Friday, May 27, 2011

End o' Week Musings












I know it's been a true 7-day week, but somehow it feels shorter this morning. Maybe because I'm actually a little bit ahead with my work for next week already... shhh! Don't jinx me!





Last Friday I met Carin and Tom at Maggie's Pub in Santa Fe Springs for dinner. I had a nice big bowl of clam chowder and we split a big plate of assorted English goodies. I ended up coming home with a nice banger and some shepard's pie. Carin and Tom also brought me a goose egg from their goose Gloria.







Goose eggs are absolutely wonderful! They're two times or more larger than chicken eggs and taste richer. But it is a little weird for me. I like knowing where the egg came from, as I know Gloria gets lots of good things to eat and is cared for with lots of TLC, but it is kinda strange because, well, I know Gloria... personally. I've fed her lettuce and petted her. Still, her eggs are the best!




Saturday and Sunday were the last two days of the Renaissance Faire. I made sure to make my final rounds for any shopping I might want to do and visit friends and just have a great time.




On Saturday night I went to T. Boyle's Tavern in Pasadena to see Dramarama. It was fun to check out the venue-- they have a huge selection of beer, a couple of shuffleboard games upstairs and decent sound.









Sunday I was a mix of emotions at Faire. I was happy because I had had so much fun and was looking forward to my first weekend, heck, day off since March. I was also sad because I won't be seeing my group regularly and some of the people I probably won't see until next year and that's only if my life allows me to do Faire again.









The rest of my week was interviews and writing. I spoke with comedian Bill Word and Trever of Face to Face about their new album and tour. I remember punkers Face to Face quite well from back in the days when I fronted the hard rock/heavy metal band Morpheus. We often gigged the same venues on the same nights and they were always very nice- polite during band changeovers and good to chat with over a beer. I'm happy to report that Trever is still a great guy and doing well. It's cool that some of the groups from back then are making a living with their music still today.




Today I will be chatting with Peter from Runner Runner. They're on tour with Good Charlotte and Yellowcard and will be hitting SoCal in a couple of weeks.






Tomorrow my huge plan is to go to Joann Fabrics for the sale and see what goodies I can find and then take my mom to the grocery store. In the afternoon I hope to nap. Woo hoo! I don't have anything else planned, although I'm hoping to get some time with my special guy and find some kind of adventure. Maybe I'll whip him at minigolf again or perhaps we'll find a nice place to take a walk and chat...







I won't be blogging again until Wednesday. I'm sorry, but I will be away from my computer except for any work that needs to be done for my e-zine DaBelly.com. I need a break badly, so I hope you'll understand.






In rotation this week: David Serby, Peppino D'Agostino, The Offspring and Orange Sky.




Photos we got 'em: Just some cute pet pics from the Web.




Thought o' the week: It's Memorial Day Weekend. Time to pull out the red checkered tablecloths and warm up the barbecue. Time for pool parties and white jeans. Time for running through the sprinklers and playing Frisbee. It's also a time to be thankful.




We need to remember the reason for the holiday-- the men and women who have given their lives to keep our freedom. Without the sacrifices of these courageous and selfless people, we might not be enjoying our picnics and sunshine.




Freedom is not something to be taken for granted, if you think so, look around the world or just listen to the news. The other day, a Saudi Arabian woman made the news for landing in jail after driving a car. Was she in an accident? Was she drunk? Texting? No! She was just driving, something illegal for women to do in that country. Here, I can drive whenever and wherever I like, unaccompanied and even listen to whatever music I wish at the same time! It's not as small a thing as you might think.




So sure, celebrate, have fun, enjoy a wonderful day off from work. And don't feel guilty for feeling good, just take some time to remember the reason we have this holiday.



Thank you to all the brave men and women who have given their lives so I can live in freedom. And thank you to all the veterans and active troops for all you have done and continue to do to make America great.



Keep on rockin'

Mickie

Kids' Pasadena water poster contest entries accepted through June 6

In celebration of Water Awareness Month in California, Pasadena Water and Power invites students in grades kindergarten through 12 to submit self-designed posters based on the theme “Water Is Life.”

All students who attend public or private schools in Pasadena, or who live within the boundaries of the PWP service area, are eligible.

Judges will select winning poster art based on originality, visual and word clarity, and relevance to the water conservation theme.

The first-place winner in the kindergarten to grade 5 category will receive a voucher for one class at Armory Center for the Arts, a $120 value; the winner for grades 6 to 8 will be presented with a $120 gift certificate for art supplies; and the winner for grades 9 to 12 will receive a $120 gift certificate for art supplies.

The top five entries from each age group will be recognized on a PWP website dedicated to the poster art contest and will advance to the Metropolitan Water District poster art contest with the same theme.

Art must be submitted no later than Monday, June 6; winners will be announced Friday, June 10.

More information, including contest rules and permission forms, is available at www.cityofpasadena.net/waterandpower/artcontest or by calling (626) 744-3715.



-----------------
www.cityofpasadena.net/publicaffairs
Blog: www.pasadenapio.blogspot.com
Facebook: Pasadena PIO
Twitter: pasadenapio

Descanso Gardens offers concerts and extended hours

Summer is just a few weeks away. Descanso is gearing up for the season with 10 weeks of extended summer hours, increased evening entertainment and the return of the Camellia Lounge. Here is a quick look at what the summer holds for Descanso visitors:

Midweek Extended Summer Hours
June 21-Aug. 25 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays
For 10 weeks this summer, Descanso will keep its doors open late for guests to enjoy the Gardens in the cool of the evening. Enjoy family programs, jazz concerts or a walk under the oaks as the sun sets. Admission is $8 adults, $6 seniors/students with ID, $3 children 5-12, free children 4 and younger. No reciprocal garden admissions during extended hours of 4:30 to 8 p.m. Information: (818) 949-4200 or www.descansogardens.org.

Camellia Lounge
June 21-Aug. 25 3-8 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays
The Camellia Lounge returns to the Full Moon Tea House in the Japanese Garden. Purchase signature cocktails, small plates (appetizers) and snacks, all created by Patina Restaurant Group. Two popular drinks – the Pink Perfection and the Cherry-Tea-Ni (a hit at the spring Cherry Blossom Festival) return along with new libations. Also new: Taco Tuesdays! Entrance free with admission.

Jazz Evenings 2011
June 23-Aug. 25 5:30-7 p.m. Thursdays
Enjoy 10 cool Thursday evenings in the Gardens with live music from some of the finest jazz artists around. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring blankets, picnics and friends to savor the sounds of jazz! All concerts are free with admission and begin at 5:30 p.m. Lawn seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis. No reciprocal garden admissions.

June 23 Jimmy Branly Rising star on the Latin jazz scene
June 30 Elliot Caine East coast jazz and be-bop
July 7 Gonzalo Bergara Gypsy jazz and tango influences
July 14 Sammy Miller Up-and-coming jazz drummer
July 21 Mitchell Long Brazilian tunes with Portuguese vocals
July 28 Kristin Korb California cool bass and vocals
August 4 Bob Sheppard Renowned reed player with straight-ahead jazz
August 11 Mandala Cuban jazz
August 18 Robert Kyle A favorite performing a Brazilian songbook
August 25 Denise Donatelli 2010 Grammy® nominee for Best Jazz Vocal Album

Family Tuesdays 2011
June 28-Aug. 2 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesdays
These hands-on activities and performances are sure to entertain children of all ages (and parents, too!) Picnics are encouraged while kids and adults enjoy a variety of music, theater and garden events. All performances are free with admission and begin at 5:30 p.m. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. No reciprocal garden admissions.

June 28th Rhythm Child on the Main Lawn
Children enjoy the pure joy of music with interactive drumming and beats.

July 5th A Midsummer Night’s Dream by the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum in the Under the Oaks Theater
There’s no more perfect setting than the garden to experience this delightful and timeless tale of magic and romance.

July 12th Aaron Nigel Trio on the Main Lawn
Reggae-inspired tunes for kids and families.

July 199th Merry Wives of Windsor by the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum in the Under the Oaks Theater
Introduce children to Shakespeare with this classic comedy of love and revenge.

July 26th A Faery Hunt Theater in the Under the Oaks Theater
Storytelling, singing, games and more with a whole cast of woodland creatures.

August 2nd Elizabethan Festival with the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum on the Main Lawn and Under the Oaks
Travel back in time to the reign of Elizabeth I with the talented thespians from Theatricum Botanicum. Enjoy an evening of interactive theater, learn some vintage dance moves and maybe even rub elbows with Mr. Shakespeare. Huzzah!

About Descanso Gardens
Descanso Gardens is located at 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge, near the interchange of the 2 and 210 freeways. The Gardens are open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily except Christmas Day. Parking is free. Admission fees are $8 for adults; $6 for seniors and students; $3 for children 5 to 12, and free for members and children 5 and younger. Fees for classes and programs include Gardens admission. For information, call (818) 949-4200 or visit www.descansogardens.org. Descanso Gardens is accredited by the American Association of Museums.

Yoshiki Radio launches tonight



Don't miss the debut of Yoshiki's radio show - TONIGHT - (Friday, May 27) - "Yoshiki Radio" on SiriusXM's The Boneyard (Channel 38) at 8:00PM ET. (Please note: Beginning Sunday, June 5, "Yoshiki Radio" will air the first Sunday of every month at 9:00PM ET.)


"Yoshiki Radio," the show that offers an eclectic mix of East meets West, will include some of Yoshiki's personal favorites, and will launch tonight with tracks from Iron Maiden, KISS, Muse, Nirvana, Japan's Dir En Grey, and many others, as well as "Foreign Sand," the song Yoshiki wrote and produced for Queen's Roger Taylor. Yoshiki also tells the story of how he first discovered rock, and made the leap from Beethoven to KISS. But best of all, Yoshiki will world-premiere "Jade," the first single from X Japan's upcoming album.


The monthly "Yoshiki Radio" will also feature elements of Japanese pop culture that already have made their mark on American life, from sushi to Sony to Nintendo/Wii, to the global megastar Hello Kitty, to the burgeoning western popularity of Anime.


Join us and catch a glimpse of Yoshiki's world.

Brendan Perry in LA June 13

Brendan Perry’s second solo album Ark is now available in North American on The End Records. It is Perry's first studio album in eleven years. As one half of Dead Can Dance for nearly three decades, Brendan’s music remains highly regarded and influential on a global scale helping to redefine new musical genres.

Brendan Perry will kick off a North American co-headline tour with Robin Guthrie on May 30th in Washington, DC. In addition to performing select tracks from his catalogue and Ark, Perry will also be debuting brand new material on this tour.

Recorded in his studio in Ireland, Ark is a solo album in the truest sense, with Brendan playing every instrument, writing all the lyrics and being the sole creative force across the eight tracks. Most of the instrumentation on Ark is derived from samples and synthesisers, and is predicated on a theory of creating ambient, almost soundtrack based accompaniment to the lyricism of the songs. In its range of influences, the album also encompasses music from all four corners of the globe to create a global soundtrack for global themes.

While Ark is not a concept album, it does combine themes which run throughout. The lyrics of opener ‘Babylon’ focus on the current conflicts within the Middle East. ‘The Bogus Man’ and ‘This Boy’ put a human face on those charged with waging war on behalf of self serving political interests. While such dystopian themes could be seen to make for a very bleak experience, Ark is shot through with an emotional warmth and a belief in the redemptive power of humanity from which the album title is derived.

Ark is not just a refuge from a world on the brink of self destruction, but also a journey towards a better society and a more altruistic way of life.

North American Tour
05.30.2011 6th & 1 Historic Synagogue - Washington, DC
05.31.2011 Filmore at Irving Plaza - New York, NY
06.01.2011 Paradise Rock Club - Boston, MA
06.03.2011 Le National - Montreal, QC
06.04.2011 Opera House - Toronto, ON
06.05.2011 Metro - Chicago, IL
06.08.2011 Nuemos - Seattle, WA
06.09.2011 Venue - Vancouver, BC
06.10.2011 Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, OR
06.12.2011 Bimbos 365 Club - San Francisco, CA
06.13.2011 El Rey Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
06.14.2011 Belly Up - Solana Beach, CA
06.16.2011 The Metropolitan Theatre - Mexico City, MX

Big Head Todd & the Monsters in Hermosa Beach June 18 and 19

Saturday, June 18 - Sunday, June 19 @ 9:00PM (Doors @ 6:00PM)
Saint Rocke
142 Pacific Coast Highway
Hermosa Beach, CA
Tickets $40 adv, $50 dos / Ages 21+ Welcome
For more information, please contact 310.372.0035 or visit www.saintrocke.com

Longtime Colorado favorites Big Head Todd and The Monsters have mapped out their summer tour plans. In addition to a handful of theatres in the midwest, the band headlines their annual Red Rocks Amphitheatre gig on June 11, where Guster will be on hand to open the show. The band also returns to Chicago’s famed Ravinia Festival and to the idyllic Colorado mountain town of Telluride for the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival, later this summer. The complete list of summer tour dates is listed below.

Earlier this year, in celebration of influential bluesman Robert Johnson (who would be celebrating his 100 birthday on May 8, 2011), Big Head Todd and The Monsters assembled the Big Head Blues Club. The ad-hoc collaboration featuring Big Head Todd and The Monsters and special guests B.B. King, Hubert Sumlin, Honeyboy Edwards, Charlie Musselwhite, Ruthie Foster, Cedric Burnside and Lightnin’ Malcolm toured earlier this year and recently released a studio recording of the project, titled 100 Years of Robert Johnson.

Big Head Todd frontman Todd Park Mohr will be at the 32nd Annual Blues Music Awards on May 5th at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee. Todd will lead a Robert Johnson tribute. This year’s event also features performances by honorees Buddy Guy, Denise LaSalle and John Hammond, among others. Visit www.blues.org for more information.

The list of Big Head Todd and The Monsters summer tour dates are as follows:
Thursday, June 2 Cotillion Ballroom Wichita KS
Friday, June 3 Fantle Memorial Park Yankton SD
Saturday, June 4 Crossroads Kansas City MO with Langhorne Slim supporting
Thursday, June 9 Simon Estes Amphitheater Des Moines IA co-headline with Toots & the Maytals
Friday, June 10 Stir Cove Council Bluffs IA co-headline with Toots & the Maytals
Saturday, June 11 Red Rocks Amphitheatre Morrison CO with Guster supporting
Sunday, June 12 Red Butte Garden Salt Lake City UT co-headline with Toots & the Maytals
Tuesday, June 14 Knitting Factory Concert House Reno NV co-headline with Toots & the Maytals
Thursday, June 16 Mountain Winery Saratoga CA co-headline with Toots & the Maytals
Friday, June 17 Uptown Theatre Napa CA
Saturday, June 18 - Sunday, June 19 Saint Rocke Hermosa Beach CA
Thursday, August 4 Minnesota Zoo - Weesner Amphitheatre Apple Valley MN with Cedar Avenue supporting
Friday, August 5 Mankato RibFest Mankato MN
Saturday, September 3 Spruce Moose Festival Big Sky MT
Tuesday, September 6 Wolf Trap Vienna VA co-headline with John Hiatt
Friday, September 9 Jefferson Theater Charlottesville VA co-headline with John Hiatt and the Combo
Sunday, September 11 Ravinia Festival Highland Park IL
Saturday, September 17 Telluride Blues & Brews Festival Telluride CO
Sunday, October 23 Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise San Diego CA

Additional dates to be announced, Visit www.bigheadtodd.com for more information

Shimmy Showcase Sunday

May 29 -- Join us for the Greatest Shimmyshowcase on Earth with “Under the Big Top.” Ringmaster Saviya leads a sensational lineup featuring amazing animal acts, daring tightrope feats, and freaky side shows—all interpreted through dance of course by Nova Kachina, Bella, Anastasia, Aileen, Shantas, and Rosé.

Our dancers have been working hard polishing their acts; however their greatest act will be donating their tips to “A Place Called Home,” (http://www.apch.org/), a safe haven in South Central Los Angeles where underserved youth are empowered to take ownership of the quality and direction of their lives through programs in education, arts, and well-being; and are inspired to make a meaningful difference in their community and the world.

You don’t want to miss the Circus fun, so please join us this holiday weekend at I-Candy where you can dine on a reasonably priced meal, enjoy a stupendous show, experience great camaraderie among our friendly dance community, and, as if that isn’t enough, donate to a worthy cause. This is a show that is guaranteed to please all! AND DON’T FORGET –we begin at 6:00 pm!

Note—N405-W22 (7th St) transition is closed for construction, so folks who normally take that route please take note and allow enough time for an alternate route!

Calling All Dancers—We have dancer openings June 26 and July 10. Please read below for details and contact us at Shimmyshowcase@gmail.com if you’d like to perform.

Everyone is invited to this cozy haven for a relaxing evening among friends. Select your favorite beverage, hot or cold, from an assortment of coffees, teas, smoothies or juice; add to that a tasty sandwich or pastry; and then seat yourself alongside our magic carpet to enjoy some really great dancing at NO cover charge! As further incentive, there is a 10% off coupon below good on any I-Candy food or beverage on Shimmyshowcase nights.

SHIMMY SHOWCASE at I-Candy Coffee begins at 6:00 p.m. I-Candy is located in Long Beach at 1708 E. Broadway; 562-437-3785.

Please allow time for parking to avoid missing any of the fun. Since street parking around I-Candy Coffee is scarce, we recommend you try the perimeter of Bixby park located two blocks east of I-Candy Coffee at Broadway and Cherry. We appreciate your arrival 15 minutes before show time (earlier if you’re a performer!) so you can get your refreshments and grab a seat and allow us to begin promptly at the scheduled time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Below is our upcoming schedule for the next several Sundays. If you are a dancer interested in performing at an upcoming showcase, please read on to see which showcases have openings and then send an email with your preference to Shimmyshowcase@gmail.com

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

JUNE 5—NO SHIMMYSHOWCASE (CAIRO CARAVAN)
June 12 -- Abraiha will be your coordinator for this Shimmyshowcase, and she welcomes Dreamswirls, Dancing Flower, Maya and Nadirah to I-Candy’s magic carpet.

June 19 – NO SHIMMYSHOWCASE (Fathers’ Day)

June 26 --Xandra presents two ATS Troupes, Mariposa and Elixira. We have openings for another dancer or two, so if you would like to perform for this Shimmyshowcase, please contact us at Shimmyshowcase@gmail.com.

JULY 3—DARK

July 10 -- Om Sister Amber will be your coordinator for this Shimmyshowcase, and she welcomes guest dancers Jessica and Siraj to our magic carpet. We still have room for another dancer, so please email us at Shimmyshowcase@gmail.com if you’d like to join these wonderful performers.


for additional information, please visit our Blog at
http://shimmyshowcase.blogspot.com/ .

See photos of our dancers at I-Candy on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=18906&id=133995436630674

The Enzymes in LA June 6



Architecture in Helsinki in LA June 1

Architecture in Helsinki have released the video for “Escapee,” the third single from their new album Moment Bends (V2/Cooperative Music USA/Downtown Records). Like their last two singles, “That Beep" and “Contact High,” the track is an infectious and danceable slice of indie pop perfection. The song’s wistful, nostalgic, feel is echoed by the video – which features a young protagonist breaking out from the confines of suburban life. Architecture in Helsinki kick off their US tour next week at the Henry Fonda Theater on June 1st.

Architecture in Helsinki US Tour Dates:
06/01: Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda Theater
06/02: San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
06/03: San Francisco, CA @ Slims
06/04: Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
06/05: Vancouver, BC @ Venur
06/06: Seattle, WA @ Neumo's
06/09: Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
06/10: Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
06/11: Toronto, ON @ Mod Club
06/12: Montreal, QC @ Le Tulipe
06/13: Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
06/15: Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
06/16: New York, NY @ Webster Hall
06/17: Washington, DC @ Black Cat
06/18: Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live

'Transfomers: Dark of the Moon' soundtrack to be released

On June 14th, Warner Bros. Records will release the album to the hotly anticipated motion picture Transformers: Dark of the Moon — the third film in the Oscar®-nominated summer blockbuster Transformers series, which hits theaters nationwide on June 29th. A pre-order for the exclusive iTunes Deluxe edition begins May 31st at http://wbr.fm/t3preorder.

Released in Standard, iTunes Deluxe, and Game Stop configurations, The Transformers: Dark of the Moon album features music from Linkin Park, including the first single “Iridescent,” (click here to view a special Linkin Park / TF3 Trailer), My Chemical Romance, Taking Back Sunday, Art of Dying, Theory Of A Deadman, Black Veil Brides, Skillet, and Mastodon (who contribute a cover of ZZ Top’s “Just Got Paid”), as well as new music from Paramore and Goo Goo Dolls debuting exclusively on the album. The iTunes Deluxe edition also includes tracks from Biffy Clyro, Stone Sour, and Serj Tankian, while the Game Stop version includes songs from Middle Class Rut and D.R.U.G.S.

Contributing the song “Iridescent” (which also appears on Linkin Park’s 2010 album A Thousand Suns) to Transformers: Dark of the Moon is Linkin Park’s third time working with Transformers director Michael Bay. The first Transformers film featured the band’s smash hit single “What I’ve Done,” which rocketed to No. 1 on both Billboard’s Mainstream Rock and Modern Rock charts, while the second film featured the specially written “New Divide,” which topped the Rock, Modern, and Mainstream radio charts simultaneously.

Fueled By Ramen recording artists Paramore will also be releasing "Monster," debuting exclusively on the album and marking Paramore's first new single since "The Only Exception" off their acclaimed third album brand new eyes. "We're back for the attack! And we are so excited to be a part of the Transformers album," says frontwoman Hayley Williams, "Tell your friends... Paramore is still a band." Paramore will shoot a video for "Monster" next month before they embark on a series of international headline and festival dates as well as a number of U.S. Vans Warped Tour dates in July and August. Visit www.paramore.net for complete details.

John Rzeznik from Goo Goo Dolls adds: “It's always awesome to be part of a project of this scale.” Their TF3 exclusive debut track, “All That You Are,” is also their first new music since the release of their current Warner Bros. Records album, Something For The Rest Of Us. Goo Goo Dolls have been touring the world non-stop for the past several months and will perform “All That You Are” live on Good Morning America on July 22nd. Go to www.googoodolls.com for further info.

Opening in theaters on June 29th, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, stars Shia LaBeouf, John Turturro, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Patrick Dempsey, and Kevin Dunn, with John Malkovich and Frances McDormand. Shia LaBeouf returns as Sam Witwicky. When a mysterious event from Earth’s past erupts into the present day it threatens to bring a war to Earth so big that the Transformers alone will not be able to save us.

Paramount Pictures presents in association with Hasbro a di Bonaventura Pictures Production a Tom DeSanto/Don Murphy Production, a Michael Bay Film Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Executive Producers Steven Spielberg, Michael Bay, Brian Goldner, Mark Vahradian. Produced by Don Murphy & Tom DeSanto, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Ian Bryce. Based on Hasbro’s Transformers™ Action Figures. Written by Ehren Kruger. Directed by Michael Bay.

The track-listings for the three editions of Transformers: Dark of the Moon album are as follows - * Denotes new music debuting on this album:

Standard Edition (CD/DMD All DSPS)
Linkin Park - “Iridescent” (Exclusive Remix)
* Paramore - “Monster” 

My Chemical Romance - “The Only Hope For Me Is You”

Taking Back Sunday - "Faith (When I Let You Down)"
Staind - “The Bottom”
Art Of Dying - “Get Thru This”

* Goo Goo Dolls - “All That You Are”
Theory Of A Deadman - “Head Above Water”
Black Veil Brides - “Set The World On Fire”

Skillet - “Awake & Alive” (Exclusive Remix)
Mastodon – “Just Got Paid”

iTunes Deluxe (Exclusive)
Linkin Park - “Iridescent” (Exclusive Remix)
* Paramore - “Monster”

My Chemical Romance - “The Only Hope For Me Is You”

Taking Back Sunday - "Faith (When I Let You Down)"
Staind - “The Bottom”
Art Of Dying - “Get Thru This”
* Goo Goo Dolls - “All That You Are”
Theory Of A Deadman - “Head Above Water”
Black Veil Brides - “Set The World On Fire”

Skillet - “Awake & Alive” (Exclusive Remix)

Mastodon - “Just Got Paid”

Exclusive to Deluxe Version:
Biffy Clyro- “Many Of Horror” 

Stone Sour - “The Pessimist”

Serj Tankian - “Gate 21” (Remix – Feat. Tom Morello)



Game Stop (Exclusive)
Linkin Park - “Iridescent” (Exclusive Remix)
* Paramore - “Monster”

My Chemical Romance - “The Only Hope For Me Is You”

Taking Back Sunday - "Faith (When I Let You Down)"
Staind - “The Bottom”*
Art Of Dying - “Get Thru This”
* Goo Goo Dolls - “All That You Are”
Theory Of A Deadman - “Head Above Water”
Black Veil Brides - “Set The World On Fire”

Skillet - “Awake & Alive” (Exclusive Remix)

Mastodon - “Just Got Paid”

Exclusive to Game Stop Version:
Middle Class Rut - “Lifelong Dayshift”
D.R.U.G.S. - “Graveyard Dancing”

Green Children release album to benefit Whole Planet Foundation

The Green Children announce the release of their debut album"Encounter" at Whole Foods Market. The album is currently available in the Southwest and So Pacific regions with 100% of proceeds benefiting Whole Planet Foundation. The Green Children have already raised over $7,000 from previous campaigns and online donations. The funds raised will go towards extending the reach of microcredit to poor women inthe Kerala region of India.

In June, The Green Children will perform a weekly residency at the legendary Viper Room in Los Angeles, every Sunday at 10pm. Advance tickets are now available from GrooveTickets.

On July 7th The Green Children will perform at Summerfest in Milwaukee, the world's largest music festival. Their song"Skies On Fire" was voted as the #1 track for the festival's free CD. They will also perform on the main stage at Sommerfesten in Giske, Norway on July 30th.

Who:
The Green Children are Milla Sunde and Marlow Bevan, a musical duo whose songs blend ethereal pop with post-modern dance beats. The two European-born artists met while attending the Liverpool Institute of the Performing Arts, an English university co-founded by Sir Paul McCartney. Their debut album "Encounter" is out now on Spinside Records, the independent label formed by Ethan Browne and a subsidiary of Inside Recordings, distributed by ADA.

Whole Planet Foundation was established by Whole Foods Market to help extend the reach of microcredit to poor women and support the developing world communities that supply their stores with product.

For more information:
http://www.thegreenchildren.com /
http://www.facebook.com/thegreenchildren /
http://www.thegreenchildren.org /
http://www.spinsiderecords.com /
http://www.wholeplanetfoundation.org

Grimes in LA Tuesday

Grimes is weird pop influenced by styles such as R&B, Industrial, goth, hip hop and Western medieval organum. She is noted for simple but strong percussion, vocal virtuosity, and addictive melodies. Despite having little acquaintance with music before the age of 18, Grimes (born 1988) has overcome this barrier and used it to her advantage, exploding onto the music scene with a sound that is that is far different from that of her peers, and extremely broad in it’s references (Mariah Carey, Salem, Cocteau Twins, Gang Gang Dance, The Smiths, Prince). And yet, while all Grimes songs are different and genre-bending, there is a strong sound that is fully her own, characterized primarily by her chameleonlike voice.She cannot read music and has no understanding of theory or notation, so her attempts to imitate often fail. Rather, the result is particularly unique, strangely beautiful, sometimes scary, frequently melancholic and catchy as hell.

Upcoming Tour Dates
FRI 5/27 VANCOUVER, BC Vogue Theater
SAT 5/28 PORTLAND, OR Wonder Ballroom
MON 5/30 SAN FRANCISCO, CA Regency
TUE 5/31 LOS ANGELES, CA Wiltern

www.myspace.com/boucherville
www.arbutusrecords.com

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Theatre 360 holding kids' auditions for 'Hairspray' June 4

Theatre 360 Productions, in its 10th season, is casting for their summer MainStage Production, Hairspray.

Theatre 360 Productions is casting for the Tony Award winning, “Hairspray”. It’s 1962, and pleasantly plump Baltimore teen Tracy Turnblad has only one desire – to dance on the popular Corny Collins Show. When her dream comes true, Tracy is transformed from social outcast to sudden star, but she must use her newfound power to vanquish the reigning Teen Queen, win the affections of heartthrob Link Larkin and integrate a TV network – all without denting her ‘do! Broadway’s musical-comedy phenomenon that inspired a major motion picture and won eight 2003 Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

Auditions will be held June 4 9:00am-1:00pm (sign-in 8:30am). Students auditioning will need to sing 32 bars of a contemporary pop song. The song should be chosen in the “style” of the part the student is interested in auditioning for and should showcase the student’s voice. Audition forms will be provided. Students ages 6-19 only. Students must be enrolled in a Summer Camp to be eligible to audition. Scholarships are available.

All roles open. Seeking African-American actors for: Seaweed, Motormouth Maybelle, and Lil’ Inez; also seeking multiracial cast for Ensemble. Students must have personality, willingness to work hard, and have a great attitude and dedication. All Physical types encouraged to audition.

Hairspray Book:Mark O'Donnell & Thomas Meehan; Music & Lyrics:Marc Shaiman; Lyrics Scott Wittman

Hairspray opens on July 15 through July 24th, 2011. The performance schedule is Friday and Saturday’s at 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 2:00 pm. Tickets are available by calling Theatre 360 at (626) 577-5922.

ABOUT THEATRE 360:
Theatre 360 is an award-winning children’s theatre company and school that offers professional theatre and theatre education to children of all ages. Since 2001, the theatre company has trained students on-stage and back stage through classes and workshops, developing their talents and abilities into working theatre professionals.

Arboretum to offer organic gardening class June 4

Organic Fruit & Vegetable Gardening
At the Arboretum
301 North Baldwin Ave., Arcadia, CA 91007

Saturdays: 12noon to 4pm in the Bamboo Room
Jill Morganelli, Instructor, Arboretum Horticultural Curator, certified permaculture designer
$25 members / $28 non-members per class
Please call 626.821.4623 to register; you may also register at the class on Saturday

Learn how to grow fruits and vegetables organically in your home garden! You’ll be saving money at the grocery store while contributing to a healthy lifestyle for your family by reaping the nutritional benefits of eating fresh-grown produce. Vegetable gardens enhance the appearance of any yard and provide a fun activity for all ages. This class focuses on seasonal production and covers the following topics:

Saturday, June 4, 2011
Summer Crops, Herbal Companion Planting, Summer Disease ID, Treatment and Prevention, Biodiversity, Summer Weeds and Insects,
Remedies and Recipes, Horticulture Therapy, Small Space Gardening

Saturday, September 17:
Fall Crops, Fall Weeds and Insects, Fall Disease ID, Treatment and Prevention, Organic History and Current Events, Different Farming Practices, Tool Maintenance, Community Supported Agriculture, Slow Food

Saturday, December 3:
The National Organic Program, Winter Crops and Companion Planting, Winter Weeds and Insects, Winter Disease ID, Treatment and Prevention, Irrigation, Soil Building, Composting and Worm Bins, Pruning Fruit Trees, Gopher-proof Your Planting Bed

www.arboretum.org

Idiot Glee to release album

Idiot Glee
Paddywhack LP Out June 7th On Moshi Moshi, Also Available On Vinyl Through Hop Hop On June 14th

Click Here To Pre-Order Vinyl On Insound

After the idyllic charm of last year’s debut single “All Packed Up / Don’t Drink The Water” Idiot Glee returns with his first album Paddywhack to be released on June 7th on Moshi Moshi.
23-year-old James Friley trades in spectral transmissions: multi-layered vocal concoctions that sound like they are emitted from a radio in the past, or coming over an unknown satellite frequency from the future, telling stories about a more idyllic time.

Mining an emotional territory between nostalgia and powerful sense of childlike wonder, his rustic arrangements belie a sophisticated sense of melody surrounded by palpable magic and mystery. Hypnotic looped vocal samples come into full bloom around beautifully cathartic, slow-burning choral interpretations, all the while retaining a graceful fragility.

Having trained as a classical pianist from age 7, a teenage Friley found the designated hours of practice quickly gave way to writing and improvising his own solo piano compositions. Having more of a pop sensibility the songs didn’t fit the repertoire of budding rock band ‘Bedtime’ and hence Idiot Glee began to take shape. The discovery on cassette of Pet Sounds in a flea market in 2008 proved a pivotal point. “I listened to it probably 100 times over the span of a year” he says and it became the catalyst in making Idiot Glee a full time hobby.


http://www.myspace.com/idiotglee
http://idiotglee.bandcamp.com/

James Lee Stanely and Cliff Eberhardt to release Doors album

All Wood and Doors
Released May 28, 2011 on Beachwood Records.

"james lee stanley and cliff eberhardt are excellent pickers and what they did to our songs is unique and refreshing. it was a pleasure to be part of the project." John Densmore, The Doors.

All Wood and Doors, is an album like no other -- 12 Classic Doors songs sung and played by Cliff Eberhardt and James Lee Stanley; accompanied by: Peter Tork (monkees), Timothy B Schmit (eagles), Laurence Juber (paul mccartney & wings), Paul Barrere (little feat), Scott Breadman (rippingtons, lindsay buckingham), Chad Watson (david arkenstone, janis ian), and very special guests John Densmore and Robby Krieger.

Fans of The Doors, as well as Crosby Stills & Nash, Buffalo Springfield, Rubber Soul, the Eagles, or classic Beach Boys harmonies are in for a real treat.

Can you imagine what The Doors songs would have sounded like if they had been created with acoustic guitars? Would Light My Fire, Riders On the Storm or Touch Me been as powerful played on acoustic guitars and filled with vocal harmonies?

Curious?

So were James Lee Stanley and Cliff Eberhardt, purveyors of acoustic rock music for decades. They took 12 Doors classics and turned them into something totally unthought of.

All Wood and Doors — a unique sounding album of classic Doors songs.

All Wood and Doors by James Lee Stanley & Cliff Eberhardt
Break On Through / Love Me Two Times / Take It As It Comes / Strange Days / Light My Fire / Touch Me / Crystal Ship / Soul Kitchen / People Are Strange / Moonlight Drive / Riders On The Storm / The End

www.allwoodanddoors.com,

Dropkick Murphys add tour dates

Dropkick Murphys have announced additional North American summer tour dates in support of their critically acclaimed Going Out In Style CD (Born & Bred Records/ILG), which debuted at #6 on the Billboard 200--the group’s highest chart debut to date. The recently confirmed gigs include a performance at Milwaukee’s Summerfest, as well as shows in Pomona, CA; Ottawa, ON; Quebec City, QC; Sayreville, NJ; Monclair, NJ; Essex Junction, VT; St. John’s, NL; Halifax, NS; Moncton, NS and Montreal, QC.

The current run of shows kicks off this weekend with a May 28 headlining performance at the Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival in downtown Las Vegas. Next, Dropkick Murphys will headline the USA 7’s Collegiate Rugby Championship (CRC) at PPL Park in Chester, PA in a post-event concert on June 4. The band then heads north for a string of shows starting June 19 in Winnipeg, MB. The summer tour is also highlighted by a headlining slot at the annual 4th of July weekend Hootenannyin Irvine, CA, where DKM will be joined by such artists as Reverend Horton Heat, Murder City Devils, Supersuckers, Swingin’ Utters, Royal Crown Revue, John Doe and more. The current North American tour will wrap August 5 when the band heads overseas for European festival dates from August 12-21.

Going Out In Style is receiving overwhelming praise, with USA Today declaring it "funny, moving, inspiring and, above all, entertaining." Elsewhere, the video for “Going Out In Style”--which features guest appearances by a slew of Boston-based celebrities, as well as NHL Hall of Famer Bobby Orr (Boston Bruins alumni), and fellow musicians Fat Mike (NOFX) and Chris Cheney (The Living End)--was featured at #1 on Rolling Stone’s “Hot List,” while the CD landed the #1 spot on the magazine’s Local Favorite’s chart in the March 31, 2011 issue.

Catch Dropkick Murphys--Al Barr (lead vocals), Tim Brennan (guitars, accordion, whistle, vocals), Ken Casey (lead vocals, bass guitar), Jeff DaRosa (banjo, bouzouki, mandolin, harmonica, vocals), Matt Kelly (drums, vocals), James Lynch (guitar, vocals), and Scruffy Wallace (bagpipes)--on tour in the following cities:

Date City Venue
Saturday, May 28 Las Vegas, NV Punk Rock Bowling (outdoor festival
at 6th Street and Fremont St. East)

Saturday, June 4 Chester, PA USA 7’s Collegiate Rugby
Championship at PPL Park

Sunday, June 19 Winnipeg, MB Burton Cummings Theatre
Tuesday, June 21 Saskatoon, SK Odeon Events Centre
Wednesday, June 22 Edmonton, AB Edmonton Event Center
Thursday, June 23 Calgary, AB MacEwan Hall
Saturday, June 25 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
Sunday, June 26 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
Monday, June 27 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre
Tuesday, June 28 Portland, OR Roseland Theatre
Wednesday, June 29 San Francisco, CA Warfield Theatre
Friday, July 1 Pomona, CA Fox Theater
Saturday, July 2 Irvine, CA Hootenanny (Oak Canyon)
Sunday, July 3 Tempe, AZ The Marquee Theatre
Tuesday, July 5 San Antonio, TX Sunset Station
Wednesday, July 6 Oklahoma City, OK Diamond Ballroom
Thursday, July 7 Omaha, NE Sokol Auditorium
Friday, July 8 Milwaukee, WI Summerfest
Sunday, July 10 Ottawa, ONT Cisco Ottawa Blues Fest
Monday, July 11 Quebec City, QC Festival d’été de Québec
Wednesday, July 27 Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom
Thursday, July 28 Montclair, NJ Wellmont Theatre
Friday, July 29 Essex Junction, VT Midway Lawn at Champlain Valley
Expo Center
Monday, August 1 St. John’s, NL George Street Festival
Wednesday, August 3 Halifax, NS Multipurpose Centre
Thursday, August 4 Moncton, NS Oxygen Nightclub
Friday, August 5 Montreal, QC Metropolis

Friday, August 12 Püttlingen, Germany Rocco Del Schlacko
Saturday, August 13 Eschwege, Germany Open Flair
Sunday, August 14 Rothenburg, Germany Taubertal
Friday, August 19 St. Pölten, Austria Frequency Festival
Saturday, August 20 Lüdinghausen, Germany Area 4
Sunday, August 21 Großpösna, Germany Highfield



www.dropkickmurphys.com

http://www.youtube.com/ilgwmg#p/u/0/D7g3RuoreRc
(“Going Out In Style” video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1Qx0X4T_s0&feature=channel_video_title
(“Memorial Day” video)

Robert Pollard to release album

2011 is turning out to be quite a year for Robert Pollard. The hugely successful Guided By Voices reunion tour is doing victory laps at Pitchfork, Northside, Hopscotch and Sasquatch Festivals, a tribute album is coming out for Record Store Day (including Pollard covers by Flaming Lips, Lou Barlow, David Kilgour, James Husband, Blitzen Trapper, Thurston Moore), and, believe it not, new White House Spokesman Jay Carney declared in a press conference that he's obsessed with Guided By Voices January, February and March saw three remarkable albums by Pollard projects (as well as a live Guided By Voices triple-LP) and watch out, here comes another one, with a new twist.

On Lord Of The Birdcage, out May 31st, Pollard reverses his usual songwriting process, transforming a dozen previously written poems into songs. His whimsical, surrealist lyrics take center stage.

Lord Of The Birdcage is a subtle record, of mostly steady, relaxed tempos, power pop, glam chugs, gorgeous ballads and a notable number of 3/4 waltz-time meters, including the haunting acoustic "In A Circle", the frenetic rocker "You Sold Me Quickly" and the lush string-driven "Silence Before Violence." Lord Of The Birdcage is a rather cohesive flowing work, and Pollard's sublime songs reveal their treasures through repeat listening. His albums are consistently rewarding.


Robert Pollard Lord Of The Birdcage
Tracklisting:
1. Smashed Middle Finger
2. Aspersion
3. Dunce Codex
4. Garden Smarm
5. You Can’t Challenge Forward Progress
6. In A Circle
7. You Sold Me Quickly
8. The Focus (Burning)
9. Ribbon Of Fat
10. Silence Before Violence
11. Holy Fire
12. Ash Ript Telecopter

www.robertpollard.net

Rhino Pop Up in LA releases band lineup May 27-June 12

Rhino Records Pop Up Store, one of the most anticipated events in Los Angeles this Spring, has completed their lineup of in store concerts. Some of the top names added include The Muffs, Peter Himmelman, Martha Davis and the Motels, and Holly Beth Vincent.

Set to run from May 27 to June 12, 2011 at 10952 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025, just blocks from the original location, the Rhino Records Pop Up Store is sure to recapture some of the glory of the legendary Westwood storefront that provided music lovers with a place to commune, find great deals, and hear rising music stars from 1973 to 2005. The 2011 Rhino Pop Up Store will raise funds for The Recording Academy’s popular music community services charity MusiCares through sales of vinyl, CDs, DVDs, collectibles, art and donations from event attendees.

This year’s Rhino Pop Up Store events lineup is currently as follows, new in bold, with other surprises still to come:

Friday, May 27 8:00pm Thelonius Monster + live painting by Norton Wisdom
Saturday May 28 6:30pm Inhale
Saturday May 28 8:00pm Doghouse Lords
Saturday May 28 9:00pm Infante's Inferno
Sunday, May 29 11:00am Aaron Nigel Smith (Kid Rhino program)
Sunday, May 29 7:00pm Bombon
Sunday, May 29 8:00pm The Crawdaddys
Monday, May 30 6:00pm The Muffs
Monday, May 30 7:00pm Patrolled by Radar
Monday, May 30 8:00pm Vicki Peterson
Tuesday, May 31 7:30pm Roger Steffens – Intimate Moments
Tuesday, May 31 8:30pm The Lions
Wednesday, June 1 8:00pm Wild Records Night with Luis & the Wildfires, Don Juan y Los Blancos
Thursday June 2 7:30pm Ruthann Friedman
Thursday, June 2 8:30pm Billy Vera
Thursday, June 2 9:00pm Evie Sands
Friday, June 3, 2011 8:00pm The Balancing Act (reuniting after 22 years!)
Saturday June 4 7:00pm Miranda Lee Richards
Saturday, June 4 8:00pm Avi Buffalo
Sunday, June 5 11:00am Peter Himmelman (Kid Rhino program)
Sunday, June 5 6:00pm Posh Boy Records Night: Symbol Six, CH3, The Crowd
Monday, June 6 8:00pm Little Willie G. & Thee East LA Philharmonic Orchestra 6-6
Tuesday, June 7 8:00pm Fat City Reprise
Tuesday, June 7 9:00pm Ruby Friedman Orchestra
Wednesday, June 8 8:00pm Gaby Moreno
Thursday, June 9 8:00pm Kristian Hoffman's Paisley Pop Calvacade
Friday, June 10 8:00pm Susan James
Friday, June 10 9:00pm Martha Davis and the Motels
Saturday, June 11 9:00pm Alain Johannes
Sunday, June 12 6:00pm Postwar Quartet
Sunday, June 12 7:00pm Everpresent Fullness
Sunday, June 12 8:00pm He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister
Sunday, June 12 9:00pm Holly Beth Vincent

Stocked with the usual, the unusual and the even more unusual from the record collections of record geeks, nerds and fanatics, plus generous donations from top record labels and studios, the two-week plus event will raise money and reunite a community of music lovers, vinyl aficionados, and die hard record store fans. Customers will enjoy terrific bargains and an eclectic program of in-store performances.

Gary Stewart, the 2011 pop up store benefactor, former Rhino store employee and Rhino Records Senior VP of A&R noted, “Last year’s pop up store really brought me back to the experience of the LA music scene and the sense of community that it fosters. MusiCares has become an integral part of that, often coming to the rescue of music folk who find themselves on the wrong end of health issues and financial issues at the same time. They help so many people who inspired us to work in this industry and without whom our careers wouldn’t even be possible.”

MusiCares provides a safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need. Their services and resources cover a wide range of financial, medical, and personal emergencies. MusiCares also focuses the resources and attention of the music industry on human service issues that directly impact the health and welfare of the music community.

The pop up store will be open from May 27 through June 12, 2011. For 2010 highlights and updates for 2011 visit http://www.facebook.com/RhinoRecordsPopUp. Those who are interested in donating vinyl, CDs, DVDs, pop culture collectibles, signed items, photographs or art, or participating in any way should contact Rhino Pop Up Producer, Cinnamon Muhlbauer at 310-457-6512 or cinnamon.muhlbauer@gmail.com.

H2O to pay homage to influence on new album



H2O has been a mainstay in hardcore and punk since their inception back in 1995 and have had many influences along the way. The band is thrilled to pay homage to those influential artists by covering their songs on the forthcoming album, Don’t Forget Your Roots. H2O will tip their hats to bands like The Ramones, Dag Nasty, Madball, Rancid, Circle Jerks, Descendents, Cro-Mags, Bad Brains, The Clash, Government Issue, Verbal Assault, Gorilla Biscuits, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, 7 Seconds, Embrace, Social Distortion, Sick of It All and Warzone on this release.


H2O vocalist Toby Morse commented, “This album is extremely important to us. These are bands that inspired us to start a band and who have inspired our personal lives. Also with so many young kids getting into hardcore every day, it’s good to always keep exposing them to the ROOTS of this music and getting them into some of the originators of hardcore/punk. We have all gotten to see this bands play live when we were young so covering their songs that made us happy and inspired as kids feels amazing and we feel honored.”

H2O comes from humble roots themselves, and have worked their way to help define the term “melodic hardcore”. The band formed back in the mid-90’s and have released five full-length albums with over 300,000 copies sold collectively. They’ve toured the world with the likes of AFI, the Misfits, toured the Warped Tour circuit and more, and they’ve established themselves as a household name and inspired countless others in their wake. H2O is happy to give back to those that have helped shape them on Don’t Forget Your Roots, coming this Fall from Bridge Nine Records. Full track list to be announced soon!

Opeth to release new album

Sweden’s most revered and respected progressive metal mavens Opeth will release Heritage, their third album for Roadrunner, on September 20th. The first single and video will be the song “The Devil’s Orchard.” Heritage follows up 2008’s Watershed and 2005’s Ghost Reveries, each of which garnered the forward-thinking, genre-bending band some of the best reviews of their career.

Opeth frontman and guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt weighed in on Heritage, saying, "It will be our 10th album/observation. I dig it; we all do. In fact, it feels like I've been building up to write for and participate on an album like this since I was 19."

Åkerfeldt went a little deeper and described the music contained within Heritage, saying, "It's quite intense at times in some 'old' murky way, and quite beautiful and stark at times, if I may say so myself. It's obvious I'm going to say nice things about it since I wrote basically the whole piece, but I guess it will raise a few eyebrows and it certainly is an acquired taste. I think you'll need a slightly deeper understanding of our music as a whole to be able to appreciate this record. I've realized my influences for this album are so diverse that I can't really say what it sounds like. If I can compare it to any other band, it would have to be Opeth, but it's different from the stuff we've done before. I've listened a lot to Alice Cooper for the last year, yet I can't say it sounds like 'No More Mr. Nice Guy.' I hope you'll like it once you hear it."

The album was produced by Åkerfeldt and mixed along with Porcupine Tree frontman/guitarist Steven Wilson, who is a labelmate of Opeth. Longtime collaborator Travis Smith also worked with Åkerfeldt to create, design and execute the album’s artwork.

The track listing for Heritage is as follows:

"Heritage"
"The Devil's Orchard"
"I Feel the Dark"
"Slither""Nepenthe"
"Haxprocess"
"Famine"
"The Lines in My Hand"
"Folklore"
"Marrow of the Earth"

Heritage will be released in several configurations that will certainly incite the interest of Opeth’s legion of fans, known for their passion for collecting and collectibles. The album will be released as a standard version; as a special edition loaded with extras; as a box set exclusive to the Roadrunner and the bands own official Omerch webstore; and as a double LP. There is something for every Opeth fan, thanks to this expansive variety of options.

Opeth will also embark on a seven-week, headline tour of the US. Dates will be announced imminently.

Shpongle at the Wiltern June 18

Saturday, June 18 @ 8:00PM
The Wiltern
Shpongle with Random Rab and EOTO
3790 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA
Tickets $25 - $35
For more information, please contact 213-380-5005 or visit www.livenation.com


Pioneering musician/producer/composer/DJ Simon Posford storms the U.S. this summer with a massive run of Shpongle “Hybrid” DJ dates, debuting the highly anticipated “Shpongle presents The Shpongletron Experience.” For this tour, Posford reveals his brand-new "Decks, FX & 101" show made up of an arsenal of turntables, synths, and effects units. The tour coincides with the release of Younger Brother’s studio release, Vaccine. Vaccine is the third release for which Posford teams with longtime collaborators Benji Vaughan and Ruu Campbell.

The Shpongletron Experience's extended trek across the U.S.A. began April 12 and will run into July, including performances at such festivals as the Coachella Music and Art Festival, Electric Forest, Wakarusa and others. For the tour, the brand new Shpongle Hybrid DJ show finds Posford on turntables with his vintage analog Roland SH 101 and live synth effects. The complete list of tour dates is included below. The elaborately staged multi-media presentation, which Posford describes as a "maelstrom of beauty and surprise," can be expected to raise the bar on Shpongle's longstanding reputation for providing mind-bending, fully immersive multi-dimensional, multi-sensory experiences. T

he shows will incorporate The Shpongletron, a pyramid-like 18-foot structure (designed by Coast II Coast Entertainment and VJ Zebbler specifically for this tour) which will blast audiences with four levels of psychedelic mayhem, along with dancers, multiple video screens and a live DJ set by Posford. Posford will also showcase tracks off the recently released Shpongle EP The God Particle. Random Rab will open the shows.

The Shpongletron Experience tour coincides with the versatile Londoner's other current project: the release of Younger Brother's scintillating new album Vaccine. Vaccine (April 26, 2011/SCI Fidelity Records) is the third album by Younger Brother, in which Posford teams with longtime collaborators Benji Vaughan and Ruu Campbell. The album, which features Marc Brownstein (Disco Biscuits) on bass, Tom Hamilton (Brothers Past) on guitar and Joe Russo (who also plays in the Grateful Dead spin-off act Furthur) on drums, marks a notable evolution from the band's electronic origins, embracing melodic song structures and organic instrumental sounds.

A “U.K.” lineup of Younger Brother toured select U.S. cities this April - with Posford (synth/guitar), Vaughan (Ableton / synth) and Campbell (vocals) joined by Matt White on guitar, Chris Borud on bass and Nikolaj Bjerre on drums.

Purchase a ticket in advance of any Shpongle presents The Shpongletron Experience shows from www.wantickets.com/shpongle, and receive a link and password to download 3 of Random Rab's albums for free! (Or, forward your ticket receipt to randomrabmusic@gmail.com)

Visit for more information.www.facebook.com/shpongle

Scream It Like You Mean It tour announces lineup

Rockstar Energy Drink Presents: Scream It Like You Mean It 2011 in Association with www.Musicskins.com and www.Merchnow.com!

This Year’s Killer Lineup Features: Breathe Carolina, Chiodos, I See Stars, The Color Morale, Tek-One, The Air I Breathe

Trek Kicks Off July 15 In Seattle, Washington

Tickets Available For Pre-Sale Now @
www.ScreamItLikeYouMeanIt.com/Events


After a hugely successful launch in 2010, The 2011 Scream It Like You Mean It Tour returns to the US on July 15 with a lineup that is sure to please concertgoers all summer long. Breathe Carolina (Fearless Records) will headline the tour with support from Chiodos (Equal Vision), I See Stars (Sumerian Records), The Color Morale (Rise Records), Tek-One and The Air I Breathe (Velocity/Rise Records). The trek kicks off July 15th in Seattle and winds down in Denver, CO on August 26.

Tickets are available for pre-sale now at: www.ScreamItLikeYouMeanIt.com/Events.


Scream It Like You Mean It 2011 Tour Dates
w/ Breathe Carolina, Chiodos, I See Stars, The Color Morale, Tek-One, & The Air I Breathe


7.15 - Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
7.17 - Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
7.18 - San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom
7.19 - Sacramento, CA @ Ace Of Spades
7.20 - Los Angeles, CA @ House of Blues
7.21 - Las Vegas, NV @ Rock The Block Series/Fremont East
7.22 - Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
7.23 - San Diego, CA @ SOMA
7.24 - Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
7.26 - San Antonio, TX @ White Rabbit
7.27 - Pharr, TX @ Pharr Entertainment Center
7.28 - Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
7.29 - Dallas, TX @ The Door
7.30 - Memphis, TN @ New Daisy Theatre
7.31 - Nashville, TN @ Rocketown
8.2 - Pompano Beach, FL @ Rocketown
8.3 - St. Petersburg, FL @ State Theatre
8.4 - Orlando, FL @ The Social
8.5 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
8.6 - Greensboro, NC @ Greene Street Club
8.7 - Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
8.9 - West Springfield, VA @ Jaxx
8.10 - Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts
8.11 - Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock
8.12 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
8.13 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
8.14 - Clifton Park, NY @ Northern Lights
8.16 - Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
8.17 - Toronto, ONT @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
8.18 - Buffalo, NY @ Xtreme Wheels
8.19 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Rex Theatre
8.20 - Detroit, MI @ The Majestic Theatre
8.21 - Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's
8.22 - Covington, KY @ Radio Down
8.23 - Indianapolis, IN @ Emerson Theatre
8.24 - Chicago, IL @ The Bottom Lounge
8.26 - Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall

www.screamitlikeyoumeanit.com

www.facebook.com/breathecarolina

www.facebook.com/chiodos

www.facebook.com/ISeeStarsMusic

www.facebook.com/thecolormorale

www.facebook.com/Tekoneuk

www.facebook.com/TheAirIBreatheBand

www.rockstar69.com

www.MusicSkins.com

www.MerchNow.com

Federal Bar NoHo launches Organik Vinyl Thursdays

The Federal Bar announces Organik Vinyl Thursdays presented by Shock Lounge!

What: Shock Lounge Presents Organik Vinyl Thursdays Each Thursday features a different DJ! This weeks lineup includes Grammy-Winning artist and drummer for Hip-Hop’s Arrested Development, DJ RASADON and BURT BLACKARACK! The Organically grown soundtrack blends hip-hop, house, funk, soul, dance and world music to create a one of a kind experience.

When: Every Thursday starting at 9:30pm (No Cover)

Where: The Federal Bar, 5303 Lankershim Blvd. North Hollywood, CA 91601

For more info visit: www.thefederalbar.com

The Contortionist at Key Club July 21

Indianapolis, Indiana’s prog-metal prodigies THE CONTORTIONIST have just announced brand new co-headlining tour dates on the SLAUGHTER SURVIVORS TOUR with Conducting From The Grave, Scale The Summit, Rings Of Saturn, Volumes, and Structures. The tour begins with a kick-off party in Hollywood, CA at the Key Club on July 21st. See below for all current tour dates.

The band recently announced tour dates with Veil of Maya to their summer touring schedule. The short run will take the guys through Illinois and Indiana on four dates in June. As mentioned above, the band is native to Indianapolis, IN and seldom performs live in the area, so this tour serves as an excellent and rare opportunity to witness the band in their hometown!

THE CONTORTIONIST released their debut full-length, Exoplanet, with GOOD FIGHT MUSIC on August 31st, 2010. Their infectious, progressive and rhythmic sounds have brought them comparisons to some of today’s metal greats, such as Meshuggah, The Acacia Strain, and Between the Buried and Me. Purchase your copy of Exoplanet now at Amazon.com, or on iTunes!


TOUR DATES W/ VEIL OF MAYA
6/23 Peoria, IL @ Brass Rail
6/24 Evansville, IN @ Boney June’s
6/25 Indianapolis, IN @ Emerson Theatre
6/26 Fort Wayne, IN @ Broadripple

SLAUGHTER SURVIVORS TOUR DATES W/ CONDUCTING FROM THE GRAVE, SCALE THE SUMMIT, RINGS OF SATURN, VOLUMES & STRUCTURES

7/21 Hollywood, CA @ Key Club w/ Dawn of Ashes (Official Summer Slaughter Tour Kickoff Party)
7/22 Tucson, AZ @ The Rock
7/23 Gallup, NM @ The Juggernaut
7/24 Lubbock, TX @ Jake's
7/25 Austin, TX @ Emo's
7/27 Orlando, FL @ Firestone
7/28 St Petersburg, FL @ State Theatre
7/29 Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
7/30 Springfield, VA @ Jaxx
7/31 Trenton, NJ @ Backstage at Champs
8/03 Wilmington, DE @ Mojo 13
8/04 Amityville, NY @ Broadway Bar
8/05 Holyoke, MA @ Waterfront Tavern
8/06 Amsterdam, NY @ Elks Hall 101
8/07 Jermyn, PA @ Eleanor Rigby's
8/08 Covington, KY @ The MadHatter
8/10 Indianapolis, IN @ Emerson Theater
8/11 Steger, IL @ Another Hole In the Wall
8/12 St. Paul, MN @ Station 4
8/13 Des Moines, IA @ People's Court
8/14 Omaha, NE @ Sokol Underground
8/15 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater
8/16 Salt Lake City, UT @ In The Venue
8/18 Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction
8/19 Sacramento, CA @ The Boardwalk
8/20 South Lake Tahoe, CA @ The Skatehouse


For more information on THE CONTORTIONIST be sure to visit:

http://www.facebook.com/thecontortionist
http://www.twitter.com/tcband
http://www.myspace.com/thecontortionistband

Ipalpiti Orchestral Ensemble in LA July 23

One of the rare musical events this summer in Los Angeles will be the finale performance by a group of musicians known as "The United Nations of Classical Music" or "Musical Peace Corps." Officially the ipalpiti Orchestral Ensemble, this rare convergence of talented young professional musicians drawn from twenty countries transcends philosophical and political conflict as they gather under the musical direction of one of L.A.'s finest classical music assets, maestro Eduard Schmieder, to perform for two weeks at various venues culminating with their grand finale performance at Disney Hall on July 23rd at 8pm.

In an effort to bring greater awareness to this unique classical music opportunity for Southern California, we would greatly appreciate any shout outs or placements in your summer calendar of musical events. Of course, if you are interested in pursuing a story on this timely collaboration of musicians from culturally disparate corners of the globe, LaunchPad PR can arrange for a conversation with Eduard Schmieder or his wife and ipalpiti director Laura Schmieder --- both founders of ipalpiti. A love for classical music as a powerful common bond for humanity and the energies of Eduard Schmeider has made this event possible along with his distinguished advisory board that includes artists such as Vladimir Ashkenazy, Yefim Bronfman, Ida Haendal, Gary Karr, Gidon Kremer, Wynton Marsalis and the late Yehudi Menuhin.

Randy Travis at the Grammy Museum June 15

As part of the celebration honoring his 25-year career, The GRAMMY Museum will welcome legendary country icon Randy Travis for a special discussion and performance on June 15, 2011. Warner Bros. Records will release Travis’ Anniversary Celebration duets CD on June 7, 2011. Zac Brown Band, Kristin Chenoweth, Kenny Chesney, Don Henley, Alan Jackson, Jamey Johnson, George Jones, Kris Kristofferson, Tim McGraw, Willie Nelson, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood are among the acclaimed artists that join Travis on Anniversary Celebration. The album includes new songs in addition to re-makes of many of Travis’ megahits. In support of his new CD, Travis will be performing on The Today Show (6/6,) Fox & Friends (6/7,) The Tonight Show (6/14,) and The Talk (6/15.)

As one of the most recognizable voices in music, Travis has achieved sales in excess of 20 million records. His impressive career successes include 18 No. 1 singles, seven GRAMMY® Awards, 10 Academy of Country Music Awards, 10 American Music Awards, two People’s Choice Awards, eight Dove Awards, five Country Music Association Awards and a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

The GRAMMY winner will sit down with GRAMMY Foundation Vice President Scott Goldman to discuss his celebrated career and new record before participating in an audience Q&A and performing a few songs.

The GRAMMY Museum launched its flagship public program, “An Evening With…,” in January 2009 with music legend Brian Wilson and continued its success with critically-acclaimed recording artists Ringo Starr, Annie Lennox, Bob Newhart, Tom Morello, Dwight Yoakam, Jerry Lee Lewis, Dionne Warwick, Herbie Hancock, Smokey Robinson, John Mellencamp, Terence Blanchard, Herb Alpert and Lani Hall, George Benson, Paul Shaffer, Mavis Staples, Carly Simon, Harry Connick, Jr. and Clive Davis. The program regularly features award-winning and cutting-edge musicians live and onstage. Taking place in the Museum’s state-of-the-art Clive Davis Theater, which screens exhibit-related films during regular Museum hours, the program provides guests unprecedented access to their favorite musicians.

“American Express Presents An Evening With Randy Travis” will take place at 8 p.m. in the Clive Davis Theater, on the second floor of The GRAMMY Museum. Doors open at 7:30pm. American Express presale tickets are $20 and can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com by American Express Cardmembers starting Wednesday, May 25, at noon. Public onsale is Wednesday, June 8, at noon. American Express ticket purchase also includes a special gift. American Express is the exclusive payment method for presale tickets. All proceeds benefit the GRAMMY Museum. For more information, please call 213.765.6800 or visit www.grammymuseum.org.

The GRAMMY Museum is located at 800 West Olympic Boulevard, Suite A245, Los Angeles, CA 90015. With an entrance off of Figueroa Street, the Museum resides within the L.A. LIVE campus, at the intersection of Olympic Boulevard and Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles.

Native Voices play reading festival at the Autry in June

NATIVE VOICES AT THE AUTRY FESTIVAL OF NEW PLAYS READINGS

Cikiuteklluku (Giving Something Away)
A young Yup'ik girl from rural Alaska faces heartache when a non-Native couple adopts her baby. Written by Holly Stanton (Yup'ik*)
Directed by Ed Bourgeois
Dramaturgy by Shelley Orr
Thursday, June 16 at 7:30 pm

Ungipamsuuka (My Story)
An Alaskan Native sculptor boldly confronts familial, cultural, and sexual trauma with the healing power of art.
Written by Susie Silook (Siberian Yupik/Inupiaq*)
Directed by Stephan Wolfert
Dramaturgy by Robert Caisley and Lauren Simon, Assistant Dramaturg
Friday, June 17 at 7:30 pm

The Bird House
Questions about family, faith, community and the very soil we live on collide in a small West Texas town.
Written by Diane Glancy (Cherokee*)
Directed by Robert Caisley
Dramaturgy by Shirley Fishman
Saturday, June 18 at 1:00 pm

The Woman Who Was Captured by Ghosts
A Cheyenne woman faces her own mortality on a metaphysical journey to a place where tradition is the best medicine.
Written by Julie Pearson-Little Thunder (Creek*)
Directed by Jere Hodgin
Dramaturgy by Julie Jensen
Saturday, June 18 at 4:00 pm

VENUE:Wells Fargo Theater
The Autry National Center
4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles, CA, 90027-1462.

TICKETS:$10/play or $25/ four-play festival pass; Half price for students, senior and military; free for Autry members

INFORMATION:(323) 667-2000, ext. 354 www.NativeVoicesattheAutry.org

Tidelands to release album

“Holy Grail” is the first single and video from If… by Tidelands

[SOUNDCLOUD]: http://soundcloud.com/fanaticpro/tidelands-holy-grail

[MP3]: http://www.fanaticpromotion.com/projects/tidelands/mp3/tidelands-holygrail.mp3

[VIDEO]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlYskcAAnc8


See Tidelands live in San Francisco at a record release show for If… at Café du Nord on July 26th!

Tidelands is the duo of San Francisco’s Gabriel Montana Leis (Guitar, Flugelhorn, Vocals) and Mie Araki (Drums, Keyboards, Vocals). On the duo’s upcoming debut album If..., Leis and Araki have teamed up with Magik*Magik Orchestra conductor Minna Choi and Deerhoof engineer Ian Pellicci to create an album of sharp, poetic lyrics uniquely arranged with looped guitars, Moog bass and beautiful harmonies.

“I found myself writing melodies that I knew were meant for a horn,” Leis says of the Tidelands material that began to take shape in 2009. “Never having played a horn before, I purchased a beautiful vintage Benge flugelhorn and began at the beginning,” Leis says of the decision to learn the horn from scratch on his own. Leis soon recruited Araki, a classically trained percussionist, who then added a Moog to her ensemble of instruments, essentially learning to play the drums and synth at the same time.

Further exploring his earlier experiences in other bands writing for cello, violin and trumpet, Leis began using a looping device to write guitar parts that he could later pair with orchestral instruments. Araki would then transcribe these ideas to standard musical notation and via a connection with musician John Vanderslice, Tidelands was introduced to Choi and her ensemble, the Magik*Magik Orchestra.

“We gave her the framework of the songs and the charts and the freedom to create around what we had already written,” Leis explains. Recording engineer Pellicci was the final collaborator added to the project, and less than six short but studious months into becoming a flugelhorn player, Leis, Araki, Choi and Pellicci convened at San Francisco’s Tiny Telephone studios to create If...

If... will be released on July 26th, 2011. Tidelands will perform a hometown show in San Francisco at Café du Nord that same evening.

Tidelands – If…
(S/R, July 26th, 2011)
Track Listing:

01 Holy Grail
02 Holiday
03 Eyes of God
04 Amulet
05 Letter to a Young Soldier I Love
06 Sixes and Sevens
07 The Ship
08 In the Wake
09 Marigolds

National Memorial Day Concert to air on PBS May 29

Nearly 10 years after the events of 9/11 and the terrorist attacks orchestrated by Osama bin Laden, the nation’s renewed sense of national unity will be on full display at the 2011 NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT, broadcast on PBS SoCal Sunday, May 29 from 8 to 9:30 p.m. PT. Consistently one of the highest rated programs on PBS over the past decade, the NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT will be broadcast before an audience of hundreds of thousands, as well as to troops serving around the world on the American Forces Network.

The multi-award-winning event continues its two decades-long tradition of honoring the service and sacrifice of all our men and women in uniform who have protected us, and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. The NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT will be co-hosted for the sixth year by Emmy® Award-winner Gary Sinise (CSI: NEW YORK) and Tony® Award-winner Joe Mantegna (CRIMINAL MINDS), two acclaimed actors who have dedicated themselves to veteran’s causes and to supporting our troops in active service. The all-star line-up of dignitaries, actors and musical artists participating in the 22nd annual broadcast includes: distinguished American leader Colin L. Powell USA (Ret.); American Idol finalist Pia Toscano; Academy® Award, Golden Globe® and Emmy Award-winning actor Forest Whitaker; American Idol winner Kris Allen; two-time Academy and Emmy Award-winning actress Dianne Wiest; King of the Blues B.B. King; acclaimed actors Jason Ritter and A. J. Cook; classical superstar Hayley Westenra; America’s beloved tenor Daniel Rodriguez, the New York city policeman who united the country after the September 11 terrorist attacks; and gospel legend Yolanda Adams. They will perform with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of top pops conductor Jack Everly (additional talent to be announced).

In addition to the 9/11 commemoration, the 2011 event will include:

A special thank you to our troops who have been serving in Iraq by General Colin Powell;

· The poignant story of a woman who lost her father in Vietnam and how her experiences are helping a new generation of children who have suffered the same loss after their parents served in Iraq and Afghanistan; and

· A tribute to our World War II veterans 70 years after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

“They are our sons and daughters; husbands, friends and sweethearts,” said General Colin Powell. “We honor the sacrifices each of them has made for us; and we respect the deep sacrifices their families have also made. They are the spirit – and the strength – of America.”

The U.S Joint Chiefs of Staff will also participate in the event along with The U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, The U.S. Army Chorus, The Soldiers Chorus of the U.S. Army Field Band, The U.S. Navy Sea Chanters, the U.S. Air Force Singing Sergeants, the Armed Forces Color Guard and Service Color Teams provided by the Military District of Washington, D.C.

Judas Priest on 'Idol" and to tour

No, your eyes did not deceive you – the one and only Judas Priest just debuted their new guitarist, Richie Faulkner, tonight on 'American Idol'! Ripping through a medley that included kick ass renditions of two 'British Steel' classics ("Living After Midnight" and "Breakin' the Law") with major Priest fan – and this season 'American Idol' hopeful – James Durbin joining in on vocals.

This is the second time that Durbin has professed his admiration for Priest on the show, as he wowed judges Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, and Steven Tyler a while back with a rendition of "You've Got Another Thing Comin'." Although Durbin was recently voted off the show, he undoubtedly has a bright rocking future ahead, as evidenced by his multi-octave vocal range.

Judas Priest recently announced plans to launch their farewell Epitaph Tour, which will take them around the world, including a just-announced U.S. tour of arenas from October through December, which will also feature opening acts Black Label Society and Thin Lizzy.

Speaking on Wednesday to the Rolling Stone website, Priest singer Rob Halford had the following to say about what fans can expect on the group's forthcoming trek.

"We're pulling out all the stops. We've built a brand new stage set, we've got all the effects that people love us for – the lasers, the fire, the bombs, the smoke, new costumes, and the bike. It's just a full-on metal extravaganza."

Few heavy metal bands have managed to scale the heights that Judas Priest has during their nearly 40 year career. Responsible for not only issuing some of metal's all-time classic albums ('British Steel,' 'Screaming for Vengeance,' and 'Painkiller') and anthems (the aforementioned "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight," and "You've Got Another Thing Coming"), the group has been one of the leading arena rock acts for decades, and single-handedly introduced the "leather look" to heavy metal.And now Judas Priest are set to blast their way round the world one final time.

Confirmed Judas Priest U.S. Tour Dates (more dates to be announced shortly):
October:
12 – San Antonio, TX: AT&T Center
14 – Corpus Christi, TX: Concrete Street Amphitheater
15 – Houston, TX: The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
16 – Dallas, TX: Allen Event Center18 – Tucson, AZ: Ava Amphitheater
19 – San Diego, CA: Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
21 – Phoenix, AZ: AZ State Fair
22 – San Bernardino, CA: San Manuel Amphitheater
23 – Las Vegas, NV: Hard Rock
25 – Los Angeles, CA: Gibson Amphitheatre
26 – Oakland, CA: Oracle Arena
29 – Seattle, WA: WaMu Theater
30 – Vancouver, BC: Rogers Arena
November:
1 – Edmonton, AB: Shaw Conference Center
2 – Calgary, AB: Scotiabank Saddledome
4 – Salt Lake City, UT: Maverik Center
5 – Denver, CO: 1STBANK Center
12 – Chicago, IL: The Venue at Horseshoe Casino
13 – Detroit, MI: Joe Louis Arena
18 – East Rutherford, NJ: Izod Center

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT www.judaspriest.com

Guitar Center's King of the Blues competition June 2

Guitar Center (www.guitarcenter.com ), the world’s largest musical instrument retailer, continues its support of aspiring artists as the store finals of the fifth-annual King of the Blues(www.guitarcenter.com/kingoftheblues ), takes place at Guitar Center locations across the LA-area June 2nd at 6pm. Stores include Hollywood, Pico & Westwood, Brea, Cerritos, Concord, Covina, El Cerrito, Fountain Valley, Northridge, Pasadena, Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino, Sherman Oaks, South Bay and Stevenson Ranch. Local hopefuls will compete to reach the district finals of the nationwide search for the next great undiscovered blues guitar player.

Contestants are trying to further their quest to be one five finalists at the King of the Blues finals at the House of Blues in Los Angeles, where they will perform for a panel of celebrity judges, playing alongside guitar titan Warren Haynes. At the King of the Blues finals they will compete for over $50,000 in prizes, including studio time with Grammy Award-winning producer Pete Anderson. One winner from each of Guitar Center’s 218 store finals will be chosen to move up to district competitions (25 locations), followed by regionally hosted semi-finals (5 locations), which culminate in the King of the Blues grand finals.

What: Guitar Center LA-area King of the Blues store finals

When: Thursday, June 2 at 6pm

Where: Guitar Center Hollywood, 7425 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, California 90046
Guitar Center Pico & Westwood, 10831 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90064
Guitar Center Brea, 606 S. Brea Blvd., Brea, California 92821
Guitar Center Cerritos, 11155 183rd Street, Cerritos, California 90703
Guitar Center Concord, 1280 Willow Pass Rd., Ste. A, Concord, California 94520
Guitar Center Covina, 1054 North Azusa Ave., Covina, California 91722
Guitar Center El Cerrito, 10300 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito, California 94530
Guitar Center Fountain Valley, 18361 Euclid St., Fountain Valley, California 92708
Guitar Center Northridge, 19510 Nordhoff St., Northridge, California 91324
Guitar Center Pasadena, 2660 East Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, California 91107
Guitar Center Rancho Cucamonga, 12479 Foothill Blvd., Su.#G/H, Rancho Cucamonga, California 91739
Guitar Center San Bernardino, 925 E. Hospitality Lane, San Bernardino, California 92408
Guitar Center Sherman Oaks, 14209 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, California 91423
Guitar Center South Bay, 4525 Artesia Blvd., Lawndale, California 90260
Guitar Center Stevenson Ranch, 24961 Pico Canyon Road, Stevenson Ranch, California 91381

New Wizard of Oz album to be released

The 2011 London Palladium cast recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s stunning new production of The Wizard Of Oz is currently available digitally and will be in stores June 28th through Decca Broadway in America. This 24 track set includes all the much-loved songs from the Oscar-winning movie score by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg, plus new songs by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.

The production features multiple award-winning performer Michael Crawford as the Wizard and Danielle Hope – winner of the 2010 British television talent competition Over the Rainbow – as Dorothy. Other performers in the cast include Edward Baker-Duly (Tin Man), David Ganly (Cowardly Lion), Paul Keating (Scarecrow), Emily Tierney (Glinda) and Hannah Waddingham (Wicked Witch Of The West).

The Wizard of Oz is Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's first production together in the West End in over three decades. To create the new musical, Lloyd Webber adapted the 1939 film's screenplay with director Jeremy Sams, and added several new songs to the film's score with Rice. In July 2010, Lloyd Webber told the Daily Mail, "The fact is that The Wizard of Oz has never really worked in the theatre. The film has one or two holes where in the theatre you need a song. For example, there's nothing for either of the two witches to sing. Tim and I are doing quite a specific thing, because we know what's missing."

The production opened in England to excellent reviews and record-breaking business, and promises to inspire a new generation of fans by offering a new perspective on a timeless classic.


ACT ONE
1. Overture
2. Nobody Understands Me
3. Over The Rainbow
4. Wonders Of The World
5. The Twister
6. Arrival In Munchkinland
7. Munchkinland / Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead
8. Follow The Yellow Brick Road
9. If I Only Had A Brain / We’re Off To See The Wizard
10. If I Only Had A Heart / We’re Off To See The Wizard
11. If I Only Had The Nerve / We’re Off To See The Wizard
12. We’re Outta The Woods
13. The Merry Old Land Of Oz
14. Bring Me The Broomstick


ACT TWO
15. Haunted Forest
16. Red Shoe Blues
17. Bacchanalia
18. Red Shoe Blues (Reprise)
19. Over The Rainbow (Reprise)
20. If I Only Had A Plan
21. The Rescue
22. Hail Hail! The Witch is Dead
23. The Wizards Departure
24. Already Home
25. Finale

Jackie Evancho and Tommy Emmanuel coming to PBS SoCal in June

Sunday, June 5, 8 p.m. – Great Performances: “Jackie Evancho: Dream with Me”– PREMIERE
Jackie Evancho, the 11-year-old girl with the extraordinarily big voice, came to national prominence on “America’s Got Talent” and now returns to PBS. This solo concert was filmed at the grounds of the Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, Fla., and coincides with the release of her first full-length solo album, “Dream with Me.”

Wednesday, June 8, 9:30 p.m. – “Tommy Emmanual and Friends: Live at the Balboa Theater” – PREMIERE
Tommy Emmanuel – considered one of the finest acoustic guitar players in the world celebrates his 50th anniversary as a performer with a concert featuring some of his favorite musician friends.

ZZ Top to release 'Live in Germany 1980'

For the first time on CD, on May 31, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release ZZ Top Live in Germany 1980. This 16-song Texas manifesto features guitarist Billy F Gibbons, drummer Frank Beard and bassist Dusty Hill, in an onstage explosion of barrelhouse jump blues and boogie. [MSRP $13.98]

The Grugahalle in Essen was rockin’ on that night in 1980. ZZ Top, touring in support of 1979’s Deguello, is totally energized on nine of Deguello’s tracks, complemented by fan favorites from Tres Hombres (1973) and Fandango (1975), as well as righteous roots-reverent covers of Elmore James and Elvis Presley. (The concert was filmed for German television’s popular Rockpalast program and released on DVD as Double Down Live in 2009.)

Rock’n’Roll Hall Of Famers ZZ Top have never had a personnel change over the course of their 40-year career. These instantly-recognizable musicians are larger-than-life, their image clearly defined in American pop culture. They’re known as much for their dedication to the blues as they are for their self-designed custom-made guitars. Whether kicking off the MTV generation in 1983 with their groundbreaking videos or continuing to put on world class shows today, ZZ Top are as pioneering now as they ever were, yet still mindful of all who came before them in the glorious longtime tradition of this great music.

Track Listing:
1) El Deguello
2) I Thank You
3) Waitin’ For the Bus
4) Jesus Just Left Chicago
5) Precious And Grace
6) Manic Mechanic
7) Lowdown In The Street
8) Heard It On The X
9) Fool For Your Stockings
10) Cheap Sunglasses
11) Arrested For Driving While Blind
12) Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers
13) La Grange / Sloppy Drunk / Bar-B-Q
14) Dust My Broom
15) Jailhouse Rock
16) Tush

Infusion Lounge opening at Universal CityWalk

Sophisticated Angelenos and international glitterati will have a plush new place to relax and unwind in style when Infusion Lounge opens this summer at Universal CityWalk. The upscale nightclub will redefine nightlife in Los Angles with its dramatic Asian-inspired interior, two floors of world-class DJs spinning Top-40 mash-ups and house tracks on state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems, premium cocktails and deluxe bottle service provided by Infusion’s dedicated VIP hosts.

One of the country’s most exciting and successful nightlife brands, Infusion Lounge opened its first location in San Francisco’s Union Square on New Year’s Eve 2008, and was quickly named by Condé Nast Traveler Magazine one of the World’s Hottest New Nightclubs. Attracting a who’s-who of renowned DJs, high-style crowds continue to snake around the block, and VIP guest lists often include music, entertainment and sports celebrities.

“Los Angeles is very cosmopolitan. People here travel, they know fashion, and they know what defines a five-star nightlife experience,” said Chris Rosas, founder of the Infusion Lounge brand. “Our Universal CityWalk location is ideal to serve a clientele that will come from all over the city, and from all over the world.”

Finishing touches are being put on an extensive interior renovation that will feature two bars, two expansive dance floors, two VIP areas, glowing back-lit spider web lattice walls, pulsating LED-lit columns, and a giant dragon at its entrance. Infusion Lounge expects to open its doors and welcome guests to experience its first floor bar, dance floor and VIP area in June 2011, with a red carpet Grand Opening of the entire 2-level, 9800 sq. ft. venue slated for August.

“We intend to deliver a consistent, upscale experience, and our guests will know they’ll have an amazing evening every time they come to Infusion Lounge,” added Rosas.

Infusion Lounge will be open seven days a week, with Happy Hour everyday from 5–8 PM. For more information, visit www.infusionlounge.com.

Royal Thunder in the studio

Atlanta, GA’s ROYAL THUNDER has entered the studio to begin work on their debut full-length album. The as-yet-untitled album follows-up the band’s acclaimed self-titled EP and is being recorded in Marietta, GA at Aria Recording Studio with engineer Joey Jones. A late fall 2011 release date is expected with studio updates to be posted shortly.

Additionally, ROYAL THUNDER will embark on a brief Southern U.S. tour this weekend alongside BLACK SKIES and CALTROP. These dates will kick-off in Raleigh, NC and conclude in Savannah, GA.

ROYAL THUNDER
MySpace page MySpace.com/RoyalThunderMusic
and Facebook fan page

Tracy Woody releases EP

http://www.tracywoody.com

http://www.tracywoody.jukeboxalive.com

Sometimes an artist comes along who makes everyone in the musical world sit up and take notice. Tracy Woody could well be one of those artists.

A multi-talented performer, singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur, Woody is set to burst onto the scene with the incendiary dance floor filler that is ‘Sweat Beat of Love.’ This powerful, emotional, vibrant four-track EP is the announcement of an artist who has big, big things ahead of her.

Beginning her musical journey performing religiously and for friends at weddings over a decade ago, Woody has come a long way, yet still retained that unique, fresh outlook on how to sing, how to perform.
‘Sweat Beat of Love’ marries the almost religious style that informed Woody’s early musical education to electric dance floor beats and a hugely powerful pop vocal. It is a single that will wow dance floors as much as the home listener and will see Woody storm the charts in double quick time. Backed with the equally infectious ‘Your Love’ and two remixes, this EP is tight, life-enhancing and essential music.

Woody says her musical ambition is to inspire people. These songs are the very definition of inspirational. They translate the music religiously into the universal language of the dance floor. They use electronic influences without distilling the beauty of what is a unique voice.

Woody has already garnered praise far and wide – from her home in North Carolina to as far flung lands as Switzerland, people have been drawn to her music. She has been scooping awards and winning radio airplay time for some time.

The buzz around Tracy Woody is already there for all to see. With the release of this EP, that buzz is only going to grow and grow.