News: June, 2010

After Justin Townes Earle knocked 'em dead with an in-store performance at Amoeba Music in Hollywood, the staff asked him, "What's In Your Bag?"

Spirit in the Dark
Monday, July 12 at 8:00

Featuring Yo La Tengo, Yim Yames of My Morning Jacket, Lambchop, Marshall Allen and the Sun Ra Horns, and Exene Cervenka with headliners the Blind Boys of Alabama

That's some serious star power.

The Blind Boys invite a variety of artists from rock's most cutting edges to bring their lyrical expressions of spirituality to the stage for an unprecedented musical dialogue. This unscripted musical adventure is an evening not to be missed.

For tickets and more information go HERE

The folks at The Village Voice catch up with brother-sister duo Dex and Sara Romweber to ask some goofy questions ("What's one thing you've never done?" Dex: "Gone spear fishing off the coast of Key Largo." Hey, Dex, there's still time!) and then film them doing some stripped down versions of songs of their latest album, Ruins of Berlin, in an alley behind a theatre. Check out the video here. And then check out Dex and Sara on tour now.

Check out THIS article in the huge industry mouthpiece BILLBOARD on Nora O'Connor. She talks about recording with Jeff Tweedy and Mavis Staples for an upcoming record, touring with Jakob Dylan and where she's been the past few years.

HERE is a video of Nora and Kelly Hogan singing with a "nice-smelling" Jakob Dylan on the Craig Ferguson show.  If you look carefully in the background you'll see Jon Rauhouse on pedal steel and Tom Ray on bass hiding behind their comically large beards.

Flying in the face of the stereotype of the dumb musician is Ha Ha Tonka's Brian Roberts.  We don't think he's ever used the word "dude" or walked onto stage without his guitar.

No Spinal Tap-ish clown is he!  No way, or as he would say "Nien!"

Read about his fluency in German, love of fellow Missourian Mark Twain and what he does when he's got writer's block, revisions, cadence and all sorts of other writerly matters on the blog Writers on Process.

Now, those in the know about Wayne "The Train" know that he's the King of Juke Joint Swing.  So why does he play a heavy metal store when he's in Salt Lake City?

Cuz they're cool guys with a cool store, that's why.  Our buddies at the Heavy Metal Shop know good music when they hear it and have developed a serious music crush on Wayne, so much so they had him do an in-store show there last week.

Check out some video HERE

You can tell it's a Metal store by the big banner that says DIE MOTHERFUCKERS on the wall behind them.  Now, we just need to get Wayne on a bill with Goatwhore...

Usually the glossy industry rags are full of ladder-climbing execs posing with Grammy winning artists, or some hard-hitting "newsy" pieces about some rap-rocker saving some puppies or something.  Lots of insider back-slapping that the regular Joe never sees (nor would want to).

Imagine our surprise when we saw a story on King of Some of the Media Andre Williams showed up in an article in Variety!  Read it HERE.

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of Ha Ha Tonka's lauded sophomore album, Novel Sounds of the Nouveau South (really—just take a look at all the nice things people have said about the album), we're putting the CD and LP on sale! Already have a copy? Buy one for your dad for Father's Day! Or for your bestie for Xmas in July! But that's not all, if you buy the CD or LP from our site between now and Friday, June 18 at 5p, you'll also receive an MP3 of "12-inch, 3-speed Oscillating Fan" from the out-of-print 7''. Wait, but there's more! Everyone who purchases the CD or LP is also entered to win an autographed copy of the OOP 7''!

IT'S NEW RELEASE DAY! Old Town School of Folk Music’s beloved early childhood music program "Wiggleworms" turns 25 in 2010. To celebrate, the Old Town School of Folk Music teamed up with Bloodshot LTD to release the collection Songs for Wiggleworms!

And don't forget: through the month of June, all of our kiddie-related titles (and swag) is on sale! Check out the list of family-friendly discounts here.

Two of the finest songbirds in the world (we may be biased on that one, but we really don't think by TOO much) Nora and Kelly are even better when they sing together.  Anyone who ever saw them Struts or Flat Five shows at the Hideout knows what we're talking about.

Jakob Dylan ain't no fool and is having them back him up on his summer tour.

So, while you're enjoying the show and gettin' all swoony over Mr D, check out the foxy ladies with the powerhouse vox behind him.

Go HERE for tour dates near you.