Big congrats ...

Big congrats to KTCL 93.3 Hometown for the Holidays 2011 winners The Heyday, My Body Sings Electric and Churchhill. They are playing tonight, Saturday, Dec. 17, at Casslemans Bar & Venue: 8pm -- FREE Admission 18+

From KTCL:

This year, the top three bands that play the show will receive a photo shoot from Don Searle Photography, and every member of the bands will get decked out with a new pair of Airwalks. This year's top band (as determined by KTCL listeners) will win $3,000 of recording time from the Blasting Room.

Read more and see the list of past winners: http://www.area93.com/pages/hometown.html#ixzz1goiwbSbj

Artist review: 28-200

28-200 -- Gunfire of Angels [EP]
by Jeanie Straub
JStraub@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com

It is forever difficult to follow true excellence with true excellence, but the two behind the Denver-based alt-rock band 28-200 (pronounced twenty eight to two hundred) have managed to make it look easy with Gunfire of Angels, the follow-up EP to their self-titled EP (2006) and their debut album, Video Games & Popsicle Sticks (late 2009). The title track “Gunfire of Angels” is a surefire standout here, but from the first track, “To Be True,” you instantly are sucked in by the phenomenal vocals of Aimee and the brash guitar moves of Mister L. Aimee’s voice is reminiscent of a softer Hazel O’Connor but mostly sounds like a modernized Siouxsie Sioux; the whole EP has a decidedly ‘80s British feel to it, even though it sounds like it was made today. 28-200 formed in 2005 and consists solely of Mister L (guitar, bass, vox) and Aimee (vox, drums, “other”). These tracks rely on “distorted guitars, synthetic instrumentation, and ethereal vocals to meld genres ranging from punk to new wave to garage rock,” according to the band. (I would also categorize it as “dark pop” but it is true that this CD is a blessing for fans of post-modern punk / 2012 new wave.) They also have some extremely cool / memorable lyrics (“She’s going to show you where your ass is when she blasts you in the face”), and the whole CD makes you want to move. This is one to download and loop. Available on itunes, etc.

Label: GoGirls Elite / GoGirlsMusic.com

28-200.com
twitter.com/28to200

Get ready for Saints 01/28!

This is their latest single, "Dark Country" -- available on itunes, etc.:

We're excited!

Justin Roth was awesome ...

And well attended. Thanks to all who came out to enjoy Justin's unique brand of singing / songwriting and acoustic guitar-work.

Fey book signing @ Highlands Ranch Library

Are you old enough to remember Feyline and Barry Fey’s Rockfather productions?

Well, he has a new book, Backstage Past, and he is coming to the Highlands Ranch Library for a signing Dec. 2 -- this is an after-hours event.

Registration starts Nov. 1.

The night of Dec. 2, come at 6:30pm for refreshments -- the talk and signing starts at 7pm -- upstairs at Highlands Ranch Library.

Parker Library Holiday Open House Features Celtic Guitarist Jerry Barlow

Parker Library Holiday Open House Features Celtic Guitarist Jerry Barlow

Parker Library is pleased to welcome acclaimed Celtic fingerstyle guitarist Jerry Barlow for a Holiday Open House Concert. The performance, which is free to the public, will be held by the fireplace at the Library at 2pm on Dec. 10.

Hot cider will be served.

Barlow is a warm, accessible performer and storyteller. His unique, skillfully delivered repertoire incorporates favorite traditional pieces as well as his own Celtic-inspired compositions. His expressive arrangements of lively jigs, spirited reels, and haunting airs have been described as music to soothe the soul, warm the heart and lift the spirit.

In concert, Jerry brings traditional Celtic tunes alive by sharing the history, humor, and legends behind the music. "Jerry Barlow ... a performer who is skilled, funny and riveting. Out of the many musicians performing today, the vast majority are skilled in either performing on their instrument or in entertaining an audience. It's very rare and extremely enjoyable to see a musician at the very top of his craft in both areas," says Scott Beach, Director of Colorado Celtic Entertainment.

The Indie Acoustic Project, an international award that celebrates the best independent acoustic music, selected the title song from Jerry’s CD, BRING DOWN THE STORM, as "one of the best songs of 2006." Songs from his first CD, KEEPSAKE, were included in a PBS documentary Song of our Children. Music from BRING DOWN THE STORM is featured in the new University of Colorado documentary Learn about Climate. Barlow's new CD, Fields and Fences, was released in early October.

Barlow's music can be heard regularly on many National Public Radio stations. He has been featured in Fingerstyle Guitar magazine, and was profiled in the February, 2011, issue of Celtic Connection. He has performed in the Gates Auditorium for the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music, the Arvada Center for the Performing Arts, and is a favorite of High Plains Public Radio’s Living Room Concert Series in Amarillo, TX.

For more information visit www.jerrybarlow.com or call the Library at 303.791.7323.

Justin Roth @ 1pm on Oct. 29

Live Local Music Series to feature Justin Roth @ 1pm on Saturday, Oct. 29

Join Parker Library's Live Local Music Series at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29, by the fireplace at the library for a performance by award-winning singer/songwriter/acoustic guitarist Justin Roth.

Justin Roth is a nationally touring singer/songwriter and fingerstyle acoustic guitarist who combines an artful blend of hooks laid on a bed of brilliantly inventive guitar technique bridging contemporary and indie/alt folk. He has toured with John Gorka and opened for some of the finest singer/songwriters, including Shawn Colvin, Martin Sexton, Darrell Scott, and David Wilcox. His guitar playing has earned him shared stages with some of the greatest fingerstyle players of today, such as Andy McKee, Billy McLaughlin, California Guitar Trio and Pat Donohue. Roth’s fourth solo album, Now You Know (Released May 2011), which he recorded, produced, played and sang every single note himself, was entirely fan-funded and marks his most expansive and personal work to date.

"Fans of Leo Kottke or Michael Hedges will find themselves right at home with [Roth's] intricate guitar work…beautifully written lyrics." -- San Francisco Art Magazine

Artist review: Dark Country (Saints single)

Saints -- "Dark Country" [single]
by Jeanie Straub
JStraub@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com

I should preface this review with the confession that I was already a HUGE fan of Saints, and that they are my favorite local band, as well as way up there on my national list. I am a Saints groupie. That said, this new single is absolutely my favorite Saints tune EVER. It is a techno dance tune that features an awesome bass line pulling it right along. It sounds very much like a hit. Says one of my co-workers, who is a huge music lover: "That's what a single should sound like. Everyone: Pay attention." The background on the band: Saints was started by two Scottish brothers, Rob and Lewi Gault, who had relocated to Denver. After Rob met Blaine Schult through a friend, Blaine became the third and final full time member of Saints in 2008. They started to play out in Denver and surrounding areas, eventually opening for bands like the Flobots, Chevelle and Smashing Pumpkins. They released Saints E.P. in 2009. The best description of their band at the time would be a local version of Brit Pop -- Denver but still a very slick-sounding European. This new single is a departure, with a deep and dark, almost evil-angelic sound that came after Rob was laid off from his day job. They explain: "After a short period of reflection, he started to write from a darker, more cynical place and the result was a new batch of songs that came not only with a healthy pinch of frustration and honesty but also wrapped in a new bigger yet more composed and controlled sound. Not the triumphant stadium guitar of the previous releases, but instead a more assured, cool and measured delivery." The new single has a great video to go along with it that overlays lead man Rob with a red background like Satan overlooking individual white game pieces -- the lyrics sound pretty black, if I didn’t mention that before. (The video was originally part of the Saints live set up featuring videos running in sync with the songs. They just overlaid Rob’s face. See: http://tinyurl.com/saintsvideodarkcountry to see it for yourself.) Finally, to answer one potential question: Is the sound of "Dark Country" kind of commercial? OK. Maybe. It has great energy, though.

saintstheband.com
twitter.com/saintstheband

Here are the lyrics for "Dark Country":

I found a gun in the sand in a hole in the road
and a man laying down where the story was told
he said he payed what he owed but it wasn't enough
a black shadow in the night stole the soul that he loved

I knew a girl back at home when I was a young man
she did a deal without the devil in the back of a van
she said "I wanna be rich, can you give it to me?"
he said "the money's in the bag I need your soul and your keys"

you better listen to my story 'cos I know it so well
I know your begging for relief because your living in hell
wear your heart carefully, show your maker respect
give me directions to the heavens when he come to collect

I was walking with my buddy by the side of the lake
he said "don't turn around" but I made the mistake
I spun around to defend, my buddy came to his end
said "keep your enemies close and be afraid of your friends"

I'm in this Dark Country now ...

Danny Huber clip from Saturday

Danny Huber doing Radiohead's "Creep" -- sorry I didn't get the whole song because it was a fabulous cover:

New single from Saints

From Saints with links ...

Hi guys,

We know it's been a while but Saints have been busy writing and recording new music, the first song of which we are proud to be able to announce to you tonight!!

"Dark Country" is the first of many releases we will undertake in the next few months. You can buy it at itunes right now by clicking on this link (or copy and paste into your browser!)

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dark-country-single/id463186003

Aha, but if you want to try before you buy, well then, we are pleased to present our first ever video. Please click the link below and enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSXwl7QEAi8

Many blessings to you all and as always, thank you for your support!!

-- Saints

Interview with Denver band The Outfit

Parker Library's Live Local Music Series talks with Eric Johnson, lead singer of The Outfit (right) and R.J. Powers, also of the band.

Parker Library interviews local artist Danny Huber

Here's our two-part interview with Danny Huber, a Douglas County-based independent singer-songwriter who is our featured artist in the Live Local Music Series at 2pm on Saturday, Sept. 24, at Parker Library.

Part I


Part II

From ReverbNation: Join venues nationwide and celebrate 'Live Music Night'

This is from ReverbNation:

You're invited to join "Night of Sweet Relief"

ONE NIGHT, HUNDREDS OF LIVE MUSIC EVENTS

AND THOUSANDS OF FANS!

Sweet Relief Musicians Fund and ReverbNation want you to join an exciting annual event called "Night of Sweet Relief." One evening, nationwide, designated to celebrating live music performance -- encouraging music fans to venture out, support artists on stage and benefit musicians in need.

Since 1994, Sweet Relief has distributed millions of dollars to pay for medical costs, housing, food and other vital expenses of ill, disabled and elderly musicians. On Saturday, October 15th, hundreds of live music events taking place in arenas, theaters, clubs and bars will participate in supporting this cause by building in a $1 donation to their ticket price or door cover charge. Even if you are unable to build in a donation this year, we still welcome your venue's participation.

As part of our commitment to independent musicians, ReverbNation has pledged support for this one-of-a-kind multi-venue benefit. First, we're reaching out to you and other venues in our database to invite even more participation (there are already dozens signed on from California to NYC).

Click here to sign your venue up for “Night of Sweet Relief.”

Second, we're donating $25 to Sweet Relief for every venue that has an active ReverbNation Venue Profile on October 15, up to $2,500. Venue Profile -- our Facebook app for venues -- is free, easy to set up and built to engage your fans and their friends. Don't have Venue Profile yet? It's quick and easy to set up!

Questions? Email info@sweetrelief.org, call 949-677-0974, or visit nightofsweetrelief.org.

Thanks,

--ReverbNation Staff

Want to participate but don't have a show scheduled? Have a show scheduled but need an additional artist or band? Let us help you find the right artists, contact festivals@reverbnation.com.

Danny Huber flier

From Jasco of The Symbols re line-up changes; performance dates

From Jasco of The Symbols:

I’ve noticed in my life of playing music with bands that there always seems to be a lot of interest in how bands form, how they break up, and about member changes. The formation of a band is usually full of excitement and hope for good things to come. When bands break up or have membership changes it can be fairly straight ahead or full of drama.

The Symbols have currently undergone some line-up changes and I’ve heard many versions of the "story," none of which are quite accurate, but all of which are entertaining. It kind of reminds me of the grade-school game where everyone sits in a circle and one person whispers a phrase to the person next to them. That person then is supposed to repeat the phrase verbatim to the next person, and so forth until the phrase gets all the way around the circle to the one who first whispered it. The results are usually that the phrase has been mutilated into something completely different by that time.

So, just to let any Symbols followers know what is happening, here it is straight from us: Our old bassist, David Becher has chosen not to continue with us. He is currently pursuing other musical projects in the region. He did a great job for us and we wish him well. You can see our new bassist Ray Martinez at upcoming shows. Ryan Sapp will still be playing drums with us, but due to his busy schedule we’ll have Hans Mueller on drums at many shows, and Mike Ray will be playing with us occasion as well.

Of course Mer Sal will still be charming you with her voice, and unless the rest of the band isn’t telling me something, I’ll be playing guitar.

Here’s a list of some places to catch The Symbols in the near future. The best thing you can do to support us is to come listen to a show and bring all your friends. Thanks in advance.

7pm on Friday, Aug. 12, at JJ’s Corner in Frederick: acoustic duo, Mer and Jasco
10pm on Saturday, Aug. 13, at The Pioneer Inn in Nederland
5pm on Sunday, Aug. 14, at The Larimer Lounge in Denver
9:30pm on Friday, Aug. 19, at The Crown Bar in Cheyenne
10pm on Saturday, Aug. 20, at The Vault in Fort Collins
Sunday, Aug. 21, at Chris’s House in Saratoga, Wyoming: acoustic duo, Mer and Jasco
10pm on Thursday, Aug. 25, at Chippers Lanes in Fort Collins
8pm on Friday, Aug. 26 at The Alibi in Laramie
Saturday, Aug. 27, at Wahoo’s in Fort Collins

Download a FREE copy of our latest single Rules Rules Rules here.

Just something to listen for at the end of the tune, all the instruments gradually morph into vocal facsimiles. It was a fun mixing experiment for me.

Musically,

Jasco

The Samples at Casselman's 2nite

Good recommendation for tonight:

Friday 8/12 8pm at Casselman's Bar and Venue

KBCO and Twist & Shout presents:

The Samples 2011 Tour

Also Featuring: Xiren & The Heyday


Tickets available at http://www.casselmans.com/

A conversation with rapper / producer Lenny Lenn of Aires Jackson duo

By Jeanie Straub
JStraub@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com

Lenny Lenn and his brother, James Ray, make up Aires Jackson, a rap / producer team with a new album out recently called Independent that features a ton of extra-fabulous guests.

I first found out about Lenny Lenn (aka Leonard Jackson) because I follow King F.O.E. on Twitter and Lenny Lenn and F.O.E. are fairly close, so I got to start following Lenny Lenn and then began to love and value his tweets almost more than anyone else's. A recent but routine example: "Artist: If the crowd is thick at the beginning of your performance and by the end it is extremely thinned out, go practice."

Lenny Lenn definitely calls it as he sees it and cuts to the chase, doesn’t mince words and doesn’t waste them, either.

I always wanted to know more about Lenny Lenn since I love his insightful tweets -- especially after I heard the new album, so I started direct messaging him on Twitter and then emailing him. (I also wrote a review this month on the new album for this month’s Colorado Music Buzz, so check that out, and download the album for free at http://airesjackson.bandcamp.com/album/independent.)

Here’s what I found out: Although he started rapping as early as high school, he’s officially been doing music since 2001, their first album KIN: It’s a Family Affair dropped.

Says Lenny Lenn about his life: "I graduated from CU-Denver with a degree in Audio Engineering then I worked in radio for a while I ran the promotions department at U-102 (an old hip-hop station) then I got hired on at Clear Channel where I was a writer and a producer for the Lewis and Floorwax morning show. I also was an on-air talent for Kiss 95.7 'Saturday Night Party Mix' as well as a specialty show on KBPI called 'Sunday night Fusion' where we played rock and rap songs. I then helped start up 96.1 'The Beat' in Colorado Springs, where I did a show entirely produced from my basement where I played nothing but local artists. ... I also had a show on Mega 95.7 with DJ Psycho ... where it was a live DJ and we played anything we want -- locals, no playlist. That was fun."

Lenny Lenn has two solo albums -- Commercially Underground and Grinding -- one mixtape with DJ Psycho -- he's the DJ Lenny Lenn is the rapper -- and two Aires Jackson projects. The first one was Two Years and a Day and this current project, Independent.

Says Lenny Lenn: "In my spare time I currently mix / master every major project to come out of Colorado. Well, not every one, just 75 percent of them. That’s the short story."

CMB: Do you get a lot of comments on the honesty / integrity of your tweets? You must get a lot of retweets.

Lenny Lenn: No not a lot of RTs, but I think folk pay a lot of attention to what I do tweet. ... The folks I’m talking about know who they are.

CMB: What kind of reception have you gotten so far on Independent?

Lenny Lenn: Great from the folks who have heard it. Everyone loves the album. Just need to get more folks to listen.

CMB: How easy was it to pull together all the guest artists for Independent?

Lenny Lenn: It was pretty easy. We just picked up the phone and asked. Some folks didn’t get on there for whatever reason, but, oh well, can’t be mad. Just keep it moving.

CMB: How valuable is it to be imbedded in “the scene” when it comes time to do an album like Independent?

Lenny Lenn: Very. We wouldn’t have got the features we did and folks wouldn’t have cared. This album showed how in the scene we really are.

CMB: What do you love and / or hate about the hip hop scene in Colorado?

Lenny Lenn: Love the improvements in quality (beats, rhymes, presentation, shows). Hate the separation, jealousy, hating, and overall lack of support.

CMB: Anything else you want to add?

Lenny Lenn: Follow me on Twitter @lennylenn.

New 7,000-square-foot music venue in Parker opening tomorrow (Friday, Aug. 12, 2011)

Colorado Music Buzz is booking the musical acts for Servino's Underground, which is located off Mainstreet in downtown Parker at 11020 S. Pike's Peak Drive. The opening is set for tomorrow (Aug. 12, 2011). Be there or be rectangular.

Danny Huber doing Live Local Music Series at 2 p.m. on Sept. 24

Upcoming: This September 24 our Live Local Music Series will feature local artist Danny Huber. He plays at 2 p.m. at Parker Library.

This is actually his second visit, as he was in one of our first-ever performances when he was in the band Ten Feet Tall.

Here’s a write-up on Huber from Tom Murphy of Westword fame:

Since he was a kid, Danny Huber has been playing music. Like a lot of people, he started out with classical instruments like violin and trumpet. Unlike a lot of people, Danny was also something of a prodigy. But his parents weren't the social-climbing, type-A personalities that produce neurotic children that play Carnegie Hall at a perilously young age. So Danny pretty much grew up as one of those people of immense talent and ability in more than one area who most of his co-workers only really know for their affability and skill at their jobs.

So would have been Danny's path as well as someone with a good family and great kids in the suburbs. But somewhere along the line, Danny got the yen to share his music with at least some small corner of the world. He took up the guitar as a youngster. Inspired in part by finger picking wizard Leo Kottke as well as by Peter Buck's mastery of the textured melodies, Danny taught himself, or so this story will insist, how to play deceptively simple phrases and tasteful leads on both six and twelve-string guitar. Most rock musicians stop at the six because they can't wrap their heads around twelve.

Unless you press him, Danny won't tell you he was in a cool little power pop band, as its bass player no less, called The Wind-Up Merchants that toured at least twice well outside of Colorado or that said band opened for legendary underground bands at the equally legendary 15th St. Tavern (Denver's equivalent of CBGBs). Whether that would be noise rock adventurists Arab on Radar, pop genius John Vanderslice, Evan Dando of the Lemonheads, Carissa's Weird and Poor Rich Ones. It's the kind of thing indie rockers would brag about for years but Danny doesn't do that.

He went on to actually make money in music by playing in cover bands for a while and he had fun but mostly it taught him more discipline with his craft. Sometimes Danny will play a solo gig with just him and a guitar and the imagination and intelligence behind his lyrics and his songwriting are not the kind of thing that went into Ziggy Stardust or OK Computer or the like. Danny is perfectly capable of such flights of fancy. But the best of his material aims, as does the fiction of John Crowley, at finding the remarkable in things people might find mundane because they've been too conditioned to looking for something in your face and larger than life. You won't find Crowley's transmogrification of Lord Dunsany's fantasies in Danny's music but if you take a chance to listen closely, you'll get a gleaning of that magic and inspiration that some people can find in the every day. A humble genius of subtle pop songcraft or an avid and talented student of master songwriters with far better than average technique? A charlatan with overblown critical praise? Take a listen, see the man play and judge for yourself.

-- Tom Murphy, July 15, 2011

Interview with Keith Schneider of grassroots local music pub Colorado Music Buzz magazine

Here is our three part interview with Keith Schneider, editor and publisher of Colorado Music Buzz magazine, our favorite music industry publication. We interviewed Keith on Tuesday, Aug. 9, here at Parker Library. We talked about all things local music, about Colorado Music Buzz and what that is like, and about playing rhythm guitar for the local cover band Kelli*Said.

Part I:



Part II:



Part III:

Lots of briefs about Local Music

Check out Radiation Romeo

The website is www.RadiationRomeo.com. It is a full costume band (like KISS).

News from The King Stan Band: Live in Highlands Ranch this Wednesday

Greetings from The King Stan Band featuring; “Stan” Stroman on guitar, Ted Loughry on guitar, John Gallagher on bass, and Mark Marusin on drums.

Thanks for all who came out to see us at the International Blues Competition at the Dickens Opera House. Competing against some of Denver's Best blues bands, The King Stan Band won the preliminary round! The Final round to see who is Colorado's best blues band will be held September 25 at the Buffalo Rose in Golden. Come on out and root us on to Memphis!

**** Upcoming Shows **** Upcoming Shows **** Upcoming Shows **** Upcoming Shows **** Upcoming Shows **** Upcoming Shows **** Upcoming Shows ****

Wednesday, August 3rd, 6pm: Spotlight on the Plaza -- Highlands Ranch. As part of a special event by the Highlands Ranch Community Association, the King Stan Band will be playing a free show! Bring a lawn chair, cooler, the kids, your neighbors, and have a fantastic time with the King Stan Band. Located at the Town Center north 1100 Sgt. Jon Stiles Drive (just west of Garbanzo's), Highlands Ranch.

Saturday, September 10th 4pm at the Legendary Little Bear Saloon in beautiful downtown Evergreen. The Little Bear is one of the oldest and most popular venues in the Denver area. The food is great! The bar is great! We will be opening for a national act. The Little Bear is located at 27895 Highway 74, Evergreen 80439; 303-674-9991.

Sunday, September 25th (time TBD) at the Buffalo Rose in downtown Golden. The King Stan Band will be competing in the Colorado Finals of the International Blues Competition. Winners go on the compete in Memphis, Tennessee in February. The Buffalo Rose is located at 1119 Washington Ave, Golden; 303-278-6800. The Competition begins at 2pm.

More dates to come, for more information, tickets, and merchandise: see our web site at www.KingStanBand.com or come be our fan on Facebook!

Thank you to all who have come out to see us in the past and thank you all for coming out to see us in the future!

The King Stan Band
Rhythm and Blues with soul …

Symbolism – July 2011
The Symbols Band Newsletter

Hi,

Due to a busy schedule, I haven't written a Symbols band newsletter in a couple months. During that time, we've been on the road to Kansas and Oklahoma, writing new songs, and recording them -- 7 done and 8 more started, shooting videos (2 shot, none edited), playing shows, swapping band members, auditioning for TV shows, and working on new merchandise ideas. I'll have more info on our activities and try to write something a bit more philosophical next time. For now, here is a list of upcoming shows. Hope to see you at one, and thanks for your support.

Musically,

Jasco

The Symbols

• Aug 4th Boulder County Fairgrounds, Longmont CO, 5pm
• Aug 6th Garfield County Fairgrounds, Rifle, CO, 4:30pm
• Aug 13th Pioneer Inn, Nederland, CO 10pm
• Aug 14th Larimer Lounge, Denver, CO 5pm
• Aug 25th Chippers North, Ft Collins, CO 10pm
• Aug 26th Alibi, Laramie WY, 8pm

News from The Flash Mob

*** Free download of our latest studio track ***

Hello all!

Check out our latest studio track, "Steal Away," for free -- even download it to your favorite device and listen whenever, wherever you like!

All you have to do is follow this facebook link and "like" us:

"Steal Away" by The Flash Mob – 2011 http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Flash-Mob/20487936622?sk=app_2405167945

We hope you enjoy the track! If you do, please share it with your friends, family -- anyone! Stay tuned for more studio tracks to be released in the near future ...

PEACE & LOVE ...

THE FLASH MOB (Wayne, Kyle, Dave, and Fink)

* The Flash Mob -- now on Pandora Radio *

For the latest on these shows and everything else that's been going on with The Flash Mob, visit our website at www.theflashmob.com.

From Jerry Barlow, Celtic Fingerstyle Guitarist

Greetings on this warm August day!

Hope all of you are enjoying your summer! I have had a rather different summer -- totally immersed in the creation of my new CD and not performing much so as to have the time for that project (stay tuned for the Grand Announcement – Ha!).

We are still fitting pieces together for my fall tours and will have that information on the website (www.jerrybarlow.com) in the very near future, so stay tuned.

Best wishes,
Jerry

Upcoming at Herman's Hideaway

August 12, 8pm: FRESH FRIDAY!!! Feat: Made Fresh Daily, Fresh Breath Committee, S.T.O.I.C., and special guests Team Latchkey

Bringing fun, high-energy, live hip hop to the Colorado music scene and beyond, Made Fresh Daily is here to put your mind at ease and take you to levels of sonic pleasures that most conventional hip hop fails to attain. Never the same twice, ever-evolving, MFD isn’t satisfied until the dance floor is packed, your senses are caressed, and all pre-conceived notions of popular hip hop music …

http://www.hermanshideaway.com/show/detail/47912

$4.00 / $8.00 day of show

September 9, 7:30pm: Funkiphino w/ What Happened Saturday (more TBA)

The 13-piece funk sensation!

$5.00 / $10.00 day of show

http://www.hermanshideaway.com/show/detail/48562

Notable

Fire in the Asylum is having its CD Release Party at 9 p.m. on Friday, July 29, at Bender's Tavern in Denver.

Says the band: "With 10 bucks you get in with a free copy of the new record, Poetry for the Apocalypse. We're playing with Chingaso, One Whore's Town and Brent and Tye from Reno Divorce. Can't miss it!"

Fire in the Asylum is also playing on Saturday, July 30, at the Rocky Mountain Pub in Grand Junction. Follow this link:
http://fireintheasylum.com/l/f871hn/9322318;http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=181682291867942

Tomorrow night: The Flash Mob -- voted Westword's Best Funk Band 2010 -- will be at Casselman's Bar & Venue rocking the stage with headliners Dubtonic Kru, named "Best New Band in the World" 2010-2011 at the Global Battle of the Bands.

WHO: Dubtonic Kru featuring The Flash Mob and special guest Kool Johnny Kool
WHERE: Casselman's Bar & Venue, 2620 Walnut Street, Denver
WHEN: 8pm Wednesday, July 27
COST: $8 in advance, $10 at the door
AGES: 21+

Artist review: Independent (Aires Jackson)

Aires Jackson -- Independent [LP]
by Jeanie Straub
ColoradoMusicBuzz.com

Experience can pay off considerably when it comes to producing hip-hop: It can mean the difference between high-end and ordinary. The evenness of Independent, produced by the immensely skilled James Ray and Lenny Lenn, is the album’s greatest strength. Experience -- including time being out there in the scene -- allows a producer to attract a plethora of the wide-ranging guest artists, and of course "time served" in the studio also helps a rapper to cultivate the kind of intelligent but ballsy rhymes and solid beats that push a release into the realm of the brilliant. (Independent, I predict, will lend itself well to the best-case scenario for album advertising, which is word-of-mouth.) This latest release from the duo is no less than exceptional, a first-rate effort of 15 all-notable tracks, especially "Sports and Entertainment," "Dope," "State of Mind," "Son Shine," "Going Live" -- I could go on and list 90 percent of them. Clearly Independent not only benefited from the world-weariness of the brotherly team but also from the heart and soul and sweat that went in to the mix.

The full album is available for free at http://airesjackson.bandcamp.com

Upcoming

Some notable shows coming up:

Radio 1190 presents The Blow w/ He's My Brother, She's My Sister, Shaky Molars at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 19, at the Larimer Lounge.

Andrea Ball will perform at 9 p.m. on Sunday, July 24 at the South Broadway Christian Church as part of The Denver Post Underground Music Showcase

Justin Roth dates

I had the chance to review Justin Roth for Colorado Music Buzz recently and he's definitely a singer-songwriter that you want to check out. See below the schedule for the CMB review.

Here are his upcoming dates:

Date ... City ... Venue
Information

07/22/11 ... Erie, Colorado ... House Concert
Time: 8pm. Admission: $15. All Ages. Call Cindy at bardnut@earthlink.net or 303-828-3474 to reserve seats and get directions.

07/25/11 ... Boulder, Colorado ... KGNU Kabaret Show
Time: 7pm. Live on radio 88.5FM

07/29/11 ... Broomfield, Colorado ... Aloft Broomfield
Time: 5pm. Address: 8300 Arista Place. Phone: 303-635-2000.

07/29/11 ... Fort Collins, Colorado ... El Monte Grill and Lounge
Time: 10pm. Address: 1611 South College Avenue, No. 100. Phone: 970-372-1869.

08/06/11 ... Bellvue, Colorado ... Bellvue Bean
Time: 7:15pm. Admission: $17 per ticket or two for $30. Dinner is included with ticket. All Ages. Address: 5032 Rist Canyon Road. Phone: 970-484-0511. Limited to only 20 seats, so reserve your seats early by phone or online for this intimate venue in Rist Canyon.

08/12/11 ... Boulder, Colorado ... Laughing Goat
Time: 8pm. Address: 1709 Pearl Street. Justin Roth with Connor Garvey.

08/13/11 ... Fort Collins, Colorado ... Avogadro’s Number
Time: 7:30pm. Admission: $10. Address: 605 S Mason Street. Phone: 970.493.5555. Other artists will be Sarah Sample (www.sarahsample.com), Sweet Talk Radio (www.sweettalkradio.com) and other guests.
08/15/11-08/18/11 ... Lyons, Colorado ... Rocky Mountain Folks Festival Song School.

Justin Roth: Now You Know [LP]
(May 1, 2011, Colorado Music Buzz)

Justin Roth engineered, produced, played and sang every song on this 11-track CD that is due out May 17, and overall it is really a pretty impressive disc. Roth is a guy who decided to take a break from "seven years of constant, self-promoted nationwide touring" to live in a small home with a wood-burning stove in the foothills outside of Fort Collins sans Internet access and cell phone service but with a bit of recording equipment. What you get is very heartfelt and moving. I'm not saying that his lyrics are to die for, but they do hold meaning and he seems like a guy who is the opposite of someone who carries his cards close to his vest: He is putting himself out there and you kind of have to love that about this Now You Know. He is not lacking in talent as far as acoustic singer-songwriters go. His voice is nice to listen to and he is more than able on guitar. You just want to be in a certain mood to listen to Justin Roth because, although he is very candid and genuine, in the end it is pretty much mellow-city, emotion-laden music. You just want to be in the right frame of mind for it. Then you'll dig it.

Quote of the day from Lefsetz

"[I]sn't it funny that Pro Tools is not controlled by the labels. That's how they bought their insurance. By dangling enough cash to pay for recording. But now anybody can do it in their basement.

"Oh, don't get your knickers in a twist, don't say that's impossible, that you need pros and a real room. Many independent acts today make enough money on the road to pay for real studios and name engineers and producers. They're smarter than the labels. They know it's about performance and merch, in many cases giving away recordings for free. Because their boots are on the ground, they know who the audience is and what it wants instinctively. ...

"We live in a streaming world, not a sales world. Do you see everybody saving YouTube clips? Does a day go by when Netflix is not in the newspaper? We're halfway home. Streaming is going to eliminate piracy, at least drive it down to de minimis levels, and more people will listen to more music and everybody will be happy ever after."

-- Bob Lefsetz

Subscribe to the LefsetzLetter at http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1

Archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/

On Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz

New video from Lenny Lenn -- Aires Jackson's Refined Rapper (feat Surgon & Hav), live dates for The Motet, and Fire in the Asylum news

Aires Jackson / Lenny Lenn news

In addition to having produced the new official release from Aires Jackson, "Independent," Lenny Lenn -- with Ryan McNurney -- has a new video out. Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlaPv-r2lNE

Track Listing on Independent:

Intro ... produced by Aires Jackson
Sports & Entertainment ... feat Haven ... produced by Aires Jackson
Good Days / Bad Days ... feat. B Blacc / Karma ... produced by SO
Can You Dig It ... feat Julox ... produced by Aires Jackson
Refined Rapper ... feat Surgon / Haven ... produced by Aires Jackson & Qknox
Dope ... produced by Aires Jackson
Baby Girl ... feat F.O.E ... produced by SO
State of Mind ... feat Innerstate Ike / Carey Stacks ... produced by Aires Jackson & Mr. H
Time Go ... feat Sistah Soul / Rees ... produced by Aires Jackson & DJ High Chi
You'll See ... feat WhyGee ... produced by 800 the Jewell
Can't Take It No More ... feat Freaky J ... produced by Aires Jackson & Freaky J
Son Shine ... produced by Aires Jackson
Going Live ... feat L-Dot ... produced by L-Dot
Make Me Feel ... feat Surgon / Joe D ... produced by Surgon
It Gets Better ... feat Talaiah ... produced by Aires Jackson

The Motet dates

In other news, go see The Motet over the next week. (I don't mind overpromoting The Motet because they're awsome and I'm a HUGE fan.) Here are their latest dates:

7/08 THREE20SOUTH ... BRECKENRIDGE, CO
7/09 OLD SOUTH PEARL JAM FEST DENVER, CO ... ONLY $5!!
7/28 GHOST RANCH SALOON ... STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO
7/29 COLLEGIATE PEAKS FEST ... BUENA VISTA, CO
8/14 NEW WEST FEST ... FORT COLLINS, CO
8/20 MOUNTAIN STOMP ... CORVALLIS, OR
8/26 NEDFEST ... NEDERLAND, CO
8/27 SILVERTON JAMBOREE ... SILVERTON, CO

email from Fire in the Asylum

"Hello everyone! ... I gotta lot to tell you. We spent the month of may in Los Angeles, recording with Shane and Manny, after our successful kickstarter campaign (check it out over here: http://fireintheasylum.com/l/d53br2/9322318 http://www.kickstarter.com/profile/fireintheasylum).

"The record sounds so good you guys are gonna love it! You can check the single now here: www.fireintheasylum.bandcamp.com

"We are releasing the record with a party at Bender's Tavern in Denver, Colorado.

"We'll be playing with Chingaso, One Whore's Town, and Brent and Tye from Reno Divorce :) Friday July 29th.

"Friday July 22nd we'll celebrating at Carnahan's in Carbondale, Colorado.

"July 30th at the Rocky Mountain Pub in Grand Junction, playing with E.O.S., Beer Death and reuniting F.I.A. Hope to cya'll there!!!

"We have a new website up and running. We have our videos, music, pics, info, and we still working on it www.fireintheasylum.com

"Don't forget to check our youtube channel, we have the new video for The Asylum is on Fire: www.youtube.com/fireintheasylum

"Besos for all

"Roq."

Underground Music Showcase ...

The 11th annual Denver Post Underground Music Showcase, or UMS, is coming up July 21-24, 2011, in the historic Baker District on South Broadway.

Local acts confirmed to play this year include Air Dubai, The Epilogues, Snake Rattle Rattle Snake, and The Heyday, "to name the very tip of a rather large iceberg."

Click here for more news and updates at the UMS website.

Artist review: The Symbols

The Symbols -- The Symbols [EP]
by Jeanie Straub
JStraub@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com

Whenever you see Dave Beegle is associated with something, you know it is going to be a thing of quality. You can take your chances on it. This is true of the self-titled EP by The Symbols, which Beegle mastered, but the five-song disc isn’t without its unevenness. The band is made up of Mer Sal (vocals, keys), David Becher (bass, vocals), Jasco (guitar), Ryan Sapp (drums). Most of the unevenness comes from Sal’s vocals. She’s got a decent enough voice, and definitely the indie-pop tracks without her vocals are worthy. (Jasco is one guitarist you’d want on your desert island with you if you couldn’t get a bunch of CDs delivered and you didn’t have access to the cloud.) I just would say that some tracks are more labored than others, and the point of this EP doesn’t seem to be heaviness. It is intended to be pretty light fare, but Sal’s patchy singing can weigh it down in spots.

thesymbols.net

New Local Music we just got back from cataloging

This just in ...

Epic Stand -- self-titled
The Big Motif -- self-titled
Cortometraje -- Panal S.A. de C.V.
Dreaming Machines -- Speed of Flying Creatures
Vices I Admire -- The Politics of Apathy
Halden Wofford and the Hi Beams -- Sinners & Saints
Sons and Brothers -- Standing on a Rock
The Inactivists -- Love Songs and Other Songs About Love
Thr33squared -- Object
DB and the Catastrophe -- Don't Look Back
Union Remains -- self-titled
Dreamscape -- self-titled
Jon Wirtz -- Sea Level
Vitamins -- Songs for Stem Cells
Mike Holweger -- Shadows Matter
The Side Project -- Where Two Roads Meet
Free Radt -- self-titled
David Rynhart -- By the Hollow Tree

Jon Wirtz & The Debut

From the Jon Wirtz camp:

I have a big show (big for me anyhow) coming with my group Jon Wirtz & The Debut at Dazzle on Thursday, July 21. 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

We'll be having some special guests (Heather Larrabee on vocals, Gabe Mervine on trumpet -- both amazing musicians) and a lot of new music to showcase.

The band has been rehearsing / gigging weekly for the past 5-6 months, so we're excited to play this room again.

Jon Wirtz
www.jonwirtzmusic.com

Best 2011 Telluride Bluegrass Festival photos

Check out this link for the best 2011 Telluride Bluegrass Festival photos, courtesy of @TellurideDotCom.

For all the information you need on Telluride festivals, check out TellurideFests on Twitter.

Below is Mumford and Sons at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival.

Who did you most love at Westword Music Showcase this weekend?

What bands did you see and who really took the cake at Saturday's Westword Music Showcase?

Please let me know in the comments and I'll compile the results. For more great pictures and write-ups, please see 2011 Westword Music Showcase: Backbeat scribes' travelogues http://bit.ly/lkcFWF

(Photo of Spoke In Wordz @ Westword Music Showcase by Stephen Cummings, courtesy Westword.)

Artist review: Selko -- "Ultramundane"

Selko -- Ultramundane
By Michael Davis

Help. I’ve gotten sucked into the vortex of Selko’s Ultramundane recording. It won’t let go, and I just can’t set it down. This is theme music, the soundtrack of a complex life moving fluidly through a maze from trouble to beauty and back.

From the very first cut, "Intro," is reminiscent of the feel of an Isaac Hayes attitude in "Theme from Shaft," or Curtis Mayfield’s "Superfly," which are arguably amongst the origins of electronic hip-hop. From there Selko explores wide dimensions that have also been touched by Ry Cooder (of the film "Paris, Texas" fame), Hooverphonics (A New Stereophonics Sound Spectacular), and even John Barry's "James Bond" sound.

Selko is a class act. When I imagine some person in the basement making up this stuff, at odd hours of night, on a home computer, I think "This guy may want to give up his day job and pursue a career in Hollywood." It’s that good.

New 3OH!3 song!

3OH!3 will be releasing a new song in 2 weeks! "Robot" will be available at iTunes on June 28. "Robot" sneak peaks and videos will be available on their website at http://www.3oh3music.com/. Follow them on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/3Oh3.

Other news: 3OH!3 will be starting the Vans Warped Tour on June 24! Check out all the Warped Tour dates 3OH!3 will be playing on their website at http://www.3oh3music.com/.

Telluride Bluegrass Festival

The 38th Annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival -- June 16-19, 2011 -- is now completely sold-out!

More Angie Stevens ...

From the Angie Stevens camp:

Hello everyone and Happy Summer!

Haley E. Rydell (from the Johnson Family Band) and I have been in a whirlwind of practice, photo shoots and shows all for the release of the I'm With Her EP. We have our official release at Swallow Hill this Friday and really hope you can make it! (Tickets are cheaper in advance, so get yours today!) We'll have new merch available as well as special guests Monica Sales, Susan Phelan and Robin Hoch sitting in on stage with us. I'm not sure how many more shows we'll be doing after this -- unless we convince Haley to move to Denver;) so make sure you catch it while you can.

In case you are wondering what I'm With Her is or what it will sound like -- it was a place to bring our songs that we hadn't played much with our bands or wanted to try a different approach to by using harmonies and strings. You will hear a lot from the AS/HR catalog tweaked with a montage of strings/harmonies - some slow and some rockin!! I think you will really love it as much as I do so hope you can make it out ;)

See you soon;)

I'M WITH HER SHOWS

Tue Jun 14 2011 -- Mary's Lake Lodge
7pm Estes Park, CO

Wed Jun 15 2011 -- Low Spirits
9pm Albuquerque, NM

Fri Jun 17 2011 -- Swallow Hill Daniels Hall
8pm Denver, CO

Tickets: http://events.swallowhill.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=1263&c=39&pg=

Sat Jun 18 2011 -- Avogrado's Number
8:30pm Fort Collins, CO

Wed Jun 29 2011 -- The Aquarium
9pm Fargo, ND

http://www.imwithhermusic.com
http://www.facebook.com/BossKoalaRecords

Flobots stuff with Colorado Music Buzz

From Colorado Music Buzz:

Join us Monday, June 13, at The Ginn Mill on Making a Difference Monday for LIVE at 5 with JONNY 5 of the FLOBOTS! One hundred percent of the night's bar proceeds from the event go to benefit Flobots.org and their programs.

Click here to find out more about or RSVP to LIVE at 5 with JONNY 5.

Colorado Music Buzz is a proud sponsor of Flobots.org! We look forward to helping them expand their reach in 2011 and beyond.

As you know the power of music is universal and can transcend any barrier. e were so moved by Flobots.org, their accomplishments, and community mission that we decided to help.

Go to Flobots.org to find out more about their programs Fight With Tools, Youth on Record, Art 2 Action and their 5 Points Community space available to rent out for any event.

Support Flobots.org in their Annual Fundraising Campaign!

They have 11 days left. $10 Makes A Difference! Music Makes a Difference!

Click Here to Donate Today!

FOLLOW COLORADO MUSIC BUZZ ON ...

Facebook

Twitter