Tag Archive for '50 states in 50 weeks'

50 States in 50 Weeks… Week 23: Kansas

Published by AidanR on November 17, 2009 in Artist News. 0 Comments Tags: 50 states in 50 weeks, Bottleneck, Country Stampede Music Festival, Kansas, Pistol River, soulicit, Sunflower State, Terry Quiett Band.

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Home Of: Melissa Etheridge, Kansas, Martina McBride, Pat Metheny, Chet Nichols, Coleman Hawkins, Stan Kenton.

Fun Facts: State Flower: Sunflower, State Tree: Cottonwood, State Song: “Home on The Range.”

The Venues:

Ex-Idol Kellie Pickler at Stampede '07

Kansas’ Country Stampede festival is arguably one of the nation’s biggest musical gatherings dedicated solely to country music. Located just north of Manhattan, KS (appropriately nicknamed the little apple), Country Stampede is one of the few country music festivals to offer camping spots to their customers, and because the festival is located Continue reading ‘50 States in 50 Weeks… Week 23: Kansas’

50 STATES IN 50 WEEKS… WEEK 21: FLORIDA

Published by AidanR on November 3, 2009 in Artist News. Closed Tags: 50 states in 50 weeks, Allman Brothers, Florida, Jam Bands, John Q., Latin, Leon Cheva, Live Oak, Maja Sar, Miami, Southern Rock, Suwannee River, Tampa, Wannee Music Festival.

Home of: The Backstreet Boys, The Allman Brothers, Matchbox 20, Jimmy Buffet, Bo Diddley, Tom Petty, Elvis Presley, Gram Parsons

Fun Facts: State Flower: Orange Blossom, State Bird: MockingBird, State Song: “Suwannee River”

The Venues:

Florida has given birth to many a jam band over the years, hence the reason why so many Jam Band-based festivals have flourished. The most pure of these events is the Wanee Music Festival in Live Oak, FL. Planted on the banks of the Suwannee River halfway between the Eastern coast city of Jacksonville and Western coast city of Tallahassee, this festival allows customers to take full advantage of the natural Floridian paradise, and even instills secret midnight jam sessions to enhance the weekend’s spontaneity. Did I mention that the festival has been hosted and headlined by local treasure The Allman Brothers since 2005?

The St. Petersburg / Tampa region of the state is one of the few cultural hot spots falling between southern Miami and northern Jacksonville, and is thus loaded with venues. The Crowbar is decked out with a state of the art sound system, and stunning interior design. Best of all, it’s Chameleon-esque, hosting bands from famous ska act Big D and the Kids Table to up-and-coming DJ Pretty Lights. The interior atmosphere and staff seems capable of catering to all genres, from garage rock to rave, in turn creating a happy musical environment hybrid of sorts.

The Music:

Florida is the Southern most state in the contiguous USA. That being said, it should be expected to host some pretty legitimate dirty southern blues rock. Quartet John Q. combines nasty slide guitar riffs and effected solos with first hand lyrics everyone can relate to. Check out their bluesy tale of a vengeful backwoods arsonist, “BrushFire.”

Placing in the top of her class, speaking three languages fluently, and holding a masters degree in architecture are a few reasons why Maja Sar is a real life Wonder Woman. Her angelic voice is just icing on the cake. Equipped with a background in Opera, Bosnia-born Maja translated her talents into the Pop/ R&B realm ( it won’t be long before you hear her on the radio). Take a listen to the beautifully minimal “A Cappella” and you’ll understand what I mean.

As a southern paradise, Florida is swamped with tropical influences. Safe to say, Latin mega-star Leon Cheva is adequately representing a multitude of those influences. Originally from Puerto Rico, Leon and his band Anonimo Music Group play every Latin style under the sun including, but not limited to, salsa, rhumba and tropical. Having won the Latin Channel 4 times, Cheva’s smooth grooves will have your hips swinging within minutes. Check out their rich, big band effort “Un Nuevo Comienzo.”

Check out these acts and other great Floridian artists in the playlist below! Who are your favorite OurStage Floridians? Where do you like to see live music in Florida? Let us know in the comments!

50 STATES IN 50 WEEKS…WEEK 20: NEBRASKA

Published by BethanyLeavey on October 27, 2009 in Playlists and Rock. 0 Comments Tags: 50 states in 50 weeks, Bombs Blast, Cursive, Jazz & Gospel Festival, Lucas Hitch, nebraska, Omaha, Omaha Blues, playlist, powerpop, punk, Sadle Creek Records, Singer-Songwriter, Slowdown, The Beat Seekers.

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Home of: Saddle Creek Records, Fred Astaire, Marlon Brando, Azure Ray, Bright Eyes, Tilly and the Wall, Smashmouth, The Faint, 311, Cursive

Fun Facts: State flower; goldenrod, state song; “Beautiful Nebraska,” state beverage; milk

The Venues:

While you may not think of Omaha, Nebraska when you think of jazz and R&B, the city actually has quite the history. Home to Wynonie Harris, Preston Love and Buddy Miles, the city was a regular stop for many Kansas City jazz musicians. For the past 6 years, Omaha has celebrated its musical heritage with the Omaha Blues, Jazz & Gospel Festival. This year’s festival included Everette Harp, Kelly Hunt and Little Brian and the Zydeco Travelers.

The biggest new development in indie rock in Omaha is Slowdown, a new all ages venue owned by Robb Nansel and Jason Kulbel, the duo behind Saddle Creek Records. Opened in 2007, Slowdown is part of a building complex (also owned by Nansel and Kulbel) that houses Saddle Creek Records, a coffee shop, retail stores (including an Urban Outfitters) and a movie theater. The venue was named after Omaha band Slowdown Virginia, which later went on to become the much loved indie band Cursive.

The Music:

The Beat Seakers – The broad appeal of The Beat Seekers straight up powerpop will have both teenagers and parents tapping their feet. The rock radio nostalgia track “Dead Air Radio” sounds like it could be an outtake from an early Sugarcult album. If you like what you hear, the band is offering their full-length Dead Air Radio for free here.

Lucas Hitch – Growing up in a musical family, pop singer-songwriter Lucas Hitch started playing shows when he was ten year old. In the last ten years, he has played 1500 concerts to over a half a million people. This August, Lucas released his first full-length album Fade. Because of his musical background, Lucas played almost all of the instruments on the album. Check out standout track “Wander On.”

Bombs Blast- The Bombs Blast press kit describes the band’s music as “Spit in your face Punk Rock,” and it’s obvious from the first chords of “Treachery” that they mean business. The band has been spreading the punk gospel, playing shows everywhere from backyards to dive bars for the past two years.

Check out these acts and other great Nebraskan artists in the playlist below! Who are your favorite OurStage Nebraskans? Where do you like to see live music in Nebraska? Let us know in the comments!

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50 STATES IN 50 WEEKS…WEEK19: VIRGINIA

Published by BethanyLeavey on October 20, 2009 in Playlists. 0 Comments Tags: 50 states in 50 weeks, Blue Ridge Folklife Festival, My Radio, The Birchmere, The Honey Dewdrops, the splints, VA, Virginia, Wolf Trap.

Home Of: George Washington, Dave Matthews Band, Patsy Cline, The Carter Family, Timbaland, Clipse, Gwar, The Dismemberment Plan, Lamb of God

Fun Facts: State flower; American Dogwood, State dog; American Foxhound, State bird; Cardinal

The Venues:

For a unique live music experience, check out The Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, the only national park for the arts in the United States. There are two venues in the park: The Filene Center, a 7000 seat outdoor amphitheatre and The Barns, a smaller indoor venue.

The Birchmere in Alexandria, VA is one of the leading folk clubs in the country. Artists like Mary Chapin Carpenter, Linda Ronstadt and Vince Gill all played here early in their careers.

Like roots music? Head to the 36th annual Blue Ridge Folklife Festival on October 24th. The festival celebrates the folk traditions of the area, including Blue Ridge ‘mountain music,’ played by musicians native to the area. This year’s festival will also be honoring Virginia’s part in the history of rockabilly music.

The Music:

The Honey Dewdrops – Listening to The Honey Dewdrops is like stepping into a time machine. Their old-timey twang and close vocal harmonies bring to mind the music of The Carter Family and their contemporaries. Their throwback sound impressed the staff of A Prairie Home Companion, who named The Honey Dewdrops the first place winners of their “People in their Twenties Talent Show” in March 2008. The band is currently touring in support of their May 2009 debut album If The Sun Will Shine, so check out “Wandering Boy” and catch The Honey Dewdrops in your town!

The Splints – The Splints’ punk influenced rock ‘n’ roll hits you like a kick in the chest, so it comes as no surprise that their rhythm section includes an ex-Marine. The band’s first full length, Love Letters And Broken Bones, was engineered by the legendary engineer Steve Albini (Nirvana, Pixies, PJ Harvey), with the track “Linoleum” winning a Top 10 achievement in the October 2008 Punk Channel.

My Radio – Boston music scene staple JP Powell thought he was moving to Roanoke, VA to give up rock and roll for good. He couldn’t have been more wrong. After a chance meeting with hard-hitting drummer Hunter Johnson, the two decided to form the Rock/Pop powerhouse that is My Radio. The band recently signed with music publishing company Ocean Park Music Group, and their song “Yeah Yeah Yeah” will be the soundtrack of the Fox Sports Cleveland Cavaliers halftime highlights for this upcoming NBA season.

Check out these acts and other great Virginian artists in the playlist below! Who are your favorite OurStage Virginians? Where do you like to see live music in Virginia? Let us know in the comments!

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Influence The Chemist

She Understands Me

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The Lost Satellites

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The Sometime Favorites

50 STATES IN 50 WEEKS…WEEK 18: LOUISIANA

Published by BethanyLeavey on October 13, 2009 in Playlists. 2 Comments Tags: 50 states in 50 weeks, beausoleil, Britney Spears, CMJ Music Marathon, Dirtfoot, jazz, Jealous Monk, Julie Odell, Louis Armstrong, Louisiana, playlist, Preservation Hall, Quintron and Miss Pussycat, The Howlin' Wolf, Voodoo Experience.

Home of: Louis Armstrong, Jerry Lee Louis, Jelly Roll Morton, Wynton Marsalis, Britney Spears, Mute Math, Cowboy Mouth, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Master P, The Neville Brothers, Dr. John, Ellen DeGeneres,

Fun Facts: State flower; magnolia, state songs; “Give Me Louisiana” and “You Are My Sunshine,” state bird; eastern brown pelican

The Venues:

Three blocks from the Mississippi River in the French Quarter of New Orleans stands Preservation Hall. Originally built as a private residence in 175o, the Hall has served as a sanctuary for New Orleans Jazz since 1961. Jazz fans flock to Preservation Hall to hear both veteran New Orleans Jazz players and up-and-coming musicians.

The Howlin’ Wolf is more than just a club named after a famous bluesman. With locations in New Orleans and Mandeville, and past performances by Foo Fighters, Steve Winwood, Ozomatli, Arturo Sandoval, Harry Connick Jr., Allison Krauss and more, the venue also manages time for a non-profit division that has raised tens of thousands of dollars for charity as well as a management arm that represents the renowned Rebirth Brass Band.

Music fans from all over will be heading to City Park in New Orleans this Halloween weekend for the 11th annual Voodoo Experience music festival. Voodoo is known for its diverse lineup, combining the best of national and local artists of all genres and this year’s line up is no exception: KISS, Jane’s Addiction, Ween, Lenny Kravitz, The Flaming Lips and Brand New will be sharing the stage with Silversun Pickups, Beausoleil, Lil Brian & The Zydeco Travelers, Parliament, New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars and Quintron and Miss Pussycat. Oh and Eminem will be making his only 2009 live appearance at this year’s Voodoo Experience.

The Music:

Jealous Monk – New Orleans’ Jealous Monk combine old school hip hop with New Orleans funk. MCs Intelligence and Jermaine Quiz rhyme over a live band featuring Dirty Dozen Brass Band founding member Kirk Joseph on sousaphone and a revolving door of the area’s best musicians. They’ve even funked up hip hop’s signature turntables, adding wah-wahs, delays and distortions. Get a taste of New Orleans with “Black Magic” from their album Sun Up to Moon Down. Check out Sam C.’s Q&A with Jealous Monk’s Jermaine Quiz here.

Julie Odell – In “Cast Us Your Wishes” from her 2008 release I Put My Treasures In My Pocket, Julie Odell’s sweet voice floats effortlessly over her whimsical piano arrangements. It is nearly impossible to believe that this track, as well as the rest of the album, were recorded while Julie was still in high school. Julie’s new project Giant Cloud will be showcasing at New York City’s Union Hall as part of the Park The Van CMJ Showcase.

Dirtfoot – Synthesis.net describes Shreveport’s Dirtfoot as a blend of Nick Cave, The Gourds, Old Crow Medicine Show and Mr. Bungle. The band calls their unique melange of musical styles “Gypsy Punk Country Grumble Boogie.” While all of their instruments are acoustic —guitar, banjo, upright bass, pots n’ pans, drums, bells, saxophone, xylophone and more—they have the energy level of the loudest plugged-in bands. “Footsteps” is full of complicated rhythms and unhinged, howl-at-the-moon vocals.