The Christian metalcore quintet, I THE BREATHER, recently completed a very successful run on the “In 3D Tour” alongside Shai Hulud, Close Your Eyes and Monsters. This further proved that this band are one of the most enthusiastic, hard working and promising new bands to come onto the scene as of late and their highly acclaimed debut full-length album, These Are My Sins, is available everywhere now and it debuted at #39 on Billboard’s New Artist Chart.
I THE BREATHER was formed by Justin Huffman and Morgan Wright in late 2009. They started off as a little project in my basement and evolved very quickly landing a deal with a prominent booking agency, label and management. The name stems from God allowing of us to breathe; breathing is meaning.
When I THE BREATHER started writing their debut record, they knew that they wanted to make it a very aggressive record. The sound of These Are My Sins is very heavy and in your face, but has a melodic and catchy side that keeps your attention throughout every song.
Lyrical topics mainly come from Shawn (vocals) and Morgan’s personal problems with being lost at times and then found again by the Lord. Also, some of the lyrical content is edgy. They call out the people who claim to be the holy ones but are the first to cast judgment and spit in your face. Just capturing the negativity of close-minded people
Morgan (drums) states: “After this tour we will be out on the road in support of Upon A Burning Body for their headlining run alonside The Color Morale and Like Moths to Flames. This will be a great tour! We’ve had the pleasure to tour with Upon A Burning Body and The Color Morale before and we love those guys; can’t wait for the awesome times we’re going to have with both of them. Please come hang out with on both tours. We look forward to seeing all of ya soon.
Their stellar and highly energetic new video for the track, “Forgiven,” shot by up-and-coming director Chris Rodriguez, can be seen now at www.facebook.com/ithebreather. You can also view the band’s entire touring itinerary and stream new tracks here as well.
It started out as a way to pass the time, listening and playing music was always a pure passion of the two brothers. Inspired by a multitude of various genres, The Apuli Brothers seek to make the best music they can, in hopes of bringing people together while respectably honoring the arts and what it has to offer to the world.
Belmont Cross was formed in 2012 with a goal of writing radio-friendly high energy alternative rock songs that are upbeat and fast paced. The band has taken inspiration from contemporary artists such as Incubus, Paramore and the Foo Fighters while implementing concepts of Punk and the Blues resulting in music that is innovative and catchy. Rather than listening to the same old cover band who plays the hits of yesterday, check out the band whose songs you’ll be hearing on the radio tomorrow.
COMBOBREAKER! is a pop punk / hardcore band from Chicagoland Illinois, consisting of Kevin (Guitar), Eric (Guitar), Nick (Drums), Al (Bass) and Mike (Vocals). We like to play fast and have fun.
At the forefront of the Bay Area’s Jazz/indie music scene, Oakland band Glimpse Trio/Duo, with their signature blend of frenzied musicality with sincere lyrics. Glimpse Trio music is accessible, appealing, and challenging all at once. For their third and fourth albums, Glimpse Trio worked with engineer/mixing guru, Oz Fritz (Tom Waits, Primus), and mastering engineer, Doug Sax (Rolling Stones, the Who). These upcoming albums featured their already innovative sound, while firmly staying grounded in their jazz and garage rock roots. Together, lead singer and guitarist, Mike Sopko, and drummer, Hamir Atwal, are the driving force behind Glimpse Trio’s music.
Hamir Atwal – Hamir began playing the drums at the age of 10, and started playing professionally at the age of 18. He studied at the Berklee College of Music on a scholarship studying improvisation with saxophone great Joe Lovano and trombonist/composer Hal Crook. Hamir is featured on Greg Osby’s 2008 release, 9 Levels, and toured with his band for over two years playing such places as The Village Vanguard in NYC and the Green Mill in Chicago. After graduating from Berklee, Hamir moved back to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he collaborated with musicians such as clarinetist/composer Ben Goldberg (Tin Hat Trio), trumpeter Darren Johnston (Nice Guy Trio) and saxophonist Patrick Wolff. Hamir’s rock/jazz/improv group Glimpse Trio was founded with guitarist Mike Sopko in 2010. They released their 1st CD entitled “1985,” which was described by Downbeat Magazine editor, Frank Alkyer, as “a furious blend of rock, jazz, blues with infectious folkiness.” Glimpse Trio’s second CD, “Garage,” was released July 2012, featuring Anticon producer/keyboardist Martin Dosh (Andrew Byrd), and bassist Chris Lopes (Jeff Parker, Mike Patton’s Mondo Cane). In addition to performing, Hamir has also has taught drum clinics at the Stanford Jazz Workshop, the Berkeley Jazzschool, and Music Academy International (Nancy, France). Hamir has performed with such musicians as Joe Lavano, Greg Osby, Hal Crook, Dave Santoro and many more.
Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Mike Sopko, has been playing and studying guitar for over 20 years. Now residing in the San Francisco Bay Area, Mike teaches locally and performs through out the the US. Mike has studied with a variety of teachers such as Dave Fiuczynski, John Schott and Bob Fraser, developing an array of guitar styles, including jazz, classical, rock and Bluegrass. Over the years, he has played, recorded, and toured with such musicians as Thomas Pridgen, G. Calvin Weston (Ornette Colman), Mike Watt, Dosh, Nina Ott, and Chris Lopes (Jeff Parker). Currently, Mike teaches at the Avloni Academy of Music, where he has been the head guitar instructor since 2003. In 2010, Mike founded the Bay Area jazz/rock band, Glimpse Trio, with drummer, Hamir Atwal. Glimpse Trio’s first album, 1985, was awarded Frank Alkyer “Editor’s Pick of the Month” in Downbeat Magazine.
The Tony Williams Lifetime was founded in 1969 as a power trio with John McLaughlin on electric guitar, and Larry Young (aka Khalid Yasin) on organ. The band was possibly named for Williams’ debut album as a bandleader, Life Time, released on Blue Note in 1964. Its debut album was Emergency!, a double album released on Polydor/PolyGram Records in 1969. It was largely rejected by jazz listeners at the time of its release because of its heavy rock influences, but it is now looked upon as a fusion classic
RAZOR FIST plays a highly unique style blending the best elements of 80s speed and thrash metal with an emphasis on catchy songwriting. Their sound is laced with traditional and NWOHM moves and id delivered with an extreme punk attitude. The greatest underground group in the US metal scene today. The songs are highly memorable as RF strives to return heavy metal to the positon of glory it deserves. RAZOR FIST have recorded two LPs, “Razor Fist Force” and “Metal Minds” released in both LP and CD format on Germany’s Pure Steel Records and High Roller Records. Both LPs received extremely positive reviews and Razor Fist has a substantial German fanbase In conclusion, RAZOR FIST are simply beyond description and ufortunately seem to be destined to be one of those bands that people look back on and say “why didn’t we pay attention to those guys when they were around?”.
Skeptor is not just any other thrash metal band; what makes Skeptor is the aggressive attack upon the fans of what they get from these amazing musicians. We put our hearts and soul into our music. Fans that love 80s heavy metal, thrash, death, power, etc. will surely enjoy Skeptor’s rough and pounding metal that we bring upon them!
Amulance is a heavy metal band based out of Aurora, Illinois, founded by guitarist, Bob Luman. After several personnel changes, the classic lineup of Amulance was formed in 1986 which consisted of Bob Luman (guitars), Thom Braddish (bass), Eric Wedow (drums), Vince Varriale (guitars), and Rick Baez (vox).
A six track demo in 1986 led to the release of the album “Feel The Pain” through New Renaissance Records in 1988. Unable to tour, Eric Wedow departed in 1988. After nine months, Amulance recruited drummer, Tony Divozzo and was able to record pre-production tracks for what later came to be known as “The Aftermath” sessions before the band unceremoniously folded in early 1990.
The band’s six track demo “The Rage Within” was re-released in 2007 through metal label StormSpell Records on the CD titled “The Rage Within: and the Aftermath” along with six bonus tracks from “The Aftermath” pre-production sessions as well as two live video performances circa 1988 & 1989. The release of this CD found Amulance momentarily reunited and gearing up to go overseas in 2008. Divozzo pulled out of the show a month prior to the band’s first overseas appearance for personal reasons. Varriale left shortly after and declined to rejoin when asked in 2009 in an attempt to again reunite the band.
In 2009, drummer Ed Foltz (DSG) and guitarist Pat Cassidy were recruited in order for the band to fulfill their commitment to playing at the Headbanger’s Open Air Festival (HOA) in Germany. Amulance also began working on what was intended to be a full-length CD but then changed to the “Deutschland” EP due to a lack of time; however Amulance finally made it to Germany in 2010. Upon their return to the U.S., Amulance once again went into hiatus; this time re-emerging in 2013 with news of Thom Braddish’s departure from the band and the addition of bassist, Chuck Hamilton.
Workingman’s Dead is the fifth album by the rock band the Grateful Dead. It was recorded in February 1970 and originally released on June 14, 1970. The title of the album comes from a comment from Jerry Garcia to lyricist Robert Hunter about how “this album was turning into the Workingman’s Dead version of the band”
ROMAN RING was formed by members of Small Town Murder as the next step in an evolutionary process. An anomaly amongst the Chicago metal scene, Roman Ring fuses together elements rarely heard from their local peers. Combining blistering speed and technicality with passages of polyrhythmic grooves along with other-worldy influences. Their music will take you on a journey to another dimension before bringing you back to this earth as an evolved being.
Closer is the second and final studio album by the English post-punk band Joy Division. It was released on 18 July 1980, through record label Factory, following the suicide of lead singer Ian Curtis two months earlier.
London Calling is the third studio album by English punk rock band The Clash. It was released in the United Kingdom on 14 December 1979 by CBS Records, and in the United States in January 1980 by Epic Records.[1] London Calling is a post-punk album that incorporates a range of styles, including punk, reggae, rockabilly, ska, New Orleans R&B, pop, lounge jazz, and hard rock.
Cosmic Americana is often used to describe the jangly and ambient atmosphere of Railway Gamblers. Originating on the Southside of Chicago in March 2014, the group has strayed from the local norm of solely focusing on covering iconic artists and, instead, devoted their time to crafting their own resonant and original sound.
Brendan Folliard (singer, primary songwriter, rhythm guitar, harmonica, piano), Matt Fricks (lead guitar), Sean Wilmsen (drums), and the bass duo of Dan Kane and Joe Sexton make up the core of the group. With the guidance and expertise of top-tier recording engineers (Mike Hagler and Greg Calbi), their studio albums have received high praise from their United States fan bases and have also commanded the attention of international music media outlets. This has led to a consistently-increasing level of recognition and many sold-out shows across the Midwest.
From their influences rooted folk music to their incorporation of modern rock and roll, Railway Gamblers continue to generate a sound that may be difficult to identify as one solitary genre; but it’s one that is palatable, engaging, and honest.
Askultura is Miami’s party band with punk rock, rumba, and ska in our loins. We like to drink big bottles of wines & beers with you! Come to a show and let’s dance. BAILA gente baila.
In less than 4 fast-paced years the ever-evolving Miami, Florida rumba punk ska band Askultura has packed in 200 shows, 3 tours (2 to NY and Boston, 1 to NoLa), a dozen Florida mini-tours, 2 studio albums, 1 live album (recorded in Miami’s legendary Churchill’s Pub), 5 compilations (Europe, USA, South America), 1 successful Kickstarter campaign, and underground distribution across the world-our cd’s are in Malyasia to boot!
Askultura’s very original & unique sound bleeds thundering skate-punk with european melodies, dank ska with rumba-inspired breakdowns, and lively reggae set to fun lyrics dealing with conspiracy theory, talking blue skirts, procrastination, the brotherhood of clown-life, and of course, marijuana (“it’s not just another legalize it song”). The crew is comprised of hard-working American, Italian, French, Okie, Ohioan, Cuban, Peruvian, and Dominican musicians touting voices and washboards, guitars and horns, drums and congas and keyboards, bad sleeping habits, and a desire to tour everyday of the year…except Mother’s Day, when Asku puts on a special, secret sold-out acapella show for…your Mom.
2010’s “You Stank, We Skank” sold 1,000 copies right quick; the only thing left to do was release a 16-song second album, this one aptly describing the Askultura’s sound, breadth, and power: “Ten Strong Superpunk Reggae Rumba Fury”. Allen Vose of SPOT Magazine wrote: “The adrenaline-breeding album “Ten Strong” encompasses a rhythmic blend of mischievousness tracks inspired by unpretentious perceptions that are guaranteed to swing your ass!” And I tell you something reader: everyone likes swingin asses.
To this day and forevermore Askultura’s mission remains the same: spread the Asku gospel of positive, uplifting, and party-minded elements to all curves of the globe. This is the always-evolving, tireless and eclectic symphony that is Askultura. The spirit of the streets. The rumbling in your heart (or the turpitude of a fart) and the movement of your feet. The echos from home.
Shattered & heavily-treated guitars pound into focus by a primal assault
of beats and shifted tempos. A vocal delivery, honest to its bloody, shredded
core, forces the attention of listeners. Not a moment of pause prevails; an improvised journey from one song structure to the next weaves incessantly throughout the live performance.
These are just some of the elements that comprise the Brooklyn-based “freak-out, fucked-up” experimental duo CINEMA CINEMA.
After wrapping up a tour of 140+ shows behind their 2009 debut full length, “EXILE BABY”, the pair, cousins Ev Gold and Paul Claro, headed to Inner Ear Studios in Arlington, VA, to record their new album. Earlier in 2010, they had been offered the elusive chance to work with legendary producer/engineer Don Zientara, who has been renowned worldwide for his work with Minor Threat, Fugazi, Bad Brains, and Bikini Kill, to name just a few. Their debut LP, which ranked at number 17 in “CMJ’s TOP 20 New Adds for the Week of April 20, 2009”, was one of only two self-released records in the Top 20 that week, and went on to break into the “CMJ Top 200 Albums Chart”.
The results of the Zientara sessions yielded a double record’s worth of material. “Shoot the Freak” is an initial peek into the expansion of the band’s sound–integrating exploratory moments culled from their sprawling live show, with a newfound focus regarding both song structure & melodious intent. Seasoning their sound with bright flourishes of volume and fury, the band succeeds in creating work so novel, it defies genre-identification.
Cinema Cinema’s first touring cycle saw them conquer hundreds of stages on the American East Coast, at venues ranging from the historic Southgate House in Kentucky, all the way up to Toronto, Canada, for the NXNE Festival in 2010. Functioning fully under the DIY umbrella, the band (who handle all their own booking), found themselves opening for bands such as The Giraffes, The Dirtbombs, Witch, King Khan & the Shrines, Lions, and Goes Cube. To top off their accomplishments, the band headlined a show at the Gramercy Theater in NYC, an esteemed concert hall which has a 600-person capacity.
To cap off the touring, CC engaged in a week-long stint in the Northeast, opening for Greg Ginn (SST founder and Black Flag guitarist), during the Spring of 2010. This invaluable experience blossomed into a new relationship for the band, leading to more dates scheduled with Ginn for 2011.
A New York borough notorious for its attitude & rough streets, Brooklyn is currently over-populated with foreign, rural bands appropriating it as their “home scene”. In this seemingly-compromised community, where image often overrules content, CINEMA CINEMA continues to stand alone in its artistic integrity and punk ideals.
HOR is electronica, psychedelia, improvised/instrumental, new age experimental. The latest addition CULTURE WARS is now available and can be ordered online from SST Records. Stream it/download it for free from Myspace.
HOR Releases: Culture Wars (SST, 2010), How Much? (SST, 2003), A Faster, More Aggressive Hor (SST, 1998), Slo N’ Sleazy CD (SST, 1996), House (SST, 1995).
Greg Ginn – Guitar/Bass
Andy Batwinas – Percussion/Synth
Sean Hutchinson – Drums
JARED EVAN grew up in Great Neck, New York playing the drums, hoping for the chance to one day become the next Keith Moon. With an introduction to music at an unusually young age, JARED found himself discovering and listening to artists that were way before his time. “I was the only 6 year old in school listening to Al Green and Led Zeppelin”. “I would bring Jethro Tull and James Brown CD’s to school and other kids thought I was weird”. With dreams of breaking as a professional drummer originally, he soon began to experiment with several other instruments and taught himself how to play a number of them. JARED’s early years were filled with a lot of problems in school and music provided a theraputic outlet for him. Eventually, Jared later became heavily influenced by older seminal Hip Hop artists such as the Wu-Tang Clan, Mos Def, The Roots, Kool G Rap, Tribe Called Quest, KRS-One, The Fugees, and others. At this point, Jared started to fuse his new passion with his old. Taking musical cues from his classic rock and soul influences such as Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Al Green, Radiohead, Sublime, James Brown and others.
JARED began to produce and rhyme over new genre-blending beats while introducing heavily melodic hooks to create groundbreaking undertones. Soon, others began to take notice. In 2008 at the age of 18, JARED won the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival’s Spit 16 competition curated by The Source (magazine). Jared was invited to open the festival and his performance immediately caught the attention of attendees, MC’s and the press. Off of the strength of his performance, Jared was invited to perform several shows including an opening gig for Lupe Fiasco in the fall of 2008.
At that point JARED started working heavily in his own home studio and began to hone his sound and complete his very first project entitled “Radio In My Head”. It was around this time where JARED started interning at The FADER in New York City. Upon completion of the first draft of the project, JARED put it in the hands of his friend and Hip Hop superstar director, Rik Cordero (whom he met while interning at The FADER) . Rik said this about Jared after hearing the mixtape: “Jared meshes Hip Hop lyrics, Neo Soul and Post Punk influences with Classic Rock to create a truly unique sound.” Rik and JARED immediately began to create visually stunning music videos to complement Jared’s provocative sound. These videos were then circulated to the top music executives and within weeks JARED had several major label offers.
Chicago Indie Rock band, Rearden Roark, bring a fresh blend of atmospheric rock behind a tight, high-energy rhythmic backbone. Their standout sound and mystic lyrics are sparked by the skilled songwriting of Dan Berdelle. Varying from moments of personal tranquility to driving riffs propelled by melodic guitar leads, Rearden Roark’s music will bring you on a journey.
Penrose Stairs is a force of sound that continually pushes the boundaries of our collective conscious. Astral projection, gas-lighting, euphoria and arachnophobia are all common side effects.
ELTON JOHN “Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player”
Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player is the sixth studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released by DJM Records.
Simply Elton will perform “Intimate Solo Performances” in an ongoing series of monthly Sunday evening shows, each featuring a classic Elton John album. Presented in an intimate solo setting, Brian Harris channels Elton John with wild costuming, virtuoso piano technique, and meticulously Elton-styled vocals. Over the coming months, surprises will be in store with guest musicians joining Simply Elton in presenting these classic albums and music.
Currently scheduled shows:
Aug 24 – The 1973 Album “Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player”
Sept 21 – The 1973 Album “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”
Oct 19 – The 1974 Album “Caribou”
Nov 16 – The 1975 Album “Captain Fantastic”
Dec 14 – Elton in the 80s
Honky Château is the fifth studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1972. It was titled after the 18th century French chateau where it was recorded, Château d’Hérouville.
Simply Elton will perform “Intimate Solo Performances” in an ongoing series of monthly Sunday evening shows, each featuring a classic Elton John album. Presented in an intimate solo setting, Brian Harris channels Elton John with wild costuming, virtuoso piano technique, and meticulously Elton-styled vocals. Over the coming months, surprises will be in store with guest musicians joining Simply Elton in presenting these classic albums and music.
Currently scheduled shows:
April 27 – The 1970 Album “Elton John”
May 25 – The 1970 Album “Tumbleweed Connection”
June 22 – The 1971 Album “Madman Across The Water”
July 13 – The 1972 Album “Honky Chateau”
Aug 24 – The 1973 Album “Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player”
Azizi Gibson, Young Crazy, Reckless, Hazel eyes.Born in Frankfurt, Germany, Raised in Bangkok Thailand Its the preHISTORIC Crew who the PHUCK are you? If you’re not with us then hush up and listen.
I Have signed under Brainfeeder, the most unique and inspirational label on the 3rd rock from the Sun. this nigga (me -azizi gibson) is here to bring you dope ass jams. Mixing styles and genres together to form something that hasn’t been seen in hip hop.. either way PHUCK you have nice day and join a crew full of winners pH i miss you Maryland pg county what the PHUCK is up! DOWNLOAD GHOST IN THE SHELL AT DATPIFF NOW!
The band CHASE was created in 1970 by Bill Chase, Ted Piercefield, Alan Ware, and Jerry Van Blair, all veteran jazz trumpeters. They were backed up by a rhythm section consisting of Phil Porter on keyboards, Angel South on guitar, Dennis Keith Johnson on bass, and Jay Burrid on drums. Rounding out the group was Terry Richards, who was featured as lead vocalist on the first album. In April 1971, the band released their debut album CHASE which contains Chase’s best-known song, “Get It On,” released as a single that spent thirteen weeks on the charts beginning in May 1971. The band received a Best New Artist Grammy nomination and the album went Gold. Chase released their second album, ENNEA, in March 1972; the album’s title is the Greek word for nine, a reference to the nine band members. The original lineup changed midway through the recording sessions, with Gary Smith taking over on drums and GG Shinn on lead vocals.
Following an extended hiatus, Chase reemerged early in 1974 with the release of PURE MUSIC, their third album. Keeping the four-trumpet section headed by Bill Chase, including Joe Morrissey, Jim Oatts, Jay Sollenberger, Walter Clark on drums, John Emma on guitar, Wally Yohn on keyboards, Dartanyan Brown on bass and vocals, Jim Peterik of the Ides of March, also sings on two songs on the album.
On August 9, 1974 while en route to a scheduled performance at the Jackson County Fair in Minnesota, Bill Chase died in a plane crash at the age of 39. Also killed, along with the pilot and a female companion, were Wally Yohn, Walter Clark, and John Emma.
In 2007 Joe Morrissey contacted surviving original group members with a reunion proposition, and Chase Revisited was then born. Since then, the group has been selectively performing with members from all released albums, augmented with some of the best world-class jazz-rock musicians available, bringing this uniquely exciting music back to life.
Sound of Contact is the new progressive rock band from producer & solo recording artist, Simon Collins.
2013 saw the release of their debut Sci-Fi concept album ‘Dimensionaut’, and was immediately met with rave reviews and critical acclaim.
Co-produced by Collins and Sonic Reality’s Dave Kerzner, the band hears Collins behind the kit as well as being the lead singer.
He is joined on the album by Matt Dorsey with musicians Dave Kerzner, Kelly Nordstrom and a guest appearance from Hannah Stobart.
Sound of Contact have created a unique sound, while paying homage to the greats of Classic and Progressive Rock.
They were voted “Best New Band” taking home the “Limelight Award” at Prog Mag’s 2013 Progressive Music Awards and also topped many radio stations and music critics’ “Album of the Year” polls.
With 3 solo albums under his belt, Simon Collins (son of legendary musician Phil Collins) decided to finally form the band he had been working towards throughout his career.
Having grown up on tour with Genesis, Simon had a rare and unique perspective that inspired him at an early age to pursue his own music career and eventually created, Lightyears Music, his own record label to release all his solo albums, and now his new band.
After 15 years of writing, producing and promoting his solo work, Simon had worked with a plethora of talented musicians, but continued to work closely with some who he shared a strong connection and a rare chemistry. With this shared vision and strong musical bond, they embraced what was clearly an organic evolution and decided to bring their creative forces together. That came to form what is now the band, Sound of Contact.
With their debut album “Dimensionaut”, they hit the ground running with a deep concept album about a dimensional time and space traveller making wild discoveries on a trek to expand the boundaries of the human experience. The album features a wide range of styles and dynamics from dark and mysterious progressive rock to nostalgic classic rock to high energy alternative to sci-fi film score-infused “space rock”. With a plethora of atmospheric instrumental segues, melodic radio-friendly vocal tracks and an 18+ minute long epic grand finale, “Dimensionaut” offers a refreshing balance of adventurous musical styles and aims to bring back the art of the concept album to a new generation of listeners.
“This is the prog genre distilled down to its purest form’ – Prog Magazine
“I’d love to talk about this album all day, it’s one with which I feel I’m going to be spending a big chunk of my life” – Wave Maker Magazine
“Lush and awe-inspiring” – Renowned For Sound
“Utterly Magical” – Audioholics
“A unique album to repeatedly savour” – Classic Rock
Born in Chicago, Illinois on November 12, 1992 as Alexis Assata Jones, she began singing at the age of 6 years old in the Hyde Park Chicago Children’s Choir. Shortly after discovering her talent, Assata enrolled into musical theater at age 9 and scored the leading role as “Oliver!” at the Beverly Arts Center in Chicago. She continued excelling in the craft of musical theater. As she got older, she moved to Toronto, ON where she attended an art’s school. She finally discovered her creativity. Assata inhaled fashion and different genres of music that would benefit her in the future. After Toronto, she moved to New Orleans at age 17 where she learned about the Bounce and Brass Band culture. She performed with the infamous trumpeter Kermit Ruffins and finally found her heart and soul in singing. Assata is now in school in Champaign, IL and plans to further her career in singing and Entertainment Law.
HBC is the new fusion supergroup comprised of three virtuoso musicians: Scott Henderson Jeff Berlin and Dennis Chambers who join together to create one of the most phenomenal trios in the history of jazz fusion. Rather than jumping into the studio as virtual strangers and winging it like some superstar alliances HBC hit the road first and refined a repertoire of classic fusion covers in front of thousands of hungry fusion fans. After assembling an impressive collection of road-tested masterpieces, the group, composed of all leaders, decided that it was finally time to combine their talents to make this musical statement.
Henderson is one of the most well-known contemporary guitarists in the jazz fusion genre and he has mesmerized guitar fans around the globe with his masterful phrases and unique style. Guitar fans have enjoyed hearing Scott work with Jean-luc Ponty, Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul, and power fusion trio “Henderson, Smith, and Wooten” with Steve Smith and Victor Wooten. In addition Scott has churned out an incredible body of work stemming from his other career as founding member of Tribal Tech and also a solo artist, both of which he has toured extensively to support.
Bassist Jeff Berlin is a celebrated solo artist with numerous fusion recordings under his name and affiliations with artists such as Al Di Meola, Bill Bruford, Allan Holdsworth, John McLaughlin, and Billy Cobham. Berlin is widely regarded as one of the greatest bassists in the world and is equally adept at playing hard-core no holds-barred jazz-fusion and straight ahead traditional jazz. As a bassist Berlin’s tone phrasing, and keen sense of melody are a winning combination that has helped him reach the top of magazine reader’s polls for years.
A formidable, ferocious, and ultra-funky presence behind the kit in such celebrated ensembles as Parlament-Funkadelic, Steely Dan, Santana, and The Brecker Brothers as well as incendiary fusion outfits led by guitarist John Scofield, Steve Kahn, Mike Stern, and John McLaughlin, Dennis Chambers is a miracle in modern music. A remarkably versatile drummer who has shown limitless ability to swing on a small kit in traditional jazz settings or flaunt his stylistic chops in fusion supersessions, Dennis Chambers is one of the most recorded drummers in the world of jazz fusion
AUGUST is a 11-man, high energy “Horn-driven rock, soul and rhythm & blues band”. Beginning in 1972, the band performed throughout the Chicagoland area steadily for 4 years. In 1976, the band members chose to place the band “on hiatus” indefinitely, and went their separate ways. Playing some of the best music written, the band performs music of Blood Sweat & Tears, Joe Cocker, Tower of Power, Wayne Cochran & the C.C. Ryders and many others. Not a “cover band” playing radio hits, AUGUST plays the music of these and other artists not typically heard on radio play list rotations.
Lydia Pense & Cold Blood debuted when the Fillmore was at its peak as one of the nation’s musical Meccas. Owner Bill Graham was so impressed with Lydia’s voice and the sound of the band that he immediately signed Cold Blood to his new record label. During the span of six original late-60’s, early-70’s albums, Lydia Pense and Cold Blood helped, along with Tower Of Power, forge their own specific brand of funk/soul and R&B which came to be known as East Bay Grease. That music still holds up today, proving that great music is timeless and will continue to inspire generations to come.
Cold Blood is one of the original R&B horn bands from the late 60’s/ early 70’s that exemplified the “East Bay Grease” melding of funk & rock with blues and jazz elements. Lydia Pense has been compared to Janis Joplin, but is a true original and a pioneer in the women’s rock movement. Lydia Pense and Cold Blood packed the San Francisco Ballrooms in their heyday, but that was then and this is now. In the now, Lydia Pense and Cold Blood still fill halls with cheering, dancing, foot-stomping fans. Far from fading over the years, Cold Blood has flourished.
The word legend certainly applies to Lydia Pense and Cold Blood…and not in some past tense-make-a-living-as-an-oldies-act sort of way either. Pense can still shout like a 60’s soul diva and purr a slow blues tune with spine-tingling subtlety. Cold Blood, as a whole, features a stellar group of musicians who have been playing together for nearly 20 years including Steve Dunne on guitar, Steve Salinas on keyboards, a gritty-growling horn section comprised of Rich Armstrong and Rob Zuckerman along with a stellar rhythm section featuring Evan Palmerston on bass and Donny Baldwin on drums. The band members are all veteran Bay Area musicians who have played with many great artists including Elvin Bishop, Jefferson Starship, Boz Skaggs, Albert Collins and more. Of course there is Lydia who still has the chops with the patina of a seasoned veteran who’s done and seen it all. Together she and the band continue to twist together R&B, (both Old School and New School); into something that doesn’t have a label… On any given night, Lydia Pense and Cold Blood power through their historic essentials, like “You Got Me Hummin’,” “I Just Want To Make Love To You,” “I’m A Good Woman,” and “Down to the Bone.” In 2005 the band released “Transfusion” a whole new CD of future classics that draws on their heritage but is not stifled by the past. In September of 2011 the band has released “The River City Sessions”, a 5 song EP. Now able to draw from the first two new Cold Blood albums in three decades, Lydia and the band blast out a set that covers 40 years of thumping, throbbing, East Bay funk. Several of the tracks that make it on to the set list each night come from original Cold Blood alum Skip Mesquite. Another tune of particular note, “Face the Music,” is written by guitar ace Steve Dunne. All this fresh music, laid down by a crisp, tight 6-piece, makes any Cold Blood show invigorating. And, of course, anything Lydia sings is sung well. She has a list of famous admirers that includes Bonnie Raitt, Michelle Shocked, David Lee Roth, even Janis Joplin back in the day.
It’s been a long road, over 40 years to be exact with a break somewhere in the middle. But, Lydia and the band are living proof that a little time off can be a really good thing. With their new CD, “The River City Sessions” turning heads across the country, fans are remembering just what has been missing from music in the last few decades. These songs exemplify how a performer can take great strides forward, without forgetting her roots. Cold Blood is booking dozens of shows across the country, entertaining generations of club, theatre and festival goers.
Cold Blood has been blessed with the ability to reach backwards for original influences and the creativity to reach forward, working with new approaches. The music they play is ageless, and can still fill any room to the rafters.
Tim Casey & the Martyrs have been paying their dues on stages in the Midwest for over a decade. Their 2010 release, Boom, was well received. The band is currently promoting a new EP called You Should Know. It is packed with stellar R&R guitars, a killer rhythm section, and the orgasmic sounds that only a Hammond organ can make. You should know Tim Casey & the Martyrs.
Marc Rizzo- Guitar player for Soulfly and Cavalera Conspiracy
At 27, Marc Rizzo was already a household name among metal fans before finishing “Colossal Myopia”, his first solo record. A shredder’s shredder, Marc was a founding member of the immensely successful metal act “Ill Nino” with whom he recorded and toured. After leaving Ill Nino, he joined Soulfly in 2003 and played guitar on their fourth record “Prophecy” and every release since then. Rizzo also recorded and toured with Cavalera Conspiracy (a reunion of Sepultura’s Max & Igor Cavalera) and launched his own Death Metal project, INPSYCHOBLEEDIA. Marc Rizzo is one of the new breed of young guitarists in contemporary bands who has stepped out recently with solo projects that reveal a phenomenal command of the guitar. His latest solo record, “LEGIONNAIRE” reveals Rizzo to be a master musician with deep musical roots in metal, classical and flamenco guitar and is a much needed breath of fresh air to the instrumental rock genre.
Guitar sales have been up and young musicians have been looking for younger, contemporary players to learn from. Marc Rizzo proves again on his solo records why he stands out from the rest, with an arsenal of staggering guitar chops that are bound to start a large groundswell in the guitar community, as guitar records of this skill and intensity are in short supply.
Marc has built quite a substantial following through his years of touring and recording with Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy and INPSYCHOBLEEDIA. The Shrapnel Label group has long been an indy leader and is known for recording superior musicians and their phenomenal guitar records featuring guitarists such as Yngwie Malmsteen, Tony MacAlpine, Marty Friedman, Vinnie Moore, Jake E Lee, Michael Schenker etc. Marc Rizzo is paving the way for a new generation of guitar oriented recordings.
Local noise rockers Making Ghosts will be appearing at the Empty Bottle on Friday. Kevin Warwick says, “Chicago four-piece Making Ghosts aren’t putting up a front. ‘We make noise rock,’ they declare on their Facebook page, and their logo incorporates what looks like a diagram of the wiring inside a Big Muff—the almighty, burly fuzz pedal immortalized in the title of Mudhoney’s first EP. These dudes drop cinder blocks of chugging, evil guitar noise atop stomping, swinging drum rhythms that lean hard on the crash cymbals. The first half of their only release so far, the 2011 EP 001, contains the highest concentrations of metal-inflected heaviness—the later songs dip into more experimental postrock territory, with wan clean vocals instead of red-eyed screaming.”
From deep, ringing vocals telling the outlaw’s tale to story songs about hopping trains and leaving town, Brett Conlin is using his small-town sound to resonate with crowds all over Illinois. City Slicker or Local Yokel, you won’t want to miss this show when it comes to town!
As if from the soil itself, DIRTY GREEN emerged in 2005 and has continued to cultivate a hybrid of authentic, yet truly original music planted deep down in the ground of early american roots. DIRTY GREEN’s namesake comes from a song written by singer Aaron Mitchell which takes some digs on the lopsided and fictional attributes of the almighty dollar bill. Influenced by, but not limited to: american folk, Americana, bluegrass, blues, punk and early country, DIRTY GREEN offers a wide array of original ballads, blue-collar rants, pseudo-rockabilly romps, bar room jingles and a hearty batch of heart-wailing folk songs.
CAPITAL SHIPS
Progressive rock from Chicago, IL
HARD KISS
Hard Kiss:
…lives in Chicago, IL and loves it
…loves Jawbreaker, Elastica, and The Clash
…will take the last beer without asking
…recorded their debut album 100% DIY
…will step outside with you for a cigarette
…will play pretty much anywhere with a PA
…loves INXS, Prince, and T. Rex
…thinks making music should involve sweat, blood and saliva
…will come hang out at your barbecue
…loves The Replacements, Billy Idol, and Tom Petty
…thinks that sleeves are always optional
Ian Fell – Bass, Backing vocals
Johnny V. – Guitar, Keys, Lead vocals
Timmy Lydon – Drums
The band originally formed in 2006 with Eric Enger and Sean Blythe. Now in 2013 they added Mark Grieff and are ready to rock all across the United States. Keep your eyes peeled for this eccentric group of friends to be rocking in a town near you.
In August of 2008 frontman and multi-instrumentalist Noah Adams drifted into New Orleans and quickly found himself enchanted with its wild and authentic, booming musical styles.
After recruiting New Orleans native drummer Dane “Bootsy” Schindler, they formed what would later become the Dirty Bourbon River Show, playing their first show at the end of the year under the moniker “Buck Johnson and the Hootenanny Kid.”
After picking up ringleader/vocalist Charles “Big Charlie” Skinner and multi-instrumentalist Wayne Mitchell, the Dirty Bourbon River Show began to grow into an interactive multi-genre variety hour-style band. Drawing from a rich diversity of musical backgrounds, they began in American roots music and branched out into folk, rock, blues, jazz, latin, gypsy, circus, and traditional New Orleans styles.
The Dirty Bourbon River Show made their debut at the legendary Tipitina’s during homegrown night on March 11th, 2009. After picking up bassman Jimmy Williams that summer, they embarked upon their first regional tour of the south. The contagion of their whiskey-soaked New Orleans eclecticism began to spread fast. That fall they recorded their debut studio album, Volume One.
Less than a year after their homegrown debut, the Dirty Bourbon River Show headlined Tipitina’s on February 5th, 2010, releasing their first full length LP.
Showing no signs of slowing down, for their second summer of touring the Dirty Bourbon River Show cut a second 30 min record called Free Love and caravaned around the south – gypsy style – giving it out for free. The contagion doubled.
That fall they finished up a 6 month burlesque residency as the house band and ringmasters of the Big Busk! – blending together a unique rock’n’roll comedia erótica variety hour heralded by the press as being a “genetically theatrical love affair.” Additionally, they continued touring the surrounding area – going as far as North Carolina with the Holy Ghost Tent Revival.
The Dirty Bourbon River Show began their third year with the release of a 3rd studio album – Volume II – at the Blue Nile on Frenchmen Street in New Orleans. It was their most ambitious record yet; the already-lush orchestrations of the band began to see even more multi-instrumentalism, large vocal and horn harmonies, and an elevated level of musical interplay between the members. To support its release touring increased…
As spring turned to summer the Dirty Bourbon River Show saw the departure of Wayne Mitchell, leaving the band to pursue a career in biomathematics. New Orleans native Matt Thomas (Kirk Joseph’s Backyard Groove, Something Delicious) replaced him as resident soloist, bringing to the table both tenor and baritone saxophone, along with clarinet and vocals.
Now permanently aligned as a full-time professional touring act, Dirty Bourbon spent the 2nd half of 2011 extending the reach of their show further up the Eastern Seaboard and out into the Rocky Mountains. On 11/11/11 they released their 4th studio album – The Old-Timey AfroPop Jibberish Junction – attempting to give it away for free again like Free Love. They couldn’t keep enough copies on hand to quell the demands, and it had suddenly become obvious, now more than 200 shows later, that the Dirty Bourbon River Show was becoming something great…
Showing no signs of slowing down, Dirty Bourbon began the year by releasing their 5th studio album, Volume Three. To support it’s release they moved all of their stuff out of the 8th ward and into a storage unit and then took to the road, touring the country for eight straight months.
The tour proved extremely successful, solidifying their circuit across the South, Southeast, Midwest, and expanding their reach further into new North Eastern territories. To cap off the year they released their 6th studio album – The Most Peculiar Thing – on December 21st at the Blue Nile in New Orleans.
The Dirty Bourbon River Show released their 7th studio album – Volume Four – in New Orleans on May 25th. Following a four month tour to promote its release (which included high profile appearances at Voodoo Festival Main Stage w/ The Cure, Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion, and the 69th Annual Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner in Washington, DC), the Dirty Bourbon boys closed out the year by releasing their 8th studio album – Accordion Anthology – on the New Years Eve at the Maison on Frenchmen Street in New Orleans, fulfilling their goal of releasing 2 albums a year for their first four full years as a band.
The Dirty Bourbon River Show is taking 2014 by storm, with many high-profile appearances already scheduled, including the 2014 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
Surgyn are an alternative electronic music project from Scotland. Their début album Vanity was released in 2011 and received widespread critical acclaim, along with two accompanying singles, Hit the Nerve and Sharp as Stars. Vanity went on to sell out in five different editions, two through the duo’s first label, DWA.
In early 2013, Vanity was re-released through Vendetta Records in North America. As well as this, a flexidisc edition of the ∆Aimon remix of The Stranger was released through DWA, with an accompanying full-length remix album of Vanity, called Restitched.
The duo are touring regularly and playing festivals across the world. They are also currently back in the studio, working on their second full-length release.
Kid Sister is from Markham, IL but currently resides in Los Angeles. She makes club rap and works at a childrens clothing store slanging bibs and teething rings. Yes, her DJ (J2K of Flosstradamus) is her real brother, and yes that does rule.
