News
Flashback: Umphrey's McGee Jams with Huey Lewis on Jimmy Kimmel Live (2006) April 15, 2016 10:25
Friday is a day meant for excitement, celebration, and anticipation for the two days ahead of you. We are here to do everything in our power to help you finish the week on a strong note and head full speed into the weekend. On that note, we have decided to take a look back one of our favorite moments in Umphrey's McGee history.
While supporting the release of the band's fourth studio album, Safety in Numbers, Umphrey's made it's late night television debut on the ABC network's Jimmy Kimmel Live! for a performance of "Women, Wine, and Song" and "Nemo", both of which were featured on the new album. Umphrey's called on their friend Huey Lewis for the special occasion, who had recently joined them in the recording studio. Video footage from the live performance from ABC studios can be found below. Umphrey's manager Vince Iwinski can be seen jamming on the front row at the 1:50 mark.
Safety In Numbers is Umphrey's McGee's fourth studio album, released on April 4, 2006. Huey Lewis and Joshua Redman both make appearances. Lewis makes appearances on both "Women, Wine, and Song" and "End of the Road", while Redman appears on "Intentions Clear". The album contains many slower, acoustic songs and a simpler, stripped down approach with little jamming or progressive rock elements. The artwork for the album was done by Storm Thorgerson.
Watch Umphrey's McGee perform "Women, Wine, and Song" w/ Huey Lewis here:
Watch's Umphrey's McGee perform "Nemo" during soundcheck at Jimmy Kimmel Live here:
Widespread Panic's JoJo Hermann Reveals Band's Plan to End Extensive Touring April 14, 2016 20:43
Photo by Jordan Kirkland: Live & Listen
Rumors have been circulating for several months now in regards to the future of Widespread Panic. After the decision to part ways with founding member and drummer Todd Nance, a break from the band's vigorous touring schedule seemed imminent. An interesting article from The Clarion-Ledger titled "Widespread Panic intrinsically connected to Mississippi" surfaced on Thursday night, highlighting the band's long running history and deep roots in The Magnolia State.
The two closing closing paragraphs of the article have quickly become the real story. Widespread Panic keyboardist JoJo Hermann, a former resident of Oxford, revealed that he plans to spend more time in the city after this year, as the band plans to end extensive touring after this year's New Year's Eve Show.
“We’re really wearing it out this year because we’re basically going to call it touring-wise after this year; we’re not going to tour anymore,” Hermann said, emphasizing that the band is breaking up or retiring. The band will continue to play shows at places like New Orleans Jazz Fest and at Red Rocks. It is worth noting that we do believe that the author of this article failed to include the word "not" before "breaking up or retiring".
Hermann continued, “We’re still all brothers and still going to play together ... It is really not that big of a deal, I don’t think,” Hermann said. “It’s part of life… I’ll go home and figure out what I’m going to do for the rest of my life. I will probably go back to Proud Larry’s (in Oxford) and set up a piano.”
While this news does not come as a complete shock to the Widespread Panic faithful, the way in which this news was released to the public is certainly interesting. It's been an amazing 30 year run, and we look forward to seeing what's in store for the remainder of 2016.
James Brown Birthday Bash Confirms Sharon Jones, George Porter Jr., Ivan Neville + More on May 3rd April 14, 2016 00:04
Where: Augusta Common in Downtown Augusta (Broad St between 8th & 9th)
Tickets: JBfamilyBash.com
May 3rd is the birthday of The Godfather of Soul. Friends With Benefits, the same company that brought The Major Rager to town during Masters Tournament week, is working in conjunction with the City of Augusta and The James Brown Family Foundation for an unforgettable concert experience honoring the life, legacy and music of James Brown. The show will benefit the James Brown Academy of Musik Pupils (JAMP), whose mission is to further music education for Augusta’s youth through the music of James Brown.
JAMP is run by James Brown’s daughter, Deanna Brown Thomas, and his music director / lead guitarist, Keith Jenkins. The talented youngsters from JAMP Masters will open the night on May 3rd followed by Augusta's favorite hometown musical act Funk You.
Keith Jenkins has assembled the band for the James Brown Family Birthday Bash comprised of 13 former members of the James Brown Band. Sharon Jones, George Porter Jr. (The Meters), Ivan Neville (Dumpstaphunk), Ty Taylor (Vintage Trouble), Jennifer Hartswick (Trey Anastasio Band), Chris Rob (Nasty Delicious), Gavin Hamilton (Funk You) and Greg Hester are confirmed special guests. This event will be open to all ages. Children under 12 are free. Concessions will be served on site. No re-entry, no weapons, no pets, no outside food or drink. Blankets and chairs are permitted. Gates are at 5PM.
Doors Open: 5:00 PM
JAMP Masters: 6:00 PM
Funk You: 7:15 PM
STS9 Announces Two-Night Red Rocks Run in September April 12, 2016 15:48
Photo by Taylor Wallace / iWally Photography
STS9 has announced it's return to Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre in 2016. The band is set to play the famous venue on Friday, September 9th and Saturday, September 10th, marking the band's 20th performance at the famed venue. Fan Club and VIP tickets go on sale Thursday (4/14) at 10AM MST via TixR (*) : https://tixr.com/e/2904. After that, remaining tickets go on-sale through AXS.com at 10am MST on Friday (4/15). Tickets start at $39.75. Two Day passes are also available.
A very limited amount of 2-Day VIP Passes will also be available and include:
(1) VIP ticket each night including exclusive VIP viewing area
(1) Early Entry both nights
(1) Commemorative Laminate
(1) Limited Edition Red Rocks show Pin
(1) Commemorative event poster signed by the band
(1) free digital download of each show
These VERY limited tickets are $249.00
STS9 encourages fans to sign up for an account with their ticket provider, TixR, so you're ready to go at 10am Thursday (for those that have used STS9.com in the past, please note this is a new ticket system for pre-sales - you must register for a new account through TixR!
Watch STS9 perform "Pianor" on 09.06.14 at Red Rocks here:
Phish Announces Return to Riviera Maya in January 2017 April 12, 2016 14:05
Photo by aLive Coverage / iWally Photography
Press Release via Phish.com
Phish are going back to Mexico! The return of Phish: Riviera Maya, a 4-night all-inclusive concert vacation, will take place on January 13-15, 2017. The band will perform three nights on the beach in one of the world’s most beautiful spots – Mexico’s Caribbean coastline. The concerts will take place at Barceló Maya Beach, which sits on a mile-long stretch of white sandy beach.
Fans can stay at the host resort or at one of the other six selected hotel-resorts (including three additional properties for this year). For those not staying at the Barceló Maya Beach, shuttle service will be provided. A variety of off-site adventures will also be available.
Packages for Phish: Riviera Maya will go on sale April 19 at 1PM ET. For complete details, including payment plans, visit http://
Watch Phish's 19-minute "Down With Disease" from 01.17.16 in Riviera Maya here:
Bear Creek Organizers Announce Bear Creek Bayou Festival in New Orleans April 12, 2016 11:07
It’s time to wake the bear! The producers of Bear Creek Music & Arts Festival have announced the inaugural Bear Creek Bayou Music Festival taking place September 30 – October 1, 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana!
The two-day event will be steeped in the tradition of New Orleans funk music, while providing an eclectic mix of artists, powerful big bands on par with past Bear Creek headliners, and genre-defining performers in world and roots music, live electronica, rock, and everything in between.
Bear Creek Bayou will take place in the heart of New Orleans’ Warehouse District at Mardi Gras World. Situated along the banks of the mighty Mississippi River with views of the New Orleans skyline, the new venue is the perfect home for Bear Creek’s intimate funk filled vibe.
Full website, initial lineup and ticketing details coming soon!
Official Website: Bear Creek Bayou
Facebook: Bear Creek Bayou
Win Free Tickets to See Perpetual Groove at WorkPlay Soundstage (Fri. 4/15) April 12, 2016 07:43
Photo by Jordan Kirkland: Live & Listen
Live & Listen is excited to announce that we are teaming up with our friends at WorkPlay in Birmingham, AL for multiple ticket giveaways this Spring and Summer. Next up is one of the hottest bands on the jam/festival scene, Perpetual Groove. PGroove is fresh off of a major 2015 reunion tour and rolling into Birmingham, AL on Friday, April 15th. New wave synth-rockers Downright will provide direct support on Friday night. See below for complete details on how you can win a free pair of tickets to the show.
About Perpetual Groove:
Based in Athens, GA, Perpetual Groove is a long time well established touring act with an enthusiastic fan base and international critical acclaim. PGroove's music has been described by their fans as anthemic arena rock. Their large catalog of original music offers something for everyone. The addition of an intense, retina burning, intelligent light show creates an atmosphere unlike any other, assuring fans they'll get a highly polished, yet different show each night.
After a two year hiatus Perpetual Groove is back.
We have one pair of tickets to giveaway, and we will announce a winner at 3:00 PM CST on Thursday (4/14). The winner's name (+1 guest) will be placed on the list at Will Call at WorkPlay on Friday night.
How the contest works....
1: 'Like' this post directly on our Facebook page.
2: Share this post directly from our Facebook page. Make sure your privacy settings are set to 'Public' so we can see that you shared the post.
3: Tag a friend who you would like to take to the show in the comments on our Facebook page.
4: The winner will be announced on our Facebook page on Thursday (4/14) at 3:00 PM CST.
Photo by Jordan Kirkland: Live & Listen
Watch The Werks Jam Out "Boogie On Reggae Woman" at Founders Brewery April 11, 2016 13:36
It has undoubtedly been a busy Spring thus far for The Werks, already covering much of the Southeast before heading out West for the always popular Colorado run. The Ohio-based jam band was back at it this weekend as they took the stage at Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Saturday night made for an extra special occasion for the band's rabid fan base, as the show was slated for two full sets. A photograph of Saturday's setlist is included below, which doesn't include an extra funky take on Stevie Wonder's "Boogie On Reggae Woman." The wildly popular cover was added on to close out the second set. Enjoy the video of "Boogie On" below courtesy of Ize of the World Photos.
The Werks tour continues on this week in Jackson, MS (Tuesday), Memphis (Wednesday), Oxford, MS (Thursday), Louisville, KY (Friday), and Lexington, KY (Saturday). You won't want to miss this tour, as the band is featuring several of the jam scenes hottest up-and-comers as opening acts, such as CBDB, Backup Planet, and Gravy. Catch The Werks at Zydeco in Birmingham, AL on Saturday (4/23) for an official Widespread Panic / Tedeschi Trucks Band Afterparty with support from Gravy.
Photo by Werks' fan Christopher Jokinen
Watch Dank's Debut Music Video "Get Up" April 11, 2016 11:21
Listen to Pigeons Playing Ping Pong's New Album "Pleasure" April 1, 2016 14:11
Photo by Brady Cooling Photography
It may be April Fools' Day, but this piece of news is no joke. One of our favorite up-and-coming bands in the jam scene, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, has officially released their highly anticipated third studio album, Pleasure. The album is available for streaming below via the band's official Bandcamp page. We encourage you to support one of the hardest working bands we know by purchasing your copy today!
We recently had a chance to catch up with Greg Ormont (guitar/vocals) prior to the band's performance at AURA Music & Arts Festival. Here's what Greg had to say when asked about the new album, and how this release differs from the band's previous two studio efforts:
Greg: Oh man... listening to Pleasure gives me a lot of... pleasure (chuckles). I'm so proud of this album. I consider Pleasure to be our first "professional" studio recording in the truest sense of the word. We recorded at a phenomenal studio in Baltimore called Wright Way Studios and the experience was totally different than Psychology's recording process. With Psychology, we recorded the album ourselves, albeit with some help from our sonically inclined friends, at an impressive home studio, but we didn't have any professional assistance from start to finish. With Pleasure, we hired the owner of the studio to engineer the album, and his input and abilities eclipsed Psychology within seconds of the first recording session. Our fans can expect to hear our songs jump off the speakers with professional-grade sound quality. The album's overall flow rises and falls like the peaks and valleys of our live experience, and it's all mixed with precision.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong brings end-of-the-world enthusiasm to their high-energy psychedelic funk. Their infectious electro-funk grooves, undeniable live energy and contagious smiles have their rabid fanbase "the Flock" growing exponentially. Based out of Baltimore, MD, this animated quartet has been scorching up the country with their explosive performances and danceable peaks... and they're loving every minute of it!
Umphrey's McGee Announces 2016 Summer Tour Dates March 24, 2016 10:53
Press Release via Umphrey's McGee
Umphrey’s McGee Summer Tour rolls through a town near you as we traverse the East Coast, Midwest, Colorado, and the South. In addition to a smattering of festival appearances and solo Umphrey’s shows, we'll be joined by a diverse supporting cast, including The Werks, The Main Squeeze and Brownout Presents Brown Sabbath along the way.
Pre-sale and umVIP package on-sale begins Monday, March 28th at 11 am ET. Public on-sale begins Friday April 1st at 11 am ET. Check our Tour Dates page for full details.
06/02 - Mountain Jam - Hunter Mountain, NY - Tickets
06/03 - Rapids Theatre - Niagara Falls, NY - Tickets
06/04 - Bunbury Music Festival - Cincinnati, OH - Tickets
06/16 - Riverbend Festival - Chattanooga, TN - Tickets
06/29 - Brenton Skating Plaza - Des Moines, IA - Tickets
06/30 - Summerfest - Milwaukee, WI - Tickets
07/02 - Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Morrison, CO % - Tickets
07/03 - Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Morrison, CO $ - Tickets
07/07 - Avondale Brewing Company - Birmingham, AL * - Tickets
07/08 - House of Blues - Myrtle Beach, SC * - Tickets
07/09 - The Fillmore - Charlotte, NC * - Tickets
07/15 - Pier Six Pavilion - Baltimore, MD ** - Tickets
07/17 - The Stone Pony Summer Stage - Asbury Park, NJ ** - Tickets
08/03 - CrossroadsKC - Kansas City, MO ** - Tickets
08/05 - The Lawn at White River State Park - Indianapolis, IN - Tickets
08/06 - Iroquois Amphitheater - Louisville, KY ** - Tickets
08/11 - Higher Ground - Burlington, VT - Tickets
08/12 - Blue Hills Bank Pavilion - Boston, MA *** - Tickets
08/13 - The Peach Music Festival - Scranton, PA - Tickets
08/14 - F Shed at the Market - Syracuse, NY *** - Tickets
08/18 - Minglewood Hall - Memphis, TN - Tickets
08/19 - Tennessee Theatre - Knoxville, TN - Tickets
08/25 - Lockn’ Music Festival - Arrington, VA - Tickets
% with special guests Sinkane & Zappa Plays Zappa
$ with special guests The Main Squeeze and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead
* with special guest The Werks
** with special guest The Main Squeeze
*** with special guest Brownout Presents Brown Sabbath
LOCKN' Festival Announces Additions to 2016 Lineup March 24, 2016 09:59
STS9 Announces Special Two-Night Run in Atlanta/Alpharetta March 21, 2016 11:35
STS9 has announced a special two-night run in Atlanta/Alpharetta this summer. The Georgia natives will play The Tabernacle on Friday August 26th, followed by three sets at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park in Alpharetta on Saturday, August 27th. Saturday night will include an opening set of "Axe the Cables".
Tickets go on sale this Thursday at 10am ET exclusively through STS9 fan club ticketing, including 2-day passes, and VIP & GA single day tickets to the Saturday show starting at $19.99. Tickets for the Friday show are only available as part of a 2-day pass with the Saturday show. Many more details to follow in the next 48 hours.
If you're traveling to Atlanta, STS9 has compiled the best lodging rates to make your planning easy: http://sts9.com/tour-dates-tickets/
Interview: Phonosynthesis Discusses Long Awaited Debut Album Grüvhaus March 17, 2016 11:17
Just last week, Connecticut-based jam quartet Phonosynthesis released their debut album, Grüvhaus. The album not only showcases the band member’s musical prowess, but also their creative and incredibly catchy songwriting abilities. Band leaders Isaac Young (sax/keys/EWI) and Jon Dostou (bass/vocals) teamed up with Tommy Furdon (guitar/vocals) and Nick Charlton (drums) and brought together old and new original tunes to create a phenomenal album that captures the bands undeniably unique sound. We recently had the opportunity to sit down with the guys from Phonosynthesis to learn about the bands background as well as the new album, Grüvhaus.
Interview by Taylor Pack: Live & Listen
The band name Phonosynthesis is new but you guys have been making music in Connecticut for quite some time now. Tell me a little bit about the history of Phonosynthesis.
Jon: Isaac and I have been working on different projects together for years. We have a lot of the same sensibilities and interests in music and we’ve worked with a few different iterations of the similar lineups, but now we have a new thing. We’ve got our guitarist Tommy Furdon and drummer Nick Charlton who just joined us at the end of last year. So we have a new album and a new band as well.
New England has a rich history of incredible jam bands and is the birthplace for jam veterans such has Phish and RAQ, to younger bands like Twiddle and McLovins. What about that northeastern pocket of the country lends itself so well to the creation of great bands and what will makes Phonosynthesis unique?
Isaac: I think the physical geography of New England really lends to these collaborations. Here, we are all so close to each other, whereas, if you go south or west, the states are much larger so the physical area of a city takes up much more space then Connecticut where within an hour you can be in any corner of the state.
Jon: We run into a lot of people, especially being that we are all so close to each other and that there are so many music schools. Just in Boston alone you get a lot of people who have studied many different versions of the music trade. They aren’t too far apart from each other, so we get a chance to play with dozens of different people. It doesn’t take all that much to find them, just at jam sessions and stuff like that, but I think geography is a huge part of it.
Isaac: But I also think your right, mentioning all these bands like Kung Fu, Phish and Twiddle, and all the ones that we – you know Dopapod even, because those are all Berklee guys – there’s something about following in the footsteps of those who came before us. Personally, I am a huge Phish fan; I’ve been following them around for nearly two decades. But watching them take the North East by storm you look at it like “hey man, we can follow in those footsteps too”. I just think the collective attitude up here is really receptive to taking experimentation to a new level and taking risks musically.
Listen to "Na$daq" by Phonosynthesis here:
The music on Grüvhaus is a concoction of rock n roll that leans heavily on jazz foundations with a healthy dose of funk. All this delivered flawlessly in a very exciting jam band package. Tell me a little about your backgrounds as musicians as well as whom your biggest influences are.
Tommy: Well my musical background is pretty vast. Me being a guitar player I have been listening to stuff coming from every direction from Zappa and Vai to Scofield and even Pat Metheny or Pat Martino. I was a big Dead fan and I listened to Jerry and then saxophonists came into play for me and it just keeps going and going you know. But Cannonball Adderley is probably one of my favorite soloists.
Jon: I definitely love some of the stuff Tommy threw in; Pat Martino is one of my favorite jazz guitarists. I get a lot of influence rock music, from The Beatles, from Steely Dan from Frank Zappa and you know, tons of the guys from the 70’s. I also love big bands and large orchestras and yeah, it’s totally vast. The thing is we all went to music school and were exposed to a very wide array of styles from classical music, to world music, to popular music, and popular music from different periods of time. The way music education has become it almost produces a certain sound of musician. Sometimes you can tell when someone went to music school [chuckles] when you start to listen to their stuff. It is its own tradition and we all generally come from that place. I guess my favorite bassists are Jaco and Geddy Lee. Those guys are awesome.
Isaac: I grew up listening to Phish. I will never forget being given my first tape when I was 8 years old and all of a sudden my eyes were bugging out like “Holy shit, what is this music am I listening to?!” and I think that I was hooked on the improvisational thing. I grew up in a household that was deeply rooted in jazz. My dad had a massive big band record collection that I can remember thumbing through ever since I was a little kid, ever since I could turn the turntable on myself.
Then I branched out into a bunch of other things like rock and roll. I got really into Zappa; I think that we all collectively love Zappa in this band. Because I went to the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz and got my degree in saxophone I listened to a lot of guys like Dexter Gordon and Hank Mobley and you know, Michael Brecker and Chris Potter and all the monstrous players. And obviously Coltrane and Bird and all those guys but like, realistically the ones that really connected with me were the ones that were not necessarily the limelight musicians, but the ones that were pushing the boundaries in their own way like Sun Ra and Ornette Coleman and things like that.
As of late I am branching more into this new wave of jazz influenced hip hop and I’m digging Kendrick Lamar like crazy and Flying Lotus and also Vulfpeck, and guys like Kamasi Washington has been my heart throb for the past year now so there are a lot of these new bands that I have been trying to dig into as much as tipping my hat those who paved the way before us.
Listening to Grüvhaus track by track is the ultimate experience. One minute I am in awe of he individual musical prowess of the band members, as well as the overall cohesiveness of the band. The next I am chuckling out loud at cleverly devised lyrics and lighthearted song writing, translating to a very fun musical experience. Tell me a little bit about the bands creative process and how you approach song writing and composition.
Jon: We worked in various stages of either being together or being apart. A lot of the time we will come up with an idea that we all agree on and we work on it a little bit and sort of see if it fits or if it can go somewhere. Then one of us might take it and expand on it a bit more and then there are some tunes that we write entirely separately.
Isaac: Like Jon with “The Promise Man” and “Nocturnal Displacement” -- which are totally his tunes -- he comes to the table with these ones and I wrote “The Road to Smyrna” and “Birth of a Machine”. So we have a lot of collaborative works and a lot of works that might be coming in as a skeleton one day, and the next day, collectively, we all work it out and flesh out the parts.
Jon: And I think that process actually helps to compose an album. We’re lucky to have some of the people that have heard it all say that it works as an album, not just a collection of songs. That was a conscious effort, so when we decided what tunes we were going to use it was nice to have a healthy mix of pieces from different places and different projects. That tune “Dow Jones” is something I worked on with my friend Andrew Davis some years ago and then more recently Isaac and I wrote “The Na$daq” together. There are structural things - because I worked on both of them - wherein I was able to take elements from each tune and connect them together. They are close together other on the album, so there are some nice built in things that we didn’t necessarily plan for but are definitely a part of how we wove everything together.
Tell me a little about the nuts and bolts of Grüvhaus. Was it recorded over time or did you guys knock it out in a few planned studio sessions?
Isaac: The composition side of it is a collection of work dating back to what, 2010? Maybe even earlier.
Jon: I’ve got some stuff from 2004.
Isaac: Yeah, I think even “Birth of a Machine” is from 2007. It’s just been a wide stretch of time and compiling of these songs. But the album itself took 9 months of recording at our producer Nate Faulkenberry’s studio. And then we were very lucky that Telefunken Elektroakustik, which is based out of South Windsor, Connecticut, gave us a huge microphone package on loan for the whole recording process. That alone was a wonderful endowment from them.
JD: Yeah, we pulled out as many of the big stops as we possibly could to make this album [band chuckles].
Well, step number one is complete. You guys have successfully created and recorded a beautiful studio snapshot of Phonosynthesis material. But as the godfather of jam bands Col. Bruce Hampton puts it “can you put spirit in a room full of bodies?” Tell me a little bit about the live experience. What can fans around the country expect to see at a Phonosynthesis show?
Jon: Um, antics! [chuckles] Look for lots of antics and lots of sounds. Just walls of sound and hopefully an experience that is positive. I don’t know exactly how to put it, but it has to be more than just the sum of its parts. The spirit can sometimes come with the people. Sometimes the audience can give life to a performance, especially when going to a new place for the first time. It’s hard to know exactly what kind crowd we’re going to have; but if we go to a new place and there’s a crowd that is ready to be engaged by a band that is playing, then they are the ones who bring the show and we are just there to help them have a good time. We hope that happens more and more as we go to new places.
Isaac: Also we follow in the tradition of all of these great jam bands where we never repeat a show. We rotate new songs in continuously and we bring out ones we haven’t played in a while. We have tapers follow us and they put stuff on archive.org. We are really fortunate to have a core group of people that help us out with that. But I mean, we just try to transcend the moment live and bring you to the level of complete escapism and also complete moment of bliss and to try to have as much fun on stage and impart that sense of fun and joy to audience as well.
What will the rest of 2016 have in store for Phonosynthesis? When will fans of the new album have a chance to catch this stuff live in their own home towns?
Jon: We are working on building up a summer tour. We’re bouncing around the New England area up through June right now. We’ve got a couple prospects on expanding our reach into new places in the mid to later summer months and into the fall, but we do have a nice healthy group of places that we play in Connecticut and around Massachusetts. Now that we have an album we’re going to hit some of the places that we’ve played in New York City as well. Having this recording as a physical commodity that we can take on the road is definitely what we’ve been waiting for!
Isaac: We’re excited to reach new ears and expand our reach as far as possible. We’re starting to reach further and we hope to make waves in these new markets.
Runaway Gin: A Tribute To Phish Releases Spring & Summer 2016 Tour Dates March 17, 2016 00:35
Photo by Amy Boyd: Sense & Color Photography
Runaway Gin - A Tribute To Phish, hot on the heels of headlining their first festival to rave reviews (Charleston Wine + Food) and a second consecutive sold-out show in Atlanta, GA, announces a multi-state tour in addition to their Charleston Pour House weekly Sunday residency to include the Golphedelic Get Down Masters Tournament Afterparty in Augusta, GA, a debut performance in Washington, DC, a Dead and Co. Afterparty in Charlotte, NC, another headlining slot at the Pumpkintown Music Festival in June, and theCharleston Jam Cruise in August! A full listing of Runaway Gin shows can be found here
For future updates on Runaway Gin, follow the band on Facebook and Instagram.
Wednesday, March 23rd - Holy City Brewing's "Olfactoy Hues" Release Party - Charleston Pour House - Charleston, SC
Friday, April 8th - Golphedelic Get Down (Masters Afterparty) w/BYOG - Sky City - Augusta, GA
Saturday, April 23rd - New Brookland Tavern - Columbia, SC
Friday, May 13th - 3 sets @ the Pour House Music Hall - Raleigh, NC
Saturday, May 14th - Gypsy Sally's - Washington, DC
Friday, May 27th - GOTTROCKS - Greenville, SC
Saturday, May 28th - Aisle 5 - Atlanta, GA
Friday, June 10 - Dead and Company After Show @ The Rabbit Hole - Charlotte, NC
Saturday, June 11 - The Grey Eagle - Asheville, NC
Saturday, June 18 - The Get Down in Pumpkintown Fesival - Marietta, SC
Friday, July 30th - The Calico Room - Wilmington, NC
Friday, August 5th - Charleston Jam Cruise - Charleston, SC
Watch Runaway Gin perform to a sold out Hard Rock Cafe on July 4th, 2015 in Chicago (post Fare Thee Well) here:
Merryland Music Fest to Feature String Cheese Incident, Ben Harper, Grace Potter + Many More March 15, 2016 09:30
CukoRakko Music & Arts Festival Announces Final SpringFest Lineup March 13, 2016 19:35
Photos 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, May 2nd at 12:00 PM CST.
CukoRakko Music & Arts Festival is pleased to announce it's official lineup for SpringFest, which is scheduled for Friday, May 13th - Sunday, May 15th at Horse Pens 40 in Steele, AL. SpringFest will feature as diverse and exciting of a lineup as we have seen from CukoRakko thus far, including the likes of Zach Deputy, McLovins, Col. Bruce Hampton & The Madrid Express (w/ Carter Herring), Funk You, Mother Funk, Rollin' In The Hay, Soul Mechanic, Permagroove, URI, Blackberry Possum, Mr. B & The Tribal Hoose, Tragic City, Jess Goggans Band, Omari Jazz, Raquel Lilly, & Rattlesnake Rattlers.
We recently caught up with CukoRakko's co-founders, Greg Entrekin and Jamie Glass, to learn more about the vision of CukoRakko, the background and history of Horse Pens 40, and what we can expect from the upcoming SpringFest.
Let's talk about the beginning phases of CukoRakko. How did this idea come about, and when did it begin to come to life?
Greg: The idea of CukoRakko came about over a round of disc golf on a Sunday in July of 2013. We each had been serious road warriors throughout the years in pursuit of the best music and venues. We discussed how the dynamic of travel had changed with age, especially after having children. We wanted to continue to be able to enjoy the arts in a way that had been accustomed, except a lot closer to home and with more of the people that we love. The festival came to life the following Monday.
Jamie: As Greg said, this all started over a game of disc golf. We were reminiscing about The Horde Festival, Panic shows, and the music scene in Birmingham. We both had been seeing live music since our teenage years. We talked about how your circle of friends in the music scene gets smaller as you get older and people start having children. We both agreed that what Birmingham needed...what WE needed was a friends and family festival where we could bring our families and where kids of all ages are welcome. And as Greg said, the idea started becoming a reality the next day.
There is a clear focus on CukoRakko being a family-friendly event, bringing together like minded people of all ages. How important is this element of the overall vision of this festival?
Greg: We declared the theme of the festival to always be “friends and family.” It gives us the opportunity to show the value of the small festival in terms of individual engagement, family participation, and overall quality of experience. Children are able to play with one another in a pristine environment and the adults are able to show the children the right way to interact with one another. Profound! Never underestimate the positive camping experience for a child!
Jamie: Bringing together family and friends is the most important element of CukoRakko!
Horse Pens 40 is often referred to as "Alabama's best secret". It's a truly unique location, full of an endless amount of history. How did this relationship with Horse Pens come about? What makes this such an ideal location for CukoRakko?
Jamie: Greg attended Red Clay Revival at Horse Pens 40 in 2012 where he met the Schultz family.He couldn't forget the incredible energy of that place and introduced me to the family soon after. During my first visit to Horse Pens, I learned that the Creek and Cherokee Indians signed a peace treaty on the grounds of the property. It's also the venue of Emmy Lou Harris' first paid performance.
Watch The Disco Biscuits Cover "Scarlet Begonias" > "I Know You Rider" With Tom Hamilton March 13, 2016 14:16
Photo by Taylor Pack: Live & Listen
Last weekend's 7th annual AURA Music & Arts Festival featured many of the jam scene's hottest acts, with unforgettable performances from the likes of The Disco Biscuits, Thievery Corporation, Snarky Puppy, The Werks, ALO, Turkuaz, The Heavy Pets, Pink Talking Fish, and many more. This year's festival officially kicked off on Thursday, with the final performance coming from The Disco Biscuits on Saturday night. Over the course of the weekend, Grateful Dead covers came early and often.
As The Disco Biscuits took the stage at 11:00 PM on Saturday night, they were joined by their old friend Tom Hamilton, who had just finished up a set with his band, American Babies. Considering Hamilton's role as lead guitarist for Billy & the Kids, as well as Joe Russo's Almost Dead, it came as no surprise when the Biscuits opened up with a lengthy Dead jam, ultimately leading into a killer take on "Scarlet Begonias" > "I Know You Rider". Thankfully, Cheesehead Productions was in attendance all weekend, giving us all a chance to relive some of the most memorable moments from AURA 2016.
Watch The Disco Biscuits perform "Scarlet Begonias" > "I Know You Rider" w/ Tom Hamilton here:
Widespread Panic Announces 2016 Summer Tour Dates March 10, 2016 15:48
Fool's Paradise Announces Artist-Led Excursions with Members of Lettuce, Break Science March 10, 2016 12:06
The inaugural Fool’s Paradise is set to take place in the beautiful beach town of St. Augustine, FL April 1-2, 2016. The two-day destination event will feature Lettuce & Friends, GRiZ, Vulfpeck, Chris Robinson’s Soul Revue (Ivan Neville, George Porter Jr., Eric Krasno, Nikki Glaspie, Neal Casal & The Shady Horns), Goldfish, The Nth Power, Break Science, the Fools for Funk Supergroup, and more.
There’s more to look forward to than just the music, as Fool’s Paradise is also offering exciting, once-in-a-lifetime Florida excursions with your favorite artists. Whether it's mini-golf with Lettuce’s Eric Krasno and
The Fiesta Falls Mini Golf Course is elaborately planted with Florida greens, ocean views, and waterfalls. Putt putt around a sunken pirate ship with Eric Krasno and Jesus Coomes, while you make the most of your Florida vacation. Everything is provided, including ice cream at the end! You can sign up here.
The Alligator Farm houses every species of Crocodilian in the world as well as birds, mammals, and other reptiles. Zip through the treetops and conquer aerial obstacles with Break Science's Borahm Lee. After the course, you are free to roam the park for as long as you'd like. Learn more about what the Alligator Farm and Crocodile Crossing has to offer on their website, and sign up for group activities here.
Kick back, relax and soak up the sun with The Shady Horns on the Schooner Freedom Charters! Join the jokesters on a two-hour nautical adventure at sea. Bring a pair of binoculars and look for dolphins, turtles, and birds, or take the helm for an unforgettable sailing experience. Beer and wine will be provided, though you can always bring more. Space is limited, so sign up now.
Fool’s Paradise Lineup:
Lettuce x2
GRiZ
Vulfpeck
Chris Robinson’s Soul Revue ft. George Porter Jr., Ivan Neville, Nikki Glaspie, Eric Krasno, Neal Casal & The Shady Horns
Goldfish
The Nth Power
Cory Henry (Artist-at-Large)
Break Science (Late Night)
Fools for Funk Supergroup (Late Night)
Marvel Years
Brasstracks
Herd of Watts
The Groove Orient
Morning Fatty
Love Chunk
The String Cheese Incident Announces 20+ Summer Tour Dates March 8, 2016 12:43
SCI SUMMER TOUR 2016
June 24-26 – Electric Forest – Rothbury, MI
July 1-2 – ExploreAsheville.com Arena – Asheville, NC
July 3-4 – Chastain Park – Atlanta, GA
July 8 – Brewery Ommegang – Cooperstown, NY w/ Twiddle
July 9 – Merriweather Post Pavillon – Columbia, MD
July 10 – Portsmouth Pavilion – Portsmouth, VA w/ Yonder Mountain String Band
July 15 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO w/ TAUK
July 16 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO w/ Kamasi Washington
July 17 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO w/ Hot Rize
July 20-21 – Big Sky Brewing Company – Missoula, MT
July 22 – Marymoor Amphitheatre – Redmond, WA
July 23-24 – Cuthbert Amphitheatre – Eugene, OR
Aug 12 – Peach Music Festival – Scranton, PA
Aug 13-14 – Kings Theatre – Brooklyn, NY
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Release "Burning Up My Time" March 8, 2016 11:30
Photo by Brady Cooling Photography
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong has released "Burning Up My Time", the second single off of the band's upcoming album, Pleasure. The band had previously released "Live It Up" as their first single, making this the second taste off of Pleasure. Check out the latest from the Pigeons below, and keep an eye out for future updates from one of our favorite bands on the scene right now. Pleasure is scheduled for release on Friday, April 1st.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong will host the 7th annual Domefest on Fort Royale Farm in Bedford, PA on May 19-21. Domefest's 2016 full lineup includes:
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong (x3), Consider the Source, BIG Something, The Mantras, Splintered Sunlight (Grateful Dead tribute), Aqueous (x2), ELM (x2), Broccoli Samurai, McLovins, lespecial, The Hornitz, Mister F, ShwizZ, Vibe & Direct, LITZ, Deaf Scene, Out of the Beardspace, The Jauntee, Strange Machines, Sweet Earth, Puremotion, Mateo Monk, Scrambled Greg, Star City Disco.
The Road To AURA: Josh Schwartz of Turkuaz March 3, 2016 08:46
The Road To AURA: Jeff Lloyd of The Heavy Pets March 2, 2016 12:43
