Catching Some Ray...

Lauded singer/songwriter, Ray LaMontagne is set to release his much-anticipated third album, Gossip In The Grain, in September on RCA Records. Recorded with returning producer, Ethan Johns in Box, England, and touching upon a range of styles and musical settings- spanning pastoral folk, railroad blues, front porch country, and plangent balladry - Gossip In The Grain proves to be his most creative and emotionally expansive collection to date.

According to Ann Arbor's 107.1 Radio, he is scheduled to perform at Royal Oak Music Theater on October 6th. Ray seems to go out of his way to duck excessive media coverage & fly under the radar, but he serves as a reminder that there are many singer-songwriters out there who are worthy of seeing live.

Shelter (BBC 4 Version)


Hold You In My Arms

The Who, The What, The Where & The When...

To gear up for the third annual "VH1 Rock Honors" celebrating The Who's contributions to rock 'n' roll, VH1 has once again partnered with LA Weekly for a Who-themed VH1 Rock Honors Weekend, sponsored by Sprint, in Los Angeles, July 10th-14th. The actual Rock Honors ceremony will take place on July 12th with performances by The Who, Pearl Jam, The Flaming Lips, Foo Fighters and Incubus...and the show will premiere on VH1 on July 17th. Check Rock.VH1.com for more details.

The Lone Microphone is giving away The Who VIP Prize Pack to celebrate the occasion. A winner will be selected at random from correct entries. All you have to do to be entered is answer the following trivia question: Who's Next, one of The Who's most successful efforts, included a very memorable album cover (pictured here)...Name the town in England where that famous photograph was taken? E-mail the correct answer to ike67@buckeye-express.com before July 12th. The winner will be selected on July 17th and notified by e-mail.

The Prize Pack includes:
The Who commemorative flask
The Who shot glasses
VH1 Rock Honors custom t-shirt
Set-of-4 The Who guitar picks

The Who on The Smothers Brothers Show

Ten Out of Tenn...

Ten Out of Tenn...Ten talented singer songwriters from Nashville make an album & set out on a tour (next month).
Sounds like a perfect score to me.

What is it all about:
It's no secret that the home of country music serves as a hideout for one of America’s most bustling music scenes. People move to Nashville aspiring to change it, only to find themselves chewed up and spit out by the spirit that gave us Johnny Cash, Woody Guthrie, and Bob Dylan. What rises from the dust are songs with ache and pain, hopes and sorrows, victories and defeats. But redemption is found in the community of people whose kinship runs much deeper than the music.

Ten out of Tenn is a compilation that shines a light on a few of the many Nashville artists who haven’t waited around for the world to hear about them. With TV being the new radio and beat up vans the new tour bus, this generation of American originals have taken full advantage of opportunities to take their music beyond the city limits of their adopted home town. Years of restlessness and work have allowed competition to give way to a community where late nights on the front porch are king.

Ten out of Tenn volume 1 was released in 2005 and partnered with Myspace and Paste Magazine for an extensive national tour. Volume 2 is partnering with American Songwriter Magazine for a tour set to launch on July 19 at Nashville’s historic Cannery Ballroom. The tour will feature a rotating lineup of artists sharing musicians and supporting one another. Tickets will go on sale June 13th.



Jul 19 Cannery Ballroom Nashville, TN
Jul 23 Evening Muse Charlotte, NC
Jul 23 Evening Muse Charlotte, NC
Jul 24 IOTA Arlington, VA
Jul 26 Blend Ridgewood, NJ
Jul 27 World Cafe Live Philadelphia, PA
Jul 28 939 Cafe Boston, MA
Jul 29 Canal Room New York, NY
Jul 30 Grog Shop Cleveland, OH
Jul 31 Martyr’s Chicago, IL
Aug 1 Radio Radio Indianapolis, IN
Aug 3 The Southgate House Newport, KY
Aug 4 World Grotto Knoxville, TN
Aug 5 Eddie’s Attic Atlanta, GA
Aug 6 Workplay Theater Birmingham, AL

Mic Test #51: Port O'Brien...

Port O'Brien:
Folk/Acoustic/Indie
*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.

Martin Climbs Back Aboard The Ark...

Singer-Songwriter, Guitarist & Virtuoso Martin Sexton will be in Ann Arbor on November 9th. Even better news is the fact that he will be performing at The Ark, a 400 seat venue that is truly custom made to hear the intricacies of his voice & his guitar. Rarely has there been a performer with such command of his vocals. His recent Ann Arbor appearances have seen him with a full band at larger theaters, but it is best to catch his live show in a more intimate setting. Tickets go on sale this Wednesday, June 25th. Don't wait...this will likely sell out in a day or two.

Martin backstage doing a cover of Hey Joe

Beck's Little Guilt Trip...

Beck has a new album called Modern Guilt coming out on July 8th. Here is a Promo Trailer that should give a tease of what to expect. The album was produced with Danger Mouse. Here is a description that appears on Amazon:

The new album contains 10 new songs, and with the exception of last year's Grammy-nominated, digital-only single "Timebomb", Modern Guilt is the first new material Beck has written since the prolific stretch that produced 2005's platinum Guero and 2006's universally acclaimed The Information.

Modern Guilt is a tightly assembled group of songs that range in lyrical tone from introspection and social commentary to off the cuff wordplay and lighthearted humor. Musically, the album's ten tracks vacillate between economy and experimentation, hybrid and pop classicism, while consistently manifesting Beck and Danger Mouse's shared interest in psych-rock, folk, electronic minimalism and orchestration.

Kool & the Gang ~ Bonnaroo Style...

I heard about this unforgettable set at Bonnaroo...and now, video proof has surfaced that My Morning Jacket showed some props to Kool & the Gang at Bonnaroo by doing a cover of Get Down On It. You know you used to listen to the Gang! Celebrate good times, C'mon!!!! Love that these guys don't take themselves too seriously.

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss @ Fox Theater...

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss brought their soulful harmonies to Detroit last night for an unforgettable show. They delivered a little bit of everything...acoustic to folk, to rock...the show was all it was billed to be. Robert Plant even twirled the mic stand a bit...he's still got it...not bad for a 59 year old. Highlights included Led Zep's Black Dog, Down to the River to Pray, In the Mood, Battle of Evermore & plenty of hits from Raising Sands...Please Read The Letter, Rich Woman & Gone, Gone, Gone. Alison Krauss has a voice that is best when heard live. She effortlessly takes her voice to soaring heights in a way that wraps you up...like a fog creeping in, her vocals surround you and lift you...perfection! Separate, each talented in their own right, but together a memorable duo that blended oh so well (with a solid back up band that included T. Bone Burnett & Buddy Miller). Here is a bit of video I shot that makes me hope a Zeppelin reunion is on it's way sooner than later.

Battle of Evermore

Plant~ing Ideas in Your Head...

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss will be at the Fox Theatre in Detroit tomorrow night. Check out this video & then kick yourself for not getting tickets to see this amazing collaboration.

Black Dog (a new take)

My Morning Jacket Reigns in Bonnaroo Rain...

When it rains it pours...and from the sounds of it, My Morning Jacket flooded the Bonnaroo Festival with music this past weekend. The music, the excitement, the 3 hour set, the cover tunes...sound amazing. Stereogum has the strongest write-up I read. Read the recap. Let's hope someone got some quality video of this!

Show Some Concern...

Joshua James is a singer songwriter from Nebraska who will be performing at The Ark in Ann Arbor on July 20th. This video is his cover of a Modest Mouse song called Custom Concern. If you enjoy this song, it is being offered as a free MP3 download on his Myspace page...good stuff. Cory Chisel will be opening up that show...more about him soon.

That's a Croc...

Once again, we see the power of music & it's ability to change lives. The Dave Matthews Band among others have pledged their support of this worthwhile cause that helps bring footwear, namely Crocs, to those in need. Here is the copy from a recent e-mail from DMB:

Recycle your worn out Crocs™ shoes and help someone in need! Dave Matthews Band and SolesUnitedSM have teamed up to help provide new, recycled shoes to the more than one billion individuals living in extreme poverty. Simply bring your worn-out Crocs™ shoes to your local Dave Matthews Band concert and drop them at the SolesUnitedSM tent set up at the Bama Green Project Eco-Village. For more information or to pledge your support, go to SolesUnited.com.

The Pines Have Just Begun to Grow...

The Pines represent relatively new growth on the Alt/Roots/Americana scene. They will be playing at The Ark in Ann Arbor on Friday, June 20th. Might be a good time to catch this talented duo, so you can say you saw them when.

Website Bio:
RED HOUSE RECORDS IS PLEASED to announce the signing of up-and-coming duo The Pines. Composed of Iowa natives David Huckfelt and Benson Ramsey, The Pines combine roots, blues and indie-rock to create a raw, haunting sound that is inventive and compelling. The son of Greg Brown's producer and sideman Bo Ramsey, Benson was reared on folk and blues music and continues to let those influences shine, even on louder electric songs. Like Benson, David also has a deep love for traditional music, and together the two of them craft music that evokes the ancient while incorporating newer rock and pop grooves. Both strong writers and musicians, Benson and David have distinct voices that complement each other, causing audiences and critics alike to tout them as a powerful young force in American roots music. Although they have not been touring long, they have already shared the stage with the likes of Jolie Holland, The Arcade Fire, Kelly Joe Phelps and Spider John Koerner. Look for The Pines debut release, "Sparrows in the Bell" in June '08, and watch for The Pines in your town ...

Classic Clips: R.E.M....

Time After Time


So. Central Rain (Solid Gold TV Show '84)

Do That Foo-Doo That You Do So Well.......

Foo meet Zep, Zep meet The Foo. What can be said, just another gig that only a lucky arena-full get to experience. Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page & John Paul Jones (that would be the "Zep" portion of the equation) played a Foo Fighter's gig in London last Saturday. Taylor Hawkins sang Rock n' Roll and Dave Grohl sang Ramble On. Here are a few fans clips. Can we get a Led Zeppelin reunion already?

Motor City Shows it's Colors...

Concert of Colors: Detroit's 16th Annual Diversity Festival is set to take place at the Max M. Fisher Music Center from July 17th thru July 20th. Food, crafts and children's activities, but most importantly lots of diverse music...FOR FREE! Some of the highlights include Mavis Staples, Extra Golden, Don Was, Toots & The Maytals & Michelle Shocked. As the saying goes...a little something for everyone.

Mic Test #50: Wussy...

Wussy:
Indie/Rock/Garage
*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.