Kidsmoke Release New Single

Kidsmoke released their new single "Cut Yourself Loose" on February 26. Check the track out below. You can pick up the single HERE.

Formed in 2013 in Wrexham, North Wales, Kidsmoke consists of: Lance Williams on vocals and guitar, James Stickels on bass and vocals, recent addition Sophie Ballamy on Guitar and vocals and Chris Trow on drums. They quickly rose to prominence in April that year following the release of their debut EP ‘Higher’. Since then the band have reached the final of the Green Man Rising competition, played the festival and also supported the likes of Paul Smith (Maximo Park), Glass Animals, Satellite Stories and Widowspeak. BBC Radio Wales’ Adam Walton took a liking to the band, playing a number of their tracks several times on his show and has voiced his support for them such as when talking about Track ‘On And On’, saying that “It would thaw the heart of a dead Polar bear”.

The Zipper Club Release New Track

Zipper Club (Photo by Ben Pier)

Check out "Going The Distance from the Zipper Club below.

Zipper Club is the brainchild of Cerebral Ballzy guitar player Mason Orfalea. Cerebral Ballzy were UK press darlings who had “Hottest Record” from Zane Lowe at BBC on multiple occasions, graced the cover of NME, had several Vice features and played Reading & Leeds along with most major European festivals. 

They signed to Julian Casablancas’ label Cult and had their record produced by Dave Sitek (TV On The Radio). Mason left the band in 2015 and put together the songs for ZipperClub with the production help of James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins/A Perfect Circle). Rounding out the line up for the band is drummer Jahphet  (TV On The Radio) and Lissy Trulie (Downtown/Wichita) on vocals.

Jackie Venson Releases New Video

Guitarist/singer Jackie Venson has released a new video for her track "Always Free". Check out the clip below. You can pick up "Always Free" HERE.

Austin-born indie/blues guitarist/vocalist, Jackie Venson, releases a music video for her single, “Always Free" from here latest album The Light in Me. She is currently preparing to release a live album, due out this Fall. 

Daughter of Austin music staple, Andrew Venson, Jackie’s early drive for music led her to Boston’s Berklee College of Music, where she picked up a guitar for the first time. Inspired by blues, R&B and pop artists alike, Venson draws on diverse influences ranging from Buddy Guy to Sade to Alicia Keys. In April of 2014, she was handpicked from over 2,000 entries by Southern retail chain, Belk, for their Belk Fashion Lounge concert series. Throughout the series’ five amphitheater performances, she supported famed country and southern icons Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw and James Taylor. The Austin American-Statesman has hailed her sound as “an astonishing mix of raw soul, superb musicianship and laid back grace.”

Art: WBGO Gallery Exhibition + Reception

Photo credit: Chuck Stewart

The Jazz Photography Of Chuck Stewart is on exhibit through March 31, 2016 at the WBGO Art Gallery. 

There's a Gallery Reception TONIGHT, March 24, 6PM - 8PM that is FREE and open to the public at the WBGO Art Gallery in Newark, NJ.

WBGO Art Gallery

54 Park Place

Newark, NJ 07102

Regular visiting hours are Monday through Friday, 9AM to 5PM.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Chuck Stewart has been an eyewitness to 20th century American social, cultural and musical history. He photographed over 2,000 album covers for record labels large and small including Mercury, Argo, Impulse, Chess, Atlantic, Columbia Records and more.

On his website, Stewart describes his work, "In my portraits and improvisational shots, I've tried to unveil the soul of the artists I photographed and communicate the essence of their craft. That's why they trusted me: James Brown, John Coltrane, Candido, Miles Davis, Eric Dolphy, Judy Garland, Billie Holiday, Quincy Jones, Machito, Max Roach, Frank Sinatra, and many more. You know their names, but few people have known and photographed them as I have. My pictures and I have many stories to tell."

Movies: Weekend Watch List, 3/25

A few flicks are opening tomorrow, Friday, March 25, that you might want to check out. There are superheros, a Greek wedding, a country musician and a jazz musician…something for just about everyone! 

Batman vs. Superman: Dawn Of Justice 

(Warner Bros. Pictures)

This much talked about film opens tomorrow. The Zack Snyder directed film stars Ben Affleck as Batman/Bruce Wayne and Henry Cavill as Superman/Clark Kent. This is the first big-screen pairing of the DC Comics characters. Who will win? Well, I think I'm partial to Superman so, go Superman…?

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My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 
(Universal Pictures)

This is the follow-up to the highest grossing romantic comedy of all time. The Kirk Jones directed film stars Nia Vardalos alongside the entire returning cast including John Corbett and Lainie Kazan. There's a family secret involved in this tale.

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I Saw The Light 
(Sony Pictures Classics)

Tom Hiddleston portrays country legend Hank Williams in this flick. Elizabeth Olsen co-stars as Audrey Williams, Hank's first wife, mother of Hank, Jr.  The film, based on the book "Hank Williams: The Biography" by Colin Escott, was written and directed by Marc Abraham.

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Born To Be Blue 
(IFC Films)

This Robert Budreau directed film stars Ethan Hawke as jazz musician Chet Baker.

Is Tropical Release Black Anything + Video

London band Is Tropical released their new album Black Anything on March 11 via Axis Mundi Records.  You can pick up the vinyl bundle HERE and the digital version HERE.  Check out the video for for "Follow The Sun" below.

Black Anything is, in retrospect, a very dark record. Nocturnal, sleep-deprived, warped - but every track on the album has pieces of the place it was recorded imprinted on it. Never missing IS TROPICAL's pop sensibility, Black Anything is the sound of a late night, somewhere, anywhere. 

'Black Anything' will be released on five 10” transparent picture disc installments, containing 2 tracks per vinyl and displaying the continent in which it was conceived. The five vinyls when displayed on top of each other create the globe, unifying the concept as a whole - each vinyl existing as an artwork and tribute to the continent it was recorded in.

Upcoming: Chamomile & Whiskey At Pianos, 4/8

Photo credit: Rich Tarbell

Chamomile & Whiskey

Friday, April 8

Pianos NYC

158 Ludlow Street

New York, NY

Doors: 6:30PM / Show: 7PM

Tickets: $10

21+

Having released two albums on County Wide Records and having played hundreds of shows on the east coast, Chamomile and Whiskey is carving out a unique place for themselves on the Americana scene.  Much of their success can be attributed to their passionate and energetic live performance. A Chamomile and Whiskey show is a rowdy affair, often sending the sounds of whiskey being spilled, boots stomping, and fans howling towards the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Upcoming: Ian Mellencamp at Mercury Lounge, 4/4

Photo credit: Natsuko Matsumura

Ian Mellencamp

Monday, April 4

Mercury Lounge

217 E Houston Street

New York, NY

Doors: 7PM / Show: 9PM

Tickets: $10

21+

Upcoming: Arkells at Knitting Factory, 3/25

The Arkells will be taking the stage in Brooklyn at the Knitting Factory on March 25.  See below for more details and a list of tour dates.

Arkells

Dreamers / The Karma Killers

Friday, March 25

Knitting Factory Brooklyn

361 Metropolitan Avenue

Brooklyn, NY

Doors: 8PM / Show: 9PM

Tickets: $12 adv / $14 dos

All Ages

Tour Dates

• March 22 - New Orleans, LA @ Parish Room at House of Blues
• March 23 - Atlanta, GA @ Purgatory
• March 24 - Washington, DC @ Black Cat
• March 25 - Brooklyn, NY @ Knitting Factory
• March 28 - Boston, MA @ The Sinclair
• March 29 - Philadelphia, PA @ Milkboy
• March 30 - Cleveland, OH @ The Grog Shop
• March 31 - Columbus, OH @ The Basement
• April 1 - Chicago, IL @ Subterranean
• April 2 - Kansas City, MO @ The Riot Room
• April 3 - Denver, CO @ Lost Lake
• April 4 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
• April 6 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos
• April 7 - Portland, OR @Holocene
• April 9 - San Francisco @ Social Hall
• June 16-19 - Dover, DE - Firefly Festival
• July 22-24 - Oro-Medonte, ON - WayHome Music Festival

Anna Vogelzang To Release New Album + Tour Dates

Photo credit: Anda Marie Photography

Anna Vogelzang is set to release her new album Hiker on May 6. You can pre-order the album HERE. Check out the title track below.

Anna Vogelzang is thrilled to announce the release of her new album Hiker, due out May 6th via Paper Anchor Records. Produced by Todd Sickafoose (Anais Mitchell, Ani DiFranco, Andrew Bird) in the hills of Eugene, Oregon, Hiker is the record that she has been working towards for the last ten years of her career. “This album sounds most like myself,” she expresses, “most like the thing I’ve been striving for. It is the project that makes me feel like I am stepping over a threshold.”

Tour Dates * = W/ Chris Pureka
MARCH SXSW

• 17 - Austin, TX - Panelist for “Creative Convergence: Artists As Labels Austin Convention Center, Room 10C (12:30-1:30 pm)
• 17 - Austin, TX - Shangrila (Midcoast Takeover, 5:45 pm)
• 18 - Austin, TX - Sidewinder (Midwest Dayparty, 1:15 pm)
• 19 - Austin, TX - Goorin Bros. Hat Shop (5:00 pm)

APRIL

• 22 - Milwaukee, WI - UW Milwaukee
• 28 - Ann Arbor, MI - The Blind Pig *
• 29 - Bryan, OH - Carnegie Concert Series
• 30 - Evanston, IL - SPACE *

MAY

• 01 - Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon * (Album Release Show)
• 03 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry *
• 05-07 - New York, NY - Co-Hosting The Grid Music Initiative: The Grid 101
• 14 - Knoxville, TN - International Biscuit Festival
• 14 - Knoxville, TN - Harmony House
• 17 - Nashville, TN - 5 Spot
• 26 - Austin, TX - Patika

JUNE

• 12 - Madison, WI - Marquette Waterfront Festival

JULY

• 21 - New York, NY - Rockwood Stage 2 w/ Emilyn Brodsky
• 24 - Cambridge, MA - Club Passim