One Really Killer Line

Pulaski by Drive-By Truckers

2012-01-20T14:15:00.000-08:00

All of the Dicks in This Dick Town

2012-01-19T11:30:00.001-08:00

https://www.filesanywhere.com/fs/v.aspx?v=8a6e698e5b636fae9ca5

Disc 2 of 3.

My Best of 2011 Mixes.

1 more to come.

Mixes only up for 60 days.

If you enjoy this mix, support the band/artist by buying their music.

Shake Shimmy Shake

2012-01-05T20:09:00.000-08:00

https://www.filesanywhere.com/fs/v.aspx?v=8a6e68895e6172b8a7af

Disc 1 of 3.

My Best of 2011 Mixes.

2 more to come.

Soon-ish.

If you enjoy this mix, support the band/artist by buying their music.

Top 25 of 2011

2011-12-14T18:44:00.000-08:00

Some albums it was tough to cut out:

Adele - 21

Dawes - Nothing is Wrong

Lucinda Williams - Blessed

Okkervil River - I Am Very Far

TVOTR - Nine Types of Light

kd Lang & the Siss Boom Bang - Sing It Loud

Chain Gang of 1974 - Wayward Fire

The Drums - Portamento

Nurses - Dracula

Honey Honey - Billy Jack

Those Darlins - Screws Get Loose

Neko Case ~ 7/6/11 @ The Knitting Factory, Reno

2011-11-17T19:11:00.000-08:00

Iron & Wine ~ 6/2/11 @ The Reno Knitting Factory

2011-11-16T12:35:00.000-08:00

Boy With a Coin

Me and Lazarus

My Lady's House

Morning

Evening on the Ground (Lilith's Song)

Walking Far From Home

Wolves (Song of the Shepherd's Dog)

Big Burned Hand

Half Moon

Free Until They Cut Me Down

Weary Memory

Monkeys Uptown

Cinder and Smoke

House by the Sea

Woman King

Fever Dream

Tree By the River

Encore:

He Lays in the Reins

Psychedlic Furs @ Reno Knitting Factory on 5/6/11

2011-10-07T15:38:00.000-07:00

Finally cleaning out the camera.

Mustang Ranch

2011-07-20T19:12:00.000-07:00

“Mustang Ranch” via VEVO: http://vevo.ly/oukYRg

Today, Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears team up with VEVO for an exclusive premiere of their new video for "Mustang Ranch". The track itself makes for the perfect driving and road trip soundtrack, and the music video just tops it all off, bringing the song's story to life. Humorous and honest, the animation and graphics of the video bring a new energy and meaning to the band's raging shenanigans.

Broken Social Scene Pics

2011-06-08T17:48:00.000-07:00

4/20/11 @ Reno Knitting Factory

We Are All Scissor Sisters Now

2011-06-01T18:18:00.000-07:00

4/15/11 ~ The Warfeild, S.F.

Interpol @ The Reno Knitting Factory 4/13/11

2011-05-10T18:14:00.000-07:00

From the Balcony

School of the Seven Bells opened for Interpol on 4/13/11 @ Reno Knitting Factory

2011-04-27T18:37:00.000-07:00

Ani setlist from Grass Valley ~ 4/9/11

2011-04-11T18:38:00.001-07:00

Drive By Truckers @ the Reno Knitting Factory 3/2/11.

2011-03-07T14:51:00.000-08:00

The Drive By Truckers play Reno for the first time, ever.

2011-03-04T13:18:00.000-08:00

I'm lukewarm on the Drive By Truckers, always have been. If you mention to anyone remotely into alt. country that you are an alt. country fan one of the first few things out of their mouth is something about the DBT's. Finally after hearing that for years I started picking up their cds. I think the first cd of theirs I got was Gangstabilly, despite hating the title. There were a couple tracks on it that I liked. Filed it on the shelf and don't remember pulling it back out too many times after that. Then I picked up Pizza Deliverance and once again, only a few tracks I liked. It wasn't until Decoration Day that I remember spinning the record several times. Marry Me and Your Daddy Hates Me are still two of my favorite Trucker songs. Then I got Southern Rock Opera and Let There Be Rock blew my socks off, but the rest of the album I was only so-so once again. There are moments on all Truckers records of both musical and lyrical brilliance, but they are not fully realized albums of brilliance, in my opinion. I don't go back to them and listen to them over and over like I do with my other favorite alt. country bands. I know there are DBT super fans out that that would punch my lights out for saying that, but I am just telling you where my chips fall with the DBTs.

Fast forwards several years and I picked up Brighter than Creations Dark. Here again I found a reason to not love the DBTs. Too much religion in this one for me. I get that it is a huge part of the alt. country and country music in general, but it isn't for me.

Then last year a friend gave me a copy of The Big To-Do. Over half of the songs on the cd are kick ass in my opinion. So I went to see the Truckers for the first time last year in Tahoe. I though, hey I finally like a whole one of their cds, they are coming close to Reno I should go check 'em out. You know, sometimes when you see a band live it kicks your opinion of them up a notch. That definitely happened for me with the Truckers. The show last year in Tahoe was excellent. I really enjoyed Shonna Tucker and Mike Cooley live. I came to realize that Cooley is my favorite voice in the Truckers. He didn't sing too many tunes at the Tahoe show. I wanted more Cooley in my Truckers show.

Last Wednesday at the Knit that is exactly what I got. It seemed like every other song was a Cooley song. The show at the Knit was perfect timing for me in my continually burgeoning DBT appreciation.

Here is a Truckers write up by one of my favorite authors, Rick Bass.

http://www.drivebytruckers.com/press.html

The Heartless Bastards kicked Reno in the teeth.

2011-03-04T12:23:00.000-08:00

It's so rare to see a band with a female lead vocalist like Erika Wennerstrom. If her voice doesn't blow your hair back then you really need to clean the wax outta your ears.

The Heartless Bastards opened for the Drive By Truckers at the Reno Knitting Factory this past Wednesday night and if you weren't there you should be ashamed of yourself.

The band said they were trying out tunes for an album they are currently working on; I can't wait to hear it. When the guitar player handed me his set list he mentioned these were all weird working titles. The working title HYHH amuses me to no end. Come back soon, HB.

DBT pics tomorrow.

A note from Okkervil River

2011-02-25T14:42:00.000-08:00

As you may have heard, we are releasing a new album out May 10th in the US and May 9th in the UK on JAGJAGUWAR called I Am Very Far. Can't wait for you to hear it. In the meantime, we have a 12" of a new non-album track called "Mermaid" and b-side "Walked Out On A Line" available in the Okkervil River online store.

New Lucinda Williams March 1st

2011-02-10T13:07:00.000-08:00

LUCINDA WILLIAMS’ BLESSED
SET FOR MARCH 1st RELEASE ON LOST HIGHWAY
NEW ALBUM CO-PRODUCED BY GRAMMY AWARD-WINNER DON WAS

Nashville, TN – Blessed, the stunning new album from three-time Grammy Award-winner Lucinda Williams is set for release on March 1st by Lost Highway.

Considered by many to be one of America’s greatest living songwriters, Williams lives up to that and more by delivering 12 new songs that cover an even wider emotional spectrum than her previous work, without moving too far in any one direction.

Blessed opens with the gritty kiss-off “Buttercup” and moves seamlessly into the sultry blues of “Born To Be Loved”. Williams delves into a heavier subject as she questions the motives for a suicide on the hard-driving “Seeing Black”, which features blistering guitar from Elvis Costello. The thoughtful title track slowly builds to a melodic climax as it gives an eye-opening look at what’s right in front of us, but too often unnoticed. On the gorgeous “Kiss Like Your Kiss”, Williams lays down one of the most beautiful and fragile vocals she has ever recorded, while the poignant and powerful “Soldier’s Song” simultaneously tells a tragic story of the soldier overseas and his wife and child back home.

It’s nothing new to see Williams tug at the heartstrings and stimulate the mind in her songs, but there is a vibe throughout Blessed that is unique to this album in particular. It’s the sound of the wisdom and experience Williams has gained through her years as an uncompromising talent. Combine that with Grammy Award-winning producer Don Was at the helm, and something special is born. Was co-produced Blessed with Eric Liljestrand and Tom Overby, who co-produced Williams highly-praised Little Honey (2008). Blessed features special guests Rami Jaffe on keyboards, Matthew Sweet on vocals Greg Leisz and Elvis Costello on guitar.

The deluxe edition of Blessed will include a bonus disc (or 14 tracks digitally) titled The Kitchen Tapes. These are the demos Lucinda recorded of the songs that became Blessed right as they were born at her kitchen table, which she does much of her writing.

12 Desperate Straight Lines

2011-02-02T15:47:00.001-08:00

Great cover art.

Great Album Title.

Great Tunes.

Check it out, you won't be sorry.

Better Off Dead: A New tune by The Sounds

2011-01-31T17:44:00.000-08:00

I hope the new album by The Sounds captures some of the excitement that their first release did. The new track you can download at Side One Dummy's website is promising, go here:

http://sideonedummy.com/bands/the-sounds

M. Ward Setlist

2011-01-24T16:22:00.000-08:00

My Top 11 Shows of 2010

2011-01-12T15:01:00.000-08:00

11 ~ Silversun Pickups at the GSR in Reno, 8/2/10

10 ~ Bobby Bare Jr. & Blue Giant at the Undergorund in Reno, 9/2/10

9 ~ The Avett Brothers at the GSR in Reno, 4/18/10

8 ~ The XX at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland ~ 9/23/10

7 ~ Ani DiFranco @ The Knitting Factory in Reno ~ 6/26/10

6 ~ Greg Dulli at the Sweedish American Hall in S.F., 11/17/10

5 ~ Bonnie Prince Billy at The Center for the Arts in Grass Valley, 10/26/10

4 ~ The National at the Wiltern in Los Angeles, 5/21/10

3 ~ Pavement & Quasi at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, 6/25/10

2 ~ Billy Bragg at The Center for the Arts in Grass Valley, 10/30/10

1 ~ Wild Flag at The Bottom of the Hill in S.F., 11/18/10

Beth Ditto EP

2011-01-05T14:39:00.000-08:00

This is the first release I have heard about this year that I am truly excited about.

Check out those preview tracks.

Yum!

http://www.deconstructionrecords.co.uk/news/-/2010-12-17/sneak_peek_of_beth_ditto

My Top 25 Albums of 2010

2010-12-22T14:36:00.000-08:00

In no particular order:

In the running but didn't quite make it:

Frightened Rabbit - The Winter of Mixed Drinks
Justin Townes Earle - Harlem River Blues
Frontier Ruckus - Deadmalls & Nighfalls
Chief - Modern Rituals
Scissor Sisters - Night Work
Spoon - Transference
LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening
Jonsi - Go
Mavis Staples - You Are Not Alone

WILD FLAG @ BOTH, S.F. ~ 12/02/10

2010-12-15T14:05:00.000-08:00

Lake Tahoe In January

2010-12-13T18:19:00.000-08:00

Friday, January 21

Harrah's South Shore Room

$27.50 + tax

https://shop.prestigeticketing.com/harrahstah/store.jsp?autonav=P500110713#ceShop

Saturday, January 22
Harrah's South Shore Room
$38.50 + tax
https://shop.prestigeticketing.com/harrahstah/store.jsp?autonav=P500110719#ceShop

Greg Dulli Solo ~ 11/17/10 ~ Sweedish American Hall, S.F.

2010-12-03T14:18:00.000-08:00

1,000 Years

2010-11-03T16:08:00.000-07:00

A snazzy review of the new Corin Tucker solo show can be read over at Bitch Magazine.

http://bitchmagazine.org/post/music-matters

The xx @ Oakland's Fox Theatre on 9/23/10

2010-10-28T13:52:00.000-07:00

Bobby Bare Jr. @ The Underground 9/2/10

2010-10-14T17:19:00.000-07:00

Blue Giant Pics

2010-10-08T15:05:00.000-07:00

Blue Giant opened for and played with Bobby Bare Jr. at The Underground on 9/2/10.

It was a fantastic show. Why weren't more of you Reno-ites there?

You make me sad, you really do.

Support good music when it comes to town dammit!

Did you know that Blue Giant has a female lead guitarist? Hell yes they do and she is kick ass.

Also, she and her husband make up the band Viva Voce.

What?

I love Viva Voce.

BBJ Pics to follow.

Have you heard this new album by JUNIP yet? You might wanna.

2010-10-07T16:09:00.001-07:00

The story that leads to Junip’s 2010 release is one of patience and perfectionism, frustration and persistence, sheer bloody-mindedness, inspiration and success. The place to which it takes you, however, is one of pastoral contemplation, autumnal grace and inscrutable, haunting serenity. A cosmopolitan three piece from Gothenburg, Sweden – featuring Tobias Winterkorn (keyboards), Elias Araya (drums) and José González (vocals & guitar), the latter of whom you’ll be familiar with from his solo work – Junip have existed since 1999, maybe even 1998. It’s so long, frankly, that none of them are quite sure. FIELDS, however, is the album that they’ve been itching to make ever since. González and Araya have been playing together since they were 14.

Loving this today ~ Maximum Balloon.

2010-10-05T13:31:00.001-07:00

Some of my favorite NYC singers guest on this album, love these pics too.

http://www.maximumballoon.com/

Check this Band Out: Tired Pony

2010-10-02T10:45:00.000-07:00

“A gentle and mellifluous set of songs, it’s an album that’s haunted by a deep and evocative sense of fragile melancholy…an album for lost, lonely times.” – Clash

“The instruments and textures enter, drop out, augment, hold back, enter again, with a subtlety that, without warning, will burst suddenly into violent visceral life.” – Sunday Times Culture

“It’s the best work Lightbody has done….” – Q Magazine

Tired Pony, spearheaded by Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody, is a collaborative project featuring the talents of R.E.M.’s Peter Buck, Belle and Sebastian’s Richard Colburn, acclaimed producer Jacknife Lee and more. Their debut album – The Place We Ran From (which released September 28th; Mom + Pop) was born after Gary Lightbody decamped to Portland, Oregon’s Type Foundry studio. He invited along Troy Stewart, a regular touring member of Snow Patrol; Iain Archer, a longtime Snow Patrolcollaborator; Richard Colburn, Belle & Sebastian’s drummer and former collaborator with Lightbody in Reindeer Section; and producer Garret “Jacknife” Lee (U2, Bloc Party), who helped to recruit Tired Pony’s final two members: Peter Buck from R.E.M. and Scott McCaughey, R.E.M.’s full-time auxiliary member since 1994.

Inspired by his love of Wilco, Calexico, Lambchop, Palace, Smog and more, Gary set out to make what could be called an American gothic album, a country-tinged gem that looked at the darkness of America. Bringing in She & Him’s Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward and The Editors’ Tom Smith for guest turns, the album was made quickly, with the entire recording session lasting only a week. At the end of it all, the players felt so close and so connected, they decided to take Tired Pony out of the studio and into the world.

Grass Valley in October

2010-10-01T14:28:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, October 26

The Center for the Arts and (((folkYEAH!))) present

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy plus very special guest TBA

8:00PM, $15 in advance, $18 at the door

Saturday, October 30

The Center for the Arts presents Punk / Folk Legend

Billy Bragg

8:00PM, $30 General Admission

Ra Ra Riot in Reno!

2010-09-30T11:24:00.000-07:00

Wed-Oct-13 Reno, NV

The Alley

GET TICKETS

Sing To Survive

2010-09-29T20:01:00.000-07:00

I got a CD in the mail from Dan of The Fancy Dan Band. The Fancy Dan Band is based out of San Francisco, CA. After giving “Sing to Survive” about 5 spins now I can resoundingly say, I like this band. Hey Fancy Dan, bring your band to Reno, Nevada for a show or two, won’t you?

I hear a lot of influences on this record: The Beach Boys, Roy Orbison, Elvis and even a little Tom Petty however; The Fancy Dan Band is able to take a lot of those influences and make a sound that is truly their own. While doing a bit of research on the band I came across anSFGate article that said The Fancy Dan Band’s sound is like “pushing the girl you love on a swing.” What could be better than that? I could not agree more, its great music to listen to in your car at the end of a long hot summer.

I hope to catch this band live sometime soon, “Sing to Survive” is a fun record, go out and pick yourself up a copy. Support local (bay area) musicians. If I lived in S.F. I would surely attend their cd release show at Café Du Nord tonight.

Happily Cho Dependent!

2010-09-07T12:52:00.001-07:00

I got a copy of the new Margaret Cho album Cho Dependent from Danny at the Planetary Group. Thanks Danny! I knew before popping it into the cd player that Cho paired up with a bunch of musicians to make a rock record, but what I did not know is how fantastic it was going to sound. I thought it might be a record full of shtick comedy over three cords and a lot of Cho screaming. This record is much more than that, sure there is a bit of shtick and a Cho scream here and there, but there are some great hooks, and catchy tunes as well. The songs themselves are lovely and beautifully produced. Cho adds a sprinkling of her comedy on top of that music in a masterful way. She has quite a lovely voice at times, especially when paired with Tegan & Sara, Fiona Apple and Ani DiFranco.

I feel al little weird saying this, being a thirty something lesbian in America but my favorite track on the album is “Your Dick” in which she collaborates with A.C. Newman. I found myself singing along with the song after a few spins of the record and then laughing out loud at myself for singing along to a song called “Your Dick”. Bravo, Cho!

Cho punctuated the songs brilliantly, just as you are getting into a tune, she throws in a hilarious line that jolts you out of the song and makes you belly laugh, then you are seduced right back into the song until the next belly laugh comes along.

I really enjoyed this album by Margaret Cho; I recommend it to anyone who loves music and a filthy joke or two. You won’t be disappointed.

I hope to be doing a giveaway of some Margaret Cho tickets for her show in SF in December on this blog soon. More information about the album and a full list of tour dates below:

“I want to create a new genre of music that is hilarious but also seriously good, so I turned to some of my music heroes to help me out,” says Margaret Cho in reference to her forthcoming album Cho Dependent. “I have wanted to make an album like this forever. I love comedy music!”

The lyrics on Cho Dependent, which tackle issues of sex, drugs, rock & roll – and lice, may be laugh-inducing, but Cho has made no compromises when it comes to the quality of the songwriting and production. After “My Puss,” a hilarious rap parody Cho recorded impromptu-style with friends, became a surprise YouTube hit, Cho began to integrate more comedy music into her live stand-up shows. With Cho Dependent, her first comedy music album, Cho got a chance to hone her craft with some of the top names in the business.

“There are so many amazing people I got to work with on this album," Cho recounts. “Jon Brion, Fiona Apple, Tegan and Sara, Andrew Bird, Ani DiFranco, Garrison Starr, Meghan Toohey, Brendan Benson, Rachael Yamagata, Carl Newman, Grant Lee Phillips, Patty Griffin, Ben Lee, Kevin Barnes -- I still have to pinch myself!”

Ultimately Cho hopes to raise the bar for the genre as a whole – and get a little recognition for her contribution to the cause. Her motivations for this latter goal however are naturally as subversive as her humor. “I want to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and on Elvis Costello's Spectacle so I can talk all serious about my songwriting ‘process’ -- which is basically trying to figure out what rhymes with ‘dick.’”

TOUR
08.26.10 Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Portland, OR
08.27.10 Paramount Theatre Seattle, WA
08.28.10 Queen Elizabeth Theatre Vancouver, BC
09.10.10 House of Blues Houston, TX
09.11.10 Verizon Theatre Dallas, TX
09.12.10 Paramount Theatre Austin, TX
09.17.10 The Pearl Concert Theatre @ the Palms Las Vegas, NV
09.18.10 Dodge Theatre Phoenix, AZ
09.23.10 The Grove of Anaheim Anaheim, CA
09.24.10 Humphreys Concerts by the Bay San Diego, CA
09.25.10 The Mountain Winery Saratoga, CA
09.26.10 The Uptown Theatre Napa, CA
10.01.10 Southern Alberta Jubilee Calgary, AB
10.02.10 Wimdspear Centre Edmonton, AB
10.09.10 Paramount Theatre Denver, CO
10.14.10 Overtrue Centrer for the Arts - Capitol Theatre Madison, WI
10.15.10 State Theatre Minneapolis, MN
10.16.10 Chicago Theatre Chicago, IL
10.17.10 The Fillmore Detroit Detroit, MI
10.22.10 Massey Hall Toronto, ON
10.23.10 Salle Wilfrid Pelletier Montreal, PQ
10.24.10 National Arts Centre Ottawa, ON
10.27.10 Scranton Cultural Center Scranton, PA
10.28.10 Wilbur Theatre Boston, MA
10.29.10 Warner Theatre Washington DC
10.30.10 Caeser's Atlantic City Atlantic City, NJ
11.04.10 Wellmont Theatre Montclair, NJ
11.05.10 TBA New York, NY
11.06.10 Fox Theatre Mashantucket, CT
12.03.10 The Wiltern Los Angeles, CA
12.04.10 Nob Hill Masonic Center San Francisco, CA
12.09.10 Ruth Eckerd Hall Clearwater, FL
12.10.10 Hard Rock Live @ Universal Studios Orlando, FL
12.11.10 Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater Miami Beach, FL
12.12.10 Tabernacle Atlanta, GA

LINKS
http://www.planetarygroup.com/newmedia/pages/margaretcho/
http://www.margaretcho.com/

Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses

2010-08-30T17:13:00.000-07:00

“whether he was singing or tuning his guitar, he grabbed the listener's attention wholeheartedly…while the crowd no doubt wanted to hear more from Bingham, the [45-minute] set was a more-than-adequate preview of what's to come for the soulful musician,” - Spinner.com

Former bull rider, Ryan Bingham, will be releasing his newest album, Junky Star on Lost Highway Records come August 31. Ryan catapulted to success with his work on "The Weary Kind" (Theme from Crazy Heart), and recently released the first taste of the new record with "Depression". The song, a love story set during the depression, has an amazing ability to pull at the heartstrings of any generation. The emotional resonance Ryan shares with listeners undoubtably makes it hard to comprehend his young age of only 29...

RYAN BINGHAM ON TOUR
AUG 25 - Los Angeles, CA - The Bootleg Theater (Record Release Show)

SEPT 01 - Los Angeles, CA - The Grammy Museum (Q&A with Museum Members)

SEPT 03 - Yosemite, CA - Strawberry Festival

SEPT 05 - Denver, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheater (w/Willie Nelson)

SEPT 06 - Park City, UT - Snow Park Amphitheater

SEPT 07 - Boise, ID - Botanical Gardens (w/Willie Nelson)

SEPT 08 - Reno, NV - Knitting Factory (w/Willie Nelson)

SEPT 10 - Laughlin, NV - Harrah's Fiesta :

SEPT 11- Las Vegas, NV - The Cannery Casino (w/Willie Nelson)

SEPT 12 - Bakersfield, CA - B Ryder's

SEPT 13 - Livermore, CA - Wente Vineyards (w/Willie Nelson)

SEPT 14 - Santa Cruz, CA - Rio Theater

SEPT 16 - Chico, CA - El Rey Theatre

SEPT 17- Bend, OR - Les Schwab Amphitheater (w/Willie Nelson)

SEPT 18 - Troutdale, OR - Edgefield Manor (w/Willie Nelson)

SEPT 19 - Eugene, OR - Cuthbert Amphitheater (w/Willie Nelson)

SEPT 20 - Grants Pass, OR - Rogue Theater

SEPT 22 - Saratoga, CA - Mountain Winery (w/Willie Nelson)

SEPT 23 - Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl (w/Willie Nelson)

SEPT 24 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theater (w/Willie Nelson)

OCT 07 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues

OCT 08 - Austin, TX - Austin City Limits Festival

OCT 08 - Austin, TX - ACL Aftershow @ Momo's

OCT 12 - Nashville, TN - Cannery Ballroom

OCT 14 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom

OCT 15 - Boston, MA - Royale

OCT 16 - Philadelphia, PA - North Star Bar

OCT 17 - Albany, NY - Linda Norris Auditorium

OCT 19 - Pittsburgh, PA - Rex Theater

OCT 21 - Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop

Artist: Ryan Bingham

Album: Junky Star

Release Date: August 31

Label: Lost Highway

Website: http://www.binghammusic.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RyanBinghamandTheDeadHorses

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ryanbingham

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/ryanbingham

Extradition Music Festival 2010 ~ Pics & Review

2010-08-20T16:13:00.000-07:00

Local Reno band the Bindlestiffs opened the final night of the Extradition Music Festival last Sunday at Hawkins Ampitheater. I had not heard the band before and was pleasantly surprised by their sound. They had a spoon player, how rad is that?

Hellbound Glory took the stage next and played a blistering set. It was weird to see Hellbound Glory playing in the daytime; usually I catch them late late at night in a small dark room that smells of PBR and cigarettes.

Jay Farrar and Mark Spencer took the stage and played a beautiful set. It was great not to have to travel 4 hours to hear Jay play. The set list was fairly mellow and pulled heavily from Jay's two most recent releases: the compilation he did with Ben Gibbard, One Fast Move or I'm Gone Music from Kerouak's 'Big Sur' and Son Volt's America Central Dust.

I would have liked to hear some older Son Volt tunes or perhaps even some of Jay's older solo material off of Sebastopol or Terroir Blues interspersed with the newer material, but it was nice to hear a bunch of new tunes live for the first time.

Jay is a gifted songwriter and it had been too long since I had seen him perform a live solo show. The nuances of his voice are sometimes lost when he plays with the full band and power of Son Volt behind him. What a delight to hear a stripped down set where the gentle power of his lyrics could resonate with the audience.

What a great festival Extradition, thank you for the tickets!

I can't wait to see who you bring to town next.

*Photo Credits shared with L.K.S.

Jay Farrar Setlist from 8/15/10 in Reno, NV.

2010-08-17T16:10:00.001-07:00

"Breathe our Iodine" was not played as the encore, "White Freightliner Blues", a Townes Van Zandt cover was played instead.

Chuck Ragan @ The Alley in Sparks ~ 8/11/10

2010-08-13T16:31:00.000-07:00

Extradition Music Festival!

2010-08-05T11:12:00.000-07:00

Gallatin Road Productions announces the line-up for the first Extradition Music Festival!

August 12 – The first day of the festival will be marked by the launch of two books, one fiction and non-fiction, on Johnny Cash’s famous lyric about the Biggest Little City, and followed by a Honky Tonk Hangover show.

WHEN: Thurday, August 12 at 6:00 PM

WHERE: Sierra Tap House

COST: FREE

August 13 – The second night of the festival will be kicked off by a show co-headlined by southern California-based Americana rockers Dawes and Langhorne Slime, with The Donkeys, Buster Blue, and My Flag is on Fire opening. Proceeds will benefit the UNR Wolf Pack Veterans.

WHEN: Friday, August 13; Doors open at 9:00 PM

WHERE: The Underground Showroom

COST: $12 (Purchase Tickets)

August 14 – The third night of the festival hits the fast-paced notes of rockabilly and western swing with Big Sandy and the Fly-Rite Boys headlining the show and Leroy Virgil and the Loaded Dice, The Cheatin’ Hearts, and The Cowbelleros in support.

WHEN: Saturday, August 14; Doors open at 9:00 PM

WHERE: The Alley in Victorian Square, Sparks

COST: $15 (Purchase Tickets)

August 15 – The festival closes with Alt-Country legend Jay Farrar (of Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt fame) with local Alt-Country bands Hellbound Glory and The Bindle Stiffs opening.

WHEN: Sunday, August 15; Doors open at 5:00 PM

WHERE: Hawkins Amphitheater at Bartley Ranch

COST: $35 for reserved seats; $25 for lawn (Purchase Tickets)

Silversun Pickups @ GSR ~ 8/2/10

2010-08-04T12:55:00.000-07:00

David Dondero Stream

2010-07-28T10:57:00.000-07:00

David Dondero's new album 'Number Zero With A Bullet'

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128671305

This looks like it could be interesting ...

2010-07-27T10:52:00.000-07:00

Separate they are Jenny Lewis and Johnathan Rice, but together they are the Los Angeles-based band, Jenny and Johnny. The coupled duo will be releasing their debut, I'm Having Fun Now, August 31. Moreover, the pair, who have performed together - but separate - before, have announced their first official tour as Jenny and Johnny beginning this September with shows spanning across the US. Jenny and Johnny are offering their fans a taste of I'm Having Fun Now with a free download of Scissor Runner.

Pre-order for I'm Having Fun Now is available now at Jennyandjohnnymusic.com.
Jenny and Johnny Tour Dates

September:

01 - Santa Cruz, CA - Rio Theatre

02 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall

03 - Oakland, CA - The New Parish

05 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge

08 - Salt Lake City, UT - The State Room

11 - Omaha, NE - The Waiting Room

12 - Minneapolis, MN - Cedar Cultural Center

13 - Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall

14 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom

16 - Washington, D.C. - Black Cat

18 - Boston, MA - Agganis Arena^

19 - Brooklyn, NY - Williamsburg Waterfront^

21 - Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's

22 - Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero Theatre *

23 - Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle

24 - Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club

25 - Nashville, TN - Mercy Lounge
October:

03 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Palladium@

^ Supporting Pavement

* Supporting Superchunk

@ Supporting Belle & Sebastian

Official Site: http://www.jennyandjohnnymusic.com/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jennyandjohnny

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/jennyandjohnny

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JennyAndJohnny

Ani Set list fron the Reno KF Show

2010-07-02T10:26:00.001-07:00

I have been loving these super color saturated pics from shows recently.

Ani Pics from the KF show in Reno ~ 6/26/10

2010-07-01T16:51:00.000-07:00

What a fantastic show! I have not seen just Ani and her guitars since the first time I saw her nearly 12 years ago. She said she had to downsize her tour due to the economy, but I have to say, I like what you have done here Ms. DiFranco. I like it a lot.

I will post the set list tomorrow when I retrieve it from home and get it scanned in.

The National @ The Wiltern in L.A. ~ 5/21/10

2010-06-28T16:13:00.000-07:00

1. "Mistaken for Strangers"

2. "Anyone's Ghost"

3. "Bloodbuzz Ohio"

4. "Afraid of Everyone"

5. "Secret Meeting"

6. "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks"

7. "Little Faith"

8. "Slow Show"

9. "Squalor Victoria"

10. "All the Wine"

11. "Conversation 16"

12. "Apartment Story"

13. "Abel"

14. "Sorrow"

15. "England"

16. "Fake Empire"

Encore

17. "Runaway"

18. "Lemonworld"

19. "Mr. November"

20. "Terrible Love"

An Horse at the Reno Knitting Factory ~ 5/19/10

2010-06-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

An Untimely Post

2010-05-25T16:42:00.000-07:00

Avett Bros. pics and setlist from 4/18/10, at the Grand Sierra.

"Laundry Room"

"Denouncing November Blue (Uneasy Winter)"

"And It Spread"

"Weight of Lies"

"Distraction 74"

"January Wedding"

"The Traveling Song"

"Will You Return"

"Slight Figure of Speech"

"Tear Down the House"

"Salvation Song"

"Kick Drum Heart"

"Rollin In My Sweet Baby's Arms"

"Incomplete and Insecure"

"Paranoia In B-Flat Major"

"I and Love and You"

"Skin and Bones"

"Head Full of Doubt"

Encore:

"Colorshow"

"The Dream Appointed"

Drive By Truckers @ The Crystal Bay Club

2010-05-11T14:33:00.000-07:00

Set list:

Drag The Lake Charlie
Marry Me
The Fourth Night Of My Drinking
Birthday Boy
Daddy Needs a Drink
Love Like This
Heathens
Woman Without Whiskey
Santa Fe
Carl Perkins’ Cadillac
Hell No, I Ain’t Happy
Get Downtown
(It's Gonna Be) I Told You So
After The Scene Dies
Sink Hole
Self Destructive Zones
Home Field Advantage
3 Dimes Down
The Flying Wallendas
Lookout Mountain

Encore:

Grandad
Zip City
Plastic Flowers on the Highway
Let There Be Rock
Rockin’ in the Free World

A great review by Caleb Cage can be read here:
http://www.rgj.com/article/20100510/ENT02/100510026

Minus The Bear

2010-05-10T13:20:00.001-07:00

Produced by Grammy Award winning producer, Joe Chiccarelli (The White Stripes, My Morning Jacket), OMNI marks the latest stage in Minus The Bear's shape-shifting evolution, that culminates in the blending of past influences with present inspirations. Exploring erotic themes and fascinating tales of human relationships, the record illustrates the band's trademark precision and tremendous growth as both artists and songwriters.

Tour Dates:

May5 Boston, MA - Wilbur Theater

5 Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero

7 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club

8 Richmond, VA - The National

9 Charlotte, NC - The Fillmore

10 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse

11 Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Revolution

12 Tampa, FL - The Ritz

14 Houston, TX - House of Blues

15 Dallas, TX - Granada

16 Austin, TX - La Zona Rosa

18 Albuquerque, MN - Sunshine Theatre

19 Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues

20 Los Angeles, CA - Mayan Theatre

21 Pomona, CA - Glass House

22 San Diego, CA - SOMA

23 Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theater

26 San Francisco, CA - Regency Ballroom

27 Reno, NV - Knitting Factory

28 Portland, OR - Roseland Theatre

29 George, WA - Sasquatch Music Festival

Artist: Minus The Bear

Album: OMNI

Release: Out now

Indigo Girls at the Knitting Factory 3/24/2010

2010-04-21T14:49:00.000-07:00

Blogger Break

2010-01-12T14:37:00.001-08:00

Dear friends and followers, I am taking a blogger break. Thank you for your support over the years. I will be back when I can.
Much Love
Andrea

First Listen: Contra by Vampire Weekend

2010-01-05T14:56:00.000-08:00

I enjoy Vampire Weekend. A lot of people don’t. Music nerds aregenerally aligned strongly on one side of the fence or the other aboutthis band. I thoroughly enjoyed their first album; still spin itquite regularly in fact. Generally, I have trouble getting behind anover-hyped band, due to the fact that there are so many good bands outthere more deserving of attention and notoriety. Vampire Weekenddefinitely fits into the furiously over-hyped category. Even still, Ilike ‘em. Their tunes are catchy, danceable and fun. Can’t musicjust be fun sometimes?

Yeah, they sound like the Talking Heads, yeah they sound like PaulSimon, and yeah they sound like Peter Gabriel, who cares? Those aren’t bad things to mirror – in my opinion. Maybe they do come fromprivilege, does that mean you hate yourself for tapping your toes totheir tunes? I don’t get a snobby vibe from reading interviews theyhave given, they just seem like college kids experimenting with musicand enjoying the shit out of it. More power to them! More collegekids should be experimenting with African rhythms instead of havingtheir faces glued to their iphones and facebook accounts.

Hear the NPR stream here and form your own opinions about VampireWeekend and their new album Contra:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122213523&sc=emaf

A Train Wreck

2010-01-04T12:28:00.000-08:00

Fellow Concertgoers,

There's a train wreck about to happen and consumer groups say YOU will be the victim - if the two most powerful corporate interests in the live concert business get their way. But you can help stop the merger of Ticketmaster and Live Nation. The government needs to hear from music fans now!

TELL THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE THAT YOU'RE AGAINST THESE MONOPOLIES AMASSING ILLEGAL POWER OVER CONSUMERS, BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE:
antitrust.complaints@usdoj.gov

As a concertgoer you have already felt the pain, and if Ticketmaster and Live Nation get their way, it'll get worse. In the last 12 years, since Live Nation and its predecessor started its widespread take over of the concert industry, concert tickets have shot up 82% while the consumer price index has gone up just 17%*. We are concerned that if the two concert industry behemoths, Live Nation and Ticketmaster, were permitted to merge, the variety and quality of artists coming to local venues would be affected, and your prices could rise further and faster.Five of the nation's most prominent public interest groups called on the Department of Justice to block the proposed merger of Ticketmaster and Live Nation. In the consumer groups' and lawmakers' words:"Consumers deserve a fair deal in the entertainment marketplace, not the fewer choices and higher prices that would result from this merger," said Susan Grant, Director of Consumer Protection at Consumer Federation of America.

"This merger is an insult to both musicians and consumers," said James Love, Director of Knowledge Ecology International"We cannot envision a remedy that would ease this chilling impediment to competition In the absence of other effective, expeditious remedies, the proposed transaction should be prohibited." American Antitrust Institute White PaperAs described by Senator Herb Kohl (WI) in the Senate Antitrust hearing, "This merger will not only expand Ticketmaster's control of the ticketing market by eliminating a competitor, but it is also creating an entity that will control the entire chain of the concert business - from artist management to concert promotion and production to ticketing and ticket resale."

"This merger would be a disaster for consumers. Nothing short of blocking this takeover of the ticket market by two industry behemoths will be acceptable," said National Consumers League Executive Director Sally Greenberg."As president, I will direct my administration to reinvigorate antitrust enforcement. I will step up review of merger activity and take effective action to stop or restructure those mergers that are likely to harm consumer welfare," said Senator Barak Obama when he was campaigning for the presidency.

If you agree with the consumer groups and lawmakers, make a difference and LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD NOW.

If you are tired of paying exorbitant ticket prices and service charges and paying for parking on a per head basis and dealing with the gouging, unregulated secondary ticket market in an effort to get good seating.

If you are disgusted with paying more and more every year for the live concert experience

THEN ACT NOW, CLICK ON THE LINK IMMEDIATELY BELOW AND SEND A MESSAGE TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE URGING THEM TO STOP THIS MERGER HERE! antitrust.complaints@usdoj.gov

To learn more, check out:ticketdisaster.org

Public Interest Groups Call on Justice Department to Block Ticketmaster/LiveNation/Comcast Merger

American Antitrust Institute's White Paper TICKETMASTER - LIVE NATION

Philadelphia Weekly's cover story "Monopoly Rules"

Reno Knitting Factory Tour

2009-12-30T13:04:00.001-08:00

Last night I had the pleasure of touring of the new Knitting Factory Concert House in Reno and I have to say ... wow! It is legit. This is really happening.

This venue is kick ass! I'm not sure what I was expecting but what I saw was far more than expected. This venue doesn't double as a skate park, or a warehouse, or a coffee shop, or a record store - it's all about live music. It looks so professional in comparison to all the other Reno venues I have been in over the past 17 years.

Have you driven by lately? The last time I did was about two weeks before Christmas and it still looked pretty much like that Rocky's place that used to be there. If you drive by now it is completely transformed. There are new doors, a converted marquee and new signage is going in. My favorite part of the new facade is the trademark Knitting Factory logo (as seen above) out front, there are two that are done in black, grey and white mini mosaic tiles. The location of the venue is 211 N. Virginia Street, go drive by and take a gander.

The general Manager Dean was very nice and accommodating in giving a tour to this small time blogger and her lady friend. He started by showing us the downstairs, because that's where the offices are. The "green room" area or talent room is really swank. They have a pool table, a food area, 4 dressing rooms, a tile shower and bathroom. It is very nice compared to the (albeit few) venue talent rooms I have been in. There is also a huge walk in vault down there from one of the previous casino occupants, Dean said they are thinking of turning it into something cool like a bar for the bands.

The venue space still looks very much in progress, but I have no doubt that it'll be all shined up and polished by opening night. The team there at the Knitting Factory is working hard on the lights, the sound, painting, setting up the bars, getting flat screen TVs hung and a big projection screen near the rear of the club set up so everyone has a view of the stage.

The stage is about chest level, it sits pretty much right up against the front of the building, in fact Dean was saying that the main entrance unless you are in a band or have VIP pass is in the back of the building in the alley. Good to know.

They were testing some sound in there last night and there was nice clarity in the room.

I would compare the layout and size to the Great American in SF. Actually, it's probably a bit bigger than the Great American but not as big as the Fillmore -- same layout but right between the two in size.

Not sure what else to say other than ... hallelujah Reno! This has been a long time coming. Music heads, you are going to love it. I predict many a good times will be had in this venue by myself and many many others!

A big thank you to Dean for the tour and the comp tickets!

It's going to be a good year for live music Reno! (I have to admit - I never imagined myself typing that on this blog). Hells to the yeah!

The venue site can be seen here: http://re.knittingfactory.com/

I've already got three sets of tickets on the fridge for upcoming shows. Woot!

My Top 20 Albums of 2009

2009-12-17T10:13:00.000-08:00

In no particular order:

A few that didn't make the cut, but deserve a mention:

Dinosaur Jr. - Farm
AC Newman - Get Guilty
Cursive - Mama, I'm Swollen
Or, The Whale
Bon Iver - Blood Bank
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
The Fiery Furnaces - I'm Going Away
Son Volt - American Central Dust
Julian Plenti is Skyscraper
Bat For Lashes - Daniel
Mosters of Folk
Tori Amos - Abnormally Attracted to Sin
Tom Waits - Glitter and Doom Live

Jarvis Cocker - Further Complications
Andrew Bird - Noble Beast
Morrissey - Years of Refusal
Silversun Pickups - Swoon
Dark Was the Night

I Miss These Girls

2009-12-11T15:49:00.001-08:00

Sleater-Kinney - New Music - More Music Videos

November Mix

2009-11-22T18:51:00.000-08:00

https://secure.filesanywhere.com/fs/v.aspx?v=896e6b8e5c646fadacae

Couleurs Mix

Excellent News - Confirmed!

2009-11-12T11:32:00.000-08:00

Knitting Factory
A new Knitting Factory to open
Reno, NV

Mark Dinerstein, talent buyer for Knitting Factory concert, gives an informal update on the new venue that they are to open in Reno, Nevada.

“For those of you whom I have not yet had the opportunity to speak with, we are in fact opening Knitting Factory Concert House in the Reno market. The club will be located in the center of downtown Reno on Virginia Street (across the street from Harrah’s Casino). 211 North Virginia Avenue.

The opening will be in the first part of December, and the folks at Knitting Factory concerts are already planning their first shows. “We are very excited for the new venture and I will keep you up to date as we move toward our grand opening. We are in demolition and construction phase as I type.”

For now, here are some basic details:

Ages: All ages unless otherwise noted

Capacity: Still yet to be finalized, but between 1000 and 1265. Split level venue with 75% capacity on floor / 25% capacity on balcony. We are still deciding on skybox seating (as we have in our Boise venue). We will have a standing GA and seated cabaret / theater setup for those shows that need a flexible capacity.

Production: Will be in the style of our Boise and Spokane Knitting Factory venues with all new digital monitor / foh consoles, new PA & subs, state of the art lighting, and a stage large enough to accommodate the production from a 3 truck tour all the way down to your developing up and comers.

Reno, the biggest little city in the world, has long been avoided by non-casino entertainers. The club and theater scene has largely been dead in Reno because of a perceived lack of fan base and appropriate facilities, but with this one announcement, Knitting Factory concerts changes the whole landscape of entertainment in Reno. Unlike it’s southern gambling cousin, Las Vegas, Reno is seen more as an affordable stop for folks who like adult entertainment (no, not that adult entertainment) but don’t necessarily need the over the top feeling of Vegas.

http://re.knittingfactory.com/

Spooky

2009-10-30T14:26:00.000-07:00

http://www.filesanywhere.com/fs/v.aspx?v=896e698e606672b8b2aa

October 2009 Mix

The password is the title of this post.

Ani, Miss DiFranco if you're nasty!

2009-10-27T14:35:00.000-07:00

"Fun Stuff"

2009-10-02T15:21:00.001-07:00

2 new Frightened Rabbit tracks can be streamed on the Fat Cat Records site ... yum!

http://fat-cat.co.uk/fatcat/release.php?id=308

Support Vinyl Collective & Suburban Home

2009-09-30T12:57:00.000-07:00

Help Invest in Vinyl Collective/Suburban Home’s Future

Truth be told, 2009 has been a tough year for our small, independent business. I guess every business in America can say the same thing. Instead of scaling things back and burying our heads in the dirt, we have figured out ways to take our business to the next level and make moves that will not only ensure we are around for another 14 years but position ourselves in a manner to help every small band and label help find their releases homes around the world.
This isn’t the first time we have found ourselves in a tough situation and as such, we have constantly evolved what we do at Suburban Home/Vinyl Collective to make things work. How else have we found a way to have been around for 14 years? We are developing a number of new projects that will ensure Vinyl Collective and Suburban Home a long future, but we could use your help in the short term.

For a quick word on these projects, we are currently working on:

Our equivalent to CD Baby where we help every small band and label out with International distribution. We will soon be in a position to help artists who have a demand for their releases find distribution all over the world (U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, and Japan). We are working out the kinks and getting all of our ducks in a row, but this could be one of the biggest deals in independent music (no exaggeration).

Digital Retail Store in the Vinyl Collective store. Our buddy Robb from Limbeck has developed tools that will allow us to sell digital albums in our online store. We plan to launch the store this week and will be offering Flac as well as MP3 Albums at a much lower price than Itunes/Amazon. Expect a huge announcement this week.

The Mary Kay / Pampered Chef Pyramid Scheme at Vinyl Collective – I jokingly call it a pyramid scheme as this idea was inspired by Mary Kay and Pampered Chef where people help sell Vinyl Collective/Suburban Home titles in their community to make extra money. It won’t be a scheme though. Do you remember when distros would set up at shows? We want to see this again and will soon be calling upon people all over the world to help us sell our records as well as non-exclusive releases. Can you imagine having 50 to 100 Vinyl Collective representatives selling our records and those of the small labels we buy from? It could revolutionize and uplift our small scene. Sam from Goodcore and I are bouncing ideas off each other to make this work.

Used Vinyl Sales in the VC store – this project was put on the back burner for a little while, but we will soon be launching this. The integration of Google Docs into the VC site will help make this run very smoothly.

We need your help. We have come up with a number of ways you can help. Understand that we would love to figure out an easy way to offer stock in Vinyl Collective/Suburban Home so that our friends through music could also be part owners in VC/SH making Vinyl Collective a true Collective. Because of all the red tape involved with the SEC, we are not ready to make that plunge just yet (but maybe sometime in the future).

We did, however, come up with a bunch of ways to help us out while helping yourself out:

Vinyl Collective For Life - for $1,000, you will receive every piece of vinyl that we release for as long as we exist. The 10 people who take advantage of this will receive the rarest variant of every 7″, 10″, LP, double LP, and/or boxset we release from here on out. These 10 people will also automatically receive one year’s membership to the VCCC (more on this later) and be enrolled in Suburban Home for Life (more on this later).

Suburban Home For Life – for $100, you will receive every digital release we put out for as long as we are a record label. We tend to release 10 to 12 albums a year so if you think about it, this could pay for itself in one year considering albums cost $10 on Itunes.

Under the Influence subscriptions – I said in the past that I really didn’t want to offer subscriptions of the Under the Influence series as it is a pain in the ass to keep up with, but the more we thought about it, we figured out an organized way to implement this. We will offer 100 subscriptions of the rarest color of volumes 15 through 24 (picked these volumes since we sold subscriptions of 5 through 14 previously).

Vinyl Collective Club Card (the VCCC) – Kind of like how a Costco or Sam’s Club membership works, you become a member of the club which entitles you to special pricing and offers. For $75 per year, you will become a member which entitles you to a VCCC Card, a unique coupon code entitling you to 10 percent off of every order for one year, and special offers for only VCCC members. If you don’t spend over $750 in a calendar year (amount to make the $75 VCCC pay for itself), we will give you a gift certificate for the difference so this will pay for itself no matter what.

I Celebrate Their Entire Catalog Sale (CDs/T-shirt) – We have offered this deal for quite a while but for those of you who prefer their music on CD, you get every in stock CD that Suburban Home has released, an I Celebrate Their Entire Catalog T-shirt, and our next 10 CD releases mailed to you over the course of the next year.

1 of every record we currently carry (a Raffle) – Enter to win 1 copy of every single 7″, 10″, LP, and double LP we carry at Vinyl Collective. This is between 3,000 and 4,000 records valued at between $40,000 to $60,000 depending on the number of records we have in inventory at the time, we select a winner. Instantly have one of the biggest record collections around. We will set up a Kickstarter project as we will need to reach a certain threshold in order to make this work. $3 is the cost of a raffle ticket.

We are hoping to raise over $100,000 to cover some debt, to help us launch these new projects, and to hire a full time music buyer for Vinyl Collective. There comes a time when most small businesses need help to get to that next level. That is where we are right now, but I assure you that this will not only help us, but it will help everyone around us as it is our goal to help the independent music community any way we possibly can.

I feel as though I was put on this Earth as an Independent Music Evangelist. It is hard-wired into my DNA and I cannot imagine doing anything else. I would appreciate your support in helping our little company raise these funds. Please pass this onto others, please post this on your blog or on your Facebook/Myspace pages.

Thanks for your consideration and support of what we do.

Your friend through music,
Virgil Dickerson

Phoenix at the Warfield ~ 9/17/09

2009-09-21T13:23:00.000-07:00

*photos by myself and possibly C.F.

Or, The Whale

2009-09-13T11:29:00.000-07:00

I have finally figured out why I love this band so much - they channel Fleetwood Mac! Early Fleetwood Mac, maybe even as early as the Buckingham/Nicks album before those two even joined the Mac.

I can really hear the FWM influence on Or, The Whale's newest self titled release that Tara from Seany Records was kind enough to send me. Thanks Tara!

Perhaps it is the fact that the bass is much more out from than it was on their first album Light Poles and Pines. Maybe it is the fact that this new cd takes a more mellow approach to the tunes than their previous album did. Maybe it is the lovely vocal interplay between Alex, Lindsay, Matt, and Julie Ann. Whatever it is that makes this band feel as classic as the first (also self titled) Fleetwood Mac record and as fresh as anything else I have heard released in 2009, I can dig it ~ and you should too!

I highly recommend you order a copy of this cd from the band at their website: http://www.orthewhale.com

The new album is streaming there, so you can listen before you buy.

Lucinda In Stateline

2009-09-04T14:55:00.000-07:00

John Doe and the Sadies Pics

2009-08-14T15:48:00.000-07:00

Full set of photos from the show can be viewed here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/biggaydragon/sets/72157616726422211/

Extradition 2009's Inaugural show review Part 1: Richmond Fontaine 8/8/09.

2009-08-11T16:58:00.000-07:00

Richmond Fontaine opened up for John Doe and the Sadies last Friday night at Hawkins Amphitheater on Bartley Ranch. I have long admired the strong story based songs of singer Willy Vlautin. He weaves vast narratives rich in the history of the West, Nevada, and Reno. What a treat it was to see RF for the first time in Willy’s hometown where a number of the stories in his lyrics are set. He has loads of adoring fans in the West as evidenced by the two fellas sitting next to us who drove seven hours from SLC that day just to see RF. A hometown crowd, a cool summer evening, and a lovely outdoor show backed by a chorus of crickets made for a fantastic opening set. Hawkins was the perfect setting for this show, an intimate outdoor venue that has really amazing sound clarity. It didn’t hurt that the band seemed completely stoked to be sharing the stage with John Doe and the Sadies. RF played for about an hour before they relinquished the stage to the headliners. It was too brief an introduction to live Richmond Fontaine, but very compelling. I hope to see more of them live in the not too distant future.

Willy Vlautin at the Studio on 4th St.

2009-08-10T16:10:00.000-07:00

Willy Vlautin played an intimate set at the Studio on 4th Friday night, it was a benefit show for Reno mayoral hopeful Caleb Cage. Willy and Dan Eccles, guitar player from Richmond Fontaine, played 12 songs to a crowd of about 75 and they sounded lovely and warm. This show was a perfect appetizer for Saturday's full Richmond Fontaine set.

Thanks to Kathy from Gallatin Road Productions for inviting us to this show. It was a pleasure to hear a few of the Richmond Fontaine tunes stripped down to just guitars. We got to chat with Willy and Sean from the band after the set, they are really nice fellas. Hey Willy and crew - don't wait so long to come back to Reno!

This Saturday

2009-08-05T14:55:00.000-07:00

I am looking forward to this show IN RENO(!!!) on Saturday. I have missed John Doe in the past when he has come through Reno and just recently missed Richmond Fontaine open for M. Ward in Oakland, so this show is perfect!

I am also very hopeful and excited about this new Gallatin Road Productions, they have a burb on their site that is quite tantalizing ...

"The Extradition concert is just a start for Gallatin Road Productions, one that we're hoping will lead to a full summer concert series and a music festival bringing the most creative, expressive and exciting alternative country acts to Reno."

Yes, bring it on! This combined with the news that The Knitting Factory may be opening a venue in Reno is very promising.

I love this band!

2009-07-31T14:22:00.000-07:00

My favorite S.F. band have just updated their website and have a new album coming out soon. Go to their site to hear some of the album!

http://www.orthewhale.com/index.php

Come back and play Reno, O,TW!

1372 Overton Park Pre-order

2009-07-29T16:08:00.000-07:00

You can preorder the new Lucero album on their site today. Why wouldn't you order it directly from the band?!?

They have some fancy package deals, look at 'em here: http://www.luceromusic.com/store/index.php

I've only heard a couple tracks so far, but the horn section and Rick Steff's keys sound NICE!

Looking forward to this ...

2009-07-22T14:42:00.000-07:00

MONSTERS OF FOLK TO RELEASE DEBUT SELF-TITLED ALBUM; OFFER FIRST SINGLE AS FREE DOWNLOAD

Monsters of Folk – comprised of Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis, My Morning Jacket’s Jim James and singer/songwriter M.Ward – will be releasing their first collaborative album on September 22nd. The self-titled effort was recorded in Malibu, CA and Omaha, NE, and produced by Mogis. Although these critically acclaimed artists have shared the stage before, this album marks their first recorded output as a band. The record will be released in North America on Shangri-La Music, and internationally on Rough Trade (UK/Europe), Spunk Records (Australia/New Zealand) and P-Vine Records (Japan). The musicians have made a track from their forthcoming self-titled debut album available for FREE. Their website, http://www.monstersoffolk.com/ is giving away the song, titled “Say Please”, to anyone who visits the site and types “please” into the request form.

Monsters of Folk began as folklore of sorts, when James, Oberst, Ward and Mogis did their first run of shows together in 2004. Like the musical revue shows that went town to town when rock ‘n’ roll was newly born, the tour was called “An Evening With: Bright Eyes, Jim James and M. Ward,” although amongst friends and crew, it became affectionately known as the “Monsters of Folk Tour.” While entertaining audiences coast to coast with gorgeous acoustic melodies and world-weary tales, the foursome vowed to make their way to a studio at some point after the tour’s completion. Instead, the songsmiths went on to individually release some of rock music’s most exciting and essential albums of the last five years – Bright Eyes’ I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning & Cassadaga; My Morning Jacket’s Z & Evil Urges; M. Ward’s Post War and Hold Time. Never ones to forget their promise, when downtime presented itself, they convened in the studio multiple times over two years, with Mogis at the helm of their first recorded effort. The result is as stunning and storied as you would expect it to be.

All four members play every instrument on the album, supplying everything from drum kills to cascading backing vocals. The songs – some road-worn fables, some intimate and intricate with electronic elements, some woozy and sun-soaked – are everything one expects from these four musical minds collaborating together. The album exudes a warm, organic spaciousness, filled by brilliant choruses, intoxicating harmonies and effortless melodies, as each member brings his own strengths to the table to create one perfect whole.

Monsters of Folk Tracklist

Dear God (sincerely M.O.F.)

Say Please
Whole Lotta Losin'
Temazcal
The Right Place
Baby Boomer
Man Named Truth
Goodway
Ahead of the Curve
Slow Down Jo
Losin Yo Head
Magic Marker
Map Of The World
The Sandman, the Brakeman and Me
His Master’s Voice

Official Band Site: http://www.monstersoffolk.com/

Free MP3 "Say Please" available at http://www.monstersoffolk.com/

The Devil and Maggie Chascarillo

2009-07-17T11:50:00.000-07:00

Lucero’s new album, 1372 Overton Park, is out October 6th.

Stream “The Devil and Maggie Chascarillo” at the Lucero website.

http://www.luceromusic.com/

Album Review: Letters & Numbers ~ Cat’s Game

2009-07-13T15:12:00.000-07:00

I got an email a couple weeks back from the Track Records Label out of San Francisco. Alexandra asked me if I would be interested in reviewing an album by their band Letters & Numbers. I’m always looking for new sounds, so of course I said yes. I asked Alexandra if she could send me a copy of the disc for fear that the mp3s would get lost in my iTunes library. She, of course, obliged and I received a nice package containing the disc and a button about a week later. The Track Records packaging is simple and elegant, I like it!

I listened to the disc in the car the day I got it and enjoyed about half of it on my drive home. It’s hard to give a cd a fair shake while driving in the car though, so since then I have given it a couple more spins and here is what I have found about Letters and Numbers.

Initially the first track turned me off, due to my own lack of appreciation for the pop-punk drumming style of that song. I question why the band chose to lead off the cd with the song, “infinite morning” as it is quite different from the rest of the music on this disc. I was very pleased to hear that style of drumming was absent from the rest of the album.

I enjoyed the guitar work and lyrics on track two, “buying my blues”. In my opinion this album really get started with track 3, “paradise et canto”, it has some sweet harmonica harmonies and lovely brush work on the drums. It’s a bit of a coming of age tune, which has some very nice imagery. I particularly like the lyrics in this song, “we met beneath the power lines and slept under a moon lit sky” and “shout across every city street, take our credit cards out with us to drink”. I am guilty of doing just that; and well, as the song suggests, it’s never a good thing.

The rest of the cd rocks on and takes you on a ride through jangly guitar chords, a couple of quieter tunes, more fantastic lyrical imagery, and an overall good feeling. I am sometimes reminded of earlier Bright Eyes records in the lead singers vocal style. Hopefully he takes that as the compliment it was meant to be.

I feel like Track Records and this fledgling band Letters and Numbers have a very bright and promising future ahead of them. Keep up the good work!

Wilco Pics & Setlist

2009-06-30T15:23:00.000-07:00

Wilco are at the top of their game as far as their live show goes. This is my 5th time seeing them and it was by far the best show that I have seen them play. I would have liked to hear a couple more tunes off of AM or Being There, but that is just nitpicking.

Okkervil River opened up for Wilco ...

2009-06-29T16:36:00.000-07:00

And they killed!

So good to see them live again, with what looked like an almost completely new band since the last time I saw them. I did miss hearing Jonathan's voice, but Will compensated with his enthusiasm. Go see this band live, I implore you!

Wilco pics and setlist tomorrow.

R.I.P. Michael

2009-06-25T15:52:00.001-07:00

Shooter Jennings played the Grand Sierra on 5/30/09, Pics & Setlist

2009-06-24T12:21:00.000-07:00

"I've got the cure if your lovecat is feeling depressed ..."

2009-06-10T16:11:00.000-07:00

Lucero Pics from Harlow's 5/19/09

2009-05-27T15:33:00.000-07:00

Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears Pics

2009-05-26T13:13:00.000-07:00

Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears opening for Lucero times 3.

2009-05-25T16:49:00.000-07:00

Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears opening for Lucero?! When I first heard about this pairing I was little skeptical. I thought the juxtaposition would be a little weird. I was pleasantly surprised at the shows though, the crowd was completely into the lineup.

The Slim's show was packed for the Black Joe Lewis set. I always love to see folks coming out to support the openers. I brought a friend along to the Slim's show who was completely unfamiliar with both Black Joe Lewis and Lucero. He became an instant BJL fan and didn't really care for Lucero, how about that? The crowd was dancing and really enjoying the funk soul vibe of the openers. All pistons were firing for both bands on this night, both sounded great and had the crowd wrapped around their fingers. Thank you to Tristen and Filter for putting me on the list for this show!

The second night's show in Santa Cruz was a little more complicated. The show was initially schedule to be at the El Rio Theatre, but for some reason it got moved to a VERY SMALL restaurant across the street from the El Rio. Perhaps it was moved due to low ticket sales and it being on a Sunday night, I don't know. However, when I say small I really mean small. Picture the size of your average Starbucks, and not the spacious ones ... yeah, super tiny! BJL and his 8 piece band were packed like Sardines into one corner of the place. Quite frankly it looked uncomfortable. The crowd was about a foot away from the band, no one beyond two people deep could see anything. The sound was okay, if not a little loud for the space, but there was no watching the band play at all. I guess I am glad the show did not get cancelled, and it was very nice of The Crepe Place to provide a space so that the show could go on, but not the best show I've seen - mainly because I couldn't see anything! I am still very grateful to Parker and Lost Highway for putting me on the list for this show. There was some confusion about there even being a Lost Highway guest list due to the show being moved and the space being super tiny but we ended up getting in thanks to a nice gentlemen who worked for The Crepe Place.

The third night I bought tickets to see BJL and Lucero in Sacramento at Harlow's night club. Harlow's is one of my top five places to see a show and everything came together beautifully for the third night in this run of shows. BJL once again played a killer opening set, the horn section sounded amazing! Ben from Lucero was out front watching them play for the majority of their set. I really appreciate seeing members of the other bands on the bill coming out front and watching their tour mates' sets, and conversely when Lucero took the stage several members of BJL were front and center watching Lucero. Both bands were very complimentary to each other during their own sets and both bands seemed to be enjoying being on tour with one another. Lucero played a somewhat mellow set at Harlow's and it was weird but nice. Usually Lucero shows are pretty upbeat and rowdy, but this one included more of the slower Lucero songs and it was a perfect way to end a three night run of shows.

I've got more photos from the shows to post and will do so as soon as I get them out of my camera and weed through them. Thanks again Filter & Lost Highway for facilitating me being able to live it up and see three nights of kick ass live music.

Hear Ya has a review and some great pics here as well, check it:

http://www.hearya.com/2009/05/18/black-joe-lewis-and-the-honeybears-at-slims-san-francisco-concert-pics/

Lucero at Slim's 5/16/09

2009-05-19T14:23:00.000-07:00

Cursive at First Avenue 5/8/09

2009-05-15T17:17:00.000-07:00

The Gaslight Anthem Setlist

2009-04-30T17:35:00.000-07:00

The Heartless Bastards ~ 4/15/09 ~ The Boardwalk

2009-04-28T15:20:00.000-07:00

The Hold Steady in Tahoe

2009-04-15T11:49:00.000-07:00

Tahoe, you are a weird town.
Hold Steady, you are a good time.

Full set of photos on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/biggaydragon/sets/72157616726422211/

Peaches in Reno!!!!!!!!!!

2009-03-06T13:46:00.000-08:00

Holy hell, there is only one Peach with the hole in the middle and she's coming to Reno! I Feel Cream will be released May 4th in conjunction with a tour of North America. Peaches will be playing June 4th at 210 North. Sweet Machine will be her support on this tour. Ticket on-sale info through the big bastard; Ticketmaster.

May 15th: Theater of the Living Arts (Philadelphia, PA)
May 16th: Webster Hall (New York, NY)
May 17th: Paradise Theater (Boston, MA)
May 18th: Club Soda (Montreal, CN)
May 20th: Phoenix (Toronto, CN)
May 21st: Majestic Theater (Detroit, MI)
May 22nd: Metro (Chicago, IL)
May 23rd: Majestic Theater (Madison, WI)
May 25th: Gothic Theater (Denver, CO)
May 26th: In the Venue (Salt Lake City, UT)
May 27th: Knitting Factory (Boise, ID)
May 29th: Starlight (Edmonton, CN)
May 30th: Ballroom (Calgary, CN)
May 31st: Commodore (Vancouver, CN)
June 1st: Showbox (Seattle, WA)
June 2nd: Wonder Ballroom (Portland, OR)
June 4th: 211 North (Reno, NV)
June 5th: Regency Ballroom (San Francisco, CA)
June 6th: Henry Fonda Music Box (Los Angeles, CA)
June 7th: Henry Fonda Music Box (Los Angeles, CA)
June 8th: Pappy's (Joshua Tree, CA)
June 11th: Emo's (Austin, TX)
June 12th: Granada (Dallas, TX)
June 13th: House of Blues (New Orleans, LA)
June 15th: Masquerade (Atlanta, GA)
June 16th: Cat's Cradle (Chapel Hill, NC)
June 17th: 9:30 (Washington, DC)

The album title we won't mention ... because we loathe it.

2009-03-04T15:57:00.000-08:00

The new Cursive record is out and it does not disappoint! Go to Saddle Creek's web site and buy it. It is only $4 today, $5 tomorrow, $6 Friday, etc. Pretty clever marketing Saddle Creek!

I pre-ordered the vinyl (red!) and cannot wait until it arrives.

Antony's Noise Pop Setlist

2009-02-26T15:00:00.000-08:00

Where Is My Power
Her Eyes Are Underneath The Ground
Epilepsy Is Dancing
For Today I Am A Boy
Kiss My Name *
Everglade
Another World *
Shake That Devil *
The Crying Light
Crazy In Love *
Fist Full Of Love
You Are My Sister
Twilight
Aeon

Cripple and the Starfish
Hope There's Someone *

* = my personal faves

Eagles of Death Metal at the New Oasis, 2/6/09.

2009-02-11T12:06:00.000-08:00

My Top 10 Shows from 2008

2009-02-04T16:10:00.000-08:00

10 ~ X in Sacramento, CA., at Harlow’s, 10/29/08.

I finally got to see X! It did not disappoint. Seeing them when they were younger and full of piss and vinegar would have been awesome too, but they are still kickin’ ass these days. Billy Zoom is a lady kissing, grinning freak. John Doe is a blue-eyed mad man on the bass and very charming. Exene is the original crazy bird and still sounds lovely. Bonebreak is a drum-bashing machine. I will definitely go see them again should they come around. The only bad thing about this show was the crowd.

9 ~ Lucinda Williams in Sacramento, CA., 9/4/08.

It was a year of firsts for me. I have been a Lucinda fan for a long time but had never gone to see her live. She’s come through Reno a couple of times, but it was always bad timing for me. I am glad I finally went. She sounds amazing live. That voice just does it for me, and of course I am a fan of her use of language and lovely lyrics. There is a lot of scuttlebutt on the Internets about how Lucinda shows can be really bad due to her temper, but I think I would enjoy it no matter what. She did lose it a bit towards the end of this show due to some mistakes made by the band, but whatever. Rock stars are supposed to have temper tantrums, right?

8 ~ The Breeders in S.F. CA., at Slim’s, 4/30/08.

Let me just start off by saying Kim deal is God! I was completely smitten with her the entire show. They sounded great, the venue was great, and those Deal sisters are funny. I was happy that the photography Nazi’s were not in full effect at Slim’s on this particular evening. My car window got broken out while I was inside enjoying this show, and it did spoil the mood and the whole next day in the bay area. Looking back with a little perspective, the show was still stellar and I’m glad we went.

7 ~ British Sea Power at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn N.Y., 5/11/08.

British Sea Power is a powerful live band. They have a very full loud sound that pleasantly assaults the body on all levels. Not to mention it was my first trip to NYC! We got to meet the very drunk guitar player at the merch booth after the show. He was a nice chap. Lara snapped photos like a champ from the balcony. Good times were had by all.

6 ~ The Gutter Twins at Bimbo’s, S.F. CA., 3/1/08.

I am pretty sure I say this on every year end list, but I’ll say it again because it’s true … Bimbo’s is my favorite place to see a live shows. Dulli and Lanegan sounded hot, the GT songs translate very well live. I think Lanegan’s vocals could have been a bit louder, but that’s just my opinion, man. We sat in the back for about half of the set but then had to move up and were very happy when we did. The sound was much more crisp up front, and I could hear Lanegan’s growl much better. Dulli never disappoints with his live show charisma.

5 ~ Lucero, Glossary, & Jessica Lea Mayfield at Bottom of the Hill, S.F. CA., 7/26 & 7/27/08.

Back to back nights of Lucero at the very small Bottom of the Hill, what a treat. My liver and eardrums hated me for weeks after these shows, but my rock and roll soul was filled with the sweet sweet sounds of Ben & the boys. I fucking love Lucero, there isn’t much more to say about it. We met some crazy boys from Chico, “there’s always a Scott.” I heard Jessica Lea Mayfield for the first time on these evenings and have been hooked ever since. I can’t wait for the new Lucero record and the spring west coast dates to be announced. I’ll be there!

4 ~ Neko Case at Hawkins Amphitheatre in Reno, NV., 8/27/08.

I have been waiting years to see Neko Case live. What a voice! She was so worth the wait! The outdoor theatre at Hawkins on a cool summer evening was the perfect setting for Neko & her band. I fell in love with the voice and bust line of Miss Kelley Hogan that evening as well. She and Neko sound divine when they harmonize together.

3 ~ Ani DiFranco at the Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa, CA., 4/12/08.

I hadn’t seen Ani perform live for over a year! What a crime. I have seen her at least once a year for the past 10 years. So not seeing her for almost a year and a half was a big drought for me. I saw her in Reno the night previous, but the venue and the crowd did not make for a great show that evening. Everything came together right the next night in Santa Rosa. I think Ani really enjoys playing that particular venue. The crowd was so much more respectful than in Reno. It made me really grateful that we went to both nights. As evidenced by the fact that I have seen 15 Ani shows over the course of 10 years, there is nothing like the lil’ folksinger live.

2 ~ Gogol Bordello at the Grand Sierra In Reno, NV., 3/14/08.

I didn’t know a lot about Gogol Bordello before going to this show, but after the show I was hooked! What a spectacle! They are so fun to see live, their enthusiasm is completely infectious. My words would be insufficient in trying to describe how great they are, you have to experience it for yourself.

1 ~ Tom Waits at the Orpheum in Phoenix, AZ., 6/18/08.

Of course this was the show of the year for me. I wouldn’t have shelled out the money for plane tickets if I was expecting anything else. It is still fresh and beautiful in my mind. We should have gone to both nights!

Currently Obsessing Over

2009-01-30T10:38:00.001-08:00

These two bands are new to me.

If I would have gotten their cds last year they could have easily made my top 20.

Look 'em up, you won't be sorry.

The Gaslight Anthem are playing a very small bar in Sacramento in April. Tickets secured!

Anticipate

2009-01-29T15:20:00.001-08:00

Noble Beast / Useless Creatures

2009-01-22T12:21:00.000-08:00

The first great release of 2009 has arrived! Andrew Bird delivers another masterpiece, this time as a beautiful two cd set. Noble Beast is just what you would hope it to be, a layered and lush set of 14 new tracks.

Bird is the word!

The illustration artwork on this two cd set is done by Diana Sudyka and it really makes for a handsome package. If you are an Andrew fan don't skimp on this one, splurge for the two disc set, you won't be disappointed. I was just going to buy the regular cd, not being much for instrumental numbers. I am VERY glad I went big. Useless Creatures is a lovely cd that really fleshes out this release from Bird nicely. Not to mention that Glen Kotche is behind the kit on Useless Creatures, that man is king of the kit!

The track "Hot Math" is a barn burner! It is my favorite song on the set after about 3 spins. How is it possible that a self professed lyrics freak like myself is choosing an instrumental song as a favorite? Go pick this set up and you will find out!

http://www.andrewbird.net/

The Bird mans got an all new web site too, peep it.

Band of Horses tickets secured!

2009-01-15T14:00:00.000-08:00

Friday, April 17th in Oakland, yeah!

Thanks to Hippies are Dead for the presale info!

I can't wait to see them, both of their albums are excellent!

2009 is shaping up to be a good year for live music!