Category: Entertainment News

Amazing Radio USA celebrates World Music Day on June 21

Amazing Radio celebrates World Music Day with genre-jumping and globe-spanning programming on June 21. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

In the spirit of legendary border blasting jockey Wolfman Jack and renowned longtime BBC Radio One DJ John Peel, Amazing Radio’s mission, in its simplest form, is to turn listeners on to amazing music and support the musicians making it. Part curated music discovery platform and part artist-friendly incubator, Amazing Radio was the first to spin Alt-J, Haim, The 1975, Dua Lipa, and many more, and on June 21—World Music Day—the team at Amazing Radio will spend the day sharing songs created by artists from over 100 countries around the globe. Throughout the day, listeners will hear playlists packed with artists from Amazing Radio’s incredible indie-spirited roster, compiled and played by a few of Amazing’s finest DJs; Mike Savage, Charlie Ashcroft, and Dominick Martinez. In an official statement, Amazing Radio has encouraged listeners to “Hear music of all genres, and learn about what could be your next favorite act!” DJ shows will begin at 3p.m. Eastern/Noon Pacific on Monday June 21, 2021. Listen all day online. (Amazing Radio, 2021)

Special DJ shows:
Mike Savage – 3p.m. Eastern/Noon Pacific
Charlie Ashcroft – 7p.m. Eastern/4 p.m. Pacific
Dominick Martinez – 9p.m. Eastern/6p.m. Pacific

Amazing America is a US-based music business 100% focused on helping new and emerging musicians. It operates Amazing Radio and CMJ, which together have more than fifty years’ experience of helping the world’s best new musicians get the break they deserve.

Mike Savage is the Director, Talent & Programming for amazing and hosts Amazing Radio USA’s “Amazing USA Chart Show.” He is a 25-year music business veteran with a well-rounded knowledge of the music, entertainment, broadcasting, and new media industries. Prior to joining amazing, Savage was the Los Angeles-based Artist and Partner Relations Manager for TuneCore, where he contributed to the digital distribution company’s record-breaking year of client growth. Mike has held on-air and programming positions on terrestrial radio stations in major markets including New York, Los Angeles, and San Diego, and for several years was the host of the internationally-syndicated “World Chart Show” for Radio Express.

Charlie Ashcroft is based in London, England and has been on air in the UK at Amazing Radio since joining the station in 2009. Away from his radio work with Amazing, he oversees BT TV’s SVOD content, curates playlists, runs an indie club night called ‘Somebody Told Me,’ and writes a monthly column for Record Collector Magazine.

Dominick Martinez is a music lover living in Austin, Texas. He has spent years as a touring musician, working in music venues and festivals, as well as documenting live music through photography – all while maintaining a passion for discovering new sounds near and far from home. Since joining Amazing Radio USA in the spring of 2021, Dominick has found a new way to discover and share emerging artists from across the globe. Join Dominick on World Music Day to hear from incredible artists all around the world on Amazing Radio USA.

“The talent that’s been uploading music to the Amazing Radio website is incredible. We’re really excited to put a spotlight on so many great new artists from so many different parts of the world. Metal from Serbia, pop from Israel, indie-garage-rock from Italy, we’ve even found a British artist of Asian descent, living in Spain and working with a Colombian producer—how’s that for an international act! This will be a really great day of music discovery, and reinforces our mantra: Amazing Radio is where talent gets noticed.” -Mike Savage, Director of Talent & Programming.

2021-06-21T13:15:00

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World Music Day

Full lineup of Porch Pride’s Juneteenth: A Rainbow Revival

Non-profit Bluegrass Pride and Decolonizing the Music Room partner on event to spotlight contributions of Black LGBTQ+ folks to the Pride Movement and roots music. Photo: google

Bluegrass Pride (BGP) and Decolonizing the Music Room (DTMR) are proud to announce Porch Pride’s third weekend, Juneteenth: A Rainbow Revival, a virtual festival event which will take place on Saturday, June 19, at 3p.m. PDT / 6p.m. EDT. Hosted by Stephanie Anne Johnson and featuring performances by Sunny War, Yasmin Williams, Jackie & Resa, and Jake Blount, the event will spotlight the vital contributions of Black folks to the modern queer rights movement, to LGBTQ+ Pride, and to American roots music — none of which would exist without Black queer folks, Black trans folks, and Black non-binary folks.  (Bluegrass Pride, 2021)

Co-produced by DTMR executive director Brandi Waller-Pace and BGP board member Lillian Werbin of Elderly Instruments, Juneteenth: A Rainbow Revival will honor the holiday that marks the anniversary of the executive order that followed the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all remaining enslaved people in this country. The festival is a reverent reminder of those who waited over two years to hear the truth about their emancipation; and a reminder that Black voices, Black contributions, and Black musicians created, innovated, and transformed American roots music to create the fantastic depth and breadth of Black American music that we all enjoy and benefit from today.

The power of partnership and community building has made Juneteenth: A Rainbow Revival possible; Bluegrass Pride reached out to non-profit Decolonizing the Music Room to collaborate on the program. “As someone who has worked with both BGP and DTMR, it is an honor to assist in the creation of Juneteenth: A Rainbow Revival,” says Lillian Werbin. “Both organizations view Black contributions to music, history, and culture as invaluable and are delighted to celebrate them during Porch Pride.”

As the music industry navigates out of the COVID pandemic, both organizations are focused on highlighting Black LGBTQ+ roots musicians and generating financial support for their work, while also providing safer, more representative spaces for the bluegrass community to gather. While all Porch Pride events are FREE to view and attend, audience members are encouraged to donate to support not only the musicians on the lineup, but also the ongoing work of BGP and DTMR. Donate here.

Juneteenth: A Rainbow Revival has also been made possible by generous gifts from Ear Trumpet Labs and Elderly Instruments, as well as being a recipient of the IBMA Foundation’s Arnold Schultz Fund Grant.

Watch Juneteenth: A Rainbow Revival on June 19, 2021 at 3p.m. PDT / 6p.m. EDT on the Bluegrass Pride website, YouTube channel, or Facebook page. 

Porch Pride is the headline fundraising event for Bluegrass Pride, raising more than $22,000 in its first year. All of the event’s virtual programs are free to view and attend – and will be available to view on BGP’s website and channels after air – members, fans, followers, and listeners are encouraged to donate to support the musicians performing on Porch Pride, as well as the ongoing work of BGP. 

Porch Pride is taking place all month long June 2021. Kicked off on Sunday, June 6 with Lavender Country Live!, the event will continue over the course of Pride month featuring performances by folks like Rainbow Girls, Gangstagrass, Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Jake Blount, Sunny War, and many more, plus a virtual Bluegrass Pride Brunch and open house, a beginner-friendly jam-along, and so much more.

See a full schedule of upcoming events below:

June 19, 2021 at 3p.m. PDT / 6p.m. EDT – Juneteenth: A Rainbow Revival, featuring Sunny War, Jake Blount, Yasmin Williams, Jackie & Resa, and Stephanie Anne Johnson. An evening of musical performances curated by Brandi Pace of non-profit Decolonizing the Music Room that will highlight the essential contributions of Black queer, trans, and non-binary folks to roots music and the Pride movement.

June 26 & 27, 2021 at 3p.m. PDT / 6p.m. EDT – Porch Pride: 5th Anniversary Celebration. Our headline festival returns celebrating five years of Bluegrass Pride and featuring performances by:

Saturday, June 26:
Mya Byrne
Ben Garnett
Crys Matthews
BOOJUM
Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
Gangstagrass

Sunday, June 27:
Willi Carlisle
Maddie Witler
Amanda Fields
Hasee Ciaccio & Friends
Stephanie Anne Johnson
Rainbow Girls

Bluegrass Pride: Our mission is to recruit, encourage, and support LGBTQ+ bluegrassers of all levels, promoting their advancement and acceptance within all areas of the bluegrass music industry and musical community. We aim to uplift the genre of bluegrass as a whole to receive LGBTQ+ folks openly, and to promote allyship with all marginalized peoples within the industry and musical community. We do so by creating opportunities for community building and resources for musical skill development, such as concerts, jam sessions, showcases, festivals, parades, tutorials, recording, and more! Bluegrass Pride is a Section 501(c)(3) charitable organization, EIN 83-3224672. All donations are deemed tax-deductible absent any limitations on deductibility applicable to a particular taxpayer.

Decolonizing the Music Room: Decolonizing the Music Room is a nonprofit organization using research, training, and discourse to help music educators develop critical practices and center BBIA (Black, Brown, Indigenous, and Asian) voices, knowledge, and experiences in the field of music education.

EG Vines announces sophomore album ‘Through the Mirror’

EG Vines’ rock-driven sophomore effort Through the Mirror out August 27. First single is ‘The Royal Diplomat.’ Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Nashville’s up-and-coming EG Vines has been on quite the ride over the last few years. After quitting his corporate rat race job to pursue music full time and releasing his much talked about debut, Family Business, in 2019—Billboard, NPR, and Rolling Stone all had nice things to say—Vines finally had a moment to reach for those creative corners of his mind previously undiscovered. Quitting his job allowed Vines to pour more of himself into his music, and his brand new full-length album Through the Mirror is a testament to the positive effect this has had. Set to be released on August 27, Through the Mirror is part indie rock nirvana—the state of being more so than the band—and part reaction to an uber-politicized world. (EG Vines, 2021)

Vines’ hometown radio station, Nashville’s legendary, independent Lightning 100, recently shared the first taste of music from Through the Mirror, “The Royal Diplomat” and V13 spotlighted the album and new single. “’The Royal Diplomat’ was one of those that I kind of blacked out whilst writing it,” recalls Vines. “I remember coming up with that guitar riff in the turnaround and belting out ‘Never spoken,’ but that’s about it.” Musically, Vines and the band may have been channeling the Smashing Pumpkins or The Bends era Radiohead. Fans can listen to “The Royal Diplomat” right now at this link.

Much of Through the Mirror—which was recorded locally at Nashville’s Skinny Elephant Recording with co-producer Dylan Alldredge—sees Vines drawing inspiration from punk and alt-rock favorites from his youth; both musically and socially. Vines delivers his own views against biting riffs and pulsing drums while encouraging listeners to critically engage with the world around them to inform their own ways of thinking, drawing on his love of Jason Isbell and Bob Dylan as inspirations for his storytelling. Calling the album a Rorschach test for the modern world, Vines delivers his messages through a wide array of subjects on his songs, from American history to what theoretical alien visitors might think when they arrive on Earth.  

Through The Mirror track list:

  1. Am I Dreaming
  2. Good Enough
  3. The Royal Diplomat
  4. King Of The Rat Race
  5. Them
  6. Meat On My Eyes
  7. Ride
  8. Waiting On The Aliens
  9. Peace In This World
  10. Every Star

Catch EG Vines On Tour:
June 4 – Chattanooga, TN – Wanderlinger Brewing Company
June 12 – Knoxville, TN – Preservation Pub
June 13 – Atlanta, GA – Sundown Series
June 19 – Nashville, TN – Exit/In
July 10 – Newport, KY – Southgate House
July 31 – Berwyn, IL – Fitzgerald’s
Aug 14 – Nashville, TN – Tomato Art Fest

‘Them’ by EG Vines

2021-08-27T12:54:00

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Umphrey’s McGee new studio album

Umphrey’s McGee get the show started with a new studio album. Photo: google

The music of Umphrey’s McGee unfolds like an unpredictable conversation between longtime friends. Its six participants—Brendan Bayliss [guitar, vocals], Jake Cinninger [guitar, vocals], Joel Cummins [keyboards, piano, vocals], Andy Farag [percussion], Kris Myers [drums, vocals], and Ryan Stasik [bass]—know just how to communicate with each other on stage and in the studio. A call of progressive guitar wizardry might elicit a response of soft acoustic balladry, or a funk groove could be answered by explosive percussion. At any moment, heavy guitars can give way to heavier blues as the boys uncover the elusive nexus between jaw-dropping instrumental virtuosity and airtight songcraft. On July 16, Umphrey’s McGee will release twelve fan-favorite intro songs on an album called You Walked Up Shaking In Your Boots But You Stood Tall And Left A Raging Bull. This instrumental album is comprised of fist-pumping, genre-spanning “intros” originally conceived as “walk-on” music for their live shows. (Umphrey’s McGee, 2021)

Fans were recently treated to an early listen of the single “Leave Me Las Vegas,” which made its live debut at Workplay Soundstage in Birmingham, Alabamaphrey’s on March 5, 2009. A filtered drum-machine intro turns unison-riff heavy right off the bat before the dissonant guitar theme rears its head. There is a chunky weight to “Leave Me Las Vegas,” but among the distorted guitars, the foundational groove never wavers. Like most of the songs on You Walked Up Shaking In Your Boots But You Stood Tall And Left A Raging Bull, “Leave Me Las Vegas” climbs and climbs on an upward, sometimes intense trajectory; something the members of Umphrey’s channeled impeccably during their pandemic-driven long-distance, remote recording sessions. Fans can listen to “Leave Me Las Vegas” now and pre-order or pre-save You Walked Up Shaking In Your Boots But You Stood Tall And Left A Raging Bull ahead of its July 16 release right here.

Umphrey’s McGee is a touring powerhouse, performing 85+ shows per year, headlining annual shows across the US including Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado and the Beacon Theatre in New York. Umphrey’s is a constant US festival staple, with performances at major events including Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Rothbury, and Bonnaroo, as well as international festivals Fuji Rock Festival (Japan), and Byron Bay Blues Festival (Australia). The band hosts their own festival in Illinois, Summer Camp Music Festival, where they perform three nights and have hosted the likes of Primus, Jane’s Addiction, Thievery Corporation, and Willie Nelson, to name a few. Umphrey’s McGee has also hosted and headlined Jam in the Dam, a three-night mini-festival at the Melkweg in Amsterdam.

You Walked Up Shaking In Your Boots But You Stood Tall And Left A Raging Bull is only a part of what Umphrey’s McGee has been working on over the course of the last year off from touring. 

You Walked Up Shaking In Your Boots But You Stood Tall And Left A Raging Bull Track list:
Catshot
There’s No Crying In Mexico
Leave Me Las Vegas
Depth Charge
You Got The Wrong Guy
Tango Mike
Nipple Trix
Le Blitz
Le Sac
Gurgle
Restrung
October Rain

Catch Umphrey’s McGee On Tour:
June 18 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
June 19 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
June 20 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
June 25 – Lafayette, NY – Apple Valley Park
June 26 – Lafayette, NY – Apple Valley Park
June 27 – Woodstock, NY – Levon Helm Studios
June 29 – Frederick, MD – Showtime At The Drive-In
June 30 – Frederick, MD – Showtime At The Drive-In
July 1-4- Scranton, PA – The Peach Music Festival
July 9 – Pelham, TN – The Caverns Outdoor Amphitheater
July 10 – Pelham, TN – The Caverns Outdoor Amphitheater
August 5 – Wilmington, NC – Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
August 6 – Beech Mountain, NC – Beech Mountain Summer Series
August 7 – Beech Mountain, NC – Beech Mountain Summer Series
August 8 – Birmingham, AL – Avondale Brewing Company

 

2021-07-16T13:58:00

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The Public Theater of San Antonio announces 2021-2022 season

The Public Theater of San Antonio’s 2021 – 2022 season announcement. Photo: The Public Theater of San Antonio

Live theater is back in San Antonio and The Public Theater of San Antonio recently announced their 2021 – 2022 season. Ticket information is available online. (The Public Theater of San Antonio, 2021)

tick, tick…BOOM! – September 10 to October 17
His girlfriend wants to get married and move out of the city, his best friend is making big bucks on Madison Avenue and, yet, Jon is still waiting on tables and trying to write the great American musical. Set in 1990, this compelling story of personal discovery is presented as a rock musical filled with instantly appealing melodies and a unique blend of musical theatre styles.

Plaid Tidings – November 19 to December 19
At first, Francis, Jinx, Smudge, and Sparky are not sure why they have returned to Earth for another posthumous performance, but a phone call from the heavenly Rosemary Clooney lets them know that they are needed to put a little harmony into a discordant world. Sprinkled among the Christmas offerings are audience favorites, like their riotous three-minute-and-eleven-second version of The Ed Sullivan Show – this time, featuring the Rockettes, the Chipmunks and The Vienna Boys Choir, as well as a Plaid Caribbean Christmas that puts the “Day-O” in Excelsis.

35MM: A Musical Exhibition – January 14 to February 20
A picture is worth 1,000 words — what about a song? Can a picture inspire a song or fifteen? In 35mm, each photo creates a unique song, moments frozen in time; a glimmer of a life unfolding, a glimpse of something happening. A stunning new multimedia musical which explores a groundbreaking new concept in musical theatre. This intricately woven collection of stories told through song re-imagines what the modern American musical can be.

She Loves Me – March 25 to May 1
Set in a 1930s European perfumery, we meet shop clerks, Amalia and Georg, who, more often than not, do not see eye to eye. After both respond to a “lonely hearts advertisement” in the newspaper, they now live for the love letters that they exchange, but the identity of their admirers remains unknown. Join Amalia and Georg to discover the identity of their true loves… and of all the twists and turns along the way.

A Bronx Tale The Musical – May 20 to June 26
Based on the critically acclaimed play that inspired the now classic film, this streetwise musical will take you to the stoops of the Bronx in the 1960s—where a young man is caught between the father he loves and the mob boss he’d love to be. Featuring a book by Academy Award nominee Chazz Palminteri, music by Oscar, Grammy, and Tony Award winner Alan Menken, and lyrics by Grammy Award winner and Oscar and Tony Award nominee Glenn Slater, A Bronx Tale is a story about respect, loyalty, love, and above all else: family.

Once On This Island – July 15 to August 21
Ti Moune, a peasant girl, rescues a wealthy boy from the other side of the island, Daniel, with whom she falls in love. Unbeknownst to Ti Moune, the pompous gods who preside over the island make a bet with one another over which is stronger, love or death, the stakes being Ti Moune’s life. When she pursues Daniel, who has returned to his people, Ti Moune is shunned because of her lowly status. Her determination and capacity to love, though, is not enough to win Daniel’s heart, and Ti Moune pays the ultimate price; but the gods turn Ti Moune into a tree that grows so strong and so tall, it breaks the wall that separates the societies and ultimately unites them.

Krause’s Café & Biergarten welcomes summer with free live music

The New Braunfels-based restaurant will host an array of live bands in June. Photo: Krause’s Café & Biergarten, used with permission.

Krause’s Café & Biergarten is hosting a variety of live music throughout June including The Dirty River Jazz Band (June 11), crowd favorite the Lederhosen Junkies (June 19), Reggae Festival featuring Mighty Mystic and Jah Sun & The Rising Tide (June 24), Julian Escobedo (June 26), and more. Below is a condensed list of exciting June happenings at Krause’s Café & Biergarten. A full list of upcoming events is available online. (Krause’s Café & Biergarten, 2021)

The Dirty River Jazz Band – Friday, June 11
The Dirty River Jazz Band brings their swinging sounds of New Orleans Jazz back to Krause’s Café. The show starts at 7p.m. Guests can enjoy German-inspired fare from Krause’s full food and drink menu while listening to this eclectic band’s toe tapping sound. This event is free and open to the public.

Rochelle & The Sidewinders – Friday, June 18
Rochelle & The Sidewinders is an award-winning, high-energy blues band based out of Austin Texas, and will rock the Krause’s Biergarten at 7p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

Lederhosen Junkies – Saturday, June 19
Enjoy live music all day with New Braunfels favorite the Lederhosen Junkies, this dynamic accordionist will take the stage at 2p.m. Stay for the day and enjoy an evening performance by the Off The Grid Band at 6p.m. This high-energy band plays a variety of music styles including country, classic rock, Cajun, and zydeco. This event is free and open to the public.

Reggae Festival – Thursday, June 24
Krause’s Café & Biergarten is proud to host Reggae Festival featuring Mighty Mystic and Jah Sun & The Rising Tide. Mighty Mystic will groove audiences with their universal sounds and bring good vibes to the stage from 4:30p.m. to 6:30p.m. Enjoy the celebrated sound of California Reggae artist Jah Sun & The Rising Tide from 7p.m. to 10p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

Soul Sessions – Friday, June 25
Guests are invited to experience the funky fresh sounds of Soul Sessions, a unique group of Central Texas’ top R&B, Soul, and Funk musicians taking the Krause’s stage at 7p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

Julian Escobedo – Saturday, June 26
Julian Escobedo will headline the Krause’s stage at 7p.m. He is best known for his 11 year run playing bass, singing background, writing and arranging for Grammy Award winning Tejano/Country star, Emilio Navaira. This event is free and open to the public.

Krause’s Café & Biergarten is a New Braunfels historic restaurant opened in 1938 and successfully run until 1995. Today, Krause’s Café honors the previous traditions of the restaurant with the addition of a ‘biergarten,’ live music, and more. The menu reflects New Braunfels’ German heritage as well as South Texas flavors. Over 70 beers are available on tap with local, regional, and international options. The restaurant also features cocktails and wines on tap. Krause’s Café is located at 186 S Castell Ave, New Braunfels, TX 78130, next to the popular New Braunfels Farmers Market.

Jah Sun & The Rising Tide. Courtesy photo

New album release: Parallax – Awaken

The full length album Awaken from Parallax is available now on all streaming platforms. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Hailing from the Air Capitol, Wichita Kansas, Parallax is here to disrupt traditional sound of modern heavy metal with their distinctive mashup of chaotic yet atmospheric Groove, Hardcore, Tech, Death, Alternative, and Nu-Metal. Their newest release Awaken, is a concept album about one’s descent into evil and madness. The character finds himself infected with a demonic parasite that brings about the destruction of planet Earth. The full length album was self-produced, recorded, and mixed by guitarist Jason Catlett and Parallax at Magnitude Creative Recording Studio in Wichita, Kansas while mastering duties were handled by legendary mastering engineer, Alan Douches at West West Side Music in New York. Alan is known for his work with the bands Dillinger Escape Plan, Every Time I Die, Converge, and Mastodon. (Parallax, 2021)

** Parallax has just announced a brand new live show date. They will be playing at The Cotillion in Wichita, KS on Thursday August 26 supporting Trivium along with Revisionist. Tickets are on sale now here.

The band will follow up the December 2020 release of Awaken’s heavily streamed lead off track “Hands” with the premiere of their anticipated music video for the official second single, “Esoteric” on July 30, 2021. The full length album, Awaken from Parallax is available now on all streaming platforms.

Since forming in December 2015, Parallax has released 3 EPs, including 2016’s In The Path Of A Cannibalistic Galaxy and 2018’s Disease & Disposition. In late 2019 the band signed with Fine Swine Records and began working on their newest album, Awaken.

Awaken Track listing:
1. Awaken (03:03)
2. Descent (03:12)
3. Sleep (04:19)
4. Solstice (03:07)
5. Blood Moon (04:05)
6. Hands (03:03)
7. Symbiotic (03:03)
8. Esoteric (04:19)

Parallax is:
Nick Hale – Vocals
Jason Catlett – Guitar
Mike Reed – Bass/Vocals
Clayton Gossett – Drums/Vocals

Parallax – Hands

David Ferguson to release ‘Nashville No More’ on Fat Possum Records

Legendary producer David Ferguson steps out of the control room and up to the microphone to make his own album Nashville No More. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

David Ferguson’s name frequently comes up when one starts to dig into who is behind Nashville’s most revered recordings of the last 40 years. A Grammy Award-winning recording engineer, studio owner, video game soundtrack composer, and collaborator with the likes of Johnny Cash, John Prine, and Sturgill Simpson, there is one title Ferguson has never been called until now – a recording artist. That is all about to change with his upcoming, star-studded release on Fat Possum Records, Nashville No More. Out September 3, Nashville No More finds Ferguson—better known around town as “Fergie”—exiting the control room and entering the spotlight with a self-produced, ten-song collection that will erase any doubt about his lack of history as the name on the marquee. (Fat Possum Records, 2021)

This is no greenhorn debut album, but a long-marinated and much-awaited reveal of a warm and familiar voice of a generation. Fans were recently treated to the first track from Nashville No More, the sweet fiddle and steel waltz of “Knocking Around Nashville.” The Pat McLaughlin-penned song has swirled around in Ferguson’s mind for a couple of decades now. “I’ve known this song since I recorded the first demo on it in the mid-90s,” he says. After his famed studio, The Butcher Shoppe, closed in 2020 when the entire property was sold, the weight of the song grew in Ferguson. “It just seems to become more relevant with every day that passes.” Fans can hear “Knocking Around Nashville” now at this link and can pre-order or pre-save Nashville No More ahead of its September 3 release right here.

The company Ferguson keeps on Nashville No More speaks much more highly of him than written words in promo materials can. Bluegrass power couple Sierra Hull and Justin Moses lend their voice and instrumental prowess to album closer “Hard Times Come Again No More” and reigning Americana queen Margo Price jumps in on the country-meets-bossa nova feel of “Chardonnay.” But it keeps going beyond those featured tracks—the entirety of Nashville No More’s roster is A-lister after A-lister. Bluegrass fans will easily pick out the playing of Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Béla Fleck, Ronnie McCoury, and Tim O’Brien, to name a few, and the more guitar-minded will catch the six-string picking and strumming of Dan Auerbach, Mark Howard, Billy Sanford, and Kenny Vaughan. Add in Nashville studio greats like Russ Pahl on pedal steel, Sam Bacco on percussion, Mike Rojas on keyboards, and Mike Bub and Dave Roe on bass, and the end result is a mutual admiration society of taste and respect not equaled in most Nashville recordings of today. All of those instruments and all of those people are in turn enveloped by Ferguson’s resonant baritone singing his favorite songs and the results are breathtaking.

Nashville No More Track list:
Four Strong Winds
Boats to Build
Fellow Travelers
Nights With You
Looking for Rainbows
Chardonnay
Early Morning Rain
Knocking Around Nashville
My Autumns Done Come
Hard Times Come Again No More

David Ferguson – Knocking Around Nashville
2021-09-03T12:29:00

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Release of David Ferguson’s Nashville No More

Rising Appalachia’s surprising new album release

Rising Appalachia channel rush of inspiration on surprise new release The Lost Mystique of Being in the Know. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Sisters Leah Song and Chloe Smith, known musically as Rising Appalachia, are stewards for their earth and its peoples as well as musicians. Framing their foundation of traditional American music with West African n’goni and Celtic-Irish fiddle, Rising Appalachia have landed on something that has the potential to grow its own roots, rather than leaning on one particular past—folk music from different corners of the world all working together as one, used as a sharpened tool for cultural and environmental preservation and education. Their most recent album, Leylines, has been a defining record for the sister-led band, garnering praise from a wide swath of critics and solidifying their place in the greater Americana musical movement. (Rising Appalachia, 2021)

BrooklynVegan called “Speak Out,” one of the album’s standout tunes featuring Ani DiFranco, “an appealing dose of fiddle-fueled folk and close harmonies.” NPR praised album closer, “Resilient,” as an “uplifting, original folk anthem” and Rolling Stone called their sound “protest music for the modern age bolstered by delicate, skillful musicianship and otherworldly vocal harmonies.” On May 21, Rising Appalachia surprised fans with the release of The Lost Mystique of Being in the Know, a full-length album of new music dreamt up and recorded simultaneously after having not seen each other in over 10 months. This new collection of nine songs is abstract; a concept album which the band calls “the most dynamic fun we have ever had in the studio.” Rising Appalachia—Leah Song, Chloe Smith, Biko Casini, Arouna Diara, Duncan Wickel, and David Brown—removed themselves from the outcome, let the songs lead, and were rewarded with a gorgeous snapshot of not just the music, but the time and circumstance that forged it. Fans can stream or purchase the entirety of The Lost Mystique of Being in the Know right now at this link.

The Lost Mystique of Being in the Know Track list:
Catalyst
Ngoni
Silver
Tempest
Lost Girl
Top Shelf
Clay
Keep Going
Depth

Rising Appalachia – Resilient

Summer events at the Briscoe Western Art Museum

The Briscoe’s Sculpture Garden at night. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.

Summer fun takes on a Hollywood flavor as the Briscoe Western Art Museum showcases the cinematic art and storytelling of the Western. From an actual red carpet, velvet ropes and the unmistakable smell of popcorn to film clips rolling throughout the exhibition, the Briscoe transforms into a 1960s movie theater for its new exhibition, Still in the Saddle: A New History of the Hollywood Western, now at the Briscoe until September 6, 2021. To add even more blockbuster fun to the exhibition, the museum is hosting a stellar line-up of programming and events to further bring the Hollywood Western to life. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2021)

Summer of Cinema Events Line Up:

Trivia with a Western Twist
Wild West Trivia at the Briscoe
Friday, June 11, 7p.m. – 9 p.m.

Enjoy a fun night of Western trivia and test your smarts at the Briscoe’s first Wild West Trivia Night. Bring your friends to create a team or join a table of soon-to-be-friends and test your Western smarts. Teams will revel in some friendly competition to score prizes while enjoying food, beer, and wine under the stars in the McNutt Sculpture Garden. Gather your posse, grab margaritas from La Gloria’s margarita truck onsite and see who ends the night still in the saddle, with the top three teams taking home prizes. Participants must be 21 to attend. Tickets are $10 for members, $25 for future members, and include two drink tickets.

Popcorn, Beer and Cinematic Art: Summer Film Series

Perfectly paired with the exhibition, the Briscoe’s popular Summer Film Series returns with an eye toward the West. The Summer Film Series features an iconic film on the third Sunday of each summer month, with Briscoe guest curator Dr. Andrew Patrick Nelson introducing each movie and explaining how it relates to Still in the Saddle. Nelson, the guest curator of Still in the Saddle, is a historian of American cinema and culture, film programmer, museum curator, and media commentator, as well as the Chair of the Department of Film and Media Arts and Associate Professor of Film Studies at the University of Utah and the author and editor of numerous books and essays on Western cinema.

Each film is free with museum general admission and as always, museum members enjoy the museum and movie for free. Briscoe Summer Cinema passes include three films for $25 or enjoy all five films for $50 and receive an individual museum membership, granting you unlimited access to the Briscoe’s exhibitions and programming throughout the year. Tickets are available online, while Summer Cinema passes are available by calling 210.299.4499.

Father’s Day Special “Little Big Man”
Sunday, June 20, 1p.m.

Bring Dad to an afternoon at the movies with a Texas twist: a side of barbecue and whiskey. Father’s Day is Locals Day at the Briscoe, where all Bexar County residents receive half off of general admission. Enjoy the museum and the movie for $6. Treat Dad like a king with a free whiskey tasting from Ranger Creek Whiskey and free Ranger Creek Beer, perfect to wash down the fantastic barbecue onsite. Then enjoy the 1970 classic, “Little Big Man”, the story of Jack Crabb, looking back from extreme old age, telling the tale of his life being raised by Native Americans and fighting with General Custer.

“True Grit”
Sunday, July 18, 1p.m.

Grab a beer with The Duke and enjoy 1969’s “True Grit”, where John Wayne’s performance as U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn earned him an Oscar. Popcorn, candy, and free beer from Ranger Creek, alongside fantastic food truck fare, make it a perfect way to enjoy a classic.

“The Long Riders”
Sunday, August 22, 1p.m.

Escape the August heat with an afternoon at the movies with 1980’s “The Long Riders”. Grab your brother and watch real-life brothers portray the Jesse James gang in a sympathetic portrayal of the brothers who begin their legendary bank raids because of revenge. Brothers James and Stacy Keach star as Jesse and Frank James; David, Keith and Robert Carradine play Cole, Jim and Bob Younger; Dennis and Randy Quaid play Ed and Clell Miller, and Christopher and Nicholas Guest play Charlie and Bob Ford.

“The Shootist”
Sunday, September 5, 1p.m.

Close out the summer with John Wayne in his final film role in 1976’s “The Shootist”. Wayne portrays a dying gunfighter spends his last days looking for a way to die with a minimum of pain and a maximum of dignity. Still in the Saddle closes on Labor Day and this last film of the summer series is a great way for a fantastic exhibition to ride off into the sunset.

Cinematic Books

Briscoe Virtual Book Club: “True Grit” by Charles Portis
Tuesday, July 6, 6:30p.m.

The museum’s virtual book club will focus on titles that have become blockbuster movies including “True Grit” by Charles Portis in July, then “Blood Meridian” by Cormack McCarthy in September. There is no charge to participate in the book club.

An oasis of Western beauty just off the River Walk, the McNutt Sculpture Garden and the museum grounds feature 32 sculptures portraying various aspects of Western life. Inside the museum’s beautifully restored historic home inside the former San Antonio Public Library building, the Briscoe’s collection spans 14 galleries, with special exhibitions, events and a fantastic museum store, providing art, culture, history and entertainment. Museum hours, parking and admission details are available online. Per the latest CDC guidelines, vaccinated guests are welcome to enjoy the museum and Jack Guenther Pavilion without a mask. The Briscoe respectfully requests all non-vaccinated guests wear face coverings.