Friday, May 30, 2008

End o' week musings

For a quiet week, it sure flew by! Memorial Day Weekend I devoted to family and friends, hanging out with my mother, Zaynah and my friend Byron. I also went to the Sunday Salon at McGinty's Art Gallery at the End of the World.

The vibe there was super cool and the food, served up by Cliff, was yummy! I perused the work by a nice selection of artists and ended up buying some blue/green raku tiles from David Lovejoy.

On Monday I caught the latest Indiana Jones flick. It wasn't the best of the series, but it was satisfying. I was also quite thrilled with Harrison Ford- he looks so good, healthy, in shape and hasn't lost the spark that makes his character a fave.

The remainder of my week has been busy with a happy doctor's visit- I'm doing well, yay! - and practicing for my next big show, which is on June 7. Here's the skinny while I have your attention:

MECDA's Belly Dance Carnival
Event: 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, June 7 and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, June 8
My performance: 2:50 p.m. Saturday Gypsy Camp stage
Santa Anita Park (Racetrack)
285 W. Huntington Drive
Arcadia
$17 adults and $7 seniors and children age 12 and under



There will be two stages with continuous performances, live music, vendors, ethnic and American food and more. See a wide range of belly dance styles- Cabaret, Egyptian, Tribal, Fusion, etc. And don't miss me - Almase Arabesque http://www.almasearabesque.com/ - we'll have our swords in tow and are going to do two of our most fun and funky choreographies.

This weekend seems peaceful, but you know I'll find some trouble somewhere. The rest of the week will be devoted to preparing for the big dance day.

Photos we got 'em: Enjoy this photo of my new friend Maria. She lives in New York and is into motorcycles like me- isn't she a cutie?! And of course a couple of pet picks for you too.

In rotation this week: Everygrey, Brides of Destruction, Judas Priest, Tribe of Gypsies, Wreck N Sow, The Trade, Jessy J and a bit of this and that across the board.

Thought of the week: Rest, family and friends. It's funny how good I felt on Tuesday. I was fully refreshed and I felt that I had spent time with many of the important people in my life, so I was quite satisfied emotionally as well. As you know, I like to keep busy and I especially like to get out in the clubs to catch my favorite bands and new acts too. But there's something about taking time to "unplug" from all my craziness and just letting time flow without a rush or a must-do list. It's also good for the soul when you spend time with those who are closest to you. Still, a little adventure always does me wonders too... But consider taking time to just be and then some time to chat with someone you love~ you'll be better for it!

Keep on rockin'
Mickie

Upcoming concerts around California

Anaheim
June 3
HATEBREED
@ The Grove / 2200 E. Katella Ave / Doors: 6:30pm / Tickets: $24.50/$27.50
www.myspace.com/hatebreed
JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR w/ TYPE O NEGATIVE & 3 Inches of Blood

June 14
THE ACACIA STRAIN headlining
@ Chain Reaction / 1652 W. Lincoln Ave / 714.635.6067 / Doors: 7:00pm / Tickets: $12/$14
www.myspace.com/theacaciastrain
w/All The Perish, Eternal Lord, Since the Flood

Bakersfield
June 16
THE ACACIA STRAIN headlining
@ Jerry’s Pizza / 1817 Chester Ave / 661.633.1000 / Doors: 7:00pm / Tickets: $12/$14
www.myspace.com/theacaciastrain
w/All The Perish, Eternal Lord, Since the Flood

Chico
June 5
HATEBREED
@ Senator Theater / 517 Main St / 530.898.1497 / Doors: 7:00pm / Tickets: $17/$20
www.myspace.com/hatebreed
JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR w/ TYPE O NEGATIVE & 3 Inches of Blood

Chula Vista
July 16
36 CRAZYFISTS / BLACK TIDE
@ Coors Amphitheater
www.myspace.com/36crazyfists
www.myspace.com/blacktide
ROCKSTAR MAYHEM FESTIVAL!!! w/Slipknot, Mastodon, Machine Head and many more!!

Devore
July 13
36 CRAZYFISTS / BLACK TIDE
@ Glen Helen Pavilion
www.myspace.com/36crazyfists
www.myspace.com/blacktide
ROCKSTAR MAYHEM FESTIVAL!!! w/Slipknot, Mastodon, Machine Head and many more!!

August 30
TESTAMENT
@ Glen Helen Pavilion
www.myspace.com/testamentlegions
w/Judas Priest, Heaven and Hell, and Motorhead

Fresno
June 2
HATEBREED
@ The Exit / 1533 E. Belmont St / Doors: 6:30pm / Tickets: $20/$23
www.myspace.com/hatebreed
w/ 3 Inches of Blood

July 15
36 Crazyfists / Black Tide
@ Save Mart Center
www.myspace.com/36crazyfists
www.myspace.com/blacktide
ROCKSTAR MAYHEM FESTIVAL!!! w/Slipknot, Mastodon, Machine Head and many more!!

Los Angeles
June 1
HATEBREED
@ Avalon / 1735 N. Vine St / Doors: 6:00pm / Tickets: $25/$29
www.myspace.com/hatebreed
JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR w/ TYPE O NEGATIVE & 3 Inches of Blood

June 6
DETHKLOK & CHIMAIRA
@ Wiltern Theater
www.myspace.com/dethklok
www.myspace.com/chimaira
w/ Soilent Green
DETHKLOK headlining
Mountain View

July 12
36 Crazyfists / Black Tide
@ Shoreline Amphitheatre
www.myspace.com/36crazyfists
www.myspace.com/blacktide
ROCKSTAR MAYHEM FESTIVAL!!! w/Slipknot, Mastodon, Machine Head and many more!!

Pomona
June 20
EVERY TIME I DIE
@ Pomona Fairgrounds – VANS WARPED TOUR
www.myspace.com/everytimeidie

Sacramento
June 13
THE ACACIA STRAIN headlining
@ The Boardwalk / 9426 Greenback Lane / 916.988.9427 / Doors: 7:00pm / Tickets: $13/$15
www.myspace.com/theacaciastrain
w/All The Perish, The Warriors, Eternal Lord, Since the Flood

San Bernardino
June 15
THE ACACIA STRAIN headlining
@ Hudson Theatre / 295 E. Carolina Drive / Doors: 1:00pm / Tickets: $20/$25
www.myspace.com/theacaciastrain
w/All The Perish, Eternal Lord, Since the Flood

San Diego
June 8
DETHKLOK & CHIMAIRA
@ The Fillmore
www.myspace.com/dethklok
www.myspace.com/chimaira
w/ Soilent Green
DETHKLOK headlines

San Francisco
June 4
HATEBREED
@ Grand Ballroom / 1300 Van Ness Ave / Doors: 6:30pm / Tickets: $25/$28
www.myspace.com/hatebreed
JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR w/ TYPE O NEGATIVE & 3 Inches of Blood
SOLD OUT

June 5
DETHKLOK & CHIMAIRA
@ The Fillmore
www.myspace.com/dethklok
www.myspace.com/chimaira
w/ Soilent Green
DETHKLOK headlines

June 21
EVERY TIME I DIE
@ Pier 30/32 – VANS WARPED TOUR
http://www.myspace.com/everytimeidie

August 31
BAY AREA’S TESTAMENT
@ Shoreline Amphitheater
www.myspace.com/testamentlegions
w/Judas Priest, Heaven and Hell, and Motorhead

Ventura
June 22
EVERY TIME I DIE
@ Seaside Park – VANS WARPED TOUR
www.myspace.com/everytimeidie

Wheatland
July 11
36 Crazyfists / Black Tide
@ Sleep Train Amphitheater
www.myspace.com/36crazyfists
www.myspace.com/blacktide
ROCKSTAR MAYHEM FESTIVAL!!! w/Slipknot, Disturbed, Mastodon, Machine Head and many more!!

sh

GREETINGS to Dancers and Friends of the Sunday evening SHIMMY SHOWCASE!

LIVE MUSIC with Talisman Dance Co. and members from troupe Ban Dal will be performing this Sunday at Shimmyshowcase!

Everyone is invited to come out, have a cup of Java, munch on something yummy and enjoy some really great dancing FOR FREE!

Below is our upcoming schedule for the next several Sundays at the Coffee Haven Internet Cafe in Long Beach. If you are a dancer interested in performing at an upcoming showcase, please check out the schedule below for open dates and then email us at
shimmyshowcase@yahoogroups.com
with the dates on which you'd like to perform.

The SHIMMY SHOWCASE begins at 7 p.m. at the COFFEE HAVEN in Long Beach (1708 E. Broadway -- 562-437-3785).

~~~~~ UPCOMING SHOWCASE CALENDAR ~~~~~~~

June 1: Coordinator Katherine the Great brings you the Talisman Dance Company from San Diego, dancing to their own live music! Also featured will be Sarah al Nour and Laulin Osher from tribal group Ban Dal. You won’t want to mis this exciting evening of American Tribal dance, so please come down to Coffee Haven and join us!

June 8: Coordinator Alexiis will perform dazzling renditions of American Tribal style dance for you this evening. Joining her will be the lovely Veronica, Estra and Yasmin. Whether you’re a tribal fan or cabaret fan, we’ll have great dancing in a variety of styles to entertain you!

June 15: NO SHOWCASE. Happy Fathers’ Day!

June 22: Katherine the Great is celebrating her birthday and the first Shimmyshowcase of the summer with “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” The “cast” includes dancers Gaea and Saphira. Unfortunately, it is also Katherine’s last evening as a Shimmyshowcase coordinator, so we hope all our Coffee Haven friends join us to wish this talented lady farewell. We still have an opening for another dancer or two to perform, so if you’re interested in dancing for this special event, please contact us at ShimmyShowcase@yahoogroups.com.

June 29: Abraiha is coordinator for this evening, and Delilah and Raks Bahlam will also be performing. Please come down and watch this delightful group of dancers perform for you in the warm, intimate, friendly environment of Coffee Haven!

July 6: NO SHOWCASE. Independence Day.

July 13: Alexiis is our coordinator for the evening and we have Brandi signed on to also perform for you. We still have openings, so if you would like to perform for this Shimmy Showcase, please contact us at ShimmyShowcase@yahoogroups.com.

July 20: Savia is our coordinator for the evening and she if you would like to perform for this Shimmy Showcase, please contact us at ShimmyShowcase@yahoogroups.com.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please allow time for parking to avoid missing any of the fun, so be sure to be at the coffee house well before 7:00 PM. We try not to start the show until everyone has settled with a tasty beverage.

~~~~

for additional information, please visit our website at: www.ShimmyShowcase.com

BigBang, Dengue Fever, Donita Sparks, The Gits documentary, I See Hawks in L.A. & The Loose Acoustic Trio on tour

On Tour:
BigBang (www.thebigbangweb.com )
5/29 @ Viper Room, Los Angeles, CA

Dengue Fever (www.myspace.com/denguefevermusic.com )
5/30 @ Tong Tong Festival, The Hague, The Netherlands
6/01 @ Wychwood Festival, Gloucestershire, England
6/07 @ Amoeba Records, Berkeley, CA (2 pm FREE)
6/07 @ Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco, CA
6/14 @ Junteenth Celebration, Long Beach, CA
6/20 @ Site Santa Fe, Santa Fe, NM
6/21 @ Make Music Pasadena, Pasadena, CA (Playhouse District Stage)
6/27 @ Hovefestivalen, Lillesand, Norway
6/28 @ Respect Music Festival, Prague, Czech Republic
6/29 @ Glastonbury Festival, Somerset, England (Q Magazine Stage)
7/03 @ Roskilde Festival, Roskilde, Denmark
7/05 @ Summerstage, New York, NY
7/06 @ Black Cat, Washington, DC
7/07 @ Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA
7/08 @ Iron Horse, Northampton, MA
7/09 @ Museum of Fine Arts, Calderwood Courtyard, Boston, MA (6 pm Screening of “Sleepwalking Through The Mekong” free w/concert admission)
7/11 @ Empty Bottle, Chicago, IL
7/12 @ La Fete de Marquette at Central Park, Madison, WI
7/18 @ Larmer Tree Festival, Wiltshire, England
7/19 @ Lovebox Weekender, London, England
7/26 @ WOMAD, Wiltshire, England
7/27 @ WOMAD, Wiltshire, England
8/06 @ Oya Festival, Oslo, Norway
8/08 @ Way Out West, Goteborg, Sweden (Debut)
8/09 @ Summer Sundae Weekender, Leicester, England
8/15-17 @ Beautiful Days, Devon, England
8/21 @ Festival Musicas Do mar, Povoa do Varzim, Portugal

Donita Sparks
6/06 @ Maxwell's, Hoboken, NJ
6/07 @ Highline Ballroom, New York, NY
6/08 @ T.T. The Bear's, Cambridge, MA
6/10 @ Grog Shop, Cleveland, OH
6/11 @ Magic Stick, Detroit, MI
6/12 @ Ugly Monkey, Indianapolis, IN
6/13 @ Double Door, Chicago, IL
6/15 @ 31st St. Pub, Pittsburgh, PA
6/16 @ The Ottobar, Baltimore, MD

The Gits documentary – Theatrical Screenings ( http://www.thegitsmovie.com/)
6/05 @ Rudyard Kipling (Last Call Film Festival), Louisville, KY
6/07 @ Ragtag Theater, Columbia, MO
7/03 @ Winnnipeg Film Group’s Cinematheque, Winnipeg, Manitoba, CANADA
7/04 @ Starz Film Center, Denver, CO
7/04 @ Pioneer Theater, New York, NY
7/04 @ Clinton Street Theater, Portland, OR
7/04 @ Movies on the Big Screen, Sacramento, CA
7/04 @ Northwest Film Forum, Seattle, WA
7/07 @ Alamo Draft Ale House, Austin, TX
.7/07 @ Delilah’s, Chicago IL
7/07 @ Greenbriar Cinema Grill, Indianapolis, IN
7/07 @ Echoplex, Los Angeles, CA
7/07 @ The Uptown Nightclub, Oakland, CA
7/07 @ AS220, Providence, RI7/07 @ The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA
7/07 @ The Blank Club, San Jose, CA
7/07 @ Metro Cinema, Seattle, WA
7/27 @ Metro Cinema, Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA
9/03 @ MusicFest NW, Portland, OR
10/10 @ Tuscon Film & Music Festival, Tuscon, AZ

I See Hawks In L.A. (www.iseehawks.com )
6/08 @ The Echo, Los Angeles, CA (Record Release Party)
6/13 @ Rancho Nicasio, Nicasio, CA (opening for Tony Joe White)
6/14 @ The Palms, Winters, CA (w/ The Loose Acoustic Trio)
6/15 @ Don Quixotes, Santa Cruz, CA (w/ Mars Arizona)
6/20 @ Caltech’s Beckman Mall, Pasadena, CA
6/21 @ Pappy & Harriets, Yucca Valley, CA

The Loose Acoustic Trio (www.looseacoustictrio.com )
5/31 @ Sunrise Farmers Market, Sacramento, CA (8:30 am)
6/14 @ Country Club Plaza Farmers Market, Sacramento, CA (8:30 am)
6/14 @ The Palms, Winters, CA (w/ I See Hawks in LA) (8:30 pm)
6/21 @ Sunrise Farmers Market, Sacramento, CA (8:30 am)
6/28 @ Sunrise Farmers Market, Sacramento, CA (8:30 am)

I See Hawks in L.A. to perform June 8

If you missed I See Hawks In L.A.’s great set last night at Amoeba Records, you still have a chance to catch them at their record release party.

Sunday, June 8 -
The Echo
1822 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 413-8200
http://www.attheecho.com
Record Release Party!
Mike Stinson, Chapin Sisters & Old Californio also perform
5 pm FREE

Here’s the buzz on their new CD Hallowed Ground:

"I really liked a lot of these alt-country rockers' last album, and this one continues to display versatility, variety and power, with an intriguing dystopian science-fictional bent in the lyrics.” – Ken Barnes, USA Today

"The Hawks…know how to lock into a solid groove and ride it like a bucking bronco, and that’s the hallmark of all great country bands." – j.poet, Crawdaddy

"Lovely country rock harmonies and sweet pedal steel inform semi-surreal epic visions with such titles as “Carbon Dated Love,” “Ever Since The Grid Went Down,” and “Pale And Troubled Race.” The band has a great, smart sense of humor, but their deep concerns about both man and nature’s darker prospects are never far from the surface." – Bob Strauss, Los Angeles Daily News

"With Hallowed Ground, the Hawks effectively channel their kind of neo-flower power, but lead the renaissance with savvy and wit, bringing it with solid instrumental craft…Hallowed Ground continues the legacy of sharp and conscious songwriting and introduces new musical flavors, pushing the roots music genre ever forward. – Joel Okida, FolkWorks,

"…The band channels Gram Parsons, New Riders of the Purple Sage, and the Byrds/Burritos into one of this decade’s premiere psychedelic country rock bands." – Jim Hynes, Elmore

http://www.iseehawks.com/press.html

John Mayer adds tour dates

New dates have been added to John Mayer’s 2008 summer tour, sponsored by BlackBerry®. As previously announced, Mayer’s run with special guests Colbie Caillat and Brett Dennen begins July 2 in Milwaukee, WI. Mayer’s tour will now close out the summer with the addition of new dates with guests Paramore and OneRepublic. Tickets for the added dates become available with an exclusive Music Today presale beginning June 2 and will be available to the public on June 7.

Mayer recently blogged that set lists will also include favorite blues tunes and covers of “songs that have moved me” with the goal of “introducing some music to people who might’ve not found it otherwise.” Mayer’s website, www.johnmayer.com will include daily voting for encores and a one-stop online home for fan-shot video footage and photos from Mayer’s shows.

On July 1st a brand new 2CD, DVD & Blu-Ray package hits stores entitled WHERE THE LIGHT IS: JOHN MAYER LIVE IN LOS ANGELES filmed last December at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles and directed by Danny Clinch. The special Columbia Records release includes three distinct sets: an acoustic performance, a rare set with John Mayer Trio (John Mayer, Steve Jordan and Pino Palladino), as well as a CONTINUUM set featuring Mayer’s full-band.

WHERE THE LIGHT IS will be the first new release since Continuum became available in September 2006 and incorporates each of the elements the five-time Grammy-winner is known for - acoustic songwriter, electric guitar slinger, bluesman, and vocalist.

Featuring Mayer’s own hits, as well as versions of blues and rock favorites like Jimi Hendrix’s “Wait Until Tomorrow,” Tom Petty’s “Free Falling,” and Ray Charles’ “I Don’t Need No Doctor,” the DVD and Blu-Ray will be packed with additional content. The Blu-Ray disc will feature a picture-in-picture experience with Steve Jordan & Pino Palladino as well as the BD-Live downloadable "Belief" backstage performance. Other extras for the DVD and Blu-Ray include a Mulholland Drive acoustic performance. (Track list below. Video trailer viewable at www.johnmayer.com/blog).

John Mayer’s CONTINUUM earned Grammy Awards for Best Pop Vocal Album (CONTINUUM) and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance ("Waiting on the World to Change") at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards, bringing his Grammy Award total to five. A pop/rock album showcasing diverse influences, CONTINUUM features rich lyrics, the groove of the guitar-slinging bluesman and the vocals of the soulful crooner.

USA Today wrote that Mayer's "smartly crafted third album combines singer/songwriter pop and sinewy guitar blues," and The New York Times opined, "Mayer has been writing songs again, good ones, with all the leanness and directness that distinguish his strongest work."

For the second year in a row, Rolling Stone Magazine has featured John Mayer on the cover of their now annual “Guitar” issue – both May 2008’s “Living Guitar Legends” issue and February 2007’s “Guitar Heroes” round-up have paired Mayer with peers and icons alike.

Pairings with a range of artists are a defining trait of the artist whose collaborative streak is well-known. Since his debut in 2001, Mayer has defied genre - from rock to blues, hip-hop to jazz to country, performing and/or recording with artists such as Eric Clapton, BB King, Buddy Guy, T-Bone Burnett, Herbie Hancock, Dixie Chicks, Kanye West, Alicia Keys and Ahmir ?uestlove, among others. In 2005, Mayer famously toured and recorded with power players Pino Palladino and Steve Jordan as the John Mayer Trio, whose live album TRY! featured searing blues and rock.

Colbie Caillat’s dusky vocals and laid back rhythms have earned her critical acclaim and l.6 million sales since the release of her debut album COCO last July. The story of Caillat’s myspace rise is well known by now; the power of the site and her legion of fans (24 million!) netted her a record deal, huge sales, a Top 5 album debut and a hit single with the ubiquitous “Bubbly” and the follow-up “Realize”.

Brett Dennen channels folk, world, pop, and rock music into a breathtaking mix that falls easily into one category - timeless. Chris Douridas, KCRW host raves "rarely does music come along so unadorned, so pure in spirit, and so eloquently written." Dennen has seen a groundswell of support across the country, often selling out markets the first time he plays. His debut album, "So Much More" was released in September 2006. Rolling Stone Magazine named Brett an "Artist to Watch" and his track "She's Mine" was #1 on USA Today's Playlist. The Los Angeles Times has declared: "Dennen is ecstatic and hopeful.”

OneRepublic’s classically trained pop rock sound culminated in their debut album, Dreaming Out Loud, which spawned their breakout hit “Apologize”. The debut single landed at number 1 on Billboard’s Pop 100 for 8 weeks and peaked at number 2 on the Hot 100 chart. The single also set the record for number of radio spins in one week, becoming the number 1 song in Billboard Top 40 history. OneRepublic has catapulted from My Space phenomenon, to must see live act to breakout rock band; the first on Timbaland’s Mosely Music group. Dreaming Out Loud has sold over 700,000 records since its November 2007 release.

Paramore has toured nearly non-stop since "RIOT!" made its explosive chart entry in June 2007. The album features the breakthrough hit singles, "Misery Business" and "Crushcrushcrush," both Top 5 hits at Modern Rock radio and on MTV, FUSE, MTV2, and MTVu. The Tennessee-based band's album quickly went on to achieve RIAA gold certification, with sales now exceeding 895,000 copies. The band has received coast-to-coast acclaim with a nomination for "Best New Artist" at this year's 50th Annual Grammy Awards. Alternative Press recently hailed Paramore as "Band of the Year" on the cover of their February issue while Spin praised the album for its "arena- rocking potential."

"That's What You Get," the album's latest single, is currently impacting at multi-format radio outlets nationwide while the companion video hit the #1 spot on the iTunes Store's "Alternative Video" chart. For more information, visit www.paramore.net and www.fueledbyramen.com

BlackBerry Presents John Mayer with Colbie Caillat & Brett Dennen ‘08 Summer Tour:
7/2 Milwaukee, WI Marcus Amphitheater (Summerfest)
7/3 Maryland Heights, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
7/5 Noblesville, IN Verizon Wireless Music Center
7/6 Rothbury, MI Rothbury Music Festival
7/7 Toronto, ON Molson Amphitheatre
7/9 Wantagh, NY Nikon @ Jones Beach Theater
7/10 Camden, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center
7/12 Mansfield, MA Tweeter Center
7/13 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion
7/15 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
7/17 Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Music Center
7/18 Tinley Park, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheater
7/20 Denver, CO Soccer Fields @ Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
7/21 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre
7/23 Paso Robles, CA Mid-State Fair
7/25 Marysville, CA Sleep Train Amphitheater
7/26 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheater
7/27 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
7/29 Chula Vista, CA Coors Amphitheatre
7/30 Phoenix, AZ Cricket Wireless Pavilion
8/1 Dallas, TX Superpages.com Center
8/2 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

BlackBerry Presents Additional Dates - John Mayer with Paramore; OneRepublic:
8/19 Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre (Paramore)
8/20 Pittsburgh, PA Post Gazette Pavilion (Paramore)
8/22 Darien Center, NY Darien Lake Performing Arts Center (OneRepublic)
8/23 Hartford, CT New England Dodge Music Center (OneRepublic)
8/25 Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center (OneRepublic)
8/27 Raleigh, NC Warner Cable Music Pavilion (OneRepublic)
8/29 Atlanta, GA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre (OneRepublic)
8/30 Tampa, FL Ford Amphitheatre (OneRepublic)
8/31 West Palm Beach, FL Cruzan Amphitheatre (OneRepublic)

WHERE THE LIGHT IS: JOHN MAYER LIVE IN LOS ANGELES track listing
ACOUSTIC SET:
1. Neon
2. Stop This Train
3. In Your Atmosphere
4. Daughters
5. Free Fallin'

TRIO SET:
6. Everyday I Have The Blues
7. Wait Until Tomorrow
8. Who Did You Think I Was
9. Come When I Call
10. Good Love Is On The Way
11. Out Of My Mind
12. Vultures
13. Bold As Love

BAND SET:
14. Waiting On The World To Change
15. Slow Dancing In A Burning Room
16. Why Georgia
17. The Heart Of Life
18. I Don't Need No Doctor
19. Gravity
20. I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)
21. Belief
22. I'm Gonna Find Another You

John Mayer – www.johnmayer.com
Colbie Caillat – http://www.colbiecaillatmusic.com
Brett Dennen – www.brettdennen.net
Paramore – http://www.paramore.net/
OneRepublic – http://www.onerepublic.net/
For more information about BlackBerry please visit: www.blackberry.com

Lamb of God to premiere new DVD set

LAMB OF GOD will World Premier the full-length feature from their brand-new 2 DVD set, ‘Walk With Me In Hell’, at Chelsea Cinemas in New York City on June 30 at 7PM, with the full band in attendance at the premiere! Fans can get their ticket to the premiere by pre-ordering the special double DVD bundle while supplies last. Seats are limited, so visit www.lamb-of-god.com and www.myspace.com/lambofgod NOW!

Not in NYC? Well, you can order the double DVD set and have your own premiere OR vote at www.lamb-of-god.com or www.myspace.com/lambofgod to have a LAMB OF GOD premiere in your town. Use the Eventful widget on the sites to “Demand” a premiere be held in your city. The city with the most “Demands” by June 16 gets a premiere that will be held around the release of the ‘Walk With Me In Hell’ double disc set!

The NYC ‘Walk With Me In Hell’ premiere will be held at Chelsea Cinemas:

Chelsea Cinemas
260 W. 23rd St
New York, NY 10011
7:00 PM

‘Walk With Me In Hell’ features all-access footage from the bus to the stage and everything in between, and like the band’s unrelenting music, never lets up. The ‘Walk With Me In Hell’ two DVD set features over five hours of incredible, all-access footage. Disc 1 contains the highly anticipated feature documentary ‘Walk With Me In Hell’ and multiple live performance extras from across the globe on the Sacrament World Tour. Disc 2 includes the additional full-length feature “Making of Sacrament” plus LAMB OF GOD’s entire, uncut, brutal performance at the Download Festival 2007, where they performed in front of over 72,000 fans.

To pre-order the double disc DVD ‘Walk With Me In Hell’ and vote to have a premiere in your town, visit www.lamb-of-god.com or www.myspace.com/lambofgod.

‘Walk With Me In Hell’ streets July 1 on Epic Records.

Patti LaBelle and O'Jays essential releases out June 10

The City of Brotherly Love has nurtured more than its fair share of soul and R&B music greats, and has contributed mightily to the charts over the years – aided at every turn by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff’s Philadelphia International Records. In that spirit, few artists have had the collective impact and staying power of extraordinary songstress and two-time Grammy Award winner Patti LaBelle, and the hitmaking Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame vocal powerhouse known as the O’Jays.

For the first time, both acts are inducted into Legacy Recordings’ best-selling and critically acclaimed series of double-CD collections as THE ESSENTIAL O’JAYS and THE ESSENTIAL PATTI LABELLE arrive in stores June 10th on Philadelphia International/Legacy, a division of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT. The latter arrives on the same street date as Live In Washington, D.C., a previously unreleased concert by Patti LaBelle from 1982.

Both new collections painstakingly document the full chronology of each act’s long career. In the case of the 36-song O’Jays set, this means not only a hefty 27 tracks encompassing their PIR years 1969-1987 – including all nine of their signature #1 hits on the label (“Back Stabbers,” “Love Train,” “Give The People What They Want,” “I Love Music,” “Livin’ For The Weekend,” “Message In Our Music,” “Darlin’ Darlin’ Baby (Sweet, Tender, Love),” “Use Ta Be My Girl,” and “Lovin’ You”) – but also a representative sampling of tracks from before those years (1963 to ’68, on the Imperial, Bell, and Neptune labels) and afterward (in the ’90s on EMI and Elektra’s EastWest label, where Eddie Levert, Sr. and his son Gerald recorded Father And Son).

Liner notes for THE ESSENTIAL O’JAYS were written by founding member Eddie Levert, Sr., as told to Lyah Beth LeFlore, co-author of the best-selling book written by Eddie and his late son Gerald (who passed away in 2006), I Got Your Back: A Father and Son Keep It Real About Love, Fatherhood, Family and Friendship (Harlem Moon/Broadway Books/Random House, 2007).

In the case of Patti LaBelle, her 30-song collection covers every phase of her career starting with the Blue Belles (1963’s “I Sold My Heart To The Junkman”) who quickly became Patti LaBelle & Her Blue Belles (“Down The Aisle”), and ultimately simply LaBelle around 1971 (when they recorded the first of two LPs for Warner Bros., including Moon Shadow named for Cat Stevens’ title track; and Gonna Take A Miracle with Laura Nyro on Columbia, with a cover of Marvin Gaye’s “The Bells”). RCA signed LaBelle for the 1973 album Pressure Cookin’ (a previously unreleased version of “Last Dance”), and then Epic signed them in 1974 (the #1 “Lady Marmalade” produced by Allen Toussaint; and its follow-up hit “What Can I Do For You?”). Three albums were released on Epic: Nightbirds, Phoenix, Chameleon.

LaBelle disbanded in 1977 and Patti commenced her solo career at Epic with a self-titled debut that same year (“Joy To Have Your Love,” “Do I Stand A Chance”). After four years and four albums (concluding with Released, whose featured track “Release (The Tension)” is heard here in a previously unreleased 12-inch Disco version), Patti moved to Gamble & Huff’s PIR family in 1981, by then a money-making core of the Epic Associated Labels group. Her tenure at PIR was only for three years and three albums, but her lifelong friendship with childhood friends Kenny and Leon is well-documented.

Patti’s collection features tracks from her first two PIR LPs, 1981’s The Spirit's In It (the title track along with Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg’s “Over The Rainbow”) and 1983’s I'm In Love Again (“If Only You Knew,” a #1 hit, “Love, Need And Want You,” and the previously unreleased outtake “Mean Ol’ Man’s World”). Her PIR years kicked off a successful solo career that is now entering its third decade, including a solid ten years at MCA Records – which was ignited by Beverly Hills Cop’s “New Attitude” (1985) and the #1 duet with Michael McDonald “On My Own” (1986) – followed by her current stint at Island Def Jam since 2004.

Liner notes for THE ESSENTIAL PATTI LABELLE were written by Brian Chin, annotator and/or compilation producer (or co-producer) of more than 100 reissue collections and box-sets, including the Luther Vandross box set, Love, Luther (Epic/J/Legacy), The Supremes Box, The Disco Box, and many other titles.

With a cumulative track record of well over 125 singles placed on the R&B and Pop charts from the 1960s to the 2000s, and nearly 50 charted albums during the same period, Patti LaBelle and the O’Jays have been a formidable presence for several generations of fans. Both acts are into their fifth decade of touring as well, with full performance schedules keeping them on the road through 2008, 2009, and beyond. In Patti’s case, the prospect of an upcoming reunion tour by her group LaBelle (with Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash) coupled with a new album produced by Lenny Kravitz, is especially tantalizing for fans worldwide.

If there is an overriding common ground for Patti Labelle and the O’Jays, it is their love and respect for producers and songwriters (and fellow Philadelphians) Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, founders and preservers of Philadelphia International Records. The O’Jays spent virtually their entire career as a core act at PIR, where Gamble & Huff wrote and produced a never-ending stream of hits with them for nearly 20 years. That association was at the core of the O’Jays’ 2005 induction as performers into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

The music of the O’Jays has threaded its way into popular culture for all these decades, but is perhaps best-known to today’s audiences for providing the theme of NBC-TV’s The Apprentice (“For The Love Of Money”). Formed in Ohio in 1958, first known as the Triumphs, then as the Mascots, and finally in 1963 as the O’Jays, their unmistakable sound showed off the church-rooted vocal chemistry of the classic original lineup of Eddie Levert, Sr., Walt Williams, and the late William Powell. Their music has been heard everywhere from The Sopranos to The Simpsons, and has been sampled by a multitude of hip-hop and R&B acts ranging from Jay-Z and Mary J Blige, to 50 Cent.

Though she spent considerably less time signed to PIR, Patti’s musical essence has always been emblematic of the Gamble & Huff touch. Nowhere was this felt more emotionally than at the opening of the 2008 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony in New York earlier this year. Patti’s electrifying performance of “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” (the classic 1972 hit by PIR’s Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes) brought the entire house to its feet with a well-earned standing ovation. It was a fitting prelude to the induction of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, as the recipients of the first annual Ahmet Ertegun Lifetime Achievement Award.

THE ESSENTIAL O’JAYS and THE ESSENTIAL PATTI LABELLE are the latest releases in an historic new agreement announced last August 2007, in which the complete Philadelphia International Records catalog of music has been licensed by SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT, to be released through its Commercial Music Group and Legacy Recordings. Previous releases under this new agreement include:

The Essential Teddy Pendergrass (October 2007), a 28-song double-CD covering his PIR years with Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes and as a solo artist 1972-82, plus various tracks at Elektra-Asylum into 1991, with liner notes by The New York Times columnist William C. Rhoden;

The Essential Lou Rawls (October 2007), a 33-song double-CD encompassing his formative ’60s years at Capitol, his PIR years 1976-81, plus various tracks at MGM (1971) and Bell (1974), also with liner notes by Rhoden;

The Sound Of Philadelphia: Gamble & Huff’s Greatest Hits (March 2008), a 16-song collection of top-charted signatures by the cream of the roster, including the O’Jays, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes and Teddy Pendergrass solo, Lou Rawls, Patti LaBelle, Billy Paul, MFSB, the Three Degrees, and others;

Conquer the World: The Lost Soul Of Philadelphia International Records (March 2008), a 16-song collection of rare singles sides, most of which have not seen light of day for over 30 years, by David (sic) Sigler & Dee Dee Sharp, Soul Devalients, Johnny Williams, Carolyn Crawford, Ruth McFadden, and others;

Live In Washington, D.C. by Patti LaBelle (see above).

About Philadelphia International Records:
In 1971, Gamble and Huff founded PIR as the outlet for their creative vision. Building a stable of Philly-based talent, PIR reached the tops of the charts from day one. In one memorable nine month period during 1972-73, they sold over 10 million records as Billy Paul’s Grammy-winning “Me & Mrs. Jones,” the O’Jays’ “Backstabbers” and “Love Train,” Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes’ “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” and the Intruders “I’ll Always Love My Mama” all charted at the same time.

PIR became the birthplace, incubator and launching pad for the Philly Soul sound, a unique blend of R&B rhythms, sweet soul vocals, deep funk grooves, pulsing horn charts and lush string arrangements with melodic structures combining elements of pop, jazz and world music. A sophisticated sound lovingly crafted in the studio by some of the 20th century’s most influential producers and production teams – including Thom Bell, Linda Creed, Gene McFadden & John Whitehead, Bunny Sigler, Dexter Wansel, Joe Tarsia and others, including Gamble & Huff themselves – Philly Soul set the stage for disco, smooth jazz, adult contemporary music, quiet storm, and more.

Gamble & Huff’s PIR songs and productions have truly permeated the musical DNA of contemporary culture. They have been covered or sampled by a vast array of artists including Jay-Z, Babyface, Nelly, OutKast, Angie Stone, Simply Red (whose #1 version of “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” in 1989 earned Gamble & Huff the Best R&B Song Grammy), Bette Midler, Mary J. Blige, Michael Bublé, Kanye West, 50 Cent, and T.I., among many others. It has been reported that one of Gamble & Huff's songs is played on the radio somewhere in the world every 13.5 minutes.

THE ESSENTIAL PATTI LABELLE
(Philadelphia International/Legacy 88697 21092 2)
Disc One Title Chart(s) From album Label Year
1. If Only You Knew #1 R&B, #46 Pop I’m In Love Again PIR 1983
2. Love, Need And Want You #10 R&B I’m In Love Again PIR 1983
3. If You Don’t Know Me By - Patti PIR 1985 Now (Live)
4. The Best Is Yet To Come - #14 R&B, #104 Pop The Best Is Yet To Come Elektra 1982 with Grover Washington, Jr.
5. The Spirit's In It - The Spirit’s In It PIR 1981
6. New Attitude #3 R&B, #17 Pop Beverly Hills Cop o.s. MCA 1985
7. On My Own - with Michael #1 R&B, #1 Pop Winner In You MCA 1986 McDonald
8. When You Talk About Love - Flame MCA 1997
9. My Love, Sweet Love - Waiting to Exhale o.s. Arista 1995
10. Somebody Loves You Baby #2 R&B Burnin’ MCA 1991 (You Know Who It Is)
11. Down The Aisle (The #14 R&B, #37 Pop Sweethearts of The Apollo Newtown 1963 Wedding Song) - The Blue Belles
12. The Bells - performed by - Gonna Take A Miracle Columbia 1971 Laura Nyro with LaBelle
13. * Last Dance - by LaBelle - [Pressure Cookin’] RCA 1973
14. Moon Shadow - by LaBelle - Moon Shadow WB 1972
15.# I Sold My Heart To The - Sweethearts of The Apollo Newtown 1963 Junkman - The Blue Belles

Disc Two Title Chart(s) From album Label Year
1. Lady Marmalade #1 R&B, #1 Pop Nightbirds Epic 1974
2. What Can I Do For You? #8 R&B, #48 Pop Nightbirds Epic 1974
3. You Turn Me On - Nightbirds Epic 1974
4. Open Up Your Heart - Pressure Cookin’ RCA 1973
5. Messin’ With My Mind #19 R&B Phoenix Epic 1975
6. Isn’t It A Shame #18 R&B Chameleon Epic 1976 [above tracks 1-6 performed by LaBelle]
7. Joy To Have Your Love #31 R&B Patti LaBelle Epic 1977
8. Do I Stand A Chance - Patti LaBelle Epic 1977
9. It’s Alright With Me #34 R&B It’s Alright With Me Epic 1979
10. Music Is My Way Of Life #81 R&B It’s Alright With Me Epic 1979
11. * Release (The Tension) #61 R&B [Released] Epic 1980 (Disco version)
12. Over The Rainbow - The Spirit’s In It PIR 1981
13. Come What May - It’s Alright With Me Epic 1979
14. Love Has Finally Come - Released Epic 1980
15. * Mean Ol’ Man’s World - [I’m In Love Again] PIR 1983
* indicates previously unreleased track.
# indicates alternate version from original single.

THE ESSENTIAL O’JAYS
(Philadelphia International/Legacy 88697 21098 2)
Disc One Title Chart(s) From album Label Year
1. Lonely Drifter #93 R&B Imperial 1963
2. Lipstick Traces (On A Cigarette) #28 R&B, #48 Pop Imperial 1965
3. Stand In For Love (Live) - Imperial 1966
4. I’ll Be Sweeter Tomorrow (Than #8 R&B, #66 Pop Bell 1967 I Was Today)
5. There’s Someone (Waiting Back - [B-side - One Night Affair] Neptune 1968 Home)
6. One Night Affair #15 R&B, #68 Pop The O’Jays In Philadelphia PIR 1969
7. Deeper (In Love With You) #21 R&B, #64 Pop The O’Jays In Philadelphia PIR 1969
8. Back Stabbers #1 R&B, #3 Pop Back Stabbers PIR 1972
9. 992 Arguments #13 R&B, #57 Pop Back Stabbers PIR 1972
10. Love Train #1 R&B, #1 Pop Back Stabbers PIR 1972
11. Time To Get Down #2 R&B, #33 Pop Back Stabbers PIR 1972
12. Put Your Hands Together #2 R&B, #9 Pop Ship Ahoy PIR 1973
13. Sunshine (Part 1) #17 R&B, #48 Pop Back Stabbers PIR 1972
14. You Got Your Hooks In Me - Ship Ahoy PIR 1973
15. Now That We Found Love - Ship Ahoy PIR 1973
16. For The Love Of Money #3 R&B, #9 Pop Ship Ahoy PIR 1973
17. Give the People What They Want #1 R&B, #45 Pop Survival PIR 1975
18. Survival - B-side of Let Me Make - Survival PIR 1975 Love To You
19. Let Me Make Love To You #10 R&B, #75 Pop Survival PIR 1975
20. I Love Music #1 R&B, #5 Pop Family Reunion PIR 1975

Disc Two Title Chart(s) From album Label Year
1. Livin’ For The Weekend #1 R&B, #20 Pop Family Reunion PIR 1975
2. Stairway To Heaven - B-side of - Family Reunion PIR 1975 Livin’ For The Weekend
3. Family Reunion #45 R&B Family Reunion PIR 1975
4. Ship Ahoy - 2008 single edit - Ship Ahoy PIR 1973
5. Message In Our Music #1 R&B, #49 Pop Message In The Music PIR 1976
6. Darlin’ Darlin’ Baby (Sweet, #1 R&B, #72 Pop Message In The Music PIR 1976 Tender, Love)
7. The Big Gangster - Let’s Clean Up The Ghetto PIR 1977
8. Use Ta Be My Girl #1 R&B, #4 Pop So Full of Love PIR 1978
9. Brandy (I Really Miss You) #21 R&B, #79 Pop So Full of Love PIR 1978
10. Cry Together - So Full of Love PIR 1978
11. Forever Mine #4 R&B, #28 Pop Identify Yourself PIR 1979
12. Sing A Happy Song #17 R&B, #102 Pop Identify Yourself PIR 1979
13. Lovin’ You #1 R&B Let Me Touch You EMI-Man. 1987
14. Wind Beneath My Wings (duet - Father and Son EastWest 1995 by Eddie & Gerald Levert)
15. Emotionally Yours (Gospel ver.) #5 R&B Emotionally Yours EMI 1991

"Nirvana to Beethoven" theme for J.A.M. Session at the Ford Monday

“Nirvana to Beethoven” A FREE J.A.M. SESSION Event with
Notes From the Edge at the Ford Amphitheatre June 2 at 7 p.m.

All Ages and Skill Levels Turn Familiar Pop Tunes into Classical Masterpieces

What: Singers and musicians (string and chord instruments) of all ages and skill levels gather to learn how to transform Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and Elvis Costello's "What's so Funny About Peace Love and Understanding" into modern classical arrangements. Ford season artists from “Notes From The Edge” lead the first of seven FREE Ford Amphitheatre JAM Sessions. At the end of the session all participants will perform the pop tunes together.

Who: Notes From the Edge artists
Composer & Arranger Mark Governor: a renowned film and TV composer and songwriter, has composed music for 20 feature films and over 150 TV shows. He studied with renowned American composer Aaron Copland.

Vocalist Kathy Fisher: modern rock torch singer of the band Fisher, who made music history as the first artists to be signed with Universal Records based simply on Internet success.

Cellist Peggy Baldwin: leader of the All Star Quartet. She has performed on many albums, including those of Kiss, Maroon 5 and George Harrison.

Violinist/Violist Tom Tally: controversial string player who embraces rock guitar solos as a normal part of repertoire and classical training, and is well known for his string quartet arrangements of Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Eric Clapton, and the White Stripes.

When: Monday, June 2 at 7:00 p.m.

Where: John Anson Ford Amphitheatre
2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood , CA 90068
FREE PARKING and HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE

To reserve your free spot call 323-461-3673 or visit www.FordTheatres.org

The “Jazzed and Motivated” J.A.M. Session events are part of the Ford Amphitheatre 2008 Season, a multi-disciplinary arts series produced by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission in cooperation with Los Angeles County-based arts organizations. Presented by the Ford Theatre Foundation, these sessions are designed to channel participants’ creative energies and release the artist within.

Female hot rodders to be honored June 4 at Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum

Guys aren't the only ones who dig hot rods. That's why the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, annually dedicates its June Prolong® Twilight Cruise Night to female hot rodders. This year's event is on Wed., June 4 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Fairplex in Pomona.

"Ladies' Night is one of our most popular Cruise Nights of the season," said Tony Thacker, executive director of the Parks Museum. "We're hoping a lot of women will bring out their cars for this family-fun event."

So far this season, Prolong Twilight Cruise has drawn hundreds of the coolest rods around to the Parks Museum, which is located at the Fairplex. Admission to the Cruise and Museum is free. Food and beverages are available for purchase.

As with every Prolong Cruise Night, four cars will be selected by guest judges for the Budweiser Celebrity Picks Awards. All winners get a chance to cruise the strip during the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals in November. Budweiser celebrity judges will include Sarah Allen from TLC's Hard Shine and Melinda Miles, writer, model and co-owner of Walden Speed Shop. Miles was most recently seen in Hot Rod DeLuxe.

"It's a great way to see incredible cars and our terrific museum, including our latest exhibit celebrating the anniversaries of Coker Tire and Honest Charley," said Thacker.

On the first Wednesday of the month - from April through December - the popular motorsports museum in Pomona, Calif., transforms into hot rod heaven as more than 350 cool pre-1970 rods, customs, classics and muscle cars fill the parking lot for Prolong Twilight Cruise Night.

The event, which runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and is hosted by the Cal Rods car club, attracts nearly 1,000 people and includes raffles, prizes and a huge 50/50 drawing.

The remaining Twilight Cruise Night schedule is:
June 4 (Ladies' Night), July 2, Aug. 6, Aug. 27 (replacing September's cruise due to the L.A. County Fair), Oct. 1, Nov. 5 and the annual charity toy drive on Dec. 3.

For more information, call 909/622-2133 or visit http://museum.nhra.com.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary and named for the founder of the National Hot Rod Association, the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California houses the very roots of hot rodding. Scores of famous vehicles spanning American motorsports history are on display, including winning cars representing 50 years of drag racing, dry lakes and salt-flat racers, oval track challengers and exhibits describing their colorful backgrounds.

The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., PST. Current NHRA members are admitted free and Auto Club members enjoy a $2 discount. Admission for non-members is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors 60 and older, $5 for juniors six through 15, and free for children under the age of five. The Museum is also available for special group tours.

The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is located at Fairplex Gate 1, 1101 W. McKinley Ave. in Pomona. For further information on special exhibits, museum events or directions, call 909/622-2133 or visit http://museum.nhra.com.

JesusFest 2008 set for July 12

The 7th annual JesusFest 2008 will be held rain or shine on Saturday, July 12 from 12 noon to 6 pm at Union Congregational Church, 3 Elm Street in the downtown section of the historic New England mill city of Rockville, CT. Parking and admission are free. JesusFest will be preceded by a special kick-off concert by global Christian artist Carman at the nearby Tolland High School Auditorium on Thursday, July 10 at 7 pm. General admission tickets to the Carman concert are $15.

JesusFest is the largest Christian festival in Connecticut, with last year's attendance estimated at 8,000 souls. After six consecutive years as a country fair held on local agricultural fairgrounds, the all-volunteer organizing team chose to gradually morph the celebration into an urban block party. JesusFest 2008 will feature an eclectic mix of live performances by Scarlet Fade, a youth-oriented alternative/indie group; Songs of Solomon, a multi-cultural reggae group; East of Nashville, a blue grass and southern gospel group; and Selfish Steam, a rock group. After each performance, a local preacher or evangelist will share a simple, inspirational message. JesusFest 2008 will also feature face-painting and balloon art for kids, displays by churches and ministries, and a used Christian book and music area.

Carman, a world-renown singer and preacher, is introducing a new CD and tour on September 11, 2008 titled Instrument of Praise. The July 10 concert in Tolland is Carman's only scheduled appearance in New England this year. During the concert, Carman will team up with local musicians and a 70-piece gospel choir to provide the audience with an unforgettable musical and spiritual experience.

For details, please contact: Drew Crandall, Chairman, JesusFest, 30 Lafayette Square, Suite 118, Vernon CT 06066; toll-free 1-800-JOY-9075; fax 860-872-3468; email info@JesusFestCT.org or visit www.JesusFestCT.org.

Upcoming concerts around California from Live Nation

On Sale Thursday, May 29 at 4 PM:
VAMPIRE WEEKEND
September 17
The Wiltern
--------------------

On Sale Friday, May 30 at 10 AM:
NO FEAR MUSIC TOUR
featuring
BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE
with special guests:
Bleeding Through
Cancer Bats

The Wiltern
July 25

No More Homeless Pets Conference in Vegas in October

Las Vegas announced as venue for return of No More Homeless Pets Conference, Oct. 24-26

Best Friends Animal Society is bringing back the national No More Homeless Pets Conference that helped galvanize the creation of lifesaving programs for homeless pets in communities across the country. The conference will be at the Alexis Park Resort Hotel from Friday, Oct. 24 through Sunday, Oct. 26 in Las Vegas. Come meet the people who are creating a new world for homeless pets at this landmark gathering of experts from across the country.

The conference includes panel discussions, workshops and optional seminars that explore successful model programs and provide how-to information on community outreach strategies, fundraising methods, increasing adoptions and spay/neuter, feral cat programs, volunteer recruitment, coping with burnout and more. Participants will learn how to launch or play a part in a No More Homeless Pets program in their community.

Immediately following the conference, attendees are also invited on an optional tour of the nation's largest no-kill companion animal sanctuary. The tour will depart Las Vegas Sunday, Oct. 26, arrive in Kanab, Utah, and will return to Las Vegas on Monday, Oct. 27 after a visit to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.

Online registration for the conference is available on the Best Friends Network at http://www.nomorehomelesspetsconference.org./

About Best Friends Animal Society:
Founded in 1984, Best Friends Animal Society advances nationwide initiatives that promote community involvement to make the world a better place through kindness to animals. Best Friends also promotes adoption, low-cost spay-neuter services, and humane education programs through its work with animal shelters and rescue groups around the country. Best Friends, which is is one of America's foremost animal rescue organizations, operates the country's largest sanctuary for abused and abandoned animals. On any given day, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, located in southwestern Utah, is home to approximately 2,000 dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, birds, and other animals. The society publishes Best Friends magazine, the nation's largest general interest, pet-related magazine with approximately 300,000 subscribers. For more information, visit http://www.bestfriends.org/

Hell Razah and Shabazz the Disciple team up

Veteran New York-based and Wu-Tang Clan affiliated emcees Hell Razah and Shabazz the Disciple have teamed up under the “T.H.U.G. Angelz” moniker to unveil their July 8th debut release “Welcome To Red Hook Houses” on renowned indie Babygrande Records.

Best known for their deeply rooted history with The Wu-Tang Clan, including their membership in the seminal Wu-affiliated Sunz of Man, Razah and Shabazz have since appeared on RZA's classic Gravediggaz LP while 2007 saw Razah’s solo debut with the critically acclaimed “Renaissance Child.” Now, assuming the roles of tour guides, Razah and Shabazz commit to shining a light on the Red Hook housing projects that served as a creative breeding ground for them and many other independent emcees, and in so doing, the duo illuminate the significance of Brooklyn’s famed Red Hook Houses in the development of early/mid nineties’ "golden age" hip-hop.

For more information, please visit:
www.crackspace.com/hellrazah
www.babygrande.com

HELL RAZAH & SHABAZZ ARE… T.H.U.G. ANGELZ“ WELCOME TO RED HOOK HOUSES”
In Stores July 8th, 2008!!!!

Dame Grease track & Custom Made freestyle video out now

Dubbed a cross between N.W.A., Mobb Deep & The Wu-Tang Clan, Custom Made is a buzzing West Coast collective/movement consisting of some of LA’s most renowned up and coming emcees.



Rawkus Records recently bestowed upon Custom Made Rawkus Next 50 honors, designating the group amongst the best and brightest developing acts in the independent scene. With their sophomore offering “Original Dynasty,” in stores TODAY, Custom Made step back into the limelight, tested, resilient and poised to build upon their burgeoning legacy.



CHECK OUT THIS EXCLUSIVE VIDEO FEATURING FREESTYLES & INTERVIEWS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSuw4_w8vKQ



www.crackspace.com/custommadehiphop

http://www.custommadehiphop.com/

http://www.babygrande.com/



Dame Grease, the multi-platinum producer behind hits from such artistsas Jay-Z, Nas, T.I., Jim Jones, The Clipse and many more launches his own anticipated album Goon Musik, introducing his budding group, the Goon Squad, into the spotlight. With Grease’s gritty beats, Goon Musik pays respects to classic hardcore raw East Coast rap.



In stores TODAY and featuring appearances from the likes of Max B. & more, expect this aggressively potent NY sound to characterize the entire Goon Musik experience.



DOWNLOAD AND POST THE BRAND NEW TRACK: “9’s Out”

http://burnupload.hiphopcrack.com/download.php?id=D59A38E41

http://burnupload.hiphopcrack.com/download.php?id=912D807C1



www.crackspace.com/damegrease

http://www.babygrande.com/

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Support local music at Mr. T's Bowl

Mr T's Bowl
5621 1/2 N. Figueroa St
at Ave 57 in
Highland Park
-------------------------------------------------

Thur June 5th
Kris Special 9pm
Castano 10pm
Evil Maria 11pm
Kissing Tigers 12am
no cover
----------------------------------------------------

Fri June 6th
9:30pm: billygoat
10:15pm: Master/Slave
11:pm: Avi Buffalo
11:45pm: Seasons
12:30am: The Monolators
No cover
--------------------------------------

Sat June 7th
Joe Bisa & Matt Crane
Half Asteroid
Whispering Pine
Eleven
$5.00
------------------------------------

Sun June 8th
Fuckin' A (9:45 - 10:30),
Headtraffic (10:45 - 11:30),
http://www.myspace.com/headtraffic
The Wilcox Hotel (11:45 - 12:45),
http://www.myspace.com/thewilcoxhotel
Lucabrazzi (1:00 - 2:00)
http://www.myspace.com/lucabrazzi9
---------------------------------------

Mon June 9th
Tropical Depression (San Diego)
The Sea of Cortez
The French Semester
Mospeada
No cover
---------------------------------------

Tue June 10th
T-Bowl Tuesday
Various Local bands
No cover
------------------------------------------------

Wed June 11th
Unpopable and friends
-----------------------------------

Thur June 12
Nathan Payne
http://www.myspace.com/nathanpayne
Thrift Store Hooker
Codpiece
http://www.myspace.com/codpiecemusic
and more TBA
No cover

Local gig correction & news from Sierra Madre Sue

How many times have I said, "I don't make this stuff up"?
I got this off SOMEBODY'S website, but apparently the gig got cancelled and I was the last to know!
So here's a correction notice, complete with new photo and paragraph to back it up!

Just know that VIN FIZ FLYER IS NOT PLAYING AT BEAN TOWN ON FRI. 5/30.
thank you very much. but it was a nice photo wasn't it?
---------------------------------

MUSIC NEWS – RAGS & WRECKTANGLES
By Sierra Madre Sue Behrens

Most recently, you may have seen this man wielding a saxophone as part of Aluminum Marshmallow’s "Age of Aquarius" horn section at various events in Sierra Madre. Prior to that, he was the lead guitarist and/or bass player (but not necessarily at the same time) for Snotty Scotty & the Hankies. Somewhere in between he managed to fit in(to) the WRECKTANGLES, who are making their long-awaited return this Friday night in Highland Park (details below.) I couldn’t find the trademark Doo Dah Parade photo I was looking for that reveals his unmistakable identity – covered from head to toe in rags, he is: RAGHEAD! __________________________________________________________________________________________ FRI. 5/30 - DAVE OSTI AND DEANNA COGAN @ THE MAYAN BAR (inside the Aztec Hotel) in MONROVIA, 6 - 9pm Happy Hour. 311 W. Foothill Blvd. 626-358-3231. NO COVER. Full bar, limited food menu. Acoustic Guitar, vocals. http://www.davidvalentinoosti.com/

FRI. 5/30 & SAT. 5/31 - CHICO'S BAIL BONDS @ the DOCKSIDE in WEST COVINA, 7:30 - 11:30pm. 3057 E. Garvey Ave. North. In the bar area, but you can order food also. All ages ok. 626-915-3474. Semi-acoustic BLUES. http://chicosbailbondsblues.com/

FRI. 5/30 - "SWING DANCE PARTY" with FLAT TOP TOM @ CAFE 322 IN SIERRA MADRE, 8:30 - 11:30pm. 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-836-5414. Full bar and great Italian food. "Pizza, Martinis and dancing the night away to great swing and blues!!! God bless!!" www.flattoptom.com

FRI. 5/30 - THE SHEDS @ THE MALIBU INN, opening for FISHBONE (wow - that's BIG!), 8pm. 22969 Pacific Coast Hwy. 866-340-2263. $20. Ska/Reggae/Punk. http://www.myspace.com/shedrock www.malibu-inn.com

FRI. 5/30 - Andrew's Bad Stuff with the WRECKTANGLES, Rumfits and Rover's Pinky @ Mr. T's Bowl in Highland Park, 9pm. 5621 1/2 Figueroa. 323-256-7561. $5 cover. The long-awaited return of the Wrecktangles - RAGHEAD, Leslie, Boo, Tony & Gavin - but they told me not to tell anyone! I'll show them! www.myspace.com/mrtsbowl

FRI. 5/30 – CARLOS GUITARLOS TRIO @ BARN BURNER RESTAURANT IN PASADENA, 9 – 11pm. 1000 South Fair Oaks Ave. 626-403-RIBS. BBQ, beer, wine. No cover, all ages. Marc Doten on Bass. Carlos’ "trademark barn burners, corny heartfelt ballads and authentic adult blues outcry." carlosguitarlos.com http://www.barnburnerbbq.com/

FRI. 5/30 - THE PRIME MOVERS @ THE BUCCANEER LOUNGE IN SIERRA MADRE, 9pm. 70 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-355-9045. Full bar, no cover, pool table, free parking. Rock originals & Psychedelic covers from Joe Ramsey, etc.

SAT. 5/31 - BARRY "BIG B" BRENNER @ FIREFLY BISTRO IN SOUTH PASADENA, 11am - 2pm. 1009 El Centro. 626-441-2443 . All ages. Saturday BLUES Brunch under a big breezy tent. http://www.bigbbrenner.com/

SAT. 5/31 - THE SUPERSTITIONS @ CAFE 322 IN SIERRA MADRE, 8:30 - 11:30pm. 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-836-5414. Full bar and great Italian food. Blues, R&B, Zydeco. One of Richard Reese's favorite bands! http://www.myspace.com/theesuperstitions

SAT. 5/31 - MERCY & THE MERKETTES @ THE BUCCANEER LOUNGE IN SIERRA MADRE, 9pm. 70 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-355-9045. Full bar, no cover, free parking in back. 21 and over. R&B, Funk, Rock, Motown, etc. Dave Osti on lead guitar.

IS IT JUNE ALREADY?

SUN. 6/1 - BARRY "BIG B" BRENNER @ FIREFLY BISTRO IN SOUTH PASADENA, 11am - 2pm. 1009 El Centro. 626-441-2443 . All ages. BLUES Brunch under a big breezy tent. http://www.bigbbrenner.com/

SUN. 6/1 - GRANT PARK SOFTBALL - ALL ARE WELCOME. NOT A LEAGUE - JUST FOR FUN & THE LOVE OF THE GAME! CORNER OF CORDOVA & MICHIGAN IN PASADENA, 3 BLOCKS WEST OF PCC. BATTING PRACTICE 12:30, GAME TIME ASAP. BRING YOUR GLOVE, BAT, CHAIR, ICE CHEST, GUITAR, UKULELE, ETC. EVERY SUNDAY...

SUN. 6/1 - Have lunch with NEW ASTROTURF @ CAFE 322 IN SIERRA MADRE, 1:30 - 4:30pm. 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-836-5414. Full bar and great Italian food in a comfy setting. Classic Country/Folk Rock.

SUN. 6/1 - WRECK 'N' SOW @ BARN BURNER RESTAURANT IN PASADENA, 5 - 8pm. 1000 S. Fair Oaks Ave. 626-403-RIBS. BBQ, beer, wine. Went there last month and loved it! Fun Bluegrass stuff w/great harmonies & snazzy overalls! The Dupuy Brothers and friends. http://www.wrecknsow.com

SUN. 6/1 - "OPERA TO BROADWAY" VOCAL PERFORMANCES @ CAFE 322 IN SIERRA MADRE, 7pm. 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-836-5414. Full bar and great Italian food. Every Sunday evening. Get there early, as the place gets packed!

WED. 6/4 - BLUES JAM SESSION WITH JOHN MARX AND THE BLUES PATROL @ CAFE 322 IN SIERRA MADRE, 8 - 11:30pm. 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-836-5414. Full bar and great Italian food. No cover.

FRI. 6/6 - DAVE OSTI AND DEANNA COGAN @ THE MAYAN BAR (inside the Aztec Hotel) in MONROVIA, 6 - 9pm Happy Hour. 311 W. Foothill Blvd. 626-358-3231. NO COVER. Full bar, limited food menu. Acoustic Guitar, vocals. http://www.davidvalentinoosti.com/

FRI. 6/6 - THE SHEDS opening for GROUNDATION @ THE CANYON CLUB IN AGOURA HILLS, 7pm. 28912 Roadside Dr. $18.50. For tickets call: 818-325-5855. Ska/Reggae/Punk. Another big show for my young friends!

FRI. 6/6 – GROOVY REDNECKS @ BARNBURNER RESTAURANT IN PASADENA, 9pm. 1000 S. Fair Oaks Ave. 626-403-RIBS. BBQ, beer, wine. All ages, no cover. Raucous, rowdy, irreverant Country Rock! http://www.groovyrednecks.com/

FRI. 6/6 - BOBBY BRADFORD MOTET @ CAFE 322 IN SIERRA MADRE, 8 - 11pm. 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-836-5414. Full bar, great Italian food. A fixture on the local jazz scene, Bobby Bradford is best known for his early 70's work with Ornette Coleman, and was one of my brother Rick's early musical influences.

FRI. 6/6 & SAT. 6/7 - "THE SUBS" (Better Than Blue's acoustic alter ego) @ the DOCKSIDE in WEST COVINA, 7:30 - 11:30pm. 3057 E. Garvey Ave. North. In the bar area, but you can order food also. All ages ok. Joe Velosa, Danny Hesse, Felicia Bright. Acoustic rock, soul & blues. 626-915-3474. www.wearethesubs.com/

SAT. 6/7 - "JUNE JUBILEE" @ AVESON CHARTER SCHOOL IN ALTADENA, 10am - 4pm. 1919 Pinecrest Dr. Live Entertainment by the students, 10am - 12pm and by professionals, 12 - 4pm. Silent Auction, Rummage Sale, Food samples from Healthy Living and Culinary Arts Depts., Games, confetti eggs, jumpies and more, Booths: plants, art, and handmade items, Hourly Raffles. All proceeds go to Aveson Charter School.

SAT. 6/7 - THE SHEDS with THE ROUNDABOUTS and THE CHRIS MURRAY COMBO @ THE VERITY ROOM IN CANOGA PARK, 8pm. $10. 7503 Topanga Canyon Blvd. 818-294-6883. Ska/Reggae/Punk.

SAT. 6/7 - RICK SHEA @ THE BUCCANEER LOUNGE IN SIERRA MADRE, 9:30pm. 70 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-355-9045. Full bar, no cover, free parking in back. 21 and over. Honkytonk Country/Blues. Always enjoyable!

SUN. 6/8 - BARRY "BIG B" BRENNER @ FIREFLY BISTRO IN SOUTH PASADENA, 11am - 2pm. 1009 El Centro. 626-441-2443 . All ages. BLUES Brunch under a big breezy tent. http://www.bigbbrenner.com

SUN. 6/8 - PASADENA CITY COLLEGE JAZZ GUITAR ENSEMBLE @ CAFE 322 IN SIERRA MADRE, 11:30am - 2pm. 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd . 626-836-5414. Full bar and great Italian food. No cover, all ages. Hmm… I wonder if Richard Reese had anything to do with this booking!

SUN. 6/8 - THE MERCY POWELL QUARTET @ CAFE 322 IN SIERRA MADRE, 3 - 5pm. 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd . 626-836-5414. Full bar and great Italian food. No cover, all ages. Standards & Jazzy stuff from Mercy, Josh, Marc & Peter. Note: later start time due to first band (see above.)

SUN. 6/8 - "OPERA TO BROADWAY" VOCAL PERFORMANCES @ CAFE 322 IN SIERRA MADRE, 7pm. 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-836-5414. Full bar and great Italian food. Every Sunday evening. Get there early, as the place gets packed!

6/10 - "TACO TUESDAY" @ MARY'S MARKET & CAFE IN SIERRA MADRE CANYON with STEVE VARGAS, 6:30 - 8:30pm (Acoustic guitar/vocals.) Opening act at 5:30 TBA. 561 Woodland Ave. 626-355-4534. Limited parking - consider walking or biking. Yummy cheap tacos!

TUES. 6/10 - WRECK 'N' SOW @ THE PIKE BAR IN LONG BEACH, 8pm - Midnight. 1836 E. 4th St. 562-437-4453. Fun Bluegrass stuff w/great harmonies & snazzy overalls! The Dupuy brothers, etc.

**THE SHEDS NEED YOUR SUPPORT: to win a spot on the WARPED TOUR this Summer, my young friends THE SHEDS are competing against other up and coming bands. It's not too late to register and VOTE for them on this site: http://battleofthebands.com/

Please remember to call and verify all info. before making plans. Everything is subject to change. This is show biz, after all.

Hope to see you out & about,
SierraMadreSue
sierramadresue@yahoo.com

FOR EVEN MORE COOL SHOWS & INFO., CHECK OUT THESE SITES:
http://cafe322.com/
http://sierracup.com
http://www.myspace.com/piratedive
http://www.coffeegallery.com/home.html
http://www.myspace.com/americanarootsla
http://www.aliveandpicking.com/calendar.html
http://www.covina.com/frethouse/concerts.html

Esotouric to offer Amoeba Rock History Tour

1960s Songstress Ruthann "Windy" Friedman Guests on Esotouric's Amoeba Rock History Tour

WHAT: Amoeba Music presents Esotouric's Where the Action Was Bus Tour
WHO: Guest stars singer-songwriter Ruthann Friedman (writer of the #1 1967 hit "Windy")WHEN: Saturday June 28, noon-3pm, departing from Amoeba Music in Hollywood
AFTER SHOW: Ruthann Friedman performs free in Amoeba Music at 3pm
COST: $55/person, ticket price includes snacks and Amoeba swag bag (stickers, buttons, music, special promo items and more)
DISCOUNT: 15% off for anyone who uses the secret words "Amoeba Sent Me"
TOUR INFO: http://www.esotouric.com, 323-223-2767

On June 28, Esotouric, recently named "L.A.'s coolest tour company," pairs up with Amoeba Music, L.A.'s coolest record store, to offer a special edition of WHERE THE ACTION WAS, the Hollywood musical history tour. Passengers depart from the store at Cahuenga and Sunset, kitty corner from the studio where the Rolling Stones recorded "Satisfaction," returning to Amoeba to enjoy a free concert by the tour's guest star, singer-songwriter Ruthann Friedman.

This three hour tour, co-hosted by pop critics Kim Cooper and Gene Sculatti, explores the musical history of Hollywood and the Sunset Strip through visits to celebrated nightclubs, recording studios, record labels and other places of subcultural importance. Illustrated with an elaborate onboard slide show featuring rare vintage photos, live performances, album art and ephemera, and hosted by a pair of historically minded music fiends eager to share fascinating tales, WHERE THE ACTION WAS is a must for rock fans who've heard the famous names, but need some help figuring out where is all happened.

Guest star Ruthann Friedman is best known for composing the Association's #1 hit (everyone knows it's) "Windy," and is a favorite of neo-folk star Devendra Banhart.

Asked about her appearance on Esotouric's historical bus survey of her youthful stomping grounds, Ruthann mused: "Seeing my old haunts through these old eyes brings back memories of a wildly creative and free time when the naiveté of youth danced the streets of Hollywood with infinite and dazzling possibilities of psychotropic drugs. There were no crazed crowds in the beginning and a line at the door towards the end. Something was definitely 'happening here' [to quote the Buffalo Springfield] and the fact that it is still being discussed and analyzed lets us know that it is still not 'exactly clear' ( my momma taught me to not use the word 'ain't')."

Among the memories Ruthann will be sharing on the Esotouric bus are:
"Hanging at the Troubador with Van Dyke Parks, Hoyt Axton, The Association crew, at the Action with The Lovin' Spoonful and Frank Zappa and his Mothers, The Jefferson Airplane at the Landmark Hotel, bumping into David Crosby or Stephen Stills, Jackson Browne, or any number of those who are now celebrities, when we were all just folks making music, trying to get a record deal and our music on the radio. "

For her post tour performance on Amoeba's in-store stage, Ruthann will be playing songs from her acclaimed 1969 Warner-Reprise album "Constant Companion" as well as new material. And yes, "Windy" is on the set list. After the show, she'll sign copies of her Water Records CD reissues and answer questions from fans.

On WHERE THE ACTION WAS, passengers make a fascinating journey back in time, from the mid 1960s through the punk era, when Hollywood was ground zero of a series of cultural explosions. The small area covered is packed with important spots including nightclubs (Whiskey A Go Go, Pandora's Box, Rodney's English Disco, The Masque), record labels (Capitol, A&M, RCA) and teen hang-outs (Ben Frank's, Canter's, Tiny Naylor's). Artists featured include The Beach Boys, The Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, The Doors, The Bobby Fuller 4, The Germs, Jan & Dean, Janis Joplin, Arthur Lee & Love, The Mamas & Papas, The Monkees, Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones, Sonny & Cher, Phil Spector, Iggy & the Stooges, the Velvet Underground, Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention, and many, many more.

The tour visits the unassuming intersection where teens rioted over an unfair nightly curfew (inspiring the Buffalo Springfield's Stephen Stills to write "For What It's Worth"), the hotel where Janis Joplin died, the notorious Continental "Riot House" hotel in which Led Zeppelin partied with teenage groupie queens, Ciro's, the Troubador, and many more. It explains how Canter's Deli's continued popularity as an after hours gathering spot is directly tied to its willingness to serve hairy weirdos in the 1960s, reveals how Elvis Presley's shopping trip to Wallich's Music City influenced L.A.'s surf and hot rod music scene, and recalls a time when the Tropicana Motel was simply THE place to go for star spotting.

WHERE THE ACTION WAS is a long overdue celebration of the people and the venues that made Southern California the center of the rock and roll world for more than two decades.

Available for purchase on the tour will be autographed copies of Gene Sculatti's "The Catalog of Cool," Kim Cooper's books and issues of Scram, a journal of unpopular culture.

ABOUT THE HOSTS:
Co-host Kim Cooper is the editrix of Scram, the acclaimed journal of unpopular culture that over 22 issues has celebrated neglected musical genius, and spawned the anthologies "Bubblegum Music is the Naked Truth" and "Lost in the Grooves: Scram's Capricious Guide to the Music You Missed." Her latest book is the best-selling volume of the 33 1/3 series of little books about great albums, on Neutral Milk Hotel's "In the Aeroplane Over The Sea." Kim is creator of the 1947project time travel blog, spearheaded the successful preservation campaign to save the Union 76 Ball signs, and writes and hosts all Esotouric's true crime tours.

Co-host Gene Sculatti is a writer, editor and music-business veteran whose work has appeared in USA Today, Rolling Stone and Creem. Gene was Editorial Director of Warner Bros. Records and Director of Special Issues for Billboard magazine. His book "The Catalog of Cool" was the bible of pre-internet hepcat exploration. Gene is also author of "Too Cool," "San Francisco Nights: The Psychedelic Music Trip" and "The 100 Best Selling Albums of the 60s," and hosts a weekly internet radio show on LuxuriaMusic.com, Atomic Cocktail (Wednesday's, 6pm Pacific Time).

Upcoming Esotouric bus tour schedule (new tours starred):
Sat May 31 ­ Esotouric & City Lights Books present Haunts of A Dirty Old Man: Charles Bukowki's LA (BookExpo edition)
*Sat June 7- Visionary Hollywood hosted by author Erik Davis
Sat June 14- Vroman's - The Birth of Noir: James M. Cain's SoCal Nightmare
Sat June 21 - The Real Black Dahlia
Sat June 28 ­ Amoeba Music - Where the Action Was rock history tour with guest star Ruthann Friedman (composer of "Windy")
Tues July 1 ­ American Library Association Edition: Raymond Chandler's Los Angeles
*Sat July 12 - Reyner Banham Loves Los Angeles: The New Chinatowns
Sat July 26 - Pasadena Confidential
Sat Aug.2 - Reyner Banham Loves Los Angeles: Route 66
Sat Aug 9- Vroman's Bookstore ­ Haunts of A Dirty Old Man: Charles Bukowki's LA
Sat Aug 16 - The Real Black Dahlia
Sat Aug 23 ­ John Fante's Bunker Hill
Sun Sept 7 - Reyner Banham Loves Los Angeles: South LA
Sat Sept 20 ­ Reyner Banham Loves Los Angeles: The Many Downtowns
Sat Oct 11- Vroman's Bookstore - Raymond Chandler's LA
Sat Oct 18- Raymond Chandler's Bay City
Sat Oct 25 ­ Halloween Horrors

For more info on Esotouric, visit http://www.esotouric.com
For more info on Ruthann Friedman, visit http://ruthannfriedman.com/

A Skylit Drive's debut is out and they're hitting the road

A Skylit Drive's debut album Wires And The Concept Of Breathing made a splash on the charts today, debuting at #9 on Billboard's New Artist Chart and #171 on Billboard's Top 200! The album was released on Tragic Hero records in conjunction with Warner Music Group's Independent Label Group.

If you dig bands like Coheed & Cambira or Underoath, this is a band you should definitely check out! A Skylit Drive will hit the road in June on a co-headlining tour with electro-metal buzz band and recent Equal Vision Records signees Sky Eats Airplane; full list of dates is below.

A Skylit Drive play layered and dynamic rock with heavy arrangements, keyboards and unique melodic vocals.

Speaking on the album, vocalist Michael Jagmin says, “We came up with the lyrics together, it’s very fantasy based like alien invasions and heroic knight tales. We’re all basically dorks at heart and instead of writing songs about being sad like a lot of groups today, we wanted songs that would make us smile later.”

The album was recorded at Warrior Sound in Raleigh, NC by Mitchel Marlow and Al Jacobs (Filter, He Is Legend) and produced by Jamie King (Between the Buried & Me). There’s an apparent musical growth & sophistication since the band’s inaugural EP She Watched The Sky (2007).

The members of A Skylit Drive met when they were in high school two years ago in Lodi, CA - a small town 45 minutes outside of Sacramento. Kyle Simmons (keyboard), Nick Miller (guitar), Brian White (bass, vocals) and Joey Wilson (guitar) all went to school together and they brought in outsiders Cory LaQuay (drums, vocals) and Michael Jagmin (Vocals) to round out the rest of the lineup.

Kyle recalls, “We didn’t take this too seriously at first, it was just fun, we would play shows within a three hour radius of where we lived and started to draw more and more kids and get better and better shows. We got serious when we contacted Tragic Hero Records and they loved the songs and signed us.”

Completing several national tours, the band have played with such artists as: Scary Kids Scaring Kids, Alesana, Four Letter Lie, Dance Gavin Dance, Pierce The Veil, From First To Last and Bless The Fall.

Confirmed A Skylit Drive Tour Dates:
5/31/08 Bakersfield, CA Stramler Park - ROCKIN ROOTS FEST

w/SKY EATS AIRPLANE, BREATHE CAROLINA
6/26/08 Las Vegas, Nevada Jillian’s
6/28/08 St. George, Utah The Electric Theatre
6/29/08 Salt Lake City, Utah The Ritz
6/30/08 Grand Junction, Colorado VFW Hall
7/1/08 Colorado Springs, Colorado Black Sheep
7/2/08 Wichita, Kansas Eagles Lodge
7/3/08 Tulsa, Oklahoma The Crush Lounge
7/5/08 Austin, Texas Emo’s Alternative Lounge
7/6/08 McAllen, Texas South Texas College
7/8/08 Mobile, Alabama The HI-C
7/9/08 Pensacola, Florida American Legion Post 33
7/10/08 Jacksonville, Florida Jack Rabbits
7/11/08 Douglasville, Georgia The 7 Venue
7/12/08 Wilmington, North Carolina The Soapbox
7/13/08 Raleigh, North Carolina The Brewery
7/15/08 S. Hackensack, NJ School of Rock
7/16/08 Danbury, Connecticut Billy Baloney’s Upstairs
7/17/08 Buffalo, New York Xtreme Wheels
7/18/08 Syracuse, New York Lost Horizon
7/19/08 Pontiac, Michigan Eagle Theatre at the Crofoot Ballroom
7/20/08 Highland, Indiana Bean Counters
7/22/08 Evansville, Indiana Boney Junes
7/23/08 Joplin, Missouri The Foundry Music Theatre
7/25/08 Carson City, NV The Warehouse

MySpace: www.myspace.com/askylitdrive

Lisa Loeb's children's CD to help send kids to summer camp

Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE:BKS), the world's largest bookseller, today announced that Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb's second children's CD Camp Lisa will be offered exclusively at Barnes & Noble stores and online at Barnes & Noble.com (www.bn.com ).

Camp Lisa celebrates the summer camp tradition with a collection of new tunes and old favorites. Lisa Loeb, whose independent artistic vision landed her, as an unsigned artist, at the top of the charts with her debut single, "Stay (I Missed You)" in 1994, continues to be a trendsetter and role model for artists in a rapidly changing industry. Camp Lisa will be a Barnes & Noble exclusive for the first 90 days of release starting on June 3.

Joining Lisa on the CD are some very special guest campers including Kay Hanley, Dave Gibbs, Nina Gordon, Jill Sobule, Lee Sklar, Maia Sharp and comedian Steve Martin. Produced by Loeb's recently launched record label Furious Rose Productions and her writing partners and frequent collaborators Dan Petty and Michelle Lewis, Camp Lisa is largely inspired by '70s-style rock and pop and Loeb's own cherished camp memories. The CD is a magical, musical destination for the kid in all of us. In its just-published review, L.A. Parent calls Camp "...enjoyable as a freshly made s'more."

"Barnes & Noble had tremendous success during a three-month exclusive with Catch the Moon, the first children's CD from Lisa Loeb and Elizabeth Mitchell. We are very excited once again to be the exclusive retailer for Lisa's second children's CD Camp Lisa," said Steven Scott, Director of Music Marketing for Barnes & Noble. "The music on this CD is really fun for kids and will resonate with everyone who has fond memories of summer camp. We will promote Camp Lisa in more than 700 stores nationwide and online at Barnes & Noble.com."

A series of in-store performances with Lisa at Barnes & Noble stores across the country are planned including stops in New York-June 3, Paramus, New Jersey-June 5, Washington, D.C.-June 7, Austin-June 11, Dallas-June 13, Seattle-July 12, Portland, Oregon-July 13 and more to come.

"Barnes & Noble is the perfect partner for the release of Camp Lisa," Loeb said. "As an independent artist this affiliation allows me the freedom to continue making the records I want to make and to work with a forward-thinking outlet that has the ability to reach the masses."

Camp kicks off with "Ready For The Summer," the theme from the movie Meatballs. Lisa is joined by a chorus of young camper friends and Letters to Cleo's Kay Hanley on this fun and energetic tune. The original song, "Going Away" follows, with a list of must-have items and pre-departure to-dos. More original songs include "The Wake Up Song," "Best Friend," the Eagles-inspired "When It Rains" and "It's Not Goodbye."

In the tradition of silly camp songs, comedian, actor, author and playwright Steve Martin, serves up some fine banjo finger-picking on "The Disappointing Pancake," a tall tale about the marvelous adventures of one fantasitical flap-jack on its journey 'round the world. Chosen for its western flavor, Lisa leads the campfire favorite "Home On The Range," featuring harmonies by Maia Sharp, while songstress Jill Sobule joins in on another original tune, "The Cookie Jar Song."

Camp Lisa also includes the Neil Young-penned "Love Is a Rose," a favorite contemporary song from Loeb's summer camp days at Camp Champions near Austin, Texas. Nina Gordon (Veruca Salt) joins Lisa on another camp favorite, "Linger." Of course, no camp song collection would be complete without the timeless classics including "Woodchuck," "Peanut Butter & Jelly," "H.A.P.P.Y.," the "Cookie Jar Chant," and "Father Abraham."

Camp Lisa is a project near and dear to Loeb's heart. Her love of summer camp and the camp songs that helped shape her childhood is evident on every track. It is the perfect follow up to her first children's CD Catch The Moon. Released in 2004, Catch The Moon included a companion board book, earned the prestigious Parent's Choice Award and led to a series of hugely popular videos for Noggin Network.

In conjunction with the release of the Camp Lisa CD, Loeb will launch the Camp Lisa Foundation, a non-profit organization that will raise funds to help send underprivileged kids to summer camp through its partnership with S.C.O.P.E. (Summer Camp Opportunities Provide an Edge, Inc.).

About S.C.O.P.E.
Summer Camp Opportunities Provide an Edge, Inc. (S.C.O.P.E.) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide children in need the edge to succeed in life through the summer camp experience. This is accomplished through the funding of "camperships" that offer children the benefits of a safe, well-supervised and enriching summer camp experience. S.C.O.P.E. was the founded in 1991 camp directors from the American Camp Association's New York Section (ACA-NY) who were motivated by their belief in the educational and developmental benefits of camp. Since its inception in 1992, S.C.O.P.E. has provided more than 10,000 underserved children (plus 1500 more this summer), with a two-week summer camp experience.

TriFrame.com offers online talent contests

Now there's a new way to get discovered. TriFame.com, launched April 1, is a talent community that allows users to upload and view content, in the areas of modeling, music, dance and a miscellaneous category known as "Offbeat." Users decide who the next big star is, and the winner is awarded prizes ranging from MP3 Players, cash to a possible record deal or magazine cover.

The Web site incorporates ideas of popular shows such as America's Next Top Model, So You Think You Can Dance? and American Idol. It is similar to You Tube and Myspace.com where users can upload content to share with the world. What sets TriFame apart is that the users get rewarded for their talents.

To get involved, visit the Web site and register for free. Once you are a member, getting discovered is as easy as logging in, uploading content, voting and winning prizes. The top content submitters will be offered a variety of industry-based incentives to keep uploading content and voting. Users can upload video and photographic content.

TriFame.com has something for everyone. It provides exposure for artists, entertainment for viewers, a direct connection between artists and fans and rewards the top performers in each category. The current contest is a sweepstakes. For every piece of content uploaded, users will receive one "raffle ticket," so to speak, for the June contest. The grand prize is a Nintendo Wii. As the site grows, so will the contests, with the end-of-year prizes being the largest.

TriFame.com is putting the power in the hands of the users. If you are seeking help making it in the entertainment industry, this is the place you should be. Even if you are not looking to be the next big thing, TriFame.com is still a great place to upload content to share with friends and family and to check out new media.

TriFame was founded in April 2008 by two college students. It will allow the general public to engage in the talent discovery process. The Web site capitalizes on the growing demand for online media and the desire to gain notoriety. TriFame gives aspiring artists the exposure needed to become the next biggest star.

For more information please visit the Web site at http://www.trifame.com

New basic belly dance classes to be offered in Pasadena

Greetings Dancers:



It’s official. Starting Wednesday, June 11th at 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., I’ll be teaching Basic Belly Dance on Wednesday nights. At the Bliss Dance and Wellness Center in Pasadena, CA. The BDWC is located in the Yoga Kingdom Sanctuary at 553 S. Lake Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101. Individual classes are $15 with ample residential parking.



For more information on the Bliss Dance and Wellness Center, visit: http://www.blissdanceandwellnesscenter.com/



For inquiries on the Wednesday night Basic Belly Dance Class, I’ll be teaching. Contact me at: 323 982-9240, or eclecticbelly@aol.com



Be dancing with you soon,

Freya Eclecticbelly
http://www.eclecticbelly.com/

ZO2 to perform at Arlene's Grocery June 7

Brooklyn based rock trio ZO2 announces early summer show at hometown favorite Arlene's Grocery confirmed for Saturday, June 7th. The band will be performing live in support of their critically acclaimed, Riker Hill Records’ debut CD, Ain’t It Beautiful. Onstage time for ZO2 at Arlene’s is 10:00pm.

SHOW DETAILS:

Saturday, June 07, 2008
ARLENE'S GROCERY
95 Stanton Street, New York, NY 10002
Showtime: 10:00pm.
Tickets: $10
21 to enter
www.arlenesgrocery.net
with Diablo Royale

Most recently, the band has been dividing their time between gigging and filming their upcoming TV show Z Rock; a semi-scripted original comedy about the experiences and antics of being a rock band. Z Rock premieres Sunday, September 7th, 2008 at 11:30pm ET/PT on IFC, the 'Always Uncut' network.

ZO2’s Paulie Z says, “I always thought that our lives and journeys would make a great TV show, book or movie. I’m glad that IFC thinks so too. This television comedy is definitely the best way to tell our story because the audience gets to see and hear us perform and being a rock band is what we are about first and foremost.”

Brooklyn born band ZO2 -- featuring brothers Paulie Z (lead vocals/guitar) and David Z (bass/vocals) with Joey Cassata (drums) -- is most often compared to a cross between 70’s icons, Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith mixed with a bit of Audioslave and Stone Temple Pilots. The band's high-energy, boldly entertaining stage presence is what impresses fans and critics alike.

Visit http://www.zo2.com/songz.html to hear “Isolate”, “She Believes” and “If You See Kay”
from their Riker Hill Records’ release Ain’t It Beautiful.

Ain't It Beautiful is the first release for ZO2’s label, New York City based Riker Hill Records, distributed by IDN, an aggressive independent where passion and experience meet the future of rock and roll.

Program Note: As part of IFC’s strategy to maximize the value of IFC Free, its new On Demand platform, the network will continue to exclusively premiere - in high-definition - new episodes of its original series on-demand prior to the linear network premiere of each episode. Z Rockwill debut on IFC Free on Thursday, August 28, nine days before its premiere on IFC. Z Rock is a co-production of Starz Media, MarkMark Productions and IFC.

www.zo2.com