Paul Cauthen with special guest Eric Tessmer will be performing at Wooly's on Sunday, June 26th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:30 PM // SHOW: 7:30 PM
About Paul Cauthen
Want to get a bead on Paul Cauthen?
Good freakin' luck -- especially on his third album, COUNTRY COMING DOWN.
Suffice to say that the singer, songwriter and proud son of Tyler, Texas -- steward of a rich, resonant, bass-leaning tenor dubbed Big Velvet -- covers a lot of ground and embodies a lot of characters. He'll tell you right off the bat that he's "Country As Fuck," throwing down a wad of "Fuck You Money" and heading into the night to "Cut a Rug." His "Country Clubbin'" has as much to do with swinging as his swing. But a song or two later dude's vowing to be loving his wife "Till the Day I Die" and, in COUNTRY COMING DOWN's title track, dreams of living in "a cabin in the country, far away from the city lights” where "life is slow and easy."
The fact that all of that exists within the same guy, who's full of good humor, sharp wit and a heart as big as his home state is what makes Cauthen someone who's easy, and exciting, to spend 10 songs with.
"Y'know, you got your bangers and you got your ballads," Cauthen acknowledges. "You got your meaningful songs where you're opening up more of your vulnerable side, and then you’re putting on a fucking show -- all in one album. And it's all honest, I'll tell ya that. Everything on there is something I’ve felt or thought before."
COUNTRY COMING DOWN has been in motion awhile, actually. The title track, one of several co-writes with good Nashville pal Aaron Raitiere, has been around since before Cauthen's dark sophomore album ROOM 41. Its sense of campfire calm and "damn near off the map" idyll set a bar, for both music and lifestyle, that Cauthen aspired to, while the rest of the new album, recorded at Modern Electric Sound Recorders in Dallas with regular collaborators Beau Bedford (Texas Gentlemen) and Jason Burt (Medicine Man Revival), shows that Cauthen was able to get there without losing any of the playful "hot dog holly golly dagnabit" good-time spirit that rolls off his tongue like a tumbleweed in the west Texas panhandle.
As he promises in "Country As Fuck," "I ain't gotta sell my soul. If I want it then I grab it."
"I'm having fun," Cauthen says. "I've finally figured it out. I'm more settled and comfortable. I know I’m good at making records and great at entertaining. That's my gift more than anything, to be able to get up there and deliver these songs to people."
That gift is part of Cauthen's DNA, of course, from a family deeply steeped in music. Texan on both sides, his paternal grandfather went to school with Hank Williams while his maternal grandpa, who worked with Buddy Holly and the Crickets during his youth, introduced Cauthen to singing. His grandmother taught him to play piano, while his grandfather and great uncle were the song leader and preacher, respectively, of the local Christian Church of Christ.
"Yeah, I had no choice, really" Cauthen says now. "(Music) is what I call my birddog trait; You don't have to tell a birddog to jump in the river and grab the duck and bring it back to you. And you don't have to tell me to get up on stage and perform. That's what I'm supposed to do. My family enjoyed watching me perform when I was a kid; I would get up in front of everybody at Christmas with my guitar and play 'Jackson' with my grandmother. I learned my trade, y'know?"
Cauthen pursued that trade into young adulthood, showcasing at Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos and forming the duo Sons of Fathers, whose early albums were produced by Lloyd Maines. After the group ran its course, Cauthen set off on his own in 2016, recording MY GOSPEL partly in Muscle Shoals, AL.; The album made Rolling Stone's list of Top 40 Country Records that year. 2018’s HAVE MERCY EP began his association with Bedford and featured contributions by other members of the Texas Gentlemen, and also led to Cauthen's Grand Ole Opry debut as a solo artist on June 22, 2018.
The critically acclaimed ROOM 41, meanwhile, chronicled and exorcised a rough period in Cauthen's life, marked by a romantic breakup, substance abuse, depression and anxiety issues. "My growing years were like going to college," Cauthen confesses. "I just got screwed so many times by so many different people on this whole freakin' journey. I had this void I was trying to fill in my heart, with booze or any type of, just, abuse. I made every stupid mistake you can make in the business, and in life, in order to learn ‘em all.
"I don't feel that hurt anymore. I've changed."
Marriage helped, he says. So did cleaning house and restructuring the business operation that surrounded him. That allowed Cauthen to plunge into COUNTRY COMING DOWN with a lighter heart and wicked humor -- one that allowed him to find the profound meaning in a "schmoozie bougie brouhaha."
If you want to know what that sounds like, tuck into the album's sonic array, an austere, sinewy attack that puts Cauthen's vocals dead center in the ride. "We've really unleashed Big Velvet in this situation, which I love," he says. Nowhere is that more true than "Country As Fuck," with a taut groove and loping gait tailor made for a 21st century honky tonk. Cauthen, Bedford and Burt play with that template throughout COUNTRY COMING DOWN, punctuating "Caught Me At a Good Time" with a sharp guitar solo, "High Heels" with a tasteful Wurlitzer break and the satiristic "Country Clubbin'" with a disco beat and chorus of female backing vocals.
But just when you buy in -- and happily convert -- to Cauthen's brand of unapologetic hedonism, the soul comes out. "Till The Day I Die" smoothes his raw heart with the promise of true and lasting love, while the stock-taking "Roll On Over" takes a wistful look in his rearview mirror. And "Country Coming Down” realizes a dream of calm -- although not exclusive of the next sojourn with "Champagne & a Limo."
I'm always on a quest, sonically," Cauthen explains. "I was wanting to go at this just serving the song, more, 'What does this call for?' rather than worrying about genre or sonic palette or any certain sound. I had a lot of these songs brewing for a long time, and we just let them grow on their own."
His muse fully engaged, Cauthen is looking towards doing more of that in the future, with a few conceptual ideas up his sleeve about what he might do next. No matter what direction he takes, however, he won’t be abandoning that cabin in the hills or the "Country Clubbin'" life; Cauthen will just be adding more to the mix he's stirred together.
"It's just about looking at yourself in the mirror and knowing that what you've done to this day has been in good standing, with good morals and a good compass in life, driven the right way," he says. "Legacy is all we have -- that, and try to be a good person as well. If you get all that together, then you can do whatever the fuck you want and it'll be alright."
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Joshua Ray Walker with special guest Katie Sires will be performing at Wooly's on Wednesday, June 29th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About Joshua Ray Walker
On his new album See You Next Time, Texas-bred singer/songwriter Joshua Ray Walker shares an imagined yet truthful portrait of a broke down honky-tonk and the misfits who call it home: barflies and wannabe cowboys, bleary-eyed dreamers and hopelessly lost souls. His third full-length in three years, the album marks the final installment in a trilogy that originated with Walker’s globally acclaimed 2019 debut Wish You Were Here and its equally lauded follow-up Glad You Made It (the #5 entry on Rolling Stone’s Best Country and Americana Albums of 2020 list).
“The whole idea with the trilogy was to use the honky-tonk as a setting where all these different characters could interact with each other,” says Walker, who drew immense inspiration from the local dive bars he first started sneaking into and gigging at as a teenager growing up in East Dallas. “In my mind, this album’s taking place on the night before the bar closes forever—the songs are just me taking snapshots of that world, and all the moments that happen in it.”
Like its predecessors, See You Next Time came to life at Audio Dallas Recording Studio with producer John Pedigo and a first-rate lineup of musicians, including the likes of pedal-steel player Adam “Ditch” Kurtz and rhythm guitarist Nathan Mongol Wells of Ottoman Turks(the country-punk outfit for which Walker sidelines as lead guitarist). The album’s immaculately crafted but timelessly vital sound provides a prime backdrop for Walker’s storytelling, an element that endlessly blurs the lines between fable-like fiction and personal revelation. “I learned a long time ago that writing from a character’s perspective lets me examine things about myself without ever feeling too self-conscious about it,” he points out. Closely informed by the tremendous loss he’s suffered in recent years, See You Next Time emerges as the most powerful work to date from an extraordinarily gifted songwriter, imbued with equal parts weary pragmatism and the kind of unabashedly romantic spirit that defies all cynicism.
On the album-opening “Dallas Lights,” Walker presents a potent introduction to the vast and sometimes-harrowing emotional terrain of See You Next Time. “I used to hang out in Lower Greenville, which is a neighborhood in Dallas with a lot of homeless people,” he says of the song’s origins. “One of the guys there knew someone who’d passed away and there was nobody to claim the body: no wife, no family, no kinfolk at all. I was really struck by how terrible that was, and over the years it became a song about hometown pride, and wanting to die where you lived.” Anchored by the heartrending fiddle work of Heather Stalling, “Dallas Lights” ultimately lends a bit of glory to that tragedy, its chorus lyrics unfolding as their own resolute prayer (“Lord, don’t bury me deep/Under the sycamore tree/Burn Me/Spread Me/Where the city can be seen”).
In its nuanced exploration of so many disparate moods—grief and celebration, sorrow and surrender—See You Next Time takes an entirely unexpected turn on its lead single “Sexy After Dark.” Fueled by a fiery horn section, the wildly catchy track hits a brilliant balance of bravado, soul-stirring confession, and brutally self-aware humor. “There’s a deep history of sexy-crooner country songs played by dudes who were pretty unsexy by all accounts but still had so much swagger,” says Walker. “‘Sexy After Dark’ was my attempt at writing a song like that, a fun song I’d want to crank up and party to. It all came back to wanting to really push the boundaries of what I could do on this album.”
In a stunning tonal shift, See You Next Time then delivers its most devastating moment, the intensely intimate “Flash Paper.” “My dad had a four-year battle with lung cancer and passed away in November, and before he died he gave me a cigar box full of notes and cards and lots of random little things, like a ribbon from a reading competition from when he was in elementary school,” says Walker. “He also put in a flash drive with a video he’d recorded, which he told me not to watch until Christmas. My dad was from East Texas and kind of a good-old-boy type, and the video was really vulnerable for him. Some of it was similar to things he’d said over the years, as he dealt with his illness and the two of us grew closer, but that song’s mostly about me wishing I’d heard more of those things while he was still here.”
With its untethered textures and beautifully sprawling guitar tones, “Flash Paper” bears a mesmerizing quality that magnifies its raw emotion. “That was definitely the hardest one for me to write on the album—I broke down multiple times in the process,” says Walker, whose voice slips into an achingly tender howl at the chorus. The final track recorded for See You Next Time, it’s also one of several songs that Walker penned in the dead of night, while his home was undergoing massive reconstruction following the rupture of a hot-water pipe. “Half my house was torn apart, and I was living at an extended-stay hotel, but I couldn’t get any writing done there,” he says. “I didn’t want to move back the recording sessions, so I ended up going back to my house late at night and staying up for hours to finish some songs. I remember thinking at the time that it was pretty depressing—writing at 4 a.m. in this torn-apart house with no furniture and no heat in the middle of winter—but looking back, I think it’s good that I was forced to be totally alone and just think.”
Another profoundly heavy-hearted track, “Gas Station Roses” reveals the poetic sensibilities within Walker’s songwriting. “There’s a double meaning to that song—it’s partly referring to the roses you’d find in a gas station around Valentine’s, but it’s also about how gas stations get away with selling crack pipes by hiding them in those glass tubes with the origami flowers,” he explains. Layered with bright piano melodies and Pedigo’s cascading banjo rolls, “Gas Station Roses” offers a clear-eyed meditation on the hardship of addiction (“We’re like gas station roses/You can wrap us however you’d like/If you prop us up in pretty poses/We’ll really catch the light”). “I grew up around a lot of kids who had parents with substance-abuse issues, and in high school a lot of my friends got hooked on heroin,” says Walker. “This song in particular is about crack, but the overall story is addiction leading to a loss of innocence.” A working musician since the age of 13, Walker first began honing his lyrical talents after the death of his beloved grandfather. “My granddad’s the one who got me into music, and I wrote a song called ‘Fondly’ in the parking lot of the hospital he was in,” recallsWalker, who was 19 at the time. “Back then I was mostly playing rock and punk and blues and metal, but I quickly realized that the songs I was writing were country songs.” Raised on bluegrass, he lists Texas legends like Guy Clark and Billy Joe Shaver among his essential inspirations, but also notes the undeniable influence of country superstars likeAlan Jackson and George Strait (“All those ’90s country songs were so hook-driven, they really bored into my brain,” he says). With the arrival of Wish You Were Here (an album that spent 12 consecutive weeks on the Americana radio albums chart), Walker won lavish praise from outlets like NPR Music and began opening for such artists as Colter Wall and Charley Crockett, in addition to headlining tours in the U.S. and Europe. Hailed by No Depression as “an album that outshines expectations for what country music can, and should, sound like,” Glad You Made It earned the admiration of leading critics like AnnPowers (“a new voice who really impressed me”), with its singles featured on such coveted playlists as Spotify’s Indigo and Tidal’s Best of Country 2020. Over the years, Walker has continually captivated crowds with his magnetic live show, a feat that finds him joined by musicians like bassist Billy Bones and drummer Trey Pendergrass (both of whom played onSee You Next Time). “I’m really proud of the band on this record, and I’m also proud that I didn’t just go out and get hired guns from Nashville or Austin,” Walker says. “They’re guys I’ve played with for 10 or 15 years, and at this point we’re all like family.”
True to that communal spirit, See You Next Time closes out on its sing-along-ready title track: a fitting end to Walker’s trilogy and its tribute to the fleeting, yet possibly life-changing, connection to be found at your nearest honky-tonk. “There’s not a lot of pretensionat a honky-tonk, and there’s much more interaction than in other bars—you see a lot less people on their phones,” says Walker. “We’re there to talk to other humans, put a song on the jukebox and dance with a stranger, get to know your bartender and tell them all your problems. I really wanted to capture that feeling on this record—I want everyone to feel like they know all these characters, and that they’re somehow better understood because these songs exist.”
About Katie Sires
Vocals and guitar player for Katie & The Honky Tonks. A fresh and energetic take on honky tonk, and traditional country music.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Mt. Joy with special guest Madison Cunningham will be performing at Lauridsen Amphitheater at Water Works Park on Friday, July 1st, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
About Mt. Joy
Mt. Joy is a five-piece indie rock band based in Los Angeles with roots in Philadelphia. They consist of members Matt Quinn, Sam Cooper, Sotiris Eliopoulos, Jackie Miclau, and Michael Byrnes. The band debuted in 2016 with their single "Astrovan", recorded in Los Angeles by Quinn, Cooper, and Byrnes.
About Madison Cunningham
Madison Cunningham is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. Rolling Stone describes her music as "a new spin on West Coast folk-rock, with classical tendencies, electric guitars, jazz-school chord changes and alt-rock strut all living under the same roof".
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Arlie with special guest Caroline Kingsbury and Post Sex Nachos will be performing at xBk in Des Moines, Iowa on Sunday, July 3rd, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About Arlie
Arlie is a band created by singer-songwriter, composer & multi-instrumentalist Nathaniel Banks. It began in summer 2015 as a solo bedroom project and grew to incorporate a full-band live show by fall 2016. Since Arlie started playing live, Adam Lochemes and Carson Lystad have been part of the performing ensemble on drums and guitar, respectively. Ryan Savage joined on bass in 2018. During the pandemic and the year prior, everyone involved in the group wound up going through some of the hardest times of their lives, in one way or another. But despite some major setbacks and challenges, they managed to come together and finish a debut full-length album as a team, with Ryan and Adam as co-producers alongside Nathaniel, Carson as a trusted go-to perspective, all together bringing a new batch of Banks’ songs and demos to full fruition. After finishing the record, the group added Noah Luna to the performing ensemble as a backing vocalist and multi-instrumentalist to complete the live show.
About Caroline Kingsbury
Recently, Caroline announced a brand new remix EP, Remixes From Heaven, composed of newly remixed versions of hit tracks off her debut album, Heaven's Just A Flight (released last year via Fortune Tellers Records). To kick everything off, she has shared the first remix, "Massive Escape (Arlie Remix)."
Speaking on the track, Caroline wrote:
"Every single word I sing in this song happened the night I saw a plane crash into someone’s house on the television screen behind a shitty bar. I threw back a shot and a beer and wrote the lyrics out in a note on my phone as I watched the wreckage settle. I had just ended a long term relationship and felt the weight of that decision that night. The original version of ‘Massive Escape' came out a full year ago on my debut album....and my original intention with production was to set the scene of the drama I was experiencing the night I wrote it...I chose a driving, syncopated beat to represent the emotional highs and lows and the heights those feelings took me that drunken night. The instrumentals of this version of 'Massive Escape' is a breath of fresh air after the wreckage of that heartbreak. I feel it represents the healing after tragedy...That's exactly where I am in life, healing after losing my brother to cancer and having a strained relationship with family members after I began dating my girlfriend."
Remixes from Heaven also includes a dance remix from DJ Josh Lumsden and a remix by Fortune Tellers' Peter Matthew Bauer, as well as two new alternate versions by Caroline herself. Currently on tour with Post Animal down the west coast, Caroline will be throwing a residency at Berlin in NYC all of June.
Caroline's debut album landed on PopMatter's Best Indie-pop Albums of 2021. Pitchfork also said: "The album's instrumentation is a collage of stylistic eras united by their outsized personalities from disco to post-punk...Caroline recalls the naked vulnerability of Kate Bush or Karen O." It’s a huge and enveloping debut album, one centered around her deeply personal experiences of losing her brother Kyle to cancer as she wrote the album (hence the title track) and her own coming out in public after growing up in a religious home in Florida. Caroline had little access to secular music until her teen years when its discovery led her to run headfirst toward a life in music. That music now is a giant coming out party of its own.
Earlier this year, Caroline shared a brand new single entitled “Strawberry Sheets," produced by herself and Math Bishop, and out on Fortune Tellers. "The song is a beautiful sonic world I created to retreat to during these difficult times. I needed something repetitive and beautiful to get lost in,” said Caroline on the track.
About Post Sex Nachos
Who the f*ck is Post Sex Nachos???
From the depths of the Midwest alternative scene arises a soulful and passionate quintet, ready to bend genres and produce tunes that will make you jump, shake, and move: Post Sex Nachos.
Charging into battle for the love of rock n' roll, this roller-coaster collective and their irreplaceable sound has shown audiences young and old, from coast to coast, the power of one thing: their music. Breathing new life into genres across the spectrum - from jazz, pop, indie rock, and straight up funk - Post Sex Nachos is here to redefine the the term "boyband" forever.
With the release of their first two self-produced albums, four original music videos, and the upcoming release of their third full-length LP, the band continues to pursue one thing: the groove. Collaborating with artists, producers, musicians, and filmmakers locally and globally, Post Sex Nachos continues to reimagine the scope of their music. Where most find a wall, they find a door, in a get-me-a-sledge-hammer kind of way.
Who is Post Sex Nachos? We're glad you asked.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Melvins with special guests Helms Alee and Harsh Mellow will be performing at Wooly's on July, April 7th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:30 PM // SHOW: 7:30 PM
About Melvins
The Melvins are one of modern music’s most influential bands. Having formed in 1983 Montesano, Washington, the group founded by singer/guitar player Buzz Osborne (with stalwart drummer Dale Crover joining the following year), has been credited with merging the worlds of punk rock and heavy music, forming a new subgenre all its own. Over the band’s nearly 40-year history, they’ve released over 30 original albums, numerous live full-lengths and far too many to count singles and rarities. Most recently they released the 36-track acoustic collection Five Legged Dog, featuring reinterpretations of some of their heaviest songs as well as covers from their favorite artists. In the course of their discography, they've partnered with Jello Biafra, Mudhoney, and Fantômas for individual releases and toured the world many times over. In fact, the band had the misfortune to be in both Christchurch and Tokyo for their 2011 earthquakes. In 2012, the Melvins completed the “51 States in 51 Days” (50 states +DC) tour, which was chronicled in the film “Across The USA in 51 Days.” The current incarnation of the band is Osborne, Crover, and Steven McDonald (Redd Kross/OFF!). Previous line-ups include a pairing of Osborne and Crover with Big Business band members Jared Warren and Coady Willis, a four-piece featuring the current trio plus Butthole Surfers’ Jeff Pinkus, as well as Melvins Lite, which partners Osborne and Crover with Mr. Bungle’s Trevor Dunn. Sometimes, if you’re extra lucky, one version of the Melvins will open for the Melvins.
About Helms Alee
Helms Alee is an American rock band that formed in 2007. Based in Seattle, Helms Alee features Ben Verellen, former member of Harkonen and Roy. Helms Alee has released five albums, Night Terror and Weatherhead through Hydra Head Records, and Sleepwalking Sailors, Stillicide, and Noctiluca through Sargent House.
About Harsh Mellow
Band from San Diego, California consisting of singer/guitarist Otis "O" Barthoulameu and bassist Sarah Linton. Their debut 7" was released in December 2021 and features Dale Crover and King Buzzo of Melvins as guests.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
As I Lay Dying with special guests Whitechapel, Shadow of Intent and Brand of Sacrifice will be performing at Val Air Ballroom in West Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, July 8th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About As I Lay Dying
As I Lay Dying is an American metalcore band from San Diego, California. Founded in 2000 by vocalist Tim Lambesis, the band's first full lineup was completed in 2001. The band has released seven albums, one split album, and two compilation albums.
About Whitechapel
Whitechapel is an American deathcore band from Knoxville, Tennessee. The band is named after the Whitechapel district in East London, England, where Jack the Ripper committed a series of murders. The group comprises vocalist Phil Bozeman, guitarists Ben Savage, Alex Wade, and Zach Householder and bassist Gabe Crisp.
About Shadow of Intent
Shadow of Intent is an American deathcore band from Connecticut. They formed in 2013 as a Halo-themed studio project by Ben Duerr and Chris Wiseman. The band's name is a reference to a ship in the Halo series. They are not signed to a label and have released their albums independently.
About Brand of Sacrifice
Brand of Sacrifice are a Technical Slamming Deathcore band hailing from Toronto/Manhattan. Members include Kyle Anderson (Vocals), Michael Leo Valeri (Lead Guitar), Liam Beeson (Rhythm Guitar), Dallas Bricker (Bass), and Rob Zalischi (Drums).
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Brothers Osborne will be performing at Lauridsen Amphitheater at Water Works Park on Friday, July 8th, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
About Brothers Osborne
Two sons from a working-class family, John and TJ Osborne grew up in a small Maryland water town writing and playing songs for friends and family in their father’s shed. John moved to Nashville first to play in other bands and two years later, TJ joined him. It was then they formed Brothers Osborne as a duo that blends equal parts country and rock into one of the freshest, most identifiable sounds to come out of Nashville in recent years. The singer/songwriter siblings took home their fourth Vocal Duo of the Year trophy at the 55th Annual CMA Awards, and were recently named Duo of the Year for the third time at the 57th ACM Awards. Overall, Brothers Osborne have collected five CMA and six ACM trophies, and stand as nine-time GRAMMY nominees – including vying for Best Country Album (Skeletons) and Best Country Duo/Group Performance (“Younger Me”) at the upcoming 64th GRAMMY Awards. Additionally, they received the ASCAP Vanguard Award in 2019 recognizing artists whose innovative work is helping to shape the future of music.
Brothers Osborne’s deluxe edition of their third studio album, Skeletons, is out now. Originally released in October 2020, Skeletons features their recent single “I’m Not For Everyone,” as well as their Top 25 hit “All Night.” Included on Skeletons Deluxe, “Younger Me” was released in response to the overwhelming support TJ received after sharing his personal story. John and TJ wrote and produced the track, with Kendell Marvel serving as an additional co-writer. Initially breaking through with their debut album Pawn Shop, the Gold Certified project featured three GRAMMY-nominated tracks including the 2X Platinum Certified No. 1 smash hit “Stay A Little Longer,” Top 10 Platinum Certified hit “It Ain’t My Fault,” and Gold Certified Top 25 hit “21 Summer.” Their sophomore album, Port Saint Joe, was nominated for Best Country Album at the 61st GRAMMY Awards and includes the Top 40 GRAMMY-nominated singles “Shoot Me Straight” as well as “I Don’t Remember Me (Before You).” Brothers Osborne are currently on their headlining WE’RE NOT FOR EVERYONE TOUR, and have previously toured with Chris Stapleton, Eric Church, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert and more.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
STRFKR with special guests The Undercover Dream Lovers and Das Kope will be performing at Wooly's on Friday, July 8th, 2022.
Official 80/35 Afterparty
DOORS: 9:00 PM // SHOW: 9:30 PM
About STRFKR
STRFKR has always been a constantly evolving entity, growing over the years from rambunctious beginnings into the manicured electro-pop perfection they exhibited ontheir last studio album, 2016’s pristine Being No One, Going Nowhere. New single "Never The Same" is a sharp left turn from anything the band has explored before, hitting hard with a minimal arrangement of acoustic guitars, stripped down drums and Josh Hodges' familiar weightless vocals all bathed in lo-fi production. The song is warmand direct, with twisting melodies and a straightforward delivery that highlights how vulnerable the band's lyrics can be. This kind of careful, hushed energy is new territory for STRFKR, and it's a risky move for a band loved for their exclamatory synth pop. Going out on this ledge results in one of the band's most immediate and rewarding songs, one that's strange and beautiful but as intense as a secret being whispered inyour ear.
About The Undercover Dream Lovers
Based in Los Angeles, The Undercover Dream Lovers is the brainchild of Matt Koenig. Immediately recognizable for his groovy bass lines, he produces and mixes all his own songs and writes the majority of them, from time to time inviting a friend into his project for a collaboration. His tracks "Good Luck" and "Come Home" have attracted significant attention to his work –the former hitting 12 million streams on Spotify and charting on Canada & US Viral 50 and the latter hitting 16 million and charting on New Music Friday and US Viral 50. The Undercover Dream Lovers project has also appeared in such TV shows as VICE's Fuck That's Delicious, NBC's Good Girls, and ABC's Whiskey Cavalier.
Matt has supported Parcels, Her's, L'impératrice, and Poolside and looks forward to upcoming shows with STRFKR. Originally from Pittsburgh, he has never signed with any label, navigating his career completely as an independent act. Earlier this year, he released his debut full-length album It's All in Your Head, which he recorded and self-produced from his home studio in LA. The album takes his style to exciting new heights that was inspired by his desire to create more upbeat tracks that would energize the live show. He played the Los Angeles based festival, Tropicalia, late last year and (after a postponement due to Covid) is looking forward to a two month tour in fall of 2021. Citing as his influences Tame Impala, Parcels, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Daft Punk, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and The Doors, he sees himself as a bridge between eras, combining themes and techniques from the past with those pointing the way toward our future.
About Das Kope
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Pop Evil with special guests Oxymorrons and Zillion will be performing at Wooly's on Sunday, July 10th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:30 PM // SHOW: 7:30 PM
About Pop Evil
POP EVIL is the bridge between life-affirming hard rock hit-making and the burgeoning new frontier of genre-bending postmodern playlists. A crowd-pleasing band unafraid to embrace the heaviest and most melodic ends of the spectrum, with a seemingly endless stream of No. 1 hits veering between fist-pumping anthems and timeless power ballads. POP EVIL delivers their most ambitious rebirth yet with a jaw-dropping sixth album.
“Let the Chaos Reign” and “Work” arrive as a twin assault of invigorating readymade hits for 2020, from an album filled to the brim with a dozen tracks each worthy of a dedicated spotlight. “Let the Chaos Reign” is the heaviest single the band has ever dropped, a rousing fight song of self-determination and rising to meet any challenge with courage and strength. By contrast, “Work” puts its heavy guitars atop grooving rhythmic punch and EDM flourishes, as it champions the working-class heroes struggling to persevere across all industries today.
“We won’t bore people with the same song over and over,” assures charismatic frontman and bandleader Leigh Kakaty, who co-founded the band in Michigan. “When you come to our live show, we feel like there should be an ebb and flow, peaks and valleys, that are similar to real life. Sometimes you’re up, sometimes you’re down. We like to take people on a journey when they listen to our music or come to see us live.”
Pop Evil has been a staple at major festivals and in theaters and clubs for nearly two decades, despite the group’s relative youth. As they’ve ruled the roost with No. 1 Billboard Rock singles like “Trenches”, “Deal with the Devil”, “Torn to Pieces”, “Footsteps”, and “Waking Lions”, they’ve taken their inspired message to the people, on tours with modern rock titans and veteran acts alike.
One listen to any of the songs from the impressive body of work laid down by the band on Lipstick on the Mirror (2008), War of Angels (2011), Onyx (2013), Up (2015), and the self-titled smash Pop Evil (2018) confirms exactly how Pop Evil built such a diverse fanbase.
On their go-for-broke sixth album, the group doubles down on the yin-and-yang at the heart of their sound. There’s no other band that bounces between a song like “Waking Lions” and “A Crime to Remember” or “100 in a 55” so effectively and with such overwhelming success.
How are Kakaty, longtime guitarists Dave Grahs and Nick Fuelling, bassist Matt DiRiot, and powerhouse drummer Hayley Cramer able to flip the spectrum so seamlessly? “If my voice sounds good on it, the hook is catchy and memorable with a single listen, and it will go over well live, we’re not afraid to draw from any genre that we see fit for inspiration,” says Leigh.
Even for a Pop Evil record, that contrast and fearless genre-defying cross-cultural pollination have never been stronger than on album number six. The preproduction process yielded close to 30 songs, whittled down to the most potent 12 that represent everything Pop Evil is about.
Songs like “Inferno”, “Breathe Again”, and “Survivor” sound equally destined to take their place in the pantheon of Pop Evil signature songs that mean so much to devoted fans and casual listeners alike. Each is just as poised to conquer new genre formats.
No. 1 smash “Waking Lions” was designed “to remind our fanbase that we’re not afraid to turn up the guitars. Just because we’re Pop Evil, don’t forget about that ‘evil’ element.” The new LP builds on the foundation laid by that 2018 album specifically, springboarding with melodic heft and hook-filled heaviness blending hard rock, alternative, and pop with punch.
The band bunkered down in Los Angeles in the winter of 2019 to put the finishing touches on the new record, working with new creative teams of producers and collaborators, each enlisted to emphasize the uniquely varied aspects of the band’s sound. “We worked with multiple producers that fit each song’s dynamic,” the band’s hardworking singer explains.
Collectively, Pop Evil’s previous five albums account for over a million copies in worldwide sales and over 600 million streams.. Lipstick on the Mirror found its way to listeners via a major label re-release, despite the business trouble that resulted in the band tearing up their major label contract on stage, in what Spin Magazine called one of the Ten Best Moments of Rock on the Range. War of Angels brought Pop Evil to a worldwide audience.
Up debuted at No. 25 on the Billboard 200 and produced no less than three Top 5 Mainstream Rock singles: “Ways to Get High”, “Take it All”, and “Footsteps”, which went to No. 1. This was on the heels of the three No. 1 Rock singles from Onyx. Pop Evil debuted at No. 5 on the US Top Rock Albums chart. “Be Legendary” was one of the Top 10 most played songs of 2019.
Pop Evil combines the bigger than life bombast of Mötley Crüe or KISS with the earnest warmth of Pearl Jam, mining the same depths of creativity and emotion found within the cosmic riff foundation of legendary active rock, hard rock, and modern rock acts like Soundgarden and Alice In Chains. The Pop Evil faithful are a broad and dedicated group of fans around the world, people whose support was earned, one by one, show by show.
This is a band that unapologetically flies the flag for their chosen form of creativity. Rock n’ roll music is as American as apple pie. It’s particularly important in the Midwest, where Pop Evil was born. Fans who are living paycheck to paycheck, struggling to support families with a 9 to 5 gig, rely on the music made by bands like Pop Evil to help them endure the daily grind.
The signature Pop Evil elements of the past are found in the music they make today, amplified and sharpened like never before. The utmost respect is paid to the fans; part of that respect is in making sure to never simply repeat what’s come before. The “Evil” will move the crowd. The Pop embodies groove, vibe, and atmosphere, extending a warm welcome to all comers.
“We’ve got loud and heavy guitars while staying true to the groove we’ve had with songs like ‘Take it All’ and ‘Footsteps’. We have that ‘Pop’ and that ‘Evil’ just as we’ve always done. And with this record, we’ve taken another big step into our own definitive sound and identity.”
“That’s our thing,” Kakaty declares. “People know they’re going to get that Pop Evil.”
Vocalist - Leigh Kakaty
Bass - Matt DiRito
Drums - Hayley Cramer
Rhythm Guitars - Davey Grahs
Lead Guitarst - Nick Fuelling
About Oxymorrons
When you think about Alternative music Oxymorrons undoubtedly come to mind. The New York-based boundary-pushers have made a name for themselves in the spirit of change - building a movement from years of being told they were too rock for hip-hop, too hip-hop for rock. They boldly committed to creating music that defies arbitrary rules of classification, cementing the band as early pioneers of the modern genre-blending revolution.
Oxymorrons are no stranger to the big stage. They have toured and shared the stage with the likes of Lupe Fiasco, Fever 333, Fishbone, Gym Class Heroes, OutKast, Neck Deep, Waka Flocka, Antiflag, Rihanna and more. They have also graced the stage at notable festivals such as Riot Fest, AfterShock, Warped Tour, Afro Punk, Firefly, SummerFest and Funkfest to name a few. Their high energy performance and versatile sound makes for a potent combination that never disappoints.. They have received co-signs from Billboard, Kerrang!, The Fader, Alternative Press, Complex, Hypebeast, Ebro of Beats 1 Radio, Daniel Carter BBC1 Radio and many more. They have also found synergy in brand partnerships with Dr Martens, HUF, Microsoft, Taco Bell, Hot Topic and beyond.
As one of the acts in Jason Butler’s (Fever 333) Artist Collective ‘333 Wreckords Crew’, Oxymorrons have expanded their sound with the release of their EP ‘Mohawks & Durags’, putting forth a Creative, Powerful and Unique sound thats much needed in not just the Alt-space but music in general. “We have a lot to say with Mohwaks & Durags, and it's more than just content, it's about what it represents in a space we and many other BIPOC artist have faught so hard to again acceptence in. Says Dee. It aligns with the movement regardless of who accepts it or not.
Although 2021 was the year of uncertainy, it was still a very productive year for Oxymorrons. They expanded their fan base by releaseding an EP and crushed two national tours during the fall. They’re now in prime position to bring the noise in 2022. Be on the lookout for their next single and much more....you have been warned.
About Zillion
Survive.
Not much grows north of the Arctic Circle, except dreams and psychosis. Born to an Alaskan drug house protected by a pet wolf, Zillion nurtured both. It’s the classic call to all who destroy or create. Tell your story or your story tells you. Zillion lear ned to surf his avalanche, to climb out of the belly of the whale, and turned his dirt into fertilizer to grow something that only blooms in the face of darkness.
Trauma frames existence.
This awakening birthed a dark genre - less musical journey that explores the pliability of the human mind, the ringmasters we espouse as gods, the fragility of innocence and beauty, and the polarity of our emotions and the distortions they illuminate. It spawned a show, as if Cirque Du Soleil hired Andre Leon Talley and David Lynch as co-artistic directors. Zillion redefines live theater as Alive Theater. Sight, sound, smell, touch, and a story that pollutes your soul, dropkicks your gut, and highjacks your imagination, altering you forever.
Chaos chases nothingness.
Zillion is a puzzle to solve, a magic trick to be revealed, a doorway into a mad world that defiantly makes more sense than the one we live in. It’s a preying canid on stage, stalking us like our DNA, haunting us in our hometowns, possessing us through the people we love. If all the world’s broken toys made a community, Zillion would be their playground.
Walls become doors.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Flatland Cavalry with special guest Ross Cooper will be performing at Wooly's on Thursday, July 14th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About Flatland Cavalry
Flatland Cavalry is breaking out into a gallop. After years of hot trotting across their native Texas, the country outfit is primed for a breakout with the release of their third full-length album, the sonically sprawling and wistfully written Welcome to Countryland.
The Texas sextet--bandleader and chief lyricist Cleto Cordero, guitarist Reid Dillon, bassist Jonathan Saenz, drummer Jason Albers, fiddle player Wesley Hall, and recent newcomer utility instrumentalist Adam Gallegos--continue to embrace their trademark sound while further pushing into the wild unknown. When it was time to embark on recording a new album, resting on their laurels was simply out of the realm of possibilities.
After the release of 2019's critically-acclaimed Homeland Insecurity and their 2016 full-length debut Humble Folks, they’ve been on a healthy trajectory rising through the country ranks. After years of working with Lubbock stalwart Scott Faris in the friendly confines of Amusement Park Studios, Flatland decided a change of scenery was necessary. Despite some hesitation and a mix of emotions, they instantly knew recording at Nashville’s Sound Emporium Studio A with rising producer Jake Gear was the right move.
"With our last two projects, we knew that room and setup. There's comfort in working with Scott," says Albers. "I think it was important to try and further expand with this album. Sonically, this album is definitely something bigger."
“I think everyone kind of experienced this bit of nervousness going from Scott’s studio to Sound Emporium,” adds Dillon. “That first day, everyone was a little fidgety and shy. You eventually fall into this comfort zone.”
While the roster of collaborative confidants and colleagues (Spencer Cullum, Jim Hoke, Billy Justineau, Hailey Whitters, and Kaitlin Butts) has continued to expand with Flatland's sound stride for stride, Countryland isn't a cut and paste effort with Nashville studio musicians. Rather, it finds the rootsy Texans delivering their A-game due to countless tour runs zig-zagging across the country and becoming seasoned performers and musicians.
Since their humble beginnings out in the Panhandle town of Lubbock, Texas, Flatland Cavalry has embraced their surroundings and rural West Texas roots. Formed in 2014 while attending Texas Tech University, Cordero and company made their presence felt within the Hub City’s songwriting circles and dancehall circuits. Banking on Cordero's earnest pen and the band’s blend of country instrumentation, toe-tapping grooves, and earworm choruses, Flatland quickly became a regional sensation.
About Ross Cooper
There’s a stillness in the streets of Lubbock at night. If you’ve ever found midnight in the alleys between Texas avenue and 17th street, you might have seen the ghost of Buddy Holly slip around the corner or heard the faint notes of a lonesome west Texas guitar fading down toward U.S. 62. In the right light, the city looks like a scene from an old Hollywood cowboy film, full of bravado and despair, ringing with hope and adventure.
Ross Cooper grew up surrounded by the melancholy of that city, floating between his love of horses and song. Watching and listening, he developed an alternative western songwriting style rooted in the craft of the great lone star writers Robert Earl Keen and Joe Ely, tempered by a Springsteen-style spirit of the lost road – and anchored by a musical soundtrack sparkling like the big, bright stars at night.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
The Mountain Goats with special guest Abby Hamilton will be performing at Wooly's on Saturday, July 16th, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
About The Mountain Goats
At last it can be told: the story of how, when the Mountain Goats got together in early March, 2020, it was to make not one album, but two. That’s how many keepers our superhumanly prolific frontman, John Darnielle, had come up with since we’d recorded In League With Dragons in Nashville back in 2018.
The idea this time around was to work with Matt Ross-Spang, the dashing Memphis wunderkind who’d engineered that album and charmed us all with his gentle wit and old-school savoir-faire. (It’s hard not to be won over when you go to record a part and the voice coming through the headphones drawls, “You ready, Bubba?“) Matt’s pitch was for us to spend a week at Sam Phillips Recording, his home base in Memphis, followed by another at the equally storied FAME Recording Studios down in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, a plan that dovetailed nicely with John’s notion of corralling these songs into two complementary batches, a sort of yin and yang, one light, one dark. The Memphis album—Getting Into Knives, which came out last October—would be brighter, bolder, marked by rich and vibrant hues; the Muscle Shoals one—Dark in Here, set for release on June 25, 2021—quieter, smokier, but more deeply textured and intense. Something like that, anyway.
By the time we got to Alabama, it was clear that the ground around us was quickly shifting, and that the world to which we’d be returning afterwards would be an unrecognizable one. But the studio, even during completely ordinary times, is a singularly immersive thing. You’re basically in a bubble with a handful of your closest friends, working 12 hours a day, so focused on the task at hand that most of the time you forget that the outside world even exists. So it wasn’t a huge leap to go from being—to borrow the Hold Steady’s phrase—sequestered in Memphis to finding ourselves effectively, in the moment’s suddenly ubiquitous parlance, quarantined in Muscle Shoals.
Half a million dead Americans later, I’m not sure what people will make of this album, to be honest. If it has an antecedent in the Mountain Goats catalog, I’d say it’s Get Lonely, the similarly restrained 2006 album that it took people a while to find their way into; producer Scott Solter memorably called it at the time “a root fire of a record.” One of the words that John used when we were talking about the direction for Dark in Here was “wild,” which I liked a lot. Not wild in the sense of abandon—these aren’t those kind of songs. But wild in the sense of something undomesticated, untamable. Wild like the immutability of nature, the way it will take back any piece of untended space as its own, whether amidst the AutoZones and Chick-fil-A’s of Muscle Shoals or among the ruins of a scientific outpost on the Kola Peninsula. Wild like the whale; like a powerful animal. Or a virus—the beast that awakes, emerges from a forest, and stops the world. You can fight the calamity all you want, but either way, it’s going to demand your surrender.
About Abby Hamilton
If you’ve spent any time exploring Kentucky’s booming music scene, chances are you’ve heard somebody say, “You’ve really got to hear Abby Hamilton.” The Kentucky singer-songwriter has garnered a reputation as a can’t-miss live performer, opening for acts like Wynonna Judd, Shakey Graves, Kelsey Waldon, Valley Queen, Arlo McKinley, and Justin Wells, as well as singing at festivals including Railbird and Masters Musicians. With influences ranging from the classic country divas to Bruce Springsteen, she wins over audiences with her clever lyrics and entrancing vocals.
Her long-anticipated second EP, “Afraid of the Dark,” is bound to appease Hamilton’s avid fan base, perfectly encapsulating her unique sound that feels just as comfortable in the Appalachian mountains as it does in a whiskey-soaked bar room in the city. She spent months in a hollow in Prestonsburg, Ky., crafting songs that tell stories inspired by true events about hope, home, and young love. It’s a genre-bending folk-rock experience that cements her place as one of the region’s most interesting young and up-and-coming songwriters.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Kidd G will be performing at Wooly's on Thursday, July 21st, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About Kidd G
With a rare gift for turning his hometown experiences into natural melodies, Kidd G has found tremendous success by staying true to his roots. As a kid growing up in small-town Georgia, he first started creating his own songs at the age of 15, and soon arrived at a gritty but melodic sound equally inspired by classic country and hip-hop. On the heels of his chart-climbing breakthrough single “Dirt Road” — an October 2020 release whose video surpassed 5 million YouTube views in little over a month and now has 13M views to date — Kidd G has recently shared his debut EP; the powerfully heartfelt Teenage Dream. Now having surpassed 1.5M monthly Spotify listeners, his tracks have seen radio play from KIXX Country Radio in Australia, and reached new peaks on highly coveted country playlists including Amazon Music’s ‘Country Heat’ (peaked at #2), and Spotify’s ‘Hot Country’ (peaked at #10). Kidd G is now back in the studio and eager to share all new music that will continue to showcase his unique raw talent.
Born Gabriel Horne and raised in the town of Hamilton (population 1,130), Kidd G gothis start singing at the age of 11 with the full support of his music-loving family (his great uncle played bass in Fleetwood Mac, and both his parents are hobbyist singers). Within several years he’d set up a makeshift studio in his bedroom and started recording with his friends, partly mining inspiration from new age rappers like Juice WRLD. One of his first viral moments was his video, “Letter to Juice”, a minute-long verse over a melancholic beat paying homage to the late artist. But while early tracks like his debut single “Sorry” lean toward traditional hip-hop, Kidd G later brought an element of old-school country into his songwriting. “I love country because it feels so natural to me, and you can really tell stories in the songs,” he notes, naming Hank Williams Jr. among the artists he grew up on. As he continued posting his music on SoundCloud, Kidd G soon amassed a dedicated following undeniably drawn to his down-home charm and the honest detail of his lyrics. With the arrival of “Dirt Road,” that following grew exponentially as Kidd G saw the nostalgia-soaked track gain serious traction on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and land on coveted Spotify playlists like Fresh Finds Country and Next From Nashville.
Teenage Dream is a perfect showcase for Kidd G’s sound and sensibilities, merging potent beats with earthy guitar work and his warm yet dynamic vocal delivery. On the EP’s title track, for instance, Kidd G shares a poignant portrait of high-school love, beautifully capturing each memory in his bittersweet drawl and masterful flow. “That song’s about my truck, my ex-girlfriend, the place where I live,” he says. “I love my town because it’s simple and slow, but there’s always something fun going on.” Although he collaborated with producers like Morgan O’Connor and Bonnie Dymond on Teenage Dream, most of the EP was written solely by Kidd G, who purposely avoids putting any pressure on his creative process. “I really just go off my emotions and whatever I’m feeling at the time, then start laying down some ideas,” he says. “Once I come up with that main hook for a song, the whole thing comes together.” It’s this type of honest songwriting that recently caught the attention of CMT, who hailed his hit song “Dirt Road” as “earwarming and undeniable”.
Thanks to that deliberately laid-back approach, all of Kidd G’s music unfolds with a carefree energy that lightens any mood. “A lot of my songs come from me just getting stuff off my mind, and I hope it helps other people get through the day and get through their problems — maybe make life a little easier for them,” he says. But as Kidd G reveals, the ultimate test of a song’s power invariably happens in his hometown. “Most of the time when I’m making a song I’m thinking about how my friends will react to it,” he says. “That’s when I know something’s good: when I’m working on it and I start thinking, ‘I can’t wait to get back home and show this to my friends.’”And as he looks to the future, Kidd G plans to maintain that hometown spirit while massively expanding his musical horizons. “My goal is to get a platinum record,” he says, “reach No. 1 on Billboard, sell out arenas, and perform in front of millions of people .”
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Mo Lowda & The Humble will be performing at xBk in Des Moines, Iowa on Thursday, July 21st, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About Mo Lowda & The Humble
Mo Lowda and the Humble is set to hit the road again this Summer/Fall after having to postpone the ‘Ready Coat? album release tour for more than a year due to Covid. The latest album, 'Ready Coat' came into existence after the decision to add a touring member enabled the band to expand its sonic ability. This opportunity to stretch the band's sound and add elements which would have previously been impossible to play live, enabled them to self-produce, engineer, and mix a record without considering limitations. There are absolutely no words to express the band?s anticipation and excitement for finally being able to play these new songs (as well as many, many others) live on tour. Get your tickets today!
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Drive-By Truckers with special guest Lydia Loveless will be performing at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, July 22nd, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
On the title track to Welcome 2 Club XIII, Drive-By Truckers pay homage to the Muscle Shoals honky-tonk where founding members Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley got their start: a concrete-floored dive lit like a disco, with the nightly promise of penny beer and truly dubious cover bands. “There were no cool bars in town and Club XIII was the best we had—but it wasn’t all that good, and our band wasn’t particularly liked there,” says Hood, referring to the vocalist/guitarists’ former band Adam’s House Cat. “From time to time the owner would throw us a Wednesday night or let us open for a hair-metal band we were a terrible fit for, and everyone would hang out outside until we were done playing. It wasn’t very funny at the time, but it’s funny to us now.” The 14th studio album from Drive-By Truckers—whose lineup also includes keyboardist/guitarist Jay Gonzalez, bassist Matt Patton, and drummer Brad Morgan—Welcome 2 Club XIII looks back on their formative years with both deadpan pragmatism and profound tenderness, instilling each song with the kind of lived-in detail that invites bittersweet reminiscence of your own misspent youth.
Produced by longtime Drive-By Truckers collaborator David Barbe and mainly recorded at his studio in Athens, Georgia, Welcome 2 Club XIII took shape over the course of three frenetic days in summer 2021—a doubly extraordinary feat considering that the band had no prior intentions of making a new album. “We had some shows coming up and decided to get together and practice, since we hadn’t even seen each other in a year and a half because of the pandemic,” Hood recalls. “We started demoing song ideas, and pretty soon we realized we had a whole record. It was all sort of magical.” Featuring background vocals from the likes of Margo Price, R.E.M.’s Mike Mills, and Mississippi-bred singer/songwriter Schaefer Llana, Welcome 2 Club XIII was recorded live with most songs cut in one or two takes, fully harnessing the band’s freewheeling energy. “For us it’s always about just getting together and having fun, but this time there was the added feeling of being set free after a long time of wondering if we’d ever get to do this again,” notes Cooley.
Arriving as the band enters its 26th year, Welcome 2 Club XIII marks a sharp departure from the trenchant commentary of The Unraveling and The New OK (both released in 2020). “All our records are political to some extent, but after making three overtly political records in a row we wanted to do something much more personal,” says Hood. A hypnotic introduction to the album’s sprawling autobiography, “The Driver” kicks off Welcome 2 Club XIII with a seven-minute-long, darkly thrilling epic punctuated with lead-heavy riffs and Llana’s unearthly vocals. “Around the same era of Club XIII, I spent a lot of time driving around late at night when I couldn’t sleep, listening to music loud and often having a beer or two,” says Hood. “Sometimes during those drives I’d have these epiphanies about what to do with my life—like listening to Tim by The Replacements not long after it came out and deciding to drop out of school to try and make this whole band thing work.”
The album’s swinging centerpiece, “Welcome 2 Club XIII” spins a sublimely gritty portrait of the spot Cooley sums up as “part disco, part honky-tonk, part place to score cheap cocaine.” With its litany of inside jokes and references to Foghat and The Jim Carroll Band, the track unfolds as a joyful piece of anti-nostalgia, a sentiment perfectly captured in its sing-along-fueled outro (sample lyric: “Our glory days did kinda suck”). Meanwhile, on “Every Single Storied Flameout,” Cooley shares a far more pensive recollection of his younger years. “I wrote that song when my son was turning 16 and going through a rough patch for a bit,” he says. “Luckily, he’s turned it around and he’s doing great now, but it was a tough time for a while. Part of my way of dealing with it was to take ownership of the example I might’ve set, in the hope of leading him out of it.” Graced with the radiant melodies of a three-piece horn section, the result is a spirited anthem merging Cooley’s unsparing self-reflection with a bit of rambling wisdom (e.g., “That part of you that feels alive is wired and can’t be severed from the damage-seeking part of you that runs it/Just don’t embrace it with a vengeance before you’ve even shaved with a razor that you bought with your own money”).
Although Welcome 2 Club XIII has its moments of real-time observation (including “Maria’s Awful Disclosures,” on which Cooley connects the dots between early-19th-century anti-immigrant agitprop and the noxious paranoia of QAnon), much of the album serves as a free-flowing coming-of-age memoir. “Cooley and I have been playing together for 37 years now,” Hood points out. “That first band might have failed miserably on a commercial level, but I’m really proud of what we did back then. It had a lot to do with who we ended up becoming.” And while Drive-By Truckers never shy away from illuminating the many shades of grief that come with getting older, Welcome 2 Club XIII ultimately embodies a certain world-weary joie de vivre—an element beautifully encapsulated in one of its final lyrics, from the softly stunning “Wilder Days”: “As the sun gets dizzy watching us as we go spinning around/I find it best to laugh at the absurdity of life above the ground/There’s no comfort in survival, but it’s still the best option that I’ve found.”
About Lydia Loveless
Lydia Loveless is an Ohio-bred singer-songwriter with five full-length records and
numerous B-sides and singles under her purview. The unmistakable voice, an incisive way with melody, and an unrelenting willingness to cast the first stone inward are all hallmarks of Loveless’s songs. Her vocals meld between commanding and brash to delicate and introspective and subject matter entertains everything from broken hearts to messy dreams. Writing straight from the heartland, her brand of rock ranges from classic to alt-country to punk – a genre hard to nail down.
Her breakout release, Somewhere Else (2014) was followed by the critically acclaimed Real (2016). The albums were embraced by critics and listeners alike, with her fanbase growing to even include some of Loveless’ heroes like Lucinda Williams and Jason Isbell. Those luminaries would become tour mates as Loveless and her band lived out of suitcases, working tirelessly in support of these releases. A time filled with many exciting firsts like TV appearances (CBS This Morning: Saturday Sessions) and festivals (Stagecoach, AmericanaFest), broadening her fanbase and introducing her to many new fans. Unfortunately, that momentum would come crashing down as 2020 hit and the world came to a standstill.
In the wake of the pandemic Loveless made the most of her time performing online
shows, writing and recording a record and starting her own record label, Honey, You’re Gonna Be Late Records. The first release on it was her fifth full-length Daughter. The album documented a period of personal upheaval, including a divorce and an interstate move away from her longtime home of Ohio. Written with her characteristic candidness and razor-sharp wit, Daughter is a self-aware journey into independence, finding Loveless at her fiery best, exhibiting an even keener insight than ever.
Loveless recently released a digital single “You’re Leaving Me” b/w “Let’s Make Out” (2021) which had the Chicago Reader saying, “Her ace songwriting remind(s) listeners that she’s more than a singer.” As the world begins to unthaw she’s taking 2022 to finally get back to live performances and begin work on her next album.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die with special guests Tanner Merrit, World's Greatest Dad and Bouquet will be performing at xBk in Des Moines, Iowa on Saturday, July 23rd, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die
The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die is an American indie rock band formed in Willimantic, Connecticut, in 2009. They released their debut album Whenever, If Ever in 2013 to generally positive reviews, followed by Harmlessness in 2015 and Always Foreign in 2017.
About Tanner Merrit
Singer/Guitarist for the band O'brother. This is my solo work.
About World's Greatest Dad
Worlds Greatest Dad is an emo band from Atlanta, Georgia. We make music we like and we hope you like it too.
About Bouquet
Bouquet are a new emo band from Iowa and they've been teasing the release of their debut EP for later this year. Most info is still TBA, but today we get our first taste: "Glisten." The song finds the band offering up soaring, reverby, atmospheric emo in the vein of Balance and Composure, Pianos Become the Teeth, etc, and they do it with a ton of conviction.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Daughtry with special guests Black Stone Cherry will be performing at Val Air Ballroom in West Des Moines, Iowa on Tuesday, July 26th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:30 PM // SHOW: 7:30 PM
About Daughtry
Daughtry, one of the most visible and consistent Rock & Roll torchbearers of the 21st Century, has sold over 9 million albums and 16million singles worldwide as well as selling out concerts across the globe. Their debut album, the self-titled Daughtry, was the top-selling album of 2007, producing 4 Top 20 Platinum-selling singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the fastest-selling rock debut album in Soundscan history. It was also nominated for 4 Grammy Awards and won 4 American Music Awards and 7 Billboard Music Awards including Album of the Year. The subsequent albums, Leave This Town (2009), Break The Spell (2011), Baptized (2013) and Cage To Rattle (2018) were all certified Gold and placed in the top 10 in the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart. In 2020, Daughtry released their newest single, World On Fire, which marked their return to their rock roots and the top of the Rock Charts in the US.
About Black Stone Cherry
As the world plummeted into the COVID-19 pandemic, the four members of Black Stone Cherry were nestled deep in the woods of Kentucky, scrambling to complete their 7th album. There, they could feel the disease closing in as they watched the news daily, and it became apparent the album they were finishing featured lyrics that were eerily prescient. The resulting 13-track record is broadly emotive, and anthemic. It was finished just before the global lockdown was imposed, and it’s aptly titled, The Human Condition.
“There was a real urgency and fear of the unknown during those sessions—it was a scary time,” recalls drummer, John Fred Young. “Every song on this album tells a story of the experiences we all go through—our happiness, our struggles, and how we have to adapt.” Sonically, The Human Condition is also one of BSC’s most visceral and hooky albums. Adds guitarist/vocalist Ben Wells: “With this one, we cranked up the amps, the drums are in your face, and there are some really heavy riffs. After 19 years and 7 albums, we wanted to prove that we still kick ass. This album feels like a rebirth.”
In the past two decades, Black Stone Cherry has set a new standard for Southern rock, revitalizing the tradition with burly riffs and stirring rock hooks. Since their formation in 2001, the four-piece brotherhood has remained Chris Robertson, vocals/guitar; Ben Wells, guitar/vocals; Jon Lawhon, bass/vocals; and John Fred Young, drums. Though not blood relatives, the guys grew up together, immersed in the culture of shit-kicking rock n’ roll. Young's dad Richard, and his Uncle Fred, are two founding members of the iconic country-fried rock n’ roots band The Kentucky HeadHunters, and the high school-aged boys came up bashing away on their instruments in the group’s notorious Practice House, a 1940s bungalow.
The four-piece band have blazed their own way in establishing a legacy. In the US, BSC’s last album, Family Tree, debuted at #8 in the Current Rock Albums, #4 at Current Hard Music, and #21 Top Current Album. The band’s 3 previous studio albums have cracked the Top 10 in the UK. Family Tree hit number 11 in Germany’s album charts, the highest position ever for the group in the country. Onstage, Black Stone Cherry has both headlined and rocked 12,000-cap arena shows and shared the stage with a diverse roster of superstars, including Alter Bridge, Theory of a Deadman, Def Leppard, Gov’t Mule, Nickelback, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bad Company, Mötorhead, and ZZ Top. In 2018, BSC performed in front of 100,000 people at Download Festival as main support to Guns N’ Roses. The guys also have the added distinction of being the musical spokespeople for the Professional Bull Riders Association, they have recorded the organization’s theme song, and members of BSC frequently appear at PBR events.
The Human Condition was self-produced and tracked in bassist Jon Lawhon's recording facility, Monocle Studios, in March 2020. The guys went in with 4 songs, wrote new songs, and recorded some beloved unreleased favorites. The production and performances on the album are some of BSC’s fiercest and finest. For the first time, the band opted to not record basics live and instead meticulously multitracked. Each member endured grueling sessions to ensure the collective studio mindset of achieving “epic performances.” The results are stunning—the grooves feel organic, the riffs are mountainous, the performances are urgent, and the hooks shine through gloriously.
The album’s opening lyrics are: “People, people your attention please, I need to tell you about a new disease.” These words come via the muscularly melodic “Ringin’ In My Head.” The song was written 4 years ago, but it powerfully captures the hysteria around the COVID-19 outbreak. Heightening the drama here is a dexterously explosive fleet-fingered guitar solo. On “Push Down & Turn,” BSC masterfully use space to achieve crushing swamp-metal dynamics. The stirring song is truly a human condition track as it talks about mental health, boldly advocating for getting treatment if you’re struggling. “I suffer from manic depression, and I have severe anxiety. I want to convey it’s okay to go to a doctor and talk about these issues. There is no shame or stigma there,” Chris Robertson shares.
The Human Condition is rounded out by a pair of goose-bump inducing, Southern-fried ballads. “In Love With The Pain” conjures the late-night longing balladry of 38 Special. “If My Heart Had Wings” vibes the grandeur of late 1980s/early 1990s Aerosmith. One other Human Condition highpoint is the guys’ raucously rocking rendition of ELO’s “Don’t Bring Me Down.” Here, the song’s hooks and strutting groove are perfectly paired with BSC’s inimitable Southern rock swagger. The album concludes with the anthemic “Keep On Keepin’ On,” a song that’s every bit as uplifting as its title promises.
“When I listen back to this record, I feel all these different emotions,” Jon Lawhon says. “We started when we were teens, and life has taken its course, especially now. Through it all, your heart and your perspectives change, but one thing that hasn’t changed is our connection as friends.” Chris affirms: “This is a brotherhood. It’s been amazing to stick around with all four original members and still be inspired. Here’s to 7 more albums and another 19 years!”
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Hayes Carll with special guest Travis Linville will be performing at Wooly's on Wednesday, July 27th, 2022.
DOORS: 8:00 PM // SHOW: 9:00 PM
About Hayes Carll
You Get It All
The country simplicity that imbues Hayes Carll’s songs can sometimes hide the social conscience and sharp humor that also runs through them, but if you want to find those things, they are there. In fact, Carll has spent over 20 years having a conversation about what it is we’re all doing here with anyone who will listen. He makes us laugh––but then he makes us cry. We judge a song’s protagonist, only for Carll to spin us around to commiserate with them.
“I like to tug at heartstrings, find commonality with others, reflect on my own life, and sometimes I do it in a lighthearted way,” says Carll. “A lot of musical styles found their way onto this record, but my first and most formative influences came from country music. This is a country singer-songwriter record. It’s just unapologetically me.”
Carll is talking about You Get It All, his eighth album. His voice, rich but worn, has never sounded better. As a songwriter, he is in top form, turning droll confessions, messy relationships, motel room respites, and an exasperated, hitchhiking God into modern nuggets.
The New York Times likened Carll’s ability to undergird humor with a weightier narrative to Bob Dylan. When Carll talks about the sounds that are in his own head, he mentions Randy Travis. That juxtaposition defines the singularity of Carll’s career: He exists in a space of his own, informed by John Prine, Tom Waits, and Dylan but also by Travis, Kenny Rogers, and Hank Williams, Jr.
Those influences may have made him hard to pigeonhole, but he’s still been embraced. Two Americana Music Awards, a Grammy nomination for Best Country Song, and multiple Austin Music Awards line his resumé?. He’s had the most-played record on Americana radio twice. His songs appear on the screen regularly and have been recorded by Kenny Chesney, Lee Ann Womack, and Brothers Osborne, to name a few.
You Get It All was produced by Allison Moorer and guitar legend Kenny Greenberg. Carll credits his partnership with singer, songwriter, and artist Moorer, his wife, as a force that helps both clarify what he wants and challenge self-imposed limits. “She’s a world-class artist who has a way of helping me articulate my vision,” he says.
Opener “Nice Things” layers a laugh-out-loud narrative exposing humanity’s botched stewardship of Earth––and one another––over vintage country cool. In the song written with the Brothers Osborne, God comes down to check on us––and she is not impressed. “It’s social commentary, but it’s not dour,” Carll says. “I hope the song can make people sing along, laugh a bit, and maybe recognize that we can do better.”
The title track is classic Carll—a front-porch singalong with a deeper message for those who want it. Self-deprecating and sweet, the song is an ode to bringing one’s whole self to a relationship––the good and the bad. “I’m at a point in my life where that rings true to me,” says Carll. “What I want, and what I think a lot of people want, is to feel like they’re getting the real thing.”
“Help Me Remember” is a feat of storytelling that tackles an underrepresented topic in art: dementia from the perspective of the patient. “It’s a visual song. To tell this story, we had to put the listener right there,” Carll says. “I was thinking about how scary and sad it is for the person who is suffering from it, and how heartbreaking and frustrating it is for the friends and family going through it with them.”
Among Carll’s co-writers is singer-songwriter Brandy Clark, who helped him pen and perform “In the Mean Time,” a gorgeous, honky-tonk waltz which perfectly depicts the damage couples can inflict on each other when they’re at their worst. The multi-dimensionality of relationships is a thread woven throughout the entire album. “When we’re our weakest or most afraid, real damage can be done to our relationships, as well as our spirits,” says Carll. “You can love somebody, everything can be as good as you could’ve imagined, but when your traumas or fears come out, all that love can disappear in an instant.”
Rollicking through snarling 80s country guitar licks, “To Keep From Being Found” is an escape to a motel room with a TV on wheels, a bath, and line after delectable line.
Subdued album closer “If It Was Up to Me” aches through a list of wishes that seem frivolous at first but build into a portrait of pain that’s far more complicated. Written with Moorer and Sean McConnell, it’s a gorgeous example of one of Carll’s favorite artistic devices: leading listeners to underestimate a character with whom they’ll ultimately empathize. “The way humor and sadness can work together is powerful,” he says.
Honest and sometimes subversive, but never mean-spirited, Carll keeps writing sad, funny, compelling songs in which nobody’s perfect or predictable––at least not for long. And he can’t quit wishing we’ll all realize that’s the way anything worth having or being has got to go. “I hope this record helps people feel good, laugh a bit, and maybe give them something to lean on when they need it,” he says. “I hope they dance to it, too.”
About Travis Linville
When someone comes from as strong a musical stock as Travis Linville, a conventional life and the path not taken are irreversibly conjoined. His preternatural musical work ethic was ignited as a small child on the built-in stage in his grandparents’ music room, and since then, Linville’s thirty-something years of sweat equity have culminated in a winding, successful career built of disparate parts: veteran and up-and-comer, mentor and underdog, session player and bandleader, sideman and songwriter.
A sought-after collaborator, Linville’s touring instrumental work includes turns onstage with Samantha Crain and Hayes Carll and session work with too many artists to count, among them gifted American songwriter John Moreland and indie rock stalwart Berwanger (feat. members of the Anniversary). In recent years, he’s performed his own music as hand-selected support for Carll, fellow Oklahomans Moreland and Parker Millsap, Todd Snider’s Hard Working Americans, and even country legend Marty Stuart.
Combined with his hundreds of solo shows, these collaborations and his recorded catalog, including 2017’s Up Ahead LP, have built for Linville a dedicated group of fans equally enamored of his nonchalant technical skill—whether as his own producer and studio engineer, or on guitar, pedal steel, piano, mandolin, or any number of other instruments—and his artistry and taste.
Among those fans who’ve spent decades following Linville’s solo work is Broken Arrow, Oklahoma native JD McPherson, who recollects, “Growing up in Oklahoma, Travis was known everywhere as one of the most respected musicians and performers from a very large pool of talent.”
He’s put in so much work, in fact, that he makes extraordinarily difficult things seem easy, operating outside the banal umbrella of the visibly tortured artist. As Hayes Carll puts it, “Travis is one of those rare artists that seem to be gifted at everything. His playing and singing appear to be just as natural as breathing to him. That ease has always stood out to me.”
But despite that perceptible ease, Linville not only likes a challenge, but it’s essential to who he is as a musician. “My ambition has always been about musicianship. Music itself is what I’ve been in love with and want to explore—rhythm, melody, harmony,” he explains. “Every time I've run low on that passion, I've picked up a new instrument or technique, and I'm right back where I love to be...with the beginner's mind.”
In 2018, Linville found himself with a handful of songs approaching studio readiness and bored of his typical “record, release, repeat” grind without much outside influence. Meanwhile, McPherson was searching for the right project to flex his producing muscles. A few conversations later, and a match made in Oklahoma, but brought to life in Tennessee, was born.
Linville’s new album, presciently titled I’m Still Here, was initially tracked live to tape in early 2019 at Memphis Magnetic Studio. Working around delays in respective tour schedules, they completed the record almost a year later at Linville’s home studio and 3 Sirens in Nashville, only to have it heartbreakingly shelved again due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 10-track set is full of, in McPherson’s words, the “fantastic songs and consummate musicianship” Linville is known for, but the contributions from his collaborators shine throughout. It’s a Travis Linville album where Linville gets by with a little help from his friends, instead of vice versa.
McPherson’s first order of business was suggesting Linville take his song ideas to outside ears. The title track, a lament on the chasm between perception and reality, was penned in a single writing session with power songwriter Natalie Hemby, whose credits include songs for Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, and Lady Gaga, as well as her work in supergroup The Highwomen. Her talent as a writer pulled Linville’s song idea in a decidedly pop direction, touching on Hemby’s gift for writing exactly what someone else means to say.
“She just started singing the first verse as she was writing it,” Linville says. “It was impressive to see her do that so effortlessly. After working on it with her for a few hours I felt like I left with the best song I had ever put together.”
It’s followed by “Feeling We Used to Know,” a reach deep into the annals of Linville’s music career, written 20-plus years ago by former bandmate Jamie Kelley. Recorded live, it leans hard in the direction of Elvis Costello and the Attractions, both tightly orchestrated and blasé thanks to McPherson’s assembled studio band. Led by Linville with Jason Smay on drums, Dominic Davis on bass, and Raynier Jacildo on keys, it’s a collective whose combined resume includes work with Jack White, the Black Keys, CeeLo Green, and Dwight Yoakam.
The bottle-clanking country waltz “Yesterday’s Wine” finds Linville paying homage to Willie Nelson while trading verses with Carll, joined by friends and Tulsans John Fullbright and Jacob Tovar on the chorus. Elsewhere, there are moments when outside hands are even more evident: Linville, usually direct as a writer and player, agreed to follow McPherson the long way around to expose a new soul for tracks like “The Rain,” which started with Roy Orbison in mind and landed as a pulsating indie rocker, and the refreshingly incongruous “I Saw You,” hearkening the bouncy piano of Leon Russell paired with the goofy, shouted lyricism of a “Sgt. Pepper.”
Linville credits McPherson with finding the backbeat on multiple songs that were originally headed in a different direction, and Davis, Jacildo, and Smay for bringing to life what was just a nebulous glint at the outset. McPherson credits Linville for providing a foundation that made any of that experimentation possible. At its core, I’m Still Here is a collection of contributions woven together with endearingly visible seams, but it remains a record only Linville could’ve made...or at least could’ve made happen.
“I’ve never worked with someone so open to new ideas yet knows fundamentally who they are as an artist,” says McPherson. “Everyone had such a great time working with Travis and his fantastic songs. Let me drive that final point home: Travis is a really, really great songwriter. That makes work a pleasure.”
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Randall King will be performing at Wooly's on Thursday, July 28th, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
About Randall King
Take a seat at any old roadhouse bar and look to your left and right. Some people will be there drinking for fun, and others to forget. But on Shot Glass, the major label album debut from Warner Music Nashville’s Randall King, none of them are drinking alone.
A country-music purist whose style carries on an original American art form – with all its highs and lows included – King is something of a study in contrast, and his album is too. He often sounds like he just stepped out of a time machine, full of upbeat honky-tonk swagger and flashing the thoughtful gaze of Western poet. But he’s also got a thoroughly modern edge, driven to prove timeless tradition can co-exist with the pop-country mainstream. And it all comes together on Shot Glass.
Four years after his independent self-titled album kicked things off, the West-Texas native has now made the move to Music City, marking the start of a whole new chapter. He’s following a pair of visionary EPs with a top-shelf concept album – and in the process, buying all of classic country another round.
“I’m that rowdy honky-tonk artist,” King says with conviction. “But I’ve got music and roots that go deeper than just beer-slingin’ tunes. There’s a lot of depth.”
Inspired by everyone from George Strait and Keith Whitley to Dierks Bentley and Eric Church, King grew up on the endless plains and endless highways of a mythical place in the American story – but its famous ways were never mere fantasy to him. The hardscrabble days, wild nights and heartbreaks were all just part of an everyday cycle, and his music continues to capture that mystique.
Back with producers Bart Butler and Ryan Gore – the team behind contemporaries like Jon Pardi who also guided King’s recent She Gone and Leanna EPs – King refuses to settle for the lowest-common denominator. Each track on Shot Glass reveals another aspect of the only life he knows, and the people who live it. Sometimes that means joy, sometimes sadness. But above all, it’s real.
“If there’s any kind of manufactured, fake aspect to it, it’s not gonna work for me,” says the singer-songwriter, who would have been a third-generation trucker had music not intervened. “I’m not an actor, so I’m gonna give you exactly who I am, where I’m from, and the things that reflect me. My upbringing … my West-Texas roots.”
With 11 songs in total, King co-wrote eight on Shot Glass, each one digging deeper into his world. Not just high times on a Friday night, but also the harsh truth of hard work with an uncertain future, romantic dreams dissolving into mirage and saying goodbye to those you love … far, far too soon.
Further honing the bright honky-tonk textures that feature willowy steel guitars, twangy melody riffs and a dynamic vocal – equally at home on a roadhouse riser or inside a country-church chapel – King and his team continued to serve up the gritty and the beautiful on Shot Glass … leaving extra room for a fiddle chaser.
First track release “Record High” captures the carefree joy of King’s reality, basking in upbeat honky-tonk swing and vocals that exist on a higher emotional plane. King was initially skeptical of the tune – one of the set’s few outside cuts – but found it captured the magic of his live shows, even when COVID-19 forced him six-feet away from his fans.
“I started playing it, and the more I did, I realized this thing is perfect,” he says now.
“You In a Honky Tonk” finds King crooning a slow-and-sexy two stepper, caught up in the neon glow of romance. “Baby Do” injects some ‘90s country bombast into a feel-good love song, and the clever “Roger Miller Lite & Me” tributes an underappreciated country icon, with King using the mantra “What would Roger do?” to medicate a breakup.
But that’s only half of the story.
“Middle of Nowhere Church” slows the pace for a revealing tale of personal redemption, opening with the devastated pure-country lines, “She was right, and I was wrong / I can’t make it on my own.”
Likewise, “Hard Way to Make It Rain” reveals the bitter truth of a touring artist’s tumbleweed lifestyle. The popular “Hey Cowgirl” and “Around Forever” come over from his EPs, and a lump-in-his-throat cover of the gospel standard “I’ll Fly Away” closes the album. It was the song he used to sing his sister, Leanna, back home to Jesus in 2020.
But it’s the title track, “Shot Glass,” which captures everything in a single pour. Written by King’s songwriting hero, Tony Lane, along with hit maker Brett James, it’s a reflective ballad with a loping beat and an instant-classic hook, toasting days gone by with all their triumph and tragedy included. It’s the type of thing a person starts to think about, sitting at a bar with folks on either side, as a lifetime of memory distills down into an empty glass. And it makes you wonder, “How did it all fit?”
“It’s beautiful poetry. But it’s also fresh and relatable at the same time,” King says, not realizing that statement could easily apply to him, as well.
You see, the truth is that country can represent more than one thing, just like a shot glass and those people at the bar. In fact, it kind of needs to, if any sort of balance is to be found. And as Randall King steps into the spotlight, that balance may be ready to shift.
“We’ve got a whole lot of momentum behind us, a whole lot of heat,” he says. “And now the pendulum of Nashville is swinging back toward country music.”
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Druids with special guests The Curse Of Hail, The Gorge and Dose will be performing at Wooly's on Friday, July 29th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:30 PM // SHOW: 7:30 PM
About Druids
Formed in 2008, Druids set out to be heavy and loud. Influenced by classic metal and psychedelic rock, Druids found their groove in songwriting, becoming more focused and progressive.
About The Curse Of Hail
The Curse Of Hail is a melodic metal band based out of Des Moines, IA. Formed in the summer of 2008, TCOH has been working hard to eventually become one of the forerunners in the death metal scene in Iowa. Solidifying the line-up in 2011 with the addition of Ken Payne on vocals and Luke Haffner on guitar. The Curse Of Hail has reached a level of brutality and professionalism that will only take them to the top.
About The Gorge
Progressive metal from St. Louis, MO.
About Dose
Hardcore band from Des Moines, Iowa.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Hinterland Music Festival is four days of music curated for people who love both music and the outdoors. True to its name, Hinterland is held in Saint Charles, a beautiful rural escape just outside Des Moines, Iowa. The annual festival features a blend of music, camping, art, craft vendors, and more.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Joe Pera will be performing at The Admiral in Omaha, Nebraska on Saturday, August 6th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About Joe Pera
Joe Pera is a standup comedian, writer, and filmmaker from Buffalo, NY now living in New York, NY. Joe is best known for his current Adult Swim series, 'Joe Pera Talks With You', which The LA Times refers to as ‘TV’s quietest, most artful comedy’. He has performed his subdued standup on Conan, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and Comedy Central. After his animated special 'Joe Pera Talks You To Sleep' (which many have found to work), he followed up with other projects for Adult Swim including 'Joe Pera Helps You Find the Perfect Christmas Tree' and 'Relaxing Old Footage with Joe Pera'. Through his production company, Chestnut Walnut, Joe has also directed a number of film and tv projects including Conner O'Malley's 'Truthhunters' pilot for Comedy Central. Joe’s new book ‘A Bathroom Book for People Not Pooping Or Peeing But Using the Bathroom as an Escape’ is out now from Macmillan publishing, and on the USA TODAY best seller list. Season 3 of ‘Joe Pera Talks With You’ is now available to stream on HBO Max, and Joe can also be seen appearing on season 5 of ‘Search Party’ which just premiered on the platform.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Liz Cooper will be performing at The Waiting Room Lounge in Omaha, Nebraska on Saturday, August 6th, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
About Liz Cooper
On the porch of her one-time Nashville home, Liz Cooper had a multimedia project that combined two of her loves: lips and cigarettes. She painted her own lips with red paint and kissed a canvas two or three hundred times, later dotting them with the detritus left behind in ashtrays by her friends. An overlap of intimacy, indulgence, cheekiness, and sensuality, the piece complements Cooper's roiling second record, Hot Sass. Over jagged, frenetic guitar parts, Cooper sets expectations aflame with the record's title track. Her songs unfurl like smoke spiraling off an incense cone late in the afternoon, with Cooper pushing deeper into psychedelic openness, punk ferocity, and beyond.
Hot Sass marks multiple departures for Liz Cooper: from her nine-year home of Nashville, from her band addendum of the Stampede, from any genre-burdened expectations she'd accumulated over the years. After heavy touring in support of 2018's Window Flowers, where her songs stretched out in live settings, she felt constricted by the Americana-adjacent associations that the Stampede carried. So with her bandmates' blessing, she dropped the moniker, pursuing sounds and songs that let her chase the inspiration lent to her by the likes of Courtney Love, Lou Reed, and David Bowie.
In Burlington, Vermont, Cooper and her cohort -- Ryan Usher, Joe Bisirri, and Michael Libramento -- recorded Hot Sass at Little Jamaica, the personal studio/private residence of producer Benny Yurco (Michael Nau). The intimacy of the space and the players' provided a wide-open approach to Yurco's live setup for rolling forward with minimal takes, a sensibility abetted by a whole lot of psychedelic mushrooms consumed in the process. Cooper recorded her guitar parts from the kitchen and living room while Usher played drums in a bedroom.
Completing Hot Sass, Cooper realized she needed a change of scenery from her longtime home of Nashville, where she'd lived in a freewheeling house of itinerant artists known as the Pennock Palace. She settled in Brooklyn at the beginning of March 2020, and found herself confronted with the new challenges of staying still as touring ground to a halt.
"I'm learning more about how to take care of myself -- just facing the darkness head on that I've been running from by being on tour and being so busy my whole life. It's taught me more about what kind of artist I want to be and what kind of person I want to be," she says.
But now, Hot Sass is crackling into public life, charging forward with Cooper's revitalized creative energy. Her Nashville confidant Daniel Yocum, a painter and friend who collaborated with her on the music videos for Hot Sass, first encouraged Cooper to pick up the practice for herself. She's finding new mediums to explore in paints and pedals, discovering even more exciting, untamed space to be herself.
Where did the concept of "hot sass" come from, and how did it become the central focus of your record?
It's something that scares me. It's another part of myself that I'd never really show. It's something that pushes me that goes hand in hand with me not hiding behind a band's name anymore. It is this other side of me, this wild side.
I feel like it is this madness that I've been more comfortable with accepting and like, this fucking attitude that I do possess that I've been hiding from. It's this confidence and sexiness, it's something that I've always been very afraid of. It's me learning about what kind of woman I am and It's not pretty all the time. It's not this thing that you can put in a box. I'm inspired by women who speak their mind, and who don't give a fuck what people think about them.
There's a sense of restlessness that carries across the record, and right after you finished it, you left Nashville for New York. How did that feeling make its way into the songs?
A big thing about touring is how you're not really able to reflect, you're just so in the moment all the time, and you're always surrounded by people. I am an introvert, and I feel like I have to refuel by being by myself, which is literally impossible when you're on the road. I was exhausted. But I think it's also a lot of growth and just learning about myself and trying to be confident. I've always struggled with my confidence and self worth, and facing that.
What was your approach with beginning to write Hot Sass? Where were you trying to push yourself musically?
Really what the beginning of it was, was, very organically and naturally, I met Benny Yurco, who is a fucking creative genius. I just texted him one day, and I was like, "I want to make a record with you." And he was like, "Let's do it." So really that was the beginning push for me to be creating with an artist that I really respected. I knew I had to really bring it for him and for myself.
I wrote this album on the road and any chance I could find, so in between soundcheck and the show, I would hide in the van, or I would write in motel bathrooms. Whenever I'd get home for however long, which is not usually very long, I would just dive in and write.
As soon as we got to Benny's, it was this complete safe haven. All of us trust each other so much, and we let our guards down completely. We flew through recording these songs and tracked the drums, the bass, guitar, and vocals all live. There was no intention besides just making the best song and without any ego.
You spent a few years touring pretty heavily, even by a lot of musicians' standards, and you recorded most of Hot Sass live as a group. How has it been going without that kind of in-person energy for the last year or so?
This is the longest I've gone without playing music my entire life. It's been really important for me, because music is my spirituality and my release, and I've never not had it. To take that away has been a total withdrawal, and an incredible emotional roller coaster to be in an unfamiliar city with that.
It affected me a lot. I know that I needed that break, because it made me learn more about myself: "Okay, well, if I can't just chase this thing all the time, who am I without music? I'm still learning."
What has picking up painting meant to you over the last few years?
I've just been finding my voice with it just like music. And I definitely have ideas of how I want to push boundaries with it. It's just another way to expose my insides which scares me but also makes me feel whole and healed. I love to paint because I don't feel any pressure from myself or from anyone else. It's just fun and it's pure. Purely expressive. If I make something that is horrifying and super shitty, I don't care. You move on, and you learn from it. And that's it. Daniel [Yocum] is the one that really made me fall back in love with it. We push each other, and we're gonna do some collaborations with visual art beyond videos, see what we can dream up in the painting world.
What do you most want to get across with this record?
I'm not sure if there's anything specifically that I'm aiming to get across. I'm still processing these songs. Still reflecting. And I think that's the thing -- Hot Sass is just a stamp in time of what was happening in my life. I just want to continue making art that displays myself, the moments, and the people around me.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
10 Years with special guests Dragged Under and In The Whale will be performing at Wooly's on Tuesday, August 9th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:30 PM // SHOW: 7:30 PM
About 10 Years
Growth transpires over a lifetime. The process never stops. Rather, it ramps up as time passes. 10 Years accelerate this cycle on their ninth full-length album, Violent Allies [Mascot Records / Mascot Label Group]. The gold-certified Knoxville, TN alternative hard rock trio—Jesse Hasek [vocals], Brian Vodinh [guitar (live) /drums, bass, backing vocals (recording), and Matt Wantland [guitar / synth programming]—progress as a unit once more. Embracing heightened vulnerability, elevated songcraft, and sonic adventurousness, they convert the push-and-pull of their collective creativity into a cohesive, clear, and cathartic body of work.
“We don’t ever try to recreate what we’ve done in the past,” explains Jesse. “We knew we had to challenge ourselves to see what we had in us. If it’s not stressful, you’re not challenging yourself to grow. From the beginning, music has always been therapy and an outlet. We let ourselves enjoy the process, be vulnerable, and talk about those emotions. We got back to why we love music with the maturity of where we’re at in our lives. We were able to harness that love of creating from a wiser and more developed perspective.”
“We were hard on ourselves,” admits Brian. “It was more intense than during records past, but it was worth it. The outcome was exactly what we wanted it to be.”
For nearly two decades, 10 Years have quietly pushed themselves and modern rock towards evolution. Building a formidable catalog, the group’s gold-selling 2005 breakthrough The Autumn Effect yielded the hit “Wasteland,” which went gold, infiltrated the Billboard Hot 100, and clinched #1 at Active Rock Radio and #1 on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart. They landed three Top 30 entries on the Billboard Top 200 with Division [2008], Feeding the Wolves [2010], and Minus the Machine [2012]. Most recently, 2017’s (How to Live) As Ghosts marked a reunion between Jesse, Brian, and Matt and achieved marked success. Not only did the album bow in the Top 5 of the US Top Hard Rock Albums Chart, but it also yielded the hit “Novacaine.” The single ascended to the Top 5 of the Billboard US Mainstream Rock Songs Chart and tallied 16 million Spotify streams, alongside 29 million streams across all dsp’s. The cumulative total for all track streams from repertoire on How To Live (As Ghosts) exceeds 51 million plays. Along the way, they sold out countless headline shows and toured with everyone from Korn, Deftones, and Stone Sour to Chris Cornell and Linkin Park. During 2019, these three musicians headed to Los Angeles, rented an Airbnb in Woodland Hills, and spent five weeks recording with GRAMMY® Award-winning producer and Feeding the Wolves collaborator Howard Benson [My Chemical Romance, Halestorm, Papa Roach, Three Days Grace].
When talking to the band members they share, “Time spent in the studio or simply collaborating on our vision was a catalyst in reaching creative clarity like we’ve never had before. It reminded all three of us that this bond created over the last two decades is best served when individual voices becomes collective vision. It was fun, because we were back to being brothers. No matter how frustrated we might get, once we looked out at it, the energy was unexplainable. Our mission was to really connect with the songs, break them down, and build them back up.” Brian adds, “The younger versions of us would’ve been going to Hollywood every night and partying. It was different. We actually came up with a lot of ideas, melody tweaks, and had really good brainstorming sessions in the car on the PCH. The whole vibe contributed to what the record is.
All we cared about was writing and recording the best songs we possibly could. We felt like we had something to prove, especially to our A&R guy and the President of North America for Mascot Ron Burman.”
They prove it on cuts like the first single “The Shift.” Melodic guitars slide across a caustic beat before a rush of distortion ignites the refrain, “We are a violent virus, without a remedy.” “Lyrically, it’s about the polarization of society and the human impact on the earth itself,” states Brian. “We were thinking about how humans can be a virus to the Earth.”
“While in the studio last fall, we were looking at the state of the world as we wrote ‘The Shift’,” Jesse reveals. “As a society, we’re so distracted that we’re not united. When the pandemic happened, it became so important to finally see the positivity of humanity. We’ve realized we’re all in this together. You can pick a side, but we’re sitting in the same realm.” Airy keys echo through “The Unknown.” It builds towards a sweeping celestial chorus. “We’re in a wide-open world we’ve created, but we have to step back and look at where we are and adapt,” continues Jesse. “We’re all in the unknown right now.”
A clean riff snakes past the verses of “Without You” before a hypnotic hook unfurls. The instrumental “Planets” interludes thread the album together with soft piano and acoustic as a counterpoint to the explosive energy of “Cut The Cord” and “Start Again.” There is a broad, dynamic range of repertoire on the new album as exhibited by the lead single “The Unknown”’ and its opening with ominous yet hopeful piano notes alongside Jesse’s lamenting uncertain times in the vocals, to the heavy drums and distorted guitars on “Déjà vu.” Everything culminates on “Say Goodbye.” The conclusion’s cinematic soundscape and poignant lyrics bid farewell to Jesse’s late grandfather and emphasize “the band at our most vulnerable,” according to the frontman.
Meanwhile, the title speaks to an overarching theme. “We came back to this quote, ‘There’s a strange power in the joining of unlike things’,” remembers Brian. “There is something incredibly special about how we create. Violent Allies is the perfect way to summarize it. We go through hell facing all challenges head-on, but the final product is worth it. Simultaneously, it reflects the state of divisiveness in The World. Everything is so political. Everyone is angry at each other. We’re better when we come together though.”
In the end, 10 Years keep growing as Violent Allies. “This record wasn’t just another record,” Brian leaves off. “It’s the result of working hard to improve on all levels. There’s a lot to dig into. It’s a graduated state for the band.”
“After all of this time, 10 Years is a brotherhood,” Jesse concludes. “I’ve spent the better half of my life accomplishing what I never thought was possible with these guys. It’s been an unexplainable, crazy, and awesome journey since Brian first asked me to join the band on his 19th birthday. We’ve beat the odds and continue to live life. It bothers me when people don’t try to push themselves to enjoy what life has to offer. Life is beautiful, if you really go for it and try. It can show you beauty—and that’s what this band has shown me.”
About Dragged Under
Dragged Under is an American punk rock band from Seattle, Washington. Their debut album The World Is In Your Way, broke the Top 10 on the US Alternative iTunes charts, as well as #18 on the Billboard top alternative new artists and #45 top current hard music charts.
About In The Whale
In the Wale is an American alternative rock band from Greeley, Colorado composed of Nathaniel Valdez and Eric Riley.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Sleigh Bells with special guests N3ptune will be performing at Slowdown in Omaha, Nebraska on Tuesday, August 9th, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
Per Artist request, entry to this event will require proof of a completed (14 days after final dose) COVID-19 vaccination -OR- proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken in the previous 48 hours. Proof of vaccination may be in the form of the completed CDC card or a digital image of the card, along with a matching photo ID. Proof of a negative test may be printed or digital and must originate from a clinic or pharmacy (i.e. no “at home” tests), and be presented along with a matching photo ID.
For a list of FREE vaccination clinics or FREE testing options, visit www.douglascountyhealth.com.
About Sleigh Bells
Sleigh Bells is an American musical duo based in Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2008 and consisting of vocalist Alexis Krauss and guitarist/producer Derek E. Miller. They became known for their overdriven style of noise pop, which incorporates elements from various genres including pop, hip hop, metal, R&B, and punk.
About N3ptune
Hailed as a “Denver Musician to Watch” by 303 Magazine, N3ptune is a explosive multi-hyphenate hailing from Denver, CO. A proudly queer singer/songwriter, producer, dancer, model, actor, and director, N3ptune is carving out a lane in Denver’s music scene, unlike anything that has come before.
Heavily influenced by his upbringing in the Baptist Church, N3ptune is a genre-bender who merges the essence of gospel, blues, and soul into an amalgamation of pop music as only his mind can create. His songs are bold and brash, and his live performances are raw and captivating, to the point where Sleigh Bells’ Alexis Krauss likened the experience to “seeing Prince live for the first time” and proceeded to invite him on their tour on the spot.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Ballyhoo! and Shwayze with special guest Surfer Girl will be performing at Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon in Iowa City, Iowa on Thursday, August 11th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About Ballyhoo!
“Gonna make the most out of all that I’ve been given/Let the cards fall where I lay them/Because I’ve been making mistakes/But I swear I’ve been learning/And I crawl out from the mayhem” “Message to the World”
Howi Spangler: vocals, guitars
Donald Spangler: drums
Scott Vandrey: keys
Nick Lucera: bass
Through 25 years and eight independent albums, the last four on their own Right Coast Records, Ballyhoo! have earned the exclamation point which marks their name. Starting in the basement of their mom’s Aberdeen, MD, home, rocking out on guitar and drums respectively, practicing every day, brothers Howi and Donald Spangler formed the proto-punk band in the mold of Green Day and Nirvana, with an eye towards the emerging ska genre led by Goldfinger, Sublime, 311 and No Doubt.
“I wanted to be Billie Joe Armstrong back then,” says Howi, who still lives in the same area where he grew up, not far from the Chesapeake Bay, his brother close by.
Inspired by his father – a rock fan who favored Grand Funk Railroad and Led Zeppelin – taking him to a Ratt/Poison show with his brother when he was six years old, Howi began writing “love songs to girls I pined for in middle and high school” when he was 12, and by the time he was 20, had self-released Ballyhoo!’s debut album, the aptly named 365-Day Weekend, on their own Hooligan Records, in 2000.
The group’s eighth and most recent studio album, the breezy, ska-fueled, hook-filled Message to the World, on their own Right Coast Records, finds the self-declared “beach-rockers,” having grown up in public, accepting the responsibilities of adulthood while still hanging on to their dreams of world domination. Songs like “Social Drinker,” “Dead by Tomorrow” and “Dark Sunglasses” explore the dangers of excessive partying, while “Fighter” and ‘Renegade” offer a not-so-gentle “I told you so” to all the naysayers who said they couldn’t succeed.
“We’ve had our fun over the years, drinking beer and Jaeger shots,” muses Howi, a father now, like his brother. “You have to write what you know. I’m not a kid anymore. I have bills, rent to pay, kids to raise and a lot more to worry about.”
On Message, new songs like “Scarlet Blue” and “California King,” which suggests one never go to bed angry with a spouse, address this domesticity, even while the title track still clings to the band’s post-punk idealism.
“I try not to dwell on the past,” says Howi about his songwriting. “I try not to get caught up in stuff that doesn’t mean anything in the big picture. We tend to hold ourselves back from achieving our goals or even enlightenment. We have to appreciate the adventures, the ups and downs along the way, which are as valuable as the end destination. It’s all about the path, not necessarily the achievement.”
Still, Ballyhoo!’s feats cannot be underestimated. After establishing themselves on the local club circuit in the Delmarva (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia) area, with the release of their sophomore album, Do It for the Money!, which featured a cover shot of the group in their birthday suits, Ballyhoo! began spreading out along the eastern seaboard to North Carolina and Virginia Beach, eventually adding hot spots in Colorado and on the west coast, with forays into Hawaii, Mexico and Canada. Now a part of a burgeoning American Reggae scene which includes bands like management stablemates Authority Zero and The Expendables, along with Pepper, Slightly Stoopid, Iration, Rebelution, Stick Figure, Tribal Seeds and Long Beach Dub Allstars, Ballyhoo! will return to a busy touring scheduled that ranges from 135 to 200 shows a year, as soon as the pandemic permits. Ballyhoo! has opened for the likes of 311, Dirty Heads, Iration, Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake, Rebelution, Colie Buddz and Slightly Stoopid, while grinding the summers of 2012 and 2016 on the famed Vans Warped Tour.
“It’s been incredible watching this scene grow and flourish,” says Howi. “It’s been a slow build, but those are the best kind. It’s all about having the patience to get through the hard times, but to enjoy the great, wonderful moments along the way.”
With its newest members now veterans – keyboardist Vandrey has been a member since 2000, while bassist Lucera joined in 2014 – Ballyhoo! is ready for what the future brings. Stylistically, their music ranges from the hard-edged punk of 2018’s Detonate, which captured the feelings of anger and depression from dealing with personal loss and the exhaustion generated by over a decade on the road, to the island reggae beats of the follow-up, Message to the World.
“My songwriting approach never wavers,” insists Howi about the deceptively dark lyrics behind some of the most lilting ska beats. “I go for melodies, hooks and big choruses, no matter the style. Nothing would blindside our fans. Being an independent artist not owing anything to anyone is a beautiful thing. We’re not bound by any preconceived expectation of what it’s supposed to sound like. The best songs transcend genre.”
Ballyhoo! have been doing things their own way for 25 years now.
“Whatever you want to achieve, just focus on that and work towards it,” explains Howi about the Ballyhoo! ethos. “Don’t worry about followers, views or even money. Just keep making good stuff. One day, it may be possible to finally quit that day job and live your dream full-time..”
Ballyhoo! is still doing just that, purveying good vibes, positivity and fun live shows meant to take you away from real life for just a little bit.
About Shwayze
Raised on the beaches of Southern California, Aaron Smith is a rapper, actor, musician, and father who became known to the world simply as Shwayze following a massive music breakout in 2008.
The Malibu native released his debut album Buzzin’ that summer with singer-producer Cisco Adler. The duo hit the road immediately on the Vans Warped Tour wearing skinny jeans, and singing about lost weekends in Hollywood, all while bringing the most legendary parties with them wherever they went.
Shwayze has since gone on to work with an array of producers and release several independent albums such as Shwayze Summer on his self-funded Feel Good Entertainment Music label. He continues reinventing his sound while staying true to the influences that brought him where he is today.
The past decade has boasted an impressive resume including a top 10 album, Billboard chart topping singles including ‘Buzzin’ and ‘Corona & Lime,’ a rock-doc reality show on MTV, and a number of roles in feature films and major network television- all while living on the road much of the year touring the world.
Shwayze continues to perform around the world and each year he finds new territories and fanbases to connect with.
About Surfer Girl
As no stranger to the feel good music scene, Surfer Girl is the latest project from the former hip-hop/pop duo Aer frontman, Carter Reeves. After sharing the stage with the likes of Dirty Heads, Sublime with Rome, Chance the Rapper and Mac Miller, Carter made the long overdue foray back into the modern beach rock feel-good scene.
Surfer Girl is a genre bending, pop-leaning beach party, ready to get and keep you moving. Drawing from psychedelic dub influences such as King Tubby, to more mellow artists like Jack Johnson, Surfer Girl has a little sauce for everyone. While the music is completely self produced, and self written, Surfer Girl strives to deliver a sense of community with his music. It’s meant to share with your friends and family, while sipping mezcal or rolling a little bit of whatever you’ve got left at the bottom of the jar.
If you’ve never seen him perform live, prepare yourself for stage shattering energy, and an all around good time. Just like the legends of reggae music, Surfer Girl isn’t afraid of tackling some divisive, personal and introspective issues in his lyrics, with his main focus being to bring us all back together. “Let’s find some common ground, and let’s jam.”
Surfer Girl's debut EP was released early 2021 via Ineffable Records, label arm of the company behind artists like Stick Figure, Collie Buddz, Trevor Hall, The Movement, and many more. SG’s 2022 debut album is set to drop this summer with an array of big name features within the scene. Keep an eye out because Surfer Girl aims to cover a lot of ground with a ton of new music on the way… and will likely be playing a show in your city, very soon!
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
King Lil G will be performing at Wooly's on Thursday, August 11th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About King Lil G
Alex Gonzalez, better known as King Lil G, is an American rapper of Mexican descent from South Los Angeles, Los Angeles. He is best known for his 2014 single "Hopeless Boy". He released albums King Enemy, Ak47 Boyz, 90's Kid and Paint The City Blue.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Jack White with special guest Ezra Furman will be performing at Val Air Ballroom in West Des Moines, Iowa on Sunday, August 14th, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
WHAT IS A "PHONE-FREE SHOW?"
No phones allowed in the performance space. An unplugged, real life experience. HOW DOES IT WORK? Upon arrival at the venue, staff will be available to help you put your phone in a lockable pouch which you keep throughout the night. WHAT IF I HAVE AN EMERGENCY AND NEED TO ACCESS MY PHONE? You can unlock your phone from the pouch at any time by going to the clearly-marked Phone Use Areas located in the lobby or the concourse. WHAT ABOUT CASHLESS BARS OR MERCH? We highly recommend bringing a physical credit card just in case you can't access your phone at the bar or merch area. WHAT IF I WANT TO POST ON MY SOCIALS? We can help with that. Our tour photographer will post live photos and videos after every show at jackwhiteiii.com and on Instagram @officialjackwhite. Download content from the site or repost from Jack's IG. WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS & IS IT MANDATORY? We believe this creates a better experience for everyone & yes, it's non-negotiable.
About Jack White
Jack White, founding member of The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, and The Dead Weather, a 12-time GRAMMY® Award-winner and 36-time nominee, and Third Man Records founder, is set to release his fourth and fifth solo studio albums in 2022. FEAR OF THE DAWN (Third Man Records), featuring his latest single “Taking Me Back,” will be released on April 8th, 2022 and ENTERING HEAVEN ALIVE (Third Man Records) will follow on July 22, 2022. In addition to writing global anthems such as The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” and The Raconteurs’ “Steady, As She Goes,” all three of White’s acclaimed previously released solo albums – 2012’s RIAA gold certified solo debut, BLUNDERBUSS, 2014’s LAZARETTO, and 2018’s BOARDING HOUSE REACH – debuted at #1 on the SoundScan/Billboard 200 along with a variety of other charts. Among his myriad of international honors, White’s long run of career GRAMMY® awards and nominations saw BLUNDERBUSS earning five nods over two years, including “Album of the Year,” “Best Rock Album,” “Best Rock Song” (for “Freedom At 21”), “Best Rock Performance,” and “Best Music Video” (the latter two honoring the single, “I’m Shakin”). LAZARETTO proved equally popular with GRAMMY® voters, scoring a nomination as “Best Alternative Music Album,” while its title track received the 2015 GRAMMY® Award for “Best Rock Performance” as well an additional nod as “Best Rock Song.” Praised by NME as “wild, mysterious and unlike anything else around…a full, lush sounding thing packed with personality and life,” BOARDING HOUSE REACH proved among White’s most unique works, topping a variety of charts in the US and Canada while drawing applause around the world. “The spirit of freaky free-play is thrilling and refreshing, a worthy end unto itself,” wrote Rolling Stone. “Like nearly all of White’s work, it manages to feel fresh, original, and still deeply rooted in history.” In 2020, White released The White Stripes Greatest Hits (Third Man Records/Legacy) and, more recently, unveiled jackwhiteartanddesign.com, as well as opened the doors to Third Man Records London – the third Third Man Records location and first internationally. White will be embarking on a worldwide tour in 2022 to support his new albums. Tickets and more information can be found at jackwhiteiii.com.
About Ezra Furman
Ezra Furman is an American musician and songwriter. Furman was the lead singer and guitarist of Ezra Furman and the Harpoons, formed in 2006, which ended with Mysterious Power.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Polyphia with special guests Death Tour and Unprocessed will be performing at Wooly's on Monday, August 15th, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
About Polyphia
Dallas, TX-based instrumental outfit Polyphia has signed to Headphone Music, an imprint of Equal Vision Records. They are also premiering their new music video for “Finale” on Youtube.com/polyphia.
With the new signing, Polyphia released a remastered and repackaged version of their debut full-length Muse, on April 21, 2015, produced by Nick Sampson [Of Mice & Men, Asking Alexandria].
“We’re very excited to be re-releasing our debut, Muse, through Headphone Music / Equal Vision Records! The re-release features 11 remastered tracks with all new artwork designed by our very own Tim Henson,” shares the band. “We’re stoked to be on the EVR roster with the likes of The Dear Hunter, and alumni such as Circa Survive, Coheed and Cambria, and Portugal. The Man.”
Polyphia originally self-released the full-length title September 2014, where it landed on several Billboard Charts including: No. 5 on Internet Albums, No. 5 on Hard Rock Albums, No. 13 on Independent Albums, No. 22 on Top Rock Albums, No. 71 on Top Current Albums, and No. 76 on Top 200. The new and improved release of the album will make Muse available at physical retail locations for the first time.
Polyphia followed the success of Muse with ‘Renaissance’, released March 11, 2016 via Equal Vision Records. The record, also produced by Sampson, features singles Euphoria, Crush, and Nightmare and is available now at http://polyphia.merchnow.com/.
The band – whose average age is just barely 21 – is comprised of Tim Henson (guitar), Scott LePage (guitar), Clay Gober (bass), and Clay Aeschliman (drums).
Polyphia has toured and shared stages with the likes of Animals As Leaders, Periphery, Between The Buried and Me, The Contortionist, Intervals and more.
About Death Tour
Death Tour have released an energetic new EP, D*E*S*T*R*O*Y, the most recent release since their 2019 album. The new collection of music perfectly embodies everything the duo stands for, such as pounding beats, playfully aggressive vocals and shamelessly outspoken lyrics.
Death Tour effortlessly blends musical elements of hip-hop while exuding a punk ideology so strong and ferocious it would make Black Flag’s Henry Rollins proud. That mindset is maintained in a more conceptual way on D*E*S*T*R*O*Y, which marks the band’s first release with 333 WRECKORDS CREW, owned by FEVER 333’s Jason Aalon Butler. You can certainly feel the duo’s punk influences bleeding into their own work. The five-song EP may seem short, clocking in shy of ten minutes long; it masterfully makes up for it by keeping a consistent, almost chaotic energy from track to track.
About Unprocessed
Unprocessed is a German Metal band from Wiesbaden, Hessen, founded in 2013.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
A Day To Remember with special guests Beartooth and Bad Omens will be performing at McGrath Amphitheatre in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Tuesday, August 16th, 2022.
DOORS: 5:30 PM // SHOW: 6:30 PM
About A Day To Remember
A Day to Remember is an American rock band from Ocala, Florida, founded in 2003 by guitarist Tom Denney and drummer Bobby Scruggs. They are known for their amalgamation of metalcore and pop punk.
About Beartooth
A handful of bands play the “devastating riffs and catchy hooks” game, but for BEARTOOTH, this music is the difference between life and death. As easygoing, charming, and outgoing as these young men may appear, there’s an inner turmoil churning away, only satiated by the savage music they play. Suicidal ideation, emotional desolation, and desperate dark nights of the soul are chewed up and spat out in song after song; cathartic singalong anthems like “Fed Up,” “Sick of Me,” and “In Between.”
Like Nine Inch Nails or Tame Impala, BEARTOOTH is a one-man band in the studio. It began as musical exorcism, conceived in frontman Caleb Shomo’s home recording sanctuary, a means to tame the demons of debilitating depression and anxiety he’s suffered since childhood. BEARTOOTH harness the sacred and profane to purge inner darkness with a dizzying light. BEARTOOTH’s effect on listeners is evident by their highly-engaged audience; invitations to major festivals world and tours with Slipknot, Bring Me The Horizon, and A Day To Remember; and a RIAA-certified gold single.
When Rolling Stone introduced BEARTOOTH as one of 10 New Artists You Need To Know, the sound was rightly described as “like a nervous breakdown, usually with enough optimism to push through.” As long as the dueling dichotomy of mental anguish and creative catharsis remain bound together, Caleb Shomo and crew will be here to oversee the show. So please, enjoy the ride.
About Bad Omens
Bad Omens is an American metalcore band from Richmond, Virginia formed in 2015 by frontman Noah Sebastian, guitarist Nicholas Ruffilo, and bassist Vincent Riquier.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Red Wanting Blue with special guests American Scarecrows & Meaghan Farrell will be performing at xBk in Des Moines, Iowa on Tuesday, August 16th, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
About Red Wanting Blue
“In every odyssey, there comes a time when you must accept that what you are pursuing is no longer a rational decision,” Scott Terry writes in the liner notes of Red Wanting Blue’s new album, ‘The Wanting.’ “It’s a choice that does not feel like a choice. It is a hunger.”
It’s been more than twenty years since Red Wanting Blue first began their long, strange odyssey, and while much has changed for Terry and the rest of the band over those two remarkable decades, the hunger remains. Like the North Star, it’s fixed in the firmament, a guiding light perpetually out of reach. Hunger has been their fuel, their motivation, their essence. Hunger has steered every step of the group’s extraordinary journey, and now, it’s at the heart of their most powerful record yet.
Produced by acclaimed singer/songwriter Will Hoge, ‘The Wanting’ showcases Red Wanting Blue at their finest, with Terry’s epic, heartfelt vocals soaring above the band’s gritty, driving rock and roll. Alternately triumphant and melancholic, the songs are both muscular and nuanced, equally at home blasting from a car stereo as they are drifting through a pair of headphones late on some lonely night. Though the record draws on many of the band’s traditional strengths—indelible melodies, infectious hooks, explosive performances—the making of it pushed Red Wanting Blue far outside their comfort zone and forced them to take an unprecedented, nearly year-long break from touring.
“We’re a touring band,” Terry explains matter-of-factly. “We’re on the road all the time, so much so that it’s painful when we’re not. When I was younger, I used to get heart palpitations if I was in the same place for more than four days.”
It’s that insatiable appetite for the road that helped Red Wanting Blue establish themselves as one of the indie world’s most enduring and self-sufficient acts. Hailed as “Midwestern rock heroes” by American Songwriter, the band has spent most of their career operating outside of the confines of the traditional music industry, earning their legion of lifelong fans through decades of relentless touring. Over the course of ten studio albums, they brought their passionate, unforgettable live show to every city and town that would have them, blazing their own distinctive trail through the American heartland as they built up the kind of fanatically dedicated audiences normally reserved for arena acts. Along the way, they notched appearances everywhere from Letterman to NPR and climbed all the way up to #3 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. In 2016, they celebrated with a 20th anniversary retrospective album/concert film entitled ‘RWB20 Live at Lincoln Theater,’ which captured the band in all their glory at a sold-out hometown show in Columbus, OH.
Despite the group’s distinctly Midwestern beginnings, the origins of ‘The Wanting’ lie not in Ohio, or even in Brooklyn (where Terry currently resides), but rather in Mexico. It was there, on a day off during the band’s sixth annual trip aboard the Rock Boat cruise, that the seeds of collaboration with fellow performer Will Hoge were sown.
“We’ve gotten really close with Will over the years, and on that trip he basically just said, ‘I think we should make a record together,’” remembers Terry. “He told me, ‘I’m a fan of your live show and I get the energy that your band is about, and I feel like if you give me the darts, I’ll get closer to the bullseye than any other producer you’ll meet.’”
The band decided that if they were going to switch things up and work outside their own studio, then they were going to go all in. For the first time ever, they cleared their touring schedule for the better part of a year to focus solely on writing, recording, and mixing the most fully realized material of their career. Hoge made multiple pre-production trips to Columbus while the band rehearsed and recorded extensive demos, and when it was finally time to cut the album, they headed south for their first studio sessions in Nashville, TN.
“We made the album in the big room at Sound Emporium,” says Terry. “We were like kids in a candy shop in there. We’d gotten really used to recording in our warehouse studio in Columbus, and suddenly we didn’t have to worry about any of those old limitations any more. We had this big beautiful space where we could all play together live, and we knew exactly what we wanted to do as soon as we got in there.”
One listen to ‘The Wanting’ and that clarity of vision is immediately apparent. The record opens with the rousing “High and Dry,” a feel-good rocker that also serves as something of a mission statement for a fiercely independent group that’s as much a band as they are a family, with Terry singing, “I want to stand on my own two feet again / And when I mess up / That’s when I hope my friends will pick me up.” On “Ulysses,” the band channels early Phil Collins with pulsing synths and larger-than-life drums, while the tender “Glass House” crescendos from a delicate whisper to a triumphant roar, and the dreamy “I’ve Got A Feeling It Hurts” calls to mind the hypnotic drive of REM mixed with a touch of Jayhawks jangle.
“This is really the most collaborative album our band has ever made,” Terry says of the wide range of influences. “It’s the first record where every member really contributed to the writing, which is a huge deal because the music got so much better. It’s everyone’s voices this time, and I feel like we all matured as writers because of it.”
“Younger Years” offers a dose of youthful confidence that absolutely begs for an audience sing-along, while “When We Choke” and “This Is The End” both spin dark takes on the weight of love, but perhaps the emotional highlight of the album comes with “The Real Thing,” a passionate ode to the present.
“It’s a reminder that just because you’re not where you thought you’d be, that doesn’t mean you’re not where you’re supposed to be,” says Terry. “It’s a love song, but like most of my love songs, it can be just as much about your significant other as it is about your band.”
If it’s hunger that drives Red Wanting Blue, then it’s love that sustains them: love for the band, love for their fans, love for the journey. After all, desire is nothing without love, and ‘The Wanting’ is nothing if not a testament to the power of desire. "It is beyond reason that the heart wants what it wants...yet still it persists,” Terry concludes in the liner notes. “I imagine wherever there is the breath of life....with it will be the wanting."
Red Wanting Blue is:
Scott Terry (Vocals, Tenor Guitar, Ukulele)
Mark McCullough (Bass, Chapman Stick, Vocals)
Greg Rahm (Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals)
Eric Hall (Guitar, Lap Steel, Vocals)
Dean Anshutz (Drums & Percussion)
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
August Burns Red with special guests We Came As Romans, Hollow Front and Void of Vision will be performing at Val Air Ballroom in West Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 19th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About August Burns Red
AUGUST BURNS RED — JB Brubaker [lead guitar], Brent Rambler [rhythm guitar], Matt Greiner [drums], Jake Luhrs [lead vocals], and Dustin Davidson [bass] — released Leveler: 10th Anniversary Edition on May 21st 2021, and are gearing up to take it on the road in September/October. The band re-recorded its fourth album, which was originally released on June 21, 2011, with special guests, brand new guitar solos, alternate tunings, and more. Leveler: 10th Anniversary Edition was produced, mixed, and mastered by Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland at Atrium Audio. The vinyl was mastered by Will Putney.
"Leveler is a record we've always been proud of, and we wanted to do something special for its ten-year anniversary," says Brubaker. "We've done some cool remix projects for previous albums when they've turned 10, but with Leveler, we decided to kick things up a notch. We dove into this record and dissected the songs, rewriting solos, changing the tunings, adding new textures and elements, and got a few of our friends to do some guest spots as well. Our longtime producers Carson Slovak and Grand McFarland handled the recording/mixing and helped us take Leveler to new sonic heights. I think this is the best-sounding ABR record we've ever made, and it's going to allow people to experience the record in a whole new way. I can't wait to share this with everyone.”
Upon release, Leveler was met with near-universal praise. All Music claimed, "This kind of contrast between light and dark makes Leveler a wonderfully dynamic album that is musically engaging." Revolver declared that "August Burns Red have set their own bar even higher...and have done so for all of the scene in the process." Decibel labeled it "adventurous without the proggy aftertaste," while Exclaim! deemed it the band's best. Outburn lauded the "all-new level of musicianship,"" awarding it a perfect 10 star rating.
About We Came As Romans
We Came as Romans is an American metalcore band from Troy, Michigan. Formed in 2005, the band has gone through one name change and multiple lineup changes, and signed to SharpTone Records in 2016.
About Hollow Front
The words “hollow” and “front,” independently, can both imply a lack of substance, sincerity and passion. “Hollow” is somewhat self-explanatory, while “front” can be often likened to a façade or non genuine, staged version of one’s self. The point is that neither of the two, on their own, imply stellar things. Putting the two together is an even riskier move—however, when it comes to Michigan metalcore prodigies Hollow Front, it would appear that they’ve taken what might have otherwise been two negatives and made one Hell of a positive. Erupting from Grand Rapids, Michigan out of seemingly nowhere, Hollow Front have made a monstrous name for themselves within the contemporary metalcore community—in just over four years, no less—impressing critics and casual listeners alike with their blend of catchy, creative melodies and murky, murderously heavy metallic prowess. The result? An act that is neither hollow nor—for lack of a better term—frontin’ when it comes to creating genuine, grisly and intense metalcore.
Hollow Front’s origin is a humble one, as a metalcore act emerging from a humble midwestern city. Formed in mid-2016, the band broke water with their debut single “Speaking in Tongues”—a song that would go on to garner them attention enough to become prominent in Michigan’s tightly-knit and densely-packed metal community. It wouldn’t be too much longer until the band would release their critically acclaimed debut EP, Homewrecker. Packing catchy choruses in among aggressive breakdowns and scathing leads, Homewrecker saw Hollow Front filling a much-needed void forming as Michigan’s metal scene grew more and more divided between the extremes of heaviness and atmosphere. Homewrecker kicked off 2017 for Hollow Front much in the same way that it kicked off their entire career. Before much longer, the act would be playing with the likes of Veil of Maya and Cane Hill. As the band’s local and regional following grew, so did their worldwide fanbase—as well as their work ethic. Hollow Front would increasingly appear as regional support for large-scale metalcore acts while working on their sophomore EP, Still Life, which saw the light of day in late June, 2018. Still Life saw Hollow Front continuing along the path forged by Homewrecker, honing their dynamic to create songs that cut deep by virtue of voracious aggression yet still packed an emotional and introspective punch. Not only would Still Life’s success earn the band a boatload of Spotify plays and slots on regional shows and tours throughout the Midwest (and add to their physical fan base in the process), it would gain the attention of Fit For a King’s Ryan Kirby. Under Kirby’s direction, 2019 served as a year of growth for the band; releasing a deluxe re-issue of Homewrecker and putting in long hours on their debut full length release, Loose Threads, released in mid 2020. While COVID-19 put the brakes on touring in support of the band’s debut full length release, it certainly didn’t stop Loose Threads from getting the attention it deserved. Widely well-received by the press, Loose Threads would tack on approximately three million plays on Spotify in the few months following its release, adding to a sum total of over ten million plays for the band’s entire catalogue.
In four years’ time, Hollow Front went from an innocuous Grand Rapids metalcore act to a name recognized by enthusiasts of the genre the whole world over. Amassing a dedicated following and listeners from Michigan to Moldova, Hollow Front are among the latest additions to the UNFD Records family, joining prominent acts such as Architects, Northlane and Stray from the Path. With many things in the future hazy and unclear, one thing seems for certain: Hollow Front have only just begun to make their mark on heavy music.
About Void of Vision
“Since their burst onto the metal scene eight years ago, Australia's Void Of Vision have used their platform as a projection of anger, apathy, darkness and despair. Whether faithful fan or peripheral onlooker, the band’s previous recorded, visual and live performance elements made their bleak sentiments clear for anyone to see. Released in late 2021, the band's latest EP CHRONICLES I: LUST, smashed this perception.
The four-track effort, first introduced by singles ‘THE LONELY PEOPLE’ and ‘VAMPYR’ found frontman Jack Bergin expressing himself with an openness, clarity and purpose never before seen. While historically Void Of Vision has been an outlet for his internal angst and self-loathing, LUST, unravelled the beginning of a personal expedition to become a better human, embrace a new outlook on life, and at the same time lift his focus towards the issues and injustices in the world around him.
Now on over 1 million streams, CHRONICLES I: LUST sparked a new era in the VOV camp. With 'DOMINATRIX' at hand and the band's creative juice flowing in all directions, Void Of Vision are set to truly cement their mark on the heavy stage in 2022.”
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Marc Maron will be performing at The Englert Theatre on Saturday, August 20th, 2021.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
About Marc Maron
Marc Maron has four hit stand-up comedy specials - including “MORE LATER” (2015) on Epix, and “THINKY PAIN” (2013), “MARC MARON: TOO REAL" (2017) and 2020’s “END TIMES FUN", which was nominated for a 2021 Critics’ Choice Award, on Netflix.
With his landmark podcast WTF with Marc Maron, which averages 6 million downloads per month, Maron has interviewed icons such as Robin Williams, Keith Richards and former US president Barack Obama. He also starred in the Netflix original series “GLOW” and has had roles in the films JOKER, SPENCER CONFIDENTIAL, SWORD OF TRUST, STARDUST, and the 2021 Aretha Franklin biopic, RESPECT, alongside Jennifer Hudson.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Futurebirds will be performing at Wooly's on Tuesday, August 23rd, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About Futurebirds
Recorded at several studios (Portico, Chase Park, Rialto Row, Dialback Sound), the LP is a snarling devil-may-care batch of 12 tunes. It encompasses a seamless blend of hard rock, psychedelic alt-country and folk stylings — something signature to the unique sound, tone and attitude of the Futurebirds.
“We recorded this album all over the place,” says guitarist/singer Thomas Johnson. “In a lot of ways it kept us from bogging down, at times it was probably inefficient, but ultimately everyone of the songs captures the vibe(s) of the spaces and cities we occupied while we made it.
‘I’m Killin You’ really captures the vibe of the whole record for me. The main theme I had in my head while writing it though, was getting past the negative shit that can live on the periphery (or in the forefront) of life. Killing the bad side of human nature. Being self-aware, and being honest with yourself and trying to find peace with the person you’ve become or are becoming (or always were).”
“We’ve been putting one foot in front of the other for a decade now. Every tour, we get smarter about how we operate, how we craft a live show, how we utilize everyone’s individual talents,” guitarist/singer Carter King adds. “Every day, we become better songwriters, more comfortable as artists and producers, better business people — it’s all about teamwork.”
Now on the backside of a decade of road warrior hard-knocks and well-earned accolades, the Athens, GA rock sextet has been hitting its full stride as of late. It’s a sense of time and place where what’s most important remains at the forefront of the group’s philosophy and deeply-held personal mission — a group of friends making sonically innovative music.
“We have one of the oddest and most talented mix of people to make up a band that I’ve ever seen. Everyone is extremely talented in an assortment of different ways, hilarious, tough, creative, scrappy,” King says. “Stylistically, everyone brings something different to the band, and we’re getting better at simultaneously nurturing those differences, melding them together into one unified thing.”
With a touring schedule resembling some haphazard spider web spun across America, the Futurebirds are unrelenting in their quest to bring the melodic party to your hometown, no matter how far away the destination or how small the stage may be.
“And we’ve learned a lot about life along the way,” guitarist/singer Daniel Womack reflects. “Watching other bands rise and fall, watching the sunrise and the sunset, cried because it hurt, cried because it felt good, watching strangers turn into friends and some into family.”
“In a lot of ways the live show is the last frontier, the last thing left in the music industry that can’t be digitized and given away for free,” Johnson adds. “It’s the thing that keeps us coming back. The act of making something awesome and unique with six individuals, creating a sound-weave, connecting to the core of human existence, that’s the teamwork.”
Ultimately, the underlying message of the Futurebirds is making sure everybody feels included in the grand scheme of things — this absurd reality that is life itself — where compassion from both sides of the microphone and drinks held high, and in unison, is the name of the game.
“There’s a reciprocated energy between us and the crowd, where everyone is riding on that same wave together,” Womack says. “And when you’re in that moment, everything about this band life makes sense. The feeling that exists in that moment between the crowd and us — that’s why we do what we do. That’s Teamwork.”
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Matt Nathanson with special guest Donovan Woods will be performing at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on Tuesday, August 23rd, 2022.
DOORS: 6:30 PM // SHOW: 7:30 PM
Matthew Adam Nathanson is an American singer-songwriter whose work is a blend of folk and rock and roll music. In addition to singing, he plays acoustic and electric guitar, and has played both solo and with a full band. His work includes the platinum-selling song "Come On Get Higher".
About Donovan Woods
Donovan Woods’ latest album is an acoustic reimagining of songs we already know, and yet it reveals new shades of his acclaimed songwriting and spectral singing that leaves his listeners hanging on every word.
Released on May 3 on Woods’ Meant Well label, The Other Way mines fresh meaning from the songs first collected on Both Ways, the Canadian artist’s 2018 release that scored him his first Juno Award (contemporary roots album) and a Canadian Country Music Award (roots album). Often hailed as a songwriter’s songwriter, Woods had been nominated for a Juno a handful of times in previous years, including two nods for songwriter of the year.
The Other Way brims with luminous renditions that are stark yet startling in their urgency. As the year winds down, though, Woods’ newest songs are adding even more color to his palette. Pulsing with an electro-acoustic heartbeat, “Way Way Back” pays homage to the long shadow that old lovers often cast and the ways they creep back into our memories.
Released on December 6, “While All the While,” co-written with ace singer-songwriter Lori McKenna, is essentially Woods’ songwriting in miniature, a portrait of quotidian life that swells into a poignant meditation on how we sit with and reconcile our conflicted feelings. “Therapy helped guide me into the idea that it’s OK to be sad. I can be sad and still make jokes and laugh. I can be sad and sing. I can be sad while still being grateful and happy that people come see my shows and care about the songs I make,” Woods says.
“I brought this idea to Lori, and we tried to write a song about just that. Getting up and going on with life,” he adds. “A little celebration of the things we do while all the while a little sadness is still there with us.”
Perhaps without even knowing it, Woods has explored that feeling with quiet grace throughout his celebrated career, starting with his 2009 debut, The Hold Up. A decade later, he has become an in-demand songwriter whose work has been recorded by Tim McGraw (“Portland, Maine”), Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley (“Leaving Nashville”) and Billy Currington (“Sweet Love”), with over 200 million streams.
His secret? Fans don't just hear Woods' words – they connect with them as if his songs are telling the stories of their own lives.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Animal Collective with special guest Tomato Flower will be performing at Wooly's on Wednesday, August 24th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
Animal Collective has partnered with Plus1 to benefit Noise for Now.
Learn more at: https://noisefornow.org/
About Animal Collective
Over two decades have passed since Animal Collective accidentally began to reimagine the sound and image of what’s easiest here to call indie rock. From the start, they turned the ultimately rare trick of tucking inscrutable experiments into songs so infectious they became generational standards, empowering a new permissibility within a sometimes-stodgy scene. They helped make the world safe for The Grateful Dead and tie-dye, or indie rock open to the Gamelan and Juju. Influences, they implicitly insisted, matter less than the music and spirit they inspire. Such paradigm-bending lessons are now simply part of the paradigm, philosophical cornerstones of modern music. But Animal Collective have never sat still, even on the cornerstones they helped create.
Time Skiffs, the quartet’s first studio album in more than half a decade, feels like listening in on a conversation among four old friends, just as it felt during their inchoate early days or their Strawberry Jam heyday. These nine songs are love letters, distress signals, en plein air observations, and relaxation hymns, the collected transmissions of four people who have grown into relationships and parenthood and adult worry. But they are rendered with Animal Collective’s singular sense of exploratory wonder, same as they ever were. There are harmonies so rich you want to skydive through their shared air, textures so fascinating you want to decode their sorcery, rhythms so intricate you want to untangle their sources. Here is Animal Collective past 20, still in search of what’s next.
It has been easy in these last two years to be more anxious than ever, to give yourself over to the sense that here we are at the end of days, every day. There are traces of that on Time Skiffs, moments of worry about the future we’re creating in the present or consternation with the moments we face now. There is sadness, turmoil, mourning. But there is mostly an undeniable joie de vivre to Time Skiffs, an excitement with love and life and nature and (sometimes) people. There are extended stargazing sessions, discursive country drives, contented creative nights, long-distance phone calls. There is gratitude and acceptance and exhilaration. “It’s really new every day,” goes one line that sticks out not as some overwrought thesis but as a genuine realization, an epiphany in real time. That is the prevailing sense of Time Skiffs—that, at our absolute best, we can be ever new, always in awe of what is yet to come.
Despite the protracted gestation, Time Skiffs is shorter than most Animal Collective records. But as it ends, you long to linger for a while longer, to coexist with the band in this full state of being and feeling. That is perhaps the real feat of Time Skiffs, made by a band whose songs seemed so audacious and new that their emotional cores could sometimes be overlooked. Here is the heart of Animal Collective.
Avey Tare has said that, for him, hearing music has always been a way to be transported, to be whisked away to another time for three or seven or ten minutes at a time. These nine songs, then, are now your own Time Skiffs, your vehicles for traveling to the wilds of Western North Carolina or a sunset surrounded by seagulls or a New Orleans night making music with your friends or any other moment, however real or imagined, that floats into your mind. For these 47 minutes, you feel like you belong somewhere else, like you’ve returned to a place that feels both familiar and foreign, where reality is bent just enough to suggest some beautiful new horizon. Enjoy the trip to whenever and wherever these time skiffs may take you.
About Tomato Flower
Following the release of Tomato Flower’s stand-out future-pop debut, Gold Arc, the Baltimore unit turns their utopian impulse towards the worldly with Construction, a fresh set of densely knotted pop songs. Austyn Wohlers (guitar/keys/vox), Jamison Murphy (guitar/vox), Mike Alfieri (drums), later adding Ruby Mars (bass), meld irresistible melodies with rhythmic trickery, bending genre and palette at will.
Construction refers both to “constructedness,” processes of artifice and social construction, as well as the material activity of building. The music evokes something sculptural, reflecting the painstaking processes of material transformation that create physical objects. “Blue” comments acerbically on the profit motive; “Fancy” takes on the ambivalence of desiring success; “Aparecida” imagines a religious vision cut short by having to clock in to work. But for all their literary sensibility and taste for double meanings, Tomato Flower rejects ironic detachment. Feeling is always at the center of the songs, even when the feeling morphs and evades; “Bug” is simultaneously vulnerable and threatening, and “Taking My Time” moves from a plaintive love song to a joyous prophecy. Construction shows a band with a distinctive approach and a deep archive from which they reveal only the brightest and most confounding of pieces.
The band recorded Construction over fall of 2019 into winter of 2021 in the same time frame as their debut, Gold Arc. Much of the music came together in the peak days of COVID isolation during long days on the top floor of Austyn and Jamison’s rowhouse, overlooking aging Baltimore architecture. As a group of self-professed psychedelic nerds, the band used this time of uncertainty to stretch the limits of both study and play. The process of composing Construction combined a spirit of academic rigor and intense experimentation as they holed up and crafted pristine jewels of rock music.
For Tomato Flower, stylistic synthesis through the process of songwriting is foundational to the project of genuinely modern pop music. The band’s nuance is achieved by expanding the rhythmic and harmonic palette of a rock band while maintaining the strictness of pop songwriting and its insistence on melody. Perhaps the farthest out from the band’s usual template is “Fancy,” an extended, meditative song with shades of slowcore and shoegaze while “Bug” is perhaps the archetypal Tomato Flower song; its dense, often dissonant guitar interplay, sharp emotional shifts, and jazzy chord qualities are guided by Wohlers’s intimate lead vocal. “Blue” moves from jerky guitar riffs to an ambient outro, reflecting the band members’ shared interest in more textual, expansive types of music. “Taking My Time” sits tautly between post-punk and Bacharach-style pop music before soaring into an angelic bed of harmony; the heavenly firmament as seen through the beams of the construction site.
Construction marks the end of the first phase of Tomato Flower and the beginning of a new phase. Regrouped in Baltimore as a four-piece, they are currently working on their first full-length and playing shows up and down the East Coast and beyond.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Charles Wesley Godwin with special guest Sam Morrow will be performing at Wooly's on Thursday, August 25th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About Charles Wesley Godwin
A native of West Virginia, Charles Wesley Godwin makes cinematic country-folk that's as gorgeous and ruggedly raw as his homeland. It's Appalachian Americana, rooted in Godwin's sharp songwriting and backwoods baritone. With 2021’s How the Mighty Fall, he trades the autobiographical lyrics that filled Seneca — his acclaimed debut, released in 2019 and celebrated by everyone from Rolling Stone to NPR’s Mountain Stage — for a collection of character-driven songs about mortality, hope, and regret, putting an intimate spin on the universal concerns we all share.
"I started a family around the time Seneca came out,” he remembers. "After my son was born, I remember sitting in the hospital, thinking about how that very experience would eventually become one of those life moments that flash before my eyes when I'm old. I realized that time is passing, and my time will pass, too. Becoming a father made it all sink in."
Those realizations quickly found their way into his writing. If Seneca painted the picture of a southern son in the middle of American coal country, then How the Mighty Fall — produced once again by Al Torrence — zooms out to focus on wider themes of time, transience, and the choices we make. Songs like "Strong" "Bones" and "Blood Feud" are roadhouse roots-rockers, driven forward by fiery fiddle, lap steel and plenty of electric guitar. Godwin does most of his painting with more subtle shades, though, often waiting until How the Mighty Fall’s softer moments to make his biggest impact. On "Cranes of Potter," he delivers a murder ballad with finger-plucked acoustic guitar and elegiac melodies, unspooling the narrative with a storyteller's restraint. Meanwhile, "Temporary Town" finds him returning to West Virginia after spending five years in the midwest, celebrating his homecoming not with barely-contained enthusiasm, but with measured excitement, light percussion, and a steadily-building arrangement."I try to write with a sense of place," he explains. "Up until now, that setting has always been my home, but I don't think this new album is as locally-focused as my previous release. I hope these songs will connect with people wherever they live."
The son of a coal miner father and a schoolteacher mother, Godwin began forging those musical connections in 2013, while studying abroad in Estonia. He'd learned the acoustic guitar several years earlier, looking for a diversion after failing to secure a spot on the West Virginia University football team. Halfway across the world in Estonia, he started strumming songs in his apartment, summoning the sights and sounds of West Virginia for a group of new friends who'd never laid eyes on the state. Fans were made, gigs were booked, and Godwin launched his full-time music career shortly after graduation.
Marriage soon took him to Ohio, where his wife worked as a fundraiser. Even so, West Virginia remained at the forefront of Godwin's mind, and he saluted the area's influence with his 2019 debut. Seneca was a hit, with Billboard praising the album’s "the vivid language and scenic ambience," and Rolling Stone enthusing, "His voice, with its tight, old-world vibrato, is perfect.” Godwin hit the road in support of its release, touring domestically one minute and selling out shows in European destinations like Stockholm the next. When the global pandemic brought his touring to a halt, he set his sights on How the Mighty Fall, creating the album during a period that also witnessed the arrival of his son and the migration of his growing family back to West Virginia.
Charles Wesley Godwin has never been afraid to blur the lines, and How the Mighty Fall proudly straddles the borderlands between several genres. It's a country album by an Appalachian-borne folk singer and blue-collar believer, laced with enough electricity to satisfy the Saturday night revelers and enough scaled-down acoustic balladry to soundtrack the slow, gentle pace of Sunday morning. For every "Lyin' Low" — a driving folk anthem, its larger than-life melodies flanked by banjo — there's a softly sweeping song like "Lost Without You," which finds Godwin's voice echoing between stretches of pedal steel and symphonic strings. This is music for campfires and car rides, for pool halls and mountain peaks, for big-city diehards and small-town loyalists. It's Charles Wesley Godwin at his best, diving into character studies and richly-created fiction while still offering glimpses of the man behind the music.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Tech N9ne with special guests Joey Cool, X-Raided and ¡Mayday! will be performing at The Admiral in Omaha, Nebraska on Sunday, August 28th, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
About Tech N9ne
One of the most insane, influential, and impactful legacies in hip-hop belongs to Tech N9ne. He has consistently accomplished the impossible from outside of the system. He’s bucked every trend, overturned all expectations, and not only built a culture, but a whole damn world with Strange Music.
There’s only one way to describe a rapper on the eve of his 50th birthday with a bigger audience than ever, wilder shows than ever, and crazier flows than ever—and it’s the title of his twenty-second full-length album, ASIN9NE [Strange Music].
“It’s asinine for Tech N9ne to be rapping like this going into his fiftieth birthday,” he laughs. “All of the fear is gone. It’s just stupid as fuck, as we used to say back in the day. It’s weird. It’s wonderful. It’s crazier than ever, man.”
The craziest thing is how far he’s come since co-founding Strange Music back in 2000. The Kansas City, MO rapper has gone from packed Midwest underground shows to the annual Forbes “Cash Kings” list multiple times, the cover of XXL, the playlists of Sir Elton John and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and national commercials for the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. Beyond tallying billions of streams and views, he has scored four platinum singles (“Am I A Psycho?” [feat. B.o.b & Hopsin], “Worldwide Choppers” [feat. Ceza, JL B.Hood, USO, Yelawolf, Twista, Busta Rhymes, D-Loc, & Twisted Insane], “Hood Go Crazy” [feat. 2 Chainz & B.o.B], and “Caribou Lou” [feat. Krizz Kaliko]) and three gold singles (“Fragile” [feat. Kendrick Lamar, ¡Mayday!, & Kendall Morgan], “Dysfunctional,” and “The Beast”) as well as a gold album (Everready). He has notched 23 entries on the Billboard Top albums Chart and remains the record holder for “most Top 10 albums on the rap chart.” Not to mention, he cracked the Top 5 of the Billboard Top 200 four times. His collaborators have ranged from Eminem, The Doors, Lil Wayne, Tupac, Boyz II Men, T.I., MGK, Flatbush Zombies, and Gary Clark, Jr. to Slipknot, System of a Down, Deftones, and Logic. Mainstream went Tech when he ignited ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel LIVE!Meanwhile, Complex mused upon “How Kendrick Lamar Became a Star With Help From Tech N9ne.” He has sold out hundreds of shows as part of a relentless schedule. Not to mention, he introduced his own craft beer Bou Lou—in partnership with Kansas City’s own Boulevard Brewery.
Throughout 2021, he wrote and recorded ASIN9NE. Posting up millions of streams in advance, he teased the album with a string of fan favorites, including “Kickiter” [feat. Shao Dow], “Close Your Eyes” [feat. Kiddo Al], “Take Your Halo,” and “I Been Thru A Lot” [feat. Stige]. Of this marathon run, HotNewHipHopattested, “Tech N9ne just keeps blessing us with dope music.” Now, the album opens with the statement-making “The Herder.” Ominous funeral organ groans underneath back-masked vocals before Tech launches into a succinct salvo of staccato rhymes. Over a rock-infused soundscape, he speaks on his place in the game with the perfect metaphor...
“I am the ‘G.O.A.T. Herder’,” he grins. “I’ll take that title over ‘The G.O.A.T.’, because I’m making all of the ‘G.O.A.T.’s’ move. Whenever I send my verses to these ‘G.O.A.T.’s’ like Slim Shady, Wayne, T.I.P. or K. Dot, I push them to go harder. I’m not trying to outdo people; I’m just trying to do my best every time I drop.”
On “Too Good” [feat. Lil Wayne & Mumu Fresh], he delivers one quotable bar after another, living up to the title in the process. Mumu Fresh blesses the track with otherworldly soul, while Wayne—on his third track with Tech—devours the beat.
“Wayne followed the theme of the song, and it was perfect,” he goes on. “The synergy between Mumu Fresh, Wayne, and myself was such a surprise. It’s three quasars on one track. ‘Too Good’ is its own planet.”
“Clydesdale” [feat. E-40] gallops towards a hilarious hook “about big booties.” He goes on, “I think all women are beautiful no matter what, but my preference is thick and juicy.” Then, there’s “Zaza” [feat. Marcus Yates]. Tech’s little cousin Marcus lends his simmering R&B croon to what he describes as “a sexual record, because I’m three-dimensional.”
“No See Umz” [feat. Snow Tha Product & Russ] brings together three independent forces of nature. “In Puerto Rico, St. John, and the Caribbean, I always end up bit by bugs at night, and the locals refer to them as ‘No See Umz’,” he explains. “We’re using this metaphor to talk about keyboard warriors who talk shit, but won’t show their faces. Y’all know where we’re at, come talk to us.”
Incisive raps slash with Michael Myers-esque bloodlust over shuddering John Carpenter-inspired production on “Heightened.” Marking a full circle moment, “What Rhymes With Threat’ll Kill Ya” [feat. NNUTTHOWZE, Zkeircrow, Phlaque The Grimstress] sees Tech reunite with his NNUTHOWZE brothers for the first time since the nineties.
Everything culminates on “Special” [feat. Ashten Ray with accents by T-Pain]. Bright guitar and finger-snaps shine alongside Tech’s vivid storytelling before Ashten croons the hook, “The power is within you, just reach in deep inside.” It’s all uplifted by T-Pain’s instantly recognizable harmonies.
“I always try to end albums on a positive note,” he says. “I wanted to say ‘Thank You’ to my fans in another way after all of these years. I’m telling them, ‘I feel special because of you. All of this music is because of you. I want to show out for you’.”
Speaking of showing out, Tech welcomed quite possibly the most unbelievable, unexpected, and downright asinine guest possible for a secret track bound to shock and awe in the best way. You’ll have to listen, but you’ll smell what he’s been cooking up when you hear it.
In the end, Tech may be decades deep, but he’s just getting started...
“No matter what’s hot in the streets or how the modern era of music is changing, I’m not going anywhere,” he assures. “I’m still right here. I’m still Dracula. We’re not slowing down. I want you to listen to the album and know that I’ll never stop. This one takes you on a rollercoaster ride. It makes you want to hear more—and I’m going to give you more.” – Rick Florino, September 2021.
About Joey Cool
Midwest rapper Joey Cool perfected his style over the course of years spent in Kansas City clubs and underground circles before catching the attention of a wider audience. Fiercely independent, Cool released his own mixtapes and developed a confident, free-flowing style as the years went on. Eventually, his non-stop hustle led to connections with Tech N9ne and his Strange Music label. Multiple Strange Music artists collaborated with Joey before he was offered a deal with the label and they delivered his self-titled full-length in the summer of 2018. Born and raised in Kansas City, Joey Cool spent years rising to prominence in his local circles, releasing music and booking shows independently as he developed his style.
About X-Raided
Anerae Brown, better known by his stage name X-Raided, is an American rapper and a former 24th Street Garden Blocc Crip gang member.
About ¡Mayday!
¡Mayday! is an American hip hop group from Miami, Florida. The group comprises rappers Bernardo Garcia and Ben Miller along with producer, and percussionist Andrews Mujica; keyboard player and guitarist Aaron Eckhart, drummer Terrel, and bassist Gianni Perocapi were part of the group until 2015.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Read Southall Band will be performing at Wooly's on Tuesday, August 30th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About Read Southall Band
A very isolating 2020 needed shifts in musical direction to get to a place where new music, let alone theRead Southall Band’s crowning achievement could even exist. Their third studio album, For the Birds, is ambitious and captures vigorous, rock ‘n’ roll energy with elements of country and southern rock. From classic to contemporary rock, these are songs that could appeal to the disparate fanbases of Gary Stewart, Joe Walsh, Rival Sons, or Chris Cornell.
American Songwriter called For The Birds, "Exploratory... Traversing through uncharted sonic territory" and Raised Rowdy proclaims, "There is a ton of excitement building around Read Southall Band at the moment."Riff Magazine notes, "Read Southall Band combines the heavy guitars of the late-and post-grunge era with southern rock vocals and a country music sensibility to create a sound outside the expectations of any of those genres by themselves.”
“I don’t think we would be a band without this album,” says frontman Southall. “I think for a while we were just focused on touring, getting out there and we didn’t take care of the music as needed. In a way, we needed that year off the road. We made an album and just worked. We’re focused and decided this is what we want to be doing.”
Southall and his bandmates understand that the album’s long gestation and their sonic shifts may take some adjustment for fans. But that excited uncertainty is reflected in the new album’s title. “We came up with For the Birds because it’s been so long and we were worried that nobody’s waiting for us,” says Southall. “So maybe this record is ‘for the birds.’ If you like it, you like it. It is what it is. For us, it’s six individuals making tunes.”
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Crowbar with special guests Druids, HeavyWeight and Rezinator will be performing at Gabe's in Iowa City, Iowa on Friday, September 2nd, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About Crowbar
Kirk Windstein – Vocals/Guitar
Matthew Brunson – Guitar
Tommy Buckley – Drums
Jeff Golden – Bass
Hope ya’ love it slow, hard and heavy, because the rebirth of CROWBAR is upon us.
Make no mistake: the massively influential merchants of sludge never went away. But as the band’s 25th year of existence dawns and their tenth full length album is unleashed upon the world, co founder, frontman and riff-making warhorse Kirk Windstein is determined to give the band he unapologetically calls his “baby” the total dedication it demands. The unrestrained push and relentless concentration surrounding Symmetry in Black is music to the ears - figuratively and literally – for new adherents and the legion of underground fans and fellow musicians who swore allegiance to Crowbar long ago.
Symmetry in Black is the perfect album to arrive in the number ten slot of the Crowbar catalog, a penultimate achievement embodying the early sloth of doom touchstone Obedience Thru Suffering (1991), the moody dissonance of modern classic Odd Fellows Rest (1998) and the crisp thunder of the album’s eOne Metal predecessor, Sever the Wicked Hand (2011), with nuggets of Crowbar’s storied history sprinkled throughout.
The crushing signature sound of Crowbar is at its peak on Symmetry in Black, the band’s most diverse yet cohesive release. It was co produced with fellow New Orleans resident Duane Simoneaux, who worked on Sever the Wicked Hand and mixed by Josh Wilbur, whose diverse credits include work with Lamb Of God, Gojira and Killer Be Killed.
“We needed to move our sound forward but at the same time, make sure everything stayed 100% true to who and what we are,” Windstein explains. “The album is heavy, dark and killer. There’s everything we are on here. It’s just Crowbar 2014. We’re really proud and excited. And where we stand with Crowbar right now, we can only go up.”
Crowbar’s influence looms over every doom band started since, even stretching to NWOAHM bands like Unearth, Chimaira and Killswitch Engage, whose bassist, Mike D’Antonio, did the artwork for Crowbar’s last album. Throwdown covered “Planets Collide” back in 2007. Underground bands like Primitive Man and Vengeful have tackled Crowbar classics, as well. Hatebreed covered “All I Had (I Gave)” and the band’s frontman, Jamey Jasta, is such a fan he
started the Kingdom of Sorrow side-project with Windstein. He eventually came onboard as a Crowbar manager and advisor, as well.
The sludgy, swampy, boundary pushing, ball-busting spirit of Crowbar and their extended family is as synonymous with New Orleans as Black Metal is with Scandinavia, old-school hip-hop with the Boogie Down Bronx and hair metal with Hollywood’s Sunset Strip. The resilience of the hurricane hardened populace, the scent of slow-cooking seafood, the horrific haunts of The House of Shock and the ferocity of the never-sparkling, grim killers of Anne Rice’s old-school vampire books all lurk somewhere within the Crowbar sound, oozing with the primitive weight of Black Sabbath and Saint Vitus.
Windstein has cleared his calendar in order to put every ounce of his focus into what he lovingly calls “the family business,” charging full-throttle into worldwide touring in support of Crowbar’s new masterpiece, together with drummer Tommy Buckley (by his side for nearly a decade), longtime guitarist Matt Brunson and new bassist Jeff Golden.
“I’ve heard Lemmy say it and I’ll say the same thing: there’s been times where I was the only member in Crowbar, just like Lemmy in Motörhead,” says Windstein. “When we did the Lifesblood for the Downtrodden record [in 2005], there wasn’t a band. That’s why Craig Nunenmacher, who was in Black Label Society, played drums. And Rex Brown, who is still a great friend, played bass and produced. We jammed, but there wasn’t a band.”
Crowbar in 2014 is rock solid, with everyone in the quartet unified by a shared vision.
Crowbar’s New Orleans DNA is shared by their brothers in bands like Eyehategod, Soilent Green, Goatwhore and Graveyard Rodeo, who started around the same time. Each group is an innovator in its own right, markedly different from one another, but sharing some sort of intangible vibe. Rock has been in Windstein’s blood from day one.
“I was born in 1965 in England,” he explains. “We didn’t leave until ’66. My dad was there for the whole Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, The Beatles thing as a young guy in the Air Force. He was a Stones fanatic that was his favorite band. Elvis, too.”
Kirk Windstein fell in love with hard rock thanks to Kiss and Van Halen, before going headfirst into the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. The debut records from Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax were super important for him, too. It’s funny to think about now, but the man whose career has been defined by doom was once in thrash bands. But the deeper he delved into the Black Sabbath catalog, with a little extra spice from The Melvins seminal Gluey Porch Treatments debut and the crossover rumblings of the late Peter Steele’s pre-Type O Negative band Carnivore, Windstein found his muse.
Let everyone else play as fast as they can. “I ended up saying, ‘you know what? I want to do exactly the opposite.’ So I tuned the guitars as low as they could go. At the time, I didn’t even
understand what gauge strings to use. Play it slow and as doomy as shit.”
He played in early incarnations of what would become Crowbar (operating under different names, like Shell Shock, Aftershock, Wreqiuem and The Slugs) with Jimmy Bower in 1989. Bassist Todd Strange was onboard before The Slugs renamed themselves Crowbar in 1991, with drummer Craig Nunenmacher and guitarist Kevin Noonan.
“Everyone hated us at first because we were doing something so different,” Windstein recalls with a laugh. “We’d turn up the volume know for the feedback, let a chord ring out at the end of a song and go right into the next one. I wouldn’t talk to the crowd. If we’d stop for a few moments, it would be crickets. Nobody knew what to make of it.”
Obedience Thru Suffering unveiled to the world what Crowbar had developed in New Orleans. The patronage of Pantera frontman and fellow New Orleans resident Phil Anselmo gave Crowbar a leg up. He produced their sophomore album, 1992’s Crowbar and wore a Crowbar/Eyehategod shirt in the video for the Pantera classic, “I’m Broken.”
Beavis and Butthead even featured Crowbar videos and Pantera took them on tour. Anselmo and Windstein joined forces in the supergroup Down, together with Strange, Bower, and Corrosion of Conformity’s Pepper Keenan. The band’s 1995 major label debut, NOLA, eventually went platinum with over 1 million sales in the United States alone. Down continued off and on for the next twenty years, releasing two more full-length albums, a handful of EPs and more. But as much as Windstein loved being in the band, he realized the scheduling was shortchanging his main priority, Crowbar.
“I am thoroughly proud of the 22 years I was in Down,” Windstein states emphatically, stressing his departure was nothing personal on either side. Sever the Wicked Hand enjoyed incredible reviews and put Crowbar on the Billboard 200 for the first time, but the momentum generated by the band and their label partners ended too quickly.
“As soon as that ball got rolling, I got an email that we were about to do this or that with Down. Do I miss Down? Of course I miss those guys, the music. I’m very proud of the legacy of Down. But Crowbar is my baby, my creation. Now that I have nothing to stop me from throwing nothing less than 100 percent into Crowbar, it’s a fantastic feeling.”
The 25 years of working on Crowbar in fits and starts has culminated in a renewed focus on world domination, embarked upon by a tight knit lineup sharing a common goal. “We’ve grown so close as a band since this became my biggest focus,” Windstein says. “I’m always open to side things here and there, like Kingdom of Sorrow, but nothing is going to stand in the way of what Crowbar does ever again. This is my musical focus.”
“We’ve gone through a lot,” he adds. “Our drummer had prostate cancer. What Tommy went
through with his health brought us closer together, because we were there for him as friends. The morale has never been higher since we were kids. It’s equivalent to when me and Jimmy and Todd first got this thing rolling back in 1989. I’m hungry again.”
About Druids
Formed in 2008, Druids set out to be heavy and loud. Influenced by classic metal and psychedelic rock, Druids found their groove in songwriting, becoming more focused and progressive.
About HeavyWeight
Hailing from the small overlooked town of Muscatine, IA, HeavyWeight started out as just a means for 4 guys to play music while holding down the basic adult juggling act of family and work which grew into much more.
With musical backgrounds ranging from doom style rock/ metal to the fast paced hardcore style, HeavyWeight molds all these sounds into one solid monster wall of sound.
About Rezinator
Rezinator is a three piece doom metal band hailing from Davenport Iowa. Rezinator’s sound is a perfect blend of churning heavy riffs, swirling layered effects and powerful deep vocals. The band formed in 2017 and has since released one three song demo in 2018 and a full length album in march of 2020. Dan Freitag (bass/vocals), Joe Ronnebeck (guitar) and Justin Kelley (drums/backing vocals) are long time friends from different musical backgrounds who each bring a unique sonic personality to the band. Rezinator has shared the stage with acts such as Karma to Burn, Order of the Owl, Aseethe and many others. For fans of Weedeater, Electric Wizard, Black Sabbath etc…Previous and current acts the members of the band have performed in include Pit Lord, Xenospawn, Crater, Dead Ginger, the Archimedes Death Ray and Hunter Station.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Crowbar with special guests Green Death will be performing at xBk in Des Moines, Iowa on Saturday, September 3rd, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About Crowbar
Kirk Windstein – Vocals/Guitar
Matthew Brunson – Guitar
Tommy Buckley – Drums
Jeff Golden – Bass
Hope ya’ love it slow, hard and heavy, because the rebirth of CROWBAR is upon us.
Make no mistake: the massively influential merchants of sludge never went away. But as the band’s 25th year of existence dawns and their tenth full length album is unleashed upon the world, co founder, frontman and riff-making warhorse Kirk Windstein is determined to give the band he unapologetically calls his “baby” the total dedication it demands. The unrestrained push and relentless concentration surrounding Symmetry in Black is music to the ears - figuratively and literally – for new adherents and the legion of underground fans and fellow musicians who swore allegiance to Crowbar long ago.
Symmetry in Black is the perfect album to arrive in the number ten slot of the Crowbar catalog, a penultimate achievement embodying the early sloth of doom touchstone Obedience Thru Suffering (1991), the moody dissonance of modern classic Odd Fellows Rest (1998) and the crisp thunder of the album’s eOne Metal predecessor, Sever the Wicked Hand (2011), with nuggets of Crowbar’s storied history sprinkled throughout.
The crushing signature sound of Crowbar is at its peak on Symmetry in Black, the band’s most diverse yet cohesive release. It was co produced with fellow New Orleans resident Duane Simoneaux, who worked on Sever the Wicked Hand and mixed by Josh Wilbur, whose diverse credits include work with Lamb Of God, Gojira and Killer Be Killed.
“We needed to move our sound forward but at the same time, make sure everything stayed 100% true to who and what we are,” Windstein explains. “The album is heavy, dark and killer. There’s everything we are on here. It’s just Crowbar 2014. We’re really proud and excited. And where we stand with Crowbar right now, we can only go up.”
Crowbar’s influence looms over every doom band started since, even stretching to NWOAHM bands like Unearth, Chimaira and Killswitch Engage, whose bassist, Mike D’Antonio, did the artwork for Crowbar’s last album. Throwdown covered “Planets Collide” back in 2007. Underground bands like Primitive Man and Vengeful have tackled Crowbar classics, as well. Hatebreed covered “All I Had (I Gave)” and the band’s frontman, Jamey Jasta, is such a fan he
started the Kingdom of Sorrow side-project with Windstein. He eventually came onboard as a Crowbar manager and advisor, as well.
The sludgy, swampy, boundary pushing, ball-busting spirit of Crowbar and their extended family is as synonymous with New Orleans as Black Metal is with Scandinavia, old-school hip-hop with the Boogie Down Bronx and hair metal with Hollywood’s Sunset Strip. The resilience of the hurricane hardened populace, the scent of slow-cooking seafood, the horrific haunts of The House of Shock and the ferocity of the never-sparkling, grim killers of Anne Rice’s old-school vampire books all lurk somewhere within the Crowbar sound, oozing with the primitive weight of Black Sabbath and Saint Vitus.
Windstein has cleared his calendar in order to put every ounce of his focus into what he lovingly calls “the family business,” charging full-throttle into worldwide touring in support of Crowbar’s new masterpiece, together with drummer Tommy Buckley (by his side for nearly a decade), longtime guitarist Matt Brunson and new bassist Jeff Golden.
“I’ve heard Lemmy say it and I’ll say the same thing: there’s been times where I was the only member in Crowbar, just like Lemmy in Motörhead,” says Windstein. “When we did the Lifesblood for the Downtrodden record [in 2005], there wasn’t a band. That’s why Craig Nunenmacher, who was in Black Label Society, played drums. And Rex Brown, who is still a great friend, played bass and produced. We jammed, but there wasn’t a band.”
Crowbar in 2014 is rock solid, with everyone in the quartet unified by a shared vision.
Crowbar’s New Orleans DNA is shared by their brothers in bands like Eyehategod, Soilent Green, Goatwhore and Graveyard Rodeo, who started around the same time. Each group is an innovator in its own right, markedly different from one another, but sharing some sort of intangible vibe. Rock has been in Windstein’s blood from day one.
“I was born in 1965 in England,” he explains. “We didn’t leave until ’66. My dad was there for the whole Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, The Beatles thing as a young guy in the Air Force. He was a Stones fanatic that was his favorite band. Elvis, too.”
Kirk Windstein fell in love with hard rock thanks to Kiss and Van Halen, before going headfirst into the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. The debut records from Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax were super important for him, too. It’s funny to think about now, but the man whose career has been defined by doom was once in thrash bands. But the deeper he delved into the Black Sabbath catalog, with a little extra spice from The Melvins seminal Gluey Porch Treatments debut and the crossover rumblings of the late Peter Steele’s pre-Type O Negative band Carnivore, Windstein found his muse.
Let everyone else play as fast as they can. “I ended up saying, ‘you know what? I want to do exactly the opposite.’ So I tuned the guitars as low as they could go. At the time, I didn’t even
understand what gauge strings to use. Play it slow and as doomy as shit.”
He played in early incarnations of what would become Crowbar (operating under different names, like Shell Shock, Aftershock, Wreqiuem and The Slugs) with Jimmy Bower in 1989. Bassist Todd Strange was onboard before The Slugs renamed themselves Crowbar in 1991, with drummer Craig Nunenmacher and guitarist Kevin Noonan.
“Everyone hated us at first because we were doing something so different,” Windstein recalls with a laugh. “We’d turn up the volume know for the feedback, let a chord ring out at the end of a song and go right into the next one. I wouldn’t talk to the crowd. If we’d stop for a few moments, it would be crickets. Nobody knew what to make of it.”
Obedience Thru Suffering unveiled to the world what Crowbar had developed in New Orleans. The patronage of Pantera frontman and fellow New Orleans resident Phil Anselmo gave Crowbar a leg up. He produced their sophomore album, 1992’s Crowbar and wore a Crowbar/Eyehategod shirt in the video for the Pantera classic, “I’m Broken.”
Beavis and Butthead even featured Crowbar videos and Pantera took them on tour. Anselmo and Windstein joined forces in the supergroup Down, together with Strange, Bower, and Corrosion of Conformity’s Pepper Keenan. The band’s 1995 major label debut, NOLA, eventually went platinum with over 1 million sales in the United States alone. Down continued off and on for the next twenty years, releasing two more full-length albums, a handful of EPs and more. But as much as Windstein loved being in the band, he realized the scheduling was shortchanging his main priority, Crowbar.
“I am thoroughly proud of the 22 years I was in Down,” Windstein states emphatically, stressing his departure was nothing personal on either side. Sever the Wicked Hand enjoyed incredible reviews and put Crowbar on the Billboard 200 for the first time, but the momentum generated by the band and their label partners ended too quickly.
“As soon as that ball got rolling, I got an email that we were about to do this or that with Down. Do I miss Down? Of course I miss those guys, the music. I’m very proud of the legacy of Down. But Crowbar is my baby, my creation. Now that I have nothing to stop me from throwing nothing less than 100 percent into Crowbar, it’s a fantastic feeling.”
The 25 years of working on Crowbar in fits and starts has culminated in a renewed focus on world domination, embarked upon by a tight knit lineup sharing a common goal. “We’ve grown so close as a band since this became my biggest focus,” Windstein says. “I’m always open to side things here and there, like Kingdom of Sorrow, but nothing is going to stand in the way of what Crowbar does ever again. This is my musical focus.”
“We’ve gone through a lot,” he adds. “Our drummer had prostate cancer. What Tommy went
through with his health brought us closer together, because we were there for him as friends. The morale has never been higher since we were kids. It’s equivalent to when me and Jimmy and Todd first got this thing rolling back in 1989. I’m hungry again.”
About Green Death
In 1998, guitarist Erich Tran was in a band called W.A.D., while also working at Best Buy in Des Moines, IA. There he met 16 year old Sol Bales who was in another band at the time. In August, 2001, Sol joined W.A.D., but by early 2002 that band had disbanded.
A few months later, following an audition for downthesun, Erich realized he wanted to keep working with Sol on a new project. ONLY was formed with Sol and the original W.A.D. bass player. Mark Reinking (Sparky) joined ONLY as a rhythm guitarist in 2003.
After a 10 year run of countless shows, several CD releases and many lineup changes, the trio of Erich, Sol, and Sparky found themselves as the only remaining full-time members. Tired, burned out, and frustrated with the band’s inability to solidify the lineup, they even debated hanging it up permanently.
They felt the last batch of unrecorded songs were really strong, however, and touched more on their musical roots – more in the thrash, death, and traditional heavy metal vein – than ONLY had. At this point in their lives they wanted to have those songs professionally recorded, just to have something to show for the last few years of work. In Sept 2012, they ultimately decided to record 3 tunes, with Sparky playing bass and Erich playing drums as wells as their guitar duties. Thus Green Death was born. Sol came up with the name from a list of many. Everyone loved it, and after local artist Jason Handy created the logo, it solidified the new name and direction of the band. The resulting EP was entitled “Dawn of the Death”.
With that recording, the trio realized that lacking a full band wasn’t going to stop them from progressing and releasing music. And after a decade of honing their craft they were finally hitting their musical stride.
Following the release of a second EP (2013’s “Death Monks”), Green Death began performing live, with bassist Parker Willis joining in 2013, and drummer Ryan Berrier in 2014.
Since its inception, Green Death has released a full length debut album (“The Deathening”, on CD /DVD and vinyl), opened for countless national bands, been featured in Decibel magazine, released numerous music videos, and won the 2014 Lazer 103.3 – Lazerfest Battle of the bands.
In 2015 with a solid lineup, Green Death has released a #1 Amazon album, “Manufacturing Evil” and will be performing that KNOTFEST 2015 alongside Slipknot, Judas Priest, Mastodon, and Cannibal Corpse. And embarking on their 1st 10-day tour. 2015 is shaping up to be a big year for the band as they continue to make waves without a record labels support.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Steve 'n' Seagulls will be performing at Wooly's on Wednesday, September 7th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About Steve 'n' Seagulls
Steve 'n' Seagulls is a Finnish country band, playing bluegrass versions of well-known hard rock and metal songs. The band became known in the summer of 2014 with the publication of videos on YouTube. Especially popular was the band's version of "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC, which has over 130 million views on YouTube.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Motion City Soundtrack will be performing at Slowdown in Omaha, Nebraska on Wednesday, September 7th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:30 PM // SHOW: 7:30 PM
About Motion City Soundtrack
"You know who the fuck we are…"
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Pecos & The Rooftoops will be performing at Val Air Ballroom in West Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, Septmeber 9th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About Pecos & The Rooftops
Pecos & the Rooftops are a close knit group of friends from northeast Texas that came together while in college in Lubbock. The band is Pecos Hurley (Vocals/Acoustic Guitar), Brandon Jones (Rhythm Guitar), Zack Foster (Lead Guitar), Kalen Davis (Bass), and Garrett Peltier (Drums).? Their latest E.P. “Red Eye” released January 24, 2020.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Yola with special guest Jac Ross will be performing at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on Saturday, September 10th, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
About Yola
It’s a paradigm shift.”
And as simply as that, Yola encapsulates the giddy expansiveness, stunning emotional breadth, and exponential musical growth of her sophomore album Stand For Myself, out July 30. She may only be saying four words, but it’s a whole new world.
Everything about the album—musically, lyrically, spiritually—explores the epiphany that making decisive choices leads to
freedom. If her critically acclaimed 2019 debut Walk Through Fire was an exhilarating exercise in country soul, Stand For Myself explores the concept of genre. The album features a fluidity of sound that defies categorization weaving elements of symphonic soul, mellifluous pop melodies, disco grooves, rootsy rawness, and ecstatic gospel power into a package with instant appeal.
For those who fell in love with the singular British artist on Walk Through Fire—and the love affair was fierce with both critics and the Recording Academy which recognized Yola with four Grammy nominations—listening to Stand For Myself is like stepping out of Kansas into Oz. Home may have been cozy and full of great songs, but it’s time to take the Yola ride in full Technicolor. And there’s no place like Stand For Myself.
“The album is like a window into my mind, my life experiences, my politics, my hopeful and sentimental sides, and my hope for humanity at large,” she says of the 12-track collection that covers a wide swath of ground in its 45 minute-plus running time. At her most melodically and lyrically free, it is an album of both artistic freedom and subtle social commentary, that Yola hopes will connect personally with anyone who has experienced being made to feel “other.”
Yola makes exciting new vocal choices on Stand For Myself. While her gale force power remains undiminished, she probes the layers of her instrument. “So often people come out all guns blazing and they don't navigate nuance,” she says of her purposeful vocal approach. “I thought, do you know what? Instead of punching out of the gate with absolutely everything I have, I'm going to really try and navigate nuance.”
The results show themselves in glorious fashion as she pushes herself to both higher and lower registers, modulates her attack with laser-like precision and generally explores new textures on songs like the transporting title track, the addictive “If I Had To Do It All Again” and the slow-burning “Great Divide” which deftly balances grit and light.
Lyrically, she explores the difference between surviving and thriving (the languid R&B soul-searcher “Barely Alive”); inventively imagines new outcomes grappling with mortality (the inventive “Break The Bough”); frolics in the intersection of sentimentality and sexuality (the deeply sensual “Starlight”); recognizes the value of allyship (“Be My Friend” featuring vocal contributions from Brandi Carlile); and takes control of her own destiny on the anthemic title track. In examining and embracing the various elements of her identity: black, female, empathic, creative, erotic, bawdy, sophisticated, curious, intelligent, and more, Yola takes listeners on a journey to self-actualization that they might not even realize they’ve been on until the album ends.
“That's it,” she says accompanied by one of her deeply infectious laughs. “I want to trick people into empathy and self-actualization!”
On the title track, she urges the listener to stand for themselves and those around them by challenging biases that fuel bigotry, inequality and tokenism which have deeply impacted her personal life and professional career. “It is about how people continue to bury their heads in the sand to hide from inconvenient truths that create a profound need to change how they think,” she says.
Her own journey to Stand For Myself was a somewhat circuitous route, for which, in hindsight, Yola could not be more grateful.
As the anniversary of her debut album approached in February 2020, the artist was intended to embark on opening dates in arenas and stadiums with Chris Stapleton, headline and festival gigs, and a journey to Australia to play Sister Rosetta Tharpe in Baz Luhrmann's untitled Elvis biopic starring Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker and Austin Butler as Elvis. Second album recording was to happen sometime in and around all of that. She got in one show with Stapleton before COVID-19 derailed those plans and headed home with an eerie sense of the unknown looming in front of her.
Finding herself in lockdown back in Nashville allowed Yola to have something she hadn’t experienced in a year, time.
“I wasn't seeing anybody and I was just staying up until five o'clock in the morning until my brain was really fuzzy and hazy and then ideas would just jump out,” she says. “I studied my creative process to the point where I knew what kind of state my brain needed to be in to generate ideas and knew what time of day my ideas turn up and so the whole process was ‘Okay, I'm going to start writing some things now explicitly for this record.’"
Over the course of some weeks she brought her early morning visions to life, alongside song ideas she had been
germinating for the last decade. Pandemic-penned ideas were developed with Joy Oladokun, Ruby Amanfu, fellow Highwoman Natalie Hemby, Bobby Wood, Pat McLaughlin, and more. She headed back into the studio for a week in October 2020 with Walk Through Fire producer Dan Auerbach and a fresh band of collaborators including Dap-King bassist Nick Movshon (Sharon Jones, Amy Winehouse), drummer Aaron Frazer, who plays with Durand Jones and the Indications and is an emerging artist in his own right, and in-demand session percussionist Sam Bacco (Sheryl Crow, Johnny Cash), among others.
The pair got the work done quickly thanks to Yola’s own prodigious studio work, her new sense of purpose and the ability to work with a creative partner who understood her in a new way. “Walk Through Fire was a collaboration, in the truest sense of the word,” she says of the album that grew out of her personal story of literally and figuratively surviving harrowing experiences that spawned fan favorites like the title track and “Faraway Look.” “It was a getting-to-know-you record.” She says, “Dan and I talked about the music that we had in common, and then we found that middle ground.”
After a year of touring, learning, writing, and introspection Yola was able to record Stand For Myself as the person she has known herself to be for years because what wasn’t new about the album was her innate sense of self. She wanted to show her vulnerability, her hope, her intricacies, and to ultimately uncover all of those things for the listener.
“I want people to feel like they know a dark-skinned black woman, a little better,” she says. “I could be the first, and all with an English accent and a chocolate bar skin tone. I will be an example of nuance that one can reference that someone might not have had, because the media does not want to portray us in a way that is nuanced.”
If, she says, the first record was about introducing a person who, at a low point, recognized the need to ask for help, this
second one illuminates that “I've been proven through this fire and I'm back to where I started, the real me. I kind of go
t talked out of being me and now I'm here. This is who I've always been in music and in life. There was a little hiatus where I got brainwashed out of my own majesty, but a bitch is back.
About Jac Ross
In a time when change is needed more than ever, the enigma Jac Ross emerges carrying enough pain to incite cultural change and the love to remind us we’re all the same. For Jac Ross, his soul-stirring vocals are deeper than the ears that hear them. The sounds of his voice tell the stories of struggle and success, but most importantly impress a glimmer of hope in the
hearts of those who witness his silky and powerful harmonies.
Jac Ross embodies the iconic voices that shifted culture with songs such as “What’s Going On?”, “Change Is Gonna Come”, ”Strange Fruit”, “Fight The Power” and “The Blacker The Berry”. Singing upbuilding lyrics that advocate for cultural, social, and political issues, the vocal agent of change draws from the struggle of his own life experiences, almost like a Ta-Nehisi Coates-esque novel to deliver riveting engaging music that represents his community.
Raised in the small town of Live Oak, FL, Ross’ adoration for music emanated from a bevy of factors. Exposed to an array of iconic soul and r&b singers, paired with the influence of his father’s career as a preacher, Ross’ precocious talent was nurtured at the early age of five. Though he came from a very strict household, Ross’ parents skillfully cultivated his talents by allowing him to dictate his own pace and tempo as a musician.
As the self-taught pianist was polishing his craft in high school, he later bloomed finding interest in basketball, earning some attention to play on the collegiate level. Ross’ decision to decline those offers was due to his faith, love and confidence in his musical prowess. After completing high school, the determined musician gave himself seven years to make it in the music industry.
During his seven-year climb, Ross’ journey was an arduous one. Ross’ hardships included recording in the dining room of his house, his child being born with a paralyzed arm — to his family being evicted to pay for their daughter’s surgery. Still, despite those colossal setbacks, Ross’ unwavering faith served as the vehicle to his glorious comeback.
The self-proclaimed “Faith Dealer” noticed his luck changing when his co-writer Mezo, encountered R&B savant, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins at a mall in Florida. After an exchange of emails, Jerkins fortuitously opened the one which included Ross’ song “Gotta Be Mine. Mesmerized by Ross’ spellbinding vocals, Jerkins asked for the rising singer to come visit him in-person for a meeting at his Orlando home. There, Ross delivered a riveting rendition of Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” and an original song he crafted called “Freedom.” Enthralled by Ross’ musical makeup, Jerkins elected to sign the singer to his label Darkchild Records and work with him on his debut EP.
After recording a whopping 88 songs, he and Jerkins began shopping around at different labels in hopes of finally finding a home. In 2019, Darcus Beese, President of Island Records personally signed the singer and now, Ross looks to shake the world with his debut project in 2020.
Off to a speedy beginning, the emerging talent has already captured the attention of Ms. Cathy Hughes, founder and chairperson of Urban One Inc., who handpicked the crooner to open Urban One Honors, a televised special. The standing ovation received from cultural heavy hitters such as, Jamie Foxx, Billy Porter, Missy Elliott, Brandy, Chance the Rapper and others on his debut tv performance— speaks to Ross’s unique ability to capture audiences and his music that uplifts people of all ages. With more to come from Jac Ross, he has already begun to cement his place as the premier artist to watch going into the next decade.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
OM with special guest Zombi will be performing at Wooly's on Monday, September 12th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About OM
Where GOD IS GOOD was the first step in a more ornate and sophisticated direction for OM, ADVAITIC SONGS achieves a level of composition that would’ve been impossible to foresee.
There remains the singularity of purpose that is the core of all OM records, but no single reason can account for this comprehensive nature of their evolution.
On this album the core primary sound of OM remains, yet everything reaches further and becomes more of itself. Whatever drone-doom camp that OM had
previously been placed in has been decimated by the sheer imagination and expansive quality of this recording. For a band that has continually followed its
own course, and stood alone in its sound and approach, ADVAITIC SONGS for certain, is the band’s most focused, progressive document.
About Zombi
In metal and punk, there's a shorthand for describing bands who model their sound on known genre benchmarks -- if a band sounds like pre-Heartwork Carcass, you can call them "Carcass worship" and plenty of people will know what you mean. Bands who use the famous Discharge beat play d-beat, though "Discharge worship" is a style in its own right. And so on.
I became interested in Pittsburgh's Zombi when I heard them described as a Goblin worship band. There's more to it than that, of course, but I want to start there, because Goblin's soundtracks for Romero and Argento movies hold a permanent place in my heart. In the early 2000's, there weren't many bands writing lost-giallo-soundtrack music -- there are more now -- and Zombi's pastiche approach to composition fascinated me. Their Relapse Records debut, Cosmos, came charging out of the gate with its central influence on its sleeve, unmistakable to the already-initiated. No horror fiend could hear it without experiencing a profoundly dislocating sense of having been here before -- but not here, exactly: rather, somewhere like here. That's the spindle around which Steve Moore & Anthony Paterra have, over the past twenty years, wound threads of near-infinite variety. To describe what their work feels when you hear it requires us to venture a little out into the theoretical weeds.
One of the pleasures we get from music is the shock of the new. There are few listeners, if any, who aren't, in some sense, thrill seekers; we listen for new sounds, for daring experiments, for different styles. We hunger for novelty. But this hunger, I'd argue, is actually a fairly recent development, and is something apart from the need for variety: poets and writers and lawyers of the Roman empire, in the vastly varied canon of work they left behind, insist again and again that their stories, their themes, and their conclusions are all soundly rooted in Greek sources. Medieval English authors, too, make innumerable asides to their readers which amount to "I'm just passing along something I heard elsewhere."
But here's the thing about that, which was no secret to any of those Roman or English authors: nothing gets passed along without being changed by the hands that do the passing. Any act of assemblage or reenactment or re-creation alters the source upon which it acts. Usually, we only notice this in the negative -- when, for example, we say somebody's trying too hard to sound like Nirvana (themselves great practitioners of pastiche) -- but, in the hands of a band like Zombi, imitation is the ground floor upon which to build structures that serve, simultaneously and in real time, as reflections of, glosses on, questions about, and endlessly generative hashmarks added to the surface of the blueprint. Marginalia: the alchemy of reversing the flow from source to tributary, the practice of time travel.
They do this by messing with the details -- a process of personalization in which countless other elements contemporary to the single identifiable source are smuggled quietly in: synth beds more Jarre than Simonetti ("XYZT"), guitar approaches audibly more American-TV-in-'84 than Italian-horror-in-'79 ("Breakthrough & Conquer"), digitized Peter Gunn riffs that open onto a 1986 cinema vistas in 7/4 (“Thought forms"). The harder you dig in, the more you find; any given Zombi song is a collage whose constituent parts lead the listener on a scavenger hunt whose eventual bounty finds connections we might otherwise have labored for years to make. From Heldon to Jan Hammer, from "Spiral Architect" to "Being Boiled." To listen to Zombi is to wander down hallways where every familiar turn opens onto an unexpected view that somehow always feels exactly right. The process of worship: reorientation toward the source, becoming receptive to new information flowing from a known place.
This is the magic of Zombi's music, for me -- the known place that transforms right before our eyes into a new place, the new genus consisting of known grafts. It is always fresh, and always feels like a place I might have visited before, but haven't. There's a dreamlike quality to this process of collage: and dreams, I think, are where we hope music will take us, at least some of the time.
The arrival of a new album from Zombi is always one of those times.
--John Darnielle, Durham, NC, May 2020
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Hannah Wicklund will be performing at Reverb Lounge in Omaha, Nebraska on Monday, September 12th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About Hannah Wicklund
Fronted by 22 year old triple threat vocalist, songwriter and guitar player, Hannah Wicklund & The Steppin Stones boasts a resume that can be hard to match for most multi-decade musicians. With over 2,500 shows under their belt, three completed albums and festival appearances at Peach Music Festival, Firefly Music Festival and Kaaboo Del Mar, Hannah Wicklund & The Steppin Stones are on their way to becoming Rock & Roll’s next marquee act. Formed in 2006, by a then eight year old Wicklund, the band has come along way from playing Janis Joplin and Neil Young covers. Between then and now,Hannah Wicklund & The Steppin Stones have been billed alongside legacy acts such as Jefferson Starship, Kansas and The Marshall Tucker Band. Fast forward to now, one year after the 2018 release of their 10 track self titled album, Hannah Wicklund & The Steppin Stones has amassed over 2.5mm streams on their most recent project and have been billed alongside current and legendary chart topping mainstays such as X Ambassadors, Cage the Elephant, Tom Petty, Alanis Morissette and Muse.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Wild Rivers will be performing at Wooly's on Tuesday, September 13th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:30 PM // SHOW: 7:30 PM
About Wild Rivers
Indie trio Wild Rivers (Khalid Yassein, Devan Glover, and Andrew Oliver) have a gift for penning introspective lyrics and genre-fluid melodies that transmit wisdom beyond their years. Their anticipated full-length album, Sidelines—co-produced by Peter Katis (The National, Interpol, Sharon van Etten) and Wild Rivers and recorded in Connecticut, Los Angeles and Khalid and Devan’s college town of Kingston, Ontario (where the two originally met and began making music together)—touches on coming-of-age themes and embracing the unknown.
Sonically, Wild Rivers pull from a spectrum of sounds, imbuing pop, rock, indie, and folk into each song’s blueprint. “We all listen to a wide range of music, from hip-hop to indie rock to pop,” Devan says. “We like to pull our favorite parts of every genre and patch them together and see what works and see what feels good.”
As they embark on the next chapter of their journey, Wild Rivers, who first caught audiences’ attention with their 2016 self-titled debut, followed by two EPs (2018’s Eighty-Eight and 2020’s Songs To Break Up To), are especially eager to take Sidelines on the road. The live setting is where they originally cultivated a dedicated following and opening for celebrated acts like The Paper Kites, Donovan Woods and Jake Bugg. Building an authentic relationship with fans, while channeling classic singer-songwriters like James Taylor and Fleetwood Mac, has been vital to Wild Rivers’ connection with audiences across the globe.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Dirt Honey with special guests Dorothy and Mac Saturn will be performing at Val Air Ballroom in West Des Moines, Iowa on Wednesday, Septmeber 14th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:30 PM // SHOW: 7:30 PM
About Dirty Honey
Some musicians take a while to build an audience and connect with fans. For the Los Angeles-based quartet Dirty Honey, success came right out of the gate. Released in March 2019, the band's debut single, "When I’m Gone," became the first song by an unsigned artist to reach No. 1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart. Their second single, "Rolling 7s," went into the Top 5 and was still headed up when COVID changed everything. That same year, Dirty Honey opened for The Who, Guns ’N Roses, Slash, and Alter Bridge and was the "do-not-miss-band" at major rock festivals such as Welcome to Rockville, Rocklahoma, Louder Than Life, Heavy MTL, and Epicenter. On its first U.S. headline tour in January and February 2020, the band sold out every date.
When it came time to record its self-titled full-length debut album, the band—vocalist Marc LaBelle, guitarist John Notto, bassist Justin Smolian, and drummer Corey Coverstone—wasn't about to mess with what was already working. Teaming up with producer Nick DiDia (Rage Against the Machine, Pearl Jam), who also produced the band's 2019 self-titled EP, Dirty Honey again captured the lightning-in-a-bottle dynamics and energy of their live sound.
"As a guitarist, I'm always inspired by the everlasting pursuit of the perfect riff," says Notto. "I also wanted to extend the artistic statement that we had already made. We weren't looking to sound different, or prove our growth, necessarily. It was more about, 'Oh, you thought that was good? Hold my beer.'"
"Because of the pandemic,” added drummer Coverstone, “we had a lot more time to write and prepare, which was great. It meant that we were able to workshop the songs a lot more, and I think it really made a difference."
Dirty Honey's album indeed builds on the band's output to date, with airtight songwriting that plays up their strengths: sexy, bluesy, nasty rock'n'roll, melodic hard rock, and soulful 70s blues-rock. On "The Wire," LaBelle reaffirms his status as one of contemporary rock’s best vocalists, while “Another Last Time” is a raunchy, timeless ballad about a toxic relationship that you just can’t stop saying goodbye to. “Tied Up” and the album’s lead single “California Dreamin,’’ both feature smoking guitar solos bookended by massive riffs and hooks.
“‘California Dreaming’ was the last song we wrote,” said bassist Justin Smolian. “We finished it about two weeks before we recorded it, so the song was still so new, and we were trying out different things, so every take was a little different. But there was that one where we just captured it, and it was magic."
Although each band member started playing music as kids—at the age of eight, Notto's parents even bought him a red-and-white Stratocaster—each one brings eclectic influences to Dirty Honey's sound. For example, drummer Coverstone has studied with jazz and L.A. session drummers but loves heavy metal; Notto grew up listening to ’70s funk and R&B as well as rock 'n' roll, and bassist Smolian has a bachelor of music in classical guitar and loves Tom Petty and The Beach Boys.
LaBelle meanwhile, takes cues from his songwriting idols (to name a few, Robert Plant, Steven Tyler, Mick Jagger, Chris Robinson, and the late Chris Cornell) when coming up with lyrics. As a result, the songs on the Dirty Honey album hint at life's ebbs and flows—shattering heartbreak, romantic connection, intense soul-searching—while giving listeners space to draw their own conclusions.
"Sometimes, if you just let lyrics pass behind your ears, they sound like cool shit is being said," LaBelle says. "And then once you dive in, you realize, 'Oh, that's really thoughtful.' But it still doesn't have a meaning that's easy to pinpoint. There's an overarching idea that is really cool, but it's not necessarily on-the-nose."
Although the Dirty Honey album may sound effortless, its genesis had a bumpy start. The day before the band members were due to fly to Australia to track the album, Los Angeles entered lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and traveling was off the table. However, Dirty Honey was still eager to work with DiDia, so they devised a Plan B: recording the full-length in a Los Angeles studio with one of DiDia's long-time engineers, and the producer beamed into the proceedings via the magic of modern technology.
"He was able to listen to what we were laying down in real-time, through this app," says LaBelle. It was like he was in the room with us. It was surprisingly seamless the way it all went down."
Having to switch gears delayed the start of recording slightly, although this extra time ended up being a boon. Dirty Honey rented a rehearsal space and demoed the album's songs in advance, meaning the tracks were in good shape when DiDia came onboard. Notto mixed and recorded these workshopped tracks himself, which helped him rediscover one of Dirty Honey's biggest strengths: being well-rehearsed while not over polishing their work.
"I've learned just a little bit more about what people might mean when they say, magic—you know, 'This one has the magic,'" he says. "We would do two and three different demos of a song, so there would be a few versions. On a few occasions, the version that people kept going back to was the sloppiest, if you look at it from a performance standpoint."
LaBelle agrees. "It's just about getting the performance right and not thinking about it too much. I never like to be perfect in the studio. None of the stuff that I really liked as a kid was. I don't really see myself getting away from that too much in the future just because I think you lose the soul if you do it too many times, if it's too perfect."
Notto also admits that the creative process isn't necessarily always all fun and games. But for him and the rest of Dirty Honey, pushing through those tough times and coming out stronger on the other side is worth it. "When you finally come through on those moments, that's where the real magic comes in," he says. "What makes all of our songs fun to play and listen to is we don't allow ourselves to stop short of getting the best possible results out of each one of them."
About Dorothy
Dorothy Martin’s life changed forever when she was forced to face death on her tour bus some three years ago. After her guitar technician had taken an overdose, and the light began to lift up and out from his body, Dorothy instinctively began praying for his survival. While he may have temporarily died, the technician was astonishingly, miraculously restored back to life as Dorothy and her crew formed a prayer circle near his body. It was this moment that seemed to bring Dorothy to life too. She was gifted a rebirth with a divine intervention that caused a radical and spiritual awakening in the singer, the result of which can be heard on Gifts From The Holy Ghost, Dorothy’s third studio album as front woman for the pseudonymous, blues-rock band Dorothy.
Gifts From The Holy Ghost is the album she’s always wanted, and has perhaps been destined to make. Born from a sense of divine urgency, it is Dorothy’s most bombastic and gloriously, victorious rock and roll work yet. Each song built on triumph—the unshackling of chains, the slaying of demons with a sword of light—the album is a healing and remedial experience, made to unify listeners and point them towards a life full of purpose. It is Dorothy’s greatest gift yet. “This album had to get made, I felt like I had a mission,” she said.
While the band’s first, irreverently named album ROCKISDEAD, was made on a combination of whiskey and heartbreak—inspiring Rolling Stone to name them one of rock’s most exciting new acts, and Jay-Z to sign them to his label Roc Nation—Gifts was built on recovery, health, and holiness, in a way that reverses the clichéd ‘good girl gone bad narrative’.
With the combined powers of Keith Wallen, Jason Hook, Scott Stevens, Phil X, Trevor Lukather, Joel Hamilton and the legendary ear of Chris Lord Alge, Gifts From The Holy Ghost is made from a musical palette which seems to encompass each of the musician’s influences, as well as many of the essential sounds of rock music’s history—from swampy blues to ‘90s alternative —in a way that makes the case for rock and roll itself. Not only is the genre alive, but it’s more invigorated than ever.
“I think this album is going to speak to a lot of people, it’s meant to be healing, unifying, eye-opening, ear-opening, heart-opening and celebratory,” Dorothy said, adding: “I wanted to make the realest album I could make, and I went in with the question does this make me feel alive? Does it make me feel free? If a song didn’t give me chills or make my heart soar, then it didn’t make the cut.”
Born in Budapest, Hungary, Dorothy has always been an instinctual writer and artist. Throughout her life, she’s been asking the big questions, both in and outside her art: ‘What’s the meaning of life? Why are we here? How are we here?’ When she couldn’t find the answers to those questions, she’d numb out the empty uncertainty with drugs and alcohol. She was eventually admitted to rehab and a new chapter was opened in her spiritual journey. Now, with angels whispering in her ear and the spirit moving her steps, she’s found her answers. “I’m just here to impart inspiring messages to people while having fun and rocking out!”
You can hear Dorothy’s powerful resilience across the album, particularly on “Big Guns”, which finds the singer at her boldest; sauntering over slide guitars as she steps into combat. Anthems like “Rest In Peace” bring a sweeping cinematic scope to the album, whereas “Black Sheep”, a rallying cry for unity, explodes with layered gang vocals: “we are blood, we are family,” Dorothy breaks curses, going toe-to-toe with the blistering guitar riffs.
The album’s lyrics are a perfect balance of specificity and generality, so that the listener can attach their own darknesses and triumphs to the songs, while still getting a sense of Dorothy’s own. “We are all one human family.” she declares.
Does that mean Dorothy has overcome all of her own adversities? “It’s a journey and it’s about progress not perfection,” she responds. “I’ve had a lot of deep revelations about my life, stuff I hadn’t been able to cope with until now. Now I’m learning new tools.” With Gifts From The Holy Ghost, Dorothy identifies her purpose as an artist. She conquers darkness with light, numbness with feeling, disharmony with unity—all while delivering one of this year’s most fun rock & roll records.
About Mac Saturn
Start with a double shot of smooth Motown groove, mix in a spicy dash of Rolling Stones gritty swagger and a dollop of J. Geils Band hi-energy intensity, shake well - and treat yourself to a super-cool swig of the Mac Saturn band from Detroit, Michigan. Known for serving up exciting live shows with elements of classic rock, funk, and R&B, the quintet’s style has been affectionately coined ‘Rust Valley Rock & Roll’ by fans and collaborators. Mac Saturn is dynamically fronted by Carson Macc, who’s been co-writing and performing songs with guitarist Nick Barone since they were metro Detroit teens. Then an aspiring drummer, Macc was keen to learn that Barone was a budding guitar player with a similar ear for Motown, jazz, and blues. The duo quickly began to collaborate and sold out their first live appearance at The Pike Room in Pontiac, MI before their 18th birthdays. With Barone fronting the group and Macc holding down the drum kit, the pair cut their rock chops by gigging tirelessly around Metro Detroit, breaking through the immense static of an oversaturated local scene to garner praise from some of Detroit’s hometown heroes. Experimenting with various lineups, the duo finally solidified as a quintet – adding bassist Jive Moses, drummer Angelo Coppola, and lead guitarist Mike Moody. Bassist Jive Moses’ mature, versatile playing and ear for arrangement meant he could keep pace with the always-evolving musical styles of songwriters Macc and Barone. As Carson Macc emerged from behind the kit to front the band with two free hands, the trio tapped Angelo Coppola, a veteran drummer of over 600 live shows despite his tender age. And Mike Moody, Mac Saturn’s lead guitarist and a childhood friend of both Macc and Coppola, was lured home to Detroit from Los Angeles after years of fronting the L.A.-based award-winning blues outfit The Real Stills.
Mac Saturn was discovered by Greta Van Fleet Grammy-winning producers Al Sutton, Marlon Young, and Herschel Boone in the summer of 2020. The band has since been hard at work recording their debut release at Sutton’s Rustbelt Studios in Royal Oak, MI.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Larry Fleet with special guest Megan Moroney will be performing at Wooly's on Friday, September 16th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
Presented by Black Buffalo
About Larry Fleet
Larry Fleet is an American country music singer. Signed to Big Loud in 2019, he has released two albums and three singles.
About Megan Moroney
"Okay, so I'm from Georgia, born in Savannah. Didn't live there long. I moved to Douglasville, Georgia - which is west of Atlanta. For college I went to UGA. My parents moved about 45 minutes away from Athens, because my brother also went to UGA and it made sense. I got into music early on, as my dad was in a band and my brother plays guitar, so I just grew up around it. My whole life, as far back as I can remember, we had a music room in my house. Now we have 2 music rooms - one that has wood floors and wood furniture so the sound is great, then we have a "live" room that has microphones and stuff. That's where I practice. I have always been able to sing and did a lot of talent shows growing up so I got comfortable singing in front of people. Growing up I would listen with my dad to The Eagles, Jackson Browne, James Taylor and so many others. Because of that I have always listened to words. As I started to grow up, I never thought of music as a profession - like I went to school to be an accountant. I just always loved lyrics so I started songwriting, fell in love with the process and I wasn't too bad. I moved to Nashville like 8 months ago. I graduated in the middle of COVID so I didn't know if it was a good time to move, but I went for it. There hasn't been much for me to do besides write songs, but shows are starting to pick up which I'm excited for."
Fresh to Nashville, Megan Moroney flew out of the gates with her vibey debut single "Wonder" on February 26th and has instantly turned heads. This song is different and one of a kind, taking you through a conversation and putting some catchy word choice and compelling instruments to complement Megan's voice. You know a song is hittin' when you listen to it for the first time and have an obnoxious head bob going …. and you have no idea you're doing it. That may or may not have been me listening to "Wonder" for the first time and looking like a complete dumbass, but hey a good song is a good song. In a town filled with artists chasing sounds that "work", Megan is showing her authentic sound and is putting out music with both heart and soul. A very bright future for this Georgia native.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Melvins will be performing at The Waiting Room Lounge in Omaha, Nebraska on Monday, September 19th, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
About Melvins
The Melvins are one of modern music’s most influential bands. Having formed in 1983 Montesano, Washington, the group founded by singer/guitar player Buzz Osborne (with stalwart drummer Dale Crover joining the following year), has been credited with merging the worlds of punk rock and heavy music, forming a new subgenre all its own. Over the band’s nearly 40-year history, they’ve released over 30 original albums, numerous live full-lengths and far too many to count singles and rarities. Most recently they released the 36-track acoustic collection Five Legged Dog, featuring reinterpretations of some of their heaviest songs as well as covers from their favorite artists. In the course of their discography, they've partnered with Jello Biafra, Mudhoney, and Fantômas for individual releases and toured the world many times over. In fact, the band had the misfortune to be in both Christchurch and Tokyo for their 2011 earthquakes. In 2012, the Melvins completed the “51 States in 51 Days” (50 states +DC) tour, which was chronicled in the film “Across The USA in 51 Days.” The current incarnation of the band is Osborne, Crover, and Steven McDonald (Redd Kross/OFF!). Previous line-ups include a pairing of Osborne and Crover with Big Business band members Jared Warren and Coady Willis, a four-piece featuring the current trio plus Butthole Surfers’ Jeff Pinkus, as well as Melvins Lite, which partners Osborne and Crover with Mr. Bungle’s Trevor Dunn. Sometimes, if you’re extra lucky, one version of the Melvins will open for the Melvins.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
American Aquarium with special guest Mike McClure will be performing at Wooly's on Wednesday, September 21st, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About American Aquarium
“Country music was the voice of the people. It wasn’t always the prettiest voice, but it was an honest voice,” says American Aquarium founder and frontman BJ Barham. “I think that’s where country music has lost its way.” He pauses, then adds, North Carolina accent thick and voice steady: “I operate in the dark shadows of what we don’t want to talk about in the South.”
These days, those shadows are tall and wide, making it hard to recognize a neighbor, family––even yourself. On American Aquarium’s new album Lamentations, Barham shines light on dark American corners with heartbreaking conversations, long looks in the mirror, and empathetic questions, all through songwriting that is clear without sacrificing its poetry, and direct without losing its humanity. “As a songwriter, my number one job is to observe and then translate what I observe into a song, a story, a lesson,” Barham says. “I’d be doing myself and the listener a huge disservice if I didn’t talk about the things I see, which is a country, divided.”
As much as Barham appreciates an indignant protest song or one-sided anthem, he isn’t writing them. Instead, on Lamentations he’s making the political personal, reaching out to humanize folks with opposing viewpoints, and offering dignity instead of demonizing. The result is the strongest writing of Barham’s already stout career. “I’m still very much standing up for what I believe in––I don’t think anyone can question what side of the aisle I stand on,” he says. “But hopefully people listen and at least try to understand why their Sunday School teacher wears a Trump hat.”
Barham has built a fiercely devoted fanbase hundreds of thousands strong, fortified with 15 years of sold-out American Aquarium shows across the country and Europe. The band’s 2018 release Things Change strode confidently into that distinct territory where rock-and-roll and politics meet, prompting Rolling Stone to announce Barham “earns every bit of his Southern Springsteen cred.” In 2019, the American Aquarium lineup also shifted again: Shane Boeker remains on guitar, and bassist Alden Hedges, keys player Rhett Huffman, pedal steel ace Neil Jones, and drummer Ryan Van Fleet joined the group.
A beloved live band known for consistently playing at least 200-250 dates a year, American Aquarium chose to be more selective in 2019, winnowing the schedule to 92 shows. For Barham, sober for six years now, is a dad to a toddler and still happily married, the adjustment was a must. “We’re learning how to balance being in our mid-30s and being rock-and-rollers,” he says. “Being home was the most rewarding experience. It allowed me to be creative and write about things that really matter.”
Lamentations reflects that elevated focus. Barham, who is no longer religious but was raised Southern Baptist, wrote down the word “lamentations” in 2018, and knew it’d be his next album title before he’d written a single song for the record. He felt an anchoring connection to the word itself––defined as “the passionate expression of grief or sorrow”––but also to the Old Testament book in the Bible. “Lamentations is one of the few books in the Bible where there’s this doubt of God––this guy, crying out to the heavens, like, Why? If you love us so much, why did you let Jerusalem fall to Babylon?” Barham says. “I saw a direct correlation between that and a Southern man today who voted for Trump. I wanted to write about a broken America and all the things that lead a human being to doubting something. Every song on this record touches on something a little different.”
Album opener “Me and Mine (Lamentations)” is brooding and stormy, plaintive acoustic guitar undergirding Barham’s weathered vocals. Searching, frustrated, and sad, the song was written from the perspective of a conservative Southern voter who feels unseen, unheard, and short on hope. The broader message is immersive and immediate: Settle in and listen closely. Times are hard, and this record is going to talk about it. Barham, who doesn’t agree with the song’s protagonist politically, imbues him with respect and sympathetic fatigue. “There are so many people who come out nowadays and say, If you voted this way, you’re a racist. You’re a misogynist. You’re a nationalist,” he says. “But that was my teacher, my librarian, my uncle. I know they aren’t bigots. So instead of saying, You’re a bad person because you did this, I want to know why you did this. I want to talk to you about this.”
Upbeat guitar rocker “Dogwood” follows, with a tragic story wrapped up in singalong lines. Barham points to the song and “Luckier You Get,” with its Springsteen vibes and an ear-worm chorus, as two of the album’s more lighthearted moments. “Bright Leaf” is another musical moment ready for a crowd, offering a clear-eyed look at the tobacco farms and industry of Barham’s home through sharp lyrics that thousands will shout-sing right back at him.
Featuring wry pedal steel and a shuffling back beat, “Better South” is an alternative anthem, written and sung by a native Southerner who believes in change. Line after line, “Starts with You” shows off Barham’s self-deprecating wit: “They say you’re only as sick as your secrets / If that’s the truth then, friend, I’m dying / Spent a lifetime salvaging shipwrecks, / Falling so long I thought I was flying.”
Throughout the record, the only victim of Barham’s harsh tongue is himself. Heartbreaking “How Wicked I Was” pleads for narrative omissions when it comes to explaining the past to his little girl. Album highlight “Learned to Lie” cuts just as deep: Barham delivers a gut-wrenching confession over lonely piano. Raw and intimate, its look at how we hurt the ones we love evokes the unblinking candor of 60s and 70s Loretta Lynn––that extreme honesty Barham first valued in country music, and now misses. “That was one of the first songs I played for the boys in the band, and they were like, ‘Are you sure you want to record that?’” Barham says. “It’s a hard song to talk about. It’s a heavy song. For better or worse, I’m going to be real with you live. I’m probably going to make you uncomfortable. And that I think that’s a beautiful part of rock-and-roll.”
“Six Years Come September” is another heartbreaker, masquerading at first as a familiar story before a sobering plot twist. “As a songwriter, that’s the best feeling in the world––ruining someone with lyrics and a well-executed story,” Barham says. He points to album closer “Long Haul” as a frontrunner for his own favorite track. Perhaps the closest the record comes to jubilation, “Long Haul” rolls through three steadfast commitments Barham holds true and dear.
Ultimately, Lamentations is a thrilling portrait of an artist and his band reaching new levels of skill, consciousness, and potential after 20 years in the trenches. Unruly and sincere, Barham emerges as an important American voice––and an unlikely peacemaker. “I’ve had to work really hard to carry water as a songwriter,” he says. “It feels really good to be in my mid-30s, writing songs that I think matter. I think when you listen to this record, something is going to change in you. You’re going to feel something. That’s the most important part of songwriting: making someone feel.
About Mike McClure
Mike McClure started playing guitar at the age of ten, after watching Willie Nelson in Honeysuckle Rose. As a kid, he honed his music in the garage behind his parents house in Tecumseh, Oklahoma, then moved to Stillwater in the early 90s, where his musical education continued at The Farm - the infamous birthplace of Red Dirt Music. McClure is a founding member and lead singer of the legendary Oklahoma band, The Great Divide, and fellow Okie Garth Brooks recorded one of his songs. The singer/songwriter has also produced albums for numerous bands, including the Turnpike Troubadours, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Jason Boland & the Stragglers, Kaitlin Butts, Tom Skinner, Whiskey Myers and many others. He has spent three decades as a touring musician and released ten albums of his own. If you look at the last several years of his life, you realize there has been a life-altering awakening. There has been reckoning, renewal and growth - some by choice, some by fate. Looking Up, a highly acclaimed album released in 2020, finds him getting sober, wrestling with insecurity, and finding new love for both himself and others, as he discovers the best way to live is to live in truth and to be present, no matter what. Forever an inspired songwriter, Mike McClure is currently recording new songs with The Great Divide, and will record an album of co-writes with his wife Chrislyn Rose under the name Crow and Gazelle next year. In 2022, Mike was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Satsang with special guest Graham Good will be performing at Wooly's on Saturday, September 24th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About Satsang
“I just want to write and perform songs that touch the heart and help others”. Letting go of genre, expectation, and boxes, Satsang has leaned into the power of songwriting to drive their forthcoming release, Flowers From The Fray (the band’s 5th album in 6 years) due out Fall 2022.
Recorded and self-produced with the help of bandmate and longtime collaborator Parker Brown, this record finds the duo tucked away in a secluded cabin in Southwest Montana digging back into the foundation on which Satsang was founded on. “These songs were all so personal to me” says Drew McManus. “Whether it was really sifting through the stage of life I had found myself in which was a kind of dark night of the soul, or leaning into the love of my wife. This record is truly me bearing my heart. I needed to seclude myself to find out where these songs wanted to go, and having Parker’s musical guidance had a big hand in that.”
This record, coupled with the band's last release All. Right. Now. is a maturing. A growing into the songwriter and musicians that the band was destined to be. A settled and firm foundation of influences and sound that brings every external aspect in and finds it internalized and distilled into “Flowers From the Fray”.
About Graham Good
Northern Colorado songwriter, Graham Good, hailed as the “messiah of modern rock” (Nick Stock, Jambands.com) fills the room with his zest for life, hope, and joy. He connects to audiences with authenticity and an amazingly infectious smile. Graham is refreshingly vulnerable and honest about the ups and downs of life through his music. You can expect heartfelt original songs that you'll be humming after the set, as well as lots of smiling and laughing at a Graham Good show.
When not playing solo gigs, Graham is the lead singer and driving force behind the rising popular band Graham Good and the Painters.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Led Zeppelin 2 will be performing at Wooly's on Sunday, September 25th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit with special guest Olivia Jean will be performing at Val Air Ballroom in West Des Moines, Iowa on Sunday, September 25th, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
Health & Safety Protocols
Please be informed that preventative health measures (e.g. proof of negative COVID-19 test or full COVID-19 vaccination, masks) may be required for this event. Details of any necessary measures will be established based on government guidelines, and will be communicated as early as possible and shared on our website and social media channels.
If you have questions about vaccines or want to get a vaccine, please visit Vaccines.gov to find the nearest vaccine provider near you.
About Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit
Jason Isbell has established himself as one of the most respected and celebrated songwriters of his generation. The North Alabama native possesses an incredible penchant for identifying and articulating some of the deepest, yet simplest, human emotions, and turning them into beautiful poetry through song. Isbell sings of the everyday human condition with thoughtful, heartfelt, and sometimes brutal honesty. Isbell broke through in 2013 with the release of Southeastern. His next two albums, Something More Than Free (2015) and The Nashville Sound (2017), won Grammy Awards for Best Americana Album & Best American Roots Song. Isbell's song "Maybe It's Time" was featured in the 2019 reboot of A Star Is Born.
His most recent full-length album, Reunions (2020), is a critically-acclaimed collection of ten new songs that showcases an artist at the height of his powers and a band fully charged with creativity and confidence. In April of 2021, it was announced that Isbell would appear in the upcoming Martin Scorsese film, Killers of the Flower Moon.
In October 2021, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit released a special new covers album, Georgia Blue. Created to celebrate Georgia’s role in the 2020 election, the record consists of new versions of thirteen songs with ties to the state, including tracks originally recorded by Georgia natives R.E.M., Drivn’ N’ Cryin’, James Brown, Cat Power, Precious Bryant, Otis Redding, The Black Crowes, Indigo Girls, Now It’s Overhead, Gladys Knight & The Pips, The Allman Brothers Band and Vic Chesnutt. All proceeds will benefit three non-profit organizations: Black Voters Matter, Fair Fight and Georgia STAND-UP.
About Olivia Jean
Olivia Jean is a garage rock artist based in Nashville, Tennessee. Born and raised in Detroit, she is heavily influenced by the Detroit garage rock music scene. She signed to Third Man Records in 2009 as lead songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist for The Black Belles. Following The Black Belles she has released two solo albums “Bathtub Love Killings” and “Night Owl” both released on Third Man Records. She has also been an accompanying musician for artists including Jack White, Wanda Jackson, April March, Karen Elson, and Steven Colbert.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Jamestown Revival with special guest Field Division will be performing at Wooly's on Monday, September 26th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:30 PM // SHOW: 7:30 PM
About Jamestown Revival
Jamestown Revival have made the quietest record of their career with Young Man, yet it may resonate the most. Recorded in their home state of Texas, it is their first project without electric guitars, with the emphasis instead on skillful songwriting, flawless harmony, and intricate fingerpicking. In addition, it’s the first time that bandmates Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance have created an album with a producer -- in this case, Robert Ellis, a fellow Texan and a recording artist in his own right.
“I really think this is an album about coming of age and settling into an identity,” Clay says. “It’s about losing your identity and searching for it. It’s feeling like you found it and then realizing that’s not it. And it’s about our experiences over the last 15 years of making music – the successes and failures and all of those things mixed up together.”
Sonically the album draws on inspirations such as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and The Doobie Brothers (particularly “Black Water”), yet there’s also a dusty Western feel to Young Man, similar to a Guy Clark or Townes Van Zandt album where the detailed backdrop and acoustic arrangements convey the story as eloquently as the lyrics do.
“This is our first excursion with fiddle and we didn’t hold back,” Chance says. “We wrote a lot of these songs about the questions and the perspectives now that we’re a lot older and have been doing this longer. It’s almost like having a conversation with ourselves at times. We wanted it to feel earthy and rootsy, so the fiddle was a big part of that identity.”
A sense of spaciousness came naturally in past projects like 2014’s Utah, recorded in the Wasatch Mountains, and 2019’s San Isabel, recorded in a Colorado cabin. This time, the band opted for a studio for the first time, choosing Niles City Sound in Fort Worth, Texas. Studio co-founder Josh Block engineered Young Man to evoke the experience of musicians huddled together, singing and playing without headphones or click tracks. Chance and Clay are joined on the session by their longtime rhythm section of bassist Nick Bearden and drummer Ed Benrock.
“The songs move, the tempos move, but we really wanted to capture the performances,” Clay explains. “We wanted the songs to push and pull as they needed to, and not to have to adhere to a grid. It feels like the songs straighten out too much when that happens, so it was cool to be in a studio with an engineer and producer who really supported that idea.”
Chance continues, “All of the adventures we’ve had recording in different places have been fun, but the burden of bringing our own gear, setting it up, and then being our own producer is a lot to
carry on our shoulders sometimes. With Robert, he always has an opinion and he could help us pick a direction. We could relinquish control and focus on capturing our best performance.”
Young Man opens with “Coyote,” a plaintive ballad the duo wrote on their ranch near Huntsville, Texas, about an hour north of their hometown of Magnolia. With its lonesome tones and sly title character, it sets the tone for the album, pulling in listeners with blended voices and a narrative that befits a campfire setting. From there, songs like “Young Man,” “Moving Man,” “Northbound,” and especially “These Days” further explore their restless frame of mind, due in no small part to the pandemic.
As Clay explains, “I think what we asked ourselves a lot throughout this process were questions like, ‘Damn, where did our fire go? Do we still have it?’ I didn’t pick up a guitar for six months after our tour got canceled when COVID hit. I just felt like music had turned on me. I felt like I was asking, ‘Am I a musician anymore?’” Chance agrees with that sentiment, adding, “It’s easier for us whenever we’re in motion. I don’t think you ever stop to question how fragile it actually is, and then it gets taken away. You lose the ability to identify with it.”
Even as “One Step Forward” finds the duo seeking a silver lining, “Slow It Down” shows them embracing the situation – by strumming their guitars, driving down dirt roads, and catching crawfish. That homegrown approach carries over into “Way It Was,” even as the opening lines address the inevitable changes in life. Meanwhile, “Old Man Looking Back” is a co-write with Ellis, completed in Chance’s kitchen in the weeks leading up to the sessions for Young Man.
However, it’s a different gathering that set Jamestown Revival on the course to make Young Man. After a year apart of not playing together, Chance and Clay invited their band to the ranch to hang out and to record a few songs in their hay barn. The results served as an unintended pre-production of sorts, sparking ideas that they eventually carried into the sessions with Ellis. They also wrote “Coyote” during that time, as well as the album’s closer, “Working on Love.”
Asked about the message of that final song, Chance replies, “For me, it was about the idea of love – and not just intimate love but love in general – being a lifelong journey. It’s similar to how you’ve got to plow the fields and replant the seeds and water it and tend to it. It’s the same way you have to approach your patience for love in your life.”
Chance and Clay envision Young Man as a collection of songs that should be played all the way through, like reading a book. “We had the most amazing time recording this album. We laughed nonstop,” Clay says. “When I listen to this album top to bottom, I’m really proud of what we did. I hope that this album transports people because it’s like a time capsule. It takes us right back to that studio and to that couple of weeks. It felt like we were doing what we were meant to do.”
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Old 97's with special guest Vandoliers will be performing at Wooly's on Thursday, September 29th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About Old 97's
"Rock and roll's been very very good to me," Rhett Miller sings on "Longer Than You've Been Alive," an epic six-minute stream-of-consciousness meditation on his life in music. It's a rare moment of pulling back the curtain, on both the excesses and tedium of the world of a touring musician, and it's the perfect way to open the Old 97's new album, 'Most Messed Up.'
"I wrote that song very quickly and didn’t rewrite one word of it," Miller explains. "It's sort of a thesis statement not just for this record, but for my life's work."
To say that rock and roll has been good to the Old 97's (guitarist/vocalist Miller, bassist/vocalist Murry Hammond, guitarist Ken Bethea, and drummer Philip Peeples) would be an understatement. The band emerged from Dallas twenty years ago at the forefront of a musical movement blending rootsy, country-influenced songwriting with punk rock energy and delivery. The New York Times has described their major label debut, 'Too Far To Care,' as "a cornerstone of the 'alternative country' movement…[that] leaned more toward the Clash than the Carter Family." They've released a slew of records since then, garnering praise from NPR and Billboard to SPIN and Rolling Stone, who hailed the band as "four Texans raised on the Beatles and Johnny Cash in equal measures, whose shiny melodies, and fatalistic character studies, do their forefathers proud." The band performed on television from Letterman to Austin City Limits and had their music appear in countless film and TV soundtracks (they appeared as themselves in the Vince Vaughn/Jennifer Aniston movie 'The Break Up'). Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan told The Hollywood Reporter that he put the band on a continuous loop on his iPod while writing the show's final scene.
'Most Messed Up' finds the Old 97's at their raucous, boozy best, all swagger and heart. Titles like "Wasted," "Intervention," "Wheels Off," "Let's Get Drunk And Get It On," and "Most Messed Up" hint at the kind of narrators Miller likes to inhabit, men who possess an appetite for indulgence and won't let a few bad decisions get in the way of a good story.
"A few people in my life said, 'You can't sing 'Let's get drunk and get it on,'" Miller remembers. "I said, 'What do you mean? I've been singing that sentiment for 20 years! I was just never so straightforward about it.'"
It was a trip to Music City that inspired Miller to throw away his inhibitions as songwriter and cut right to the heart of things.
"For me, this record really started in Nashville on a co-write session with John McElroy," he says. "I really admired his wheels off approach to songwriting, And I liked the idea he had for how he thought I should interact with my audience. He said, 'I think your fans want you to walk up to the mic and say fuck.' It was liberating." It reminded me that I don’t have to be too serious or too sincere or heartfelt. I just have to have fun and be honest. I felt like I kind of had free rein to go ahead and write these songs that were bawdier and more adult-themed."
The magic in Miller's songwriting lies in the depth that he lends his characters. Upon closer inspection, the hard partying and endless pursuit of a good time often reveals itself to be a band-aid covering up deeper wounds and emotional scars.
"There's a lot of darkness hidden in this record," he explains. "One of the big Old 97's tricks is when we write about something kind of dark and depressing, it works best when it's a fun sounding song. So it's not until the third or fourth listen that you realize the narrator of this song is a complete disaster."
If that description calls to mind The Replacements, it's no coincidence. Miller is a fan of the Minneapolis cult heroes, and now counts Tommy Stinson among his own friends and fans. Best known as bassist for the Mats and more recently Guns 'n' Roses, Stinson joined the Old 97's in the studio in Austin, Texas, to lay down electric guitar on ## tracks, elevating the sense of reckless musical abandon to new heights and lending the album an air of the Rolling Stones' double-guitar attack. It's a collaboration Miller never would have even imagined in 1994 when the band released their debut.
"We didn’t think we'd last until the year 1997," Miller laughs. "We thought the name would get a little weird when it became 1997, but we decided none of our bands had ever lasted that long, so let's not even worry about it. But as it all started to unfold, we realized we could maybe make a living doing this, and we were all really conscious of wanting to be a career band. It was way more important to us to maintain a really high level of quality, at the expense, perhaps, of having hit singles or fitting in with the trends of the time, and I'm glad we did that."
Twenty years on, it's safe to say rock and roll has indeed been very, very good to the Old 97's.
About Vandoliers
Vandoliers is an American alternative country music group from Texas founded in 2015. They were signed to Bloodshot Records, and have released three studio albums.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors will be performing at The Waiting Room Lounge in Omaha, Nebraska on Thursday, September 29th, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
About Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors
Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors is an Americana act hailing from Nashville, Tennessee.
Drawing influence from Tom Petty and Bob Dylan, Drew Holcomb has found his place in today’s landscape of singer/songwriter Americana. He and his band have developed their sound through extensive touring, performing alongside Amos Lee, Willie Nelson, John Hiatt, NEEDTOBREATHE, Don Henley, and more.
The band has sold over 150,000 albums to date and played over 2,000 concert dates in 7 countries. Their songs have received over 60 TV placements, appearing on How I Met Your Mother, Criminal Minds, Parenthood, Nashville, HOUSE, Justified and more.
Their latest album, Dragons, is available now.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Jon Wolfe will be performing at Wooly's on Friday, October 7th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About Jon Wolfe
The best introduction to Jon Wolfe is the basic yet not so simple fact that he’s a country singer and songwriter. Country music, as it was, is and always should be, with boots firmly standing on the bedrock of tradition and an eye focused on taking it into the future. And that, as any fan of true country knows, is no simple proposition.
“At heart, it’s all about being a great singer and storyteller.”
Hence the other best introduction to Jon Wolfe is to hear him sing and share the stories in the songs he performs and writes. And to learn his life story — from small town Oklahoma to the bustling big city commodities trading floor to the dance halls and honky-tonks of Texas and Oklahoma to Music Row, to give the highlights — and witness his faith in the power of music and determination to touch the hearts of others with something that means so much to him.
It’s world-class country music from the American heartland, informed by the great singers that inspired Wolfe — like George Strait, Garth Brooks (a fellow Okie), Clint Black, Merle Haggard, Alan Jackson and Dwight Yoakam, to name a few — yet fired by his own contemporary energy and vision.
“A seasoned performer, Wolfe has opened for some of country’s biggest stars and has played more than 400 live shows over the past four years. ”
His 2010 release, It All Happened In A Honky Tonk, became such a regional success that it was re-released as a Deluxe Edition by Warner Music Nashville in 2013. The album debuted at #34 on the Billboard Album Chart and has collectively sold 25,000 units.
2015's Natural Man debuted #13 on iTunes, #25 on the Billboard chart, and #8 on the Nielsen SoundScan Top New Artist Albums Chart. The 13-track collection merges Wolfe's signature traditional sound, influenced by some of country music's greatest legends, with an edgy, modern energy.
The blend of rawness and accessibility of Natural Man gave Wolfe the undeniable identity of a torchbearer for country music. Any Night In Texas (2017) - Wolfe’s most recent and proudest collection of songs to date - landed at #3 on iTunes Country, #15 on Billboard Country, and continues to burn up the charts. With three highly-lauded studio albums in his repertoire, Wolfe’s garnered 12 consecutive Top Ten singles (8 have hit No.1), positioning him as a must-see act in Texas, Oklahoma, and well beyond.
Jon recently launched his own tequila brand under the moniker of his name in Spanish: Juan Lobo. The brand launched alongside two huge music festivals that Wolfe organized and produced. Alongside his packed 2019 touring schedule, Wolfe released an EP of brand new music produced by the visionary Dave Brainard in June of 2019.
“Wolfe invites country music fans everywhere to dust off your boots, download or spin the single, and come see the electrifying live show that has everyone talking. The numbers don’t lie: Jon Wolfe is the torchbearer for country music.”
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Mac Sabbath with special guests Speedealer and Lung will be performing at Wooly's on Saturday, October 8th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Hari Kondabolu will be performing at Wooly's on Sunday, October 9th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:30 PM // SHOW: 7:30 PM
About Hari Kondabolu
Hari Kondabolu is a comedian, writer and podcaster based in Brooklyn. The NY Times called him “one of the most exciting political comics in stand-up today” and described his 2018 Netflix special Warn Your Relatives as “an incisively funny and formally adventurous hour that reveals a comic in command of his powers.” The special was named on many “Best of” lists, including for Time, Paste Magazine, Cosmopolitan, E! Online, and Mashable. He was also named one of 2018’s “Comics To Watch” by Variety.
In 2017, his truTV documentary The Problem with Apu was released to critical acclaim and spurred a global conversation about race and representation. The Nation called it “a devastating critique of the ultimate comedic sacred cow: The Simpsons.” It is now used in high school, college and grad school curriculums around the US.
Hari has also released two comedy albums, Waiting for 2042 & Mainstream American Comic with legendary indie rock label Kill Rock Stars. Additionally, he has performed on such shows as Conan, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and The Late Show with David Letterman among many others. He is also a former writer & correspondent on the much loved, Chris Rock produced FX show Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell.
A regular on the public radio, Hari is a panelist on the NPR game show Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me. As a podcaster, he co-hosted the popular Politically Reactive with dear friend W. Kamau Bell. Additionally, he also co-hosts what he politely describes as a “pop up podcast,” The Untitled Kondabolu Brothers Podcast with his younger brother Ashok (“Dap” from HBO’s Chillin’ Island and defunct rap group Das Racist.)
Hari attended both Bowdoin College and Wesleyan University, graduating from the former institution with a B.A. in Comparative Politics. A former immigrant rights organizer in Seattle who worked under the leadership of now-Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Hari also earned a Masters in Human Rights from the London School of Economics in 2008. He was the “Artist In Residence” at NYU’s APA Institute for the 2014-2015 Academic Year and at Shangri La Museum in Honolulu in 2018.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
The Airborne Toxic Event with special guest In The Valley Below will be performing at The Waiting Room Lounge in Omaha, Nebraska on Sunday, October 9th, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
About The Airborne Toxic Event
The Airborne Toxic Event is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2006. It consists of Mikel Jollett, Steven Chen, Adrian Rodriguez, and Daren Taylor. The band released its debut self-titled album in 2008 and released its follow-up album, All at Once, on April 26, 2011.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
The Airborne Toxic Event with special guest In The Valley Below will be performing at Wooly's on Tuesday, October 11th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:30 PM // SHOW: 7:30 PM
About The Airborne Toxic Event
The Airborne Toxic Event is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2006. It consists of Mikel Jollett, Steven Chen, Adrian Rodriguez, and Daren Taylor. The band released its debut self-titled album in 2008 and released its follow-up album, All at Once, on April 26, 2011.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Kelsey Waldon will be performing at Wooly's on Wednesday, October 12th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
On her new album No Regular Dog, singer/songwriter/guitarist Kelsey Waldon shares a gritty and glorious portrait of living in devotion to your deepest dreams: the brutal self-doubt and unending sacrifice, hard-won wisdom and sudden moments of unimaginable transcendence. Revealing her supreme gift for spinning harsh truths into songs that soothe and brighten the soul, the Kentucky-bred artist ultimately makes an unassailable case for boldly following your heart—a sentiment perfectly encapsulated in No Regular Dog’s raw and radiant title track.
“I wrote ‘No Regular Dog’ at a time when I was gone so much and working so hard and starting to wonder if I had the staying power to keep it going,” says Waldon, who now lives in Ashland City, Tennessee. “After putting in my time in the van on the road, after all the blood, sweat, and tears and the crying in parking lots, I’d finally gotten to where I wanted—but it was also a moment when I really started questioning myself. In the end I came around to answer my own question and realize that, yes, I can do this. I won’t be put down so easy. I am no regular dog.”
Waldon’s fourth full-length and the follow-up to 2019’s White Noise/ White Lines—her debut release for John Prine’s Oh Boy Records—No Regular Dog came to life over the course of many charmed and freewheeling sessions at Dave’s Room Studio in Los Angeles, with production from kindred spirit Shooter Jennings (Brandi Carlile, Tanya Tucker). “I’d never recorded an album anywhere but Nashville or back home, and it felt good to get outside my bubble,” Waldon says. “We were able to hunker down and work till late into night, doing what we could to catch lightning in a bottle.”
In a departure from the more guitar-heavy approach of its predecessor (a critically lauded album that landed on NPR Music’s Best of 2019 list), No Regular Dog unfolds in a lush yet understated sound that lets the singular character of Waldon’s songwriting and voice shine through each track. Featuring her longtime band members, Brett Resnick (pedal steel), Alec Newnam (bass), and Nate Felty (drums), along with musicians like famed guitarist/dobro player Doug Pettibone (Lucinda Williams, Keith Richards), the album also illuminates the immense depth of her musicality, mining inspiration from such eclectic sources as mid-century bluegrass, ’60s soul, and ’70s country-rock. “Everything’s in there, all the music I’ve ever known and loved,” says Waldon. “I wanted to show my whole color scheme and create something that’s less of a honky-tonk thing and more like a big, beautiful picture of everything I see in country music.”
After opening on the luminous strings and pedal steel of its title track—in which Waldon self-identifies as a “prisoner of my mental cages, my own worst enemy”—No Regular Dog kicks into a much punchier mood on the brightly rambling “Sweet Little Girl.” “It’s about a girl who’s lost her way and now she’s trying to find it,” says Waldon. “I was inspired by real-life incidents, like all the thoughts that go through your head when you’re dealing with addiction and feeling like you’ve got this rage inside that you don’t know what to do with.” Graced with the lilting fiddle melodies of Jennings’s longtime collaborator Aubrey Richmond, the result is a prime showcase for Waldon’s fiercely honest storytelling (from the chorus: “I’ll be crawlin’ up the walls, just a like a little ol’ house fly/Anything so I can’t feel this hollow inside”). From there, No Regular Dog shifts into the candid introspection of “Tall and Mighty,” a bittersweet meditation on getting by in a world bent on breaking you down. “I’d been having conversations with my peers in this business, especially all my girlfriends who are such amazing songwriters in their own right, talking about this journey and all the smoke and mirrors of trying to live up to your dream,” says Waldon. “There have been times when I’ve tried to prove the wrong thing, but I’m through with that now. I’m not trying to be anybody but myself, and to write songs that show what’s in my heart and on my mind.”
A particularly poignant moment on No Regular Dog, “Season’s Ending” finds Waldon ruminating on the passing of John Prine, who died from Covid-related complications in April 2020. “That was the first song I wrote after John died—like so many people I was in complete shock, I couldn’t write for months,” says Waldon. “There’s been so much loss over the past few years; my partner’s uncle died from Covid the same day as John, and a lot of my friends have seen family members lose their struggles with addiction or depression. We’ve been carrying such a heavy load, so this song is about coping with that and trying to understand that death is a part of life.” One of several tracks featuring the heavenly background vocals of Kyshona Armstrong, Maureen Murphy, and Nickie Conley, “Season’s Ending” matches its soulful harmonies and lonesome guitar work with the kind of loving serenade that gently pierces the heart (e.g., “And ain’t it just like you to bloom and be gone”).
In a creative breakthrough for Waldon, No Regular Dog also features the first unabashedly joyful love song she’s ever written, the quietly powerful “Simple as Love.” “I was at home sitting on my back porch and I started thinking about how I’ve got all these heartbreak songs and drinking songs, but I’m not experiencing any of that anymore,” she says. “I’m at a point where I’m in a healthy relationship with someone who actually cares about me, and I wanted to write a song that expresses what love feels like in its purest form.” Laced with cascading guitar tones that glisten like sunlit honey, “Simple as Love” wholly achieves an ineffable sweetness while spotlighting Waldon’s idiosyncratic brand of poetry (“Like a junkie’s got its itch/It leaves you wantin’ more, wantin’ all of it/Just like a lily in a ditch/It grows where it wants to grow”).
Originally from the tiny rural town of Monkey’s Eyebrow, Waldon has long relied on music as a lifeline. “I’ve always used songwriting as a way to process the world around me and also process my own thoughts and feelings,” she says, naming classic country artists like Loretta Lynn, George Jones, and Merle Haggard among her early influences. “If I didn’t have the ability to put all that down on paper, I think I’d be pretty lost today.” After penning her first song as a small child—“My mom still has lyrics sheets I made when I was about nine, everything laid out in verse and chorus”—Waldon continued sharpening her craft and eventually left home for Nashville, where she further honed her chops by playing local bar gigs. Over the coming years, she put out a series of EPs before making her full-length debut with The Goldmine: a self-released 2014 effort that earned abundant praise from leading outlets like Rolling Stone, who hailed her as “Tammy Wynette on a trip to Whiskeytown.” Arriving in 2016, Waldon’s sophomore album I’ve Got a Way drew even more acclaim and appeared on such coveted year-end roundups as the Top 10 Favorite Albums Of 2016 list from Ken Tucker of NPR’s Fresh Air, with its lead single “All By Myself” featured on NPR’s Top 100 Songs of 2016 list. Several years later, she performed at the Grand Ole Opry with the likes of Sturgill Simpson and John Prine, who invited her to join the Oh Boy Records family while up onstage—making Waldon the label’s first new artist signing in 15 years. Co-produced with Dan Knobler (Allison Russell, Della Mae), White Noise/ White Lines delivered such standouts as “Kentucky, 1988,” which later topped Rolling Stone’s 25 Best Country and Americana Songs of 2019 list.
Looking back on the making of No Regular Dog—an album rooted in rigorous self-reflection—Waldon speaks to her newly clarified sense of purpose as a songwriter and artist. “I hope that these songs are able to live with people and help make the world a little better, because I think that’s a big part of what my job is,” she says. “At the end of the day, I’m so thankful for my passion for music because it’s sustained me throughout my whole life, and now I want it to do the same for other people. And if anyone’s struggling, I hope they can recognize the ‘No Regular Dog’ within themselves, and start to see how much they’re really worth.”
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
The Calling will be performing at The Waiting Room Lounge in Omaha, Nebraska on Friday, October 14th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:30 PM // SHOW: 7:30 PM
About The Calling
Born and raised in Hollywood, California, front man and founding member of The Calling, Alex Band, began cultivating his deep, emotionally charged voice and songwriting ability at the age of five and had signed to RCA Records by fifteen.
In 2001, his band, The Calling, exploded onto the airwaves with their smash hit, "Wherever You Will Go", which reached the top of the charts and stuck there for a record 26 weeks straight.
Alex Band’s voice was so mind-boggling, until you saw The Calling perform live, it was easy for some to dismiss their realism and legitimacy. Through years of hard work and touring in every corner of the planet (something Band is still proud of and known for today), The Calling turned into a global phenomenon.
Seven #1 songs worldwide and over 20 million album sales later, the song that started it all, “Wherever You Will Go” was named the #1 Song of The Decade (’00-’09) by Billboard magazine and the #3 Adult Pop song of all time, and featured in over a hundred movies and TV shows including Love Actually, Coyote Ugly and Smallville. Their debut album, Camino Palmero, was a true international hit, becoming Certified Gold and/or Platinum in over 40 countries.
In the midst of making their second album, Two, Band was fortunate enough to work with guitar legend, Carlos Santana, singing the hit song, “Why Don’t You and I” which became the #5 Song f The Decade (’00-09) according to Billboard’s Adult Pop Chart and #20 Adult Pop Song of all time.
After going #1 in places like the UK, Japan, Brazil, and Canada, Two’s lead single, “Our Lives” was featured in the closing ceremonies of the 2004 Summer Olympics and was also the opening song of the 78th Academy Awards in 2005.
The Calling was forced to be put on hold as Alex dealt with some family issues but Alex never gave up - he pushed forward with writing and producing his first solo album, with its first single, “Tonight”, becoming the theme song for the 2011 World Cup.
After years of hardship and health issues, Alex is excited to get back to his roots once again as The Calling with his current band members who have stuck by him over the past several years - Travis Loafman on Lead Guitar and Daniel Thomson on Drums.
Together, they are excited and ready to share new music and revisit the cherished songs of the past.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Clutch with special guests Helmet, Quicksand and JD Pinkus will be performing at Val Air Ballroom in West Des Moines, Iowa on Saturday, October 15th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About Clutch
Formed in 1991 in Germantown, MD, Clutch features Neil Fallon (vocals), Tim Sult (guitar), Dan Maines (bass), and Jean-Paul Gaster (drums).
The band built a local following through constant gigging. After releasing the classic 7” single “Pitchfork,” the band caught the attention of Earache Records. Earache released the legendary Passive Restraints EP. Shortly after the release of Passive Restraints, EastWest Records signed the band. Their debut LP, Transnational Speedway League..., followed in 1993.
A self-titled album appeared two years later on Atlantic Records and afforded Clutch their first mainstream exposure, as the label released a trilogy of psychedelic-tinged singles, "Big News,” "Spacegrass," and "Escape from the Prison Planet."
A lengthy and very successful North American tour with Marilyn Manson put an exclamation point on this early part of Clutch's career.
The band jumped to the larger Columbia label for 1998's Elephant Riders.
Clutch re-joined the Atlantic ranks in 2001 for their 4th studio album, the six-figure selling Pure Rock Fury. The band enjoyed their first Top 40 single, "Careful With That Mic.” A year later, however, the band was tortured with label problems, and it was three years before the sonically brilliant Blast Tyrant was released by indie label DRT Entertainment.
In the meantime, the band had self-released the studio album Jam Room, and their first concert release Live at the Googleplex on their own River Road Records. These two pieces would eventually see the surface through Megaforce Records a few years later.
The 36-month period from 2004 to 2007 saw heavy, non-stop touring of North America and England, mainland Europe, the Scandinavian territories, and Australia. The band was now in top playing shape and writing the most challenging material of their career. With a decade of experience behind them, Clutch was now passing or outlasting most of their mid/late 90's contemporaries.
Clutch's 7th studio album, 2005's Robot Hive/Exodus (DRT), produced by J. Robbins, was another breakthrough release, showcasing a diversity most rock bands could never dream of pulling off.
2007's From Beale Street to Oblivion took off where RH/E's final track "Gravel Road" left off. A hardened, simple blues approach with power took the former Germantown High School compatriots to the next level. The album’s lead single, "Electric Worry," wasn't just another successful Top 40 rock single, with its anthem-like chorus and high energy guitar jam/drum solo climax making it an instant Clutch classic.
In 2008 the four band members and longtime manager Jack began forging plans for the Clutch owned and operated label, Weathermaker Music. Initially self-distributed, Weathermaker Music quickly found a home at Sony/RED Distribution. Since 2013 the label has been distributed via Rough Trade Distribution/Believe and its sub-distributors in Europe.
Clutch's 9th studio album, Strange Cousins From the West, was released in 2009. It debuted at No. 37 on the Billboard charts, initially becoming the best-selling Clutch release of their storied career.
In 2013 Weathermaker Music released Earth Rocker, which went straight to No. 1 in the Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums, No. 6 in the Billboard Top Rock Albums, and No. 15 in the Billboard Top 200. “Earth Rocker” has been described as heavier and faster than the preceding albums.
Clutch released their 11th studio record, Psychic Warfare, in 2015 via Weathermaker Music. The album reached No. 11 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on both the Hard Rock and Rock charts.
On September 7, 2018, Weathermaker Music released the 12th Clutch album, Book of Bad Decisions. The album charted No. 1 on the Billboard Hard Rock Charts and came in at No. 16 on the Billboard 200. Simultaneously the album entered various European and Australian charts. Rolling Stone described Book of Bad Decisions as “bathed in the grit and liberal fuzz tone that have made their live shows legendary.” Clutch had become recognized as one of the best rock acts of the modern era.
Decades of global touring have been one of the main drivers of Clutch’s success. Whether in club shows around the world, or big festival appearances on several continents, fans love and continue to support this band. The global pandemic may have halted the band’s live appearances over the last 21 months, but Clutch is now back on the road, with a new album expected for 2022. Stay tuned.
About Helmet
Helmet is an American alternative rock band from New York City formed in 1989 by vocalist and lead guitarist Page Hamilton. Since 2010, the band has consisted of Hamilton, drummer Kyle Stevenson, guitarist Dan Beeman and bassist Dave Case.
Helmet has released eight studio albums and two compilation albums. After releasing their debut album, Strap It On (1990), on Amphetamine Reptile, Helmet signed to Interscope Records and released three albums for the label, including the highly successful Meantime (1992), Betty (1994) and Aftertaste (1997). Helmet broke up in 1998, but reformed in 2004, and has since released four more albums ? Size Matters (2004), Monochrome (2006), Seeing Eye Dog (2010) and Dead to the World (2016).
In June 2021 the band released via their website only a limited edition box set entitled “Move On” featuring 4 x 7” singles including the following covers and live tracks:
Move on (David Bowie) w/ More Bad News live
Mercy (Wire) w/ Rollo live
ETI (Blue Oyster Cult) w/ Blacktop live
I’m only sleeping (The Beatles) w/ Crisis King live
About Quicksand
One of the most remarkable aspects of Distant Populations—Quicksand’s first album since 2017’s Interiors—is how timely and prescient the themes running throughout its songs sound at this very moment. Thoughtful, driving, and powerful, like the long-lived band itself, the 11 tracks comprising Distant Populations have an emotional resonance that is only amplified by the events of the past stressed-out, locked-down year.
If there is a recurring theme running throughout the new album, it might be this: “Everyone is on the one hand so connected with each other,” says Schreifels, “and on the other hand is so far apart, and so freaked out about everything.”
That seeming contradiction may lie at the heart of what Distant Populations is all about. The title comes from a lyric from anarcho-crust punk band Nausea’s “Fallout (Of Our Being)” about “destitute populations”; because of the singer’s thick accent, Schreifels misheard it as “distant populations” and instantly connected with that concept. “So we’re checking out each other’s social media and we know what everybody’s doing,” he says, pointing out a sad irony. “But when we’re sitting in the same room together, we’re looking at our phones.”
That peculiar duality—our simultaneous existence in individual relationships and as part of mass society—is examined with power and surprising emotional impact throughout all of the tracks here. Cutting and sharp lyrical passages pop out on tracks such as the throbbing “Colossus”: “A new life/ We’re never meant to feel completed/As long as we’re here/It doesn’t matter what for” And alienation—from whom or what often going unsaid—and loneliness are touched on regularly, whether subtly (“Sometimes it’s better just to keep on traveling” from “Phase 90”) or stated plainly (“Living just around the corner/Share the same existence/Doesn’t make a difference/Deconstructed, isolated” from the closing track “Rodan”). Combine those sentiments with the most sweeping, powerful music the band has ever created, and you’ve got a truly unforgettable, extremely timely listening experience.
Distant Populations, just the fourth full-length album of Quicksand’s career, comes as a comparatively swift follow-up to Interiors--which itself came a full 22 years after its predecessor, 1995’s Manic Compression. Critically lauded and deemed very much worth the wait, Interiors succeeded in reestablishing the band as the powerful and contemporary entity they had always been. “Our only conscious challenge for that period, really,” says bassist Sergio Vega, “was that we felt like we needed to make a record that was worth waiting that long for.” Its success proved that they met that challenge, and, he adds, “galvanized by that, we felt like we know what we are today. We know what fits in our template. And we can build off that and expand on that.”
And expand they did. Distant Populations has a punchier, more up-tempo sound than its predecessor; its 11 songs are concise, carved sonic jewels boasting not a single wasted note; and its raw power, its gripping lyricism, leaps out from the very first listening. It is a striking step up for the band.
The songwriting itself had been no minor process: Following the release of Interiors, the band successfully toured around the world, hitting the US, Europe, Japan, and South America, and in the process fully re-established their chemistry together. Looking forward to making the next album, the three of them—Schreifels, Vega, and drummer Alan Cage—had methodically recorded various soundchecks, improvisations, and show rehearsals, and compiled the results. “Eventually, when it came time to make a record,” Schreifels says, “we would just edit down to the ones that were most exciting to us all, and then refocus on them and see if we could recapture the magic from it.”
Greatly aiding in the process was producer Will Yip, whose masterful work on Interiors had been much appreciated by the band.
“Will has a very organized, systematic mindset,” says Schreifels, “but with that, the perfect complement of that is that he is very open-minded and giving. He's like super down for whatever you want to pursue, and not begrudgingly. And he’s also a great musician. So everyone within our little organization respects his opinion musically, and especially with the three of us, having that extra opinion that we all respect is really helpful.”
Distant populations going nowhere
So far away from us, you wouldn’t know where
Opposite of you, opposite of me
Generations leveled and taken by the sea --from “Inversion”
About JD Pinkus
JD Pinkus is an American bassist best known for his work with American punk band Butthole Surfers from1985 to 1994 and since the 2009 reunion.
In 1990, he and Butthole Surfers' lead vocalist Gibby Haynes released Digital Dump, the only album from their psychedelic house music side project The Jackofficers.
Upon leaving Butthole Surfers, Pinkus worked full-time with the Austin trio Daddy Longhead, which he had assembled during his waning months in the band, and which included longtime Atlanta associate Jimbo Young on guitar and Rey Washam on drums. Daddy Longhead retired after 10 years, leaving Pinkus free to explore other projects including Skinny Leonard and Areola 51. Pinkus played with Helios Creed on his albums NUGG: The Transport [1996] and Activated Condition [1998], and has also collaborated with Bad Livers frontman Danny Barnes several times in a live setting. JD Pinkus then co-founded the band Honky who went on to record five albums and are still currently active.
Pinkus also performs with Pure Luck,who released a self-titled release in 2017 on Heavy Feather Records. He leaves his bass to play Banjo and Guitar in this project. On their 30th anniversary tour in 2013, Pinkus joined the Melvins in place of Jared Warren (on paternity leave) as well as performing with the opening Honky. He subsequently joined the Melvins full-time, touring with them in 2014 in support of the album Hold It In, which also featured Butthole Surfers founder Paul Leary, and again in 2015. He also plays on the song Captain Come Down which was first released in 2015 on Chaos as Usual, a split release with Le Butcherettes, and later included on the 2016 album Basses Loaded.
In 2018, JD Pinkus released a solo album, Keep on the Grass on cassette tape on Danny Barnes Minner Bucket Records and later Vinyl and Compact Disc through Heavy Feather Records. It was recorded entirely on banjo and features a rendition of the song Bride of Crankenstein from the Melvins album Hold It In.
The Keepon the Grass album release show was with Sleep in San Pedro on September 15th 2018.
On February 12, 2018, the Melvins announced that Pinkus would be joining them, alongside current bassist Steven McDonald (Redd Kross), on their next album and subsequent tour. Released on April 20, 2018, the aptly titled Pinkus Abortion Technician features both bass players and four songs written or co-written by Pinkus. In May of 2021 JD Pinkus and Daddy Longhead released another album titled ‘Twinkle” which was originally recorded but not distributed in 1998.
JD Pinkus is now releasing his second solo “space grass” banjo album titled “Fungus Shui.” The album was written, recorded, and mixed by Pinkus himself at Plastic Cannon Studio in Asheville, North Carolina. The album was mastered by Kramer.
Fungus Shui LP's are being released on Shimmy Disc and CD's available through Heavy Feather Records on August 20th 2021.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
The Calling will be performing at Wooly's on Saturday, October 15th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:30 PM // SHOW: 7:30 PM
About The Calling
Born and raised in Hollywood, California, front man and founding member of The Calling, Alex Band, began cultivating his deep, emotionally charged voice and songwriting ability at the age of five and had signed to RCA Records by fifteen.
In 2001, his band, The Calling, exploded onto the airwaves with their smash hit, "Wherever You Will Go", which reached the top of the charts and stuck there for a record 26 weeks straight.
Alex Band’s voice was so mind-boggling, until you saw The Calling perform live, it was easy for some to dismiss their realism and legitimacy. Through years of hard work and touring in every corner of the planet (something Band is still proud of and known for today), The Calling turned into a global phenomenon.
Seven #1 songs worldwide and over 20 million album sales later, the song that started it all, “Wherever You Will Go” was named the #1 Song of The Decade (’00-’09) by Billboard magazine and the #3 Adult Pop song of all time, and featured in over a hundred movies and TV shows including Love Actually, Coyote Ugly and Smallville. Their debut album, Camino Palmero, was a true international hit, becoming Certified Gold and/or Platinum in over 40 countries.
In the midst of making their second album, Two, Band was fortunate enough to work with guitar legend, Carlos Santana, singing the hit song, “Why Don’t You and I” which became the #5 Song f The Decade (’00-09) according to Billboard’s Adult Pop Chart and #20 Adult Pop Song of all time.
After going #1 in places like the UK, Japan, Brazil, and Canada, Two’s lead single, “Our Lives” was featured in the closing ceremonies of the 2004 Summer Olympics and was also the opening song of the 78th Academy Awards in 2005.
The Calling was forced to be put on hold as Alex dealt with some family issues but Alex never gave up - he pushed forward with writing and producing his first solo album, with its first single, “Tonight”, becoming the theme song for the 2011 World Cup.
After years of hardship and health issues, Alex is excited to get back to his roots once again as The Calling with his current band members who have stuck by him over the past several years - Travis Loafman on Lead Guitar and Daniel Thomson on Drums.
Together, they are excited and ready to share new music and revisit the cherished songs of the past.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs with special guest Alvin Youngblood Hart will be performing at Slowdown in Omaha, Nebraska on Saturday, October 15th, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Teddy Swims will be performing at Slowdown in Omaha, Nebraska on Thursday, October 27th, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
About Teddy Swims
Teddy Swims is a lover. The 29-year-old artist, who merges honeyed soul with raucous rock energy and pleasing pop hooks, writes nearly all his songs about falling in or out of romantic entanglements. He zeroes in his focus on his latest EP, Tough Love—a six-song collection of heartbreak horror stories and earnest declarations of devotion. “To me, that’s just all there is,” he says. “You’re either making love or crying about it.” The Atlanta native, born Jaten Dimsdale, has been tugging at heartstrings since posting a series of covers from his bedroom studio, which generated hundreds of millions of views and scored him a deal with Warner Records. Teddy changed his focus to introspective originals on 2020’s Unlearning EP and garnered praise from American Songwriter, Billboard, Rolling Stone, among others. Soon, performances on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Today, and The Late Show With Stephen Colbert cemented his status as a rising star. With more than 500 million global streams to his credit, as well as a social following that exceeds 8 million, Teddy’s songs of devotion have clearly connected. And part of reaching that audience, for him, is getting to show his love in person.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Todd Snider will be performing at Wooly's on Sunday, October 30th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:30 PM // SHOW: 7:30 PM
About Todd Snider
Troubadour, meaning an itinerant singer of songs, is a word that dates back centuries, and comes from the French verb “trouver,” which is to find. These musical wanderers would find and invent stories humorous and intellectual, romantic and earthy, performing them as they went from town to town. Troubadour is also the word that acclaimed musician-raconteur Todd Snider leans on to describe himself and his latest release, Live: Return of the Storyteller.
“I think my first thought with this record was I wanted to remind people really quickly that I'm a troubadour,” says Snider. “Playing live is the only chance for me to show, 'This is what I really do.' I've never thought of myself as a recording artist. I'm someone who gets over by traveling around, telling stories, making up new songs and singing them alone on stage.”
Before he even made his professional debut with Songs For The Daily Planet in 1994, Snider already knew that he wanted to be part of this time-honored tradition. “I like the romantic notion of drifting around and laughing your way through life,” he says. “Like Jim Croce or Mark Twain. I felt like I was half-doing that anyway. When I was 19, I was a real drifter and a sofa circuit person. Then when I first saw Jerry Jeff Walker and John Prine play, I became obsessed. I followed them both around like The Grateful Dead. I saw that the difference between a free spirit and a freeloader was three chords.
“And as soon as I figured that out, I knew that it would help me as a person who didn't have a plan. Just to be a busker. I didn't want to sign up for normal life. I wanted to do another thing, and then it turned into a real gig. I was really surprised. It's still funny to be getting away with it.”
That speaks to Snider's modesty about his singular talent and deep catalog of songs of every emotional stripe. Rolling Stone has called him “America's sharpest musical storyteller” while the New York Times described him as “a wryly quotable phrasemaker and worthy antagonist.” Live: Return of the Storyteller – his third live album and nineteenth overall - plays like a masterclass by one man with a guitar and a freewheeling imagination. Threading his husky-voiced phrasing through a likable cosmic cowboy manner, he invites you on a tour of tunes humorous (“Big Finish,” and the have-meets- have-not “In Between Jobs”), Proustian (“Play a Train Song,” “Too Soon To Tell,” and the lump-in-the-throat snapshot of John Prine on “Handsome John”) and heart-worn (“Like a Force of Nature,” “The Very Last Time,” “Roman Candles”). As the fifteen-song set unfolds, you can feel a tangible bond building between Snider and his fans.
But the songs are only half of what makes the connection so compelling.
Acting as palate cleansers and putty, the stories between numbers offer colorful glimpses into Snider's interior life. Whether he's talking about being mistaken for a homeless guy in a nice hotel, searching for a song in the woods while tripping or the poetry of one of his heroes dying on stage, his spoken interludes are delivered with both meandering charm and deadly comic timing.
Snider credits an unlikely source of inspiration for both. “The comedian Richard Lewis is a friend and a mentor, and we talk almost every day,” Snider says. “We met about six or seven years ago through a drummer who's a mutual friend, and really hit it off. I feel like since I've known him, my storytelling has evolved. I don't know that I've gotten better, but a lot of the ways I approach my shows is from learning things from Richard. Especially this idea of being able to go on and on without just going on and on. To ramble without getting boring.”
Snider is also mindful about not repeating himself when he's returning to a familiar venue, which can add a tightrope quality to his performances. “On this record, when I left Nashville, I didn't know what I was going to say,” he admits. “I just knew that it couldn't be the same shit that I've said. I was going to have to have some new stories to tell. That's how it's been for years. Then one night, I'll get up there and open my mouth and something new comes out. And then I'll just kept telling it and refining it. It happens under pressure.”
The timing of Live: Return of the Storyteller's release has extra resonance in our post-pandemic era. Snider says, “I'm glad I recorded the tour last year, because that was the sound of the country getting to see live music again. It was unique and it won't happen again. Everyone just hugs at the start of a concert - you can tell that they're glad to see each other, and then they get more excited than they used to be about just being out and seeing music. I'm sure that it will go back to normal, but it hasn't yet.”
While the album captures what Snider laughingly calls his “second tour - because I went out on the road in '94 and never went home until the pandemic” - it acts as both a summing up of a thirty-year career and a look ahead.
“I always think that being a recording artist isn't something that I've thrived at,” he says. “I have fun with it and try all different kinds of music and try to learn more and more, but the only reason I get to do it is because of the main thing I do - which is travel around by myself and sing and tell stories. That thing works. Since I was twenty, that thing has worked. People come to see me do it and I love to do it.”
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Chelsea Cutler with special guests ayokay and Arden Jones will be performing at The Admiral in Omaha, Nebraska on Tuesday, November 1st, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
About Chelsea Cutler
Instantly-relatable lyrics and handcrafted lo-fi soundscapes have established Chelsea Cutler as a quiet, yet disruptive, force for popular music. Since 2017 the singer, songwriter and producer went from making music in her dorm room, to accumulating over 2.5 billion global streams, headlining tours and playing major festivals around the world, being included in Forbes 30 Under 30, and receiving praise major outlets such as Billboard, Variety, Complex, PAPER Magazine, Refinery29, Ones To Watch and many more.
Her breakthrough RIAA Gold-Certified single “Your Shirt” paved the way for her debut EP, Snow In October. Leaving college shortly after, she hit the road alongside Quinn XCII at the top of 2018 before kicking off a prolific string of releases, including the independently released mixtapes Sleeping with Roses and Sleeping with Roses II, leading to two completely sold-out nationwide headline tours in Fall 2018 and Spring 2019.
After signing to Republic Records at the beginning of 2019, she released the joint EP “brent” with close friend and frequent collaborator Jeremy Zucker which was led by the RIAA Certified Platinum single “you were good to me”. Later she featured on Kygo’s summer anthem “Not Ok” and spent the next few months playing major festivals such as Governors Ball, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza and more. During that time, Chelsea was formulating her solo debut album, How To Be Human, which released on January 17, 2020, is a collection of songs that touch on both human emotions and the human psyche. She saw her debut on the Top 40 radio charts with the project's lead single, “Sad Tonight,” and supported the album with another sold-out nationwide tour including 2 shows at Terminal 5 in New York City.
Later in 2020 during the pandemic she managed to safely reunite with Jeremy Zucker in upstate New York to create “brent ii”, their follow-up joint EP that later released on February 5, 2021, from which the two performed singles on The Today Show and The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. All the while, Chelsea was also working on music for a new project, which would ultimately become her sophomore album, When I Close My Eyes. Following the release of singles such as “Devil On My Shoulder” and “Calling All Angels” (with Quinn XCII), When I Close My Eyes was released on October 15 to critical acclaim. In September and October of 2021, she joined Quinn XCII on a co-headline tour, which included two sold-out shows at Radio City Music Hall (NYC), The Greek (LA), etc. In Spring 2022 she went on a headline tour in support of her new album, which included her debut at Coachella, and is spending the summer on another extensive festival run. This fall, she will return on the road again for Part 2 of her When I Close My Eyes Tour, hitting 23 new markets around the country.
About ayokay
Born Alex O'Neill, Detroit-bred artist/vocalist/producer ayokay first burst onto the scene with his breakthrough single "Kings Of Summer," featuring his childhood friend and frequent collaborator Quinn XCII. Since its arrival in summer 2016, the song has amassed over 125 million streams on Spotify and received gold certification from the RIAA.
After delivering his debut EP in 2017, ayokay continued his upward momentum by releasing his acclaimed full-length debut In the Shape of a Dream in 2018. Featuring collaborations with Jeremy Zucker, Nightly, Future Jr., and more, the album includes several songs that find ayokay handling lead vocals for the first time. The following year, ayokay returned with we come alive., a six-track effort that ranges from festival-ready electro-pop to experimental anthems made for late-night drives. Shortly after the EP's release he embarked on his first national headline tour, selling out such notable venues Bowery Ballroom (NYC) and The Roxy (Los Angeles).
After spending a year producing on outside projects for artists such as Quinn XCII, Jeremy Zucker, Chelsea Cutler and many more, ayokay returned in 2021 with a number of singles such as "I Still Need You" and "All Mine," which are the start to his new album coming in Spring of 2022. To date, ayokay has garnered over 500 million global catalog streams and earned critical praise from such outlets as Billboard, Earmilk, Variance Magazine, and many others.
About Arden Jones
21-year-old Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, Arden Jones captures unforgettable, serotonin-filled California summers into a perfect blend of pop, hip-hop, and alt that, while familiar, is undeniably his own. His clever rhymes and witty lyricism paint heartfelt, relatable sentiments that beautifully juxtapose his infectious hooks and euphoric, nostalgia-inspired beats. From a young age, Arden's love of skating and surfing came second only to his love of music, successfully teaching himself to play an array of instruments including upright bass, mandolin, guitar, piano, and ukelele. His musical household introduced him to legends like The Avett Brothers, Bright Eyes, and 50 Cent, but it wasn't long before he began forging his own musical identity inspired by J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, and Mac Miller. A prolific user of Garageband and SoundCloud, Arden posted his internet-beat smash "Parallel Parking" on TikTok at the end of 2020 where it caught the attention of newly minted label, vnclm_, and eventually into the hearts of 14 million Spotify listeners. Since the song's release, Arden continues to pave his own way into the music world. Following a series of hit singles (including rollercoaster, SMILE, either way) and performances to screaming fans across the country, Arden was determined to reward his die-hard fanbase in 2022, dropping a new three-song EP at the beginning of every month to immense critical acclaim. With millions of streams independently and an unrelenting work ethic, Arden Jones proves that he really is "just trying to make you smile."
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Too Many Zooz with special guest Yam Yam will be performing at Wooly's on Wednesday, November 2nd, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About Too Many Zooz
The curious thing about being a fan of brasshouse? You're pretty much talking about being into one solitary but extremely unforgettable band: the amusingly monikered Too Many Zooz.
The musical style was "branded" by drummer King of Sludge, who recognized that there was no worthy existing classification for the New York trio, whose other two members are the equally unclassifiable Leo P (saxophone) and Matt Doe (trumpet).
"Brasshouse is a high energy musical conversation," Matt insists. "Though I honestly don't think there is a good way to describe it in words. It's about many different feelings and sounds and emotions."
Or as KOS so decisively puts it, "I don't really care about what's happening in music -- I just make art that I enjoy making."
It's exactly this indifference to convention and trend that has garnered Too Many Zooz a fanbase that KOS describes as "wide-ranging and fanatical." One of those fans? In 2016, Beyonce asked them to perform with her at the Billboard Music Awards...and it's quite possible they got just as much attention as did she.
After two years, a gazillion live performances and four EPs, their debut album Subway Gawdz (an unsubtle reference to their birth in the underground stations of NYC), was released to enthusiastic acclaim in 2016. Its sound was truly like nothing else, with inescapable grooves that take in dub, soul, funk and ska, utterly exhilarating horn blasts that shoot right up your spine, and, of course, equal doses of fun and attitude.
And right now, TMZ are riding higher than ever, surely poised for the leap into genuinely widespread international recognition that was likley inevitable since they first set foot in an NYC subway station. Indeed, following a deal with Ministry of Sound, their single "Warriors" racked up major play on Radio One (if you think you haven't heard it, when you hear it, you'll quickly realize you already have), followed by high-profile remixes from the likes of Armand Van Helden and KDA.
Then, UK sensation Jess Glynne penned lyrics and added vocals to morph the song into "So Real (Warriors)," which has been generating massive buzz while climbing the European charts. In the meanwhile, a live video for "Car Alarm" has furtively racked up more than 500K views in one week.
But surely signaling their mainstream "arrival"? A Canadian KFC commercial featured the band and their songs -- so don't be surprised if listening to their music suddenly makes you hungry.
Though they've also been up to more serious matters. Leo, in fact, was asked to play at the BBC Proms Charles Mingus tribute at a sold-out Royal Albert Hall in August 2017 -- certainly no small honor.
Yet for all this, the forward plan for Too Many Zooz, is, as ever, constant touring. The reason is simple: it's their outrageous, electrifying live performances that consistently continue to add the numbers to their growing worldwide legion of fans. Autumn 2018 will take them coast to coast, from Seattle to Houston to Philadelphia, and across Europe, with stops in Krakow, Strasbourg and Marseille, amongst others.
"I don't think there's any recording that can do a live performance justice," reckons Matt. "You'll see people of all different colors, creeds, genders, ages, sexuality at our shows. I really can't find a constant between them...besides liking our music -- haha."
But for everything that's happened in the last couple of years, the trio aren't actually all that surprised by their success.
"I always knew we had something special," Leo enthuses. "Thousands of people everyday loved our music...and I knew it would just continue to spread."
About Yam Yam
YAM YAM formed in late 2015, coming together from playing in an assortment of local bands in central PA. The band is inspired by 1970s soul music, New Orleans roots of jazz music, and modern/vintage funk and jam music. YAM YAM features raw instruments and captures a high-energetic sound. YAM YAM is Mike Dempsey on keys, Jason Mescia on saxophone, Xander Moppin on bass, Tom Fuller on guitar, and Tyler Fuller on drums.
The band released its debut, self-titled album in late 2018 and upon its release, it charted on Billboard Jazz Albums section at No. 17. The band has opened for Lotus, Dopapod, and Keller Williams among others and has been featured in NepaScene, LiveForLiveMusic, TheBurg, and Burg in Focus.
The band is currently finishing up its second album, preparing for a release in 2020/2021.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Craig Morgan with special guest Ray Fulcher will be performing at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on Thursday, November 3rd, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
About Craig Morgan
A multi-faceted entertainer, Craig Morgan has made a name for himself as a country music icon, TV personality, celebrated outdoorsman and patriotic Army veteran. One of country music's best-loved artists, Morgan has charted 25 songs on Billboard and thrills massive crowds with signature hits including “Bonfire,” “Almost Home,” “Redneck Yacht Club,” “International Harvester,” “This Ole Boy,” “Soldier,” “Wake Up Loving You,” “That's What I Love About Sunday” and his faith-filled tribute to his son Jerry, “The Father, My Son and The Holy Ghost.”
Craig received one of country music's highest honors when he was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Prior to becoming a country music star and TV sensation, Morgan spent seventeen years serving our country in the Army and Army Reserves. Morgan remains an avid supporter of America's military personnel and has made 16 overseas trips to perform for our troops. He is a recipient of the 2006 USO Merit Award and in 2018 was awarded the Army’s Outstanding Civilian Service Medal, one of the highest awards the Department of the Army can bestow upon a civilian, in recognition of his significant dedication to our military men and women around the world.
Watch as Craig puts his survival skills learned in the military to work in the new TV series, “Beyond The Edge” (CBS/Paramount+). Nine celebrities will live in the dangerous jungles of Panama, where they face off in epic adventures and endure the most brutal conditions, as they push themselves to go far beyond their comfort zone and raise money for their chosen charities. Craig, an Army veteran, is competing for Operation Finally Home, which provides custom-built, mortgage-free homes to wounded veterans and their families.
This fall, Craig will release his gripping new memoir — God, Family, Country — in partnership with Blackstone Publishing. He details all aspects from his inspiring life, revealing never-before-heard stories including how he worked alongside the CIA as a soldier in Panama, fought sex traffickers as an undercover agent in Thailand, forged his own path to country music stardom, and lives his life by the deepest values: God, family, country.
Find tickets to see Craig on tour at craigmorgan.com and engage with Craig on YUDU by visiting YUDUsocial.com in addition to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
About Ray Fulcher
Ray Fulcher was born & raised in the small town of Harlem, Georgia and grew up on many of country music’s best songwriters & storytellers.
Some of his biggest influences were Alan Jackson, Keith Whitley, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Eric Church & George Strait.
He was inspired to go out and buy a guitar after seeing an Eric Church concert at the Georgia Theatre in Athens, Georgia when he was 21 years old.
Shortly after Ray graduated from the University of Georgia he moved to Nashville, Tn. to pursue his songwriting & artist career.
In 2016 after signing a publishing deal with River House Publishing Ray released his the EP “Here We Go Again” which debuted in the top 10 of the country charts & led to tours with Luke Combs (THIS ONES FOR YOU TOUR 2017) & Morgan Wallen (UP DOWN TOUR 2018) as well as extensive headlining & festivals shows.
Ray has stayed busy on the songwriting side of things as well co-writing 8 songs on Luke Combs Platinum debut album “This Ones For You” including the #1 single “When It Rains It Pours” which has been certified triple platinum .
His new EP "Somebody Like Me" was released May 24th featuring the singles "Anything Like You Dance" & "Life After Your Leavin" which has already amassed over 13 million streams. He supported Luke Combs on his sold out “Beer Never Broke My Heart” tour in the summer of 2019 and has recently released new single “Down On My Window”.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
The Record Company will be performing at Wooly's on Tuesday, November 8th, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
About The Record Company
The Record Company is breaking old habits on Play Loud. The Los Angeles trio was ready for a change when it came time to make their third album, and they got it: Play Loud pushes the group into uncharted territory with a dozen new tracks that move beyond the homemade sound of The Record Company's first two albums. Band members Alex Stiff, Chris Vos, and Marc Cazorla brought in GRAMMY-winning producer Dave Sardy (Oasis, Wolfmother, Modest Mouse, LCD Soundsystem) to help broaden their sound.
"We came to the table for our third record with strong demos on songs that could have passed for our first two records, and asked, 'Can we beat it?'" says singer Chris Vos. "And for the first time, we allowed talented people to come into our small circle to push the music higher."
"In the past, we were really insular. Everything was just us," says Stiff, who also played guitar and keyboards and sang on the album. "We totally flipped the process on this record to allow for every idea and possibility, so it wasn't just the three of us, closed off in our bubble. It was like, 'Let's take some risks and see what we can really do.'"
As the title implies, Play Loud is a bigger sounding album, with songs packed full of taut grooves and stick-in-your-head hooks. It's upbeat, and you can hear why Chris Vos described a common theme in the process as simply: "Fun." Though there are echoes aplenty of The Record Company's origins -- including recording all the basic tracks together live in the studio during a brief window in May 2020 -- there's also a willingness to try out new sounds and styles. Lead single "How High" pairs bristling guitar with a sleek bassline and distorted vocals, while "Paradise" lays back in a deep pocket with a spare, locked-in rhythm from bass and drums, bright bursts of guitar and, on the chorus, swelling keyboards that give the song a sense of lift. There's dirty electric guitar and a '90s hip-hop influence on the pulsing track "Gotta Be Movin,'" and a punchy bassline, tight backing vocals and just the right amount of a pop sensibility on "Never Leave You."
"We definitely wanted to expand," says Cazorla, who played drums and keyboards on the new album. The Record Company got started in 2011 and were selling out small venues in Los Angeles before they released their first album, 2016's GRAMMY-nominated Give It Back to You. Stiff produced the debut which yielded three Top 10 hits at Triple-A radio, including "Off the Ground," which reached No. 1 on Billboard's Adult Alternative Songs chart. Stiff also produced the trio's 2018 follow-up, All of This Life, which cracked the Billboard 200 albums chart and launched another Adult Alternative chart-topper with "Life to Fix." Yet when it came time to make their third record, the musicians knew they wanted to try something different.
Why did you shake things up on Play Loud?
Vos: You can't stay the same and expect new things. Where is the fun in that? Sardy said at the very beginning, "to make a great record you need to be around people who lose sleep over it." He did. We did.
Stiff: I stated right off the bat that we should try a new producer. I was ready to learn from someone with tons of record making experience, and focus on being creative, rather than wearing so many hats at once.
What did you learn from working with new collaborators?
Cazorla: That we don't have the answers to everything. We were fortunate to work with
some great people, and it's helpful to listen to them and take some guidance where needed, and also to stand firmly up for the stuff that we believe in and find that great end result together. The best possible version of the song.
Vos: We collaborated in our writing process with a couple of people, like Shungudzo or Sam Hollander and Kevin Griffin or Dave, who awoke inspiration within us to find new ideas, or greatly improve upon existing ones. Every second of every song on the record is authentic to both who we are and where we are as people. It was a fresh feeling to have that experience because you got to participate with others in a process that adds to your own, and that opened new possibilities up.
What did Dave Sardy bring to the process?
Stiff: Even the first time we met him, all of us left that day with new knowledge about how to make something bigger than what we could conceive on our own. He also has an amazing studio with a lot of crazy gear that inspired ideas. It's not just about expensive mics, sometimes we'd use a mic from an '80s boombox to record. He brings a craft of experimentation that is an art in itself.
Vos: Nothing gets past Dave. He demands ideas and performances achieve a certain level. We as a band feel the same. I easily had a couple of nervous breakdowns making the record, and I think that's what it takes. The melodies on this record, alongside Dave's production, made me step away from a lot of my moves as a singer. It got me out of my normal comfortable zone and made me grow through the challenge of singing authentically from a different place. To refine and redefine how I saw singing and melody. That's a delight.
What effect did the pandemic have on making this album?
Cazorla: We had much more time, so we took a few months before we went into record in May 2020 to really go over everything with a fine-tooth comb: every word, every phrase -- everything, and it felt really great to be able to do that.
Vos: From the beginning, Alex was in his home studio making rock solid inspiring demoes for us to feed off of. That started the whole ball rolling from a strong place. There was nothing else to do but work on these songs and make them the sole central focus in our lives. We'll probably never have a chance quite like that again. Through the whole process it is the band's job to make sure we know what we want to say, to work as hard to get the best results, and to always do music you feel opens your heart to the listener.
What do you hope Play Loud does for the band?
Vos: I want the record to reach the people it's supposed to reach. I don't know how many that is -- I don't care about the numbers so much as the record is just finding its way to people who can hear the honesty that we put into it. We worked harder on this record than we've worked on any other record. We made a record we love.
Stiff: When this album drops is exactly our 10-year anniversary, and we just feel like it's our time. It's different than what some of our fans might expect from us, but we felt we had to evolve, and we found new ground and a bigger sound.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Amanda Shires will be performing at Wooly's on Saturday, November 19th, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
About Amanda Shires
Grammy and Americana-award-winning singer-songwriter and virtuoso violinist Amanda Shires has pushed the reset button, releasing an album that is so unlike anything she has ever recorded before that you would be tempted to think it’s her debut album instead of her seventh. Take It Like a Man is a fearless confessional, showing the world what turning 40 looks like in 10 emotionally raw tracks, and as the title track intimates, not only can she “take it like a man,” but more importantly she can “Take it like Amanda,” as the last line proclaims-- the clue to the entire album, and perhaps Shires herself.
“I wrote that last line, ‘take it like a man,’” says Shires from her barn/studio located about 30 minutes outside of Nashville. “Then I changed it. I realized you can try and do what they say and take it like a man and show that you can withstand anything. But truly you can only take it like yourself.”
There are few musicians of Amanda Shires’ stature who would be willing to sacrifice so much of their privacy and personal life for the sake of a record. But for her, art isn’t meant to be constrained, ever since her earliest days.
The native Texan got her start playing fiddle with the legendary Texas Playboys at 15. She toured and collaborated with John Prine, Todd Snider, Justin Townes Earle and others, and has long been a member of husband Jason Isbell’s 400 Unit band. Winner of the Americana Music Association’s 2017 Emerging Artist of the Year award, she has released a series of rapturously received solo albums.
In Shires’ world, music is how the tribe communicates. It’s that sort of communal thinking that inspired her to form The Highwomen – a concept that was born in 2016 which Amanda envisioned as an all-women supergroup intended to share the same swashbuckling spirit as ‘80s outlaw country outfit The Highwaymen. That band, consisting of country music legends Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson, was a successful reaction to a prevalent ageism in Nashville circles. The Highwomen – Shires, Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris and Natalie Hemby -- aspired to redress the scarcity of women artists on country radio, and released a critically acclaimed self-titled album in 2019.
“I realize I have a responsibility to tell the truth and if it empowers someone, all the better,” Shires says, who is often seen donning one of her trademark hats from her vast collection. “My goal is to accurately explain my feelings to myself and hopefully find folks out there that feel or have felt the ways that I do. I share so much personal information so that others don’t have to feel alone.”
That’s something she has achieved superbly on her new album, thanks in large part to a creative rebirth inspired by a chance encounter. Shires had no plans to record an album during the pandemic ... if at all. A couple of events left her disenchanted with some of her choices, musical and otherwise, and had her wondering if she should continue.
“I just wasn’t thinking about recording or performing, because I was protecting myself from what I thought could be the loss of music and touring altogether,” Shires admits. “Even when it was clear this wasn’t the bubonic plague, I wasn’t letting myself think of what the future looked like.”
Meanwhile, Lawrence Rothman, an extravagantly talented gender-fluid singer-songwriter and producer, was in the process of recording their sophomore album, Good Morning, America. Rothman, who has also worked with the likes of Angel Olsen, Girl in Red, Courtney Love and Kim Gordon, wanted Shires to sing harmonies on one of the tracks.
“When I discovered Amanda’s music it was the first time I heard a voice where I said to myself if I ever had to get in the studio with anybody other than myself to produce my own music, it would definitely be this fairy over here, this little bird of a woman. I was just mesmerized. I thought she was the new Dolly Parton; Dolly for a new generation,” remembers Rothman on the phone from Los Angeles.
While Shires hadn’t heard of Rothman, she responded to their request because of something her late mentor and friend John Prine taught her. “John listened to everything that crossed his desk, and that’s why he took a chance on me. Lawrence Rothman’s manager sent my manager a song, and because of John I listened to it. ‘Wow, OK,’ I thought after I heard it. Plus, I loved that they wanted me to sing. Usually people just want me to play violin.”
In November 2020, Shires got in touch with Rothman. The two began a conversation by text that continued for hours. By day’s end they had cowritten a song on their phones. The two worked for three “trial” days right before Christmas, and ended up with three songs.
“Those just clicked, but other than that, I had nothing else written,” explains Shires. “We decided to meet up after Christmas and continue working.” That collaboration also resulted in 2021’s critically acclaimed For Christmas album, the rare holiday record that explores the full range of emotions people cycle through during a season that’s not all comfort and joy.
“I wasn’t going to take any of that ‘I’m giving up on music’ from her,” says Rothman. “I do know that she was on the brink of like throwing the towel in. The whole time I stood by her, right by her mike while we did everything. I was never in the control room. I said to her, ‘I’m like your hype girl. I’m like your cheerleader. I’m your f------coach.”
“Lawrence talked about feelings in music and about sounds for hours all day, and it rekindled in me the warmth I have for music and the love I have for words -- and reminded me that the music business isn’t all just a grimy slimeball,” explains Shires. “Everything just seemed to fall into place.
“The problem was,” she laughs, “When we came back after our trial days, I had to write more songs.
“I had plenty of things written down between my journals and my index cards,” says Shires. “My writing process is I take the journals that I’ve kept and I go through with a highlighter and pick out words, partial lines, ideas or themes. Sometimes just a metaphor or something my daughter has said or an observation. Then I copy all highlighted words onto an index card with a black Sharpie and I put the index cards in a box. Then I put the journals in the shredder and I put the shredder in the compost, which goes to my tomatoes in the summer.”
By the time Rothman came back a month later, the compost box was overflowing and the walls of Shires’ barn were covered in index cards that she’d attached with painter’s tape (doesn’t ruin the paint!). In less than a month Shires had written 26 songs deciphering what had been going through her mind, from 2018, where her To the Sunset album left off, to the present.
The result is a song cycle of ruthlessly candid tunes written as a document about her life as a woman, a wife (to husband Jason Isbell) and a mother during a tumultuous time. Produced by Rothman, and featuring Isbell on guitar on several tracks, it’s an album filled with revealing autobiography, sexual tempestuousness, resentments and recrimination, spun out with a logic and sequencing as obliquely plotted as an Agatha Christie mystery. Each song reveals either a hidden passage to another song or an insight into the marriage, the crimes that were committed, the accusations sparked but never uttered, and the love that exists between them still.
But it’s not a break-up album. Its arc feels more like the anatomy of a marriage, depicting how over time affection and closeness rise and fall.
“I’m uncomfortable with the idea of everything in the public seeming so perfect, and needing to be presented right. Just because people listen to Jason’s records and go to his shows and whatnot doesn’t mean they don’t need to know that our marriages look exactly the same as theirs. You take all that celebrity stuff away, and our marriage is just like everybody else's,” Shires says.
“We were having problems before Covid, and then during Covid there was a lot of pressure, like with everybody,” she amplifies. “We were sitting here in our wonderful house and talking about the people that didn’t make it through that. What we decided is that we’re happiest if we work on ourselves. Then we have more to offer each other.”
And all the time alone came with some big realizations for Shires. While both she and her husband are artists, she had more domestic jobs and responsibilities than he did, and it was making her resentful.
“Jason’s Covid talent was getting better at the guitar, playing it eight hours a day. What was my Covid talent? It was setting boundaries. I allowed myself to take up more space in my own life.
That’s what Covid did for me. It gave me the courage and freedom to say, ‘I’m working on something that's important to me, and I’m going to keep working on it till I have it right.’
“Because of that decision, I think these are better songs than I’d written ever before, because I held that line. There is a confidence that comes from not bending. This album is a document of what the past few years have been like for me. I figured out what it takes for me to feel satisfied at the end of the day. I drew my boundaries. I held on tight. I allowed myself to serve my work uncompromisingly. It’s true what they say on airplanes before you take off: You have to put your own mask on before you can help anybody else.”
Just as important was Shires’ realization that she needed an identity outside of her relationship and motherhood. No longer the well-behaved musician of her earlier albums, she has gotten rid of most of the good-girl trappings, the plaid shirts and pigtails. On Take It Like a Man, she’s written songs that crackle with pain, resentment, longing, anger, and ennui. The album documents a woman giving birth to herself: a musical version of the famous 1932 Frida Kahlo painting My Birth, only a little less graphic. Over this suite of songs, she fearlessly excavated what the couple had gone through.
“Hawk for the Dove” is a dark, haunting Southern gothic full of minor-chord bravado and overt seduction, shot through with an evocative gypsy fiddle and Isbell’s echoing guitar. Her voice on the title track -- originally titled “Common Loon” -- is a revelation: It’s a song about being brave enough to choose to go ahead and fall in love knowing that love/relationships don’t always go as planned. Tremulous and anxious, it’s an elegant waltz full of peril and sadness, a song that wouldn’t be amiss as an accompaniment to Edgar Allen Poe’s “Masque of the Red Death.”
Elsewhere, standout “Empty Cups” turns back time; with its gauzy imagery and wrecked poetry, it recalls Van Morrison during his early years. Featuring background vocals from Highwomen cohort Maren Morris, it shows the true depth of Shires’ songwriting abilities. “Don’t Be Alarmed” offers a small shred of hope and humor thanks to the crack team of Shires, Ruston Kelly, Liz Rose and Isbell, and contains some of the album’s best lines.
Another key track is “Fault Lines,” the first song Shires wrote for the album. “That was a big clue to what was going on. For some people marriage is easy. For my mom it is -- she’s done it five times!” laughs Shires.
“I second-guessed myself a lot by keeping ‘Fault Lines’ on the record, saying to myself, ‘Do you really want people to know this or hear this?’” says Shires softly. “I guess I could’ve been more vague with words, but my intentions were to tell the truth the best that I could from the place that I was in.”
As a stately drum mimics a beating heart and the second stage of grief, “Fault Lines” assigns responsibility for relationship strains equally. “Here He Comes,” the last song written for the record, is upbeat, jazzy and hopeful, while “Bad Behavior,” with Brittney Spencer and Maren Morris’ background vocals, is suggestively light and loungy. The title track, buttressed by mournful horns, seethes with Shires’ raging, unruly electric violin.
“Stupid Love” promises a smoky blue light at the end of a claustrophobic tunnel, while “Lonely at Night” contends that love endures no matter what has transpired. Enhanced by singer-songwriter Brittney Spencer’s harmonies, it sounds like something Dusty Springfield could have sung in the ‘60s or Cat Power in the ‘90s. “Everything Has Its Time,” co-written with Highwomen band member Natalie Hemby, is a cautionary tale, cinematic and prophetic and full of homespun truths, like the kinds Dolly Parton used to dispense around the time of “Jolene.”
“Everything on the record is autobiographical. I didn’t hold anything back. Then, if the details were boring I infused other stories,” she laughs. “Like my granddad said, if your story’s not good enough just make it better.”
“I think what I’ve learned is any time you get your heart broke, from love, music, your business, your life, you always think that’s it!” Shires reflects. “But it hardly ever is. You look back and say ‘I’m glad that wasn’t it at all.’ It’s a cycle that keeps repeating over and over, like Gabriel García Márquez’s A Hundred Years of Solitude. The end is rarely the end; it’s just another loop of the wheel. Matters of the heart get confusing. But when you’re in need of something, somehow the universe gives it to you if you can just hold on a little bit longer.”
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
Steve Vai will be performing at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on Tuesday, November 22nd, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Oddisee & Good Compny will be performing at The Waiting Room Lounge in Omaha, Nebraska on Wednesday, December 7th, 2022.
DOORS: 6:00 PM // SHOW: 7:00 PM
About Oddisee & Good Compny
DMV rapper and record producer Oddisee realized early on that purpose and success are self-designated. Born Amir Elkhalifa in Washington D.C. to a Sudanese father and African American mother, and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland, he bore witness to stark inequity early in life and became as political as the city he was raised in. Elkhalifa tackles the human condition with unwavering conviction and candor, merging elements of jazz, funk, and go-go into his hip-hop rooted production. Instead of pursuing record deals and executives, Elkhalifa has taken the less-traveled path. Streamlining elements of the industry early on, from single-handedly recording, producing, and mixing his music to steering his marketing strategy and tour runs. A string of contemporary releases—Rock Creek Park (2011), The Beauty in All (2013), The Good Fight (2015), Alwasta (2016), and The Iceberg (2017)—headlining performances and tours with his 5-piece band, Good Compny, and streams in the multi-millions have propelled him to international recognition and acclaim.
Show pictured above: Young The Giant at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, Iowa on February 16th, 2019. (Photo taken by Josh Hewitt)
Avi Kaplan will be performing at Wooly's on Friday, December 9th, 2022.
DOORS: 7:00 PM // SHOW: 8:00 PM
About Avi Kaplan
By the time Avi Kaplan launched his solo career in 2017, he'd already built an audience that stretched across the globe, racking up three GRAMMY Awards as a member of the platinum-selling vocal group Pentatonix. Avi knew he needed to return to his own artistic foundation -- to the organic acoustic driven rock and roots music that had provided the soundtrack to his upbringing in rural California.
That musical evolution began with 2020's I'll Get By EP and carried through last year's single, "Song For the Thankful." Now comes Floating on a Dream, (Fantasy Records) Avi's debut full-length solo LP, which further broadens his artistry into enthralling new territory. Produced by Shooter Jennings (Brandi Carlile, The White Buffalo), the album is rendered in long shadows and moody high relief, reflecting Avi's Californian roots and fascination with the American West. Through country, blues, soul, folk, tribal drums, and a touch of gospel, Avi explores matters of the heart, truth, morality, and the search for relevance across the album's 11 original tracks. At the core though, there is that voice. From a haunting falsetto to its deepest bass tones, his instrument is unlike anything else in modern music.
Show pictured above: 3OH!3 & Emo Nite at Wooly's on December 5th, 2018. (Photo taken by Ryan Watanabe)
