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Tea Leaf Green - Live at Sierra Vista January 2004

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It's been a while since we have featured a live concert and so to end the year, here is a very good recording of a band  some will know, and hopefully many more will get to hear, know and enjoy... From the Internet Archive (IA) this is Tea Leaf Green live at Sierra Vista on the 9th January 2004. Tea Leaf Green (TLG) is a five-piece jam band from San Francisco Bay Area, comprising Josh Clark (guitar and vocals), Trevor Garrod (keyboards, vocals, guitar, and harmonica), Scott Rager (drums and percussion), Cochrane McMillan (percussion), and Eric DiBerardino. Tea Leaf Green began in the fall of 1996, when Scott Rager met Ben Chambers on the campus of San Francisco State University (SFSU). Chambers was the group's original bass player but left in 2007; he is featured on the band's first four albums. Rager and Chambers began playing together, practicing in Chambers's bedroom in a back house off Church Street in San Francisco's Castro District. In early 1997, Clar

Weekend Rockers: Fox Medicine - Blonde Summer

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Fox Medicine - Financial Elevator. Background - We are told that Nee rides broomsticks and likes to gypsy around. Vanny likes to tinker and get stuff done. The pair met at a Melvins show in Chicago, and describe their sound is heavy glittery noise. They go on - "We like secluded areas and are rarely social. Our influences are stoner rock, doom metal, post punk, peanut butter and good beer. PS. Reject reality and live life as art". The most recent release Noise Nurse is a compilation album of songs written by Nee while living in Toronto, Canada in the time frame between 2008-2011. She worked at a psyche/dementia ward as a nurse during the time of those songs, and drew a lot of influence from her surroundings. Most of the songs were written for projects like My Flea Circus + Goldie Luxx, etc, however little promotional effort was used, as they were mostly just for fun + for friends and were performed at local clubs and venues in Toronto's thriving music scene at the

Midweek Muse: Peter Joly - Indigo

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Peter Joly - Till They Go. Background - Singer-songwriter Peter Joly was born in Buffalo, moved on to New York and began writing and performing whilst keeping his head above water working as a cab driver. Since the early 90's he has performed in and around Chicago and gaining attention for his work with the bands Big Breakfast and For Pilots. Peter Joly, released his self titled album in October 2016, an album that features contributions from top local musicians, including Jon Williams, Josh Piet (The Hoyle Brothers), Ryley Walker contributor Charles Rumback, Joe Adamik (Iron & Wine) and Gerald Dowd (Frisbie). All the songs were written by Peter in the summer of 2016 before recording them at various locations including MINBAL and Strobe Recording in Chicago, and Elecric Lady in New York (All the songs were mixed and mastered by Phil Joly in Brooklyn, NYC). Peter celebrated the release with a packed house at Chicago’s famous Hideout Inn, back in November 2016. Facebook here .

Quality Not Quantity: Jess and the Bandits - Astari Nite

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Jess and the Bandits - I Don't Dance. Background - When she agreed to open for Boyzone on their BZ20 tour at the close of 2013, Texan singer Jess Clemmons didn’t realise she was about to embark on the tour that would start the next chapter of her career. Taking her new EP, What If, on the road, she bonded with her backing band and by the end of the tour knew that her music career was not going to be continued as a solo artist. Jess and the Bandits was born. In January 2014, her single Single Tonight broke onto the to Radio 2 playlist and Jess found herself a loyal, dedicated fan in Sir Terry Wogan, who invited her in for her first Radio 2 session. Covering Glen Campbell’s Wichita Lineman, her rich vocal prompted Sir Terry to state, ‘that was the most fabulous song that I’ve ever heard’. Taking time to focus on writing and recording the band’s debut album, Here We Go Again, Jess focused her efforts on her regular column for Female First. When the band returned in September 2014 w

Double Delights: Youngsmith - ElectroBluesSociety

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Youngsmith - I Will Not Forget. Background - Otherwise branded as Youngsmith, Dan Smith is usually a man with a guitar and a bunch of ballads. A veteran of the Brisbane local live music scene. He opened up his latest Australian Tour in August with a show at Brisbane’s Bearded Lady with tracks off his Light EP as well as new tracks ‘Wither’ and big-hitter ‘Red’ — the latter a sweet ditty about his auburn girlfriend which, after its May release date, took on a life of its own on the national radio circuit reaching the US through KPFK 90.7 in Los Angeles, San Diego, Ridgecrest and Santa Barbara, California. After the tour launch, Smith played all over the country also garnering airplay from national community radio and Triple J’s Root ’N’ All program. New single “I Will Not Forget” for the first time leans Smith towards stadium rock territory, like ‘When I Grow Up’ by Garbage or ‘Everlong’ by Foo Fighters. Catchy hooks and beats surround lyrics speaking of personal demons and learning

BeeVids: Rachel Mason - James Kruman

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Rachel Mason - Roses. Background - Rachel Mason presents the new 'Roses' video from new 'Das Ram' LP. Performance artist Rachel Mason presents the video for 'Roses', a track from her new album ‘Das Ram' LP, co-released by Los Angeles-based Cleopatra Records and artist-run cassette label Practical Records present  new album ‘Das Ram'LP. Comprised of eight tracks, this album conveys the stories of specific characters, who define and delight in their own realities and cosmologies, and individuals who create their own world views, their own religions, and fantasy lives. 'Das Ram' is an inversion of the name of renowned healer Ram Dass, and also a play on Mason's own initials, Rachel Ann Mason. The track “Roses”, produced and co-written by Jeff Hassay, is a powerful anthem with Mason's crisp sonorous vocals and positively loaded drive. The 'Roses' video was produced and directed by Los Angeles-based artist team BeckandCol. They also

Weekend Wonders: Rosebug - Vertigo

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Rosebug - He Doesn't Know. Background - Rosebug is yet another punk band from Brooklyn, and they want you to hear their album. Perhaps they don't have the most original origin story, but that doesn't mean they're not worth listening to. Their debut LP, Worst Way was released in November through Dazzleships Records, is thirty minutes of distress and pretty petulance—wrapped up in a bow. The great thing about Rosebug, though? They’re in on the joke. By the time the words find the music, lead singer Becca Chodorkoff is already over it. Or, at the very least, she wants you to think that she is. Currently the band is sharing their buzzworthy new single, "He Doesn't Know," the follow-up to the critically acclaimed piece, "I Am The One." Worst Way was produced by Miles B.A. Robinson at a Bed-Stuy studio called The CRC. The space is owned by indie darlings, Chairlift, and frequented by the likes of Dev Hynes and MGMT. Rosebug's current line-up con

Friday's Alternative Take: Ezrato - Max Cooper - Totally Dubwise

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Ezrato - Noir (ft. Stella Rhymes). Background - ‘Noir’ is an upbeat jazz/house hybrid track from the young Australian producer Ezrato. Incorporating musical elements inspired from the neo-noir film genre, the song revolves around the dangers of having an addiction to a person one admires and the grave consequences that can occur when things don’t work out. Ezrato (born Eric Christopher) begun his musical journey through taking up piano at age 4. After developing an interest in electronic music during his teenage years, Christopher grew a passion for producing covers of popular EDM tracks, recreating the sound design elements from scratch and collaborating with local vocalists. The young producer also gained an online following through regularly posting self-arranged piano tutorials for popular new music on YouTube. Growing up in a family of musicians, Christopher later decided to utilize his musical experience as a pianist and producer to write his own original compositions. ‘Noir’

BeeVids: David Luning - Bloom Twins

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David Luning - Gonna Forget About You. Background - David Luning was studying film scoring at the Berklee College of Music when he first heard the music of John Prine. As Luning recalls, "A couple of friends invited me over to share some songs at their apartment, and that was the first time I'd ever really listened to Americana music or folk or country or whatever you want to call it. They showed me John Prine, and it just resonated with me so much. I was like, 'Oh my god, this is what I have to do with my life.' I just figured it out in that moment." He subsequently dropped out of school and took to the road as a troubadour, performing at open mics and eventually opening for Dave and Phil Alvin, Jackie Greene and other artists. Says Luning, "Originally, this song was actually going to be a happy party song... 'Gonna shine my shoes and go out on the town'... But I never finished it in that vein. A little while later, when I was in a low place, I re