The Full Tilt Boogie Concert At Green Mountain Racetrack

THIS CONCERT HAS BEEN CANCELLED 


 ZZ TOP, GARY CLARK JR.  TO CO-HEADLINE DAYLONG VERMONT

MUSIC FESTIVAL WHERE GUITARS STAND AT THE CROSSROADS

OF ROADHOUSE BOOGIE, SOUTHERN ROCK, BLUE-EYED SOUL

AND THE BLUES – AUG. 22 @ GREEN MOUNTAIN RACETRACK!

                                                                       ZZ TOP                                                                                  

Tickets On Sale NOW!

Readthe back story on The Full Tilt Boogie in the Berkshire Eagle

Gary Clark Jr.

POWNAL, VT (July 14, 2015) — Guitars, guitars, guitars! They’re the engines driving the hip shakin’, butt-quakin’ rock ‘n’ roll that will be reverberating through the green mountains of southern Vermont next month when THE FULL TILT BOOGIE music festival brings ZZ Top, Gary Clark Jr., Buddy Guy, Blackberry Smoke, the Marshall Tucker Band, Trigger Hippy (feat. Joan Osborne & Jackie Greene), the Wood Brothers, Albert Lee featuring Cindy Cashdollar, Girls Guns & Glory and so much more to the alternating main stages of the newly revived scenic festival grounds at Green Mountain Racetrack.

THE FULL TILT BOOGIE, an historic one-day, two-stage guitar extravaganza set for Aug. 22, is by far the biggest music festival to play this picturesque setting since it hosted over 30,000 music lovers for the Lollapalooza Music Festival almost two decades ago.

Tickets for THE FULL TILT BOOGIE are on sale NOW through Ticketmaster at $92.50. Free parking is included. Gates open 10 a.m. Complete information at www.greenmountainlive.com.

“THE FULL TILT BOOGIE features bands whose music meets at ‘the crossroads’ of Roadhouse Boogie, Southern Rock, Blue-eyed soul, Rockabilly and The Blues,” says promoter Tony Pallagrosi of UMT Presents, whose New Jersey concert company is aligning with Green Mountain Live! and TTM to produce the progressive, environment-friendly event. “This year’s inaugural festival features some incredible guitar-fueled artists. It’s gonna be 11 hours of some of the best hip shakIn’ music on the planet!”

Guitar fans won’t be able to resist the incendiary sounds and the serene surroundings that THE FULL TILT BOOGIE will deliver to the Pownal Valley, one of the most beautiful in all of Vermont.

And in another first, THE FULL TILT BOOGIE is using electric power generated by renewable resources. Hence the appropriately named Green Stage, which will be home to revered roots music troubadour Seth Walker; NJ Americana rockers Stolen Rhodes; high energy, “riffy” power trio Wild Adriatic; the Tangier Blues Band, led by world renowned rock photographer and music documentarian Danny Clinch; and local favorites T Bone Daddy.

Nestled between the Green Mountains of Vermont and the Taconic Mountains in New York, it’s home to scenic farms and villages and the perfect destination for weekend getaways. Situated quietly between Bennington, VT and Williamstown, MA, the town of Pownal is known as "The Gateway to Vermont," with a rich history that predates the Revolutionary War.

THE FULL TILT BOOGIE promises its own revolution, musically speaking. It’s sparking a music festival revival at Green Mountain Racetrack, the first of numerous music festivals being planned for the site in the spring, summer, and fall of 2016 and beyond. THE FULL TILT BOOGIE music festival offers convenient and spacious access with outstanding acoustics in a breathtaking setting.

After arriving through secure gates, attendees can spread out with plenty of room to see the stage, hear the music, and enjoy the festival’s wide array of top food truck vendors and beverage distillers from around New England. Green Mountain Racetrack offers easy access from across New England and the tri-state areas with a 45 minute drive from Albany and less than three hours from Boston, New York City, and Hartford. While there is plenty of parking available on site, attendees are encouraged to carpool, access the area via Peter Pan Bus Lines, or use the venue’s free bike storage. The Pownal area has many surrounding activities and is known for weekend getaways.

RYDE, a crowd-sourcing transportation company, has partnered with Green Mountain Live! to provide regional shuttle service to THE FULL TILT BOOGIE, enabling upscale motor coaches to shuttle fans to the festival grounds  from surrounding cities and states, and provide an economical, environmentally-friendly, and highly social alternative to single-car driving.

About Green Mountain Live!

Green Mountain Live! is the home of premier music festivals and special events that will be offered throughout the summer and fall in a bucolic, rural setting in Vermont, conveniently located to major cities in New England and New York. The music venue has a vibrant history as the home of the former Green Mountain Racetrack. Known as “The Feel Good Track,” families from around New England would travel hundreds of miles to enjoy horseracing in the midst of Vermont’s incredible natural beauty. For more information, please visit www.greenmountainlive.com.

Progressive Rock Review: District 97 with John Wetton-One More Red Night

Release Date: 6^thOct 2014

Label: Cherry Red Records

Websites:  http://johnwetton.com/    http://www.district97.net/news/john-wetton

This is a very interesting release by the collaboration of District 97 and John Wetton, entitled One More Red Night (Live In Chicago). As the sub-title suggests, this is a live album and features songs from the King Crimson back catalogue, John Wetton being a member of the said band for the release of Larks Tongue In Aspic (1973), Starless and Bible Black (1974) and Red (1974), from whence all bar one track on this release originate. The sole exception to this era is the track, “21st Century Schizoid Man,” which hails from the King Crimson debut album, In The Court Of The Crimson King.

District 97 comprises 5 members, Leslie Hunt (lead/backing vocals), Rob Clearfield (keyboards/guitars), Jim Tashjian (guitar/backing vocals), Patrick Mulcahy (bass) and Jonathan Schang (drums/percussion) with John Wetton providing lead vocals as well.

The album One More Red Night is a 9 track release with a total running time of around 43 minutes. The longest track on offer is “Fallen Angel” at 5:47 minutes and the shortest is “Book of Saturday” at just over 3 minutes (3:07).

The opening track, “One More Red Nightmare” (4:41) starts with some applause and a voice stating “ we are going to do some King Crimson for you right now” and plunges into some heavy riffing guitar and pulsating, pounding drums. The vocals are far forward in the mix, but appear slightly strained at times and a little “flat” when harmonizing. Some good guitar passages drive the track along through its 4+ minutes and the track is a good opener without being outstanding. At this point, I just realized who the vocal style reminded me of, and that is the early Cream vocals, by the late Jack Bruce.

Track 2, “The Great Deceiver” (3:38) has a very similar style sound to the previous track, when the guitar and drums are thrashing away, but there are sections when the tempo switches. The vocals are shared on this track, giving different vocal shadings.

“Lament” (4:19) is a gentler strummed intro behind the clear vocals which again are switched between John and Leslie. Some excellent guitar and bass riffing backed by the two vocalists carry this song along. “The Night Watch” (5:31) has a spoken introduction before a longish instrumental section prior to the appearance of the vocals, just before the 2 minute mark. A true “story telling” style vocal almost struggles to get the lyrics into the spaces available. There are some more excellent guitar passages, but I found the vocals disappointing, the wah-wah vocalizations, which seemed at odds with the atmospheric music taking place.

Track 5, “Fallen Angel” (5:41) settles back into the superb guitar playing and powerful, driving drumming, but again the vocals aren’t up to scratch and hit very close to being discordant at times. Next up is the shortest track, “Book of Saturday” (3:07) which sits more into the gentler style with simple guitar runs behind the vocals. The attempts to harmonize with vocalizations through this track unfortunately fail to hit the mark. When “normal” vocals are in use, the track starts to come alive, but at only 3+ minutes, it can only hint at being a great track.

From the King Crimson debut album, “21st Century Schizoid Man” (5:25) is a fair cover of the original, and indeed is the only track that I recognize from the album. This reviewer is well aware of the impact King Crimson has had on the progressive music scene, but my fascination with the band tended only to last for the first couple of albums, In The Court Of The Crimson King and Wake of Poseidon.

“Starless” (4:47) has a spacey keyboard intro with great drums and then some gentle guitar string bending joins in. The vocals for once fit this track very well, although there is still the hint of straining from time to time.

The final track, “Easy Money” (5:27) certainly gets the crowd appreciation although the harmonies at the start are a bit rough sounding. The characteristic guitar and drums drive the track along with the keyboards providing a foundation behind everything.

One More Red Night is an album I think will appeal to fans of King Crimson who collect all releases related to the band, but as to the wider appeal of the album, I remain less confident. Sound-wise, as a live album, it certainly is a “good un” with clear sound throughout and regular readers of my reviews will be aware that I always approach live albums with a little apprehension. One More Red Night I would describe as an album I found okay, in that there were passages of excellent guitar/drums, but counterbalanced at times with slightly “iffy” vocals resulting in this album probably being an album I would be unlikely to revisit. As always however, this is a very personal view and I would suggest you give the album a listen and decide for yourself.

3.5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: One More Red Nightmare, Lament, Starless

Tracks:
One More Red Nightmare
The Great Deceiver
Lament
The Night Watch
Fallen Angel
Book of Saturday
21st Century Schizoid Man
Starless
Easy Money

Jim “The Ancient One” Lawson-Sr. Reviewer Prog Rock Music Talk

February 18, 2015

Review Provided By Prog Rock Music Talk

Progressive Rock Review: District 97 with John Wetton-One More Red Night

Release Date: 6^thOct 2014

Label: Cherry Red Records

Websites:  http://johnwetton.com/    http://www.district97.net/news/john-wetton

This is a very interesting release by the collaboration of District 97 and John Wetton, entitled One More Red Night (Live In Chicago). As the sub-title suggests, this is a live album and features songs from the King Crimson back catalogue, John Wetton being a member of the said band for the release of Larks Tongue In Aspic (1973), Starless and Bible Black (1974) and Red (1974), from whence all bar one track on this release originate. The sole exception to this era is the track, “21st Century Schizoid Man,” which hails from the King Crimson debut album, In The Court Of The Crimson King.

District 97 comprises 5 members, Leslie Hunt (lead/backing vocals), Rob Clearfield (keyboards/guitars), Jim Tashjian (guitar/backing vocals), Patrick Mulcahy (bass) and Jonathan Schang (drums/percussion) with John Wetton providing lead vocals as well.

The album One More Red Night is a 9 track release with a total running time of around 43 minutes. The longest track on offer is “Fallen Angel” at 5:47 minutes and the shortest is “Book of Saturday” at just over 3 minutes (3:07).

The opening track, “One More Red Nightmare” (4:41) starts with some applause and a voice stating “ we are going to do some King Crimson for you right now” and plunges into some heavy riffing guitar and pulsating, pounding drums. The vocals are far forward in the mix, but appear slightly strained at times and a little “flat” when harmonizing. Some good guitar passages drive the track along through its 4+ minutes and the track is a good opener without being outstanding. At this point, I just realized who the vocal style reminded me of, and that is the early Cream vocals, by the late Jack Bruce.

Track 2, “The Great Deceiver” (3:38) has a very similar style sound to the previous track, when the guitar and drums are thrashing away, but there are sections when the tempo switches. The vocals are shared on this track, giving different vocal shadings.

“Lament” (4:19) is a gentler strummed intro behind the clear vocals which again are switched between John and Leslie. Some excellent guitar and bass riffing backed by the two vocalists carry this song along. “The Night Watch” (5:31) has a spoken introduction before a longish instrumental section prior to the appearance of the vocals, just before the 2 minute mark. A true “story telling” style vocal almost struggles to get the lyrics into the spaces available. There are some more excellent guitar passages, but I found the vocals disappointing, the wah-wah vocalizations, which seemed at odds with the atmospheric music taking place.

Track 5, “Fallen Angel” (5:41) settles back into the superb guitar playing and powerful, driving drumming, but again the vocals aren’t up to scratch and hit very close to being discordant at times. Next up is the shortest track, “Book of Saturday” (3:07) which sits more into the gentler style with simple guitar runs behind the vocals. The attempts to harmonize with vocalizations through this track unfortunately fail to hit the mark. When “normal” vocals are in use, the track starts to come alive, but at only 3+ minutes, it can only hint at being a great track.

From the King Crimson debut album, “21st Century Schizoid Man” (5:25) is a fair cover of the original, and indeed is the only track that I recognize from the album. This reviewer is well aware of the impact King Crimson has had on the progressive music scene, but my fascination with the band tended only to last for the first couple of albums, In The Court Of The Crimson King and Wake of Poseidon.

“Starless” (4:47) has a spacey keyboard intro with great drums and then some gentle guitar string bending joins in. The vocals for once fit this track very well, although there is still the hint of straining from time to time.

The final track, “Easy Money” (5:27) certainly gets the crowd appreciation although the harmonies at the start are a bit rough sounding. The characteristic guitar and drums drive the track along with the keyboards providing a foundation behind everything.

One More Red Night is an album I think will appeal to fans of King Crimson who collect all releases related to the band, but as to the wider appeal of the album, I remain less confident. Sound-wise, as a live album, it certainly is a “good un” with clear sound throughout and regular readers of my reviews will be aware that I always approach live albums with a little apprehension. One More Red Night I would describe as an album I found okay, in that there were passages of excellent guitar/drums, but counterbalanced at times with slightly “iffy” vocals resulting in this album probably being an album I would be unlikely to revisit. As always however, this is a very personal view and I would suggest you give the album a listen and decide for yourself.

3.5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: One More Red Nightmare, Lament, Starless

Tracks:
One More Red Nightmare
The Great Deceiver
Lament
The Night Watch
Fallen Angel
Book of Saturday
21st Century Schizoid Man
Starless
Easy Money

Jim “The Ancient One” Lawson-Sr. Reviewer Prog Rock Music Talk

February 18, 2015

Review Provided By Prog Rock Music Talk

Uriah Heep coming to The Ridgefield Playhouse!!!

March 1, 2015 at 8PM

The British Rock Legends returns with their classic rock hits “Look At Yourself,” "Gypsy," “Bird of Prey,” “Easy Livin’” and many more!  URIAH HEEP is considered one of the ‘Big Four’ pioneers of hard rock and heavy metal in the late ‘60’s and early ‘70’s along with BLACK SABBATH, DEEP PURPLE & LED ZEPPELIN – URIAH HEEP still enjoy legendary status.

Click Here to listen to Uriah Heep!

  Click Here for more information!

Alan Parsons Project, Zappa Plays Zappa, and MORE coming to The Ridgefield Playhouse!

Coming to The Ridgefield Playhouse in 2015!

The Machine

Fri, 01/23/2015 - 8:00pm

America’s premier Pink Floyd show, has forged a 20 year reputation of excellence, extending the legacy of Pink Floyd, while creating another legacy all their own. Over the years, The Machine has touched the hearts and souls of many, selling out large clubs and theatres across North and Central America, Europe and Asia. They have also appeared at renowned music festivals such as Bonnaroo, Riverbend, and Germany’s Rock of Ages. Band travels with the incredible “Interstellar Light & Multimedia Show”. Also available with numerous add-ons like quadraphonic surround sound, LASERS and even as SYMPHONIC FLOYD featuring the band performing with a customizable concert orchestra. “Amazing…chilling accuracy”. – Rolling Stone

Click HERE for more information & to purchase tickets

Alan Parsons Live Project

Wed, 01/28/2015 - 8:00pm

xfinity Rock Series

Performing his Greatest Hits including 'Sirius,' 'Eye In The Sky,' 'Time,' 'Damned If I Do,' 'Don't Answer Me,' 'I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You,' 'Games People Play,' 'Dr. Tarr & Professor Fether' and more!

Alan Parsons' contribution to music - from his beginnings with The Beatles and other megastars to his groundbreaking recording techniques on Dark Side Of the Moon and multi-platinum albums by The Alan Parsons Project have made him a true Renaissance Man. His fans and peers agree! This is a must-see live show!

Click HERE for more information and to purchase tickets

Musical Box

Sun, 02/08/2015 - 8:00pm

Fall 1972, the English rock group Genesis began a new tour to promote their fourth album, FOXTROT.

The Musical Box is undertaking the reproduction of the original concert in painstaking detail to give people an illusion of being at the actual Genesis show. The visual reconstruction of the show was based on photos and slides of the original concerts, as well as articles from papers and magazines and information offered by numerous people who either worked on or attended the original Foxtrot tour. Couple that with the outstanding artistry and musicianship associated with The Musical Box and the audience is flawlessly transported back in time.

A unique chance to relive an historical event....Click HERE for more information and to purchase tickets!

One Night of QueenFri, 02/27/2015 - 8:00pm

Performed by Gary Mullen and The Works

One Night of Queen performed by Gary Mullen & The Works is a spectacular live concert, recreating the look, sound, pomp and showmanship of one of the greatest rock band of all time and its flamboyant lead singer Freddie Mercury. They have been hailed as the World’s Premiere Queen Tribute Band and have received rave reviews from over 500 Performing Arts Centers in the USA since 2008.

Over the past 10 years, Gary Mullen & The Works have performed their show, One Night of Queen, to sold-out audiences throughout the UK, USA, Europe, South Africa and New Zealand. Fans of Queen will delight in this pitch-perfect experience of mega-hits such as “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We are the Champions,” “Killer Queen,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” “Another One Bites the Dust” and many others. This show will ROCK YOU!

Click HERE for more information and to purchase tickets!

Zappa Plays Zappa

Fri, 04/10/2015 - 8:00pm

"One Size Fits All" 40th Anniversary Tour

Growing up in the Zappa family home, Dweezil Zappa marveled at his father's virtuoso skills as a composer and guitarist. After his father's passing he was inspired to do something to honor his father. Feeling as though there was a generational gap and a fair amount of public confusion as to what his father's music really was, Dweezil set about creating an opportunity for music fans to make a new discovery. Not satisfied with the generic journalistic descriptions that had been applied over the years or the accidental default association of "novelty act" he earned by way of the casual radio exposure of songs like "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow" and "Valley Girl," Dweezil Zappa decided it was time for a change. He wanted to expose core fans as well as a potential new generation of fans to his father's compositions in a way that would give them a balanced perspective of the totality of Frank Zappa's work. If Zappa Plays Zappa was to become a conduit for a new generation of people discovering Frank Zappa's music then Dweezil wanted to do his best so that very little could be lost in translation.Click HERE for more information and to purchase tickets!

DREAM THEATER to Release “Breaking the Fourth Wall” DVD on September 30

By Nikola Savić on August 21, 2014@ProgSphere

Grammy-nominated progressive metal titans–have announced the release of Breaking The Fourth Wall (Live From The Boston Opera House), a live Blu-Ray / DVD set of the band’s one-of-a-kind performance from the Boston Opera House on March 25, 2014. Produced by the band’s own John Petrucci, filmed and directed by Pierre and François Lamoureux, and mixed and mastered by Richard Chycki, Breaking The Fourth Wall (Live From The Boston Opera House) is over 2 hours in length, capturing the special evening, which featured guest performances from The Berklee College of Music Orchestra and Choir. Breaking The Fourth Wall (Live From The Boston Opera House) arrives September 30th.

The collection will be available in multiple configurations including Blu-Ray, a 2 DVD set, and a webstore deluxe exclusive Blu-Ray/3 CD set with poster, all currently available for pre-order via the Roadrunner Records webstore. Furthermore, Dream Theater have premiered a video of The Looking Glass (Live) taken from Breaking The Fourth Wall (Live From The Boston Opera House) which can be streamed on the band’s official YouTube Channel. All pre-orders for the webstore exclusive will receive an instant download The Looking Glass (Live).

Dream Theater’s John Petrucci commented on the special event saying, “In many ways, this was a huge homecoming for the band given the history of Dream Theater’s origins and ties with Berklee. With John and I both being alumni and Mike having been a professor at the college for 10 years, we saw the opportunity to perform together with the students of Berklee as a tremendous thrill and honor. We are extremely grateful for everyone’s hard work in making this special event a reality and to all who participated.” He continued, “All of the Berklee College instrumentalists and vocalists did an outstanding job that night and it was awesome to have one of its students, Eren Başbuğ orchestrate and conduct them live at the Opera House after having been a part of our latest studio release in the same capacity. Dream Theater has always had a great connection to the city of Boston and we knew that against the backdrop of the beautiful Opera House, this would end up being a historic stop on our Along For The Ride world tour and an evening most definitely worth capturing on video. Beautifully filmed and directed by Pierre Lamoureux and brilliantly mixed and mastered by Richard Chycki, this is in my opinion, a major highlight in our nearly 30 year career as a band. We are eagerly anticipating its release this fall and really hope that everyone enjoys it!”

This past year Dream Theater earned a second Grammy nomination for “Best Metal Performance” for the single The Enemy Inside from their current self-titled worldwide smash album (released September 24, 2013 on Roadrunner Records). Dream Theater made a spectacular debut this past fall, topping Billboard’s “Hard Rock Albums” chart while simultaneously entering at #7 on the overall Billboard 200. The extraordinary chart position marked the group’s third consecutive top 10 debut, and also saw Dream Theater making top 5 chart debuts in Japan, Germany, Italy, Canada, Argentina, Switzerland, Holland, and Finland, as well as top 10 debuts in Denmark, Austria, and Norway, with career high debuts in the United Kingdom and Australia. The band recently announced new tour dates which will see them bring their spectacular live show to South America, Asia and Australia later this fall.

DREAM THEATER to Release “Breaking the Fourth Wall” DVD on September 30

By Nikola Savić on August 21, 2014@ProgSphere

Grammy-nominated progressive metal titans–have announced the release of Breaking The Fourth Wall (Live From The Boston Opera House), a live Blu-Ray / DVD set of the band’s one-of-a-kind performance from the Boston Opera House on March 25, 2014. Produced by the band’s own John Petrucci, filmed and directed by Pierre and François Lamoureux, and mixed and mastered by Richard Chycki, Breaking The Fourth Wall (Live From The Boston Opera House) is over 2 hours in length, capturing the special evening, which featured guest performances from The Berklee College of Music Orchestra and Choir. Breaking The Fourth Wall (Live From The Boston Opera House) arrives September 30th.

The collection will be available in multiple configurations including Blu-Ray, a 2 DVD set, and a webstore deluxe exclusive Blu-Ray/3 CD set with poster, all currently available for pre-order via the Roadrunner Records webstore. Furthermore, Dream Theater have premiered a video of The Looking Glass (Live) taken from Breaking The Fourth Wall (Live From The Boston Opera House) which can be streamed on the band’s official YouTube Channel. All pre-orders for the webstore exclusive will receive an instant download The Looking Glass (Live).

Dream Theater’s John Petrucci commented on the special event saying, “In many ways, this was a huge homecoming for the band given the history of Dream Theater’s origins and ties with Berklee. With John and I both being alumni and Mike having been a professor at the college for 10 years, we saw the opportunity to perform together with the students of Berklee as a tremendous thrill and honor. We are extremely grateful for everyone’s hard work in making this special event a reality and to all who participated.” He continued, “All of the Berklee College instrumentalists and vocalists did an outstanding job that night and it was awesome to have one of its students, Eren Başbuğ orchestrate and conduct them live at the Opera House after having been a part of our latest studio release in the same capacity. Dream Theater has always had a great connection to the city of Boston and we knew that against the backdrop of the beautiful Opera House, this would end up being a historic stop on our Along For The Ride world tour and an evening most definitely worth capturing on video. Beautifully filmed and directed by Pierre Lamoureux and brilliantly mixed and mastered by Richard Chycki, this is in my opinion, a major highlight in our nearly 30 year career as a band. We are eagerly anticipating its release this fall and really hope that everyone enjoys it!”

This past year Dream Theater earned a second Grammy nomination for “Best Metal Performance” for the single The Enemy Inside from their current self-titled worldwide smash album (released September 24, 2013 on Roadrunner Records). Dream Theater made a spectacular debut this past fall, topping Billboard’s “Hard Rock Albums” chart while simultaneously entering at #7 on the overall Billboard 200. The extraordinary chart position marked the group’s third consecutive top 10 debut, and also saw Dream Theater making top 5 chart debuts in Japan, Germany, Italy, Canada, Argentina, Switzerland, Holland, and Finland, as well as top 10 debuts in Denmark, Austria, and Norway, with career high debuts in the United Kingdom and Australia. The band recently announced new tour dates which will see them bring their spectacular live show to South America, Asia and Australia later this fall.

ZZ TOP & JEFF BECK TO KICK OFF EXTENSIVE U.S. TOUR THIS WEEK

As final preparations have been completed for this month’s launch of the much-anticipated ZZ Top/Jeff Beck Tour, ZZ Top’s Billy F Gibbons met with Jeff Beck in Los Angeles for a photo session for the cover of the next issue of Guitar World Magazine. On hand to document the guitar slingers' summit was legendary British photographer Ross Halfin, who is seen here nailing down an intimate shot of the two guitar gods immersed in “fretful” conversation. 

(MFH photo)

 

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees and mutual admirers ZZ Top and Jeff Beck who have almost a century’s worth of combined touring experience under their collective belts are less than one week away from embarking on their first ever tour together. The tour is formatted to offer a free-standing set from Jeff Beck, a free-standing set from ZZ Top and a joint performance wherein Beck joins ZZ Top for a rocking finale.

 On the heels of releasing Live At Montreux 2013 DVD/Blu-ray through Eagle Rock Entertainment and The Baddest of ZZ Top CD/2CD retrospective from Warner Bros., “that little ol’ band from Texas” will be cranking out classics such as “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Legs” and “Tush.” The lineup of Billy F Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard has been holding steady for over 44 years - an unprecedented feat in rock. 

 Jeff Beck’s touring band will consist of Grammy nominee and Flash-era vocalist Jimmy Hall (Wet Willie), bassist Rhonda Smith, drummer Jonathan Joseph, and guitarist Nicolas Meier.  

21-year-old Texas guitar prodigy Tyler Bryant has recently been announced as the opening act for the vast majority of the tour dates. Bryant already has experience as an opener for Jeff Beck, and also cut his teeth on bills with Aerosmith, Lynyrd Skynyrd, BB King, Heart, Vince Gill, and many others.

 While ZZ Top and Jeff Beck have never toured together before, this is not the first live collaboration between the two camps. Billy Gibbons joined Beck and his band on stage at the 25^th anniversary celebration of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009 at Madison Square Garden, where they performed the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s “Foxey Lady” and ZZ Top’s hit “Rough Boy” together. The following year Beck joined ZZ Top in Lucca, Italy for an extended rendition of the band’s signature piece “La Grange.”

The excitement is brewing between the musicians. Jeff Beck proclaimed, “Ever since Eliminator I thought it would be great to play with ZZ Top.”

Likewise, Billy Gibbons, who has long viewed the English fret master as a musical role model going back to his days in the Yardbirds, has declared his admiration for the man behind the platinum selling albums Blow By Blow and Wired. “We could never figure out what Beck was doing on his instrument to get those sounds, and it was that mystery that inspired us to push our own sound to the next level.” Gibbons continues, “It is an honor to be sharing the stage with the curator of crunch.”

ZZ Top with Jeff Beck Tour Itinerary: 

August 8-Ogren Park     Missoula, MT

August 9- Chateau Ste. Michelle  Woodinville, WA

August 10-Cuthbert Amphitheatre  Eugene, OR

August 12 -The Mountain Winery Saratoga, CA

August 13-Greek Amphitheatre  Los Angeles, CA

August 15-Ironstone Amphitheatre Murphys, CA

August 16-The Joint Las Vegas, NV

August 17-AVA Amphitheatre  Tucson, AZ

August 19 -Sandia Casino Albuquerque, NM

August 20-Fiddlers Green Amphitheatre Englewood, CO

August 22-Zoo Amphitheatre  Oklahoma City, OK

August 23-Starlight Theater  Kansas City, MO

August 24-Verizon Wireless Amphitheater  Maryland Heights, MO

August 27-DTE Energy Music Theatre  Clarkston, MI

August 28-Ravinia Festival  Highland Park, IL

August 29-Seneca Allegany Casino Salamanca, NY

August 30-Concert Venue @Harrah’s  Atlantic City, NJ

August 31-MGM Grand Theater @ Foxwoods  Mashantucket, CT

September 2-Blue Hills Bank Pavilion  Boston, MA

September 3-Merriweather Post Pavilion Columbia, MD *

September 4-Nikon @ Jones Beach Theater Wantagh, NY

September 6-Verizon Wireless Amphitheater  Alpharetta, GA

September 7-St. Augustine Amphitheater St. Augustine, FL

September 9-Cruzan Amphitheater West Palm Beach, FL

September 10-Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheater Tampa, FL

September 12-Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion The Woodlands, TX

September 13-Winstar Casino Thackerville, OK **

*Tyler Bryant and Gary Clark Jr. open

**ZZ Top and Jeff Beck only

Music News: Black Note Graffiti Playing the Ann Arbor Summer Festival

Ann Arbor, Michigan-June 17, 2013-Black Note Graffiti is made up music veterans Rick Ortiz on vocals and guitar, Adam Nine bass guitar, Kurt Keller percussion and Kris Keller guitar and vocals. The band performed previously as Krescent 4 before forming the new lineup.

In support of their recent release Volume 1,they are proud to be playing at the upcoming Ann Arbor Summer Festival, which is also referred to as A2SF2014. The band and other acts are participating in The Top of the Park which is a free outdoor event that's part of A2SF2014 schedule. The Rackham Stage is situated outside Rackham Auditorium on a large music stage that sits across Ingalls Mall/ Park.

Volume I was just picked up by ESPN to be used in NASCAR, which is fitting for the band’s powerful and fast moving sounds. The band is really excited about the momentum and recognition the release has gained thus far. They are anticipating an exciting time introducing all the new material on a live stage.

One reviewer commented on the new album: This is a fantastic hard rock album with a lot of talent on display. You get it all in one package, a band with an ultra-cool name and sounds to match-Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

The Ann Arbor Summer Festival is an exciting celebration of performing arts, outdoor entertainment, and community spirit that starts in June and runs through July. A boutique music and arts festival, the three-week gathering offers dozens of performances, activities, exhibitions, and screenings representative of the best in music, dance, comedy, film, circus and street arts, and family entertainment.

There will be six music acts performing there and Black Note Grafitti will go on stage at the Main Stage Summerfest July 5^th at 7:00 pm.

The day after all the fireworks displays across America is through and all the noise has faded away, there is sure to be plenty more explosions of sounds with Black Note Graffiti making their way through the songs on Volume 1. If you enjoy outdoor events, live music, and electrifying progressive metal then this is a show that should not be missed!

Company:Noteborn Music Company

Contact:Kris Keller

Email

Website

Music News: Black Note Graffiti Playing the Ann Arbor Summer Festival

Ann Arbor, Michigan-June 17, 2013-Black Note Graffiti is made up music veterans Rick Ortiz on vocals and guitar, Adam Nine bass guitar, Kurt Keller percussion and Kris Keller guitar and vocals. The band performed previously as Krescent 4 before forming the new lineup.

In support of their recent release Volume 1,they are proud to be playing at the upcoming Ann Arbor Summer Festival, which is also referred to as A2SF2014. The band and other acts are participating in The Top of the Park which is a free outdoor event that's part of A2SF2014 schedule. The Rackham Stage is situated outside Rackham Auditorium on a large music stage that sits across Ingalls Mall/ Park.

Volume I was just picked up by ESPN to be used in NASCAR, which is fitting for the band’s powerful and fast moving sounds. The band is really excited about the momentum and recognition the release has gained thus far. They are anticipating an exciting time introducing all the new material on a live stage.

One reviewer commented on the new album: This is a fantastic hard rock album with a lot of talent on display. You get it all in one package, a band with an ultra-cool name and sounds to match-Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

The Ann Arbor Summer Festival is an exciting celebration of performing arts, outdoor entertainment, and community spirit that starts in June and runs through July. A boutique music and arts festival, the three-week gathering offers dozens of performances, activities, exhibitions, and screenings representative of the best in music, dance, comedy, film, circus and street arts, and family entertainment.

There will be six music acts performing there and Black Note Grafitti will go on stage at the Main Stage Summerfest July 5^th at 7:00 pm.

The day after all the fireworks displays across America is through and all the noise has faded away, there is sure to be plenty more explosions of sounds with Black Note Graffiti making their way through the songs on Volume 1. If you enjoy outdoor events, live music, and electrifying progressive metal then this is a show that should not be missed!

Company:Noteborn Music Company

Contact:Kris Keller

Email

Website

Art Rock at the Arts Center: International Instrumental Rock Recording Artist Erik Norlander and the Galactic Collective to Perform in Canton, GA

Erik Norlander and the Galactic Collective to Perform in Canton, GA Cherokee Arts Center to host prestigious concert May 9th

The Cherokee Arts Center in downtown Canton, Georgia will come alive with the art of music this Spring. Renowned prog rock/art rock/symphonic instrumental rock international recording artist Erik Norlander and the Galactic Collective will perform at the Cherokee Arts Center on Friday, May 9th, 2014. Show time is at 7:30pm. Doors open at 6:30pm.

Considered one of progressive/art rock’s most talented and innovative keyboardists of the same caliber as luminaries Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, and Jon Lord, Erik Norlander has remained a stalwart in the progressive rock movement for over two decades. He has recorded, produced, written, and performed with many of prog rock’s highly regarded acts including ASIA featuring John Payne, Rocket Scientists, Lana Lane, Big Noize, and the Roswell 6 project. Erik has worked with a veritable who’s who of top rock performers and musicians including Vinny Appice, Tony Franklin, Glenn Hughes, Buck Dharma Roesser, Mitch Perry, James LaBrie, Carlos Cavazo, and many others. His recordings and projects have been released worldwide by recording labels Sony, Avalon, Frontiers, Inside Out, Kinesis, and Voiceprint, among others. He has also developed keyboards for Alesis and audio tracks for Line 6, and his music has been featured on television and in documentaries.

The debut Galactic Collective recording was originally released in 2010 as a re-imagination of some of Erik’s favorite solo recordings as well as recordings with Lana Lane and Rocket Scientists. It was followed by the CD and DVD release “Live In Gettysburg” recorded at the Majestic Theater during the highly successful Galactic Collective performance at the storied Rites of Spring Festival. Galactic Collective continues to have well-attended performances throughout the world.

Along with Erik Norlander, the Galactic Collective band lineup includes Jeff Kollman (UFO, Glenn Hughes, Michael Schenker) – guitar; Mark Matthews – bass guitar; and Nick Lepar – drums.

The Galactic Collective concert is presented by Serge Entertainment Group, a Canton, Georgia-based full service music and entertainment firm specializing in publicity/media relations, social networking, and licensing for musicians of all genres and others in the arts fields. The concert is sponsored by Canton-based Chandler Graphics and the Hampton Inn of Canton. Hampton Inn is the official hotel sponsor and is offering a base discounted rate of $89 for any ticket holders for the concert. To request a sponsorship package for this concert, please email SergeEnt@aol.com.

The Cherokee Arts Center is located at 94 North Street in downtown Canton, GA in the historic former Canton Methodist Church and features concerts, plays, art exhibitions, and other arts events throughout the year.

Tickets for the show are $20 advance, $25 at the door on the day of the show. Each ticket holder will receive two free beverages. Advance tickets are available through PayPal at http://www.sergeentertainmentgroup.com/galactic-collective-concert.

Web links:
http://www.eriknorlander.com
http://www.sergeentertainmentgroup.com
http://cherokeearts.org
http://chandlergraphics.com
http://hamptoninn.com

EVENT FACT SHEET
What: Erik Norlander and the Galactic Collective Concert
When: Friday, May 9th, 2014  - Showtime: 7:30PM Doors: 6:30PM
Where: Cherokee Arts Center, 94 Main Street, Canton, GA 30114, phone 770-704-6244
Tickets: $20 Advance, $25 day of show at the arts center box office

Ticket Buy Link: http://www.sergeentertainmentgroup.com/galactic-collective-concert

Presented by: Serge Entertainment Group

Current Sponsors: Chandler Graphics, Hampton Inn

Media Contact: Sandy Serge, sergeent@aol.com, Serge Entertainment Group

Art Rock at the Arts Center: International Instrumental Rock Recording Artist Erik Norlander and the Galactic Collective to Perform in Canton, GA

Erik Norlander and the Galactic Collective to Perform in Canton, GA Cherokee Arts Center to host prestigious concert May 9th

The Cherokee Arts Center in downtown Canton, Georgia will come alive with the art of music this Spring. Renowned prog rock/art rock/symphonic instrumental rock international recording artist Erik Norlander and the Galactic Collective will perform at the Cherokee Arts Center on Friday, May 9th, 2014. Show time is at 7:30pm. Doors open at 6:30pm.

Considered one of progressive/art rock’s most talented and innovative keyboardists of the same caliber as luminaries Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, and Jon Lord, Erik Norlander has remained a stalwart in the progressive rock movement for over two decades. He has recorded, produced, written, and performed with many of prog rock’s highly regarded acts including ASIA featuring John Payne, Rocket Scientists, Lana Lane, Big Noize, and the Roswell 6 project. Erik has worked with a veritable who’s who of top rock performers and musicians including Vinny Appice, Tony Franklin, Glenn Hughes, Buck Dharma Roesser, Mitch Perry, James LaBrie, Carlos Cavazo, and many others. His recordings and projects have been released worldwide by recording labels Sony, Avalon, Frontiers, Inside Out, Kinesis, and Voiceprint, among others. He has also developed keyboards for Alesis and audio tracks for Line 6, and his music has been featured on television and in documentaries.

The debut Galactic Collective recording was originally released in 2010 as a re-imagination of some of Erik’s favorite solo recordings as well as recordings with Lana Lane and Rocket Scientists. It was followed by the CD and DVD release “Live In Gettysburg” recorded at the Majestic Theater during the highly successful Galactic Collective performance at the storied Rites of Spring Festival. Galactic Collective continues to have well-attended performances throughout the world.

Along with Erik Norlander, the Galactic Collective band lineup includes Jeff Kollman (UFO, Glenn Hughes, Michael Schenker) – guitar; Mark Matthews – bass guitar; and Nick Lepar – drums.

The Galactic Collective concert is presented by Serge Entertainment Group, a Canton, Georgia-based full service music and entertainment firm specializing in publicity/media relations, social networking, and licensing for musicians of all genres and others in the arts fields. The concert is sponsored by Canton-based Chandler Graphics and the Hampton Inn of Canton. Hampton Inn is the official hotel sponsor and is offering a base discounted rate of $89 for any ticket holders for the concert. To request a sponsorship package for this concert, please email SergeEnt@aol.com.

The Cherokee Arts Center is located at 94 North Street in downtown Canton, GA in the historic former Canton Methodist Church and features concerts, plays, art exhibitions, and other arts events throughout the year.

Tickets for the show are $20 advance, $25 at the door on the day of the show. Each ticket holder will receive two free beverages. Advance tickets are available through PayPal at http://www.sergeentertainmentgroup.com/galactic-collective-concert.

Web links:
http://www.eriknorlander.com
http://www.sergeentertainmentgroup.com
http://cherokeearts.org
http://chandlergraphics.com
http://hamptoninn.com

EVENT FACT SHEET
What: Erik Norlander and the Galactic Collective Concert
When: Friday, May 9th, 2014  - Showtime: 7:30PM Doors: 6:30PM
Where: Cherokee Arts Center, 94 Main Street, Canton, GA 30114, phone 770-704-6244
Tickets: $20 Advance, $25 day of show at the arts center box office

Ticket Buy Link: http://www.sergeentertainmentgroup.com/galactic-collective-concert

Presented by: Serge Entertainment Group

Current Sponsors: Chandler Graphics, Hampton Inn

Media Contact: Sandy Serge, sergeent@aol.com, Serge Entertainment Group