Kate Flannery (Meredith from The Office) and partner Scot Robinson (Anchorman) are The Lampshades, the funniest fake lounge act in Hollywood. Who else would sing Mandy and Brandy at the same time?
After 10 years of performing live in Hollywood, they are becoming the thing they are making fun of. Thanks, Father Time. Like a fine wine, baby. They are the Dan Bandʼs favorite opening act.
Get ready for some rock and roll and look no further than Black4 from Chicago, Illinois. This band will take your musical needs and drop a hybrid metal/punk/stoner rock evolved earthquake at your doorstep. Black4 has been pushing the limits and building a solid fan base since 2011. Bryan Tunis ( Hungry Onion) brings a life to the microphone that few can deny. In addition, drummer Brian Madurzak (Bello) effortlesssly turns Black4 into a fist pounding roar. With the otherworldly riffs of Curtis Taylor (Guiltrip) on guitar and the thunderous rhythms of Jason Forrester (Guiltrip) on bass, the band is geared to rock Chicago to it’s core.
Starting at the beginning of the trail, the suburbs of Chicago is where they planted the seeds of a new group. Breaking into Chicago’s rock scene is not an easy task especially when the goal is to bring a new angle to the scene that few others have achieved. One that delivers a punch that leaves you with your fist in the air, celebrating the power of true muscianship and solid rock and roll.
Working their way closer to Michigan Ave. with every move and bringing their dedicated fan base with them. Black4 plays out consistently at many venues in Chicago not only headlining but also opening for high profile acts such as Filter, Wino, The Skull and Mondo Generator. This year, Black4 took their act to the South By Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas, playing to rave reviews and leaving the fans wanting more. Leaving a lasting impression, this was definitley a solid step for Black4. A major highlight for this year, but the best was yet to come.
June of 2014 marked the release of their debut album ” The Tales of Cuatro Negro”. Recorded at The Island Recording in Chicago with Paul Norman tracking and Elliot Bancel producing. The delivery of killer riffs, slamming drums and solid vocals Black4 brings it full circle with a force that invites you to come along for the ride. Black4 found a new set of rules to play by when the album was completed, pushing their roots deeper into the Chicago streets. This album presents a sort of rock collection, forged together by influences from Kyuss, Black Sabbath, Queens of the Stone Age, Fu Manchu and Clutch. Spending three months in the studio, the band came out with an true representation of their passion. Black4 found a new shot of adrenaline after the albums release, with awesome reviews and support coming in from all directions especially overseas.
October of 2014 saw Black4 as the featured band on episode #220 of the podcast Tell’em Steve Dave. A podcast on the Kevin Smith podcast network featuring members of the Impractical Jokers and Comicbook Men TV shows.
January 2015 started off with a bang as Black4 was the featured band of the week on Twisters Music. Not only was the music featured, but the week ended with a long, live call in featuring Bryan.
March of 2015 saw Black4 returning to the scene of one of last years highlights, SXSW. Once again proving the force from Chicago couldn’t be stopped, playing to large crowds and rave reviews.
In July of 2015 Black4 was featured in a interview for the U.K. magazine Fireworks. Along with the interview, the track “Combat” was also featured on the magazines CD sampler.August of 2015 saw the band team up with Breakout Artist Music Group for a stop on the Summer Shine tour. This show helped propel Breakout and Black4 into launching a successful Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for a new video single.
The band entered MicroMega Studios in Austin, Tx. with Marcos Delgado in late 2015 to record the new single “Cougar Love”. Mixed at The Island Recording in Chicago by Elliot Bancel and released in April of 2016 with a new video shot by 517 Creative.
The future of Black4 is on the move, with plans to use this momentum as a stepping stone to promote themselves to the right label. With success and their increasing number of supporters, keep an eye out for Black4 as they’ll be hitting the stage like a full steam freight train…
DJ Chuck Wren has hosted the ska radio show “Everything Off-Beat” across the Chicago dial since 1989, currently airing Sundays at 9 PM on WLUW-FM 88.7. Since 1993, his label JUMP UP RECORDS ( www.jumpuprecords.com ) has released over 100 albums including ones by local faves Deal’s Gone Bad, The Drastics, and Green Room Rockers. His monthly night at Delialh’s is Chicago’s longest running ska/reggae night at 18 years, and when he spins you see piles of piles of original Jamaican 45s sprawled all over the place.
Armed with a handful of demo tracks and an EP release expected in Spring 2012, Reflections are a band that refuse to comment on their genre, and rightly so. Included in this deathcore series because they incorporate elements of the musical style (breakdowns included), they are harnessing a sound that, although fitting into the djent bracket too, is not constrained by the sum of its parts. This is promiscuous music that fucks precision into groove into brutality; wielding an A-HA track and a Katy Perry cover in their backcatalogue also shows how willing Reflections are to take conventionality up the chuffer.
However, where this five-piece are strongest is during music of their own creation. So far I’ve managed to eke out of the band the locations of 3 full-length tracks (I’ll link where possible), which, even as demoes, demonstrate the potential of this furious young troupe. Reflections have a sound that is pitched right on the edge of sanity; there is so much technical prowess here, especially during the spidery guitar-work that is so elaborate and dissonant. An Artifact refuses to clamp down, with its spindly solo opener and frenzied underlying chug that soon breaks down into the verse, whilst Advance Upon Me Brethren kicks into a bouncy groove, and then smashes you at freight train speed during the chorus. For all of the shitmunchers who wait with baited breath for the breakdown, there are those too, but framed by some really well executed music that doesn’t just leave you begging for the bass drop.
Reflections earn their stripes, though, not just because their musical skills are far beyond proficiency, but as willing participants in esotericism; this is exploratory music that takes cues from several areas of metal. It’s thought-out, provocative and technical whilst also being explosive and evocative and absent of any pretension. What’s more, they don’t participate in the race to be faster and heavier than everyone else (which gives deathcore its generic ooze), but instead are a far more convincing offering with progressive and groove elements thrown into the mix.
The next test for Reflections will be releasing a record that gives credit to their talent in being a cohesive and dangerous force. So far they’ve proved innovation in a genre that has already been condemned to the grave by some critics, and are pushing the boundaries in all sorts of degenerate ways. Reflections will find their strengths (and their admirers) by remaining as willing outcasts.
Warped time signatures, percussive mathematics, spider-fingered fretwork, dazzlingly atmospheric keyboards and immediately arresting vocals collide within THE CONTORTIONIST, who have achieved a career defining milestone with a “sophomore slump” defying feat of agility dubbed Intrinsic. The Indiana based prog-metal alchemists conjure the kinetic texture of RUSH, the cinematic musicality of DREAM THEATER, the heavy but heady metallic might of jazzy death wizards CYNIC and the studied experimental precision of BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME while simultaneously fashioning an overall sound uniquely their own.
In a short amount of time, THE CONTORTIONIST has enveloped audiences and nearly swallowed them whole. They’ve toured with a wide-ranging number of acts including PERIPHERY, ALL SHALL PERISH and THE ACACIA STRAIN. The band headlined the inaugural edition of the Summer Slaughter Survivors Tour, as well.
With their earliest self-released work, THE CONTORTIONIST remade the rules within emerging genres like “deathcore” and “djent” as they evolved beyond scenes and categories, even as they were integral enough to be instrumental in defining them. The band teamed with Ken Susi of UNEARTH for their marvelously refreshing, conceptually driven debut, Exoplanet. With album number two, THE CONTORTIONIST entrusted Eyal Levi (DAATH, JOB FOR A COWBOY) and Jason Suecof (TRIVIUM, DEVILDRIVER) to help them capture their at once complex yet defiantly easy-to-connect-with esoteric material, which shatters the boundaries of conventional heavy music note-by-virtuosic-note.
In popular culture we often hear space referred to as “The Final Frontier.” And while it’s true that the vast majority of our universe remains unknown and deserving of further study, much of the inner workings of human beings beg further contemplation and discovery. How wonderfully appropriate, then, that having delved into deep space with their expansive sound and contemplative narrative on the genre-challenging and wholly impressive Exoplanet, THE CONTORTIONIST turns inward with the stunningly mind-bending follow-up, Intrinsic.
Whereas the first album explored the idea of earth’s destruction following the inevitable collapse of our star and the ensuing search for an inhabitable planet to call home, Intrinsic dives deep inside the mind. Moving across several operatic sections, the record transports listeners on a journey through the apparent holographic reality we call “experience,” through our very consciousness and metaphysical archetypes. Toward the album’s conclusion the band ultimately imagines advancements in neuroscience that would broaden and challenge who we are. All of the music, of course, captures these themes.
Canadian thrash architects VOIVOD would surely be proud of the band’s science based subjects. Like IRON MAIDEN before them, THE CONTORTIONIST is the kind of band that can be enjoyed for the basest of reasons but can also send astute listeners running to the library, like all of the generations of people who wanted to read more about the origins of “The Flight of Icarus” or “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.”
Lyrical inspiration and reference points came from a stack of research, which included books like Antonio Damasio’s The Feeling of What Happens: Body and Emotion in the Making of Consciousness and Simon Young’s Designer Evolution: A Transhumanist Manifesto. Immediate standout cuts “Holomovement,” “Causality” (about a person having a near death experience brought on by an obsession with lucidity in dreaming and astral movement) and “Dreaming Schematics” (where scientific minds develop procedures to strengthen and multiply synaptic networks) are epics. These songs and the rest of the album’s material inspire food for thought and aesthetic pleasure in equal measure.
THE CONTORTIONIST continues to be a study in contrast. In their quietest, most ambient moments, the band is intimately melodic. Alternately their heavy parts are as alarmingly bombastic as possible. An emphasis on songwriting and structure has resulted in a series of musical journeys that are constantly climbing new summits. There is only one song on the album with anything like a “repeating chorus.”
At the same time, the band is always ever careful to tastefully balance technique with purpose. They aren’t shredding for shredding’s sake. Each section of every song is rooted in logic, meaning and reason.
THE CONTORTIONIST has succeeded at creating intelligently tasteful metal that is as memorable and melodic as it is creative and dynamic. Within their formula, a listener paying close attention is as likely to discover elements akin to MINUS THE BEAR as MESHUGGAH.
Just as different genre-pushing bands broadened their own minds, the men in THE CONTORTIONIST are happy to lead fans through the gateway of heavy music down pathways of new music and self-discovery. With fervent attention to every detail of their composition and presentation, the band’s future in the pantheon of heavy music is assured. Intrinsic is the next step in what will become a landmark catalog. THE CONTORTIONIST opens minds from within and without.
After the Burial is an American metal band from White Bear Lake, Minnesota, United States formed in 2004.
Minnesota’s After The Burial broke into the scene in 2004, bringing with them their own style of aggressive hardcore metal. With punishing rhythmic attacks and soaring duels, guitarists Trent Hafdahl and Justin Lowe’s approach on heavy metal shredding has been spreading throughout the underground metal scene like wildfire. Having completed tours with heavy hitters such as Disturbed, Killswitch Engage, Necrophagist, and Hatebreed, their genre transcending style of metal has captured the ears of heavy metal, hardcore, and death metal fans alike. With the release of their album “Rareform”, which showcases their talented use of 7 and 8-string guitars, they have solidified themselves as pioneers of the instrument.
Having rocked the bar many times, Skratch Bastid is now ready to raise it. In 2012, The Bastid has become one of Canada’s most in-demand DJs and respected producers, but don’t think it happened overnight. From his humble beginnings a decade ago as a teenager in Halifax- pumping out mixtapes from his bedroom and earning a loyal following already back then- he slowly spread his skills first at DJ competitions like DMC, ITF, and Scribble Jam and now around Canada and the world as a widely recognized go-to guy for party-rocking. The illest redhead on turntables has since gone viral. Seriously, youtube that shit. Since he is increasingly recognized for his comfort and versatility in different styles – hip hop, funk, disco, club, rock, and just about every other genre that will make you dance – more and more people are getting hip to his style. That’s what keeps this Bastid working so hard. Touring city-to-city with a relentless drive, he’s wowed crowds from coast to coast in Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, Japan, New Zealand, Brazil and all over Europe as he averages close to 200 shows a year. For Skratch Bastid, all that energy is brought back to the studio and heard in his music. As a producer, he takes that experience from the stage and lays it down on hard-hitting original music with a wide range of sounds. The formula earned him a Juno Nomination as Producer of the Year for his work on Buck 65’s Situation album, which he lost to Joni Mitchell. You can hear his own music often elevate his live sets along with yesterday and today’s best. In the past few years, the young lad landed in Toronto- after five fruitful years as a Montreal resident- bringing new flavor to the city and making his first mark with a big bang. His Skratch Bastid Presents quarterly event kicked off with a blockbuster collaboration including DJ Starting from Scratch and world-renowned beatboxer Scratch formerly from the Roots. The inspiring first party was a huge success as it breathed new life into Toronto’s night scene. The three noisemakers took the show across Canada. If the next decade is anything like the previous one, you’ll be hearing a lot more about Skratch Bastid. As he continues to find new fans worldwide, his catalog of sounds, styles and tricks will leave a lasting impression. What’s next? Just like in his electric sets, that’s the exciting part! Get down with the sound.
Z-Trip is not just a DJ. He is more than a producer. He is a musical pioneer. And sits at the helm of the highest echelon of DJ royalty.
As a performer, Z-Trip is revered as one of the best live performance DJs in history, by both fans and peers. It’s no surprise fans voted him “America’s Best D” in 2009, beating out over 100 other DJ’s in DJ Times highly acclaimed annual readers poll. His worldwide sold out shows continue to set attendance records while drawing critical praise. “One of the great musical moments from Coachella (2002) was the frenzied set by turntable wizard Z-Trip. He had fans howling and bobbing, closing his set with a surprise appearance by Beck,” wrote the Los Angles Times. It’s a fact that many call him the “godfather of mash-ups”, as he is one of the originators of the genre.
His lengthy career has seen him crisscross the globe numerous times, chalking up rave reviews along the way. He returned to Coachella 2010, for his fourth appearance at the festival headlining the Sahara Tent, where the OC Register noted: “Even against two of the biggest draws on the schedule, Z-Trip raked ‘em in, filling the Sahara with over 15,000 revelers.” His 2009 Detroit Electronic Music Festival performance to over 10,000 stole the festival receiving the lions share of press: “Z-Trip lit up Saturday night, first by jamming with RJD2 then following with a Detroit-saluting mash-up set,” beamed Billboard.
At the vanguard of dance music culture, he is at the heart of the DJ Hero™ video game series. Appearing as an avatar and providing several scorching remixes, Z-Trip’s relentless vision even defied the advanced technology. An 8-bar scratch that he wanted to incorporate into the game was too much for the game’s memory to handle. Beyond being immortalized as a playable character and his contribution of three exclusive tracks to the first installment, he remained a consultant, as well as executive producer, for DJ Hero 2 and created an additional two tracks.
Worldwide sold out shows would be enough for most artists, but not Z-Trip. His career brims with myriad milestones, starting from the now legendary mixtape, Uneasy Listening, which the Phoenix, AZ native put together with Missouri’s notorious DJ P. Back in 2001, the idea of pitting classic rock tracks against hip-hop into a seamless mix that could find the Pharcyde rapping over the Eagles or Metallica grinding it out under the righteous bark of Midnight Oil was unheard of. But instead of hating it as expected, enraptured fans disseminated the initial run of only 1000 CDs across the internet. By year’s end, Uneasy Listening had made Z-Trip a burgeoning DJ star. It went on to receive critical acclaim and helped propel Z-Trip to national attention in 2002. It made album of the year lists in Spin, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, Wired and XLR8R. More importantly, it also inadvertently created an entirely new genre of music.
Then, on top of being a world-class DJ, Z-Trip established himself as a formidable producer and his major label debut in 2005, Shifting Gears, was given 4 stars by Rolling Stone, and featured appearances from many of Z-Trip’s friends: Chuck D, Chester Bennington of Linkin Park, Murs and Soup of Jurassic 5. It spawned numerous Top 10 singles in the US and abroad.
A lifelong political activist, Z-Trip was a strong supporter of Barack Obama’s successful campaign to become the President of the United States and released Party For Change and Victory Lap in 2009. Both exceeded 500,000 downloads and favorably reviewed by Wired, Urb, BPM, and XLR8R to name a few. Z-Trip’s longtime friend and collaborator Shepard Fairey supplied the art.
After 14 months of sold-out shows at his Friday night headlining residency at Rain inside The Palms, Las Vegas, Z-Trip is taking a rest from his crowd-thrilling stint,”Z-Trip’s Revolution”. Upon displaying his genre bending skills and sharing his stage with many A-level guests including Three 6 Mafia, Common, Rev Run, Too Short, and De La Soul, Z-Trip is taking a rest from stage to focus on his next chapter of recorded music.
Clearly Rezurex has risen from the grave and awoken the dead. A refreshing style of musical mayhem that stands alone in the current music scene, Rezurex brings back the roots of early 1950’s rock n’ roll and combines them with influences of the 1980’s that have long since been forgotten by mainstream music. Rezurex hails from Los Angeles, California, and is influenced by numerous bands and artists including the Stray Cats, The Damned, Billy Idol, The Misfits, Elvis Presley, and The Cramps. They have attracted numerous fans with their haunting lyrics and adventurous spirit. In 2006, Rezurex released their debut album, “Beyond the Grave” on Fiend Force Records (Germany) and quickly caught the attention of Psychobillies, Punks, Goths, Metal heads, and anyone that truly loves catchy sing-along music. In 2008, Rezurex released their second album “Psycho Radio.” The 13 songs found on Psycho Radio include the heartbreaking “Tonight”, a melodic punk psycho anthem entitled “Psycho Radio” and “Vampira Calling”, a tribute song to the late, great, 1950’s television undead hostess, Vampira who passed away in January 2008. In addition , vocalist Daniel deLeon, who has already been recognized for his previous bands, has begun an acting career in television and independent films. This world-touring band keeps busy entertaining audiences with their theatrics and energetic performances year round. Not a show to miss, Rezurex has converted many with their unique sound and stage presence. ..
Based in the South Suburbs of Chicago, The Studs are a five piece punk/alternative/pop/marscore menagerie of musical styling with a little something for everyone. We suck, but you’re not allowed to say it for yourself until you power through a show. Also, two of our members are named Eric(k) and it’s not as confusing as you think
Magic Slim’s got the blues, and he’s not afraid to play them his way. Slim is the driving force in Magic Slim & The Teardrops and they are all about keeping this distinctive American art form of the blues alive.
When this Mississippi born bluesman steps onto the stage he instantaneously bursts into one of this dynamic songs and takes you on a long hot ride as he keeps his guitar cranked up to sweltering levels of the blues as only Slim can do.
Slim is back by a dynamic trio consisting of Jon McDonald – guitar/vocals; Andre Howard – bass; Brian Jones – drums and David Sims – drums.
Slim has a relentless touring schedule and has built up a die hard fan base. Slim says, “I’ve got the blues deep down in my heart and I’ll keep on playing till I can’t no more”.
What makes NAPALM DEATH so special? Well, let’s think back 30 years: Would you have thought that a grindcore band from Birmingham would ever make it into the official album charts with some of the most infernal noise ever put on tape, enter the Guinness book for the shortest song ever recorded or appear in a prominent UK TV series named “Skins”? That it would be part of an Alice Cooper hosted episode of BBC’s Never Mind the Buzzcocks to guess from a couple of look-alikes who is the singer in NAPALM DEATH? Could you have ever imagined a down-to-earth lad named Mark “Barney” Greenway, a soccer fan (Aston Villa F.C.), vegetarian, prog metal freak and one of music history’s most renowned representatives of “cookie monster” style vocals would become a personality within the extreme music realm that is not about beer-drinking and hell-raising but synonymous with sounding hard while being smart? Well, that is where we are at now. From filthy, sweaty rehearsal rooms and tiny clubs and pubs NAPALM DEATH has conquered every music festival you can think of and toured through corners of the world a lot of bands would not even dare to tour while becoming famous for combining brutal music with political engagement and ethical values beyond the usual cliché of sex, drugs & rock n roll. And, as most fans will be delighted to hear, this remarkable story is far from being over…
Dad Horse Ottn was born in an abandoned churchard in the wilds of South Carolina. Or was it Germany? Yes, he’s German! He was a hellraiser and a punk rock scoundrel till, one day, he saw the light. The banjo light. The holy Lord God Jesus told him that he had a song to sing, and to sing it with a banjo, basspedal and occasional kazoo. And, drawing from southern Appalachian gospel and from the depths of his own scarred soul, he started to preach The Word through rough pure honest song. These songs are about salvation and deliverance – they do not carry a religious message but a spiritual experience: the Dad Horse Experience.
So Dad became a conduit of the ineffable truth of Mercy, Resurrection, and Eternal Life, but don’t you evildoers be frightened away by his old-fashioned gospel sanctity. You’ll like him anyway. Sure, his earthly aesthetics were shaped by wholesome folks like the Carter Family and Roy Acuff, but he himself also claims influence by the likes of Hawkwind, Exuma, and Washington Phillips. Sometimes, morbid humor snakes through the heavenward yearning. And why does this German post-post-punk country-gospel mystic one-man-band usually sing in English? Blame the Carter Family for sanctifying the English language for spiritual use.
Dad Horse spent years on the road as an itinerant one-man-band gospel street preacher, and many were saved from perdition and rowdy ways through contact with his banjo preaching. Magdalenes threw themselves at his feet begging spiritual renewal, and punk rockers disavowed their sinful excesses. Happily, this trend only continues to grow. Dad Horse refuses to become a despotic cult leader, and maintains a saintly humility. He emphasizes that he is but the hollow reed through which Godliness is brought forth into our physical world. Let us be grateful, brethren and ladies, sinners and strippers, that we have the voice of Dad Horse to guide us through the night.
Hailing from New York City, Yonas is one of hip-hop’s most-hyped emerging artists. Known for his incredibly unique style, the 25 year old makes it known that he is unlike anyone else in the game.
Although Yonas is just breaking out, he has already built-up quite the list of accomplishments. In 2010, Yonas won a Billboard song writing award for his song “Banga”. Additionally, his hit single “Sky Kidz” was featured on MTVu as well as Fuse TV with no label or marketing assistance. Yonas had begun to resonate directly with his audience, as he released his debut album The Proven Theory in 2011 setting the foundation for something special.
In the summer of 2012, about a year after his debut album, Yonas released The Transition which is now known as his breakout Mixtape. Accumulating over 100,000 downloads in just a short period of time, his independent successes captured the attention of XXL who contacted Yonas to be featured in their Magazine’s “The Break” section. Shortly thereafter, Yonas was invited on a 50 city Tour, which took him across the country and back in 60 days, and due to his electric Live Show, his fan base more than doubled in that time period.
Since then Yonas has gone on to release 2 additional projects, one of which (The Black Canvas EP) reached Top 5 on the iTunes Hip Hop Charts, and Top 25 on the overall Albums Charts for the first 72 hours of its release.
Yonas and his ability to empower and uplift anyone that listens to his music has developed an Artist-to-Fan connection that is undeniable. Currently working on his Sophmore album, Yonas has put himself in a position to make an incredible impact on the music world.
Mano is a Middle Eastern-inspired progressive rock band based in Chicago. Their compositions utilize musical textures and sounds from varied genres of contemporary, classical, and world music. Mano fuses a rock rhythm section with classical and world instrumentation to bring a unique and energetic live music experience that journeys through intense, thematic unison lines contrasted by sections of virtuosic improvisation. Founded in 2013 by flutist/composer Joe LaRocca, Mano includes Greg Firak (guitar), Parker Grogan (electric/upright bass), Collin O’Brien (drums), Najeeba Syed (violin), Desiree Miller (cello), and Marshall Greenhouse (percussion/kaoss).
Founded by Eric Gottesman (See Colin Slash, Psyclon Nine, Deathline Int’l, and occasionally Ayria, Caustic, and practically every other industrial band with the misfortune to pass through the bay area) as a follow-up to See Colin Slash, the cult-classic ’80s culture-inspired band he fronted from 1998 until 2003.
Everything Goes Cold revisits the sounds and ideas of classic ’90s American Coldwave and infuses it with a modern context and sense of humor. And a big, angry refrigerator robot.
Well Jacob Green had been playing the Milwaukee music scene for just about 2 years with band such as ‘ Green & The Grit’ a rockin’ blues party band & also with ‘Infinite Nature’ a Folk Reggae slight Hip Hop beatnik band, and as a solo Blues/Roots artist. Mr. Green had established himself & gotten some recognition but not he we felt he deserved.
Tony C. never really considered himself a musician, but little did he know how music would be a huge part of his world. Tony met Jacob out in Colorado & they jammed ben harper & grateful dead songs, along with Mr. Green originals. Then tony only played djimbe, but with the influences of street musicians on Pearl St. in Boulder, losing your face in the backwoods mountains & seeing some of the best local mountain bluegrass in town! By the time Tony hitched a ride back with Mr. Green to Milwaukee, Tony had had his mind set on a Washboard.
Josh Varichak had already jammed with Jacob Green as a drummer for Green & The Grit & Mr. Green was a back up bass player for Josh’s hardrock band; Billy Dreamer. Josh joined RWT in Feb. of ’11, with punk intensity & lack of being able to stay still Josh brings a lot of energy & momentum as he picks out the bass!
The River Water Tribe ultimately formed in August of 2010 when Jacob Green had returned back from Colorado with Tony & Dom was just itching to jam. Later Josh joined the band in Feb of 2011 and then Robeto Sharon on Saxophone & Andy Apricot on Accordion.The tribe then became a collective of musicians pickin’ up members across the country from Milwaukee to Colorado including Eric Solveson on Lead Guitar & Noah Koerner on Violin.
COPPER & CONGRESS
Copper & Congress is Katie Haverly (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Corey Cottrell (guitar, vocals), Kai Lindstedt (drums), and Patrick Morris (bass). The Tucson, Arizona based band combines elements of indie-rock, alternative, jazz, and folk styles to create an intimately raw yet palatable pop sound. Copper & Congress will be releasing their first album, The Leap Year, on July 20, 2012
The Winchester Sound is about simplicity. We blend jazz, folk, pop, rock, R&B (and just about everything else) into an exciting and truly unique amalgam of styles and songs… including our own original material.
Hailing from the middle, the B.E.A.T. claim residency in South Bend, IN. They came together through a common love of music.
United as one, they are B.EAST, ELROY, ARTEMIS, & TOGETHER they aim for world domination. Musically, their influences are drawn from bands such as BATTLES, MINUS THE BEAR, & SOULIVE with lyrical influences such as NAS, MF DOOM, & KENDRICK LAMAR shining through to create a sound all of their own. Eschewing over produced ear candy, this band creates live loops & effects to connect stellar musicianship with great emceeing: the way it should be done!
Slinging hot legal joints since 2010, the band has since played with national hip hop acts including BLACK MILK, CANIBUS, BROTHER ALI, & DEL THE FUNKY
HOMOSAPIEN, as well as alternative acts like LOTUS, VANITY THEFT, & SHINOBI NINJA!
Their hypnotic sound & captivating live performances are enough to sway any audience to agree that they have something special going on! Their chemistry is electrifying. Their sound is cutting edge. Their music is REAL!
“I am the rebirth of slick. These are the stories of slim. I mix Hip-Hop with Electronica and make groovy tunes.” When he is not touring the states, Beau is in his dorm room creating music with a passion. He has performed throughout the country at SXSW ’12, and various venues alongside Chiddy Bang, XV, The Cool Kids, Wale, Nelly, Young Savage, Jackie Chain, Stalley, G-Side, Hoodie Allen, Bass Hunter, OCD Moosh and Twist, ANTHM, Kinetics and One Love, and many more while gaining a reputation for putting on a GREAT live show. This time around Beau is going into his last year in college, and his music has grown over the past years. Beau is not afraid to be the voice that changes the direction of the new school of Hip-Hop, bringing groovy tunes to you. DopeCollective
Gabriel Stark is an artist from New York. He started making beats in 8th grade after being inspired by Kanye West’s Through the Wire and College Dropout. Upon reaching high school, Stark produced for his classmates and created a name for himself as a local producer. In addition to producing, Gabriel Stark ghostwrote rhymes and wrote songs for both artists and singers that he had worked with. W
ith his musical vision and hard work ethic, he was able to create every facet of a song for an artist. As time progressed, Gabriel Stark decided to try his hand at rapping and recorded his first studio project, Thank God It’s Starky which reached over 5,000 downloads in its first month. Since then, Stark has continued to progress as an artist and has been featured on some of the internet’s biggest blogs (ThisSongisSick, Good Music All Day, Pigeons and Planes, Camelback Music, etc.). His latest release, Starky Hendrix, surpassed over 16,000 downloads in its first two weeks of release. In less than a year, Gabriel Stark has gone from a locally known producer to a household name all thanks to his impeccable work ethic. As he looks into the future, the sky isn’t even the limit for Starky because he knows what he’s capable of and acknowledges that he hasn’t even tipped the ice berg.
Brought up in a small town amongst the fields of Northern Indiana, Laura K. Balke has been crafting songs from her surroundings and inner workings ever since she picked up her mother’s guitar at the age of 13. On the heels of her third full-length record, Rumors & Legends, Balke’s time is split between touring and the welcome juxtaposition of residing in Indianapolis. Though her songs have a sense of accessibility that springs from Midwestern roots, she’s not afraid to present them with her own distinct mark. Be that surprising instrumentation during her live shows or packaging recordings in hand-bound books, Balke is ever eager to practice and expand her artistry.
The Joy of Painting is a garage-pop quintet from Nashville, Tennessee. Like the television show to which the band owes its namesake, their sound has been described as “accidentally grandiose and bursting with color and energy.”
Their debut EP, Asterisk, was recorded live to tape using vintage instruments and microphones. The result was a brisk 23 minutes of infectious melodic hooks, gritty guit
ars, vibrant vocal harmonies and heavy grooves reminiscent of something Elvis Costello and The Clash might have come up with after watching old Saturday morning cartoons. Weezer-esque confessional songwriting bleeds through all seven tracks, ranging from the fervent post-punk energy of “Old Love” and “No Bones” to more delicate numbers like “The Bird” and “From the News”.
The Joy of Painting is currently writing, recording, performing, eating too much pizza, making dumb jokes and having entirely too much fun.
“Mixing dark fuzzy stoner rock riffs with classic rock sensibilities and addictive song-writing hooks, EESoccupy the gaping void somewhere between Queens Of The Stoneage, AC/DC and Black Sabbath.”Kerrang
“You’d have to be the most miserable of metal purists or the ultimate elitist trend follower not to allow yourself to simply enjoy this band…”Classic Rock
BEST HONKY-TONK HERO: CHRIS CASELLO
“There’s no shortage of jaw-dropping six-string sharpshooters working Lower Broad, but few of them are as entertaining and musical as Chris Casello. If you’ve ever had your mind blown by a guitarist who looks a little like Silvio from The Sopranos, then you know the guy. Whether he’s fronting his trio or working as a sideman (most notably, with the fabulous Brazilbilly), he stands out more for what he doesn’t play: While a lot of other axmen on the strip try to wow you with their gazillion-notes-a-second chicken-pickin’ virtuosity, Casello is a paragon of taste, emphasizing melody, groove and a healthy dose of musical humor, as he combines vintage country, slap-back rockabilly, blues and jazz. And he’s a badass steel player to boot.’ – JACK SILVERMAN
Powers confesses that his first love is performing the music in front of live audiences. Each visit he says results in a growing legion of international fans. One of his favorite memories is playing a country music festival in France, which was hosted by a TV star, Patrick Duffy. The enthusiastic audience response resulted in Powers receiving an invitation to the event’s VIP tent, where high-ranking French politicians and celebrities entertained him.
Powers’ reputation as one of Michigan’s preeminent progenitors of rock ‘n’ roll was secured by a May 1999 article in the Detroit News, in which he was included with Bob Seger, Berry Gordy, Jr., and the MC5 in a “Michigan at the Millennium” list of the state’s musical heroes. Powers is perhaps best known as the music legend who recorded a rock ‘n’ roll classic seminal hit,
“Long Blond Hair,” a song that continues to thrill rockabilly aficionados witnessing Powers’ live performances, listening to reissues of the original recording, or tapping their feet while enjoying the song’s appearance on the soundtrack to the ShowTime Cable Network’s film, Reform School Girls.
The song’s infectious popularity is evidenced by the anecdote Powers relates in which he was approached after a Detroit gig. “I just finished a show with Aaron Tipin, and a fan told me he finally got a chance to hear me do ”Long Blond Hair.” It was one of his all-time favorite songs.” The fan turned out to be Ed Salamon, Westwood One’s radio network president of programming at that time.
Johnny Powers performance of a song “Say It” is in the film production of Mosquito also on DVD which airs on SiFi and Cable Networks and it continues to air on U.S. and International Television Networks today.
Hailing from the booze-soaked, frozen tundra of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, S.S. Web fuses elements of Folk, Punk, Americana, Rock, and Country into a style all their own.
For the better part of 7 years S.S. Web has been plying their trade, honing their skills as musicians and songwriters. They self released their debut album, “North”, in 2011 and released it’s follow up, “1933”, in 2013 through Wayward Parade Records. The following two releases, both in 2014, included their third full-length album, “Skulls Will Sink”, and a self-titled split 7″ vinyl with Ando Ehlers.
Taking to the road like marauding pirates take to the sea S.S. Web has played countless shows from coast to coast, bringing the party and a glorious racket wherever they go, making new fans and friends at every stop.
The tides may change, but the ship will always sail…
After polishing their musical chops for years in the clubs of Green Bay, Dead Modern Villains busted down the doors of the rock scene in 2010 with their debut EP, Dead Modern Villains – Live at the Elbo Room. (Chicago) The band’s full length, 15 track debut album ‘Wisconsin Blues’ was released Aug. 9th 2011. It is available in most online stores, including Itunes, Amazon & Rhapsody. The album unites Keith Bouche’s melodramatic vocals with crowd-pleasing riffs to churn out a record full of heart- pounding rock. Mitch Rudolph’s metal influenced drumming, mixed with David Arendt’s melodic bass lines uncork rhythms to evoke a fine collection of rock songs in their purest form. With standout tracks like “Hindsight is 20/20,” “Something to Do” and “Bottle of Pills,” the music of Dead Modern Villains appeals to rock fans and non-rock fans alike. Now, it’s 2012, and the band is ready to record the second full length album. They’ve been touring around Wisconsin & the Midwest mixing up their set with dozens of rock ‘n’ roll songs written with one common theme…Making heads bounce! Make no mistake, DMV is an original act, and their live shows will blow you away. The band was recently nominated for 2012 Rock Band of the Year by the Wisconsin Area Music Industry.
This multidimensional trio brings a classic rock roots salute into a modern sound for their generation. These contemporary teens consistently deliver the essential elements of rock and roll-DRUMS, GUITAR, BASS AND VOCALS. Their music and sophisticated song writing brilliance hits you hard with a legendary formula for famed knockout riffs and bounce around in your head hooks. White Shadow’s naturally relaxed, often hilarious spontaneous approach, always delivers the goods. Habitually artful, these wickedly clever minors shrewd style begs the question-”How old are they?” There is absolutely nothing typical about these Chicago-based schoolboys. Just barely teenagers, the band has performed at dozens of shows, including appearances with national touring acts and a West Coast tour in Hollywood with shows at the world famous Whisky a Go-Go and the Roxy Theatre on the sunset strip. White Shadow brings a gutsy relevance to the scene that’s sometimes heavy and kind of bossy and not to be missed. These real live rock and roll smarties will leave you wrecked! ROCK ON!!!
Seventeen Sisters is comprised of the six Scarbrough siblings; Sarah, Gracie, Angel, Faith, Hannah, and Cecil Scarbrough (yes, all real siblings!). Their musical style mixes their experience of growing up in the deep Mississippi south with classic rock, blues, soul, and gospel. As well as their love of vintage music, the Rolling Stones, Who, and bands such as Cage The Elephant. Jack White, and Band of Skulls.
Seventeen Sisters’ all original set is anchored by strong vocals and peppered with tight sibling harmonies. Their music is soulful, gritty, and passionate. They pour their souls out into every performance, their live shows are truly unforgettable.
Warren Jackson Hearne and Le Leek Electrique is a cadre of musicians steeping rooms and lounges alike in an atmosphere of southern jazz that guides audiences through narratives haunted by ghosts, devils, and personal tragedy. The band is a culmination of Warren’s previous projects from the clove-scented mystique and gothic beginnings with the Merrie Murder of Gloomadeers to the damned western narratives found in his solo touring. Rather than pick through tatters of those projects, the jazz infused narratives create a tapestry out of Warren’s classical and folk guitar composures allowing for a music experience of rich texture. In a single song a listener can drink alongside a vicious jazz tempo accompanied by Warren’s poisonous lyrics and be lead along with his own change of perspective into a song that caresses and venerates the once-damned subject. The band that has become Le Leek Electrique brings back previous project musicians Tex Bosley and Dan Dockrill as well as honed and trained performers Mike Shields, Matt Moore, Zach Landreneau, and Ryan Williams. Their performances are to be heartily drunken to, appreciated alone or with company, and listened to repeatedly with each listen peeling back layers of unique musicianship, lyrics, and storytelling.
Part southern gothic spiritual, part moonshine fueled hoedown, O’Death are a timeless addition to the canon of weird old America… unique and wonderfully raw, but with the ability to drop the jaws of even the most jaded music fanatic and leave them testifying to it’s unique power.
Pianos Become The Teeth has a melodic yet uncompromising sound that brings to mind such diverse and influential bands as Thursday, Envy and City of Caterpillar. Brimming with sincerity and brandishing an experimental ambiance, the band is pushing beyond the boundaries of a stale genre. Mixing elements of screamo, hardcore as well as post rock, Old Pride breathes new life into a once decaying scene.
The Toasters are one of the original American third-wave ska bands. Founded in New York way back in 1981 by Buck. We’ve released 9 studio albums, with labels such as Moon Ska Records, Megalith Records, Celluloid, Stomp Records, Caroline Distribution & Skaloid.
Buck is the only constant member in the band. He moved over to the US to manage the Forbidden Planet comic book store, one year later he formed The Toasters. Our first show was opening for Bad Brains that same year, and later along in ’83 we released our first single Beat Up.
Two more years along and we reach Recriminations, our debut EP, produced by Joe Jackson. This was the point Buck decided to create Moon Ska Records, this would be the label for Recriminations.
Over the following years we expanded with the addition of a brass section, releasing Skaboom! in 1987. Since then, the lineup has seen many new faces (regular contributors included Coolie Ranx, Matt Malles, Brian Sledge, Lester Sterling – followed by a huge etc.), we released a bunch more albums, singles, EP’s & compilations – all available in our toastography. Our latest releases being One More Bullet (LP), in 2007 for our 25th anniversary & House of Soul (7″) in 2013.
Up to today we’re still touring around the world, filling the dance-floors with ska. While we’re at it we’ve also brought out a couple of hot-sauces & brews.
So come down to a show – checkout the supporting act(s), skank to our tunes, and you might even have some beer-money left over for merch!
Crosstown Collision is a 5 piece ska/punk band from Northwest, Indiana. Friends since high school Zack Genis, Stephen Phelps and brothers Jon and Dan Egolf have come a long way. With multiple roles in different bands, this group of friends united as Crosstown Collision in April 2008.
Sharing the stage with bands like Big D and The Kids Table, Green Room Rockers, The Pink Spiders, and Have Nots- Crosstown Collision began playing all over Indiana. The years of friendship and musical experience really shows when these guys are on stage. No matter the genre of music you are into, Crosstown Collision will have you tapping your toes and ready to skank!
Middle City Sound is comprised of five musicians who bring together a common love of music to create something more. Brandon James, Ian Miles, Boyang Matsapola, Barron Golden, and Pat Ryan hope to see you at the next show to experience these songs in full effect. The band is on a mission to blend old school raw talent with a new age sound and ideas. With performances at some of the hottest spots in Chicago we hope to grace the stage in a town near you soon.
Acclaimed recording artist and performer Mike Keneally is celebrating the release of his magical new album, Wing Beat Fantastic, by scheduling a series of intimate duo performances with musical compatriot Rick Musallam.
Wing Beat Fantastic is the highly anticipated result of a songwriting union between the famed rock experimentalist and legendary XTC tunesmith Andy Partridge. The smart and melodious album is garnering rave reviews worldwide.
Of their successful partnership, Partridge remarked, “I didn’t know how any of the tunes we’d agreed to write together were going to come out, but I know one thing, SO musical is this man that him just sitting with a guitar across his lap or perched at a keyboard pulled things from me that I can honestly say ‘I don’t know where they came from.’”
“The chance to work with Andy was absolutely a mind-blower for me,” Keneally said. “His songwriting gift is still as strong as ever, and I’m fiercely grateful to be able to help bring new Andy Partridge music into the world.”
“This tour will be a good opportunity to take some songs from my past repertoire, and stack them next to these new songs I’ve written with Andy,” mused Keneally. “We’ll be focusing on a lot of my most melodic and accessible tunes — hopefully with just enough of the fancy technique stuff to keep that portion of the audience satisfied!”
Long acclaimed as one of the world’s most creative and intense guitar and keyboard players, Keneally’s talents as a vocalist, songwriter, arranger, producer and multi-instrumentalist are nearly unequalled in rock music. He has released over 20 albums of his original music since 1992, and has built a body of work of remarkable inventiveness and originality.
Keneally played in Frank Zappa’s last touring band, performing as a vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist. He’s appeared on many Zappa albums, is currently a touring member of Dethklok (as a guitarist) and the Joe Satriani Band (as a keyboardist), and has also recorded or performed with Steve Vai, Robert Fripp and many others.
All Music Guide calls Keneally “the leading progressive rock genius of the post-Zappa era.”
Known for his innovative, unpredictable live shows, Keneally has played extensively in the United States and Europe, in contexts ranging from solo and duo concerts to performances with large-scale orchestras.
Keneally’s excited to team up with Rick Musallam again for this excursion. “He’s played guitar alongside me in the Mike Keneally Band since the late ’90s — seriously one of the most soulful, beautiful guitar players I’ve ever heard. With just the two of us playing these songs, I look forward to getting to the essence of what I was thinking about when I wrote them. Guitar fans will have a field day at the show, but we’ll be playing some bass and keyboard as well, and I’ll have recorded backing tracks on just a couple of the songs for variety.”
Senor Muerto was a band that started as a hobby! Everyone decided to get serious with it! We started out playing in Jesse A’s basement and now we have our own studio! We hope one day to get very far with this band!
Don’t Date Jake is a ska band based out of Northwest Indiana. The members formed at Chesterton High School in 2008. Since then they have won various battle of the bands in the region and have also performed in Chicago as well as other areas of Indiana. Don’t Date Jake is always looking for performance opportunities and looks forward to playing for you soon.
Late Night Morgue is a straight edge, dynamic rock band that specializes in metalcore. We are all self-taught musicians that write all our own songs. The energy and power of our music shows through each performance we give. If you like ANY kind of rock music you will definately love us. Every song we write is a different kind of sub-genre of rock, not one song sounds the same and I’m sure you’ll like that about us. Tell us what you think and get your friends to “Like” us. Thank You
– Late Night Morgue
An experimental progressive band with hard rock and metal roots, Inner Savant is growing into its own genre. We all have short attention spans which is reflected by non-repetitive riffs and song writing that crafts each track into a unique story. We engage audiences with a barrage of catchy melodies, explosive choruses, technical solos, and unexpected directions. Inspired by everything and anything fast, philosophy, strange experiences and all great music. Our line up is Luis as Lead Guitar, Marco as Backup Guitar, Joe as Synth/Keys, and Fran as Drums. We gear towards live performances so come check us out!
An alternative rock band with roots in Illinois and Alabama. We do not fall into the lines of one particular music style because we write and play whatever is in us.. We perform only original music..
We are a post-hardcore band that hails from the Windy City. We are striving to create a unique sound, which none of you have ever experienced before. We are A Storm at Sea and we’re embarking on a journey. Wanna join?
Since forming in 2007, New York’s Tigeriss (formerly Tiger Piss) have become an exemplary band to hold up for those seeking fun sing-a-long rock n’ roll that still matters. Bourne from from a true DIY asthetic, Tigeriss has self promoted their way into many hearts over the course of nine national tours, including the Coney Island Rock n’ Roll Roadshow (set to hit the east coast again this November).
With music that is not only playful but meaningful, the Tigeriss experience promises a complex, catchy and chaotic reprieve for the everyman. Sexy without the sleaze, but still nastier than mama permits, Lara’s bluesy belting and rolling bass lines merge with Danny’s angular and memorable guitar riffs. Completing this trio is Rev Kev’s powerful and always danceable drum beats. Combined, this power trio brings you raw rock-n-roll…the way it should be.
Having self released two EP’s in 2008 and 2009, this past October brought the release of the bands first full length album ‘Everybody Wins!’
The band Inquisition was formed in 1988 in Cali, Colombia by Dagon. The band started as a thrash metal act, and in 1994 evolved into raw black metal.
In 1996, Dagon left Colombia and moved back to the United States to continue Inquisition and search for a new drummer. That same year Dagon met Incubus, who joined the band on drums and the creation of their debut full length album began. This line-up has remained stable for more than fifteen years and is now seen as the classic Inquisition line-up.
INQUISITION style of black metal involves slow, deep and dark riffing combined with sudden tempo changes to faster sections based around blast beats and high-speed riffing; at times adding melodic solos. The classic Inquisition sound incorporates a combination of early era thrash metal-influenced riffing with darker and more chaotic black metal, primarily involving fast, tremolo picked minor-key guitar riffs, thus creating the trademark “Inquisition sound”.
An uncompromising sibling extreme metal trio from Brazil, Krisiun’s savage lyrics, punishing riffs, and unmitigated velocity helped make them one of the more punitive metal ensembles to emerge in the 1990s. Heavily influenced by bands like Slayer, Sodom, and Morbid Angel, the band employ a vicious, straight-ahead death metal style that was crystallized into pure fury on career-making outings like Apocalyptic Revelation (1998), Conquerors of Armageddon (2000), and The Great Execution (2011) that brought many imitators out of the woodwork. 2018’s Scourge of the Enthroned charted in Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland. Following two long tours and the global pandemic, Krisiun returned in July 2022 with Mortem Solis.
Hailing from Porto Alegre and taking their name from the lunar basin Mare Crisium (“sea of crisis”), the band was founded in 1990 by brothers Alex Camargo (bass, vocals), Moyses Kolesne (guitars), and Max Kolesne (drums) — Camargo uses his mother’s maiden name. A pair of demos (1991’s Evil Age and 1992’s Curse of the Evil One) and a self-released mini-album (1993’s Unmerciful Order) helped the band build a strong local following, resulting in a deal with small Brazilian label Dynamo, which put out the group’s merciless debut long player, Black Force Domain, in 1996. It was picked up for wider distribution by Gun Records, which also issued the group’s acclaimed sophomore effort, 1998’s Apocalyptic Revolution, the latter of which turned heads at major metal player Century Media, who scooped the band up and put out album number three, Conquerors of Armageddon, in early 2000. The label proved to be a loving home for the group, who were now taking their sonic onslaught across the globe, sharing stages with contemporaries like Vader, Belphegor, and Rotting Christ, and releasing a string of workmanlike, but undeniably brutal albums like Ageless Venomous (2001), Works of Carnage (2003), Bloodshed (2004), Assassination (2006), and Southern Storm (2008), the latter of which included a fiery cover of fellow countrymen Sepultura’s “Refuse/Resist.” 2011 saw the band issue their eight studio long player, the massively potent Great Execution, which garnered heavy praise from the extreme metal community, as did 2015’s more doom-leaden Forged in Fury. Clocking in at a taut 38 minutes, 2018’s Scourge of the Enthroned marked a return to the Gatling gun riffage and visceral attack of their debut. The album won praise from the metal press internationally, and was their first to chart in Europe.
Following two long tours and the global quarantine caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Krisiun finally got the opportunity to record in late 2021. They entered Family Mob Studio in São Paulo, Brazil and produced nine songs themselves. They sent the files off to Mark Lewis in Nashville, Tennessee, who mixed and mastered the set. Titled Mortem Solis, it boasted sleeve art by Marcelo Vasco. The video single “Serpent Messiah” was issued in June, followed by the album release in July. ~ James Christopher Monger, Rovi
Behold the new masters of darkness! SEPTICFLESH kindly invite you to join “The Great Mass”. The Greeks’ seventh full length is a new symphonic masterpiece that constitutes a quantum leap in the art of amalgamating orchestral music with Heavy Metal. These songs are audible evidence of guitarist Christos Antoniou finishing his studies of classical composition with academic honours and distinction. “The Great Mass” sounds nothing like the nowadays all too common application of ordinary soundtrack themes to hard music.
Daniel Voth’s debut album The Singularity brings a progressive twist to the solo acoustic fingerstyle genre. The Singularity plays across a wide continuum of modern acoustic guitar music. The songs are at times intense, cinematic and extremely technical, while on the other end of the spectrum quite nostalgic and heart felt.
Composer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist, Renato mastered several stringed instruments, such as Mandolin, Tenor Guitar, Cavaco, Viola, and Requinto.
Ewan Dobson is one of Canada’s most brilliant, awarded and exhilarating guitarists.
The development of Ewan Dobson into the artist that he is today has been an eclectic journey to say the least. After humble beginnings with his first electric guitar playing heavy metal and hard rock music to the structured discipline of his classical training, Dobson has expanded his repertoire to include Bluegrass, Metal, Canadian folk, Techno, Trance, Video Game and Contemporary Fingerstyle music.
The culmination of all of these diverse influences has fuelled his creativity to compose his own unique brand of music and resulted in creating the captivating artist that he is today
Mutilation Rites is filthy black metal hailing from Brooklyn, conceived by Michael Dimmitt and Justin Ennis in January 2009. After various incarnations, they have amalgamated with George Paul and Ryan Jones. Influences include, but are not limited to; darkthrone, discharge, dissection and weakling.
Formed in Athens, Ohio, SKELETONWITCH has been launching metal assaults on an unsuspecting underground since 2003. The members of THE WITCH are bonded by the universal truth, that heavy metal is the law, thereby unleashing the band’s brand of ripping, epic thrash. Everything begins with the purity and aggression of the 80s Bay Area thrash scene, but SKELETONWITCH further fuels its evil onslaught with elements of black and Viking metal while proudly waving the NWOBHM flag. Imagine a young Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Exodus slamming beers and cranking up Immortal records at a rager in 1985. Just when you think the keg is killed, Judas Priest joins the party with a fresh case of beer.
SKELETONWITCH brings together the old and sacred elements of true heavy metal, melts them down, and forges them into a brand new monolith of riffage. This new beast that has been created, while completely fresh and unique, is still able to give you that 1986 feeling (whether you were already there or are just feeling it for the first time). And THE WITCH’s live show is not to be missed – This is a fact known by the countless hessians, thrashers, stoners and punks alike that have bore witness to the vicious spectacle: a whirlwind of nipple-length hair, dual flying Vs, roaring Marshall stacks, and a black master of ceremonies as sick as Satan himself.