Live Music Archive

The reality of depression and suicide has inspired artists to take part in the PICK UP THE PHONE TOUR, a music tour committed to reducing the stigma associated with mental health as well as making the access to help and hope for all safe and without fear.

Houston-based art rockers Blue October will headline the inaugural PICK UP THE PHONE TOUR–where impassioned artists join together to raise awareness and funds for depression and suicide prevention–and Atlanta-based hip-hop artist and producer B.o.B will open on the trek.

The PICK UP THE PHONE TOUR marks the first-ever tour solely benefiting suicide prevention in history. The month-long trek will launch Thursday, October 22nd at the Music Farm in Charleston, SC and wrap up with a two-night stand at Stubbs in Austin, TX November 20 and 21. See the full PUTP tour itinerary below; tickets are on sale now. To purchase, visit: http://www.putp.org and http://www.blueoctoberfan.com/pickupthephone/.

The PICK UP THE PHONE TOUR will launch with a press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC Wednesday, October 21 at 10:00 AM. Justin Furstenfeld, the lead singer of Blue October, will be on hand to speak and perform an acoustic set before members of Congress as well as supporters of the tour partners 1-800 SUICIDE, PostSecret and TWLOHA.

Justin–who has struggled with bi-polar disorder most of his life–will be calling on Congress to fund both creative writing and art therapy programs as alternative options for mental health. The press conference will also urge Congress to fully fund the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act which provides the funding behind the majority of the suicide prevention programs in the United States today. The press conference is open to all on a first-come first-served basis, to RSVP, email TWLOHA: PUTP@TWLOHA.com.

The PICK UP THE PHONE TOUR is created through a partnership between the non-profit organization To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA), the largest charity on MySpace and Facebook: Postsecret.com; Synclive.com; and 1-800 SUICIDE The National Hopeline Network.

Through 1-800 SUICIDE–which provides a life-saving service that is private and confidential for people in need–callers are routed directly to the closest crisis center in their immediate area so that quick referrals to behavioral health services and other supports can be offered. Since 1998, 1-800-SUICIDE has received over 3.6 million calls and rescued more than 4,000 individuals who had already initiated suicide plans.

The spokesperson for the PICK UP THE PHONE TOUR 2009, Justin Furstenfeld personally understands the struggles those who are affected by mental health issues face on a daily basis. “It has taken 20 years to have the chance to do a tour focusing on mental health issues which have been a daily battle for me for most of my life,” explains Justin.

“It’s great to finally be a part of a positive, progressive-thinking tour for an important cause which will make a direct impact and help people in desperate situations that need it the most.” In a strange turn of events in his own life, Justin worked at a mental hospital one day and, after suffering a breakdown, became a patient in a hospital the next.

Justin–who has taken medication for the condition since he was a teenager–now teaches creative writing at a mental hospital to young adults affected by mental health issues, self-abuse issues and sexual abuse. Through personal experiences and music, Justin challenges young minds to channel their emotions and anger into creative writing and art versus taking their frustrations out on themselves or the world around them.

He performs his art around the world, sending a message of hope to thousands who know and trust his message because he fights the same battles they fight every day. Justin is living proof that if you reach out and allow yourself to be helped you can lead a beautiful life filled with love, family and career.

“In moments of bravery and confusion and honesty, people turn to 1-800-SUICIDE–over three million of them,” points out Jamie Tworkowski, founder of To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA).

“The folks at the Hopeline Centers have been answering those calls for ten years, picking up the phone when it’s mattered most. Now to help those who will not pick up the phone, together with 1-800-SUICIDE we are launching the first 24×7 online emotional support network called AliveIM!, which will soon be available at www.suicide.net.”

To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA)–a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide–exists to encourage, inform and inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.

Since 2006, TWLOHA has responded to over 100,000 messages from people in over 40 different countries and have invested over half a million dollars directly into treatment and recovery, including $50,000 to help fund the AliveIM! support network.

In another innovative move, the tour has partnered with Synclive.com to air live performances from the artists via the Internet as well as provide an immediate online confidential connection for fans in need. Synclive.com will create an essential connection for concertgoers in crisis who are unable to approach a booth at the show in-person either for direct help or to volunteer for the online counseling program.

Formed in Houston in 1995, the rock five–piece Blue October have released five studio albums and sold over 2 million albums. The group released their fifth studio album Approaching Normal (Universal Motown), the follow-up to their 1.3 million-selling Foiled album; it spawned the hit “Hate Me,” which reached #2 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, followed by “Into the Ocean,” a # 1 video on VH1 about a the metaphorical contemplation of suicide itself.

Approaching Normal debuted at # 13 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart in March 2009 and produced two top singles: “Dirt Room,” which rocketed to #6 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart marking the group’s third Top Ten singl, and “Say It.”

Blue October is Justin Furstenfeld (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Jeremy Furstenfeld (drums, percussion), Ryan Delahoussaye (violin/viola, mandolin, piano, backing vocals), C.B. Hudson (lead guitar, backing vocals) and Matt Noveskey (bass guitar, backing vocals). Due to their hard-won and loyal fanbase, the group now tours all over the world. Check out www.blueoctober.com and www.myspace.com/blueoctober.

Hailing from Atlanta, B.o.B. also known as Bobby Ray is a hotly-tipped hip-hop artist and producer who will release his debut album The Adventures of Bobby Ray via T.I.’s label Grand Hustle (Atlantic Records) in 2009. B.o.B. appeared on the covers of XXL and Vibe magazines as was hailed as part of “Hip-Hop’s class of ‘09” (XXL, 12/08). B.o.B describes his music as a fusion of influences ranging from 80’s, techno, rock, funk and du-wop. Check out www.bobatl.com and www.myspace.com/bobatl.

Recently, acclaimed actor James Earl Jones recorded a Public Service announcement for the PICK UP THE PHONE TOUR; click here to view: http://www.preventsuicide.us/hopeline-new/index.html.

Following are the confirmed dates for the PICK UP THE PHONE TOUR 2009:

DATE CITY VENUE

10/21 Washington, DC Capitol Hill – PUTP Press Conference

10/22 Charleston, SC Music Farm (no B.o.B.)

10/23 Charlotte, NC Fillmore

10/24 Hilton Head, SC Shoreline Ballroom

10/25 Atlanta, GA 99X (Blue October radio show)

10/27 Jacksonville, FL Freebird Live

10/28 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Revolution

10/30 Orlando, FL House of Blues

10/31 Tampa, FL The Ritz (Ybor City)

11/01 Columbia, SC Headliners

11/02 WASHINGTON, DC 9:30 Club

11/05 Rochester, NY Water Street

11/06 Boston , MA Reason to Live Tenth Anniversary Concert

11/07 Napa, CA Hot AC (Blue October radio show)

11/10 Columbus, OH LC Pavilion

11/12 Chicago, IL House of Blues

11/13 Detroit, MI Royal Oak

11/14 Kalamazoo, MI State Theater

11/15 Cleveland, OH House of Blues

11/17 COLUMBIA, MO Blue Note

11/18 Tulsa, OK Cain’s

11/20 Austin, TX Stubb’s

11/21 Austin, TX Stubb’s

Partners for the first-ever PICK UP THE PHONE TOUR 2009 include:

1-800-SUICIDE – National Hopeline Network

About the National Hopeline Network 1-800 SUICIDE (784-2433) and the Kristin Brooks Hope Center (KBHC):
After losing his wife, Kristin Brooks to suicide in 1998, Reese Butler founded the Kristin Brooks Hope Center (KBHC), which created the National Hopeline Network 1-800 SUICIDE.

In 2000, Reese gained the support of the late Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MN), Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) and obtained more than seven million dollars to expand and support the National Hopeline Network which is comprised of 200 community crisis centers in 48 states.

Callers in crisis to 1800-SUICIDE are routed to the closest crisis center in their immediate area so that quick referrals to behavioral health services and other supports can be offered. Since 1998, 1-800-SUICIDE has received more than 3 million calls and rescued more than 4,000 individuals who had already initiated suicide plans. www.hopeline.com

About To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA):

In 2006, Jamie Tworkowski wrote a story, a glimpse into a friend’s life and her first steps to recovery from drug addiction, self-injury, and depression. The story, titled To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA), and t-shirts Tworkowski printed to help pay for his friend’s recovery, started a movement, not only within his local Orlando, FL community, but one that was swiftly embraced by people everywhere.

Realizing a strong need to bring these mental health issues to light, Jamie created TWLOHA–a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide–and enlisted bands such as Paramore, Thrice, Anberlin, Switchfoot, Bayside, The Almost to spread TWLOHA’s message.

Jamie and TWLOHA joined national and international touring bands spreading their message of hope before bands took the stage each night. In August 2007, MySpace awarded TWLOHA the winner of their “Impact Award” for “Community Building,” TWLOHA garnered the most votes in the history of the Impact Awards.

To Write Love on Her Arms began with one broken girl, one painful night; addiction, depression, self-injury. It is the realization of what life can be when people commit to meeting a need. “A friend of mine told me there is no such thing as suicide prevention. This is an attempt to prove him wrong, to say that love can change a life. We can hold back the darkness. Rescue is possible,” says Tworkowski. www.twloha.com

About Synclive.Com:

Synclive.com is a highly interactive music and entertainment Internet community that allows users to broadcast their live performances, as they happen, over the Internet to a worldwide audience. Synclive.com is currently reaching 127 countries with over 1 million video views a month. Shows can be broadcast from anywhere, at anytime. Synclive.com offers artists a tremendous promotional platform for worldwide exposure.

It is a great way to promote new music, a new tour, new merchandise, and stay intimately connected with your fans. Shows are streamed live, recorded and stored at the artist’s discretion for future on demand viewing. Our most used tool is the embedded player which allows an artist’s live and on demand shows to be placed on all of their websites so fans can watch the show in the artist’s environment. Synclive.com is free for artists, fans, and venues to use and is open to all genres of music and live entertainment. www.synclive.com

About PostSecret.com:

Called “the most trusted stranger in America,” Frank Warren is the sole founder and curator of the PostSecret Project: A collection of nearly 500,000 highly personal and artfully decorated postcards mailed anonymously from around the world, displaying the soulful secrets we never voice.

The PostSecret.com site now receives more than 1,000,000 visitors every week. In 2005, the All-American Rejects approached Warren about using images of actual PostSecret images in their “Dirty Little Secret” music video. They offered Warren $1,000, but Warren instead asked them to donate $2,000 to 1800-SUICIDE where Warren is a volunteer.

The donation was made and the music video became one of the most requested on MTV. The National Mental Health Association presented Warren with an award for his work in raising public awareness of Suicide. The PostSecret project has now raised over $210,000 for 1800-SUICIDE. PostSecret was awarded the December 2008 “Myspace Impact Award” and donated 100% of the proceeds to 1-800 SUICIDE. Look for the new PostScret book titled Confessions on Life, Death and God due out October 6. www.postsecret.com

For more information about the PUTP tour, visit:

• www.putp.org
• www.hopeline.com
• ww.twloha.com
• www.synclive.com
• www.postsecret.com

Concert  promoters can simply be thought of as major gathering planners. Every detail of the performance has to go off in the absence of a hitch and that responsibility lies solely with the  promoter. Concert promotion is a demanding career that requires serious attention to detail. In order to be an effective and successful performance  promoter, a high level of organization is vital. Losing track of vital contact names, dates, telephone numbers or Venue information can prove disastrous.

The world of concert promotions is full of contracts, legal agreements, insurance policies and riders. In order to make the best business decisions, a concert  promoter has to have a working knowledge of all of these legal documents. Not understanding parts of a contract or rider could lead to confusion and c venue enging ies down the road.

Concert  promoters can make a huge amount of money, and then, they can lose money as well. Most individuals do not realize that quite generally, concert  promoters actually use their own money to fund a concert event. All of the event costs are his or her responsibility up front. Once the tickets have been sold, the band gets their cut and the bills get paid. It’s only then that the  promoter gets what’s left. For this reason, it is of the ut most importance to get as many paying customers in the door as possible.

Some of the major expenses involved with performance promotion are the Club rental and gathering insurance. The  promoter contacts the Club and works out a cost for the duration of the event. Some Clubs will require up-front payment while others can require a down payment with the remainder due at the end of the performance. Insurance is absolutely necessary and endorses to protect the Club owners, performance  promoter and band from possible litigation.

Additionally,  the concert  promoter bears the fee of all advertising promotions and other marketing expenses.  promoters these days have a variety of choices for marketing. They could use the Web, radio, TV and even flyers to get the word out about their event. Marketing, when done properly, generally takes up a fairly substantial portion of the concert  promoters budget.

A successful concert  promoter understands how to advertise to get the most people to buy tickets for the show. They’ve got to have a wonderful sense of the performer that they’re promoting as well as their fans. Whether a concert attracts a huge fans or a small one depends on how well the gathering has been  encourage d, plain and easy. Concert  promoters really have one objective; to make sure that enough tickets sell to make a profit. Ideally, all the tickets will sell for every night or day the gathering will run, but that is not guaranteed.

The location, size and even layout of a Venue has to be taken into consideration by the concert  promoter. In order to put on a exceptional rock concert, everything has to be just right. Everything must be considered, from performer dressing rooms to the house sound system and lighting. Pleasing the performer is only part of the story though. The audiences has to be taken care of as well, both inside and outside the Venue. Things prefer security, parking and even restroom facilities all fall under the concert  promoters watchful eye.

At some concert s, the concert  promoter will have to pitch in and advocate in other ways. Concert  promoters are often responsible for making sure things are ready for the band. This might include session ting up the stage, doing sound-checks and lighting a DJ ustments. Quite often it furthermore means they will have to decorate the Venue to suit the concert.

At smaller events, the performance  promoter is a number of times responsible for collecting tickets or working the merchandise table. At certain categories of events, they might even have the task of checking ID’s at the door the day of the event.  promoters are a number of times also responsible for stimulate ing to break down the stage used by the band. Clean-up after the performance might also be the  promoters job, depending on the negotiated contract.

Being a concert promoter may be interesting, rewarding and risky, but it’s benefit it. Concert  promoters have wonderful jobs because they work directly with the musicians. Besides that and the fact that the income may be excellent, remember, they’ve got some of the optimum seats in the house at every show.

The term, “oldies,” refers to both popular music from the 1950s-1970s and the radio format that specializes in this kind of music. “Golden oldies” oftentimes refers to oldies music exclusively from the 1950s-early 1960s. Oldies songs are typically from the Rythm & Blues (R&B), pop and rock music genres but can furthermore include country, movie soundtrack, novelty, and other categories of popular music played on the radio from around 1950-on. Pop music genres that had their heyday before the 1950s (e.g., ragtime, extensive band) are generally thought to be “too old” to be included in the oldies radio format. Oldies music radio stations, which typically feature artists and performers such as (to name a few ) Elvis Presley, Bill Haley, Little Richard, Pat Boone, Sam Cooke, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, the Rascals, the Association, the Temptations, the Who, Elton John, and Fleetwood Mac, cover a broad  variety of styles including early rock and roll, rockabilly, doo-wop, surf rock, girl groups, the British Invasion, folk rock, psychedelic rock, baroque pop, soul music, Motown, and bubblegum pop. Oldies music furthermore overlaps with classic rock which focuses on the rock music of the late 1960s and 1970s as well as newer music in a similar style.

The phrase, “oldies but wonderful ies,” was first coined in 1957 by renowned DJ Art Laboe who, at around that time, used to get frequent requests from his fans for tunes from the early 1950s. A central figure in L.A. radio for over half a century, Laboe was the first DJ to play rock and roll on the West Coast and one of the first to play black and white artists on the same show. In 1959, he put together the first LP to feature (mostly older) tunes by disparate artists. This immensely popular compilation album, entitled “Oldies But Goodies,” stayed on Billboard’s Top 100 LP’s chart for over three years and has, to date, spawned some 14 sequels. (Click here for a recent interview with Art Laboe.)

Soon after the release of Laboe’s 1st “Oldies But Goodies” album, the phrase, “oldies but good ies,” became commonplace and by around 1960, individuals were waxing nostalgic for 1950s doo-wop which was already starting to be classified as “oldies.” Little Caesar And The Romans’ 1961 hit, “Those Oldies But Goodies (Remind Me of You)” and its sequel, “Memories of Those Oldies But Goodies,” both pay homage to early doo-wop and doo-wop musicians. This wave of nostalgia brought about a doo-wop revival in the early 1960s which was the 1st of many nostalgia movements in pop music since the term, “oldies,” was 1st applied to older pop music.

While “golden oldies” has remained a unending over the years, the larger body of pop music that we still call “oldies” now – which is made up of core golden oldies songs plus more modern material – is not fixed but has been gradually expanding forward in time to keep up with changing demographics. Nowadays, oldies music is generally considered to include all of the 1970s, even disco, and the same is expected to be true someday for the music of the 1980s, now regularly described as “retro.” Oldies music is likewise expanding in breadth as thousands of long-forgotten tunes from the 1950s and 1960s that never made the Top 40 in their day are being re found and resurrected. Whether because of nostalgia, curiosity, or a genuine love for nice music, the oldies format has maintained a immense following and will probably continue to do so for a lot of years to come.

Rock music features vocals, electric guitars, a persuasive backbeat, and the opportunity al saxophone. A key element is Rock n Roll, and the terms are used inter vary ably. ” Rock n Roll” is a nautical expression and refers to the motions of a ship. It entered black spiritual music in 1916; “Rocking” was used by African Americans to describe the bliss they experienced at religious events and their accompanying music. Simultaneously, black secular artists used the term for dancing or sex.

Wynonie Harris’ ‘Good Rocking Tonight’ started the “rock” fad in 1947, though people became aware of it only in 1954, owing to tracks prefer ‘Shake, Rattle, and Roll’ and ‘ Rock n Roll Around The Clock‘. In the mid-50’s, when Rock n Roll n Roll scaled popularity charts, record businesses began promoting singers. RCA backed Elvis Presley – the first superstar rock musician, Decca backed Bill Haley and Buddy Holly, while Capitol  encourage d Gene Vincent. Thus, Rythm & Blues musicians faded into oblivion.

In 1955, ‘ Rock n Roll Around the Clock’ was the biggest hit in rock history. Bill Haley & His Comets toured Europe and Britain was quick to adopt rock. Cliff Richard scored the first “”British Rock”" hit with ‘Move It’. Subsequently, The Beatles rose in popularity and launched a United States tour with a rapturous response, dubbed ‘Beatlemania’. In their wake other British bands headed to the US, notably Rolling Stones. This spawned crude imitators in the US, dubbed as “”Garage Rock”". In late 1950s, there was an antagonism towards electric instruments and revival of traditional music, leading to the birth of “”Folk Rock”".

Rock as a socially-unifying force has been seen in rock festivals of the late ’60s, the the majority famous of which has been Woodstock – a three-day arts and music festival. It represented the culture of the 1960s and the “Hippie Era”.  Many famous artists appeared during the rock festival, which has been captured in the movie, ‘Woodstock’.

Rock pop music is a style of popular music with an outstanding vocal melody accompanied by guitar, drums, and bass. A lot of forms of rock music also use keyboard instruments such as organ, piano, mellotron, and synthesizers. Other instruments once in a while employed in rock include harmonica, violin, flute, banjo, melodica, and timpani. Besides, rare stringed instruments such as mandolin and sitar are used. Rock pop music normally has a strong back beat, and again and again revolves around the guitar, either solid electric, hollow electric, or acoustic.

Rock pop music has its origin in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll and rockabilly, which developed from blues, country music and other influences. The All Music Guide opines that rock and roll in its purest form has three chords, a strong, insistent back beat, and a catchy melody. Initially,rock & roll took from a variety of sources, mainly blues, Rythm & Blues, and country, but furthermore gospel, traditional pop, jazz, and folk. All of these impact combined in a easy, blues-based song structure that was not only fast and catchy but furthermore foot tapping.

In the late 1960s, rock pop music was combined with folk music ,blues and jazz to produce folk rock, blues-rock and jazz-rock fusion respectively.It created psychedelic rock music irrespective of the time. In the 1970s, rock in company d influences from soul, funk, and latin music. During the 1970s, a number of sub genres of rock, such as soft rock, heavy metal, hard rock, progressive rock, and punk rock was created. Synth-rock, hardcore punk and alternative rock were the sub genres of rock pop music that was developed in the 1980s whereas, rock sub genres in the 1990s included grunge, Britpop, independent rock, and nu metal.

A rock band or rock group is a group of artists specializing in rock pop music . Most of the rock groups consist of a guitarist, drive singer, bass guitarist, and drummer, forming a quartet. Few groups could skip one or more of these roles and make use of a drive singer who could performance an instrument while singing, forming a trio or duo; others include additional artists such as one or two rhythm guitarists and/or a keyboardist. Seldom, groups likewise employ stringed instruments such as violins or cellos, or horns prefer trumpets or trombones.

The term, “oldies,” refers to both popular music from the 1950s-1970s and the radio format that specializes in this type of music. “Golden oldies” regularly refers to oldies music exclusively from the 1950s-early 1960s. Oldies songs are typically from the Rythm & Blues, pop and rock music type ofs but could also include country, movie soundtrack, novelty, and other categories of popular music played on the radio from around 1950-on. Pop music type ofs that had their heyday before the 1950s (e.g., ragtime, large band) are generally thought to be “too old” to be included in the oldies radio format. Oldies music radio stations, which typically feature performers and artists such as (to name a few ) Elvis Presley, Bill Haley, Little Richard, Pat Boone, Sam Cooke, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, the Rascals, the Association, the Temptations, the Who, Elton John, and Fleetwood Mac, cover a wide  variety of styles including early rock and roll, rockabilly, doo-wop, surf rock, girl groups, the British Invasion, folk rock, psychedelic rock, baroque pop, soul music, Motown, and bubblegum pop. Oldies music also overlaps with classic rock which focuses on the rock music of the late 1960s and 1970s as well as newer music in a similar style.

The phrase, “oldies but goodies,” has been 1st coined in 1957 by renowned deejay Art Laboe who, at around that time, used to get frequent requests from his fans for songs from the early 1950s. A central figure in L.A. radio for over half a century, Laboe has been the 1st deejay to performance rock and roll on the West Coast and one of the 1st to performance black and white artists on the same show. In 1959, he put together the 1st LP to feature (mostly older) songs by diverse artists. This immensely popular compilation album, entitled “Oldies But Goodies,” stayed on Billboard’s Top 100 LP’s chart for over three years and has, to date, spawned some 14 sequels. (Click here for a recent interview with Art Laboe.)

Soon after the release of Laboe’s 1st “Oldies But Goodies” album, the phrase, “oldies but good ies,” became commonplace and by around 1960, individuals were waxing nostalgic for 1950s doo-wop which was already starting to be classified as “oldies.” Little Caesar And The Romans’ 1961 hit, “Those Oldies But Goodies (Remind Me of You)” and its sequel, “Memories of Those Oldies But Goodies,” both pay homage to early doo-wop and doo-wop performers. This wave of nostalgia brought about a doo-wop revival in the early 1960s which was the 1st of many nostalgia movements in pop music since the term, “oldies,” was 1st applied to older pop music.

While “golden oldies” has remained a never ending over the years, the larger body of pop music that we still call “oldies” now – which is made up of core golden oldies tunes plus more modern material – isn’t fixed but has been gradually expanding forward in time to keep up with changing demographics. Nowadays, oldies music is generally considered to include all of the 1970s, even disco, and the same is expected to be true someday for the music of the 1980s, now a number of times described as “retro.” Oldies music is additionally expanding in breadth as thousands of long-forgotten tunes from the 1950s and 1960s that never made the Top 40 in their day are being re found and resurrected. Whether because of nostalgia, curiosity, or a genuine love for nice music, the oldies format has maintained a very large following and will probably continue to do so for many years to come.

New Orleans is known as the birthplace of jazz, an honor the city prides itself in. From dim lit jazz venues lining the city streets to its annual Jazz and Heritage Festival, New Orleans is a wonderful American music city. Jazz isn’t the only music being created in the Big simple though.  A lot of music venues and Clubs offer an eclectic mix of blues, gospel, hip hop, rock and more.

One Club offer ing up a diverse musical roster is the House of Blues in the French Quarter. Any given week this club might host inspiring performers and full blown rock stars. A wide  variety of musical type  are present at the New Orleans location of this national chain. The heart and soul of the Club besides the music itself is the interesting surroundings and attentive staff. The features give this location its heart and make this company club seem more mom and pop. The Sunday Gospel Brunch is additionally a wonderfully attractive weekly get together that draws a crowd.

TwiRoPa is the Warehouse District’s premiere art and music complex. This complex houses 100,000 square feet of venue s, music Clubs, galleries, bars and convention space. The nearly 100-year-old building was once the website of a mill that produced Twine, Rope and Paper. These products are furthermore how this complex received its sensational name TwiRoPa. Live music and disc jockeys are all the rage at this hip location that has rapidly made a name for itself.

One New Orleans club that has earned its reputation over time is Tipitina’s Uptown. For over 25 years Tipitina’s has been considered the finest music club in New Orleans. The club is named in honor of its patron saint Professor Longhair for his song Tipitina. The club pays tribute to the New Orleans piano man through shows of Local/Regional and national performers. Local/Regional performers such as the Funky Meters and Galactic generally play to the crowds and headliners Pearl Jam and Lenny Kravitz have likewise graced Tip’s Big Stage. The club is a eminently hot spot during the Jazz and Heritage Festival with its own Fess Jazztival performance series.

Another New Orleans music venue steeped in history and tradition is Uptown’s Maple Leaf. Cajun meets Caribbean as this venue features a variety of music including reggae and zydeco. The Maple Leaf is a happening spot with a packed dance floor bumping till the wee hours of the morning. Poetry readings and special gatherings round out this venue as one of New Orleans finest.

Looking for some rock in Crescent City? The Howlin’ Wolf is regarded as New Orleans quintessential rock club. Here Regional and national recording performers hone there chops for legions of adoring listeners. The Howlin’ Wolf is an unassuming space with a stage, three bars and original artwork from New Orleans performers Lionel Milton and Frenchy. Definitely the spot you want to go for modern rock, the club likewise features Jazz Thursdays and a lot of celebrated Regional performers like George Porter Jr.

Local artists and music Clubs draw their inspiration from Congo Square, the birthplace of jazz. One of these clubs is the famed Funky Butt. This bordello turned club is now the home of modern jazz In New Orleans.  A lot of celebrated and soon to be celebrated artists have graced the butt’s stage. The club is located in a somewhat rough part of town so a taxi is a better option than walking to the club.

Traditional jazz listeners will want to locate Preservation Hall in the French Quarter. This hall doesn’t serve or allow food, drinking or smoking. New Orleans style jazz is on the only item on the menu at this rustic hall inspiring to keep traditional jazz alive. The 35 minute sessions start at 8:15 pm nightly and includes an intermission. Preservation Hall is a historic jazz experience music listeners will want to check out.

Truly a musical city, New Orleans has venues that cater to anyone’s musical cravings. Creative spaces and incredible talent make the city’s venues attractive to Locals and visitors a prefer. No trip to New Orleans is complete in the absence of a visit to one the city’s fine music Venues.

Those who have lived in Austin long enough have seen some amazing growth. Since 1980 the population of this ultra-cool Texas town has more than doubled. In 2006 the population stood at a respectable 709,000 (TWICE that for “Greater Austin”). At this point, being Austin, this abundant growth happened with style and forethought.

The “Keep Austin Weird” message help ed the city retain a diverse selection of small Local/Regional shops and services, while minimizing the steam-roller effect of large box stores so oftentimes associated with development. Music, art, and culture all flourished, and while the world knows about the plethora of live music Clubs here, Austin is also home to numerous galleries, museums, theatres, and restaurants. Lastly, while Austinites kept their city “weird”, they also kept it clean, and were recognized by MSN as having “The Greenest City in America”. Still, one problem, faced by more and more Austin residents, is the traffic, only in the Northwest corridor. But that too will be dealt with, in fact the solution is scheduled to start in late 2008.

The solution – or at least part of it – is Capital MetroRail, a new light rail service that will run, in the beginning, from Leander (26 miles northwest of Austin), through Cedar Park, McNeil and the community of Abercrombie, past the Highland Mall, across Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, and terminating downtown at the Austin Convention Center. This section of Capital MetroRail will cover 32 miles – with approximately nine stations along the route – from the Austin’s northwesterly outskirts to the city center. The rewards of this sort of accelerated transit system to a city prefer Austin are a lot of, from reducing carbon emissions, to cutting down on commuter time, and even making a night out in the “live music capital‘ that much more enjoyable. Of course, plans do not prevent with just this one line.

For tax-payers, one of the perfect things about this deal is that, because Capital MetroRail will be using existing rail lines costs will be meaningfully lower than a lot of other urban rail services. So,although city officials are quick to point out that future commuter rail lines will require a referendum, a lot of Austin residents are hopeful that their neighborhood will be next. Future plans include an Eastern line heading out towards Elgin, and a line heading north through Pflugerville. In addition to the Capital MetroRail lines, Austinites will likewise be able to take advantage of a Regional Commuter rail service that will run from San Antonio through Austin, to Round Rock and Roll and beyond. What a great time to be living in Austin!

Every few years an individual rediscovers the blues. Pop music, that stuff you hear on most commercial radio stations, is a business. The idea is to make lots of money by selling music like it was toothpaste. You find something everybody likes and then have competitive products that are a little diverse but all standard ally do the same thing and even though they taste a little diverse not enough diverse to disturb anyone. That’s pop music.
Now and again the public gets pretty tired of the same old stuff and pop music needs a little kick in the pants. Rediscovering some old form of American music most people have forgotten about and bring it out as the next new thing again and again does the trick. It could be Country or Jazz or Bluegrass, but quite again and again it’s the Blues.
The difference betwixt pop music and genre music like the Blues is that there is a much smaller fans for the genre music, but that fans is always truly loyal, keeping it going while others ignore it. Blues, being the truly root of all roots music, is an apparent choice to capture inspiration from when things are getting a little stale and it’s always there in the background just waiting to be found.
In the 1st half of the twentieth century much of the most popular music was Blues based or at least heavily influenced by it. From Big performer Swing to Jazz to even Country music, Blues played an important part in their developments.
There were a lot of so-called “Blues Revivals” in the final half of the twentieth century. The most recent big one was in the mid 1980’s when there was a sudden explosion of new Blues societies and festivals all around the America. When these revivals happen it again and again means that the loyal fan base of the music is better by the addition of people who come from other genres who grow to see similarities betwixt what they like and the Blues. again and again times it’s these new folks who determine the direction the music will take in order for it to reach a broad er fans.
The most famous example of this was the birth of Rock n Roll and Roll. By the mid 1950’s Blues music had lost much of its original black fans, which had moved on to R&B and early Soul. What seemed like something new was just a mixing bag of styles taken from Country, Swing, and mostly from Jump Blues and R& B. This is pretty much how all new musical styles come about. When you mix up a bunch of stuff in a pot and cook it awhile, the soup you end up with has tastes from all its ingredients, but there is always one flavor that stands out. Blues is again and again that rich flavor.
In the late 1950’s and early 1960’s another less apparent revival took place with the popularity of Folk Music. This is an again and again neglected but truly important revival because it was a time of rediscovery and reconnection with the old guard Blues musician s. Young Folk performers were the ones who researched the old country Blues and actually sought out and re discovered a lot of of the old Blues performers. They learned from those originators, wrote about them, got them performing again, and taught others what they had learned through books, tapes, and nowadays videos. They truly “Kept the Blues alive” in every sense of the words.
In the mid 1960’s Blues made an even greater impact on Pop Music when both American and British musicians discovered the power of electric Blues through second generation Bluesmen such as Muddy Waters and Howling Wolf. Rock n Roll and Roll became just Rock n Roll when guide guitar styles based on Blues improvisations came to the forefront. The Blues this time was the grittier sounding Delta style. Rock n Roll became harder sounding with Blues as it’s base. That has never gone away.
There was another small Blues revival at the end of the 1970’s when the Blues Brothers made Blues hip again. That revival created careers for some new young players and brought some of the old Blues guys back out on the road. It was the availability of all these varied acts that made the revival of the mid 1980’s possible.
Blues has always been a bit of a secret ingredient in pop music and even pop culture. It’s used to revive careers and sell blue jeans. Every once in awhile it gets pretty cool again. Unfortunately, since something being cool is a short-term state of mind, Blues music has again begun to drift into the genre music status with a diminishing fans. Though there are still a lot of Blues Festivals, they tend to lean toward Rock n Roll Blues, leaving the true Blues lover longing for another shot of more traditional stuff. Do not worry, Blues never really goes away. It will be back.

# Starbreaker Releases Love’s Dying Wish
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Music] If you’re a fan of 80’s metal, you no doubt remember TNT. But if you have no idea who TNT is,

here’s a little history lesson from the days when bands had long, flowing hair, wore skin-tight pants, had legions of women

falling at their feet, and had songs that ruled the airwaves and MTV.

# Las Vegas’ Frankie Moreno is One Great Talent – And the Band is Fab Too!
[Arts-and-Entertainment] If you’re looking for a great show in Vegas, read all about the talented Frankie Moreno! He’s a

great artist and seeing the Frankie Moreno Band at the Golden Nugget or the Stratosphere will be some of the most fun you’ll

have on your trip!

# Farm Aid 2008 Concert a Great Success, Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson and Neil Young
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Music] Mansfield, Massachusetts hosted Farm Aid 2008. A beautiful day and great music. The concert

was a huge success!

# Air Supply Fan Story 9-23-07 – Air Supply Continues to Touch Lives of Fans
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Music] May 2006 was a turning point in my life. I lost my mother, the glue that held my life

together. We were exceptionally close and I had nursed her through the last few years. Alone, I looked for something to bring

me comfort. By chance, I heard Two Less Lonely People on the radio. It brought back wonderful memories of my late husband and

I dancing cheek-to-cheek in our kitchen to the song.

# Air Supply Continues International Love Zone Tour 07-08
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Music] Air Supply continues its international tour schedule with some 40+ concerts in September and

October.

# Air Supply and Little River Band in Ocean Grove, NJ 8-18-07
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Music] Air Supply and Little River Band Perform In Ocean Grove, New Jersey. Fantastic concerts by

both bands!

# Air Supply in Lincoln, RI 8-9-07 – Air Supply Performs at Twin River
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Music] Air Supply Returns to Rhode Island. Performs at Twin River Events Center.

# Air Supply in Endicott, NY 7/13/07 – Defying Mother Nature, Air Supply Rocks It for Rain Soaked Fans
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Music] Air Supply headline entertainment at PGA golf event. Sings in rain.

# Air Supply Performs to Packed House at Ridgefield Playhouse
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Music] Air Supply performs in Connecticut. Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock have stellar

performances.

# Air Supply in Coney Island, NY 7/19/07 – Headlines Seaside Summer Concert Series with Billy Ocean
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Music] Air Supply returns to Coney Island. Billy Ocean performs first US concert in 18 years.

# Air Supply Performs for Westbury Fans for 26th Consecutive Year
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Music] Air Supply returns to Westbury, NY for 26th straight year. John Waite opens and performs hit

Missing You.

# Air Supply in Jim Thorpe, PA 7/21/07 – Air Supply Returns to Poconos to Play Penn’s Peak
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Music] Air Supply Performs in Jim Thorpe, PA. Returns to Penn’s Peak

# Air Supply in Uncasville, CT 7/25/07 – A Year In Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Music] Air Supply Returns to Mohegan Sun. A retrospective, year in review.

# Air Supply in Uncasville, CT 7/25-7/28/07 – Air Supply Sweetens Dreams for Four Sold Out Crowds
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Music] Air Supply returns to Mohegan Sun. Performs for 4 sold-out crowds.

# Air Supply in Uncasville, CT 7/29/07 – Performs at Mohegan Sun Arena Private Event for 6,000
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Music] Air Supply Performs Private Event at Mohegan Sun. 6,000 Fans Lost In Love!

# Howie Gordon of Big Brother 6 and All Stars Attends Air Supply Concert in Las Vegas! What a Riot!
[Arts-and-Entertainment] Howie, of Big Brother 6/7 fame attended his first Air Supply concert and got a chance to sing, and

meet his idols!

# Air Supply in Lakeville, PA 5-13-07 – Continues Love Zone Tour and Enters the ‘Land of Love’
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Music] Air Supply Enters the Land of Love at Caesar’s Cove Haven Resort in the Poconos.

# Air Supply – Interview With Graham Russell 3-24-07 Part II
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Music] Sit down interview with Graham Russell of Air Supply. Niagara Falls, March 2007. Part 1 of 2

# Air Supply – Interview With Graham Russell 3-24-07 Part I
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Music] Sit down interview with Graham Russell of Air Supply. Niagara Falls, March 2007. Part 1 of 2

# Air Supply in Atlantic City 04/21/07
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Music] Air Supply Concert in Atlantic City – Review

# Air Supply – Graham Russell Solo Debut – The Future Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Music] Air Supply’s Graham Russell releases his debut solo CD, The Future. Here’s my review.

# Air Supply in Niagara Falls, Canada 03-23-07 – The Falls Not the Only Sight to See in Niagara
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Music] Review of Air Supply concerts at Avalon Showroom, Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls, Ont.

# Air Supply Love Zone Tour ‘07/’08 Continues In Springfield, Ohio 3/10/07
[Arts-and-Entertainment] Review of Air Supply performance at Clark State Community College Performing Arts Center in

Springfield, Ohio on March 10, 2007