Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Netherfriends' finding Middle America

One of my dreams is to travel to all fifty states and drink a wine and beer produced in that state while watching a live music show. Sadly, I'm not even close. I should of followed Shawn Rosenblatt who played a show in every state between April 2010 and 2011. What's even more remarkable is that Rosenblatt self-booked every show then self-record and produced an LP released under his stage name Netherfriends, Middle America. The EP is a reflection of that en-devour and features songs about several cities along the way and basically, this was a real surprise. I totally enjoyed this CD. Check out  Bloomington, IN for yourself. Thinking of planning a similar trip? Then listen to Lawrence, KS as an incentive and here's my beer\wine suggestions for each city:

St. Louis, MO: Schlafly Bottleworks \ Stone Hill Winery
Bloomington, IN: Upland Brewing Company \ Butler Winery & Vineyard
Columbus, OH: Elevator Brewery \ Wyandotte Winery
Kalamazoo, MI: Bell's Brewery \ Lawton Ridge Winery
Des Moines, IA: Court Avenue Brewing Company \ Jasper Winery
Madison, WI: Ale Asylum \ New Glarus Primrose Winery \ Yahara Bay Distillers
Chicago, IL: Half Acre Beer Company \ Wild Blossom Meadery and Winery
Rapid City, SD: Firehouse Brewing Company \ Prairie Berry Winery
Omaha, NE: Nebraska Brewing Company \ Soaring Wings Vineyard
Minneapolis, MN:August Schell Brewing Company \ Falconer Vineyards and Winery
Fargo, ND: he Great Northern Brewery \ Maple River Winery
Lawrence, KS: Tallgrass Brewing Company \ Davenport Winery

Friday, February 24, 2012

Reason.TV: The Great Gibson Guitar Raid: Months Later, Still No Charges Filed

Thanks to Reason.tv for following up on their initial video showing the Federal Government's misguided raid on Gibson Guitar.  Our original post is here.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Paul Kelly Brings His Box Set and Memoir to the States

For thirty years, Paul Kelly has been writing and performing some of the best songs you've probably never heard of. Me too - but not my more musically inclined brother - who's been listening to Kelly since his debut album Talk in 1981. I'm a late convert - but fortunately all his recordings are now available in a 8-disc (105 song), live box set called The A-Z Recordings which will be officially available in North America exclusively via Amazon on February 28. It will also available as a deluxe box-set version that bundles it with his critically acclaimed “mongrel memoir” How To Make Gravy: A to Z, A Mongrel Memoir (Penguin Int’l), available by itself and as a 9-disc audio edition (the 9th disc features guest readers that include: Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, and Hugh Jackman). iPhone and iPad apps are available for the book.

Even better, Kelly is returning to the states for a quick one month tour starting on the 28th in Austin and then traveling to a few cities with some being multiple night stops. Like the shows at Jammin Java March 11th & 12th. Below is his tour schedule plus links to audio and video samples. Take a listen to that clear, precise guitar playing and honest lyrics.  I'm almost through the complete box set - 105 songs that keep your mind occupied.


Paul Kelly Greatest Hits: Songs From The South Volumes 1 & 2

(Deeper Water Live)




US Tour:
  Send Event to Friends    Paul Kelly - Cactus Cafe Austin, TX: Tuesday, February 28, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    Paul Kelly - Cactus Cafe Austin, TX: Wednesday, February 29, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    Paul Kelly - Club Cafe Pittsburgh, PA: Saturday, March 03, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    Paul Kelly - Mountain Stage Charleston, WV: Sunday, March 04, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    Paul Kelly - Rockwood Music Hall New York, NY: Monday, March 05, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    Paul Kelly - Rockwood Music Hall New York, NY: Tuesday, March 06, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    Paul Kelly - Rockwood Music Hall New York, NY: Wednesday, March 07, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    Paul Kelly - Rockwood Music Hall New York, NY: Thursday, March 08, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    Paul Kelly - Rockwood Music Hall New York, NY: Friday, March 09, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    An Evening with Paul Kelly - Jammin' Java Vienna, VA: Sunday, March 11, 2012P
  Send Event to Friends    An Evening with Paul Kelly - Jammin' Java Vienna, VA: Monday, March 12, 2012M
  Send Event to Friends    Paul Kelly - World Cafe Live Philadelphia, PA: Wednesday, March 14, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    Paul Kelly - World Cafe Live Philadelphia, PA: Thursday, March 15, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    Paul Kelly - Club Passim Cambridge, MA: Friday, March 16, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    Paul Kelly - Club Passim Cambridge, MA: Saturday, March 17, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    Paul Kelly - Largo Los Angeles, CA: Tuesday, March 20, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    Paul Kelly - Swedish American Hall San Francisco, CA: Thursday, March 22, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    Paul Kelly - Swedish American Hall San Francisco, CA: Friday, March 23, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    Paul Kelly - The Triple Door Seattle, WA: Sunday, March 25, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    Paul Kelly - The Triple Door Seattle, WA: Monday, March 26, 2012

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

The Beautiful View - "Life IS Beautiful"


Like Rock music? I mean real rock music that they know call it Alternative? Then checkout San Diego based The Beautiful View and their newest CD Life Is Beautiful or any of their upcoming tour dates. The CD is sharp - plenty of rockin' guitar, integrated bass, rational feedback distortion - and interesting segues between  songs: i.e. Nothing Like The Comfort Of A Southern Woman leads into Mercy Is A Cold Shower. Coincidence? I think not.




  Send Event to Friends    The Beautiful View - Casbah San Diego, CA: Saturday, 
March 10, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    Requiemme SXSW Day Party - The Jackalope Austin, TX: Friday, March 16, 2012 
  Send Event to Friends    SXSW - The Beautiful View - The Whiskey Room Austin, TX: Saturday, March 17, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    The Beautiful View - The Mix San Antonio, TX: Sunday, March 18, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    The Beautiful View - The Nick Birmingham, AL: Tuesday, March 20, 2012 @ 8:00 PM
  Send Event to Friends    The Beautiful View - Motorco Durham, NC: Sunday, March 25, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    The Beautiful View - Strange Matter Richmond, VA: Monday, March 26, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    The Beautiful View - Ottobar Baltimore, MD: Tuesday, March 27, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    The Beautiful View - North Star Bar Philadelphia, PA: Wednesday, March 28, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    The Beautiful View - Knitting Factory Brooklyn, NY: Thursday, March 29, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    The Beautiful View - Axum Washington, DC: Friday, March 30, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    The Beautiful View - Bowery Ballroom New York, NY: Saturday, March 31, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    The Beautiful View - Smiling Moose Pittsburgh, PA: Sunday, April 01, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    The Beautiful View - Now That's Class Cleveland, OH: Tuesday, April 03, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    The Beautiful View - Small's Bar Hamtramck, MI: Wednesday, April 04, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    The Beautiful View - Beat Kitchen Chicago, IL: Thursday, April 05, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    The Beautiful View - The Frequency Madison, WI: Friday, April 06, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    The Beautiful View - Davey's Uptown Ramblers Club Kansas City, MO: Saturday, April 07, 2012
  Send Event to Friends    The Beautiful View - Lion's Lair Denver, CO: Sunday, April 08, 2012