Ben's List

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2009-05-27T07:45:00.000-07:00

Seattle Summer Concert Schedule 2009

May

24-25 — Northwest Folklife Festival, Seattle Center (free).

24-25 — Sasquatch! Music Festival, the Gorge. Today's lineup (sold out): Jane's Addiction, Nine Inch Nails, Of Montreal, the Avett Brothers, TV on the Radio, M83, Murder City Devils, Calexico, Fences, Natalie Portman's Shaved Head, more. Monday's lineup: Ben Harper, Erykah Badu, Fleet Foxes, Girl Talk, Gogol Bordello, Blitzen Trapper, Grizzly Bear, the Pica Beats, Santigold, Heartless Bastards, more. $76.50 per day.

27 — Styx, REO Speedwagon, 38 Special, ShoWare Center, Kent, 7 p.m.; $39.50-$80 (tickets.showarecenter.com)

28 — Dwight Yoakam, Snoqualmie Casino, 8 p.m.; $75-$125.

30 — The Prodigy, the Crystal Method, Kaskade, WaMu Theater, 8 p.m.; $55-$125.

31 — Joe Cocker, 7 p.m., Emerald Queen Casino; $55-$115.

June

2 — Neko Case, Joey & John of Calexico, Pantages Theater, Tacoma, 8 p.m.; $33 (www.STGPresents.org or 877-STG-4TIX).

4 — Neko Case, Jason Lytle of Grandaddy, Paramount Theatre, 7:30 p.m.; $22-$27 (www.STGPresents.org or 877-STG-4TIX).

5-6 — Georgetown Music Festival, various venues throughout Georgetown (lineup and tickets TBA).

5 — Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Snoqualmie Casino Ballroom, 8 p.m.; $25-$45.

6 — Billy Ray Cyrus, Emerald Queen Casino, 8 p.m.; $35-$70

8 — 311, Ziggy Marley, WaMu Theater, 7 p.m.; $39.50.

9 — The Offspring, Alkaline Trio, Street Dogs, 8 p.m.; $39.75.

11 — Bruce Hornsby, Snoqualmie Casino Ballroom, 8 p.m.; $35-$65.

13 — Andre Rieu, Tacoma Dome, 8 p.m.; $50-$159.

16 — PJ Harvey and John Parish, The Moore, 8 p.m.; $36.50-$39 (www.STGPresents.org or 877-STG-4TIX).

17 — The Tragically Hip, the Moore Theatre, 8 p.m.; $35 (www.STGPresents.org or 877-STG-4TIX).

17 — The B-52s, Woodland Park Zoo, 6 p.m. (sold out).

23 — Goran Bregovic and his Wedding and Funeral Orchestra, Moore Theatre, 8 p.m.; $28-$60 (www.STGPresents.org or 877-STG-4TIX).

24 — Matisyahu, K'Naan, Moore Theatre, 7:30 p.m.; $29.50 (www.STGPresents.org or 877-STG-4TIX).

24 — Mavis Staples, Allen Toussaint, Woodland Park Zoo, 6 p.m.; $19 (tickets at Metropolitan Markets, 800-838-3006 or www.BrownPaperTickets.com).

25 — Railroad Earth, Moore Theatre, 8 p.m.; $23.

25 — Shooter Jennings and the .357s, Snoqualmie Casino — Ballroom, 8 p.m.; $20.

28 — Jonas Brothers, Tacoma Dome, 7 p.m.; $29.50-$89.50.

30 — Yes, Asia, Snoqualmie Casino Ballroom, 8 p.m.; $60-$105.

July

1 — Marshall Tucker Band, Snoqualmie Casino Ballroom, 8 p.m.; $20.

1-2 — Three Girls and their Buddy, Woodland Park Zoo, 6 p.m.; $36 (Metropolitan Markets, 800-838-3006 or www.BrownPaperTickets.com).

3 — Green Day, KeyArena, 8 p.m.; $25-$49.50.

5 — Duran Duran, Marymoor Park, 7 p.m.; $49.50-$79.50.

6 — Rise Against, Rancid, Billy Talent, WaMu Theater, 7:30 p.m.; $29.50.

7 — New Kids on the Block, White River Amphitheatre, 7:30 p.m.; $25.50-$85.50.

7 — American Idols Live, Tacoma Dome, 7 p.m.; $38.50-$67.50.

10 — Tori Amos, WaMu Theater, 8 p.m.; $45-$75.

10 — Tears for Fears, Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, 7 p.m.; $40-$60.

10-12 — West Seattle Music Festival, Alaska and California streets, West Seattle (lineup, times and tickets TBA).

11 — No Depression Festival, featuring Gillian Welch, Iron & Wine, and more, Marymoor Park, 1 p.m.; $45.

11 — Coldplay, the Gorge, 7:30 p.m.; $43.28-$109.84.

11 — Steve Miller Band, Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, 7 p.m.; $49-$89.

14 — Rockstar Mayhem Festival with Marilyn Manson, Slayer, and more, White River Amphitheatre, 2:15 p.m.; $31-$61.55.

14 — Demi Lovato, David Archuleta, WaMu Theater, 7 p.m.; $37.50-$47.50.

15 — Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Woodland Park Zoo, 6 p.m.; $19 (Metropolitan Markets or www.BrownPaperTickets.com).

16 — Blues Traveler, Snoqualmie Casino Ballroom, 8 p.m.; $30-$50.

16 — Counting Crows, Marymoor Park, 7 p.m.; $49.50-$79.50.

17 — Earth, Wind & Fire and Chicago, WaMu Theater, 8 p.m.; $51-$126.

17 — The Decemberists, Andrew Bird, Blind Pilot, Marymoor Park, 6 p.m.; $35.

17 — John Michael Montgomery, Snoqualmie Casino Ballroom, 8 p.m.; $24-$40.

17-18 — Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, Emerald Queen Casino, 8 p.m.; $35-$65.

18 — Blazed and Confused Tour featuring Snoop Dogg and Slightly Stupid, the Gorge, 6:30 p.m.; $39.50.

18-19 — Death Cab for Cutie, New Pornographers, Ra Ra Riot, Marymoor Park, 6 p.m.; $35.

19 — Los Lobos, Woodland Park Zoo, 6 p.m.; $22 (Metropolitan Markets, 800-838-3006 or www.BrownPaperTickets.com).

19 — No Doubt, Paramore, White River Amphitheatre, 7:30; $10-$80.

22 — Cowboy Junkies, Son Volt, Woodland Park Zoo, 6 p.m.; $22 (Metropolitan Markets, 800-838-3006 or www.BrownPaperTickets.com).

22 — Chuck Wicks, Ashton Shepherd, Snoqualmie Casino Ballroom, 8 p.m.; $20.

23 — Natalie Cole, Snoqualmie Casino Ballroom, 8 p.m.; $55-$95.

24-25 — Capitol Hill Block Party, Pike Street and 11th Avenue; 3 p.m. July 24: the Jesus Lizard, Deerhunter, Black Lips, Earth, the Blakes, They Live, Mika Miko, Past Lives, Starf****r, more; noon July 25: Sonic Youth, the Gossip, the Thermals, Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Moondoggies, Truckasauras, the Maldives, Akimbo, New Faces, Pica Beats, more. Two-day pass, $42, single day, $23-$25.

25 — KUBE 93 Summer Jam, White River Amphitheatre, 2 p.m. (lineup and ticket prices TBA).

26 — Indigo Girls, Woodland Park Zoo, 6 p.m. (sold out).

27 — Cruefest 2, White River Amphitheatre, 7:30 p.m., with Motley Crue, Godsmack, Theory of a Deadman, Drowning Pool, Charm City Devils; $29.50-$245.

29 — Moody Blues, Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, 7 p.m.; $45-$95.

30 — Jewel, Woodland Park Zoo, 6 p.m.; $28 (Metropolitan Markets, 800-838-3006 or www.BrownPaperTickets.com).

31 — Gretchen Wilson, Emerald Queen Casino, 8:30 p.m.; $40-$85.

31 — Lyle Lovett & His Large Band, Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, 7 p.m.; $47.40-$77.50.

August

1 — Kenny Chesney, Qwest Field, 2 p.m.; $20-$195.

1-2 — KWJZ Music Festival, Chateau Ste, Michelle Winery, 2 p.m.; $45.50-$200.

5 — Peter Frampton, Snoqualmie Casino Ballroom, 8 p.m.; $55-95.

6 — The Fray, Jack's Mannequin, Paramount Theatre, 7 p.m.; $42-$52 (www.STGPresents.org or 877-STG-4TIX).

7 — Rod Stewart, White River Amphitheatre, 8 p.m.; $45.50-$468.43.

7 — Los Lonely Boys, Emerald Queen Casino, 10:30 p.m. (ticket info TBA).

7-8 — Phish, the Gorge, 7:30 p.m. (sold out).

8 — KEXP BBQ, Mural Amphitheater at Seattle Center (lineup TBA); free.

8 — Heaven and Hell, Neurosis, WaMu Theater, 7 p.m.; $39.50-$79.50.

10 — Depeche Mode, KeyArena, 8 p.m.; $37.50-$77.50.

13 — Joan Baez, Woodland Park Zoo, 6 p.m.; $22 (Metropolitan Markets, 800-838-3006 or www.BrownPaperTickets.com).

15 — Los Tigres Del Norte, Tacoma Dome (time, ticket info TBA)

15 — Vans Warped Tour, the Gorge, 11 a.m., $35.05.

16 — Nanci Griffith, Woodland Park Zoo, 6 p.m.; $19 (Metropolitan Markets, 800-838-3006 or www.BrownPaperTickets.com).

17 — Aerosmith, ZZ Top, White River Amphitheatre, 7:30 p.m.; $41- $455.50.

19 — Susan Tedeschi, J.J. Grey & Mofro, Woodland Park Zoo, 6 p.m.; $22 (Metropolitan Markets, 800-838-3006 or www.BrownPaperTickets.com).

20 — The Dead Weather, Paramount Theatre, 8 p.m.; $30-$33 (www.STGPresents.org or 877-STG-4TIX).

21 — Jackson Browne, Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, 7 p.m.; $45-$65.

22 — Clint Black, Emerald Queen Casino, 8:30 p.m. (ticket info TBA).

23 — Elvis Costello and the Sugarcanes, Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, 7 p.m.; $40-$65.

26 — Ricardo Arjona, WaMu Theater, 8 p.m.; $51-$191.

26 — Amos Lee, Woodland Park Zoo, 6 p.m.; $22 (Metropolitan Markets, 800-838-3006 or www.BrownPaperTickets.com).

28 — John Legend, India.Arie, Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, 6:30 p.m.; $49-$260.

29 — Nickelback, Hinder, Papa Roach, Saving Abel, the Gorge, 6 p.m.; $50.

29-30 — Diana Krall, Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, 7 p.m.; $49.50-$99.50

30 — AC/DC, Tacoma Dome, 8 p.m.; $89.50.

September

4 — Chris Isaak, Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, 7 p.m.; $45.50-$79.50

4-6 — Dave Matthews Band, the Gorge, 6 p.m.; 48.50-$70.

5 — Gipsy Kings, Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, 7 p.m.; $50-$90.

5-7 — Bumbershoot: Seattle's Music and Arts Festival, with Modest Mouse, Sheryl Crow, Katy Perry, Franz Ferdinand, All-American Rejects, U.S.E., Brett Dennen, Eugene Mirman, Os Mutantes, Keller Williams, Janelle Monae and others at Seattle Center; days and times TBA; three-day passes $80-$120, with single-day tickets on sale July 21 (206-281-7788 or www.bumbershoot.org).

6 — BonTaj Roulette — Bonnie Raitt and Taj Mahal, Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, 7 p.m.; $49.75-$79.75.

10 — Keane, Moore Theatre, 8 p.m.; $33 (www.STGPresents.org or 877-STG-4TIX).

12 — Pink Martini, Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, 7 p.m.; $35-$55.

12 — Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Tacoma Dome, 8 p.m.; $20-$59.50.

15 — Pink, the Ting Tings, WaMu Theater, 7:30, $39.50.

15 — Porcupine Tree, Moore Theatre, 8 p.m.; $25-$30 (www.STGPresents.org or 877-STG-4TIX).

Bumbershoot 2009 Lineup Preview

2008-06-24T22:09:00.001-07:00

CHECK IT OUT!

A teeny portion of the 2009 music lineup includes:

Sheryl Crow / Modest Mouse / Katy Perry / Michael Franti & Spearhead / De La Soul / Raphael Saadiq / Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan / The Long Winters / Sly & Robbie & the Taxi Gang / World Party / MSTRKRFT / Roy Ayers / Common Market / UH HUH HER / Dave Alvin and The Guilty Women / Eric Hutchinson / No Age / Matt & Kim / Dead Confederate / The Cave Singers / Swollen Members / Vieux Farka Touré / Lenka / Gang Gang Dance / Todd Snider / Holy F**k / DJ Spooky / Iglu & Hartly / Low vs Diamond / Sera Cahoone / Eleni Mandell / Carrie Rodriguez / The Honey Brothers / Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head / Extra Golden / Cordero / Forgive Durden / Hey Marseilles / Adrian Xavier, and much, much more to be announced and more to be announced.

The full lineup won’t be revealed until later in the summer, but here's a sense of what’s coming your way over Labor Day Weekend (September 5th - 7th, 2009) at Seattle Center.

You can buy your 3-day passes NOW. For more ticket information, visit http://www.bumbershoot.org/tickets.htm

SASQUATCH MUSIC FESTIVAL 2009 LINEUP

2008-05-15T20:01:00.000-07:00

SASQUATCH! MUSIC FESTIVAL 2009 LINEUP

Memorial Day Weekend | May 23, 24, 25, 2009

The Gorge | Quincy, WA

All Tickets are General Admission. The first allotment of tickets are $56.50 per day, available for the on-sale weekend only. Beginning Monday, March 2nd tickets are $66.50 per day. The week of the festival (beginning Monday, May 18th) tickets are $76.50 per day if still available.

A discounted 3 DAY FESTIVAL PASS is available for a very limited time for $154.50. Offer ends Sunday, March 1st at midnight.

All ages welcome.
Parking is free.
Children under 5 free.
Festival gates open at 11:00am each day.
Parking lots & Box Office open 9:00am each day.
Rain or shine.
No refunds or exchanges.
Line up subject to change.
All patrons subject to search.
Photo ID required for all will call or guestlist ticket pick-ups.

The Gorge Amphitheatre

located in George, Washington, is a nine time winner of Pollstar Magazine's award for Best Outdoor Music Venue. The Gorge Amphitheatre is an outdoor amphitheater near the Columbia River in Central Washington.

Camping

One price Regular Weekend Camping Pass - $95.00. NO HOOK UPS.

Arrive any time from Friday May 22nd at noon through the night of Monday 25th, leave by noon Tuesday May 26th.

No refunds for early departure.

Premier Camping

One price Premier Weekend Camping Pass $160.00

Arrive any time from Friday May 22nd at noon through the night of Monday 25th, leave by noon Tuesday May 26th.

No refunds for early departure.

Premier camping provides a reserved site, area enclosed with cedar fence to provide an enjoyable, private and secure atmosphere. Experienced staff on hand to provide needed assistance and to monitor sites for unauthorized guests.

These campsites are extra roomy and easily accessible to accommodate larger vehicles i.e. SUVs, RVs or travel trailers. Sorry, NO HOOK UPS.

Access to clean, private restrooms and shower facilities featuring flushable toilets, electrical receptacles and air conditioning.

A special air-conditioned shuttle service to the amphitheatre from campground. Premiere campers will be allowed early entry.

A special menu available after show at the reserved recreation area.

Access to an outdoor movie/videos and/or other specially programmed activities free for Premiere campers only.

*** No re-entry once your vehicle leaves the campground

Seattle Woodland Park Zoo Tunes 2009 Lineup

2008-04-27T14:56:00.000-07:00

Here it is party people, the 2009 Zoo Tunes schedule!

June 17 | The B-52s

June 24 | Mavis Staples with special guest Allen Toussaint

July 1 & 2 | Three Girls and their Buddy

July 15 | Ladysmith Black Mambazo

July 19 | Los Lobos

July 22 | Cowboy Junkies / Son Volt

July 26 | Indigo Girls

July 30 | Jewel

August 13 | Joan Baez

August 16 | Nanci Griffith

August 19 | Susan Tedeshi with JJ Grey and Mofro

August 26 | Amos Lee

How to buy tickets:

Tickets go on sale Monday, May 4 at all Metropolitan Market locations. A limited number of tickets will be available at zoo gates during operating hours and on BrownPaperTicket.com

One child 12 and under per paid ticket is admitted free.

Prices as follows:

Wed., June 17 The B-52s - $27
Wed., June 24 Mavis Staples with special guest Allen Toussaint - $19
Wed., July 1 & 2 - Three Girls and their Buddy - $36
Wed., July 15 Ladysmith Black Mambazo - $19
Sun., July 19 Los Lobos - $22
Wed., July 22 Cowboy Junkies / Son Volt - $22
Sun., July 26 Indigo Girls - $24
Thurs., July 30 Jewel - $28
Thurs., August 13 Joan Baez - $22
Sun., August 16 Nanci Griffith - $19
Wed., August 19 Susan Tedeschi with J.J. Grey & Mofro - $22
Wed., August 26 Amos Lee - $22

Click the above image to view a Seattle/Puget Sound FLICKR sunset slideshow.

Link to Z00tunes 2007 and 2008 schedules

concert series, seattle zoo tunes, Woodland Park Zoo Concerts, woodland park, zoo tunes seattle, zoo tunes, zootunes, park, seattle, tunes, washington, woodland, zoo, summer concert series

Chateau St Michelle 2009 Summer Show Schedule

2008-04-22T21:34:00.000-07:00

Chateau Ste Michelle Winery, Woodinville, WA
Summer 2009 Concert Series Schedule

July 10, 2009

Tears for Fears

7:00 P.M.

tearsforfears.net

July 11, 2009

Steve Miller Band

7:00 P.M.

stevemillerband.com

July 29, 2009

Moody Blues

7:00 P.M.

moodyblues.co.uk

July 31, 2009

Lyle Lovett and His Band

7:00 P.M.

lylelovett.com

August 1st and 2nd, 2009

KWJZ Music Festival

2:00 pm

kwjz.com

A

August 21, 2009

Jackson Browne

7:00 pm

jacksonbrowne.com

August 2

August 23, 2009

Elvis Costello and the Sugarcanes

7:00 pm

elviscostello.com

August 28, 2009

John Legend with special guest India Arie

6:30 pm

johnlegend.com

August 29th and 30th, 2009

Diana Krall

7:00 pm

dianakrall.com

Aug

September 4, 2009

Chris Isaak

7:00 pm

chrisisaak.com

September 5, 2009

Gipsy Kings

7:00 pm

gipsykings.com

September 6, 2009

Bonnie Taj Roulet: Bonnie Raitt and Taj Majal

7:00 pm

bontaj.com

September 12, 2009

Pink Martini

7:00 pm

pinkmartini.com

Seattle Woodland Park Zoo Tunes 2009 Lineup

2007-05-01T19:32:00.000-07:00

Here it is party people, the 2009 Zoo Tunes schedule!

June 17 | The B-52s

June 24 | Mavis Staples with special guest Allen Toussaint

July 1 & 2 | Three Girls and their Buddy

July 15 | Ladysmith Black Mambazo

July 19 | Los Lobos

July 22 | Cowboy Junkies / Son Volt

July 26 | Indigo Girls

July 30 | Jewel

August 13 | Joan Baez

August 16 | Nanci Griffith

August 19 | Susan Tedeshi with JJ Grey and Mofro

August 26 | Amos Lee

How to buy tickets:

Tickets go on sale Monday, May 4 at all Metropolitan Market locations. A limited number of tickets will be available at zoo gates during operating hours and on BrownPaperTicket.com

One child 12 and under per paid ticket is admitted free.

Prices as follows:

Wed., June 17 The B-52s - $27
Wed., June 24 Mavis Staples with special guest Allen Toussaint - $19
Wed., July 1 & 2 - Three Girls and their Buddy - $36
Wed., July 15 Ladysmith Black Mambazo - $19
Sun., July 19 Los Lobos - $22
Wed., July 22 Cowboy Junkies / Son Volt - $22
Sun., July 26 Indigo Girls - $24
Thurs., July 30 Jewel - $28
Thurs., August 13 Joan Baez - $22
Sun., August 16 Nanci Griffith - $19
Wed., August 19 Susan Tedeschi with J.J. Grey & Mofro - $22
Wed., August 26 Amos Lee - $22

Click the above image to view a Seattle/Puget Sound FLICKR sunset slideshow.

Link to Z00tunes 2007 and 2008 schedules

concert series, seattle zoo tunes, Woodland Park Zoo Concerts, woodland park, zoo tunes seattle, zoo tunes, zootunes, park, seattle, tunes, washington, woodland, zoo, summer concert series, 2009

Nirvana - Sliver The Best of the Box

2006-08-01T19:51:00.000-07:00

Nirvana - Sliver The Best of the Box (click here to launch Rhapsody web client and listen)

A slate of rough cuts, demos and live performances from Nirvana. Includes a pre-Nevermind rehearsal recording of "Come As You Are," the previously unreleased "Sappy," "Spank Thru" from 1985's Fecal Matter demo tape, and other tracks from 2004's With the Lights Out box set. The cover art was chosen by Cobain's daughter, Frances Bean.

I've always enjoyed the track Sliver, it seems to capture childhood in America. There is a nice acoustic version that is worth listening to. If you are a Nirvana fan, this album is absolutely worth a listen.

1. Spank Thru (1985 Fecal Matter Demo) - Nirvana
2. Heartbreaker (Live) - Nirvana
3. Mrs. Butterworth (Rehearsal) - Nirvana
4. Floyd The Barber (Live) - Nirvana
5. Clean Up Before She Comes (Solo Acoustic Demo) - Nirvana
6. About A Girl (Solo Acoustic Demo) - Nirvana
7. Blandest (Demo) - Nirvana
8. Ain't It A Shame (Demo) - Nirvana
9. Sappy (1990 Studio Demo) - Nirvana
10. Opinion (Live Solo Acoustic) - Nirvana
11. Lithium (Live Solo Acoustic) - Nirvana
12. Sliver (Solo Acoustic Demo) - Nirvana
13. Smells Like Teen Spirit (Rehearsal Demo) - Nirvana
14. Come As You Are (Boom Box Version) - Nirvana
15. Old Age (Outtake) - Nirvana
16. Oh The Guilt (B-Side) - Nirvana
17. Rape Me (Solo Acoustic Demo) - Nirvana
18. Rape Me (Demo) - Nirvana
19. Heart Shaped Box (Demo) - Nirvana
20. Do Re Mi (Solo Acoustic Demo) - Nirvana
21. You Know You're Right (Solo Acoustic Demo) - Nirvana
22. All Apologies (Solo Acoustic Demo) - Nirvana

SBUXBEN

The Be Good Tanyas releasing new album, October 2006

2006-07-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

Listen to the track Broken Telephone

I was pleased to read that The Be Good Tanyas will be releasing a new album in the next few months. This trio has arrived on my favorites list recently. Listen to Broken Telephone by clicking on the blue arrow above. This is a sweet song that captures the Tanyas style. Gals, when are coming to Seattle?

The Be Good Tanyas - Click here to access a free Rhapsody Playlist

From Betty Clarke of the Guardian - Wednesday July 19, 2006

Listen to the Be Good Tanyas and you'll have a vision of three feisty angels who rely on faith to negotiate a world that breaks their hearts. Though they aren't quite British Columbia's answer to Courtney Love - the subtle bluegrass-gospel-folk hybrid they make puts paid to any screeching - theirs is a very confident, modern approach to a very traditional sound.
But tonight, Frazey Ford, Samantha Parton and Trish Klein are nervous. "Holy crap, there's lot of you here," says Ford, her soft features fixed by fear. Parton peers through her long fringe and sighs deeply into the microphone, apparently worn out before she's begun. The outbreak of jitters could be down to the length of time it's taken the band to follow their last album, Chinatown. Ford tells us their first new material for three years will appear in October. "It should have been out a long time ago, but we're lazy," she says. "Great procrastinators. Especially me." Still, she's unrepentant. "I believe you have to live life to write about life." It's the life - and searing honesty - in their songs that has taken the Be Good Tanyas from tree planting in the Kootenay Mountains to the vanguard of the new bluegrass movement. They sing about dead dogs, junkies and death with gothic sparseness, and turn traditional country songs into tales of contemporary urban despair.

Though the band is very much a three-headed hydra - backed by Mark Beaty on double bass and John Raham on drums - the personalities behind the rich harmonies are distinct. Klein is a gifted musician, but so painfully shy it almost feels wrong to watch as she plays bluesy harmonica and ekes out haunting chords from her electric guitar. Ford is the earth mother with the luminous voice, struggling with her wrongs in In Spite of All I've Done and bunching her dress at the hip as she tears through a lively version of Neil Young's For the Turnstiles.

Parton is the Robbie Williams of the band. She dances like no one is watching and is quick with an anecdote. "I've got sweaty legs," she says, reaching for a towel. "That's what I used to tell my mom when I wet the bed. 'Mom, my legs are sweaty!'" But when Parton sings Don't Fall, her fear of relationships is palpable. A new song about addiction has her swallowing back her tears.
The Little Birds, from the Be Good Tanyas' classic debut, The Blue Horse, cheers her up, though she makes a mess of the lyrics. "We were walking through the lobby today," says Ford, bursting into giggles, "and we said, 'People pay money to see us?'" Intimate, chilling but always entertaining, they are the only ones who wonder why.

Link to The Be Good Tanyas website by clicking the above image.

Tom Petty releases Highway Companion

2006-07-22T10:18:00.000-07:00

Listen now to Tom Petty's - Highway Companion

This album is pure Petty and long time fans shouldn't be disappointed. The second song Square One is a treat! Click on Tom's image to listen to the entire album via Rhapsody.

Rhapsody's Jaan Uhelszki writes,

Tom Petty's third solo album is filled with restlessness and a near-obsession with the passage of time, created by an artist who perceives more road behind, than before, him. He's right, of course, and he's using this album to work out his own demons about aging, creating a concept record about motion -- which finds him moving backward and forward through time, whether it's by car, horse, train or foot. Mike Campbell's guitar is a fierce and evocative complement to these strong, revelatory songs.

Read the Review from Critics and Monsters Patrick Luce Jul 10, 2006, 20:57 GMT

Tom Petty fans rejoice because the rocker is back with his third solo studio album ‘Highway Companion.’ The album consists of 12 tracks that are perfect for a road trip and live up to the classic guitar rock sound that fans of Petty have loved for years.

‘Highway Companion’ finds Petty once again teaming with musicians Jeff Lynne (who produced the album and was a member of the Traveling Wilburys band with Petty) and Mike Campbell (longtime guitarist for Petty and the Heartbreakers).

The album features a stripped down studio rock sound closer to the sound that Petty did on 1989’s ‘Full Moon Fever’ than the singer’s follow-up solo album ‘Wildflowers’ in 1994. All of the songs were once again written by Petty, and the singer/songwriter also played rhythm guitar, drums, harmonica, electric piano, bass, and lead guitar and provided lead and backing vocals on the album’s various tracks.

‘Highway Companion’ (which Petty describes as being about the passing of time) is filled with the type of rock songs that one would expect from Petty, and never strays too far from the formula of song writing that made him a rock icon. It kicks off with the “blues heavy” track “Saving Grace” – with lyrics that set the tone for the whole album.

The song is simply the perfect way to start a rock album, and you will be in love with ‘Highway Companion’ before Petty finishes the track. This is a heavy blues song filled with guitar riffs similar to “Running Down a Dream” or something off a Bo Diddley album. Petty keeps other parts of the album bluesy with tracks like “Jack,” “Turn This Car Around,” and “This Old Town.”

“Flirting with Time” and “Down South” are reminiscent of work done by Petty and the Heartbreakers on albums like ‘Echo’ and ‘Into the Great Wide Open.’ Tracks like “Big Weekend” and “Ankle Deep” seem influenced by Petty’s work with the Traveling Wilburys.

Petty then slows things down with tracks like “Square One” and “Damaged by Love” which features the songwriter’s unique ability to craft lyrics that seem simple and profound at the same time. If you were not hooked by the end of the first track, “Square One” will win you over.

If you are a fan of Tom Petty’s solo work or his work with the Heartbreakers then you will want this album. It is a good blend of all the influences throughout Petty’s career, and every song is a hit. Petty packs the album full of guitar driven rock, catchy lyrics, and choruses that have good enough hooks to keep you singing them after one listen.

I would highly recommend the album to any fan of Petty. While ‘Full Moon Fever’ remains my favorite solo album of his, ‘Highway Companion’ maintains the level of quality that you expect out of the singer and can stand against any of his earlier releases.

Mason Jennings to appear live on KEXP 90.3 Seattle, Tuesday July 11th 3pm PST

2006-07-10T19:42:00.000-07:00

Mason Jennings will appear live on KEXP 90.3 Seattle Tuesday July 11th in Seattle, check the live KEXP link by clicking on the Boneclouds album cover art.

Mason Jennings latest release Boneclouds has dropped and this first release under the Glacial Pace imprint, run by Modest Mouse leader Isaac Brock, is a rich and vibrant album that continues his trajectory towards an established role on the US music scene. Rhapsody's comparable artist list includes Lou Reed, Johnny Cash and Leonard Cohen. Pretty heady company at such an early stage in his career.

Rhapsody has this to say on Jennings, "Pure Lou Reed simplicity with a monotone Beat poet lyrically combining the absurd with the vulgar and creating something beautiful. This is grown-up but not old, rocking easily in a laid-back setting of stand-up bass and no-frills drumming."

Listen to a few tracks off the album right now, just click:

If You Ain't Got Love

Be Here Now

Jackson Square

Which Way Will Your Heart Go

Click on the below playlist to listen to Boneclouds in its entirety through Rhapsody:

1. Be Here Now - Mason Jennings
2. Gentlest Hammer - Mason Jennings
3. If You Ain't Got Love - Mason Jennings
4. Some Say I'm Not - Mason Jennings
5. Moon Sailing On The Water - Mason Jennings
6. Jackson Square - Mason Jennings
7. If You Need A Reason - Mason Jennings
8. Which Way Your Heart Will Go - Mason Jennings
9. Where The Sun Had Been - Mason Jennings
10. Jesus Are You Real - Mason Jennings

An interview from A.V. Club's Christopher Bahn goes fairly deep with Jennings,

Minnesota-based folk-rock troubadour Mason Jennings has always gotten some of his appeal from his status as an independent musician: An undeniable sense of authenticity comes from not being beholden to a big record label. What he lost in a major's ability to fuel publicity and radio play, Jennings gained in an unfettered ability to make his earnest, emotionally rich, intelligent albums the way he saw fit. So it was a little surprising when the news came last fall that Jennings had signed on with Epic via the Glacial Pace imprint, run by Modest Mouse leader Isaac Brock. But fans needn't worry. His newly released fifth LP, Boneclouds, is warm, thoughtful, and perhaps Jennings' most deeply personal album yet. The A.V. Club talked with Jennings just before he departed on his current U.S. tour, which teams him with opener Teddy Thompson, son of folk royalty Richard and Linda Thompson.

Read the rest of the interview.

Another interesting article comes from the Pulse of the Twin Cities, read it here:

Finally, an impressive list of online .mp3's from live shows of Mason Jennings over the years can be found by clicking the below image...

..................................................................

Mark Kozelek signs first artist to Caldo Verde imprint

2006-07-01T12:03:00.000-07:00

Corrina Repp, click to listen to a Rhapsody playlist

"Sun Kil Moon/Red House Painters mainman Mark Kozelek has signed Portland, Ore.-based singer/songwriter Corinna Repp as the first artist to his Caldo Verde imprint. Her next album, 'The Absent and the Distant,' will arrive Sept. 19.

Repp has released two previous albums on Hush Records and was recently featured on the Kill Rock Stars compilation 'The Sound the Hare Heard.' Says Kozelek, 'Signing an artist is something that hasn't interested me in the past, but I immediately jumped at this opportunity. She may be the only artist I'll ever sign.'

As for Kozelek, he has three dates on his performance schedule next month: July 9 in Montreal, July 11 in Ottawa, Ontario, and July 13 in Toronto."

From Billboard.com

Woodland Park Zoo Tunes 2009 concert series lineup

2006-05-09T22:30:00.000-07:00

Here it is party people, the 2009 Zoo Tunes schedule!

June 17 | The B-52s

June 24 | Mavis Staples with special guest Allen Toussaint

July 1 & 2 | Three Girls and their Buddy

July 15 | Ladysmith Black Mambazo

July 19 | Los Lobos

July 22 | Cowboy Junkies / Son Volt

July 26 | Indigo Girls

July 30 | Jewel

August 13 | Joan Baez

August 16 | Nanci Griffith

August 19 | Susan Tedeshi with JJ Grey and Mofro

August 26 | Amos Lee

How to buy tickets:

Tickets go on sale Monday, May 4 at all Metropolitan Market locations. A limited number of tickets will be available at zoo gates during operating hours and on BrownPaperTicket.com

One child 12 and under per paid ticket is admitted free.

Prices as follows:

Wed., June 17 The B-52s - $27
Wed., June 24 Mavis Staples with special guest Allen Toussaint - $19
Wed., July 1 & 2 - Three Girls and their Buddy - $36
Wed., July 15 Ladysmith Black Mambazo - $19
Sun., July 19 Los Lobos - $22
Wed., July 22 Cowboy Junkies / Son Volt - $22
Sun., July 26 Indigo Girls - $24
Thurs., July 30 Jewel - $28
Thurs., August 13 Joan Baez - $22
Sun., August 16 Nanci Griffith - $19
Wed., August 19 Susan Tedeschi with J.J. Grey & Mofro - $22
Wed., August 26 Amos Lee - $22

Click the above image to view a Seattle/Puget Sound FLICKR sunset slideshow.

2008 Zoo Tunes Lineup

June 24 & 25 - Keb' Mo' / Taj Mahal $28
June 29 - Indigo Girls with special guests $24
July 16 - Marc Cohn / Aimee Mann $22
July 23 - Andrew Bird $17
Josh Ritter
July 24 - Emmylou Harris $29.50
Jimmy Gaudreau and Moondi Klein
July 27 – Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings $19
Marc Broussard
August 13 - Boz Scaggs with special guests $24
August 21 - Amos Lee with special guests $18
August 27 – The Avett Brothers $18
Shawn Mullins

Click the above image to view a Seattle/Puget Sound sunset slideshow.

2007 Zoo Tunes Lineup

June 17 - Indigo Girls
June 20 - Herbie Hancock Trio
June 27 - Brandi Carlile
July 18 - Patty Griffin
July 25/26 - Pink Martini
July 29 - Great Big Sea
August 1 - Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
August 8 - Robert Earl Keen/Todd Snider
August 15 - Old Crow Medicine Show/The Be Good Tanyas

** 2009 involves a significant sponsorship change for the Zoo Tunes concert series. Washington Mutual is now defunct, hello Boeing Employee Credit Union ( BECU ).

From zandavisitor.com

BECU Is Sponsoring Zoo Tunes Concert Series At Woodland Park Zoo

Seattle, WA - Washington's largest community credit union, has signed on as the new title sponsor for Woodland Park Zoo’s annual ZooTunes summer concert series. The multi-year deal will allow Woodland Park Zoo to continue to provide one of Seattle’s most popular and affordable outdoor concert series.

"Over the last 25 years, ZooTunes has become part of the fabric of the Puget Sound community. Providing a safe and family-friendly environment to experience great music, it is also helping to create a sustainable future for our wildlife,” said Tom Berquist, BECU Senior Vice President of Marketing. “We are excited to be the title sponsor to help ensure that ZooTunes can continue to give back to our community.”

Now in its 26th year, BECU ZooTunes presented by Carter Subaru serves as a major fundraising source for the zoo. Last year, ZooTunes raised over $1.1 million to support the zoo’s quality animal care, engaging education programs and wildlife conservation.

“Like Woodland Park Zoo, BECU is a non-profit institution that is committed to serving and engaging our community,” said Dr. Deborah Jensen, the zoo’s President and CEO. “We are thrilled to work with BECU to bring this well-loved concert series to our community, and we look forward to having some great summer fun together!”

With 12 evening concerts planned for the 2009 summer series, BECU ZooTunes presented by Carter Subaru will showcase award-winning performers in a family-friendly setting. This year’s series kicks off with the first show in mid-June. A full line-up of artists will be announced April 27. Tickets go on sale May 4 at zoo gates and all Metropolitan Market locations. A small quantity will also be available online through Brown Paper Tickets.

ZooTunes is held outdoors in the zoo’s North Meadow where concert-goers sprawl out with blankets and low-backed patio chairs. With affordable ticket prices and free admission for one child 12 and under with each ticket purchased, the festival seating performances offer one of the best concert bargains in the Northwest.

To celebrate this new partnership, Woodland Park Zoo will host BECU Days this summer, when members of BECU will enjoy special discounts for general zoo admission coinciding with weekday ZooTunes concerts.

BECU staff will also be on site at each concert event providing ATM service and membership opportunities to concert goers.

Additional sponsorship support for BECU ZooTunes presented by Carter Subaru is provided by: No Wasted Notes, Metropolitan Market, KMTT 103.7 The Mountain, and The Seattle Times.

For more information on ZooTunes, visit www.zoo.org or call 206-548-2500. For more information on BECU, visit www.becu.org or call 800-233-2328.

Photo caption: Concert goers enjoy a ZooTunes show on the zoo's North Meadow.

concert series, seattle zoo tunes, Woodland Park Zoo Concerts, woodland park, zoo tunes seattle, zoo tunes, zootunes, park, seattle, tunes, washington, woodland, zoo, summer concert series, 2009

Faster than you go! Ben's List passes 2000 visitors...

2006-04-25T21:03:00.000-07:00

Listen to FASTER THAN YOU GO!

By the Cansecos

Spiked I believe...

Listen to --- I'll Be A Writer

A track from Soltero tickles your Lou Reed...

Label: Three Ring

Listen to --- Cold Feelings

Connor rolling like Modest Mouse out of Lawrence, Kansas.

Label: Sonic Boom Recordings

The Weepies go touring

2006-03-31T18:33:00.000-08:00

Deb Talan and Steve Tannen form the Weepies. Their music is driven by Talan's gorgeous voice, with an increasing level of vocal involvement from Tannen along with his capable guitar playing. This is a great pair to see live as Talan's voice will captivate an audience.

I am at times reminded of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings where Gillian is such a unique vocal presence. The difference is that when Rawlings sings you don't find yourself hoping that he will step away from the microphone. Tannen's efforts are genuine but misguided, and this pair would be wise to have Deb regain the vocal focus with Steve backing her musically.

Deb Talan was involved with a band called Hummingfish out of Portland, Oregon, and the band produced several exceptional albums (see Deb's GarageBand.com profile) with one song standing out as particularly interesting called Herons (link to a RadioParadise profile of the song.)

Listen to the Weepies

"World Spins Madly On"

"Keep It There"

"Jolene"

A review of the Weepies recent album "Say I Am You" by Alex Lai of ContactMusic.com calls the album "boring", and I am prone to agree.

Before forming The Weepies, Deb Talan and Steve Tannen were both singer-songwriters who had garnered critical praise for their individual releases. Mutual fans of one another, they met after one of his gigs, and spent the night trading an acoustic guitar. This led to their independent “Happiness” record of 2003, and they now release the follow-up, which was recorded at their rented home.

“Say I Am You” is an album of folk song laced with warm summer melodies and fine vocal harmonies. However, for every track that impresses, there is one that is equally unremarkable – in short, there are not enough ideas to keep the record interesting for its duration. Opening track “Take It From Me” is an indicator of things to come – sweet acoustic guitar, Talan’s heart-warming singing… but lacking in anything to make it really stand out. The same can be said of “Riga Girls”, or “Gotta Have You”.

Without wanting to sound blunt, all too often The Weepies are simply boring. “World Spins Madly On”, sung by Tannen and featuring in the Jennifer Aniston movie “Friends With Money”, is just one of many examples of this. Where the duo does impress greatly is in their lyrics, which are consistently introspective and poetic. Anyone who is unhappily single will instantly relate to “Love Doesn’t Last Too Long”, while “Not Your Year” is about those who yearn for so much more from their understated lives. With the acoustic style favoured by The Weepies, the words to these songs shine through, especially on the vocal talen of Talan. They don’t by any means make the album a good one, but they are a silver lining in the cloud.

From PopMatters.com's Terry Sawyer

Music Day 2: Apologies and Local Diversions [18 March 2006]

Deb Talan gets me right in my Joni Mitchell soft spot. There's no pretension here, no artifice, no beats by Fisher Price, and absolutely nothing hip. They won't make you look cool to your extended MySpace network, but there's absolutely nothing guilty in the pleasure of listening to them. Of course, as luck would have it, it was nearly impossible to hear them above the music playing in some other part of the same club, but I still stayed for the rest of their set. The way Talan and Steven Tannen harmonize makes me feel totally comforted and warm, and frequently, for some reason, on the verge of tears. It's like the Mamas and Papas shorn of all the San Francisco free love and the lousy cracks about Mama Cass's fat ass.

Deb Talan profile from GarageBand.com, slightly dated:

Introduction: meet Deb Talan - Whether she takes the stage alone or accompanied by her full band, Deb Talan is one singer/songwriter that will linger in your memory, thanks to her distinctive voice and evocative, well-crafted songs. Deb’s musical influences include Joni Mitchell, Shawn Colvin, Jonatha Brooke, and Suzanne Vega. Her own music might be classified as intelligent folk-pop. Part I: classical geek girl Classically trained in clarinet and piano, Deb began writing music when she was only ten years old. By the time she graduated from high school, she had written numerous pop songs and composed a score for a local production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Her senior year in college, Deb picked up a guitar and has been toting it around ever since. Part II: the band years Deb’s next significant musical endeavor consisted of writing for and fronting an upbeat, pop band in Portland, Oregon. The band Hummingfish played in the Northwest for five years to ever-increasing audiences. They put out two albums, “Hover” and “Love Tractor.” During this time, Deb—while still enjoying her key role in Hummingfish—began preparing for a solo career and even put out her debut solo recording, “Songs for a Misfit Heart.” Performing two songs from this album, Deb won second place in the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival Troubadour Contest in 1996. In the summer of 1998, Deb organized a series of highly successful, in-the-round performances featuring women songwriters from local bands (including Ms. Talan herself). Thus, Deb’s career as a solo performer began in earnest. Part III: steppin’ out Having established herself in the Northwest as a musical force, separate from her band, Deb decided, in February of 1999, to head for the musical hotbed of Boston, Massachusetts. For a year, Deb laid low, while finishing her second solo recording, “Something Burning.” With that in her back pocket, she headed out to several of the local clubs, including Toad, Johnny D’s, Kendall Café, Club Passim and Somerville Theatre; her fan base in the North East is increasing rapidly, with copies of “Something Burning” flying off store racks and merchandise tables. Recently, Deb received Acoustic Guitar Magazine’s “Homegrown CD Award” for “Something Burning” along with two Boston Music Award nominations and placed third in the 2001 Telluride Troubadour Competition at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. She sold out in advance her first headline show at Club Passim with the release of her new, live album, “Sincerely.”

Steve Tannen profile

Born in NYC, Steve grew up in Australia, Canada, and New York. The grandson of a magician, he started performing early and learned music at home. Steve spent several years working odd jobs around the U.S., developing a personal mix of folk and rock. He then moved back to NYC and started a rock and roll project, with help from New York musicians including former Suzanne Vega guitarist Jon Gordon.

Steve's resulting debut CD, "Big Senorita" was chosen as one of Performing Songwriter Magazine's Top 12 Independent Releases of the Year in 2001. The release enabled him to tour nationally and garnered him an avalanche of national and international awards, including the Grand Prize in the USA Songwriting Competition.

In addition to his solo work, Steve is currently a member of two bands: The Tannen Brothers (with brother Greg Tannen) and The Weepies (with collaborator Deb Talan.)

Country legend Buck Owens, creator of the 'Bakersfield Sound', passes away

2006-03-26T11:37:00.000-08:00

Visit Buck Owens official site

What is the Bakersfield Sound?

Buck Owens and His Buckaroos Will There Be Big Rigs In Heaven Lyrics

Rhapsody playlist of Buck Owens songs

1. My Heart Skips A Beat - Buck Owens
2. Crying Time - Buck Owens
3. Will There Be Big Rigs In Heaven - Buck Owens & His Buckaroos
4. House Down the Block - Buck Owens
5. Too Country - Brad Paisley

From EarthTimes.org, Posted on : Sun, 26 Mar 2006 19:02:01 GMT Author : Anne Roberts

On Saturday, country music legend Buck Owens, the host of the television variety show Hee Haw, passed away in his sleep at the age of 76. The singer, who was battling ill health after a throat cancer surgery in 1993, is credited with the creation of the 'Bakersfield sound', better known as 'American music'.

According to Jim Shaw, a member of Owens' Buckaroos band, the singer died in his sleep at his Bakersfield home due to causes that are not clear yet. On Friday night, Owens performed onstage with the Buckaroos band at the Buck Owens' Crystal Palace in Bakersfield. “He had come to the club early and had a chicken-fried steak dinner and bragged that it's his favorite meal,” Shaw said. He then decided to head home without performing but changed his mind when he saw fans that had come from long distances to watch him sing. “He died in his sleep – they figure it was about 4:30 am – probably of heart failure. So he had his favorite meal, played a show and died in his sleep. We thought that's not too bad,” Shaw said.

Born in August 12, 1929, in Sherman, Texas, to a family of sharecroppers, Owens headed to California with his family in 1937 to escape the Great Depression. However, the family made Mesa in Arizona its home, where Owens gave up studies at the age of 13 to work in the fields. His dream of becoming a singer came from wanting a comfortable lifestyle unlike the one he experienced as a fieldworker. Owens learnt to play the mandolin around that time and took up musical jobs at bars as a teenager. In 1945, he teamed up with a guitarist Theryl Ray Britten to perform on a local radio show called Buck and Britt, along the way picking up the nuances of steel guitar, saxophone, and harmonica. In 1940, he chanced upon the oil town Bakersfield and in 1950, a 20-year-old Owens, married to small time singer Bonnie Campbell, shifted to Bakersfield in California with his two young sons in tow.

Playing in bars there, Owens mastered the art of playing the Telecaster, finding extra work at Capitol Records in Hollywood and performing with the likes of Tommy Sands, Sonny James, Del Reeves, Wanda Jackson, Gene Vincent, and Faron Young among others. Later, in 1957, the big league beckoned and Owens bagged a contract with Capitol Records. At first things didn't pan out, but around 1959, Owens got his first hit Second Fiddle, which hit number 24 on the charts. In 1963, he recorded another hit Act Naturally, which hit number 1 on the charts when the Beatles immortalized the song. Next came Crying Time in 1965, which climbed the charts after Ray Charles covered it.

Along the way, Owens met teenaged fiddler Don Rich, who not only became his best friend but also his fiddler and bandleader. From there on, Owens never looked back, churning out hits after hits - Together Again, Love's Gonna Live Here, It Takes People Like You (To Make People Like Me), and How Long Will My Baby Be Gone, among others.

On June 15, 1960, the singer, along with guitarist Roy Clark, embarked on the variety show Hee Haw, which though boosting his finances, diluted the power of his musical persona. That, however, didn't change the fact that between 1963 and 1967, the musician belted out 15 straight number one records.

“What a musical innovator. His music had so much norteño and Tex-Mex in it. It had such a California influence that Nashville never had. That put the state of California on the map. Not better, just different. It had more edge,” said Chris Hillman, band member of Byrds, the Desert Rose Band and the Flying Burrito Brothers, while condoling Owens' death. Added Roy Clark, “When people start looking back on his career, they are going to be surprised by the number of things he did first. He left a great legacy in country music.”

Besides Bonnie Campbell, Owens was married and divorced from two other women – Phyllis and Jennifer. He is survived by three sons, Buddy Alan, Michael and Johnny.

Ben Harper releases Both Sides of the Gun

2006-03-25T12:36:00.000-08:00

Nick Dedina, editor at Rhapsody writes, "Harper, who's been amassing an ever-growing audience on the strength of his live shows, finally releases his version of The White Album or London Calling.

His mastery of every style, from psych folk to funk rock to soul and beyond, is impressive, but it's his unstoppable enthusiasm and positive vibe that really set this album apart. It's definitely worth spending some serious time with this one."

1. Morning Yearning - Ben Harper
2. Waiting For You - Ben Harper
3. Picture In A Frame - Ben Harper
4. Never Leave Lonely Alone - Ben Harper
5. Sweet Nothing Serenade - Ben Harper
6. Reason To Mourn - Ben Harper
7. More Than Sorry - Ben Harper
8. Cryin' Won't Help You Now - Ben Harper
9. Happy Everafter In Your Eyes - Ben Harper
10. Better Way - Ben Harper
11. Both Sides Of The Gun - Ben Harper
12. Engraved Invitation - Ben Harper
13. Black Rain - Ben Harper
14. Gather 'Round The Stone - Ben Harper
15. Please Don't Talk About Murder While I'm Eating - Ben Harper
16. Get It Like You Like It - Ben Harper
17. The Way You Found Me - Ben Harper
18. Serve Your Soul - Ben Harper

Read the BlogCritics.org review, a song by song break out closing with "So there we have it - politics and loneliness - both themes enough for epics to be written, ballads to be sung, as indeed they are."

Scott Kara of the New Zealand Herald writes a critical and in my opinion accurate take on the two disc format, "If you're game enough to do a double album - one loud, one soft - then you'd think you would hit the audience with the rocker first and leave the beautiful stuff for later. The Foo Fighters did it last year with In Your Honour. But not Ben Harper. On his seventh album, first he woos us and then plugs in the electric for dessert. here is something special and sweet about the first set of songs, whereas the rockier and funkier numbers, despite using an array of interesting instruments, are tiresome and annoyingly preachy. "I believe in a better way," he yells, and the racket is so bad you couldn't care less. The Way You Found Me is an attempt at a leery late-night lounge number - but Harper ain't exactly Tom Waits. Better is the title track where Harper sounds like a teenage Stevie Wonder, and the sinister string stabs on Black Rain is the "heavy" album highlight. We all know Harper can rock, it's just that nothing here lives up to his best songs like, Faded and Fight For Your Mind. The more passionate and gentle Harper is best."

Radio Paradise goes live with 192kbs Stream

2006-03-18T12:16:00.000-08:00

If you have reasonably high-quality speakers or headphones you should check out the new high-fidelity 192kbps audio stream on Radio Paradise. On good equipment, it's a significant step up in quality from 128kbps - just about the best-sounding audio available anywhere.

Check out Ben's List for free on demand .mp3 content including:

Neko Case
Gillian Welch
Mason Jennings
Jack Johnson
Rocky Votalato
Feist

Mason Jennings releasing new album Boneclouds on Epic-based label, Glacial Pace

2006-03-09T18:59:00.000-08:00

From the New York Press, Vol 19 - Issue 10 - March 8-14, 2006

Over the last decade, Minnesotan Mason Jennings has gained a substantial following by crafting honest songs that contained both lyricism and political concern. Opting for creative freedom over dollars, Jennings decided to release his first four albums through a combo of his own Architect Records and indie label Bar/None, no matter that he was receiving a good deal of attention from the major labels.

Then, last year, Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock entered the picture, making Jennings the first artist signed to his new Epic-based label, Glacial Pace. They’ll release Mason’s fifth album, Boneclouds, on May 16th.

It seemed like an unnecessary move for an artist who had already developed a substantial following and some artistic success, but he felt that “[n]o one understands better than Modest Mouse how to make the jump to a major without losing any artistic integrity.” Wait. Modest Mouse hasn’t lost any artistic integrity?

Return to the Jambase article on the Febuary 2006 show at the Alladin in Portland, Oregon.

Check out a fan site that has just a touch of the freaky, and a solid dose of the sarcastic...

New Boneclouds Details: Brian Out, David In, And Noah (Not That One) On The Mixer - 3/07/2006

The newest Boneclouds details come from Mason's inexplicable MySpace page . The bio description reveals that Boneclouds will waft from "delicately finger picked mediations to raw, searing rockers." This sounds promising, if just a bit familiar. The article also notes that Brian Mcleod has been replaced by David King (of The Bad Plus) on the drums, and that Noah Georgeson produced the album. If his previous work on Devendra Banhart's excellent Cripple Crow is any indication, the album will be absolutely lush.

Neko Case Fox Confessor Brings the Flood

2006-03-07T07:52:00.000-08:00

The album is out and here is the Rhapsody review. Album is available for listening via Rhapsody. If you are not a subscriber, the company offers 25 free streams through its web based player, worth checking out.

Imagine Miss Patsy Cline singing "Hey pretty baby/Get high with me," amidst other lyrical updates on a hardscrabble lady's life, with a booming yet angelic voice that can blast the leaves from the rain gutters -- well, that's Neko. Her fourth studio LP continues to prove her might as the reigning queen of neo-torch and twang.

- Michele K-Tel

Neko Case Fox Confessor Brings the Flood:

1. Margaret vs. Pauline - Neko Case
2. Star Witness - Neko Case
3. Hold On, Hold On - Neko Case
4. A Widow's Toast - Neko Case
5. That Teenage Feeling - Neko Case
6. Fox Confessor Brings the Flood - Neko Case
7. John Saw That Number - Neko Case
8. Dirty Knife - Neko Case
9. Lion's Jaws - Neko Case
10. Maybe Sparrow - Neko Case
11. At Last - Neko Case
12. The Needle Has Landed - Neko Case

Robert of the Radish drops 19 fantastic country covers

2006-03-05T11:27:00.000-08:00

Robert of the Radish is prolific in his steady stream of clever, entertaining playlists that slide you smiling into your Sunday

To what extent are you accesing music online, listening through blogs or dynamic playlists? Subscription music services like Rhapsody and Yahoo Music are battling Apple's Itunes, but are they mutually exclusive?

Fantastic Country Covers (link to a free access Rhapsody playlist)

"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" - Al Green
"Always On My Mind" - Pet Shop Boys
"Ring Of Fire" - Social Distortion
"Crazy" - Hawks Arps Jazz Band
"Will The Circle Be Unbroken" - John Lee Hooker
"Delta Dawn" - Esquivel
"Devil Went Down To Georgia" - Jimmy Sturr
"Take Me Home Country Roads" - Toots and the Maytals
"I Walk The Line" - Los Lonely Boys
"I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow" - Hjörtur (Hjortur)
"Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town" - Sixty Second Crush
"King Of The Road" - Jimmy Smith
"Keep On The Sunny Side" - Popa Chubby
"Stand by Your Man" - Motorhead
"Mama Tried" - Grateful Dead
"Coal Miner's Daughter" - Frank Bard
"Take This Job And Shove It" - Jeff Tweedy
"Cold Cold Heart" - Norah Jones
"Wichita Lineman" - Kool and the Gang

KEXP - 90.3 Seattle, goes pledgin'

2006-03-04T09:25:00.000-08:00

Some of the best live music and innovative formatting, Seattle based KEXP 90.3.

Currently rolling on a little pledge drive , Live stream

Tune in, enjoy and support incredible non-commercial radio

PODCAST KEXP, highly recommend 10/28/05 Music That Matters

Track 2 highlights talented Seattle artists Harvey Danger with Little Round Mirrors, entire album available free for download at Harvey Danger, Little By Little.

Track 3 Parade by Derby out of Portland entertains.

Check this podcast:

Vol. 3 Track Listing
1. Saturday Knights "45"
2. Harvey Danger "Little Round Mirrors"
3. Derby "Parade"
4. NY Rifles "Wrong Tennis Shoes"
5. Alta May "Lost and Found"
6. Hypatia Lake "Fishies vs Lines"
7. Voyager One "Salvation" (Live on KEXP)
8. Pale Pacific "Identity Theft"
9. Kingsley "Stammer and Stutter"
10. Climber "Foxes"
11. Stars of Track and Field "With You" (Live on KEXP)
12. Boom Bap Project "Wyle Out"

Props to Playtagger and 3hive

2006-02-28T18:23:00.000-08:00

Nina Gordon’s interpretation of Straight Outta Compton (originally by NWA). She sings a very sweet version of the NWA classic. Rated - R

Some music straight out of 3hive using PlayTagger from del-icio-us

Rilo Kiley, The Execution

Trembling Blue Stars, Helen Reddy

Rocky Votolato, Portland Is Leaving

Blacklisted

2006-02-28T10:18:00.000-08:00

The below review's reference to Blacklisted having a Madonna/Steve Earle Frankenstein like quality had me laughing. My favorite song from this album is "Deep Red Bells" which is a lively flowing bit that captures Neko's great range.

Stylus magazine September 2003 review of Blacklisted by Colleen Delaney:

"Not too long ago, Neko Case wrote an article for Girlyhead magazine about dreaming. In it, she describes her favorite dream, where her, Steve Earle, and Madonna were all playing a show in Vancouver. After the show, all three of them have a “sex sandwich”. And the tryst ends with Madonna remarking to Neko, “Your hair looks like a wig.” This is Neko Case’s world. It’s perfect, really. After all, if you spliced the genes of Ms. Ciccone (err... Ritchie?) and Mr. Earle, the resulting creation would probably act, look, and sound a lot like Neko. You would get the whole package, Madonna’s whip-smart pop sensibilities and assured sexuality. Steve Earle’s deep, powerful, lonesome voice and penchant for penning sad, sad songs. And, naturally, both Steve Earle and Madonna’s knack for getting into all sorts of trouble. Blacklisted could well be the audio result of the Earle/Madonna Frankenstein monster. Sad, confident, countrified pop that’s sexy and ready to get into a scrap."

Death Cab for Cutie rolling in Sonoma

2006-02-28T08:48:00.000-08:00

NPR's All Songs Considered

2006-02-27T21:46:00.000-08:00

Links to live shows from artists such as:

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Colin Meloy
Laura Veirs
James Brown
Sinead O'Connor
Iron and Wine
Calexico
Son Volt
Death Cab for Cutie
My Morning Jacket
The White Stripes
The Shins
M. Ward
Sigur Ros
Secret Machines
Kings of Leon
Lucinda Williams
David Gray
Bloc Party
The Decemberists
Interpol
Bright Eyes

Gillian Welch side projects

2006-02-26T15:20:00.000-08:00

Gillian Welch side projects

Robert of the Radish posted this some time ago, and it is sweet!

1. Dear Someone - Gillian Welch/David Rawlings
2. Love Is Everywhere I Go - Sam Phillips
3. Katie Dear - (featuring Gilliam Welch/David Rawlings) - The Chieftains
4. Prairie Wedding - Mark Knopfler
5. Television - Robyn Hitchcock
6. Tomorrow - Ryan Adams
7. Barstow - Jay Farrar
8. Earthbound - Rodney Crowell
9. In Tall Buildings - Gillian Welch
10. Headed For The Hills - Jim Lauderdale
11. God's Acre - Kimmie Rhodes
12. Luckenbach, Texas (Back To The Basics Of Love) - Radney Foster with Roger Creager
13. Here I Am - Emmylou Harris
14. Lynnville Train - Robert Earl Keen, Jr.
15. Oh My Sweet Carolina - Ryan Adams
16. I Want To Sing That Rock And Roll - Gillian Welch/David Rawlings
17. Elvis Presley Blues - Gillian Welch

Several free tracks from upcoming Neko Case Album

2006-02-26T14:07:00.000-08:00

Two tracks from Neko Case's album releasing March 7th. In an earlier post (Neko Case abandons Seattle) I expressed a bit of disappointment on Neko slamming Seattle, but I do love her work!

Star Witness

Hold On, Hold On

Link to a review of the album in Stereophile

Recent Washington Post article regarding Neko

Jack Johnson gets his monkey on

2006-02-26T13:43:00.000-08:00

Jack Johnson

Jack Johnson has a lot of fun with the sound track to Curious George. I have enjoyed this album as background music on several listens, and ultimately am inspired to post based on the inspirational review of the film provided by my five year old nephew.

Sarah Bardeen of Rhapsody writes:

Wow. This really is a stunner of a kids' album. Johnson's voice as is comfortable as a pair of lived-in jeans, and he never dumbs down these songs to make them more kid-friendly, relying instead on his innate good nature to put a winning face on songs like "Wrong Turn" and "Talk of the Town." He even does justice to the White Stripes' "We're Going to Be Friends."

Feist, Let it Die

2006-02-26T10:58:00.000-08:00

I have been thoroughly enjoying Feist's Let It Die album released in 2005. The Rhapsody staff review:

Recorded in Paris, this indie release has garnered so many rave reviews it's earned Feist a major label deal. "One Evening" could be a soft rock hit from the late 1970s, while "Mushaboom" sounds like a pop single crafted by aliens after they've picked up radio waves from Earth (all the pop elements are here, they're just put together slightly differently). Fantastic.

From Eric Shea, music editor with Rhapsody.com

If Call and Response's Carrie Clough is the Nick Drake of indie rock, then Leslie Feist is the Colin Blunstone. Her voice has that warm, buttery ooze that melts down the microphone with the same gentle timbre heard on Blunstone's "Caroline Goodbye." Feist's musical history maps out almost as nomadically as her own travels. She cut her pearly whites in a Calgary punk band called Placebo (not to be confused with the eyeliner-and-nail-polish-wearing British guys) and got to play her very first show opening for the Ramones after winning a battle of the bands contest while still attending high school. Needless to say, that show changed her life. She spent the next half-decade touring in a van and screaming her voice out -- literally. Medical doctors told her that she would never be able to sing again, but doctors say a lot of things. She relocated to Toronto and hibernated for half a year with a guitar and a four-track, honing her layering skills to a razor-like sharpness. The guitar replaced her voice for a while, and she dove deep into barbed pop architecture, later playing guitar for (and touring with) By Divine Right. Working with a voice specialist over the years paid off and in 1999 Feist recorded her first solo album, Monarch (Lay Down Your Jeweled Head). A year later she moved in with Vice Magazine poster girl Peaches and opened up for the electroclash artiste on her first American tour. After that, she joined Broken Social Scene for their second album and toured the U.S. and Europe with them before cranking out her sophomore album, Let It Die, in Paris with Chilly Gonzales and Renaud Letang in 2004. Her solo material can be categorized as indie pop, but Feist balances sophisticated baroque styling with a trip-hop derivative of her own invention that weaves in and out of classic folky frameworks while her ethereal vocals layer over one another in gossamer harmonies. When she plays solo, Feist is the master of the looping effect pedal. She'll strum her electric guitar and catch a riff on it and then pick out a catchy arpeggio to stack on top before looping up to five layers of her heavenly vocals to sound like a one-woman pop symphony. If you see her listed in the pages of your local alt weekly, do yourself a favor and throw down whatever cover they're charging to see her. You will be moved.

Link to a review from Tag Team Media

Feist, Let it Die (link to the album, listen free):

1. Gatekeeper - Feist
2. Mushaboom - Feist
3. Let It Die - Feist
4. One Evening - Feist
5. Leisure Suite - Feist
6. Lonely Lonely - Feist
7. When I Was A Young Girl - Feist
8. Secret Heart - Feist
9. Inside And Out - Feist
10. Tout Doucement - Feist
11. Now At Last - Feist"

Neko Case abandons Seattle

2006-02-25T23:36:00.001-08:00

I have been looking forward to Neko Case's upcoming album Fox Confessor Brings the Flood. I was disappointed this morning to stumble into an article in the Canadian publication Macleans stating her distaste for Seattle and its millions of greedy, mean assholes.

Case is quoted as saying:

"Mean people came to the Northwest, like the greediest, meanest assholes -- millions of them. People who would walk around yelling at you for the way you drove and complaining that it rained. Why did you move here? A lot of them have left, but not before they bought up a bunch of property and tore a bunch of great shit down and just abandoned it. There are condos they can't fill where there used to be a really great record store. I've had it with Seattle, it's a broken town. It bums me out."

The writer describes Case's view as, "In person she has a real hate-on for Seattle -- thanks to a youth that coincided with the software boom..."

But while she misses B.C., and believes that at this point in her life she could probably get a visa to live here, at the moment she refuses to abandon the U.S. "My country has never been in worse shape," says Case, who's outspokenly anti-Bush. "Lots of people are like, 'I want to move to Canada,' and I'm like, 'Now's not the time.' I love America, I think the people are wonderful and the geography is amazing and I love it as much as I love Canada, for sure -- and not in a yucky patriotic way, but in a sweet, bittersweet way. It's where you're from -- what are you going to do?"

The irony of this article is Case's confessed love for the US, it's geography, it's people, standing awkwardly alongside her powerful indictment of Seattle and its residents. If she refuses to abandon the US in the face of a corrupt Republican administration, wouldn't she similarly maintain a degree of loyalty for Seattle as it struggles to evolve itself post .com revolution?

Have you truly abandoned Seattle Neko?

Link to the article

Link to a review of the forthcoming album

Ben's List

.

Bumbershoot 2009 Lineup Preview

SASQUATCH MUSIC FESTIVAL 2009 LINEUP

Saturday, May 23th

Sunday, May 24th

Monday, May 25th

The Gorge Amphitheatre

Camping

Premier Camping

Seattle Woodland Park Zoo Tunes 2009 Lineup

Chateau St Michelle 2009 Summer Show Schedule

July 10, 2009

Tears for Fears

7:00 P.M.

July 11, 2009

Steve Miller Band

7:00 P.M.

July 29, 2009

Moody Blues

7:00 P.M.

July 31, 2009

Lyle Lovett and His Band

7:00 P.M.

August 1st and 2nd, 2009

KWJZ Music Festival

2:00 pm

A

August 21, 2009

Jackson Browne

7:00 pm

August 2

August 23, 2009

Elvis Costello and the Sugarcanes

7:00 pm

August 28, 2009

John Legend with special guest India Arie

6:30 pm

August 29th and 30th, 2009

Diana Krall

7:00 pm

Aug

September 4, 2009

Chris Isaak

7:00 pm

September 5, 2009

Gipsy Kings

7:00 pm

September 6, 2009

Bonnie Taj Roulet: Bonnie Raitt and Taj Majal

7:00 pm

September 12, 2009

Pink Martini

7:00 pm

Seattle Woodland Park Zoo Tunes 2009 Lineup

Nirvana - Sliver The Best of the Box

The Be Good Tanyas releasing new album, October 2006

Tom Petty releases Highway Companion

Mason Jennings to appear live on KEXP 90.3 Seattle, Tuesday July 11th 3pm PST

Mark Kozelek signs first artist to Caldo Verde imprint

Woodland Park Zoo Tunes 2009 concert series lineup

BECU Is Sponsoring Zoo Tunes Concert Series At Woodland Park Zoo

Faster than you go! Ben's List passes 2000 visitors...

The Weepies go touring

Country legend Buck Owens, creator of the 'Bakersfield Sound', passes away

Ben Harper releases Both Sides of the Gun

Radio Paradise goes live with 192kbs Stream

Mason Jennings releasing new album Boneclouds on Epic-based label, Glacial Pace

Neko Case Fox Confessor Brings the Flood

Robert of the Radish drops 19 fantastic country covers

KEXP - 90.3 Seattle, goes pledgin'

Props to Playtagger and 3hive

Blacklisted

Death Cab for Cutie rolling in Sonoma

NPR's All Songs Considered

Gillian Welch side projects

Several free tracks from upcoming Neko Case Album

Jack Johnson gets his monkey on

Feist, Let it Die

Neko Case abandons Seattle