Dark Star Orchestra Play Feb 16 at Iron City

Posted on Friday February 06, 2015 By Jessica Brasher

“More like the Dead than the Dead,” Dark Star Orchestra Play Feb 16 at Iron City in Birmingham, AL

Celebrating their 17th anniversary, Dark Star Orchestra has played more Grateful Dead shows than the Grateful Dead. Their performances have been endorsed by critics and fans, and the band has played alongside every living member of the original Grateful Dead as well as toured with their soundman of nearly three decades.

Dark Star Orchestra has embodied the Grateful Dead’s live experience for fans both old and too young to have ever seen their own Grateful Dead show.   
 
Recreating historic Grateful Dead set lists, and intermittently crafting their own, Dark Star Orchestra offers a continually evolving artistic outlet within the Grateful Dead's musical canon. Matching equipment, stage layout and even members (various eras could include female vocals or multiple drummers), Dark Star Orchestra's determined commitment to 'raising the Dead' has earned them high praise...

"Quite possibly the most talented and accomplished tribute band out there." – Rolling Stone
 
"Dark Star Orchestra often sounds more like The Dead than The Dead sometimes did." – Chicago Tribune
 
Numerous guest musicians have sat in with Dark Star Orchestra, including Phish’s Mike Gordon and Jon Fishman, Steve Kimock, Peter Rowan, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, Keller Williams, Gov’t Mule’s Warren Haynes and every living member of the original Grateful Dead.
 
“Playing with Dark Star Orchestra feels just exactly like it felt when I was playing with the Grateful Dead.” – Donna Jean Godchaux, Grateful Dead vocalist, frequent DSO guest
 
"I can close my eyes and go back 30 years and have it be every bit as rewarding and satisfying." – Dan Healy, Grateful Dead sound engineer 1966 -1994, toured as DSO’s sound engineer in 2008
 
While recreating set lists song for song, Dark Star Orchestra does not try to match Grateful Dead songs note for note. Anything so formulaic would be of a great disservice to the free spirit of The Dead’s live performances. 

EARPHUNK TONIGHT AT ZYDECO

Posted on Wednesday January 21, 2015 By Jessica Brasher

Earphunk, a “prog-funk” onslaught from New Orleans, will head back on the road this winter fresh from cross-country touring in support of their latest studio release, Sweet Nasty. In 2015, Earphunk continues their run with stops throughout the Southeast including dates in Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, The Carolinas, Florida, and Tennessee. TONIGHT they stop by Zydeco in Birmingham, AL. Click here for tickets.

Earphunk are also excited to announce two dates opening for seminal New Orleans funk group The Meter Men featuring Page McConnell of Phish at The Joy Theater the first weekend of Jazz Fest on April 24th and 25th, 2015. Featuring original members of The Meters - drummer Zigaboo Modeliste, guitarist Leo Nocentelli, and bassist George Porter Jr. - The Meter Men are known as trailblazers in the New Orleans music scene. Earphunk are honored to represent the new sound of funk during this noteworthy weekend of music.

"'Sweet Nasty,’ 'She Don’t Wanna Hear from You' and... 'Sunup to Sundown’ are high-energy numbers featuring attitude-filled bass lines and infectious hooks" - Live for Live Music

"Sweet Nasty is a deep southdance party album" - Live for Live Music

TOUR DATES

1/21/15 - Birmingham, AL - Zydeco ^

1/22/15 - Athens, GA - Georgia Theatre ^

1/23/15 - Augusta, GA - Sky City ^

1/24/15 - Charleston, SC - Pour House ^

1/27/15 - Jacksonville, FL - Freebird Live ^

1/28/15 - Atlanta, GA - Terminal West ^

1/29/15 - Wilmington, NC - Ziggys ^

1/30/15 - Charlotte, NC - Visulite Theatre ^

1/31/15 - Nashville, TN - Exit/In ^

2/5/15 - Auburn, AL - Bourbon Street ^

2/6/15 - Oxford, MS - Proud Larry's ^

2/7/15 - Pensacola, FL - Vinyl ^

4/24/15 - New Orleans, LA - The Joy Theater *

4/25/15 - New Orleans, LA - The Joy Theater *

*with The Meter Men featuring Page McConnell

^ProbCause opens

"Saura" the first single off the brand new album "Sweet Nasty" out now!

Nate Mendel's Lieutenant to Release New Record on March 10th

Posted on Tuesday January 20, 2015 By Tre Brannum

Independent label Dine Alone Records has partnered with revered musician Nate Mendel to release his first solo album, If I Kill This Thing We’re All Going To Eat For A Week, under the moniker Lieutenant on March 10th. Beginning today, fans are invited to stream a new song, “Believe The Squalor,” at Stereogum.com and pre-order the album at iTunes and in a variety of bundles and formats at http://dinealonestore.com.

Stream “Believe The Squalor” now, exclusively at Stereogum.com: http://bit.ly/1BzA6rm

Stream “Rattled” at http://youtu.be/A3f3ndYrVr0

Stream “Belle Epoque” at http://bit.ly/1unWySl

Mendel, also known as bassist for popular rock band Foo Fighters, highly influential emo act Sunny Day Real Estate and The Fire Theft, is venturing into uncharted territory as the primary songwriter, guitarist and singer for his first solo project, Lieutenant. After two decades of honing his technique on bass, Mendel was determined to step into a new role as the songwriter and frontman.

Mendel entered Foo Fighters’ studio, Studio 606, in August of 2012 with meticulously constructed demos, arrangements and melodies worked out for each of the songs. With the help of drummer Joe Plummer (The Shins, Modest Mouse) the two laid down the backbone of the record, tweaking the tracks as they went along, while producer/engineer Toshi Kasai (Melvins, Helmet) joined Mendel in studio to assist with the infamous Neve console.

During the recording, Mendel and Kasai hosted a slew of guest musicians in the studio including guitarist Page Hamilton (Helmet) and Josiah Johnson (Head and the Heart) who appear on “Believe The Squalor” and vocalist Jeremy Enigk (Sunny Day Real Estate) and Foo Fighter bandmate/guitarist Chris Shiflett who appear on “The Place You Wanna Go.”

Mendel finds a natural groove on If I Kill This Thing We’re All Going To Eat For A Week. The music draws listeners in with sincere lyrics and keeps them moving with echoed, jangly guitars as heard on standout tracks like “Rattled,” “Prepared Remarks” and “Belle Epoque.”

Lieutenant recently made its live debut with a string of warm up shows in Southern California. The lineup in tow featured Mendel along with Christian Wargo (Fleet Foxes) on bass, Paul “Pablo” Wilson (Snow Patrol) on guitar, Jorma Vik (The Bronx, Mariachi El Bronx) on drums and Kasai on keys. Additional spring dates will be announced soon, including a performance at SXSW in March.

Follow Lieutenant at https://www.facebook.com/lieutenantband for additional updates.

If I Kill This Thing We’re All Going To Eat For A Week Track List:

1.     Belle Epoque

2.     The Place You Wanna Go

3.     Believe The Squalor

4.     Rattled

5.     Prepared Remarks

6.     Some Remove

7.     Sink Sand

8.     Artificial Limbs

9.     Lift The Sheet

For More Information:

https://www.facebook.com/lieutenantband

https://twitter.com/LieutenantMusic

http://www.lieutenantmusic.com/

http://www.dinealonerecords.com/

Tedeschi Trucks Band Launches 2015 Tour

Posted on Friday January 16, 2015 By Tre Brannum

From headlining festivals to multi-night residencies, Grammy Award-winning Tedeschi Trucks Band has spent the past 12 months delivering countless memorable performances across the globe.  With guitarist Derek Trucks’ departure from The Allman Brothers Band now final, the 11-piece tour de force he leads with wife Susan Tedeschi enters the new year with full-time focus and dedication, allowing the ensemble more time to write new songs together as a unit and schedule a jam-packed itinerary of concert dates for 2015. They play Alabama Theatre in Birmingham on January 22nd.

This upcoming weekend, January 17 and 18, Tedeschi Trucks Band headlines its own Sunshine Music & Blues festival. (http://www.sunshinemusicandblues.com/)  Now in its third year, the two-city event created and curated by the band takes over St. Petersburg and Boca Raton in TTB’s home state of Florida and features two full days of top-notch artists.  This follows a January 16^th kick-off in Derek’s hometown of Jacksonville, turnabout for the closing shows of 2014 in Susan’s birthplace of Boston.

As the 2015 tour schedule develops, it is already loaded with highlights including the band’s mainstage debut at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival during the event’s first weekend.  Previously in 2010, Susan and Derek performed at the festival grounds, but this year’s appearance marks a first for the fully formed Tedeschi Trucks Band at the 10-day celebration in the Crescent City. Also a testament to the ever-growing fan base, the group has also added more multiple-night runs this year including a pair of concerts at Nashville’s famed Ryman Auditorium (2/12-2/13) and a two-night stand at the Warner Theater (2/20 – 2/21) in Washington DC.

Tedeschi Trucks Band enjoyed a remarkable 2014, criss-crossing the globe with two tours of Europe, a return to Japan, and an inaugural visit to India.  Equally as active was the group’s domestic slate, its peak moments including a first-time mainstage performance at Bonnaroo as well as the coveted Midnight SuperJam set, led by Derek and featuring an amazing lineup of guests including Chaka Khan, David Hidalgo, Ben Folds and Taj Mahal. During its fourth consecutive residency at NYC’s Beacon Theatre, TTB played musical host to a multitude of special guests over four nights in September welcoming visits from dobro master Jerry Douglas, Eric Krasno, and blues legend Taj Mahal to Jaimoe, Jimmy Herring, and Jackie Greene.  At year’s end, the band’s multiple-night runs in Philadelphia and Boston played to sold-out, SRO audiences, as well.

Just four years since its inception, Tedeschi Trucks Band - who was recently profiled on on CBS This Morning with Anthony Mason - has already released three critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums.  Its debut, Revelator, produced at the couple’s Swamp Raga home studio, earned a Grammy, while 2011's dynamic live follow-up, Everybody’s Talkin’, delivered a brilliant double-disc classic capturing the band’s incendiary musicianship on stage.   The band followed up with 2013’s Made Up Mind which received multiple Blues Music Awards and landed #11 on Billboard's Top 200 Album chart, #1 Blues and #2 Rock charts.  Hailed by Rolling Stone as “equal parts Stax and Muscle Shoals without dilution of either, Made Up Mind's repertoire of blues-soaked, roots rock neo-classics add to an ever-evolving setlist that bolsters Tedeschi Trucks Band’s growing reputation as the preeminent leader in modern blues-rock.

Tedeschi Trucks Band has found a magical combination that delivers nightly an unforgettable evening of music. "A deeply skilled groove machine" (Los Angeles Times) with “spellbinding” chemistry (Tennessean) and a “beautiful melange of soul, blues, funk, Southern rock and, yes, even a touch of cosmic jazz.” (Ottawa Citizen) Critics agree Tedeschi Trucks Band is one of the great rock groups of this generation.

2015 Itinerary

1/16  Jacksonville, FL             Florida Theatre – sold out 
1/17  St. Petersburg, FL          Sunshine Music & Blues Festival  – Vinoy Park
1/18  Boca Raton, FL              Sunshine Music & Blues Festival – Mizner Park
1/22  Birmingham, AL            Alabama Theatre
1/23 Chattanooga, TN            Tivoli Theatre
1/25 Knoxville, TN                  Tennessee Theatre
2/12  Nashville, TN                 Ryman

2/13  Nashville, TN                 Ryman
2/15 Wilkes Barre, PA            FM Kirby Center
2/17 Wilmington, DE             Grand Opera House
2/19 Greensburg, PA              Palace Theatre
2/20 Washington DC             Warner Theatre

2/21 Washington DC              Warner Theatre
2/25 N. Charleston, SC          N. Charleston Performing Arts Center
2/26 Pensacola, FL                 Saenger Theater
2/27 Macon, GA                      Macon City Auditorium

4/2   Memphis, TN                 Orpheum Theater

4/3   Tulsa, OK                        Brady Theater

4/24-26 New Orleans, LA     New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

We're Baaaaack (Almost)

Posted on Thursday January 15, 2015 By Tre Brannum

Hey Guys and Gals,

As you've noticed, it's been a bit quiet as of late. Trust me, it's not for lack of a good reason. Batteries have been recharged, new ideas in the works, and a new business partnership that will make 2015 the biggest year yet for Bhamrocks.

"What to expect", you ask? We will always bring you a comprehensive calendar of what's going on around the Birmingham, Alabama area. We will also keep you informed of up and coming locally based artists and news. But, we will be expanding to bring you music news from all over the world. We aim to be your daily first stop to see, hear, and read about what's going on in the music world. New podcast will be debuting soon as well as photos from shows locally, as well as nationally. This year brings a new site design and new MOBILE APP! Also, coverage, reviews, and interviews from the movers and shakers, to the veterans and legends of music.

It's going to be a fun year, and we welcome your feedback and participation. Send us your thoughts, news, music, pics, ect to tre@bhamrocks.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and hashtag us in your pictures at the shows you attend this year ( #Bhamrocks).

Thanks for all your support over the past 5 years,

Tre'