Another World is a guitar-driven foray into the world of hard rock music. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
New Jersey rocker Chris Luciani, founder, and leader of the hard rock band Lucidity, and his label Precision Records have formally announced the release of a brand new solo side-project for the artist. Another World is the eponymous debut single from his solo album of the same name which is now available for purchase. An inquisitive composition that not only externally asks the age-old question of, “Is there really anyone out there?” but also the self-doubting inner conundrum of, “Is there really anyone in here?” Some of the conclusions Luciani arrives at are sure to unsettle quite a few who hear this song. (Mia Mind Music, 2022)
Another World is a guitar-driven foray into the world of hard rock music. Chris works with a flesh and blood ensemble of live musicians who come together to help him forge molten lyrics and metal riffs together to allow the artist to get the heavy edge into the track and take it into the realm of mainstream active rock.
Artist: Chris Luciani Release: Another World Genre: Hard Rock Label: Precision Records
Adrienne King, the original final girl in horror classic Friday the 13th, returns to the horror arena for DeadGirl in Apartment 03. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Adrienne King, the original final girl in horror classic Friday the 13th, returns to the horror arena for DeadGirl in Apartment 03. Dead Girl in Apartment 03 premiered August 9 on digital platforms and is coming to special edition Blu-ray and DVD on November 22 from Wild Eye Releasing. It is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, and AppleTV. (Wild Eye Releasing, 2022)
Dead Girl in Apartment 03– After recently moving to New York City, a young woman is horrified to discover that her roommate has died in their apartment under mysterious circumstances. After her body is taken away by the police, Laura soon feels an unsettling presence in the apartment and paranormal signs that she will soon be the next victim. With the help of a pair of NYC detectives, Laura must uncover the secret behind her roommate’s death before it is too late. Laura Dooling (Blu Bloods), and Michael Schantz (City on a Hill) also star in the film, the latest from cult auteur Kurtis Spieler (cult classic New York Ninja).
Wicked Ones will premiere on Video On Demand this September 13, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
From Wild Eye Releasingand director Tory Jones, and starring Halloween’s Dale Miller, beware Wicked Onesthis September. Morgan Pyle, Chris Hahn, and Lucas Dunaway star in a frighteningly fun mesh of Friday the 13th and The Strangers, Wicked Ones premieres on Video On Demand on September 13 followed be a Special Edition Blu-ray on November 8, 2022. (Wild Eye Releasing, 2022)
Wicked Ones – Evil multiplies in this follow up to 2017’s sleeper hit The Wicked One. Set a decade after the events in the first film, survivors Adam and Alex return to Carpenter Falls with their three children – only to be thrust into another confrontation with The Wicked One and two crazed copy cat killers.
I Dream of a Psychopomp will be on digital on August 19 and on the Kings of Horror Channel on August 26, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Danny Villanueva Jr.‘s supernatural drama I Dream of a Psychopomp premiered on Terror Films channel on August 12 and it will be available on digital August 19 and on the Kings of Horror Channel August 26. Jillian Lebling (Bridge of Spies, The Blacklist), Elohim Peña, Ben Shaul, Peter Knox, Steven Alonte, Kulani Kai, N. Meridian, and Fiona Rose star. (Terror Films Channel, 2022)
I Dream of a Psychopomp – A grieving widower haunted by the distressed ghost of his recently deceased wife is visited in his dreams by a psychopomp, a spirit guide of a living person’s soul, who teaches him about the spirit world and soul guiding through stories of death and the supernatural.
“Creating this film was a way to familiarize myself with death in order to ease some of its force when it knocks. Throughout the editing process, I was the primary caregiver of my dying mother who passed away from stage 4 lung cancer on Memorial Day of 2020. She was such a loving person and truly my best friend. I found my exposure to the subject of death and understanding why it is what it is through creating this film to be helpful through the grieving process. Death has become a taboo subject in American culture. We often avoid conversations about it until it arrives, and when it does, we whisper. I think if we talk more about it, we’ll better understand it, and it can be less devastating when it comes. In a time where we are collectively grieving from the many lives lost during the pandemic, I believe this film is especially relevant today.” – Danny Villanueva, Jr.
Immersive Van Gogh San Antonio is launching a new Immersive Yoga series under The Starry Night beginning Saturday August 20, 2022. Photo: Michael Brosilow, used with permission.
Lighthouse Immersive, producers of the original Immersive Van Gogh exhibition, is partnering with America’s favorite kefir company, Lifeway Foods (Nasdaq: LWAY), to bring San Antonio yoga under TheStarry Night. Beginning Saturday, August 20, patrons of all fitness levels can sign up for Lifeway Kefir Immersive Yoga. The classes will be led by a certified yoga instructor and will take place inside Lighthouse ArtSpace San Antonio (221 Burleson St.). (Lighthouse Immersive, 2022)
Called “a welcome shock to the senses” that is “like leaving the universe” by Insider, people of all fitness levels are welcome to enroll in the 35-min flow yoga. All classes take place within the multi-sensory and all-encompassing Immersive Van Gogh experience. Each workout is designed to challenge the body and inspire the mind; choreographed in harmony with the music, sounds, light and moving images from Van Gogh’s vast catalog of masterpieces. After class, participants are invited to stay and experience the art exhibition around them. All Lifeway Kefir Immersive Yoga participants will receive a nutritious Lifeway Kefir snack, packed with probiotics and probiotics to nourish their microbiome and to recover from their yoga session.
“Lifeway is eager to reintroduce our yoga program in partnership with Lighthouse Immersive. Our company motto, ‘Love Your Guts,’ is emblematic of the need for us to take care of our wellness every single day. A balanced gut microbiome positively influences our mental health, and vice versa. By engaging in the practice of yoga, surrounding ourselves with incredible art, and nourishing the gut with kefir, an ancient probiotic superfood, this unique collaboration is a great way to strengthen the mind-gut connection. Now more than ever, we hope to bring joy to our community with this once-in-a-lifetime immersive wellness experience that intersects movement, sound, art, and light.” – Julie Smolyansky, President and Chief Executive Officer, Lifeway Foods.
Classes are scheduled as follows:
• Saturday, August 20: 8:30a.m. • Sunday, August 21: 10:30a.m. • Saturday, August 27: 8:30a.m. • Sunday, August 28: 10:30a.m. • Saturday, September 3: 8:30a.m. • Sunday, September 4: 10:30a.m. • Saturday, September 10: 9:30a.m. • Sunday, September 11: 9:30a.m. • Saturday, September 17: 9:30a.m. • Sunday, September 18: 9:30a.m. • Saturday, September 24: 9:30a.m. • Sunday, September 25: 9:30a.m.
Admission is $59.99 per person/per class and includes the yoga class experience as well as the Immersive Van Gogh exhibition. Tickets are on-sale now. Guests should arrive dressed for classes and should bring their own yoga mats.
Creative director and Italian film producer Massimiliano Siccardi designed Immersive Van Gogh with original, mood-setting music by Italian multimedia composer Luca Longobardi, who provided a score that combines experimental electronic music with pure, ethereal and simple-seeming piano. Vittorio Guidotti is the Art Director. Wander through entrancing moving images highlighting brushstrokes, detail and color of some of Van Gogh’s most famous works of art. The exhibition includes monumental depictions of Mangeurs de pommes de terre (The Potato Eaters, 1885), Nuit étoilée (Starry Night, 1889), Les Tournesols (Sunflowers, 1888), La Chambre à coucher (The Bedroom, 1889), and so much more.
Lifeway Foods, Inc., which has been recognized as one of Forbes’ Best Small Companies, is America’s leading supplier of the probiotic, fermented beverage known as kefir. In addition to its line of drinkable kefir, the company also produces cheese, probiotic oat milk, and a ProBugs line for kids. Lifeway’s tart and tangy fermented dairy products are now sold across the United States, Mexico, Ireland, France and the United Kingdom.
New menu offerings include Vietnamese coffees, pho, Texas barbecue plates, Southern comfort food and more. The Eastside joint will also be launching weekend brunch pop-ups with guest chefs. Photo: txtroulblemaker, used with permission.
Tucker’s Kozy Korner is excited to announce a complete menu revamp and updated hours with new offerings for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The bar is working with local chefs to develop distinctive food offerings for each of its services so the breakfast, lunch, and dinner experiences are all unique. The Eastside joint will also collaborate with guest chefs on Saturdays and Sundays for brunch pop-ups. The new food offerings will be available starting on Wednesday, August 17, 2022. (Tucker’s Kozy Korner, 2022)
Breakfast offerings include Vietnamese soups with beef, chicken and vegetable options, allowing guests to also add eggs, steamed vegetables, tofu, and more. Guests can also enjoy the beloved breakfast taco, with options like brisket and egg, bacon and egg, and more. Unique coffee offerings include Vietnamese Egg Coffee (pour over coffee with egg and milk custard) and Vietnamese iced coffee.
Local San Antonian Chef Jenny Nguyen developed the Vietnamese menu items. Originally from Vietnam, Jenny came to Texas and worked jobs in various industries while quietly selling her fare on the side to friends. Her menu inspiration comes from her background growing up in Vietnam and adding a little Texas twist. Partnering with Daniels Family Barbecue, Jenny’s soups and phos include Daniels’ famous brisket, chicken and ribs.
Master Chef Charles Daniels, known as Mr. Daniels, has been in the barbecue business for more than thirty years with his wife, Michelle. They have served up authentic pit barbecue and soulful dishes out of his Eastside San Antonio kitchen since the late 1980s. Mr. Daniels developed Tucker’s Kozy Korner’s menu to include breakfast tacos in the morning and traditional barbecue plates for lunch including brisket, chicken, or ribs served with side options like coleslaw, potato salad, borracho beans, green beans or cornbread. During lunch service, Chef Jenny’s pho options of beef, chicken or vegetable will also be available.
Tucker’s Kozy Korner dinner menu is in partnership with Sweet Yams, an Eastside cafe offering a healthy menu with organic, gluten-free, and vegan options. Sweet Yams program at Tucker’s, called “Loretta’s Finest Southern Fried Chicken,” includes Southern fried chicken wings or chicken breast, with side options including garlic mashed potatoes, organic steamed vegetables, Southern red beans, and more.
Hours of operation for Tucker’s Kozy Korner are:
• Closed on Mondays • Tuesday – Thursday: 7a.m – 11p.m. (bar open entire time, kitchen hours below) o Breakfast: 7a.m. – 10:30a.m. o Lunch: 11:30a.m. – 2p.m. o Dinner: 5p.m. – 9:30p.m. Bar remains open until 11p.m. • Friday: 7a.m. – 2a.m. (bar open entire time, kitchen hours below) o Breakfast: 7a.m. – 10:30a.m. o Lunch: 11:30a.m. – 2p.m. o Dinner: 5p.m. – 9:30p.m. Bar remains open until 2a.m. • Saturday: 11a.m. – 2a.m. (bar open entire time, kitchen hours below) o Brunch pop-ups by special guest chefs: 11a.m. – 3p.m. Bar remains open until 2a.m. • Sunday: 11a.m. – 3p.m. o Brunch pop-ups by special guest chefs: 11a.m. – 3p.m.
The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio is hosting auditions on Saturday August 27, 2022. Photo: The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio, used with permission.
The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio is searching for San Antonio’s most talented vocalists, dancers (ballet, tap, folklorico, jazz, hip-hop and contemporary), gymnasts, actors, performing artists, and special needs artists ages 3-19 as they host auditions for the Children’s Nutcracker on Saturday, August 27, 2022. Young artists will have a chance to train with the best of the best and perform in this spectacular professional level production at the grand Lila Cockrell Theatre. The production combines the cherished, traditional holiday ballet with Broadway style musical theatre, showcasing multidisciplinary art to include singing, dancing, acting and more. (The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio, 2022)
The award-winning Children’s Ballet of San Antonio (CBSA) is holding open auditions for The Children’s Nutcracker at the Dance Center of San Antonio on Saturday, August 27, from 12p.m. – 6p.m. Dancers from various disciplines including ballet, tap, folklorico, jazz, hip-hop and contemporary along with gymnasts, actors, vocalists, and performing artists ages 3-19, including those with special needs, are invited to register for an audition time online. All performers will be cast in roles that showcase and highlight their individual talents and strengths and allow them to shine.
The Children’s Nutcracker has become a beloved holiday tradition filled with all the joyful sights and sounds that fans have come to know and love. Taking place at the Lila Cockrell Theatre, on December 9 and 10, this world-class production will have something for the whole family. From a pre-show holiday market to spectacular digital and physical scenery, captivating special effects and interactive elements, The Children’s Nutcracker is designed to make spirits merry and bright.
The Children’s Nutcracker 2022 offers young performers the chance to train with the best of the best, from Master Ballet Teachers to internationally acclaimed dance artist and choreographer David Bagley. Bagley has had the honor of training with over 80 acclaimed dance institutions throughout the world, working alongside celebrities such as Sandra Bullock, Jerry Lewis, Twenty One Pilots, and more. Performers will also have the unique opportunity to work with Vanessa Bessler, former Prima Ballerina, and founder of CBSA. Bessler, who has earned the Youth America Grand Prix Outstanding Teacher Award for the past seven consecutive years, is world-renowned for discovering and cultivating young, local talent. Under her tutelage, these elite artists have had the privilege to train in some of the world’s best academies including the Royal Ballet School in London, the Bolshoi Ballet in Russia, and the School of American Ballet in New York City, to name a few. Through recognition, awards, and scholarships from the most prestigious ballet competitions and schools in the world for many of its dancers, CBSA has elevated San Antonio to the world stage, making it a strong player in the performing arts world.
Awards and accolades aside, what sets CBSA apart is that it is the only professional-level dance company in Texas to offer lead roles to dancers as young as eight-years-old. Designed to bridge the gap between young students and professional dancers, it serves as a gateway for young artists interested in pursuing a professional dance career, pointing their toes in the right direction.
Dance Center of San Antonio 126 W. Rector, Suite 120 San Antonio, TX 78216
‘All Back’ is Ali McGuirk’s prayer for hope and resilience from upcoming album Til It’s Gone due out September 16 via Signature Sounds. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
While soulful songsmith Ali McGuirk loves to dip into a multitude of genres and sub-genres, her upcoming album Til It’s Gone never gets too far away from from its rhythm and blues essence; a well that many artists have drawn from over the years, but few deliver with such a spellbinding conviction as McGuirk. Acting as co-producer along with celebrated folk-blues songwriter Jonah Tolchin, McGuirk let the songs of Til It’s Gone wander from shadowy emotional spaces to big, bad guitar workouts to delicate little confessions. But her bold and buttery voice carries each song to the next until the album’s end. The easy-grooving “All Back” is the first single from Til It’s Gone—out September 16 via Signature Sounds. (Ali McGuirk, 2022)
Fans can watch the music video for “All Back” now and pre-order or pre-saveTil It’s Gone ahead of its September release. On the recommendation of producer Jonah Tolchin, McGuirk traveled from her adopted home of Burlington, Vermont, to the Los Angeles neighborhood of Silver Lake to track much of Til It’s Gone. A sublime set of songs that pairs McGuirk’s trademark soul sound with rootsy turns and raw rock ‘n’ roll detours, the album began to bloom at the L.A. sessions. McGuirk remembers describing to Tolchin the vibe she envisioned for the record. She mentioned something about it being akin to the cool fusion of styles that Little Feat achieved in the ’70s—that funky, twangy, jazzy and thoroughly-authentic feel. Tolchin suggested they just call up legendary Little Feat guitarist/mandolinist Fred Tackett and get him to lay down a few parts. The nine tracks—songs that run from intimate introspection to wider meditations on oppression and justice—succeed because McGuirk has composed dynamic, hypnotic frames for her vocals. Til It’s Gone also features key contributions from McGuirk’s Boston bandmates such as guitar ace Jeffrey Lockhart.
Catch Ali McGuirk on tour: September16 – Nashville, TN – Five Spot (AMERICANAFEST) September17 – Easthampton, MA – Arcadia Music Festival October1 – Albany, NY – The Linda October2 – Portsmouth, NH – The Press Room October5 – Lancaster, PA – Tellus360 October6 – Brooklyn, NY – The Bell House October7 – Somerville, MA – The Crystal Ballroom at the Somerville October8 – New Haven, CT – Cafe Nine October14 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground Lounge October19 – Syracuse, NY – 443 Listening Room October22 – Rochester, NY – The Abilene October23 – Buffalo, NY – Sportsmen’s Tavern October29 – Portland, ME – One Longfellow Square
Growing up just outside Boston, Ali McGuirk does not remember a time when she did not want to be a singer. In her teenage years, she found inspiration from vocalists like Lauryn Hill and Aretha Franklin, eventually gravitating towards powerhouses like Sarah Vaughan and Abbey Lincoln in college. After a couple decades of absorbing ’90s r&b,’70s singer-songwriters, and classic soul and jazz of every era, McGuirk found her own aesthetic: earthy, pure, propelled by a voice capable of whispering dark truths or belting out big hooks on her originals. Boston responded with a wave of love. The Boston Globe named her an “artist to hear.” She racked up nominations and wins at both the Boston Music Awards and New England Music Awards. Her standing-room-only residency at Somerville’s Bull McCabe’s Pub delivered electric performances.
Lilly Winwood’s new album Talking Walls will be out August 25, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Leading up to the writing of her new album, Talking Walls, singer, songwriter, and guitarist Lilly Winwood had all but resigned herself from continuing her music career. Burned out after her last album cycle and in the midst of a pandemic, Winwood took a job to pay the bills—but she could not stop writing. She knew she was on the cusp of something important. When Winwood decided to get sober, the floodgates opened. Talking Walls captures that tumultuous period, with Winwood literally “talking to the walls” as she looked inward with new purpose. Penned over long sleepless nights, with clear eyes and a willingness to ask tough questions, each song takes a different tack into the introspective wind, backed by a minimalist-roots sound. The now East Nashville-based artist (and daughter of Grammy-winning British rocker Steve Winwood) simply wrote her story and brought it to her band at Nashville’s Trace Horse studio—no producer needed. (Lilly Winwood, 2022)
The Boot premiered “Brighter Days,” a swaggering, pedal-steel laden track showcasing Lilly’s soulful voice and the simple, organic feel that the band landed on in the studio. Praising the first single, The Boot said, “Americana standout Lilly Winwood is ready to soak up the moment.” Fans can listen to “Brighter Days,” check out the official video for Winwood’s previously released single, “Sleep Issues,” and pre-order or pre-saveTalking Walls ahead of its August 25 release. Winwood will be joining singer/songwriter Jackie Greene for a selection of late summer dates and will also be joining singer/songwriter Todd Snider for a selection of early fall dates.
Talking Walls track list: Sleep Issues Good Old Days Keep it Spinning Long Haul Airplane A Paper Trail of Broken Hearts Brighter Days Idastoned Laundry Day
Catch Lilly Winwood on tour: September7 – Rocky Mount, VA – Harvester Performance Center* September9 – Norfolk, CT – Infinity Hall Norfolk* September10 – Fall River, MA – Narrows Center for the Arts* September11 – Hartford, CT – Infinity Hall Hartford* September13 – Albany, NY – The Egg – Swyer Theatre* September15 – Fairfield, CT – StageOne* September16 – Natick, MA – Center for Arts In Natick* September17 – Sellersville, PA – Sellersville Theatre* September18 – Wilmington, DE – The Queen* October 13 – Sarasota, FL – Big Top Brewing Company October 14 – Bradenton, FL – Big Top Brewing Company October 20 – Rochester, NY – Abilene Bar & Lounge October 21 – New York, NY – The Bitter End * = opening for Todd Snider
The daughter of Grammy winning British rocker Steve Winwood, Lilly grew up splitting time between the U.K. and Nashville’s neon-lit streets. Back then music was ever present, she says, and whether performing with her older brother, writing teenaged odes to young love or just soaking in her father’s work, it gave Winwood a unique creative perspective – one that felt more in line with Nashville than London. Moving to Music City for good at 18, Winwood soon gravitated to the alternative-minded enclave of East Nashville, and after forming creative partnerships with locals like Boo Ray and Don Gallardo, released her Silver Stage EP in 2017. Time Well Spent followed in 2021, backed by East Nashville household names Alex Munoz and Allen Thompson, earning accolades from tastemakers like Rolling Stone Country as she solidified a go-your-own-way sense of earthy pop.
3Sirens Presents: With Love Part 1 featuring Andrew Combs, Dylan LeBlanc, Caitlin Rose, and more is available now digitally. It is the first of a two part EP series from 3Sirens Music Group; 6-song compilation of artist-chosen cover songs. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
The team behind East Nashville-based independent label and recording studio 3Sirens strives to adhere to a simple mission statement: build community and celebrate great artists all while having a little fun. Revolving around 3Sirens’ physical space/incognito recording studio/creative salon, the record label began as an outlet for the prolific output that artists dream up within its walls.
“Building a 1960s style Laurel Canyon music community or a 1920s Parisian artistic movement, a la Gertrude Stein, has always been the dream of 3Sirens. A nostalgic fantasy perhaps but a good pursuit nonetheless,” say 3Sirens founders and head-dreamers, The Grahams. The beginnings of their efforts will be reaped in the form of 3Sirens Presents: With Love Part 1, a six-song digital mixtape of sorts all in the name of making music and having a good time doing so. Featuring artists like Andrew Combs, Dylan LeBlanc, and Caitlin Rose covering some of their favorite off-the-beaten-path songs from the 80s and 90s, With Love: Part 1 was recorded live with little to no overdubs. Stream and/or save3Sirens Presents: With Love Part 1 now.
The EP’s first single was Andrew Combs’ cover of Radiohead’s “High and Dry,” of which Glide Magazine wrote that he “does a fine job of channeling Thom Yorke while letting his own gorgeously vulnerable vocals shine.” The EP’s second single was The Grahams’ cover of Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You.” Alyssa Graham shares of the recording, “I always always wanted to cover that song. It spoke to me in a way that allowed me to wander through the magical world the band set up.” Hear their version here.
The Grahams also sat down with the Bluegrass Situation to share their intention and inspiration for 3Sirens studio where this project was recorded. Read the full interview here and watch a studio tour of the space here.
Want more of what 3Sirens is cooking up? Americana and alt-country music fans should keep eyes peeled for the upcoming full length from East Nashville hero Derek Hoke, the first official 3Sirens Music Group Artist.
3Sirens Presents: With Love Part 1 track list: “Big Love” by Fleetwood Mac, performed by Dylan LeBlanc “One Way Or Another” by Blondie, performed by Caitlin Rose “High and Dry” by Radiohead, performed by Andrew Combs “Somebody to Shove” by Soul Asylum, performed by Kevin Kinney “Something So Strong” by Crowded House, performed by Derek Hoke “Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star, performed by The Grahams
3Sirens is a gathering spot for creatives and dreamers, a social salon. A studio built with the premise that to be creative one must exist in a creative space. Of course the state of the art gear and the thoughtfully curated collection of vintage and specialty instruments abound but it goes beyond the material into something less tangible. That such a space was dreamt up by lifelong lovers and dreamers, The Grahams, who themselves longed for a space to gather, to create art and play music, to collaborate, to stretch out and explore the “impossible,” and to let the intangible and unexplainable just happen. 3Sirens is a living, breathing space in East Nashville, Tennessee made better and more storied by each artist who creates within its walls. Welcome.
SA Examiner 