Mickie's Zoo: September 2010

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Heritage Square Museum seeks volunteers for Oct. 9

On Saturday, October 9th, get your hands dirty!

Join volunteers from across Southern California in helping to make Heritage Square Museum a more beautiful place. Participating volunteers will get a t-shirt and snacks as well as a sense that they've been a part of preserving the history of Southern California. Much of the work to be done will be in and around Adam's Forge.

Volunteering will occur between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM.

For more information or to RSVP, call (323) 225-2700 ext. 221 or email development@heritagesquare.org.

The first 50 people to RSVP and work at least four hours will also get a ticket to the Grammy Museum, courtesy of the STAPLES Center Foundation.

KillMatriarch releases video

Today KillMatriarch releases their debut video for "Monotone" through one of the hottest Social Networking websites online Buzznet.com. The video is directed by Robby Starbuck (Metric, Silverstein, Times of Grace).

KillMatriarch is a brand new dynamic female fronted alternative/industrial/rock trio - members are: Ontronik (Former System of a Down Drummer & Apex Theory Vocalist), Matriarch & Drew K. Their first EP 'Order Through Chaos' will be available for free download worldwide on 10/10/10.

'Order Through Chaos' Track Listing:
1. Monotone
2. Revolution
3. Violence
4. Devils Amusement
5. Good Hurt

You can visit the band online at the following links:
www.Killmatriarch.com
www.killmatriarch.buzznet.com
www.purevolume.com/KillMatriarch
www.twitter.com/officialKM
www.myspace.com/KillMatriarch
www.youtube.com/KillMatriarch
www.killmatriarch.bandcamp.com/
www.killmatriarch.tumblr.com
www.Facebook.com/pages/KillMatriarch/108977609147996

"America Tropical, the Opera" at the Autry Oct. 24

Autry National Center
4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, CA 90027
323.667.2000, www.theAutry.org

America Tropical, the Opera
An in-gallery performance surrounded by the art and history of David Alfaro Siqueiros at the Autry National Center
Sunday, October 24, 2010, 7:00 p.m.

David Alfaro Siqueiros, America Tropical (detail).
Image courtesy of Jessie & Gleena Avila

Exploring themes of economic and political inequality, the intimate and intense America Tropical opera follows muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros as he paints and tells the tumultuous tale of L.A.’s history. Performed inside the Autry National Center’s gallery featuring the Siqueiros in Los Angeles: Censorship Defied exhibition, the opera takes place in 1932 when Siqueiros came to Los Angeles from Mexico and painted the mural known as La America Tropical. Its subject matter was so controversial that the mural was immediately white washed, effectively censored.

Written by playwright Oliver Mayer and composer David Conte, America Tropical follows Siqueiros as he charts Los Angeles from its founding in 1781 to the 1992 LA riots. His creation also comes to life with its own melodic and romantic voice, opinions, and hopes—just as the image in the actual mural has begun to appear through the white wash in the 1960s, refusing to be silenced.

The opera was originally commissioned by Thick Description, a theatre company in San Francisco, which was awarded the prestigious Gerbode Foundation grant in 2004. Together with Conte, Mayer decided to write specifically about his home, Los Angeles, and the historical events around the creation of the America Tropical mural at Olvera Street. The production was part of the University of Southern California’s Visions & Voices season, which received a generous grant from the university.

“Our piece is groundbreaking on many levels,” said Mayer. “With his extensive musical historical knowledge, Conte has taken a lot of chances in the score and wedded his music to my libretto to make a hybridized and very 21st-century piece of music theatre. The result is a sweepingly passionate opera with echoes of spirituals and the Mexican roots of California.”

The opera will be performed live by the Definiens Project, a group of progressive L.A.–based musicians who specialize in contemporary music, and directed by Nathan Singh, a recent graduate of USC School of Theatre. The singers are mostly from USC’s Thornton School of Music, and include professional singer Ashley Faatoalia.

Tickets are $18 for general admission and $12 for Autry members. They may be purchased by calling the Visitor Services Desk at 323.667.2000, ext. 251. Seating is limited.

AMERICA TROPICAL
Composed by David Conte
Libretto by Oliver Mayer
Conducted by Ryan Zwahlen

Directed by Nathan Singh
Performed by The Definiens Project
Commissioned by Thick Description, San Francisco, CA

CAST OF CHARACTERS
SIQUEIROS – the painter of the mural América Tropical (Baritone)
LARA – Pobladores leader/worker (Tenor)
MARIA SOLEDAD – a Mexican peasant woman, wife of MORENO (Soprano)
MORENO – Pobladores/worker/ husband of MARIA SOLEDAD (Tenor)
HOLLIDAY/MESA – a plumber/poblador/worker (filmed the beating of Rodney King); a poblador in scene one (Bass-baritone)
CAMERO – Poblador/worker (Baritone)
NAVARRO – Poblador/worker (Bass-Baritone)
The INDIA – the crucified figure at the center of the mural América Tropical (Soprano)

ORCHESTRA (parts available on rental from the publisher)
Flute
Bb Clarinet (doubling A Clarinet; Bass Clarinet)
Violin
Cello
Double Bass
Piano

“Catch the Moments” (excerpt; 1:52)
Chad Runyon, bass-baritone “Were You There” (excerpt; 5:04)
Antoine Garth, tenor; Sibel Demirmen, soprano; ensemble

Nikki Yanofsky on tour in support of album

With this year’s most glowing reviews for her debut album Nikki, 16 year old Nikki Yanofsky began her US Tour last night (September 28th) in Clearwater Florida, it was confirmed today by her label Decca Records. Following the opening night, The Tampa Tribune said, “Her ability to effortlessly follow melody twists and turns would be astonishing in someone with twice her years and experience. Her performance was jaw-droppingly good.”

Yanofsky is scheduled to perform at the prestigious Blue Note in New York on Monday, October 25th and will perform in LA on October 10th at the Catalina Bar and Grill. (A full list of dates follow this release.)

“Nikki” which was released last May became the No. 1 album on Billboard’s Heatseekers Chart in two short weeks and was quickly embraced by the press and of the biggest names in music:

“One of the richest voices of our time,” raved Nikki’s multi-Grammy winning producer Phil Ramone. With a four star rave from Downbeat Magazine, (“She’s the real thing, the anti-American Idol – a bonafide young jazz vocalist with serious technical chops, powerful pipes, dead-on pitch, range that lets her transverse as many octaves as she wants, real musicality and a genuine feel for scat singing informed by her love for Ella Fitzgerald,”) the critics all seem to agree that Yanofsky who opened and closed the Vancouver Olympics before an audience of 3.2 billion, is 2010’s most shining young star. “A bright, pitch-perfect voice” (The Washington Post)…”Diana Krall and Norah Jones – move it on over…The little girl is about to come in. Nikki Yanofsky is about to have her moment” (The Toronto Globe and Mail)…Even Quincy Jones has weighed in, She is from Heaven…She is the future and she has definitely lived before.”

A national treasure in her native Canada, Nikki earned her first #1 single in Canada with “I Believe” – CTV’s Official Song for the Vancouver Olympics which was certified quadruple-platinum in Canada on its first week of release. The fashion-forward almost typical high schooler has also performed (one day after the 10th grade math finals) at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and the Montreal and Montreaux Jazz Festivals.

Nikki Yanofsky Tour Dates:
Oct. 1, 2010 – House of Blues Houston – Houston, TX
Oct. 9, 2010 – Florence Gould Theatre – San Francisco, CA
Oct. 10, 2010 – Catalina Bar & Grill – Los Angeles, CA
Oct. 12, 2010 – Anthology – San Diego, CA
Oct. 13, 2010 – Triple Door Theater – Seattle, WA
Oct. 14, 2010 – Mesa Arts Center – Mesa, AZ
Oct. 18, 2010 – Park West – Chicago, IL
Oct. 19, 2010 – Varsity Theater – Minneapolis, MN
Oct. 21, 2010 – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA
Oct. 22, 2010 – Ridgefield Playhouse – Ridgefield, CT
Oct. 25, 2010 – Blue Note - New York, NY
Oct. 27, 2010 – Harvard Square Charles Hotel – Cambridge, MA
Oct. 29, 2010 – Troy Savings Bank Music Hall – Troy, NY
Oct. 30, 2010 – The Loft – Atlanta, GA

www.nikkiyanofsky.com
www.deccarecords-us.com
Follow us on Twitter @deccalabelgroup

Lenny Kravitz to join U2 for Anaheim shows

The U2 360° Tour kicked off again in Turin, Italy last month and will visit 18 cities throughout Europe before heading to Australia and New Zealand to close out the year. U2 360° will start-up again next year and visit Mexico City on May 14th before returning to North America. By the time the tour returns to North America, it will have been seen by well over 4 million fans.

With Bono in great health and the band performing to fantastic reviews, the rescheduled Southern California performances at Angel Stadium on Friday, June 17th and Saturday, June 18th now have a limited number of excellent tickets available at all price levels. Also, Lenny Kravitz has just been announced as special guest for both shows.

With a cylindrical video system of interlocking LED panels, and a steel structure rising 150 feet from the floor over a massive stage with rotating bridges, the band has truly created an intimate 360º experience for concert goers. Long-time U2 Show Director Willie Williams has worked again with architect Mark Fisher (ZooTV, PopMart, Elevation and Vertigo), to create an innovative 360 design, which affords an unobstructed view for the audience.

Tickets for the Angel Stadium concerts are available now at www.LiveNation.com, www.Ticketmaster.com, at Ticketmaster retail locations and via charge-by-phone (800.745.3000).

For complete tour and ticket information, fan club memberships, merchandise and more, visit: www.U2.com

Kings Go Forth coming to The Mint in November

The American music underground is having what you might call a Kings Go Forth moment.

Need proof?

Over the past year, their seven inch singles set the soul blogs swooning and became instant collectors items. Legendary producer Tom Moulton called them to remix one of their songs. DJ Shadow’s playing them too. “Imaginary soul superstar” Mingering Mike is doing their album cover – the first time he has ever created art for a recording that actually exists! And the documentary ‘Super Noble Brothers’ about KGF founder Andy Noble and his brothers Davey and Tommy that was eight years in the making.

And yet….

Kings Go Forth are based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and until April 2010 hadn't played a gig further away than Indiana. Their Luaka Bop debut album The Outsiders Are Back changed some things for the band. Everyone's eyes opened a bit wider when Danger Mouse, The Black Keys, and James Mercer showed up for one of the band's gigs at SXSW. Glowing press piled in from all over the world. The record was listed on both NPR and Amazon's 'Best Records of the Year So Far' lists, and the band has seen features in the New Yorker, on All Things Considered, and on French television. They've been invited to play the Austin City Limits festival, London's Barbican, and in Australia. The few shows they've played in support of the record (Brooklyn, DC, Chicago, Minneapolis, Milwaukee) have been sweat-packed capacity affairs.

Who are these guys, anyway?

The story of Kings Go Forth starts with the afore mentioned Andy Noble. He was born, raised and still lives in Milwaukee, and probably knows more about classic soul, funk, and R&B than anyone you’ve ever met. He’s a dedicated record collector, an independent label entrepreneur, and the proprietor of the fabled Lotus Land record shop. If you’re looking for someone to provide discographical details of, say, the Magic Hat label or to sing the praises of some long-vanished vocalist from Memphis or Birmingham or Cleveland, then Andy’s your man. He’s that into it.

Andy co-founded KGF with Black Wolf, an immensely talented singer and writer who has performed around Milwaukee since the 1970s. The two met in Andy’s record shop circa 2004, and since then have assembled a powerhouse ten-piece soul unit consisting of seven players and three singers that is simply one of the most thrillingly creative new bands to be heard, in any genre, in the U.S.A. today.

Here at last is a band creating its own immediately identifiable sound from a broad palette of classic R&B (mid-Sixties Chicago, early-Seventies Philadelphia, and other sources far more obscure); setting that sound to Black Wolf’s timeless lyrics of love and loss, despair and hope, and delivering it all with fierce urgency and undeniable emotional commitment. There is power in KGF’s multi-ethnic makeup, in their 25 year age span, and in their unforced command of the soul music idiom. And to date, the soul revival has not produced another band with a vocal blend so rich in tone and feeling.

Andy Noble had decades of music under his belt when he formed Kings Go Forth in early 2007.

“My parents were scenesters who both owned art galleries in Milwaukee,” he recalls. “They didn’t want to give up aspects of their life just because they had kids, so they were taking us to shows when we were five and six years old”

“My mom was pretty involved in the Black music scene here. When I was 12 or 13, I was getting into punk and metal pretty much what you’d expect of any white kid of that age in that time but I was also exposed to other sounds through my mom, like reggae and jazz.”

Andy played bass and guitar in various Midwest rock and ska bands while his record habit eventually led to an increasing number of DJ gigs and the opening of Lotus Land.

Black Wolf aka Jesse Bilal was born in 1953 in Port Huron, Michigan. His earliest musical influences came from the Pentecostal Church and from the blues played at home by his singer/guitarist father.

“My grandmother was a full-blood Cherokee and my father was a dark-skinned 340-lb. dude. He was one angry Black Indian but he taught me a lot. It was my dad who encouraged the music part and my mom who kept me writing poems that later became song lyrics.”

Black Wolf was twelve when his family moved to Milwaukee, and within a few years he was singing and writing for the Essentials, a local group that later recorded a couple of (unreleased) tracks in Curtis Mayfield’s Curtom studio.

“The Essentials could sound very much like the Stylistics, with that high tenor, or we could sing in a hard gospel style like the Mighty Clouds of Joy. We still sound like that whenever we get together,” says Wolf.

The KGF rhythm section is comprised of Andy Noble on bass, Dave Wake on keyboards, guitarist Dan Flynn, percussionist Cecilio Negron, Jr. (whose parents were high school classmates of Black Wolf), and the explosive drummer Jeremy Kuzniar (who also engineered the group’s first recordings). Also on the album are vocalist Dan Fernandez and rhythm guitarist/vocalist Matt Norberg. Trombonist Dave Cusma and trumpeter Jed Groser are the mainstays of the KGF horn section.

With their personnel in place, new songs came quickly for KGF. Noble found that his prolific partner didn’t need much more than the central idea to be inspired: “I had a few words and a bass line for ‘One Day’ when I brought it to Black Wolf and said, ‘This is a song about hope.’ And he wrote a lot of different verses that I could edit down to the ones on the record.”

“I may listen mostly to older music but I allow new sounds to come into my consciousness I don’t censor myself,” says Andy Noble. “Our idea was to be inspired by that music in order to create songs that sounded good to us, that were exciting to us, now. We had no idea if anyone else would like it or not.”

They do, and you will.

Upcoming US Tour Dates
10/8 - Austin City Limits Festival - Austin, TX
10/8 - Antone's - Austin, TX
11/18 - The Mint - Los Angeles, CA
11/19 - The Elbo Room - San Francisco, CA
1/14/11 - Double Door - Chicago, IL
1/15/11 - Cedar Cultural Center - Minneapolis, MN

www.kingsgoforth.com
www.LuakaBop.com

Lilith local talent search winners announced

OurStage.com, a leading online music discovery destination, recently provided the 16 winners of the “Lilith Local Talent Search” even greater exposure with the hour-long season premiere of Strictly Global, a weekly music program on MHz Worldview, a national, independent TV channel. Now, this episode of Strictly Global is also streaming on OurStage.com.

The Strictly Global season premiere aired on MHz Worldview digital broadcast and cable affiliates throughout the U.S. in September 2010, with a repeat on October 1st at 10 PM EDT. Additionally, the show is available on MHz Networks On Demand via the family of Roku digital video players, as a free on demand broadband service. For those who may have missed the show’s initial run, or would like to view it again, the show is currently streaming online at http://www.ourstage.com/go/lilith2010

Strictly Global’s season premiere features these OurStage-discovered artists:

· Jes Hudak
Winner of Lilith Los Angeles, CA

· Kate Tucker
Winner of Lilith Cleveland, OH

· Amanda Lucas and Audrey Cecil
Winner of Lilith Indianapolis, IN

· Danielia Cotton
Winner of Lilith New York, NY

· Katie Todd
Winner of Lilith Chicago, IL

· Liz Clark
Winner of Lilith Denver, CO

· Jetty Rae
Winner of Lilith Detroit, MI

· The Strange Kind
Winner of Lilith Seattle, WA

· Mad June
Winner of Lilith Montreal, QC

· Corrin Campbell
Winner of Lilith Washington, DC

· Ashley Matte
Winner of Lilith San Diego, CA

· Joy Ike
Winner of Lilith Philadelphia, PA

· Annie Bethancourt
Winner of Lilith Portland, OR

· Winterbloom
Winner of Lilith Boston, MA

· For the Love of Sloan
Winner of Lilith Hartford, CT

· Darrelle London
Winner of Lilith Toronto, ON

Terry McBride, CEO of Nettwerk Music Group, said “Providing the opportunity for a new generation of female artists to gain exposure is key to the mission of the Lilith Fair. We are fortunate to find the incredible quality of great female musicians through our partnership with OurStage.com.”

Ben Campbell, CEO of OurStage, said, “We were honored to join Lilith 2010 in the support and celebration of women in music. We had thousands of artist’s submissions and over 10 million judging battles during the Lilith Local Talent Search. We are also pleased to work with Strictly Global to further illuminate the talents of these deserving women.”

“Strictly Global has always been about supporting great global talent,” said Terrence Averett, Strictly Global producer, “This partnership is the perfect synergy for both of our organizations, as well as the many artists we will feature nationwide on our program.”

Located in over half of the top 20 U.S. television markets via broadcast and cable affiliates, MHz Worldview also blankets the U.S. via satellite. MHz Worldview’s programming lineup from around the world captures a diverse audience, reaching nearly 34 million viewers throughout the nation. To find out how to watch in your area, visit: www.mhznetworks.org/mhzworldview/carriage .

Roland offers V-Drums special promotions

Roland Corporation U.S. is pleased to announce four new V-Drums® special promotions, running October 1st through December 31st:

Purchase a TD-20SX V-Pro® Series V-Drums kit and get two sets of Roland shell wraps and one REMO® shell wrap for free

Purchase a TD-9SX V-Tour® Series V-Drums kit and get two CY-8 V-Cymbals® and two MDY-12 cymbal mounts for free

Purchase a TD-4SX V-Compact® Series V-Drums kit and get a $100 mail-in rebate

Purchase a TD-4S V-Compact® Series V-Drums kit and get a $200 mail-in rebate

For more information on these special promotions, please visit www.RolandUS.com/Promotions.

About Roland Corporation
Roland Corporation is a leading manufacturer and distributor of electronic musical instruments, including keyboards and synthesizers, guitar products, electronic percussion, digital recording equipment, amplifiers, audio processors, and multimedia products. With over 38 years of musical instrument development, Roland sets the standard in music technology for the world to follow. For more information, visit http://www.RolandUS.com.

Poobah and JPT Scare Band reunite on Monster Records

History Repeats Itself: Poobah and JPT Scare Band Together Again on the Same Record Label and on the Air at WFMU

In the early 1990’s a small record label broke out of San Antonio, Monster Records, specializing in limited release/collector’s vinyl from underground 1970’s hard rock bands. For several years, Monster churned out an impressive array of steaming protometal, adding such bands as Poobah, JPT Scare Band, Truth and Janey, Hawkwind, and Manilla Road to their roster. But as so often happens in the music business, time passed, tastes changed and Monster Records ceased to exist.

Fast forward 20 years, and the sands of the hourglass churn backwards in time. Suddenly metal legends, Youngstown Ohio’s Poobah, and Kansas City’s JPT Scare Band, find themselves as popular as ever and stunningly, back on the same record label. This time it’s Ripple Music filling the void, providing the world with the tasty underground protometal that they crave.

Within a span of two months, both JPT Scare Band and Poobah released classic works with Ripple Music, JPT Scare Band’s “Acid Blues is the White Man’s Burden,” and Poobah’s 1972 seminal debut, “Let Me In.” Both releases hit the world in eye-opening, two-tone double LP packages with gatefold covers as well as CD formats. Both packed with rare pictures, notes, and bonus tracks.

Jim Gustafson, the mastermind behind Poobah, sums it up. “It’s cool that Poobah ended up with JPT again on the same label, only better this time. I saved these tapes for decades, looking for the right time and place to do this, and now it has happened.”

And 40 years after originally forming, both bands find themselves cranking out their music to a legion of fans new and old. WFMU in New York has both bands on frequent rotation, spreading the protometal, acid rock gospel to hungry, waiting ears.

“It’s a wonderful bit of synchronicity,” says JPT Scare Band drummer, Jeff Littrel, “that when we finally get back on a label again, the moguls at Ripple Music have also signed our old label mates, Poobah. Déjà vu all over again! JPT Scare Band and Poobah ripping faces off on the same label in the 21st Century.”

Ripple Music plans to keep bringing on the ballsy retro-metal with future releases by Scottish protometal icons, Iron Claw, as well as modern purveyors following the raw, sonic blueprint, Stone Axe, Mos Generator, Grifter, Mighty High, and Venomin James.

As Ripple founders Todd Severin and John Rancik say, “Ripple Music exists to bring the guts back to rock and roll!”

Poobah 1972
www.poobahband.com

JPT Scare Band 1973
www.jptscareband.com

www.ripple-music.com

Neil Young' s "Le Noise Film" now on YouTube

Le Noise Film — a 38-minute black and white film of eight live-in-studio performances of the eight songs that appear on legendary rocker Neil Young’s brand-new album Le Noise — will be made available for viewing exclusively on YouTube beginning September 30th. These will appear in the Spotlight section of You-Tube’s homepage as well as on Young’s YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/neilyoung).

In addition to the performances, there will also be a personal introduction by Young himself, along with behind-the-scenes clips from album producer, Daniel Lanois, and more.

The performances, shot by filmmaker Adam CK Vollick, feature Young on acoustic and electric guitars at Lanois’ home studio in Silverlake, CA, where Young and Lanois recorded Le Noise.

The eight-song album, which is already generating glowing reviews, is a collaboration between the acclaimed rock icon and musician, songwriter, and multiple Grammy Award-winning producer Lanois, known for his work with U2, Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, The Neville Brothers and many others.

Le Noise features Young on acoustic and electric guitars with Lanois adding his trademark sonic textures, creating one of the most sonically arresting albums Young has ever recorded. No band, no overdubs, just “a man on a stool and me doing a nice job on the recording,” as Lanois puts it.

Writing about Le Noise after hearing it at Lanois’ home, The Los Angeles Times commented: “What’s striking about Le Noise is the way it both summarizes and distills Young’s singular approach to music, predominantly just Neil and a guitar: Arguably Young's most consistently potent work in the last decade."

The Chicago Tribune enthused, "One of Young’s finest recordings."

Rolling Stone Magazine awarded the album 4 Stars and concluded, “Le Noise is, ultimately, an extreme simplicity: the sound of a man who won’t give up.”

Le Noise will be released in several formats, including standard CD, vinyl, and digital download. In November, Reprise will also release a Blu-Ray edition, featuring Lanois and Vollick’s beautifully shot films of Young.

Young has just wrapped up his Gulf Coast tour, in which he teamed up with Tyson Foods to fight hunger in communities affected by the April oil spill. He will appear at Farm Aid at Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI, on October 2nd, and will reunite with Buffalo Springfield members Stephen Stills and Richie Furay for this year’s Bridge School Benefit concerts. The shows, which also feature Pearl Jam, Elton John and Leon Russell, Elvis Costello, Lucinda Williams, and others, will take place at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA, on October 23rd and 24th.

www.neilyoung.com

Dan Hicks & the Hot Licks to release holiday album and tour

Hailed as, “The eternal hipster, purveyor of the drollest and most swingin' tunes the rock generation ever enjoyed” (Minneapolis Star Tribune), Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks have hijacked the holidays and created a Christmas album you’ll enjoy all year long.

Set for release on October 12, 2010 through Surfdog Records, Crazy For Christmas is classic Hot Licks, full of the same dry wit and musical brilliance that has defined Dan Hicks’ music for the past four decades and established him as one of American music’s true cult heroes.

“We wanted to have the Hot Licks sound going, with our signature violin and guitar and two girls backing me up and the tongue-in-cheek approach to the material and the delivery. Keeping it swingin’, keeping it light, with lots of good solos and some cool scat stuff,” explains Hicks. “It’s a Christmas album, yes, but first and foremost it’s a Hot Licks album.”

Crazy For Christmas covers it all - with Hicks originals “I’ve Got Christmas By The Tail” and the humorous “Santa’s Workshop” nestled in with classics (done Hicks’ style) like “Here Comes Santa Claus” and an amazing original take on “Carol Of The Bells.” Of course, no Dan Hicks holiday album would be complete without a few irreverent parodies including “Christmas Mornin’” (done in the tune of Hicks’ hit “Where’s The Money”) and “Santa Got A Choo-Choo” (a Hicks re-write and salute to “Choo Choo Ch’Boogie”).

Crazy For Christmas comes on the heels of Hicks’ critically acclaimed 2009 release Tangled Tales. The recording, dubbed an “irreverent, rowdy, even dangerous distillation of real American music,” by the East Bay Express, proved once-and-for-all that Hicks’ undeniable musical legacy is still evolving.

“Talk about a rugged, all-American individual,” the LA Weekly reviewed, “Dan Hicks has plowed deep furrows through some of the most fertile pop music territory known to man, and during it all has maintained both his own distinct, light yet emphatic touch and a pace that's always kept him more than a few steps ahead of his colleagues.”

Dan Hicks began his career in 1965 as the drummer for psychedelic San Francisco rock band The Charlatans before forming the acoustic ensemble Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks. His unique songwriting and blend of styles, masterful folk-swing guitar playing, and unmistakable sense of humor have made him a cultural icon, landing Hicks on the cover of Rolling Stone twice and provoking Tom Waits to say, “Dan Hicks is fly, sly, wily and dry” while Elvis Costello proclaimed him “an American treasure.” Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks are on tour this fall, including a run of his always over-the-top “Holidaze in Hicksville” extravaganza beginning in late November.

This year, Holidaze in Hicksville shows will feature a live performance of Crazy for Christmas in its entirety, as well as several Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks classics. A complete list of currently confirmed tour dates is included below.

Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks Crazy For Christmas Track List
1. Christmas Mornin’
2. Santa Gotta Choo-Choo
3. Somebody Stole My Santa Claus Suit
4. Carol Of The Bells
5. Run Run Rudolph
6. Santa’s Workshop
7. Old Fashioned Christmas
8. Cool Yule
9. I’ve Got Christmas By The Tail
10. I Saw Mommy Kissin’ Santa Claus
11. Here Comes Santa Claus
12. Under The Mistletoe

Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks tour dates are as follows:

Friday, October 22 The ArtsCenter Carrboro NC
Saturday, October 23 Gibson Theatre Shelby NC
Sunday, October 24 Eddie's Attic Decatur GA
Friday, November 19 O'Shaughnessy Center Whitefish MT

Holidaze in Hicksville performances:
Saturday, November 27 Appel Farm Arts and Music Center Elmer NJ
Tuesday, November 30 City Winery New York NY
Wednesday, December 1 Barns at Wolftrap Vienna VA
Thursday, December 2 Greensburg Garden and Civic Center Greensburg PA
Friday, December 3 Sellersville Theater Sellersville PA
Saturday, December 4 The Met Cafe Pawtucket RI
Tuesday, December 7 Wood Fire Dowagiac MI
Wednesday, December 8 Wealthy Theatre Grand Rapids MI
Thursday, December 9 Kent Stage Kent OH
Saturday, December 11 McCabe's Guitar Shop and Concert Hall Santa Monica CA
Wednesday, December 15 Belly Up Tavern Solana Beach CA

(More dates to be added soon…)

www.danhicks.net

Native Deen releases music video to support My Faith My Voice

Native Deen, one of the most well-known and respected Muslim hip-hop groups in the international community, today released a music video in response to the rising tide of Islamophobia facing America, especially in the wake of the New York Islamic cultural center controversy.

The music video, released as part of the “My Faith My Voice” campaign from which it takes its title, highlights many of the concerns Muslims have regarding the vilification of Islam and the heavy-handed focus given to extremist voices.

“As American Muslims, we feel like our voices have been drowned out by the extremists on both sides,” said Abdul Malik Ahmad, one of three young African-American Muslim men who comprise Native Deen. “People who claim to be Muslim but commit horrible acts of violence overshadow the vast majority of Muslims who are peaceful. On the other side, those who try to marginalize Muslims in society are equally outspoken in their divisive rhetoric.”

“Native Deen has always called to the middle path, but moderate voices like ours don't make headline news. As musicians, we know the power of music and hope to reach out to our fellow Americans through this song.”

In the opening verse, Ahmad sings: “They're saying we are savages, uncivilized/ Me, my community we work hard, / Every opportunity to break walls, / The fight, the lunacy that they cause, / Respect here to you and me, the same God./ Giving you the right facts, we keep repeating that/ Islam has been hijacked, we ain't like that,/ Then some lunatic goes on a rampage,/ Using violence and I'm outraged./ This is senseless, and its gruesome,/ Please don't let this, be a Muslim./ Awww maaan... We're all vilified,/ They're saying we are savages, uncivilized.”

Later in the song, Ahmad adds: “Go use the same steam, for youth to stay clean,/ Our earth to stay green, we want the same thing,/ 'Stead of burning books, extinguish disease,/ Help spark the flame to help children in need.”

WATCH THE VIDEO at www.myfaithmyvoice.com

Native Deen, a fusion hip-hop group, has inspired millions of people of all ages and ethnicities from around the world. Native Deen has toured more than 60 cities in America, Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, promoting Islam and positive interfaith relations. Over 4 million people have viewed its videos on YouTube, and its album, "Not Afraid to Stand Alone" is ranked #2 in the DC area on independent music site cdbaby.com.

In October 2010, Native Deen will release its newest album, “The Remedy.” For more information, visit www.nativedeen.com.

About My Faith My Voice
My Faith My Voice (MFMV) is a grassroots effort by American Muslims to present the diverse voices and faces of its community. Through its website, www.myfaithmyvoice.com, MFMV offers American Muslims a platform to reach out and speak directly to America through video messages and online social media outreach. To date, the campaign has generated more than 200 messages from American Muslims and has received a great deal of media attention and public support.

Paddy's Pig and Nellie Bly October shows

October will be here soon and boy do we hope that it brings with it some sub-100 degree temperatures. At least it will bring with it an L.A. show for Paddy's Pig and for Nellie Bly.

Paddy’s Pig
Saturday, October 2 — 8 pm – 11 pm (new earlier time!)
At: Tam O’Shanter
2980 Los Feliz Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90039
www.lawrysonline.com

Nellie Bly
Wednesday, October 20 — time tbd
At: The Lounge Theater
6201 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
part of the “Feminine Soul” series. Come early for Apryle Dalmacio, Freddy & Francine, Angie Evans. MC Jamila Gaskins

Paddy’s Pig
Friday, October 22 — 9 pm (3 sets)
At: O’Sullivans
640 Grand Ave.
Carlsbad, CA 92008
www.osullivanscarlsbad.com

Thanks so much for supporting us.

Breech/Nellie Bly/Paddy's Pig
www.breech.net
www.paddyspigla.com

Down to release new CD/DVD set

New Orleans, LA’s DOWN and Crave Online have just released an exclusive, previously unreleased track, ‘Stone the Crow’ (recorded live in Dublin) at the Crave Online website! The track is cut from the audio portion of their upcoming 3 disc (2 CD/1 DVD) release, Diary of a Mad Band, hitting stores on October 5th, 2010. See the full track listing below.

DOWN has three Diary of a Mad Band pre-order bundles available for purchase now! All pre-orders include an instant MP3 download of the recently debuted track, ‘Stone the Crow’ live in Dublin! These packages are a must have for every DOWN fan! Click the links below to be directed to the webstore to purchase your bundle!

Pre-Order Bundle #1 - Diary of a Mad Band 3 disc (2 CD/1 DVD) set - $18

Pre-Order Bundle #2 - Diary of a Mad Band 3 disc (2 CD/1 DVD) set with limited edition pre-order only T-SHIRT - $30

Pre-Order Bundle #3 - Diary of a Mad Band 3 disc (2 CD/1 DVD), limited edition DOWN 3’x 5’ FLAG, limited edition pre-order only T-SHIRT - $45

Diary of a Mad Band features a 17 track, 2 CD full concert, live in London during DOWN’s very first European tour in 2006! The DVD highlights DOWN in the practice room, as well as six blistering weeks of the same European tour, promoted completely by word of mouth. No label, no publicity, just the band jetting off on a plane and setting across the continent.

This is the first time DOWN performed on the road in four years, and marked the practical rebirth of NOLA metal. Raw, unseen and uncut, the DVD also features a bonus behind-the-scenes featurette entitled ‘Tyrades and Shananigans’. Plus, witness some of metal’s greatest icons (including Cronos of Venom, Fenriz of Darkthrone, Witchcraft, Alice in Chains, and Satyr and Frost of Satyricon) come out of the underground and pay homage to DOWN. All in all, the DVD includes a staggering 130 minutes of unreleased footage!

DVD: Diary of a Mad Band
w/ BONUS DVD FEATURETTE ‘Tyrades and Shananigans’
1. Lysergic Funeral Procession
2. Lifer
3. Losing All
4. Rehab
5. New Orleans Is A Dying Whore
6. Ghosts Along The Mississippi
7. Learn From This Mistake
8. Underneath Everything
9. Temptation’s Wings
10. There's Something On My Side
11. Hail The Leaf
12. Lies
13. The Seed
14. Eyes Of The South
15. Jail
16. Stone The Crows
17. Bury Me In Smoke

2 CD: LIVE IN EUROPE
1. Losing All
2. Lifer
3. Lysergic Funeral Procession
4. Rehab
5. Temptations Wings
6. Ghosts Along The Mississippi
7. Learn From This Mistake
8. Hail The Leaf
9. New Orleans Is A Dying Whore
10. Lies, I Don't Know What They Say But...
11. Underneath Everything
12. The Seed
13. Eyes Of The South
14. Jail
15. Stone The Crows
16. Bury Me In Smoke

If that isn’t enough for a rabid fan, a 180 Gram triple vinyl version with a bonus DVD will be available on October 26th! DOWN features the all-star line-up of vocalist Philip Anselmo (Pantera, Arson Anthem), guitarist Pepper Keenan (Corrosion of Conformity), guitarist Kirk Windstein (Crowbar, Kingdom of Sorrow), bassist Rex Brown (Pantera), and drummer Jimmy Bower (Eyehategod, Crowbar). Based in New Orleans, LA, DOWN boasts an intense domestic and international fan base. Their last album, III: Over and Under has scanned over 113,000 copies, and internationally, DOWN has seen staggering sales of over 1 million. Regarded as one of the most explosive live acts of our generation, DOWN is constantly touring the globe. Stay tuned for tour dates in the future!

For more information about DOWN and Diary of a Mad Band, please visit these sites:

http://www.down-nola.com/
http://www.myspace.com/downnola
http://eastwest.ilgpress.com/down/media/

La Quinta Resort launches jazz series

Legendary Desert Retreat to Spotlight Series of Noted Jazz Artists through November

WHAT: Cool grooves will envelope the warm desert air this Friday, October 1, when formidable jazz virtuosos Rick Braun and Michael Paulo join creative forces to kick off La Quinta Resort & Club’s jiving new series, “Grooves in the Grove.”

WHO: Trumpeter Rick Braun, a legend on the contemporary urban jazz scene, and Michael Paulo, an accomplished and versatile jazz and pop-oriented saxophonist, headline the first of La Quinta Resort & Club’s much-anticipated fall jazz series, which over eight weeks will spotlight some of the country’s most dynamic and acclaimed performing artists, representing a compelling array of jazz styles and genres, appealing to a diverse audience:

· Oct. 1: Michael Paulo with special guest Rick Braun
· Oct. 8: Marc Antoine & Paul Brown
· Oct. 15: Hiroshima
· Oct. 22: Brian Simpson & Jessy J
· Oct. 29: Gregg Karukas, Richard Smith & Brian Bromberg
· Nov. 5: Greg Adams & East Bay Soul
· Nov. 19: Jeff Lorber Fusion with Eric Marienthal
. Nov. 26: Patrice Rushen, Paul Jackson Jr. & Harvey Mason

WHEN: The series gets underway this Friday, Oct. 1, from 7 to 9 p.m., and continues every Friday throughout November 26.

PRICE: Tickets are $25 for general admission; $40 for preferred seating. For visiting jazz lovers, La Quinta Resort & Club offers a “Grooves in the Grove” Resort Package that includes two-nights accommodations, two concert tickets and breakfast daily. Prices start at $249.

WHERE: On the expansive Main Lawn of La Quinta Resort & Club – under a star-studded sky and surrounded by fragrant citrus trees, towering palms and cacti, vibrant wildflowers and stunning vistas of the Santa Rosa Mountains – setting a spectacular stage for an open air concert.

La Quinta Resort & Club
49-499 Eisenhower Drive
La Quinta, CA 92253
760-564-4111
www.laquintaresort.com

La Quinta Resort & Club and PGA WEST feature world-class accommodations, dining, golf, tennis and fitness. Known as The Western Home of Golf in America®, the world renowned destination is home to 90 holes of award-winning golf courses – designed by legends Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Pete Dye, Greg Norman and Tom Weiskopf – as well as instruction at the Jim McLean Golf School. In addition to great golf, La Quinta Resort features 796 elegantly appointed casitas, suites and villas; 23 tennis courts; the 23,000-square-foot Spa La Quinta® with 41 pools and 53 hot spas; and exceptional cuisine at Morgan’s in the desert, Twenty6 and Adobe Grill. La Quinta Resort & Club is a member of Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts.

For more information, visit www.laquintaresort.com.

Sade to tour in 2011, tickets on sale in October

Following the platinum selling success of Soldier of Love, Sade announces their highly anticipated return to the world’s stage. The North American leg, produced by Live Nation, begins on June 16th in Baltimore, Maryland at the 1st Mariner’s Arena. Tickets go on sale in select markets beginning October 16th at LiveNation.com with additional dates to be announced soon.

Sade will perform songs from their collection of timeless hits including songs from their critically acclaimed album, SOLDIER OF LOVE which secured the # 1 album spot upon its release in February. Selling over a million copies to-date, SOLDIER OF LOVE spent three weeks in the number one spot taking its rightful place among the collection of iconic Sade albums.

Sade will perform over 50 concerts in top arenas across North America, in an effort to reach their vast and loyal fan base. Their classic sound set to haunting, unmistakable vocals creates the most intimate of concert experiences in a way that only an unforgettable Sade performance can. Sade performed for more than 1,000,000 fans during her last tour in 2001.

Not only has America welcomed Sade back with open arms after close to ten years, but worldwide, SOLDIER OF LOVE has proven to be a smash. The album skyrocketed to # 1 in ten additional countries including Canada, Switzerland, France, Italy, Poland, Greece, Japan, Portugal and Spain. Entertainment Weekly featured SOLDIER OF LOVE in their “Must List” and gave the album an “A”, Rolling Stone wrote, “it’s unimpeachably excellent,” and The Boston Globe calls it, “a rich and rewarding album.”

But the accolades don’t stop there. Associated Press raved, “like a long-ago lover not quite forgotten, Sade has returned to steal our hearts with more beautiful, uncategorizable music,” Billboard was quoted as saying, “it’s been 10 years since Sade released an album, but be forewarned – the giant has awoken,” while People Magazine reminds us that “Sade remains the voice of comfort to the wounded heart.”

Known for their one of a kind timeless sound, Sade has enjoyed phenomenal success both internationally and stateside throughout the span of their twenty-five year career. Since the release of their debut album, Diamond Life in 1984 the band has seen all five of their studio albums land in the Top 10 on Billboard’s Top 200 Album Chart selling a total of more than 50 million albums worldwide to date. They’ve been nominated for American Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards and have won three Grammy Awards – first in 1986 for Best New Artist, then in 1994 for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group for “No Ordinary Love”, and again in 2002 for Best Pop Vocal Album with Lovers Rock.

DATE CITY VENUE ON SALE
Thu Jun 16 Baltimore, MD 1st Mariner Arena Sat Oct 16
Sun Jun 19 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center Mon Oct 18
Tue Jun 21 Uniondale, NY Nassau Coliseum Mon Oct 18
Fri Jun 24 East Rutherford, NJ Izod Center Mon Oct 18
Tue Jun 28 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre Sat Oct 16
Thu Jun 30 Montreal, QC Bell Centre Sat Oct 16
Wed Jul 06 Boston, MA TD Garden Mon Oct 18
Fri Aug 05 Chicago, IL United Center Mon Oct 18
Fri Aug 19 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center Mon Oct 18
Tue Aug 30 Anaheim, CA Honda Center Mon Oct 18

Additional dates will be announced in the following markets soon: Atlanta, GA; Charlotte, NC; Calgary, AB; Cleveland, OH; Dallas, TX; Detroit, MI; Fort Lauderdale, FL; Houston, TX; Kansas City, MO; Las Vegas, NV; Louisville, KY; Memphis, TN; Milwaukee, WI; New Orleans, LA; Oakland, CA; Orlando, FL; Phoenix, AZ; Pittsburgh, PA; Portland, OR; Sacramento, CA; San Diego, CA; San Jose, CA; Seattle, WA; St Louis, MO; St Paul, MN, Vancouver, BC.

Additional ticket and tour information can be found at SADE.COM and LiveNation.com.

Rony Seikaly to release album

Rony Seikaly – former NBA and current DJ and Production Superstar announces his debut artist album: Subliminal Essentials Presents: House Calls by Rony Seikaly out on Subliminal Records October 19, 2010. This digital-only release will be available on Beatport, Traxsource, iTunes and all other digital download outlets. This will be the first in a series of releases from Seiklay on the venerable independent label.

After years of travelling the globe on the international DJ circuit, the Lebanese-born star, who made US his home on the court with the Miami Heat, now makes his home behind the turntables. With a thumping rhythm that carries throughout Seikaly takes you on a journey from the clubs of Ibiza to Miami, London, Paris, NYC and beyond. This is dance music with global influence. This is Rony’s dance music; in your ears, in your house.

Seikaly who earned the nickname “The Spin Doctor” while playing with the Miami Heat – will be bringing his signature brand of house music on the road with the House Calls US Tour (full dates TBA), launching October 23rd at LIV in Seiklay’s adopted home city Miami.

Seikaly released his first single “Come With Me” on August 3, 2010 which reached the House Top 40 on Beatport. Shortly after that he followed-up with a track titled “Let You Go” which released on September 9, 2010. Originally titled “Mila’s Theme” it plays as a tribute to his daughter. Both tracks are climbing the electronic charts and rocking dancefloors across the globe.

Speaking knowledgeably about various musical eras, Seikaly has an inherent understanding for the music that has inspired him and influenced his unique style. Dubbed "Rony Style" by such electronic music heavyweights Morillo, Seikaly himself loosely defines it as "happy underground." Seikaly himself is possibly the one having the most fun in any nightclub. His enjoyment in playing music and seeing the crowd's reaction is a huge part of the experience.

Although Seikaly has been a long time partner in numerous bars, lounges, and clubs around the Miami area (Bar None, Mynt, Mokai, Club Wall at the W Hotel), his talents go far beyond that locality. LIV (Miami), Spybar (Chicago), Pacha (NYC), Playhouse (LA), Queen (Paris), and Amnesia (Ibiza) are a few spots that have experienced Seikaly's sought-after inimitable style.

Tracklist
DJ Chus & Supernova – “Carnavalesco (Original InStereo Mix)”
Jose Nunez feat Shawnee Taylor - “Yesterday (Original Mix)”
Belocca & Soneec feat. Chappell – “What A Feeling (Lauer & Canard Remix)”
Rony Seikaly – “Ignition (Original Mix)”
Soul Avengerz v Butcherd Beats – “Trumpets Shall Sound (Soul Avengerz Club SODA Mix)”
Dave Mayer featuring Roland Clark – “Rhythm Section (Vocal Mix)”
Rony Seikaly feat. Polina – “Come With Me (Original Mix)
PolyRhythm feat. JaQuita – “So Rare (Original Mix)”
Rony Seikaly feat. Polina – “Let You Go (Vanjee Remix)”
Rony Seikaly – “Close Your Eyes (Original Mix)”
Underground Solution featuring Jasmine – “Luv Dancin’ (Harry Choo Choo Romero’s Bambossa Remix)”
Rony Seikaly – “Session 13 (Original Mix)”
Carl Kennedy & Tommy Trash feat. Rosie Henshaw – “Blackwater (Behrouz Ibiza White Ireland Mix)”
Rony Seikaly – “Sensations (Original Mix)”
Rony Seikaly feat. Polina – “Carry The Light (Original Mix)”
Rony Seikaly – “Subliminal Essentials Presents House Calls by Rony Seikaly” (Full Mix)”

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON RONY SEIKALY:
www.ronyseikaly.com/
www.facebook.com/pages/Rony-Seikaly/66907383282
www.twitter.com/ronyseikaly.com

Opera Buffs present "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" in LA on Halloween

OPERA BUFFS
PRESENTS FALL PERFORMERS SHOWCASE,
“Brush Up Your Shakespeare”
Sunday October 31; 2:30 p.m.;
Thayer Hall
200 South Grand,
downtown LA, 90012,
at the Colburn School

Featured Soloists:
Soprano Tracy Cox
Soprano Jacquelynne Fontaine
Soprano Karen Vuong
Tenor Christian Sanders
Baritone Joseph Lim
Bass Gabriel Vamvulescu

Program:
Staged scenes from The Barber of Seville (Rossini), Macbeth (Verdi), The Magic Flute (Mozart), Madame Butterfly (Puccini), and the Queen of Spades (Tchaikovsky). The program also includes excerpts from the operetta The Student Prince (Romberg) and musical theater productions Gigi (Lerner and Loewe), Flower Drum Song (Rodgers and Hammerstein) and Street Scene (Weill).

Tickets: Contributions of $15 non-members; $10 for students

To order: 818.348.3391 or email barbaramrkl@yahoo.com.

Visit www.operabuffs.org

Picture Me Broken in Victorville Friday

Redwood City-based PICTURE ME BROKEN will be performing in Victorville on Friday October 1st at the Victorville Event Center. PMB is a blend of hard rock, metal, and post-hardcore, whose debut full-length Wide Awake was released on July 6th via Megaforce Records. Their video for "Dearest (I'm So Sorry)" premiered last week on REVOLVER Magazine.

Brooklyn was recently featured as the Hottest Chick in Metal by REVOLVER Magazine in their 2010 Aug/Sep issue. In addition, she has also been chosen as the Hottest Chick in Hard Rock in their upcoming Halloween issue (Oct/Nov 2010), which is their biggest selling issue.

Many of these songs were recorded by notable Bay Area producers Scott Llamas of Popsmear Records and Aaron Hellam, with additional production work from Scott Gillman and famed producer Mudrock (Avenged Sevenfold, Godsmack). They've already reached a major milestone by winning an MTV Video Music Award for "Best Breakout Bay Area Band". Brooklyn In addition, PMB received a lot of love from their fans on Pure Volume.

Their explosive single "Dearest (I'm So Sorry)" was the #1 Download and Top Song for nine days straight, which resulted in them being a Top 20 Unsigned Band for 2009. It's also available for download on RockBand, which has exceeded 10k downloads to date.

Not bad for a bunch of 17-year olds, eh?

Not to mention lead singer Brooklyn's father is Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Gregg Allman.

10/1 - FRIDAY
Victorville Event Center
15520 7th Street
Victorville, CA
All Ages
Doors: 7pm
Admission: $15
Opening acts: Black Veil Brides, William Control, Motionless In White

PICTURE ME BROKEN
Album Title: Wide Awake
Release Date: July 6, 2010
Label: Megaforce

Parents' Choice announces fall children's music winners

The Parents' Choice Foundation announced its Fall 2010 Audio Award winners this morning, and several Sugar Mountain PR clients have won recognition:

Gold Award
Justin Roberts - Jungle Gym

Silver Awards
Oran Etkin - Wake Up, Clarinet!
Hap Palmer - Learning in Two Languages/Aprendiendos en dos idiomas
The Okee Dokee Brothers - Take It Outside

Recommended Awards
Debbie and Friends - More Story Songs and Sing Alongs
Jeremy Plays Guitar (Jeremy Zmuda) - Use Your Words
Uncle Rock - The Big Picture

As Parents' Choice notes in their awards announcement, "Those who write original songs and stories deliver intelligent, inventive lyrics; they craft and tell a captivating story, in words and music. They create magical worlds that kids believe – and want to live in – if even for only a few minutes."

Designed to help parents and caregivers of all achievements and backgrounds make informed decisions about which new products are right for their children, the Parents' Choice Awards is the nation's oldest nonprofit program created to recognize quality children's media. The Parents' Choice Awards program honors the best material for children: books, toys, music and storytelling, magazines, software, videogames, television and websites. Parents' Choice Foundation's panels of educators, scientists, performing artists, librarians, parents and, yes, kids themselves, identify the very best products for children of different ages and backgrounds, and of varied skill and interest levels. Visit www.parents-choice.org for more information.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Support local music with Sierra Madre Sue

"We're havin' a heatwave, a tropical heatwave..." I was going to pose the questions as to who sang it first, who made it more famous the second time, in what movies, and who wrote it, but all you have to do these days is look it up on the internet - way too easy! For those of you who do, check out the lyrics - pretty racy stuff for 1938 and even 1954!

I'm not gonna give away the answers though... you never know when QuizMistress Deanna might want to use 'em in her Tuesday Night Trivia at Cafe 322! I suggest you do your homework. Trivia Night details below and photo of the hostess here. You can also see her perform with the Mellow Dz, Mercy & the Merkettes and New Astroturf.

THURS. 9/30 - BARRY "BIG B" BRENNER @ FIREFLY BISTRO IN SOUTH PASADENA, 6 - 9pm, every Thursday. 1009 El Centro. 626-441-2443. Burgers, Brews & BLUES. http://www.bigbbrenner.com/

THURS. 9/30 - The Mellow D'z at Oceanview Bistro in Montrose from 7:30-10pm. Cool tunes for cool people. Their only appearance this week, so don't miss it! http://www.ovbistro.com/

FRI. 10/1 - Dirty Dave Osti & the Dynamites at Cafe 322 in Sierra Madre, 9pm - Midnight. 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-836-5414. Full bar, great Italian food, no cover. Dave Osti, Moyes Lucas and Dave Batti. These guys truly are dyn-o-mite!

SAT. 10/2 - WRECK 'N' SOW @ ME & ED'S PIZZERIA IN LAKEWOOD, 6:30 - 9:30pm. 4115 Paramount Blvd. Bluegrass.

SAT. 10/2 - OPEN MIC NIGHT @ THE FRET HOUSE IN COVINA. 309 N. Citrus Ave. (626) 339-7020. Always on the first Saturday of the month, and just one dollar for performers or audience. Sign-up starts at 7:30. If there aren't enough slots for everybody they'll make a list for the next month, and call you. Each act gets two songs or ten minutes, whichever comes first. The show starts at 8:00. They'll have desserts and coffee ready. Bring your friends and family and join the show! http://www.frethouse.com/

OCTOBER 3rd - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SON MATT!

SUN. 10/3 - BARRY "BIG B" BRENNER @ FIREFLY BISTRO IN SOUTH PASADENA, every Sunday, 11am - 2pm. 1009 El Centro. 626-441-2443. http://www.bigbbrenner.com/

SUN. 10/3 - "OPERA TO BROADWAY" VOCAL PERFORMANCES @ CAFE 322 IN SIERRA MADRE, 7-10pm. 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-836-5414. Full bar and great Italian food. Every Sunday evening. Get there early - they pack 'em in!

MON. 10/4 - MAX BUDA @ THE OLD TOWNE PUB IN PASADENA, 9pm? Corner of fair Oaks & Union behind the Container Store. Enter thru alley off of Holly Ave. 626-577-6583. Chester, Jerry, Ted, Bruce, Peter and Nick on noisemakers. An eclectic mix of jazzed-up rock. One of my favorite bands. Every first Monday night.

"TUESDAY NIGHT TRIVIA" @ CAFE 322 with QUIZMASTER DEANNA, 8pm. $2 per person to play, CASH or gift certificates to the top 3 teams. Fun and educational! 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-836-5414.

"WEDNESDAY NIGHT PLATTER PARTY" @ THE BUCCANEER, 9pm. Bring your favorite vinyl records and play an entire side on the house turntable, commercial free! 70 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-355-9045. No cover, full bar, friendly service!

THURS. 10/14 - BARRY "BIG B" BRENNER @ FIREFLY BISTRO IN SOUTH PASADENA, 6 - 9pm, every Thursday. 1009 El Centro. 626-441-2443. Burgers, Brews & BLUES. http://www.bigbbrenner.com/

THURS. 10/14 - LISA FINNIE & FRIENDS @ CAFE 322 IN SIERRA MADRE, 8 - 11pm. Full bar & great Italian food! 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-836-5414. Country/Jazzy Folk, and always quality musicians.

FRI. 10/15 - NEW ASTROTURF @ CAFE 322 in SIERRA MADRE, 8 - 11pm. All ages welcome - bring the family for dinner. Full bar & great Italian food! 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-836-5414. Folk/Rock & Classic Country. Back to their usual first Thursday of the month in November.

SUN. 1017 - BARRY "BIG B" BRENNER @ FIREFLY BISTRO IN SOUTH PASADENA, every Sunday, 11am - 2pm. 1009 El Centro. 626-441-2443. http://www.bigbbrenner.com/

SUN. 10/17 - "OPERA TO BROADWAY" VOCAL PERFORMANCES @ CAFE 322 IN SIERRA MADRE, 7-10pm. 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-836-5414. Full bar and great Italian food. Every Sunday evening. Get there early - they pack 'em in!

"TUESDAY NIGHT TRIVIA" @ CAFE 322 with QUIZMASTER DEANNA, 8pm. $2 per person to play, CASH or gift certificates to the top 3 teams. Fun and educational! 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-836-5414.

TUES. 10/19 - Band practice with the Aluminum Marshmallow & The Age of Aquarius Horns at Mario's Cafe 322, immediately following trivia with Quizmistress Deanna (9-11ish). 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-836-5414.

"WEDNESDAY NIGHT PLATTER PARTY" @ THE BUCCANEER, 9pm. Bring your favorite vinyl records and play an entire side on the house turntable, commercial free! 70 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-355-9045. No cover, full bar, friendly service!

THURS. 10/21 - BARRY "BIG B" BRENNER @ FIREFLY BISTRO IN SOUTH PASADENA, 6 - 9pm, every Thursday. 1009 El Centro. 626-441-2443. Burgers, Brews & BLUES. http://www.bigbbrenner.com/

THURS. 10/21 - RICK SHEA & THE LOSIN' END @ CAFE 322 IN SIERRA MADRE, 8 - 11pm. Full bar & great Italian food! 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-836-5414. Americana/Roots/Country.

SAT. 10/23 - "BLUESAPALOOZA" IN DOWNTOWN COVINA WITH LIVE MUSIC ON SEVERAL STAGES, BEER GARDEN, KIDS' ACTIVITIES, ETC. bluesapalooza.org
SAT. 10/23 - St. Rita's Harvest Festival. (Show time and supporting acts to be determined.) The annual pilgrimage to the birth place of the Aluminum Marshmallow. Games, rides, food, beer/wine. 322 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre.

FRI. 10/29 - HALLOWEEN HAPPENINGS IN DOWNTOWN SIERRA MADRE FOR THE KIDS - TRICK OR TREATING @ SHOPS & RESTAURANTS 3:30-5pm, COSTUME CONTEST SIGN-UPS in Kersting Court 4-5pm, COSTUME PARADE from Kersting Court to Memorial Park 5pm, COSTUME CONTEST in the Park 5:30pm.

FRI. 10/29 - SWING DANCE PARTY with FLAT TOP TOM & HIS JUMPCATS @ CAFE 322, 8 - 11pm. 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-836-5414. Full bar, great Italian food, dance floor.

SAT. 10/30 - HALLOWEEN FREAKOUT COSTUME PARTY AND CONTEST WITH MERCY & THE MERKETTES @ CAFE 322 IN SIERRA MADRE, 8pm - Midnight. 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-836-5414. Cash prizes!

SAT. 10/30 - HALLOWEEN COSTUME & DANCE PARTY @ THE AMERICAN LEGION IN EAST PASADENA, 8pm - Midnight with SNOTTY SCOTTY & THE HANKIES and HORSES ON ASTROTURF. 179 N. Vinedo Ave. 626-792-9938.

SAT. 10/30 - MORE HALLOWEEN MADNESS and 1st ANNIVERSARY BASH @ T. BOYLE'S TAVERN IN PASADENA, 9pm? 37 N. Catalina (in the alley - formerly Toe's Tavern and the Handlebars) Live band, costume contest, spicy pickled eggs! http://www.tboylestavern.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

Marc Black in Altadena Oct. 26

Marc Black got his musical feet wet with his high school band, the Blades of Grass (which enjoyed a top 40 hit and toured with Van Morrison and The Doors), and has been swimming in the deep end ever since. In the years that followed, Black has worked with such artists as Levon Helm, Art Garfunkel, John Sebastian, Eric Weissberg, Taj Mahal and many many more.

Marc will appear on October 26, at 8:00 p.m. at The Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena, CA.

While Black has recorded and performed in a variety of styles and formats over the years from 60s power pop to ambient experimental performance art, his forthcoming Pictures of the Highway (release date: Sept. 21) finds Black focusing on his songs and the Guild D40 he's toted around since he bought it new in 1968. Black and producer, Jennifer Condos, have created a CD that feels very organic with Jay Bellerose's subtle touch on drums.

Pictures of the Highway is already climbing the Folk DJ Charts and the Roots Rock Internet Airplay top 50 charts, as well as drawing praise from some early recipients of the cd.

“This is one honey of a record,” wrote Janet Goodman of Music News Nashville. “Tracks are tastefully underdone, with just enough musicianship to make them float effortlessly, pulling the listener in on their lifelines. ‘Ooh, I Love My Coffee’ is absolute, irresistible fun that will make you “espresso yourself” around the office cubicle.“

www.coffeegallery.com

"The Science of Iron Man" discussion at Caltech Oct. 13

The Science & Entertainment Exchange and the California Institute of Technology
present a panel discussion on

“The Science of Iron Man”

Featuring new and behind-the-scenes footage from Iron Man 2

Wednesday, October 13, 2010
8:00 PM
Caltech Beckman Auditorium
332 South Michigan Avenue, Pasadena, CA

PANELISTS:

Victoria Alonso is the executive vice president of VFX and post production for Marvel Studios, and is a co-producer on Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America.

Andreas Krause is an assistant professor of computer science, and part of Caltech’s Computation and Neural Systems faculty. His research focuses on machine learning and sensor networks, with applications in earthquake and traffic monitoring, and robotic exploration of ecosystems.

Jeremy Latcham is senior vice president, production and development, at Marvel Studios, and is a co-producer of Iron Man 2.

Janek Sirrs is the visual effects supervisor for Iron Man 2. He has worked on such films as I Am Legend, Batman Begins, and The Big Lebowksi. He won an Academy Award for his work on The Matrix in 1999.

Mark Wise is the John A. McCone Professor of High Energy Physics at Caltech, specializing in theoretical particle physics and cosmology. He served as science consultant for Iron Man 2.

The Science & Entertainment Exchange is a program of the National Academy of Sciences that provides entertainment industry professionals with access to top scientists and engineers to help bring the reality of cutting-edge science to creative and engaging storylines.

http://www.scienceandentertainmentexchange.org

Visit our Web site: http://media.caltech.edu

Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/jonweiner

Halford to release new album

Metal God Entertainment and Rob Halford are pleased to announce the release of ‘Halford IV Made Of Metal’ featuring fourteen (14) new Halford studio recordings debuting world-wide September 27th (UK & EU), September 28th (North America) and October 13, 2010 (Japan).

Produced by Roy Z. and recorded during 2009 and 2010, Made Of Metal showcases a bulk of material (words & music) penned exclusively by Rob Halford. Made Of Metal features fourteen (14) new Halford studio tracks including: The Mower, Made Of Metal, Fire And Ice, Till The Day I Die, Undisputed, Heartless and Thunder And Lightning.

Halford’s new NASCAR-themed, animated-music video ‘Made Of Metal’ created by London-based Animator Dean Wright debuts September 13, 2010, now available at www.robhalford.com/madeofmetal.

The single 'Made Of Metal' digital download available at iTunes and www.HalfordMusic.com.

‘It is probably the most personal release of my solo career; in terms of my writing and performances. Halford IV Made Of Metal hits hard on many musical and emotional levels. I’m certain it will be recognized as one of the band’s best releases, and I’m looking forward to performing the new tracks this year, and re-connecting the Halford band with its legions ofMetal fans’.

Halford IV Made Of Metal is releasing on Metal God Records September 27th (UK, EU, Australia - ADA Global / Warner Music Group), October 28th (North America - Fontana / Universal Music Group) and October 13, 2010 Japan (Fontana International / Universal Music Japan).

Track Listing:
1. Undisputed
2. Fire and Ice
3. Made Of Metal
4. Speed Of Sound
5. Like There’s No Tomorrow
6. Till The Day I Day
7. We Own The Night
8. Heartless
9. Hell Razor
10. Thunder and Lightning
11. Twenty-Five Years
12. Matador
13. I Know We Stand A Chance
14. The Mower

Halford’s first live performances in more than seven years has included appearances this year in San Francisco, Montreal’s Heavy Metal Festival and Ozzfest 2010. Halford have confirmed Headline performances October 15, 2010 in Nagoya, Japan and October 16, 2010 at Tokyo’s Loud Park Festival 10. Halford have also confirmed South America Headline performances October 20 Lima, Peru; October 22 Santiago, Chile; October 24 Sao Paulo, Brazil; October 26 and October 27, 2010 Buenos Aires, Argentina. November and December Halford touring details have been announced at www.robhalford.com/index.php/halford-tours.

‘It has been a long wait for the global Halford fan-base, and of course I’m very pleased to return with Halford IV Made Of Metal this September 2010’. comments Rob Halford.

Ozzy Osbourne & Rob Halford 2010 North America Fall Tour:
Nov. 12 - Victoria, BC - Save On Foods Memorial Centre
Nov. 14 - Vancouver, BC - Rogers Arena
Nov. 16 - Calgary, AB - Pengrowth Saddledome
Nov. 18 - Edmonton, MB - Rexall Place
Nov. 20 - Winnipeg, MB - MTS Centre
Nov. 23 - Montreal, QC - Bell Centre
Nov. 25 - Ottawa, ON - Scotiabank Place
Nov. 27 - Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre
Dec. 01 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden Arena
Dec. 03 - E. Rutherford, NJ - Izod Center
Dec. 05 - Cleveland, OH - Quicken Loans Arena
Dec. 12 - Minneapolis, MN - Target Center

MORE DATES TBA...

For more info, please visit:
RobHalford.com
MetalGodShop.com
MetalGodApparel.com
MetalGodRecords.com
HalfordMusic.com

Poetry, art & music in La Canada Flintridge Oct. 10

On Sunday, October 10, from 3 – 5 P.M., Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse is pleased to host Writing the Body, an afternoon of poetry, art and music presented by Poets on Site. Poets on Site is an on going cooperative writing and performance group created in Pasadena by Kathabela Wilson in 2008.

Poets on Site reads a sampling of their work inspired by the art of Toti O’Brien. O’Brien presents a small collection of her pieces, and historical flutes played by Rick Wilson, professor of mathematics at California Institute of Technology, accompany the readings.

Toti O'Brien was born in Italy and lives in the Los Angeles area. She works in a wide range of media, from dance to poetry, from music to visual art. She also writes for several Italian magazines, contributing articles about life and art abroad, and teaches a number of art programs.

Poets on Site write work inspired by nature, science, and the arts, and, in their presentations are often accompanied by musicians, dancers and other performing artists. Over 100 artists from several disciplines have participated in their programs.

This event is part of a series of monthly poetry programs hosted by Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse, independently owned and located in the foothill community of La Canada. It is a general bookstore, stocked with current and past best sellers and also offers a large selection of children’s and young adult publications in keeping with California State Standards.

For more information, call (818) 790-0717. Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse is located at 964 Foothill Blvd., La Canada Flintridge CA 91011, at the intersection of Foothill Blvd. and the Angeles Crest Highway. Take the Angeles Crest exit off of the 210, and turn south toward Foothill Blvd. Parking is in the rear of the store.

Langham Huntington Pasadena offers October spa specials

The Huntington Spa at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena is pleased to announce exciting specials for the month of October, including special Chuan Man Packages to pamper gentlemen as the baseball season comes to a compelling close, as well as an exclusive Acupuncture package featuring services by Dr. Paulette Y. Saddler, M.D., F.A.C.P. – perfect to kick start relaxation before the holiday season!

Chuan Man Packages
Now that the thrilling baseball playoff season is upon us, The Huntington Spa created Chuan Man Packages for luxurious relaxation with men in mind. Packages include:

The Double Play Package – book a Chuan Harmony or Balancing Couples’ massage with your companion in the month of October and receive 25% off. Guaranteed to relax and return balance to your hectic life.

The Triple Play Package – book a Chuan Neck Back and Shoulder Massage, a Mini cleansing facial and Men’s Haircut and receive 25% off. Each treatment is so quick you won’t miss a play!
The Grand Slam Day Spa Package – Book a Man’s World or Executive Indulgence package and receive a complimentary men’s haircut. You’ll be relaxed, refreshed and looking good in time for the next game!

October Acupuncture Package
During the month of October, book an Acupuncture package and receive a 25-minute Acupuncture therapy session with Dr. Paulette Y. Saddler, M.D., F.A.C.P in our luxurious spa setting and also receive a Chuan Neck, Back and Shoulder Massage – the perfect complement to an acupuncture treatment to restore balance and promote overall wellness within the body. Package is priced at $270 per person – a savings of $100!

With the addition of Chuan Body + Soul, The Huntington Spa is the only luxury hotel spa in the area offering treatments based on Traditional Chinese Medicine. The new 11,000-square-foot spa features a state-of-the-art fitness center and 13 treatment rooms, including a couple’s room, and offers luxurious services such as massages, facials, body treatments, manicures, pedicures and hair services, in addition to acupressure massage, acupuncture and cupping.

For more information or to book an appointment, please call (626) 585-6414 or visit www.thehuntingtonspa.com.

Kelli Scarr to tour in support of album

Kelli Scarr Plays LOS ANGELES At Hotel Cafe On 11.3
Debut LP Piece Out Now On Silence Breaks

US Tour Dates
Oct. 7 - New York, NY - Joe's Pub
Nov. 2 - San Diego, CA - Park Gallery
Nov. 3 - Los Angeles, CA - Hotel Cafe
Nov. 4 - Santa Barbara, CA - Muddy Waters Cafe
Nov. 7 - Sacramento, CA - Luigi's Fungarden
Nov. 9 - Bend, OR - Silver Moon Brewery
Nov. 10 - Portland, OR - Alberta Rose Theater
Nov. 12 - Seattle, WA - Columbia City Theater

Kelli Scarr's interest in music and recording started early, at the age of three with her Nana using a handheld cassette recorder to record her singing. Growing up amongst the soundtrack of her parent’s records and singing in the Lutheran church of her hometown, music quickly became an important part of Kelli Scarr’s life.

After high school she moved to Boston, Massachusetts to study voice at Berklee, and she soon joined the band Moonraker. Following college, Kelli, along with Moonraker, moved to Brooklyn, NY where they were thrown head first into the ever-expanding indie scene, opening for bands like the Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene.

After several years of touring and three albums, the band dissolved in 2005 and Kelli started to shift her musical focus more towards film scoring, composing the score for Matthew Nourse’s full-length feature, “The Pacific and Eddy” and Jeremiah Zagar’s documentary, “In a Dream” (HBO). Kelli soon found herself nominated for best original score for, “In A Dream” by the Cinema Eye Honors alongside fellow nominees Nick Cave and Danny Elfman. It was also during this time that Kelli joined Brooklyn-based alt indie group, Salt and Samovar.

During an almost accidental bill sharing, Kelli was noticed by local NYC musician, Moby. After striking up a friendship, Kelli and Moby were soon working on music together with Kelli singing the title track of Moby’s haunting and introspective 2009 release, “Wait For Me” (Mute). Kelli also quickly joined Moby’s touring band for a world tour to support the critically acclaimed album. On top of singing and playing keyboards within Moby’s band, Kelli was also asked to open the shows, playing her own music in supporting slots for Moby and winning over crowds all over the world.

Amidst all of the transitions and touring, Kelli had begun recording songs on her own. She began simply by recording quiet piano songs at home in between working her hospital day job and in brief moments to herself during her three year old son’s naps. From what began as a simple process Kelli quickly found herself with a collection of recordings that spanned the world, two and a half years and included a diverse cast of musicians, engineers and producers.

The themes and inspiration for her music ranged from the once small gold rush town of Folsom, CA, now turned suburban sprawl, to the raising of a child and the wishes of a parent. For a majority of the record the songs acted as a therapeutic release and moment of reflection for the relationships in her life and the struggle to find peace within them. Along with these moments of self-release, her songs captured the images of her childhood and reflected everything from scenes of driving through California to the memories of her favorite childhood movies like Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz.

After a long and exhausting two and a half year process Kelli had a record of mainly home recordings, which she named, “Piece”; a name she adopted early on with the advice of friend and filmmaker Matthew Nourse, to help her visualize the album as a “snapshot in time” within an otherwise hectic time.

In the end “Piece” reflected a large portion of Kelli’s life and those around her. From the sounds of her creaky upright piano and midnight acoustic recordings to the whimpers of her son waking up from a nap in the next room, “Piece” captured an extremely personal journey, providing a photo album's worth of lush images. “Piece” will be released on August 10th, 2010 as the debut for indie start-up label, Silence breaks.

Tracklisting
Salt to the Sea
Driftwood
Break Up
Pure Gold
Brother
Baby Boom
Anything
So Long
The Wonder
Come Back to Me

http://www.myspace.com/kelliscarr
http://silencebreaks.com/kelliscarr/

Pacific Symphony Halloween family concert in Cerritos

Pacific Symphony
Halloween Family Concert

Theater: Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts
12700 Center Court Drive, Cerritos

Date: Sunday, October 31, 2010, 3:00 PM

Ticket Prices: $30
Four or more tickets: $18 each

Ticket Information: Tickets are available only at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts* Ticket Office, at www.cerritoscenter.com , or by calling (562) 467-8818.

Shuteye Union, Harmonious bec, Unknown Component, Dina Maccabee & Nuclear Power Pants releasing albums

Artist: Shuteye Unison
Release: Our Future Selves
Label: Parks and Records
Release Date: November 16, 2010

Daniel Mckenzie and Jon Fee of the bass-driven and melodic indie pop/noise rock outfit The Rum Diary, veteran studio/touring drummer Jake Krohn, and Remco Vanderheide (a Dutch transplant with bluegrass roots and a penchant for blowing amps) are Shuteye Unison. They call San Francisco home and share an affinity for good songwriting and post-rock that pushes experimentation almost to the point of self-indulgence. Their sophomore effort, "Our Future Selves", serves up sweet indie pop gems and the sort of sprawling, atmospheric rock you can temporarily lose yourself in. The album showcases a wide range of influences, from the classic John Hughes movie soundtracks to the organic post-punk grooves found on a Fugazi album.
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Artist: Harmonious bec
Release: Her Strange Dreams
Label: Monotreme
Release Date: November 16, 2010

Harmonious bec is the Japanese duo ZaMaRoo and From Vapor to Water, covert composers of intriguing, eclectic electronica. The songs on "Her Strange Dreams" have everything from the ominous ambience of a dream world, the relentless techno groove of an urban nightscape, jazzy piano, staccato cut-up hip-hop, and ethereal female vocals to exploding artillery, playful upbeat bleepery, and hyperactive R.E.M. states - all while Japanese themes/traditional instrumentation weave in and out. Think of musicians like DJ Shadow, Boards of Canada, Múm, The Books, FourTet, and Radiohead. Guest artists on the album include Mizube and 1968.
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Artist: Unknown Component
Release: The Infinite Definitive
Release Date: October 12, 2010

Unknown Component, the solo project of self-taught musician Keith Lynch, is "a one-man band who has got some major talent and really needs to be recognized" (The Rock Scene). The diverse musical style has similarities ranging from Oasis to Radiohead, whereas Lynch's vocals are reminiscent of Kurt Cobain and his thought-provoking lyrics have drawn comparisons to Bob Dylan. An Iowa City, IA native, Keith Lynch began performing as Unknown Component in 2002, and to date he has recorded seven self-released albums, and two unreleased albums, all of which were written and recorded by Lynch. He plays every instrument on all of the recordings (guitar, bass guitar, piano, drums), and he performs live on acoustic guitar. "This guy is so good at doing his own thing," says Static Multimedia.

VIDEO: "Moving Out of Frame" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WpIbNvxhtQ
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Artist: Dina Maccabee
Release: Who Do You Suppose You Are
Label: Antephonic
Release Date: October 12, 2010

Dina Maccabee, a veteran of the San Francisco Bay Area scene and frequent contributor to the likes of Vetiver, Carla Bozulich, Vienna Teng and lo-fi favorites Ramon & Jessica, will be unleashing her solo debut entitled "Who Do You Suppose You Are", a true collaboration with free-jazz Chicago guitarist Tobin Summerfield. In the vein of Laura Viers or Edith Frost, and with the subtle influence of Fleetwood Mac filtered through the speakers of Pavement, Maccabee, Summerfield, and drummer/keyboardist Eric Kuhn (Silian Rail, Sean Hayes) round out perfect pop pieces that augment Maccabee's catchy, haunting vocals and carpet of viola and violin strings.
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Artist: Nuclear Power Pants
Release: Wicked Eats the Warrior
Label: Anchor Brain
Release Date: September 28, 2010

"Wicked Eats the Warrior" is the debut album from Nuclear Power Pants, an act born out of the Wham City Collective in Baltimore, MD. They're a five-piece band of blipping, beeping, shouting, moaning, grinding, pounding, leaking craziness fronted by two male anti-crooners and three gorgeous, choreographed, female backup vocalists. To anyone who has ever been obsessed with the hypnotizing Moog madness of Kraftwerk, the energy of "First Issue" by PiL, or anyone who has ever been afraid to admit how much they adore The Shangri-Las, then this record is for you.

Lucas Oil Off-Road Expo in Pomona Oct. 9 and 10

The 2010 Lucas Oil Off-Road Expo will invade the Pomona Fairplex Saturday, October 9 through Sunday, October 10, with everything off-road including new vehicles, thousands of parts and accessories, ATV test rides, freestyle motocross action and more.

“Thanks to our new title sponsor Lucas Oil, expo attendees will be treated to several exciting new features including live truck racing demos, a main stage packed with ongoing entertainment and more,” said Expo Director Tom Gattuso. “The expo covers more than 20 acres and is the place for the off-road nation to come together, hang out and share their passion with other enthusiasts, enjoy live entertainment, take advantage of special on-site show discounts and most importantly – have fun.”

This year’s expo showcases all the latest off-road toys, technologies, parts, gear and accessories from more than 300 of the industry’s leading manufacturers, dealers and distributors. Off-road manufacturer representatives will be on-site to demonstrate and educate attendees on all the latest vehicles and accessories. In addition to the line-up of trucks, Jeeps, UTVs, ATVs, side-by-sides, dirt bikes, sand rails, rock crawlers, parts and accessories on display, the expo will come to life with exciting entertainment features including:

Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Exhibition Course – New title sponsor Lucas Oil revs up this year’s expo with the high-powered, high-jumping race trucks from the Pro 4 Unlimited and Pro 2 Unlimited classes performing on closed-circuit simultaneously. Professional drivers will demonstrate the capabilities of these amazing 800-plus horsepower V8-powered machines.

Can-Am ATV Test Rides – This year’s Expo is home to free Can-Am ATV test rides all weekend on the Can-Am/BRP Commander Demo Course. This closed-circuit obstacle course will test the endurance and agility of these all-terrain vehicles and give drivers a real-world off-road experience. Whether you are an avid ATV enthusiast or just getting into the sport, experts will be on hand to provide all the necessary equipment and instruction needed to experience riding an all-terrain vehicle in a fun environment.

Freestyle Motocross Action – Freestyle motocross legend Keith Sayers, Winter X Games gold medalist Heath Frisby and top-level FreeRider Steve Haughelstine will rip up the FMX area at the show. This motorcycle thrill team will provide gravity-defying aerial action in special performances throughout the weekend.

RC Racing – Professional drivers will take scale models of real life vehicles through all the turns on a specially built RC racing dirt track. Come check out the action and test your reflexes against pro drivers or just take one for a spin.

§ Lucas Oil MAV TV Live – Lucas Oil MAV TV will broadcast live at the expo from a MAV TV studio located on the main stage all weekend. Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing’s premiere commentator Ken Stout will interview drivers, celebrities and industry leaders, and present the latest, must-have off-road products. Big screens positioned throughout the expo will showcase all the action and offer valuable prize giveaways each hour.

Miss Off-Road Expo Bikini Contest – On the main stage, beautiful bikini-clad women will compete for the cash prize, tiara and “Miss Off-Road Expo” title.

In honor of the victims of the recent Lucerne Valley desert race accident where eight were killed and 12 injured, off-road community members racers and volunteers will gather on Saturday, October 9, at 10:30 a.m., at the expo for the unveiling of the California 200 Memorial Monument, a large scale statue designed to honor the victims. The public can also make their mark on the monument as well in the form of a wall available for all to sign and show their support for victims and their families. After the public unveiling on Saturday, October 9, at 10:30 a.m., the statue and the wall will remain on display throughout the weekend at the expo.

FAST-Aid, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing financial, educational and personal assistance to injured off-road racers, support teams and their families following a motor sports racing incident is the official charity for this year’s expo. To assist in the fundraising efforts for victims, one dollar from each 2010 Lucas Oil Off-Road Expo ticket purchased at www.offroadexpo.com with discount code FAST-AID will be donated to Fast-Aid. For more information on FAST-Aid visit www.fast-aid.org.

The 2010 Lucas Oil Off-Road Expo will take place Saturday, October 9, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, October 10, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Held at the Pomona Fairplex, located at 1101 W. McKinley Avenue in Pomona, Calif. Advance tickets can be purchased at O’Reilly Auto Parts / Kragen Auto Parts or online $10 for adults and $5 for children (6-12). Tickets purchased on-site at the gate will be $12 for adults, $5 for children (6-12) and free for children under six. A Family Four Pack is available for $20 and includes admission for two adults, and two children (available online only). For more information and to purchase advance tickets, visit www.offroadexpo.com. Follow Off-Road Expo on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OffRoadExpo and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/OffRoadExpo.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Heritage Square Museum seeks volunteers for Oct. 9

KillMatriarch releases video

"America Tropical, the Opera" at the Autry Oct. 24

Nikki Yanofsky on tour in support of album

Lenny Kravitz to join U2 for Anaheim shows

Kings Go Forth coming to The Mint in November

Lilith local talent search winners announced

Roland offers V-Drums special promotions

Poobah and JPT Scare Band reunite on Monster Records

Neil Young' s "Le Noise Film" now on YouTube

Dan Hicks & the Hot Licks to release holiday album and tour

Native Deen releases music video to support My Faith My Voice

Paddy's Pig and Nellie Bly October shows

Down to release new CD/DVD set

La Quinta Resort launches jazz series

Sade to tour in 2011, tickets on sale in October

Rony Seikaly to release album

Opera Buffs present "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" in LA on Halloween

Picture Me Broken in Victorville Friday

Parents' Choice announces fall children's music winners

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Support local music with Sierra Madre Sue

Marc Black in Altadena Oct. 26

"The Science of Iron Man" discussion at Caltech Oct. 13

Halford to release new album

Poetry, art & music in La Canada Flintridge Oct. 10

Langham Huntington Pasadena offers October spa specials

Kelli Scarr to tour in support of album

Pacific Symphony Halloween family concert in Cerritos

Shuteye Union, Harmonious bec, Unknown Component, Dina Maccabee & Nuclear Power Pants releasing albums

Lucas Oil Off-Road Expo in Pomona Oct. 9 and 10

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Thursday, September 30, 2010

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Welcome to my world!

About Me

Visit some of my favorite places on the Web

Followers

Subscribe To Mickie's Zoo

Blog Archive

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