SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC....

What exactly does that phrase mean? Well, it would certainly depend upon whom you asked, since everyone has their own particular views on this subject. Just as musical tastes are very subjective, so also it seems are the differing views on this subject.

Doing anything that helps to insure live music continues in your area would certainly be one answer. Attending shows, spreading the word, introducing your peers to new acts & music...all would certainly qualify under that heading.

Using the enormous resources of the internet to propagate interest in the local & regional music scene has become a popular & powerful way to do so as well. Many bands, venues, & artists have increased their exposure to music fans that they would have never reached in any other way.

Picking up a copy of a CD from performing acts in your area, and recommending it to your co-workers, friends, & neighbors...that's supporting live music in that it promotes & supports the musicians who tour & gig in your area and others.

Do you have a knack for writing? Then, by all means...write a review for submission to differing websites, media, and press. There are thousands of
avenues that are open to such things. Join a music forum, street teams, band sites, or even local, regional, or national organizations that support the styles of music you prefer.

Are you into photography? Snapshots, and photos of live performances & events are veritable "slices of time"...that are preserved infinitely longer than the moment itself. The live music scene, at that time...is captured, and possesses the ability to then "capture" the interest of those who view it.

Do you know aspiring young musicians? If so, then look for ways to encourage & assist them along the way. Student workshops, seminars, presentations, youth trips to musical events...all are ways to reach the younger musicians in your area.
Introduce younger players to those who have years of experience that don't mind mentoring those in the earlier stages of learning.

The key to supporting live music is...become involved in some way. By doing so, you just may encourage others to follow suit. And along the way...you just may find that you've been a major part in supporting live music, and more importantly...insuring that it remains a viable, growing entity in your area.

SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC!

The Skunks & Stoning Cain...Headed South!

On Saturday, September 8th @ 9pm...two of South Arkansas' rocking bands will head south to Ruston, LA in an appearance at Cactus Jack's!

The four guys of STONING CAIN are jacked up over this one! They've worked hard at preparing for this show, and have added some more songs to the set list...it's gonna be one of their best yet.

The Skunks have blown the roof off of Cactus Jack's before, and I'm sure this band will do so again! I look forward to seeing new second guitarist, Larry Russell...rippin' it up on stage with Jason Ellis.

Both bands have been anticipating this one for awhile, and you can be sure they'll have a few "special twists" designed to rock the crowd. There's no telling what they've cooked up together...but I know it'll be killer.

It's the start of football season for LA Tech, one of the first big party weekends in Ruston, LA ...and two of the hottest bands from El Dorado will be there ready to rock!

Come on down, take a little road trip, and support these two local acts as they represent the South Arkansas music scene in North Louisiana!

The Skunks are:

Mark Dodson, vocals
Jason Ellis, lead guitar/vocals
Mike Talley, drums
Larry Russell, second guitar
Jonathan Bourn, bass

http://www.myspace.com/skunkjam

STONING CAIN :

Daniel Camp, vocals
Kelsey Camp, lead & rhythm guitar
Jordan Camp, drums
Victor Zamarripa, bass

http://www.myspace.com/stoningcain

All Night Records-Summer Concert Series-8/17!

Downtown El Dorado, AR will be rockin' tonight with All Night Records, a local band who puts out some of the best in original retro-rock with bluesy overtones. It's always a blast to catch this act live, as they always deliver an exciting show.

Part of the 96 Summer Concert Series, this event is free to the public & will also feature Trent Sumnar & The New Row Mob out of Nashville, TN. Everything gets started up at 7pm with ANR, followed by The New Row Mob.

Ouachita...Camden Duo Steps Up.

Ouachita, pronounced wash-eh-taw... is a young & talented duo from Camden, AR composed of guitarist Drew DeFrance, and percussionist David Pennington. These guys go back to the teen-age years for both of them, and that familiarity with each other certainly serves them well when it comes to composing, performing, and recording original music. The chemistry is evident in all their collaborations.

I was recently allowed a chance to preview their latest demo offering, Ouachita...The Airport Sessions, and I was highly impressed. These guys are totally unapologetic when it comes to crossing musical boundaries, and definitely seem to excel at it. Jam band music is about the closest I can come to defining what style this band primarily moves in. The best word I've come up with to describe this work is "textured". And, if listened to objectively...this is readily apparent as the tonalities discovered on this CD change from one moment to the next, standing out on their own, but yet...somehow coming all back together to a point of origin that solidifies the whole work as one piece.

Their influences rise to the fore on this CD, as you begin to detect the finger-print of such as Duane Allman, Jimi Hendix, and even a little Frank Zappa from time to time. The tunes on this recording are structured, yet at the same time...improvisational enough in nature to keep the attention of the hearer. Sadly, many of the songs of today are totally devoid of this characteristic. The second catch-word for this CD would then be..."interesting".

The fact is, that the Airport Sessions are done very well. Two musicians, doing everything that's audible to the ear totally by themselves... all with a very simple set-up of home computer recording equipment. The title of the CD comes from the fact that it was recorded in a hotel room near the rural airport. So then, the third & final word for this CD is..."competent".
These two young men definitely have some innate ability, as well as a gift for understanding the recording process.

That fact becomes even more impressive when you consider that both these talented young men are about to be in attendance at Media Tech in Austin, TX. Founded by Willie Nelson, this particular sound studio has worked with some of the best in the business including the likes of Willie Nelson, Sublime, Bonnie Raitt, Barenaked Ladies, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Pantera. After completing their studies there, both DeFrance & Pennington will be certified sound & recording engineers. I can only imagine what their evolution might be like in that particular music-rich environment. I, for one...will be waiting.

By all means, check out their website & listen to a few tunes from this up & coming act from South Arkansas.

http://www.myspace.com/ouachitajams

11th Annual Hot Springs Blues Fest...

The Spa City will be bluesin' it up in a big way on 8/31 - 9/1, as the 11th Annual Hot Springs Blues Fest takes place. Always a favorite destination... Hot Springs National Park, AR certainly becomes even more so, to all who love blues & blues-rock during this festival each year. Featuring some of the best in local, regional, national, and even international blues talent...this year's event will surely prove to be one of the best.

And don't forget Friday night...

Friday, August 31st,2007 FREE Concert
Arlington Lawn, Downtown

Liquid Groove Mojo

Free Pub Crawl immediately following, Venue Maps Available At Concert

Saturday, September 1, 2007

At the Transportation Center, Hot Springs, AR.

MAIN STAGE

1 to 1:30 Brian Martin & Greg Batterton

1:45 to 2:15 Brian Atlas Band

2:30 to 3:00 SCBS House Band

3:30 to 4:15 Wes Jeans

4:45 to 5:45 Don McMinn with Mojo Buford

6:15 to 7:15 Fiona Boyles

7:45 to 9:00 Duwayne Burnside

9:30 to 11:00 Michael Burks

Arkansas River Blues Society Stage

3:00 TO 3:30 Ben Brenner

4:15 to 4:45 Brethren

5:45 to 6:15 Mark Simpson

7:15 to 7:45 Joe Marks & NTO

9:00 to 9:30 Charlotte Taylor

For further info...check out the Spa City Blues Society on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/spacityblues

Queens Of The Stone Age...

On Wednesday night,8/8... myself, my three son's & the bassist from their band, Stoning Cain, made the two-hour jump up to Little Rock, AR to see Gasoline Angels & The Queens Of The Stone Age at The Village.

We're right in the middle of a heat wave in this part of the south, and The Village is an old panoramic-screen theater from the days before I-Max which was converted into a music venue... so I knew we were in for a hot & sweaty time in that intimate venue.

True enough, it was beastly hot...but the youngsters seemed not to mind...LOL! After an hour wait in the line outside, we were actually in the first hundred to get inside, so we had the pick of the seats. My first purchase was two large bottles of H20, as I knew with all the perspiring I surely didn't want to go straight for the "other" cold beverages...LOL!

I stayed up on the 1st level off the floor slightly left of mid-stage, while the guys of STONING CAIN braved the floor for the entire show. Even though it wasn't filled to capacity , there was a big crowd of folks there. That's probably a good thing, too...had it been totally packed, I believe some folks would've passed out from heat prostration!

The Gasoline Angels from L.A. were a pretty decent opening duo. The two brothers put out a pretty huge sound for just a guitarist/vocalist, and a drummer. Not especially my type of music, but it was entertaining & very well done. I talked to the guys & their agent for awhile outside in the "smoker's pen", and found them to be very amiable & laid-back people. I'm glad I got a chance to meet them.

QOTSA put on a killer show, just as we all anticipated, and expected! They came right on stage, and proceeded to blow the roof off that sucker, performing a montage of songs from their first CD up to the present, as well as some improvisational variations by Josh & Troy.
Get It Done, Mexicola, Sick,Sick,Sick, & No One Knows were my personal favorites of the night, but to be truthful...it was all good! I was blown away by the music...the sound was loud, but well-balanced for that building with it's subterranean floor & rotunda ceiling. These features, combined with the amount of people inside made for a good sound mix.

I was surrounded by the Arkansas chapter of NORML where I was located, so everybody there was chilled out & mellow...before it was over, I was pretty mellow myself just from being in close proximity...LOL! It wasn't long before I was dancing & groovin' right along with 'em! We met some really cool people in the line, and at the show itself, and that made it an even more pleasant experience.

The guys from STONING CAIN spent the entire time on the floor, center stage...right down in the middle of the mob. QOTSA are one of their favorite bands, and being youngsters of ages 21,18,16 & 17 years of age...they had no problem wading into the crush...LOL! I think I had the most fun watching them enjoy themselves.

One of the best rock shows I've been to in a long time...can't wait to do it again.


http://www.myspace.com/thevillagelive
http://www.myspace.com/queensofthestoneage
http://www.gasolineangels.com/
http://www.myspace.com/thegasolineangels

Dead End Drive Charts Own Course...

What do you get when you take two guys, two guitars, some colored lighting, and an obviously serious influence from the likes of Pink Floyd ? Well, if you're from around the El Dorado, AR area...you'd get the local act Dead End Drive.

Consisting of Matt Benson, & Bob Lane...these two young men are definitely "charting their own course" with their music. While many bands today composed of younger musicians are either Emo, Screamo, or Metal...these two guys have chosen a different path. Experimental, Psychedelic, and Progressive styles are all evident in their offerings, and the fact that they pull off this interesting combination of music as a duo makes this act even more intriguing.

Dead End Drive will return to ArtBeats Cafe' this Saturday night at 9pm...having played there on several occasions previously...DED will certainly use the "atmosphere & vibe" of this venue to accentuate the night's performance. Drop in, and check out this rising act as they bring something a little unique to the live music scene here in South Arkansas.

Dead End Drive
ArtBeats Cafe'
107 S. Jefferson St.
El Dorado, AR 71730
9pm Start
All Ages Welcome!

http://www.myspace.com/musicofdeadenddrive

http://www.myspace.com/artbeatscafe