Honey Can Be So Sweet...

Last weekend a blues legend came to Toledo town to show everyone the true meaning of "old school". David "Honeyboy" Edwards had a full schedule of appearances around Toledo. In an age when modern blues singers are really only bothered by a low battery on their cell phone, someone like Honeyboy comes along and has a story to tell. This man has seen more and done more and stayed truer to the blues for 91 years. Listening to his style of delta blues is like getting stuck in the mud...it's dirty, it's a rough place to be, it slows you down, but it doesn't feel all that bad...it's real. Real music...like John Lee Hooker's mother supposed...."it's in him, and it's just got to come out." That is how Edwards brings it...like something on his mind that he just can't ignore. How amazing to see a man that late in life...still working hard on his true love...the blues. I managed to get a few video clips of the man at work at The University of Toledo and then again at Culture Clash, a great indie record store.

Classic Clips: The Rolling Stones...

Where in the World is Lauryn Hill...

URB Magazine has an interesting article on Lauryn Hill. This article sheds a little, not a lotta light on one of hip hop's most mystifying rising stars and her seemingly deliberate disappearance. Maybe one day she will come back to her fans...we'll leave a light on Lauryn.

Classic Clips: Stevie Wonder (on Sesame Street)...

You Do That Guru That You Do So Well...

One of Rap Music's most raw & recognizable MCs has to be the deep delivery of Guru. Since his days in Gang Starr with DJ Premier (an act that was ahead of their time) and his Jazzmatazz (Vol. 1 - 3) collaborations his steady flow can't be denied. And now he is back in the ring with his latest effort, Jazzmatazz Volume 4 - The Hip Hop Jazz Messenger: "Back to the Future". Guru replaced DJ Premier a few years back with his new production partner, Solar. While we can all keep hoping for another Gang Starr project (unlikely), you can check out this current project as Guru & Solar slay the mic at the House of Blues (Cleveland) on April 2nd. There are plenty of imitator...so do yourself a favor and check out the innovators.

Mic Test #17: SoftLightes...

SoftLightes:
Indie/Electronica/Folk
*Note: The music featured in the Mic Test is typically new to me, too. Just throwing out some info. about bands that seem to be offering something exciting. Enjoy.

Who Are You Taking To Prom...

Dust off your ruffled shirt and bow tie! If you stop by My Morning Jacket's website you'll notice there are a few new dates in early March...and these have a little twist to them. Looks like MMJ is getting nostalgic and fulfilling a Prom Dream. Two shows at the famed 40 Watt Club in Athen's, GA...what a setting...Here's what the website has to say:

For all of you who missed your prom back in 1956 or 1986 or 2006 for that matter, we will be hosting the 1st annual MMJ 2 night prom, March 6th and 7th, at the fabulous, prom-ready, 40 watt club in Athens! The first time we walked thru those hallowed 40 Watt doors we said to ourselves, "this place looks perfect for a prom!" And now the dream will be a reality. The theme is a futuristic/retro under the sea vibe - costumes (tuxes, suits, robots, mermaid and lobster costumes, anything prom/ocean related) are not only encouraged - they are MANDATORY!!! NO ONE will be admitted without proper attire!** There will be cake, balloons, fishnets, classic cars, chaperones, spankings, and a whole lotta shakin goin on - 2007 style up in this bitch ya'll. Come prepared to dance the night away, and make up for all the proms you missed...

- My Morning Jacket
*Note: the only Jacket required will be of the band member type.

Let Me Stand Next To Your Fire...

Before hitting the stage in NYC last Saturday, Arcade Fire opened by playing a song called Wake Up in the middle of the crowd. They seem to be doing this at each show. Definitely a sure shot way to get the fans into it. Here is a video taken at that show.


Catch their latest tour coming to a venue near you (hopefully).

4/26 San Diego, CA - Spreckels Theatre (On Sale 2/24)
4/28 Indio, CA @ Empire Polo Field (Coachella) (On Sale Now)
5/01 Atlanta, GA @ Civic Center (On Sale 2/23)
5/02 Asheville, NC @ Thomas Wolfe Auditorium (On Sale 2/23)
5/04 Washington, DC @ DAR Constitution Hall (On Sale 2/24)
5/05 Philadelphia, PA @ Tower Theatre (On Sale 3/2)
5/07 New York, NY @ TBA
5/08 New York, NY @ TBA
5/09 New York, NY @ TBA
5/10 Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre (On Sale 2/23)
5/12 Montreal, Quebec @ Arena Maurice Richard (On Sale 3/2)
5/13 Montreal, Quebec @ Arena Maurice Richard (On Sale 3/2)
5/15 Toronto, Ontario @ Massey Hall (On Sale 2/23)
5/16 Toronto, Ontario @ Massey Hall (On Sale 2/23)
5/18 Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre (On Sale 2/24)
5/19 Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre (On Sale 2/24)
5/20 Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre (On Sale 2/24)
5/26 George, WA @ Sasquatch Festival (The Gorge)
5/27 Portland, OR @ Schnitzer Concert Hall (On Sale 2/24)
6/01 Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre (On Sale 3/4)
6/02 Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre (On Sale 3/4)

"Wonka"-roo in Full Effect...

The organizers of Bonnaroo 2007 have stolen an idea from Willy Wonka's Play Book. If you order your Bonnaroo Ticket withing the first 48 hours of them going on sale, you are automatically entered into the Golden Ticket Contest. And no, there is not a chance to tour a Chocolate factory in Manchester, Tennessee...this prize package is much better. Three lucky recipients will win lifetime passes to all future Bonnaroo Concerts, access to backstage "Guest" areas and camping, as well as a complete Coleman camping set-up and Bonnaroo merch. Not too shabby. Don't be late...tix go on sale this Friday, February 23rd at Noon (est).

Would You Care For More Rice...

Here is a tasty little morsel for Damien Rice fans that live near Detroit. According to the State Theatre/Live Nation website, Damien Rice is scheduled to play at State Theatre on Thursday, May 17th. No word yet on when tickets will go on sale. At the moment, there aren't other sites confirming this show...it is still good news.

Damien's latest video for 9 Crimes. Stunning stuff.

Down From the Mountain...

To many, The Mountain Stage Radio Show is still one of the best kept secrets in music. As their website states:

Since 1983 Mountain Stage has showcased over 1,500 musical legends, well-known artists and rising stars from a wide range of genres and traditions making the show’s guest list the most stylistically varied of any national program. Mountain Stage champions the principle that music can’t really be separated into categories, and gives its guests unmatched artistic freedom.
A sentiment that truly deserves every music fan's respect.

Originating from Charleston, West Virginia, each show typically features four or five artists for a two-hour live performance. And if you can't make it to West Virginia...don't fret. Now there are plans to take that good vibe on the road for the Mountain Stage Radio Show Tour. They are bringing that great music to the people. Many of the dates are not confirmed, but the show will definitely be making a stop at The Power Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan on July 1st. Keep checking to see which artists will be confirmed, but know that you probably can't go wrong with whoever they book...it's just that good!

Here is a clip of R.E.M. doing Swan Swan H taken back in 1991.

This Ain't No Hoax...

The Sasquatch Festival reappears in the Pacific Northwest delivering another monster line-up. As always, The two day event will take place at The Gorge in George, Washington over Memorial Day Weekend (May 26th & 27th). Over 50 artists on 3 stages including Bjork, The Arcade Fire, Money Mark, Neko Case and THE BEASTIE BOYS (how appropriate is that!!??) If they can't get that damn bigfoot stirred up, who can? Check out the site for the complete line-up. Tix go on sale Monday, March 5th.

Waiting for Your Flag to be Unfurled...

The Future is Unwritten chronicles the life of Joe Strummer leading up to his untimely death in 2002. After premiering at Sundance Film Festival this past January, fans of The Clash and Joe Strummer should expect the documentary to be released later this year. The movie features clips and interviews of Strummer as well as thoughts of those who held his contribution to music in high regard, such as Mick Jones & Bono. This is said to be a fairly comprehensive look at the legacy of Joe, including 8mm family films, his work with the 101ers, The Clash and his last band, The Mescaleros. Here's hoping this film captures the complexities that make up the man who took punk and music to new heights.

Mic Test #16: Eastern Conference Champions...

Eastern Conference Champions:
Rock
*Note: The music featured in the Mic Test is typically new to me, too. Just throwing out some info. about bands that seem to be offering something exciting. Enjoy.

Handling Your Bonnaroo Business...

Sweet relief for festival-goers is here! Now we know who is playing at Bonnaroo 2007 (in Manchester, TN from June 14th-17th). Your excitement is gonna make you feel like you gotta go. You don't have to hold on any longer...music fans are starting to line up the Bonnaroo website to see a performer list that cannot be called crappy (sorry, bad puns). I'll let the official site handle all the details, but you need to know that highlights for this year's festival include: The Police, The Flaming Lips, Wilco, The Black Keys, Damien Rice, The White Stripes, The Roots, The Decemberists, Wolfmother, Franz Ferdinand and the Cold War Kids to name a few. Tix go on sale at noon (EST) on February 23rd.

I thought I would choose a photo that would help everyone feel nostalgic about outdoor music festival season. I think these are all out of paper...ouch. Oh, the humanity!

Fanning the Flames...

Good news for fans of Arcade Fire...the band has just announced new tour dates for North America. This group has enjoyed much critical acclaim since their 2004 debut, which will surely propel their latest effort, Neon Bible, to the top of everybody's Faves of 2007 list. Before their U.S. tour begins with a performance at Coachella, AF will be in the Big Apple for a 5-night stand at Judson Memorial Church. This Saturday, February 17th, NPR will offer a live webcast of the last night at Judson Memorial beginning at 8:30 p.m. Click here to get to that NPR Page.

If you can't seem to get enough of this 7-piece band from Montreal, Muzzle of Bees has compiled more info. including most of their videos and some MP3s. Check it out...it's a great music blog.

4/28 Indio, CA @ Empire Polo Field (Coachella)
5/1 Atlanta, GA @ Civic Center
5/2 Asheville, NC @ Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
5/4 Washington, DC @ DAR Constitution Hall
5/5 Philadelphia, PA @ Tower Theatre
5/7 New York, NY @ TBA
5/8 New York, NY @ TBA
5/9 New York, NY @ TBA
5/10 Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre
5/12 Montreal, Quebec @ Arena Maurice Richard
5/13 Montreal, Quebec @ Arena Maurice Richard
5/15 Toronto, Ontario @ Massey Hall
5/16 Toronto, Ontario @ Massey Hall
5/18 Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
5/19 Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
5/20 Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
5/27 Portland, OR @ Schnitzer Concert Hall
6/01 Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre
6/02 Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre

Stay Calm, The Police are on the Way...

We're gonna need some crowd control over here. Here they are...2007 tourdates for The Police:







05/28/07 - Vancouver, BC - GM Place
06/02/07 - Edmonton, AB - TBA
06/06/07 - Seattle, WA - Key Arena
06/09/07 - Denver, CO - Pepsi Center
06/xx/07 - Los Angeles, CA - TBD
06/xx/07 - Mountain View, CA - Shoreline
06/15/07 - Las Vegas, NV - MGM Grand
06/16/07 - Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo (Headlining)
06/18/07 - Phoenix, AZ - US Airways
06/26/07 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines
06/30/07 - New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Arena
07/01/07 - Scottrade Center - St. Louis
07/xx/07 - St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center
07/xx/07 - Chicago, IL - TBD
07/xx/07 - Detroit, MI - TBD
07/xx/07 - Columbus, OH - TBD
07/22/07 - Toronto, ON - Air Candada Centre
07/25/07 - Montreal, QC - Bell Centre
07/xx/07 - Hartford, CT - TBD
07/28/07 - Boston, MA - Fenway Park
08/01/07 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
08/03/07 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
08/xx/07 - Washington, D.C. - TBD
08/xx/07 - Tampa, FL - TBD
08/xx/07 - Miami, FL - TBD

Grammy Flashback...

As I sit here and watch The 2007 Grammys, I am thinking back on some unexpected musical moments that took the awards show to a higher level. Here is a tribute to the music of Stevie Wonder performed in 1996 by D'Angelo and Tony Rich...love the way they weave multiple songs over the same beat. Glad someone had this clip...one of my faves.

No Power Shortage at 2007 Plug Awards...

The 2007 Plug Independent Music Awards took place last night at Irving Plaza in NYC. Made up of writers, DJs, webmasters, artists, filmmakers, managers, indie retailers and fans, this event is about the independent community coming together to recognize its own. As the website points out...it is a chance to gather each year to celebrate the artists who live and flourish in the margins.

All the nominees are worth checking out. You can see the complete list on the Plug Site, but someone has to win, so here they are:

Album: Band Of Horses - Everything All The Time (Sub Pop)
New Artist: Arctic Monkeys
Female Artist: Neko Case
Male Artist: Sufjan Stevens
Indie Rock Album: Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid Of You... (Matador)
Hip Hop Album: Spank Rock - Yoyoyoyoyo (Big Dada)
Americana Album: Band Of Horses - Everything All The Time (Sub Pop)
Electronic Album: Thom Yorke - The Eraser (XL)
DJ Album: Girl Talk - Night Ripper (Illegal Art)
Avant Album: Xiu Xiu - The Air Force (5RC)
Live Act: Broken Social Scene
Song: Band Of Horses - "The Funeral" (Sub Pop)
Record Label: Sup Pop
Live Music Venue: Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
Music Festival: South By Southwest, Austin
Music Website of the Year: Pitchforkmedia.com
Music Blog of the Year: Brooklyn Vegan
Magazine of the Year: Paste
Radio Station of the Year (College/Non Comm): KEXP Seattle
Podcast of the Year: WOXY.com Lounge Acts
Internet radio Station of the Year: WOXY.com

Classic Clips: Bob Marley...

Mic Test #15: Fugiya & Miyagi...

Fugiya & Miyagi:
Alternative/Electronica
*Note: The music featured in the Mic Test is typically new to me, too. Just throwing out some info. about bands that seem to be offering something exciting. Enjoy.

Making Hay With Pitchfork...

Pitchfork Media has announced the dates for this year's Pitchfork Music Festival. This 2 Day Indie Rock Event will takes place at Chicago's Union Park on Saturday, July 14th & Sunday, July 15th. Two Day Passes ($35) go on sale March 12th on Ticketweb. Based on the stellar lineup from 2006, music lovers will have a lot to look forward to. This event is a great alternative for those who want to avoid Lollapalooza (Aug. 3-5) and all that goes with a massive outdoor festival. Keep checking for performer confirmations in the upcoming months.

Separated At Birth...

I have to admit that I enjoy a good conspiracy theory as much as the next guy. But YouTube has effectively provided evidence that will conclusively unravel a mystery that has been bothering me for a while. Armed with only the audio of musicians Brett Dennen & Sean Hayes, one might reasonably conclude that they may be the same person. The vocals are just that similar. I have seen Sean Hayes play live, but I have never seen Brett Dennen (coincidence...I think not). This is a fact I hope to reverse, as Mr. Dennen is playing the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor next Wednesday, February 14th. But back to the conspiracy. Close your eyes and listen to these two do their thing individually. I know, pretty damn close!...right? The fact is, both of these musicians are worthy of time spent in your ears.

Brett Dennen

Sean Hayes


And now, the video evidence that these are in fact two different people. Here is a video of Brett & Sean singing the SAME song on the SAME stage at the SAME time!!!

Carving Out Time for Pumpkins...

Normally, when pumpkins hit the road, the result is big mess that no one wants to clean up. Well, let's hope that is not the case when Billy Corgan and friends reunite for a much anticipated release, Zeitgeist, which is scheduled for release on July 7th. The Smashing Pumpkins have booked some summer rock festival dates in Europe and are expected to add some North American dates later this year, as well. As of right now, the best way to stay up on the latest news is to take a visit to the band's Myspace page.

A slice of Pumpkin pie for ya...A Personal Favorite, 1979

Time to Get Your Compass Out...

It is that time again when music fans can set the course of their musical journey by the taking note of SXSW. Some may ask, Who is playing South by Southwest? Perhaps the better question is...Who isn't playing SXSW? The initial lineup has been announced, and this year proves to be no less inspiring than years past. Get over to the official site and take a look at the indie extravaganza. Austin, Texas deserves some type of recognition for being the rock and roll incubator that nurtures tiny rockstars and helps them become full grown legends. If your MP3 collection has become stale, freshen things up a bit a explore some bands that will be at this festival...you really can't go wrong. Nicely done.

Seek and You Shall Find...

If you find yourself constantly trying to stay up on concert tour news, there is a helpful plug-in that recently came on to the scene. This little application is called iConcertCal, and it integrates perfectly with your iTunes. The download works for both Mac OS X and Windows. As you search a city of your choice, the Calendar recognizes all of the artists in your music library...if any of those artists happen to be on tour, they will pop up on the calendar interface. As with most new applications, there are a few shows that will slip through the cracks, but this is a great first step. Word is they are already working on a newer version. Your rock n' roll lifestyle just got easier! Thanks for the "heads up" Juplife.