String Cheese Incident Breaking Up After 13 Years

The String Cheese Incident posted an announcement on their website on Friday,
November 3, 2006. The post reads:

After summer 2007, Billy Nershi is leaving The String Cheese Incident to pursue other musical projects. There will be only a limited number of Incidents between now and then. Current plans include Thanksgiving in Atlanta, a New Years Eve blowout in San Francisco, Winter Carnival in Colorado, and a return to Red Rocks. Presently, there are no plans for The String Cheese Incident beyond summer of 2007.

The band would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our friends and fans for all your support.

The band, and their management, are not saying anything more right now. Stay tuned to www.stringcheeseincident.com as more details are released.

Fans can look forward to the band's upcoming holiday shows: Thanksgiving weekend at Atlanta's legendary Fox Theatre and their always epic "Sea of Dreams" appearance in San Francisco. Winter Carnival and Red Rocks dates to be announced. Confirmed show details are as follows:

Friday, November 24th and Saturday, November 25th @ 8:00pm (Doors @ 7:00pm)
The Fabulous Fox Theatre
660 Peachtree Street, Atlanta
Tickets $27.50-$35.00 / All Ages Welcome
For more information please contact 404-817-8700

Saturday, December 30th and Sunday, December 31st
Sea of Dreams
San Francisco Concourse Exhibition Center
635 8th Street (@ Brannan), San Francisco
Tickets: Sat. 12/30 - $50.00, Sun.12/31 - $75.00, Two Night Pass - $120.00
Ages 18+ Welcome
For more information please visit www.seaofdreamsnye.com

Bob Weir Appears with Dark Star Orchestra

Grateful Dead guitarist and vocalist and RatDog band leader, Bob Weir, showed up ready to play with Dark Star Orchestra at the Fillmore Thursday. After watching the first set from the balcony, Bob joined in on the second set of the original setlist with Weir-likeness Rob Eaton taking a deserved break. As the crowd called for an encore, Rob joined Bob onstage for a doppelganger version of “The Mighty Quinn” and “Around and Around.” Additional Grateful Dead energy continued when DSO lead guitarist John Kadlecik had the rare honor of playing Jerry Garcia’s guitar “Wolf” at Thursday’s show.

DSO continues Friday night with their 1300th show, as both Friday and Saturday’s shows at San Francisco’s Fillmore are sold out. DSO’s tour continues to Santa Cruz, winds up to Seattle, Eugene, Portland & Tahoe before ending in the Bay Area’s Mystic Theatre in Petaluma October 19.

Show #1,299 - Thu, Oct 5, 2006 at Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, CA

Performing 10/5/2006 Original Setlist

Set 1:Sugar Magnolia> Uncle John> Dancin>Dark Star (verse 1)> Gimme Some Lovin'> Heart of Me> Music> Sunshine Daydream> Liberty

Set 2:Stranger> Minglewood, Scarlet> Fire, Terrapin*> Drums> Space> Sugaree> Cassidy> China Cat**> I Know You Rider**

Encore: Mighty Quinn***> Around

John played "Wolf" - Special guest keyboardist Dan Klepinger - Special Guest soundman Dan Healy - Second set with Special guest Bob Weir - *Bob sang lead - **Bob and John alternated lead vocals - ***with Rob and Bob

Tea Leaf Green Release Live DVD

Busting out of a revitalized San Francisco music scene, Tea Leaf Green's latest release, Rock 'N' Roll Band (released October 31, 2006, on SCI Fidelity Records), captures lightening in a bottle. Available separately in both CD & DVD formats, the film joins the band for an evening performance at The Fox Theatre in Boulder, Colorado and offers an intimate look at a day in the life of a young rock band on the rise.

For the DVD, director Justin Kreutzmann, son of The Grateful Dead's Billy Kreutzmann, provides both a snapshot of where the band is today and clear evidence of where they are headed tomorrow. Part concert film, part documentary, Rock 'N' Roll Band balances blazing live performances with private moments of artful reflection and presents the magic that is Tea Leaf Green for all to enjoy. Just one viewing will be enough to assure you that rock 'n' roll never died.

Following the 2005 release of their critically acclaimed album, Taught to be Proud, Tea Leaf Green toured North America becoming one of the most exciting and fastest growing rock bands today. The group has honed their strength as both songwriters and improvisers to catapult to the next level, keeping audiences screaming for more.

Thanks to their dedicated and connected fan base, the band has gone from playing small bars to large theatres in just a few short years by consistently delivering fresh, mind-blowing live performances. After winning the "Song of the Year" Jammy award for Taught to be Proud's title track, the road warriors plowed ahead with sold out shows in many major markets including Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, New York and, most notably, the historic Fillmore Auditorium in their hometown of San Francisco, CA. The band's chops earned the respect of their musical contemporaries as 2006 also found the band opening for the Dave Mathews Band, Trey Anastasio, Gov't Mule, and Bruce Hornsby.

Tea Leaf Green Fall Tour 2006:

September 16 Earthdance Peace Festival Laytonville CA
September 29 Great American Music Hall San Francisco CA
September 30 Fillmore San Francisco CA
October 05 Canopy Club Urbana IL
October 06 Tall Stacks Music & Arts Festival Cincinnati OH
October 06-07 The Harvest Jam Thornville OH
October 08 The Town Ballroom Buffalo NY
October 11 The Stone Church Newmarket NH
October 14 Irving Plaza New York NY
October 15 Paradise Rock Club Boston MA
October 16 Higher Ground Showcase Lounge Burlington VT
October 18 Beachland Ballroom & Tavern Cleveland OH
October 19 Bluebird Bloomington IN
October 20 High Noon Saloon Madison WI
October 21 Vic Theatre Chicago IL
October 22 Cabooze on West Bank Minneapolis MN
October 31 Fox Theatre Boulder CO
November 01 Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom Denver CO
November 03 Mercy Lounge Nashville TN
November 04 Rhythm & Brews Chattanooga TN
November 05 Blue Cats Knoxville TN
November 08 The Flying Anvil Greensboro NC
November 09 The Pourhouse Charleston SC
November 10 Neighborhood Theatre Charlotte NC
November 11 Variety Playhouse Atlanta GA
November 12 Down on the Farm Festival Quincy FL
January 02-07 Jam Cruise Fort Lauderdale FL

More dates to be announced. Visit www.tealeafgreen.com for more information and updates.

Dinosaur Jr's Gear Stolen in Long Island

Dinosaur Jr.'s gear was stolen last night, Tuesday, August 26, from their trailer, which was parked outside of their hotel in Long Island City, New York.

The band humbly requests that their music industry friends, colleagues and fans help spread the word and keep their eyes out for the stolen gear. They ask that you contact their management at 303.998.0001 with any information.

The list of missing gear and their descriptions are as follows:

Guitars
1959 Fender Jazzmaster SN# 38927 - decal coming off. cracked headstock at top near low E peg. color black with purple/bluish sparkle coming through. adonized pick guard gold metal. tuneomatic bridge gold, tuning pegs gold.

1961-3 Fender Jazzmaster SN# 62012 - purple sparkle, black pickup covers. headstock repaired, a whole new piece of wood was glued on for the top part of the headstock under the tuners and up a 1/2" , along the whole top of the headstock. gold tuneomatic bridge, gold tuners

1964-5 Fender Jazzmaster SN# L21581 - orange, white pearl pickguard, stickers all over it, original tuners.

Fender Purple Jazzmaster new SN# R074329 - purple sparkle with matching headstock gold adonized guard tuneomatic bridge.

Rory Gallagher Stratocaster new SN# R25507 - has a big gold grover tuning peg on low E

Rickenbacker 197? Fireglo Bass SN# 4001 - checker-board binding.

B.C. Rich Warlock Bass SN# 4242413

Cymbals
[1] Paiste 20" 2002 medium
[1] Paiste 20" giant beat
[1] Paiste 20" 2002 crash
[2] Paiste 19" 2002 crash
[2] Paiste 15" 2002 sound edge top hi-hats
[1] 15" 2002 sound edge bottom hi-hats

- Also a Custom pedal board with custom audio electronics RS-10 foot controller, Teese RNC2 wah pedal, boss stage tuner, mute box, and cables

- And one black backpack with Sony headphones, tools, etc.

Fall Hookahville Reunites Band with Founding Guitarist John Mullins

The end of summer version of Hookahville, the Ohio festival institution created by ekoostik hookah, announces the lineup for the fall event Friday and Saturday, September 1, 2 at Legend Valley (formerly Buckeye Lake Music Center) in Thornville, Ohio.

The two-day music and camping event is hosted by the Columbus, Ohio group, ekoostik hookah and their features their trademark two nights of headlining shows. Fall Hookahville picks up where the Memorial Day event left off: the popular jamband turning heads by going back to its roots and bringing original co-founder, guitarist/vocalist John Mullins, back into the band after a departure nearly a decade ago. Fans deemed the reconnection with Mullins a complete success and the new lineup has invigorated the expansive base of ekoostik fans.

The upcoming Fall Hookahville lineup crosses genre boundaries blending top talents within the improvisational rock music world ranging to old-school Classic Rock sounds. The Family Stone Experience, the original founding members of Sly and the Family Stone, will perform the main stage Saturday afternoon. Vince Herman, formerly of Leftover Salmon, will perform a solo set Friday afternoon before joining his Great American Taxi group for another set the same day.

Additional acts include The Big Wu from Wisconsin, the live-funk-tronica experience of Chicago’s Liquid Soul, the bluegrass of Oakhurst, Backwoods Drifters, Jeff & Gregg Bell, Crackers and Jam & more.

Hookahville allows the band to create its ideal "no hassles or bad attitudes" playing environment and share it with many fine live acts. In the past, Ratdog, Willie Nelson, David Crosby, Arlo Guthrie, David Grisman, Dickey Betts, Galactic, Jazz Mandolin Project, Leftover Salmon, Keller Williams, among dozens of other notable artists, have played the Hookahville stage. Since forming in 1991, ekoostik hookah has independently handled every aspect of its growth.

Tickets for Hookahville are available now online for $60 in advance through August 27 and available at the gate as well, and include camping, parking and two days of two stages of music. Early bird camping with music is available beginning Thursday, August 31 at 4 PM for an additional $20 fee with paid festival admission, for campers who want first pick at campsite locations.

Hookahville has designated camping areas for the handicapped, families and those with children; children 10 and under are admitted free with a paid adult, and the festival is an all ages event. Included in the price of admission are primitive camping including bathrooms, medical staff, and potable water. Vendors are set up offering various cuisines as well as a wide variety of merchandise.

Hookahville, the band’s home-thrown festival featuring two nights of music and camping in Ohio’s quiet green hills, has been called by fans the best music festival in the Midwest. The biannual happening began in 1994 as a camp-out on band co-founder Dave Katz’s wooded land. Growing steadily, it has since been held at different venues on Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends.

For more information on Hookahville, its history, photos, venue information, directions, and links to purchase tickets visit www.legendvalley.net

Greenskeepers come out swinging on 'Polo Club'

Artist: Greenskeepers
Title: Polo Club
Label: Om Records
Release Date: 10.24.2006
Phresh Rated: 3.5 of 5

Greenskeepers are humbly basking in their new found success fueled by their recent hit 'Lotion'. The macabre mash-up video supporting this single ignited an underground download feeding frenzy that surpassed the one million mark. This talented quartet wasted no time looking back and headed into the studio in Chicago.

"We want people to have fun and get nuts," says James Curd – Greenskeepers percussionist and DJ extraordinaire. "We take the best aspects of live music and club house and make people get crazy. We wanted to focus on working within the band itself and making a record that showcases what we do live."

What they have come up with is a seventeen track frenetic slab of guitar driven post-punk electronica, with Byrne-esque quirky lyrics, and plenty of hook. The title track 'Polo Club' rips right out of the gates with mallets swinging and then continues to explore this bands unique musical mind that is brimming with raw talent. This fine release also shows the 'Keepers ability to explore other time signatures and dark introspective themes with songs like '15 Minutes' and 'Cowboy'. As soon as the foursome exposes this other side they jump directly back to grinding axes and rump shaking thuds that should be enjoyed at full volume and windows down.

Polo Club also includes a bonus disk featuring Greenskeepers remixes and original tracks mixed live at Love [NYC] by James Curd.

Greenskeepers video ‘Lotion’ – Click Here

Review by S. Remington

Fonkmasters Survive & Score Soundtrack Honors

Survivor Gregory J. Bennett aka 'Groove Generator' is back with a BANG after surviving the devastation and aftermath of Hurricane Katrina last year in New Orleans, LA. With his new project, Fonkmasters, Gregory discovered a new vocal group to bolster his addictive arsenal of jazz laced grooves. This collaboration led to a highly anticipated CD entitled ‘Funky Urban Nights’, which is getting rave reviews from the preliminary feedback of industry insiders and this CD is scheduled to be released to retail outlets by September 7th, 2006. Their music can also be heard on the soundtrack of the highly anticipated film, ‘Cain and Abel’ of Mercury Rising Films

The Fonkmasters are award-winning innovators of funkafied electro urban grooves with jazz sensibilities. Gregory J. Bennett, founder and creative force behind Fonkmasters, surrounded himself with some talented vocalists to record and help bring his special brand of contemporary and old school funk to the masses. His entry into the mobile music industry has been extremely successful, as he generated sales of over a 1000 ringtones per month. Some of Gregory’s instrumental tracks have been licensed to cable TV programming (most recently VH-1), music-on-hold applications and mobile games. Gregory also received the Listen and Exchange Award for being one of the Top 10 indie producers in 2003.


Fonkmasters Streaming Audio & MP3's

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Jam Cruise 2006 Seeks Band - Passengers Vote!

In their search to keep Jam Cruise loaded with hot new musical acts, Jam Cruise is teaming up with Sonicbids again, inviting up-and-coming artists to submit their music in the Sonicbids / Jam Cruise band contest. Six cabin slots have been reserved for Sonicbids artists, meaning the winners can be a full band up to 6 members or a band of 4 and a duo, or any other combination of six. Bands can enter now through November 7, 2006 at www.sonicbids.com/jamcruise.

Jam Cruise judges will review applicants and narrow the pool down to a small number of finalists. The final voting will be open to the Jam Cruise passengers, on a date to be determined. Stay tuned for more details.

The lucky Sonicbids winners will join others on the Jam Cruise 5 lineup: The Derek Trucks Band, Umphrey's McGee, The Greyboy Allstars, Galactic, Burning Spear, Garage a Benevento, Drive-By Truckers, Zero, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Railroad Earth, Deep Banana Blackout, Perpetual Groove, Tea Leaf Green, Los Amigos Invisibles, Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk, ALO, Hot Buttered Rum, New Mastersounds, Yonrico Scott Band, Scrapomatic, Bassnectar, DJ Le Spam and DJ Afro.

For its fifth adventure, Jam Cruise has outdone itself with a superior lineup and luxurious ship, the MSC Opera. The boat will leave port from Fort Lauderdale, Florida on January 2, 2007, floating for five days and five nights with stops in the Turks and Caicos Islands and a special private island, Cayo Levantado in the Dominican Republic.

Since its first journey in 2003, Jam Cruise has revolutionized the music festival experience by blending the community, spontaneity and good times of a music festival with the convenience, luxury, and adventure of cruise travel. The MSC Opera first sailed in 2004 and features swimming pool and whirlpool, a gym and sauna, mini-golf course, internet café, casino and much more. The ship also boasts accommodations for more than 2000 passengers, offering fewer suites but more balconies and ocean views than last year.

Visit www.jamcruise.com for cabin prices and other details including terms and conditions and cabin reservation instructions.

*In Photo: Jam Cruise Captain, Karl Denson, Michael Franti, Col. Bruce Hampton & Stanton Moore. Photo Credit: Michael Weintrob 2003

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String Cheese Incident Announces Fall Tour

Just off a hugely successful summer tour that included dates with Bob Weir and RatDog and a Fuji Rock Festival appearance, The String Cheese Incident today announces their Fall Tour plans. Look for the band at some of their favorite theatre stops in the Midwest (Chicago, Ann Arbor, Indianapolis), in the south (Louisville, Roanoke, Asheville and others) and on the east coast (Washington DC, Connecticut, and Worcester, MA). Tickets for SCI Fall Tour go on sale on Tuesday, August 15th at 10 am MDT at www.stringcheeseincident.com

As always, not-for-profit Conscious Alliance will join SCI’s Gouda Causes along tour stops to host food drives to help feed America’s hungry. Attendees are encouraged to bring ten non-perishable food items in exchange for a limited edition rock poster. This season, all donated foods will benefit local America’s Second Harvest Food Banks. For more information and details visit www.consciousalliance.org

The String Cheese Incident has emerged as one of today's most significant independent bands. Born in 1993 in Colorado's Rocky Mountains, SCI has since released 6 albums, 3 DVDs and countless live recordings from their relentless tour schedule. Their relatively short history is packed full of surreal experiences, epic moments, groundbreaking involvement and huge accomplishments. They have been recognized for their commitment to musical creativity and integrity, for their community spirit and philanthropic endeavors, and for their innovative approach to the business of music. And their journey has only just begun.

The band’s most recent studio release, One Step Closer, was released in 2005. On the album SCI divulge their genuine songwriting voice, and it’s every bit as ambitious as you’d expect. Recorded at a friend’s home in the hills of Colorado’s Front Range, and produced by Malcom Burn (Bob Dylan, Chris Whitley, Emmylou Harris, Daniel Lanois), the album’s 13 songs are gritty, free-wheeling and powerfully honed. With each member contributing their part, the collection reveals another masterful breakthrough from one of today’s most visionary and talented rock bands.

Currently confirmed tour dates:

September 29-30 Aragon Ballroom Chicago IL
October 01 Michigan Theater Ann Arbor MI
October 03 Murat Theatre Indianapolis IN
October 04 Louisville Palace Theatre Louisville KY
October 05 Roanoke Performing Arts Center Roanoke VA
October 06-07 Thomas Wolfe Auditorium Asheville NC
October 08 Blackbaud Stadium Charleston SC
October 10 Tennessee Theatre Knoxville TN
October 11 Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park Cary NC
October 12-13 Warner Theatre Washington DC
October 14 Chevrolet Theatre Wallingford CT
October 15 Palladium Worcester MA

Tickets and Information available at www.stringcheeseincident.com

*Photo Credits: C. Taylor Crothers 2005

Herring, Rodgers, Sipe & Fountain: Name That Band!

Jimmy Herring (Allman Brothers / The Dead / Aquarium Rescue Unit), Bobby Lee Rodgers (The CodeTalkers) and Jeff Sipe (Aquarium Rescue Unit / Hellborg, Lane and Sipe / Leftover Salmon) collaborate on stage for select dates this August. The new project is currently being dubbed Herring, Rodgers, Sipe and Fountain.

Herring, Rodgers, Sipe and Fountain understand that this current name for the project is a mouthful, and a bit lacking in imagination (not quite fitting for the music these guys are dishing out!). But it’s just something to get them started. They’re on the hunt for a band name and are currently accepting suggestions. Log on to http://www.myspace.com/herringrodgerssipe to submit your suggestions. If your suggestion is chosen, you win the opportunity to be a lifetime guest of the band at shows.

And this band has big plans. Each an accomplished musician on their own, Herring, Rodgers, Sipe and Fountain are simply giddy about this new collaboration. Combining Bobby Lee’s groundbreaking songwriting with Jimmy and Jeff’s flawless musical sensibilities, the result is original and explosive.

Jimmy Herring (guitar)
Born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Jimmy started playing guitar at age 13; his first guitar was a Fender Bronco. Jimmy is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music Summer Session and Guitar Institute of Technology in Hollywood, CA. Herring can look back on a career filled with years as a player in such legendary bands as Aquarium Rescue Unit, The Allman Brothers, The Dead (The Post-Jerry Garcia version of The Grateful Dead) and Phil Lesh and Friends. In 2005, Herring had a long discussion with Rodgers following a sit-in with The Codetalkers during MagFest, in which both A.R.U. and The Codetalkers played. That night, Herring and Rodgers decided that they needed to find a way to work together again, and now they have…

Bobby Lee Rodgers (guitar, vocals)
A gifted musician and songwriter, Bobby Lee Rodgers began playing the upright bass at age seven, and then went on to the banjo, guitar and drums. He had the fortune of playing in one of the most recognized high school bands in the country, which allowed him to play with some jazz greats at a young age. Rodgers went on to study Jazz at the University of Georgia, and to teach the same subject at the Berklee College of Music, becoming one of the youngest professors ever to teach there at the age of 23. Rodgers moved back to Georgia in 1999 when his father became ill. A day after moving home, he met Col. Bruce Hampton, who until that time had best been known as front man and founding member of the Aquarium Rescue Unit, and is often referred to as the Godfather of Southern Alternative Music. Within months they had formed The Codetalkers. The Codetalkers just recently celebrated the release of the critically acclaimed album, NOW.

Jeff Sipe aka Apt-Q258 (drums)
Jeff Sipe was born in Berlin, Germany in 1959. Jeff's family moved frequently in his youth while his father worked for the United States government. Some of his early memories include watching Buddhist monks in their bright orange togas walk the streets with their bowls of rice in hand. Jeff once said that he would "often visit the temples just to hear the ringing of the bells". Jeff learned to play drums in junior high in Germany, and in 1973 Jeff's family moved to the U.S. for good. Jeff started listening to early fusion, and was once quoted as saying that "Bitches Brew was the beginning of the rest of his life". Jeff was accepted to Berklee College of Music in 1977 and started his first fusion band with Steve Vai and Baron Brown. This experience turned Jeff on to a wide world of music and gave him valuable tools that he still carries with him today. In 1983 Jeff moved to Atlanta, where he met Bruce Hampton, Oteil Burbridge and Jimmy Herring, and the Aquarium Rescue Unit was born. In recent years, Jeff has played with Leftover Salmon, his own experimental big band Zambiland Orchastra and Project Z with Jimmy Herring.

Neal Fountain (bass)
Neal Fountain hails from the musical hotbed of Athens, GA, and has been playing professionally from the age of 14. Best known as a sideman to Col. Bruce Hampton and the Fiji Mariners (a post-A.R.U. project of Hampton’s) and drumming phenom Jeff Sipe, Neal’s name is on the short list of greater Atlanta’s finest musicians. Fountain and his current project, Herring, Rodgers and Sipe, is sure to bring many eyes in the direction of these four fine musicians.

But don’t call Herring, Rodgers, Sipe and Fountain a super group. Each musician admits that this project is like nothing they’ve been involved in before. For Herring, it’s perhaps the first project he’s been part of since it’s beginning – which is an inspiring prospect for the accomplished musician. For Rodgers, it’s a forum where his songs can truly become all that he hears in his head. For Sipe – it’s perhaps the perfect balance of structure and improvisation. Joining Herring, Rodgers and Sipe on stage is Neal Fountain (Bass).

Current confirmed tour dates:

August 04 Jerry Garcia Birthday Bash Terra Alta WV
August 05 The 8x10 Club Baltimore MD
August 08 The Red Square Albany NY
August 09 River Street Jazz Cafe Wilkes-Barre PA
August 10-11 Mexicali Blues Teaneck NJ
August 12 The State Theater Falls Church VA
August 13 The Sun Music Hall Floyd VA
August 14 The Jewish Mother Virgina Beach VA
August 16 Visulite Theatre Charlotte NC
August 17 The Orange Peel Asheville NC
August 18 Cats Cradle Carrboro NC
August 19 The Day The Music Never Stopped Buckhead GA
September 07 Thw Two Stick Oxford MS
September 08 Fools Paradise Festival Hancock NY
September 09 George's Majestic Lounge Fayetteville AR
October 19 The Pour House Charleston SC
October 20 Magnoliafest Live Oak FL

*Photo credits to: Jay Kurinskas 2006

Umphrey's McGee Hits Billboard & Hits the Road

Safety In Numbers, which just hit stores in April, is the third studio album by the musically muscular and relentlessly inventive Umphrey’s McGee. The highly anticipated album brought Umphrey’s McGee to #186 in Billboard’s Top 200, and the band debuted #11 on the coveted Heatseekers Chart.

Look for Umphrey’s McGee on tour now, hitting San Francisco, New York, and everywhere in between. The band performed on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live on May 18, 2006. Sitting in with them for their late night television debut was veteran rocker Huey Lewis, who also appears on Safety in Numbers.

For Safety in Numbers, personal chaos provided plenty of fuel for an explosion of collaborative, creative energy. From top to bottom, in its carefully constructed yet deeply felt notes, Safety In Numbers is strong and coolly calculated, yet easy-going and improvisational -- an aural representation of life’s balancing act. Without sacrificing their endearing playfulness, Umphrey’s McGee - dare we say it - is growing up.

It’s been a quick rise for Chicago’s Umphrey’s McGee. Their virtuoso playing and edgy songcraft recently compelled Rolling Stone to choose Umphrey’s “a band to watch” in their annual Hot Issue. Relix magazine put them on the cover of their December 2004 issue and the prestigious Chicago Music Awards bestowed upon Umphrey’s McGee the coveted Best Rock Entertainer of the Year award. Booked coast to coast by the Monterey Peninsula Booking Agency, the band recently sold out two nights at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom, two nights at Irving Plaza, San Francisco’s Fillmore Auditorium, the list goes on.

Umphrey's McGee confirmed tour dates:

August 04 Lollapalooza Chicago IL
August 13 Wolf Trap Vienna VA
August 14 Pier Six Pavilion Baltimore MD
August 16 Chastain Park Amphitheater Atlanta GA
August 17 Innsbrook Pavilion Glen Allen VA
August 18 Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park Cary NC
August 19 Mercy Lounge Nashville TN
August 20 Hartwood Amphitheater Pittsburgh PA
August 25 F.U.N.K Festival Bean Blossom IN
August 30-31 Bandshell Tonight / MN State Fair St. Paul MN
September 02 moe.down Turin NY
September 07 The Intersection Grand Rapids MI
September 08 Robert J. Fischgrund PAC South Bend IN
September 21 Fox Theatre Boulder CO
September 22 Fillmore Auditorium Denver CO
September 23 River Roots Live Festival Davenport IA
September 29-30 Higher Ground Ballroom Burlington VT
October 04 Toad's Place New Haven CT
October 05 Nightclub 9:30 Washington D.C.
October 06 The Palladium Worcester MA
October 18 The Showbox Seattle WA
October 19 Roseland Theatre Portland OR
October 20 Senator Theatre Chico CA
October 21 The Avalon Hollywood CA
October 23 House of Blues San Diego CA
October 24 The Catalyst Santa Cruz CA
October 25 House of Blues Anaheim CA
November 08 Liberty Hall Lawrence KS
November 09 Cain's Ballroom Tulsa OK
November 10 Granada Theatre Dallas TX
November 11 Stubb's BBQ Austin TX
November 15 Bogart's Cincinnati OH
January 02-07 Jam Cruise 5 Ft Lauderdale FL


*photo credits to: Danny Clinch 2006

Avett Brothers announce West Coast Summer Tour

North Carolina's own Avett Brothers announced their first major West Coast Summer Tour earlier this morning. This irreverent, high energy, acoustic trio will be rocking stages from Washington to California in support of their latest release 'Four Thieves Gone: The Robbinsville Sessions'. Fans of live music will not want to miss the Avett's floor stomping raucous blend of Alt-Grass & Country. Fueled by Scott Avett on string busting banjo and vocals, pickmaster Seth Avett on guitar and vocals, and the persistent thud of Bobby Crawford on upright bass - the Avett Brothers should not be missed by any serious music aficionado

Avett Brothers Summer Tour 2006

8/3/06
Seattle, WA
Tractor Tavern
9:00 pm

8/4/06
Portland, OR
Pickathon

8/5/06
Portland, OR
Pickathon

8/6/06
Eugene, OR
Sam Bonds Garage
9:00 pm

8/8/06
Portland,OR
Lola's

8/9/06
Bend, OR
Domino Room
51 NW Greenwood
Bend, OR
(702) 787-3392
8:45 pm

8/10/06
Medford, OR
Johnny B's
10:00 pm

8/11/06
Davis, CA
The Palms

8/12/06
Monterey, CA
Monterey Live
9:30 pm

8/13/06
Saratoga, CA
Bleeding Edge Festival - Montalvo Arts Center

Legal P2P MashBoxx Scores EMI Catalog

EMI Music, the world's largest independent music company, has agreed to make its entire catalog of digital recordings available to Mashboxx, a legal peer-to-peer (P2P) service currently in development.

The Mashboxx P2P software or "client," will allow consumers to preview and purchase copyrighted music content from EMI artists from within existing P2P networks, giving music fans the ability to take advantage of the community and music discovery aspects of P2P services while also ensuring that artists and copyright owners are compensated. EMI will make its entire digital catalog in the US available for the service. EMI also plans to make additional repertoire from its international digital catalog available when Mashboxx rolls out its service in additional markets in the future.

The Mashboxx client accesses existing P2P networks, and allows users to perform searches for artists, albums and tracks. Using filtering technology, Mashboxx can identify tracks that labels like EMI have authorized for trade, monetization or blocking, and returns search results accordingly. These results are then presented to the user, who can choose to sample tracks for free, or purchase them as downloads. In order to make its music available through legitimate P2P services including Mashboxx, EMI is having its digital catalog fingerprinted by SNOCAP

Offers Free, Try-Before-You-Buy Download Option
For the free, sampler option, users will be able to play full length tracks up to five times. These sampler tracks will expire after they have been played five times. After five plays, users will only be able to play a 30-second clip of the track, unless they decide to purchase it. This try-before-you-buy feature was exclusively designed by Mashboxx for usage within P2P platforms.

According to the most recent NPD Digital Music Study, nearly 75 percent of P2P users found sampling to be important before deciding whether to purchase music.

A La Carte Paid Download Option
For the a la carte download option, permanent, full-fidelity tracks downloaded via Mashboxx can be burned onto CD up to seven times, played on five PCs, and transferred to Windows Media-compatible portable players an unlimited number of times.

"Legal peer-to-peer services which offer consumers a great user experience and which compensate creators appropriately are good for music fans, good for artists, and good for the digital music market as a whole," said David Munns, Chairman and CEO of EMI Music North America and Vice Chairman of EMI Music worldwide. "When it rolls out, Mashboxx will be a no-obligation way for fans to really immerse themselves in discovering music, turning their friends on to what they like and getting excited about artists and music they've not yet heard. It has the potential to be a very good revenue stream for those who make their living from creating and investing in music."

EMI's complete digital catalog of recorded music in the US will be available through Mashboxx when it launches. The Mashboxx application will soon be available to beta testers, and additional details about the beta service are available at the Mashboxx web site, www.mashboxx.com.

"Alain Levy, David Munns and their EMI team have certainly proven that they are a forward thinking group in the digital space. They have further reinforced that by partnering with Mashboxx and our unique offering. On a personal note, I am grateful for the terrific amount of support that David has given us all along the way. We all look forward to working with EMI to deliver millions of authorized tracks from great EMI artists like Coldplay, Dem Franchize Boyz, Gorillaz, The Rolling Stones, Joss Stone, KT Tunstall, Keith Urban and Robbie Williams among many others, to our future customers."

Biography: Taj Mahal - Blues Explorer

"I have songs in my head from so many languages and people. I know my sound is in the middle of this whole." – Taj Mahal

Describe legendary musician Taj Mahal in a single word or phrase? Impossible.

You could call him a singer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, ethnomusicologist, two-time Grammy-winner, world-class musical collaborator, musicians' advocate, world traveler, fisherman, or cigar aficionado. These titles are all accurate, yet none convey the warmth, humor, and soulfulness of Taj and his music.

Taj has been playing his own distinctive brand of music -- variously described as Afro-Caribbean blues, folk-world-blues, hula blues, folk-funk, and a host of other hyphenations -- for more than 40 years. Caribbean, Hawaiian, African, Latin, and Cuban sounds and rhythms mix with folk, jazz, zydeco, gospel, rock, pop, soul, and R&B, all layered on top of a solid country blues foundation.

What ties it all together is Taj's abiding interest in musical discovery, particularly in tracing many American musical forms back to their roots in Africa and Europe. Following his passion, Taj has spent time in the Caribbean, West Africa, Hawaii, Europe, the South Pacific, Australia, South America, and all over the continental U.S. His music reflects his global perspective, incorporating sounds from everywhere he's lived and traveled.

A self-taught musician, Taj plays more than 20 instruments, including the National Steel and Dobro guitars. His remarkable voice ranges from gruff and gravelly to smooth and sultry.

Roots

"The blues is a tone that puts me in contact with a lot of things, culturally, spiritually, cosmically. I really enjoy it, and I'm not going to let it go, because it's that good." – Taj Mahal

Born Henry St. Claire Fredericks in Harlem on May 17, 1942, Taj grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts. His father, a jazz pianist/composer/arranger of Caribbean descent, and his mother, a gospel-singing schoolteacher from South Carolina, encouraged their children to respect and be proud of their roots. His father had an extensive record collection and a short-wave radio that brought sounds from near and far to Taj’s ears. His parents also started him on classical piano lessons, but after two weeks, he says, "it was already clear I had my own concept of how I wanted to play." The lessons stopped, but Taj didn't.

In addition to piano, the young musician learned to play the clarinet, trombone and harmonica, and he loved to sing. He discovered his step-father’s guitar and became serious about it in his early teens when Lynnwood Perry, an accomplished young guitarist from North Carolina, moved in next door. Perry was an expert in the Piedmont style of playing, but he could also play like Muddy Waters, Lightin’ Hopkins, John Lee Hooker and Jimmy Reed. Taj was inspired to begin playing guitar in earnest.

Springfield in the '50s was full of recent arrivals, both from abroad and from elsewhere in the U.S. "We spoke several dialects in my house -- Southern, Caribbean, African -- and we heard dialects from eastern and western Europe," says Taj. In addition, musicians from the Caribbean, Africa, and all over the U.S. frequently visited the Fredericks household. Taj became even more fascinated with roots -- where all the different forms of music he was hearing came from, what path they took to get to their current states, how they influenced each other on the way. He threw himself into the study of older forms of African-American music, music the record companies largely ignored.

While attending the University of Massachusetts at Amherst as an agriculture student in the early 1960s, the musician transformed himself into Taj Mahal, an idea that came to him in a dream. He began playing with the popular U. Mass. party band The Elektras, then left Massachusetts in 1964 for the blues-heavy L.A. club scene. There he formed The Rising Sons with Ry Cooder, Ed Cassidy, Jesse Lee Kinkaid, Gary Marker, and Kevin Kelly. At the Whiskey A Go Go in Los Angeles, The Rising Sons opened for Otis Redding, Sam the Sham, The Temptations, and Martha and the Vandellas at The Trip. Taj also had the opportunity to hear, meet, and play with such blues legends as Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Louis and Dave Meyers, Sleepy John Estes, Yank Rachel, Lightin' Hopkins, Bessie Jones, the Georgia Sea Island Singers, and Hammy Nixon.

Taj tapped these experiences on three hugely influential records: Taj Mahal (1967), The Natch'l Blues (1968), and Giant Step/De Old Folks at Home (1969). Drawing on all the musical forms he'd absorbed as a child, these early albums showed signs of the musical exploration that would be Taj's hallmark over the years to come.

Exploration

"I didn't want to fall into the trap of complacency. I wanted to keep pushing the musical ideas I had about jazz, music from Africa and the Caribbean. I wanted to explore the connections between different kinds of music." – Taj Mahal

In 1970, Taj traveled to Spain to have a well-deserved rest and vacation in the home of the Guitar. He carved out his own musical niche with a string of adventurous recordings throughout the '70s, including Happy to Be Just Like I Am (1971), Recycling the Blues and Other Related Stuff (1972), the Grammy-nominated soundtrack to the movie Sounder (1973), Mo' Roots (1974), Music Fuh Ya' (Music Para Tu) (1977), and Evolution (The Most Recent) (1978).

Taj's recorded output slowed considerably during the 1980s as he toured relentlessly and immersed himself in the music and culture of his new home in Hawaii. Still, that decade saw the well-received Taj (1987) as well as the first three of his celebrated children's albums.

Taj returned to a full recording and touring schedule in the 1990s, including such projects as the musical scores for the Lanston Hughes/Zora Neale Hurston play Mule Bone (1991) and the movie Zebrahead (1992). Later in the decade, Dancing the Blues (1993), Phantom Blues (1996), An Evening of Acoustic Music (1996) and the Grammy Award-winning Señor Blues (1997) were both commercial and critical successes.

At the same time, Taj continued to explore world music, beginning with the aptly named World Music in 1993. He joined Indian classical musicians on Mumtaz Mahal in 1995, recorded Sacred Island, a blend of Hawaiian music and blues, with The Hula Blues in 1998, and paired with Malian kora player Toumani Diabate for Kulanjan in 1999.

Since 2000, Taj has released a second Grammy-winning album, Shoutin' in Key (2000) and recorded a second album with The Hula Blues (2003's lush Hanapepe Dream).

Acclaim

"I walk with the energy of music every day. I don't have to turn it on to hear it play." – Taj Mahal

While Taj's music has always been well received, popular culture finally caught up to him the '90s and 2000s. Taj walked away with the Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album for 1997's Señor Blues and again for 2000's Shoutin' in Key, both recorded with The Phantom Blues Band. He has garnered nine Grammy nominations in all.

Taj credits much of his success to the freedom that independent record companies have given him later in his career. Too often, he says, big record companies try to put artists in a box musically. "There is a lot of music that people do not get to hear, and it's unfortunate. It's because of marketing and the fact that somebody [at the record company] says you won't like this. But the people who come hear me get to hear everything I know about."

Now with his own independent label, Kandu Records, Taj plans to help other musicians the way other independents have helped him. "I'll be working with some young contemporary people to get their work out there. I might like to produce some people in the not-so-distant future."

A Look Ahead

"In the end, ultimately the music plays you, you don't play the music." – Taj Mahal

After more than a decade of playing with larger ensembles, Taj wanted to do more guitar playing with a smaller group. He is now touring with The Taj Mahal Trio – just Taj on guitar, piano, and banjo, Bill Rich on bass and Kester Smith on drums. These musicians have been playing together on and off for more than 30 years. Together, they draw on a long, shared history of Taj's music.

"The Trio allows the music between voice and guitar to happen with the smallest amount of accompaniment – bass and drums," says Taj. "That leaves a lot of space to be filled. The guitar is not submerged but right up front in the music. It's a challenging place to play." Taj looks forward to touring with the Trio through the end of 2004 and into early 2005, when the Trio (and possibly The Hula Blues) will play in Costa Rica.

Taj is also booked to play Jazz at the Lincoln Center on October 25. Along with jazz innovator Randy Weston, blues singer/guitarist Corey Harris, Malian griot and kora player Mamadou Diabate, and Senegalese percussionist/kora master Abdou M'Boup, Taj will explore the North African musical traditions that helped shape the sound of the blues.

Another project in the works is an album of music he recorded in Zanzibar with musicians from eastern Africa. "Their music is amazing," he says. "They were open to the sea, everything that came from China, India, Sri Lanka, Ceylon, the Philippines, the Arab influence from the north, other African influences."

More collaborations are on the way as well. He mentions a second edition of the Rolling Stones' Rock and Roll Circus, more work with African musicians, and a desire to do more tuba band music "sooner rather than later." There will also be projects even he doesn't know about yet. "I work with this person and that person. Most of this stuff has not been stuff that I planned, it just worked out that way."

Whoever Taj works with and whatever sounds he puts his hand to in the coming years, you can bet that the blues will play a big part. "You got that tone together," he says, "everything else is flavor."

Blow Up Hollywood Unveils The Diaries of Private Henry Hill

by Mark Kirby,

One of the greatest anti-war films of all time was "Johnny Got His Gun." Based on the book by Dalton Trumbo about the horrors of war, specifically WWI, the movie was released at height of the militant and mass protests against the Vietnam War. About a year after the book's release, American forces withdrew in the face of disintegration, i.e., troops refusing to fight, draftees smoking pot instead of patrolling, and gung ho officers being killed by those under their command. If only there were such instances of the human spirit asserting itself now. At least there is a growing peace movement here in America, and, as in the past, this is reflected in music. And I ain't talkin' about the Dixie Chicks.

If the 60's had Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues" and Country Joe and the Fish's "Feel Like I'm Fixing to Die Rag," then today we have the anti-war concept album, The Diaries of Private Henry Hill. Created by the mysterious entity known as Blow Up Hollywood (BUH), this CD/DVD, like Trumbo's book, takes a soldier-eyed view of the hell that is war. The group is completely anonymous. Their faces are never seen, neither on CD covers nor during live performances.

Blow Up Hollywood's intention is stated in their manifesto: "Beyond the illusion, without regard of egoism... comes a new breed of artists for the new millennium... Blow up Hollywood is a metaphor expressing our willingness to eradicate all hype." Lead singer and guitarist, Steve Messina, explained how Blow Up Hollywood was born. "It really started as a musical vacation, a group of friends renting a beach house for a few weeks. We took that time to just record whatever we wanted to." This freedom and isolation started to grow on them. "We talked a lot about our frustration with the music industry and how we just wanted to be creative on our own terms. After the vacation was over, without even realizing it, we had our first album."

One might wonder how they came to create their anti-image and why all the secrecy regarding the group's identity? "We decided from the very inception of the band that the group members would remain anonymous. We wanted to create an egoless environment to work in. We believe what's important is not who's in the band but the music the group makes. The name is a representation of our disenchantment with the entertainment industry, with big corporate giants creating puppets instead of artists, creating Barbie dolls instead of musicians." states Messina.

Musically, Blow Up Hollywood reminds one of Radiohead, or classic greats like Electric Light Orchestra, Penguin Café Orchestra and, of course, the Beatles. The group's guitar and piano-based songs are embellished with keyboards, sound effects, bass, drums, strings and saxophone. These elements are used sparingly, elegantly, and tastefully.

Download the video 'WMD'

Messina's journey began with discovering the magic of music at an early age. "... the first song I remember is 'Michele' by the Beatles. My Dad played it all the time on his guitar," he said. "I loved listening to him play when I was young. The way the sound made me feel was incredible. I was hooked. I grew up listening to everything. I was exposed to a lot of different styles. A lot of Beatles and classical music. My Dad played guitar and piano. My Uncle and Grandmother played piano. All of them played for the pure love of it." From such exposure comes a view of music that is not as limited as, say, punk and other forms of rock, which equate passion and emotional intensity with screaming.

The power of BUH's music is in the emotional gravitas of songs, which reflect the simple truth of one soldier's experience in Iraq. Besides bringing to today's music scene little used devices like lush orchestration, they have also brought the concept album into the 21st century. The concept here is a simple one and came about in a way that lends credence to the idea that events in this life are interconnected.

Download the video 'WMD'

Mr. Messina volunteers at a homeless shelter in New York City. Blow Up Hollywood's manager, Karen Lee, related to me that when she was walking down a New York street with Messina one day, marginal and destitute people seemed to gravitate toward him. He stopped and dealt with them, giving spare change to some, and directing others to a shelter and various places where they could seek aid. When asked why he does this, he responds nonchalantly. "I'll just say it's a great practice to help other people. It's easy and it makes me feel better. I feel compelled by it."

It was there at the shelter where the project began. "I stumbled onto these amazing journals here. A transient came in that night, but he wasn't a regular; he was inconsolable about his son who died in Iraq. We talked for hours. He didn't even stay the night and he left without the journals and I poured over them. It's interesting to learn about a life that isn't your own. It's amazing the choices people make in their life and the journey it leads them on. I was really moved by what this young man went through. So we decided to make songs based on some of his journal entries. It really felt quite natural."

Download the video 'WMD'

The songs cover the emotional, spiritual, and political peaks, valleys, and epiphanies that young Henry Hill experienced. The record opens with "The Pledge," which sets the tone of the album by mixing an eerie piano theme and backwards tapes sounds with a disembodied child's voice reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. The next cut, "WMD", tells the story of many of our brave men and women fighting in Iraq. "Did really poor in high school it wasn't my thing / I wanted to leave this small town but I had no money / so I visit my uncle sam and he tells me he has a plan / I can see the world for free /. ... they put me on the front line / and they told me to wait for a sign / I'd be looking out for WMD's / WMD's what are these?"

The next two cuts show the Private getting caught up in the war machine. "Bombs Away" has simple, strummed guitar chords underpinning a semi-sweet chorus of voices, singing "oh bombs away, how I love the sound of you ... I want to drop my bombs on you, I want to see the damage they can do." On the aptly titled
"Charge" combat lust rears up along with the hopes encouraged and exploited by recruitment ads: "If you could see the way that I fight / I'd make you proud / ... god is on our side, this you can't deny ... and when the fighting's done, I'll be coming home / charge." Pride, strength, growth, blessings by the creator, and victory all within reach.

Over time, death and destruction apparently caused Private Hill to have the crisis of conscience and subsequent melancholy expressed on "Salvation," where he searches for salvation in the "wreckage of a life (among) all these lies, bury me alive." In the song "Shots Fired", Henry Hill escapes from his horrible present via dreams and fantasies of love, perhaps his (last) thoughts before, during or after being mortally wounded: "Nothing's gonna keep me tonight from you ... it's so peaceful now at home with you ... I'm in love with you..." Two standout tracks are the instrumentals
"Shock and Awe" and "Requiem", which incorporate musical themes and motifs from other songs on the record and expand on them. The music is so colorful and emotionally evocative that no words are needed, and their placement in the narrative of this musical story is positively cinematic.

Don't think for a moment that all this detailed description of the content and flow of the songs constitute what is referred to in movie reviews as spoilers. The power of "The Diaries of Private Henry Hill" can't be blunted by knowing what's going to happen; the songs get better with repeated listenings. Furthermore, they have a multimedia show featuring films projected on a screen, while the band, obscured by shadows and lights, plays a live soundtrack. The band's commentary for a fallen soldier makes them a unique and important one. Don't miss this one.

Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright © Tag It 2005 - Republished with Permission

WeeN Fan Reclaims License Plate from DMV

Last fall Tom Rose, a diehard WeeN fan, had his vanity license plate revoked by the DMV for indecent language. Mr. Rose received a letter last September stating that his plate reading "WEEN ME" had sexual connotations and was inappropriate.

After several months of slugging it out with the DMV, Tom Rose has his plates back in tribute to his favorite band. For the full inspiring story please click here

Bele Chere Festival in Asheville NC this Weekend

ASHEVILLE, NC (June 22, 2006) – The Bele Chere Festival, July 28-30 has just added two new headliners to its already packed line up. Both Shooter Jennings and Galactic with special guest JJ Grey of Mofro are scheduled to play at this year’s festival.

Shooter Jennings will hit the Rock n’ Kiss Stage at Coxe Ave. Friday night at 9 p.m. Other performers to include Train, Gov't Mule, Tinsley Ellis, Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band, the Codetalkers, Cracker, Cowboy Mouth, Martin Sexton, Steep Canyon Rangers, Papa Grows Funk, Cadillac Jones and many others


Bele Chere Music Schedule


Friday, July 28th

Celebration Stage at Renaissance Parking Lot
Tinsley Ellis 5:00-6:30
Cowboy Mouth 7:00-8:30
Gov’t Mule 9:00-11:00

Rock n’ Kiss Stage at Coxe Ave.
Wolf Ridge Cloggers 3:30-4:00
Last Man Standing 5:00-6:30
Jerome McComb 7:00-8:30
Shooter Jennings 9:00-10:30

Biltmore Ave. Stage
Mac Arnold 5:00-6:30
Stephanie’s Id 7:15-8:45
Martin Sexton 9:30-11:00

Battery Park Stage
The Cisco Playboys 2:30-4:00
Papa Grows Funk 4:45-6:15
Steep Canyon Rangers 7:00-8:30

eGlobal Stage at Lexington Ave.
Hollywood Red 2:00-3:30
Ras Alan 4:15-5:45
Phat Phunktion 6:30-8:00

Haywood St. Stage
Mad Tea Party 12:30-2:00
Caroline Herring 2:45-4:15
David LaMotte 5:00-6:30
Ann Rabson 7:00-8:15

Saturday July 29th

Celebration Stage at Renaissance Parking Lot
Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band 5:00-6:30
Cracker 7:00-8:30
Train 9:00-11:00


Rock n’ Kiss Stage at Coxe Ave.
Wolf Ridge Cloggers 11:15-11:30
Jonah Smith noon-1:00
Warriors of Anikituhwa 1:00-1:15
Lee Whitaker 1:30-3:00
Warriors of Anikituhwa 3:00-3:15
Gamble Brothers Band 3:30-5:00
Kyle Petty Charity Ride 5:00-6:30
The Codetalkers 6:30-8:00
Galactic 8:30-10:30

Biltmore Ave. Stage
Cadillac Jones 12:30-2:00
STRUT 2:45-4:15
Mystic Vibrations 5:00-6:30
Turbine 7:00-8:30
Kenny Neal 9:00-10:30

Battery Park Stage
Dawn of the Dude 12:15-1:45
Whitewater Bluegrass Co. 2:30-4:00
Dead Strings Brothers 4:45-6:15
David Holt and the Lighting Bolts 7:00-8:30

eGlobal Stage at Lexington Ave.
Sidney Barnes 2:00-3:30
Buncombe Turnpike 4:15-5:45
Jimbo Mathis 6:30-8:00

Haywood St. Stage
Red Street 12:30-2:00
Scott Ainslie 2:30-4:00
Laura Blackley and The Love Handles 4:30-6:00
Menage 6:45-8:00

Children’s Stage
Asheville PALS 10:30-11:00
Rick Hubbard: The Kazoo Guy 11:30-12:15
Rick Hubbard: The Kazoo Guy 1:00-1:45
Rick Hubbard: The Kazoo Guy 2:30-3:15
The Health Adventure Clown Troupe – Roving 1:00-4:00


Sunday July 30th

Celebration Stage at Renaissance Parking Lot
Tait 1:30-2:30
Biltmore Baptist Choir 3:00-4:00
FFH 4:30-5:30

Rock n’ Kiss Stage at Coxe Ave.
Dave Desmelik & Hillbilly Cadavers 12:30-1:30
One Leg Up 2:00-3:30
Randall Bramblett 4:00-5:30

Biltmore Ave. Stage
Rich Willey Jazz Band 12:00-1:15
Ruby Slippers 1:45-3:15
Watermelon Slim 3:45-5:15

Battery Park Stage
Every Mother’s Dream 12:00-1:30
Lil’ Malcolm 2:15-3:45
Rosie Ledet 4:30-6:00

eGlobal Stage at Lexington Ave.
Rick Huckaby 12:15-1:45
The Sigmon Stringers 2:15-3:45
Chicago Afrobeat Project 4:15-5:45

Haywood St. Stage
The Buckerettes 12:00-1:15
Chris Rosser with River Guerguerian 1:45-3:15
Christine Kane 3:45-5:15

Help on the Way

Hello everyone and thanks for coming back to PhresWater.net again and again and again... all the traffic and correspondence is very flattering! Especially from all the previously posted material - it has been an inspiration to me personally, thanks again for your support!

Big changes are on the way although I have no specific ETA on when this all will take place. We just purchased the domain PhreshWater.net last week after a botched attempt at gaining our .COM back from domain registration pirates..... friggin scumbags! So, at the present time PhreshWater.net is pointing to this Blog space which has served as a partial archive of the old PhreshWater.com from years past.

The 'Plan A' is to get PhreshWater kick started again, get its own space back, and then re-publish all that juicy content, in its entirety, and start serving up quality independent music journalism again. Sounds grand, eh? Got any ideas or want to pitch in on getting the engine reloaded? Great! Send me an email [or a comment below] and I'll consider all options from the readership

I'm tidying up the place this week in preparation for new material on a more frequent and predictable basis. That Phil and Friends show with Mike and the Duo closing down the house in Asheville just set my mind on fire, like I had been in a long slumber. I'm not sure if it was the master crafted goo-balls or John Scofields Dark Star, both complete with ethereal mind altering pyrotechnics, that led me back to the PhreshWater's early days and thoughts of its revival. Whichever substance, ingested or audibly injected, got my wheels turning - I will mark that show as "The Day" I picked up the ball and ran again.....

Quick Note: Finally, Blogger set up 'Comment Moderation' and 'Verification' of comments so the spam-bots can be stymied. So, if you're browsing the archive and see 35 comments on how to improve the girth of your rhubarb, please be advised that these comments were posted prior to this amazing upgrade to Blogger's services.

Thanks for sticking with us!

Shane

Phil Lesh & Friends, Asheville NC 06.27.2006

Went with a group of buds to Phil Lesh and Friends at the Asheville Civic Center this past Tuesday. What a show! John Scofield completely blew my mind in the second set - a Scofield Dark Star!!! Yeahaheahaha! Mike Gordon + the Duo closed the show. I grabbed a few pics with the Razr and eventually made it down on the floor for the second set and up to the end. Saw a lot of old friends, danced, had a few drinks, freaked out and went home very late and buzzing from an epic performance. Downloading the audience recording right now!

I spent the second set up on the rails standing right in front of Joan Osbourne who was swaying and wailing like a banshee in time with the thumping of Phils bass and the titanium screams of Sco's celestial guitar solos. I think I'm 100% in love with that woman now! Joan will haunt my dream life forever.......

The Duo set ROCKED! But where did everybody go?!?!?!?! 90% of the civic center emptied out after the PLF show! You can't tell me that everybody missed those large optic-pink signs hung on every entrance announcing that Mike + the Duo were closing the night.... Musta been the goo-balls..... oh well!

Oh yeah - a special thanks to the kind brother with the cooler chock full of Fat Tire's in the parking lot. That was a great lead-off watering before the show!

Set 1: Sitting On Top Of The World, Pride Of Cucamonga, Mr. Charlie, Deep Elem Blues, Candyman, Cosmic Charlie, Casey Jones

Set 2: jam > Joan Moan > Dark Star > China Cat Sunflower > The Eleven> Other One > He's Gone > Eyes of the World > The Wheel > Joan Moan > Viola Lee Blues, E: A Little Piece For You

Shine On You Crazy Diamond......

On the threshold of stardom, members of the psychedelic rock band Pink Floyd leap from the steps of EMI House in London in this March 3, 1967 file photo. From left: Roger Waters, Nick Mason, Syd Barrett and Richard Wright.

LONDON — Syd Barrett, the troubled genius who co-founded Pink Floyd but spent his last years in reclusive anonymity, has died, a spokeswoman for the band said Tuesday. He was 60.



Syd Barrett - 01.06.1946 – 07.07.2006