recommended gigs

Friday March 1st - Bogtrotters Union at the Hard Rock Cafe with Mustard Plug

Saturday Mar 2 - Lucky Cheats at Goldmine Tavern, Henderson
Saturday Mar 2 - The Astaires and All Mod Cons (Jam cover band) at the Plaza for the Highrollers Weekens
Saturday March 2 - The All-Togethers at Whiskey Dicks

Sunday March 3 - Crazy Chief at Backstage Bar and Billiards
SundayMarch 3 - Thee Swank Bastards- Cheyenne Saloon

Friday March 8 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down
Friday March 8 - Crazy Chief at Vamp'd
Friday March 8 - Beau Hodges Band - House of Blues

Saturday March 9 - the Psyatics at the Double Down Saloon

Sunday March 10th - Bogtrotter's Union at the Double Down Saloon w/ Stagnetti's Cock, Bobby Meader band

Thursday Mar 14 - The Lucky Cheats and the LV Country Saloon

Friday March 15 - Tinglerz / Guttermouth @ LV Country Saloon
Friday March 15th - Bogtrotter's Union at McMullan's Irish Pub

Saturday March 16th - Bogtrotter's Union - St. Patrick's Day on Fremont
March 16 - Thee Swank Bastards - Money Plays

Sunday March 17 - The Lucky Cheats at Backstage Bar and Billiards
Sunday March 17th - Bogtrotter''s Union - St. Patrick's Day on Fremont/McMullan's Irish Pub

Tuesday March 19th - Bogtrotter's Union - Samuel Adams party @ Todd English in the Aria

Wednesday March 20 - Thee Swank Bastards Griffin

Friday March 22nd - Bogtrotter's Union - Neon Reverb The Bunkhouse Saloon

Saturday March 23 Thee Swank Bastards @ Dino's

Wednesday March 27 Thee Swank Bastards @ Double Down

Friday March 29 - the Beau Hodges Band w/Rev Horton Heat  - LV Country Saloon

Saturday March 30 - the Cold Blue Rebels with the Chop Tops - LV Country Saloon

I'll add more as I hear about them! Friends - lemme know and I'll list gigs here, for what it's worth!

recommended gigs

Friday February 22 - The Psyatics, Crazy Chief and the Swamp Gospel at Motor City Cafe

Saturday February 23 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Motor City Cafe - benefit for Clay Heximer of the Mapes to help pay for his kidney cancer operation

Sunday February 24 - The Swinging Pedestrians at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Wednesday February 27 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Friday March 1st - Bogtrotters Union at the Hard Rock Cafe with Mustard Plug

Saturday Mar 2 - Lucky Cheats at Goldmine Tavern, Henderson
Saturday Mar 2 - The Astaires and All Mod Cons (Jam cover band) at the Plaza for the Highrollers Weekens

Sunday March 3 - Crazy Chief at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Friday March 8 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down
Friday March 8 - Crazy Chief at Vamp'd
Friday March 8 - Beau Hodges Band - House of Blues

Saturday March 9 - the Psyatics at the Double Down Saloon

Friday March 15 - Tinglerz / Guttermouth @ LV Country Saloon

Sunday March 17 - The Lucky Cheats at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Friday March 29 - the Beau Hodges Band w/Rev Horton Heat  - LV Country Saloon

Saturday March 30 - the Cold Blue Rebels with the Chop Tops - LV Country Saloon

I'll add more as I hear about them! Friends - lemme know and I'll list gigs here, for what it's worth!

recommended gigs

Thurs Feb 14 - Thee Swank Bastards at the LV Country Saloon

Friday Feb 15 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Wednesday February 20 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Griffin

Friday February 22 - The Psyatics, Crazy Chief and the Swamp Gospel at Motor City Cafe

Saturday February 23 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Motor City Cafe

Sunday February 24 - The Swinging Pedestrians at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Wednesday February 27 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Friday March 1st - Bogtrotters Union at the Hard Rock Cafe with Mustard Plug

Saturday Mar 2 - Lucky Cheats at Goldmine Tavern, Henderson

Sunday March 3 - Crazy Chief at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Friday March 8 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down
Friday March 8 - Crazy Chief at Vamp'd
Friday March 8 - Beau Hodges Band - House of Blues

Saturday March 9 - the Psyatics at the Double Down Saloon

Friday March 15 - Tinglerz / Guttermouth @ LV Country Saloon

Sunday March 17 - The Lucky Cheats at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Friday March 29 - the Beau Hodges Band w/Rev Horton Heat  - LV Country Saloon

Saturday March 30 - the Cold Blue Rebels with the Chop Tops - LV Country Saloon

I'll add more as I hear about them! Friends - lemme know and I'll list gigs here, for what it's worth!

recommended gigs

Friday February 8 - The Tinglerz at the Double Down with the Swamp Gospel!

Saturday February 9 - The Psyatics at the LV Country Saloon with the Angry Samoans
Saturday February 9 - Vintage Trouble at Vinyl at the Hard Rock

Tues February 12 - The Lucky Cheats at the House of Blues

Thurs Feb 14 - Thee Swank Bastards at the LV Country Saloon

Friday Feb 15 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Wednesday February 20 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Griffin

Friday February 22 - The Psyatics, Crazy Chief and the Swamp Gospel at Motor City Cafe

Wednesday February 27 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Friday March 1st - Bogtrotters Union at the Hard Rock Cafe with Mustard Plug

Friday March 8 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Saturday March 9 - the Psyatics at the Double Down Saloon

Friday March 15 - Tinglerz / Guttermouth @ LV Country Saloon


I'll add more as I hear about them! Friends - lemme know and I'll list gigs here, for what it's worth!

Flatt & Scruggs - The Best Of

When most people think of bluegrass music, this is what they think of - Earl Scruggs incredible banjo pickin', Scruggs hillbilly voice and the able backing with great fiddle playing, stand up bass, mandolin, and whatever else happened to be handy. These icons came from Bill Monroe's band, which is considered to be the innovator of the modern bluegrass sound. F&S built upon this and as Scruggs became a legend for his flying fingers, they became the premier group of the genre.

Of course, they broke into 60's pop culture when their "Ballad of Jed Clampett" was used as the theme for the Beverly Hillbillies. Unfortunately, that is not included on this hits packages, but their first breakthrough, "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" (they were known as the Foggy Mountain Boys at one time) is, along with many others, including "Old Salty Dog Blues", "Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms" and "Pine County Breakdown".

If you're looking for an introduction to bluegrass, you won't fine a finer selection than this!

The Louvin Brothers - Satan is Real

This album would be a classic just for its amazing cover art alone (which is why we came to own the CD), but this country duo imbues each song with their sweet, genetic harmonies and true beliefs. I have never been a country music fan but have been learning to love the genre, despite its corniness. There is plenty of unintentional camp here (especially is the recitation in the title track), and some cool imagery in the lyrics in songs such as "Satan's Jeweled Crown" and "The Drunkard's Doom". Yes, they are over-the-top at times, but that's what gospel is all about, isn't it? I'm not a believer, so I find the lyrics humorous more than inspiring, but I appreciate the passion and fervor that the brothers instill in the tunes.

Besides the cover art, this record is known as the source of the Gram Parsons-led Burrito Brothers version of "The Christian Life". But while being Christian, the brothers, particularly Ira, had his fights with the devil. He was notorious for his drinking (which, ironically, is the topic of several songs here), womanizing and short temper and one of his four wives shot him after he beat her! Not exactly the poster boy for the Baptist faith, was he? He died by the hands of a drunk driver in 1965 while he himself had a warrant out for a DUI!

Ah, the life of the tortured believer, trying to find a peace between his/her desires and religious convictions. But, that is why the music rings true, at times - because they are fighting the fight themselves. This is a superb example of true early Country Gospel.

Buddy Guy - I Was Walking Through the Woods

As talented as the man is, I am not always blown away by all of Guy's solo work, but I always love his early stuff for Chess, such as this one. This is compiled from sessions cut between 1960-1964, where Buddy is in his prime as a singer and guitarist. I love his tone here and he does not get excessive in his soloing. He is backed by the cream of the Chicago crop, with the likes of Junior Wells, Fred Below and Otis Spann helping him out. Every song is top-notch, from the writing to the singing, the lead work and the rhythm tracks. This is pure Chicago blues as it is meant to be and shows just why the likes of Eric Clapton & Jeff Beck bowed to this man. If you're looking for a place to start with Buddy, this wouldn't be a bad one. Definitely one of his best!

Sam Cooke and the Soul Stirrers

Obviously, many early soul, doo-wop amd rock'n'roll singers came from a Gospel background, but I have not heard all that much from many of them - something that I am trying to rectify. Just as Ray Charles took the up-beat wailin' gospel as his template for his style of rockin' soul, Sam Cooke (and many others) had a more sedate style that prefaced their secular doo-wop/sweet soul stylings.

It is somewhat remarkable just how similar some of the tunes here are to Cooke's later hits, down to his vocal acrobatics. The Soul Stirrers add fine background harmonies making this a excellent package that does not beat you over the head with the sanctified message.

This is definitely not the jumpin'-up-and-down, arms-flailin', fallin'-out kinda gospel, but if you're a fan of his work in the 60's, such as "You Send Me", "Cupid", and "Wonderful World", then you're sure to dig this, as well.

RIP the great Reg Presley

The Troggs - The Troggs Leader Reg Presley Loses Cancer Battle
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The is not a rock musician today that hasn't been influenced by the Troggs, whether they know it or not. From the amazing proto-metal of "Wild Thing", "I Want You" (adapted by the MC5 on their Kick Out The Jams album), "Strange Movies" and much more to the melodic pop of "Love Is All Around" and "With a Girl Like You", their sound was the sound of the 60's and early 70's. I saw them in '79 or so at the Whisky-a-Go-Go and Reg was still as lascivious as ever, despite his age and paunch, and they rocked as hard as ever.

Terribly sad...

The Mighty Grasshoppers

Have you been looking for a new power-pop band to add to your collection of bands like the Plimsouls, Shoes, Pezband, Badfinger, Sick Rose, etc.? Well, here you go! Led by the almost-annoyingly talented Tony Fate (BellRays, Black Widows), the Grasshoppers run through a batch of extremely well-written tunes that are clever and interesting as well as incredibly catchy.

But Tony isn't the only talent here! Chris LeRoy wrote a number of the songs, as well as handling most of the lead vocals (Tony does a rare lead vocal appearance on "Caravan", which only makes you wonder why he doesn't sing more often!) along with second guitar and keyboards. The rhythm section of Art Schindele and Tim Loughlin (drums & bass, respectively) are very adept at adding to and propelling the numbers without distracting from them.

Lots of influences raise their heads here, from C&W ("I Wouldn't Follow"), to surf (some of Tony's cuts are reminiscent of Black Widows constructs), garage, and more, but all blend together for a cohesive sound. This is not raucous, or even punk-pop - this is true power-pop, as it was done in the 70's. Real songs, real playing, real good! It's from Vital Gesture - how can you go wrong?!