BALTO I was sold on Balto as soon as I heard the blistering slide on “Black Snake, Mojave Blues”, the sample track that they shared on their SXSW profile page. Seeing them live provided an exclamation point – I caught two exceptional raucous and greasy outdoor sets in the afternoon sun. The LA-based quartet were […]
SXSW 2019 – The Scene
For me, the true harbinger of spring is the arrival of the SXSW Music and Media Conference in Austin, Texas. Or rather, spring begins for me when I arrive in Austin for SXSW. With upwards of 2,000 bands and more than 20,000 attendees from around the world, SXSW is the world’s premiere music conference. Even […]
Hittin’ the Road with Johnny Chops – a Special Premiere
This isn’t your normal travelogue. Singer-songwriter Johnny Chops and his wife spent two weeks last summer on a road trip from Austin, TX to Southern California and back. Ostensibly the drive was a Chops solo acoustic tour. The video footage that they took along the way, however, paints a romantic picture of life on the […]
Elise Davis on Chick-Fil-A and Her Approach to Social Media
Singer-songwriter Elise Davis shares the story behind her first song, an exhilarating first gig and a spectrum of day jobs.
Michael McDermott On the Spinal Tap Stonehenge Set and a Career’s Worth of Tour Vehicles
Singer-songwriter Michael McDermott talks about the improvised guitar strap at his first gig and his secret for eating well while on tour.
Monday Morning Video – Kathleen Edwards “The Cheapest Key”
Kathleen Edwards provides us with an adult version of the A-B-Cs on this classic track from her 2008 gem Asking For Flowers.
Son Volt – Union
The previous two Son Volt albums explored leader Jay Farrar’s musical groundings in country and blues with Honky Tonk and Notes Of Blue respectively. Â On his latest record, Farrar and his bandmates are showing some of their folk roots. Â That’s not to say Union is a folk record: far from it, this is a return […]
Ryan Bingham on Working at Disney World Paris and the Key to More Rewarding Live Shows
Ryan Bingham talks about finding apples at truck stops, rolling his tour van off the side of a mountain in Montana and early gigs playing for tips and beer.
Nikki Hill on Touring with “Big Connie” and Believing in Herself
Fiery rocker Nikki Hill talks about the vast array of day jobs that she’s had while building her career and finding rehearsal studios while touring.
Monday Morning Video – Dick Dale
Another legend gone. Influential guitarist Dick Dale, an originator of the surf guitar sound, reportedly passed away over the weekend.