direction, I think, in order for the undirected ideas to have some magic to them. But, these "future-blues" songs have been coming up really fast, and we're pretty stoked about it.  It's pretty groovin'.

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Listen to Zoogma's "Let My Shorty Ride" here:

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Will you guys be getting back into the studio in the near future?

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Justin: Oh yeah.  Most of it is pretty close to being finished.  We are waiting on a couple of the mixes to come back.  We will probably release our first single in the next few weeks.  I think for this one, we're going to try and release it all piece by piece, instead of waiting to record five or six songs and putting them out together.  We're going to keep releasing each track over the course of however long (laughs) and just see how that goes. 

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I guess that really falls in line with how you guys have done things in the past.  All of your music is available for free on your website.  The band even advertises that. It seems like that strategy really makes sense with how you guys have approached this new age of the digital music world.

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Justin: Exactly.  It's always changing.  There are no rules anymore.  We could put out a 10-track record and maybe release three tracks beforehand, and most people will hear those three songs.  Maybe they'll hear one or two other ones when the record comes out. Then, you have three or four songs on the back end that people might not even get to.  That makes it feel like kind of a waste.  I feel like attention spans all point towards "have it now."  It's just crazy how it all kind of works now, so we've moved towards not giving people a whole bundle of stuff, but rather one thing at a time.  Keep doing that over a course of time and see how it goes.  

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Photo by Arielle D'Ornellas

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You hear a lot of bands going in that direction, especially with the fact that album sales are essentially extinct.  I know that creates many disadvantages and forces you guys to get creative in order to support yourself and make a living as a professional musician.  There must be some advantages as well though, just in terms of being able to get your music in front of so many people.

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Justin: That is very true too.  It used to be that you put out a record and try to figure out how to get it online, because it wasn't a big social network thing when we first started.  It was all about word of mouth.  Passing out CDs at festivals, gigs, or wherever.  Just getting your music into people's hands.  That's how we did it at first, and of course you can still do that now, but there are definitely other ways to accomplish it in a more digital sort of format.  It's always changing.

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You're right.  Most new vehicles don't even come with CD players anymore.  Thankfully, they have bluetooth, and that's the direction things are moving in.  It's crazy how different things are today.  I know that's frustrating for the avid CD collectors out there, but you can't blame the bands for not wanting to invest so much money into CDs that might not sell.

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Justin: Absolutely.  We made hard copies of our record that we put out two years ago, and we still have leftovers.  People still bought them initially, but Spotify blew up right after we put out that album.  Soundcloud was exploding too, along with all of these other types of media.  Like you were saying, I mean I have a six disc CD changer, but the CDs that I have in there have probably been in there for three years, and I haven't listened to them.  It's crazy, but it's fun.  You have to embrace it, and like you said, it kind of kicks you in the ass every once in a while and makes you focus on keeping current and creative.  It keeps your mind rolling.

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Listen to Zoogma's "Molasses (Unlimited Aspect Remix)" here:

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Exactly...and it goes across the board far beyond the music industry.  It's just technology in general, you know?

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Justin: Oh yeah.  I've talked to a lot of journalists who have gone through the same thing, where they used to have great jobs as editors of magazines, and all that has disappeared, you know?  It's so many industries that reach people.  They have had to change their whole ideology and how they do things in order to accommodate to the new technology, and how it gets to everyone.

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So, kind of changing topics a little bit here, but I know that summertime is always super busy for you guys, with a steady mix of club dates as festival spots.  What have been a few of the highlights so far this year, and what are you guys most excited about moving forward?

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Justin:  It's been one crazy ass year in so many ways.  We did a tour earlier this spring with Turbo Suit, and those guys just recently broke up.  So, I would definitely say that a highlight for this year was really getting to know those guys before they called it quits.  They are some of my best friends now.  I'm really sad that they quit, but I'm also really excited that I was able to get to know those dudes really well.  We had some really amazing shows with them all over the country.  That was definitely a positive.

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Let's see.  In terms of festivals, getting to go back to Hangout Festival this year was amazing.  I got to see a lot of bands that I had been wanting to see for a long time, as well as bands that I've never taken the time to really listen to.  That's one thing I really like about that festival.  Most of the festivals that we play are pretty centric on jam and electronic music.  Most of them are about 75% of the same bands and DJs every time.  You get to festivals like Hangout, and 75% of the lineup is people you've either never heard of or never seen live.  So that was a real treat, just to walk around and hear a bunch of unfamiliar stuff.  It's always cool to hear what else is out there. 

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Where else did we play?  SweetWater 420 Fest in Atlanta was another highlight that we have always wanted to do.  Summer Camp was awesome again this year.  That was probably my favorite time we have ever had there honestly.  Where else did we play? I feel like I'm missing a couple, but I will say that I am looking forward to getting to Backwoods Festival in Oklahoma in September.  I haven't spent a lot of time there, but it sounds like it's going to be a really cool festival.  The lineup is massive.  

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I'm definitely excited about next weekend in Birmingham.  That last time we were in Birmingham...I think we had one of the biggest crowds we've had in years there, and it was raging.  We're stoked to get back there.  That's also the night before we do an official Umphrey's McGee afterparty in Nashville.  They're doing a symphony show at the amphitheater, and then we're doing the official afterparty.  Hopefully we can get some of those guys to come out.  We should have some other really fun special guest type things to do.  It's gonna be a fun night.  

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People at the Birmingham show will definitely get to hear a lot of this new stuff that we're getting to put out.  Also, we have our first headlining show coming up at The Ogden in Denver.  I'm really looking forward to that.  Denver has always sort of been a home away from home for us.  I think it is for a lot of people, just because the music scene thrives so much there.  That's one of those places where we've been able to keep growing at a consistent and steady pace.  The Ogden show is definitely something we've all been wanting to do for a long time now.

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Photo by Arielle D'Ornellas

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That's awesome.  That has to be a great feeling to work your way up to one of the premier venues in Denver after playing out there so many times over the years.  

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Justin: Definitely.  We've had people that said, "Yeah you guys won't play there anytime soon.  It's just not in the cards."  We wanted to at least try to do it though.  People said no, but those people aren't working with us anymore (laughs).  Now we're doing it, so it's a great feeling.  It's the little things when people say that you can't do something, and you prove to them that you can.  It happens a lot in this industry, honestly (laughs).

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Well, before we wrap this up, here's something on a little more of a fun note.  How do you guys typically like to spend your free time when you have a break from the studio and life on the road?

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Justin: It's kind of hard to stay away from music, you know?  Living in Nashville, or atleast three of us do, we definitely go see a lot of great music here.  This past week, I got a little turbo and went to see Boston, which was fucking awesome.  Then, I saw Jeff Beck and Buddy Guy the night after, which was also mind blowing.  We're all pretty big food people, and we all love whiskey.  We do a lot of cookouts, and we live in the same general vicinity.  We'll go to each others houses, have parties, drink good bourbon, and just enjoy each other's company.  

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Justin: Yeah, yeah...exactly.  We're just like everybody else.  We just want to go eat good food, have drinks, and see music...when we aren't the ones who have to play.  Seeing things that can inspire you or enjoying the company of your friends that you don't get to see all of the time.  

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It's gotta be nice to just be a fan every once in a while.  Did you have a chance to catch that Twerkapod set the other night at The Werk Out?

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Justin:  Oh yes...I was there.  That was so much fun.  It was funny too, because I was hanging out with those guys during the daytime, and that set was at like 3:00 AM.  I was talking to them earlier in the day, and those guys are always super professional, but I've never seen them all so focused and concentrated.  You look at the setlist and think, "Man...a 90's tribute.  That's hilarious."  Then, you think about the fact that you had three bands, with that many members.  They had to decide on a setlist.  Then you have to have different people on every song.  You have to learn an entire set of songs.  

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It's just a lot of work that goes into doing something like that, and they did it flawlessly.  It was just funny to see, because it's these three bands that play this awesome, progressive music, and they're all super focused and nervous about playing a 90's alt rock set (laughs).  That was awesome.  They killed it.  It was too much fun, and we were all kind of celebrating my birthday that night, so that was a great way to cap off the night.

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Official Website: Zoogma

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A Weekend In Review: The Werk Out Music & Arts Festival August 12, 2016 13:08

Photo by Josh Timmermans: Noble Visions

Words by Jordan Kirkland: Live & Listen

Year in and year out, music fans can count on summertime presenting an overwhelming variety of options to satisfy their musical appetite.  The vast majority of national acts pack their schedules with gigs from coast to coast, and it seems as if there is a major music festival every weekend.  Last weekend was the quintessential example, as Ohio-based jam/rock band The Werks hosted it's annual "homecoming" weekend: The Werk Out Music & Arts Festival.   

The Werk Out began in 2010 at Zane Shawnee Caverns, an indian reservation with underground crystal caves in Bellefontaine, Ohio.  The festival quickly outgrew that area and relocated to Legend Valley in Thornville, Ohio, where it has now been held for the past five years.  After hearing the rave reviews over the past few years and diving deep into The Werks' catalog, I knew that this was the year for a summer journey from Alabama and Ohio.  This ended up being easily one of my best decisions in recent memory.

From the moment we arrived on Thursday afternoon, the positive vibes were flowing from every angle.  An enthusiastic, welcoming staff directed our group to a prime camping spot, and we made at least 10 new friends before the campsite was even completed.  While there are numerous elements of The Werks that I have come to love, it's the positive culture that surrounds the band really seals the deal.  

Upon entering the festival grounds for the first time, Chris Houser (lead guitar - The Werks) was playing on the main stage with his very first band, Cheezcake, who set a perfect tone for the weekend.  Shortly after, we had the pleasure of catching several tunes from Sassafraz, a super talented group from Columbus which produced The Werks' newest band member, Jake Goldberg (bass).  Our first journey to the "Big Tent" led us to Mister F, who provided some serious funk prior to Dopapod taking the main stage.

Photo by Josh Timmermans: Noble Visions

Dopapod has quickly become one of the jam/festival scenes hottest acts, and their success is justified with every performance.  Watching those guys perform, with a beautiful sunset in the distance, made for a very special moment early on.  We even got to sing "Happy Birthday" to the bands audio engineer/light designer Luke Stratton, as the band called him to the stage for a cake presentation.  Shortly after sunset, the crowd shifted just a matter of feet to the "Side Stage," where America's favorite power funk army Turkuaz ignited one of the biggest dance parties of the weekend.  It's truly amazing to witness the production and chemistry of this band in person.  They advertise "power funk," and they absolutely deliver "power funk."

Photo by Josh Timmermans: Noble Visions

The main stage was now set for the weekend's first set from The Werks, who took the stage fully participating in the evening's "track suit" theme.  The band came out firing with classics such as "For Today," "For You," and "Fire Eater," and even debuted a cover of Elton John's "The Circle of Life" from The Lion King.  A classic duel on the keys between Dan Shaw and special guest Todd Stoops occured during "G-Funk," before a massive "Hard to Find" > "Cloud Hopper" > "Hard to Find" would close out the set.  This was particularly satisfying, as my last Werks festival set was cut short when a nasty thunderstorm hit during "Cloud Hopper" at AURA earlier this year.  Another cover was debuted for the encore when the band busted out "Carry On My Wayward Son" by Kansas.  Somehow or another, Lettuce was up next for a late night set in the big tent, and night one at The Werk Out couldn't have been much hotter.

Watch The Werks perform "G-Funk" with special guest Todd Stoops here:

Video by izeoftheworldphotos

Photos by Josh Timmermans: Noble Visions

Day two at Legend Valley picked up right where Thursday left off, and the party was alive and well in The Big Tent by early afternoon.  The Big Damn Jam served as a touching tribute to Norman Dimitrouleas, the former keyboardist of The Werks who tragically passed away in January of this year.  Norman had always wanted the band to play The Beatles' Abbey Road in it's entirety, and his brother Dino, Todd Stoops, and many others performed the album in epic fashion.  Next up was an early afternoon dose of heavy funk courtesy of Kung Fu, a band that always brings the party and never disappoints.  

Anyone that has been to a music festival understands that you have to be strategic; often leaving one set earlier than you would like to in order to catch one of those "must see" bands.  This was the story of Friday afternoon, but that's definitely not a bad problem to have.  It was now time for CBDB to kick off a 60-minute set it in The Big Tent.  These guys never cease to amaze me.  This would be the band's first performance with bassist Mike Sinopole, and you would've thought he'd been with the band for years.  The highlight of the set came in the form of two debuts: a cover of the Grateful Dead's "Loose Lucy" followed by a brand new original, "She's Mobile."  I can't help but predict very big things to come for CBDB in the near future.

Photo by Jordan Kirkland: Live & Listen

We quickly made it back to the main stage as Twiddle kicked off their set with the classic "Jamflowman."  It had been way too long since I had seen these guys, and I was quickly reminded why they have really blown up recently.  Fortunately, they were scheduled for an additional set on Saturday, which allowed me to scoot back over to The Big Tent just in time for Backup Planet, one of the most promising young bands I have seen in years.  I was introduced to this band earlier this year at AURA Music & Arts Festival, when they delivered one of my favorite sets of the weekend.  These guys managed to exceed some very high expectations.  Backup Planet is the real deal, and they might have the best cover of "Whipping Post" that I've ever heard.

Photo by Jordan Kirkland: Live & Listen

Dopapod was now back on the main stage for another amazing sunset performance, only to be followed by a wildly energetic set on the side stage from live electronic act Zoogma.  I've had the pleasure of watching Zoogma work their way up from the college bar scene to the national festival scene, and I couldn't be happier for their success.  You get everything from electronic blues/rock to hip-hop with Zoogma, and how could you not get down to that?

The stage was now set for one of the weekend's biggest moments: two full sets of STS9.  There was a significant number of the Tribe faithful who came to The Werk Out specifically for this moment, and they were rewarded with a stellar festival performance.  The first set had two extremely unfortunate moments; the first of which involved a fan hopping on stage, climbing on drummer Zach Velmer's kit, and taking a trust fall onto the drummer mid-song.  Velmer handled the situation like the true professional that he is, and the band picked up right where they left off.  The set was then cut short due to technical/power issues, but the band returned for it's second set and gave Legend Valley an absolute gem.  The "Hubble" > "Orbital" > "Hubble" segue was as tight as anything I've heard from this band.  "World Go Round" made for an epic dance party to close out the set, and the "Breathe In" encore was simply perfect.  I couldn't have more respect for this band's response to a few unfortunate issues that were out of their control.

Photo by Josh Timmermans: Noble Visions

It was now time for The Werks to continue the party in the big tent, which some might have seen as a difficult task after two powerful sets of STS9.  The boys kicked things off with a bang as they worked through the powerful instrumental "Lights Out," followed by the first "Transformational" since November of 2015.  They even finished the "Cloudhopper" from Thursday night.  Dino Dimitrouleas returned to the stage for an extended jam on "Rollin," and two of my personal favorites, "Find Your Way" and "You're Not Alone," closed out the set in heavy fashion.  

You would think this had to be the end of the evening, but the most unique moment of the night was yet to come.  The stage was now set for Twerkapod, a one-time 90's tribute set featuring a rotating cast of members from The Werks, Dopapod, and Twiddle.  What proceeded after 2:30 AM was nothing short of beautiful, epic, and hilarious.  For a more detailed recap and video footage of the Twerkapod set, click here.

Watch Twerkapod perform Blues Traveler's "Run Around" here:

Video by Charles Izenstark: izeoftheworldphotos

As we entered the final day at Legend Valley, the positive energy was contagious, and we were faced with yet another killer lineup.  Broccoli Samurai kicked things off early on the main stage, and these guys blew my mind.  The Cleveland-based four-piece held down a ridiculously melodic groove from start to finish, and they have some of the best song titles I've ever heard of.  I'm really looking forward to following this band moving forward.  

Members of The Werks, Twiddle, and Greensky Bluegrass joined forces for the Matt Butler's Everyone Orchestra, which opened things up for some truly amazing improv jamming.  I had heard a lot about this project over the years, but this was my first time witnessing it in person.  The constantly rotating cast always brings something new to each stage, and watching this collection of musicians in this capacity was a definite highlight.  BIG Something proceeded to absolutely crush the side stage, while The Werks headed over to the VIP tent for a three-song acoustic set which included Neil Young's "Cortez the Killer," "Fall," and "Better Than Before."  This was my first time seeing these guys in an acoustic setting, and it only further affirmed how diverse this band can be.

Photo by Josh Timmermans: Noble Visions

Greensky Bluegrass was next up on the main stage for one of the most anticipated sets of the weekend.  We took advantage of the grass hill back toward the vendors to enjoy the set full of all of the Greensky classics.  It had been quite some time since I'd had the pleasure of seeing these guys live, and damn...they were amazing.  They even brought out Mihali Savoulidis from Twiddle for "Last Winter in Copper County."  As soon as Greensky finished, Twiddle would take the side stage by storm for their second set of the weekend, which featured many of my favorites, such as "Be There," "Lost in the Cold," Syncopated Healing," and "Frankenfoote."  

Watch video footage of Greensky Bluegrass w/ Mihali Savoulidis of Twiddle here:

Video by Charles Izenstark: izeoftheworldphotos

The main stage was now set for what you could easily call the weekend's main event.  The Werks were slated for two sets, and they took the stage in full tuxedos.  "Alive" kicked off the set and bust outs of "Give or Take" and "Cruel Stone Blues" would follow.  The always powerful "OG" ultimately led into a cover of Edgar Winter Group's "Frankenstein" which closed out the first set in epic fashion.  "Drop" kicked off the second set, which has to be one of the most clever songs in recent history.  An extended "Werk Out Jam" moved into an "Immigrant Song Jam," and things truly took off from there.  

The sequence of "Finding Destiny" > "Galactic Passport" > "Finding Destiny" > "Galactic Passport" > "Finding Destiny" was on another level.  A raging rendition of "Onslaught" provided a classic Werks rager to close the second set.  The decision to encore with "Carry Me Back Home" came as no surprise, as the emotional tune had not been played since prior to the passing of Norman Dimitrouleas.  Dino returned to the stage for this one, which was an emotional, touching tribute to say the least.  Midway through the song, Rob Chafin addressed the audience and invited the entire Werk Out crew to the stage for the song's closing chorus. 

Watch The Werks' perform "Carry Me Back Home" here:

Videos by Charles Izenstark: izeoftheworldphotos

As many readers will understand, you're just never going to make it to every set that you plan for over the course of a weekend festival.  After three full days and two very late nights, I didn't have it in me to make it back over to The Big Tent for the two remaining sets from The Motet and Earphunk (Daft Phunk).  This was defintely my biggest regret of the weekend, but as the old saying goes, "You can't make 'em all."  There was a noticeable buzz amongst the campground surrounding both late night sets, and it sounds like Earphunk went above and beyond, with a set that went far beyond the time they were obligated to play until.  This came as no surprise, as that's the type of performance that those guys are known to give.  

As I wrap up what is easily one of the longest articles in the history of this website, I can't help but wonder if there is anyone who has actually continued reading to this point.  For anyone who has, thank you for reading through my memories of this amazing weekend.  There is no brief or concise way to justifiably recount this experience.  When thousands of fans come from every corner of the country to gather in the spirit of music and art, it is truly a beautiful thing.  The Werk Out was circled on my calendar for several months, and the anticipation which surrounded it was very real.  My expectations couldn't have been much higher, and they were exceeded each and every night.  I can't say enough about the job that Rob Chafin and the entire Werks crew has done in building and growing this festival into what it has become.  The Werk Out Music & Arts Festival was an experience that I will never forget, and I can't wait to return in 2017.

Photo by Josh Timmermans: Noble Visions

Photo by Josh Timmermans: Noble Visions

Photo by Josh Timmermans: Noble Visions

Photo by Josh Timmermans: Noble Visions

Photo by Josh Timmermans: Noble Visions

Photo by Josh Timmermans: Noble Visions

Photo by Josh Timmermans: Noble Visions

Live & Listen Presents: Zoogma with Moglee at Zydeco - Friday 8/19 August 11, 2016 17:22

Live & Listen is pleased to announce that we are teaming up with our friends at Zydeco in Birmingham for another amazing night of music next week.  Join us on Friday, August 19th for an evening with Nashville-based, live electronic act Zoogma along with an opening set from local producer Moglee.  This marks the highly anticipated return to Birmingham for Zoogma, so mark your calendars and purchase your tickets today, as this is a show you will not want to miss.  Doors are scheduled to open at 9:30 PM on Friday, August 28th.  Moglee will perform an opening set, with Zoogma taking the stage shortly after.  Tickets are available now for $10 and can be purchased by clicking here. 

Zoogma is a live electronic band based in Nashville, TN. Since 2010, Zoogma has been blending genres into a musical experience that has been called "refreshingly original, yet steeped in dance music tradition".  The band is no stranger to the studio or touring either. With two full studio albums, a double jam cruise live album, a slew of patented live remixes, and the most recent release of their chart topping "New Era EP", as well as a handful of national headline tours under their belt, Zoogma has carved out an incredibly loyal fanbase.  You can get all of their music for free at www.zoogma.net

Watch Zoogma perform "Hotel Crunkifornia" at Cervantes in Denver, CO here:

Fourteen Years Later: Remembering Michael Houser of Widespread Panic August 10, 2016 14:05

Today, we celebrate the life and legacy of legendary guitarist Michael Houser, who lost his life after an aggressive battle with pancreatic cancer on this day in 2002.  Houser became a founding member of Widespread Panic in 1986 while attending the University of Georgia with John Bell.  His adolescent nickname was "Panic" due to his then frequent panic attacks, and this moniker later became the inspiration for the band's name.  Houser wrote many of band's most popular songs, including "Porch Song," "Airplane," "Ain't Life Grand," "Blue Indian" and "Vacation."  He appeared on 7 studio albums during his 16-year tenure with the band from 1986 until 2002.

As co-founder and lead guitarist of Widespread Panic, Houser established an incredibly unique and atmospheric lead guitar style which truly defined the band's sound and resonated across the entire music scene.  Due to hip problems in the 1990s, he played and performed while seated, adeptly using two foot pedals.  At age 40, Houser was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the spring of 2002, and he ultimately passed away on August 10, 2002.  In celebration of the life of Michael Houser, we have compiled video footage from five our favorite Houser era jams for your viewing pleasure below.

We miss you everyday Mikey, and we are forever grateful for the gift you shared with the world.

 Watch Widespread Panic perform "Pleas" > "Love Tractor" in Paris, France on June 17th, 1998 here:

Watch Widespread Panic perform "Holden Oversoul" > "Weak Brain, Narrow Mind" at Red Rocks on June 24th, 2000 here:

Watch Widespread Panic perform "Airplane" in Asheville, NC on November 22nd, 2000:

Watch Widespread Panic perform "Driving Song" > "Breathing Slow" at Oak Mountain Amphitheatre on April 28th, 2002 here:

Watch Widespread Panic perform "The Waker" at Red Rocks on June 28th, 2002:

Watch Video of Twerkapod's 90's Tribute Set from The Werk Out Music Festival August 9, 2016 18:31

Over the weekend, Ohio-based jam band The Werks hosted its 7th annual Werk Out Music & Arts Festival at Legend Valley in Thornville, Ohio.  With headlining sets from STS9, Lettuce, Greensky Bluegrass, and The Werks, as well as amazing performances from Dopapod, Twiddle, The Motet, Earphunk (performing as 'Daft Phunk'), Turkuaz, CBDB, Backup Planet, and so many more, this year's Werk Out was wildly successful. 

The Werk Out has often been known for its unique tribute sets, such as The Werks, Dopapod, and Papadosio performing Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" in its entirety in 2014.  This year's tribute came in the form of Twerkapod, which featured The Werks, Twiddle, and Dopapod performing many of the greatest hits from the 90's from 2:30AM - 4:00AM.  Fortunately, select video footage has surfaced on YouTube via Izeoftheworldphotos and Amanda Siedner, which can be seen below.

Watch footage of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (Nirvana) here:

Watch footage of "Flagpole Sitta" (Harvey Danger) here:

 Watch footage of Gangster's Paradise (Coolio) here:

Watch footage of "Killing In The Name" (RATM) here:

Watch footage of "Hit Me Baby One More Time" (Britney Spears) here:

Watch footage of "Run Around" (Blues Traveler) here:

Watch footage of "Creep" (Radiohead) here:

Watch footage of "Waterfalls" (TLC) here:

Earphunk Announces Major Tour Supporting New Album 'Right Where I Belong' August 9, 2016 15:27

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Photo by Jordan Kirkland: Live & Listen

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Earphunk has announced that its new album 'Right Where I Belong' will be released on Friday, October 7th. The band be hitting the road for a huge US tour to support the album this fall. Tickets go on-sale Friday, August 12th and can be purchased by visiting the band's official website. See below for a full list of dates.

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Hailing from New Orleans, Prog-Funk band Earphunk has emerged as one of the Southeast's premier jam acts. The quintet has been steadily building a rabid fan base across the United States with their unique brand of high-energy funk, inspired improvisation, and dynamic stage production. In an innovative move to get their music in the hands of live music fans, Earphunk have partnered with direct-to-fan publisher platform BitTorrent Bundle to release content-rich collections of live shows and studio albums. Visit the band's website (www.earphunk.com) to stream and download songs from Earphunk's current discography for free.

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TAUK Announces Extensive 2016 Fall Tour Dates August 9, 2016 14:29



Photo by Jordan Kirkland: Live & Listen

New York-based funk four piece TAUK recently announced the first leg of it's 2016 fall tour dates, and we now have the second leg of what looks to be an amazing run.  The band will tour in support of their new album Sir Nebula, which is due out on September 16th, with support from Naughty Professor in New Orleans (Nov. 11th) and Consider the Source in Baltimore, Lancaster (PA), and Syracuse.  Tickets for the entire tour can be purchased by clicking here.  Stay tuned to TAUK's official website for all future updates 

New Sir Nebula TAUK Tour Dates

10/15/16 - TBD
11/9/16 - Three Links - Dallas, TX
11/10/16 - The Parish - Austin, TX
11/11/16 - Last Concert Cafe - Houston, TX
11/12/16 - The Howlin’ Wolf - New Orleans, LA ^
11/13/16 - Duling Hall - Jackson, MS
11/15/16 - 1904 Music Hall - Jacksonville, FL
11/16/16 - The Social - Orlando, FL
11/17/16 - Crowbar - Tampa, FL
11/18/16 - Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, GA
11/19/16 - New Mountain Theatre - Asheville, NC
11/30/16 - Charleston Pour House - Charleston, SC
12/1/16 - The Broadberry - Richmond, VA
12/2/16 - Baltimore Soundstage - Baltimore, MD %
12/3/16 - Chameleon Club - Lancaster, PA %
12/7/16 - The Westcott Theater - Syracuse, NY %
12/8/16 - Putnam Den - Saratoga Springs, NY
12/9/16 - Higher Ground - Burlington, VT
12/10/16 - The Outer Space (Ballroom) - Hamden, CT 

^ with Naughty Professor
% with Consider the Source

Watch HD Video Footage of Widespread Panic & Tedeschi Trucks Band in Birmingham August 4, 2016 11:03

Just four months ago, Legacy Arena in Birmingham was treated to an extra special evening of music featuring Widespread Panic and Tedeschi Trucks Band.  While Widespread Panic is typically known for performing two sets of music, this was a unique occasion featuring far more than "just another opening band".  Tedeschi Trucks Band kicked things off with a set full of hits such as "Made Up Mind", "Bound For Glory", "Let Me Get By", and Derek and the Dominos' "Keep on Growing".  The highlight of the set came when the band took "Don't Know What It Means" directly into an emphatic cover of Joe Cocker's "The Letter" to close out the set.

After a 45-minute intermission, Widespread Panic took the stage, and "Ain't Life Grand" kicked off the set.  Panic continued with originals like "Weight of the World", "Better Off", "Proving Ground", "Sell Sell", "Airplane", and "Papa's Home".  Drummer Duane Trucks and percussionist Sonny Ortiz provided the always entertaining "Drums" before the band busted back into "Papa's Home".  Pianist JoJo Hermann led the band through a rocking take on "Blackout Blues", which ultimately led into a cover of Vic Chesnutt's  "Protein Drink" > "Sewing Machine" to close out the set.

As many expected, this particular night's encore was an instant classic.  Panic returned to the stage with special guest, Derek Trucks.  This would be the first time Derek has performed with Panic since his younger brother, Duane Trucks, became the band's new drummer.  "Gimme" kept a mellow vibe and allowed Trucks to "warm up" a bit before a rousing take on "Surprise Valley".  John Bell then welcomed Susan Tedeschi back to the stage for a flawless cover of Robert Walter's "Me and the Devil Blues".  Many would think that a three song encore would be enough, but the band then welcomed Alecia Chakour and Mark Rivers (Tedeschi Trucks Band) to the stage for a massive family jam on The Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want".  Forunately, Widespread Panic has shared pro shot footage of "You Can't Always Get What You Want," which can be watched in full below.

Bob Weir Announces New Solo Album + 7-Show October Tour August 4, 2016 08:07

Dopapod & Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Will Team Up For Extensive Fall Tour August 3, 2016 11:48

Legendary James Brown Band Will Reunite In Charleston With Special Guests August 3, 2016 11:31

When James Brown passed away on December 25, 2006, he left a void in the entertainment world that will likely never be filled. Over the course of his 50 year recording and performing career, Mr. Brown literally changed the direction of popular music by forging his own path and constantly shattering previously held notions of what was acceptable. In so doing, he created a completely new sound and genre of music called Funk. He also garnered a reputation for having the tightest, most disciplined band in show business. In the 1960s, Mr. Brown released eleven instrumental albums showcasing his dynamic, constantly evolving band. During the 1970s, The JBs, as they were by then known, became a bona fide act in their own right, releasing numerous hit singles and several albums, while still cutting hit after hit backing Mr. Brown. Despite countless personnel and name changes, The James Brown Band continued to serve as a built-in opening act for the Godfather of Soul for the remainder of his career.

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The band that accompanied Mr. Brown throughout the 1990s and 2000s distinguished itself as one of the funkiest units he had ever assembled. This is the band that performed with Mr. Brown at many of the biggest shows of his entire career-Woodstock 99, Bonnaroo 2003, Glastonbury 2004, Royal Albert Hall, Budokkan, North Sea Jazz Festival, Hollywood Bowl, Concert for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Buckingham Palace, the Apollo Theater, and even the Kremlin! This is the band featured in the critically acclaimed concert film James Brown Live At The House Of Blues, and the BBC documentary James Brown: Soul Survivor. This is the band that Mr. Brown wished to carry on his music and legacy. There are many James Brown tribute acts and imitators, but this is the Real James Brown Band.

Watch the official promo video for this event here:

Following the success of The James Brown Birthday Bash on May 3 in Augusta, Georgia, the hometown of the Godfather of Soul, event organizers Friends With Benefits Productions have partnered with Brightsound Entertainment to bring the show to Charleston for one very special evening.  Bassist George Porter Jr., founding member of New Orleans Funk pioneers The Meters, will join thirteen members of The James Brown Band including Fred Wesley of The JBs.  Also from New Orleans, icon Ivan Neville of Dumpstaphunk will lend his expertise on the keys.  It’s difficult for any one person to fill James Brown’s shoes as a front man; therefore, this concert will have several.  Vocalist Brent Carter of Tower of Power & Average White Band is set to perform alongside Elise Testone of American Idol fame and multi-instrumentalist Chris Rob of Nasty Delicious.  Local talents Quiana Parler and Mike Quinn will round out the billing!

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An additional $2 for each ticket will go to benefit The James Brown Academy of Musik Pupils (JAMP), a nonprofit organization run by James Brown’s daughter Deanna Brown Thomas, and James Brown Band lead guitarist and music director Keith Jenkins.  JAMP works to fulfill the wishes of the Godfather of Soul by furthering music education in Augusta’s youth through the music of James Brown.