Solar Haze’s The Solar Age will be out July 16, 2021. Photo: google
Southern California’s heavy rock / metal trio Solar Haze will release their mind altering EP The Solar Age on July 16, 2021 via Metal Assault Records. Pre-orders for The Solar Age began on June 18 and the band released their official music video for the single and EP lead off track, “The Solar Age.” In celebration of their forthcoming release, Solar Haze will perform at “Blunt Force Trauma Fest,” a virtual mini festival experience presented by Ebony Jeanette PR & Metal Assault Records streaming July 16 via YouTube. More details about the virtual festival are available online. (Solar Haze, 2021)
Solar Haze is: Guitar/Vocals/Bass Guitar: Stephen Falla Guitar: Ross Cowan Drums/Percussion: Ryan Michael Falla
The end is near, The Solar Age is here. Metal Assault Records will release the eagerly awaited EP The Solar Age from Southern California heavy rock / metal group Solar Haze on July 16, 2021. The three-track, 18-minute EP was produced by Eddie Vasquez (of San Diego based band Tzimani) and includes violent sequences that may induce frequent night-terrors and sudden mood swings which can cause bouts of severe irritability or thoughts of violence. Do not be alarmed if you receive frequent home visitations from mysterious individuals in black, phone calls from numbers with no area codes, or voices in your head that seem to be of foreign origin. These are common side effects that come with indulging in The Solar Age.
Suzanne Santo’s sophomore release features Gary Clark, Jr and Shakey Graves and blends Americana, Southern-gothic soul, and forward-thinking rock and roll. The first single “Bad Beast” is out now. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Yard Sale, the sophomore solo album from the now Austin, TX-based Suzanne Santo, is the musical equivalent of a homeowner’s purging of old possessions in order to clear up some much-needed room. Releasing August 27 via Soundly Music, the album marks the moment where Santo makes peace with her past and embraces a better, bolder present. A tireless creator, Santo has built her sound in the grey area between Americana, Southern-gothic soul, and forward-thinking rock & roll. It is a sound that nods to her past—a childhood spent in the Rust Belt which is also where she learned to love a yard sale; a decade logged as a member of the L.A.-based duo HoneyHoney; the acclaimed solo album, Ruby Red, of which Paste called “shameless, self-aware dialogue that opens the door for conversation that leads to real healing;” and the world tour that took her from Greece to Glastonbury as a member of Hozier’s band—while still exploring new territory. With Yard Sale, Santo boldly moves forward, staking her claim once again as an Americana innovator. It is an album inspired by the past, written by an artist who is only interested in the here-and-now. And for Suzanne Santo, the here-and-now sounds pretty good. The album’s first single “Bad Beast” is available everywhere today, listen here. Fans can pre-order or pre-save by clicking here. (Suzanne Santo, 2021)
Yard Sale finds Santo in transition, physically and emotionally. She began writing the album while touring the globe with Hozier—a gig that utilized her strengths not only as a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, but also as a road warrior. Some songs were written between Hozier rehearsals, with Santo holing up in a farmhouse on the rural Irish coast, while others were finished during bus rides, backstage writing sessions, and hotel stays. Grateful for the experience but eager to return to her solo career, she finished her run with Hozier, joining the band for one final gig at Glastonbury before flying home to Los Angeles. Within three days, she was back in the studio, working with producer John Spiker on what was to become Yard Sale.
Upon returning home, Los Angeles became stale for Santo as the city is inclined to do. A partner breakup paired with the hiatus of HoneyHoney left her feeling lonely in her own home—sparking the cosmic relocation to Austin, TX—a city whose fingerprints are all over Yard Sale, thanks to appearances by hometown heroes like Gary Clark Jr. and Shakey Graves. Thus the metaphorical album title of Yard Sale became literal with a cross country move and the emotional unpacking and shedding that happens when life in a new city, with a new love, beckons.
The album presents Santo at the very top of her game musically, writing her own string arrangements and singing each song in an agile, acrobatic voice—perhaps in part due to the cathartic making-of process and what that has meant for her professionally and personally. At times she bridges the gap between indie-rock and neo-soul. On other tracks, she mixes gospel influences with a deconstructed R&B beat. Fans will hear layers of spacey, atmospheric electric guitar and Shakey Graves on a rainy-day ballad driven forward by a metronomic drum pattern, and Gary Clark punctuating with fiery fretwork.
Of the album as a whole, Santo says, “I’m into the emotional concept of what a yard sale really is. This record is about the things I’ve left behind and the things I’ve held onto. I was broken up with while writing the record. I fell in love again while writing the record. And I learned to fearlessly follow my gut, in all places of my life, while making this record.”
Yard Sale track listing: Over and Over Again Mercy Gold Rush Save For Love Bad Beast Since I Had Your Love Afraid Of Heights Fall For That Common Sense To No End Idiot Island
On tour: July 5-6 – The RIDE Festival – Telluride, CO August 26 – Album release show @ Antone’s – Austin, TX September 8 – Mercury Lounge – New York, NY November 5 – Space Ballroom – Hamden, CT* November 6 – Big Night Live – Boston, MA* November 7 – Colony – Woodstock, NY November 10 – Southern – Charlottesville, VA* November 11 – Black Cat – Washington, DC* November 12 – Otto Bar – Baltimore, MD* November 13 – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA* November 14 – Grog Shop – Cleveland Heights, OH* November 16 – Thalia Hall – Chicago, IL* *with Murder By Death
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.
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.
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.
Jamestown Revival’s Fireside With Louis L’Amour EP out now – six tracks directly inspired by Louis L’Amour short stories. Photo: google
In 2020, Jamestown Revival released A Field Guide To Loneliness, an intimate collection of songs that finds Clay and Chance reflecting on recent times whereby human contact was limited more than ever. A Field Guide To Loneliness follows Jamestown Revival’s 2019 critically acclaimed release, San Isabel. Recorded in a remote cabin in the majestic and calming landscape of central Colorado, the band embraced a minimalist approach in the recording of San Isabel. Finding inspiration in ‘60s and early ‘70s folk and pop, the original songs on San Isabel show reverence for early John Denver and Bob Dylan, as well as Simon & Garfunkel and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Their new EP, Fireside With Louis L’Amour is out now. (Jamestown Revival, 2021)
When the recording process of their new EP, Fireside With Louis L’Amour, was all said and done, Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance of Jamestown Revival took on the challenge of distilling a half-dozen tales from “The Collected Short Stories of Louis L’Amour, Volume 1: Frontier Stories” from 30-page adventures down to three and a half minute songs. Their tune “Bound for El Paso” comes from L’Amour’s “The Gift of Cochise,” “Fool Me Once” was inspired by “The Man from Bitter Sands,” and so on. Longtime fans of Jamestown Revival can hear L’Amour’s influence on Clay and Chance, but this is the first time they have tipped their hats directly to America’s beloved frontier storyteller. The whole of Fireside With Louis L’Amour—six songs in total—was directly inspired by individual stories from L’Amour’s Volume 1 collection, allowing listeners to trace the precise roots of Jamestown Revival’s newest release. Available now, fans can purchase or stream Fireside With Louis L’Amour with this link.
“They say that L’Amour was the master of the short story and we would humbly agree. In 30 pages he manages to draw you in, make you invest in the characters, and oftentimes hit you with a twist that you truly didn’t expect,” say Clay and Chance. “The songs on Fireside With Louis L’Amour are our attempt to put a musical spin on some of Louis’ short stories found on ‘The Collected Short Stories of Louis L’Amour, Volume 1: Frontier Stories.’ It’s been challenging and incredibly rewarding.” To have the family of L’Amour on board was just icing on the cake for Jamestown Revival. “On top of that, it’s been an absolute honor to have the blessing of Louis’ son, Beau, and the L’Amour estate. We hope these songs inspire you to pick up ‘The Collected Short Stories of Louis L’Amour’ and read the true inspiration behind the music,” they say, before adding, “We also feel it’s worthwhile to mention these songs should be best enjoyed sitting next to a fire with a nip of whiskey in the glass.”
Fireside With Louis L’Amour in the press: Garden & Gun premiered the live performance video of album-opener, “Bound for El Paso.”
“If you’re a L’Amour fan, you’ll no doubt recognize what’s been distilled from story to song,” said Cowboys & Indians Magazine. “And you’ll love what happens when two Texans get a hold of America’s storyteller and let their imaginations and harmonies run.”
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:
Am I Dreaming
Good Enough
The Royal Diplomat
King Of The Rat Race
Them
Meat On My Eyes
Ride
Waiting On The Aliens
Peace In This World
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
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
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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.
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.
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
SA Examiner 