Best DC Eats Before Dancing to the GLOW Beats

As we prepare to dance away the weekend at Project GLOW, we have combed through numerous restaurant reviews to find the perfect brunch vibes in D.C. We have narrowed it down to two stand-out brunch spots: Paraiso Taqueria and Unconventional Diner. 

Paraiso Taqueria is located at 1101 Pennsylvania Ave and it's self-described as, "A creative cuisine inspired by streets & home kitchens of Mexico." They have a preset brunch menu that offers all of the favorites ranging from Huevos Rancheros to Tres Leches French Toast. For those on a budget or with small appetites, the $5 breakfast tacos are the way to go. 

Of course, no brunch is complete without bottomless mimosas! Paraiso does not disappoint with a variety of juice options including passion fruit and guava. 

Our next must-stop brunch spot is Unconventional Diner. The name alone makes you curious about the space. Winning the Bib Gourmand Michelin Award in 2021 and appearing on several "best brunch" lists, this diner proves to be anything but conventional, as the name suggests. Located at 1207 9th Street, NW, Unconventional Diners offers an impressively eclectic menu. Personally, I can't wait to try the Lebanese Fried Rice, while Chris is highly anticipating the Caribbean Shrimp and Grits. Also worth boasting about is their comfort food with a southern flair such as Chicken and Waffles. The best thing about the diner's brunch is that they have it daily until 4; why limit yourself to brunching on the weekend? 

We hope to see you at one of these spots this weekend! Stay tuned; following our brunch experiences, we will share all of the drool-worthy details. Happy GLOW!

Project Glow Festival

Project GLOW is right around the corner, taking place this weekend at RFK Festival Grounds in Washington D.C. Project GLOW was created to celebrate over two decades of the D.C. dance scene. It is the first two-day, two-stage dance festival in the heart of DC.

The stacked lineup includes artists such as GRiZ, Above & Beyond, Seven Lions, and Martin Garrix. These acts will span three stages - The Eternal Stage, The Pulse Stage, and the iconic BoomBox Art Car that has appeared all around the world. 

For more details and the daily schedule, check out the official Project Glow website. 

As all festies know, you can't dance all night on an empty stomach. Stay tuned for our next post where we'll recommend the top places to get your grub on before attending Project GLOW. 

Please check out our Facebook Page for regular updates. 

Three Reasons Forecastle Festival is a Must

In a world of seemingly endless music festivals, music fans have to be selective about how they spend their entertainment dollars. Forecastle Festival has made it onto our list of musical musts this year. While there are several reasons to add Forecastle Festival to your list, here are the top three reasons to not miss this event this year. 

Reason #1 - The Eclectic Lineup

On the journey to feed our musical addiction, Chris and I have traveled to numerous music festivals of varying genres, such as Firefly, Okeechobee, FloydFest, Shaky Beats, Imagine, and many more. It's safe to say that we believe variety is the spice of life - and that goes for music. That's one reason that Forecastle is so attractive to people with eclectic musical palates. There's no need to choose just one genre at such a well-rounded event. This year, lyrical rhymes will be available from Anderson Paak, melodic dance beats courtesy of Big Wild, and thoughtful Americana sounds will flow through the Waterfront Park thanks to the Avett Brothers. With such variety, everyone in your fest fam will undoubtedly be pleased.

Reason #2 - The Extras

All music fests offer the basics - food, music, and beverages. But not all festivals can offer this sort of entertainment from the comfort of a boat. When opting for the Yacht Club ticket, you can enjoy the festival aboard the Mary M. Miller Steamboat and Boathouse. This option includes air conditioning (yes, please), quick entry, and a Kentucky-style VIP bar. 

I would be remiss if I failed to mention the Bourbon Lounge; this is Kentucky, after all. The lounge features local eats, drinks, and festival perks. Remember that this is an additional fee from the fest pass, so head over to the website to purchase your ticket. 

If you love to party late into the night, Party Cove and the Forecastle late-night shows will have you covered. Party Cove is almost like walking into a completely different festival within a festival. If dancing is your game, Party Cove is the place to be. This is one spot where it's okay to rock the boat, as local DJs and performers from the lineup play the night away from a boat stage under the neon glow of illuminated trees.

Reason #3 - Location, Location, Location

Forecastle wins on the location front in two separate ways. The 85-acre Waterfront Park along the Ohio River creates a peaceful backdrop for enjoying music throughout the day. The massive Big Four Bridge is illuminated at night, causing a reflective glow over the river. 

Forecastle has much more heart than the average music festival, leaving its guests feeling like they are part of an experience and not simply attending an event. Considering the diverse lineup, unique extras, and beautiful location, Forecastle must be on every music-lovers list this year. Mark your calendar for July 12-14 to see what Forecastle is all about.

Langhorne Slim and The Lost at Last Band Play HRB

Langhorne Slim returns to Haw River Ballroom this Thursday, November 8. For those of us lucky enough to have experienced his edgy shows before, it's easy to recall Langhorne's tendency to enter the crowd and sing to onlookers while hoisted upon someone's shoulders. In a world filled with fake everything, Langhorne is a reminder that real still exists - through his passion, his lyrics, and the soul he shares with his crowd each and every show. 

As the phenomena of instant connection and the need for constant self-improvement further implant their tendrils into our culture, the ability to truly connect with each other and ourselves has begun to fade. As we all reach for our smartphones to gaze upon the manufactured perfection of the lives of those we admire, we lose sight of what makes our own lives important.

Nashville’s Langhorne Slim interlaces this theme throughout his new album.“Everyone’s searchin’ for something better around every corner, but it’s already right here,” Langhorne says.“We’re all born whole – through livin’ we fall apart…”

The songs on Langhorne Slim’s newest album, Lost At Last Vol. 1, released November 10, 2017, challenge the idea of social rigidity: the attitude that there’s a “correct” way for us to live and a side we should be on. He urges the world to see through the idea that by following that path and focusing only on fitting the mold, one will have lived a good life. He re-interprets the sound of the free-spirited yet vulnerable everyman heard on 2015’s The Spirit Moves and brings forth anew the call for us to abandon “the fold” and re-connect with ourselves and each other.

Langhorne Slim is no stranger to the world of popular culture and commercial success. Lost At Last Vol. 1 is his sixth full-length album; throughout his career he has been defined by reflective songwriting and passionate delivery. Slim’s last album cycle alone garnered him his third appearance on Conan O’Brien’s late-night show, as well as a feature on CBS Saturday Morning, and the highest charting debut of his career. O’Brien, a personal fan of Slim stated, “After one listen, I became an instant, almost obsessive fan.” Slim has consistently toured on his own, and has appeared on extensive worldwide runs throughout his career with artists such as The Lumineers, The Avett Brothers, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Gregory Alan Isakov, Josh Ritter, The Devil Makes Three, Sara Watkins, and more. He’s also appeared on many festival stages, such as Bonnaroo, Newport Folk Festival, Outside Lands, Lollapalooza, and the Philadelphia Folk Festival.

Lost At Last Vol. 1 is a record that Langhorne wanted to do differently from the start. “Almost immediately after recording our last record, The Spirit Moves,” Slim says, “I felt a deep desire to make another album. One that would take a step sideways in order to take a step forward; one that would be very personal and raw…in the making of this record, I made a deal with myself to trust my own voice and vision more than I ever have before, and to go willingly wherever it led.”

The title alone reflects his need to pen a great wealth of songs, as if the thoughts and inspiration took on a life of their own and just needed to come out. Recorded over the span of around six months in New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Catskill, NY, and clocking in at about 34 minutes, it’s a short but intense listening experience. Several songs are under two or three minutes long, but they pack vivid imagery into concise packages in a way that shows a significant diversion from the songwriting on his previous records. Slim keeps his record-making in the family with this release; longtime band member Malachi DeLorenzo co-produced the record along with Kenny Siegal, and DeLorenzo also mixed several tracks in addition to playing drums on the record.

Slim reflects truths that we may or may not want to admit; in “Life is Confusing”, he muses that “life is confusing, and people are insane”. He stands resolute in the face of trial: “…you could break my heart, but you’ll never break me,” he sings on “Never Break”. He calls upon the listener during this time fraught with challenges to unplug from the trajectory our culture has deemed is “right” and find strength in our own vulnerability, in our own instincts. “We look to our phones, drugs, sex whatever to find ourselves when it’s already right here,” Slim says. These songs join in the rallying call for the wild ones in us all. 

The party starts at 8 with the Watson Twins (doors at 7). Head over to the Haw River Ballroom website to grab your tix now, it's going to be a special night in Saxapahaw.

Bio. via girlieaction.com

Initial Lineup and Midnight Jam Announced for MerleFest '18



MerleFest, presented by Window World, is proud to announce the initial lineup for MerleFest 2018, which will be held April 26 - 29. The annual homecoming of musicians and music fans returns to the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The complete lineup for MerleFest 2018 will be announced over the next few months. Today's lineup announcement includes legendary artist Kris Kristofferson, Jamey Johnson, Robert Earl Keen, The Devil Makes Three, Balsam Range and the Atlanta Pops Orchestra Ensemble, "Mission Temple Fireworks Revival" featuring Paul Thorn & Band, the Blind Boys of Alabama and the McCrary Sisters, and many more. The 2018 Midnight Jam presented by The Bluegrass Situation on Saturday, April 28th will start at 10:30 p.m. and run well past midnight, with special hostsTown Mountain and Jim Lauderdale. This very popular after-hours hootenanny gathers many performers from the festival for impromptu artistic collaborations and one-of-a-kind superstar jams that have become legendary in the festival’s history.

Kris Kristofferson – Kris Kristofferson is a three-time Grammy winner who has recorded 30 albums, including three with pals Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings as part of the Highwaymen. Kristofferson has spent three decades performing concerts all over the world and achieved remarkable success as a country songwriter at the start of the 1970s. His songs helped redefine country songwriting, and by 1987, it was estimated that more than 450 artists had recorded Kristofferson’s compositions. In 1977, he earned a Golden Globe for Best Actor and has acted in more than 70 films to date. Kristofferson is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and has been recognized with the Songwriter Hall of Fame’s prestigious Johnny Mercer Award, the Johnny Cash Visionary Award, BMI’s Icon Award, the Francis Preston Music Industry Award, the PEN Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence Award, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Kristofferson is scheduled to play on Thursday.

Jamey Johnson – Truth and tradition. These non-negotiable principles serve as the bedrock of the music of eleven-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Jamey Johnson, who is “one of the greatest country singers of our time,” according to The Washington Post. Indeed, the Alabama native has been acknowledged by many as country music’s north star, guiding us down a path of confession and conflict to a place of reflection and redemption. He has received tremendous praise from The New York Times, Rolling Stone, The Wall Street Journal and other publications, many of which have hailed his albums as masterpieces. His influential album, "That Lonesome Song", was certified platinum for 1 million in sales, and his innovative double album, "The Guitar Song", which debuted at No. 1 on the country album charts, received a gold certification. In 2012, he released a Grammy-nominated project honoring one of his heroes, Living for a Song: A Tribute to Hank Cochran. He is one of only a few people in the history of country music to win two Song of the Year Awards – for “Give It Away” and “In Color" – from the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association. He has written singles for George Strait, Trace Adkins, James Otto, Joe Nichols and others. Johnson is scheduled to play on Friday.

“Today, MerleFest is proud to announce more than 75 artists who are part of the festival’s 2018 lineup, commemorating the 31st year of the festival. MerleFest welcomes back five special artists that haveplayed all 31 years: Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Peter Rowan, Joe Smothers, and Jack Lawrence. The initial lineup reflects the musical diversity and quality of performers who are the hallmark of the festival,” says Steve Johnson, MerleFest Artist Relations Manager. MerleFest is known for its unique mix of traditional, roots-oriented music from the Appalachian region, including bluegrass and old-time music, Americana, blues, country, Celtic, Cajun, cowboy, zydeco, rock and many other styles that the late Doc Watson referred to as “traditional plus.” The initial lineup includes several notable acts; to see the full list, visit the website at MerleFest.org/lineup.

  

Tickets for the festival, as well as the Midnight Jam, are on sale now, and may be purchased at www.MerleFest.org or by calling 1-800-343-7857. MerleFest offers a three-tiered pricing structure and encourages fans to take advantage of the extended early bird discount. Early Bird Tier 1 tickets may be purchased from November 14 to February 18, 2018 and Early Bird Tier 2 tickets from February 19 to April 25. Tickets will be sold using Tier 3 pricing at the gate during the festival. 

Stay tuned for our annual MerleFest spotlights highlighting various artists from this impressive lineup. Buy those tickets now and we'll see ya MerleFest!

Imagine Music Festival 2017 Review

Stepping onto the Atlanta Motor Speedway for the first night of the Imagine Music Festival, I couldn't help but pause and appreciate the evolution of this magical event. Three years ago, my two festie-besties and I entered our first Imagine at Atlanta's Historic Fourth Ward Park. At that time, the event was in its second year and held three stages and minimal space, however the effort put into the fest was huge. The three of us didn't quite leave IMF the same; we bonded as friends, we created unforgettable memories, and we learned that we needed more moments like this in our lives. IMF has since grown to a six-stage wonderland at the speedway. Spanning 887 acres, the festival now allows for the fun of camping, endless sensory adventures, and most importantly meaningful memories.

Day 1 presented a great beginning to the weekend. We got the day started with Yheti at the Disco Inferno Stage. With his creative flow and unique melodies, he brought the perfect amount of weird to allow for a smooth transition from the real-world into festival mode. Afterward the main stage, Oceania, brought on one heavy-hitter after another. For our crew, it started with Datsik, who came out on stage with the bass guns blazing. He started on a high level and never came back down, keeping the crowd amped and ready to go all night. Finishing out the stellar lineup was Tiesto. Filled with power and energy, this EDM legend kept the crowd moving for his entire 90 minute set, playing favorites both old and new.

After an exceptional opening day, we were stoked for day 2. The night started with one of our most anticipated sets: Black Tiger Sex Machine. After recently experiencing them at Electric Forest, I could not wait for them to take me to church once again. Just as I had imagined, they did not disappoint. The energy that comes from a BTSM show is hard to match. All three members engage with the crowd, creating a connection that pulls everyone together. Add that to the visuals that match every beat and the perfect set is created. Appropriately following that powerful set on the Oceania Stage was Zomboy with his infectious beats, continuing what BTSM started. Then came Flux Pavilion. I have to be honest, I saw Flux once before and found his set to be mediocre. I was beyond surprised and pleased that he proved me wrong at Imagine. Using heavy bass, melody and rhythm, Flux had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hands. He mixed his own popular song "Bass Cannon" into an intricate web of bass and beats, recreating my personal favorite tune into a whole new sound. Of course once he played "I Can't Stop," everyone lost their minds, screaming the words that caused an echo across the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

As if all of that wasn't enough excitement for one night, we had to make a nearly impossible choice: Pretty Lights vs. Deadmau5. How does one choose between two legends? We decided to go with Pretty Lights because we were curious and intrigued with the fact that he was playing a live set. This was a new experience for me and well-worthy of the hype. Seeing the already mystical music by Pretty Lights played live on stage with actual instruments was a music nerd's dream come true. As we all know, Pretty Lights is a master at putting his audience into a visual trance and this set was no exception.


The last day is always a little sad because the thought of returning to reality is truly depressing. However, with the enchanting lineup on Sunday, it was impossible to feel anything except pure joy. I'm personally not always into the "feelsy" electronic music, but the Sunday lineup got me trapped in a zone of the feels and I loved every second of it.

Who better to start a heartwarming day than Illenium? This eclectic producer is a master at giving purpose to his music while still creating a hype show; generating a perfectly balanced experience that is sure to captivate the entire audience. Creating a flawless transition was Seven Lions hitting the stage right after Illenium. With his visuals being almost as beautiful as his flowing hair, I couldn't help but feel I was existing in the world he created on screen. Scenes of nature meshed with angelic melodies took the audience to a whole new level of peaceful bliss that felt like entering a dream. As if the night could get any more whimsical, the final set on the main stage was Above & Beyond. This was my first time seeing these trance gods and all expectations were exceeded. They worked their magic to make the crowd feel as one, moving and singing along to every calming beat. Of course, this was the main stage finale, so Imagine had to pull out all of the stops with a mesmerizing firework display. The festival couldn't have ended in a more beautiful way with soothing melodies, a fantastic light show, and my two best friends.

After the finale on the main stage, Claude VonStroke was the sole survivor keeping the crowd moving at the Disco Inferno. Once we finished grooving to his set, we all headed toward the exit of the speedway.

As we walked up the steps, we turned to span the festival, taking in the vibrantly flashing lights, the creatively dressed festies, and recalled entering this same festival three short years ago. The setting has changed, the space has grown, but that same intimate and genuine feeling first created by Imagine in the beginning, holds strong three years later. That's what a notable festival is all about: the best of friends creating new memories with an eloquent soundtrack constantly spinning in the background. Thanks for giving us a place to expand our memories, minds, and friendships, Imagine. We'll see you next year for your fifth birthday! Start making your own memories and grab the $99 customer appreciation passes while they last. How do you imagine? There's only one way to find out...

Imagine Set Times Released!

The time has come, boys and girls! Imagine has released their daily set times. Now it's time for the joy of sifting through the impressive list of  artists and carefully choosing which acts to hear and when. Good luck, there are some tough choices (I'm looking at you, Deadmau5 vs. Pretty Lights).

The official Imagine Mobile App for Apple and Android is also now available.  There are a lot of fun distractions at Imagine; just download that bad boy to ensure you don't miss any of your favorites. 

Lastly, as you know, many people along the East Coast were affected by Hurricane Irma. Imagine has started an official donation site via the American Red Cross. The music world is known for loving, caring and giving, so let's throw some support to the victims of Irma. 

It's almost time to Imagine, folks! How do you imagine?

Imagine Music Festival Spotlight - Black Tiger Sex Machine

Imagine Music Festival 2017 is right around the corner, folks! Soon enough, the complete schedule will be released and it will be time to carefully pick and choose which unforgettable acts to see. While this can be a daunting task, have no fear, we're here to help! In coming weeks, we'll be sharing our top picks for each stage. There are some heavy-hitters playing the Oceania stage like Deadmau5, Tiesto, and Flux Pavilion, but our first choice for this stage is Black Tiger Sex Machine.

Who's ready to go to church? First up we have sci-fi-inspired bass hitters, Black Tiger Sex Machine. With a name like that, how can you even think about missing their act? BTSM are known for their electrifying shows and their ability to bend, manipulate, and mesh every genre of electronic music into one performance. Their sound implements everything from dubstep and electro to drum and bass. At a BTSM set, the audience is immersed in hard-hitting bass and classically-influenced instrumentation with darker electro styles. BTSM is also known for creating partially live sets, which is refreshing in a world of press-play artists. Be sure to head to BTSM Church on Saturday and get lost in the hard and heavy sounds of this dynamic trio. To see what a BTSM show is all about, check out their tour recap below. Buy your tickets now for Imagine, they're worth every penny and going fast!

Imagine Music Festival Drops Day Schedule

Imagine Music Festival has dropped their day schedule for the September 22-24 event.  Taking place once again at Atlanta's Motor Speedway, the lineup is stacked and offers a variety of options for bass heads and trance-lovers alike. Check out the schedule below and head over to their website to purchase your weekend pass.  

Hopscotch 2017 Day Parties Announced

Hopscotch is getting ever so close and today they revealed the schedule for the coveted day parties. Stroll around to all of the best local music spots on any given Hopscotch day and you're guaranteed to find either a familiar hometown artist or discover new budding talent.  Either way, a true lover of music can't go wrong with the variety provided by Hopscotch, especially with the day parties. Check out the full schedule here. 

Also don't forget that main stage tickets to see Future Islands, Run the Jewels, Solange and Big Boi go on sale this Thursday, August 24th.  

Don't miss the full event happening throughout downtown Raleigh from September 7-10. 

The Breakaway Festival Hits Charlotte

Blackbear, Lil Dicky, Cheat Codes and more will come together on October 14th in Charlotte for the first ever Breakaway Festival. The event will appropriately be held at the NC Music Factory.

Headlining the event is German producer Zedd who has played notable music festivals such as Ultra, EDC and Moonrise. Known for top hits like "Clarity" and "I Want You to Know," Zedd brings his electro-house hits to life with pulsating beats and thoughtful production. He is currently traveling for his Echo tour.

While Breakaway also takes place in Grand Rapids, MI and Columbus, OH, this is the first time Prime Social Group have chosen Charlotte, largely due to its blossoming music scene. Local favorites from Charlotte, Raleigh, and surrounding areas will also be featured in the silent disco presented by SOMA Entertainment. Devious, DOMii and Freaky are among the local talent that will keep the party going well into the night.

This will be the first time the Queen City has seen a music event such as this one. Head on over to the official Breakaway Festival website for more details and to grab those tickets.

Win Tickets to the Scythian CD Release Show at Lincoln Theatre

Dance-inducing Celtic rock and American folk band, Scythian, will once again bring the party to Lincoln Theatre and we're giving away two free tickets to the show.  To enter, head over to our Twitter and Facebook pages to retweet and share for your chance to win.  

Saturday, July 15th at 9pm Scythian will be doing an ALL-AGES CD Release of their new album "Dance All Night." The album is a "best of" but features previously unreleased tunes which will be performed that night. "Named after Ukrainian nomads, Scythian merges Irish, gypsy, and Americana with thunderous energy, technical zest, and soulful songwriting, beckoning crowds into a barn-dance rock concert experience."  

For those of you who are new to Scythian, you can expect a show that has you up on your feet dancing while hoisting glasses. Scythian headlined First Night Raleigh a couple of years ago, has rocked the Bluegrass Fest, and is a perennial favorite at the MerleFest Dance Tent. Head over to the Lincoln Theatre website to get your tickets. Check out the 60-second preview below: 

Cat's Cradle Welcomes The Greeting Committee and MisterWives

This Saturday, June 17, Cat's Cradle has put together a lineup that makes all other lineups jealous.

The Greeting Committee are an indie pop group based out of Kansas City, Missouri. Formed in 2014 by high school friends Addison Sartino (vocals), Brandon Yangmi (guitar), Pierce Turcotte (bass), and Austin Fraser (drums), the quartet attracted the attention of local radio personality Lazlo Geiger who agreed to manage them. Following the release of their debut EP, It's Not All That Bad, things began to move quickly for the young group and a deal was soon struck with Los Angeles-based label Harvest Records who re-released the EP in October 2015.


MisterWives are an indie pop band based in New York City. Formed in 2012 around the core trio of singer/keyboardist Mandy Lee, bassist William Hehir, and drummer Etienne Bowler, they have an unusual sound that combines elements of synth pop, folk, and indie rock, falling somewhere between the quirky dance-pop of No Doubt and the pastoral folk-rock of Of Monsters and Men.

After adding guitarist Marc Campbell and multi-instrumentalist Dr. Blum, the group began recording its debut EP, Reflections, which was released on New York indie Photo Finish Records in early 2014. With just one EP and some demos to their name, MisterWives have garnered much buzz among major music publications like Interview, Paste, and MTV Buzzworthy.

Their debut LP Our Own House was released in February 2015. Head out to the Cat's Cradle this Saturday to hear their newest album, Connect the Dots. Be aware, this show is sold out, so if you didn't snag some tix, it's time to be best friends with someone that did.

Artist Spotlight: Junior Astronomers @ Cat's Cradle

North Carolina´s own Junior Astronomers will be making a return to the Triangle next week just before the release of their sophomore album, Body Language, on Friday, June 9. As a follow up to their first album, Dead Nostalgia, band members Terrance Richard, Philip Wheeler, Colin Watts, and Elias Pittman describe their new album as one that portrays the nuances of coming of age, the complexities of relationships, and finding a new normal in a constantly changing world.

As the Charlotte based rock band embarks on a tour that features stops in Brooklyn, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia, the Cat's Cradle Back Room will be the first of several shows in North Carolina over the next week. Having shared the stage with the likes of Manchester Orchestra and Modest Mouse in recent years, they're guaranteed to provide a performance that will induce moving.

For a preview of their album, check out the recently released single off their new album, "Pyramid Party." The lineup for the June 6 show also includes other talented acts, Cold Fronts, Youth League, and Cuzco and will begin at 8pm.

Tickets are $8 in advance and can be purchased here.  

Artist Spotlight: The Orwells at Cat's Cradle

In the week leading up to playing at Bonnaroo Music Festival and embarking on a European tour later this summer, the Cat's Cradle welcomes The Orwells on Tuesday, June 6.

Hailing from Elmhurst, Illinois, these five rockers have been generating a lot of excitement with the release of their third studio album, Terrible Human Beings. The band had not released an album since 2014 after giving an unforgettable performance as guests on The Late Show with David Letterman.

As one might expect, the band has evolved in their sound, but recognizes it is their wild and theatrical performances that have captivated their audiences over the years.  The band is making a point to focus on how they want to be percieved as artists moving forward, as band member Matt O'Keefe ackowledged in a recent Chicago Tribune article,"we don't always want it to be about what we are doing physically on stage, but more about the lyrics or the guitar part." This is clearly evident in the album's final song, "Double Feature." When asked about the lengthy and clever ending to the album, Henry Brinner explained the intentions of the last song to Billboard, "I think that the last song has to be epic."  Joined by brother Grant Brinner, Dominic Corso, and Mario Cuomo, the Cat's Cradle is certain to be filled with rock and roll energy next Tuesday.  Joining the band will be another Chicago-based  rock band, The Walters.

Tickets for the show are available through the Cat´s Cradle event page and the show will begin at 8pm. Check out a preview of The Orwells' live performance of another track of their new album, "Black Francis."

Forecastle Festival Releases Daily Schedule and Official App Download

The countdown is on to the fifteenth year of Music, Art and Activism. The Forecastle Festival, led by LCD Soundsystem, Weezer, Odesza, Sturgill Simpson and Cage the Elephant, has released its daily schedule, available now at ForecastleFest.com.

Fans can also view the daily schedule on the official Forecastle Festival app, now available for download on iOS and Andriod. The app will allow users to browse the full lineups and build their own custom itinerary, in addition to providing access to the festival map, a comprehensive list of food and beverage vendors, Forecastle Radio, social media and more. Fans can steer their own experience on the Forecastle ship right from their smartphones.

Links to the daily schedule are provided below. Gates will open at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 14, and at noon on Saturday, July 15 and Sunday, July 16. VIP, General Admission Plus and General Admission weekend passes, as well as daily tickets are on sale now. All festival tickets are available at ForecastleFest.com, Ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster outlets. 

Friday, July 14

Saturday, July 15

Sunday, July 16

*Photo Credit: Brian Hensley

Hopscotch Releases 2017 Lineup

Hopscotch Music Festival released their 2017 lineup today! Check out the talent ranging from Run the Jewels to Future Islands to The Afghan Whigs.  Wristbands go on sale Thursday, May 11 at 10 a.m.  Is it September yet?

B.J. Barham Presents Rockingham Tonight at The Pour House

B.J. Barham of American Aquarium shares his solo album Rockingham tonight at The Pour House with support by Charly Crockett. 

B.J. Barham was a long way from home when the tragedy happened.

On November 13, 2015, the singer-songwriter—raised in a small North Carolina town called Reidsville—was in the middle of his fourth European tour with American Aquarium, the rising alt-country act he’d led for nearly a decade. They were in Belgium, less than two hours from Paris, when bad news began to arrive: a series of terrorist attacks, including one in a rock club, had left more than 100 dead. Family members, friends, and the fans American Aquarium had amassed from so many years on the road immediately reached out, making sure the band had been far away.

“The onslaught of text messages, voicemails and everything that came in the next day sparked something in me,” Barham remembers. “In the next two days, the entire record was written.”

The record he’s talking about is Rockingham, Barham’s remarkable and intensely personal solo debut. Not long after the wave of well wishes had passed, Barham found himself piecing together composites of people he’d known since childhood, of those folks and places who had impacted his life in fundamental ways. He sang into his cell phone and scribbled in notebooks, stealing away for quiet moments in order to put the melodies and characters floating through his mind into song.

The shock of the moment and the distance from home seemed to give Barham a crucial perspective on the moments and circumstances that had helped shape him. Wolves, American Aquarium’s much-lauded 2015 breakthrough, had contained Barham’s most honest, vulnerable statements to date. But these songs took the next step, allowing Barham to share stories about those around him. In “O’Lover,” he portrays a hard-working farmer forced to make some desperate decisions to support the ones he loves. In “Reidsville,” named for the place he’d called his home until relocating to North Carolina’s capital, he immortalized beautiful, sweet, doomed souls, stuck in love in the sort of small towns that are disintegrating all across America. You needn’t have been to Reidsville to recognize these elegantly written, expertly realized protagonists.

“This is the first record I’ve ever made that’s not autobiographical—it’s fictional narrative in a very real place,” Barham says. “These songs are human condition stories set in my hometown, Reidsville.” Barham made these songs his new priority. Not long after he returned stateside, he asked Bradley Cook, the musician and mentor who had coproduced Wolves, to hear them. By afternoon’s end, they had hatched the plan to make Rockingham. Two months later, on January 31, Barham returned from another American Aquarium tour.

On Monday, he and the band he’d built to record Rockingham—himself, Cook, Cook’s brother and multi-instrumentalist Phil Cook, drummer Kyle Keegan, American Aquarium standbys Ryan Johnson and Whit Wright—met for the first time. On Tuesday and Wednesday, they rehearsed. And on Thursday and Friday, they cut all eight songs at Durham’s Overdub Lane. They mixed the results over the weekend, between the sold-out hometown shows and various festivities of American Aquarium’s annual pilgrimage, Roadtrip to Raleigh. The whirlwind kept the songs simple and the recordings human, reflecting a reality much bigger and less perfect than the vacuum of a recording studio. These tunes, after all, didn’t need much tampering. Rockingham puts its scenes and scenarios front and center, the beautiful grain and twang of Barham’s voice bringing it all to life. He limns lifelong romance and instantaneous tragedy during the paradoxically heartbreaking, heart-mending “Unfortunate Kind” and details the disappointments and dreams of the blue-collar laborer with “American Tobacco Company.” With its acoustic guitars and pealing organs, ragged vocals and rugged characters, Rockingham is a stunning, personal portrait of small-town America, easily identifiable and familiar.

For the album’s sole autobiographical moment, Barham, now happily married and sober, penned a letter of sound advice and Southern attitude to his daughter-to-be, “Madeline.” It’s too personal to fall under a roots-rock purview, too singular to be swallowed by a larger situation. Like all of Rockingham, it’s not the sound of Barham stepping away from American Aquarium but instead stepping confidently into the thoughts, stories, and feelings of his own thirty years.

“This is just an outlet for a songwriter. It’s me being able to do something different. This is like people who love their jobs, picking up hobbies,” says Barham, “This is an exercise for myself.”

*All Eyes Media 

Mipso Return Home for NCMA Show - Interview with Libby Rodenbough

Chapel Hill quartet Mipso is in the midst of their 35 date album release tour for Coming Down The Mountain.  According to the Americana-roots band, their fourth studio album explores "ideas of our changing relationship to the idea of home and about being pushed or pulled by forces stronger than us." 

Ahead of their special homecoming show at The North Carolina Museum of Art on May 6 with River Whyless, I chatted with fiddler Libby Rodenbough about touring, MerleFest and appreciating the little things.  


TTB:  How does Coming Down the Mountain differ in sound from Old Time Reverie?  

LR:  A couple of people have asked us if we see this album as a departure because we added drums. I think that's the typical response of adding electric instruments to a string band, but I think for the band it feels like a part of our trajectory. We're song writers mostly and we like to create music that supports the songs we write. With this album it felt like the instrumentation that could support these songs was a little different.  Also, we were trying to keep ourselves entertained and it was fun for us to try some new sounds in the studio and see how we could make them our own.

TTB:  Tell me about the creative process for this album.

LR:  We got together in a friend's barn near Saxapahaw where they grow fields of rye, which was really beautiful.  We plugged in our amps for the first time and tried songs a different way. 

TTB:  What is the writing process for developing new songs?  

Usually what happens is we write things on our own; sometimes they're finished songs, sometimes they're just ideas or just a chorus.  Then we get together and flush them out as a foursome.  We're all interested in writing a part of it, so even if one of us writes a song there's usually input from others before we record.

TTB:  What was it like working with Brad Cook of Megafaun?

LR:  It was so fun!  He is such a force of positive energy.  He is philosophically tied to not over-thinking things, which is good for us and for any artist in the studio because that's so easy to do.  He wanted us to basically go into the studio and be a band; to just play like a band and not worry too much about every little detail and kind of trust that the spirit of the song would be what was most important.  

TTB:  You are in the midst of a 35 date tour with some festival stops.  What are the biggest challenges of being on tour?

LR:  Diet, exercise, and routine.  If you're a person who enjoys routine, which I think all of us do to some extent, then being on the road is a real challenge. Touring has made me appreciate routine in a way that I might not have otherwise.  

TTB:  On the flip side, what are your favorite parts of touring?

LR:  I love imagining my life in every little town that we go through.  I love walking into a town with fresh eyes and trying to put together a little story in my head of what it's like to be there, what the people do everyday and what types of food and music they like. Obviously there are a lot of similarities and everyone is a product of an internet age, but also there's still a lot of distinction between places and that's something that could easily be overlooked if you weren't traveling to a lot of little towns like we are.  

TTB:  What are some of the highlights from your time as a Mipso member?  

LR:  It all runs together in some way.  I think there are a lot of small moments that don't get recorded as some kind of lightning strike in my memory, but there's this warmth that I feel from the accumulation of all of these small moments.  I think the stuff that's most meaningful to me is the smaller and quieter moments: the little word of appreciation from someone you admire or seeing a little kid who is starting violin lessons light up when he watches you play, that's pretty special.  

TTB:  You just played at MerleFest over the weekend.  How does MerleFest differ from other festivals?

LR:  It is a world-class festival that simultaneously feels like a state fair.  It feels extremely local, but the programming is excellent.  It has a total home-grown feeling. This festival was started by Doc Watson and I think that the spirit of the founding continues and a lot of festivals can't say that.  It's also great because of the spirit of Doc Watson it's not too exclusive with what constitutes traditional music, they always say it's traditional plus and that allows it to be as encompassing as anyone wants it to be.  

TTB:  What's next for Mipso?

LR:  There will definitely be more new music  We never really stop writing and as soon as we release things I'm usually antsy for the next thing we're going to make.  

TTB:  The upcoming show at the North Carolina Museum of Art also has Asheville's River Whyless on the bill.  Have you ever played with them before?

LR:  No, we've never played with them. We've heard so much about them and we've admired their music for a long time; it's really exciting to get to play with them. It's probably one of the most exciting bills we've ever been a part of.  

TTB:  What else would you like to tell your fans?

LR:  That we are really excited about the show at the NC Museum of Art.  We've played so many shows in the Triangle that people might think we're accustomed to it, but this is a new benchmark for us. Playing this huge outdoor amphitheater at the Museum of Art and playing with River Whyless, we've been eagerly anticipating this for so long now.  It's a really big deal to us. 

Tickets are moving quickly for this memorable night under the stars with two of North Carolina's finest Americana-folk bands.  Head on over to the North Carolina Museum of Art's website to secure your spot.  Take a listen to the album's title track, 'Coming Down the Mountain':