Rolling Stone's Best Albums of 2013 Mid-Year Report

Please follow the link to see Rolling Stone's list of the Best Albums of 2013 Mid-Year Report.  

Umphrey’s McGee with STS9 "Let’s Dance" (Relix)

Please follow the link to see Umphrey's McGee and STS9 on August 17th in Chicago performing a killer cover of David Bowie's "Let's Dance."

Bob Dylan, ‘Another Self Portrait (1969-1971)’ – Album Review (UCR)

Please follow the link to read Michael Gallucci's review of the 10th volume of Bob Dylan's outstanding "Bootleg Series' "Another Self Portrait  (1969-1971).

Pink Floyd’s ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ Inspires New Radio Play

Pink Floyd's 1973 classic, The Dark Side of the Moon, served as the inspiration for a new radio play called 'Dark Side' that aired on the BBC earlier this week.  Follow the link to learn more.

Linda Ronstadt Forced to End Career Due to Parkinson’s Disease (Ultimate Classic Rock)

In a recent interview with AARP, Linda Ronstadt publicly opened up about her battle with Parkinson's disease and her decision to end her career in the music business.  Please read more at Ultimate Classic Rock. 

Sting Offers Ships and Surprises on First Solo Album In a Decade (Rolling Stone)

Sting's upcoming solo album, The Last Ship, his first in over a decade will arrive in stores on September 24th.  Read more at Rolling Stone.  

On the turntable this Sunday...Presence

Presence is the seventh studio album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released by Swan Song Records on 31 March 1976. It was written and recorded during a tumultuous time in the band's history, as singer Robert Plant was recuperating from serious injuries he had sustained in a recent car accident. The album received mixed reviews from critics and is also the slowest-selling studio album by the band (other than the outtake album Coda), only managing to achieve triple-platinum certification in the United States. Nonetheless, guitarist Jimmy Page describes Presence as the band's "most important" album, proving they would continue despite their turmoil. 

Read more at Wikipedia

Top 50 Led Zeppelin Songs

Please follow the link to see Ultimate Classic Rock's list of the top 50 Led Zeppelin Songs and enter for your chance to win the massive 10-disc box set:  'The Complete Studio Recordings.'

Members of Umphrey’s McGee Join STS9 for "Monkey Music" (jambands.com)

STS9 is on a co-headlining tour with Umphrey's McGee and both bands recently played the Meadow Brook Music Festival in Rochester Hills, MI.  Read more here. 

Robbie Robertson Co-Authors Book on Rock Legends (jambands.com)

Robbie Robertson, former songwriter and guitarist for The Band, has co-authored a book called Legends, Icons & Rebels.  Read more here.  

Kiss Now Have Their Own Pro Football Team (Ultimate Classic Rock)

Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of KISS are now owners of a professional football team called the LA KISS and plan to utilize the KISS logo on their helmets.  Just think what the rest of their uniforms will end up looking like...

Read more at Ultimate Classic Rock. 

The Lumineers Cover Talking Heads On Deluxe Reissue

The folk band, The Lumineers are releasing a reissue of their self-titled debut album, which will be getting the "Deluxe Edition" treatment and includes several bonus tracks and a DVD.  

One of the bonus tracks is The Lumineers' take on the Talking Heads' classic, "This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody.)  Look for The Lumineers available in stores today. 

AC/DC Introduce Platinum Wine (Ultimate Classic Rock)

Australian winery Warburn Estate first launched their AC/DC-inspired wines two years ago. The winery has recently introduced a 2010 Shiraz called "AC/DC Platinum."  Please read more at Ultimate Classic Rock.

On the turntable this Sunday...Aja

Aja (/ˈeɪʒə/, pronounced like Asia) is the sixth album by the jazz rock band Steely Dan. Originally released in 1977 on ABC Records, it became the group's best-selling album. Peaking at No. 3 on the U.S. charts and No. 5 in the United Kingdom, it was the band's first platinum album, eventually selling over 5 million copies. In July 1978, the album won the Grammy Award for Best Engineered Non-Classical Recording. In 2003, the album was ranked number 145 on Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list.

Donald Fagen has said the title of the album comes from the name of a Korean woman who married the brother of a high-school friend of his. The cover photo by Hideki Fujii features Japanese model/actress Sayoko Yamaguchi.

The album features several leading session musicians. The eight-minute-long title track features jazz-based changes and a solo by saxophonist Wayne Shorter.

Aja is the subject of one of the Classic Albums, a series of documentaries about the making of famous albums. The documentary includes a song-by-song study of the album (the only omission being "I Got the News," which is played during the closing credits), interviews with Steely Dan co-founders Walter Becker and Donald Fagen (among others) plus new, live-in-studio versions of songs from the album. Becker and Fagen also play back several of the rejected guitar solos for "Peg," which were recorded before Jay Graydon produced the satisfactory take.

When DTS attempted to make a 5.1 version, it was discovered that the multi-track masters for both "Black Cow" and the title track were missing. For this same reason, a multi-channel SACD version was cancelled by Universal Music. Donald Fagen has offered a $600 reward for the missing masters or any information that leads to their recovery.


On April 6, 2011, the album was deemed by the Library of Congress to be "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important" and added to the United States National Recording Registry for the year 2010. 

Read more at Wikipedia

Peter Buck to Join Kevn Kinney and Roamin Countrymen at 40 Watt Club in Athens, GA

Peter Buck (R.E.M.) will join Kevn Kinney (Drivin' N' Cryin') and the Roamin Countrymen at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, GA on November 14. 

Tickets to the show are now on sale for only $5. 

Steely Dan Mood Swings Tour 2013

The Showbiz Kids' unanimous favorite band, Steely Dan, continue their "Mood Swings Tour 2013" in the United States.  Fans in Boston, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and DC will be treated to special setlist shows that include the band performing their classic 1977 album, Aja and the band's Greatest Hits. 

Steely Dan will wrap up the tour in October with a seven-night stand in their hometown at NYC's Beacon Theatre with more special setlists that will include the band performing Aja, Gaucho, and The Royal Scam in their entirety plus an 'Audience Request Night'.  

Steely Dan 2013 Tour Dates: 

Aug 17    San Francisco, CA Americas Cup Pavilion 

Aug 18    Reno, NV  Reno Events Center 

Aug 20    Santa Barbara, CA  Santa Barbara Bowl

Aug 21    San Diego, CA Humphrey's 

Aug 23    Las Vegas, NV The Pearl

Aug 24    Los Angeles, CA  Nokia Theater LA Live  Aja - Plus Selected Hits

Aug 25    Los Angeles, CA  Nokia Theater LA Live   Greatest Hits Night

Aug 28   Austin, TX Bass Concert Hall

Aug 30    Houston, TX  Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Aug 31    Grand Prairie, TX    Verizon Theatre

Sept 03   Kansas City, MO  Midland Theatre 

Sept 04    Tulsa, OK  Brady Theatre

Sept 06    Memphis, TN  Mud Island Amphitheatre

Sept 07    Atlanta, GA  Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre  Aja - Plus Selected Hits

Sept 08    St. Augustine, FL  St. Augustine Amphitheatre

Sept 11    Orlando, FL  Hard Rock Live

Sept 12    Boca Raton, FL  Mizner Park Amphitheatre

Sept 14   Clearwater, FL Ruth Eckerd Hall

Sept 15    Charleston, SC North Charleston PAC

Sept 17    Charlotte, NC  Time-Warner Uptown Amphitheatre  

Sept 18    Raleigh, NC  Red Hat Amphitheatre 

Sept 20    Bristow, VA  Jiffy Lube Amphitheatre  Aja - Plus Selected Hits

Sept 21    Philadelphia, PA  Mann Center for the Performing Arts 

Sept 24    Boston, NA Citi Wang  Aja - Plus Selected Hits

Sept 25   Boston, MA Citi Wang  Greatest Hits Night

Sept 27    Bethlehem, PA  Sands Event Center

Sept 28    Mashantucket, CT  Foxwoods Resort Casino now

Sept 30   New York, NY new Beacon Theatre *  Aja - Plus Selected Hits

Oct 01   New York, NY new Beacon Theatre *  Greatest Hits Night

Oct 03   New York, NY new Beacon Theatre *  Royal Scam - Plus Selected Hits

Oct 04   New York, NY new Beacon Theatre *  Gaucho - Plus Selected Hits

Oct 05   New York, NY new Beacon Theatre *  Audience Request Night

Oct 07   New York, NY new Beacon Theatre *  Aja - Plus Selected Hits

Oct 08   New York, NY new Beacon Theatre * Greatest Hits Night

Humble Pie's ‘Rockin’ The Fillmore' Gets Boxed (Ultimate Classic Rock)

Humble Pie‘s 1971 double live album Performance: Rockin’ the Fillmore helped the British rock band to achieve success in the U.S.  

An expanded version of that album will be released as a four-disc box set on October 29 that includes all four shows at New York’s legendary Fillmore East from which the original 1971 record was compiled.

Read more at Ultimate Classic Rock.

Actor Paul Rudd Joins Rush Onstage at Tour Finale (Ultimate Classic Rock)

Actor Paul Rudd joined Rush onstage for their tour finale in Kansas City earlier this month. 

Please follow the link to read and see more at Ultimate Classic Rock.

Jerry Garcia: Discovered or at Least Busted (Relix)

Jerry Garcia passed away 18 years ago on August 9, 1995.  Please follow the link to read the 1987 interview that was published in the August-September 2002 issue of Relix.

Phil Collins Says 'Farewell' -And Actually Means It (Rolling Stone)

Read more at Rolling Stone.

On the turntable this Sunday...Pretzel Logic

Pretzel Logic is the third studio album by the American rock band Steely Dan, released on February 20, 1974, by ABC Records. It was written by principal band members Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. They recorded the album at The Village Recorder in West Los Angeles with producer Gary Katz and prominent Los Angeles-based studio musicians.
The album was a commercial and critical success upon its release. Its hit single "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" helped restore Steely Dan's radio presence after the disappointing performance of their 1973 album Countdown to Ecstasy. Pretzel Logic was reissued in 2000 to retrospective acclaim from critics.

The Complete Last Waltz Comes to the Cap (Jambands.com)

Several musicians will come together to celebrate The Band's historic Last Waltz concert on November 23 at Port Chester, NY's Capitol Theater.  Read more here. 

Jeff Beck Will Join Brian Wilson On Tour

Jeff Beck and Brian Wilson will be hitting the road for an 18-date tour this fall.  Read more here. 

Sam Holt, Members of Bloodkin to Perform at Remembering Mikey – A Celebration of the Music, Memory and Spirit of Michael Houser

"Remembering Mikey," A Celebration of the Music, Memory, and Spirit of Michael Houser,  is set to take place this weekend at Steamboat Springs and Denver, CO.  

Please read more here. 

Tom Petty ‘Almost Done’ With New Album (Ultimate Classic Rock)

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers recently wrapped up another successful summer tour.  The band is already back in the studio working on their next album.  Read more at Ultimate Classic Rock.

Bob Weir and MMJ perform "I Know You Rider"

The AmericanaramA tour wrapped up over the weekend at the Shoreline Amphitheatere in Mountain View, CA.  Bob Weir made several guest appearances with Wilco and My Morning Jacket in select cities this past summer.  

Here is a clip of Bob Weir and MMJ performing "I Know You Rider." See full setlists at JamBase.

String Cheese Incident Honor JJ Cale with Anders Osborne at Red Rocks

Please follow the link to see the String Cheese Incident honor J.J. Cale during their at Red Rocks run.

On the turntable this Sunday...Naturally

Naturally is the debut album by J. J. Cale. First released in 1972, it includes his song "After Midnight" which was first recorded by Eric Clapton in 1970.

Cale, who was languishing in obscurity at the time, had no knowledge of Clapton's recording of "After Midnight" until it became a radio hit in 1970. Cale's friend and producer, Audie Ashworth, encouraged Cale to record a full album in order to capitalize on the success of his song. Naturally was recorded independently, "on spec", the musicians being paid demo fees. 

Some songs, such as "Call Me the Breeze", were recorded with primitive drum machine accompaniment and sound almost like demos.

The album showcased Cale's distinctive, understated style, and it successfully established his solo recording career which continued until his death in 2013. The album was originally released on Leon Russell's "Shelter" label, spawning the 1972 hits "Crazy Mama" (Billboard Hot 100 #22- his only Top 40 hit ) and "After Midnight" (#42) as well as turntable hits "Bringing it Back" (recorded by Kansas in their first album), "Call Me the Breeze" (later recorded by Lynyrd Skynyrd) and "Clyde" (later recorded by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show, and a 1980 country hit for Waylon Jennings).

All tracks written by JJ Cale, except where noted:

1. "Call Me the Breeze" – 2:35
2. "Call the Doctor" – 2:26
3. "Don't Go to Strangers" – 2:22
4. "Woman I Love" – 2:36
5. "Magnolia" – 3:23
6. "Clyde" (C. W. Beavers, J.J. Cale) – 2:29
7. "Crazy Mama" – 2:22
8. "Nowhere to Run" – 2:26
9. "After Midnight" – 2:23
10. "River Runs Deep" – 2:42
11. "Bringing It Back" – 2:44
12. "Crying Eyes" – 3:13

Read more at Wikipedia

Bob Dylan with Jim James and Jeff Tweedy "The Weight"

My Morning Jacket’s Jim James and Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy joined Bob Dylan on July 24th for a take on The Band classic “The Weight” at Farm Bureau Live in Virginia Beach, VA. Please follow the link to see the video courtesy of Relix.  

Phish Will Return to Atlantic City to Celebrate Halloween

Phish recently confirmed their 2013 Fall Tour dates which will include a three-night run at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, VA and a three-night Halloween run at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. Phish played their last Halloween show in Atlantic City on October 31, 2010 where they covered Little Feat's classic, Waiting On Columbus.

PHISH 2013 FALL TOUR DATES: 

10/18 Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA
10/19 Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA
10/20 Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA
10/22 Blue Cross Arena, Rochester, NY
10/23 Glens Falls Civic Center, Glens Falls NY
10/25 DCU Center, Worcester, MA
10/26 DCU Center, Worcester, MA
10/27 XL Center, Hartford, CT
10/29 Sovereign Center, Reading, PA
10/31 Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ
11/01 Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ
11/02 Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ

-Will Fisher, The Showbiz Kids

Widespread Panic 2013 Fall Tour

Following another successful Summer run, Widespread Panic recently announced their 2013 Fall Tour dates and New Year's Eve show.

The band will return to the road in September with special guest, John Fogerty, at the Interlocken Festival in Arrington, VA and will wrap up the tour with a show in Madison Square Garden in NYC.  

Widespread Panic will ring in the new year at Phillips Arena in Atlanta, GA where they hold the venue's record with 17 sold-out performances.

Widespread Panic 2013 Fall Tour:

9/7-8 Arrington, VA @ Interlocken Music Festival

9/20-21 Southaven, MS @ Snowden Grove Amphitheater

9/22 Cincinnati, OH @ Taft Theatre

  9/24 Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore Detroit

9/26-28 Milwaukee, WI @ The Riverside Theater

9/29 Indianapolis, IN @ Old National Centre

10/1 Carbondale, IL @ SIU Arena 

10/3 Tuscaloosa, AL @ Tuscaloosa Amphitheater 

10/4-5 Charleston, SC @ Family Circle Stadium

10/25-26 Austin, TX @ Moody Theater

10/26 Houston, TX @ Bayou Music Center

10/29 Tulsa, OK @ Brady Theater

10/31-11/2 New Orleans, LA @ UNO Lakefront Arena

11/05 Miami Beach, FL @ The Fillmore

11/06 Jacksonville, FL @ Moran Theater

11/8-9 Asheville, NC @ US Cellular Arena

11/12 Baltimore, MD @ Modell Performing Arts Center at The Lyric

11/14 Syracuse, NY @ Landmark Theatre

11/15 Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre

11/16 New York, NY @ Theater at Madison Square Garden

Official New Years Eve:

12/31 Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena

-Will Fisher, The Showbiz Kids